SPORTS HEADLINES 3/13/13

Join Todd Hamilton for the final Sports Tonight show of the season this afternoon at 5:08 on News/Talk WHOP. Todd’s guests include the radio voice of the Bowling Green Hot Rods baseball team Hank Fuerst, along with UHA girls basketball coach Taylor Sparks, Hopkinsville boys basketball coach Tim Haworth and a report on the Girls Sweet 16 from Dan Manley.

High School Baseball-Tuesday’s scores: Christian County edged Kenwood 2-1, Logan County shut out Hopkinsville 3-0, University Heights over Madisonville 9-5, Trigg County edged Mayfield 4-3, White House Heritage shut out Todd Central 11-0, Crittenden County over Webster County 6-3, Hickman County defeated Paducah Tilghman 20-0 in 5 innings, Murray slid by Heath 1-0.

High School Softball-Tuesday’s scores: University Heights opened 8th district play with a 15-0 three inning win over Fort Campbell.

High School Basketball

The Girls Sweet 16 begins today at EA Diddle Arena at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green. 4th region winner Bowling Green will begin the tournament against the state’s top ranked team Marion County at noon, followed by Montgomery County and Ashland at 1:30.

The evening session has 2nd region winner Henderson County meeting Anderson County of the 8th region at 6:30, followed by Corbin and Shelby Valley.

The Kentucky Association of Basketball Coaches has selected its regional players and coaches of the year for girls basketball.

Players of the year in regions 1-4 are: Ellie Fruit, Henderson County-Region 2, Rebecca Greenwell, Owensboro Catholic-Region 3, Madison Clements, Monroe County-Region 4 and Chelsey Shumpert, Paducah Tilghman-Region 1.

Coaches of the year in regions 1-4 are: Parker McCallister, Webster County-Region 2, Roderick Thomas, Paducah Tilghman-Region 1, Mike Harper, Muhlenberg County- Region 3 and Brad Bonds, Allen County Scottsville-Region 4.

Barren County coach John Butler has been placed in the KABC Court of Honor representing regions 1-4.

College Basketball

The Southeastern Conference tournament begins this evening at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. First round games have South Carolina and Mississippi State at 6:30, with the winner to meet Tennessee tomorrow afternoon at 2:30.

Texas A&M meets Auburn, with the winner to face Missouri tomorrow night at 9 pm.

Kentucky does not see action until Friday when it gets the Vanderbilt-Arkansas winner. The game tips off at 6:30, with pre game coverage at 5 on Lite 98.7.

Despite missing the last few games of the season, Kentucky freshman Nerlens Noel was voted the SEC freshman and defensive player of the year by the league’s coaches Tuesday. Noel was also named to the All SEC first team and all defensive team. Teammate Kyle Wiltjer won the 6th man award, with Willie Cauley-Stein, Archie Goodwin and Alex Poythress named to the All Freshman team.

LSU’s Anthony Hickey was named to the All Defensive team, with Tennessee’s Jordan McRae named to the All SEC first team, with Jarnell Stokes named to the All SEC second team. Florida’s Billy Donovan was named Coach of the Year, while Georgia’s Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was named Player of the Year.

Kentucky’s Nerlens Noel has surgery in Florida Tuesday to repair the torn ACL in his left knee suffered in the Wildcats game at Florida last month. Famed orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews performed the procedure. Rehab will take anywhere from 6-8 months to complete.

NFL: Tennessee Titans offensive lineman Steve Hutchinson announced his retirement Tuesday after 12 years in the NFL. Hutchinson came to the Titans from the Minnesota Vikings last year. He played in 12 games before a knee injury ended his season and his career, which began with the Seattle Seahawks in 2001.

Meanwhile, the Titans were busy on the free agent market Tuesday. The Titans signed former Buffalo Bills guard Andy Levitre to a six year $46.8 million deal and tight end Delanie Walker is coming from the San Francisco 49ers. Walker agreed to a four year $17.5 million contract.

NHL: Pekka Rinne stopped 32 shots on goal to record an NHL best fifth shutout of the season as the Nashville Predators shut out Dallas 4-0. Shea Weber and Gabrielle Borque had power play goals. Nashville returns to action Thursday night at Vancouver, in a game you can hear at 9 on News/Talk WHOP.