WSJM Sports

NCAAMBKB – Men’s College Basketball – NCAA First Four

UD Arena, Dayton, OH (Seeds in superscipt)

Last Night

16 Wright State 93, 16 Bryant 82                                                South Region – First Four

11 Notre Dame 89, 11 Rutgers 87 – 2 OT                                       West Region – First Four

Notre Dame 89, Rutgers 87 – 2 OT – Notre Dame beats Rutgers in double-OT to cap First Four

Paul Atkinson Jr.’s putback layup with 1.4 seconds left in the second overtime gave Notre Dame an 89-87 win over Rutgers in a wild First Four game. Ron Harper Jr. tied it with a long 3-pointer with 22 seconds left in the second OT. Notre Dame’s Blake Wesley then missed a shot before Atkinson grabbed the rebound and put back the winner. Atkinson finished with 20 points, Nate Laszewski 18 and Cormac Ryan 16 to lead the Irish who as the No. 11 seed advance to face sixth-seeded Alabama in a first-round game Friday in San Diego. Caleb McConnell had career-high 23 points and Ron Harper Jr. 22 for the Scarlet Knights.

Today (local teams)

11 Michigan vs. 6 Colorado State, 12:15 p.m.  Indianapolis           News/Talk/Sports 94.9 WSJM 11:45

Other games

4 Providence vs. 13 South Dakota State, 12:40 p.m.           Buffalo, New York

8 Boise State vs. 9 Memphis, 1:45 p.m.                              Portland, Oregon

1 Baylor vs. 16 Norfolk State, 2:00 p.m.                           Fort Worth, Texas

3 Tennessee vs. 14 Longwood, 2:45 p.m.                            Indianapolis, Indiana

5 Iowa vs. 12 Richmond, 3:10 p.m.                                     Buffalo, New York

1 Gonzaga vs. 16 Georgia State, 4:15 p.m.                         Portland, Oregon

8 North Carolina vs. 9 Marquette, 4:30 p.m.                     Fort Worth, Texas

5 UConn vs. 12 New Mexico State, 6:50 p.m.                      Buffalo, New York

2 Kentucky vs. 15 Saint Peter's, 7:10 p.m.                          Indianapolis, Indiana

5 Saint Mary's (CA) vs. 12 Indiana, 7:20 p.m.                     Portland, Oregon

8 San Diego State vs. 9 Creighton, 7:27 p.m.                     Fort Worth, Texas

4 Arkansas vs. 13 Vermont, 9:20 p.m.                                Buffalo, New York

7 Murray State vs. 10 San Francisco, 9:40 p.m.                  Indianapolis, Indiana

4 UCLA vs. 13 Akron, 9:50 p.m.                                         Portland, Oregon

1 Kansas vs. 16 Texas Southern, 9:57 p.m.                         Fort Worth, Texas

NBA – National Basketball Association

Last Night

Utah Jazz 125, Chicago Bulls 110

Jazz 125, Bulls 110 – Mitchell scores 25 of 37 points in 3rd, Jazz beat Bulls

Donovan Mitchell scored 25 of his 37 points in the third quarter, Jordan Clarkson added 26 and the Utah Jazz beat the Chicago Bulls 125-110 on Wednesday night. Mitchell made a franchise-record seven 3-pointers in the third period on nine attempts. He broke Karl Malone’s team mark of 22 points in a quarter. Mitchell finished with nine 3-pointers, besting his previous career best of seven. Chicago’s Zach LaVine, who has been affected by a sore left knee, made five 3s and had 33 points in tying his highest scoring output in four months. DeMar DeRozan added 25 points. The Bulls have dropped seven of nine.

Tonight

Detroit Pistons at Orlando Magic, 7:00 p.m. 

NHL – National Hockey League

Tonight

Detroit Red Wings at Vancouver Canucks, 10:00 p.m.

NHL – NHL trade deadline could be full of last-minute deals

The combination of jumbled standings in the Western Conference and a flat salary cap has stalled much of the trade market around the NHL. Most teams are waiting until close to the deadline Monday before making major moves.

NBA – National Basketball Association

Last Night

Miami Heat 105, Detroit Pistons 98

Memphis Grizzlies 135, Indiana Pacers 102

Heat 105, Pistons 98  – Strus leads late rally, Heat hold off Pistons 105-98

Max Strus scored all of his 16 points in the fourth quarter, Tyler Herro finished with a game-high 29 off the bench and the Miami Heat escaped with a 105-98 win over the Detroit Pistons. Strus, playing in the second half after Jimmy Butler left the game with a sprained ankle, scored 13 of his points in a span of 2:55 of the final quarter to help Miami rally. Jerami Grant led the Pistons with 22 points. Isaiah Livers scored 16, while Marvin Bagley III and Saddiq Bey each had 13 for Detroit, which closed the third quarter on a 19-0 run to put a scare into the Eastern Conference leaders.

Grizzlies 135, Pacers 102 – Grizzlies roll without Morant, beat Pacers 135-102

Desmond Bane scored 21 points, Jaren Jackson Jr. had 19 and the Memphis Grizzlies rolled without All-Star Ja Morant, beating the Indiana Pacers 135-102. De’Anthony Melton added 18 points while Morant sat out with back soreness. The Grizzlies made the decision to hold him out after he went through pregame warmups. The Pacers have lost two in a row and five of their last six games. Jalen Smith scored 15 points for Indiana.

Tonight

Chicago Bulls at Utah Jazz, 9:00 p.m.

NHL – National Hockey League

Last Night

Boston Bruins 2, Chicago Blackhawks 1 – OT

Edmonton Oilers 7, Detroit Red Wings 5

Bruins 2, Blackhawks 1 – OT – Grzelcyk scores in OT to lift Bruins over Blackhawks 2-1

Matt Grzelcyk scored at 1:40 of overtime and the surging Boston Bruins beat the Chicago Blackhawks 2-1. After taking a cross-ice feed from Taylor Hall, Grzelcyk whipped a shot past goalie Marc-Andre Fleury to end it on Boston’s 48th shot of the game. Hall had two assists as Boston won its third straight to start a four-game trip and improved to 10-1-1 in its last 12 overall. Fleury sparkled in net, making 46 saves to keep the Blackhawks in it as the Bruins dominated play. Fleury wasn’t beaten until Patrice Bergeron snapped a scoreless tie early in the third on Boston’s 40th shot. Brandon Hagel had his 21st goal midway through the period to tie it.

Oilers 7, Red Wings 5 – Kane scores twice in Oilers' 7-5 win over Red Wings

Evander Kane had a pair of goals and the Edmonton Oilers ended up with a 7-5 victory over the Detroit Red Wings after having an early 3-0 advantage. Devin Shore, Connor McDavid, Zach Hyman, Kailer Yamamoto and Warren Foegele also scored for the Oilers, who have won three straight as they try to solidify their playoff position. Marc Staal had a pair of goals and Sam Gagner, Filip Zadina and Lucas Raymond also scored for the Red Wings, who’ve lost six straight.

NCAAMBKB – Men’s College Basketball – NCAA First Four

UD Arena, Dayton, OH (Seeds in superscipt)

Last Night

16 Texas Southern 76, 16 Texas A&M Corpus Christi 67                 Midwest Region – First Four

12 Indiana 66, 12 Wyoming 58                                                      East Region – First Four

Tonight

16 Bryant vs. 16 Wright State, 6:40 p.m.                                       South Region – First Four

11 Notre Dame vs. 11 Rutgers, 9:10 p.m.                                       West Region – First Four

NCAAMBKB – Big Ten lands three players on AP All-America first team

Keegan Murray has given Iowa a first-team Associated press All-American for the third straight year. He is joined on the first team by Kofi Cockburn of Illinois, Wisconsin’s Johnny Davis, Kentucky big man Oscar Tshiebwe and Kansas guard Ochai Agbaji. Drew Timme of Gonzaga led the AP second team for the second straight year and was joined by freshman teammate Chet Holmgren.

Episode 2 for March 15. Host Tim Dunaj chats with Career Academy Robotics (Team 5484). a.k.a. the Wolfpack from South Bend, IN.

This week's Mid-West Family Player of the Week is Nolan Wertanen, a Senior from St. Joe High School and member of the Bears' Varsity Wrestling team.

Its a long list of accomplishments that Nolan has achieved on the mat over his 4 years as a Bear, just some of them include being a 2022 State Champ (for the 3rd time), back-to-back undefeated seasons, and back-to-back Southwest Michigan Wrestler of the Year awards.

More impressively, Nolan's accomplishments in the classroom might outweigh his athletic achievements. Nolan carries a 4.37 GPA, is a member of the National Honors Society, serves as a representative for the Class of 2022 on the St.Joseph Public Schools Foundation Board, and is poised to finish in the top 10 in his class at St. Joe.

Nolan is committed to furthering both his education and wrestling career at the University of Michigan.

To hear more about Nolan, listen to his conversation with Jordan Jensen, below!

Listen to Phil McDonald on the call as Kalamazoo Central faced off against St. Joe in the D1 Regional Semifinal on Monday, March 14.

NBA – National Basketball Association

Last Night

Sacramento Kings 112, Chicago Bulls 103

Kings 112, Bulls 103 – Fox scores 34, Kings beat scuffling Bulls 112-103

De’Aaron Fox had 34 points, six assists and six rebounds as the Sacramento Kings beat the stumbling Chicago Bulls 112-103. Domontas Sabonis added 22 points and seven rebounds after missing two games, and Sacramento ended a four-game skid with its third victory in 10 games. Davion Mitchell scored 16 and Donte DiVincenzo had 15. Zach LaVine had 27 points and six assists for Chicago. Nikola Vucevic added 23 points and 10 rebounds, and DeMar DeRozan scored 21. The Bulls, who entered the night fourth in the East, have lost six of eight.

Tonight

Memphis Grizzlies at Indiana Pacers, 7:00 p.m.

Detroit Pistons at Miami Heat, 7:30 p.m.

NHL – National Hockey League

Tonight

Boston Bruins at Chicago Blackhawks, 8:30 p.m.

Detroit Red Wings at Edmonton Oilers, 9:00 p.m.

NCAAMBKB – Men’s College Basketball – NCAA First Four

UD Arena, Dayton, OH (Seeds in superscipt)

Tonight

16 Texas A&M Corpus Christi vs. 16 Texas Southern, 6:40 p.m.       Midwest Region – First Four

12 Indiana vs. 12 Wyoming, 9:10 p.m.                                            East Region – First Four

NFL – AP source: Steelers sign QB Mitchell Trubisky to 2-year deal

A person with knowledge of the deal tells The Associated Press that Mitchell Trubisky is going to get a shot at replacing Ben Roethlisberger. Trubisky and the Pittsburgh Steelers have agreed to terms on a two-year contract that will give Trubisky a chance to compete for the starting quarterback job following Roethlisberger’s retirement in January. The person spoke to the AP on the condition of anonymity because the deal was not yet official. The terms were not disclosed.

NFL – AP source: Lions agree to terms with Tracy Walker, Tim Boyle

A person familiar with the situation says the Detroit Lions have agreed to terms with starting safety Tracy Walker and backup quarterback Tim Boyle. The person spoke Monday on condition of anonymity because the moves had not been announced. Detroit’s decision to keep Walker is significant, showing general manager Brad Holmes and coach Dan Campbell believe in one of the players drafted and developed by the franchise’s previous front office. The Lions say they signed four of their free agents, retaining linebackers Alex Anzalone and Shaun Dion Hamilton along with safeties C.J. Moore and Jalen Elliott.

NFL – Bears release nose tackle Goldman

The Chicago Bears have released nose tackle Eddie Goldman. Slowed by knee and ankle injuries as well as a stint on the COVID-19 list last season, Goldman set career lows with a half-sack and one tackle for loss. He sat out the 2020 season because of COVID-19 concerns and never regained the form he showed in 2019, when he was a Pro Bowl alternate. Goldman was drafted out of Florida State by Chicago in the second round in 2015. He has started 73 of the 81 games he has played and has 13 sacks and 18 tackles for loss.

NFL – Cap concerns limit Packers' options heading into free agency

The Green Bay Packers can breathe a little easier heading into free agency now that MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers has said he plans to return. The Packers also placed a franchise tag on All-Pro wide receiver Davante Adams to keep him from becoming an unrestricted free agent. But the Packers still have an unsettled situation at receiver because of the possibility Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Allen Lazard and Equanimeous St. Brown could depart. The Packers could have trouble keeping All-Pro linebacker De'Vondre Campbell and cornerback Rasul Douglas after both raised their stock with breakthrough seasons.

MLB – In hot MLB market,

NBA – National Basketball Association

Last Night

Los Angeles Clippers 106, Detroit Pistons 102

Atlanta Hawks 131, Indiana Pacers 128

Clippers 106, Pistons 102 – Morris, Kennard lead Clippers over Pistons, 106-102

Marcus Morris scored 31 points and Luke Kennard had 16 against their former team, helping the Los Angeles Clippers rally for a 106-102 victory against the Detroit Pistons. Reggie Jackson, another former Piston, finished with 15 points, nine assists and eight rebounds. Jeremi Grant scored 21 for Detroit, and Cade Cunningham had 19 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds. The Clippers trailed 44-26 in the second quarter, but they took an 85-83 lead on Kennard’s 3-pointer with 7:53 left.

Hawks 131, Pacers 128 – Trae Young scores 47, Hawks hold off Pacers 131-128

Trae Young scored 33 of his 47 points in the first half, and the Atlanta Hawks beat the Indiana Pacers 131-128. Atlanta had seven players score in double figures and shot 54.8% from the field. Danilo Gallinari and De’Andre Hunter had 15 points apiece, and Kevin Huerter finished with 14. The Hawks have won 13 of 15 at home and two straight overall. Tyrese Halliburton and Buddy Hield each scored 25 points for Indiana.

Tonight

Chicago Bulls at Sacramento Kings, 10:00 p.m.

NCAAMBKB – Men’s College Basketball – Conference Tournaments

2022 Big Ten Tournament – Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis

Yesterday

Championship

5 Iowa 73, 3 Purdue 66

Iowa 73, Purdue 66 – No. 24 Iowa closes out No. 9 Purdue 75-66 for Big Ten title

Keegan Murray had 19 points and 11 rebounds as No. 24 Iowa beat No. 9 Purdue 75-66 to win its first Big Ten Tournament championship since 2006 and earn the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Jaden Ivey scored 20 points and Trevion Williams had 11 points and 11 rebounds to lead Purdue, which got within 63-62 with 3:13 to go. But Purdue only scored four more points.

2022 ACC Tournament

Saturday

Championship

7 Virginia Tech 82, 1 Duke 67

2022 Big 12 Tournament

Saturday

Championship

1 Kansas 74, 3 Texas Tech 65

2022 PAC 12 Tournament

Saturday

Championship

1 Arizona 84, 2 UCLA 76

2022 SEC Tournament

Sunday

Championship

2 Tennessee 65, 7 Texas A&M 50

2022 MAC Tournament

Saturday

Championship

4 Akron 75, 2 Kent State 55

NCAAMBKB – Back to normal: Zags, Baylor join KU, Arizona as NCAA No. 1s

The March Madness bracket is out. Gonzaga received the top overall seed, with Arizona, Kansas and defending champion Baylor joining the Zags as top seeds. Early round games in the 68-team tournament start Tuesday. The nets come down for the final time on April 4 at the Final Four in New Orleans. This marks the return to the first “normal” tournament since 2019, with teams scattering to eight cities for the first weekend and four more for the Sweet 16.

NCAAMBKB – Wolverines, Spartans, and Irish go dancing

After Michigan, Michigan State and Notre Dame all came up short in their conference tournament runs, all three still were able to clinch a spot in the NCAA Tournament.  Michigan is the 11th seed in the south regional and will face 6th seeded Colorado State in Indianapolis on Thursday at 12:15 p.m.   Michigan State is the 7th seed in the West regional and faces 10th seed Davidson on Friday Night at 9:40 p.m.  The game is in Greenville, South Carolina.  Notre Dame has an extra step on their way to the final four in New Orleans, to get there the Irish will be a part of the first four.  Notre Dame is facing Rutgers of the Big Ten in the battle of 11 seeds, Wednesday at 9:10 p.m. in Dayton, Ohio.  The winner will take on Alabama in the West Regional.

 

 

We recap the seasons for St. Joe, Lake Michigan Catholic, Lakeshore, Michigan Lutheran, and Benton Harbor Girls' Basketball...