As good as Duke’s first half was, the Blue Devils’ second half was nearly a disaster. Duke survived North Carolina’s second-half rally to win 74-71 in an ACC tournament semifinal game on Friday night at Spectrum Center. Duke (30-3) will face the winner of Friday night’s second semifinal, which is between 2-seed Louisville and 3-seed Clemson.
Kodai Senga rediscovering peak form is more important than ever for Mets rotation
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. – The big pregame news out of Mets camp Friday came when Carlos Mendoza revealed that Clay Holmes, former reliever, had pitched his way into being named the club’s Opening Day starter. Kudos to Holmes, who has been both diligent and dazzling in his transformation from Yankees closer to the top of the Mets' rotation.
But another awfully important pitching story for the Mets further unfolded when Kodai Senga started Friday evening against the Cardinals. This one is not nearly as tidy as Holmes’ ascension, which boasts a crazy .065 batting average against and pinhead-small 0.62 WHIP this spring.
Senga was, as Mendoza put it, “OK” across 3.1 innings against St. Louis in a 3-3 tie at Clover Park, allowing two runs and seven hits. It’s just spring training and Senga, through an interpreter, and Mendoza both deemed the outing a productive night, work-wise. Overall, though, the pitcher coming off a lost 2024 admitted there are “things I’m content with and some things not so much” with his mechanics this spring.
However he sorts that out, one thing is clear – "peak" Senga, something seen only in flashes since his breakout 2023 season, would be an enormous boost to the Mets. They are already dealing with injuries to two members of their rotation – Sean Manaea, who might’ve been the Opening Day starter if he were healthy, and Frankie Montas. The Mets possess starting depth, sure, but Senga, right now, represents a huge slice of the rotation’s star power.
And they’ll need him this year as they aim to compete with the Braves and Phillies in the NL East, two powerful teams with stacked rotations.
“That’s 20 more wins,” said Francisco Lindor when asked what kind of impact Senga, at his best, would make. “He’s an ace. He’s an All-Star. I think he can definitely help us a lot. I’m looking forward to it. I feel like he’s in a good spot and he wants to win.”
“We know what he means to this team and this rotation,” Mendoza added. “I think everyone saw it in 2023 and that’s what we’re looking for here. If he’s healthy, he’s an ace and we need that.
“And, right now, everything is trending in the right direction. I think he's in a really good place, mentally. Physically. And there’s something that I didn't see last year, there's that smile on his face, that joy, you know, being around players. Last year, he went down early in camp, and he was rehabbing and trying to play catch-up the whole year.
“Seeing the way he’s carrying himself in that locker room right now, his presence, knowing that he’s healthy, everybody will feel it.”
Still, with Senga’s recent injury history, there are no guarantees. His spring and how he fares following his starts are key questions for the Mets. Mendoza admitted earlier in the day that Senga was not the choice for Opening Day because “he won’t be ready.”
Senga will start at some point the first time through the rotation, Mendoza said. But the manager also said, “let’s go one outing at a time” when asked for further clarity on when.
Senga missed most of 2024, starting the season on the Injured list with a shoulder capsule strain and then hurting his calf in his return start. He made it back for the postseason, but allowed seven runs in five playoff innings over three appearances (two starts).
But when he’s right, he can be great. In 2023, he was 12-7 with a 2.98 ERA and struck out 202 batters in just 166.1 innings pitched while allowing only 126 hits. He was one of just five qualified pitchers in the majors with a sub-3.00 ERA and one of 17 to fan at least 200.
His “ghost fork” became a sensation, too. In part because of the cool name, but mostly because of its effectiveness. Opposing hitters had a .110 average in at-bats that ended on Senga’s forkball, and 58.5 percent of the plate appearances that finished on the pitch were strikeouts.
Senga was named to the National League All-Star team, making him only the fifth Mets rookie to make the Midsummer Classic. He joined a Flushing Who’s Who of big names: Tom Seaver (1967), Jerry Koosman (1968), Dwight Gooden (1984) and Pete Alonso (2019).
He’s also just fun to watch. At one point Friday, he threw a 63.5 mile-per-hour curveball, two pitches after he had thrown a pitch nearly 30 mph faster. He called it “the miracle ball.”
Maybe the miracle ball, plus the ghost fork, plus a new sinker he’s tinkered with this spring, will add up to something big for Senga and the Mets.
He’ll need health, too, obviously. That’s the first step back to "peak" Senga.
NHL Hockey News, Scores, Standings, Rumors, Fantasy Games 2025-03-16 12:34:30
NHL Hockey News, Scores, Standings, Rumors, Fantasy Games 2025-03-16 12:34:30
UNC loses game-tying free throw on lane violation in comeback attempt vs. Duke
UNC lost its game against Duke, and possibly an NCAA tournament berth, in one of the worst ways possible.
No. 2 Houston leans on its defense to shut down No. 17 BYU and return to Big 12 title game
Houston was forced to play BYU in the Big 12 Tournament semifinals without injured big man J'Wan Roberts. Turns out the second-ranked Cougars still had plenty of guys capable of playing some defense. Whether it was Big 12 player of the year LJ Cryer making life miserable for BYU guard Richie Saunders, or the length of Milos Uzan disrupting passes on the perimeter, coach Kelvin Sampson's team simply shut down a bunch from Provo, Utah, that had set a Big 12 Tournament record with 18 3-pointers and piled up 96 points in a quarterfinal win over Iowa State.
No. 1 Duke holds off furious North Carolina rally to win 74-71, reach ACC title game without Flagg
Kon Knueppel scored 17 points and No. 1 Duke held off a furious second half rally by North Carolina to beat its rival for the third time this season, 74-71 on Friday night to reach the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament championship game. Khaman Maluach added 13 points and nine rebounds, and Sion James had 12 points for the Blue Devils, who played without star Cooper Flagg. Duke (30-3) will play the winner of the second semifinal between No. 10 Clemson and No. 13 Louisville in the title game.
What has been ailing Michigan basketball to end the season?
Tony and Andrew analyze the setbacks Michigan Wolverines basketball has been contending with as the team heads into the Big Ten tournament.
Former Australia rugby captain Rocky Elsom handed two-year jail sentence by French court
Former Australia rugby union captain Rocky Elsom was handed a two-year prison sentence by a French court on Friday after being found guilty of misusing corporate funds.
Ducks Ryan Strome Speaks on Pair of Viral Incidents
Forward Ryan Strome is in the midst of his best season as a member of the Anaheim Ducks. After notching back-to-back 41-point seasons in 2022-23 and 2023-24, he has 37 points (10-27=37) through his first 65 games in the 2024-25 season, a 47-point pace.
Game #66: Ducks vs. Predators Gameday Preview
He signed a five-year contract in the summer of 2022 that carries an AAV of $5 million following three-plus seasons as a member of the New York Rangers. A tenure that peaked with a run to game six of the Eastern Conference final in 2022, in which they lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
During his time as a member of the Rangers and in the Covid-shortened 2020-21 season, the Rangers had their fair share of confrontations with the Washington Capitals that specifically centered around Caps’ forward Tom Wilson. The most heated moment came following a whistle where Wilson slammed Rangers star forward Artemi Panarin into the ice, injuring Panarin and causing him to miss the remainder of the season. In a media session following the altercation, Strome called the NHL’s decision to fine Wilson instead of suspending him “a joke.”
Strome was mic’d up during the Ducks' most recent game against the Caps, a 7-4 Washington victory. During the clip posted by the Ducks, Strome repeatedly and jokingly antagonized Wilson, suggesting they drop the gloves only later to remark “I’m not that stupid,” with a smirk on his face. The clip was a hit, showcasing Strome’s playful personality and sense of humor.
"I'm not that stupid."
— Anaheim Ducks (@AnaheimDucks) March 12, 2025
A mic'd up Stromer let his buddy Tom Wilson off easy last night 😆#FlyTogether | @strome18pic.twitter.com/X0RSNZv2HB
“I’m usually pretty dialed in and serious in the game, but we have a long history,” Strome said after the clip came out. “In New York, we had a big line brawl against those guys. I always just tell him I’m going to beat him up every game. He knows I’m joking. I actually forgot I had a mic on so I probably wouldn’t have said it if I remembered. People thought it was pretty funny, so it made for good content”
That wasn’t the only moment from Strome that went viral this week. During the Ducks’ very next game against the Utah Hockey Club, their second game of a home and road back-to-back, Strome found himself alone at the bottom of the circle in the second period with the Ducks down 1-0. He pulled the puck around Utah goaltender Karel Vejmelka and had a wide open net in which to stuff the puck, but was thwarted by an outstretched skate from Utah defenseman Mikhael Sergachev.
HUGE SKATE SAVE BY SERGACHEV ⛸️
— NHL (@NHL) March 13, 2025
📺: @NHL_On_TNT & @SportsonMax ➡️ https://t.co/4TuyIATi3Tpic.twitter.com/m95ONK5SQh
“Oh come on! That’s crazy!,” an eavesdropping Trevor Zegras said when the play was brought up to Strome.
“You gotta deke the goalie, you don’t expect the D to be there,” Strome said. “I just thought I had him beat and then (Sergachev) kind of came out of nowhere. Great defensive play by him, there’s only so much you can do. You gotta tip your hat sometimes. I probably went from being on one side of the highlight reel to the complete other side. Not my first time, not my last, but great play by him.”
The Ducks host the Nashville Predators on Friday evening at Honda Center. Will this be another opportunity to make his presence felt on social media?
Missed Opportunities Prove Costly for Ducks Down the Stretch
Which NHL Division's Teams Will Beat Up Each Other The Most In The Playoffs?
Just being an NHL player requires pushing through the bumps and bruises that come in an 82-game season. But playing some teams, in particular, takes a physical toll.
As the season unfolds, it’s becoming increasingly clear which division champion will be beaten up the most by the conference finals – and that’s whoever makes it out of the Atlantic Division.
As it stands, the Atlantic-leading Florida Panthers lead the NHL in hitting, with an average of 28.38 hits per 60 minutes. The Ottawa Senators are fourth at 25.57, and the Toronto Maple Leafs are ninth at 23.76. That doesn’t include the third-place Boston Bruins (26.21) and seventh-place Montreal Canadiens (24.23), which are currently out of a playoff spot. Clearly, the Atlantic’s teams will punish each other physically.
What we saw from Thursday night’s clash between the Panthers and Leafs indicated what we’ll likely see in the first two rounds of the playoffs. Florida out-hit Toronto 40-24, and Nate Schmidt and Max Domi decided to fight early in the game as well. That’s no walk in the park.
Maple Leafs And Panthers' Clash Is A Sign Things Are Getting RealFlorida Panthers coach Paul Maurice has noticed something interesting of late ahead of Thursday's game against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Thursday’s tilt looked like a playoff game between the Leafs and Panthers. We’re almost sure to see the emotion amp up by the time the post-season arrives, which could increase the hit totals even more.
It doesn’t matter which Atlantic teams take on each other in the first and second rounds of this year’s playoffs. The Panthers, Leafs or Tampa Bay Lightning could wind up in the top spot in the Atlantic, which sets up a showdown against one another or the improved Senators. That sets the stage for extremely physical battles.
It’s not the same in the Metropolitan Division. The New York Rangers sit fifth in hits per 60 minutes (24.79), but they’re currently not in a playoff spot, and the 10th-highest hitters, the New Jersey Devils, are already dealing with injuries to important players. The Columbus Blue Jackets, Carolina Hurricanes and Washington Capitals are below average in hits per 60 minutes.
The Vancouver Canucks are the only Pacific Division team among the league’s most frequent bodycheckers, but even they might not make the post-season. The most frequent hitters in the Pacific that are in a playoff spot right now are the 14th-place Calgary Flames.
The Central Division, meanwhile, could have some long series and extremely competitive matchups, even if only the Nashville Predators and St. Louis Blues – two clubs outside a playoff spot at the moment – are among the NHL’s top 10 hitters.
At least one of the Central-leading Winnipeg Jets, Dallas Stars or Colorado Avalanche will be sorely disappointed after the opening round. The Jets have led the NHL for most of the season, and the Stars and Avalanche were big buyers at the trade deadline. Don’t expect any of those clubs to go home easily, and do expect some lengthy rounds that test durability to its fullest. But add extra bodychecks, and you’ll likely get what’s expected to happen in the Atlantic.
When you have the defending Cup-champion Panthers in the same division as the most recent back-to-back Cup champs, the Lightning – as well as a massively pressured Leafs team and an up-and-coming Senators squad – you have a division that will take a huge bite out of whoever makes it to the third round. It will be punishing hockey night after night until one team buckles under the strain.
Any Atlantic team that makes it to the Eastern final will pay a huge toll to get there. But their style of game will punish any team that gets in their way.
Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.
Carlos Carrasco fans six, Yankees' backup catchers homer in win over Phillies
In their third meeting of Grapefruit League play, the Yankees rallied late to beat the Philadelphia Phillies, 6-5, on Friday night at Steinbrenner Field.
Here are the takeaways...
-- Now in the mix as a rotation option, Carlos Carrasco made his fourth appearance (third start) of camp. While the veteran right-hander allowed a walk and a double in the first inning, he escaped the jam when Aaron Judge gunned down Kyle Schwarber at home plate on a fly-ball double play off the bat of Edmundo Sosa.
-- It didn't take long for the Yankees to produce offense against Phillies veteran Taijuan Walker. With two outs, Cody Bellinger doubled on a sharp line drive to right, and just moments later, Ben Rice crushed a two-strike, two-run homer to right-center field. After one, New York led 2-0.
-- Carrasco ran into further trouble in the second inning, as he plunked a batter, allowed a single, and surrendered a sac fly. But he managed to complete 3.1 innings (61 pitches), recording six strikeouts with velocity that reached 93 mph. Carrasco lowered his spring ERA to 2.45 across 11 innings, and the interesting wrinkle is that he can opt out of his contract on March 22. He isn't on the 40-man roster.
-- Judge snapped a hitless streak of 13 at-bats with a single to center in the sixth inning. It was a quiet night for middle infielders Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Anthony Vople, who went a combined 0-for-6 with one strikeout. Rice's plate appearances were encouraging, however, as he bolstered his case for a role in the Opening Day lineup.
-- Luke Weaver, now serving as the Yankees' set-up man, entered in relief for Carrasco. He recorded two outs in his second appearance of camp, inducing a flyout and groundout with seven pitches.
-- There's a strong chance the Yankees will carry three catchers to begin the season, which is encouraging news for J.C. Escarra. The longtime minor leaguer flaunted his hot bat with a game-tying solo shot to right in the seventh. In 31 spring at-bats, he's hitting .355 with three homers and seven RBI. Escarra could very well serve as the backup to Austin Wells on Opening Day.
-- Allan Winans, who received a non-roster invite to camp, logged three innings out of the bullpen. He allowed two hits -- including a go-ahead two-run homer to Stevenson in the seventh -- along with three walks and three punchouts. Winans entered Friday with a 1.08 ERA across 8.1 spring innings.
-- With one out in the ninth inning, non-roster invitee T.J. Rumfield crushed a two-run, game-tying homer to right-center. The 24-year-old first baseman produced laudable Triple-A numbers last season, slashing .292/.365/.461 with 26 doubles, 15 homers, and 71 RBI in 114 games.
-- Facing a potential tie with two outs, Brendan Jones ripped a ball down the line that was stunningly snagged by the Phillies' first baseman. But the pitcher was late to cover the bag, and heads-up baserunning from Jesus Rodriguez -- who started at second on the hit -- forced a play at the plate and a late throw home. A funky rally and walk-off win for the Yankees.
-- It wasn't exactly a night to remember for Trent Grisham. During the second inning, he was thrown out at second base trying to stretch a single to right into a double, and two innings later, he surprisingly dropped a routine fly ball in center.
-- It's still unclear when -- or if -- Giancarlo Stanton will see playing time in 2025, but his indefinite stint on the injured list isn't only due to chronic tennis elbows. Prior to first pitch Friday, manager Aaron Boone said that the veteran slugger is also nursing a "minor" calf issue. Stanton underwent a third round of PRP injections on Monday.
Highlights
Aaron Judge battles the sun and still nails Kyle Schwarber trying to score on a sac fly! pic.twitter.com/WwSQrsptYP
— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) March 14, 2025
Ben Rice 2-run shot! pic.twitter.com/yeghOg5nGp
— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) March 14, 2025
Aaron Boone joined @flash17yes and @NYnellie43 for the top of the 4th inning. The first thing they discussed? Joe Torre being down in Tampa! #YANKSonYESpic.twitter.com/Q2y62Stsyk
— YES Network (@YESNetwork) March 14, 2025
JC Escarra 💪 pic.twitter.com/iJgqpmtFRg
— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) March 15, 2025
TJ Rumfield 2-run game-tying homer in the 9th! pic.twitter.com/vSjYNjnSzI
— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) March 15, 2025
Jesus Rodriguez hustles all the way around from second base and the Yankees have a spring walk-off pic.twitter.com/1pQH4ATz80
— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) March 15, 2025
What's next
The Yankees (10-9) will spend the entire weekend south in Port Charlotte for a pair of games against the division-rival Rays on Saturday and Sunday (1:05 p.m. starts).
No. 2 Houston shuts down No. 17 BYU for a 74-54 victory in Big 12 Tournament semifinals
Emanuel Sharpe scored 26 points, LJ Cryer had 20 and second-ranked Houston stifled No. 17 BYU in a 74-54 victory Friday night that moved the Cougars into the Big 12 Tournament championship game for the second consecutive season. Milos Uzan added 14 points and Mylik Wilson pulled down 13 rebounds, helping the tournament's top seed jump to a big early lead and roll into Saturday night's matchup with ninth-ranked Texas Tech or Arizona on a 12-game win streak. Houston (29-4) played without J'Wan Roberts, its leading rebounder, after he sprained his ankle early in the second half of the Cougars' quarterfinal win over Colorado.
SEE IT: Mets’ Kodai Senga throws ‘miracle ball’ pitch in spring training game
Mets ace Kodai Senga has become renowned for his array of pitches, including his infamous ghost fork. But the right-hander has introduced a new pitch, with an equally catchy name.
In the Mets’ 3-3 tie with the Cardinals on Friday night, Senga was on the mound against Yohel Pozo in the third inning. With the Mets up 1-0, the Cardinals were threatening with a man on second and no out when Senga threw a 63.5 mph curveball on a 1-1 count.
Pozo waved at it and fouled it back, but how slow the pitch was thrown caught the eyes of those in Port St. Lucie.
Here's the "miracle ball" in action from Kodai Senga: https://t.co/GPCyBcZUh0pic.twitter.com/uNbjlMierh
— SNY (@SNYtv) March 15, 2025
Pozo would get the better of Senga, launching a two-run shot off an 84 mph slider to put St. Louis in the lead.
After his outing, Senga was asked about that curveball. The right-hander simply called it the “miracle ball” before a smirk came over his face.
When pressed about the pitch, the 32-year-old was reluctant to go into too much detail. The media present pressed a bit, asking if he was trying to throw a Yu Darvish eephus pitch.
Senga laughed before answering through his interpreter, “Didn’t have any thoughts. Threw it lightly and it went in the zone. So…great.”
Unlike his ghost fork, however, fans probably shouldn't expect the miracle ball to be added to Senga's repertoire.
"If it's that slow, I'm going to regret it if it gets hit," Senga said. "So I don’t know [if I'll add it]."
Friday was Senga's second spring start this year, and he was inconsistent. He pitched 3.1 innings, allowing two runs on seven hits and striking out just one batter on 53 pitches. While there was a lot of traffic, Senga's lone mistake was the two-run shot to Pozo.
Despite his struggles, Senga was relatively pleased with his outing.
"Feel good. Came out of the outing healthy and was able to try out a bunch of things," he said. "It was a productive outing."
Ejiofor powers No. 6 St. John’s past No. 25 Marquette 79-63 into 1st Big East final since 2000
Zuby Ejiofor scored a career-high 33 points, a St. John's record in the Big East Tournament, and the sixth-ranked Red Storm pulled away from No. 25 Marquette 79-63 on Friday night to reach the conference championship game for the first time in 25 years. Big East Player of the Year RJ Luis Jr. added 13 points and Ejiofor grabbed nine rebounds as the top-seeded Red Storm (29-4) wiped out an early 15-point deficit. Kadary Richmond had 12 points, 10 rebounds and six assists for St. John's, which has won eight straight — and 18 of 19 since the new year.