BELEMASPORTTALK.COM

Officials ejected Brittney Griner, a freshman from Nimitz, after the freshman punched Texas Tech’s Jordan Barncastle in No. 14 Baylor’s 69-60 win over the Lady Raiders on Wednesday night.
Baylor was up 55-39 when Barncastle fouled Griner while guarding her under the Lady Bears basket. As the Tech player was moving away and untangling her arm from Griner, the Baylor standout swung and landed a punch with her right hand on Barncastle’s face.
See the Punch, play that led to it …

The Vols senior was one of four players arrested on New Year’s Day and suspended indefinitely after being caught in a rental car with two handguns, marijuana and alcohol.
“We want to make sure we get as much information as possible before making difficult decisions,” Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl said in a statement released on Friday. “From the beginning, the student-athletes involved have been accountable, remorseful and cooperative with me. While we are not allowed to discuss specifics, we felt we had enough information at this time to dismiss Tyler Smith from the team. Melvin Goins, Cameron Tatum, and Brian Williams will remain indefinitely suspended.”
Smith is a Tennessee native who spent his freshman season at Iowa. He returned Home and received a waiver from the NCAA to play immediately because he wanted to be closer to his father, who had cancer and later died.
The athletic 6-foot-7 Smith averaged 17.4 points and 5.8 rebounds per game last season and tested the NBA waters before deciding to return to school.Smith struggled this season, averaging 11.7 points and 4.7 rebounds — both career-lows.
“I am truly sorry for my actions in the recent case that everyone is familiar with,” Smith said in a statement. “From the beginning, I have accepted responsibility for my actions and what I have been charged with, and I am very sorry that my decisions have affected Brian, Cam and Melvin. One day soon I hope I can finish the 12 classes that I need for my degree. My recent actions do not reflect who I am and I can only hope that what I do in the future can make everyone believe in me again.”

Boise State, in furthering its reputation as a great mid-major not averse to gadgetry, edged TCU 17-10 in a battle of BCS busters before 73,227 at University of Phoenix Stadium and a national television audience.
The No. 6 Broncos (14-0) busted open a 10-10 tie midway through the fourth quarter on the strength of a fake punt. Kyle Brotzman coolly fielded a deep snap and tossed a perfect pass over the middle to a wide-open Kyle Efaw, who picked up 29 yards on the fourth-and-9 from the Boise State 33-yard line.
Boise State season started on the receiving end of a sucker punch by Oregon’s LeGarrette Blount on national TV, in perhaps the college season’s most shocking moment. It ended with a punch of their own on a surprising fake punt — which shouldn’t have been much of a surprise at all.