Bees escape bus fire

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The bus carrying the Medina High School girls lacrosse team caught fire Thursday night as Bees were returning from a spring break trip to the Carolinas.

None of the 18 players on the team, three coaches or the bus driver were hurt.

The driver reportedly pulled over around 7 p.m. Thursday on I-77 north of Sissonville after hearing noises from the engine. The bus filled with smoke and caught fire.

The charter bus company from Alliance, Ohio, sent another bus that got the team back to Medina about 1 a.m. Friday.

The Bees split a pair of matches, losing to Oceanside Collegiate Academy (S.C), 11-6, on Monday and beating Charlotte Latin (N.C.), 10-8, on Wednesday.

Spartans in Elite Eight

ATLANTA (AP) — Jase Richardson’s hot shooting helped Michigan State overcome a poor start and move into another Elite Eight, though the Spartans need at least one more win for a real celebration.

“We don’t put up any banners for Elite Eights,” coach Tom Izzo said. “We put up banners for Final Fours and national championships.”

Richardson kept the Spartans in the hunt for one with 24 points and Michigan State surged past Mississippi in the second half for a 73-70 victory on Friday night.

Ole Miss (24-12) was denied in its bid for its first Elite Eight appearance despite leading by 10 points in the first half and by nine in the second half.

Michigan State (30-6), the South Region’s No. 2 seed, rallied to keep alive Izzo’s bid for his ninth Final Four and second national championship. The Spartans will play No. 1 seed Auburn — a 78-65 winner over Michigan — on Sunday.

Tennessee tops Kentucky

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Those two regular-season losses to Kentucky don’t mean anything to Tennessee now.

The Volunteers avenged them in convincing fashion on the big stage of the NCAA Tournament on Friday night, posting a no-doubt 78-65 victory that sent them to a second consecutive Elite Eight.

Zakai Zeigler had 18 points and 10 assists, and Tennessee outhustled and outplayed Kentucky on both ends of the court. The second-seeded Vols (30-7) beat their border rival in the first all-Southeastern Conference Sweet 16 matchup since 1986 and will play Sunday against Houston or Purdue in the Midwest Region final.