NCAAMBKB – Michigan's Howard suspended 5 games for Wisconsin melee
Michigan basketball coach Juwan Howard has been suspended the final five games of the regular season and fined $40,000 for hitting a Wisconsin assistant in the head, triggering a postgame melee. The Big Ten Conference also suspended three players one game for the altercation following the 15th-ranked Badgers’ 77-63 win on Sunday: Michigan’s Moussa Diabate and Terrance Williams II, and Jahcobi Neath of Wisconsin. Wisconsin coach Greg Gard was fined $10,000 for violating the conference’s sportsmanship policy, but was not suspended. Howard is expected to be back for the Big Ten tournament, which begins March 9 in Indianapolis.
NCAAMBKB – Men’s College Basketball
Tonight
Michigan State at (25) Iowa, 7:00 p.m. Superhits 103.7 Cosy-FM 6:00
Toledo at Western Michigan, 7:00 p.m.
Central Michigan at Ohio, 7:00 p.m.
Northern Illinois at Eastern Michigan, 7:00 p.m.
NCAAMBKB – NCAA, New Orleans gearing up for a more normal Final Four
Expect the NCAA Men’s Final Four to have a more familiar look and feel to it this spring. And that's not just because it’ll be in New Orleans for a record sixth time. A capacity crowd of about 70,000 is expected in the Superdome. The free, open Friday practices and the college All-Star game are back on the schedule. So are the sprawling Fan Fest and March Madness Music Festival. The National Association of Basketball Coaches convention that is traditionally held in conjunction with the Final Four also remains on track to take place as an in-person event for the first time since 2019.
NCAAMBKB – Gonzaga is unanimous choice
Gonzaga is the unanimous No. 1 in the latest Associated Press men’s basketball poll. The Zags aren’t likely to budge the way they’re dominating the West Coast Conference. Gonzaga remained at No. 1 for the second straight week, receiving all 61 votes from a media panel. Arizona moved up a spot to No. 2 for its highest ranking in four years, with Auburn, Purdue and Kansas rounding out the top five. Gonzaga is winning its WCC games by an average of 27 points. Saint Mary’s gave the WCC two ranked teams and No. 25 Iowa moved into the poll for the first time this season.
NCAAWBKB – Women’s College Basketball
Last Night
Penn State 79, Michigan State 71
Ball State 73, Western Michigan 67
NBA – When the All-Star break ends, the NBA's stretch run begins
When the All-Star break ends Thursday, the stretch run begins. There isn’t much time left in the NBA season. The All-Star weekend came at about the 60-game mark for teams, far beyond the midpoint of the 82-game schedule. It’s a sprint to the finish now, and the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Lakers have to prove they have the legs to make a run. The Nets could have Kevin Durant and Ben Simmons on the floor soon to spark a surge. But the Lakers might be without Anthony Davis for more than a month, putting a heavy burden on LeBron James.
NHL – Hull no longer connected to Blackhawks as team ambassador
Hall of Fame forward Bobby Hull is no longer serving as a team ambassador for the Chicago Blackhawks. Hull played for Chicago for 15 years, collecting 604 goals and 549 assists. He was named a Blackhawks ambassador in a ceremony with fellow Hall of Famer Stan Mikita in 2008. The Blackhawks say they are redefining the role of team ambassador after Mikita died in 2018 and Tony Esposito passed away in August. The Blackhawks and Hull "jointly agreed earlier this season that he will retire from any official team role,” according to the team.
MLB – MLB makes slight moves as threat to openers intensifies
Baseball negotiations have resumed with new intensity in an effort to salvage opening day. Owners made a pair of slight moves Monday toward locked-out players but put off big...
