Williams moves into quarterfinals at U.S. Amateur

Golf: Chris Williams (pictured above) of Moscow, Idaho, won twice on Thursday to advance to the quarterfinals of the U.S. Amateur Championship at Cherry Hills, Colo.

The University of Washington golfer is ranked No. 1 among amateurs but seeded 10th into match play after the event’s stroke play. He defeated Adam Stephenson of Greenville, N.C., 5 and 3, and France’s Edouard Espana 3 and 2.

Williams’ quarterfinal opponent today is Steven Fox of Hendersonville, Tenn.

Gonzaga joins Nike’s party

College basketball: Michigan State’s Mark Hollis has come up with his next big idea.

The athletic director who put basketball and hockey games on the 50-yard line of a football field and a hoops matchup on an aircraft carrier expects 24 Nike-backed basketball teams to be in two tournaments in November 2017 that will celebrate Nike co-founder Phil Knight’s 80th birthday.

Hollis said he and ADs at Gonzaga, Duke, North Carolina, Kentucky, Florida, Ohio State, Connecticut, Georgetown, Oklahoma, Texas, Oregon, Stanford, Butler, Xavier and Portland have agreed to participate.

Associated Press

FCS playoffs expand to 24

College football: The Pioneer League champion will join 10 other conference winners as automatic qualifiers for the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs, beginning in 2013.

The move is part of a plan, approved by the NCAA Division I Championships/Sport Management Cabinet this month, expanding the playoffs from 20 to 24 teams.

The top eight teams will be seeded, receive first-round byes and host second-round games.

Eastern Washington won the FCS national title in 2010.

Associated Press