Author: Sports Radio Service

San Jose Barracuda podcast with Marko Ukalovic: Barracuda trying to avoid falling into cellar in battle for last place with Gulls tonight in San Diego

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photo from sjbarracuda.com: Jacob Middleton has re-joined the San Jose Barracuda after being reassigned from the San Jose Sharks. Middleton is expected to be in the line up tonight against the San Diego Gulls.

On the Barracuda podcast with Marko:

#1 The Barracuda have now lost four consecutive games in their last game against tonight’s opponent, the San Diego Gulls. What will head coach Roy Sommer do to try and stop the bleeding?

#2 The Gulls are just one game back of the Barracuda and are in last place, but always give the Barracuda fits each time the clubs meet.

#3 The one thing that’s killing the Barracuda is their getting locked into tie games and being forced into shootouts. The four consecutive loses have all resulted into shootouts.

#4 How concerning is the Barracuda’s power play they were 0-4 last Sunday at SAP against San Diego?

#5 They play the Gulls again tonight. If the Barracuda lose again tonight, they will be in a virtual tie for last place, how concerning does that have to be for coach Sommer?

Listen to Marko each Wednesday for the Barracuda podcast at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

SJSU MBB on Pac-12 Network Thursday at #19 Arizona

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Photo credit: sjsuspartans.com

By Ana Kieu

San Jose State men’s basketball continues the non-conference portion of its 2019-20 schedule with a trip to Tuscon on Thursday against the Arizona Wildcats for a 5 PM PT tip on Pac-12 Networks.

SAN JOSE STATE SPARTANS (1-1, 0-0 MW)
PPG: 68.0 | FG%: 43.5 | 3FG%: 27.1 | FT%: 50.0

Notes: San José State opened the 2019-20 season with a bang, defeating Hofstra on the road last Wednesday. It was the Spartans’ first road win since 2017, snapping a 21-game road losing streak. The Spartans dropped their home opener, 72-57, against Portland on Sunday. Former Wake Forest guard Richard Washington leads SJSU in scoring at 17.0 points per game with forward Craig LeCesne also in double-figures at 12.5 points per game.

#19 ARIZONA WILDCATS (2-0, 0-0 P12)
PPG: 90.5 | FG%: 54.9 | 3FG%: 41.0 | FT%: 73.8

Series: SJSU trails, 4-9 (2-7 in Tucson)

Last: SJSU lost on the road, 79-44, on Dec. 1, 1984

Notes: Arizona is 2-0 after posting wins against Northern Arizona and Illinois. A trio of freshman, Nico Mannion, Josh Green and Zeke Nnaji combined for 53 points in the blowout win, 90-69, over the Illini. The 6-foot-11 Nnaji is the team’s leading scorer thus far at 19.5 points per game. The Wildcats have 10 different players averaging 10+ minutes per game.

BROADCAST INFORMATION
TV — Pac-12 Networks with Daron Sutton and Matt Muehlebach announcing.

Stream — Pac-12.com with a cable login

Radio — Justin Allegri on the call through TuneIn.com and the TuneIn app. Search for “San Jose St. Basketball”.

ARIZONA SERIES HISTORY
– Arizona leads the all-time series at 4-9

– The Wildcats hold a 7-2 edge at home

– Last meeting was a 79-44 loss in Tucson on Dec. 1, 1984.

– The Spartans won three of the first five meetings.

– Arizona has won six straight games in the series.

MARRION KNOWS HOW TO WIN IN TUCSON
– SJSU assistant coach Tim Marrion spent last year on former Washington State head coach Ernie Kent’s staff.

– The Cougars defeated Arizona at the McKale Center, 69-55, behind 31 points and seven three-pointers from forward Robert Franks. Guard CJ Elleby added 18 points.

– WSU held Arizona to just 26.1% shooting from three.

SJSU AGAINST THE TOP-25
– SJSU’s last win against a top-25 team was on Dec. 27, 1996. The Spartans topped No. 19 ranked Alabama, 60-59 in overtime.

– The Spartans have four wins overall against top-25 teams.

– SJSU’s last game against a top-25 team was a 92-53 loss to No. 10 Nevada last season.

TURNOVER IMPROVEMENT
– A goal this year for head coach Jean Prioleau was to cut down on his team’s turnovers. The Spartans averaged 15.6 turnovers per game last season.

– This year, the Spartans are averaging 12.0 turnovers per game, which ranks No. 85 in the NCAA.

SJSU STUNS HOFSTRA IN SEASON OPENER
– SJSU opened the 2019-20 season with a bang, defeating Hofstra on the road, 79-71.

– Hofstra won 27 games last year, SJSU lost 27 games.

– In his Spartan debut, JC transfer and former Wake Forest guard, Richard Washington, posted a team-high 23 points off the bench on 8-of-13 shooting. He scored 12 of his 23 points in the final four minutes, including a stretch of three straight three-pointers to put the game away.

– Senior forward Craig LeCesne had his first career double-double with a career-high 19 points plus 11 rebounds.

– It was SJSU’s first win in a road opener since 2010-11 when the Spartans topped Eastern Washington, 67-60.

– The Spartans snapped a 21-game road losing streak dating back to the 2017-18 campaign.

– SJSU won on the East Coast for the first time since 2001-02, when the Spartans defeated Fairleigh Dickinson at the BCA Tournament hosted by NC State in Raleigh, N.C.

LOTS OF STARTERS 
– The Spartans return seven players who started at least one game a season ago.

– Guard Seneca Knight is the most experienced, as the sophomore started 17 games, including the final 12, of his rookie season.

– Point guard Brea Ivey was just behind Knight, as the former junior college transfer started 16 games last season.

– Forward Craig LeCesne and guard Zach Chappell both started 15 games last year.

– Forward Christian Anigwe, guard Isaiah Nichols and walk-on guard Trey Smith each started one game.

SIX NEW FACES
Spartans head coach Jean Prioleau will have the help of six newcomers on the roster in 2019-20.

– The Spartans have three new junior college transfers in Richard Washington (Tallahassee CC), Eduardo Lane (Marshalltown CC) and Ralph Agee (East LA College). Washington started his collegiate career at Wake Forest, where he played eight games as a freshman before an injury caused him to miss the entire 2017-18 season.

– Another Wake Forest transfer will join the Spartans on the floor this season, as center Samuel Japhet-Mathias will be eligible after a redshirt season last year. The former four-star recruit appeared in 17 games off the bench at Wake Forest as a freshman in 2016-17. He posted six points and four rebounds at No. 17 Xavier.

– Prioleau added two freshmen this season in guard Omari Moore and walk-on center Harminder Dhaliwal.

SJSU TV SCHEDULE
– SJSU will play 10 games on TV this season, including three at home.

– SJSU hosts an ESPN networks game this year for the first time since 2010-11, when either ESPN2 or ESPNU will carry the SJSU tip against Utah State on Dec. 4. SJSU will also be on ESPN2 or ESPNU when visiting Utah State on Feb. 26.

– SJSU will have four non-conference games on TV, all against Pac-12 competition. The Spartans will be on CBS Sports Network when hosting Stanford at the Provident Credit Union Event Center on Dec. 14. SJSU will battle both UCLA and Arizona on Pac-12 Networks and meet Oregon State on FS1 for a neutral site matchup in Las Vegas.

– The Spartans will also have four Mountain West contests on AT&T SportsNet this season — Jan. 15 at UNLV, Jan. 21 at New Mexico, Feb. 8 at Nevada and Feb. 29 vs. UNLV.

San Jose Sharks podcast with Len Shapiro: Sharks better prepared, playing sharper game as things fall into place

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photo from sfgate.com: San Jose Sharks’ Evander Kane (9) shoots against Edmonton Oilers’ Mike Smith during the third period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2019, in San Jose, Calif

On the Sharks podcast with Len:

#1 The San Jose Sharks are in a four-game win streak. They have defeated Minnesota, Nashville, Edmonton, and Winnipeg after their dreadful road trip. What has been the difference?

#2 In game with the Predators, it was a 2-1 shootout. It seems like the Sharks are more focused in finding the back end of the net in shootout situations.

#3 One player who has been quite focused in the shootouts is the Sharks’ Timo Meier. Meier scored the game-winning goal in the shootout against the Predators for the 2-1 win and Meier did it in the seventh round.

#4 Sharks head coach Peter DeBoer has really put together a game plan — now with four straight wins and a big win over the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday night, everything is falling into place.

#5 The Sharks host the Winnipeg Jets and Edmonton Oilers two times this month. Talk about seeing a team twice in the same month. There could very well be advantages to that.

San Jose Sharks podcasts with Len Shapiro are heard each Wednesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Cardinal routs Long Beach for third win 86-58

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photo from gostanford.com: Jaiden Delaire (11) for the Stanford Cardinal took possession of the ball against Long Beach State defender Romelle Mansel (13) during Tuesday night’s contest at Maples Pavillion in Palo Alto

By Daniel Dullum

Stanford men’s basketball is off to its best start in three years. The Cardinal won their third game to open the season on Tuesday, defeating Long Beach State 86-58 at Maples Pavilion.

Sophomore Jaiden Delaire led a balanced Stanford attack with a career-high 14 points. Freshman Tyrell Terry also had 14 points for the Cardinal, and Oscar da Silva contributed 12 points and seven rebounds.

Max De Geest was the 49ers’ top scorer with 13 points, followed by Jordan Griffin with 12.

The Cardinal (3-0) began pulling away after a media timeout in the first half, and built a 21-point lead at 4:43 of the half. Terry’s layup 17 seconds before halftime put Stanford up 47-22, taking advantage of 12 49er turnovers.

Stanford outscored LBSU 30-8 in the paint. Lukas Kisunas grabbed seven boards in 10 minutes as the Cardinal held a 38-30 rebounding edge. Overall, Stanford shot 54 percent (35 of 65 total, 10 of 23 3-point).

A Terry dunk at 14:00 of the second half gave the Cardinal a 38-point cushion. Griffin’s 3-pointer sparked an 11-0 run for the Beach (1-1), but Stanford had the game all but put away.

In attendance on the media side was Mike Montgomery, who served as color analyst for the Pac-12 Network telecast. Montgomery played for Long Beach State in the 1960s and coached Stanford for 18 seasons. He’s in the Athletic Hall of Fame for both schools.

Stanford hosts Santa Clara on Saturday night, then plays its first road game of the season at the Hall of Fame Classic in Kansas City on Nov. 25.

Kapler named as Giants manager in second MLB stint at the helm

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@SFGiants photo: San Francisco Giants manager Gabe Kapler joins the Giants as this will be his second team after managing the Philadelphia Phillies in 2018 and 2019

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO — When the weekend began, San Francisco Giants President of Baseball Operations Farhan Zaidi was trying to set the table for the foreseeable future.

Zaidi cleared one plate, as he hired Chicago Cubs Assistant General Manager Scott Harris to replace Bobby Evans, who let go during the 2018 season and now he set another place at the table with the naming of former Philadelphia Phillies manager Gabe Kapler as the teams next manager.

“Our top priority in the next manager was to find someone who can build strong relationships with our players, coaches, front office and fans, and someone who has the drive and desire to win,” Zaidi said in a statement. “… In my personal experience in working with Gabe, there is no one who works harder and is more committed to getting the best out of the people around him. This was also echoed in the feedback we received around the baseball community. I look forward to working with Gabe to help return the Giants to its winning tradition.”

Kapler, who is 44 years old spent the 2018 and 2019 season with the Phillies and ended with a record of 161-163 in those two seasons.

Phillies managing partner John Middleton fired Kapler almost two weeks after the season after he re-evaluated the team and the manager and obviously, Middleton did not like what he saw going down the stretch. In his two years with the Phillies, Kapler went 8-20 and 12-16 in the seasons final month.

Kapler comes to San Francisco after multiple incidents that occurred when he was the Farm Director for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Two women made accusations against minor leaguers in the Dodgers organization, as both women accused the players of assault to Kapler. One of the women was just 17 years old at the time, who told police that she was sexually assaulted; however, she did not tell Kapler of the incident in the first place. The other woman involved happened to be a housekeeper at the hotel and told them about the sexual assault.

Kapler reported to the Dodgers brass and legal counsel, as he was obligated to do.

After the incidents, the Dodgers drew ridicule, as they did not report the two incidents to Major League Baseball.

Kapler, who grew up in the San Fernando Valley and went to Taft High School in Woodland Hills, played in the major leagues for 12 years for the Detroit Tigers, Texas Rangers, Boston Red Sox, where he won a World Series ring in 2004, Milwaukee Brewers and Tampa Bay Rays. He was drafted in the 57th round of the 1995 out of Moorpark College by the Tigers.

San Francisco 49ers podcast with David Zizmor: Too many injuries, 49ers fell short of reaching the promise land on Monday Night Football

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sfgate.com photo: San Francisco 49ers kicker Chase McLaughlin (5) who was 3-3 kicking field goals shanks a key 47 yard attempt in overtime that would have won it for San Francisco on Monday Night Football vs. the Seattle Seahawks at Levi’s Stadium.

On San Francisco 49ers podcast with David:

#1 The 49ers are no longer undefeated, but not without a fight tied 24-24. The 49ers tried to kick a field goal as Chase McLaughlin, who was 3-3, tried to hit a 47-yarder shanked it to the left of the goal posts and the Seahawks ended up getting a second chance.

#2 Talk about the Hawks getting that winning drive that allowed kicker Jason Meyers to kick the winning field goal in overtime.

San Francisco 49ers podcasts are heard each Tuesday with David Zizmor at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Sacramento Kings podcast with Charlie O: Kings going for their fourth win in five games tonight in Sacramento

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sacbee.com file photo: The Sacramento Kings De’Aaron Fox drives on the Toronto Raptors defense on Nov 6th game at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. Fox is out with an ankle injury for unknown amount of time.

On the Kings podcast with Charlie O:

#1 The Kings have won three of their last four games, including a win over the Atlanta Hawks 121-109. Were these games a matter of surprise wins for Sacramento or just hard work starting to pay off for the Kings?

#2 The Sacramento Kings’ Buddy Hield scored 22 points and Bogdan Bogdanovic scored 20 points in the game against the Hawks.

#3 The game was on the Hawks floor, and try as they may, the Hawks could barely keep up with the Kings. The Kings have some very quick players and the Hawks lost by 12

#4 Talk about the Kings defense. They seemed to maintain the Hawks throughout the game and were able to establish winning and their defense worked in the fourth quarter.

#5 The Kings host the Portland Trail Blazers Tuesday night at Golden 1 Center in downtown Sacramento. You’ve seen them win on this road trip. Could their odds go up a little bit for Tuesday night’s game having the home floor?

Charlie O does Kings podcasts each Tuesday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Final three games will likely test the character of the young Cardinal

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Photo credit: gostanford.com

By Ana Kieu

Facing a hungry, dangerous team on Homecoming, Stanford gave itself a great chance to escape Colorado with a victory on Saturday, but was unable to shut the door on the Buffaloes.

Having lost five consecutive games and allowed 30-plus points to every opponent, Colorado dug in on defense, limiting Stanford to one touchdown in the 16-13 victory. On two red zone trips, Stanford settled for a field goal and missed a short attempt.

“It had a dramatic effect on the game,” said senior quarterback K.J. Costello. “What that does is put stress on your defense countless times to hold them to field goals instead of touchdowns.”

After allowing an early score, the Cardinal defense settled down and played well in the thinner air and unseasonably warm mid-70-degree temperatures. Ultimately, it came down to a final stop, but the Buffaloes chewed up the final six minutes with a 13-play, 61-yard drive culminating in a game-winning 37-yard field goal by Evan Price.

“It’s really disappointing,” said fifth-year senior outside linebacker Casey Toohill. “At the end, we just weren’t good enough. That’s a hard pill to swallow, but it’s the truth so we have to deal with it.”

Although no one’s looking past Saturday’s 1:30 p.m. kickoff against Washington State in Pullman, Stanford (4-5, 3-4 Pac-12) needs two wins in its final three outings to become bowl eligible.

Stanford concludes the regular season by hosting Cal on Nov. 23 and Notre Dame on Nov. 30.

“The bottom line is we have to play better in the fourth quarter,” said Bradford M. Freeman Director of Football David Shaw.

GROWING PAINS
As difficult as losses have been, many young players continue to learn on the fly, including three freshmen starters on the offensive line. They’re growing with every snap and have bright futures.

Through nine games, 17 freshmen have played, seven in starting roles due to injuries. On Saturday, offensive lineman Drake Nugent and inside linebacker Aeneas DiCosmo made their college debuts.

Freshmen running backs Austin Jones and Nathaniel Peat made nice contributions. Jones ran five times for 30 yards and Peat had four carries for 29. Jones also made a 4-yard reception.

Also seeing action for the second time this season was freshman inside linebacker Tristan Sinclair, who made two solo tackles.

“They’re fast, athletic and made some plays,” Shaw said. “We missed a couple things and you know that going in when you’re going to have young, inexperienced guys out there against experienced guys on the other side.”

Additionally, 17 Cardinal have started for the first time in their college careers, with fifth-year senior inside linebacker Ryan Beecher joining the list against Colorado.

FIERY FEHOKO
Sophomore wide receiver Simi Fehoko has developed into one of the team’s best playmakers. He caught a 79-yard touchdown pass from Costello early in the fourth quarter to give Stanford a 13-10 lead. It was Fehoko’s fourth scoring reception of the season and the team’s longest since JJ Arcega-Whiteside’s 80-yard grab against San Diego State in 2018.

“I saw the hole and actually thought the corner was going to peel off and get me,” said Fehoko, who caught the ball across the middle, then weaved his way through Colorado defenders and outran them to the end zone.

The play energized the team at just the right time.

“After I went to the sideline, everybody was a lot more juiced,” Fehoko said. “We just had to go down and close it.”

Photo credit: gostanford.com

OUT OF SYNC
After piling up 472 yards and 41 points against Arizona, the offense struggled against Colorado. Stanford managed only 15 first downs, was 3-of-10 on third down, and committed costly penalties.

“They did a good job in showing us a lot of different looks, but nothing we hadn’t seen,” said Costello. “It came down to pure execution.”

Costello said it was tough watching Colorado consume the last six minutes off the clock.

“I don’t know about any other player, but I want the ball in my hands to win the game,” Costello said. “It’s frustrating.”

Photo credit: gostanford.com

UP NEXT
Stanford plays its final road game on Saturday against Washington State (4-5, 1-5 Pac-12) in Pullman. The Cougars lost at Cal on Saturday, 33-20, failing to score 30 or more points for just the second time this season.

Washington State head coach Mike Leach loves to air it out. Led by quarterback Anthony Gordon, the Cougars pace the Pac-12 in passing, averaging 37.4 attempts and 411.7 yards per game. WSU crushed visiting Colorado, 41-10, on Oct. 19, and narrowly lost at Oregon two weeks ago in Eugene on a last-second field goal, 37-35.

Photo credit: gostanford.com

NOTES
Senior inside linebacker Andrew Pryts led Stanford in tackles with seven. He ranks 13th in the Pac-12 in stops with 45 … Stanford recorded five tackles for loss, with Toohill recording a sack. He now has six on the season and five in conference play, the fourth-most in the conference, and ranks 10th in tackles for loss with six … Junior cornerback Paulson Adebo continues to lead the Pac-12 in passes defended with 14 and has four interceptions … Sophomore fullback Jay Symonds caught his second career pass … Costello now has 6,151 career passing yards and became the ninth player in school history to surpass 6,000 … Fifth-year senior running back Cameron Scarlett ran for a team-high 63 yards and moved past 2019 Stanford Athletics Hall of Fame inductee Bill Tarr (1953-55) into 20th place on the program’s career list with 1,599 … Former Stanford fullback Ryan Hewitt (2009-13) served as the honorary captain. Tough and versatile, he ran for more than 500 yards and helped lead Stanford to consecutive Pac-12 titles and two trips to the Rose Bowl. Hewitt played for six seasons in the NFL.

QUOTE
“You can feel a little salt in the locker room.” — K.J. Costello after the loss and how he thinks it will help motivate the team

SJSU’s Walker added to Biletnikoff Award Watch List

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Photo credit: sjsuspartans.com

By Ana Kieu

San Jose State wide receiver Tre Walker is one of five NCAA FBS players recently added to the Biletnikoff Award Watch List.

Named after the Oakland Raiders’ great Fred Biletnikoff, a member of the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame, the award honors the top pass receiver nationally regardless of position. The award is presented and sponsored by the Tallahassee Quarterback Club Foundation. A wide receiver, tight end, running back or a slot back is eligible to be considered and win the Biletnikoff Award.

In 2019, Walker, a junior from Los Angeles, leads the Spartans in receiving and is one of the top pass catchers in FBS football. He has 59 receptions for 896 yards and one touchdown. In games played through Nov. 9, he’s nationally ranked in receptions per game (7th), receiving yards per game (5th) and total receiving yards (13th).

With today’s announcement, more than 70 players are listed on this year’s watch list.

Ten semifinalists will be named on Nov. 18 and three finalists will be announced on Nov. 25.

This year’s Biletnikoff Award winner will be presented at the Home Depot College Football Awards on Dec. 12 in Atlanta, Ga. The award ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 15, 2020 at the University Center Club at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee, Fla.

The Biletnikoff Award is a member of the NCFAA, which encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football.

Cal Bears football podcast with Morris Phillips: Cal scrapes together enough 4th quarter offense to get by WSU 33-20

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calbears.com photo: Jaylinn Hawkins hauled in his eighth career interception in the first quarter

On the Cal Bears football podcast with Morris:

#1 From looking at the score frames it looked as if the Bears played small ball and beat Washington State by a 1000 cuts on Saturday 33-20

#2 The Bears big quarter was the fourth quarter when they scored 13 points to over come the Cougars

#3 The Bears quarterback Devon Modster went 16-24 for 230 yards and three touchdowns Modster threw just well enough to beat the Cougars.

#4 For the Cal touchdowns Modster had a keeper, Christopher Brown Jr and Malai Polk both had touchdowns.

#5 With the USC Trojans coming this Saturday to Memorial this will be one of Cal’s biggest challenges and a win could help their post season chances.

Morris does the Cal podcasts each Monday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com