Weekday Morning Sports – Thursday 1/14/16

sportsreport

Sports Radio 1400 WSJM     @wsjmsports     wsjmsports.com     Thursday, January 14, 2016

NCAA Basketball – Men’s
Last Night
Notre Dame 72, Georgia Tech 64

Notre Dame 72, Georgia Tech 64 – Auguste, Jackson help Irish hold off Georgia Tech, 72-64
Zach Auguste had 24 points and nine rebounds, and Notre Dame pulled away late Wednesday night for a 72-64 ACC win over Georgia Tech. After going scoreless in the first half, Demetrius Jackson finished with 18 points, nine rebounds and eight assists for the Irish (11-5, 2-2). Marcus Georges-Hunt scored 18 to lead Georgia Tech (11-6, 1-3) and Adam Smith added 15 points. Notre Dame hit 11 of 12 free throws over the final two minutes, including eight straight from Jackson, to seal the victory. Jackson finished 13-for-14 from the line, but just 2-for-11 from the field. The Irish used a 7-0 run to earn some breathing room with 4:30 to play, but Georges-Hunt responded for Tech with a 3-point play followed by Smith’s fadeaway 3-pointer to cut it to 61-58 with 3:25 to go.

Tonight
(16) Iowa at (4) Michigan State, 7:00 p.m.               WCSY-FM 6:00

NCAA Basketball – Women’s
Last Night
Indiana 81, (18) Michigan State 65
Western Michigan 73, Kent State 52
Central Michigan 95, Northern Illinois 64
Ohio 71, Eastern Michigan 64

Indiana 81, #18 Michigan State 65 – Indiana women roll to 81-65 win over No. 18 Michigan State
Tyra Buss scored 24 points, Amanda Cahill and Karlee McBride added 17 each and Indiana rolled to an 81-65 win over No. 18 Michigan State on Wednesday night. The trio combined for the first 13 points of the game as the Hoosiers shot 52 percent and converted 14 Michigan State turnovers to 27 points in the first half for a 39-25 lead. McBride had 13 points. Indiana (10-7, 2-3 Big Ten) then shot 61.5 percent and made 25 of 32 free throws in the second half to hand the Spartans (12-4, 3-2) their worst loss of the season. Jasmine Hines had 24 points and Aerial Powers 14 for Michigan State, which finished with 24 turnovers that turned into 41 points.  MSU shot 36.5 percent (23 of 63), going 4 of 22 behind the arc. Buss has scored in double figures 21 straight games.

Tonight
(8) Maryland at Michigan, 6:00 p.m.
(3) Notre Dame at Boston College, 7:00 p.m.

NHL – National Hockey League
Tonight
Chicago Blackhawks at Montreal Canadiens, 7:30 p.m.
Detroit Red Wings at Arizona Coyotes, 9:00 p.m.

NBA – National Basketball Association
Tonight
Chicago Bulls at Philadelphia 76ers, 7:00 p.m.
Detroit Pistons at Memphis Grizzlies, 8:00 p.m.

Former Cornhuskers star found dead
Former Nebraska star running back Lawrence Phillips has been found dead in his California prison cell and officials say they suspect suicide. Guards at Kern Valley State Prison found the 40-year old unresponsive in his cell.  He had been housed alone in a segregation cell since April 2015 after he was suspected of killing his cellmate.  Phillips was a former No. 1 draft pick of the before his NFL career was cut short by disciplinary problems. Phillips went to prison in 2008 to serve a sentence of more than 31 years after he was convicted of twice choking his girlfriend in 2005 and of driving his car into three teens later that year.

NFL – AP Source: Titans set up interview with Lions’ Teryl Austin
A person familiar close to the situation says Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin has an interview with Tennessee on Friday for the Titans’ head coaching job. The person spoke to The Associated Press Wednesday on condition of anonymity because the team will not confirm candidates until after interviews are completed. Austin already has interviewed with Miami, Cleveland, the New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles. Miami hired Adam Gase, and Cleveland hired Hue Jackson on Wednesday. Among five teams still needing to hire a head coach, the Titans are looking for their third since Jeff Fisher left in January 2011. Ken Whisenhunt, hired in January 2013, was fired Nov. 3 after going 3-20 with Tennessee. Mike Mularkey, who went 2-7 as interim head coach, reportedly will interview to keep the job Thursday.

NFL – AP source: McAdoo to replace Coughlin
The New York Giants are staying within the organization for the successor to coach Tom Coughlin.  A person familiar with the decision tells The Associated Press the Giants are hiring offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo as their next head coach. The 38-year-old McAdoo had the backing of veteran Giants quarterback Eli Manning, who voiced support for the coach after the season. This would be McAdoo’s first head coaching job. It is uncertain whether defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, who also interviewed for the top job, will stay.

NFL – Browns pick Jackson as coach
The Cleveland Browns have hired Bengals offensive coordinator Hue Jackson as their new coach. The 50-year old replaces the fired Mike Pettine, who was let go after two losing seasons. Jackson becomes the eighth coach for the team since it re-entered the NFL as an expansion club in 1999. Jackson was previously Oakland’s head coach, and has a strong record of working with quarterbacks.

NFL – St. Louis mayor: No interest in trying again on NFL
The NFL is abandoning St. Louis again, and this time, the mayor has no interest in trying to bring pro football back. League owners voted Tuesday to allow the Rams to move to Los Angeles starting next season. It means that St. Louis is losing a team for the second time in three decades. The Cardinals abandoned St. Louis for Arizona in 1987. A governor-appointed task force had developed plans for a $1 billion riverfront stadium in St. Louis. The league determined the plan was inadequate, opening the way for the Rams’ move. St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay said Wednesday that he has “no appetite” for seeking another NFL team, based on what he called the dishonest way St. Louis was dealt with over the stadium issue.

MLB – Tigers avoid arbitration with LHP Wilson, reach $1.525M deal
The Detroit Tigers have agreed to a $1,525,000, one-year deal with left-handed reliever Justin Wilson, avoiding arbitration. The Tigers acquired the 28-year-old Wilson from the New York Yankees in December. He went 5-0 with a 3.10 ERA in 74 appearances last season. In four major league seasons with Pittsburgh and the New York Yankees, Wilson is 14-5 with a 3.03 ERA in 199 1-3 innings. Three other Detroit players have filed for arbitration _ outfielder J.D. Martinez, shortstop Jose Iglesias and infielder Andrew Romine.

MLB – White Sox hire Benetti as TV play-by-play announcer
The Chicago White Sox have hired Jason Benetti as a TV play-by-play announcer with Ken Harrelson taking a reduced role.  The White Sox announced a multiyear contract for Benetti as well as extensions for Harrelson and analyst Steve Stone on Wednesday. Benetti, a Chicago-area product who also works for ESPN, will call almost all home games alongside Stone. Harrelson, starting his 32nd season in the booth, will call 78 of 81 road games as well as the home opener and the two games against the Cubs at U.S. Cellular Field. The new arrangement cuts back on his 180-mile round-trip commute from his home near South Bend, Indiana.

AHL – American Hockey League
Last Night
Charlotte Checkers 4, Grand Rapids Griffins 3

NBADL – NBA D-League
Last Night
Canton Charge 113, Grand Rapids Drive 108

MHSAA – High School Sports
Last Night
Boys Basketball
SMAC
Benton Harbor 66, Battle Creek Central 49
Benton Harbor improved to 7-1 on the season with a 66-49 win at Battle Creek Central.  The Tigers pulled away in the end, outscoring the Bearcats 23-14 in the 4th quarter.  Curtis Dawson led Benton Harbor with a game high 16 points, Jaton Gunn and Jalon Stevens each added 13.

St. Joseph 54, Gull Lake 45
Michael Hunn had a game high 12 points as St. Joe picked up their first win of the season with a 54-45 win at Gull Lake, Andy Hodge added 11 points for the bears.

BCS
Berrien Springs 46, Lake Michigan Catholic 34

SAC
Gobles 51, Coloma 38
Fennville 72, Watervliet 57

Non-Conference
Lawton 58, Parchment 45

Girls Basketball
SMAC
Gull Lake at St. Joseph, 7:00 p.m.
St. Joe led from start to finish, but Gull Lake closed within four points in the second half before St. Joe pulled away for a 35-29 win over the Blue Devils.  Shelby Madison had a game high 17 points for the Lady Bears, who improve to 7-1 on the season.

BCS
Berrien Springs 42, Lake Michigan Catholic 39

SAC
Gobles 53, Coloma 19
Fennville 45, Watervliet 35

Wrestling
Niles 78, Benton Harbor 6
Niles 57, St.  Joseph 15
Lakeshore 81, Benton Harbor 0
Lakeshore 63, St. Joseph 3

Tonight
Girls Basketball
Michigan Lutheran at River Valley, 7:30 p.m.
Comstock at Bridgman, 7:30 p.m.
Berrien Springs at Buchanan, 7:30 p.m.
White Pigeon at New Buffalo, 7:30 p.m.

Boys Swimming
Mattawan at St. Joseph, 6:00 p.m.
Kalamazoo Loy Norrix at Bridgman, 6:00 p.m.