COLLEGE BASKETBALL-TENNESSEE
Report: Vols to hire Barnes
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) β A person familiar with the situation says Tennessee has reached an agreement to hire former Texas coach Rick Barnes as its next men’s basketball coach. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the hiring hasn’t been announced.
Barnes, who was fired over the weekend by the Longhorns, went 402-180 at Texas and reached the NCAA Tournament in 16 of his 17 seasons, including a Final Four appearance in 2003. His departure was announced by the school Sunday, saying it was a mutual decision. Barnes said he was given the choice of firing his staff or being fired himself.
The 60-year-old is 604-314 in 28 seasons overall with stops at George Mason, Providence and Clemson. Barnes replaces Donnie Tyndall (TIHN’-dihl), who was fired Friday after one season amid an NCAA investigation of his tenure at Southern Mississippi.
NIT-SCHEDULE
Semifinals tonight in The Garden
NEW YORK (AP) β The semifinals are being contested in the nation’s oldest postseason men’s basketball tournament this evening. The first of the NIT games in Madison Square Garden features Miami against Temple while the second contest has Old Dominion going against Stanford.
The semifinals in the NCAA Tournament will be this Saturday in Indianapolis with Kentucky playing Wisconsin and Duke going against Michigan State.
NBA-SCHEDULE
Showdown in Brooklyn
UNDATED (AP) β Two of the teams involved in the quest for the final playoff berth in the NBA’s Eastern Conference are squaring off tonight in New York as the Nets entertain the Pacers. At the start of play the Nets, who have won three straight and seven of 10, hold a half-game lead for the final spot. The Pacers have been struggling of late with losses in seven of their last 10 games.
The winningest team in the league has won its last nine games. Golden State is tops in the NBA with 60 wins against just 13 defeats and tonight they are visiting the Clippers in Los Angles.
The other games feature the Hawks, the top seed in the East with a record of 56-18, in Detroit and the Spurs in Miami.
NHL-SCHEDULE
Rangers and Lightning look to move up in East
UNDATED (AP) β As a new day of play gets underway in the NHL Montreal remains the top team in the Eastern Conference and Atlantic Division with 102 points. Right behind are Tampa Bay and the New York Rangers and this evening the Canadiens are idle, which means the Rangers and Lightning can make their move.
A check of the schedule shows Tampa Bay skating in Toronto while the Rangers are in Winnipeg. Both Tampa Bay and New York start play with 101 points so change could be in the offing if either or both win tonight.
In the Western Conference, Nashville has a chance to edge closer to first place as the Predators are home to Vancouver. The Preds begin play with 102 points, three back of idle Anaheim.
On the other end of the standings, Boston starts the day holding down the final playoff berth in the East and tonight the Bruins are home to Florida.
The rest of the games feature Carolina at Washington, New Jersey at Columbus and Ottawa at Detroit.
