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Français (Afrique)SMU coach Andy Enfield suggests Miami RedHawks critics should shut up
As his SMU team prepares to face the Miami RedHawks in an NCAA Tournament First Four game at University of Dayton Arena, Mustangs head coach Andy Enfield was asked about the polarizing nature of the RedHawks' first at-large bid since Wally Szczerbiak's 1999 Sweet 16 Miami team.
"I think they deserve to be in the tournament," Enfield said. "They went 31-0. Some (Miami critics) just need to be quiet on air sometimes. I think Miami of Ohio deserves to be there. They're an outstanding team. They share the basketball. They shoot 3s. And to go 31-0 in the regular season is incredible. And so I have all the respect in the world (for them)."
"I coached at Florida Gulf Coast my first head job," Enfield continued. "You go 31-0 at that level of college basketball, you deserve to be there. We're certainly not going to take them lightly because they're not in a power conference. But they're an outstanding basketball team."
The RedHawks are scheduled to face SMU on Wednesday, March 18, at 9:15 p.m. Eastern.
Former UNC standout Tyler Hansbrough was among those insisting that the RedHawks didn't deserve an at-large bid.
Szczerbiak said during the network's "NCAA March Madness bracket breakdown" that he was "very surprised" the RedHawks were sent to Dayton.
As the RedHawks heard their name called on Selection Sunday, CBS analyst Seth Davis said Miami earned the final at-large bid available. NCAA Tournament selection committee chairman Keith Gill clarified a short time later that North Carolina State, Texas and SMU were ranked lower than Miami by the committee.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: SMU's Andy Enfield slams Miami RedHawks critics | 2026 NCAA Tournament
Dissecting NCAA Tournament paths for Iowa basketball teams | PODCAST
The Register's Chad Leistikow, Tyler Tachman and Dargan Southard break down the NCAA Tournament paths for Ben McCollum's bunch and Jen Jensen's squad after learning their March Madness journeys on Selection Sunday.
For a direct link to this podcast, click here.
To watch the YouTube livestream replay, click here.
Dargan Southard is a sports trending reporter and covers Iowa athletics for the Des Moines Register and HawkCentral.com. Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter at @Dargan_Southard.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Dissecting NCAA Tournament paths for Iowa basketball teams | PODCAST
Penguins' Prospect Suspended For Slash To Head
Not long after Pittsburgh Penguins' veteran forward Evgeni Malkin was suspended five games for his slash to the head of Buffalo Sabres' defenseman Rasmus Dahlin, it appears another player in the organization is headed for a similar fate.
On Friday, the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) announced that Penguins' defensive prospect and Guelph Storm blueliner Quinn Beauchesne was suspended upon review for his slash to the head of London Knights' forward Ryan Brown in the waning minutes of their game. The incident happened just after a faceoff on a late London power play, and the Knights were beating the Storm, 4-3.
London forward Brody Cook was also suspended upon review for his knee-on-knee hit on Guelph defenseman Noah Jenken during the first period.
2 Penguins Make Best NHL Prospects ListThese two Penguins are being viewed as among the best prospects in hockey. Beauchesne, 19, was selected in the fifth round (148th overall) by the Penguins in the 2025 NHL Draft. The 6-foot, 187-pound blueliner showed some flashes of potential during September's Prospects Challenge in Buffalo as well as during training camp with his skating, his offensive smarts, and his physicality.
He has seven goals and 31 points in 57 OHL games this season with Guelph, and the team has three games remaining before the end of their regular season. They have already clinched a playoff berth.
The length of Beauchesne's suspension has not yet been announced, as he has yet to have his hearing with the OHL's Department of Player Safety. According to many OHL talking heads, it is expected to be a relatively lengthy suspension.
Evgeni Malkin Suspended Five Games By NHL's Department Of Player SafetyEvgeni Malkin has been suspended for five games for slashing Rasmus Dahlin. Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!
Yankees news: Rodón surprising himself in camp
New York Post | Greg Joyce: Carlos Rodón continues to work back from offseason arm surgery, and he’s surprised himself a bit in bullpen sessions. “I backed off and threw harder,” Rodón said. “I was like, ‘OK, that makes no sense.’ But it made it easier to command. It’s just little ins and outs of pitching, trying to find the stroke again, knowing how much effort in this pitch and the line of this pitch.” The radar readings on Rodón thus far have been promising, with the left-hander reportedly sitting in the 93 mph range and touching 95 mph. There’s reason to hope that at full health in 2026, Rodón can rediscover a bit of the velocity he lost in 2025.
The Athletic | Brendan Kuty: ($) One of the few remaining positional battles on the Yankees roster exists in the underbelly of the bullpen, and a new name to watch is that of Kervin Castro. The 27-year-old Venezuelan has been with the organization since being selected in the minor league phase of the Rule 5 Draft in 2023, and he’s impressed some key figures with a strong performance this spring. “Kervin’s got my attention,” Aaron Boone said this weekend. “Elite human being,” bullpen coach Preston Claiborne added. Though Castro is still unlikely to make the bullpen out of camp barring injuries, he certainly seems to be in the mix for a call-up once the regular season gets going.
MLB.com | Jonathan Mayo: Mayo runs down the state of the Yankees’ farm system, which was depleted after the club sent out 17 prospects as part of midseason trades last season. But the Yankees have shown an ability to restock even while sending out boatloads of players; Mayo highlights the $10,000 international signing of Jesus Rodriguez, who helped net Camilo Doval last summer, and Rafael Flores, an undrafted free agent who went to Pittsburgh in the David Bednar trade. Now, the Yankees are looking for their 2025 draft class to flourish and help replenish a system that seems a little thinner at the moment. First-round pick Dax Kilby has thus far been up to the task, starting fast with the organization in 2025 and already ranking among the top 100 prospects in the game despite falling to the Yankees at the 39th pick.
FanGraphs | David Laurilla: As part of his Sunday Notes, Laurilla spoke with Aaron Boone at camp, where Boone noted that last spring was the first time he got a good look at Cam Schlittler, thinking to himself at the time that Schlittler was going to quickly make an impact on the Yankees. Laurilla asked which players fit that bill this year, and Boone highlighted Carlos Lagrange, Elmer Rodríguez, and Ben Hess. At this point, fans have heard Lagrange and Rodríguez’s names quite a bit this spring, and it’s no surprise that either could be factor come midseason. Hess, the team’s 2024 first rounder, is more of a dark horse, but it’s notable that the Yankee manager called him out by name. The right-hander had an impressive first full season in pro ball last year, and could earn himself a ticket to the Bronx sooner rather than later if he stays on an upward trajectory.