PAGE 4C SPORTS MIDLAND REPORTER-TELEGRAM, FRIDAY, MARCH 6, 2020 MLB Azubuike scores career-high 31, From 1C  Encarnación, from Yankees to White Sox: The the team’s plans because of 37-year-old, three-time the $96 million owed to him All-Star was leading the AL No. 1 Kansas beats TCU 75-66 over the next three years and with 21 home runs when the arm troubles that limited Mariners traded him to New By Dave Skretta energy and intensity,” Bane him to 107 innings in 2019. York in June. He was lim- Associated Press said, “and instead of us turn- He went 7-5 with a 4.28 ited by a sore side muscle in ing up our energy and inten- ERA that was the worst of the second half, hitting 13 LAWRENCE, Kan. — sity I felt like we got back his career. Now, he joins a homers in 44 games with the Imagine what Kansas center on our heels a little bit.” Dodgers rotation with Clay- Yankees — still good for his Udoka Azubuike would The festive feel that sud- ton Kershaw and 25-year- eighth straight season of at have accomplished against denly swept through the old Walker Buehler. least 30 home runs.  TCU on Wednesday night if Phog was quickly quelled Kluber, from Cleveland  Keuchel, from Braves he was healthy. when Dotson went down. to Rangers: The right-hand- to White Sox: The 2015 AL Or if he made his free The All-America candi- er fi nished in the top fi ve of Cy Young winner helped the throws. date was guarding the ball AL Cy Young voting in four Astros win the 2017 World The bruising 7-foot center along the sideline when he of the previous seasons. But Series, when he was 14-5 walked gingerly into Allen took an awkward step and a line drive broke his pitch- with a 2.90 ERA. Then he Fieldhouse on his sore ankle landed on his backside. ing arm on May 1, then he slumped to a 12-11 record for his fi nal home game and He remained there until a injured a muscle in his side with a 3.74 ERA and at- proceeded to score a career- dead ball and then hobbled during his rehab and never tracted little interest as a free high 31 points while pulling straight to the bench, where got back on the mound. agent for the ‘19 season. down 14 rebounds, leading Orlin Wagner/AP he buried his face in a towel He was traded to Texas for With Atlanta, he was 8-8 as one of the team’s physi- outfi elder Delino DeShields the top-ranked Jayhawks Kansas center Udoka Azubuike (35) during the fi rst half of an with a 3.75 ERA. to a 75-66 victory over cians checked on his left and pitching prospect Em-  Hyun-Jin Ryu, from NCAA basketball game against TCU, Wednesday in Lawrence, shin and ankle. manuel Clase. hot-shooting but foul-prone Kan.  Dodgers to Blue Jays: The TCU to clinch at least a Dotson wound up sitting Josh Donaldson, from NL Cy Young runner-up Atlanta to Minnesota: The share of the Big 12 regular- Virginia. Compounding the prob- for just a few minutes, went from No. 3 starter in season title. “You know, the season lems for Dixon: His team hit though, and returned to help 2015 AL MVP joins his fourth team in three seasons, L.A. to the Toronto ace, Azubuike fi nished 13 of we had last season, we just one of its fi rst 10 fi eld- Azubuike lead the Jayhawks signing a four-year, $80 mil- 14 from the fi eld and swat- came up short of that goal goal attempts. to the fi nish. signing a four-year, $92 million deal with the Twins lion deal with the team that ted fi ve shots, a mere four of winning it. It’s a good The momentum changed “When I came here I lost 95 games last year. The days after hurting his ankle feeling, the guys getting the when Bane hit a 3-pointer. thought Azubuike was a a year after they won 101 games and their fi rst divi- South Korean star was 14-5 in a win over Kansas State. trophy, bringing it back to Dennis later made fi ve 3s one-year guy, and here he with a league-leading 2.32 The best defense the Horned where it belongs,” Dotson in a fl urry of a few min- is four years later. Maybe sion title since 2001. The 34-year-old third baseman ERA in 2019. Frogs played on him was to said. “Hopefully we’ll keep utes, and the Horned Frogs he’ll come back next year,”  Cole Hamels, from foul him; he was just 5 of 13 it going.” fi nished the half by making Dixon said with a wry grin. was limited to 113 games in 2017 because of a right calf Cubs to Braves: After from the line. The win also was No. 500 nine of their last 10 shots to “I guess he’s a little banged pitching his fi rst nine-plus “It’s a good day to be a for Self at Kansas, which take a 37-35 lead into the up, but he sure didn’t look strain and then played in 52 games the next year with years in Philadelphia, Jayhawk,” Azubuike said ranks second at the school locker room. like it.” fi nishing in the Cy Young after delivering a farewell behind only building name- TCU continued to fi re arm and leg injuries. But he came back to bat .259 with top 10 four times, Hamels speech. “We’re No. 1. Big sake Phog Allen. away in the second half Big picture joins his fourth team. But 12 champs. My last home Desmond Bane had 24 from beyond the 3-point 37 homers and 94 RBIs in TCU was coming off a 2019. the 36-year-old left-hander game at the Fieldhouse. It points for TCU (16-14, line, where the Big 12’s best  developed shoulder infl am- was good, but it was a little 7-10), sending him past team from the perimeter at win over then-No. 2 Baylor Yasmani Grandal, from that buoyed its hopes of Brewers to White Sox: The mation during the offseason, emotional being my last Dick O’Neal and Carven one point hit nearly as many delaying the start of his Holcombe and into third slipping into the NCAA switch-hitting catcher bat- game.” triples as it had attempted spring training. place in school history with Tournament. But after hang- ted .246 with career bests Devon Dotson added 18 2-point fi eld goals. Kansas  Mike Moustakas, from 1,744 career points. Edric countered by dumping the ing with the Jayhawks for of 28 homers and 77 RBIs points for the Jayhawks Brewers to Reds: After Dennis Jr. hit six 3-pointers ball inside to Azubuike, who a while, the Horned Frogs’ last season. After a seventh (27-3, 16-1), though he also hitting .254 with 35 homers gave coach Bill Self and and fi nished with 18 points. either threw down a dunk second chance at springing straight losing season in about 16,000 fans a scare “I was proud of how or continued to compound a big upset in the span of a 2019, Chicago has spent and 87 RBIs last season when he left briefl y midway we played,” Horned Frogs TCU’s foul trouble. week came crashing down. big this offseason, paying to earn his third All-Star through the second with coach Jamie Dixon said. “I Kansas fi nally went on They were done in by 14 $141 million for Grandal, selection, Moustakas heads what appeared to be an an- don’t know that I’ve ever one of its familiar Field- turnovers and far too many Dallas Keuchel and Edwin to Cincinnati on a four-year kle injury of his own. Their been in that much foul house runs. fouls. Encarnación and another deal the Reds hope will re- leading scorer returned a trouble that quick in my life Trailing 46-42 with 14:18 Kansas struggled to $50 million to bring back turn them to the postseason few minutes later, allowing but we managed to do it. to go, Azubuike caught a fi nd much offense outside José Abreu. for the fi rst time since 2012. the Senior Night celebra- We adjusted and did some pass inside and dunked. He Azubuike until late in the tions to begin in earnest. things. We fought.” added back-to-back blocks a game. The health of the It was the 62nd regular- Azubuike dominated few minutes later, each turn- 7-footer, along with that of season conference title for the opening minutes of ing into buckets at the other Dotson and Garrett, will be the Jayhawks, and it came the game, scoring the fi rst end. By the time Christian crucial to watch as the Big NCAA one year after a third-place 10 points for Kansas. And Braun gathered a loose ball 12 and NCAA tournaments From 1C Quadrant 2 fi nish ended a run of 14 when the Horned Frogs and made a teardrop fl oater, approach. Garrett has been straight crowns. They can fi nally triple-teamed him the Jayhawks had put to- wearing a walking boot followed by Kentucky at Wins landing here still win it outright by beating down low, he deftly fed gether a 15-1 run and built a around campus to take the sixth and North Carolina at can help a team’s resume, Texas Tech on Saturday Marcus Garrett underneath a 58-46 lead with 10:34 left. pressure off his own foot the seventh. Yet the committee even if they’re not of the or if Baylor loses at West defender for an easy layup. “They turned up their last couple weeks. reversed the order when headline-grabbing variety. putting each in the Midwest Quadrant 2 includes home Region, with the Tar Heels as the top seed. games against teams ranked Further down, St. John’s Nos. 31-75 in NET, neutral- Delayed surgery not a red fl ag but symbol of receiver’s grit earned an at-large bid at No. site games against teams ranked Nos. 51-100 and short his season. makes you great also can be your 73, along with Arizona State By Arnie Stapleton (63), Minnesota (61), Seton road games against teams Associated Press “I love the sport too much to just demise,” McShay said. “And I ranked Nos. 76-135. shut it down. And I just wanted to be think because all these guys are so Hall (57), Temple (56) and Ohio State (55). Conversely, BOULDER, Colo. — A lingering a team player,” he said. “I love the competitive and especially a player sport too much, so I just had to keep like Shenault, they want to go out North Carolina State (33), Quadrant 3 core muscle injury prevented Lav- Clemson (35), Texas (38), iska Shenault from showcasing his playing and keep fi ghting through it and prove that they can do it and they and just produce as much as I could.” think they’re invincible. And we all Furman (41) and Memphis This is the most likely skills and speed at the NFL scouting (46) were left out. combine, where the former Univer- After posting 56 catches for 764 did when we were 21, 22, 23 years category for a team to suffer yards and four TDs (he had 86- old. But it sometimes catches up with In short, it’s less about a “bad” loss. sity of Colorado superstar posted a where teams stand in the 1,011-6 in 2018), Shenault again put you.” Quadrant 3 includes slower-than-expected 4.58 seconds in NET compared to where off surgery, opting to train for the That said, McShay concurs with the 40-yard dash. their opponents do. And home games against teams What was instead on display in In- combine’s 40-yard dash. Bilbot that the lingering injury and that’s where quadrants come ranked Nos. 76-160 in NET, dianapolis last week was Shenault’s “These guys grow up watching the late surgery aren’t that big of a in. neutral-site games against off-the-charts ambition, the same the combine. They want to be there, deal. teams ranked Nos. 101-200 they want to experience that. He said, “I think it’s a minor setback, I desire that drove him to play through The quadrant system and road games against pain most of last season. ‘I’m going to get out on that fi eld. really do,” McShay said. “There’s so teams ranked Nos. 136-240. Following his combine cameo, I’m going to do what I have to do,’” much tape of him, there’s so much The NCAA adopted a For schools in the fi ve Bilbo said. “And I think he actually versatility in his game that I don’t Shenault fl ew straight to Philadel- four-tiered system for 2017- power conferences (Atlantic phia, where noted surgeon Dr. Wil- tore it some more when he ran his 40 think it’s going to affect him greatly. 18 to better evaluate game the fi rst time. That’s why he just kind I thought he was a second-round pick Coast, Big 12, Big Ten, Pac- liam Myers on Tuesday performed a results. It uses the NET to 12 and Southeastern), this is bilateral pelvic repair, said Shenault’s of just shut it down, because Myers coming into the combine and I’ll be sort games from Quadrant 1 where many games against agent, Damarius Bilbo. was like, ‘Look, you’re going to have surprised if we get to the start of the at the top through Quadrant Although Shenault was disappoint- to have the surgery regardless.’ third round on Friday night if he’s teams near the bottom of 4, with games away from their league standings end ed in his 40 time, Bilbo said Myers “But he just wanted to get out there still on the board.” home carrying more weight. told him he was stunned Shenault ran and do what he could do. And I was NFL Network draft analyst Daniel It’s worth noting: game up. as fast as he did given the injury. proud of him. It was a very selfl ess Jeremiah, who ranked Shenault as results can move between Shenault will need about six weeks act.” the 22nd-best overall prospect this quadrants throughout the Quadrant 4 of rehab and recovery, meaning he’ll Todd McShay, NFL draft analyst year, agrees he’ll be a second-round- course of the season depend- miss CU’s pro day later this month for ESPN, said Shenault’s disap- er. Jeremiah had Shenault going to ing on the fl uctuations of an Quadrant 4 features the and he won’t be able to work out for pointing 40 and delayed surgery Green Bay at No. 30 in his pre-com- opponent’s NET ranking. easiest games on the sched- teams ahead of the April 23-25 NFL won’t affect his draft stock much if bine mock draft but swapped him out ule. It includes home games draft. at all. for Baylor senior Denzel Mims in his Quadrant 1 against teams ranked No. “I think it speaks to how competi- post-combine mock. One of the most explosive athletes 161 or worse in the NET, in football when healthy, Shenault tive he is and how willing he is to Jeremiah calls Shenault “arguably “Quad 1” wins are the neutral-site games against could have avoided this scenario by go out and show what he can do,” the best athlete in the entire draft headliners on any resume. No. 201 or worse and road undergoing surgery last fall when he McShay said. “And that’s the guy class,” not just among the deep group The quadrant includes got hurt. that when you talk to coaches on that of wide receivers. games against No. 241 or home games against teams worse. “As an agent we always have staff who have been with him, that’s In addition to his muscular build, in the top 30 of NET, to ask, ‘Why didn’t you have the what they know about him, is that Jeremiah touted Shenault’s versatil- neutral-site games against While losses here can surgery?’ And he said ... ‘Look, if I he’ll do anything. Put me on a re- ity. the top 50 and road games wound a resume, they don’t have an NFL career, God’s going to verse? Fine. Put me in the backfi eld? “He lined up everywhere in against the top 75. happen often. Last year’s 36 bless me with that, but I want to be Great. Put me in the slot. Put me on Colorado’s offense -- out wide, in For example, Kansas at-large teams went a com- here for my teammates. This is what the X, put me at Y, the Z, wherever the slot, at running back and he even – No. 1 in the AP Top 25 – bined 219-4 in Quadrant 4 I signed up to go to Colorado for,’” you want me, Coach, I’ll go and I’ll took snaps as a Wildcat quarterback. entered March with an 11-3 as of Selection Sunday. That Bilbo recounted Thursday. compete. Shenault isn’t a nuanced route run- record in Quadrant 1. That included St. John’s, Arizona Shenault said at the combine that “And I think sometimes and you ner, but he is a monster with the ball record included wins on a State, Temple and Belmont he never would have opted to cut see it with a lot of players, what in his hands,” Jeremiah said. neutral court against Dayton – the last four teams in – (third in NET) and at Baylor going 39-2, with both losses (fi fth) along with losses at by the Sun Devils. home to Baylor, to Duke (sixth) on a neutral court and TEXAS at Villanova (13th). Strength of schedule From 1C does the dirty work neces- Smart can enjoy the bounced in the fi rst round Committee chairman sary to keep possessions streak, but it also raises the two years they did. Kevin White, Duke’s There’s one other with a knee injury. Starting alive. questions whether he Texas won the National athletics director, pointed to noteworthy component: point guard Matt Coleman “I think everyone was should have been playing Invitation Tournament last Quadrant 1’s impact during schedule strength, particu- III was hobbled by a heel upset with the losing,” this lineup, or something season but no one wants to last month’s reveal of the larly when it comes to what problem. Cunningham said. “I think close to it, before injuries go there again. top 16 seeds so far. teams control outside of Yet a new, smaller, we found a new identity forced his hand. “Just gotta take care of Gonzaga got the third No. conference play. quicker and grittier lineup these past couple of games Smart is 90-77 overall business on Saturday,” 1 seed for the West Region Of last year’s 36 at-large emerged that hasn’t backed ... Guys desperate to win. and 40-49 in the Big 12. Coleman said. ahead of unbeaten San bids, only four teams had down from anything. And a little bit lucky Win on Saturday and Texas Smart took to social me- Diego State, earning a po- nonconference strength of Andrew Jones, who when needed. will fi nish above .500 in dia this week to plead with tential closer-to-home trip to schedules ranked 200th or overcame a leukemia two After four consecutive the Big 12 for just the Los Angeles instead of New worse (Michigan, St. John’s, seasons ago, has returned wins by double digits, second time Smart’s fi ve students to come to the York for the East Regional. Temple and Iowa) as of Se- to form as a dangerous Texas beat Oklahoma years. game and to come early. “It’s such a fi ne line,” scorer. Courtney Ramey when Coleman banked in Lose, however, and “UT students, we need White said. “I think at the lection Sunday. Meanwhile, has emerged as an ef- a running 3-pointer with nothing is guaranteed you,” Smart said in a video end of the day … it was N.C. State fell on the wrong fi cient ball handler and 0.4 seconds to play. The except more conversation posted on Twitter. “Bottom the fact that the Zags had side of the bubble with no scorer. Little-used Brock shot came after Oklahoma about Smart’s future. The line, our guys need you in two really good wins – we marquee win and a noncon- Cunningham has become missed three of its fi nal Longhorns have missed the building. It is a huge thought maybe better wins – ference strength of schedule a tenacious defender and four free throws that could the tournament two of the game for us and we need over Arizona and Oregon.” that was last in Division I rebounder, the player who have put the game away. past four seasons and got the energy you bring.” (353rd).