College hoops, high school state competition and soccer highlight KC sports week ahead
This time of year, we’re typically buzzing with excitement about baseball — specifically, the Royals.
Nothing doing this year. The ongoing MLB lockout has put the temporary kibosh on big-league spring training.
But that doesn’t mean the Kansas City sports scene is making like Yogi Bear and hibernating for the winter. In fact, especially for fans of basketball and soccer, the coming week is poised to deliver some heart-pounding action.
Here’s our weekly rundown of what to watch for in the seven days ahead.
Here’s the lowdown on college hoops
With conference tournaments fast approaching, every game is a must-win for the area’s Division I basketball teams.
Coming off a home-and-home with Mississippi State, Mizzou plays host to No. 16-ranked Tennessee on Tuesday at 6 p.m. and is at LSU Saturday at 7:30.
KU and K-State meet in another installment of the Sunflower Showdown on Tuesday at 8 p.m. in Lawrence. Then the Jayhawks meet Baylor in a Top-10 battle Saturday at Waco, Texas — tip: 7 p.m. — while the Wildcats play host to Iowa State the same day at 1.
The KC Roos’ final two regular-season home games are set for this week, too. They face South Dakota Thursday and South Dakota State on Saturday in back-to-back 7 p.m. games at Swinney Rec.
High school postseasons in full swing
It’s championships time for high school sports around the metro.
In Missouri, district titles will be determined in boys and girls basketball via games set for later this week. The Show Me Showdown state tournaments are scheduled for March 10-12.
On the Kansas side of the state line, this week promises not only plenty of high-stakes hoops, but also some top-shelf wrestling. The girls state meet is Wednesday and Thursday in Park City and Salina, with the boys following on Friday and Saturday — also in Salina and Park City, as well as Hays.
The Missouri state wrestling finals (and Missouri and Kansas swimming/diving) wrapped up Saturday.
Get tickets for Sporting KC party
Sporting Kansas City will spend this week putting final preparations in place for next Sunday’s season opener in Georgia against Atlanta United FC.
The earliest regular-season match in club history will air live on FS1 at 2 p.m. A special “State Line” watch party starts at 11 a.m. on 39th Street, between Genessee and Terrace streets (tickets are free but required; get one via the SeatGeek website).
Sporting’s first home game is scheduled for March 5 against the Houston Dynamo at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kan.
It’s Current vs. Spirit on Saturday
The KC Current women’s soccer team will play a preseason game this week against the Washington Spirit.
Preparing for their second season, the Current is training in Bradenton, Florida. The Current will play a couple of tuneup matches there; the first, against the Spirit on Saturday, will not be open to the public, but the second, set for March 2 at the Orlando Pride’s Explora Stadium, will.
The Current is about a month away from their first Challenge Cup match.
This story was originally published February 20, 2022 at 5:00 AM.