Local Sports Headlines: March 2, 2021

Today’s Local Sports Headlines are brought to us by . . .

Boys Basketball Sectionals Start Tonight 
The Road to Bankers Life Fieldhouse beings for 399 Boys Basketball Teams in Indiana tonight with Sectional First Round Action. In Class 4A at Bloomington South The Host Panthers 20-4 and winners of 13 straight will play East Central at 6 PM followed by Bloomington North 11-4 and Columbus North at 8 PM. In Class 3A at Owen Valley Edgewood 12-11 will take on Brown County at 7 PM. In Class 1A at Clay City. Lighthouse Christian 4-18 will take on White River Valley at 7 PM. The winners will advance to Friday’s Sectional Semifinals and the Championship Games are Saturday Night. 

Indiana Women’s Basketball Ranked 10th In AP Poll 
Indiana Women’s Basketball is Ranked 10th in this week Associated Press Poll. Its the first time in program history the Hoosiers have been ranked in the Top Ten. The Hoosiers are in the poll for the 35th straight week. IU moves up a spot from 11th last week. Indiana Is coming off road wins at Wisconsin and 15th Ranked Ohio State. The Buckeyes fall ten spots to number 25. IU hosts Iowa and Purdue this week to close out the regular season. 

Mackenzie Holmes Named Big Ten Player Of The Week 
Indiana Women’s Basketball Sophomore Mackenzie Holmes has been named the Big Ten Player Of The Week. The Gorham Maine native. Scored 22 Points and pulled down 9 Rebounds at Wisconsin and followed that up with 17 Points at Ohio State. In Two Games Holmes averaged 20 Points 8.5 Rebounds 4.5 Blocks Per Game. She shot 65.2 percent from the field and 90.9 percent from the free throw line. 

Former NFL Player and Broadcaster Irv Cross Passes Away at Age 81
Hammond Indiana Native Irv Cross has passed away at the age of 81. Cross played at Hammond HS and was the Times Of Northwest Indiana Male athlete of the year in 1957. Cross went to play at Northwestern before an eight year NFL Career with the Philadelphia Eagles and Los Angeles Rams from 1961-1969 and was 2 time Pro Bowler in 1964-1965. Cross was the first African American to work as a sports analyst on television. Cross Co-Hosted the NFL Today on CBS from 1975 to 1989.