RACERS HOPE THIRD TIME IS CHARM VS JSU
Exactly one week removed from a second loss on the season to Jacksonville State, Murray State will face the Gamecocks tonight at 7 in the opening round of the OVC Tournament at the Ford Center in Evansville. The Racers fell to JSU 85-82 at home on January 21 before Demond Robinson’s knee injury, and then lost 87-74 Thursday in Jacksonville without Robinson. The common theme in both games has been terrific three-point shooting by JSU, and Racer head coach Matt McMahon knows that cannot happen tonight if the his team is to advance into the semifinals. Airtime for tonight’s game is set for 6:30 on Froggy 103.7. Third Seeded Eastern Kentucky will face 6th seeded Austin Peay in tonight’s 9:30 game that will wrap up opening round action
OVC MEN’S TOURNAMENT SCORES
Belmont 78, SIUE 61 (Belmont was led by Jacobi Wood’s 19 points)
Morehead State 61, SEMO 54 (Morehead was led by Ta’lon Cooper’s 17 points)
RACER WOMEN FACE TALL TASK WITHOUT INJURED STARTERS
In the women’s OVC Tournament, sixth-seeded Murray State will face third-seeded Southeast Missouri at 3:30 this afternoon. The Racers lost to the Redhawks 69-53 January 14 in Cape Girardeau before evening the slate with a February 12 home win by a score of 67-65. Racer head coach Rechelle Turner wants to see a similar performance today that produced the win over the Redhawks. The Racers will once again be playing with Laci Hawthorne and Bria Sanders-Woods, who were injured in last week’s contest at JSU. Airtime for the game is set for 3 pm on WNBS AM and FM, and the ZENO Radio App.
OVC WOMEN’S TOURNAMENT SCORES
UT Martin 65, Eastern Illinois 56 (Dasia Young led UTM with 24 points and 11 rebounds)
Belmont 54, Austin Peay 50 (Destinee Wells led Belmont with 23 points)
LADY LAKERS AT FULTON CITY TONIGHT
In girls high school basketball tonight, Calloway County is at Fulton City. Coverage begins tonight at 5:45 on 104.5 WBZB and the ZENO Radio App.
MSU VOLLEYBALL PICKS UP TWO WEEKLY HONORS
Murray State’s Becca Fernandez is the OVC Volleyball Defensive Player of the Week and freshman Jayla Holcombe was named OVC Co-Offensive and Co-Newcomer of the Week. For Fernandez, it is the third straight week she has won the award and eighth time overall while Holcombe picks up her first honors of her career. Holcombe led Murray State with 43 kills while Fernandez recorded 47 digs in two matches. Fernandez leads the OVC with 6.7 digs per set while Holcombe sits fourth in the OVC in kills per set at 3.76 and fourth in points per set with 4.07. The Racers return to action on Sunday at Austin Peay.
RACER SOCCER WINS OPENER
Murray State soccer took the pitch in a competitive match for the first time in 480 days and responded with a 3-1 victory at Morehead State on Tuesday. Saraya Young, Rebecca Kubin, and Chloe Barnthouse each scored goals for the Racers who host Eastern Kentucky tomorrow afternoon at 1 in their home opener at Cutchin Field.
MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL RESULTS
Missouri 72, Florida 70
Mississippi State 63, Texas A&M 57
(19) San Diego State 71, UNLV 62
(10) Villanova 72, (14) Creighton 60
(11) Florida State 93, Boston College 64
MEMPHIS HOSTS THE BUCKS TONIGHT
The Memphis Grizzlies are home tonight to face the Milwaukee Bucks in their final game before the All-Star break. Memphis has won three of its last four to get to 16-and-15. The Grizz will open the second half of the season next Wednesday hosting the Wizards.
AREA HOCKEY REPORT
In the NHL, the St. Louis Blues picked up a 3-2 win against the Ducks at the Honda Center in Anaheim. The Nashville Predators host the Florida Panthers tonight and Saturday in their next two games.
CARDS OFFENSE SHINES IN WIN
John Nogowski, José Rondón, and Ali Sánchez all homered as the Cardinals outslugged the Mets 14-9 in Jupiter, Florida. Andrew Knizner added a two-run double for St. Louis and Thomas Parsons earned the win. Tonight at 7:55 on WNBS, Cardinals fans can hear the delayed broadcast of the spring game with the Astros which can’t be carried live due to coverage of the Racer women’s game in the OVC Tournament.
FORMER WILDCATS INVITED TO COMBINE
Several former Wildcats are a step closer to making money to play football. Defensive lineman Quinton Bohanna, linebacker Jamin Davis, punter Max Duffy, defensive backs Brandin Echols and Kelvin Joseph, and offensive linemen Drake Jackson and Landon Young have been invited to the 2021 NFL Combine. The players will workout for NFL scouts at Kentucky’s pro day on Wednesday, March 31st. The seven players are the second most former Wildcats ever invited to the combine.
UT SETS SPRING GAME DATE
The UT football team’s spring game is set for Saturday, April 24th. The announcement was made yesterday with game time yet to be determined. The Orange and White game will be the first chance for fans to see new head coach Josh Heupel’s offense in action. The Vols are scheduled to start spring practice on Tuesday, March 23rd.
NATIONAL SPORTS BRIEFS
James Harden put up a triple-double in his return to Houston as the Nets beat the Rockets 132-114. He logged 29 points, 10 rebounds and 14 assists against his former team as the Nets won for the 10th time in 11 games. The Rockets have dropped 13 consecutive games.
The NBA All-Star Draft takes place tonight. The Nets’ Kevin Durant and the Lakers’ LeBron James are team captains and will choose up sides among the remaining pool of players. Durant is currently injured and won’t play in the game. The All-Star Game is Sunday in Atlanta.
The Jets are open to receiving offers for quarterback Sam Darnold. General manager Joe Douglas said yesterday he would answer a call if it’s made. ESPN reports the Jets have already received multiple calls. Douglas did say they still consider Darnold a dynamic player.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone will be away from the team for a while. He’s taking a medical leave of absence after surgery on Wednesday to have a pacemaker implanted. The 47-year-old Boone had open-heart surgery in 2009. He could return to the team in two or three days.
Major League Baseball is remembering former manager Joe Altobelli. He died Wednesday at age 88. Altobelli managed the San Francisco Giants from 1977 to 1979. He later guided the Baltimore Orioles to a World Series title in 1983. Altobelli played for the Indians and Twins.
The PGA Tour stops in Orlando, Florida this week for the Arnold Palmer Invitational. First-round play tees off this morning at Bay Hill Club & Lodge, with the first group going off at 7 a.m. Tyrell Hatton is the defending champ. Collin Morikawa won last week’s WGC event in Bradenton.
WEDNESDAY’S SCOREBOARD
NBA
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Indiana Pacers 114, Cleveland Cavaliers 111
Philadelphia 76ers 131, Utah Jazz 123 (OT)
Detroit Pistons 129, Toronto Raptors 105 (at Tampa, FL)
Brooklyn Nets 132, Houston Rockets 114
Atlanta Hawks 115, Orlando Magic 112
Charlotte Hornets 135, Minnesota Timberwolves 102
Chicago Bulls 128, New Orleans Pelicans 124
Dallas Mavericks 87, Oklahoma City Thunder 78
Portland Trail Blazers 108, Golden State Warriors 106
Sacramento Kings 123, Los Angeles Lakers 120
NHL
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Washington Capitals 2, Boston Bruins 1 (SO)
Toronto Maple Leafs 6, Edmonton Oilers 1
St. Louis Blues 3, Anaheim Ducks 2
Vegas Golden Knights 5, Minnesota Wild 1
Arizona Coyotes 3, Los Angeles Kings 2
Colorado Avalanche 4, San Jose Sharks 0
MLB Grapefruit League
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Baltimore Orioles 8, Atlanta Braves 1 (F/7)
Boston Red Sox 14, Minnesota Twins 6 (F/7)
Miami Marlins 8, Washington Nationals 5
St. Louis Cardinals 14, New York Mets 9
Philadelphia Phillies 4, Detroit Tigers 2 (F/7)
Tampa Bay Rays 3, Pittsburgh Pirates 1 (F/6)
New York Yankees 4, Toronto Blue Jays 1 (F/7)
MLB Cactus League
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Arizona Diamondbacks 9, Cleveland Indians 4 (F/7)
Kansas City Royals 6, Chicago White Sox 5 (F/6)
Seattle Mariners 8, Chicago Cubs 8
Milwaukee Brewers 8, San Diego Padres 5 (F/8)
Colorado Rockies 10, Oakland Athletics 7 (F/7)
Los Angeles Angels 6, Texas Rangers 2 (F/6)
Cincinnati Reds 4, Los Angeles Dodgers 4 (F/7)
THURSDAY’S SCHEDULE (All times are Eastern)
NBA
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7:00 p.m. – Toronto Raptors at Boston Celtics
7:00 p.m. – LA Clippers at Washington Wizards
7:30 p.m. – Detroit Pistons at New York Knicks
8:00 p.m. – Denver Nuggets at Indiana Pacers
8:00 p.m. – Milwaukee Bucks at Memphis Grizzlies
8:30 p.m. – Miami Heat at New Orleans Pelicans
9:00 p.m. – Oklahoma City Thunder at San Antonio Spurs
10:00 p.m. – Sacramento Kings at Portland Trail Blazers
10:00 p.m. – Golden State Warriors at Phoenix Suns
NHL
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7:00 p.m. – Detroit Red Wings at Carolina Hurricanes
7:00 p.m. – Philadelphia Flyers at Pittsburgh Penguins
7:00 p.m. – Winnipeg Jets at Montreal Canadiens
7:00 p.m. – New York Rangers at New Jersey Devils
7:00 p.m. – Buffalo Sabres at New York Islanders
8:00 p.m. – Tampa Bay Lightning at Chicago Blackhawks
8:00 p.m. – Florida Panthers at Nashville Predators
8:30 p.m. – Columbus Blue Jackets at Dallas Stars
9:00 p.m. – Ottawa Senators at Calgary Flames
10:00 p.m. – Toronto Maple Leafs at Vancouver Canucks
MLB Grapefruit League
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1:00 p.m. – Washington Nationals at New York Mets
1:05 p.m. – Atlanta Braves at Pittsburgh Pirates
1:05 p.m. – Boston Red Sox at Baltimore Orioles
1:05 p.m. – New York Yankees at Philadelphia Phillies
1:05 p.m. – Tampa Bay Rays at Minnesota Twins
1:05 p.m. – Toronto Blue Jays at Detroit Tigers
6:05 p.m. – St. Louis Cardinals at Houston Astros
MLB Cactus League
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3:05 p.m. – Chicago White Sox at San Francisco Giants
3:05 p.m. – San Diego Padres at Texas Rangers
3:10 p.m. – Los Angeles Angels at Arizona Diamondbacks
3:10 p.m. – Cleveland Indians at Milwaukee Brewers
3:10 p.m. – Colorado Rockies at Seattle Mariners
8:05 p.m. – Chicago Cubs at Los Angeles Dodgers
8:05 p.m. – Kansas City Royals at Cincinnati Reds
Top-25 College Basketball (Coaches’ Poll)
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7:00 p.m. – #2 Michigan Wolverines host Michigan State Spartans
7:00 p.m. – #3 Baylor Bears host #17 Oklahoma State Cowboys
7:00 p.m. – #5 West Virginia Mountaineers host TCU Horned Frogs
9:00 p.m. – #8 Iowa Hawkeyes host Nebraska Cornhuskers
8:00 p.m. – #14 Kansas Jayhawks host UTEP Miners
9:00 p.m. – #15 Oklahoma Sooners host #16 Texas Longhorns
7:00 p.m. – #18 Texas Tech Red Raiders host Iowa State Cyclones
