Roundup: Former Wildcat Trevor Hoffman is a Hall of Famer
Former Wildcat Trevor Hoffman was elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame Wednesday. Hoffman, needing 75 percent of the vote to get enshrined, garnered 79.9 percent and is considered one of the best closers in MLB history.
Paul Newberry of the Associated Press believes that Barry Bonds deserves to be in Cooperstown alongside Roger Clemens, as both of these guys haven’t gotten in yet. You can talk steroids all you want, but all the former Sun Devil did was set the MLB home run record.
Colorado hired Kwahn Drake as its defensive line coach, Mike MacIntyre announced Wednesday. Drake was the defensive line coach last season at Eastern Illinois.
USC men’s basketball held off Stanford 69-64 Wednesday night in Los Angeles (highlights on Pac-12.com). The Cardinal trailed by 17 points before roaring all the way back to cut it to two late.
Ben Bolch of the Los Angeles Times writes that UCLA men’s basketball is struggling on the defensive end during its current three-game losing skid. The Bruins are 13-7 overall and 4-4 in Pac-12 play heading into a Thursday night home date with Cal (7:30 p.m. PT/8:30 MT, FS1).
Here’s a Utah-Arizona State men’s basketball game preview provided to us by our very own Don MacLean. Catch this one on Pac-12 Networks at 6:30 p.m. PT/7:30 p.m. MT.
Danny Moran writes that Oregon State men’s basketball is trying to solve its road woes as it gets ready for a Saturday night tilt at Oregon. The Beavs play seven of their last 11 conference games away from Gill and are just 3-26 in road Pac-12 games over the last four seasons.
Ryan S. Clark of The News Tribune details how the movie “Braveheart” helped Washington men’s basketball salvage a road split against Colorado and Utah. Apparently, the movie is one of assistant coach Will Conroy’s all-time favorite flicks and he had them watch it over the course of Friday night and Saturday morning before going out to beat the Buffs 72-62.
Our Michelle Smith points out that Cal and Utah women’s basketball are having success in the first part of the conference season. The Golden Bears, who host the Arizona schools this weekend, were a combined 10-26 in conference play the last two years but are tied for third with Utah at 5-3 through four weekends.
Ryan Thorburn of The Register-Guard tells us that Oregon AD Rob Mullens is not shocked by the rise of the Ducks’ women’s basketball team. Building off an Elite Eight appearance in 2017, the Ducks are No. 7 in the country and are in first place in the Pac-12. Attendance has surged in Eugene as well.
John Blanchette of The Spokesman-Review opines that Washington State hiring Pat Chun as its new AD is all about fundraising. Gotta bring in more ends to the Palouse.
Tiger Woods is making his official PGA Tour return Thursday at the Farmers Insurance Open in San Diego, so check out this Tiger Tracker on Golfweek.com to get shot-by-shot updates on the greatest to ever do it.