Sports News-January 31, 2013
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Michael Beasley scored a season-high 27 points and the Phoenix Suns rallied from 13 points down in the fourth quarter to hand the Los Angeles Lakers their eighth straight road loss 92-86 last night. The dramatic comeback came in Steve Nash's first game in Phoenix since he left for the Lakers after last season. The Lakers, who had won three straight, all at home, lost Dwight Howard when he reinjured his right shoulder with 6:57 to play. Kobe Bryant had 17 points and nine assists, but missed what would have been the tying layup with 24 seconds to play.
Doug McDermott scored 29 points and made five of Creighton's 15 three-pointers in the 21st ranked Bluejays' 91-77 victory over Missouri State last night. Ethan Wragge added 15 points, Austin Chatman had 14 points and ten assists for his first double-double, and Grant Gibbs had ten points for the Bluejays. Creighton moved into a tie for first place with Wichita State in the Missouri Valley Conference. McDermott, who also had ten rebounds and four assists, got better as the game progressed. He scored 18 points and made three of four three-pointers in the second half. The performance was still a far cry from his splendid outing in Springfield, Missouri, on January 11, when he personally outscored Missouri State 28-25 in the second half and made 14 shots in a row on his way to a season-best 39 points. The Bluejays improve to 19-3 overall and 8-2 in the Missouri Valley Conference while Missouri State is now 6-16 overall and 4-6 in the conference.
The two-time defending Missouri Valley Tournament Champion Creighton baseball team was selected to finish seventh in 2013 by the MVC Coaches yesterday. The 2013 Bluejay squad returns five position starters from last season. Infielders Jake Peter & Alex Staehely are back along with outfielders Mike Gerber, Brad McKewon, and Brennan Murphy. Historically strong on the mound, the Jays welcome senior Nick Musec back to the rotation and senior Mark Winkelman to anchor the bullpen. Missouri State, which returns a dominating young pitching staff and a wealth of depth from last year's squad, has been tabbed as the league favorite. All eight Missouri Valley Conference baseball teams begin action the third week of February, with tournament play and non-conference games, while league battles will heat up starting Friday, March 22.
Creighton’s Johnny Torres was named the national assistant coach of the year by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America at the organization’s awards banquet. Torres received the Glenn “Mooch” Myernick award after he helped guide the Bluejays to a 17-4-3 record and their second consecutive appearance in a College Cup. Earlier this winter, he earned Midwest Region assistant coach of the year honors for a second consecutive season. Creighton won the Missouri Valley Conference regular-season and tournament titles for a second straight season. Torres, an MVC and Creighton Hall of Famer, just completed his sixth season on the Creighton bench, during which time the Bluejays have gone 86-20-18, won five regular-season MVC titles, advanced to five NCAA tournaments and appeared in two College Cups.
The Northeast Hawks basketball teams earned a split last night at the Cox Activities Center. The Northeast men dropped an 89-62 decision to Marshalltown Community College of Iowa. Khapri Alston led three players in double figures for the Hawks with 16 points, twelve rebounds, and three blocked shots. Teammate Sean Scott added eleven points and four steals. Kyle Kilgore had a double-double with ten points, ten rebounds, and two blocked shots. Northeast trailed 46-30 at halftime and are now 14-10 on the season. They’ve dropped two in a row and five of their last six games. The NJCAA 15th ranked in Division I Northeast women routed the Concordia JV in their game 83-47. Five players reached double figures for the Hawks as they led 48-24 at halftime. Northeast improves to 21-2. They’ve won ten games in a row and eleven of their last twelve. The Hawks entered the rankings earlier in the day with the 15 ranking.
Northeast Community College has signed three more volleyball recruits to its newly reinstated program. Brittany Sullivan, Sarah Maxson, and Nazya Thies have signed letters of commitment to play next fall. Sullivan played outside hitter for Allen and was named Omaha World-Herald All-State second team last year. During her career, she recorded 615 kills, 752 digs, 142 ace serves and 28 ace blocks. Thies is a middle blocker from Winside. During the past season, she recorded 308 digs, 290 kills, 40 ace serves, and 166 ace blocks. Maxson is a middle blocker/outside hitter from Wayne. Northeast had signed Grace Ecklund of Overton in mid-January. The college has reinstated volleyball after the program was disbanded in 2002-2003 with Amanda Schultze being named as the head coach.
The Mid States Conference Basketball Tournament continues with girls action. In semifinal action at Northeast Community College, 12-5 Norfolk Catholic takes on 17-1 Pierce at 6:15 and 18-1 West Point Guardian Angels meets 17-0 Crofton at 7:45. In consolation games at Norfolk Catholic High School, 10-8 Hartington Cedar Catholic tangles with 6-14 O’Neill at 6:15 and 10-10 Boone Central/Newman Grove plays 10-10 Wayne at 7:45. Boys semifinal & consolation game action resumes tomorrow.
Local Schedule: Fort Wayne at Nebraska-Omaha (MBB-7:00).
Friday Evening: The Norfolk High girls & boys basketball teams visits Fremont in a 6:15 doubleheader starting with the girls game. Pregame coverage at approximately 5:55 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. Get the lowdown with the coaches.
Local Scores: Marshalltown CC, IA 89 NECC 62 (MBB); (15) NECC 83 Concordia JV 47 (WBB); (21) Creighton 91 Missouri St. 77 (MBB).
Spracklen Physical Therapy Star Athlete of the Week: Tyler Hagedorn of the Norfolk High boys basketball team.
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Final Indiana 98 Detroit 79
Final Philadelphia 92 Washington 84
Final New York 113 Orlando 97
Final Boston 99 Sacramento 81
Final Atlanta 93 Toronto 92
Final Chicago 104 Milwaukee 88
Final L-A Clippers 96 Minnesota 90
Final Miami 105 Brooklyn 85
Final San Antonio 102 Charlotte 78
Final Denver 118 Houston 110
Final Utah 104 New Orleans 99
Final Phoenix 92 L-A Lakers 86
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Final Ottawa 5 Montreal 1
Final 2OT Minnesota 3 Chicago 2 (SO Minnesota 2-1)
Final OT Edmonton 2 Phoenix 1
Final Vancouver 3 Colorado 0
TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Final ( 1) Michigan 68 Northwestern 46
Final ( 3) Indiana 97 Purdue 60
Final ( 4) Florida 75 South Carolina 36
Final ( 5) Duke 75 Wake Forest 70
Final Stanford 76 (10) Oregon 52
Final (14) Miami 73 Virginia Tech 64
Final LSU 73 (17) Missouri 70
Final (18) Kansas St. 83 Texas 57
Final (20) New Mexico 63 Wyoming 59
Final (21) Creighton 91 Missouri St. 77
Final (24) Cincinnati 62 Rutgers 54
TOP-25 WOMEN'S COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Final ( 1) Baylor 90 Texas Tech 60
Final (12) Louisville 78 South Florida 75
Final (17) Dayton 60 VCU 49
Final (21) Oklahoma 74 TCU 53
Final OT Kansas 78 (23) Iowa St. 75
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