Sports News-January 18, 2013
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Lance Armstrong admitted in an interview with Oprah Winfrey that he used performance-enhancing drugs to win the Tour de France. Saying they were his decisions and his mistake, Armstrong said he couldn't have won the race seven times without the drugs. Armstrong answered "yes" when asked if he utilized EPO, blood doping and transfusions, testosterone, cortisone and human growth hormone, saying he did it in all seven of his Tour wins.
Notre Dame All-American linebacker Manti Te'o mentioned in at least two interviews his online girlfriend of three years even after the school says he discovered she never existed. An Associated Press review of news coverage found that the Heisman Trophy runner-up talked about his doomed love in a Web interview on Dec. 8 and again in a newspaper interview published Dec. 10. He and the university said Wednesday that he learned on Dec. 6 that it was all a hoax, that not only wasn't she dead, she wasn't real. However, former Arizona Cardinals fullback Reagan Maui'a says he knows the woman, telling ESPN that he met Lennay Kekua in 2011 while he and some teammates were on a charity mission to American Samoa. Maui'a told the network that this was before the woman met Te'o and that he and Kekua became "good friends."
LeBron James had 39 points and eight assists, Dwyane Wade added 27 points on his 31st birthday and the Miami Heat held off the Los Angeles Lakers 99-90 last night to finish the defending NBA champions' six-game road trip with three wins. Ray Allen scored seven of his nine points in the final five minutes as the Heat repelled a late charge by the Lakers, who lost for the seventh time in nine games. Kobe Bryant scored 13 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter for Los Angeles, which rallied for a brief lead midway through the final period before James and Allen secured the Heat's second win in their last eight road games against the Lakers.
The Arizona Cardinals filled the NFL's final head coaching vacancy by hiring Indianapolis offensive coordinator Bruce Arians. The 60-year-old longtime assistant went 9-3 as Colts interim head coach while Chuck Pagano was undergoing treatment for leukemia last season. Arians replaces Ken Whisenhunt, who was fired on New Year's Eve following the team's second 5-11 finish in three years.
Nebraska football coach Bo Pelini has received a strong endorsement from new athletic director Shawn Eichorst. Eichorst said in an interview with The Associated Press that he admires how Pelini runs the Cornhuskers' program and that he believes Pelini is on track to end a conference-championship drought that dates to 1999. The Huskers were 10-4 this past season, finishing with a 39-point loss to Wisconsin in the Big Ten championship game and a 14-point loss to Georgia in the Capital One Bowl. Eichorst said even though the season ended in disappointment, Nebraska is "not far away" from a Big Ten title. Eichorst called Pelini "an excellent coach, character-based, fundamentally sound." Eichorst said he's impressed with the discipline and academic achievement of the players.
The Nebraska football team added another tight end to its recruiting class, gaining a commitment yesterday from Cethan Carter according to the Lincoln Journal Star. The 6’4, 235-pound Carter played both fullback and tight end as a senior, but has been viewed mostly as a tight end by college coaches. The Louisiana native had 25 catches for more than 400 yards and six touchdowns this past season. Carter chose Nebraska over a grayshirt offer from LSU, among other options. The recruit visited Lincoln this past weekend, coming away impressed by his visit with Bo Pelini and his assistants. Carter joins Greg Hart as the other tight end in the class, and puts the Huskers at 21 pledges. With Kyler Reed and Ben Cotton departing, coaches have been pursuing the addition of another tight end in this class, making a run at juco tight end Beau Sandland before he picked Miami. As it stands now, Carter and Hart would join a group of tight ends that includes Jake Long, Sam Cotton, David Sutton and Trey Foster.
Wayne State seniors Randy Weich and Richard Daniel have been named to the D2Football.com All-America Team. Weich was selected Second Team All-America punter while Daniel earned honorable mention honors as a defensive lineman. D2Football.com has named an All-America Team since its inception in 2000. It's the fifth All-American honor for Weich this year, who was named AFCA All-American First Team punter, Daktronics All-American Second Team, Beyond Sports Network Division II All-America Second Team and Associated Press Little All-America Second Team in December. Weich, a senior from Pierce, was named NSIC South Division First Team Punter for a third straight season after leading the NSIC in punting for a third straight year averaging 44.8 yards per punt. Daniel, a senior defensive end from Papillion-LaVista High School, was a NSIC South Division First Team Defense selection for a third straight season while racking up some impressive defensive numbers to be named NSIC Defensive Player of the Year. He led the NSIC in forced fumbles, tied for third in fumbles recovered, was fourth in sacks with eight for 40 yards and tied for fifth in tackles for loss with 14.5 for 65 yards. Wayne State finished the 2012 season with a 6-5 record.
The Wayne State softball team has been picked sixth in the 2013 NSIC Preseason Softball Coaches Poll. The Wildcats return five position starters and two pitchers from last year’s team that finished 28-23 overall while tied for seventh in the NSIC with a 13-13 league mark. Sophomores Kaiti Williams and Sara Scheffert have been listed as Wayne State Players to Watch in the NSIC this season. Defending NSIC regular season and tournament champion Minnesota State was selected by league coaches as the team to beat. The Wildcats are scheduled to open the 2013 season on March 3rd at the National Training Center Spring Games in Clermont, Florida.
Local Schedule: Nfk High at Omaha Burke (BBB-7:15); Nfk Cath at Wahoo High (G&B BB-6:15); Clarkson/Leigh at LHNE (G&B BB-6:15); North Platte CC at NECC (WBB-5:00); Minot St. At WSC (W&M BB-6:00); Illinois at Nebraska (WR Dual-7:00).
This Evening: The Norfolk High boys basketball team goes to Omaha Burke at 7:15. Pregame coverage at approximately 6:55 on Newstalk WJAG 105.9 FM & WJAG.com.
Saturday Morning: Sportstalk on 106 KIX & 106KIX.com from 9:00-10:00 AM from Hy-Vee West. This week: Nfk High’s Bruce Shively & Tony Brown; Nfk Cath’s Shane Anderson; LHNE’s Shannon Pospisil & Henry Aschoff; & NECC’s Dan Anderson.
Local Scores: Nfk High 67 Omaha Burke 58 (GBB); Nfk Cath 32 Pierce 30 (WR Dual); Nfk High 128 Kearney 58 (B. Swim Dual); Kearney 93 Nfk High 87 (G. Swim Dual); Illinois 62 Nebraska 52 (WBB); Nebraska-Omaha 62 Chicago St. 47 (WBB).
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Final New York 102 Detroit 87
Final L-A Clippers 90 Minnesota 77
Final Milwaukee 98 Phoenix 94
Final Miami 99 L-A Lakers 90
TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Final ( 3) Duke 73 Georgia Tech 57
Final ( 5) Michigan 83 ( 9) Minnesota 75
Final ( 8) Gonzaga 71 Portland 49
Final (10) Florida 68 Texas A&M 47
Final (21) Oregon 76 Southern Cal 74
Final OT (22) VCU 92 Saint Joseph's 86
Final Northwestern 68 (23) Illinois 54
Final (24) UCLA 74 Oregon St. 64
TOP-25 WOMEN'S COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Final ( 5) Kentucky 100 Mississippi St. 47
Final OT ( 7) California 71 Southern Cal 63
Final ( 8) Penn St. 84 Wisconsin 40
Final ( 9) Tennessee 75 Auburn 66
Final (10) Maryland 82 NC State 62
Final (11) North Carolina 71 Virginia 60
Final (12) Purdue 75 Minnesota 67
Final (13) Georgia 57 Arkansas 53
Final (19) South Carolina 66 LSU 59
Final (22) Florida St. 67 Boston College 57
Final (25) Michigan 67 Northwestern 53
BOYS BASKETBALL
Alliance 51, Chadron 31
Bertrand 63, Maywood 16
Bishop Neumann 56, Blair 50
Boone Central/Newman Grove 55, Columbus Scotus 42
College View Academy 50, Nebraska Lutheran 38
Cozad 48, Lexington 35
Diller-Odell 39, Lawrence-Nelson 38
Dundy County-Stratton 48, Cambridge 44
Ewing 55, Bloomfield 52
Freeman 47, Wilber-Clatonia 45
Gibbon 73, Amherst 45
Giltner 65, Cross County 25
Gretna 58, Plattsmouth 44
Humphrey 58, Madison 41
Johnson County Central 56, Humboldt/Table Rock-Steinauer 46
Laurel-Concord 47, Battle Creek 43
Lincoln Christian 61, Raymond Central 44
Lincoln North Star 54, Lincoln East 44
Lincoln Northeast 44, Lincoln High 43
Lincoln Pius X 62, Crete 27
Loomis 43, Alma 40
Mead 49, Conestoga 35
Medicine Valley 62, Elwood 38
Millard West 53, Millard South 43
Mullen 44, Brady 37
Omaha Benson 68, Bellevue East 42
Omaha Bryan 60, Papillion-LaVista South 46
Omaha Westside 74, Papillion-LaVista 70, OT
Paxton 61, Wauneta-Palisade 40
Pender 43, Wisner-Pilger 39
Sandhills/Thedford 89, Hyannis 35
Sandy Creek 51, Blue Hill 37
Shelton 48, Wood River 39
South Loup 59, Ansley-Litchfield 38
Southern Valley 68, Arapahoe 51
Twin River 52, Clarkson/Leigh 45
Valentine 62, Ainsworth 61
Wallace 66, Arthur County 29
Wausa 52, Allen 19
Weeping Water 55, Omaha Brownell-Talbot 40
Wynot 61, Gayville-Volin, S.D. 23
Yutan 65, Louisville 58
Colby Classic Tournament
McCook 58, Colby, Kan. 26
Goldenrod Conference Tournament
Semifinal
Burwell 53, Spalding/Spalding Academy 38
Minuteman Activities Conference Tournament
Semifinal
Leyton 66, Potter-Dix 41
Minatare 51, Creek Valley 47
Nebraska Native American Tournament
Omaha Nation 53, Walthill 45
Raider Classic Tournament
Semifinal
Falls City 57, Troy, Kan. 21
River Cities Conference Tournament
Semifinal
Omaha Gross Catholic 52, Omaha Skutt Catholic 51
South Sioux City 61, Omaha Roncalli 49
South Platte Valley Association Tournament
Semi-Finals
North Platte St. Patrick's 53, Perkins County 39
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Ainsworth 52, Valentine 48
Amherst 52, Gibbon 30
Bellevue East 59, Omaha Benson 57
Bertrand 63, Maywood 25
Bishop Neumann 56, Blair 47
Chadron 46, Alliance 24
Clarkson/Leigh 32, Twin River 31
Columbus Scotus 37, Boone Central/Newman Grove 36
Cozad 57, Lexington 39
Cross County 58, Giltner 54
Diller-Odell 59, Lawrence-Nelson 13
Dundy County-Stratton 68, Cambridge 48
Elwood 54, Medicine Valley 31
Ewing 56, Bloomfield 46
Freeman 58, Wilber-Clatonia 25
Grand Island Central Catholic 48, Centura 38
Gretna 65, Plattsmouth 32
Guardian Angels 62, Wayne 38
Humphrey 46, Madison 27
Johnson County Central 43, Humboldt/Table Rock-Steinauer 27
Lafayette (St. Joseph), Mo. 47, Falls City 31
Laurel-Concord 42, Battle Creek 25
Lincoln Christian 44, Raymond Central 34
Lincoln Pius X 45, Crete 43
Loomis 60, Alma 44
Mead 55, Conestoga 45
Millard West 46, Millard South 23
Mullen 46, Brady 43
Nebraska City 34, Omaha Mercy 30
Nebraska Lutheran 37, College View Academy 11
Norfolk 67, Omaha Burke 58
Omaha Christian Academy 41, Boys Town 35
Omaha North 61, Omaha Marian 49
Omaha Westside 60, Papillion-LaVista 53
Papillion-LaVista South 40, Omaha Bryan 38
Pender 57, Wisner-Pilger 29
Sandhills/Thedford 65, Hyannis 30
Sandy Creek 50, Blue Hill 40
Scribner-Snyder 64, Stanton 60
Seward 61, Kearney Catholic 41
Southern Valley 70, Arapahoe 67, OT
Stuart 39, North Central 34
Wallace 54, Arthur County 41
Wauneta-Palisade 38, Paxton 29
Wausa 31, Allen 25
Weeping Water 40, Omaha Brownell-Talbot 22
West Holt 50, Boyd County 46
Wood River 50, Shelton 21
Wynot 69, Gayville-Volin, S.D. 28
Yutan 63, Louisville 46
Colby Tournament
McCook 55, Beloit, Kan. 20
Minuteman Activities Conference Tournament
Semifinal
Creek Valley 37, Potter-Dix 28
Leyton 47, Garden County 29
Nebraska Native American Tournament
Omaha Nation 50, Walthill 25
River Cities Conference Tournament
Consolation Semifinal
Omaha Duchesne Academy 62, Ralston 28
Semifinal
Beatrice 49, Omaha Skutt Catholic 36
South Sioux City 61, Omaha Gross Catholic 51
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