INDIANA BOYS BASKETBALL REGIONAL PAIRINGS
CLASS 4A
MICHIGAN CITY
CHESTERTON [20-5] VS. PENN [26-1]
HAMMOND CENTRAL [25-1] VS. MISHAWAKA [20-6]
LOGANSPORT
FORT WAYNE WAYNE [20-4] VS. NOBLESVILLE [19-6]
KOKOMO [21-4] VS. FORT WAYNE NORTH [16-9]
SOUTHPORT
NEW PALESTINE [23-2] VS. BROWNSBURG [20-4]
INDIANAPOLIS CATHEDRAL [19-5] VS. BEN DAVIS [29-0]
SEYMOUR
EVANSVILLE REITZ [19-6] VS. JENNINGS COUNTY [23-2]
BLOOMINGTON NORTH [18-5] VS. COLUMBUS NORTH [17-8]
CLASS 3A
SOUTH BEND WASHINGTON
NORTHWOOD [24-2] VS. LAKE STATION [22-3]
JOHN GLENN [16-10] VS. SOUTH BEND WASHINGTON [18-5]
NEW CASTLE
TWIN LAKES [10-14] VS. FORT WAYNE DWENGER [12-13]
DELTA [17-9] VS. PERU [17-7]
LEBANON (BROADCAST ON INDIANA SRN)
DANVILLE [18-7] VS. GUERIN CATHOLIC [17-8]
BEECH GROVE [16-6] VS. INDIAN CREEK [14-8]
WASHINGTON
GREENSBURG [20-6] VS. SCOTTSBURG [20-5]
NORTH DAVIESS [23-5] VS. GIBSON SOUTHERN [13-12]
CLASS 2A
NORTH JUDSON
NORTH JUDSON [23-3] VS. LEWIS CASS [18-7]
WESTVIEW [17-8] VS. GARY 21ST CENTURY [20-5]
LAPEL
FORT WAYNE BLACKHAWK [23-3] VS. TIPTON [18-6]
WAPAHANI [24-1] VS. CARROLL (FLORA) [22-4]
GREENFIELD-CENTRAL (BROADCAST ON INDIANA SRN)
PARK TUDOR [16-8] VS. INDIANAPOLIS SCECINA [17-6]
PARKE HERITAGE [18-9] VS. NORTHEASTERN [21-5]
SOUTHRIDGE
FOREST PARK [9-17] VS. BROWNSTOWN CENTRAL [22-4]
LINTON-STOCKTON [26-1] VS. NORTH DECATUR [21-5]
CLASS 1A
TRITON
TRI-COUNTY [12-12] VS. MARQUETTE CATHOLIC [19-7]
KOUTS [16-9] VS. BETHANY CHRISTIAN [16-10]
FRANKFORT
FOUNTAIN CENTRAL [22-4] VS. LIBERTY CHRISTIAN [15-9]
SOUTHWOOD [12-12] VS. BLUE RIVER [20-6]
MARTINSVILLE
BLOOMFIELD [24-3] VS. INDIANAPOLIS LUTHERAN [16-7]
JAC-CEN-DEL [17-9] VS. BETHESDA CHRISTIAN [21-4]
LOOGOOTEE
LOOGOOTEE [19-7] VS. NORTHEAST DUBOIS [14-10]
NEW WASHINGTON [13-13] VS. ROCK CREEK ACADEMY [10-14]
INDIANA GBB JUNIOR ALL-STARS
ALLI HARNESS, CARROLL (FLORA)
JORDYN POOLE, FORT WAYNE SNIDER
CHLOE SPREEN, BEDFORD NORTH LAWRENCE
REAGAN WILSON, NOBLESVILLE
FAITH WISEMAN, INDIAN CREEK
JULIANN WOODARD, JENNINGS COUNTY
LAUREN FOSTER, INDIAN CREEK
TALIA HARRIS, FISHERS
RACHEL HARSHMAN, MOORESVILLE
ELLIE KELLEHER, WESTFIELD
AVERY KELLEY, EVANSVILLE MEMORIAL
ELLERY MINCH, MT. VERNON
ANIYAH BISHOP, LAKE CENTRAL
JOHNEA DONAHUE, FORT WAYNE SNIDER
KENNEDY FUELLING, NORWELL
KYRA HILL, GOSHEN
CAMRYN RUNNER, HAMILTON HEIGHTS
ADRIANNE TOLEN, WEST LAFAYETTE
MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL SCOREBOARD
ST. JOHN’S 78 BUTLER 63
OHIO STATE 65 WISCONSIN 57
MINNESOTA 78 NEBRASKA 75
UNLV 78 AIR FORCE 70 OT
ST. JOSEPH’S 87 GEORGE WASHINGTON 76
DEPAUL 66 SETON HALL 65
WASHINGTON STATE 69 CALIFORNIA 52
NORTH CAROLINA 85 BOSTON COLLEGE 61
WEST VIRGINIA 78 TEXAS TECH 62
OLE MISS 67 SOUTH CAROLINA 61
WAKE FOREST 77 SYRACUSE 74
COLORADO STATE 67 FRESNO STATE 66
PITTSBURGH 89 GEORGIA TECH 81
COLORADO 74 WASHINGTON 68
NEW MEXICO 87 WYOMING 76
VILLANOVA 80 GEORGETOWN 48
STANFORD 73 UTAH 62
LSU 72 GEORGIA 67
NORTH CAROLINA STATE 97 VIRGINIA TECH 77
OKLAHOMA STATE 57 OKLAHOMA 49
ARIZONA STATE 63 OREGON STATE 57
COMPLETE SCOREBOARD: HTTP://HOSTED.STATS.COM/CBK/SCOREBOARD.ASP?CONF=-1&DAY=20230308
WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL SCOREBOARD
#21 UNLV 71 WYOMING 60
BALL STATE 92 AKRON 68
TOLEDO 75 BUFFALO 74 OT
KENT STATE 75 NORTHERN ILLINOIS 68
BOWLING GREEN 70 EASTERN MICHIGAN 36
HOUSTON 72 WICHITA STATE 64
EAST CAROLINA 69 MEMPHIS 60
COMPLETE SCOREBOARD: HTTP://HOSTED.STATS.COM/WCBK/SCOREBOARD.ASP?CONF=-1&DAY=20230308
NBA SCOREBOARD
ATLANTA 122 WASHINGTON 120
BOSTON 115 PORTLAND 93
NEW ORLEANS 113 DALLAS 106
CLEVELAND 104 MIAMI 100
CHICAGO 117 DENVER 96
PHOENIX 132 OKLAHOMA CITY 101
LA CLIPPERS 108 TORONTO 100
BOX SCORES: HTTP://HOSTED.STATS.COM/NBA/SCOREBOARD.ASP
NHL SCOREBOARD
DETROIT 4 CHICAGO 3
MINNESOTA 4 WINNIPEG 2
VANCOUVER 3 ANAHEIM 2
BOX SCORES: HTTP://HOSTED.STATS.COM/NHL/SCOREBOARD.ASP
TOP NATIONAL HEADLINES
MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL
JIM BOEHEIM’S LONG CAREER AT SYRACUSE ENDS, AUTRY TAKES OVER
(AP) — Jim Boeheim enrolled at Syracuse in 1962. Played there until 1966. Started coaching there in 1969. Took over the program as head coach in 1976.
Put simply, he was Syracuse basketball.
Until now.
The Basketball Hall of Famer’s 47-year tenure as coach at Syracuse came to an awkward end on Wednesday, with the university saying Orange associate head coach and former Syracuse player Adrian Autry has been promoted to the job. The Orange moved quickly, making the announcement less than three hours after Syracuse lost to Wake Forest in the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament. And if Boeheim knew the announcement was coming, he didn’t let on at what was his final postgame news conference.
“It’s up to the university,” Boeheim said. “They have to make their decision, and it’s up to them.”
The university didn’t wait long before making the decision public, saying in part: “Today, as his 47th season coaching his alma mater comes to an end, so too does his storied career at Syracuse University. Associate Head Coach Adrian Autry ’94, one of Boeheim’s former players and longtime assistant, has been named the program’s next head coach.”
Autry has been on Boeheim’s staff since 2011, and held the title of associate head coach since March 2017.
“There have been very few stronger influential forces in my life than Syracuse University and Jim Boeheim,” Autry said. “They have both played such important roles and without either of them, I am certain I would not have this incredible opportunity before me.”
The 78-year-old Boeheim’s record in his 47 seasons, officially, was 1,015-441. That reflects 101 wins taken away by the NCAA for violations between the 2004-07 and 2010-12 seasons.
Whether the count was 1,015 or 1,116, only now-retired Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski had more wins than Boeheim at the Division I level. Boeheim led the Orange to the 2003 national title – Carmelo Anthony’s lone season in Syracuse – and saw 46 of his players get taken in NBA drafts. Among them: Anthony, Derrick Coleman, Rony Seikaly, Dion Waiters, Billy Owens, Sherman Douglas and Pearl Washington. Boeheim also was a USA Basketball assistant under Krzyzewski on the teams that won Olympic gold medals in 2008, 2012 and 2016.
“I’ve been very lucky to be able to coach my college team, to play and then be an assistant coach and then a head coach, never having to leave Syracuse,” Boeheim said in that postgame news conference, one in which he hinted at retirement, then hinted at returning. “It’s a great university.”
He has, in many ways, been the face of that university. Boeheim and his wife Juli, through their family foundation, have raised millions for children’s causes across Central New York. He helped champion what became known as the “Coaches vs. Cancer” phenomenon with the American Cancer Society.
The 2-3 zone defense he used almost exclusively caused opponents fits for decades. His dedication was unwavering; the best examples were how he returned to work earlier than doctors wanted after he was treated for prostate cancer in December 2001 – the team was struggling and needed him, Boeheim said at the time – and how he went to work at 12:01 a.m. on the day his nine-game suspension for NCAA violations was lifted during the 2015-16 season.
“He’s given his heart and soul to that school,” said Washington coach Mike Hopkins, a former Boeheim assistant. “Still surprised they don’t have a statue made of him in the middle of campus. When you think of Syracuse University, you think of Jim Boeheim and you think of the Carrier Dome, and now both of those will be gone, which is very sad.”
The dome still stands, just with a different name. The program will continue, just with a different coach. For the first time since 1976, someone other than Boeheim is now the head coach of the Orange.
“Jim has invested and dedicated the majority of his life to building this program, cultivating generations of student-athletes and representing his alma mater with pride and distinction,” Chancellor Kent Syverud said in a statement distributed by the school.
Boeheim has been synonymous with Syracuse for more than six decades. He was born in the central New York town of Lyons, not far from Syracuse. He enrolled at the school in 1962 as a walk-on, eventually becoming a captain of the then-Orangemen along with Dave Bing.
In 1969, he was hired at Syracuse as a graduate assistant. And on April 3, 1976, he took the program over after Roy Danforth left for Tulane. Boeheim has led the program since; even the court at the dome where Syracuse plays its home games has bore his name since 2002.
“There will never be another Jim Boeheim,” Buddy Boeheim, one of Boeheim’s sons who played for him at Syracuse, tweeted Wednesday. “The greatest coach, father, and mentor I could ever ask for. A man that gave a city, program, and university everything he had his whole life with countless accomplishments. Excited for a lot of golf in our future, love you pops.”
The Orange were 17-15 this season and will miss the NCAA Tournament for a second consecutive season. That led to criticism, which led to questions about Boeheim’s future, and what the school would ultimately decide.
“It’s an honor to play for Coach Boeheim,” Syracuse’s Benny Williams said after the loss to Wake Forest.
A low point came in November 2011. Bernie Fine, then Syracuse’s associate head coach, was fired after being accused of sexual abuse by two former Syracuse ballboys. Boeheim initially called the ballboys liars out to get money, then apologized for being insensitive to victims of abuse and took responsibility. Fine was never charged.
Syracuse reached the NCAA Tournament 35 times under Boeheim, went to the Final Four in five of those appearances, won 10 Big East regular-season titles and five more titles in that conference’s tournament.
“I’ve been just so lucky to be able to coach at Syracuse, a place I love, I place I love to live,” Boeheim said. “People keep wondering about that, but maybe that’s a flaw I have. But I’ve lived in Syracuse my whole life, and I’ll live there hopefully a long time into the future. I think it’s a great place.”
Reaction was mixed when word of the coaching change reached the Syracuse campus.
Chris Davis, a freshman, wondered if a coach change will hurt the Orange.
“It’s disappointing to be honest,” Davis said. “It hurts the students who are here. To see him gone is heartbreaking.”
Senior Gracie Carrigan was surprised by the move, saying, “It’s shocking. He had such a great career. You almost thought he’d be here forever, so it’s shocking that it’s actually happening.”
Added freshman Benjamin Perle said: “Obviously, massive shoes to fill. I have faith in coach Autry and the coaching staff.”
Syracuse clearly has faith in Autry as well.
He played in 121 games in his four seasons for Boeheim, then spent more than a decade on the bench with his former coach.
“I have spent much of my time in the game of basketball learning from Jim and am so grateful to him for preparing me to carry on the winning tradition that is Orange Basketball,” Autry said.
TEXAS TECH COACH ADAMS RESIGNS AFTER INSENSITIVE COMMENTS
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) Texas Tech coach Mark Adams, who had been suspended recently for racially insensitive comments made toward one of his players, resigned shortly after the Red Raiders were eliminated from the Big 12 Tournament on Wednesday night.
Second-year assistant Corey Williams had led the Red Raiders in their 78-62 loss to West Virginia.
The incident involving Adams occurred in a meeting with a player, who wasn’t identified, Texas Tech said Sunday in announcing his suspension. The school said Adams “was encouraging the student-athlete to be more receptive to coaching and referenced Bible verses about workers, teachers, parents, and slaves serving their masters.”
Red Raiders athletic director Kirby Hocutt learned of the incident last Friday and issued a written reprimand, and Adams coached them in a regular season-ending loss to Oklahoma State the next day. But after Hocutt investigated the situation further, he decided to suspend Adams just three days before the start of the Big 12 Tournament.
In its release Wednesday about Adams stepping down, the school said Hocutt determined after the inquiry that the racially insensitive comment was unintentional and an isolated incident.
Adams waited until his team was eliminated before announcing that he was stepping down.
“My lifelong goal was to help and be a positive influence on my players, and to be a part of the Texas Tech men’s basketball team,” Adams said in a statement. “However, both the university and I believe this incident has become a distraction for the Texas Tech men’s basketball team and the university, which I care about so deeply.”
This isn’t the first time that high-profile coaches have been in trouble for insensitive comments.
Three years ago, Pat Chambers resigned at Penn State after one of his former players revealed the coach said he wanted to “loosen the noose that’s around your neck” when talking to the player about helping him reduce stress; he wsa hired at Florida Gulf Coast this season. And during the 2020-21 season, Creighton coach Greg McDermott apologized for telling his team after a loss to “stay on the plantation” as a way to reminding them to stick together; he was suspended for one game.
The 66-year-old Adams graduated from Texas Tech in 1979 and had been on the staff there since 2016, beginning as director of basketball operations under Tubby Smith and then spending time on Chris Beard’s staff. He was elevated to head coach when Beard departed for Texas, and signed a $15.5 million, five-year contract extension last spring.
The extension came after Adams led the Red Raiders to the finals of the Big 12 Tournament, where they lost to eventual national champion Kansas. They went to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament in his first season in charge.
Things soured quickly this season, though. Texas Tech lost its first eight conference games, and any hope of making a run to the Big 12 Tournament title and a return to the NCAA tourney ended with a dismal effort against the Mountaineers.
“If I’m being honest, it’s a lot of weight on these kids right now. They’ve been through a lot in the last week or so,” Williams said afterward. “And in some ways, I just feel like it caught up with them, and they wanted to win.
“They gave their best. And once the ball stopped falling in a little bit, it got a little bit more tougher,” he added. “The hill became a lot steeper, and unfortunate we weren’t able to make up the difference.”
BIG 10 TOURNAMENT
MARCHING ON — BUCKEYES STIFLE WISCONSIN 65-57 IN B1G OPENER
CHICAGO, Ill. – Ohio State limited Wisconsin to just 34 percent shooting and would hold on down the stretch with a 65-57 victory in the opening round of the Big Ten Tournament Wednesday night in Chicago.
The Buckeyes advance to take on 5th-seeded Iowa on Thursday afternoon. Tip off will be approximately 2:30 PM ET.
Graduate Sean McNeil was 6-of-8 from the floor, including 3-of-4 from long range, to finish with a team-high 17 points. Justice Sueing added 16 points and freshman Bruce Thornton finished with 15 points and two steals.
The Buckeyes came out of the gate hot, racing to a 10-point lead just nine minutes into the game. After a 7-0 run, keyed by McNeil three-pointer and a Thornton steal and lay in, the lead was up to 15, and the Buckeyes would double-up the Badgers, 36 to 18 at halftime. Ohio State shot 68 percent in the opening half while Wisconsin was just 30 percent.
At the start of the second-half, the Buckeyes looked to be running away with it as an 11-2 run pushed the lead all the way out to 47-20. Wisconsin then frantically started their comeback and would crawl all the way back to within four at 61-57 with just under a minute to play. Sueing and Felix Okpara would each add a free throw and then after another Wisconsin miss, Roddy Gayle Jr. iced the game with a pair of free throws to send the Buckeyes on to Thursday.
Freshman Brice Sensabaugh also played well, despite finishing with just nine points. He had a block and also pulled-down a game-high and season-high 11 rebounds.
GOPHERS ADVANCE TO SECOND ROUND WITH WIN OVER NEBRASKA
CHICAGO (AP) — Dawson Garcia had 18 points, 13 rebounds and six assists and Ta’lon Cooper had 16 points and set the program record for assists in a Big Ten Tournament game with 12 to help Minnesota beat Nebraska 78-75 Wednesday night in an opening-round game.
The 14th-seeded Golden Gophers, who have won two of their last three following a 12-game skid, play No. 6 seed Maryland in the second round Thursday. The Terrapins swept the season series with Minnesota, winning the two games by a combined 53 points.
Garcia has three double-doubles this season — all against the Cornhuskers. Jaden Henley added 14 points for Minnesota (9-21) and Jamison Battle scored 13 with eight rebounds.
Henley was fouled on a 3-pointer as the shot clock expired and hit all three free throws to give Minnesota a six-point lead with three minutes to go. Sam Griesel scored back-to-back contested baskets to pull the Cornhuskers to 63-61 with 1:39 remaining but Nebraska was called for offensive fouls on their next two possessions before Cooper made 1-of-2 free throws to put the Golden Gophers up by three with 27 seconds to go.
Griesel went high in the air to snag a long inbounds pass and then hit a cutting Keisei Tominaga for a layup to make it 64-63 with 20 seconds left. But Cooper hit 3 of 4 from the free throw-line from there — and Tominaga missed a potential tying shot from near midcourt at the buzzer.
Tominaga led No. 11 seed Nebraska (16-16) with 23 points, his 10th straight game scoring in double figures, including seven with at least 20. Griesel scored all his 16 points in the second half and finished with 12 rebounds and four assists. Jamarques Lawrence and Derrick Walker Jr. added 12 points apiece.
Minnesota committed four turnovers and started 0 for 4 from the field before Lawrence was fouled as he banked in a 3-pointer and hit the and-1 free throw to give the Cornhuskers an 8-0 lead about four minutes into the game.
Garcia hit a 3-pointer that gave the Gophers the lead for good at 18-16 with 8:32 left in the first half and Nebraska trailed the rest of the way.
Minnesota shot 52% (27 of 52) from the field, made 10 of 24 from 3-point range and had a season-high 25 assists.
MARCH MADNESS 2023: RUTGERS, UTAH ST NEED RESUME-BOOSTING WS
March Madness is coming up fast. Here is what to know along with some key games to watch and who’s on the bubble ahead of Selection Sunday for the NCAA Tournament:
KEY DATES
All eyes will be on the conference tournaments this week:
— The ACC Tournament is rolling March 7-11 in Greensboro, North Carolina.
— The Big 12 Tournament will be March 8-11 in Kansas City, Missouri.
— The Big Ten Tournament will be March 8-12 in Chicago.
— The Big East Tournament will be March 8-11 in New York.
— The Pac-12 Tournament will be March 8-11 in Las Vegas.
— The SEC Tournament will be March 8-12 in Nashville, Tennessee.
MARCH MADNESS
Selection Sunday is March 12, when bracket matchups will be set for the First Four and first- and second-round games that stretch from Florida to California.
Sweet 16 weekend will see games in New York City (East Region), Las Vegas (West), Kansas City, Missouri (Midwest), and Louisville, Kentucky (South).
Where is the Final Four? In Houston, on April 1, with the championship game on April 3.
Basketball aficionados, take note: The women’s NCAA Tournament will hold its Final Four in Dallas, a four-hour drive up the road from Houston.
BETTING GUIDE
Who’s going to win the national championship? With the regular season over, the betting favorites as of this week to reach the Final Four are Houston, Alabama, Kansas and UCLA, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. That differs from the top teams in the NCAA’s initial seed watch, which had Purdue in the top four, not UCLA. All of this matches many of the teams in the AP Top 25, too.
NO. 1 HOUSTON GUARD SASSER IS AAC TOP PLAYER, SAMPSON COACH
IRVING, Texas (AP) Houston senior guard Marcus Sasser was named the American Athletic Conference player of the year on Wednesday after a vote of the league’s 11 coaches.
Ninth-year Houston coach Kelvin Sampson was picked by his peers as coach of the year after the No. 1 Cougars (29-2, 17-1 AAC) won their second regular-season title in a row. They are the top seed for this week’s conference tournament, which they will try to win for the third consecutive year.
Sasser and Memphis senior guard Kendric Davis were the only unanimous picks for the All-AAC first-team. Cincinnati guard Landers Nolley II, Memphis forward DeAndre Williams and Tulane guard Jalen Cook rounded out the top five players.
Sasser ranks in the top 10 in the AAC with his 17.1 points, 3.3 assists and 1.7 steals per game. Davis leads the league in scoring (21.5 ppg) and assists (5.6 apg).
Sampson is the AAC coach of the year for the second season in a row and fourth time overall.
ALABAMA’S MILLER CALLS FATAL SHOOTING ‘REALLY HEARTBREAKING’
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) Alabama basketball star Brandon Miller spoke Wednesday about being at the scene of a fatal shooting that killed a 23-year-old mother, saying he will “never lose sight of the fact that a family has lost one of their loved ones.”
Miller, in a week where he collected awards – and was snubbed for a big one – spoke to reporters for the first time since his name was linked to the Jan. 15 scene in Tuscaloosa where Jamea Harris was killed.
“This whole situation is just really heartbreaking, but respectfully that’s all I’m going to be able to say on that,” The Associated Press Southeastern Conference player and newcomer of the year said.
Ex-Alabama player Darius Miles is charged with capital murder in the shooting. Prosecutors say he provided the gun used in the shooting to another man, Michael Davis, who shot Harris. Davis is also charged with murder.
Miller’s name was brought up in court by authorities as having delivered the gun on the night of the shooting at Miles’ request. Freshman point guard Jaden Bradley was also at the scene, authorities said. Neither have been charged with a crime.
Alabama has said its star forward is a cooperating witness, not a suspect. Neither Miller nor Bradley have been held out of a game.
Miller’s attorney has said the gun was in the back of Miller’s vehicle, and that the Tide star didn’t see or handle it.
With Miller and Alabama preparing for the SEC Tournament and NCAA Tournament, it’s hard for either to separate the accolades and success from Harris’ death.
A likely No. 1 NCAA Tournament seed, Alabama won the regular season SEC title and opens its bid to win the league tournament as well on Friday in Nashville, Tennessee. Miller is a projected Top-5 pick in the NBA draft.
On Wednesday, he was named one of five finalists for the Julius Erving Award given to the top small forward in Division I. However, he wasn’t one of the 15 finalists for the Wooden Award given to the nation’s top player.
Miller didn’t shed much light on what recent weeks have been like for him ahead of his return to his hometown, Nashville.
Asked about playing amid the chants such as “Guilty” and “Lock him up” from opposing fans, Miller said “we hear the chants.”
“I feel like we just really lean on each other. Just go to places like that and try to pull out tough wins,” he said.
Miller was also asked whether he received advice to withdraw from school and begin preparing for the NBA draft.
“I mean, I hear a lot of people in my ears … I just lean on these guys next to me and build me up to the person I am now,” he said. Miller said he wants “to be remembered as a champion” at Alabama.
Miller is the first SEC player to win both player and freshman of the year honors as bestowed by the league since Kentucky’s Anthony Davis in 2012. He’s averaging an SEC-best 19.6 points a game.
Teammate Jahvon Quinerly said the team has stuck together through the adversity “and we just made sure that (Miller) was good.”
Alabama coach Nate Oats said Miller has “taken this whole situation very seriously from Day One.” He did order Miller to stop his pre-game ritual where a teammate patted him down during introductions.
“It’s a tough situation for all of us, and it’s just sad, to be honest with you,” Oats said. “But I never thought Brandon was flippant with any of it, ever. So as far as off the court goes, not necessarily huge changes, but I didn’t think there needed to be any big changes.
“He’s a great kid that, we’re all going through a tough situation together and we’re trying to lean on each other through this deal.”
WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL
TEXAS, OKLAHOMA COULD COLLIDE IN BIG 12 WOMEN’S TOURNEY
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — It seemed almost fitting that Texas and Oklahoma, two schools that so often feel attached at the hip, would share the regular-season Big 12 women’s basketball championship this season.
Sure, the Longhorns and the Sooners have one year left in the league before departing together for the SEC, but it goes beyond that: They’re tradition-rich women’s programs that endured several years of mediocrity, recent coaching changes and quick rebuilds to find themselves back in the upper echelon of college hoops.
“These kids have a four-year career and I don’t think it’s fair to say, ‘Hey, let’s get through the year and the best is in front of us,’ and all that,” said Texas coach Vic Schaefer, who has led the Longhorns to consecutive Elite Eight trips after replacing Karen Aston. “I think the standard is the standard.”
In Austin, that standard is measured in championships.
The No. 15 Longhorns won their first Big 12 Tournament title in nearly 20 years last season, and will begin defense of it Friday as the top seed against the winner of No. 8 seed Texas Tech and No. 9 seed Kansas State, who play a first-round game Thursday at Municipal Auditorium.
The other first-round game pits No. 7 seed Kansas against 10th-seed TCU with the winner earning a date with the second-seeded and No. 14 Sooners on Friday.
The two quarterfinals will feature No. 4 seed Oklahoma State facing fifth-seeded West Virginia, precariously riding the NCAA Tournament bubble, and No. 3 seed Iowa State playing sixth-seeded Baylor.
If the seeds play out, the Longhorns would play the Sooners on Sunday for the championship, having beaten them by an average margin of 21 points in their two meetings during the regular season.
The Sooners’ share of the regular-season title was their first since 2009; their Big 12 tourney drought dates to 2007.
“The goal is always win the Big 12,” Sooners senior guard Taylor Robertson said, “because you want to compete for championships. We we’re able to do that a few years ago. But we kept getting better each year, and we believed in each other. And we knew if we stayed and we put in the work we’d have a chance to do something like this.”
INJURY OUTLOOK
Oklahoma’s leading scorer, Madi Williams, banged knees with an Oklahoma State player in the regular-season finale last weekend and it’s unclear whether she will play in Kansas City. Williams is averaging 15.7 points.
“I can tell you I know she’s doing everything she can and she really wants to play,” Sooners coach Jennie Baranczyk said. “We’re also keeping her future in mind for everything. She’ll be back at some point. I just don’t know when.”
ONE MORE TIME
This will be the last Big 12 tourney for Iowa State’s Ashley Joens, the league’s player of the year. She could have been a top WNBA pick last season but chose to return for a fifth season that was granted by the NCAA for the COVID-19 season.
“We’ve got a lot left to do. It’s kind of a new season,” said Joens, the Cyclones’ career scoring leader. “You have to go out every game and if you lose, you’re done. You give it all you can and leave everything on the court.”
NCAA WATCH
The Mountaineers are trying do solidify their spot in the NCAA Tournament with a couple of wins this week. Kansas could also take some of the stress out of Selection Sunday with a win or two. Kansas State likely needs a run to the title game, and maybe win it, for the Wildcats to have a chance at making the field of 68.
Then there are Texas and Oklahoma, who are trying to earn top-four seeds for the NCAA Tournament. That would give them the opportunity to host first- and second-round games in front of their home fans.
HIGHER EXPECTATIONS
Oklahoma State is poised to return to the NCAA tourney after going 9-20 under Jim Littell last season. But judging by the way the Cowgirls felt after losing to Oklahoma last weekend, their improvement to 20 wins and counting hasn’t been enough.
“We’re a pretty damn good team,” said Jacie Hoyt, who took over after turning Kansas City into a mid-major contender. “We’ve beaten almost everyone and the teams that we haven’t beat, we were right there.”
NBA NEWS
MORANT TO MISS 4 MORE GAMES, COLORADO POLICE SAY NO CHARGES
(AP) — Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant will be away from the team for at least four more games, the team said on Wednesday, shortly after police announced that he will not face charges in Colorado related to the livestreamed video is which he appeared to be displaying a gun in a strip club.
“Ja Morant will continue to remain away from the team for at least the next four games,” the team said with no further comment.
That means Morant will miss games against Golden State on Thursday, home against Dallas on Saturday, at Dallas on Monday and at Miami on March 15. The earliest he could play is March 17 at San Antonio, and there’s no guarantee of that.
Meanwhile, the Glendale Police Department said it looked into the video, which was a stream that Morant showed on his Instagram channel while he seemed to be holding a firearm, and found no proof that a crime was committed. Glendale is an enclave surrounded by the city of Denver.
“In this case, it should be noted that on the night in question the GPD did not receive any calls for service at the nightclub regarding a weapon of any type,” police said. “Subsequently, no disturbances were reported, and no citizens or patrons of the club came forward to make a complaint.
“The investigation also concluded that no one was threatened or menaced with the firearm and in fact no firearm was ever located.”
The NBA has said it is also looking into the matter, and has not announced any sanctions – such as a suspension – against Morant.
Police said the investigation confirmed that “the incident” – Morant was not named in the release, which only made reference to “a prominent NBA player” – occurred at an establishment called Shotgun Willies in Glendale. The two-time All-Star streamed the video in the early hours of Saturday, after the Grizzlies played in Denver on Friday night.
The Grizzlies said Morant would be away from the team for at least two games – those were Sunday and Tuesday – and Morant later said that he decided “to take some time away to get help and work on learning better methods of dealing with stress and my overall well-being.”
It is not clear what that means. Morant has not commented further and the Grizzlies have not shared what steps he is taking or why he is seeking help.
PELICANS’ ZION WILLIAMSON OUT AT LEAST 2 MORE WEEKS
NEW ORLEANS (AP) Zion Williamson will be sidelined for at least two more weeks while the New Orleans Pelicans monitor the All-Star forward’s recovery from a right hamstring injury that occurred more than two months ago, the club announced Wednesday night.
Recent medical imaging “revealed that Williamson’s hamstring continues to heal,” a statement released by the club said. “His next examination will take place in approximately two weeks.”
After that next examination, the Pelicans will have 10 games left in the regular season.
New Orleans is 8-20 since Williamson’s injury on Jan. 2 and entered Wednesday night’s action in a three-way tie for 10th place in the Western Conference with a record of 31-34.
Now the Pelicans must play at least their next seven games without the 6-foot-6, 285-pound Williamson, who has averaged 26 points and seven rebounds in 29 games this season.
“My first thought is always for Z. It’s been tough dealing with the hamstring and working to get himself back and kind of having the same issue again,” Pelicans coach Willie Green said, alluding to a setback Williamson had in his recovery shortly before the All-Star game.
For the rest of the guys, we know where we are. Guys have to step up,” Green said. “It’s go time for us.”
Green said Williamson has been building strength, performing pool workouts and spot shooting on the court.
“So, he’s progressing, but we’re extremely mindful of last time he got to six weeks and he wasn’t quote ready,” Green added.
Drafted first overall out of Duke in 2019, Williamson missed all of the 2021-22 season with a foot injury and most of his rookie season with a knee injury.
Since turning pro, he has played in a combined total of 114 games out of 292 regular season games and none of New Orleans’ eight postseason games.
Last summer, Williamson signed five-year rookie max extension with New Orleans with a value ranging between $193 million and $231 million, based on incentives.
MAVS’ DONCIC CONFOUNDED BY THIGH INJURY AFTER EARLY EXIT
NEW ORLEANS (AP) Luka Doncic only knew that his left thigh was in too much pain for him to be effective.
He did not understand why he was hurting or how he injured himself.
“I could barely run,” Doncic said after the Dallas Mavericks’ 113-106 loss in New Orleans on Wednesday night.
Doncic left in the third quarter after missing a step-back jumper. At that point, he’d scored 15 points on 4-of-14 shooting.
The injury has bothered Doncic for more than a week, he said. He could not pinpoint when it happened, only that he noticed it when he woke up the day after a game.
“I didn’t get hit. So, it’s kind of weird for me,” Doncic said. “I really don’t know what it is.”
Doncic said he hoped to have an MRI as early as Thursday. If it didn’t reveal a major injury, he hoped ice and physical therapy would help him return quickly to a club that needs him for a playoff push.
After the loss to New Orleans, the Mavericks were 34-33 and narrowly in the Western Conference playoff picture.
Doncic has been trying to play through the injury and had been productive recently, scoring 42 in a victory over Philadelphia, 34 in a loss to Phoenix and 29 in a triumph over Utah on Tuesday night.
But the next night in New Orleans, he didn’t look like his usual prolific self.
“We all can see he’s not moving well. So, shooting, defense, it’s affecting everything,” Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said. “He’s trying to fight through it and help his teammates, but he had to leave there, and hopefully it’s not something serious.”
Doncic said the injury affected his ability to run somewhat, but mostly bothers him on jump shots.
Now in his fifth NBA season, Doncic is Dallas’ leading scorer, averaging 33.3 points per game before Wednesday’s matchup with the Pelicans. He has averaged 27.6 points and eight assists for his career.
HAWKS EDGE WIZARDS 122-120 DESPITE PORZINGIS’ 43 POINTS
WASHINGTON (AP) De’Andre Hunter’s three-point play with 1:07 remaining put Atlanta ahead to stay, and the Hawks held off the Washington Wizards 122-120 on Wednesday night despite a career-high 43 points by Kristaps Porzingis.
The teams will finish the two-game set in Washington on Friday night.
After Hunter put the Hawks up 117-114, Bradley Beal made just one of two free throws with 52.7 seconds left for Washington. Beal then stole the ball from Trae Young but couldn’t convert on the break, and Hunter’s two free throws pushed the lead to four.
Then Beal was called for traveling, one of several mistakes he made in the fourth quarter as the focus of the offense shifted toward him and away from Porzingis.
“Happy with the effort and proud of, really as much as anything tonight, in my mind for our team, was about just competing,” Hawks coach Quin Snyder said. “I thought we really competed.”
Porzingis made all five of his shot attempts in the fourth – including four 3-pointers – but his last-second 3 only cut the final deficit to two. He finished 17 of 22 from the field, 7 of 10 beyond the arc.
“He was unstoppable tonight,” Snyder said. “When he’s that big and he’s making contested 2s. I thought we gave him a few 3s.”
Young led Atlanta with 28 points and 10 assists. He shot 11 of 14 from the field.
“I’m glad my offensive game matched my defense tonight,” Young said.
Beal finished with 24 points on 8-of-19 shooting – he was 1 of 6 in the final quarter – and Kyle Kuzma had 25 points and 10 rebounds for the Wizards.
Atlanta remained in sole possession of eighth place in the Eastern Conference. Washington had a chance to tie the Hawks with a win – and if Atlanta had lost, Toronto would have had a chance to take over the No. 8 spot later Wednesday against the Los Angeles Clippers.
The Hawks trailed by as many as 15 points, but after a 14-0 run spanning the end of the third quarter and start of the fourth, they were up 100-94. Washington responded with 11 straight points of its own, and it was tight the rest of the way.
The Wizards were on the second night of a back-to-back after winning at Detroit on Tuesday.
“I would like us to be a little bit tougher honestly,” Porzingis said. “We give ourselves some discounts somewhere. Yes it’s true. Of course we have four games in five days and it’s hard and we were on the road yesterday, but we cannot put that in our minds. It’s not going to help us.”
TIP-INS
Hawks: Atlanta had seven players score in double figures. Dejounte Murray had 17 points and Hunter added 15.
Wizards: Washington had 19 turnovers to Atlanta’s 11. … Monte Morris (back) returned for the Wizards but did not start. He scored five points in 16:29.
TATUM SCORES 30 TO HELP CELTICS POWER PAST BLAZERS 115-93
BOSTON (AP) Jayson Tatum scored 30 points and made six 3-pointers, and the Boston Celtics beat the Portland Trail Blazers 115-93 to snap a three-game losing streak Wednesday night.
Tatum’s 36th game this season with 30 or more points helped the Celtics avoid their first four-game losing streak. Derrick White added 21 points and five assists. Al Horford finished with 17 points, six rebounds and five assists.
The Celtics played without big man Robert Williams for the third straight game as he recovers from a strained left hamstring. But they got back Tatum and Horford, who sat out Monday’s overtime loss at Cleveland nursing a sore knee and back, respectively.
Both were active during an 18-7 second quarter run that gave Boston a 53-35 cushion. The lead grew to 23 points (94-72) at the end of the third and as high as 27 the fourth.
“Just getting out of that losing streak is good for our group,” Horford said. “I guess you could say it’s a breath of fresh air.”
Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said playing the brand of basketball that had his team at the top of the Eastern Conference standings heading into the All-Star break will be a focus heading down the stretch.
“I think that’s always the goal, no matter how many games are left.,” Mazzulla said. “The great teams stay the best version of themselves the longest. And when you don’t, you have to quickly get back to who you are.”
Damian Lillard scored 27 points and had eight assists to lead the Blazers, who dropped to 14-20 on the road. Jerami Grant added 13 points.
Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic returned after a 14-game absence with a left calf strain. He’d been sidelined since Feb. 1. He started and had five points and six rebounds in 17 minutes.
Portland is 2-2 during its current six-game road trip.
“I don’t think we played great at all,” Blazers coach Chauncey Billups said. “We weren’t committed to playing the right way the entire night. We’ve had a tendency to when things aren’t going well to just kind of throw it to Dame and watch him play. That doesn’t work against good teams.”
The Blazers began the night 12th in the Western Conference standings, but very much in contention to make the play-in tournament. They had the same record as the Thunder (11th) and Pelicans (10th), and were just one game behind the ninth-place Lakers.
WILLIAMS MAKING TRIP
Williams will travel with Boston to begin its six-game road trip Saturday at Atlanta. Mazzulla said the hope is Williams will be able to return in the original 7 to 10 days that was projected after he was injured during the Celtics’ win over Brooklyn on March 3.
MOVING ON
Celtics forward Grant Williams said before the game he isn’t worried about any lingering effects after he missed a pair of potential go-ahead free throws in Boston’s overtime loss at Cleveland on Monday.
Before the shots, Williams was captured on camera jawing with Cavs All-Star Donovan Mitchell, telling him, “I’m going to make both of them.”
“I felt like I was super locked in and focused, even the confidence of saying you’ll make them both,” Williams told reporters. “It’s funny because when you say that and miss both, it’s even funnier.”
Williams had eight points, but missed his lone free-throw attempt.
TIP-INS
Trail Blazers: Were outscored 25-17 in the second quarter, shooting 4 of 17 from the field (24%). … Lillard started the game hitting a pair of 3-pointers. He finished the first period by missing four of his final six shots.
Celtics: Payton Pritchard sat with left heel pain. … Horford knocked down two 3s in the first quarter to move past Isaiah Thomas (460) for ninth place on the franchise’s all-time list. With a layup in the first quarter, Marcus Smart became the 25th player in team history to score 6,000 points. … Started the game 9 of 15 from 3 before missing 12 straight to end the first half. … Celtics led 35-28 at the end of the first, shooting 58% (11 of 19).
UP NEXT
Trail Blazers: At 76ers on Friday.
Celtics: At Atlanta on Saturday.
GARLAND SCORES 25 POINTS, CAVALIERS HOLD OFF HEAT 104-100
MIAMI (AP) Cleveland coach J.B. Bickerstaff called it grit. Miami coach Erik Spoelstra called it disruptiveness.
Whatever it was, it worked for the Cavaliers.
Darius Garland scored 25 points, Donovan Mitchell added 18 and the Cavaliers assured themselves of a second consecutive winning season with a 104-100 victory over the Miami Heat on Wednesday night.
The Cavaliers allowed the Heat to shoot 57% in the first three quarters – then cranked up the defense and limited Miami to 29% in the fourth quarter.
“The grit and the resilience that we showed,” Bickerstaff said. “It was an ugly fourth quarter for both teams. These are two really good defenses that put you in difficult situations, forced a ton of turnovers both ways, but I thought our guys did a great job of maintaining their poise.”
Jarrett Allen had 15 points and 12 rebounds for Cleveland. Evan Mobley also scored 15 points, and Isaac Okoro had 13.
The Cavaliers (42-26) are now two wins away from matching last season’s win total, with 14 games left.
“That’s a big win on the road against a tough team,” Mitchell said. “We did a lot of things well.”
Jimmy Butler had 28 points for Miami (35-32), which got 22 from Tyler Herro and 17 from Bam Adebayo.
Herro made a 3-pointer with 20.1 seconds left to get Miami within two, but the Heat – who committed a season-high 24 turnovers, leading to 29 Cleveland points – got no closer the rest of the way.
“It is extremely tough to win in this league when you have 24 turnovers,” Spoelstra said. “You have to credit them. The last six weeks, they’ve really turned up that disruptiveness.”
The teams play again in Miami on Friday night.
Kevin Love scored eight points for Miami, facing Cleveland for the first time since Nov. 13, 2013, when he was with Minnesota. Love had an immediate impact against his former club, getting Miami’s first two field goals and drawing two offensive fouls in the first 3:53.
He was with Cleveland for nine seasons, the last player left there from the 2016 NBA championship team and asked for a buyout after he fell out of the Cavaliers’ rotation. He didn’t play in his final 12 games with the club, and joined the Heat during the All-Star break last month.
“It is a very sensitive topic,” Bickerstaff said. “It’s still an emotional topic for all of us. We tried to handle it as best we possibly could, always paying Kevin his respect and the relationships that he built and what he did for this organization and this team.”
TIP-INS
Cavaliers: This is the start of four one-city, two-game stops that Cleveland has left on its schedule. The Cavs go to Charlotte Sunday and Tuesday, Brooklyn on March 21 and 23, and Orlando on April 4 and 6. “You probably want to pick your towns a little better than this one,” Bickerstaff said. … There were 18 lead changes and six ties in the first half, none in the second half.
Heat: Miami’s previous season-high for turnovers was 23, at Toronto on Nov. 16. … PG Kyle Lowry missed his 14th consecutive game with a sore left knee, and is still hoping to play later this week – either in the rematch with Cleveland on Friday or at Orlando on Saturday.
LOVE VS. CAVS
Context on how long it had been since Love faced the Cavaliers: San Antonio’s Gregg Popovich was 12th on the coaching wins list, the Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James was 32nd on the NBA scoring list and Golden State’s Stephen Curry was 140th in 3-pointers made. They’re all the NBA leaders in those categories now.
BUTLER’S SCHEDULE
Butler flew to Los Angeles after Monday night’s home win over Atlanta, landing around 2 a.m. Pacific time Tuesday, and was there for the Lakers’ jersey retirement for Pau Gasol – his former Chicago teammate and close friend – that night. He flew back to Miami early Wednesday, attended shootaround in the morning and played against the Cavaliers.
VUCEVIC, LAVINE LEAD BULLS TO 117-96 WIN OVER NUGGETS
DENVER (AP) Nikola Vucevic had 25 points and 15 rebounds, Zach LaVine scored 29 points on 12-of-18 shooting and the Chicago Bulls gave their playoff hopes an unexpected boost with a 117-96 victory against the Western Conference-leading Denver Nuggets on Wednesday night.
It was Vucevic’s 40th double-double of the season, the third-most in the NBA. LaVine is averaging 34.8 points in Chicago’s last four games.
With the win, the Bulls moved within a game of the Washington Wizards for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with 16 games remaining in the regular season. The victory was just the fourth in the past 13 games for Chicago.
“We’ve got a stretch of games that we need to win to get to where we want,” Bulls forward Patrick Williams said. “I think it was good to kind of show ourselves that, but also show other teams that we’re here.”
Nikola Jokic led Denver with 18 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists, and Aaron Gordon added 17 points and nine rebounds. Jokic made only seven of his 16 shots, snapping a 51-game streak in which he shot at least 50% from the field.
“You just try to make it tough for them,” LaVine said. “Obviously, Jokic is a two-time MVP. If we’re letting him shoot pull-up 3s, he can make them. But if he beats us that way, you tip your cap to him because it takes away from everything he does so great.”
Entering the night, Denver was an NBA-best 30-4 at home, which included wins in 24 of its last 25 games. The Nuggets, who lead the NBA in field goal and 3-point percentage, made only 42% of their shots. The 96 points were their second-fewest in a game this season.
“One game doesn’t mean we’re a bad team, but I think we have weaknesses like every team has weaknesses,” Jokic said.
Trailing by one at halftime, 52-51, the Bulls went on a 19-4 run in the third quarter to take a 79-66 lead, capped by Williams’ 3-pointer with 3:22 remaining in the period. Coming off the bench, Williams finished with 18 points and made eight of his nine shots.
Chicago’s advantage grew to as many as 24 points in the fourth quarter.
“We were moving the ball and making quick, decisive decisions and the ball is getting from one action to the next,” Bulls coach Billy Donovan said. “I think that’s when we’re at our best. It kind of connects us and I think it connects us defensively, as well. The thing that was encouraging tonight was it was sustained.”
TIP-INS
Bulls: G DeMar DeRozan had 17 points and eight assists. … The win was Chicago’s second in a row at Denver, the first time it has done so since the 1996-97 and 1997-98 seasons.
Nuggets: G Jamal Murray made the 804th 3-pointer of his Nuggets career, tying Will Barton for the franchise record. … F Vlatko Cancar missed his third consecutive game with a sprained right wrist. Cancar is averaging 5.8 points and 2.4 rebounds off the bench for Denver this season. … Nuggets coach Michael Malone remains one win shy of his 400th.
UP NEXT
Bulls: At Houston on Saturday.
Nuggets: At San Antonio on Friday.
BOOKER, ROSS HELP SUNS ROUT THUNDER AFTER DURANT INJURED
PHOENIX (AP) Kevin Durant’s expected home debut was over before it started after a pregame mishap.
Devin Booker was more than willing – and able – to pick up the scoring load.
Booker scored 44 points, Terrence Ross added 24 and the Phoenix Suns beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 132-101 on Wednesday night after losing Durant to an ankle injury during pregame warmups.
Phoenix has won four straight games, but that was almost an afterthought following Durant’s injury. Even Booker admitted the game was a bit of bummer without their newest star on the floor.
“The city’s been waiting on this, it was a big day,” Booker said. “We’ll reschedule the party. The people that missed out on it tonight, I tried to give them a little something to make it better.”
A 13-time All-Star, Durant was added in a blockbuster trade deadline deal with Brooklyn and the Footprint Center was buzzing in anticipation of his home debut. But he rolled his left ankle while driving to the basket as he prepared to play.
The 6-foot-10 forward immediately hopped up and was walking, but several minutes later, the Suns confirmed that he would miss the game. Coach Monty Williams said he wasn’t sure how much more time Durant would miss.
“We’ll get more testing done tomorrow,” Suns coach Monty Williams said. “Right now, it’s just an ankle sprain and we don’t have anything official to report.”
With Durant out, Suns fans had to settle for a scoring show by Booker, who had 30 points in the first half.
The three-time All-Star shot 17 of 23 from the field – making 6 of 10 3-pointers – and received a standing ovation in the fourth quarter when he checked out of the game for the last time. He did his scoring in just 28 minutes on the court.
Ross also was 6 of 10 from 3-point range. Chris Paul had 18 points and nine assists. He made 4 of 5 3-pointers.
Oklahoma City played without All-Star guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander because of “abdominal strain injury management.” The Thunder were overmatched without him and the Suns pulled away in the second half.
Lindy Waters III led the Thunder with 23 points. He made six 3-pointers and was just two points shy of his career high.
Durant has played three games with the Suns – all on the road and all wins – but this was supposed to be his first game at home in front of a sellout crowd. He averaged 26.7 points and 7.3 rebounds in the three games.
His next chance to play at home will be Saturday against the Kings.
“I know how much he loves to play and wanted to play,” Paul said. “But stuff happens.”
Phoenix added Durant and T.J. Warren at the trade deadline, sending Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder, four first-round picks and other draft compensation to the Brooklyn Nets.
The Suns pushed to a 34-21 lead after one quarter and had a 60-52 advantage at halftime. Booker shot 11 of 15 from the field in the first half while Waters had scored 21 for the Thunder.
“Obviously, Booker was great tonight,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. “Their offense was cooking and we didn’t do a good enough job offensively to keep pace with them.”
TIP-INS
Thunder: Gilgeous-Alexander was one of five players out with injuries. … Josh Giddey shot just 3 of 12 from the field and finished with 10 points.
Suns: G Landry Shamet (right foot soreness) was not available. … Hosted a 58th consecutive sellout crowd. … Booker’s six 3-pointers tied his career high in the regular season. He’s hit that mark 21 times.
UP NEXT
Thunder: At New Orleans on Saturday night.
Suns: Host Sacramento on Saturday night.
CLIPPERS PULL AWAY IN SECOND HALF TO BEAT RAPTORS 108-100
LOS ANGELES (AP) Kawhi Leonard scored 24 points, Paul George had 23 and the Los Angeles Clippers broke away in the second half to beat the Toronto Raptors 108-100 on Wednesday night.
Leonard also had season-high 12 rebounds against the team he helped lead to the NBA title in 2019.
Pascal Siakam and Scottie Barnes each scored 20 points for Toronto, and O.G. Anunoby had 18 points. The Raptors have dropped two straight for the first time since Feb. 1.
Ivica Zubac added 17 points for the Clippers. They have won two straight after a five-game losing streak. Los Angeles had a 60-42 advantage in the paint along with 20-10 edge in fast-break points.
Leonard had 17 points in the first half, but saved his best play for the fourth quarter with a thunderous dunk over Jakob Poeltl to make it 100-85 with 5:17 remaining.
The Raptors responded with an 15-4 surge to get to 104-100 in the final minute before Zubac’s dunk pushed it back to six.
TIP-INS
Raptors: Largest lead was 10 at 25-15 late in the first quarter. … G Will Barton missed the game due to non-COVID illness.
Clippers: Leonard is averaging 9.5 points in the first quarter in his last six games, which is more than three points above his season average of 6.4. … Zubac appeared to end the first half with a dunk, but he did not get it off before the buzzer.
UP NEXT
Raptors: At Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night.
Clippers: Host New York on Saturday.
USA BASKETBALL
USA BASKETBALL TO PLAY GREECE, GERMANY AT ABU DHABI
The federation announced an agreement with Abu Dhabi’s Department of Culture and Tourism on Wednesday, and as part of that deal the U.S. will bring Germany and Greece there for games in August.
The U.S. will host the three-game series, and it’ll mark the first time that the men’s national team will play in the United Arab Emirates. The Americans will play Greece on Aug. 18 and Germany on Aug. 20; Germany and Greece will play there on Aug. 19.
“USA Basketball is thrilled to work with DCT Abu Dhabi to bring the USA Basketball Showcase to Abu Dhabi,” USA Basketball CEO Jim Tooley said. “This is the first time our men’s national team will play in the UAE and we’re excited to engage with fans from across the globe, while also offering our players and coaches memorable on- and off-court experiences.”
The U.S. is ranked No. 2 in the world by FIBA, with Greece No. 9 and Germany No. 11. The Americans will announce their World Cup roster this summer, before gathering in Las Vegas for training camp under coach Steve Kerr of Golden State and assistants Erik Spoelstra of Miami, Tyronn Lue of the Los Angeles Clippers and Mark Few of Gonzaga.
“It’s set to be an unforgettable summer in Abu Dhabi and it’s an honor to host the first USA Basketball Showcase in the UAE,” said Saleh Al Geziry, DCT Abu Dhabi’s director general of tourism.
The NBA played games in Abu Dhabi for the first time last year, sending Milwaukee — including Greece’s Giannis Antetokounmpo, who presumably could be part of these matchups — and Atlanta there in October for a pair of preseason games. The NBA plans two more preseason games in Abu Dhabi later this year, in advance of the 2023-24 season.
It will be the second weekend of exhibitions abroad for the U.S. on its way to the World Cup. Spanish officials announced earlier this year that the Americans, Luka Doncic-led Slovenia and Spain are set to play in Malaga from Aug. 11-13 as part of the 100th anniversary celebration of Spain’s national federation.
Spain — ranked No. 1 by FIBA and the reigning World Cup champion — will play No. 7-ranked Slovenia on Aug. 11. The U.S. and Slovenia will play Aug. 12, and the Americans will face Spain on Aug. 13.
The World Cup starts Aug. 25 and continues through Sept. 10. Games will be played in the Philippines, Indonesia and Japan; the U.S. will play all of its games in Manila.
The World Cup draw, when the 32 participating teams will find out their opening opponents, is April 29.
WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC
NETHERLANDS TOPS CUBA 4-2; PANAMA BEATS TAIWAN 12-5 AT WBC
TAICHUNG, Taiwan (AP) The 20-team World Baseball Classic got underway after a six-year absence with Panama defeating Taiwan 12-5 for its first win in tournament history and the Netherlands beating Cuba 4-2 as Didi Gregorius drove in the tying run and scored the go-ahead run.
Play in Group B begins on Thursday in Tokyo with South Korea playing Australia and host Japan – led by Angels star Shohei Ohtani – up against China. Play in Groups C and D begins Saturday in Phoenix and Miami.
The United States won the last tournament in 2017 and is among the favorites with the Dominican Republic and Japan. Japan has won it twice (2006, 2009) and the Dominicans once (2013).
This is the first WBC in which MLB players are eligible to play for Cuba. Former MLB player Yoenis Céspedes, who played for Cuba in the event in 2009, hit .458 in that tournament and began his MLB career three years later with the Oakland Athletics. He played in part of eight seasons with Oakland, Boston, Detroit and the New York Mets.
Céspedes, playing as the DH, was hitless and walked twice as Cuba managed only three hits. The game was a matchup between the two favorites in the group, giving the Dutch a big lift right out of the gate.
Cuba went ahead 1-0 in the second on a double by Yadil Mujica to score Yoelkis Guibert.
Gregorius singled home Roger Bernadina to tie it 1-1 in the third. The Netherlands took a 4-1 lead in the sixth when Josh Palacios singled home Gregorius, and Chadwick Tromp added a two-run single.
Cuba cut it to 4-2 in the seventh.
PANAMA 12, TAIWAN 5
Panama won after going 0-5 in its first two WBC appearances in 2006 and 2009.
Taiwan was down 12-2 in the bottom of the seventh and faced a loss under the 10-run mercy rule after seven innings. But Nien-Ting Wu hit a two-run homer and pushed the game to the full nine innings.
Taiwan got another run in the eighth to make it 12-5.
Panama had 14 hits, led by Jonathan Arauz with two hits and three RBIs. The Central Americans were also issued eight walks.
Taiwan had 13 hits. Tsung-Che Cheng and Wu – the home run hitter – had three hits each.
The WBC is being played without the pitch clock, and this game lasted four hours.
MLB NEWS
MONTAS WASN’T FULLY HEALTHY WHEN TRADED TO YANKEES FROM A’S
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Frankie Montas said Wednesday that his shoulder wasn’t fully healthy when he was acquired by the New York Yankees at the trade deadline last season, but the right-handed starter said he tried to “push through” after joining his new team.
Montas, who went 1-3 with a 6.35 ERA in eight starts last season after being obtained from Oakland, is recovering from shoulder surgery that will keep him from throwing until at least late May.
“I was trying to push through,” Montas told reporters in his first comments since surgery two weeks earlier. “I got traded to a new team and wanted to show what I could do. Things didn’t go the way I was expecting.”
The Yankees placed Montas on the injured list in late September after his second cortisone injection of the year, knocking him out of the AL Division Series. He was on the roster for the AL Championship Series, but pitched only one inning in the opener against Houston.
Montas said he kept experiencing discomfort when trying to begin a throwing program during the offseason. While he tried to avoid surgery, he said that was the best option, and that he is confident that he will pitch this season for the Yankees.
“Trust me, I’m one of the guys that wants to be out there pitching right now and showing what I can do,” he said. “But things didn’t work out that way, so just trying to rehab and come back so I can help with whatever they want me to do.”
After Montas had surgery Feb. 21, Yankees manager Aaron Boone described the procedure as the pitcher having his labrum cleaned up without any repairs being needed on his rotator cuff. Boone said everything went according to plan.
New York acquired Montas and reliever Lou Trivino from the Athletics on Aug. 1 in exchange for four prospects.
Montas, who turns 30 on March 21 and could become a free agent after this season, made 19 starts for the A’s last year before getting traded. He was 4-9 with a 3.18 ERA over 104 1/3 innings.
In the weeks before the deal, he left a July 3 start at Seattle after 13 pitches with shoulder tightness, then had a cortisone shot before returning with three scoreless innings July 21 against Detroit. He went five innings against Houston in his last start for Oakland.
REDS CAN SEE THE FUTURE IN TRIO OF YOUNG PITCHERS
The Cincinnati Reds brought up their three top pitching prospects last season to revive a starting rotation decimated by cost-cutting.
Right-handers Hunter Greene and Graham Ashcraft, and lefty Nick Lodolo experienced rookie struggles — with stunning flashes of brilliance mixed in — as the rebuilding Reds lost 100 games for the first time in 40 years.
“The progress you would like to see, we’ve already seen that,” manager David Bell said early in spring training at Goodyear, Arizona. “Hopefully they have many, many years to come. This is just the very, very beginning. They have to keep working to get better. You never have it figured out. That’s what I’m seeing this spring.”
Pitching coach Derek Johnson spoke to them about how they have the chance to become a foundation similar to Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and John Smoltz for the 1990s Atlanta Braves .
“The three of us talk about being the core — every day,” the 23-year-old Greene said. “Looking at us in that light is pretty special. Having the friendship but also the competitiveness is exciting. The chemistry couldn’t be better.”
Greene was the second overall pick in the 2017 amateur draft. He made the opening day roster in 2022, threw 100 mph fastballs and led the Reds in starts, innings and strikeouts. He had a late stint on the injured list with a strained shoulder, finishing 5-13 with a 4.44 ERA with 164 strikeouts in 125 2/3 innings.
In a start against Tampa Bay in July, Greene threw 38 pitches of 100 mph or more. When Greene returned from the injured list in September, he threw 33 pitches of 101 mph or higher in six innings against the Cardinals, striking out 11.
Having relied on a four-seam fastball and a slider, Greene has worked on developing a changeup — he threw it just 5% of the time last year, at an average of 90 mph.
“An extra tool for me to become even a better pitcher,” he said.
The 6-foot-6, 25-year-old Lodolo (4-7, 3.66 ERA in 19 starts) doesn’t have that kind of velocity but is an intimidating presence with a high strikeout percentage and low walk rate. The stocky, 25-year-old Ashcraft (5-6, 4.89) averaged 97 mph with his fastball and cutter.
“I mean we got good friendships all over the team, but us three are pretty close,” Lodolo said. “It’s good internal competition between us all, and I know all three of us are pulling on the same side of the rope.”
COALITION AIMS TO KEEP MILWAUKEE BREWERS IN WISCONSIN
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A coalition of Wisconsin business, tourism and health care leaders, former office holders and others announced Wednesday that it is working to find a bipartisan solution to keeping the Milwaukee Brewers in the state.
The Home Crew Coalition was formed as Gov. Tony Evers and the Brewers have teamed up behind the governor’s proposal to spend nearly $300 million on repairs to American Family Field. In exchange, the baseball team said it would extend its lease at the stadium by 13 years, through 2043.
The proposal would need to be approved by the Republican-controlled Legislature. Evers and the team want to pay for the repairs by tapping part of the state’s projected $7 billion budget surplus. Republicans have voiced support for keeping the Brewers in Wisconsin, but have criticized Evers for not including them in the development of his plan.
The coalition did not specifically endorse that plan in announcing its formation. Rather, it said it was dedicated to ensuring that the Brewers remain in Wisconsin “for the next generation,” said the group’s leader, Omar Shaikh, a Milwaukee-area restaurant owner and developer.
“The Milwaukee Brewers are a point of pride for Wisconsin and it’s important that we do what is needed to ensure Major League Baseball is preserved in our state for the next generation,” Shaikh said in a statement. “Through our collective efforts, the Home Crew Coalition aims to deliver that message statewide and ensure the Brewers can call American Family Field their home for years to come.”
Evers has touted his proposal as a way to keep a Wisconsin tradition alive, while also helping a business that creates a large number of jobs and tax revenue for the state. Without it, Evers suggested, the Brewers might leave.
However, publicly funding privately owned sports teams has been hotly debated across the country, including in Wisconsin, in recent decades. Numerous economic studies have shown that public stadium financing is a bad deal for many communities.
In 1995, then-Gov. Tommy Thompson convinced fellow Republicans in the Legislature to support a deal that paid for the construction of Miller Park to replace Milwaukee County Stadium largely with a 0.1% sales tax on Milwaukee County and four surrounding counties.
That tax was very controversial, with Republican state Sen. George Petak recalled from office in 1996 after he switched his vote from against the plan to being in favor of it. The tax ended in 2020.
The Brewers played their first game at the stadium in 2001 and it was renamed American Family Field in 2021. The Brewers current lease calls for the Southeast Wisconsin Professional Baseball Park District to cover repairs. But Evers and the team has said the district does not have enough money to pay for what is needed and the state surplus provides a chance to fund it without implementing a new tax or borrowing money.
Other members of the coalition announced Wednesday include Mike Grebe, a retired attorney and former chairman of the Republican Party of Wisconsin; Dan Kapanke, a former Republican state senator and owner of the La Crosse Loggers baseball team; Ashok Rai, president and chief executive officer of Prevea Health; Peggy Smith, president and CEO of VISIT Milwaukee and Andrew Disch, political director of North Central States Regional Council of Carpenters; Tracy Johnson, president of the Commercial Association of REALTORS Wisconsin; Jim Villa, CEO of NAIOP Wisconsin and Rob Zerjav, president and CEO of the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers.
NHL NEWS
RED WINGS EDGE BLACKHAWKS 4-3, END SIX-GAME SLIDE
DETROIT (AP) Dominik Kubalik scored the go-ahead goal with 4:07 remaining and the Detroit Red Wings snapped a six-game skid with a 4-3 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday night.
Jake Walman, Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond also scored for Detroit. Ville Husso made 39 saves.
Kubalik’s goal was especially satisfying because he played his first three seasons with the Blackhawks. He signed with Detroit as a free agent prior to this season.
“You always want to beat the old team,” he said. “The team is different, obviously, after a lot of trades. There’s not too many guys left that I know, but you always want to play good against them and score or something.”
The Red Wings had gone 0-5-1 after getting into position for a wild-card berth.
“I liked it a ton,” coach Derek Lalonde said of his team’s performance. “The message afterward was we talked about not giving up on the season or feeling sorry for ourselves on the season. That was a perfect example (with) tonight’s game. … Our guys just kept pushing and found a way. “
Taylor Raddysh scored twice and Joey Anderson also scored for Chicago. Alex Stalock stopped 15 shots.
“I thought that was a really sloppy game for us right from the start, other than our goaltender,” Blackhawks coach Luke Richardson said.
Raddysh scored his first goal of the game on a power play off a pass from Lukas Reichel.
Raddysh’s 16th goal of the season came after Detroit turned the puck over in its own zone. He took a shot from the right circle that beat Husso on the short side. Cole Guttman recorded his first career assist on the play.
Larkin was awarded a penalty shot in the final minute of the period when Blackhawks defenseman Caleb Jones covered the puck in the crease. Larkin tried to beat Stalock with a low shot, but Stalock made a pad save.
Walman scored his seventh goal early in the second to cut Chicago’s lead to 2-1. Walman’s shot from the point deflected off a defender’s stick and over Stalock’s left shoulder.
Larkin tied the game late in the period on a power play. Alex Chiasson set up Larkin’s team-high 24th goal with a nifty between-the-legs pass.
Chiasson, who had two assists, had been playing for the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins before signing an NHL contract last week.
“It’s a special night, playing in this building with the jersey and all that, first home game,” he said. “It’s been an emotional rollercoaster the past couple of days. Obviously winning tonight is kind of the cherry on top.”
Anderson’s third goal gave Chicago a 3-2 advantage at 6:10 of the third. After Jujhar Khaira won a faceoff in the Red Wings’ zone, Anderson wristed a shot from the left side that eluded Husso’s glove.
Raymond scored for the first time since Jan. 21 and tied the game at 3. He tipped in Robert Hagg’s shot from the point at 12:35.
Kubalik scored the decisive goal, his 18th, after Detroit won a draw in Chicago’s zone. He beat Stalock on the glove side with a shot from the right side.
“I didn’t feel like we had the jump we need all night. We were soft in all areas and that’s not how we need to play like right now,” Raddysh said.
ICE CHIPS
Chicago D Andreas Englund, who injured his hamstring against Ottawa on Monday, was not active. … Detroit RW Robby Fabbri suffered a lower-body injury in the first period and did not return. … Larkin has 23 power-play points this season. … Chiarot recorded his 100th career assist on Raymond’s goal. … The Red Wings’ victory was just their fifth in the last 17 meetings with the Blackhawks.
UP NEXT
Blackhawks: Visit Florida on Friday.
Red Wings: Play a home-and-home set against the NHL-leading Bruins, beginning with a road game on Saturday afternoon.
WILD BEAT JETS 4-2, EXTEND POINTS STREAK TO 11 GAMES
WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) Marc-Andre Fleury made 46 saves and the Minnesota Wild extended their points streak to 11 games with a 4-2 victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Wednesday night.
The Wild are 9-0-2 in their last 11 games. Fleury has victories in his last four starts, stopping 119 of the 124 shots he has faced.
“Our goaltender won the hockey game for us,” Minnesota coach Dean Evason said.
While Evason was thankful for Fleury’s solid performance, he was more concerned about Wild leading scorer Kirill Kaprizov, who hit the ice after getting tangled with Winnipeg’s 6-foot-7 defenseman Logan Stanley and left the game in the third period.
Evason didn’t have an update on Kaprizov immediately after the game.
“He was able to skate off, so I guess if there’s a positive that was one of them,” the coach said.
Marcus Foligno had a goal and assist, and Frederick Gaudreau, Ryan Hartman and Mason Shaw also scored for the Wild (37-21-7). Oskar Sundqvist and Jake Middleton each had two assists.
Kaprizov had an assist, giving him 74 points in 65 games this season.
Stanley and Nino Niederreiter scored for the Jets (36-26-3), who are 2-7-2 in their last 11 games. Connor Hellebuyck stopped 19 shots.
“Well, (Kaprizov) stopped and I tried to finish my check on him,” Stanley said. “Then I just fell on top of him.”
He added he may have lost his balance a little bit.
“I wasn’t expecting him to go down. It’s just an unfortunate play,” Stanley said.
The victory moves the Wild into a tie with the idle Dallas Stars atop the Central Division. The Jets remain fourth in the division and hold the second Western Conference wild-card spot, three points behind the idle Edmonton Oilers and four points ahead of idle Calgary.
Winnipeg head coach Rick Bowness viewed it as one of his team’s best games of the season, noting 82 shot attempts. He said Fleury was “outstanding.”
“Some nights you just don’t get any puck luck and right now we’re not getting any luck,” Bowness said. “But I’ll take that effort and the way we played against anybody all year.”
Minnesota was coming off a 1-0 shootout loss Tuesday night at home against the Calgary Flames, and it showed early.
The Wild didn’t get their first shot on goal until 8:49 in. The Jets had six shots at that point and Fleury made some vintage saves.
“I don’t know if it’s vintage groove, but it feels good,” Fleury said. “You take one game at a time, right, one shot at a time and try not to think too far ahead.”
Foligno scored with his team’s third shot of the period, firing the puck from the high slot over Hellebuyck’s right shoulder at 14:14.
The period ended with the Jets ahead 15-5 on shots on goal.
Four goals were scored in the second period, including three in a span of 86 seconds.
Gaudreau started it off at 7:06 when he beat Hellebuyck with his 12th goal of the season to make it 2-0.
Stanley scored his first goal of the season, and the third of his career, 30 seconds later off a rebound. It was the 15th game in the defenseman’s injury-marred season.
Hartman made it 3-1 at 8:31 with a shot that went between Hellebuyck’s pads.
Niederreiter’s 20th goal of the season marked the 400th point of his NHL career. The former Minnesota skater scored after a puck bounced off a Wild player straight to him and he put it past Fleury with 2:45 left in the period. It also extended his point streak to four games (two goals, two assists).
The Jets outshot the Wild 34-16 through two periods.
With Hellebuyck pulled for the extra attacker, a breakdown by the Jets gave Mats Zuccarello the puck and he passed it to Shaw, who scored into an empty net with 38 seconds remaining.
STINGY MINNE
The Wild entered the game not allowing a goal for 170 minutes and 57 seconds in regulation and overtime. They had previously been scored on in the first period of a 2-1 victory in Vancouver last Thursday.
When Stanley scored Winnipeg’s goal 7:36 into the second period, it was the first goal Minnesota goalies had allowed in a total of 198:33.
UP NEXT
Wild: At San Jose Sharks on Saturday in the second game of a four-game trip.
Jets: At Florida Panthers on Saturday in the opener of a three-game trip.
MILLER SCORES 20 SECONDS INTO OT, CANUCKS BEAT DUCKS 3-2
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) J.T. Miller scored his second goal of the game 20 seconds into overtime to give the Vancouver Canucks a 3-2 win over the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday night.
Miller beat goalie Lukas Dostal with a high wrist shot.
Miller also scored short-handed in the first period, Andrei Kuzmenko added a goal and Elias Pettersson had two assists to help Vancouver win its third straight. Thatcher Demko stopped 20 shots.
Troy Terry and Brock McGinn scored for Anaheim. Dostal made 31 saves.
UP NEXT
Ducks: At Calgary on Friday night in the finale of a three-game trip.
Canucks: Host Ottawa on Saturday night in the fifth game of a six-game homestand.
MEN’S GOLF
LIV GOLF EFFECT NOTICEABLE AS EVER AT PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Such are the times in golf that so much attention at The Players Championship is on a player who is not even part of the strongest field of the year.
Stranger still is the player in question is not Tiger Woods.
Cameron Smith is a reminder of the fractured world of professional golf. He is the defending champion of the PGA Tour’s premier tournament, not able to return this year because the tour has suspended him for joining Saudi-funded LIV Golf.
And it’s not just Smith.
The runner-up a year ago was Anirban Lahiri, followed by Paul Casey. They are among 36 players who have defected to LIV Golf, and they are among 17 players who were part of the windy, wild weekend at the TPC Sawgrass last year.
The Australian flag still flies outside the clubhouse in honor of the champion’s home country. Smith’s pitching wedge is on display in the clubhouse, part of the tradition for the winner to leave a club that was meaningful in his win.
But there’s no Smith — or his mullet — even though the No. 5 player in the world has lived down the street since 2016. He probably can be found this week with a rod and reel, not a wedge and a putter.
“I think it’ll be a pretty quiet week on the water,” Smith told Golf Digest two weeks ago at LIV Golf’s opening event in Mexico.
Even at the richest event on the PGA Tour — a $25 million purse with $4.5 million going to the winner — the subject of LIV Golf is never too far away.
Smith is the first defending champion to miss The Players since Woods in 2014, who was recovering from the first of five back surgeries. Woods isn’t playing this week either, deciding to rest his battered legs ahead of the Masters.
“Yes, it’s awkward,” PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan said. “But you know, ultimately that’s a decision he made, and we’ve got an unbelievable field here this week and a history and tradition that one of these 144 is going to go seek to get.”
The Players still has the strongest field so far this year, helped by the 144-man field. But by pure numbers, it can be difficult to distinguish between The Players and the Arnold Palmer Invitational last week at Bay Hill, or from the Genesis Invitational at Riviera a few weeks back.
Bay Hill had 43 of the top 50 players in the world ranking. The Players has 44 of the top 50, the difference being Harold Varner III (another LIV player) dropped out of the top 50 this week.
“It’s not going to be as big a gap as it maybe has been in the past,” Jon Rahm said, though he still noted the increase in prize money ($25 million), world ranking points (the most in golf except for majors) and FedEx Cup points.
“And then the legacy that a tournament has,” Rahm said. “Winning this event is a big step forward to a Hall-of-Fame career … arguably as close as you can get to being a major champion without officially being one. It is our championship. So I think that’s what makes it different to some of the other events.”
Left unchanged is the dynamic nature of the Stadium Course.
It is best known for the island green on the par-3 17th hole and for its history of not favoring a particular style of game. Smith is renowned for his short game, Rory McIlroy is built on power and Justin Thomas a blend of distance and his ability to flight the golf ball with his irons.
“I don’t have a great track record here at this event. It doesn’t take much research to figure that out,” said Jordan Spieth, who played in the final group in 2014, his first year, and then missed five cuts in his next seven tries. “But I feel like when striking it well, having some momentum and feeling like a little bit of freedom as far as being able to play aggressively here, that’s going to kind of be my strategy this week to try and take advantage.”
The wind roared to life on Wednesday, the final day of practice, and that’s what caused so much havoc a year ago. Imagine aiming at an island some 145 yards away with the wind blowing nearly 40 mph (64 kph).
Xander Schauffele was two shots out of the lead later in the first weather-delayed first round and faced such conditions. He came up 15 yards short of the island and made bogey. On the next hole, he made a quadruple-bogey 8. His caddie still keeps a statistic as a reminder of how much can change so quickly.
“I think he showed me like a first ever to go from the top 10 to outside the top 100 or something like that,” Schauffele said. “My team is all about giving me reality checks, and I got one.”
TIGER WOODS’ GIRLFRIEND SEEKS TO NULLIFY NDA WITH PRO GOLFER
STUART, Fla. (AP) Tiger Woods’ girlfriend wants to nullify a nondisclosure agreement following a six-year relationship with the professional golfer.
Attorneys for Erica Herman filed a complaint seeking declaratory judgment on Monday in Martin County, Florida, circuit court, according to online court records. The couple had been living together in the area, according to the complaint. Martin County is located directly north of Palm Beach County.
Woods and Herman have not publicly announced the end of their relationship, which began in 2017. She had been seen regularly with him at major championships, such as the 2019 Masters he won for his 15th major and during his Presidents Cup captaincy in Australia later that year.
But she was not at his Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas the first week in December, or at the Genesis Invitational he hosted at Riviera three weeks ago.
According to the complaint, a trust controlled by Woods is attempting to silence Herman with a nondisclosure agreement that she signed while involved in a personal and professional relationship with Woods. The complaint argues that the NDA should be nullified under a federal law that prohibits an NDA from being enforced when sexual assault or sexual harassment is involved.
Herman previously worked at his Woods Jupiter restaurant.
The complaint doesn’t provide details about what information Herman might want to disclose or make specific allegations against Woods.
The complaint says because of “aggressive use” of the NDA, Herman is unsure whether she can disclose “facts giving rise to various legal claims she believes she has.” It also says she is unsure what other information about her own life she can discuss and with whom.
Woods’ manager at Excel Sports Management, Mark Steinberg, didn’t immediately respond to a phone call and text from The Associated Press seeking comment.
TOP INDIANA NEWS (RELEASES)
INDIANA PACERS BASKETBALL
Two of the youngest teams in the NBA will take to the hardwood on Thursday night in Indianapolis, but each squad finds itself in different situations as the postseason approaches.
The Indiana Pacers (29-37) are jockeying for positioning in the Eastern Conference standings while the Houston Rockets (15-50) have the second-worst record in the league entering Thursday night’s game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
As of Tuesday, the Pacers, with 16 games left on its schedule, sit two games back of the final Play-In Tournament spot. The top six teams in the East will automatically make the playoffs while seeds seven through 10 shall advance to the Play-In.
The Pacers have dominated the series against the Rockets lately. Indiana has won six straight games against Houston, with the last loss coming to the Rockets on Nov. 15, 2019.
Since the All-Star break, the Pacers have a record of 3-3. On Monday night, the Blue & Gold lost a 147-143 shootout at home to the Philadelphia 76ers.The 143 points, achieved on 58.9 percent shooting, was a season high for the Pacers.
In the loss to the 76ers, Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton scored 40 points while also tallying a season-high 16 assists. It was the first time in Pacers history where a player scored 30 or more points while also dishing out 15 or more assists in a single game.
Since the All-Star break, in five games played, Halliburton has been on fire averaging 27.6 points on 57.1 percent shooting (48.6 percent from 3-point range), 12.2 assists and just 1.6 turnovers per game.
As a team, the Pacers are scoring at a high clip since the break, putting up 125 points per game…but are allowing 125.2 points during that same stretch.
The Rockets have struggled all season to put together wins, including 13 straight losses from Dec. 27, 2022, to Jan. 23, 2023.
Guard Jalen Green, the No. 2 overall pick from the 2021 draft, leads the Rockets at 21.7 points per game while also averaging 3.8 rebounds and 3.6 assists. Rookie Jabari Smith Jr., the No. 3 pick in 2022, has averaged 11.8 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.2 assists this season.
On Tuesday in Houston, the Rockets fell to the Brooklyn Nets 118-96. Green led the Rockets with 25 points and center Alperen Sengun recorded 16 points and 13 rebounds.
This time around against the Pacers, the Rockets will be without shooting guard Eric Gordon, who was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers in February. Gordon had a game-high 24 points in the first game.
Where the Rockets have excelled is on the glass, as they rank fourth in rebounds per game at 46.4 per game. Indiana is 25th in rebounding at 41.3 per game.
With a win, the Pacers can sweep the season series against the Rockets for a third straight season.
Projected Starters
Pacers: G – Tyrese Haliburton, G – Andrew Nembhard, F – Buddy Hield, F – Jordan Nwora, C – Myles Turner
Rockets: G – Jalen Green, G – Jae’Sean Tate, F – Kenyon Martin Jr., F – Jabari Smith Jr., C – Alperen Sengun
Injury Report
Pacers: Aaron Nesmith – questionable (sore left hip), Kendall Brown – out (right tibia stress fracture surgery)
Rockets: Kevin Porter Jr. – out (left thigh contusion), TyTy Washington – out (G League assignment)
Last Meeting
Nov. 18, 2022: The Pacers were able to overcome a “horrendous start,” as assistant coach Lloyd Pierce called it, in a 99-91 win over the Rockets at the Toyota Center.
The Pacers scored a season-low, for any quarter, 10 points in the opening frame against the Rockets and feels behind by 15 points just 12 minutes into the game.
Indiana climbed back to lead 71-70 going into the fourth quarter and outscored the Rockets 28-21 down the final stretch to come back for the win.
Six Pacers players scored in double figures, led by 19 points from Haliburton, 17 points from Turner and 15 points from rookie Bennedict Mathurin. Jalen Smith, then in a starting role, achieved 10 points and 18 rebounds for the Pacers.
Gordon topped the Rockets with 24 points and Green added 16. The Pacers shot 40.2 percent from the field to the Rockets’ 33.7 percent.
Noteworthy
Nwora has scored in double figures in five straight games and started the last two for the Pacers. He has played in eight games total since being acquired in a trade with the Milwaukee Bucks before the deadline in February.
Houston leads the all-time series 57-43,but the Pacers are 25-23 against the Rockets while playing in Indy.
Broadcast Information (TV and Radio Listings >>)
TV: Bally Sports Indiana – Chris Denari (play-by-play), Quinn Buckner (analyst), Jeremiah Johnson (sideline reporter/host)
Radio: 93.5/107.5 The Fan – Mark Boyle (play-by-play), Eddie Gill (analyst), Pat Boylan (sideline reporter/host)
Tickets
The Pacers welcome Jalen Green and the Houston Rockets to Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Thursday, March 9 at 7:00 PM ET.
COLTS FOOTBALL
2023 NFL COMBINE QUARTERBACK RECAP: FLORIDA’S ANTHONY RICHARDSON WANTS TO ‘BE A LEGEND’
Some context for Anthony Richardson’s measurements and athletic testing numbers from the NFL Combine over the weekend:
His 4.43 second 40-yard dash was the fourth fastest by a quarterback since 2000.
But: Richardson running that fast at 6-foot-4, 244 pounds was unprecedented. The other three quarterbacks to run that fast: Robert Griffin III (6-foot-2, 223 pounds; 4.33 40-yard dash), Reggie McNeal (6-foot-2, 198 pounds; 4.40 40-yard dash) and Michael Vick (6-foot, 210 pounds; 4.33 40-yard dash)
In fact, Richardson was only the 12th player to weigh at least 244 pounds and run a sub- 4.44 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine since 2000. A sampling of those 11 other players: Von Miller, Micah Parsons, Bruce Irvin, Vernon Davis.
Davis’ athletic testing numbers are a decent comparison for Richardson. Davis, before he was picked sixth overall by the San Francisco 49ers in the 2006 NFL Draft, ran a 4.38 40-yard dash at 6-foot-3, 254 pounds; he also had a 42-inch vertical (Richardson: 40.5) and 128-inch broad jump (Richardson: 129).
Davis, of course, was a tight end. Richardson is a quarterback.
The first guy Richardson grew up modeling his game after – Cam Newton – checked in at the 2011 NFL Combine at 6-foot-5, 248 pounds; he ran a 4.56 40-yard dash, had a 35-inch vertical and 126-inch broad jump. The second guy – Lamar Jackson – didn’t test at the 2018 NFL Combine, but in all likelihood would’ve tested well.
“Growing up it was always Cam Newton for me,” Richardson said. “But then when I got to high school, just seeing how dynamic Lamar was. I tried to implement both of those guys in my life. I started calling myself Cam Jackson in 11th grade, just trying to make big plays. Just Cam Newton and Lamar Jackson.”
Richardson made plenty of big plays at Florida – he had nine passing touchdowns of 40 or more yards (including four of 70 or more yards) and five rushing touchdowns of 40 or more yards (including 80- and 81-yarders).
“I feel like I had the strongest arm that I’ve ever been around,” Gators wide receiver Justin Shorter, who was on the receiving end of 51- and 75-yard touchdowns from Richardson in 2022, said at the NFL Combine.
Shorter also described Richardson as “very, very smart” and as someone possessing the right mentality to be an NFL quarterback. Richardson on Friday acknowledged his low completion percentage at Florida – 53.8 percent – while explaining what he’s working on to improve his accuracy through the pre-draft process.
“Using my hips,” Richardson said. “A lot of people say I have a big arm and I do believe so. But you can’t just muscle the ball around all the time, because that’s not going to work. You’ve got to be tuned up. You’ve got to be tuned in with your mechanics and using my hips, that definitely helped me out a lot.”
Still, Richardson’s lack of experience (13 starts) and low collegiate completion percentage have led plenty of folks to label him a “project.” That’s a descriptor on which Richardson pushed back last week.
“I don’t even know what that means, ‘project label.’ But I’m willing to bring anything and everything that they need from me,” Richardson said. “I’m going to work hard. I’m going to be dedicated to my craft. And I’m just going to be a leader in that organization. So just grow and continue to grow.”
Project or not, Richardson last week was asked about his ambitions for his NFL career – wherever he winds up getting drafted.
“I see myself, you know, I want to be a legend,” Richardson said. “I want to be like Patrick Mahomes. I want to be like Tom Brady. I want to be one of the greats. I will be one of the greats, because I’m willing to work that hard and get to that point. And so, to answer that question, I feel like I’m going to be one of the greats in the next few years.”
INDIANA WRESTLING
NICK WILLHAM SELECTED AS FIRST ALTERNATE FOR NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. ––––– Indiana Wrestling senior Nick Willham was selected as the first alternate for the NCAA Championships at 197 lbs.
As an alternate, Willham is permitted to weigh-in and will participate if a spot in the bracket becomes available.
Should Willham get to participate, it will be his first experience competing at the NCAA Championships.
Willham carries a 17-10 record into the Championships and finished in tenth place at the Big Ten Championships this past weekend.
He joins Indiana’s four NCAA qualifiers of Graham Rooks, Jacob Bullock, Derek Gilcher and Donnell Washington in Tulsa.
The NCAA Championships will take place on March 16-18 in Tulsa, Okla. at the BOK Center.
HOOSIERS’ PATHS AT NCAA WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS REVEALED
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. –––– The NCAA announced the seeding list and bracket placements at each of the ten weight classes for the 2023 NCAA Championships on Wednesday night.
Indiana had four wrestlers from its lineup officially announced into the tournament field over the past few days as Graham Rooks, Derek Gilcher and Jacob Bullock all clinched automatic bids at the Big Ten Championships, while Donnell Washington received at an at-large bid on Tuesday.
Washington landed the highest seed of his fellow Hoosiers as the No. 17 seed at 174 lbs. Gilcher was named No. 18 at 157 lbs. Rooks was slated at No. 21 for 149 lbs. Bullock was named the No. 23 seed at heavyweight.
Opening Matches:
-No. 21 Graham Rooks (IU) 26-8 vs. No. 12 Doug Zapf (Penn) 22-7
-No. 18 Derek Gilcher (IU) 24-13 vs. No. 15 Jacob Wright (Wyoming) 18-5
-No. 17 Donnell Washington (IU) 22-7 vs. No. 16 Sam Wolf (Air Force) 13-3
-No. 23 Jacob Bullock (IU) 21-6 vs. No. 10 Zach Elam (Missouri) 18-3
Additionally, Indiana’s Nick Willham was listed as the first alternate at 197 lbs. Should any competing wrestler at 197 lbs. were to drop from competition for any reason, Willham would take their spot in the bracket. Willham was not assigned a seed placement.
The 2023 NCAA Wrestling Championships will take place from March 16-18 in Tulsa, Okla. at the BOK Center.
INDIANA BASEBALL
HOOSIERS STAMPEDE PAST MASTODONS
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – All nine starters collected hits in the game and eight of them reached base multiple times as the Indiana baseball program raced past Purdue Fort Wayne, 15-1, in a midweek tilt at Bart Kaufman Field on Wednesday (March 8) afternoon.
Indiana (6-6) used a two-run first inning and seven-run second inning to stake a 9-0 edge before Purdue Fort Wayne (2-11) got one run back in the third. The Hoosiers then added three in the fifth inning, two in the sixth and one in the eighth inning to cap the scoring.
All nine starters collected at least one hit in the game, as senior Phillip Glasser continued his solid start to the season with his seventh multi-hit game, second of the four-hit variety. He drove in two RBIs, scored three runs and stole his seventh base of the season.
Redshirt junior Bobby Whalen posted a two-hit night and tied for game high with three RBIs. Senior Hunter Jessee hit his third home run of the season, a two-run shot in the second inning, and walked twice in the game. Sophomore Brock Tibbitts hit his first home run of the year, a three-run home run in the second inning. Freshman Tyler Cerny was on base three times in the game with a triple and two walks. He also scored a game-high three runs.
Redshirt senior Ty Bothwell (2-1) made the start and threw four innings to earn the victory. He allowed one run on one hit, walked one and struck out two in his third start of the season. Five other Hoosier pitchers each fired scoreless innings to close out the game, with Aydan Decker-Petty and Ethan Phillips each making their IU debuts.
The pitching staff held the Mastodons to just two hits and struck out 13 batters on the game. Decker-Petty and senior Nate Ball each punched out two, while Phillips, Wes Burton and Cooper Katskee all recorded one strikeout in their inning of work.
For Purdue Fort Wayne, Braedon Blackford and Jacob Walker each collected one hit, with Blackford producing the lone RBI of the game. Starting pitcher Colin Bauer (0-1) took the loss with six runs – five earned – over 1 1/3 innings of work. He walked two, allowed four hits and struck out two.
Scoring Recap
Bottom First
Phillip Glasser walked to start the inning and a Bobby Whalen bunt single put two runners on base. After Hunter Jessee walked to load the bases, Josh Pyne’s sacrifice fly pushed the first run across and an error on a Brock Tibbitts ground ball allowed the second run to score.
Indiana 2, Purdue Fort Wayne 0
Bottom Second
A leadoff triple from Tyler Cerny set the tone for the inning that saw 10 batters come to the plate. After the Cerny three-bagger, Morgan Colopy was hit by a pitch and, with one out, Whalen doubled to score both runners. Jessee followed with a blast to right field to add two more. The sophomore trio of Pyne, Carter Mathison and Brock Tibbitts produced the next three runs, as a walk to Pyne and single by Mathison was followed by a Tibbitts blast to off the scoreboard in left field for his first home run of the year.
Indiana 9, Purdue Fort Wayne 0
Top Third
Eli Tencza was hit-by-pitch to start the inning and moved to second base on a two-out walk. Braedon Blackford doubled to left field to score Tencza from second.
Indiana 9, Purdue Fort Wayne 1
Bottom Fifth
Matthew Ellis and Cerny walked and Glasser doubled to drive in a pair of runs. After Glasser walked, Whalen grounded out to drive in the third run of the frame.
Indiana 12, Purdue Fort Wayne 1
Bottom Sixth
For the second straight inning, Ellis and Cerny reached via walk to start the frame and Colopy doubled to drive in a pair of runs.
Indiana 14, Purdue Fort Wayne 1
Bottom Eighth
Glasser started the inning with a one-out base hit and Jorge De Goti singled with two outs to push him across.
Indiana 15, Purdue Fort Wayne 1
Up Next
Indiana will continue its homestand against Bellarmine with a four-game series staring at 2 p.m. on Thursday, March 9. The first pitch for Thursday’s game has been moved up from its originally scheduled time and can be heard on the Indiana Sports Radio Network via IUHoosiers.com/Audio.
INDIANA SWIMMING
NINE HOOSIER SWIMMERS MAKE MEN’S NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana men’s swimming and diving will send nine swimmers and all five relays to the 2023 NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships as the NCAA announced invitations to the national meet on Wednesday (March 8).
The four-day meet will take place between March 22-25 inside the Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center on the campus of the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Including the five relays, Indiana will have competitors in 14 events. Between the two breaststroke events, IU has nine participants with five of those in the 100-yard event. IU also has three swimmers in both the 50-and-100-yard freestyle events.
The reigning NCAA Champion in the 200-yard butterfly, senior Brendan Burns will again race the 200 fly, 200-yard backstroke and 100-yard butterfly. At last year’s national meet, Burns finished first, second and ninth in those events.
Indiana will look to add more NCAA qualifiers via the NCAA Zone Diving Championships. IU will host the Zone C qualifiers at the Counsilman-Billingsley Aquatic Center March 9-11.
INDIANA MEN’S SWIMMING QUALIFIERS
2023 NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships
200 Freestyle Relay (1:16.29)
400 Freestyle Relay (2:48.11)
800 Freestyle Relay (6:10.80)
200 Medley Relay (1:23.52)
400 Medley Relay (3:01.53)
Luke Barr – 100 Breaststroke (52.68), 200 Breaststroke (1:54.37), 200 IM (1:43.14)
Finn Brooks – 50 Freestyle (19.39), 100 Freestyle (43.07), 100 Butterfly (45.40)
Brendan Burns –100 Backstroke (44.65), 100 Butterfly (45.81), 200 Butterfly (1:39.51)
Tomer Frankel – 100 Butterfly (44.66), 200 Butterfly (1:40.97)
Josh Matheny – 100 Breaststroke (51.50), 200 Breaststroke (1:51.23)
Van Mathias – 50 Freestyle (19.46), 100 Freestyle (41.58), 100 Breaststroke (51.32)
Rafael Miroslaw – 50 Freestyle (19.46), 100 Freestyle (41.58), 200 Freestyle (1:32.10)
Maxwell Reich – 100 Breaststroke (52.84), 200 Breaststroke (1:52.35)
Jassen Yep – 100 Breaststroke (52.05), 200 Breaststroke (1:52.33)
PURDUE SWIMMING
PURDUE MBB
TOP-SEEDED PURDUE HEADS TO CHICAGO LOOKING FOR CHAMPIONSHIP DOUBLE
GAMEDAY INFO
Friday, March 10, 2023 | 12 p.m. ET, 11 a.m. CT
[1] Purdue (26-5) vs. [8] Michigan (17-14) OR [9] Rutgers (18-13)
Chicago, Illinois | United Center (20,917)
TELEVISION: BTN | RADIO: Purdue Sports Network
ANNOUNCERS: Kevin Kugler, Stephen Bardo
THE NOTES TO KNOW
• Purdue heads to the Big Ten Tournament in Chicago in search of its second Big Ten Tournament title in school history, previously winning the title in 2009 in Indianapolis. Purdue has reached the finals in three of the last six tournaments, and owns a 6-6 record over the last six tournaments. The last three times that Purdue has won its first game in the Big Ten Tournament, it has reached the finals (2016, 2018, 2022).
• Head coach Matt Painter has finished in the top three of the Big Ten standings in seven of the last nine seasons. His 11 top-three finishes are the sixth most in Big Ten history, while his four Big Ten titles are tied for the ninth most in league history (sixth since 1950).
• Zach Edey became Purdue’s fifth Big Ten Player of the Year in school history, joining Caleb Swanigan (2017), JaJuan Johnson (2011), Glenn Robinson (1994) and Steve Scheffler (1990) as recipients. Edey became the fifth player in Big Ten history to win the league scoring title, be a conference champion and win POY honors (Swanigan, Evan Turner, Robinson, Jim Jackson).
• There have been 16 occurrences in Big Ten history of a team winning the league title by at least three games, including this season. Purdue is the only team in league history to have just one player named to the All-Big Ten teams.
• Purdue is 55-13 since the start of last season. The 55 wins over a two-year span are already the fourth most in school history and Purdue needs just two wins to tie the record for most wins in a two-year span (57 in 2017, 2018). Iowa is second among Big Ten teams with 45 wins.
• Purdue ranks fourth nationally in Quad-1 victories with nine and is tied with Alabama for the most among teams not in the Big 12. Purdue’s 16 Quad-1 and 2 victories are also the second most nationally. The Boilermakers’ 12 wins away from Mackey Arena are the most among power-conference squads. Purdue tied a school record with seven Big Ten road victories — the most in the league this season.
• Purdue is 4-0 in neutral-site games, ranking third nationally in efficiency (Barttorvik.com). Purdue’s four wins have come by 14.8 points per game and the wins have been against West Virginia, Gonzaga and Duke in Portland, Oregon, and over Davidson in Indianapolis.
• Purdue is 12-5 against KenPom top-50 teams (most wins nationally). Zach Edey is averaging 23.5 PPG, 12.1 RPG and 2.2 BPG in those games.
• Purdue has been ranked in the AP top 5 in 15 straight weeks, more than double the longest stretch in school history. Since the start of last season, Purdue has been ranked in the top 5 in 27 weeks, six more weeks than the next-closest team (Gonzaga).
• Purdue has MADE 472 free throws this season, while opponents have SHOT just 334. Purdue has made 228 more free throws (472 to 244) than its foes this season, the highest discrepancy in the nation (Purdue +228, Portland +184, Charleston +179, Texas A&M +176).
• Purdue is in search of its fourth No. 1 seed in school history, previously earning the No. 1 seed in 1988, 1994 and 1996. In addition, Zach Edey is the leader to earn consensus National Player of the Year accolades. The last time Purdue earned a No. 1 seed, it was led by its last consensus National Player of the Year recipient, Glenn “Big Dog” Robinson.
EDEY TABBED SPORTING NEWS’ NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE YEAR
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – For the first time in almost 30 years, a Purdue men’s basketball player has been named the National Player of the Year junior center Zach Edey was tabbed by The Sporting News as its recipient.
Zach Edey becomes the third Purdue men’s basketball player in school history to be named a National Player of the Year, joining Glenn Robinson (1994) and John Wooden (1932) as National Player of the Year winners. He joins Robinson as winners of the Sporting News’ top honor.
Edey is on pace to join Robinson as consensus National Player of the Year winners.
Yesterday, Edey joined an exclusive list of Boilermakers to win the Big Ten Player of the Year, joining the late Caleb Swanigan (2017), JaJuan Johnson (2011), Glenn Robinson (1994) and Steve Scheffler (1990) as winners of the league’s top honor.
Edey was also named to the Sporting News’ first-team All-America squad. Should he be named All-American by the AP, the USBWA and NABC in the next few weeks, Edey would become Purdue’s fourth consensus All-American in the last seven years, joining Swanigan (2017), Carsen Edwards (2019) and Jaden Ivey (2022).
Edey, a 7-foot, 4-inch center from Toronto, currently averages 21.9 points, 12.8 rebounds, 2.3 blocks and 1.5 assists per game while shooting almost 60 percent from the field and nearly 75 percent from the free throw line – ranking eighth nationally in scoring and second in rebounds. He also leads the country with 23 double-doubles.
He is one of just two Big Ten players in the last 30 years (Michigan’s Chris Webber) to have at least 600 points, 350 rebounds and 50 blocked shots and is on pace to become the first player since Navy’s David Robinson in 1985-86 to have at least 750 points, 450 rebounds and 50 blocked shots in a season.
His nine games of 25 points and 10 rebounds are the most for a major-college player since the 2006-07 season behind just Luke Harangody, Blake Griffin and Kevin Durant. Lastly, he is on pace to become the first Big Ten player in over 50 years to average 22.0 points and 13.0 rebounds per game in a season.
Edey became the second player in Big Ten history and the first since Ohio State’s Gary Bradds in 1963-64 to lead the league in scoring, rebounding and field goal percentage, and he is one of just nine players (Blake Griffin, Ike Diogu, Antawn Jamison, Tim Duncan, Shaquille O’Neal, Bill Walton, Lew Alcindor, Gary Bradds) to lead a major-college conference in all three categories in NCAA history. Griffin was the last to do so in 2009.
Edey has also been named a semifinalist for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year award.
The No. 5-ranked Boilermakers are the top seed in the upcoming Big Ten Tournament in Chicago.
PURDUE SWIMMING
SAMUELS, SHERMAN EARN BIDS TO NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue swimmers Brady Samuels and Nick Sherman both qualified for the NCAA Championships as individuals and will have an opportunity to race in three events apiece at the national championship meet.
Sherman earned his fourth career berth at the NCAA Championships and his third as an individual. He’s believed to be just the sixth men’s swimmer for Purdue to be a four-year NCAAs qualifier.
Samuels is going back to NCAAs as a sophomore, qualifying as an individual for the first time. Last season, Samuels and Sherman teamed up to earn All-America honors on Purdue’s 400 freestyle relay team.
The divers compete for their NCAA Championships berths this week at the Zone C Championships hosted by Indiana. On the men’s side, Jordan Rzepka and Sam Bennett both qualified for NCAAs as freshmen a year ago.
Samuels qualified via his career-best time of 41.99 in the 100 freestyle, which he registered Saturday at the Boiler-Make-It last chance meet. It ranked 18th nationally. He improved on his second-fastest time in team history and joined Olympian Nikola Aćin as the only Boilermakers to ever break 42 seconds in the event.
Sherman’s program-record time of 1:42.62 while winning silver in the 200 individual medley at the Big Ten Championships booked his ticket to the Twin Cities. It ranked 21st nationally. Coincidentally, Sherman first eclipsed that record in the prelims of the 2021 NCAA Championships. He’s now broken it four times.
Brady Samuels
• Qualified In: 100 Free – 41.99, ranking 18th nationally
• Also Plans to Race: 50 Free (19.58), 100 Back (45.86)
Nick Sherman
• Qualified In: 200 IM – 1:42.62, ranking 21st nationally
• Also Plans to Race: 100 Free (43.29), 200 Free (1:33.56)
The cut line was top 29 to 31 nationally in individual events this year. As individual qualifiers, Samuels and Sherman also have the opportunity to race in events in which they have NCAA provisional qualifying times (B Cut). Samuels opted for the 50 free and 100 back, Sherman went with the 100 and 200 free. Sherman did not race the 100 free at Big Tens but posted strong splits of 18.85 and 42.29 on the 200 medley and 400 free relays in Ann Arbor.
Purdue ranked among the top 25 nationally in the 200 medley relay (1:23.85, 20th) and 400 free relay (2:50.87, 22nd) this season but did not have a prerequisite NCAA automatic qualifying time (A Cut) that would in turn have qualified all of its relays with at least a B Cut.
The men’s NCAA Championships are set for March 22-25 at Minnesota’s Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center. Samuels and Sherman both competed there at the Big Ten Triple Duals last season. They’ll be entered in the 50 free and 200 IM on Thursday, the 100 back and 200 free Friday, and the 100 free Saturday.
PURDUE MEN’S SWIMMERS TO BE 4-YEAR NCAAs QUALIFIERS
• Vilmos Kovacs – 1996-99
• Tamas Bessenyei – 2001-04
• Giordan Pogioli – 2003-06
• Romain Maire – 2005-08
• Marat Amaltdinov – 2015-18*
• Nick Sherman – 2020-23
*Declined his bid in 2016 to train for Russia’s Olympic Trials
BUTLER BASEBALL
JACKSON STATE TOPS BUTLER 11-7 IN MISSISSIPPI
Butler led Jackson State 7-2 after five full innings, but the Tigers came back to claim an 11-7 win over the Bulldogs at Braddy Field on Wednesday night. JSU scored four runs in the sixth, three in the seventh and two more in the bottom of the eighth to collect their 12th win of the season. With the loss, BU moves to 2-11.
Garret Gray and Xavier Carter highlighted the Bulldogs bats against the Tigers. Gray went 3-for-5 while scoring two runs and Carter ended the contest 2-for-4 with two runs and a team-high three RBI. Joey Urban, Dominic Milano, and Jake DeFries also had RBIs in the midweek matchup.
The Bulldogs scored two runs in the second inning and pushed two more across the plate in the top of the fourth. The offense kept the line moving with three runs in the fifth, but 11 hits from the Tigers would generate 11 runs allowing the home team to win. BU also committed eight errors on the night.
Grant Brooks got the start for Butler and put the Bulldogs in a good spot after 3.1 innings of action. He walked three and struck out two, but limited JSU to just one earned run off one hit. The loss would fall to Clay Holzworth.
JSU used five pitchers against the Bulldogs with four of the five tossing two innings. Jonah Posey got the win (2-0) and Erick Gonzalez was credited with a save (3).
Butler will head to Cape Girardeau, Mo. this weekend to play a three-game series at SEMO. Game one opens up at 4 PM on Friday, March 10.
BUTLER MBB
BUTLER FALLS TO ST. JOHN’S IN OPENING ROUND OF 2023 BIG EAST TOURNAMENT
Butler’s season ended Wednesday afternoon with a 76-63 loss to St. John’s in the first game of the 2023 BIG EAST Tournament.
The No. 9 seed Bulldogs and No. 8 seed St. John’s met at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
Butler finishes the 2022-23 campaign with a record of 14-18. St. John’s (18-14) advances to play the tournament’s top seed Marquette Thursday afternoon.
TOP DAWG PERFORMANCE: Sophomore Simas Lukosius scored a game-high 23 points for the Bulldogs, his second-best output of the season. He made eight of his 15 attempts from the field, adding four rebounds, three assists and three steals.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
St. John’s closed the first half by scoring 15 of the final 21 points to turn a six-point advantage with six minutes remaining in the half into a 44-29 halftime advantage.
The Red Storm’s lead got as high as 21 with 15:39 remaining in the game (54-33) before the Bulldogs mounted a comeback.
Butler came all the way back to single digits with 3:44 remaining on a Lukosius three-pointer (70-61) before St. John’s put the game out of reach by scoring the next six points.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:
Jalen Thomas had 20 points for the Bulldogs, a season-high for the first-year Butler player. He went 10-for-16 from the field.
Myles Tate scored a season-high 10 points in a season-high 20 points.
St. John’s had 20 offensive rebounds to take an overall 53-28 rebounding advantage overall.
Five Red Storm players scored in double figures, led by 19 points from Joel Soriano. He added 15 rebounds for a double-double.
Butler only committed 11 turnovers, but shot 39 percent from the field.
OF NOTE:
Butler was without Manny Bates and Eric Hunter Jr., who missed the game due to not meeting the academic expectations of the program.
Butler and St. John’s split the regular season series.
The Bulldogs did get Ali Ali back in the line-up after he missed the last two games due to concussion symptoms.
BUTLER SB
MIAMI EXPLODES IN FOURTH IN DEFEAT OF @BUTLERSOFTBALL
OXFORD, Ohio – The Butler softball team and Miami were scoreless through three innings, but a seven-run fourth propelled the RedHawks (10-6) to an 8-0, five-inning, win. The Bulldogs (4-18) managed a pair of doubles but were unable to get a runner beyond third base.
How It Happened
Monique Hoosen doubled in the second inning and advanced to third, but she was stranded.
In the bottom of the fourth, Miami strung together four singles and jumped out to a 3-0 lead, forcing a Butler pitching change. The RedHawks weren’t done, as they loaded the bases, and two additional doubles contributed to four more runs. When the dust settled, Miami had built a 7-0 lead.
In the top of the fifth, Kieli Ryan sent a double to left-center that bounced into the wall. Ellie Boyer then reached on an error, but the two were stranded on second and third.
In the bottom half of the fifth, two Butler errors helped the RedHawks score the one run they needed to end the game in five innings.
Sydney Cammon (0-4) started for Butler and took the loss. In 3.1 innings, she allowed four earned runs on six hits while striking out one. Rylyn Dyer (1.1 IP, 4 R, 3 ER, 3 H, BB) provided relief in the fourth and finished the game.
Bulldog Bits
Monique Hoosen’s double was her third of the season and the ninth of her career.
Kieli Ryan’s double was her third of the season.
Up Next
Butler opens BIG EAST play by hosting a three-game series with DePaul from Friday, Mar. 10 – Sunday, Mar. 12.
IUPUI SWIMMING
LOGAN KELLY BECOMES FIRST JAGUAR TO QUALIFY FOR NCAA SWIM CHAMPIONSHIPS
INDIANAPOLIS – Logan Kelly was selected to compete in the 2022-23 Men’s NCAA Division I Swim Championships as announced today but the NCAA. With the selection, Kelly becomes the first swimmer in program history to represent IUPUI at the NCAA Championships.
Kelly will swim in the 200 breast event where he took home the gold at the Horizon League Championships with a new meet record time of 1:52.86. Kelly holds the IUPUI record in the 200 breast and the 100 breast.
The sophomore will be one of 235 swimmers competing at the NCAA Championships on March 22-25 at the Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center in Minneapolis.
BALL STATE MBB
CARDINALS LAND FOUR ON ALL-MAC TEAMS
CLEVELAND – The Mid-American Conference announced its annual postseason awards on Wednesday. The Ball State men’s basketball team was represented by Jarron Coleman, Payton Sparks, Jaylin Sellers, and Demarius Jacobs.
Coleman earned a spot on the All-MAC Second Team. He currently leads the Cardinals with 14.5 points per game. He leads the team with 110 assists, which is eighth in the MAC. He is second on the team with 40 steals, which is tied for ninth in the conference. He paces the team with 68 made 3-pointers and is seventh in the MAC. He is averaging 5.0 rebounds per game and has 10 blocks.
Sparks landed on the All-MAC Second Team. He leads the team with 8.7 rebounds per game, which is fourth in the conference. His 3.17 offensive rebounds per game are ranked third in the conference. He is tied for third in the MAC with 5.57 defensive boards a contest. He is ninth in the MAC with 27 blocked shots. He is tied for second in the conference with 10 double-doubles. Sparks is third in the conference shooting 59.1 percent from the field. His 212 free-throw attempts are second in the MAC and tied for 13th in the NCAA. He is second on the team with 27 blocks. Sparks is third on the team averaging 13.0 points per game.
Sellers earned a spot on the All-MAC Third Team. He is second in the MAC shooting 46.0 percent from 3-point range. He is 11th in the MAC shooting 49.5 percent from the field. Sellers is second on the team with 13.7 points per game. He is averaging 3.8 boards a contest. He is third on the team with 21 steals. His 16 blocks are third on the team. He has 26 assists on the year.
Jacobs was named to the MAC All-Defensive Team. He is second in the MAC with 36 blocks. He is second with 1.16 blocks per game. He is fourth in the conference shooting 44.3 percent from 3-point range. He is shooting 56.8 percent from the field, which is fifth in the MAC. He is shooting 82.7 percent from the free-throw line, which is sixth in the conference. He ranks fourth in the conference with an assist to turnover ratio of 1.88. He is 10th in the MAC with 107 assists. He leads the team with 42 steals and is eighth in the conference. Jacobs is averaging 12.2 points per game and 3.8 rebounds per game.
2022-23 MAC Men’s Basketball Postseason Awards
Coach of the Year: Tod Kowalczyk, Toledo
Player of the Year: RayJ Dennis, Jr., G, Toledo *unanimous selection*
Freshman of the Year: Reggie Bass, G, Central Michigan
Defensive Player of the Year: Malique Jacobs, R-Sr., G, Kent State
Sixth Man of the Year: Jalen Sullinger, So., G, Kent State
All-MAC First Team
Xavier Castaneda, Sr., G, Akron
Enrique Freeman, Jr., F, Akron
Sincere Carry, R-Sr., G, Kent State
RayJ Dennis, Jr., G, Toledo
JT Shumate, Sr., F, Toledo
All-MAC Second Team
Payton Sparks, So., C, Ball State
Jarron Coleman, R-Jr., G, Ball State
Malique Jacobs, R-Sr., G, Kent State
Setric Millner Jr., Sr., F, Toledo
Dwight Wilson III, Grad., F, Ohio
All-MAC Third Team
Jaylin Sellers, So., G, Ball State
Curtis Jones, So., G, Buffalo
Emoni Bates, So., F, Eastern Michigan
Mekhi Lairy, 5th, G, Miami
David Coit, So., G, Northern Illinois
Honorable Mention
Leon Ayers III, Sr., G, Bowling Green
Anderson Mirambeaux, Sr., F, Miami
Kaleb Thornton, Sr., G, Northern Illinois
Jaylin Hunter, Jr., G, Ohio
Lamar Norman Jr., Sr., G, Western Michigan
All-Freshman Team
Reggie Bass, G, Central Michigan
Ryan Mabrey, G, Miami
AJ Brown, G, Ohio
Elmore James G, Ohio
Seth Hubbard G, Western Michigan
All-Defensive Team
Enrique Freeman, Jr., F, Akron
Greg Tribble, Jr., G, Akron
Demarius Jacobs, Sr., G, Ball State
Malique Jacobs, R-Sr., G, Kent State
Sincere Carry, R-Sr., G, Kent State
CARDINALS READY FOR REMATCH WITH BOBCATS IN MAC QUARTERFINALS
MUNCIE, Ind. – The Ball State men’s basketball team returns to Cleveland and the Mid-American Conference tournament on Thursday. The Cardinals take on the Ohio Bobcats in Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse approximately at 1:30 p.m.
Ball State finished the regular season with a 20-11 overall record and an 11-7 mark in conference play. Ohio finished with an 18-13 record and were 10-8 in league games.
Head Coach Michael Lewis is the first, first-year head coach to produce a seven-game winning streak. Ball State started 16-7 overall, which is the best start since the 1999-2000 season. The 19-7 start is the best start since the Cardinals started 1997-98 with a 21-7 record. He is the second coach in BSU history to win the regular season opener and the MAC opener in their first season as a head coach. He joins Rick Majerus in achieving the feat. Ball State has won 20 games for just the 13th time in program history.
Earlier today, Jarron Coleman and Payton Sparks were named to the All-MAC Second Team. Jaylin Sellers earned a spot on the All-MAC Third Team, while Demarius Jacobs earned a spot on the MAC All-Defensive Team.
Last Time Out
Ball State dropped the final game of the regular season to Toledo, 87-81. Payton Sparks recorded his 10th double-double of the season. He led the team with 24 points and collected a game-high 11 rebounds. Sparks added two assists and two blocks. Jaylin Sellers ended the game with 14 points, six rebounds, two assists, and one steal. Jacobs produced 12 points in his final regular season game as a Cardinal. He dished out a team-high six assists. He added a block and a steal. Basheer Jihad notched an 11-point effort to go along with two boards, two assists, a block, and a steal. Mickey Pearson Jr. closed out the double-digit scorers with 10. He brought down four rebounds and blocked two shots.
Boogie on Down
Coleman leads the Cardinals with 14.5 points per game. He leads the team with 110 assists, which is eighth in the MAC. He is second on the team with 40 steals, which is tied for ninth in the conference. He paces the team with 66 made 3-pointers and is seventh in the MAC. He is averaging 5.0 rebounds per game and has 10 blocks. Earlier this season, Coleman recorded his 1,000th career point.
Sensational Sellers
Sellers is second in the MAC shooting 46.0 percent from 3-point range. He is 11th in the MAC shooting 49.5 percent from the field. Sellers is second on the team with 13.7 points per game. He is averaging 3.8 boards a contest. He is third on the team with 21 steals. His 16 blocks are third on the team. He has 26 assists on the year. He has notched six games with 20 or more points for the season.
Spark Plug
Sparks leads the team with 8.7 rebounds per game, which is fourth in the conference. His 3.17 offensive rebounds per game are ranked third in the conference. He is tied for third in the MAC with 5.57 defensive boards a contest. He is ninth in the MAC with 27 blocked shots. He is tied for second in the conference with 10 double-doubles. Sparks is third in the conference shooting 59.1 percent from the field. His 212 free-throw attempts are second in the MAC and tied for 13th in the NCAA. He is second on the team with 27 blocks. Sparks is third on the team averaging 13.0 points per game.
Go DJ
Jacobs is second in the MAC with 36 blocks. He is second with 1.16 blocks per game. He is fourth in the conference shooting 44.3 percent from 3-point range. He is shooting 56.8 percent from the field, which is fifth in the MAC. He is shooting 82.7 percent from the free-throw line, which is sixth in the conference. He ranks fourth in the conference with an assist to turnover ratio of 1.88. He is 10th in the MAC with 107 assists. He leads the team with 42 steals and is eighth in the conference. Jacobs is averaging 12.2 points per game and 3.8 rebounds per game.
Taking Advantage at the Free-Throw Line
As a team, the Cardinals are averaging 23.9 free throws per game, which is fourth in the NCAA and leads the MAC. Ball State is averaging 16.4 free-throws made per contest, which is tied for 20th in the nation and is tied for first in the conference. Sparks is 13th in the nation with 212 free-throw attempts, which is second in the MAC.
Effective Shooting
The Cardinals are currently shooting 47.4 percent from the field, which is 34th in the NCAA and is second in the MAC. Ball State has been effective from behind the arc with a combined 37.2 percent from 3-point range, which is tied for 35 in the country and is tied for second in the MAC.
Series History with Ohio
The Cardinals and Bobcats will meet for the 90th time on Thursday. Ohio has the series advantage, 54-35, including a 76-71 victory in Athens earlier this season. The Cardinals are 7-4 against the Bobcats in MAC Tournaments but have lost the last two postseason meetings. Last season, Ohio knocked off Ball State 77-67.
Scouting the Bobcats
In the matchup earlier this season, Jaylin Hunter led the Bobcats with 23 points, four assists, and four steals. Dwight Wilson III produced a double-double behind 22 points and 10 rebounds. AJ Clayton closed out the double-digit scorers with 16 points along with six rebounds and added a blocked shot. Wilson leads the team shooting 62.0 percent from the field, which is tied for 13th in the NCAA. He leads the team averaging 15.9 points per game and 9.1 boards per game. He has 39 assists, 11 steals, and six blocks. Jaylin Hunter is second on the team with 12.7 points a game. He paces the team with 132 assists, which is fourth in the MAC. He has a team-high 53 steals. Miles Brown rounds out the double-digit scorers with 10.5 a contest. He is second on the team with 61 assists. He has added 40 steals and seven blocks. Clayton has a team-best 19 blocks and is second on the squad with 4.6 rebounds per game.
BALL STATE WBB
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL ADVANCES TO MAC TOURNEY SEMIFINALS WITH WIN OVER AKRON
CLEVELAND, Ohio – The No. 3 seed Ball State women’s basketball team defeated No. 6 Akron by a score of 92-68 Wednesday night at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse to advance to the 2023 Mid-American Conference Tournament semifinals for the second-straight season.
Leading an all-around solid team performance for the Cardinals (25-7) was All-MAC First Team honoree Anna Clephane. The redshirt senior poured in 20 points while sophomore Alex Richard added a career best 19 points.
All-MAC Honorable Mention recipient graduate senior Thelma Dis Agustsdottir chipped in 16 points off 4-of-6 shooting from behind the arc. Rounding out BSU’s double-digit scorers against the Zips (17-13) were sophomores Marie Kiefer (13) and Madelyn Bischoff (11).
As with any MAC tournament game, there are a lot of jitters when the ball goes up and tonight’s quarterfinal contest was not different. Ball State fell behind 14-9 early, with Akron maintaining the five-point lead with 3:40 left in the first frame. But as we have learned all season, the Cardinals have a tendency to fight their way back into the ball game fairly quickly regardless of the situation.
So naturally, Agustsdottir and Bischoff hit back-to-back 3 pointers to get Ball State right where it needed to be, tying the game at 17. Akron, however, would still hold a slight 20-19 edge over Ball State at the end of the quarter.
The Cardinals found their offensive groove in the second quarter, outscoring the Zips by a 22-11 margin to take a comfortable 10-point cushion, 41-31, into intermission.
Akron opened the third period with a 6-0 run to cut Ball State’s lead to four, 41-37, with just over a minute shaved off the clock. The Cardinals answered quickly by attacking the basket which led to domination in the paint, as BSU went back up by 10, 47-37, after a pull up jumper from sophomore Ally Becki.
Despite the Zips’ efforts the remainder of the second half, the Cardinals never lost their composure and remained in control the rest of the contest.
For the game, Ball State shot 77.3 percent from the free throw line and 54.1 percent from the field, along with dropping 40 points in the paint.
The third-seeded Ball State women’s basketball team continues its journey for a Mid-American Conference Tournament title when it faces second-seeded Bowling Green Friday at approximately 12:30 p.m. ET in the second women’s semifinal game.
NOTRE DAME WBB
HIDALGO NAMED 2023 GATORADE NEW JERSEY GIRLS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Notre Dame signee Hannah Hidalgo continues to add honors to an ever-growing list as she closes out her senior year and prepares to make her way to South Bend this summer. The five-star guard was named 2023 Gatorade New Jersey Girls Basketball Player of the Year on Wednesday.
Hidalgo, who signed with the Irish in November and is the No. 5 recruit in the 2023 class according to the ESPNW HoopGurlz Recruiting Rankings, averaged 28.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 7.3 steals per game during her final year at Paul VI. The team finished with a 21-3 record and played in the South Jersey, Non-Public A final. According to NJ.com, the 5-6 floor general posted at least 20 points in 21 games this year, including a 48-point performance against Westtown (PA). She finished her high school career with 2,135 points.
In addition to the statewide honors, Hidalgo is one of three finalists for Gatorade National Player of the Year. Washington, D.C., native Jadyn Donovan and Californian Judea “JuJu” Watkins round out the trio. Hidalgo was already named a McDonald’s All-American in January. Current Irish forward Kylee Watson was the 2020 New Jersey Gatorade Player of the Year.
NOTRE DAME SWIMMING
SEVEN MEN EARN NCAA INVITES
After an impressive showing at the 2023 ACC Championship Meet last month, seven Notre Dame swimmers have earned invitations to attend the 2023 NCAA Championships: Jack Hoagland, Chris Guiliano, Tommy Janton, Thacher Scannell, Alec DeLong, Sean Faikish and Cason Wilburn. The meet will be held at the Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center at the University of Minnesota from March 22-25.
Hoagland and Guiliano have the largest individual lineups with three events each.
Hoagland, a senior out of New Mexico, will swim the 400 IM and 500 and 1650 freestyle. He won the 400 IM at ACCs (3:41.15), took fourth in the 1650 (14:48.82) and fifth in the 500 (4:16.31). He holds the school record in the 400 IM (3:40.73).
Guiliano had a breakout meet in Greensboro a few weeks ago, winning his first ACC title in the 200 freestyle (1:32.43). He also finished third in the 50 (18.93) and 100 freestyle (41.85). The sophomore from Pennsylvania broke the school records in the 50, 100 and 200 freestyle with those aforementioned times. He subsequently broke his own record with an 18.88 leadoff performance in a time-trialed 200 freestyle relay. Guiliano will compete in each of those events in Minneapolis.
Freshman Tommy Janton is the final swimmer with individual events to swim at NCAAs, as he will compete in the 100 and 200 backstroke. Janton broke the school record in the 100 backstroke (45.61) and went 1:41.08 in the 200 backstroke, which ranks third all-time at Notre Dame. He was an A finalist in both events in Greensboro.
The four additional swimmers are heading west for relays. All three freestyle relay school records were broken at ACCs. Guiliano’s lead-off leg in the 200 was followed by Stephan Lukashev, Wilburn and Paulson. The 400 was Guiliano, Wilburn, DeLong and Scannell, and the 800 was Guiliano, Paulson, Hoagland and DeLong. The 400 freestyle relay team got the NCAA A cut with a time of 2:50.14.
In total, 270 male swimmers will head to Minneapolis. A pair of Irish divers — Daniel Knapp and Ben Nguyen — will compete this week at Zone C Championships in Bloomington with an NCAA bid on the line.
NOTRE DAME HOCKEY
BISCHEL NAMED FINALIST FOR POSTSEASON AWARDS
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Often deemed the last line of defense, and the nation’s current leader in saves, Ryan Bischel has been named a finalist for both Goaltender and Player of the Year, as announced by the Big Ten Conference Wednesday.
“Ryan is the backbone of our team,” head coach Jeff Jackson mentioned of the finalist recognition. “He’s had a great year and given our team a chance to win every night. His growth, both emotionally and as a goaltender, has been phenomenal over the last few seasons.”
The senior netminder started all 37 games for the Irish in 2022-23, boasting a 16-16-5 record while finishing with a .931 season save percentage. His 1,183 saves led all collegiate netminders while his .934 save percentage through the conclusion of the regular season was a nation’s best among DI goaltenders. Bischel’s five shutouts on the season was tied for fifth.
In regular season conference play, Bischel posted a .938 save percentage in 1,443:18 minutes played, leading the Big Ten in both categories. He led his team to home-ice in the conference tournament following a 2-0-2 record in the final weeks of the regular season, clinching 10 of a possible 12 points in the undefeated stretch with a pair of series over top-10 teams in Ohio State and Michigan.
Bischel etched his name in the record book in 2022-23 as his season save count ranks second all-time at ND behind Lance Madson (1,288) in 1988-89. His final save percentage was second-best in program history, behind Cale Morris and Dylan St. Cyr, both of whom he split time between the pipes with during his first two seasons. His 2,182:51 total minutes played also ranks among the top-10 in Irish history.
The Minnesota native was recently named a semifinalist for the Mike Richter Award, presented annually to the top DI goaltender. A four-time Big Ten player of the week honoree, Bischel has also been nominated for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award.
“He’s earned and deserves this recognition as one of the best college hockey players, and goaltenders, in the country,” Coach Jackson concluded.
Winners will be announced by the conference on March 14.
B1G Player of the Year Finalists
Luke Hughes, D, Michigan
Matthew Knies, F, Minnesota
Ryan Bischel, G, Notre Dame
B1G Goaltender of the Year Finalists
Justen Close, Minnesota
Ryan Bischel, Notre Dame
Jakub Dobeš, Ohio State
NOTRE DAME TRACK
IRISH TRAVEL FOR NCAA INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The Notre Dame track and field team is on the road for the national title as they travel to Albuquerque, New Mexico for the 2023 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships, March 10 through March 11.
There are five events that will feature the Irish. The reigning ACC Champion in the women’s pentathlon, Jadin O’Brien, will take on the same event for the national crown. The pentathlon will start on Friday March 10 at 12:20 pm eastern time.
Continuing on Friday, the women’s DMR squad of Katie Thronson, Eve Balseiro, Katie Ryan, and Olivia Markezich will race. Their start time is at 7:45 pm. On the men’s side, Carter Solomon will represent the Irish in the men’s 5,000 meter run at 10:05 pm.
On Saturday, Markezich will run in the 3,000 meter race at 7:00 pm, while Michael Shoaf will be competing in the men’s shot put at 9:00 pm.
There are live results available throughout the duration of the meet and can be found here. The meet will also have coverage on ESPN+ beginning on March 10 at 11:30 am and March 11 at 1:30 pm. There will be re-airs of the meet on Sunday, March 12 on ESPNU at 6:00 pm and Monday, March 13 on ESPNU starting at 7:00 pm.
2023 NCAA IND TF – Notre Dame Competition Schedule (Eastern Time)
Friday, March 10
12:20 am 60m Hurdles – Women’s Pentathlon (O’Brien)
1:30 am High Jump – Women’s Pentathlon (O’Brien)
3:30 pm Shot Put – Women’s Pentathlon (O’Brien)
4:30 pm Long Jump – Women’s Pentathlon (O’Brien)
5:40 pm 800m Run – Women’s Pentathlon(O’Brien)
7:45 pm DMR – Women’s Final (Thronson / Balseiro / Ryan / Markezich – Alt: Keller/O’Brien)
10:05 pm 5,000m Run – Men’s Final (Solomon)
Saturday, March 11
7:00 pm 3,000m Run – Women’s Final (Markezich)
9:00 pm Shot Put – Men’s Final (Shoaf)
INDIANA STATE WBB
FINNEGAN SELECTED TO MVC ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM
DAVENPORT, Iowa – Indiana State guard Bella Finnegan was named to the 2023 Missouri Valley Conference All-Freshman Team, as announced at the conference’s awards banquet Wednesday night at the Rhythm City Casino Resort.
Finnegan averaged 8.5 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game this season for the Sycamores, ranking second among MVC freshmen in scoring, third in rebounds and seventh in assists. In conference play, Finnegan’s numbers jumped to 10.2 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game. The month of February was particularly strong for the Hometown, Illinois, native, as she led Indiana State in scoring during the Sycamores’ eight games that month at 15.3 points per game.
She was the only freshman in the conference to record multiple 20-point games during MVC play, scoring 26 at Murray State and 21 at Southern Illinois. Her 26-point game against Murray State, which consisted of an 11-for-16 mark from the field and a perfect 3-for-3 mark from 3-point range, was the highest-scoring game for an Indiana State freshman since Caitlin Anderson had 27 for the Sycamores against Evansville during the 2019-20 season. In addition to the pair of 20-point games, Finnegan scored in double-figures 10 times this season.
One of the top 3-point shooters in the freshman class, Finnegan was one of three first-year players in the conference to average at least one 3-pointer per game. She also led all MVC freshmen and was fourth overall in the conference in free throw percentage, knocking down 86.7 percent of her attempts from the charity stripe (52-for-60).
Finnegan becomes the 17th player in program history to earn a spot on the MVC All-Freshman Team, and gives Indiana State an all-freshman honoree for the third time in the last four seasons after Del’Janae Williams (2020) and Arianna Smith (2022) earned the same honors in recent seasons.
INDIANA STATE BASEBALL
DIAZ’S THREE-RUN HOME RUN POWERS SYCAMORES PAST SEMO IN MIDWEEK SWEEP
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Randal Diaz connected on the go-ahead three-run home run in the top of the eighth inning to power Indiana State to the midweek sweep over Southeast Missouri State on Wednesday afternoon, 7-4.
Diaz worked a 2-1 count against SEMO (4-10) reliever Logan Katen (0-1) before turning on a fastball and cranking it over the left field wall for his first home run of the 2023 campaign. The three-run blast scored Adam Pottinger and Keegan Watson and erased the Redhawk lead to put Indiana State (4-8) ahead in the eighth.
Seth Gergely added an RBI double in the top of the ninth inning to provide insurance and Jared Spencer (1-1) struck out the final three Redhawk hitters on his way to closing out his first win of the year.
Josue Urdaneta and Gergely both posted multi-hit games in Wednesday’s win, while five Sycamores connected on extra-base hits. Gergely added two more stolen bases to give him four steals over the two-game series to highlight the ISU offense.
Cameron Holycross went 3.0 innings allowing three hits and one unearned run in his first collegiate start at ISU. Jacob Pruitt, Kyle Cortner, and Aaron Moss bridged the gap to Spencer before the sophomore lefty went the final three innings posting five strikeouts in the win.
Josh Cameron and Lincoln Andrews both posted multi-hit games for the Redhawks with Andrews driving in two runs in the loss.
Katen took the loss after going one inning allowing three hits and three runs while striking out two. SEMO put seven different pitchers on the mound on the day.
How They Scored
Indiana State took the early 2-0 lead in the top of the first as Parker Stinson connected on a sacrifice fly to left field scoring Josue Urdaneta and Luis Hernandez scored on a wild pitch to highlight the two-run frame.
SEMO cut the ISU lead in half as Ty Stauss reached on a two-out infield error allowing Josh Cameron to score to put the score at 2-1 after the bottom of the first.
Mike Sears put ISU ahead 3-1 in the top of the third with a two-out RBI single to left field scoring Josue Urdaneta.
SEMO took their first lead of the series in the bottom of the seventh as Cameron drew a bases-loaded walk scoring Chance Resetich and Lincoln Andrews connected on a two-run single up the middle to put the Redhawks ahead 4-3.
Randal Diaz put Indiana State back in the lead in the top of the eighth as the sophomore connected on a one-out three-run home run over the left field wall scoring Adam Pottinger and Keegan Watson to put the Sycamores ahead 6-4.
Seth Gergely drove in the final run of the game with an RBI double to left center scoring Stinson to give ISU the 7-4 margin.
News & Notes
Josue Urdaneta and Seth Gergely stretched their season-opening on-base streaks to 12 consecutive games as the duo both reached safely on Wednesday afternoon.
Gergely’s 19-game on-base streak dating back to the end of the 2022 season is a new career-high for the redshirt senior.
Mike Sears continues his career-best hitting streak as the redshirt junior’s RBI single in the third extended his stretch to eight consecutive games.
Randal Diaz became the seventh Sycamore to homer in the 2023 season with his three-run shot in the eighth inning. Diaz led ISU with seven home runs in 2022.
Indiana State’s four doubles in the game marked the fourth game this season the Sycamores have recorded three or more doubles in a single contest.
Two more Sycamores were hit by pitches on Wednesday afternoon running ISU’s streak to 16 consecutive games with an HBP.
The Sycamores defense turned three double plays in Wednesday’s game marking a new season-high. ISU turned three double plays twice in 2022 (Apr. 9 at Valparaiso, Apr. 29 vs. Missouri State).
Cameron Holycross made his first start on the mound in the Sycamore Blue & White on Wednesday.
Seth Gergely posted his second multi-steal game in as many days on Wednesday afternoon giving him a team leading five steals on the year. He has stolen his last 11 bases successfully dating back to the 2021 season.
Up Next
Indiana State heads to FedExPark Avron Fogelman Field for a three-game series at the University of Memphis on March 10-12 in Memphis, Tenn. Friday’s game will be streamed live on ESPN+ with first pitch set for 7 p.m. ET.
PURDUE FT. WAYNE BASEBALL
BRAEDON BLACKFORD NAMED #HLBASE BATTER OF THE WEEK
INDIANAPOLIS – Purdue Fort Wayne baseball’s Braedon Blackford was named the Horizon League Batter of the Week, the league office announced on Wednesday (March 8).
Blackford batted .429 and slugged 1.357 with four home runs in 14 at bats over four games played in Winston-Salem, N.C. this past weekend. He also recorded one double, seven RBIs, five runs scored, two walks and 19 total bases. The Peoria, Ill. native began a doubleheader on Saturday against Cornell going 3-for-4 with two home runs and a double to drive in two runs and score three times in a 6-3 victory. He ended the week driving in five more runs against Ball State on Sunday as he blasted two more long balls and finished the day going 3-for-4 with two runs scored and a walk.
This is Blackford’s first career weekly honor from the Horizon League.
The ‘Dons are at Indiana today (March 8) and face Austin Peay this weekend.
BASEBALL FALLS IN BLOOMINGTON TO INDIANA
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Braedon Blackford knocked in a run with a double while adding a walk in Mastodon baseball’s 15-1 loss at Indiana on Wednesday (March 8) afternoon.
Purdue Fort Wayne used eight pitchers in the game. Colin Bauer suffered the loss. He is 0-1. Jacob Myer, Owen Willard and Kevin Fee each had a scoreless outing.
Indiana opened the game up with a seven-run second inning. Hunter Jessee and Brock Tibbitts each had a home run in the game for the Hoosiers. Ty Bothwell is 2-1 after earning the win for Indiana. He allowed one run in four innings.
Jacob Walker recorded two walks and a single for the ‘Dons.
Indiana improves to 6-6. The ‘Dons fall 2-11. Purdue Fort Wayne plays Austin Peay in a four-game series starting Friday. The series will be played in Evansville, Indiana.
PURDUE FT. WAYNE VB
MASTODON MVB TO PLAY NATION’S BEST AT OUTRIGGER INVITATIONAL
FORT WAYNE, Ind. – The Purdue Fort Wayne men’s volleyball team will play the best of the best at the Outrigger Invitational this week. The Mastodons have dates against No. 1 Hawaii, No. 2 UCLA and No. 3 Penn State.
Outrigger Invitational Information
Host: Hawaii Rainbow Warriors
When: March 9-11
Where: Honolulu, Hawaii | SimpliFi Arena
Live Stats: Hawaii | UCLA | Penn State
Watch: ESPN+ (Hawaii match only)
Game Notes: Purdue Fort Wayne | Hawaii | UCLA | Penn State | MIVA
Tournament Schedule
Thursday, March 9 – at No. 1 Hawaii – 7 PM local, Midnight ET
Friday, March 10 – vs. No. 2 UCLA – 4 PM local, 9 PM ET
Saturday, March 11 – vs. No. 3 Penn State – 4 PM local, 9 PM ET
Know Your Foes
• The best team in the country is 15-0 this season, including 10-0 on its home island. Hawaii is 6-0 against ranked teams this season and has only dropped four sets all year. The Rainbow Warriors are hitting .380 as a team, which is the second-best in the country. Spyros Chakas is averaging 4.23 kills per set.
• No. 2 UCLA is 17-1, with its only loss coming at Penn State in early February. UCLA beat the only MIVA team it has played, Ohio State, 3-1 earlier this season. The Bruins are the nation’s leader with a .388 hitting percentage, led by Ido David, who is averaging 3.77 kills per set and a scorching .431 hitting clip. Former Mastodon Troy Gooch is leading UCLA and is second in the MPSF with 2.03 digs per set. • No. 3 Penn State is 15-1 with a 4-0 start to EIVA play. The Nittany Lions’ biggest win of the year came against No. 2 UCLA in the Big Ten/Pac 12 Challenge. Their only loss this season came to No. 3 Long Beach State a week earlier. PSU has won its last nine matches. Cal Fisher is averaging 3.03 kills per set for the Nittany Lions while hitting just below the team average of .332.
Series Histories
• Purdue Fort Wayne has played Hawaii twice, with the two teams splitting the all-time series 1-1. The Mastodons won a 3-1 contest in 1992 in San Diego, California and lost 3-0 in Hawaii in 2000.
• UCLA leads the all-time series against the Mastodons 5-1, with the ‘Dons’ only win coming in 2000 at the Outrigger Invitational. The two teams have only played neutral contests since 1994. The teams met three times in 1994, including the NCAA Tournament.
• Penn State leads the all-time series 45-16. The Mastodons won the last meeting in Fort Wayne 3-1 thanks to 19 kills from Pelegrin Vargas.
Outrigger Fun
The last time Purdue Fort Wayne played in the Outrigger (2000), the same four teams were in the field.
Block Party
Purdue Fort Wayne is third in the MIVA and 11th in the country with 2.30 blocks per set. Ryan Steponaitis (0.98), Bryce Walker (0.90) and Mark Frazier (0.79) are all in the top-20 in the MIVA in blocks per set.
Bryce the Beast
Bryce Walker has the best career hitting percentage among active MIVA players with at least two seasons with a .348 clip.
Now Walk It Out
Bryce Walker’s career mark of 0.33 aces per set is the third-most among active middle blockers in the country and the most in the MIVA. This mark is also top-25 overall.
Zany Zach
Zach Solomon is the MIVA career leader with 0.38 aces per set
Yes, No (ah), Maybe
Noah Melendez is the active career leader in Division I/II with 720 digs in his five years. The next closest is McKendree’s Francisco Comas with 679. Former Mastodon Troy Gooch is third with 652.Serrrrrrg
Sergio Carrillo has the second-most career assists among all Division I/II student-athletes with 2,847 in his five seasons. Cole Bogner of Penn State is the active leader with 3,580.
He’s Special
Jon Diedrich is sixth in the country and third in the MIVA with 5.06 points per set. Of MIVA players, he is only behind Loyola Chicago’s Parker Van Buren and Quincy’s Raje Alleyne.
Chasing 1,000
Jon Diedrich is on pace to join the 1,000-kill club while at Purdue Fort Wayne. He has 973 kills and has averaged 3.49 kills per set in his career. If he continues this pace, he will hit the 1,000 mark this week.
Defensive Stoppers
The Mastodons have more Defensive Player of the Week awards this season than any other school in the MIVA. The ‘Dons have had three honorees, all different players, while no other school has had more than one selection this season.
Last Time Out
Purdue Fort Wayne went the distance at No. 9 Loyola Chicago, but fell to the Ramblers 3-2 in Chicago. Mark Frazier had a team-high 12 kills.
Coming Up
The Mastodons return to the Summit City to welcome Charleston and Loyola Chicago to the Gates Sports Center on March 17-18.
EVANSVILLE BASEBALL
14 SWIMMING ACES HEAD TO CSCAA NATIONAL INVITATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS THURSDAY
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – For the second-straight year, the University of Evansville swimming program will participate in the post-season, as 14 Purple Aces – 10 men and four women – will compete in the CSCAA National Invitational Championships in Elkhart, Indiana beginning on Thursday.
The NIC meet is college swimming’s equivalent to basketball’s NIT, and each of the 14 UE swimmers who are competing had to meet qualifying time standards or had to be an individual champion at the conference meet to qualify. It marks the second time in program history in which UE will send competitors to the National Invitational Championships.
“I am extremely proud of the hard work that all of our swimmers and divers put in this season,” said UE head coach Stuart Wilson. “They have helped take this program to another level this year, and to be able to qualify 14 swimmers for the post-season meet is a tremendous accomplishment.”
From the UE men’s team, Mid-American Conference 200-Yard Breaststroke champion Alon Baer (Gesher HaZiv, Israel) headlines a group of 10 Purple Aces who qualified for the NIC meet. He is joined by seniors Max Dehen (Ramsey, Minn./Anoka) and Riccardo Di Domenico (Johannesburg, South Africa), junior Grant Kay (Ellicott City, Md./Hebron), sophomores Jakob Grundbacher (Thalwil, Switzerland), Benjamin Hasanovic (Innsbruck, Austria), Daniel Santos Lopez (Madrid, Spain), Carlos Souto (A Coruna, Spain) and Patrik Vilbergsson (Kopavogur, Iceland) and freshman Daniil Goncharuk (Kyiv, Ukraine) on the men’s side. Baer led UE in scoring at last year’s National Invitational Championships with 18 points, and he finished in the top 20 in both the 100- and 200-Yard Breaststroke events at last year’s meet.
On the women’s side, 100-Yard Backstroke school-record holder Iryna Tsesiul (Minsk, Belarus) will lead a pack of four Purple Aces at this year’s NIC meet. She is joined by sophomores Sveva Brugnoli (Rome, Italy), Mari Müller (Zurich, Switzerland) and senior Allison McDonald (Cape Girardeau, Mo./Central) on the women’s side. Three of the four UE women competing this week qualified for last year’s NIC meet as well, with Tsesiul posting a top 20 finish in the 50-Yard Backstroke to lead the way last March.
The CSCAA National Invitational Championships will begin at 8:30 a.m. central time on Thursday with preliminary swims in the 50-Yard Backstroke, the 500-Yard Freestyle, the 50-Yard Butterfly, the 200 IM, the 50-Yard Breaststroke, the 50-Yard Freestyle, and the 400-Yard Medley Relay. Main event and consolation finals will begin Thursday night at 5 p.m. central time with all of the above events, as well as the competition in the 200-Yard Freestyle Relay. The CSCAA National Invitational Championships will continue on both Friday and Saturday as well.
EVANSVILLE BASEBALL
#7 VANDERBILT OUTLASTS EVANSVILLE, 2-1, IN 17-INNING MARATHON
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Vanderbilt first baseman Parker Noland snapped a 1-1 tie in the bottom of the 17th inning on Wednesday with a two-out RBI single to right-center field to help the seventh-ranked Commodores to a 2-1, 17-inning victory over the visiting University of Evansville Purple Aces at Hawkins Field in Nashville, Tennessee.
“What a gutsy performance tonight by our guys!” said UE head coach Wes Carroll. “Unfortunately, it just didn’t go our way.
“Our pitching was outstanding, and we had some opportunities offensively, but we just didn’t get that big hit that we needed. But, tonight was just a great baseball game to be a part of. Unfortunate that it didn’t go our way!”
Vanderbilt outfielder R.J. Schreck led off the 17th with a double off the wall in left field. A bunt single by third baseman Davis Diaz followed, but UE reliever Nate Hardman (0-1) nearly got out of the jam. He was able to get back-to-back strikeouts of Jonathan Vastine and T.J. McKenzie, before Noland was able to spoil a 1-2 offering and deliver the game-winning hit.
Evansville actually scored first in the second inning, as fifth-year outfielder Eric Roberts led off with a bunt base hit, stole second, and scored on an RBI single by senior third baseman Brent Widder.
UE starter Shane Harris was sharp, as he allowed just one hit through the first four innings. Vanderbilt would score a run against Harris in the fifth inning on a sacrifice fly, but Harris set the tone for the afternoon for UE by allowing just the single run on two hits in 5.0 innings of work.
From there, both bullpens traded scoreless innings, as both teams worked in and out of trouble all afternoon long. UE’s best scoring chance in regulation came in the ninth inning, when Roberts led off with a double, and was bunted to third by the next batter. But, Vanderbilt closer Nick Maldonado came on to get a fly out and a strike out to end the threat.
Evansville would load the bases with two outs in the 13th inning, but came up empty. Then, UE got out of a major jam in the bottom half of the frame, as Vanderbilt put the potential winning run on third base with one out, but junior catcher Brendan Hord was able to catch the pinch-runner McKenzie too far off third base for a big second out, before freshman reliever Max Hansmann struck out catcher Alan Espinal to end the frame.
Evansville nearly opened the 17th inning with a run, as fifth-year first baseman Chase Hug hit a towering fly ball to the gap in right-center field. But, the wind, which was blowing in a majority of the game, knocked down the ball, and it was caught just a foot from the 375 sign on the wall.
Offensively, Roberts and Widder had two-hit days for Evansville, with Hug and outfielder Danny Borgstrom coming up with the other two hits for UE. Diaz had three hits on the night for Vanderbilt.
With the victory, the Commodores improve to 10-4 overall, and Vanderbilt has won five of its last six contests. Meanwhile, Evansville (7-6) sees its seven-game winning streak come to an end. The Purple Aces will remain in Tennessee this weekend, as UE will take on Middle Tennessee State in Murfreesboro, Tennessee in a three-game series. The series begins Friday afternoon at 3 p.m. in a game that can be seen live on ESPN+.
VALPO BASEBALL
SPRING TRIP TO CONCLUDE AT NATIONALLY-RANKED SOUTHERN MISS
Valparaiso (6-4, 0-0 MVC)
at No. 22 Southern Miss (8-4, 0-0 Sun Belt)
Pete Taylor Park (4,300) | Hattiesburg, Miss.
Friday, March 10, 6 p.m. – RHP Jacob Rosenkranz
Saturday, March 11, 2 p.m. – RHP Connor Lockwood
Sunday, March 12, 1 p.m. – RHP Griffin McCluskey
Next Up in Valpo Baseball: The Valparaiso University baseball team will close out its seven-game, 11-day spring break road trip this weekend with a three-game series against No. 22 Southern Miss in Hattiesburg, Miss. Valpo will attempt to secure its third straight series victory, all on the road. This will mark the team’s first games against a top-25 foe this season.
Last Time Out: After taking two of three from Little Rock to start the spring trip, Valpo fell 12-2 against 2021 College World Series champion Mississippi State in the first midweek game of the season on Tuesday. The Beacons got off to a promising start when Griffin McCluskey worked two scoreless innings and Valpo manufactured two runs in the third to grab the 2-0 lead. However, the Bulldogs scored the next 12 to invoke the 10-run rule.
Following the Beacons: This weekend’s series will be carried on ESPN+. Links to live video, audio and stats are available on ValpoAthletics.com. For all the latest in Valpo Baseball, follow @ValpoBaseball on Twitter and Instagram.
Head Coach Brian Schmack: Brian Schmack (174-271) is in his 10th season in charge of the program. He ranks third in program history in seasons coached and games coached as he enters 2023 having skippered 435 Valpo games. He enters the season with 168 victories, one of four coaches in program history with over 150. The former big-league pitcher led Valpo to 25 wins in his inaugural campaign in 2014, a school record for victories by a first-year skipper. Schmack, a member of the 2003 Detroit Tigers, served as pitching coach/associate head coach at Valpo for seven seasons prior to his promotion.
Series Notes: Valpo and Southern Miss have played just two prior games, both coming as part of a multi-team event in Lake Charles, La. in 2020. Valpo fell 5-1 and 13-11 in those matchups. This will mark the first time the Beacons have made their way to Hattiesburg.
In the Other Dugout – Southern Miss
Coming off an 11-5 loss to No. 4 Ole Miss on Tuesday.
Swept former Missouri Valley Conference member Dallas Baptist this past weekend.
Own the longest streak of consecutive 40-win seasons in Division-I baseball with six straight.
Preseason favorite to win the Sun Belt Conference.
Tanner Hall was named the Sun Belt Preseason Pitcher of the Year.
In first season as a member of the Sun Belt after previously playing in Conference USA.
Won an NCAA Regional last season before falling to Ole Miss in the Super Regional.
Valpo Against Ranked Opponents
Southern Miss is ranked No. 22 by Baseball America, the NCBWA and D1Baseball.com, while ranking No. 24 in the coaches’ poll and No. 30 according to Collegiate Baseball Newspaper.
Valpo last played a ranked opponent on April 19 of last season, falling 5-1 at No. 18 Notre Dame.
The last time the Beacons engaged in a weekend series with a ranked foe was April 16-18, 2021 at Indiana State.
This will be Valpo’s first nonconference series with a ranked opponent since Feb. 21-23, 2020 at Louisville.
Valpo has dropped 15 straight games against ranked opponents since beating No. 25 Illinois 11-7 on April 17, 2018.
Since 2012, Valpo has Top-25 wins over No. 25 Illinois (April 17, 2018), No. 25 DBU (March 11, 2016), No. 9 Arizona State (April 21, 2013) and No. 4 Arkansas (Feb. 26, 2012).
Comeback Kings
Valpo has featured a flair for the dramatic this season, twice coming from behind to win with ninth-inning rallies.
The first such comeback came on Feb. 25 at UT Martin, when Valpo was down to its final out in the top of the ninth when Nolan Tucker singled to tie the game at four. A bases-loaded hit by pitch helped Valpo produce the go-ahead run in the 10th, a game the Beacons won 5-4.
The March 4 win in Game 1 of a doubleheader at Little Rock was equally as improbable, as the Beacons were down 6-3 going to the ninth before plating four to win 7-6. A two-run single by Brady Renfro tied the game and an RBI double by Jake Skrine gave Valpo the lead.
Valpo had lost 66 straight games when trailing after eight innings before winning back-to-back games under those circumstances. Prior to the UT Martin rally, the last time Valpo trailed through eight and prevailed was May 10, 2019 vs. Southern Illinois, a 5-4, 14-inning win.
Prior to this season, Valpo had not won multiple games when trailing through eight innings in the same season since 2012, when they won three such games. This year, Valpo produced multiple ninth-inning rallies in the first seven games of the year.
Best Start Since 19, 19, 1985
Prior to Tuesday’s midweek loss at Mississippi State, the Valpo baseball program was off to its best start since Bruce Springsteen, Madonna and way before Nirvana as the team’s 6-3 record through nine games is its best at this point in the season since 1985. Head coach Rick Ferchen’s team began 1985 with a 7-2 mark through nine games.
The highlight of the sizzling start was a five-game winning streak that was snapped in Sunday’s series finale at Little Rock. That marked the team’s longest winning streak since recording six straight from May 15-25, 2016. That stretch featured wins over Oakland, Youngstown State and Northern Kentucky.
Valpo ranks 74th in the latest RPI, the third best in the Missouri Valley Conference.
Other Notes Wrapping Up Little Rock
Valpo outhit Little Rock 12-8 in the series opener, but had to overcome a Little Rock advantage in the extra-base hit department. Six of the eight hits by the Trojans went for extra bases including four home runs, while 10 of Valpo’s 12 knocks were singles.
Valpo pitching registered 12 strikeouts in the series opener, the third time this season the Beacon arms have fanned double figures. The nightcap of the Saturday doubleheader saw Valpo again tally double-figure strikeouts on the mound (10), the fourth time this season that has occurred.
The Beacon bats produced a dozen hits in the series opener and 10 in each of the next two games. They have been in double figures in the hit column in six straight contests.
The doubleheader sweep of the Trojans on March 4 was Valpo’s first doubleheader sweep since March 25, 2022 vs. St. Bonaventure.
Nowak Nailing It Down: Bobby Nowak nailed down eight saves last season, finishing just outside the program’s single-season top 5. He finished with Valpo’s highest single-season save total since 2014, when Karch Kowalczyk had 11. The righty nailed down his first save of 2023 on March 4 at Little Rock, the ninth save of his Valpo career. That helped him climb into a tie for eighth in program history in career saves, joining Adam Paetznick (2001-2004).
SOUTHERN INDIANA SB
USI CLOSES OUT THE SPRING GAMES WITH WIN, SPLITS DOUBLEHEADER ON WEDNESDAY
MADEIRA BEACH, Fla. – University of Southern Indiana Softball (6-10) concluded its trip at The Spring Games in Madeira Beach, Florida with a 5-3 win on Wednesday afternoon to split a doubleheader against Long Island University. USI fell in Wednesday’s first game against Long Island, 5-0.
Southern Indiana went 3-5 at The Spring Games, winning two of the last three matchups.
In the first game of Wednesday’s doubleheader, Long Island struck first in the bottom of the second inning to grab a 1-0 lead. The Sharks added another run in the third.
In the top of the fourth inning, USI loaded the bases with no outs after a couple of hits from seniors Jordan Rager (Fishers, Indiana) and Allie Goodin (Evansville, Indiana) and a walk by junior catcher Sammie Kihega (Greenfield, Indiana). Long Island was able to get out of the jam with a force out at home and two other outs in the infield. Southern Indiana had another opportunity with a runner in scoring position in the top of the fifth, as USI had runners on the corners and one out. Once again, LIU left the inning unscathed after turning a double play.
After another run scored for LIU in the fifth, the Sharks built a 5-0 lead in the bottom of the sixth inning following a two-run home run. Long Island, who got the leadoff hitter on base in the last five offensive innings, closed out the game and held Southern Indiana to four hits.
In the circle, USI sophomore pitcher Hailey Gotshall (Lucerne, Indiana) was charged with the loss, moving her record to 1-2 this season. Gotshall struck out four and allowed two runs in the first three innings. Freshman pitcher Kylie Eads (Indianapolis, Indiana) pitched the last three innings, giving up three runs – two earned – with two strikeouts.
For LIU, sophomore pitcher Lindsey Cowans improved to 4-5 this season after the shutout with five strikeouts. Offensively, redshirt senior Sam Garcia had two hits, including the two-run home run for the Sharks.
In the back half of the doubleheader, USI jumped out in front with a big second inning to take a 5-0 lead. Junior first baseman Lexi Fair (Greenwood, Indiana) started the inning with a solo home run, her second in as many days and her second of the season. Later in the inning, the back half of the batting order loaded the bases for USI with a pair of walks and a single. Junior outfielder Mackenzie Bedrick (Brownsburg, Indiana) cleared the bases with a three-RBI double to increase the Screaming Eagles’ advantage to 4-0. Two batters later, Bedrick came around to score USI’s fifth run on an RBI knock from Goodin. Bedrick led USI with two hits and three RBIs in the game.
In the meantime, sophomore pitcher Josie Newman (Indianapolis, Indiana) was in a good rhythm following her shutout on Tuesday. Newman did well pitching to her defense while also striking out three through the first four innings. Then the right-hander ran into a little bit of trouble in the fifth against LIU.
With two Sharks on base and two outs, LIU’s Garcia hit a three-run home run to pull Long Island within two, 5-3. It was Garcia’s second home run of the doubleheader. The next batter hit a double into the alley, but Newman was able to get a big strikeout to end the top of the fifth with USI on top.
Newman got back into a rhythm in the last two innings to finish out the contest and record her fourth complete game of the season. The sophomore struck out six and allowed three runs – one earned – in the full seven innings to improve to 5-4 on the year.
Her counterpart from LIU, sophomore pitcher Alyssa O’Donnell, also pitched a complete game. O’Donnell went six innings, surrendered five runs – three earned off seven hits and four walks, and struck out six. O’Donnell’s record dropped to 4-5.
Next up, the Screaming Eagles will prepare for the start of the Ohio Valley Conference season. Southern Indiana will open OVC play this weekend with a three-game set at Morehead State University. Saturday’s doubleheader is slated to start at 11 a.m. CT, and Sunday’s series finale is also scheduled for an 11 a.m. CT first pitch. All three games can be seen with an ESPN+ subscription.
VALPO WBB
SAUNDERS NAMED TO MVC ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM
After leading all Missouri Valley Conference freshmen in scoring and in assists, both overall and in Valley-only play, Valpo women’s basketball freshman Ali Saunders (Depauw, Ind./North Harrison) was named to the MVC All-Freshman Team Wednesday evening at the conference’s pre-tournament awards banquet.
Saunders averaged 10.9 points/game and 2.9 assists/game to lead all Valley freshmen, ranking 14th in the conference in assists. She was second among Beacons in scoring and paced the squad in assists. Saunders has scored in double figures a team-high 18 times this season and dished out five or more assists five times.
She ranks sixth in the Valley with an .848 free throw percentage, a mark which is on pace to crack Valpo’s single-season top-10 in the category. Saunders is also on pace to break into the program’s single-season top-10 in 3-point percentage, as she is hitting at a .432 clip from deep.
Saunders’ season was highlighted by a 32-point effort in November against UAB – a new Valpo freshman record and the highest-scoring game by any Valpo player in six seasons. She also enjoyed a perfect shooting night in Valpo’s home game against UNI, scoring 19 points (7-7 FG, 1-1 3PT, 4-4 FT) and becoming the first Valpo player with a 100% field goal percentage on at least seven attempts since 2004.
U OF I SWIMMING
BUESSING, BUYS EARN EVENT CHAMPIONSHIPS AS HOUNDS SURGE AT NATIONALS
INDIANAPOLIS—The UIndy swimming & diving team authored a memorable day two at the 2023 NCAA DII Championships Wednesday night. A combined 17 All-America performances, four school records and a pair of event championships highlighted the action. With 11 of 42 events complete, the UIndy men lead the field, while the women currently sit second.
Senior Johanna Buys headlined the story of day two. The Lusaka, Zambia native made history with the fastest 50 free time ever recorded by a Division II female student-athlete. She won her first career individual national title and fourth overall with a time of 22.10, breaking the school, meet and DII records in a single swim.
Buys would share the spotlight with sophomore Cedric Buessing, who won the men’s 1000 free. He shattered his own school record in the process, recording a time of 8:55.88.
Buys would later swim the butterfly leg of the 200 medley relay team, helping the Hounds take second place in the night’s penultimate race. She was joined by Julia Magierowska, Celina Schmidt and Leticia Vaselli, who combined for a runner-up time of 1:40.11.
The UIndy men also took second in the 200 MR. Jeron Thompson, Liki Prema, Kael Yorke and Diego Mas crafted a time of 1:25.01, slicing .02 seconds off the school record while touching just eight hundredths behind conference-rival Drury.
Kaitlyn McCoy continued her fantastic Greyhound career with her ninth individual All-America honor. She placed fifth in the 200 IM final with a time of 2:01 flat, good for her third straight top-five finish in the event.
On the boards, Mikaela Starr earned her best-ever finish at Nationals, as her score of 433.55 on the 1-meter was good for fifth place. Teammate Alexis Lumaj also earned team points for the Hounds, placing 10th.
Vaselli won the dramatic consolation final of the women’s 50 free, matching her collegiate best with a time of 22.96 to take ninth overall by .01 seconds.
OTHER NOTABLE FINISHES
9th- Emilia Colti-Dumitrescu, W 1000 free
11th- Celina Schmidt, W 200 IM
11th- Christian Hedeen, M 1000 free
11th- Joao Silva, M 50 free
12th- Karolina Dubcakova, W 1000 free
13th- Brynhildur Traustadottir, W 1000 free
13th- Stanislaw Chalat, M 1000 free
The national meet is being held at the IU Natatorium in downtown Indianapolis Tuesday through Saturday. Action continues tomorrow with swimming preliminaries at 10 a.m. ET, followed by diving prelims at 1 p.m. and evening finals at 6 p.m.
TUESDAY – results
The Greyhound quartet of Kaitlyn McCoy, Leticia Vaselli, Mika Heideyer and Brynhildur Traustadottir opened the festivities by combining for the fastest women’s 800 freestyle relay time in program history. Their time of 7:21.52 not only earned eighth place and All-America accolodaes, but also bested the school record by .02 seconds.
The UIndy men’s team followed with an All-American performance of their own. Cedric Buessing, Serge Ahadzhanian, Christian Hedeen and Joao Silva also took eighth place, with their combined time of 6:29.40 topping a five-year-old school record.
Earlier in the day, the diving pre-qualification meet was held at the Natatorium. All five UIndy divers in attendance officially advanced to Nationals, with Alexis Lumaj, Mikaela Starr, Cade Hammond, Jason Lenzo and Julio Osuna all earning a chance at All-America and national championship accolades later this week.
U OF I MLAX
MEN’S LAX DOMINATES WALSH IN MID-WEEK ACTION
NORTH CANTON, Ohio – The No. 9 UIndy men’s lacrosse team (5-1) got back in the win column on Wednesday, dominating Walsh (1-3) by a score of 20-4.
The Hounds scored seven goals in each of the odd quarters, while finding the back of the cage on three occasions during the even periods. Drew Billig and Nick Randgaard each tallied a game-high six points, combining for two goals and 10 assists.
Junior KC Carlson earned his fourth win as a Greyhound between the pipes.
HOW IT HAPPENED
UIndy scored the first 12 goals of the afternoon, building a commanding 10-0 lead at halftime. Wyatt Auyer netted a hat trick before the break, netting his third with just 34 seconds left in the second quarter.
As potent as the offense was, the defense came back to play against the Cavaliers. In addition to not surrendering a goal for the first 34+ minutes of the contest, UIndy forced 12 of Walsh’s 17 turnovers on Wednesday. Dougie Crawford was incredible, adding four caused turnovers to his seven ground balls.
Ten different Greyhounds scored in the win, with Triston Schaffer leading the way with five goals. Brendan Garry and Nathan Lam also joined in on the fun, each scoring a second-half goal.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
– With his four goals, Auyer now has 111 career points as a Greyhound, inching closer to the program’s top five.
– In addition to his defensive prowess, Crawford also scored his first career goal.
– Sam Arfsten also recording multiple caused turnovers, finishing with three.
– UIndy went four-of-seven on man-up opportunities, with Auyer netting a pair while the Hounds were on the advantage. Schaffer, along with Ben Foster, also tallied a netter under the same circumstance.
– Caleb Parker secured 14-of-21 face-off attempts, scooping up three ground balls in the process.
MORE NOTES
The Greyhounds improve to 4-0 all-time against the Cavaliers … UIndy capped its short stint in the state of Ohio with a win, rebounding from Sunday’s loss against now-No. 1 Le Moyne.
UP NEXT
The Hounds will now have 10 days to prepare for No. 2 Mercyhurst on Saturday, March 18 at 11 a.m. in Erie, Pa. The Lakers hold the series advantage, 4-2.
U OF I MEN’S TENNIS
HOUNDS MAKE HISTORY WITH FIRST EVER #1 RANKING
TEMPE, Ariz.— History has been made for UIndy men’s tennis, for the first time in program history, the Hounds are on top of the ITA DII Rankings, jumping up six spots after a finals appearance in the ITA DII Team Indoor Championship. The Hounds have dethroned reigning NCAA National Champion Barry as the No. 1 team.
Alongside the top dog spot in the team rankings, the Zeuch, Destouet magic continues as Tom Zeuch and Edgar Destouet have been a force to be reckoned with all season, sitting at 14-0 overall with a 10-0 record in duals action. They currently are carrying a three straight win streak against ranked opposition, having beaten (then No. 8) Cedric Drenth and Daniel Gray of Wayne State twice and (then No. 14) Vincent Thiel and Ghali Mensour.
Of singles, Destouet is the biggest jump, going from unranked in the original Nov. 17 poll, to the No. 9 spot in the rankings. He has been electric all season in the No. 1 spot for the Hounds, going 8-1 with multiple wins over highly ranked foes. He was also the clincher in the quarterfinal and semifinal wins in the ITA Indoors tournament against Barry and Wayne State.
Zeuch is not far behind, arriving at No. 11, a soaring effort from the 28 he held before. He, like Destouet, is also 8-1 this spring, touting multiple wins over ranked opponents.
Louis Picaud is the second Hound to make his first appearance in the ITA rankings this season, sliding in at No. 46. Picaud, holding down the fort at the No. 4 slot, has been dominant. He sits at 6-1 on the season, having most recently dethroned the No. 10-ranked Dom Spicer of Wayne State.
U OF I WOMEN’S TENNIS
WOMEN’S TENNIS JUMPS TWO SPOTS TO #5 IN LATEST ITA RANKINGS
TEMPE, Ariz.— The University of Indianapolis women’s tennis team is now the No. 5-ranked team in the country, rising two spots from their previous ranking of No. 7 in the ITA DII Rankings. This comes after an 8-1 start to the season where they have taken down No. 5 Flagler and No. 15 Washburn.
For the singles, the Hounds have a new top ranked player in Margarita Andreiuk who has risen up the ranking fast in her first year with the Hounds, now sitting at the No. 27. Andreiuk, arriving in the spring, has jumped around the top four spots in the Hounds lineup, going a combined 4-0 in the No. 3 and No. 4 spots.
Anna Novikova is not far behind, arriving at No. 35. Novi currently sits at 6-2 on the season, including a three-set thriller against the then No. 6-ranked Luisa Hrda of Flagler.
Lea Cakarevic sits at No. 42 after going 5-2 in singles action this spring.
For doubles, Novikova and Sofia Sharonova arrive at No. 8 after holding down the No. 1 spot for the Hounds all season.
MARIAN WBB
MARIAN DEFEATS TEXAS A&M TEXARKANA 63-46, WIN NAIA TOURNAMENT SECOND ROUND CHAMPIONSHIP
INDIANAPOLIS – Fueled by strong defense and offensive efficiency in the paint, the Marian women’s basketball team completed a wire-to-wire victory in the PE Center on Wednesday night in the NAIA National Tournament Second Round, defeating Texas A&M Texarkana 63-46. Marian’s win punches their tickets to their ninth consecutive NAIA Tournament Final Site appearance, where they will carry an overall record of 28-5.
Marian started the game with a strong defensive presence, forcing a pair of turnovers in the first three minutes while holding Texarkana to a 1-for-5 start from the field. While the defense started strong, the offense took a handful of possessions to get going, building on a 4-3 lead with a three from Jayla Wehner.
Kinnidy Garrard made up for a low-scoring game in Tuesday’s First Round in the first quarter, making up for her woes on Wednesday with an eight point outburst in the first eight minutes. Garrard’s scoring combined with the Wehner three and a pair of steals leading to hoopsby Abbey McNally helped build Marian’s lead and highlighted a 13-3 run. In the final two minutes Texarkana would trim the Marian advantage to seven, as an exchange in scores would end the first quarter with the Knights on top 19-12.
The Knights continued their attack in the paint in the second quarter, as offensive rebounds and backdoor cuts helped score easy baskets. The post duo of Garrard and McNally combined for 20 of the Knights first 27 points, as the lead stood at 27-18 with 4:18 remaining in the first half. The score stayed within three possessions for the greater portion of the closing first half minutes, but Marian gained energy as the quarter expired with a lift from a Tamia Perryman three-point play in the final minute.
The Knights led 36-25 in the first half, shooting a commanding 60 percent from the floor while holding the Eagles to just 31 percent.
Both sides started the second half slow, with each team going cold for the first 2:30 until Texarkana broke the drought. Marian stayed to their game plan despite the lethargic start, attacking inside to reclaim a double-digit lead behind the duo of McNally and Garrard. The Knights led by 13 for much of the quarter, and in the final minute saw their margin grow to a favorable 21, as Ella Collier knocking down eight free throws in the 60 second window.
Collier’s foul shots helped end the third quarter on a 10-0 Marian run, as the Knights entered the fourth quarter on top 52-31. The strong start allowed Marian to withstand early Texarkana pressure, controlling the pace until the 6:39 mark when Collier completed a three-point play to shoot the lead to 23 points.
The Knights drained the closing minutes of the game with the comfortable lead at hand, with Perryman and Aliyah Evans burying shots to ice the game. Rotating the bench in the final minutes, the Knights closed the NAIA Tournament Second Round and advanced to the NAIA National Tournament Final Site in Sioux City, Iowa, with their commanding 63-46 win.
McNally dominated for the Knights in their final game on home court for the season, dropping a team-high 16 points to go with a career-high 17 rebounds. Collier finished with 15 points on a 3-3 shooting night, scoring nine points at the foul line. Garrard added 14 points in the win, corralling five rebounds and a team-leading four assists.
The Knights will take on either Southern Oregon or Westmont in Sioux City, playing at 4 p.m. eastern on Monday, March 13. An update will be posted to MUKnights.com later this week with a game preview.
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
SPORTS EXTRA
NBA STANDINGS
| Eastern Conference | ||||||||||||
| W | L | Pct | Conf GB | Home | Road | Div | Conf | Last 10 | Streak | |||
| 1 Milwaukee | 47 | 18 | .723 | — | 27-6 | 20-12 | 8-4 | 28-14 | 9-1 | 2 W | ||
| 2 Boston | 46 | 21 | .687 | 2.0 | 26-9 | 20-12 | 9-4 | 28-16 | 5-5 | 1 W | ||
| 3 Philadelphia | 43 | 22 | .662 | 4.0 | 24-10 | 19-12 | 7-6 | 25-15 | 7-3 | 3 W | ||
| 4 Cleveland | 42 | 26 | .618 | 6.5 | 28-7 | 14-19 | 12-3 | 26-13 | 6-4 | 3 W | ||
| 5 New York | 39 | 28 | .582 | 9.0 | 19-16 | 20-12 | 8-8 | 28-17 | 9-1 | 1 L | ||
| 6 Brooklyn | 37 | 28 | .569 | 10.0 | 19-12 | 18-16 | 7-8 | 26-17 | 4-6 | 3 W | ||
| 7 Miami | 35 | 32 | .522 | 13.0 | 21-13 | 14-19 | 9-4 | 18-22 | 3-7 | 1 L | ||
| 8 Atlanta | 33 | 33 | .500 | 14.5 | 18-13 | 15-20 | 6-8 | 20-22 | 5-5 | 1 W | ||
| 9 Toronto | 32 | 35 | .478 | 16.0 | 20-13 | 12-22 | 4-9 | 20-21 | 6-4 | 2 L | ||
| 10 Washington | 31 | 35 | .470 | 16.5 | 15-16 | 16-19 | 7-4 | 18-22 | 5-5 | 1 L | ||
| 11 Chicago | 30 | 36 | .455 | 17.5 | 18-15 | 12-21 | 6-8 | 23-22 | 4-6 | 1 W | ||
| 12 Indiana | 29 | 37 | .439 | 18.5 | 18-16 | 11-21 | 5-5 | 20-19 | 4-6 | 1 L | ||
| 13 Orlando | 27 | 39 | .409 | 20.5 | 15-18 | 12-21 | 4-8 | 14-28 | 4-6 | 2 L | ||
| 14 Charlotte | 21 | 46 | .313 | 27.0 | 11-20 | 10-26 | 7-9 | 12-31 | 6-4 | 1 W | ||
| 15 Detroit | 15 | 51 | .227 | 32.5 | 8-25 | 7-26 | 0-11 | 6-33 | 1-9 | 9 L | ||
| Western Conference | ||||||||||||
| W | L | Pct | Conf GB | Home | Road | Div | Conf | Last 10 | Streak | |||
| 1 Denver | 46 | 20 | .697 | — | 30-5 | 16-15 | 10-5 | 32-12 | 8-2 | 1 L | ||
| 2 Sacramento | 38 | 26 | .594 | 7.0 | 20-13 | 18-13 | 7-6 | 26-14 | 7-3 | 1 W | ||
| 3 Memphis | 38 | 26 | .594 | 7.0 | 26-5 | 12-21 | 7-2 | 20-19 | 5-5 | 3 L | ||
| 4 Phoenix | 37 | 29 | .561 | 9.0 | 22-10 | 15-19 | 9-1 | 24-15 | 7-3 | 4 W | ||
| 5 Golden State | 34 | 32 | .515 | 12.0 | 27-7 | 7-25 | 5-8 | 22-17 | 6-4 | 2 L | ||
| 6 LA Clippers | 35 | 33 | .515 | 12.0 | 17-15 | 18-18 | 6-7 | 20-21 | 4-6 | 2 W | ||
| 7 Minnesota | 34 | 33 | .507 | 12.5 | 20-15 | 14-18 | 8-7 | 25-20 | 5-5 | 1 L | ||
| 8 Dallas | 34 | 33 | .507 | 12.5 | 22-13 | 12-20 | 8-3 | 25-19 | 3-7 | 1 L | ||
| 9 LA Lakers | 32 | 34 | .485 | 14.0 | 17-15 | 15-19 | 4-9 | 19-22 | 7-3 | 2 W | ||
| 10 New Orleans | 32 | 34 | .485 | 14.0 | 21-11 | 11-23 | 8-4 | 21-17 | 3-7 | 1 W | ||
| 11 Oklahoma City | 31 | 35 | .470 | 15.0 | 20-15 | 11-20 | 7-7 | 18-23 | 4-6 | 1 L | ||
| 12 Portland | 31 | 35 | .470 | 15.0 | 17-15 | 14-20 | 5-8 | 21-19 | 4-6 | 1 L | ||
| 13 Utah | 31 | 35 | .470 | 15.0 | 20-13 | 11-22 | 5-8 | 21-22 | 4-6 | 4 L | ||
| 14 San Antonio | 16 | 49 | .246 | 29.5 | 10-22 | 6-27 | 2-10 | 6-34 | 2-8 | 2 L | ||
| 15 Houston | 15 | 50 | .231 | 30.5 | 9-23 | 6-27 | 3-9 | 9-35 | 2-8 | 1 L |
NHL STANDINGS
| Eastern Conference | ||||||||||||
| GP | W | L | OTL | Pts | ROW | GF | GA | Home | Road | L10 | ||
| 1 Boston Bruins | 62 | 49 | 8 | 5 | 103 | 47 | 237 | 132 | 26-2-3 | 23-6-2 | 10-0-0 | |
| 2 Carolina Hurricanes | 62 | 42 | 12 | 8 | 92 | 38 | 216 | 158 | 22-7-2 | 20-5-6 | 8-2-0 | |
| 3 New Jersey Devils | 63 | 41 | 16 | 6 | 88 | 40 | 226 | 174 | 18-12-2 | 23-4-4 | 6-3-1 | |
| 4 Toronto Maple Leafs | 64 | 39 | 17 | 8 | 86 | 39 | 216 | 171 | 23-6-4 | 16-11-4 | 7-3-0 | |
| 5 Tampa Bay Lightning | 64 | 38 | 21 | 5 | 81 | 36 | 225 | 198 | 23-5-4 | 15-16-1 | 3-5-2 | |
| 6 New York Rangers | 63 | 35 | 19 | 9 | 79 | 32 | 209 | 179 | 17-11-4 | 18-8-5 | 4-5-1 | |
| 7 New York Islanders | 66 | 33 | 25 | 8 | 74 | 33 | 191 | 179 | 20-11-3 | 13-14-5 | 6-2-2 | |
| 8 Pittsburgh Penguins | 63 | 32 | 22 | 9 | 73 | 31 | 206 | 203 | 17-9-4 | 15-13-5 | 5-5-0 | |
| 9 Florida Panthers | 65 | 32 | 27 | 6 | 70 | 30 | 221 | 218 | 18-10-3 | 14-17-3 | 6-4-0 | |
| 10 Ottawa Senators | 63 | 32 | 27 | 4 | 68 | 30 | 199 | 198 | 19-12-2 | 13-15-2 | 6-3-1 | |
| 11 Buffalo Sabres | 63 | 32 | 27 | 4 | 68 | 31 | 233 | 224 | 13-17-2 | 19-10-2 | 5-5-0 | |
| 12 Washington Capitals | 65 | 31 | 28 | 6 | 68 | 30 | 201 | 196 | 15-13-3 | 16-15-3 | 3-7-0 | |
| 13 Detroit Red Wings | 64 | 29 | 26 | 9 | 67 | 27 | 192 | 211 | 16-12-4 | 13-14-5 | 3-6-1 | |
| 14 Philadelphia Flyers | 64 | 24 | 29 | 11 | 59 | 23 | 168 | 211 | 12-15-4 | 12-14-7 | 2-7-1 | |
| 15 Montreal Canadiens | 64 | 26 | 33 | 5 | 57 | 22 | 176 | 229 | 14-15-2 | 12-18-3 | 3-6-1 | |
| 16 Columbus Blue Jackets | 64 | 20 | 37 | 7 | 47 | 19 | 167 | 239 | 13-19-2 | 7-18-5 | 4-3-3 | |
| Western Conference | ||||||||||||
| GP | W | L | OTL | Pts | ROW | GF | GA | Home | Road | L10 | ||
| 1 Vegas Golden Knights | 64 | 38 | 20 | 6 | 82 | 34 | 204 | 179 | 21-13-1 | 17-7-5 | 6-2-2 | |
| 2 Dallas Stars | 64 | 34 | 17 | 13 | 81 | 31 | 215 | 171 | 17-9-8 | 17-8-5 | 4-3-3 | |
| 3 Los Angeles Kings | 65 | 37 | 20 | 8 | 82 | 31 | 222 | 217 | 20-9-2 | 17-11-6 | 7-2-1 | |
| 4 Minnesota Wild | 65 | 37 | 21 | 7 | 81 | 30 | 186 | 171 | 21-10-3 | 16-11-4 | 8-0-2 | |
| 5 Seattle Kraken | 64 | 37 | 21 | 6 | 80 | 37 | 225 | 202 | 16-12-3 | 21-9-3 | 7-3-0 | |
| 6 Colorado Avalanche | 62 | 35 | 21 | 6 | 76 | 31 | 201 | 174 | 17-10-5 | 18-11-1 | 7-2-1 | |
| 7 Edmonton Oilers | 65 | 35 | 22 | 8 | 78 | 35 | 251 | 218 | 16-12-5 | 19-10-3 | 5-3-2 | |
| 8 Winnipeg Jets | 65 | 36 | 26 | 3 | 75 | 35 | 201 | 183 | 21-11-2 | 15-15-1 | 2-6-2 | |
| 9 Calgary Flames | 65 | 29 | 23 | 13 | 71 | 27 | 200 | 200 | 15-13-3 | 14-10-10 | 4-4-2 | |
| 10 Nashville Predators | 61 | 31 | 23 | 7 | 69 | 28 | 178 | 180 | 16-11-3 | 15-12-4 | 6-3-1 | |
| 11 St. Louis Blues | 63 | 27 | 31 | 5 | 59 | 24 | 193 | 233 | 13-14-4 | 14-17-1 | 2-6-2 | |
| 12 Vancouver Canucks | 64 | 27 | 32 | 5 | 59 | 23 | 216 | 248 | 14-17-1 | 13-15-4 | 6-3-1 | |
| 13 Arizona Coyotes | 64 | 22 | 32 | 10 | 54 | 19 | 177 | 229 | 15-11-3 | 7-21-7 | 4-4-2 | |
| 14 Anaheim Ducks | 65 | 21 | 35 | 9 | 51 | 18 | 165 | 265 | 11-16-2 | 10-19-7 | 4-3-3 | |
| 15 San Jose Sharks | 65 | 19 | 34 | 12 | 50 | 18 | 189 | 248 | 6-18-8 | 13-16-4 | 2-7-1 | |
| 16 Chicago Blackhawks | 64 | 22 | 37 | 5 | 49 | 20 | 161 | 229 | 13-18-3 | 9-19-2 | 5-5-0 |
TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY
1897 The Cleveland Spiders sign Penobscot Indian Louis Sockalexis. Although the former Holy Cross star plays only three seasons due to alcoholism, the fans admire his outstanding skills and refer to the team as the ‘Indians’- in 1915, the name will become official.
1922 Rogers Hornsby, coveted by John McGraw of the Giants, signs a three-year contract with Cardinals’ owner Sam Breadon. The 25-year-old second baseman, who will hit .404 over the three years of the deal, agrees to $18,500 per season, making him the highest-paid player in National League history.
1943 The Dodgers trade first baseman Babe Dahlgren to the Phillies for outfielder Lloyd Waner and infielder Al Glossop. Philadelphia’s new 31-year-old infielder will enjoy an all-star season during his only year in the City of Brotherly Love, hitting a solid .287 for the seventh-place team.
1948 “Golf is a game of coordination, rhythm, and grace; women have these to a high degree.” – BABE DIDRIKSON ZAHARIAS, commenting on women’s ability to play golf. Ted Williams accepts Babe Didrikson Zaharias’s challenge to compete in a driving contest at a local range. The former Olympic track star, turned golf champion, playfully teases the Red Sox superstar, giving him pointers when the ‘Kid’ slices most of his drives as her shots go straight, and usually, longer.
1960 The police find Arnold Johnson en route to his Palm Beach home after watching his A’s play a spring training intrasquad game semi-conscious and slumped behind the wheel of his car. The 53-year-old club owner will die early tomorrow morning due to a cerebral hemorrhage.
1961 The Yankees announce the team will be leaving its spring training home in St. Petersburg to move to Fort Lauderdale by 1963. The Yankee owners also encourage the new yet unnamed National League New York franchise to play its home games at the Polo Grounds and not consider Yankee Stadium.
1963 Songwriters Ruth Roberts and Bill Katz introduced the official Met theme song, Meet the Mets, to the public. The tune will be modernized in 1984, adding Long Island, New Jersey, Brooklyn, Queens, Uptown and Down, to the team’s East Side, West Side geographical realm.
1979 Fearing legal consequences, Bowie Kuhn gives female reporters access to major league locker rooms. The commissioner’s unpopular ruling puts the players in an awkward position in their once-all-male domain.
1994 After being hit in the groin by an errant pickoff throw from teammate Mitch Williams that breaks his protective cup, John Kruk will be diagnosed with testicular cancer. The Phillies’ first baseman/outfielder will make a full recovery after surgery.
1995 At a meeting in West Palm Beach (FL), the major league owners vote unanimously, 28-0, to add their 13th and 14th expansion teams, officially granting franchises to Phoenix and Tampa Bay. The new cities, selected over municipalities that included bids from Orlando and two by groups from Washington, DC, will be assigned leagues in January of 1997.
1995 Tampa Bay’s new expansion team will be known as the Devil Rays, a name that will prove unpopular due to its un-Christian reference after being selected from more than 7,000 entries submitted by the public. The club’s owner Vince Naimoli preferred his team be called the Sting Rays, but he refused to pay the $35,000 needed to buy the trademark from a club in the Hawaiian Winter League, which owned the nickname’s rights.
2005 Current and former big-league players and baseball executives are issued subpoenas to appear on March 17 by the House Committee on Government Reform. The eleven ‘invitees’ to the congressional hearing on steroid use include Sandy Alderson, Jose Canseco, Donald Fehr, Jason Giambi, Rob Manfred, Mark McGwire, Rafael Palmeiro, Curt Schilling, Sammy Sosa, Frank Thomas, and Kevin Towers.
2005 Nikko Smith, Ozzie’s son who made it to the third round of the American Idol semi-finals, is voted off the popular reality show. Days later, the young entertainer will be asked back by the producers to replace contestant Mario Vazquez, prompting judge Paula Abdul to call him “The Comeback Kid” after his performance of West Side Story’s “One Hand, One Heart.”
2006 At Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, a “Down with Fidel” sign, seen by millions of television viewers, including those watching the WBC contest in Cuba, creates an international incident. A Cuban official attending the game confronts the sign-holder, with local police quickly intercede, taking Angel Iglesias to a nearby police station, where authorities remind the vice president of Cuba’s National Institute of Sports that Puerto Ricans enjoy the right to freedom of speech.
2009 Alex Rodriguez undergoes an 80-minute arthroscopic surgical procedure to repair torn cartilage in his right hip. The Yankee’s third baseman, who will need a more extensive operation in the offseason, expects to return to the lineup in May.
2010 Amidst much hoopla, former San Diego State right-hander Stephen Strasburg throws two scoreless innings against Detroit in his much anticipated first exhibition start for the Nationals this spring. The recipient of the Golden Spikes Award as the best amateur baseball player in the nation was selected as the number one overall pick in last year’s draft, signing a record $15.1 million, four-year deal with Washington.
2011 A helicopter airlifts Luis Salazar from just outside Champion Stadium in Kissimmee (FL) to Orlando Regional Medical Center after being struck in the face by a line drive pulled into the dugout by Brian McCann in the first inning of a Braves exhibition game. The 54-year-old minor league manager sustains a concussion and will lose his left eye due to the injury.
2014 Barry Bonds returns to the Giants as a special spring training instructor for the young Giants’ hitters, a role the organization believes will benefit the club for years to come. The much-maligned former superstar, who played in his last major league game in 2007, has a ten-year personal services contract with San Francisco, which has yet to commence.
2017 Kris Bryant (.292, 39, 102), who made $652K in his rookie year, becomes the highest-paid second-year player when he comes to terms with the World Champion Cubs on a contract reportedly worth $1.05 million. The Chicago third baseman’s deal surpasses the previous record major league record of one million dollars, given to sophomore outfielder Mike Trout in 2014 by the Angels.
2017 “Major League Baseball’s greatest responsibility is to ensure that today’s youth become active participants in our game as players and fans. The ‘MLB Little League Classic’ exemplifies our entire sport’s commitment to building a stronger connection between young people and the National Pastime” – ROB MANFRED, Commissioner of Baseball. Major League Baseball announces Williamsport’s BB&T Ballpark, the second-oldest minor league ballpark in the United States, formerly known as Bowman Field when it opened in 1926, will host the first “MLB Little League Classic.” The regular-season game between the Cardinals and Pirates on August 20, originally scheduled to be played at PNC Park, will occur in conjunction with the Little League World Series that will be taking place in nearby Howard J. Lamade Stadium.
BASEBALL’S BEST
BRAD HOGG BIOGRAPHY
BY CLYDE HOGG
Here’s far more information on my late great-uncle Bradley Hogg. Lots more than you probably ever wanted, but what the hell. Information is cheap. Sometimes. Besides, it’s a good story.
Bradley went to Mercer University in Macon, Georgia and graduated from Mercer Law as an attorney in 1911. Four or five Major League clubs offered him contracts in late spring of 1911 on the basis of his twelve-game unbeaten streak as a pitcher for Mercer, but he turned them all down because he knew he had to graduate first. Boston was the only team willing to wait, so the Nationals got his name on a contract.
Boston sent him to Class B Haverhill of the New England League, and he was easily the Hustlers’ best pitcher, going 10-3 (winning his first eight in a row) before the Rustlers called him up in late August. In his last game for Haverhill, he was shelled, then accused of “laying down” for money by Haverhill owner Dan Clohecy. He challenged this accusation, which went all the way to the National Commission, and was proved innocent after an investigation.
He had his Major League debut (in relief) on September 1, 1911, but his first start was the next day (September 2nd) against Brooklyn in a 4-3 loss due in part to errors by his teammates. This was in the first game of a doubleheader. The second game, the Rustlers won 2-1 on more Brooklyn errors and the winning pitcher was Bradley’s teammate (and for the rest of the season his doubleheader-rotation mate) Cy Young.
Bradley started the 1912 season with Boston, but wasn’t ready in spite of his 1-1 record, so the Braves sent him down in June to the New England League again in a trade with the New Bedford Whalers. They gave the Whalers Bradley and $1,000 for a little shortstop of some ability named Walter “Rabbit” Maranville.
Bradley immediately made a big impression on the New England League by pitching the only no-hitter of the 1912 season in his first game, an 11-0 shutout over Brockton, the league leaders. In spite of an ERA under 2.00, Bradley went 9-10 for the Whalers, who were a pretty poor team.
Drafted by Mobile (Class A) of the Southern Association in 1913 for $600 (equivalent to $10,560 today), he became the Gulls’ best pitcher over the next three years, averaging twenty wins a season. He continued his streaky pitching, with the 1913, ’14 and ’15 seasons all featuring winning streaks of eight and nine games. He led the league in 1915, going 22-12 in spite of three weeks off due to hurting his leg sliding.
He was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in September 1915, and pitched two games for them in the last weeks of the Major League season, getting a no-decision against the Phillies in his first attempt, then shutting out the Reds 5-0 on four hits in the second to earn a contract for the 1916 season. His catcher in that game was also his manager, future Hall of Famer Roger Bresnahan.
When the Cubs were sold during the 1915-16 off season, Bradley got caught in the numbers. New Cubs’ manager Joe Tinker tried to skirt waivers and sell him outright to Memphis of the Southern Association, but Bradley (being an attorney, he knew the rules) took it to the National Commission and had the sale voided. After a short appearance in Tampa with the Cubs during spring training, he was sold to the Los Angeles Angels, and played under their new manager-part owner, future Hall of Famer Frank Chance, where his 16-9 record helped the Angels win the Pacific Coast League pennant in 1916.
Pitching for the Angels in 1917, Bradley led the Pacific Coast League with a 27-13 record, including ten and fifteen-game winning streaks. The only reason the second one stopped at fifteen was due to the season ending, the Angels finishing second by half a game.
Sold to the Philadelphia Phillies in the winter of 1917, Bradley became Pat Moran’s best right-hander, with the best ERA on the 6th place club – 2.53. His 13-13 record also led the staff of regulars. Retiring after the 1918 season, Bradley opened his law practice in Americus, Georgia.
After the Phillies’ poor start in 1919, owner Bill Baker (under urging from new Phils’ manager “Colby Jack” Coombs) offered him a big raise and got him to come back for one more run. A bad decision, as the Phillies were awful. Bradley never got in shape until September, and went 5-12 for the last-place team. He often switched off roles as starter and reliever for teammate Eppa Rixey, another future Hall of Famer who went 6-12 himself.
After the season, when Major League baseball outlawed “trick deliveries” including his spitball / shineball, he voluntarily retired — making him the first spitballer to retire as a direct result of the new rule — and became a full-time lawyer.
In 1923, he became involved with the origination of Americus, Georgia’s entry in the new semi-pro South Georgia League, managing (and pitching ONE game) for about three weeks. Family and business constraints forced him to retire again, and he was replaced by an itinerant ballplayer and his team of itinerants, a man named “Shoeless” Joe Jackson who took the team from last to first and the pennant. What a surprise.
Bradley died in 1935 as a result of using the common dipper to drink water from the well in the center of town in Americus, contracting tuberculosis which killed him.
BASEBALL YEAR IN REVIEW
YEAR IN REVIEW : 1908 AMERICAN LEAGUE
Off the field…
President Theodore Roosevelt held the “White House Conservation Conference”, which later led to the establishment of the National Conservation Commission. The main purpose of the Commission was to implement new regulations for conserving the earth’s natural resources by protecting its capacity for self-renewal. Particularly complex were the problems of nonrenewable energy resources such as oil and coal and other minerals that are still in great demand today.
In the American League…
On April 14th, Boston played their first game under the new nickname, the “Red Sox” and christened it with a 3-1 win over the Washington Senators at the Huntington Avenue Baseball Grounds.
The Detroit Tigers set a unique Major League record on June 7th after turning a triple play against the Boston Red Sox for the second day in a row.
Bob Rhoads, of the Cleveland Naps, tossed a no-hitter on September 18, 1908, against the newly named BoSox. Cleveland wins 2-to-1.
In the National League…
In March, Honus Wagner announced his retirement from the Pittsburgh Pirates at the age of thirty-four. Despite the intention, he went on to play in one-hundred fifty-one games (more than in any of the past ten years) and led the league in hitting (for the sixth time), hits, total bases, doubles, triples, RBIs, and stolen bases.
On May 23rd, New York Giants third baseman Art Devlin tied a Major League record by handling thirteen total chances during a 6-2 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals.
Around the League…
In 1908, the original sacrifice fly rule was adopted. It stated: No “time at bat” was charged — if a run scored after the catch of a fly ball. The rule was later repealed in 1931 and went through several variations before permanent acceptance in 1954.
Despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary (after a two-year investigation by the Mills Committee) National League president A.G. Mills declared that Abner Doubleday had indeed, invented the sport of baseball at Cooperstown, New York in 1839.
Henry Chadwick, a leading reporter, commentator, scorer, and promoter of the game, died in Brooklyn at the age of eighty-three. Chadwick was known as “The Father of Baseball” and is credited with developing the initial scoring and statistical systems for the game.
Singing sensation Billy Murray hit the charts with “Take Me Out to the Ball Game”.
FOOTBALL HISTORY
March 9, 1960 – Per Joe Ziemba the Cardinals announce that rumors of the franchise would be leaving Chicago and go to St Louis. Joe tells all of the details in his latest When Football was Football on the Sports History Network.
March 9, 1876 – Freeport, Illinois – Princeton’s standout tackle from 1896 through 1899, Art Doc Hillebrand arrived into life. Learn about this interesting gridiron person by clicking his name.
March 9, 1927 – San Francisco, California – Jackie Jensen the stud Cal fullback from 1946 to 1948 celebrated his birth. We have a lot more on this Hall of Fame player when you mash the link on his name.
HALL OF FAME BIRTHDAYS FOR MARCH 9
March 9, 1944 – Waterville, Maine – The standout linebacker for the Black Bears of the University of Maine in the years of 1964 to 1966, John Huard was born. John made his fellow statesmen proud when he helped the Black Bears earn their first ever trip to the postseason. The fans at Maine knew they had a special player right at the onset of his collegiate career as in his first game he registered an amazing 22 tackles! The National Football Foundation states that John was a two-time First-Team All-America selection in the gridiron seasons of 1965 and 1966. Huard achieved the prestigious acclaim of becoming the first member of Alfond Stadium’s Ring of Honor and Sports Illustrated named him as one of the top twenty athletes that came out of the State of Maine. John Huard was given further honor for his brilliant career when he earned a place in the College Football Hall of Fame in 2014. After graduation John was picked up by the Denver Broncos and he played in that organization in addition to the New Orleans Saint for a total of four NFL seasons.
March 9, 1965 – Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – The “Boz”, Brian Bosworth who started at linebacker for the Oklahoma Sooners in the years of 1984 to 1986 was a stork delivery. Brian has the distinction of being the only two time winner of the Butkus Award for being the top linebacker in the country! Footballfoundation.org says Boz helped the Sooners and Coach Barry Switzer reach the heights of the 1985 National Championship with his outstanding play in the Oklahoma defense. In Brian’s three years at the school they won the Big Eight Conference three times, played in the Orange bowl each year and garnered an incredible 31-4-1 record. Despite playing alongside College Hall of Fame greats Keith Jackson and Tony Casillas, Bosworth led the Sooners in tackles each year he played accumulating a total of 395 in his college career. The National Football Foundation placed the legendary college career of Brian Bosworth into their College Football Hall of Fame in 2015. The Seattle Seahawks gained the right of Boz in the 1987 Supplemental NFL Draft and he played their for 3 years before injury forced him to retire.
NUMBERS IN SPORTS
3 – 9
March 9, 1895 – The Stanley Cup is played and handed out at Victoria Rink in Montreal, Quebec. The Montreal Victorias clinched the trophy as Montreal HC defeated Queens University of Kingston, Ontario by the score of 5-1
March 9, 1897 – The Cleveland baseball fans start calling their team the “Indians.” The moniker did not become official in the MLB until 1915.
March 9, 1904 – Lester Patrick of Brandon became the first recorded defensive player to score have scored a goal.
March 9, 1936 – Babe Ruth, Number 3 graciously rejected an offer by the Concinnati Reds to make a comeback as a player on their roster.
March 9, 1946 – The Mexican baseball League offered Ted Williams, Number 9, $500,000 to play in their league, Williams turned down their offer and stayed with the Boston Red Sox and lead the League in RBIs, Homeruns, walks, runs and more in 1947.
TV THURSDAY
| NCAA BASKETBALL GAMES – MEN’S | TIME ET | TV |
| MAC Quarterfinal: Toledo vs. Miami | 11:00am | ESPN+ |
| Atlantic 10 Quarterfinal | 11:30am | USA |
| ACC Quarterfinal | 12:00pm | ESPN |
| Big East Quarterfinal | 12:00pm | FS1 |
| Big Ten Second Round | 12:00pm | BTN |
| Big 12 Quarterfinal: Baylor vs. Iowa State | 12:30pm | ESPN2 |
| American First Round | 12:30pm | ESPNU |
| SEC Second Round | 1:00pm | SECN |
| MAC Quarterfinal: Ball State vs. Ohio | 1:30pm | ESPN+ |
| Atlantic 10 Quarterfinal | 2:00pm | USA |
| ACC Quarterfinal | 2:30pm | ESPN |
| Big East Quarterfinal | 2:30pm | FS1 |
| Big Ten Second Round | 2:30pm | BTN |
| Big 12 Quarterfinal | 3:00pm | ESPN2 |
| American First Round | 3:00pm | ESPNU |
| Mountain West Quarterfinal | 3:00pm | CBSSN |
| Pac-12 Quarterfinal | 3:00pm | PAC12N |
| Big West Quarterfinal | 3:00pm | ESPN+ |
| SWAC Quarterfinal | 3:00pm | ESPN+ |
| WAC Quarterfinal | 3:00pm | ESPN+ |
| SEC Second Round | 3:30pm | SECN |
| MAC Quarterfinal: Kent State vs. Northern Illinois | 4:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Atlantic 10 Quarterfinal | 5:00pm | USA |
| WAC Quarterfinal | 5:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Mountain West Quarterfinal | 5:30pm | CBSSN |
| Pac-12 Quarterfinal | 5:30pm | PAC12N |
| Big West Quarterfinal | 5:30pm | ESPN+ |
| MEAC Quarterfinal: Maryland Eastern Shore vs. Morgan State | 6:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Big Ten Second Round | 6:30pm | BTN |
| MAC Quarterfinal: Akron vs. Buffalo | 6:30pm | ESPN+ |
| Conference USA Quarterfinal | 6:30pm | ESPN+ |
| ACC Quarterfinal | 7:00pm | ESPN |
| Big 12 Quarterfinal | 7:00pm | ESPN2 |
| Big East Quarterfinal | 7:00pm | FS1 |
| American First Round | 7:00pm | ESPNU |
| SEC Second Round | 7:00pm | SECN |
| Conference USA Quarterfinal | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| MAAC Quarterfinal | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Atlantic 10 Quarterfinal | 7:30pm | USA |
| MEAC Quarterfinal: Norfolk State vs. Coppin State | 8:30pm | ESPN+ |
| Big Ten Second Round | 9:00pm | BTN |
| Mountain West Quarterfinal | 9:00pm | CBSSN |
| Pac-12 Quarterfinal | 9:00pm | PAC12N |
| Conference USA Quarterfinal | 9:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Big West Quarterfinal | 9:00pm | ESPN+ |
| WAC Quarterfinal | 9:00pm | ESPN+ |
| ACC Quarterfinal | 9:30pm | ESPN |
| Big 12 Quarterfinal: Kansas State vs. TCU | 9:30pm | ESPN2 |
| Big East Quarterfinal | 9:30pm | FS1 |
| SEC Second Round | 9:30pm | SECN |
| Conference USA Quarterfinal | 9:30pm | ESPN+ |
| MAAC Quarterfinal | 9:30pm | ESPN+ |
| SWAC Quarterfinal | 9:30pm | ESPN+ |
| WAC Quarterfinal | 11:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Pac-12 Quarterfinal | 11:30pm | ESPN |
| Mountain West Quarterfinal | 11:30pm | CBSSN |
| Big West Quarterfinal | 11:30pm | ESPN+ |
| GOLF | TIME ET | TV |
| 2023 Players Championship | 12:00pm | GOLF |
| NBA REGULAR SEASON GAMES | TIME ET | TV |
| Phoenix at Dallas | 1:00pm | ABC |
| Golden State at LA Lakers | 3:30pm | ABC |
| Indiana at Chicago | 3:30pm | NBCS-CHI Bally Sports |
| Charlotte at Brooklyn | 6:00pm | YES Bally Sports |
| Portland at Orlando | 6:00pm | Root Sports Bally Sports |
| San Antonio at Houston | 7:00pm | ATTSN-SW Bally Sports |
| Utah at Oklahoma City | 7:00pm | Bally Sports ATTSN-RM |
| New York at Boston | 7:30pm | ESPN MSG NBCS-BOS |
| Milwaukee at Washington | 7:30pm | NBCS-WSH Bally Sports |
| Memphis at LA Clippers | 10:00pm | ESPN Bally Sports |
| NHL REGULAR SEASON GAMES | TIME ET | TV |
| San Jose at Winnipeg | 7:30pm | NBCS-CA Sportsnet |
| Edmonton at Buffalo | 7:30pm | ESPN+ HULU |
| Calgary at Dallas | 8:30pm | Bally Sports Sportsnet |
| Ottawa at Chicago | 9:00pm | NBCS-CHI Sportsnet |
| Nashville at Vancouver | 10:30pm | Bally Sports Sportsnet |
| Washington at Los Angeles | 10:30pm | Bally Sports NBCS-WSH |
| SOCCER | TIME ET | TV |
| UEFA Europa Conference League: Anderlecht vs Villarreal | 12:45pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa Conference League: Sheriff vs Nice | 12:45pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa Conference League: Tauro vs León | 12:45pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa Conference League: AEK Larnaca vs West Ham United | 12:45pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa League: Union Berlin vs Union Saint-Gilloise | 12:45pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa League: Roma vs Real Sociedad | 12:45pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa League: Sporting CP vs Arsenal | 12:45pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa League: Bayer Leverkusen vs Ferencváros | 12:45pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa League: Juventus vs Freiburg | 3:00pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa League: Sevilla vs Fenerbahçe | 3:00pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa League: Manchester United vs Real Betis | 3:00pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa Conference League: Gent vs İstanbul Başakşehir | 3:00pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa Conference League: Fiorentina vs Sivasspor | 3:00pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Europa Conference League: Lech Poznań vs Djurgården | 3:00pm | Paramount+ |
| CONCACAF Champions League: Motagua vs Pachuca | 8:00pm | FS2 |
| CONCACAF Champions League: Alajuelense vs Los Angeles FC | 10:00pm | FS2 |
| WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC | TIME ET | TV |
| Japan vs. China | 5:00am | FS2 |
| Cuba vs. Italy | 6:00am | Tubi |
| China vs. Czech Republic | 10:00pm | Tubi |
| Panama vs. Cuba | 11:00pm | FS1 |