Digest: Stewart, Hield named nation’s best
College basketball: Buddy Hield of Oklahoma and Breanna Stewart of four-time national champion Connecticut won the John R. Wooden Award as national college basketball players of the year Friday night.
Hield also claimed the Jerry West shooting guard of the year award, having led Division I with 147 3-pointers made. He finished second in the nation in scoring, averaging 25.0 points, while taking his team to the Final Four in his senior year.
Stewart capped her college career with her second straight Wooden Award, to go with her four most outstanding player trophies from the Final Four.
They received their trophies during the second College Basketball Awards in a nationally televised show from The Novo in downtown Los Angeles.
Hield won the Wooden Award over Malcolm Brogdon of Virginia, Brice Johnson of North Carolina, Tyler Ulis of Kentucky and Denzel Valentine of Michigan State.
Tyndall hit with major sanctions: Former Southern Mississippi basketball coach Donnie Tyndall has been hit with a 10-year show cause by the NCAA for his role in rules violations that occurred at the school during his tenure.
The NCAA accepted the school’s self-imposed two-year postseason ban and the program will have three years of probation from 2017 to 2020. Tyndall coached at Southern Miss for two seasons, where he had a 56-17 record. He left for Tennessee in 2014, where he was fired after one season after his involvement in the Southern Miss violations came to light.
Georgia Tech hires Pastner: Georgia Tech has hired Josh Pastner from Memphis to become its next men’s basketball coach. Pastner will replace Brian Gregory, who was fired after failing to reach the NCAA Tournament in five seasons.
Crawford, Aldrich lifts Clippers in overtime
NBA: Jamal Crawford made a 3-pointer with 0.2 seconds left and finished with 30 points in the Los Angeles Clippers’ 102-99 overtime victory over the Utah Jazz in Salt Lake City.
Cole Aldrich added 21 points and 18 rebounds – both season highs – and Paul Pierce and Jeff Green each added 18 points to help Los Angeles win for the eighth time in nine games. The Clippers (51-28) rested four of their usual starters and played just nine players.
Pistons clinch playoffs: Reggie Jackson had 39 points and nine assists and the Detroit Pistons clinched their first postseason spot in seven years with a 112-99 victory over the Washington Wizards in Auburn Hills, Michigan.
Detroit’s last playoff berth came in 2009 when it was swept in the first round by LeBron James and Cleveland. The Pistons are likely to face the same opponents this year.
Vucevic, Fournier lead Magic: Nikola Vucevic scored 29 points and Evan Fournier added 28 to help the Orlando Magic beat the Miami Heat 112-109 in Orlando, Florida.
After the game was tied for the 11th time, Vucevic came up with a driving basket from the baseline in the waning seconds to give the Magic a 111-109 lead. Then reserve Devyn Marble came up with a steal off an inbounds pass attempt by Luol Deng to Joe Johnson with 3.4 seconds remaining to all but seal it. Evan Fournier converted one of two free throws with 2.7 seconds left, and Miami’s Dwyane Wade missed a halfcourt shot.
Jets’ Ferguson to retire after 10 seasons
Football: A person familiar with the decision says New York Jets LT D’Brickashaw Ferguson is retiring after 10 NFL seasons during which he never missed a snap because of injury.
Ferguson was the No. 4 overall pick in the 2006 NFL draft and was selected to three Pro Bowls. But he has chosen to walk away, according to the person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because neither the Jets nor Ferguson announced the move.
NCAA shuts down satellite camps: In a victory for the SEC and ACC, the NCAA has shut down so-called satellite camps, prohibiting college football coaches from holding or working at camps and clinics for high school players on other school’s campuses.
The NCAA announced that the Division I Council had approved a proposal requiring Bowl Subdivision schools “to conduct camps and clinics at their school’s facilities or at facilities regularly used for practice or competition.” The SEC and ACC ban their coaches from holding or working at camps off their campuses. The Big Ten does not and some coaches, most notably Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh, have been branching out by holding camps elsewhere – mostly in the South – in a move many said helped attract attention from local prospects.
Jury clears Marshall: The jury at a civil trial has decided that a California woman did not prove she was punched by New York Jets receiver Brandon Marshall outside a Manhattan nightclub four years ago.
On Thursday, Marshall told the jury that he feared for his life while fleeing the nightclub after fights broke out. Christin Myles, of Chino, California, testified earlier that she knew it was Marshall who punched her in March 2012 because she saw his tattooed forearm. Her lawsuit sought unspecified damages.
Marshall said he did not punch her. Video seemed to show his arms covered by sleeves when he was outside. Marshall was never criminally charged.
Harvard’s Vesey wins Hobey Baker Award
Hockey: Harvard senior forward Jimmy Vesey won the Hobey Baker Award as the top player in college hockey, edging Michigan freshman forward Kyle Connor and Boston College junior goalie Thatcher Demko.
Vesey had 24 goals and 22 assists in 33 games this season. Drafted 66th overall by Nashville in 2012, he has elected to become a free agent. Nashville will lose his rights Aug. 15. Vesey, from North Reading, Massachusetts, is the fourth Harvard player to win the award, following Mark Fusco in 1983, Scott Fusco in 1986 and Lane MacDonald in 1989.
Sabres fall at home finale: Nick Foligno and Dalton Prout scored 2:09 apart in the second period in the Columbus Blue Jackets’ 4-1 victory over the Buffalo Sabres in Buffalo, New York. Brandon Saad, with his 30th of the season, and Matt Calvert also scored for Columbus.
The Sabres had a three-game winning streak snapped and lost in their home finale.
Blues sign Edmundson: The St. Louis Blues signed rookie defenseman Joel Edmundson to a two-year, $2.1 million contract extension.
Edmundson has one goal and eight assists in 66 games and has set a franchise rookie record with 162 hits. He also ranks among the rookie leaders with 63 penalty minutes.