Couch Potato: Sunday’s News And Notes From Under The Cushions

By Sonny Jones

How about those Blue Devils? Awesome ACC tournament performance for first-year coach Jon Scheyer and his young club. Duke led from start to finish Saturday night in beating Virginia 59-49.

Now, it’s on to the NCAA tournament for Duke, Virginia, N.C. State, Miami and … North Carolina (?), Clemson (?), Pittsburgh (?). We’ll find out tonight.

• Tough ending to the season for Wingate’s women’s basketball team and head coach Ann Hancock. The Bulldogs lost to Georgia Southwestern 81-64 on Saturday in the semifinals of the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional. Wingate jumped to a 19-9 lead at the end of the first quarter, then it was all Georgia Southwestern in the second half. Wingate finishes with a 22-8 record.

• Wasn’t able to watch the ACC title game. Instead, watched the Carolina Hurricanes get shut out by the Vegas Golden Knights 4-0 on Saturday night inside PNC Arena. Hurricanes just didn’t have it. Still second-most points in the NHL. Try again tonight at New Jersey.

• Bladen County Recreation Department’s girls softball registration continues through Friday, March 17. There will be leagues for ages 5-7, 8-10, 11-12, and 13-15. The player’s age as of January 1, 2023 will determine the age group. The fee is $35 per player. Registration can be completed online (Registration Link) or in person at the Bladen County Parks and Recreation Office, 803 West King Street, Elizabethtown.

• Elizabethtown Christian Academy Legacy Tournament: Saturday, March 18, Vineyard Golf at White Lake. Four-person Captain’s Choice teeing off at 9 a.m. Entry $80 per person. Information: Jessica Singletary at 910-862-3427.

• Southeastern Fellowship Golf Association opener Tuesday, March 21 at Land ‘O Lakes Golf Course in Whiteville at 10 a.m. The organization has 34-tournament schedule. All tournaments on Tuesdays. Information, southeasternfellowshipgolf.com or John Blake at 910-641-2819, Linwood Hedgepeth at 910-734-7161, Rob Conway at 910-640-9249 or L.R. Odham at 910-770-2449.

• The Lu Mil Wine Run 5k is scheduled Saturday, April 8 at the vineyard located on the outskirts of Dublin. Proceeds will benefit the Dublin Peanut Festival. The event will start at 9 a.m. Registration fee is $60 and includes a T-shirt, wine glass, finisher medal, race bib and, of course, a pour of wine. Click here to register. Lu Mil Vineyard is located at 438 Suggs-Taylor Road, Elizabethtown.

• Vineyard Golf Masters 3-Man Super Ball Tournament: Saturday, April 22, Vineyard Golf at White Lake. 1 p.m. shotgun start. Entry $50 for members, $70 non-members. Entry deadline April 19. Information: 910-247-6132. (READ MORE)

• Four County Electric Membership Corporation offers all-expense-paid summer basketball camp scholarships for middle school students (rising sixth and seventh graders) to the Carolina Basketball School for boys and Wolfpack Basketball Camp for girls. Students can download an application by clicking here for boys camp and clicking here for girls camp. (READ MORE)

TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY

• 2020 – NCAA men’s basketball tournament is cancelled over concerns of the spread of COVID-19; first time ‘March Madness’ not held since it began in 1939; women’s tournament also cancelled

POTATO PICKS TO WATCH TODAY

• WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC: Japan vs. Australia, 6 a.m., FS1

• WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC: Netherlands vs. Italy, 7 a.m., FS2

• PREMIER: Aston Villa at West Ham United, 9 a.m., USA

• PREMIER: Wolverhampton at Newcastle United, 11:30 a.m., USA

• WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC: Nicaragua vs. Israel, noon, FS2

• BASKETBALL: Ivy – Princeton vs. Yale, noon, ESPN2

• WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: Patriot – Holy Cross vs. Boston University, noon, CBSSN

• WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: Northeast – Sacred Heart vs. Fairleigh Dickinson, noon, ESPNU

• SOFTBALL: Notre Dame at N.C. State, noon, ACCN

• BASKETBALL: Atlantic 10 – VCU vs. Dayton, 1 p.m., CBS

• BASKETBALL: Southeastern – Alabama vs. Texas A&M, 1 p.m., ESPN

• PGA: Players Championship, 1 p.m., NBC

• MLB: Tampa Bay at N.Y. Mets, 1 p.m., MLBN

• NHL: Boston at Detroit, 1:30 p.m., TNT

• TENNIS: BNP Paribas Open, 2 p.m., BALLY SOUTH

• WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: Colonial – Monmouth vs. Towson, 2 p.m., CBSSN

• WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: Big 12 – Texas vs. Iowa St., 2 p.m., ESPN2

• WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: Missouri Valley – Drake vs. Belmont, 2 p.m., ESPNU

• SOFTBALL: Louisville at Duke, 2 p.m., ACCN

• WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC: Great Britain vs. Canada, 3 p.m., FS1

• BASKETBALL: American – Houston vs. Memphis, 3:15 p.m., ESPN

• NASCAR CUP: United Rentals Work United 500, 3:30 p.m., FOX

• BASKETBALL: Big Ten – Purdue vs. Penn St., 3:30 p.m., CBS

• MLB: Milwaukee at Chicago Cubs, 4 p.m., MLBN

• NHL: N.Y. Rangers at Pittsburgh, 4 p.m., TNT

• XFL: Arlington at St. Louis, 4 p.m., ESPN2

• BASKETBALL: NCAA selection show, 6 p.m., CBS

• NHL: Carolina at New Jersey, 7 p.m., BALLY SOUTH

• WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC: Venezuela vs. Puerto Rico, 7 p.m., FS1

• NHL: Vegas at St. Louis, 7 p.m., NHLN

• XFL: Vegas at D.C., 7 p.m., ESPN2

• WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: NCAA selection show, 8 p.m., ESPN

• NBA: New York at L.A. Lakers, 9:15 p.m., ESPN

• WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC: Mexico vs. United States, 10 p.m., FS1

• WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC: Australia vs. Czech Republic, 11 p.m., FS2

• WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC: South Korea vs. China, 6 a.m. (Monday), FS2

Sonny Jones can be reached at wibbyj@gmail.com.

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