Connect with us

Sports

Gonzaga relishes presence of other mid-majors in NCAAs

Published

on

Gonzaga relishes presence of other mid-majors in NCAAs

NEWNow you can hearken to Fox Information articles!

Whereas Gonzaga is the king of the mid-majors come match time, the Bulldogs are completely satisfied to unfold a few of that spotlight round.

The highest-seeded Zags (26-3) are one among three West Coast Convention groups within the NCAA Match, together with Saint Mary’s, the one staff to beat Gonzaga in convention play this season, and upstart San Francisco.

It is simply the third time the WCC has despatched three groups to the tourney.

Advertisement

The Mountain West has 4 groups on this 12 months’s match, most since 2013 and most of any mid-major convention this 12 months. They embrace Boise State, Colorado State, San Diego State and Wyoming, which misplaced to Indiana within the First 4 on Tuesday evening.

“So all this Energy 5 stuff, you recognize, it’s getting fairly outdated now,” Gonzaga’s Drew Timme stated with amusing.

Gonzaga has had a lot success each within the common season and the match that the Bulldogs way back graduated from plucky mid-major to established powerhouse — a major-mid-major. Nonetheless lacking for Gonzaga is that elusive nationwide championship. They misplaced to Baylor within the title sport final season and fell to North Carolina within the 2017 championship sport.

Gonzaga’s Drew Timme (2) celebrates after chopping a bit of the online after Gonzaga defeated Saint Mary’s in an NCAA faculty basketball championship sport on the West Coast Convention match Tuesday, March 8, 2022, in Las Vegas.
(AP Picture/John Locher)

Gonzaga’s quest to lastly add that championship banner opens with the Bulldogs dealing with No. 16 seed Georgia State on Thursday in Portland. Becoming a member of the top-ranked Bulldogs in Portland is No. 8 seed Boise State, which can face ninth-seeded Memphis.

Advertisement

Different West Area video games Thursday embrace fourth-seeded Arkansas towards No. 13 Vermont, and fifth-seeded UConn versus No. 12 seed New Mexico State. Each video games are in Buffalo, New York.

If Gonzaga and Boise State each win, the 2 will meet in a second-round sport Saturday. If that occurs, Gonzaga will push apart its mid-major delight and deal with the sport, which might pit Gonzaga coach Mark Few towards former longtime assistant Leon Rice.

“You need to root for them each sport however at this level, it’s the NCAA Match, it’s nearly who you’re going to play subsequent and getting the wins,” Few stated.

For the reason that match expanded in 1985, UNLV is the one staff thought of a mid-major to have received an NCAA title, toppling Duke in 1990.

For now, Gonzaga’s sole focus is on Georgia State (18-10), a fellow mid-major from the Solar Belt Convention. The Panthers are making their fourth NCAA look in eight years.

Advertisement

Georgia State heads into the match on a 10-game successful streak, capped by an 80-71 win over Louisiana within the Solar Belt championship.

Solely as soon as has a No. 16 seed knocked off a No. 1 seed: UMBC’s stunning take down of Virginia in 2018. Virginia was the No. 1 total seed within the match that 12 months, simply because the Zags are this 12 months.

WANTING MORE

The Broncos (27-7 ) received their first Mountain West regular-season title then claimed the staff’s first convention match title with a victory over San Diego State. Alongside the best way, Boise State ran up a 14-game successful streak and picked up essentially the most wins in program historical past.

Advertisement

“Now we have confidence in ourselves. We made historical past however there’s nonetheless extra we need to accomplish,” guard Emmanuel Akot stated. “We’re getting into and taking it second by second.”

They will face Memphis (21-10), which is again within the match for the primary time since 2014. Jalen Duren was the American freshman of the 12 months, however the Tigers have been with out Emoni Bates since late January because of a again damage. Bates did journey with the staff to Portland however coach Penny Hardaway was noncommittal about whether or not he’d play.

TEDDY BUCKETS

UConn (23-9) is coming off a loss to Villanova within the Huge East match. However the Huskies might have gotten fortunate by touchdown in Buffalo — that is the place they performed first- and second-round video games earlier than successful nationwide championships in 2004 and 2014. Total, UConn has 4 nationwide championships.

The Huskies face New Mexico State (26-6), which beat Abilene Christian for the WAC match title and the automated berth — marking the staff’s twenty third total look within the Huge Dance. New Mexico State went to the Ultimate 4 in 1970 however misplaced to UCLA.

Advertisement

UConn coach Dan Hurley complimented New Mexico State main scorer Teddy Allen, calling him “a bucket.”

“Teddy performs with quite a lot of pop and quite a lot of persona and depth. I don’t know if there’s anybody within the Huge East that we’ve performed towards that has that kind of launch, and also you simply have to remain down and be disciplined towards him as a result of he has a lot stuff off the dribble. And he’s so good with head fakes and shoulder fakes and also you simply acquired to remain down and be the second man to go away the ground and never be overly aggressive towards him as a result of he’s an unbelievable counter-puncher,” Hurley stated.

Allen was cautious of Hurley’s excessive reward.

“He simply blowing that pregame smoke,” Allen stated. “You know the way that goes. I ain’t listening to that.”

He added, laughing, “Dan Hurley is the most effective coach ever.”

Advertisement

QUICK RECALIBRATION

The Razorbacks (25-8) are recent off an 82-64 win over Texas A&M within the SEC match last. They had been additionally the No. 4 seed for the 1990 NCAA Match, after they went to the title sport however fell to Duke, 97-74.

Coach Eric Musselman is making his fifth NCAA Match look and second in three years at Arkansas. Final 12 months, the Razorbacks made a run to the Elite Eight.

Vermont (28-5) rolled to its eighth NCAA Match look with an 82-43 win over UMBC within the American East title sport. Coach John Becker was requested about how blowing by way of the convention match may be less-than-ideal preparation.

“We put the tape on of Arkansas and it recalibrated our guys fairly shortly,” Becker stated.

Advertisement

Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Sports

Angels' Mike Trout 'devastated' to miss rest of season with another meniscus tear

Published

on

Angels' Mike Trout 'devastated' to miss rest of season with another meniscus tear

ANAHEIM, Calif. — For the third time in the last four seasons, Mike Trout’s year has ended prematurely because of injury.

The three-time MVP will miss the rest of 2024 with a second meniscus tear of his left knee, the team announced, and he later confirmed.

“After months of hard work, I was devastated (Wednesday) when an MRI showed a tear in my meniscus that will require surgery again,” Trout posted on X. “Playing and competing is a huge part of my life. This is equally as heartbreaking and frustrating for me as it is for you, the fans.”

The circumstances of how Trout tore his meniscus again are unclear. He initially had surgery for a tear May 3, and after a longer-than-usual recovery, he began a rehab assignment last week at Triple A.

His rehab assignment lasted just two innings, and he returned to Anaheim for further evaluation after some discomfort. An MRI came back clean, and Trout said he expected an imminent restart of his rehab process.

Advertisement

However, he started to feel significant pain Monday, Los Angeles Angels general manager Perry Minasian said. Follow-up imaging revealed the tear. It is unclear whether there was a specific incident that caused him to become reinjured.

“I’m not the emotional type, but being in the room with him and hearing the news was tough,” Minasian said. “Nobody wants to play more, nobody cares about this building, this fan base, this team, more than he does. He’s going to come back … he’s going to win the MVP, and he’s going to hit 70 home runs. Book it.”

The tear of the meniscus was in a different spot, Minasian said. So it was not necessarily a retear of his initial injury.

“There’s no event,” he said. “This is not somebody that is out playing one-on-one basketball. You know how committed this guy is to getting back. I know everybody’s like, ‘What happened? Why?’ I get it. I have the same questions. With that being said, sometimes things happen. And sometimes, that’s the answer.”

Advertisement

Minasian added that the Angels haven’t discussed moving Trout out of center field, or how they’re going to have to manage his body. At this point, however, Trout’s durability is of legitimate concern. He will have played an average of 66.5 games per season over the last four years.

Trout missed the last four-plus months of 2021 with a calf strain. He missed a month in 2022 with a back injury. He missed the second half of last season with a hamate fracture. And now, in 2024, the knee issues have persisted.

“The injuries are real. I get it,” Minasian said. “Those are facts. I also know this is someone who will do everything he possibly can to get back on the field. We need to make contingency plans for everybody on the roster.”

The reality, though, is that Trout is not just anybody. He is an all-time superstar under contract for the next six seasons, and owed more than $210 million. Notable changes might need to be made to how the Angels deal with his workload, and how often he plays the field.

“No, there’s a lot of people that have had meniscus operations,” manager Ron Washington said when asked whether they’ll need to manage Trout differently next year. “It’s just unfortunate that his popped again. He’s going to get strong, he’s going to get into spring training, he’s going to prepare for a season, and we’re looking forward to when he returns.”

Advertisement

Minasian said the team had already been discussing possible swing changes with Trout in recent weeks. The GM said Trout was “really, really excited” about implementing them upon his return.

On top of Trout’s injuries, his on-field performance when healthy was not the same as it had been during his best years. He hit just .220 with an .867 OPS this season, well below career averages.

It is a difficult time for Trout, who will turn 33 on Aug. 7. After nine years with almost no health issues — nine years when he was unequivocally the game’s best offensive player — the last four seasons have marked a drastic shift.

The Angels still believe Trout can be an MVP in the future. The present, however, offers a far more bleak outlook.

“It makes us all speechless,” said Angels catcher Logan O’Hoppe, who has stepped up as a team leader over the last year. “I feel for him more than anyone. I feel for his family too. Beckham (Trout) loves coming and watching his dad ball out, as do we. So, yes, it’s frustrating news.”

Advertisement

(Photo of Mike Trout: Ronald Martinez / Getty Images)

Continue Reading

Sports

Jemele Hill, Dawn Staley call out critics of controversial Olympic boxer: 'Hope Khelif sues some people'

Published

on

Jemele Hill, Dawn Staley call out critics of controversial Olympic boxer: 'Hope Khelif sues some people'

Join Fox News for access to this content

You have reached your maximum number of articles. Log in or create an account FREE of charge to continue reading.

By entering your email and pushing continue, you are agreeing to Fox News’ Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, which includes our Notice of Financial Incentive.

Please enter a valid email address.

Having trouble? Click here.

After Italian boxer Angela Carini expressed regret and wanted to “apologize” to Imane Khelif, former ESPN writer Jemele Hill and South Carolina women’s basketball head coach Dawn Staley followed suit.

Carini said the controversy surrounding Khelif “makes me sad,” and she “respect[ed]” the IOC’s decision to let Khelif fight.

Advertisement

Khelif is considered to have male XY chromosomes and was barred from competing in the women’s world championships last year.

Jemele Hill and Dawn Staley called out critics of Imane Khelif Friday. (Getty Images)

After Carini apologized, Hill said many others need to follow suit, and she wants Khelif to take further action.

“A lot of people need to apologize,” Hill, a writer for “The Atlantic,” wrote on X. “I hope Khelif sues some people over their reckless remarks. All this story did was expose ugliness, hatred, and transphobia. As Carini admitted here, she quit because she was upset she was gonna get her a– whooped and other folks turned it into something else.”

Advertisement

Staley caught wind of Hill’s post and added another comment.

“They also need to pray and be prayed for because…..the way their lives are set up pure hatred,” Staley wrote.

Imane Khelif reaches out to Angela Carini

Algeria’s Imane Khelif (in red) gestures to Italy’s Angela Carini in the women’s 66-kilogram preliminaries round of 16 boxing match during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the North Paris Arena in Villepinte Aug. 1, 2024. (Mohd Rasfan/AFP via Getty Images)

RILEY GAINES CALLS FEMALE BOXER A ‘HERO’ FOR FORFEITING MATCH AGAINST FIGHTER WITH XY CHROMOSOMES, SLAMS IOC

Hill replied that she “agree[d].”

Carini appeared to give Khelif the cold shoulder after the right. She said it was one of the things she regretted about the match.

Advertisement

“It wasn’t something I intended to do,” Carini said. “Actually, I want to apologize to her and everyone else. I was angry because my Olympics had gone up in smoke.”

Khelif will fight in the next round Saturday against Hungarian Luca Hamori.

The International Olympic Committee defended Khelif’s eligibility Thursday as the gender controversy heated up.

“These two athletes were the victims of a sudden and arbitrary decision by the IBA,” the IOC said of Khelif and Taiwan’s Lin Yu-Ting. “Towards the end of the IBA World Championships in 2023, they were suddenly disqualified without any due process.”

Angela Carini on the ground

Algeria’s Imane Khelif, right, defeated Italy’s Angela Carini in their women’s 66-kilogram preliminary boxing match at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, in Paris.  (AP Photo/John Locher)

Advertisement

According to IBA minutes available on its website, the decision was initially made by the IBA secretary general and CEO. The IBA Board only ratified it afterward and only subsequently requested that a procedure to follow in similar cases in the future be established and be reflected in the IBA Regulations. The minutes also say the IBA should “establish a clear procedure on gender testing.”

Fox News’ Ryan Gaydos contributed to this report.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Sports

Simone Biles' memo to Trump: 'I love my black job.' No one is replacing gymnast at Olympics

Published

on

Simone Biles' memo to Trump: 'I love my black job.' No one is replacing gymnast at Olympics

Simone Biles may be a tad bit busy in Paris this week, but the U.S. gymnastics great seems to be keeping up with what’s going on back home.

On Friday morning — the day after winning her second gold medal of these Olympics and the day before the first of her three remaining opportunities to add to her 2024 medal count — Biles took to X to take an apparent dig at former President Trump, the current Republican presidential nominee.

“I love my black job,” Biles wrote.

Here’s the backstory.

Advertisement

While discussing immigration during his June 27 debate with President Biden, Trump said that migrants are “taking Black jobs now.”

He made a similar comment this week onstage at the annual convention of the National Assn. of Black Journalists in Chicago. “I will tell you that coming from the border are millions and millions of people that happen to be taking Black jobs,” Trump said.

Asked to define a “Black job,” Trump responded: “A Black job is anybody that has a job. That’s what it is, anybody that has a job. They’re taking the employment away from Black people. … The Black population is affected most by that.”

On Thursday, Ricky Davila — who describes himself in his X bio as a “Singer-Songwriter. Foodie. Political junkie” and whose feed features numerous comments critical of Trump — posted two photos of Biles with the women’s all-around gold medal she won that day.

“Simone Biles being the GOAT, winning Gold medals and dominating gymnastics is her black job,” Davila wrote in the post.

Advertisement

The next day, Biles reposted Davila’s post, along with her own comment about her “Black job.”

Soon after, Lakers superstar LeBron James reposted Biles’ post and called her the Black GOAT.

Continue Reading

Trending