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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 3, 2017)
10A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • TUESDAY, JANUARY 3, 2017 CONTACT US FOLLOW US facebook.com/ DailyAstorianSports Gary Henley | Sports Reporter ghenley@dailyastorian.com SPORTS IN BRIEF More NBA games on TV in 2017 Associated Press NEW YORK — With 2016 over and the NFL regular sea- son as well, it’s about time for the NBA to start showing up more often on more nights. The new year will feature a new night of national TV games, one of the highlights of a busy January, when there are nearly half as many nationally televised games as in the previous two months combined. TNT’s new Monday night package debuts where last season ends, with the second NBA Finals rematch between Golden State and Cleveland on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The Jan. 16 double- header concludes with Oklahoma City at the Los Angeles Clippers. The second season of ABC’s Saturday night prime-time cover- age then returns at the end of that week with San Antonio visiting Cleveland. There are 49 nationally tele- vised games in January, including 17 NBA TV telecasts. There were 104 such games through Dec. 31. Wisconsin wins Cotton Bowl Associated Press ARLINGTON, Texas — Troy Fumagalli had highlight catches for Wisconsin even before the big tight end’s leaping 8-yard touch- down in the fourth quarter and his 26-yard gain on third down that effectively wrapped up the Cotton Bowl victory. The game’s offensive MVP also had a nifty one-handed grab on third down with his left hand — the one missing an index fin- ger since right after his birth — to extend the eighth-ranked Badgers’ opening touchdown drive. There was another leaping two-handed catch in the first half of a 24-16 victory Monday that denied West- ern Michigan a perfect season. “It’s special,” said Fumagalli, a junior. “It’s a great feeling to come out on top.” Fumagalli had seven passes thrown his way, and the 6-foot-6 junior caught six of them. The last two clinched the third consecutive bowl victory for the Big Ten run- ner-up Badgers (11-3). After his TD catch between two defenders in the back of the end zone with 12:26 left made it 24-10, Western Michigan (13-1) took 9 minutes to score. Wisconsin was able to run out the clock after Fum- agalli’s big play on third-and-8. “He’s unbelievable,” Western Michigan coach P.J. Fleck said. With their “Row The Boat” mentality inspired by Fleck, the 12th-ranked Broncos (13-1) went from one win during his first sea- son in Kalamazoo three years ago to the last FBS team other than No. 1 Alabama this season with a chance to be undefeated. “Told them I was very proud of them, how much I love them, and the effort they gave,” Fleck said about what he told his team on the sideline just before the end of the game. “We will continue to learn from this. We will embrace our past to create our future, and it just wasn’t enough tonight.” The Badgers, who finished with 11 wins for the fourth time in seven seasons, were clearly big- ger and stronger — especially up front. Their offensive line averaged about three inches and 45 pounds more than the WMU defensive front. SCOREBOARD PREP SCHEDULE TODAY Girls Basketball — Union (Wash.) at Astoria, 7 p.m.; Warrenton at Catlin Ga- bel, 7:45 p.m.; Neah-Kah-Nie at Knap- pa, 6 p.m.; Vernonia JV at Jewell, 5:30 p.m. Boys Basketball — Warrenton at Catlin Gabel, 6 p.m.; Neah-Kah-Nie at Knappa, 7:45 p.m.; Astoria JV2 at Jew- ell, 7 p.m. WEDNESDAY Girls Basketball — Knappa at Verno- nia, 6 p.m. Boys Basketball — Knappa at Verno- nia, 7:45 p.m. AP Photo/Gregory Bull Southern California defensive back Leon McQuay III intercepts a pass intended for Penn State cornerback Jordan Smith during the second half of the Rose Bowl NCAA college football game Monday in Pasadena, Calif. USC kicks at buzzer, beats Penn State in epic Rose Bowl By GREG BEACHAM Associated Press ASADENA, Calif. — After 98 com- bined points and 1,040 yards of spectac- ular offensive play, the highest-scoring Rose Bowl in history rested on the left foot of a Southern California kicker who had already missed two field goals. Matt Boermeester somehow blocked out the cacophonous tension in the chilly air. He focused only on securing a perfect ending to an epic evening. “Game was on the line, but you’ve got to keep true to your technique and trust it,” Boer- meester said. His technique was sound. His kick was true. And the Trojans got their storybook fin- ish in Pasadena. Boermeester hit a 46-yard field goal as time expired , and No. 9 USC rallied from a 14-point deficit in the fourth quarter for a 52-49 victory over No. 5 Penn State on Monday night in the 103rd edition of the Granddaddy of Them All. Freshman Sam Darnold passed for 453 yards and five touchdowns while leading a stirring comeback by the Trojans (10-3), who P won their ninth consecutive game and tri- umphed in their first Rose Bowl since 2009. USC trailed 49-35 with nine minutes to play, but persevered to win one of the greatest Rose Bowls ever played. “It was just two really good football teams playing at the highest level and compet- ing until the absolute, very end,” USC coach Clay Helton said. “The greatest players shined brightest on the biggest stage. It’s what fairy tales are made of.” Deontay Burnett, who had three TD recep- tions, caught a tying 27-yard scoring pass from Darnold with 1:20 left to cap an 80-yard drive in 38 seconds with no timeouts available. Leon McQuay III then intercepted an ill-advised long pass by Trace McSorley and returned it 32 yards to the Penn State 33 with 27 seconds left. In an instant, the Trojans went from preparing for overtime to having a chance to win. “I didn’t know whether to block or cel- ebrate” after McQuay’s interception, USC defensive lineman Stevie Tu’ikolovatu said. “I kind of did both.” The Trojans set up Boermeester, and the junior confidently drilled the Rose Bowl win- ner , sprinting away as it went through the south uprights and set off pandemonium on the hallowed field. “It’s beautiful,” McQuay said. “This is a special group of guys. Oh man, this is the time to step up. This is the time to make plays.” McSorley passed for 254 yards and threw two of his four touchdown passes to Chris Godwin for the Nittany Lions (11-3), whose nine-game winning streak ended in heart- breaking fashion. Saquon Barkley rushed for 194 yards and two TDs as the Nittany Lions (12-2) followed up their 21-point comeback in the Big Ten title game with another ferocious rally, only to watch the Trojans rally back. “That game doesn’t really define us,” Penn State coach James Franklin said. “I wouldn’t be any more proud tonight sitting here with a win ... after what might have been the most exciting Rose Bowl game ever.” With one jaw-dropping play after another from two talent-laden offenses, the teams obliterated the combined Rose Bowl scoring record in the third quarter, surpassing Ore- gon’s 45-38 victory over Wisconsin in the 2012 game. Seahawks enter the playoffs with a whimper, not a roar QB Mayfield leads OU to sweet victory Associated Press By TIM BOOTH Associated Press RENTON, Wash. — For the fifth straight season, the Seattle Seahawks have won 10 games and are headed to the playoffs, the longest such streaks in franchise history. So why does this division title and playoff appearance feel so under- whelming? It’s because unlike the previous four playoff appearances when the Seahawks were rolling headed into the playoffs, this time Seattle is limping into the NFC wild- card game against Detroit on Satur- day night. The latest example came in Sun- day’s regular-season finale against San Francisco when Seattle slogged its way to a 25-23 victory that again raised more questions than provided answers about what to expect when the playoffs arrive. But even with the lackluster per- formance the latter half of the season, Seattle coach Pete Carroll believes the Seahawks have the pieces for a playoff run. “I think we’ve got great leader- ship. We’ve got a lot of young guys and we’re bringing them with us,” Carroll said during his radio show on KIRO-AM on Monday morning. “It’s a great challenge, a great exercise in putting it together.” Seattle is playing on wild-card weekend for the second straight year after squandering its chance at a bye AP Photo/Tony Avelar Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson scrambles from 49ers lineback- er Ahmad Brooks during the first half in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday. UP NEXT: SEAHAWKS • Detroit Lions (9-7) at Seattle Seahawks (10-5-1) • Saturday, 5:15 p.m. TV: NBC with a home loss to Arizona in Week 16 . Facing the lowly 49ers was sup- posed to be Seattle’s opportunity to get itself pointed in the right direction headed into the playoffs. And while the win can’t be discredited, the fash- ion in which it happened failed to pro- vide much confidence. Seattle fell behind 14-3, needed a huge turnover to get back into the game in the first half and nearly watched the 49ers rally in the fourth quarter before running out the clock with Russell Wilson, Doug Baldwin and a chunk of Seattle’s starters sit- ting on the bench as Carroll tried to protect key players. “When coach made the decision, I was for it and I saw that some other guys weren’t playing, too,” Wilson said after the win. “He just made those decisions. We knew that we were going to have a home game and so that was kind of our focus trying to get some rest, trying to get ready, allowing nothing crazy to happen.” NEW ORLEANS — Heisman Trophy finalists Baker Mayfield and Dede Westbrook connected one last time for a touchdown. Joe Mixon emerged from his recent controversy with big plays that had teammates lifting him off his feet in celebration. Samaje Per- ine put his name in Oklahoma’s record books. Seventh-ranked Oklahoma had plenty to celebrate after a 35-19 triumph over No. 17 Auburn in the Sugar Bowl on Monday night, including a 10th-straight victory. “We’re a prideful team,” Okla- homa coach Bob Stoops said. “And we’re confident, regardless of the people that try to rattle the cage and shake your confidence. ... We improved as we went through the end and we fought through the outside noise.” Mayfield passed for 296 yards and two touchdowns. Mixon heard boos from Auburn fans, who also shouted derisive comments regarding a recently publicized video of him punching a woman in the face in 2014. Mixon, who served a season-long suspension in 2014 and has apologized for the assault, also drew cheers from crimson-clad Oklahoma fans with his play. His two short touchdown runs were among the highlights of a performance in which he gained 180 yards from scrimmage.
