Sports News

EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) Long before Jud Heathcote left Michigan State in 1995, he made sure veteran assistant Tom Izzo was hired as his successor.

Izzo and Heathcote now are tied atop the Michigan State record book with 340 victories after the No. 2 Spartans' 90-60 win over Valparaiso on Sunday.

It'll give the old friends something to discuss Sunday night, when Heathcote was to be inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in Kansas City. Izzo was catching a plane and headed for the ceremonies shortly after his Spartans (4-0) beat the Crusaders (1-3).

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) Larry Bird finished his speech, walked back to his seat and received a fist bump from the man sitting next to him on the dais.

Had to be Magic Johnson. Read More...

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) Winning the Puerto Rico Tip-Off wasn't easy for No. 5 Villanova.

Scottie Reynolds scored 21 points to help the Wildcats beat Mississippi 79-67 on Sunday night. Corey Stokes added 18 and Antonio Pena added 17 points and 16 rebounds for the Wildcats, who did nothing to diminish their status as favorites in the Big East during their trip to the Caribbean. Read More...

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) Kansas State coach Frank Martin understands that physical play can sometimes lead to plenty of fouls. It's a delicate balancing act for a team that plays in the rugged Big 12.

The Wildcats bullied their way to an 83-75 victory over No. 18 Dayton on Sunday in the third-place game of the Puerto Rico Tip-Off, but Martin lamented sending the Flyers to the foul line 27 times - even if most of the fouls were competitive ones. Read More...

ST. THOMAS, Virgin Islands (AP) Tennessee's reputation has been built on high-flying offense, but the 10th-ranked Vols flexed some defensive muscle Sunday night in the semifinals of the Paradise Jam.

Tyler Smith scored 14 points, including a pair of free throws with 13.7 seconds left, and the Volunteers held on to beat pesky DePaul 57-53. Read More...

St. THOMAS, Virgin Islands (AP) JaJuan Johnson had 18 points and 10 rebounds to lead No. 7 Purdue to an 85-60 win over St. Joseph's on Sunday night in the Paradise Jam.

Ryne Smith added 16 points while E'Twaun Moore and Mark Wohlford each scored 11 for the Boilermakers (3-0), who play No. 10 Tennessee in the championship game on Monday night. Read More...

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) Louisville center Samardo Samuels lifted all 265 pounds off the ground and extended his right hand toward Freedom Hall's ceiling.

A year ago, the shot from Morgan State's Joe Davis might have made it over Samuels. That was 15 pounds ago. Read More...

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) Before the fifth-place game of the Puerto Rico Tip-Off, Georgia Tech coach Paul Hewitt told backup Zachery Peacock that he would need to contribute two 3-pointers against Boston University.

Peacock delivered without a hitch, going 2 for 2 beyond the arc. The senior forward also led the No. 21 Yellow Jackets with 22 points in an 85-67 victory over the Terriers on Sunday. Read More...

LOS ANGELES (AP) UCLA will extend Nikola Dragovic's suspension for at least another game following his arrest and subsequent charge of felony assault.

Coach Ben Howland said Sunday that Dragovic won't play Monday against Pepperdine, although he will be allowed to sit on the bench in street clothes. Read More...

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) When Jeff Capel left Virginia Commonwealth to become the head coach at Oklahoma four years ago, his contract mandated that he bring his new team back to Richmond to play the Rams.

Capel received a very warm welcome Saturday night, and then the Rams showed him that things are just fine without him. Read More...