95.7 & 1400 WSJM Sports @wsjmsports wsjmsports.com Tuesday, January 09, 2018
NCAAFB – College Football – College Football National Championship
Last Night
CFP National Championship – Mercedez-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA
(4) Alabama 26, (3) Georgia 23 – OT
Alabama 26, Georgia 23 – OT – Walk-off: Alabama beats Georgia in OT for national title
Tua Tagovailoa threw a 41-yard touchdown to DeVonta Smith to give No. 4 Alabama a 26-23 overtime victory against No. 3 Georgia to win the College Football Playoff national championship Monday night. Tagovailoa entered the game at halftime, replacing a struggling Jalen Hurts, and threw three touchdown passes, including the game-ender to give the Crimson Tide its fifth national championship since 2009 under coach Nick Saban. After Alabama kicker Andy Pappanastos missed a 37-yard field goal that would have won it for the Tide (13-1) in the final seconds of regulation, Georgia (13-2) took the lead with a 51-yard field goal from Rodrigo Blankenship in overtime. Tagovailoa took a terrible sack on Alabama’s first play, losing 16 yards. On the next play he found Smith, another freshman, streaking down the sideline and hit him in stride for the championship.
NCAA Football – Michigan hires Enos to join offensive staff
Michigan has hired former Central Michigan football coach Dan Enos to join its offensive coaching staff. The school announced the move Monday, saying the position group Enos will coach has yet to be finalized. Enos spent five seasons as CMU’s coach (2010-14) and was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Arkansas for the past three years. Before his stint at CMU, he was an offensive coach for four seasons at Michigan State, his alma mater.
NFL – Chicago Bears hire Chiefs assistant Matt Nagy as coach
The Chicago Bears have selected a head coach after going 14-34 in three seasons under John Fox. The Bears have hired Matt Nagy, who spent last season as the Chiefs’ offensive coordinator and has been working under head coach Andy Reid for the past 10 years at Philadelphia and Kansas City. Nagy has received praise for his mentoring of Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith and will have the task of developing Mitchell Trubisky in Chicago. Fox had a .292 winning percentage that ranks second-lowest in Bears history.
NFL – NFL, NFLPA to review how Panthers handled hit
The NFL and NFL Players Association plan to conduct a joint review to determine if the Carolina Panthers followed the correct concussion protocol with quarterback Cam Newton in their 31-26 playoff loss to the New Orleans Saints on Sunday. If the concussion protocol was not properly followed the team is subject to discipline, including a $150,000 fine. Panthers interim general manager Marty Hurney said the medical staff “did everything the right way” when it came to handling Newton’s injury. Newton took a shot to the head area from Saints defensive tackle David Onyemata midway through the fourth quarter. Newton took a knee as he walked toward the sideline and pointed toward his right eye. He sat out one play, but returned on the next series and finished the game.
NFL – Pink to sing national anthem at Super Bowl
Pink is heading to the Super Bowl to sing the national anthem. The NFL announced Monday that the pop star will perform “The Star-Spangled Banner” before the game on Feb. 4 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. Justin Timberlake is set to headline the halftime show. The Super Bowl will air live on NBC. Pink released her seventh studio album, “Beautiful Trauma,” in October. Its lead single, “What About Us,” is nominated for a Grammy this month. The Grammy- and Emmy-winning singer’s hits include “So What,” “Get the Party Started” and “Just Give Me a Reason.”
NCAA – Villanova returns to the top of the men’s poll, UConn still a unanimous No. 1
The Associated Press men’s basketball poll has a new look after four of the top-5 teams lost last week. The upsets benefited Villanova, which is back atop the poll after falling from first to third last week. West Virginia vaulted from fifth to second. Virginia moved up five slots to third and is followed by previous No. 1 Michigan State. Purdue and Wichita State are tied for fifth. Meanwhile, Connecticut remains the unanimous No. 1 team in the AP women’s poll. Notre Dame, Louisville, Mississippi State and Baylor fill out the top five.
NCAAMBB – Men’s College Basketball
Tonight
Central Michigan at Eastern Michigan, 7:00 p.m.
Western Michigan at Toledo, 7:00 p.m.
(5) Purdue at Michigan, 9:00 p.m. 95.7 & 1400 WSJM Sports (after HS Basketball)
NHL – National Hockey League
Tonight
Chicago Blackhawks at Ottawa Senators, 7:30 p.m.
NBA – National Basketball Association
Last Night
Indiana Pacers 109, Milwaukee Bucks 96
New Orleans Pelicans 112, Detroit Pistons 109
Houston Rockets 116, Chicago Bulls 107
Pacers 109, Bucks 96 – Pacers change directions by rolling past Bucks 109-96
Domantas Sabonis had 17 points and 10 rebounds Monday night and three of his teammates each scored 15 to lead the Indiana Pacers to a 109-96 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks. Indiana has won two straight since a five-game losing streak. Victor Oladipo, Thaddeus Young and Myles Turner all scored 15 points. The Bucks were led by Khris Middleton with 19 points and Giannis Antetokoumpo with 17. It was a complete reversal from the Bucks’ 21-point victory over Indiana last week. This time, the Pacers dominated most of the final 42 minutes by creating turnovers and forcing Milwaukee into bad shots after hitting 18 of their first 25 attempts. Indiana broke it open by scoring 20 straight points in the first quarter to turn a 15-14 game into a blowout. The Pacers finished the period on a 22-2 spurt to make it 37-16.
Pelicans 112, Pistons 109 – After Davis’ injury, Cousins lifts Pelicans past Pistons
DeMarcus Cousins scored 16 of his 20 points after Anthony Davis left with an ankle injury in the third quarter, and the New Orleans Pelicans held off the Detroit Pistons 112-109 on Monday night. Rajon Rondo capped a 12-point, 15-assist performance with two transition layups in the last 1:21 to help secure a victory the Pelicans needed to restore morale after a listless blowout loss in Minnesota over the weekend. Davis dominated before he left with 4:41 remaining in the third, scoring 30 points and grabbing 10 rebounds in 27 minutes. He walked to the locker room, favoring his right ankle, and never returned. Cousins, who also had 10 rebounds, picked up the slack, and E’Twaun Moore finished with 23 points. Tobias Harris scored 25 points and Avery Bradley had 24 for the Pistons, who’ve lost three of four. Andre Drummond, who missed two of Detroit’s previous three games, had 16 points and 14 rebounds.
Rockets 116, Bulls 107 – Gordon, Paul lead way as Rockets beat Bulls 116-107
Eric Gordon and Chris Paul each had 24 points and nine assists, Gerald Green scored 22 and the Houston Rockets beat the Chicago Bulls 116-107 on Monday night. Trevor Ariza hit six 3-pointers and scored 18 to go with nine rebounds. Clint Capela added 15 points and 16 rebounds, and the Rockets won for the third time in 10 games despite blowing a 21-point lead. Bobby Portis led the Bulls with 22 points. Denzel Valentine and Kris Dunn each scored 19, but Chicago lost for the fifth time in six games. NBA scoring leader James Harden missing his fourth consecutive game
because of a strained hamstring.
AHL – American Hockey League
Last Night
Grand Rapids Griffins 3, Manitoba Moose 2 – OT
MCCAA – Junior College Basketball
Last Night
Kellogg Community College at Lake Michigan College – Men and Women, PPD
The basketball doubleheader between Lake Michigan College and Kellogg Community College was postponed because of a water main break at the LMC Napier Campus.
MHSAA – Michigan group: No constitutional right to play prep sports
The group that oversees Michigan high school sports is firing back in response to a lawsuit filed by a star basketball player who has been benched. The Michigan High School Athletic Association says there’s no constitutional right to play sports. In a court filing Monday, the association says Thomas Kithier’s claim of emotional distress “does not pass the laugh test.” Kithier has been barred from playing for defending champion Clarkston after transferring from Dakota for his senior year. The MHSAA says he’s ineligible because the transfer was motivated by sports and a desire to play with a former AAU teammate. Kithier insists he transferred because of academics. A federal judge is holding a hearing on Thursday. Kithier plans to play basketball next fall at Michigan State.
MHSAA – High School Sports
Tonight
Boys Basketball
SMAC
St. Joseph at Gull Lake, 7:15 p.m.
Lakeshore at Kalamazoo Loy Norrix, 7:15 p.m.
Niles at Mattawan, 7:15 p.m.
Battle Creek Lakeview at Portage Central, 7:15 p.m.
Portage Northern at Kalamazoo Central, 7:15 p.m.
Wolverine
South Haven at Dowagiac, 7:15 p.m. COSY-FM
Allegan at Three Rivers, 7:15 p.m.
Otsego at Edwardsburg, 7:15 p.m.
Paw Paw at Sturgis, 7:15 p.m.
Plainwell at Vicksburg, 7:15 p.m.
BCS
River Valley at Lake Mich Cath., 7:30 p.m. WSJM Sports
New Buffalo at Countryside, 7:30 p.m.
Michigan Lutheran at Covert, 7:30 p.m.
Delton-Kellogg at Parchment, 7:00 p.m.
Kalamazoo Hackett at Comstock, 7:15 p.m.
Kalamazoo Christian at Brandywine, 7:00 p.m.
Schoolcraft at Berrien Springs, 7:00 p.m.
Buchanan at New Prairie (IN), 7:00 p.m.
Non-Conference
West Michigan Aviation Academy at Martin, 7:00 p.m.
SAC
Watervliet at Coloma, 7:00 p.m.
Gobles at Constantine, 7:00 p.m.
Saugatuck at Lawrence, 7:00 p.m.
Southwest 10
Eau Claire at Centreville, 7:30 p.m.
Hartford at Cassopolis, 7:30 p.m.
Bangor at Marcellus, 7:30 p.m.
Decatur at Mendon, 7:30 p.m.
White Pigeon at Bloomingdale, 7:30 p.m.
Girls Basketball
SMAC
Gull lake at St. Joseph, 7:15 p.m.
Kalamazoo Loy Norrix at Lakeshore, 7:15 p.m.
Mattawan at Niles, 7:15 p.m.
Portage Central at Battle Creek Lakeview, 7:15 p.m.
Kalamazoo Central at Portage Northern, 7:15 p.m.
Wolverine Conference
Dowagiac at South Haven, 7:15 p.m.
Three Rivers at Allegan, 7:15 p.m.
Edwardsburg at Otsego, 7:15 p.m.
Sturgis at Paw Paw, 7:15 p.m.
Vicksburg at Plainwell, 7:15 p.m.
BCS
Andrews Academy at Watervliet Grace, 6:00 p.m.
New Buffalo at Countyside, 6:00 p.m.
Michigan Lutheran at Covert, 6:00 p.m.
Parchment at Delton-Kellogg, 7:00 p.m.
Comstock at Kalamazoo Hackett, 7:00 p.m.
Kalamazoo Christian at Brandywine, 5:30 p.m.
Non-Conference
West Michigan Aviation Academy at Martin, 5:30 p.m.
SB Washington (IN) at Benton Harbor, 7:15 p.m.
Bridgman at Fennville, 7:00 p.m.
SAC
Watervliet at Coloma, 5:30 p.m.
Gobles at Constantine, 5:30 p.m.
Saugatuck at Lawrence, 5:30 p.m.
Southwest 10
Centreville at Eau Claire, 6:00 p.m.
Cassopolis at Hartford, 7:30 p.m.
Marcellus at Bangor, 7:30 p.m.
Decatur at Mendon, 6:00 p.m.
Bloomingdale at White Pigeon, 7:30 p.m.
