The Freeport hockey team will open the PIHL playoffs against Bishop McCort today at 7:30 p.m. at Belmont Area in Kittanning.

The Yellowjackets (10-7-2) earned the No. 7 seed. Bishop McCort (5-14) received the 10th and final Class A playoff spot.

NATRONA HEIGHTS — Six area basketball players will be participating in the 16th annual A-K Valley Cager Classic Saturday at Highlands High School.Butler resident Michael Connelly, a senior at St. Joseph, joins Knoch’s Tavita Lio and Freeport’s Ryan Dunn on the West squad in the boys game.Knoch’s Brooke Armahizer, Mars’ Randi Francis and Freeport’s Jessica McFadden will play for the West in the girls game.The girls game begins at 6 p.m., the boys game at 8 p.m.

Butler has a chance to reach another championship game — in the College Basketball Invitational.Left out of the NCAA tournament — and the NIT — after a disappointing season, the Bulldogs (20-14) accepted an invite to the 16-team CBI on Sunday. The small school from Indiana, runner-up in the NCAAs the past two years, will host Delaware in the opening round Wednesday night.Pittsburgh, a perennial Big East power, is also headed to the CBI. Ashton Gibbs and the Panthers host Wofford on Wednesday.The fifth annual tournament begins Tuesday, with Milwaukee at TCU; Washington State at San Francisco; and Princeton at Evansville.Other first-round matchups Wednesday are Western Illinois at Oregon State; North Dakota State at Wyoming; and Quinnipiac at Penn.The championship round of the CBI is a best-of-three. Previous champions were Oregon (2011), Virginia Commonwealth (2010), Oregon State (2009) and Tulsa (2008).

GRINDELWALD, Switzerland — Canadian racer Nick Zoricic died from head injuries after crashing in a World Cup skicross event on Saturday, the International Ski Federation said.Zoricic died as a result of “severe neurotrauma,” the federation said in a statement.The 29-year-old Zoricic crashed directly into safety nets lining the side of the course after going wide over the final jump. Television showed Zoricic tumbling through the nets as his skis and poles were thrown clear.

BARCELONA, Spain — Lionel Messi scored twice to reach 50 goals for the second straight season and lead Barcelona to a 2-0 win at Racing Santander in the Spanish league on Sunday night.Messi broke through Racing's 10-man defense in the 29th minute, and the three-time FIFA World Player of the Year converted a penalty kick in the 56th. After scoring 53 goals in 55 games last season, Messi has reached 50 goals in 43 matches this season — including 13 in his last five games.