You don’t have to wait long for Reds spring training baseball this afternoon. Cincinnati got run over by the White Sox 14 to 1 last night, but look to rebound today, against the Giants. Frankie Montas will start on the mound for the Reds. Tommy Thrall has pregame Cactus League coverage on the way at 3:50 this afternoon, 15 minutes ahead of the first pitch, only on the Sports Voice, 103.9 FM, WRBI.
The madness of March men’s college basketball continues, with the UC Bearcats knocking off West Virginia for the second time in 4 days last night, but by a smaller margin of only 90 to 85. That advances Cincinnati in the Big 12 Conference tournament, so tonight the 11th-seeded Bearcats will take on the Number 6 Jayhawks of Kansas.
In Minneapolis, the 6th-seed Hoosiers will be watching closely tonight as Number 11 Penn State and 14th seed Michigan battle at the Big 10 tourney. IU faces the winner of that one tomorrow. The top-seeded Boilermakers of Purdue don’t play ‘til Friday, when they get the winner of tomorrow’s Michigan State-Minnesota game. Ohio State goes up against Iowa on Thursday as well.
The Big East tournament features a match this afternoon about as even as they get, when 9th-seed Xavier tips against Number 8 Butler, at 4:00.
NBA action last night saw the Pacers top the Thunder in Oklahoma City, 121 to 111. Tonight, the blue & gold are back home to host the Chicago Bulls.
The first look at Indiana high school baseball rankings came out Tuesday, on the first day teams could practice. In Class 3A, Batesville’s Bulldogs start out rated 9th going into the season. Of course we talked to senior Jack Grunkemeyer Monday on Coaches’ Corner about his plans to play in college for Northwestern… but also remember the post-high school plans announced last September by another Bulldog. Senior left-handed pitcher Will Jaisle will be taking his skills to South Bend next year, to throw for Notre Dame.
In case you missed the big NFL move Tuesday, the Bengals reached a deal just before they planned to cut him, to instead trade veteran running back Joe Mixon to the Houston Texans. Great deal for the Texans, since Joe will start right away, after his 4th 1-thousand-yard season. All it cost them was a 7th-round draft pick to Cincinnati.