In brief: Duke’s McRoberts declares for draft

Duke forward Josh McRoberts declared himself eligible for the NBA draft Thursday.

“I am extremely grateful for the opportunities that I have had here at Duke,” McRoberts said. “This was a difficult decision, but I feel it is the best one for me and my family at this point in time. I will miss Duke, the coaching staff and my teammates, but it has always been goal of mine to play in the NBA.”

Several online draft projections have McRoberts, one of two sophomore team captains for Duke, as an early to middle first-round pick.

The draft is set for June 28.

“Xavier men’s coach Sean Miller agreed to a contract extension that runs through the 2015-16 season.

No further details were released. The 38-year-old took over the program in 2004 after Thad Matta took the head coaching job at Ohio State. Miller has led the team to two consecutive 20-win seasons.

“Tim Miles is the new men’s coach at Colorado State.

Miles, who coached at North Dakota State, replaces Dale Layer, who was fired after the Rams went 17-13 overall and 6-10 in the Mountain West Conference.

“Penn State women’s coach Rene Portland resigned, ending a 27-year tenure that included 606 wins and allegations she discriminated against lesbian players.

“Arkansas will introduce Louisville’s Tom Collen as its new women’s coach today, a school official said.

Collen just finished his fourth season at Louisville.

“Anthony Atkinson made a free throw with 1.5 seconds remaining to lift Barton to an 80-79 victory over Cal State San Bernardino in an NCAA Division II semifinal at Springfield, Mass.

In the other semifinal, Winona State defeated Central Missouri 90-85 in overtime, extending its wining streak to 57 games.

Figure skating

Joubert wins title

After winning the European Championships and all five other major competitions he entered, Brian Joubert became the first Frenchman in 42 years to capture the world title, winning at Tokyo.

“It’s been a great season,” Joubert said after watching hometown favorite Daisuke Takahashi bring the house down with the best free skate of the night but fall short of the lead.

U.S. hopefuls Evan Lysacek, the new national champion, and Johnny Weir, his predecessor, finished fifth and eighth, respectively.

Golf

Stenson leads tourney

In a strong, steady wind that allowed the Blue Monster to live up to its reputation, Henrik Stenson made seven birdies on his way to a 5-under-par 67 to share the first-round lead with Robert Allenby in the CA Championship at Miami.

Stenson won the Accenture Match Play Championship last month in the high desert of Arizona.

Fifteen players in the 73-man field broke par. Tiger Woods was one of them, but barely, with a 71.

Catriona Matthew showed no signs of rust after taking a seven-month break from the LPGA Tour to give birth to her first child.

“On a blustery day that must have reminded her of her native Scotland, Matthew shot a 4-under 68 on for a share of the lead with Young Jo in the suspended first round of the Safeway International at Superstition Mountain, Ariz.

Seventy-two players were still on the course when play was suspended because of darkness after rain and lightning delayed play.

Former Rathdrum resident Tracy Hanson finished with a 79 while Wendy Ward of Edwall, Wash., did not complete her round.

“Michelle Wie will not play the Kraft Nabisco Championship next week at Rancho Mirage, Calif., while she recovers from a wrist injury, the first LPGA Tour major championship she has missed in two years. Wie injured her left wrist during a fall last month.