Sports – Page 222 – North Platte Post Archive

Huskers-Michigan State to be Played in Prime Time

Posted on April 23, 2015April 24, 2015

The Big Ten Conference and ESPN/ABC announced Thursday that Nebraska’s Nov. 7 game against Michigan State will be a prime-time contest at Memorial Stadium.

The will be carried on either ABC, ESPN or ESPN2, with kickoff at either 6 or 7 p.m. CT. The final network designation and kickoff time will be announced at a later date.

The Huskers’ matchup with Michigan State is one of the top Big Ten games this fall. The Spartans finished with an 11-2 record in 2014 and were ranked fifth in both of the final national polls.

Nebraska and Michigan State will be televised in prime time on the ESPN family of networks for the second straight season. A year ago, Michigan State defeated Nebraska,27-22, in a night game at Spartan Stadium.

Overall this will mark the fifth straight year the Nebraska-Michigan State tilt has been televised on an ESPN platform. The 2011 game in Lincoln was televised on ESPN, with each of the past three matchups were on ABC.

The Nebraska-Michigan State game is one of seven Big Ten games that will be televised in prime time on the ESPN family of networks.

As announced last week, Nebraska will also play host to South Alabama in a prime-time game at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 12. That contest will be televised by BTN.

MPCC Rodeo Team to Compete in Black Hills State Rodeo

Posted on April 23, 2015April 24, 2015

The Mid-Plains Community College rodeo team will travel to Spearfish S.D. and compete in the Will Lantis Yellow Jacket Stampede at Black Hills State University on April 24-25 at the Seven Down Arena.

In the Great Plains region of the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association, the Mid-Plains men’s team is in seventh place with 1070 points and the women’s team is in 10^th place with 110 points. Individually, Puttergill is in sixth place with 260 points in saddle bronc riding. Tyler Murray is tied for 11^th in steer wrestling with 200 points. Jacobson is in 14^th place with 110 points in breakaway roping.

In the bull riding, Mid-Plains has five cowboys in the top 15 led by Keali’i’auka Kaai in fourth place with 290 points. Colter Glendy and Tyler Viers are fifth and sixth in the region with 230 and 190 points respectively. Tyler Wriedt is 10^th with 80 points and Dakota Rice is tied for 11^th with 70 points.

The top three students in each event, and top two men’s and women’s teams from the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association’s 11 regions will qualify for the College National Finals Rodeo held in Casper, Wyo., June 14 – 20.

The top two men’s teams in the region currently are South Dakota State University with 4,265 points and Black Hills State with 3,200 points. On the women’s side Dickinson State University leads with 3,015 points, followed by Black Hills State with 1,635 points.

Big Ten Volleyball to Participate in Foreign Tour June 13-25

Posted on April 23, 2015April 24, 2015

ROSEMONT, Ill. – For the first time in conference history, Big Ten volleyball student-athletes from all 14 schools will travel overseas to take part in a foreign tour to feature not just competition on the court, but also community service initiatives and the opportunity to experience new cultures in some of the world’s greatest cities. The Big Ten Volleyball Foreign Tour Team will travel to Slovenia, Croatia and Italy from June 13-25.

Northwestern’s Keylor Chan will serve as the head coach of the Big Ten Volleyball Foreign Tour Team. Indiana’s Paul Koncir and Rutgers Phuong Louong will travel as assistant coaches, while Michigan State athletic trainer Lianna Hadden will also accompany the team.

“The Big Ten Volleyball Foreign Tour Team will have a great opportunity this summer to come together and compete against some of the best players in the world,” said Chan. “These tours provide student-athletes and coaches with the ability to visit different places, meet new people and experience new cultures through the game that we all love. I’m really looking forward to representing Northwestern University and the Big Ten Conference overseas in June.”

The first stop for the Big Ten Foreign Tour Team is Maribor, Slovenia, where matches with four national teams will take place. The squad will then travel to several cities in Croatia to play in two contests versus the Istrian Select team. The final leg of the tour will be in Italy, where the team will play the Italian National Team.

In addition to competition on the court, the 14 student-athletes will have the opportunity to partake in community service initiatives, study foreign languages with local students and visit some of Europe’s most historic cities, including Ljubljana in Slovenia, Istra, Pula, Rovinj and Porec in Croatia, and Padova and Venice in Italy.

The complete Big Ten Foreign Tour Team and final schedule will be announced at a later date.

Dickerson’s Solo Homer lifts Rockies to 2-1 Win over Padres

Posted on April 23, 2015April 24, 2015

DENVER (AP) — Corey Dickerson hit a go-ahead home run leading off the fifth inning and Jordan Lyles pitched effectively into the seventh, helping the Colorado Rockies to a 2-1 win over the San Diego Padres on Thursday.

Dickerson’s had his third solo shot in two days despite playing with pain in his left heel caused by plantar fasciitis. Dickerson, who scored both runs, was removed in the eighth when the Rockies made a double switch.

Lyles (2-1) shut down one of baseball’s top-hitting teams, allowing one run and six hits in 6 2-3 innings. He has worked into at least the sixth in all four of his starts this season.

John Axford struck out Alexi Amarista to end the game and earn his second save.

Elway on Demaryius Thomas’ Absence: ‘Makes no Sense’

Posted on April 23, 2015April 24, 2015

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Denver Broncos general manager John Elway disagrees with Pro Bowl receiver Demaryius Thomas’ strategy to skip the team’s offseason program while angling for a long-term contract.

Elway said Thursday during a news conference to discuss the upcoming draft that “there’s zero value of him being away from here.”

A prolonged boycott by Thomas could hinder the installation of new coach Gary Kubiak’s offense that will feature Peyton Manning’s tactical and timing proficiencies while placing a greater emphasis on the run and two-tight end sets.

The Broncos placed their franchise tag on Thomas, guaranteeing him $12.8 million in 2015 — which is about the same amount as he’s made in his first five NFL seasons combined.

Creighton lands K-State Transfer Marcus Foster

Posted on April 23, 2015April 24, 2015

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Marcus Foster, who led Kansas State in scoring before his dismissal from the team, is transferring to Creighton.

The Bluejays said Thursday that Foster will have to sit out next season due to NCAA transfer rules, but will have two years of eligibility remaining.

Kansas State dismissed Foster last month, saying he had not lived up to standards the school sets for its players. After a sterling freshmen season, Foster’s play deteriorated last season. He was suspended for three games and removed from the starting lineup at times.

In 29 games last season, the 6-foot-3 guard from Wichita Falls, Texas, averaged 12.5 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.9 assists.

Creighton went 14-19 last season.

6 Hall of Famers to Announce Picks at NFL Draft

Posted on April 23, 2015April 24, 2015

CHICAGO (AP) — Six Pro Football Hall of Famers will be among the 32 former players who will announce second-round selections at next week’s NFL draft.

Announcing the selections for their teams will be linebacker Dick Butkus (Bears), quarterback Jim Kelly (Bills), cornerbacks Willie Brown (Raiders) and Mel Blount (Steelers), center Dwight Stephenson (Dolphins), and 2015 electee DE-LB Charles Haley (49ers).

The second and third rounds will be held Friday night, May 1, as the draft shifts from New York to Chicago. Round 1 is the previous night, and the fourth-seventh rounds will be on May 2 at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University.

Combined, players who will announce second-round picks own 22 Super Bowl championships.

Emmert: Freshmen Ineligibility Problematic, Worth Debating

Posted on April 23, 2015April 24, 2015

NEW YORK (AP) — NCAA President Mark Emmert says he is glad the Big Ten has sparked a debate about freshmen ineligibility, even though it is an idea fraught with potential problems.

Emmert spoke at a meeting of Associated Press Sports Editors on Thursday.

He says the NCAA helped Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany with the conference’s recent white paper on a so-called year of readiness for freshman football and men’s basketball players.

Emmert says freshmen ineligibility could be a way to close the gap between those student-athletes who enter college lagging behind the rest of the student body academically.

Emmert says the question that needs to be addressed is: Are students sufficiently serious about being students as well as athletes and are they prepared to be successful as students?

Spurs’ Kawhi Leonard Named NBA Defensive Player of Year

Posted on April 23, 2015April 24, 2015

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — San Antonio Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard has been named the NBA defensive player of the year.

The league announced the award on Thursday. Injuries limited Leonard to just 64 games this season. But he still managed to make an enormous impact, especially on the defensive end of the floor.

Leonard is just the sixth forward to lead the league in steals per game since the NBA started tracking the statistic 42 years ago. He averaged 2.3 steals per game and helped the Spurs finish third in defensive rating with 99.6 points allowed per 100 possessions.

Leonard garnered 333 total points in the voting, including 37 first-place votes. Golden State forward Draymond Green finished a close second with 317 points, including 45 first-place votes.

Descalso Lifts Rockies to 5-4 Win Over Padres in 9th

Posted on April 23, 2015

DENVER (AP) — Pinch-hitter Daniel Descalso delivered an RBI single in the ninth inning after Corey Dickerson tied the game in the eighth with his second solo homer of the night, helping the Colorado Rockies snap a five-game skid with a 5-4 win over the San Diego Padres on Wednesday.

Dickerson was back in the lineup after sitting out Tuesday with plantar fasciitis. It was the third multihomer game of Dickerson’s career.

Nolan Arenado began the ninth with a single off Shawn Kelley (0-2). Michael McKenry later lined a one-out single to center that moved Arenado to third. After intentionally walking DJ LeMahieu, the Padres brought an outfielder into the infield. It didn’t matter as Descalso laced a liner to left-center.

He was mobbed by teammates between first and second after his hit.

Adam Ottavino (1-0) earned the win by pitching a perfect ninth.

Yangervis Solarte and Wil Myers hit solo homers for San Diego.