Fast Break
NFL
Hanson ties distance mark
Jason Hanson kicked a 53-yard field goal against the Tennessee Titans and tied Morten Andersen’s NFL record for the most field goals from 50-plus yards.
Hanson, who played at Mead and Washington State, made his 40th field goal from 50-plus yards Thursday on the 74th attempt of his career, which started with the Lions in 1992.
Andersen was 40 of 84 from 1982-2007.
Tennessee won Thursday’s game 47-10.
BASKETBALL
Cougars take on SEC opponent
Washington State plays the road this afternoon for the first time this season, taking its 4-0 record into a Legends Classic semifinal matchup with Mississippi State in Newark, N.J.’s Prudential Center.
The Cougars are led in scoring by freshman Klay Thompson, averaging 12.3 points per game, and in rebounding by senior Aron Baynes, 6.8 per game.
Mississippi State’s Jarvis Varnado, the Southeastern Conference defensive player of the year last season as a sophomore, paces the Bulldogs (5-0) with 12.8 rebounds per game and is one of three players averaging 12 points or better.
WSU will be without freshman guard Mike Harthun, suspended for three games this week for an unspecified violation of team rules.
The Seattle Times reported Thursday that Harthun was contacted by WSU police as part of an investigation into marijuana possession of less than 40 grams. A WSU spokesman told the newspaper Harthun was not cited but the case was sent to the Whitman County prosecutor’s office.
Whether the incident led to Harthun’s suspension is unclear, as a team spokesman would not comment, other than to say he was suspended due to a violation of team rules.
Volleyball
Eagles’ Hills named MVP
Hayley Hills of the Eastern Washington University volleyball team has been named the most valuable player of the Big Sky Conference.
Chenoa Coviare, a middle blocker, earned mention to the second team. Receiving honorable mention accolades were Alysha Cook, Ashley Hamilton and Mandy Daniels.
Hills becomes the fifth Eagle in school history to earn Big Sky MVP honors, following Keva Sonderen (2004), Janelle Ruen (2002), Kim Exner (1998 and 1997) and Juli Argotow (1989). Hills is averaging 4.56 kills per set, an average that leads the conference and ranks her eighth in the NCAA Division I ranks.
Fresh off a regular-season title, the Eagles renew their bid for an NCAA berth tonight in the Big Sky Championship semifinals in Portland.
Eastern Washington (17-10, 12-4 BSC), which has won 11-of-12 matches, is the top seed and will play a 5:30 p.m. semifinal against the winner of the Montana-Weber State quarterfinal.
Portland State is hosting the tournament by virtue of its regular-season title a year ago.