Lastest Sport News One: February 2020

Saturday, February 29, 2020

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New on Sports Illustrated: No. 3 Gonzaga hosts Saint Mary's to close out season

Third-ranked Gonzaga is expected to play deep into March Madness but the Zags are still reeling from a recent loss to BYU.

There also is the lack of depth issues that coach Mark Few occasionally mentions.

But the Bulldogs wrapped up their eighth straight West Coast Conference title and now look to close the regular season in style when they host Saint Mary's in the regular-season finale on Saturday night at Spokane, Wash.

Gonzaga (28-2, 14-1 WCC) wrapped up the regular season crown and the No. 1 seed in the upcoming conference tournament with a solid 94-59 victory over San Diego on Thursday. The Bulldogs outscored the Toreros by 23 points in the second half.

"You have to give them credit for coming out and playing pretty good, but we stepped up our game in the second half," senior guard Admon Gilder told reporters afterward. "When we're able to play like that, we're really unstoppable."

It was a much-needed bounce-back performance after last Saturday's 91-78 loss at BYU, an outcome that halted a 19-game winning streak.

Gonzaga's strong showing came with its typical seven-man rotation with others playing once the game was out of reach.

That rotation has been just six players several other times due to senior forward Killian Tillie's knee and ankle injuries. Tillie has missed nine games.

Few has seen the effects in recent games -- and not just in the loss to BYU.

"We've had a long year with not much depth," Few said after Thursday's victory. "Guys are physically tired and they can get mentally tired, too. To come out, especially in the second half, our defensive intensity was really good and we were pretty darn efficient on the offensive end. I was proud of that."

The Bulldogs posted a 51-27 rebounding advantage against the Toreros and had five players score in double digits. Sophomore power forward Filip Petrusev led the way with 21 points and nine rebounds, while junior forward Corey Kispert scored 16 points and senior point guard Ryan Woolridge contributed 15 points, seven rebounds and six assists.

Gonzaga often gets challenged by Saint Mary's but the team's first meeting was a one-sided affair as the Bulldogs rolled to a 90-60 shellacking on the Gaels' home floor. Freshman forward Drew Timme had 20 points on 7-of-8 shooting while Petrusev recorded 18 points and 11 rebounds.

It was one of those type of performances that left Saint Mary's coach Randy Bennett scratching his head in the aftermath of the game.

"I can't find a good stat on our part," Bennett said after that contest. "That should not happen. Pick a stat. Three assists for the game. ... We were not ready for the competition that you're about to engage in. It doesn't mean you're not excited to play but you're not ready for the battle that you have to be ready for."

Saint Mary's (24-6, 11-4) has responded to the humiliating loss by stringing together four straight wins and looks assured of a NCAA Tournament at-large berth.

The Gaels notched a 78-72 road victory over Santa Clara on Thursday with star senior point guard Jordan Ford scoring 33 points for his fifth 30-point effort of the campaign.

Ford, who scored 23 in the loss to Gonzaga, is averaging 20.9 points and has knocked down a team-best 74 3-pointers.

Junior forward Malik Pitts also has played well and is averaging 17.0 points and a team-leading 7.2 rebounds.

The Gaels have dropped 16 of the past 20 contests with Gonzaga.

But one of the victories was a big one as Saint Mary's stunned the Bulldogs 60-47 in last season's WCC tournament title game to notch its first-ever victory over a No. 1-ranked team.

--Field Level Media

New on Sports Illustrated: No. 25 Houston preps for AAC rival Cincy

No. 25 Houston has been focusing on the little things, such as lost possessions, missed free throws and bad decisions, during its week-long preparation for Sunday afternoon's key American Athletic Conference game against Cincinnati.

A share of first-place in the league standings will be on the line in Houston as the regular season heads into its homestretch.

The Cougars (21-7, 11-4 AAC) head home and return to the court after seven days off and on the heels of a 60-59 loss at Memphis on Feb. 22.

Caleb Mills scored 21 points, and Marcus Sasser added 18 points for the Cougars. Mills' jumper with four seconds to play hit back iron. Houston missed its last four shots.

Houston played without guard Quentin Grimes, its second-leading scorer at 11.8 points per game, who was out with was a hip pointer.

The Cougars' four conference losses have come by a combined margin of six points, with the latest coming in the defeat to the Tigers.

Houston coach Kelvin Sampson used extensive video sessions this week to illustrate the team's need to take advantage of earlier chances that are just as important as the end game.

"We're not losing these games because we're missing the last shot," Sampson said. "That's naive to think that. We're making too many (mistakes). Too many times we go to the free-throw line under five minutes and go 1-for-2. That's what is hurting this team, the mental mistakes. Let's see if they can beat us. Don't give it to them."

The Bearcats travel to the Bayou City after a 67-64 win at home over Wichita State on Feb. 23. Jarron Cumberland was just 3 of 11 from the floor but made 16 free throws as part of his team-high 24 points in the victory. Zach Harvey scored a career-high eight points, and Trevon Scott added eight points and 11 boards.

Cincinnati (18-9, 11-4) had gone to overtime in each of the four games prior to the win over Wichita State, matching the NCAA record, and were a shot away against the Shockers from heading to an extra session again.

"Well, at least we didn't go to overtime," Bearcats' coach John Brannen said. "That's the first thing I told the guys when we got back to the locker room."

Late defense was the key to Cincinnati's win, which allowed the Bearcats to remain tied with Houston and Tulsa atop the league standings.

"We made it about defense this week," Brannen said after the win. "We felt we needed to play better. We just haven't been playing well, and it started with our investment, our physical and emotional investment. I felt for 25 minutes, it was as good as it's been in a month."

Cincinnati has played a school-record seven overtime games (4-3) this season. The NCAA record for overtime games in a season is eight by Western Kentucky (1978), Portland (1984) and Valparaiso (1993).

The Bearcats rallied at home to beat then-No. 21 Houston 64-62 on Feb. 1 in the season's first meeting between the two teams.

--Field Level Media

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New on Sports Illustrated: No. 11 Louisville looks to rebound vs. Va. Tech

No. 11 Louisville not only is coming off Monday's loss at Florida State, the Cardinals are trying to deal with the thought of playing without injured junior center Malik Williams for an extended period of time.

Williams, averaging 8.8 points and 6.3 rebounds, left the game early in the first half after suffering what appeared to be a serious ankle injury. When he returned to the bench, he was in tears wearing a boot on his left foot.

Williams, who has not practiced this week, said he's taking things "day by day." He said he has not yet been ruled out of Sunday's game against Virginia Tech at Louisville.

"I am just taking it day by day right now and not trying to rush it," Williams said during Louisville coach Chris Mack's radio show this week. "It could be tomorrow when I am ready. I'll know when it's time."

Before the 82-67 loss to Florida State, Williams had 11 or more points in five of Louisville's previous six games. He had 14 points and 13 rebounds in a 90-66 win over Syracuse on Feb. 19.

Mack said Williams' absence against the Seminoles was significant because he is Louisville's "best defender."

"On the defensive end, we are always going to miss Malik no matter who we play," Mack said. "He defends the rim. Very vocal. He sees the game."

Louisville (23-6, 14-4 Atlantic Coast Conference) will play Virginia Tech (15-13, 6-11) in its final home game of the season. The Cardinals are 16-1 at home this year.

Two starters -- forward Dwayne Sutton (9.3 points per game and 8.3 rebounds per game) and center Steven Enoch (9.4 ppg.) -- will be honored on Senior Night.

The Hokies have dropped eight of their last nine games, including a 56-53 home loss to Virginia on Wednesday. The Hokies made 9 of 27 shots from 3-point range and rallied in the second half from a 15-point deficit to tie the game in the closing seconds.

Virginia Tech coach Mike Young shuffled his starting lineup, playing redshirt freshman forward Landers Nolley II off the bench for only the second time this season. True freshman John Ojiako made his first career start against Virginia and had two points and three rebounds in nine minutes.

Nolley led the Hokies with 13 points and had five rebounds in 32 minutes before fouling out.

Sophomore guard Isaiah Wilkins also started for only the fifth time this season. He did not score and had two rebounds in 10 minutes.

"I thought John had been playing well, and I'm trying to get him 21, 22, 23 minutes because I just feel that good about his direction as a player," Young said. "I thought Isaiah Wilkins helped the team. He stuck it up in there and played a good basketball game against Duke (11 points, five assists and three steals last weekend).

"Nothing more than that. I've always been more concerned with who finishes than I am who starts. Typically who finishes are those who are helping us win, and I thought the lineup we went with late in the second half did just that."

--Field Level Media

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Friday, February 28, 2020

New on Sports Illustrated: New York City FC

New on Sports Illustrated: Manchester United

New on Sports Illustrated: Atalanta

New on Sports Illustrated: Atletico Madrid

Bucks' Khris Middleton misses Thunder game due to sore neck

MILWAUKEE (AP) -- All-Star forward Khris Middleton was a late scratch for the Milwaukee Bucks' game against the Oklahoma City Thunder due to a sore neck.

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As expected, Rockets sign veteran Jeff Green for remainder of season

Green averaged 9.8 points per game on a ridiculous 89.6 true shooting percentage.

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Kevin Durant wants to see marijuana taken off the NBA’s banned substances list

The NBA still tests players for marijuana use and they can get suspended for multiple positive tests.

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Wildcats Split Friday Doubleheader at Oklahoma

NORMAN, Okla. – Northwestern began its stay at the Courtyard Marriott Tournament hosted by the University of Oklahoma with an 8-1 victory over North Texas, followed by a setback to the No. 5 ranked Sooners on Friday afternoon.

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Jedrick Wills Jr. runs official 5.05 second 40-yard dash at 2020 combine

Alabama Crimson Tide offensive lineman Jedrick Wills Jr. runs official 5.05 second 40-yard dash at 2020 NFL Scouting Combine.

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Kentucky offensive lineman Logan Stenberg runs an official 5.30 second 40-yard dash at the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine

Kentucky offensive lineman Logan Stenberg runs an official 5.30 second 40-yard dash at the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine.

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Texas Tech Red Raiders offensive lineman Terence Steele runs official 5.03 second 40-yard dash at 2020 combine

Texas Tech Red Raiders offensive lineman Terence Steele runs an official 5.03 second 40-yard dash at the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine.

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Ball State Cardinals offensive lineman Danny Pinter runs official 4.91 second 40-yard dash at 2020 combine

Ball State Cardinals offensive lineman Danny Pinter runs an official 4.91 second 40-yard dash at the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine.

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Houston Cougars offensive lineman Josh Jones runs official 5.27 second 40-yard dash at 2020 combine

Houston Cougars offensive lineman Josh Jones runs an official 5.27 second 40-yard dash at the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine.

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Boise State Broncos offensive lineman John Molchon runs official 5.13 second 40-yard dash at 2020 combine

Boise State Broncos offensive lineman John Molchon runs an official 5.13 second 40-yard dash at the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine.

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Wake Forest offensive lineman Justin Herron runs official 5.26 second 40-yard dash at 2020 combine

Wake Forest offensive lineman Justin Herron runs an official 5.26 second 40-yard dash at the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine.

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Michigan Wolverines offensive lineman Cesar Ruiz runs an official 5.08 second 40-yard dash at the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine

Michigan Wolverines offensive lineman Cesar Ruiz runs an official 5.08 second 40-yard dash at the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine.

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Rhode Island offensive lineman Kyle Murphy runs an official 5.30 second 40-yard dash at the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine

Rhode Island offensive lineman Kyle Murphy runs an official 5.30 second 40-yard dash at the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine.

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Oregon Ducks offensive lineman Shane Lemieux runs an official 5.11 second 40-yard dash at the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine

Oregon Ducks offensive lineman Shane Lemieux runs an official 5.11 second 40-yard dash at the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine.

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TCU Horned Frogs offensive lineman Cordel Iwuagwu runs an official 5.22 second 40-yard dash at the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine

TCU Horned Frogs offensive lineman Cordel Iwuagwu runs an official 5.22 second 40-yard dash at the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine.

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USC Trojans offensive lineman Austin Jackson runs official 5.07 second 40-yard dash at 2020 combine

USC Trojans offensive lineman Austin Jackson runs official 5.07 second 40-yard dash at 2020 NFL Scouting Combine.

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Iowa Hawkeyes offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs runs official 4.85 second 40-yard dash at the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine

Iowa Hawkeyes offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs runs an official 4.85 second 40-yard dash at the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine.

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New on Sports Illustrated: Surging Thunder try to take down NBA-best Bucks

The Oklahoma City Thunder were supposed to be entering a rebuilding phase after dealing stars Russell Westbrook and Paul George in the offseason.

Don't look now, but the Thunder are a season-best 15 games over .500 as they try to upset the NBA-best Milwaukee Bucks on Friday night.

Oklahoma City (37-22) has won five straight games and 14 of 17 entering the contest in Milwaukee. The hot stretch has seen the Thunder pass the Utah Jazz and move into fifth place in the Western Conference.

Though Oklahoma City does have an All-Star in point guard Chris Paul, the squad is made up mostly of young players and castoffs who are fitting together well in coach Billy Donovan's schemes and methodology.

"Our intensity and character are two things that are getting better and better," veteran forward Danilo Gallinari said after Thursday's 112-108 comeback victory over the visiting Sacramento Kings. "That's what you want, especially in the second part of the season."

Gallinari scored 24 points for the second straight game, as Oklahoma City rallied from a 19-point, third-quarter deficit to defeat the Kings. The Thunder are his fourth team, and he was nearly traded to the Miami Heat at the trading deadline earlier this month before talks broke down.

Gallinari and Paul give Oklahoma City a solid veteran presence, while young gun Shai Gilgeous-Alexander rates as the future go-to force.

Gilgeous-Alexander scored 20 points against the Kings, and Paul added 17 points and seven assists in a contest that seemed destined to be a Sacramento victory through the first 2 1/2 quarters.

"For the first 30 minutes of the game, we were back on our heels," Donovan said afterward. "They were the aggressor. We were not doing the things that were necessary."

There will be little margin for mistakes against the well-rested Bucks.

Milwaukee (50-8) last played on Tuesday, when it delivered a sharp 108-97 road win against the Toronto Raptors. The victory was the club's fourth in a row and ninth in the past 10 games.

The Bucks are on pace to become just the third 70-win team in NBA history. Only the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors (73-9) and 1995-96 Chicago Bulls (72-10) have reached 70.

Reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo recorded 19 points, 19 rebounds and eight assists against the Raptors in his latest strong effort, and he said the team prospers from a simple approach.

"We just come out and try to do our job," Antetokounmpo told reporters. "We have a winning culture. So it doesn't matter if you are hurt, it doesn't matter if you are tired -- the next guy up is ready to go. Everybody wants to play, everybody wants to win, and that's why we win games."

Veteran forward Marvin Williams is a newcomer who is still surveying the scene.

The victory over Toronto was his fifth with the Bucks, and Williams said he has been impressed that the atmosphere isn't the least bit tense.

"Guys here are very relaxed," Williams told reporters. "Honestly, much more relaxed than I thought they would be before I got here. It's their comfort zone, so it's kind of fun to watch. Their preparation -- they are very relaxed and focused about how they go about doing things."

Williams knocked down three 3-pointers while recording nine points and five rebounds in 16 minutes against the Raptors.

All-Star small forward Khris Middleton scored 22 points against Toronto and has topped 20 in four straight games. Middleton is averaging 28.8 points during the stretch, including a 40-point effort in Monday's 137-134 overtime win over the Washington Wizards.

Milwaukee notched a 121-119 road victory over the Thunder on Nov. 10. Antetokounmpo led the way with 35 points and 16 rebounds. Reserve guard Dennis Schroder scored 25 points to pace Oklahoma City.

--Field Level Media

Thursday, February 27, 2020

Wisconsin Badgers wide receiver Quintez Cephus runs official 4.73 second 40-yard dash at 2020 combine

Wisconsin Badgers wide receiver Quintez Cephus runs an official 4.73 second 40-yard dash at the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine.

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Arizona State Sun Devils wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk runs official 4.50 second 40-yard dash at 2020 combine

Arizona State Sun Devils wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk runs an official 4.50 second 40-yard dash at the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine.

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Oregon Ducks quarterback Justin Herbert runs official 4.68 second 40-yard dash at 2020 combine

Oregon Ducks quarterback Justin Herbert runs an official 4.68 second 40-yard dash at the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine.

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Missouri Tigers quarterback Kelly Bryant runs an official 4.69 second 40-yard dash at the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine

Missouri Tigers quarterback Kelly Bryant runs an official 4.69 second 40-yard dash at the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine.

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Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Jake Fromm runs an official 5.01 second 40-yard dash at the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine

Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Jake Fromm runs an official 5.01 second 40-yard dash at the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine.

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Is Brady leaving the Patriots?

Although Tom Brady has his eyes on free agency, some still believe the Patriots will have a chance to convince him to stay.

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Gruden backs Carr, anxious to 'build around him'

Raiders coach Jon Gruden gave quarterback Derek Carr a vote of confidence amid reports linking the team to potential free agent Tom Brady, calling Carr "a heck of a player" and saying he's "anxious to continue to build around him."

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New on Sports Illustrated: Being Scott Drew: How College Basketball's Mr. Rogers Turned Baylor Into a Powerhouse

Scott Drew took over Baylor after the darkest scandal in college basketball history. Here's how Drew turned the Bears into one of the year's best teams.

WACO, Texas — Scott Drew doesn’t want to be doing this. He’d rather not have a sitdown interview in his office right now, less than an hour after

his Baylor basketball team’s first loss in 105 days, in the biggest home game in program history. The timing is all wrong.

On the table in front of him is the box score from Kansas 64, Baylor 61. There are a few handwritten notes on the paper, the feedback from a quick postgame meeting with his staff. Drew is still wearing his gray suit from the game, tie still cinched tight around his neck, missed free throws and Jayhawks lob dunks still crowding his brain.

He hasn’t let go, and he won’t let go until he’s watched the video at least once, at home, alone, examining the errors that left No. 1 Baylor three points in arrears of No. 3 Kansas. That’s what he’d rather be doing right now.

“I watch it soon as I can after games, especially losses,” Drew said. “Winning’s a little easier. You can put that one off and go get a meal. Losing, it’s usually ride home, shower, then watch it.

“Close games for coaches are the worst. The coach goes over every possession—what could I have done better?”

That self-examination and self-flagellation can wait, though. Today there are a few guests to attend to after hosting the biggest game of the 2019-20 college season nationally, and Drew will do it with a torrent of enthusiasm.

A big part of being Scott Drew is appearing absolutely overjoyed to be doing this interview that he really doesn’t want to be doing. He greets the reporter with a hug—not a half-assed bro hug, but a two-armed, long-lost-relative embrace. He proudly introduces the reporter to former Bear standout Curtis Jerrells, now playing professionally in Italy but back in town for this game. The internal postgame angst has been coated over with a thick veneer of charm.

If it weren’t for the occasional pursed lips and furrowed brow, you’d think Scott Drew is having the time of his life doing this interview he doesn’t want to do after a gut-churning loss. If the interview lasts all day, he’s there for it. There were so many days—months, years—when nobody much cared about his Baylor basketball program, and now the world wants in.

So he’s got the door wide open.

His entire coaching life, Drew has sold hope like it’s a miracle drug. He’s sold it like a true believer, trying to convert the masses into believing in Baylor. He is so over-the-top positive that it’s seen as a negative by some. Is he real or is he a fake?

He comes across as the Mr. Rogers of college basketball, and Mr. Rogers’ neighborhood is not the college hoops neighborhood. It is considerably less neighborly. It is a cutthroat, cynical neighborhood that is at odds with Drew’s public countenance.

“He has an optimism, a sense of faith and a sense of family and togetherness that is real,” said ESPN analyst Fran Fraschilla, a Texas resident who knows the Big 12 better than anyone. “People said early on he’s a phony, he’s a charlatan. But the more you see it, you know it’s real stuff. He’s like that Sunday school preacher, but he believes what he’s preaching. Optimism, with him, is like breathing.”

***

He had a role model, of course. Scott Drew is Homer Drew all over again, a font of positivity on a bigger stage.

“I get it from my dad,” Scott says. “I’m a glass-half-full guy.”

Homer was an assistant coach at LSU from 1972-76, then unplugged himself from the high end of college hoops to become the head coach at NAIA school Bethel College in Indiana. The move was at least in part driven by wanting to spend more time with his young family. After 11 straight winning seasons there, Homer moved to Indiana University-South Bend for one season and then got the head-coaching job at Division I Valparaiso, which also is in northwest Indiana.

Homer Drew was a largely unknown coach at Valpo, a guy who kept his job through five losing seasons to start that tenure in part because he was too nice to fire. Then the program took off in the mid-1990s, an ascendance that coincided with Scott coming to work for Homer as an assistant and younger son Bryce enrolling as a player.

Scott’s playing career is virtually nonexistent, despite being the son of a coach and the oldest sibling to two stars, Bryce and sister Dana. Scott stopped playing basketball after his sophomore season at Valparaiso High School and focused on tennis, hoping to earn a college scholarship in that sport, but it didn’t happen. He played tennis for a couple seasons at Butler but did not earn a varsity letter.

“People ask me if I’m jealous of my brother’s coaching success, having the No. 1 team in the country,” said Bryce Drew, who coached at Valpo and Vanderbilt until being fired in 2019. “He probably got some of those same questions growing up as my brother. But he was always happy for my success as a player, always pushing me to get to the NBA and be as good as I could be.”

Coaching was in Scott’s veins. He worked with Bryce and Dana on some of their youth league teams, and became a student manager for Barry Collier at Butler.

Homer pushed law school. Scott went into the family business instead.

Shortly after Homer, Scott and Bryce came together at Valpo, the program took off. With Scott spearheading an overseas recruiting movement, there were nine straight winning seasons and six NCAA tournament appearances. That run was highlighted by Homer drawing up one of the most famous plays in March Madness lore, resulting in Bryce sinking a game-winning shot at the buzzer to beat Mississippi in the 1998 first round. That Valpo team made the only Sweet 16 appearance in school history.

Along the way, Homer charmed everyone with his pleasant personality. Scott learned more from his dad than just Xs and Os.

“My dad always treated everybody like family,” Scott said. “I think he’s a great man, and I try to emulate that.”

When Homer retired in 2002, Scott was the no-brainer choice to succeed him. It looked like the Drew dynasty would continue at Valpo for many more years, and it did—just not the way anyone envisioned.

***

One year into his Valpo tenure, Scott Drew and assistant Matthew Driscoll were at the annual coaches gathering hosted by David and Dana Pump, college basketball networkers of some renown and notoriety. (There are few clean connections in the sport, and the Pumps have their critics in and around the game.) It was August 2003, and Valpo was coming off a 20-11 season and NIT appearance.

The darkest scandal in NCAA basketball history was simultaneously blowing up at Baylor. On Aug. 8, Dave Bliss was forced to resign as coach of the Bears in the wake of one player (Carlton Dotson) murdering another (Patrick Dennehy). In order to cover up NCAA violations, Bliss concocted a story that smeared Dennehy after his death—alleging that Dennehy was a drug dealer who used the money from those transactions to pay his college tuition, when in fact Bliss had paid him under the table.

Bliss resigned during the Pump outing. Driscoll, in talking to then-NBA coach Tim Floyd at the gathering, found out that Floyd had a connection at Baylor. After a few phone calls, Scott Drew was in play to become the next coach of the Bears.

Driscoll told his boss: “You’re young, you’re Christian and you’re full of energy. And it’s so bad there, you can be bad and still look good because you’re so positive.”

Sounded good in theory, but it would be quite difficult in practice. Bryce Drew attended his brother’s introductory press conference at Baylor and was worried about what Scott had gotten into.

“It wasn’t at ground level,” Bryce said. “It was way below ground level. But I don’t think he ever looked back or had a doubt.”

Scott’s sudden departure freed up Homer to come out of retirement and coach Valpo for another eight seasons. For the first two seasons, at least, Homer had the better team at the mid-major level than Scott had in the Big 12.

Leaving a consistently successful, mom-and-pop operation at Valpo for the cesspool of Baylor looked like career suicide. Scott Drew didn’t see it that way.

“When he left Valpo to go there it looked like a ridiculous move,” Fraschilla said. “Scott inherited one of the worst messes in NCAA history. But he came in with an optimism that was almost naive.”

The naivety was real. Drew came to Waco talking about going to the Final Four and one day winning a national championship. He barely had a program.

“There’s not been a worse situation in college athletics,” said Driscoll, now the head coach at North Florida. “Ever.”

Said Kelly Drew, Scott’s wife: “There were some years going into the season you were just hoping to get a win in the Big 12. One win.”

Their first Baylor team had six scholarship players. Taking over a program in August, just a couple of months before the season started, they were so desperate for bodies that they held an open tryout on campus. Turnout was surprisingly robust.

“I was so excited,” Drew said. “Our staff and I walked in and there are a lot of good-looking athletes.”

The only problem—many of them weren’t Baylor students. They heard about a tryout and came to campus thinking they could join the team without being enrolled.

The search for players even extended to a Fazoli’s one day. Drew and Driscoll were there for lunch when they saw a 6-foot-7, athletic-looking young man, so they asked him if he was a Baylor student. The guy said he was a sophomore at the school, and the coaches told him to come by their offices and talk to them about joining the team.

They never saw him again. After scouring the dorms looking for him, Drew and Driscoll figured out he wasn’t a student after all.

Baylor not only had no players and a major NCAA investigation ongoing, there were few other trappings of a big-time basketball program. The locker room was archaic, the transportation was modest, the budget was small.

“We took charters to Lubbock,” Driscoll quipped. “But they were buses, not a plane.”

The job got tougher two years in, when the NCAA hammered Baylor for Bliss’ sins. Among the penalties: the Bears couldn’t play any non-conference games in the 2005-06 season. Their first game was Jan. 11, and they went 4-13 against a Big 12-only schedule.

Drew was undaunted. Playing from way behind and unwilling to take as long to rebuild as most people expected, he embarked on a two-pronged recruiting strategy: players and donors. He relentlessly attacked both, speaking to every Baylor alumni group he could find and chasing on-court talent everywhere.

Donations were raised to buy a golf cart for whisking recruits around campus. More money was raised for a smoked-glass door in the locker room, in hopes of trying to make it look better. (“We had nothing else to sell,” Driscoll said.) Finally, a donor was lined up to remodel the whole locker room, which freed up the staff to get more creative in other areas.

Baylor arranged an elaborate and intricately video presentation for recruits when they came into Drew’s office. Once the lights were flipped on, a 17-second timer starter that gave coaches the chance to get a recruit to the couch. Then the lights would dim, a screen would raise up and a highlight reel would play, tailored to that specific recruit.

“Everything was recruiting,” Driscoll said. “Coach always said, ‘We can be the best coaches in the world but we’re not going to win without talent.’ “

Drew tried everything to make Baylor trendy. He asked the car dealer that supplied the staff’s cars to put tricked-up rims on Driscoll’s car. Driscoll, 43 years old at the time, protested.

“He said, ‘Drisc, kids love rims. Get the rims,’“ Driscoll recalled. “I got the rims. The were pretty nice."

After four straight losing seasons, Drew finally had his breakthrough. In 2007-08, the Bears won 20 games in a season for the first time in 20 years and Drew scheduled a Selection Sunday watch party for the team and fans. CBS sent a film crew to the party in anticipation of an NCAA tournament bid.

As the selection show unfolded, Baylor’s excitement turned to dread. Pairing after pairing was revealed, and there was no sign of the Bears. Finally, as the last pairing was about to be revealed, Driscoll saw the CBS camera man go to flip on the light on his camera and knew—Baylor was in.

“My heart and my adrenaline went straight uphill,” Driscoll said. “I don’t know if I ever cried so quickly or so long.”

***

Baylor’s success did not come without side effects. Drew recruited aggressively against the other powers in the state, taking some shots that were not well received. He sent a flier to recruits that featured a picture of Drew standing between then-Texas Tech coach Bob Knight and then-Texas A&M coach Billy Gillispie, with the caption: “Which of these Big 12 coaches has signed a McDonald’s All-American?” There were red Xs covering the pictures of Knight and Gillispie.

Knight got in Drew’s face about that at Big 12 media days, and then-Texas coach Rick Barnes also fired publicly at Drew. “There’s a long line that he knows he can’t cross with me,” Barnes said. Coaches around the country rolled their eyes when Drew hired AAU coach Dwon Clifton in an unconcealed attempt to land superstar John Wall. (It didn’t work, he went to Kentucky.)

Drew wound up apologizing for the flier, but not for his overall approach. He was going to keep mixing it up.

The aggressive approach soon begat a new tag: cheater. The more big-time recruits Drew landed, the more people in his profession were sure he was cutting corners. In 2012, the NCAA caught up to Drew and Baylor women’s coach Kim Mulkey, sanctioning them for impermissible phone calls to recruits. Drew was suspended for the first two Big 12 games of the 2012-13 season, and the program was put on three years’ probation.

The NCAA hit was all the proof some critics needed to label Drew a phony—an outspoken Christian in public and a guy cutting corners in private. But there have been no major NCAA issues since then, and the success has continued.

“He overdid it with the relentless recruiting,” Fraschilla said. “He did some things that rubbed people the wrong way. No question, he’s matured over his 17 years (at Baylor).”

Those who didn’t like Drew could at least take solace in one thing: even with all the talent he was bringing in, the Bears weren’t getting to the Final Four. He made regional finals in 2010 and ’12, but lost both times to the eventual national champion (Duke in ’10 and Kentucky in ’12). There were some other early tourney flameouts.

Thus the storyline was altered again—Scott Drew could recruit, but he couldn’t coach. He was a lightweight on the sidelines with a gimmick zone defense who would get exposed in the caldron of tournament pressure.

Eventually, Drew altered his recruiting approach—he chased fewer five-stars and more developmental prospects who competed with a hunger that helped compensate for any lack of talent. He combed the transfer market for players who would fit his program. He embraced the new roster management mantra for college basketball success in the one-and-done era: get old and stay old.

“It’s not quite Villanova, but it’s Villanova-esque,” Fraschilla said. “They’ve done a tremendous job of player development, and identifying guys who fit what they do.

“I was one of those guys early on who wasn’t sure how good a coach he was. But the Scott Drew Can’t Coach Crew has left the station. They’re gone. There’s absolutely a healthy respect for him in the league as a coach. I don’t even think it’s grudging respect anymore.”

This year’s team is Drew’s coaching masterpiece. A roster that features a Division III transfer (big man Freddie Gillespie), a transfer from UNC-Asheville (MaCio Teague), a transfer from Auburn (Davion Mitchell) and a couple of steals from the state of Louisiana (Mark Vital and Jared Butler) pieced together a 23-game winning streak and took Baylor to the top of the polls for several weeks.

Along the way, a guy known for his zone defense threw that out and has played man-to-man almost the entire season. Drew simply believed his current personnel—shorter, more athletic—is better suited to man than zone. The decision has proved prescient; this is the best defensive team Drew has ever had.

The regular season built to a crescendo last Saturday in Waco. ESPN’s College GameDay show came to town. So did a dozen former Bears players. Baylor super fans Chip and Joanna Gaines, the husband-and-wife power couple behind the Magnolia home decor franchise, were in the house as well.

It was the biggest show ever to hit Baylor basketball. It fell just short of perfect when Kansas beat the Bears. And now Scott Drew is sitting in his office entertaining visitors, when all he really wants to do is go home and watch game film.

***

There will be pressure this March. More pressure than Drew and Baylor have ever experienced. The Bears are a near-lock for their first-ever No. 1 seed, and expectations of their first Final Four in 70 years will be justifiably high.

If Drew accomplishes that career-validating milestone, you’d think a more basketball-centric school might throw a massive payday at a 49-year-old who is just now hitting his coaching prime. But even after 17 years, this might be the only job Scott Drew needs. An outspoken Christian at a Baptist school, in charge of a program he personally raised from the rubble.

“Scott fits like a glove,” Fraschilla said. “I’m not sure he can wear his faith on his sleeve like he does if he’s at Michigan or Maryland or some other places. He fits Central Texas like Chip and Joanna. It’s perfect.”

The postgame office interview is finally over, but Scott Drew still doesn’t want to rush his visitor out. Anything else he can do? How about a Baylor basketball T-shirt?

It's time for a goodbye hug. Both arms. The Mr. Rogers of college basketball hopes you enjoyed the visit to his neighborhood.

New on Sports Illustrated: No title

Fantasy Basketball Podcast: Hide your hoops — Steph Curry is coming

On the latest fantasy basketball podcast, Andy Behrens and Dalton Del Don discuss the fallout of the impending return of Steph Curry.

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Report: Mavericks’ Jalen Brunson may have torn labrum in his right shoulder

He may need surgery after the season ends.

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Now at full strength, Clippers, Nuggets set to duel

The Los Angeles Clippers and the Denver Nuggets should be at full strength for their Friday night showdown in Los Angeles. Injuries have hampered both teams throughout the season but that hasn't prevented them from being among the leaders in the Western Conference standings, where the Nuggets lead

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76ers center Joel Embiid sidelined by shoulder injury

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- The Philadelphia 76ers are down two All-Stars.

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Timberwolves fined $25,000 for resting healthy D’Angelo Russell against Denver

The Timberwolves response? Basically, ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯

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Punter steals show at combine on bench press

Punter Michael Turk stole the show at the NFL combine with his exhibition on the bench press.

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Five new quarterback drills to reimagine the NFL combine

The QB workout at the combine is outdated -- let's mix things up with new drills.

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NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah lists off 2020 NFL Draft prospects who could be next San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel

NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah lists off 2020 NFL Draft prospects who could be the next San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel.

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Wednesday, February 26, 2020

Super Bowl LV Odds: Chiefs favored to repeat

Who is the betting favorite to win the Super Bowl in 2020-21? Stay up to date with NFL futures odds for all 32 teams.

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Jordan Love on Patrick Mahomes comparisons: 'I'd say that too'

The Utah State quarterback speaks to Yahoo Sports’ Tank Williams and Terez Paylor at the NFL Combine about his skill set, comparisons to the Super Bowl MVP and how his improvisational ability helps his game.

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Drew Lock picks Peyton Manning’s brain about offseason preparation

Broncos quarterback Drew Lock wants to learn from the best when it comes to offseason preparation. Lock has been picking the brain of Peyton Manning this offseason, according to Brandon Stokley, who played with Manning on both the Colts and Broncos and is now a Denver radio host. Stokley says Lock and

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Rodgers: CBA dissent based on Pack teammates

Aaron Rodgers revealed he was one of the 14 dissenters among the 32 NFL player representatives who Tuesday narrowly voted to send the new collective bargaining agreement to the full union membership.

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LeBron out vs. Warriors Thurs. with sore groin

LeBron James, coming off a 40-point night against the Pelicans, will sit out the Lakers' game against the Warriors Thursday with a sore groin.

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Rodgers: CBA dissent based on Pack teammates

College basketball's most important coach might be this unrecognizable 20-year assistant

Gonzaga wouldn't be Gonzaga without its international recruiting wizardry. Tommy Lloyd is that wizard -- and the Zags' head coach in waiting.

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Man City's comeback reveals Madrid's crown is slipping

Pep Guardiola called Real Madrid "the kings" of Europe. After his Man City secured a comeback Champions League win, that may no longer be the case.

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Tuesday, February 25, 2020

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Chelsea's flaws laid bare by rampant Bayern

We knew Chelsea's rebuild was incomplete but Tuesday's heavy Champions League defeat vs. Bayern outlined just how far the Blues have to go.

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Monday, February 24, 2020

Greg Olsen couldn’t pass up opportunity to play with Russell Wilson

Greg Olsen had ties in Washington with Ron Rivera. He had ties in Buffalo with Greg McDermott and Brandon Beane. So why did he choose Seattle? The Seahawks have made the postseason seven of the past eight seasons, and they were 9-7 in 2017 when they didn't. They have Russell Wilson, who has won a

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Winners and losers of the NHL trade deadline

Which teams, players, GMs and coaches came out ahead? Who missed an opportunity? We break down all the highs and lows of deadline day.

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Wilder confirms Fury III, rues 40-pound costume

Deontay Wilder says an elaborate outfit he wore on his ring walk wore him down so much that he didn't have the legs to withstand Tyson Fury in their heavyweight title fight Saturday night.

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Winners and losers of the NHL trade deadline

Which teams, players, GMs and coaches came out ahead? Who missed an opportunity? We break down all the highs and lows of deadline day.

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Sunday, February 23, 2020

Reed shows his moxie and wins WGC-Mexico

Patrick Reed, who always seems to be at his best when it feels as though the world is against him, made it hard for anyone to question his moxie Sunday when he finished strong to overtake Bryson DeChambeau to win the Mexico Championship.

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New on Sports Illustrated: Wild bid to continue ascent vs. Blues

The Minnesota Wild aim to continue their push toward the postseason on Sunday when they host the St. Louis Blues in Saint Paul, Minn.

The resurgent Wild have posted a 9-4-1 record in their last 14 games to move within earshot of the second wild-card slot in the Western Conference.

The Wild want to extend this run even as first-year general manager Bill Guerin ponders further changes to his aging roster before Monday's NHL trade deadline.

"I think we in here as a group want to put the message in the boss' head that we don't want to part ways and we want it to be this group to push forward," goaltender Alex Stalock told The Athletic. "He's going to have to make a tough decision, but the way we're playing right now, finding ways to win games, I think that's the biggest thing. We have two in a row.

"Now it doesn't get easier going home."

The Central Division-leading Blues have won three straight games. They outshot opponents 108-50 and outscored them 9-1 during that streak while reasserting their tight-checking, puck-possessing style.

"We've been playing really good hockey in the last five or six games," St. Louis forward Jordan Kyrou said.

Prior to that streak, they went 2-7-3 in their previous 12 games. The Blues allowed four or more goals eight times during an 11-game span from Jan. 15-Feb. 15.

"I don't think we were overreacting to wins and losses," Blues forward Alex Steen said. "We made some mistakes and we weren't as compact and tight. So we obviously discussed some changes, especially in the aggressiveness that we want to play with.

"To get back on it like we have the last three games has been a good sign."

The Wild rallied from 1-0, 2-1 and 3-2 deficits to record a 5-3 victory at Edmonton on Friday night. Interim coach Dean Evason liked how his team finally clamped down defensively on the Oilers, especially forward Leon Draisaitl.

"I think the guys were very committed," Evason said. "Draisaitl's line was just eating us up. I mean eating us up. We really committed to playing better defense. We were getting opportunities so we were able to reinforce that between periods, that we're getting our chances, guys, but let's tighten up in all areas."

The Blues posted a 5-1 victory in Dallas on Friday. That was just their second road victory in their last 11 tries.

Jordan Binnington earned back-to-back shutouts earlier in the week, so he could get the call against the Wild.

The Blues defeated the Wild in both of their earlier games this season. St. Louis notched a 2-1 win at home on Oct. 30 with Binnington in goal, and a 4-3 victory in overtime at the Xcel Energy Center on Nov. 2 with Jake Allen in the net.

Goaltender Devan Dubnyk took both losses for the Wild. Stalock is 4-1-1 with a 1.81 goals-against average and .930 save percentage this month, so he could start against the Blues.

Blues captain Alex Pietrangelo (illness) and Tyler Bozak (lower body) sat out the game in Dallas. Pietrangelo could return to the lineup Sunday.

--Field Level Media

New on Sports Illustrated: After tough loss, Flames face league-worst Wings

The Calgary Flames go from one end of the NHL spectrum to the other in just 48 hours.

The Flames hung tough against the league's premier team this season, Boston, in a 4-3 home loss on Friday. They now travel to Detroit to face the Red Wings, the league's bottom feeder, on Sunday.

Calgary gave away a pair of two-goal leads to the Bruins to continue a win-one, lose-one rut the Flames have fallen into the past two weeks. They have only been able to pair up victories once since early January, when they reeled off five straight wins.

"They're a good team for a reason," Flames coach Geoff Ward said of Boston. "They go to the net and they get rewarded for going to the net. We have to be a little more diligent of what's going on."

Mikael Backlund had a pair of first-period goals but the Flames failed to score in the final two periods.

"They weren't giving us anything," forward Matthew Tkachuk told NHL.com. "The couple chances we had, we scored on. There's no way they were giving up a ton (Friday). The way they play, their depth. ... They've got four lines that can wear you down. Their D move the puck very well and they defend very, very well."

The game in Detroit begins a five-game road trip. They'll make a stop in Boston on the second leg of the journey.

"The things you can learn from a team like that, they're responsible, they don't give up much, they make you earn everything and that's what makes them such a good team," forward Milan Lucic said to NHL.com. "We play them again on Tuesday night, so we know what to expect."

The Flames haven't seen the Red Wings since mid-October, when five different players scored as Calgary pulled away to a 5-1 home victory. The Flames scored three third-period goals.

Detroit fell below .500 for the first time that night and have continued to spiral downward. The Wings are 29 games under .500 and have lost five of their last six games.

They have generated a single goal in four of those defeats, including a 4-1 road loss to the New York Islanders on Friday.

The Wings trailed 1-0 after the first period, when they only had two shots on goal.

"I think the first period wasn't enough from us. Myself and my line especially," first-line center Dylan Larkin said to NHL.com. "We're put out there to generate offense and take care of the puck and manage it and we didn't do that especially. We didn't bring enough energy to spark the team."

The Wings became the first team officially eliminated from playoff contention with 19 games remaining.

"What stings to me, though, is the fact we didn't have enough guys showing up in the first period. That stings for me," coach Jeff Blashill said. "The elimination from the playoffs is what it is.

"My focus for a long time here, really since the beginning of the year, is to make sure that we're pushing to be better. That there's a better future," Blashill added. "Part of having a better future is understanding what it takes every single night. We've got to be better than we were to start the game."

--Field Level Media

New on Sports Illustrated: West Ham United-Liverpool Preview

Coming off a rare loss, Liverpool look to set a Premier League record with a 21st consecutive victory at Anfield, tie another standard for consecutive league wins and extending their lengthy overall league unbeaten run Monday when the champions-elect host West Ham United.

The Merseysiders entered the weekend 22 points clear of two-time champions Manchester City with 12 matches to play, with history now their foremost challengers in England as they canter to their first Premier League title in club history. But the aura of invincibility Jurgen Klopp's side have enjoyed most of the term was punctured to a degree Tuesday when Atletico Madrid claimed a 1-0 victory in the first leg of their round of 16 Champions League tie.

Liverpool (25-1-0) failed to overcome a fourth-minute goal by Saul Niguez as Atletico defended en masse and prevented the Reds from getting a shot on target. It was just the third loss in 43 matches across all competitions for Klopp's side - the second meaningful one considering Liverpool played essentially its Under-23 team in their 5-0 loss to Aston Villa in the Carabao Cup in December.

Despite the loss, Klopp was not overly disappointed by the outcome, realising his side have overturned larger deficits in the cauldron known as Anfield.

Coming here and having 70 per cent possession is exceptional, our build-up was outstanding against a high-press team; it was, for me, next level, to be honest - it was the best we did for a long time," Klopp noted to Liverpool's official website. "We had not enough clear-cut chances. We had chances, not enough but that's normal, I would say. To stay in a game like this is, for us, development."

The bigger negative coming out of the defeat was the hamstring injury to talisman and midfielder Jordan Henderson, who is expected to be sidelined at least two weeks and will be racing to be match fit for the return encounter versus Atli.

"Hendo, it could have been worse. How we all know, it was a hamstring," Klopp said. "Hendo is exceptionally important, not only football-wise but for some other reasons as well which hopefully everybody knows. But we still have options there and that's good."

Among those options are James Milner and Naby Keita, with the former entering Tuesday's contest after Hendersn suffered his injury.

Even with the loss, the talk around Anfield on Monday will be the records Liverpool can set or equal with a victory - in addition to clinching a top-four finish with 11 matches to spare and furthering the best start of any club in Europe's top five leagues.

The Merseysiders have won 20 consecutive matches at Anfield, equal to the mark Manchester City established in 2011-12. They also have won 17 straight overall since the only occasion they dropped points - a 1-1 draw at Manchester United on Oct. 20 - and three points versus West Ham would equal Manchester City's 18-game winning streak accomplished from August to December in 2017.

Liverpool, who also have a jaw-dropping 34 wins in their last 35 league matches dating to their 2-1 loss at Manchester City on Jan. 2, 2019, are also unbeaten in their last 43 overall (38-5-0). A win or a draw in this contest would give Liverpool sole possession of the fifth-longest unbeaten streak among teams in Europe's top five leagues, ahead of the 2017-18 Barcelona side.

The Reds are also within shouting distance of Arsenal's Premier League standard of 49, which included the 2003-04 Invincibles who went 26-12-0. Perhaps more amazing is Liverpool have already recorded more wins during their current unbeaten run than the Gunners accumulated in theirs (36).

Then there is Anfield, where Liverpool have not lost a league match since a 2-1 defeat to Crystal Palace on April 23, 2017. The Reds have since gone 43-10-0 there, have recorded five straight clean sheets there, and not conceded a goal in 495 minutes since Richarlison scored in first-half stoppage time of Liverpool's 5-2 crowning of Everton in the Merseyside derby Dec. 4.

And as if all those unbeaten runs were not an imposing enough psychological hurdle for relegation-threatened West Ham (6-6-14), there is Irons manager David Moyes ongoing run of futility at Anfield. The one-time Everton and Manchester United boss carries an albatross of an 0-7-8 lifetime record into Liverpool while the Irons are in wretched form - winless in their last six in league (0-2-4) and with just 14 points in their last 20 matches.

West Ham are trying to salvage something from a challenging week of games, coming off a 2-0 loss at Manchester City on Wednesday. Moyes played five at the back trying to mitigate the damage, and while the scoreline looked respectable, the Hammers had only 29 percent possession and three shots - none of which were on target.

They enter this contest at the top of the drop on 24 points but entered the weekend with the best goal differential of the bottom three clubs. Moyes recognises the daunting challenge Liverpool present and knows his side must play their best match of the season to even have a puncher's chance of pulling off the shock scoreline of the Premier League season.

"It'd mean a lot for me (to beat Liverpool)," Moyes admitted during his Friday news conference. "Anfield is never an easy place for any manager or team to go to, but we'll go there and do everything we can to get a result.

"With any top team, all the managers of all the other teams are trying to find ways of beating them. That's the way football is. Manchester City were the top dogs in the last few years. Liverpool have found ways of getting above them in the league. There'll be other teams who are trying to overtake Liverpool in the coming weeks and years."

Moyes confirmed right back Ryan Fredericks and winger Andriy Yarmolenko are unavailable for this contest. Fredericks suffered a shoulder injury in Wednesday's loss while Yarmolenko is out with a thigh injury. It will be interesting to see if Moyes drafts top offensive options Felipe Anderson and striker Sebastien Haller into his first XI after both were unused versus City.

Liverpool ran out 2-0 winners in east London last month as Mohamed Salah converted a penalty in the 35th minute and set up a second-half marker by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. The Reds are unbeaten in their last seven (5-2-0) versus West Ham since losing a fourth-round FA Cup replay after extra time in February 2016.

West Ham's lone win in 24 visits to Anfield in the Premier League era (1-7-16) in all competitions was a 3-0 victory in August 2015.

FINAL LAPS: Joey Logano holds off the field after late caution to win at Vegas

After a late caution with 2 laps to go, Joey Logano's team running 4th decided to stay out and not pit which turned out to be the right call and win Sunday's Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas

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Joey Logano races to second straight Las Vegas victory

Joey Logano has defended last year's victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with a win under caution Sunday

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Lakers officially add Markieff Morris after Pistons buyout

Markieff Morris joins his twin Marcus in Los Angeles. However, they'll be playing for different teams.

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LeBron, Lakers top Tatum’s big afternoon for Celtics

LeBron James scored 29 points and put the Lakers ahead on a fallaway jumper with 30 seconds to play, and Los Angeles split its season series with the Boston Celtics with a 114-112 victory Sunday.

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GAME RECAP: Lakers 114, Celtics 112

Anthony Davis notches a double-double with 32 points and adds 13 rebounds to lead Los Angeles in a win over Boston.

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Kobe stories: 10 everyday people whose lives were touched by Kobe Bryant

As the world readies to say a final goodbye to Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna during a memorial service, here are 10 stories of regular people whose lives Kobe impacted.

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Joey Logano defends Las Vegas victory with another win

Joey Logano has defended last year's victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with a win under caution Sunday

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Saturday, February 22, 2020

New on Sports Illustrated: No title

New on Sports Illustrated: Three wins from perfect season, No. 4 SDSU hosts UNLV

College basketball's only unbeaten team, No. 4-ranked San Diego State, begins its final three-game stretch of the regular season on Saturday at home against UNLV at Viejas Arena.

The Aztecs (26-0, 15-0 Mountain West Conference) clinched an outright regular-season conference title last week, but did not let up in its 72-55 blowout win at Boise State on Sunday.

"This is a hard environment to play in," San Diego State coach Brian Dutcher said in his postgame news conference. "We've lost our last three (at Boise State)."

A win a few years in the making at Boise State wasn't the most noteworthy result from Sunday. The rout continued the longest winning streak in program history, and moved San Diego State three wins shy of a perfect regular season.

If the Aztecs can complete the season sweep of UNLV (14-14, 9-6), they have a home date against Colorado State and trip to Nevada remaining to complete the perfect run. Should San Diego State navigate that stretch, as well as next month's Mountain West Conference Tournament, it would become the third program in the last six years to enter the NCAA Tournament undefeated.

The last two -- Wichita State in 2014 and Kentucky in 2015 -- were the first since UNLV in 1991.

This year's UNLV team comes into Saturday's matchup with the prospect of finishing as high as second in the Mountain West. The Runnin' Rebels enter the weekend tied for fifth place with Colorado State, both with three games to play. They are a game-and-a-half behind the current second-place team, Utah State.

Finishing in the top five of the conference means getting a bye into the quarterfinals in the Mountain West Tournament. Finishing sixth or worse means playing in the first round.

UNLV has won two straight and three of its last four after dropping four straight from Jan. 22 through Feb. 5. The Runnin' Rebels outlasted New Mexico 78-73 on the road Feb. 15, then blasted Colorado State at home Tuesday, 80-56.

Coach T.J. Otzelberger called it UNLV's "most complete game of the year" in his postgame news conference.

"(It was) a terrific defensive effort against a really good offensive team," he said. "They were focused, they were intentional. Did a great job on that end of the floor, which led to us getting out in transition in that first half."

UNLV needs another strong defensive showing against a balanced and efficient San Diego State offense. The Aztecs feature four double-figure point-per-game scorers, led by Malachi Flynn's 16.7. Matt Mitchell has come on strong of late, including an 11-point, seven-rebound, five-steal and three-assist performance at Boise State.

"He just plays the right way, shares the ball, when he's open he shoots it, and he plays for his teammates," Dutcher said of Mitchell.

Flynn led San Diego State in a narrow defeat of UNLV at the Thomas & Mack Center on Jan. 26, scoring 21 points. In a performance indicative of the Aztecs' depth, Trey Pulliam scored 18 points off the bench, more than 14 better than his season average.

San Diego State's more regular contributors, including Jordan Schakel and KJ Feagin, contribute to the nation's ninth-best 3-point shooting percentage at 38.6.

Defending the 3-pointer has been a concern for UNLV, meanwhile. Opponents are hitting 34 percent against the Runnin' Rebels on the season.

--Field Level Media

New on Sports Illustrated: No title

New on Sports Illustrated: No. 2 Gonzaga, No. 23 BYU set for WCC showdown

Maybe they were both looking ahead to Saturday night's clash.

Both second-ranked Gonzaga and No. 23 BYU gutted their ways to victories on Thursday to set up a matchup of the top two teams in the West Coast Conference on Saturday in Provo, Utah.

The Bulldogs defeated the Cougars 92-69 on Jan. 18 in Spokane, Wash. That win was Gonzaga's sixth straight over BYU, who played without leading scorer and rebounder Yoeli Childs.

The Bulldogs lost their leading scorer Filip Petrusev, who left the game with an ankle injury after playing just 15 minutes and scoring five points.

Both will be ready to go come Saturday.

Now the stage is set for one of the marquee games of the weekend as the regular season winds down. Gonzaga can clinch its eighth straight WCC championship and 19th out of 20 with a win.

The Bulldogs (27-1, 13-0 WCC) overcame their worst half of the season and rallied from a nine-point halftime deficit to beat San Francisco 71-54.

A couple of hours earlier, the Cougars, who are ranked in the Top 25 for the first time since the end of the 2010-11 season, defeated a pesky Santa Clara squad 85-75 for their seventh straight win.

BYU (22-7, 11-3) saw a 12-point lead evaporate before pulling away for the win. The Cougars, who came into the game as the best 3-point shooting team in the nation, went 3-for-13 from beyond the arc.

"I think they're the best team in the country right now," first-year BYU head coach Mark Pope told the Deseret News of Gonzaga.

TJ Haws, who was 12-for-12 from the line and scored 28 points in Thursday's win, didn't think the Cougars were preoccupied with maintaining their national ranking or looking past Santa Clara and ahead to Saturday's matchup.

"I don't think so. All year, this team has really believed in ourselves," Haws said. "The national ranking is cool, whatever, but I feel like we've built habits all year long of taking it one game at a time."

Good habits helped the Bulldogs avoid a colossal upset. Mark Few's squad committed eight turnovers, made just 38 percent of its shots and scored just 22 points in the first half.

"We were doing things I haven't seen in practice or all year," Few told Spokesman.com. "Trying to make tough passes, we weren't slowing down and catching the ball first. Weren't finishing strong around the rim. We just weren't very good."

The second half was all Gonzaga. The Bulldogs scored 18 of the first 20 points to regain control.

"I thought we were spectacular on the defensive end in the second half," Few said. "We just did a good job contesting shots, did a good job of giving them one-and-out and got our break going."

Killian Tillie, who missed the previous game against Pepperdine with an ankle injury, kept Gonzaga close with nine first-half points. He finished 10 of 13 from the field with 22 points.

Saturday's game pits intriguing matchups all over the floor.

Two of the nation's best big men -- Childs and Petrusev -- will go head-to head. Childs recorded 22 points and 11 rebounds against Santa Clara while Petrusev had 16 points and seven boards against USF.

BYU's backcourt of Haws and Jake Toolson scored 17 and 16 points respectively against the Bulldogs in January. The Gonzaga frontcourt of Tillie (22 points) and Corey Kispert (19) combined for 41 points in that same game.

--Field Level Media

New on Sports Illustrated: No title

Friday, February 21, 2020

By the numbers: Sixers' wild overtime win over Nets

The Sixers pulled off a wild win over the Nets on Thursday night and the numbers were wild. By Dan Roche

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5 players the Bears can target to replace Prince Amukamara

A look at five players the Bears can target in free agency and the NFL draft to replace Prince Amukamara.

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Were Bears right to cut Prince Amukamara ahead of NFL free agency?

The Bears will release cornerback Prince Amukamara, freeing up $9 million in cap space in the process. But while the move seems obvious, was it the right one for the Bears to make?

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Looking for cap space, the Bears release Prince Amukamara and Taylor Gabriel

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Astros' Reddick: Kids also targeted in threats

Astros players have gotten threats "every day" since the team's 2017-18 sign-stealing scheme came to light in recent weeks, according to outfielder Josh Reddick, who said Friday that messages he has received also targeted his family.

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Sources: Lakers waiving Cousins to open spot

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New on Sports Illustrated: Report: Lakers to Waive DeMarcus Cousins Ahead of Stretch Run

Cousins signed a one-year, $3.5 million deal in July but suffered a torn left ACL in August

The

Lakers are waiving big man DeMarcus Cousins, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and Ramona Shelburne.

Cousins signed a one-year, $3.5 million deal in July but suffered a torn left ACL in August and has been rehabbing throughout the 2019-20 season.

He averaged 16.3 points and 8.2 rebounds last year in 30 regular-season games with the Warriors. Golden State signed Cousins to a one-year, $5.3 million deal in 2018 while he was recovering from a torn left Achilles.

Cousins recently appeared as a guest on Showtime's "All the Smoke" podcast with hosts Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson, where he discussed what his possible postseason role would look like.

"We got a big team. It's going to be some bump, for sure," he said. "We got so many guys with different abilities. I mean, I can spot up. Bron is going to draw everybody whenever he decides to move. I'm pretty confident I can knock down the shot. We got shooters all over the floor. I mean, I can playmake. Like, it's pick your poison."

LeBron James also recently weighed in on Cousins' status.

"Listen, first, his health is the thing we're mostly engaging in and watching him. And he's progressed every single day, every single month," he said after practice Thursday. "To the point where he was limping and now he's actually shooting and actually jumping on the jump shots, and progressing every single day, every single week. He's out there right now, getting his work done.

"We want to continue to stay optimistic about his health. We don't want no setbacks, as he's had before in the last couple years. But his health is most important, and if we can get Cuz anywhere back to what he was capable of doing a couple years ago, it's a plus for us. But there's no pressure on him."

Over the summer, a warrant had been issued for the arrest of Cousins on a misdemeanor domestic violence charge in Mobile, Ala. But the charges of third-degree harassing communications and a misdemeanor case were dismissed in November.

The Lakers are reportedly in the process of bringing in Markieff Morris to shore up their rotation.

The 41-12 Lakers come out of the All-Star break on Friday night when they host the Grizzlies.

New on Sports Illustrated: Manchester City-Leicester City Preview

It is Champions League or bust this year for Manchester City as the two-time Premier League champions operate under the cloud of a potential two-year ban from European competition handed down last week by UEFA.

Looking to get into a rhythm ahead of their midweek round of 16 tie versus Real Madrid, the Cityzens face Leicester City in a showdown of top-three teams in the Premier League.

The Premier League title is a lost cause for City (17-3-6), who are 22 points adrift of champions-elect Liverpool with 12 matches remaining and their closest pursuers. Pep Guardiola's side can still achieve a domestic cup double for the second straight season, looking to win the Carabao Cup for a third consecutive year while also reaching the fifth round of the FA Cup.

But it is Ol' Big Ears that remains City's elusive white whale since Sheikh Mansour bought the team in 2008. His millions have fueled the rise of City to an elite football club in Europe, but some of those millions are the reasons UEFA claim the Manchester club have operated above the Financial Fair Play laws, leading to Friday's stunning announcement from the federation headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland.

Club CEO Ferran Soriano has said the team will appeal the ruling to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne, Switzerland, and released a video statement through the team Thursday in which he said, "The owner has not put money in this club that has not been properly declared.

"We are a sustainable football club, we are profitable, we don't have debt, our accounts have been scrutinised many times, by auditors, by regulators, by investors and this is perfectly clear."

On the pitch Wednesday against West Ham United, City played the part of a team who have closed ranks and embraced the us versus the world mentality given the circumstances. Guardiola's side dispatched of the East London side 2-0 as Kevin De Bruyne set up a goal by Rodri on the half-hour before adding the second just after the hour.

De Bruyne's corner kick Rodri flicked inside the right post was his Premier League-leading 16th assist, two off his career best set in 2016-17. The Belgium international is on pace to shatter Thierry Henry's single-season record of 20 established with Arsenal in 2002-03.

Ever the perfectionist, though, De Bruyne felt his team could have done better coming out of the midseason break as their showdown at the Bernabeu with the 11-time European champions looms Wednesday.

"It was OK," the star midfielder told City's official website. "I think we saw its' been three weeks without football and we felt a little bit of rustiness, but we played a good game.

"We still have a lot to play for with the two cups and Champions League so let's hope we can find rhythm as quickly as possible and win some titles."

The two matches this week also serve as a boost for the match fitness of centre back Aymeric Laporte, who is expected to play his third match since a lengthy spell on the sidelines with a knee injury. He became the first player in Premier League history to be part of 43 wins in his first 50 matches.

To a degree, City's ban is Leicester's boom as the Midlands side have a far bigger margin of error if CAS do indeed uphold the UEFA decision. The Foxes (15-5-6) are four points behind City for second but nine clear of Chelsea for fourth in their best season since their dream run to the Premier League title in 2016.

Brendan Rodgers' side have played to draws on either side of the midseason break, including a scoreless deadlock at fellow European hopefuls Wolverhampton on Friday. Leicester City held out for the point despite playing the final 14 minutes with 10 men after Hamza Choudhury was given his walking papers following a second booking.

Choudhury will serve his ban in this match, but the midfield is further thinned with the absence of defensive ace Wilfred Ndidi, whom Rodgers ruled out of this contest with a knee injury that sidelined him the previous two league fixtures.

"Wilf won't be available for the weekend," the gaffer told the club's official website. "He's still in a process to try and get fit so we'll see how he is next week. I'm not sure.

"He's doing work inside, but you then have to progress that to outside and then when he can join the team. It's another intensity to join the team and then to play."

Defender Ryan Bennett could be tipped for his Leicester City debut as the January loanee from Wolves was ineligible to face his parent club. A candidate to fill the gaps in central midfield is Matty James, who has yet to feature this season as he recovers from an Achilles injury.

Looking to get back on the goal-scoring prowl is veteran striker Jamie Vardy, who has 17 goals and leads Manchester City counterpart Sergio Aguero by one for the league's Golden Boot. Vardy last billowed the net in the reverse fixture at the Etihad in December, staking Leicester to a short-lived lead in a 3-1 defeat.

Vardy has six goals in 13 lifetime matches against Manchester City, while Aguero has five in nine versus the Midlands club, including a four-goal effort in the 2017-18 season. Vardy's one-time strike partner and current Manchester winger Riyad Mahrez could be in line for a start with David Silva likely to be held out with a hamstring injury to try and make him available to face Real Madrid.

Manchester City have not done the double over Leicester City since 2014-15 but are 5-2-1 in the last eight meetings in all competitions. They have just one win in their last six visits (1-3-2), however, to King Power Stadium.