MLB – Major League Baseball
Tonight
Chicago White Sox (Kopech 3-7) at Atlanta (Morton 9-6), 7:20 p.m.
Boston (Bello 6-5) at Chicago Cubs (Hendricks 3-3), 8:05 p.m.
Detroit (Rodriguez 4-5) at Seattle (Castillo 6-6), 10:10 p.m. News/Talk/Sports 94.9 WSJM 9:45
MLB – Cubs-Rangers highlight opening day matchups as MLB announces 2024 schedule
The Chicago Cubs will be at Texas in the only interleague matchup on Major League Baseball’s traditional opening day on March 28 in the second season of the balanced schedule. MLB released its 2024 schedule, seven weeks earlier than the 2023 announcement. All 30 teams are slated to play on March 28, a week after the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres meet in a two-game series at Seoul on March 20-21, MLB’s first regular-season games in South Korea. The Athletics host Cleveland in what could be their last opener in Oakland before an expected move to Las Vegas. The Detroit Tigers open up at the Chicago White Sox. Detroit then hosts Oakland the following week.
WNBA – Women’s National Basketball Association
Saturday
2023 WNBA All-Star Game, Michelob Ultra Arena, Las Vegas
Team Stewart vs. Team Wilson, 8:30 p.m.
NCAAFB – David Braun elevated to interim coach at Northwestern, AP source says
David Braun has been elevated from defensive coordinator to interim coach at Northwestern for the upcoming season, replacing Pat Fitzgerald, who was fired this week due to a hazing scandal. That’s according to a person familiar with the decision. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because Braun’s promotion to interim coach had not been announced. Braun was hired as the Wildcats’ defensive coordinator six months ago. He spent the previous four seasons in the same position at North Dakota State. Fitzgerald was fired Monday after a university investigation found allegations of hazing by 11 current or former players. He has maintained he was unaware of the hazing.
NCAABSB – Northwestern fires baseball coach Jim Foster amid misconduct allegations
Northwestern baseball coach Jim Foster has been fired amid allegations of misconduct, three days after football coach Pat Fitzgerald was dismissed because of a hazing scandal. Foster spent just one season as the Wildcats’ coach. The move was announced in a brief statement from athletic director Derrick Gragg. The Chicago Tribune and WSCR-AM reported this week that Foster led a toxic culture that prompted several assistant coaches to quit, and that his bullying and verbally abusive behavior prompted a human resources investigation by the university. Northwestern went 10-40 under Foster. Assistant Brian Anderson will take over as interim coach.
NCAA – Legal headaches could just be starting at Northwestern, WVU with Fitzgerald
The legal headaches could only be starting for ex-Northwestern football coach Pat Fitzgerald and West Virginia’s Bob Huggins. Fitzgerald was fired this week following hazing allegations in the program. He originally was suspended for two weeks before the school changed course. West Virginia considers Huggins to have resigned after a drunken-driving arrest last month. Huggins says he never formally stepped down and wants to keep coaching basketball. Industry experts are puzzled by what happened. Marty Greenberg is an attorney specializing in coaching contracts. He says if Fitzgerald and Huggins fight back, it would be in everyone’s best interests for a quick resolution.
NCAAMBB – March Madness expansion discussed by NCAA committee but no deal imminent
The NCAA Division I men’s basketball committee discussed possible expansion of March Madness at its meetings this week but said no moves were imminent to increase the field beyond the current 68 teams. Earlier this year, the NCAA Division I board of directors approved recommendations by the DI transformation committee that included allowing one quarter of teams in bigger sports to compete in championship events. That could mean expanding the fields in both men’s and women’s basketball up to 90 teams. There are many in the sport who believe the 68-team field and three weekends of play are ideal. In 2016, the NCAA signed an eight-year extension of its TV deal worth $8.8 billion and running through 2032.
NBASL – NBA Summer League – Las Vegas
Last Night
Cleveland Cavaliers 87, Chicago Bulls 83
Cavaliers 87, Bulls 83
Craig Porter scored 22 points, Isaiah Mobley had a double-double and Cleveland remained unbeaten in NBA Summer League play with a victory over Chicago. Porter added eight rebounds, six assists and three steals for the Cavaliers (4-0). Mobley finished with 18 points, 12 rebounds and four assists. Second-round pick Emoni Bates pitched in with 15 points and six boards. The Cavaliers trailed 80-73 with 5:50 left to play. Mobley hit a 3-pointer and added two free throws with 1:21 remaining to put Cleveland up 84-83. Porter added a three-point play with just under a minute to play to complete the scoring. Javon Freeman-Liberty had 18 points for the Bulls (2-2). Dalen Terry and second-round pick Julian Phillips scored 12 points apiece.
Tonight
Indiana Pacers vs. New York Knicks, 7:00 p.m. (at Thomas and Mack Center, Las Vegas)
Detroit Pistons vs. San Antonio Spurs, 9:00 p.m. (at Thomas and Mack Center, Las Vegas)
NHL – Coyotes cutting ties with Galchenyuk following arrest on multiple charges
The Arizona Coyotes have placed newly signed free agent forward Alex Galchenyuk on unconditional waivers and plan to terminate his contract following his arrest on multiple charges over the weekend. A Scottsdale Police Department spokesperson said Thursday that Galchenyuk was arrested Sunday on charges of private property hit and run, disorderly conduct, failure to obey, resisting arrest and threatening or intimidating. The spokesperson said the hit and run was only property damage and no injuries occurred. Galchenyuk was booked into the Scottsdale city jail on misdemeanor charges and released the next day on his own recognizance.
Tennis – Ons Jabeur is in a second consecutive Wimbledon final
Ons Jabeur has defeated Aryna Sabalenka 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-3 to reach the Wimbledon final for the second consecutive year. This will be the third title match for Jabeur in the past five Grand Slam tournaments. She is 0-2 so far after losing to Elena Rybakina at the All England Club last July and to Iga Swiatek at the U.S. Open last September. Sabalenka came into the match with a 17-1 record at majors in 2023. Jabeur’s opponent for the championship will be Marketa Vondrousova. Vondrousova became the first unseeded women’s finalist at Wimbledon since Billie Jean King in 1963 by eliminating Elina Svitolina 6-3, 6-3.
Golf – PGA Tour and Saudi wealth fund drop poaching clause from agreement
The PGA Tour deal with Saudi Arabia’s wealth fund is dropping a clause in their agreement over poaching. That’s after the Justice Department raised antitrust concerns. The agreement is for the PGA Tour, European tour and Public Investment Fund to become partners. A clause in the framework agreement was that neither side would try to poach players from other tours. The tour said Thursday that it believes the clause is lawful. But it says it has removed it because the clause isn’t needed as they work together in negotiating the final deal. No more players are likely to join LIV this season.
Golf – McIlroy says he’d retire if LIV Golf was the only place to play
Rory McIlroy is laughing off a Saudi-backed idea that he and Tiger Woods own LIV Golf teams. McIlroy says he would retire if LIV Golf was the only place left on earth to play though he’d still compete at the majors. Those are part of his first comments since the Senate hearing on the PGA Tour’s agreement to partner with Saudi Arabia’s national wealth fund. One of the documents Congress obtained contained a series of dreamy proposals for compromise. McIlroy has not hidden his disdain for the rival circuit funded by Saudi Arabia.
MWL – Midwest League Baseball
Last Night
No games last night
Tonight
Lansing Lugnuts at West Michigan Whitecaps, 6:35 p.m.
Fort Wayne Tin Caps at Great Lakes Loons, 7:05 p.m.
South Bend Cubs at Quad Cities River Bandits, 7:30 p.m.
