95.7 & 1400 WSJM Sports @wsjmsports wsjmsports.com Monday, January 22, 2018
NFL – National Football League Playoffs – Championship Weekend
Yesterday
AFC: New England Patriots 24, Jacksonville Jaguars 20
NFC: Philadelphia Eagles 38, Minnesota Vikings 7
Patriots 24, Jaguars 20 – Pats returning to Super Bowl… again
The New England Patriots are heading back to the Super Bowl for the eighth time since Tom Brady took over as quarterback during the 2001 season. And the Philadelphia Eagles have ridden their backup quarterback to their first Super Bowl appearance since 2005. Brady hooked up with Danny Amendola for a four-yard touchdown pass with 2:48 remaining to complete the Pats’ comeback in a 24-20 win over the Jaguars in the AFC championship game at Foxborough. The 40-year-old Brady was 26 of 38 for 290 yards and two touchdowns despite suffering a right hand injury during practice last week. Jacksonville enjoyed a 20-10 lead until Amendola grabbed a nine-yard scoring strike from Brady with 8:44 remaining. Amendola caught seven passes for 84 yards, while Brandin Cooks had six receptions for 100 yards. The Jaguars threatened to turn the game into a rout after Mercedes Lewis and Leonard Fournette scored touchdowns about seven minutes apart in the second quarter, putting Jacksonville ahead 14-3. New England didn’t reach the end zone until James White scored on a one-yard run late in the first half following a pair of penalties called on the Jaguars. Blake Bortles was 23 of 36 for 293 yards and a touchdown for Jacksonville, which controlled the ball for over 35 minutes.
Eagles 38, Vikings 7 – Eagles blast Vikings to reach Super Bowl
Nick Foles came up big in the NFC Championship Game as the Eagles rolled to a 38-7 win over the Minnesota Vikings. Foles missed on just seven passes as he was 26 of 33 for 352 yards and three touchdowns. Alshon Jeffrey grabbed scoring passes of 53 and five yards from Foles, who also hit Torrey Smith for a 41-yard score. LaGarrette Blount ran for an 11-yard touchdown and Jay Ajayi (ah-JY’-ee) finished with 73 yards on 18 carries to help the Eagles control the ball for 34 minutes. Foles was at his best on third downs, completing 10 of 11 for 159 yards and two TDs. Minnesota actually took the lead on their opening possession as Case Keenum threw a 25-yard TD pass to Kyle Rudolph, However, Patrick Robinson ignited the Eagles with a 50-yard interception return for a touchdown later in the first quarter. Keenum was picked off twice while completing 28 of 48 for 271 yards.
Sunday 1/28
Pro Bowl – Camping World Stadium, Orlando, FL
AFC vs. NFC, 2:50 p.m.
Sunday 2/4
Super Bowl LII – US Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, MN
New England Patriots vs. Philadelphia Eagles, 6:30 p.m.
NFL – Eagles fans take to streets to celebrate after team’s win
Thousands of Philadelphia Eagles fans have taken to the streets to celebrate following their team’s 38-7 win over the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC championship game. The Eagles will be playing in their first Super Bowl since they lost to this year’s AFC champions the New England Patriots in 2005. After the game, huge crowds gathered in neighborhoods around the city. There were no immediate reports of any problems. Earlier in the day, workers who jokingly called themselves the “Crisco Cops” greased light poles to prevent fans from climbing them. During the fourth quarter, Philadelphia police posted an image of Crisco on Twitter. While urging fans to celebrate responsibly, they wrote, “Now comes the time in the night where we must warn everyone about the dangers of Saturated Fats.”
NFL – Watt, Olsen, Watson NFL Man of Year finalists
J.J. Watt, Greg Olsen and Benjamin Watson are finalists for the NFL’s Walter Payton Man of the Year award. The honor recognizes a player’s contribution in his community and to society in general. The winner will be revealed on Feb. 3 at NFL Honors, when The Associated Press announces its individual NFL awards.
NCAAMBB – Men’s College Basketball
Yesterday
(23) Michigan 62, Rutgers 47
(23) Michigan 62, Rutgers 47 – No. 23 Michigan rebounds with 62-47 win over Rutgers
Moe Wagner scored 16 points and Duncan Robinson added 12 to lift No. 23 Michigan to a 62-47 victory over Rutgers on Sunday. The Wolverines (17-5, 6-3 Big Ten) rebounded from a 20-point loss at Nebraska on Thursday, taking the lead for good with a 13-0 run in the first half. Both teams shot well under 50 percent from the field, but this Michigan team is more capable of winning with defense than in the past. Corey Sanders scored 12 point for Rutgers, and Deshawn Freeman added 11 points and 11 rebounds. Freeman also had the only assist of the game for Rutgers, which finished with 13 turnovers. Robinson came in shooting only 36 percent from 3-point range on the season after finishing over 40 percent in his first two seasons with the Wolverines. He went 4 of 8 from beyond the arc Sunday, playing crucial first-half minutes after Isaiah Livers was called for two quick fouls. Zavier Simpson had 10 points, eight rebounds and four assists for Michigan, and Charles Matthews added 10 points.
Tonight
(9) Michigan State at Illinois, 9:00 p.m. Superhits 103.7 COSY-FM 8:00
NCAAWBB – Women’s College Basketball
Yesterday
(5) Notre Dame 90, Clemson 37
(5) Notre Dame 90, Clemson 37 – No. 5 Notre Dame women rout Clemson 90-37
Arike Ogunbowale and Jackie Young each scored 23 points as No. 5 Notre Dame shot 62 percent Sunday in routing Clemson 90-37. Fresh off their biggest comeback ever, rallying from a 23-point deficit to beat No. 6 Tennessee 84-70 on Thursday, the Irish never were in trouble. Ogunbowale hit 9 of 14 shots and had five assists. Jessica Shepard added 17 points on 8-for-9 shooting and Kathryn Westbeld had 14 points for Notre Dame (18-2, 6-1 Atlantic Coast Conference). Kobi Thornton had 16 points and 10 rebounds for Clemson (11-9, 1-6 ACC). The Tigers shot 26 percent (15 of 58). The Irish made 12 of 17 in the first quarter while taking a 28-13 lead. They led 48-21 at halftime and took a 75-34 lead into the final quarter.
NBA – National Basketball Association
Yesterday
Brooklyn Nets 101, Detroit Pistons 100
Indiana Pacers 94, San Antonio Spurs 86
Nets 101, Pistons 100 – Dinwiddie basket in last second, Nets beat Pistons 101-100
Spencer Dinwiddie’s jumper with 0.9 seconds left lifted the Brooklyn Nets over Detroit 101-100 Sunday, the Pistons’ fifth straight loss. After a basket by Andre Drummond put the Pistons ahead with 4.7 seconds left, Dinwiddie took the inbounds pass, drove to 14 feet and drained a jumper against his former teammates. Caris LeVert split a pair of free throws with 13.7 seconds left, giving the Nets a 99-98 edge. It was the second time he missed a free throw in the final 42 seconds. Langston Galloway misplayed the ensuing inbounds pass, but was able to knock the ball to Drummond. Detroit’s center nearly traveled in a rare drive from outside the 3-point arc, and flipped in a go-ahead shot. Dinwiddie finished with 22 points. Tobias Harris led the Pistons with 20.
Pacers 94, Spurs 86 – Oladipo’s 19 leads Pacers, snapping Spurs’ home streak
Victor Oladipo scored 19 points and the Indiana Pacers defeated San Antonio 94-86 on Sunday night, snapping the Spurs’ 14-game home winning streak. Darren Collison added 15 points for Indiana, which snapped a three-game losing streak in San Antonio. The Spurs lost at home for the third time this season and the first since Nov. 10 against Milwaukee. Pau Gasol had 14 points to lead San Antonio.
Tonight
Chicago Bulls at New Orleans Pelicans, 8:00 p.m.
NHL – National Hockey League
Tonight
Detroit Red Wings at New Jersey Devils, 7:00 p.m.
Tampa Bay Lightning at Chicago Blackhawks, 8:30 p.m.
USA Hockey – US hockey GM dies unexpectedly at Colorado Springs home
The general manager of the U.S. Olympic men’s hockey team has died, 2 1/2 weeks before the start of the Winter Games in South Korea. USA Hockey says Jim Johannson died in his sleep Sunday morning at age 53. Johansson began working for USA Hockey in 2000 after spending five years as the general manager of the Twin Cities Vulcans in the United States Hockey League.
Tennis – Keys reaches quarters
Madison Keys has played her way into Australian Open quarterfinals. The No. 17 seed cruised to a 6-3, 6-2 win over eighth-seeded Caroline Garcia. Keys is yet to drop a set at Melbourne Park and is averaging a brisk 62.5 minutes per match as she tries to reach a second straight Grand Slam final.
Golf – Rahm wins at La Quinta
John Rahm birdied the fourth playoff hole to beat Andrew Landry and capture the CareerBuilder Challenge at La Quinta, California. Rahm closed with a 5-under 67, but Landry forced a playoff with an 11-foot birdie putt on 18 for a 68. Rahm and Landry were 22 under, two strokes ahead of Adam Hadwin, John Huh and Martin Piller. The 23-year-old Rahm will jump from third to second in the world ranking behind Dustin Johnson.
MLB – Slow progress on pace of play
Major League players apparently aren’t very interested in speeding up baseball’s pace of play. A person familiar with the decision tells The Associated Press the players’ association has rejected Major League Baseball’s proposal to institute 20-second pitch clocks and limits on mound visits. The person says union head Tony Clark and deputy general counsel Matt Nussbaum informed MLB of the decision Thursday during a telephone call to deputy commissioner Dan Halem. Under baseball’s labor contract, management can change on-field rules on its own with one season of advance notice. MLB does not intend to make any decision before its next owners’ meetings begins on Jan. 30. Club owners and executives have grown concerned about pace of play. Nine-inning games averaged a record 3 hours, 5 minutes during the 2017 regular season and 3:29 during the postseason.
Sports doctor back in court to hear from assault victims
More young women and girls who say they were assaulted by a Michigan sports doctor are due in court for a fifth day of victim statements before he gets his sentence. Larry Nassar sat in the witness chair last week so more than 80 women and girls could look at him and describe the impact of being assaulted by him. Nassar molested them with his hands. He was a doctor at Michigan State University and at USA Gymnastics, which trains Olympians. The hearing is resuming Monday in Lansing, Michigan.
MHSAA – High School Sports
Yesterday
Ice Hockey
Northview (OH) 7, Lakeshore/St. Joseph 1
Tonight
Boys Basketball
Lake Michigan Catholic at River Valley, 7:30 p.m. 95.7 & 1400 WSJM Sports
Comstock at Constantine, 7:00 p.m.
Holland Calvary at Howardsville Christian, 7:30 p.m.
Girls Basketball
Berrien Springs at St. Joseph, 7:00 p.m.
Lakeland (IN) at Sturgis, 7:15 p.m.
Holland Calvary at Howardsville Christian, 4:30 p.m.
