Tuesday, March 16, 2010
College basketball: Landesberg family to make announcement
An announcement on the future of Virginia men’s basketball standout Sylven Landesberg is likely to come from his family, school spokesman Rich Murray said Monday.
Murray said that coach Tony Bennett has been in contact with the Landesberg family and that the Landesbergs plan to make an announcement early next week.
UVa announced March 5 that Landesberg had been suspended for the remainder of the season because he had not attended one of his classes.
Landesberg could not be reached for comment and his father, Steve, has not returned voice messages during the past week. UVa was back in session Monday after a week’s spring break but Landesberg’s whereabouts could not be determined.
— Doug Doughty
Ark.-Pine Bluff finally reaches its destination
DAYTON, Ohio — Arkansas-Pine Bluff opened its season by going just about everywhere — and losing. The Golden Lions are closing their season in the one place they’ve never been.
They’ll play Winthrop in the opening game of the NCAA tournament tonight at the University of Dayton Arena.
The Golden Lions (17-15) opened with a brutal 11-game road stretch and lost all of them. They won the Southwestern Athletic Conference tournament to get their first NCAA berth.
Big South champion Winthrop (19-13) has been a regular, reaching the NCAA tournament for the ninth time since 1999. The Eagles have one tournament win, over Notre Dame in 2007.
The winner plays Duke, the No. 1 seed in the South Regional, on Friday in Jacksonville, Fla.
Calhoun says he had to nix retirement rumors
STORRS, Conn. — Connecticut coach Jim Calhoun says it’s been difficult to convince players to come to Connecticut when other people are telling them he’s about to retire.
The 67-year-old Hall of Famer says that’s why he issued a statement last week reiterating what he’s been saying since December — that he and the school are on the verge of signing a multiyear contract, and that he plans to continue coaching at UConn.
A story in New York last week cited people close to Calhoun as saying he would retire at the end of the season. Calhoun said there was no truth to it, but recruits had told him they were hearing the same tales.
Charlotte fires Lutz
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte fired coach Bobby Lutz after his 12th year at his alma mater was marred by a late-season collapse and a costly blunder in a first-round loss in the Atlantic 10 tournament.
Chancellor Philip Dubois said in a statement that the move was in the "long-term interest of 49ers basketball and the university as a whole." Lutz leaves as the school’s all-time winningest coach with a 218-158 mark and with four years left on his contract.
Lutz didn’t immediately return a message left on his cell phone, but released a statement through the school.
"It has been a privilege and pleasure to coach at UNC Charlotte, my alma mater," Lutz said. "I have been truly blessed and will forever bleed green."
UCF parts with Speraw
ORLANDO, Fla. — Kirk Speraw is out after 17 years as Central Florida’s coach.
UCF announced that Speraw would not be retained after a disappointing 15-17 season, ending one of the longest active tenures in the nation. Associate head coach Mike Jaskulski will serve as interim coach.
Iowa coach fired
IOWA CITY, Iowa — Iowa fired coach Todd Lickliter, ending a brief and disappointing tenure that included three losing seasons in a row and a parade of players leaving the once-proud program.
The Hawkeyes, who had just two upperclassmen play significant minutes, finished the season 10-22 — their first with 20 losses. In all, Lickliter was 38-58 with Iowa.
— Associated Press
Murray said that coach Tony Bennett has been in contact with the Landesberg family and that the Landesbergs plan to make an announcement early next week.
UVa announced March 5 that Landesberg had been suspended for the remainder of the season because he had not attended one of his classes.
Landesberg could not be reached for comment and his father, Steve, has not returned voice messages during the past week. UVa was back in session Monday after a week’s spring break but Landesberg’s whereabouts could not be determined.
— Doug Doughty
Ark.-Pine Bluff finally reaches its destination
DAYTON, Ohio — Arkansas-Pine Bluff opened its season by going just about everywhere — and losing. The Golden Lions are closing their season in the one place they’ve never been.
They’ll play Winthrop in the opening game of the NCAA tournament tonight at the University of Dayton Arena.
The Golden Lions (17-15) opened with a brutal 11-game road stretch and lost all of them. They won the Southwestern Athletic Conference tournament to get their first NCAA berth.
Big South champion Winthrop (19-13) has been a regular, reaching the NCAA tournament for the ninth time since 1999. The Eagles have one tournament win, over Notre Dame in 2007.
The winner plays Duke, the No. 1 seed in the South Regional, on Friday in Jacksonville, Fla.
Calhoun says he had to nix retirement rumors
STORRS, Conn. — Connecticut coach Jim Calhoun says it’s been difficult to convince players to come to Connecticut when other people are telling them he’s about to retire.
The 67-year-old Hall of Famer says that’s why he issued a statement last week reiterating what he’s been saying since December — that he and the school are on the verge of signing a multiyear contract, and that he plans to continue coaching at UConn.
A story in New York last week cited people close to Calhoun as saying he would retire at the end of the season. Calhoun said there was no truth to it, but recruits had told him they were hearing the same tales.
Charlotte fires Lutz
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte fired coach Bobby Lutz after his 12th year at his alma mater was marred by a late-season collapse and a costly blunder in a first-round loss in the Atlantic 10 tournament.
Chancellor Philip Dubois said in a statement that the move was in the "long-term interest of 49ers basketball and the university as a whole." Lutz leaves as the school’s all-time winningest coach with a 218-158 mark and with four years left on his contract.
Lutz didn’t immediately return a message left on his cell phone, but released a statement through the school.
"It has been a privilege and pleasure to coach at UNC Charlotte, my alma mater," Lutz said. "I have been truly blessed and will forever bleed green."
UCF parts with Speraw
ORLANDO, Fla. — Kirk Speraw is out after 17 years as Central Florida’s coach.
UCF announced that Speraw would not be retained after a disappointing 15-17 season, ending one of the longest active tenures in the nation. Associate head coach Mike Jaskulski will serve as interim coach.
Iowa coach fired
IOWA CITY, Iowa — Iowa fired coach Todd Lickliter, ending a brief and disappointing tenure that included three losing seasons in a row and a parade of players leaving the once-proud program.
The Hawkeyes, who had just two upperclassmen play significant minutes, finished the season 10-22 — their first with 20 losses. In all, Lickliter was 38-58 with Iowa.
— Associated Press
