Furman only adds to Villanova misery
FRESHWATER: Try Lake Woodruff for crappie and bass. Use minnows and jigs tipped with minnows in open pockets of hydrilla beds throughout the lake. The best bite has been from daybreak till around 9 a.m. Use Gambler and Senko lures for bass. Work baits slowly over grass mats and bounce them off the bottom in thick grass.
SALTWATER: Playalinda Beach has been good for whiting and bluefish along with a few pompano and black drum. Peeled shrimp and sand fleas work best. Try the incoming tides and place baits in troughs. A few jacks and Spanish mackerel are possible.
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Solunars back of AUTO RACING: Joe Gibbs issued a team order on the eve of NASCAR’s championship that gave Kyle Busch an edge over the other three title contenders. Busch was gifted the coveted No. 1 pit stall when Joe Gibbs Racing decided to force teammate and pole winner Denny Hamlin to yield it to Busch, who qualified second. Busch is battling Martin Truex Jr., Joey Logano and Kevin Harvick for the title at Homestead-Miami Speedway . ... Tyler Reddick won the Xfinity Series finale at Homestead to claim the title for NASCAR’s development series.
GOLF: Charles Howell III had a 2-under 68 for a one-shot lead after three rounds of the RSM Classic in St. Simons Island, Ga. Howell was at 16-under 194 as he tries to end 332 starts on the PGA Tour without winning. PGA Tour rookie Cameron Champ and Jason Gore both shot 66 and were tied for second . ... Patrick Reed and Danny Willett, both former Masters champions, were at 14-under 202 and entered the final day as co-leaders of the European Tour’s season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Willett shot a 4-under 68 and Reed a 67 to move one stroke ahead of Jordan Smith . ... Abraham Ancer shot a 65 for a three-round total of 13-under 203 and a five-stroke lead at the Australian Open in Sydney. Keegan Bradley was tied for third, six shots back . ... Lexi Thompson’s 68 pushed her to 16 under after three rounds of the LPGA’s season-ending event as she moved three shots clear of Nelly Korda at the CME Group Tour Championship in Naples, Fla. Korda shot a 67.
NFL: Ravens QB Joe Flacco is doubtful to play Sunday against the Bengals, opening the door for rookie Lamar Jackson to make his first career start . ... The Bears activated TE Adam Shaheen from IR . ... Rams DT Aaron Donald was fined $23,395 for unnecessary roughness and unsportsmanlike conduct in a win over the Seahawks. Two other Rams were also fined: Ndamukong Suh for a late hit and Dante Fowler for unnecessary roughness. Among others fined were the Raiders’ Johnathan Hankins (late hit), the Panthers’ Eric Reid (unnecessary roughness) and the Seahawks’ Justin Britt (unnecessary roughness).
SOCCER: Portugal drew with Italy 0-0 to pick up the point it needed to qualify for the UEFA Nations League finals and confirm it as host of the first Final Four in June . ... Barcelona said midfielder Ivan Rakitic injured his right hamstring with Croatia in the UEFA Nations League and would not face England on Sunday for Croatia.
TENNIS: Alexander Zverev denied Roger Federer a shot at his 100th career title with a 7-5, 7-6 (5) victory to advance to the championship match against Novak Djokovic at the ATP Finals in London. Zverev, 21, is the youngest player to reach the final of the season-ending event since 2009. Five-time champion Djokovic defeated Kevin Anderson 6-2, 6-2.
ALSO: Two-time overall champion Mikaela Shiffrin built on her first-run lead to comfortably win the season-opening women’s World Cup slalom in Levi, Finland . ... The Astros acquired INF Aledmys Diaz from the Blue Jays for minor-league RHP Trent Thornton. Diaz, 28, hit .263 with 26 doubles and a career-high 18 home runs in 130 games with the Jays.
Jordan Lyons scored 17 points, Matt Rafferty and Clay Mounce each had 15, and Furman stunned defending national champion Villanova 76-68 in overtime Saturday.
Noah Gurley and Alex Hunter added 13 points apiece for the surging Paladins, who have started 5-0 for the first time in 30 years.
Phil Booth scored 20 points and Colin Gillespie had 19 for the No. 8 Wildcats, who were coming off a 27-point loss to Michigan in a rematch of April’s national championship game. It marked the first time Villanova lost back-to-back home games since December of 2013.
“We’re just tiny old Furman,” coach Bob Richey said. “Most people ask us what state we’re in, what city we’re in. Now all of a sudden people are starting to figure out who Furman is.”
Michigan on track: Michigan coach John Beilein was concerned his Wolverines might suffer a letdown against George Washington after a blowout victory over No. 8 Villanova on the road.
There was still a tinge of worry during the first half of Saturday’s semifinal of the Air Force Reserve TipOff tournament in Uncasville, Conn., when the Colonials (0-4) cut an 18point Wolverines lead to six.
But No. 18 Michigan (4-0), which led by nine points at halftime, went on a 13-2 run to open the second half and finished with an easy 84-61 victory.
“A lot of the message after the Villanova game was handling success,” Beilein said.
Charles Matthews led the Wolverines with 25 points and Jordan Poole made five of his eight 3point shots to add a careerhigh 22.
Marquette cruises: Sam Hauser scored 19 points and Joseph Chartouny added 16 off the bench as No. 24 Marquette (3-1) overcame a sluggish start to pull away for a 74-55 victory over stubborn Presbyterian.
Chartouny, who led the nation in steals per game last season at Fordham, hit 6 of 7 shots, including 3 of 4 from beyond the arc, and added five assists.