Best 15 Minutes

Thursday March 18th, 2015

Basketball

March Madness begins with NCAA tourney games today.
  • Kentucky (34-0), ranked #1-in nation,  meets Hampton.
  • Villanova, top seed in their region,  plays Lafayette.
  • Arizona faces Texas Southern.
  • UCLA plays SMU and Coach Larry Brown, who used to coach the Bruins.
  • Upstart Butler faces Texas.
  • North Carolina meets upset minded Harvard.
  • LSU faces North Carolina State in a dangerous 8-vs-9 matchup.

-NCAA Play-In Games-

  • Boise State-L-Dayton..Flyers rally from 12P-deficit to win…UD plays Providence College.
  • Robert Morris-W-North Florida..RMU moves on to plays Duke.

-NIT Tourney Games –

  • Arizona State-W-UConn….Sun Devils go into Storrs stomp Huskies.
  • Colorado State-L-South Dakota State..Jackrabitts hit 12-3s to shock Rams (27-7) in Ft-Collins.
  • St. Marys-L-Vanderbilt..Gaels guards go (7-28) shooting in loss…
  • Old Dominion-W-Charleston Southern…Monarchs (25-7).
  • San Diego State…Practice today…Face St. Johns tomorrow in Charlotte Regional.
  • SDSU… Earns $250,000 payday each round, as do each MWC team, that plays in each game…Money into Conference pool..Wyoming-Boise State also in tourney.
  • Nevada Reno…Interest in interviewing Aztecs assistant coach Justin Hutson.
  • Utah State..Interested in ex-UCLA coach Ben Howland.
  • Fordham..Fires Coach Tom Pecora after (10-21) record.
  • Holy Cross..Hires Bill Carmody-ex Princeton-Northwestern coach.
  • Clippers-W-Sacramento….LA hits 16-3 point shots..G-JJRedick hit 7-treys in game.
  • Golden State-W-Atlanta…Warriors score 59P in lst half… Steve Kerr team now (54-13)..Hawks (53-15)
  • Cavaliers-W-Brooklyn…Cleveland (44-26)
  • Oklahoma City-W-Boston…Russell Westbrook (36P)..Thunder score (122) road win
  • Lakers-Utah…Tonight..LA (17-49)..Jazz (30-36) after atrocious start.
  • Warriors..F-Klay Thompson-out 10-days-sprained ankle.
  • Lakers..F-Nick Young has minor fracture of kneecap-missed 11-games in row.
  • Knicks…G-Derek Fisher-coach-confirms filing for divorce from wife.
  • Lakers..Jack Haley-former NBA-C and TV analyst died of heart disease earlier this week-age (51).

Baseball

  • Padres-W-Rockies (10-3)..Cody Decker Grand Slam HR..Will Middlebrooks RBI single..Yanger Solarte RBI single..Tyson Ross (5K-2inn)
  • Padres..Option out OF-Rymer Liriano-Alex Dickerson.
  • Padres..Andrew Cashner to throw 60P-in minor league game today.
  • Dodgers-L-Cubs (7-5)..Brandon McCarthy (4inn-6R-8H)..Joc Pederson 3RHR
  • Brewers-W-Royals..Gerrardo Parra 4RBI-Milwaukee..Edinson Volquez (4inn-6R-8H)
  • Seattle-W-A’s..Erasmo Ramirez (4inn-0R)
  • White Sox-W-Reds..Gord Beckham HR, 2-doubles
  • Boston-W-Minnesota..Rick Porcello (4inn-1H)..Mookie Betts (.448BA)
  • Orioles-W-Twins..Ubaldo Jiminez (4inn-2R)
  • Miami-W-Washington..Giancarlo Stanton (HR-3H)
  • Tampa Bay-W-Toronto..Chris Archer (4inn-0R)
  • Yankees-W-Atlanta..Masahiro Tanaka (3.2inn-0R)..Brian McCann-Steven Drew HRs
  • Pirates-W-Tigers..Pittsburgh 3HRs in win.
  • Phillies..Put 1B-Ryan Howard on trading block-willing to pay $50M of $60M owed on contract.
  • Giants-Red Sox..Discuss possible Trade-Boston OF-Allan Craig.
  • Giants-Angels..SF acquires C-Jackson Williams from Halos in cash deal.
  • Texas..Release OF-Scott Cousins.
  • Orioles..C-Matt Wieters-shutdown after 1-game behind plate-elbow flareup from last year surgery.
  • Tampa Bay..P-Alex Cobb-shutdown forearm tightness.
  • Texas..OF-Ramon Santiago-out 10W-broken collarbone.
  • Giants..C-Andrew Susac-wrist ailment.
  • Dodgers..P-Brandon Beachy throws off mound lst time-since 2nd elbow operation.
  • Rangers..P-Yu Darvish-elbow surgery successful-out 10-to-16 months.

Football

  • NFL Competition Committee…..Will look at major proposals for major rule changes in Instant Replay
  • Replay to be used on all penalties
  • Replay to be used on Personal Foul Penalties-Hits on QB-Defenseless Receivers.
  • Replay to be used on Pass Interference Penalties
  • Refine-Define what is catch rule-Dez Bryant rule.
  • Increase Rosters from 53-to-55 players.
  • Allow 53-Man Roster for Thursday night games.
  • PAT kicks from 15-yard line.
  • Overtime Rule-Each Team gets chance to score TD on lst possession.
  • Coaches-Given 3-challenges per game.
  • Installation of 12-Cameras  on boundary markers-sidelines-end zones to get perfect shots.
  • Chargers..Sign FA-DT-Mitch Unrien-utility player-made just 3-starts in 4-years in Denver…Inactive 9G-last year-played only 46-snaps.
  • Dallas..Sign FA-DE-Greg Hardy-Carolina (1Y-$13M) Contract loaded with Incentive bonuses.
  • Ravens..Sign FA-DT-Chris Canty…Release RB-Bernard Pierce after DUI…8th Ravens players to be arrested in a year.
  • Giants..Sign FA-DT-Kenrick Ellis-Jets
  • Bears..Sign FA-LS-Tom Gafford-Chiefs.
  • Patriots..Sign FA-TE-Scott Chandler-Bills..FA-LB-Brad Fletcher-Eagles..FA-RB-Travaris Cadet-Saints..FA-CB-Robert McClain-Falcons
  • Rams..Sign FA-OT-Garrett Reynolds-Lions
  • Dolphins..Visit WR-Michael Crabtree-49ers
  • Jets..Visit DE-Osi Umenyiora-Giants-Atl..LB-Jamari Lattimore-Packers..DE-Lawrence Guy-ex Chargers..OT-James Brewer-Giants..WR-Danarius Moore-Raiders.
  • Seahawks..Visit DT-Ahtyba Rubin-Cleveland
  • Syracuse..Fires Athletic Director Darryl Gross-2W-after NCAA drops hammer on Orange basketball program…Gross rebuilt Syracuse into big money college athletic power…took team to ACC membership…however saw football program erode and basketball get hit with 5Y-probation…Jim Boeheim remains as coach.

Hockey

  • Ducks-W-Kings (3-2)….Ryan Kesler scores :45 into overtime for Ducks win…Anaheim (45-20-7)…
  • NHL..Suspends Leafs F-Nazem Kadri-4G-Shoulder check to head of injured Edmonton player.
  • Vancouver…G-Ryan Miller will be out another 3-weeks-meaning he might not be ready till the playoffs-groin injury