January 31, 2021 6:50 am
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — John Harrar managed an awkward smile and quick laugh after pulling himself up from the baseline where he had just been denied – by the rim – a highlight-reel dunk on an otherwise career-best day. The missed wide-open slam aside, Harrar did plenty otherwise to help Penn State snap a decade-long skid against Wisconsin with an 81-71 win over the No. 14 Badgers on Saturday. Harrar scored 14 of his career-high 17 in the second half and the Nittany Lions, who trailed 34-41 at halftime, led for all but 1:16 of the final 20 minutes. Myreon Jones scored 20 points and Izaiah Brockington added 18 Nittany Lions (6-7, 3-6 Big Ten), who had lost 13 straight against Wisconsin — including eight at home. Penn State’s first win in the series since 2011 came after Jones sparked the offense with back-to-back baskets to open the second. Brockington and Harrar helped them steadily increase the margin.
January 31, 2021 6:49 am
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Colin Castleton led the way for Florida in the second half — on offense and defense. Castleton scored 15 of his 21 points after halftime, and the Gators beat No. 11 West Virginia 85-80 on Saturday in the Big 12-SEC Challenge. Castleton also led the defensive effort on West Virginia’s Derek Culver after he scored 21 in the first half. Culver finished with a career-high 28, but was bottled up late in the game and took fewer trips to the free-throw line. Culver made 7 of 11 field goals and 14 of 17 free throws. He also had 12 rebounds. The Gators went ahead to stay on Scottie Lewis’ tiebreaking 3-pointer with 4:05 remaining. Castleton followed with a three-point play, and he made two free throws to put the Gators up 83-80 with 1:36 remaining. Castleton was called for an offensive foul with 59 seconds left, but West Virginia committed a shot-clock violation on the ensuing possession. Appleby made two free throws with 28 seconds left for the final margin. Sean McNeil added 21 points and Taz Sherman scored 11 for the Mountaineers. Leading scorer Miles McBride, who had 24 points in an 88-87 win over No. 11 Texas Tech on Monday night, was held to nine.
January 31, 2021 6:51 am
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Detroit Lions are trading quarterback Matthew Stafford to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for quarterback Jared Goff, two future first-round draft picks and a third-round pick, a person with knowledge of the deal tells The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity Saturday night because the deal has not been completed and will not become official until the start of the new league year March 17. ESPN first reported the swap, which will include the Rams’ first-round picks in 2022 and 2023 along with their third-round pick this year. The blockbuster trade of two former No. 1 overall draft picks will provide a fresh start for two durable starting quarterbacks who probably need a change of scenery. Stafford asked to be traded shortly after the current season ended with the Lions’ third straight campaign with at least 10 losses. He has been one of the NFL’s most prolific passers during his 12-year career spent entirely in Detroit, but has never won a playoff game. Meanwhile, the Rams’ coaching staff and front office have publicly expressed a clear loss of confidence in Goff in recent weeks, even after Los Angeles earned its third playoff berth and posted its fourth straight winning record during Goff’s four years under coach Sean McVay. Goff also led the Rams to the Super Bowl after the 2018 season.
January 30, 2021 7:21 am
The 54th PowerADE Wrestling Classic continues Saturday at the Monroeville Convention Center and on WJPA-AM. The event is about one month later than normal and moved from its recent home at Canon-McMillan due to COVID-19 gathering restrictions. Today’s action includes quarterfinals, semifinals, several rounds of consolation elimination bouts and the finals. The start time for Saturday’s action is now set for 9:50 am with the finals to begin at 5:20 pm. We’ll have live coverage all day long on WJPA-AM (1450) and online here.
January 30, 2021 4:40 am
(AP)-The NFL expanded the Rooney Rule to give more minority candidates opportunities to become a head coach and reward teams who develop them. More interviews didn’t equal more hirings this offseason. According to an analysis of candidates known to have interviewed for seven head coach openings this month, 11 were minorities and 16 were white. Only two of the seven jobs went to minorities. Some consider it progress but most agree there’s a long way to go.
January 30, 2021 4:37 am
PHILADELPHIA (AP) – John Chaney, one of the nation’s leading coaches during a Hall of Fame career at Temple, has died. He was 89. The university said he died Friday after a short, unspecified illness. Chaney was a commanding figure on the court and admired as much for his mentoring of players as for the team’s success. He became a de facto father to dozens of his players, many coming from broken homes. Chaney led Temple to 17 NCAA Tournament appearances over 24 seasons, including five NCAA regional finals. He had 741 wins and was twice named national coach of the year.
January 30, 2021 2:03 am
Wrestling teams have one week to complete their section matches. This year’s team tournaments will only include the top two teams in each sub-section, then only the top two advance to the WPIAL Team Tournament. Several weeks ago, PIAA announced that only District champions would qualify for their team tournament which has been moved to after the individual championships.
For some area teams like McGuffey, the pending district deadline means a flurry of mat activity is about to begin. The Highlanders were shutdown for nearly two weeks due to COVID-19 issues but now face four matches in six days to complete their Section 3 schedule. Defending WPIAL AA team champion Burrell just suspended wrestling activities due to COVID, pulling out of this weekend’s PowerADE tournament and postponing other action until at least Feb. 4. Triple-A Connellsville also pulled out of PowerADE and is on hold until Feb. 5. Connellsville has qualified for every WPIAL Team Tournament since its inception in 1979.
McGuffey edged Bentworth Friday (35-30), travels to West Greene Saturday, to Beth-Center Tuesday and hosts Frazier Wednesday. The match vs. Beth-Center will likely be for first place in Sub-Section 1B. In Sub-Section 1A, Burgettstown and Fort Cherry have clinched spots in the Section Team Championships set for Feb. 8. Burgettstown will host the Rangers and the top two from Sub-Section 1B.
In Triple-A, Waynesburg all but locked up the top spot in Sub-Section 4A with a convincing win over Canon-McMillan Wednesday night. Both are expected to qualify for the Section Team Championships when Waynesburg will host the Big Macs, Peters Township and likely Mt. Lebanon, the top two teams from Sub-Section 4B.
Team Tournaments
Monday, Feb. 8 Section Championships (only top two teams in each section advance)
Wednesday, Feb. 10 WPIAL AA & AAA Tournament Quarterfinals, Semifinals
Saturday, Feb. 13 WPIAL Tournament Championships (only winners advance to PIAA Team Tournaments)
Individual Tournaments
Feb. 16 WPIAL AA Sub-Section (top two advance)
Feb. 17 WPIAL AAA Sub-Section (Sections 1, 4) (top two advance)
Feb. 18 WPIAL AAA Sub-Section (Sections 2, 3) (top two advance)
Feb. 19 WPIAL AA Section Championships (top two advance)
Feb. 20 WPIAL AAA Section Championships (top two advance)
Feb. 20 WPIAL AA Championships (top three advance)
Feb. 27 WPIAL AAA Championships (top three advance)
Feb. 27 PIAA SW AA Regional (top five advance)
Mar. 6 PIAA AA Western Regional (top four advance)
Mar. 6 PIAA AAA Western Regional (top four advance)
Mar. 12 PIAA AA Championships
Mar. 13 PIAA AAA Championships
January 29, 2021 3:54 am
BOSTON (AP) – Patrice Bergeron scored twice and Chris Wagner and Sean Kuraly had one goal apiece to help Boston beat Pittsburgh 4-1. It was the Bruins’ fourth straight victory and second over the Penguins in three days. Jaroslav Halak stopped 16 shots for Boston. It was Bergeron’s fourth and fifth goals of the season and the first for Kuraly and Wagner. Cody Ceci scored and Tristan Jarry had 16 saves for the Penguins.
January 29, 2021 3:55 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – The Pittsburgh Steelers are open to having quarterback Ben Roethlisberger return next season if the math works out. Roethlisberger carries a $41 million salary cap hit for 2021, a number team president Art Rooney II says is too high. Rooney says the team has already approached Roethlisberger about finding a workaround that gives the team some financial flexibility in the offseason. Rooney praised Roethlisberger’s performance this season, saying he was “almost unstoppable” at times as Pittsburgh finished 12-4.
January 29, 2021 3:57 am
UNDATED (AP) – Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson has requested a trade, according to a person familiar with the move. Watson has a no-trade clause in his four-year, $156 million contract, so he could have some control over where he might be dealt. The same source who told The AP about the trade request said Watson made the ask before David Culley was hired as head coach on Wednesday. The Texans don’t want to part with the talented 25-year-old who led the NFL in yards passing this season. Watson has been unhappy with the direction of the team for some time.
