Sports Radio 1400 WSJM @wsjmsports wsjmsports.com Wednesday, December 30, 2015
NCAA Basketball – Men’s
Last Night
Iowa 83, (1) Michigan State 70
Notre Dame 73, Liberty 56
William & Mary 88, Central Michigan 84
Iowa 83, (1) Michigan State 70 – Iowa upends No. 1 Michigan State 83-70
Mike Gesell scored a career-high 25 points and Iowa cruised past top-ranked Michigan State 83-70 on Tuesday night, handing the Spartans their first loss of the season. Peter Jok had 19 points for the Hawkeyes (10-3), which toppled a No. 1 team for the first time in 16 years. Iowa never trailed in what turned out to be a surprisingly easy win over the Spartans (13-1). The Hawkeyes led by as much as 19 in snapping a nine-game losing streak against Michigan State. Eron Harris scored 21 points to lead the Spartans. They were playing their second game without injured star Denzel Valentine _ their leader in scoring, rebounds and assists _ and their first since coach Tom Izzo’s father Carl died Monday.
Notre Dame 73, Liberty 56 – Vasturia, Auguste lead Notre Dame past Liberty 73-56
Steve Vasturia scored 17 points and Notre Dame rallied in the second half Tuesday to cruise to a 73-56 win over Liberty. Zach Auguste fought through a constant double team in the post to finish with 13 points and tied a career-high with 14 rebounds for Notre Dame (9-3), which concluded its non-conference schedule and will begin ACC play on Jan. 2 at No. 5 Virginia. Liberty (3-12) came into the game with the lowest RPI rating in Division I at No. 351 and lost its 11th in a row. Caleb Homesley led the Flames with 18 points and Evan Maxwell added 15 points and eight rebounds. After a lethargic end to the first half, the Irish came out strong in the second. V.J. Beachem hit a pair of 3-pointers to start an 11-0 run to open a 20-point lead in the first 90 seconds of the half.
William & Mary 88, CMU 84 – William & Mary beats Central Michigan 88-84
Omar Prewitt scored 23 points with a career-high 10 of 12 free throws, Daniel Dixon added 19 points, and William & Mary rallied to beat Central Michigan 88-84 Tuesday night. Connor Burchfield scored 14 points with four 3-pointers and Terry Tarpey added 12 points for the Tribe (8-3), which made 22 of 30 free throws (73 percent). Central Michigan, ranked No. 5 in the nation in 3-pointers per game (11), made 12 of 37 from long distance and led 33-31 at halftime. Braylon Rayson scored 23 points, Chris Folwer added 21, Simons had 14 with four 3s, and Rayshawn Simmons 12 for Central (6-6).
Today
Michigan at Illinois, 3:00 p.m. WSJM-AM 2:30
Western Michigan at Vanderbilt, 9:00 p.m.
NCAA Basketball – Women’s
Last Night
Saint Joseph’s 76, Central Michigan 66
Tonight
Eastern Michigan at Detroit, 7:00 p.m.
Ferris State at Western Michigan, 7:00 p.m
NBA – National Basketball Association
Last Night
New York Knicks 108, Detroit Pistons 96
Knicks 108, Pistons 96 – Anthony leads Knicks to 108-96 win over Pistons
Carmelo Anthony scored 24 points and Derrick Williams added 18 to lead six Knicks in double figures as New York snapped a four-game losing streak with a 108-96 win over the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday night. Jose Calderon added 15 points, Kyle O’Quinn had 12, Robin Lopez scored 11, and Kristaps Porzingis finished with 10. Ersan Ilyasova led the Pistons with 19 points. Marcus Morris and Reggie Jackson each had 17. The Knicks led by only four points, 80-76, early in the fourth quarter, but went on a 25-11 run to take an 18-point lead on Williams’ long jumper with 1:42 left in the game. Williams scored 16 of his points in the final quarter, hitting 5-of-6 shots from the field.
Tonight
Indiana Pacers at Chicago Bulls, 8:00 p.m.
NHL – National Hockey League
Last Night
Winnipeg Jets 4, Detroit Red Wings 1
Chicago Blackhawks 7, Arizona Coyotes 5
Jets 4, Red Wings 1 – Trouba nets 2, Little has 3 assists, Jets beat Red Wings
Jacob Trouba scored twice and Bryan Little had three assists as the Winnipeg Jets beat the Detroit Red Wings 4-1 on Tuesday night. Trouba’s short-handed goal in the first period opened the scoring for the Jets (17-17-2), who also had goals from Andrew Ladd and Alexander Burmistrov. Pavel Datsyuk scored on a power play for the Red Wings (18-12-7). Connor Hellebuyck was solid once again for the Jets, stopping 33 shots to improve to 7-3-0 in his rookie season. Jimmy Howard began the night in goal for the Red Wings but was chased in the second period after allowing four goals on 14 shots.
Blackhawks 7, Coyotes 5 – Kane, Desjardins lead Blackhawks to 7-5 win over Coyotes
Patrick Kane scored a goal, assisted on two others and raised his NHL-leading point total to 53 in helping the Chicago Blackhawks to a 7-5 win over the Arizona Coyotes on Tuesday night. Andrew Desjardins scored twice for the Blackhawks, who overcame Shane Doan’s hat trick and set a season high for goals in a game. Artem Anisimov scored his 13th of the season, Brent Seabrook had two assists and Duncan Keith added a goal and an assist for Chicago. Doan scored three times for the Coyotes, tying Dale Hawerchuk for the franchise record with 379 career goals. Doan’s third of the night came on a power play with 27.1 seconds left.
NFL – St. Louis submits new stadium proposal to NFL
A task force commissioned by Missouri’s governor has sent to the National Football League its proposal for a billion-dollar stadium along the Mississippi River. The nearly 400-page tome submitted by the group a day ahead of the deadline is meant to either retain the Rams or attract a new team if owner Stan Kroenke moves the franchise. The Rams, Oakland Raiders and San Diego Chargers are seeking to move to the Los Angeles area. League owners are expected to consider the matter during meetings Jan. 12-13. The St. Louis proposal calls for $150 million from the city, $300 million from the league, $250 million from the team owner and $160 million in fan seat licenses. The rest of the money comes from the state, either through tax credits or bonds.
NFL – Lions release CB Bill Bentley
The Detroit Lions have released cornerback Bill Bentley. The team announced the move Tuesday. Detroit signed Bentley in November when cornerback Josh Wilson went on injured reserve with a knee injury. The Lions had cut Bentley in June. Bentley was drafted in the third round by Detroit in 2012. He started eight games in his first two seasons with the Lions, but none since then.
NFL – Kelly fired by Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles were hoping Chip Kelly could operate the type of offense he created at the University of Oregon. It never happened, and now Kelly is out of a job. Kelly has been fired with one game left in what was his third season with the Eagles. The club currently is 6-9 following a pair of 10-6 seasons and one playoff berth under Kelly. The Eagles missed the 2014 playoffs despite a 9-3 start. They went 7-12 in their last 19 games with Kelly at the helm. Kelly came to Philadelphia with high expectations after turning the Ducks into an elite program with a high-octane offense. The Eagles had some early success on offense, but the loss of running back LeSean McCoy and the acquisitions of quarterback Sam Bradford and DeMarco Murray did nothing to boost the team’s attack this season. Philly’s scoring has dropped by an average of seven points a game over last season. Offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur will coach the Eagles in the season finale at the New York Giants on Sunday. The Eagles also fired vice president of player personnel Ed Marynowitz.
NFL – Colts fill glaring quarterback hole by signing Josh Freeman
The Colts have signed free agent quarterbacks Josh Freeman and Ryan Lindley with their top three options injured or out altogether. The former Tampa Bay signal-caller has started 60 games but hasn’t played in the NFL since 2013. Starter Andrew Luck is still out with a lacerated kidney, backup Matt Hasselbeck is considered doubtful after due to a shoulder injury and third-stringer Charlie Whitehurst was placed on injured reserve yesterday with a hamstring problem.
NCAA Football – The CFP semifinals, a new tradition for New Year’s Eve
When it comes to which sports have a foothold on holidays, the NFL owns Thanksgiving, the NBA owns Christmas and college football has long been associated with New Year’s Day. Now, college football wants New Year’s Eve, too. Including Thursday’s matchups in the Orange and Cotton bowls, the College Football Playoff semifinals are scheduled to fall on Dec. 31 eight times between now and 2025. Those in charge of the playoff are confident they’ll be a big draw, even if they compete with more traditional ball-drop that ushers in the new year in New York’s Times Square. ut some are rearranging their traditions to deal with logistics of big games on New Year’s Eve.
NCAA Football – Bowls
Yesterday
Lockheed Martin Armed Services Bowl
Amon G. Carter Stadium, Fort Worth, TX
California 55, Air Force 36
Russel Athletic Bowl
Citrus Bowl Stadium, Orlando, FL
(17) Baylor 49, (10) North Carolina 38
Nova Home Loans Arizona Bowl
Arizona Stadium, Tucson, AZ
Nevada 28, Colorado State 23
Advocare V100 Texas Bowl
NRG Stadium, Houston, TX
(20) LSU 56, Texas Tech 27
Today
Birmingham Bowl
Legion Field, Birmingham, AL
Auburn vs. Memphis, 12:00 p.m.
Belk Bowl
Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC
NC State vs. Mississippi State, 3:30 p.m.
Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl
Nissan Stadium, Nashville, TN
Texas A&M vs. Louisville, 7:00 p.m.
National Funding Holiday Bowl
Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, CA
(25) USC vs. Wisconsin, 10:30 p.m.
MHSAA – High School Basketball
Yesterday
Boys Basketball
Benton Harbor Earl McKee Holiday Tournament – Farnum Gymnasium – Benton Harbor High School
Paw Paw 73, Coloma 65
Benton Harbor 72, Bridgman 51
Benton Harbor 72, Bridgman 51
Benton Harbor defeated Bridgman 72-51 in the opening round of the Earl McKee Holiday Tournament. The Tiger defense put the clamps down on the Bees, not allowing Bridgman to find any flow offensively. Jaton Gunn led Benton Harbor with a game high 18 points. Bridgman got 14 points from Nick Knowlton.
Paw Paw 73, Coloma 65
Paw Paw defeated Coloma in the other opening round game of the Earl McKee Holiday Tournament. The Redskins got 17 points apiece from Lewis Tate and Luke Toliver. Coloma was paced by Zach Goodline’s game high 28 points.
Sturgis Bank and Trust Holiday Classics – White Pigeon High School
Brandywine 64, Gobles 45
White Pigeon 62, Lake Michigan Catholic 47
Girls Basketball
Watervliet Tournament
Hartford 59, Watervliet 56 – OT
White Pigeon 52, Holland Black River 23
Buchanan 51, Coloma 26
Lawrence 51, Kalamazoo Home School 30
Today
Boys Basketball
Benton Harbor Holiday Tournament
Coloma vs. Bridgman, 6:00 p.m. WSJM-AM 1400
Benton Harbor vs. Paw Paw, 7:30 WSJM-AM 1400
Sturgis Bank and Trust Holiday Classics – White Pigeon
Gobles vs. Lake Michigan Catholic, 5:30 p.m.
Brandywine vs. White Pigeon, 7:00 p.m.
Girls Basketball
Lake Michigan Catholic vs. Bridgman, 5:00 p.m.
Watervliet Tournament
Watervliet vs. Holland Black River, 5:00 p.m.
Hartford vs. White Pigeon, 6:30 p.m.
