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Gronk to Retire

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FOXBOROUGH – New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski announced his retirement Sunday on Instagram, ending one of the league’s most dominant and colorful careers after nine seasons.

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“It all started at 20 years old on stage at the NFL draft when my dream came true, and now here I am about to turn 30 in a few months with a decision I feel is the biggest of my life so far. I will be retiring from the game of football today,” he wrote.

Gronkowski, who turns 30 in May, thanked the Patriots organization, teammates and fans in the lengthy post. 

“Thank you for everyone accepting who I am and the dedication I have put into my work to be the best player I could be. But now it’s time to move forward,” he wrote. “… Cheers to all who have been part of this journey, cheers to the past for the incredible memories, and a HUGE cheers to the uncertain of what’s next.”

Quarterback Tom Brady, who has thrown twice as many touchdowns to Gronkowski (78) as any other player (Randy Moss, 39) in his career, commented on the tight end’s Instagram post, writing, “Love u man!! The [GOAT]!! Couldn’t be a better person or teammate!!!!”

Bill Belichick, whose 19-year tenure as Patriots coach encompassed Gronkowski’s career, said in statement issued by the team that it has been “a pleasure and a privilege” to coach Gronkowski.

“Rob will leave an indelible mark on the Patriots organization and the game as among the best, most complete players at his position to ever play,” Belichick said.

Gronkowski — who has battled serious injuries to his back and knee and missed 29 games in his career — openly pondered retirement last offseason, but he returned for another campaign.

Before Super Bowl LIII this year, he said he would make a decision about his future a few weeks after the big game. He also discussed the physical wear and tear he endures throughout the season, as a 6-foot-6, 268-pounder who takes big hits as a receiver, regularly blocks defensive linemen and often plays through injury.

“I’m not going to lie and sit here and say every week is the best,” Gronkowski said. “Not at all. You go up. You go down. You can take some serious hits. Try to imagine getting hit all the time and trying to be where you want to be every day in life. It’s tough. It’s difficult.”

Over the last several years, Gronkowski has steadily added experience in other fields, making a WWE appearance in 2017 and taking roles in various movies. Many reports have said the tight end has his eyes on an acting career in Hollywood, while some expect him to go into wrestling.

“His production spoke for itself, but his daily attitude, unmistakably positive energy wherever he went and toward whoever he touched will never be forgotten,” Belichick said.

Patriots chairman and CEO Robert Kraft said in a statement that he looks forward to honoring Gronkowski “in the near future as both a Patriots and Pro Football Hall of Famer.”

“As great of a player as he was, he is an even better person and ambassador of the game,” Kraft said. “Throughout his career, he made countless appearances in the community and there was no better remedy for hospital patients than a visit from Gronk.”

A three-time Super Bowl champion, four-time First Team All-Pro and five-time Pro Bowl selection, Gronkowski caught 521 passes for 7,861 yards and 79 touchdowns in 115 games from 2010-18. Despite playing just nine seasons, he ranks ninth in NFL history among tight ends in receiving yards and tied for third in receiving TDs.

No player at any position caught more touchdowns than Gronkowski during his NFL tenure, and only LeSean McCoy equaled his 80 total touchdowns.

Gronkowski added 81 catches for 1,163 yards and 12 touchdowns in 16 postseason contests, all top marks among tight ends all-time. Only Jerry Rice (22) has caught more scores in playoff history.

“From his rookie year until his final season and through countless times in between, Rob was a major reason why we won games and championships,” Belichick said. “His elite combination of size, skill, intelligence, toughness and ability to perform in pressure situations set him apart.”

–Field Level Media

Casey Defends Valspar Title

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PALM HARBOR – England’s Paul Casey worked really hard and played very well through most of Saturday’s third round at the Valspar Championship. He fired a 3-under-par 68 and leads by one shot with a 204 total after 54 holes. So why does it seem like he has to do the chasing on Sunday rather than enjoy his night atop the leaderboard?

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Casey, the defending champion, finds himself trapped in that scenario because of what happened on the final hole Saturday at the Innisbrook Resort’s Copperhead Course.

Casey had ripped off three birdies in a four-hole stretch of the back nine and led by three shots with two holes to play in the third round. But that’s when Dustin Johnson, the world’s No. 1-ranked golfer playing two groups in front of Casey under flawless, sun-splashed conditions, birdied the 18th, cutting into Casey’s lead with a 4-under 67.

Casey then bogeyed the closing hole to end the day at 9 under, allowing Johnson to pick up two valuable shots on the demanding track’s daunting, three-hole “Snake Pit” finishing stretch.

Casey is bidding to become this event’s first back-to-back winner. His victory last year here was his second on the PGA Tour and first since the 2009 Shell Houston Open.

“Having won this, my mindset now is I have nothing to lose,” Casey said. “I’m feeling like I’m in a good position, like I don’t have really any pressure. I’ve got one of those trophies. Yeah, I want another one, but it’s not as much sort of urgency or pressure. Tomorrow’s going to be highly entertaining for me.”

Thirteen players are within five strokes of the lead heading into the final round, and 20 golfers are within six shots.

“There’s a lot of guys in with a chance, but it’s a tough golf course to shoot low,” Casey said. “A 65 by somebody out of the pack just behind us would be problematic, but I can’t control that. I’m going to go out there and attack the golf course the way I attacked it today.”

Jason Kokrak (66 on Saturday) is two shots back, while Luke Donald of England (who shot a 70 on Saturday) and Scott Stallings (70) are three back at 207.

Johnson blasted a “moon-ball” approach out of a fairway bunker on the closing hole to set up a curling, downhill 10-foot birdie putt to close the gap on Casey’s lead.

“That was a tough shot and I hit a great shot and then made a tough putt, too,” Johnson said about the 18th hole. “Today it was a good day — I hit it well, and had a couple of loose shots, but around here you’re going to hit a couple. I hit my irons really well, controlled distance good, I gave myself a lot of opportunities, hit a lot of really good shots and even hit a lot of good putts that didn’t go in.”

Kokrak’s round included five birdies, a bogey, and a hole-in-one on the 218-yard par-3 15th hole.

“I like this golf course,” Kokrak said. “It’s a good, hard golf course. There’s nothing quirky about it, it’s right there in front of you, you just got to hit quality golf shots. You hit good ones, you’re rewarded. You can make birdies, but if you hit bad ones you can make bogeys.”

Louis Oosthuizen of South Africa also shot a 66 and headed a pack of six players tied for sixth at 208 that included Canada’s Nick Taylor (67), Jim Furyk (68), Curtis Luck of Australia (70), Sung-jae Im of South Korea (71) and second-round co-leader Austin Cook (72).

Kokrak and Oosthuizen fired the low rounds of the day.

Matt Jones (68) of Australia and Brian Stuard (69) finished the third round tied for 12th at 209, five shots off Casey’s lead.

Casey and Cook started the third round at 6 under and a stroke up on Stallings, Donald and Im. Cook momentarily tied Casey for the lead at 8 under with a birdie on the 12th hole, but had bogeys on 13, 16 and 18 to fall off the pace.

“We have seen people come from behind, shoot good rounds here,” said Donald, whose most recent victory in the United States was this event, then called the Transitions Championship, in 2012. “If you get on a hot streak and can get off early and with the greens a little bit softer, a little bit more receptive and make a few putts, six, seven shots still has a chance.”

–Field Level Media

Red Sox Option Tzu-Wei Lin

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FT MYERS – The Boston Red Sox optioned infielder Tzu-Wei Lin to Triple-A Pawtucket. President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski made the announcement which is one of the final moves as the club heads to Arizona for two final spring training games, then onto Seattle to open the Major league Baseball season on March 28.

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With the move, the Red Sox have 29 players in big league camp, all of whom are on the club’s 40-man roster.

The Sox are reportedly considering a trade of one of their three active catchers, although Blake Swihart plays multiple positions

RED SOX PLAYERS IN MAJOR LEAGUE SPRING TRAINING CAMP (29)

PITCHERS (13): Matt Barnes, Ryan Brasier, Colten Brewer, Nathan Eovaldi, Heath Hembree, Brian Johnson, Rick Porcello, David Price, Eduardo Rodriguez, Chris Sale, Tyler Thornburg, Hector Velázquez, Brandon Workman

CATCHERS (3): Sandy León, Blake Swihart, Christian Vázquez

INFIELDERS (9): Xander Bogaerts, Rafael Devers, Marco Hernández, Brock Holt, Mitch Moreland, Eduardo Núñez, Steve Pearce, Dustin Pedroia, Sam Travis

OUTFIELDERS (4): Andrew Benintendi, Mookie Betts, Jackie Bradley Jr., J.D. Martinez

Kraft Wiggles; NFL Awaits

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FOXBOROUGH – (Staff Report from Field Level Media Wire Service Content) – An attorney for New England Patriots team owner Robert Kraft is firing back against law-enforcement officials in South Florida.

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William Burck, who represents Kraft, issued a statement to ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Friday evening. Kraft is facing misdemeanor charges of soliciting prostitution at a massage parlor in Jupiter, Fla., but he has pleaded not guilty.

“There was no human trafficking and law enforcement knows it,” Burck told Schefter, who posted the quote on his Twitter account. “The video and the traffic stop were illegal and law enforcement just doesn’t want to admit it.” 

The state attorney needs to step up and do the right thing and investigate how the evidence in this case was obtained.”

Kraft and 24 other men accused in the case were offered the opportunity to have their charges dropped if they performed 100 hours of community service, took a class on the dangers of prostitution, were tested for sexually transmitted diseases and paid a fine, according to the New York Times.

Instead, Kraft is prepared to fight the charges.

William Snyder, the sheriff of Martin County, Fla., said he expected surveillance video of Kraft’s alleged illegal activities to be released before long.

“I do think ultimately they are probably going to get released,” Snyder said during an interview with CNBC.

–Field Level Media

Sox Extend Sale to 2024

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FT MYERS – Boston Red Sox announced they’ve signed left-handed pitcher Chris Sale to a five-year contract extension that spans the 2020-2024 seasons. President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski made the announcement.

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Sale, 29, is entering his 10th major league season, his third with the Red Sox. Selected by the White Sox in the first round of the 2010 June Draft, the left-hander spent his first seven professional seasons with Chicago before being acquired by Boston on December 6, 2016, in exchange for four minor league players. In his first two years with the Red Sox, Sale went 29-12 with a 2.56 ERA (106 ER/372.1 IP), a .196 opponent batting average, and a 0.92 WHIP while averaging 13.17 strikeouts per 9.0 innings in his 59 starts. He has also appeared in seven Postseason games (four starts) with Boston, notably recording the final three outs of the 2018 World Series by striking out the side in the decisive Game 5 at Dodger Stadium.

In each of his seven seasons as a starting pitcher (2012-18), Sale has finished in the top six in BBWAA American League Cy Young Award voting, including second in 2017 and fourth in 2018 with the Red Sox. The only other pitchers ever to finish in the top six in Cy Young Award voting in as many as seven consecutive years are Hall of Famer Greg Maddux (7; 1992-98) and Clayton Kershaw (7; 2011-17). Sale is also the only pitcher named to an All-Star team in each of the last seven years. He started the Midsummer Classic in 2016, 2017, and 2018, matching the longest streak in baseball history (also Lefty Gomez and Robin Roberts). Sale is the only pitcher ever to start multiple All-Star Games as a Red Sox, as well as the only pitcher ever to start consecutive All-Star Games for two different organizations.

Entering the 2019 season, Sale ranks first in the Live Ball Era (1920-present) in strikeouts per 9.0 innings (10.86) and strikeout-to-walk ratio (5.31) among pitchers who have thrown at least 1,000.0 innings. His career 2.89 ERA, .217 opponent batting average, and 1.03 WHIP all rank second among active pitchers (min. 1,000.0 IP) behind only Kershaw. From 2012-18, he led the American League (min. 500.0 IP) in ERA (2.91), strikeouts (1,678), WHIP (1.02), opponent OPS (.619), and strikeout-to-walk ratio (5.59), and also ranked second in wins (99), quality starts (149), and complete games (15).

Sale joins Max Scherzer as the only pitchers to record at least 200 strikeouts in each of the last six seasons (2013-18), with the left-hander striking out 308 batters in 2017, the second-highest single-season total in Red Sox history (Pedro Martinez—313 in 1999). Sale’s six seasons with at least 200 strikeouts and 50 or fewer walks are the most in major league history. He has made at least 25 starts and thrown at least 150.0 innings in each of the last seven seasons, joining teammate Rick Porcello as the only AL pitchers to accomplish that feat. Sale has recorded a sub-3.50 ERA in each of his nine major league seasons, including a sub-3.00 mark in five of them. He is the only AL pitcher to win 11 or more games in each of the last seven years.

In 38 career appearances (32 starts) at Camden Yards, Yankee Stadium, Rogers Centre, and Tropicana Field, Sale has posted a 1.83 ERA (46 ER/226.1 IP). He has a 1.61 ERA (18 ER/100.2 IP) in 17 career games (14 starts) against the New York Yankees, the lowest mark by any pitcher against the club in the Live Ball Era (min. 75.0 IP). He is the only pitcher in major league history with multiple outings of at least 10 strikeouts and either one or zero hits allowed against the Yankees, having done so on May 22, 2014 with the White Sox and June 30, 2018 with Boston.

Bruins Extend Chara to 2020

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BOSTON – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – Boston General Manager Don Sweeney announced the Bruins signed defenseman Zdeno Chara to a one-year contract extension through the 2019-2020 season.  Terms call for $2 million in salary, plus an additional $1.75 million in performance-based incentives.

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Chara, who is in his 21st NHL season and 13th with Boston in 2018-19, has appeared in 55 games this season, recording four goals and seven assists for 11 points with a plus-16 rating.

The 42-year-old defenseman has led the Bruins to a postseason berth in nine of his 12 completed seasons with the team, including a Stanley Cup Championship in 2010-11. He ranks sixth in franchise history in games played (948), and fourth in points by a defenseman (452) behind Hall of Famers Ray Bourque (1,506), Bobby Orr (888), and Dit Clapper (474).

Chara, who is the second-oldest active player in the NHL, is also the longest-tenured captain in the league, having worn the “C” for the Bruins since his first season in Boston in 2006-07. Standing 6-foot-9 and weighing 250 pounds, he is also the tallest player to ever play in the NHL. Among active NHL players, Chara ranks fourth in games played (1,478), first in plus/minus (plus-256), first in penalty minutes (1,892), 10th in shots (3,169), and fourth in time on ice (25,455:11). He also ranks sixth among active players in postseason games played (159), first in postseason plus/minus (plus-41), and second in postseason penalty minutes (192).

Over his 20-year NHL career, Chara has received several individual accolades. He was awarded the Norris Trophy as the NHL’s best defenseman in 2008-09, after tallying a career-high 19 goals and 31 assists in 80 games with Boston. He was the recipient of the Mark Messier Leadership Award in 2010-11 for his exemplary leadership both on and off the ice. He was named to the NHL First All-Star Team three times (2003-04, 2008-09, 2013-14), the Second All-Star Team four times (2005-06, 2007-08, 2010-11, 2011-12), and was selected to play in the NHL All-Star Game five times (2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09, 2010-11, 2011-12). He was also the recipient of the Golden Puck as Slovakia’s Player of the Year three times (2008-09, 2010-11, 2011-12).

Chara has represented his home country of Slovakia in international play on several occasions, including three Olympics (2006, 2010, 2014), in which he has posted one goal and five assists in 17 games. Most recently, he served as alternate captain for Team Europe at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, notching two goals in six games to help lead the team to a second-place finish to Team Canada.

The Trencin, Slovakia native was originally selected by the New York Islanders in the third round (56th overall) of the 1996 NHL Entry Draft.

NCAA East Bracket

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Team to beat: No. 1 Duke

HARTFORD – The Blue Devils have lost just once with its full roster in place and they seemed in fine form in three games in the ACC tournament upon the return of freshman forward Zion Williamson. Two other ACC teams (No. 4 seed Virginia Tech and No. 7 seed Louisville) are also in the region. Duke hasn’t been to the Final Four since winning the national title in 2015.

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Don’t overlook

No. 2 Michigan State, No. 4 Virginia Tech: The Spartans know how to get it done in March and they’re coming off a Big Ten tournament championship. Seems like their path crosses with Duke quite often in the postseason.

The Hokies have tangled with some top teams and own a victory against Duke at home late in the season. Virginia Tech suffered two late-season losses in overtime to Florida State or else their stock might have been higher.

Possible Must-see matchups

— No. 7 Louisville vs. No. 10 Minnesota. This is a first-round matchup ripe with storylines as Minnesota coach Richard Pitino Jr. takes his team against the school that his father once coached to prominence. Louisville is less than two years removed since Rick Pitino’s awkward departure. 

— No. 1 Duke vs. No. 9 Central Florida. It will take Central Florida getting past No. 8 Virginia Commonwealth, but it would pit Central Florida coach Johnny Dawkins, a standout player at Duke during coach Mike Krzyzewski’s early years and later an assistant coach for the Hall of Fame coach, against his alma mater.

— No. 2 Michigan State vs. No. 7 Louisville. If you’re into rematches, this one might have appeal for the first weekend. Louisville won 82-78 in overtime at home on Nov. 27 as part of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. That gave first-year coach Chris Mack an early signature victory.

Upset alert

— No. 14 Yale vs. No. 3 LSU. Yale pulled an NCAA Tournament stunner against Baylor in 2016, so there’s that to fall back on. LSU is certainly a team with some upheaval with coach Will Wade suspended and then the Tigers failing to make it to the SEC tournament title game. 

— No. 12 Liberty vs. No. 5 Mississippi State. Liberty has Ritchie McKay as its coach and he was an understudy to Virginia’s Tony Bennett. So expect the Flames to give Mississippi State all it can handle with a style of play that’s a bit unique.

Get to know

— Duke forward Zion Williamson (22.1 ppg., 8.9 rebounds). If you haven’t heard of him by now, welcome to college basketball. He’s the most-hyped player in the sport and he usually lives up to it.

— Duke forward RJ Barrett (22.9 ppg., 7.5 rebounds). Often overshadowed by Williamson, he leads the ACC in scoring and is rated as a likely top-5 selection in the NBA Draft.

— Michigan State guard Cassius Winston (18.9 ppg.). This junior has the ‘it” factor and he can take care of business. He’s listed as 6-foot-1, but plays bigger.

— Virginia Tech forward Kerry Blackshear Jr. (14.7 ppg., 7.4 rebounds). The redshirt junior became a top-notch interior player, particularly late in the season. The mobile 6-10 player is the Hokies’ second-leading scorer and top rebounder.

— Maryland guard Anthony Cowan Jr. (16.0, 4.3 assists). He’s the Terrapins’ leading scorer, but he also is the main distributor on the offensive end.

— Liberty forward Scottie James (13.1 ppg., 8.8 rebounds). He embodies the workmanlike profile that a team like the Flames embraces. The redshirt junior won’t be flashy, but he can get the job done. 

— Louisville forward Jordan Nwora (17.2 ppg., 7.5 rebounds). Team leader in scoring and rebounding became one of the most improved players in the nation. He averaged just 5.7 points per game last season.

— Central Florida guard Aubrey Dawkins (15.2 ppg.). The coach’s son is the team’s second-leading scorer after sitting out last season with an injury.

Predicting the East

Duke makes it through assuming there are no significant injuries along the way because there have been some ordinary-looking stretches when the Blue Devils haven’t been at full strength. The freshmen don’t seem to have any stage fright. Plus, Michigan State is hobbling some as well so being at full strength might be mandatory in this region.

First-round matchups:

(1) Duke vs. (16) North Carolina Central or North Dakota State
(8) Virginia Commonwealth vs. (9) Central Florida 
(5) Mississippi State vs. (12) Liberty
(4) Virginia Tech vs. (13) Sant Louis
(6) Maryland vs. (11) Belmont or Temple
(3) LSU vs. (14) Yale
(7) Louisville vs. (10) Minnesota
(2) Michigan State vs. (15) Bradley

— Staff Report with Wire Service Info by Field Level Media

NCAA South Bracket

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Team to beat: No. 1 Virginia

LOUISVILLE – (Site of Regional Final) – Virginia will hear plenty about last season, when it became the first No. 1 seed in history to lose to a No. 16, falling to Maryland-Baltimore County by the stunning score of 74-54. A couple of differences this time around: The Cavs’ best pro prospect, sophomore De’Andre Hunter, is available after missing last season’s tourney because of injury, and this is the best offense that defensive-minded coach Tony Bennett has had in 10 seasons in Charlottesville.

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Don’t overlook: No. 6 Villanova, No. 12 Oregon

The defending champion Wildcats had to revamp their roster this season, but veteran centerpieces Eric Paschall and Phil Booth know what to do and led the way to Big East regular-season and conference tournament titles. The Ducks roared late, winning eight in a row behind a ferocious defense and super play from junior point guard Payton Pritchard.

Possible Must-see matchups

No. 1 Virginia vs. No. 12 Oregon: This potential Sweet 16 matchup could be a first-one-to-50 kind of affair. These are two of the top defensive teams in the country, with Bennett’s pack-line D going against Dana Altman’s multiple looks, including a zone and a press. It could be a coaching clinic.

No. 2 Tennessee vs. No. 7 Cincinnati: The Vols can score (81.8 points per game), led by Grant Williams, Admiral Schofield and underrated point guard Jordan Bone. Few teams love playing the bully more than Mike Cronin’s Cincinnati squad, which would try to impose its will and its grinding tempo in this second-round game of contrasting styles.

No. 8 Mississippi vs. No. 9 Oklahoma: Two major-conference teams battle in the first round, the Sooners having advanced despite a 7-11 record in the Big 12. Both teams have the handful of quality wins that show that they are dangerous on any given day.

Upset alert

No. 12 Oregon vs. No. 5 Wisconsin: The Ducks’ length, athleticism and rim protection could be problematic for Wisconsin big man Ethan Happ. If so, the Badgers will need some secondary scoring to get past one of the nation’s hottest teams.

No. 13 UC Irvine vs. No. 4 Kansas State: There is no guarantee that Kansas State star big man Dean Wade will be available after missing the Big 12 tournament due to a foot injury. Irvine brings in a 30-5 record, a 16-game winning streak and a couple of guards (Max Hazzard and Evan Leonard) who can get hot from deep.

No. 14 Old Dominion vs. No. 3 Purdue: The Monarchs, from Conference USA, are in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2011, with emotions running high as coach Jeff Jones battles prostate cancer. Perhaps ODU’s stingy defense — particularly if it can hound Purdue star Carsen Edwards into one of his poor shooting days — can continue the feel-good story.

Get to know

-Virginia guard Kyle Guy is a dead-eye shooter who drilled eight 3-pointers at Syracuse earlier this month and is at 46.3 percent (106 of 229) from behind the arc this season. Said coach Tony Bennett: “Kyle is a complete player. He’s smart and complete, and he’s so efficient.”

-Tennessee forward Grant Williams became the first player to earn SEC Player of the Year honors in back-to-back seasons since Corliss Williamson did it in 1994 and 1995. The burly 6-foot-7 junior does everything well — 19.0 points, 7.8 rebounds and 3.1 assists, while shooting 56.5 percent.

-Purdue guard Carsen Edwards is a high-volume shooter who averages 23.0 points per game but doesn’t always get there efficiently. He is shooting 38.6 percent from the field and 33.5 percent from 3-point range. He’s great at getting to the line and knocking down free throws, though. He finds a way.

-Wisconsin’s Ethan Happ is something of a basketball unicorn, averaging 17.5 points, 10.1 rebounds and 4.6 assists. The 6-10 senior has posted two triple-doubles this season and has started all 138 games in his Badgers career.

-Villanova guard Phil Booth is averaging team-highs with 18.6 points and 3.8 assists, and he’s has been there and done that. He was named to the All-Final Four team in 2016 as the Wildcats won the national title, and he averaged 10.0 points last season when Villanova claimed another trophy.

-Saint Mary’s guard Jordan Ford leads a Gaels’ squad that controlled tempo and knocked off Gonzaga in the West Coast Conference tournament title game. Ford is averaging 21.3 points and shooting 42.3 percent from 3-point range and 80 percent from the free-throw line. He is slight (6-1, 175) but flashes savvy, slippery moves that make him hard to guard.

-Oregon point guard Payton Pritchard — thought in the preseason to be a potential Pac-12 Player of the Year — struggled until late in the season. He was superb in the conference tournament, with 22 assists and just four turnovers while playing four games in four days.

–Predicting the South: Bennett might wear the “best coach to not get to the Final Four” label, and last season’s face-plant didn’t help. But with Bennett — as it was for Gonzaga coach Mark Few a couple of years ago — it is just a matter of time. This is his most capable team of making a foray into the Final Four.

First-round matchups (games and times):
(1) Virginia vs. (16) Gardner-Webb, Friday
(8) Mississippi vs. (9) Oklahoma, Friday
(5) Wisconsin vs. (12) Oregon, Friday
(4) Kansas State vs. (13) UC Irvine, Friday
(6) Villanova vs. (11) Saint Mary’s, Thursday
(3) Purdue vs. (14) Old Dominion, Thursday
(7) Cincinnati vs. (10) Iowa, Friday
(2) Tennessee vs. (15) Colgate, Friday

— Staff and Wire Service Report by Field Level Media

NCAA Midwest Bracket

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Team to beat: No. 1 North Carolina.

KANSAS CITY – (Site of Regional Final) – The Tar Heels played their best basketball in February and March, scoring two wins over Duke and tying Virginia for the ACC regular-season title after some inconsistencies in November and December. They are third in the nation in scoring and tops in rebounding.

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Don’t overlook

No. 2 Kentucky, No. 5 Auburn.

Two SEC teams could present North Carolina with its stiffest challenge getting out of the Midwest. The Wildcats, like the Tar Heels, appeared to figure things out in February and March. Bruce Pearl’s Tigers rolled through the SEC tourney, winning four games in four days and outracing Tennessee in the championship game Sunday.

Possible Must-see matchups 

—No. 1 North Carolina vs. No. 2 Kentucky: It doesn’t get any more blueblood than this, although they’re both three wins away from this matchup. Remember the last time these teams met in the tourney? The Tar Heels’ Luke Maye drilled a jumper with 0.3 seconds left two years ago to win the South Region final 75-73.

—No. 7 Wofford vs. No. 10 Seton Hall: This could be the best first-round matchup of the tournament. The Terriers have a lot of good 3-point shooters, led by Fletcher Magee, but the Pirates have the explosive Myles Powell, who nearly willed them to the Big East tourney crown.

—No. 3 Houston vs. No. 6 Iowa State: This is a possible second-round matchup, and it would be a fascinating contrast of styles. The Cougars win with defense, and the Cyclones are all kinds of explosive on the offensive end. 
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Upset alert 

—No. 12 New Mexico State vs. No. 5 Auburn: The Tigers sure didn’t get much of a reward for winning the SEC tournament. The Aggies are a 30-win team that won by an average of 14 points per game.

—No. 13 Northeastern vs. No. 4 Kansas: These Jayhawks are still good, just not as good as they usually are. They’re young and also kind of beat up. The Huskies are a top 35 team nationally in field-goal shooting, 3-point shooting and foul shooting. Three of their top four scorers hit better than 40 percent from 3-point range. 

Get to know 

–North Carolina forward Luke Maye (14.7 ppg, 10.5 rebounds) seems like he’s been in Chapel Hill for at least a decade. But the son of a former Tar Heels quarterback has blossomed into a double-double machine the two last years, and is a perfect complement to guards Cameron Johnston and Coby White.

–Kentucky forward PJ Washington (14.8 ppg, 7.5 rebounds) has become a lot more consistent in his second year in Lexington. Washington makes this team a Final Four contender when he’s scoring and rebounding equally as well, as he did down the stretch. He even improved his 3-point shooting to 41 percent after hitting only 23 percent as a freshman.

–Iowa State guard Marial Shayok (18.6 ppg, 4.9 rebounds) went from perhaps a mismatched role player in Tony Bennett’s system at Virginia to the star of the Big 12 tournament champions. The efficient Shayok barely missed being a 50-40-90 shooter, which speaks to his skills, and he leads a potent offense with the potential to reach the Sweet 16 in Kansas City.

–Wofford guard Fletcher Magee (20.6 ppg, 2.8 rebounds) has been compared to J.J. Redick as a 3-point shooter by none other than Jay Bilas, who knows his basketball. Magee will set the all-time NCAA career record if he makes three 3-balls against Seton Hall, and the way he shoots it, don’t bet against him, or the Terriers.

–Utah State guard Sam Merrill (21.2 ppg, 4.2 assists) led the Aggies to the Mountain West tourney championship by averaging 23 points per game in wins over New Mexico, Fresno State and San Diego State. Merrill works tirelessly to get open and converts at a 46 percent clip from the field. He’s also a 90 percent foul shooter and a very willing passer.

–Seton Hall guard Myles Powell (22.9 ppg, 4.0 rebounds) is the one standout on a team full of ordinary Joes. Powell willed the Pirates into the NCAA Tournament by spearheading wins over Marquette, Villanova and Marquette again in the last two weeks. Powell can score 35 on any night, no matter how good a team’s defense is, and he makes these Pirates dangerous. 

Predicting the Midwest

North Carolina has won 15 of its last 17 games, and the two losses were at home to Virginia and in the ACC semifinals to Duke, which also earned No. 1 seeds. One can make a case for the first six seeds in the region to earn trips to Minneapolis, but the Tar Heels have played at a higher level than any other team in this region since mid-January.

First-round matchups (games, days):
(1) North Carolina vs. (16) Iona, Friday
(8) Utah State vs. (9) Washington, Friday
(5) Auburn vs. (12) New Mexico State, Thursday
(4) Kansas vs. (13) Northeastern, Thursday
(6) Iowa State vs. (11) Ohio State, Friday
(3) Houston vs. (14) Georgia State, Friday
(7) Wofford vs. (10) Seton Hall, Thursday
(2) Kentucky vs. (15) Abilene Christian, Thursday

— Staff Report with wire service info by Field Level Media

NCAA West Bracket

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Team to beat: No. 1 Gonzaga

ANAHEIM – (Site of West Regional Final) – The Gonzaga Bulldogs have reached the Sweet 16 in four straight seasons and feel they have a roster worthy of their second NCAA title game appearance in three seasons. Forward Killian Tillie appears back in form after missing 22 games due to two separate foot injuries.

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Don’t Overlook

No. 2 Michigan; No. 3 Texas Tech

The Wolverines beat defending champion Villanova by 27 points and No. 1 seed North Carolina by 17 so there is nobody in the West bracket that appears intimidating. The Red Raiders won three games in the 2018 tourney before Villanova sent them home, and they play a hard-nosed brand of basketball under third-year coach Chris Beard.

Possible Must-see matchups

No. 1 Gonzaga vs. No. 4 Florida State

Both teams have to win twice to set up a rematch of last year’s Sweet 16 battle won by the Seminoles. Gonzaga had trouble matching up with Florida State’s stable of athletes last season when it scored a season-low 60 points, and many of those same Seminoles still dot the roster.

No. 2 Michigan vs. No. 3 Texas Tech

The Wolverines draw Montana in the first round for the second straight season and last year’s tourney dash ended with a loss to Villanova in the national title game. The Red Raiders are capable of ending Michigan’s hopes in the Sweet 16 with a pesky defense that allows just 59.3 points per game.

No. 6 Buffalo vs. No. 11 Arizona State

The Bulls opened eyes last season with an 89-68 first-round dismantling of Arizona and big man Deandre Ayton and they certainly have their eyes set on another win over a major-conference foe. Arizona State will carry some momentum but they will have their hands full with a Buffalo squad that has set a MAC record with 31 wins.

Upset alert

No. 12 Murray State vs. No. 5 Marquette

Two of the most productive players in the nation take the stage in Murray State guard Ja Morant and Marquette sharpshooter Markus Howard. The Racers have won 11 straight games but Morant will need some help from the supporting cast to deliver an upset of the Golden Eagles.

No. 10 Florida vs. No. 7 Nevada

The Gators are a flawed team that lost four of their last six games but always appear ready to put things together. So a victory over the Wolf Pack is certainly a strong possibility as Nevada played a light schedule and displayed signs of wilting down the stretch with three losses in its last eight games.

No. 13 Vermont vs. No. 4 Florida State

The Catamounts come from the same league (America East) as UMBC, which pulled the biggest shocker of all-time last March against Virginia as a No. 16 seed defeated a No. 1 seed for the first time. Vermont can keep this game in range if it knocks down 3-pointers and who knows how seriously an ACC team like Florida State will take the Catamounts.

Get to know

Murray State do-it-all guard Ja Morant is considered the possible No. 2 overall choice in the NBA Draft if he chooses to leave school after two seasons. Morant averages 24.6 points and 10.0 assists while winning Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year honors and has brought national respect to the Racers.

Marquette guard Markus Howard puts up 3-point shots from all over the court (he has made 116) and is averaging 25.0 points while being named Big East Player of the Year. Howard posted 10 30-point outings — topped by a school-record 53 versus Creighton — and has knocked down five or more 3-pointers on eight occasions.

Gonzaga forward Rui Hachimura has been a model of consistency with a 20.1 scoring average and 19 outings of 20 or more points. The West Coast Conference Player of the Year reached double figures in every game but the last one when he was limited to nine in the Bulldogs’ 60-47 loss to Saint Mary’s in the WCC title game.

Texas Tech guard Jarrett Culver is projected to be selected in the top half of the first round of the NBA Draft if he decides to enter it after two seasons. The homegrown Lubbock product is the Big 12 Player of the Year and is averaging 18.5 points with 11 20-point outings.

Buffalo guard CJ Massinburg is the leader of the Bulls and he won Mid-American Conference Player of the Year honors. Massinburg has knocked down 86 3-pointers while averaging 18.3 points and his top effort of the season came in an overtime road win over West Virginia when he had 43 points and 14 rebounds and buried nine 3-pointers.

Vermont forward Anthony Lamb makes the Catamounts go and he is averaging 21.1 points as the America East Player of the Year. He recorded 15 20-points efforts this season with a high output of 42 in a double-overtime victory over St. Bonaventure.

Predicting the West

Gonzaga has the pieces to make a Final Four run but there is something about that 47-point scoring output against Saint Mary’s that makes four straight wins seem improbable. Look for Texas Tech to get past Michigan in the Sweet 16 and go on and win the region.

First-round matchups

(13) Vermont vs. (4) Florida State, Thursday, 2 p.m. ET, TBS
(12) Murray State vs. (5) Marquette, Thursday, approx 4:30 p.m. ET, TBS
(10) Florida vs. (7) Nevada, Thursday, 6:50 p.m. ET, TNT
(16) Prairie View A&M or FDU vs. (1) Gonzaga, Thursday, 7:27 p.m. ET, truTV
(15) Montana vs. (2) Michigan, Thursday, approximately 9:20 p.m. ET, TNT
(9) Baylor vs. (8) Syracuse, Thursday, approximately 9:57 p.m. ET, truTV
(14) Northern Kentucky vs. (3) Texas Tech, Friday, 1:30 p.m. ET, TNT
(11) Arizona State vs. (6) Buffalo, Friday, 4 p.m. ET, TNT

— Staff Report with wire service info by Field Level Media

Bruins Game Scout

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Boston Bruins at Tampa Bay

When: 7:30 PM ET, Monday, March 25, 2019
Where: Amalie Arena, Tampa, Florida
Preview for Digital Sports Desk by Gracenote

TAMPA – The Boston Bruins clinched a spot in the playoffs last time out and will face a potential second-round opponent tonight when they visit the NHL-best Tampa Bay Lightning for the first of two meetings before the end of the regular season.

Embed from Getty Images

The Bruins, who host the Lightning on April 5, secured a spot in the postseason with a 7-3 victory at Florida on Saturday to extend their winning streak to four, and hold a seven-point edge on Toronto for second place in the Atlantic Division.

“It’s a big win for us,” Boston captain Zdeno Chara told reporters after scoring his 200th career goal Saturday. “Clinching playoffs in the new (NHL), it’s not easy. You can see that every year teams are really battling hard for every point to get into the playoffs, and it’s a grind. So if you don’t play consistently well and strong throughout the year, it’s going to catch up.”

The Lightning, who have split a pair of games against the Bruins this season, saw their seven-game winning streak come to an end with a 4-3 loss at St. Louis on Saturday after falling behind by three goals in the first period. “Not how you want to start a game, but I thought we showed a good level of compete after that,” Tampa Bay center Brayden Point told reporters after scoring his 40th goal.

“I thought we played pretty well, had some chances. They made some good saves and held us in.” Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov leads the league with 120 points, but was held off the scoresheet Saturday, while Tampa Bay captain Steven Stamkos has scored in four straight contests.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, TVA, Sportsnet East, Sportsnet Ontario, Sportsnet Pacific, NESN (Boston), FS Sun (Tampa Bay)

ABOUT THE BRUINS (46-20-9): Chara became the 22nd defenseman in NHL history to reach 200 goals, on the same day he signed a one-year contract extension. “He’s our backbone,” Boston’s leading scorer Brad Marchand (92 points) told reporters of the 42-year-old Chara. “He’s such an incredible leader on and off the ice, and he’s the guy that brings it every day. We’re fortunate to have him next year and it couldn’t be more fitting for him to get that 200th (goal).” Marchand boasts seven points in the last four games while linemate Patrice Bergeron owns eight in the same span to tie his career high with 73.

ABOUT THE LIGHTNING (58-14-4): Point became the sixth different player to score 40 goals in a single season for the club while Stamkos (39) could also reach the milestone for the fifth time and Kucherov (37) for the second. Victor Hedman saw his seven-game point streak come to an end Saturday despite five shots on goal while fellow defenseman Ryan McDonagh (league-best plus-38 rating) moved within two of his career high of 43 points (2013-14). Goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy turned aside 22 shots to lose for just the second time in 17 games Saturday, but still leads the league with 36 victories and owns a .928 save percentage.

OVERTIME

1. Tampa Bay C Anthony Cirelli boasts three goals and three assists during a five-game point streak.

2. Boston C Sean Kuraly underwent hand surgery and is expected to miss four weeks.

3. Lightning F Yanni Gourde will serve the second of a two-game suspension for an illegal hit.

March Madness: Sweet 16 Up Next

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Tennessee 83, Iowa 77

When: 12:10 PM ET, Sunday, March 24, 2019
Where: Nationwide Arena, Columbus, Ohio
Recaps for Digital Sports Desk by Field Level Media

Top Five Plays of NCAAs (House of Highlights/Youtube)

COLUMBUS – Junior power forward Grant Williams scored six of his 19 points in overtime as Tennessee blew a 25-point lead before posting an 83-77 victory over Iowa on Sunday in NCAA Tournament second-round play.

Senior guard Admiral Schofield also scored 19 points in the South Region contest for the second-seeded Volunteers (31-5). Junior guard Lamonte Turner scored 15 points and junior point guard Jordan Bone added 14 for Tennessee, which never trailed.

The Volunteers will face third-seeded Purdue in the Sweet 16 on Thursday in Louisville, Ky.

Junior guard Jordan Bohannon scored 18 points and junior guard Isaiah Moss added 16 for the 10th-seeded Hawkeyes (23-12). Sophomore forward Luka Garza tallied 13 points and junior power forward Tyler Cook and freshman guard Joe Wieskamp added 11 apiece for Iowa, which shot 39 percent from the field and went 7 of 21 from 3-point range.

Williams made two free throws, Bone knocked down a 3-pointer and Williams added a hoop during Tennessee’s seven-point flurry to begin the overtime. The Hawkeyes finally scored on Garza’s two free throws with 2:24 left and Williams responded with a basket 26 seconds later to push the Volunteers’ lead to 80-73.

Iowa later moved within 81-77 on Bohannon’s layup with 11.2 seconds remaining but Bone made two free throws with 9.5 seconds left as Tennessee closed it out.

The Volunteers shot 46.7 percent from the field and were 8 of 20 from long range.

Turner buried a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 2:17 left in regulation to give Tennessee a 70-67 lead. Junior guard Jamie Bowden split two free throws with 57.9 seconds before Iowa recovered to tie it at 71 as Moss drove for a hoop with 50.9 seconds left and Wieskamp made two free throws with 20.8 seconds remaining.

Iowa began digging itself out of a 21-point halftime deficit behind Cook, who scored 11 points during a 16-4 surge that saw the Hawkeyes pull within 53-44 with 13:35 remaining.

Iowa used a 10-0 run later to trim Tennessee’s lead to 61-58. Bohannon drained a 3-pointer with 8:14 left and Garza added two free throws to cap it.

Garza later converted a three-point play and Moss barely beat the shot clock with a 3-pointer from the left corner to pull the Hawkeyes within 65-64 with 4:23 to play.

Iowa finally caught Tennessee at 67 with 2:39 left when Bohannon made three free throws after a controversial foul call on Turner.

Schofield scored 17 first-half points as the Volunteers built a 49-28 halftime lead.

Schofield’s driving hoop elevated the margin to 25 at 44-19 with 4:22 remaining.

–Field Level Media

North Carolina 81, Washington 59

When: 2:40 PM ET, Sunday, March 24, 2019
Where: Nationwide Arena, Columbus, Ohio
Attendance: 19,610

COLUMBUS – Luke Maye poured in 20 points as top-seeded North Carolina defeated ninth-seeded Washington 81-59 in the NCAA Tournament’s second round Sunday afternoon at Nationwide Arena.

The Tar Heels were in control for most of the Midwest Region game, with freshmen Nassir Little’s 20 points and Coby White’s 17 points also providing a lift.

North Carolina (29-6) will face fifth-seeded Auburn in the Sweet 16 on Friday night in Kansas City, Mo. The Tar Heels are back in the Sweet 16 after losing in the second round last year. They were in national championship games in 2016 and 2017, and they’re on a quest for a second title in three years.

Jaylen Nowell scored 12 points, while Noah Dickerson and Nahziah Carter each posted 10 points for ninth-seeded Washington (27-9), which was hurt by 4-for-10 shooting on free throws.

North Carolina made nine of 21 shots from 3-point range as part of 50.8 percent shooting overall. Washington figured to need to have an edge in perimeter scoring if it was to pull an upset, but the Huskies shot 9 for 29 from long range.

Maye, a senior, also had 14 rebounds, while Cameron Johnson added 13 points.

The Tar Heels finished with a rebounding advantage of 48-24.

North Carolina held a 54-36 edge less than six minutes into the second half.

North Carolina held a 41-33 halftime lead, but the Tar Heels had concerns about forward Garrison Brooks. He required stitches after he was struck in the mouth, with tooth damage also among the fallout even though he was back for the start of the second half.

Maye and White, who made four first-half 3-pointers, combined for 25 of North Carolina’s first-half points.

Bolstered by an early 11-2 run North Carolina led by as many as 14 points in the first half.

North Carolina is 3-0 all-time against the Huskies.

–Field Level Media

Duke 77, Central Florida 76

When: 5:15 PM ET, Sunday, March 24, 2019
Where: Colonial Life Arena, Columbia, South Carolina

COLUMBIA – RJ Barrett scored off a rebound with 12 seconds remaining, and Duke made a final defensive stand to pull out a 77-76 victory against Central Florida in the NCAA Tournament’s second round Sunday.

Central Florida’s BJ Taylor missed a runner in the final seconds, and a tip-in attempt by Aubrey Dawkins barely rolled off, allowing top-seeded Duke to advance in the East Region. Duke (31-5) will meet Virginia Tech on Friday night in the Sweet 16 in Washington, D.C., after the Hokies downed Liberty later Sunday.

Ninth-seeded Central Florida was up 74-70 with the ball with less than two minutes to play before a turnover. Breaking the other way, Duke’s Cam Reddish hit a 3-pointer, and then teammate Javin DeLaurier missed two free throws with 1:09 to play.

Taylor made two free throws with 45.2 seconds to play for a 76-73 lead.

After Zion Williamson missed a 3-pointer, DeLaurier grabbed the offensive rebound. Williamson drove for a layup and was fouled with 14.4 seconds left, with UCF 7-foot-6 center Tacko Fall fouling out on the play. Williamson missed a chance for a three-point play by leaving the free throw short, but Barrett rebounded and laid it in to put Duke ahead.

Central Florida called timeout with 8.1 seconds remaining to set up the final sequence.

Williamson finished with 32 points, Barrett scored 16, Reddish had 13 and Tre Jones posted 11.

Sunday’s game included Central Florida coach Johnny Dawkins, a former Duke star, going against his alma mater. The coach later was an assistant coach under Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski.

Aubrey Dawkins, the coach’s son, poured in 32 points for the Knights (24-9), while Taylor and Fall both had 15.

Down eight at the break, the Knights scored the first seven points of the second half, resulting in a Duke timeout.

Later it was tied at 57-57 when Fall was called for his fourth foul. Duke went up 64-59 on 3-pointers from Jones, who missed his first six 3-point tries, and Jordan Goldwire.

Reddish, who had 10 points in the first half, was called for his fourth foul at the 13:48 mark.

Central Florida went up 70-68 on Taylor’s 3-pointer with just under four minutes left.

Tied at 34-34, Duke scored eight straight points in 34 seconds late in the first half and took a 44-36 lead to the break.

Duke shot 54.5 percent from the field in the first half, hitting five of its 11 3-point attempts.

Fall picked up his second foul with 10:56 to play in the first half. From there, Duke went on a 12-2 run for a 25-21 lead.

Dawkins had 10 points as part of Central Florida’s early 19-13 lead.

–Field Level Media

Texas Tech 78, Buffalo 58

When: 6:10 PM ET, Sunday, March 24, 2019
Where: BOK Center, Tulsa, Oklahoma

TULSA – Sophomore guard Jarrett Culver recorded 16 points and 10 rebounds as Texas Tech mauled Buffalo 78-58 on Sunday in NCAA Tournament second-round play.

Senior center Norense Odiase added 14 points and a career-best 15 rebounds as third-seeded Texas Tech (28-6) cruised in the West Region contest. Senior guard Matt Mooney and sophomore guard Davide Moretti had 11 points apiece and senior forward Tariq Owens had 10 points and seven rebounds for the Red Raiders.

Texas Tech will face second-seeded Michigan in the Sweet 16 in Anaheim, Calif., on Thursday.

Senior forward Nick Perkins registered 17 points and 10 rebounds off the bench for sixth-seeded Buffalo (32-4), which scored its fewest points of the season. Senior guard CJ Massinburg added 14 points and junior guard Davonta Jordan had 13.

The Bulls shot just 37.3 percent from the field and were 9 of 26 from behind the arc.

The Red Raiders held a 46-29 rebounding edge while shooting 48.2 percent from the field, including 5 of 16 from 3-point range.

Texas Tech started fast and finished strong while taking a 33-25 halftime advantage.

The Red Raiders held a 19-6 lead after sophomore forward Deshawn Corprew drained a 3-pointer with 11:10 left. Buffalo answered with a 19-5 surge to take its only lead of the game at 25-24 on Jordan’s 3-pointer with 3:26 remaining.

Texas Tech scored the final nine points of the half for the eight-point cushion and continued the rampage with an 18-3 burst to start the second half. The Bulls missed their first 10 field-goal attempts of the second stanza.

Culver buried a 3-pointer to increase the margin to 48-28 with 14:15 left and the lead reached 23 before Harris converted a basket with 12:27 remaining to end Buffalo’s field-goal drought of 10:59.

A short time later, freshman guard Kyler Edwards drained back-to-back 3-pointers and Odiase scored on a putback during a 9-0 push to give the Red Raiders a 62-33 advantage with 9:18 remaining.

Buffalo never put up a charge while suffering a disappointing end to the best season in program history.

–Field Level Media

Virginia Tech 67, Liberty 58

When: 7:10 PM ET, Sunday, March 24, 2019
Where: SAP Center, San Jose, California

SAN JOSE – Virginia Tech post player Kerry Blackshear Jr. scored 19 points and grabbed nine rebounds to lead the fourth-seeded Hokies over Liberty 67-58 in a second-round game in the East Region on Sunday.

Blackshear’s work inside helped offset the early hot shooting of the 12th-seeded Flames, who went cold in the second half, going almost seven minutes without a basket until Georgie Pacheco-Ortiz’s 3-pointer brought Liberty within 59-54 with 2:24 left.

Virginia Tech point guard Justin Robinson responded with a jumper, and Blackshear made a layup to help the Hokies hold off Liberty (29-7).

Virginia Tech (26-8) set a school record for victories and will play No. 1 seed Duke on Friday in the Sweet 16 in Washington, D.C. The Hokies beat the Blue Devils 77-72 on Feb. 26 in the teams’ only meeting this season, though Blue Devils star freshman Zion Williamson was out with a knee injury.

Ahmed Hill scored 14 points for Virginia Tech, and Ty Outlaw had 10 points and 11 rebounds. Robinson, playing in his second game after missing several weeks because of a foot injury, came off the bench to post 13 points and four assists.

Liberty freshman guard Darius McGhee made 5 of 11 3-point shots for a team-high 15 points. Lovell Cabbil Jr. and Pacheco-Ortiz each scored nine. Caleb Homesley, who scored a career-high 30 points in a first-round upset over Mississippi State, shot 3 of 11 from the field and finished with eight points.

Virginia Tech used an 11-0 run to take a 52-44 lead midway through the second half as Liberty endured a five-minute scoring drought. The Flames shot 38.3 percent (18 of 47) for the game.

McGhee sparked the Flames in the first half, hitting 4 of 7 shots from behind the arc. He had scored only three points total in the previous three games.

Liberty led 26-18 before Blackshear led an 8-0 run to tie the game. The Flames scored the next six points, but Hill hit a 3-pointer with four seconds left to bring the Hokies within 32-29 at the half. Blackshear had nine points and seven rebounds before the break.

Virginia Tech will be making its second Sweet 16 appearance in school history — its first since the tournament expanded to 64 teams. The Hokies were also part of the final 16 teams in 1967, when they needed just one victory to reach that round.

–Field Level Media

Virginia 63, Oklahoma 51

When: 7:45 PM ET, Sunday, March 24, 2019
Where: Colonial Life Arena, Columbia, South Carolina
Attendance: 16,332

COLUMBIA – Top-seeded Virginia advanced to its third Sweet 16 in six seasons Sunday night with a 63-51 win over No. 9 seed Oklahoma in the second round of the NCAA Tournament’s South Region.

Virginia (31-3) will face No. 12 seed Oregon in Thursday night’s regional semifinal in Louisville, Ky., after the Ducks pulled away from No. 13 seed UC Irvine on Sunday night.

Mamadi Diakite got the start for the Cavaliers and provided a spark with a game-high 14 points and nine rebounds.

Virginia never trailed during the game’s final 30 minutes, leading by as many as 16 points while shooting 48 percent for the game. Despite a 2-for-15 shooting performance from junior Kyle Guy, the Cavaliers got 12 points from Ty Jerome and 10 from De’Andre Hunter to make up for the lack in scoring.

Oklahoma (20-14) shot just 37 percent as the Sooners struggled to hit shots against Virginia’s stout defense.

Senior Christian James scored 13 points and pulled down five rebounds in his final game with the Sooners.

The first half consisted of a flurry of runs as Virginia opened the game on a 7-0 spurt to set the early pace. Oklahoma answered with a 13-4 run to take the lead nearly midway through the half.

But Virginia allowed only nine more points for the final 10 minutes and closed on a 22-9 surge to take a 31-22 lead at halftime.

The Cavaliers shot 46 percent for the half while allowing the Sooners to shoot at just a 31 percent clip. Five Virginia turnovers kept Oklahoma in the game as the Sooners converted five points off those turnovers.

Brady Manek helped the Sooners on the offensive end with all 13 of his points coming in the first half.

Six players scored at least four points for Virginia in the first half.

Virginia outrebounded Oklahoma 36-29 and only turned the ball over six times while outscoring the Sooners 32-12 in the paint.

–Field Level Media

Houston 74, Ohio St. 59

When: 8:40 PM ET, Sunday, March 24, 2019
Where: BOK Center, Tulsa, Oklahoma
Attendance: 12,606

TULSA – Guard Corey Davis Jr. led a balanced attack with 21 points, and backcourt mate Galen Robinson Jr. had 13 points, five assists and a career-high six steals to lift No. 3 Houston to the Sweet 16 with a 74-59 victory over No. 11 Ohio State on Sunday night in the second round of the Midwest Regional.

Houston (33-3) will play No. 2 seed Kentucky (29-6) in the round of 16 in Kansas City, Mo. Kentucky advanced with a 62-56 victory over No. 7 Wofford in Jacksonville, Fla., on Saturday.

Houston led 39-31 at the half but missed its first eight shots of the second half to let Ohio State (20-15) remain within striking distance.

C.J. Jackson’s fourth 3-pointer of the game drew Ohio State within 49-44 with 11:45 left. By that time, the Buckeyes had made 10 of their first 23 attempts from long range.

Ohio State got into the bonus with 9:57 left, but every time the Buckeyes appeared to be making a run, Houston blunted the push with a key basket.

Robinson, a senior leader, broke down the Ohio State defense late in the shot clock for a layup and Davis intercepted a pass in the paint and dribbled the length of the court for another point-blank leaner for a 60-49 Houston lead with 7:27 left.

Ohio State committed turnovers on its first three possessions and on four of its first five, and Houston took advantage to take a slim early lead.

The Buckeyes, however, were uncharacteristically on fire from the perimeter, making eight 3-pointers in the first half, including back-to-back bombs by forward Kaleb Wesson, who normally does most of his damage on the inside.

When Wesson picked up his second foul with 5:44 left in the first half, Ohio State led 27-25. But with Wesson on the bench for most of the rest of the half, Houston went on a 12-6 run and led 39-31 at intermission. Fabian White and Robinson had four points each and Corey Davis Jr. had a 3-pointer in the surge.

Davis, who scored 26 points and made seven 3-pointers in Houston’s first-round rout of Georgia State, led Houston with 11 first-half points.

Despite Ohio State’s 3-point success in the first half, the Cougars pounded Ohio State in the paint, 20-2. The Buckeyes also damaged their chances with eight turnovers in the first 20 minutes. They finished with 14 for the game.

Jackson led Ohio State with 18 points, and forward Wesson added 15.

White had 11 points for Houston, and Armoni Brooks had 10.

–Field Level Media

Oregon 73, UC Irvine 54

When: 9:40 PM ET, Sunday, March 24, 2019
Where: SAP Center, San Jose, California
Attendance: 14,802

SAN JOSE– Payton Pritchard had 18 points, Kenny Wooten blocked seven shots and 12th-seeded Oregon roared back after a big UC Irvine run en route to a 73-54 victory in a South Region second-round game on Sunday.

Oregon (25-12) will play top-seeded Virginia on Thursday in the Sweet 16 in Louisville, Ky.

Pritchard scored 10 of his points in the final 10 minutes, as the Ducks pulled away. Wooten, who scored 11 points and had eight rebounds, has blocked 19 shots in the past four games.

Oregon won its 10th consecutive game, having allowed an average of 54.2 points per game during that streak.

The 13th-seeded Anteaters ripped off a 16-0 run spanning halftime — 14 in a row after the break — to take a 37-35 lead. But Oregon’s stingy defense asserted itself after that, holding UC Irvine (31-6) to 39.2 percent shooting for the game.

Oregon’s Ehab Amin was an energetic force off the bench, with 12 points — making all four of his 3-point attempts — six rebounds and three steals. Louis King scored 16.

Robert Cartwright scored 14 points to lead the Anteaters, who got 11 from Evan Leonard and 10 from Tommy Rutherford. Jonathan Galloway contributed nine points and 11 rebounds.

UC Irvine scored the final two points of the first half and the first 14 of the second half to dash to a 37-35 lead on Cartwright’s layup.

The Ducks missed 11 shots and committed four turnovers before putting second-half points on the board at the 12:31 mark on Amin’s 3-pointer to regain the lead at 38-37. Amin took a charge on the other end, King drilled a trey and the Ducks forced a 10-second violation to begin to regain control.

Oregon’s defense smothered UC Irvine in the first half, forcing eight turnovers and holding the Anteaters to 33.3 percent shooting (9 of 27). The Ducks finished the half on an 18-8 run over the final eight minutes to lead 35-23 at the break.

UC Irvine entered having won 17 consecutive games.

The Ducks will make their third Sweet 16 appearance in the past four seasons, having reached the Final Four in 2017 and the Elite Eight in 2016.

–Field Level Media

Spurs Drill Cs

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San Antonio 115, Boston 96

When: 7:30 PM ET, Sunday, March 24, 2019
Where: TD Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
Attendance: 18,624
Recap for Digital Sports Desk by Field Level Media

BOSTON – LaMarcus Aldridge scored 48 points and grabbed 13 rebounds as the visiting San Antonio Spurs rolled to an emphatic 115-96 win over the reeling Boston Celtics on Sunday to snap a two-game losing streak.

Spurs defeat Celtics (House of Highlights/Youtube)

The Spurs led by seven points at halftime and by just 64-60 after Boston’s Kyrie Irving hit a 3-pointer with 6:33 to play in the third period. San Antonio (43-31) then ran off 13 of the game’s next 15 points to pull away, and the Celtics, playing the second game of a road-home back-to-back, never mounted another charge.

Aldridge’s points were the second-most of his career, following his 56 in a double-overtime win over Oklahoma City earlier this season.

DeMar DeRozan added 16 points for the Spurs, who have won 10 of their past 12, while Patty Mills hit for 12 points off the bench, and Jakob Poeltl took 10 rebounds for San Antonio.

Marcus Smart led the Celtics with 14 points, with Marcus Morris and Gordon Hayward adding 13 each, and Irving and Daniel Theis scoring 11 points apiece. Hayward paced Boston with 10 rebounds and Irving had 12 assists as the Celtics (43-31) lost their fourth game in a row.

Aldridge scored 19 points, the most for a San Antonio player in any quarter this year, as the Spurs led 31-24 after the first quarter. They ran their advantage to as many as 12 points three times in the second period, lastly after a jumper by DeRozan with 2:18 left in the half.

Boston scored the final five points of the period and clawed back to within 54-47 at halftime.

Aldridge ripped off 25 of his points in the first half on 11 of 17 shooting from the floor and grabbed eight rebounds in 18 minutes. The Celtics stayed within shouting distance thanks to 13 points from Hayward and 11 from Morris.

Boston played without center Al Horford (left knee soreness), forward Jayson Tatum (right low back contusion) and forward Robert Williams (low back contusion).

–Field Level Media

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