THIS DAY IN SPORTS 1992 — Christian Laettner hits a 15-foot turnaround jumper at UMBERS AME the buzzer to give defending champion Duke a 104-103 overtime N G victory over Kentucky and a fifth consecutive trip to the Final Four. C4 Antelope Valley Press, Saturday, March 28, 2020 Morning rush NCAA weighs more eligibility for athletes Valley Press news services By RALPH D. RUSSO selves with a disruption in the House of Davis Love III destroyed by Associated Press fall or winter next year due to early morning fire The NCAA Division I Council a rebound in the coronavirus,” ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. — The house of Hall of is scheduled to vote Monday on ANOTHER YEAR? he said. “If we have that sort of Fame golfer Davis Love III was destroyed by fire early In this March 6 disruption again, then are we whether to allow another year photo, Purdue Fort Friday morning in a blaze that could not be controlled, going to offer fall-sport athletes even with 16 firefighters arriving within minutes, the of eligibility for spring sport ath- Wayne’s Rachel fire chief said. letes such as baseball, softball Everson connects for another year?” No one from Love’s family was injured. and lacrosse players, who had a hit during an NCAA He added: “I really think as “While everyone in our family is saddened at the loss their seasons wiped out by the softball game against much as everybody wants to of our home that was filled with so much laughter and coronavirus pandemic. UMass Lowell in know if they’re going to get an- Clarksville, Tenn. incredible memories, we’re very blessed that everyone Providing similar relief to other year, I think we would be is safe and unharmed,” Love said in a statement. Associated Press well-served by waiting a period Love, a former PGA champion and two-time Ryder winter sport athletes, such as basketball and hockey players Around Division I, confer- Thursday during a conference of time to make the decisions.” Cup captain, is one of the most prominent figures at ence-level discussions on the Sea Island. It is part of the “Golden Isles” about 40 miles and wrestlers, will also be con- call with reporters. NCAA slashes subject of restoring eligibility north of the Florida state line. He runs a PGA Tour sidered. According to a memo NCAA bylaws regarding have been ongoing. distribution by $375 event at Sea Island Golf Club, and the area is home to recently sent to college sports scholarship limits would have several PGA Tour players. The Division I Council has million administrators from the NCAA, to be worked around, which LPGA reschedules two majors representatives from all 32 con- becomes especially tricky in Canceling March Madness there does not appear to be because of the coronavirus The LPGA Tour now has two majors that have been ferences. After it votes, the Divi- the many sports where most support for that. pandemic will cost the NCAA rescheduled because of the new coronavirus. sion I Board of Directors, made players do not receive full schol- With the Olympics postponed until 2021, the Evian “(W)inter sports had either about $375 million that it would up of mostly university presi- arships. Paying for those extra Championship in France will be two weeks later on concluded their regular season dents and chancellors, will have have distributed to 350 schools scholarships is potentially cost- Aug. 6-9. That was supposed to be the week of women’s competition or substantially the opportunity to weigh in and across the nation. golf in the Olympics. concluded their regular season ly for schools. Some will be able to absorb Moving back the Evian will create a little room on could kick it back to the council competition,” said the memo, a for further consideration. Bowlsby said with so much the losses better than others. the LPGA schedule when golf resumes. It also makes unknown regarding the out- travel more practical for the players. The new date for portion of which was obtained While there is momentum The NCAA announced the Evian Championship is one week before the Ladies by The Associated Press. toward giving spring athletes break and when sports will be Thursday it will distribute Scottish Open east of Edinburgh, and two weeks before Division II has already ap- another year of eligibility, there able to resume, delaying a de- $225 million to its Division I the Women’s British Open at Royal Troon. proved legislation to provide are plenty of administrators cision on giving back eligibility member schools in June, nearly The LPGA previously rescheduled the ANA Inspi- an extra season of eligibility with reservations. might be the best option. two-thirds less than the $600 ration in Rancho Mirage, California, from April 2-5 until and financial aid for its spring “I worry that with the un- Sept. 10-13. “I know I could capably ar- million scheduled to be handed sport athletes, according to the gue either side of it,” Big 12 Com- certainty of our current cir- out in installments from April Jimmie Johnson prepares for future by memo. missioner Bob Bowlsby said cumstances, we might find our- to June. entering IndyCar iRace CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Seven-time NASCAR champi- on Jimmie Johnson has joined the field for IndyCar’s MLB GOLF NBA NHL MOTORSPORTS inaugural online race as he contemplates driving in that Spring Training Glance PGA Tour schedule WESTERN CONFERENCE WESTERN CONFERENCE NASCAR Cup AMERICAN LEAGUE Jan. 2-5 — Sentry Tournament of Pacific Division Pacific Division series following his retirement from full-time stock car W L Pct GB Schedule-Winners W L Pct. Champions (Justin Thomas) GP W L OT Pts GF GA Feb. 9 — x-Busch Clash at DAYTONA (Erik Jan. 9-12 — Sony Open (Cameron x-L.A. Lakers 49 14 .778 — racing. Toronto 12 6 .667 Vegas 71 39 24 8 86 227 211 Jones) Smith) L.A. Clippers 44 20 .688 5½ Oakland 13 8 .619 Edmonton 71 37 25 9 83 225 217 Feb. 13 — x-Bluegreen Vacations Duel 1 at IndyCar has followed NASCAR, IMSA and Formula Jan. 16-19 — Desert Classic (Andrew Sacramento 28 36 .438 21½ Texas 12 8 .600 Calgary 70 36 27 7 79 210 215 DAYTONA (Joey Logano) Landry) Phoenix 26 39 .400 24 One in setting up a virtual racing series to give fans Chicago 10 7 .588 Vancouver 69 36 27 6 78 228 217 Feb. 13 — x-Bluegreen Vacations Duel 2 at Jan. 23-26 — Farmers Insurance Open Golden State 15 50 .231 35 content during the coronavirus pandemic that brought New York 11 8 .579 Arizona 70 33 29 8 74 195 187 DAYTONA (William Byron) (Marc Leishman) Southwest Division Baltimore 9 7 .563 Ducks 71 29 33 9 67 187 226 Feb. 16 — DAYTONA 500 (Denny Hamlin) sports to a halt. IndyCar’s first race is Saturday and Jan. 30-Feb. 2 — Waste Management W L Pct GB Tampa Bay 9 8 .529 Kings 70 29 35 6 64 178 212 Feb. 23 — Pennzoil 400 presented by Jiffy Phoenix Open (Webb Simpson) Houston 40 24 .625 — San Jose 70 29 36 5 63 182 226 Johnson is the 26th driver to enter. Kansas City 9 9 .500 Lube (Joey Logano) Feb. 6-9 — AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am Dallas 40 27 .597 1½ Boston 9 10 .474 Central Division March 1 — Auto Club 400 (Alex Bowman) He announced his intentions Friday on social media, (Nick Taylor) Memphis 32 33 .492 8½ Detroit 8 9 .471 GP W L OT Pts GF GA March 8 — FanShield 500 (Joey Logano) Feb. 13-16 — Genesis Invitational (Adam New Orleans 28 36 .438 12 St. Louis 71 42 19 10 94 225 193 but it had been widely expected as Johnson has made Minnesota 7 8 .467 March 15 — Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 Scott) San Antonio 27 36 .429 12½ Colorado 70 42 20 8 92 237 191 Houston 7 11 .389 (canceled) no secret of his desire to try other series in 2021 when Feb. 20-23 — WGC-Mexico Northwest Division Dallas 69 37 24 8 82 180 177 Angels 6 10 .375 March 22 — Dixie Vodka 400 (Canceled) Championship (Patrick Reed) W L Pct GB Winnipeg 71 37 28 6 80 216 203 he is done with NASCAR’s 38-race grind. Johnson had Cleveland 7 12 .368 March 29 — O’Reilly Auto Parts 500, Fort Feb. 20-23 — Puerto Rico Open (Viktor Denver 43 22 .662 — Nashville 69 35 26 8 78 215 217 Seattle 6 12 .333 Worth, Texas his at-home simulator set for IndyCar and sports car Hovland) Utah 41 23 .641 1½ Minnesota 69 35 27 7 77 220 220 NATIONAL LEAGUE April 5 — Food City 500, Bristol, Tenn. racing to work on his skills even before the pandemic. Feb. 27-March 1 — Honda Classic Oklahoma City 40 24 .625 2½ Chicago 70 32 30 8 72 212 218 W L Pct. April 19 — Toyota Owners 400, Richmond, (Sungjae Im) Portland 29 37 .439 14½ EASTERN CONFERENCE Philadelphia 14 5 .737 Va. March 5-8 — Arnold Palmer Invitational Minnesota 19 45 .297 23½ Atlantic Division Clarkson’s Elizabeth Giguere wins Miami 12 6 .667 April 26 — GEICO 500, Talladega, Ala. (Tyrrell Hatton) EASTERN CONFERENCE GP W L OT Pts GF GA San Diego 11 7 .611 May 3 — NASCAR Cup Series Race at Dover, March 12-15 — The Players Atlantic Division Boston 70 44 14 12 100 227 174 Kazmaier Award Dodgers 10 7 .588 Dover, Del.