WSJM Sports

MLB – Major League Baseball
Yesterday
Detroit Tigers 6, Houston Astros 3
Chicago Cubs 12, Cincinnati Reds 5
White Sox were off

Tigers 6, Astros 3 – Torkelson homers, gets 3 hits to lead Tigers over Astros 6-3
Spencer Torkelson had three hits, highlighted by a two-run homer in the eighth inning, to lead the Detroit Tigers to a 6-3 win over the Houston Astros. The Tigers, who won 7-6 in 11 innings Monday, have won two games in Houston after being swept by Tampa Bay in their opening series. Detroit led by one with one out in the eighth when Riley Greene tied a career high with his third hit of the night on a single to center field. Torkelson followed with his soaring shot to center to make it 5-2.

Cubs 12, Reds 5 – Wisdom’s 3 hits, 6-run seventh, power Cubs over Reds 12-5
Patrick Wisdom doubled twice and had three hits and three RBIs, leading the Chicago Cubs over the Cincinnati Reds 12-5 to even their three-game series. Wisdom’s two-run single highlighted a six-run seventh inning that overcame a 3-2 deficit Chicago had 16 hits, including four doubles. Cody Bellinger went 3 for 5 with an RBI, a day after hitting a three-run homer that ended his 0-for-11 start with the Cubs. Ian Happ went 3 for 4 with a tying double. The University of Cincinnati product is a .296 career hitter against the Reds.

Today
Chicago Cubs (Stroman 1-0) at Cincinnati (Greene 0-0), 12:35 p.m.
Detroit (Rodriguez 0-1) at Houston (Javier 0-0), 2:10 p.m.    News/Talk/Sports 94.9 WSJM 1:45
San Francisco (Webb 0-1) at Chicago White Sox (Cease 0-0), 2:10 p.m.

MLB – AP exclusive: MLB average salary up 11% year after lockout
The average Major League Baseball salary was up 11.1% to a record $4.9 million to start this season, the biggest jump for the sport since 2001, according to a study by The Associated Press. The surge follows a spending spree in the first offseason since players and owners agreed to a five-year collective bargaining agreement last March. Texas Rangers shortstop and union executive subcommittee member Marcus Semien calls it “a step in the right direction.” The New York Mets led the way with a $355 million payroll, $70 million more than the previous high for a season’s start. Seven teams topped $200 million.

NHL – National Hockey League
Last Night
Detroit Red Wings 5, Montreal Canadiens 0
Chicago Blackhawks 4, Calgary Flames 3

Red Wings 5, Canadiens 0 – David Perron, Ville Husso help Red Wings beat Canadiens 5-0
David Perron had two goals and an assist, Ville Husso returned from a lower-body injury to make 24 saves and the Detroit Red Wings beat the Montreal Canadiens 5-0 on Tuesday night. Husso was back after sitting out seven games. Lucas Raymond, Matt Luff and Joe Veleno also scored and Jordan Oesterle and Olli Matta each had two assists. Detroit ended a three-game Canadian trip with consecutive victories in Toronto and Montreal. Cayden Primeau made 16 saves in his second start for Montreal this season. Referee Marc Joannette ended his career with the game. He officiated more than 1,500 NHL games and three Stanley Cup finals.

Blackhawks 4, Flames 3 – Athanasiou scores twice as Blackhawks beat Flames 4-3
Andreas Athanasiou scored twice, and the Chicago Blackhawks stopped an eight-game slide by topping the desperate Calgary Flames for a 4-3 victory. Jujhar Khaira and Austin Wagner also scored for Chicago, which began the night in last place in the NHL. The Blackhawks swept the three-game series against the Flames. Noah Hanifin had a goal and an assist for Calgary, which had won four in a row. With four games left in the Flames’ regular season, Calgary remains two points back of Winnipeg for the second wild card in the Western Conference.

NBA – National Basketball Association
Last Night
Miami Heat 118, Detroit Pistons 105
Atlanta Hawks 123, Chicago Bulls 105

Heat 118, Pistons 105 – Butler leads Heat to late win against Pistons, 118-105
Jimmy Butler scored 18 of his 27 points in the fourth quarter and the Miami Heat avoided an embarrassing loss by rallying to beat the hapless Detroit Pistons 118-105. Miami (42-37) kept its chance of escaping the Play-In tournament alive, but Detroit (16-63) made it tough before losing its 10th straight and falling to 1-21 in its last 22 games. Gabe Vincent scored 22 points for the Heat while Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro had 18 apiece. Jaden Ivey had 30 points for the Pistons, while fellow rookie Jalen Duren had 20 points and 14 rebounds.

Hawks 123, Bulls 105 – Bogdanovic’s 26 lead Young-less Hawks past Bulls 123-105
Bogdan Bogdanovic scored 26 points, as the Atlanta Hawks overcame the loss of leading scorer Trae Young to beat the Chicago Bulls 123-105. Young didn’t make the trip to Chicago due to a non-COVID illness, and starting forward De’Andre Hunter missed his third consecutive game because of a left knee bruise. But Bogdanovic alleviated some of the scoring concerns by scoring 11 of the Hawks’ first 13 points after Zach LaVine scored a field goal to open the game. The Hawks (40-39) hold a two-game lead over the Bulls (38-41), who clinched a play-in spot by virtue of Orlando’s loss to Cleveland earlier in the evening. LaVine led the Bulls with 26 points.

Tonight
Brooklyn Nets at Detroit Pistons, 7:00 p.m.
New York Knicks at Indiana Pacers, 7:00 p.m.
Chicago Bulls at Milwaukee Bucks, 7:30 p.m.

NCAAWBKB – Robyn Fralick introduced as new Michigan State women’s coach
Former Bowling Green head coach Robyn Fralick was introduced as the new head coach for the Michigan State Women’s Basketball team, the 6th head coach in program history.  Fralick comes to East Lansing after a five year stint at Bowling Green State University in Ohio.   Fralick originally grew up in nearby Okemos, Michigan.  Fralick has an overall record of 192-76, 88-73 at Bowling Green.   Fralick takes over after Suzy Merchant stepped down after 16 years because of health reasons.

NCAAMBKB – Purdue’s Zach Edey wins Wooden Award as top hoops player
Zach Edey of Purdue has won the John R. Wooden Award as the nation’s top men’s college basketball player. Caitlin Clark of Iowa won the women’s award. Edey is the first Canadian-born winner and the second player from Purdue to be honored. He joins Glenn Robinson who won in 1994. Purdue was upset in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Clark led the Hawkeyes to the women’s championship game where they lost to LSU. Edey and Clark will receive their awards on Friday at the Los Angeles Athletic Club.

Golf – The Masters – Woods and his limp back at Masters, but for how much longer?
Tiger Woods is at the Masters for the 25th time. Not even he knows how much longer he will keep playing. Woods says he doesn’t know how many more he has in him because of injuries to his legs and back. He describes his right leg as being full of hardware. Woods brings a degree a normalcy to this Masters that is filled with chatter and speculation about LIV Golf. Woods still draws the biggest crowd. Now he sees if he can match the Masters record held by Fred Couples and Gary Player of making 23 cuts in a row.

Golf – The Masters – Mickelson back at Masters after year away from Augusta
Phil Mickelson returned to Augusta National on Tuesday for a practice round ahead of the Masters. He missed the event last year for the first time since 1994, after some controversial comments about the Saudi-backed LIV Golf breakaway circuit were published. Mickelson is now one of LIV Golf’s star attractions. He is among 18 players from the circuit playing this week, including six former Masters champions. Mickelson called it his “favorite week” and lamented missing it a year ago. He also said he has no problems with players that have been critical of his decision to leave the PGA Tour, including 1992 champion Fred Couples, who recently referred to Mickelson as a “nutbag.”

MCCAA – Junior College Athletics
Yesterday
Softball
Lake Michigan College 13, Marian Ancilla College 1 – Game 1 (5 Innings)
Lake Michigan College 11, Marian Ancilla College 2 – Game 2 (6 Innings)
                                                                                                                             
MHSAA – Ecorse’s Malik Olafioye named Michigan AP D3 player of year
Ecorse’s Malik Olafioye has been named the Michigan Associated Press Division 3 boys basketball player of year. He scored more than 2,000 points during his career and led his team to consecutive trips to the Division 3 state semifinals. The 6-foot-2 guard averaged 32 points, 12 rebounds, five assists and four steals his senior year to lead his team to a 20-5 record. Olafioye has multiple Division 1 offers, including from Houston, Tennessee, Boston College, UAB and several others. Dennis Morey was named coach of the year for guiding Detroit Loyola to the Catholic League title and a 25-2 record.
                       
MHSAA – High School Sports
Yesterday
Girls Soccer
St. Joseph 5, Niles 0
Vicksburg 4, Coldwater 1
Comstock 7, Parchment 6

Baseball
St. Joseph 15, Benton Harbor 0
Berrien Springs 2, Coloma 1 – Game 1
Berrien Springs 7, Coloma 0 – Game 2
Buchanan 8, River Valley 7 – Game 1
Buchanan 6, River Valley 1 – 3rd inning suspended   

Softball
St. Joseph 12, Watervliet 4 – Game 1
St. Joseph 6, Watervliet 2 – Game 2
Buchanan 5, River Valley 1 – Game 1
Buchanan 10, River Valley 0 – Game 2
Vicksburg 11, Coldwater 7 – Game 1
Vicksburg 3, Coldwater 1 – Game 2

Today
Girls Soccer
Michigan Lutheran at Brandywine, 5:00 p.m.
Bridgman at Berrien Springs, 5:00 p.m.
Buchanan at Coloma, 6:00 p.m.
Kalamazoo Hackett at Portage Northern, 6:00 p.m.
Calhoun Christian at Battle Creek Central, 5:00 p.m.

Baseball
Coloma at Kalamazoo Central, 4:30 p.m.
Haslett at Gull Lake, 4:00 p.m.
Climax-Scotts at Kalamazoo Hackett, 4:30 p.m.

Softball
Kalamazoo Central at Harper Creek, 4:00 p.m.
Climax-Scotts at Kalamazoo Hackett, 4:30 p.m.

Detroit Tigers center fielder Riley Greene catches the line drive of Houston Astros’ Yordan Alvarez during the sixth inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, April 4, 2023, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)Chicago Cubs’ Patrick Wisdom scores on a Eric Hosmer single against the Cincinnati Reds in the sixth inning of a baseball game in Cincinnati, Tuesday, April 4, 2023. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)Detroit Red Wings’ David Perron scores against Montreal Canadiens goaltender Cayden Primeau during the first period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, April 4, 2023, in Montreal. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)Chicago Blackhawks forward Andreas Athanasiou, left, scores on Calgary Flames goalie Jacob Markstrom during the third period of an NHL hockey game, Tuesday, April 4, 2023 in Calgary, Alberta. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler (22) shoots over the defense of Detroit Pistons guard Killian Hayes (7) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Tuesday, April 4, 2023, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)Chicago Bulls guard Alex Caruso (6) defends against Atlanta Hawks guard Bogdan Bogdanovic (13) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, April 4, 2023, in Chicago. (AP Photo/David Banks)

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

NCAAMBKB – Men’s College Basketball – Championship
Last Night
NCAA Tournament – Final Four – NRG Stadium, Houston
4 UConn 76, 5 San Diego State 59

UConn 76, SDSU 59 – UConn wins March Madness with 76-59 smothering of SDSU
Adama Sanogo powered UConn to the school’s fifth national title with a 76-59 victory over San Diego State. Sanogo had 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Huskies, who became the fifth team since the bracket expanded in 1985 to win all six NCAA Tournament games by double-digits on the way to a championship. UConn built a 16-point lead late in the first half, then held on for a wild ride down the stretch. The Aztecs trimmed the lead to five with 5:19 left, but Jordan Hawkins answered with a 3 to trigger a 9-0 run and put the game out of reach. Keshad Johnson led San Diego State with 14 points.  Sanogo was named the most outstanding player of the tournament.

NCAAMBKB – Ex-Hoosiers coach Bob Knight out of hospital, son says
Former Indiana Hoosiers coach Bob Knight has been released from a hospital in Bloomington, Indiana. His son, Pat Knight, says he returned home after he was admitted with an illness over the weekend. Pat Knight issued a statement thanking people for their thoughts and prayers while asking them to respect the family’s privacy. The 82-year-old Knight won three national championships at Indiana before he was fired in September 2000 after grabbing a student by the arm in violation of the school’s zero-tolerance policy. He was hired by Texas Tech in 2001 and retired in 2012 with a then-Division I record 899 career wins.

NCAAMBKB – Jim Nantz bids a fond farewell to March Madness
Jim Nantz could fill an evening weaving tales of the great games and buzzer-beaters he’s had the privilege to call over a storytelling career that made his the voice of March Madness for nearly four decades. But when asked about his favorite moments as he prepared for the 354th and final game of that journey, he wanted to talk about underdogs. It’s the teams that don’t get much time in the limelight that Nantz works overtime for. He wants to tell their stories the right way. It makes this year’s Final Four a fitting time to go out. It was filled with teams nobody expected. A storyteller’s paradise, Nantz called it. Even though this is it for basketball, the 63-year-old broadcaster will stay on CBS for golf and football coverage.

NHL – National Hockey League
Tonight
Detroit Red Wings at Montreal Canadiens, 7:00 p.m.
Chicago Blackhawks at Calgary Flames, 9:00 p.m.

NBA – National Basketball Association
Tonight
Miami Heat at Detroit Pistons, 7:00 p.m.
Atlanta Hawks at Chicago Bulls, 8:00 p.m.

MLB – Major League Baseball
Yesterday
Detroit Tigers 7, Houston Astros 6 – 11 Innings
Cincinnati Reds 7, Chicago Cubs 6
San Francisco Giants 12, Chicago White Sox 3

Tigers 7, Astros 6 – F/11 – Vierling catch, homer lift Tigers over Astros 7-6 in 11
Matt Vierling made a sprawling bases-loaded catch and hit a tiebreaking, two-run homer in the 11th inning as the Detroit Tigers rebounded from a meltdown in the ninth to beat the Houston Astros 7-6 for their first win after a an 0-3 start. Detroit wasted a 4-0 lead but Riley Greene’s seventh-inning homer off Bryan Abreu put the Tigers ahead 5-4. Vierling’s backhand grab in right on Maurico Dubon’s two-out liner stopped Houston’s four-run rally in the fifth. After Houston tied the score with two outs in the ninth, Vierling homered in the 11th off Héctor Neris.

Reds 7, Cubs 6 – Vosler’s three-run blast lifts Reds past Cubs 7-6
Jason Vosler, a non-roster invitee to spring training, hit a go-ahead three-run home run, his second of the season, as the Cincinnati Reds held off the Chicago Cubs 7-6. Cody Bellinger collected his first hit as a Cub: a three-run home run in the first. Derek Law stranded the tying and go-ahead runners in the ninth to earn his first save since 2019. Alex Young (1-0) got the win. Drew Smyly (0-1) took the loss for Chicago.  Cincinnati, which began last season 3-22, is off to a 3-1 start.

Giants 12, White Sox 3 – Villar homers twice, Giants hit 7 in romp over White Sox
David Villar hit two of San Francisco’s seven home runs, Anthony DeSclafani tossed three-hit ball over six scoreless innings and the Giants pounded the Chicago White Sox 12-3. Villar hit a solo homer in the fifth and a grand slam in the ninth. Joc Pederson, Michael Conforto, Thairo Estrada, Mike Yastrzemski and Bryce Johnson also went deep. The Giants spoiled Chicago’s first home game under manager Pedro Grifol. Pederson got the home run derby going when he connected leading off a two-run second. The Giants smacked four more homers in the fifth, the first time they hit four in an inning since Sept. 18, 2011 at Colorado. Conforto and Estrada went back to back, and so did Yastrzemski and Villar.

Tonight
White Sox are off
Chicago Cubs (Wesneski 0-0) at Cincinnati (Cessa 0-0), 6:40 p.m.
Detroit (Manning 0-0) at Houston (Valdez 0-0), 8:10 p.m.    News/Talk/Sports 94.9 WSJM 7:45

MLB – White Sox closer Hendriks starts final round of chemotherapy
Chicago White Sox closer Liam Hendriks says he was beginning his final round of chemotherapy on Monday. Hendriks, battling non-Hodgkin lymphoma, made the announcement in an eight-second video shown prior to Chicago’s home opener against the San Francisco Giants. He wished White Sox fans a happy opening day while announcing he was starting his final round. He said he’ll “see you guys on the South Side soon.” A three-time All-Star, Hendriks announced the diagnosis in January. General manager Rick Hahn said Hendriks and Garrett Crochet (left elbow surgery) are “progressing,” though the White Sox won’t have a timeline on their returns until they begin rehab assignments.

NCAAWBKB – Sunday’s NCAA women’s title game draws record TV audience
LSU’s 102-85 victory over Iowa in Sunday’s national championship game was the most-viewed NCAA women’s basketball game on record. There were 9.9 million viewers on ABC and ESPN2 according to fast national numbers by Nielsen. The total audience is a 103% jump over last year, when South Carolina defeated UConn and averaged 4.85 million on ESPN and ESPN2. The audience on Sunday at one point peaked at 12.6 million. The record ratings come as the NCAA is deciding whether to separate the women’s tournament or keep it as part of the championships TV package that includes at least 24 sports.

NCAAWBKB – Jill Biden wants champions LSU — and Iowa — at White House
First lady Jill Biden says she wants to see the defeated Iowa women’s basketball team invited to the White House as well as the national title winner Louisiana State University. She watched LSU’s 102-85 victory from the stands on Sunday night. The first lady, during a visit to the Colorado state capital in Denver, praised Iowa’s sportsmanship and congratulated both teams on their performance. She says the champions were sure to be invited to the White House and then added that she was going to tell the president that “Iowa should come, too, because they played such a good game.”

NCAAWBKB – After March Madness, women’s pro basketball options are slim
March Madness may be the last time for fans to see many of the talented college women players compete. Even the handful of players selected in the upcoming WNBA draft will find it difficult to continue their pro careers. There are only potentially 144 WNBA roster spots available and most of those are filled with returning players. There has been talk of expansion over the last few years, but nothing has come to fruition yet. Taking their talents overseas is also not given with those jobs also at premium. Following Brittney Griner’s travails in Russia, dozens of jobs players used to be able to find in that country during the offseason are no longer an option. That has a trickle down on openings in other countries.

Golf – Masters – LIV’s Cam Smith happy to get hugs and handshakes at Augusta
British Open champion Cameron Smith refers to Augusta National as his happy place. He arrived with a little trepidation now that he’s with LIV Golf. Smith says he found it was business as usual. He says there’s a lot of clamor at the Masters about LIV Golf players competing against PGA Tour loyalists. That much was clear when a practice round tee sheet listed Bryson DeChambeau playing with Tiger Woods. Turns out that wasn’t the case. Smith says it’s important that LIV players contend at the Masters. He says LIV players are wrongly accused of not playing real golf.

Wrestling – WWE no longer just a family affair as it joins with UFC
WWE is saying goodbye to existing as a family-run business as it joins with the company that runs Ultimate Fighting Championship to create a $21.4 billion sports entertainment company. The deal announced Monday between Endeavor and World Wrestling Entertainment catapults WWE into a new era after spending decades under the control of the McMahon family. Vince McMahon purchased Capitol Wrestling from his father in 1982, and took the regional wrestling business to a national audience with wrestling stars such as Andre the Giant, Hulk Hogan, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, John Cena and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. McMahon called the agreement an evolution for WWE.

USA Soccer – Davidson relishes new role with the US players union
While the women’s national team fought for and won its landmark equal pay contract with U.S. Soccer last spring, new players’ association officer Tierna Davidson believes there is so much more to be done. The women continue to advocate for better wages and treatment in the game both nationally and internationally as the team prepares for this summer’s Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. Davidson has been elected as an officer for the U.S. Women’s National Team Players Association, it was announced Monday.

MCCAA – Junior College Athletics
Today
Softball
Marian Ancilla at Lake Michigan College, 3:00 p.m./5:00 p.m. (DH)
                                                                                                                             
MHSAA – Taylor Trillium Academy’s Fisburn named Michigan AP D4 POY
Taylor Trillium Academy star Damaryon Fisburn has been named the Michigan Associated Press Division 4 player of the year. The 6-foot-3 senior guard averaged 23 points, 8 rebounds and 4 steals a game on a team that was ranked as high as No. 1. Fishburn is still deciding his basketball future. He’s a 4.0 student and figures on going to a junior college to fine-tune his game before transferring to a larger school. Ty McGregor from Mio AuSable is the Coach of the Year.
                                                                                                                             
MHSAA – High School Sports
Yesterday
Softball
Brandywine 7, Niles 5 – Game 1
Niles 9, Brandywine 3 – Game 2

Girls Soccer
Michigan Lutheran 1, Bridgman 0
Watervliet 1, Berrien Springs 0
Coloma 2, Brandywine 0

Boys Golf
Orchard Hills Invitational at Buchanan, 4:00 p.m.
1. St. Joseph                  174
2. Niles                         179
3. Buchanan                   206
4. Berrien Springs         241

Today
Girls Soccer
Niles at St. Joseph, 6:30 p.m.
Vicksburg at Coldwater, 5:30 p.m.
Comstock at Parchment, 6:00 p.m.

Baseball
Benton Harbor at St. Joseph, 4:00 p.m.
Portage Northern at Niles, 4:00 p.m.
Coloma at Berrien Springs, 4:00 p.m.
Comstock at Bridgman, 4:15 p.m.
River Valley at Buchanan, 4:15 p.m.
Watervliet at Galesburg-Augusta, 4:00 p.m.
Schoolcraft at Gull Lake, 4:00 p.m.
Coldwater at Vicksburg, 5:30 p.m.
Battle Creek Lakeview at Marshall, 4:00 p.m.

Softball
Watervliet at St. Joseph, 4:30 p.m.
Portage Northern at Niles, 4:00 p.m.
Coloma at Berrien Springs, 4:00 p.m.
Comstock at Bridgman, 4:15 p.m.
River Valley at Buchanan, 4:15 p.m.
Schoolcraft at Gull Lake, 4:00 p.m.
Coldwater at Vicksburg, 5:30 p.m.
Battle Creek Lakeview at Marshall, 4:00 p.m.

Detroit Tigers’ Spencer Torkelson (20) and Matt Vierling (8) celebrate behind Houston Astros catcher Martin Maldonado, right, after they scored on a two-run home run by Vierling during the 11th inning of a baseball game, Monday, April 3, 2023, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)Cincinnati Reds’ Jason Vosler, center, hits a three-run home run against the Chicago Cubs in the fifth inning of a baseball game in Cincinnati, Monday, April 3, 2023. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)Chicago White Sox’s Tim Anderson looks at his hand after striking out swinging during the first inning of the White Sox season home opening baseball game against the San Francisco Giants in Chicago, Monday, April 3, 2023. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

MLB – Major League Baseball
Yesterday
Tampa Bay Rays 5, Detroit Tigers 1
Milwaukee Brewers 9, Chicago Cubs 5
Chicago White Sox 6, Houston Astros 3

Rays 5, Tigers 1 – Springs 6 hitless innings, Rays beat Tigers for 3-game sweep
Tampa Bay’s Jeffrey Springs was pulled after six hitless innings, Riley Greene got Detroit’s first hit with an infield single off Colin Poche in the seventh and the Rays beat the Detroit Tigers 5-1 on Sunday to complete an opening three-game sweep. Springs struck out a career-high 12 and matched his high of six innings. He threw 58 of 81 pitches for strikes. Detroit had just one runner against Springs: Nick Maton drew a two-out walk in the second. Three Tampa Bay relievers completed a two-hitter.

Brewers 9, Cubs 5 – Winker drives in 3 as Brewers beat Taillon, Cubs 9-5
Jesse Winker had two hits and three RBIs, including a key two-run single in Milwaukee’s five-run sixth inning, and the Brewers beat Jameson Taillon and the Chicago Cubs 9-5. Christian Yelich, Garrett Mitchell and Brice Turang also had two hits apiece — part of a 13-hit attack for Milwaukee. Winker was acquired in a December trade with Seattle. He had a pinch-hit RBI single in the eighth inning of Milwaukee’s 3-1 win on Saturday. Taillon was charged with three runs and seven hits in four innings in his Chicago debut. The 6-foot-5 right-hander signed a four-year contract in free agency.

White Sox 6, Astros 3 – Robert, Moncada power White Sox past Astros 6-3
Luis Robert Jr. and Yoán Moncada homered, Mike Clevinger threw five shutout innings and the Chicago White Sox defeated the Houston Astros 6-3. Robert hit a solo home run in the fifth and made a spectacular sliding catch on the left-center warning track in the ninth to rob Kyle Tucker of extra bases. Moncada hit a two-run homer in the ninth as Chicago gained a four-game split of the opening series.

Tonight
San Francisco (DeSclafani 0-0) at Chicago White Sox (Kopech 0-0), 3:10 p.m.
Chicago Cubs (Smyly 0-0) at Cincinnati (Overton 0-0), 6:40 p.m.
Detroit (Boyd 0-0) at Houston (Brown 0-0), 8:10 p.m.    News/Talk/Sports 94.9 WSJM 7:45

NCAAMBKB – Men’s College Basketball – Final Four
Saturday
NCAA Tournament – Final Four – NRG Stadium, Houston
5 San Diego State vs. 4 UConn, 9:20 p.m.

NCAAMBKB – A San Diego St-UConn title game brings Fab Five memories
Thirty years ago, a group of disrupters with baggy shorts changed college basketball as we know it. Those Michigan freshmen known as the Fab Five ended up one win short of the title. That is exactly where San Diego State, a team coached by former Fab Five assistant Brian Dutcher, finds itself in 2023 during another transformative period in college hoops. The Aztecs, who will face UConn in the title game, are a team forged quickly through the newly liberated transfer portal and enriched by opportunities that have sprung from name-image-likeness deals. All those were distant dreams for those brash Michigan players in the 1990s but part of something they started pushing for back then.

NCAAWBKB – Women’s College Basketball – Championship
Last Night
NCAA Tournament – Final Four – American Airlines Center, Dallas
3 LSU 102, 2 Iowa 85

LSU 102, Iowa 85 – LSU wins 1st NCAA title, Mulkey’s 4th, beating Clark, Iowa
LSU won its first basketball title in school history, overcoming Caitlin Clark and Iowa 102-85 in the national championship game. The victory made Kim Mulkey the first women’s coach to win national championships at two different schools. She won three at Baylor before leaving for LSU two years ago. Her four titles gave her the third most all-time behind Geno Auriemma’s 11 and Pat Summitt’s eight. Mulkey has never lost in a championship game. Angel Reese had 15 points and 10 rebounds for LSU and was honored as the Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four. Clark scored 30 points to finish the tournament with 191, breaking Sheryl Swoopes’ record of 177 set in 1993.

NHL – National Hockey League
Yesterday
Detroit Red Wings 5, Toronto Maple Leafs 2

Red Wings 5, Maple Leafs 2 – Larkin’s hat trick helps Red Wings top Maple Leafs 5-2
Dylan Larkin scored three times for his second career hat trick, Alex Nedeljkovic made 42 saves and the Detroit Red Wings defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-2. Olli Maatta had a goal and an assist, and Jonatan Berggren also scored for Detroit. Moritz Seider added two assists. Calle Jarnkrok and John Tavares scored for Toronto which lost goalie Matt Murray to an injury late in the first period. He allowed two goals on seven shots before being replaced by Ilya Samsonov, who made 13 saves in relief after stopping 31 shots in a 3-0 win over Ottawa on Saturday.

NBA – National Basketball Association
Yesterday
Chicago Bulls 128, Memphis Grizzlies 107
Orlando Magic 128, Detroit Pistons 102
Cleveland Cavaliers 115, Indiana Pacers 105 – d

Bulls 128, Grizzlies 107 – LaVine, DeRozan lead surge as Bulls rally to beat Grizzlies
Zach LaVine scored 36 points, DeMar DeRozan added 31 and the Chicago Bulls used a huge second half to beat the Memphis Grizzlies 128-107 and overcome Ja Morant’s triple-double. The Bulls outscored the Western Conference’s second-place team 75-39 over the final two quarters after trailing by 23. They dominated the Grizzlies 40-16 in the third, ending it on a 17-0 run while taking the lead. And they responded with another big push in the fourth after Memphis pulled within three. Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 31 and made five 3-pointers for the Grizzlies who had won eight of nine. Morant had 17 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists and Desmond Bane scored 21.

Magic 128, Pistons 102 – Magic hand Pistons 20th loss in 21 games with 128-102 win
Paolo Banchero and Wendell Carter Jr. had 14 points and nine rebounds each before sitting out the fourth quarter Sunday night in the Orlando Magic’s 128-102 rout of the Detroit Pistons. Jalen Suggs led eight Orlando players in double figures with 18 points, and Cole Anthony added 17 points and six rebounds for the Magic, who shot 57.3% and won for the fifth time in six games. Franz Wagner finished with 16 points and eight assists. Killian Hayes scored 20 points and Eugene Omoruyi added 19 for the Pistons, who lost for the 20th time in 21 games. Jaden Ivey finished with 14 points and six assists.

Cavaliers 115, Pacers 105 – Mitchell scores 40, Cavaliers power past Pacers 115-105
All-Star Donovan Mitchell scored 40 points and Evan Mobley had 14 points and 16 rebounds as the playoff-bound Cleveland Cavaliers pulled away late for a 115-105 victory over the Indiana Pacers. Darius Garland added 20 points and six assists for Cleveland, which reduced its magic number to one for clinching home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. The Cavaliers won for the 31st time in 40 games at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Rookie Bennedict Mathurin had 19 points, nine rebounds and three fourth-quarter offensive fouls for Indiana, which was eliminated from postseason contention for the third year in a row.

MCCAA – Junior College Athletics
Yesterday
Baseball
Lake Michigan College 19, Glen Oaks C.C. 8

Today
Softball
Lake Michigan College at Kalamazoo Valley C.C., (DH), Postponed
                                                                                                                             
MHSAA – High School Sports
Today
Baseball
Eau Claire at Bridgman, 4:15 p.m.

Softball
Niles at Brandywine, 4:30 p.m.

Girls Soccer
Bridgman at Michigan Lutheran, 5:00 p.m.
Watervliet at Berrien Springs, 5:30 p.m.
Brandywine at Coloma, 6:00 p.m.

Boys Golf
Orchard Invitational at Buchanan, 4:00 p.m.
Buchanan, St. Joseph, Berrien Springs, Niles

Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Jeffrey Springs delivers to the Detroit Tigers during the first inning of a baseball game Sunday, April 2, 2023, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)Milwaukee Brewers shortstop Willy Adames hits a single to Chicago Cubs center fielder Cody Bellinger during the sixth inning of a baseball game Sunday, April 2, 2023, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)Chicago White Sox’s Oscar Colas, right, celebrates behind Houston Astros second baseman Mauricio Dubon after hitting an RBI double during the sixth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, April 2, 2023, in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin (71) celebrates after his goal with teammate left wing David Perron (57) as Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly (44) skates past during third-period NHL hockey game action in Toronto, Ontario, Sunday, April 2, 2023. (Christopher Katsarov/The Canadian Press via AP)Chicago Bulls forward DeMar DeRozan, right, shoots against Memphis Grizzlies forward Xavier Tillman during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Chicago, Sunday, April 2, 2023. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)Orlando Magic’s Paolo Banchero (5) makes a move to get past Detroit Pistons’ Eugene Omoruyi (97) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, April 2, 2023, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

 

This week, we recap the seasons for Berrien Springs Boys Basketball, River Valley Girls Basketball, Lakeshore Boys Basketball, and Benton Harbor Boys Basketball…

 

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

MLB – Major League Baseball – Opening Day 2023
Yesterday
Tampa Bay Rays 4, Detroit Tigers 0
Chicago Cubs 4, Milwaukee Brewers 0
Chicago White Sox 3, Houston Astros 2

Rays 4, Tigers 0 – McClanahan sharp, Rays blank Tigers 4-0 on opening day
Shane McClanahan pitched six sharp innings, Jose Siri and Wander Franco homered and the Tampa Bay Rays opened their silver anniversary season with a 4-0 victory over the Detroit Tigers. Randy Arozarena and Luke Raley also drove in runs charged to Eduardo Rodriguez. McClanahan gave up four hits in his second opening day start.  Miguel Cabrera, beginning what he has said will be his last season, had one of Detroit’s six hits — a seventh-inning double — that moved him into a tie with Ichiro Suzuki for 23rd on the all-time hit list with 3,089.

Cubs 4, Brewers 0 – Swanson, Stroman help Cubs beat Brewers 4-0 on opening day
Dansby Swanson had three hits in his Chicago Cubs debut and Marcus Stroman worked six scoreless innings, breezing past baseball’s first pitch-clock violation on his way to a 4-0 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on opening day. Swanson’s first hit with his new team was an RBI single that sparked a four-run third. He tacked on two more singles and played his usual solid defense at shortstop. Swanson signed a $177 million, seven-year contract with Chicago in free agency, leaving Atlanta after seven seasons. Milwaukee was limited to singles for rookie Brice Turang, Willy Adames, Brian Anderson and William Contreras.

White Sox 3, Astros 2 – Vaughn’s double lifts White Sox over Astros 3-2 in opener
Andrew Vaughn’s tiebreaking, two-run double in the ninth inning lifted the Chicago White Sox to a 3-2 win over the defending World Series champion Houston Astros in their season opener. The game was tied 1-all after a homer by Chicago’s Yasmani Grandal in the eighth. Ryan Pressly walked Tim Anderson with one out in the ninth before a single by Luis Robert Jr. Vaughn then belted a double to center field that put the White Sox on top. Pedro Grifol got the win in his managerial debut after spending the last 10 seasons as a coach in the Royals organization. It snapped a streak of 10 straight wins for the Astros in openers.

Tonight
Chicago White Sox (Lynn 0-0) at Houston (Javier 0-0), 8:10 p.m.
Tigers and Cubs are off

Saturday
White Sox at Houston, 2:10 p.m.
Milwaukee at Cubs, 2:20 p.m.
Tigers at Tampa Bay, 4:10 p.m.  WSJM 3:45

Sunday
Tigers at Tampa Bay, 1:10 p.m.  WSJM 12:45
White Sox at Houston, 2:10 p.m.
Milwaukee at Cubs, 2:20 p.m.

MLB – Cubs’ Marcus Stroman commits MLB’s 1st pitch-clock violation
Chicago Cubs right-hander Marcus Stroman committed Major League Baseball’s first pitch-clock violation in the third inning of Thursday’s opening day game against the Milwaukee Brewers. With no outs, rookie Brice Turang on second base and Christian Yelich at the plate, plate umpire Ron Kulpa called the violation on Stroman at Wrigley Field. Kulpa pointed to his wrist in announcing the call, and the automatic ball made it a 2-2 count against Yelich. Cubs-Brewers was the fourth of 15 opening day games to begin Thursday. Several more violations followed on the first day of regular season games since MLB introduced a slate of rules changes this season.

MLB – Nico Hoerner looking forward to long-term future with Cubs
Nico Hoerner is looking forward to his future with the Chicago Cubs after finalizing a $35 million, three-year contract. The deal begins with the 2024 season, covering his last two years of arbitration and the first year that he would have been eligible for free agency. Hoerner, who turns 26 in May, was selected by the Cubs in the first round of the 2018 amateur draft out of Stanford. Making his first public comments since the contract was completed, Hoerner says, “This is where I want to be.” He singled, scored and committed a throwing error in a 4-0 victory over Milwaukee on opening day.

NCAAMBKB – Men’s College Basketball – Final Four
Saturday
NCAA Tournament – Final Four – NRG Stadium, Houston
9 Florida Atlantic vs. 5 San Diego State, 6:09 p.m.
5 Miami vs. 4 UConn, 8:49 p.m.

NCAAWBKB – Women’s College Basketball – Final Four
Tonight
NCAA Tournament – Final Four – American Airlines Center, Dallas
3 LSU vs. 1 Virginia Tech, 7:00 p.m.
2 Iowa vs. 1 South Carolina, 9:00 p.m.

NHL – National Hockey League
Last Night
Detroit Red Wings 3, Carolina Hurricanes 2
St. Louis Blues 5, Chicago Blackhawks 3

Red Wings 3, Hurricanes 2 – Jake Walman scores late goal, Red Wings beat Hurricanes 3-2
Defenseman Jake Walman scored with 3.2 seconds left to give the Detroit Red Wings a 3-2 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday night. Dominik Kubalik and captain Dylan Larkin also scored for the Red Wings and Alex Nedeljkovic made 31 saves to beat his former team. Kubalik scored 59 second into the game and Larkin connected on a power play at 7:26 of the second. Larkin extended his team leads in goals with 28 and power-play goals with 15. Carolina defense partners Brent Burns and Jaccob Slavin scored 3:36 apart in the second — at 42 seconds and 4:18.

Blues 5, Blackhawks 3 – Blues win 5-3 to hand Blackhawks 7th straight defeat
Logan Brown and Alexey Toropchenko scored 38 seconds apart in the second period, and the St. Louis Blues beat the skidding Chicago Blackhawks 5-3. Jakub Vrana, Jordan Kyrou and Brandon Saad also scored for St. Louis. Justin Faulk had two assists. The Blues, still clinging to faint playoff hopes, have won two straight and three of four. It was the seventh consecutive loss for the Blackhawks, who dropped into a tie with Columbus for last place in the overall NHL standings with 54 points each. Andreas Athanasiou, Tyler Johnson and Boris Katchouk scored for Chicago.

Tonight
Detroit Red Wings at Winnipeg Jets, 8:00 p.m.

Saturday
New Jersey at Chicago, 8:00 p.m.

Sunday
Detroit at Toronto, 7:00 p.m.

NBA – National Basketball Association
Tonight
Chicago Bulls at Charlotte Hornets, 7:00 p.m.
Oklahoma City Thunder at Indiana Pacers, 7:00 p.m.
Detroit Pistons at Houston Rockets, 8:00 p.m.

Sunday
Memphis at Chicago, 3:30 p.m.
Detroit at Orlando, 6:00 p.m.
Indiana at Cleveland, 8:00 p.m.

Track and Field – Lawyer: Steenkamp’s parents to oppose parole for Pistorius
A lawyer representing the parents of the woman Oscar Pistorius shot dead 10 years ago says they will oppose the former Olympic runner’s application for parole. Lawyer Tania Koen said ahead of a parole hearing for Pistorius scheduled for Friday that “unless he comes clean, they don’t feel that he is rehabilitated.” Pistorius is a multiple Paralympic champion who made history by running against able-bodied athletes at the 2012 Olympics. He was convicted of murder for the Valentine’s Day 2013 shooting of Reeva Steenkamp at his home. Pistorius claims he shot Steenkamp by mistake, thinking she was an intruder. He is eligible for parole after having served half of his sentence.

IndyCar – 500 winner Ericsson intends to stay in IndyCar title picture
In the days leading up to the IndyCar season-opening race, Chip Ganassi made clear that Marcus Ericsson was a valued member of the organization and said he wants to extend the Swedish driver’s contract beyond this year. Ericsson then went on to win the March 5 race on the downtown streets of St. Petersburg, Florida, with a late pass of Pato O’Ward to pick up the fourth win of his IndyCar career. He heads into Sunday’s race at Texas Motor Speedway as the points leader and determined to be a serious championship contender this season.

NCAAFB – College Football – Spring Games
Saturday
University of Michigan Spring Game, 3:00 p.m.          TV: BTN

AHL – American Hockey League
Tonight
Milwaukee Admirals at Grand Rapids Griffins, 7:00 p.m.

ECHL – ECHL Hockey League
Tonight
Fort Wayne Komets at Kalamazoo Wings, 7:00 p.m.

MCCAA – Junior College Athletics
Yesterday
Baseball
Kellogg Community College 11, Lake Michigan College 1 – 6 Innings

Today
Softball
Lake Michigan College at Kalamazoo Valley C.C., 3:00 p.m./5:00 p.m. (DH)

MHSAA – East Grand Rapids’ Macy Brown wins Michigan AP D1 POY award
East Grand Rapids basketball standout Macy Brown has been named the Michigan Associated Press Division 1 Player of the Year. The future Michigan Wolverine becomes the second member of her family to win the honor, joining sister, Jillian, who achieved the feat in 2021. The 6-foot Brown led her team with 25 points, 8.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 2.1 steals per game this season for a team that went 15-9.

MHSAA – High School Sports
Last Night
Girls Soccer
St. Joseph 4, Edwardsburg 0

• St. Joseph started the season with a 4-0 shutout win at Edwardsburg.  Jade Murdoch and Eleah Hedstrom each had a pair of goals for St. Joe.  Myla Kotarba assisted on the first two Bears markers and Keira Page-Wood assisted on the other.  Clara Berry had the clean sheet in goal in the victory.

Watervliet at Berrien Springs, Cancelled

Girls Tennis
St. Joseph 8, Sturgis 0

Singles
1. Lanie Smith (SJ) defeated Sturgis 6-6 (7-5), 6-2
2. Ellie Fischer (SJ) defeated Sturgis 6-1, 6-0
3. Chloe Cluff (SJ) defeated Sturgis 6-0, 6-0
4. Reilie Netzley (SJ) defeated Sturgis 7-5, 6-3
Doubles
1. Ceci Ruchti & Grace Yuan (SJ) defeated Sturgis 6-0, 6-0
2. Grace Rommel & Mia Wurster (SJ) defeated Sturgis 6-2, 6-3
3. Kaley Schlipp & Madison Werk-Spitzer (SJ) defeated Sturgis 6-10, 6-1
4. Leontine Buonto & Maddie Ugalde defeated Sturgis 6-0, 6-4

Baseball
Buchanan 16, Coloma 1 – Game 1
Buchanan 8, Coloma 1 – Game 2 Suspended, darkness
Lawrence 15, Eau Claire 0
Berrien Springs 12, River Valley 2 – Game 1
Berrien Springs 6, River Valley 2 – Game 2
Brandywine 7, New Buffalo 0
Paw Paw 7, Hartford 0 – Game 1
Paw Paw 11, Hartford 0 – Game 2

Softball
Buchanan at Coloma, Cancelled
Lawrence 14, Eau Claire 7 (5 Innings)
Paw Paw 10, Hartford 0
Bloomingdale 17, Fennville 0

Boys Golf
St. Joseph 172, Edwardsburg 205

Today
Girls Soccer
Buchanan at Our Lady of the Lake, 5:00 p.m.

Baseball
Watervliet at Berrien Springs, 4:15 p.m.

Softball
Watervliet at Berrien Springs, 4:15 p.m.

Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco forces Detroit Tigers’ Javier Baez (28) at second base on a fielder’s choice by Riley Greene during the first inning of a baseball game Thursday, March 30, 2023, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)Chicago Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner celebrates with Cubs’ Miles Mastrobuoni after scoring on a single by Chicago Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson during the third inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers Thursday, March 30, 2023, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley)Chicago White Sox’s Andrew Vaughn hits a two-run double off Houston Astros relief pitcher Ryan Pressly during the ninth inning of a baseball game Thursday, March 30, 2023, in Houston. (AP Photo/Kevin M. Cox)Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin (71) celebrates his goal against the Carolina Hurricanes in the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, March 30, 2023, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)St. Louis Blues left wing Brandon Saad (20) controls the puck as he looks to pass during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Chicago Blackhawks in Chicago, Thursday, March 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

MLB – Major League Baseball – Opening Day 2023
Today
Milwaukee Brewers at Chicago Cubs, 2:20 p.m.
Detroit Tigers at Tampa Bay Rays, 3:10 p.m.          News/Talk/Sports 94.9 WSJM 2:45
Chicago White Sox at Houston Astros, 7:08 p.m.

MLB – MLB opening day offers clocks, shift bans, Ohtani and Judge
A major shift is coming to Major League Baseball, starting on opening day today. New rules are now in effect. There will be clocks at stadiums to hurry along pitchers and hitters, and there are restrictions on defensive shifts for fielders. The full slate of 15 games includes matchups at Dodger Stadium, Fenway Park, Wrigley Field and Yankee Stadium. Aaron Judge will aiming at his own home run record, Shohei Ohtani will be trending with every pitch and swing and Houston manager Dusty Baker is trying to win another World Series ring.

MLB – AP source: Minor leaguers reach 5-year labor deal with MLB
Minor league baseball players reached a historic initial collective bargaining agreement with Major League Baseball on Wednesday that will more than double player salaries, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because details were not announced. The sides reached the five-year deal on Wednesday, two days before the start of the minor league season and hours after a federal judge gave final approval to a $185 million settlement reached with MLB last May of a lawsuit filed in 2014 alleging violations of federal minimum wage laws. Under the new deal, minimum salaries in Triple-A will rise from $17,500 to $45,800.

MLB – MLB broadcasters adapting to faster pace under new rules
Major league pitchers and batters aren’t the only ones going on the clock this season. Big league broadcasters have also been using spring training to adjust to baseball’s new rhythm amid a series of rules changes. When the season opens Thursday, Major League Baseball will usher in an age of sharper, quicker and more concise commentary. For a generation of play-by-play pros who grew up idolizing loquacious storytellers like Hall of Famer Vin Scully, it’s been an adjustment. But not necessarily an unwelcome one.

MLB – Cubs’ Happ: ‘Nothing really to report’ on negotiations
All-Star outfielder Ian Happ appears poised to enter the season with an expiring contract after he and the Chicago Cubs were unable to agree on a new deal. Happ had “nothing really to report” and “no real comment on it.” He says he is not breaking off talks, but adds: “That also doesn’t mean anything.” Happ is eligible for free agency after the upcoming season. Chicago hosts the Milwaukee Brewers on opening day on Thursday. The Cubs did lock in one key player, finalizing a $35 million, three-year contract infielder Nico Hoerner on Wednesday. That contract begins in 2024. Hoerner is moving to second base after playing shortstop last season with the arrival of All-Star Dansby Swanson on a $177 million, seven-year contract.

NFL – NFL hits highs in diverse executives, lacks in head coaches
The NFL took another step at the owners meetings to increase diversity throughout the league while continuing to face criticism and a lawsuit for lack of representation among head coaches. Each team is now required to have a person in charge of diversity, equity and inclusion. Currently, 15 clubs have a DEI head and two others have someone leading that department and another one. The league has reached milestone points in diverse hirings in the front office but critics point to the sidelines where there are only three Black head coaches in a sport that had 56.4% Black players in 2022.

NCAABB – A different March Madness: Online hate for the athletes
A toxic cauldron on social media is one of the minefields players in the NCAA Tournament must navigate. In an era of increased sensitivity to athlete mental health, never have there been more outside voices scrutinizing their every move. In the third part of a series on social media’s impact on March Madness, The Associated Press found that turning off social media is an option but not really a practical one. It’s unrealistic with the way society interacts in the 21st century. And many athletes need to use social media for endorsement deals. All of that, the AP found, comes with a toll best illustrated by spikes among athletes in anxiety and depression over the past two years.

NCAAWBKB – Women making case in tourney for own March Madness TV deal
The NCAA has gotten mostly positive reviews for its new women’s Sweet 16 format during March Madness. Hosting games it two cities instead of the traditional four set attendance records higher TV ratings. The two regionals combined to set an all-time attendance mark for the Sweet 16, following up the record mark set the first weekend. The switch in format was done for a few reasons including helping get a separate TV deal for the women’s tournament. The current NCAA TV deal ends next summer.. The current NCAA TV deal ends next summer. The NCAA also hopes the success leads to more cities bidding to host the regional games and eventually the Final Four. The current NCAA TV deal ends next summer. The next bid cycle starts in July where regional hosting will be decided from 2027-31.

NBA – National Basketball Association
Last Night
Oklahoma City Thunder 107, Detroit Pistons 106
Milwaukee Bucks 149, Indiana Pacers 136
Los Angeles Lakers 121, Chicago Bulls 110

Thunder 107, Pistons 106 – Jalen Williams’ late tip-in gives Thunder win over Pistons
Rookie Jalen Williams’ putback with less than a second remaining gave the Oklahoma City Thunder a 107-106 win over the Detroit Pistons. Oklahoma City entered the night two games under .500 and hanging onto the final Western Conference play-in spot. The Thunder were coming off a loss to the Charlotte Hornets and couldn’t afford another defeat against a team near the bottom of the league’s standings. Williams answered the call with 27 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Lu Dort scored 20 points, Aaron Wiggins scored 19 and Josh Giddey added 18 for the Thunder. Jaden Ivey had 24 to lead the Pistons.

Bucks 149, Pacers 136 – Holiday has career-high 51 points, Bucks beat Pacers 149-136
Jrue Holiday scored a career-high 51 points, Giannis Antetokounmpo had 38 points in a triple-double and the NBA-leading Milwaukee Bucks beat the Indiana Pacers 149-136 on Wednesday night. Antetokounmpo added 17 rebounds and 12 assists to help the Bucks improve to 55-21. He returned after sitting out Monday night in a victory at Detroit because of a sore knee. Holiday had 18 points in the third quarter, when the Bucks scored a season-high 46 points to build a 12-point lead. He was 20 of 30 from the field with three 3-pointers and hit 8 of 10 free throws. Rookie Bennedict Mathurin led Indiana with 29 points.

Lakers 121, Bulls 110 – LeBron James, Anthony Davis lead Lakers past Bulls 121-110
LeBron James scored 25 points in his return to the starting lineup, and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Chicago Bulls 121-110. James also had seven rebounds and four assists in 31 minutes in his second game back after he was sidelined for a month because of a torn tendon in his right foot. The four-time MVP scored 19 points in Sunday’s 118-108 loss to Chicago in just his second appearance as a reserve in his 20-year NBA career. Lakers star Anthony Davis had 38 points and 10 rebounds in his hometown. Nikola Vucevic had 29 points and 12 rebounds for Chicago.

NBA – Bulls C Drummond ruled out after posting about mental health
Bulls center Andre Drummond missed the team’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers after he posted on Twitter that he was deleting his social media apps to focus on his mental health. The team says Drummond is out because of personal reasons. Coach Billy Donovan says he is hopeful about the possibility of Drummond traveling with the team ahead of Friday night’s game at Charlotte. Drummond posted on Thursday that it was time to focus on his mental health.

NBA – NBA, players still talking about new deal as deadline looms
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver says he’s hopeful that a new collective bargaining agreement between the league and its players can get done by the end of this week, though he stopped short of predicting that a deal would actually get struck. The league and the National Basketball Players Association are facing a midnight Friday deadline for either side to decide that they will opt out of the deal and end the current CBA on June 30. That opt-out deadline already has been extended twice, and Silver said the NBA’s plan is to exercise that option if there is no deal by Friday night.

NHL – National Hockey League
Tonight
Carolina Hurricanes at Detroit Red Wings, 7:30 p.m.
St. Louis Blues at Chicago Blackhawks, 8:30 p.m.

NCAA – NIL – Congressional hearing targets ‘NIL chaos’ in college sports
A congressional hearing targeting what one lawmaker called “NIL chaos” in college sports drifted into the consequences of college athletes being deemed employees. A subcommittee of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce held the first hearing Wednesday related to college sports in the House or Senate in more than two years. The intended focus was name, image and likeness compensation for athletes. College sports leaders have been asking for a federal law to bring uniform regulation to the way athletes can earn money through sponsorship or endorsement deals.

AHL – American Hockey League
Last Night
Chicago Wolves 3, Grand Rapids Griffins 2 – Shootout

MCCAA – Junior College Athletics
Today
Baseball
Kellogg Community College at Lake Michigan College, 2:00 p.m.

MHSAA – Divine Child’s Kennedy Blair wins Michigan AP D2 POY award
Kennedy Blair of Dearborn Divine Child has been named the Michigan Associated Press Division 2 Player of the Year. The Miss Basketball finalist had a tremendous senior season for the Falcons, wrapping up her four years of playing on varsity. She averaged 25 points, 9.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 4.0 steals and 2.0 blocked shots a game this season. In her four seasons, she scored 1,451 career points and pulled down 565 rebounds

MHSAA – High School Sports
Last Night
Girls Soccer
St. Joseph at Edwardsburg, PPD to 3/30
South Haven 6, Our Lady of the Lake 1
Niles 6, Buchanan 2
Berrien Springs 2, New Buffalo 0
Grand Rapids Covenant Christian at Allegan, PPD
Hamilton 5, Fennville 1

Baseball
Bridgman at Edwardsburg, PPD

Softball
Bridgman at Niles, PPD
Brandywine at Constantine, PPD

Tonight
Girls Soccer
St. Joseph at Edwardsburg, 5:30 p.m.
Watervliet at Berrien Springs, 5:30 p.m.

Baseball
Our Lady of the Lake at Bridgman, 5:15 p.m.
Buchanan at Coloma, 4:30 p.m.
Eau Claire at Lawrence, 4:15 p.m.
New Buffalo at Brandywine, 4:30 p.m.
Berrien Springs at River Valley, 4:15 p.m.
Hartford at Paw Paw, 4:30 p.m. (DH)
Bloomingdale at Fennville, 4:30 p.m.

Softball
Buchanan at Coloma, 4:15 p.m.
Eau Claire at Lawrence, 4:15 p.m.
Hartford at Paw Paw, 4:30 p.m. (DH)
Bloomingdale at Fennville, 4:30 p.m.

Detroit Pistons forward Isaiah Livers, left, and Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams, right, dive for a loose ball in the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, March 29, 2023, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James drives to the basket as Chicago Bulls’ Alex Caruso defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, March 29, 2023, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

NHL – National Hockey League
Last Night
Detroit Red Wings 7, Pittsburgh Penguins 4
Dallas Stars 4, Chicago Blackhawks 1

Red Wings 7, Penguins 4 – Perron’s 3rd-period hat trick lifts Red Wings past Penguins
David Perron had a hat trick in the third period and the Detroit Red Wings overcame the ejection of coach Derek Lalonde to beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 7-4. Perron posted his ninth career three-goal game. He scored on a wrist shot early in the third, put Detroit ahead 5-4 on the power play with 3:40 left and added his 19th goal of the season 45 seconds later. Lalonde was assessed a game misconduct during the second period. He profanely argued after unsuccessfully challenging Pittsburgh’s third goal on a claim of goalie interference. Detroit squandered an early three-goal lead and won for just the fourth time in 16 games.

Stars 4, Blackhawks 1 – Stars get goals from 4 players, beat skidding Blackhawks 4-1
Tyler Seguin, Colin Miller, Joe Pavelski and Luke Glendening scored as the Dallas Stars topped the Chicago Blackhawks 4-1. Dallas improved to 94 points and climbed into a second-place tie with idle Colorado in the tight Central Division. First-place Minnesota has 95 points. Jake Oettinger lost a bid for his fifth shutout when Tyler Johnson popped in a loose rebound at 10:33 of the third period. Oettinger made 17 saves. He was only lightly tested as Dallas dominated for most of the game and outshot the last-place Blackhawks 33-18 in handing them their sixth straight loss.

NHL – Blackhawks’ Toews returns to ice, hints at retirement
Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews returned to the ice while also hinting his NHL career could be winding down. Toews skated with his teammates before their game against the Dallas Stars. It was his first time practicing with the Blackhawks since his most recent game in Edmonton in late January. He made a statement through the team in February saying he’d be stepping away because of the effects of Chronic Immune Response Syndrome and “long COVID.” In his first public comments since, Toews stopped short of saying he hoped to play in any of last-place Chicago’s nine remaining games.

NHL – Predators motivated to bring joy to Nashville after shooting
Predators defenseman Ryan McDonagh and his teammates were motivated to do more than just beat the Boston Bruins in their NHL game Tuesday night. The Predators wanted to bring a brief bit of joy to the city of Nashville a day after a fatal grade school shooting that left six dead, including three children. McDonagh said it wasn’t just another game as the Predators beat the NHL-leading Bruins 2-1. “Quite frankly there are really no words that you can say after what went on yesterday in Nashville,” he said. “Just a tragedy for those families and everybody affected. You don’t really realize it until you have kids of your own and the perspective. It hits you.”

NBA – National Basketball Association
Tonight
Milwaukee Bucks at Indiana Pacers, 7:00 p.m.
Detroit Pistons at Oklahoma City Thunder, 8:00 p.m.
Los Angeles Lakers at Chicago Bulls, 8:00 p.m.

MLB – Major League Baseball – Spring Training
Yesterday
Chicago Cubs 8, Chicago White Sox 5
End Spring Training

Thursday
2023 Opening Day
Milwaukee Brewers at Chicago Cubs, 2:20 p.m.
Detroit Tigers at Tampa Bay Rays, 3:10 p.m.  WSJM 2:45
Chicago White Sox at Houston Astros, 7:00 p.m.

MLB – MLB free agent watch: Ohtani leads possible 2023-24 class
Shohei Ohtani watch is on. Not Ohtani’s home runs or strikeouts or any of his magnificent numbers from the field. Nothing like that. It’s all about how much his next contract will be worth. Ohtani is among a group of players going into their final season before they are eligible for free agency. There is still time for signatures and press conferences before opening day, but history shows a new contract becomes less likely once the real games begin. The list of impending free agents also includes Aaron Nola, Matt Chapman, Teoscar Hernández, Ian Happ and Julio Urías.

NFL – AP sources: Two groups formally submit bids for Commanders
Dan Snyder’s departure from the NFL is moving closer to reality. A group led by Josh Harris and Mitchell Rales and another group led by Canadian billionaire Steve Apostolopoulos have submitted fully financed bids for the NFL’s Washington Commanders, according to a person with knowledge of the situation. Two people confirmed the bid from Harris. Both spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Tuesday because details of the bid have not been publicly announced. The Harris/Rales group includes basketball Hall of Famer Magic Johnson. Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta also has been in the running. Snyder had yet to accept an offer when the league’s finance committee met Monday so his future wasn’t openly discussed.

NFL – Goodell: Commanders report to be released even if team sold
Embattled Washington Commanders owner Dan Snyder could very well sell the franchise before an investigation into his organization’s conduct can be complete. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said even if that’s the case, any report will be made public. Goodell said Tuesday at the league’s annual meetings that the NFL is “committed to releasing the findings.” Snyder and the Commanders are still under investigation by former U.S. Attorney Mary Jo White. She was retained by the league to look into various aspects of the organization stemming from a congressional review into workplace misconduct. The review also included a referral to the Federal Trade Commission for potential business improprieties.

NFL – Analysis: Ravens are Lamar Jackson’s best, only option
Lamar Jackson’s frustration over contract negotiations reached a boiling point when he announced Monday that he has requested a trade from the Baltimore Ravens. Staying in Baltimore might be his best and only option. If the two sides can’t agree on a long-term deal by July 17, Jackson could play this season on the $32.4 million franchise tag. The 2019 NFL MVP hasn’t generated any interest in free agency after the Ravens placed the nonexclusive franchise tag on him. Some teams immediately said they wouldn’t pursue Jackson. The Washington Commanders joined that list Monday.

Olympics – Lawmakers back Paris Olympic law despite surveillance fears
A proposed French law for the 2024 Paris Olympics that critics contend will open the door for privacy-busting video surveillance technology in Europe has passed an important hurdle. French lawmakers voted 400 to 93 on Tuesday for a bill that would legalize the temporary use of so-called intelligent surveillance systems to safeguard the Paris Games and Paralympics. The systems combine cameras with artificial intelligence software to flag potential security concerns like abandoned packages. Watchdog groups argue that France would violate international law by becoming the first European Union country to legalize AI-powered surveillance. Supporters argue the technology could help avert disasters like the crowd crush that killed nearly 160 people celebrating Halloween in South Korea.

Olympics – IOC details advice to let Russia, Belarus athletes return
Some Russian athletes can soon return to international sports, although their status for the Paris Olympics is still up in the air. The International Olympic Committee has recommended that individual athletes from Russia and Belarus should be allowed to return to competition under a neutral status as long as they have no military links. But the IOC held off on deciding whether they can compete at next year’s Paris Olympics. While the IOC said Russia and Belarus should remain barred from team sports such as soccer and basketball, it still defied repeated calls by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to exclude all Russian athletes while his country is being occupied and attacked.

AHL – American Hockey League
Tonight
Chicago Wolves at Grand Rapids Griffins, 7:00 p.m.

MCCAA – Junior College Athletics
Today
Women’s Softball
Jackson College 3, Lake Michigan College 0 – Game 1
Jackson College 13, Lake Michigan College 3 – Game 2

MHSAA – Buchanan’s Faith Carson wins Michigan AP D3 POY honors
Buchanan’s Faith Carson has been named the Michigan Associated Press Division 3 Player of the Year. Carson, who has signed to play at Ohio State next season, averaged 20.5 points, 12.5 rebounds and 5.8 blocks per game. She was even better in the postseason, producing 25.2 points and 16.8 rebounds per contest, and posting her second triple-double of the season with 29 points, 17 rebounds and 10 blocks in a 70-47 regional championship victory over Kalamazoo Christian. She led the Bucks to their first regional title in more than 20 years.

MHSAA – High School Sports
Last Night
Softball
South Haven 10, Paw Paw 0
Sturgis 10, Colon 3
Hamilton 17, Saugatuck 2 – Game 1
Hamilton 14, Saugatuck 0 – Game 2
Wyoming Lee 8, Fennville 2 – Game 1
Wyoming Lee 21, Fennville 8 – Game 2

Baseball
Plainwell 16, Hastings 1

Girls Soccer
Dowagiac 5, Niles 0
First game on new synthetic turf field at Niles
Bangor 3, Brandywine 2
Paw Paw 8, Hartford 0

Track and Field
Benton Harbor and Lakeshore at Aquinas College Indoor Track Challenge

Boys
1          East Kentwood                           121.5
2          FHE Ada Forest Hills Eastern        64.5
3          Wayland Union                            52.6
4          Charlotte                                  41.2
5          GR Forest Hills Central               38
6          Hopkins                                      33
7          East Grand Rapids                       31
8          GR Kenowa Hills                         22
9          Lakeshore                                  18.6
10         East Kentwood                           13
11         FHN GR_Forest Hills Northern      12.6
12         Wyoming Kelloggsville                 9
13         GR Northview                             6
14         Wyoming Lee                               3
15         Wyoming Godwin Heights              2

Girls
1          East Kentwood                           91
2          East Grand Rapids                       56
3          Charlotte                                  50.5
4          GR_Kenowa Hills                         48
5          Wayland Union                            46
6          GR Forest Hills Central               37
7          Ada Forest Hills Eastern              34
8          Benton Harbor                            17
9          Lakeshore                                  16.5
9          Hopkins                                      16.5
11         Wyoming Kelloggsville                 11
12         GR Forest Hills Northern             10.5
13         East Kentwood                           10
14         Wyoming Godwin Heights              7
15         Wyoming Lee                               6
15         GR Northview                             6
17         Grant                                        5

Paw Paw vs. Three Rivers              Girls: Paw Paw 69, Three Rivers 55             Boys: Three Rivers 83, Paw Paw 52
Plainwell vs. Edwardsburg            Girls: Plainwell 76, Edwardsburg 61          Boys: Plainwell 71, Edwardsburg 66

Today
Girls Soccer
St. Joseph at Edwardsburg, 5:30 p.m.
Our Lady of the Lake at South Haven, 6:30 p.m.
Buchanan at Niles, 5:00 p.m.
Berrien Springs at New Buffalo, 6:00 p.m.
Lawton at Coloma, 6:00 p.m.
Grand Rapids Covenant Christian at Allegan, 6:30 p.m.
Hamilton at Fennville, 6:00 p.m.

Baseball
Bridgman at Edwardsburg, 4:00 p.m.

Softball
Bridgman at Niles, 4:00 p.m.
Brandywine at Constantine, 4:00 p.m. (DH)

Track and Field
South Haven, Kalamazoo Hackett at Martin, 4:30 p.m.

Detroit Red Wings right wing Jonatan Berggren, rear center, celebrates his goal with Joe Veleno (90) and Dominik Kubalik (81) as Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Brian Dumoulin (8) and goaltender Casey DeSmith (1) look on in the first period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, March 28, 2023, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)Dallas Stars’ Luke Glendening scores past Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Alex Stalock during the third period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, March 28, 2023, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

NBA – National Basketball Association
Last Night
Milwaukee Bucks 126, Detroit Pistons 117
Dallas Mavericks 127, Indiana Pacers 104
Los Angeles Clippers 124, Chicago Bulls 112

Bucks 126, Pistons 117 – Middleton leads short-handed Bucks past decimated Pistons
Khris Middleton scored 34 points against the team that drafted him, and the Milwaukee Bucks beat the Detroit Pistons 126-117 without Giannis Antetokounmpo. Milwaukee improved to an NBA-best 54-21 despite the absences of Antetokounmpo and Jae Crowder. Goran Dragic made his Bucks debut after signing with the team on March 4. Brook Lopez had 24 points and 14 rebounds, Bobby Portis added 21 points and 14 rebounds, and Jevon Carter scored 22. The Pistons got 32 points, eight rebounds and eight assists from Jaden Ivey, but lost their sixth straight game and 17th of 18.

Mavericks 127, Pacers 104 – Mavericks end 4-game skid vs. Pacers to stay in playoff hunt
Luka Doncic finished with 25 points, seven rebounds and six assists just hours after his most recent technical foul and one-game suspension were rescinded and led the Dallas Mavericks past the Indiana Pacers 127-104. The Mavericks snapped a four-game losing streak and moved a half-game behind the Lakers and Oklahoma City for the final two play-in spots in the Western Conference. Bennedict Mathurin had 22 points to lead the Pacers, who were missing three starters and a key backup. The Pacers have lost three straight. But after a back-and-forth first quarter, Dallas opened the second on a 14-2 run to make it 43-29. The Pacers never recovered.

Clippers 124, Bulls 112 – Nicolas Batum hits 8 3-pointers, Clippers beat Bulls 124-112
Nicolas Batum got all of his season-high 24 points on eight 3-pointers, and Eric Gordon added 22 points in the Los Angeles Clippers’ comfortable 124-112 victory over the Chicago Bulls. Kawhi Leonard scored 22 as the Clippers rebounded from an embarrassing loss to New Orleans with 20 3-pointers in an impressive outside shooting display led by Batum. Zach LaVine scored 23 points and Nikola Vucevic had 20 points and eight rebounds for the Bulls, who followed up their win over the Lakers on Sunday with a dud.

NHL – National Hockey League
Tonight
Pittsburgh Penguins at Detroit Red Wings, 7:00 p.m.
Dallas Stars at Chicago Blackhawks, 8:30 p.m.

NCAAWBKB – Women’s College Basketball (local teams only)
Last Night
NCAA Tournament Elite 8
1 South Carolina 86, 2 Maryland 75                    (Greenville 1 Regional)
1 Virginia Tech 84, 3 Ohio State 74                      (Seattle 3 Regional)

South Carolina 86, Maryland 75 – Boston, South Carolina women reach Final Four
Aliyah Boston had 22 points and 10 rebounds, Zia Cooke scored 18 points and top-seeded South Carolina used its smothering defense to outlast second-seeded Maryland 86-75 to reach its third straight Final Four. The Gamecocks improved to 36-0 on the season with their 42nd straight win dating to last year’s NCAA title run. They’re now just two victories away from consecutive titles and the 10th undefeated season in the history of the women’s game. Maryland used a fast pace to lead in the opening period. But South Carolina turned on its trademark defense to grab control.

Va Tech 84, Ohio State 74 – Va Tech women headed to 1st Final Four after topping Ohio St
Elizabeth Kitley scored 25 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, Georgia Amoore added 24 points and top-seeded Virginia Tech advanced to the Final Four for the first time in school history with an 84-74 win over No. 3 seed Ohio State in the Seattle 3 Regional final. Playing in its first regional final, Virginia Tech won its 15th straight game and will head to the Final Four having not lost in more than two months. The Hokies will face LSU in the national semifinals on Friday in Dallas. Taylor Mikesell led Ohio State with 25 points, but 19 of those came in the first half.

Friday
NCAA Tournament Final Four – American Airlines Center, Dallas
3 LSU vs. 1 Virginia Tech, 7:00 p.m.
2 Iowa vs. 1 South Carolina, 9:00 p.m.

MLB – Major League Baseball – Spring Training
Yesterday
Chicago Cubs 6, Chicago White Sox 6 – TIE

Today
Chicago White Sox at Chicago Cubs, 4:05 p.m.
End Spring Training

MLB – Tigers acquire INF Zach McKinstry in trade with Cubs
The Detroit Tigers have acquired veteran infielder Zach McKinstry in a trade with the Chicago Cubs. The Tigers sent minor league right-hander Carlos Guzman to the Cubs for McKinstry, a .208 hitter with 12 homers and 43 RBIs in parts of three big league seasons. The 24-year-old Guzman went 9-6 with a 4.11 ERA in 27 games last year, finishing the season with two appearances for Double-A Erie. McKinstry, who turns 28 on April 29, broke into the majors with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2020. He was traded to the Cubs for reliever Chris Martin in July.

MLB – AP source: Hoerner, Cubs agree to $35 million, 3-year deal
The Chicago Cubs have locked up another infielder, agreeing to a $35 million, three-year contract with Nico Hoerner. A person familiar with the negotiations confirmed the contract to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the move had not been announced. The deal begins with the 2024 season. Hoerner, who turns 26 in May, is moving back to second base this year after he was the team’s regular shortstop in 2022. The Cubs signed All-Star shortstop Dansby Swanson to a $177 million, seven-year contract in December. The new deal for Hoerner means the team could have its middle infield in place through the 2026 season.

NFL – Lamar Jackson says he has requested trade from Ravens
Lamar Jackson says he has requested a trade from the Baltimore Ravens, saying the team “has not been interested in meeting my value.” The star quarterback said Monday in a series of tweets that he requested a trade as of March 2. On March 7, the Ravens put the nonexclusive franchise tag on Jackson and said they were still hopeful they could reach a long-term deal with him. That version of the franchise tag allowed Jackson to negotiate with other teams, but it also gives Baltimore a chance to match any agreement he makes.

NFL – GMs for Packers, Jets discuss status of Rodgers trade talks
Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said he’s not requiring a first-round pick in a potential trade sending four-time MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers to the New York Jets but added he’d want “fair value.” Gutekunst and Jets general manager Joe Douglas both discussed trade talks involving the 39-year-old Rodgers on Monday at the NFL annual meeting. Rodgers said March 15 during an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” on SiriusXM and YouTube that he intends to play for the Jets in 2023.

NFL – Patriots owner Robert Kraft campaigns against antisemitism
New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft has launched a $25-million national ad campaign against antisemitism. The ads will be featured during popular television programs such as “The Voice” and during the NFL draft, and NBA and NHL playoffs. Antisemitism has been on the rise over the last five years. Statistics show that while Jewish people are 2.4% of the U.S. population, they are the targets of 55% of religion-motivated hate crimes. Kraft said the ads will show how non-Jewish people can stand in solidarity with their Jewish neighbors against antisemitism and all types of hate.

NCAAWRE – Michigan’s Parris wins Hodge Trophy as top college wrestler
Michigan heavyweight Mason Parris has been named winner of the Dan Hodge Trophy as the nation’s top college wrestler. WIN magazine announced Parris received 38 of 64 first-place votes from the selection panel. Parris went 33-0 while winning a national championship this month in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Three-time national champion Carter Starocci of Penn State finished second in the voting and four-time champion Yianni Diakomihalis of Cornell was third. Parris is the third straight heavyweight to win the Hodge Trophy. The trophy has been presented since 1995 and is named for the undefeated, three-time NCAA champion for Oklahoma from 1955-57.

MCCAA – Junior College Athletics
Today
Women’s Softball
Jackson College at Lake Michigan College, 3:00 p.m./5:00 p.m. (Doubleheader)

MHSAA – Maple City Glen Lake’s Ruby Hogan wins Michigan AP D4 POY
Maple City Glen Lake’s Ruby Hogan has been named the Michigan AP Division 4 Girls Player of the Year. Hogan finished her Glen Lake career with a 91-7 varsity record, including 53-1 in the Northwest Conference. She led the program to four league titles, four districts championships, three regional titles and a state championship. She averaged 18.9 points, 5.3 assists, 5.3 steals and 4.7 rebounds per game as a senior, falling one rebound short of a triple-double in the state semifinals against Adrian Lenawee Christian.

MHSAA – High School Sports
Yesterday
Baseball
Dowagiac 16, Marcellus 1 – Game 1
Dowagiac 11, Marcellus 2 – Game 2
Lawrence 3, Lawton 0

Softball
Bloomingdale 17, Allegan 1

Girls Soccer
Allegan 3, Otsego 0
Lawton 8, Bloomingdale 0
Holland Black River 5, Delton-Kellogg 0
Hamilton 3, Saugatuck 0
Fennville 4, Wyoming Lee 0

Today
Baseball
Hastings at Plainwell, 4:00 p.m.
Colon at Sturgis, 4:00 p.m.
Hamilton at Allegan, 4:15 p.m.
Holland Black River at Fennville, 4:00 p.m.
Kalamazoo Christian at Grandville Calvin Christian, 4:15 p.m.

Softball
River Valley at South Haven, 4:00 p.m.
Hastings at Plainwell, 4:00 p.m.
Colon at Sturgis, 4:00 p.m.
Hartford at Lawton, 4:30 p.m.
Kalamazoo Christian at Grandville Calvin Christian, 4:15 p.m.
Saugatuck at Hamilton, 4:15 p.m.
Fennville at Wyoming Lee, 4:15 p.m.

Girls Soccer
Dowagiac at Niles, 5:00 p.m.
Bangor at Brandywine, 5:30 p.m
Hartford at Paw Paw, 5:00 p.m.
Plainwell at Hudsonville, 7:00 p.m.

Track and Field
Benton Harbor and Lakeshore at Aquinas College Indoor Track Challenge, 4:00 p.m.

Detroit Pistons guard Jaden Ivey (23) drives as Milwaukee Bucks guard Jevon Carter (5) defends during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, March 27, 2023, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard, right, blocks a shot from Chicago Bulls guard Patrick Beverley (21) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, March 27, 2023, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)FILE – Michigan’s Mason Parris reacts after defeating Penn State’s Greg Kerkvliet in the championship round at the NCAA Division I wrestling championships Saturday, March 18, 2023, in Tulsa, Okla. Michigan heavyweight Mason Parris, who went unbeaten while winning the national championship, has been named winner of the Dan Hodge Trophy as the top college wrestler, Monday, March 27, 2023. (Ian Maule/Tulsa World via AP, File)

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

NBA – National Basketball Association
Last Night
Chicago Bulls 118, Los Angeles Lakers 108

Bulls 118, Lakers 108 – Bulls spoil LeBron’s return with 118-108 win over Lakers
LeBron James scored 19 points off the bench in his return from a monthlong injury absence, but Zach LaVine scored 32 points to lead the Chicago Bulls to a 118-108 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers. DeMar DeRozan added 17 points for the Bulls, who easily overcame James’ return for their seventh win in nine games. James sat out 13 games with right foot soreness. For only the second time in his 20-year NBA career, James wasn’t a starter. The Lakers failed to get above .500 for the first time since Jan. 9, 2022.

Tonight
Milwaukee Bucks at Detroit Pistons, 7:00 p.m.
Dallas Mavericks at Indiana Pacers, 7:00 p.m.
Chicago Bulls at Los Angeles Clippers, 10:30 p.m.

NHL – National Hockey League
Last Night
Vancouver Canucks 4, Chicago Blackhawks 2

Canucks 4, Blackhawks 2 – Elias Pettersson’s 2 goals lifts Canucks over Blackhawks 4-2
Elias Pettersson scored twice, Phillip Di Giuseppe scored, Brock Boeser got an empty-netter, and the Vancouver Canucks beat the Chicago Blackhawks 4-2 on Sunday night. The Canucks won their third straight and sent the Blackhawks to their fifth straight defeat. Chicago defenseman Connor Murphy opened the scoring, beating Canucks goalie Collin Delia with a 55-foot wrist shot with 3:59 left in the first period. Rookie Lukas Reichel scored his fifth goal of the season to pull Chicago within 3-2 with 1:42 remaining, but an empty-net goal by Vancouver’s Boeser finished the scoring. The Blackhawks celebrated Pride night, honoring the city’s gay community, without the rainbow-colored Pride night warmup jerseys nor colored stick tape used in previous seasons.

NCAAMBKB – Men’s College Basketball – NCAA Tournament
Saturday
NCAA Tournament Elite 8
4 UConn 82, 3 Gonzaga 54                                 (West Regional)
9 Florida Atlantic 79, 3 Kansas State 76              (East Regional)

Yesterday
NCAA Tournament Elite 8
5 Miami 88, 2 Texas 81                                       (Midwest Regional)
5 San Diego State 57, 6 Creighton 56                   (South Regional)

Miami 88, Texas 81 – Miller, Wong rally Miami past Texas 88-81 for 1st Final Four
Jordan Miller scored 27 points and made a series of crucial foul shots down the stretch as Miami rallied to an 88-81 victory over Texas for a spot in the Final Four. Miller finished 7 of 7 from the field and 13 of 13 from the foul line, while Isaiah Wong scored 12 of his 14 points in the second half for the Hurricanes. They are headed to NRG Stadium in Houston for a date with UConn on Saturday night. Two more first-time Final Four participants, San Diego State and Florida Atlantic, will play in the other national semifinal. Marcus Carr had 17 points to lead the Longhorns.

SDSU 57, Creighton 56 – San Diego State muscles past Creighton, makes 1st Final Four
Darrion Trammell converted a go-ahead free throw after he was fouled on a floater with 1.2 seconds left, and San Diego State muscled its way into its first Final Four, grinding out a 57-56 victory over Creighton in the South Region final. Lamont Butler scored 18 points and Trammell had 12 for the fifth-seeded Aztecs (31-6), who slowed down the high-scoring, sixth-seeded Bluejays (24-13) and became the first Mountain West Conference team to reach the national semifinals. The experienced Aztecs, in their sixth season under coach Brian Dutcher, will play Florida Atlantic on Saturday in Houston for a spot in the national title game.

Saturday, April 1
NCAA Tournament Final Four, NRG Stadium, Houston
9 Florida Atlantic vs. 5 San Diego State, 6:09 p.m.
4 UConn vs. 5 Miami, 8:49 p.m.

NCAAWBKB – Women’s College Basketball (local teams only)
Sunday
NCAA Tournament Elite 8
3 LSU 54, 9 Miami 42                                         (Greenville 2 Regional)
2 Iowa 97, 5 Louisville 83                                  (Seattle 4 Regional)

LSU 54, Miami 42 – Reese, LSU women push past Miami 54-42 to reach Final Four
Angel Reese had 18 rebounds and LSU returned to the women’s Final Four for the first time in 15 years by beating Miami 54-42. The victory concludes a rapid rise for the Tigers under second-year coach Kim Mulkey, who won three NCAA titles at Baylor. Alexis Morris scored 21 points and Reese added 13 for the third-seeded Tigers, who asserted control of a grinding, defense-first game. LSU shot 30.2% and went 1 for 12 from 3-point range, including misses on its first nine attempts. But Miami was even worse from 3, missing all 15 tries. Reese was named the most outstanding player of the Greenville 2 Region. Jasmyne Roberts scored 22 points for Miami.

Iowa 97, Louisville 83 – Caitlin Clark leads Iowa to first Final Four since 1993
Caitlin Clark put on a show with 41 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds to help No. 2 seed Iowa beat fifth-seeded Louisville 97-83 and send the the Hawkeyes to their first women’s Final Four in 30 years. The unanimous first-team All-American was as dominant as she’s been all season in getting the Hawkeyes to Dallas for the women’s NCAA Tournament national semifinals on Friday night. The Seattle 4 Region champion will face the winner of the Greenville 1 region that has South Carolina playing Maryland on Monday night. Iowa (30-6) hadn’t been to the Final Four since Hall of Fame coach C. Vivian Stringer led the team to its lone appearance in 1993. Clark had the 11th triple-double of her career and the 19th in NCAA Tournament history.

Today
NCAA Tournament Elite 8
2 Maryland vs. 1 South Carolina, 7:00 p.m.           (Greenville 1 Regional)
3 Ohio State vs. 1 Virginia Tech, 9:00 p.m.            (Seattle 3 Regional)

MLB – Major League Baseball – Spring Training
Yesterday
Detroit Tigers 11, Tampa Bay Rays 10
Tigers spring training ends
Chicago Cubs 5, Kansas City Royals 0
Colorado Rockies 4, Chicago White Sox 2

Today
Chicago Cubs at Chicago White Sox, 4:05 p.m.

NCAAHKY – Men’s College Hockey
Saturday
NCAA Tournament Elite 8
Minnesota 4, St. Cloud State 1
Boston University 2, Cornell 1

Sunday
NCAA Tournament Elite 8
Quinnipiac 4, Ohio State 1
Michigan 2, Penn State 1 – OT

Thursday, April 6
NCAA Tournament Frozen Four at Amalie Arena – Tampa, FL
Boston University vs. Minnesota, 5:00 p.m.
Michigan vs. Quinnipiac, 8:30 p.m.

MHSAA – High School Sports
Saturday
Boys Basketball – State Finals
Division 1 at Michigan State University
Detroit Cass Tech 78, Muskegon 63

Division 2 at Michigan State University
Ferndale 44, Grand Rapids South Christian 38

Division 3 at Michigan State University
Flint Beecher 64, Traverse City St. Francis 50

Division 4 at Michigan State University
Munising 39, Wyoming-Tri Unity Christian 37

Today
Baseball
Dowagiac at Marcellus, 4:00 p.m.
Otsego at Allegan, 4:00 p.m.
Paw Paw at Decatur, 4:00 p.m. (DH)
Lawrence at Lawton, 4:30 p.m.

Softball
Paw Paw at Decatur, 4:00 p.m. (DH)
Allegan at Bloomingdale, 4:00 p.m.

Girls Soccer
Allegan at Otsego, 6:30 p.m.
Lawton at Bloomingdale, 5:00 p.m. (Bloomingdale’s first ever girls soccer game)
Delton-Kellogg at Holland Black River, 5:00 p.m.
Hamilton at Saugatuck, 5:00 p.m.
Fennville at Wyoming Lee, 6:00 p.m.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

 

This week, we talk high school game officiating with baseball, softball, volleyball, football, and basketball members of the Fruitbelt Officials Association…

 

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.