INDIANA BOYS BASKETBALL STATE FINALS
FINAL | CLASS 1A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
INDIANAPOLIS LUTHERAN 97, SOUTHWOOD 66
FINAL | CLASS 2A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
FORT WAYNE BLACKHAWK CHRISTIAN 52, LINTON-STOCKTON 45
FINAL | CLASS 3A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
NORTHWOOD 66, GUERIN CATHOLIC 63 (OT)
FINAL | CLASS 4A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
BEN DAVIS 53, KOKOMO 41
MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL
FLORIDA ATLANTIC 79 KANSAS STATE 76
UCONN 82 GONZAGA 54
WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL
MARYLAND 76 NOTRE DAME 59
SOUTH CAROLINA 59 UCLA 43
OHIO STATE 73 UCONN 61
VIRGINIA TECH 73 TENNESSEE 64
NBA SCOREBOARD
ATLANTA 143 INDIANA 130
BROOKLYN 129 MIAMI 100
DENVER 129 MILWAUKEE 106
PHOENIX 125 PHILADELPHIA 105
SACRAMENTO 121 UTAH 113
NEW ORLEANS 131 LA CLIPPERS 110
NHL SCOREBOARD
BOSTON 2 TAMPA BAY 1
PHILADELPHIA 3 DETROIT 0
SEATTLE 7 NASHVILLE 2
CALGARY 5 SAN JOSE 3
LOS ANGELES 4 WINNIPEG 1
NY RANGERS 4 FLORIDA 3
MINNESOTA 3 CHICAGO 1
BUFFALO 2 NY ISLANDERS 0
CAROLINA 5 TORONTO 3
VANCOUVER 3 DALLAS 1
MONTRÉAL 8 COLUMBUS 2
NEW JERSEY 5 OTTAWA 3
PITTSBURGH 4 WASHINGTON 3
VEGAS 4 EDMONTON 3
ST. LOUIS 6 ANAHEIM 3
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL SCOREBOARD
MILWAUKEE 6 OAKLAND 5
SAN DIEGO 5 TEXAS 3
KANSAS CITY 6 LA DODGERS 3
LA ANGELS 8 CHICAGO CUBS 7
SAN FRANCISCO 7 SEATTLE 4
ARIZONA 4 SEATTLE 1
CHICAGO WHITE SOX 9 CINCINNATI 2
CLEVELAND 4 COLORADO 2
NY YANKEES 8 PHILADELPHIA 3
ST. LOUIS 3 MIAMI 2
TAMPA BAY 4 BOSTON 2
ATLANTA 9 MINNESOTA 4
HOUSTON 6 WASHINGTON 1
BALTIMORE 6 PITTSBURGH 4
DETROIT 4 TORONTO 1
ST. LOUIS 4 NY METS 4
MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER
PORTLAND 0 LOS ANGELES 0
CHARLOTTE 1 NEW YORK 1
COLUMBUS 6 ATLANTA 1
NEW ENGLAND 2 DC 1
CHICAGO 3 MIAMI 2
ORLANDO 2 PHILADELPHIA 1
COLORADO 1 AUSTIN 1
HOUSTON 1 NEW YORK CITY 0
SEATTLE 4 KANSAS CITY 1
VANCOUVER 1 MINNESOTA 1
CINCINNATI 1 NASHVILLE 0
ST. LOUIS 4 SALT LAKE 0
LAFC 2 DALLAS 1
SAN JOSE 0 TORONTO 0
TOP INDIANA (RELEASES)
INDIANA PACERS
With 7:25 remaining in the third quarter on Saturday night in Atlanta, Hawks All-Star guard Trae Young was ejected during a timeout with the score tied at 84. It was the type of moment that figured to be a turning point in the game, but unfortunately for the Pacers, it did not swing the game in their favor.
After Tyrese Haliburton hit a free throw for Young’s technical out of the timeout, Atlanta (37-37) outscored Indiana 41-22 over the next 12 minutes to break away from the Pacers (33-42) and ultimately cruised to a 143-130 win.
The Blue & Gold, playing a back-to-back on extra short rest, seemingly ran out of gas down the stretch. After playing a 7:00 PM game on Friday night in Boston, the team had to fly three hours to Atlanta, then play an early 5:00 PM tip against the Hawks.
The Pacers were in Saturday’s game against the high-scoring Hawks for so long thanks in large part to a brilliant stretch from Jordan Nwora. The 6-8 forward scored 25 points in the second quarter — setting a new regular-season franchise record — and finished with a team-high 33 points and seven rebounds, going 12-for-18 from the field, 4-for-7 from 3-point range, and 5-for-5 from the free throw line.
All told, eight Pacers finished in double figures, including Haliburton, who collected another double-double with 19 points and 13 assists. But it wasn’t enough to overcome a 143-point outburst from the Hawks, who tallied 76 points in the paint and also went 15-for-30 from 3-point range.
With the loss, the Pacers slipped into 12th place in the Eastern Conference, three games back of 10th and the final spot in the upcoming Play-In Tournament with seven games remaining in the regular season.
PLAYOFF PICTURE: Track the Latest Standings, Remaining Schedules, and More >>
Andrew Nembhard got the Pacers off to a fast start on Saturday. The rookie out of Gonzaga quickly scored Indiana’s first seven points and 10 of their first 14 to help the visitors out to an early lead.
The Pacers converted 10 of their first 13 shots as a team and led 22-13 before the Hawks answered with a run of their own. Rookie forward A.J. Griffin hit two threes during a 12-3 Atlanta run, the second of which tied the game at 25.
Griffin added a third three with 1:18 remaining in the first quarter that gave the Hawks a 35-32 lead. Buddy Hield tied the game with a trey of his own on the other end, but Atlanta scored the final four points of the frame. Young hit a jumper, then dished to Onyeka Okongwu for a bucket on the next possession to give the hosts a 39-35 lead after one.
Haliburton, playing for the second straight night after missing the previous six games due to injury, played the entire first quarter and tallied nine points and six assists for Indiana.
The second quarter was all about Nwora. The third-year forward scored 18 of Indiana’s first 22 points in the frame. He drilled a three on the first possession of the quarter, added a three-point play at 10:22, and a dunk at 9:34.
But the real flurry of points came a few minutes later, when Nwora scored on four straight Indiana possessions. He knocked down another trey at 6:26 and a midrange jumper at 5:52. The next time down the floor, he hoisted a heat-check three from the top of the key that swished through the net. T.J. McConnell then dished to a streaking Nwora, who threw down a a one-hand jam.
“I hit an easy three in the corner and then from there, (Pacers head coach) Rick (Carlisle) just called a couple plays, put me in some ball screens and I was able to make stuff happen off of that,” Nwora said. “He trusted me, I trusted myself, and once I saw a few go in, I just had a lot of confidence moving forward after that.”
Despite all that early scoring, it wasn’t until Nwora converted a three-point play on the baseline with 3:14 remaining in the frame that Indiana took the lead at 64-61. Nwora’s layup at 1:30 and two free throws at 1:11 capped a remarkable 25-point quarter, the most by a Pacers player since quarter stats were first tracked in 1996-97.
“He has the ability to get going,” Carlisle said of Nwora’s record-setting performance. “We saw it when he was with Milwaukee against us, he hit four, five threes. He wasn’t exhibiting some of these other skills (with the Bucks), putting it on the floor, playing in pick-and-roll, those kinds of things…He’s got a lot stuff (to his game). The thing I like most about tonight, he did it in the most efficient way that he’s played so far.”
Aaron Nesmith provided an exclamation point in the final minute of the frame, throwing down a massive slam over Hawks center Clint Capela. That pushed the lead to 74-68, though Atlanta managed four points over the final 40 seconds to make it a two-point game at halftime.
The Hawks surged back ahead in the opening minutes of the third quarter. They led 84-81 when Young drained a deep three from near the logo. Officials ruled that Young kicked his leg out after the shot to trip Nesmith and wiped out the shot by calling an offensive foul.
Young was still upset after Haliburton hit a tying three on the other end and the Hawks called a timeout. As he headed to the Atlanta bench, he slammed the ball in disgust and threw it at referee Scott Wall. That outburst earned the Hawks’ leading scorer an ejection with 7:25 remaining in the third quarter.
But with Young out of the game, Dejounte Murray stepped up to lead Atlanta’s offense over the remainder of the quarter. The 26-year-old scored eight of the Hawks’ next 13 points to help Atlanta regain the lead.
Nwora checked back in and added five more points in the final minutes of the frame, but 3-pointers by former Pacer Aaron Holiday and Saddiq Bey in the final 1:13 extended the hosts’ lead to 105-98.
Garrison Mathews’ three 1:21 into the fourth quarter pushed the margin to double digits at 113-102. Back-to-back threes a short while later from Holiday and Mathews made it 123-108 and forced a timeout from Carlisle with 8:33 to play.
Hield — who started the night 1-for-8 from 3-point range — finally found his shooting stroke down the stretch. The Bahamian sharpshooter knocked down three 3-pointers in a 1:43 span to keep the Hawks from completely putting the game away.
Haliburton’s three-point play cut the deficit to 132-122 with 4:23 remaining, but Indiana never managed to get back within single digits.
Hield finished the night with 16 points off the bench, going 4-for-12 from beyond the arc. Isaiah Jackson added 14 points on 7-of-10 shooting.
Nembhard tallied 12 points, Nesmith and Jalen Smith each scored 11, and McConnell chipped in 10 for Indiana, as the Pacers went 1-3 on their last multi-game road trip of the season.
John Collins had a team-high 21 points for Atlanta on 9-of-12 shooting. Murray (20 points and 12 assists) and Capela (17 points and 17 rebounds) each recorded double-doubles, while Bey tallied 18 points and six rebounds off the bench.
The Pacers will return to Indianapolis for their next three games and five of their last seven to close out the regular season. The Pacers host Dallas on Monday and continue their homestand with games against Milwaukee on Wednesday and Oklahoma City on Friday.
Inside the Numbers
Nwora finished one point shy of his career high, which he set as a rookie with the Bucks in Chicago on May 16, 2021. His 33 points on Saturday were 13 more than his previous high since joining the Pacers via trade on Feb. 9.
Haliburton recorded his team-leading 32nd double-double of the season. Only Young (35) and Philadelphia’s James Harden (33) have more double-doubles among NBA guards this season.
Hield re-took the lead for most 3-pointers made in the NBA this season after being passed by Warriors guard Klay Thompson last night. Hield now has made 271 threes this season while Thompson has 268. Both the Pacers and Warriors have seven games remaining. With a strong finish, Hield could reach 300 3-pointers, a milestone that only two players have ever achieved (Stephen Curry four times and Harden once).
Pacers starting center Myles Turner did not play on Saturday due to a sore lower back, creating an opportunity for young bigs Jackson and Smith. The duo combined for 25 points on 11-of-19 shooting and 12 rebounds.
12 of the Hawks’ 15 3-pointers came from their bench. Mathews went 4-for-5 from beyond the arc, Bey was 3-for-7, Griffin was 3-for-6, and Holiday was 2-for-3.
You Can Quote Me On That
“It’s great playing with guards (like) Drew, T.J., Ty obviously — when they’re driving, they’re all great passers. So when you make a cut, they’re going to find you. If you’re open, you’re going to get the ball. That’s the great thing about being on this team.” -Nwora on how his teammates set him up for success
“Since he’s gotten here, he’s been unbelievable. He’s a great teammate, great kid and special scorer.” -McConnell on Nwora’s performance
“I think I’m getting a lot more comfortable with it and the more I do it, I think I’ll keep improving on it, getting better.” -Nwora on getting opportunities to play in the pick-and-roll
“We gave up well over 30 a quarter. Not good enough, obviously. I think not having Myles out there is a factor, but it’s not an excuse. We’ve got to find a way to be better than this.” -Carlisle on the defensive struggles
“Our young players that are getting an opportunity to start…it’s important for these guys to understand the responsibility that comes with a starting player on an NBA team. It’s got to be about doing your job within the system, doing your job defensively and doing your job offensively, and having trust in your teammates…This week has been a great opportunity for these guys to experience stuff that they need to experience.” -Carlisle on giving young players like Mathurin, Nembhard, and Jackson starting opportunities in recent weeks
“When we talked to Buddy about going from starter to coming off the bench, he was good with it…The last couple of games, his approach, his attitude, his vibe with the team and all that kind of stuff was terrific. And that’s what we need. As we build a roster and a rotation that can be a contending-type rotation, everybody’s heart has to be in the right place, their spirit has to be in the right place.” -Carlisle on Hield agreeing to move from the starting lineup for the past two games
“It’s obviously different, experimenting with different lineups that we haven’t been with all year. But that’s no excuse for not giving any effort. Our effort was not good tonight and it showed…effort is a non-negotiable.” -McConnell on if playing with new lineups has impacted the team’s performance
Stat of the Night
Nwora made history with 25 points in the second quarter. The previous high by a Pacer since quarter stats were tracked in 1996-97 belonged to Mike Dunleavy, who scored 24 points in the third quarter of a win over Denver at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Nov. 9, 2010.
Noteworthy
The Pacers have dropped their last four games in Atlanta.
Saturday’s game completed the Pacers’ final back-to-back this season. Indiana finished the year 7-7 when playing on the second night of a back-to-back and 5-9 on the first night.
Pacers second-year guard Chris Duarte returned on Saturday after missing the past five games with a sore left ankle, but did not play in the second half against the Hawks after aggravating the injury.
Atlanta was without starting forward De’Andre Hunter due to a left knee contusion.
Up Next
After a four-game road trip, the Pacers will return to Gainbridge Fieldhouse to host Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks on Monday, March 27 at 7:00 PM ET.
INDY FUEL
FUEL EARN POINT IN OVERTIME LOSS TO K-WINGS
INDIANAPOLIS – The Fuel hosted the Kalamazoo Wings for the twelfth time this season, looking for their ninth win against their divisional opponents. While the Fuel earned a point by going to overtime, it was the K-Wings who struck last and won 4-3.
1ST PERIOD
Kalamazoo’s Justin Taylor was the first to get on the game sheet with a tripping penalty at 8:18. The K-Wings were able to kill it off.
Nick Cardelli then took a hooking penalty for Indy at 11:50 but the Fuel were able to kill it off. While neither team scored, things progressively got chippier through the end of the first period.
2ND PERIOD
Less than a minute into the second frame, Ben Copeland scored for Kalamazoo and less than a minute later, David Keefer made it 2-0 for the K-Wings.
23 seconds after that, defenseman Chris Cameron scored from the blue line to make it 2-1 with the help of Zach Vinnell and Bryan Lemos.
At 3:26 in the period, Andrew Bellant scored to tie the game at 2-2. The goal was reviewed for goaltender interference but ultimately it stood. Vinnell collected his second assist of the game on that goal along with Logan Nijhoff.
The game seemed to calm down a bit after that until the K-Wings took a penalty at 13:32 that they were able to kill off.
Koletrane Wilson broke the tie and gave Indy their first lead of the game at 16:37 of the second period with his first goal of the season and first in the ECHL. Bellant had the lone assist.
3RD PERIOD
About five minutes into the final frame, Kalamazoo’s Kobe Roth took a penalty for high-sticking and sat for two minutes. The K-Wings were able to kill that off before getting a power play of their own on a holding call on Lemos.
While the Fuel killed off that penalty, the K-Wings tied the game up at 14:04 with a goal by Kyle Rhodes to make it 3-3.
Despite a few more good chances on both sides, time expired on regulation and the game headed to overtime.
OVERTIME
Kalamazoo controlled possession in the first minute of overtime with a few good chances and a crash into the net but Zach Driscoll stood strong, making the saves.
On the first rush by the Fuel, Alex Wideman sent a puck through the crease but Evan Cormier made a behind the back save before the puck could cross the line despite the Fuel’s celebration.
Upon a review, it was confirmed to not be a goal. Kalamazoo’s Copeland scored at 2:32 into overtime and won the game for the K-Wings, 4-3 in overtime.
INDY ELEVEN
RECAP – DET 0:1 IND
HAMTRAMCK, Mich. (Saturday, March 25, 2023) – The match-up between growing USL Championship rivals Indy Eleven at Detroit City FC proved to be as rowdy as expected at historic Keyworth Stadium. Bryam Rebellón will come home the a hero after his shot from outside the six-yard box resulted in the game’s lone, securing the a 1-0 victory over Le Rouge that marked the first win of the 2023 campaign for Indiana’s Team.
On an intensely windy day (30 mph, gusting to 40), it was difficult early-on for both teams to learn how to keep the ball on course. A patient, composed start set the tone early, and it was the visitors who seemed to deal better with keeping possession in the conditions. Eleven goalkeeper Yannik Oettl gained his first stop at 10 minutes as he got down low to smother a cross from DCFC’s first venture into the box. Connor Rutz for Detroit sent a shot-on-target through the net in the 12th minute but received a whistle offside to nullify the chance.
The first of many yellow cards for both teams was booked on Indy’s Younes Boudadi at 14 minutes after a diving attempt to beat Detroit to the ball got messy. This seemed to set the tone for the rest of the half, as just two minutes later, Le Rouge received their first yellow when Richard Ballard challenged Cam Lindley a little too late, sending him down. Then Solomon Asante went in the book at 21 minutes with a high boot in a 50-50 challenge with Matt Lewis. Adjusting, the Eleven attempted to switch up their angle of attack, venturing more towards the right-side to adapt to both the wind conditions and DCFC’s defense.
At 28 minutes, Detroit City goalkeeper Nate Steinwascher dove and made a low snare on a strong attempt by Aodhan Quinn. Shortly after was Douglas Martinez’s first yellow card for Indy after he walked away with the ball after a stoppage. The yellow haze didn’t let up as Detroit’s Yazeed Matthews sent Martinez down hard at 38 minutes, counting five yellow cards in the books in the first 40 minutes of the match, intensifying the tension at Keyworth. A strong attempt from DCFC’s Connor Rutz finished off the first half at 48 minutes, with a poke that bounced off the post and translated into a rebound shot, both deflected by Oettl, to keep the score at 0-0 heading into halftime.
Le Rouge entered back from half with another yellow booking this time on Reese Williams, much to captain Steve Carroll’s dismay. At 49 minutes, Quinn sent it dangerously close to the box on a beautiful service to midfielder Jack Blake, who sent a right-footed shot closely saved by Steinwascher. The Eleven were hungry for a goal after that close attempt, and Rebellon’s answer off a free kick came six minutes into the second half, with his goal straight through traffic settling inside the right corner of the net.
Douglas Martinez was increasingly aggressive this second half, stirring up quite a few fouls for the Le Rouge, not earning him any credit with the rowdy Detroit crowd. At 74 minutes, DCFC’s Matthews earned his consequential red card for his second yellow after a two-footed challenge on again, Martinez. Juan Tejada replaced Martinez later in the half and created a brilliant ball at 95 minutes on a counter where he sprung Asante, who drew a yellow card on Steve Carroll on the attack. The push for a goal continued to intensify for DCFC as time ran out, but once again Oettl pulled through for the Eleven with a last-minute tip save that allowed Indy to hand on to the victory.
Next up, Indy Eleven will kick off the home portion of its USL Championship campaign with its Carroll Stadium opener next Saturday, April 1. The Boys in Blue will welcome Las Vegas Lights FC for a 7:00 p.m. ET kickoff in the Circle City.
Single-game tickets for all home games at IUPUI Carroll Stadium along with 17-game Season Ticket Memberships, specially-priced group tickets, and an increased portfolio of hospitality options are available for purchase now via indyeleven.com/tickets or by calling 317-685-1100 during regular business hours (Mon.-Fri., 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.)
USL Championship Regular Season
Detroit City FC 0: 1 Indy Eleven
Saturday, March 25, 2023
Keyworth Stadium – Hamtramck, Mich.
Indy Eleven: 1W-0L-1D, 4 pts.
Detroit City FC: 1W-2L-0D, 3 pts.
Scoring Summary:
IND – Bryam Rebellón (unassisted) 62’
Discipline Summary:
IND – Younes Boudadi (caution) 14’
DET – Richard Ballard (caution) 16’
IND – Soloman Asante (caution) 21’
IND – Douglas Martinez (caution) 33’
DET – Yazeed Matthews (caution) 39’
DET – Rhys Williams (caution) 48’, (red card) 74’
Indy Eleven line-up (3-4-3): Yannik Oettl; Bryam Rebellón, Jesus Vazquez, Adrian Diz Pe, Younes Boudadi; Cam Lindley, Aodhan Quinn (Harrison Robledo 87’), Jack Blake; Solomon Asante (Mechack Jerome 98’), Douglas Martinez (Juan Tejada 80’), Sebastian Guenzatti
Detroit City FC line-up (4-4-2): Nate Steinwascher; Stephen Carroll, Matt Lewis, Jalen Robinson (Abdoulaye Diop 76’), Michael Bryant; Maxi Rodriguez, Tommy McCabe, Connor Rutz, Richard Ballard (Skage Simonson 67’), Rhys Williams; Yazeed Matthews
INDIANA BASEBALL
B1G OPENING COMEBACK
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – After six Ohio State runs in the first inning, the Indiana baseball program scored the next 14 on its way to a 14-6 win in the Big Ten opener on Saturday (March 25) at Bart Kaufman Field. The come-from-behind victory ran the Hoosiers’ winning streak to five games overall and marked the 12th straight win at home to start 2023.
After Ohio State (12-8, 0-1 B1G) out to an early six-run lead after a half inning, Indiana (15-7, 0-0 B1G) used three in the second inning, one in the third inning and four in the fourth inning to take the lead back. Two more runs in the fifth and four in the eighth capped the scoring.
The first career home run for freshman Tyler Cerny highlighted the game, as the rookie was 2-for-5 with two RBIs and two runs scored. Along with the home run, he doubled and stole one base in the contest. Redshirt senior Matthew Ellis and sophomore Brock Tibbitts each homered as part of multi-hit games, as well.
Tibbitts drove in four RBIs in a 3-for-4 day at the plate, Ellis had a pair of hits with one RBI and freshman Devin Taylor was 2-for-3 with two walks, one run scored and three RBIs. All nine starters for Indiana had at least one hit and scored at least one run, including senior Phillip Glasser, who extended his hitting streak to 11 games and his reached base streak to 22 games in the process.
Graduate student Gabe Levy (1-2) came on with the bases loaded in the top of the first inning and worked the four innings with two runs – one earned – allowed on three hits to earn the win. He walked two and struck out two to earn his first victory for the Cream and Crimson.
Four more relief innings were thrown by sophomore Ryan Kraft, who didn’t allow a run in his outing. He scattered four hits and three walks and struck out three batters in the outing. Freshman Evan Whiteaker got the start and did not factor into the decision after four runs allowed on four walks without recording an out.
For Ohio State, Nick Erwin went 2-for-4 with two RBIs in the contest and Marcus Ernst walked three times and scored one run. Henry Kaczmar chipped in a pair of hits and one RBI in the game, as well. The loss went to starting pitcher Isaiah Coupet (3-2) with 10 runs allowed on 10 hits over four innings of work.
Scoring Recap
Top First
Four straight walks started the game to push the first run across against IU starting pitcher Evan Whiteaker. The first RBI went to Cole Andrews via a bases loaded walk and Matthew Graveline followed with a walk to push the second run across. Nick Erwin drove in a pair of runs with a base hit and Henry Kaczmar singled to drive in the fifth run of the frame. An error allowed the sixth run of the inning to cross.
Ohio State 6, Indiana 0
Bottom Second
A leadoff home run from Brock Tibbitts was followed by a Carter Mathison base hit and Tyler Cerny RBI double. After Cerny stole third base, Bobby Whalen pushed the third run of the inning across with a ground out.
Ohio State 6, Indiana 3
Bottom Third
Three straight singles started the inning with Josh Pyne and Devin Taylor getting things started in front of Tibbitts’ RBI base hit.
Ohio State 6, Indiana 4
Bottom Fourth
Five straight batters reached base with one out as Pyne drove in the first RBI with a bases loaded hit-by-pitch and Taylor followed with a two-RBI single. Tibbitts added his third RBI of the afternoon with a sacrifice fly.
Indiana 8, Ohio State 6
Bottom Fifth
Cerny started the inning with a solo home run to center field and Matthew Ellis followed with a solo home run to right field.
Indiana 10, Ohio State 6
Bottom Fifth
The first three runners reached base and Taylor walked to push the first run across. Tibbitts singled to bring the next run across. An error on the play allowed the third run of the inning to score. Mathison plated the final run of the game with a sacrifice fly.
Indiana 14, Ohio State 6
Up Next
Indiana and Ohio State will play a doubleheader on Saturday, March 26 starting at 11 a.m. Both games can be seen on B1G+ and heard on the Indiana Sports Radio Network
INDIANA SOFTBALL
STONE’S WALK-OFF SINGLE LEADS HOOSIERS PAST NO. 22 TERPS IN BIG TEN OPENER
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana sophomore first basemen Sarah Stone walked it off for the Hoosiers as she sent one deep into right field for the hit and an RBI as Indiana (20-9, 1-0 B1G) takes game one of the series against No. 22 Maryland (22-6, 0-1 B1G) at Andy Mohr Field on Saturday afternoon.
INDIANA 2, MARYLAND 1
KEY MOMENTS
• The teams defenses battled early with both teams looking to gain offensive momentum.
• Maryland struck first in the top of the sixth with a home run to left field to take the lead.
• The Hoosiers looked to match that in the bottom of the inning but left two stranded on base.
• IU continued to play clean defense as they shut down the Terps offense in the top of the seventh going three up, three down to escape the inning.
• Indiana loaded the bases behind a hit from sophomore Kinsey Mitchell and a couple of free passes. Mitchell tied the game on a bases loaded hit-by-pitch to tie the game, 1-1.
• Stone stepped up to the plate as she sent one deep into right field for the, 2-1, walk-off win against the Terps.
NOTABLES
• Indiana extends their win streak to 13 straight games since going 14-0 to start the 2019 season.
• Brianna Copeland is 10-0 from inside the circle and is tied second in conference with the most wins on the season.
• Indiana leads the series against the Terps 14-7.
UP NEXT
Indiana will finish the series against the No. 22 Maryland Terrapins tomorrow with a doubleheader at Andy Mohr Field.
INDIANA SWIMMING
HOOSIERS FINISH FOURTH NATIONALLY, TYLER TAKES PLATFORM TITLE
MINNEAPOLIS – Indiana men’s swimming and diving is bringing a trophy back to Bloomington after finishing as the No. 4 team in the nation at the 2023 NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships on Saturday (March 25) inside the Jane K. Freeman Aquatic Center.
The Hoosiers scored 379 points to earn their fourth top-five finish of the last five championships. Indiana remains among college swimming’s elite – in the last five years, only four team have consistently finished top six nationally: Cal, Texas, Florida and the Indiana Hoosiers. IU finished just short of third, five points back of Texas.
Over the week, three different Hoosiers won individual national championships, six program records were smashed, 10 medals were earned, and 10 IU athletes combined for 37 All-America honors. Indiana outperformed its No. 6 CSCAA national ranking as well as the psych sheet projections, which simulated a fifth-place performance.
“It was one of the major goals for the boys all year long to get a trophy, and what a battle,” IU head swimming coach Ray Looze said.” You really had six elite teams that the meet revealed, and we just feel so grateful that the guys just laid it on the line all day today. All the way from prelims to finals, and then the divers really gave us a shot with the way they performed.
“Final four, baby! We got a trophy, and that means you’re one of the best teams in the country, I’m so proud of them. It’s so gratifying that we can bring this home to Indiana University.”
Sophomore Carson Tyler joined the legendary list of Hoosier national champions on Saturday when he won the program’s first platform diving title and 21st diving total overall. Tyler scored 476.30 points to outduel Tennessee’s Bryden Hattie with 455.10. On his fifth dive, Tyler created space with a perfect score on his Back 3 ½ Somersault Tuck to earn a 99.00. He clinched the title with an 81-point dive in round six.
“What an amazing ending to an unbelievable week,” IU head diving coach Drew Johansen said. “Carson was spectacular tonight. His fifth-round dive was not only a perfect it, but it was done at the most critical moment of the event. Absolutely clutch!”
Tyler was joined in the top three buy bronze medalist and fellow sophomore Quinn Henninger, who tallied a 408.60. Indiana’s 36 points in the platform diving event were crucial to the team’s top-four finish at the end of the night. Totaling five medals and two national titles, Indiana diving accounted for 104 points in just three events.
Senior Andrew Capobianco’s collegiate career ends after winning his third-career NCAA 3-meter title Friday which followed a runner-up performance on 1-meter the day before. The Olympian closes this chapter of his career a three-time national champion, six-time NCAA medalist and 12-time All-American.
“Quinn’s third-place finish helped secure the team’s overall fourth-place finish,” Johansen said. “This is the future of IU diving. I’m so happy for the team and so excited to see what comes next.”
“Quinn and Carson were just remarkable,” Looze said, “and I have to give them a lot of credit for putting us in a position where our relay could do something.
Indiana was solid in all three disciplines all week: swimming, diving and relay. All five of IU’s relays had top-10 performances for the first time since the team’s third-place finish in 2019 and accounted for 136 points and all five finished higher than their seeding. On Saturday, the 400-yard freestyle relay quartet of senior Van Mathias, junior Tomer Frankel, junior Gavin Wight and sophomore Rafael Miroslaw placed sixth in 2:47.17, just six hundredths shy of the program record.
Individual swimming accounted for the remaining 136 points. IU swimmers earned eight first-team All-America (top eight) finishes and four medals. Senior Brendan Burns became the NCAA 100-yard backstroke champion on Friday with a program record 43.61. It was his first title in the event but second overall after winning the 200-yard butterfly a year ago. On Saturday, he followed that up with a national runner-up placement in the 200 fly.
Van Mathias’ fifth-year senior season of drastic time drops ended with three All-America finishes and a silver medal. Prior to this week, Mathias had never finished higher than 26th at the national meet.
Tomer Frankel was the only swimmer in the field to finish top-five in both the 100-yard and 200-yard butterfly events. The junior from Israel set personal bests in both races and earned a bronze medal in the 100 fly with a program record 44.04.
RESULTS
100 FREESTYLE
7. Van Mathias – 41.39 (All-America)
200 BREASTSTROKE
4. Josh Matheny – 1:50.12 (All-America, Career Best)
200 BUTTERFLY
2. Brendan Burns – 1:38.97 (NCAA Silver, All-America)
5. Tomer Frankel – 1:40.34 (All-America, Career-Best)
PLATFORM
1. Carson Tyler – 476.30 (NCAA Champion, All-America, Career Best)
3. Quinn Henninger – 388.05 (NCAA Bronze, All-America)
400 FREESTYLE RELAY
6. Van Mathias, Tomer Frankel, Gavin Wight, Rafael Miroslaw – 2:47.17
HOOSIER ALL-AMERICANS
Finn Brooks (200 Freestyle Relay*)
Brendan Burns (200 Medley Relay, 800 Freestyle Relay, 100 Butterfly*, 100 Backstroke, 400 Medley Relay, 200 Butterfly)
Andrew Capobianco (1-meter, 3-meter)
Tomer Frankel (200 Medley Relay, 800 Freestyle Relay, 100 Butterfly, 400 Medley Relay, 200 Butterfly, 400 Freestyle Relay)
Quinn Henninger (3-meter, Platform)
Josh Matheny (100 Breaststroke*, 400 Medley Relay, 200 Breaststroke)
Van Mathias (200 Medley Relay, 800 Freestyle Relay, 50 Freestyle*, 200 Freestyle Relay*, 100 Breaststroke, 100 Freestyle, 400 Freestyle Relay)
Rafael Miroslaw (800 Freestyle Relay, 200 Freestyle Relay*, 200 Freestyle*, 400 Medley Relay, 400 Freestyle Relay)
Carson Tyler (3-meter, Platform)
Gavin Wight (200 Medley Relay, 200 Freestyle Relay*, 400 Freestyle Relay)
* – Denotes Honorable Mention
INDIANA MEN’S TENNIS
INDIANA MEN’S TENNIS SWEEPS PURDUE IN 7-0 RIVALRY WIN
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. ––––– Indiana Men’s Tennis left their mark in West Lafayette on Saturday as the Hoosiers defeated rival Purdue 7-0 at Schwartz Tennis Center.
Indiana has now won five of its last six matches over the Boilermakers, dating back to the 2017-18 season.
The match started out with fierce competition for the doubles point. Indiana and Purdue split No. 1 and No. 2 doubles before Ekansh Kumar and Luka Vukovic fought their way to a 7-5 win at No. 3 doubles and earned Indiana a 1-0 lead.
From there, Indiana went on a tear in singles action. Patrick Fletchall, Luc Boulier, Sam Landau and Jagger Saylor all won in straight sets to push the lead to 5-0 and clinch the win.
Ilya Tiraspolksy and Luka Vukovic closed the door with wins at No. 4 and No. 2 singles, respectively to make it a 7-0 sweep.
With the win, Indiana is now 1-0 in Big Ten play and 11-6 on the season overall.
Indiana will be back in action next week on Friday March 31 for a home match vs. Northwestern.
Final Results
INDIANA 7, PURDUE 0
Singles competition
1. Patrick Fletchall (IU) def. Daniel Labrador (PU), 6-3, 6-1
2. Luka Vukovic (IU) def. Michal Wozniak (PU), 6-3, 5-7, 12-10
3. Sam Landau (IU) def. Mujitaba Ali-Khan (PU), 6-2, 6-2
4. Ilya Tiraspolsky (IU) def. Milledge Cossu (PU), 6-4, 1-6, 10-7
5. Jagger Saylor def. Tomasz Dudek (PU), 6-4, 6-2
6. Luc Boulier (IU) def. Julen Morgan (PU), 6-3, 6-3
Doubles competition
1. Daniel Labrador/Tomasz Dudek (PU) def. Patrick Fletchall/Ilya Tiraspolsky (IU), 6-3
2. Sam Landau/Luc Boulier (IU) def. Michal Wozniak/Milledge Cossu (PU), 6-3
3. Eknash Kumar/Luka Vukovic (IU) def. Julen Morgan/Mujitaba Ali-Khan (PU), 7-5
Order of finish
Singles: 1, 6, 3, 5, 4, 2
Doubles: 1, 2, 3
PURDUE SOFTBALL
BOILERMAKERS DROP GAME 2 AT NEBRASKA
LINCOLN, Neb. — In the second game of the three-game series, Purdue softball fell at Nebraska, 1-4. Despite Jade Moy’s home run in the top of the seventh, the Boilermakers’ late push was not enough to overcome the Huskers’ four-run fifth inning.
Purdue posted three hits and left three runners stranded in the outing, while Nebraska totaled seven hits and nine runners left on base.
After a quiet start, Tyrina Jones notched the first hit by either team in the fourth inning. Nebraska responded with loading the bases at the bottom of the frame, however relief pitcher Mo Wimpee helped get the Boilermakers out of the jam with a strikeout and a fielder’s choice to end the inning.
In the fifth inning, Nebraska added another three hits, which led to a four-run deficit.
Starting pitcher Alexa Pinarski matched a season’s best three strikeouts before Wimpee entered in relief. During the fifth inning, Elish saw time in the circle before sophomore Kendall Klochack closed out the final two innings. Klochack notched back-to-back strikeouts upon entering to get the Boilermakers out of a jam with two runners in scoring position.
On the day, Klochack tallied four strikeouts, a career-best, in just eight batters faced. Three of the strikeouts came in the first four Huskers to the plate against the sophomore.
Two games remain in the series at Nebraska. Purdue will take on the Huskers tomorrow at 2 p.m. ET before finishing the series Sunday at 1 p.m. ET. Both games will be streamed on B1G+.
BUTLER BASEBALL
CINCINNATI WINS SERIES OPENER VS. BUTLER 15-5
CINCINNATI – The Bearcats scored 15 runs on 14 hits to defeat the Butler Bulldogs in eight innings on Saturday afternoon. The win gives UC a 10-13 overall record and the setback moves BU to 4-17.
Cincinnati hit three home runs on the day starting with a three-run shot in the first inning. BU would chip away at the lead with a two-RBI single from Dominic Milano in the second, but the fourth inning brought more trouble to BU with the Bearcats scoring three more runs.
The Bulldogs cut the deficit in half in the fifth after an RBI single from Jake DeFries, but Cincinnati was able to add two more runs in bottom half of the inning. The final two Butler runs came around to score in the sixth. Billy Wurch tripled down the line to score Xavier Carter and then Wurch would come in to score on the Joey Urban single to left.
Urban and DeFries each had two hits for the Bulldogs. Garret Gray had three of Butler’s 11 total hits in the contest.
Cincinnati stayed in control with a two-RBI homer in the sixth and they would add four more in the bottom of the eighth.
Each starter threw five innings in a warm, yet very windy day. Bosecker (0-4) took the loss and would exit the game after recording four strikeouts for the ‘Dawgs. The win went to Hopewell (1-1).
These two teams will meet again tomorrow for a doubleheader that begins at Noon.
BUTLER MEN’S TENNIS
BUTLER MTENNIS EARNS CONFERENCE WIN AGAINST DEPAUL
Butler took down BIG EAST opponent DePaul on Saturday 4-3. The result is the Bulldogs second conference win of the year and takes them to 11-7 overall.
The Bulldogs started by taking two of the doubles matches to earn what would end up being a crucial point. The duo of Borja Miralles and Nicolas Arts combined to take the No. 2 court while their teammates Patrick Joss and Rahulniket Konakanchi ensured the doubles point by defeating their opponents at the No. 3.
The top three singles courts would go Butler’s way to secure the win. Alvaro Huete Vadillo and Miralles were dominant, taking straight-set wins. Thomas Brennan fought hard with DePaul’s Leon Huck at the top spot but pulled away with the third set to clinch the point.
Butler is in action again tomorrow when they travel for a meeting with Purdue.
Match Results – Butler vs. DePaul
Singles:
Thomas Brennan (BU) def. Leon Huck (DPU) 6-3, 3-6, 6-3
Alvaro Huete Vadillo (BU) def. Shourya Verma (DPU) 6-2, 6-1
Borja Miralles (BU) def. Matteo Iaquinto (DPU) 6-2, 6-1
Aleksa Krivokapic (DPU) def. Rahulniket Konakanchi (BU) 6-4, 6-2
Pablo Torres Almeida (DPU) def. Patrick Joss (BU) 6-3, 6-4
Sven Moser (DPU) def. Nicolas Arts (BU) 7-5, 6-2
Doubles:
Thomas Brennan/Alvaro Huete Vadillo (BU) vs. Leon Huck/Aleksa Krivokapic (DPU) 4-4, unfinished
Borja Miralles/Nicolas Arts (BU) def. Shourya Verma/Jona Gitschel (DPU) 6-2
Patrick Joss/Rahulniket Konakanchi (BU) def. Matteo Iaquinto/Pablo Torres Almeida (DPU) 6-1
NOTRE DAME WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
NOTRE DAME’S TOURNAMENT RUN ENDS AFTER LOSS TO MARYLAND
GREENVILLE, S.C. — Notre Dame’s 2022-23 women’s basketball season has come to an end, as the third-seeded Irish fell to No. 2 seed Maryland in the Sweet 16 on Saturday, 76-59.
It was a back and forth affair during the first half, and Notre Dame had 18 paint points. Notre Dame went on a 13-0 run over a 2-minute period in the second quarter, during which four different players scored. The lead grew as large as 8.
The Irish took a 1-point lead into the locker room after shooting 51.9 percent through two frames. Bransford took over what is typically Olivia Miles’ role, dishing out 5 assists in the first half. Sonia Citron had a team-high 8 points.
Maryland dominated the third quarter, winning it, 26-13. It included a 9-0 run that turned into an Irish timeout with 2:30 to go. Kylee Watson and Lauren Ebo had 4 fouls each just midway through the frame, leaving a gaping hole in the post. Maryland capitalized, notching 13 rebounds. The group had just 11 in the entirety of the first half.
The fourth quarter was more of the same, and Ebo fouled out with around 5 minutes to go. Maryland’s suffocating defense led to just 27 points in the final half. Notre Dame ended up with 25 turnovers, the highest mark this year. Citron was the only Irish player who finished in double figures (14), and she led the team with 7 rebounds. Bransford finished with 7 assists, a career-high.
Notre Dame will return all players who took the court on Saturday with the exception of Ebo. The Washington, D.C. native has exhausted her eligibility after five years of college basketball at Penn State (two years), Texas (two years) and Notre Dame (one year).
NOTRE DAME WOMEN’S LAX
#11 IRISH DROP THRILLER AT #12 VIRGINIA
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The No. 11 University of Notre Dame women’s lacrosse team fell in a hard fought battle to No. 12 Virginia, 16-13, Saturday afternoon at Klockner Stadium. The thrilling top-12 matchup went in favor of the home team as the Irish moved to 6-3 on the season and 3-2 in conference play.
Jackie Wolak boasted a career-best six goals in the game, including three in the fourth quarter to keep the Irish hopes alive late in the contest. Her eight points on the day is also a career high for the senior.
HOW IT HAPPENED
After a big defensive stop to start the game, the Irish marched down the field where MK Doherty would open the scoring with a free position shot with 12:10 to go in the first quarter. UVA answered with a goal of their own and the score was knotted 1-1 nearly five minutes into game play.
Wolak and Doherty each added to the Irish score before the end of the first quarter as the teams faced a 3-3 deadlock after 15 minutes of play. Doherty’s second of the game came in the waning seconds to tie the game back up.
The Cavaliers scored twice in the first few minutes of the second quarter to break away from the Irish, but ND continued to fight, with Lilly Callahan posting three saves in goal partway through the first half.
Wolak scored her second of the game just under halfway through the second quarter to make it a two-goal game again as the Irish trailed 6-4.
Virginia scored five unanswered goals to close the half with the Irish down 11-4.
Kelley Denes opened the scoring in the second half with her seventh of the season.
Kristen Shanahan and Wolak added to the Irish tally in the third quarter as the Irish faced a 12-7 deficit heading into the final quarter against the Cavaliers.
Despite six goals in the fourth frame, including three from Wolak, the Irish comeback came up just short in Charlottesville as they fell to 12th-ranked Virginia, 16-13.
NOTRE DAME STAT OF THE GAME
The team’s leading scorer, Wolak now sits two points shy of 50 on the season following an eight-point game against the Cavaliers. Her six goals and two assists led the team Saturday afternoon. The senior is currently two goals away from 100 career tallies and boasts 25 on the season.
UP NEXT
The Irish return home to face Brown for an early week non-conference matchup Monday with first draw set for 4 p.m.
NOTRE DAME MEN’S LAX
#1 IRISH FALL TO #3 VIRGINIA
SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The No. 1 Notre Dame Fighting Irish suffered their first defeat of the season on Saturday at the hands of No. 3 Virginia by a score of 15-10 in front of a standing-room only crowd at Arlotta Stadium. The Irish move to 6-1 on the season and 0-1 in ACC play.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Irish scored the opening goal of the game less than three minutes into the contest, as Pat Kavangh found his brother Chris, who rifled a shot into the corner to put Notre Dame on top at 1-0. However, the Cavaliers responded by scoring five straight over the final 10 minutes of the first frame to take a 5-1 lead after the first.
The two sides traded goals over the first 11 minutes of action in the second stanza, as defensive players Jose Boyer and Ben Ramsey found the back of the net for the Irish to move the score to 7-3. Notre Dame finished the half strong and managed to cut the deficit in half at 7-5 heading into halftime courtesy of scores from Pat Kavanagh and Jake Taylor in the final two minutes of the second quarter.
The Irish carried that momentum into the third quarter, leveling the game at 7-7 off goals from Chris Kavanagh and Pat Kavanagh, firing up the Notre Dame faithful.
Once again the visitors fired back, as Virginia went on a 4-0 run of its own over a five-minute stretch to retake control of the game at 11-7. Both sides added two goals at the end of the third quarter to move the game to 13-9 heading into the fourth.
The Cavaliers managed to score the first two goals of the fourth frame to put the game out of reach before Taylor scored his second of the day to make the final score 15-10.
NOTRE DAME NOTES
With two assists on the day, Pat Kavanagh has 109 career assists, passing Pat Walsh (108) for second place in program history and is just two shy of breaking the program record held by David Ulrich.
Pat Kavanagh finished with four points, giving him 182 in his career. That total moves him into fifth place in program history, passing David Ulrich (180).
Entenmann recorded 11 saves, marking his fifth straight game with double-digit saves.
Taylor now has four goals over his last two games after coming back from injury.
Jose Boyer had a big game, scoring his second career goal and recording a career-high seven ground balls.
UP NEXT
The Irish are back on the road with an ACC road tilt at Syracuse at 2 p.m. ET on Saturday, April 1 in the JMA Dome. The game will air on ACCN.
VALPO BASEBALL
BASEBALL FALLS IN MVC OPENER
The Valparaiso University baseball team fell 10-1 to Indiana State on Saturday afternoon in Terre Haute, Ind. to open the Missouri Valley Conference portion of the season.
How It Happened
Indiana State jumped on the board first thanks to a two-out hit in the opening inning.
The Sycamores added to the lead when Seth Gergely hit a three-run homer in the second to build the lead to 4-0.
Indiana State’s Mike Sears homered in the bottom of the third to make it 5-0.
Gergely made it a two-homer game with his three-run blast in the fourth to extend the lead to 8-0 for the hosts.
Indiana State added a run in the fifth and one more in the sixth on a Randal Diaz home run to up the lead to 10-0.
Valpo’s Brady Renfro (Antigo, Wis. / Antigo) doubled to deep right center with one away in the top of the seventh, moved to third on a Jake Skrine (Longmont, Colo. / Mead [Indiana]) single and scored Valpo’s first run of the game on a ground ball by Ryan Maka (Oak Forest, Ill. / Oak Forest). That tally extended the game as the Sycamores were two outs away from invoking the 10-run rule.
The Beacon pitching staff posted its first zero of the day in the seventh when Christian Hack (Oak Forest, Ill. / Tinley Park) induced an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play to send the game to the eighth.
Hack followed up with another scoreless frame in the eighth to once again extend the contest.
Inside the Game
Half of Valpo’s four hits went for extra bases as Alex Ryan (Lake Mills, Wis. / Lakeside Lutheran) and Renfro both doubled.
Maka had the team’s lone RBI, his eighth of the season.
Renfro extended his season-long on-base streak to 15, while Nolan Tucker (Cedar Lake, Ind. / Hanover Central) failed to reach base in a game for the first time this season, snapping his 14-game on-base streak.
Renfro and Kade Reinertson (Huxley, Iowa / Ballard Community) reached base twice each.
Hack yielded two runs on six hits while striking out four in his four innings of relief.
Up Next
Valpo (7-8) and Indiana State will round out the series with a doubleheader on Sunday starting at noon CT / 1 p.m. ET. Both games will air on ESPN+.
U IF I MEN’S LAX
SIXTH-RANKED HOUNDS CLAIM ROAD WIN AT LEWIS
ROMEOVILLE, Ill. – Three goals in the final three minutes propelled the No. 6 UIndy men’s lacrosse team (7-1, 1-0 GLVC) to its third straight victory on Saturday, earning a 13-12 comeback victory in the conference opener at Lewis (5-3, 0-1 GLVC).
Randgaard scored his second game-winner in the final 90 seconds this season as the Greyhounds survived one final attempt from the host Flyers. Triston Schaffer led the team with five goals, while Kyle Basch recorded six ground balls and three caused turnovers.
INS & OUTS
Lewis looked to pull off the comeback, leading 12-10 with just three minutes left. The Greyhounds had other plans, however, as Wyatt Auyer inched the visitors within one and Schaffer knotted the game 35 seconds later following another faceoff win for Caleb Parker.
The Flyers had their chance in the final two minutes. Josh Jackson caused his third turnover, leading to a successful Greyhound clear attempt. Randgaard capitalized moments later, scoring his lone goal of the afternoon for the win.
UIndy built a 4-0 lead after the first frame, with two goals apiece from Ben Foster and Schaffer. The Flyers outscored the Greyhounds, 9-5, in the middle quarters.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
– Parker went 17of-28 at the faceoff x, scooping a pair of ground balls.
– Foster added a hat trick, scoring twice in the opening quarter.
– Not far behind Basch in the scoops column was Dougie Crawford, who finished with four ground balls.
– UIndy turned the ball over just 10 times compared to the 17 Lewis miscues.
MORE NOTES
Lewis netminder Riah Rathe tallied 14 saves … the Hounds are now 5-0 in the all-time series against the Flyers.
UP NEXT
The Greyhounds return home on Saturday, April 1, after a 33-day hiatus from Key Stadium. UIndy battles Davenport for a GLVC showdown at 12 p.m.
SMALL COLLEGE ATHLETIC SITES:
INDIANA WESLEYAN ATHLETICS: https://iwuwildcats.com/
EARLHAM ATHLETICS: https://goearlham.com/
WABASH ATHLETICS: https://sports.wabash.edu/
FRANKLIN ATHLETICS: https://franklingrizzlies.com/
ROSE-HULMAN ATHLETICS: https://athletics.rose-hulman.edu/
ANDERSON ATHLETICS: https://athletics.anderson.edu/landing/index
TRINE ATHLETICS: https://trinethunder.com/landing/index
BETHEL ATHLETICS: https://bupilots.com/
DEPAUW ATHLETICS: https://depauwtigers.com/
HANOVER ATHLETICS: https://athletics.hanover.edu/
MANCHESTER ATHLETICS: https://muspartans.com/
HUNTINGTON ATHLETICS: https://www.huathletics.com/
OAKLAND CITY ATHLETICS: https://gomightyoaks.com/index.aspx
ST. FRANCIS ATHLETICS: https://www.saintfranciscougars.com/landing/index
IU KOKOMO ATHLETICS: https://iukcougars.com/
IU EAST ATHLETICS: https://www.iueredwolves.com/
IU SOUTH BEND ATHLETICS: https://iusbtitans.com/
PURDUE NORTHWEST ATHLETICS: https://pnwathletics.com/
INDIANA TECH ATHLETICS: https://indianatechwarriors.com/index.aspx
GRACE COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://gclancers.com/
ST. MARY OF THE WOODS ATHLETICS: https://smwcathletics.com/
GOSHEN COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://goleafs.net/
HOLY CROSS ATHLETICS: https://www.hcsaints.com/index.php
TAYLOR ATHLETICS: https://www.taylortrojans.com/
VINCENNES ATHLETICS: https://govutrailblazers.com/landing/index
TOP NATIONAL NEWS
FAU HOLDS OFF NOWELL AND K-STATE TO REACH 1ST FINAL FOUR
NEW YORK (AP) Alijah Martin sent a message early for upstart Florida Atlantic, soaring to the basket for a one-handed jam and chirping with the Kansas State players about his poster moment at Madison Square Garden.
“They’re going to label us whatever, but we’re some pit bulls and Rottweilers,” Martin said.
Now they can call the ninth-seeded Owls a Final Four team.
Martin and FAU withstood another huge game by Kansas State’s Markquis Nowell and brushed off a deficit in the final eight minutes to beat the Wildcats 79-76 on Saturday night.
FAU (35-3), making just its second appearance in the NCAA Tournament and first since 2002, won the East Region and will head to Houston to play the winner of Sunday’s South Region final between Creighton and San Diego State.
“I expect the prognosticators to pick us fifth in the Final Four,” fifth-year FAU coach Dusty May said.
In one of the most unpredictable NCAA Tournaments ever – all four No. 1 seeds were out by the Elite Eight – the Owls from Conference USA typify the madness.
The winningest team in Division I this season had never won an NCAA Tournament game before ripping off four straight, all by single digits, to become the first No. 9 seed to reach the Final Four since Wichita State in 2013. The Owls are the third No. 9 to get that far since seeding began in 1979.
“Honestly, all the things people say just fuels us to go out there and play even harder,” said Bryan Greenlee, who scored 16 points before fouling out. “They can say whatever they want, say we’re a Cinderella team, say we don’t belong, but we’ve constantly proven people wrong all season.”
Nowell, the 5-foot-8 native New Yorker – MrNewYorkCityy on Twitter – was incredible again at Madison Square Garden, with 30 points, 12 assists and five steals. In the Sweet 16, Nowell set the NCAA Tournament record with 19 assists in an overtime win against Michigan State. He didn’t get enough help this time.
Nae’Qwan Tomlin was the only other player in double figures for Kansas State (26-10) with 14 points. Keyontae Johnson, the Wildcats’ leading scorer, fouled out with nine points.
“Keyontae played 18 minutes, and that’s why he was neutralized,” said first-year Kansas State coach Jerome Tang, who took over a team that went 14-17 last season.
Martin scored 17 points, including a huge 3 down the stretch, the 7-foot-1 Vladislav Goldin had 14 points and 13 rebounds, and Michael Forrest made four clutch free throws in the final 20 seconds for the Owls, who held steady as the Wildcats made one last push.
Cam Carter made a 3 from the wing with 22.8 seconds left to cut FAU’s lead to 75-74 and Kansas State sent Forrest to the line with 17.9 seconds left. The senior made both to make it a three-point game.
Nowell found Tomlin inside for a layup with 8.6 seconds left to cut the lead to one again, and again K-State sent Forrest to the line. With 6.9 remaining, he made them both.
With no timeouts left, Nowell rushed down the court, gave up the ball to Ismael Massoud outside the 3-point line — and never got it back. FAU’s Johnell Davis swiped it away and time ran out.
“I was trying to get Ish a shot,” Nowell said. “Coach wanted Ish to set the screen, and I waved it off because I felt like on the right side of the court, that’s where Ish hits most of his shots. And they closed out hard to him, and he didn’t get his shot off.”
Nowell was named the most outstanding player of the region after his final collegiate game, but FAU turned out to be the best team.
“I gave my heart and soul to this university, to this team,” Nowell said. “I maximized everything I had inside of me to see these guys happy.”
As the Owls built their lead in the final minutes, Kansas State fans who had packed the building became anxiously quiet and the “F-A-U!” chants started to rise.
The Owls rushed the floor to celebrate a historic moment for the school. FAU didn’t even have a basketball program until the late 1980s and has only been in Division I for the last 30 years.
“I’m living the dream right now,” Forrest said.
FAU held up to Tennessee’s bully ball in the Sweet 16 and dropped a 40-point second half on the best defense in the nation to eliminate the Southeastern Conference team.
Against one of the Big 12’s best, FAU dominated the boards, 44-22, and became the first team from C-USA to to reach the Final Four since Memphis in 2008.
The Owls aren’t hanging around much longer. They’re moving to the American Athletic Conference next season. But first: a trip to Texas.
BIG PICTURE
FAU: The Owls put together four straight winning records under May before breaking through with a season for the ages that nobody saw coming. They were picked fifth in the C-USA preseason coaches’ poll.
Kansas State: The Wildcats were trying to get back to the Final Four for the first time since 1964.
UP NEXT
Florida Atlantic is a combined 0-3 against San Diego State (0-2) and Creighton.
UCONN ROUTS GONZAGA 82-54 FOR FIRST FINAL FOUR IN 9 YEARS
LAS VEGAS (AP) The critique of UConn under coach Dan Hurley had been the program’s inability to win in March.
Consecutive first-round NCAA Tournament exits meant the Huskies were good, not great – certainly not anywhere in league with the UConn women’s program.
In perhaps the maddest March of all, Huskies proved they are elite again, putting in another dominating performance a few hours after the UConn women had a rare misstep.
Jordan Hawkins scored 20 points and UConn overwhelmed its fourth straight NCAA Tournament opponent, earning its first trip to the Final Four in nine years with an 82-54 blowout of Gonzaga on Saturday night.
“I think it becomes a little bit of a mental hurdle, especially like early rounds of the NCAA Tournament where you feel like maybe the burden of the history and tradition and first-round games, maybe even second-round games,” Hurley said. “The climb to get to this point has been real and it’s been more challenging than I thought.”
The Huskies (29-8) have felt right at home in their first extended March Madness run since winning the 2014 national championship, playing their best basketball of what had been an up-and-down season.
UConn controlled the usually efficient Bulldogs at both ends in the West Region final, building a 23-point lead early in the second half to waltz right into the final section of the bracket.
Those first-round exits are now well in the rearview mirror. So is that midseason funk.
These elite Huskies did what the UConn women couldn’t for once and are headed to Houston, where they will play Texas or Miami.
UConn has a pretty good track record once it gets this far, too: The Huskies are 8-1 all-time in Final Four games.
“We’ve got a lot to prove,” said Andre Jackson Jr., who had eight points, 10 assists and nine rebounds. “We still have a chip on our shoulder.”
The Bulldogs (31-6) didn’t have the same second-half magic they had in a last-second win over UCLA in the Elite Eight.
Gonzaga allowed UConn to go on a late run to lead by seven at halftime and fell completely apart after All-American Drew Timme went to the bench with his fourth foul early in the second half.
The Zags shot 33% from the field – 7 of 29 in the second half – and went 2 for 20 from 3 to stumble in their bid for a third Final Four since 2017.
“UConn was just terrific tonight and we didn’t have any answers, especially when kind of everything really didn’t bounce our way,” Gonzaga coach Mark Few said. “And we can’t absorb a game like that when our offense is as bad as it was tonight.”
Alex Karaban scored 12 points and Adama Sanogo had 10 points and 10 rebounds for UConn.
Timme had 12 points and 10 rebounds, receiving a warm ovation after being taken out of his final collegiate game with 1:50 left.
“I’m just so thankful that the program and the place took me for who I was,” said Timme, who shared a long embrace with Few when he exited. “They didn’t ask me to be anybody but myself.”
The Zags started off like they had a Vegas hangover, firing off two air-balled 3-pointers and a wild runner by Timme. Once Gonzaga shook out the cobwebs, the Bulldogs kept the Huskies bridled with defense, with hard hedges on screens and Timme sagging off Jackson to protect the lane.
UConn countered by getting the ball into the strong hands of Sanogo, the facilitator. The UConn big man picked apart Gonzaga’s double-teams for five first-half assists, including two for layups.
“We figured that out,” Hurley said. “That doesn’t work anymore.”
Karaban hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to put the Huskies up 39-32 at halftime, and it got worse for Gonzaga to start the second half.
UConn pushed the lead to 12 and Timme picked up his third and fourth fouls in the opening 2 1/2 minutes – one on a charge, another on a box-out under the rim.
“We brought the team together and tried to keep positive thoughts and try to keep chipping away at that lead,” Gonzaga forward Anton Watson said. “But it’s hard when Drew goes out.”
The Huskies really got rolling when Timme took a seat, using their defense to get out in transition and set up 3-pointers. A 14-3 run put UConn up 60-37 and Few took the calculated gamble of bringing Timme back in.
It made little difference.
UConn kept up the pressure and kept making shots, looking an awful lot like the favorite to win it all.
MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL
NEW MEXICO ST HIRES SAM HOUSTON’S HOOTEN TO ATTEMPT REBUILD
LAS CRUCES, N.M. (AP) New Mexico State has hired longtime Sam Houston coach Jason Hooten to try to restore a program that was shut down in the middle of the season after one player was involved in a fatal shooting and another accused teammates of hazing.
Aggies athletic director Mario Moccia called Hooten, who had a 261-169 record in 13 seasons at Sam Houston, a tremendous fit and someone who can build hard-nosed, defensive-minded teams.
“Importantly, his programs are always modeled on character and integrity,” Moccia said.
It’s not clear what sort of roster Hooten will inherit.
The school is conducting an investigation into a player’s accusation that three teammates ganged up on him multiple times in hazing episodes. The school has not revealed the status of the accused players. Two reserve players quit after the hazing allegations surfaced.
New Mexico State also hasn’t divulged the status of Mike Peake, the forward who brought a gun on a road trip to Albuquerque and shot and killed a student at University of New Mexico after that student pulled a gun on him.
Peake was suspended by the team. Surveillance video shows Peake acting in self-defense and he has not been charged by police.
New Mexico State is moving from the Western Athletic Conference into Conference USA next season.
“I appreciate this opportunity to restore New Mexico State University’s basketball program to a position as one of the top mid-major programs in the country as we enter into Conference USA,” Hooten said.
The Aggies have made the NCAA Tournament 10 times since 2007.
WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL
MARYLAND MADNESS: MILLER LEADS MARYLAND TO ELITE EIGHT
GREENVILLE, S.C. (AP) Amid and happiness and on-court celebration for Maryland reaching the Elite Eight for the first time in eight years, Terps coach Brenda Frese took a few moments to smile and reflect how far her team has come in the past year.
The best part for Frese is the journey’s not done yet.
Diamond Miller and Shyanne Sellers had 18 points apiece as the Terps (28-6) took control in the third quarter to defeat depleted No. 3 seed Notre Dame 76-59 on Saturday and move a victory away from a trip to the Final Four.
The Terps will play defending champion South Carolina, the undefeated, top overall seed, on Monday night for a trip to Dallas. The Gamecocks won their 41st straight game in a 59-43 victory over fourth-seeded UCLA in Saturday’s second game at the Greenville 1 Regional.
Chasing a championship didn’t look promising at the end of last season. Frese had lost 85 percent of her offense a year ago as Maryland went through a roster transition with nine new faces. The group gelled quickly and are among the last teams still standing in March Madness.
“What I felt like a year ago and to where we are today,” recalled Frese, who won an NCAA title 2006 and last reached the Elite Eight in 2015. “Yeah, this one is going to be one I’ll remember for a very long time.”
Miller, the transcendent 6-foot-3 All-American, was asked why she didn’t join the exodus from Maryland after her junior season a year ago.
She reasoned that stay or go, she’d play with new, unfamiliar players. “When you look at it like that, I was like, ‘I’m just going to stay and trust the process.’ And I’m so happy I did,” Miller said.
Miller and Sellers combined for 30 of their 36 points in the final two quarters.
The third-seeded Fighting Irish (27-6) played once again without injured leading-scorer Olivia Miles after her knee injury at the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament earlier this month.
Miles and guard Dara Mabrey, both starters, were injured spectators for Notre Dame, which hung tight with Maryland for 25 minutes before Miller and Sellers took over.
Miller, the first-team All-American, shook off a poor first half as Maryland gained control. Tied at 44-all, Lavender Briggs had a 3-pointer and Miller followed with a three-point play as the Terps closed the third quarter on a 13-1 run.
Notre Dame, which fought off Mississippi State on its home floor to advance last week, could not respond.
Maryland used its defensive pressure to break out early, forcing eight turnovers by the Fighting Irish to build a 19-14 lead. But Notre Dame showed its NCAA Tournament resiliency once more with a 13-0 burst to move in front 27-19.
Miller and Brinae Alexander each hit 3-pointers in the final 80 seconds of the half to cut the lead to 32-31.
Things changed in the second half as the Terps and their leading scorers turned up the fire.
“I just felt like they were confident and aggressive and they got really good looks, and they nailed every shot that they took,” Notre Dame coach Niele Ivey said.
Part of Notre Dame’s success was holding Miller in check the first 20 minutes. She was just 1-of-4 shooting with two rebounds and three of her team’s eight turnovers. When Miller got going, Maryland was moving on to where it hadn’t been since 2015.
Sonia Citron led the Fighting Irish with 14 points, their only double-figure scorer.
BIG PICTURE
Notre Dame: The Fighting Irish were not expected to get this far after Miles knee injury at the ACC Tournament. Ivey thought her team’s run to the Sweet 16 will give them confidence to get back to work and put up another stellar season.
Maryland: Frese has been enthralled by this team after folding so many new faces this season. Maryland will look for perhaps its most unexpected Final Four visit when it plays for the Greenville 1 Regional on Monday night.
STAT WATCH
Maryland was just the third team in the women’s NCAA Tournament this century to allow two 3-pointers or less, record 15 or more steals and win by 15 or more points, according to OptaSTATS. Duke accomplished the other two, first in 2002 against Texas, then in 2012 against St. John’s. Notre Dame made just two threes and finished with a season-high 25 turnovers.
MILES WATCH
Ivey said second-leading scorer Olivia Miles will have surgery next week and is hopeful she can take part when the Fighting Irish return for workouts this summer. Ivey said much depends on how the knee surgery goes and how long it will take to recuperate.
SOUTH CAROLINA USES SIZE TO OVERPOWER UCLA IN MARCH MADNESS
GREENVILLE, S.C. (AP) Aliyah Boston had eight points, 14 rebounds and two blocks while reigning national champion South Carolina turned in its latest overwhelming defense-and-rebounding-first performance to beat UCLA 59-43 on Saturday in the Sweet 16 of the women’s NCAA Tournament.
Kamilla Cardoso added 10 points for the Gamecocks (35-0), the top overall tournament seed and the headliner in the Greenville 1 Region. It marked South Carolina’s 41st consecutive victory, securing the program’s sixth trip to the Elite Eight under Dawn Staley.
The Gamecocks will play for their fifth trip to the Final Four in Monday’s regional final against 2-seed Maryland in a rematch from the season’s opening week. South Carolina won that game 81-56.
It wasn’t an easy offensive operation for South Carolina, with UCLA sagging defensively to pack the paint in hopes of negating the Gamecocks’ size advantage behind Boston. But South Carolina dominated the glass from start to finish and used its length to turn every look into a difficult one for the fourth-seeded Bruins (27-10).
South Carolina won the first meeting with UCLA 73-64 in November, with the Bruins shooting 32% in that game. Things got worse this time, with UCLA going shooting 29% – including 3 for 18 from 3-point range.
South Carolina also finished with a 42-34 rebounding advantage that narrowed late with the outcome no longer in doubt.
Charisma Osborne scored 14 points to lead UCLA, which was in the Sweet 16 for the eighth time. The Bruins were trying to reach the regional finals for the first time since 2018 and only the third time in program history while pursuing their first Final Four appearance.
But in a sign of what was to come, the Bruins kept missing shots that they needed to position themselves for a stunning upset. Worse, they failed to grab even a few of those misses to keep possessions alive early, with South Carolina going on to finish with a 15-8 edge on the offensive glass.
Meanwhile, the Gamecocks were able to just keep grinding and relying on their length. They led 25-15 at halftime before finally breaking this open by matching their game-long point total in the third quarter.
That included a couple of way-too-familiar sequences for UCLA coach Cori Close. Twice the Gamecocks managed to lob a pass inside to the 6-foot-7 Cardoso, who used her long arms to reach over 6-2 fronting defender Christeen Iwuala and snag the ball for easy under-the-rim finishes in traffic.
Or there was Brea Beal (10 points) using her right hand to tap out a loose rebound over Gabriela Jaquez before securing it, then dumping it immediately inside to Victaria Saxton inside for a soft hook as the lead steadily grew.
It was all the same often-demoralizing sequences that has overwhelmed teams all season, this time coming with the home-state Gamecocks as the main draw here in the new double-regional format.
They drew loud cheers from the crowd just for making their way into the locker-room tunnel during the Notre Dame-Maryland game with their game to follow. The roars returned as each player who lingered to wrap up pregame shootaround came off the court – several waving two arms high in acknowledgement – in a mostly full arena.
The cheers were louder, of course, as the Gamecocks spent the final minutes closing out a win to advance again.
UCONN’S FINAL FOUR STREAK ENDS WITH 73-61 LOSS TO OHIO STATE
SEATTLE (AP) UConn’s record Final Four run is over, thanks to a monumental performance by Ohio State.
The Buckeyes ended UConn’s unprecedented streak of reaching 14 consecutive Final Fours, beating the Huskies 73-61 on Saturday in the Sweet 16 of the women’s NCAA Tournament.
“The problem with streaks is the longer they go, you’re closer to it ending than you are to the beginning of it,” UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. “It’s just a matter of time. I mean, it’s not if it’s going to happen. It’s just a matter of time when it’s going to happen. And it was going to happen sooner rather than later.”
Cotie McMahon scored 23 points for the Buckeyes, who snapped their three-decade Elite Eight drought. The Buckeyes hadn’t made a regional final since 1993, when they eventually lost in the title game to Texas Tech.
“When I had the opportunity to come to Ohio State, this was certainly the goal and the vision to go farther than they have been going,” said coach Kevin McGuff, who had never beaten UConn. “It’s not easy to get here, obviously. But I’m really proud of our team and our program of how we’ve evolved to be able to get to this point.
“Like I said, I mean, I have so much respect for Geno and his staff and all that they have accomplished. So for us to be able to win this game in the Sweet 16 is obviously extremely significant. They’re just hard to beat. They’re so well-coached. So this is a great win for us.”
The third-seeded Buckeyes (28-7) forced No. 2 seed UConn (31-6) into 25 turnovers, ending the Huskies’ season before the national semifinals for the first time in 14 seasons. UConn hadn’t been eliminated this early since 2006.
“It’s an impossibility to do what we have done already,” Auriemma said. “What’s the next highest streak? … And you take that in stride and you say, yeah, it was great while it lasted and it’s a credit to all the players that we had and all the times that you have to perform really, really well at this level.”
Ohio State will play Virginia Tech on Monday night in the Seattle 3 Region final with a trip to Dallas at stake. The Hokies beat Tennessee 73-64.
Ohio State, which had to rally from a double-digit deficit in the first round against James Madison, used full-court pressure to disrupt the Huskies’ offense.
“Our press is what we rely on, and sticking together and talking through it,” said Ohio State’s Jacy Sheldon, who had 17 points and went 10-for-10 from the foul line. “We knew UConn was going to be ready for us, so we knew we were going to have to stay consistent throughout the game.”
This has been the most trying year of Auriemma’s Hall of Fame career. UConn was beset by injuries and illnesses to both players and coaches, including a torn ACL that sidelined star Paige Bueckers all season. It got so bad the Huskies had to postpone a game when they didn’t have enough scholarship players. They also saw their unbelievable run of 30 years without consecutive losses come to an end.
“We picked the worst day to actually be doing the things that we’ve been struggling with all year long,” Auriemma said in a sideline interview during the game.
Lou Lopez Senechal scored 25 points for the Huskies, Azzi Fudd had 14, and Ohio State transfer Dorka Juhasz finished with 13 points and 10 rebounds.
The Huskies led 17-9 before Ohio State started scoring and turning UConn over with its full-court press. The Buckeyes scored the next 17 points, forcing 11 turnovers during that stretch, which spanned the first and second quarters. UConn had eight turnovers to start the second quarter, leaving Auriemma exasperated on the sideline.
McMahon was converting those turnovers into points for the Buckeyes as the freshman finished the half with 18 points – equaling the number of turnovers the Huskies had in the opening 20 minutes. Ohio State led 36-26 at the break.
This was only the sixth time UConn had trailed by double digits at the half in an NCAA Tournament game, according to ESPN. The Huskies lost all of those.
UConn did a better job of taking care of the ball in the second half and cut the deficit to 44-39 on Senechal’s layup with 3:53 left in the third quarter. Ohio State responded and still led by 10 after three quarters.
The Buckeyes didn’t let the Huskies make any sort of run in the fourth quarter. UConn got within nine with 4:30 left, but McMahon had a three-point play to restore the double-digit lead. The Huskies never threatened after that.
Now the Huskies will start their offseason sooner than anytime in the past 17 years.
TIP-INS
This was the first win for Ohio State over UConn in seven tries. The teams’ last meeting was in the 2019-20 regular season. … UConn was a paltry 7-for-15 from the foul line while Ohio State went 22-for-30. … UConn’s season high for turnovers was 27 against Princeton.
THE HOUSE THAT SUE BUILT
The Seattle Regionals are being playing in Climate Pledge Arena – home of the Seattle Storm. UConn and Storm great Sue Bird was in the stands, sitting a few rows behind the scorers’ table. She received a loud ovation from the crowd when she was shown midway through the first quarter on the videoboards.
FAMILIAR FOE
Juhasz graduated from Ohio State two years ago and flourished there, earning all-Big Ten honors twice. She came to UConn last year looking for a new challenge and wanting to play for a team that could compete for national championships. She’ll leave without one.
There is a mutual respect between Juhasz and the Buckeyes’ coaching staff.
VIRGINIA TECH KEEPS ROLLING IN MARCH MADNESS, TOPS TENNESSEE
SEATTLE (AP) Throughout this historic season for Virginia Tech, coach Kenny Brooks has repeated the belief that Elizabeth Kitley is the best player for the Hokies, but Georgia Amoore is the most important.
It was proven again Saturday with Amoore carrying Virginia Tech to a level it’s never reached before in program history.
Amoore scored a career-high 29 points and the top-seeded Hokies advanced to the Elite Eight for the first time in school history with a 73-64 win over No. 4 seed Tennessee.
“I just want to win. All we have to do is keep winning to get people to talk about us, so we’ll keep trying to win,” Amoore said.
The Hokies (30-4) won their 14th straight game overall and advanced to a matchup with No. 3 seed Ohio State in the Seattle 3 Regional final on Monday night. Ohio State topped UConn in the first semifinal, ending the Huskies’ streak of 14 straight Final Four appearances.
Amoore and the Hokies used a dominant stretch spanning the end of the second quarter and beginning of the third that built enough of a cushion to hold off Tennessee’s valiant rally over the final 12 minutes.
Amoore attempted 19 3-pointers in the Hokies’ second-round win, but shot only 14 this time around.
“She’s only doing now what we see all the time. When the kids have to go out and guard her, they really tighten up their shoestrings because they know that there’s something that can happen,” Brooks said. “But she’s phenomenal. She’s as good as anybody in the country, in my opinion. She’s playing with the utmost confidence and she’s been playing like this ever since we really started this stretch.”
Kayana Traylor added 14 points and Kitley scored 12 points despite sitting a big chunk of the first half with foul trouble. The ACC Tournament champions had reached the Sweet 16 only once previously in school history and are now one win away from the Final Four.
“I’m just so happy that I landed at such an amazing spot where we did exactly what we wanted to,” Kitley said. “And it hasn’t been easy and it’s taken coach Brooks a few years, but what he’s done with the program and the amount of time is incredible.”
Jordan Horston led Tennessee (25-12) with 17 points. Rickea Jackson scored 15 and Jordan Walker added 12.
The Lady Vols reached the regional semifinals for the second straight season, but haven’t been to the Elite Eight since 2016. And it was their offense that was so impressive in the first two rounds that disappeared against the Hokies.
“I felt like we were locked in and focused before the game. We had good energy in warmup, so nothing with that. But we just were a little stagnant on the offensive end,” Walker said.
The Lady Vols scored 95 points in their first-round win over Saint Louis and followed up with 94 in an impressive blowout of Toledo. But Tennessee relied too much on perimeter shots early on, to the point coach Kellie Harper yelled at her team “who are we?” after attempting their 12th 3-pointer of the first half.
Tennessee made just 3 of 17 attempts from beyond the arc against the Hokies after making 11 of 22 in the win over Toledo.
“They did a good job with our first attack and we got really impatient,” Harper said. “I thought we were really stagnant offensively, and therefore we were settling. We took way too many threes for us in the first half.”
The Hokies closed the first half with a flourish, scoring the final eight points to take a 35-22 lead at the break. Amoore started the second half with her fourth 3-pointer of the game and Kitley scored on the interior and quickly a five-point game ballooned to a 40-22 Virginia Tech lead.
Tennessee trimmed the deficit to nine by the end of the third quarter and its surge continued into the fourth quarter. The Lady Vols capped the 19-4 run with Jasmine Powell’s 3-pointer with 6:05 left and pulled with 53-52.
But turnovers and fouls started to mount and for the Lady Vols and Virginia Tech pushed its lead back to 11 on Amoore’s jumper with 2:10 remaining.
“It was a challenge. I’m glad we pulled away from it,” Amoore said. “It’s what we’re going to see with Ohio State with their press. Glad we got a little taste of it today. Now we know.”
NBA NEWS
NBA ROUNDUP: NUGGETS BELT BUCKS IN MATCHUP OF TITANS
NUGGETS 129 BUCKS 106
Nikola Jokic scored 31 points and dished out 11 assists, Jamal Murray finished with 26 points and nine assists, and the host Denver Nuggets beat the Milwaukee Bucks 129-106 on Saturday night.
Michael Porter Jr. scored 19 points and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Bruce Brown had 11 points each for the Nuggets, who won their 50th game of the season in a battle between the top teams in each conference.
Giannis Antetokounmpo matched Jokic with 31 points and grabbed nine rebounds, Khris Middleton, Grayson Allen and Brook Lopez scored 13 each, and Bobby Portis Jr. added 11 points for the Bucks.
Antetokounmpo was aggressive from the start, with 13 points in the first quarter and 24 at halftime. But the Bucks went 4:10 without a point in the fourth period as the Nuggets built a 20-point lead. Antetokounmpo was hit with a technical foul with 6:41 left — Milwaukee’s fourth of the game — and went to the bench for the rest of the night with 5:54 remaining.
SUNS 125, 76ERS 105
Devin Booker scored 29 points and T.J. Warren, Terrence Ross and Cameron Payne combined for 45 points off the bench as host Phoenix ended a three-game skid by beating Philadelphia.
Phoenix shot 50.5 percent from the floor as a team and used its balanced scoring to take control in the second half. The Suns went on a 13-3 run early in the fourth quarter that effectively put the game away.
Booker led six Suns scoring at least 13 points. Fellow starters Chris Paul and Bismack Biyombo finished with 13 and 17, respectively. Biyombo also grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds. The 76ers got a game-high 37 points from Tyrese Maxey, while Most Valuable Player candidate Joel Embiid added 28 points and 10 rebounds.
HAWKS 143, PACERS 130
John Collins scored 21 points and Dejounte Murray added 20 as Atlanta overcame an ejection to leading scorer Trae Young and took a win over visiting Indiana.
Young was given a technical foul and ejected for throwing the ball harshly back to the referee. The game was tied 84-84 with 7:25 left in the third quarter when the incident occurred. Young was still frustrated about having a 3-pointer taken away and turned into an offensive foul. He finished with 14 points and five assists.
Indiana was led by reserve Jordan Nwora with 33 points, one shy of his career high. Tyrese Haliburton added 19 points and 13 assists. The Pacers led 74-72 at halftime thanks to Nwora, who set a regular-season franchise record with 25 points in the second quarter.
NETS 129, HEAT 100
Mikal Bridges scored 27 points and Brooklyn snapped a season-worst, five-game losing streak by putting together a dominant second half in a victory over host Miami.
Brooklyn turned a 14-point deficit into a blowout after halftime. The Nets outscored Miami 39-18 in the third quarter and 64-31 in the final 24 minutes. Cameron Johnson added 23 points and hit five of Brooklyn’s 18 threes. Brooklyn shot 49.4 percent overall and a blistering 59.3 percent in the decisive third quarter.
Tyler Herro and Max Strus scored 23 points apiece to lead the Heat, who shot 47.5 percent but were a dreadful 6 of 19 in the third. Strus scored all of his points by halftime, shooting 9-for-10.
KINGS 121, JAZZ 113
Kevin Huerter poured in a team-high 27 points, Harrison Barnes led a third-quarter surge and Sacramento moved within one win of clinching its first playoff berth in 17 years with a victory over visiting Utah.
Keegan Murray chipped in with 22 points and Barnes had 18. Domantas Sabonis recorded 16 to go with a game-high 15 rebounds and team-high seven assists for the Kings (45-29).
The loss was a costly one for the Jazz (35-39), who began the night tied with the Oklahoma City Thunder and Dallas Mavericks in the loss column in their duel for the final play-in spot in the Western Conference.
PELICANS 131, CLIPPERS 110
Brandon Ingram and Jonas Valanciunas had double-doubles and visiting New Orleans dominated Los Angeles.
Ingram, coming off his first career triple-double, had 32 points and a career-high 13 assists, and Valanciunas had 17 points and 13 rebounds as the Pelicans (37-37) won their fourth consecutive game to start a crucial four-game road trip.
Bones Hyland scored 18 points to lead the Clippers (39-36). Eric Gordon had 15, Russell Westbrook had 14, Ivica Zubac and Nicolas Batum had 13 each, Kawhi Leonard added 12 and Robert Covington 11.
NHL NEWS
NHL ROUNDUP: BRUINS LOCK DOWN ATLANTIC DIVISION TITLE
BRUINS 2 LIGHTNING 1
Garnet Hathaway scored the deciding goal with 2:28 left in the second period, and the Boston Bruins held on for a 2-1 victory over the visiting Tampa Bay Lightning to clinch the Atlantic Division title on Saturday afternoon.
The Bruins have won six consecutive games. Hathaway has scored three goals since joining the Bruins in late February, two of which have been go-ahead tallies. Patrice Bergeron netted Boston’s first goal, extending his season-long point streak to five games. Linus Ullmark made 11 of his 26 saves in the third period, improving to 11-1-0 in his last 12 starts.
For the Lightning, Victor Hedman scored the lone goal and Andrei Vasilevskiy was credited with 32 saves. The loss was Tampa Bay’s fourth in a row.
“That’ll get you excited for playoff hockey, yeah,” Bruins coach Jim Montgomery said after the game. “Loved our effort.”
CANADIENS 8, BLUE JACKETS 2
Rafael Harvey-Pinard scored his first NHL hat trick and Nick Suzuki had a goal and three assists for Montreal in a blowout win against visiting Columbus.
Mike Hoffman had a goal and two assists and Mike Matheson had three assists for the Canadiens, who won for only the third time in their past 13 games (3-8-2). Sam Montembeault made 21 saves.
Lane Pederson and Kirill Marchenko scored for the Blue Jackets, who have allowed at least six goals in four of their past five games. Elvis Merzlikins gave up six goals on 24 shots before leaving the game with an undisclosed injury with 2:58 remaining in the second period.
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 4, OILERS 3 (OT)
Nicolas Roy put in a rebound of his own shot at 2:26 of overtime to give Vegas the victory over host Edmonton, which had a five-game winning streak snapped.
Jack Eichel had a goal and two assists, Jonathan Marchessault added a goal and an assist, and Pavel Dorofeyev also scored for Pacific Division-leading Vegas.
Laurent Brossoit, the fourth different starting goalie in four games for the Golden Knights, made 27 saves in his first game since suffering a lower-body injury on Feb. 25 against the Dallas Stars. Leon Draisaitl had a goal and an assist, and Zach Hyman and Warren Foegele also scored for Edmonton. Skinner finished with 30 saves.
DEVILS 5, SENATORS 3
Defenseman Dougie Hamilton scored the go-ahead goal early in the third period to lift New Jersey to a playoff-clinching victory over Ottawa in Newark, N.J.
New Jersey officially punched its ticket to the postseason for the first time since 2018 after the Florida Panthers dropped a 4-3 decision to the New York Rangers earlier on Saturday. Jack Hughes scored his 40th goal of the season to become the first member of the Devils to reach that plateau since Zach Parise in 2008-09.
Ottawa captain Brady Tkachuk scored his seventh goal in seven games and Mark Kastelic and defenseman Thomas Chabot also tallied. Dylan Ferguson turned aside 30 shots for the Senators, who have lost seven of their last nine games (2-6-1).
PENGUINS 4, CAPITALS 3
Evgeni Malkin stole the puck from Anthony Mantha for a breakaway and scored with 1:20 left in regulation as Pittsburgh recovered from blowing a three-goal lead to top visiting Washington.
Ryan Poehling, Chad Ruhwedel and Jake Guentzel also scored for the Penguins, who moved within a point of the New York Islanders for the top Eastern Conference wild-card spot. Pittsburgh goaltender Casey DeSmith, making his career-high 31st start of the season, made 31 saves.
Dylan Strome had a goal and an assist, and Tom Wilson and Alex Ovechkin also scored for the Capitals.
FLYERS 3, RED WINGS 0
Scott Laughton had one goal and one assist to lift host Philadelphia past Detroit.
Kieffer Bellows and Tyson Foerster added one goal apiece for the Flyers, who won their third in a row. Flyers goaltender Carter Hart made all 29 saves in the shutout.
Red Wings goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic stopped 19 shots. Nedeljkovic was making his first start for Detroit in 3 1/2 months, having been recalled from the Grand Rapids Griffins on Thursday.
KRAKEN 7, PREDATORS 2
Eeli Tolvanen scored twice against his former team, his first multi-goal game in the NHL, as Seattle crushed host Nashville.
Jared McCann had a goal and two assists, Oliver Bjorkstrand had one of each and Daniel Sprong and Adam Larsson also scored for Seattle, which leads the Western Conference’s wild-card playoff race. Goaltender Philipp Grubauer, who returned after missing two games with a non-COVID illness, made 14 saves.
Tyson Barrie and Matt Duchene each had a goal and an assist, Philip Tomasino added two helpers and Juuse Saros stopped 32 of 39 shots for Nashville, which had a two-game winning streak snapped. That included a 2-1 shootout victory against the Kraken on Thursday in the opener of the two-game series.
FLAMES 5, SHARKS 3
Walker Duehr scored one goal and assisted on Nazem Kadri’s third-period game-winning marker as host Calgary kept its flickering playoff hopes alive with a win over San Jose.
Tyler Toffoli scored twice, and Mackenzie Weegar added a single goal for the Flames, who are four points out of a playoff spot with eight games remaining. Goaltender Jacob Markstrom made 28 saves.
Logan Couture, Nico Sturm and Martin Kaut scored for the last-place Sharks. San Jose’s Erik Karlsson collected two assists and now has 90 points in his quest to become only the sixth defenseman to reach 100 points in a season and first since 1991-92.
KINGS 4, JETS 1
Viktor Arvidsson scored twice and Drew Doughty had a goal with an assist as Los Angeles extended its point streak to 11 games with a win over visiting Winnipeg.
Alex Iafallo also scored and Joonas Korpisalo made 25 saves to improve to 4-0-1 since coming over from Columbus for the Kings, who tied a franchise record with their current 9-0-2 stretch. Sitting second in the Pacific Division and a winner of four of five, Los Angeles is also amid a 10-0-2 home stretch.
Meanwhile, Pierre Luc-Dubois scored his 25th goal and Connor Hellebuyck stopped 25 shots for Winnipeg, which was trying for a third consecutive victory. Owners of the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference, the Jets have dropped three of their last five on the road.
RANGERS 4, PANTHERS 3
Patrick Kane scored the go-ahead goal in the third period as New York rallied past Florida in Sunrise, Fla.
Kaapo Kakko, Filip Chytil and Alexis Lafreniere — known as New York’s “Kid Line” — each scored one goal and had one assist for the Rangers, who got 31 saves from backup goalie Jaroslav Halak.
Florida got two goals from captain Aleksander Barkov and one from third-line forward Ryan Lomberg. But it wasn’t enough as the Panthers lost their third straight game. With 13:00 left, Florida cut its deficit to 4-3 on a Barkov goal, but couldn’t tally the equalizer.
WILD 3, BLACKHAWKS 1
Ryan Hartman scored the go-ahead goal with 1:11 remaining in the third period to fuel Minnesota to a win over Chicago in Saint Paul, Minn.
Hartman gave the Wild a 2-1 lead after converting a partial breakaway for his 13th goal of the season and third in his last six games. He was selected by the Blackhawks in the first round of the 2013 NHL Draft. Frederick Gaudreau sealed the win 40 seconds later by scoring into an empty net.
Saint Paul native and former Wild member Alex Stalock turned aside 22 shots for the Blackhawks. Chicago has mustered just four goals during its four-game losing skid.
SABRES 2, ISLANDERS 0
Kyle Okposo’s goal with 6:29 left lifted Buffalo to a win over host New York in Elmont, N.Y.
Okposo broke a scoreless tie off an assist from Ilya Lyubushkin, while Jeff Skinner’s empty-net goal off assists from Dylan Cozens and Casey Mittelstadt secured the win with 31.8 seconds remaining. Buffalo backup goalie Eric Comrie made 26 saves to earn his second career shutout after allowing 10 goals in his last start, a 10-4 pummeling by the Dallas Stars on March 9.
The Islanders, who own the Eastern Conference’s top wild-card spot, have dropped two straight games after falling at Columbus, 5-4 in overtime, on Friday to end a three-game winning streak. Cozens had a golden opportunity to give Buffalo the lead just over a minute into the third period. But his backhander on a breakaway was stopped by Semyon Varlamov, who finished with 33 saves.
HURRICANES 5, MAPLE LEAFS 3
Sebastian Aho scored with 2:26 left to lift host Carolina past Toronto in Raleigh, N.C.
Brent Burns and Jordan Staal had first-period goals and Stefan Noesen scored in the third period for Carolina. Teuvo Teravainen added an empty-net goal. Aho has a team-high 32 goals. The Hurricanes won for just the fourth time in their last eight games. Pyotr Kochetkov made 41 saves.
Auston Matthews scored two goals for the Maple Leafs, who dominated portions of the game as they rallied from a two-goal hole. Calle Jarnkrok had the first goal for the Maple Leafs, who had won three of their previous four games. Matthews tied a Maple Leafs franchise record with 15 shots on goal.
CANUCKS 3, STARS 1
Brock Boeser and Jack Rathbone scored in the second period, and visiting Vancouver netted three unanswered goals to sweep the season series from Dallas.
The Canucks improved to 9-2-0 in their past 11 matches and won for the sixth straight time over Dallas.
Dakota Joshua notched a short-handed marker, and goaltender Thatcher Demko stopped 25 of 26 shots and moved to 6-0-0 in his career against the Stars.
BLUES 6, DUCKS 3
Brayden Schenn and Kasperi Kapanen each had two goals and an assist as St. Louis defeated host Anaheim to complete a three-game season series sweep.
Jakub Vrana and Sammy Blais each had a goal and an assist for the Blues (33-33-6, 72 points), who are 6-2-1 in their last nine games. Colton Parayko had three assists and Justin Faulk had two. Jordan Binnington made 22 saves in his first start for the Blues since March 12.
Troy Terry had a goal and an assist for the Ducks (23-40-10, 56 points) before exiting with an undisclosed injury after two periods.
MLB NEWS
SPRING TRAINING ROUNDUP: BARRAGE IN 9TH LIFTS ANGELS OVER CUBS
ANGELS 8 CUBS 7
The Los Angeles Angels got four hits without making an out in scoring three runs to walk off with an 8-7 comeback victory over the Chicago Cubs on Saturday in Tempe, Ariz.
Right-hander Cayne Ueckert entered in the bottom of the ninth for the Cubs. He gave up doubles to Benjamin Gobbel and Anthony Mulrine, Osmy Gregorio’s second RBI triple of the game, walks to David Calabrese and Kyle Kasser, and Jeremiah Jackson’s RBI single to score Gregorio with the eighth Angels run.
The Cubs’ Yan Gomes was 2-for-4 with a home run, two RBIs and one run. Patrick Wisdom also homered.
BRAVES 9, TWINS 4
Joshua Fuentes smacked two solo homers, and Yolmer Sanchez and Cade Bunnell also went deep to power Atlanta past host Minnesota in Fort Myers, Fla.
The Braves outhit the Twins 15-7, including three singles from Sam Hilliard.
Jose Miranda and Trevor Larnach homered for Minnesota.
RAYS 4, RED SOX 2
Tristan Gray homered and Taylor Walls hit a two-run double to lift host Tampa Bay past Boston in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Enmanuel Valdez hit a two-run homer for Boston.
CARDINALS 3, MARLINS 2
Victor Scott II drew a bases-loaded walk to force in the go-ahead run in the bottom of the eighth inning for host St. Louis against Miami in Sarasota, Fla.
The Cardinals had loaded the bases on a one-out walk, a fielder’s choice groundout and another walk by right-handed reliever Matt Barnes.
Nolan Arenado hit a two-run single for St. Louis in the sixth inning. Yuli Gurriel had two of Miami’s six hits.
BRAVES 9, TWINS 4
Atlanta defeated Minnesota by the same score in two different cities on the same day, this time in North Port, Fla.
Ronald Acuna Jr. hit a two-run homer, singled and scored twice for the host Braves. Forrest Wall went 2-for-4 with a double and four RBIs, Ozzie Albies went 2-for-4 with an RBI triple, and Michael Harris II went 2-for-3 with a double and two runs.
Kyle Garlick went 2-for-4 with a two-run homer and two runs, and Mark Contreras went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs for the Twins.
YANKEES 8, PHILLIES 3
Anthony Volpe was a home run shy of hitting for the cycle, while Josh Donaldson, Gleyber Torres and Andres Chaparro did go deep in a win over host Philadelphia in Clearwater, Fla.
Volpe went 3-for-4 with a single, double, triple and three runs. Aaron Judge went 2-for-3 with one RBI and two runs. Torres was 2-for-4 with four RBIs, and Donaldson was 1-for-3 with two RBIs and one run.
The Phillies got homers from Nick Castellanos and Dalton Guthrie, while leadoff batter Trea Turner was 3-for-3 with a double.
ROYALS 6, DODGERS 3
Bobby Witt Jr. hit his first homer of the spring to drive in three runs and Nick Loftin added a solo shot as visiting Kansas City doubled up Los Angeles in Phoenix.
Michael Busch went 2-for-4 with a home run and Steven Duggar went 2-for-4 with an RBI for Los Angeles.
BREWERS 6, ATHLETICS 5
Wes Clarke hit a two-out double to drive in Blake Perkins with the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth as Milwaukee edged host Oakland in Mesa, Ariz.
It was the only extra-base hit of the game for the Brewers, who were outhit 7-6. The Athletics’ Carlos Perez doubled and drove in two runs, and Kyle McCann also doubled.
PADRES 5, RANGERS 3
Right-hander Nick Martinez scattered six hits and allowed two runs and two walks with eight strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings to earn the win for San Diego over host Texas in Surprise, Ariz.
His starting counterpart, right-hander Jacob deGrom, allowed two hits and two walks with six strikeouts in 3 2/3 scoreless innings.
Rougned Odor went 2-for-3 with a run for San Diego. The Rangers’ Brad Miller and Ezequiel Duran each homered.
GIANTS 7, MARINERS 4
Right-hander Logan Webb scattered eight hits with one run and three walks while fanning six in five innings as San Francisco topped host Seattle in Scottsdale, Ariz.
Leadoff batter Lamonte Wade Jr. went 2-for-2 with two RBIs for the Giants, and Roberto Perez was 2-for-3 with two runs.
Alberto Rodriguez hit a three-run homer in the ninth for the Mariners.
DIAMONDBACKS 4, MARINERS 1
Eight pitchers combined to allow just three hits as Peter Solomon and a brigade of relievers helped Arizona hold host Seattle at bay in Peoria, Ariz.
Jose Herrera and Tim Tawa provided all the offense the Diamondbacks would need, as Herrera’s RBI single in the fifth gave Arizona a 1-0 lead before Tawa blasted a solo shot an inning later. Emmanuel Rivera put the game out of reach with a two-run homer four batters after Tawa left the yard.
Jose Caballero brought home the Mariners’ lone run with an RBI single in the ninth to spoil the shutout.
WHITE SOX 9, REDS 2
Zach Remillard homered twice and drove in five runs as visiting Chicago cruised past Cincinnati in Goodyear, Ariz.
The White Sox jumped out to an 8-2 lead in the third inning and never looked back. Erik Gonzalez also went deep for Chicago, while White Sox starter Lance Lynn surrendered two runs on five hits in 4 2/3 innings. He walked two and struck out six.
Reds starter Connor Overton was shelled, giving up nine runs on 11 hits to go along with a walk and six strikeouts in five innings. Jose Barrero had an RBI single for Cincinnati.
GUARDIANS 4, ROCKIES 2
Right-hander Shane Bieber fanned 11 through 6 2/3 innings as Cleveland nipped host Colorado in Scottsdale, Ariz.
Bieber allowed just one run on four hits and didn’t issue a walk before turning things over to the bullpen. David Fry hit a home run and Mike Zunino and Myles Straw each had an RBI double to fuel the Guardians’ offense.
Jordan Beck singled to drive in a run in the bottom of the ninth, but the Rockies were unable to mount a comeback. Alan Trejo also had an RBI base hit for the hosts.
ORIOLES 6, PIRATES 4
Ryan O’Hearn went 3-for-4 with a double, home run and three runs to lead Baltimore past host Pittsburgh in Bradenton, Fla.
Jordan Westburg drove in three runs with a double and a sacrifice fly, and Orioles teammate Anthony Bemboom hit a two-run homer.
Pirates leadoff batter Oneil Cruz went 2-for-4 with two runs.
ASTROS 6, NATIONALS 1
Cristian Javier yielded four hits and no walks with two strikeouts in 5 2/3 scoreless innings to lead Houston past host Washington in Palm Beach, Fla.
Chas McCormick went 3-for-4 as the Astros outhit the Nationals 12-6.
Kiebert Ruiz doubled for Washington.
TIGERS 4, BLUE JAYS 1
Parker Meadows slammed a three-run homer in a four-run fourth inning as Detroit got all the runs it needed to beat host Toronto in Dunedin, Fla.
Jake Rogers went 2-for-2 with a double for Detroit.
The Blue Jays totaled three hits, 12 walks and five strikeouts against eight Tigers pitchers.
CARDINALS 4, METS 4
Francisco Lindor hit a two-run homer for New York in a tie game with St. Louis in Port St. Lucie, Fla.
Each team totaled six hits, including Errol Robinson’s triple and Justin Toerner’s double for the Cardinals.
MEN’S GOLF
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER LEADS 4 UNDEFEATED PLAYERS INTO WGC SEMIS
Top seed Scottie Scheffler won his 10th straight match as he leads a quartet of players with undefeated marks into the semifinals of the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play in Austin, Texas, on Saturday.
Scheffler plays Sam Burns while Rory McIlroy meets Cameron Young in the semis on Sunday morning. Each player has a 5-0-0 mark through the quarterfinals — the first time since group play debuted in 2015 at the event that all four semifinalists hold a perfect record.
Scheffler improved to 15-2-2 with a 2-and-1 defeat of Jason Day in the quarterfinals. Scheffler seeks to become the second player in tournament history to successfully defend (Tiger Woods 2004).
Scheffler defeated J.T. Poston 1-up in the Round of 16 earlier Saturday. He rallied from a three-stroke deficit against Day in the afternoon match.
“Yeah, glad to be moving on,” Scheffler said. “Jason got off to a really good start this afternoon and put behind pretty quickly there. I think I was 3-down through 7, but he made a mistake on 8 and then I birdied 9 and it was kind a match from there on out, and I had a really good back nine. When you get 3-down, that’s what you’ve got to do. Very proud of that effort there on the back nine and my finish.”
In the other quarters, McIlroy defeated Xander Schauffele 1-up, Young beat Kurt Kitayama 1-up and Burns topped Mackenzie Hughes 3-and-2.
McIlroy defeated Lucas Herbert of Australia 2-up in the Round of 16 in morning action to advance to the quarters.
“Both ends of the bag are working pretty well, and the stuff in the middle is not too bad, either,” McIlroy said. “I putted well all day. … My speed was a little off early on. I think just because the greens were drying out as the day went on. They just got a little bit faster. Sort of once I figured that out and holed a nice putt for 2 on 4, got my eye in and saw one go in, yeah, it was really good after that.”
The championship match and consolation match will be played Sunday afternoon.
NICOLAI HOJGAARD, SAM STEVENS SHARE LEAD AT CORALES PUNTACANA
Denmark’s Nicolai Hojgaard shot a bogey-free 6-under-par 66 to share the lead after the third round Saturday of the Corales Puntacana Championship in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.
Hojgaard is tied at 14-under 202 with American Sam Stevens, who sandwiched a birdie between two bogeys in his final three holes at Corales Golf Course to fall back into a share of the lead at the PGA Tour event.
Hojgaard recorded birdies at Nos. 4, 6, 8, 12, 14 and 15. He had shot a 65 on Friday to tie for fourth after two rounds.
“It was stress-free like the second round,” he said. “Another day where I felt quite calm out there game-wise. A lot of wind obviously, but I had good control, so really happy with the round.”
Hojgaard, who turned 22 on March 12, has made two cuts in eight PGA Tour events and has two international wins since 2021. He said his mindset for Sunday’s final round is to be disciplined and patient.
“A lot can happen on the last few holes,” Hojgaard said. “If you’re a bit behind, it doesn’t matter. If you’re a bit in front, you still need to be disciplined. That’s basically it. It’s about giving yourself a few chances and see what you have.”
Stevens notched an eagle on the par-5 fourth hole and added birdies on Nos. 7, 8, 14 and 17 along with bogeys at 16 and 18 for a 68. Stevens said he had a “pretty steady” day.
“I made some putts on the front nine and then yeah, gave myself a couple opportunities that I took advantage of,” he said. “And I played pretty good on the back. Sixteen, I kind of misjudged the wind and sliced it and made a bogey there. Then 18 I just hit a bad iron shot, but that was really my worst swing of the day. I felt pretty good about everything else.”
England’s Matt Wallace, who led after two rounds at 11 under, shot a 70 and is tied for third place at 13 under with Wyndham Clark (69), Tyler Duncan (67) and Belgium’s Thomas Detry (65).
Wallace, 32, who is seeking his first PGA Tour victory, made double bogey on the par-4 third hole and bogey on the par-4 13th, in addition to birdies at Nos. 5, 7, 10, 12 and 14.
Three players are two strokes behind the co-leaders at 12 under: Austin Eckroat (66), Ricky Barnes (66) and France’s Martin Trainer (65).
Defending champion Chad Ramey of the United States withdrew from the tournament due to a back injury after shooting a 71 on Thursday.
MATT WALLACE GRABS LEAD AT PGA TOUR’S DOMINICAN EVENT
England’s Matt Wallace closed the second round of the Corales Puntacana Championship with three birdies on Friday to take a one-shot lead in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.
Wallace recorded a 6-under-par 66 at the Corales Golf Course to move to 11-under 133 at the PGA Tour event’s midpoint.
Sam Stevens and Wyndham Clark each shot 65 on Friday to leave them one stroke behind Wallace.
Akshay Bhatia (second-round 63), Tyler Duncan (65), Brice Garnett (70) and Denmark’s Nicolai Hojgaard (65) are tied for fourth at 8 under. Brandon Matthews (67) and Puerto Rico’s Rafael Campos (65) share eighth place at 7 under.
Wallace had three birdies and 12 pars through 15 holes before adding another three birdies to move in front.
“Nice, nice day,” Wallace said. “I hit it probably a little bit better than yesterday, so didn’t think that was possible but it’s nice to have that in the bank now and confidence has grown.”
Wallace, 32, has four career European Tour wins but none on the U.S.-based PGA Tour.
Looking ahead to the weekend, he said, “I want to just keep playing the way I’m playing, doesn’t matter where I am on the leaderboard. … If we’re at the top of the leaderboard … I want to keep pushing and playing really good golf and see where that puts me because then I know what my levels are.”
Stevens carded eight birdies and a bogey, while Clark had five birdies and an eagle on the par-5 fourth hole.
Defending champion Chad Ramey of the United States withdrew from the tournament due to a back injury after shooting a 71 on Thursday.
WOMEN’S GOLF
CELINE BOUTIER (65) JUMPS INTO LEAD AT LPGA DRIVE ON
Celine Boutier of France fired a 7-under-par 65 in Saturday’s third round to vault to the top of the leaderboard at the LPGA Drive On Championship in Gold Canyon, Ariz.
Boutier began the round in a tie for seventh. Now, she sits at 16-under 200, with three players — Thailand’s Moriya Jutanugarn, Alison Lee, South Korea’s Hae Ran Ryu — just one shot back.
Ariya Jutanugarn of Thailand and Celine Borge of Norway carded matching 63s to jump 34 spots up the leaderboard into a tie for fifth at 14 under.
Twelve players are T7 at 13 under, well within striking distance just three shots back.
Boutier opened her scoring with an eagle on the par-5 second hole. She would go on to post six birdies against one bogey.
But as impressive as that was, Ariya Jutanugarn turned in a clean round with nine birdies. Meanwhile, Borge opened her round with four straight birdies, finishing with eight for her round, adding an eagle on the par-5 18th.
“I just felt everything just went in the hole,” Borge said. “I started holing a long putt on the first one and then I just made four birdies in a row, so I got off to a good start.”
Ryu also posted a clean round, recording six birdies and an eagle on the 18th hole for a third-round 64.
“I finished yesterday’s round with birdie so I figured out a good momentum today, and just finishing with an eagle on last hole showed it was a good round today,” Ryu said.
Moriya Jutanugarn shot 69 and Alison Lee 67 to join Ryu one shot back.
AUTO RACING
WILLIAM BYRON WINS POLE AT CIRCUIT OF THE AMERICAS
AUSTIN, Texas — Hendrick Motorsports driver William Byron won his first pole position of the season Saturday and will start out front for Sunday’s EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at the Circuit of The Americas road course.
The 25-year-old North Carolinian earned the top starting spot for the NASCAR Cup Series race with a lap of 93.882 mph in the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet – bettering the field by a slight .138-second on the 20-turn 3.41-mile road course in Texas hill country.
For his efforts, Byron becomes the first driver in NASCAR history to win pole positions at four different road course venues — Charlotte ROVAL (2019), Road America (2021), Indianapolis Road Course (2021) and COTA (2022). This is his ninth career pole position.
23XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick will start his No. 45 Toyota alongside Byron on the front row, missing out on the pole in the final round of qualifying. However, he set a new qualifying lap record at COTA with a speed of 94.210 mph in the opening round.
“It’s good, it’s been an up and down weekend.” said Byron, who is also competing in Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race, but ironically had his potential Xfinity Series pole-winning time disallowed during Friday Xfinity Series qualifying for exceeding track limits.
“In the Cup car we had a little bit of work to do yesterday just on overall balance and we corrected some areas and some areas for me as a driver.
“Good to get the pole but really tomorrow is what matters.”
Austin Cindric will start third in the No. 2 Team Penske Ford alongside IMSA star Jordan Taylor, who qualified the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet fourth fastest in his NASCAR debut, subbing for the injured Hendrick driver Chase Elliott.
Elliott immediately responded to Taylor’s effort on social media saying, “I see you @jordan10taylor. .. killer lap,” – congratulating the 31-year-old sports car star.
“It was honestly a full new experience and yesterday [in practice] I felt like I was out of control 90 percent of the time,” said Taylor, who has two wins and a runner-up in four sports car starts at COTA. “Today, I felt like I knew what the car was doing. We made good set-up changes to help with that and give me a better sense of where the grip was. … Today felt super smooth and it felt like I was driving my [sports] car, something super familiar for me.
“The Hendrick guys have done an amazing job,” Taylor added.
Trackhouse Racing’s Daniel Suarez, Hendrick Motorsport’s Alex Bowman, Kaulig Racing’s A.J. Allmendinger – winner of last year’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race at COTA – also advanced to final qualifying round and will start fifth, sixth and seventh
Legacy Motor Club driver Erik Jones, who was quickest in Group A during first round qualifying will start eighth – ahead of Richard Childress Racing’s Kyle Busch and his Legacy Motor Club teammate, rookie contender Noah Gragson.
Defending race winner Ross Chastain – who on Friday commemorated his winning “watermelon toss” from last year’s first career victory celebration at COTA – will start 12th. NASCAR Cup Series championship leader Joey Logano will start 15th.
Former Formula One drivers Kimi Raikkonen and Jenson Button contributed solid efforts in qualifying too. Raikkonen, who has one other NASCAR Cup Series start (at Watkins Glen, N.Y. last year) will start 22nd in the No. 91 Project91 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet. Button will roll off 24th in his NASCAR debut driving the No. 15 Rick Ware Racing Ford.
Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and new team owner Jimmie Johnson – making only his second start of the year in the No. 84 Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet – will start 31st and popular IndyCar driver Conor Daly will roll off 35th in the 39-car field.
NASCAR Cup Series Qualifying Final Round Results – EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix
Circuit of The Americas
Austin, Texas
Saturday, March 25, 2023
1. (24) William Byron, Chevrolet, 93.882 mph.
2. (45) Tyler Reddick, Toyota, 93.783 mph.
3. (2) Austin Cindric, Ford, 93.459 mph.
4. (9) Jordan Taylor, Chevrolet, 93.174 mph.
5. (99) Daniel Suarez, Chevrolet, 93.067 mph.
6. (48) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet, 92.911 mph.
7. (16) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet, 92.840 mph.
8. (43) Erik Jones, Chevrolet, 92.838 mph.
9. (8) Kyle Busch, Chevrolet, 92.678 mph.
10. (42) Noah Gragson #, Chevrolet, 92.188 mph.
11. (23) Bubba Wallace, Toyota, 0.000 mph.
12. (1) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet, 0.000 mph.
13. (5) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, 0.000 mph.
14. (20) Christopher Bell, Toyota, 0.000 mph.
15. (22) Joey Logano, Ford, 0.000 mph.
16. (21) Harrison Burton, Ford, 0.000 mph.
17. (54) Ty Gibbs #, Toyota, 0.000 mph.
18. (47) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chevrolet, 0.000 mph.
19. (14) Chase Briscoe, Ford, 0.000 mph.
20. (34) Michael McDowell, Ford, 0.000 mph.
21. (11) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 0.000 mph.
22. (91) Kimi Raikkonen, Chevrolet, 0.000 mph.
23. (31) Justin Haley, Chevrolet, 0.000 mph.
24. (15) Jenson Button, Ford, 0.000 mph.
25. (19) Martin Truex Jr., Toyota, 0.000 mph.
26. (41) Ryan Preece, Ford, 0.000 mph.
27. (7) Corey LaJoie, Chevrolet, 0.000 mph.
28. (3) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 0.000 mph.
29. (4) Kevin Harvick, Ford, 0.000 mph.
30. (6) Brad Keselowski, Ford, 0.000 mph.
31. (84) Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, 0.000 mph.
32. (17) Chris Buescher, Ford, 0.000 mph.
33. (78) Josh Bilicki(i), Chevrolet, 0.000 mph.
34. (77) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, 0.000 mph.
35. (50) Conor Daly, Chevrolet, 0.000 mph.
36. (38) Todd Gilliland, Ford, 0.000 mph.
37. (51) Cody Ware, Ford, 0.000 mph.
38. (12) Ryan Blaney, Ford, 0.000 mph.
39. (10) Aric Almirola, Ford, 0.000 mph.
SPORTS EXTRA
NBA STANDINGS
| Eastern Conference | ||||||||||||
| W | L | Pct | Conf GB | Home | Road | Div | Conf | Last 10 | Streak | |||
| 1 x-Milwaukee | 53 | 21 | .716 | — | 30-7 | 23-14 | 8-5 | 30-15 | 7-3 | 1 L | ||
| 2 x-Boston | 51 | 23 | .689 | 2.0 | 27-9 | 24-14 | 9-4 | 30-16 | 6-4 | 2 W | ||
| 3 x-Philadelphia | 49 | 25 | .662 | 4.0 | 26-11 | 23-14 | 7-6 | 30-16 | 7-3 | 2 L | ||
| 4 Cleveland | 47 | 28 | .627 | 6.5 | 29-8 | 18-20 | 12-3 | 31-15 | 8-2 | 3 W | ||
| 5 New York | 42 | 33 | .560 | 11.5 | 20-17 | 22-16 | 8-8 | 28-19 | 4-6 | 3 L | ||
| 6 Brooklyn | 40 | 34 | .541 | 13.0 | 19-16 | 21-18 | 7-8 | 27-20 | 4-6 | 1 W | ||
| 7 Miami | 40 | 35 | .533 | 13.5 | 25-14 | 15-21 | 9-5 | 21-25 | 6-4 | 1 L | ||
| 8 Atlanta | 37 | 37 | .500 | 16.0 | 21-15 | 16-22 | 7-8 | 23-23 | 5-5 | 1 W | ||
| 9 Toronto | 36 | 38 | .486 | 17.0 | 24-14 | 12-24 | 4-9 | 21-23 | 5-5 | 1 W | ||
| 10 Chicago | 35 | 38 | .479 | 17.5 | 20-17 | 15-21 | 6-8 | 25-23 | 6-4 | 1 W | ||
| 11 Washington | 33 | 41 | .446 | 20.0 | 17-19 | 16-22 | 7-6 | 19-26 | 3-7 | 1 W | ||
| 12 Indiana | 33 | 42 | .440 | 20.5 | 19-17 | 14-25 | 7-6 | 23-24 | 4-6 | 2 L | ||
| 13 Orlando | 31 | 43 | .419 | 22.0 | 18-19 | 13-24 | 6-8 | 17-28 | 4-6 | 2 W | ||
| 14 Charlotte | 24 | 51 | .320 | 29.5 | 12-24 | 12-27 | 7-9 | 14-34 | 4-6 | 1 W | ||
| 15 Detroit | 16 | 58 | .216 | 37.0 | 9-29 | 7-29 | 1-12 | 7-39 | 1-9 | 5 L | ||
| Western Conference | ||||||||||||
| W | L | Pct | Conf GB | Home | Road | Div | Conf | Last 10 | Streak | |||
| 1 xy-Denver | 50 | 24 | .676 | — | 31-6 | 19-18 | 10-5 | 32-13 | 5-5 | 3 W | ||
| 2 xy-Memphis | 46 | 27 | .630 | 3.5 | 32-5 | 14-22 | 13-2 | 28-19 | 8-2 | 5 W | ||
| 3 Sacramento | 45 | 29 | .608 | 5.0 | 23-15 | 22-14 | 9-6 | 29-15 | 7-3 | 2 W | ||
| 4 Phoenix | 39 | 35 | .527 | 11.0 | 24-12 | 15-23 | 9-5 | 24-20 | 4-6 | 1 W | ||
| 5 LA Clippers | 39 | 36 | .520 | 11.5 | 20-18 | 19-18 | 7-7 | 23-23 | 6-4 | 1 L | ||
| 6 Golden State | 39 | 36 | .520 | 11.5 | 30-7 | 9-29 | 6-9 | 25-20 | 5-5 | 3 W | ||
| 7 Minnesota | 37 | 37 | .500 | 13.0 | 21-17 | 16-20 | 8-7 | 25-20 | 5-5 | 2 W | ||
| 8 LA Lakers | 37 | 37 | .500 | 13.0 | 21-17 | 16-20 | 5-9 | 22-24 | 7-3 | 3 W | ||
| 9 New Orleans | 37 | 37 | .500 | 13.0 | 24-13 | 13-24 | 10-5 | 25-20 | 6-4 | 4 W | ||
| 10 Oklahoma City | 36 | 38 | .486 | 14.0 | 22-15 | 14-23 | 7-7 | 22-25 | 6-4 | 2 L | ||
| 11 Dallas | 36 | 38 | .486 | 14.0 | 22-16 | 14-22 | 9-6 | 27-23 | 3-7 | 3 L | ||
| 12 Utah | 35 | 39 | .473 | 15.0 | 22-15 | 13-24 | 5-9 | 22-24 | 4-6 | 3 L | ||
| 13 Portland | 32 | 41 | .438 | 17.5 | 17-19 | 15-22 | 6-8 | 22-21 | 3-7 | 1 L | ||
| 14 San Antonio | 19 | 55 | .257 | 31.0 | 13-25 | 6-30 | 2-13 | 7-38 | 3-7 | 3 L | ||
| 15 Houston | 18 | 56 | .243 | 32.0 | 12-26 | 6-30 | 4-12 | 11-39 | 3-7 | 4 L | ||
Eight teams in each conference qualify for the playoffs.
X – Clinched Playoff Spot, Y – Clinched Division, Z – Clinched Conference
NHL STANDINGS
| Eastern Conference | ||||||||||||
| GP | W | L | OTL | Pts | ROW | GF | GA | Home | Road | L10 | ||
| 1 xy-Boston Bruins | 72 | 56 | 11 | 5 | 117 | 54 | 271 | 154 | 30-3-3 | 26-8-2 | 7-3-0 | |
| 2 x-Carolina Hurricanes | 71 | 47 | 16 | 8 | 102 | 43 | 238 | 184 | 25-9-2 | 22-7-6 | 6-4-0 | |
| 3 x-New Jersey Devils | 73 | 46 | 19 | 8 | 100 | 44 | 256 | 201 | 20-13-4 | 26-6-4 | 5-3-2 | |
| 4 New York Rangers | 73 | 43 | 20 | 10 | 96 | 39 | 247 | 198 | 21-12-4 | 22-8-6 | 8-1-1 | |
| 5 Toronto Maple Leafs | 72 | 43 | 20 | 9 | 95 | 42 | 248 | 201 | 25-7-5 | 18-13-4 | 5-4-1 | |
| 6 Tampa Bay Lightning | 74 | 42 | 26 | 6 | 90 | 39 | 253 | 230 | 25-7-5 | 17-19-1 | 4-5-1 | |
| 7 New York Islanders | 74 | 37 | 28 | 9 | 83 | 37 | 219 | 205 | 21-13-3 | 16-15-6 | 6-3-1 | |
| 8 Pittsburgh Penguins | 73 | 36 | 27 | 10 | 82 | 35 | 235 | 236 | 20-11-5 | 16-16-5 | 4-5-1 | |
| 9 Florida Panthers | 73 | 36 | 30 | 7 | 79 | 34 | 255 | 251 | 21-12-4 | 15-18-3 | 6-3-1 | |
| 10 Buffalo Sabres | 72 | 35 | 31 | 6 | 76 | 34 | 258 | 267 | 14-20-3 | 21-11-3 | 3-5-2 | |
| 11 Washington Capitals | 74 | 34 | 32 | 8 | 76 | 32 | 236 | 231 | 17-14-5 | 17-18-3 | 3-5-2 | |
| 12 Ottawa Senators | 73 | 35 | 33 | 5 | 75 | 33 | 231 | 238 | 20-13-3 | 15-20-2 | 3-6-1 | |
| 13 Detroit Red Wings | 72 | 31 | 32 | 9 | 71 | 28 | 209 | 238 | 17-15-4 | 14-17-5 | 3-7-0 | |
| 14 Philadelphia Flyers | 72 | 28 | 32 | 12 | 68 | 26 | 195 | 236 | 16-16-5 | 12-16-7 | 5-4-1 | |
| 15 Montreal Canadiens | 73 | 29 | 38 | 6 | 64 | 25 | 211 | 270 | 16-17-3 | 13-21-3 | 3-5-2 | |
| 16 Columbus Blue Jackets | 72 | 23 | 42 | 7 | 53 | 22 | 196 | 285 | 14-20-2 | 9-22-5 | 3-6-1 | |
| Western Conference | ||||||||||||
| GP | W | L | OTL | Pts | ROW | GF | GA | Home | Road | L10 | ||
| 1 Vegas Golden Knights | 73 | 46 | 21 | 6 | 98 | 42 | 242 | 205 | 22-14-1 | 24-7-5 | 8-2-0 | |
| 2 Minnesota Wild | 73 | 42 | 22 | 9 | 93 | 35 | 219 | 198 | 23-11-3 | 19-11-6 | 6-1-3 | |
| 3 Los Angeles Kings | 72 | 42 | 20 | 10 | 94 | 36 | 251 | 230 | 24-9-4 | 18-11-6 | 8-0-2 | |
| 4 Dallas Stars | 73 | 39 | 20 | 14 | 92 | 36 | 251 | 204 | 18-10-9 | 21-10-5 | 5-4-1 | |
| 5 Edmonton Oilers | 73 | 41 | 23 | 9 | 91 | 41 | 286 | 246 | 20-12-6 | 21-11-3 | 7-2-1 | |
| 6 Colorado Avalanche | 71 | 42 | 23 | 6 | 90 | 37 | 236 | 197 | 20-12-5 | 22-11-1 | 8-2-0 | |
| 7 Seattle Kraken | 72 | 40 | 24 | 8 | 88 | 40 | 253 | 231 | 16-15-4 | 24-9-4 | 5-3-2 | |
| 8 Winnipeg Jets | 74 | 41 | 30 | 3 | 85 | 40 | 221 | 209 | 22-12-2 | 19-18-1 | 5-5-0 | |
| 9 Calgary Flames | 74 | 33 | 26 | 15 | 81 | 31 | 235 | 231 | 17-15-4 | 16-11-11 | 5-3-2 | |
| 10 Nashville Predators | 71 | 36 | 27 | 8 | 80 | 31 | 202 | 213 | 18-13-4 | 18-14-4 | 5-4-1 | |
| 11 St. Louis Blues | 72 | 33 | 33 | 6 | 72 | 30 | 230 | 261 | 15-16-5 | 18-17-1 | 6-3-1 | |
| 12 Vancouver Canucks | 72 | 33 | 34 | 5 | 71 | 28 | 246 | 265 | 17-18-1 | 16-16-4 | 8-2-0 | |
| 13 Arizona Coyotes | 73 | 27 | 34 | 12 | 66 | 24 | 204 | 253 | 20-11-3 | 7-23-9 | 6-2-2 | |
| 14 Anaheim Ducks | 73 | 23 | 40 | 10 | 56 | 20 | 189 | 297 | 12-21-3 | 11-19-7 | 2-6-2 | |
| 15 Chicago Blackhawks | 72 | 24 | 42 | 6 | 54 | 22 | 177 | 258 | 14-18-3 | 10-24-3 | 3-6-1 | |
| 16 San Jose Sharks | 73 | 19 | 39 | 15 | 53 | 18 | 209 | 286 | 6-20-10 | 13-19-5 | 1-6-3 | |
Last updated Mar. 26, 1:54 ET
Eight teams in each conference qualify for the divisional playoff format. The top three teams from each division make up the first six spots. The two remaining teams with the highest points, regardless of division, qualify for the final two wild card spots.
X – Clinched Playoff Spot, Y – Clinched Division, Z – Clinched Conference
TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY
1936 Two future Hall of Famers ink modest contracts with their respective teams. The Tigers sign 25-year-old first baseman Hank Greenberg, who will miss most of the season with an injured wrist, for $20,000, and 31-year-old right-hander Red Ruffing, who will post a 20-12 record, comes to terms with the Yankees for $12,000.
1951 During a spring exhibition game against the University of Southern California at Bovard Field, Mickey Mantle, batting left-handed, hits a home run off Tom Lovrich, which is estimated to travel 650 feet. The 19-year-old rookie’s performance, which includes a single, triple, and another homer, is one of the highlights of the Yankees’ first-ever West Coast trip.
1957 The police arrest Yankee manager Casey Stengel then released him on $50 bail after allegedly kicking newspaper photographer Branan Sanders of the St. Petersburg Independent. The alleged altercation occurred in the first inning when the former World War II Associated Press photojournalist came into the Yankee dugout after being told he was obstructing the team’s view of their opponents.
1960 Due to Cuba’s political unrest, Miami becomes the new venue for the Orioles-Reds series, initially scheduled for Havana. Having a farm team on the island, Cincinnati wanted to play the exhibition games as planned, but Baltimore’s team president Lee MacPhail feared for his players’ safety.
1974 “I said that there’d come a time when somebody would take my job away and the time came. That’s the way the ball bounces. I was the same way when I broke in with the White Sox. If I came, someone had to go. Baseball is like life; it goes on no matter what.” – LUIS APARICIO, commenting on his unconditional release by the Red Sox. The Red Sox release future Hall of Famers designated hitter Orlando Cepeda (1999) and infielder Luis Aparicio (1984) after playing well for the team last season. Cepeda was considered one of the best DH in the American League with 86 RBIs, 20 home runs, and a .289 average, with Aparicio batting a respectable .271 in 132 games, the best mark among shortstops in the league.
1976 The American League votes to expand to Toronto, awarding the franchise to a group led Labatt’s Breweries (45%) that eventually purchases the team for $7 million. At first, the decision will appear in peril when President Gerald Ford attempts to pressure MLB to give the expansion franchise to Washington, D.C., a city without a major league team since the expansion Senators moved to Arlington (TX) to become the Rangers following the 1972 season.
1977 The Red Sox releases fan-favorite Rico Petrocelli, a future inductee to the club’s Hall of Fame in 1997 who batted .251 and hit 210 home runs during his 13 seasons with Boston. The two-time All-Star infielder calls it quits, ending his career entirely with Boston, playing a vital role in the team’s 1967 and 1975 American League pennants.
1984 In a spring training deal, the Phillies trade outfielders Gary Matthews, Bob Dernier, and right-handed reliever Porfi Altamirano to the Cubs for right-hander Bill Campbell and Mike Diaz, a utility player. The former Philadelphia fly chasers, who will each receive consideration for the MVP award, play a pivotal role in Chicago’s first-place finish this season in the National League Eastern Division.
1984 Jackie Robinson, who broke baseball’s color line, playing for the Dodgers in 1947, is awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom posthumously by President Ronald Reagan. On behalf of her late husband, Rachel Robinson accepts the award, the highest civilian honor given in the United States.
1997 The Expos trade Cliff Floyd to Marlins for right-hander Dustin Hermanson and outfielder Joe Orsulak. The presence of Montreal’s highly-touted prospect Vladimir Guerrero made their former fly-catcher expendable after he spent the first four major league seasons with the Canadian team.
2000 The demolition Kingdome happens in less than 20 seconds, thanks to 5,800 holes filled with gelatin dynamite ignited by 21.6 miles of detonation cord. The former home of the Mariners, the venue of no-hitters by Randy Johnson (1990 vs. Tigers) and Chris Bosio (1993 vs. Red Sox), is now a 65-foot mound of rubble.
BASEBALL’S BEST
ABOUT ROGER BRESNAHAN
His mark on the game is seen in every contest at every level, whenever a catcher dons shin guards.
Roger Bresnahan, however, did more than revolutionize how catchers dressed. He changed the way the position was played.
Born June 11, 1879 in Toledo, Ohio, Bresnahan – known as “The Duke of Tralee” due to his Irish roots – began his big league career as a pitcher in 1897 with the National League’s Washington Senators. By 1901, Bresnahan found himself with the Baltimore Orioles of the new American League. The Orioles catcher, future Hall of Fame manager Wilbert Robinson, was sidelined with an injury.
As a pitcher, Bresnahan was displeased with the Orioles’ backup receivers, leading manager John McGraw to ask if Bresnahan wanted to catch. From that day on, Bresnahan was a catcher.
“I never thought catching was hard,” Bresnahan said. “I liked it.”
Bresnahan hit .268 that year as a first-year receiver, then jumped to the National League along with McGraw in 1902 to play for the Giants. In 1903, Bresnahan hit .350, then led the Giants to NL pennants in 1904 and 1905. He hit .313 with three runs scored in the Giants’ 1905 World Series win over the Philadelphia Athletics.
In 1907, became the first catcher to wear shin guards – another in a long line of protective gear innovations, including a rudimentary batting helmet, that Bresnahan brought to the game.
“Boy, they sure called me lots of names when I tried on those shin guards,” Bresnahan said. “They must have been a good idea at that, though, because they tell me catchers still wear them.”
Bresnahan retired as an active player after the 1915 season having played 17 big league seasons. He compiled a .279 career batting average with 1,252 hits. He also managed four full seasons with the Cardinals (1909-12) and one with the Cubs (1915).
“Roger is a fighter,” wrote Fred Lieb in Baseball Magazine. “He was a fighter when he was a pupil of (John) McGraw’s, and he instilled this fighting spirit into his team.”
He passed away on Dec. 4, 1944, and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1945.
ABOUT GEORGE BRETT
For three decades, he was the standard by which other hitters were judged – seemingly mastering the art of hitting line drives.
In the simplest terms, George Brett was hitting royalty.
Born May 15, 1953 in Glen Dale, W.Va., Brett was the youngest of four brothers who all played pro ball, including older brother Ken Brett who pitched in the majors. Brett grew up in Southern California and was taken in the second round of the 1971 Major League Baseball draft by the Kansas City Royals.
The left-handed hitting Brett shot through the Royals’ minor league system, but after winning the big league third base job in 1974 Brett struggled. Midway through the season, Brett began an extensive tutelage program with Royals hitting instructor Charlie Lau, who taught his pupil how to keep his weight back and cover more of home plate with his swing. Brett applied the advice and finished the season batting .282 – which would be his lowest average during the next 17 seasons.
Brett hit .308 with an American League-best 195 hits in 1975, then won his first batting title the next year with a .333 average.
Then in 1980, Brett made a run at the magic .400 mark – a number that hadn’t been reached since Ted Williams hit .406 in 1941. Brett kept his average over .400 deep into the summer, but a late slump left him at .390. It was a good enough performance, however, to merit the AL Most Valuable Player Award.
The Royals advanced to the World Series that year after three losses in the American League Championship Series from 1976-78. But Kansas City lost to the Phillies in the Fall Classic despite Brett’s .375 average.
Brett continued his hitting excellence into the 1980s, and in 1985 he led the Royals back to the World Series – where this time they came out on top in seven games against the Cardinals. Brett hit .335 with 30 homers and 112 RBI that season, winning his first Gold Glove Award at third base and finishing second in the AL MVP vote.
In 1990 at the age of 37, Brett won his third batting title with a .329 mark – becoming the first player to win a batting title in three different decades. Two years later, Brett recorded his 3,000th career hit. He retired after 21 seasons with the Royals as one of only four players with 3,000 hits, 300 home runs and a .300 batting average.
He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1999.
BASEBALL YEAR IN REVIEW
1923 AMERICAN LEAGUE
Off the field…
President Warren G. Harding suddenly fell ill on July 28th while returning from a trip to Alaska and was rushed to a San Francisco hospital where he died of a heart attack on August 2nd. Harding’s undeviating Republicanism and vibrant speaking voice led him far in Ohio politics. He originally served in the state Senate and as Lieutenant Governor, but unsuccessfully ran for state Governor later. Harding’s career soared after he delivered the nominating address for President Taft at the 1912 Republican Convention and he was eventually elected to the Senate in 1914. Many local supporters began to promote Harding for the 1920 Republican nomination and he went on to win the Presidential election by an unprecedented landslide of sixty percent of the popular vote.
The second Ku Klux Klan movement in U.S. history was initiated stirring widespread controversy and racial violence. Professing itself nonpolitical, the Klan nevertheless controlled politics in many communities and in 1922, 1924, and 1926 elected many state officials and a number of Congressmen. Texas, Oklahoma, Indiana, Oregon, and Maine were particularly under its influence. Its collapse thereafter was largely due to state laws that forbade the wearing masks in public, which eliminated the secret element, and apparently from the declining interest of its members.
In the American League…
Yankee Stadium debuted when “The House That Ruth Built” opened its doors on April 18th to an announced attendance of 74,217. “The Babe” himself provided the “house warming gift” with a three-run home run that beat Howard Ehmke and the Boston Red Sox 4-1.
On May 25th, Detroit Tigers legend Ty Cobb scored his one-thousand seven-hundred forty-first run to pass another legend, Pittsburgh Pirate Honus Wagner. “The Georgia Peach” went on to hold ninety separate Major League records when he retired in 1928.
The Cleveland Indians set an American League record on July 7th after scoring in every inning against the Boston Red Sox. In eight innings (the home team did not bat in the ninth), “The Tribe” ran up twenty-seven runs, including thirteen in the sixth, for an embarrassing 27-3 win.
In the National League…
On April 7th, the longest National League opener (to date) took place with the Brooklyn Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies battling head-to-head for a grueling, fourteen innings and a 5-5 tie.
A riot broke out in Chicago on September 16th after umpire Charlie Moran made an “out” call at second base on Sparky Adams. Commissioner Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis was in attendance and shook his cane at the angry mob as Moran and the other officials were pelted by hundreds of empty bottles. After holding up play for over fifteen minutes, the game resumed with the visiting New York Giants winning 10-6.
Dolf Luque of the Cincinnati Reds finished his season in style after posting an 11-1 finale over the St. Louis Cardinals. Following the game, Luque returned to Havana with a Major League leading win-loss record of 27-8 which is still the best single-season mark ever posted (to date) by a Latin American pitcher.
Around the League…
Pitching legend Christy Mathewson became the president of the Boston Braves franchise after purchasing the club with New York attorney Judge Emil Fuchs and Bostonian James McDonough for a reported sum of $300,000. However, Braves Field remained in the custody of former owner James Gaffney and eighty-five minority stockholders.
The St, Louis Cardinals announced plans for their players to wear numerals on their uniforms, and number them according to the team’s batting line-up.
Two members of the infamous “Black Sox Scandal”, in which the 1919 World Series was “fixed” in favor of the Cincinnati Reds, attempted to sue their former team, the Chicago White Sox. Swede Risberg and Happy Felsch unsuccessfully sought $400,000 in damages and $6,750 back salary for conspiracy and injury to reputation. Both men, along with all Chicago players involved in the incident, had been banned from baseball due to their undeniable link to gamblers.
No games were played on August 3rd following the death of President Harding in San Francisco. The entire major league schedule was also canceled one week later on the day of his funeral.
FOOTBALL HISTORY
LANCE ALWORTH
Al Davis was an assistant coach with the 1962 San Diego Chargers of the American Football League when he signed a flanker, Lance Alworth, to a contract after a spirited bidding battle with the National Football League’s San Francisco 49ers.
Davis recalls his feelings when he snagged this first big AFL prize of the budding inter-league war of the 1960s. “Lance Alworth was one of maybe three players in my lifetime who had what I would call ‘it.’ You could see right from the start that he was going to be a superstar.”
Lance epitomized the glamorous, crowd-pleasing, deadly effective approach to football the Chargers exhibited in the early years of the AFL, enjoying nine exceptional years in San Diego before shifting to Dallas for a final two years with the 1971 and 1972 Cowboys. His patented leaping catches and blazing after-the-catch runs are legendary. Statistics many times are misleading, but in Alworth’s case, they are not.
In 11 pro seasons, he caught 542 passes for 10,266 yards, an 18.9-yard average and 85 touchdowns. During his nine seasons with the Chargers, the graceful receiver averaged more than 50 catches and 1,000 yards per season.
He was named All-AFL seven consecutive years from 1963 to 1969 and played in the league’s last seven All-Star games. He caught at least one pass in every AFL game he played, including a then-record 96 straight regular-season games and 105 in a row, if you count two AFL title games and seven All-Star appearances.
It seemed fitting that in 1978 he became the first AFL player to be elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. As Charley Hennigan, himself a great receiving star with the Houston Oilers, once said: “A player comes along once in a lifetime who alone is worth the price of admission. Lance Alworth was that player!”
March 26, 1887 – A convention of Football Rules makers convened and focused on rules of the game and empowered the referee with even more clout. A resolution was passed that stated “rules should be enforced rigidly by referees, and that captains should instruct their men against holding, roughing, and all other objectionable features.” The group even went as far as making all varsity captains sign a resolution there by swearing to coach their respective teams to play fairly and by the rules. Also the position of Umpire was created to help the Referee. Other major rules changes from this conference were to make it a must for teams to try for a goal after a touchdown. See more in our 1887 see part 10 of history series.
March 26, 2001 – The NFL announced that for the 3rd straight year it reached a record average paid attendance mark. It was the first time that paid attendance went over 66,000 fans per game. Also the NFL announced the Washington Redskins set a league record for attendance in 8 games of 656,599 surpassing the Detroit Lions record of 634,204 set in 1980.
March 26 Football Hall of Fame Birthdays
March 26, 1870 – Knoxville, Tennessee – The standout Yale halfback from 1888-91, Lee McLung, also known as “Bum,” arrived into this life. Learn more about this College Football Hall of Fame inductee by clicking his name.
March 26, 1899 – Sumter, South Carolina – The Ramblin’ Georgia Tech halfback of the 1918 through 1920 seasons Buck Flowers was born. Buck actually started his collegiate football at Davidson College for the seasons of 1916 and 1917. As a member of the Davidson eleven he scampered for a 68 yard gain in the 1917 game against Navy per the Football Foundation’s website. As a member of the Ramblin’ Wreck Flowers became a triple threat as he scored on the Auburn Tigers with punt returns of 65 and 82 yards in 1920 as well as a 33 yard offensive rush and tossed a 25 yard TD pass for good measure! Those weren’t Buck’s only skills on the football field, no sir, he is credited with an 82 yard punt versus Georgetown as well as an 85 yard punt return against his former school, Davidson. The National Football Foundation selected Buck Flowers for entrance into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1955.
On March 26, 1899 in Lansing, Michigan a baby boy was born to two German immigrants Charles and Minnie Kipke. Charles emigrated to the US in 1872 and Minnie in 1888. They named the child Harry and he ended up being the middle child in a family of 7 total children. Charles worked as a motor assembler in Lansing to support the group but in 1920 he passed away leaving Harry and his three younger siblings to live with their widowed mother. Harry had the opportunity to attend the University of Michigan and Harry Kipke punted and played halfback for the Wolverines from 1921 through 1923. The NFF says that Kipke was considered the finest punter in the nation as a junior All- America in 1922 but was even more respected by opposing Big Ten coaches for his excellence as a ball carrier, passer and blocker. Harry was a star player for the Wolverines and even became the team captain in his senior year. During Kipke’s presence on the squad Michigan tallied a three-year mark of 19-1-2. The Doors of the College Football Hall of Fame swung open wide to accept Harry Kipke in 1958. Harry went into coaching at rival Michigan State in 1928 after serving as an Assistant Coach at the University of Missouri for four seasons. Then in 1929 he returned to head up the program of his alma mater and served as the head coach of Michigan for 9 seasons compiling a total coaching record of 49-30-5.
March 26, 1960 – Marcus Allen the stud running back from Southern Cal was born. Marcus was a good player but in his first two seasons he was often used as a fullback who blocked for Charles White, who went on to win the Heisman Trophy in 1979. The patience that Allen learned from his freshman and sophomore seasons and the success he saw it bring the team and White resonated in the young back. In 1980 Marcus was elevated to tailback and he had the opportunity to show off his own rushing skills. The NFF says he not only led the team in rushing yards but in receiving yards as well in 1980 and 1981. In 1980 he rushed for 1,563 yards, second in the nation. In 1981 he rushed for 2,342. He led the nation in scoring, 12.5 points per game; rushing, 219.9 yards per game; and all-purpose running, 232.6 yards per game. In 1981 Marcus won the Heisman, the Walter Camp Foundation Award, Maxwell Trophy as well as the Pop Warner League Player of the Year honor. Marcus Allen received the great honor of being selected for inclusion into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2000. The Los Angeles Raiders used their first round pick to take Marcus in the first round of the 1982 NFL Draft. He was the 1982 NFL Rookie of the Year, NFL MVP in 1985 and the very first player in the League’s history to rush for more than 10,000 yards while also having receiving yards exceeding 5000 yards. Allen stayed with the Black and Silver for eleven of his 16 seasons in the NFL, spending the last five with the Kansas City Chiefs. For his pro career Marcus compiled 12243 yards rushing with 123 touchdowns and another 21 scores from catching passes with 5411 yards receiving. Allen was a 2 time All-Pro and played in 6 Pro Bowls. The Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrined the great Marcus Allen in 2003.
NUMBERS IN SPORTS
99 – 32 – 33
March 26, 1915 – In the Stanley Cup Final played at Denman Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia. Right winger Barney Stanley netted 5 goals as the Vancouver Millionaires defeated Ottawa Senators, 12-3 and completed a 3-0 sweep for the first Cup series that was non-challenged. Vancouver became the first PCHA champions.
March 26, 1945 – Big George Mikan, Number 99 scored 34 points to lead DePaul to the NIT championship title.
March 26, 1973 – UCLA Center Bill Walton, Number 32 won the Most Outstanding player award at the NCAA men’s tourney for the second consecutive year. He and his Bruins teammates coached by John Wooden won the tournament again, the seventh time in a row, by knocking out Memphis 81-76.March 26, 1979 – The NCAA basketball game with the highest television ratings of all time is played when Magic Johnson, Number 33 and the Michigan State Spartans were pitted against Larry Bird, Number 33 and the Indiana State Sycamores in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship game. The Spartans took the title 75-64.