Izaiyah Nelson had 26 points and 10 rebounds in Arkansas State's 103-78 victory over Saint Louis on Tuesday night in the NIT. Taryn Todd scored 21 points while going 8 of 14 from the floor, including 4 for 7 from 3-point range, and added seven assists for the Red Wolves (25-10). Derrian Ford had 15 points and went 5 of 6 from the field (3 for 3 from 3-point range).
NBA Basketball News, Scores, Standings, Rumors, Fantasy Games 2025-03-20 07:24:41
NBA Basketball News, Scores, Standings, Rumors, Fantasy Games 2025-03-20 00:47:54
NBA Basketball News, Scores, Standings, Rumors, Fantasy Games 2025-03-20 07:24:41
NBA Basketball News, Scores, Standings, Rumors, Fantasy Games 2025-03-20 13:42:56
NBA Basketball News, Scores, Standings, Rumors, Fantasy Games 2025-03-20 13:42:56
NBA Basketball News, Scores, Standings, Rumors, Fantasy Games 2025-03-20 13:42:56
NBA Basketball News, Scores, Standings, Rumors, Fantasy Games 2025-03-20 13:42:56
NBA Basketball News, Scores, Standings, Rumors, Fantasy Games 2025-03-20 13:42:56
NBA Basketball News, Scores, Standings, Rumors, Fantasy Games 2025-03-20 13:42:56
NBA Basketball News, Scores, Standings, Rumors, Fantasy Games 2025-03-20 13:42:56
NBA Basketball News, Scores, Standings, Rumors, Fantasy Games 2025-03-20 13:42:56
NBA Basketball News, Scores, Standings, Rumors, Fantasy Games 2025-03-20 00:47:54
Red Wings Burned Late in Washington, Fall 4–1
The Detroit Red Wings fell 4–1 to the Washington Capitals at Capital One Arena Tuesday night. The final score was not an entirely accurate reflection of the run of play, with the Caps surging late to pull clear in what had been a competitive game. The third period began at 1–1, before Washington took full advantage of its chances when the Red Wings couldn't for three unanswered goals.
In the end, it's a setback for Detroit's wild card aspirations. Between the loss in Washington and the other results on the out-of-town scoreboard, the Red Wings now sit three points back of the Montreal Canadiens for the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference, with Detroit having played an extra game and with three teams (the Rangers, Islanders, and Blue Jackets) separating the Wings and Habs.
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Here are five observations from the performances:
I. Capitals Exert Heavy Presence Around Mrazek's Crease
At the 6:36 mark of the first period, Capitals center Dylan Strome opened the scoring. He did so by throwing a puck to the net—at a harmless pace, from a harmless position along the point—through heavy traffic, which Red Wings goaltender Petr Mrazek never saw. Connor McMichael battled with Ben Chiarot at top of the crease, and two other Caps flashed across Mrazek's sight line as Strome fired with enough precision to strike the net. It was the type of shot that had hit Mrazek Sunday afternoon against the Vegas Golden Knights, even when he didn't see it on the way, but it snuck through for Strome Tuesday night.
On the ensuing shift, Washington's fourth line got right back to the same game plan, crowding Mrazek and throwing pucks toward him from the point: hardly a revolutionary strategy, but one to which the Capitals committed all night.
This trend took on a slightly different flavor for Washington's third and fourth goals: establishing a heavy presence around the crease, then having someone else drive the net once a lane opened.
For the third goal, Pierre-Luc Dubois cleared out a lane for Tom Wilson to skate into, affording Wilson an open re-direct on an Aliaksei Protas centering pass from just beyond the crease. On the fourth, the gravitational pull of Alex Ovechkin opened up room at the net front for Connor McMichael to wack a loose puck home through Simon Edvinsson.
Over the last two seasons, Detroit has struggled at times with teams that play a heavy game low in the offensive zone. Part of this can be explained simply because that tendency applies to a number of the best teams in the league (e.g. Florida, Edmonton, Dallas, and, in its own way, Carolina), and it's certainly a strength for Washington. That presence was a driving factor in the Caps forcing their way to the right side of the result Tuesday night.
II. Rush Chances Missed and Made
About three and a half minutes into the third with the game still tied at one, Patrick Kane hit the offensive blue line with speed, descending in from the right wing for a two-on-one chance and firing a short-side shot that just missed its target. It was a moment and an opportunity you're accustomed to seeing Kane seize, and he didn't miss by much.
Some three minutes after that, Alex DeBrincat skated in for a similar look, also down the right flank (though he hadn't built up quite as much speed). DeBrincat targeted Washington goaltender Logan Thompson's glove side (the far side, because Thompson catches with his right hand), but Thompson knocked down, then covered the shot.
Then, roughly a minute and a half later, Dubois accelerated as he slashed from right to left across the neutral zone to rush wide on Justin Holl. He didn't have a tremendous angle, but Dubois got the shot off quickly, and it deflected off Holl's stick and through Mrazek.
Tuesday's game swung on thin margins. The trouble for Detroit came when the Red Wings failed to recover their rhythm following the wobble of Dubois' goal, instead conceding twice more in the ensuing seven minutes and change.
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III. Penalty-Free Game Lets Five-on-Five Prevail
There were zero penalties in either direction Tuesday night, allowing five-on-five play to prevail and theoretically affording both sides a chance to settle into a simple, rolling rhythm. For Detroit, that mean not having the chance to build momentum on the sizzling power play, but it also meant not having to worry about any bleeding on the struggling penalty kill. The Red Wings were competitive at even strength for most of the night, but there can ultimately be no real denying that the better team prevailed.
IV. Red Wings Third Line Creates, Can't Convert
Building off a positive performance Sunday against Vegas (which helped produce the highlight reel goal for Albert Johansson), the Detroit third line of J.T. Compher with Jonatan Berggren and Vladimir Tarasenko on his wings played a strong game. However, that trio failed to take advantage of the chances it created.
Compher had two excellent looks in the first period, but he couldn't quite get off the shot he wanted in either case. Meanwhile, for the second game in a row, Tarasenko got himself into good positions—arriving at the right time to dangerous areas—but he's missed the net too often on the ensuing shots.
If any of those chances had come good, it could have wound up a much different night for the Red Wings in the end. Detroit's been starved for depth scoring all season. In theory, it's a positive sign to see the third line at least creating quality chances, but the next step of converting those chances is obviously pivotal.
V. Caps as Measuring Stick: an Extra Gear
To reiterate, if you're looking at this game (against the Eastern Conference leaders) as a measuring stick for Detroit, there were positives to take. At the very least, the Red Wings showed themselves to be competitive, but of course, Detroit is at a point of the season where results are king, and the Wings didn't get the right one Tuesday.
Meanwhile, in considering the gap in the East table from Washington at first to Detroit at 12th, the Capitals certainly showed a gear the Red Wings couldn't match. It's not as though Washington caved in its guests for 60 minutes by any means, but the Caps showed flashes of that type of control. There was a quickness and sharpness to Washington's puck movement, especially in transition, that stood out Tuesday night.
One such spell came in the immediate aftermath of Strome's opening goal. The Capitals defense corps made incisive vertical passes, which sprung their forwards into advantageous offensive positions. That space empowered the forwards to switch sides in the offensive zone and create high quality looks.
When you supplement that puck movement and transition game with Washington's heavy game around the net, it's not hard to see why Spencer Carbery's team has been so successful this season.
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Fantasy Baseball: Garrett Mitchell, Gavin Williams among Rotoworld staff's most drafted players for 2025
The 2025 MLB season officially got underway with the Cubs and Dodgers in Japan, but we're still in the thick of fantasy baseball draft season. With that in mind, we decided to pull together the Rotoworld Baseball staff to get their intel on the players they have drafted the most this spring.
Our fantasy analysts spend a lot of time in the offseason thinking about which players could be poised for a breakout season, whether because of opportunity, underlying skills, or just value relative to their average draft position. It's one thing to write about it, but it's another to go out and execute in an actual draft. That's why this exercise carries some weight.
We hope it helps you leading into your drafts this week.
Your one-stop-shop for Rotoworld’s preseason fantasy baseball content.
ROTOWORLD’S MOST DRAFTED PLAYERS FOR 2025
Bowden Francis SP/RP, Blue Jays
For me, it's Bowden Francis. He's actually one of seven guys that I have 100% of through my first 3 or four drafts and I've already written about Verlander. Francis was a dominant force in 2024 once he was finally given a full-time shot in the Jays’ rotation – going 4-2 with a 1.53 ERA and unfathomable 0.53 WHIP and a 56/7 K/BB ratio over 59 innings in nine starts after joining the rotation on August 7. He’s obviously not going to continue at that unsustainable level and flirt with a no-hitter every time out like he did in 2024, but there’s nothing in the skills profile that leads me to believe he can’t be an elite starting pitcher for fantasy purposes. The biggest concern here is going to be the jump in workload after throwing just 123 innings between the Jays and Triple-A Buffalo in 2024. Through the first eight NFBC Main Event drafts he’s held an ADP of 262 and I fully believe he’s going to deliver a substantial profit from that spot in the draft. - David Shovein
Victor Robles OF, Mariners
There’s an extreme reluctance from fantasy managers to believe Robles’ unexpected Seattle metamorphosis wasn’t a mirage simply because they’ve been burned multiple times in the past. The 27-year-old former top prospect failed to live up to those astronomical expectations for nearly a decade with the Nationals, but things immediately clicked with the Mariners where he experienced an uptick in hard contact, started striking out less, and ran with reckless aggression on the basepaths. It’s probably a stretch to forecast double-digit homers, but Robles appears to have finally arrived as a four-category impact fantasy contributor just entering his physical prime. He’s set to lead off for the Mariners ahead of generational talent Julio Rodríguez and possesses legitimate 50-steal upside after managing 30 thefts in just 77 contests last year in Seattle. He’s one of the best values in the entire fantasy landscape this spring as a borderline top-50 outfielder on draft day. - George Bissell
Gavin Williams RHP, Guardians
I have Williams on almost 100% of my teams and have written too many articles about him this off-season, so I am dangerously all-in. The short version of why I believe Williams is in for a big year is connected to three things. For starters, he is a 25-year-old who has been a high-end prospect. He's a former first-round draft pick who posted a 33.1% strikeout rate in 115 minor league innings in 2022 and a 34.3% mark in 60.1 innings in 2023 before his MLB call-up. We know 2024 was impacted by an elbow injury that delayed his start to the season; however, Williams has no other injury red flags and claims to be healthy after extensive physical therapy in the off-season. He has also ironed out mechanical issues that resulted from that injury, leading to increased vertical movement on his fastball and refined shape on his slider. He also plans to bring back the cutter from last year which gives him two plus secondaries to go with an elite fastball. That's a recipe for success to me. - Eric Samulski
Eric Samulski looks at the offseason changes for Guardians’ starter Gavin Williams that make him a fantasy target.
Eric SamulskiGarrett Mitchell OF, Brewers
Injuries have hindered Mitchell's development, but even so, he's thus far hit .264 with 13 homers and 20 steals in 365 plate appearances as a major leaguer. The Brewers are counting on him as their regular center fielder and will likely start out with him batting no lower than fifth against righties. Mitchell still needs to work on shedding some strikeouts, but continued health and everyday at-bats will likely help there. He has top-notch bat speed, and he doesn't often chase bad pitches. There's sufficient five-category potential to make him a top-25 fantasy outfielder this year, yet he can still be had at the end of mixed-league drafts. - Matthew Pouliot
Heliot Ramos OF, Giants
A highly-touted prospect for several years, Ramos finally broke out with the Giants in 2024, slashing .269/.322/.469 with 22 homers, 72 RBI, and six steals across 518 plate appearances, earning All-Star honors. His improved contact rate came with top-tier batted ball metrics, including a 14.5% barrel rate that fully supports his power output and gives him a 30-homer upside. While the 25-year-old outfielder had drastic splits, crushing left-handed pitching to a 1.189 OPS, his 26.8% strikeout rate and 47.3% hard-hit rate suggest he can certainly improve against right-handers. There's a good chance he's leading off against left-handers, which can lead to a few more stolen base opportunities. He's already shown a willingness to run this spring with a couple of steals. And chipping in some speed with plenty of power would make him an incredible value at his current draft cost of around 200. Ramos profiles similarly to someone like Riley Greene, another breakout pick being drafted several rounds earlier. - Jorge Montanez
Andres Muñoz RP, Mariners
Sometimes, I find "player x has a new pitch" talk to be a smidgen annoying. But whether it's because I'm cursed to be a Mariner fan or something else, I can't stop watching Munoz's new change; a pitch that has reportedly shown 10 inches of vertical drop. He'll combine that pitch with a fastball that still touches 101 mph, and one of the better sliders in baseball. Seems pretty good to me, and yet I've been able to draft Munoz outside of the top 100 in several leagues this year, which doesn't make a ton of sense. He's locked in as the closer of a good -- albeit flawed -- Seattle team, and we're talking about a pitcher that ranked in the 99th percentile in generating swings-and-misses with a whiff percentage of 39.6, and keep in mind that he did that before introducing this new change. Sure there's a chance that Munoz won't get every save opportunity for Seattle, but that's true for every reliever in modern baseball. He's a top five closer to me, and the fact that you could get him as your second closer is both baffling and a real chance to win the saves category. - Christopher Crawford
A look at each MLB team’s bullpen situation going into the 2025 season.
Jorge MontanezReese Olson SP, Tigers
Olson has a lot going for him. He was on his way to a true breakout season in 2024 with a 3.23 ERA and 1.18 WHIP over 103 innings before a shoulder injury took a huge chunk out of his season. He did come back in September though and gave the Tigers a few solid outings in the playoffs, so health is not a concern heading into this season. Moreover, he has an incredible combination of off-speed pitches with his slider and changeup. The slider works incredibly well with his sinker against right-handed batters and forced a 50.9% whiff rate against them last season. His changeup got more than 50% whiffs against righties as well, but was more valuable as his out-pitch against lefties. Both work well to hide his subpar fastball(s) and his command of each is so good that he can throw each to any batter. It also helps that he calls Comerica Park - one of the best pitchers' parks in the league - home. So far this spring, he's been throwing a tick harder and experimenting more with his curveball. Any incremental improvements there could catapult him into the top-30 starting pitcher discussion and his floor feels like a fringey top-50 type of arm. Over the last week, he's been drafted as the 66th starting pitcher on the NFBC and I've been happy to jump that price and trust him in the middle of my rotation. I see a Tanner Bibee-light here. - James Schiano
Paul Goldschmidt 1B, Yankees
Goldschmidt hit .230 in the first half of 2024, but bounced back with a .270 average in the second half. He’s entering his age-37 season, but the first baseman isn’t done yet. According to the Baseball Forecaster, Goldschmidt had 28 xHR in 2024 compared to the 22 actual home runs that he hit. He’s played at least 151 games in each of the last three seasons. Goldschmidt’s ADP has remained around 180 for all of draft season. He’s going around Michael Toglia, who might sink your batting average. Goldschmidt, on the other hand, can provide a little bit of everything. His run totals should be solid in the middle of the Yankees lineup and there’s a chance we get one last vintage Goldschmidt year. - Nick Shlain
Eric Samulski and James Schiano of Rotoworld, Yahoo Sports’ Scott Pianowski, and more are hosting a LIVE fantasy baseball mock draft (12 team, 5x5 roto, snake draft) and answering your questions to help you get prepared for your fantasy baseball drafts