Photo, courtesy of MSU Athletics
COACHING LEGEND RON GREENE DIES AT 82
Murray State Hall of Fame Men’s Basketball Coach Ron Greene died yesterday. Arriving at his alma mater in 1978, Greene turned around an MSU program that hadn’t won an OVC championship in 11 years. Under Greene, the Racers posted back-to-back OVC titles in 1981-82 and 1982-83 when they were a combined 41-16 overall and 24-6 in the OVC. In each season, the Racers appeared in the NIT. In seven seasons, Greene led the Racers to 119 victories, including NIT wins over Jacksonville and Alabama and a regular season road win at nationally ranked Notre Dame. Greene also returned to Murray where he coached at both Murray High and Calloway County High schools. Ron Greene was 82.
RACER FOOTBALL READIES FOR BATTLE OF THE BORDER CLASH
With a win at Austin Peay on Saturday, the 14th-ranked Murray State football team can clinch at least a share of its first Ohio Valley Conference title since 2002. Austin Peay comes in 3-2 in conference play, and still has a shot at a three-way tie for the title with two more wins, a loss to EIU this week by Jacksonville State, and a Gamecocks win over the Racers the following week. Governors head coach Scotty Walden knows doing that will be no easy task after what he has seen from the Racers on film. Austin Peay is coming off an upset at then number 7 Jacksonville State. Racer head coach Dean Hood knows stopping phenom quarterback Draylen Ellis will be challenge. Kickoff time is set for 2 pm Saturday at Fortera Stadium in Clarksville.
FERNANDEZ AND HOLCOMBE RECEIVE OVC HONORS
Murray State’s Becca Fernandez is the OVC Volleyball Defensive Player of the Year. Joining Fernandez on the first team is freshman right-side hitter Jayla Holcombe. Fernandez was named OVC Defensive Player of the Year in 2018 and landed on the first team a season ago. She becomes just the third player to repeat as OVC Defensive Player of the Year. Fernandez led the OVC with 6.09 digs per set and total digs with 359. The 5.98 digs per set ranked Fernandez third in the nation. Holcombe claimed a spot on the All-OVC first team after totaling 204 kills, fourth-highest in the OVC for an average of 3.71 kills per set. Holcombe was fifth in the league in points, averaging 4 per set. The Racers ended the season 5-11.
COVID SIDELINES SIUE VOLLEYBALL TEAM
The SIUE volleyball program has paused team activities due to COVID-19 issues within its Tier 1 personnel. Under the administrative policy adopted by the OVC Council of Directors of Athletics, the OVC Volleyball Tournament bracket will now include three rather than four teams, with top seed Morehead State receiving a bye today. #2 seed Jacksonville State will face #3 seed Southeast Missouri today for the right to face the Eagles in tomorrow’s championship.
KHSAA BOYS SWEET 16 BEGINS
In yesterday’s opening round of the KHSAA Boys Sweet 16, Louisville Ballard downed Madison Central 70-61, Bowling Green crushed University Heights 85-57, Elizabethtown blew out Knott County Central 87-59, and George Rogers Clark defeated Oldham County 54-47. This morning at 10 Muhlenberg County battles Highlands followed by McCracken County vs Bullitt East at 1 pm. At 4 pm it is Boyle County facing Paintsville, and the 7 pm game features Knox Central taking on Ashland. You can hear Games 1, 2, and 4 today on WNBS AM and FM. Game 3 will not air due to Cardinals baseball.
HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL SCORES
McCracken County 15, Scott County 0
MORANT’S BIG NIGHT NOT ENOUGH FOR GRIZZLIES
The Utah Jazz tripped up Memphis again last night, 111-107. Ja Morant led the Grizzlies with 36 points, while Kyle Anderson had 18 points and 11 boards. Memphis fell to 22-23 and remains at home tomorrow night to host Minnesota.
CARDINALS OPEN THE SEASON IN CINCINNATI
The Cardinals open the season today in Cincinnati against the Reds. Jack Flaherty gets the start for St. Louis against Cincinnati’s Luis Castillo. Nolan Arenado will be making his regular-season debut for the Cards. Airtime is set for 3 pm today on WNBS AM and FM.
UTM AND EIU ANNOUNCE BASKETBALL COACHING HIRES
UT Martin has hired Ryan Ridder as the Skyhawks’ new men’s basketball coach. He will be introduced next week on campus. The 36-year old Ridder spent the past four seasons at Bethune-Cookman in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. He had 48 wins at Bethune-Cookman before the school opted out of all sports for the 2020-21 seasons. Former Evansville head coach Marty Simmons has been hired to be the next head men’s basketball coach of Eastern Illinois. He will be introduced this afternoon. Simmons has been the special assistant to the head coach at Clemson since 2018. He’s a Purple Aces Hall of Fame member and spent 11 years at the helm of his alma mater.
COURT DATES SET FOR VOLS FOOTBALL PLAYERS
Suspended Tennessee football players Martavius French, Aaron Willis, and Isaac Washington have court dates set for April 12th. French and Willis face misdemeanor charges of simple drug possession and drug paraphernalia, while Washington faces a misdemeanor charge of simple drug possession after their March arrest on the UT-Knoxville campus. Vols head coach Josh Heupel says he has no timetable for the suspended players to participate in spring practice.
THREE MEMPHIS STARTERS ENTER TRANSFER PORTAL
Memphis won the NIT title Sunday, but three players have entered the NCAA transfer portal this week. They are D.J. Jeffries, Damion Baugh, and Boogie Ellis. Jeffries averaged 9.9 points last season, while Ellis averaged 10.2 points.
WKU QB ENTERS THE TRANSFER PORTAL
Tyrrell Pigrome is entering the NCAA transfer portal and leaving Western Kentucky. He started 10 games at quarterback last season and threw for more than 16-hundred yards in leading the Hilltoppers to the LendingTree Bowl. He joined WKU last spring after transferring from Maryland.
PREDS BATTLE DALLAS TONIGHT
The Predators will try to extend their winning streak to seven tonight when they host the Stars. The Preds have won eight of their last nine and sit fourth in the Central with 39 points. Dallas is seventh with 31.
BRISTOL TO HOST DIRT RACING NEXT YEAR
There will be more dirt racing at Bristol Motor Speedway next year. The speedway announced yesterday that the dirt will return for next year’s spring Cup Series race at Bristol. The announcement was made following sold out 2021 Cup Series and Truck Series races were held at the speedway earlier this week. Bristol Motor Speedway officials say the “dirt experience is unlike any other for NASCAR fans and could become a must-see event every season.”
NATIONAL SPORTS BRIEFS
It’s time to play ball in Major League Baseball. Opening Day features all 30 clubs in action, starting with the Yankees and Blues Jays in New York. The Dodgers open defense of their World Series title against the Rockies in Colorado. The Mets and Nationals play at night in D.C.
As the Mets get ready to open the season, they are locking up new shortstop Francisco Lindor long-term. ESPN reports the four-time All-Star has agreed to a 10-year, 341-million-dollar deal to remain in New York. Lindor was acquired in a January trade with the Indians.
The Seahawks are locking up wide receiver Tyler Lockett long-term. Multiple reports say the two sides have agreed to a four-year contract extension worth almost 70-million dollars, with 37-million guaranteed. He caught 100 balls last season for 1,054 yards and 10 touchdowns.
The NFL’s move to a 17-game regular season is not unanimous among owners. ESPN reports Chicago Bears chairman George H. McCaskey voted against adding the additional game. Some players have also objected, but the union signed off as part of last year’s labor agreement.
Investigators are keeping quiet about the cause of the crash that left golfer Tiger Woods seriously hurt. The investigation is complete and detectives have determined a cause in the February wreck, but won’t make it public for privacy reasons. Woods would have to approve.
The PGA Tour stops in San Antonio this week. First-round play tees off today at the Valero Texas Open. American Denny McCarthy is part of the first group to go off on the Oaks Course at TPC San Antonio. The purse is 7.7-million. Corey Conners is the defending champ.
WEDNESDAY’S SCOREBOARD
NBA
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Portland Trail Blazers 124, Detroit Pistons 101
Miami Heat 92, Indiana Pacers 87
Dallas Mavericks 113, Boston Celtics 108
Brooklyn Nets 120, Houston Rockets 108
Utah Jazz 111, Memphis Grizzlies 107
Minnesota Timberwolves 102, New York Knicks 101
Oklahoma City Thunder 113, Toronto Raptors 103
San Antonio Spurs 120, Sacramento Kings 106
Milwaukee Bucks 112, Los Angeles Lakers 97
Phoenix Suns 121, Chicago Bulls 116
NHL
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Buffalo Sabres 6, Philadelphia Flyers 1
Toronto Maple Leafs 3, Winnipeg Jets 1
Colorado Avalanche 9, Arizona Coyotes 3
Los Angeles Kings 4, Vegas Golden Knights 2
San Jose Sharks 4, Minnesota Wild 2
MLB
——
No Games Scheduled
NCAA Tournament
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No Games Scheduled
THURSDAY’S SCHEDULE (All times are Eastern)
MLB National League
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2:20 p.m. – Pittsburgh Pirates at Chicago Cubs
3:05 p.m. – Atlanta Braves at Philadelphia Phillies
4:10 p.m. – Arizona Diamondbacks at San Diego Padres
4:10 p.m. – Los Angeles Dodgers at Colorado Rockies
4:10 p.m. – St. Louis Cardinals at Cincinnati Reds
7:09 p.m. – New York Mets at Washington Nationals
MLB American League
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1:05 p.m. – Toronto Blue Jays at New York Yankees
1:10 p.m. – Cleveland Indians at Detroit Tigers
2:10 p.m. – Baltimore Orioles at Boston Red Sox
4:10 p.m. – Texas Rangers at Kansas City Royals
10:05 p.m. – Chicago White Sox at Los Angeles Angels
10:07 p.m. – Houston Astros at Oakland Athletics
MLB Interleague
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2:10 p.m. – Minnesota Twins at Milwaukee Brewers
4:10 p.m. – Tampa Bay Rays at Miami Marlins
10:10 p.m. – San Francisco Giants at Seattle Mariners
NBA
——
7:00 p.m. – Philadelphia 76ers at Cleveland Cavaliers
7:00 p.m. – Washington Wizards at Detroit Pistons
7:30 p.m. – Charlotte Hornets at Brooklyn Nets
8:00 p.m. – Golden State Warriors at Miami Heat
8:00 p.m. – Orlando Magic at New Orleans Pelicans
8:30 p.m. – Atlanta Hawks at San Antonio Spurs
10:00 p.m. – Denver Nuggets at LA Clippers
NHL
——
7:00 p.m. – Pittsburgh Penguins at Boston Bruins
7:00 p.m. – New York Rangers at Buffalo Sabres
7:00 p.m. – Washington Capitals at New York Islanders
7:00 p.m. – Columbus Blue Jackets at Tampa Bay Lightning
7:00 p.m. – Detroit Red Wings at Florida Panthers
7:00 p.m. – Montreal Canadiens at Ottawa Senators
8:00 p.m. – Carolina Hurricanes at Chicago Blackhawks
8:00 p.m. – Dallas Stars at Nashville Predators
10:30 p.m. – Minnesota Wild at Vegas Golden Knights
NCAA Tournament
——
No Games Scheduled
PGA
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Valero Texas Open (at San Antonio, TX)
