Buckeyes officials call police
Sophomore star threatened online
Ohio State officials reached out to police about threatening and insulting social media messages sophomore E.J. Liddell received after the Buckeyes’ NCAA tournament loss on Friday.
Ohio State associate athletic director for communications Dan Wallenberg told The Associated Press he contacted police Saturday morning about the threats Liddell received after the secondseeded Buckeyes were upset by No. 15-seeded Oral Roberts, 75-72,in overtime.
Liddell, who had 23 points and 14 rebounds in the game, revealed on his Twitter feed he received threatening messages. He posted images of the messages, including one that said “I hope you die I really do.” Other messages included racist insults.
“Honestly, what did I do to deserve this?” Liddell posted on Twitter. “I’m human.”
Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith said the language used against Liddell “is appalling and will not be tolerated.”
“To the few of you who have chosen to inappropriately rail against our players on social media, stop,” Smith said. “Hate and derision have no place in Buckeye Nation or in civil society. If you cross the line and threaten our players, you will be hearing from the authorities. That I promise you.
“I have nothing but love and respect for E.J. He epitomizes all that we hope for in our student-athletes.”
Statement delivered
Michigan standout Isaiah Livers wore a shirt with #NotNCAAProperty written on it at the top-seeded Wolverines’ NCAA tournament opener against Texas Southern.
The hashtag is part of a social media effort to raise awareness about inequities in collegesports.
Livers, who is out with a foot injury, is one of a few prominent Big Ten Conference players leading the movement. Players have pushed for the NCAA to change rules preventing college athletes from earning money.
“Isaiah, he’s going to speak his mind,” said Mike Smith, Livers’ teammate at Michigan. “Everybody has their own opinion, and he speaks his mind all the time.”
State rivalry
The loyalties of some Illinois residents might be torn
Sunday in second-round Midwest Region game between top-seeded Illinois and eighth-seeded Loyola Chicago. That’s no problem for Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt, the 101-year-old chaplain for Loyola. Even so, the beloved centenarian basketball fan threw some shade at the NCAA selection committee for pairing state rivals so early.
“I’ve heard a lot of people say how come two schools from Illinois are meeting each other so soon and they have not so good feelings about it,” she said in a Zoom interview, adding she doesn’t often see state rivals from North Carolina or Florida in similar matchups.
After the coronavirus pandemic kept fans away this season, Sister Jean said it meant more to attend Friday’s 71-60 win over Georgia Tech. She said she communicates by email and delivers pregame prayers by phone.