SDSU SURVIVES ’POKES ADVANCES TO PLAY WOLF PACK IN SEMIS
69,
When San Diego State’s bleary-eyed basketball team showed up at Thomas & Mack Center on Thursday for 6:15 a.m. COVID testing, the sound of squeaking sneakers could be heard inside the arena.
It was Wyoming, which had a 5:45 a.m. testing time and which had gone straight from cotton swabs to hardwood. To practice.
The Aztecs should have known right then something was up.
The real test for the top seed in the Mountain West tournament and 19th-ranked team in the nation, it turned out, would be its resolve, prevailing 69-66 in a nervy quarterfinals Thursday afternoon against a Cowboys team it beat by, ahem, 30 and 27 points in late January.
“I like the toughness mentally and physically of my team, that we withstood a game like that and found a way to advance,” said coach Brian Dutcher, whose Aztecs never led by more than four points and needed four free throws from Matt Mitchell in the final five seconds to secure the win. “I mean, 51-6 over the last two years is remarkable, and a lot of that has to do with our mental toughness.”
In today’s 6:30 p.m. semifinal, they’ll face fifth-seeded Nevada, which beat Boise State 89-82 for the third time this season and popped the Broncos’ NCAA Tourna
• Duke has positive test, season is over.
New Houston Texans coach David Culley reiterated Thursday that the team has no intention of trading Deshaun Watson despite the star quarterback’s request to be dealt.
Culley, hired in January to replace Bill O’Brien, was asked more than a half-dozen times about Watson’s future with the team. Every time he made it clear he expects Watson to lead his team this season.
“We are very committed to Deshaun as our quarterback,” Culley said. “He is our quarterback. He’s the only guy we got under contract at this time right now.”
Culley said he has spoken to Watson since taking that job but declined to give any details.
Later he was asked whether he has tried to talk Watson into wanting to remain with the team.
“It’s not a matter of me trying to change anybody’s mind,” he said. “As I said before, right now we’re committed to him. He’s a Houston Texan and we’re going to move forward with that.”
Watson, who led the NFL in yards passing last season, has been unhappy with the direction of the team for some time. He made his request to be traded not long after the season
ended.
Sports Illustrated reported in January that Watson was upset the Texans didn’t initially request to interview Kansas City offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy for their coaching vacancy. They eventually did interview Bieniemy before hiring Culley.
O’Brien was fired after the Texans opened the season 0-4 and they finished 4-12 after winning the AFC South the previous two seasons.
Culley said they do not have a contingency plan at quarterback if Watson decides to hold out if he isn’t traded.
Asked if Watson was committed
to him and the team, Culley replied: “Yes, he is.”
When pushed about how he knows that, Culley didn’t provide any details indicating Watson has told him that.
Notable
Thomas Davis and Greg Olsen, two beloved NFL players who developed into iconic figures in the Charlotte community, officially retired together as members of the Panthers.
• Running back Mark Ingram agreed to a one-year contract with the Texans, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press.
• The Bills re-signed linebacker Matt Milano to a fouryear contract, less than a week before the starter was eligible to become a free agent.
• The Chiefs released starting offensive tackles Eric Fisher and Mitchell Schwartz as they sought to squeeze under the salary cap.
• The Saints released starting cornerback Janoris Jenkins in yet another roster moved aimed at helping the club get below this season’s $182.5 million NFL salary cap for the 2021 season.
• The Falcons re-signed placekicker Younghoe Koo and three other exclusive rights free agents. Koo earned Pro Bowl honors and was a highlight of a 4-12 season.
• The Bears rewarded kicker Cairo Santos for a clubrecord season by agreeing to a five-year, $16 million contract, a person familiar with the situation said.
• Ray-Ray McLoud’s solid season with the Steelers earned the wide receiver/returner a second stint with the team. Pittsburgh signed McCloud to a one-year deal.
• The Jets announced the creation of an Athletic Care and Performance Department that will focus on improving the players’ overall health, nutrition and training after injuries plagued the team the last few seasons.