LAWRENCE, Kan. – Following its 2022 NCAA National Championship run, particularly in the title victory against North Carolina, Kansas men’s basketball has been nominated for an ESPY, ESPN announced Tuesday. Kansas is one four nominated for The Best Game of 2021-22.

Kansas’ 16-point rally against UNC is the largest deficit in a win in an NCAA National Championship contest. KU defeated UNC, 72-69, in the 2022 title game to win its sixth all-time national championship, including four in the NCAA era.

The ESPYs will air July 20 on ABC. Fans can vote on the more than 35 ESPY award categories, including The Best Game on espn.com.

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Following its 2022 NCAA National Championship run, particularly in the title victory against North Carolina, Kansas men’s basketball has been nominated for an ESPY, ESPN announced Tuesday. Kansas is one four nominated for The Best Game of 2021-22.Kansas’ 16-point rally against UNC is the largest deficit in a win in an NCAA National Championship contest. KU defeated UNC, 72-69, in the 2022 title game to win its sixth all-time national championship, including four in the NCAA era.The ESPYs will air July 20 on ABC. Fans can vote on the more than 35 ESPY award categories, including The Best Game on espn.com.

Kansas Men’s Hoops Nominated for an ESPY

Manhattan, Kansas - Kansas State University Athletics and The Brandr Group (TBG) have established a group licensing agreement for the university's student-athletes covering all the Wildcats' 16 teams. This partnership creates new opportunities for Kansas State University's student-athletes to profit off their Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) using the school's official trademarks and logos.

"We are excited for this partnership as we look to provide our student-athletes with co-branded opportunities to profit from their name, image or likeness," Kansas State Director of Athletics Gene Taylor said. "It is important for our student-athletes to have the opportunity to be a part of branded apparel, customized jerseys, video games, trading cards and other potential programs, and we look forward to working with The Brandr Group to make these a reality."

The partnership with TBG allows for the collective use of student-athletes' NIL in licensing and marketing programs, co-branded with the Kansas State University logos and marks. Student-athletes will have the option to voluntarily join a group licensing program. TBG will facilitate group licensing opportunities on behalf of the student-athletes, and the program does not limit individual NIL rights. Potential licensees interested in learning more about the program should contact Kathleen Melvin at TBG.

TBG, a brand management, marketing and licensing agency, will manage and administer the program as well as develop licensing opportunities on behalf of the student-athletes. With decades of collective management experience for some of the world's largest brands, TBG also manages the group rights program for the NFL, NBA and MLB players' associations in the college space.

Products that combine team logos and player names and numbers have accounted for a large portion of licensed sports merchandise sales at the professional level for decades, and this program opens the door for the same opportunities for student-athletes at the collegiate level.

"Kansas State University Athletics has an outstanding reputation and we're thrilled to be partnering with them on a group licensing program," said Wesley Haynes, TBG CEO. "Through this new agreement, Kansas State student-athletes will be able to benefit from their NIL through co-branded opportunities across the Wildcats' vast merchandising and sponsorship portfolio. We're looking forward to working together to bring this program to life for Kansas State's talented student-athletes and passionate fans"

Fans can expect to be able to purchase official Kansas State University merchandise with the name and number of their favorite Wildcats who have joined the respective group licensing program starting this fall.

The Brandr Group (TBG) is a brand management, marketing and licensing agency powered by a team with decades of collective management experience for some of the world's largest brands. TBG has emerged as the leading agency in group licensing programs, leading efforts for more than 50 college athletic programs and their student athletes in the Name, Image and Likeness category including the biggest brands in college athletics. TBG partners with prominent brands, colleges, sponsors, corporate trademarks, athletes and events to cultivate, diversify and monetize intellectual property through professional brand management and licensing endeavors.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1656872707682.jpeg" alt="Kansas State Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Kansas State Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>Manhattan, Kansas - Kansas State University Athletics and The Brandr Group (TBG) have established a group licensing agreement for the university's student-athletes covering all the Wildcats' 16 teams. This partnership creates new opportunities for Kansas State University's student-athletes to profit off their Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) using the school's official trademarks and logos."We are excited for this partnership as we look to provide our student-athletes with co-branded opportunities to profit from their name, image or likeness," Kansas State Director of Athletics Gene Taylor said. "It is important for our student-athletes to have the opportunity to be a part of branded apparel, customized jerseys, video games, trading cards and other potential programs, and we look forward to working with The Brandr Group to make these a reality."The partnership with TBG allows for the collective use of student-athletes' NIL in licensing and marketing programs, co-branded with the Kansas State University logos and marks. Student-athletes will have the option to voluntarily join a group licensing program. TBG will facilitate group licensing opportunities on behalf of the student-athletes, and the program does not limit individual NIL rights. Potential licensees interested in learning more about the program should contact Kathleen Melvin at TBG.TBG, a brand management, marketing and licensing agency, will manage and administer the program as well as develop licensing opportunities on behalf of the student-athletes. With decades of collective management experience for some of the world's largest brands, TBG also manages the group rights program for the NFL, NBA and MLB players' associations in the college space.Products that combine team logos and player names and numbers have accounted for a large portion of licensed sports merchandise sales at the professional level for decades, and this program opens the door for the same opportunities for student-athletes at the collegiate level."Kansas State University Athletics has an outstanding reputation and we're thrilled to be partnering with them on a group licensing program," said Wesley Haynes, TBG CEO. "Through this new agreement, Kansas State student-athletes will be able to benefit from their NIL through co-branded opportunities across the Wildcats' vast merchandising and sponsorship portfolio. We're looking forward to working together to bring this program to life for Kansas State's talented student-athletes and passionate fans"Fans can expect to be able to purchase official Kansas State University merchandise with the name and number of their favorite Wildcats who have joined the respective group licensing program starting this fall.About The Brandr GroupThe Brandr Group (TBG) is a brand management, marketing and licensing agency powered by a team with decades of collective management experience for some of the world's largest brands. TBG has emerged as the leading agency in group licensing programs, leading efforts for more than 50 college athletic programs and their student athletes in the Name, Image and Likeness category including the biggest brands in college athletics. TBG partners with prominent brands, colleges, sponsors, corporate trademarks, athletes and events to cultivate, diversify and monetize intellectual property through professional brand management and licensing endeavors.

K-State Announces Partnership with BrandR Group

DETROIT (AP) — Victor Reyes and Riley Greene hit back-to-back homers in the ninth inning to give the Detroit Tigers a 4-3 win over the Kansas City Royals on Saturday.

With one out in the ninth, Reyes tied the game off Royals reliever Joel Payamps (2-2). It was the first homer allowed by Payamps in 26 1/3 innings this season. Greene followed by hitting a ball into the shrubs above the 420-foot sign in centerfield.

“This is an awesome feeling,” said Greene, who scored three of Detroit's four runs. “I need to give a shoutout to (Reyes) for hitting his homer to give me that chance, I wasn't sure it was going to get out, but when I saw it — the adrenalin rush went right through me.”

The 21-year-old, Detroit's No. 1 prospect, was supposed to start the season with the Tigers, but a foot injury meant he couldn't make his major-league debut until June 18. He tied a major-league record with five walks in his first two games, and is now hitting .302 with a .434 on-base percentage and a .442 slugging percentage in 43 at-bats.

“He had really good at-bats all day, and even his strikeout should probably have been a walk,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. “He put a great swing on that ball. I know, in my short time here, I haven't seen a lot of guys who can put a ball into the bushes in centerfield.”

Payamps pitched a perfect eighth and struck out Spencer Torkelson to start the ninth, but couldn't finish off the first save opportunity of his four-year career.

“We had some guys down from yesterday, and we needed someone who could get us outs,” Royals manager Mike Matheny said about his decision to send Payamps back out for the ninth. “He's a guy who has some experience and he had been great in the eighth.”

Tigers reliever Joe Jimenez (3-0) pitched a perfect ninth and earned the win as Detroit's pitchers retired the last 17 batters they faced.

“Before the game, we talked about how the shadows were going to make it tough for both teams in the late innings,” Matheny said. “I think that was part of it, and they brought in some guys who were throwing really well. I guess the shadows went away in the bottom of the ninth.”

The Royals took a 2-0 lead on Hunter Dozier's bases-loaded double in the first inning. In the bottom half of the winning, Greene led off with a triple and scored on Javy Baez's sacrifice fly.

“That's a huge moment right there, because we have a tough start to the game, and then Riley comes up and immediately gives us a spark,” Hinch said. “That's what he can already give us.”

Kansas City made it 3-1 in the fourth on Whit Merrifield's RBI single.

The Tigers got a run back in the fifth when Greene walked, took third on Miguel Cabrera's single and scored on a base hit from Eric Haase. Bobby Witt Jr got Kansas City out of the inning, stealing a base hit from Willi Castro. Detroit had two runners on in the sixth, but Amir Garrett struck out Greene to end the inning.

Garrett threw up his hands in celebration, drawing an angry verbal response from Baez, who had been on deck. Garrett and Baez have a tense relationship dating to a confrontation in 2019, when Garrett was with the Cincinnati Reds and Baez was with the Chicago Cubs.

“He can do whatever he wants,” Baez said. “That's part of his game and he knows my game.”

Tigers: Despite facial bruising from being hit in the head by Brad Keller on Friday, Spencer Torkelson entered the game in the sixth inning to pinch hit for Kody Clemens. He remained in the game at first base. ... After the game, the Tigers placed RHP Rony Garcia on the injured list and will select RHP Garrett Hill from Triple-A Toledo to start in Monday's doubleheader against the Cleveland Guardians. Hill will be the 14th starting pitcher used by the Tigers this season.

The Royals activated Payamps from the COVID-19 list and outrighted RHP Daniel Mengden to Triple-A Omaha. Payamps had been sidelined since June 13.

Cabrera's fifth-inning single was the 3,059 hit of his career, moving him within one of Craig Biggio for 25th place on the career list. He is currently two RBI behind Manny Ramirez's 1,831 for 18th place.

The teams finish their weekend series with a noon start on Sunday. Detroit's Tarik Skubal (5-6, 3.75) will face Brady Singer (3-3, 4.50).

DETROIT (AP) — Victor Reyes and Riley Greene hit back-to-back homers in the ninth inning to give the Detroit Tigers a 4-3 win over the Kansas City Royals on Saturday.With one out in the ninth, Reyes tied the game off Royals reliever Joel Payamps (2-2). It was the first homer allowed by Payamps in 26 1/3 innings this season. Greene followed by hitting a ball into the shrubs above the 420-foot sign in centerfield.“This is an awesome feeling,” said Greene, who scored three of Detroit's four runs. “I need to give a shoutout to (Reyes) for hitting his homer to give me that chance, I wasn't sure it was going to get out, but when I saw it — the adrenalin rush went right through me.”The 21-year-old, Detroit's No. 1 prospect, was supposed to start the season with the Tigers, but a foot injury meant he couldn't make his major-league debut until June 18. He tied a major-league record with five walks in his first two games, and is now hitting .302 with a .434 on-base percentage and a .442 slugging percentage in 43 at-bats.“He had really good at-bats all day, and even his strikeout should probably have been a walk,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. “He put a great swing on that ball. I know, in my short time here, I haven't seen a lot of guys who can put a ball into the bushes in centerfield.”Payamps pitched a perfect eighth and struck out Spencer Torkelson to start the ninth, but couldn't finish off the first save opportunity of his four-year career.“We had some guys down from yesterday, and we needed someone who could get us outs,” Royals manager Mike Matheny said about his decision to send Payamps back out for the ninth. “He's a guy who has some experience and he had been great in the eighth.”Tigers reliever Joe Jimenez (3-0) pitched a perfect ninth and earned the win as Detroit's pitchers retired the last 17 batters they faced.“Before the game, we talked about how the shadows were going to make it tough for both teams in the late innings,” Matheny said. “I think that was part of it, and they brought in some guys who were throwing really well. I guess the shadows went away in the bottom of the ninth.”The Royals took a 2-0 lead on Hunter Dozier's bases-loaded double in the first inning. In the bottom half of the winning, Greene led off with a triple and scored on Javy Baez's sacrifice fly.“That's a huge moment right there, because we have a tough start to the game, and then Riley comes up and immediately gives us a spark,” Hinch said. “That's what he can already give us.”Kansas City made it 3-1 in the fourth on Whit Merrifield's RBI single.The Tigers got a run back in the fifth when Greene walked, took third on Miguel Cabrera's single and scored on a base hit from Eric Haase. Bobby Witt Jr got Kansas City out of the inning, stealing a base hit from Willi Castro. Detroit had two runners on in the sixth, but Amir Garrett struck out Greene to end the inning.Garrett threw up his hands in celebration, drawing an angry verbal response from Baez, who had been on deck. Garrett and Baez have a tense relationship dating to a confrontation in 2019, when Garrett was with the Cincinnati Reds and Baez was with the Chicago Cubs.“He can do whatever he wants,” Baez said. “That's part of his game and he knows my game.”TRAINER'S ROOMTigers: Despite facial bruising from being hit in the head by Brad Keller on Friday, Spencer Torkelson entered the game in the sixth inning to pinch hit for Kody Clemens. He remained in the game at first base. ... After the game, the Tigers placed RHP Rony Garcia on the injured list and will select RHP Garrett Hill from Triple-A Toledo to start in Monday's doubleheader against the Cleveland Guardians. Hill will be the 14th starting pitcher used by the Tigers this season.ROSTER MOVEThe Royals activated Payamps from the COVID-19 list and outrighted RHP Daniel Mengden to Triple-A Omaha. Payamps had been sidelined since June 13.MILESTONE WATCHCabrera's fifth-inning single was the 3,059 hit of his career, moving him within one of Craig Biggio for 25th place on the career list. He is currently two RBI behind Manny Ramirez's 1,831 for 18th place.UP NEXTThe teams finish their weekend series with a noon start on Sunday. Detroit's Tarik Skubal (5-6, 3.75) will face Brady Singer (3-3, 4.50).

Reyes, Greene homer in 9th, send Tigers past Royals 4-3

By MIKE COURSON Great Bend Post

For the past 15 years, Paige Wagner has been staying in her lane. And all that bowling is paying off. In the past year, Wagner competed in the U.S. National team trials and just missed a spot on national television. A former state runner-up for Great Bend High School, Wagner recently signed a letter of intent to bowl for national powerhouse Wichita State University.

"It's definitely been my dream to go there the whole time," Wagner said. "Now that they've reached out to me and offered it, that's for sure where I want to go. I'm excited to be on the team."

Wagner, the daughter of Cheri and Tim Wagner of Great Bend, has built an impressive resume on the lanes. The 18-year-old is a four-time Youth Scratch Masters champion, a two-time Southwest Gold Tour champion, and a Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Junior National Qualifier champion.

Wagner took a perfect game into the 10th frame of what proved to be her final high school game. She finished with a 289 as the individual Class 5-1A state runner-up, and also moved the Lady Panthers into second place as a team. Her 289 individual game and 725 series at state that year are both school records, as is her 209 season average as a junior. Wagner also excelled in the classroom with a 3.8 GPA.

Wagner was hoping for a big senior season at GBHS before a nagging hip injury took her down just five frames into her first game in February.

"It was definitely very hard for me," she said. "It definitely shows how hard it is to get injured while playing a sport for high school. I just pushed through it and knew I could get past it, and continue with the big things I knew were coming up."

Wagner first suffered the hip injury of September 2021,  but that hardly slowed her down. After six weeks of therapy, she was back on the lanes in Las Vegas for New Year's Eve, trying to find a spot on the U.S. National Team. The end results were disappointing, but Wagner was among the youngest of hundreds of the nation's top bowlers that featured many professionals and top-tier college athletes. Wagner shared the lanes with her favorite professional bowler Shannon O'Keefe.

"It was very nervewracking but it was a good experience to be able to be bowl with them, and just getting to know how it is to bowl with them and how they do things," said Wagner.

Two weeks after that, Wagner bowled in Euless, Texas, just outside of Dallas, at the PBA Junior Nationals. She finished in the top-10 but re-aggravated the hip injury before heading back into high school competition.

After another six weeks of therapy, Wagner is back at it. On July 3, the Wagners head south to Oklahoma City for the Youth Scratch Masters Tournament of Champions. On July 12, she will open two weeks of competition at the Junior Gold Championships in Grand Rapids, Mich. Last year, Wagner tied for fifth out of 570 bowlers and just missed a televised tournament by one placing. She won $3,000 in scholarship money at that tournament a year ago, bringing her total to nearly $17,000.

The key to her success, Wagner said, is two-fold: lots of good work and a healthy attitude.

"I've been bowling since I was three," she said. "I'm out there every week, almost every day. Since the injury I haven't been bowling a whole lot, but usually I'm out there every day.

"You're definitely going to make mistakes in bowling, or any sport in general. Make sure to keep the attitude good and positive. Don't worry about what happened and just move forward."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1656688583778.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By MIKE COURSON Great Bend PostFor the past 15 years, Paige Wagner has been staying in her lane. And all that bowling is paying off. In the past year, Wagner competed in the U.S. National team trials and just missed a spot on national television. A former state runner-up for Great Bend High School, Wagner recently signed a letter of intent to bowl for national powerhouse Wichita State University."It's definitely been my dream to go there the whole time," Wagner said. "Now that they've reached out to me and offered it, that's for sure where I want to go. I'm excited to be on the team."Wagner, the daughter of Cheri and Tim Wagner of Great Bend, has built an impressive resume on the lanes. The 18-year-old is a four-time Youth Scratch Masters champion, a two-time Southwest Gold Tour champion, and a Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Junior National Qualifier champion.Wagner took a perfect game into the 10th frame of what proved to be her final high school game. She finished with a 289 as the individual Class 5-1A state runner-up, and also moved the Lady Panthers into second place as a team. Her 289 individual game and 725 series at state that year are both school records, as is her 209 season average as a junior. Wagner also excelled in the classroom with a 3.8 GPA.Wagner was hoping for a big senior season at GBHS before a nagging hip injury took her down just five frames into her first game in February."It was definitely very hard for me," she said. "It definitely shows how hard it is to get injured while playing a sport for high school. I just pushed through it and knew I could get past it, and continue with the big things I knew were coming up."Wagner first suffered the hip injury of September 2021, but that hardly slowed her down. After six weeks of therapy, she was back on the lanes in Las Vegas for New Year's Eve, trying to find a spot on the U.S. National Team. The end results were disappointing, but Wagner was among the youngest of hundreds of the nation's top bowlers that featured many professionals and top-tier college athletes. Wagner shared the lanes with her favorite professional bowler Shannon O'Keefe."It was very nervewracking but it was a good experience to be able to be bowl with them, and just getting to know how it is to bowl with them and how they do things," said Wagner.Two weeks after that, Wagner bowled in Euless, Texas, just outside of Dallas, at the PBA Junior Nationals. She finished in the top-10 but re-aggravated the hip injury before heading back into high school competition.After another six weeks of therapy, Wagner is back at it. On July 3, the Wagners head south to Oklahoma City for the Youth Scratch Masters Tournament of Champions. On July 12, she will open two weeks of competition at the Junior Gold Championships in Grand Rapids, Mich. Last year, Wagner tied for fifth out of 570 bowlers and just missed a televised tournament by one placing. She won $3,000 in scholarship money at that tournament a year ago, bringing her total to nearly $17,000.The key to her success, Wagner said, is two-fold: lots of good work and a healthy attitude."I've been bowling since I was three," she said. "I'm out there every week, almost every day. Since the injury I haven't been bowling a whole lot, but usually I'm out there every day."You're definitely going to make mistakes in bowling, or any sport in general. Make sure to keep the attitude good and positive. Don't worry about what happened and just move forward."

Great Bend's Wagner continues dominance on bowling lanes

DETROIT (AP) — Vinnie Pasquantino took a most unusual path to the plate on his first big league home run — a furious sprint, a desperate slide and even a tag.

Pasquantino and Hunter Dozier hit back-to-back homers, leading Brad Keller and the Kansas City Royals over the Detroit Tigers 3-1 on Friday night.

Playing his third game in majors, Pasquantino was 0 for 6 overall when he hit Michael Pineda's first pitch of the fourth inning to deep right. The ball hit the top of the fence, bounced off a railing and back onto the field.

Thinking the ball was in play, Pasquantino tried to get a double out of it, but Javy Baez took Willi Castro's throw and tagged the rookie as he slid into the bag. The Tigers shortstop then told Pasquantino to get up and enjoy the last half of his home-run trot.

“I got tagged out at second base by Javy Baez" on home run No. 1, Pasquantino said. "How cool is that?”

“I'm glad that all got captured on video, because I'm going to be showing that to my grandkids someday," he said.

Thanks to Baez, Pasquantino got the ball from his first homer, but he was also hoping to get another memento from the occasion.

“I sent Javy a jersey and I hope he’ll sign it for me,” he said. “I never really pictured my first major league hit, but there’s no way it could be any better than what happened.”

Keller (3-9) allowed five hits and two walks in six-plus scoreless innings. He's won two of his last three starts.

“When he's on, he can really move the ball around,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. “We really couldn't get the ball off the ground against him for the first five innings, and then we couldn't get a big hit later on.”

Keller exited after hitting rookie Spencer Torkelson in the helmet with an 88 mph changeup in the seventh. Torkelson stayed on his feet and walked off the field under his own power.

“I really hate that my outing ended like that,” Keller said. “You never want to see someone get hit in the head, but I sent a (clubhouse attendant) over to their clubhouse and they said he's fine.”

Torkelson passed concussion tests and could be available off the bench on Saturday.

“It was scary, but he's going to be fine,” Hinch said. “We just weren't going to take any chances after he got hit in the head.”

The Tigers scored in the ninth on Eric Haase's sacrifice fly. Royals closer Scott Barlow walked Riley Greene, bringing the winning run to the plate, but he retired Willi Castro on the next pitch for his 11th save.

Pineda (1-3) threw 65 pitches in his return from the injured list, giving up three runs and seven hits in five innings. He struck out three without a walk.

“He did a good job — they just ambushed him in the fourth inning,” Hinch said. “He didn't get a rehab start, so he was never going past the fifth.”

The Royals took a 1-0 lead in the third when Whit Merrifield doubled, stole third without a throw against the shift and scored on Andrew Benintendi's single.

After Pasquantino homered, Dozier sent a 2-0 pitch into the Kansas City bullpen. It was the second time this season the Royals have hit back-to-back homers.

The Tigers put their first two runners on in the sixth, but Keller retired Javier Baez, Miguel Cabrera and Harold Castro to escape the inning.

“I put myself in a tough spot there, especially having to facing Baez, Miggy and Castro,” Keller said. “Striking out Miggy on a 3-2 slider was a huge moment, because he's still such a great hitter.”

Detroit did the same thing in the seventh. After Robbie Grossman walked, Keller hit Torkelson in the helmet. Taylor Clarke replaced Keller and retired the next three hitters to keep Detroit scoreless.

“The whole game can change right there if we can get a hit in one of those two innings,” Hinch said.

Royals: Kansas City recalled RHP Wyatt Mills from Triple-A Omaha and designated RHP Matt Peacock for assignment. In addition, the Royals claimed RHP Ryan Weiss off waivers from the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Tigers: Detroit activated Pineda from the injured list. He had been sidelined since May 15 with a fractured middle finger on his right hand. RHP Alex Faedo was optioned to Triple-A. Faedo will be back soon — he will start in Monday's doubleheader against the Cleveland Guardians as Detroit's 27th player.

Hinch said before the game he has no new information on LHP Eduardo Rodriguez, who has been on the restricted list since leaving the team on June 13. Rodriguez is in Florida dealing with family issues.

“There's been no movement whatsoever and no communication,” Hinch said. “It's been pretty quiet and we've respected his privacy.”

The teams play the second game of their weekend series on Saturday afternoon, with Detroit's Beau Brieske (1-6, 4.55) facing Brady Singer (3-3, 4.50).

DETROIT (AP) — Vinnie Pasquantino took a most unusual path to the plate on his first big league home run — a furious sprint, a desperate slide and even a tag.Pasquantino and Hunter Dozier hit back-to-back homers, leading Brad Keller and the Kansas City Royals over the Detroit Tigers 3-1 on Friday night.Playing his third game in majors, Pasquantino was 0 for 6 overall when he hit Michael Pineda's first pitch of the fourth inning to deep right. The ball hit the top of the fence, bounced off a railing and back onto the field.Thinking the ball was in play, Pasquantino tried to get a double out of it, but Javy Baez took Willi Castro's throw and tagged the rookie as he slid into the bag. The Tigers shortstop then told Pasquantino to get up and enjoy the last half of his home-run trot.“I got tagged out at second base by Javy Baez" on home run No. 1, Pasquantino said. "How cool is that?”“I'm glad that all got captured on video, because I'm going to be showing that to my grandkids someday," he said.Thanks to Baez, Pasquantino got the ball from his first homer, but he was also hoping to get another memento from the occasion.“I sent Javy a jersey and I hope he’ll sign it for me,” he said. “I never really pictured my first major league hit, but there’s no way it could be any better than what happened.”Keller (3-9) allowed five hits and two walks in six-plus scoreless innings. He's won two of his last three starts.“When he's on, he can really move the ball around,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. “We really couldn't get the ball off the ground against him for the first five innings, and then we couldn't get a big hit later on.”Keller exited after hitting rookie Spencer Torkelson in the helmet with an 88 mph changeup in the seventh. Torkelson stayed on his feet and walked off the field under his own power.“I really hate that my outing ended like that,” Keller said. “You never want to see someone get hit in the head, but I sent a (clubhouse attendant) over to their clubhouse and they said he's fine.”Torkelson passed concussion tests and could be available off the bench on Saturday.“It was scary, but he's going to be fine,” Hinch said. “We just weren't going to take any chances after he got hit in the head.”The Tigers scored in the ninth on Eric Haase's sacrifice fly. Royals closer Scott Barlow walked Riley Greene, bringing the winning run to the plate, but he retired Willi Castro on the next pitch for his 11th save.Pineda (1-3) threw 65 pitches in his return from the injured list, giving up three runs and seven hits in five innings. He struck out three without a walk.“He did a good job — they just ambushed him in the fourth inning,” Hinch said. “He didn't get a rehab start, so he was never going past the fifth.”The Royals took a 1-0 lead in the third when Whit Merrifield doubled, stole third without a throw against the shift and scored on Andrew Benintendi's single.After Pasquantino homered, Dozier sent a 2-0 pitch into the Kansas City bullpen. It was the second time this season the Royals have hit back-to-back homers.The Tigers put their first two runners on in the sixth, but Keller retired Javier Baez, Miguel Cabrera and Harold Castro to escape the inning.“I put myself in a tough spot there, especially having to facing Baez, Miggy and Castro,” Keller said. “Striking out Miggy on a 3-2 slider was a huge moment, because he's still such a great hitter.”Detroit did the same thing in the seventh. After Robbie Grossman walked, Keller hit Torkelson in the helmet. Taylor Clarke replaced Keller and retired the next three hitters to keep Detroit scoreless.“The whole game can change right there if we can get a hit in one of those two innings,” Hinch said.ROSTER MOVESRoyals: Kansas City recalled RHP Wyatt Mills from Triple-A Omaha and designated RHP Matt Peacock for assignment. In addition, the Royals claimed RHP Ryan Weiss off waivers from the Arizona Diamondbacks.Tigers: Detroit activated Pineda from the injured list. He had been sidelined since May 15 with a fractured middle finger on his right hand. RHP Alex Faedo was optioned to Triple-A. Faedo will be back soon — he will start in Monday's doubleheader against the Cleveland Guardians as Detroit's 27th player.NO NEWS ON RODRIGUEZHinch said before the game he has no new information on LHP Eduardo Rodriguez, who has been on the restricted list since leaving the team on June 13. Rodriguez is in Florida dealing with family issues.“There's been no movement whatsoever and no communication,” Hinch said. “It's been pretty quiet and we've respected his privacy.”UP NEXTThe teams play the second game of their weekend series on Saturday afternoon, with Detroit's Beau Brieske (1-6, 4.55) facing Brady Singer (3-3, 4.50).

Pasquantino hits unusual 1st MLB homer, Royals beat Tigers

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State head coach Jerome Tang made another addition to his team on Thursday afternoon (June 30) with the signing of graduate transfer Tykei Greene (Queens, N.Y./Long Island Lutheran/Manhattan College/Stony Brook) to a Financial Aid Agreement with the program for the 2022-23 season.

Greene is the eighth player to sign with the Wildcats since Tang was introduced as the program's head coach on March 21, including the sixth Division I transfer following Cam Carter (Mississippi State), Jerrell Colbert (LSU), Abayomi "Baybe" Iyiola (Stetson/Arkansas/Hofstra), David N'Guessan (Virginia Tech) and Desi Sills (Arkansas/Arkansas State). Overall, Greene is the ninth newcomer added to the team for the 2022-23 season.

A 6-foot-4, 205-pound combo guard, Greene arrives at K-State after playing the last two seasons (2020-22) at Stony Brook, where he saw action in 54 games with 52 starts. This past season, he helped the Seawolves double their win total (18) from the previous season, while earning All-America East Second Team honors. He ranked in the top-10 in four categories in the America East, including first in rebounding (8.1 rpg.) and ninth in scoring (14.0 ppg.). He also collected nine double-doubles (points/rebounds) and seven 20-point games.

Greene also has experience playing at Manhattan College, where he saw action in 60 games with 36 starts from 2018-20. Overall, he has logged 114 games of experience at the Division I level, including 88 starts, while totaling more than 3,000 minutes played for a 27.1 per game average.

"We are fortunate to be able to add another player to our team with the skill set and experience like Tykei," said Tang. "He is a significant addition to our backcourt who not only brings scoring ability but also versatility. He shot the ball very well this past season at Stony Brook, while he has really proven himself to be a terrific defender as he led the America East in rebounding and was fifth in steals."

"Obviously, Tykei's experience will fill a big need for us especially in the backcourt. He has played in a lot of big-time environments while at Manhattan and Stony Brook. He knows what it takes to win. We think he will be a great fit for the guys we already have in the program. We can't wait to get him in front of Wildcat Nation!"

Greene will have one year of eligibility remaining after the NCAA granted Fall 2020 and Winter 2021 sport student-athletes an additional year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The business major is an excellent student having earned America East All-Academic honors this past season.

Greene has scored more than 1,100 points in his college career, totaling 1,112 points (9.8 ppg.) in his 114 games played on 42.2 percent (394-of-934) shooting, including 31.8 percent (114-of-359) from 3-point range, while knocking down 60.5 percent (210-of-347) from the free throw line. He has 54 career double-digit scoring games, including 10 20-point games, and 14 double-doubles (points/rebounds). In addition, he has collected 645 rebounds (5.7 rpg.), 96 assists (0.8 apg.), 96 steals (0.8 spg.) and 25 blocks (0.2 bpg.) in 3,089 minutes (30 mpg.) in his career.

This past season, Greene played in all 31 games with 30 starts for a Stony Brook squad that posted an 18-13 overall record, including a 10-8 mark in America East play. An All-America East Second Team selection, he led the league in rebounding (8.1 rpg.), while he ranked among the top-15 in four other categories, including ninth in scoring (14.0 ppg.), fourth in field goal percentage (52.0), fifth in steals (1.4 spg.) and 15th in minutes (30.9 mpg.).

Greene ranked first or second on the Seawolves in nearly every category, including tops in double-doubles (9), rebounding, steals and offensive (88) and defensive (164) rebounds, in 2021-22. He was second in scoring, as he converted on 52 percent (159-of-306) of his field goals, including 42.6 percent (40-of-94) from 3-point range. He scored in double figures in 23 of 31 games, including seven with 20 or more points, and collected a team-leading nine double-doubles.

Greene posted six of his seven 20-point games and six of his nine double-doubles in the last 11 games of the 2021-22 season, in which, he averaged 19.8 points on 57.1 percent (80-of-140) shooting, including 55.6 percent (20-of-36) from 3-point range, and 9.0 rebounds per game. He scored a career-best 29 points at UMBC on February 16, connecting on 9-of-12 field goals, including both 3-pointers, and 9-of-11 free throws. He also tied his career-high in rebounds during this stretch with 14 boards to go along with 23 points at Hartford on February 20.

During the abbreviated COVID-19 season of 2020-21, Greene played in all 23 games for the Seawolves with 22 starts, averaging 9.7 points on 43.7 percent (83-of-190) shooting, including 29.9 percent (23-of-77) from 3-point range, with 6.9 rebounds in 30.6 minutes per game. He ranked second on the team in rebounding and was third in scoring. He scored in double figures in 12 games and grabbed five double-doubles.

In his two seasons at Stony Brook, Greene averaged 12.2 points on 48.8 percent (242-of-496) shooting, including 36.8 percent (63-of-171) from 3-point range, to go with 7.6 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 30.9 minutes per game. He scored in double figures 35 of 54 games played with 14 double-doubles.

Greene started his college career at Manhattan College, where he averaged 7.6 points (454 total) on 34.7 percent (152-of-438) shooting with 3.9 rebounds in 23.7 minutes per game while playing in 60 games with 36 starts from 2018-20. He scored in double figures in 19 career games, including three 20-point games. His best scoring effort as a Jasper came at Hofstra on December 22, 2019, as he totaled 25 points on 10-of-17 shooting, including a perfect 5-of-5 effort from 3-point range, in 38 minutes of action.

Greene's best season at Manhattan came during his sophomore season of 2019-20, as he ranked second in scoring (9.7 ppg.) and third in rebounding (4.6 rpg.) while hitting on 37.1 percent (91-of-245) from the field. He made a huge jump from his freshman season of 2018-19, in which, he averaged 5.7 points and 3.3 rebounds per game.

Greene played his senior season at Long Island Lutheran High School, where he helped the Crusaders to a 22-3 record and the SNY Invitational Championship while averaging 15 points and 5 rebounds per game in 2017-18. As a junior at Thomas Edison High School, he averaged 24.1 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game in 2016-17.

Greene joins a signing class that already includes six fellow transfers in 6-foot-3, 185-pound combo guard Cam Carter (Donaldsonville, La./Oak Hill Academy [Va.]/Mississippi State), 6-foot-10, 216-pound center Jerrell Colbert (Houston, Texas/Houston [Tenn.]/LSU), 6-foot-10, 215-pound center Abayomi "Baybe" Iyiola (Ibadan, Nigeria/ Greenforest-McCalep Christian Academy (Ga.)/Stetson/Arkansas/Hofstra), 6-foot-9, 205-pound power forward David N'Guessan (De Lier, The Netherlands/Mt. Zion Prep/Virginia Tech), 6-foot-2, 200-pound combo guard Desi Sills (Jonesboro, Ark./Jonesboro/Arkansas/Arkansas State) and 6-foot-8, 195-pound small forward Nae'Qwan Tomlin (New York City, N.Y./Urban Assembly School/Chipola [Fla.] College).

The class also includes a pair of high school standouts in 6-foot-5, 175-pound combo guard Dorian Finister (New Orleans, La./Carver) and 6-foot-8, 215-pound power forward Taj Manning (Grandview, Mo./La Lumiere School [Ind.]). Manning signed with the previous coaching staff during the Fall 2021 Signing Period and reconfirmed his commitment to attend K-State for the 2022-23 season.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1656676062072.png" alt="Kansas State Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Kansas State Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State head coach Jerome Tang made another addition to his team on Thursday afternoon (June 30) with the signing of graduate transfer Tykei Greene (Queens, N.Y./Long Island Lutheran/Manhattan College/Stony Brook) to a Financial Aid Agreement with the program for the 2022-23 season.Greene is the eighth player to sign with the Wildcats since Tang was introduced as the program's head coach on March 21, including the sixth Division I transfer following Cam Carter (Mississippi State), Jerrell Colbert (LSU), Abayomi "Baybe" Iyiola (Stetson/Arkansas/Hofstra), David N'Guessan (Virginia Tech) and Desi Sills (Arkansas/Arkansas State). Overall, Greene is the ninth newcomer added to the team for the 2022-23 season.A 6-foot-4, 205-pound combo guard, Greene arrives at K-State after playing the last two seasons (2020-22) at Stony Brook, where he saw action in 54 games with 52 starts. This past season, he helped the Seawolves double their win total (18) from the previous season, while earning All-America East Second Team honors. He ranked in the top-10 in four categories in the America East, including first in rebounding (8.1 rpg.) and ninth in scoring (14.0 ppg.). He also collected nine double-doubles (points/rebounds) and seven 20-point games.Greene also has experience playing at Manhattan College, where he saw action in 60 games with 36 starts from 2018-20. Overall, he has logged 114 games of experience at the Division I level, including 88 starts, while totaling more than 3,000 minutes played for a 27.1 per game average."We are fortunate to be able to add another player to our team with the skill set and experience like Tykei," said Tang. "He is a significant addition to our backcourt who not only brings scoring ability but also versatility. He shot the ball very well this past season at Stony Brook, while he has really proven himself to be a terrific defender as he led the America East in rebounding and was fifth in steals.""Obviously, Tykei's experience will fill a big need for us especially in the backcourt. He has played in a lot of big-time environments while at Manhattan and Stony Brook. He knows what it takes to win. We think he will be a great fit for the guys we already have in the program. We can't wait to get him in front of Wildcat Nation!"Greene will have one year of eligibility remaining after the NCAA granted Fall 2020 and Winter 2021 sport student-athletes an additional year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The business major is an excellent student having earned America East All-Academic honors this past season.Greene has scored more than 1,100 points in his college career, totaling 1,112 points (9.8 ppg.) in his 114 games played on 42.2 percent (394-of-934) shooting, including 31.8 percent (114-of-359) from 3-point range, while knocking down 60.5 percent (210-of-347) from the free throw line. He has 54 career double-digit scoring games, including 10 20-point games, and 14 double-doubles (points/rebounds). In addition, he has collected 645 rebounds (5.7 rpg.), 96 assists (0.8 apg.), 96 steals (0.8 spg.) and 25 blocks (0.2 bpg.) in 3,089 minutes (30 mpg.) in his career.This past season, Greene played in all 31 games with 30 starts for a Stony Brook squad that posted an 18-13 overall record, including a 10-8 mark in America East play. An All-America East Second Team selection, he led the league in rebounding (8.1 rpg.), while he ranked among the top-15 in four other categories, including ninth in scoring (14.0 ppg.), fourth in field goal percentage (52.0), fifth in steals (1.4 spg.) and 15th in minutes (30.9 mpg.).Greene ranked first or second on the Seawolves in nearly every category, including tops in double-doubles (9), rebounding, steals and offensive (88) and defensive (164) rebounds, in 2021-22. He was second in scoring, as he converted on 52 percent (159-of-306) of his field goals, including 42.6 percent (40-of-94) from 3-point range. He scored in double figures in 23 of 31 games, including seven with 20 or more points, and collected a team-leading nine double-doubles.Greene posted six of his seven 20-point games and six of his nine double-doubles in the last 11 games of the 2021-22 season, in which, he averaged 19.8 points on 57.1 percent (80-of-140) shooting, including 55.6 percent (20-of-36) from 3-point range, and 9.0 rebounds per game. He scored a career-best 29 points at UMBC on February 16, connecting on 9-of-12 field goals, including both 3-pointers, and 9-of-11 free throws. He also tied his career-high in rebounds during this stretch with 14 boards to go along with 23 points at Hartford on February 20.During the abbreviated COVID-19 season of 2020-21, Greene played in all 23 games for the Seawolves with 22 starts, averaging 9.7 points on 43.7 percent (83-of-190) shooting, including 29.9 percent (23-of-77) from 3-point range, with 6.9 rebounds in 30.6 minutes per game. He ranked second on the team in rebounding and was third in scoring. He scored in double figures in 12 games and grabbed five double-doubles.In his two seasons at Stony Brook, Greene averaged 12.2 points on 48.8 percent (242-of-496) shooting, including 36.8 percent (63-of-171) from 3-point range, to go with 7.6 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 30.9 minutes per game. He scored in double figures 35 of 54 games played with 14 double-doubles.Greene started his college career at Manhattan College, where he averaged 7.6 points (454 total) on 34.7 percent (152-of-438) shooting with 3.9 rebounds in 23.7 minutes per game while playing in 60 games with 36 starts from 2018-20. He scored in double figures in 19 career games, including three 20-point games. His best scoring effort as a Jasper came at Hofstra on December 22, 2019, as he totaled 25 points on 10-of-17 shooting, including a perfect 5-of-5 effort from 3-point range, in 38 minutes of action.Greene's best season at Manhattan came during his sophomore season of 2019-20, as he ranked second in scoring (9.7 ppg.) and third in rebounding (4.6 rpg.) while hitting on 37.1 percent (91-of-245) from the field. He made a huge jump from his freshman season of 2018-19, in which, he averaged 5.7 points and 3.3 rebounds per game.Greene played his senior season at Long Island Lutheran High School, where he helped the Crusaders to a 22-3 record and the SNY Invitational Championship while averaging 15 points and 5 rebounds per game in 2017-18. As a junior at Thomas Edison High School, he averaged 24.1 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game in 2016-17.Greene joins a signing class that already includes six fellow transfers in 6-foot-3, 185-pound combo guard Cam Carter (Donaldsonville, La./Oak Hill Academy [Va.]/Mississippi State), 6-foot-10, 216-pound center Jerrell Colbert (Houston, Texas/Houston [Tenn.]/LSU), 6-foot-10, 215-pound center Abayomi "Baybe" Iyiola (Ibadan, Nigeria/ Greenforest-McCalep Christian Academy (Ga.)/Stetson/Arkansas/Hofstra), 6-foot-9, 205-pound power forward David N'Guessan (De Lier, The Netherlands/Mt. Zion Prep/Virginia Tech), 6-foot-2, 200-pound combo guard Desi Sills (Jonesboro, Ark./Jonesboro/Arkansas/Arkansas State) and 6-foot-8, 195-pound small forward Nae'Qwan Tomlin (New York City, N.Y./Urban Assembly School/Chipola [Fla.] College).The class also includes a pair of high school standouts in 6-foot-5, 175-pound combo guard Dorian Finister (New Orleans, La./Carver) and 6-foot-8, 215-pound power forward Taj Manning (Grandview, Mo./La Lumiere School [Ind.]). Manning signed with the previous coaching staff during the Fall 2021 Signing Period and reconfirmed his commitment to attend K-State for the 2022-23 season.

Tang Signs Transfer Tykei Greene

In a surprising and seismic shift in college athletics, the Big Ten voted Thursday to add Southern California and UCLA as conference members beginning in 2024.

The expansion to 16 teams will happen after the Pac-12’s current media rights contracts with Fox and ESPN expire and make the Big Ten the first conference to stretch from the Atlantic to the Pacific.

The announcement, which caught the Pac-12 off-guard, came almost a year after Oklahoma and Texas formally accepted invitations to join the Southeastern Conference in July 2025.

Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren said USC and UCLA, both members of the Pac-12 and its previous iterations for nearly a century, submitted applications for membership and the league's Council of Presidents and Chancellors voted unanimously to add the Los Angeles schools.

“Ultimately, the Big Ten is the best home for USC and Trojan athletics as we move into the new world of collegiate sports,” USC athletic director Mike Bohn said. “We are excited that our values align with the league’s member institutions. We also will benefit from the stability and strength of the conference; the athletic caliber of Big Ten institutions; the increased visibility, exposure, and resources the conference will bring our student-athletes and programs; and the ability to expand engagement with our passionate alumni nationwide.”

The Big Ten is building on previous expansion into the nation's largest media markets, and the move allows the conference to keep pace with the SEC as one of the most powerful entities in college sports.

The Big Ten will gain blueblood programs in football (USC) and basketball (UCLA) and big-name brands that will enhance the value of the conference's new media rights package currently being negotiated.

Losing flagship schools like USC and UCLA is a major blow to the Pac-12, which has had a long and amicable relationship with the Big Ten best exemplified by its Rose Bowl partnership.

“While we are extremely surprised and disappointed by the news coming out of UCLA and USC today, we have a long and storied history in athletics, academics, and leadership in supporting student-athletes that we’re confident will continue to thrive and grow into the future,” the Pac-12 said in a statement.

The Pac-12's next move is unknown, but adding schools to replace USC and UCLA is a possibility.

“We look forward to partnering with current and potential members to pioneer the future of college athletics together,” the Pac-12 said.

The Big Ten has expanded twice in recent years, with Nebraska joining in 2011 and Maryland and Rutgers in 2014.

USC and UCLA fit the Big Ten’s academic profile. Both schools are among the 65 members of the Association of American Universities, which is made up of top research universities. All Big Ten schools except Nebraska are members.

“From increased exposure and a broader national platform for our student-athletes, to enhanced resources for our teams, this move will help preserve the legacy of UCLA Athletics for generations to come,” UCLA athletic director Martin Jarmond said.

“We have deeply valued our membership in the Pac-12, and we have great respect for the conference and our fellow member institutions, but each school faces its own unique challenges and circumstances. We believe this is the right move for UCLA at the right time.”

USC and UCLA stand to significantly increase their revenues. The Pac-12 distributed only $19.8 million per school in fiscal year 2021, by far the least among Power 5 conferences. The Big Ten's per-school distribution was $46.1 million, second only to the SEC's $54.6 million.

The Pac-12 has had difficulty getting its conference television network untracked while the Big Ten Network is the most established of the conference networks.

USC and UCLA would be taking a step up in football, both in visibility and competition.

“Pac-12 After Dark” televised games that kick off in the middle to late evenings in most of the country have made it difficult for the conference to get exposure. The Pac-12 has had teams in the College Football Playoff just twice — Oregon (2014 season) and Washington (2016).

USC President Carol L. Folt said she and university leaders considered the coast-to-coast travel that will come with competing in the Big Ten. Nebraska is the westernmost school in the conference now, and Lincoln is almost 1,500 miles from Los Angeles. Rutgers, the easternmost Big Ten school, is a nearly 5 1/2-hour flight from LA.

“We are fortunate we can spend the next two years working with the conference on travel and scheduling plans,” Folt said.

The Big Ten, Pac-12 and Atlantic Coast Conference last August formed an alliance in the wake of Oklahoma and Texas joining the SEC. The conferences said the 41 members would take a collaborative approach to charting the future of athletics. The three conferences set up scheduling arrangements in some sports and have pooled resources to promote athlete welfare.

Less than a year later, the future of the alliance would appear bleak with the Big Ten taking two of the Pac-12′s biggest brands.

USC and UCLA will be severing longstanding conference relationships. USC joined California, Oregon, Oregon State, Stanford, Washington and Washington State in the Pacific Coast Conference in 1922, followed by UCLA in 1928.

They went together in 1959 to the Athletic Association of Western Universities, which became the Pac-8 in 1968, the Pac-10 in 1978 and Pac-12 in 2011.

In a surprising and seismic shift in college athletics, the Big Ten voted Thursday to add Southern California and UCLA as conference members beginning in 2024.The expansion to 16 teams will happen after the Pac-12’s current media rights contracts with Fox and ESPN expire and make the Big Ten the first conference to stretch from the Atlantic to the Pacific.The announcement, which caught the Pac-12 off-guard, came almost a year after Oklahoma and Texas formally accepted invitations to join the Southeastern Conference in July 2025.Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren said USC and UCLA, both members of the Pac-12 and its previous iterations for nearly a century, submitted applications for membership and the league's Council of Presidents and Chancellors voted unanimously to add the Los Angeles schools.“Ultimately, the Big Ten is the best home for USC and Trojan athletics as we move into the new world of collegiate sports,” USC athletic director Mike Bohn said. “We are excited that our values align with the league’s member institutions. We also will benefit from the stability and strength of the conference; the athletic caliber of Big Ten institutions; the increased visibility, exposure, and resources the conference will bring our student-athletes and programs; and the ability to expand engagement with our passionate alumni nationwide.”The Big Ten is building on previous expansion into the nation's largest media markets, and the move allows the conference to keep pace with the SEC as one of the most powerful entities in college sports.The Big Ten will gain blueblood programs in football (USC) and basketball (UCLA) and big-name brands that will enhance the value of the conference's new media rights package currently being negotiated.Losing flagship schools like USC and UCLA is a major blow to the Pac-12, which has had a long and amicable relationship with the Big Ten best exemplified by its Rose Bowl partnership.“While we are extremely surprised and disappointed by the news coming out of UCLA and USC today, we have a long and storied history in athletics, academics, and leadership in supporting student-athletes that we’re confident will continue to thrive and grow into the future,” the Pac-12 said in a statement.The Pac-12's next move is unknown, but adding schools to replace USC and UCLA is a possibility.“We look forward to partnering with current and potential members to pioneer the future of college athletics together,” the Pac-12 said.The Big Ten has expanded twice in recent years, with Nebraska joining in 2011 and Maryland and Rutgers in 2014.USC and UCLA fit the Big Ten’s academic profile. Both schools are among the 65 members of the Association of American Universities, which is made up of top research universities. All Big Ten schools except Nebraska are members.“From increased exposure and a broader national platform for our student-athletes, to enhanced resources for our teams, this move will help preserve the legacy of UCLA Athletics for generations to come,” UCLA athletic director Martin Jarmond said.“We have deeply valued our membership in the Pac-12, and we have great respect for the conference and our fellow member institutions, but each school faces its own unique challenges and circumstances. We believe this is the right move for UCLA at the right time.”USC and UCLA stand to significantly increase their revenues. The Pac-12 distributed only $19.8 million per school in fiscal year 2021, by far the least among Power 5 conferences. The Big Ten's per-school distribution was $46.1 million, second only to the SEC's $54.6 million.The Pac-12 has had difficulty getting its conference television network untracked while the Big Ten Network is the most established of the conference networks.USC and UCLA would be taking a step up in football, both in visibility and competition.“Pac-12 After Dark” televised games that kick off in the middle to late evenings in most of the country have made it difficult for the conference to get exposure. The Pac-12 has had teams in the College Football Playoff just twice — Oregon (2014 season) and Washington (2016).USC President Carol L. Folt said she and university leaders considered the coast-to-coast travel that will come with competing in the Big Ten. Nebraska is the westernmost school in the conference now, and Lincoln is almost 1,500 miles from Los Angeles. Rutgers, the easternmost Big Ten school, is a nearly 5 1/2-hour flight from LA.“We are fortunate we can spend the next two years working with the conference on travel and scheduling plans,” Folt said.The Big Ten, Pac-12 and Atlantic Coast Conference last August formed an alliance in the wake of Oklahoma and Texas joining the SEC. The conferences said the 41 members would take a collaborative approach to charting the future of athletics. The three conferences set up scheduling arrangements in some sports and have pooled resources to promote athlete welfare.Less than a year later, the future of the alliance would appear bleak with the Big Ten taking two of the Pac-12′s biggest brands.USC and UCLA will be severing longstanding conference relationships. USC joined California, Oregon, Oregon State, Stanford, Washington and Washington State in the Pacific Coast Conference in 1922, followed by UCLA in 1928.They went together in 1959 to the Athletic Association of Western Universities, which became the Pac-8 in 1968, the Pac-10 in 1978 and Pac-12 in 2011.

Big Ten votes to add USC, UCLA as members starting in 2024

Kansas City
Royals (27-47, fifth in the AL Central) vs. Detroit Tigers (29-45,
fourth in the AL Central)

PITCHING
PROBABLES: Royals: Brad Keller (0-0); Tigers: TBD

BOTTOM LINE:
The Detroit Tigers begin a three-game series at home against the
Kansas City Royals on Friday.

Detroit has a 17-22
record in home games and a 29-45 record overall. The Tigers are 12-3
in games when they scored at least five runs.

Kansas City has a
27-47 record overall and a 13-22 record in road games. The Royals are
19-9 in games when they out-hit their opponents.

The matchup Friday
is the fourth time these teams match up this season.

TOP PERFORMERS:
Javier Baez leads the Tigers with seven home runs while slugging
.381. Miguel Cabrera is 12-for-36 with a double and four RBI over the
past 10 games.

Bobby Witt Jr. leads
Kansas City with 11 home runs while slugging .457. Kyle Isbel is
3-for-18 with two home runs and three RBI over the past 10 games.

Tigers: 5-5,
.281 batting average, 4.76 ERA, outscored opponents by six runs

Royals: 4-6,
.229 batting average, 5.20 ERA, outscored by 16 runs

Tigers:
Austin Meadows: 10-Day IL (achilles ), Casey Mize: 60-Day IL (elbow),
Michael Pineda: 15-Day IL (finger), Kyle Funkhouser: 60-Day IL
(shoulder), Matt Manning: 10-Day IL (shoulder), Spencer Turnbull:
60-Day IL (elbow), Jake Rogers: 60-Day IL (elbow), Jose Cisnero:
60-Day IL (shoulder)

Royals: Josh
Staumont: 15-Day IL (neck), Daniel Lynch: 15-Day IL (blister),
Salvador Perez: 10-Day IL (thumb), Joel Payamps: 15-Day IL
(covid-19), Jake Brentz: 60-Day IL (flexor), Adalberto Mondesi:
60-Day IL (knee), Tyler Zuber: 60-Day IL (shoulder)

Kansas City
Royals (27-47, fifth in the AL Central) vs. Detroit Tigers (29-45,
fourth in the AL Central)Detroit; Friday,
7:10 p.m. EDTPITCHING
PROBABLES: Royals: Brad Keller (0-0); Tigers: TBDBOTTOM LINE:
The Detroit Tigers begin a three-game series at home against the
Kansas City Royals on Friday.Detroit has a 17-22
record in home games and a 29-45 record overall. The Tigers are 12-3
in games when they scored at least five runs.Kansas City has a
27-47 record overall and a 13-22 record in road games. The Royals are
19-9 in games when they out-hit their opponents.The matchup Friday
is the fourth time these teams match up this season.TOP PERFORMERS:
Javier Baez leads the Tigers with seven home runs while slugging
.381. Miguel Cabrera is 12-for-36 with a double and four RBI over the
past 10 games.Bobby Witt Jr. leads
Kansas City with 11 home runs while slugging .457. Kyle Isbel is
3-for-18 with two home runs and three RBI over the past 10 games.LAST 10 GAMES:
Tigers: 5-5,
.281 batting average, 4.76 ERA, outscored opponents by six runsRoyals: 4-6,
.229 batting average, 5.20 ERA, outscored by 16 runsINJURIES: 
Tigers:
Austin Meadows: 10-Day IL (achilles ), Casey Mize: 60-Day IL (elbow),
Michael Pineda: 15-Day IL (finger), Kyle Funkhouser: 60-Day IL
(shoulder), Matt Manning: 10-Day IL (shoulder), Spencer Turnbull:
60-Day IL (elbow), Jake Rogers: 60-Day IL (elbow), Jose Cisnero:
60-Day IL (shoulder)Royals: Josh
Staumont: 15-Day IL (neck), Daniel Lynch: 15-Day IL (blister),
Salvador Perez: 10-Day IL (thumb), Joel Payamps: 15-Day IL
(covid-19), Jake Brentz: 60-Day IL (flexor), Adalberto Mondesi:
60-Day IL (knee), Tyler Zuber: 60-Day IL (shoulder)

Tigers host the Royals to start 3-game series

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Zach Greinke allowed just one run on four hits in his 500th career start, helping the Kansas City Royals avoid a three-game sweep by beating the Texas Rangers 2-1 on Wednesday.

Kansas City's Kyle Isbel provided the winning cushion with his second home run in as many games.

Greinke (2-4) is the 48th pitcher in Major League Baseball history to start 500 games, and the only active pitcher to reach that milestone. He was understated as usual after the game, but did acknowledge the day's significance.

“Not many numbers I’ve been interested in, but I found out about that after the last game. I think that’s a pretty neat number. It seems like a lot of games,” said Greinke, who went six innings, striking out three and walking one.

Royals manager Mike Matheny was more impressed.

“Trying to get your head around 500 starts, that’s just amazing,” he said. “You’re just not going to see many people moving forward that are going to be able to do something like that and do it as well as he’s done it.

“Then, to go out against a very good offense that’s given him trouble in the past and put up that kind of start, I thought the first inning was indicative of who Zack Greinke is. ... He was in control of what he wanted to do. It was impressive."

Three Royals relievers combined for three strikeouts and one hit allowed over three innings, and Scott Barlow picked up his 10th save in 12 chances with a perfect ninth inning.

Texas' Dane Dunning (1-6) suffered his first loss when allowing fewer than three runs this season. He gave up six hits in six innings, walking three and striking out three.

The Royals scored a run in the bottom of the first on an RBI single by MJ Melendez. Hunter Dozier was thrown out at the plate trying to make it 2-0.

The Rangers' Leody Taveras tied it in the fifth with a leadoff home run that just cleared the wall in right field. It was his first homer of the season.

Isbel answered that with his second home run of the season, a line drive into the seats in right field.

“I feel like I’m making good decisions at the plate,” Isbel said. “I made a couple of swing changed but most importantly I’m hitting pitches I can handle.”

Greinke was drafted sixth in the first round of the 2002 draft and spent his first seven years with the Royals, returning for a one-year contract this past offseason.

“I thought I pitched good and got some really good defense today," he said of his 500th start. "And Isbel had a good game all the way around, defense and hitting. It was a good game today.”

Rangers 3B Josh Smith was back in the lineup after leaving Tuesday’s game with a right calf contusion after fouling a ball off his leg.

The Rangers and Royals both have Thursday off. The Rangers will open a three-game series in New York against the Yankees; the starting pitchers have not been determined. The Royals will open a three-game series in Detroit. RHP Brad Keller (2-9, 4.56 ERA) will start for KC, with Detroit’s starter to be determined.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Zach Greinke allowed just one run on four hits in his 500th career start, helping the Kansas City Royals avoid a three-game sweep by beating the Texas Rangers 2-1 on Wednesday.Kansas City's Kyle Isbel provided the winning cushion with his second home run in as many games.Greinke (2-4) is the 48th pitcher in Major League Baseball history to start 500 games, and the only active pitcher to reach that milestone. He was understated as usual after the game, but did acknowledge the day's significance.“Not many numbers I’ve been interested in, but I found out about that after the last game. I think that’s a pretty neat number. It seems like a lot of games,” said Greinke, who went six innings, striking out three and walking one.Royals manager Mike Matheny was more impressed.“Trying to get your head around 500 starts, that’s just amazing,” he said. “You’re just not going to see many people moving forward that are going to be able to do something like that and do it as well as he’s done it.“Then, to go out against a very good offense that’s given him trouble in the past and put up that kind of start, I thought the first inning was indicative of who Zack Greinke is. ... He was in control of what he wanted to do. It was impressive."Three Royals relievers combined for three strikeouts and one hit allowed over three innings, and Scott Barlow picked up his 10th save in 12 chances with a perfect ninth inning.Texas' Dane Dunning (1-6) suffered his first loss when allowing fewer than three runs this season. He gave up six hits in six innings, walking three and striking out three.The Royals scored a run in the bottom of the first on an RBI single by MJ Melendez. Hunter Dozier was thrown out at the plate trying to make it 2-0.The Rangers' Leody Taveras tied it in the fifth with a leadoff home run that just cleared the wall in right field. It was his first homer of the season.Isbel answered that with his second home run of the season, a line drive into the seats in right field.“I feel like I’m making good decisions at the plate,” Isbel said. “I made a couple of swing changed but most importantly I’m hitting pitches I can handle.”GREINKE-GRAMGreinke was drafted sixth in the first round of the 2002 draft and spent his first seven years with the Royals, returning for a one-year contract this past offseason.“I thought I pitched good and got some really good defense today," he said of his 500th start. "And Isbel had a good game all the way around, defense and hitting. It was a good game today.”TRAINERS ROOMRangers 3B Josh Smith was back in the lineup after leaving Tuesday’s game with a right calf contusion after fouling a ball off his leg.UP NEXTThe Rangers and Royals both have Thursday off. The Rangers will open a three-game series in New York against the Yankees; the starting pitchers have not been determined. The Royals will open a three-game series in Detroit. RHP Brad Keller (2-9, 4.56 ERA) will start for KC, with Detroit’s starter to be determined.

Greinke sharp in 500th career start, Royals beat Rangers 2-1

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Former Kansas basketball coach Roy Williams will formally be inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2022, the Hall announced Wednesday. Williams was part of the founding class when the Hall opened in 2006.

Williams becomes the third Jayhawk to be formally be enshrined into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame joining Danny Manning, who was inducted in 2008, and Clyde Lovellette, a 2012 inductee who, like Williams, was also a founding class member.

Joining Williams in the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2022 are players Richard Hamilton of Connecticut, Larry Miller of North Carolina, Frank Selvy of Furman, and the late Jimmy Walker of Providence, along with coaches John Beilein, Jim Calhoun, Jerry Krause and Lon Kruger. Like Williams, Calhoun was also in the foundling class when the Hall opened in 2006.

Williams coached at Kansas for 15 seasons from 1988-89 to 2002-03 posting a 418-101 record. Under Williams, KU won five Big Eight and four Big 12 regular season titles and advanced to four Final Fours in 1991, 1993, 2002 and 2003. Prior to Kansas, Williams was an assistant coach at his alma mater, North Carolina, for KU graduate and National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Famer Dean Smith. Following KU, Williams coached UNC for 18 seasons, guiding the Tar Heels to five Final Fours and three NCAA titles. He amassed a 903-264 career coaching record and is the only coach in NCAA history to win 400 or more games at two difference schools. Williams was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2007 and the College Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006. Earlier this week, he was named to the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2022 and will be inducted in October 2022.

Details on tickets for the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2022 Induction Celebration will be announced soon. For more information on the event, visit www.halloffameweekend.com.

Kansas Founding Members of the National College Basketball Hall of Fame (2006)

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1656528202155.jpeg" alt="Kansas Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Former Kansas basketball coach Roy Williams will formally be inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2022, the Hall announced Wednesday. Williams was part of the founding class when the Hall opened in 2006.Williams becomes the third Jayhawk to be formally be enshrined into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame joining Danny Manning, who was inducted in 2008, and Clyde Lovellette, a 2012 inductee who, like Williams, was also a founding class member.Joining Williams in the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2022 are players Richard Hamilton of Connecticut, Larry Miller of North Carolina, Frank Selvy of Furman, and the late Jimmy Walker of Providence, along with coaches John Beilein, Jim Calhoun, Jerry Krause and Lon Kruger. Like Williams, Calhoun was also in the foundling class when the Hall opened in 2006.Williams coached at Kansas for 15 seasons from 1988-89 to 2002-03 posting a 418-101 record. Under Williams, KU won five Big Eight and four Big 12 regular season titles and advanced to four Final Fours in 1991, 1993, 2002 and 2003. Prior to Kansas, Williams was an assistant coach at his alma mater, North Carolina, for KU graduate and National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Famer Dean Smith. Following KU, Williams coached UNC for 18 seasons, guiding the Tar Heels to five Final Fours and three NCAA titles. He amassed a 903-264 career coaching record and is the only coach in NCAA history to win 400 or more games at two difference schools. Williams was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2007 and the College Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006. Earlier this week, he was named to the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2022 and will be inducted in October 2022.Details on tickets for the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2022 Induction Celebration will be announced soon. For more information on the event, visit www.halloffameweekend.com.Kansas Founding Members of the National College Basketball Hall of Fame (2006)F.C. “Phog” AllenLarry BrownPaul EndacottWilliam JohnsonArthur “Dutch” LonborgClyde LovelletteJohn McLendonRalph MillerAdolph RuppDean SmithRoy Williams

Roy Williams to Formally be Inducted into the National College Basketball Hall of Fame

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Lon Kruger, who played and coached at Kansas State during an illustrious career in college basketball, was among nine individuals announced Wednesday (June 29) to the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2022.

Kruger will be joined in the 2022 Hall of Fame Induction class by fellow coaches John Beilein (Erie Community College/Nazareth/Le Moyne/Canisius/Richmond/West Virginia/Michigan) and Jerry Krause (Eastern Washington), along with former standout players Richard Hamilton (UConn), Larry Miller (North Carolina), Frank Selvy (Furman) and the late Jimmy Walker (Providence).

In addition, championship-winning head coaches Jim Calhoun (Northeastern/UConn/Saint Joseph) and Roy Williams (Kansas/North Carolina) will be formally honored after initially being recognized as part of the Hall of Fame's founding class of 2006.

Kruger is the fifth person with K-State ties to be named to the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame, including the third men's basketball player, following legendary coaches Jack Gardner (2006) and Tex Winter (2010) and fellow players Rolando Blackman (2015) and Bob Boozer (2016).

The 2022 induction ceremonies will be held Sunday, November 20 at The College Basketball in Kansas City. Tickets will be available to the public in September. The ceremonies will be held in conjunction with the championship rounds of the 22nd annual Hall of Fame Classic, which will take place Monday-Tuesday, November 21-22 at the T-Mobile Center. For more information on the event, visit halloffameweekend.com.

Kruger is one of only two individuals (along with Darryl Winston) in school history to serve in three different capacities with the Wildcats, first as a player from 1971-74 then as an assistant coach to legendary head coach Jack Hartman from 1978-82 and finally as head coach from 1987-90. Kruger was part of 227 victories during his 11-year association with K-State, which included nine NCAA Tournament appearances (1972, 1973, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990) and three Big Eight Championships (1972, 1973 and 1980).

A native of nearby Silver Lake, Kansas, Kruger was a three-year letterman for Hartman from 1971-74, twice earning Big Eight Player of the Year honors following the 1972-73 and 1973-74 seasons, while he was the Big Eight Sophomore of the Year in 1971-72. He led the Wildcats to 61 wins, two NCAA Tournament appearances and a pair of Big Eight regular-season titles (1972, 1973). He scored 1,063 points in his career, including a 17.6 points per game average his senior season. His jersey was retired in 2006. He also lettered in baseball at K-State.

Kruger is one of the few Wildcats to have played professionally in three sports (basketball, baseball and football). He was a ninth-round pick of the Atlanta Hawks in the 1974 NBA Draft before playing professionally in Israel. He also played a season of minor league baseball in the St. Louis Cardinals organization and was invited to training camp with the Dallas Cowboys as a quarterback.

Kruger returned to his alma mater in 1978 to serve as an assistant to Hartman for four seasons (1978-82). During that span, he helped the Wildcats win 85 games, including three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances (1980, 1981, 1982) and an Elite Eight run with a group led by Rolando Blackman in 1981. He left K-State in 1982 for the first of his six head coaching opportunities at Texas-Pan American (now UTRGV).

Kruger followed Hartman as head coach in 1986, leading the Wildcats to 81 wins and becoming the first coach in school history to lead the school to four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances (1987, 1988, 1989, 1990). His best team was the 1987-88 squad, which featured All-American and 2014 Naismith Hall of Fame inductee Mitch Richmond. His Wildcats tied the then school record for wins (25) and advanced all the way to the 1988 NCAA Midwest Regional Final in Pontiac, Michigan, where the Wildcats lost to eventual champion Kansas. Following the season, he was selected as the 1988 NABC District Coach of the Year.

Kruger is one of just six players in school history to be a part of conference championship teams both as a player (1972, 1973) and as a member of the coaching staff (1980).

Kruger served as head coach at six schools (UTRGV, K-State, Florida, Illinois, UNLV and Oklahoma) during his illustrious career, guiding those schools to 674 victories and 20 NCAA Tournament appearances. He twice guided schools to the Final Four, including Florida in 1993-94 and Oklahoma in 2015-16. He is the first Division I head coach to lead five different schools (K-State, Florida, Illinois, UNLV and Oklahoma) to the NCAA Tournament. He is a four-time conference Coach of the Year (SEC in 1992, 1994, Mountain West in 2008 and Big 12 in 2014).

Kruger is the second former coach to be inducted into a Hall of Fame this year, as Bob Huggins was selected to the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame on April 2.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1656527783431.png" alt="Kansas State Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Kansas State Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Lon Kruger, who played and coached at Kansas State during an illustrious career in college basketball, was among nine individuals announced Wednesday (June 29) to the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2022.Kruger will be joined in the 2022 Hall of Fame Induction class by fellow coaches John Beilein (Erie Community College/Nazareth/Le Moyne/Canisius/Richmond/West Virginia/Michigan) and Jerry Krause (Eastern Washington), along with former standout players Richard Hamilton (UConn), Larry Miller (North Carolina), Frank Selvy (Furman) and the late Jimmy Walker (Providence).In addition, championship-winning head coaches Jim Calhoun (Northeastern/UConn/Saint Joseph) and Roy Williams (Kansas/North Carolina) will be formally honored after initially being recognized as part of the Hall of Fame's founding class of 2006.Kruger is the fifth person with K-State ties to be named to the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame, including the third men's basketball player, following legendary coaches Jack Gardner (2006) and Tex Winter (2010) and fellow players Rolando Blackman (2015) and Bob Boozer (2016).The 2022 induction ceremonies will be held Sunday, November 20 at The College Basketball in Kansas City. Tickets will be available to the public in September. The ceremonies will be held in conjunction with the championship rounds of the 22nd annual Hall of Fame Classic, which will take place Monday-Tuesday, November 21-22 at the T-Mobile Center. For more information on the event, visit halloffameweekend.com.Kruger is one of only two individuals (along with Darryl Winston) in school history to serve in three different capacities with the Wildcats, first as a player from 1971-74 then as an assistant coach to legendary head coach Jack Hartman from 1978-82 and finally as head coach from 1987-90. Kruger was part of 227 victories during his 11-year association with K-State, which included nine NCAA Tournament appearances (1972, 1973, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990) and three Big Eight Championships (1972, 1973 and 1980).A native of nearby Silver Lake, Kansas, Kruger was a three-year letterman for Hartman from 1971-74, twice earning Big Eight Player of the Year honors following the 1972-73 and 1973-74 seasons, while he was the Big Eight Sophomore of the Year in 1971-72. He led the Wildcats to 61 wins, two NCAA Tournament appearances and a pair of Big Eight regular-season titles (1972, 1973). He scored 1,063 points in his career, including a 17.6 points per game average his senior season. His jersey was retired in 2006. He also lettered in baseball at K-State.Kruger is one of the few Wildcats to have played professionally in three sports (basketball, baseball and football). He was a ninth-round pick of the Atlanta Hawks in the 1974 NBA Draft before playing professionally in Israel. He also played a season of minor league baseball in the St. Louis Cardinals organization and was invited to training camp with the Dallas Cowboys as a quarterback.Kruger returned to his alma mater in 1978 to serve as an assistant to Hartman for four seasons (1978-82). During that span, he helped the Wildcats win 85 games, including three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances (1980, 1981, 1982) and an Elite Eight run with a group led by Rolando Blackman in 1981. He left K-State in 1982 for the first of his six head coaching opportunities at Texas-Pan American (now UTRGV).Kruger followed Hartman as head coach in 1986, leading the Wildcats to 81 wins and becoming the first coach in school history to lead the school to four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances (1987, 1988, 1989, 1990). His best team was the 1987-88 squad, which featured All-American and 2014 Naismith Hall of Fame inductee Mitch Richmond. His Wildcats tied the then school record for wins (25) and advanced all the way to the 1988 NCAA Midwest Regional Final in Pontiac, Michigan, where the Wildcats lost to eventual champion Kansas. Following the season, he was selected as the 1988 NABC District Coach of the Year.Kruger is one of just six players in school history to be a part of conference championship teams both as a player (1972, 1973) and as a member of the coaching staff (1980).Kruger served as head coach at six schools (UTRGV, K-State, Florida, Illinois, UNLV and Oklahoma) during his illustrious career, guiding those schools to 674 victories and 20 NCAA Tournament appearances. He twice guided schools to the Final Four, including Florida in 1993-94 and Oklahoma in 2015-16. He is the first Division I head coach to lead five different schools (K-State, Florida, Illinois, UNLV and Oklahoma) to the NCAA Tournament. He is a four-time conference Coach of the Year (SEC in 1992, 1994, Mountain West in 2008 and Big 12 in 2014).Kruger is the second former coach to be inducted into a Hall of Fame this year, as Bob Huggins was selected to the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame on April 2.

Kruger Named to National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame

IRVING, Texas – Brett Yormark has been named the Big 12 Conference’s fifth Commissioner, as announced Wednesday by the league’s Board of Directors, according to a statement from the conference.

Yormark succeeds Bob Bowlsby, who announced in April he was stepping away from the Commissioner’s chair after a decade with the Big 12. KEY COMMENTS

NBA Commissioner, Adam Silver: “Brett is one of the most skilled and knowledgeable executives in sports and entertainment,” said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.&nbsp; “His decades of operational experience, relentless work ethic and strong industry relationships will be of enormous value to the Big 12, its schools and fans.” Fox Sports CEO and Executive Producer, Eric Shanks: “On behalf of FOX Sports, we’d like to officially congratulate Brett Yormark on being named the new Commissioner of the Big 12,” said Eric Shanks, CEO and Executive Producer of FOX Sports. “Brett is a talented and innovative executive who brings a remarkably unique perspective to the position. Under his leadership and vision, the conference is set up for success, and we look forward to continuing to build on our relationship as a premier partner of the Big 12.” Texas Tech University President and Big 12 Conference Board Chair, Lawrence Schovanec: “In Brett Yormark, we have chosen a highly adaptable leader who thrives in dynamic times. The landscape of college athletics is evolving to look more like the world Brett has been leading,” said Lawrence Schovanec, President of Texas Tech University and Chair of the Big 12 Conference Board of Directors. “He’s authentic and genuine in the way he builds relationships and partnerships, and he works relentlessly to deliver impact. As Brett immerses himself in college sports and connects with all our stakeholders, he will bring a fresh approach and dynamic energy to the Big 12 as we engage a new generation of student-athletes and fans.” “I want to thank my fellow board members and our partners at TurnkeyZRG. Turnkey is more than just a search firm; they orchestrated a flawless strategy and process, delivering strong interest and strong candidates from college and professional sports, as well as the media and entertainment industries,” added Schovanec. New Big 12 Conference Commissioner, Brett Yormark: “Thank you to the Big 12 Board, the ADs, the student-athletes, the whole Conference for giving me a chance to support what they all do,” said new Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark. “I’m here to listen, learn, find ways to add value, add resources and try to help shine a light on the importance of college athletics. I look forward to leveraging my experience and network alongside our presidents, chancellors and athletic directors to shape the future of the Big 12 brand and emphasize our collective strengths.”&nbsp; Yormark joins the Big 12 from Roc Nation, where he served as chief operating officer and co-CEO of Roc Nation Unified, the commercial side of the business. Yormark, a graduate of Indiana University, began his sports career in 1988, working in the ticket office for the New Jersey Nets and ultimately reaching the pinnacle of the industry when he was named CEO. From 2005-19, as CEO of the Brooklyn Nets and Barclays Center, he oversaw their move from New Jersey to Brooklyn, building the first new arena in New York City in 60 years and re-launching the Nets organization and brand in Brooklyn. Barclays Center soon became a college basketball destination, attracting the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, the ACC Men’s Basketball Tournament, and the Atlantic 10 Conference Men’s Basketball Tournament. Prior to joining the Nets, Yormark served as vice president of corporate sponsorships for NASCAR, where he oversaw a $750 million partnership agreement, the largest in history at that time, that gave Nextel Communications the naming rights to its premier racing series. Yormark is recognized for his creative business approaches and has been named to&nbsp;Crain’s “40 Under 40” list twice and the “Forty Under 40” three times by the&nbsp;Sports Business Journal. Under Yormark’s leadership, the Barclays Center became one of the top 10 entertainment venues worldwide for ticket sales. Yormark has two children and is married to Elaina Scotto. The Big 12 Commissioner search was led by the conference’s Executive Committee, which includes Schovanec, Baylor President Linda A. Livingstone and Kansas Chancellor Douglas A. Girod, with the assistance of national search firm TurnkeyZRG. The Big 12’s Board of Directors, comprised of the presidents and chancellors of the ten current Big 12 members, participated in the Commissioner interview process, along with the four new members of the conference who will enter the Big 12 in 2023. The Big 12’s current membership made the final selection of the Commissioner. Yormark’s official start date with the Big 12 is anticipated to be August 1. His initial contract term is five years. As announced in April, Bowlsby will transition to a new interim role with the Conference, subject to the mutual agreement of the new Commissioner and Bowlsby. The current Big 12 membership includes Baylor University, Iowa State University, Kansas State University, Oklahoma State University, Texas Christian University, Texas Tech University, University of Kansas, University of Oklahoma, University of Texas and West Virginia University. Entering Big 12 membership in the Summer of 2023 will be Brigham Young University, University of Central Florida, University of Cincinnati and University of Houston.&nbsp; Over the past decade, the Big 12 has won 32 team national championships. In 2021-22, the Big 12 captured 8 team national titles, including NCAA men’s basketball for the second consecutive season (Baylor and Kansas). Big 12 teams have played in the last four men’s Final Fours. In football, the Big 12 has placed teams in the College Football Playoff New Year’s Bowls throughout its eight-year history. The Big 12 is the home of two of the last five Heisman Trophy winners and was the only Conference to place a team in the Final Four and CFP semi-finals in 2017-18 and 2018-19.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1656517373265.png" alt="Brett Yormark -image courtesy Big 12 Conference" />
 <figcaption>Brett Yormark -image courtesy Big 12 Conference</figcaption>
 </figure>IRVING, Texas – Brett Yormark has been named the Big 12 Conference’s fifth Commissioner, as announced Wednesday by the league’s Board of Directors, according to a statement from the conference.Yormark succeeds Bob Bowlsby, who announced in April he was stepping away from the Commissioner’s chair after a decade with the Big 12. KEY COMMENTS<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Welcome to the Big 12 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KState?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KState</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/KSTATEADGT?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KSTATEADGT</a> <a href="https://t.co/P9rSqXEeyY">pic.twitter.com/P9rSqXEeyY</a>&mdash; K-State Athletics (@kstatesports) <a href="https://twitter.com/kstatesports/status/1542171076842717187?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 29, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div> NBA Commissioner, Adam Silver: “Brett is one of the most skilled and knowledgeable executives in sports and entertainment,” said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.&nbsp; “His decades of operational experience, relentless work ethic and strong industry relationships will be of enormous value to the Big 12, its schools and fans.” Fox Sports CEO and Executive Producer, Eric Shanks: “On behalf of FOX Sports, we’d like to officially congratulate Brett Yormark on being named the new Commissioner of the Big 12,” said Eric Shanks, CEO and Executive Producer of FOX Sports. “Brett is a talented and innovative executive who brings a remarkably unique perspective to the position. Under his leadership and vision, the conference is set up for success, and we look forward to continuing to build on our relationship as a premier partner of the Big 12.” Texas Tech University President and Big 12 Conference Board Chair, Lawrence Schovanec: “In Brett Yormark, we have chosen a highly adaptable leader who thrives in dynamic times. The landscape of college athletics is evolving to look more like the world Brett has been leading,” said Lawrence Schovanec, President of Texas Tech University and Chair of the Big 12 Conference Board of Directors. “He’s authentic and genuine in the way he builds relationships and partnerships, and he works relentlessly to deliver impact. As Brett immerses himself in college sports and connects with all our stakeholders, he will bring a fresh approach and dynamic energy to the Big 12 as we engage a new generation of student-athletes and fans.” “I want to thank my fellow board members and our partners at TurnkeyZRG. Turnkey is more than just a search firm; they orchestrated a flawless strategy and process, delivering strong interest and strong candidates from college and professional sports, as well as the media and entertainment industries,” added Schovanec. New Big 12 Conference Commissioner, Brett Yormark: “Thank you to the Big 12 Board, the ADs, the student-athletes, the whole Conference for giving me a chance to support what they all do,” said new Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark. “I’m here to listen, learn, find ways to add value, add resources and try to help shine a light on the importance of college athletics. I look forward to leveraging my experience and network alongside our presidents, chancellors and athletic directors to shape the future of the Big 12 brand and emphasize our collective strengths.”&nbsp; Yormark joins the Big 12 from Roc Nation, where he served as chief operating officer and co-CEO of Roc Nation Unified, the commercial side of the business. Yormark, a graduate of Indiana University, began his sports career in 1988, working in the ticket office for the New Jersey Nets and ultimately reaching the pinnacle of the industry when he was named CEO. From 2005-19, as CEO of the Brooklyn Nets and Barclays Center, he oversaw their move from New Jersey to Brooklyn, building the first new arena in New York City in 60 years and re-launching the Nets organization and brand in Brooklyn. Barclays Center soon became a college basketball destination, attracting the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, the ACC Men’s Basketball Tournament, and the Atlantic 10 Conference Men’s Basketball Tournament. Prior to joining the Nets, Yormark served as vice president of corporate sponsorships for NASCAR, where he oversaw a $750 million partnership agreement, the largest in history at that time, that gave Nextel Communications the naming rights to its premier racing series. Yormark is recognized for his creative business approaches and has been named to&nbsp;Crain’s “40 Under 40” list twice and the “Forty Under 40” three times by the&nbsp;Sports Business Journal. Under Yormark’s leadership, the Barclays Center became one of the top 10 entertainment venues worldwide for ticket sales. Yormark has two children and is married to Elaina Scotto. The Big 12 Commissioner search was led by the conference’s Executive Committee, which includes Schovanec, Baylor President Linda A. Livingstone and Kansas Chancellor Douglas A. Girod, with the assistance of national search firm TurnkeyZRG. The Big 12’s Board of Directors, comprised of the presidents and chancellors of the ten current Big 12 members, participated in the Commissioner interview process, along with the four new members of the conference who will enter the Big 12 in 2023. The Big 12’s current membership made the final selection of the Commissioner. Yormark’s official start date with the Big 12 is anticipated to be August 1. His initial contract term is five years. As announced in April, Bowlsby will transition to a new interim role with the Conference, subject to the mutual agreement of the new Commissioner and Bowlsby. The current Big 12 membership includes Baylor University, Iowa State University, Kansas State University, Oklahoma State University, Texas Christian University, Texas Tech University, University of Kansas, University of Oklahoma, University of Texas and West Virginia University. Entering Big 12 membership in the Summer of 2023 will be Brigham Young University, University of Central Florida, University of Cincinnati and University of Houston.&nbsp; Over the past decade, the Big 12 has won 32 team national championships. In 2021-22, the Big 12 captured 8 team national titles, including NCAA men’s basketball for the second consecutive season (Baylor and Kansas). Big 12 teams have played in the last four men’s Final Fours. In football, the Big 12 has placed teams in the College Football Playoff New Year’s Bowls throughout its eight-year history. The Big 12 is the home of two of the last five Heisman Trophy winners and was the only Conference to place a team in the Final Four and CFP semi-finals in 2017-18 and 2018-19.

Big 12 Conference names new commissioner

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Nationally ranked non-conference schedules are common for Kansas men’s basketball, and the 2022-23 slate will be no different.

The Jayhawks have led the country in strength of schedule in two of the last four seasons and five times overall during coach Bill Self’s 19 campaigns at Kansas. Additionally, KU has placed in the top 10 in strength of schedule 12 times under Self, including third following KU’s 2022 NCAA National Championship season.

The non-conference schedule is highlighted by games in Allen Fieldhouse against Indiana, Seton Hall and Harvard as well as Southern Utah and Texas Southern. Kansas leads the NCAA Division I all-time wins list at 2,357, while Indiana is 10th at 1,890. The Seton Hall contest is part of the Big 12/BIG EAST Battle and KU defeated Texas Southern in the opening round of the 2022 NCAA Tournament en route to the national title.

Fans can secure season tickets today for all 17 home games, which includes the nine Big 12 Conference matchups, seven non-conference and one exhibition contest. The Big 12 was ranked first among all leagues in NET average in 2021-22. Tickets are available for as low as $500 by clicking here or visiting kuathletics.com. To order season tickets, fans must be active members of the Williams Education Fund, which can be done for as little as $100. More information is available by calling 785.864.3141.

“Once again we have a non-conference schedule that should prepare us for what will be another strong Big 12 schedule,” KU head coach Bill Self said. “This is a very attractive home schedule with games against Indiana and Seton Hall. Also mixed in is Duke in the Champions Classic in Indianapolis and road games at Missouri and at Kentucky. The Battle 4 Atlantis is a stacked field that includes USC, Tennessee and Wisconsin. Those, along with the Big 12, makes this a very competitive schedule and if we do well, it will enhance our chances for another high NCAA Tournament seed.”

Kansas will host three games prior to the Champions Classic, including an exhibition contest against Pittsburg State on Wednesday, Nov. 2. Pitt State’s first-year head coach is former KU great Jeff Boschee. KU will then host Omaha on Monday, Nov. 7 and North Dakota State on Thursday, Nov. 10 before playing Duke in the Champions Classic, Tuesday, Nov. 15, in Indianapolis. KU is 6-5 in the Champions Classic.

Kansas will return home to host Southern Utah on Friday, Nov. 18, before heading to the Bahamas for the Battle 4 Atlantis, Nov. 23-25. The event’s field includes future Big 12-member BYU, Butler, Dayton, N.C. State, USC, Tennessee and Wisconsin.

KU will then host Texas Southern on Nov. 28 and Seton Hall on Dec. 1 in the Big 12/BIG EAST Battle. Next, Kansas will travel to HyVee Border Showdown foe Missouri on Dec. 10. Last year, Kansas defeated Missouri, 102-65, in Allen Fieldhouse in the first meeting between the two schools since 2012.

Kansas will then host Harvard on Dec. 22 and the 2022-23 Big 12 league schedule will begin Dec. 31. On Saturday, Jan. 28, Kansas will play at Kentucky in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge. Last year, KU passed UK in becoming the winningest program in NCAA Division I history, currently at 2,357 all-time wins. Kentucky is at 2,353.

Kansas is coming off a 34-6 season in which it won its sixth national title, fourth in the NCAA history. KU tied Baylor for first in the Big 12 regular season with a 14-4 record. It was KU’s NCAA-record 63rd conference regular-season title and 20th in the 26-year history of the Big 12. KU then won the Big 12 Tournament, advanced to its NCAA-record 32nd-consecutive NCAA Tournament, a streak that started in 1990, and its 16th Final Four. The Jayhawks won their last 11 games of the season en route to the NCAA title.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575721022888.png" alt="Kansas Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>LAWRENCE, Kan. – Nationally ranked non-conference schedules are common for Kansas men’s basketball, and the 2022-23 slate will be no different.The Jayhawks have led the country in strength of schedule in two of the last four seasons and five times overall during coach Bill Self’s 19 campaigns at Kansas. Additionally, KU has placed in the top 10 in strength of schedule 12 times under Self, including third following KU’s 2022 NCAA National Championship season.The non-conference schedule is highlighted by games in Allen Fieldhouse against Indiana, Seton Hall and Harvard as well as Southern Utah and Texas Southern. Kansas leads the NCAA Division I all-time wins list at 2,357, while Indiana is 10th at 1,890. The Seton Hall contest is part of the Big 12/BIG EAST Battle and KU defeated Texas Southern in the opening round of the 2022 NCAA Tournament en route to the national title.Fans can secure season tickets today for all 17 home games, which includes the nine Big 12 Conference matchups, seven non-conference and one exhibition contest. The Big 12 was ranked first among all leagues in NET average in 2021-22. Tickets are available for as low as $500 by clicking here or visiting kuathletics.com. To order season tickets, fans must be active members of the Williams Education Fund, which can be done for as little as $100. More information is available by calling 785.864.3141.“Once again we have a non-conference schedule that should prepare us for what will be another strong Big 12 schedule,” KU head coach Bill Self said. “This is a very attractive home schedule with games against Indiana and Seton Hall. Also mixed in is Duke in the Champions Classic in Indianapolis and road games at Missouri and at Kentucky. The Battle 4 Atlantis is a stacked field that includes USC, Tennessee and Wisconsin. Those, along with the Big 12, makes this a very competitive schedule and if we do well, it will enhance our chances for another high NCAA Tournament seed.”Kansas will host three games prior to the Champions Classic, including an exhibition contest against Pittsburg State on Wednesday, Nov. 2. Pitt State’s first-year head coach is former KU great Jeff Boschee. KU will then host Omaha on Monday, Nov. 7 and North Dakota State on Thursday, Nov. 10 before playing Duke in the Champions Classic, Tuesday, Nov. 15, in Indianapolis. KU is 6-5 in the Champions Classic.Kansas will return home to host Southern Utah on Friday, Nov. 18, before heading to the Bahamas for the Battle 4 Atlantis, Nov. 23-25. The event’s field includes future Big 12-member BYU, Butler, Dayton, N.C. State, USC, Tennessee and Wisconsin.KU will then host Texas Southern on Nov. 28 and Seton Hall on Dec. 1 in the Big 12/BIG EAST Battle. Next, Kansas will travel to HyVee Border Showdown foe Missouri on Dec. 10. Last year, Kansas defeated Missouri, 102-65, in Allen Fieldhouse in the first meeting between the two schools since 2012.Kansas will then host Harvard on Dec. 22 and the 2022-23 Big 12 league schedule will begin Dec. 31. On Saturday, Jan. 28, Kansas will play at Kentucky in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge. Last year, KU passed UK in becoming the winningest program in NCAA Division I history, currently at 2,357 all-time wins. Kentucky is at 2,353.Kansas is coming off a 34-6 season in which it won its sixth national title, fourth in the NCAA history. KU tied Baylor for first in the Big 12 regular season with a 14-4 record. It was KU’s NCAA-record 63rd conference regular-season title and 20th in the 26-year history of the Big 12. KU then won the Big 12 Tournament, advanced to its NCAA-record 32nd-consecutive NCAA Tournament, a streak that started in 1990, and its 16th Final Four. The Jayhawks won their last 11 games of the season en route to the NCAA title.