NEW YORK (AP) — Alijah Martin, Vladislav Goldin and ninth-seeded Florida Atlantic became the first and lowest-seeded team to reach this year’s Final Four. The Owls withstood another huge game by Kansas State’s Markquis Nowell to beat the Wildcats 79-76. FAU, making just its second appearance in the NCAA Tournament, won the East Region at Madison Square Garden and will head to Houston to play the winner of Sunday’s South Region final between Creighton and San Diego State. The winningest team in Division I this season had never won an NCAA Tournament game before ripping off four straight, all by single digits.

NEW YORK (AP) — Playing in front of a Madison Square Garden crowd that was riveted every time he touched the ball, Markquis Nowell did everything he could to carry Kansas State to its first Final Four since 1964. The 5-foot-8 Harlem native had 50 points, 31 assists and 10 steals in two games at the famous New York City arena and was named the East Region’s most outstanding player. But it wasn’t enough against a hard-driving Florida Atlantic team that beat Kansas State 79-76 in a nip-and-tuck game to earn a trip to the Final Four. Nowell finished with 30 points, 12 assists and five steals.

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Jordan Hawkins scored 20 points and UConn overwhelmed its fourth straight NCAA Tournament opponent, earning its first trip to the Final Four in nine years with an 82-54 blowout of Gonzaga. The Huskies have felt right at home in their first extended March Madness run since winning the 2014 national championship, playing their best basketball of what had been an up-and-down season. UConn controlled the usually efficient Bulldogs at both ends in the West Region final. These elite Huskies did what the UConn women couldn’t for once and are headed to Houston. Drew Timme had 12 points and 10 rebounds for Gonzaga in his final collegiate game.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Texas is aiming for its first trip to the Final Four in 20 years, and Miami is seeking the first in school history. The teams will meet in the Midwest Region final of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday. The Longhorns have rallied around interim coach Rodney Terry, who took over in December following Chris Beard's suspension and later firing. But the Big 12 tourney champs could be without star big man Dylan Disu, who is dealing with a foot injury. The Hurricanes have ridden red-hot Nijel Pack and Isaiah Wong to a second straight Elite Eight. They eliminated No. 1 seed Houston in the Sweet 16.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Miami coach Jim Larrañaga wants to know how much money athletes at other schools are making through name, image and likeness deals. He said it's only fair since no school has had the values of its athletes’ deals publicized more than Miami. Larrañaga said full disclosure is important for competitive reasons and also so the NCAA or Congress can have more information at their disposal when and if they bring clarity to NIL rules. Star guard Nijel Pack’s two-year, $800,000 contract with Miami booster John Ruiz is the most publicized NIL deal since the NCAA began allowing athletes to make money off their popularity.

NEW YORK (AP) — Alijah Martin, Vladislav Goldin and ninth-seeded Florida Atlantic became the first and lowest-seeded team to reach this year’s Final Four. The Owls withstood another huge game by Kansas State’s Markquis Nowell to beat the Wildcats 79-76. FAU, making just its second appearance in the NCAA Tournament, won the East Region at Madison Square Garden and will head to Houston to play the winner of Sunday’s South Region final between Creighton and San Diego State. The winningest team in Division I this season had never won an NCAA Tournament game before ripping off four straight, all by single digits.NEW YORK (AP) — Playing in front of a Madison Square Garden crowd that was riveted every time he touched the ball, Markquis Nowell did everything he could to carry Kansas State to its first Final Four since 1964. The 5-foot-8 Harlem native had 50 points, 31 assists and 10 steals in two games at the famous New York City arena and was named the East Region’s most outstanding player. But it wasn’t enough against a hard-driving Florida Atlantic team that beat Kansas State 79-76 in a nip-and-tuck game to earn a trip to the Final Four. Nowell finished with 30 points, 12 assists and five steals.LAS VEGAS (AP) — Jordan Hawkins scored 20 points and UConn overwhelmed its fourth straight NCAA Tournament opponent, earning its first trip to the Final Four in nine years with an 82-54 blowout of Gonzaga. The Huskies have felt right at home in their first extended March Madness run since winning the 2014 national championship, playing their best basketball of what had been an up-and-down season. UConn controlled the usually efficient Bulldogs at both ends in the West Region final. These elite Huskies did what the UConn women couldn’t for once and are headed to Houston. Drew Timme had 12 points and 10 rebounds for Gonzaga in his final collegiate game.KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Texas is aiming for its first trip to the Final Four in 20 years, and Miami is seeking the first in school history. The teams will meet in the Midwest Region final of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday. The Longhorns have rallied around interim coach Rodney Terry, who took over in December following Chris Beard's suspension and later firing. But the Big 12 tourney champs could be without star big man Dylan Disu, who is dealing with a foot injury. The Hurricanes have ridden red-hot Nijel Pack and Isaiah Wong to a second straight Elite Eight. They eliminated No. 1 seed Houston in the Sweet 16.KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Miami coach Jim Larrañaga wants to know how much money athletes at other schools are making through name, image and likeness deals. He said it's only fair since no school has had the values of its athletes’ deals publicized more than Miami. Larrañaga said full disclosure is important for competitive reasons and also so the NCAA or Congress can have more information at their disposal when and if they bring clarity to NIL rules. Star guard Nijel Pack’s two-year, $800,000 contract with Miami booster John Ruiz is the most publicized NIL deal since the NCAA began allowing athletes to make money off their popularity.SATURDAY SCORESNCAA Elite EightEASTFinal FAU 79 Kansas St. 76WESTFinal UConn 82 Gonzaga 54INTERLEAGUEFinal Atlanta 9 Minnesota 4Final Atlanta 9 Minnesota 4Final N.Y. Yankees 8 Philadelphia 3Final Kansas City 6 L.A. Dodgers 3Final San Diego 5 Texas 3Final Milwaukee 6 Oakland 5Final L.A. Angels 8 Chicago Cubs 7Final Arizona 4 Seattle 1Final San Francisco 7 Seattle 4Final Houston 6 Washington 1Final Baltimore 6 Pittsburgh 4Final Chicago White Sox 9 Cincinnati 2Final Cleveland 4 Colorado 2AMERICAN LEAGUEFinal Tampa Bay 4 Boston 2Final Detroit 4 Toronto 1NATIONAL LEAGUEFinal St. Louis 3 Miami 2Final St. Louis 4 N.Y. Mets 4NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATIONFinal Atlanta 143 Indiana 130Final Brooklyn 129 Miami 100Final Denver 129 Milwaukee 106Final Sacramento 121 Utah 113Final Phoenix 125 Philadelphia 105Final New Orleans 131 L.A. Clippers 110NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUEFinal Philadelphia 3 Detroit 0Final Boston 2 Tampa Bay 1Final Seattle 7 Nashville 2Final Los Angeles 4 Winnipeg 1Final Calgary 5 San Jose 3Final Buffalo 2 N-Y Islanders 0Final Minnesota 3 Chicago 1Final N-Y Rangers 4 Florida 3Final Montreal 8 Columbus 2Final Carolina 5 Toronto 3Final Vancouver 3 Dallas 1Final New Jersey 5 Ottawa 3Final Pittsburgh 4 Washington 3Final OT Vegas 4 Edmonton 3Final St. Louis 6 Anaheim 3

Sports Headlines for Sunday

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- The Royals’ pitching picture came more into focus on Saturday -- while setting up a few intriguing final decisions that must be made in the coming days as Opening Day nears.

Relievers&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/player/622251" target="_blank">Josh Staumont</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/player/657031" target="_blank">Josh Taylor</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/player/663992" target="_blank">Richard Lovelady</a>&nbsp;were optioned before the Royals’&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/gameday/royals-vs-dodgers/2023/03/25/718959/final/box" target="_blank">6-3 win</a>&nbsp;over the Dodgers at Camelback Ranch, giving clarity to what the bullpen might look like next week.

Taylor and Lovelady are both lefties who missed the 2022 season with injuries. Lovelady, coming off Tommy John surgery, struck out 10 without allowing a run this spring, while Taylor, who missed last season with a back injury, allowed three earned runs in 7 2/3 innings with eight strikeouts.

“For Josh Taylor and Lovelady, [the message] is keep doing what you’re doing,” manager Matt Quatraro said. “Keep building arm strength. Keep pitching, with both of those guys coming off a full missed year.”

Staumont was the most surprising move. About to enter his fourth big league season, the right-handed fireballer only allowed one run in eight Cactus League innings this spring, but he also walked five. Staumont is coming off an injury-riddled 2022 season and posted a 6.45 ERA with a 16.5 percent walk rate. It seemed he had established himself as a high-leverage reliever who would be wild at times. But the Royals didn’t want to continue that trend.

He can throw 98-100 mph, but he must iron out his command before he returns. In 2020, Staumont had a 14.3 percent walk rate but a 33 percent strikeout rate, and that latter number has dipped recently.

“With Staumont, the message is always ‘throw strike one, throw strike two,’” Quatraro said. “Get ahead. Because he’s got closer-type stuff. And he’s got a real gift. He’s got a gifted arm. So the message was just stay in the zone as much as possible.”

The message to all three was also that they’ll be in Kansas City at some point in 2023. The Royals were intent on creating pitching depth this offseason -- it’s one of the reasons they added Lovelady to the 40-man roster and traded for Taylor -- and they expect to use it throughout the season.

“To have depth means quality depth, so you can easily argue that those guys could be on the team, and you’d have a very good case for it,” Quatraro said. “But I think we’re happy with the fact that we were able to continue to keep our depth and have those guys in Triple-A.

“… It stinks to deliver the message. But I have no doubt that we’re going to need every one of those guys and more. It’s not fun. And I don’t expect any of those guys to ever be happy when you’re given that news because you’re competitive and you want to be here. But it’s a necessary evil of the game.”

With Staumont, Taylor and Lovelady out, who’s in Kansas City’s Opening Day bullpen? The Royals have not made it official, but it’s likely that they’ll have&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/player/605130" target="_blank">Scott Barlow</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/player/547973" target="_blank">Aroldis Chapman</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/player/607237" target="_blank">Amir Garrett</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/player/669395" target="_blank">Dylan Coleman</a>&nbsp;as one-inning options.

<a href="https://www.mlb.com/player/664199" target="_blank">Taylor Clarke</a>&nbsp;(who allowed one run in 1 1/3 innings Saturday),&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/player/672578" target="_blank">Carlos Hernández</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/player/642232" target="_blank">Ryan Yarbrough</a>&nbsp;can be multi-inning relievers. That leaves one spot still undecided. The Royals could reward&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/player/676092" target="_blank">Collin Snider</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/player/621016" target="_blank">Jose Cuas</a>&nbsp;for their good springs. They could turn to non-roster invitees&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/player/621295" target="_blank">Nick Wittgren</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/player/681895" target="_blank">Evan Sisk</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/player/680802" target="_blank">Ryan Weiss</a>.

The Royals have options, which was always the plan.

“I think we all noticed it pretty early on, there are a lot of pitchers here competing for spots,” Clarke said. “It’s always a good issue to have. … And I think last year, we ran into issues with guys hurt or other stuff, and we didn’t have guys ready to step up. Now I feel like we have a lot of guys that are ready, waiting for the opportunity.”

The last spot in the bullpen could also depend on who the Royals peg as their fifth starter. After&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/royals/news/twins-royals-2023-opening-day-starting-pitchers" target="_blank">Opening Day starter Zack Greinke</a>&nbsp;-- who allowed two runs in 5 1/3 innings with five strikeouts on Saturday -- the Royals will start&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/player/543475" target="_blank">Jordan Lyles</a>&nbsp;against the Twins next Saturday.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/player/641745" target="_blank">Brad Keller</a>&nbsp;will pitch the series finale, setting up&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/player/663903" target="_blank">Brady Singer</a>’s season debut on April 3 against the Blue Jays and former teammate Whit Merrifield.

With&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/player/663738" target="_blank">Daniel Lynch</a>&nbsp;(left shoulder strain)&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/royals/news/daniel-lynch-diagnosed-with-left-shoulder-strain">starting the season on the injured list</a>, the Royals’ fifth starter is undecided -- although&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/player/663460" target="_blank">Kris Bubic</a>&nbsp;appears to be the frontrunner.

“Being stretched out,” Quatraro said when asked what factors into that decision. “Somebody we’re confident can give us those innings is the main part of it.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-images/image/upload/ar_16:9,g_auto,q_auto:good,w_1024,c_fill,f_jpg,dpr_3.0/mlb/lwwmbvlsa7vnpav6xcod" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>GLENDALE, Ariz. -- The Royals’ pitching picture came more into focus on Saturday -- while setting up a few intriguing final decisions that must be made in the coming days as Opening Day nears.Relievers&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/player/622251" target="_blank">Josh Staumont</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/player/657031" target="_blank">Josh Taylor</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/player/663992" target="_blank">Richard Lovelady</a>&nbsp;were optioned before the Royals’&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/gameday/royals-vs-dodgers/2023/03/25/718959/final/box" target="_blank">6-3 win</a>&nbsp;over the Dodgers at Camelback Ranch, giving clarity to what the bullpen might look like next week.Taylor and Lovelady are both lefties who missed the 2022 season with injuries. Lovelady, coming off Tommy John surgery, struck out 10 without allowing a run this spring, while Taylor, who missed last season with a back injury, allowed three earned runs in 7 2/3 innings with eight strikeouts.“For Josh Taylor and Lovelady, [the message] is keep doing what you’re doing,” manager Matt Quatraro said. “Keep building arm strength. Keep pitching, with both of those guys coming off a full missed year.”<figure>
 <img src="https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-images/image/private/ar_16:9,g_auto,q_auto:good,w_1024,c_fill,f_jpg,dpr_3.0/mlb/xpftrrjkvpa3dmfpfois" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Staumont was the most surprising move. About to enter his fourth big league season, the right-handed fireballer only allowed one run in eight Cactus League innings this spring, but he also walked five. Staumont is coming off an injury-riddled 2022 season and posted a 6.45 ERA with a 16.5 percent walk rate. It seemed he had established himself as a high-leverage reliever who would be wild at times. But the Royals didn’t want to continue that trend.He can throw 98-100 mph, but he must iron out his command before he returns. In 2020, Staumont had a 14.3 percent walk rate but a 33 percent strikeout rate, and that latter number has dipped recently.“With Staumont, the message is always ‘throw strike one, throw strike two,’” Quatraro said. “Get ahead. Because he’s got closer-type stuff. And he’s got a real gift. He’s got a gifted arm. So the message was just stay in the zone as much as possible.”The message to all three was also that they’ll be in Kansas City at some point in 2023. The Royals were intent on creating pitching depth this offseason -- it’s one of the reasons they added Lovelady to the 40-man roster and traded for Taylor -- and they expect to use it throughout the season.“To have depth means quality depth, so you can easily argue that those guys could be on the team, and you’d have a very good case for it,” Quatraro said. “But I think we’re happy with the fact that we were able to continue to keep our depth and have those guys in Triple-A.“… It stinks to deliver the message. But I have no doubt that we’re going to need every one of those guys and more. It’s not fun. And I don’t expect any of those guys to ever be happy when you’re given that news because you’re competitive and you want to be here. But it’s a necessary evil of the game.”With Staumont, Taylor and Lovelady out, who’s in Kansas City’s Opening Day bullpen? The Royals have not made it official, but it’s likely that they’ll have&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/player/605130" target="_blank">Scott Barlow</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/player/547973" target="_blank">Aroldis Chapman</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/player/607237" target="_blank">Amir Garrett</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/player/669395" target="_blank">Dylan Coleman</a>&nbsp;as one-inning options.<a href="https://www.mlb.com/player/664199" target="_blank">Taylor Clarke</a>&nbsp;(who allowed one run in 1 1/3 innings Saturday),&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/player/672578" target="_blank">Carlos Hernández</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/player/642232" target="_blank">Ryan Yarbrough</a>&nbsp;can be multi-inning relievers. That leaves one spot still undecided. The Royals could reward&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/player/676092" target="_blank">Collin Snider</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/player/621016" target="_blank">Jose Cuas</a>&nbsp;for their good springs. They could turn to non-roster invitees&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/player/621295" target="_blank">Nick Wittgren</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/player/681895" target="_blank">Evan Sisk</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/player/680802" target="_blank">Ryan Weiss</a>.<figure>
 <img src="https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-images/image/upload/ar_16:9,g_auto,q_auto:good,w_1024,c_fill,f_jpg,dpr_3.0/mlb/mxsuayagknmmmtcsxtzc" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The Royals have options, which was always the plan.“I think we all noticed it pretty early on, there are a lot of pitchers here competing for spots,” Clarke said. “It’s always a good issue to have. … And I think last year, we ran into issues with guys hurt or other stuff, and we didn’t have guys ready to step up. Now I feel like we have a lot of guys that are ready, waiting for the opportunity.”The last spot in the bullpen could also depend on who the Royals peg as their fifth starter. After&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/royals/news/twins-royals-2023-opening-day-starting-pitchers" target="_blank">Opening Day starter Zack Greinke</a>&nbsp;-- who allowed two runs in 5 1/3 innings with five strikeouts on Saturday -- the Royals will start&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/player/543475" target="_blank">Jordan Lyles</a>&nbsp;against the Twins next Saturday.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/player/641745" target="_blank">Brad Keller</a>&nbsp;will pitch the series finale, setting up&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/player/663903" target="_blank">Brady Singer</a>’s season debut on April 3 against the Blue Jays and former teammate Whit Merrifield.With&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/player/663738" target="_blank">Daniel Lynch</a>&nbsp;(left shoulder strain)&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/royals/news/daniel-lynch-diagnosed-with-left-shoulder-strain">starting the season on the injured list</a>, the Royals’ fifth starter is undecided -- although&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mlb.com/player/663460" target="_blank">Kris Bubic</a>&nbsp;appears to be the frontrunner.“Being stretched out,” Quatraro said when asked what factors into that decision. “Somebody we’re confident can give us those innings is the main part of it.”

⚾ MLB: Royals' bullpen shows strength

NEW YORK (AP) — Alijah Martin, Vlad Goldin and ninth-seeded Florida Atlantic became the first and lowest-seeded team to reach this year's Final Four as the Owls withstood another huge game by Kansas State's Markquis Nowell to beat the Wildcats 79-76 on Saturday night.

FAU (35-3), making just its second appearance in the NCAA Tournament, won the East Region at Madison Square Garden and will head to Houston to play the winner of Sunday's South Region final between Creighton and San Diego State.

In one of the most unpredictable NCAA Tournaments ever — all four No. 1 seeds were out by the Elite Eight — the Owls from Conference USA typified the madness.

“I expect the prognosticators to pick us fifth in the Final Four,” fifth-year FAU coach Dusty May said.

The winningest team in Division I this season had never won an NCAA Tournament game before ripping off four straight, all by single digits, to become the first No. 9 seed to reach the Final Four since Wichita State in 2013 and the third to get that far since seeding began in 1979.

Nowell, the 5-foot-8 native New Yorker, was incredible again at Madison Square Garden, with 30 points, 12 assists and five steals, coming off a Sweet 16 game in which he set the NCAA Tournament record with 19 assists. He didn't get enough help this time.

Nae’Qwan Tomlin was the only other player in double figures for Kansas State (26-10) with 14 points. Keyontae Johnson, the Wildcats' leading scorer, fouled out with nine points.

Martin scored 17 points, including a huge 3 down the stretch, the 7-foot-1 Goldin had 14 points and 13 rebounds, and Michael Forrest made four clutch free throws in the final 20 seconds for the Owls, who held steady as the Wildcats made a late push.

Cam Carter made a 3 from the wing with 22.8 seconds left to cut FAU’s lead to 75-74 and Kansas State fouled and sent Forrest to the line with 17.9 seconds left. The senior made both to make it a three-point game.

Nowell found Tomlin inside for a layup with 8.6 seconds left to cut the lead to one again, and again K-State sent Forrest to the line. With 6.9 remaining, he made them both.

With no timeouts left, Nowell rushed down the court, gave up the ball to Ismael Massoud outside the 3-point line, and never got it back. FAU's Johnell Davis swiped it away and time ran out.

“It was trying to get Ish a shot,” Nowell said. “Coach wanted to Ish to set the screen, and I waved it off because I felt like on the right side of the court, that's where Ish hits most of his shots. And they closed out hard to him, and he didn't get his shot off.”

Nowell was named the most outstanding player of the regional, but FAU turned out to be the best team. As the Owls built their lead in the final minutes, Kansas State fans who had packed the building became anxiously quiet and the “F-A-U!” chants started to rise.

The Owls rushed the floor to celebrate a historic moment for the school. FAU didn't even have a basketball program until the late 1980s and has only been in Division I for the last 30 years.

“I'm living the dream right now,” Forrest said.

FAU held up to Tennessee’s bully ball in the Sweet 16 and dropped a 40-point second half on the best defense in the nation to eliminate the Southeastern Conference team.

Against one of the Big 12’s best, FAU dominated the boards, 44-22, and became the first team from C-USA to to reach the Final Four since Memphis in 2008.

The Owls aren’t hanging around much longer. They’re moving to the American Athletic Conference next season. But first: a trip to Texas.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679797577740.jpeg" alt="K-State run comes to an end in NYC" />
 <figcaption>K-State run comes to an end in NYC</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Alijah Martin, Vlad Goldin and ninth-seeded Florida Atlantic became the first and lowest-seeded team to reach this year's Final Four as the Owls withstood another huge game by Kansas State's Markquis Nowell to beat the Wildcats 79-76 on Saturday night.FAU (35-3), making just its second appearance in the NCAA Tournament, won the East Region at Madison Square Garden and will head to Houston to play the winner of Sunday's South Region final between Creighton and San Diego State.In one of the most unpredictable NCAA Tournaments ever — all four No. 1 seeds were out by the Elite Eight — the Owls from Conference USA typified the madness.“I expect the prognosticators to pick us fifth in the Final Four,” fifth-year FAU coach Dusty May said.The winningest team in Division I this season had never won an NCAA Tournament game before ripping off four straight, all by single digits, to become the first No. 9 seed to reach the Final Four since Wichita State in 2013 and the third to get that far since seeding began in 1979.Nowell, the 5-foot-8 native New Yorker, was incredible again at Madison Square Garden, with 30 points, 12 assists and five steals, coming off a Sweet 16 game in which he set the NCAA Tournament record with 19 assists. He didn't get enough help this time.Nae’Qwan Tomlin was the only other player in double figures for Kansas State (26-10) with 14 points. Keyontae Johnson, the Wildcats' leading scorer, fouled out with nine points.Martin scored 17 points, including a huge 3 down the stretch, the 7-foot-1 Goldin had 14 points and 13 rebounds, and Michael Forrest made four clutch free throws in the final 20 seconds for the Owls, who held steady as the Wildcats made a late push.Cam Carter made a 3 from the wing with 22.8 seconds left to cut FAU’s lead to 75-74 and Kansas State fouled and sent Forrest to the line with 17.9 seconds left. The senior made both to make it a three-point game.Nowell found Tomlin inside for a layup with 8.6 seconds left to cut the lead to one again, and again K-State sent Forrest to the line. With 6.9 remaining, he made them both.With no timeouts left, Nowell rushed down the court, gave up the ball to Ismael Massoud outside the 3-point line, and never got it back. FAU's Johnell Davis swiped it away and time ran out.“It was trying to get Ish a shot,” Nowell said. “Coach wanted to Ish to set the screen, and I waved it off because I felt like on the right side of the court, that's where Ish hits most of his shots. And they closed out hard to him, and he didn't get his shot off.”Nowell was named the most outstanding player of the regional, but FAU turned out to be the best team. As the Owls built their lead in the final minutes, Kansas State fans who had packed the building became anxiously quiet and the “F-A-U!” chants started to rise.The Owls rushed the floor to celebrate a historic moment for the school. FAU didn't even have a basketball program until the late 1980s and has only been in Division I for the last 30 years.“I'm living the dream right now,” Forrest said.FAU held up to Tennessee’s bully ball in the Sweet 16 and dropped a 40-point second half on the best defense in the nation to eliminate the Southeastern Conference team.Against one of the Big 12’s best, FAU dominated the boards, 44-22, and became the first team from C-USA to to reach the Final Four since Memphis in 2008.The Owls aren’t hanging around much longer. They’re moving to the American Athletic Conference next season. But first: a trip to Texas.

🏀 MBB: late run lifts Florida Atlantic past K-State

HUTCHINSON, Kan. – When it opened the NJCAA DI Men's Tournament Tuesday as the No. 1 seed, Logan was 0-4 all-time in the tournament.

When its bench stampeded the floor after time expired Saturday, the Volunteers had the period to end all sentences.

A come-from-behind 73-70 win over No. 7 Northwest Florida State in Hutchinson Sports Arena gave Logan its first national title and a season-ending 31-game winning streak. And it made a prophet out of leading scorer Curt Lewis.

“Defense and free throws,” he said. “That’s what we said it would come down to.”

That’s basically what allowed the Vols (33-2) to overcome a cold shooting day – they were 26 of 78 from the floor, 4 of 20 on 3-pointers – and cut down the nets. Logan also took 19 more shots than the Raiders (29-8), a critical advantage in a one-possession game.

It was the Vols’ final shot that put them over the hump. Center KJ Debrick beat two Northwest Florida State players to a loose ball in the lane and powered home a layup while being hacked. His subsequent free throw made it 71-68 with 40.7 seconds left.

“It’s a hustle play; you’ve got to go all-out for these,” Debrick said. “If that ball goes out of bounds, it’s Northwest Florida ball. I just went for it. You’ve got to go for things.”

After the Raiders’ Marcus Niblack clanked the front end of a one-and-one with 39.8 seconds left, Debrick came up with a loose ball that might have been more important than the one he converted into the lead.

Logan was about to turn the ball over in the corner in frontcourt when the 6-10 Debrick hit the deck and saved it to Lewis. Moments later, tournament Most Valuable Player Quimari Peterson drew a foul and made one of two for a four-point edge with 19.7 seconds remaining.

“When he got on the ground, it hyped me up,” said guard Isaiah Stafford of Debrick. “Nobody on this team is afraid to sacrifice their body for each other.”

Kasean Pryor banked home a pullup with 12.2 seconds on the clock to pull Northwest Florida State within 72-70. Stafford was fouled with 8.2 seconds remaining and made the first, but missed the second, leaving the Raiders with a last shot at overtime.

But the Vols saved their best defense for the last possession of the year. Chad Baker-Mazara, who scored a game-high 21 points but had just one in the last 10-plus minutes, couldn’t shake free. Pryor couldn’t find anyone to pass to and had to force a wild 3 from the right corner.

The shot was DOA as the horn blared. Moments later, Logan players were donning T-shirts and caps to commemorate the historic occasion.

“To know where we’ve been from and how hard we worked to get to this point … this experience actually exceeded my expectations,” Stafford said of winning the championship.

Lewis scored 18 points despite making only 6 of 20 shots. Peterson added 15 points, five assists and no turnovers in 32 minutes. Stafford contributed 10 points and Elijah Jones grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds.

The Raiders led 34-24 with 4:55 left in the first half but the Vols closed the first half strong. James Dent’s 3-point play brought them within 43-39 at the break.

Logan took a lead before the first TV timeout of the second half. From there, the game became a grinder as fatigue grabbed hold of both teams’ offenses. It was tied at the under-8 and under-4 timeouts.

A few minutes after the Vols climbed a ladder to cut the nets down, Lewis was reminded of his comment after Friday’s 94-89 win over Tallahassee. He said the team would be celebrating between 3 and 3:30 p.m. on Saturday.

“It’s crazy,” he said, laughing. “It means a lot to the community. Nobody thought we could do it at John A., but the folks in Carterville and Carbondale, they knew we could do it. Nobody else did.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679784118456.jpeg" alt="John A Logan wins NJCAA Championship" />
 <figcaption>John A Logan wins NJCAA Championship</figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. – When it opened the NJCAA DI Men's Tournament Tuesday as the No. 1 seed, Logan was 0-4 all-time in the tournament.When its bench stampeded the floor after time expired Saturday, the Volunteers had the period to end all sentences.A come-from-behind 73-70 win over No. 7 Northwest Florida State in Hutchinson Sports Arena gave Logan its first national title and a season-ending 31-game winning streak. And it made a prophet out of leading scorer Curt Lewis.“Defense and free throws,” he said. “That’s what we said it would come down to.”That’s basically what allowed the Vols (33-2) to overcome a cold shooting day – they were 26 of 78 from the floor, 4 of 20 on 3-pointers – and cut down the nets. Logan also took 19 more shots than the Raiders (29-8), a critical advantage in a one-possession game.It was the Vols’ final shot that put them over the hump. Center KJ Debrick beat two Northwest Florida State players to a loose ball in the lane and powered home a layup while being hacked. His subsequent free throw made it 71-68 with 40.7 seconds left.“It’s a hustle play; you’ve got to go all-out for these,” Debrick said. “If that ball goes out of bounds, it’s Northwest Florida ball. I just went for it. You’ve got to go for things.”After the Raiders’ Marcus Niblack clanked the front end of a one-and-one with 39.8 seconds left, Debrick came up with a loose ball that might have been more important than the one he converted into the lead.Logan was about to turn the ball over in the corner in frontcourt when the 6-10 Debrick hit the deck and saved it to Lewis. Moments later, tournament Most Valuable Player Quimari Peterson drew a foul and made one of two for a four-point edge with 19.7 seconds remaining.“When he got on the ground, it hyped me up,” said guard Isaiah Stafford of Debrick. “Nobody on this team is afraid to sacrifice their body for each other.”Kasean Pryor banked home a pullup with 12.2 seconds on the clock to pull Northwest Florida State within 72-70. Stafford was fouled with 8.2 seconds remaining and made the first, but missed the second, leaving the Raiders with a last shot at overtime.But the Vols saved their best defense for the last possession of the year. Chad Baker-Mazara, who scored a game-high 21 points but had just one in the last 10-plus minutes, couldn’t shake free. Pryor couldn’t find anyone to pass to and had to force a wild 3 from the right corner.The shot was DOA as the horn blared. Moments later, Logan players were donning T-shirts and caps to commemorate the historic occasion.“To know where we’ve been from and how hard we worked to get to this point … this experience actually exceeded my expectations,” Stafford said of winning the championship.Lewis scored 18 points despite making only 6 of 20 shots. Peterson added 15 points, five assists and no turnovers in 32 minutes. Stafford contributed 10 points and Elijah Jones grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds.The Raiders led 34-24 with 4:55 left in the first half but the Vols closed the first half strong. James Dent’s 3-point play brought them within 43-39 at the break.Logan took a lead before the first TV timeout of the second half. From there, the game became a grinder as fatigue grabbed hold of both teams’ offenses. It was tied at the under-8 and under-4 timeouts.A few minutes after the Vols climbed a ladder to cut the nets down, Lewis was reminded of his comment after Friday’s 94-89 win over Tallahassee. He said the team would be celebrating between 3 and 3:30 p.m. on Saturday.“It’s crazy,” he said, laughing. “It means a lot to the community. Nobody thought we could do it at John A., but the folks in Carterville and Carbondale, they knew we could do it. Nobody else did.

🏀NJCAA Tourney: John A. Logan defeats Northwest Florida State to win NJCAA championship

HUTCHINSON, Kan.—

The 2023 NJCAA DI Men's Championship final is set!



No. 1 John A Logan vs No. 7 Northwest Florida State.

Don't miss tip-off Saturday at 1:00 PM CT only on <a href="https://streamdb5web.securenetsystems.net/v5/KHUT">KWBW Radio (1450am/95.5fm), Country 102.9fm</a> and&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNU">@ESPNU</a>!

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679746484951.jpeg" alt="Championship Game.jpg" />
 <figcaption>Championship Game.jpg</figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan.—

The 2023 NJCAA DI Men's Championship final is set!

No. 1 John A Logan vs No. 7 Northwest Florida State.Don't miss tip-off Saturday at 1:00 PM CT only on <a href="https://streamdb5web.securenetsystems.net/v5/KHUT">KWBW Radio (1450am/95.5fm), Country 102.9fm</a> and&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNU">@ESPNU</a>!

🏀 NJCAA Tourney: Championship Game is set

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Tyrese Hunter scored 19 points and second-seeded Texas rolled to an 83-71 victory over third-seeded Xavier to reach the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 15 years. The highest seed left in the tourney will play No. 5 seed Miami on Sunday night for a spot in the Final Four in Houston. Marcus Carr and Christian Bishop scored 18 points each, Sir’Jabari Rice had 16 and Timmy Allen had 11 for the Longhorns, who played most of the way without Dylan Disu, their star big man who has a foot injury. Adam Kunkel had 21 points to lead the Musketeers.

LAS VEGAS (AP) — March has gone from madness to unprecedented. With Miami’s win over Houston and San Diego State’s takedown of Alabama, the men's NCAA Tournament will not have a No. 1 seed in the Elite Eight for the first time since seeding began in 1979. Purdue, Kansas, Houston and Alabama are all gone, ensuring the Final Four will not have a No. 1 team for the first time since 2011 and the third overall. The four teams deemed by the NCAA to be the best in the country combined to win five tournament games this year. That's the fewest by three among No. 1 seeds since the field expanded to 64 teams in 1985.

SEATTLE (AP) — Caitlin Clark scored 31 points and No. 2 seed Iowa shook disappointments the past two seasons and reached the Elite Eight of the women’s NCAA Tournament with an 87-77 win over Colorado in the Seattle 4 Regional semifinals. After two straight tournaments where Clark’s season ended in the round of 16 and the round of 32, the Hawkeyes will play with a chance at just the second Final Four berth in school history on Sunday. Frida Formann led Colorado with 21 points, but 19 of those came in the first half when her shooting carried the Buffaloes.

NEW YORK (AP) — To get a sense of where Kansas State and Florida Atlantic sit in college basketball’s hierarchy before they play in the Elite Eight, look at their transfers. The Wildcats have nine players who previously played at other Division I schools, several of whom were productive multi-year starters in mid-major conferences. Most notable among them is Markquis Nowell, the 5-foot-8 point guard who put on the performance of the NCAA Tournament in an overtime victory against Michigan State. FAU’s transfers arrived at the Boca Raton, Florida, school after compiling thinner resumes at programs in the so-called power conferences.

NEW YORK (AP) — Keyontae Johnson has led Kansas State to the Elite Eight two years after his career appeared to be over. Johnson collapsed on the court while playing for Florida in December 2020 and was placed in a medically induced coma. He did not play again until he transferred to Kansas State ahead of this season. Johnson leads the Wildcats in scoring and rebounding and had the go-ahead basket on an alley-oop reverse dunk in Thursday night's Sweet 16 win over Michigan State. Johnson says he trusted the doctors who told him he could play again and tries to stay positive.

LAS VEGAS (AP) — New York has a notable rival for the title the city that never sleeps in 24/7 Las Vegas. Two of the biggest moments in this year's NCAA Tournament came in those two cities Thursday night, both thanks to players taking center stage in their hometowns. New York native Markquis Nowell had an NCAA-record 19 assists for Kansas State in its win over Michigan State. Las Vegas native Julian Strawther made a shot from the logo with 7.2 seconds left that put Gonzaga ahead for good against UCLA. Both are hoping to follow up those performances in their hometowns in the Elite Eight.

DENVER (AP) — High-top basketball shoes aren't as common a sight on the college basketball floor these days. The footwear most players are lacing up in the men’s and women’s NCAA Tournaments are some version of a low-top sneaker, with a few mid-cut styles thrown in. This era of players prefer shoes designed to be light and sleek especially since there’s little definitive proof that high tops prevent rolled or sprained ankles at an increased rate.

UNDATED (AP) — Cinderella is no stranger at the NCAA Tournament. From George Mason to VCU to Loyola of Chicago, there are some scintillating Final Four runs that keep hope alive for the little guys. Winning a national title is a far taller mountain to climb. So daunting, in fact, that not one of our beloved underdogs has done it. Not even Loyola, which seemingly had a higher power on its side. Which brings us to Florida Atlantic, a school that finds itself in the midst of one of those magical runs. Will they be the team that finally breaks through?

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Tyrese Hunter scored 19 points and second-seeded Texas rolled to an 83-71 victory over third-seeded Xavier to reach the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 15 years. The highest seed left in the tourney will play No. 5 seed Miami on Sunday night for a spot in the Final Four in Houston. Marcus Carr and Christian Bishop scored 18 points each, Sir’Jabari Rice had 16 and Timmy Allen had 11 for the Longhorns, who played most of the way without Dylan Disu, their star big man who has a foot injury. Adam Kunkel had 21 points to lead the Musketeers.LAS VEGAS (AP) — March has gone from madness to unprecedented. With Miami’s win over Houston and San Diego State’s takedown of Alabama, the men's NCAA Tournament will not have a No. 1 seed in the Elite Eight for the first time since seeding began in 1979. Purdue, Kansas, Houston and Alabama are all gone, ensuring the Final Four will not have a No. 1 team for the first time since 2011 and the third overall. The four teams deemed by the NCAA to be the best in the country combined to win five tournament games this year. That's the fewest by three among No. 1 seeds since the field expanded to 64 teams in 1985.SEATTLE (AP) — Caitlin Clark scored 31 points and No. 2 seed Iowa shook disappointments the past two seasons and reached the Elite Eight of the women’s NCAA Tournament with an 87-77 win over Colorado in the Seattle 4 Regional semifinals. After two straight tournaments where Clark’s season ended in the round of 16 and the round of 32, the Hawkeyes will play with a chance at just the second Final Four berth in school history on Sunday. Frida Formann led Colorado with 21 points, but 19 of those came in the first half when her shooting carried the Buffaloes.NEW YORK (AP) — To get a sense of where Kansas State and Florida Atlantic sit in college basketball’s hierarchy before they play in the Elite Eight, look at their transfers. The Wildcats have nine players who previously played at other Division I schools, several of whom were productive multi-year starters in mid-major conferences. Most notable among them is Markquis Nowell, the 5-foot-8 point guard who put on the performance of the NCAA Tournament in an overtime victory against Michigan State. FAU’s transfers arrived at the Boca Raton, Florida, school after compiling thinner resumes at programs in the so-called power conferences.NEW YORK (AP) — Keyontae Johnson has led Kansas State to the Elite Eight two years after his career appeared to be over. Johnson collapsed on the court while playing for Florida in December 2020 and was placed in a medically induced coma. He did not play again until he transferred to Kansas State ahead of this season. Johnson leads the Wildcats in scoring and rebounding and had the go-ahead basket on an alley-oop reverse dunk in Thursday night's Sweet 16 win over Michigan State. Johnson says he trusted the doctors who told him he could play again and tries to stay positive.LAS VEGAS (AP) — New York has a notable rival for the title the city that never sleeps in 24/7 Las Vegas. Two of the biggest moments in this year's NCAA Tournament came in those two cities Thursday night, both thanks to players taking center stage in their hometowns. New York native Markquis Nowell had an NCAA-record 19 assists for Kansas State in its win over Michigan State. Las Vegas native Julian Strawther made a shot from the logo with 7.2 seconds left that put Gonzaga ahead for good against UCLA. Both are hoping to follow up those performances in their hometowns in the Elite Eight.DENVER (AP) — High-top basketball shoes aren't as common a sight on the college basketball floor these days. The footwear most players are lacing up in the men’s and women’s NCAA Tournaments are some version of a low-top sneaker, with a few mid-cut styles thrown in. This era of players prefer shoes designed to be light and sleek especially since there’s little definitive proof that high tops prevent rolled or sprained ankles at an increased rate.UNDATED (AP) — Cinderella is no stranger at the NCAA Tournament. From George Mason to VCU to Loyola of Chicago, there are some scintillating Final Four runs that keep hope alive for the little guys. Winning a national title is a far taller mountain to climb. So daunting, in fact, that not one of our beloved underdogs has done it. Not even Loyola, which seemingly had a higher power on its side. Which brings us to Florida Atlantic, a school that finds itself in the midst of one of those magical runs. Will they be the team that finally breaks through?FRIDAY SCORESNCAA Sweet 16SOUTHFinal San Diego St. 71 Alabama 64Final Creighton 86 Princeton 75MIDWESTFinal Miami 89 Houston 75Final Texas 83 Xavier 71

Sports Headlines for Saturday

HUTCHINSON, Kan.&nbsp;— Logan was No. 0 at the start of the season. It is now one game away from being No. 1.

Rallying from a six-point second half deficit, the top-seeded Volunteers stopped No. 12 Tallahassee 94-89 Friday in Hutchinson Sports Arena to earn a spot in Saturday’s NJCAA Division I title game.

Logan will meet Northwest Florida State&nbsp;— who&nbsp;defeated Indian Hills, 79-75, in the other semifinals game&nbsp;—&nbsp;at 1 p.m. Saturday in a game that will air on ESPNU.&nbsp;

“The job’s not finished,” said guard Curt Lewis, who scored a team-high 27 points. “We’ve got one more game to win.”

Logan (32-2) earned its 30th straight win despite serious foul trouble and a combined 57 points from the Eagles’ best players, Malachi Davis and Addison Patterson. Davis scored a game-high 31 and Patterson, who was suspended for the team’s first three games of the tournament after being ejected from their regional final, came off the bench for 26 points.

But the Vols found a way, just like they did in Thursday’s 74-70 decision over Midland. KJ Debrick put them ahead for good on a putback with 1:51 left for an 85-84 edge and James Dent drilled three foul shots with 1:21 remaining – the second time he was fouled shooting a 3 in the last five minutes – to make it 88-84.

Debrick added two more foul shots with 26.2 ticks on the clock to make it 90-87, but Davis made two with 9.4 seconds left to cut the lead to 90-89. After a Tallahassee timeout, Dent was grabbed on the inbounds pass and calmly swished two shots to restore a three-point lead.

Dent finished with 17 points off the bench, going 10-of-10 at the line. In the tournament, he’s 20-of-21 at the stripe and averaging 17 ppg.

“I told him, ‘JD, bring us home.’ And that’s what he did,” Lewis said.

There was still the matter of getting one last stop against a team that made nearly 50% of its shots from the field and canned 24-of-26 at the line. But the Eagles (31-6) never got off a shot because Lewis stole a lazy diagonal pass near midcourt and fed Justin Cross for the game-clinching dunk with 1.9 seconds remaining.

“We caused turnovers with our defense,” said Logan coach Tyler Smithpeters. “Justin didn’t let Malachi get off a 3-pointer. And then they turned it over off the side out of bounds. Our guys kept our composure even when they got tough calls. That’s what happens when you have an experienced group.”

Neither team led by more than six points in a game that featured 18 lead changes and nine ties. Tallahassee used its length and athleticism to consistently get good looks but the Vols countered by converting 10-of-22 from the 3-point line.

Lewis, who was hampered in Logan’s first two games by foul trouble and leg cramps, respectively, had no such worries in this one. He scored 16 in the first half to keep them within 41-40 at the break, then scored 13 in the first 10 minutes of the second half.

“It was his day,” Smithpeters said of Lewis, the team’s leading scorer entering the tournament. “That’s what makes us so tough to guard. We’ve got so many guys that can go off.”

Down the stretch, it was the Vols’ balance that carried the day. Isaiah Stafford scored 16, the last 3 coming with 2:24 left for a short-lived 83-82 edge. Debrick delivered nine key points after not scratching in the first half and Cross added eight off the bench.

Logan made all 14 foul shots in the second half to end the game at 20-of-23. It took 12 more field goals than the Eagles because it forced 17 turnovers. And in a contest where Tallahassee shot a higher percentage and won nearly every specialty stat, getting extra shots paid off.

And now the Vols get one shot at their first national title after starting the season outside the Top 25.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679745648045.jpeg" alt="John A Logan slips past Tallahassee. Courtesy of NJCAA and John A Logan Sports" />
 <figcaption>John A Logan slips past Tallahassee. Courtesy of NJCAA and John A Logan Sports</figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan.&nbsp;— Logan was No. 0 at the start of the season. It is now one game away from being No. 1.Rallying from a six-point second half deficit, the top-seeded Volunteers stopped No. 12 Tallahassee 94-89 Friday in Hutchinson Sports Arena to earn a spot in Saturday’s NJCAA Division I title game.Logan will meet Northwest Florida State&nbsp;— who&nbsp;defeated Indian Hills, 79-75, in the other semifinals game&nbsp;—&nbsp;at 1 p.m. Saturday in a game that will air on ESPNU.&nbsp;“The job’s not finished,” said guard Curt Lewis, who scored a team-high 27 points. “We’ve got one more game to win.”Logan (32-2) earned its 30th straight win despite serious foul trouble and a combined 57 points from the Eagles’ best players, Malachi Davis and Addison Patterson. Davis scored a game-high 31 and Patterson, who was suspended for the team’s first three games of the tournament after being ejected from their regional final, came off the bench for 26 points.But the Vols found a way, just like they did in Thursday’s 74-70 decision over Midland. KJ Debrick put them ahead for good on a putback with 1:51 left for an 85-84 edge and James Dent drilled three foul shots with 1:21 remaining – the second time he was fouled shooting a 3 in the last five minutes – to make it 88-84.Debrick added two more foul shots with 26.2 ticks on the clock to make it 90-87, but Davis made two with 9.4 seconds left to cut the lead to 90-89. After a Tallahassee timeout, Dent was grabbed on the inbounds pass and calmly swished two shots to restore a three-point lead.Dent finished with 17 points off the bench, going 10-of-10 at the line. In the tournament, he’s 20-of-21 at the stripe and averaging 17 ppg.“I told him, ‘JD, bring us home.’ And that’s what he did,” Lewis said.There was still the matter of getting one last stop against a team that made nearly 50% of its shots from the field and canned 24-of-26 at the line. But the Eagles (31-6) never got off a shot because Lewis stole a lazy diagonal pass near midcourt and fed Justin Cross for the game-clinching dunk with 1.9 seconds remaining.“We caused turnovers with our defense,” said Logan coach Tyler Smithpeters. “Justin didn’t let Malachi get off a 3-pointer. And then they turned it over off the side out of bounds. Our guys kept our composure even when they got tough calls. That’s what happens when you have an experienced group.”Neither team led by more than six points in a game that featured 18 lead changes and nine ties. Tallahassee used its length and athleticism to consistently get good looks but the Vols countered by converting 10-of-22 from the 3-point line.Lewis, who was hampered in Logan’s first two games by foul trouble and leg cramps, respectively, had no such worries in this one. He scored 16 in the first half to keep them within 41-40 at the break, then scored 13 in the first 10 minutes of the second half.“It was his day,” Smithpeters said of Lewis, the team’s leading scorer entering the tournament. “That’s what makes us so tough to guard. We’ve got so many guys that can go off.”Down the stretch, it was the Vols’ balance that carried the day. Isaiah Stafford scored 16, the last 3 coming with 2:24 left for a short-lived 83-82 edge. Debrick delivered nine key points after not scratching in the first half and Cross added eight off the bench.Logan made all 14 foul shots in the second half to end the game at 20-of-23. It took 12 more field goals than the Eagles because it forced 17 turnovers. And in a contest where Tallahassee shot a higher percentage and won nearly every specialty stat, getting extra shots paid off.And now the Vols get one shot at their first national title after starting the season outside the Top 25.

🏀 NJCAA Tourney: John A. Logan stops Tallahassee to advance to NJCAA title game

HUTCHINSON, Kan.—Northwest Florida played from behind the entire night but, when it mattered most, the Raiders rose to the occasion and came away with a 79-75 victory to head back to the National Championship game to defend their national title on Saturday, March 25 at 1:00 PM (CST). The game will be aired on ESPNU.

Indian Hills scored the first bucket of the game at the 19:19 mark of the first half and held the lead for the next 29:02 of the contest when the Raiders knotted the game at 54-all with 11:17 to play in the contest. The Warriors regained the lead and built its advantage to as many as eight over the next six minutes before the Raiders stormed back to take its first lead of the night at 69-68 with 3:11 to play.

Both sides traded leads over the next two minutes before a&nbsp;<a href="https://nwfsc.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/banks_tavion_kkd4">Tavion Banks</a>&nbsp;dunk with 1:43 remaining put the Raiders ahead for good. Clutch free throw shooting from&nbsp;<a href="https://nwfsc.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/pryor_kasean_2o62">Kasean Pryor</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://nwfsc.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/baker-mazara_chade_upjb">Chad Baker-Mazara</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://nwfsc.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/byrd_treyvon_v5hh">Treyvon Byrd</a>&nbsp;in the end helped put the Warriors away.&nbsp;

<a href="https://nwfsc.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/banks_tavion_kkd4">Tavion Banks</a>&nbsp;continues to be the work horse for the Raiders as the freshman connected on 9-12 shooting for 28 points and snatched 11 rebounds. Banks was 2-2 from beyond the arc and 8-8 on free throws. In addition to Banks huge night,&nbsp;<a href="https://nwfsc.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/baker-mazara_chade_upjb">Chad Baker-Mazara</a>&nbsp;chipped in 19 points on 6-11 shooting and was 6-7 from the charity stripe. The Raiders finished the night 26-32 from the free throw line.&nbsp;<a href="https://nwfsc.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/simpkins_takai_wnxi">Takai Simpkins</a>&nbsp;stepped up and gave Northwest Florida a solid 33 minutes, scoring 9 points and grabbing 5 rebounds.

Northwest Florida will play for the National Championship vs. #1 John A. Logan College (32-2) on Saturday, March 25 at 1:00 PM (CST). The game will be broadcasted on KWBW (1450am/98.5fm) / Country 102.9fm and on ESPNU.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679746115183.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan.—Northwest Florida played from behind the entire night but, when it mattered most, the Raiders rose to the occasion and came away with a 79-75 victory to head back to the National Championship game to defend their national title on Saturday, March 25 at 1:00 PM (CST). The game will be aired on ESPNU.Indian Hills scored the first bucket of the game at the 19:19 mark of the first half and held the lead for the next 29:02 of the contest when the Raiders knotted the game at 54-all with 11:17 to play in the contest. The Warriors regained the lead and built its advantage to as many as eight over the next six minutes before the Raiders stormed back to take its first lead of the night at 69-68 with 3:11 to play.Both sides traded leads over the next two minutes before a&nbsp;<a href="https://nwfsc.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/banks_tavion_kkd4">Tavion Banks</a>&nbsp;dunk with 1:43 remaining put the Raiders ahead for good. Clutch free throw shooting from&nbsp;<a href="https://nwfsc.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/pryor_kasean_2o62">Kasean Pryor</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://nwfsc.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/baker-mazara_chade_upjb">Chad Baker-Mazara</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://nwfsc.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/byrd_treyvon_v5hh">Treyvon Byrd</a>&nbsp;in the end helped put the Warriors away.&nbsp;<a href="https://nwfsc.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/banks_tavion_kkd4">Tavion Banks</a>&nbsp;continues to be the work horse for the Raiders as the freshman connected on 9-12 shooting for 28 points and snatched 11 rebounds. Banks was 2-2 from beyond the arc and 8-8 on free throws. In addition to Banks huge night,&nbsp;<a href="https://nwfsc.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/baker-mazara_chade_upjb">Chad Baker-Mazara</a>&nbsp;chipped in 19 points on 6-11 shooting and was 6-7 from the charity stripe. The Raiders finished the night 26-32 from the free throw line.&nbsp;<a href="https://nwfsc.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/simpkins_takai_wnxi">Takai Simpkins</a>&nbsp;stepped up and gave Northwest Florida a solid 33 minutes, scoring 9 points and grabbing 5 rebounds.Northwest Florida will play for the National Championship vs. #1 John A. Logan College (32-2) on Saturday, March 25 at 1:00 PM (CST). The game will be broadcasted on KWBW (1450am/98.5fm) / Country 102.9fm and on ESPNU.&nbsp;

🏀 NJCAA Tourney: Late comeback sends Raiders back to National Championship Game

<a href="https://d2o2figo6ddd0g.cloudfront.net/d/8/t94h0rzhya3ifn/2022-23_DI_MBB_Championship_Bracket_-_Version_29.pdf">Bracket after Friday's games</a>

Here is the game schedule for games at the Hutchinson Sports Arena.

10 a.m. Monroe College 83, South Georgia State 63 Noon Chipola 96, Cape Fear 66 2 p.m. Vincennes 70, Trinity Valley 57 4:30 p.m. Butler 85, Roane State 66 6:30 p.m. Dodge City 83, Meridian 63 8:30 p.m. Tallahassee 78 , Trinidad State 75

10 a.m. Southeastern 75, Snead State 49 Noon Ranger 78, Seminole State 75 2 p.m. John A Logan 105, Monroe 85 4:30 p.m. Midland 69, Chipola 55 6:30 p.m. Vincennes 75 , Southern Idaho 70 8:30 p.m. Northwest Florida St. 71, Butler 59

Noon Dodge City 77, Moberly Area 74 2 p.m. Tallahassee 94, Salt Lake 93 OT 6 p.m. Odessa 62, Southeastern 56 8 p.m. Indian Hills 88, Ranger 68

Noon John A. Logan 74, Midland 70 2 p.m. Northwest Florida St. 68, Vincennes 55 6 p.m. Tallahassee 75, Dodge City 69 8 p.m. Indian Hills 79, Odessa 75 OT

5 p.m. John A. Logan 94, Tallahassee 89 7 p.m. Northwest Florida St. 79, Indian Hills 75

1 p.m. John A. Logan vs. Northwest Florida St.

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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678738336281.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://d2o2figo6ddd0g.cloudfront.net/d/8/t94h0rzhya3ifn/2022-23_DI_MBB_Championship_Bracket_-_Version_29.pdf">Bracket after Friday's games</a>Here is the game schedule for games at the Hutchinson Sports Arena.Monday, March 2010 a.m. Monroe College 83, South Georgia State 63 Noon Chipola 96, Cape Fear 66 2 p.m. Vincennes 70, Trinity Valley 57 4:30 p.m. Butler 85, Roane State 66 6:30 p.m. Dodge City 83, Meridian 63 8:30 p.m. Tallahassee 78 , Trinidad State 75Tuesday, March 2110 a.m. Southeastern 75, Snead State 49 Noon Ranger 78, Seminole State 75 2 p.m. John A Logan 105, Monroe 85 4:30 p.m. Midland 69, Chipola 55 6:30 p.m. Vincennes 75 , Southern Idaho 70 8:30 p.m. Northwest Florida St. 71, Butler 59Wednesday, March 22Noon Dodge City 77, Moberly Area 74 2 p.m. Tallahassee 94, Salt Lake 93 OT 6 p.m. Odessa 62, Southeastern 56 8 p.m. Indian Hills 88, Ranger 68Thursday, March 23Noon John A. Logan 74, Midland 70 2 p.m. Northwest Florida St. 68, Vincennes 55 6 p.m. Tallahassee 75, Dodge City 69 8 p.m. Indian Hills 79, Odessa 75 OTFriday, March 245 p.m. John A. Logan 94, Tallahassee 89 7 p.m. Northwest Florida St. 79, Indian Hills 75Saturday, March 251 p.m. John A. Logan vs. Northwest Florida St.<a href="https://hutchpost.com/download" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to download the Hutch Post mobile app. <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5e73b532afae0f4d5f5d90ea" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a>&nbsp;to sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.&nbsp;&nbsp;

🏀 Updated NJCAA Men's Tournament schedule

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The We Are Salthawks Ultimate Benefit &amp; Auction is Saturday evening, March 25 at Cottonwood Court on the Kansas State Fairgrounds.

$51,440 has already been raised toward the $150,000 goal of the event.

<a href="https://e.givesmart.com/events/uZI/?fbclid=IwAR3gjAB2bpcxLqZMYqVhbdm5DZHdDK6IYtO08nwfqdjCtXj1p2MLNK12t0Q">You must be 21 to attend, but you can still order tickets online</a>, you can also order a virtual bidder pass to be able to bid in the auction, even if you can't attend in person.

<a href="https://e.givesmart.com/events/uZI/i/">You can see the auction items here</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679672770228.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The We Are Salthawks Ultimate Benefit &amp; Auction is Saturday evening, March 25 at Cottonwood Court on the Kansas State Fairgrounds.$51,440 has already been raised toward the $150,000 goal of the event.<a href="https://e.givesmart.com/events/uZI/?fbclid=IwAR3gjAB2bpcxLqZMYqVhbdm5DZHdDK6IYtO08nwfqdjCtXj1p2MLNK12t0Q">You must be 21 to attend, but you can still order tickets online</a>, you can also order a virtual bidder pass to be able to bid in the auction, even if you can't attend in person.<a href="https://e.givesmart.com/events/uZI/i/">You can see the auction items here</a>.

Salthawk athletics benefit and auction is Saturday

NEW YORK (AP) — Markquis Nowell broke the NCAA Tournament record for assists in a game with 19, his last two on spectacular passes in the final minute of overtime, and Kansas State beat Michigan State 98-93 in a Sweet 16 thriller at Madison Square Garden. Playing in his hometown and fighting through a second-half ankle injury, Nowell found Keyontae Johnson for a reverse alley-oop with 52 seconds left in OT to give the Wildcats the lead for good in this back-and-forth East Region semifinal. Nowell finished with 20 points and five steals. A.J. Hoggard led Michigan State with 25 points. Kansas State will face Florida Atlantic for a berth in the Final Four.

NEW YORK (AP) — Florida Atlantic, playing in just its second NCAA Tournament, moved within a victory of the Final Four by using a second-half push led by Michael Forrest to beat fourth-seeded Tennessee 62-55. The ninth-seeded Owls will play third-seeded Kansas State in the East Region final at Madison Square Garden. Johnell Davis lead the Owls with 15 points and Forrest finished with 11, eight in a crucial second-half run when FAU took control. The Volunteers, who were looking for just the second Elite Eight appearance in program history, shot 33% — including 6 of 23 from 3-point range. Josiah-Jordan James and Jonas Aidoo scored 10 points apiece.

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Julian Strawther hit a 3-pointer with 7.2 seconds left to answer a 3-pointer by UCLA’s Amari Bailey, lifting Gonzaga to a wild 79-76 win over UCLA in the Sweet 16. The Bruins were the West Region’s No. 2 seed and stormed back from an eight-point deficit in the final 1:05. UCLA took a a 76-75 lead on Bailey’s 3-pointer with 12.2 seconds left. The Zags brought the ball up the floor and Strawther stepped into a 3-pointer, sending Gonzaga fans to their feet and the Zags into the Elite Eight.

Jordan Hawkins scored 24 points for UConn and the Huskies are one step away from the Final Four after an 88-65 rout of Arkansas 88-65 in a West Region Sweet 16 matchup Thursday. The fourth-seeded Huskies (28-8) will play Gonzaga in an Elite Eight game Saturday in Las Vegas. Arkansas' season ended at 22-14. UConn played like a team capable of winning its fifth NCAA Tournament title and first since 2014. The Huskies have outscored their three March Madness opponents by 62 points.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The semifinals of the Midwest Region is stacked with coaching heavyweights. There's Kelvin Sampson of top-seeded Houston, who has led both Oklahoma and the Cougars to the Final Four. There's their opponent Friday night, fifth-seeded Miami, whose own coach Jim Larrañaga took George Mason to the national semifinals and had the Hurricanes in the Elite Eight a year ago. Xavier coach Sean Miller has twice reached the Elite Eight, once at Arizona and once with the Musketeers. Then there's Rodney Terry, the assistant-turned-savior of Texas, who kept the Longhorns together following Chris Beard's firing and has them playing in the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Souley Boum is savoring every moment of his one and only season at Xavier. He chose the school because he believed it would give him his best chance to play in the NCAA Tournament. The All-Big East first-team pick leads the Musketeers into a Midwest Region semifinal against Texas on Friday in Kansas City, Missouri. Xavier itself might not be at the Sweet 16 if it weren’t for the addition of Boum. He is the Big East's second-leading scorer at better than 16 points per game and has elevated a program that won the NIT a year ago.

CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) — Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Rhys Hoskins needs surgery for a torn ACL after injuring his left knee while fielding a grounder in a spring training game and is expected to miss a significant amount of time. The Phillies did not say when Hoskins would have the surgery or exactly how long the slugging first baseman might be sidelined. Hoskins hit 30 homers with 79 RBIs last season for the reigning National League champions. He was backing up to play a chopper on Thursday when the ball popped out of his glove. Hoskins, a free agent at the end of the season who turned 30 last week, hit six homers in Philadelphia’s playoff run last season. The Phillies lost to the Houston Astros in the World Series.

YOKOHAMA, Japan (AP) — Trevor Bauer was apparently shunned by every major league team, so he’s signed a one-year deal with the Yokohama DeNA BayStars. On Friday before about 75 reporters in a Yokohoma hotel, he slipped on the BayStars uniform — No. 96 — and said all the right things. Not a single Japanese reporter asked about his suspension in the United States over domestic violence allegations or the reasons surrounding it. He said he hoped to strike out 200 and keep his average fastball velocity at 96 mph.

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Rory McIlroy is really digging the long ball at the Dell Match Play. He capped off his victory against Denny McCarthy by driving the 375-yard closing hole to just inside 4 feet for an eagle that was conceded. It was a brilliant display of power at Austin Country Club. McIlroy is leading a parade of undefeated top seeds into the final round of group play. Defending champion Scottie Scheffler, Patrick Cantlay, Max Homa and Xander Schauffele also are 2-0 going into Friday. They still have work to do. That's not the case for 20 players who already are eliminated.

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio (AP) — A confrontation between two players in the postgame handshake line following Bowling Green’s win over Memphis on Thursday night in the Women’s NIT has been referred to campus police. As the teams walked toward center court following Bowling Green’s 73-60 win in the Round of 16 game, Memphis’ Jamirah Shutes stopped to talk with Falcons’ player Elissa Brett. After a short conversation, Shutes appears to throw a punch at Brett, who fell toward the scorer’s table and onto the sideline. There was no immediate word about what caused the confrontation or if any player was seriously injured.

Final San Francisco 6 Chicago White Sox 3

Final L.A. Clippers 127 Oklahoma City 105

NEW YORK (AP) — Markquis Nowell broke the NCAA Tournament record for assists in a game with 19, his last two on spectacular passes in the final minute of overtime, and Kansas State beat Michigan State 98-93 in a Sweet 16 thriller at Madison Square Garden. Playing in his hometown and fighting through a second-half ankle injury, Nowell found Keyontae Johnson for a reverse alley-oop with 52 seconds left in OT to give the Wildcats the lead for good in this back-and-forth East Region semifinal. Nowell finished with 20 points and five steals. A.J. Hoggard led Michigan State with 25 points. Kansas State will face Florida Atlantic for a berth in the Final Four.NEW YORK (AP) — Florida Atlantic, playing in just its second NCAA Tournament, moved within a victory of the Final Four by using a second-half push led by Michael Forrest to beat fourth-seeded Tennessee 62-55. The ninth-seeded Owls will play third-seeded Kansas State in the East Region final at Madison Square Garden. Johnell Davis lead the Owls with 15 points and Forrest finished with 11, eight in a crucial second-half run when FAU took control. The Volunteers, who were looking for just the second Elite Eight appearance in program history, shot 33% — including 6 of 23 from 3-point range. Josiah-Jordan James and Jonas Aidoo scored 10 points apiece.LAS VEGAS (AP) — Julian Strawther hit a 3-pointer with 7.2 seconds left to answer a 3-pointer by UCLA’s Amari Bailey, lifting Gonzaga to a wild 79-76 win over UCLA in the Sweet 16. The Bruins were the West Region’s No. 2 seed and stormed back from an eight-point deficit in the final 1:05. UCLA took a a 76-75 lead on Bailey’s 3-pointer with 12.2 seconds left. The Zags brought the ball up the floor and Strawther stepped into a 3-pointer, sending Gonzaga fans to their feet and the Zags into the Elite Eight.Jordan Hawkins scored 24 points for UConn and the Huskies are one step away from the Final Four after an 88-65 rout of Arkansas 88-65 in a West Region Sweet 16 matchup Thursday. The fourth-seeded Huskies (28-8) will play Gonzaga in an Elite Eight game Saturday in Las Vegas. Arkansas' season ended at 22-14. UConn played like a team capable of winning its fifth NCAA Tournament title and first since 2014. The Huskies have outscored their three March Madness opponents by 62 points.KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The semifinals of the Midwest Region is stacked with coaching heavyweights. There's Kelvin Sampson of top-seeded Houston, who has led both Oklahoma and the Cougars to the Final Four. There's their opponent Friday night, fifth-seeded Miami, whose own coach Jim Larrañaga took George Mason to the national semifinals and had the Hurricanes in the Elite Eight a year ago. Xavier coach Sean Miller has twice reached the Elite Eight, once at Arizona and once with the Musketeers. Then there's Rodney Terry, the assistant-turned-savior of Texas, who kept the Longhorns together following Chris Beard's firing and has them playing in the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament.KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Souley Boum is savoring every moment of his one and only season at Xavier. He chose the school because he believed it would give him his best chance to play in the NCAA Tournament. The All-Big East first-team pick leads the Musketeers into a Midwest Region semifinal against Texas on Friday in Kansas City, Missouri. Xavier itself might not be at the Sweet 16 if it weren’t for the addition of Boum. He is the Big East's second-leading scorer at better than 16 points per game and has elevated a program that won the NIT a year ago.CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) — Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Rhys Hoskins needs surgery for a torn ACL after injuring his left knee while fielding a grounder in a spring training game and is expected to miss a significant amount of time. The Phillies did not say when Hoskins would have the surgery or exactly how long the slugging first baseman might be sidelined. Hoskins hit 30 homers with 79 RBIs last season for the reigning National League champions. He was backing up to play a chopper on Thursday when the ball popped out of his glove. Hoskins, a free agent at the end of the season who turned 30 last week, hit six homers in Philadelphia’s playoff run last season. The Phillies lost to the Houston Astros in the World Series.YOKOHAMA, Japan (AP) — Trevor Bauer was apparently shunned by every major league team, so he’s signed a one-year deal with the Yokohama DeNA BayStars. On Friday before about 75 reporters in a Yokohoma hotel, he slipped on the BayStars uniform — No. 96 — and said all the right things. Not a single Japanese reporter asked about his suspension in the United States over domestic violence allegations or the reasons surrounding it. He said he hoped to strike out 200 and keep his average fastball velocity at 96 mph.AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Rory McIlroy is really digging the long ball at the Dell Match Play. He capped off his victory against Denny McCarthy by driving the 375-yard closing hole to just inside 4 feet for an eagle that was conceded. It was a brilliant display of power at Austin Country Club. McIlroy is leading a parade of undefeated top seeds into the final round of group play. Defending champion Scottie Scheffler, Patrick Cantlay, Max Homa and Xander Schauffele also are 2-0 going into Friday. They still have work to do. That's not the case for 20 players who already are eliminated.BOWLING GREEN, Ohio (AP) — A confrontation between two players in the postgame handshake line following Bowling Green’s win over Memphis on Thursday night in the Women’s NIT has been referred to campus police. As the teams walked toward center court following Bowling Green’s 73-60 win in the Round of 16 game, Memphis’ Jamirah Shutes stopped to talk with Falcons’ player Elissa Brett. After a short conversation, Shutes appears to throw a punch at Brett, who fell toward the scorer’s table and onto the sideline. There was no immediate word about what caused the confrontation or if any player was seriously injured.THURSDAY SCORESNCAA Sweet 16EAST at Madison Square GardenFinal OT Kansas St. 98 Michigan St. 93Final FAU 62 Tennessee 55WEST at T-Mobile ArenaFinal UConn 88 Arkansas 65Final Gonzaga 79 UCLA 76INTERLEAGUEFinal Boston 7 Pittsburgh 4Final Philadelphia 4 Detroit 1Final San Francisco 6 Chicago White Sox 3Final San Diego 6 Kansas City 3Final Houston 5 Washington 4Final Cleveland 10 San Francisco 0Final Seattle 17 Cincinnati 6Final N.Y. Yankees 1 St. Louis 1AMERICAN LEAGUEFinal Toronto 3 Minnesota 0Final Detroit 8 Baltimore 8Final Oakland 7 Texas 7NATIONAL LEAGUEFinal Chicago Cubs 11 Arizona 1Final Milwaukee 4 San Diego 2Final Arizona 11 L.A. Dodgers 5Final N.Y. Mets 2 Atlanta 2NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATIONFinal Orlando 111 New York 106Final Cleveland 116 Brooklyn 114Final New Orleans 115 Charlotte 96Final L.A. Clippers 127 Oklahoma City 105NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUEFinal SO Philadelphia 5 Minnesota 4Final Washington 6 Chicago 1Final N-Y Rangers 2 Carolina 1Final St. Louis 4 Detroit 3Final Toronto 6 Florida 2Final Ottawa 7 Tampa Bay 2Final Boston 4 Montreal 2Final SO Nashville 2 Seattle 1Final Dallas 3 Pittsburgh 2Final Vegas 3 Calgary 2Final Vancouver 7 San Jose 2Final Winnipeg 3 Anaheim 2

Sports Headlines for Friday

HUTCHINSON, Kan.— Tallahassee Community College Men's Basketball's magical run in the NJCAA Tournament will continue into the semifinal round after the Eagles defeated Dodge City Community College 75-69. TCC takes on John A. Logan in the semifinals on Friday at 5:00 PM CDT, with a spot in the National Championship Game on the line. The other semifinal features Panhandle foe Northwest Florida State and Indian Hills, who entered the tournament as the #7 and #6 seed, respectively.&nbsp;

The Eagles trailed for the entirety of the first half. Within the first minute, the Conquistadors had knocked down their first three. Later in the first half, TCC's starting point guard&nbsp;<a href="https://tcceagles.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/cathey_isaiah_ck5m">Isaiah Cathey</a>&nbsp;went down with an elbow injury after a scrap for a loose ball. He did not return.&nbsp;

Dodge City was able to space the floor and knock down shots early on, and then stymy TCC's offensive efforts on the other end. They led by four at the end of the first half. TCC has trailed in all three NJCAA Tournament games going into the break.&nbsp;

The Eagles shot just 36.7% from the field in the first half and went 2-for-10 on three-point attempts. Although they never found a rhythm from deep, they were able to generate offense in the paint in the second half.&nbsp;<a href="https://tcceagles.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/davis_malachi_k1vg">Malachi Davis</a>&nbsp;(G, Soph.) scored 17 points in the second half, and only had two three-point attempts.

Davis, who joined the Eagles' starting lineup at this tournament after spending most of the season as the sixth man, had another historic postseason game. Through three games in the tournament, he's averaging 37.3 points. He is 47 points shy of the all-time scoring record in the NJCAA Tournament.&nbsp;

The TCC record for most points in a postseason game was 32 going into this season, set by Bootsy Thornton. Through six postseason games, Davis has topped that number on three occasions.&nbsp;

<a href="https://tcceagles.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/okeke_okechukwu_yggy">Okechukwu Okeke</a>&nbsp;(F/C, Soph.) played just 14 minutes in Thursday's contest, but he made the most of them. He finished with 11 points, shooting 5-for-6 from the field. He also recorded two blocks. A crucial play came with 10:27 left in the second half, when&nbsp;<a href="https://tcceagles.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/gaines_kenney_u3ne">Kenney Gaines</a>&nbsp;(G, Soph.) grabbed a defensive rebound and quickly brought it up the floor to find Okeke for a thunderous alley-oop dunk. Okeke was fouled on the play and converted from the free throw line to make it a one possession game with Dodge City leading 52-49.&nbsp;

The two teams went back and forth for the final 10 minutes, but it was another strong finish by TCC, led in large part by Davis's offensive efforts. His layup with 22 seconds left extended the Eagles' lead to four and brought his scoring total for the day to 33.&nbsp;

Another Eagles' guard didn't have a great shooting night, but his contributions were felt on both ends of the floor.&nbsp;<a href="https://tcceagles.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/florence_ja-quavian_5bof">Ja'Quavian Florence</a>&nbsp;(G, Soph.) finished 1-for-11 shooting, but did end up with seven points. He knocked down all five of his free throw attempts. But where Florence's impact was felt most was on the defensive end. He brought in nine rebounds, eight of which were defensive, and recorded two steals and a block.&nbsp;

<a href="https://tcceagles.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/mark_tom_xzx4">Tom Mark</a>&nbsp;(F, Soph.) has a knack for protecting the rim and picked up three blocks in Thursday's quarterfinal matchup. In eight of his last nine games, he has tallied exactly three rejections. The one game where he didn't reach three, he had two. To go along with his blocks, Mark scored 10 points, and recorded six rebounds, two assists, and one steal.&nbsp;

Mark also threw down an emphatic dunk right before the buzzer sounded, putting an exclamation mark on what was another dramatic game at the NJCAA Tournament.&nbsp;

This is only the third time TCC has reached the NJCAA Tournament semifinals. In 2006, they reached the National Championship Game, losing to the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. They are now 31-5 on the season.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679656454630.jpeg" alt="Tallahassee&nbsp; edges Dodge City" />
 <figcaption>Tallahassee&nbsp; edges Dodge City</figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan.— Tallahassee Community College Men's Basketball's magical run in the NJCAA Tournament will continue into the semifinal round after the Eagles defeated Dodge City Community College 75-69. TCC takes on John A. Logan in the semifinals on Friday at 5:00 PM CDT, with a spot in the National Championship Game on the line. The other semifinal features Panhandle foe Northwest Florida State and Indian Hills, who entered the tournament as the #7 and #6 seed, respectively.&nbsp;The Eagles trailed for the entirety of the first half. Within the first minute, the Conquistadors had knocked down their first three. Later in the first half, TCC's starting point guard&nbsp;<a href="https://tcceagles.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/cathey_isaiah_ck5m">Isaiah Cathey</a>&nbsp;went down with an elbow injury after a scrap for a loose ball. He did not return.&nbsp;Dodge City was able to space the floor and knock down shots early on, and then stymy TCC's offensive efforts on the other end. They led by four at the end of the first half. TCC has trailed in all three NJCAA Tournament games going into the break.&nbsp;The Eagles shot just 36.7% from the field in the first half and went 2-for-10 on three-point attempts. Although they never found a rhythm from deep, they were able to generate offense in the paint in the second half.&nbsp;<a href="https://tcceagles.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/davis_malachi_k1vg">Malachi Davis</a>&nbsp;(G, Soph.) scored 17 points in the second half, and only had two three-point attempts.Davis, who joined the Eagles' starting lineup at this tournament after spending most of the season as the sixth man, had another historic postseason game. Through three games in the tournament, he's averaging 37.3 points. He is 47 points shy of the all-time scoring record in the NJCAA Tournament.&nbsp;The TCC record for most points in a postseason game was 32 going into this season, set by Bootsy Thornton. Through six postseason games, Davis has topped that number on three occasions.&nbsp;<a href="https://tcceagles.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/okeke_okechukwu_yggy">Okechukwu Okeke</a>&nbsp;(F/C, Soph.) played just 14 minutes in Thursday's contest, but he made the most of them. He finished with 11 points, shooting 5-for-6 from the field. He also recorded two blocks. A crucial play came with 10:27 left in the second half, when&nbsp;<a href="https://tcceagles.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/gaines_kenney_u3ne">Kenney Gaines</a>&nbsp;(G, Soph.) grabbed a defensive rebound and quickly brought it up the floor to find Okeke for a thunderous alley-oop dunk. Okeke was fouled on the play and converted from the free throw line to make it a one possession game with Dodge City leading 52-49.&nbsp;The two teams went back and forth for the final 10 minutes, but it was another strong finish by TCC, led in large part by Davis's offensive efforts. His layup with 22 seconds left extended the Eagles' lead to four and brought his scoring total for the day to 33.&nbsp;Another Eagles' guard didn't have a great shooting night, but his contributions were felt on both ends of the floor.&nbsp;<a href="https://tcceagles.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/florence_ja-quavian_5bof">Ja'Quavian Florence</a>&nbsp;(G, Soph.) finished 1-for-11 shooting, but did end up with seven points. He knocked down all five of his free throw attempts. But where Florence's impact was felt most was on the defensive end. He brought in nine rebounds, eight of which were defensive, and recorded two steals and a block.&nbsp;<a href="https://tcceagles.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/mark_tom_xzx4">Tom Mark</a>&nbsp;(F, Soph.) has a knack for protecting the rim and picked up three blocks in Thursday's quarterfinal matchup. In eight of his last nine games, he has tallied exactly three rejections. The one game where he didn't reach three, he had two. To go along with his blocks, Mark scored 10 points, and recorded six rebounds, two assists, and one steal.&nbsp;Mark also threw down an emphatic dunk right before the buzzer sounded, putting an exclamation mark on what was another dramatic game at the NJCAA Tournament.&nbsp;This is only the third time TCC has reached the NJCAA Tournament semifinals. In 2006, they reached the National Championship Game, losing to the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith. They are now 31-5 on the season.&nbsp;&nbsp;

NJCAA Tourney: 

HUTCHINSON, KS— In one of the most historic comebacks in National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) DI Men's Basketball National Tournament history, the Indian Hills Men's Basketball squad erased a 15-point deficit to defeat Odessa College (TX) 79-75 and advance to the final four.

Indian Hills advances to the semifinal round for the first time since 2014 where the Warriors placed second overall. The sixth-seeded Warriors will take on a familiar opponent in No.7 seed Northwest Florida State College who knocked off No. 15 seed Vincennes University (IN) on Friday.

Sophomore&nbsp;<a href="https://indianhills.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/kalambay_enoch_4rom">Enoch Kalambay</a>&nbsp;(Gatineau, Canada/Orangeville Prep) served as the offensive catalyst for the Warriors with a career-high 31 points, including 18 in the second half and overtime. Indian Hills saw key performances from reserves&nbsp;<a href="https://indianhills.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/ogom_rj_tmmz">RJ Ogom</a>&nbsp;(Chicago, IL/Fort Wayne) who poured in 12 points and&nbsp;<a href="https://indianhills.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/hall_davontae_hrr8">Davontae Hall</a>&nbsp;(Chicago, IL/Hyde Park) who added five points and seven rebounds.

The Warriors, who trailed for a majority of the game, faced a 61-46 deficit with 5:53 remaining in the contest. Facing elimination from the tournament, the Warrior offense sparked a 14-0 run while holding the Wranglers scoreless for the next 4:52 to pull within one, 61-60. Odessa maintained the lead until a Kalambay dunk with 11 seconds to go in regulation tied the game at 66-all. A desperation three for the Wranglers at the buzzer fell short to force overtime.

A defensive battle ensued in a scoreless 2:15 to open overtime, but the surging Warriors struck first in the extra session as Ogom buried a three for a 69-66 edge. Hall and Ogom added a pair of buckets to offset a Wrangler three as the Warriors extended the advantage to 73-68. Odessa pulled within three, but the Warriors went 6-6 at the free throw line over the final 27 seconds to seal the remarkable comeback victory.

Kalambay finished the contest 11-17 from the floor, including 5-7 from three-point range and 4-5 at the charity stripe. The sophomore added six rebounds and three assists in the win.

Kalambay's 31 points in a national tournament game are the most for an Indian Hills player since Dwight Hardy scored 36 in the 2008 national tournament against Northeastern Oklahoma A&amp;M College. In three career national tournament games, Kalambay is averaging 20.3 points per game while shooting 57.5 percent from the floor.

Hall, who recorded just 30 minutes of court action over the team's last three games, provided 31 minutes on Thursday night in one of the biggest performances of the freshman's collegiate career. Hall tallied two late-game offensive rebounds that led to five second-chance points. The guard added three assists and a steal to fill the stat sheet.

Ogom, who missed the previous three games before the national tournament due to an injury, returned Wednesday night vs. Ranger but made his biggest impact against Odessa Thursday night with five crucial points in overtime.

Hall, Ogom, and Kalambay combined to score all 13 points for the Warriors in the extra session to carry Indian Hills to the win.

Sophomore&nbsp;<a href="https://indianhills.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/meyers_ryan_l7nd">Ryan Myers</a>&nbsp;(Brooklyn, NY/Iona) added 10 points and freshman&nbsp;<a href="https://indianhills.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/labeaux_trevion_2pt6">Trevion LaBeaux</a>&nbsp;(Waterloo, IA/Ames) led all players with eight rebounds and added eight points off the bench.

After shooting just 28.6 percent form the floor in the first half, the Warriors responded to shoot 50.0 percent (16-32) in the second half to ignite the comeback. The Indian Hills defense limited the Wranglers to just 13.8 percent (4-29) three-point shooting on the night.

Indian Hills improves to 9-1 vs. teams from the state of Texas at the national tournament and are now 3-0 all-time vs. Odessa. The Warriors previously defeated the Wranglers at the Hutchinson Sports Arena in 1997 and 1993. The Warriors are now 3-1 all-time in overtime games at the national tournament.

Indian Hills will now turn its attention to the Raiders of Northwest Florida State, a team the Warriors beat at the Hellyer Center on November 16 in a matchup of the No. 1 vs. No. 2 ranked teams in the nation at the team. The Warriors with a 108-99 victory, tied for Indian Hills' most points in a game this year.

Northwest Florida State, the defending national champions, defeated No. 10 Butler 71-59 before upending Vincennes 68-55 to advance to the final four. On the other side of the bracket sits No. 1 seed John A. Logan (IL) and No. 12 Tallahassee Community College (FL).

Tip-off for the Warriors and Raiders is set for 7:00 PM from the Hutchinson Sports Arena.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679634575367.jpeg" alt="Indian Hills slips by Odessa in OT" />
 <figcaption>Indian Hills slips by Odessa in OT</figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, KS— In one of the most historic comebacks in National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) DI Men's Basketball National Tournament history, the Indian Hills Men's Basketball squad erased a 15-point deficit to defeat Odessa College (TX) 79-75 and advance to the final four.Indian Hills advances to the semifinal round for the first time since 2014 where the Warriors placed second overall. The sixth-seeded Warriors will take on a familiar opponent in No.7 seed Northwest Florida State College who knocked off No. 15 seed Vincennes University (IN) on Friday.Sophomore&nbsp;<a href="https://indianhills.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/kalambay_enoch_4rom">Enoch Kalambay</a>&nbsp;(Gatineau, Canada/Orangeville Prep) served as the offensive catalyst for the Warriors with a career-high 31 points, including 18 in the second half and overtime. Indian Hills saw key performances from reserves&nbsp;<a href="https://indianhills.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/ogom_rj_tmmz">RJ Ogom</a>&nbsp;(Chicago, IL/Fort Wayne) who poured in 12 points and&nbsp;<a href="https://indianhills.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/hall_davontae_hrr8">Davontae Hall</a>&nbsp;(Chicago, IL/Hyde Park) who added five points and seven rebounds.The Warriors, who trailed for a majority of the game, faced a 61-46 deficit with 5:53 remaining in the contest. Facing elimination from the tournament, the Warrior offense sparked a 14-0 run while holding the Wranglers scoreless for the next 4:52 to pull within one, 61-60. Odessa maintained the lead until a Kalambay dunk with 11 seconds to go in regulation tied the game at 66-all. A desperation three for the Wranglers at the buzzer fell short to force overtime.A defensive battle ensued in a scoreless 2:15 to open overtime, but the surging Warriors struck first in the extra session as Ogom buried a three for a 69-66 edge. Hall and Ogom added a pair of buckets to offset a Wrangler three as the Warriors extended the advantage to 73-68. Odessa pulled within three, but the Warriors went 6-6 at the free throw line over the final 27 seconds to seal the remarkable comeback victory.Kalambay finished the contest 11-17 from the floor, including 5-7 from three-point range and 4-5 at the charity stripe. The sophomore added six rebounds and three assists in the win.Kalambay's 31 points in a national tournament game are the most for an Indian Hills player since Dwight Hardy scored 36 in the 2008 national tournament against Northeastern Oklahoma A&amp;M College. In three career national tournament games, Kalambay is averaging 20.3 points per game while shooting 57.5 percent from the floor.Hall, who recorded just 30 minutes of court action over the team's last three games, provided 31 minutes on Thursday night in one of the biggest performances of the freshman's collegiate career. Hall tallied two late-game offensive rebounds that led to five second-chance points. The guard added three assists and a steal to fill the stat sheet.Ogom, who missed the previous three games before the national tournament due to an injury, returned Wednesday night vs. Ranger but made his biggest impact against Odessa Thursday night with five crucial points in overtime.Hall, Ogom, and Kalambay combined to score all 13 points for the Warriors in the extra session to carry Indian Hills to the win.Sophomore&nbsp;<a href="https://indianhills.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/meyers_ryan_l7nd">Ryan Myers</a>&nbsp;(Brooklyn, NY/Iona) added 10 points and freshman&nbsp;<a href="https://indianhills.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/labeaux_trevion_2pt6">Trevion LaBeaux</a>&nbsp;(Waterloo, IA/Ames) led all players with eight rebounds and added eight points off the bench.After shooting just 28.6 percent form the floor in the first half, the Warriors responded to shoot 50.0 percent (16-32) in the second half to ignite the comeback. The Indian Hills defense limited the Wranglers to just 13.8 percent (4-29) three-point shooting on the night.Indian Hills improves to 9-1 vs. teams from the state of Texas at the national tournament and are now 3-0 all-time vs. Odessa. The Warriors previously defeated the Wranglers at the Hutchinson Sports Arena in 1997 and 1993. The Warriors are now 3-1 all-time in overtime games at the national tournament.Indian Hills will now turn its attention to the Raiders of Northwest Florida State, a team the Warriors beat at the Hellyer Center on November 16 in a matchup of the No. 1 vs. No. 2 ranked teams in the nation at the team. The Warriors with a 108-99 victory, tied for Indian Hills' most points in a game this year.Northwest Florida State, the defending national champions, defeated No. 10 Butler 71-59 before upending Vincennes 68-55 to advance to the final four. On the other side of the bracket sits No. 1 seed John A. Logan (IL) and No. 12 Tallahassee Community College (FL).Tip-off for the Warriors and Raiders is set for 7:00 PM from the Hutchinson Sports Arena.

🏀 NJCAA Tourney: Historic rally sends Indian Hills into the semi-finals

HUTCHINSON, Kan. – The No. 15 seed Vincennes University Trailblazers had their season come to an end Thursday afternoon at the hands of No. 7 Northwest Florida State by the final score of 68-55.

VU sophomore&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/jackson_shilo_8iz8">Shilo Jackson</a>&nbsp;(Indianapolis, Ind.) closed out his Trailblazer career in fitting fashion, ending with an 11-point, 10-rebound double-double, his sixth of the season and 21st in a Vincennes uniform.

Vincennes got off to a slow start out of the gates Thursday and the defending National Champion Raiders pounced on the opportunity.

Northwest Florida State quickly built a double-digit lead in the first half at 21-10.

VU would slowly chip away at this lead, eventually using a 6-0 scoring run to close out the first half of play to cut the deficit down to 37-32 heading into the locker room break.

NW Florida quickly built their lead back up to double-figures to start the second half, before VU closed the margin back down to seven.

The Raiders answered back to take a 16-point lead midway through the second period and this time the Blazers were unable to get back within 10 points as NW Florida State came away with the 68-55 victory to advance to the Final Four.

The Trailblazers were led offensively by sophomore&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/johnson_caleb_b8zk">Caleb Johnson</a>&nbsp;(N. Preston, Nova Scotia) and freshman&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/king_kris_4ckq">Kris King</a>&nbsp;(Washington, D.C.).

The pair of Blazers each finished the game with 12 points, with King getting going early to score nine points in the first half, while also ending with four rebounds and dishing out a team-high three assists. Johnson would grab two rebounds and lead the Blazers defense with three steals on the game.

<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/jackson_shilo_8iz8">Shilo Jackson</a>&nbsp;closed out his VU career with 11 points and 10 rebounds, while also protecting the rim with a team-high three blocks.

Sophomore&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/cook_tasos_50pf">Tasos Cook</a>&nbsp;(Columbus, Ohio) finished out his day with nine points, two assists, two steals and two rebounds, while freshman&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/osei-bonsu_michael_o3nm">Michael Osei-Bonsu</a>&nbsp;(Bolingbrook, Ill.) led the Blazers with 12 rebounds for the game.

The No. 15 Trailblazers close out the 2022-23 season with a final record of 30-6, VU's 19th 30-win season in program history.

The Trailblazers earned VU's 37th NJCAA National Tournament appearance, an NJCAA record and ended their run with 67 NJCAA National Tournament victories in program history, setting a new NJCAA record.

Thursday's result means the end for VU's five departing sophomores;&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/cook_tasos_50pf">Tasos Cook</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/johnson_caleb_b8zk">Caleb Johnson</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/jackson_shilo_8iz8">Shilo Jackson</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/johnson_trenton_5dew">Trenton Johnson</a>&nbsp;(South Bend, Ind.) and&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/white_devawn_ups9">Devawn White</a>&nbsp;(Montreal, Quebec).

VINCENNES (55):&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/cook_tasos_50pf">Tasos Cook</a>&nbsp;3-8 2-2 9,&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/johnson_trenton_5dew">Trenton Johnson</a>&nbsp;0-1 0-0 0,&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/johnson_caleb_b8zk">Caleb Johnson</a>&nbsp;4-14 4-7 12,&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/osei-bonsu_michael_o3nm">Michael Osei-Bonsu</a>&nbsp;2-7 0-0 4,&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/jackson_shilo_8iz8">Shilo Jackson</a>&nbsp;3-7 5-6 11,&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/locke_iv_james_ktxg">James Locke IV</a>&nbsp;0-1 0-0 0,&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/white_devawn_ups9">Devawn White</a>&nbsp;1-1 0-0 2,&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/king_kris_4ckq">Kris King</a>&nbsp;4-15 3-4 12,&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/oliver_ryan_wcqh">Ryan Oliver</a>&nbsp;2-7 1-5 5,&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/king_kent_23kx">Kent King</a>&nbsp;0-1 0-0 0,&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/lado_victor_0mo1">Victor Lado</a>&nbsp;0-0 0-0 0,&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/dixon_kayriek_m2pl">Karyiek Dixon</a>&nbsp;0-0 0-0 0, Team 19-62 15-24 55.

VU (30-6, 16-5) – 32 &nbsp;&nbsp;23 – 55

NW Florida State – 37 &nbsp;&nbsp;31 – 68

Three-point goals: VU 2 (Cook, Kr. King). Rebounds: VU 39 (Osei-Bonsu 12). Assists: VU 10 (Kr. King 3). Steals: VU 8 (C. Johnson 3). Blocked Shots: VU 3 (Jackson 3). Turnovers: VU 8. Personal Fouls: VU 14. Fouled out: None. Technical Fouls: VU Coach (1-17:25).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679634159906.jpeg" alt="Vincennes falls in quarter finals. Courtesy of VU Sports." />
 <figcaption>Vincennes falls in quarter finals. Courtesy of VU Sports.</figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. – The No. 15 seed Vincennes University Trailblazers had their season come to an end Thursday afternoon at the hands of No. 7 Northwest Florida State by the final score of 68-55.VU sophomore&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/jackson_shilo_8iz8">Shilo Jackson</a>&nbsp;(Indianapolis, Ind.) closed out his Trailblazer career in fitting fashion, ending with an 11-point, 10-rebound double-double, his sixth of the season and 21st in a Vincennes uniform.Vincennes got off to a slow start out of the gates Thursday and the defending National Champion Raiders pounced on the opportunity.Northwest Florida State quickly built a double-digit lead in the first half at 21-10.VU would slowly chip away at this lead, eventually using a 6-0 scoring run to close out the first half of play to cut the deficit down to 37-32 heading into the locker room break.NW Florida quickly built their lead back up to double-figures to start the second half, before VU closed the margin back down to seven.The Raiders answered back to take a 16-point lead midway through the second period and this time the Blazers were unable to get back within 10 points as NW Florida State came away with the 68-55 victory to advance to the Final Four.The Trailblazers were led offensively by sophomore&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/johnson_caleb_b8zk">Caleb Johnson</a>&nbsp;(N. Preston, Nova Scotia) and freshman&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/king_kris_4ckq">Kris King</a>&nbsp;(Washington, D.C.).The pair of Blazers each finished the game with 12 points, with King getting going early to score nine points in the first half, while also ending with four rebounds and dishing out a team-high three assists. Johnson would grab two rebounds and lead the Blazers defense with three steals on the game.<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/jackson_shilo_8iz8">Shilo Jackson</a>&nbsp;closed out his VU career with 11 points and 10 rebounds, while also protecting the rim with a team-high three blocks.Sophomore&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/cook_tasos_50pf">Tasos Cook</a>&nbsp;(Columbus, Ohio) finished out his day with nine points, two assists, two steals and two rebounds, while freshman&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/osei-bonsu_michael_o3nm">Michael Osei-Bonsu</a>&nbsp;(Bolingbrook, Ill.) led the Blazers with 12 rebounds for the game.The No. 15 Trailblazers close out the 2022-23 season with a final record of 30-6, VU's 19th 30-win season in program history.The Trailblazers earned VU's 37th NJCAA National Tournament appearance, an NJCAA record and ended their run with 67 NJCAA National Tournament victories in program history, setting a new NJCAA record.Thursday's result means the end for VU's five departing sophomores;&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/cook_tasos_50pf">Tasos Cook</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/johnson_caleb_b8zk">Caleb Johnson</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/jackson_shilo_8iz8">Shilo Jackson</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/johnson_trenton_5dew">Trenton Johnson</a>&nbsp;(South Bend, Ind.) and&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/white_devawn_ups9">Devawn White</a>&nbsp;(Montreal, Quebec).VINCENNES BOX SCOREVINCENNES (55):&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/cook_tasos_50pf">Tasos Cook</a>&nbsp;3-8 2-2 9,&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/johnson_trenton_5dew">Trenton Johnson</a>&nbsp;0-1 0-0 0,&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/johnson_caleb_b8zk">Caleb Johnson</a>&nbsp;4-14 4-7 12,&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/osei-bonsu_michael_o3nm">Michael Osei-Bonsu</a>&nbsp;2-7 0-0 4,&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/jackson_shilo_8iz8">Shilo Jackson</a>&nbsp;3-7 5-6 11,&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/locke_iv_james_ktxg">James Locke IV</a>&nbsp;0-1 0-0 0,&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/white_devawn_ups9">Devawn White</a>&nbsp;1-1 0-0 2,&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/king_kris_4ckq">Kris King</a>&nbsp;4-15 3-4 12,&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/oliver_ryan_wcqh">Ryan Oliver</a>&nbsp;2-7 1-5 5,&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/king_kent_23kx">Kent King</a>&nbsp;0-1 0-0 0,&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/lado_victor_0mo1">Victor Lado</a>&nbsp;0-0 0-0 0,&nbsp;<a href="https://vincennes.prestosports.com/sports/mbkb/2022-23/bios/dixon_kayriek_m2pl">Karyiek Dixon</a>&nbsp;0-0 0-0 0, Team 19-62 15-24 55.VU (30-6, 16-5) – 32 &nbsp;&nbsp;23 – 55NW Florida State – 37 &nbsp;&nbsp;31 – 68Three-point goals: VU 2 (Cook, Kr. King). Rebounds: VU 39 (Osei-Bonsu 12). Assists: VU 10 (Kr. King 3). Steals: VU 8 (C. Johnson 3). Blocked Shots: VU 3 (Jackson 3). Turnovers: VU 8. Personal Fouls: VU 14. Fouled out: None. Technical Fouls: VU Coach (1-17:25).

🏀 NJCAA Tourney:  Vincennes falls in quarter finals to Northwest Florida State

Six Wildcats scored in double figures including a team-high 22 by Keyontae Johnson

NEW YORK, NY—&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/markquis-nowell/9650">Markquis Nowell</a>&nbsp;scored 20 points and broke an NCAA Tournament record with 19 assists, which included an alley-oop to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/keyontae-johnson/9899">Keyontae Johnson</a>&nbsp;in the closing minutes as second-seeded Kansas State earned a dramatic 98-93 overtime victory over No. 7 seed Michigan State Thursday evening at Madison Square Garden, sending the Wildcats to their 13th Elite 8 in school history. Johnson led all Wildcats with 22 points on 10-of-18 shooting, while&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/ismael-massoud/9647">Ismael Massoud</a>&nbsp;added a season-high 15 points thanks to four three pointers. However, Massoud's biggest bucket of the night came with 17 seconds left in overtime when he took an in-bounds pass from Nowell and sunk a long 2-pointer to give the Wildcats a 96-93 lead. The Spartans called a timeout with 12 seconds left to try to set up a 3-pointer and send the game into a second overtime, but Nowell&nbsp;stripped Tyson Walker of the ball and drove the length of the court for a layup as time expired to send the Wildcats to a date on Saturday against Florida Atlantic with the right to go to the Final Four. Kansas State earned its first victory over Michigan State since 1962, while the Wildcats have won each of their last four Regional Semifinal games (1988, 2010, 2018, 2023). The Wildcats are now 4-2 all-time in NCAA Tournament overtime games and have won their last three. The last time K-State played an overtime NCAA Tournament game was a 101-96 double-overtime victory over Xavier in the Sweet 16 in 2010. K-State also improved to 5-0 in overtime games this season.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679633888252.jpeg" alt="K-State defeats Michigan State in OT" />
 <figcaption>K-State defeats Michigan State in OT</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Six Wildcats scored in double figures including a team-high 22 by Keyontae Johnson</h2>NEW YORK, NY—&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/markquis-nowell/9650">Markquis Nowell</a>&nbsp;scored 20 points and broke an NCAA Tournament record with 19 assists, which included an alley-oop to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/keyontae-johnson/9899">Keyontae Johnson</a>&nbsp;in the closing minutes as second-seeded Kansas State earned a dramatic 98-93 overtime victory over No. 7 seed Michigan State Thursday evening at Madison Square Garden, sending the Wildcats to their 13th Elite 8 in school history. Johnson led all Wildcats with 22 points on 10-of-18 shooting, while&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/ismael-massoud/9647">Ismael Massoud</a>&nbsp;added a season-high 15 points thanks to four three pointers. However, Massoud's biggest bucket of the night came with 17 seconds left in overtime when he took an in-bounds pass from Nowell and sunk a long 2-pointer to give the Wildcats a 96-93 lead. The Spartans called a timeout with 12 seconds left to try to set up a 3-pointer and send the game into a second overtime, but Nowell&nbsp;stripped Tyson Walker of the ball and drove the length of the court for a layup as time expired to send the Wildcats to a date on Saturday against Florida Atlantic with the right to go to the Final Four. Kansas State earned its first victory over Michigan State since 1962, while the Wildcats have won each of their last four Regional Semifinal games (1988, 2010, 2018, 2023). The Wildcats are now 4-2 all-time in NCAA Tournament overtime games and have won their last three. The last time K-State played an overtime NCAA Tournament game was a 101-96 double-overtime victory over Xavier in the Sweet 16 in 2010. K-State also improved to 5-0 in overtime games this season.

🏀 MBB: K-State moves on to Elite 8 with instant classic over Michigan State

HUTCHINSON, Kan.—The turnaround season for the Midland College men’s basketball team came to an end on Thursday after a loss in the NJCAA National Tournament quarterfinals at the Hutchinson Sports Arena in Hutchinson, Kansas.

No. 1 John A. Logan, out of Illinois, went 6 for 6 from the free-throw line down the stretch to hold off the No. 8-seed Chaparrals, 74-70.

The Chaparrals ended the season with a 28-7 record in head coach Tra Arnold’s first season in Midland. Not only did the Chaps improve their win total by 16 games from the year before but were making their first postseason appearance and national tournament appearance since the national runner-up 2011 season.

Arnold said he was focused so much on this tournament that he hasn’t had much time to reflect on the season, but said that his team had a lot to be proud of what they accomplished.

“These guys have worked hard since August. I’m proud of the guys,” Arnold said. “This season was this team’s journey and it showed them what could happen next year. I think we’ll be in these kind of situations many times going forward.

“We’re a little down right now and I’m thinking about what else I could have done. But I am proud of the everything these players gave for our college and our community.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679657142211.jpeg" alt="John A Logan slips past Midland.jpg" />
 <figcaption>John A Logan slips past Midland.jpg</figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan.—The turnaround season for the Midland College men’s basketball team came to an end on Thursday after a loss in the NJCAA National Tournament quarterfinals at the Hutchinson Sports Arena in Hutchinson, Kansas.No. 1 John A. Logan, out of Illinois, went 6 for 6 from the free-throw line down the stretch to hold off the No. 8-seed Chaparrals, 74-70.The Chaparrals ended the season with a 28-7 record in head coach Tra Arnold’s first season in Midland. Not only did the Chaps improve their win total by 16 games from the year before but were making their first postseason appearance and national tournament appearance since the national runner-up 2011 season.Arnold said he was focused so much on this tournament that he hasn’t had much time to reflect on the season, but said that his team had a lot to be proud of what they accomplished.“These guys have worked hard since August. I’m proud of the guys,” Arnold said. “This season was this team’s journey and it showed them what could happen next year. I think we’ll be in these kind of situations many times going forward.“We’re a little down right now and I’m thinking about what else I could have done. But I am proud of the everything these players gave for our college and our community.”The Chaps recovered from a tough start as they were down by as many as 16 points (23-7) midway through the first half before going on a 20-10 run to get back in the game and eventually pulled to within 39-35 at the intermission.Arnold said he wasn’t surprised to see his team get back in the game.“Anybody who has seen us play, knows how tough we play how hard we fight,” Arnold said. “I knew we would get back in it, I just didn’t know at what point.”MC continued to battle back in the second half and eventually to its first lead of the game, 49-48, on a dunk by Brison Waller with 9:40 remaining.MC’s biggest lead was 54-50 after a Christian Villegas layup.The game was tied at 59-all after a free throw by MC’s Keonte Jones, but the Vols (31-2) answered with a 3-pointer by Isaiah Stafford and John A. Logan never relinquished the lead.“We just didn’t have quite enough,” Arnold said. “At this time of year it’s about players making shots and making plays, and we didn’t make enough plays to win.”Doug Young and Trent Johnson each had 20 points, Jones had 12 and Christian Villegas added 11 for the Chaps.James Dent led the Vols with 20 points, Quimari Peterson had 16, Stafford added 12, Curt Lewis chipped in with 11.John A. Logan will next face either Dodge City or Tallahassee in the semifinal round at 5 p.m. Friday,Follow Oscar on Twitter: @OLeRoy_MRTNO. 1 JOHN A. LOGAN 74, NO. 8 MIDLAND COLLEGE 70Midland College (28-7) – Christian Villegas 4-4 2-2 11, Keonte Jones 3-7 6-11 12, Doug Young 7-22 4-4 20, Trent Johnson 7-15 5-5 20, Brison Waller 2-4 0-0 4, Eric Grier 0-0 0-0 0, Xavier White 1-3 0-0 3, Brett Leach 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 24-55 17-22 70John A. Logan (31-2) – Curt Lewis 4-10 9-10 20, Quimari Peterson 6-16 3-4 16, Elijah Jones 0-0 1-4 1, Isaiah Stafford 5-12 2-2 12, KJ Debrick 1-5 6-6 8, James Dent 4-10 9-10 20, Sean Smith 1-6 0-0 2, Justin Cross 0-1 0-0 0, Elliot Lowndes 1-1 2-2 4. Totals 22-60 23-28 74