Today in sports history: March 23

  • Wednesday, March 23, 2016 1:06am
  • Sports

1939 — Long Island University finishes the season undefeated after a 44-32 victory over Loyola of Chicago in the NIT championship.

1948 — Alex Groza and Ralph Beard combine for 26 points to lead Kentucky to a 58-42 win over Baylor for the NCAA basketball championship.

1956 — Bill Russell leads San Francisco to an 83-71 victory over Iowa for the NCAA basketball championship.

1957 — North Carolina defeats Wilt Chamberlain and Kansas in triple-overtime to win the NCAA men’s championship. The Tar Heels win 54-53 to finish the season with a perfect 32-0 record.

1968 — Lew Alcindor scores 34 points to lead UCLA to a 78-55 win over North Carolina in the NCAA basketball championship.

1974 — N.C. State ends UCLA’s streak of seven national championships with an 80-77 victory in double overtime of the NCAA Tournament semifinals. David Thompson leads the Wolfpack with 28 points and 10 rebounds, while teammate Tom Burleson scores 20 and pulls down 14 rebounds.

1991 — London beats Frankfurt 24-11 in the first World League of American Football game.

1994 — Wayne Gretzky scores his 802nd goal, passing Gordie Howe as the greatest goal-scorer in NHL history. The Los Angeles Kings center scores in the second period for his 62nd NHL record.

1996 — Michelle Kwan caps a near-perfect season by winning the women’s title in the World Figure Skating Championships.

1997 — Laura Davies becomes the first LPGA player to win the same tournament four consecutive years, making a 3-foot par putt on the first hole of a playoff with Kelly Robbins in the Standard Register Ping.

2002 — Brendan Shanahan of the Red Wings scores his 500th career goal, breaking a scoreless tie at 7:48 of the third period. Detroit beat Colorado 2-0.

2002 — Iowa State’s Cael Sanderson becomes the first undefeated four-time NCAA wrestling champion at the NCAA Championships. Sanderson beats Lehigh’s Jon Trenge 12-4 to win at 197 pounds and finish his career with a 159-0 record.

2003 — Tiger Woods closes with a 4-under 68 to win the Bay Hill Invitational four straight times. Woods becomes the first player since Gene Sarazen in the Miami Open (1926-30) to win the same event four straight times.

2005 — Indiana’s Reggie Miller becomes the 13th NBA player to score 25,000 career points during the Pacers’ 100-93 win over San Antonio.

2007 — Kobe Bryant becomes the second player in NBA history to score at least 50 points in four straight games when he scores 50 in the Lakers’ 111-105 win at New Orleans. Only Wilt Chamberlain has more, scoring at least 50 points in seven consecutive games during the 1961-62 season.

2010 — The NFL changes its overtime rules for playoff games to give both teams an opportunity to get the ball.

2013 — Michigan handles Virginia Commonwealth’s vaunted pressure with a clinical performance and advances to the round of 16 with a 78-53 rout. VCU was relentless in a 46-point rout of Akron in the second round. The 71-point swing by VCU — from a 46-point win to a 25-point loss — is the largest in NCAA Tournament history.

2013 — Wichita State knocks out top-seeded Gonzaga out of the NCAA tournament with a 76-70 victory. The Shockers hit a season-high 14 3-pointers, including five straight down the stretch.

More in Sports

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé 145-pound senior Owen Woodruff wrestles during last weekend’s Lancer Smith Memorial Wrestling Tournament at Wasilla’s Menard Sports Center. (JDHS courtesy photo)
JDHS wrestlers get largest mat treatment of the season

Crimson Bears grapplers battle through Lancer Smith Memorial.

A male hooded merganser shows off his flashy plumage. (Photo by Bob Armstrong)
On the Trails: Critter watching in fall

I like living in a place where I can encounter wild critters… Continue reading

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé senior Emilio Holbrook battles for a puck with North Pole junior Hunter Simons (37) during the Crimson Bears’ 5-2 loss to the Patriots on Saturday at the Treadwell Ice Arena. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
Unlucky bounces ice Crimson Bears in second game against North Pole

JDHS falls 5-2 in physical, penalty-laden loss to the visiting Patriots.

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé senior Evelyn Richards (8), sophomore Leila Cooper (7), senior Tatum Billings (3) and junior Cambry Lockhart (4) await a serve against Wasilla in a game earlier this season at the George Houston Gymnasium. The Crimson Bears season ended with two losses in the state tournament this weekend. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire file photo)
Crimson Bears fall under Stars at state volleyball tournament

JDHS loses three straight sets to Soldotna in elimination match.

North Pole senior Kagen Kramer (9) and Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé junior Elias Schane (18) battle for puck position during the Patriots 4-2 win over the Crimson Bears on Friday at the Treadwell Ice Arena. The two teams play again Saturday at 3 p.m. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
Home ice ‘unPatriotic’ for JDHS as North Pole skates to win

Crimson Bears look for a rematch win on Saturday against the Patriots

Juneau Huskies senior Jayden Johnson (4) finds a hole to run through against the Colony Knights in Palmer this season. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire file photo)
Pure Sole: You can’t impress me, well, too much

Sometimes when awards come out, for any sport, they are based on… Continue reading

Juneau senior Jayden Johnson (4) brushes off a tackle by West Anchorage junior Talon Copeland (12) during a state playoff game at West Anchorage. Johnson was selected the All-State utility player of the year and a first-team all-state receiver. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire file photo)
JDHS’ Jayden Johnson voted Utility Player of the Year by D1 football competitors

Crimson Bears senior also named First Team All-State receiver while playing multiple other positions.

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé junior Lavinia Ma’ake serves in a game against Wasilla earlier this season. Ma’ake was chosen player of the game on Thursday in the Crimson Bears opening loss to Service in the 2024 ASAA Volleyball State Championships at Anchorage’s Alaska Airlines Center. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire file photo)
Crimson Bears volleyball team drops first match at state tournament

JDHS will play an elimination match at 11:45 a.m. Friday against Soldotna.

Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé junior Hunter Lingle, junior Nolan Cruz and sophomore Stahly Sheehan work the ice Wednesday at Treadwell Arena before a JDHS practice. The Crimson Bears varsity hosts the North Pole Patriots Friday at 7 p.m. and Saturday at 3 p.m. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
Crimson Bears welcome Patriots to first home rink battle of the season

Treadwell Ice Arena will feature rematch of last year’s final JDHS game at state tournament

Most Read