Sports Roundup: U of M Wins Big!

Olympics

The opening ceremonies are tomorrow, but Olympic competition is underway.  Men's snowboard slope style qualifying runs - without American star Shaun White, who withdrew Wednesday, saying the course was too dangerous. The event got underway without him at 1 a.m. our time at X-Treme Park in the mountains above Sochi.  Women's qualifying runs were following in the afternoon, and women's moguls qualifying was scheduled to start freestyle skiing events at 11 this morning.

Down in Sochi, the new team figure skating competition begins 10:30am at the Iceberg Skating Palace.  The men's short program is to be followed by the pairs.

The women's Olympic downhill training run was halted and three racers and will be restarted later in the afternoon so workers can shave down a harrowing jump near the finish.  The three racers who went through the course on Thursday complained they were getting too much air. The race was stopped after the run of Daniela Merighetti of Italy, who says she hurt both knees when she landed. The International Ski Federation announced plans to postpone the training session a few hours to fix the jump.

Michigan Wins

The Wolverines beat Nebraska 79-50 last night at the Crisler Center. Glenn Robinson the Third paced the Wolverines with 23 points.  Zak Irvin and Caris LeVert each added 16.  Michigan is 17-5 overall and 9-1 in Big Ten play.

WMU Wins

Austin Richie scored 22 points and David Brown poured in 20, as the Western Michigan Broncos downed the Ohio University Bobcats, 90-74, in a Mid-American Conference bout at University Arena.  WMU is 13-8, 6-3 MAC, and has won four of five.

Akron 52, EMU 48.

CMU 78, Kent State 73.  Central’s first win in the MAC.

MSU Tonight
The MSU Spartans host Penn State tonight. Broadcast time with the MSU and Penn State is 8pm on WBCK-FM.

Pistons

The Detroit Pistons lost to the Magic in Orlando, 112-98.  Josh Smith led Detroit with 25 points and 12 rebounds. The Pistons host Brooklyn on Friday.

Wrestling

The Lakeview and Pennfield wrestling teams made it to the district finals, but both teams lost.   Lakeview lost to Grand Ledge 34-29 in Division 1.  Pennfield lost to Comstock 40-31 in Division 3.

Boys Basketball
Climax-Scotts 59, Jackson Christian 42.  Dallas Froberg scored 17 points
Burr Oak 73, Bellevue 70 OT

Football Signing Day

WMU and first-year head coach P.J. Fleck is the top-ranked recruiting class in the MAC, signing 25 high school seniors. Lakeview high school linebacker and tight end Donnie Ernsberger will be a WMU Bronco.

Sturgis quarterback Chance Stewart is also headed for WMU.

Also locally, Marshall receiver Landry Reynolds, signed with Siena Heights.

Red Wings

The Wings will hit the road to take on the Florida Panthers tonight. Detroit has a record of 25-19-12, good for 62 points and the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference.  After tonight, the Wings are at Tampa Bay to play the Lightning on Saturday, and then they’re off for 18 days for the Olympic break.

Tigers

29-hundred baseballs, 800 bats, and 80-thousand pounds of cargo are bound for Lakeland Florida, and Tiger Pitchers and catchers are not far behind. Tiger Pitchers and Catchers report in 6 days, while the full squad will report February 17th.  The Tigers open Grapefruit League play against Atlanta on February 26th.