Sports: Pistons, Wolverines Win!

NBA/Pistons

The Pistons beat the Philadelphia 76ers, 111-91. Tobias Harris scored a game-high 22 points and grabbed eight rebounds. Andre Drummond posted 12 points and 18 boards for the Pistons. Reggie Jackson netted 17 points and Reggie Bullock had 16 in the rout.  The Pistons have won two in-a-row since a five-game losing streak are 29-29 on the season.  The Pistons will travel to Milwaukee to take on the Bucks Saturday.

Piston Injuries

The Pistons will be without forwards Stanley Johnson and Anthony Tolliver for several games because of injuries.   Johnson will be out at least a week with a right shoulder sprain and Tolliver will be sidelined up to four weeks with a knee injury.  To help fill the roster spots, Detroit signed forward Justin Harper from the NBA Development League to a 10-day contract.   Harper, who was on the Pistons summer-league roster the last two years, averaged 14.8 points and 5 rebounds in 34 games this season with the Los Angeles D-Fenders.

College Basketball

U-M beat the Northwestern Wildcats 72-63 last night in Ann Arbor.  Michigan was down 13 points but came back for the win. Muhammad-Ali Abdur Rahkman led the Wolverines with 19 points.  Derrick Walton Junior added 16 points.  Aubrey Dawkins had 11 points.  U of M, 20-9 overall and 10-6 in the Big Ten, will be on the road Sunday to tip off against Wisconsin.   The Badgers beat #8 Iowa last night.

Michigan State will host Penn State on Sunday.

KCC’s Men’s and Women’s basketball teams will finish the season hosting Grand Rapids on Saturday afternoon, make up games from Wednesday.

High School Boys Basketball

Wednesday’s St. Philip-Bellevue game at the Palace of Auburn Hills was postponed, but the game at the Palace has been rescheduled for this Saturday at 8:00 am.

High School State Rankings

The Marshall girls climbed one spot to No. 7 in Class B. The Redhawks are now 17-1 overall and clinched at least a share of the Interstate Eight Conference title.  The Climax-Scotts girls remain at No. 5 in Class D. The Panthers are now 17-2 overall after winning the Southern Central Athletic Association championship last week.

The Marshall boys got votes in Class B to earn honorable mention status.

Girls Basketball Scheduled for Tonight (weather permitting)

Comstock at Bronson

Union City at Homer

Burr Oak at Tekonsha

Friday Boys Basketball

Loy Norrix at Battle Creek Central

Lakeview at Gull Lake

Marshall at Harper Creek

Pennfield at Jackson Lumen Christi

Athens at Jonesville

Cassopolis at Bronson

Climax-Scotts at Colon

Schoolcraft at Delton

Galesburg-Augusta at Lawton

Union City at Homer

Maple Valley at Olivet

Concord at Quincy

Burr Oak at Tekonsha

Friday Girls Basketball

Loy Norrix at Battle Creek Central

Lakeview at Gull Lake

Marshall at Harper Creek

Pennfield at Jackson Lumen Christi

Bellevue at St. Philip

Athens at Jonesville

Climax-Scotts at Colon

Schoolcraft at Delton

Galesburg-Augusta at Lawton

Maple Valley at Parchment

Concord at Quincy

Red Wings

Red Wings defenseman Jonathan Ericsson is ready to return to the lineup after missing six games with a lower-body injury.  Ericsson is expected to be in the lineup Saturday for the Stadium Series game against the Colorado Avalanche at Coors Field.  The Red Wings reassigned defenseman Xavier Ouellet to the Grand Rapids Griffins after practice.   Ouellet had one assist in five games.  Ericsson is anxious to play in his first outdoor game. He missed the 2014 Winter Classic at Michigan Stadium due to broken ribs.

Wrestling Quarterfinals

Division 3…Delton-Kellogg is headed to the State Quarterfinals, at CMU on Friday.

NFL Combine

Top prospects and team personnel are gathered in Indianapolis this week for the NFL Scouting Combine.   Select head coaches and general managers met with the media Wednesday and will again today before on-field workouts start Friday at Lucas Oil Stadium.  Running backs, offensive linemen and special teams players will hit the field on Friday, quarterbacks, wide receivers and tight ends on Saturday, defensive linemen and linebackers on Sunday, and defensive backs on Monday.

The Tennessee Titans have the top pick in the draft, which begins Thursday, April 28th in Chicago.

Tigers

The Tigers’ first spring game is next Monday versus Florida Southern.