HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL

SEVERAL AREA TEAMS ARE IN ACTION ON THIS THURSDAY EVENING.

BOYS:  CHRISTIAN COUNTY CLOSES OUT THE REGULAR SEASON AT MARSHALL COUNTY.  TIP OFF AT 7:30, WITH THE HERITAGE BANK PRE GAME SHOW AT 7:15 ON NEWSTALK 95.3 FM/1230 AM WHOP AND WHOPAM.COM.

HOPKINSVILLE IS ALSO IN ACTION TONIGHT AS THE TIGERS PLAY AT HOPKINS CENTRAL.  UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS CLOSES OUT THE REGULAR SEASON HOSTING BOWLING GREEN.

ELSEWHERE: FORT CAMPBELL HOSTS RUSSELLVILLE, TODD CENTRAL AT CALDWELL COUNTY, LYON COUNTY PLAYS HEATH, GRAVES COUNTY HOSTS LONE OAK.

GIRLS:  UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS TRAVELS TO TODD CENTRAL, HOPKINSVILLE WELCOMES MARSHALL COUNTY, DAWSON SPRINGS HOSTS LIVINGSTON CENTRAL, HOPKINS CENTRAL HOSTS MUHLENBERG COUNTY, RUSSELLVILLE GOES TO WARREN CENTRAL, CALLOWAY COUNTY WELCOMES BALLARD MEMORIAL, GRAVES COUNTY HOSTS LONE OAK.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

MURRAY STATE SAW AN EIGHT GAME WIN STREAK COME TO AN END AT SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 64-57.  B-J JENKINS LED THE RACERS WITH 18 POINTS.  MURRAY STATE IS NOW 12-4 IN THE O-V-C AND TIED WITH MOREHEAD STATE FOR THE LEAGUE LEAD.  THE RACERS HOST EVANSVILLE IN AN ESPN BRACKET BUSTERS GAME SATURDAY NIGHT.

DESPITE SOME SLOPPY PLAY, THE TENNESSEE VOLS DEFEATED SOUTH CAROLINA 73-67 ENDING A THREE GAME LOSING STREAK.  SCOTTY HOPSON HAD 23 POINTS INCLUDING A COUPLE OF FLYING DUNKS TO LEAD THE VOLS.  TENNESSEE PLAYS GEORGIA SATURDAY IN KNOXVILLE.

VANDERBILT RALLIED FROM 14 POINTS DOWN TO DEFEAT GEORGIA IN ATHENS 64-56.  JOHN JENKINS HAD ALL 21 OF HIS POINTS IN THE SECOND HALF TO LEAD VANDERBILT IN SCORING.

THE LOUISVILLE CARDINALS LOST AT CINCINNATI 63-54.  TERRENCE JENNINGS WAS THE ONLY DOUBLE FIGURE SCORER FOR LOUISVILLE WITH 14 POINTS.

WESTERN KENTUCKY’S LADY TOPPERS SHOT 53 PERCENT IN THE SECOND HALF AND HANDED ARKANSAS LITTLE ROCK ITS FIRST CONFERENCE LOSS OF THE SEASON 66-64.  ARNIKA BROWN HAD 18 POINTS TO LEAD WESTERN TO THE WIN.  THE LADY TOPPERS RETURN TO ACTION AT LOUISIANA LAFAYETTE SATURDAY.

TONIGHT’S GAMES

WESTERN KENTUCKY PLAYS AT ARKANSAS LITTLE ROCK.

IN O-V-C WOMEN’S PLAY:  AUSTIN PEAY IS AT JACKSONVILLE STATE AND MURRAY STATE IS AT SOUTHEAST MISSOURI.

UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY ATHLETIC DIRECTOR MITCH BARNHART HAS BANNED THE SKYCAM USED BY ESPN DURING TUESDAY NIGHT’S GAME WITH MISSISSIPPI STATE.  A U-K SPOKESMAN SAYS THE SCHOOL CANNOT CONTROL HOW A NETWORK TELEVISES A GAME, BUT CAN CONTROL THE CAMERA ANGLES.

THE LEXINGTON HERALD LEADER SAYS AN ESPN SPOKESMAN TOLD THEM IT WAS AN INNOVATION THEY TRY OCCASSIONALY, BUT WILL NOT TRY AGAIN.

SENTENCING WILL BE HELD IN LOUISVILLE FRIDAY FOR KAREN SYPHER, THE WOMAN ACCUSED OF TRYING TO EXTORT MONEY FROM LOUISVILLE BASKETBALL COACH RICK PITINO.

THE COURIER JOURNAL REPORTS SYPHER COULD GET ANYWHERE FROM FIVE TO TEN YEARS IN JAIL, DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH U-S DISTRICT JUDGE CHARLES SIMPSON DETERMINES SHE WAS TRYING TO TAKE FINANCIALLY FROM PITINO.  MOST EXPERTS BELIEVE SHE WILL RECEIVE FIVE YEARS.

NFL

THE TENNESSEE TITANS HAVE A NEW DEFENSIVE LINE COACH.  THE TENNESSEAN REPORTS TRACY ROCKER WILL COME TO NASHVILLE FROM AUBURN UNIVERSITY.

FORMER TITANS COACH JEFF FISHER HAD WANTED TO HIRE ROCKER, BUT NEVER GOT THE CHANCE.  HOWEVER, FISHER PASSED ROCKER’S NAME ON TO NEW COACH MIKE MUNCHAK.

ROCKER HAS COACHED 17 YEARS ON THE COLLEGIATE LEVEL, INCLUDING STOPS AT OLE MISS, ARKANSAS, CINCINNATI AND TROY.

NHL

THE NASHVILLE PREDATORS RETURN TO ACTION THIS EVENING HOSTING THE VANCOUVER CANUCKS.  GAME TIME AT BRIDGESTONE ARENA IS SEVEN P-M.