Teams coming off long runs in their league tournaments have a short window to regroup ahead of March Madness. Bigger conferences after waves of expansion have led to longer runs through league tournaments on the eve of the NCAA Tournament. Now it's common to see teams having to play four games in four days in conference tournaments. Then they have a few days for players to recover and recharge ahead of the NCAAs. Big Ten champion Purdue faces that challenge after playing four games in four days to win that title.

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Iran’s Embassy in Mexico has suggested that the country is negotiating with FIFA to move Iran’s World Cup matches from the U.S. to Mexico after President Donald Trump discouraged the team from attending the tournament, citing safety concerns.It was unclear whether such talks are happening with FIFA, which did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Iranian officials have previously said it is up to FIFA and the U.S. to keep the team safe during the World Cup.The Embassy posted a statement attributed to Iranian Football Federation President Mehdi Taj saying Iran wants to move its group stage matches from Los Angeles metropolitan area and Seattle to ensure the safety of players and officials.

MIAMI (AP) — Criticized for their cool, American players head into the World Baseball Classic championship also appreciating opponents’ flamboyant flair. U.S. captain Aaron Judge’s controlled composure has filtered through the clubhouse ahead of Tuesday night’s final against Venezuela. That’s not to say the Americans don’t appreciate the theatrics of Latin American players such as Juan Soto and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Nolan McLean, a 24-year-old rookie right-hander with eight games of major league experience, will start for the U.S.

MIAMI (AP) — Ronald Acuña Jr., Maikel Garcia and Luis Arraez hit run-scoring, two-out singles in a seventh-inning rally that led Venezuela over Italy 4-2 and into its first World Baseball Classic championship game. Venezuela overcame a 2-0, fourth-inning deficit after climbing out of a three-run hole to beat defending champion Japan in a quarterfinal and reached the final for the first time after losing to South Korea in its only previous semifinal appearance in 2009. It meets the United States for the title on Tuesday night and appears likely to start Eduardo Rodríguez against the Americans’ Nolan McLean.

MIAMI (AP) — Italy’s remarkable 2026 World Baseball Classic run is over after losing to Venezuela in the semifinals. The Azzurri stunned with a 5-0 start to reach their first WBC semifinal, putting a spotlight on a soccer-crazed country where baseball is less popular than in many of the other participating nations in the tournament and providing an exciting foundation to build on for the future. Italy blew a 2-1 seventh-inning lead Monday night when Michael Lorenzen allowed consecutive run-scoring singles with two outs to Ronald Acuña Jr., Maikel Garcia and Luis Arraez.

NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Jets have agreed to a trade that will send quarterback Justin Fields to the Kansas City Chiefs, a person familiar with the deal has told The Associated Press. The Jets will receive a sixth-round draft pick in 2027 for Fields and pick up $7 million of his guaranteed $10 million salary for this upcoming season, the person told the AP on condition of anonymity because the teams didn’t announce the trade. The deal, first reported by ESPN, is pending a physical. The 27-year-old Fields signed a two-year, $40 million deal with New York last March. Fields was benched in favor of Tyrod Taylor in November.

NEW YORK (AP) — Another marathon negotiating session between the WNBA and its players union didn’t end with a new collective bargaining agreement. For the seventh consecutive day the two sides met for over 12 hours and while they said progress was being made heading into Monday’s negotiationing session, there was still work that needed to be done when the sides ended discussions for the night around 3:30 a.m. EDT Tuesday morning. Revenue sharing continues to be the big sticking point between the sides.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Alabama guard Aden Holloway has been arrested on a felony drug charge just days before the start of the NCAA Tournament. A Tuscaloosa County police spokesperson says the 21-year-old Holloway was arrested Monday after agents with the West Alabama Narcotics Task Force searched a residence near Alabama’s campus and recovered more than a pound of marijuana, paraphernalia and cash. The Crimson Tide’s No. 2 scorer, Holloway was arrested on a first-degree charge of marijuana possession. The charge carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $15,000. The university says it’s aware of the allegations and Holloway has been removed from campus pending further investigation.

There was a time when the NCAA men’s tournament was wildly unpredictable. Hard as it may seem to believe, there was one season where a No. 4 seed, two No. 5 seeds and a No. 9 seed all reached the Final Four. And a year later, a No. 11 seed got to the national semifinals as well. Ah, 2023 and 2024 feel so long ago. Last year's tournament saw four No. 1 seeds get to the Final Four and the way this bracket looks, it's not hard to envision the same thing happening this year. That's good news for Michigan, Duke, Florida and Arizona.

UConn looks like the safest pick to win the women’s NCAA tournament, but the real key in bracket pools is nailing early upsets. Brackets start to match by the second weekend, since lower seeds rarely reach the Sweet 16. For those looking to find some dangerous No. 11 seeds: Fairfield faces Notre Dame, Rhode Island plays Alabama, and South Dakota State meets Washington. But in the end, it's hard to not think the No. 1 seeds get to the Final Four.

Finals INTERLEAGUE Final	Toronto	5	Miami	4	 Final	Atlanta	11	Tampa Bay	2	 Final	Minnesota	5	Pittsburgh	1	 Final	Detroit	13	Philadelphia	6	 Final	Chicago Cubs	5	Cleveland	2

AMERICAN LEAGUE Final	Athletics	3	L.A. Angels	0	 Final	Texas	3	Chicago White Sox	2

NATIONAL LEAGUE Final	San Diego	3	San Francisco	1	 Final	Arizona	11	Cincinnati	6	 Final	Milwaukee	24	L.A. Dodgers	9	 Final	Washington	12	N.Y. Mets	6

NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE Final	Los Angeles	4	N-Y Rangers	1	 Final	Detroit	5	Calgary	2	 Final OT	New Jersey	4	Boston	3	 Final	Utah	6	Dallas	3	 Final	Pittsburgh	7	Colorado	2

Teams coming off long runs in their league tournaments have a short window to regroup ahead of March Madness. Bigger conferences after waves of expansion have led to longer runs through league tournaments on the eve of the NCAA Tournament. Now it's common to see teams having to play four games in four days in conference tournaments. Then they have a few days for players to recover and recharge ahead of the NCAAs. Big Ten champion Purdue faces that challenge after playing four games in four days to win that title.MEXICO CITY (AP) — Iran’s Embassy in Mexico has suggested that the country is negotiating with FIFA to move Iran’s World Cup matches from the U.S. to Mexico after President Donald Trump discouraged the team from attending the tournament, citing safety concerns.It was unclear whether such talks are happening with FIFA, which did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Iranian officials have previously said it is up to FIFA and the U.S. to keep the team safe during the World Cup.The Embassy posted a statement attributed to Iranian Football Federation President Mehdi Taj saying Iran wants to move its group stage matches from Los Angeles metropolitan area and Seattle to ensure the safety of players and officials.MIAMI (AP) — Criticized for their cool, American players head into the World Baseball Classic championship also appreciating opponents’ flamboyant flair. U.S. captain Aaron Judge’s controlled composure has filtered through the clubhouse ahead of Tuesday night’s final against Venezuela. That’s not to say the Americans don’t appreciate the theatrics of Latin American players such as Juan Soto and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Nolan McLean, a 24-year-old rookie right-hander with eight games of major league experience, will start for the U.S.MIAMI (AP) — Ronald Acuña Jr., Maikel Garcia and Luis Arraez hit run-scoring, two-out singles in a seventh-inning rally that led Venezuela over Italy 4-2 and into its first World Baseball Classic championship game. Venezuela overcame a 2-0, fourth-inning deficit after climbing out of a three-run hole to beat defending champion Japan in a quarterfinal and reached the final for the first time after losing to South Korea in its only previous semifinal appearance in 2009. It meets the United States for the title on Tuesday night and appears likely to start Eduardo Rodríguez against the Americans’ Nolan McLean.MIAMI (AP) — Italy’s remarkable 2026 World Baseball Classic run is over after losing to Venezuela in the semifinals. The Azzurri stunned with a 5-0 start to reach their first WBC semifinal, putting a spotlight on a soccer-crazed country where baseball is less popular than in many of the other participating nations in the tournament and providing an exciting foundation to build on for the future. Italy blew a 2-1 seventh-inning lead Monday night when Michael Lorenzen allowed consecutive run-scoring singles with two outs to Ronald Acuña Jr., Maikel Garcia and Luis Arraez.NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Jets have agreed to a trade that will send quarterback Justin Fields to the Kansas City Chiefs, a person familiar with the deal has told The Associated Press. The Jets will receive a sixth-round draft pick in 2027 for Fields and pick up $7 million of his guaranteed $10 million salary for this upcoming season, the person told the AP on condition of anonymity because the teams didn’t announce the trade. The deal, first reported by ESPN, is pending a physical. The 27-year-old Fields signed a two-year, $40 million deal with New York last March. Fields was benched in favor of Tyrod Taylor in November.NEW YORK (AP) — Another marathon negotiating session between the WNBA and its players union didn’t end with a new collective bargaining agreement. For the seventh consecutive day the two sides met for over 12 hours and while they said progress was being made heading into Monday’s negotiationing session, there was still work that needed to be done when the sides ended discussions for the night around 3:30 a.m. EDT Tuesday morning. Revenue sharing continues to be the big sticking point between the sides.TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Alabama guard Aden Holloway has been arrested on a felony drug charge just days before the start of the NCAA Tournament. A Tuscaloosa County police spokesperson says the 21-year-old Holloway was arrested Monday after agents with the West Alabama Narcotics Task Force searched a residence near Alabama’s campus and recovered more than a pound of marijuana, paraphernalia and cash. The Crimson Tide’s No. 2 scorer, Holloway was arrested on a first-degree charge of marijuana possession. The charge carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $15,000. The university says it’s aware of the allegations and Holloway has been removed from campus pending further investigation.There was a time when the NCAA men’s tournament was wildly unpredictable. Hard as it may seem to believe, there was one season where a No. 4 seed, two No. 5 seeds and a No. 9 seed all reached the Final Four. And a year later, a No. 11 seed got to the national semifinals as well. Ah, 2023 and 2024 feel so long ago. Last year's tournament saw four No. 1 seeds get to the Final Four and the way this bracket looks, it's not hard to envision the same thing happening this year. That's good news for Michigan, Duke, Florida and Arizona.UConn looks like the safest pick to win the women’s NCAA tournament, but the real key in bracket pools is nailing early upsets. Brackets start to match by the second weekend, since lower seeds rarely reach the Sweet 16. For those looking to find some dangerous No. 11 seeds: Fairfield faces Notre Dame, Rhode Island plays Alabama, and South Dakota State meets Washington. But in the end, it's hard to not think the No. 1 seeds get to the Final Four.Finals INTERLEAGUE Final	Toronto	5	Miami	4	 Final	Atlanta	11	Tampa Bay	2	 Final	Minnesota	5	Pittsburgh	1	 Final	Detroit	13	Philadelphia	6	 Final	Chicago Cubs	5	Cleveland	2AMERICAN LEAGUE Final	Athletics	3	L.A. Angels	0	 Final	Texas	3	Chicago White Sox	2NATIONAL LEAGUE Final	San Diego	3	San Francisco	1	 Final	Arizona	11	Cincinnati	6	 Final	Milwaukee	24	L.A. Dodgers	9	 Final	Washington	12	N.Y. Mets	6NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE Final	Los Angeles	4	N-Y Rangers	1	 Final	Detroit	5	Calgary	2	 Final OT	New Jersey	4	Boston	3	 Final	Utah	6	Dallas	3	 Final	Pittsburgh	7	Colorado	2

Tuesday Sports Headlines and Scores presented by Barton Community College

Duke is the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament and No. 1 in the final AP Top 25 of the regular season. The Blue Devils received 50 first-place votes from a 57-person media panel in The Associated Press men’s basketball poll, a day after they were named the top overall seed in the NCAA Tournament. No. 2 Arizona received the other seven first-place votes, with Michigan, Florida and Houston rounding out the top five.

The top 25 teams in The Associated Press' college basketball poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, and total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote and previous ranking.

Others receiving votes: Miami (Ohio) 100, BYU 62, UCLA 38, Utah St. 28, TCU 17, High Point 14, VCU 12, Clemson 9, Ohio St. 5, Kentucky 4, Saint Louis 3, Akron 3, Santa Clara 2, McNeese St. 1.

Duke is the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament and No. 1 in the final AP Top 25 of the regular season. The Blue Devils received 50 first-place votes from a 57-person media panel in The Associated Press men’s basketball poll, a day after they were named the top overall seed in the NCAA Tournament. No. 2 Arizona received the other seven first-place votes, with Michigan, Florida and Houston rounding out the top five. The top 25 teams in The Associated Press' college basketball poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, and total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote and previous ranking.Record	Pts	Prv1. Duke (50)	32-2	1418	12. Arizona (7)	32-2	1372	23. Michigan	31-3	1310	34. Florida	26-7	1221	45. Houston	28-6	1214	56. Iowa St.	27-7	1096	77. UConn	29-5	1032	68. Purdue	27-8	912	189. Virginia	29-5	903	1010. St. John's	28-6	860	1311. Michigan St.	25-7	833	812. Gonzaga	30-3	829	1213. Illinois	24-8	801	914. Arkansas	26-8	750	1715. Nebraska	26-6	689	1116. Vanderbilt	26-8	538	2217. Kansas	23-10	503	1418. Alabama	23-9	438	1519. Wisconsin	24-10	392	2320. Texas Tech	22-10	376	1621. North Carolina	24-8	293	1922. Saint Mary's	27-5	113	2123. Louisville	23-10	112	2423. Tennessee	22-11	112	2525. Miami	25-8	110	-Others receiving votes: Miami (Ohio) 100, BYU 62, UCLA 38, Utah St. 28, TCU 17, High Point 14, VCU 12, Clemson 9, Ohio St. 5, Kentucky 4, Saint Louis 3, Akron 3, Santa Clara 2, McNeese St. 1.

Duke heads into March Madness ranked No. 1 in AP Top 25

By TODD MOORE Barton Sports Info

The 17th ranked Barton Community College men's basketball team received an at-large bid and the No. 15 seed for the 2026 Credit Union 1 NJCAA Division I National Tournament, as announced during the NJCAA Division I Selection Show late this afternoon.

The KJCCC regular season co-champion Cougars take a 24-9 record into the tournament's opening day, facing fellow at-large selection and 18th seeded New Mexico Junior College (26-6) at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, March 22.

Barton, which leads the NJCAA in both free throws attempted and made, compiled an impressive résumé throughout the season, going 4-2 against ranked competition, 5-1 against the top four teams in the KJCCC standings, and 8-2 against the conference's top six squads. The Cougars carried a 12-game winning streak into the Region 6/Plains District Championship game before falling to No. 19 Butler.

New Mexico, making its first national tournament in over a decade, features a tall and athletic roster, ranking among the NJCAA's top five in three-point attempts and turnovers forced. The Thunderbirds own notable victories over top-seeded Howard College and 12th seeded South Plains College, along with early season wins over Barton's Region 6 counterparts Fort Hays Tech Northwest (by 13 points), Pratt (39), and Seward County (13), as well as a 24-point victory over common opponent NOC-Tonkawa.

Barton most recently made its fourth straight appearance in the Region 6/Plains District Championship game, coming up short against Butler after defeating the Grizzlies twice during the regular season. The lone other Region 6 representative in the national field, Butler received the No. 8 seed and a first-round bye, advancing directly to Tuesday's 12:00 p.m. contest against the winner of ninth seeded Snow College and 24th seeded Trinidad State College.

In the tournament's win-or-go-home format, a Barton victory Saturday would advance the Cougars to Monday's 2:30 p.m. second-round matchup against second seeded College of Southern Idaho (31-2).

Barton's Game Schedule&nbsp;(Win-or-go-home format): Saturday – 2:30 p.m. (First Round) Monday – 2:30 p.m. (Second Round) Wednesday – 2:30 p.m. (Quarterfinals) Friday – 8:00 p.m. (Semifinals) Saturday – 3:00 p.m. (Championship)

All 2026 Tournament games are being streamed live via ESPN+, with the Championship game available on ESPNU. *Streaming service and/or subscription required.

TOURNAMENT INFORMATION:Official NJCAA Championship website:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.njcaa.org/championships/sports/mbkb/div1/index">https://www.njcaa.org/championships/sports/mbkb/div1/index</a>Tickets:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.njcaa.org/tickets">https://www.njcaa.org/tickets</a>- Note: Higher seed is the home team and will be seated on the east bench- $83 All-Session- $17 Session- Children age 3 and under are fee

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/3/1773745891744.jpeg" alt="&nbsp;Cougars open NJCAA Tournament play Saturday against New Mexico Junior College" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;Cougars open NJCAA Tournament play Saturday against New Mexico Junior College</figcaption>
 </figure>By TODD MOORE Barton Sports InfoThe 17th ranked Barton Community College men's basketball team received an at-large bid and the No. 15 seed for the 2026 Credit Union 1 NJCAA Division I National Tournament, as announced during the NJCAA Division I Selection Show late this afternoon.The KJCCC regular season co-champion Cougars take a 24-9 record into the tournament's opening day, facing fellow at-large selection and 18th seeded New Mexico Junior College (26-6) at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, March 22.Barton, which leads the NJCAA in both free throws attempted and made, compiled an impressive résumé throughout the season, going 4-2 against ranked competition, 5-1 against the top four teams in the KJCCC standings, and 8-2 against the conference's top six squads. The Cougars carried a 12-game winning streak into the Region 6/Plains District Championship game before falling to No. 19 Butler.New Mexico, making its first national tournament in over a decade, features a tall and athletic roster, ranking among the NJCAA's top five in three-point attempts and turnovers forced. The Thunderbirds own notable victories over top-seeded Howard College and 12th seeded South Plains College, along with early season wins over Barton's Region 6 counterparts Fort Hays Tech Northwest (by 13 points), Pratt (39), and Seward County (13), as well as a 24-point victory over common opponent NOC-Tonkawa.Barton most recently made its fourth straight appearance in the Region 6/Plains District Championship game, coming up short against Butler after defeating the Grizzlies twice during the regular season. The lone other Region 6 representative in the national field, Butler received the No. 8 seed and a first-round bye, advancing directly to Tuesday's 12:00 p.m. contest against the winner of ninth seeded Snow College and 24th seeded Trinidad State College.In the tournament's win-or-go-home format, a Barton victory Saturday would advance the Cougars to Monday's 2:30 p.m. second-round matchup against second seeded College of Southern Idaho (31-2).Barton's Game Schedule&nbsp;(Win-or-go-home format): Saturday – 2:30 p.m. (First Round) Monday – 2:30 p.m. (Second Round) Wednesday – 2:30 p.m. (Quarterfinals) Friday – 8:00 p.m. (Semifinals) Saturday – 3:00 p.m. (Championship)All 2026 Tournament games are being streamed live via ESPN+, with the Championship game available on ESPNU. *Streaming service and/or subscription required.TOURNAMENT INFORMATION:Official NJCAA Championship website:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.njcaa.org/championships/sports/mbkb/div1/index">https://www.njcaa.org/championships/sports/mbkb/div1/index</a>Tickets:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.njcaa.org/tickets">https://www.njcaa.org/tickets</a>- Note: Higher seed is the home team and will be seated on the east bench- $83 All-Session- $17 Session- Children age 3 and under are fee

Conference co-champion Barton men receive at-large National Tournament bid

Tuesday, March 17 12:30PM 1590/95.5FM - Sports Day Wednesday, March 18 12:30PM 1590/95.5FM - Sports Day 8:00PM 1590/95.5FM - NBA Basketball - LA Lakers @ Houston Thursday, March 19 12:30PM 1590/95.5FM - Sports Day Friday, March 20 12:30PM 1590/95.5FM - Sports Day Saturday, March 21 2:00PM 1590/95.5FM - Royals Baseball - Kansas City vs Colorado Rockies 2:15PM B104 - NJCAA National Tourney - Barton Men vs New Mexico J.C. Monday, March 23 12:30PM 1590/95.5FM - Sports Day 7:00PM 1590/95.5FM - Royals Baseball - Kansas City @ Texas Rangers Tuesday, March 24 12:30PM 1590/95.5FM - Sports Day 1:00PM 1590/95.5FM - Royals Baseball - Kansas City @ Texas Rangers Wednesday, March 25 12:30PM 1590/95.5FM - Sports Day 5:30PM 1590/95.5FM - NBA Basketball - Atlanta @ Detroit

Tuesday, March 17 12:30PM 1590/95.5FM - Sports Day Wednesday, March 18 12:30PM 1590/95.5FM - Sports Day 8:00PM 1590/95.5FM - NBA Basketball - LA Lakers @ Houston Thursday, March 19 12:30PM 1590/95.5FM - Sports Day Friday, March 20 12:30PM 1590/95.5FM - Sports Day Saturday, March 21 2:00PM 1590/95.5FM - Royals Baseball - Kansas City vs Colorado Rockies 2:15PM B104 - NJCAA National Tourney - Barton Men vs New Mexico J.C. Monday, March 23 12:30PM 1590/95.5FM - Sports Day 7:00PM 1590/95.5FM - Royals Baseball - Kansas City @ Texas Rangers Tuesday, March 24 12:30PM 1590/95.5FM - Sports Day 1:00PM 1590/95.5FM - Royals Baseball - Kansas City @ Texas Rangers Wednesday, March 25 12:30PM 1590/95.5FM - Sports Day 5:30PM 1590/95.5FM - NBA Basketball - Atlanta @ Detroit

Eagle Radio and Hull Broadcasting PBP Schedule

- Water Cooler Monday with Garrett Fitzpatrick and Special Guest Lyles Lashlee

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756047315700.jpeg" alt="Monday Show Lineup with Host Brant Daughtry" />
 <figcaption>Monday Show Lineup with Host Brant Daughtry</figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GTeunTBMW-c?si=F92bf6KYqX5Qig1a" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>- Sounds of the Weekend- Water Cooler Monday with Garrett Fitzpatrick and Special Guest Lyles Lashlee

Monday on Sports Day(Watch)

The Barton Community College baseball team completed a four-game Jayhawk Conference series sweep of Pratt Community College this weekend, earning a pair of victories Thursday afternoon at Stanion Field in Pratt before finishing the series Saturday at Jimmy-Lawson-Danny Biggs Field.

The Cougars opened the series with a 9-5 and 10-6 road sweep Thursday before returning home Saturday to finish the four-game set with a 6-2 victory and an 18-8 seven-inning run-rule decision. Across the four-game series, the Cougars produced 43 runs on 58 hits including eight home runs.

With the sweep, Barton improves to 5-3 in Jayhawk West play and 19-5 overall while Pratt falls to 0-8 in league action and 5-19 on the season. The Cougars will return to action Thursday afternoon hosting Garden City Community College in a 1:00 p.m. conference, opening doubleheader before concluding the four-game set Saturday in Garden City.

Barton offense produced throughout the four-game series, scoring 43 runs on 58 hits including 20 doubles and eight home runs.&nbsp;Rhett Winchester&nbsp;paced the Cougars from the No. 2 spot in the lineup with a monster series, batting .765 (13-for-17) with four doubles, three home runs, nine runs scored and nine RBIs.&nbsp;Kyle Walker&nbsp;added seven hits and seven runs scored while&nbsp;Jaxon Case&nbsp;drove in seven runs behind six hits including three doubles and a home run.

On the mound,&nbsp;Antonio Mendez,&nbsp;Landon Ritchey,&nbsp;Brian Justice&nbsp;and&nbsp;Landon Haines&nbsp;each earned victories in the series while&nbsp;Jake Field&nbsp;added a save out of the bullpen with 2.1 scoreless innings and four strikeouts.

Game 1 Recap Barton opened Thursday's twinbill at Stanion Field with a 9-5 victory behind a decisive five-run third inning.&nbsp;Kyle Graves&nbsp;delivered a two-RBI double to open the scoring before Case followed later in the frame with a three-run home run for his second of the campaign to put the Cougars firmly in front.

Barton added insurance in the sixth as&nbsp;Hayden Oviatt&nbsp;launched a two-run home run for his second of the season and&nbsp;Jack Jewell&nbsp;followed with a solo blast, his second of the year, to extend the advantage. &nbsp;Winchester paced the offense with a perfect 3-for-3 afternoon at the plate while sweeping four bases as Barton finished with 12 hits in the opener.

On the mound, Mendez (1-1) earned the victory working five innings allowing three runs on four hits with four strikeouts. Field collected his first collegiate save with 1.1 scoreless innings of relief.

Game 2 Recap The Cougars completed Thursday's road sweep with a 10-6 victory in the nightcap, rallying from an early deficit with runs in four different crooked innings. Barton erased a 4-2 deficit in the fifth as Winchester delivered an RBI double before stealing home to even the contest at 4-4.

The Cougars seized control in the sixth inning as Walker's RBI double brough home&nbsp;JJ Spafford&nbsp;before Winchester launched a two-run home run to left, putting Barton in front for good. The Cougars added three insurance runs in the eighth highlighted by Graves' RBI double and&nbsp;Kyler Horsman's run-scoring single.

Winchester finished with four RBIs to lead the offense while Graves added three hits in the victory. On the mound, Ritchey (3-0) earned the win in relief tossing four innings allowing two runs on five hits with four strikeouts while Horsman worked the final two frames to close out the sweep.

Game 3 Recap Barton returned home Saturday afternoon and opened the twinbill with a 6-2 victory behind a strong outing on the mound from Justice. The Beavers struck first with two runs in their first at-bat before the Cougars answered immediately, plating a pair in the bottom half before taking control with runs in the third and fourth innings.

Winchester led the offensive effort going 3-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs while Case added two hits and two RBIs, highlighted by a run-scoring triple. Barton finished with 10 hits in the victory.

Justice (3-2) earned the win working six innings allowing two runs on six hits while tying a career-high eight strikeouts. Field struck out two in a scoreless seventh to close out the opener.

Game 4 Recap The Cougars completed the four-game sweep with an 18-8 seven-inning run-rule victory behind a 25-hit barrage. The Cougars set the tone early, plating three runs in the first before erupting for seven in the second inning to quickly build separation.

Winchester paced the offensive explosion with a perfect 5-for-5 afternoon at the plate, launching his third home run of the season and sixth of the season while scoring five runs and knocking in two. Walker added four hits including his fourth home run of the year with three RBIs, while Horsman drove in four behind his team-leading seventh long ball of the season.

Starter Haines (2-0) earned the victory working 4.2 innings allowing six runs on six hits with three strikeouts before&nbsp;Patrik Ludviks, and&nbsp;Drew Koch&nbsp;combined to finish out the contest.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/3/1773663635182.jpeg" alt="BartonSports.com" />
 <figcaption>BartonSports.com</figcaption>
 </figure>The Barton Community College baseball team completed a four-game Jayhawk Conference series sweep of Pratt Community College this weekend, earning a pair of victories Thursday afternoon at Stanion Field in Pratt before finishing the series Saturday at Jimmy-Lawson-Danny Biggs Field.The Cougars opened the series with a 9-5 and 10-6 road sweep Thursday before returning home Saturday to finish the four-game set with a 6-2 victory and an 18-8 seven-inning run-rule decision. Across the four-game series, the Cougars produced 43 runs on 58 hits including eight home runs.With the sweep, Barton improves to 5-3 in Jayhawk West play and 19-5 overall while Pratt falls to 0-8 in league action and 5-19 on the season. The Cougars will return to action Thursday afternoon hosting Garden City Community College in a 1:00 p.m. conference, opening doubleheader before concluding the four-game set Saturday in Garden City.Barton offense produced throughout the four-game series, scoring 43 runs on 58 hits including 20 doubles and eight home runs.&nbsp;Rhett Winchester&nbsp;paced the Cougars from the No. 2 spot in the lineup with a monster series, batting .765 (13-for-17) with four doubles, three home runs, nine runs scored and nine RBIs.&nbsp;Kyle Walker&nbsp;added seven hits and seven runs scored while&nbsp;Jaxon Case&nbsp;drove in seven runs behind six hits including three doubles and a home run.On the mound,&nbsp;Antonio Mendez,&nbsp;Landon Ritchey,&nbsp;Brian Justice&nbsp;and&nbsp;Landon Haines&nbsp;each earned victories in the series while&nbsp;Jake Field&nbsp;added a save out of the bullpen with 2.1 scoreless innings and four strikeouts.Game 1 Recap Barton opened Thursday's twinbill at Stanion Field with a 9-5 victory behind a decisive five-run third inning.&nbsp;Kyle Graves&nbsp;delivered a two-RBI double to open the scoring before Case followed later in the frame with a three-run home run for his second of the campaign to put the Cougars firmly in front.Barton added insurance in the sixth as&nbsp;Hayden Oviatt&nbsp;launched a two-run home run for his second of the season and&nbsp;Jack Jewell&nbsp;followed with a solo blast, his second of the year, to extend the advantage. &nbsp;Winchester paced the offense with a perfect 3-for-3 afternoon at the plate while sweeping four bases as Barton finished with 12 hits in the opener.On the mound, Mendez (1-1) earned the victory working five innings allowing three runs on four hits with four strikeouts. Field collected his first collegiate save with 1.1 scoreless innings of relief.Game 2 Recap The Cougars completed Thursday's road sweep with a 10-6 victory in the nightcap, rallying from an early deficit with runs in four different crooked innings. Barton erased a 4-2 deficit in the fifth as Winchester delivered an RBI double before stealing home to even the contest at 4-4.The Cougars seized control in the sixth inning as Walker's RBI double brough home&nbsp;JJ Spafford&nbsp;before Winchester launched a two-run home run to left, putting Barton in front for good. The Cougars added three insurance runs in the eighth highlighted by Graves' RBI double and&nbsp;Kyler Horsman's run-scoring single.Winchester finished with four RBIs to lead the offense while Graves added three hits in the victory. On the mound, Ritchey (3-0) earned the win in relief tossing four innings allowing two runs on five hits with four strikeouts while Horsman worked the final two frames to close out the sweep.Game 3 Recap Barton returned home Saturday afternoon and opened the twinbill with a 6-2 victory behind a strong outing on the mound from Justice. The Beavers struck first with two runs in their first at-bat before the Cougars answered immediately, plating a pair in the bottom half before taking control with runs in the third and fourth innings.Winchester led the offensive effort going 3-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs while Case added two hits and two RBIs, highlighted by a run-scoring triple. Barton finished with 10 hits in the victory.Justice (3-2) earned the win working six innings allowing two runs on six hits while tying a career-high eight strikeouts. Field struck out two in a scoreless seventh to close out the opener.Game 4 Recap The Cougars completed the four-game sweep with an 18-8 seven-inning run-rule victory behind a 25-hit barrage. The Cougars set the tone early, plating three runs in the first before erupting for seven in the second inning to quickly build separation.Winchester paced the offensive explosion with a perfect 5-for-5 afternoon at the plate, launching his third home run of the season and sixth of the season while scoring five runs and knocking in two. Walker added four hits including his fourth home run of the year with three RBIs, while Horsman drove in four behind his team-leading seventh long ball of the season.Starter Haines (2-0) earned the victory working 4.2 innings allowing six runs on six hits with three strikeouts before&nbsp;Patrik Ludviks, and&nbsp;Drew Koch&nbsp;combined to finish out the contest.

Barton bats erupt in four-game sweep of Pratt

The Barton Community College softball team produced early fireworks Saturday afternoon at Cougar Field, but Butler Community College answered with plenty of power of its own, rallying for a 17-12 extra-inning victory in the opener before completing the twinbill sweep with an 11-3 nightcap decision in Jayhawk Conference play.

The results move Barton to 5-3 in conference play and 13-11 overall, while Butler improves to 4-2 in the Jayhawk and 6-8 on the season. The Cougars will look to rebound Wednesday traveling to Seward County for a 1:00 p.m. conference doubleheader.

Game One – Butler 17, Barton 12 (9 innings) Barton appeared firmly in control early in the opener, erupting for eight runs in the bottom of the first inning.&nbsp;Laney Wood&nbsp;opened the frame with a single before&nbsp;Kahli Fields&nbsp;followed with a base hit and&nbsp;Carly Erpelding&nbsp;reached on an error to load the bases.

Peyton McCormick's fielder's choice plated the first run before&nbsp;Addison Jones&nbsp;delivered an RBI single.&nbsp;Karter Alvord&nbsp;then ripped a two-run double to center field and&nbsp;Ella Pomme&nbsp;followed with a two-run single. The inning's exclamation point came moments later when&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/sball/2025-26/bios/spears_shaylee_13n0">Shaylee Spears</a>&nbsp;launched a two-run homer to left field for her first collegiate home run, staking the Cougars to an 8-0 lead.

Butler began chipping away in the third as Lizzy Lasey connected for a two-run homer before the Grizzlies struck again in the fourth. After a double by Lasey, Emillee Stofferahn belted a three-run homer trimming Barton's lead to a single run.

The Cougars answered in the bottom half of the fourth with three runs of their own as Alvord, Pomme, and Spears each delivered RBI singles, pushing the margin back to four at 11-7.

Butler again answered, cutting the deficit in the sixth before tying the contest in dramatic fashion in the seventh. A sacrifice fly brought the Grizzlies within three before Tatum Steiner launched a three-run homer to center field, evening the score at 12-12.

The visitors seized control in the ninth as Addison Chapman connected on a two-run homer before Butler added three more runs on a pair of long balls to complete the comeback victory.

Spears paced Barton's bottom third of the lineup, combining for three of the group's seven hits and driving in three runs including her first collegiate home run. Alvord finished 2-for-4 with a double and three RBIs, while Pomme also produced a pair of hits and drove in three runs.

Ellie Crawford&nbsp;worked the first 5.2 innings, striking out four while allowing eight runs.&nbsp;Trista Rogers&nbsp;handled the final 3.1 frames, taking the loss to fall to 0-1 on the season.

Game Two – Butler 11, Barton 3 The nightcap began with Butler capitalizing on Barton miscues, scoring four runs in the second inning aided by a pair of errors.

Barton answered in the bottom half as&nbsp;Morgan Thatcher&nbsp;and&nbsp;Grace Hembree&nbsp;each singled before Alvord blasted a three-run homer to left field, her second of the season, pulling the Cougars within a run at 4-3.

Butler slowly rebuilt its lead in the middle innings, plating two runs in the fourth before breaking the game open with a four-run sixth inning highlighted by a solo homer from Haely Hagemann and a string of RBI singles.

Lizzy Lasey added another long ball in the seventh as Butler closed out the 11-3 victory.

Thatcher led Barton with two hits, while Alvord's three-run homer provided the Cougars' biggest offensive highlight of the nightcap.

Charley Wheeler&nbsp;took the loss to fall to 6-5 on the year, allowing ten runs on ten hits with seven earned as defensive miscues added to the damage. McCormick hurled the final 1.2 innings, surrendering one run while striking out two.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/3/1773663487975.jpeg" alt="BartonSports.com" />
 <figcaption>BartonSports.com</figcaption>
 </figure>The Barton Community College softball team produced early fireworks Saturday afternoon at Cougar Field, but Butler Community College answered with plenty of power of its own, rallying for a 17-12 extra-inning victory in the opener before completing the twinbill sweep with an 11-3 nightcap decision in Jayhawk Conference play.The results move Barton to 5-3 in conference play and 13-11 overall, while Butler improves to 4-2 in the Jayhawk and 6-8 on the season. The Cougars will look to rebound Wednesday traveling to Seward County for a 1:00 p.m. conference doubleheader.Game One – Butler 17, Barton 12 (9 innings) Barton appeared firmly in control early in the opener, erupting for eight runs in the bottom of the first inning.&nbsp;Laney Wood&nbsp;opened the frame with a single before&nbsp;Kahli Fields&nbsp;followed with a base hit and&nbsp;Carly Erpelding&nbsp;reached on an error to load the bases.Peyton McCormick's fielder's choice plated the first run before&nbsp;Addison Jones&nbsp;delivered an RBI single.&nbsp;Karter Alvord&nbsp;then ripped a two-run double to center field and&nbsp;Ella Pomme&nbsp;followed with a two-run single. The inning's exclamation point came moments later when&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/sports/sball/2025-26/bios/spears_shaylee_13n0">Shaylee Spears</a>&nbsp;launched a two-run homer to left field for her first collegiate home run, staking the Cougars to an 8-0 lead.Butler began chipping away in the third as Lizzy Lasey connected for a two-run homer before the Grizzlies struck again in the fourth. After a double by Lasey, Emillee Stofferahn belted a three-run homer trimming Barton's lead to a single run.The Cougars answered in the bottom half of the fourth with three runs of their own as Alvord, Pomme, and Spears each delivered RBI singles, pushing the margin back to four at 11-7.Butler again answered, cutting the deficit in the sixth before tying the contest in dramatic fashion in the seventh. A sacrifice fly brought the Grizzlies within three before Tatum Steiner launched a three-run homer to center field, evening the score at 12-12.The visitors seized control in the ninth as Addison Chapman connected on a two-run homer before Butler added three more runs on a pair of long balls to complete the comeback victory.Spears paced Barton's bottom third of the lineup, combining for three of the group's seven hits and driving in three runs including her first collegiate home run. Alvord finished 2-for-4 with a double and three RBIs, while Pomme also produced a pair of hits and drove in three runs.Ellie Crawford&nbsp;worked the first 5.2 innings, striking out four while allowing eight runs.&nbsp;Trista Rogers&nbsp;handled the final 3.1 frames, taking the loss to fall to 0-1 on the season.Game Two – Butler 11, Barton 3 The nightcap began with Butler capitalizing on Barton miscues, scoring four runs in the second inning aided by a pair of errors.Barton answered in the bottom half as&nbsp;Morgan Thatcher&nbsp;and&nbsp;Grace Hembree&nbsp;each singled before Alvord blasted a three-run homer to left field, her second of the season, pulling the Cougars within a run at 4-3.Butler slowly rebuilt its lead in the middle innings, plating two runs in the fourth before breaking the game open with a four-run sixth inning highlighted by a solo homer from Haely Hagemann and a string of RBI singles.Lizzy Lasey added another long ball in the seventh as Butler closed out the 11-3 victory.Thatcher led Barton with two hits, while Alvord's three-run homer provided the Cougars' biggest offensive highlight of the nightcap.Charley Wheeler&nbsp;took the loss to fall to 6-5 on the year, allowing ten runs on ten hits with seven earned as defensive miscues added to the damage. McCormick hurled the final 1.2 innings, surrendering one run while striking out two.

Barton softball jumps early but falls twice to Butler in conference twinbill

MIAMI (AP) — Aaron Judge says the World Baseball Classic has become baseball’s biggest stage. Speaking after the U.S. beat the Dominican Republic 2-1 in semifinal, Judge said: “It’s bigger and better than the World Series.” Junior Caminero's second-inning homer off winner Paul Skenes put the Dominicans ahead but the U.S. rebounded on fourth-inning drives by Gunnar Henderson off Luis Severino and Roman Anthony against loser Gregory Soto. U.S. relievers pitched 4 2/3 scoreless innings in a game that ended with a controversial called third strike to Geraldo Perdomo from Mason Miller on a slider that appeared to be low.

Duke is the top overall seed in the NCAA men’s college basketball tournament, with Arizona, Michigan, and Florida also landing on the No. 1 line. Miami (Ohio), which opened the season 31-0 before a loss early its conference tournament, got in as an 11 seed despite a weak schedule. They play a First Four game on Wednesday against SMU. The tournament begins Tuesday with other play-in games, including Texas versus North Carolina State.

UConn is the No. 1 overall seed in the women’s NCAA Tournament and enters March Madness needing six more victories to complete the seventh undefeated season in school history. The Huskies (34-0) are looking for their 13th national title and becoming the first team to repeat as champions since the Huskies won four in a row from 2013-16. They are joined by UCLA, Texas and South Carolina as the other No. 1 seeds.

There's nothing quite like March Madness to remind people of what college sports is all about. Yes, the 2025-26 season contained its share of headlines about money, pro players returning to college and coaches behaving badly. But now, the payoff. A three-week, 68-team hoops celebration where anything from a Miami (Ohio) miracle to a dominating Duke performance could happen. At its best, the NCAA Tournament is a needed reminder about what's right in a rapidly changing landscape.

MIAMI (AP) — A work stoppage that leads to canceled games during the 2027 Major League Baseball season could disrupt plans under discussion to have big league players participate in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The Major League Baseball Players Association is negotiating on the six-nation baseball event, scheduled for Dodger Stadium from July 15-20 during what could be an extended All-Star break. MLB and the union also are preparing for the start of bargaining in April or May for a labor contract to replaced the current five-year agreement that expires Dec. 1. A management lockout is expected to start Dec. 2.

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Denny Hamlin showed he and crew chief Chris Gayle have moved on from a crushing title loss. Hamlin raced to his first victory of the season Sunday at Las Vegas. It was the 61st of his career, and came five races after Hamlin and Gayle lost the Cup Series title last November at Phoenix — a defeat the pair still has not talked through. Hamlin says he supported Gayle's strategy decision in the moment. Gayle says he spent days replaying the decision but the duo have moved on.

The Professional Women's Hockey League is enjoying a major post-Olympic boost that's no better reflected than with the New York Sirens. A team that's struggled attracting attention over its first two-plus seasons broke a home attendance record with a turnout of 8,264 to its recent game against Ottawa. The signs of a women's hockey surge are every where since Team USA's 2-1 overtime win over Canada at the Milan Cortina Games. The PWHL is seeing an uptick in fans and ticket sales in each of its eight markets. And the league also landed a deal with Scripps Sports to broadcast its first game to a national U.S. TV audience.

NEW YORK (AP) — WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert says progress is being made towards getting a new collective bargaining agreement done. The two sides met for another marathon negotiating session that started Sunday afternoon and ended around 3 a.m. Monday morning. The two sides will get together again later Monday for a seventh consecutive day of talks. It’s been a long week of discussions with the WNBA and union meeting face-to-face for more than 72 hours since the first in-person bargaining session Tuesday.

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Iran’s women’s soccer team is set to leave Malaysia after several players reversed asylum bids that sparked a diplomatic storm. The Asian Football Confederation general secretary said the team plans to fly out from Kuala Lumpur Monday night, after days of uncertainty. The squad left Australia on March 10, but six players and one staff member stayed behind on protection visas. Four players and the staffer have since rejoined the team in Malaysia. Two players still remain in Australia in a safe location. Australian authorities describe the choices personal and complex, while an Iranian diaspora groups cites pressure from Tehran.

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Cameron Young finally has a big title to go with his major talent. In a thriller at The Players Championship he made a 10-foot birdie on the island green at the TPC Sawgrass to tie Matt Fitzpatrick. Young crushed a drive that set up an easy par and won when Fitzpatrick failed to make an 8-foot par putt to force a playoff. Young shot 68 and won $4.5 million. Ludvig Aberg had control of the tournament until hitting into the water on consecutive holes on the back nine. He shot a 40 on the back nine for a 76.

Finals INTERLEAGUE Final	N.Y. Mets	8	Toronto	1	 Final	Houston	1	Miami	0	 Final	Tampa Bay	6	Pittsburgh	1	 Final	L.A. Dodgers	5	Texas	3	 Final	L.A. Angels	6	Colorado	5	 Final	Seattle	6	Cincinnati	3

AMERICAN LEAGUE Final	Boston	7	Minnesota	2	 Final	Detroit	12	N.Y. Yankees	1	 Final	Kansas City	10	Chicago White Sox	4	 Final	Cleveland	12	Athletics

NATIONAL LEAGUE Final	Atlanta	1	Philadelphia	0	 Final	St. Louis	6	Washington	3	 Final	San Francisco	7	Milwaukee	1	 Final	L.A. Dodgers	14	Chicago Cubs	8	 Final	San Diego	4	Arizona	4

NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE Final	Winnipeg	3	St. Louis	2	 Final	Ottawa	7	San Jose	4	 Final	Anaheim	4	Montreal	3	 Final	Toronto	4	Minnesota	2	 Final	Seattle	6	Florida	2	 Final	Edmonton	3	Nashville	1

TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL Final	(18)Purdue	80	(3)Michigan	72	 Final	(17)Arkansas	86	(22)Vanderbilt	75

MIAMI (AP) — Aaron Judge says the World Baseball Classic has become baseball’s biggest stage. Speaking after the U.S. beat the Dominican Republic 2-1 in semifinal, Judge said: “It’s bigger and better than the World Series.” Junior Caminero's second-inning homer off winner Paul Skenes put the Dominicans ahead but the U.S. rebounded on fourth-inning drives by Gunnar Henderson off Luis Severino and Roman Anthony against loser Gregory Soto. U.S. relievers pitched 4 2/3 scoreless innings in a game that ended with a controversial called third strike to Geraldo Perdomo from Mason Miller on a slider that appeared to be low.Duke is the top overall seed in the NCAA men’s college basketball tournament, with Arizona, Michigan, and Florida also landing on the No. 1 line. Miami (Ohio), which opened the season 31-0 before a loss early its conference tournament, got in as an 11 seed despite a weak schedule. They play a First Four game on Wednesday against SMU. The tournament begins Tuesday with other play-in games, including Texas versus North Carolina State.UConn is the No. 1 overall seed in the women’s NCAA Tournament and enters March Madness needing six more victories to complete the seventh undefeated season in school history. The Huskies (34-0) are looking for their 13th national title and becoming the first team to repeat as champions since the Huskies won four in a row from 2013-16. They are joined by UCLA, Texas and South Carolina as the other No. 1 seeds.There's nothing quite like March Madness to remind people of what college sports is all about. Yes, the 2025-26 season contained its share of headlines about money, pro players returning to college and coaches behaving badly. But now, the payoff. A three-week, 68-team hoops celebration where anything from a Miami (Ohio) miracle to a dominating Duke performance could happen. At its best, the NCAA Tournament is a needed reminder about what's right in a rapidly changing landscape.MIAMI (AP) — A work stoppage that leads to canceled games during the 2027 Major League Baseball season could disrupt plans under discussion to have big league players participate in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The Major League Baseball Players Association is negotiating on the six-nation baseball event, scheduled for Dodger Stadium from July 15-20 during what could be an extended All-Star break. MLB and the union also are preparing for the start of bargaining in April or May for a labor contract to replaced the current five-year agreement that expires Dec. 1. A management lockout is expected to start Dec. 2.LAS VEGAS (AP) — Denny Hamlin showed he and crew chief Chris Gayle have moved on from a crushing title loss. Hamlin raced to his first victory of the season Sunday at Las Vegas. It was the 61st of his career, and came five races after Hamlin and Gayle lost the Cup Series title last November at Phoenix — a defeat the pair still has not talked through. Hamlin says he supported Gayle's strategy decision in the moment. Gayle says he spent days replaying the decision but the duo have moved on.The Professional Women's Hockey League is enjoying a major post-Olympic boost that's no better reflected than with the New York Sirens. A team that's struggled attracting attention over its first two-plus seasons broke a home attendance record with a turnout of 8,264 to its recent game against Ottawa. The signs of a women's hockey surge are every where since Team USA's 2-1 overtime win over Canada at the Milan Cortina Games. The PWHL is seeing an uptick in fans and ticket sales in each of its eight markets. And the league also landed a deal with Scripps Sports to broadcast its first game to a national U.S. TV audience.NEW YORK (AP) — WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert says progress is being made towards getting a new collective bargaining agreement done. The two sides met for another marathon negotiating session that started Sunday afternoon and ended around 3 a.m. Monday morning. The two sides will get together again later Monday for a seventh consecutive day of talks. It’s been a long week of discussions with the WNBA and union meeting face-to-face for more than 72 hours since the first in-person bargaining session Tuesday.KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Iran’s women’s soccer team is set to leave Malaysia after several players reversed asylum bids that sparked a diplomatic storm. The Asian Football Confederation general secretary said the team plans to fly out from Kuala Lumpur Monday night, after days of uncertainty. The squad left Australia on March 10, but six players and one staff member stayed behind on protection visas. Four players and the staffer have since rejoined the team in Malaysia. Two players still remain in Australia in a safe location. Australian authorities describe the choices personal and complex, while an Iranian diaspora groups cites pressure from Tehran.PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Cameron Young finally has a big title to go with his major talent. In a thriller at The Players Championship he made a 10-foot birdie on the island green at the TPC Sawgrass to tie Matt Fitzpatrick. Young crushed a drive that set up an easy par and won when Fitzpatrick failed to make an 8-foot par putt to force a playoff. Young shot 68 and won $4.5 million. Ludvig Aberg had control of the tournament until hitting into the water on consecutive holes on the back nine. He shot a 40 on the back nine for a 76.Finals INTERLEAGUE Final	N.Y. Mets	8	Toronto	1	 Final	Houston	1	Miami	0	 Final	Tampa Bay	6	Pittsburgh	1	 Final	L.A. Dodgers	5	Texas	3	 Final	L.A. Angels	6	Colorado	5	 Final	Seattle	6	Cincinnati	3AMERICAN LEAGUE Final	Boston	7	Minnesota	2	 Final	Detroit	12	N.Y. Yankees	1	 Final	Kansas City	10	Chicago White Sox	4	 Final	Cleveland	12	AthleticsNATIONAL LEAGUE Final	Atlanta	1	Philadelphia	0	 Final	St. Louis	6	Washington	3	 Final	San Francisco	7	Milwaukee	1	 Final	L.A. Dodgers	14	Chicago Cubs	8	 Final	San Diego	4	Arizona	4NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE Final	Winnipeg	3	St. Louis	2	 Final	Ottawa	7	San Jose	4	 Final	Anaheim	4	Montreal	3	 Final	Toronto	4	Minnesota	2	 Final	Seattle	6	Florida	2	 Final	Edmonton	3	Nashville	1TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL Final	(18)Purdue	80	(3)Michigan	72	 Final	(17)Arkansas	86	(22)Vanderbilt	75

Monday Sports Headlines and Scores presented by Barton Community College

LAWRENCE, Kan. – The Kansas Jayhawks have received an at-large bid to the 2026 NCAA Tournament as the No. 4 seed in the East Region. The 68-team tournament bracket was announced Sunday evening.

Making its 53rd all-time appearance in the tournament, Kansas will face No. 13 seed Cal Baptist in the first round on Friday, March 20 in San Diego, California. Tip from Viejas Arena will be at 8:45 p.m. CT and the game will be televised on CBS. The first-round matchup will be the first-ever meeting between Kansas and CBU.  

Kansas enters the Big Dance with a record of 23-10, and the Jayhawks tied for third place in the Big 12 Conference during the regular season with a 12-6 league mark. KU has appeared in each NCAA Tournament contested since 1990, with the 2026 event marking its 36th consecutive tournament appearance. Kansas has an all-time record of 113-50 in the tournament, with 15 Final Four appearances and four NCAA Tournament Titles, most recently in 2022.

The Jayhawks have four players scoring in double figures and they are led by a trio of All-Big 12 honorees. Flory Bidunga is the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year and an All-Big 12 First Team selection, while Melvin Council Jr. is the Big 12 Newcomer of the Year and earned all-league honorable mention. Freshman guard Darryn Peterson is an All-Big 12 Second Team selection, and KU's leading scorer at 19.8 points per game.

Head coach Bill Self is leading the Jayhawks to the NCAA Tournament for the 22nd time. Under his guidance, Kansas has a record of 43-19 in the tournament with National Championships in 2008 and 2022.

From Riverside, California, the Cal Baptist Lancers are making their first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance as the champions of the Western Athletic Conference. CBU enters the tournament with a 25-8 record after defeating Utah Valley 63-61 in the WAC Championship game on Saturday night in Las Vegas.

Kansas earns a No. 4 seed in the tournament for the seventh time and first since 2024, when the Jayhawks defeated No. 13 Samford, 93-89, in the first round before falling to No. 5 Gonzaga. Kansas is 9-6 all-time when competing in the NCAA Tournament as a No. 4 seed.

The 2026 NCAA Tournament tips off in Dayton, Ohio, with the First Four on Tuesday-Wednesday, March 17-18. The first weekend of competition will then include the first round on Thursday-Friday, March 19-20, followed by second round play on Saturday-Sunday, March 21-22.

LAWRENCE, Kan. – The Kansas Jayhawks have received an at-large bid to the 2026 NCAA Tournament as the No. 4 seed in the East Region. The 68-team tournament bracket was announced Sunday evening.Making its 53rd all-time appearance in the tournament, Kansas will face No. 13 seed Cal Baptist in the first round on Friday, March 20 in San Diego, California. Tip from Viejas Arena will be at 8:45 p.m. CT and the game will be televised on CBS. The first-round matchup will be the first-ever meeting between Kansas and CBU. Kansas enters the Big Dance with a record of 23-10, and the Jayhawks tied for third place in the Big 12 Conference during the regular season with a 12-6 league mark. KU has appeared in each NCAA Tournament contested since 1990, with the 2026 event marking its 36th consecutive tournament appearance. Kansas has an all-time record of 113-50 in the tournament, with 15 Final Four appearances and four NCAA Tournament Titles, most recently in 2022.The Jayhawks have four players scoring in double figures and they are led by a trio of All-Big 12 honorees. Flory Bidunga is the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year and an All-Big 12 First Team selection, while Melvin Council Jr. is the Big 12 Newcomer of the Year and earned all-league honorable mention. Freshman guard Darryn Peterson is an All-Big 12 Second Team selection, and KU's leading scorer at 19.8 points per game.Head coach Bill Self is leading the Jayhawks to the NCAA Tournament for the 22nd time. Under his guidance, Kansas has a record of 43-19 in the tournament with National Championships in 2008 and 2022.From Riverside, California, the Cal Baptist Lancers are making their first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance as the champions of the Western Athletic Conference. CBU enters the tournament with a 25-8 record after defeating Utah Valley 63-61 in the WAC Championship game on Saturday night in Las Vegas.Kansas earns a No. 4 seed in the tournament for the seventh time and first since 2024, when the Jayhawks defeated No. 13 Samford, 93-89, in the first round before falling to No. 5 Gonzaga. Kansas is 9-6 all-time when competing in the NCAA Tournament as a No. 4 seed.The 2026 NCAA Tournament tips off in Dayton, Ohio, with the First Four on Tuesday-Wednesday, March 17-18. The first weekend of competition will then include the first round on Thursday-Friday, March 19-20, followed by second round play on Saturday-Sunday, March 21-22.Kansas Athletics

Kansas meets Cal Baptist Friday in 2026 NCAA Tournament


The Wichita State Shockers and Wyoming Cowboys square off in the
National Invitation Tournament. Tuesday's matchup is the first this
season between the two squads. Wichita State is 14-6 against the AAC,
and Wyoming is 9-12 against the MWC.


Wyoming Cowboys (18-14, 9-12 MWC) at Wichita State Shockers (22-11,
14-6 AAC)

BOTTOM LINE: Wichita State plays Wyoming in the National
Invitation Tournament.


The Shockers' record in AAC play is 14-6, and their record is 8-5 in
non-conference play. Wichita State is 2-3 in games decided by less
than 4 points.


The Cowboys are 9-12 against MWC opponents. Wyoming scores 77.1
points while outscoring opponents by 4.1 points per game.


Wichita State is shooting 44.2% from the field this season, 1.8
percentage points lower than the 46.0% Wyoming allows to opponents.
Wyoming averages 6.7 more points per game (77.1) than Wichita State
allows (70.4).

TOP PERFORMERS: Kenyon Giles is scoring 19.2 points per game
and averaging 2.7 rebounds for the Shockers. Dillon Battie is
averaging 10.8 points and 4.8 rebounds over the last 10 games.


Leland Walker is averaging 13.7 points and 3.7 assists for the
Cowboys. Damarion Dennis is averaging 15.3 points over the last 10
games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Shockers: 8-2, averaging 77.1 points,
39.7 rebounds, 11.1 assists, 6.5 steals and 3.9 blocks per game while
shooting 43.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 70.7
points per game.

Cowboys: 5-5, averaging 74.5 points, 29.1 rebounds, 14.2
assists, 5.6 steals and 1.7 blocks per game while shooting 44.2% from
the field. Their opponents have averaged 74.1 points.

By the Associated
Press
The Wichita State Shockers and Wyoming Cowboys square off in the
National Invitation Tournament. Tuesday's matchup is the first this
season between the two squads. Wichita State is 14-6 against the AAC,
and Wyoming is 9-12 against the MWC.
Wyoming Cowboys (18-14, 9-12 MWC) at Wichita State Shockers (22-11,
14-6 AAC)
Wichita, Kansas; Tuesday, 7 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: Wichita State plays Wyoming in the National
Invitation Tournament.
The Shockers' record in AAC play is 14-6, and their record is 8-5 in
non-conference play. Wichita State is 2-3 in games decided by less
than 4 points.
The Cowboys are 9-12 against MWC opponents. Wyoming scores 77.1
points while outscoring opponents by 4.1 points per game.
Wichita State is shooting 44.2% from the field this season, 1.8
percentage points lower than the 46.0% Wyoming allows to opponents.
Wyoming averages 6.7 more points per game (77.1) than Wichita State
allows (70.4).
TOP PERFORMERS: Kenyon Giles is scoring 19.2 points per game
and averaging 2.7 rebounds for the Shockers. Dillon Battie is
averaging 10.8 points and 4.8 rebounds over the last 10 games.
Leland Walker is averaging 13.7 points and 3.7 assists for the
Cowboys. Damarion Dennis is averaging 15.3 points over the last 10
games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Shockers: 8-2, averaging 77.1 points,
39.7 rebounds, 11.1 assists, 6.5 steals and 3.9 blocks per game while
shooting 43.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 70.7
points per game.
Cowboys: 5-5, averaging 74.5 points, 29.1 rebounds, 14.2
assists, 5.6 steals and 1.7 blocks per game while shooting 44.2% from
the field. Their opponents have averaged 74.1 points.

Wichita State, Wyoming square off in NIT

Defending national champion Florida is the No. 1 seed in the South Region for the NCAA Tournament. The Gators will open against the winner of a First Four game between Prairie View A&amp;M and Lehigh. But look ahead a bit and the Gators could see second-seeded Houston, whom it beat for the title a year ago, for a spot in this year's Final Four. The Cougars will open against Idaho on Thursday in Oklahoma City. Illinois earned the No. 3 seed and Nebraska was seeded fourth. The Huskers are 0-8 in the NCAA Tournament.

Defending national champion Florida's path to another Final Four could include a rematch with Houston, whom it beat in the final a year ago, only this time in a South Region finale that would be played just a short drive from the Cougars' campus.

The Gators were chosen as one of the four No. 1 seeds for the NCAA Tournament on Sunday.

The SEC regular-season champions will open against the winner of a First Four game on Wednesday between Prairie View A&amp;M and Lehigh on Friday in Tampa, Florida, getting the benefit of a close opening weekend of games. The second-seeded Cougars will play No. 15 seed Idaho on Thursday in Oklahoma City.

Yet it’s not hard to look ahead to a potential regional finale between the Gators and Cougars at the Toyota Center, which is less than three miles away from the Fertitta Center, where Houston celebrated with its fans on Sunday at a selection watch party.

“We try to be very consistent with our program. We’re not going to be reactive in regards to when we’re winning that we don’t practice hard,” Gators coach Todd Golden said after their loss to Vanderbilt on Saturday in the semifinals of the SEC tourney.

“Part of what makes our program what it is is our consistency,” he said. “We’re not going to change a lot.”

Third-seeded Illinois and fourth-seeded Nebraska could have something to say about that Florida-Houston rematch.

The Illini, who had struggled down the stretch and lost to Wisconsin in the Big Ten Tournament, will open against No. 14 seed Penn — the Ivy League tourney champ — on Thursday in Greenville, South Carolina.

“We’re a possession away in a lot of games from being one of the best teams record-wise in the country. I still think we’re one of the best teams in the country,” Illinois coach Brad Underwood said. “We’ve just got to stay focused.”

The Huskers slumped a little after a 20-0 start but are back in the NCAA Tournament with a matchup against No. 13 seed Troy on Thursday in Oklahoma City.

Nebraska has never won a game in the NCAA Tournament, losing its opener in each of its eight previous appearances. That includes a loss two years ago as the No. 8 seed to Texas A&amp;M in Fred Hoiberg’s first time taking the Huskers to the dance.

The No. 4 seed is the best for Nebraska since it was the No. 3 in 1991 and lost its opener to No. 14 seed Xavier.

Seventh-seeded Saint Mary’s is making its fifth straight NCAA Tournament appearance and will play No. 10 seed Texas A&amp;M, which is in the tourney for the fourth straight time. But it’s the Aggies’ first&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bucky-mcmillan-texas-am-35d83a0739fbe7285d02d163fa322f61">playing “Bucky Ball”</a>&nbsp;— the name given to the style of basketball it plays under Bucky McMillan, who succeeded Buzz Williams as their coach this season.

Iowa is back in the NCAA Tournament as the No. 9 seed and will play eighth-seeded Clemson in the first round. The Hawkeyes are led by Ben McCollum, who took Drake to the second round of the tourney last season. The year before that? McCollum was the coach at Northwest Missouri State, a Division II school that he turned into a national power.

North Carolina slipped to the No. 6 seed and will play its NCAA tourney opener against No. 11 seed VCU, which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vcu-dayton-score-atlantic-10-tournament-championship-10d41ea51265592fa2e7df40aafbd8d6">won the Atlantic-10 Tournament</a>. The Tar Heels’ seeding took a hit with a loss to Clemson in the ACC Tournament and, perhaps more likely, the injury to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-carolina-caleb-wilson-2fc210e1d2c4d0c39556f77987ee5ef6">star freshman Caleb Wilson</a>. His broken thumb required surgery and effectively ended his season.

Vanderbilt earned the No. 5 seed after reaching its first SEC Tournament title game in 14 years,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sec-vanderbilt-arkansas-march-madness-6f16d61b89799b44f82f8e9cafe1d238">losing to Arkansas on Sunday</a>, and will play No. 12 seed McNeese in the first round. The winner of that game gets the Nebraska-Troy winner in the second round.

By the Associated PressDefending national champion Florida is the No. 1 seed in the South Region for the NCAA Tournament. The Gators will open against the winner of a First Four game between Prairie View A&amp;M and Lehigh. But look ahead a bit and the Gators could see second-seeded Houston, whom it beat for the title a year ago, for a spot in this year's Final Four. The Cougars will open against Idaho on Thursday in Oklahoma City. Illinois earned the No. 3 seed and Nebraska was seeded fourth. The Huskers are 0-8 in the NCAA Tournament.StoryDefending national champion Florida's path to another Final Four could include a rematch with Houston, whom it beat in the final a year ago, only this time in a South Region finale that would be played just a short drive from the Cougars' campus.The Gators were chosen as one of the four No. 1 seeds for the NCAA Tournament on Sunday.The SEC regular-season champions will open against the winner of a First Four game on Wednesday between Prairie View A&amp;M and Lehigh on Friday in Tampa, Florida, getting the benefit of a close opening weekend of games. The second-seeded Cougars will play No. 15 seed Idaho on Thursday in Oklahoma City.Yet it’s not hard to look ahead to a potential regional finale between the Gators and Cougars at the Toyota Center, which is less than three miles away from the Fertitta Center, where Houston celebrated with its fans on Sunday at a selection watch party.“We try to be very consistent with our program. We’re not going to be reactive in regards to when we’re winning that we don’t practice hard,” Gators coach Todd Golden said after their loss to Vanderbilt on Saturday in the semifinals of the SEC tourney.“Part of what makes our program what it is is our consistency,” he said. “We’re not going to change a lot.”Third-seeded Illinois and fourth-seeded Nebraska could have something to say about that Florida-Houston rematch.The Illini, who had struggled down the stretch and lost to Wisconsin in the Big Ten Tournament, will open against No. 14 seed Penn — the Ivy League tourney champ — on Thursday in Greenville, South Carolina.“We’re a possession away in a lot of games from being one of the best teams record-wise in the country. I still think we’re one of the best teams in the country,” Illinois coach Brad Underwood said. “We’ve just got to stay focused.”<h2>Big chance for Big Red</h2>The Huskers slumped a little after a 20-0 start but are back in the NCAA Tournament with a matchup against No. 13 seed Troy on Thursday in Oklahoma City.Nebraska has never won a game in the NCAA Tournament, losing its opener in each of its eight previous appearances. That includes a loss two years ago as the No. 8 seed to Texas A&amp;M in Fred Hoiberg’s first time taking the Huskers to the dance.The No. 4 seed is the best for Nebraska since it was the No. 3 in 1991 and lost its opener to No. 14 seed Xavier.<h2>Getting familiar</h2>Seventh-seeded Saint Mary’s is making its fifth straight NCAA Tournament appearance and will play No. 10 seed Texas A&amp;M, which is in the tourney for the fourth straight time. But it’s the Aggies’ first&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bucky-mcmillan-texas-am-35d83a0739fbe7285d02d163fa322f61">playing “Bucky Ball”</a>&nbsp;— the name given to the style of basketball it plays under Bucky McMillan, who succeeded Buzz Williams as their coach this season.<h2>Speaking of familiar</h2>Iowa is back in the NCAA Tournament as the No. 9 seed and will play eighth-seeded Clemson in the first round. The Hawkeyes are led by Ben McCollum, who took Drake to the second round of the tourney last season. The year before that? McCollum was the coach at Northwest Missouri State, a Division II school that he turned into a national power.<h2>Tar Heels trouble</h2>North Carolina slipped to the No. 6 seed and will play its NCAA tourney opener against No. 11 seed VCU, which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vcu-dayton-score-atlantic-10-tournament-championship-10d41ea51265592fa2e7df40aafbd8d6">won the Atlantic-10 Tournament</a>. The Tar Heels’ seeding took a hit with a loss to Clemson in the ACC Tournament and, perhaps more likely, the injury to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-carolina-caleb-wilson-2fc210e1d2c4d0c39556f77987ee5ef6">star freshman Caleb Wilson</a>. His broken thumb required surgery and effectively ended his season.<h2>The other South matchup</h2>Vanderbilt earned the No. 5 seed after reaching its first SEC Tournament title game in 14 years,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sec-vanderbilt-arkansas-march-madness-6f16d61b89799b44f82f8e9cafe1d238">losing to Arkansas on Sunday</a>, and will play No. 12 seed McNeese in the first round. The winner of that game gets the Nebraska-Troy winner in the second round.

Defending national champion Florida is a No. 1 seed for March Madness, Houston lurking in South

Top overall seed Duke headlines an East Region bracket of March Madness t hat is stacked with big names.

Dan Hurley's UConn team is the 2-seed, a decision by the NCAA Tournament selection committee that came after the Huskies had been in contention for a No. 1 seed both in preliminary rankings in February and this week leading into the Big East Tournament.

Hall of Fame coaches Tom Izzo from Michigan State, Bill Self from Kansas and Rick Pitino from Big East champion St. John's lead the next teams up in the 16-team bracket.

Duke (32-2) is a No. 1 seed for the second straight year, with last year's run ending in the Final Four. Jon Scheyer's fourth squad has made it back to the top line in different fashion, relying on star freshman Cameron Boozer as the anchor to an inside-out approach that has routinely overwhelmed opponents in the paint and on the glass.

The Blue Devils have won 11 straight since falling at rival North Carolina on a last-second 3-pointer. They led the country with 17 Quadrant 1 wins that top a postseason résumé, including a neutral-court win against fellow 1-seed Michigan, a home win against another 1-seed in reigning national champion Florida, and a road win against Michigan State.

“We have a bunch of guys that aren't fazed,” Scheyer said after Saturday's 74-70 win against Virginia in the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament title game. ”They thrive in this environment."

Duke won the ACC Tournament for the third time under Scheyer despite being down two starters, with point guard Caleb Foster (broken foot) and big man Patrick Ngongba II (foot soreness) being sidelined to leave Duke with a seven-man rotation through three games.

While Foster is out for an extended period, Scheyer has said the hope is for Ngongba to be ready for the start of the NCAA Tournament.

The rest of the bracket includes Louisville, UCLA, Ohio State, TCU, UCF, South Florida, Northern Iowa, Cal Baptist, North Dakota State and Furman.

The regionals will be held in Washington's Capital One Arena, where the Blue Devils edged the Wolverines last month. The Sweet 16 games will take place March 27, followed by the regional final coming two days later.

Top overall seed Duke headlines an East Region bracket of March Madness t hat is stacked with big names.Dan Hurley's UConn team is the 2-seed, a decision by the NCAA Tournament selection committee that came after the Huskies had been in contention for a No. 1 seed both in preliminary rankings in February and this week leading into the Big East Tournament.Hall of Fame coaches Tom Izzo from Michigan State, Bill Self from Kansas and Rick Pitino from Big East champion St. John's lead the next teams up in the 16-team bracket.Duke (32-2) is a No. 1 seed for the second straight year, with last year's run ending in the Final Four. Jon Scheyer's fourth squad has made it back to the top line in different fashion, relying on star freshman Cameron Boozer as the anchor to an inside-out approach that has routinely overwhelmed opponents in the paint and on the glass.The Blue Devils have won 11 straight since falling at rival North Carolina on a last-second 3-pointer. They led the country with 17 Quadrant 1 wins that top a postseason résumé, including a neutral-court win against fellow 1-seed Michigan, a home win against another 1-seed in reigning national champion Florida, and a road win against Michigan State.“We have a bunch of guys that aren't fazed,” Scheyer said after Saturday's 74-70 win against Virginia in the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament title game. ”They thrive in this environment."Duke won the ACC Tournament for the third time under Scheyer despite being down two starters, with point guard Caleb Foster (broken foot) and big man Patrick Ngongba II (foot soreness) being sidelined to leave Duke with a seven-man rotation through three games.While Foster is out for an extended period, Scheyer has said the hope is for Ngongba to be ready for the start of the NCAA Tournament.The rest of the bracket includes Louisville, UCLA, Ohio State, TCU, UCF, South Florida, Northern Iowa, Cal Baptist, North Dakota State and Furman.Road to IndianapolisThe regionals will be held in Washington's Capital One Arena, where the Blue Devils edged the Wolverines last month. The Sweet 16 games will take place March 27, followed by the regional final coming two days later.

KU No. 4 seed in East Regional stacked with big name schools and coaches

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Wes Enis scored 19 points on Sunday to help top-seeded South Florida beat No. 2 seed Wichita State 70-55 to win the American Athletic Conference Tournament and clinch a berth in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2012.

South Florida (25-8) has won 11 in a row and secured its first AAC Tournament crown. The Bulls have won back-to-back conference regular-season titles.

Izaiyah Nelson had 13 points, six rebound, three steals and two blocks for USF and Josh Omojafo scored 10.

CJ Brown threw an alley-oop to Nelson for a dunk that made it 10-8 a little more than six minutes into the game and the Bulls led the rest of the way.

Wichita State (22-11) twice in the second half trimmed its deficit to a point before Isaiah Jones and Enis hit back-to-back 3s to spark a 14-4 spurt that gave South Florida a 59-45 lead with 6 1/2 minutes to play.

Dillon Battie led the Shockers with 15 points and Will Berg added 10 points, six rebounds and three blocks. Kenyon Giles, the team's leading scorer this season (19.7 per game), finished with five points on 2-of-11 shooting, 1 of 7 from 3-point range.

Wichita State had its seven-game win streak — which dated to a 66-58 home loss to the Bulls on Feb. 11 — snapped.

Wichita State: Awaits a potential postseason invitation.

South Florida: Will be a No. 11 seed and plays Thursday against sixth-seeded Louisville in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Wes Enis scored 19 points on Sunday to help top-seeded South Florida beat No. 2 seed Wichita State 70-55 to win the American Athletic Conference Tournament and clinch a berth in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2012.South Florida (25-8) has won 11 in a row and secured its first AAC Tournament crown. The Bulls have won back-to-back conference regular-season titles.Izaiyah Nelson had 13 points, six rebound, three steals and two blocks for USF and Josh Omojafo scored 10.CJ Brown threw an alley-oop to Nelson for a dunk that made it 10-8 a little more than six minutes into the game and the Bulls led the rest of the way.Wichita State (22-11) twice in the second half trimmed its deficit to a point before Isaiah Jones and Enis hit back-to-back 3s to spark a 14-4 spurt that gave South Florida a 59-45 lead with 6 1/2 minutes to play.Dillon Battie led the Shockers with 15 points and Will Berg added 10 points, six rebounds and three blocks. Kenyon Giles, the team's leading scorer this season (19.7 per game), finished with five points on 2-of-11 shooting, 1 of 7 from 3-point range.Wichita State had its seven-game win streak — which dated to a 66-58 home loss to the Bulls on Feb. 11 — snapped.<h2>Up next</h2>Wichita State: Awaits a potential postseason invitation.South Florida: Will be a No. 11 seed and plays Thursday against sixth-seeded Louisville in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

South Florida wins AAC Tournament over Wichita State

By PEG PENNEPACKER NFHS

Interscholastic
coaches hold a unique position of influence and responsibility in the
lives of student-athletes. Beyond teaching sports skills and
fostering teamwork, coaches are entrusted with the safety, well-being
and ethical development of young people. This role requires not only
athletic expertise but also an in-depth understanding of legal and
ethical boundaries, particularly when it comes to issues such as
consent and grooming within the realm of professional conduct.

Following is an
in-depth look at these critical topics, providing athletic
administrators and coaches with essential knowledge and guidance to
create a safe, supportive and legally compliant environment for all
student-athletes.

Understanding
Consent in the School Sports Setting

Consent, in its most
basic sense, refers to the agreement between parties to participate
in an activity. In the context of interscholastic sports, consent is
multifaceted. While it often arises in discussions of sexual
misconduct, it also applies to physical contact during coaching, use
of student images and information, and the administration of medical
care.

One of the most
important legal realities for coaches to understand is that minors
(typically students under the age of 18) cannot legally give consent
in many circumstances, and most importantly, regarding sexual
activity. Even if a minor appears willing, the law does not recognize
their capacity to consent to relationships or contact with adults in
positions of authority. This is designed to protect young people from
exploitation and abuse.

Coaching often
requires physical demonstrations or corrections. Coaches should
always explain the reasons for any necessary contact and seek verbal
permission from the student beforehand. Whenever possible, contact
should occur in public spaces and be witnessed by others. Coaches
must also be aware of their school district’s policies regarding
physical contact and always err on the side of caution.

Medical consent is
another area where coaches must be vigilant. Only qualified medical
personnel should provide medical care, and parental consent forms
should be completed and on file before the sports season begins. In
emergencies, schools typically have protocols for contacting parents
or guardians.

Recognizing and
Preventing Grooming

Grooming refers to
the process by which an adult builds a relationship, trust and
emotional connection with a minor to manipulate, exploit or abuse
them. Grooming often occurs gradually and can be difficult for
outsiders to detect. It is a serious form of misconduct and is often
a precursor to more overt forms of abuse.

Giving special gifts
or privileges to a particular student or student-athlete.

Spending excessive
time alone with a student/student-athlete, especially outside of
official school team activities.

Communicating with
students through private or secretive channels (e.g., personal texts,
social media DMs, etc.).

Sharing personal
information or seeking emotional dependence from a
student/student-athlete.

Gradually crossing
physical boundaries, such as unnecessary hugs or touching.

Coaches, by virtue
of their position, have significant authority and influence over the
students in their charge. This power imbalance makes it essential for
coaches to always maintain professional boundaries at all times. Even
seemingly innocent actions can be misinterpreted or, worse, serve as
the first step in the grooming process. Coaches must be proactive in
recognizing warning signs and reporting any concerns to school
authorities immediately.

The best way to
prevent grooming is to establish and consistently enforce clear
professional boundaries. This includes:

Never being alone
with a student/student-athlete in a private setting.

Communicating with
students/student-athletes only through official school-approved
channels.

Ensuring all team
travel and overnight trips have appropriate adult supervision and
parental approval.

Documenting and
communicating all one-on-one meetings with students/student-athletes
to parents and administrators.

Other Critical
Issues for Interscholastic Coaches

All states have
mandatory reporting laws requiring certain professionals, including
coaches and educators, to report suspected abuse or neglect of
minors. Failure to report can result in criminal charges, loss of
coaching credentials and civil liability. Athletic administrators and
coaches should familiarize themselves with their state’s specific
requirements and school district protocols for reporting.

Social Media and
Digital Communication

The rise of social
media and digital communication presents new challenges in
maintaining professional boundaries. Coaches should never “friend”
or follow student-athletes on personal accounts. All team
communications should occur through school-approved platforms that
can be monitored. Any inappropriate or secretive messages must be
reported immediately.

Romantic
Relationships with Students

Romantic or sexual
relationships between coaches and student-athletes are strictly
prohibited, both legally and ethically. Even if a student is above
the age of consent, the inherent power imbalance makes such
relationships exploitative and a violation of professional standards.
Coaches found engaging in these relationships face severe
consequences, including termination and criminal prosecution.

Coaches must also
take an active role in preventing and addressing bullying, hazing and
harassment within their teams. This includes establishing clear
anti-bullying policies, educating student-athletes and parents about
appropriate behavior, and intervening promptly when incidents occur.
Coaches should foster a positive, inclusive team environment where
all student-athletes feel safe and respected.

Confidentiality
and Student Privacy

Coaches are privy to
sensitive information about student-athletes, including health
records, academic performance and personal issues. It is essential to
maintain confidentiality and only share information with those who
have a legitimate educational interest or authority, in accordance
with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).

Professional
Development and Training

Ongoing education is
vital for coaches to stay current on best practices, legal updates
and school district policies. Many states and school districts
require annual training on sexual harassment, child abuse prevention
and mandatory reporting. Coaches should take these opportunities
seriously and seek additional resources as needed.

Best Practices
for Coaches and Athletic Directors

Know and Follow
School Policies: Familiarize yourself with school district guidelines
on contact, communication, reporting and student privacy. Contact the
school district’s Title IX Coordinator or legal counsel for
additional information and support.

Maintain
Professional Boundaries: Avoid situations that could be
misinterpreted or that compromise your authority.

Communicate
Transparently: Keep parents, administrators and other coaches
informed about team activities and interactions with
student-athletes.

Document Concerns
and Actions: Keep records of any incidents, meetings or
communications related to student welfare.

Model Respectful
Behavior: Set a positive example for student-athletes in your words
and actions.

Report Suspicions
Promptly: If you suspect abuse, grooming or boundary violations,
report them according to school and state protocols.

Engage in Ongoing
Training: Stay informed about current laws and best practices for
protecting students. NIAAA’s LTC 715 course: Appropriate
Professional Boundaries: Identifying, Implementing and Maintaining is
an excellent resource for training athletic administrators and
coaches.

The role of an
interscholastic athletics coach extends far beyond the playing field.
Coaches are mentors, educators and protectors of the young people in
their care. Understanding the complexities of consent, recognizing
the dangers of grooming, and adhering to strict professional
boundaries are not only legal requirements but moral imperatives. By
staying informed, vigilant and committed to ethical conduct, coaches
can ensure that their influence is positive and lasting, helping
student-athletes grow into responsible, confident and safe
individuals.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1589980518766.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By PEG PENNEPACKER NFHSInterscholastic
coaches hold a unique position of influence and responsibility in the
lives of student-athletes. Beyond teaching sports skills and
fostering teamwork, coaches are entrusted with the safety, well-being
and ethical development of young people. This role requires not only
athletic expertise but also an in-depth understanding of legal and
ethical boundaries, particularly when it comes to issues such as
consent and grooming within the realm of professional conduct.Following is an
in-depth look at these critical topics, providing athletic
administrators and coaches with essential knowledge and guidance to
create a safe, supportive and legally compliant environment for all
student-athletes.Understanding
Consent in the School Sports SettingDefinition of
ConsentConsent, in its most
basic sense, refers to the agreement between parties to participate
in an activity. In the context of interscholastic sports, consent is
multifaceted. While it often arises in discussions of sexual
misconduct, it also applies to physical contact during coaching, use
of student images and information, and the administration of medical
care.Consent and
MinorsOne of the most
important legal realities for coaches to understand is that minors
(typically students under the age of 18) cannot legally give consent
in many circumstances, and most importantly, regarding sexual
activity. Even if a minor appears willing, the law does not recognize
their capacity to consent to relationships or contact with adults in
positions of authority. This is designed to protect young people from
exploitation and abuse.Physical Contact
and CoachingCoaching often
requires physical demonstrations or corrections. Coaches should
always explain the reasons for any necessary contact and seek verbal
permission from the student beforehand. Whenever possible, contact
should occur in public spaces and be witnessed by others. Coaches
must also be aware of their school district’s policies regarding
physical contact and always err on the side of caution.Medical ConsentMedical consent is
another area where coaches must be vigilant. Only qualified medical
personnel should provide medical care, and parental consent forms
should be completed and on file before the sports season begins. In
emergencies, schools typically have protocols for contacting parents
or guardians.Recognizing and
Preventing GroomingWhat is Grooming?Grooming refers to
the process by which an adult builds a relationship, trust and
emotional connection with a minor to manipulate, exploit or abuse
them. Grooming often occurs gradually and can be difficult for
outsiders to detect. It is a serious form of misconduct and is often
a precursor to more overt forms of abuse.Common Grooming
BehaviorsGiving special gifts
or privileges to a particular student or student-athlete.Spending excessive
time alone with a student/student-athlete, especially outside of
official school team activities.Communicating with
students through private or secretive channels (e.g., personal texts,
social media DMs, etc.).Sharing personal
information or seeking emotional dependence from a
student/student-athlete.Gradually crossing
physical boundaries, such as unnecessary hugs or touching.Why Coaches Must
Be VigilantCoaches, by virtue
of their position, have significant authority and influence over the
students in their charge. This power imbalance makes it essential for
coaches to always maintain professional boundaries at all times. Even
seemingly innocent actions can be misinterpreted or, worse, serve as
the first step in the grooming process. Coaches must be proactive in
recognizing warning signs and reporting any concerns to school
authorities immediately.Establishing
Clear BoundariesThe best way to
prevent grooming is to establish and consistently enforce clear
professional boundaries. This includes:Never being alone
with a student/student-athlete in a private setting.Communicating with
students/student-athletes only through official school-approved
channels.Ensuring all team
travel and overnight trips have appropriate adult supervision and
parental approval.Documenting and
communicating all one-on-one meetings with students/student-athletes
to parents and administrators.Other Critical
Issues for Interscholastic CoachesMandatory
Reporting LawsAll states have
mandatory reporting laws requiring certain professionals, including
coaches and educators, to report suspected abuse or neglect of
minors. Failure to report can result in criminal charges, loss of
coaching credentials and civil liability. Athletic administrators and
coaches should familiarize themselves with their state’s specific
requirements and school district protocols for reporting.Social Media and
Digital CommunicationThe rise of social
media and digital communication presents new challenges in
maintaining professional boundaries. Coaches should never “friend”
or follow student-athletes on personal accounts. All team
communications should occur through school-approved platforms that
can be monitored. Any inappropriate or secretive messages must be
reported immediately.Romantic
Relationships with StudentsRomantic or sexual
relationships between coaches and student-athletes are strictly
prohibited, both legally and ethically. Even if a student is above
the age of consent, the inherent power imbalance makes such
relationships exploitative and a violation of professional standards.
Coaches found engaging in these relationships face severe
consequences, including termination and criminal prosecution.Bullying, Hazing
and HarassmentCoaches must also
take an active role in preventing and addressing bullying, hazing and
harassment within their teams. This includes establishing clear
anti-bullying policies, educating student-athletes and parents about
appropriate behavior, and intervening promptly when incidents occur.
Coaches should foster a positive, inclusive team environment where
all student-athletes feel safe and respected.Confidentiality
and Student PrivacyCoaches are privy to
sensitive information about student-athletes, including health
records, academic performance and personal issues. It is essential to
maintain confidentiality and only share information with those who
have a legitimate educational interest or authority, in accordance
with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).Professional
Development and TrainingOngoing education is
vital for coaches to stay current on best practices, legal updates
and school district policies. Many states and school districts
require annual training on sexual harassment, child abuse prevention
and mandatory reporting. Coaches should take these opportunities
seriously and seek additional resources as needed.Best Practices
for Coaches and Athletic DirectorsKnow and Follow
School Policies: Familiarize yourself with school district guidelines
on contact, communication, reporting and student privacy. Contact the
school district’s Title IX Coordinator or legal counsel for
additional information and support.Maintain
Professional Boundaries: Avoid situations that could be
misinterpreted or that compromise your authority.Communicate
Transparently: Keep parents, administrators and other coaches
informed about team activities and interactions with
student-athletes.Document Concerns
and Actions: Keep records of any incidents, meetings or
communications related to student welfare.Model Respectful
Behavior: Set a positive example for student-athletes in your words
and actions.Report Suspicions
Promptly: If you suspect abuse, grooming or boundary violations,
report them according to school and state protocols.Engage in Ongoing
Training: Stay informed about current laws and best practices for
protecting students. NIAAA’s LTC 715 course: Appropriate
Professional Boundaries: Identifying, Implementing and Maintaining is
an excellent resource for training athletic administrators and
coaches.The role of an
interscholastic athletics coach extends far beyond the playing field.
Coaches are mentors, educators and protectors of the young people in
their care. Understanding the complexities of consent, recognizing
the dangers of grooming, and adhering to strict professional
boundaries are not only legal requirements but moral imperatives. By
staying informed, vigilant and committed to ethical conduct, coaches
can ensure that their influence is positive and lasting, helping
student-athletes grow into responsible, confident and safe
individuals.

Understanding Legal, Ethical Responsibilities in Coach-to-Athlete Relationships

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Belmont, which is losing longtime coach Casey Alexander to Kansas State, won't participate in the postseason NIT, the university announced Saturday.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Belmont, which is losing longtime coach Casey Alexander to Kansas State, won't participate in the postseason NIT, the university announced Saturday.The Bruins won the regular-season Missouri Valley Conference title this season before losing to Drake in the conference tournament.Alexander, who led the Bruins to 166 wins and four conference titles in seven seasons, on Friday agreed to a five-year deal with Kansas State that will pay him $3.3 million for the upcoming season.“In light of recent developments, Belmont University men’s basketball has elected not to participate in the Postseason NIT,” Belmont said Saturday in a statement. “We appreciate the meaningful dialogue and consideration postseason tournament committees have extended Belmont throughout the year.”The 53-year-old Alexander is 303-180 in 15 years as a head coach, including stops at Stetson and Lipscomb before Belmont. He won at least 20 games in each of his seven seasons with Belmont.