Page 15 - Florida Sentinel 3-14-17

Sports
Russell Westbrook Passes Wilt Chamberlain For Second-Most Triple-Doubles (32) In A Season
BEAUTY UNLIMITED
ALICIA
This week’s Beauty Unlimited feature is Alicia. This young lady wants to be an inspiration to others as she con- tinues to ascend to the place she’s always dreamed off. Not lacking self confidence, Alicia is patient as well, and willing to put in all the work necessary to be successful. She can see her future as one full of opportunities, and eventually, stardom. Alicia maintains her level of intensity by staying focused, yet understanding when it’s time to slow things down and just spend time with family and friends. Con- gratulations to Alicia as this week’s Beauty Unlimited fea- ture.
With 33 points, 11 rebounds and 14 assists against the Utah Jazz in a 112-104 Thunder win Saturday, Russell Westbrook recorded his 32nd triple-double of the 2016-17 campaign, passing Wilt Chamberlain for the sec- ond-most in an NBA season.
"It's amazing what he's done," Thunder coach Billy Donovan said.
Westbrook, who has a knack for speedy triple-doubles, notched this one with 8:50 re- maining in the third quarter with
RUSSELL WESTBROOK
a rebound. After the 10th re- bound, he scored 20 of his 33 points and picked up only two
more assists and one more board.
Russell Westbrook needs to record nine triple-doubles over the Thunder's remaining 16 games to tie Oscar Robert- son's mark for most in a season (41).
Next up, and last up, for Westbrook: Oscar Robert- son, who had 41 triple-doubles in the 1961-62 season. West- brook has 16 games to reach nine triple-doubles and catch Robertson.
It’s March Madness And The Teams Have Been Chosen
The speculation is over. The selection committee revealed the 2017 NCAA bracket Sunday night, and the East Region boasts the defending-champion Villanova Wildcats.
In addition to claiming the No. 1 overall seed in March Madness, the quadrant features two of the First Four matchups.
The first round begins Thursday in Buffalo and Or- lando.
Duke, Baylor, Florida, Vir- ginia and SMU are the next- highest seeds, and the East Region also contains two well- regarded mid-major winners in UNC-Wilmington and East Tennessee State.
The North Carolina Tar Heels are the ACC’s lone No. 1 seed and the #1 seed in the South. North Carolina, the
Defending champs Villanova are the #1 seed in the East, ended the regular season with a 30-3 record. Gonzaga was chosen #1 in the West over Arizona.
league’s outright regular season champion, finished three games ahead of Duke in the standings.
Gonzaga (32-1) is the No. 1 seed in the West instead of Pac- 12 regular season and tourna- ment champion Arizona (30-4).
Kansas outed Louisville for the #1 seed in the Midwest.
The First Four may mark the official tip-off of March Mad-
ness this Tuesday and Wednes- day in Dayton, and from there the real fun begins.
Here’s a look at the tourna- ment schedule (all times ET). Tipoff times for Saturday’s sec- ond round games will be re- leased after the conclusion of Thursday’s games. Likewise for Sunday’s second-round con- tests.
East Region
No. 1 Villanova vs.
No. 16 (Mount St. Mary’s/ New Orleans) Date/time: Thursday, March
16, 7:10 p.m. Channel: CBS
No. 8 Wisconsin vs.
No. 9 Virginia Tech Date/time: Thursday, March 16, after Villanova-Play-in win-
ner
Channel: CBS
No. 5 Virginia vs.
No. 12 UNC-Wilmington Date/time: Thursday, March
16, 12:40 p.m. Channel: TruTV
No. 4 Florida vs. No. 13 East Tennessee State Date/time: Thursday, March 16, after Virginia-UNC-Wilm-
ington Channel: truTV
No. 3 Baylor vs.
No. 14 New Mexico State Date/time: Friday, March 17,
12:40 p.m. Channel: truTV
No. 6 SMU vs.
No. 11 (Providence/USC) Date/time: Friday, March 17, after Baylor-New Mexico State
Channel: truTV
No. 7 South Carolina vs. No. 10 Marquette Date/time: Friday, March 17,
after Duke-Troy Channel: TBS
No. 2 Duke vs. No. 15 Troy Date/time: Friday, March 17, 7:20 p.m.
Channel: TBS
Midwest Region
No. 1 Kansas vs. No. 16
(N.C. Central/UC Davis) Date/time: Friday, March 17, 1:30 p.m.
Channel: TNT
No. 8 Miami vs.
No. 9 Michigan State Date/time: Friday, March 17, after Kansas-Play-in winner
Channel: TNT
No. 5 Iowa State vs. No. 12 Nevada Date/time: Thursday, March
16, after Purdue-Vermont Channel: truTV
No. 4 Purdue vs. No. 13 Vermont Date/time: Thursday, March
16, 7:27 p.m. Channel: truTV
No. 3 Oregon vs.
No. 14 Iona Date/time: Friday, March 17,
2 p.m. Channel: TBS
No. 6 Creighton vs.
No. 11 Rhode Island Date/time: Friday, March 17, after Oregon-Iona
Channel: TBS
No. 7 Michigan vs.
No. 10 Oklahoma State Date/time: Friday, March 17,
12:15 p.m. Channel: CBS
No. 2 Louisville vs.
No. 15 Jacksonville State Date/time: Friday, March 17, after Michigan-Oklahoma
State Channel: CBS
South Region
No. 1 North Carolina vs. No. 16 Texas Southern Date/time: Friday, March 17,
after Arkansas-Seton Hall Channel: TNT
No. 8 Arkansas vs.
No. 9 Seton Hall Date/time: Friday, March 17,
1:30 p.m. Channel: TNT
No. 5 Minnesota vs.
No. 12 Middle Tennessee Date/time: Thursday, March
16, after Butler-Winthrop Channel: TNT
No. 4 Butler vs.
No. 13 Winthrop Date/time: Thursday, March
16, 1:30 p.m. Channel: TNT
No. 3 UCLA vs.
No. 14 Kent State Date/time: Friday, March 17, after Cincinnati-Play-in win-
ner
Channel: truTV
No. 6 Cincinnati vs. No. 11 (Kansas State/Wake Forest) Date/time: Friday, March 17, 7:27 p.m.
Channel: truTV
No. 7 Dayton vs.
No. 10 Wichita State Date/time: Friday, March 17,
7:10 p.m. Channel: CBS
No. 2 Kentucky vs.
No. 15 Northern Kentucky Date/time: Friday, March 17,
after Dayton-Wichita State Channel: CBS
West Region
No. 1 Gonzaga vs.
No. 16 South Dakota State Date/time: Thursday, March
16, 2 p.m. Channel: TBS
No. 8 Northwestern vs. No. 9 Vanderbilt Date/time: Thursday, March 16, after Gonzaga-South
Dakota State Channel: TBS
No. 5 Notre Dame vs.
No. 12 Princeton Date/time: Thursday, March
16, 12:15 p.m. Channel: CBS
No. 4 West Virginia vs. No. 13 Bucknell Date/time: Thursday, March 16, after Notre Dame-Prince-
ton
Channel: CBS
No. 3 Florida State vs. No. 14 Florida Gulf Coast Date/time: Thursday, March
16, after Maryland-Xavier Channel: TNT
No. 6 Maryland vs.
No. 11 Xavier Date/time: Thursday, March
16, 6:50 p.m. Channel: TNT
No. 7 Saint Mary’s vs. No. 10 VCU Date/time: Thursday, March
16, 7:20 p.m. Channel: TBS
No. 2 Arizona vs.
No. 15 North Dakota Date/time: Thursday, March
16, after Saint Mary’s-VCU Channel: TBS
Unsigned Tender Kept Malcolm Butler Out Of Brandin Cooks Talks
While the Patriots may have indeed considered the possibility of trading corner- back Malcolm Butler to the Saints after signing corner- back Stephon Gilmore, that consideration never ac- tually became action for one very important reason: But- ler hasn’t signed his re- stricted free agency tender.
Coach Bill Belichick his- torically has had a high level of sensitivity regarding trade discussions involving a player who is subject to a tender offer that has not yet been signed. Per a source with knowledge of the situation, Butler’s decision not to sign his tender kept the Patriots and Saints from seriously ex- ploring the prospect of adding Butler to the deal.
Eight years ago, Belichick
MALCOLM BUTLER AND BRANDIN COOKS
made clear his disdain for discussing trades of players who have not yet signed ten- der offers, regarding the pos- sibility of acquiring former-and-present Panthers defensive end Julius Peppers.
“There’s no trade talks going on with Carolina,” Be- lichick said at the time. “They don’t have a signed contract. They can’t talk about trading a player that isn’t signed.”
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