LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Providence College Jack Dugan netted the shootout winner and Michael Lackey stopped all three shootout attempts as the No. 14 Friars claimed the 2020 Fortress Invitational after tying with No. 2 Cornell, 2-2 on Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena. For NCAA purposes, the game is declared a tie after regulation and five minutes of 5-on-5 play.
LAS VEGAS, NEV. – Four nationally ranked teams take the ice this weekend at the third-annual Fortress Invitational at T-Mobile Arena, according to the new weekly rankings announced on Monday. The college hockey tournament is part of a full week of hockey action as the New Year begins which also features three Vegas Golden Knights home games starting today.
The action in the Fortress Invitational begins with first-round play on Friday at 5 p.m. with No. 14 Providence vs. No. 20 Army followed by No. 2 Cornell vs. No. 6 Ohio State at 8:30 p.m.
“There’s not a better in-season tournament this year than the Fortress Invitational,” said Brooks Downing, President of event organizer bdG Sports. “Vegas hockey fans are going to see four of the nation’s best teams. It’s truly a preview of the 2020 Frozen Four.”
Tournament organizers worked closely with Golden Knights’ president Kerry Bubolz and his team to create a triple-header on Saturday. Vegas, which plays Anaheim today and Philadelphia on Thursday, will open Saturday’s action against Stanley Cup-champion St. Louis at 1 p.m. The arena will be cleared following the game and the Fortress Invitational championship will be played at 5:30 p.m. followed by the consolation game at 9 p.m. All Fortress Invitational games will be televised live by FloSports on FloHockey.tv.
No. 2 Cornell ran off 10-straight wins to start the season before dropping a game to Dartmouth on Dec. 7, the last time the Big Red took the ice. Junior goaltender Matt Galajda earned top goaltender honors in the ECAC for the month of November, after not ceding more than two goals in any game during that month. No. 6 Ohio State (12-4-2 record on the season) has sweeps over Michigan and Michigan State earlier this season, and swept Colgate last weekend in its final tune-up before Vegas.
Providence College (10-5-4) is led by Tyce Thompson, the nation’s leading goal scorer with 14 goals, and Jack Dugan, who leads the nation in scoring and assists at 35 points and 29 assists, respectively. Dugan is a name many VGK fans may soon know as he is one the team’s top prospects after being selected in the fifth round of this summer’s draft. Army finished the 2019 portion of its schedule with a 13-5-1 record, the most wins in program history for the first half of a season.
Tickets are on-sale at AXS.com or by calling 888-9AXS-TIX. Ticket information and hotel room information for fans can be found at www.fortressinvitational.com
Tournament Schedule
Friday, Jan. 3
Saturday, Jan. 4
LAS VEGAS — Timmy Allen has dedicated every game he has played to his mother since she died of cancer in 2016.
He gave her something special Wednesday night — at a contest benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer, no less.
Allen hit a tiebreaking floater with 1:14 left to help Utah dodge a rousing comeback try by No. 6 Kentucky for a 69-66 upset. The Utes’ sophomore, who has a tattoo on his arm and messages written on his shoe memorializing his mother, Elise, said his mind went straight to her.
LAS VEGAS – College basketball’s all-time winningest program hits the Las Vegas Strip for two games this week tipping off on Wednesday night when Kentucky faces Utah. The No. 6-ranked Wildcats come travel west for the first time in three years boasting an 8-1 record and will face a Utes team (8-2) that owns wins over Minnesota and rival BYU. The game, benefitting Coaches vs. Cancer and presented by UK HealthCare, tips at 8 p.m. PT on Wednesday at T-Mobile Arena and will be broadcast nationally on ESPN2.
“We’ve got two hard games in Vegas – both of them,” said Kentucky coach John Calipari during Tuesday’s media availability in Lexington ahead of the Cats’ games vs. Utah and Ohio State on Saturday. “We could lose both and go home at Christmas and it not be a very good Christmas, but you almost have to surrender to that so we can just play. So, I surrender to it. That could happen to us. I walk into every game and say the same thing. Whatever happens, I’ll deal with. Win or lose, I’ll deal with whatever happens so that I can just coach the game.”
Kentucky and Utah have a long history in the sport, dating back to the 1944 NIT. Between 1993 and 2005, the teams met in the NCAA Tournament six times, with Kentucky winning all six games. In 1998, the “Comeback Cats” rallied from a 10-point halftime deficit to beat the Utes in the NCAA Championship game. Last year, UK beat Utah 88-61 at Rupp Arena.
The event benefits Coaches vs. Cancer, an initiative spearheaded by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (www.nabc.com) and the American Cancer Society (www.cancer.org). In addition to the game, Coaches vs. Cancer will be a beneficiary of GolfBlue on Friday, Dec. 20 at Shadow Creek in Las Vegas. The famed course, which played host to “The Match” between Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson a year ago, will be provide a challenge for golfers traveling in from the Bluegrass and local sponsors. Foursomes and individual playing positions are still available with information on www.bbnvegas.com or by emailing info@bdglobalsports.com.
Tickets can be purchased at AXS.com, t-mobilearena.com or by calling 888-9AXS-TIX. For complete information, visit www.neonhoopsvegas.com or on social media at @NeonHoopsLV. Kentucky fans can also visit www.bbnvegas.com or follow @BBNLasVegas for full info on the week’s events.
MEDIA: KENTUCKY OPEN PRACTICE
Kentucky will be opening up its practice today, Dec. 17, 2019, to media. Practice is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. at Coronado High School and is expected to go at least an hour. Practice may be delayed based on the team’s travel from Lexington.
Media attending the practice need to check-in with UK’s Eric Lindsey or Deb Moore upon arrival. There are no in-practice restrictions. Media are free to capture B-roll, pictures, etc. At this time, there are no plans for media interviews afterwards.
JOHN CALIPARI ON FORMER UTAH COACH RICK MAJERUS
John Calipari’s remarks on the late Rick Majerus:
“Well. I knew him well. I went out and spent some time with him when he was out in Utah. We had the NBA lockout and I ended up drafting one of his guys, Keith Van Horn, and I saw him in that practice and fell in love with him there and ended up drafting him. He had a heck of a year for me. Shoot, I can remember we went through LA and played the Lakers and he got 38 against the Lakers. But I went out and spent time with him – and a basketball genius and one of the biggest-hearted people you’d ever meet. Let me just tell you. I know for a fact when guys got fired in our profession, if he knew you, he’d send you a check. Like, ‘You probably need this right now.’ Like, $5,000. I’m not talking about 100 bucks. Like, if he knew, no one else knew. The only reason I know it is because two of the guys told me. Like, ‘He’s the best. Do you know what he did for me?’ He didn’t do it for any reason other than, ‘You know what? I’ve been in this. This is a tough business and if I can help you, I will.’ So, my respect for him and the guys that worked for him. Del Harris who was with him in Milwaukee with the Bucks would tell you he’s one of the best human beings ever. I’ll say it again: a basketball genius. It’s all he did was basketball. I like watching the Alaska shows and I don’t sleep in my office. This guy was basketball. He was like Kentucky Fried Chicken. We do chicken. There are no hamburgers here. Nothing. We do chicken. That’s kind of what he was.”
NBA SCOUTS
Representatives from all 30 NBA franchises are flocking to Las Vegas this week. Organizers for the Kentucky-Utah game have tallied 60 NBA scouts who will be in attendance at the game on Wednesday. “I have managed a lot of basketball games in my career, which now spans across three decades. I’ve never seen much more than a couple of dozen at an event,” said Brooks Downing, bdG Sports, LLC CEO.
BILL WALTON, DAVE PASCH ON THE CALL
Hall of Famer Bill Walton and Dave Pasch will call the game on ESPN2. Walton, a two-time NCAA Champion and two-time NBA Champion, has become widely recognized for his colorful commentary during west coast games on ESPN and Pac-12 Networks.
LAS VEGAS – UK HealthCare’s Markey Cancer Center will be nationally recognized when Kentucky plays Utah on December 18 at T-Mobile Arena. The seventh-annual event in Las Vegas benefits Coaches vs. Cancer, an initiative spearheaded by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (www.nabc.com) and the American Cancer Society (www.cancer.org), and is managed by Lexington-based sports marketing firm bdG Sports.
“Being a presenting sponsor of this event provides us the opportunity to showcase and honor one of our other nationally-ranked Kentucky teams — the UK Markey Cancer Center, the only National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated cancer program in the Commonwealth,” said Dr. Mark Newman, UK executive vice president for health affairs.
Funds raised by Coaches vs. Cancer directly benefit American Cancer Society’s research programs. ACS is currently funding 10 grants in Kentucky totaling more than $4 million, including more than $2.8 million with the University of Kentucky Research Foundation. In addition to research, ACS locally provides education on cancer prevention and early detection, free rides to treatment through “Road to Recovery” and free/reduced lodging for those in treatment through Hope Lodge Lexington and hotel partners across the state.
“We’re so grateful to our friends at UK HealthCare’s Markey Cancer Center for their partnership with the American Cancer Society in the fight against cancer,” said Erica Kellem Beasley, American Cancer Society executive director for Kentucky. “Their support of Coaches vs. Cancer helps to further raise awareness and funds for this important initiative that impacts so many lives.”
Kentucky, 6-1 on the season and ranked No. 8 nationally, will head west for an extended trip. After the Utah game, the Wildcats will play top-10 foe Ohio State three days later also at T-Mobile Arena. Utah currently sports a 6-2 record but owns wins over Minnesota and BYU in the past two weeks. Tip-off for the game in Vegas is set for 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT.
“We are excited to welcome UK HealthCare as a partner as we support Coaches vs. Cancer and the American Cancer Society,” said Brooks Downing, CEO of bdG Sports. “This event has grown into such a tremendous platform to showcase the best in college basketball under the Coaches vs. Cancer banner. As a Kentuckian, I am honored that we can now showcase the great work being done at the Markey Cancer Center as well.”
Kentucky and Utah have a long history in the sport, dating back to the 1944 NIT. Between 1993 and 2005, the teams met in the NCAA Tournament six times, with Kentucky winning all six games. In 1998, the “Comeback Cats” rallied from a 10-point halftime deficit to beat the Utes in the NCAA Championship game. Last year, UK beat Utah 88-61 at Rupp Arena.
In addition to the game, Coaches vs. Cancer will be a beneficiary of GolfBlue on Friday, Dec. 20 at Shadow Creek in Las Vegas. The famed course, which played host to “The Match” between Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson a year ago, will be provide a challenge for golfers traveling in from the Bluegrass and local sponsors. Foursomes and individual playing positions are still available with information on www.bbnvegas.com or by emailing info@bdglobalsports.com.
Tickets can be purchased at AXS.com, t-mobilearena.com or by calling 888-9AXS-TIX. For complete information, visit www.neonhoopsvegas.com or on social media at @NeonHoopsLV. Kentucky fans can also visit www.bbnvegas.com or follow @BBNLasVegas for full info on the week’s events.
ESTERO, Fla. – The #22/21 Gonzaga women’s basketball team claimed the title of the Gulf Coast Showcase with a 63-50 victory over Purdue on Sunday evening inside Hertz Arena in Estero, Fla. The title was the fourth nonconference tournament title in program history, and the first under Head Coash Lisa Fortier.
“It’s really exciting; I’m really happy for these guys,” Fortier said. “I thought they played really well the last two days and certainly today. [They] overcame really good shooters, really big players, the best shot-blocker in the country, really fast athletes and a bunch of different stuff. We had foul trouble intermittently, we had different players step up—we had a different high scorer every game. I’m really happy with their efforts. They played so hard and made big plays.”
VICTORIA, British Columbia (AP) – Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer’s willingness to give youth a chance paid off Saturday night.
Again relying on a predominantly young lineup, No. 3 Stanford won the Greater Victoria Invitational tournament championship with a 67-62 victory over No. 10 Mississippi State.
“We have a very young team,” VanDerveer said. “People really stepped up and it was very exciting.”
ESTERO, Fla. – Led by an MVP performance from sophomore Ed Croswell, the La Salle University men’s basketball team took home the Gulf Coast Showcase championship with an 81-76, overtime victory over South Alabama at Hertz Arena on Wednesday evening.
Croswell scored 18 points and added 12 rebounds while senior Isiah Deas scored a team-high 21 points for the Explorers, who held an 11-point halftime lead but saw the Jaguars fight all the way back and build an 11-point lead of their own with 8:46 left.
LAS VEGAS — McKinley Wright had a steal and two free throws in the final 10 seconds Tuesday night to lead Colorado to a 71-67 win over Clemson in the MGM Main Event championship game at T-Mobile Arena.
Tad Boyle’s No. 21 Buffaloes improved to 5-0 with the win while Clemson dropped to 5-2.
The Buffs rallied from a 12-point deficit in the second half and led by six with 2:36 to play before the Tigers closed the gap to two, 69-67, with 1:45 to go. After the two teams traded misses, Wright finally came up with his steal with 10 seconds on the clock and was fouled with six remaining.
Liberty was crowned the Islands of the Bahamas Showcase Champion after pulling out the 62-49 victory over Kansas City. The win over the Roos was the Flames’ eighth win this season, becoming the first team in Division I to reach the eight-win mark. Freshman Kyle Rode was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player while Scottie James was named to the All-Tournament Team.
