STORRS, Conn. (AP) — Brittney Sykes scored 28 points and Alexis Peterson added 25 to lead eighth-seeded Syracuse to an 85-65 win over Iowa State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday. Freshman Gabby Cooper added a season-high 24 points, all from 3-point range, for the Orange (22-10), who will face top-seeded UConn on Monday in a rematch of last year’s national championship game.

Seanna Johnson hit seven of her 10 shots and had 21 points for Iowa State, which finishes its season at 18-13. Iowa State actually outscored Syracuse 57-52 over the final three quarters, but the game was decided in the first 10 minutes.

Cooper, who came in averaging just under nine points a game, opened the scoring with a 3-pointer and had five of them in the first 7 minutes as the Orange ran out to a 17-3 lead. She finished the game with eight baskets from behind the arc on 15 attempts.

JUPITER, Fla., March 18, 2017 – The St. Louis Cardinals announced this (Saturday) morning that they have optioned right-handed pitcher Luke Weaver to the Memphis Redbirds (AAA) roster and re-assigned right-handed pitcher Mitch Harris to their minor league camp.

This morning’s transactions reduced the number of players in the team’s Major League camp to 51, including 16 non-roster invitees.

The 7:20-a.m. Sportscast w/Ric Hanson.

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PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (AP) – St. Louis Cardinals center fielder Tommy Pham has left a spring training game after jarring himself on a headfirst slide. Pham was thrown out trying to steal second base Friday against the New York Mets. Shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera tagged Pham on the helmet.

Pham was on his back while the training staff assisted him. He appeared to have discomfort in the area near his upper lip as the staff checked for blood, and left the game. The 29-year-old Pham hit .226 with nine home runs and 17 RBIs in 78 games for St. Louis last season and is competing for a roster spot.

STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) — Tanita Allen scored 25 points, Lauren Prochaska and Brooke Schulte each added 12 and DePaul beat Northern Iowa 88-67 on Friday in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Seventh-seeded DePaul (27-7) kept up a torrid scoring pace despite fairly quiet games from Schulte and Jessica January, the team’s two leading scorers. Instead, it was Allen and Prochaska who were often the go-to options.

Allen, a 5-foot-10 sophomore, came off the bench and hit her first six shots, including five 3-pointers to push the Blue Demons ahead early. She finished 9 of 11 from the field, including 5 of 6 from 3-point range.

Northern Iowa (24-9) took a 3-0 lead in the opening minute on Mikaela Morgan’s 3-pointer, but that was pretty much the end of the good news for the Panthers. DePaul’s fast-paced offense continually caught 10th-seeded Northern Iowa out of position and the Blue Demons shot 61 percent in the first half (20 of 33) on the way to a 51-33 halftime lead.

Northern Iowa was led by Madison Weekly, who scored 21 points.

The 7:20-a.m. Sportscast w/Ric Hanson.

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Ally Disterhoft has gone from a 9-year-old poster child to the greatest scorer in University of Iowa women’s basketball history, when her 21-points pushed her career mark to 2,061. The hometown senior became the Hawkeyes’ career scoring leader Thursday in Iowa’s 95-74 victory over Missouri State in a first-round Women’s NIT game at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The Hawkeyes, now 18-13, advance to host a second-round game against defending WNIT champion South Dakota on Saturday on Mediacom Court. Tipoff is 3 p.m.

The previous scoring record for the Lady Hawks was held Cindy Haugejorde, who racked-up 2,059 points from 1976-80. Disterhoft wasn’t the only one to establish a record Thursday. Sophomore center Megan Gustafson had her 16th double-double, finishing with 14 points and 10 rebounds. She set a school record for rebounds in a season with 307. Amy Herrig had set the previous mark of 306 during the 1998-99 season.
Iowa scored 50 points in the paint, to go with 25 bench points. The Hawkeyes also set a WNIT record by shooting 62.3 percent from the field. The Hawkeyes had 23 assists on 38 made baskets. Iowa had five players score in double figures. Kathleen Doyle added 18 points, Makenzie Meyer 14, and Hannah Stewart 10.

Tickets are on sale for the WNIT Second Round game against South Dakota through the UI Athletics Ticket Office at 800-IA-HAWKS or via hawkeyesports.com.

(HawkeyeSports.Com)

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Monte Morris had 19 points, eight rebounds and eight assists, and Iowa State outlasted Nevada 84-73 on Thursday night to advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year.

Deonte Burton added 14 points and eight rebounds as the fifth-seeded Cyclones won for the 10th time in their last 11 games, building off their impressive run through the Big 12 Tournament. Naz Mitrou-Long and Matt Thomas had 13 points apiece.

Iowa State (24-10) will try for its third Sweet 16 appearance in four years when it takes on No. 4 seed Purdue on Saturday.

Cameron Oliver scored 22 points for Nevada (28-7), which had won nine straight by an average of 15 points. Jordan Caroline had 20 points and eight rebounds, and Marcus Marshall finished with 16 points on 5-for-16 shooting.

The University of Iowa women’s basketball team hosts Missouri State tonight, in the first round of the 2017 WNIT. Our coverage on KJAN begins at 6:45, with the tip-off set for 7-p.m. inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Rob Brooks and Jamie Cavey Lang will have the call on the Hawkeye Radio Network.

The Trevor Frederickson Foundation reports 2003 Atlantic High School graduate, Shawn O’Brien, is coming back to help the Atlantic Baseball program. O’Brien, who was an assistant baseball coach at Iowa Central Community College in Fort Dodge for many years, is bringing his knowledge to Atlantic for a 5 week pitching clinic.

He’s set up programs with the Atlantic Little League and the Atlantic High School team to help youth from 4th grade up to the Trojans Varsity pitchers. O’Brien will stress the mechanics of pitching, pick off plays, arm strengthening drills, wind ups, stretch, and pitch placement.

Funds for the Foundation’s scholarships and other activities are raised at the annual T-Fred Memorial Golf Tournament. The 9th Annual T-Fred Memorial Golf Tournament will be held on Saturday, August12th, 2017.

Pictured below: Grant Petty, of the Trevor Frederickson Memorial Fund, presented a $500 check to Shawn O’Brien.