In this review, Thomas More University’s Women’s Basketball team wins a national championship. Xavier Men’s Basketball’s pursuit of the NIT title continues. While the Cincinnati Reds make strides to boost their suddenly depleted outfield.

The Thomas More Saints drove instead of marching home from Sioux City, IA. With the NAIA Women’s Basketball championship trophy last week. No.1 seed Thomas More clinched the title through beating No.4 seed Dordt 77-65 last Tuesday. In their second-consecutive NAIA championship game appearance. This is the program’s third national title overall and first as an NAIA school. The other two were during the Saints’ years competing in NCAA Division III. Thomas More is set to become an NCAA Division II school in the summer of 2023.

TMU’s victory was fueled by a dominant first half. The Saints led 21-8 after the first quarter and outpaced Dordt 19-7 in the second. Dordt managed to narrow TMU”s lead with 35 points in the fourth. Saints graduate student Alexah Chrisman won the tournament’s Most Valuable Player award. Chrisman led the Saints Tuesday with 16 points and seven rebounds.

Chrisman joins Zoie Barth (12 pts) and Taylor Clos’ 11 as Saints reaching double-digits points-wise in the title game. Clos is an honorable mention for this season’s All-American team. Along with joining Chrisman as part of the NAIA All-Tournament team. Thomas More head coach Jeff Hans also won the NAIA’s Coach of the Year award. Hans coached the Saints to a 32-4 overall record. The Mid-South Conference’s regular season and NAIA Tournament title.

TMU’s Men’s Basketball team lost in the National Semifinals last Monday in Kansas City, MO. The Saints lost 77-78 in overtime to fellow No.2 seed Talladega. The semifinal appearance is the furthest the program has ever advanced in the NAIA Tournament. Thomas More’s men’s team wraps up the season with a 31-5 overall and 19-2 conference record. TMU redshirt junior Ryan Batte led the game with 33 points and nine rebounds.

Batte was named to the NAIA All-Tournament team. Along with being honored as a first team All-American. He won honorable mention All-American honors for efforts during the 2019-20 season. Thomas More will host a celebration for their women’s and men’s basketball teams this Wednesday. Starting at 7 PM Eastern at the Connor Convocation Center in Crestview Hills, KY.

Meanwhile, Xavier Men’s Basketball’s National Invitational Tournament title pursuit continues. Xavier narrowly advanced to this week’s semifinals. Through beating Vanderbilt 75-73 at Xavier’s Cintas Center last Tuesday. This week, the Xavier Musketeers return to Madison Square Garden in New York. Where they crashed their NCAA Tournament hopes earlier this month. With a first-round overtime loss in the Big East Tournament. The Musketeers will face former Atlantic Ten Conference foe St. Bonaventure this Tuesday in the NIT semifinals.

The winner will face either Washington State or Texas A&M. In the NIT Championship Game this Thursday at MSG. Xavier’s NIT run is unfolding as Sean Miller gets re-acquainted with Xavier. After being formally introduced as the program’s head coach last week. Elsewhere, former Xavier head coach Travis Steele might not have to wait long for another head coaching job.

Steele is among the potential candidates for Miami (Ohio) Men’s Basketball’s head coaching job. The position opening after the school fired Jack Owens last week. Owens led the Miami RedHawks for five seasons. Coaching the team through one winning season during his head coaching tenure. Along with Miami’s College Basketball Invitational appearance in 2018.

Shifting to baseball, the Cincinnati Reds made a free agency addition. During an offseason featuring several star players leaving the Reds. The Reds added center fielder Tommy Pham through a one-year deal. Pham has years of experience facing and challenging the Reds. Through his time playing for the division rival St. Louis Cardinals.

Pham gives a much-needed boost to the Reds unstable outfield. If only for one season with the team. It’s not a splashy deal but it’s something. After the departures of 2021 All-Star outfielders Jesse Winker and Nick Castellanos. Meanwhile, two new additions to the Reds are battling injuries. Pitchers Mike Minor and Justin Dunn are battling shoulder injuries. Turning to College Baseball, Xavier hosted and beat crosstown rival Cincinnati 8-7 Sunday.

Shifting back to professional sports, FC Cincinnati lost in a 2-0 shutout at Charlotte last Saturday. FC Cincinnati received another gut punch earlier in the week. FCC and Costa Rican National Team defender Ronald Matarrita suffered an injury last Thursday. During a FIFA World Cup qualifying match between Costa Rica and Canada. Matarrita tweeted that he expects to need surgery to repair a ruptured tendon. Prior to the injury, Matarrita scored a goal and two assists in two FCC matches this season. Both happening in FCC’s 3-1 home win on March 19th against Inter Miami.

In hockey, the Cincinnati Cyclones were on the road last week. Weaving their way through a five-game road trip. Beating the Kalamazoo Wings 4-0 last Wednesday. Then splitting games against the Iowa Heartlanders. Losing 5-0 last Friday and winning 4-2 a day later.

What to watch this week (all times Eastern)

Xavier Men’s Basketball

No.2 seed Xavier vs. No.5 seed St. Bonaventure, Tuesday at 7 PM on ESPN and WLW-AM (700).

NIT Championship Game, Thursday at 7 PM on ESPN.

NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Tournament

No.1 seed Louisville vs. No.3 seed Michigan, Monday at 9 PM on ESPN. The winner will face No.1 overall seed South Carolina Friday. In the National Semifinals of the Final Four in Minneapolis, MN. The National Championship Game will be Sunday at 8 PM on ESPN.

FC Cincinnati

FC Cincinnati vs. Montreal, Saturday at 4 PM on WSTR-TV (64).

Cincinnati Cyclones (broadcasts available through cycloneshockey.com)

Cyclones at Indianapolis Fuel, Wednesday at 7 PM.

Cyclones vs. Iowa Heartlanders, Friday and Saturday 7:30 PM.