NIL

If GSR Arena is built, Nevada basketball dreaming big. Final Four big

Nevada Sports Net columnist Chris Murray is known to be a bit wordy, so we’re giving him 1,000 words (but no more than that) every Friday to share his thoughts from the week that was in the world of sports. * STEVE ALFORD APPROACHED the podium where Alex Meruelo was standing inside Lawlor Events Center […]

Published

3 weeks ago

April 26, 2025

Your Sports Nation

* STEVE ALFORD APPROACHED the podium where Alex Meruelo was standing inside Lawlor Events Center this week to add his thoughts on the proposed Grand Sierra Resort Arena where his Nevada basketball team would play. Alford said the Wolf Pack needed the facility “desperately,” adding it was a case of survival for Nevada athletics as it tries to keep up in the increasingly expensive game of college athletics. Alford said he’s been in constant conversation about the facility project with Meruelo, the GSR’s owner. “I’ve had a crazy amount of talks with him and he’s about undefeated, he’s about national championships; I love that,” Alford said as the 50 people in attendance laughed. “That’s all true,” Meruelo chimed in.

* THE EXPECTATIONS WEREN’T set quite so high by university president Brian Sandoval, who speaking a couple minute earlier, said the Final Four was a goal, perhaps half-jokingly. Obviously, this trio, plus the others who spoke, were selling the vision and the potential. They had to aim high painting that vision. Nevada basketball has had great teams before but never gotten past the Sweet 16, the level it reached in 2004 and again in 2018. Since Alford took over six years ago, the Wolf Pack has twice reached the NCAA Tournament but not advanced, March being a painful month for Nevada fans during his tenure thus far. Could a new state-of-the-art $435 million arena change that?

* NEVADA MEN’S BASKETBALL has settled in as a good-but-not-championship-level Mountain West program post-Eric Musselman, going 113-75 overall and 61-48 in league under Alford with two 20-win seasons in six years. It’s harder now than ever before to win at the mid-major level with unprecedented transfers and unlimited name, image and likeness payments. If you have a great basketball player at a school like Nevada enjoy him for one season because that’s how long you’ll have him. Mid-major schools like Nevada need something that separates it. This arena, if built, could be a much needed spark for the program, which the Wolf Pack and this community have poured more money and emotional investment into than any other.

* THE DILEMMA — and there’s always a dilemma — is the public-money request. GSR Arena will only be built, the resort has said, if it gets $68 million in tax-increment financing toward phase one’s $786 million price tag (the arena alone is estimated at $435 million). That’s a 9 percent public subsidy of the total cost. That’s a reasonable ask when looking at the funding models of other arena/stadium builds in Nevada. Of course, Meruelo is a billionaire who a year ago this month sold his NHL team back to the league for $1 billion. Would I like to see him use that money to build this arena with no public money? Yes. Does it pencil out for Reno if he does get that TIF funding? Almost certainly. We’ll see if that handout is approved May 7.

* ASSUMING IT IS and the arena is built, Nevada basketball could become a West Coast juggernaut again like it was under Trent Johnson/Mark Fox and again under Musselman. And it’s not just because of the arena. Meruelo was one of the Wolf Pack’s early investors in NIL and remains so, helping to bankroll Nevada basketball’s player salaries (let’s be real, that’s what NIL is). If the team played on his property, that NIL money should only increase. He’d want a great team playing in a great arena and be wise to pay for such a team if he’s asking for undefeated national championship seasons. Imagine what could happen if he and a couple other boosters funded a $5 million-per-year roster. The Final Four doesn’t seem as outlandish.

* MERUELO SAID DURING that meeting with Wolf Pack boosters this week that basketball was his “first love,” and he did once try and buy the Atlanta Hawks before that deal fell apart, which has been the story of his life at the big-league professional level. With the Coyotes now sold, Meruelo could go all-in from a sports perspective on the Wolf Pack as well as his American Hockey League team, currently in Tucson and slated to move to Reno if GSR Arena is built. Meruelo could put his full sports focus, financially and emotionally, on the Wolf Pack. While I’m not saying that will happen, one big-time donor can push a program a far distance if so inclined.

* THIS IS WHY I’ve argued NIL is not a death sentence for college athletics or mid-majors. Fans of those schools are upset because they continually lose players. But don’t blame the players for wanting to maximize their market value. Blame the schools for not being able to produce the revenue to keep players. Schools that tap into that revenue can become really good, really fast. The dream, if you’re a Nevada basketball fan, is this arena is built and there’s a billionaire backer attached who will do what it takes and is incentivized to achieve a Final Four dream. Will this all happen? We don’t know. But the combination of the arena and an NIL benefactor is tantalizing.

* THE WOLF PACK’S who’s who was at this week’s gathering at Lawlor Events Center with athletic director Stephanie Rempe calling the arena a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Sandoval saying of the arena’s potential “this bus stops once” and Alford adding it would push the basketball program and university to another level. With Final Four dreams, this arena not being built would be a crushing blow to the Wolf Pack athletic department. Its construction wouldn’t guarantee anything in future competitiveness, but it not being built would be the same-old, same-old, and Nevada can’t afford that.

Columnist Chris Murray provides insight on Northern Nevada sports. Contact him at crmurray@sbgtv.com or follow him on Twitter @ByChrisMurray.

NIL

Sherrone Moore faces two-game suspension and looming NIL disaster as Michigan’s recruiting hopes hang by a thread

Published

11 minutes ago

May 18, 2025

Your Sports Nation

In the high-stakes world of college football, the University of Michigan and its co-offensive coordinator, Sherrone Moore, find themselves navigating through turbulent waters. The aftermath of a sign-stealing scandal, with Connor Stallions at its epicenter, has led to a significant setback for Moore: a two-game suspension that casts a long shadow over the upcoming season. This development is not just a personal blow to Moore but also a critical juncture for Michigan’s football program, especially in the fiercely competitive arena of recruiting.

The Ripple Effect of a Scandal

The controversy surrounding the sign-stealing incident has reverberated far beyond the immediate punitive measures. Jim Harbaugh, Michigan’s head coach, has managed to steer through the storm relatively unscathed, securing victories that have kept the program’s hopes alive. However, the implications of Moore’s suspension extend beyond the sidelines and into the living rooms of potential recruits. The timing couldn’t be more precarious as Michigan finds itself in a delicate balancing act, trying to maintain its allure to top-tier talent in the face of adversity.

Recruiting Battles and NIL Dynamics

The landscape of college football recruiting has been irrevocably changed by the introduction of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) rights, leveling the playing field in ways previously unimaginable. In this new era, the battle for five-star recruits has intensified, with programs not only showcasing their athletic prowess but also their ability to offer lucrative NIL deals. The suspension of a key figure like Moore could tilt the scales, giving an edge to SEC powerhouses renowned for their aggressive recruiting strategies and robust NIL opportunities. This situation places Michigan at a crossroads, challenging the program to navigate the complexities of modern recruiting while contending with the fallout from the scandal.

The Path Forward

As Michigan looks to the future, the questions loom large. How will the program adapt to the evolving landscape of college football, where the lines between athletic success and financial incentives are increasingly blurred? Can Michigan leverage its storied history and academic prestige to overcome the hurdles presented by the suspension and the broader implications of the NIL era?

A Reflection on Resilience and Redemption

The saga of Sherrone Moore and the Michigan football program is more than a story of scandal and suspension. It is a testament to the resilience required to navigate the highs and lows of college athletics. As the Wolverines prepare to face the challenges ahead, they do so with the knowledge that adversity often paves the way for growth and redemption. The true measure of their success will not be found solely in wins and losses but in their ability to rise above the fray and continue to inspire the next generation of athletes. In the end, the legacy of Michigan football and its ability to weather the storm will be a powerful narrative of perseverance in the face of adversity.

Link

NIL

Texas Tech Red Raiders – Official Athletics Website

LUBBOCK, Texas – The No. 12-seeded Red Raiders (47-12) advanced to the Lubbock Regional Final after taking down Mississippi State (38-18) 10-1 in six innings on Saturday afternoon at Rocky Johnson Field. NiJaree Canady improved to 27-5 in the circle and hit her second home run in as many games while Lauren Allred led the way […]

Published

14 minutes ago

May 18, 2025

Your Sports Nation

LUBBOCK, Texas – The No. 12-seeded Red Raiders (47-12) advanced to the Lubbock Regional Final after taking down Mississippi State (38-18) 10-1 in six innings on Saturday afternoon at Rocky Johnson Field. NiJaree Canady improved to 27-5 in the circle and hit her second home run in as many games while Lauren Allred led the way with five RBI including the game-ending three-run homer.

Alana Johnson built off her four RBI performance last night with a 3-for-3 day at the plate and an RBI. Mihyia Davis recorded a hit and scored three runs from the lead off position as she set the tone for the Red Raider’s offense.

Alexa Langeliers, Bailey Lindemuth and Hailey Toney all picked up two hits and were rock steady in the infield after a couple of tough plays in the first inning. Langeliers turned a double play in the third inning to get Texas Tech out of a jam.

Demi Elder added to the run total with a solo home run into the left field bleachers in the second inning.

How it happened:
Canady struck out the first batter she faced to open the game but a pair of singles and walk loaded the bases with two outs. The Big 12 Pitcher of the Year had no trouble though, as she got the next batter to pop out with the very next pitch.

The offense delivered in the first inning as Davis led off the game with a single and was pushed over to second on a ground out by Langeliers that worked like a sacrifice. With two outs, Johnson ripped a ball into left field to score Davis and bring in the first run of the day. Lindemuth added to the total with an RBI single to right field to give Tech a 2-0 lead.

The Bulldogs went down in order in the next inning as Elder pushed Tech’s lead to 3-0 with a solo homer.

Mississippi State had something brewing in the third, but Langeliers stepped up to make a 4-3 double play to eliminate the threat and hang a zero on the scoreboard.

Tech was held scoreless in the third inning – the only time they would not score in the game. Allred drove in two runs with a single in the fourth inning before Mississippi State got its lone run of the game, ending Tech’s streak of 33 straight scoreless innings.

Canady got the run back and then some as she planted a ball into the bleachers, actually landing it in the trash can, for a two-run homer. The junior now has 10 home runs on the season.

Allred ended the game an inning early after Davis walked and Langeliers singled. The sophomore took the second pitch she saw on a line over the left field wall to end the game and give Tech its 47^th win of the season.

Ticketing
Texas Tech Athletics will be opening up a limited amount of infield tickets online for tomorrow.

UP NEXT: Tech will play at 2 p.m. tomorrow against the winner of today’s games.

Link

NIL

2025 SEC Baseball Tournament bracket, seeds officially set

With the regular season in the books, the 2025 SEC Baseball Tournament is on the horizon. Teams will converge on Hoover Metropolitan Complex next week, and the full bracket and seeds are officially set. Texas secured the regular-season title Thursday night with a victory over rival Oklahoma. That gave the Longhorns the No. 1 seed […]

Published

42 minutes ago

May 18, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Texas secured the regular-season title Thursday night with a victory over rival Oklahoma. That gave the Longhorns the No. 1 seed in their first season in the SEC, and the rest of the bracket came into focus throughout the weekend.

Now, the field is in place. Here is the full bracket and seeds for the 2025 SEC Baseball Tournament, which gets underway Tuesday from Hoover Met.

2025 SEC Baseball Tournament bracket

Tuesday, May 20

Game 1: No. 9 Alabama vs. No. 16 Missouri – 10:30 a.m. ET, SEC Network
Game 2: No. 12 seed Oklahoma vs. No. 13 seed Kentucky – 1:30 p.m. ET, SEC Network
Game 3: No. 10 seed Florida vs. No. 15 seed South Carolina – 5:30 p.m. ET, SEC Network
Game 4: No. 11 seed Mississippi State vs. No. 14 seed Texas A&M – 9 p.m. ET, SEC Network

Wednesday, May 21

Game 5: No. 8 seed Tennessee vs. Winner of Game 1 – 10:30 a.m. ET, SEC Network
Game 6: No. 5 seed Georgia vs. Winner of Game 2 – 1:30 p.m. ET, SEC Network
Game 7: No. 7 seed Ole Miss vs. Winner of Game 3 – 5:30 p.m. ET, SEC Network
Game 8: No. 6 seed Auburn vs. Winner of Game 4 – 9 p.m. ET, SEC Network

Thursday, May 22

Game 9: No. 1 seed Texas vs. Winner of Game 5 – 4 p.m. ET, SEC Network
Game 10: No. 4 seed Vanderbilt vs. Winner of Game 6 – approx. 7 p.m. ET, SEC Network

Friday, May 23

Game 11: No. 2 seed Arkansas vs. Winner of Game 7 – 4 p.m. ET, SEC Network
Game 12: No. 3 seed LSU vs. Winner of Game 8 – approx. 7 p.m. ET, SEC Network

Saturday, May 24

Game 13: Winner of Game 9 vs. Winner of Game 10 – 1 p.m. ET, SEC Network
Game 14: Winner of Game 11 vs. Winner of Game 12 – approx. 4 p.m. ET, SEC Network

Sunday, May 25

Championship Game: Winner of Game 13 vs. Winner of Game 14 – 3 p.m. ET, ESPN2

It all comes down to next week at Hoover Met as the 2025 SEC Baseball Tournament gets underway. From there, it’s off to the NCAA Tournament as the road to Omaha begins.

Link

NIL

Urban Meyer believes the Big Ten has passed the SEC

During his career as a head coach, Urban Meyer coached all over. That included with the Florida Gators in the SEC and the Ohio State Buckeyes in the Big Ten. Now, as an analyst, he believes the Big Ten has passed the SEC as a football conference. Meyer made an appearance on Another Dooley Noted […]

Published

1 hour ago

May 18, 2025

Your Sports Nation

During his career as a head coach, Urban Meyer coached all over. That included with the Florida Gators in the SEC and the Ohio State Buckeyes in the Big Ten. Now, as an analyst, he believes the Big Ten has passed the SEC as a football conference.

Meyer made an appearance on Another Dooley Noted Podcast. There, he argued that the Big Ten has passed the SEC. At least, he believes the top of the conference has done so, even if it doesn’t have the same kind of depth.

“Well, you know what the SEC’s done? It’s raised the level,” Urban Meyer said. “But the Big Ten has passed the SEC at the upper part. If you would have told me that 10 years ago, I would’ve said it’s not even close. Because it’s not.”

The Big Ten has won the last two national championships, with Michigan and Ohio State going home with titles. This past season, the first year of the expanded College Football Playoff, the Big Ten got four teams in compared to only three SEC teams. That’s after a run where the SEC won five out of six national championships from 2017 through 2022.

For his part, Urban Meyer got to Ohio State in 2012 and coached the Buckeyes through 2018. Along the way, he won a national championship and likes to think that he helped change the Big Ten’s approach at the top.

“When I first got to the Big Ten, even Shelley said, ‘What in the world? This is a slow man’s game up here,’ and I like to think that the Buckeyes really changed that. Then everyone else started investing in their schools,” Meyer said. “And started recruiting the best player, not just the footprint. As a result, the Wolverine team two years ago was one of the best teams I’ve seen. The Buckeyes team this year is one of the best I’ve ever seen. You’re seeing Penn State, and some of these teams have great success.”

Narratives can shift quickly in college football. All it’s going to take is another SEC team win it all next season to resolidify the SEC atop college football. Certainly, the SEC has the depth to do so too. It’s just a matter if someone at the top can pass the Big Ten at the top.

“So, I’m anxious to see the SEC fight back for that because next year’s another year. And I’ll close with this. The SEC, that SEC-Big Ten fight, the top obviously the last two years goes to the Big Ten,” Meyer said. “But still, that middle to the bottom, it’s the SEC by far. You’ve got eight teams, nine teams in the SEC that think they can go win a national title, no other conference has ever had that.”

Link

NIL

Hunter Dickinson Reveals Major Personal News on Sunday

Hunter Dickinson recently capped off his college basketball career, having played for the Kansas Jayhawks and Michigan Wolverines. Dickinson spent his last two seasons at Kansas, playing under head coach Bill Self. Advertisement They entered last season as the No. 1 team in the nation. The Jayhawks showed promise, yet streakiness, in Dickinson’s last season, […]

Published

1 hour ago

May 18, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Hunter Dickinson recently capped off his college basketball career, having played for the Kansas Jayhawks and Michigan Wolverines.

Dickinson spent his last two seasons at Kansas, playing under head coach Bill Self.

They entered last season as the No. 1 team in the nation. The Jayhawks showed promise, yet streakiness, in Dickinson’s last season, leading to a first-round loss in the NCAA Tournament.

While the end of Dickinson’s career may have left a sour taste, he recently shared some exciting news.

On Sunday, Dickinson took to social media, reposting the Kansas Jayhawks’ announcement of the class of 2025 men’s basketball team, highlighting those who graduated from the university.

Dickinson didn’t just graduate, however; he has earned his master’s degree from the University of Kansas.

“Master’s Degree,” Dickinson said.

Hunter Dickinson, Instagram Hunter Dickinson, Instagram

During Hunter Dickinson’s last season with the Kansas Jayhawks, he posted 17.4 points, 1.0 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game.

In his five-year college basketball career, the former blue-chip recruit, averaged 17.4 points, 9.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game.

Early into his career, Dickinson established himself as one of the best centers in the nation.

Kansas Jayhawks center Hunter Dickinson (1).Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Hunter Dickinson began his career with the Michigan Wolverines in 2020. He committed to Michigan as a four-star recruit, ranked as the No. 10 center and the No. 43 overall player in the nation, per 247Sports.

Dickinson played under former NBA star Juwan Howard at Michigan before the Wolverines head coach was fired from the program.

After the 2023 season, Dickinson made the unexpected move to Kansas and wound up finding success on and off the court with the Jayhawks.

Related: Kansas’ Hunter Dickinson Makes NIL Announcement Amid NCAA Tournament

Related: No. 1 College Basketball Recruit’s Father Almost Brought to Tears by Kentucky’s Mark Pope

Link

NIL

Washington Softball's season comes to a close in 11

The Washington Huskies‘ season came to an end in Lubbock, Texas, on Saturday night after an 11-10 loss to the Mississippi State Bulldogs. Coach Heather Tarr’s young team did all it could against the experienced SEC team’s lineup and showed plenty of promise, but came up just short. After freshman Sophi Mazzola stole the show […]

Published

2 hours ago

May 18, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Washington Softball's season comes to a close in 11

After freshman Sophi Mazzola stole the show earlier in the day against Brown, right fielder Alycia Flores was the offensive catalyst in game two, going 3-for-4 with 5 runs batted in, including a grand slam in the fourth inning. Left fielder Ava Carroll’s RBI double later in the frame gave the Huskies a 5-3 lead, but Mississippi State responded with 4 runs in the top of the fifth to retake the lead.

The Bulldogs had already jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead against starter Sophia Ramuno in the first inning and held the lead until Florers’ big fly sparked an intense back-and-forth that made for arguably the best game of the NCAA Tournament so far.

Catcher Jadyn Glab added her 15th home run of the season, a solo shot in the fifth inning, before Mazzola added a three-run double in the sixth, and Flores brought her in with an RBI single.

However, all of that wasn’t enough for the Huskies couldn’t keep pace with Mississippi State’s high-powered offense, which was led by designated player Jessie Blaine, who went 3-for-4 with 5 RBI and 2 runs scored.

Blaine started her day with a two-run home run in the first inning, and added an RBI single in the fifth, along with a bases-clearing double in the sixth. She was only credited with 2 RBIs even though three runs crossed the plate, due to an error on Carroll in left field.

Rylee Rehbein took the loss for the Huskies after working 4 innings and letting up 6 hits, 3 runs, and a walk with 3 strikeouts after coming in to relieve Ramuno after the Cal Poly transfer recorded just 2 outs in the first inning. Ramuno would eventually re-enter in the sixth, finishing her day with 2 1/3 innings pitched, 6 hits, 4 runs, and 2 strikeouts.

Although this is the second straight year that coach Heather Tarr’s team has been ousted without reaching a regional final, this season feels different. After accruing a 35-19 record with a very young team following eight departures for the transfer portal, if Tarr can keep her young core together, the Huskies should be primed to take a big step forward in 2026.