By EDDIE PELLS AP National Writer

Even before the brackets came out Sunday, March Madness was a muddled mess.

About the closest thing to a sure thing: UConn.

The defending champion Huskies earned the top seed in the NCAA Tournament, joined by Houston,Purdue and North Carolina as No. 1 seeds in a bracket that started going haywire even before the pairings were announced Sunday evening.

Of those top teams, only UConn heads into the tournament coming off a win. The others lost in their conference tournaments, yet those were hardly the only surprises over the final weekend of hoops before the sport's main event hits center stage.

Unexpected titles placed teams like Oregon, North Carolina State and even Duquesne, none of whom were projected to make the tournament, into the field of 68 via the automatic bid that goes to conference champions. The teams they beat gobbled up a handful of the 34 at-large bids, thus shrinking the number of spots available to teams on the so-called bubble.

“It was one of the most difficult that I’ve been involved in,” Charles McClelland, the chairman of the selection committee, said of the process that had everyone up until 2:30 a.m. the night before. “And I talked to some of the staff that’s been in that room for the last 20 years, and they said this is probably the most difficult selection process that they’ve been a part of.”

It showed in a bracket that had its share of head-scratchers:

— Two of the last four teams in — Boise State and Colorado State — weren't even considered on the bubble by most bracketologists.

“A little surprised to be honest," Boise State coach Leon Rice said of his team's No. 10 seed.

— Some of the teams left out — St. John's and Oklahoma — were thought to be safely in as late as Saturday. St. John's decided not to even play in the NIT.

“How is St. John's so far off the cutline?” said UConn coach Dan Hurley, who was surprised only three Big East teams made it.

— Florida Atlantic and Texas A&amp;M were considered bubble teams but ended up with 8 and 9 seeds, respectively.

All of this could be fodder for the growing conversation about expanding the bracket to 76, maybe 80 teams. Under that scenario, bubble teams like Pittsburgh, Seton Hall and even Indiana State would almost certainly be in.

The tournament starts Tuesday with two First Four games, including a matchup between Virginia and Colorado State. The 32 first-round games take place Thursday and Friday. The Final Four is set for April 6-8 in Glendale, Arizona.

UConn, which opens Friday against Stetson, is the favorite according to FanDuel Sportsbook and is trying to become the first repeat champion since Florida in 2006-07. The Huskies (31-3) are on a seven-game win streak and are tied with James Madison for most wins in the nation.

For all its excellence this season, UConn ended up in an East region with two of last year’s Final Four teams (San Diego State and Florida Atlantic) along with Iowa State, which is coming off a 69-41 win over Houston and was thought, for a minute, to be top-seed material.

“If we're able to get to our identity ... and then we play harder than you, we keep ourselves from being vulnerable that way,” Hurley said.

Both the SEC and Big 12 placed eight teams in the field, while the Big Ten and Mountain West each had six.

Speaking of pride: Michigan State extended its nation-leading streak to 26 straight years in the tournament. The ninth-seeded Spartans will play Mississippi State on Thursday, the same day No. 5 seed Gonzaga plays No. 12 McNeese. In February, the Zags were considered a bubble team, but a stretch of nine wins in 10 games changed that, and coach Mark Few’s team made the field for the 25th consecutive year.

Injury-riddled Kansas comes in as a 4 seed, set to play Samford, after two of its best players, Hunter Dickinson and Kevin McCullar Jr., sat out the Jayhawks’ 20-point loss in their Big 12 Tournament opener.

Florida is a 7 seed, and will play the winner of the Boise State-Colorado play-in game, but the Gators suffered a big blow when big man Micah Handlogten broke his leg early in the SEC title game.

The Ivy League is sending Yale, a 13 seed that needed a furious late comeback and a buzzer-beating basket against Brown to win the title and set up a game Friday against No. 4 Auburn. And Saint Peter’s back in the tournament, two years after making an unlikely run to the Elite Eight as a No. 15. This year, the Peacocks are 15 seeds again, opening against Tennessee in the Midwest.

Should Tennessee advance, coach Rick Barnes could face his old school, No. 7 Texas, which opens against the Virginia-Colorado State winner.

Meanwhile, Duquesne, the surprise winner of the Atlantic-10, is back in the tournament for the first time since 1977. A game against No. 6 BYU awaits.

Back in 1999, head coach Dan Monson and assistant Mark Few led Gonzaga on a surprise run all the way to the Elite Eight. Monson now coaches Long Beach State and, just last week, was relieved of his duties pending the end of the season. Funny enough, Monson’s team went on a run and won the Big West to get a ticket to the tournament. The 15th-seeded Beach open Thursday against No. 2 Arizona.

By EDDIE PELLS AP National WriterEven before the brackets came out Sunday, March Madness was a muddled mess.About the closest thing to a sure thing: UConn.The defending champion Huskies earned the top seed in the NCAA Tournament, joined by Houston,Purdue and North Carolina as No. 1 seeds in a bracket that started going haywire even before the pairings were announced Sunday evening.Of those top teams, only UConn heads into the tournament coming off a win. The others lost in their conference tournaments, yet those were hardly the only surprises over the final weekend of hoops before the sport's main event hits center stage.Unexpected titles placed teams like Oregon, North Carolina State and even Duquesne, none of whom were projected to make the tournament, into the field of 68 via the automatic bid that goes to conference champions. The teams they beat gobbled up a handful of the 34 at-large bids, thus shrinking the number of spots available to teams on the so-called bubble.“It was one of the most difficult that I’ve been involved in,” Charles McClelland, the chairman of the selection committee, said of the process that had everyone up until 2:30 a.m. the night before. “And I talked to some of the staff that’s been in that room for the last 20 years, and they said this is probably the most difficult selection process that they’ve been a part of.”It showed in a bracket that had its share of head-scratchers:— Two of the last four teams in — Boise State and Colorado State — weren't even considered on the bubble by most bracketologists.“A little surprised to be honest," Boise State coach Leon Rice said of his team's No. 10 seed.— Some of the teams left out — St. John's and Oklahoma — were thought to be safely in as late as Saturday. St. John's decided not to even play in the NIT.“How is St. John's so far off the cutline?” said UConn coach Dan Hurley, who was surprised only three Big East teams made it.— Florida Atlantic and Texas A&amp;M were considered bubble teams but ended up with 8 and 9 seeds, respectively.All of this could be fodder for the growing conversation about expanding the bracket to 76, maybe 80 teams. Under that scenario, bubble teams like Pittsburgh, Seton Hall and even Indiana State would almost certainly be in.The tournament starts Tuesday with two First Four games, including a matchup between Virginia and Colorado State. The 32 first-round games take place Thursday and Friday. The Final Four is set for April 6-8 in Glendale, Arizona.UConn the favoriteUConn, which opens Friday against Stetson, is the favorite according to FanDuel Sportsbook and is trying to become the first repeat champion since Florida in 2006-07. The Huskies (31-3) are on a seven-game win streak and are tied with James Madison for most wins in the nation.For all its excellence this season, UConn ended up in an East region with two of last year’s Final Four teams (San Diego State and Florida Atlantic) along with Iowa State, which is coming off a 69-41 win over Houston and was thought, for a minute, to be top-seed material.“If we're able to get to our identity ... and then we play harder than you, we keep ourselves from being vulnerable that way,” Hurley said.Conference bragging rightsBoth the SEC and Big 12 placed eight teams in the field, while the Big Ten and Mountain West each had six.Speaking of pride: Michigan State extended its nation-leading streak to 26 straight years in the tournament. The ninth-seeded Spartans will play Mississippi State on Thursday, the same day No. 5 seed Gonzaga plays No. 12 McNeese. In February, the Zags were considered a bubble team, but a stretch of nine wins in 10 games changed that, and coach Mark Few’s team made the field for the 25th consecutive year.Injury worriesInjury-riddled Kansas comes in as a 4 seed, set to play Samford, after two of its best players, Hunter Dickinson and Kevin McCullar Jr., sat out the Jayhawks’ 20-point loss in their Big 12 Tournament opener.Florida is a 7 seed, and will play the winner of the Boise State-Colorado play-in game, but the Gators suffered a big blow when big man Micah Handlogten broke his leg early in the SEC title game.Small fryThe Ivy League is sending Yale, a 13 seed that needed a furious late comeback and a buzzer-beating basket against Brown to win the title and set up a game Friday against No. 4 Auburn. And Saint Peter’s back in the tournament, two years after making an unlikely run to the Elite Eight as a No. 15. This year, the Peacocks are 15 seeds again, opening against Tennessee in the Midwest.Should Tennessee advance, coach Rick Barnes could face his old school, No. 7 Texas, which opens against the Virginia-Colorado State winner.Meanwhile, Duquesne, the surprise winner of the Atlantic-10, is back in the tournament for the first time since 1977. A game against No. 6 BYU awaits.Job securityBack in 1999, head coach Dan Monson and assistant Mark Few led Gonzaga on a surprise run all the way to the Elite Eight. Monson now coaches Long Beach State and, just last week, was relieved of his duties pending the end of the season. Funny enough, Monson’s team went on a run and won the Big West to get a ticket to the tournament. The 15th-seeded Beach open Thursday against No. 2 Arizona.

March Madness is here. UConn, Purdue, Houston and North Carolina get top seeding


UNDATED (AP) — Defending
champion Connecticut, along with Houston, Purdue and North Carolina
are the top seeds in a March Madness bracket that started going
haywire even before the pairings came out. Of the four top seeds,
only UConn heads into the tournament coming off a win. That played
into the Huskies receiving the No. 1 overall seed. The other three
top seeds lost in their conference tournaments.


UNDATED (AP) — Purdue is
seeded first in the Midwest Region for the NCAA Tournament as it
tries to make amends for becoming only the second No. 1 seed to lose
to a No. 16 seed a year ago. The Boilermakers were upset by Fairleigh
Dickinson that day. The selection committee put the Big Ten
regular-season champions against the winner of Montana State and
Grambling State on Friday in Indianapolis. There are some
heavyweights elsewhere in the Midwest, including second-seeded
Tennessee, No. 3 seed Creighton, fourth-seeded Kansas and No. 5 seed
Gonzaga. The Jayhawks may have the biggest question marks with
All-America candidates Hunter Dickinson and Kevin McCullar Jr. both
dealing with injuries.


UNDATED (AP) — Houston
claimed a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament for the second straight
year, but will have to navigate the likes of Duke, Kentucky and
Marquette in the South Region if the Cougars are able to make their
first Final Four since 2021. The Cougars were rewarded for being the
Big 12 regular season champions and reaching the conference
tournament title game before losing to Iowa State. They will face No.
16 seed Longwood, the Big South champion, in Memphis, Tennessee in
the first round on Thursday. Houston will be a No. 1 seed for the
third time in school history.


UNDATED (AP) — North
Carolina is the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament West Region a year
after being left out of the bracket. The Tar Heels will open March
Madness just down the road in Charlotte against the First Four winner
between Howard and Wagner. The West Region also includes Arizona,
Alabama, Baylor and Michigan State. North Carolina found itself in a
rare position in coach Hubert Davis’ second season a year ago,
going from preseason No. 1 to watching the NCAA Tournament from home.
The Tar Heels responded this season by winning their first outright
ACC regular-season title in seven years.


UNDATED (AP) — Reigning
national champion Connecticut is the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA
Tournament and headlining the East Region bracket. The Huskies earned
a top regional seed for the first time since a Final Four run in 2009
and sixth time overall. UConn has lost just once since Dec. 20. The
Huskies are trying to become the first to win back-to-back titles
since Florida in 2006 and 2007. Big 12 champion Iowa State is the No.
2 seed, followed by Big Ten champion Illinois and Southeastern
Conference champion Auburn. The regionals will be held in Boston.


UNDATED (AP) — South
Carolina is the the top overall seed in the women’s NCAA
Tournament. The Gamecocks are looking to become the 10th women’s
basketball team to go undefeated for an entire season. Caitlin Clark
and Iowa also received a No. 1 seed. Both schools are in the Albany
Region and wouldn't potentially face off until the national
championship game. Iowa knocked South Carolina out last season in the
Final Four. USC and Texas earned the other No. 1 seeds. Tennessee
continued its streak of making the tournament every season since it
began in 1982.


PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (AP) —
Scottie Scheffler has become the first player in the 50 years of The
Players Championship to win back-to-back. This was the hardest. Not
only was he dealing with neck pain all week, he started the final
round five shots behind. Scheffler closed with a 64. That matches the
lowest final round by a winner. He also tied a Players Championship
record with a five-shot comeback. U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark,
British Open champion Brian Harman and Xander Schauffele all finished
one shot behind. All of them had their chances over the final three
holes to force a playoff.


PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (AP) —
Players on the PGA Tour board are preparing to meet with the Saudi
leader backing LIV Golf. Rory McIlroy says such a meeting with Yasir
Al-Rumayyan should have happened long ago. Al-Rumayyan is governor of
the Public Investment Fund, which backs LIV Golf. Details remain
vague on a planned meeting Monday, including the location and who
will be involved. Also unclear is what will be on the table. Patrick
Cantlay is one of the six player directors on the board. He doesn't
anything too substantive. McIlroy is drawing distinctions between
Al-Rumayyan and disruptive nature of LIV operators like Greg Norman.


Denny Hamlin has won the
NASCAR Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway after passing Joe
Gibbs Racing teammate Martin Truex Jr. in the final laps. It's his
fourth victory at the famed short track. Hamlin also won at NASCAR’s
bullring last September. This one was much different. Tire issues
hampered most everyone all afternoon as only five cars finished on
the lead lap — the first time that has happened in the Cup Series
in 20 years. The Gibbs cars were the class of the field.

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UNDATED (AP) — Defending
champion Connecticut, along with Houston, Purdue and North Carolina
are the top seeds in a March Madness bracket that started going
haywire even before the pairings came out. Of the four top seeds,
only UConn heads into the tournament coming off a win. That played
into the Huskies receiving the No. 1 overall seed. The other three
top seeds lost in their conference tournaments.
UNDATED (AP) — Purdue is
seeded first in the Midwest Region for the NCAA Tournament as it
tries to make amends for becoming only the second No. 1 seed to lose
to a No. 16 seed a year ago. The Boilermakers were upset by Fairleigh
Dickinson that day. The selection committee put the Big Ten
regular-season champions against the winner of Montana State and
Grambling State on Friday in Indianapolis. There are some
heavyweights elsewhere in the Midwest, including second-seeded
Tennessee, No. 3 seed Creighton, fourth-seeded Kansas and No. 5 seed
Gonzaga. The Jayhawks may have the biggest question marks with
All-America candidates Hunter Dickinson and Kevin McCullar Jr. both
dealing with injuries.
UNDATED (AP) — Houston
claimed a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament for the second straight
year, but will have to navigate the likes of Duke, Kentucky and
Marquette in the South Region if the Cougars are able to make their
first Final Four since 2021. The Cougars were rewarded for being the
Big 12 regular season champions and reaching the conference
tournament title game before losing to Iowa State. They will face No.
16 seed Longwood, the Big South champion, in Memphis, Tennessee in
the first round on Thursday. Houston will be a No. 1 seed for the
third time in school history.
UNDATED (AP) — North
Carolina is the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament West Region a year
after being left out of the bracket. The Tar Heels will open March
Madness just down the road in Charlotte against the First Four winner
between Howard and Wagner. The West Region also includes Arizona,
Alabama, Baylor and Michigan State. North Carolina found itself in a
rare position in coach Hubert Davis’ second season a year ago,
going from preseason No. 1 to watching the NCAA Tournament from home.
The Tar Heels responded this season by winning their first outright
ACC regular-season title in seven years.
UNDATED (AP) — Reigning
national champion Connecticut is the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA
Tournament and headlining the East Region bracket. The Huskies earned
a top regional seed for the first time since a Final Four run in 2009
and sixth time overall. UConn has lost just once since Dec. 20. The
Huskies are trying to become the first to win back-to-back titles
since Florida in 2006 and 2007. Big 12 champion Iowa State is the No.
2 seed, followed by Big Ten champion Illinois and Southeastern
Conference champion Auburn. The regionals will be held in Boston.
UNDATED (AP) — South
Carolina is the the top overall seed in the women’s NCAA
Tournament. The Gamecocks are looking to become the 10th women’s
basketball team to go undefeated for an entire season. Caitlin Clark
and Iowa also received a No. 1 seed. Both schools are in the Albany
Region and wouldn't potentially face off until the national
championship game. Iowa knocked South Carolina out last season in the
Final Four. USC and Texas earned the other No. 1 seeds. Tennessee
continued its streak of making the tournament every season since it
began in 1982.
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (AP) —
Scottie Scheffler has become the first player in the 50 years of The
Players Championship to win back-to-back. This was the hardest. Not
only was he dealing with neck pain all week, he started the final
round five shots behind. Scheffler closed with a 64. That matches the
lowest final round by a winner. He also tied a Players Championship
record with a five-shot comeback. U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark,
British Open champion Brian Harman and Xander Schauffele all finished
one shot behind. All of them had their chances over the final three
holes to force a playoff.
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (AP) —
Players on the PGA Tour board are preparing to meet with the Saudi
leader backing LIV Golf. Rory McIlroy says such a meeting with Yasir
Al-Rumayyan should have happened long ago. Al-Rumayyan is governor of
the Public Investment Fund, which backs LIV Golf. Details remain
vague on a planned meeting Monday, including the location and who
will be involved. Also unclear is what will be on the table. Patrick
Cantlay is one of the six player directors on the board. He doesn't
anything too substantive. McIlroy is drawing distinctions between
Al-Rumayyan and disruptive nature of LIV operators like Greg Norman.
Denny Hamlin has won the
NASCAR Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway after passing Joe
Gibbs Racing teammate Martin Truex Jr. in the final laps. It's his
fourth victory at the famed short track. Hamlin also won at NASCAR’s
bullring last September. This one was much different. Tire issues
hampered most everyone all afternoon as only five cars finished on
the lead lap — the first time that has happened in the Cup Series
in 20 years. The Gibbs cars were the class of the field.SUNDAY
SCORESTOP-25
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Final	(12)Auburn	86	Florida	67	
Final	(13)Illinois	93	Wisconsin	87	MAJOR
LEAGUE BASEBALLINTERLEAGUE
Final	Pittsburgh	8	Tampa
Bay	4	
Final	Baltimore	8	Atlanta	2	
Final	St. Louis	10	Houston	6	
Final	Arizona	2	L.A. Angels	0	
Final	Chicago Cubs	8	Texas	6	
Final	Arizona	5	Seattle	4	
Final	Cleveland	4	Cincinnati	2	
Final	Milwaukee	6	Kansas
City	4	
Final	San Diego	1	Korea	0	
Final	Boston	3	Atlanta	3	
Final	Toronto	5	Philadelphia	5	
Final	San Diego	5	LG Twins	4	AMERICAN
LEAGUE
Final	Toronto	9	Minnesota	4	
Final	Boston	12	N.Y.
Yankees	6	
Final	Baltimore	4	Detroit	4	
Final	Chicago White
Sox	3	Oakland	3	NATIONAL
LEAGUE
Final	N.Y. Mets	7	Miami	6	
Final	Washington	9	N.Y.
Mets	8	
Final	Colorado	5	San
Francisco	3	NATIONAL
BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Final	Milwaukee	140	Phoenix	129	
Final	Miami	104	Detroit	101	
Final	Dallas	107	Denver	105	
Final	Orlando	111	Toronto	96	
Final	Boston	130	Washington	104	
Final OT	San
Antonio	122	Brooklyn	115	
Final	Atlanta	110	L.A.
Clippers	93	NATIONAL
HOCKEY LEAGUE
Final	N-Y Rangers	5	N-Y
Islanders	2	
Final	Vegas	3	New Jersey	1	
Final	Carolina	7	Ottawa	2	
Final	Chicago	5	San Jose	2	
Final	Winnipeg	6	Columbus	1	
Final	Pittsburgh	6	Detroit	3

Monday Sports Headlines and Scores presented by Barton Community College

Barton Baseball @ Colby Saturday Game 1 - Barton 13, Colby 12 Game 2 - Barton 8, Colby 7

- Cougars now 18-6 overall, 6-2 in Jayhawk West - At Cowley Tuesday for one 9-inning game at 2pm

Barton Softball vs NW Tech Saturday Game 1 - Barton 10, NW Tech 2 Game 2 - Barton 18, NW Tech 0

- Lady Cougars are now 12-10 overall, 7-3 in Jayhawk Conference - At Pratt Tuesday for 1pm doubleheader

Barton Baseball @ Colby Saturday Game 1 - Barton 13, Colby 12 Game 2 - Barton 8, Colby 7- Cougars now 18-6 overall, 6-2 in Jayhawk West - At Cowley Tuesday for one 9-inning game at 2pmBarton Softball vs NW Tech Saturday Game 1 - Barton 10, NW Tech 2 Game 2 - Barton 18, NW Tech 0- Lady Cougars are now 12-10 overall, 7-3 in Jayhawk Conference - At Pratt Tuesday for 1pm doubleheader

Barton Baseball/Softball Scoreboard

Tiger Men MANKATO, Minn. – Fort Hays State did everything it had to do to slow down a potent Minnesota Duluth offense in the NCAA Central Regional Quarterfinal on Saturday (March 16) at the Taylor Center. The Tigers had a lead with seven seconds to go, but fate unfortunately did not go the Tigers' way in a 59-58 loss to the Bulldogs in a matchup of NABC Top 20-ranked teams. The No. 19 ranked Tigers ended their season at 23-8 overall, while the No. 10 ranked Bulldogs improved to 26-6 overall.

Tiger Women BETHANY, Okla. - The Fort Hays State women's basketball team was unable to break through relentless pressure from 13th-ranked Minnesota State, falling to the Mavericks 78-66 in the 2024 NCAA Division II Central Region semifinals on Saturday (March 16). The Tigers end the season with a record of 25-8, tied for the sixth-most wins in program history.

From FHSU Sports InformationTiger Men MANKATO, Minn. – Fort Hays State did everything it had to do to slow down a potent Minnesota Duluth offense in the NCAA Central Regional Quarterfinal on Saturday (March 16) at the Taylor Center. The Tigers had a lead with seven seconds to go, but fate unfortunately did not go the Tigers' way in a 59-58 loss to the Bulldogs in a matchup of NABC Top 20-ranked teams. The No. 19 ranked Tigers ended their season at 23-8 overall, while the No. 10 ranked Bulldogs improved to 26-6 overall.Tiger Women BETHANY, Okla. - The Fort Hays State women's basketball team was unable to break through relentless pressure from 13th-ranked Minnesota State, falling to the Mavericks 78-66 in the 2024 NCAA Division II Central Region semifinals on Saturday (March 16). The Tigers end the season with a record of 25-8, tied for the sixth-most wins in program history.

Fort Hays Men and Women lose in NCAA D-II Regionals

Metro
Atlantic Athletic Championship

Mid-Eastern
Athletic Conference Championship

Mountain-West Conference
Championship

Pacific-12
Conference Championship

Southwestern
Athletic Championship

--------------------------------------------------

America
East Championship
Vermont 66, Mass.-Lowell 61Atlantic
Coast Championship
NC State 84, North Carolina 76Big
12 Championship
Iowa St. 69, Houston 41Big
East Championship
UConn 73, Marquette 57Big
West Championship
Long Beach St. 74, UC Davis 70Conference
USA Championship
W. Kentucky 78, UTEP 71Metro
Atlantic Athletic Championship
St. Peter's 68, Fairfield 63Mid-American
Championship
Akron 62, Kent St. 61Mid-Eastern
Athletic Conference Championship
Howard 70, Delaware St. 67
Mountain-West Conference
Championship 

New Mexico 68, San Diego St.
61Pacific-12
Conference Championship
Oregon 75, Colorado 68Southwestern
Athletic Championship
Grambling St. 75, Texas
Southern 66Western
Athletic Championship
Grand Canyon 89,
Texas-Arlington 74--------------------------------------------------American
Athletic Semifinal
UAB 93, South Florida 83
Temple 74, FAU 73Atlantic
10 Semifinal
VCU 66, Saint Joseph's 60
Duquesne 70, St. Bonaventure
60Big
Ten Semifinal
Wisconsin 76, Purdue 75
Illinois 98, Nebraska 87Ivy
LeagueSemifinal
Brown 90, Princeton 81
Yale 69, Cornell 57Southeastern
Semifinal
Auburn 73, Mississippi St. 66

Conference Tournament Scoreboard

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — T.J. Otzelberger nearly let the Big 12 Tournament trophy slip through his hands before adjusting his grip and raising it above his head, that polo shirt so many people find so comically tight on Iowa State's coach stretching just a little bit more.

There was nothing funny about the way the Cyclones played Saturday night.

Led by Keshon Gilbert, the tourney's most outstanding player, and a balanced roster in which everyone has a role, the nation's seventh-ranked team efficiently dismantled No. 1 Houston in the championship game. Gilbert finished with 16 points as the Cyclones rolled to the 69-41 victory, giving them their sixth Big 12 trophy in their sixth title game appearance.

The margin was the largest over a No. 1 team since UCLA beat the Cougars by 32 in the 1968 Final Four.

"I give our guys all the credit,” Otzelberger said after cutting down the nets. “You hear it all the time, you want to be playing your best this time of year. I don’t think there’s any question that’s what we’re doing.”

Milan Momcilovic had 18 points and Hason Ward scored 13 for the Cyclones (27-7), who have beaten five different programs to raise the trophy, including Oklahoma, which at the time was led by current Houston coach Kelvin Sampson.

He probably felt even worse than he did in 2000 on Saturday night. Iowa State used an 18-3 run to turn a 30-23 halftime lead into the kind of blowout Sampson has rarely experienced. And that in turn gave thousands of Cyclones fans that paint Kansas City red and yellow every March plenty of reason to stand on their feet and roar their approval.

“Very seldom do you play a road game in the championship of a tournament, but you know what? Hat's off to Iowa State's fans,” Sampson said. “I've known Iowa State's fans for a long, long time. That's not the first time I've lost to them in the championship. But don't lose sight of how good you have to be to get here.”

It doesn’t seem to matter who is coaching Iowa State at the Big 12 Tournament, either. Otzelberger became the fourth to take that trophy back to Ames, Iowa, and the third to do it in the last 10 completed events.

“You beat a team or program as good as Houston is," he said, “your guys know they’ve accomplished something.”

Jamal Shead had 10 points on 3-for-17 shooting for Houston (30-4), which was outscored 39-18 in the second half. L.J. Cryer was held to seven points and Emanuel Sharp to five as the Cougars shot 4 of 22 from the 3-point arc and 15 of 56 from the field.

“We'll pick ourselves up. We've had a great year,” Sampson said. “Forty minutes is not going to define three months.”

Iowa State built its halftime lead by playing the role of Houston better than Houston.

The preternaturally poised Cyclones never wavered when they fell behind early. They exhibited some exquisite ball movement for easy layups when the Cougars' guards tried to lock down the perimeter. And when they got those buckets to go, it freed up Momcilovic and the rest of the Iowa State sharpshooters to begin draining 3-pointers.

On the other end, the Cyclones forced Shead into off-balance runners and long 3s at the end of the shot clock; the Big 12 player of the year — and defensive player of the year — was 2 for 11 in the first half, and it didn't get any better in the second.

Cougars big man J'Wan Roberts was largely ineffective, too, after hurting his right leg and playing sparingly in their semifinal rout of Texas Tech. He started the game and played 13 first-half minutes before sitting out the second half.

“This game's not near as important as his health,” Sampson said.

He probably wouldn't have made a difference the way the Cyclones were rolling. They scored the first 10 points as part of their run to start the second half, and Momcilovic's 3 from in front of his bench pushed their lead to 48-23 with 12:40 to go.

Resorting to desperation shots, the Cougars went 9 1/2 minutes without a field goal as the game got away from them.

It was one last blowout in a tournament where the average margin was nearly 15 points.

“We don’t really care what the outside world thinks of us,” Cyclones guard Tamin Lipsey said. "That’s why we're such a close group. We just put our head down and go to work. That’s why I don't think there's anyone more deserving than our team to be in this position and celebrate this moment.”

Iowa State will likely be a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament and could get a favorable landing spot in Omaha, Nebraska, for the opening weekend. It is only about a 2 1/2-hour drive from its campus in Ames.

Houston almost certainly had locked up a No. 1 seed for the NCAA tourney. The question now is whether the selection committee would put the Cougars in the same region as Iowa State to set up a potential rematch.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — T.J. Otzelberger nearly let the Big 12 Tournament trophy slip through his hands before adjusting his grip and raising it above his head, that polo shirt so many people find so comically tight on Iowa State's coach stretching just a little bit more.There was nothing funny about the way the Cyclones played Saturday night.Led by Keshon Gilbert, the tourney's most outstanding player, and a balanced roster in which everyone has a role, the nation's seventh-ranked team efficiently dismantled No. 1 Houston in the championship game. Gilbert finished with 16 points as the Cyclones rolled to the 69-41 victory, giving them their sixth Big 12 trophy in their sixth title game appearance.The margin was the largest over a No. 1 team since UCLA beat the Cougars by 32 in the 1968 Final Four."I give our guys all the credit,” Otzelberger said after cutting down the nets. “You hear it all the time, you want to be playing your best this time of year. I don’t think there’s any question that’s what we’re doing.”Milan Momcilovic had 18 points and Hason Ward scored 13 for the Cyclones (27-7), who have beaten five different programs to raise the trophy, including Oklahoma, which at the time was led by current Houston coach Kelvin Sampson.He probably felt even worse than he did in 2000 on Saturday night. Iowa State used an 18-3 run to turn a 30-23 halftime lead into the kind of blowout Sampson has rarely experienced. And that in turn gave thousands of Cyclones fans that paint Kansas City red and yellow every March plenty of reason to stand on their feet and roar their approval.“Very seldom do you play a road game in the championship of a tournament, but you know what? Hat's off to Iowa State's fans,” Sampson said. “I've known Iowa State's fans for a long, long time. That's not the first time I've lost to them in the championship. But don't lose sight of how good you have to be to get here.”It doesn’t seem to matter who is coaching Iowa State at the Big 12 Tournament, either. Otzelberger became the fourth to take that trophy back to Ames, Iowa, and the third to do it in the last 10 completed events.“You beat a team or program as good as Houston is," he said, “your guys know they’ve accomplished something.”Jamal Shead had 10 points on 3-for-17 shooting for Houston (30-4), which was outscored 39-18 in the second half. L.J. Cryer was held to seven points and Emanuel Sharp to five as the Cougars shot 4 of 22 from the 3-point arc and 15 of 56 from the field.“We'll pick ourselves up. We've had a great year,” Sampson said. “Forty minutes is not going to define three months.”Iowa State built its halftime lead by playing the role of Houston better than Houston.The preternaturally poised Cyclones never wavered when they fell behind early. They exhibited some exquisite ball movement for easy layups when the Cougars' guards tried to lock down the perimeter. And when they got those buckets to go, it freed up Momcilovic and the rest of the Iowa State sharpshooters to begin draining 3-pointers.On the other end, the Cyclones forced Shead into off-balance runners and long 3s at the end of the shot clock; the Big 12 player of the year — and defensive player of the year — was 2 for 11 in the first half, and it didn't get any better in the second.Cougars big man J'Wan Roberts was largely ineffective, too, after hurting his right leg and playing sparingly in their semifinal rout of Texas Tech. He started the game and played 13 first-half minutes before sitting out the second half.“This game's not near as important as his health,” Sampson said.He probably wouldn't have made a difference the way the Cyclones were rolling. They scored the first 10 points as part of their run to start the second half, and Momcilovic's 3 from in front of his bench pushed their lead to 48-23 with 12:40 to go.Resorting to desperation shots, the Cougars went 9 1/2 minutes without a field goal as the game got away from them.It was one last blowout in a tournament where the average margin was nearly 15 points.“We don’t really care what the outside world thinks of us,” Cyclones guard Tamin Lipsey said. "That’s why we're such a close group. We just put our head down and go to work. That’s why I don't think there's anyone more deserving than our team to be in this position and celebrate this moment.”UP NEXTIowa State will likely be a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament and could get a favorable landing spot in Omaha, Nebraska, for the opening weekend. It is only about a 2 1/2-hour drive from its campus in Ames.Houston almost certainly had locked up a No. 1 seed for the NCAA tourney. The question now is whether the selection committee would put the Cougars in the same region as Iowa State to set up a potential rematch.

No. 7 Iowa State blitzes No. 1 Houston in second half, wins Big 12 tourney title 69-41

By TODD MOORE Barton Sports Info

The top ranked Barton Community College men's basketball team never trailed Saturday evening at the Sports Arena in rolling to a double-digit 74-57 victory over 16th ranked Hutchinson Community College in the Region VI/Plains District Championship contest.

Grabbing their first Region title since 2001 and fourth overall, the Cougars' 23rd straight victory matches the fourth longest in the program's history, improving to 32-1 on the season to additionally match the program's best start in its 56th year of competition.

Hutchinson's three game win streak ends at 27-6 as the Blue Dragons await Sunday evening's Selection Show for a possible at-large bid for the National Tournament.

With its tournament ticket officially punched, Barton will also be tuned in for a possible No. 1 seed and find out who and when the Cougars will play on the return trip to Hutchinson for the March 24-30 NJCAA Division I Championships.

Following a 54% shooting first half, the Cougars cooled down to 40% in the second to finish at 47.6% but was just 4-of-18 from the arch and 55.6% (10-of-18) from the charity stripe.

Eight Cougars reached the scoring column led by the 24 points from Hutchinson native Myles Thompson with Lajae Jones adding 14 points as each just missed double-double performances in grabbing 9 rebounds each helping Barton to a plus-9 advantage on the glass.

Ring Malith contributed 10 points as Mozae Downing-Rivers added 9 points with a game high 5 assists and 4 steals.

The Blue Dragons were held to 36.7% shooting, joining Barton in a less than desired production from beyond the arc sinking just 3-of-29 (10.3%) and added 10-of-20 free throw shooting.

Hutchinson also had three in double figures, Valentino Simon leading with a double-double 13 points and 11 rebounds to go along with 3 blocks. Kamryn Thomas added 13 points with Kernan Bundy leading the bench production with 11 points.

Scoring the opening bucket to grab the first lead, the contest was tied just two times with the final time coming at seven.

Led by Thompson's 8 straight points, the Cougars broke away on an 11-0 spurt for an 18-7 lead with 11:17 remaining.

The Blue Dragons cut the deficit back into single digits a number of times, the last coming at the 3:48 mark as Barton would close the half on a 10-2 stretch including Great Bend native Stefan Spray's tough inside bucket and Thompson's fade-away 16' foot jumper beating the horn for a 40-23 halftime edge.

Hutchinson popped its lone three-pointer of the second half on its opening possession out of the locker room but Barton fired back with a 15-0 run spread around six different Cougars contributing to the scoring for a 55-26 lead just four minutes in.

The lead hit the twenty-nine point difference two more times, the last with 14:42 as the Cougars went ice cold letting Hutchinson back in it.

Barton went scoreless for next two minutes, Hutchinson scoring eight straight with Malith's dunk from Cooper Jackson stopping the spurt with Downing-Rivers following thirty seconds later pushing the gap to 63-38 with 11:25 remaining.

The Cougars spurt would be short lived, not making another field goal for over eleven minutes as Hutchinson rattled off a 13-0 run and 19-5 stretch inching to within eleven at 68-57 with 2:15 left.

Thompson finishing off Malith's lob pass with 1:01 remaining ended the field goal drought with Downing-Rivers' steal seven seconds later setting up Jones' feed to Jackson for a two-hand jam all but sealed it on the fifteen point margin with 50 ticks left.

Malith's pair of free throws put the icing on the cake with 37 seconds left leaving the Blue Dragons scoreless in the final 2:15 and without a field goal since the 3:42 mark.

- Barton's first six straight victories over Hutchinson in the series

- Barton's third victory over Hutchinson this season, all by double-digit margins

- Hutchinson held to its lowest output in the last 43 meetings dating back to just a 48 point output in 2005

- Hutchinson leads the series on a neutral floor 6-5

- Hutchinson leads the overall series 81-45

- 201 career steals *2nd most – 118 behind Eric Bush's 319 (1999-01)

- 372 career assists *3rd – 81 behind Gene Butler's 453 (1990-92)

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710683224085.jpeg" alt="Barton Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Barton Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>By TODD MOORE Barton Sports InfoThe top ranked Barton Community College men's basketball team never trailed Saturday evening at the Sports Arena in rolling to a double-digit 74-57 victory over 16th ranked Hutchinson Community College in the Region VI/Plains District Championship contest.Grabbing their first Region title since 2001 and fourth overall, the Cougars' 23rd straight victory matches the fourth longest in the program's history, improving to 32-1 on the season to additionally match the program's best start in its 56th year of competition.Hutchinson's three game win streak ends at 27-6 as the Blue Dragons await Sunday evening's Selection Show for a possible at-large bid for the National Tournament.With its tournament ticket officially punched, Barton will also be tuned in for a possible No. 1 seed and find out who and when the Cougars will play on the return trip to Hutchinson for the March 24-30 NJCAA Division I Championships.Following a 54% shooting first half, the Cougars cooled down to 40% in the second to finish at 47.6% but was just 4-of-18 from the arch and 55.6% (10-of-18) from the charity stripe.Eight Cougars reached the scoring column led by the 24 points from Hutchinson native Myles Thompson with Lajae Jones adding 14 points as each just missed double-double performances in grabbing 9 rebounds each helping Barton to a plus-9 advantage on the glass.Ring Malith contributed 10 points as Mozae Downing-Rivers added 9 points with a game high 5 assists and 4 steals.The Blue Dragons were held to 36.7% shooting, joining Barton in a less than desired production from beyond the arc sinking just 3-of-29 (10.3%) and added 10-of-20 free throw shooting.Hutchinson also had three in double figures, Valentino Simon leading with a double-double 13 points and 11 rebounds to go along with 3 blocks. Kamryn Thomas added 13 points with Kernan Bundy leading the bench production with 11 points.RECAPScoring the opening bucket to grab the first lead, the contest was tied just two times with the final time coming at seven.Led by Thompson's 8 straight points, the Cougars broke away on an 11-0 spurt for an 18-7 lead with 11:17 remaining.The Blue Dragons cut the deficit back into single digits a number of times, the last coming at the 3:48 mark as Barton would close the half on a 10-2 stretch including Great Bend native Stefan Spray's tough inside bucket and Thompson's fade-away 16' foot jumper beating the horn for a 40-23 halftime edge.Hutchinson popped its lone three-pointer of the second half on its opening possession out of the locker room but Barton fired back with a 15-0 run spread around six different Cougars contributing to the scoring for a 55-26 lead just four minutes in.The lead hit the twenty-nine point difference two more times, the last with 14:42 as the Cougars went ice cold letting Hutchinson back in it.Barton went scoreless for next two minutes, Hutchinson scoring eight straight with Malith's dunk from Cooper Jackson stopping the spurt with Downing-Rivers following thirty seconds later pushing the gap to 63-38 with 11:25 remaining.The Cougars spurt would be short lived, not making another field goal for over eleven minutes as Hutchinson rattled off a 13-0 run and 19-5 stretch inching to within eleven at 68-57 with 2:15 left.Thompson finishing off Malith's lob pass with 1:01 remaining ended the field goal drought with Downing-Rivers' steal seven seconds later setting up Jones' feed to Jackson for a two-hand jam all but sealed it on the fifteen point margin with 50 ticks left.Malith's pair of free throws put the icing on the cake with 37 seconds left leaving the Blue Dragons scoreless in the final 2:15 and without a field goal since the 3:42 mark.SERIES NOTES- Barton's first six straight victories over Hutchinson in the series- Barton's third victory over Hutchinson this season, all by double-digit margins- Hutchinson held to its lowest output in the last 43 meetings dating back to just a 48 point output in 2005- Hutchinson leads the series on a neutral floor 6-5- Hutchinson leads the overall series 81-45Record Book WatchCooper Jackson- 201 career steals *2nd most – 118 behind Eric Bush's 319 (1999-01)Mozae Downing-Rivers- 372 career assists *3rd – 81 behind Gene Butler's 453 (1990-92)

Region Champs! Barton Clobbers Hutch 74-57 to win Region 6

Region 6 Men Friday, March 15 @ Hutchinson Barton 79, Butler 76 Hutchinson 89, Cowley 83

Championship - Saturday, March 16 @ Hutchinson Barton 74, Hutchinson 57 *Barton advances to NJCAA National Tournament with a record of 32-1

Region 6 Women Friday, March 15 Hutchinson 49, Barton 39 Butler 65, Dodge City 52

Championship - Saturday, March 16 @ Hutchinson Hutchinson 54, Butler 52 *Hutchinson advances to NJCAA National Tournament with a record of 33-0

Region 6 Men Friday, March 15 @ Hutchinson Barton 79, Butler 76 Hutchinson 89, Cowley 83Championship - Saturday, March 16 @ Hutchinson Barton 74, Hutchinson 57 *Barton advances to NJCAA National Tournament with a record of 32-1Region 6 Women Friday, March 15 Hutchinson 49, Barton 39 Butler 65, Dodge City 52Championship - Saturday, March 16 @ Hutchinson Hutchinson 54, Butler 52 *Hutchinson advances to NJCAA National Tournament with a record of 33-0

Region 6 Tournament Scores


KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) —
Milan Momcilovic had 18 points and Keshon Gilbert scored 16 as No. 7
Iowa State used a big second-half to rout No. 1 Houston 69-41 in the
Big 12 Tournament final. The Cyclones won their sixth championship in
six appearances in the title game. Iowa State came out of the locker
room on an 18-3 run to turn a seven-point lead at halftime into a
blowout. The Cyclones wound up outscoring the regular-season Big 12
champs 39-18 in the second half. Jamal Shead had 10 points on
3-for-17 shooting to lead Houston, which had likely already wrapped
up a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament next week.


NEW YORK (AP) — Donovan
Clingan had 22 points and a career-best 16 rebounds, Jaylin Stewart
gave No. 2 UConn an unexpected boost with three second-half
3-pointers during a decisive surge and the Huskies beat No. 10
Marquette 73-57 to win the Big East Tournament championship.
Tournament MVP Tristen Newton added 13 points and 10 assists as the
top-seeded Huskies won their eighth title, matching Georgetown for
the most in conference history. It was their first since 2011, when
Kemba Walker led UConn to five wins in five days — and then a
national title. Kam Jones led the third-seeded Golden Eagles, the
defending tournament champions, with 13 points and eight rebounds.


WASHINGTON (AP) — North
Carolina State is heading back to the NCAA Tournament after beating
fourth-ranked North Carolina 84-76 in the Atlantic Coast Conference
Tournament title game. DJ Horne scored 29 points and big man DJ Burns
had 20 including the first 3-pointer of his college career to pull
off the upset. ACC player of the year RJ Davis had a game-high 30 in
defeat for the Tar Heels. UNC had already likely secured an NCAA No.
1 seed by making it to the final. N.C. State snatching an automatic
bid to the NCAA Tournament means trouble for other teams who are on
the at-large bubble.


WASHINGTON (AP) — Conference
tournament season took an even more chaotic turn — and that’s bad
news for at least a couple teams on the bubble. North Carolina
State’s thrilling five-wins-in-five-days march through the ACC
Tournament pushed one borderline team out of the NCAA Tournament. The
Wolfpack were a classic bid thief, snatching their league’s
automatic bid as the conference’s No. 10 seed. And the night wasn’t
over yet. Shortly after N.C. State’s confetti-filled celebration in
Washington began, Oregon beat Colorado 75-68 to win the Pac-12
Tournament in Las Vegas. That meant another bubble team would be
bumped.


CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago
Bears traded quarterback Justin Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers a
2025 sixth-round draft pick that could potentially become a
fourth-rounder this year in return. The move is a strong signal the
Bears will draft a QB — perhaps USC’s Caleb Williams — with the
No. 1 overall pick in the draft. Fields figures to back up Russell
Wilson, who signed a one-year deal with Pittsburgh on Friday.


SEOUL, South Korea (AP) —
Shohei Ohtani may be the most-beloved Japanese athlete in South
Korea, a historic rival of his home country. Since his recent arrival
in South Korea for the Major League Baseball opener, the Los Angeles
Dodgers superstar has been the focus of keen, special attention here.
Such reactions are nothing new for the two-way baseball sensation.
But a Japanese receiving such treatment in South Korea is extremely
unusual, because of historical grievances stemming from Japan’s
past colonization of Korea. Many of his fans in South Korea say they
like him because he has good manners as well as due to his baseball
excellence.


PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (AP) —
Xander Schauffele started the day with a four-shot deficit. He had to
settle for a one-shot lead over U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark at
The Players Championship. Schauffele delivered another bogey-free
round and shot 65. Clark was still tied until hitting some 20 yards
short of the island on the par-3 17th and escaping with bogey. He
shot 70. Right behind them is British Open champion Brian Harman.
Defending champion Scottie Scheffler is among six players within five
shots of the lead on a TPC Sawgrass course where anything can happen.
No one has ever won back-to-back in The Players.


SAALBACH-HINTERGLEMM, Austria
(AP) — Lara Gut-Behrami has secured the women’s World Cup overall
and giant slalom titles after finishing 10th in the GS at the World
Cup finals. Federica Brignone was her only remaining challenger in
both classifications and the Italian did win the race but that was
not enough to overtake Gut-Behrami in the standings. Gut-Behrami
previously won the big globe in 2016. Mikaela Shiffrin has won it
five times since but the American dropped out of the race this season
after sustaining a knee injury. Shiffrin ended her season with a win
in Saturday's slalom.


UNDATED (AP) — As March
Madness gets underway, more people than ever now can legally bet on
sports. North Carolina became the latest state to allow online sports
betting last week. A total of 38 states and the District of Columbia
now allow some form of sports betting. That's up from just one state,
Nevada, where people could legally wager on games before a 2018 U.S.
Supreme Court ruling cleared the way for expansion. The American
Gaming Association estimates $2.7 billion will be bet on the NCAA
men's and women's basketball tournaments through legal sports betting
operators.


Final	San Francisco	11	Chicago
White Sox	7	

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710682717672.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) —
Milan Momcilovic had 18 points and Keshon Gilbert scored 16 as No. 7
Iowa State used a big second-half to rout No. 1 Houston 69-41 in the
Big 12 Tournament final. The Cyclones won their sixth championship in
six appearances in the title game. Iowa State came out of the locker
room on an 18-3 run to turn a seven-point lead at halftime into a
blowout. The Cyclones wound up outscoring the regular-season Big 12
champs 39-18 in the second half. Jamal Shead had 10 points on
3-for-17 shooting to lead Houston, which had likely already wrapped
up a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament next week.
NEW YORK (AP) — Donovan
Clingan had 22 points and a career-best 16 rebounds, Jaylin Stewart
gave No. 2 UConn an unexpected boost with three second-half
3-pointers during a decisive surge and the Huskies beat No. 10
Marquette 73-57 to win the Big East Tournament championship.
Tournament MVP Tristen Newton added 13 points and 10 assists as the
top-seeded Huskies won their eighth title, matching Georgetown for
the most in conference history. It was their first since 2011, when
Kemba Walker led UConn to five wins in five days — and then a
national title. Kam Jones led the third-seeded Golden Eagles, the
defending tournament champions, with 13 points and eight rebounds.
WASHINGTON (AP) — North
Carolina State is heading back to the NCAA Tournament after beating
fourth-ranked North Carolina 84-76 in the Atlantic Coast Conference
Tournament title game. DJ Horne scored 29 points and big man DJ Burns
had 20 including the first 3-pointer of his college career to pull
off the upset. ACC player of the year RJ Davis had a game-high 30 in
defeat for the Tar Heels. UNC had already likely secured an NCAA No.
1 seed by making it to the final. N.C. State snatching an automatic
bid to the NCAA Tournament means trouble for other teams who are on
the at-large bubble.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Conference
tournament season took an even more chaotic turn — and that’s bad
news for at least a couple teams on the bubble. North Carolina
State’s thrilling five-wins-in-five-days march through the ACC
Tournament pushed one borderline team out of the NCAA Tournament. The
Wolfpack were a classic bid thief, snatching their league’s
automatic bid as the conference’s No. 10 seed. And the night wasn’t
over yet. Shortly after N.C. State’s confetti-filled celebration in
Washington began, Oregon beat Colorado 75-68 to win the Pac-12
Tournament in Las Vegas. That meant another bubble team would be
bumped.
CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago
Bears traded quarterback Justin Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers a
2025 sixth-round draft pick that could potentially become a
fourth-rounder this year in return. The move is a strong signal the
Bears will draft a QB — perhaps USC’s Caleb Williams — with the
No. 1 overall pick in the draft. Fields figures to back up Russell
Wilson, who signed a one-year deal with Pittsburgh on Friday.
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) —
Shohei Ohtani may be the most-beloved Japanese athlete in South
Korea, a historic rival of his home country. Since his recent arrival
in South Korea for the Major League Baseball opener, the Los Angeles
Dodgers superstar has been the focus of keen, special attention here.
Such reactions are nothing new for the two-way baseball sensation.
But a Japanese receiving such treatment in South Korea is extremely
unusual, because of historical grievances stemming from Japan’s
past colonization of Korea. Many of his fans in South Korea say they
like him because he has good manners as well as due to his baseball
excellence.
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (AP) —
Xander Schauffele started the day with a four-shot deficit. He had to
settle for a one-shot lead over U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark at
The Players Championship. Schauffele delivered another bogey-free
round and shot 65. Clark was still tied until hitting some 20 yards
short of the island on the par-3 17th and escaping with bogey. He
shot 70. Right behind them is British Open champion Brian Harman.
Defending champion Scottie Scheffler is among six players within five
shots of the lead on a TPC Sawgrass course where anything can happen.
No one has ever won back-to-back in The Players.
SAALBACH-HINTERGLEMM, Austria
(AP) — Lara Gut-Behrami has secured the women’s World Cup overall
and giant slalom titles after finishing 10th in the GS at the World
Cup finals. Federica Brignone was her only remaining challenger in
both classifications and the Italian did win the race but that was
not enough to overtake Gut-Behrami in the standings. Gut-Behrami
previously won the big globe in 2016. Mikaela Shiffrin has won it
five times since but the American dropped out of the race this season
after sustaining a knee injury. Shiffrin ended her season with a win
in Saturday's slalom.
UNDATED (AP) — As March
Madness gets underway, more people than ever now can legally bet on
sports. North Carolina became the latest state to allow online sports
betting last week. A total of 38 states and the District of Columbia
now allow some form of sports betting. That's up from just one state,
Nevada, where people could legally wager on games before a 2018 U.S.
Supreme Court ruling cleared the way for expansion. The American
Gaming Association estimates $2.7 billion will be bet on the NCAA
men's and women's basketball tournaments through legal sports betting
operators.SATURDAY
SCORESMAJOR
LEAGUE BASEBALLINTERLEAGUE
Final	Milwaukee	5	Texas	1	
Final	Chicago Cubs	7	Kansas
City	6	
Final	Arizona	5	Texas	4	
Final	Chicago Cubs	4	L.A.
Angels	3	
Final	San
Francisco	6	Cleveland	0	
Final	Detroit	6	Pittsburgh	4	
Final	San Francisco	11	Chicago
White Sox	7	
Final	Seattle	11	Cincinnati	7	
Final	Milwaukee	11	Oakland	4	
Final	Colorado	11	Oakland	9	
Final	N.Y. Mets	6	Houston	1	
Final	L.A. Dodgers	14	Kiwoom
Heroes	3	AMERICAN
LEAGUE
Final	Baltimore	5	Boston	4	
Final	Minnesota	6	Tampa Bay	5	
Final	N.Y.
Yankees	10	Toronto	9	
Final	Seattle	8	Chicago White
Sox	2	NATIONAL
LEAGUE
Final	St.
Louis	8	Washington	5	
Final	Pittsburgh	4	Atlanta	2	
Final	Philadelphia	3	Miami	3	NATIONAL
BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Final	Houston	117	Cleveland	103	
Final	New
Orleans	126	Portland	107	
Final	Indiana	121	Brooklyn	100	
Final	Philadelphia	109	Charlotte	98	
Final	Chicago	127	Washington	98	
Final	Oklahoma
City	118	Memphis	112	
Final	Golden State	128	L.A.
Lakers	121	
Final	Minnesota	119	Utah	100	
Final	New
York	98	Sacramento	91	NATIONAL
HOCKEY LEAGUE
Final	Detroit	4	Buffalo	1	
Final OT	Ottawa	4	N-Y
Islanders	3	
Final	N-Y
Rangers	7	Pittsburgh	4	
Final	Arizona	4	New Jersey	1	
Final	Tampa Bay	5	Florida	3	
Final	Columbus	4	San Jose	2	
Final	Calgary	5	Montreal	2	
Final	Boston	6	Philadelphia	5	
Final SO	Carolina	5	Toronto	4	
Final	Dallas	4	Los Angeles	1	
Final SO	St.
Louis	3	Minnesota	2	
Final	Washington	2	Vancouver	1	
Final	Nashville	4	Seattle	1

Sunday Sports Headlines and Scores presented by Barton Community College

1. Barton Community College basketball on 104 3 the Point sponsored by Nex-Tech Wireless, Damm Pipe Testing, Mpire Overhead Door, Best Western Angus Inn, Marmie Auto Group, Rosenberg Family Dentistry, The University of Kansas Health System, Venture Corporation, Nex-Tech, Cougar Booster Club, The 10th Street Eye Care Center, Freedom Claims Management and Kansas Fishing Tools

<div><a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/information/boosterclub/index"><img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1635967480149.jpeg"></a>

</div><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647912774016.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Barton Men 74 Hutchinson 57<div><iframe width="100%" height="265" src="https://clyp.it/g34mkhub/widget" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>1. Barton Community College basketball on 104 3 the Point sponsored by Nex-Tech Wireless, Damm Pipe Testing, Mpire Overhead Door, Best Western Angus Inn, Marmie Auto Group, Rosenberg Family Dentistry, The University of Kansas Health System, Venture Corporation, Nex-Tech, Cougar Booster Club, The 10th Street Eye Care Center, Freedom Claims Management and Kansas Fishing Tools

Barton Men 74 Hutchinson 57

Watch for free, on Great Bend Post, the Colorado Rockies' Spring Training prospects game against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday, March 16.

Watch for free, on Great Bend Post, the Colorado Rockies' Spring Training prospects game against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday, March 16.<div><div data-stn-player="jcoljhf7"></div><script async type="text/javascript" src="https://embed.sendtonews.com/player3/embedcode.js?fk=jcoljhf7"></script></div>

📺Colorado Rockies baseball for free on Great Bend Post TODAY

By BRANDON SMITH Barton Sports Info

The top ranked Barton Community College men's basketball team overcame a ten-point first half deficit before holding on late Friday afternoon earning a 79-76 victory over No. 24 Butler Community College in the Region VI Semifinals held at the Hutchinson Sports Arena.

Trailing by ten midway through first half action, the Cougars sliced the deficit to five into the halftime break before surging to a 43-all tie behind a 7-0 run with eighteen minutes left in the final frame.

Following mini surges from each team, Butler would again put the Cougars on the heels with seven straight, later pushing the margin to eight with 8:19 remaining.

Putting the Cougars on his back, Lajae Jones' personal 10-0 run ignited Barton's decisive 16-2 stretch in a three minute span to build a seven-point advantage with 3:30 remaining.

A canned Butler triple and a Barton dead-ball foul two seconds later cut the deficit to two with 2:27 left, again with 1:55 remaining, and shrinking to one on with 30 seconds left.

Following a Cooper Jackson perfect pair of charity tosses, the Cougars fouled with eight seconds left to prevent a potential game tying triple. Butler went 1-of-2 on the trip with Brent Moss securing the rebound and sent to the line but left the door ajar in also going 1-of-2 from the line.

The Cougar defense put the clamps on for the inbounds, forcing a pair of deflections leaving Butler just .8 seconds. Needing essentially a catch and shoot mid-air, the Grizzlies got off a good-look deep shot that banged hard off the rim as time expired.

Advancing into the Region VI Championship for the second straight year, Barton extends its winning streak to 22-straight and moves to 31-1 on the year while Butler concludes the season at 23-9 overall.

The top ranked Cougars will meet 3rd seeded and 16th ranked Hutchinson Community College (27-5) for the third time this season in Saturday's 5:00 p.m. title game as Barton hunts for its first region crown since 2001.

Butler came out shooting a sizzling 54.2% over the opening fourteen minutes while grabbing their biggest lead of ten, 29-19 at the 9:25 mark.

Despite shooting 37.5% in the opening twenty minutes, Barton managed to cut the deficit to five at the break closing the opening half on a 6-2 run.

Following Butler's opening bucket just thirty-six seconds into the second half, the Cougar defensive pressure ramped up creating six of their 12 second half turnovers forced keying an 11-2 run in the opening 4:01 with Jones four straight handing Barton its' first lead since the 17:21 mark of the first half.

The Grizzlies stretched the lead back out to six behind a 10-2 run and preserved it until the 5:52 mark when Jones third straight bucket followed by a corner trey in front of the Cougar bench capped the 10-0 personal run provided Barton the advantage over the remaining 5:16.

Capping the pivotal 16-2 stretch with its largest lead coming at seven with 3:30 left following a pair of Myles Thompson buckets mixed between a pair of Mozae Downing-Rivers, Barton would withstand another 5-0 Butler run and last second heave with just under a second left.

Four Cougars reached double figure scoring led by Jones game high 23 points and 10 rebound performance for the sophomore's 13th double-double of the season.

Downing-Rivers keyed the Barton offense finishing with his second straight double-double, dishing out 10 of the Cougars' 16 assists and adding 10 points and game high 5 steals.

Providing two key baskets in the pivotal stretch, Thompson finished with 17 points on 8-of-14 shooting while Cooper Jackson rounded out the double figure scoring with 12 points and two steals none bigger than his steal and bucket with 2:10 remaining to hold the lead at four.

Christian Richardson led four Grizzlies in double-figures finishing with 18 points helping Butler to a plus 15-point bench production. Jamichael Stillwell added 16 points with eight rebounds while Jason 'Deuce' Drake and Kaleb Washington each finishing with 12 points as the duo combined for five of the 11 made three-pointers.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710590592368.jpeg" alt="Barton Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Barton Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRANDON SMITH Barton Sports InfoThe top ranked Barton Community College men's basketball team overcame a ten-point first half deficit before holding on late Friday afternoon earning a 79-76 victory over No. 24 Butler Community College in the Region VI Semifinals held at the Hutchinson Sports Arena.Trailing by ten midway through first half action, the Cougars sliced the deficit to five into the halftime break before surging to a 43-all tie behind a 7-0 run with eighteen minutes left in the final frame.Following mini surges from each team, Butler would again put the Cougars on the heels with seven straight, later pushing the margin to eight with 8:19 remaining.Putting the Cougars on his back, Lajae Jones' personal 10-0 run ignited Barton's decisive 16-2 stretch in a three minute span to build a seven-point advantage with 3:30 remaining.A canned Butler triple and a Barton dead-ball foul two seconds later cut the deficit to two with 2:27 left, again with 1:55 remaining, and shrinking to one on with 30 seconds left.Following a Cooper Jackson perfect pair of charity tosses, the Cougars fouled with eight seconds left to prevent a potential game tying triple. Butler went 1-of-2 on the trip with Brent Moss securing the rebound and sent to the line but left the door ajar in also going 1-of-2 from the line.The Cougar defense put the clamps on for the inbounds, forcing a pair of deflections leaving Butler just .8 seconds. Needing essentially a catch and shoot mid-air, the Grizzlies got off a good-look deep shot that banged hard off the rim as time expired.Advancing into the Region VI Championship for the second straight year, Barton extends its winning streak to 22-straight and moves to 31-1 on the year while Butler concludes the season at 23-9 overall.The top ranked Cougars will meet 3rd seeded and 16th ranked Hutchinson Community College (27-5) for the third time this season in Saturday's 5:00 p.m. title game as Barton hunts for its first region crown since 2001.Butler came out shooting a sizzling 54.2% over the opening fourteen minutes while grabbing their biggest lead of ten, 29-19 at the 9:25 mark.Despite shooting 37.5% in the opening twenty minutes, Barton managed to cut the deficit to five at the break closing the opening half on a 6-2 run.Following Butler's opening bucket just thirty-six seconds into the second half, the Cougar defensive pressure ramped up creating six of their 12 second half turnovers forced keying an 11-2 run in the opening 4:01 with Jones four straight handing Barton its' first lead since the 17:21 mark of the first half.The Grizzlies stretched the lead back out to six behind a 10-2 run and preserved it until the 5:52 mark when Jones third straight bucket followed by a corner trey in front of the Cougar bench capped the 10-0 personal run provided Barton the advantage over the remaining 5:16.Capping the pivotal 16-2 stretch with its largest lead coming at seven with 3:30 left following a pair of Myles Thompson buckets mixed between a pair of Mozae Downing-Rivers, Barton would withstand another 5-0 Butler run and last second heave with just under a second left.Four Cougars reached double figure scoring led by Jones game high 23 points and 10 rebound performance for the sophomore's 13th double-double of the season.Downing-Rivers keyed the Barton offense finishing with his second straight double-double, dishing out 10 of the Cougars' 16 assists and adding 10 points and game high 5 steals.Providing two key baskets in the pivotal stretch, Thompson finished with 17 points on 8-of-14 shooting while Cooper Jackson rounded out the double figure scoring with 12 points and two steals none bigger than his steal and bucket with 2:10 remaining to hold the lead at four.Christian Richardson led four Grizzlies in double-figures finishing with 18 points helping Butler to a plus 15-point bench production. Jamichael Stillwell added 16 points with eight rebounds while Jason 'Deuce' Drake and Kaleb Washington each finishing with 12 points as the duo combined for five of the 11 made three-pointers.

Top ranked Cougars advance to Region Title game for second straight year

The hopes of reaching the Region VI Championship for the fifth straight year fell short Friday afternoon as the Barton Community College women's basketball team fell 49-39 to top seeded and the nation's top ranked Hutchinson Community College Blue Dragons in the semifinal round.

A near carbon copy script from the prior meeting just two weeks ago in Great Bend had the Cougars out to an early eight-point lead in the opening seven minutes and holding a 15-10 advantage through the first quarter.

The tide quickly swayed at 7:31 into the second frame when the Cougars' leading scorer Vera Ojenuwa exited with her second foul. To compound the issues, Barton went ice cold at just 3-of-10 from the field and committed seven turnovers while the Blue Dragons shot a sizzling 4-of-6 from behind the arc in their 7-of-11 overall shooting in the quarter.  The result was Hutchinson outscoring Barton 20-7 to flip a deficit into an eight-point halftime lead.

The Blue Dragons continued to protect home court out of the locker room to build their largest lead of 18 points in the third quarter as Barton's fight for the upset was only able to cut the deficit to ten in the remaining twelve minutes.

The loss concludes Barton's 2023-24 season at 22-10 while Hutchinson continues its perfect season at 32-0 and advances to Saturday's 3:00 p.m. Region VI Championship game against Butler Community College who upset No. 17 Dodge City Community College 65-52 in the other semifinal game.

Despite holding Hutchinson to its season low point total, the Cougars were also held to its lowest output for the second game in a row against the Blue Dragons as the teams combined for the series' second lowest total scoring.

On the bright side for the 2023-24 squad, the Cougars' defensive effort all season set a program record by holding its opponents to just 54.0 points per game in bettering last year's top mark of surrendering just 54.7 per outing.

Connecting on just 30.2% from the field including 4-of-20 from long distance, Ojenuwa was the lone Cougar to finish in double figures as the freshman posted her 16th double-double of the year in finishing with 10 points and 13 rebounds despite being held to just ten minutes of court time in the first half.

Vivian Onugha added nine points with a game high 12 rebounds as Grace John concluded her Barton career producing 9 points on 3-of-8 arc shooting with 5 rebounds and 3 assists.

The Blue Dragons finished at 37% shooting on a tale of two "halves", 57.8% (11-19) in the middle portion of the contest and just 22.2% (6-27) in the opening ten and concluding ten minutes of action.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710590456240.jpeg" alt="Barton Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Barton Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>By BRANDON SMITH Barton Sports InfoThe hopes of reaching the Region VI Championship for the fifth straight year fell short Friday afternoon as the Barton Community College women's basketball team fell 49-39 to top seeded and the nation's top ranked Hutchinson Community College Blue Dragons in the semifinal round.A near carbon copy script from the prior meeting just two weeks ago in Great Bend had the Cougars out to an early eight-point lead in the opening seven minutes and holding a 15-10 advantage through the first quarter.The tide quickly swayed at 7:31 into the second frame when the Cougars' leading scorer Vera Ojenuwa exited with her second foul. To compound the issues, Barton went ice cold at just 3-of-10 from the field and committed seven turnovers while the Blue Dragons shot a sizzling 4-of-6 from behind the arc in their 7-of-11 overall shooting in the quarter. The result was Hutchinson outscoring Barton 20-7 to flip a deficit into an eight-point halftime lead.The Blue Dragons continued to protect home court out of the locker room to build their largest lead of 18 points in the third quarter as Barton's fight for the upset was only able to cut the deficit to ten in the remaining twelve minutes.The loss concludes Barton's 2023-24 season at 22-10 while Hutchinson continues its perfect season at 32-0 and advances to Saturday's 3:00 p.m. Region VI Championship game against Butler Community College who upset No. 17 Dodge City Community College 65-52 in the other semifinal game.Despite holding Hutchinson to its season low point total, the Cougars were also held to its lowest output for the second game in a row against the Blue Dragons as the teams combined for the series' second lowest total scoring.On the bright side for the 2023-24 squad, the Cougars' defensive effort all season set a program record by holding its opponents to just 54.0 points per game in bettering last year's top mark of surrendering just 54.7 per outing.Connecting on just 30.2% from the field including 4-of-20 from long distance, Ojenuwa was the lone Cougar to finish in double figures as the freshman posted her 16th double-double of the year in finishing with 10 points and 13 rebounds despite being held to just ten minutes of court time in the first half.Vivian Onugha added nine points with a game high 12 rebounds as Grace John concluded her Barton career producing 9 points on 3-of-8 arc shooting with 5 rebounds and 3 assists.The Blue Dragons finished at 37% shooting on a tale of two "halves", 57.8% (11-19) in the middle portion of the contest and just 22.2% (6-27) in the opening ten and concluding ten minutes of action.

Barton women's basketball falls to top ranked Hutchinson in Region VI Semifinals

BETHANY, Okla. - The Fort Hays State women's basketball team led wire-to-wire in a NCAA Division II Central Region quarterfinal victory over Northwest Missouri State Friday afternoon (March 15), 62-47. The Tigers (25-7) now advance to the regional semifinals for the sixth time in school history where they will take on the No. 7 seed Minnesota State on Saturday evening (March 16, 5 p.m.) inside the Sawyer Center on the campus of Southern Nazarene University.

The win gives Fort Hays State 25 victories in a season for the seventh time in program history, including the sixth 25-win season in the last 10 years.

After losing the opening tip for just the eighth time in 32 games this season, the No. 3-seeded Tigers still got on the board first when Sydney Golladay knocked down a jumper on FHSU's first possession of the game. Fort Hays State played stellar defense over the first 10 minutes, limiting the No. 6-seeded Bearcats (23-8) to just one field goal (1-of-11) and forcing six NWMSU turnovers.

Fort Hays State took advantage on offense, hitting 8-of-19 from the floor in the opening quarter, including six points on three offensive rebounds. Jessie Sallach scored six points in the first frame, with five other Tigers totaling two points each. After trailing by as many as 10, the Bearcats trailed by eight at the end of the frame, 16-8, after hitting 5-of-6 from the line in the quarter. FHSU did not get to the line once over the first 10 minutes.

Foul trouble continued for the Tigers in the second quarter, with three different players drawing their second foul in the frame. Fort Hays State turned to Olivia Hollenbeck on offense in the second quarter, with the forward totaling eight points on 3-of-5 shooting in the frame. The Bearcats closed within two late in the second quarter before Hollenbeck scored the final five points of the half for the Tigers, giving the Tigers a 26-22 lead at the break.

After playing less than 10 minutes in the first half, Katie Wagner opened the third quarter with a bucket to put the Tigers back up by six, 28-22. Fort Hays State was able to keep the Bearcats at bay for the rest of the day, maintaining a multiple-possession lead for the remainder of the game.

Wagner added a 3-pointer two minutes into the half before Hollenbeck scored on a second-chance layup, putting the Tigers up nine. Wagner's 10th point of the quarter gave Fort Hays State a 43-36 lead entering the fourth quarter.

Kate Dilsaver came up big for the Tigers in the second half, hitting both of her shots from the floor and all three of her free-throw attempts.

Fort Hays State left little doubt in the fourth quarter, knocking down 57.1 percent from the floor (8-of-14) to put away the Bearcats and secure the win.

Hollenbeck led all scorers with 20 points, 10 in each half, while adding seven rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block. After scoring just two points before halftime, Wagner finished the game with her fourth-consecutive double-double, totaling 19 points and 15 rebounds. She is the first Tiger with double-doubles in four-straight games since Belle Barbieri in 2019.

Golladay dished out eight assists, matching Northwest's assist total for the game. It's the ninth time the point guard has totaled at least five assists in a game this season and the third time she's had eight assists in the last six games.

Emma Ruddle was integral on the defensive end, totaling three steals and one block.

Fort Hays State dominated the game in the paint, outscoring the Bearcats 42-20 under the basket while grabbing 13 more rebounds, 42-29. Northwest managed just two offensive rebounds, with Fort Hays State scoring 15 second-chance points off 11 offensive boards.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710590326778.jpeg" alt="FHSU Athletics" />
 <figcaption>FHSU Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>BETHANY, Okla. - The Fort Hays State women's basketball team led wire-to-wire in a NCAA Division II Central Region quarterfinal victory over Northwest Missouri State Friday afternoon (March 15), 62-47. The Tigers (25-7) now advance to the regional semifinals for the sixth time in school history where they will take on the No. 7 seed Minnesota State on Saturday evening (March 16, 5 p.m.) inside the Sawyer Center on the campus of Southern Nazarene University.The win gives Fort Hays State 25 victories in a season for the seventh time in program history, including the sixth 25-win season in the last 10 years.After losing the opening tip for just the eighth time in 32 games this season, the No. 3-seeded Tigers still got on the board first when Sydney Golladay knocked down a jumper on FHSU's first possession of the game. Fort Hays State played stellar defense over the first 10 minutes, limiting the No. 6-seeded Bearcats (23-8) to just one field goal (1-of-11) and forcing six NWMSU turnovers.Fort Hays State took advantage on offense, hitting 8-of-19 from the floor in the opening quarter, including six points on three offensive rebounds. Jessie Sallach scored six points in the first frame, with five other Tigers totaling two points each. After trailing by as many as 10, the Bearcats trailed by eight at the end of the frame, 16-8, after hitting 5-of-6 from the line in the quarter. FHSU did not get to the line once over the first 10 minutes.Foul trouble continued for the Tigers in the second quarter, with three different players drawing their second foul in the frame. Fort Hays State turned to Olivia Hollenbeck on offense in the second quarter, with the forward totaling eight points on 3-of-5 shooting in the frame. The Bearcats closed within two late in the second quarter before Hollenbeck scored the final five points of the half for the Tigers, giving the Tigers a 26-22 lead at the break.After playing less than 10 minutes in the first half, Katie Wagner opened the third quarter with a bucket to put the Tigers back up by six, 28-22. Fort Hays State was able to keep the Bearcats at bay for the rest of the day, maintaining a multiple-possession lead for the remainder of the game.Wagner added a 3-pointer two minutes into the half before Hollenbeck scored on a second-chance layup, putting the Tigers up nine. Wagner's 10th point of the quarter gave Fort Hays State a 43-36 lead entering the fourth quarter.Kate Dilsaver came up big for the Tigers in the second half, hitting both of her shots from the floor and all three of her free-throw attempts.Fort Hays State left little doubt in the fourth quarter, knocking down 57.1 percent from the floor (8-of-14) to put away the Bearcats and secure the win.Hollenbeck led all scorers with 20 points, 10 in each half, while adding seven rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block. After scoring just two points before halftime, Wagner finished the game with her fourth-consecutive double-double, totaling 19 points and 15 rebounds. She is the first Tiger with double-doubles in four-straight games since Belle Barbieri in 2019.Golladay dished out eight assists, matching Northwest's assist total for the game. It's the ninth time the point guard has totaled at least five assists in a game this season and the third time she's had eight assists in the last six games.Emma Ruddle was integral on the defensive end, totaling three steals and one block.Fort Hays State dominated the game in the paint, outscoring the Bearcats 42-20 under the basket while grabbing 13 more rebounds, 42-29. Northwest managed just two offensive rebounds, with Fort Hays State scoring 15 second-chance points off 11 offensive boards.

Tigers Outlast Bearcats in Regional Quarterfinal

Thursday, March 14 Texas Tech 81, BYU 67 Houston 60, TCU 45 Iowa State 76, Kansas State 57 Baylor 68, Cincinnati 56

Friday, March 15 Houston 82, Texas Tech 59 Iowa State 76, Baylor 62

Saturday, March 16 Iowa State 69, Houston 41

Thursday, March 14 Texas Tech 81, BYU 67 Houston 60, TCU 45 Iowa State 76, Kansas State 57 Baylor 68, Cincinnati 56Friday, March 15 Houston 82, Texas Tech 59 Iowa State 76, Baylor 62Saturday, March 16 Iowa State 69, Houston 41

2024 Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship Scores and Schedule

Barton Men 79 Butler 76; Hutchinson Women 49 Barton 39

<div><a href="https://www.bartonsports.com/information/boosterclub/index"><img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1635967480149.jpeg"></a>

</div><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647912774016.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Barton Men 79 Butler 76; Hutchinson Women 49 Barton 39<div><iframe width="100%" height="265" src="https://clyp.it/0wfe34wb/widget" frameborder="0"></iframe></div>1. Barton Community College basketball on 104 3 the Point sponsored by Nex-Tech Wireless, Damm Pipe Testing, Mpire Overhead Door, Best Western Angus Inn, Marmie Auto Group, Rosenberg Family Dentistry, The University of Kansas Health System, Venture Corporation, Nex-Tech, Cougar Booster Club, The 10th Street Eye Care Center, Freedom Claims Management and Kansas Fishing Tools

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Yaxel Lendeborg had 18 points in UAB's 72-60 win over Wichita State on Friday night in the American Athletic Conference Tournament.

Fourth-seeded UAB will play top seed South Florida in the semifinals on Saturday.

Lendeborg also contributed 14 rebounds and three blocks for the Blazers (21-11). Daniel Ortiz scored 16 points, shooting 5 for 9 (4 for 7 from 3-point range) and 2 of 3 from the free-throw line. Christian Coleman shot 6 of 12 from the field and 1 of 6 from the free-throw line to finish with 13 points, while adding seven rebounds.

Harlond Beverly finished with 14 points, six rebounds, two steals and two blocks for the Shockers (15-19). Wichita State also got 14 points from Xavier Bell. Colby Rogers had 10 points.

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Yaxel Lendeborg had 18 points in UAB's 72-60 win over Wichita State on Friday night in the American Athletic Conference Tournament.Fourth-seeded UAB will play top seed South Florida in the semifinals on Saturday.Lendeborg also contributed 14 rebounds and three blocks for the Blazers (21-11). Daniel Ortiz scored 16 points, shooting 5 for 9 (4 for 7 from 3-point range) and 2 of 3 from the free-throw line. Christian Coleman shot 6 of 12 from the field and 1 of 6 from the free-throw line to finish with 13 points, while adding seven rebounds.Harlond Beverly finished with 14 points, six rebounds, two steals and two blocks for the Shockers (15-19). Wichita State also got 14 points from Xavier Bell. Colby Rogers had 10 points.

Lendeborg's 18 lead UAB over Wichita State 72-60 in American Athletic

By RALPH D. RUSSO AP College Football writer

The nine Bowl Subdivision conferences and Notre Dame reached an agreement Friday on a six-year deal to continue the College Football Playoff through the 2031 season, a significant step that establishes a revenue-sharing plan and allows the CFP to finalize a media rights agreement.

Executive Director Bill Hancock said the agreement doesn’t lock in a format for the CFP for 2026 and beyond, but it guarantees at least a 12-team field and five conferences having annual access to the playoff through 2031.

The playoff is expanding this season from four teams to 12, with the five highest-ranked conference champions — regardless of league — and seven at-large selections making up the field.

“Anything else regarding format is to be determined,” Hancock said.

The number of teams in the CFP could grow after the current contract with ESPN expires after the 2025 season, but for now there is no plan in place and no urgency to make a decision, Hancock said.

By RALPH D. RUSSO AP College Football writerThe nine Bowl Subdivision conferences and Notre Dame reached an agreement Friday on a six-year deal to continue the College Football Playoff through the 2031 season, a significant step that establishes a revenue-sharing plan and allows the CFP to finalize a media rights agreement.Executive Director Bill Hancock said the agreement doesn’t lock in a format for the CFP for 2026 and beyond, but it guarantees at least a 12-team field and five conferences having annual access to the playoff through 2031.The playoff is expanding this season from four teams to 12, with the five highest-ranked conference champions — regardless of league — and seven at-large selections making up the field.“Anything else regarding format is to be determined,” Hancock said.The number of teams in the CFP could grow after the current contract with ESPN expires after the 2025 season, but for now there is no plan in place and no urgency to make a decision, Hancock said.Hancock said the conference commissioners who manage the CFP might want to let the coming season play out and evaluate the first iteration of the 12-team model.“We’re going to take a deep breath, step back, and begin those conversations whenever it’s appropriate,” he said.Hancock said the Pac-12, which is set to operate as a two-team league with just Washington State and Oregon State next season, didn’t sign the agreement because of its uncertainty beyond 2025.The CFP implemented a rule recently that a conference had to have at least eight teams to be eligible to qualify for access to the playoff.The CFP has an agreement in principle with ESPN on a new media rights agreement worth $7.8 billion that adjusts the value of the last two years of the current 12-year contract to account for more playoff games and runs through 2031.The CFP couldn’t complete that deal without the conferences first agreeing to participate in the playoff and a revenue-sharing plan.“We are still negotiating with ESPN,” Hancock said. “We’re encouraged about the position we are in. But we still have work to do.”Hancock declined to give details of the revenue-sharing agreement.It has been previously reported — and confirmed by AP — the Southeastern Conference and Big Ten will receive more than 50% of the distributed CFP revenue, with the Atlantic Coast Conference and Big 12 getting about 30% combined and the Group of Five Conferences and Notre Dame the rest.