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Flying Dutchmen Keeps NCAA Division III Tournament Hopes Alive

May 11th, 2012 No Comments

The Hope College baseball team did exactly what a team would do when facing a must-win game in the double-elimination Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association tournament. With a 7-0 shutout win over Albion, the Flying Dutchmen kept their NCAA Division III tournament hopes alive and continued their bid toward continued play with a 3-1 win over Trine.

The wins eliminated both the Thunder and the Britons from the MIAA tournament. Hope will play regular-season champion Adrian at Adrian at noon today. If they win, the Bulldogs and the Flying Dutchmen will play again at 3 p.m. Adrian wins the conference tournament championship as well if Hope loses.

Hope pitcher Adam Clements (8-2), for his eighth complete game, threw a five-hitter. For his team to give him some run support, he had to wait until late in the game, but when Hope scored, it scored big.

Three bases-loaded walks by Albion pitchers highlighted a seven-run eighth inning. Clements gave up two harmless singles in the final two innings and Ty Peterson and Jon Ponte added bases-loaded singles to the mix.

In Thursday’s second game, Cory Schmidt and Jordan Carrigan teamed up to blank Trine. Carrigan held Trine hitless over the final three innings to record the save, while Schmidt gave up four hits and one run over six innings. Hope scored all three of its runs in the bottom of the fourth. when Eric Dawson scored on a passed ball, the Flying Dutchmen went up 1-0. Chris Blair scored on Chris Mattson’s sacrifice fly and Hope’s Josh Kranz later singled home Ponte.

After Eric Dawson led off with a walk, all of Hope’s runs were unearned and Ponte reached on an error. Before Josh Kranz singled in the second run and Chris Mattson’s sac fly chased home the third run, the first run scored on a passed ball. This year Hope earned outright league championships in men’s basketball, men’s golf, men’s track & women’s tennis, women’s cross-country and a co-championship in women’s track & field. Hope also finished second in men’s soccer, volleyball, men’s swimming & diving, football, men’s cross country, women’s golf and baseball.

For the MIAA’s post-season tournaments that determine the conference automatic qualifier to the NCAA championships, Hope qualified eight out of a possible nine teams. Hope has won the all-sports-trophy a league-record 34 times since it.

Johnny Jones Hired as LSU Coach

April 16th, 2012 No Comments

Johnny Jones has been hired as the new coach for LSU. Jones, 51, has served as the head men’s basketball coach at the University of North Texas for the last 11 seasons. The DeRidder, La., native replaces Trent Johnson. The latter resigned after four seasons as head coach at LSU.

LSU athletic director Joe Alleva made the announcement of the change. He says he is delighted to welcome Jones back to Baton Rouge, where he played and was an assistant coach for the Tigers. For then-LSU coach Dale Brown, Jones played in the 1981 Final Four and then he was one of Brown’s assistants with LSU’s 1986 Final Four squad. The 51-year-old Jones says arrival to LSU is”a dream come true.”

On Sunday, before holding his first meeting with returning LSU basketball players later in the evening, Jones made a quick stop by Alex Box Stadium and got a warm round of applause from the crowd watching the LSU-Alabama baseball game. Most were out of town last week and unable to gather until Sunday with the school on spring break, although Jones already had spoken to them by phone.

Jones also is working hard to catch up on recruiting. On Saturday, he reportedly contacted the state’s top prospect, Riverside forward Ricardo Gathers. Gathers has not signed his letter of intent, although he remains committed to Baylor. Riverside Academy Coach Timmy Byrd said Gathers still plans to sign with Baylor.

Before coming to LSU as a player, Jones was a high school star in the small Louisiana town of DeRidder. He helped recruit former stars Randy Livingston, Shaquille O’Neal and Chris Jackson as an LSU assistant. After Brown retired in 1997, Jones left LSU for Memphis. His stint as interim coach at Memphis included a short stint. Before taking over at North Texas, he had spent a season as an Alabama assistant.

Alleva instead went with Johnson, who was coming off an NCAA tournament appearance at Stanford; although Jones was a candidate for the LSU job after John Brady was fired four years ago. Johnson struggled for much of the past three seasons as fan support for the program dwindled, even though Johnson won the Southeastern Conference regular season in his first year.

Jones also is looking for assistant coaches. They will be helpful to him with some of the work. if top recruiter at North Texas, Shawn Forrest is not promoted to head coach of the Mean Green, it is likely Forrest will follow him to Baton Rouge. Forrest was being courted by newly hired Kansas State coach Bruce Weber and he is a strong recruiter in the Dallas Metroplex.

Richardson Erasing Memory of Ingram in Alabama

October 4th, 2011 No Comments

Nick Saban has enjoyed embarrassing riches in the Alabama Crimson Tide backfield over the years. He enjoyed game planning with the versatile and crafty Mark Ingram for the last few years and watched his talented running back win the Heisman Trophy.

Now he has another Heisman Trophy contender in Trent Richardson. Richardson is a different type running back than the fire plug, Ingram. Richardson is a high-stepping, up and down runner who devastates teams at the point of attack and when he breaks into the secondary most defenders are afraid to tackle him.

Richardson inflicts pain of the defenders with every tackle and is responsible for softening up the opposing linebackers and secondary players. When Richardson sticks his head down he can be deadly.

Richardson’s growth in Alabama, stunted but the brilliant play of Mark Ingram, has evolved this year and he is now the premier running back in the SEC. The SEC is known as a passing league and when a running back dominates the way Richardson dominates, they quickly climb the ladder in the accolades department.

The junior running back will eclipse his season production records in the next game and he is destined for 1,400 yard plus running back this season. If Richardson can remain focused, he will become the second Alabama running back in five years to bring home the Heisman Trophy.

Richardson is a threat in the flat on short passing plays as well. He is not afraid of taking a hit over the middle and his receiving instincts are well above average. The only thing working against Richardson in the Heisman voting is that Ingram won the award recently. Look for Richardson in the audience in New York City when they announce the Heisman Trophy.

Make sure to check your favorite online sportsbook for all of the college football propositional bets.

NCAA Baseball Regional Rankings – West Florida Remains No. 1

April 30th, 2011 No Comments

NCAA Baseball This weekend, in a three-game Gulf South Conference series in Livingston, the regular season comes to a close, as the No. 1 West Florida baseball team (40-5, 15-2 GSC) visits West Alabama (18-20, 4-13 GSC). At 3 p.m., Saturday’s doubleheader will begin and the regular season finale on Sunday is set for a 1 p.m. start.

On Wednesday, the West Florida baseball team, after an unbeatable week, remains on top of the NCAA Division II South Region rankings released. Before NCAA postseason play begins, the Argonauts will play at least five more games, as the team will conclude regular season play this weekend at West Alabama. In the Gulf South Conference Tournament, the team has already confirmed a spot.

Meanwhile, Barry (31-15, 28-13) is the top-ranked team from the Sunshine State Conference at No. 3, GSC East Division rival North Alabama (34-10, 26-10) jumped to the No. 2 spot, while UWF (40-5 overall, 35-5 in-region) held at No. 1.

Scheduled for May 19-23, eight teams from the region will earn a trip to the NCAA Division II South Regional. Champions from each of the three conferences in the region, the Sunshine State Conference (SSC), the Gulf South Conference (GSC), and the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) will automatically qualify and to the next highest ranked teams in the region, the five remaining at-large bids are awarded. To host the tournament, the top-ranked team is qualified, providing it placed a bid to host and, for teams and fans; it has sufficient facilities and accommodations.

Amaker Turns Down Hurricanes

April 13th, 2011 No Comments

Tommy Amaker will continue to be the basketball coach at Harvard. He has turned down proposals from the University of Miami. To try to convince Amaker and his wife, UM officials flew to Boston to come to Miami. Stephanie, Amaker’s wife, is at present working as a professor in the Harvard medical school.

Amaker has made a decision to stay with the Crimson. The team won its first Ivy League title this season with 23 victories. Princeton hit a buzzer-beater in the playoff, while his team almost made the NCAA Tournament.

In a statement, Amaker said that by the interest shown in him by other fine universities is grateful and gratifying. He added that he looks to continue his endeavors to teach lead and serve at Harvard. He is proud and honored to represent the same.

This past season, Amaker led Harvard to 23 wins. The wins includes conference victories (12) and home wins (14), which are new team highs. For the first time in school history, the team clinched back-to-back postseason appearances under Amaker.

A former Duke star, Amaker has led the Crimson to their top two successful seasons and two postseason appearances in just four years at Harvard.

Frank Haith took the Missouri job past this month and that is the reason why Miami is searching for a replacement for him. It is uncertain where the search goes next, as Amaker is now out of the picture from the list of budding candidates to reinstate Haith. Frank Martin, who is now at Kansas State could be one possible candidate, although he said that the school has not been in contact with him.

Friday Clash Between North Carolina Tar Heels And Marquette Golden Eagles

March 24th, 2011 No Comments

On Friday March 25, the No. 2 seeded North Carolina Tar Heels will battle against the No. 11 seed, the Marquette Golden Eagles. What gives the edge to North Carolina is the battle between the two stars of these teams.

In March Madness bracket, the over/under at 150 as the Odds have the Tar Heels listed as 4.5-point favorites.

The clutch player Darius Johnson-Odom has carried Marquette to the Sweet 16. Even though he will not be the best player on the court, his three pointers sent Syracuse packing. In college basketball, North Carolina’s best player could be the best kept secret. Harrison Barnes has quietly ascended to the consensus No. 1 pick of the NBA Draft this summer while the country goes crazy with “Jimmer Mania.”

Many forget about North Carolina’s big man, Tyler Zeller, with Harrison Barnes garnering the attention from the NBA scouts during the NCAA Tournament. He contributes more than 15 points per game as go to man in the paint as the seven foot forward clears out the boards on the defensive.

The Golden Eagles other leading scorer is Jimmy Butler as shooting guard Darius Johnson-Odom has also taken the spotlight. Although Butler is only 6’7, he is the big man for Marquette and he is the big banger on the boards. Even though neither averages more than seven rebounds per game, Butler and Jae Crowder are the two rebounders on the team.

The best rebounder is John Henson averaging 10.2 per game between the two teams. North Carolina is the best rebounding team in the country as this game should be won on the boards. Even though Marquette may have the golden horseshoe, once the game gets close, the cream should rise to the top.

Oregon Reportedly Paid $25,000 To Lyles Of Complete Scouting Services

March 8th, 2011 No Comments

By the NCAA, the Oregon Ducks have been contacted in regards to its recruiting practices and they faced the Auburn Tigers in the BCS National Championship Game two months ago.

The Pac-10 College Football team has been asked by the NCAA to provide documents relating to its use of two recruiting services.

The Ducks lost to Auburn in the BCS title game as a 2-point underdog in College Football Odds and they were 12-1 SU last season according to various sports betting sites.

After Oregon officials told ESPN.com the school paid $25,000 in the spring of 2010 for recruiting services, then the move comes.

According to sources close to the inquiry, NCAA officials want a closer look at Oregon’s recruitment of running back Lache Seastrunk, a redshirt freshman from Temple, Texas, who was one of the country’s most highly recruited prospects in 2010.

Willie Lyles played in Seastrunk’s decision to attend Oregon; ESPN.com reported this that the NCAA is specifically asking what role Texas-based trainer.

Oregon athletic director Rob Mullens said, “We have been asked to provide a series of documents by the NCAA and intend to fully cooperate. I reiterate that it is our belief that the purchase of such services is within the allowable NCAA guidelines.”

To Lyles of Complete Scouting Services in Houston, Oregon reportedly paid $25,000. He also has worked with running back LaMichael James, a Heisman trophy finalist as well as he has been a mentor to Ducks running back Seastrunk.

As long as any fee is not based on placing the player at a school, the NCAA has a bylaw that states a student-athlete can permit a scouting service or agent to provide personal information to a school.

Saturday Clash Between Indiana Hoosiers And Ohio State Buckeyes

February 24th, 2011 No Comments

In a critical late season Big 10 game one week away from the Big Ten Conference Tournament, the Indiana Hoosiers will travel to play the Ohio State Buckeyes Saturday February 26th. To be facing the two best teams in the Big 10, the Indiana Hoosiers are in no shape, which is exactly what they will do this week.

At 4-1 in NCAAB Odds, the Buckeyes are currently among the top favorites to win the 2011 NCAA Basketball title.

As the Hoosiers face the No. 12 Wisconsin Badgers after the Buckeyes, It will not get any easier for them and first they take on the Purdue Boilermakers and then they will follow up with the Big Ten’s top team, the Ohio State Buckeyes.

The Indiana has nothing to lose as their season is over. In shooting percentage, they rank 34th in the country whereas they are hitting 36 percent from behind the three point arc which makes them dangerous enough to give Ohio State pause when they face them Saturday. This year Indiana has beaten two ranked teams, however both have been in conference. When they were ranked No.21, they beat Illinois and when they ranked No.20, they beat Minnesota.

Against Purdue Jared Sullinger looked out of his element as well as it may have been because Thad Motta used the meaningless game to experiment and test on the freshman and the Ohio State Buckeyes will be on a mission.

With William Buford and Jon Diebler, the Buckeyes have two of the best three point shooters in the NCAA. These two are more than capable of carrying the team if any team shuts down Sullinger.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish Will Face West Virginia Mountaineers

February 16th, 2011 No Comments

In order to face an angry West Virginia team, the No.7 Notre Dame Fighting Irish will ride their seven game winning streaks into WVU Coliseum. After losing to the Syracuse Orangemen in the Carrier Dome Valentine’s Day, West Virginia returns home.

Odds for this game have not yet been posted in March Madness lines.

Notre Dame will look to keep the streak alive against a tough home team West Virginia as their win streak has included wins over two ranked teams, No.2 Pittsburgh and No. 15 Louisville. Notre Dame has been hot from the outside shooting 38 percent from behind the three point arc, led by shooters Ben Hansbrough and Tim Abromaitis. Abromaitis is hitting at a 40 percent clip from outside whereas Hansbrough is shooting 41 percent from three point territory.

This season West Virginia’s shooting numbers have been dismal. They have struggled to break 70 percent from the free throw line as well as they rank 160th in shooting percentage from the field. While Kevin Jones has been playing well at both ends, Casey Mitchell is the team’s leading scorer averaging 15 points per game and Jones is averaging seven boards per game and 13 points per game.

Carleton Scott also contributed on the other end of the court averaging almost 12 points per game and hitting 39 percent from behind the three point mark as well as he is the leading rebounder for Notre Dame averaging 6.9 rebounds per game.

This will be a fun game to watch if the Mountaineers can shut down the outside game and look for West Virginia to attack the outside and force Notre Dame to work the ball inside in this game.

In Big East Clash – Connecticut Huskies Will Face Seton Hall Pirates

February 4th, 2011 No Comments

This weekend the Seton Hall Pirates will battle against the University of Connecticut Huskies. As the UCONN Huskies are one of the elite teams in the nation, this game should be a relatively easy one for them.

For this matchup NCAAB Odds are not yet available.

To this point the Huskies have had a stellar season. They have managed to bring home 17 victories on the year as they have lost just three games on the season. Through a lot of hard work, they have achieved their solid record. Against the teams in the top 25 the Huskies have won 4 games this season whereas 3 of those wins were against teams in the top 10.

None of the losses the Huskies have suffered; have come to the teams that were outside of the top 19 teams in the nation. As the Pirates are just 10-12 on the season, they are not close to that level of a team. Against unranked teams the defense of the Huskies has been particularly staunch. Since the 22nd of November, their 3rd game of the season, UCONN has not allowed an unranked team to score more than 68 points.

One mark that has on the Seton Hall’s record indicates that they might have a chance in this game. While one of their victories was against the Syracuse Orangemen, they have won two games in a row. Even though they scored 90 points on them while only allowing their opponents to score 68 points, they defeated the Orangemen.

In order to win this one, it will take an incredible effort for Seton Hall. This season they are 1-5 against ranked teams.

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