Sunday, March 30, 2014

Farewell, Old Philosopher

Eddie Lawrence, the comedian best remembered for his 1956 hit recording "The Old Philosopher," passed away last Tuesday (March 25) in Manhattan at age 95.

Mr. Lawrence also did the original voices for a pair of cartoon characters named Swifty and Shorty, the former being a chain-smoking con man who ends up being outsmarted by the latter, who was a short, bulbous patsy.  The series, produced in New York City by Paramount Cartoon Series, ran from 1964 to 1965.

However, it was a record recored in 1956 on Coral Records that put Eddie on the map:


He began the routine in a nasally whimper, a voice he later described as “sort of a crying Jolson.”
“Hiya, folks,” he said. “You say you lost your job today? You say it’s 4 a.m. and your kids ain’t come home from school yet? You say your wife went out for a corned beef sandwich last weekend — the corned beef sandwich came back but she didn’t? You say your furniture’s out all over the sidewalk cause you can’t pay the rent and you got chapped lips and paper cuts and your feet’s all swollen up and blistered from pounding the pavement looking for work? Is that’s what’s troubling you, fella?” Then, as banal background music gave way to a marching band, Mr. Lawrence abandoned the whimper for a bellow.
“Lift your head up high!” he thundered. “Take a walk in the sun with that dignity and stick-to-it-iveness, and you’ll show the world, you’ll show them where to get off. You’ll never give up, never give up, never give up — that ship!”



Here's Eddie in a 1991 performance.







Thanks for the memories, Old Philosopher.  And Rest In Peace.

NCAA Midwest: Aaron Harrison's 3-Pointer Sinks Wolverines, Sends Kentucky To Arlington

At Indianapolis:

At Lucas Oil Stadium on Sunday, Aaron Harrison sank a three-point shot from NBA range with 2.3 second remaining in regulation as the eighth-seeded Kentucky Wildcats (28-10) upended the second-seeded Michigan Wolverines (28-9) 75-72 to capture the final of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament's Midwest Regional and a berth in the Final Four where they will face the Wisconsin Badgers at AT&T Stadium in Arlington Texas this coming Saturday (5:49 PM Pacific Time, TBS) in a national semifinal.  Julius Randle paced the Wildcats with 16 points and grabbed 11 rebounds while Nik Stauskas topped the Wolverines with 24 points.


NCAA East: UConn Bests Spartans To Reach Final Four

At New York:

At Madison Square Garden on Sunday, Shabazz Napier scored 17 of his 25 points in the second half as the seventh-seeded Connecticut Huskies (30-8) rallied from a nine-point second-half deficit to defeat the fourth-seeded Michigan State Spartans (29-9) 60-54 to capture the final of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament's East Region and advance to the Final Four at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, where they will face the Florida Gators in a Saturday national semifinal contest (3:09PM Pacific Time, TBS).  Gary Harris scored 22 points to pace the Spartans.

Saturday, March 29, 2014

Timbers Fall On Road To Hoops In Chippy Clash

At Frisco, Texas:

Mauro Diaz scored the winning goal in the 84th minute on Saturday night as FC Dallas defeated the visiting Portland Timbers 2-1 in a contest that saw both clubs reduced to ten men as both the Timbers' Michael Harrington and the Hoops' Je-Vaughn Watson were each shown a straight red card in the 40th minute and were ejected.

The Timbers, still seeking their first win of the season, begin Cascadia Cup competition next Saturday when they host the Seattle Sounders at 12:00 Noon Pacific Time (NBC Sports Network).

NCAA West: Badgers Edge 'Zona In OT Thriller To Punch Ticket For Arlington

At Anaheim, California:

At the Honda Center on Saturday, Frank Kaminsky, who grabbed eleven rebounds, scored six of his 28 points in overtime as the second-seeded Wisconsin Badgers (30-7) gained their first Final Four appearance since 2000 with their 64-63 victory in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament's West Regional final over the top-seeded Arizona Wildcats (33-5) as Badgers' head coach Bo Ryan will be heading to his first Final Four after gaining his 704th career coaching victory.

NCAA South: Gators Win 30th Straight Game; Oust Flyers To Reach Final Four

At Memphis, Tennessee:

Scottie Wilbekin scored 23 points as the top-seeded (for region and overall) Florida Gators (36-2) outlasted the eleventh-seeded Dayton Flyers (26-11) 62-52 in Saturday's South Regional final in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament played at the FedExForum.  The victory was the Gators' 30th in a row and lifted them into their first Final Four since 2007, when they won the second of back-to-back national titles, this after watching their season end in the regional final in each of the last three years.

Friday, March 28, 2014

NCAA East: UConn Huskies Wear Down Cyclones; Spartans Outlast Top-Seeded Cavs

The NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament's East Regional took place on Friday with both games contested as Madison Square Garden, in New York City.

In the opener, the first NCAA Tournament contest to be played in New York since 1961, DeAndre Daniels, who grabbed 10 rebounds, scored 18 of his 26 points in the second half as the seventh-seeded Connecticut Huskies (29-8) held off third-seeded Iowa State (28-8), 81-76, despite a career-high 34 points from the Cyclones' Dustin Hogue.

In the nightcap, a 24-point, 10-rebound performance from Branden Dawson carried the fourth-seeded Michigan State Spartans (29-8) to a 61-59 victory over the top-seeded Virginia Cavaliers (30-7).

Michigan State will take on Connecticut in Sunday's East Regional final for a berth in the Final Four (11:20 AM Pacific Time, CBS).

NCAA Midwest: Wolverines Hold Off Pesky Vols; UK De-Thrones Louisville

The semifinal round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament's Midwest Regional took place on Friday with both games contested at Indianapolis' Lucas Oil Stadium:

In the opener, Jordan Morgan scored 15 points while Nik Stauskas added 14 as the second-seeded Michigan Wolverines (28-8) fought off the eleventh-seeded Tennessee Volunteers (24-13) 73-71, despite 24 points from the Vols' Jordan McRae.

Aaron Harrison scored 15 points while Julius Randle hit a pair of clutch free throws as the eighth-seeded Kentucky Wildcats (27-10) ousted the defending national champions, the fourth-seeded Louisville Cardinals (32-6) 74-69, despite 23 points from the Cardinals' Russ Smith.

Michigan will take on Kentucky in Sunday Midwest Regional final at Indianapolis for a berth in the final four (2:05 PM Pacific Time, CBS).

The Coppin State Eagles

Fangless.

Thursday, March 27, 2014

NCAA West: Badgers Dominate Baylor; Wildcats Hold Off Aztecs

The semifinal round of the West Region of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament took place on Thursday with both games contested at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California.

In the opener, Frank Kaminsky scored scored 19 points and blocked eight shots as the #2-seeded Wisconsin Badgers (29-7) coasted to a 69-52 victory over the #6-seeded Baylor Bears (26-12).

In the nightcap, Nick Johnson scored all of his 15 points in the final 2:45 seconds as the top-seeded Arizona Wildcats (33-4) rallied to defeat fourth-seeded San Diego State (31-5) 70-64, despite 25 points from the Aztecs' Xavier Thames.

Arizona and Wisconsin will battle for the West Regional title on Saturday in Anaheim (5:49 PM Pacific Time, TBS) with the winner heading to Arlington, Texas and the Final Four.

NCAA South: Flyers Knock Off Stanford, Reach First Elite Eight Since '84, Get Shot At Gators (Who Top UCLA To Make Fourth Straight Elite Eight Appearance)

The semifinal round of the South Region of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament was played on Thursday with both games contested at the FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee:

In the opener, Jordan Sibert scored 18 points while Kendall Pollard came off the bench to add a season-high 12 as the #11-seeded Dayton Flyers (26-10) defeated the #10-seeded Stanford Cardinal (23-13) 82-72 to reach the Elite Eight for the first time since 1984.

In the nightcap, Michael Frazier II scored 19 points (and made five three-point baskets) as the top-overall-seeded Florida Gators (35-2) racked up their 29th straight victory (continuing the longest winning streak in school history) 79-88 over the fourth-seeded UCLA Bruins (28-9).  The Gators advanced to their fourth consecutive regional final.

Florida will take on Dayton on Saturday (3:09 PM Pacific Time, TBS) in the South Regional final in Memphis with the winner advancing to the Final Four.

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Ralph Wilson, Founder And Owner Of The Buffalo Bills, Last Orignal Still-Active AFL Owner, R.I.P.

Ralph Wilson, the founder and owner of the NFL's Buffalo Bills, and the last original American Football League club owner still active, passed away at the age of 95.

The Bills announced Mr. Wilson's passing on Tuesday.

The Buffalo Bills were founded late in 1959 and began play in 1960.  Under Mr. Wilson's watch, the Bills won back-to-back AFL championships (1964-65) and four straight American Football Conference titles (1990-93) but never won a Super Bowl.

With Mr. Wilson gone, Barron Hilton, who founded the Los Angeles Chargers (who moved to San Diego in 1961) is now the only remaining surviving original AFL club owner.  Mr. Hilton sold the Chargers in 1966.

Mr. Wilson was elected to and enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2009.  The Bills' home stadium in suburban Orchard Park, New York bears his name.

Thunder Come Up Short Against Barnstormers

At Portland, Oregon:

In the lone Monday Arena Football League contest, the Iowa Barnstormers (1-1) defeated the home-standing Portland Thunder (0-2) 40-36, as Barnstormers quarterback Carson Coffman threw the game-winning touchdown pass to Darius Reynolds from 21 yards out with 53 seconds remaining in regulation.
The next Thunder game will find Portland paying a visit on the league's other expansion club, the Los Angeles Kiss on Saturday, April 5 at 7:00 PM Pacific Time (CBS Sports Network).

Sunday, March 23, 2014

NCAA East: Cyclones Knock Off Tar Heels; Cavs Cruise Past Memphis

Two games were played in the East Region of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament as action in the third round came to a close.

At San Antonio:

DeAndre Kane capped off a 24 -point, 10-rebound, seven-assist performance with his game-winning layup with 1.6 seconds remaining as the third-seeded Iowa State Hawkeyes (28-7), playing minus the injured Georges Niang, upended the sixth-seeded North Carolina Tar Heels (24-10) 85-83.

At Raleigh, North Carolina:

Joe Harris scored 16 points as the top-seeded Virginia Cavaliers (30-6) shot 56% from the field and dominated the eighth-seeded Memphis Tigers (24-10) 78-60 to reach their first Sweet Sixteen since 1995.



Match-ups for Friday's regional semifinal contests at New York City:

#3 Iowa State vs. #7 Connecticut, 4:27 PM Pacific Time (TBS)

#1 Virginia vs. #4 Michigan State, 6:57 PM Pacific Time (TBS)

The Friday winners will take on each other next Sunday at New York's Madison Square Garden for a berth in the Final Four.

NCAA Midwest: Shockers Unbeaten No More As Kentucky Upends Wichita State; Vols Too Much For Mercer

Two games were played in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament's Midwest Region as Round-of-32 play concluded.

At Raleigh, North Carolina:

Josh Richardson scored 26 points while Antonio Barton added 18 and Jarnell Stokes 17 (to go with a career-high-tying 18 rebounds) as the 11th-seeded Tennessee Volunteers (24-12) dominated the 14th-seeded Mercer Bears (27-9) 83-63.

At St. Louis:

Andrew Harrison scored 20 pints while Aaron Harrison added 19 and Julius Randle 13 (to go with his 10 rebounds) as the eighth-seeded Kentucky Wildcats (26-10) held off the top-seeded---and previously undefeated---Wichita State Shockers (35-1) 78-76.  Cleananthony Early scored 31 and Ron Baker added 20 for the Shockers, who still had a chance to pull out another victory, but Fred VanFleet's three-point try at the buzzer clanked off the rim.

Match-ups for Friday's regional semifinal contests as Indianapolis:

#2 Michigan vs. #11 Tennessee, 4:15 PM Pacific Time (CBS)

#4 Louisville vs. #8 Kentucky, 6:45 PM Pacific Time (CBS)

The Friday winners will face off at Indianapolis next Sunday for a berth in the Final Four.

NCAA West: 'Zona Too Much For Zags; Bears Too Much For Blue Jays, Too

Two games were played in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament's West Region as Round-of-32 play came to a conclusion.

At San Diego:

Aaron Gordon and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson each scored 18 points as the top-seeded Arizona Wildcats (32-4) dominated the eighth-seeded Gonzaga Bulldogs (29-7) 84-61.

At San Antonio:

Isaiah Austin and Brady Heslip each scored 17 points as the sixth-seeded Baylor Bears (26-11) blew out the third-seeded Creighton Blue Jays (27-8) 85-55.

Match-ups for Thursday's regional semifinals as Anaheim, California:

#2 Wisconsin vs. #6 Baylor, 4:47 PM Pacific Time (TBS)

#1 Arizona vs. #4 San Diego State, 7:14 PM Pacific Time (TBS)

The Thursday winners face off this coming Saturday in Anaheim for the West Region title and a Final Four berth.

NCAA South: Stanford Knock Off Kansas; Bruins Overpower Lumberjacks

Eight games were played on Sunday as the third round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament came to a close.  Two of the games were contested in the South Region.

At St. Louis:

Dwight Powell scored 15 points as the tenth-seeded Stanford Cardinal (23-12) upended the second-seeded Kansas Jayhawks (25-10) 60-57, holding the Jayhawks' freshman star Andrew Wiggins to four points.

At San Diego:

Jordan Adams scored 19 points as the #4-seeded UCLA Bruins (28-8) ran past the #12-seeded Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks (32-3) 77-60, despite 22 points and 11 rebounds from the 'Jacks' Thomas Walkup.

Match-ups for Thursday's regional semifinals at Memphis Tennessee:

#10 Stanford vs. #11 Dayton, 4:15 PM Pacific Time (CBS)

#1 Florida vs. #4 UCLA, 6:45 PM Pacific Time (CBS)

The two winners will face off this coming Saturday in Memphis for a berth in the Final Four.

Saturday, March 22, 2014

Timbers Fall To Rapids In Chilly Commerce City

At Commerce City, Colorado:

On a chilly, blustery, snowy Saturday, Vicente Sanchez (PK-73') and Deshorn Brown (75') provided the scoring as the Colorado Rapids blanked the visiting Portland Timbers 2-0 in a Major League Soccer contest that saw both clubs reduced to ten men.

Next Saturday, the Timbers will take on FC Dallas at Frisco, Texas (5:30 PM, Pacific Time, ROOT Sports Northwest).

NCAA East: Spartans Hold Off Harvard; UConn Downs 'Nova In Battle Of Old Big East Rivals

Two games in the third round of the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament were played on Saturday in the East Region.

At Spokane, Washington:

Branden Dawson scored a career-high 26 points and grabbed nine rebounds as the fourth-seeded Michigan State Spartans (28-8) held off the 12th-seeded Harvard Crimson (27-5) 80-73. Wesley Saunders paced the Ivy League champions with 22 points.

At Buffalo, New York:

Shabazz Napier scored 25 points as the seventh-seeded Connecticut Huskies (28-8) knocked off the second-seeded Villanova Wildcats (29-5) 77-65 in a battle of former Big East Conference rivals.

NCAA Midwest: Cardinals, Wolverines Advance

Two games were played in the Midwest Region of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament on Saturday in third-round action.

At Orlando, Florida:

Luke Hancock scored 21 points as the fourth-seeded Louisville Cardinals (31-5) held off the fifth-seeded Saint Louis Billikens (27-7), who were not helped by the fact they missed all 15 three-point shots, 66-51.

At Milwaukee:

Nik Stauskas scored 17 points while making four of his team's 14 three-point baskets as the second-seeded Michigan Wolverines (27-8) defeated the seventh-seeded Texas Longhorns (24-11) 79-65, despite 22 points from the 'Horns' Isiah Taylor.

NCAA West: Aztecs Down Bison To Advance; Badgers Overcome Double-Digit Halftime Deficit, End Ducks' Season

Two games were played in the West Region in the third round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament.

At Spokane, Washington:

Xavier Thames scored 30 points as the fourth-seeded San Diego State Aztecs (31-4) punched their ticket for their second-ever trip to the Sweet Sixteen after their 63-44 victory over the 12th-seeded North Dakota State Bison (26-7).

At Milwaukee:

Ben Brust hit a three-point shot with 67 seconds remaining as the second-seeded Wisconsin Badgers (28-7) came back from a 12-point halftime deficit to upend the seventh-seeded Oregon Ducks 85-77, offsetting Joseph Young's 29-point performance for the Ducks (24-10).  Frank Kaminsky scored 19 points to pace the Badgers.

NCAA South: Gators Dominate Pitt; Flyers Shock 'Cuse, Reach First Sweet 16 Since '84

Eight games were played on Saturday as the third round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament commenced.  Two of those games were contested in the South Region.

At Orlando, Florida:

Scottie Wilbekin scored 21 points as the top-seeded (both in the region and overall) Florida Gators (34-2) coasted to a 61-45 win over the ninth-seeded Pittsburgh Panthers (26-10) to reach the Sweet 16.

At Buffalo, New York:

Dyshawn Pierre scored 14 points while Jordan Sibert converted a key three-point shot with 47.7 second remaining in regulation as the eleventh-seeded Dayton Flyers (26-10) advanced to the Sweet 16 for the first time in 30 years with a 55-53 upset of third-seeded Syracuse Orangemen (28-6).

Friday, March 21, 2014

NCAA East: Tar Heels Survive Scare From Friars; Memphis, Cavs, Cyclones (Who Lose Georges Niang To Injury) Advance

Four games were played on Friday in the East Region of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament as second-round action continued.

At Raleigh, North Carolina:

In the opening game of two played at PNC Arena, Michael Dixon, Jr. scored 19 points (four of them on as many free throws in the final ten seconds) as the #8-seeded Memphis Tigers (24-9) held off the ninth-seeded George Washington Colonials (24-9) 71-66, despite 21 points from GW's Isaiah Armwood.

In the nightcap, Anthony Gill scored 17 points as the top-seeded Virginia Cavaliers (29-6) survived a scare from #16-seeded Coastal Carolina (21-13) 70-59.  The Cavaliers overcame a five-point halftime lead for the Chanticleers, outscoring the Big South champions who were playing their first NCAA Tournament match since 1993 40-24 in the second half.  Virginia will take on Memphis in Raleigh on Sunday.

At San Antonio:

In the first of two East Regional contests played at the AT&T Center, Marcus Paige scored 19 points while James Michael McAdoo added 16 (to go with his ten rebounds), hitting two free throws in the final 3.5 seconds as the #6-seeded North Carolina Tar Heels (24-9) narrowly avoided the upset bug that knocked out arch-rival Duke by holding off #11-seeded Providence (23-12) 79-77. Had the Tar Heels lost, it would have been the first time since 1979 that UNC and the Blue Devils lost in the NCAA Tournament on the same day.  Bryce Cotton paced the Friars with 38 points.

In the nightcap, the #3-seeded Iowa State Cyclones (27-7) ultimately ran away from #14-seeded North Carolina Central (28-6) 93-75.  Unfortunately for the Cyclones, Georges Niang, who scored 24 points, will miss the rest of the tournament with a broken bone in his right foot.  Jeremy Ingram paced the Eagles (who made their NCAA Tournament debut) with 28 points as the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference champs saw their 20-game winning streak snapped.  The Cyclones will get their shot at North Carolina in San Antonio on Sunday.


NCAA Midwest: Mercer Stuns Duke; Vols, Shockers, Kentucky Advance

The second round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament continued on Friday with four games from the Midwest Region.

At Raleigh, North Carolina:

In the first of two games played at the PNC Arena, Jakob Gollon scored 20 points while Daniel Coursey added 17 as the fourteenth-seeded Mercer Bears (27-8), in their first NCAA Tourney game since 1985, stunned the third-seeded Duke Blue Devils (26-7) 78-71, outscoring the Blue Devils 20-5 in the final minutes.  Quinn Cook scored 23 points and Rasheed Sulaimon added 20 for Duke.

In game two, Jarnell Stokes scored a career-high 26 points and grabbed 14 rebounds as the 11th-seeded Tennessee Volunteers (23-12) defeated the sixth-seeded Massachusetts Minutemen (24-9) 86-67.  The Vols will take on Mercer on Sunday at Raleigh.

At St. Louis:

In the first of two Midwest Regional contests at the Scottrade Center, Cleananthony Early scored 23 points as the top-seeded Wichita State Shockers (35-0) schooled the sixteenth-seeded Cal Poly Mustangs (14-20), ending the California school's debut NCAA Tournament appearance.

In the second game, Julius Randle scored 19 points and grabbed 15 rebounds as eighth-seeded Kentucky (25-10) downed ninth-seeded Kansas State (20-13) 56-49 in another battle of Wildcats. Next up for the men from Lexington, a Sunday battle in St. Louis with unbeaten Wichita State.

NCAA West: 'Zona, Zags Advance

More NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament second-round action on Friday, including four games from the West Region.

At San Diego:

In the first contest played at Viejas Arena, Nick Johnson scored 18 points as top-seeded Arizona (31-4) escaped with a 68-59 win over #16-seeded Weber State (19-12) in a battle of Wildcats.

In the second game, Kevin Pangos scored 26 points as the eighth-seeded Gonzaga Bulldogs (29-6) defeated the ninth-seeded Oklahoma State Cowboys (21-13) 85-77 in a game in which 61 fouls were called.  Marcus Smart, in what may have been his final game in a Cowboys uniform, scored 23 points, grabbed 13 rebounds, and dished out seven assists. The Bulldogs and Arizona will take on each other on Sunday in San Diego.

At San Antonio:

In the of two games played at the AT&T Center, Cory Jefferson scored 16 points as the #6-seeded Baylor Bears (25-11) defeated the #11-seeded (and former Big-12 foe) Nebraska Cornhuskers (19-13) 74-60, ruining the 'Huskers' first NCAA Tourney appearance since 1998.

In the second contest, Doug McDermott scored 30 points and grabbed 12 rebounds as the #3-seeded Creighton Blue Jays (27-) outlasted #14-seeded Louisiana Lafayette (23-12) 76-66, despite 24 points and eight rebounds from the Ragin' Cajuns' Elfrid Payton.  The Blue Jays will take on Baylor on Sunday in San Antonio.

NCAA South: Lumberjacks Stun VCU; Stanford, Kansas, UCLA Advance

16 more games were played on Friday---four of them in the South Region---as the second round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament continued.

At St. Louis:

In the opening contest at the Scottrade Center, Chasson Randle scored 22 points as the tenth-seeded Stanford Cardinal (22-12) knocked off the seventh-seeded New Mexico Lobos (27-7) 58-53.

In the second contest, Andrew Wiggins scored 19 points as the second-seeded Kansas Jayhawks (25-9) outlasted the #15-seeded Eastern Kentucky Colonels (24-10) 80-69.  The Jayhawks will take on Stanford on Sunday.

At San Diego:

In the opening contest at Viejas Arena, Desmond Haymon scored on a four-point play with 3.6 seconds remaining in regulation, then hit a critical three-point shot in the overtime period as 12th-seeded Stephen F. Austin (32-2) collected their 29th consecutive victory by knocking off the fifth-seeded Virginia Commonwealth Rams (23-10).  Jacob Parker paced the Lumberjacks with 22 points.

In the nightcap, Jordan Adams scored 21 points (and grabbed eight rebounds) while Norman Powell contributed 15 as the fourth-seeded UCLA Bruins (27-8) took control in the second half and outgunned the 13th-seeded Tulsa Golden Hurricane (21-13) 76-59. The Bruins will face Stephen F. Austin on Sunday in San Diego.

Thursday, March 20, 2014

NCAA East: Harvard Knocks Off Cincy; Spartans, UConn, 'Nova Advance

The East Region of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament saw four second-round games contested on Thursday.

At Spokane, Washington:

In the opening match at the Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena, Wesley Saunders scored 12 points as the #12-seeded Harvard Crimson (27-4) knocked off the #5-seeded Cincinnati Bearcats (27-7) 61-57 for their second-ever NCAA Tournament victory.

In the second contest, the fourth-seeded Michigan State Spartans (27-8) ousted the #13-seeded Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens (25-10) 93-78. Adreian Payne scored a career-high 41 points to pace the Spartans, who will face Harvard on Saturday in Spokane.

At Buffalo, New York:

In the opening East Region contest at the First Niagara Center, Shabazz Napier scored 9 of his 24 points in overtime as the #7-ranked Connecticut Huskies (27-8) outlasted the St. Joseph's Hawks (24-10) 89-81.

In the nightcap, Darrun Hilliard scored 16 points and JayVaughn added 13 as the second-seeded Villanova Wildcats (29-4) cruised past the fifteenth-seeded UW-Milwaukee Panthers (21-14) 73-53.  The Wildcats will face Connecticut on Saturday in Buffalo.

NCAA Midwest: Cardinals, Billikens, Wolverines, 'Horns Advance

Four games were played in NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament's Midwest Region's second round on Thursday.

At Orlando, Florida:

In the opening contest at the Amway Center, Rob Loe scored 22 points and grabbed 15 rebounds as the fifth-seeded Saint Louis Billikens (27-6) erased a double-digit deficit, then defeated the 12th-seeded North Carolina State Wolfpack (22-14) 83-80 in overtime, despite 28 points from the Wolfpack's T.J. Warren.

In the second game, Russ Smith scored 18 points and Luke Hancock added 16 as the fourth-seeded Louisville Cardinals (30-5) held off the #13-seeded Manhattan Jaspers (25-8) 71-64.  The defending national champions will battle Saint Louis in Orlando on Saturday.

At Milwaukee:

In the opening match at the BMO Harris Bradley Center, Cameron Ridley---who scored 17 points and grabbed 12 rebounds----scored the winning basket as time expired, lifting the #7-seeded Texas Longhorns (24-10)  to an 87-85 victory over the tenth-seeded Arizona State Sun Devils (21-12), despite 25 points from ASU's Jordan Bachynski.

In the nightcap, Nik Stauskas scored 15 points, while Glenn Robinson III added 14 as the second-seeded Michigan Wolverines (26-8) defeated the #15-seeded Wofford Terriers (20-13) 57-40.  The Wolverines will battle Texas on Saturday in Milwaukee.

NCAA West: Badgers Devour Eagles; Ducks Run Away From BYU

Four games were played in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament's West Region on Thursday.

At Milwaukee:

In the opening contest at the BMO Harris Bradley Center, Traevon Jackson scored 18 points Ben Burst added 17 as the second-seeded Wisconsin Badgers (27-7) annihilated 15th-seeded American (20-13) 75-35.

In the second game, Elgin Cook scored a career-high 23 points as he celebrated his homecoming----as did the seventh-seeded Oregon Ducks (24-9) broke open a close contest in the second half and coasted to an 87-68 victory over the tenth-seeded BYU Cougars (23-12).  The Ducks will battle Wisconsin in Milwaukee on Saturday.

At Spokane, Washington:

In the opening match at the Seattle Veterans Memorial Arena, Lawrence Alexander, who scored 28 points, nailed a three-point shot with 11 seconds remaining in regulation, then, with Carlin Dupree coming off the bench to score four points in the final 75 seconds of overtime, the #12-seeded North Dakota State Bison (26-6) picked up their first-ever NCAA Division I Tournament victory, knocking off the fifth-seeded Oklahoma Sooners (23-10), depsite 25 points from the Sooners' Cameron Clark.

In the nightcap, Xavier Thames scored 23 points as the fourth-seeded San Diego State Aztecs (30-4) held off the 13th-seeded New Mexico State Aggies (26-10) 73-69 in overtime.  The Aztecs will take on North Dakota State at Spokane on Saturday.

NCAA South: Gators Outlast Plucky Great Danes; Flyers Shock Buckeyes; Pitt Demolishes Buffs; 'Cuse Too Much For Broncos

The second round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament commenced on Thursday with 16 games, four in the South Region.

At Orlando, Florida:

In the opening contest at the Amway Center, Talib Zanna scored 16 of his 18 points in the first half as the ninth-seeded Pittsburgh Panthers (26-9) demolished the eighth-seeded Colorado Buffaloes (23-12) 77-48.

In the second game, Dorian Finney-Smith and Casey Prather each scored 16 points as the top overall seed Florida Gators (33-2) outlast plucky sixteenth-seeded Albany (18-15) 67-55 despite 21 points from the Great Danes' D.J. Evans.  After surviving a scare against Albany, the Gators will take on Pittsburgh on Saturday.

At Buffalo, New York:

In the first of two South Region contests at the First Niagra Center, Vee Sanford's layup with 3.8 seconds remaining lifted  Dayton (24-10) to the first upset of the tournament as the 11th-seeded Flyers knocked off the sixth-seeded Ohio State Buckeys (25-10) 60-59.  Dyshawn Pierre paced the Flyers with 12 points while Aaron Craft led the Buckeyes with 18.

In the second game, Trevor Cooney scored 18 points as the #3-seeded Syracuse Orangemen (28-5) dominated the #14-seeded Western Michigan Broncos (23-10) 77-53.  The Orangemen will face Dayon on Saturday.

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

CBI: Highlanders End Beavers' Season

At Corvallis, Oregon:

Ya Ya Anderson scored 23 points while Javonte Green and R.J. Price each added 20 as the Radford Highlanders (22-12) knocked off the home-standing Oregon State Beavers (16-16) 96-92 in an opening round game in the College Basketball Invitational, despite 26 points from the Beavers' Roberto Nelson and 23 apiece from teammates Hallice Cooke and  Eric Moreland (to go with his 11 rebounds).

NCAA Tournament: Cal Poly, Vols Advance

The opening round of the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament concluded with two games played on Wednesday.

In the opener, Chris Eversley scored 19 points as the Cal Poly Mustangs (14-19) became the first team in 59 years with at least 19 defeats to win an NCAA Tournament game, 81-69 over Texas Southern (17-15), despite 38 points from the Tigers' Aaric Murray.  Now coming off a victory in their NCAA Tournament debut, the Mustangs will head into a Midwest Regional Friday contest against top-seeded---------and undefeated----------Wichita State in St. Louis.

In the nightcap at UD Arena, Jarnell Stokes scored 18 points and grabbed 13 rebounds as the Tennessee Volunteers (22-12) outlasted the Iowa Hawkeyes (21-13) 78-65 in overtime.  The Vols will take on the Massachusetts Minutemen, the Midwest Region's #6 seed on Friday in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

CIT: Toreros End Vikings Season

At San Diego:

Johnny Dee scored 22 points on Tuesday as the San Diego Toreros (17-15) ended the Portland State Vikings' (17-15) season with a 87-65 home victory in the opening round of the Collegeinsider.com Tournament.


NCAA Tournament: Great Danes and Wolfpack Start Tournament With Wins In Dayton; Albany Will Face Gators, NC State Get Saint Louis

The 2014 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament commenced with two games played at Dayton, Ohio on Tuesday.

In the opener at the University of Dayton Arena, D. J. Evans scored 22 points as the Albany Great Danes (19-14) picked up their first-ever NCAA Tournament victory, 71-64 over Mount St. Mary's (16-17).  Next up for the Great Danes, an appointment with the Florida Gators----not only the South Region's top seed, but the tournament's top overall seed---on Thursday in Orlando, Florida.

In the nightcap, T. J. Warren scored 16 of his 25 points in the second half as the North Carolina State Wolfpack (22-12) ran away from the Xavier Musketeers (21-14) 74-59 to gain a Thursday Midwest Regional matchup with the Saint Louis Billikens.

Reality TV And Certain 1950s Big-Money Quiz Shows.........

Can you say "rigged," boys and girls?

Monday, March 17, 2014

SaberCats Ruin Portland's Return To AFL As Thunder Lay Silent

At Portland, Oregon:

Quarterback Russ Michna threw for a touchdown in each of his first two passes of the game while Reggie Gray caught six passes for 102 yards and four TDs as the San Jose SaberCats dominated the expansion Portland Thunder 64-34 on Monday night in the Arena Football League regular-season opener for both teams as the Thunder were making their AFL debut.

Men's Hoops: Ducks Have Support In Final Pre-NCAA Tourney AP Poll

The Oregon Ducks had support in both the Associated Press  poll that were released on Monday, the eve of the start of this year's NCAA Tournament (the Ducks take on BYU this Thursday). The Ducks would be ranked #33 in the AP poll.  What support they had in last week's USA Today/Coaches poll evaporated, though.  As has been the case all season long, there was no support in either poll for the Beaver State's other men's Division I basketball teams.

Sunday, March 16, 2014

NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament: Field Of 68 Set

The field for this year's NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament was officially set on Sunday.  All rankings are regional seedings.

All times Pacific.

At Dayton, Ohio:

Tuesday:

#16 Albany vs. #16 Mount St. Mary's, 3:40 PM (TruTV)

#12 North Carolina State vs. #12 Xavier, 6:10 PM (TruTV)

Wednesday:

#16 Cal Poly vs. #16 Texas Southern, 3:40 PM (TruTV)

#11 Iowa vs. #11 Tennessee, 6:10 PM (TruTV)


SOUTH REGION (WITH THE SEMIFINALS AND FINAL AT MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE):

Thursday, at Orlando, Florida:

#1 Florida (overall top seed) vs. #16 (Albany-Mount St. Mary's Winner), 1:10 PM (TBS)

#8 Colorado vs. #9 Pittsburgh, 10:40 AM (TBS)

Thursday, at Buffalo, New York:

#6 Ohio State vs. #11 Dayton, 9:15 AM (CBS)

#3 Syracuse vs. #14 Western Michigan, 11:45 AM (CBS)

Friday, at San Diego:

#5 Virginia Commonwealth vs. #12 Stephen F. Austin, 4:27 PM (TruTV)

#4 UCLA vs. Tulsa, 6:57 PM (TruTV)

Friday, at St. Louis:

#7 New Mexico vs. #10 Stanford, 10:40 AM (TBS)

#2 Kansas Vs. #15 Eastern Kentucky, 1:10 PM (TBS)



WEST REGIONAL (WITH THE SEMIFINALS AND FINAL AT ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA):

Thursday, at Spokane, Washington:

#5 Oklahoma vs. #12 North Dakota State, 4:27 PM (TruTV)

#4 San Diego State vs. #13 New Mexico State, 9:57 PM (TruTV)

Thursday, at Milwaukee:

#7 Oregon vs. #10 BYU, 12:10 PM (TruTV)

#2 Wisconsin vs. #15 American, 9:40 AM (TruTV)

Friday, at San Diego:

#1 Arizona vs. #16 Weber State, 11:10 AM (TNT)

#8 Gonzaga vs. #9 Oklahoma State, 1:40 PM (TNT)

Friday, at San Antonio:

#6 Baylor vs. #11 Nebraska, 9:40 AM (Tru TV)

#3 Creighton vs. #14 Louisiana-Lafayette, 12:10 PM (TruTV)



MIDWEST REGIONAL (WITH THE SEMFINALS AND FINAL AT INDIANAPOLIS):

Thursday, at Orlando, Florida:

#5 Saint Louis vs. #12 (North Carolina State-Xavier Winner), 4:20 PM (TNT)

#4 Louisville vs. #13 Manhattan, 6:50 PM (TNT)

Thursday, at Milwaukee:

#7 Texas vs. #10 Arizona State, 6:40 PM (CBS)

#2 Michigan vs. #15 Wofford, 4:10 PM (CBS)

Friday, at St. Louis:

#1 Wichita State vs. #16 (Cal Poly-Texas Southern Winner), 4:10 PM (CBS)

#8 Kentucky vs. #9 Kansas State, 6:40 PM (CBS)

Friday, at Raleigh, North Carolina:

#6 Massachusetts vs. #11 (Iowa-Tennessee Winner), 11:45 AM (CBS)

#3 Duke vs. #14 Mercer, 9:15 AM (CBS)



EAST REGIONAL (WITH SEMIFINALS AND FINAL AT NEW YORK CITY)

Thursday, at Spokane, Washington:

#5 Cincinnati vs. #12 Harvard, 11:10 AM (TNT)

#4 Michigan State vs. #13 Delaware, 1:40 PM (TNT)

Thursday, at Buffalo, New York:

#7 Connecticut vs. #10 St. Joseph's, 3:55 PM (TBS)

#2 Villanova vs. #15 UW-Milwaukee, 6:25 PM (TBS)

Friday, at Raleigh, North Carolina:

#1 Virginia vs. #16 Coastal Carolina, 6:25 PM (TBS)

#8 Memphis vs. #9 George Washington, 3:55 PM (TBS)

Friday, at San Antonio:

#6 North Carolina vs. #11 Providence, 4:20 PM (TNT)

#3 Iowa State vs. #14 North Carolina Central, 6:50 PM (TNT)



The winners of this Thursday and Friday's games will play in the Round of 32 this coming Saturday and next Sunday.

The winners of the four regions will play in the Final Four Weekend at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, starting on Saturday, April 5 (with the national TV feed on TBS and team-specific telecasts on TNT and TruTV) with the national semifinal games, with the winners advancing to the April 7 National Championship game, to be televised on CBS.


Gaston To The Rescue Again; Late Equalizer Gains Home Draw For Timbers Against Fire

At Portland, Oregon:

In a Sunday afternoon Major League Soccer contest, Gaston Fernandez delivered the equalizer in the 79th minute to lift the Portland Timbers to a 1-1 home draw with the Chicago Fire, whose goal came courtesy of Jeff Larentowicz's successful penalty kick at 19 minutes.

The Timbers will face the Colorado Rapids on the road this coming Saturday at 3:00 PM Pacific Time (ROOT Sports Northwest).

Saturday, March 15, 2014

WILDCATS CLAIM BIG SKY TOURNEY TITLE AND 15TH NCAA TOURNEY APPEARANCE (FIRST SINCE '07)

At Ogden, Utah:

Kyle Tresnak scored 27 points on Saturday as the top-seeded Weber State Wildcats (19-11) defeated the second-seeded North Dakota Fighting Sioux (17-16) 88-67 to win the Big Sky Conference Men's Basketball Tournament championship and earned their 15th NCAA Tournament appearance, their first since 2007. 

BRUINS KNOCK OFF WILDCATS, CLAIM PAC-12 TOURNEY CROWN

At Paradise, Nevada:

Kyle Anderson scored 21 points and grabbed 15 rebounds while  Jordan Adams, who added 19, converted a critical three-point shot in the final minute as the second-seeded UCLA Bruins (26-8) outlasted the top-seeded Arizona Wildcats (#4 in both the Associated Press and USA Today/Coaches polls; 30-4) 75-71 on Saturday to capture the championship match of the Pacific-12 Conference Men's Basketball Tournament in suburban Las Vegas.  The Bruins gain the Pac-12's automatic NCAA Tournament berth while the Wildcats, who won the league's regular-season crown, and who were paced by Nick Johnson's 21 points, will make the "Big Dance" as an at-large entry, though their shot at locking down a #1 regional seed may be in doubt.

Big Sky Tournament: It's Wildcats vs. Fighting Sioux (Who Oust Vikings) For The Marbles

The semifinal round of the Big Sky Conference Men's Basketball Tournament took place on Friday with both games contested at Ogden, Utah.

In the opener, Aaron Anderson scored 19 points while Troy Huff added 18 as the second-seeded North Dakota Fighting Sioux (17-15) defeated the fifth-seeded Portland State Vikings (17-14) 79-63.

In the nightcap, Davion Berry scored seven of his 15 points in the overtime period as top-seeded (and hosts) Weber State (18-11) suvived a scare from sixth-seeded Northern Colorado (18-13) 66-63.
North Dakota will battle Weber State for the Big Sky Conference title and the conference's automatic NCAA Tournament berth on Saturday in Ogden at 5:00 PM Pacific time (ESPNU).

Pac-12 Tourney: It's 'Zona Vs. Bruins For The Marbles

The semifinal round of the Pacific-12 Men's Basketball Tournament took place on Friday with both games played at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in suburban Las Vegas.

In the opener, Nick Johnson scored 16 points as the top-seeded Arizona Wildcats (#4 in both the Associated Press and USA Today/Coaches polls; 30-3) dominated the fifth-seeded Colorado Buffaloes (23-11) 63-43.

In the nightcap, Norman Powell scored 22 points while Travis Wear added 16 as the second-seeded UCLA Bruins (25-8) overpowered the sixth-seeded Stanford Cardinal (21-12) 84-59.

It will be Arizona vs. UCLA for the Pac-12 Tournament title on Saturday at 3:00 PM Pacific Time (Fox Sports 1)