Next week’s Missouri Valley baseball tournament will be Creighton’s last as a league member.

It also could mark the end of the line for another league icon.

The Wichita Eagle reported Thursday that legendary coach Gene Stephenson is facing an uncertain future at Wichita State. Stephenson, 67, will not receive an extension to his contract that runs through 2014.

Without an extension, it appears Wichita State has two options in dealing with college baseball’s second all-time winningest coach. It could fire him after the season and pay him the remaining $531,131 it would owe him. The school would also be on the hook for an additional $240,000 for Stephenson’s assistants.

Wichita State also could let Stephenson coach the final season of his contract and avoid a buyout. The …

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It’s Friday! That means Ten Big stories in Ten Little bites. We’ve got Big Ten football and NBA Draft, Kirk Ferentz and Rafa Nadal, Akoy Agau and Deion Sanders, charges of sexism on the tennis court and NASCAR-style advertising at the swimming pool. But first, a professional debut.

Bubba Starling played his first minor league game last night in Johnson City, Tenn. He went 0-for-5 with three strikeouts.

“He needs to be in there every night, and he needs to play,” Burlington manager Tommy Shields said. “He’s going to be an exciting player. I hope Bubba doesn’t put a lot of pressure on himself.”

I wonder what we’ll see first: Starling playing at Werner Park or a new first-string quarterback at Nebraska. Assuming Taylor …

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Would I make the college football playoff conference champions only? Yes.

Would I hold the semifinals at home sites? Yes.

Would I bump the field from four teams to eight? Yes.

But compared to the status quo — or a perilous plus-one — the news Tuesday from Washington D.C. is worth celebrating.

There’s so much to digest and I’ve listed several links below. But I hope you start with an email debate between Sam McKewon and me. We don’t agree on a lot of things, which made for an interesting playoff discussion.

>> Dan Wetzel, who wrote “Death to the BCS,” says Tuesday’s news doesn’t change the problems of college football. But at least people at the top of the food chain throw us …

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FIRST INNING
Arizona
Michael Roth settles in quickly, retiring the side in order on 14 pitches. Johnny Field had the hardest-hit ball, a lineout to center.
South Carolina
Much like Konner Wade on Sunday, James Farris gets a boost from his defense. After Christian Walker draws a two-out walk, third baseman Seth Mejias-Brean makes a nifty diving stop to his left and throws out LB Dantzler to end the inning.

SECOND INNING
Arizona
Roth loosens up even more by fanning red-hot Robert Refsnyder and then Bobby Brown on an eight-pitch at-bat to complete another 1-2-3 frame.
South Carolina
Five pitches, three outs for Farris. Called strike three on Adam Matthews, who probably swung anyway, followed by a pair of one-pitch groundouts.

THIRD INNING
Arizona
Joseph …

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Arizona coach Andy Lopez shared a handshake and a hug with South Carolina’s Ray Tanner after his team clinched a national title Monday. Soon after, Lopez was gushing, at every opportunity, about the Gamecocks in media interviews.

Sincere words from Lopez, too. He called Michael Roth a “legend.” And SC’s closer, Matt Price? “My God,” Lopez said, rendered speechless.

Not that the Wildcats needed any validation for what they accomplished this year — they just won a CWS title! — but taking down the two-time defending champs along the way adds some significance to the moment for Lopez and his players.

They knocked off South Carolina in the same (seemingly magical) fashion that the Gamecocks won the past two championships — timely hitting, efficient defense …

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Hard to argue that anyone had more key contributions that Arizona’s Robert Refsnyder over the past 11 days. So as expected, the junior outfielder was named the College World Series’ most outstanding player after his Wildcats clinched the title Monday night.

Refsnyder led off the decisive ninth inning with a single before scoring the go-ahead run in the 4-1 victory over South Carolina. On Sunday, he hit a two-run homer and had a critical assist defensively in a winning effort.

In six games of CWS action, he finished 10-for-21 (.476), scoring six times and driving in five runs. Refsnyder, a fifth-round MLB draft pick by the Yankees, also stole two bases. He even had a sacrifice bunt.

The 2012 CWS all-tournament team is below…

C …

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The Wildcats were pouring out of the dugout the moment that the final out settled in the glove of right fielder Robert Refsnyder.

Confetti shot out from foul territory on both sides of the field. Fireworks banged in the sky. Gloves went hurling into the air. Hats, too. The players piled on top of each other next to the mound.

They’re still hopping around in the middle of the field. Hugging. Posing for photos. Passing the trophy off to one another.

They even interrupted Andy Lopez’s on-field interview with ESPN, bathing their head coach in icy liquid during the middle of his conversation.

Pure joy.

Arizona is the national champ for the first time since 1986. One can bet the celebration is just getting started.…

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Junior Christian Walker isn’t particularly quick on the base paths. That’s pretty clear. To make matters worse, he was incredibly indecisive as a runner in the seventh inning.

Usually that’s a rally killer recipe.

But Walker — and the Gamecocks — were fortunate, catching a couple breaks and tying the game at 1-1 as we head to the eighth inning.

Walker does deserve lots of credit. The reason he was on base? The SC slugger drew a 12-pitch walk to lead off the frame.

With one out, South Carolina coach Ray Tanner gambled a bit, calling a hit-and-run. But it worked perfectly. Right fielder Adam Matthews bounced a softly hit single between the first and second basemen — the baseball moved so slowly that Walker …

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South Carolina starting pitcher Michael Roth has thrown his final pitch in the College World Series.

The senior left-hander knew it was over, too. He’d just been visited by pitching coach Jerry Meyers. He almost got out of the inning on a double play, but he couldn’t squeeze a throw from shortstop Joey Pankake while covering first.

So Meyers came out for a mound visit, again. Roth’s day was done. The veteran ace stayed on the field until reliever Matt Price reached the mound. Roth gave the baseball to Price, then walked off the field to a standing ovation from most of the near-capacity crowd.

Roth pitched 6 2/3 innings Monday, allowing one run and three hits. He left with runners on first and third …

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Apparently, Monday night’s game between South Carolina and Arizona wasn’t entertaining enough for the folks in the left-field bleachers. So they put on their own show in the middle of the fourth inning.

As is a College World Series tradition, the fans tossed dozens of beach balls (of all sizes) on to the warning track and outfield — requiring the entire grounds crew (about 10 people or so) to sprint from its post along the third base line and clean up the mess. There were balloons — one floated all the way to the infield in the chaos. A shark-shaped inflatable item, maybe? Looks like some trash is still out there.

One clever fan tied a string to his beach ball — the ball would …

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