Pitt likely ends Notre Dame’s NCAA streak
Dayshanette Harris’ shot in the final seconds sent Pittsburgh past Notre Dame, likely ending the Fighting Irish’s streak of NCAA Tournament appearances.
GREENSBORO, S.C. — Dayshanette Harris hit the goahead jumper with 2.7 seconds to play and stole Notre Dame’s ensuing inbound pass as Pittsburgh beat the Fighting Irish 67-65 Wednesday for its second-ever victory in the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament.
Pitt (5-25) snapped a 12game skid in the series, dating to Feb. 3, 2009, and likely put an end to a string of 24 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances by the Fighting Irish. The Panthers, who had lost nine straight games overall, won for just the second time since beating Mississippi 58-50 on Nov. 30.
Harris finished with 20 points and a career-high 10 rebounds — the freshman’s first double-double. Gabbie Green hit 4 of 5 from 3-point range and had 14 points and Amber Brown and Ismini Prapa scored 12 apiece. Prapa, who went into the game averaging 1.5 points per game, made 4 of 4 from the field and set career highs for points, 3-pointers made (four) and assists (three).
Notre Dame tried to trap Harris but she tip-toed along the right sideline to slip past the double team and then pulled up for a short tiebreaking jumper. The Fighting Irish called a timeout, moving to the ball to the front court, but Harris anticipated the inbound pass
SOCCER|UNITED
and her steal sealed the win.
The No. 15 seed Panthers play seventh-seeded Georgia Tech in the second round Thursday.
Katlyn Gilbert led Notre Dame (13-18) with 20 points on 9-of-16 shooting. The rest of the team shot just 31% (15 of 48).
Raca, Wake Forest beat North Carolina
Ivana Raca tied her career-high with 27 points and grabbed a career-best 13 rebounds, Alex Sharp scored 16 of her 19 points in the second half, and Wake Forest beat North Carolina 83-73 in the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament Wednesday.
Sharp added 10 rebounds to move past Tracy Connor into third in program history with 907 career rebounds. Christina Morra had a career-high 19 points on 8-of-9 shooting and grabbed nine rebounds and Gina Conti scored 10 points for Wake Forest (15-15).
The No. 13 seed Demon Deacons play fifth-seeded Virginia Tech in the second round Thursday. The Hokies won the only regularseason matchup between the teams 73-62.
Conti hit a 3-pointer and Morra sandwiched a jumper and a layup around a 3 by Sharp to give Wake Forest a 71-58 lead with 7:26 to play. Shayla Bennett hit a 3-pointer for the Tar Heels but Raca answered with a layup to spark an 8-0 run that pushed the lead to 18 points midway through the fourth.
Bennett tied her careerhigh with 26 points and added seven assists for No. 12 seed North Carolina.
Wake Forest outrebounded the Tar Heels 47-22, including 20-5 on the offensive glass, and outscored North Carolina 32-4 in secondchance points.
Thornton, Clemson beat Miami
Kobi Thornton scored a career-high 27points on 12of-16 shooting and Clemson used a 16-4 run to pull away for good and beat Miami 71-56 on Wednesday at the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament.
Amari Robinson added 14 points for No. 14 seed Clemson (8-22), which snapped an 11-game skid. The Tigers play sixth-seeded Boston College in the second round Thursday.
Thornton scored seven points during the decisive run that gave Clemson a 55-44 lead when Robinson made a short jumper at the end of the third quarter. Miami (15-15) trailed by double figures the rest of the way.
Beatrice Mompremier led the No. 11 seed Hurricanes with 23 points on 9-of-14 shooting. The rest of the team shot 22% (11 of 49) from the field.
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. —
Stephen Strasburg chatted by his locker early in spring training with Wil Crowe — just a World Series MVP and a non-roster invitee for the Washington Nationals plopping themselves on a pair of folding chairs to talk shop during camp’s ample idle time.
Strasburg discussed “little pointers and some cues” about throwing out of the stretch, Crowe said, before an unexpected offer arrived.
“He said to meet him outside the next morning at 8, on the mound,” said Crowe, a 2017 second-round draft pick from the University of South Carolina who split 2019 between Double-a Harrisburg and Triple-a Fresno. “It was just me and him; no coaches, no staff. He watched me do my movements and try to take what he does and blend it into what I do.”
Fans know what Strasburg and three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer can do when they’re on a mound for the Nationals, whose exhibition schedule resumes Thursday against St. Louis after Wednesday’s day off. Their bona fides make that obvious. Less so is what that pair, Patrick Corbin and Aníbal Sánchez — the starters who form what Washington manager Dave Martinez jokingly calls the “Four Amigos” — do behind the scenes to teach less-experienced pitchers in the organization.
“It’s just a part of being a good teammate and caring about the guy next to you. As you get older, all the players around you seem to get younger and younger. You just kind of have to make yourself available. It’s important
On top of being one of the staff aces, Stephen Strasburg is also one of the key veterans among the Nationals’ pitchers.