Sports
Westplex Today Sports Page: March 11th, 2010
By Steve Barnard
Mar 11, 2010 - 4:51:29 AM

Brandon Richardson led a balanced Nebraska scoring attack with 19 points, as the Cornhuskers upended Missouri, 75-60, in the opening round of the Big-12 Conference Tournament. Ryan Anderson added 16 points and nine rebounds, while both  Brian Jorge Diaz and Lance Jeter chipped in with 10 for the Cornhuskers (15-17), who took down the defending tourney champions for their first win in their last three games. Nebraska, the No. 12 and lowest seed in the tourney, will face the No. 4 seed Texas A&M on Thursday. Laurence Bowers led the fifth-seeded Tigers (22-10) with 11 points and six rebounds. Missouri has dropped two straight and can now hope only for an at large bid to the NCAA Tournament. Sunday is selection day. Mizzou fans will be waiting and hoping for an at large bid to the NCAA tournament.

The Blues skate against the Islanders at New York tonight.  St. Louis will look to get back on the winning track after having its five-game winning streak snapped with a 7-3 loss at Colorado on Saturday.  This is the fourth stop on a six-game road trip for the Blues, who are at Columbus and Minnesota this weekend.  St. Louis is six points out of the final playoff spot in the West.

Allen Craig hit a two-run homer and drove in three in his spring debut as the Cardinals defeated the Washington Nationals 6-4 at Roger Dean Stadium.  Craig had missed all six games with a sore left quadriceps.  Colby Rasmus and Ruben Gotay each drove in a run for the Redbirds, who won for just the second time in seven spring contests.  Starter Brad Penny allowed just one hit and struck out two over four scoreless innings to get the win.  St. Louis plays Florida today.

Sluggers Albert Pujols and Matt Holliday were both absent from the Cardinals lineup yesterday against the Nationals.  Pujols has been nursing stiffness in his lower since the weekend and manager Tony La Russa elected to give him more time to rest.  Meanwhile, Holliday was a late scratch from the lineup after straining a muscle in his rib cage while working out.  Pujols is expected to be out until at least this weekend, while Holliday won't return until sometime next week.

The Rams make their second Pro Day stop today in Lincoln, Nebraska to scout Huskers defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh  Head coach Steve Spagnuolo and General Manager Billy Devaney were in Norman, Oklahoma on Tuesday to meet with Sooners defensive tackle Gerald McCoy.  The Rams are also slated to make Pro Day visits to Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford later hits month on March 25^th, and Notre Dame Quarterback Jimmy Clausen in early April. 

The Rams have re-signed tight end Daniel Fells to an undisclosed contract.  Fells became a restricted free agent last Friday.  He caught 21 passes for 273 yards and three touchdowns in 14 games last season, including four starts.  Fells missed the final two games with a knee injury.

The pitchers combined on a two-hitter as the Missouri softball team blanked Northern Iowa 3-0 at University Field.  Jana Hainey got the win in relief and Kristin Nottelmann her first save.  Nicole Hudson hit a two-run homer in the first inning and Marla Schweisberger hit a solo shot in the fifth as Mizzou improved to 13-and-2.  MU hosts the Children's Hospital Invitational this weekend.