COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Brianna Butler scored 17 points, including the go-ahead basket with 58.7 seconds left, to lift eighth-seeded Syracuse to a 72-69 victory over Nebraska in the NCAA Tournament on Friday night.
The Huskers had a chance to tie it once more with 15.8 seconds left, but Emily Cady missed the second of two foul shots. Alexis Peterson followed with two free throws to extend the Syracuse lead to 70-67 and the Huskers turned the ball on their next possession with getting a shot off.
Peterson capped the victory for the Orange (22-9) with two more foul shots. She finished with a game-high 24 points.
Syracuse will take on top-seeded South Carolina, which earlier defeated Savannah State 81-48 to advance.
The Orange gave highly ranked South Carolina one of its toughest contests this season, losing 67-63 last November.
The North Platte Community College Knights Softball team was swept by the Williston State College Lady Tetons 8-0 and 12-4 Friday.
Lady Teton pitcher Jalen Creech held the Knights at bay allowing only two hits in the first game and eight hits in the second game.
The Knights opened up the bottom of the first with a single by Jessica Jarvis. Jarvis was thown out trying to stretch the single into a double. Creech retired the next seven batters.
The Lady Tetons scored two runs in the top of the second, one run in the third and five in the fourth.
The five runs in the fourth were the result of three hits and five walks.
Jarvis and Tara Crouch were the only Knights to get a hit off of Creech.
Creech also helped her cause at the plate, going three for four, including a double. She also scored two runs and had one run batted in. Hannah Atlee also contributed two hits for the Lady Tetons.
Sara Runia picked up the loss for the Knights in game one. Runia pitched four innings, allowed seven hits, six earned runs and seven walks. Runia struck out two Lady Tetons.
In game two, Creech continued her mastery over the Knights, allowing only two hits in the first four innings.
The Lady Tetons scored two runs in the top of the first. Three Lady Tetons reached base on three errors by the Knights, which scored one run by Madison McGonigal. The other run came in on Atlee’s single, scoring Haley Pardy. The Lady Tetons added five more runs in the fifth inning. Miranda Schultz and Myria Riffell opened up the fifth with singles. Schultz scored on sacrifice bunt by McGonigal. Pardy walked, Creech reached on an error. Riffel scored when Atlee reached on an error. Pardy, Creech and Riffel all came around to score in the inning making the score 7 – 0.
The Knights finally got on the board in the fifth inning. After Caroline Motis grounded out, the Knights hit for consecutive singles by Runia, Brittney Odum, Jarvis, and Sara Villalobos. Runia, Odum and Jarvis all came around to score as did Christina Rodie who pinch ran for Villalobos. The score at the end of five was 7 – 4 in favor of the Lady Tetons.
The Lady Tetons cushioned their lead by scoring five more runs in the top of the seventh to clinch the win.
The Knights were led in hitting by Odum and Villalobos, each having two hits in game two.
Baileigh Oleson pitched 6.1 innings, allowing 12 runs, six of them earned on thirteen hits and one walk. Oleson struck out three batters.
The Lady Tetons were led in hitting by Natalie Bernard who had three hits. Atlee, Schultz, Riffel, along with Emily Cairns each had two hits for the Lady Tetons in game two.
Creech pitched seven innings and allowed four runs on eight hits to pick up her second win of the day. She also struck out four Knights in the game.
The Knights fall to 10 – 18 on the season. The Lady Tetons improve to 7 – 7.
The Knights return to action on Wednesday, March 25 when they host Western Nebraska Community College in a double header. Game times are at 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. CDT.
St. Louis, Mo. – Senior James Green (157) won a 12-4 major decision over 12th-seeded Mitchell Minotti of Lehigh during Session III of the NCAA Championships on Friday to advance to the semifinals.
With the win, Green became the second wrestler in Husker history to earn All-America honors on four occasions. He joins Bryan Snyder, who wrestled for NU from 1999 to 2002. Green won each of his first three matches of the tournament in bonus-point fashion and will battle top-seeded Isaiah Martinez of Illinois tonight.
No. 1 seed Robert Kokesh (174) suffered his first loss of the season as he fell to eighth-seeded Tyler Wilps of Pittsburgh in the quarterfinals, 3-2. Kokesh will wrestle for his third All-America honor in the consolation bracket during Session IV tonight.
No. 9 seed Anthony Abidin (141) lost to top-seeded Logan Stieber of Ohio State in the quarterfinals by a 16-1 technical fall. Abidin will also battle for a spot on the podium during tonight’s session. Additional Huskers remaining in contention in the wrestlebacks include Aaron Studebaker (197), TJ Dudley (184) and Eric Montoya (133).
Studebaker, the 15th seed at 197 pounds, pinned both of his opponents in Session III and will face No. 5 seed Scott Schiller of Minnesota tonight. Dudley, the No. 16 seed at 184 pounds, won a pair of major decisions and will grapple against 14th-seeded Matt McCutcheon of Penn State. Montoya knocked off No. 5 seed Zane Richards of Illinois and fourth-seeded Johnni DiJulius of Ohio State in Session III.
Collin Jensen (HWT), Tim Lambert (125) and Austin Wilson (165) also competed on Friday, but were each eliminated.
As a team, Nebraska is in sixth place with 36.5 points. Ohio State leads the team race with 64.5 points, while Iowa (47.5) and Missouri (45) round out the top three.
Session IV starts tonight at 7 p.m. (CT). The championship semifinals will be televised on ESPN and all matches will be streamed on ESPN3.
NCAA Championships March 19-21, 2015 Scottrade Center St. Louis, Mo.
125 pounds
First Round: #2 Nahshon Garrett (CORN) by dec. over Tim Lambert (NEB), 10-6
Consolation First Round: Tim Lambert (NEB) by major dec. over #15 Chasen Tolbert (UV), 9-1
Consolation Second Round: Conor Youtsey (MICH) by dec. over Tim Lambert (NEB), 10-7
133 pounds
First Round: #6 Earl Hall (ISU) by dec. over Eric Montoya (NEB), 7-4
Consolation First Round: Eric Montoya (NEB) by dec. over Zach Synon (MIZZ), 4-0
Consolation Second Round: Eric Montoya (NEB) by major dec. over #5 Zane Richards (ILL), 10-1
Consolation Third Round: Eric Montoya (NEB) by dec. over #4 Johnni DiJulius (OHST), 7-4
141 pounds
First Round: #9 Anthony Abidin (NEB) by major dec. over Nick Lawrence (PUR), 8-0
Second Round: #9 Anthony Abidin (NEB) by dec. over #8 Geo Martinez (BSU), 6-4
Quarterfinals: #1 Logan Stieber (OHST) by tech. fall over #9 Anthony Abidin (NEB), 16-1
157 pounds
First Round: #4 James Green (NEB) by major dec. over Markus Scheidel (COL), 13-4
Second Round: #4 James Green (NEB) by tech. fall over Noel Blanco (DREX), 20-5
Quarterfinals: #4 James Green (NEB) by major dec. over #12 Mitchell Minotti (LEH), 12-4
165 pounds
First Round: Austin Wilson (NEB) by dec. over #2 Michael Moreno (ISU), 7-5
Second Round: #15 Ethan Ramos (UNC) by dec. over Austin Wilson (NEB), 6-3
Consolation Second Round: #16 Harrison Hightower (OHIO) by sudden victory-1 over Austin Wilson (NEB), 5-3
174 pounds
First Round: #1 Robert Kokesh (NEB) by major dec. over Taylor Massa (MICH), 9-0
Second Round: #1 Robert Kokesh (NEB) by major dec. over Chad Welch (PUR), 11-0
Quarterfinals: #8 Tyler Wilps (PITT) by dec. over #1 Robert Kokesh (NEB), 3-2
184 pounds
First Round: #16 TJ Dudley (NEB) by major dec. over Ophir Bernstein (BRO), 9-0
Second Round: #1 Gabe Dean (CORN) by dec. over #16 TJ Dudley (NEB), 9-8
Consolation Second Round: #16 TJ Dudley (NEB) by major dec. over Brett Harner (PRIN), 9-0
Consolation Third Round: #16 TJ Dudley (NEB) by major dec. over #10 Lorenzo Thomas (PENN), 17-5
197 pounds
First Round: #15 Aaron Studebaker (NEB) by dec. over Jake Smith (WVU), 3-1
Second Round: #2 Morgan McIntosh (PSU) by major dec. over #15 Aaron Studebaker (NEB), 14-5
Consolation Second Round: #15 Aaron Studebaker (NEB) by pin over Scottie Boykin (CHAT), 3:40
Consolation Third Round: #15 Aaron Studebaker (NEB) by pin over #9 Jace Bennett (CORN), 6:12
Heavyweight
First Round: #6 Adam Coon (MICH) by pin over Collin Jensen (NEB), 4:29
Consolation First Round: Collin Jensen (NEB) by dec. over Nathan Butler (STAN), 5-3
Consolation Second Round: Collin Jensen (NEB) by dec. over #12 Denzel Dejournette (APST), 3-1
Consolation Third Round: #3 Bobby Telford (IOWA) by dec. over Collin Jensen (NEB), 9-2
GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Ryan O’Reilly and Jarome Iginla scored 29 seconds apart in the first period, Semyon Varlamov made 27 saves, and the Colorado Avalanche beat the Arizona Coyotes 5-2 on Thursday night for their third straight win.
Freddi Hamilton added his first NHL goal, and Matt Duchene and Gabriel Landeskog also scored for the Avalanche, who won for the 11th time in 15 games to remain seven points behind Calgary for the final Western Conference playoff spot.
Oliver Ekman-Larsson scored twice for the Coyotes, who have dropped four straight and 16 of 17.
Arizona’s Louis Domingue stopped 24 shots in his third NHL start in an intriguing matchup against his former juniors coach, Colorado’s Patrick Roy. The Hall of Fame goalie last year blamed a 2012 playoff series loss on Domingue, who replied Roy was “one of the worst people I’ve ever met.”
The North Platte Community College Knights softball team was swept by the McCook Community College Lady Indians at Jaycee Sports Complex 10 – 5 and 4 – 2.
The games were declared Purple – Out day to focus on Epilepsy Awareness. Abbee Terry, a McCook resident who has epilepsy, threw out the first pitch of game one.
In the first game, the Knights scored one run by Christina Rodie. Rodie singled and advanced to third on a double by Sara Runia and scored on a groundout to the shortstop by Sara Villalobos.
The Lady Indians answered back by scoring three runs in the bottom of the first. The inning started out with a walk to Megan Ruppert and a single by Stephenie Johnson. The runners advanced when Mackenzie Bilger reached on an error scoring Ruppert. Averi Miller doubled to score Bilger and Johnson.
With the Lady Indians leading 4 – 1 the Knights took the lead 5 – 4 with four runs in the top of the third. The inning started with singles by Rodie and Villalobos. Jessica Jarvis tripled to knock in Rodie and Villalobos. Jarvis scored on an RBI single by Shannon Lieber. Lieber scored when Tara Crouch tripled. The four runs chased Lady Indian pitcher Robin Harrison. Harrison pitched 2.2 innings and allowed five earned runs on seven hits. Miranda Sanchez came in to the game and pitched 4.1 scoreless innings to get the win
The Lady Indians tied the score at five in their half of the third on a triple by Madison Chitwood, who scored on Miller’s second double of the game.
McCook put the game out of reach in the bottom of the fifth with five runs. The crushing blow was when Amber Madigan homered over the left field fence.
The Knights threatened in the top of the seventh when they had the bases loaded. Shannon Lieber flied out to centerfield to end the game.
Baileigh Oleson pitched six innings and allowed 10 runs, three of them earned, on eight hits to pick up the loss. Oleson struck out one Lady Indian hitter.
The Knights outhit the Lady Indians nine to eight, led by Jessica Jarvis with two hits including the triple.
In game two, the Lady Indians opened up the scoring in the bottom of the first on RBI singles by Miranda Santiago and Jasmine Pemble making the score 2 – 0. The Knights cut the Lady Indian lead to one in the top of the second on a solo home run by Sara Villalobos.
McCook added another run in both the fifth and sixth innings making the score 4 – 1.
The Knights scored their only other run in the seventh on a solo home run by Shannon Lieber. The Knights tried to rally when Baileigh Oleson and Brittney Odum singled. Oleson tried to score on the play but was thrown out at the plate by McKinley Earnest to end the game.
The Knights were led in the second game by Villalobos who had two hits in three at bats, a double and the home run. Odum also had two hits in game two.
Shannon Lieber took the loss for the Knights. Lieber pitched six innings, allowed four runs on 10 hits and struck out eight Lady Indians.
Pemble paced the Lady Indians at the plate with three hits, including a triple. She also scored one run, one run batted in and one stolen base.
Earnest got the win for the Lady Indians. She went seven innings, allowed two runs on seven hits and struck out five batters.
The Knights fall to 10-16 on the season, 4 – 2 in the Nebraska Community College Athletic Conference (NCCAC).
The Lady Indians improve to 22 – 6 on the season, 8 – 0 in the NCCAC. They are currently on an 18 game winning streak.
The Knights return home on Friday, March 20 to play the Williston State College Tetons in a doubleheader. Game times are at noon and 2:00 p.m. Games may be seen on www.coachesaid.com.
St. Louis, Mo. – Robert Kokesh (174), James Green (157) and Anthony Abidin (141) each advanced to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Championships during Session II of the tournament on Thursday night.
Kokesh, the top seed at 174 pounds, picked up his second major decision of the day with his 11-0 triumph over Purdue’s Chad Welch. Kokesh outscored his two opponents 20-0 on Thursday and will face eighth-seeded Tyler Wilps of Pittsburgh in Friday morning’s quarterfinals.
Green, a three-time All-American, also notched a pair of bonus-point wins at 157 pounds on Thursday. He won a 20-5 technical fall over Drexel’s Noel Blanco after his major decision in the first session. Green will battle No. 12 seed Mitchell Minotti of Lehigh in Session III.
Abidin, the No. 9 seed at 141 pounds, topped eighth-seeded Geo Martinez of Boise State in the second round by a 6-4 decision. Abidin is set to grapple against top-seeded Logan Stieber of Ohio State on Friday morning.
Austin Wilson (165), TJ Dudley (184) and Aaron Studebaker (197) each won in Session I, but fell in the second round to seeded opponents. Dudley fell by a narrow decision to top-seeded Gabe Dean of Cornell, Studebaker lost to No. 2 seed Morgan McIntosh of Penn State, 14-5, and Wilson fell to 15th-seeded Ethan Ramos of North Carolina, 6-3. All three Huskers will wrestle in the consolation bracket in Session III on Friday.
Tim Lambert (125), Eric Montoya (133) and Collin Jensen (HWT) each rebounded from a first-round loss with a win in the consolation bracket.
Nebraska is tied for fifth as a team with 18 points. Ohio State leads the team race with 23 points, while Iowa (21) and Oklahoma State (19.5) round out the top three.
Friday’s action begins with Session III at 10 a.m. (CT) on ESPNU and ESPN3. Session IV, also set for Friday, starts at 7 p.m. The championship semifinals will be broadcasted on ESPN and all matches will be streamed on ESPN3.
NCAA Championships March 19-21, 2015 Scottrade Center St. Louis, Mo.
125 pounds
First Round: #2 Nahshon Garrett (CORN) by dec. over Tim Lambert (NEB), 10-6
Consolation First Round: Tim Lambert (NEB) by major dec. over #15 Chasen Tolbert (UV), 9-1
133 pounds
First Round: #6 Earl Hall (ISU) by dec. over Eric Montoya (NEB), 7-4
Consolation First Round: Eric Montoya (NEB) by dec. over Zach Synon (MIZZ), 4-0
141 pounds
First Round: #9 Anthony Abidin (NEB) by major dec. over Nick Lawrence (PUR), 8-0
Second Round: #9 Anthony Abidin (NEB) by dec. over #8 Geo Martinez (BSU), 6-4
157 pounds
First Round: #4 James Green (NEB) by major dec. over Markus Scheidel (COL), 13-4
Second Round: #4 James Green (NEB) by tech. fall over Noel Blanco (DREX), 20-5
165 pounds
First Round: Austin Wilson (NEB) by dec. over #2 Michael Moreno (ISU), 7-5
Second Round: #15 Ethan Ramos (UNC) by dec. over Austin Wilson (NEB), 6-3
174 pounds
First Round: #1 Robert Kokesh (NEB) by major dec. over Taylor Massa (MICH), 9-0
Second Round: #1 Robert Kokesh (NEB) by major dec. over Chad Welch (PUR), 11-0
184 pounds
First Round: #16 TJ Dudley (NEB) by major dec. over Ophir Bernstein (BRO), 9-0
Second Round: #1 Gabe Dean (CORN) by dec. over #16 TJ Dudley (NEB), 9-8
197 pounds
First Round: #15 Aaron Studebaker (NEB) by dec. over Jake Smith (WVU), 3-1
Second Round: #2 Morgan McIntosh (PSU) by major dec. over #15 Aaron Studebaker (NEB), 14-5
Heavyweight
First Round: #6 Adam Coon (MICH) by pin over Collin Jensen (NEB), 4:29
Consolation First Round: Collin Jensen (NEB) by dec. over Nathan Butler (STAN), 5-3
HOUSTON (AP) — James Harden scored a career-high 50 points with 10 rebounds to lead the Houston Rockets to a 118-108 win over the Denver Nuggets on Thursday night.
Harden eclipsed his previous career-best of 46, set in 2013, on a free throw with about a minute remaining. On Houston’s next possession, Trevor Ariza found him in the corner and he swished a 3 under heavy pressure, to make it 50.
Six straight points by the Nuggets cut the lead to 8 with about five minutes left when the Rockets made the next five points, capped by a step back jump shot from Harden, to make it 104-91. Harden scored seven points after that to secure the victory.
It was the 29th game Harden had at least 30 points.
SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) — Rockies reliever Rafael Betancourt was struck in the jaw by a line drive and walked off with a bruise Thursday in Colorado’s 13-2 win over the Kansas City Royals.
The 39-year-old Betancourt was hit in the sixth inning by Brett Eibner’s liner. He was checked by a trainer before leaving the mound.
Betancourt made his fourth spring appearance for the Rockies. He was their closer in 2012-13 before needing Tommy John surgery, was out of the majors last season and is a non-roster invite this year.
Nolan Arenado hit two homers and drove in five runs. Matt McBride also homered for Colorado.
Rockies starter Jordan Lyles pitched four perfect innings. Royals starter Jason Vargas was tagged for nine runs and nine hits, including three home runs, in 1 2-3 innings.
Columbia, S.C. – Nebraska Coach Connie Yori and the Huskers met the media and held their first practice at Colonial Life Arena on Thursday in preparation for Friday’s game against Syracuse in the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament.
The ninth-seeded Huskers (21-10, 10-8 Big Ten) will battle eighth-seeded Syracuse (21-9, 11-5 ACC) in Friday’s first round at approximately 6:30 p.m. (central).
The game between Nebraska and the Orange will follow Friday’s first game between No. 1 seed South Carolina (30-2, 15-1 SEC) and 16th-seeded Savannah State (21-10, 13-3 MEAC), which will tip at 4:05 p.m. (central). Both games will be televised live by ESPN2.
Yori addressed members of the media in the official NCAA Press Conference at Colonial Life Arena on Thursday afternoon, prior to Nebraska’s practice. She was joined by Nebraska senior forwards Emily Cady and Hailie Sample, who both will be playing in the 132nd games of their Husker careers. For Cady, it will be her school-record-tying 132nd consecutive start.
Cady said the Huskers were proud to be competing in their fourth straight NCAA Tournament.
“We take a lot of pride in it. We’ve worked really hard to get to the point that we’re at,” Cady said. “It’s humbling and we’re really, really proud of it.”
Sample said the Big Red, who advanced to the 2013 NCAA Sweet 16 and 2014 NCAA Second Round, were thrilled with another postseason opportunity.
“I think we’re just excited in general,” Sample said. “We’re thinking about the game at hand.”
Yori said the Huskers were thrilled to be in South Carolina in the NCAA Tournament.
“I’m just glad we’re here. I’m just happy to be in the NCAA Tournament, and I think we all feel that way,” Yori said. “The first game is going to be incredibly difficult because I think the two teams are very evenly matched.”
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — The Denver Broncos have agreed to terms with free agent linebacker/special teamer Reggie Walker on a one-year contract.
Walker is a seventh-year player who played the last two seasons in San Diego after four years in Arizona.
Walker has played in 75 regular season games with a half-dozen starts, all in 2013. His best season was 2013, when he had a career-high 36 tackles, three sacks and a fumble recovery.
For his career, he has 73 tackles, 3 1-2 sacks, one forced fumble, a fumble recovery and 25 special teams stops.
He entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent out of Kansas State in 2009.