By JOHN ZENOR AP Sports Writer

Bucky McMillan was a Birmingham teenager the last time Samford went to the NCAA Tournament, on his way to being a player at one hometown college and then a highly successful coach at a local high school.

McMillan stayed put for his next role, too, with similar results.

The fourth-year Samford coach has led the 13th-seeded Bulldogs (29-5) to their best season ever and into the NCAA field for the first time since 2000. The Southern Conference champions face No. 4-seed Kansas in the first round on Thursday in Salt Lake City as one of college basketball’s highest scoring teams.

“It’s a lot of excitement, man,” said McMillan, the SoCon coach of the year three times running. “And to do it here with a lot of people from this city that I’ve known my whole life ...”

He doesn't have to finish the sentence. The 40-year-old McMillan grew up five miles from the Samford campus in suburban Birmingham, experiencing the excitement when Jimmy Tillette's 1999 and 2000 teams made the NCAA Tournament.

He never left his city behind, nor his fast-paced brand of basketball. Bucky Ball is a style the former Birmingham-Southern point guard has been employing — with or without the catchy nickname — since he was a 15-year-old coaching an AAU team.

The high-pressure style worked in AAU ball. In two seasons as junior varsity coach at alma mater Mountain Brook. And in 12 seasons as varsity coach — starting at age 24 — when he led Mountain Brook to five state titles from 2013-19 in the state's largest classification.

McMillan remembers facing doubters “every step of the way” that his style would actually work. He has led Samford to a 71-27 record over the last three seasons after struggling in a pandemic-shortened debut campaign.

He inherited a team that was 325 in the NET rankings and coming off a 10-23 season. The Baptist university of fewer than 6,000 students had only made March Madness twice, in 1999 and 2000. Samford is 0-2 in NCAA Tournament games.

McMillan said the feeling was the same in every big win or tournament championship along the way. A win now, however, would be different.

“Winning with a bunch of guys you like doing it with feels the same,” he said. “Now I can’t say it’s going to feel the same when we step into that NCAA Tournament, because that’s something that we all watched growing up. I get to be a part of that. That’s emotional thinking about that.”

The Bulldogs, who lost their season opener to No. 3 Purdue, 98-45, feel like their fast-paced style could bedevil bigger-name opponents enough for a tourney breakthrough.

“I feel like we play a unique style of basketball, and the college world’s not used to it,” forward Jermaine Marshall said. “I feel like we will catch a lot of people by surprise. They’re probably just gonna look and say, ‘Oh, Samford, I’ve never heard of them.’ I feel like that’s how we’re going to get them.

“Once we mess their bracket up early, I feel like that’s how we’re going to get a lot of people’s attention. They’re just going to fall in love with the style of basketball that we play.”

The impact of Bucky Ball shows up all over the stat sheet. The Bulldogs’ average of 86 points a game ranked fifth nationally through the SoCon tournament, and the scoring production has climbed by at least four points each of the past three seasons.

They’re also prolific at converting fast-break opportunities and 3-point shots and have one of the nation’s more efficient point guards in Rylan Jones.

To get a sense of the undersized, everyone-has-a-role approach: Starting guard Dallas Graziani is listed at 5-foot-8, 140 pounds and star Australian forward Achor Achor puts up 15.8 points and 6.1 rebounds a game while averaging just 22 minutes. Nobody on the team averages even 26 minutes.

Attendance has spiked along with the performance. The Bulldogs averaged 1,863 fans in home games last season, more than twice the 885 averaged the final year under Scott Padgett. McMillan figures probably 80% of the people who come to the games may not have had any affiliation with Samford before.

“It’s been kind of a Birmingham effort,” McMillan said.

By JOHN ZENOR AP Sports WriterBucky McMillan was a Birmingham teenager the last time Samford went to the NCAA Tournament, on his way to being a player at one hometown college and then a highly successful coach at a local high school.McMillan stayed put for his next role, too, with similar results.The fourth-year Samford coach has led the 13th-seeded Bulldogs (29-5) to their best season ever and into the NCAA field for the first time since 2000. The Southern Conference champions face No. 4-seed Kansas in the first round on Thursday in Salt Lake City as one of college basketball’s highest scoring teams.Bucky Ball is flying high.“It’s a lot of excitement, man,” said McMillan, the SoCon coach of the year three times running. “And to do it here with a lot of people from this city that I’ve known my whole life ...”He doesn't have to finish the sentence. The 40-year-old McMillan grew up five miles from the Samford campus in suburban Birmingham, experiencing the excitement when Jimmy Tillette's 1999 and 2000 teams made the NCAA Tournament.He never left his city behind, nor his fast-paced brand of basketball. Bucky Ball is a style the former Birmingham-Southern point guard has been employing — with or without the catchy nickname — since he was a 15-year-old coaching an AAU team.The high-pressure style worked in AAU ball. In two seasons as junior varsity coach at alma mater Mountain Brook. And in 12 seasons as varsity coach — starting at age 24 — when he led Mountain Brook to five state titles from 2013-19 in the state's largest classification.McMillan remembers facing doubters “every step of the way” that his style would actually work. He has led Samford to a 71-27 record over the last three seasons after struggling in a pandemic-shortened debut campaign.He inherited a team that was 325 in the NET rankings and coming off a 10-23 season. The Baptist university of fewer than 6,000 students had only made March Madness twice, in 1999 and 2000. Samford is 0-2 in NCAA Tournament games.McMillan said the feeling was the same in every big win or tournament championship along the way. A win now, however, would be different.“Winning with a bunch of guys you like doing it with feels the same,” he said. “Now I can’t say it’s going to feel the same when we step into that NCAA Tournament, because that’s something that we all watched growing up. I get to be a part of that. That’s emotional thinking about that.”The Bulldogs, who lost their season opener to No. 3 Purdue, 98-45, feel like their fast-paced style could bedevil bigger-name opponents enough for a tourney breakthrough.“I feel like we play a unique style of basketball, and the college world’s not used to it,” forward Jermaine Marshall said. “I feel like we will catch a lot of people by surprise. They’re probably just gonna look and say, ‘Oh, Samford, I’ve never heard of them.’ I feel like that’s how we’re going to get them.“Once we mess their bracket up early, I feel like that’s how we’re going to get a lot of people’s attention. They’re just going to fall in love with the style of basketball that we play.”The impact of Bucky Ball shows up all over the stat sheet. The Bulldogs’ average of 86 points a game ranked fifth nationally through the SoCon tournament, and the scoring production has climbed by at least four points each of the past three seasons.They’re also prolific at converting fast-break opportunities and 3-point shots and have one of the nation’s more efficient point guards in Rylan Jones.To get a sense of the undersized, everyone-has-a-role approach: Starting guard Dallas Graziani is listed at 5-foot-8, 140 pounds and star Australian forward Achor Achor puts up 15.8 points and 6.1 rebounds a game while averaging just 22 minutes. Nobody on the team averages even 26 minutes.Attendance has spiked along with the performance. The Bulldogs averaged 1,863 fans in home games last season, more than twice the 885 averaged the final year under Scott Padgett. McMillan figures probably 80% of the people who come to the games may not have had any affiliation with Samford before.“It’s been kind of a Birmingham effort,” McMillan said.

Samford rides Bucky Ball to historic season. On deck is Kansas

4	Iowa Western
Community College	17-4	134

10	Johnson County
Community College	21-7	86

11	Florence-Darlington
Technical College	23-5	76

14	Northwest Florida
State College	19-7	55

16	Walters State
Community College	21-8	30

17	Kansas City
Kansas Community College	18-3	29

Receiving Votes:
Cowley, Indian Hills, Indian River State

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710859281123.jpeg" alt="NJCAA DI Baseball Poll - Week Four - 3/18/24" />
 <figcaption>NJCAA DI Baseball Poll - Week Four - 3/18/24</figcaption>
 </figure>Place	Name	Record	Points1	Gulf Coast State
College	24-2	1592	Gaston
College	29-2	1533	Georgia Highlands
College	28-2	1434	Iowa Western
Community College	17-4	1345	Pensacola State
College	23-3	1266	Central Arizona
College	26-6	1227	Weatherford
College	22-6	1128	John A. Logan
College	23-2	1019	Crowder
College	24-6	9510	Johnson County
Community College	21-7	8611	Florence-Darlington
Technical College	23-5	7612	Salt Lake
Community College	21-3	7513	Arizona Western
College	24-6	7114	Northwest Florida
State College	19-7	5515	Tyler Junior
College	21-8	4216	Walters State
Community College	21-8	3017	Kansas City
Kansas Community College	18-3	2918	Pima Community
College	22-8	2419	Delgado Community
College	21-6	1620	Wharton County
Junior College	20-8	13Receiving Votes:
Cowley, Indian Hills, Indian River State

NJCAA DI Baseball Rankings

By DAVID BRANDT AP Baseball Writer

The AL Central doesn't appear to be a great place to find baseball's best teams.

Instead, it might be home to some of the most improved.

The division had a tough 2023, with the Twins running away with the title despite an 87-win season that wouldn't have been good enough to win any other division in MLB. One year later, it's still hard to look at the rosters and find an obvious 90-win squad in the bunch.

Minnesota once again appears to be the class of the division despite losing a pair of front-line starting pitchers in Sonny Gray and Kenta Maeda.

But the real interest lies with teams like the Tigers and Royals, who are hoping for a big step forward. The Tigers haven't had a winning season since 2016 and the pressure is on fourth-year manager A.J. Hinch to end that stretch.

The Royals won the World Series in 2015 and haven't had a winning season since, but they made moves in the offseason to try and end that streak.

1. Minnesota Twins. After stopping their 18-game postseason losing streak that was the longest in the history of the major North American professional sports and winning a series for the first time in 21 years, the Twins have largely the same look in their quest to defend their division title. The notable exception is in the rotation, where losing Gray and Maeda could represent a setback. Pablo López remains the ace after an excellent debut season with the Twins and Joe Ryan has the potential to be a dominant sidekick. The wild card is Chris Paddack, who missed the 2023 regular season recovering from Tommy John surgery and chipped in from the bullpen for the playoffs. Health will likely be the pivotal factor for success at the plate this year, too, after shortstop Carlos Correa played through plantar fasciitis in his left foot and had the worst offensive season of his career and Byron Buxton’s right knee trouble limited him to designated hitter duty. Buxton has returned to center field and been thriving in spring training, as promising of a sign the Twins could hope for in camp.

2. Cleveland Guardians. Two years after a controversial name change, another new era begins in Cleveland as Stephen Vogt takes over for Terry Francona, the winningest manager in franchise history. A journeyman catcher, Vogt has never managed at any level and will break in with a Guardians team that has enough good pieces to contend for a division title. Shane Bieber looks to be recovered from arm issues that limited him in 2023 and he’ll be expected to anchor a rotation featuring Tanner Bibee and Gavin Williams, who both showed major promise as rookies. Although Cleveland’s lineup lacks power, José Ramírez and Josh Naylor are each capable of hitting 30 homers and don’t be surprised if slugging prospect Kyle Manzardo arrives early to provide some needed pop. Closer Emmanuel Clase has to be more consistent after leading the majors with 12 blown saves.

3. Detroit Tigers. The franchise is more hopeful than recent years, feeling optimistic about what appears to be a plus pitching staff and some promising players, and could make the playoffs for the first time in a decade. Left-hander Tarik Skubal won four straight games and gave up just three runs over his last five starts to end last season and will be followed by newly acquired right-handers Kenta Maeda and Jack Flaherty. The bullpen is led by righties Jason Foley and Alex Lange along with lefty Andrew Chafin. First baseman Spencer Torkelson, the top pick in 2022, has a chance to become a 40-homer hitter. Multi-talented outfielder Parker Meadows generates excitement at the plate and base paths. The franchise gave second baseman Colt Keith a guaranteed deal worth at least $28 million before he faced his first pitch in the majors, clearly excited about his upside, and plan to give him opportunities to prove he was worth the investment.

4.) Kansas City Royals: The Royals are hoping to go worst-to-first this season after losing 106 games a year ago, and there is reason to believe they could do it. For one thing, the AL Central is wide open. But the Royals also spent more than $100 million in free agency to fix their biggest problems, which began and ended with pitching. Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha were signed to join breakout star Cole Ragans, Brady Singer and Jordan Lyles in the rotation, and almost the entire bullpen is new with Will Smith taking over the closer job. The Royals also added slugger Hunter Renfroe and versatile Adam Frazier to the lineup and get power-hitting first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino back from shoulder surgery that wiped out almost his entire 2023 season. With the Royals eying a new downtown ballpark as the centerpiece of a $2 billion development funded in part by the extension of an existing sales tax, it would behoove them to show a weary fanbase that they are serious enough about winning to warrant the new digs.

5.) Chicago White Sox: It was a tough 2023 for the White Sox, who lost 101 games. It's unclear if 2024 will be much better. Chicago was second-to-last in the majors in runs scored and gave up more runs than all but four teams. The team also ranked among the worst on defense. The White Sox hope that pitchers Chris Flexen and Erick Fedde can solidify the back end of the rotation while the offense has a handful of proven offensive players in outfielder Luis Robert Jr., first baseman Andrew Vaughn, outfielder/designated hitter Eloy Jiménez and third baseman Yoán Moncada. It appears that new general manager Chris Getz, starting his first full season, has plenty of work to do.

The White Sox signaled they'll be continuing to rebuild when they dealt right-hander Dylan Cease to the San Diego Padres on Wednesday for a package of players, including reliever Steven Wilson.

Cease, who turned 28 in December, was second in AL Cy Young Award voting in 2022 after going 14-8 with a 2.20 ERA. He went 7-9 with a 4.58 ERA last year for a White Sox team that went 61-101.

The Royals signed young star Bobby Witt Jr. to an 11-year deal worth more than $288.7 million guaranteed in February, easily the longest and richest contract in club history. It includes a three-year, $89 million team option that would drive the value to more than $377 million and keep Witt with the Royals through the 2037 season.

The contract was a seismic shift for a notoriously frugal, small-market ballclub. It also shows that Kansas City's ownership is serious about being more competitive in the division after several lean years.

By DAVID BRANDT AP Baseball WriterThe AL Central doesn't appear to be a great place to find baseball's best teams.Instead, it might be home to some of the most improved.The division had a tough 2023, with the Twins running away with the title despite an 87-win season that wouldn't have been good enough to win any other division in MLB. One year later, it's still hard to look at the rosters and find an obvious 90-win squad in the bunch.Minnesota once again appears to be the class of the division despite losing a pair of front-line starting pitchers in Sonny Gray and Kenta Maeda.But the real interest lies with teams like the Tigers and Royals, who are hoping for a big step forward. The Tigers haven't had a winning season since 2016 and the pressure is on fourth-year manager A.J. Hinch to end that stretch.The Royals won the World Series in 2015 and haven't had a winning season since, but they made moves in the offseason to try and end that streak.HOW THEY PROJECT1. Minnesota Twins. After stopping their 18-game postseason losing streak that was the longest in the history of the major North American professional sports and winning a series for the first time in 21 years, the Twins have largely the same look in their quest to defend their division title. The notable exception is in the rotation, where losing Gray and Maeda could represent a setback. Pablo López remains the ace after an excellent debut season with the Twins and Joe Ryan has the potential to be a dominant sidekick. The wild card is Chris Paddack, who missed the 2023 regular season recovering from Tommy John surgery and chipped in from the bullpen for the playoffs. Health will likely be the pivotal factor for success at the plate this year, too, after shortstop Carlos Correa played through plantar fasciitis in his left foot and had the worst offensive season of his career and Byron Buxton’s right knee trouble limited him to designated hitter duty. Buxton has returned to center field and been thriving in spring training, as promising of a sign the Twins could hope for in camp.2. Cleveland Guardians. Two years after a controversial name change, another new era begins in Cleveland as Stephen Vogt takes over for Terry Francona, the winningest manager in franchise history. A journeyman catcher, Vogt has never managed at any level and will break in with a Guardians team that has enough good pieces to contend for a division title. Shane Bieber looks to be recovered from arm issues that limited him in 2023 and he’ll be expected to anchor a rotation featuring Tanner Bibee and Gavin Williams, who both showed major promise as rookies. Although Cleveland’s lineup lacks power, José Ramírez and Josh Naylor are each capable of hitting 30 homers and don’t be surprised if slugging prospect Kyle Manzardo arrives early to provide some needed pop. Closer Emmanuel Clase has to be more consistent after leading the majors with 12 blown saves.3. Detroit Tigers. The franchise is more hopeful than recent years, feeling optimistic about what appears to be a plus pitching staff and some promising players, and could make the playoffs for the first time in a decade. Left-hander Tarik Skubal won four straight games and gave up just three runs over his last five starts to end last season and will be followed by newly acquired right-handers Kenta Maeda and Jack Flaherty. The bullpen is led by righties Jason Foley and Alex Lange along with lefty Andrew Chafin. First baseman Spencer Torkelson, the top pick in 2022, has a chance to become a 40-homer hitter. Multi-talented outfielder Parker Meadows generates excitement at the plate and base paths. The franchise gave second baseman Colt Keith a guaranteed deal worth at least $28 million before he faced his first pitch in the majors, clearly excited about his upside, and plan to give him opportunities to prove he was worth the investment.4.) Kansas City Royals: The Royals are hoping to go worst-to-first this season after losing 106 games a year ago, and there is reason to believe they could do it. For one thing, the AL Central is wide open. But the Royals also spent more than $100 million in free agency to fix their biggest problems, which began and ended with pitching. Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha were signed to join breakout star Cole Ragans, Brady Singer and Jordan Lyles in the rotation, and almost the entire bullpen is new with Will Smith taking over the closer job. The Royals also added slugger Hunter Renfroe and versatile Adam Frazier to the lineup and get power-hitting first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino back from shoulder surgery that wiped out almost his entire 2023 season. With the Royals eying a new downtown ballpark as the centerpiece of a $2 billion development funded in part by the extension of an existing sales tax, it would behoove them to show a weary fanbase that they are serious enough about winning to warrant the new digs.5.) Chicago White Sox: It was a tough 2023 for the White Sox, who lost 101 games. It's unclear if 2024 will be much better. Chicago was second-to-last in the majors in runs scored and gave up more runs than all but four teams. The team also ranked among the worst on defense. The White Sox hope that pitchers Chris Flexen and Erick Fedde can solidify the back end of the rotation while the offense has a handful of proven offensive players in outfielder Luis Robert Jr., first baseman Andrew Vaughn, outfielder/designated hitter Eloy Jiménez and third baseman Yoán Moncada. It appears that new general manager Chris Getz, starting his first full season, has plenty of work to do.CEASE GONEThe White Sox signaled they'll be continuing to rebuild when they dealt right-hander Dylan Cease to the San Diego Padres on Wednesday for a package of players, including reliever Steven Wilson.Cease, who turned 28 in December, was second in AL Cy Young Award voting in 2022 after going 14-8 with a 2.20 ERA. He went 7-9 with a 4.58 ERA last year for a White Sox team that went 61-101.WITT GETS PAIDThe Royals signed young star Bobby Witt Jr. to an 11-year deal worth more than $288.7 million guaranteed in February, easily the longest and richest contract in club history. It includes a three-year, $89 million team option that would drive the value to more than $377 million and keep Witt with the Royals through the 2037 season.The contract was a seismic shift for a notoriously frugal, small-market ballclub. It also shows that Kansas City's ownership is serious about being more competitive in the division after several lean years.

AL Central Preview: Tigers, Royals try to end years of losing after offseason moves

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Hollywood Brown had so many conversations with the Kansas City Chiefs before the 2019 draft that the former Oklahoma star thought that they would select him to pair with Patrick Mahomes in their high-flying offense.

Baltimore took him in the first round before Kansas City had the chance.

But after a detour through Arizona, where the Ravens traded him and where Brown spent the past two years dealing with nagging injuries and instability at quarterback, the speedy wide receiver finally landed in Kansas City on Monday. Brown signed his one-year deal worth up to $11 million to finally give Mahomes another downfield option in the Chiefs passing attack.

“The world has a way of things coming around like that,” Brown said with a smile.

Despite beating the San Francisco 49ers for their second straight Super Bowl title, the Chiefs knew they needed to upgrade at wide receiver, where rookie Rashee Rice had become the unquestioned leader almost by default. But they refused to rush into a big-money, long-term deal with one of the top free agents and bided their time until the right opportunity came along.

It wasn't the $50 million guaranteed that the Titans gave Calvin Ridley. Or the $26 million guaranteed the Falcons gave to Darnell Mooney. Or the $24 million Gabe Davis got from the Jaguars or even the $15 million Curtis Samuel got from the Bills.

No, it was a relatively low-risk, high-upside deal with a wide receiver the Chiefs had coveted since college.

“They were strong on me,” Brown said, “so it was kind of like, mutual interest. That was very appealing.”

It was the right deal for Brown, too. He turns 27 in June, which means there is still time in his career to turn a productive season in one of the NFL's most pass-friendly offenses into a much more lucrative multi-year contract next offseason.

"There's weapons here," he said, “and I feel like I can come in and complement the guys they have here. And Coach (Andy) Reid? He's a mastermind. Patrick Mahomes — I'm excited to work with everyone.”

Brown had his best season three years ago in Baltimore, when he caught 91 passes for 1,008 yards and six touchdowns. He was traded to the Cardinals the following year, where he had 118 catches for 1,283 yards and seven TDs in those 26 games.

Those numbers might seem modest, but consider: Brown had 51 catches for 574 yards and four scores last season, which would have trailed only Rice and tight end Travis Kelce in receptions, yards and TDs for the Chiefs — and he did it in 12 full games.

Brown appears to be motivated, too. Mahomes has invited his wide receivers and tight ends to his home in Texas the past couple of offseasons for what amounts to a voluntary training camp, and he was already looking forward to getting down there.

“From the outside looking in, he just seems like a guy that's very passionate,” Brown explained, “and I'm a very passionate person. Wants to do everything necessary to win. That's what you want. You want to play with someone who is going to push you to the next level. I feel like he's one of those guys.”

Kansas City still has work to do filling out the offense. Marquez Valdes-Scantling was released and fellow wide receivers Richie James and Mecole Hardman are free agents, while Kadarius Toney could be fighting for a job this season, all of which means wide receiver is still a position of need as free agency continues and the NFL draft looms in April.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Hollywood Brown had so many conversations with the Kansas City Chiefs before the 2019 draft that the former Oklahoma star thought that they would select him to pair with Patrick Mahomes in their high-flying offense.Baltimore took him in the first round before Kansas City had the chance.But after a detour through Arizona, where the Ravens traded him and where Brown spent the past two years dealing with nagging injuries and instability at quarterback, the speedy wide receiver finally landed in Kansas City on Monday. Brown signed his one-year deal worth up to $11 million to finally give Mahomes another downfield option in the Chiefs passing attack.“The world has a way of things coming around like that,” Brown said with a smile.Despite beating the San Francisco 49ers for their second straight Super Bowl title, the Chiefs knew they needed to upgrade at wide receiver, where rookie Rashee Rice had become the unquestioned leader almost by default. But they refused to rush into a big-money, long-term deal with one of the top free agents and bided their time until the right opportunity came along.It wasn't the $50 million guaranteed that the Titans gave Calvin Ridley. Or the $26 million guaranteed the Falcons gave to Darnell Mooney. Or the $24 million Gabe Davis got from the Jaguars or even the $15 million Curtis Samuel got from the Bills.No, it was a relatively low-risk, high-upside deal with a wide receiver the Chiefs had coveted since college.“They were strong on me,” Brown said, “so it was kind of like, mutual interest. That was very appealing.”It was the right deal for Brown, too. He turns 27 in June, which means there is still time in his career to turn a productive season in one of the NFL's most pass-friendly offenses into a much more lucrative multi-year contract next offseason."There's weapons here," he said, “and I feel like I can come in and complement the guys they have here. And Coach (Andy) Reid? He's a mastermind. Patrick Mahomes — I'm excited to work with everyone.”Brown had his best season three years ago in Baltimore, when he caught 91 passes for 1,008 yards and six touchdowns. He was traded to the Cardinals the following year, where he had 118 catches for 1,283 yards and seven TDs in those 26 games.Those numbers might seem modest, but consider: Brown had 51 catches for 574 yards and four scores last season, which would have trailed only Rice and tight end Travis Kelce in receptions, yards and TDs for the Chiefs — and he did it in 12 full games.Brown appears to be motivated, too. Mahomes has invited his wide receivers and tight ends to his home in Texas the past couple of offseasons for what amounts to a voluntary training camp, and he was already looking forward to getting down there.“From the outside looking in, he just seems like a guy that's very passionate,” Brown explained, “and I'm a very passionate person. Wants to do everything necessary to win. That's what you want. You want to play with someone who is going to push you to the next level. I feel like he's one of those guys.”Kansas City still has work to do filling out the offense. Marquez Valdes-Scantling was released and fellow wide receivers Richie James and Mecole Hardman are free agents, while Kadarius Toney could be fighting for a job this season, all of which means wide receiver is still a position of need as free agency continues and the NFL draft looms in April.

Hollywood Brown signs deal with Chiefs

DAYTON, Ohio (AP) — A year ago, Fairleigh Dickinson landed in the First Four and by the following weekend became one of the most improbable bracket-busters in NCAA Tournament history.

After routing Texas Southern in Dayton, the 16th-seeded Knights — one of the shortest teams in the tournament facing the tallest — upset No. 1 seed Purdue 63-58, only the second time a No. 16 seed had beaten a top-seeded team.

“Anybody has a chance. Anything can happen, no matter what’s going on,” said Donald Copeland, the coach of an injury-depleted Wagner team that opens this year's First Four against Howard on Tuesday night. “Now our path is probably different, but it gives you motivation to want to hopefully achieve something like that.”

The winner of that game will advance as the No. 16 seed in the West Region to face top-seeded North Carolina on Thursday.

In an unusual twist, the First Four brings together both Colorado and Colorado State. Both finished 24-10.

Colorado was the runner-up in the Pac-12 Tournament and will play Boise State (22-10) from the Mountain West Conference in the late game Wednesday, with the winner moving on as the 10th seed in the South Region to face seventh-seeded Florida.

Colorado State, also from the Mountain West, draws ACC regular Virginia (23-10) in the late game Tuesday for the right to move on as the 10th seed in the Midwest and play No. 7 seed Texas. Virginia has made 10 NCAA Tournament appearances in the last 12 seasons under coach Tony Bennett and won the national title in 2019.

"It's a great opportunity for us to kind of test ourselves and see where we’re at as a program. At this point there are no cupcakes," said Isaiah Stevens, Colorado State's top scorer at 16.5 points per game.

“The way I look at this is, we’re a 10 seed in the NCAA Tournament and we just get to play one more game than everybody else," Rams coach Niko Medved said. "That’s a pretty cool deal."

Wagner, a school with around 2,000 students on Staten Island in New York City, returns to the NCAA Tournament after a drought of 21 years.

Howard — the Seahawks’ opponent on Tuesday — was in last year, but hopes to have a better showing this time around.

Wagner (16-15) finished sixth in the Northeast Conference during the regular season. After losing their final two games, the Seahawks won three straight in the league tournament, beating Merrimack in the final, despite Copeland’s rotation being down to seven players because of injuries.

In fact, it got so bad that Damen Mazil, the quarterback of the Wagner football team, was added to the roster in February for some depth.

“A small island, and we’re back here after 21 years,” Wagner guard Javier Ezquerra said. “It’s amazing.”

Howard (18-16) was 9-14 in early February but roared back to win nine of its last 11 games, including the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament.

"You go in with certain expectations, and this year was just like really rocky for us in a lot of ways," said Howard forward Seth Towns, who averaged 14.2 points. “So to come together at the end of the year, like we did, in the last five or so games and then in the tournament, I think it’s a testament to the leadership of the coaching staff and just to the incredible guys who were never willing to give up.”

Grambling State is making its first appearance in the NCAA Tournament after winning nine of its last 10 games to take the Southwestern Athletic Conference regular-season and tournament titles.

Grambling (20-14) faces Montana State on Wednesday for the right to advance as the 16th seed in the Midwest and play top-seeded Purdue on Friday.

Montana State (17-17) is fortunate to be in the tournament for the third straight season. The Bobcats were 13-17 on March 2 before winning four straight. They beat Montana in the Big Sky Tournament championship game to earn the league's automatic NCAA bid.

DAYTON, Ohio (AP) — A year ago, Fairleigh Dickinson landed in the First Four and by the following weekend became one of the most improbable bracket-busters in NCAA Tournament history.After routing Texas Southern in Dayton, the 16th-seeded Knights — one of the shortest teams in the tournament facing the tallest — upset No. 1 seed Purdue 63-58, only the second time a No. 16 seed had beaten a top-seeded team.“Anybody has a chance. Anything can happen, no matter what’s going on,” said Donald Copeland, the coach of an injury-depleted Wagner team that opens this year's First Four against Howard on Tuesday night. “Now our path is probably different, but it gives you motivation to want to hopefully achieve something like that.”The winner of that game will advance as the No. 16 seed in the West Region to face top-seeded North Carolina on Thursday.In an unusual twist, the First Four brings together both Colorado and Colorado State. Both finished 24-10.Colorado was the runner-up in the Pac-12 Tournament and will play Boise State (22-10) from the Mountain West Conference in the late game Wednesday, with the winner moving on as the 10th seed in the South Region to face seventh-seeded Florida.Colorado State, also from the Mountain West, draws ACC regular Virginia (23-10) in the late game Tuesday for the right to move on as the 10th seed in the Midwest and play No. 7 seed Texas. Virginia has made 10 NCAA Tournament appearances in the last 12 seasons under coach Tony Bennett and won the national title in 2019."It's a great opportunity for us to kind of test ourselves and see where we’re at as a program. At this point there are no cupcakes," said Isaiah Stevens, Colorado State's top scorer at 16.5 points per game.“The way I look at this is, we’re a 10 seed in the NCAA Tournament and we just get to play one more game than everybody else," Rams coach Niko Medved said. "That’s a pretty cool deal."MAKING A NAMEWagner, a school with around 2,000 students on Staten Island in New York City, returns to the NCAA Tournament after a drought of 21 years.Howard — the Seahawks’ opponent on Tuesday — was in last year, but hopes to have a better showing this time around.Wagner (16-15) finished sixth in the Northeast Conference during the regular season. After losing their final two games, the Seahawks won three straight in the league tournament, beating Merrimack in the final, despite Copeland’s rotation being down to seven players because of injuries.In fact, it got so bad that Damen Mazil, the quarterback of the Wagner football team, was added to the roster in February for some depth.“A small island, and we’re back here after 21 years,” Wagner guard Javier Ezquerra said. “It’s amazing.”Howard (18-16) was 9-14 in early February but roared back to win nine of its last 11 games, including the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament."You go in with certain expectations, and this year was just like really rocky for us in a lot of ways," said Howard forward Seth Towns, who averaged 14.2 points. “So to come together at the end of the year, like we did, in the last five or so games and then in the tournament, I think it’s a testament to the leadership of the coaching staff and just to the incredible guys who were never willing to give up.”WELCOME TO THE SHOWGrambling State is making its first appearance in the NCAA Tournament after winning nine of its last 10 games to take the Southwestern Athletic Conference regular-season and tournament titles.Grambling (20-14) faces Montana State on Wednesday for the right to advance as the 16th seed in the Midwest and play top-seeded Purdue on Friday.Montana State (17-17) is fortunate to be in the tournament for the third straight season. The Bobcats were 13-17 on March 2 before winning four straight. They beat Montana in the Big Sky Tournament championship game to earn the league's automatic NCAA bid.

March Madness kicks off with First Four games and teams looking to do some bracket busting

By TODD MOORE Barton Sports Info

The top ranked Barton Community College men's basketball team received the top seed nod Sunday evening as announced on the NJCAA's Division I Selection Show.

Victors of 23 straight games and now 32-1 on the season, Barton receives a bye to the 2nd Round and will play the Monday 2:30 p.m. contest at the Hutchinson Sports Arena against the winner of 16th seed Daytona State College (28-3) out of Region 8 versus 17th seed Walters State Community College (28-2) out of Region 7. Those two teams will kick-off the 2024 tournament at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday.

In the win or go home format, a victory would send the Cougars to Wednesday's 12:00 p.m. contest against the survivor of 8th seeded Northwest Florida State College's portion of the bracket which also includes Region VI member Cowley College who has the lone victory over Barton this season.

The 9th seeded Tigers (27-5) were one of two Region VI members to receive an at-large bid and will play Sunday's 12:15 p.m. contest against 24th seed Allegany College of Maryland for the right to play the 8th seeded Raiders.

Hutchinson (27-6) also received an at-large bid and the 11th seed, opening their tournament in Monday's game before Barton's at 12:15 p.m. against 22nd seeded University of South Carolina-Salkehatchie. If victorious the Blue Dragons advance to take on 6th seed Chipola College on Tuesday.

The Cougars' week off from competition comes following Saturday's 74-57 victory over 16th ranked Hutchinson to capture the program's first Region title since 2001 and fourth overall.

Barton's Game Schedule (All games after Monday pending victory in previous game):

All 2024 Tournament games are being streamed live via ESPN+, with the Championship game available on ESPNU. *Streaming service and/or subscription required.

Official NJCAA Championship website: <a href="https://www.njcaa.org/championships/sports/mbkb/div1/index">https://www.njcaa.org/championships/sports/mbkb/div1/index</a>

Tickets: <a href="https://www.njcaa.org/tickets">https://www.njcaa.org/tickets</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710845232821.jpeg" alt="Barton Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Barton Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>By TODD MOORE Barton Sports InfoThe top ranked Barton Community College men's basketball team received the top seed nod Sunday evening as announced on the NJCAA's Division I Selection Show.Victors of 23 straight games and now 32-1 on the season, Barton receives a bye to the 2nd Round and will play the Monday 2:30 p.m. contest at the Hutchinson Sports Arena against the winner of 16th seed Daytona State College (28-3) out of Region 8 versus 17th seed Walters State Community College (28-2) out of Region 7. Those two teams will kick-off the 2024 tournament at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday.In the win or go home format, a victory would send the Cougars to Wednesday's 12:00 p.m. contest against the survivor of 8th seeded Northwest Florida State College's portion of the bracket which also includes Region VI member Cowley College who has the lone victory over Barton this season.The 9th seeded Tigers (27-5) were one of two Region VI members to receive an at-large bid and will play Sunday's 12:15 p.m. contest against 24th seed Allegany College of Maryland for the right to play the 8th seeded Raiders.Hutchinson (27-6) also received an at-large bid and the 11th seed, opening their tournament in Monday's game before Barton's at 12:15 p.m. against 22nd seeded University of South Carolina-Salkehatchie. If victorious the Blue Dragons advance to take on 6th seed Chipola College on Tuesday.The Cougars' week off from competition comes following Saturday's 74-57 victory over 16th ranked Hutchinson to capture the program's first Region title since 2001 and fourth overall.Barton's Game Schedule (All games after Monday pending victory in previous game):Monday – 2:30 p.m. (2nd Round)Wednesday – 12:00 p.m. (Quarterfinals)Thursday – 5:00 p.m. (Semifinals)Saturday – 1:00 p.m. (Championship)All 2024 Tournament games are being streamed live via ESPN+, with the Championship game available on ESPNU. *Streaming service and/or subscription required.TOURNAMENT INFORMATION:Official NJCAA Championship website: <a href="https://www.njcaa.org/championships/sports/mbkb/div1/index">https://www.njcaa.org/championships/sports/mbkb/div1/index</a>Tickets: <a href="https://www.njcaa.org/tickets">https://www.njcaa.org/tickets</a>- $65 All-Session- $16 Session- Children age 3 and under are fee

Cougars begin National Tournament on Monday

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP)
— Bill Self feels pretty good about Hunter Dickinson’s
availability for the NCAA Tournament. The Kansas coach frankly has no
idea what to expect of his other All-America candidate, Kevin
McCullar Jr. And he’s not the only one fretting the health of their
teams with First Four games beginning Tuesday and the tournament
ramping up to full speed Thursday and Friday. Whether it’s
Marquette star Tyler Kolek's oblique injury or Houston big man J’Wan
Roberts dealing with some leg soreness, injuries could play a big
role in what transpires over the next three weeks.

UNDATED (AP) —
Reigning national champion Connecticut is back at No. 1 in The
Associated Press Top 25 men's college basketball poll. The Huskies
swapped places with Houston a day after UConn was picked as the top
overall seed for the NCAA Tournament. Houston fell to No. 2 after
losing to Iowa State in the Big 12 Tournament title game. The
Cyclones jumped to No. 4 for their highest ranking in more than eight
years. The final Top 25 will be released for the first time the day
after the NCAA title game.

UNDATED (AP) —
South Carolina, Iowa, USC and Texas are the top four teams in The
Associated Press Top 25 women’s basketball poll, a day after all
four were chosen as the No. 1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament that
begins later this week. The undefeated Gamecocks remain the unanimous
No. 1. Texas moved up one spot to fourth after winning the Big 12
Tournament. The Longhorns earned their first No. 1 seed in the NCAA
Tournament since 2004.

DAYTON, Ohio (AP) —
Last year, a team from New Jersey called Fairleigh Dickinson played
its way out of the First Four and then became one of the most
improbable bracket-busters in NCAA Tournament history. Two days after
winning in Dayton, the Knights upset Purdue, only the second time in
history a No. 16 seed beat a No 1 seed. Eight teams begin their NCAA
Tournament journey on Tuesday and Wednesday nights, hoping to be the
next team to start in Dayton and do some bracket busting. Wagner
faces Howard on Tuesday night, followed by Colorado State against
Virginia. On Wednesday, Grambling plays Montana State, and Colorado
draws Boise State.

UNDATED (AP) — It
is time to fill out those NCAA Tournament brackets with the arrival
of March Madness. Duke statistics Professor Ezra Miller says an
informed fan has perhaps a 1 in 2 billion chance at picking a perfect
ballot. Experts say artificial intelligence has been used by
bracketologists for years and is always evolving. But AI is no
guarantee of success and doesn't provide some of the critical
thinking on details by human beings. The experts say finding the
balance between statistical modeling and intuition is ongoing in the
hunt for bracket perfection.

LAS VEGAS (AP) —
Bettors expect a lot of upsets in this year's NCAA Tournament. They
are placing wagers on long shots to win. The First Four is Tuesday
and Wednesday in Dayton, Ohio. The tournament begins in full
Thursday. Recent history has shown some of those fliers can turn into
big money. Saint Peter’s made the Sweet 16 two years ago as a No.
15 seed. Last year’s Final Four included a very un-blue-blooded San
Diego State, Florida Atlantic and Miami.

UNDATED (AP) — A
person familiar with the negotiations tells The Associated Press that
two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell and the San Francisco
Giants have agreed to a $62 million, two-year contract. Snell has the
right to opt out after this season and become a free agent. A
30-year-old left-hander, Snell is 71-55 with a 3.20 ERA in 191 starts
over eight major league seasons, winning Cy Youngs in 2018 with Tampa
Bay and last year with San Diego.

SEOUL, South Korea
(AP) — The Dodgers are paying $700 million for Shohei Ohtani. That
means his loyal fans in Japan will be paying big time for his
merchandise. A store called Selection in Tokyo's Shijuku area sells
gear for all 30 MLB teams, but store employees say about 60-70% of
the sales are for Dodgers gear, or Ohtani-specific gear. And it's not
cheap. One Dodgers cap with Ohtani's signature on the side and his
No. 17 goes for $150. A Dodgers uniform top sells for about $500. If
you want a baseball that Ohtani threw last year in an MLB game, that
will be $22,000.

FRISCO, Texas (AP) —
A person with knowledge of the move says the Dallas Cowboys are
slightly reducing quarterback Dak Prescott’s massive salary cap hit
by reworking his contract going into the final year of the deal. A $5
million roster bonus has been converted into a signing bonus to
reduce the 2024 cap hit by $4 million. It's now at $55 million. The
Cowboys can create more salary cap relief with an extension for
Prescott. He is coming off a wild-card loss at home to Green Bay that
dropped his playoff record to 2-5.

PONTE VEDRA BEACH,
Fla. (AP) — Golf is always searching for the next Tiger Woods.
Scottie Scheffler is the next candidate. The world's No. 1 player
left little doubt when he became the first back-to-back winner of The
Players Championship. His lead atop the world ranking is the biggest
in seven years. His consistency and nine worldwide wins in the last
25 months is what gets people talking. Scheffler was quick to point
out that while he has been No. 1 for a total of 78 weeks, Woods was
No. 1 for just over 13 years. Scheffler says to be mentioned
alongside Woods is special.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710682717672.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP)
— Bill Self feels pretty good about Hunter Dickinson’s
availability for the NCAA Tournament. The Kansas coach frankly has no
idea what to expect of his other All-America candidate, Kevin
McCullar Jr. And he’s not the only one fretting the health of their
teams with First Four games beginning Tuesday and the tournament
ramping up to full speed Thursday and Friday. Whether it’s
Marquette star Tyler Kolek's oblique injury or Houston big man J’Wan
Roberts dealing with some leg soreness, injuries could play a big
role in what transpires over the next three weeks.UNDATED (AP) —
Reigning national champion Connecticut is back at No. 1 in The
Associated Press Top 25 men's college basketball poll. The Huskies
swapped places with Houston a day after UConn was picked as the top
overall seed for the NCAA Tournament. Houston fell to No. 2 after
losing to Iowa State in the Big 12 Tournament title game. The
Cyclones jumped to No. 4 for their highest ranking in more than eight
years. The final Top 25 will be released for the first time the day
after the NCAA title game.UNDATED (AP) —
South Carolina, Iowa, USC and Texas are the top four teams in The
Associated Press Top 25 women’s basketball poll, a day after all
four were chosen as the No. 1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament that
begins later this week. The undefeated Gamecocks remain the unanimous
No. 1. Texas moved up one spot to fourth after winning the Big 12
Tournament. The Longhorns earned their first No. 1 seed in the NCAA
Tournament since 2004.DAYTON, Ohio (AP) —
Last year, a team from New Jersey called Fairleigh Dickinson played
its way out of the First Four and then became one of the most
improbable bracket-busters in NCAA Tournament history. Two days after
winning in Dayton, the Knights upset Purdue, only the second time in
history a No. 16 seed beat a No 1 seed. Eight teams begin their NCAA
Tournament journey on Tuesday and Wednesday nights, hoping to be the
next team to start in Dayton and do some bracket busting. Wagner
faces Howard on Tuesday night, followed by Colorado State against
Virginia. On Wednesday, Grambling plays Montana State, and Colorado
draws Boise State.UNDATED (AP) — It
is time to fill out those NCAA Tournament brackets with the arrival
of March Madness. Duke statistics Professor Ezra Miller says an
informed fan has perhaps a 1 in 2 billion chance at picking a perfect
ballot. Experts say artificial intelligence has been used by
bracketologists for years and is always evolving. But AI is no
guarantee of success and doesn't provide some of the critical
thinking on details by human beings. The experts say finding the
balance between statistical modeling and intuition is ongoing in the
hunt for bracket perfection.LAS VEGAS (AP) —
Bettors expect a lot of upsets in this year's NCAA Tournament. They
are placing wagers on long shots to win. The First Four is Tuesday
and Wednesday in Dayton, Ohio. The tournament begins in full
Thursday. Recent history has shown some of those fliers can turn into
big money. Saint Peter’s made the Sweet 16 two years ago as a No.
15 seed. Last year’s Final Four included a very un-blue-blooded San
Diego State, Florida Atlantic and Miami.UNDATED (AP) — A
person familiar with the negotiations tells The Associated Press that
two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell and the San Francisco
Giants have agreed to a $62 million, two-year contract. Snell has the
right to opt out after this season and become a free agent. A
30-year-old left-hander, Snell is 71-55 with a 3.20 ERA in 191 starts
over eight major league seasons, winning Cy Youngs in 2018 with Tampa
Bay and last year with San Diego.SEOUL, South Korea
(AP) — The Dodgers are paying $700 million for Shohei Ohtani. That
means his loyal fans in Japan will be paying big time for his
merchandise. A store called Selection in Tokyo's Shijuku area sells
gear for all 30 MLB teams, but store employees say about 60-70% of
the sales are for Dodgers gear, or Ohtani-specific gear. And it's not
cheap. One Dodgers cap with Ohtani's signature on the side and his
No. 17 goes for $150. A Dodgers uniform top sells for about $500. If
you want a baseball that Ohtani threw last year in an MLB game, that
will be $22,000.FRISCO, Texas (AP) —
A person with knowledge of the move says the Dallas Cowboys are
slightly reducing quarterback Dak Prescott’s massive salary cap hit
by reworking his contract going into the final year of the deal. A $5
million roster bonus has been converted into a signing bonus to
reduce the 2024 cap hit by $4 million. It's now at $55 million. The
Cowboys can create more salary cap relief with an extension for
Prescott. He is coming off a wild-card loss at home to Green Bay that
dropped his playoff record to 2-5.PONTE VEDRA BEACH,
Fla. (AP) — Golf is always searching for the next Tiger Woods.
Scottie Scheffler is the next candidate. The world's No. 1 player
left little doubt when he became the first back-to-back winner of The
Players Championship. His lead atop the world ranking is the biggest
in seven years. His consistency and nine worldwide wins in the last
25 months is what gets people talking. Scheffler was quick to point
out that while he has been No. 1 for a total of 78 weeks, Woods was
No. 1 for just over 13 years. Scheffler says to be mentioned
alongside Woods is special.MONDAY SCORESMAJOR LEAGUE
BASEBALLINTERLEAGUEFinal	N.Y.
Yankees	4	Philadelphia	3	Final	Tampa
Bay	7	Atlanta	3	Final	Miami	6	Houston	5	Final	Milwaukee	4	L.A.
Angels	3	Final	Washington	10	Houston	1	Final	L.A.
Dodgers	5	Korea	2	Final	Oakland	3	Arizona	3	AMERICAN LEAGUEFinal	Minnesota	5	Boston	2	Final	Seattle	9	Texas	5	Final	Cleveland	8	Chicago
White Sox	5	NATIONAL LEAGUEFinal	Pittsburgh	11	Philadelphia	2	Final	San
Francisco	4	Cincinnati	2	NATIONAL
BASKETBALL ASSOCIATIONFinal	Cleveland	108	Indiana	103	Final	Boston	119	Detroit	94	Final	Philadelphia	98	Miami	91	Final	Chicago	110	Portland	107	Final	Minnesota	114	Utah	104	Final	New
York	119	Golden State	112	Final	L.A.
Lakers	136	Atlanta	105	Final
OT	Sacramento	121	Memphis	111	NATIONAL HOCKEY
LEAGUEFinal	Washington	5	Calgary	2

Tuesday Sports Headlines and Scores presented by Barton Community College

CHICAGO (AP) — The St. Louis Cardinals signed Sonny Gray, Lance Lynn and Kyle Gibson. The Chicago Cubs added Shota Imanaga and Héctor Neris. Even the Cincinnati Reds and Pittsburgh Pirates jumped into free agency.

There are no tanking teams in the NL Central right now, making for a wide-open landscape in a division that was captured by St. Louis or Milwaukee in five of the past six years.

It was Milwaukee's turn in 2023, finishing nine games ahead of second-place Chicago. But the top of the Brewers' rotation took a hit when Corbin Burnes was traded to Baltimore and Brandon Woodruff had shoulder surgery.

That problem belongs to Pat Murphy, who was promoted to manager after Craig Counsell departed for Chicago in a move that adds a little spice to one of the division's best rivalries.

"Glad he’s on our side now,” Cubs outfielder Ian Happ said of his new skipper.

Cincinnati was in the mix for a playoff spot in 2023 before fading to an 82-80 record. The Reds then strengthened their pitching staff by signing Frankie Montas, Nick Martinez and Emilio Pagán.

Even Pittsburgh got into the act, adding reliever Aroldis Chapman and left-hander Martín Pérez, and bringing back Andrew McCutchen on a one-year contract.

The Reds last won the division in 2012. The Pirates have never won the NL Central; their last division title happened in the NL East in 1992.

1.) Chicago Cubs. With the additions of Counsell and Imanaga, along with the return of Cody Bellinger, it was a very good offseason for Cubs President of Baseball Operations Jed Hoyer. Imanaga is a Japanese left-hander with an impressive arsenal that should help ease his transition to the majors. He steps into a rotation fronted by Justin Steele, who went 16-5 with a 3.06 ERA last year in a breakout performance. Bellinger is looking to prove himself once again after he hit a career-best .307 with 26 homers and 97 RBIs in his first season in Chicago. Michael Busch was acquired in a January trade with the Dodgers, and the Cubs are hoping the young infielder is ready for a regular role. The big variable for Chicago is Christopher Morel, a streaky slugger who blasted 26 homers last season but also struck out 133 times in 107 games.

2.) Cincinnati Reds. Cincinnati's promising young infield, led by Elly De La Cruz and Matt McLain, took a hit when Noelvi Marte was suspended for 80 games after testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance. But the Reds have several different ways to replace Marte while he is out. Jeimer Candelario signed with the team in free agency, and 2021 NL Rookie of the Year Jonathan India also could be a factor in the infield alignment. Injuries for Hunter Greene, Nick Lodolo and Graham Ashcraft turned Cincinnati’s rotation into a patchwork mess last season, but Andrew Abbott and Brandon Williamson gained some valuable experience that could pay off this time around. Montas also joins the rotation after an injury-decimated stint with the Yankees.

3.) St. Louis Cardinals. It's hard to imagine the vaunted Cardinals repeating their lackluster performance from last season. St. Louis went 71-91 in 2023 and finished last in the NL Central. It was the franchise's first losing record since it went 78-84 in 2007. Its rotation had a 5.08 ERA, and that was the Cardinals' biggest focus in the offseason. Gray cashed in with a $75 million, three-year contract after he had a 2.79 ERA in 32 starts with Minnesota. Lynn and Gibson each got a one-year deal. But each of the three right-handers is on the wrong side of 34, and Lynn surrendered a major league-high 44 homers in 32 starts last year. Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado are back to help anchor the lineup, and Jordan Walker could be even better after a solid rookie season.

4.) Milwaukee Brewers. Rhys Hoskins fills a hole at first base after signing a $34 million, two-year contract in free agency. Also worth watching is an athletic group of young position players that includes Jackson Chourio, Garrett Mitchell, Sal Frelick and Brice Turang. Mitchell, Frelick and Turang are former first-round picks in the amateur draft, and the 20-year-old Chourio is one of baseball's top prospects. Following the Burnes trade and Woodruff's injury, Freddy Peralta is the team's top starting pitcher. The right-hander went 12-10 with a 3.86 ERA in a career-high 30 starts last year. Wade Miley was brought back on a one-year contract, but the veteran lefty has been slowed by injuries. If the Brewers stumble early on, closer Devin Williams and shortstop Willy Adames could be two of the top names on the market ahead of the trade deadline. Williams will begin the season on the injured list because of two stress fractures in his back.

5.) Pittsburgh Pirates. With Oneil Cruz, Ke'Bryan Hayes and Henry Davis, the Pirates have the beginning of what they hope becomes a solid young core. Cruz is looking for a healthy campaign after he missed most of last season with a fractured left ankle. Hayes continued his development in 2023, winning his first Gold Glove at third base while batting .271 with a career-best 15 homers and 61 RBIs. Davis, a catcher and right fielder, was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 amateur draft. Marco Gonzales was acquired in a trade with Atlanta in December, putting another veteran arm in the rotation behind All-Star right-hander Mitch Keller.

Milwaukee made the playoffs in five of the previous six years, and it doesn't sound as if the team cares all that much about possibly being underestimated going into this season.

“I definitely think we’re going to be a competitive team this year," outfielder Christian Yelich said. “Even when we’ve been good the last few years, no one ever picks us to be good just because we’re the Brewers.”

Pittsburgh took Paul Skenes with the No. 1 pick in last year's amateur draft, and the 6-foot-6 right-hander could make his big league debut this season.

Skenes, 21, helped LSU win the 2023 College World Series, going 13-2 with a 1.69 ERA and 209 strikeouts in 122 2/3 innings. He pitched in five minor league games last summer over three levels, allowing four runs in 6 2/3 innings.

CHICAGO (AP) — The St. Louis Cardinals signed Sonny Gray, Lance Lynn and Kyle Gibson. The Chicago Cubs added Shota Imanaga and Héctor Neris. Even the Cincinnati Reds and Pittsburgh Pirates jumped into free agency.There are no tanking teams in the NL Central right now, making for a wide-open landscape in a division that was captured by St. Louis or Milwaukee in five of the past six years.It was Milwaukee's turn in 2023, finishing nine games ahead of second-place Chicago. But the top of the Brewers' rotation took a hit when Corbin Burnes was traded to Baltimore and Brandon Woodruff had shoulder surgery.That problem belongs to Pat Murphy, who was promoted to manager after Craig Counsell departed for Chicago in a move that adds a little spice to one of the division's best rivalries."Glad he’s on our side now,” Cubs outfielder Ian Happ said of his new skipper.Cincinnati was in the mix for a playoff spot in 2023 before fading to an 82-80 record. The Reds then strengthened their pitching staff by signing Frankie Montas, Nick Martinez and Emilio Pagán.Even Pittsburgh got into the act, adding reliever Aroldis Chapman and left-hander Martín Pérez, and bringing back Andrew McCutchen on a one-year contract.The Reds last won the division in 2012. The Pirates have never won the NL Central; their last division title happened in the NL East in 1992.HOW THEY PROJECT1.) Chicago Cubs. With the additions of Counsell and Imanaga, along with the return of Cody Bellinger, it was a very good offseason for Cubs President of Baseball Operations Jed Hoyer. Imanaga is a Japanese left-hander with an impressive arsenal that should help ease his transition to the majors. He steps into a rotation fronted by Justin Steele, who went 16-5 with a 3.06 ERA last year in a breakout performance. Bellinger is looking to prove himself once again after he hit a career-best .307 with 26 homers and 97 RBIs in his first season in Chicago. Michael Busch was acquired in a January trade with the Dodgers, and the Cubs are hoping the young infielder is ready for a regular role. The big variable for Chicago is Christopher Morel, a streaky slugger who blasted 26 homers last season but also struck out 133 times in 107 games.2.) Cincinnati Reds. Cincinnati's promising young infield, led by Elly De La Cruz and Matt McLain, took a hit when Noelvi Marte was suspended for 80 games after testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance. But the Reds have several different ways to replace Marte while he is out. Jeimer Candelario signed with the team in free agency, and 2021 NL Rookie of the Year Jonathan India also could be a factor in the infield alignment. Injuries for Hunter Greene, Nick Lodolo and Graham Ashcraft turned Cincinnati’s rotation into a patchwork mess last season, but Andrew Abbott and Brandon Williamson gained some valuable experience that could pay off this time around. Montas also joins the rotation after an injury-decimated stint with the Yankees.3.) St. Louis Cardinals. It's hard to imagine the vaunted Cardinals repeating their lackluster performance from last season. St. Louis went 71-91 in 2023 and finished last in the NL Central. It was the franchise's first losing record since it went 78-84 in 2007. Its rotation had a 5.08 ERA, and that was the Cardinals' biggest focus in the offseason. Gray cashed in with a $75 million, three-year contract after he had a 2.79 ERA in 32 starts with Minnesota. Lynn and Gibson each got a one-year deal. But each of the three right-handers is on the wrong side of 34, and Lynn surrendered a major league-high 44 homers in 32 starts last year. Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado are back to help anchor the lineup, and Jordan Walker could be even better after a solid rookie season.4.) Milwaukee Brewers. Rhys Hoskins fills a hole at first base after signing a $34 million, two-year contract in free agency. Also worth watching is an athletic group of young position players that includes Jackson Chourio, Garrett Mitchell, Sal Frelick and Brice Turang. Mitchell, Frelick and Turang are former first-round picks in the amateur draft, and the 20-year-old Chourio is one of baseball's top prospects. Following the Burnes trade and Woodruff's injury, Freddy Peralta is the team's top starting pitcher. The right-hander went 12-10 with a 3.86 ERA in a career-high 30 starts last year. Wade Miley was brought back on a one-year contract, but the veteran lefty has been slowed by injuries. If the Brewers stumble early on, closer Devin Williams and shortstop Willy Adames could be two of the top names on the market ahead of the trade deadline. Williams will begin the season on the injured list because of two stress fractures in his back.5.) Pittsburgh Pirates. With Oneil Cruz, Ke'Bryan Hayes and Henry Davis, the Pirates have the beginning of what they hope becomes a solid young core. Cruz is looking for a healthy campaign after he missed most of last season with a fractured left ankle. Hayes continued his development in 2023, winning his first Gold Glove at third base while batting .271 with a career-best 15 homers and 61 RBIs. Davis, a catcher and right fielder, was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 amateur draft. Marco Gonzales was acquired in a trade with Atlanta in December, putting another veteran arm in the rotation behind All-Star right-hander Mitch Keller.NO RESPECTMilwaukee made the playoffs in five of the previous six years, and it doesn't sound as if the team cares all that much about possibly being underestimated going into this season.“I definitely think we’re going to be a competitive team this year," outfielder Christian Yelich said. “Even when we’ve been good the last few years, no one ever picks us to be good just because we’re the Brewers.”WAITING IN THE WINGSPittsburgh took Paul Skenes with the No. 1 pick in last year's amateur draft, and the 6-foot-6 right-hander could make his big league debut this season.Skenes, 21, helped LSU win the 2023 College World Series, going 13-2 with a 1.69 ERA and 209 strikeouts in 122 2/3 innings. He pitched in five minor league games last summer over three levels, allowing four runs in 6 2/3 innings.

NL Central Preview: Cardinals, Cubs and Reds at the front of wide-open division

By DAVE SKRETTA AP Basketball Writer

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Bill Self was downright curious to see what Kansas would look like in the Big 12 Tournament when injuries to Hunter Dickinson and fellow All-American candidate Kevin McCullar Jr. ruled them out for the games in Kansas City.

Turned out to be game — singular — because the undersized, depth-challenged Jayhawks were blown out by 20 by Cincinnati before they could even unpack their bags. And as curious as Self might have been last week, the game underscored just how little he wants to put a team on the floor without Dickinson and McCullar for the NCAA Tournament this week.

“Gosh dang it, if we can get whole we can play with anybody. We’ve proven that,” said Self, whose team is seeded fourth in the Midwest Region and stuck with a tough opening game against No. 13 seed Samford on Thursday in Salt Lake City.

Problem is the Jayhawks have not been healthy in a while. While the shoulder injury that sidelined Dickinson occurred just over a week ago in a 30-point loss to Houston, the knee injury that benched McCullar has been lingering for weeks.

The 7-foot Dickinson did some non-contact work over the weekend, and Self expected to put in a full practice Monday and be ready for the NCAA tourney. He also was optimistic — though far from certain — that McCullar would be able to play.

“The entire game plan on (McCullar) was hopefully on Monday he can be good to go and if he’s not good to go, then he won’t be, and then we’ll hope on Tuesday. But I don’t know as much about Kevin as I do Hunt,” Self said. “When we get Hunter back, I think he automatically gives you confidence. He’s different that way, and he’ll give us more this time of year than ever.”

The Jayhawks aren't the only team fretting their health, though. Whether it's top-seeded teams such as Purdue and Houston or bubble teams such as Colorado and Northwestern, many of their NCAA tourney hopes could rest with the training room.

Houston lost Terrance Arceneaux to a torn Achilles tendon in December, Ramon Walker Jr. to a torn meniscus in February and Joseph Tugler to a broken bone in his foot a week later. So, the Cougars' front line already was thin even before J'Wan Roberts hurt his right leg in their Big 12 semifinal win over Texas Tech. Roberts started the title game against Iowa State but did not play in the second half, when the Cougars were clobbered 69-41 on Saturday night.

Purdue, which like Houston earned a No. 1 seed, will be closely monitoring the calf of All-Big Ten guard Braden Smith. He hurt it in a conference quarterfinal win over Michigan State but did not appear too bothered by it in a semifinal loss to Wisconsin.

“He’s a tough guy,” said Zach Edey, the Boilermakers' all-everything center. “I’ve never questioned if he’s going to play, if he’s going to be fine. In high school, he played like, half a season with a broken foot. He can go through pain. I have trust in him."

Tyler Kolek has missed six straight games for Marquette, seeded second in the South Region, since the All-American guard hurt his oblique against Providence on Feb. 28. That includes all three games the Golden Eagles played in the Big East tourney.

“The plan is for him to play,” said Marquette coach Shaka Smart, whose team faces No. 15 seed Western Kentucky on Friday in Indianapolis, “but he’s got to go through a progression this week.”

The Golden Eagles also will be monitoring the status of big man Oso Ighodaro, who did not play down the stretch against UConn in the Big East title game after banging his left knee, and guard Stevie Mitchell, who has played through a shoulder injury.

Texas Tech, seeded sixth in the South, has been without 7-foot center Warren Washington for a month because of a foot injury, while Darrion Williams hurt his ankle in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 tourney against BYU. Williams tried warming before the semifinals but did not play in the lopsided loss to Houston.

Meanwhile, BYU forward Aly Khalifa hurt his ankle in the second half of its loss to the Red Raiders. The Cougars, seeded sixth in the East, already had been without Mark Adams Jr. and Dawson Baker for most of the season because of injuries.

Colorado will play Boise State in a First Four game Tuesday night unsure of the status of guard Julian Hammond III (knee) and forward Cody Williams (ankle). The winner of that game will play No. 7 seed Florida, which lost Micah Handlogten to a broken leg in the opening minutes of the Gators' SEC final loss to Auburn on Sunday.

Ninth-seeded Northwestern, missing guard Ty Berry after a season-ending meniscus tear, hopes Matthew Nicholson is available against No. 8 seed FAU on Friday in New York. The center has been dealing with a foot injury the past two weeks.

Nevada was waylaid by the flu bug ahead of the Mountain West Tournament last week — Wolf Pack coach Steve Alford guessed five or six players had it. They are all healthy, though guard Hunter McIntosh remains iffy with a knee injury.

By DAVE SKRETTA AP Basketball WriterLAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Bill Self was downright curious to see what Kansas would look like in the Big 12 Tournament when injuries to Hunter Dickinson and fellow All-American candidate Kevin McCullar Jr. ruled them out for the games in Kansas City.Turned out to be game — singular — because the undersized, depth-challenged Jayhawks were blown out by 20 by Cincinnati before they could even unpack their bags. And as curious as Self might have been last week, the game underscored just how little he wants to put a team on the floor without Dickinson and McCullar for the NCAA Tournament this week.“Gosh dang it, if we can get whole we can play with anybody. We’ve proven that,” said Self, whose team is seeded fourth in the Midwest Region and stuck with a tough opening game against No. 13 seed Samford on Thursday in Salt Lake City.Problem is the Jayhawks have not been healthy in a while. While the shoulder injury that sidelined Dickinson occurred just over a week ago in a 30-point loss to Houston, the knee injury that benched McCullar has been lingering for weeks.The 7-foot Dickinson did some non-contact work over the weekend, and Self expected to put in a full practice Monday and be ready for the NCAA tourney. He also was optimistic — though far from certain — that McCullar would be able to play.“The entire game plan on (McCullar) was hopefully on Monday he can be good to go and if he’s not good to go, then he won’t be, and then we’ll hope on Tuesday. But I don’t know as much about Kevin as I do Hunt,” Self said. “When we get Hunter back, I think he automatically gives you confidence. He’s different that way, and he’ll give us more this time of year than ever.”The Jayhawks aren't the only team fretting their health, though. Whether it's top-seeded teams such as Purdue and Houston or bubble teams such as Colorado and Northwestern, many of their NCAA tourney hopes could rest with the training room.NO. 1 SEED SITUATIONSHouston lost Terrance Arceneaux to a torn Achilles tendon in December, Ramon Walker Jr. to a torn meniscus in February and Joseph Tugler to a broken bone in his foot a week later. So, the Cougars' front line already was thin even before J'Wan Roberts hurt his right leg in their Big 12 semifinal win over Texas Tech. Roberts started the title game against Iowa State but did not play in the second half, when the Cougars were clobbered 69-41 on Saturday night.Purdue, which like Houston earned a No. 1 seed, will be closely monitoring the calf of All-Big Ten guard Braden Smith. He hurt it in a conference quarterfinal win over Michigan State but did not appear too bothered by it in a semifinal loss to Wisconsin.“He’s a tough guy,” said Zach Edey, the Boilermakers' all-everything center. “I’ve never questioned if he’s going to play, if he’s going to be fine. In high school, he played like, half a season with a broken foot. He can go through pain. I have trust in him."MARQUETTE'S MISERYTyler Kolek has missed six straight games for Marquette, seeded second in the South Region, since the All-American guard hurt his oblique against Providence on Feb. 28. That includes all three games the Golden Eagles played in the Big East tourney.“The plan is for him to play,” said Marquette coach Shaka Smart, whose team faces No. 15 seed Western Kentucky on Friday in Indianapolis, “but he’s got to go through a progression this week.”The Golden Eagles also will be monitoring the status of big man Oso Ighodaro, who did not play down the stretch against UConn in the Big East title game after banging his left knee, and guard Stevie Mitchell, who has played through a shoulder injury.BIG 12 BUMMINGTexas Tech, seeded sixth in the South, has been without 7-foot center Warren Washington for a month because of a foot injury, while Darrion Williams hurt his ankle in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 tourney against BYU. Williams tried warming before the semifinals but did not play in the lopsided loss to Houston.Meanwhile, BYU forward Aly Khalifa hurt his ankle in the second half of its loss to the Red Raiders. The Cougars, seeded sixth in the East, already had been without Mark Adams Jr. and Dawson Baker for most of the season because of injuries.OTHER INJURY OUTLOOKSColorado will play Boise State in a First Four game Tuesday night unsure of the status of guard Julian Hammond III (knee) and forward Cody Williams (ankle). The winner of that game will play No. 7 seed Florida, which lost Micah Handlogten to a broken leg in the opening minutes of the Gators' SEC final loss to Auburn on Sunday.Ninth-seeded Northwestern, missing guard Ty Berry after a season-ending meniscus tear, hopes Matthew Nicholson is available against No. 8 seed FAU on Friday in New York. The center has been dealing with a foot injury the past two weeks.Nevada was waylaid by the flu bug ahead of the Mountain West Tournament last week — Wolf Pack coach Steve Alford guessed five or six players had it. They are all healthy, though guard Hunter McIntosh remains iffy with a knee injury.

From ailing Jayhawks to injured Eagles, health could help to decide this year's NCAA Tournament

- Barton Baseball coach Brent Biggs recaps the Cougars four game weekend series with the Colby Trojans.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1693997740304.jpeg" alt="Monday show lineup with hosts Steve Webster, Mike Courson, Aaron Clark, and Mike Hesher" />
 <figcaption>Monday show lineup with hosts Steve Webster, Mike Courson, Aaron Clark, and Mike Hesher</figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/T91I03Sg6B8?si=oH-RXNPpHdcOH0X5" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>- Barton Baseball coach Brent Biggs recaps the Cougars four game weekend series with the Colby Trojans.- Great Bend Tribune's Jim Misunas- Weekend Sports Headlines- Sounds of the past 24-hours

Monday on Sports Day (Watch)

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State was rewarded for a successful season on Sunday night, as the Wildcats earned their eighth bid to the National Invitational Tournament (NIT) and first since 2009.

K-State (19-14, 8-10 Big 12) received an at-large bid and will play No. 3 seed Iowa (18-14, 10-10 Big Ten) in the first round at 8 p.m., CT on Tuesday, March 19 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa. The winner will advance to play the winner of No. 2 seed and future Big 12 member Utah (19-14, 9-11 Pac-12) and Big West regular-season champion UC Irvine (24-9, 17-3 Big West) on Saturday, March 23 or Sunday, March 24.

The Wildcats are joined in the 8-team bracket by top-seed Villanova (18-15), 2-seed Utah (19-14), 3-seed Iowa (18-14) and 4-seed UCF (17-15), which will all host first-round games. In addition to the games between K-State and Iowa and Utah and UC Irvine, Villanova will host VCU (22-13) and UCF will host South Florida (24-7).

K-State is making its 40th postseason appearance, which includes 32 in the NCAA Tournament and eight in the Postseason NIT. The Wildcats have now advanced to the postseason 13 times in the last 18 seasons (10 trips to the NCAA Tournament and three to the NIT). It is the second straight postseason bid under head coach Jerome Tang.

The Wildcats were one of 20 at-large selections to the NIT, as conference mates Cincinnati (20-14) and UCF (17-15) received the Big 12's two automatic bids as the teams with the highest NET ratings.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710759233679.jpeg" alt="Kansas State Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Kansas State Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State was rewarded for a successful season on Sunday night, as the Wildcats earned their eighth bid to the National Invitational Tournament (NIT) and first since 2009.K-State (19-14, 8-10 Big 12) received an at-large bid and will play No. 3 seed Iowa (18-14, 10-10 Big Ten) in the first round at 8 p.m., CT on Tuesday, March 19 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa. The winner will advance to play the winner of No. 2 seed and future Big 12 member Utah (19-14, 9-11 Pac-12) and Big West regular-season champion UC Irvine (24-9, 17-3 Big West) on Saturday, March 23 or Sunday, March 24.The Wildcats are joined in the 8-team bracket by top-seed Villanova (18-15), 2-seed Utah (19-14), 3-seed Iowa (18-14) and 4-seed UCF (17-15), which will all host first-round games. In addition to the games between K-State and Iowa and Utah and UC Irvine, Villanova will host VCU (22-13) and UCF will host South Florida (24-7).K-State is making its 40th postseason appearance, which includes 32 in the NCAA Tournament and eight in the Postseason NIT. The Wildcats have now advanced to the postseason 13 times in the last 18 seasons (10 trips to the NCAA Tournament and three to the NIT). It is the second straight postseason bid under head coach Jerome Tang.The Wildcats were one of 20 at-large selections to the NIT, as conference mates Cincinnati (20-14) and UCF (17-15) received the Big 12's two automatic bids as the teams with the highest NET ratings.

K-State Earns NIT Bid; to Play Iowa on Tuesday

MANHATTAN, Kansas – Following one of the best seasons in program history, Kansas State women's basketball was rewarded with an at-large bid and to host the first and second rounds in Manhattan at Bramlage Coliseum for the 2024 NCAA Tournament during Sunday night's NCAA Women's Basketball Selection Show on ESPN. This is the program's 18th NCAA Tournament appearance in school history and the fifth under the direction of head coach Jeff Mittie.

Tickets for K-State's first round matchup with Portland are available now at kstatesports.com/tickets. The K-State Athletics Ticket Office opens on Monday at 8:30 a.m., and orders can also be made by calling the K-State Ticket Office at (800) 221-CATS or stopping by the ticket office inside Bramlage Coliseum. All ticket orders will be distributed as a digital ticket.

K-State (25-7, 13-5 Big 12) was chosen as a No. 4 seed in the Albany 2 regional and will be opposed by No. 13 seed Portland (21-12, 10-6 WCC). The game will be played on Friday with a time and broadcast information announced on Monday. The contest will be available on the K-State Sports Network, including the flagship stations Sunny 102.5 and 1350 KMAN and free live audio on kstatesports.com and on the K-State Sports app.

K-State and Portland will meet for the first time. The last time the Wildcats faced a member of the West Coast Conference came on December 29, 2007, at Loyola Marymount, a 70-47 K-State win.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710758942681.png" alt="Kansas State Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Kansas State Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>MANHATTAN, Kansas – Following one of the best seasons in program history, Kansas State women's basketball was rewarded with an at-large bid and to host the first and second rounds in Manhattan at Bramlage Coliseum for the 2024 NCAA Tournament during Sunday night's NCAA Women's Basketball Selection Show on ESPN. This is the program's 18th NCAA Tournament appearance in school history and the fifth under the direction of head coach Jeff Mittie.Tickets for K-State's first round matchup with Portland are available now at kstatesports.com/tickets. The K-State Athletics Ticket Office opens on Monday at 8:30 a.m., and orders can also be made by calling the K-State Ticket Office at (800) 221-CATS or stopping by the ticket office inside Bramlage Coliseum. All ticket orders will be distributed as a digital ticket.K-State (25-7, 13-5 Big 12) was chosen as a No. 4 seed in the Albany 2 regional and will be opposed by No. 13 seed Portland (21-12, 10-6 WCC). The game will be played on Friday with a time and broadcast information announced on Monday. The contest will be available on the K-State Sports Network, including the flagship stations Sunny 102.5 and 1350 KMAN and free live audio on kstatesports.com and on the K-State Sports app.K-State and Portland will meet for the first time. The last time the Wildcats faced a member of the West Coast Conference came on December 29, 2007, at Loyola Marymount, a 70-47 K-State win.

K-State Women’s Basketball Selected for 2024 NCAA Tournament

LAWRENCE, Kan. –&nbsp;Kansas enters the 2024 NCAA Tournament as the No. 4 seed in the Midwest Region of the NCAA Tournament, marking its 51st&nbsp;all-time appearance.

Kansas will play Samford in the first round on Thursday, March 21, at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. Tip-off is set for 8:55 p.m. CT on TBS.

Playing as the No. 4 seed for the 14th&nbsp;time in program history, Kansas enters the NCAA Tournament with a 22-10 overall record, including a 10-8 Big 12 mark which finished fifth in the Big 12 in 2023-24. The Jayhawks are 8-5 as a No. 4 seed all-time, including 6-1 against No. 13 seeds.

Kansas will play in the NCAA Midwest Region for the second time in three seasons. Kansas is 45-5 in the NCAA Tournament First Round all-time, while it will be the first-ever meeting between Kansas and Samford. Kansas holds a 111-49 record in the NCAA Tournament all-time.

Kansas will take on Samford, winners of the Southern Conference Tournament (SoCon) with a 76-69 win over East Tennessee State University on March 11. Samford enters the NCAA Tournament with a 29-5 overall record and 15-3 record in conference play. It’s Sanford’s first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2000.

Samford, located in Birmingham, Alabama, is under fourth-year head coach Bucky McMillan, who holds a 77-40 record over his career. McMillan was named the SoCon Coach of the Year after leading Samford to a program-record 29-win season in 2023-2024.

Samford is led by First-Team All-SoCon forward Achor Achor, who averaged 15.8 points per game on 60% from the field and 45% from beyond the arc. Samford enters Thursday’s game after winning four-straight games with its last loss coming to Wofford on Feb. 28.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710758717147.jpeg" alt="Kansas Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>LAWRENCE, Kan. –&nbsp;Kansas enters the 2024 NCAA Tournament as the No. 4 seed in the Midwest Region of the NCAA Tournament, marking its 51st&nbsp;all-time appearance.Kansas will play Samford in the first round on Thursday, March 21, at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. Tip-off is set for 8:55 p.m. CT on TBS.Playing as the No. 4 seed for the 14th&nbsp;time in program history, Kansas enters the NCAA Tournament with a 22-10 overall record, including a 10-8 Big 12 mark which finished fifth in the Big 12 in 2023-24. The Jayhawks are 8-5 as a No. 4 seed all-time, including 6-1 against No. 13 seeds.Kansas will play in the NCAA Midwest Region for the second time in three seasons. Kansas is 45-5 in the NCAA Tournament First Round all-time, while it will be the first-ever meeting between Kansas and Samford. Kansas holds a 111-49 record in the NCAA Tournament all-time.Kansas will take on Samford, winners of the Southern Conference Tournament (SoCon) with a 76-69 win over East Tennessee State University on March 11. Samford enters the NCAA Tournament with a 29-5 overall record and 15-3 record in conference play. It’s Sanford’s first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2000.Samford, located in Birmingham, Alabama, is under fourth-year head coach Bucky McMillan, who holds a 77-40 record over his career. McMillan was named the SoCon Coach of the Year after leading Samford to a program-record 29-win season in 2023-2024.Samford is led by First-Team All-SoCon forward Achor Achor, who averaged 15.8 points per game on 60% from the field and 45% from beyond the arc. Samford enters Thursday’s game after winning four-straight games with its last loss coming to Wofford on Feb. 28.

(4) Kansas to Play (13) Samford in NCAA Tournament First Round

By EDDIE PELLS AP National Writer

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

About the closest thing to a sure thing: UConn.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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