NCAA
BRUINS, HEELS, CARDS CRUISE; XAVIER GOES O.T.
Four Sweet Sixteen teams are going home today after dropping their third-round games on Thursday. Here's a look at how it happened.
UCLA
The UCLA Bruins amassed a huge halftime lead, saw most of it get eaten away by a Western Kentucky comeback, and then held on for an 88-78 win over the Hilltoppers. After a first half of jitters and not much scoring, Western Kentucky scored 58 second-half points, led by Tyrone Brazelton, who had 31 for the game. Kevin Love, though, guided his team through the maze of WKU's frenetic comeback with 29 points and 14 rebounds.
Xavier 79, West Virginia 75 (OT)
BJ Raymond got hot at the right time for the Musketeers, scoring eight points in overtime-including two crucial three-pointers down the stretch-to help Xavier beat West Virginia. The Mountaineers had amassed a six-point lead in the extra session, leading 71-65 before Raymond and Xavier got hot and outscored WVA 14-4 in the games final couple of minutes. Josh Duncan led Xavier with 26 points.
Louisville
The Cardinals stopped Bruce Pearl from doing something no Tennessee coach has ever done-get the Vols into the Final Four. Rick Pitino's men in red relentlessly hammered away at Tennessee and simply wore them down. Indicative of that was a 43-28 rebounding edge and a defense that held the Vols to just 34 percent shooting. Meanwhile, Louisville hit 52 percent of their shots. Five Cards scored in double figures, with Earl Clark, a sub, leading the way with 17.
North Carolina
Tony Bennett is trying to build a championship tradition at Washington State. On Thursday, his Cougars ran into a team steeped in the stuff and learned how much farther they have to climb to reach that level. The Tar Heels manhandled WSU 68-47. North Carolina limited Washington State to just 31 percent shooting. Tyler Hansbrough led the Heels with 18 points.
FRIDAY'S GAMES
Texas vs. Stanford
Memphis vs. Michigan State
Davidson vs. Wisconsin
Kansas vs. Villanova
NBA
WARRIORS HANG ON TO EIGHTH SPOT
The Golden State Warriors had no choice but to win. While they were playing the Portland Trail Blazers, the team that is nipping at their heals, Denver, was beating Dallas 118-105. So, the Warriors came through with a 111-95 win over the Blazers. That leaves Golden State on the inside with Denver still knocking at the door for a playoff spot.
A strong third quarter was the key for Golden State as they won before a home crowd at the ORACLE Arena. After both teams traded 30-22 first and second quarter scores, tying the game at 52-52 at the half, Don Nelson's team outscored Nate McMillan's guys 39-20 in the third to ice the win.
Stephen Jackson led Golden State with 24 points. He had help from Monta Ellis (18) and Kelenna Azubuike (14). With the win, GS moves to 44-27 on the season.
The real fun begins on Saturday when the Warriors take the short hop over to the Mile High city to battle the Nuggets.
OTHER NBA SCORES
Denver 118, Dallas 105
Detroit 85, Miami 69
PLAYOFF WATCH
* Detroit clinched the Central Division title with their win over Miami.
* Golden State maintained their half-game advantage over Denver for the eighth spot in the West.
NBA NOTES
* Kobe Bryant is getting close to a one-game day off. He has now picked up 15 technical fouls-and 16 means the league suspends him for one game. On Wednesday, he got two and was tossed from the Lakers' loss to Charlotte. With the race for positioning this tight in the West, it would seem that a guy with MVP aspirations would keep his mouth closed and just play ball.
* The fans in New York deserve better. Their loyalty showed on Wednesday when the struggling Miami Heat dropped by to play the struggling Knicks. The Garden was just a few hundred short of full-which is a tribute to the fans. Now the Knicks need to reciprocate by doing whatever it takes to put a good team on the floor next year.
NHL
CAPITALS BEAT LIGHTNING TO KEEP HOPE ALIVE
The Washington Capitals playoff hopes are slim, but they're still alive, thanks to a 4-3 overtime win over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday night.
Tomas Fleischmann scored the game winner with 2:33 left in overtime to give Washington its seventh win in eight games, and keep his team's slim hopes alive. The Capitals trail the Philadelphia Flyers by two points for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
Brooks Laich, Matt Bradley, and Alexander Semin also netted goals for Washington.
Tampa Bay, the worst team in the East, dropped their 14th game in their last 19 tries.
OTHER NHL SCORES
New York Rangers 3, New Jersey 2
Pittsburgh 3, New York Islanders 1
Atlanta 3, Florida 2
Los Angeles 4, Phoenix 0
Boston 4, Toronto 2
San Jose 3, Dallas 2 - OT
Buffalo 4, Ottawa 3 - OT Shootout
FACT OF THE DAY
LAST TITLE?
When was the last NCAA title for the 12 teams remaining in the NCAA tournament?
UCLA 1995
Louisville 1986
Xavier None
Memphis None
Michigan State 2000
North Carolina 2005
Kansas 1988
Davidson None
Texas None
Villanova 1985
Wisconsin 1941
Stanford 1942
SPORTS SPECTRUM INSIDER
Getting to the heart of what matters in life
TODAY'S FEATURE: KELENNA AZUBUIKE, guard, Golden State Warriors
BIO NOTE: Kelenna was born in London but grew up in Tulsa, where he attended Victory Christian High School.
RECENT NEWS: On Thursday, Azubuike scored 14 points to help keep the Golden State playoff hopes alive.
FAITH QUOTE: "I want to keep getting better, make the most of every opportunity I get, and be a witness for Christ through it all."
-Sports Spectrum magazine
Kelenna Azubuike will be featured in the upcoming May-June edition of Sports Spectrum magazine.
MINI MEMOS
Putting the SS spin on today's sports news
NOT JUST FOR KICKS
How important is a good kicker to an NFL team? Well, two facts seem to say they're pretty doggone vital to success: One, the St. Louis Rams were willing to promise Josh Brown $14 million spread across five seasons to boot footballs through the uprights for them. And two, the Seattle Seahawks not only have picked up Olindo Mare to replace Brown after the went for the money in the Gateway City, but they are still also thinking of drafting a kicker in the upcoming draft. When the big guys all get down knocking other around for 59 minutes and change, in walks the kicker to decide who wins and who loses. He may not look like the rest of the players in size, but his stature sure rises when the game is on the line. That's why even kickers are millionaires in the NFL.
BALLPARK NEWS
Only one major league team will be christening a new baseball park this spring as the season opens, and that team is the Washington Nationals. In 2009, both New York teams will be have new homes, and in 2010, Minnesota will move outdoors and into their new park. The Nationals will practice for the first time on their new field on Friday. Nationals Park, which is located along the Anacostia River, will seat 41,888. The first game at Nationals Park will be played on Sunday night as the Nats face the Atlanta Braves.
STANFORD BREAKS RECORD
No, not the Cardinal. They were not in action on Thursday. This is Angela Stanford, the golfer. Stanford has been edging her way toward the upper echelons of LPGA play in recent years, finishing in the Top 20 in 2007. On Thursday, she was on fire, shooting a course record 62 in the first round of the Safeway International being played in Superstition Mountain, Arizona. The 10-under-par score was the best one-day total ever for Stanford. She leads the tournament over second-place Lorena Ochoa, who won the tournament last year and who shot a 65 on Thursday. Both women are a part of the LPGA Bible study under the direction of Cris Stevens.
SPRINT CUP STANDINGS
With five races in the books, here's a look at the leaders in the Sprint Cup standings. Next up for the NASCAR guys: Martinsville's half-mile track in Martinsville, Virginia and the Goody's Cool Orange 500.
Driver | Points | 2007 finish
1. Kyle Busch 782 5
2. Greg Biffle 752 14
3. Kevin Harvick 749 10
4. Jeff Burton 745 8
5. Dale Earnhardt Jr. 686 16
6. Kasey Kahne 674 19
7. Tony Stewart 656 6
8. Ryan Newman 635 13
9. Clint Bowyer 606 3
10. Kurt Busch 605 7
Other notables:
Matt Kenseth 11th
Jeff Gordon 14th
Carl Edwards 16th
Sam Hornish Jr. 35th
SPORTS SPECTRUM RADIO
SS DAILY INTERVIEW
To hear today's interview, go to the Sports Spectrum radio home page. It can be found at www.sport.org.
THE FRIDAY GUEST
BOBBY JONES, former NBA star
Bobby Jones is Carolina through and through. He played hoops for the Tar Heels in the 1970s, and after a successful NBA career has lived in Charlotte ever since. Jones will take a look at the current Tar Heels and their big guy, Tyler Hansbrough, plus he'll discuss, as a former player and coach, the concept of controlling anger on the court.
