WSJM Sports

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WSJM Sports for Monday, July 17th

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MLB – Major League Baseball
Tonight
Chicago White Sox (Kopech 3-7) at Atlanta (Morton 9-6), 7:20 p.m.
Boston (Bello 6-5) at Chicago Cubs (Hendricks 3-3), 8:05 p.m.
Detroit (Rodriguez 4-5) at Seattle (Castillo 6-6), 10:10 p.m.     News/Talk/Sports 94.9 WSJM 9:45

MLB – Cubs-Rangers highlight opening day matchups as MLB announces 2024 schedule
The Chicago Cubs will be at Texas in the only interleague matchup on Major League Baseball’s traditional opening day on March 28 in the second season of the balanced schedule. MLB released its 2024 schedule, seven weeks earlier than the 2023 announcement. All 30 teams are slated to play on March 28, a week after the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres meet in a two-game series at Seoul on March 20-21, MLB’s first regular-season games in South Korea. The Athletics host Cleveland in what could be their last opener in Oakland before an expected move to Las Vegas.  The Detroit Tigers open up at the Chicago White Sox.  Detroit then hosts Oakland the following week.

WNBA – Women’s National Basketball Association
Saturday
2023 WNBA All-Star Game, Michelob Ultra Arena, Las Vegas
Team Stewart vs. Team Wilson, 8:30 p.m.

NCAAFB – David Braun elevated to interim coach at Northwestern, AP source says
David Braun has been elevated from defensive coordinator to interim coach at Northwestern for the upcoming season, replacing Pat Fitzgerald, who was fired this week due to a hazing scandal. That’s according to a person familiar with the decision. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because Braun’s promotion to interim coach had not been announced. Braun was hired as the Wildcats’ defensive coordinator six months ago. He spent the previous four seasons in the same position at North Dakota State. Fitzgerald was fired Monday after a university investigation found allegations of hazing by 11 current or former players. He has maintained he was unaware of the hazing.

NCAABSB – Northwestern fires baseball coach Jim Foster amid misconduct allegations
Northwestern baseball coach Jim Foster has been fired amid allegations of misconduct, three days after football coach Pat Fitzgerald was dismissed because of a hazing scandal. Foster spent just one season as the Wildcats’ coach. The move was announced in a brief statement from athletic director Derrick Gragg. The Chicago Tribune and WSCR-AM reported this week that Foster led a toxic culture that prompted several assistant coaches to quit, and that his bullying and verbally abusive behavior prompted a human resources investigation by the university. Northwestern went 10-40 under Foster. Assistant Brian Anderson will take over as interim coach.

NCAA – Legal headaches could just be starting at Northwestern, WVU with Fitzgerald
The legal headaches could only be starting for ex-Northwestern football coach Pat Fitzgerald and West Virginia’s Bob Huggins. Fitzgerald was fired this week following hazing allegations in the program. He originally was suspended for two weeks before the school changed course. West Virginia considers Huggins to have resigned after a drunken-driving arrest last month. Huggins says he never formally stepped down and wants to keep coaching basketball. Industry experts are puzzled by what happened. Marty Greenberg is an attorney specializing in coaching contracts. He says if Fitzgerald and Huggins fight back, it would be in everyone’s best interests for a quick resolution.

NCAAMBB – March Madness expansion discussed by NCAA committee but no deal imminent
The NCAA Division I men’s basketball committee discussed possible expansion of March Madness at its meetings this week but said no moves were imminent to increase the field beyond the current 68 teams. Earlier this year, the NCAA Division I board of directors approved recommendations by the DI transformation committee that included allowing one quarter of teams in bigger sports to compete in championship events. That could mean expanding the fields in both men’s and women’s basketball up to 90 teams. There are many in the sport who believe the 68-team field and three weekends of play are ideal. In 2016, the NCAA signed an eight-year extension of its TV deal worth $8.8 billion and running through 2032.

NBASL – NBA Summer League – Las Vegas
Last Night
Cleveland Cavaliers 87, Chicago Bulls 83

Cavaliers 87, Bulls 83
Craig Porter scored 22 points, Isaiah Mobley had a double-double and Cleveland remained unbeaten in NBA Summer League play with a victory over Chicago.  Porter added eight rebounds, six assists and three steals for the Cavaliers (4-0). Mobley finished with 18 points, 12 rebounds and four assists. Second-round pick Emoni Bates pitched in with 15 points and six boards. The Cavaliers trailed 80-73 with 5:50 left to play. Mobley hit a 3-pointer and added two free throws with 1:21 remaining to put Cleveland up 84-83. Porter added a three-point play with just under a minute to play to complete the scoring. Javon Freeman-Liberty had 18 points for the Bulls (2-2). Dalen Terry and second-round pick Julian Phillips scored 12 points apiece.

Tonight
Indiana Pacers vs. New York Knicks, 7:00 p.m.                (at Thomas and Mack Center, Las Vegas)
Detroit Pistons vs. San Antonio Spurs, 9:00 p.m.            (at Thomas and Mack Center, Las Vegas)

NHL – Coyotes cutting ties with Galchenyuk following arrest on multiple charges
The Arizona Coyotes have placed newly signed free agent forward Alex Galchenyuk on unconditional waivers and plan to terminate his contract following his arrest on multiple charges over the weekend. A Scottsdale Police Department spokesperson said Thursday that Galchenyuk was arrested Sunday on charges of private property hit and run, disorderly conduct, failure to obey, resisting arrest and threatening or intimidating. The spokesperson said the hit and run was only property damage and no injuries occurred. Galchenyuk was booked into the Scottsdale city jail on misdemeanor charges and released the next day on his own recognizance.

Tennis – Ons Jabeur is in a second consecutive Wimbledon final
Ons Jabeur has defeated Aryna Sabalenka 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-3 to reach the Wimbledon final for the second consecutive year. This will be the third title match for Jabeur in the past five Grand Slam tournaments. She is 0-2 so far after losing to Elena Rybakina at the All England Club last July and to Iga Swiatek at the U.S. Open last September. Sabalenka came into the match with a 17-1 record at majors in 2023. Jabeur’s opponent for the championship will be Marketa Vondrousova. Vondrousova became the first unseeded women’s finalist at Wimbledon since Billie Jean King in 1963 by eliminating Elina Svitolina 6-3, 6-3.

Golf – PGA Tour and Saudi wealth fund drop poaching clause from agreement
The PGA Tour deal with Saudi Arabia’s wealth fund is dropping a clause in their agreement over poaching. That’s after the Justice Department raised antitrust concerns. The agreement is for the PGA Tour, European tour and Public Investment Fund to become partners. A clause in the framework agreement was that neither side would try to poach players from other tours. The tour said Thursday that it believes the clause is lawful. But it says it has removed it because the clause isn’t needed as they work together in negotiating the final deal. No more players are likely to join LIV this season.
         
Golf – McIlroy says he’d retire if LIV Golf was the only place to play
Rory McIlroy is laughing off a Saudi-backed idea that he and Tiger Woods own LIV Golf teams. McIlroy says he would retire if LIV Golf was the only place left on earth to play though he’d still compete at the majors. Those are part of his first comments since the Senate hearing on the PGA Tour’s agreement to partner with Saudi Arabia’s national wealth fund. One of the documents Congress obtained contained a series of dreamy proposals for compromise. McIlroy has not hidden his disdain for the rival circuit funded by Saudi Arabia.

MWL – Midwest League Baseball
Last Night
No games last night

Tonight
Lansing Lugnuts at West Michigan Whitecaps, 6:35 p.m.
Fort Wayne Tin Caps at Great Lakes Loons, 7:05 p.m.
South Bend Cubs at Quad Cities River Bandits, 7:30 p.m.

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WNBA – Women’s National Basketball Association
Yesterday
Connecticut Sun 84, Chicago Sky 72
New York Liberty 95, Indiana Fever 87 – OT

Sun 84, Sky 72 – Hayes scores 22, Bonner 21 and the Sun pull away from the Sky for an 84-72 win
Tiffany Hayes scored 22 points, DeWanna Bonner added 21 and the Connecticut Sun defeated the Chicago Sky 84-72. Alyssa Thomas added 19 points and 10 rebounds for the Sun, who would have advanced to the Commissioner’s Cup championship game against Las Vegas if the New York Liberty hadn’t pulled out an overtime win at Indiana. Kahleah Cooper had 22 points for the Sky, who have lost three straight. Bonner scored 10 points in the third quarter when the Sun turned a two-point halftime deficit into a 10-point lead. The Sky had used an 18-7 run to take a 38-36 halftime edge.

Liberty 95, Fever 87 – OT – Liberty blow lead, top Fever in overtime 95-87 to advance to Commissioner’s Cup final
Sabrina Ionescu scored eight of her 34 points in overtime and the New York Liberty clinched a berth in the Commissioner’s Cup championship with a 95-87 win over the Indiana Fever, despite blowing an 18-point fourth-quarter lead. Aliyah Boston hit a buzzer-beating 3-pointer at the end of regulation for Indiana. That tied the game at 80 but the Liberty pulled away in overtime as Ionescu hit two big 3-pointers. Boston led Indiana with 23 points. Breanna Stewart had 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Liberty, who play at Western Conference winner and defending champion Las Vegas for the Commissioner’s Cup on Aug. 15.

MLB – Major League Baseball
Friday
Chicago White Sox at Atlanta Braves, 7:20 p.m.
Boston Red Sox at Chicago Cubs, 8:05 p.m.
Detroit Tigers at Seattle Mariners, 10:10 p.m.

NBASL – NBA Summer League
Last Night
Detroit Pistons 94, Toronto Raptors 90
Oklahoma City 98, Indiana Pacers 87

Today
Chicago Bulls vs. Cleveland Cavaliers, 3:00 p.m.            (at Thomas and Mack Center, Las Vegas)

NBA – LeBron James says at ESPYS he will play for Lakers in upcoming season
LeBron James plans to play next season for the Los Angeles Lakers. The 38-year-old superstar announced his intentions at The ESPYS. James accepted the record-breaking performance award for becoming the NBA’s career scoring leader. James had said at the end of last season that he wasn’t sure if he would be back. He says the day he can’t give everything to the game he will retire, but he told the crowd, “Lucky for you guys that day is not today.” The audience in Los Angeles greeted his words with a huge cheer.

NBA – Kobe’s legacy in the NBA lives on in a new way. Two players bear his name
There’s Kobe, wearing the uniform of a team from Los Angeles. There’s Kobe, the last one on the court at practice and getting yelled at because the buses are waiting for him. How fitting. Just like old times. Kobe Brown of the Los Angeles Clippers and Kobe Bufkin of the Atlanta Hawks know there will never be another Kobe Bryant. But his namesakes are about to enter the NBA, the first players with that name to do so since the late Hall of Famer. Bufkin was drafted No. 15 overall out of Michigan by the Hawks. Brown was selected No. 30 overall out of Missouri by the Clippers.

NBA – Morant’s lawyers cite self-defense in pickup basketball lawsuit
The future of a lawsuit accusing Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant of assaulting a teenager during a pickup basketball game hinges on whether Morant will be allowed to say that he was acting in self-defense and can receive immunity under Tennessee law. A judge on Wednesday allowed Morant’s lawyers to proceed with their case that Morant was acting in self-defense when he punched then-17-year-old Joshua Holloway during a game at Morant’s Memphis-area home in July 2022. Morant’s lawyers have acknowledged he punched Holloway one time after Holloway threw a basketball at Morant and the ball hit him in the chin. Morant has filed a countersuit against Holloway.

Nassar – Suspect in stabbing said Nassar made lewd remark watching Wimbledon
A prisoner suspected of stabbing Larry Nassar at a federal penitentiary in Florida said the disgraced former sports doctor provoked the attack by making a lewd comment while they were watching a Wimbledon tennis match. That’s according to a person familiar with the matter who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. Court records show the inmate, identified as Shane McMillan, was previously convicted of assaulting a correctional officer at a federal penitentiary in Louisiana in 2006 and attempting to stab another inmate to death at the federal Supermax prison in Florence, Colorado in 2011. Messages seeking comment were left with lawyers who’ve represented McMillan in his past cases.

Tennis – Chris Eubanks’ magical Wimbledon ends against Daniil Medvedev
Daniil Medvedev has ended American Chris Eubanks’ surprising run at Wimbledon in the quarterfinals. Medvedev came back to beat Eubanks in five sets on Wednesday. The 2021 U.S. Open champion reached his first semifinal at the All England Club. Next up for Medvedev is a matchup against No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz, who eliminated Holger Rune. Ons Jabeur eliminated defending champion Elena Rybakina in a rematch of last year’s final to get back to the semifinals. Jabeur now meets Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka, a winner against American Madison Keys.

Soccer – Panama upsets US 5-4 on penalty kicks after 1-1 tie to reach Gold Cup final
Adalberto Carrasquilla converted the decisive penalty kick after Cristian Roldan failed to convert his attempt, and Panama beat the defending champion United States 5-4 in a shootout after a 1-1 tie to reach the CONCACAF Gold Cup final against Mexico or Jamaica. Iván Anderson scored in the ninth minute of extra time. Jesús Ferreira tied the score for the U.S. six minutes later. Panama reached the final for the third time after losing to the U.S. in 2005 and 2013. The U.S. failed to reach the final for the first time since a 2015 semifinal loss.

Soccer – Messi mania engulfs Miami ahead of Argentine soccer superstar’s arrival
A hamburger and drink combination called the Lionel Messi. A huge sketch of the soccer star’s smiling face on a restaurant wall beside a meme that went viral during the 2022 World Cup. A beer with a pink label matching the color of the Inter Miami jersey he will wear. Wherever you turn in Miami these days something reminds you of the imminent arrival of the Argentine soccer legend. There is no hiding the euphoria generated by Messi in Miami as he begins the new Major League Soccer phase of his career in one of the most Latino cities in the United States.

Golf – Schauffele and Spieth say PGA Tour Commissioner Monahan has to earn back trust
PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan is set to return to work next week. Xander Schauffele says there are tough questions for him to answer about the tour’s stunning commercial deal with the Saudis. And he believes Monahan has some trust to earn back from the players because of the secretive nature of the deal with the Saudi Arabia wealth fund behind LIV Golf. Schauffele says Monahan had his trust and now has a lot less of it. Jordan Spieth also said Monahan will have quite a bit of trust issues with players. Scottie Scheffler says he wishes player representatives were kept in the loop.

NCAA – NCAA head: 175 sports-betting violations since 2018, 17 active investigations,
The NCAA has found 175 infractions of its sports-betting policy since 2018, and there are 17 active investigations. That is according to a letter from NCAA President Charlie Baker that was obtained by The Associated Press. The NCAA says less than 0.25% of its approximately 13,000 sporting events are flagged for suspicious betting patterns and far fewer actually have "actionable information.”

ESPN – ESPN’s Dick Vitale diagnosed with cancer for a 3rd time
Longtime ESPN college basketball analyst Dick Vitale says he has been diagnosed with cancer for a third time. Vitale tweeted Wednesday that he had surgery in Boston this week, and tests revealed that he has vocal cord cancer. He said he will undergo six weeks of radiation treatments. He says he will fight to be ready to call games when the college basketball season begins this fall. The 84-year-old Vitale has previously been treated for melanoma and lymphoma. Vitale has been with ESPN since 1979, the year the network launched. He’s also a longtime fundraiser for cancer research.

MWL – Midwest League Baseball
Last Night
No games last night

Tonight
No games tonight

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