Head scratcher: the University of Washington won the Pac-12 regular season championship with a 14-4 record and didn’t receive an invitation to the NCAA tournament. When was the last time a champion from a conference like the Pac-12, Big Ten or ACC was excluded?
“I think if a team wins a major conference they’ve gotta be in the field of 68,” former Gophers coach Jim Dutcher said. “You know the game that knocked them out? South Dakota State went out there and beat them at Washington by about 20 points. (92-73). Ever since South Dakota State whipped them in the nonconference everybody just gave up on Washington. …”
There was speculation last summer about how effectively Timberwolves general manager David Kahn and new coach Rick Adelman would work together. “As far as I can see, it’s just excellent,” Wolves owner Glen Taylor told Sports Headliners. “There’s a good line of communication.”
Wolves forward Derrick Williams, 20, said there’s been no rookie wall for him and he’s “playing better than earlier in the season.” In two of his last three games Williams has scored 19 and 22 points (season average 8.8).
The NBA trade deadline is tomorrow. It seems obvious the Wolves want to move forward Michael Beasley but can’t find the right deal. Under Adelman, Beasley is no longer a starter and he’s seen his minutes reduced.
The Gophers, who play an opening National Invitation Tournament game in Philadelphia against LaSalle tonight on ESPN2, won the NIT in 1998 only to later have the title taken away because of the basketball program’s academic scandal. The Gophers also won the NIT in 1993. Minnesota is 18-11 in the tourney, the oldest in college basketball.
The St. Thomas women’s basketball team includes Carolyn Dienhart, a 5-6 senior guard, who is the daughter of former Gophers athletic director Mark Dienhart and now executive vice president and chief administrative officer at St. Thomas. The Tommies are in the Division III Final Four for the first time in 12 years and play Illinois Wesleyan on Friday in Holland, Michigan.
Hamline outfielder Andy King was the NCAA Division III Hitter off the Week last week. In four games against Wisconsin-Stout and Edgewood, he had nine hits in 12 at bats. The right-handed hitting senior from Fort Myers, Florida scored five runs and drove in 11 with four singles, a double, two triples and two home runs for a 1.667 slugging percentage.
NFL.com, SportingNews.com, Cbssports.com, Scouts. Inc. (ESPN.com) and SI.com all have the Vikings using the No. 3 pick in the first round of next month’s NFL draft to take USC left tackle Matt Kalil.
University of Minnesota president Eric Kaler told WCCO Radio’s Sports Huddle audience on Sunday he doesn’t plan to cut the school’s 25 intercollegiate sports to save money, but instead wants to improve athletic budgets by increasing overall revenues.
Star Tribune columnist and WCCO Radio personality Sid Hartman will be 92 tomorrow, March 15.
Gophers coach Jerry Kill said his players are reading the book Uncommon: Finding Your Path to Significance written by former Gophers quarterback and Super Bowl winning coach Tony Dungy.