Friday State Sports Briefs: Bucks take on Knicks tonight

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NEW YORK, N.Y. - The Milwaukee Bucks are 8-2 this season against teams in the NBA’s Atlantic Division. But like other teams, the Bucks have struggled against the leaders in the Atlantic, the New York Knicks. Milwaukee will get a chance tonight to even their season series with the Knicks at a game apiece.

The Bucks lost by 14 to New York the last time they played each other on November 28th in Milwaukee. Carmelo Anthony scored 29 points in that game – and he’s scored 20-or-more in his last 30 contests. That’s a team record. The Bucks have lost three straight to the Knicks, although they’ve won six-of-their-last-eight at Madison Square Garden. The Bucks expect to have more energy tonight, after losing to the Chicago Bulls at home by 16 on Wednesday night. It was the second night in a row they played – and to make things worse, they didn’t get home until 11 on Wednesday morning because of an engine problem with the team plane. The Knicks are 28-15 with a two-game winning streak. The Bucks are 24-20, in third place in the Central Division and seventh in the race for eight Eastern Conference playoff spots.

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Milwaukee Bucks’ forward Larry Sanders is listed as probable for tonight, as the Bucks take on the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Sanders, the NBA’s leading shot blocker, sat out Wednesday night’s 16-point home loss to Chicago with an illness. Veteran Samuel Dalembert started in Sanders’ place against the Bulls and had 14 points, a season-high 13 rebounds, and four blocks. Dalembert is playing himself back into shape after he fell out of favor with former Bucks’ coach Scott Skiles earlier in the season. Current coach Jim Boylan uses both Sanders and Dalembert in the post, with Ekpe Udoh as a backup. Boylan says his front-liners need to be more physical on the defensive end, after Milwaukee gave up 66 points in the paint to Chicago on Wednesday night. Boylan says the Bucks are long and slender up front and quote, “We need to have some guys who can pound a little bit.” The Bucks are 8-4 since Boylan took over for Skiles in January. Tonight, they’ll play a hot Knicks team that’s 28-15. New York is coming off home victories over Atlanta and Orlando in which Carmelo Anthony scored 42 and 20 points respectively. Former Marquette guard Steve Novak hits 44-percent of his three-point attempts for the Knicks. That’s the third-best in the NBA.

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The son of Kenosha native and former NBA player Nick Van Exel has been found guilty of murder in the shooting death of a friend. A jury in Dallas deliberated two-and-a-half hours before convicting 22-year-old Nickey Maxwell Van Exel. The penalty phase of the trial was scheduled to take place today. Prosecutors wanted a more stringent conviction of capital murder, saying that Van Exel shot Bradley Eyo to death in 2010 and dumped his body in a lake near Dallas. Van Exel’s attorney said the two were playing with a shotgun, and his client did not know the gun was loaded before it went off. Nick Van Exel played 13 years in the NBA. He’s now with the Atlanta Hawks as a player development instructor.

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The UW-Milwaukee men’s basketball team will play at Valparaiso tonight. The Crusaders are in first place in the Horizon League at 6-2, while Milwaukee is just 1-7 in conference play. The Panthers are still trying to get their first road win after going 0-and-10 on their opponents’ floors, and 0-2 in tournament play on neutral courts. UWM is coming off an 11-point loss at Loyola of Chicago on Wednesday night, in which the Panthers were on the short end of a 20-0 run by Loyola in the second half. Milwaukee has held a half-time lead in 11-of-its-22 games this season – but Rob Jeter’s squad has had trouble protecting those leads down the stretch. The Panthers have been out-scored 125-to-67 in the second halves of their last three games. It’s mostly why they’re 5-and-17 overall, while Valparaiso is at 16-6. Valpo crushed UWM 76-52 on January 12th in Milwaukee, where the Crusaders shot a blistering 61-percent in the second half.

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The University of Wisconsin men’s hockey team will try to extend a 10-game unbeaten streak in WCHA contests, when they play at North Dakota tonight and tomorrow night. Both teams are tied for fourth place along with Minnesota State, all with league records of 8-5-5. Wisconsin is 11-8-5 overall, while seventh-ranked Dakota is at 13-8-5. The Fighting Sioux have a four-game winless streak in which they lost a pair and tied a pair. They haven’t won since January 13th against Colorado College. Corbin Knight leads North Dakota in scoring with 35 points, including 12 goals – and he’s second in the nation in total points. Knight ended a 19-game scoring streak last Friday night in a loss to Saint Cloud State. The Badgers are expected to be without senior forward Derek Lee, who’s recovering from a concussion. He’s the team’s second-leading scorer with 19 points including three goals. The Badger women’s hockey team is off this weekend, after dropping a pair to undefeated and top-ranked Minnesota.

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The Milwaukee Wave will try to extend its winning streak to 15 games in the Major Indoor Soccer League, when it hosts the Missouri Comets tomorrow night. Milwaukee had two players named to the league’s six-member Team-of-the-Week. Goalkeeper Marcel Feenstra had 14 saves in a victory over Wichita, and midfielder Luan Oliveira scored four goals in Milwaukee’s win over Chicago.

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The Maranatha Baptist college baseball team from Watertown will get a chance to play in a Major League stadium this spring. The Crusaders will play the Illinois Institute of Technology on May seventh at the home of the Chicago White Sox, U.S. Cellular Field. It’s a three p.m. start with free admission. IIT does not have to travel far for this game. The campus is just a few blocks east of the ballpark.

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SCORES

In men’s college basketball…

UW-Parkside 109, Saint Joseph 99 3OT

UW-Eau Claire 56, UW-Oshkosh 49

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In women’s college basketball…

UW-Parkside 62, Saint Joseph 38

UW-Oshkosh 69, UW-Eau Claire 44

Lakeland 73, Marian 61

Maranatha Baptist 69, Moody Bible 27

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Wisconsin boys' high school basketball

Albany 49, Juda 46

Alma/Pepin 64, Wabasha-Kellogg, Minn. 56

Amherst 56, Iola-Scandinavia 35

Appleton West 59, Neenah 54

Appleton Xavier 55, Fox Valley Lutheran 44

Barneveld 52, Argyle 35

Barron 52, Ladysmith 28

Belleville 67, Waterloo 39

Bloomer 62, Cumberland 22

Brillion 55, Wrightstown 42

Brookfield Academy 76, Delafield St. John's Northwestern 52

Bruce 70, Cornell 46

Burlington 52, Union Grove 37

Cambridge 58, New Glarus 38

Cameron 62, Shell Lake 42

Cassville 60, Benton 34

Chetek-Weyerhaeuser 45, Spooner 43

Chilton 38, Valders 37

Clayton 60, Northwood 46

Colfax 65, Flambeau 29

Crandon 57, Wabeno-Laona 51

Crivitz 57, Lena 44

De Pere 74, Green Bay Preble 28

DeForest 64, Sauk Prairie 46

Elkhorn 58, Westosha Central 40

Fall River 54, Deerfield 52

Fond du Lac St. Mary's Springs 85, Lomira 75

Freedom 49, New London 45

Goodman/Pembine 58, White Lake 46

Green Bay NEW Lutheran 69, Algoma 63

Hayward 43, Maple Northwestern 36

Heritage Christian 62, Kenosha Christian Life 51

Highland 47, Belmont 37

Hilbert 46, Menasha St. Mary Central 31

Horicon 55, Madison Abundant Life 36

Hustisford 62, Williams Bay 48

Kenosha Reuther 77, Milwaukee Salam School 62

Kenosha St. Joseph 70, Racine Prairie 53

La Crosse Central 47, La Crosse Logan 34

La Farge 59, Ithaca 57

Laconia 69, Mayville 47

Lake Country Lutheran 61, Beaver Dam Wayland 50

Lake Geneva Badger 53, Delavan-Darien 33

Lakeside Lutheran 45, Lake Mills 44

Little Chute 59, Clintonville 31

Lodi 78, Columbus 74

Manitowoc Lutheran 67, Reedsville 63, OT

Marinette St. Thomas Aquinas 46, Gillett 41

Markesan 55, Rio 48

Marshall 79, Wisconsin Heights 59

Milwaukee Academy of Science 58, Milwaukee Bradley Tech 55

Milwaukee Messmer 66, Milwaukee Hope Christian 57

Milwaukee Thomas More 60, Greendale Martin Luther 48

Monroe 70, Fort Atkinson 58

New Richmond 58, Baldwin-Woodville 48

North Crawford 61, Kickapoo 33

North Fond du Lac 48, Winnebago Lutheran 42

Onalaska 49, La Crosse Aquinas 48

Onalaska Luther 66, La Crescent, Minn. 54

Oregon 56, Monona Grove 55

Peshtigo 31, Suring 30

Portage 49, Baraboo 36

Potosi 60, Shullsburg 57

Poynette 62, Watertown Luther Prep 46

Princeton-Green Lake 61, Oshkosh Valley Christian 45

Randolph 50, Waupun Central Wisconsin Christian 32

Reedsburg 50, Mount Horeb 44

River Ridge 55, Pecatonica 51

Seneca 53, Wauzeka-Steuben 43

Sevastopol 50, Gibraltar 48, OT

Seymour 74, Hortonville 61

Shiocton 57, Wittenberg-Birnamwood 38

South Wayne Black Hawk 57, Monticello 55

Stoughton 48, Madison Edgewood 47

Sturgeon Bay 61, Southern Door 49

Thorp 48, Stanley-Boyd 39

Three Lakes 46, Elcho 41

Turtle Lake 71, Prairie Farm 60

Waterford 53, Wilmot Union 51

Waunakee 63, Milton 43

Waupaca 55, Winneconne 52

Wausaukee 58, Niagara 47

Weyauwega-Fremont 50, Bonduel 34

Whitehall 67, Alma Center Lincoln 23

Wild Rose 51, Adams-Friendship 38

Wisconsin Dells 57, Mauston 35

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Girls' high school basketball

Adams-Friendship 39, Westfield 38

Appleton West 45, Neenah 43

Ashland 51, Maple Northwestern 35

Athens 65, Abbotsford 57

Augusta 57, Granton 27

Bangor 34, Royall 24

Bay Port 43, Green Bay Notre Dame 35

Bayfield 76, Butternut 23

Cashton 39, Hillsboro 30

Cedar Grove-Belgium 49, Kohler 39

Chippewa Falls 57, River Falls 46

Chippewa Falls McDonell 46, Altoona 29

Clayton 50, Frederic 36

Cochrane-Fountain City 46, Gilmanton 30

Colby 45, Loyal 37

Colfax 43, Boyceville 27

Cornell 53, Bruce 38

Cuba City 77, Boscobel 20

De Soto 52, Coulee Christian 40

Drummond 64, Solon Springs 40

Durand 45, Ellsworth 31

Eau Claire Immanuel Lutheran 52, Independence 48, 2 OT

Edgar 63, Northland Lutheran 36

Edgerton 45, Clinton 44

Elcho 53, Wisconsin Valley Lutheran 19

Eleva-Strum 48, Blair-Taylor 45

Elk Mound 53, Glenwood City 39

Grantsburg 63, New Auburn 16

Holmen 49, Winona, Minn. 35

Hortonville 52, Denmark 37

Howards Grove 43, Sheboygan County Christian 22

Janesville Craig 76, Sun Prairie 72, 2 OT

Janesville Parker 80, Beloit Memorial 44

Kaukauna 44, Menasha 42

Kiel 62, New Holstein 41

Kimberly 59, Fond du Lac 37

Madison Memorial 46, Madison West 36

Mauston 52, Black River Falls 45

Middleton 67, Madison East 43

Milwaukee South 66, Milwaukee Ronald Reagan 9

Milwaukee St. Joan Antida 62, Milwaukee Tenor 7

Mineral Point 53, Fennimore 29

Mondovi 59, Spring Valley 14

Neillsville 61, Greenwood 23

Oconto Falls 59, Marinette 20

Onalaska 41, La Crosse Aquinas 34

Oneida Nation 71, Florence 27

Orfordville Parkview 30, Jefferson 23

Oshkosh North 41, Appleton North 38

Oshkosh West 56, Appleton East 30

Osseo-Fairchild 50, Fall Creek 43

Owen-Withee 70, Marshfield Columbus Catholic 37

Ozaukee 38, Random Lake 35

Palmyra-Eagle 46, Evansville 41

Platteville 52, Dodgeville 41

Plum City 43, St. Croix Central 20

Plymouth 59, Kewaskum 39

Prairie du Chien 48, River Valley 37

Richland Center 67, Lancaster 38

Seymour 48, Shawano 42

Sheboygan Falls 46, Two Rivers 40

Shiocton 37, Stockbridge 36

South Shore 47, Washburn 19

Spencer 46, Gilman 35

St. Croix Falls 43, Webster 24

Stanley-Boyd 49, Eau Claire Regis 45

Suring 41, White Lake 17

Thorp 40, Cadott 32

Unity 66, Prairie Farm 51

Verona 52, Madison La Follette 45

Waupun 53, Campbellsport 43

Wausau Newman 68, Stratford 48

Wild Rose 54, Tigerton 22

Wisconsin Rapids Assumption 38, Marathon 33

Wonewoc-Center 34, New Lisbon 31

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Boys' high school hockey

Antigo 9, Tomahawk 3

Baraboo/Portage 5, Greendale 4

Black River Falls 8, Sparta/Mauston 2

Chequamegon/Phillips 5, Spooner 0

Eau Claire Memorial 8, Menomonie 3

Eau Claire Regis/Chippewa Falls McDonell/Bloomer 3, Amery 0

Hudson 5, Chippewa Falls 2

Janesville 11, Madison La Follette/East 0

La Crosse 2, Viroqua 0

La Crosse Aquinas 5, La Crescent/Houston, Minn. 1

Mosinee 6, Rhinelander 2

River Falls 6, Eau Claire North 2

Schofield D.C. Everest 3, Wausau West 0

Somerset 9, Baldwin-Woodville 3

Stevens Point 3, Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln 2

Verona 9, Middleton 0

Wausau East 7, Marshfield 3

Whitefish Bay 6, Germantown 0

Wisconsin Dells-Reedsburg 3, Tomah 1

Burnett County Blizzard 4, Mora/Hinckley-Finlayson, Minn. 3

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Girls' high school hockey

Brookfield Glacier 3, Hartland Arrowhead 2

Eau Claire North/Memorial/Altoona 4, Hudson 2

Fond Du Lac 6, Badger 3

Milwaukee University 8, Beaver Dam 0

Silver Bay, Minn. 2, Superior 1

St. Croix Valley Fusion 1, Chippewa Falls 0

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Wrestling

La Crosse Aquinas 52, La Crosse Logan 22

La Crosse Aquinas 45 Melrose-Mind./Gale-Ett.-Tremp. 22

Ashwaubenon 54, De Pere 1

Bay Port 32, Pulaski 23

Barron 64, Bloomer/Colfax 18

Blair-Taylor 33, Whitehall 27

Boyceville 33, Spring Valley/Elmwood 30

Cashton 60, Necedah 16

Coleman 57 Lena/Marinette St. Thomas Aquinas 13

Glenwood City 52 Mondovi 25

Green Bay Preble/East 54, Green Bay West/Southwest 21

Independence/Gilmanton 54, Cochrane-Fountain City/Alma 0

Independence/Gilmanton 40, Onalaska Luther 30

La Crosse Logan 57, La Crosse Central 18

La Crosse Logan 44, Onalaska 27

Ladysmith 54, Barron 24

Ladysmith 66, Maple Northwestern 6

Manitowoc Lincoln 37, Sheboygan North 37

Neillsville/Greenwood/Loyal 68, Independence/Gilmanton 9

New London 50, West De Pere 24

Oconto 42, Manawa 32

Sheboygan South 43, Cedar Grove-Belgium 21

Sparta 41, Tomah 23

Wausau West 36, Merrill 25

Wisconsin Dells 33, Westfield 30

Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln 60, Wausau East 7

Greenfield 33, New Berlin West/Eisenhower 32

Muskego 42, Kettle Moraine 33

Wauwatosa West/East 48, Whitnall 14

Campbellsport 60, Weyauwega-Fremont 18

Cumberland 54, Spooner 21

Fort Atkinson 62, Whitewater 12

Gillett/Suring 38, Oconto 36

Johnson Creek 45, Dodgeland 18

Kenosha Indian Trail 35, Kenosha Christian Life 33

Kewaunee 51, West De Pere 24

Oconomowoc 44, West Bend West 24

Wisconsin Lutheran 38, Hartford 25

Monroe 65, Edgerton 12

Waterloo 43, Poynette 23

Whitefish Bay 57, Nicolet 21

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