News & notes

 Joseph Girard III (Glens Falls) played his final college game Saturday, as Clemson fell to Alabama, 89-82, in the men's Elite Eight. Girard finished with 19 points in 35 minutes. WNYT's Rodger Wyland, writing in today's Albany Times-Union, isn't even considering the prospect of Girard being drafted come June, and thinks Girard will play pro ball overseas. You just never know.

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21 years ago, Gerry McNamara helped cut the nets as Syracuse advanced to the Final Four, and, ultimately, their first national title.

This winter, McNamara returns to MVP Arena (then known as Knickerbocker Arena in 2003) as Siena's new men's basketball coach. McNamara was hired at the end of last week, and, now, there's word that Union College grad Ben Lee is being brought on board as an assistant on McNamara's staff.

I wonder if the Siena pep band can learn the words to "McNamara's Band" in time for the home opener......!

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Last year LSU defeated Iowa for the women's national title.

Tonight, the teams meet again in the Elite Eight (ESPN, 7 pm, tip time 7:15 pm), and the focus again will be on each team's star players, Angel Reese & Caitlin Clark. Reese was cast as the villain after taunting and talking trash to Clark last year, going so far as to use John Cena's "You Can't See Me" hand taunt on Clark during the game. The winner of tonight's game will meet South Carolina, I think, in the Final Four, and the crowd at MVP Arena will likely be on Clark's side.

This will be fun.

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The rest of Sunday's college action:

Baseball:

UAlbany 9, Maine 7.

Russell Sage 31, Alfred 3 (7 innings). The Gators scored 12 runs in the 5th inning, and 9 more in the 6th, forcing the enforcement of the mercy rule after the top of the 7th.

George Washington 7, St. Bonaventure 0. Brett Young (Albany Academy/Siena) went 1-3 with a walk.

Softball:

UAlbany 4, Maine 3.