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
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
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]
MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL SCOREBOARD
#9 GONZAGA 77 #16 ST. MARY’S 51
GEORGIA TECH 61 FLORIDA STATE 60
VIRGINIA TECH 67 NOTRE DAME 64
BOSTON COLLEGE 80 LOUISVILLE 62
NORTHERN KENTUCKY 63 CLEVELAND STATE 61
COMPLETE SCOREBOARD: HTTP://HOSTED.STATS.COM/CBK/SCOREBOARD.ASP?CONF=-1&DAY=20230307
WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL SCOREBOARD
PORTLAND 64 #16 GONZAGA 60
#21 UNLV 71 SAN DIEGO STATE 68
CLEVELAND STATE 73 GREEN BAY 61
HOUSTON 52 SMU 33
MEMPHIS 48 CENTRAL FLORIDA 46
EAST CAROLINA 69 TULANE 58
WYOMING 65 COLORADO STATE 56
COMPLETE SCOREBOARD: HTTP://HOSTED.STATS.COM/WCBK/SCOREBOARD.ASP?CONF=-1&DAY=20230307
NBA SCOREBOARD
WASHINGTON 119 DETROIT 117
MILWAUKEE 134 ORLANDO 123
PHILADELPHIA 117 MINNESOTA 94
CHARLOTTE 112 NEW YORK 105
BROOKLYN 118 HOUSTON 96
OKLAHOMA CITY 137 GOLDEN STATE 128
DALLAS 120 UTAH 116
LA LAKERS 112 MEMPHIS 103
BOX SCORES: HTTP://HOSTED.STATS.COM/NBA/SCOREBOARD.ASP
NHL SCOREBOARD
FLORIDA 2 VEGAS 1
CAROLINA 4 MONTRÉAL 3
TORONTO 4 NEW JERSEY 3
PITTSBURGH 5 COLUMBUS 4
TAMPA BAY 5 PHILADELPHIA 2
NY ISLANDERS 3 BUFFALO 2
CALGARY 1 MINNESOTA 0
ARIZONA 6 ST. LOUIS 2
COLORADO 6 SAN JOSE 0
SEATTLE 5 ANAHEIM 2
BOX SCORES: HTTP://HOSTED.STATS.COM/NHL/SCOREBOARD.ASP
TOP NATIONAL HEADLINES
MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL
2023 BIG TEN MEN’S BASKETBALL POSTSEASON HONORS ANNOUNCED
ROSEMONT, Ill. – The Big Ten Conference has announced its All-Big Ten Men’s Basketball Teams and individual award winners for the 2022-23 season. Due to ties, a total of 16 student-athletes were selected to the All-Big Ten teams by the coaches and the media. Additionally, 22 student-athletes were awarded honorable mention status.
Purdue’s Zach Edey was named Big Ten Player of the Year by both the league’s coaches and the media. The Boilermaker’s center joined Michigan’s Chris Webber (1992-93) as the only Big Ten players in the last 30 years to have at least 600 points, 350 rebounds and 50 blocked shots in a season.
Northwestern’s Chase Audige and Rutgers’ Caleb McConnell were named Big Ten Co-Defensive Players of the Year. Both were recently named among 15 semifinals for the 2023 Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Award and rank in the top 25 in career steals among active players with 195 and 208, respectively.
Indiana’s Jalen Hood-Schifino collected Freshman of the Year honors from both the coaches and the media after averaging 17.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 3.0 assists in games against AP ranked opponents. He is shooting 56.5 percent from 2-point range and 90.0 percent from the free throw line in those contests.
Iowa’s Payton Sandfort earned Sixth Man of the Year accolades after pairing 10.2 points and 4.0 rebounds, both fourth on the team. Sandfort scored north of 10 points 10 times, including five 20-point games.
Both the coaches and media selected Northwestern Head Coach Chris Collins as Big Ten Coach of the Year. Collins led the Wildcats to a 21-10 record, including 12-8 in the Big Ten, and the No. 2 seed in the upcoming Big Ten Tournament. The 12 conference wins are the most in program history, while the 21 total victories rank second.
For the first time, the Big Ten Conference has awarded the Howard Moore Assistant Coach of the Year Award. The inaugural recipient is Northwestern’s Chris Lowery. A defensive specialist, Lowery helped create a drastic defensive improvement in Evanston. In his first season on the Northwestern bench, The Wildcats allowed just 62.3 points per game, 18th in the nation, down from 69.9 points a season ago. A well-respected coach throughout the conference, Lowery helped Audige earn Co-Defensive Player of the Year honors, as Northwestern won a program record 12 conference games.
The award which honors former Wisconsin assistant coach Howard Moore, is presented to a men’s basketball assistant coach who demonstrates commitment to the development of student-athletes on and off the court; who has made a measurable contribution to the betterment of their community; and who has shown a commitment to diversity and inclusion. The recipient shall have made a demonstrable positive impact on the lives of those with whom they interact.
Howard Moore has had an impact on the Big Ten Conference at all levels, playing on the Wisconsin basketball team from 1992-95, holding an assistant coaching role for the Badgers from 2006-10 and 2016-19 and serving as an analyst on the Big Ten Network. His impact extends far beyond basketball where his Moore Foundation was an extension of the way he lives his life: being selfless and putting others first. His career was tragically cut short in May of 2019 when an accident with a drunk driver claimed the lives of his wife and daughter and left him with life-altering disabilities.
The Big Ten also recognized 14 Sportsmanship Award honorees. The student-athletes chosen are individuals who have distinguished themselves through sportsmanship and ethical behavior. These student-athletes must also be in good academic standing and have demonstrated good citizenship outside of the sports-competition setting.
The awards are voted on by conference coaches and a select media panel. The complete list of All-Conference honorees and individual award winners is below.
2022-23 All-Big Ten Men’s Basketball Team
As selected by Big Ten Coaches
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Zach Edey, Purdue
CO-DEFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
Chase Audige, Northwestern
Caleb McConnell, Rutgers
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Jalen Hood-Schifino, Indiana
SIXTH MAN OF THE YEAR
Payton Sandfort, Iowa
COACH OF THE YEAR
Chris Collins, Northwestern
HOWARD MOORE ASSISTANT COACH OF THE YEAR AWARD
Chris Lowery, Northwestern
FIRST TEAM
Terrence Shannon Jr., Illinois
TRAYCE JACKSON-DAVIS, Indiana
Kris Murray, Iowa
Jalen Pickett, Penn State
ZACH EDEY, PURDUE
SECOND TEAM*
Jahmir Young, Maryland
Hunter Dickinson, Michigan
Tyson Walker, Michigan State
Derrick Walker, Nebraska
Chase Audige, Northwestern
Boo Buie, Northwestern
THIRD TEAM
Matthew Mayer, Illinois
Jalen Hood-Schifino, Indiana
Kobe Bufkin, Michigan
Jett Howard, Michigan
Clifford Omoruyi, Rutgers
HONORABLE MENTION
Connor McCaffery, Iowa
Tony Perkins, Iowa
Filip Rebraca, Iowa
Julian Reese, Maryland
Hakim Hart, Maryland
Donta Scott, Maryland
Joey Hauser, Michigan State
A.J. Hoggard, Michigan State
Dawson Garcia, Minnesota
Keisei Tominaga, Nebraska
Zed Key, Ohio State
Brice Sensabaugh, Ohio State
Justice Sueing, Ohio State
Andrew Funk, Penn State
Seth Lundy, Penn State
Braden Smith, Purdue
Fletcher Loyer, Purdue
Caleb McConnell, Rutgers
Paul Mulcahy, Rutgers
Cam Spencer, Rutgers
Chucky Hepburn, Wisconsin
ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM
Jalen Hood-Schifino, Indiana
Jett Howard, Michigan
Brice Sensabaugh, Ohio State
Braden Smith, Purdue
Connor Essegian, Wisconsin
ALL-DEFENSIVE TEAM
Trayce Jackson-Davis, Indiana
Chase Audige, Northwestern
Zach Edey, Purdue
Caleb McConnell, Rutgers
Clifford Omoruyi, Rutgers
Unanimous selections in ALL CAPS
*Additional honorees due to ties
SPORTING NEWS ALL-AMERICANS
(THE SPORTING NEWS)
If March is a guard’s game in college basketball, as the great Denny Crum insisted on so many occasions, then all the other months have come to belong to the big fellas.
An era of NBA basketball that has diminished the importance of height at the sport’s highest level has led to more players who are classified as “bigs” now remaining in college for longer and accomplishing more. It has helped that the ability to earn endorsement money has made playing Division I basketball an attractive alternative to chasing minor-league money.
The presence of so many gifted frontcourt players in the college game has led to this phenomenon: Whereas in 2002, The Sporting News All-America team featured four guards and one forward – Jay Williams of Duke, Juan Dixon of Maryland, Steve Logan of Cincinnati and Dan Dickau of Gonzaga along with Drew Gooden of Kansas – this one has not a single guard on the first team and only five guards among the 15 on the three All-America teams.
The blue ribbon panel of voters identified by The Sporting News includes reporters and analysts who closely cover the game across the U.S., from national voices to television analysts to beat reporters assigned to specific teams and leagues. The TSN squad is one of four identified by the NCAA for inclusion in establishment of the annual consensus All-America team.
The members chose only one player this year unanimously: Purdue center Zach Edey, who received a first-team nod from every voter. Kansas’ terrific junior forward Jalen Wilson missed that distinction by a single vote. Wilson forever will be an All-American, though – the fourth for KU in the last six seasons.
Sporting News All-America First team
Trayce Jackson-Davis, Indiana
6-9, 245, Sr. F
Key stats: 20.1 ppg, 11.0 rpg, 3.8 apg, 2.8 bpg, 57.4 pct. FG
Defining game: 35 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 blocks and 15-of-19 shooting in 80-65 victory at Illinois.
Overview: After beginning the year with an injury that bothered him into January, Jackson-Davis transformed into the dominant player it was clear he could become. It started with a 30-point effort at Iowa just after New Year’s Day. Before that, he had reached the 20-point mark only three times in 10 games. A healthy TJD was a fearsome TJD in the season’s final two months. He led IU to 10 wins in a 13-game stretch that began in mid-January and averaged 22.4 points in 26 games that included not a single low-major stat-padding opportunity. He hit Michigan State for 31 points, 15 rebounds and 5 blocks, Rutgers for 25 points and 5 blocks and Michigan for 28 points and 11 rebounds. If it weren’t for Edey, or possibly the back injury that limited his first two months, TJD might have been the leading candidate for Player of the Year.
Zach Edey, Purdue
7-4, 295, Jr. C
Key stats: 22.3 ppg, 12.9 rpg, 2.4 bpg, 61.2 pct. FG
Defining game: 38 points, 13 rebounds, 3 blocks, 3 steals in 77-61 victory over Michigan State.
Overview: Edey shared time almost equally last season with veteran Trevion Williams, and he averaged 14.4 points and 7 rebounds in 19 minutes a game. So maybe we all, through the simple magic of mathematics, should have seen this coming. But you try finding any publication or analyst anywhere who suggested Edey would be this season’s dominant player. It began with 20 points on 8-of-11 shooting against eventual Big East champion Marquette and continued as the Boilers won 21 of their first 22 games. And as that rampage turned into a bit of a retreat, Edey got even better: In four February losses, Edey averaged 25.3 points and 12.5 rebounds. Those numbers came as opponents chose to double- and triple-team Edey and leave open the Boilers’ slumping shooters. Teams couldn’t stop him even with multiple players at once.
Jalen Wilson, Kansas
6-8, 225, Jr. F
Key stats: 19.7 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 2.5 apg
Defining game: 25 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists in 69-64 victory over Duke
Overview: In the same way as Ochai Agbaji did in 2021-22, Wilson stepped forward to accept the responsibility of serving as the Jayhawks’ first option and carried the bulk of the KU attack. Bill Self’s best teams almost always have an All-America level player at their core, and it’s not certain the Jayhawks could excel to the level they do without it. That’s a tremendous burden as much as it is an opportunity. And Wilson has managed it beautifully. There were only two single-figure scoring games, both victories. And it’s telling that in both of those, as he struggled to conquer the opposing defense, he did not chase numbers or shots. He scores at all three levels, defends at a high level and delivered 11 double-figure rebounding games.
Brandon Miller, Alabama
6-9, 200, Fr. F
Key stats: 19.6 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 40.4 3-PT, 45.3 pct. FG
Defining game: 30 points, 10 rebounds, 10-of-16 shooting in 78-66 victory at Vanderbilt.
Overview: Miller’s play has been a revelation almost from his first game at Alabama. Rated only the 11th-best player in the freshman class of 2022, he performed as the nation’s best freshman within the season’s first month. He was not regarded as elite from 3-point range as he entered Alabama, but that became his greatest strength; he was 38-of-71 – 53.5 percent – in his first 11 games. His length helped empower an imposing Alabama frontcourt defense. It’s inescapable, though, his season will be better remembered for the terrible incident at which he was present in January, when a teammate was arrested for alleged involvement in the murder of a young woman near the Alabama campus. Miller was not charged in the case, but neither was he publicly disciplined by the Crimson Tide basketball staff or athletic department.
Drew Timme, Gonzaga
6-10, 235, Sr. C
Key stats: 21.1 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 3.4 apg, 61.8 pct. FG
Defining game: 29 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists and 12-of-18 shooting in 100-90 victory over Alabama.
Overview: For the third consecutive season, Timme stood forward as the most polished offensive big man in college basketball. It seems like he’s inventing new ways to score every week. He can finish with either hand, has a complete understanding of how to get opponents off balance and is lethal on mid-range jumpers from inside the lane. He delivered four 30-point games and eight double-doubles and has developed over the course of his career into an exceptional passer for a player at his position. He has started 95 games over the past three seasons; the Zags are 85-10 in those games.
Sporting News All-America Second Team
Marcus Sasser, Houston
6-2, 195, Jr., G
Key stats: 17.1 ppg, 3.3 apg, 1.7 spg, 38.2 3-PT
Defining game: 22 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, 4 steals in 89-59 win at Tulane.
Overview: One wonders if Houston would be pursuing a third consecutive Final Four appearance had not Sasser been injured and lost for the year – taking his 3-point production with him — not even halfway through the 2021-22 season. We are seeing now what last year’s Cougars missed, from the toughness that is essential to the Cougars’ defense to the variety of ways Sasser makes the offense better. It is rare for a player who operates primarily off the ball and serves as his team’s first perimeter option to deliver such a high rate of assists. And his 3-point accuracy prevents opponents from concentrating their defenses on the team’s powerful frontcourt.
Jaime Jaquez, UCLA
6-7, 225, Sr., F
Key stats: 17.5 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 2.4 apg, 48.7 pct. FG
Defining game: 19 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 steals in 63-53 victory over Kentucky.
Overview: If there were room for a “sixth man” on the All-America first team, Jaquez would have been the guy. He fueled the Bruins’ dominance of the Pac-12 Conference with his ability to contribute in every way one can in a basketball game, up to and including rim protection. When the Bruins’ typically elite defense took a night off in a home game against Utah, Jaquez willed himself into operating as a smaller Rudy Gobert, swatting down five Utes shot attempts. Jaquez is a ballhandler, passer, rebounder, defender, shooter and scorer: perhaps the most complete player in Division I.
Azoulas Tubelis, Arizona
6-11, 245, Jr., F
Key stats: 19.9 ppg, 9.2 rpg, 2.0 apg, 57.7 pct. FG
Defining game: 40 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 16-of-21 shooting in 91-76 victory over Oregon.
Overview: Opponents had few answers for Tubelis’ combination of overwhelming size, elite skill and unyielding energy. He blossomed from a reliable two-year starter into an offensive force in his junior season, breaking out with a 30-point game at the Maui Invitational against Cincinnati and later impressing with 19 points against Tennessee’s extraordinary interior defense. He became one of the few players ever to lead the Pac-12 in scoring and rebounding, joining such players as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and A.C. Green.
Jalen Pickett, Penn State
6-4, 209, Sr. G
Key stats: 18.1 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 7.0 apg, 1.7 spg,, 43.4 pct. FG
Defining game: 41 points, 8 assists, 15-of-20 shooting in 93-81 win against Illinois.
Overview: It’s almost too limiting to call him the nation’s best point guard because his contributions to the Nittany Lions go well beyond mere playmaking. You will not find a lot of players in Division I who lead their teams in scoring, rebounding and assists – like, ever. His physicality allows him to back down guards of any size and either score on turnaround jumpers or find teammates open on the perimeter for 3-point shots. He is always looking for the open pass, even on nights when he determines it will be best to serve as his team’s primary option. His versatility helped elevate a team with essentially no frontcourt presence to an NCAA Tournament contender.
Tyler Kolek, Marquette
6-3, 190, So. G
Key stats: 12.7 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 7.9 apg, 1.8 spg, 48.8 pct. FG, 39.6 pct 3-PT
Defining game: 22 points, 14 assists, 2 steals in 90-84 win over DePaul.
Overview: Kolek runs an offense as though born into it, like one of those musical prodigies playing Chopin on the piano at 9 years old. It’s still astounding to think he had not been primarily a point guard before arriving at Marquette in the fall of 2021 and almost immediately demonstrating a skill for passing that made him the obvious choice to run the Golden Eagles’ attack in his first season. As a sophomore, he assumed full command of one of the Big East’s – and the nation’s – top teams. It’s not easy to become an All-American while delivering barely a dozen points per game, but Kolek creates plenty of baskets in other ways.
Sporting News All-America Third Team
Markquis Nowell, Kansas State
5-7, 155, Sr. G
Overview: When K-State was going through a coaching change, Nowell could have been one of the hottest players in the transfer portal, but he committed to helping rebuild the Wildcats into a postseason contender and was nearly as important in the transition period for new coach Jerome Tang as he was in producing 17 points and 7.7 assists per game. He was one of two great star players for K-State, teaming with transfer forward Keyontae Johnson in perhaps the best tandem in Division I. They were the only team that had two players receive multiple votes from our panel.
Kris Murray, Iowa
6-8, 220, Jr. F
Overview: How long did it take for Kris to step away from the shadow of his twin brother Keegan, who was a first-team All-American last season and a top-5 NBA Draft pick by the Sacramento Kings? In the third game of the first season he’s played without his brother, Kris struck a fine Seton Hall defense for 29 points. That’s pretty fast. Kris finished the year averaging 20.5 points and 8 rebounds. He reached the 20-point mark 15 times and topped 30 points four times. He’s such an exceptional finisher he converted nearly 60 percent of his 2-point attempts.
Oscar Tshiebwe, Kentucky
6-9, 260, Sr. C
Overview: It is not often the player who wins every major player of the year trophy – including the Naismith Award, the Oscar Robertson Trophy, The Sporting News Player of the Year – returns in the modern age of basketball. And when it used to happen fairly often in the 1960s, 70s and 80s, that player usually went out and did it again. Tshiebwe did not have such a season, perhaps because of a preseason knee surgery that limited his preparation time. He eventually recovered well enough to average 16.4 points and 13.1 rebounds and help rescue Kentucky from the brink of missing the NCAA Tournament to a position solidly in the field.
Kendric Davis, Memphis
6-0, 177, Sr. G
Overview: If there was something good happening with the Tigers, it usually involved Davis. He ranked in the nation’s top 20 in both scoring and assists and thus was involved in more than 40 percent of his team’s made field goals – even though he missed one full game and parts of others with a nagging ankle injury. Davis was American Athletic Conference player of the year in 2021-22 at Memphis, and attracting him as a transfer almost certainly was indispensable to Memphis’ hopes to return to the NCAAs for a second consecutive season.
Armando Bacot, North Carolina
6-10, 240, Sr. C
Overview: This has not been the season either Bacot or Carolina imagined after they were ranked No. 1 in the preseason polls and he was identified as a potential player of the year candidate. He averaged a double-double, though, at 16.5 points and 10.8 rebounds and had a run of five consecutive 20-point games. That ended when he injured his ankle early in a game at Virginia, and he hit that mark only twice in the remaining 14 regular season games. It would not be surprising if he was less than 100 percent for at least some portion, if not all, of that stretch.
AP: ALABAMA’S BRANDON MILLER SEC PLAYER, NEWCOMER OF YEAR
Alabama freshman Brandon Miller, whose tremendous season on the court has been clouded by controversy off it, is The Associated Press player of the year and newcomer of the year in the Southeastern Conference.
Texas A&M’s Buzz Williams was named coach of the year on Tuesday in voting by 14 reporters who cover the SEC.
Texas A&M guard Wade Taylor IV and Kentucky forward Oscar Tshiebwe, last year’s national player of the year, were unanimous first-team picks. The other first-team selections are Missouri guard/forward Kobe Brown and Mississippi State forward Tolu Smith.
Miller was a first-team pick on all but one ballot, received 12 player of the year votes and 11 as top newcomer for the regular-season SEC champions and No. 4-ranked Crimson Tide. The 6-foot-9 forward is only the fourth freshman in the last 50 years to lead the SEC in scoring, averaging 19.6 points along with 8.0 rebounds. He is also tops in 3-pointers made, making 92 and hitting at a 40.4% rate.
Miller’s name surfaced in court testimony in the capital murder case of now-former teammate Darius Miles and another man in the shooting death of 23-year-old Jamea Harris near campus.
A police officer testified that Miles texted Miller asking him to bring Miles’ gun in the early morning hours of Jan. 15. Fellow freshman starter Jaden Bradley was also at the scene. Neither has missed a start or been accused of any crime. The university has described Miller as a cooperating witness, not a suspect.
A day after that testimony, Miller scored 41 points and hit the game-winning shot in overtime to beat South Carolina amid jeers from Gamecocks fans. Afterward, Alabama coach Nate Oats called Miller “one of the most mentally tough kids I’ve ever coached.”
The Aggies’ Taylor also received two votes as player of the year. LSU forward KJ Williams, Arkansas guards Ricky Council IV and Anthony Black each received a vote for newcomer of the year.
Williams received eight votes, Missouri’s Dennis Gates five and Alabama’s Oats one in the coach of the year balloting.
The second team included Council, Tennessee guard Zakai Zeigler, Williams, Florida forward Colin Castleton and Vanderbilt forward Liam Robbins.
FIRST TEAM
Guard — Kobe Brown, Missouri, Sr., 6-8, 250, Huntsville, Alabama.
u-Guard — Wade Taylor IV, Texas A&M, So., 6-0, 185, Dallas.
Forward — Brandon Miller, Alabama, Fr., 6-9, 200, Antioch, Tennessee.
Forward — Tolu Smith, Mississippi St., Sr., 6-11, 245, Bay St. Louis, Mississippi.
u-Forward — Oscar Tshwiebe, Sr., 6-9, 260, Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
SECOND TEAM
Guard — Ricky Council IV, Arkansas, Jr., 6-6, 205, Durham, North Carolina.
Guard — Zakai Zeigler, Tennessee, So., 5-9, 171, Long Island, New York.
Forward — Colin Castleton, Florida, Sr., 6-11, 250, Deland, Florida.
Forward — Liam Robbins, Vanderbilt, Sr., 7-0, 250, Davenport, Iowa.
Forward — KJ Williams, LSU, Sr,, 6-10, 250, Cleveland, Mississippi.
___
Coach of the year — Buzz Williams, Texas A&M.
Player of the year — Brandon Miller, Alabama.
Newcomer of the year — Brandon Miller, Alabama.
___ AP All-SEC Voting Panel: Rick Bozich, WDRB-TV, Louisville, Kentucky; Kevin Brockway, Gainesville Sun; Travis Brown, Bryan-College Station Eagle; David Cloninger, Post & Courier; Adam Cole, Opelika-Auburn News; Clayton Collier, WATN-TV, Memphis, Tennessee; Robbie Faulk, Starkville Daily News; Aria Gerson, The Tennessean; Bob Holt, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette; Stefan Krajisnik, Clarion-Ledger; Dave Matter, St. Louis Post-Dispatch; Sheldon Mickles, Baton Rouge Advocate; Mike Rodak, al.com; Marc Weiszer, Athens Banner-Herald.
AP TOP 25 TEAMS GET LAST SHOT TO BOOST NCAA TOURNAMENT SEEDS
Selection Sunday looms as AP Top 25 teams in major conferences get their final chances to impact where and why they play in the NCAA Tournament.
In the nation’s top leagues, there could be significant swings based on early exits or title runs. Here’s a look at what’s ahead leading up to the biggest day on the sport’s calendar on Sunday:
AAC
The American Athletic Conference Tournament begins Thursday in Fort Worth, Texas, and it gives top-ranked Houston the chance to make a final case potentially for the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAAs.
The Cougars (29-2) are the only team in the country to rank in the top 10 of KenPom’s adjusted efficiency metrics in both offense and defense.
Houston opens against the East Carolina-South Florida winner on Friday, and the tournament is one of five to end on Sunday shortly before the NCAA field is revealed.
ACC
The Atlantic Coast Conference opens its five-day tournament Tuesday in Greensboro, North Carolina. It’s an event lacking a true favorite or team poised to claim a top-tier postseason seed.
Virginia and No. 14 Miami shared the regular-season title, though the Hurricanes are the top seed for the first time since winning the tournament in 2013. But 21st-ranked Duke is the league’s hottest team with six straight wins.
All three open play in Thursday’s quarterfinals, with the Cavaliers on course for a 4-seed, Miami for a 5 and Duke for a 7, according to BracketMatrix.com’s average of 100 mock fields on Monday evening.
BIG 12
Third-ranked Kansas won a national title, overhauled its roster and still finds itself in the chase for the No. 1 overall NCAA seed entering the Big 12 Tournament.
That tournament opens Wednesday in Kansas City, Missouri, with the Jayhawks and other top seeds starting play on Day 2.
Kansas (25-6) has a national-best 15 wins in Quadrant 1 games that top the postseason resume, which had them as the top overall seed in ESPN’s Bracketology projection on Monday evening.
Winning a title this week won’t come easy in a league regarded as the nation’s deepest all year. The field includes No. 7 Texas, No. 10 Baylor, No. 12 Kansas State and No. 22 TCU.
BIG EAST
The Big East opens play Wednesday in New York’s Madison Square Garden with four ranked teams: No. 6 Marquette, No. 11 Connecticut, No. 15 Xavier and No. 24 Creighton.
The top-seeded Golden Eagles, who open play Thursday, have the highest projected NCAA Tournament seed at No. 3 on both ESPN and BracketMatrix, while BracketMatrix has the Huskies and Musketeers as potential 4-seeds.
The Bluejays, who re-entered the poll for a third time this season on Monday, are projected as a No. 6 seed in the NCAAs.
The tournament wraps up Saturday night.
BIG TEN
The Big Ten opens it tournament Wednesday in Chicago with No. 5 Purdue and No. 19 Indiana as the only ranked teams, though the Boilermakers are in the mix for a No. 1 regional seed in the NCAAs.
The Boilermakers are the top seed for Chicago and BracketMatrix listed them as the fourth of the top seeds.
The Boilermakers and Hoosiers both begin play in Friday’s quarterfinals with the title game coming Sunday.
PAC-12
The Pac-12 has two ranked teams in contention for lofty NCAA seeds as the league tournament opens Wednesday in Las Vegas.
Second-ranked UCLA is surging down the stretch and has its highest ranking of the season, putting it in position to contend for a No. 1 regional seed as the top No. 2 seed in BracketMatrix’s projections. Eighth-ranked Arizona is also looking likely for a 2-seed.
The Bruins and Wildcats split their regular-season meetings, with UCLA winning Saturday’s regular-season finale while holding the top seed for Las Vegas. Both teams open play Thursday.
SEC
Fourth-ranked Alabama is the top seed for the Southeastern Conference Tournament beginning Wednesday in Nashville, Tennessee. And the Crimson Tide could be in contention for the top overall NCAA seed with a title run.
Alabama (26-5) owns the top seed in the SEC and opens play in Friday’s quarterfinals, finishing a game ahead of No. 18 Texas A&M in the regular-season race.
The tournament also features No. 17 Tennessee, No. 23 Kentucky and No. 25 Missouri, with the title game set for Sunday.
WITH MARQUETTE ON TOP, BIG EAST BRINGS DIFFERENT LOOK TO MSG
NEW YORK (AP) — This Big East Tournament has a distinctly different look.
No. 6 Marquette is the top seed heading into the four-day frenzy at Madison Square Garden for the first time since the Golden Eagles joined the conference in 2005.
Two of the newest Big East members, No. 15 Xavier and No. 24 Creighton, occupy the next two seeds, making this the first men’s basketball tournament since the league reorganized in 2013 to have none of its long-standing schools in the top three.
Villanova (16-15, 10-10) Big East, which has dominated the current iteration of the league by winning five of eight conference tournaments, is the sixth seed.
It’s been an unusual season in the Big East, which makes the 43rd edition of the conference tournament especially difficult to predict.
“This is a brutal league, man,” Connecticut coach Dan Hurley said.
The tournament opens with three first-round games Wednesday and then the top five seeds get going Thursday in the quarterfinals. The championship will be decided Saturday night.
Hurley’s fourth-seeded and 11th-ranked Huskies play the 4-5 game Thursday against Providence.
“You’re playing for different stakes, but there’s no team in the country playing better than them right now,” Providence coach Ed Cooley said.
Under second-year coach Shaka Smart, Marquette won the Big East regular-season title outright for the first time. The Golden Eagles (25-6, 17-3) were picked ninth in the preseason poll, but ended up having their best regular season since Dwyane Wade led them to a Conference USA championship in 2003.
Marquette plays the winner of the 8-9 game between St. John’s and Butler in the opener of Thursday’s quadruple-header.
The Golden Eagles swept the AP’s top Big East honors, with point guard Tyler Kolek taking player of the year and Smart coach of the year.
A year after being one-and-done in the Big East Tournament, leading scorer Kam Jones and the Golden Eagles have their sights set on leaving a legacy. Marquette has never reached the Big East championship game, while Xavier lost in its only appearance (2015) and Creighton is 0-4.
“You know how the teams from the past, they come up and they talk to us about what they did, and stuff like that,” Jones said after clinching the regular-season crown last Saturday. “It was just cool to think about how the next 10, 15 years, I can come back to Marquette and be like: ‘We won the Big East outright. What you going to do?’”
BUBBLE-LESS
If bracket projections are to be believed, the Big East doesn’t have any teams on the NCAA Tournament selection bubble.
Marquette, Xavier, Creighton, Connecticut and Providence all seem to be comfortably in the field — though the Friars (21-10) have lost three of four to create a bit of uncertainty.
For the rest, the automatic NCAA bid that goes to the tournament champion looks like the only path.
“Well, I think we’ve got a couple of teams in our league in Seton Hall and Villanova that could beat anybody, and then you got another team in St. John’s that just came out here and nearly beat us today,” Smart said after Saturday’s regular-season finale. “They’ve also beaten UConn and Providence.”
DEFENDING CHAMPS
Villanova’s first season after Hall of Fame coach Jay Wright’s abrupt retirement has been bumpy.
Kyle Neptune’s team seemed to be playing its way onto the fringes of NCAA Tournament consideration late in the season, but a 12-point loss at home to UConn on Saturday left the Wildcats’ streak of nine straight appearances in peril.
Villanova plays last-place Georgetown on Wednesday night, with third-seeded Creighton awaiting the winner.
“We’ve got to go out and prepare for one team. And then prepare for another team and then hopefully prepare for another team,” Neptune said.
EWING’S STATUS
Patrick Ewing’s six-year tenure as Georgetown coach peaked during the pandemic-marred season of 2020-21, when the Hoyas made a surprising run to the Big East Tournament title in a mostly empty Madison Square Garden.
Now it could come to an end in the building where he starred for 15 seasons with the New York Knicks.
Georgetown is 13-49 over the last two seasons, with only two Big East victories. The Hoyas closed the regular season with a 40-point loss at Creighton. Ewing, a basketball Hall of Famer and former Georgetown great, is 75-108 as Hoyas coach.
OUT
Xavier forward Zach Freemantle, the team’s leading rebounder, will miss the postseason after having surgery on his left foot. The Musketeers have played their last nine games without the 6-foot-9 senior and gone 6-3. He is third on the team in scoring at 15.2 points per game.
Second-seeded Xavier plays Thursday against the winner of Seton Hall-DePaul.
KANSAS OUT TO DEFEND BIG 12 TOURNAMENT TITLE IN KANSAS CITY
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The bulls-eye on the back of third-ranked Kansas these days is about as big as it’s been in coach Bill Self’s tenure.
The Jayhawks already have defended their Big 12 regular-season championship, winning the toughest league in the country by almost any measure in outright fashion. And beginning next week, Jalen Wilson and Co. will begin defense of the national title they won with a thrilling comeback victory over North Carolina last April.
In between, they’ll try to defend the conference tournament title they won by beating Texas Tech a year ago.
“It’s all good winning the Big 12 and doing these big things, but like coach said, ‘Now the expectations are higher,’” explained Wilson, who was voted conference player of the year Tuesday. “We have a huge target on our back. Not only for winning the conference, but everyone wants to beat Kansas. Everyone wants to beat the reigning national champions. We have to understand we’re going to get everybody’s best game.”
The top-seeded Jayhawks open their Big 12 Tournament on Thursday against the winner of No. 8 seed West Virginia and ninth-seeded Texas Tech, who meet in the first game of a first-round doubleheader Wednesday night.
The other first-round matchup is a Bedlam showdown between seventh-seeded Oklahoma State and No. 10 seed Oklahoma. The winner of that game gets second-seeded Texas on Thursday.
Two quarterfinal games already are set: No. 10 Baylor, the fourth seed, plays fifth-seeded Iowa State in Thursday’s opener, and No. 12 Kansas State, the third seed, plays sixth-seeded and No. 22 TCU in the nightcap.
“You look at it, and you can see a 1 by a name, you can see a 10 by a name, and us coaches know that there isn’t that big a margin,” Baylor coach Scott Drew said. “And the players understand it in the Big 12 because they’ve seen it first-hand and up close how good everybody is, and how competitive it is, and how physical and tough it is.”
Especially this year.
The Big 12 had six teams in the Top 25 most of the season, and it will likely land at least seven in the NCAA Tournament on Sunday. It could be as many as eight or nine depending on what happens in Kansas City this week.
“Anybody can beat anybody. I mean, whoever at the time is toward the bottom of the standings can beat the teams at the top,” Cyclones coach TJ Otzelberger said. “There’s no other league in America that has as good a coaches, as good a players, as good a programs. And so you’ve got to be at your best every single game. There’s no night off.”
EXPERIENCE MATTERS
One of the reasons the Big 12 has been so tough this season is that it’s stacked with experience. Three seniors, a junior and a graduate were chosen first-team all-conference Tuesday, while a senior and two juniors joined freshmen Keyonte George of Baylor and Gradey Dick of Kansas on the second team.
BUBBLE WATCH
West Virginia may have clinched an NCAA spot with its win over Kansas State last weekend, though beating the Red Raiders would allow Bob Huggins’ crew to breath easier. Oklahoma State could have an at-large case with a run to the title game, while Texas Tech and Oklahoma likely need to win a championship to make the field of 68.
WELCOME BACK
The Cowboys are back at the Big 12 Tournament after a one-year postseason ban. Their NCAA hopes have taken a hit in recent weeks with a five-game losing streak that finally ended with a win over the Red Raiders last weekend.
INTERIM COACHES
Texas Tech will join Texas in having an interim coach on the sideline this week. The school said Monday that second-year assistant Corey Williams would lead the Red Raiders after coach Mark Adams was suspended for making “an inappropriate, unacceptable and racially insensitive comment” to a player last week.
Rodney Terry has been holding down the interim job with the Longhorns since December. He took over when coach Chris Beard was suspended and subsequently fired amid allegations of domestic violence.
INJURY OUTLOOK
George struggled in his return from an ankle injury in the Bears’ loss to Iowa State last week, though a few more days of recovery should help. TCU big man Eddie Lampkin Jr. has missed time with a back injury and Oklahoma State star Avery Anderson III only recently resumed basketball activities after wrist surgery.
MARQUETTE’S KOLEK, SMART COLLECT AP’S TOP HONORS IN BIG EAST
Marquette’s Tyler Kolek is the Associated Press Big East player of the year and Shaka Smart is the unanimous pick for coach of the year after the two led the Golden Eagles’ surprising run to their first regular-season championship in 10 years.
Xavier’s Souley Boum was voted newcomer of the year in balloting by 11 writers and broadcasters who cover the conference.
Kolek and Smart led No. 6 Marquette to a school-record 17 conference wins and its highest national ranking since 1978.
Kolek, a unanimous All-Big East first-team pick along with Providence’s Bryce Hopkins, is among the conference leaders in five categories and is playing some of his best ball of late.
Kolek will enter the Big East Tournament at New York’s Madison Square Garden off three straight double-doubles, averaging 20.3 points and 11.3 assists in those games. His 7.9 assists per game for the season leads the Big East and is second nationally.
Smart combined high-scoring offense with aggressive defense to make the Golden Eagles the first team since the Big East formed in 1979-80 to win at least a share of the title after being picked ninth or lower. Marquette beat every league team at least once for the first time since it joined the league in 2005-06.
Hopkins, in his first season at Providence after transferring from Kentucky, has 10 double-doubles and leads the Friars with 16.1 points and 8.3 rebounds per game.
Joining Kolek and Hopkins on the first team are Boum and big men Adama Sanogo of Connecticut and Ryan Kalkbrenner of Creighton.
Boum played at San Francisco and UTEP before landing at Xavier this season, and he emerged as the Musketeers’ top player. He’s second in the Big East in scoring with 16.8 points per game and third in 3-point shooting at 42.2%. His 4.5 assists are second on the team and tied for sixth in the league.
FIRST TEAM
u-Guard — Tyler Kolek, Marquette, Jr., 6-3, 190, Cumberland, Rhode Island.
Guard — Souley Boum, Xavier, Gr., 6-3, 175, Oakland, California.
u-Forward — Bryce Hopkins, Providence, So., 6-7, 220, Oak Park, Illinois.
Forward — Adama Sanogo, Connecticut, Jr., 6-9, 245, Bamako, Mali.
Center — Ryan Kalkbrenner, Creighton, Jr., 7-1, 260, Florissant, Missouri.
SECOND TEAM
Guard — Kam Jones, Marquette, So., 6-4, 195, Memphis, Tennessee.
Guard — Colby Jones, Xavier, Jr., 6-6, 205, Birmingham, Alabama.
Guard — Jordan Hawkins, Connecticut, So., 6-5, 195, Gaithersburg, Maryland.
Forward — Eric Dixon, Villanova, Jr., 6-8 255, Willow Grove, Pennsylvania.
Center — Joel Soriano, St. John’s, Sr., 6-11, 260, Yonkers, New York.
___
u-Coach of the year — Shaka Smart, Marquette.
Player of the year — Tyler Kolek, Marquette.
Newcomer of the year — Souley Boum, Xavier.
APPLEBY IS WAKE FOREST’S 2ND STRAIGHT ACC AP PLAYER OF YEAR
Wake Forest guard Tyree Appleby is The Associated Press men’s basketball player of the year in the Atlantic Coast Conference, the second straight season a Demon Deacons player took the honor after Alondes Williams earned it a year ago.
Pitt coach Jeff Capel was named coach of the year and Duke freshman Kyle Filipowski was named newcomer of the year in voting released Tuesday.
Appleby, a 6-foot grad transfer guard from Florida, led the ACC with in scoring at 18.8 points a game and assists at 6.2 per contest. He was second in ACC steals.
Appleby received seven votes for player of the year from the 15 journalists who cover the ACC. Appleby finished ahead of Miami’s Isaiah Wong (four), North Carolina’s Armando Bacot (two), and Filipowski and Clemson’s Hunter Tyson, who each received a vote.
Appleby came to Wake Forest this past offseason and helped the team go 18-13 and win 10 games in ACC play.
Capel’s future at Pitt was clearly in doubt when the season began after four straight losing seasons. But the Panthers turned things around this season, going 21-10 and 14-6 against league opponents. Pitt will be the fifth seed in this week’s ACC Tournament.
Capel received 11 votes from panel while Miami coach Jim Larranaga picked up the other three. One voter abstained.
Filipowski, the Blue Devils’ 7-foot freshman, averaged 15 points and 9.2 rebounds this season. He received nine votes from the panel with Appleby getting four and North Carolina State’s Jarkell Joiner the other two.
The rest of the AP’s first team included Wake Forest’s Appleby, North Carolina’s Bacot and Duke’s Filipowski.
FIRST TEAM
Isaiah Wong, Miami, 6-4, 185, Jr., Piscataway, New Jersey.
Tyree Appleby, Wake Forest, 6-0, 175, Gr., Jacksonville, Arkansas.
Terquavion Smith, North Carolina State, 6-4, 165, So., Greenville, North Carolina.
Armando Bacot, North Carolina, 6-10, 240, Sr.., Richmond, Virginia.
Kyle Filipowski, Duke, 7-0, 230, Fr., Westtown, New York.
SECOND TEAM
Norchad Omier, Miami, 6-7, 248, So., Bluefields, Nicaragua.
Jarkel Joiner, North Carolina State, 6-1, 180, Gr., Oxford, Mississippi.
Hunter Tyson, Clemson, 6-8, 217, Gr., Monroe, North Carolina.
Jamaruius Burton, Pitt, 6-4, 200, Gr., Charlotte, North Carolina.
Kihei Clark, Virginia, 5-10, 167, Gr., Woodland Hills, California.
KANSAS STAR JALEN WILSON NAMED AP BIG 12 PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Big 12 scoring and rebounding leader Jalen Wilson of Kansas is the unanimous pick as The Associated Press Big 12 player of the year.
Kansas State senior forward Keyontae Johnson joined Wilson as the only unanimous first-team picks in the selections revealed Tuesday. Johnson, a transfer from Florida who has turned into a top player after a frightening collapse more than two years ago, was also selected as newcomer of the year in voting by a panel of 17 journalists who cover the league.
First-year Kansas State coach Jerome Tang was voted as coach of the year. After 19 seasons as an assistant for coach Scott Drew at Baylor, including the national championship two years ago, Tang directed the Wildcats to a 23-8 record in the regular season and third place in the Big 12 standings after being picked to finish last in a preseason poll of league coaches.
Wilson, a 6-foot-8 junior forward, goes into this week’s Big 12 tournament leading the league with 19.7 points and 8.4 rebounds per game. The 6-6 Johnson averages 17.8 points and 7.0 rebounds.
Texas graduate guard Marcus Carr, Baylor senior guard Adam Flagler and K-State junior guard Markquis Nowell round out the first-team picks. The 5-8 Nowell is the Big 12′s top free-throw shooter (88.5%), and also leads the league with 7.7 assists and 2.5 steals a game.
The second-team picks are senior Damion Baugh and junior Mike Miles Jr. from TCU, along with Kansas freshman guard Gradey Dick, Baylor freshman guard Keyonte George and Kansas senior guard Kevin McCullar Jr., a transfer from Texas Tech.
Johnson got 13 of the 17 votes for newcomer of the year, while Baylor’s George got the other four.
Tang was the overwhelming choice for top coach with 15 votes. The remaining two votes went to Texas interim coach Rodney Terry, who led the Longhorns to a second-place finish in the Big 12 following the December dismissal and eventual firing of Chris Beard.
FIRST TEAM
u-Keyontae Johnson, Kansas State, 6-6, 230, Sr., Norfolk, Virginia.
u-Jalen Wilson, Kansas, 6-8, 225, Jr., Denton, Texas.
Marcus Carr, Texas, 6-2, 175, Gr., Toronto.
Adam Flagler, Baylor, 6-3, 185, Sr., Duluth, Georgia.
Markquis Nowell, Kansas State, 5-8, 160, Sr./Jr., New York.
SECOND TEAM
Damion Baugh, TCU, 6-4, 195, Sr., Nashville, Tenneseee.
Gradey Dick, Kansas 6-8, 205, Fr., Wichita, Kansas.
Keyonte George, Baylor, 6-4, 185, Fr., Lewisville, Texas.
Kevin McCullar Jr., Kansas, 6-6, 210, Sr., San Antonio.
Mike Miles Jr., TCU, 6-2, 195, Jr., Dallas.
Coach of the year — Jerome Tang, Kansas State
Player of the year — Jalen Wilson, Kansas.
Newcomer of the year — Keyontae Johnson, Kansas State.
TIMME SETS RECORD, GONZAGA ROUTS SAINT MARY’S FOR WCC TITLE
LAS VEGAS (AP) Gonzaga’s players heard the criticisms this wasn’t the same Bulldogs team that has been among the nation’s elite in recent years, and they even struggled themselves to live up to the program’s enormous expectations.
“There were numerous days where I was not fun to be around,” Gonzaga coach Mark Few said.
The Bulldogs kept working at it, and on Tuesday night, No. 9 Gonzaga sent a message to the rest of the country with a dominant-from-the-start 77-51 victory over No. 16 Saint Mary’s in the championship game of the West Coast Conference Tournament.
The Zags (28-5) continued their domination of the WCC with their fourth consecutive tournament championship and 10th in 11 years, with Saint Mary’s in 2019 being the only exception. Gonzaga has won 21 tournament titles overall.
Drew Timme scored 18 points and became Gonzaga’s all-time leading scorer, earning tournament Most Outstanding Player.
“I took for granted winning,” Timme said. “I won so much in my career, it’s a shock not to win. I think early in the year, it just kind of made me appreciate what it takes to win night in and night out. I think sometimes we kind of assume we were just going to win because we’re Gonzaga.
“Sometimes it’s hard not to fall into mindset we just need to get to March. It was grind this season. I think that grind has made us as a group appreciate each and every night winning and what it takes to win and be a good team.”
Saint Mary’s (26-7) was seeded first in the tournament after the teams split the regular-season series, and Timme said it was strange wearing a blue jersey rather than the customary white one. The Gaels were the last team to beat Gonzaga, which takes a nine-game winning streak into the NCAA Tournament that includes beating Saint Mary’s to end the regular season.
Both teams will find out their seedings and destinations Sunday.
Gonzaga made 58% of its shots, while holding Saint Mary’s to 33% shooting. The Bulldogs led by as many as 37 points and never trailed.
Timme was efficient in making 8 of 10 shots to lead four Bulldogs into double figures. Malachi Smith scored 14 points, Nolan Hickman 12 points and Julian Strawther 10. Anton Watson had 10 rebounds.
Timme’s short jumper with 10:18 left put him in first place alone as the leading scorer in Saint Mary’s history. He entered just five points short of breaking the mark, and his 18 points for the game gave him 2,210 for his career. Frank Burgess held the previous record of 2,196 from 1958-61.
Logan Johnson led the Gaels with 20 points, and Alex Ducas scored 10.
Gonzaga took control early, using a nine-point run to go up 14-4 and maintained a double-digit lead most of the way from there. The Zags at one point in the first half made 10 of 12 field goals, and by halftime, they had taken full command with a 37-19 lead.
“I told our guys we played 32 games and played pretty well in 32 of them,” Saint Mary’s coach Randy Bennett said. “This one, we’re off. You can credit them. They played well. We didn’t show up.”
BIG PICTURE
Gonzaga: Now is when the real pressure is on Gonzaga, which had made numerous deep runs in the NCAA Tournament, but is still searching for that elusive national championship. Until that happens, critics will say the WCC school is not on the same level as those from the power conference. It’s up the the Zags to prove them wrong.
Saint Mary’s: Saint Mary’s nearly gave away all of a 26-point lead in Monday’s semifinals because the Gaels had trouble with BYU’s press. Gonzaga threw the press at Saint Mary’s, and while it didn’t result in transition baskets for the Bulldogs, it slowed the Gaels’ offense. Saint Mary’s will need to figure out how to better execute against the press, or it will be a problem in the NCAA Tournament.
UP NEXT
Gonzaga has a legitimate shot at a No. 2 seed, and it entered the game ninth in the NET rankings, a metric the NCAA committee uses in selecting the field. Even though Saint Mary’s was ranked just one spot ahead of the Bulldogs, the Gaels likely are looking at more of a five or six seed.
NBA NEWS
HORNETS SNAP KNICKS’ 9-GAME WIN STREAK WITH 112-105 VICTORY
NEW YORK (AP) Needing two overtimes to get by Boston two nights earlier left the New York Knicks low on fuel when they returned home.
The Charlotte Hornets were happy to take advantage.
Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 27 points, Terry Rozier added 25 and the Hornets snapped the Knicks’ nine-game winning streak with a 112-105 victory Tuesday night.
The Knicks managed 39 points and shot under 30% in the second half, getting outscored by 23.
“Just ran out of gas,” All-Star Julius Randle said.
Gordon Hayward had 23 points, nine rebounds and eight assists, and made the tiebreaking basket with 1:50 remaining as the Hornets won for the first time in four games since point guard LaMelo Ball’s broken ankle that required surgery.
They trailed by 16 at halftime and were still down nine midway through the fourth quarter before surging past a Knicks team that appeared to lack energy.
“I think at this point in time in the season everyone is tired,” Hayward said. “You’re going through it and games are every other night and they obviously had some emotional wins, too. That’s another part of fatigue, not just the physical but the mental and the emotional. So for us to win tonight was big for our team.”
RJ Barrett scored 27 points for the Knicks, who were trying for their first 10-game winning streak since winning 13 straight late in the 2012-13 season. Randle scored 16 points but shot just 5 for 17 from the field.
The Knicks, playing without starting point guard Jalen Brunson for a second straight game because of a sore left foot, scored 45 points in the second quarter but managed just 60 in the other three.
“We weren’t great in defensive transition and we didn’t fly around like we normally do,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said.
The Knicks shot 16 for 20 – 10 for 11 inside the arc – in the second, opening a 66-50 lead on Quentin Grimes’ layup with 0.4 seconds left.
But Charlotte came back with 37 points in the third and a superior effort than the Knicks, outrebounding them 16-3. Rozier scored 13 points and the Hornets came all the way back to take the lead before Obi Toppin’s 3-pointer made it 89-87 heading to the fourth.
“We had been improving a lot offensively in that stretch and then LaMelo got hurt and we have struggled in the games without him,” Hornets coach Steve Clifford said, “and tonight I felt like we were a lot better. Our ball movement was better, we had more of a balanced offense.”
With Rozier resting to start the fourth, the Hornets managed just one basket by Hayward in the first half of the period and fell behind 98-89. But then they held the Knicks to just one basket during a gradual 14-2 surge that gave them a 103-100 edge on Hayward’s three-point play with 2:59 remaining.
New York tied it at 103 before Hayward scored, followed by Oubre’s 3 that made it 108-103 with 58 seconds to play.
TIP-INS
Hornets: P.J. Washington scored 13 points. … Clifford began his NBA coaching career as a Knicks assistant from 2000-03.
Knicks: Thibodeau said Brunson wasn’t quite ready to play Tuesday but would travel with the team for their four-game West Coast trip that starts Thursday in Sacramento. … Immanuel Quickley, who scored a career-high 38 in place of Brunson on Sunday, started again but shot 5 for 16 and scored 14 points.
UP NEXT
Hornets: At Detroit on Thursday night.
Knicks: At Sacramento on Thursday night.
GAFFORD’S PUTBACK GIVES WIZARDS 119-117 WIN OVER PISTONS
DETROIT (AP) Daniel Gafford converted a putback of Bradley Beal’s airball at the buzzer, and the Washington Wizards handed the Detroit Pistons their ninth straight loss, 119-117 on Tuesday night.
With the score tied, Beal drove to the baseline and shot a fadeaway floater over James Wiseman that was too strong and missed everything. Gafford grabbed the weak-side rebound and banked in the game-winner.
“Brad went at exactly the right time – if he missed, we’d get a chance at an offensive rebound, but there wouldn’t be time for the Pistons to get anything,” Wizards coach Wes Unseld Jr. said. “(Gafford) did a great job getting behind the defense to get the rebound. Maybe we got a little lucky, but we made a play.”
Beal finished with 32 points and Kristaps Porzingis scored 24 before fouling out in the final minute. Washington (32-34) ended a two-game skid and is 10th in the Eastern Conference, in position for the final spot in the play-in tournament.
Jaden Ivey had 26 points and 12 assists for the NBA-worst Pistons. Wiseman added 21 points but lost track of Gafford on the final play while defending Beal.
“I feel like part of that was my fault,” said Wiseman, who only had one rebound in the final 12 minutes. “I shouldn’t have ever committed to (the block attempt). I didn’t even know he was there.”
Ivey was the only active Pistons player who played in the team’s season-opening win over the Orlando Magic. The other nine have either been traded or are injured.
“Everyone looks at the last play, but there were a lot of plays before that,” Pistons coach Dwane Casey said. “I applaud those guys for fighting that hard against a team trying to make the playoffs. A lot of them weren’t here two weeks ago, and they are still figuring out how to play together.”
Washington scored 14 points in the first 3:06 of the fourth quarter – giving them 50 in the second half – to take a 103-95 lead, but Ivey’s 3-pointer put Detroit up 110-109 with 3:18 left.
Ivey drew Porzingis’ sixth foul with 50.7 seconds to play, then hit both free throws to give Detroit a 117-115 lead, but Beal tied it with a layup.
Isaiah Livers turned the ball over with 23 seconds left, setting up the winning play.
The Pistons shot 54.8% in the first half, with Wiseman going 6 of 6, to take a 58-53 lead.
Washington hit 12 of its first 17 second-half shots, including four 3-pointers, to move ahead 83-76.
The Wizards scored 36 points in the third quarter, including 10 by Beal, but R.J. Hampton’s buzzer-beating 3-pointer pulled Detroit within 89-88.
TIP-INS
Wizards: Have won seven straight against Detroit and have won eight of the last nine season series. … Kyle Kuzma scored 23 points and Corey Kispert had 16, making 4 of 5 3-point attempts.
Pistons: Haven’t won a game in regulation since beating the Charlotte Hornets 118-112 on Feb. 3.
IVEY ALMOST PULLS IT OUT
Ivey scored 14 points in the fourth quarter, forcing the Wizards into a defensive change.
“I think our zone was our most effective defense because we had a really difficult time keeping Ivey out of the paint,” Unseld said. “When we went to the zone, we were at least able to slow him down.”
UP NEXT
Wizards: Host Atlanta on Wednesday and again on Friday.
Pistons: Host Charlotte on Thursday.
BUCKS BEAT MAGIC 134-123 FOR 18TH WIN IN 19 GAMES
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) Brook Lopez scored 26 points, Khris Middleton and Jevon Carter each added 24 points and the Milwaukee Bucks beat the Orlando Magic 134-123 on Tuesday night for their 18th win in 19 games.
Bobby Portis Jr. had 16 points and 11 rebounds and Jae Crowder added 15 points for the Bucks, who shot 59% and ran their winning streak against the Magic to 14 games.
Playing without All-Stars Giannis Antetokounmpo (non-COVID-19 illness) and Jrue Holiday (sore neck), the Bucks had little trouble finding the right combinations in stretching their league-best record to 47-18.
“I really think it’s just the caliber of players we have,” Lopez said. “We’ve got guys who are high basketball IQ and are unselfish, team first. It’s great to have a couple of those guys, but to have a bench full of them, we’re really lucky.”
Middleton, starting for the first time since Dec. 15, had 11 assists.
“It’s crazy that we played so long without him this season,” Lopez said, “but it was obviously important for him to get healthy and get right.”
Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said it was time to increase Middleton’s playing time.
“It felt like it was the right time for (Middleton) to get up to the 30-minute plateau, with Jrue and Giannis not playing,” Budenholzer said. “Just doing a little bit of everything, he set a good tone for us early. We were fortunate to have him come off the bench for us for a long time, and now he’s going to continue to do those things where he’s always been, in our starting lineup.” Cole Anthony led the Magic with 23 points. Franz Wagner added 21 points and Paolo Banchero had 20 points and five rebounds.
“I didn’t see much,” said Anthony of the Magic’s defensive effort. “I think they scored at least 32 points every single quarter (36-34-32-32). We just had no answer. We couldn’t stop them.”
The Bucks pulled away from a 51-all tie and led 70-60 after a first half in which Lopez scored 19 points.
Crowder, playing in only his sixth game with the Bucks, scored seven straight points late in the third quarter to put the Bucks up 98-83.
“That’s kind of a sliver lining to a couple guys not playing,” Budenholzer said. “He got to play a lot of minutes. He got a good rhythm and he made shots.”
The Magic were down by eight points until Portis and Middleton led a fourth-quarter charge that pushed the Bucks’ lead to 16, their largest of the game.
“They are playing great basketball right now – confident, playing like a well-oiled machine,” Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said. “They share, they move it, they trust their shot. You have to give them a ton of credit.”
TIP-INS
Bucks: G Lindell Wigginton played 31 seconds after signing a two-way contract Tuesday. … G Goran Dragic, who signed with Milwaukee on Saturday, is rehabbing a sore left knee and is close to playing, according to coach Mike Budenholzer. … Carter, who went into the game as the NBA’s 12th-leading 3-point shooter, made 4 of 5 attempts. . . . The Bucks made 32 of 34 free throws.
Magic: C Wendell Carter (left hip) and G Gary Harris (sore left abductor) sat out a second straight game. … The Magic shot 26 for 95 (27.4%) from 3-point range in three games against Milwaukee.
HEALTHY YEAR FOR LOPEZ
Budenholzer did not hesitate when asked why the Bucks are so much better this season when playing with key pieces missing.
“If you’re just going back to last year, Brook Lopez basically missed the entire season,” he said. “So when Jrue and Chris and Giannis were missing, it was always in addition to Brook. Brook’s playing at a high level; he’s been excellent on both ends of the court. … Besides the depth of the roster, I think Brooks’ health and quality of play has just been off the charts.”
Antetokounmpo has missed 13 games this season. Holiday has missed 14 and Middleton has missed 43. Lopez has missed only one.
UP NEXT
Bucks: Host Brooklyn on Thursday.
Magic: Host Utah on Thursday.
EMBIID SCORES 39; HARDEN-LESS 76ERS BEAT WOLVES 117-94
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) Joel Embiid scored 39 points, Tyrese Maxey added 27 and the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 117-94 on Tuesday night, despite playing without star James Harden.
Harden, the team’s second-leading scorer and NBA assist leader, was held out with left foot soreness. Embiid made up for Harden’s absence, scoring 22 points in the third quarter as Philadelphia pulled away and wrapped up its five-game road trip with a 4-1 mark.
“I take pride every single time I step on the floor, no matter who’s guarding, I feel like I’m unguardable,” Embiid said. “I want to show them that it’s not that easy to guard me.”
De’Anthony Melton scored 11 for the 76ers, who recovered from a slow start on the second night of a back-to-back.
Anthony Edwards scored 32 points for Minnesota, which returned home following a 3-1 West Coast trip. The Timberwolves shot a season-low 39.5% from the field and were 11 of 36 from 3-point distance.
“We’ve been hitting shots,” Edwards said. “We’ve been shooting great from the 3-ball. Nights like this are bound to happen. You got to get over it, look to the next game. Hopefully, we’re back to ourselves.”
Philadelphia’s defense had allowed at least 126 points in three previous games, and gave up 143 in a win against Indiana a night earlier.
But the 76ers, who entered the game eighth in the league in defensive rating, harassed Edwards and Minnesota.
“We just kept guys in front of us,” Philadelphia coach Doc Rivers said. “I think, what are they, third or fourth in the league in the paint and we kept them out of the paint, and I thought that was the difference in the game for us.”
The 76ers opened the day four games behind Milwaukee and two behind Boston in the Eastern Conference.
Embiid and lock-down defense was a good formula Tuesday, even without Harden.
Philadelphia ended the first half on a 27-9 run for a 58-45 lead, and pushed the advantage to as many as 28 points in the second half.
“We were pretty good. Nothing else to say,” Embiid said of the team’s defense. “When you’re able to stop the ball, you can be a good defensive team. Last night, we couldn’t stop the ball.”
The Wolves, who came back for wins against the Los Angeles Clippers, Lakers and Sacramento Kings to end the road trip and boost their playoff chances, started the day sixth in the Western Conference. The first game back at home was one of their worst offensive performances of the season.
“Shot selection, I thought, in the second quarter was poor,” Minnesota coach Chris Finch said. “And then when we did get shots, we couldn’t knock one down. I thought we played slow. We played the game at their speed most of the night. We talked about wanting to play with a lot more pace than we did.”
ROAD WARRIORS
Finishing the road trip with three straight wins, Philadelphia now has 19 road wins this season, which is fourth in the league. The 76ers are 19-12 on the road. After two upcoming home games, they have seven of eight on the road.
“We’re road warriors,” Maxey said. “We always pack our attitude, pack our defense and pack our will on the road. It’s good for us. We know we can do it at home with Wells Fargo (Center) behind us and South Philly behind us, but you got to be able to win road games in the playoffs.”
TIP-INS
76ers: Tobias Harris (left calf contusion) and P.J. Tucker (back spasms) returned to the starting lineup after missing Monday’s game. Harris had 10 points and a team-high 14 rebounds. … Embiid was 4 for 4 from 3-point distance and 13 of 22 overall before sitting out the fourth.
Timberwolves: Jaylen Nowell missed his fifth straight game with left knee tendinopathy. … Mike Conley, the team’s key pickup at the trade deadline, was 1 of 6 from the field and had six points and three assists in 24 minutes. … Edwards scored 15 points in the first quarter.
UP NEXT
76ers: Host Portland on Friday.
Timberwolves: Host Brooklyn on Friday.
BRIDGES HAS 30 POINTS, NETS BEAT ROCKETS FOR 3RD STRAIGHT
HOUSTON (AP) Mikal Bridges scored 30 points, Spencer Dinwiddie added 23 and the Brooklyn Nets had a big third quarter to beat the Houston Rockets 118-96 on Tuesday night for their third straight victory.
Bridges has scored 30 or more points in three straight games and five times overall since coming over from Phoenix on Feb. 9 in the deal that sent Kevin Durant to the Suns. Bridges also had five assists, two blocks and a steal.
Brooklyn coach Jacque Vaughn raved about his new star.
“He is very unselfish,” Vaughn said. “He gives up his time, his knowledge in the locker room, during the games. So it’s really been a joy to be around and learn him as an individual.”
Brooklyn has its longest winning streak since a season-high 12-game run from Dec. 7-Jan. 8. The Nets also had their third double-digit win in a row.
Jalen Green had 25 points for the Western Conference-worst Rockets, who were coming off consecutive wins over San Antonio.
“I was disappointed with the turnovers and with the assists frankly,” coach Stephen Silas said. “And some of our shot selection wasn’t great. We’ve got to do better.”
Brooklyn was up by 14 after a 33-point third quarter and pushed it to 18 early in the fourth before a 3 by rookie Jabari Smith Jr. cut the lead to 96-81.
But Brooklyn scored the next seven points, with a 3 from Bridges and capped by an alley-oop dunk by Nic Claxton, to make it 103-81 with nine minutes left.
Brooklyn was up by 5 at halftime and used a 16-3 run to push the lead to 75-57 midway through the third quarter. Claxton had two dunks in that stretch and Dinwiddie had a 3-point play and a 3-pointer to allow the Nets to pull away.
The Nets had an 18-point lead later in the third quarter after a 3-pointer by Joe Harris before the Rockets used a 5-2 spurt, with a 3 from Smith, to cut the lead to 89-74.
Brooklyn was up 92-78 entering the fourth.
Houston led by many as 11 in the first half, but the Nets had taken a 59-54 lead by halftime.
“We made an adjustment as far as just shrinking the floor more, putting more bodies in front of the basketball,” Vaughn said. “So that was huge on our defensive end of the floor then that allows us to get out and run a little bit.”
TIP-INS
Nets: Ben Simmons missed his seventh straight game with left knee and back soreness. … Claxton had 18 points and 13 rebounds. … Royce O’Neal had 11 points and 11 rebounds off the bench.
Rockets: Alperen Sengun had 16 points and 12 rebounds. … Smith scored 15. … Houston made just 7 of 25 3-pointers.
UP NEXT
Nets: At Milwaukee on Thursday night.
Rockets: At Indiana on Thursday night.
GILGEOUS-ALEXANDER, GIDDEY LEAD THUNDER PAST WARRIORS
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 33 points, Josh Giddey had the seventh triple-double of his career and third of the season, and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Golden State Warriors 137-128 on Tuesday night.
The Thunder led by 15 points in the fourth quarter, yet still had to hold on at the end. They won their third straight in their quest for a playoff spot.
“You got to take punches to beat them because they (the Warriors) just keep throwing them, and they score in bunches and they do a great job of generating their own energy,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. “You know, the game can be going poorly for them. And the next thing you know, it’s like an 8-0 spurt and they get themselves going. And they’ve done that for a decade.”
Giddey finished with 17 points, a career-high 17 assists and 11 rebounds.
“Guys are making shots,” he said. “I mean, it’s kind of that easy. I mean, I was just making the right play and, you know, 17 assists sounds great, but you give a lot of credit to your teammates. They were in the right spot a lot of tonight. They made shots, made some tough ones as well.”
Stephen Curry scored 40 points and made a season-high 10 3-pointers, but one he missed was costly. The Thunder led 135-128 with 47.1 seconds left, and a foul was called when Aaron Wiggins blocked his 3-pointer. The Thunder challenged, and it was determined that the block was clean. The Thunder won the midcourt tip and controlled the game from there.
“I thought we did a great job in the initial action forced him into a contested shot,” Daigneault said. “Wiggs did a really good job, but him and Lu (Dort) communicated that really well.”
Klay Thompson scored 23 points and Jonathan Kuminga added 21 for the Warriors. But the Warriors got behind early and trailed 68-64 at halftime.
“I felt we were a little disconnected in the first half several times, and so we talked about that at halftime and tried to get back out there and compete the second half,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “There was definitely a disconnect in the first half and that cost us.”
Golden State’s Jordan Poole was called for a technical early in the fourth quarter. Oklahoma City’s Isaiah Joe missed the technical free throw, but Jaylin Williams dunked on Oklahoma City’s extra possession to put the Thunder up 111-106.
After a Warriors turnover, Joe made up for the missed free throw with a 3-pointer that put Oklahoma City up 114-106 and forced the Warriors to call timeout. The Thunder pushed the lead to 123-108 on a bank shot by Gilgeous-Alexander with seven minutes remaining.
TIP-INS
Warriors: Thompson attempted 10 3-pointers in the first half and made three. He finished 5 for 13 from 3-point distance. … F Andrew Wiggins sat out for personal reasons.
Thunder: G Jalen Williams sat out with a sprained right wrist. The rookie averages 13.3 points and shoots 52% from the field. … Jumped out to a 13-2 lead. … Rookie F Ousmane Dieng hit a deep 3-pointer at the end of the first quarter to put the Thunder ahead 40-30.
HALFCOURT SHOT
Rex Farmer of Edmond made a halfcourt shot during a break to win $20,000 from MidFirst Bank. Farmer, 31, told the Thunder he plans to use some of the money buy season tickets next year.
UP NEXT
Warriors: Visit the Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday.
Thunder: Visit the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday.
IRVING’S LATE RUN HELPS PUSH MAVERICKS PAST JAZZ 120-116
DALLAS (AP) Kyrie Irving hit a clutch 3-pointer and scored 17 of his 33 points in the fourth quarter, and Luka Doncic added 29 points and 10 rebounds as the Dallas Mavericks beat the short-handed Utah Jazz 120-116 Tuesday night.
Utah trailed 118-115 with 3.7 seconds to play when Talen Horton-Tucker was fouled and sent to the line for two shots. After sinking the first, his intentional miss slammed directly off the backboard and didn’t hit the rim, giving Dallas possession.
“Just aimed too high,” Horton-Tucker said. “I wanted to hit the back rim.”
Irving’s 3-pointer from the right side gave Dallas a 112-108 lead with 2:33 to play and was part of an 8-0 run that put the Mavericks ahead 115-108.
Dallas (34-32) began the day in seventh place in the West and finished the night tied for fifth place, improving to 3-5 in games in which both Irving and Doncic have played.
Irving went into play leading the NBA this season averaging 9.4 points in the fourth quarter.
“I just love the challenge,” Irving said of his fourth-quarter play. “Just seeing where guys’ legs are, seeing where they are mentally, just seeing how many teams stick to their game plan.”
“He loves the moment,” Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said of Irving, who came to Dallas on Feb. 6 from the Brooklyn Nets. “He loves to win. He loves to help his team win.”
Tim Hardaway Jr. added 24 points off the bench, including 7-for-9 shooting from beyond the arc as Dallas finished a season-high six-game homestand 3-3.
Lauri Markkanen returned to the lineup after missing a game with a low-back strain and scored 33 points to lead the Jazz. Horton-Tucker added 21 points.
The Jazz (31-35) lost their fourth straight and dropped to a season-low four games below .500. They played without two starters – shooting guard Jordan Clarkson (sprained finger) and center Walker Kessler (non-COVID illness).
The Jazz hit six of their first eight shots to lead 14-6 four minutes in before Hardaway scored 10 straight points for Dallas and helped the Mavericks to a 34-31 lead at the quarter.
FOOT FAULT
Hardaway hit his first four 3-point shots. Seconds after he made his fifth in sixth tries to give the Mavericks a 51-37 lead four minutes into the second period, Hardaway backpedaled and his left foot landed on Jazz coach Will Hardy’s foot just inside the Utah coaching box as Hardy was calling a timeout. Hardaway went down, was helped to the bench and was soon back in the game.
“It’s not a good feeling, for sure,” Hardy said. “You’re nervous that he’s really hurt. That’s why I apologized to Tim multiple times. I apologized to Jason multiple times.”
TIP-INS
Jazz: Clarkson has sat out three of Utah’s last four games while Kessler, the NBA’s Rookie of the Month in February, missed a game for the first time since Halloween. … Guard Collin Sexton, averaging 24 minutes, missed his sixth consecutive game with a hamstring injury.
Mavericks: Doncic was scoreless in the fourth quarter, missing two shots – both 3-pointers. … Hardaway shot 5 for 6 from behind the arc for the second straight first half, matching his most career 3’s in a half. … Starting forward Reggie Bullock left with a right quad contusion after playing eight minutes in the first period. He finished with no points and two rebounds.
UP NEXT
Jazz: Visit the Orlando Magic on Thursday in the fourth game of a six-game trip, their longest of the season.
Mavericks: Complete a back-to-back at the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday.
ANTHONY DAVIS LEADS LAKERS PAST GRIZZ WITHOUT JA, 112-103
LOS ANGELES (AP) Anthony Davis had 30 points and 22 rebounds, Dennis Schröder added 17 points and nine assists and the Los Angeles Lakers moved into ninth place in the Western Conference with a 112-103 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday night.
Rui Hachimura and Austin Reaves scored 17 points apiece in the sixth win in eight games for the Lakers, who are surging since the trade deadline despite missing LeBron James and D’Angelo Russell to injury.
“It’s good, but we’re not satisfied,” Davis said about the Lakers’ highest spot in the standings since their 2-10 start to the season. “We don’t want to stop there. We want to get greedy.”
Davis turned in a superstar performance against the Grizzlies, hitting 11 of his 17 shots and repeatedly making big plays down the stretch while wearing a bandage on his nose from a first-half cut. He also blocked two shots, and Los Angeles held Memphis to 46 points in the second half of another strong defensive effort.
“Guys out there are confident, and when you play basketball like that, it leads to victories,” Davis said.
Jaren Jackson scored 26 points and Tyus Jones had 16 for the Grizzlies, who dropped to 0-2 without Ja Morant with their third straight loss overall.
“The margin for error is really small right now,” coach Taylor Jenkins said. “It’s our third rough patch of the year. We always find a way to respond.”
Morant missed his second straight game since the Memphis superstar apparently took a gun into a strip club on the road and then flaunted it on social media last weekend. The two-time All-Star and the Grizzlies’ leading scorer is the target of two NBA investigations and a reported probe by Denver police.
Jenkins wouldn’t say when Morant will return from what was initially announced as a two-game absence.
“We’re in touch with him every single day,” Jenkins said. “He’s still a huge part of what we do. As I said the other day, we love him. We want what’s best for him. We support him. … It’s a healing process, so if everyone expects something to change overnight, we’ve got to (do) due diligence and be respectful in that. We’re talking about Ja being in a better place personally and also professionally, so to put a timetable on it is disrespectful, in my opinion.”
The Lakers made a 17-4 run down the stretch with Davis excelling on both ends of the court. Troy Brown Jr., who scored 13 points, made a clutch 3-pointer with 1:12 to play before Davis adroitly tipped in a miss in the final minute to clinch it.
Dillon Brooks scored 13 points for Memphis, while Desmond Bane had seven points on 3-for-14 shooting in his lowest-scoring performance of the season.
“My confidence is high,” Jenkins said. “Our guys are confident. They’re together. You’re going to take your lumps every now and then. We’re taking those now right now, but our guys trust the work they’re putting in..”
MISSING STARS
Russell missed his sixth straight game with an ankle injury, but coach Darvin Ham said the Lakers are targeting Friday for his return. James is out for at least two more weeks with a right foot injury that has cost him five games.
FELICIDADES PAU
The Lakers retired Pau Gasol’s No. 16 jersey at halftime, honoring the dominant Spanish 7-footer who reached three NBA Finals and won two titles after joining Los Angeles in a trade with Memphis in 2008. Gasol spent his first seven NBA seasons with the Grizzlies, and he chose this night for his jersey retirement because both of his teams could be involved.
TIP-INS
Grizzlies: Brooks returned from his one-game suspension for an accumulation of technical fouls. … Brandon Clarke missed his second straight game since tearing his left Achilles tendon. … Bane, who is averaging 21.5 points per game, missed his first nine shots and didn’t score until the final seconds of the third quarter.
Lakers: Mo Bamba is out with a sprained left ankle, leaving Los Angeles with Davis as its only player taller than 6-foot-9. … Davis spent several minutes in the locker room during the second quarter after his nose was cut and bloodied by a foul from David Roddy.
UP NEXT
Grizzlies: Host Golden State on Thursday night.
Lakers: Host Toronto on Friday night.
WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC
WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC HAS MORE STARS AFTER 6-YEAR ABSENCE
Nolan Arenado wants the World Baseball Classic to grow into a global event with stature approaching soccer’s World Cup.
“I feel like the hype is a little bit higher this time around than it was in 2017. There’s more guys that want to do it,” the St. Louis third baseman said ahead of this year’s tournament. “I know it’s not the World Cup, but just watching the World Cup and how awesome that was just to represent your country … I don’t know if it will get quite there, but get it close at least.”
Baseball’s top international championship opens Wednesday at Taichung, Taiwan, when the Netherlands plays Cuba and Panama faces Taiwan in a Group A that also includes Italy.
Group B of the expanded 20-nation field starts the following day in Tokyo, with Australia, China, the Czech Republic, Japan and South Korea competing for two quarterfinal berths. Group C begins Saturday in Phoenix, featuring the defending champion U.S., Canada, Colombia and Mexico, Group D starts the same day in Miami, where the Dominican Republic, Israel, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico and Venezuela compete.
“Last WBC, I was kind of on the fence of doing it and not doing it, and when I decided not to do it, watching the games, I kind of regretted I didn’t do it,” said Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout, a three-time MVP who leads the U.S. roster. “It looked like they were having so much fun.”
Mookie Betts, Shohei Ohtani of Japan, and Miguel Cabrera and Jose Altuve, both from Venezuela, are among seven Major League Baseball MVPs on 30-man rosters. There are 63 All-Stars, after Nestor Cortes, Nathan Eovaldi, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Clayton Kershaw, Alejandro Kirk and German Márquez dropped out and Alex Colomé and Gregory Soto were added.
First- and second-place teams in each group advance to the knockout stage, with quarterfinals to be played in Tokyo on March 15 and 16, and in Miami and March 17 and 18. The semifinals will be in Miami on March 19 and 20, and the championship is at Marlins Park on March 21 — nine days before opening day of the MLB season.
Nations play up to seven games.
“A lot of players, not every single one, but a lot of players place tremendous value on an opportunity to play with their country’s name on their chest,” Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said. “I think that the change this year is we have seen less resistance from clubs in terms of making players available and actually meaning it in terms of their availability to play. And I think a big piece of that is a credit to the professionalism of the staffs of the various countries and you can actually work with the WBC staff in a way that allows the player to get ready.”
Japan won the first two WBCs in 2006 and 2009, followed by the Dominican Republic in 2013. The United States’ 8-0 win over Puerto Rico in the 2017 championship game was seen by 2.3 million on MLB Network plus an additional 800,000 on ESPN Deportes and a Spanish-language simulcast on ESPN2.
Fox and its related networks have U.S. television rights this year, a tournament delayed two years because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Dominicans are considered the favorite with a roster that includes Julio Rodríguez, Juan Soto, Manny Machado, Rafael Devers, Wander Franco, Willy Adames and Jeremy Peña, along with pitchers Sandy Alcantara, Cristian Javier, Luis Garcia and Johnny Cueto.
Trout is joined on the U.S. roster by Arenado, Paul Goldschmidt, Mookie Betts, Pete Alonso, J.T. Realmuto, Trea Turner and Tim Anderson, along with pitchers Adam Wainwright, Lance Lynn, Daniel Bard and Ryan Pressly.
“It’s pretty cool to have the USA across your chest,” Trout said.
Managers include Mike Piazza (Italy), Yadier Molina (Puerto Rico), Ian Kinsler (Israel), Mark DeRosa (U.S.), Ernie Whitt (Canada), Hensley Meulens (Netherlands) and Benji Gil (Mexico).
Trout is looking forward to a possible matchup against LA teammate Ohtani in the semifinals or final. The Angels’ two-way player could pitch against Trout.
“Every person I talk to that faces him says they don’t want to be in the box,” Trout said.
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
MLB SHIFT LIMITS RAISING BATTER SPIRITS AND AVERAGES SO FAR
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — When Yankees switch-hitter Aaron Hicks batted from the left side last season, he was almost always greeted by an infield shift — a wall of defenders camped in shallow right field.
So it was a striking moment in New York’s dugout when Hicks — facing a traditional infield alignment — hit his first clean single to right field early this spring training.
“He probably hasn’t seen that hit in about eight years,” manager Aaron Boone said.
Hicks and the rest of baseball’s most frequently shifted batters are getting used to a new reality — or rather, adjusting back to an old one — after Major League Baseball passed rules limiting infield shifts ahead of this season.
So far, those limits seem to be raising batter spirits — and they might be bolstering batting averages, too.
“I really hope this isn’t the year I start hitting the ball to the shortstop on the ground,” Yankees left-handed slugger Anthony Rizzo said with a smile. “Especially young left-handed hitters will be introduced to the 3-4 hole that’s been gone for about seven to eight years.”
Teams must now keep two infielders on each side of second base, all with their feet in the dirt when a pitch is delivered. The aim is to open up space for a few more singles in each game after data-driven teams spent the past decade carefully crafting defensive formations that targeted each hitter’s tendencies.
It’s too early in spring training to draw conclusions from the numbers, but key statistics are trending in a promising direction for hitters. Batting averages through the first 10 days of spring training are up to .263 in 2023 from .259 last season.
Crucially, left-handed hitters — the most frequent targets of the modern infield shift — are hitting .274 this spring, up from .255, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Righty averages have dropped from .262 to .255. Overall scoring is at 11.3 runs per game, up from 10.6.
There has been disagreement in the sport’s analytics community about how much impact the shift limits will have, but it does seems to be affecting hitters’ psyches, at least.
“Not getting thrown out from shallow right field on a line drive will be nice,” said Rizzo, shifted in 82.6% of his plate appearances last season.
Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said he has noticed some difference already this spring but expects more offense to come later as big league regulars play deeper into games.
“I think there’s been so many balls already this spring that if you look to if that happened last year, they were out. We had a defender there,” Cash said.
Umpires have broad discretion to enforce the league’s new guidelines, but some clubs are already testing how strict those rules are.
When lefty slugger Joey Gallo — shifted in 90% of his plate appearances last year — of the Minnesota Twins came to the plate in a game against the Boston Red Sox last week, Boston experimented with a loophole in the new rules, moving center fielder Adam Duvall to shallow right field and left fielder Raimel Tapia to center field.
That shift didn’t matter much as Gallo drew a walk, but such is the new reality in baseball as teams start searching for advantages to the rules in 2023.
Marlins first base coach Jon Jay, who had 840 singles among his 1,087 career hits, thinks the change could lead to more small ball.
“We’re seeing already ground balls going up the middle that, with the shift, were outs,” he said. “It’s definitely going to create more offense. I think the single is a big player right now. You’re seeing those 10-hoppers up the middle and those ‘rollover balls’ in the hole … those are hits again.”
Philadelphia Phillies left fielder Kyle Schwarber, who was shifted against 90.5% of the time in 2022, thinks the shift could help promote more contact, too.
“I punched out 200 times last year,” Schwarber said during Phillies spring camp. He had a career-high 200 strikeouts last season. “That’s not acceptable. If I can cut down on 50-75, that’s more balls in play. And without that wall (the shift) out there, there might be a few to squeeze through.”
NFL NEWS
NFL COMBINE CATCHING UP TO EVOLVING STATE OF RECEIVERS
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — NFL teams might have considered Zay Flowers a one-dimensional wide receiver a decade or two ago.
Today, the 5-foot-9, 182-pound former Boston College star understands he cannot rely solely on his 4.42-second speed to make plays. He must be a more complete player.
So Flowers spent last season and the past few weeks adding muscle, working on blocks and learning how to play multiple receiving spots in an effort to showcase his versatility when he came to Indianapolis for the league’s annual scouting combine.
“I’d say the game started off with bigger receivers that could block and take hits and over time, I’d say Tyreek Hill really changed it for smaller receivers,” Flowers said. “Being able to do what he does, being able to put the ball in his hands anywhere and score touchdowns has helped guys like me.”
It’s not just small guys like Hill and Flowers making moves that are changing draft boards, though.
NFL teams looking to find the next Ja’Marr Chase, Travis Kelce or Christian McCaffrey can choose from a variety of body types, playing styles, physical skills and developmental levels available this year.
Yes, with 69 of 319 combine invitations going to receivers or tight ends, this year’s draft promises to have something for everyone in an increasingly pass-happy league.
“What we’ve seen over the last few years is the dynamic — these guys might go higher than you have them rated because of the importance of the position,” Baltimore Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said before talking about this year’s group. “I think it’s strong, it’s a good class. Hopefully we’re positioned to get a guy we like.”
Just how much do teams value pass-catchers? They’re being paid top dollar.
Fourteen receivers currently average $20 million or more annually, topped by Hill’s four-year deal at $30 million per year. Seven tight ends have annual average salaries of $13 million or more, and McCaffrey is the highest-paid running back at an average of nearly $16.1 million.
That’s forced some teams to bring in younger, cheaper talent through the draft, and what they’re finding are more rookies ready to make immediate impacts, as Chase demonstrated two years ago with the Cincinnati Bengals.
This year promises to be more of the same.
As offenses attempt to spread the field long and wide with jet sweeps and bubble screens and scheme to get tight ends and running backs matched up against linebackers, there are many options available.
Some analysts believe tight end Michael Mayer of Notre Dame could be the next Kelce despite his slower-than-expected 4.7-second 40-yard dash in Indy. Perhaps 264-pound Darnell Washington, a two-time national champion at Georgia who is still developing his receiving skills, will emerge as that guy. Or it could be Josh Whyle, the newest tight end prospect from Cincinnati — Kelce’s alma mater.
“We have a sign up in our room that says, ‘Through these halls walk the best tight ends in the country,’” Whyle said.
There’s an interesting mix of multi-position players, too.
Versatile running backs such as Tyjae Spears of Tulane, Chris Rodriguez Jr. of Kentucky and 5-foot-5 Deuce Vaughn of Kansas State have proved they can excel as runners, receivers or returners — something once considered a luxury.
Now, it’s an essential component for title-winning teams.
“Coach (John) Settle is always telling me, ’Hey, I made an all-Madden catch on a pass out of the backfield,” Rodriguez said, referring to his former college running backs coach. “I don’t even know what all-Madden is, but he told me it’s going to be really huge, especially at the next level. So that’s something I’ve been working on.”
The variety at receiver is intriguing.
Projected first-round picks range from the 6-foot-3, 208-pound Quentin Johnston of TCU to Flowers and from 2021 Biletnikoff Award winner Jordan Addison of Southern Cal, who caught 219 career passes, to Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who had 110 career catches and missed all but three of Ohio State’s games last season with a hamstring injury.
How they’ll rank is anybody’s guess, but as they jockey for position to be the first receiver chosen on April 27, the truth is teams will base their decisions on preference and need.
“We know as a receiver, you have to be a playmaker,” Bears coach Matt Eberflus said. “We saw it in the playoffs, we saw it in the Super Bowl. Those guys were making plays at critical moments and that’s what we need. So if we can add a critical piece like that in the draft, we’re going to do that.”
It could be Flowers, who has expanded not only his repertoire but the case to be made for being at the top of this receiving class.
“I’m not just a slot: 75% of my snaps were played outside,” he said. “I think I can move around and play any position they put me.”
LAMAR JACKSON GETS NONEXCLUSIVE FRANCHISE TAG FROM RAVENS
(AP) — The Baltimore Ravens put the nonexclusive franchise tag on Lamar Jackson on Tuesday, preventing him from becoming an unrestricted free agent this month but allowing him to negotiate with other teams.
The deadline for teams to apply the franchise tag was Tuesday. The Ravens were always expected to use it if they didn’t reach a long-term deal with Jackson first. The main question was whether they’d use the nonexclusive tag or the exclusive one.
Baltimore could have prevented Jackson from negotiating with anyone else by using the exclusive tag, but that could have cost significantly more. Instead, Jackson would make $32.4 million if he plays this season on the nonexclusive tag.
Before that happens, Jackson and the Ravens can keep negotiating, and other teams can join in the bidding as well. Baltimore would have a chance to match any agreement between Jackson and another team, and if the Ravens chose not to match, they’d receive two first-round draft picks in return.
“There have been many instances across the league and in Baltimore when a player has been designated with the franchise tag and signed a long-term deal that same year,” general manager Eric DeCosta said in a statement. “We will continue to negotiate in good faith with Lamar, and we are hopeful that we can strike a long-term deal that is fair to both Lamar and the Ravens. Our ultimate goal is to build a championship team with Lamar Jackson leading the way for many years to come.”
The Dallas Cowboys used the exclusive franchise tag on quarterback Dak Prescott in 2020. A year later, they reached a long-term deal with him. Kirk Cousins is another quarterback who played on the franchise tag fairly recently. He did it his final two seasons in Washington before joining the Minnesota Vikings in 2018.
So now the saga between Jackson and the Ravens enters its next phase. Josh Allen, the other star quarterback drafted in 2018 with Jackson, signed a long-term deal with Buffalo two offseasons ago. Jackson, on the other hand, entered last season – the final year of his rookie deal – still without an extension. His contract status didn’t seem too disruptive last offseason – he participated in mandatory minicamp and training camp – but there’s no telling how the next few months will go.
There obviously is some risk involved with using the nonexclusive tag, especially for a player of Jackson’s caliber, but it could resolve this deadlock sooner. If Jackson is able to find a deal he likes from another team, the Ravens could either match it or take the draft picks and allow him to leave.
Jackson, who doesn’t have an agent, is one player who should pique the rest of the league’s interest, even at the cost of two first-round picks, and his availability to any degree could shake up NFL free agency, which opens later this month.
Jackson was the 2019 NFL MVP, and his dynamic passing and running make him one of the game’s most unusual stars. At age 25, he already is one of six quarterbacks in NFL history with 10,000 yards passing and 4,000 rushing. His 12 games with at least 100 yards rushing are an NFL record for a QB.
Jackson has been hurt at the end of the past two seasons, and the Ravens haven’t reached the AFC championship game with him, but his impact on their offense is massive. If he remains with Baltimore, he’ll have a new coordinator after the Ravens hired Georgia’s Todd Monken.
NOTES: Baltimore also announced Tuesday that it had hired Dennard Wilson as defensive backs coach. He coached defensive backs with the Philadelphia Eagles the past two seasons.
GIANTS GIVE QB JONES 4-YEAR, $160M DEAL, TAG BARKLEY
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) After days of intense, down-to-the wire negotiations, the New York Giants agreed to a four-year contract with quarterback Daniel Jones on Tuesday and put a franchise tag on running back Saquon Barkley.
The Giants confirmed the deal with Jones Tuesday night. The agreement with his agents was reached with the franchise tag deadline minutes away.
With Jones under contract, the Giants used their franchise tag on running back Saquon Barkley.
“We had productive conversations with Daniel and his representatives over the course of the past week or so,” general manager Joe Schoen said. “We are all pleased that we were able to come to an agreement prior to today’s deadline. This gives us a greater ability to continue to build our roster.”
The long-term contract allows the Giants to sharply reduce Jones’ cap number in this and subsequent seasons.
“I said after the season I love this place,” said Jones, who turns 26 in May. “I’ve really enjoyed my time here and I want to be here. I have great respect for this organization, the (owners), my coaches and teammates. I am happy we were able to come to an agreement.”
Barkley’s tag is nonexclusive, which means he’s able to negotiate with other teams in addition to the Giants. New York would have the right to match any team’s offer and would receive two first-round draft picks if it decided not to match.
The No. 2 overall pick in the 2018 draft and the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year that season would earn just over $10 million playing on the franchise tag.
The deals came after Jones delivered a career season, leading the team to the playoffs for the first time since 2016.
The Giants had refused to pick up the fifth-year option on Jones’ rookie contract before the start of last season. He was set to become an unrestricted free agent on March 15.
The No. 6 pick overall in the 2019 draft, Jones had a breakout season and led New York to a 9-7-1 record. Working with new coach Brian Daboll, Jones threw for 3,205 yards, 15 touchdowns and five interceptions. He also added another dimension to the offense by running for a quarterback franchise-record 708 yards and seven touchdowns.
The Giants had their first winning season since 2016 and beat Minnesota in the wild-card round of the NFC playoffs. The Philadelphia Eagles thrashed them in the divisional round.
Signing Jones allowed the Giants to tag Barkley, who also was an unrestricted free agent. Barkley had his best and healthiest season since 2018, rushing for 1,312 yards and 10 touchdowns. He also caught 57 passes for 338 yards.
The Giants had started the offseason with roughly $46 million in cap space. Safety and leading tackler Julian Love, offensive linemen Jon Feliciano and Nick Gates, receivers Darius Slayton and Richie James and long snapper Casey Kreiter are also set to become unrestricted free agents.
AP SOURCE: CHIEFS SENDING BROWN, CLARK INTO FREE AGENCY
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) The Kansas City Chiefs are about to have two big holes to fill, along with plenty of salary cap space to do it, as they enter free agency and begin putting together a roster for the defense of their Super Bowl title.
The Chiefs plan to decline using the franchise tag for the second time on left tackle Orlando Brown Jr., and they will release pass rusher Frank Clark, a person familiar with the decisions told The Associated Press on Tuesday.
The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because neither of the moves has been officially made.
The Chiefs and Brown’s representatives spent all last season working on a long-term deal for him, but the two sides never could reach an agreement and he wound up earning about $16.6 million on the franchise tag. Brown would have made more under second-year franchise tag rules and the Chiefs were unwilling to go there with his salary.
The deadline for teams to use the franchise tag is later Tuesday. And the Chiefs and Browns could still agree to a long-term deal by Monday, at which point he can begin negotiating with other teams.
“As always, it’s more beneficial for us to get something done long term,” Chiefs general manager Brett Veach said last week at the scouting combine. “Unlike last year, I think we have at least a runway to work with. We’ve gotten to know his team a little bit better. We’re excited to get that process started.”
The Chiefs, who also could lose right tackle Andrew Wylie to free agency, sent a package of draft picks to the Ravens to acquire Brown ahead of the 2021 season. He went on to start every game but one over two seasons in Kansas City, earning Pro Bowl nods each year and helping the Chiefs beat the Eagles in the Super Bowl last month.
What the 27-year-old Brown could demand on the open market is somewhat polarizing, though. He ranked in the top third of offensive tackles in metrics such as pass-block win rate but has been inconsistent at times.
As for Clark, the Chiefs were hoping to restructure a contract that would have been prohibitive for next season – the pass rusher would have counted nearly $29 million against the salary cap. They were able to do that last season and keep Clark in the fold, but they were unable to come to a similar agreement over the past two weeks.
The 29-year-old Clark had five sacks this past regular season before adding 2 1/2 more in the playoffs, moving him into third in postseason sacks since the NFL made them an official statistic in 1982. The victory over the Eagles also gave Clark his second Super Bowl ring in four years in Kansas City.
“I actually talked to him at the (Super Bowl victory) parade,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said last week. “He had to do some stuff for the actual exit physical, but I had a good talk with him. I love Frank Clark. It’s just, you know, Veach has got to juggle all these different things going on. But Frank, he’s a top-notch guy. I love him. Love him to death.”
Much like Brown, the Chiefs would be keen to reach an agreement with Clark once he hits free agency. He became a locker-room leader this past season, and rookie George Karlaftis praised Clark for helping him adapt to the NFL.
For now, parting with Brown and Clark leave the Chiefs with gaping holes on each side of the ball. But the moves also free up more than $40 million to use in free agency, and the Chiefs are expected to have 12 selections – once compensatory picks are awarded – to further fill holes when Kansas City hosts the NFL draft next month for the first time.
“You’ve just got to be buttoned up on your free agency plan,” Veach acknowledged. “You have to just have a plan, stick to it and knock it out of the park. And if the plan doesn’t work, you have to move on quickly.”
BUCCANEERS RELEASE VETERAN LT DONOVAN SMITH AFTER 8 SEASONS
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) Veteran left tackle Donovan Smith was released by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Tuesday in a cost-cutting move.
The durable 2015 second-round draft pick started 124 regular-season and seven playoff games over eight seasons with the Bucs, who entered the offseason more than $58 million dollars over the NFL salary cap.
Releasing Smith, who signed a two-year, $31.8 million contract extension in March 2021, creates about $9.95 million in cap space. Smith, 29, became an immediate starter for the Bucs in 2015 and missed only two games in eight years. He struggled in 2022 after suffering a hyperextended elbow in the season opener, though, finishing second in the league with 12 accepted penalties for 100 yards.
“I want to thank Donovan for all that he has done for the Buccaneers on and off the field over the past eight seasons,” general manager Jason Licht said. “He stepped in as our starter at left tackle in 2015, and his durability and dependability at one of the most important positions in football played a significant role in our offensive success during his time here.”
Among the options the Bucs could explore to fill Smith’s spot is moving All-Pro Tristan Wirfs from right to left tackle.
NFL teams face a March 15 deadline to become compliant with the salary cap. Among the other veterans Tampa Bay could part ways with are running back Leonard Fournette, tight end Cameron Brate and kicker Ryan Succop.
NHL NEWS
LIGHTNING BEAT FLYERS 5-2 TO SNAP 5-GAME LOSING STREAK
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) Alex Killorn and Nikita Kucherov each had two goals and an assist and the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Philadelphia Flyers 5-2 on Tuesday night to snap a five-game losing streak.
Ross Colton also scored, Mikhail Sergachev had two assists and Alexei Vasilevskiy made 33 saves for the Lightning. They had been 0-4-1 since a 3-0 victory in Detroit on Feb. 25. “We were winning a lot more battles than we have been,” Killorn said, “and the power play was great.” Morgan Frost and Brendan Lemieux scored for Philadelphia, and Carter Hart made 34 saves. The Flyers have lost five of six. The Lightning, who entered the night second in the NHL in power-play percentage, scored three times in six chances. Flyers defenseman Tony DeAngelo said the Lightning’s superb power play made the difference.
“You’ve got to kill them (power plays),” said DeAngelo, whose spearing major late in the third period led to the Lightning’s third power-play goal. “They’ve got a lethal power play; everyone knows that.
“They’ve been doing it for years, and they did it again tonight.” After each team scored once in the first period, Tampa Bay took command with three goals in the second.
Kucherov gave the Lightning a 2-1 lead 34 seconds in when he set up at the top of the right circle and one-timed Sergachev’s pass behind Hart. Colton outmuscled three Flyers in front of Hart and slid Tanner Jeannot’s pass into the net at 8:46 for a 3-1 advantage.
The line of Colton, Nick Paul and Jeannot, who was acquired from the Nashville Predators on Feb. 26, brought a physical presence as well as some offense.
“We’re trying to form an identity for what our line is going to be,” Colton said. “It’s our second or third game together. Tanner brings a lot of grit and skill, he’s heavy on the forecheck. I’ve been playing with (Paul) the last year, so I kind of know what he brings.”
Killorn put the Lightning up by three at 10:49 with a short wrist shot after Hart misplayed the puck behind the net.
“Probably a few too many mistakes on our part, and obviously their power play is pretty lethal,” Frost said of the second period. “If you give them opportunities, eventually they’re going to score. Too many breakdowns; I feel like we got ourselves some good looks also, but we didn’t find a way to put them in the net.”
Lemieux cut the margin to 4-2 at 12:40 when he deflected Cam York’s wrist shot from the top of the left circle past Vasilevskiy’s catching glove. But Kucherov scored Tampa Bay’s third power-play goal of the game with 2:22 remaining in the third period.
The Flyers opened the scoring at 5:52 of the first period when Frost finished off a 2-on-1 break by beating Vasilevskiy during a delayed penalty. But Killorn’s power-play tap-in of Kucherov’s pass at 7:38 got the Lightning even.
“The big thing for me was when we fell behind 1-0 and then we came back,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. “The power play was on tonight, but the rebound after going down 1-0 – that was big for me, and the boys took it home after that.”
The Lightning played without their best defenseman, Victor Hedman, who left midway through a 6-0 road loss to Carolina on Sunday after crashing into the boards and injuring his back.
Tampa Bay improved to 12-1-0 in its last 13 games against the Flyers. STREAKING
Kucherov extended his home points streak to 22 games. He has seven goals and 32 assists for 39 points during that span. UP NEXT
Flyers: At Carolina on Thursday night.
CROSBY SCORES IN OT AS PENGUINS RALLY BY BLUE JACKETS 5-4
PITTSBURGH (AP) The Pittsburgh Penguins don’t panic when things get sideways. Call it one of the fringe benefits of having the NHL’s oldest team.
They’ve been through so much, not much phases them. Even a four-goal deficit at home against Columbus on Tuesday night when it was hard to tell at times which club began the night with the league’s worst record and which club was trying to reach the playoffs for a 17th straight season.
Clarity arrived courtesy of a three-goal flurry in the third period. Victory arrived in overtime.
Sidney Crosby capped a frantic rally with a blast from the right circle that beat Blue Jackets backup goaltender Michael Hutchinson 2:45 into the extra period as the Penguins scrambled to a 5-4 win.
“We’ll take those two points but we know it wasn’t the most ideal game for us,” said Penguins forward Jason Zucker, who had two goals to boost his season total to 21.
It was the ideal finish.
Pittsburgh beat the Blue Jackets for the 13th straight time at PPG Paints Arena thanks to a three-goal outburst early in the third that drew the Penguins even, setting the stage for the 20th overtime goal of Crosby’s career that sent Pittsburgh to its fifth win in its last six games.
“We knew (the start) wasn’t good enough,” Zucker said. “We’re a veteran group. We know what we need to be doing. We got after it a little bit in the second and definitely in the third.”
Zucker, Jake Guentzel and Danton Heinen scored in a 3:38 span early in the third period make it 4-4. Crosby’s 28th goal of the season kept Pittsburgh unbeaten against Columbus at home since November 2015.
Evgeni Malkin had three assists for the Penguins. Crosby and Rickard Rakell added two assists as Pittsburgh stayed three points clear of Florida for the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.
Casey DeSmith stopped all 15 shots he faced after replacing an ineffective Tristan Jarry early in the second period.
“I knew if I kept it within reach we had the firepower to put some pucks in the net and thankfully we did it,” DeSmith said. “It was a really spirited win. I think it was something that was good for this team.”
Patrik Laine, Emil Bemstrom, Liam Foudy and Lane Pederson all scored for Columbus but it wasn’t enough. Hutchinson – who replaced an ill Elvis Merzlikins at the start of the second period – wore down under constant pressure from Pittsburgh. Hutchinson made 35 saves but let the four-goal advantage he inherited slip away.
“They’re a dangerous team and you give them some energy in this building, they’re going to come,” Blue Jackets coach Brad Larsen said. “It’s unfortunate we couldn’t get it done.”
The Blue Jackets outskated and outplayed the Penguins over the first 25 minutes while sprinting to a massive lead.
Inattentive backchecking and shaky play by Jarry – who sat out a loss to Florida on Saturday due to an illness – led to a smattering of boos and tepid calls for the firing of general manager Ron Hextall after Foudy’s wrist shot beat Jarry 2:37 into the second period to put Columbus up 4-0.
Jarry was replaced by DeSmith, though the switch did little to bring the Penguins to life.
In the third, the Penguins finally asserted themselves.
Guentzel’s 25th goal of the season 21 seconds into the final period gave the Penguins a jolt. Zucker’s second of the game less than three minutes later brought Pittsburgh within one and when Heinen finished off an end-to-end rush by tapping in a feed from Rakell, the Penguins tied it.
“Something we have to learn as a group, to just play a full game especially when you’re playing against a team going for a deep playoff run,” Foudy said. “All the points matter for them.”
UP NEXT
Blue Jackets: Welcome St. Louis to Columbus on Saturday.
Penguins: Host the New York Islanders on Thursday. The Islanders have won each of the first three meetings between the Metropolitan Division rivals this season.
LIGHTNING BEAT FLYERS 5-2 TO SNAP 5-GAME LOSING STREAK
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) Alex Killorn and Nikita Kucherov each had two goals and an assist and the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Philadelphia Flyers 5-2 on Tuesday night to snap a five-game losing streak.
Ross Colton also scored, Mikhail Sergachev had two assists and Alexei Vasilevskiy made 33 saves for the Lightning. They had been 0-4-1 since a 3-0 victory in Detroit on Feb. 25. “We were winning a lot more battles than we have been,” Killorn said, “and the power play was great.” Morgan Frost and Brendan Lemieux scored for Philadelphia, and Carter Hart made 34 saves. The Flyers have lost five of six. The Lightning, who entered the night second in the NHL in power-play percentage, scored three times in six chances. Flyers defenseman Tony DeAngelo said the Lightning’s superb power play made the difference.
“You’ve got to kill them (power plays),” said DeAngelo, whose spearing major late in the third period led to the Lightning’s third power-play goal. “They’ve got a lethal power play; everyone knows that.
“They’ve been doing it for years, and they did it again tonight.” After each team scored once in the first period, Tampa Bay took command with three goals in the second.
Kucherov gave the Lightning a 2-1 lead 34 seconds in when he set up at the top of the right circle and one-timed Sergachev’s pass behind Hart. Colton outmuscled three Flyers in front of Hart and slid Tanner Jeannot’s pass into the net at 8:46 for a 3-1 advantage.
The line of Colton, Nick Paul and Jeannot, who was acquired from the Nashville Predators on Feb. 26, brought a physical presence as well as some offense.
“We’re trying to form an identity for what our line is going to be,” Colton said. “It’s our second or third game together. Tanner brings a lot of grit and skill, he’s heavy on the forecheck. I’ve been playing with (Paul) the last year, so I kind of know what he brings.”
Killorn put the Lightning up by three at 10:49 with a short wrist shot after Hart misplayed the puck behind the net.
“Probably a few too many mistakes on our part, and obviously their power play is pretty lethal,” Frost said of the second period. “If you give them opportunities, eventually they’re going to score. Too many breakdowns; I feel like we got ourselves some good looks also, but we didn’t find a way to put them in the net.”
Lemieux cut the margin to 4-2 at 12:40 when he deflected Cam York’s wrist shot from the top of the left circle past Vasilevskiy’s catching glove. But Kucherov scored Tampa Bay’s third power-play goal of the game with 2:22 remaining in the third period.
The Flyers opened the scoring at 5:52 of the first period when Frost finished off a 2-on-1 break by beating Vasilevskiy during a delayed penalty. But Killorn’s power-play tap-in of Kucherov’s pass at 7:38 got the Lightning even.
“The big thing for me was when we fell behind 1-0 and then we came back,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. “The power play was on tonight, but the rebound after going down 1-0 – that was big for me, and the boys took it home after that.”
The Lightning played without their best defenseman, Victor Hedman, who left midway through a 6-0 road loss to Carolina on Sunday after crashing into the boards and injuring his back.
Tampa Bay improved to 12-1-0 in its last 13 games against the Flyers. STREAKING
Kucherov extended his home points streak to 22 games. He has seven goals and 32 assists for 39 points during that span. UP NEXT
Flyers: At Carolina on Thursday night.
Lightning: Host Vegas on Thursday night.
TOFFOLI SCORES SHOOTOUT WINNER AS FLAMES TOP WILD, 1-0
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) Tyler Toffoli scored in the sudden death round of the shootout to send the Calgary Flames to a 1-0 win over the Minnesota Wild.
Toffoli beat Wild goalie Filip Gustavsson five-hole to end Tuesday’s game, which nearly ended in overtime.
Both teams scored in the third round of the shootout, but Matt Boldy’s missed backhander for Minnesota set the stage for Toffoli to win it.
Gustavsson made 26 saves for Minnesota, while Jacob Markstrom stopped all 40 shots in net for Calgary for his first shutout of the year. The 40 shots by the Wild were the most surrendered by the Flames all season.
Tuesday was the second night of a back-to-back for Calgary, which beat Dallas 5-4 on Monday.
“We haven’t done that much this year,” Markstrom said of the back-to-back wins. “Now you just refocus, relax when we get home tonight and then refocus for the next game.”
Wild defenseman Jared Spurgeon appeared to have scored the game-winner with 1:36 remaining in overtime when he buried a Ryan Hartman rebound. The play was reviewed, however, and it was deemed Spurgeon was offside as he skated backwards into Calgary’s zone.
“We just looked at it. We think it’s offside,” said Wild coach Dean Evason. “He definitely released it before it got over the blue line by an inch. So, yeah, hard to argue with that.”
Flames coach Darryl Sutter said he knew right away that Spurgeon was offside.
“When you’re skating backwards, the puck’s gotta be on your stick,” he said. “It’s the first thing I said is they gotta look at that in a hurry because I don’t think it was on his stick.”
Some of Calgary’s players had already headed to the locker room and had to return to the bench after the call was overturned. After Minnesota’s players stopped their celebration at center ice, play eventually resumed.
“I think there was 10 of us in the room. We just thought the game was over, obviously,” Toffoli said. “Obviously we heard everyone screaming to get back out there. We went back out there and Darryl told us to get our heads back into it, and we found a way.”
Tuesday marked the second time the two teams played in a four-day span. Minnesota won 3-0 in Calgary on Saturday, with Gustavsson making 31 saves in the shutout.
Minnesota dominated Calgary in shots on goal, with the Wild out-shooting the Flames 40-26.
The Wild had several golden opportunities in the third period. Hartman was stopped on a breakaway after a nice pass from linemate Kirill Kaprizov, and forward Ryan Reaves missed a good look on the doorstep a few minutes later.
Frederick Gaudreau also had a good look for Minnesota early in overtime, but his shot was blocked into the protective netting. Mikael Backlund had Calgary’s best shot in overtime but was denied by Gustavsson.
“These games are real fun. It’s very close games and there’s lots of opportunities back and forth,” Gustavsson said. “They had a breakaway in overtime. We had a few good chances. It’s the way the game goes.”
Play was chippy throughout the game, with several scrums after the whistle. One of those resulted in two penalties on Minnesota’s Ryan Hartman during a first-period dustup.
WILD CELEBRATE PRIDE NIGHT
The Wild hosted its second annual Pride Night on Tuesday. Players used Pride pucks and Pride tape on their sticks during warmups. Jack Jablonski, a former Minnesota high school hockey player who has been paralyzed since 2011 and came out as gay last year, performed the “Let’s Play Hockey!” chant pregame. Wild defenseman Jon Merrill donated tickets to Tuesday’s game to Queerspace Collective, a mentorship program for LGBTQIA+ youth in Minnesota. The Wild players wore Pride jerseys during the inaugural Pride Night last year but did not on Tuesday.
UP NEXT
Flames: Host Anaheim on Friday.
Wild: At Winnipeg on Wednesday.
BOYD SCORES TWICE IN 3RD PERIOD, COYOTES BEAT BLUES 6-2
TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) The Arizona Coyotes opened the gates for a series of breakaways. Karel Vejmelka stopped all but one.
His save with two opponents bearing down in the second period changed the complexion of the game, sending the Coyotes to another big-scoring night against the St. Louis Blues.
Vejmelka stopped 40 shots, Travis Boyd had two goals and an assist in the third period, and the Coyotes beat the Blues 6-2 on Tuesday night.
“His save in the second period on the 2-on-0, that was: Wow!” Coyotes coach Andre Tourigny said. “That was really a momentum changer for both teams.”
The Coyotes got off to a shaky start, giving up a breakaway for the first of Pavel Buchnevich’s two goals, but Vejmelka kept them in it with a series of spectacular saves.
Christian Fischer and Nick Schmaltz scored to give Arizona a 2-1 lead and Boyd put it away with his two third-period goals. Clayton Keller added a goal and two assists, and Lawson Crouse also scored to give the Coyotes 16 goals in three games against St. Louis this season.
“That first couple minutes, not sure what we were getting ourselves into, but we regrouped really well and Veggie always (is good),” Fischer said. “It’s easy to say, but almost every game we’re saying our goalies’ names, but it’s true.”
St. Louis didn’t give its goalie much of a chance and had a hard time scoring in any situation. Jordan Binnington gave up six goals on 27 shots for St. Louis, which has lost eight of nine.
“We have tons of chances. Breakaways, the power play,” Blues coach Craig Berube said. “Our power play didn’t click good enough to win us the hockey game.”
The Coyotes gave up 15 combined goals in their previous three games and found themselves in another hole against the Blues.
Arizona had two early icing calls during long shifts in its own end and Buchnevich took advantage of a breakaway, beating Vejmelka to the glove side for his 10th point in six games.
The Coyotes snapped out of it and scored midway through the first period when a pass by Connor Mackey caromed hard off the backboards to the other side of the goal. Fischer easily put it into an empty net with Binnington out of position.
Arizona had more defensive breakdowns to start the second period, giving up a couple of breakaways. Vejmelka stuffed both, blocking Brandon Saad, then making a spectacular glove save on Robert Thomas on the 2-on-0.
“When you do your goalie stuff, probably the whole bunch stands up there,” Fischer said.
The Coyotes gave up another breakaway, this time while on a power play, but Vejmelka stopped Thomas again. Schmaltz scored before the power play ended, beating Binnington from a sharp angle on a cross-crease pass from Barrett Hayton.
Boyd made it 3-1 early in the third period, taking a short pass from Keller and flipping a backhander past Binnington.
Buchnevich scored midway through the third period, lifting a backhander over Vejmelka’s stick shoulder. Boyd pushed the lead back to two goals by punching in a rebound for his first multi-goal game and 100th career point.
“You always go into the game expecting to win,” Berube said. “We just haven’t played well enough or won enough games against non-playoff teams.”
MULLETT MAGIC
The Coyotes have heard the jokes about Mullett Arena, their 5,000-seat temporary home until a permanent one can be built.
Small as it is, the Mullett certainly gives Arizona a home-ice advantage.
Well out of the playoff picture, the Coyotes are 15-11-3 at home.
“Everybody early in the season was making jokes and everything about it, but I think at the end of the day, it’s a tough place to come in and play,” Boyd said. “Our record speaks to that.”
NOTES: Coyotes F Liam O’Brien did not play due to illness. … St. Louis F Jake Neighbours missed his seventh straight game with an upper-body injury. … Coyotes F Brett Ritchie has yet to join the team due to visa issues since being traded from Calgary on Friday in a deal that included his brother going to the Flames. … The Blues are 2 for 34 on the power play in the past nine games after going 0 for 6 against Arizona.
UP NEXT
St. Louis: Hosts San Jose on Thursday.
Arizona: Hosts Nashville on Thursday.
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COLTS FOOTBALL
2023 NFL COMBINE QUARTERBACK RECAP: OHIO STATE’S C.J. STROUD MAKES HIS PITCH
During his press conference Friday morning, Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud struck a balance between taking accountability for a perceived deficiency in his game while accentuating a perceived strength in how he plays quarterback.
First, Stroud put the reason for his lack of collegiate rushing attempts squarely on himself. Per Pro Football Focus, Stroud rushed 74 times for 294 yards (4.0) yards/carry as Ohio State’s starter from 2021-2022; that averages out to three carries for 12 yards per game.
From NFL.com’s evaluation of Stroud: “Hesitance to use his legs can put a cap on his success rate.”
Stroud, though, set career highs against Georgia in the 2022 College Football Playoff Semifinal with nine carries for 78 yards; his six scrambles and three missed tackles forced were also career highs.
Here’s how Stroud talked about his mobility on Friday at the NFL Combine:
“I didn’t do it a lot in college and I feel like I should have,” Stroud said. “It’s something I do regret. I feel like I could have done it a lot more. But I think when you turn on the film and you really watch what I do, and you really look at film game to game, I have used my athleticism not only just in the Georgia game where I did it a lot. I’ve done it in every other game.
“I’ve had tough third-down runs. I’ve had tough fourth-down runs. But there were times I didn’t run the ball when maybe I should have. I feel like that’s something that I learned and that’s what football is about. It’s about stepping back up to the plate and going back and working hard and fixing those problems. That’s something I plan to fix and I’ll show them my athleticism. I’ve done it before on film, but since people don’t think I can do it, I’m going to do it again.”
Where Stroud shined with the Buckeyes was with his ball placement, accuracy and anticipation, all traits he believes will help him in the NFL. Again, from NFL.com: “The most naturally accurate top-tier quarterback in the 2023 draft class.”
“I tried to describe myself as free-flowing but still disciplined,” Stroud said. “Able to take the completion when it’s there, but at the same time making plays. I like to be just confident in myself. Another thing I like to do is extend plays and take the routine plays when they’re routine. I don’t try to press the envelope, and I think that’s very important being a quarterback sometimes.
“You want to let your teammates know that you’re not always trying to be Superman, but when you need to make that play and you can extend that play, you get a lot more respect from your teammates. So those are just things I like to do. I think I’m a playmaker. I think I’m very creative. And I think I’m smart when it comes to protections and things like that because I solve a lot of issues before they’re even there. That’s something pride myself on it.
“And one thing about me, I think I’m a ball-placement specialist. I like to be very accurate. I don’t want my receivers have to do really anything to catch the ball. And I think I’ve shown that time and time on film.”
COLTS ANNOUNCE 2023 COACHING STAFF
Shane Steichen’s first coaching staff in Indianapolis is complete.
The Colts on Tuesday announced their 2023 coaching staff, which includes eight newcomers and several returning coaches.
Defensive coordinator Gus Bradley, defensive line coach Nate Ollie, assistant defensive line coach Matt Raich, linebackers coach/run game coordinator Richard Smith, assistant linebackers coach Cato June, defensive backs coach Ron Milus and assistant defensive backs coach Mike Mitchell all return from 2022; Brent Jackson, the Colts’ 2022 Tony Dungy Defensive Coaching Fellow, was elevated to defensive quality control assistant in 2023. Smith will add run game coordinator to his title in 2023.
“I have a ton of respect for Gus,” Steichen said. “I spent four years with him (with the Los Angeles Chargers, 2017-2020), just the person he is, the leader he is. Nothing but phenomenal things to say about Gus. I’m very fortunate to have him still in the building and then obviously the rest of the staff that’s in place.”
Also returning are wide receivers coach Reggie Wayne, offensive quality control – wide receivers Brian Bratton and assistant special teams coach Joe Hastings, as well as head strength and conditioning coach Richard Howell, strength and conditioning assistant Zane Fakes, director of sports performance Rusty Jones, applied sports science/conditioning Doug McKenney and functional movement therapist/conditioning Sam Khym.
The Colts will additionally hire two Tony Dungy Diversity Fellows for the 2023 season, to be announced at a later date.
New to the Colts’ coaching staff in 2023 are the following coaches:
Offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter
Cooter joins the Colts after spending 2022 as the Jacksonville Jaguars’ pass game coordinator, where he had a hand in Trevor Lawrence’s breakout sophomore season (4,113 yards, 25 touchdowns/8 interceptions, 95.2 passer rating) as well as a career year from wide receiver Christian Kirk (84 receptions, 1,108 yards, 8 touchdowns). The AFC South champion Jaguars also had the No. 10 scoring offense in the NFL (23.8 points/game).
Prior to joining the Jaguars, Cooter overlapped with Steichen as a consultant for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2021. He also has served as the New York Jets’ running backs coach (2019-2020), the Detroit Lions’ offensive coordinator (2016-2018) and the Lions’ quarterbacks coach (2014-2015).
Cooter broke into the NFL as an offensive quality control coach with the Colts in 2009, a role he held under head coach Jim Caldwell – and alongside quarterback Peyton Manning – through the 2011 season. Cooter was an offensive quality control coach with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2012 before re-uniting with Manning as an offensive assistant for the Denver Broncos in 2013.
“Obviously, Jim Bob has had a lot of success in this league,” Steichen said last week at the NFL Combine. “Obviously, he started in the league being around Peyton Manning for awhile, and then he had success with (Matthew) Stafford at Detroit and then this previous year with Lawrence in Jacksonville. So his expertise with the quarterback, the way he sees the game, the preparation he puts into it. I got to spend a year with him in 2021 at Philly and really get to know him as a person, see how he saw the game. That’s where we created that relationship, and I have no doubt in my mind that he’s gonna do a phenomenal job.”
Special teams coordinator Brian Mason
Mason, a Zionsville, Ind. native, comes home after serving as Notre Dame’s special teams coordinator in 2022. Under Mason, the Irish blocked a school record seven punts, including a streak of five games with at least one blocked punt. Mason’s special teams unit also executed a fake punt that sparked Notre Dame’s Gator Bowl win over South Carolina. He was a semifinalist in 2022 for the Broyles Award, which is given annually to college football’s top assistant coach.
Mason was the University of Cincinnati’s special teams coordinator from 2018-2021. He also spent time as Cincinnati’s director of recruiting (2017) and as a graduate assistant at Ohio State (2015-2016), Purdue (2013-2014) and Kent State (2012); he previously was Bluffton’s defensive line coach from 2009-2011 and a student assistant at Dennison from 2006-2007. Mason played running back for Dennison from 2005-2006.
Quarterbacks coach Cam Turner
Turner comes to the Colts after five seasons with the Arizona Cardinals spent as co-pass game coordinator/quarterbacks (2022), quarterbacks coach (2021), offensive assistant/assistant quarterbacks coach (2020), assistant quarterbacks coach (2019) and offensive assistant (2018). Under Turner, 2019 No. 1 overall pick Kyler Murray blossomed into earning Offensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2019, then back-to-back Pro Bowl berths in 2020 and 2021.
Before joining the Cardinals, Turner spent three seasons with the Carolina Panthers as assistant quarterbacks coach (2017) and assistant wide receivers coach (2015-2016). He was Florida International’s quarterbacks and wide receivers coach under his father, Ron, from 2013-2014; he also spent time with the Minnesota Vikings (assistant to the head coach, 2011-2012) and The Citadel (wide receivers coach/special teams coordinator, 2010). Turner is the nephew of longtime NFL coach Norv Turner – who hired Steichen to his first NFL job with the San Diego Chargers in 2011 – and the cousin of Las Vegas Raiders passing game coordinator Scott Turner.
Running backs coach DeAndre Smith
With Smith as his running backs coach in 2022, New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley set a career high with 1,312 rushing yards; he added 10 touchdowns along with 57 receptions en route to his second career Pro Bowl selection. The Giants ranked fourth in the NFL in rushing yards per game (148.2) and rushing yards per play (4.8) in 2022.
The Giants were Smith’s first NFL coaching gig after an extensive career at the college level. Smith coached running backs at Texas Tech (2019-2021), Utah State (2018), North Carolina (2017), Purdue (2016), Syracuse (2013-2015), New Mexico (2012, 2008), Illinois (2010-2011), UNLV (2009), Miami Ohio (2005-2007) and Northern Illinois (2001-2004). At UNLV, he overlapped with Steichen, who was a graduate assistant for the Runnin’ Rebels in 2009.
Smith, a Missouri State alum, began coaching his coaching career as Indiana State’s offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach from 1999-2000.
Tight ends coach Tom Manning
Manning, the Colts’ tight ends coach in 2018, re-joins the team in the same capacity after spending the last four seasons as Iowa State’s offensive coordinator. As the Colts’ tight ends coach in 2018, Eric Ebron was selected to the Pro Bowl with career highs in receptions (66), yards (750) and touchdowns (13); Jack Doyle had 26 catches for 245 yards in six games while Mo Alie-Cox caught his first two career touchdowns that year, too.
As Iowa State’s offensive coordinator, Manning also held titles as tight ends coach (2020) and running backs coach (2019). He joined the Colts in 2018 after two seasons as the Cyclones’ offensive coordinator/offensive line coach (2016-2017). Prior to Iowa State, Manning spent time as an offensive line coach with Toledo (2012-2015) and his alma mater Mount Union (2011).
Offensive line coach Tony Sparano Jr.
Sparano Jr. joins the Colts after serving as an assistant offensive line coach for each of the last six seasons with the Giants (2022), Carolina Panthers (2021) and Jacksonville Jaguars (2017-2020). Under Sparano, the Giants’ Andrew Thomas developed into one of the NFL’s premier left tackles in 2022 – his 89.9 Pro Football Focus pass block grade ranked second among left tackles, while his 90.3 overall grade ranked third.
Sparano was the Buffalo Bills’ tight ends coach from 2015-2016, and spent three years with the New York Jets as a seasonal intern (2012), offensive intern (2013) and offensive assistant (2014). He was hired by his father, longtime NFL coach Tony Sparano, as an offensive quality control coach with the Miami Dolphins in 2011.
Assistant offensive line coach Chris Watt
Watt, a 2014 third-round pick of the Chargers – where Steichen was a coach – joins the Colts after spending 2022 as a graduate assistant at Notre Dame. Watt was Tulane’s offensive line coach in 2021 and began his coaching career in 2020 as a graduate assistant at Notre Dame.
Prior to coaching, Watt appeared in 17 games (eight starts) for the Chargers from 2014-2015. He was Notre Dame’s starting left guard from 2011-2013, where he played under longtime O-line mastermind Harry Hiestand and next to future perennial All-Pro Dallas Cowboys offensive lineman Zack Martin, who was Notre Dame’s starting left tackle. From 2011-2017, Notre Dame only had one season where Watt or Quenton Nelson was not the team’s starting left guard.
Assistant to the head coach TJ Ingels
Ingels joins Steichen’s staff after serving as Wisconsin’s director of football operations under head coach Paul Chryst. A Wisconsin graduate, Ingels was a student assistant for the Badgers from 2006-2010; he worked with the San Francisco 49ers’ equipment staff from 2011-2012 and spent 2013 as an offensive graduate assistant/director of recruiting operations for North Carolina State. He was hired by Chryst as Pittsburgh’s director of football operations in 2014.
INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS BASEBALL
TWELVE FORMER INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS SUITING UP IN WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC
INDIANAPOLIS – With the World Baseball Classic set to begin with Pool A first-round action tomorrow night, 12 former members of the Indianapolis Indians will represent various countries from all four pools of the 14-day international tournament.
Pool A: Chinese Taipei, Cuba, Italy, Netherlands, Panama
Netherlands – RHP Shairon Martis (2012)
Martis, 35, will suit up for Netherlands after spending the last three years playing for Amsterdam of the Dutch Major League. The Curacao native began his professional career with the Giants organization in 2005 and went on to make his major league debut three years later with Washington.
On a minor league contract with Pittsburgh to begin 2012, Martis appeared in four games with Indianapolis in April and registered a 7.56 ERA (7er/8.1ip) before being transferred to Double-A and later traded to Minnesota in June. He appeared in his final MLB game in 2013 and has since pitched in the Venezuelan Winter League, Chinese Professional Baseball League, American Association, Atlantic League, Dominican Winter League and Dutch Major League with a short stint with Triple-A Norfolk in 2017.
Panama – C Christian Bethancourt (2021)
Bethancourt, 31, will head to Taiwan from Tampa Bay’s Spring Training to appear as catcher for his home country of Panama this month. He was shipped to the Rays from Oakland at the 2022 trade deadline.
He was named Indianapolis’ Team MVP after leading team qualifiers with a .281 batting average (93-for-331), 60 RBI and 155 total bases, and tied for the second-most home runs with 14 during his lone campaign in the Circle City. He also provided the game-winning hit in five of Indy’s 10 walk-off wins in 2021, the most by an Indian in a single season in the Victory Field era. Previously, he appeared in the majors with Atlanta and San Diego before spending 2019 in the Korean Baseball Organization.
Pool B: Australia, China, Czech Republic, Japan, Korea
China – Manager Dean Treanor (2011-16)
Treanor, 75, will manage China in the World Baseball Classic after most recently serving as Miami’s bullpen coach from 2017-19. The longtime minor league manager led the Indians from 2011-16 and has the third-most managerial wins in franchise history with a 471-393 record. During his time in the Circle City, the Indians finished with a minor league-best 89 wins in 2012 and made the Governors’ Cup Playoffs three times, most recently reaching the championship series in 2015.
Pool C: Canada, Colombia, Great Britain, Mexico, USA
Colombia – C Elias Diaz (2014-17, ’19)
Diaz, 32, is entering the second season of a three-year contract extension he signed with Colorado during the 2021 campaign and will leave spring training to appear as Colombia’s catcher in the World Baseball Classic. He has spent the last four seasons as a primary backstop in the major leagues between the Pirates (2019) and Rockies (2020-22).
The Venezuela native first appeared with Indianapolis in 2014 on his way up the minor league ranks prior to making his MLB debut with Pittsburgh in 2015. In 192 total games across five seasons in the Circle City, Diaz compiled a .269 average (188-for-699) and threw out 38.1 percent of would-be basestealers.
Great Britain – RHP Vance Worley (2014-15)
Worley, 35, will suit up for Great Britain after spending last season with Kane County of the independent American Association as a starting pitcher. After not appearing in game action from 2019-20, he began the 2021 season with Kane County before being signed by New York (NL) as a minor league free agent and assigned to Triple-A Syracuse for the remainder of the season. He last pitched in the majors with Miami in 2017.
The Californian and 2008 third-round draft pick by Philadelphia made his way through Indianapolis for 12 total starts between 2014-15. In those games, he went 6-3 with a 3.49 ERA (31er/80.0ip), including a complete-game victory with 7.0 one-run innings in Game 1 of a doubleheader on Aug. 21, 2015 at Charlotte.
Mexico – LHP Oliver Perez (2005-06)
Perez, 41, will appear in his final games as a professional ballplayer with Mexico during the World Baseball Classic after announcing his retirement from Major League Baseball following the 2022 season. He began last year with Arizona and made seven relief appearances prior to being released. He then signed with Tijuana of the independent Mexican League.
The 20-year major league veteran who has pitched in the big leagues for eight different teams came through Indianapolis for the first time in 2005, three years after making his MLB debut with San Diego, and made nine starts with the club over two seasons. In those games, he went 1-4 with a 6.64 ERA (31er/42.0ip) and recorded 13 strikeouts on July 1, 2006 at Toledo, tied with Mitch Keller (June 7, 2019 at Toledo) for the third-most punchouts by an Indy hurler in a start in the Victory Field era.
USA – RHP David Bednar (2022)
Bednar, 28, is one of three active Pirates set to appear in the World Baseball Classic and the only former or current Pirate suiting up for Team USA. He made his Triple-A debut with the Indians in 2022 after jumping from Double-A to making his major league debut with San Diego in 2019. In three games (one start) as part of a rehab assignment last season, the Pirates’ closer surrendered one earned run with four strikeouts in 3.0 innings.
Pool D: Dominican Republic, Israel, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico, Venezuela
Dominican Republic – RHP Cesar Valdez (2011), OF Starling Marte (2012, ’14, ’17), RHP Roansy Contreras (2021-22)
Valdez, 37, will spend 2023 in the Angels organization after being signed by the club to a minor league contract for the second consecutive season. Aside from one relief appearance with the Halos, he spent the season with Triple-A Salt Lake and tied for the Pacific Coast League lead with 10 wins in 23 starts.
One year after his 2010 MLB debut with Arizona, Valdez found himself in Indianapolis. In 34 relief appearances with the Indians, he went 1-1 with a 3.86 ERA (18er/42.0ip) and five saves in six opportunities.
Marte, 34, is coming off a productive season where he hit .292 (136-for-466) in 118 games and was named a National League All-Star. The Dominican outfielder hit a combined .310 during his 2021 season split between Miami (.305 in 64 games) and Oakland (.316 in 56 games).
He made his first appearance in the Circle City in 2012 prior to making his MLB debut with Pittsburgh later that season and played in 111 games across three seasons with the Indians, compiling a .284 average (124-for-436) with 49 extra-base hits and 65 RBI.
Contreras, 23, is the youngest former or current Indianapolis Indian rostered for the World Baseball Classic this year. He is expected to spend the 2023 season as a starter in Pittsburgh’s rotation after registering a 3.79 ERA (40er/95.0ip) in 21 games (18 starts) in the big leagues last year.
The right-hander made his Triple-A debut on Sept. 22, 2021 at Omaha prior to making his major league debut with the Pirates on Sept. 29 vs. Chicago (NL). He returned to Indianapolis at the beginning of 2022 and made nine starts with the Indians, going 1-1 with a 3.15 ERA (12er/34.1ip) and 46 strikeouts.
Israel – C Ryan Lavarnway (2018)
Lavarnway, 35, will be suiting up for Israel in the World Baseball Classic after splitting the 2022 Triple-A season between Toledo and Jacksonville. He has spent part of 10 seasons with eight different major league clubs (Boston, Baltimore, Atlanta, Oakland, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Miami and Cleveland), with his last big-league appearance coming with Cleveland in 2021.
The journeyman catcher appeared in 78 games with Indianapolis during the 2018 season and hit .288 (76-for-264) with 23 doubles and nine home runs. His lone Triple-A campaign in Indy included an International League All-Star bid and earned him a September promotion to Pittsburgh, where he went 4-for-6 as a pinch hitter in six games.
Puerto Rico – RHP Duane Underwood Jr. (2022)
Underwood Jr., 28, is set to take a leave of absence from Pittsburgh’s spring training camp to appear with Team Puerto Rico. He appeared in 51 games (one start) with the Pirates last season and went 1-6 with a 4.40 ERA (28er/57.1ip), and is expected to be a key bullpen arm in 2023.
The North Carolina native appeared in one game with the Indians in 2022 as part of a rehab assignment and earned the win on May 7 vs. Louisville after tossing 2.0 scoreless innings in relief. He originally made his MLB debut with Chicago (NL) in 2018 and has spent part of the last five seasons in the majors.
INDY FUEL HOCKEY
INDY FUEL PIT STOP: WEEK 20
INDY FUEL WEEK 20 RESULTS: 2-0-0-0
INDY FUEL OVERALL RECORD: 35-19-2-0 Overall (3rd Central)
GAME 55 – FRIDAY, MARCH 3 VS WHEELING – 3-2 W
The Fuel hosted the Wheeling Nailers for the fourth time this season on Friday, looking for their third win against the division rival. With a flurry of new players on the roster, Indy claimed the win 3-2 over Wheeling.
GAME 56 – SATURDAY, MARCH 4 AT CINCINNATI – 3-2 OTW
Coming off of two wins earlier in the week, the Fuel traveled to Cincinnati for their final road match versus the Cyclones in the 2022-23 regular season. Wearing specialty jerseys and becoming the “Hippos” for the night, Cincinnati wasn’t able to keep their win streak alive as Indy skated away with a 3-2 victory in overtime.
ROSTER MOVES
- Forward Zach Jordan was assigned to Indy on 3/2
- Defenseman Sam Sterne was assigned to Indy on 3/2
- Forward Max Golod was assigned to Indy on 3/3
- Forward Logan Nijhoff was assigned to Indy on 3/3
- Golod and Jordan were recalled to Rockford on 3/6
- Defenseman Zach Vinnell signed with Indy on 3/7
- Defenseman Trevor Zins signed with Indy on 3/7
OIL DROPS
- Max Golod has a goal in each of his first two games with the Fuel, the second being an overtime game-winner to claim a victory over Cincinnati.
- Golod also now leads the team in shots with 183, overtaking Spencer Watson who has claimed that title all season. Watson is now at 151.
- Newly acquired forward Zach Jordan now leads the Fuel in shorthanded goals with four on the season during his time in Jacksonville.
- Jordan is also tied for first in the entire league in that category with Tulsa’s Eddie Matsushima.
- Saturday night marked goaltender Zach Driscoll’s twentieth win of the season, leaving him tied for third in the league for most wins.
- Additionally, Driscoll has played 1,941 minutes so far this season. Only four goalies in the league have registered more minutes played.
TEAM NOTES
- The Fuel won their twentieth road game on Saturday against Cincinnati making them 20-10-1-0 on the road and one of just seven teams to have more road wins than home wins so far this season.
- Indy is 4-2 in overtime games this season and have yet to go to a shooutout.
- Despite winning all three games last week, the Fuel remain in third place in the Central division behind Toledo and Cincinnati.
- The Fuel’s power play ranks tenth in the league with a success rate of 21.9%.
- Their penalty kill record remains the fourth best in the league with a success rate of 83.2%.
- Overall on the season, the Fuel have outscored their opponents 199 to 165 and outshot them 1,749 to 1,694.
INDY FUEL WEEK 21 SCHEDULE
- GAME 57 – FRIDAY, MARCH 10 AT IOWA
- GAME 58 – SATURDAY, MARCH 11 VS TOLEDO
- GAME 59 – SUNDAY, MARCH 12 AT FORT WAYNE
INDY ELEVEN SOCCER
Indy Eleven continued to stock its roster with players from the club’s championship-winning Academy program with today’s official announcement that five players – goalkeepers Cayden Crawford and Hayden Vostal, midfielder Diego Sanchez, and forwards Benji Chavarria and Luca Iaccino – will begin the 2023 season under USL Academy contracts.
The Indianapolis native Sanchez has returned to the Eleven’s first team roster for a third campaign in the midfield, while Iaccino (Inverness, Ill.) and Vostal (Geneva, Ill.) have come back for their second seasons. Crawford (Columbus, Ohio) and Chavarria (Elkhart, Ind.) will make their debuts on the Eleven’s men’s first team roster as Academy signings in 2023.
Since 2019, Indy Eleven has now signed 19 players to USL Academy contracts, continuing the club’s standing as one of the premier player development destinations in the USL Championship. The five Academy players need not look far for inspiration when it comes to what can come of the experience, as Eleven Academy “graduate” midfielder Alann Torres will begin his second season with Indiana’s Team, one year after cutting his teeth as a rookie on loan with USL League One side Forward Madison FC in 2022.
“We’re excited to have these five young men bring their skills, energy, and hungry mindsets to our first team,” said Indy Eleven Head Coach Mark Lowry. “All of them have been around either the professional team or our Academy teams for a while now, so they know the expectations we have and the way we want to play. We are confident in the quality they bring, know they’ll be ready when their numbers are called, and look forward to continuing to help their development.”
In joining Indy Eleven as USL Academy contract signings all players will retain their NCAA eligibility. Chavarria recently committed to play for Loyola University Chicago starting with the Ramblers’ 2024 season.
Of the three returnees, Sanchez is the only one to have made his professional debut, which he crossed off the list by coming off the substitute’s bench in last year’s regular season finale at Birmingham Legion FC on Oct. 12. After signing with the squad on the cusp of the 2022 season opener last March Iaccino was ruled out of action for most of the season due to injury, while Vostal was a late-season addition to the first team on Aug. 18.
Both Sanchez and Chavarria were members of the Indy Eleven Academy U19 side that captured the inaugural USL Academy League Playoffs title in December 2021, held at Al Lang Stadium in St. Petersburg, Fla. – where Indy Eleven will open its 2023 regular season this Saturday against the Tampa Bay Rowdies (7:30 p.m. ET kick, live on ESPN+).
Iaccino joined that duo to help the U19 squad lift a second piece of hardware just four months’ time back in the Tampa area last April, when the Boys in Blue captured the first-place trophy in the USL Academy Cup’s Elite Division. Vostal joined those three as a regular contributor in the U19’s run to a second consecutive East Central Division crown in USL Academy League play last year, which ended in a fourth-place finish in the playoffs in December.
Below is the current roster of players currently under contact as Lowry’s squad heads into the 2023 USL Championship season:
Goalkeepers: ^Cayden Crawford, Yannik Oettl, Tim Trilk, ^Hayden Vostal
Defenders: Younes Boudadi, Robby Dambrot, Adrián Diz Pe, Mechack Jerome, Gustavo Rissi, Jesus Vazquez
Midfielders: Jack Blake, Cam Lindley, Aodhan Quinn, Bryam Rebellon, Harrison Robledo, ^Diego Sanchez, Alann Torres
Forwards: Solomon Asante, ^Benji Chavarria, Jonas Fjeldberg, Sebastian Guenzatti, ^Luca Iaccino, Juan Tejada
^ USL Academy contact signings
After this Saturday’s season opener at Tampa Bay and another away affair at Detroit City FC on March 25, Indy Eleven will open its USL Championship home slate on Saturday, April 1, when it welcomes Las Vegas Lights FC to IUPUI Carroll Stadium for a 7:00 p.m. kickoff. Tickets for all 17 home regular season contests as well as the Eleven’s Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Second Round clash against Michigan Stars FC on Wednesday, April 5, are on sale at indyeleven.com/tickets, where details on Season Ticket Memberships, specially-priced tickets and experiences for groups of 10 or more, and an expanded range of Hospitality options can be found.
INDIANA MEN’S BASKETBALL
JACKSON-DAVIS, HOOD-SCHIFINO NAMED TO ALL-BIG TEN TEAMS
ROSEMONT, Ill. – Senior forward Trayce Jackson-Davis and freshman guard Jalen Hood-Schifino were honored by the Big Ten Conference, the league’s coaches, and the conference media as All-Big Ten selections and specialty teams were announced on Tuesday afternoon.
Jackson-Davis was one of two players (Zach Edey, Purdue) unanimously selected to the All-Big Ten First Team for both the coaches and the media. TJD was also named to the five-player All-Defensive Team.
The first team honor comes a season after earning second team accolades across all three voting outlets as a junior. Following his sophomore campaign, he was tabbed an All-Big Ten First Team performer by the media and a second team choice by the coaches. He was a third team honoree and was included on the All-Freshman Team after his rookie season.
The last Hoosier to be named to an All-Big Ten Team in four-straight seasons since Kevin “Yogi” Ferrell (2013-16). He is the first Hoosier since Victor Oladipo (2012-13) to be named to the All-Defensive team in consecutive seasons.
The Greenwood native averaged 20.5 points (tied for 2nd in the Big Ten), 11.0 rebounds (2nd), 3.9 assists (7th), and 2.8 blocks (1st) per game. Jackson-Davis finished second in the league with 16 double-doubles. He produced 21.8 points (2nd), 12.4 rebounds (2nd), 4.7 assists (5th), and 2.9 blocks (1st) per game in 20 conference games this season.
During his senior season, Jackson-Davis moved into fourth on the Indiana all-time scoring list (2,163) and broke the school records in both career rebounding (1,105) and blocked shots (255). He ranks fourth in career double-doubles (48). He is the fifth player in Big Ten history to record 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds.
Hood-Schifino was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year by both the coaches and the media, an award not won by a Hoosier since Noah Vonleh (2014). The Pittsburgh, Pa., native also picked up enough votes to be named to the All-Big Ten Second Team by the media and the third team by the coaches.
JHS averaged 13.4 points (3rd among Big Ten freshmen), 4.1 rebounds (5th), 3.8 assists (2nd), 0.9 steals (3rd), and 1.2 made 3-pointers (7th) per contest this season. His scoring average increased to 14.9 points (2nd) per game in conference games.
Fifth-year senior Miller Kopp was selected as the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award Honoree for Indiana. In his final start at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, Kopp broke the Big Ten record for conference games played with 99. He was one of three Hoosiers to appear in all 31 games this season and the only player to appear in the starting lineup each game. The Houston native averaged 7.9 points per game and made a team-best 56 3-pointers.
2022-23 All-Big Ten Men’s Basketball Team (Coaches)
FIRST TEAM
Terrance Shannon Jr., Illinois
TRAYCE JACKSON-DAVIS, INDIANA
Kris Murray, Iowa
Jalen Pickett, Penn State
ZACH EDEY, PURDUE
SECOND TEAM*
Jahmir Young, Maryland
Hunter Dickinson, Michigan
Tyson Walker, Michigan State
Derrick Walker, Nebraska
Boo Buie, Northwestern
Chase Audige, Northwestern
THIRD TEAM
Matthew Mayer, Illinois
Jalen Hood-Schifino, Indiana
Kobe Bufkin, Michigan
Jett Howard, Michigan
Clifford Omoruyi, Rutgers
HONORABLE MENTION
Filip Rebraca, Iowa
Connor McCaffery, Iowa
Tony Perkins, Iowa
Julian Reese, Maryland
Hakim Hart, Maryland
Joey Hauser, Michigan State
A.J. Hoggard, Michiga State
Dawson Garcia, Minnesota
Keisei Tominaga, Nebraska
Brice Sensabaugh, Ohio State
Justice Sueing, Ohio State
Zed Key, Ohio State
Seth Lundy, Penn State
Braden Smith, Purdue
Fletcher Loyer, Purdue
Paul Mulcahy, Rutgers
Cam Spencer, Rutgers
Caleb McConnell, Rutgers
Chucky Hepburn, Wisconsin
ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM
Jalen Hood-Schifino, Indiana
Jett Howard, Michigan
Brice Sensabaugh, Ohio State
Braden Smith, Purdue
Connor Essegian, Wisconsin
ALL-DEFENSIVE TEAM
Trayce Jackson-Davis, Indiana
Chase Audige, Northwestern
Zach Edey, Purdue
Caleb McConnell, Rutgers
Clifford Omoruyi, Rutgers
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Zach Edey, Purdue
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR*
Chase Audige, Northwestern
Caleb McConnell, Rutgers
SIXTH MAN OF THE YEAR
Payton Sandfort, Iowa
COACH OF THE YEAR
Chris Collins, Northwestern
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Jalen Hood-Schifino, Indiana
HOWARD MOORE ASSISTANT COACH OF THE YEAR
Chris Lowery, Northwestern
Unanimous selections in ALL CAPS
*Additional honorees due to ties
2022-23 All-Big Ten Men’s Basketball Team (Media)
FIRST TEAM
TRAYCE JACKSON-DAVIS, INDIANA
KRIS MURRAY, IOWA
Hunter Dickinson, Michigan
ZACH EDEY, PURDUE
JALEN PICKETT, PENN STATE
Boo Buie, Northwestern
SECOND TEAM
Terrance Shannon Jr., Illinois
Jalen Hood-Schifino, Indiana
Jahmir Young, Maryland
Tyson Walker, Michigan State
Clifford Omoruyi, Rutgers
THIRD TEAM
Matthew Mayer, Illinois
Filip Rebraca, Iowa
A.J. Hoggard, Michiga State
Chase Audige, Northwestern
Brice Sensabaugh, Ohio State
HONORABLE MENTION
Connor McCaffery, Iowa
Tony Perkins, Iowa
Julian Reese, Maryland
Hakim Hart, Maryland
Kobe Bufkin, Michigan
Jett Howard, Michigan
Joey Hauser, Michigan State
Dawson Garcia, Minnesota
Keisei Tominaga, Nebraska
Seth Lundy, Penn State
Andrew Funk, Penn State
Braden Smith, Purdue
Fletcher Loyer, Purdue
Paul Mulcahy, Rutgers
Cam Spencer, Rutgers
Caleb McConnell, Rutgers
Chucky Hepburn, Wisconsin
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Zach Edey, Purdue
COACH OF THE YEAR
Chris Collins, Northwestern
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Jalen Hood-Schifino, Indiana
Unanimous selections in ALL CAPS
*Additional honorees due to ties
BIG TEN SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD HONOREES
Matthew Mayer, Illinois; Miller Kopp, Indiana; Patrick McCaffery, Iowa; Patrick Emilien, Maryland; Joey Baker, Michigan; Jaden Akins, Michigan State; Ta’lon Cooper, Minnesota; Robbie Beran, Northwestern; Sam Griesel, Nebraska; Sean McNeil, Ohio State; Camren Wynter, Penn State; Matt Frost, Purdue; Mawot Mag, Rutgers; Isaac Lindsey, Wisconsin
JACKSON-DAVIS NAMED SPORTING NEWS ALL-AMERICAN
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The Sporting News selected senior forward Trayce Jackson-Davis to its All-America First Team, the publication announced on Tuesday morning.
The Center Grove product is the first Indiana player since Victor Oladipo and Cody Zeller in 2013 to be named First-Team All-America.
Jackson-Davis ended the regular season averaging 20.5 points (2nd among Major Conference players), 11.0 rebounds (4th), 3.8 assists (2nd among players 6’9 and taller), and 2.8 blocks (3rd) per game. His 16 double-doubles ranked fifth among Major Conference performers.
TJD was one of two high-major players (Zach Edey; Purdue) to average at least 20.0 points, 11.0 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks per game in the regular season.
Jackson-Davis posted 25 points, seven rebounds, and five blocked shots in Indiana’s 79-74 victory over No. 1/1 Purdue on Feb. 4. He became the first player to produce at least 25 points and five blocks in a win over the AP No. 1 team since Marcus Camby in UMass’ win over top-ranked Kentucky on November 28, 1995.
On Jan. 25 he compiled 25 points, 21 rebounds, and six blocked shots against Minnesota. The game marked the first 20-20 game from a Hoosier since D.J. White on Jan. 8, 2008. He also became the first high-major player to post a 25-20-5 game since UConn’s Hasheem Thabeet on Feb. 14, 2009.
In a Dec. 7 victory over Nebraska, he recorded the third triple-double in Indiana basketball history with 12 points, 11 rebounds, and a career-high 10 assists. He added three blocks and three steals in the win to become the first player in men’s college basketball to post a triple-double and at least three blocks and three steals since Luke Walton (Arizona, 2002).
The Sporting News All-America team is one of four used in calculating the NCAA consensus All-America squad.
THE SPORTING NEWS ALL-AMERICA FIRST TEAM
Zach Edey, Purdue
Trayce Jackson-Davis, Indiana
Brandon Miller, Alabama
Drew Timme, Gonzaga
Jalen Wilson, Kansas
PURDUE MEN’S BASKETBALL
EDEY NAMED BIG TEN PLAYER OF THE YEAR; LOYER, SMITH HONORED
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Zach Edey became the fifth Purdue men’s basketball player in school history to be named the Big Ten’s Player of the Year and freshmen Braden Smith and Fletcher Loyer were also honored by the Big Ten Conference, as the league announced its league honors today.
Edey joins 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 also was named first-team All-Big Ten, giving the Boilermakers a league-best seven first-team selections in the last eight years. During that span, only Iowa (6) has had more than four first-team All-Big Ten honorees.
Earlier today, Edey was named to the Sporting News’ first-team All-America squad. Should he be named All-American by the AP, the USBWA and NABC, 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, is considered the front-runner for the National Player of the Year awards. He 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 ninth 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.
Meanwhile, Loyer and Smith were both named Honorable Mention All-Big Ten honorees, while Smith also landing on the Big Ten’s All-Freshman Team.
Smith, a point guard from Westfield, Indiana, ranks third on the team in scoring at 10.0 points per game, while leading the Boilermakers with a 4.2 assist per game average. He also contributes 4.3 rebounds per game and leads the team with 38 steals. He ranks 33rd nationally in free throw percentage (.875).
Smith is one of two freshman nationally in the last 30 years to average 10.0 points and 4.0 assists per game, while shooting at least 45.0 percent from the field, 40.0 percent from 3-point range and 85.0 percent from the free throw line (North Texas’ Javion Hamlet in 2019-20).
Smith is one of just two freshmen nationally this year to average at least 10.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game and he is the first Purdue player since Troy Lewis in 1987-88 to average those numbers.
Smith is third all-time among Purdue freshmen in assists (130) and fifth in steals (38).
Loyer, meanwhile, ranks fourth among the Big Ten’s freshmen in scoring (11.6 ppg) and 3-pointers made (54). Loyer ranks sixth on Purdue’s freshman scoring list with 360 points, needing just 40 points to become the fourth Purdue freshman with 400 points in a season.
Loyer has had an outstanding season, becoming the first Purdue freshman since 2008, to be named Big Ten Player of the Week after scoring 27 points against Nebraska in mid-January. His six 3-pointers against the Cornhuskers were the most by a Purdue freshman in school history.
Loyer was also named the CBS Sports National Freshman of the Week following Purdue’s title in the PK Invitational in Portland.
Senior Matt Frost was named the school’s Sportsmanship Award recipient.
The No. 5-ranked Boilermakers are the top seed in the upcoming Big Ten Tournament in Chicago.
EDEY TABBED FIRST-TEAM ALL-AMERICAN BY THE SPORTING NEWS
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Zach Edey has been named a first-team All-American by the Sporting News, one of the four organizations used for consensus status, the organization announced today.
The award is the first of the season for the Purdue center. Should he be named All-American by the AP, the USBWA and NABC, Edey would become Purdue’s fourth consensus All-American in the last seven years, joining Caleb Swanigan (2017), Carsen Edwards (2019) and Jaden Ivey (2022).
Edey, a 7-foot, 4-inch center from Toronto, is considered the front-runner for the National Player of the Year awards. He 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 ninth 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
ROSS ANNOUNCES PLANS TO RETIRE AS HEAD COACH
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Lifelong Boilermaker Dan Ross has announced his intention to retire as the leader of men’s swimming & diving, capping a distinguished 42-year career that has seen Ross become the second-longest tenured head coach in the history of Purdue Athletics.
Ross has been the head coach of the Boilermakers since the 1985-86 school year, a remarkable 38-year tenure that spanned both the Lambert Pool and Morgan J. Burke Aquatic Center eras of the program. As a Purdue alumnus that originally arrived on campus in the fall of 1977 and later a four-year assistant coach from 1981-82 to 1984-85, Ross has been associated with Purdue Swimming & Diving for 46 seasons.
“Dan Ross and Purdue Swimming & Diving have become virtually synonymous over the past 40-plus years,” said Mike Bobinski, Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics. “Dan has dedicated his life’s work to Purdue University and used his platform, first as an assistant coach, then through a remarkable 38-year head coaching tenure, to positively impact the lives of countless student-athletes, coaches and staff members. The connections Dan has with our former swimmers is a testament to his character and influence on their success while at Purdue and beyond. Purdue Athletics is forever grateful to Dan for his unwavering commitment to excellence in every aspect of the student-athlete experience, and we look forward to building from his vision and honoring his legacy in the years ahead. Dan is the epitome of a Purdue Boilermaker, and we wish him and his family all the best as he steps away to begin a well-earned next chapter.”
Ross plans to coach the Boilermakers at the CSCAA National Invitational Championship and NCAA Championships in the coming weeks and officially retire at the end of June, one day after his 64th birthday on June 29.
Ross won his three Big Ten Coach of the Year awards in three different decades – 1988, 1997 and 2009. He helped design the Morgan J. Burke Aquatic Center. Under his guidance, Purdue has scored at the NCAA Championships in 26 consecutive seasons and finished top 25 in 14 of the last 17. Ross has guided Boilermakers to international berths at the Olympic Games, World Championships, Pan American Games, Pan Pacific Games, World University Games, Southeast Asian Games and Maccabi Games. He was part of the U.S. coaching staff at the 2007 World University Games in Bangkok.
“It has been the privilege of my life to coach this team,” Ross said. “I loved every swimmer that I had the honor of coaching here at Purdue – from Lambert Pool or the original outdoor pool at the CoRec to the last 20 years at an unbelievable facility that is the Morgan J. Burke Aquatic Center. I told the current team, ‘I love each and every one of you unconditionally and that will never go away.’ This was a difficult decision, but my family helped me confirm what I knew in my heart – that it was time. Purdue Swimming & Diving is in amazing hands because of the people within the program that have made my final season a very special one.”
Recently, the men’s program produced at least one Big Ten champion every year from 2015 to 2021. The Boilermakers won multiple individual Big Ten titles on nine occasions during Ross’ tenure.
Ross’ vision and selflessness helped attract head diving coach Adam Soldati to Purdue in the spring of 2005, which in turn led to 13 NCAA diving national titles and multiple Olympic successes. John Klinge, David Boudia and Darlene Renie all work alongside Ross at the Burke Aquatic Center after enjoying successful careers as Purdue student-athletes at assorted segments of Ross’ time as the patriarch of Boilermaker Swimming & Diving.
“It is with great joy and excitement for Dan, as he transitions into the next stage of life, but also with great sadness to think of Purdue Swimming & Diving without our pillar of faithfulness and patience,” Soldati said. “For the last 18 years, Dan Ross has been a colleague, a mentor, a leader, but most importantly, a faithful brother and dear friend. I was beyond blessed to start my career here as a young, arrogant diving coach with a man like Dan Ross to work alongside and gently show the way. I’m forever grateful for one of the greatest Boilermakers ever!”
“Dan has been the cornerstone to this swimming & diving program,” Boudia said. “With his help, Purdue Diving has been able to become one of the best programs in the country. Dan will leave a rich tradition of showing you can find enjoyment in hard work and discipline that can lead to achieving your goals.”
Ross has been the dean of Purdue coaches since his friend and golf partner Gene Keady’s retirement following the 2004-05 basketball season. Ross is also the dean of Big Ten swimming & diving coaches. This summer the distinction of being the dean of Purdue coaches transfers to another friend and confidant – volleyball’s Dave Shondell (20 seasons).
In the history of Purdue Athletics, only Larry LeBree’s 40-season run with men’s tennis from 1925 to 1964 ranks as a longer tenure among head coaches. Coincidentally, LeBree also coached swimming for 15 seasons at Purdue.
“Dan has been the face of Purdue Swimming & Diving for the last four decades,” Klinge said. “He has influenced hundreds of young men and women. For me personally, Dan recruited me, coached me and mentored me. He has been a tremendous colleague and a true friend.”
This season Ross ranked as the fifth-longest tenured active swimming & diving head coach working at the NCAA Division I level.
LONGEST TENURED HEAD COACHES IN THE HISTORY OF PURDUE ATHLETICS
• Larry LaBree, Men’s Tennis – 40 Seasons (1925-64, also coached swimming for 15 seasons)
• Dan Ross, Men’s Swimming & Diving – 38 Seasons (1986-2023)
• Dave Rankin, Men’s Cross Country/Track & Field – 36 Seasons (1946-81)
• Dick Papenguth, Men’s Swimming & Diving – 31 Seasons (1939-69)
• Claude Reeck, Wrestling – 31 Seasons (1938-69)
• Ward “Piggy” Lambert, Men’s Basketball – 29 Seasons (1917, 1919-46; also coached baseball for 20 seasons)
• Mike Poehlein, Cross Country/Track & Field – 29 Seasons (1973-2001)
• Gene Keady, Men’s Basketball – 25 Seasons (1981-2005)
• Sam Voinhoff, Men’s Golf – 25 Seasons (1945, 1951-74)
• Devon Brouse, Golf – 25 Seasons (1998-2002)
• Cathy Wright-Eger, Women’s Swimming & Diving – 21 Seasons (1988-2008)
• Carol Dewey, Volleyball – 20 Seasons (1975-94)
• Dave Shondell, Volleyball – 20 Seasons (2003-Present)
LONGEST TENURED ACTIVE NCAA DI SWIMMING & DIVING HEAD COACHES
As of March 1, 2023
• Eddie Reese, Texas – 45th Season
• Pete Hovland, Oakland – 44th Season
• Nick Cavataro, Iona – 41st Season
• James Bolster, Columbia – 39th Season
• Dan Ross, Purdue – 38th Season
• Shari Skabelund, BYU – 36th Season
Ross is beloved throughout the college swimming & diving community. A year ago, he was a recipient of the College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association of America’s Richard E. Steadman Award, which recognizes individuals for doing the most to spread happiness in the sport.
Fresno State head coach Jeanne Fleck noted, “[Dan] helps everyone, including other coaches, and would go out of his way to make you feel welcome and important.” Michigan State’s Matt Gianiodis agreed, writing that “Dan is the most positive person I have ever met. He cares first and foremost about the sport. He has happiness and pride in his team excelling, but he also feels the same way about rivals. His attitude is infectious.”
“Dan unequivocally has made an impression on all that have shared the pool deck with him – demonstrating that this sport, and life for that matter, is about loving the people you’re with,” said Alex Jerden, Purdue’s current assistant coach. “In just the few years I’ve been here, it’s been inspiring to witness the loyalty and enthusiasm Dan has demonstrated for this program, and how he keeps his family at the center of his world. He has shown so many student-athletes – and his fellow coaches – how to make yourself, your school, and your sport better. He’s done so in a way that only Dan Ross could do! It’s been a privilege to work alongside a great mentor, lifelong Boilermaker, and someone that I and many others will miss very much.”
Ross’ open-minded philosophy and dedication to inclusiveness helped make annual home meets like the Purdue Invitational and Indiana Intercollegiates among the most well-attended showcases in the Midwest during the fall semester.
Those same ideals were always on display with how Purdue assembled its roster. The program’s lists of All-Americans, Big Ten champions and academic achievers over the last 38 years has included a bevy of in-state products as well as Boilermakers from across the United States. Purdue’s successes in international recruiting attracted standouts from Australia, Croatia, France, Hungary, Mexico, Poland, Russia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovenia and Turkey.
Ross has impacted the lives of hundreds of Boilermakers – thousands when accounting for the women’s team at the aquatic center, with the two programs together representing the full Purdue Swimming & Diving family. Over three dozen classes of student-athletes at the pool have benefited from Ross’ wisdom, life lessons and kindheartedness.
“I have had the opportunity to represent Purdue in several different capacities, all with the same strong, constant figure of Dan Ross,” Renie said. “As a college athlete, Dan was my summer coach who consistently challenged me toward success. As the women’s assistant coach, I always felt a strong sense of support from Dan. Now in an operations role, I get a first-hand look at how much Dan cares for the team – creating an environment for success in and out of the pool for his student-athletes. Most importantly, Dan leaves a lasting impression in their lives as young men. Dan Ross is, and will always be, synonymous with Purdue Swimming & Diving. There is simply no way to articulate how much he will be missed.”
In the fall of 2021, the Daniel P. Ross Swimming & Diving Scholarship Endowment was established to aid future Boilermakers in their student-athlete experience. Program alumni Ross Croasdell, Larry Becker and Dan Moll teamed up to form the endowment, opting to name it in honor of their coach.
Ross and wife Sally, a Big Ten champion swimmer in the 200 and 400 individual medley for Purdue in 1980, raised their three sons – Eric, Matt and Andy – in West Lafayette. All three boys grew up around Lambert Pool and the Burke Aquatic Center. They all went on to swim collegiately. Eric, Matt and Andy were all on hand in Ann Arbor last month so as not to miss what could have been their father’s final time coaching the Boilermakers at the Big Ten Championships. Emotions were on display throughout Purdue’s portion of the deck during the Saturday evening finals session to wrap up the meet.
Purdue Athletics is making plans to collect submissions from swimming & diving alumni, Boilermakers from all across campus, and those in the swimming & diving community wishing to contribute to a Dan Ross tribute series set to be released later this spring.
COACH ROSS BY THE NUMBERS AT PURDUE
1 – U.S. Open National Champion
3 – Big Ten Coach of the Year Honors (in 3 different decades)
5 – Purdue Male Athletes of the Year
6 – Academic All-Americans
9 – Big Ten Medal of Honor Recipients
13 – NCAA Diving National Championship Titles
26 – Consecutive Seasons Scoring at the NCAA Championships
34 – Individual Big Ten Titles
38 – Years as Head Coach
46 – Years Associated with Purdue Swimming & Diving
52 – All-Americans
208 – Dual Meet Victories
Example submission for the Dan Ross Tribute Series from Dan’s friend & teammate Joe Baer…
“In August of 1978, I started my freshman year at Purdue. I wanted to fully embrace college life and decided to attend The Island Fling at one of the fraternities. On my way over, I ran into a fellow underclassman swimmer named Dan Ross and he and I went to the gathering together. I really appreciated this at the time since I was new to the team. What I didn’t realize at the time was that I had found my lifelong best friend. We roomed together the next year and until I graduated. College life suited us and our friendship grew exponentially during that time. I have known for many years, what most of you have also found out, Dan Ross is the BEST human being there is. Best Friend, Best Man (each for the other), Best Godfather to my oldest son, and the list goes on and on. Outside of my parents, he has been one of the most influential people in my life.
“The first year we roomed together, Dan was a chemical engineering major like his father, but decided to change his major and become a coach. It was a difficult decision, but not one he ever regretted. Based on his storied career, it was one of the best decisions of his life. His career as the head coach of the Boilermaker swimming program is legendary. No one will ever do what he has done at Purdue; I am just glad that I was able to go along for the ride. I am so very proud of you. Congratulations on a Hall of Fame career!”
BUTLER SOFTBALL
BUTLER SOFTBALL HEADS TO OXFORD TO MEET MIAMI
Game Information – Butler at Miami
DATE: Wednesday, March 8
LOCATION: Oxford, Ohio / Miami Softball Stadium
LIVE STATS: miamiredhawks.com
LIVE VIDEO: N/A
Full Notes
The Butler softball team travels to Oxford, Ohio, for a mid-week game with Miami. The Bulldogs (4-17) went 1-4 at last weekend’s Saluki Invitational with a win over Loyola. The RedHawks, 9-6, were 1-4 last weekend in a California tournament, losing to Stanford and Villanova, and earning a split with Cal.
Bulldog Bits
(as of 3/5/23)
- Kieli Ryan has thrown out 6 runners attempting to steal. She sits atop the BIG EAST and is 17th nationally in that category.
- Monique Hoosen leads the BIG EAST (52nd nationally) with 5 home runs. With 18 for her career, she is 7th on Butler’s all-time list. Her .636 slugging percentage is ninth in the conference.
- Hoosen was one single shy of hitting for the cycle vs. Loyola on Mar. 4. She hit a home run, a triple, and a double. It was her first triple of the season and her second double.
- Kaylee Gross has four sacrifice bunts this season. She leads the BIG EAST (67th nationally) with .20 per game.
SCOUTING MIAMI (9-6, 0-0 MAC)
Series: Miami leads, 28-8-1
last game: 4/6/21- Miami 6, Butler 3
Miami has won 7 of the most recent 10 games, but the teams have split, 3-3, the previous six.
The RedHawks won 15 straight games from 1999-2015.
2023 wins include: Loyola-Chicago (2), Cal, Murray State, Purdue-Fort Wayne
2023 losses include: Stanford, Villanova, South Carolina
Miami vs. (opponents)
runs: 91-64
hits: 121-101
RBI: 85-58
SB: 13-6
ERA: 4.20-6.28
Batting Leaders:
Kate Kobayashi (.368) 6 2B, 4 SB
Karli Spaid (.340) 6 HR, 18 RBI, 3 SB
Chloe Parks (.333)
Pitching Leaders:
Laurelai DePew (2-1) 17.2 IP, 1.98 ERA
Brianna Pratt (5-3) 4.41 ERA, 39 K
Taylor Turner (2-2) 5.39 ERA
BUTLER MEN’S BASKETBALL
BUTLER OPENS 2023 BIG EAST TOURNAMENT WITH ST. JOHN’S WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON
No. 9 seed Butler (14-17, 6-14 BIG EAST) vs. No. 8 seed St. John’s (17-14, 7-13)
BIG EAST Tournament First Round
Wednesday, March 8; 3PM ET
Madison Square Garden; New York City
TV: FS1 – Tim Brando, Bill Raftery & Kristina Pink
Radio: 1430AM & Varsity Network Radio App – @MarkMinner & Nick Gardner (@n_gardner)
Bulldogs vs. St. John’s
• This is the first meeting between Butler and St. John’s in the BIG EAST Tournament.
• While Butler and St. John’s have never met at the BIG EAST Tournament, the only other neutral site match-up also came at Madison Square Garden; that was a St. John’s win in the 1958 NIT.
• Other than the 1958 NIT match-up, all 20 of the other meetings have come since Butler joined the BIG EAST Conference prior to the 2013-14 season.
Series: Butler Leads, 11-10
Streak: Butler, W1
At BIG EAST Tournament: 0-0
First Meeting: SJU, 78-68; 3/13/1958
Last Meeting: BU, 68-66; 2/7/23
• Butler has played in the first round of the BIG EAST Tournament four times; the Bulldogs are 2-2 in those contests, including back-to-back wins over Xavier in the 2021 and 2022 tournaments.
• Chuck Harris is averaging 18.0 points per game in his four BIG EAST Tournament games at Madison Square Garden.
• Butler and St. John’s split the regular season series with each team winning on its home court.
• Jayden Taylor led the Bulldogs with 19 points in Butler’s 68-66 win over St. John’s Feb. 7 at Hinkle Fieldhouse. Butler overcame a seven-point halftime deficit and trailed by five with less than three minutes to play.
• After committing 22 turnovers in the Jan. 10 loss at St. John’s (Butler’s second-highest total this season), the Bulldogs had only 11 turnovers in the Feb. 7 win over the Red Storm.
• Butler had 19 assists on 23 made field goals in the Feb. 7 win over St. John’s.
• Taylor has led the Bulldogs in scoring in seven of Butler’s eight most recent games.
• Taylor is averaging in team-best 14.8 points per game in Butler’s 15 games away from Hinkle Fieldhouse this season.
• Taylor has scored 20 or more points in five games this season.
• According to KenPom, Butler has played the nation’s 18th-toughest schedule so far this season. Twenty-two (22) of the team’s 31 regular season games came against teams currently among the Top 100 of the NCAA NET rankings.
• The Bulldogs were without Ali Ali (concussion symptoms) in last week’s losses to Top 25 foes Marquette and Xavier. Ali had scored in double figures in back-to-back games prior to that, including a season-high 15 points in the win at DePaul Feb. 22.
• All seven of Butler’s top scorers have only been available together in nine of the team’s 31 games this season.
• Manny Bates, who previously had missed two games with a shoulder injury sustained late in the Feb. 14 contest at Villanova, left the Xavier game Saturday night in the first half (and did not return) after aggravating the injury.
• Eric Hunter Jr. matched his season-high with seven assists Saturday at Xavier; it was one shy of his career-high.
• Saturday’s game at Xavier was the first this season where Butler did not register a blocked shot; at 4.3 blocks per game, the Bulldogs are among the Top 50 nationally. Butler has four games this season with eight or more blocks.
• Bates has 49 blocks this season, which already places him in a tie for fourth on Butler’s single-season list.
• Butler is committing only 13.4 fouls per game, which is fifth nationally.
• Jalen Thomas had 10 points and a team-best eight rebounds vs. Marquette Feb. 28; he has led the team in rebounds in eight games this season (despite missing 11 games this season).
• Butler is 13-2 this season when shooting a better field goal percentage than its opponent.
• Butler has shot 50 percent or better from the field 11 times this season; the Bulldogs have won all 11 of those games.
• Butler is 11-0 this season when scoring 70 or more points.
• Butler has shot 40 percent or better from behind the arc 11 times this season; Butler is 9-2 in those contests.
• Butler has a +1.0 rebounding margin in its 14 wins, while the Bulldogs’ opponents have a +11.3 rebounding margin in Butler’s 17 losses this season.
BUTLER VOLLEYBALL
KYLE SHONDELL HIRED TO LEAD BUTLER VOLLEYBALL PROGRAM
Kyle Shondell, the 2022 AVCA National Coach of the Year in NAIA men’s volleyball, has been hired to the lead the Butler women’s volleyball program.
Butler Vice President and Director of Athletics Barry Collier made the announcement Tuesday, March 7.
Shondell is the sixth head coach in the program’s NCAA history, which dates back to the 1975 season.
Shondell arrives at Butler after restarting the Indiana Tech men’s volleyball program in 2019. He led the team to a record of 56-21 in the program’s first three seasons, including a 29-3 mark in 2022. Indiana Tech finished the 2022 season ranked No. 3 nationally in the final NAIA poll, earning Shondell the AVCA National Coach of the Year honors.
“Kyle stood out during our search for a leader of our volleyball program as an elite communicator with strong tactical expertise,” said Collier. “His experience has been on display as he has built programs at various levels. Most importantly, his values align with those of The Butler Way. We are excited for him to hit the ground running with our team.”
“It’s beyond a dream for me to be at a university with such rich history in a state covered with great volleyball,” said Shondell. “I am ecstatic to get started building something special at Butler.”
Indiana Tech made consecutive appearances in the NAIA National Tournament (2021 and 2022), while claiming the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) regular season championship both seasons. In each of those seasons, Shondell was also named the conference Coach of the Year and his team was ranked among the Top 10 nationally.
On the women’s side, Shondell has experience leading the Huntington University program for the 2015 through 2018 seasons. He recruited and developed four All-Americans and 12 all-conference players during those four seasons, qualifying for the conference tournament each year. His Huntington teams won 28 conference games over his four seasons, while the program only posted a total of eight in the four seasons prior to his arrival. During his time at Huntington, he also worked for the university’s career services office while leading the women’s volleyball program.
As the head coach at Rock Valley College in Illinois during the 2013 campaign, Shondell led the women’s program to 21 wins and was ranked seventh nationally in NJCAA Division III.
Shondell has experience as an assistant coach at both Chicago State (2014) and Western Illinois (2012). He has coached at clubs and at camps throughout the Midwest since 2009.
Shondell comes from a strong lineage of volleyball greatness. He is the grandson of Don Shondell, who started Ball State’s men’s and women’s volleyball programs, co-founded the Midwest Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (MIVA) and is currently second in NCAA history in career wins. His father Dave is the head coach of the Purdue women’s volleyball team, and his uncle John is an assistant with the Boilermakers.
Shondell graduated from Purdue in 2012 with a degree in Professional Writing and a minor in History. He received his Master’s Degree in Organizational Leadership from Huntington in 2018. He and his wife LeeAnn have two children, son Asher and daughter Annie.
BUTLER BASEBALL
BUTLER TO PLAY MISSISSIPPI VALLEY STATE WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON
INDIANAPOLIS – The Butler baseball team will pass through Mississippi over their spring break week to face the Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils. First pitch in Itta Bena is set for 4 PM eastern / 3 PM central.
Scouting Mississippi Valley State
The Delta Devils will play at Alcorn on Tuesday night before hosting the Bulldogs on Wednesday. Currently, Mississippi Valley State holds onto a 5-6 overall record that includes a 4-1 mark at home. They played three games on the MLB Network to open up the 2023 season. During that stretch, they defeated Texas Southern 7-5, but lost to both Jackson State (14-1) and Grambling State (14-4) to end the Cactus Jack HBCU Classic 1-2. In recent weeks, Mississippi Valley State won a weekend series against Arkansas-Pine Bluff and a doubleheader over Tougaloo.
Davon Mims, Narvin Booker and Dreylin Holmes are all batting over .300 for Mississippi Valley State early in the season. Mims is the hit leader with 14 and Booker has scored the most runs for the Devils with 15. Butler will need to pay special attention to base runners on Wednesday night. Mississippi Valley State leads the nation in stolen bases with 70. They average six stolen bases per game and are led by Mims (20) and Booker (17) in the category.
All 12
Joey Urban, Carter Dorighi, Xavier Carter and Jake DeFries are the only Bulldogs on the roster to start in all 12 games for Butler. All four are newcomers; three transfers and a true freshman.
Elite Arms
Butler faced Cade Kuehler, Paul Skenes and Thatcher Hurd over a stretch of 11 days. Kuehler is the ace for the Campbell Camels and is ranked #46 on MLB.com’s 2023 Draft Prospect Rankings. Skenes is the LSU ace and ranks #4 on that list. The Bulldogs most recently ran into UCLA transfer Thatcher Hurd for a Monday matchup vs. LSU. Hurd was the nation’s ninth-ranked pitcher and the No. 1 pitcher in the state of California coming out of Mira Costa High School in Manhattan Beach, Calif.
Bulldog Ace
Cory Bosecker has the best numbers of any pitcher on the Butler roster. Over three starts, Bosecker has tossed a team-high 15 innings and has 21 strikeouts. He struck out 10 batters and only issued one walk against now-ranked Campbell on Feb. 24. Bosecker threw a season-high 102 pitches recently against CCSU while striking out seven batters in five innings.
On the Mound
Cole Graverson ranks second on the team with 13 strikeouts in 7.1 innings. He made his first start of the season March 3 at LSU and sat down eight Tigers over four innings. Alex Voss is also off to a good start with 11 strikeouts to go along with a 4.15 ERA. He got starts vs. FDU and CCSU. Voss is coming off his longest outing of the season at 5.1 innings (90 pitches).
Fantastic Freshman
Joey Urban leads the team in at-bats (48), runs (10), hits (16), doubles (3), triples (2), home runs (4), RBIs (11), total bases (35), multi-hit games (6) and multi-RBI games (4).
Up Next
Butler will play a three-game series at SEMO this weekend. The opener is set for Friday, March 10 at 4 PM.
IUPUI WOMEN’S TENNIS
JAGUARS NIP SOUTHERN INDIANA AT HOME ON TUESDAY
INDIANAPOLIS – The IUPUI women’s tennis team picked up a 4-3 win over Southern Indiana inside West Indy Racquet Club on Tuesday (Mar. 7), improving to 3-1 this spring over in-state foes. The Jaguars captured the doubles point and split the six singles matches in capturing the win.
IUPUI (3-8) earned the day’s initial point as Meghan Bernard and Samantha Hayward teamed up for a 6-2 win at No. 1 doubles and Sarah Lounsbury and Makenzie Myers had a dominant 6-0 win at No. 3 doubles. Emma Dell and Grace Lampman were leading at No. 2 doubles by a 5-4 score when play was halted.
Singles play was tightly contested throughout as three of the six matches went to a decisive third set. Lounsbury continued her hot play with an emphatic 6-1, 6-0 win at No. 5 singles and Hayward delivered a 6-1, 6-2 win at No. 3 singles.
Sofia Castillo was upended at No. 6 singles, 6-4, 6-3, leaving the Jaguars needing one point to capture the victory.
Dell earned the clincher at No. 4 singles, winning 6-3, 4-6, 6-1 while Myers were tripped up at No. 1 to Lauren Rowe, 3-6, 7-6, 6-1.
With the match in hand, Bernard was upended at No. 2 singles by USI’s Rachel McCorkle, 7-6, 3-6, 1-0.
BALL STATE WBB
CLEPHANE, BECKI, AND AGUSTSDOTTIR EARN POSTSEASON ALL-MAC HONORS
CLEVELAND, Ohio – Redshirt senior Anna Clephane, sophomore Ally Becki, and graduate senior Thelma Dis Agustsdottir have received postseason All-Mid-American Conference accolades as announced Tuesday (March 6) by the league office.
Clephane was named All-MAC First Team, Becki earned All-MAC Second Team accolades, and Agustsdottir received All-MAC Honorable Mention.
Clephane has fought back onto the court after two season-ending injuries over her Ball State career. She has started 78 career games, including all 31 this season. In the Cardinals’ home win over Miami (Jan. 14), Clephane became the 10th player under head coach Brady Sallee to reach the 1,000-point club.
Clephane currently ranks 16th on the program’s all-time scoring list with 1,244 career points. She leads the team in scoring averaging, at 15.1 points per game, and has scored in double figures 28 times this season. Clephane recently scored a career-best 26 points at Akron (Feb. 11), which earned her MAC Player of the Week honors. This is Clephane’s first postseason honor.
With her All-MAC Second Team selection, Becki earns league postseason honors for the second straight season. A member of the 2022 MAC All-Freshman Team and 2022 MAC All-Tournament squad, Becki has started every game for the Cardinals this year and leads the team with five double-doubles.
Becki has scored in double digits 19 times this season, including a season-best 23 points at Buffalo (Jan. 18). She also pulled down a career-best 14 rebounds in a win over IUPUI (Dec. 8). In just two seasons, Becki has tallied 714 points. A strong ball handler, Becki ranks 11th in the nation in assist/turnover ratio (2.52) and 28th in total assists (154).
Agustsdottir, who earns All-MAC Honorable Mention accolades for the second straight year, has started in all 151 games over her Ball State career, which is a program record. She currently sits in sixth place on the program’s all-time scoring list with 1,623 career points. Agustsdottir also ranks second all-time in 3-pointers made (310) and third in 3-point attempts (783).
In addition, she enters the 2023 MAC Tournament ranked ninth in the nation in made 3-pointers (92), 11th in 3-pointers per game (2.97), and 27th in 3-point field goal attempts (218). In the Feb. 15 home win over Ohio, Agustsdottir registered a career-high 34 points after shooting 9-of-13 from the behind the arc. The nine 3-pointers made tied the program record for most 3-pointers in a game.
Agustsdottir has scored in double figures 78 times for her career and currently ranks second on the team in scoring (12.4), while leading the Cardinals in 3-pointers made (92).
Under Sallee, the Cardinals have now had 34 postseason All-MAC selections.
Ball State opens play in the 2023 MAC Tournament Wednesday as the No. 3 seed and will take on No. 6 Akron in the day’s fourth quarterfinal game at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Tipoff will be 30 minutes following game three.
BALL STATE BASEBALL
BALL STATE WINS ROAD CONTEST AGAINST FLORIDA A&M
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The Ball State baseball team returned to action for a Tuesday contest with Florida A&M. The Cardinals were led by Andrew Wilhite led the team with a 2-for-4 day and Matthew Rivera, who drove in four runs as BSU defeated FAMU 11-9.
Ball State improved to 8-5 on the season, while Florida A&M fell to 5-9 overall.
The Rattlers jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first.
Rivera led off the top of the second with a walk. Casey Turturici followed with a single and moved Rivera to second. Hunter Dobbins flied out to center and moved Rivera to third. Wilhite singled to right field and drove in Rivera to cut the deficit to 2-1.
Rivera grounded into a double play in the top of the third, but Nick Gregory was able to score and tied the game. Turturici singled through the right side and drove in Adam Tellier to give the Cardinals a 3-2 lead.
FAMU tied it in the bottom of the third.
Rivera gave Ball State a 5-3 lead with a two-run double down the left field line in the top of the fifth. The Rattlers did not go away and tied it in the bottom of the bottom of the fifth.
In the top of the sixth, Gregory reached on a fielder’s choice and scored Logan Flood from third. Tellier followed with an RBI single to right field that scored Wilhite. Rivera picked up a sac fly to center field and scored Gregory. The Cardinals held an 8-5 lead going into the seventh inning.
Dylan Grego reached on an error by the first baseman that drove in two runs as BSU took a 10-5 lead. The Rattlers added a run in the bottom of the seventh, but the Cardinals still led 10-6.
Gregory drew a walk with one out in the top of the ninth. He then advanced to second and third on an error by the pitcher, then scored on an error by the third baseman.
The Rattlers added three runs in the bottom of the ninth, but the Cardinals held on for an 11-9 victory.
Casey Bargo got the start and went two innings. Will Jacobson went 2 1/3 innings in relief. Blake Bevis added 1 2/3 innings of relief and picked up the win. Tanner Knapp threw two scoreless innings. Ty Weatherly pitched the ninth for the Cardinals.
The Cardinals return to Muncie and play the home opener as well as the Mid-American Conference opener on Friday, March 10. Ball State and Western Michigan are scheduled for a 1 p.m. first pitch on Friday.
Ball State returns to action for a Tuesday contest against Florida A&M. First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m.
BALL STATE SB
SOFTBALL SET FOR WEDNESDAY DH AT EAST TENNESSEE STATE
» THIS WEEK IN BALL STATE SOFTBALL: The Ball State softball team returns to action Wednesday when it visits East Tennessee State for a 2 p.m. doubleheader … From there, the Cardinals travel to Lynchberg, Virginia, to participate in the Liberty Flames Classic … With wet weather in the forecast, the schedule has already been adjusted with Ball State now playing the host Flames at 5 p.m. Thursday … BSU will face Sacred Heart in a Friday doubleheader starting at 2:30 p.m. … The Cardinals closes the event with 10 a.m. games versus Maryland Saturday and Fairfield Sunday.
» A QUICK LOOK AT THE CARDINALS: Ball State enters the week with an 8-7 record after going 3-2 at last weekend’s Bulldog Classic hosted by then-No. 16 Georgia … Over the course of the tournament, Ball State swept two games versus Stetson, topped Samford, and lost a pair of contests to the host Bulldogs … In Friday’s 14-8 loss to Georgia, the Cardinals snapped UGA’s 40-inning shutout streak and scored more runs than any school against the Bulldogs so far this season … Ball State currently boast two of the nations’ top hitters with senior Haley Wynn ranking 20th among all NCAA Division I batters with a .490 average, while redshirt sophomore McKayla Timmons is 40th with her .459 mark … In the circle, sophomore Angelina Russo is second in the Mid-American Conference and 112th nationally with her 1.62 ERA.
» THE OVERALL RECORD: Ball State enters the Bulldog Classic with a 1129-1123-4 (.501) overall record dating back to the 1975 season … The Cardinals have tallied 30-or-more wins in 16 seasons, most recently a 37-18 mark under current head coach Lacy Schurr in 2021 … Of the 16 seasons with 30-or-more wins, 11 have come in the past 15 seasons.
» ABOUT THIS WEEKEND’S OPPONENTS:
– ETSU enters Wednesday’s doubleheader with a 3-12 overall record, with its last game being a 5-4 loss to Appalachian State in its home opener Feb. 28.
– Liberty enters a Tuesday night game versus Virginia with a 9-9 overall record, with six of the losses coming versus Top 17 teams, including one-run setbacks to No. 1 Oklahoma and No. 2 UCLA.
– Sacred Heart is 5-5 on the year with its last game being an 11-3 (6) win at Gardner-Webb (March 5) … The Pioneers have also played Bellarmine twice, opening the season with a 9-4 win (Feb. 17) before suffering a 13-2 (6) loss (Feb. 18) to the Knights.
-Maryland enters the weekend with a 15-4 record and received votes in the latest ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 poll … So far this season, the Terps have knocked off then-No. 22 Oregon 7-3 in its season opener (Feb. 9) and then-No. 3 Oklahoma State, 11-6 on Feb. 12.
– Fairfield enters the weekend with a 3-5 record and losses in its last five games … The Stags have also played Stetson twice this season with a 2-1 win (Feb. 17) and a 3-0 loss (Feb. 18.)
BALL STATE NEWS & NOTES:
» GONE WITH THE WYNN: Senior infielder Haley Wynn opened the year with a bang, smashing a solo home run to center field for Ball State’s first hit of the 2023 season in the team’s 5-3 victory over Samford (Feb. 17) last Friday … She went on to add a single in the fifth inning and led off the seventh inning with a triple to fall a double shy of the cycle.
» MORE ON WYNN: Haley Wynn has only picked up speed after her season-opening performance, as she currently leads the squad and is 20th nationally with a .490 batting average … She has reached base safely in all 15 games for the Cardinals and is on a career-best 11 game hitting streak … Wynn also leads the squad with 15 runs scored, with her 1.00 runs-per-game average ranking 43rd nationally.
» DRIVING THEM HOME: Amaia Daniel enters the week with a team-leading 14 RBI … With her final of four RBIs in Ball State’s 14-4 (6) victory over Bellarmine (Feb. 25), Daniel became just the 16th player in program history to reach 100 career RBI … The moment came on a bases loaded sacrifice fly in the top of the sixth inning to make the score 12-4 … She is currently tied for 14th in program history with 103 career RBI and needs four more to reach 13th.
» MORE ON DANIEL: Amaia Daniel, who has reached base safely in 12 of Ball State’s 15 games this season, enters Wednesdays’s doubleheader at ETSU ranked 10th in program history with a .416 career on base percentage … She is also 14th in career runs scored (101), tied for 15th in career doubles (33), and 18th in career home runs (14) … On defense, she has helped turn 39 career double plays, which is the third-most in program history.
» SPEAKING OF DOUBLE PLAYS: Ball State’s defense has registered six double plays over its first three weekends and currently ranks second in the MAC and 50th nationally with a 0.40 double plays-per-game average … First baseman Samantha-Jo Mata has had a hand in five double plays, while Amaia Daniel at shortstop has factored in four and Haley Wynn at second base has combined in three.
» ON THE BASE PATHS: Ball State picked up right where it left off last season, stealing a total of 18 bases over the first 15 games of the season … The Cardinals currently rank 98th nationally, and second in the MAC, with a 1.20 steals-per-game average … Junior Remington Ross leads the way, going a perfect 5-for-5 in stolen base attempts … With the mark, Ross remains first in program history with a .964 (27-for-28) stolen base percentage … In addition, her 27 career stolen bases are 20th in program history.
» NEAR PERFECTION: Sophomore pitcher Angelina Russo, who threw the first perfect game in program history last season, added to her lore in the 10-1 (5) victory over Lindenwood (Feb. 19), collecting just the 18th recorded no-hitter in program history dating back to the 1980 season … The 2022 MAC Freshman Pitcher of the Year and a MAC All-Freshman Team selection, Russo retired 15 of the 17 batters she faced against the Lions with a walk and an error being the lone blemishes … She also struck out three batters on her way to her second win of the weekend.
» WELCOME BACK MCKAYLA: After missing the last 18 games of the 2022 season due to injury, minus a pair of pinch running appearances in the Akron series, redshirt sophomore McKayla Timmons has reached base safely in 13 games for the Cardinals this season … In fact, she ranks second on the team and 40th nationally with a .459 batting average, while having smashed a pair of two-run home runs … Timmons, who blasted four home runs in her debut season in 2022, enters the week ranked fourth among active Ball State players with six career home runs.
» WELCOME TO THE #BALLSTATESB BOMB SQUAD: Redshirt freshman McKenna Mulholland made sure her first collegiate hit was a memorable one, as she blasted a solo home run in her first collegiate at bat to open the bottom of the second inning in the 10-1 (5) win over Lindenwood (Feb. 19) … Sophomore Kaitlyn Gibson added her first collegiate round tripper in the 14-8 setback at No. 16 Georgia (March 3) … Overall, nine active Cardinals have at least one career home run heading into Wednesday’s twinbill at ETSU.
» TRIPLE THREAT: Ball State enters the week ranked 27th nationally with a 0.33 triples-per-game average … McKenna Mulholland and Haley Wynn each have a pair of triples this season, while McKayla Timmons has one … Ball State is currently the only team in the MAC to have multiple players with more than one triple.
» FIRST BALL STATE WINS: Freshman Bridie Murphy and redshirt junior transfer Alyssa Stramaglia each earned their first Ball State pitching wins at the Velvet Milkman Invitational … Murphy’s came in the 10-2 (5) victory over Bellarmine (Feb. 24), as she limited the Knights to four hits and two runs over 5.0 innings … She also struck out a career-high seven batters … Stramaglia earned her first BSU victory in the 14-4 (6) win over Bellarmine the following day, limiting the Knights to four hits and four runs over 6.0 innings with four strikeouts … In two seasons pitching at Triton College, Stramaglia boasted a 44-7 record.
NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL
NOTRE DAME MBB
IRISH END SEASON IN HEARTBREAKER, FALL 67-64 AT BUZZER TO VIRGINIA TECH
GREENSBORO, N.C. – In the first round of the ACC Tournament, Notre Dame (11-21) led Virginia Tech (19-13) from 10:09 to 1:02 in the second half and then later had a chance to tie the game twice – both with 12 seconds on the clock and on the final second. The Irish showed a lot of fight and toughness throughout but found themselves on the wrong end at the final buzzer, 67-64.
The loss brings an end to the 2022-23 season and the conclusion of the Mike Brey era after 23 years at the helm.
What a great ACC Tournament game, amazingly physical,” Glenn & Stacey Murphy Head Coach Mike Brey said. “I’m proud of our guys. We came down here with a clean slate after a really tough regular season, and we emptied the tank to try and get over the hump. I think Virginia Tech is really good, really good.
And yeah, I’m disappointed for them because it’s been a great group of young men, even though we haven’t won like we’ve wanted to. They’ve hung in there. This guy here has been an unbelievable leader (referencing Cormac Ryan). Anybody can lead when you’re winning. When you’re getting your butt handed to you a lot — he just was fabulous. I’m thrilled for Marcus Hammond. Finally got him healthy, and we had our chances, but Tech made big plays.”
For the Irish, it was a tough season of close losses. Today marked their sixth ACC loss which was decided by one possession or ninth by five points or less.
Marcus Hammond certainly went on a high note, pouring in a season high 23 points on 9-of-16 shooting. Cormac Ryan spearheaded the offense in the second half where he scored 11 of his 18 final points. Matt Zona was also a bright spot for the second game in a row, connecting on a career high three treys for nine points.
How It Happened
Virginia Tech jumped on the Irish early and opened up a seven-point lead at 11-4. Next, Notre Dame responded with three made consecutive field goals to cut it to one possession at 12-14 at 12:37.
The Hokies then took advantage of an ND scoring drought in which the Irish missed seven straight, recording a 9-0 run over a slow four minutes and 30 seconds. Eventually, Virginia Tech built a lead as large as 12.
That’s when Notre Dame started to click from beyond the arc, firing off three consecutive three-pointers all from three different players – Goodwin, Hammond and Zona. The 9-0 run was over a swift two-minute stretch, prompting a VT timeout.
Zona was feeling it from deep and hit another three moments later, tying the game at 28-apiece. Fast forward again just minutes later and a Hammond driving layup gave the Irish their first lead at 32-31.
The Hokies would get the last bucket of the half, retaking the lead at 33-32, but it was a resilient job by the Irish to end the half on a 18-7 scoring run (made six of their last eight). Both teams had 12 made field goals and five three-pointers at the half and both had 17 total rebounds. Hammond led the Irish in scoring at the midway point with 14 points.
Hammond, Laszewski and Ryan combined for the team’s first 15 points in the second half, as Hammond’s 21st point of the game, a season high, made it 47-44 ND at 11:30 media timeout. Simultaneously, however, the Irish were battling the foul count, picking up 10 and putting Virginia Tech in the double bonus by 11:30 as well.
At 7:12, it was Matt Zona again from deep, his third of the game (new career high in threes), which gave ND a 55-51 advantage. Moments later, Ryan hit a deep three, almost in the New York Life logo, that kept the Irish ahead at 58-53 with 5:33 remaining.
When the Hokies made it a one-possession game at 58-56, Ryan delivered a huge jumper just inside the arc. That was followed by a Laszewski taking a charge on the defensive end.
Back-and-forth the two sides went, trading blows. At 2:08, it was Hammond’s turn to deliver from just above the free-throw line. Yet the Hokies, found a way to connect on three field goals in a row to reclaim the lead at 63-62 with just under a minute to go. It was their first lead since the 10:37 mark in the second half.
Then an awkward play between Zona and Virginia Tech’s Sean Pedulla led to a foul on the latter but a deadball technical to Zona – and this was after a four-plus minute referee discussion on the court. Ultimately though, the end result after free throws was 64-all, VT ball.
On the ensuing possession, VT’s Justyn Mutts beat his defender 1v1 and slammed it home. On ND’s offensive possession, Ryan drove to the basket but was blocked. The Irish fouled but Pedulla only made 1-of-2 from the line.
Later with 2.5 seconds on the clock out of timeout, Coach Brey drew up a perfect play that resulted in a wide open three look from Laszewski, but it hit off the front rim, then backboard, then out. Virginia Tech took it by the final of 67-64.
NOTRE DAME WBB
MILES ONE OF FOUR DAWN STALEY AWARD FINALISTS
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. — Olivia Miles continues to keep good company during award season. On Tuesday, Miles was announced as one of four finalists for the Dawn Staley Award.
Established in 2013, the honor is named for the current South Carolina women’s basketball head coach Dawn Staley and recognizes the best guard in women’s college basketball. Whoever brings home the laurels “exemplifies the skills that Dawn possessed during her career (ball handling, scoring, her ability to distribute the basketball and her will to win,” per the award’s website.
Notre Dame’s statistical leader with 7.2 rebounds, 6.9 assists and 2.1 steals per game, Miles is the centerpiece of the Irish offense. She also averages 14.3 points per contest, less than a point fewer than Sonia Citron’s 14.7. Miles is one of just two Division I players who is averaging at least 14 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists.
Miles has already received a spot on the All-ACC First Team, and she was the runner up for Player of the Year. She is one of 15 players on the Wooden Award National Ballot, and her name peppers various other late season watch lists.
In addition to Miles, Iowa’s Caitlin Clark, South Carolina’s Zia Cooke and Stanford’s Haley Jones made the final cut. The winner will be announced the weekend of the Final Four, and a virtual award ceremony will be held Thursday, April 6.
JOE RUDOLPH NAMED OFFENSIVE LINE COACH
Joe Rudolph, most recently the offensive line coach and run game coordinator at Virginia Tech, has been named the Joe Moore Offensive Line Coach at the University of Notre Dame. The 18-year coaching veteran and Pennsylvania native developed some of the most dominant offensive lines in college football during his time at Wisconsin from 2015-21 and boasts eight years of offensive coordinator experience. The hiring will be effective at the conclusion of the University’s standard employment process.
“We are excited to add offensive line coach Joe Rudolph to our staff,” said Dick Corbett Head Football Coach Marcus Freeman. “He has a proven track record of developing elite college football players, many of whom have gone on to also experience great success in the NFL. We look forward to Joe having a similar impact in our program.”
Rudolph’s run at Wisconsin (2015-21) as the offensive line coach saw the Badgers compile 18,399 rushing yards, a total that was seventh among Power 5 Conference teams during that time frame. Wisconsin rushed for 195 touchdowns during those seven seasons and averaged 211.7 rushing yards per game.
A proven developer of talent who excels both in college and at the NFL level, Rudolph’s offensive line pupils at Wisconsin earned the Rimington Award (Tyler Biadasz), nine All-American selections, five first-team All-America honors and nine first-team All-Big Ten accolades. The 2018 season, in particular, saw Wisconsin earn four of the five first-team all-conference selections.
That 2018 campaign witnessed Wisconsin rush for 3,554 yards (6.2 per carry) and average 273.4 rushing yards per game. It was the first of two back-to-back unanimous All-America campaigns for running back Jonathan Taylor who became the third player in FBS history with multiple 2,000-yard rushing seasons and the only player to run for at least 1,900 yards in three straight seasons.
Rudolph’s remarkable run at Wisconsin, which included three trips to the Big Ten Championship game and three January 1 bowl appearances, was preceded by three successful seasons as the offensive coordinator and tight ends coach at Pittsburgh (2012-14). Rudolph developed the Panther attack to 31.8 points-per-game and 435.4 yards-per-game averages in 2014 powered by ACC Player of the Year running back James Conner.
Notable student-athletes developed by Rudolph throughout his career include –
Logan Bruss, G, Wisconsin – 2021 Second-Team All-Big Ten, 2022 NFL Draft Second-Round Selection (L.A. Rams).
Jack Ferguson, TE, Wisconsin – 2021 First-Team All-Big Ten, 2022 NFL Draft Fourth-Round Selection (Dallas).
Cole Van Lanen, G, Wisconsin – 2020 First-Team All-Big Ten, 2021 NFL Draft Sixth-Round Selection (Green Bay).
Jonathan Taylor, RB, Wisconsin – 2018, 2019 Doak Walker Awardwinner, 2018-19 Unanimous All-American, 2020 NFL Draft Second-Round Selection (Indianapolis), 2021 First-Team All-Pro and Pro Bowl selection
Tyler Biadasz, C, Wisconsin – 2019 Rimington Awardwinner, 2019 Unanimous All-American, 2020 NFL Draft Fourth-Round Selection (Dallas), 2022 Pro Bowl selection
Michael Deiter, G, Wisconsin – 2018 Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year, 2018 All-American, 2019 NFL Draft Third-Round Selection (Miami)
David Edwards, G, Wisconsin – 2017 All-American, 2019 NFL Draft Fifth-Round Selection (L.A. Rams)
Brian O’Neill, T, Pittsburgh – 2017 First-Team All-ACC, 2018 NFL Draft Second-Round Selection (Minnesota), 2021 Pro Bowl selection
Troy Fumagali, TE, Pittsburgh – 2017 All-American, 2017 First-Team All-Big Ten, 2018 NFL Draft Fifth-Round Selection (Denver)
Ryan Ramczyk, T, Wisconsin – 2016 All-American, 2017 NFL Draft First-Round Selection (32nd overall) (New Orleans), 2019 Pro Bowl selection, two-time All-Pro selection (2018, 2020).
James Conner, RB, Pittsburgh – 2014 All-American, 2014 ACC Player of the Year, 2017 NFL Draft Third-Round Selection (Pittsburgh), two-time Pro Bowl selection (2018, 2021).
Dorian Johnson, G, Pittsburgh – 2016 All-American, 2017 NFL Draft Fourth-Round Selection (Arizona)
Adam Bisnowaty, T, Pittsburgh – 2016 All-ACC, 2017 NFL Draft Sixth-Round Selection (N.Y. Giants)
Tyler Boyd, WR, PIttsburgh – 2014, 2014 First-Team All-ACC, 2016 NFL Draft Second-Round Selection (Cincinnati)
Derek Watt, FB, Wisconsin – Lead blocker for Melvin Gordon at Wisconsin, 2016 NFL Draft Sixth-Round Selection (San Diego)
T.J. Clemmings, T, Pittsburgh – 2014 First-Team All-ACC, 2015 NFL Draft Fourth-Round Selection (Minnesota)
Tom Savage, QB, Pittsburgh – threw for 2,958 yards and 21 touchdowns in 2013 in one season at Pittsburgh, 2014 NFL Draft Fourth-Round Selection (Houston)
Devin Street, WR, Pittsburgh – Second-team All-Big East (2012), third-team All-ACC (2013), 2014 NFL Draft Fifth-Round Selection (Dallas)
Lance Kendricks, TE, Wisconsin – 2010 Consensus All-American, 2010 First-Team All-Big Ten, 2011 NFL Draft Second-Round Selection (St. Louis)
Garrett Graham, TE, Wisconsin – 2009 First-Team All-Big Ten, 2010 NFL Draft Fourth-Round Selection (Houston)
Travis Beckum, TE, Wisconsin – 2007 First-Team All-Big Ten, 2009 NFL Draft Third-Round Selection (N.Y. Giants).
Rudolph’s initial coaching stint at Wisconsin occurred from 2008-11 when he developed one of the top tight end groups in the nation. The Badgers scored over 40 points per game in 2010-11, won back-to-back Big Ten Championships and produced four NFL tight ends.
Rudolph served as tight ends coach at Nebraska in 2007, while also assisting on all special team units and overseeing the punt team. Before his single season at Nebraska, Rudolph served as strength coordinator (2006) and offensive graduate assistant coach (2004-05) at Ohio State.
INDIANA STATE SWIMMING
SYCAMORES SET TO COMPETE AT NCAA ZONE C DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS, CSCAA NATIONAL INVITATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Zoe Smith will become the first ISU athlete to compete in the NCAA Zone C Diving Championships, while 11 different Sycamores will travel to compete at this week’s CSCAA National Invitational Championship as Indiana State Swimming and Diving heads back to the pool this week.
Smith will take on the field at the NCAA Zone C Diving Championships held at the Counsilman-Billingsley Aquatic Center on the campus of Indiana University. The three-day event runs from Thursday, March 9 – through Saturday, March 11 with Smith taking on the field in the 3M diving event on Thursday and the 1M diving event on Friday. Both events are set to start at 1 p.m.
The Sycamores will also send 11 athletes to the 2023 CSCAA National Invitational Championship held at the Elkhart Health & Aquatics Center in Elkhart, Ind. from March 9-11. Alexandria Cotter, Carmen Alard Vegas, Kaimi Matsumoto, Marni Gray, Chloe Farro, Alexa Szadorski, Raine Boles, Peyton Heagy, Dorotea Bukvic, Rhiannon Wozny, and Esther Rydbeck Norden will take on the field as the Sycamores look to build off arguably the best season in program history after finishing second at the 2023 MVC Championships.
“This meet is another chance to keep improving and growing as a program,” Christensen said. “We’ve got 11 swimmers going, plus Zoe’s diving results from Zones. It’s a fun meet with a lot of energy and teams from all over the country. We had some big swims at this meet last year, so we’re excited to see what we can do this year.”
The Sycamores’ last trip to the CSCAA National Invitational Championships was one to remember as ISU set school records in the 50 Fly, the 400-yard Medley Relay, the 100-yard IM, and the 400-yard Freestyle Relay. Madie Rutan also became the first ISU athlete to advance to a CSCAA final in program history after qualifying in the 100-yard backstroke. The Sycamores also posted their highest team finish at the event placing 25th among the competing institutions.
Indiana State fields a team in the CSCAA’s for just the third time in program history. Individuals and relays may qualify for the CSCAA National Invitational Championship by winning their respective event(s) at a bona-fide collegiate conference championship. In addition, any individual or relay team who equals or surpasses the CSCAA ‘A’ standard during the qualifying period shall be eligible to compete at the Championship.
ISU has rewritten the record book in the 2022-23 season with the Sycamores posting new top times in eight different events, while the performance list and top-20 all-time list have seen drastic changes throughout the year.
Seven school records fell most recently at the 2023 MVC Championships as ISU set new marks in the 200 Medley Relay, 200 Freestyle Relay, 100 Fly, 100 Breaststroke, 50 Fly, 50 Breaststroke, and 400 Medley Relay. ISU also boasted the 200 Fly champion (Marni Gray), six All-Conference selections, and 10 All-Conference honorable mention nods in their highest finish at the conference championships in the program’s short history.
On the diving side, Smith rewrote the Indiana State record book as the junior became the first ISU diver to crack 300.00 points in the 3M diving event back on January 21 against Illinois State. Smith’s mark of 309.15 shattered the previous mark of 283.77 set by Elle Christine in 2018.
Smith also set the ISU record in the 1M diving event back in the fall with her score 290.55 nearly 12 points higher than the previous record set back in 2021. Overall, Smith boasts three of ISU’s top eight career marks in the 3M and five of the top-10 marks in the 1M.
The NCAA Zone C Diving events schedule is as follows:
Thursday, March 9 – 1 p.m.
- Women’s 3M (Top 9 women qualify)
Friday, March 10 – 1 p.m.
- Women’s 1M (Top 10 women qualify)
The CSCAA Events schedule is as follows:
Thursday, March 9
- Prelims (9:30 a.m.): 50 Backstroke, 500 Freestyle, 50 Butterfly, 200 IM, 50 Breaststroke, 50 Freestyle, 400 Medley Relay
- Finals (6 p.m.): 200 Free Relay, 50 Backstroke, 500 Freestyle, 50 Butterfly, 200 IM, 50 Breaststroke, 50 Freestyle, 400 Medley Relay (20 Fastest A Relays)
Friday, March 10
- Prelims (9:30 a.m.): 400 IM, 100 Butterfly, 200 Freestyle, 100 Breaststroke, 100 Backstroke, 800 Freestyle Relay
- Finals (6 p.m.): 200 Medley Relay, 400 IM, 100 Butterfly, 200 Freestyle, 100 Breaststroke, 100 Backstroke, 800 Freestyle Relay (20 Fastest A Relays)
Saturday, March 11
- Prelims (9:30 a.m.): 100 IM, 200 Backstroke, 100 Freestyle, 200 Breaststroke, 200 Butterfly, 1650 Freestyle
- Finals (6 p.m.): 1000 Freestyle, 1650 Freestyle, 100 IM, 200 Backstroke, 100 Freestyle, 200 Breaststroke, 200 Butterfly, 400 Freestyle Relay
INDIANA STATE BASEBALL
SYCAMORES SHUT DOWN REDHAWKS TO TAKE 8-3 WIN ON TUESDAY AFTERNOON
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Parker Stinson and Seth Gergely had three hits apiece and Zach Davidson went three effective innings in relief as Indiana State topped SEMO on Tuesday afternoon at Capaha Field, 8-3.
Leading 4-3 and needing insurance late, the Sycamore (3-8) bats delivered with a three-run eighth inning to break the game open. Gergely connected on a sacrifice fly scoring Stinson and Joe Kido added a two-out, two-run single scoring Adam Pottinger and Mike Sears to put ISU ahead 7-3. Mike Sears added a solo home run in the ninth and Brennyn Cutts was able to get SEMO (4-9) to ground into the game-ending double play to close out the ISU win.
Stinson and Gergely powered the ISU offense on the day, while Luis Hernandez and Mike Sears added multi-hit games as the Sycamore offense connected on 11 hits in the contest. Sears added his fourth home run of the season and Joe Kido posted two RBI in the win.
Davidson (1-1) went three scoreless innings to silence the SEMO (4-9) bats as the junior left-hander allowed two hits and struck out two in his first win in the Sycamore Blue & White. Cam Edmonson went 3.2 innings in his first start of the year, while Cutts closed out the game with scoreless innings in both the eighth and ninth frames to end the contest.
Josh Cameron had two of SEMO’s six hits in the contest and Caleb Rodgers homered to highlight the Redhawk offense on the day.
Jonah Sarabia (0-1) took the loss allowing four hits and four runs over 2.2 innings, while Esteban Hernandez, Eddie White, and Kyle Miller went the rest of the way on the mound.
How They Scored
Indiana State took the lead in the top of the first inning as Parker Stinson followed Luis Hernandez’s two-out single with a triple to right center to put the Sycamores ahead 1-0.
Peyton Leeper tied the game up in the bottom of the second drawing a two-out bases loaded walk scoring Lincoln Andrews to knot the game up at 1-1.
Stinson and Seth Gergely put ISU ahead 4-1 in the top of the third as Stinson singled home Josue Urdaneta, while Gergely added a two-RBI base hit scoring Hernandez and Stinson as the Sycamores scored three in the frame.
Caleb Rodgers took two back for SEMO in the bottom of the fourth with a two-out two-run home run to left field scoring Chance Resetich to put the score at 4-3.
The Sycamores added to their lead in the eighth as Gergely connected on a sacrifice fly scoring Stinson, while Joe Kido added a two-run single bringing home Adam Pottinger and Mike Sears to put the score at 7-3.
Mike Sears added the final run of the game with a solo home run to left in the top of the ninth inning to cap the scoring in the Sycamore win.
News & Notes
Josue Urdaneta and Seth Gergely stretched their season-opening on-base streaks to 11 consecutive games as the duo both reached safely on Tuesday afternoon.
Gergely’s streak sits at 18 games tying his career-high in the category.
Mike Sears added to his team-leading hitting streak as the redshirt junior has connected safely in each of the last seven games.
Sears’ fourth home run leads the Indiana State roster. He is the only Sycamore to post multiple home runs in 2023 so far.
Parker Stinson added his first triple of the season becoming the third ISU player with a three-bagger on the year joining Randal Diaz (2) and Adam Pottinger (1).
Two more Sycamores were hit by pitches on Tuesday running ISU’s total to 24 in 11 games.
The Sycamores have had at least one batter hit by a pitch in 15 consecutive games dating back to the end of the 2022 season.
Zach Davidson picked up his first win as a Sycamore making him the third ISU pitcher to earn their first win in the Blue & White this season.
Cam Edmonson made his first start on the mound since March 8, 2020, when he made the start against Kansas.
Up Next
Indiana State and SEMO close out the series tomorrow afternoon at Capaha Field. First pitch is set for 4 p.m. ET.
INDIANA STATE WGOLF
SYCAMORES MAKE A JUMP ON FINAL OF UTRGV INVITATIONAL, FINISH EIGHTH
MCALLEN, Texas – The Sycamores shot a three-round best on Tuesday to jump up four spots in the final round of the UTRGV Invitational for a tied eighth place finish out of 14 teams.
After sitting in 12th at the end of the first day of action, Indiana State improved by 19 strokes from the second round to the third round, shooting a 301 to close out the week with a three-round total of 936 which tied UNI.
The top three Sycamores improved from their round two scores to each shoot a 74 in the final round. Kristen Hobbs led the way with a three-round score of 231 to move up 11 spots and tie for 33rd place.
Molly Lee followed right behind with a three-round score of 232 which tied her for 36th, nine spots up from her first day finish.
Chelsea Morrow improved by 10 strokes from round two to round three and moved up 11 spots for a final score of 237 which tied her for 51st.
Iyoun Chew tied Morrow for 51st with a 237 after shooting a 79 in her final round. Eliza Baker improved to shoot an 80 in her final round for a three-round score of 246 which tied her for 66th place.
Briana LeMaire played as an individual and posted a 76 in the third round for a final score of 230 which bumped her up to tie for a 28th-place finish
Up Next
The Sycamores head to Tennessee for the Bobby Nichols Intercollegiate hosted by Tennessee Tech March 12-13 at Sevierville Golf Club.
INDIANA STATE MBB
SCHERTZ NAMED 2023 SKIP PROSSER AWARD FINALIST
BOSTON, Mass. – The finalists for the 2022-23 Skip Prosser Man of the Year award were
announced by collegeinsider.com, and Indiana State men’s basketball head coach
Josh Schertz is one of 25 NCAA Division I head coaches on the list.
The Skip Prosser Man of the Year award honors those who not only achieve success on the
basketball court but who display moral integrity off of it as well.
In six years with the Deacons, Prosser posted a 126-68 record. For his career, he was 291-146
in 14 seasons including six as the head coach at Xavier and one year at Loyola (Md.).
At Wake Forest, Prosser’s teams averaged 21 wins per season while playing in arguably the
nation’s most difficult league, the Atlantic Coast Conference. Prosser won 100 games at an
ACC school quicker than all but two coaches in the 55-year history of the conference. He
coached NBA stars Chris Paul and Josh Howard, led the Demon Deacons to the first No. 1
national ranking in school history and earned ACC Coach of the Year honors in 2003.
Prosser passed away of an apparent heart attack on July 26, 2007 in his office at Wake Forest.
He had just returned from his morning jog.
The recipient of the 2023 award will be announced in March, in Houston site of the men’s
NCAA Basketball Championship.
2022-23 SKIP PROSSER AWARD FINALISTS
Griff Aldrich, Longwood
Casey Alexander, Belmont
Michael Boynton, Oklahoma State
A.W. Hamilton, Eastern Kentucky
Jason Hooten, Sam Houston
Donte’ Jackson, Grambling
Donnie Jones, Stetson
James Jones, Yale
Robert Jones, Norfolk State
Tod Kowalczyk, Toledo
Steve Lutz, Texas A&M Corpus Christi
Bob Marlin, Louisiana
Paul Mills, Oral Roberts
Ryan Odom, Utah State
Matt Painter, Purdue
Steve Pikiell, Rutgers
Bob Richey, Furman
Rob Senderoff, Kent State
Josh Schertz, Indiana State
Jon Scheyer, Duke
Takayo Siddle, UNCW
Todd Simon, Southern Utah
Pat Skerry, Towson
Jerry Stackhouse, Vanderbilt
Brian Wardle, Bradley
PURDUE FT. WAYNE BASEBALL
‘DONS HEAD SOUTH TO BLOOMINGTON TO FACE BIG TEN FOE
FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Purdue Fort Wayne will head to Bloomington, Indiana on Wednesday to face the Hoosiers in a 4 p.m. first pitch.
Game Day Information
Who: Purdue Fort Wayne (2-10) at Indiana Hoosiers (5-6)
When: Wednesday, March 8 | 4 p.m. ET
Where: Bart Kaufman Field
Series History: Indiana leads 6-0. The two clubs played last year with the ‘Dons falling 12-2 on March 9. It was the first meeting between the two teams since 2008.
Weather: Friday: High of 49
Watch: B1G+
Live Stats: Link
Probable Starters:
Purdue Fort Wayne: TBD
Indiana: TBD
Scouting the Hoosiers: Indiana has wins over Auburn, Miami (Ohio), Texas, Butler and Georgetown this season. The Hoosier offense is led by Phillip Glasser, he is hitting .381 with 16 hits on the season. He also has a team-high six stolen bases. The Hoosiers are hitting .253 as a team with a 4.94 ERA.
Four More:Braedon Blackford hit four home runs last weekend. He had two against Cornell and added two more against Ball State on Sunday. He finished with five RBIs in the contest against Ball State and added a walk for good measure. He now has three career multi-home run games for the ‘Dons. Last season he had two against Cal Baptist on Feb. 26, 2022.
Walk This Way:Jacob Walker put together three hits and three runs scored against Ball State (March 5). It was his first multi-hit game as a Mastodon.
“Baseball: Cornell/Purdue Fort Wayne: Slaughter.”:JD Deany and Brody Fine combined to record 15 strikeouts in last week’s win over Cornell. It tied a school record for strikeouts in a game. Deany had eight and earned the win. Fine added seven for the save. The last time the ‘Dons had 15 strikeouts in a game was April 5 and April 6 of 2019 when they did it against North Dakota State in back-to-back days.
Turn It!: The Mastodons are fifth in the nation double plays turned with 13 this season.
Multi-verse: Nine different mastodons have had a multi-hit game this season.
Record Within Striking Distance: The 2023 season is Justin Miller’s fifth as a Mastodon. Miller owns 187 career strikeouts, the second most in program history for a career. He will look to pass Jason Horvath (2001-04) for the most in program history this season. Horvath recorded 210 strikeouts.
Give Me Some Ben Higgins Facts:Ben Higgins is on an 11-game on-base streak. He also has four multi-hit games this season.
Up Next: The ‘Dons will face Austin Peay on Friday and Saturday in Evansville, Ind. Note the new date/location as Austin Peay’s field is unplayable due to storm damage.
EVANSVILLE WOMEN’S BB
ABBY FEIT NAMED SECOND TEAM ALL-MVC SCHOLAR-ATHLETE
ST. LOUIS, Mo. – For the third-straight season, University of Evansville senior guard/forward Abby Feit has received scholar-athlete honors from the Missouri Valley Conference, it was announced in a release from the Conference office on Tuesday morning.
Feit started and played in 25 games for the Aces, while leading the team in scoring, rebounding, blocks, steals, field goal percentage, three-point percentage, minutes, field goals made, and three-pointers made in her fourth year in the white and purple. As a senior, Feit is currently averaging 15.5 points per game, seventh-best in The Valley, and sits sixth in the MVC in rebounds per game, averaging 7.6 per contest. Feit has been even better scoring against MVC opponents, averaging 16.1 points in Conference action. Heading into Hoops in the Heartland, Feit sits fourth in program history in scoring and second in rebounding.
The Normal, Ill. native was named to the all-MVC Scholar-Athlete second team a year ago and received honorable mention recognition in 2020-21.
In all, 16 players were honored on the scholar-athlete teams. Illinois State’s Mary Crompton was named the State Farm Scholar-Athlete of the Year as part of a group voted on by the conference’s women’s basketball contacts.
PURDUE FT. WAYNE MGOLF
JADDEN OUSLEY VAULTS UP LEADERBOARD IN FINAL ROUND
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Purdue Fort Wayne men’s golfer Jadden Ousley moved 19 spots up the leaderboard on Tuesday (March 7) in the final round of the Daytona Beach Spring Invitational.
Ousley started with a bogey, but quickly responded with four birdies in the next five holes. He never went above par the rest of the day. After a bogey on 11, Ousley rattled off seven bogey-free holes with a birdie on 17. His 75-76-70-221 put him in a tie for 24th. His final round of 70 tied his career-best.
Hunter Mefford was one shot ahead of Ousley with a 79-68-73-220 to finish in 14th place. Mefford was 1-over in his final round thanks to a relatively clean round of three bogeys, two birdies and 13 pars. His birdies came on eight and 18. Mefford moved up eight spots on Tuesday.
Three shots back, Burke Pitz tied for 35th with a 75-74-75-224. In his third round of the week, Pitz had 15 pars.
Nick Holder had his third-round score of 73 taken for the team score. He had four birdies, all coming in an eight-hole stretch. His 80-79-73-232 tied him for 74th place.Kasey Lilly rounded out the team score competitors with a 74-77-78-229 to take 58th place. His third round was highlighted by birdies on eight and 10.
Reece Compton competed as an individual, shooting 82-73-79-234 for 82nd place.
The Mastodons took seventh, finishing as the best of the four Horizon League teams in the field. They moved up two spots with their final round of 291.
The ‘Dons will not have to travel far for their next tournament, going just across the street to the Rees Jones Signature Course at the LPGA International. That tournament will tee off on Thursday (March 9).
EVANSVILLE BASEBALL
BASEBALL ACES PUT WIN STREAK ON THE LINE WEDNESDAY AT #7 VANDERBILT
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The University of Evansville baseball team will put its seven-game winning streak on the line on Wednesday afternoon, as the Purple Aces will travel to Nashville, Tennessee to take on the #7 Vanderbilt Commodores. First-pitch is set for 4:30 p.m. and Wednesday’s game can be seen live on the SEC Network+ streaming platform, with former UE pitcher Alex Gould serving as the play-by-play talent.
Evansville has won seven-straight thanks in large part to an offense which has been on fire the last two weeks. After opening the year hitting just .227 through the first five games, Evansville has hit .377 as a team over the last seven contests, while averaging 9.9 runs per game. The Purple Aces will bring a 7-5 overall record into the contest after sweeping back-to-back doubleheaders from visiting Bowling Green over the weekend, in which the Purple Aces out-scored the Falcons, 41-10.
Fifth-year first baseman Chase Hug and junior shortstop Simon Scherry have been the main catalysts offensively for UE over the last seven games. Hug has hit an amazing .680 (17-for-25) over the last seven contests, while earning back-to-back Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Week awards. Scherry, meanwhile, has hit safely in all seven victories, while hitting .520 (13-for-25) and owning a .606 on-base percentage.
Vanderbilt will enter Wednesday’s contest off of Tuesday night’s game against Tennessee Tech. The seventh-ranked Commodores entered the week 8-4 overall, and are coming off of a 4-0, no-hit victory at Minnesota on Sunday night. Vanderbilt used four pitchers to post the club’s fourth no-hitter in the past five seasons in the win. Sophomore infielder Jonathan Vastine and freshman utility player RJ Austin currently pace the Vanderbilt offense with .348 and .326 batting averages, respectively. The Commodores also boast a 3.98 team ERA, and have already struck out 137 batters in just 104 innings of work.
Junior RHP Shane Harris (1-1, 6.75 ERA) will get the start for Evansville on Wednesday. Harris will be making just his second start of the year for UE, but has tossed back-to-back scoreless relief appearances in his last two outings. Vanderbilt has not named a starter yet for Wednesday’s match-up, based mainly on the fact that they play on Tuesday.
Gould pitched three seasons at Evansville, before graduating in 2016 and working for Evansville’s Valley On ESPN announcing crew, before moving to Nashville last year. In 28 career appearances for Evansville, he posted a 2-2 overall record and 3.35 ERA in 37.2 innings of work.
SOUTHERN INDIANA BASEBALL
EAGLES OUT BATTLED BY GOVERNORS, 10-6
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Baseball was out battled by Austin Peay State University, 10-6, Tuesday evening at the USI Baseball Field. The Screaming Eagles watch their record go to 5-7, while APSU goes to 3-9.
Following a three-run first by Austin Peay, USI rallied to take a 4-3 lead with one in the first and three more in the second. The 4-3 lead would be the only lead of the game for the Eagles.
USI senior centerfielder Evan Kahre (Evansville, Indiana) scored USI’s first run on an RBI-single by senior first baseman Lucas McNew (Floyds Knobs, Indiana) to cut the opening deficit to 3-1. Junior rightfielder Drew Taylor (Jeffersonville, Indiana), senior leftfielder Ren Tachioka (Japan), and junior second baseman Alex Archuleta (Evansville, Indiana) followed with three-straight extra base hits (triple, double, triple) to put the Eagles in front, 4-3, in the second.
Tachioka doubled in Taylor, who tripled to open the frame, with the second run, while Archuleta tripled in Tachioka to tie the score, 3-3. Archuleta would score the lead tally on a wild pitch for the brief 4-3 lead.
The Govs responded with six unanswered runs to regain the lead, 9-4, on three in the third and three in the seventh. USI cut the deficit to 9-6 on with two in the seventh on two-run base hit by freshman third baseman/shortstop Caleb Niehaus (Newburgh, Indiana).
Austin Peay added one more tally to seal the game in the eighth and the 10-6 final.
On the mound, USI sophomore right-hander Adam Weihe (Louisville, Kentucky) took the loss for the Eagles. Weihe (0-2) allowed six runs, four earned, on nine hits, while striking out one in 2.1 innings of work.
USI junior lefthander Blake Ciuffetelli (Newburgh, Indiana) followed Weihe to the mound, going 4.1 innings of work and striking out a career-high seven batters.
Up Next for the Eagles:
USI continues the four-game homestand Friday when it starts a three-game series with Oakland University at the USI Baseball Field. The series starts Friday at 6 p.m.; continues Saturday at 2 p.m.; and concludes Sunday with a noon first pitch.
The Golden Grizzlies start this week with a 2-8 record and are slated to play the University of Michigan Wednesday as they make their way to Evansville. Oakland is 2-3 in the last five games after dropping two-of-three with Wichita State University last weekend.
USI and Oakland are tied 1-1 in the series after splitting a doubleheader in 1977. In the twin bill, USI took the opening game, 8-3, but dropped the nightcap, 4-0.
SOUTHERN INDIANA SB
EAGLES CAPTURE 4-0 WIN TO SPLIT PAIR OF GAMES TUESDAY
MADEIRA BEACH, Fla. – University of Southern Indiana Softball (5-9) split its pair of contests at The Spring Games in Madeira Beach, Florida on Tuesday, capturing a 4-0 win against Creighton University after the Screaming Eagles fell Tuesday morning to Central Michigan University, 5-1.
The win Tuesday afternoon against Creighton snapped a four-game skid for USI. The offense also found a bit of a spark in the afternoon victory, as it was the first time USI scored more than two runs in a game since February 19 against the University of Evansville.
Southern Indiana began the day with a rematch against Central Michigan, who captured a 9-0 win against USI on Sunday. The Chippewas picked up where they left off on Sunday by scoring Tuesday’s first run in the first inning.
After a 1-2-3 second inning in the circle from senior pitcher Allie Goodin (Evansville, Indiana), Goodin helped her own cause in the batter’s box in the top of the third inning. The senior hit a two-out RBI single to score junior outfielder Mackenzie Bedrick (Brownsburg, Indiana) to tie the game, 1-1. Goodin finished with a pair of hits in the morning contest.
Central Michigan responded in the bottom of the third frame with two solo home runs to go back in front, 3-1. The Chippewas added two runs in the fourth inning to grab a 5-1 advantage. USI threatened in the top of the fifth by getting a runner to third base but could not score.
Goodin went 3.2 innings, allowing five runs – four earned – off seven hits. Her record is 0-4 after the loss. Freshman pitcher Kylie Eads (Indianapolis, Indiana) pitched the last 2.1 innings scoreless with three strikeouts.
Central Michigan’s Madelyn Wallace picked up her second consecutive win against USI, moving to 3-1 on the season. Wallace surrendered one run on four hits and three walks in five innings on Tuesday.
Facing off against Creighton in the second game of the day, USI and sophomore pitcher Josie Newman (Indianapolis, Indiana) got off to a solid start. Even though the Bluejays had a player reach base in each of the first two innings, Newman did not allow either to advance past first base. Newman fanned six batters in the first three innings.
In the bottom of the sixth, junior first baseman Lexi Fair (Greenwood, Indiana) provided USI with a pair of insurance runs on a two-run home run, her first of the season, to increase the Screaming Eagles’ lead to 4-0. Fair’s big fly came after a leadoff single from Goodin. Fair led USI with 13 home runs in 2022.
Newman completed the game to earn her third shutout and second one-hitter of the season. The right-hander picked up the win to improve to 4-4 on the year. Newman struck out nine Bluejays in the seven innings of work.
Creighton’s sophomore pitcher Alexis Wiggins took the loss, dropping to 2-4 this season. Wiggins went five innings, giving up three runs off five hits and a couple of walks.
The Screaming Eagles conclude action at The Spring Games Wednesday with a doubleheader against Long Island University at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. CT. All games at The Spring Games can be seen with a subscription to FloSoftball. Plus, 95.7 FM The Spin will have radio coverage from Madeira Beach, Florida. John Morris, 95.7 The Spin General Manager, will be on the call. Coverage links can be found on the USI Softball schedule page on usiscreamingeagles.com.
VALPO BASEBALL
VALPO DROPS MIDWEEK TO MISSISSIPPI STATE
The Valparaiso University baseball team got off to a promising start against a power-five conference foe on Tuesday night in Starkville, Miss., but 2021 national champion Mississippi State rallied from a 2-0 hole to score 12 unanswered runs and top the Beacons 12-2 in seven innings.
How It Happened
Starting pitcher Griffin McCluskey (Normal, Ill. / Normal Community) tossed two shutout innings, inducing double plays in each of his frames on the mound. The Beacons turned a 43 DP in the opening inning and a L64 twin killing in the second.
The Beacons struck first in the top of the third, manufacturing two tallies thanks to two walks, an infield single, a sacrifice bunt, a sacrifice fly and a wild pitch. Kaleb Hannahs (West Terre Haute, Ind. / West Vigo) lifted the sac fly for the first Valpo run, then Kade Reinertson (Huxley, Iowa / Ballard Community) crossed the dish on a wild pitch.
Valpo went to the bullpen in the third as Grant Jablonski (Mishawaka, Ind. / Mishawaka) took over, putting a zero on the board.
The Bulldogs broke through in the fourth, taking the lead with six runs on six hits.
Mississippi State added one in the fifth, three in the sixth and two in the seventh to invoke the 10-run rule.
Inside the Game
Reinertson and Jake Skrine (Longmont, Colo. / Mead [Indiana]) accounted for the two Beacon hits.
Valpo worked five walks including two each from Brady Renfro (Antigo, Wis. / Antigo) and Alex Thurston (Fowler, Ind. / Benton Central).
McCluskey’s final line featured no runs on two hits while working around three walks and striking out one in two innings.
Up Next
The spring trip continues as Valpo (6-4) will visit No. 22 Southern Miss this weekend for a three-game series beginning on Friday at 6 p.m. in Hattiesburg, Miss. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+.
U OF INDY SWIMMING
SCHOOL RECORDS FALL AS HOUNDS OPEN SWIMMING & DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS
INDIANAPOLIS—The UIndy swimming & diving team kicked off the 2023 NCAA DII Championships Tuesday night with a pair of memorable performances. With just two events being held on day one, the Greyhounds earned All-America honors and broke school records in both the men’s and women’s 800 free relays.
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.
The national meet is being held at the IU Natatorium in downtown Indianapolis Tuesday through Saturday. Action continues tomorrow with morning prelims at 10 a.m. ET, followed by diving at 1:30 p.m. and evening finals at 6 p.m.
U OF INDY BASEBALL
GREYHOUND BASEBALL SWEEPS PRIDE, MOVES TO 8-0
INDIANAPOLIS – The University of Indianapolis baseball team is now 8-0, coming off a two-game doubleheader sweep of the in-region Purdue Northwest Pride.
Nick Lukac, continuing his success from the Grand Valley State series, and Caleb Vaughn both were large parts of the Hounds offense, with the duo grabbing three RBIs apiece in the doubleheader. The bullpen was stout for the Hounds, giving up only two earned runs over 16 innings.
GAME 1 | UIndy 7, Purdue Northwest 5
Starting his first game as a Greyhound, Brady Ware was electric to start the doubleheader, striking out the side in the top of the first. The Prides starter struggled mightily to start his day, walking Brandon DeWitt and giving up a single to Drew Donaldson before issuing a walk to Vaughn. That lined up Ware an opportunity to help himself, grounding out to second, not before sending DeWitt home. Another Hound walk and a Lukac sacrifice fly made it 2-0 after the first frame of action.
Despite the hot start, Ware faltered in the second, giving up the lead off of some situational baseball by the Pride. The score stayed at 3-2 in favor of the Pride until the Denton Shepler was able to send home Donaldson on a bases loaded double play.
The score flipped back and forth yet again, with the fifth seeing more small ball by the Pride scratch a run across. The Hounds, however, answered back big, with Lukac smoking a ball through the third base and shortstop gap to make it 5-4. Bujdos did much the same, driving a ball into shallow right field to make it 6-5. Vaughn grabbed his lone RBI of the contest in the top of the seventh, adding some extra insurance for the closer Wyatt Phillips who grabbed a save in the match-up.
GAME 2 | UIndy 6, Purdue Northwest, 1
Pitching excellence by Frankie Klemm, also making his first Greyhound start, alongside the bullpens lockdown nature was the storyline of the Hounds second game. The Pride grabbed the lead in second, driving a ball right back at Klemm to score what ended up being their only run of the contest.
The pitching of the pride was stout going through four, only giving up their first run in the bottom of the fifth, coming via a Vaughn sacrifice fly.
The high powered offense of the Hounds only needed a small break and they got it big in the bottom of the sixth, putting up a three spot on the Pride. Lukac got the party started with a long triple as the leadoff man. Jared Bujdos’ double scored him just an at bat later. DeWitt followed up with a rocket up the middle to score another. Vaughn lucked out with a pop up that dropped after being bobbled by the catcher, scoring the third run of the inning.
The final two runs came off the bat of Donaldson who drove a ball into shallow left field to send Will Spear home. Two at bats later, Vaughn did the same, sending Donaldson home to find the final score of 6-1.
Nolen Wolf, Brandon Markarian and Steven Jones all were lights out in the pen in the second game, throwing three innings of one-hit ball.
MORE NOTES
The Greyhounds 8-0 start to the season is the best they’ve seen since the year 1999 in which the Hounds went 8-0 before tying a contest with the Marian Knights. The current program record for most wins to start a season sits at 19, set in the spring of 1997.
HOUND BYTES
Head Coach Al Ready on the teams performance so far this spring….
“We got a real nice ball club, we’ve been pitching the ball really well, we’ve been swinging the bats pretty well. We’ve made the plays; I would have thought that having nine days off we would have been a little rusty out there today, but other than a couple throws across the infield… our defense was solid today. It shows, the upperclassmen that we have, the experience that we have… that’s really showing in these first eight games.”
Ready on Klemm’s day…
“He pitched fantastic for us last weekend, works quick on the left side, you know how much I love left handed pitchers. He is probably the fastest working guy we have on the staff, and the defenders love that… Frankie’s one of the guy keeps everyone involved, he is just a great asset for our ballclub and he did a fantastic job today.”
UP NEXT
The Hounds continue their extended home streak, hosting Davenport on Friday, March. 10 with first pitch set to start at 3 p.m.
U OF INDY MBB
HOUNDS SIT AT NO. 9 IN LATEST NATIONAL POLL HEADING INTO NCAA TOURNAMENT
INDIANAPOLIS – The UIndy men’s basketball team slipped two spots to No. 9 in the latest NABC national coaches poll, the organization announced on Tuesday afternoon. The Hounds have now been ranked in the top 10 for each of the past seven weeks.
The Greyhounds enter this weekend’s NCAA DII Midwest Regional as the top seed and host of the eight-team bracket. UIndy is now 26-4 on the season, tied for the most wins in a single season in program history. After claiming the GLVC regular season title, the Greyhounds fell in the league’s semifinal round to Missouri-St. Louis, which earned the No. 2 seed in the Midwest Regional.
Reigning GLVC Player of the Year Kendrick Tchoua leads all three NCAA divisions with a 72.5 field goal percentage, while Jesse Bingham tops the team with 15.2 points per game.
Nova Southeastern, the lone remaining undefeated team in DII, remained atop the national poll, with Northwest Missouri sitting in the two-hole. Four other Midwest programs earned at least one vote in the final poll of the regular season: Hillsdale, Missouri-St. Louis, Ashland, and McKendree.
MARIAN WBB
MARIAN ADVANCES TO NAIA SECOND ROUND WITH 80-59 WIN OVER FLORIDA MEMORIAL
INDIANAPOLIS – The Marian women’s basketball team advanced to the NAIA Second Round game with a commanding 80-59 win over 14-seed Florida Memorial, winning the opening game of the Indianapolis Bracket. Marian is now 27-5 as they advance to the second round game.
Marian got out to an 8-2 lead to start, but Florida Memorial started to fire back as they took the 10-9 lead after an 8-1 run. However, the Knights were able to find some late momentum to close out quarter one after Allison Bosse drained the three-pointer with 41 seconds left to give Marian the 21-10 lead.
It wasn’t until the 8:16 mark when the first basket was made in the second quarter, with the Lions getting four straight buckets. The two teams traded points through the next few minutes as the Knights seemed to have a bit of a sluggish quarter of play. Tamia Perryman ignited a bit of spark for Marian at with 1:07 to go, scoring the layup on the transition play from Sara Majorosova. Bosse closed out the quarter with a pair of freebies to take the 32-24 lead into halftime.
Ella Collier wasted no time as she knocked down the layup seconds into the third quarter, sparking an 8-0 spurt to increase Marian’s lead to 18. A three-pointer and putback layup by Florida Memorial answered the run. Perryman and Aliyah Evans carried the Marian offense in the final 3:34 of play. The duo combined for eight of the ten final points to hold the 55-34 lead after the third quarter.
Marian continued to be efficient in the fourth quarter growing their lead to as many as 29 after Jayla Wehner canned the triple with 6:19 left to play. The Lions never stopped fighting, but the Marian lead was too much to handle. With the lead at hand, Marian was able to pull their starters, giving the reserves a long run over the final minutes of play to put away the game 80-59.
Collier, Bosse, and Abbey McNally all led with 15 points, while Perryman scored 11. McNally pulled down a season-high 15 rebounds and added two blocks. Majorosova dished out a team-high six assists to go along with six points.
Marian will play the winner of Texarkana and Grand View Wednesday night at 7 p.m. in the NAIA Opening Round Championship. The winner of Wednesday’s game will advance to the NAIA Tournament final site in Sioux City, Iowa.
MARIAN SB
KNIGHTS WIN A THRILLER AGAINST CORNERSTONE TO COMPLETE DAY TWO IN FLORIDA UNSCATHED
Melbourne, Fla. – The Marian softball team earned two wins on their second day of play in Florida, closing a run-rule win against Culver-Stockton in the morning before winning a thriller against Cornerstone in the afternoon. Marian’s pair of wins improves their overall record on the season to 5-1, remaining undefeated in the sunshine state.
Game 1 | Marian 10-0 Culver-Stockton (5 Innings)
The Knights jumped on top of the Wildcats early Tuesday morning, working quick on defense behind Olivia Stunkel’s perfect first inning to set the tone in the home half with the bats. A lead-off single from Savannah Harweger ignited the offense, while a pair of errors quickly helped load the bases. Hayley Greene tagged a single two drive in the first two runs of the game, while the bases loaded up once again following Abby Madere’s walk. With two outs, Abbi Wirey slammed a two-RBI single to left field to drive in runs three and four, and Caitlyn Phillips added an RBI single, with an errant throw bringing home Madere to cap the six-run frame.
Stunkel worked quick in the second picking up a pair of strikeouts, and in the bottom of the inning Marian scored three more runs, with Grace Meyer touching the dish on a wild pitch to start the scoring. Mackenzie Dalton picked up an RBI single, and Phillips legged out an infield single to add an RBI to her ledger, putting the Knights in great shape with a 9-0 lead after two complete. Stunkel picked up two more strikeouts in the third inning as she strayed three base hits to leave the bases loaded, and in the bottom of the third the Knights completed their scoring. Brenna Fink notched her first collegiate hit in the inning, and scored her first run as a wild pitch sent the freshman home.
The Knights pitching staff mowed down the Wildcats in the final two innings of the game, with Jaylah Guilliam pitching a perfect second inning, and Abigail McPherson closing the game with a three-up, three-down fifth inning. Stunkel moved to 2-0 on the year with the three-inning efforts, striking out four of her 12 batters faced. McPherson notched a strikeout, as she and Guilliam both threw flawless frames to complete the 10-0 win.
At the plate Marian had 10 base hits, with Phillips producing the lone multi-hit game. Greene, Wirey, and Phillips each had two RBI in the win.
Game 2 | Marian 9-8 Cornerstone
Offense dominated the second outing of the day, as Marian and Cornerstone combined for 24 hits in the afternoon clash. Cornerstone struck first after Marian was retired in order in the first, getting a triple and RBI single in their first three plate appearances to take a quick 1-0 lead. Sydney Wilson limited the damage to just one after allowing two more hits, and in the second her offense picked up the tying run as Caroline Roop tagged an RBI sacrifice fly to score Savannah Baker who led off the inning with a walk.
Wilson stranded the bases loaded as the Eagles tagged two more hits in the second, and in the top of the third the Knights offense found a jolt with Anna Pritchett leading off with a single. A Harweger double scored the freshman to give Marian the lead, and after two groundouts Harweger made her way home on a Baker triple. A Hayley Greene RBI single finished the frame, with Marian carrying a 4-1 lead into the bottom of the third.
Things went wrong for the Knights as the defense went back into the field, as back to back walks from Wilson to start the inning led to an RBI double. A triple in the next at bat brought home two runs, ending Wilson’s day as the game moved to a tie. Guilliam was the first arm out of the pen, but she was unable to record an out as three consecutive walks helped score a run for the Wildcats. Lauren Mayer came out of the bullpen to try and end the damage, doing so but not before Culver-Stockton added two more runs on an hit batter and bases loaded walk.
After three complete Culver-Stockton led 7-4, a lead they protected through five innings as Marian stranded two runners in both the fourth and fifth innings. Mayer settled in after entering out of the pen in the high-pressure situation, throwing a perfect fourth frame while leaving two Golden Eagles on base in the fifth. In the sixth Marian made their move, getting a jolt from a two-run homerun by Harweger that smacked the right field scoreboard. Marian kept rolling after the yard call, getting three consecutive singles with Baker’s hit driving in the tying run. A walk to Greene loaded the bases, and after after a groundout Dalton delivered in a pinch hit role, smacking a two-RBI single to center field to give Marian a 9-7 lead.
Culver-Stockton would respond with an unearned run in the sixth as an errant throw from Harweger allowed a lead-off single to score, making it a one-run game. Mayer got out of the inning stranding a runner with back to back groundouts, and in the seventh the Olivia Stunkel came in for the save, doing so in perfect style as she picked up two strikeouts and an infield groundout to close the 9-8 win.
The Knights delivered 13 of the 24 total hits in the game, getting a game-high four from Harweger who finished 4-5 with a home run and three RBI. Sierra Norman, Pritchett, and Baker each had two hits in the game, with Baker going 2-3 with two RBI and a pair of walks. Mayer threw four complete innings in relief to earn her first collegiate win, striking out two in her appearance. The freshman allowed just three hits and one walk in the game. Stunkel earned her first career save as she made her fourth-ever relief appearance, earning two strikeouts in the inning.
Marian will sit idle on Wednesday, returning to action on Thursday to play both Lourdes and Trinity Christian. The matchup with the Gray Wolves starts at 11:30 a.m.
MARIAN WLAX
UPSET-MINDED KNIGHTS FALL SHORT TO NO. 8 MISSOURI BAPTIST
St. Louis, Mo. – The Marian women’s lacrosse team played for the upset early Tuesday night building a 6-4 lead over No. 8 Missouri Baptist in the first half, but were unable to hold their advantage in the second half the Spartans ran away to a 16-7 victory. Marian’s defeat is their first of the season, as they fall to 3-1 on the year.
Marian played to their strengths early against Missouri Baptist, feeding Ashlynn Gray who was making her season debut after missing the first three games of the year. Gray dominated early, scoring just 24 seconds into the game for the night’s first goal, as teammate Madison Ash set up the early score. Marian stayed in front throughout the first quarter, as Gray poured in back to back unassisted goals at the 8:16 and 5:12 marks of the quarter, recording a hat trick in under 10 minutes. Gray’s three goals stood as they only scores in the first quarter, as Katherine Hirsch was strong in the cage making three saves.
The Knights added to their lead in the second quarter, as Grace Martin netted a goal just over two minutes after the break, while a follow up score from Ella Grace Giedd 27 seconds after her teammates provided a 5-0 lead. Marian’s shutout would last until the 10:33 mark of the second quarter, as the Spartans found a rhythm with Chayleb Deves netting the home team’s first goal. Missouri Baptist would score the next two goals before Marian had a chance to find the back of the cage, with Ruby Mason scoring to take a 6-3 lead. Marian’s three-goal advantage would get cut to two with just 58 seconds remaining in the half, as Caroline Karr provided momentum for the Spartans before the half.
Marian led 6-4 at the half and remained in the lead until back to back goals from Missouri Baptist tied the game with 6:14 remaining in the third quarter. The Spartans continued to rally, scoring five unanswered goals in the third quarter to take a 9-6 lead. Marian was able to manage just one shot attempt in the quarter, as turnovers aided the Missouri Baptist cause.
The Spartans continued their 6-0 run into the fourth quarter, connecting on back to back scores to build an 11-6 lead. Marian stopped the run with 11:46 remaining as Giedd scored her second of the game, but Marian was unable to find continuity on the offensive end of the field. Missouri Baptist would score the final five goals of the game, closing the 16-7 victory for the home team.
Turnovers plagued the Knights throughout the game, as they gave away 32 opportunites to Missouri Baptist’s 18 turnovers. Gray led Marian in scoring with three goals, seeing action in the first half of the game. Giedd scored twice with Mason and Martin each scoring once. Four different Knights had assists in the game, and Madeline Dumke led Marian with three caused turnovers.
Marian will return home to play St. Ambrose on Friday night, taking on the Fighting Bees at 7 p.m.
MARIAN MEN’S BB
MARIAN UNABLE TO OVERCOME FIRST HALF DEFICIT, FALL IN NAIA TOURNAMENT FIRST ROUND TO RIO GRANDE
Oskaloosa, Iowa – The Marian men’s basketball fell behind by as many as 19 points to No. 8 seed Rio Grande, and despite getting within one point multiple times, the Knights were unable to take a lead as they fell to the Red Storm 79-75 in the NAIA Tournament First Round. Marian ends their season with a 21-10 overall record.
Rio Grande shot lights out in the first half, scoring their first four field goal attempts to pounce on top 11-5 in the first three minutes. Good baskets from Brody Whitaker and Luke Gohmann helped the Knights claw back within a score over the next minute, however Marian was unable to stay in a rhythm, going cold from the field over the ensuing two minutes after Gohmann’s score. Rio took advantage of Marian’s lull and pulled in front by two scores, gradually expanding the lead to nine points after seven minutes of play.
Baskets from Whitaker and a score in the paint by Jackson Ames helped Marian keep with five points as they trailed 24-19, but a quick 5-0 run allowed the Red Storm push in front by double digits. Marian was able to get back within double digits after Hayden Langkabel knocked down a three, but Rio Grande answered with back to back baskets to surge back in front by double figures. Rio Grande continued to grow their lead, holding a 10-point lead or more for the remaining 6:44 of the half. The Red Storm led by as many as 19 in the half, but free throws from Gohmann and Taeshon Cherry helped Marian stay in the game. A three pointer from Trey Robertson at the buzzer allowed Rio to take a 52-35 lead into halftime, as they shot over 64 percent from the floor to Marian’s 37 percent.
Having been in the situation at times during the season, Marian slowly put their comeback into motion, holding Rio Grande scoreless for the first 2:32, while trimming within 12 points after back to back Taeshon Cherry buckets. Cherry and Whitaker carried the rally efforts, combining for all but two of Marian’s points in the first eight minutes of the half as the duo got Marian back within nine points. A three from Josh Bryan broke the trend of Cherry and Whitaker scoring, and got the Knights within eight points, while a pair of stops and a Gohmann trey brought the visitors within five with 10:16 remaining.
Trailing 62-57, Marian continued to get stops on defense, forcing a turnover and missed layup after the media timeout, inching within two following Bryan’s second make from deep. Maximus Gizzi and Whitaker made back to back scores to help inch within a point, but a scoreless drought of 2:30 allowed Rio Grande to stay in control, pushing back ahead by three to lead 67-64 with 4:12 remaining. Cherry ended the Marian drought to get back within a point and the two sides exchanged scores for a one minute series, with the Knights still finding themselves on the wrong end of a Red Storm bucket. With 2:23 remaining a 6-0 run helped Rio Grande go on top by seven, all but putting the game out of reach.
Marian would cut the deficit to five twice in the final 1:24, and a late three from Whitaker made it a four-point game with nine seconds remaining, however Marian was unsuccessful on a last minute heave, falling 79-75 and ending their season.
Marian shot 42 percent from the field in the game, making up for their first half woes by shooting 47 percent in the second half. Rio Grande ended the game shooting 54 percent from the field, knocking down six more three’s than the Knights.
Cherry led Marian in scoring in his final collegiate game, scoring 27 points on a 9-26 shooting night. Whitaker was a strong 9-13 from the field and ended with 19 points, and Gohmann scored eight wile grabbing a team-high 11 rebounds.
Marian ends their season with a 21-10 overall record, having reached the NAIA Tournament for the sixth consecutive season.
MARIAN MEN’S GOLF
MARIAN CLOSES KEISER KUP STRONG TO FINISH 7TH OVERALL
West Palm Beach, Fla. – The Marian men’s golf team finished their second tournament of the spring season on Tuesday afternoon, playing the final 18 holes in the Kesier Kup. The Knights finished seventh in the tournament gaining four spots on the leaderboard in Tuesday’s third round. Marian was led by Patrick Guymon and Augie Mann individually over the 54-hole outing.
The Knights shot a 302 team score on day one of the tournament, seeding eighth overall after 18 holes of play. Augie Mann got off to a great start as he tied for ninth with a 71 in his first 18, while Patrick Guymon was four shots back of his teammate with a 75 in round one. Brandon Heffner shot a 76 in the first round, and both Weston Ogden and Seth Kestranek shot an 80 on Sunday.
Marian struggled in Monday’s second round, dropping from eighth to 11th as they shot a 312. Mann added six strokes as he shot a 77 to stand with a 148 after 36, while Guymon carded a 79 to hold a 154 total. Heffner shot his second consecutive round with a 76 to stand with a 152 total, holding the second best score on the team after two rounds. Kestranek shot his second consecutive 80 to end day two with a 160, while Ogden shot an 83 to hold a 163.
In the final round on Tuesday, Marian played lights out as they dropped 30 strokes from their team score, shooting a 282 to climb from 11th to seventh. In the final round Mann returned to form firing a 72, climbing the leaderboard to tie for 14th with a 220 score. Mann finished in a five-way tie for the position, with Guymon rebounding from his Monday round with a career-low 66 in round three. Guymon’s -5 score on the day dropped allowed him to jump 30 spots, ending the tournament tied for 14th with his 220 overall score.
Heffner tied for 23rd as he shot a 70 in the final round, closing with a 222 score for the three rounds. Kestranek finished tied for 51st as he shot a 74 in the final round, shooting a 234 for his three-day score. Rounding out the lineup was Ogden, who finished 55th with a 239 three-round score, firing a week-low 76 on Tuesday.
Keiser won the tournament with an 843 score, with Palm Beach Atlantic finishing second.
The Knights will see action next on March 13 and 14 in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, playing in the William Carey Carey Collegiate tournament.
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 | 45 | 21 | .682 | 2.5 | 25-9 | 20-12 | 9-4 | 28-16 | 5-5 | 3 L | ||
| 3 Philadelphia | 43 | 22 | .662 | 4.0 | 24-10 | 19-12 | 7-6 | 25-15 | 7-3 | 3 W | ||
| 4 Cleveland | 41 | 26 | .612 | 7.0 | 28-7 | 13-19 | 12-3 | 25-13 | 6-4 | 2 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 | 31 | .530 | 12.5 | 21-12 | 14-19 | 9-4 | 18-21 | 4-6 | 2 W | ||
| 8 Atlanta | 32 | 33 | .492 | 15.0 | 18-13 | 14-20 | 5-8 | 19-22 | 5-5 | 2 L | ||
| 9 Toronto | 32 | 34 | .485 | 15.5 | 20-13 | 12-21 | 4-9 | 20-21 | 6-4 | 1 L | ||
| 10 Washington | 31 | 34 | .477 | 16.0 | 15-15 | 16-19 | 7-3 | 18-21 | 5-5 | 1 W | ||
| 11 Chicago | 29 | 36 | .446 | 18.0 | 18-15 | 11-21 | 6-8 | 23-22 | 3-7 | 2 L | ||
| 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 | 19 | .708 | — | 30-4 | 16-15 | 10-5 | 32-12 | 8-2 | 4 W | ||
| 2 Sacramento | 38 | 26 | .594 | 7.5 | 20-13 | 18-13 | 7-6 | 26-14 | 7-3 | 1 W | ||
| 3 Memphis | 38 | 26 | .594 | 7.5 | 26-5 | 12-21 | 7-2 | 20-19 | 5-5 | 3 L | ||
| 4 Phoenix | 36 | 29 | .554 | 10.0 | 21-10 | 15-19 | 9-1 | 23-15 | 7-3 | 3 W | ||
| 5 Dallas | 34 | 32 | .515 | 12.5 | 22-13 | 12-19 | 8-2 | 25-18 | 4-6 | 1 W | ||
| 6 Golden State | 34 | 32 | .515 | 12.5 | 27-7 | 7-25 | 5-8 | 22-17 | 6-4 | 2 L | ||
| 7 Minnesota | 34 | 33 | .507 | 13.0 | 20-15 | 14-18 | 8-7 | 25-20 | 5-5 | 1 L | ||
| 8 LA Clippers | 34 | 33 | .507 | 13.0 | 16-15 | 18-18 | 6-7 | 20-21 | 3-7 | 1 W | ||
| 9 LA Lakers | 32 | 34 | .485 | 14.5 | 17-15 | 15-19 | 4-9 | 19-22 | 7-3 | 2 W | ||
| 10 New Orleans | 31 | 34 | .477 | 15.0 | 20-11 | 11-23 | 7-4 | 20-17 | 3-7 | 2 L | ||
| 11 Oklahoma City | 31 | 34 | .477 | 15.0 | 20-15 | 11-19 | 7-7 | 18-22 | 4-6 | 3 W | ||
| 12 Portland | 31 | 34 | .477 | 15.0 | 17-15 | 14-19 | 5-8 | 21-19 | 4-6 | 2 W | ||
| 13 Utah | 31 | 35 | .470 | 15.5 | 20-13 | 11-22 | 5-8 | 21-22 | 4-6 | 4 L | ||
| 14 San Antonio | 16 | 49 | .246 | 30.0 | 10-22 | 6-27 | 2-10 | 6-34 | 2-8 | 2 L | ||
| 15 Houston | 15 | 50 | .231 | 31.0 | 9-23 | 6-27 | 3-9 | 9-35 | 2-8 | 1 L | ||
Eight teams in each conference qualify for the playoffs.
X – Clinched Playoff Spot, Y – Clinched Division, Z – Clinched Conference
NHL STANDINGS
| Eastern Conference | ||||||||||||
| GP | W | L | OTL | Pts | ROW | GF | GA | Home | Road | L10 | ||
| 1 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 | 63 | 28 | 26 | 9 | 65 | 26 | 188 | 208 | 15-12-4 | 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 Seattle Kraken | 64 | 37 | 21 | 6 | 80 | 37 | 225 | 202 | 16-12-3 | 21-9-3 | 7-3-0 | |
| 5 Minnesota Wild | 64 | 36 | 21 | 7 | 79 | 29 | 182 | 169 | 21-10-3 | 15-11-4 | 8-0-2 | |
| 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 | 64 | 36 | 25 | 3 | 75 | 35 | 199 | 179 | 21-10-2 | 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 | 63 | 26 | 32 | 5 | 57 | 22 | 213 | 246 | 13-17-1 | 13-15-4 | 5-4-1 | |
| 13 Arizona Coyotes | 64 | 22 | 32 | 10 | 54 | 19 | 177 | 229 | 15-11-3 | 7-21-7 | 4-4-2 | |
| 14 Anaheim Ducks | 64 | 21 | 35 | 8 | 50 | 18 | 163 | 262 | 11-16-2 | 10-19-6 | 4-4-2 | |
| 15 San Jose Sharks | 65 | 19 | 34 | 12 | 50 | 18 | 189 | 248 | 6-18-8 | 13-16-4 | 2-7-1 | |
| 16 Chicago Blackhawks | 63 | 22 | 36 | 5 | 49 | 20 | 158 | 225 | 13-18-3 | 9-18-2 | 6-4-0 | |
Last updated Mar. 8, 1:58 ET
Eight teams in each conference qualify for the divisional playoff format. The top three teams from each division make up the first six spots. The two remaining teams with the highest points, regardless of division, qualify for the final two wild card spots.
X – Clinched Playoff Spot, Y – Clinched Division, Z – Clinched Conference
TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY
1900 The National League decides to downsize to eight teams for the upcoming season by eliminating the circuit’s franchises in Baltimore, Cleveland, Louisville, and Washington. The remaining eight cities will stay the same for more than half a century until the Braves leave Boston, moving to Milwaukee in 1953.
1913 John Powers, the founder of last year’s failed mid-western Columbian League, organizes the Federal League in Indianapolis. The upstart league will operate independently with franchises in Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Indianapolis, Pittsburgh, and St. Louis, avoiding agreement with the National Commission.
1923 Commissioner Landis allows pitcher Rube Benton to return to the major leagues despite the left-hander admitting to having prior knowledge of the 1919 World Series fix. The 32-year-old southpaw, who spent 6+ seasons with the Giants before sitting out the 1922 campaign, returns to the Reds for three years, compiling a 30-29 record during his second tour with the team.
1930 Babe Ruth inks a two-year deal for $160,000 with the Yankees, keeping him the highest-paid player of all time. The team’s general manager Ed Barrow predicts at the time that “No one will ever be paid more.”
1941 ‘Losing Pitcher’ Hugh Mulcahy of the Phillies becomes the first major league player drafted into the Armed Forces. The newest member of the 101st Artillery at Cape Cod’s Camp Edwards had lost 22 games last season and 20 in 1938 to lead the National League in defeats both years.
1946 Tucson’s Hi Corbett Field hosts the first spring training game played in Arizona. The Indians, behind the pitching of Bob Lemon, beat the Giants, 3-1, in the inaugural Cactus League contest.
1947 In front of 5,000 fans at Havana’s new Gran Estadio de La Habana, the Yankees lose to the Dodgers in extra innings, 1-0, with Snuffy Stirnweiss’s tenth-inning single accounting for the Bronx Bombers’ only hit. Pete Reiser’s long double on a 3-2 pitch off Spec Shea scores Carl Furillo, giving Brooklyn the walk-off victory in Cuba.
1966 Before an intrasquad contest in St. Petersburg in a pregame ceremony, the Mets announce the election of their former manager Casey Stengel to the Hall of Fame. The 75-year-old ‘Old Perfessor’ benefitted from a new rule by the Baseball Writers Committee on Veterans that makes any manager, umpire, or executive 65 or older eligible for induction six months after retiring, bypassing the traditional five-year wait rule for players.
2001 In a press release, the Orioles announce Albert Belle “has been found to be disabled and unable to perform as a Major League baseball player,” due to a degenerative right hip. The Orioles will place the 34-year-old outfielder on the 60-day disabled list, thus beginning the process which conforms to the procedure set forth by Major League Baseball in the case of a disabling and permanent injury to a player.
2006 A Canadian team made up mostly of minor leaguers stuns the baseball world by beating a highly-favored Team USA in the first round of the WBC, 8-6. Thanks to Adam Stern’s inside-the-park homer, four RBIs, and a pair of sensational catches, with southpaw Adam Loewen, who keeps the American all-stars scoreless for 3.2 innings, helping the Canadians post their most significant victory in its national history of baseball.
2008 In hopes of a more lucrative deal in the future, Ryan Zimmerman inks a new one-year contract to play infield with the Nationals. After the third baseman homers and drives in four runs during a 12-10 split-squad victory over the Astros, he agrees to a $465,000 deal, slightly improving his present salary.
2011 The MLB names Kim Ng as their Senior Vice-President of baseball operations, making her the highest-ranking woman in the major leagues. The Dodger Assistant General Manager, a post she held since 2001, will report to Joe Torre, who had managed in LA during the last three years of her tenure.
2013 Allen Craig (.307, 22, 92) and the Cardinals agree to a five-year, $31 million contract extension valued at $43 million over six seasons. The 28-year-old first baseman played a vital role in the 2011 St. Louis World Championship, contributing three go-ahead RBIs, including a clutch eighth-inning line drive in Game 6 that sparked the start of an unforgettable Redbirds’ rally.
2016 A meeting today (3/08) at 3:08 p.m at Clemens Field, with a .308 gate and a 308 right-field foul pole, a .309 suite, and a monument depicting a .309 batting average, will help solve a mystery surrounding a not so well-known resident, former National League first baseman Jake Beckley. The purpose of the gathering is to decide which number to use in commemorating the Hall of Fame infielder’s batting average, .308 as listed by Baseball-Reference.com and many other resources or the .309, engraved on his plaque at Cooperstown.
2017 “When Moses Fleetwood Walker walked onto a field in Toledo, he did more than play a game. He was more than just an athlete. He did more than throw, catch, or hit. That day and every day he played, he started a conversation.” – CRAIG BROWN, an adjunct professor at Kent State University. By a vote of 93-1, the Ohio House passes Bill 59, setting aside October 7 each year in honor of Moses Fleetwood Walker, the first-openly African American to play under contract in the major leagues. In 1884, the bare-handed backstop caught for the American Association’s Toledo Blue Stockings until a rib injury and the team’s excessive payroll led to his release late in the season.
BASEBALL’S BEST
SPARKY ANDERSON BIOGRAPHY
Sometimes it’s not a lengthy resume of past success that gets one a job, it can be intangible qualities the separates one candidate from another. Such was the case in 1970 when the Cincinnati Reds hired little known Sparky Anderson to become their manager, feeling his managerial style would best compliment their players and offset his lack of managerial experience. Their hunch proved correct as the Reds achieved immediate success and Anderson began a career that would make him one of the most successful managers in baseball history.
As is the case with many managers, Sparky Anderson had a brief and non-distinguished playing career. He toiled in the Dodger minor league system for six years before being traded to the Phillies in 1959. Philadelphia gave him the starting second baseman’s job, but Anderson was hardly up to the task batting a lowly .218 and driving in just 34 runs without a home run for the last place Phils. That would turn out to be his only big league opportunity as he returned to the Minor Leagues and eventually gave up his playing aspirations for managing, taking a Minor League job with Toronto in 1964. He skippered for a total of five Minor League years and then returned to the Major Leagues as a coach with the expansion San Diego Padres in 1969. He was set to begin the 1970 campaign in a similar post with the California Angels, but also interviewed for the vacant Reds managerial job.
Cincinnati had finished third in the National League (NL) West in 1969 and boasted a world of talent with players such as Pete Rose, Johnny Bench and Tony Perez. Reds General Manager Bob Howsam liked what he heard from Anderson in their interview and decided to roll the dice and hire Sparky. “I’ll always gamble…if I believe in the man I’m gambling on. I needed a leader, somebody to get all that ability out of our players” said Howsam. Anderson’s special rapport with his players began right away. “I remember that day in spring training when he told me, I’m here to win, and I want you to help me. Right then he had everybody. We wanted to win for Sparky,” recalled Perez. The gamble paid off as Cincinnati stormed out of the gate winning 70 of their first 100 games and ran away with the NL West Title in Anderson’s first year at the helm. The Reds then swept the Pirates in the Championship Series to bring Cincinnati its first pennant since 1961 and secure a date with the Orioles in the World Series. A controversial home play call hurt the Reds in Game 1 of the Series and they never recovered dropping the Fall Classic to Baltimore in five games.
Cincinnati slumped to a fourth place tie in 1971 but, bolstered by the acquisition of Joe Morgan from Houston, Sparky returned the Reds to winning ways in 1972 and once again won the pennant. But in the World Series they ran into a young, upstart Athletics team, and Oakland went on to edge Cincinnati in seven games, winning their first of three straight World Championships. Another division title was won in 1973, but the Reds were upset by the underdog Mets in the NLCS. Still Cincinnati had found a winning formula, powerful offense and a starting pitching staff that did just enough to turn it over to a bullpen used to perfection by manager Anderson. He was dubbed “Captain Hook” for his many pitching changes, and manipulated the relievers masterfully to get the matchups he wanted. An example of his authoritative managing style was that pitchers were not allowed to speak to him on his mound visits so that his thought process would not be swayed. “Players have two things to do. Play and keep their mouths shut” said Sparky.
In 1975 the Reds, ignited by a regular season lineup change of moving Pete Rose to third base and inserting George Foster in left field, returned to glory winning 108 games, capturing the NL West Title, and sweeping the Pirates to advance to the World Series and face the Red Sox. In one of the most dramatically played series in baseball history, Cincinnati bounced back from an emotional sixth game loss, and came from behind to beat Boston in a seventh game and win the Fall Classic for the first time since 1940. The Reds followed up their 1975 championship season with a splendid 1976 campaign, winning another pennant and sweeping the Yankees in four straight in the World Series. “The Big Red Machine” of 1975 and 1976 is often mentioned when discussing the greatest teams of all time. The Reds slipped to second behind the Dodgers in 1977 and 1978, and following the 78 season Anderson was fired after refusing managements suggestions for changes on his coaching staff. He left behind in Cincinnati team records for wins (863) and winning percentage (.596).
Sparky returned to managing in 1979, taking over the American League’s young and improving Detroit Tigers. He proceeded to lead the Tigers to the next level and brought Detroit its first division title since 1972 when the Tigers roared out to a 35-5 mark and cruised to win the AL East. Detroit had little trouble with Kansas City in the ALCS, sweeping the Royals, and then pounded the San Diego Padres in five games to capture the World Series. Detroit won another division title in 1987 and came within a game of another in 1988, but then fell on hard times losing 103 games in 1989. It was Anderson’s first losing season since 1971, and a year Sparky suffered a nervous breakdown and left the team for a period of three weeks. Detroit’s lack of success continued into the 1990’s and Anderson left the Tigers following the 1995 season. He flirted with a managerial comeback with the California Angels in 1997, but eventually retired from managing for good.
Sparky Anderson’s career managerial record is one of the finest ever and perhaps the greatest of anyone who piloted teams in both leagues. He stands third all time in wins (2194), behind only Connie Mack and John McGraw, and 23rd in winning percentage (.545). He won seven division titles, five pennants, and three world championships. He was the first manager to win 800 games with two teams, Cincinnati and Detroit, and the first to win 100 games in a season and win Manager of the Year in both leagues. He was elected to The Baseball Hall of Fame by the Committee on Baseball Veterans in 2000.
BASEBALL YEAR IN REVIEW
YEAR IN REVIEW : 1907 AMERICAN LEAGUE
Off the field…
In November, Oklahoma became the forty-sixth state admitted to the union. Originally set aside as Indian Territory in 1834, the region was later divided into both the Indian Territory and Oklahoma Territory in 1890. Known primarily as an oil rich state, Oklahoma’s vast plains produce bumper yields of wheat, as well as large crops of hay, cotton, and peanuts. Livestock products also contribute more than half of Oklahoma’s annual farm receipts.
In the American League…
Popular Boston Americans outfielder / manager Chick Stahl committed suicide while traveling with the team in West Baden Springs, Indiana. A note left behind stated: “Boys, I just couldn’t help it. You drove me to it.” Cy Young reluctantly agreed to start the season as an interim replacement manager and was followed by two other skippers during the year, George Huff and Bob Unglaub.
Chicago White Sox pitcher Ed Walsh tallied eleven assists and two putouts during a 1-0 win over the St. Louis Browns on April 19, 1907. His total of thirteen chances tied the franchise mark set by Nick Altrock during the 1904 season — which is also the Major League record for most chances in a 9-inning game by a pitcher!
On June 28th, the last place Washington Nationals stole a Major League record thirteen bases off of injured New York Yankees catcher Branch Rickey. An injury to starter Red Kleinow forced Rickey into premature service and he was unable to throw accurately to his baseman.
In the National League…
A riot broke out during a July 8th, Chicago Cubs – Brooklyn Dodgers game after Cubs manager Frank Chance, who was being pelted with empty bottles, threw one back into the crowd hitting a young boy. After losing 5-0, the angry New York crowd rushed from the stands forcing Chance to escape Washington Park III in an armored car with a police escort.
At the West Side Grounds on September 14th, the Chicago Cubs and Cincinnati Reds collected twenty-nine combined hits, ALL of which were singles.
On May 8th, Philadelphia Phillies rookie George McQuillan made his Major League debut in relief of starter Tully Sparks and McQuillan did not allow any runs to score during his brief debut. On September 22nd, he tossed a six-inning, 2-0 win over the St. Louis Cardinals in his first start. The relief and end of season appearance started a record string of twenty-five consecutive shutout innings at the beginning of his Major League career. McQuillan went on to finish the season 4-0 (with three shut outs), and went on to win twenty-three games the following season.
Around the league…
The Cleveland Indians became the first team to institute team wide insurance policies after taking out $100,000 of coverage to insure its players against possible injury in railroad accidents.
Cincinnati Reds’ manager Ned Hanlon, one of the originals whose managing days began in 1889 at Pittsburgh, announced his retirement ending a career that boasted five Major League pennants (four Baltimore, one Brooklyn).
The Washington Post (incorrectly) reported that St. Louis Browns shortstop Bobby Wallace was the highest paid major league player with a yearly salary of $6,500.
FOOTBALL HISTORY
March 8, 1873 – Honalulu, Hawaii – Charley Brewer the fantastic fullback of Harvard University during the stocking cap era of college football arrived into the world. Enjoy learning more about Brewer by clicking his name above.
March 8, 1893 – Charleston, West Virginia – The Marshall and then later Washington and Lee Halfback, Harry, better known as “Cy”, Young was welcomed into life. Now I know what you are thinking, but this is not the famous baseball pitcher Cy Young you may be thinking of even though he was a good player on the diamond as well as the gridiron. That more famous Cy Young’s real name was Denton True Young. Harry Young was welcomed into the College Football Hall of Fame rooms of legends in 1958. In fact though Young played varsity football at two schools he actually attended three colleges! The 1910 and 1911 seasons were spent with the Thundering Herd of Marshall. According to the NFF’s website bio, Cy on Nov. 2, 1910 kicked three field goals as Marshall beat Glenville 9-0. Marshall’s overall record in his time with the Herd was 9-2-2. In the fall of 1912 he attended the University of Michigan and was on the freshman football team. Cy transferred to Washington and Lee and was on the football team from 1913-1916. He won 16 letters at Washington and Lee and as a senior captain of four teams: football, baseball, basketball, and track. The 1913 W&L team was 8-1 and outscored opponents 200-7. Young had 54 points on touchdowns and extra points. In 1914, the team went 9-0, and outscored opponents 313-12. Young scored 57 points. The NFF voters secured a place in the College Football Hall of Fame for Cy Young in 1958.
March 8, 1917 – Asheville, North Carolina – Duke University’s star center Dan Hill was born. The FootballFoundation.org website tells us that Dan played for the famed Iron Dukes of the 1938 season. He was the starting center in the one platoon era when centers were also playing as linebackers on defense. He was an All-America selection and the co-captain of the undefeated, untied and unscored upon 1938 Duke University team. The Iron Dukes won five games with the score 6-0 or 7-0. Yes they were perfect in the regular season, that is until they ran into a powerful Southern Cal team who took the lead with just 41 seconds remaining in the Rose Bowl! The College Football Hall of Fame prepared a place for the legacy of Dan Hill in 1962.
HOF BIRTHDAYS
March 8, 1938 – Royal Oak, Michigan – Army’s outstanding halfback in the seasons of 1956 through the 1958 seasons, Pete Dawkins received his born on date. The NFF reveals the story of how Pete overcame the crippling grip of polio to become a not one a great military leader and hero but a gridiron star as well! Dawkins achieved some very prestigious heights in his college years including his senior season of 1958,when he won the Heisman Trophy, the Maxwell Trophy, was a Unanimous All-America as well as a Rhodes Scholar! It doesn’t get much more successful than that! He scored 12 TDs in that 1958 campaign for the cadets as well as running the ball and returing punts. The NFF party of voters chose the collegiate resume of Pete Dawkins for entrance into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1975. After leaving West Point he earned a Bachelors and Masters Degree at Oxford in London, served his country in Vietnam and attended Princeton earning yet another degree!
March 8, 1962 – Norfolk, Virginia – The brilliant defensive tackle of the University of North Carolina Tarheels in the years of 1981 to 1983, William Fuller was born. WIlliam was a large man that had quick hands and feet which helped him to beat blocks and shoot gaps into offensive backfields of opponents per the National Football Foundation. This skill set helped him to earn a very impressive feat of being a two time First-Team All-American selection. Fuller left the Tarheels holding some stellar school records. The D-tackle registered 57 tackles for loss and single season tackles for loss with 22 of them in both 1981 and 1983. Fuller was a finalist for the Outland Trophy twice in his collegiate career as he finished his career with 225 tackles and 20 sacks. The stats and gridiron memories of William Fuller were taken into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2016. Though he was selected in NFL’s supplemental draft, William chose to accept a psotion in the USFL where his Philadelphia/Baltimore Stars won consecutive championships. After that league disbanded he joined the NFL’s Houston Oilers where he had a great 13 year career with that franchise along with the Chargers and Eagles. Fuller was a four time All-Pro in the NFL and played in four Pro-Bowl games.
March 8, 1965 – Holyoke, Massachusetts – Running back extraordinaire with Colgate University from 1984 to 1987, Kenny Gamble arrived into life. The FootballFoundation.org website tells that Kenny led the nation in all purpose yardage, 2,425 as well as with his 1816 rushing yardage. Gamble was the top rusher at Colgate in all four seasons he played as he set 29 school records during his collegiate career. In 1987, he led the nation for Division I-AA in all- purpose yards, 2,097, was second in rushing yards, 1,411, and won the Walter Payton Award as the nation’s best player in that level of football. The National Football Foundation wisely chose to place Kenny Gamble into their museum called the College Football Hall of Fame in 2002. Kenny reached the pinnacle of playing in the NFL for the KC Chiefs for a few seasons.
NUMBERS IN SPORTS
3
March 8, 1900 – The National League of baseball decides to go with 8 teams. Franchises excluded from the year prior were Baltimore, Cleveland, Louisville & Washington (in 1953 Boston Braves move to Milwaukee)
March 8, 1913 – The Major League Baseball’s Federal League organizes with 6 teams, including the Chicago Whales, who built and played at Weeghman Park (now Wrigley Field); League folded after 3 seasons
March 8, 1930 – Babe Ruth, Number 3 of the New York Yankees signed and unbelievable 2 year $130,000 contract with the team. Ed Barrow then the Yankees General Manager stated that,” No one will be paid more than Ruth.” Barrow’s jaw would drop if he saw current contracts in the big leagues!
March 8, 1966 – Casey Stengel, who played before Numbers in the MLB for the Brooklyn Robins, Pittsburgh Pirates, New York Giants, Philadelphia Phillies and Boston Braves as a Right fielder was elected to Hall of Fame
TV WEDNESDAY
| NCAA BASKETBALL GAMES – MEN’S | TIME ET | TV |
| Atlantic 10 Second Round | 11:30am | USA |
| ACC Second Round | 2:00pm | ESPN |
| Atlantic 10 Second Round | 2:00pm | USA |
| Mountain West First Round | 2:00pm | MWN |
| ACC Second Round | 2:30pm | ESPN |
| Big East First Round | 3:00pm | FS1 |
| Pac-12 First Round | 3:00pm | PAC12N |
| SWAC First Round | 3:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Mountain West First Round | 4:30pm | MWN |
| Atlantic 10 Second Round | 5:00pm | USA |
| Southland Championship | 7:00pm | ESPN2 |
| Big East First Round | 5:30pm | FS1 |
| Pac-12 First Round | 5:30pm | PAC12N |
| MEAC Quarterfinals | 6:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Big Ten First Round | 6:30pm | BTN |
| CUSA First Round | 6:30pm | ESPN+ |
| ACC Second Round | 7:00pm | ESPN2 |
| Big 12 First Round | 7:00pm | ESPNU |
| SEC First Round | 7:00pm | SECN |
| Mountian West First Round | 7:00pm | MWN |
| MAAC Quarterfinals | 7:00pm | ESPN+ |
| Atlantic 10 Second Round | 7:30pm | USA |
| Patriot League Championship | 7:30pm | CBSSN |
| Big East First Round | 8:00pm | FS1 |
| MEAC Quarterfinal | 8:30pm | ESPN+ |
| SEC First Round | 9:00pm | SECN |
| Big Ten First Round | 9:00pm | BTN |
| Pac-12 First Round | 9:00pm | PAC12N |
| CUSA First Round | 9:00pm | ESPN+ |
| ACC Second Round | 9:30pm | ESPN2 |
| Big 12 First Round | 9:30pm | ESPNU |
| CUSA First Round | 9:30pm | ESPN+ |
| MAAC Quarterfinals | 9:30pm | ESPN+ |
| SWAC Quarterfinals | 9:30pm | ESPN+ |
| Big Sky Championship | 11:30pm | ESPN2 |
| Pac-12 Second Round | 11:30pm | PAC12N |
| MLB SPRING TRAINING | TIME ET | TV |
| St. Louis vs NY Yankees | 1:05pm | MLBN |
| NBA REGULAR SEASON GAMES | TIME ET | TV |
| Atlanta at Washington | 7:00pm | NBCS-WSH Bally Sports |
| Dallas at New Orleans | 7:30pm | ESPN Bally Sports |
| Portland at Boston | 7:30pm | Root Sports NBCS-BOS |
| Cleveland at Miami | 7:30pm | Bally Sports |
| Chicago at Denver | 9:00pm | NBCS-BAY Bally Sports |
| Oklahoma City at Phoenix | 9:00pm | Bally Sports |
| Toronto at LA Clippers | 10:00pm | ESPN Bally Sports |
| NHL REGULAR SEASON GAMES | TIME ET | TV |
| Minnesota at Winnipeg | 7:30pm | Sportsnet Bally Sports |
| Chicago at Detroit | 7:30pm | TNT |
| Anaheim at Vancouver | 10:00pm | TNT |
| SOCCER | TIME ET | TV |
| UEFA Europa Conference League: Tottenham Hotspur vs Milan | 3:00pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Champions League: Bayern München vs PSG | 3:00pm | Paramount+ |
| UEFA Champions League: Benfica vs Club Brugge | 3:00pm | Paramount+ |
| CONCACAF Champions League: Tauro vs León | 6:00pm | FS2 |
| CONCACAF Champions League: Olimpia vs Atlas | 8:00pm | FS2 |
| CONCACAF Champions League: Vancouver Whitecaps vs Real España | 10:00pm | TUDN |
| WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC | TIME ET | TV |
| Chinese Taipei vs. Panama | 6:00am | FS2 |
| Korea vs. Australia | 10:00pm | FS2 |
| Netherlands vs. Panama | 11:00pm | FS2 |
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 |