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Brian Bruce's Sports Trivia!

Today's Question:  Which former IHCC basketball star now plays for Marquette University?

Answer to Previous Question:  Former Iowa Hawkeye great Shonn Greene is now the starting tailback for the New York Jets.  The Jets released productive veteran RB Thomas Jones earlier this month.

Email your answer to Brian at sports@ottumwaradio.com

 

High School

ON TAP TONIGHT- 03/11/10

BOYS CLASS 3A STATE BASKETBALL-  03/11/10:

STATE SEMIFINAL-  WELLS FARGO ARENA-  DES MOINES, IOWA:

 

6:35 PM-  #1 Mount Pleasant (22-1) vs. Pella (21-3)

***Winner moves to 3A State Championship on Saturday, 03/13/10, at 6:05 PM***

 

 

College

Lindsey Evans signs with IHCC softball

SOFTBALL-  03/09/10:

Ottumwa, IA-  Ottumwa High School senior Lindsey Evans has signed a letter of intent to attend Indian Hills Community College and play softball for the Warriors.

In her junior season last summer, Evans led the Bulldogs in batting average (.395), RBIs (24), doubles (12) and slugging percentage (.521) and tied for first in hits (47).  She was a first-team catcher on the CIML Metro All-Conference squad.

 

Indian Hills coach Jim Overturf looks forward to having Evans with his team this fall.  “Lindsey has a lot of versatility,” said Overturf.  “She will do some catching and also play the outfield for us.  I like the fact that she is a very aggressive hitter.  Lindsey comes from a very strong high school program and it’s great that she will be able to continue her softball career at Indian Hills.”

 

Evans is the sixth recruit for 2010 signed by Overturf.  The others are pitcher Hannah Washburn and outfielder Autumn Bowen, both from Keokuk; Burlington HS pitcher Ali Martin; Cortney Wood, an infielder from Alburnett; and Jenna Wolfe, an outfielder from Dallas Center-Grimes.

 

 

No. 12 Butler win Horizon League title, back in Big Dance

MEN'S BASKETBALL-  03/09/10:

Matt Howard and Shelvin Mack each scored 14 points, as the 12th-ranked Butler Bulldogs won their 20th straight game and officially punched their ticket to the NCAA Tournament with a 70-45 victory over Wright State in the Horizon League Tournament championship game.  Howard also pulled down nine rebounds for the Bulldogs (28-4), who were appearing in their fifth straight conference championship game.  The win gave Butler its sixth Horizon League title.

 

 

UNI's Ben Jacobson named a finalist for two major coaching awards

University of Northern Iowa head men's basketball coach Ben Jacobson has been named as a finalist for the 2010 Jim Phelan National Coach of the Year Award as well as a finalist for the 2010 Hugh Durham Mid-Major Coach of the Year Award.

BOSTON (MA) -- The fifteen finalists for the 2010 Jim Phelan National Coach of the Year Award were announced on Monday.

Last year's winner, John Calipari (Kentucky), and this year's mid-season honoree, Frank Martin (Kansas State) are among the finalists. Calipari would become the first coach to win the honor multiple times since the inception of the Phelan Award in 2002-03.

Joining Calipari with an opportunity to become the first multiple winner of the award is fellow finalist Bo Ryan (Wisconsin), who was previously honored at the conclusion of the 2007-08 season.

Among the fifteen finalists are three from mid-major conferences: Cornell's Steven Donahue (Ivy), Northern Iowa's Ben Jacobson (Missouri Valley) and Butler's Brad Stevens (Horizon).

The remaining finalists are Steve Alford (New Mexico), Jim Boeheim (Syracuse), Jamie Dixon (Pittsburgh), Fran Dunphy (Temple), Chris Mooney (Richmond), Matt Painter (Purdue), Bill Self (Kansas), Mark Turgeon (Texas A&M) and Jay Wright (Villanova)

The Jim Phelan Award is given annually to the nation's top coach, as voted on by the 20-member panel. The winner will be presented with the award at the Final Four in Indianapolis.

Prior to 2003 the award was known simply as the CollegeInsider.com National Coach of the Year. It was renamed to honor longtime Mount St. Mary's head coach Jim Phelan, who retired with 830 career wins following the 2002-03 season.

Previous winners were Calipari (Memphis, 2009), Ryan (Wisconsin, 2008), Tony Bennett (Washington State, 2007), Ben Howland (UCLA, 2006), Tubby Smith (Kentucky, 2005), Phil Martelli (St. Joseph's, 2004) and Mark Slonaker (Mercer, 2003).

 

 

Professional

Chiefs sign RB Thomas Jones

NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE-  03/09/10:

ARROWHEAD STADIUM:

 

Kansas City, MO-  The Kansas City Chiefs announced the signing of free agent running back Thomas Jones on Tuesday.  Terms of the signing were not released.  Jones was released after three productive seasons with the New York Jets upon the opening of free agency last week.  The 31-year-old ran for a career-high 1,402 yards in 2009 and established a franchise record with 14 rushing touchdowns, after setting that mark in 2008 with 13 rushing touchdowns.

 

 

Kobe plays the role of hero, again

NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION-  03/09/10:

Kobe Bryant played the role of hero again, draining the winning jumper from the right baseline with 1.9 seconds left, and the Los Angeles Lakers snapped a three-game losing streak with a 109-107 victory over the Toronto Raptors.  Bryant, who missed a potential game-winning three-pointer at the end of regulation in a 106-105 loss in Toronto on January 24th, scored 32 points, dished out six assists, and had six rebounds.

 

ELSEWHERE IN THE NBA:

 

Indiana Pacers- 107
Philadelphia 76ers- 96   FINAL

Milwaukee Bucks- 86
Boston Celtics- 84   FINAL

Utah Jazz- 132
Chicago Bulls- 108   FINAL

Houston Rockets- 96
Washington Wizards- 88   FINAL

Orlando Magic- 113
Los Angeles Clippers- 87   FINAL

Charlotte Bobcats- 83
Miami Heat- 78   FINAL

Portland Trail Blazers- 88
Sacramento Kings- 81   FINAL

 

 

Nomar Garciaparra retires

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL-  03/10/10:

FENWAY PARK:

 

Boston, MA-  The Boston Red Sox held a news conference this morning, during which infielder Nomar Garciaparra announced his retirement.  According to a Boston sports talk station, Garciaparra signed a one-day minor league contract with the Red Sox.  He will now become a baseball analyst for ESPN.

A six-time All-Star, Garciaparra was the AL Rookie of the Year in 1997 with Boston.  He also won a pair of AL batting titles (1999, 2000) with the Red Sox before he was dealt to the Chicago Cubs at the 2004 trade deadline.  Over the course of his 14-year career, Garciaparra hit .313 with 229 home runs, 936 RBI, and a .521 slugging percentage.

 

 

Twins closer Joe Nathan has ligament tear in pitching elbow

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL-  03/10/10:

Minneapolis, MN-  Minnesota Twins closer Joe Nathan has a "significant" ligament tear in his right elbow.  Nathan left a spring training game on Saturday and went back to Minneapolis for tests, which revealed damage to the ulnar collateral ligament.  The Twins said the veteran reliever will rest the elbow for two weeks to allow swelling in the area to subside.  He will then try to strengthen the elbow before trying to pitch.  If rehabilitation does not work, sugery will likely be necessary.

Nathan faced one batter Saturday (3/6) in a spring training game against Boston and left the mound after experiencing tightness in the elbow.  The 35-year-old right-hander is coming off a franchise-record 47-save season in 2009.