Hacksaw’s Headlines-Monday
…………(Basketball)…………..
March Madness-NCAA Tourney:
Aztecs…wind up with 6th seed on (23-4) season…will play Syracuse (16-9)…Aztecs in NCAA tourney 15th time…(6-9) under Steve Fisher-Brian Dutcher..SU in tourney 35th time in Jim Boeheim’s 45Y career….SDSU (53-6) last two years…Orange came within 2-points of nearly beating top seed Virginia in ACC tourney…SU however got blown out by 10-17-20-23 this season..Aztecs won MWC tourney for 7th time.
USC..Andy Enfield’s Trojans seeded 6th..will play winner of play-in game between Wichita State-Drake…USC lost in semi finals of Pac 12 to Colorado.
UCLA..4-losses to end season will play Michigan State in play-in game with winner meeting BYU.
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(NCAA Tourney)
Gonzaga-#1 seed in West regional.. (26-0)..first unbeaten team since 1975-Indiana Hoosiers team..Zags face playin winner-Appalachian State-Norfolk State.
Baylor #1 seed in South regional
Illinois #1 seed in Midwest after upset wins in Big 10-tourney
Michigan #1 seed in East despite getting bounced out of Big 10-early.
NCAA…Teams put on standby to play if selected teams have Covid problem..Louisville..Colorado State..St Louis..Ole Miss.
NCAA..Boise State blows tourney change with 4-losses in row at end of season
NCAA Selection committee responded to questions who got in..who got bumped:
..Teams that were hot got seeded..teams that slumped were at risk
..Teams had unequal number of games..quality wins important
..We had to find a balanced playing field for teams that had pauses and why teams struggled
Virginia…Coach Tony Bennett says entire team is in quarantine until Thursday and must test negative 7-times this week before they can go to Indianapolis…NCAA may decided on Tuesday to replace them in tourney.
NCAA-Surprise teams that got in…Iona-Rick Pitino…Ohio U…Colgate..Grand Canyon..Georgetown…Oregon State..Liberty..St Bonaventure…all surprises by pulling off upsets in conference tourneys.
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Aztecs-W-Utah State (68-57)…SDSU puts on vintage display of defense..Hold Aggies (37%-shooting)..(3-13) on 3’s..Force 18-turnovers..5-blocked shots..10-steals..Matt Mitchell (14P)..Nathan Mensah (10P-8R)…Aztecs 14th win in a row…Now (23-4)…Win 6th Mountain West Tourney title…Aztecs now (53-6) over last two seasons.
Big 10..Michigan coach Juwan Howard ejected from game with double technical yelling at Maryland bench as Wolverines went on (27-6) scoring spurt to blow game open
Big 12..Kansas opts out of conference tourney-covid test
ACC..Virginia-Duke have positive tests-opt out of tourney
Pac 12..UCLA-USC both stunning losses in semi final games
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(NBA)
Clippers—New Orleans (135-115)….Pelicans shoot 65% from floor…Zion Williamson (27)..Brandon Ingram (23P)..Lonzo Ball (20)….LA (25-15) Sunday game
Lakers-Golden State..Play on Monday night..Lakers (25-13)
Clippers-Dallas..Monday game
Lakers..F-Anthony Davis will be out another 2-weeks with slow healing calf injury
Lakers..G-Alex Caruso out with concussion symptoms
Clippers..G-Patrick Beverly-out with knee swelling
Houston..G-Eric Gordon-out (6W)-groin injury
New Orleans..G-JJ Redick-surgery-heel
76ers..C-Joel Embiid-out (2W)-bone bruise on knee
Cavaliers..G-Darius Garland-groin
Houston..F-PJ Tucker remains away from team while Rockets work on trade.
San Antonio-Miami..Heat talking trade for Spurs-LaMarcus Aldridge.
Oklahoma City-Detroit..Trade..Thunder deal G-Ham Deatlo to Pistons for rights to European players
Miami..C-Meyers Leonard-remains suspended for using slur word “Kike” last week.
NBA…Identifies G-League players who called Jeremy Lin ‘coronavirus’ slur
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………….(Baseball)………….
Padres-W-Reds (-2)……Sunday game..San Diego (6-8)
..Yu Darvish (3inn-0H)
..Ryan Weathers (3inn-2R)
..Tim Hill (1inn-0H-2K)
..Tommy Pham (.083-BA)
..Bryan O’Grady (.158-BA)
Padres-L-Arizona..(6-3)-Saturday..Dan Altavilla gives up 3R-HR..Pierce Johnson (.2inn-2R)..Fernando Tatis HR..in loss.
Padres-Brewers..Monday game
Padres..C-Austin Nola-fractured finger on left hand..Vic Caratini takes over as #1 catcher
Padres…OF-Trent Grisham out 1-week-hamstring tweak.
Padres..OF-Wil Myers-out of lineup-knee soreness
Padres..P-Dinelson Lamet throws 3rd bullpen session with no setbacks..simulated game next
Dodgers-L-Royals….Julio Urias gives up 3R-HR…Dodgers make 2-errors to allow Royals 5R in opening inning….LA (7-3)
Dodgers-Rockies…Monday game
Dodgers..Confirm they offered OF-Andrew Toles a minor league contract in order to keep him on the team medical plan while he undergoes treatment for Bipolar disorder for a 2nd year in a row.
Angels-Tie-Cubs (1-1)..
..Dylan Bundy (4.2inn-0R)
Angels..OF-Jo Adell-jammed shoulder running into wall
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(Injuries)
Giants..Confirm 1st baseman Brad Belt-battling mono after having covid this winter
Washington..P-Stephen Strasburg pulled from game-cramp in calf
Washington..P-Tanner Rainey-collarbone issue
A’s..P-Mike Fiers-MRI on hip
Reds..OF-Shogo Akujima-hamstring
Cardinals..P-Kwang Kim-back issue
Tampa Bay..MRI-1B-Ji Man Choi-knee
Yankees..SS-Miguel Andujar-wrist injury
Arizona..Coach Dave McKay-falls in dugout-spleen-rib injuries
Phillies..SS-Brad Miller-oblique issue
Colorado..SS-Brandon Rodgers-knee issue
Orioles..P-Hunter Harvey-ribcage issue
Cubs..C-Austin Romine-knee injury
Pirates..P-Blake Cederline-DL-elbow sprain
Yankees..P-Zach Britton-out 8W-bone chip elbow surgery
Phillies..C-JT Realmuto cleared to begin throwing-had thumb injury
Yankees..P-Luis Severino cleared bullpen sessions-had elbow
Texas..Minor league rookie Bayron Lora-OF-injured in bad car crash in Dominican..passenger killed..another seriously injured..Lora received 4M-bonus from Rangers
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(Roster Moves)
Atlanta..OF-Nick Markakis retires..Career (.288)..played 15Y
Indians-Reds..Trade..Cleveland deals 2B-Mike Freeman to Cinn.
Mets-Orioles..Make contract offers to FA-3B-Maikel Franco-ex Royals
Indians..Release OF-Billy Hamilton
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(MLB)
Alex Rodriguez…Report he is separating from partner Jennifer Lopez
Cubs..Anthony Rizzo-Kris Bryant say both interested in staying in Chicago but have not been offered new contracts.
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………..(Football)…………..
Chargers…Release veteran CB-Casey Hayward-had 14 interceptions in 5-years with team…(9.5M) cap savings
Chargers..Release OG-Trai Turner…clears (11.5M) cap space
Chargers..Release OG-Cole Toner
Chargers..Now had (45M) cap space
Rams…LA is (32M) over salary cap-has till Wednesday to get to (182M) cap level by restructuring contracts…have (34M) in dead money in cap from players cut or traded.
Rams..Judge sets January 10th trial date in 1.6B lawsuit filed against NFL-Rams-all clubs by City St Louis-County-State for violation of relocation bylaws about transferring franchises.
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(Roster Moves)
Saints..QB-Drew Brees retires (42Y)..after 20-year career…15-with Saints..Won Super Bowl ring…(182-123) record…(80,358P-571TD-67%) completion rate…5X-threw for over 5,000-yards in career..Helped New Orleans community come back from horrors of Hurricane Katrina by heading up 5-foundations.
Patriots-Houston..Trade..New England deals OT-Marcus Cannon and swap of 4th-5th-6th picks in draft
Houston-Miami..Trade..Dolphins deal DE-Shaq Lawson to Texans for LB-Ben McKinney
Patriots..Re-sign QB-Cam Newton (1Y-5M) deal with 5M-incentives
Tampa Bay..Re-sign QB-Tom Brady (3Y) deal..19M-cap space
Bills..Re-sign OT-Darryl Williams
Green Bay..Re-signs RB-Aaron Jones (4Y-48M) 13M-Bonus
Bears..Re-sign DE-Mario Edwards
Washington..Re-sign K-Dustin Hopkins
Raiders..Rework contracts LB-Corey Littleton-Nick Kwiatkowski-clears (7M) cap space
Packers..Rework contract LB-Preston Smith-clears (7M) space
Chiefs..Rework Patrick Mahomes contract-clears (17M) space
Saints..Rework WR-Mike Thomas deal-clears (8.7M) cap room
Ravens..Rework CB-Marcus Peters contract..(3.5M) space
Raiders..Workout FA-CB-AJ Bouye-ex Broncos-Houston
Raiders..Workout FA-CB-Clinton Ha Ha Dix-ex Packers
Steelers..Sign FA-C-BJ Finney-ex Bengals
Saints..Release DT-Malcom Brown
Lions..Release TE-Jesse James
Lions..Sign FA-TE-Josh Hill-ex Saints
Houston..Sign FA-LB-Christian Kirksey-ex Packers-Browns
49ers..Release DT-Ron Blair
Falcons..Release S-Damontee Kazee
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(NFL)
Washington..Coach Ron Rivera criticizes former 1st round pick-QB-Dwayne Haskins’ work ethic and commitment to team.
NFL..Rules teams can operate War Rooms for draft with front office execs-scouts in same room..Last year’s draft run from homes.
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(College Football)
Aztecs…Open spring football practice with 3-battling for starting QB-job..led by Mississippi State transfer Jaylen Mayden….veterans Lucas Johnson-Jordan Brookbank…Aztecs must also replace 3-starting DBs…Debut of 6’6-WR-Tyrell Shavers-transfer from Mississippi State…Arrival of new OL coach Mike Goff-former Chargers-Chiefs player.
USD-W-Drake (13-10)…Toreros defense holds Drake (25Y) total offense…survives 4-turnovers to win season opener…win 38th game in a row in Pioneer Football League…QB-Mason Randall (234P) in win
North Dakota State..QB-Trey Lance puts on impressive 66-pass workout before NFL scouts-solidifies his 1st round draft status.
Nebraska…Attempted to work buyout of game against Oklahoma…Huskers wanted to replace Sooners on schedule with game against Old Dominion.
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………..(Hockey)……………….
Kings-L-Colorado (4-1)…Nazim Kidry Goal-Assist..Nathan McKinnon goal…Sunday game..Kings (11-10-5)
Kings-Blues..Monday night game
Kings..Sign FA-LW-Davante Pelley-Smith..longtime NHL forward
Ducks-L-San Jose (6-1)…Sharks erupt 4-goals in final period….Saturday night game…Anaheim (8-15-6)
Gulls-L-Henderson Knights (3-2)…Gulls pound 50-shots on goal in loss after awful game on Saturday…Knights goalie Oscar Danz (48-saves) in the win in Sunday AHL action…Gulls fall to (9-8)…have lost 8-of-11 since (6-0) start.
Gulls-L-Tucson Roadrunners (4-1)…Tucson outshot San Diego (41-17) in horrible home ice loss..Saturday night game
Ducks..Put C-David Backes on waivers…has 2-goals in 10-games this year..makes 6M this season
Kings..D-Ollie Maata put on Covid list
San Jose..D-Erik Karlsson-asks for trade-does not want to be part of rebuilding season..makes (12M) per year
Columbus..Coach John Tortorella benches RW-Patrick Laine for 2nd time in a month for poor defensive play
Columbus..Blue Jackets sign FA-F-Josh Dunne-Clarkson University star.
Islanders..D-Anders Lee-knee injury
Las Vegas..G-Marc Andre Fleury-isolation-Covid test
Blues..Sign G-Jordan Binnington (6Y-36M) contract
Leafs-Columbus..Trade-Toronto deals Mikko Lehtonen for G-Veini Veherlainen.
Carolina-Buffalo..Hurricane open trade talks for Sabres F-Eric Staal
AHL..Cancels games with Rochester Amerks and Utica Comets-Covid outbreaks on both teams.
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…………..(General)……………
PGA..Players Championship-Sawgrass..Justin Thomas storms from behind for win
..(-14)..Justin Thomas 4-birdies and Eagle on final 10-holes
..(-13)..Lee Westwood-bogey at 17 knocked him off top
..(-12)..Byron DeChambeau
Boxing..Legendary middleweight Marvin Hagler-passes away (66Y) in Italy..Held crown (1980-87)…lost title to Sugar Ray Leonard..Beat-Roberto Duran..Thomas Hearns…Jon Mugabe in title fights…Left boxing in 1987 and went into film work in Italy….Career record (62-3-2)
NASCAR…Phoenix 500…Martin Truex ends 29-race winless drought…Outruns Joey Logano on late race restart for victory
English Premier League-Scoreboard:
..Manchester United-W-West Ham..(1-0) win
..Manchester City-W-Fulham..Sergio Aguero scores penalty shot
..Chelsea-Tie-Leeds..Blue remain in 4th place
..Everton-L-Burnley..Lose 7th match of year at home
..Hot Spur-L-Arsenal..Andre LaCazette game winner for Gunners
..Leicester-W-Sheffield..Kelechi Iheanecho 3-goals for City
..Brighton-W-Southampton..drives Southampton towards relegation