Arts, Leisure and Sports
We are barely three months into 2019, but the operators of Martinsville Speedway are already looking ahead to next year after NASCAR announced it would bring night racing to the “paper clip” in May of 2020. Track officials say Martinsville is now working on planning events and activities to keep fans busy and entertained all day long before the green flag drops at at night. WFIR’s Evan Jones has more:
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) _ Virginia Tech advanced to the Sweet Sixteen for the first time in 52 years by beating 12th-seeded Liberty 67-58 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday.Kerry Blackshear had 19 points and nine rebounds for fourth-seeded Virginia Tech (25-8).
The Hokies’ only other trip this far in the tournament was in 1967 when they lost to the Dayton in the regional final.Ahmed Hill added 14 points and Justin Robinson scored 13 to help the Hokies beat an in-state rival and advance to a matchup with top-seeded Duke.
Darius McGhee scored 15 points to lead Liberty (29-7), which won its first tournament game ever Friday against Mississippi State. Caleb Homesley was held to eight points on 3-for-11 shooting after scoring 30 points to fuel the first-round upset.
Liberty looked to build on that breakthrough win and a 9-0 run early in the second half put the Flames up by five. The Hokies tightened up defensively after that and Liberty missed 11 of 12 shots from the field _ with six of the misses from 3-point range. Liberty also committed four turnovers and trailed by 56-49
on a layup by Nickel Alexander-Walker with about four minutes to go that capped an 11-0 run.
After Liberty made one free throw, Hill converted a three-point play off an
inbound pass to extend the lead to nine points and the Hokies held on from
there.
Liberty started fast with McGhee hitting four 3-pointers in the first half _
twice as many as he had in the previous seven games combined. The Flames built
an eight-point lead in the half before the Hokies cut it to 32-29 at the break
on a 3-pointer in the final seconds by Ahmed Hill.
Dan Bremner – Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs photo
After more than a month away from the Berglund Center the Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs are home tonight and tomorrow. Head coach Dan Bremner says his team is ready for a break from the road. The Dawgs have clinched an SPHL playoff spot but Bremner says they would like to move up a notch or two in the standings with six games left in the regular season. Game time tonight at the Berglund Center versus Knoxville is 7:05. You can hear an extended conversation with Rail Yard Dawgs head coach Dan Bremner below:
The Mill Mountain Theatre season on the main stage opens next week with Mamma Mia! Meanwhile the Waldron “Fringe Series” that presents edgier, lesser known works in that more intimate space is looking for feedback from the public on what they want the Fringe Series to become. Ginger Poole is the Producing Artistic Director at Mill Mountain Theatre. Hear a complete live in studio conversation below: