UNC back in coaches' poll; Ohio St. No. 1

Updated: February 8, 2011, 12:58 PM ETvar ESPN_GLOBALS = {"videoPlayers":{"story09":{"src":"http://assets.espn.go.com/espnvideo/mpf32/prod/r_3_2_0_14/ESPN_Player.swf","height":324,"width":576,"adminOver":"3805638","autostart":"false","playerType":"story09"}}}espn.video.embeded.play();

North Carolina is back in the ESPN/USA Today coaches' Top 25.

The Tar Heels (17-5, 7-1 ACC), who have won nine of their last 10 games and five in a row, entered this week's coaches' poll at No. 21. They rejoined the Top 25 just in time for an ACC first-place showdown with their archrival, No. 5 Duke, on Wednesday night on ESPN.

The top five teams in the ESPN/USA Today coaches' poll:

North Carolina was ranked No. 9 in the preseason, but fell to No. 25 on Nov. 22 after losses to Minnesota and Vanderbilt -- and out of the poll completely the following week.

At the top of the poll, the top five remained unchanged. Undefeated Ohio State is still the unanimous choice as No. 1, followed by Kansas, Texas, Pittsburgh and Duke.

North Carolina-Duke isn't the only regional rivalry being renewed this week. On Monday night, the Jayhawks host No. 20 Missouri, while Pitt travels to West Virginia. Both games are on ESPN.

One-loss San Diego State remained at No. 6, while Notre Dame continued its charge up the rankings, climbing one place to No. 7. BYU is ranked No. 8, followed by Connecticut and Villanova.

The Fighting Irish, now winners of five in a row, host No. 15 Louisville on Wednesday night.

Arizona was among the biggest climbers. The Wildcats, winners of eight of their last 10 and five in a row, jumped six spots to No. 16.

Kentucky fell seven spots to No. 18 after losses to Mississippi and No. 19 Florida.

Saint Mary's rejoined the poll at No. 23, while previous No. 19 Washington and No. 24 Illinois fell out of the rankings.

View the original article here

Wake dismisses Tabb for conduct detrimental

Updated: February 8, 2011, 9:15 PM ET

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- Freshman Melvin Tabb has been dismissed from Wake Forest's basketball team for the rest of the season for what coach Jeff Bzdelik says was conduct detrimental to the team.

Team officials announced Tabb's dismissal in a statement Tuesday night, a day before the Demon Deacons host Miami.

Tabb averaged 1.6 points and 2.0 rebounds in fewer than nine minutes per game. He played in 14 games and was held out of four games at the end of the fall semester for academic reasons.

The forward from Raleigh missed part of preseason practice with mononucleosis and didn't play in the opener against Stetson.

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

View the original article here

Wyoming AD says poor play led to coach firing

Updated: February 8, 2011, 4:31 PM ET

CHEYENNE, Wyo. -- Wyoming athletic director Tom Burman says he decided to fire men's basketball coach Heath Schroyer now because it became clear that a change was necessary.

Burman said Tuesday that with the Cowboys just 1-8 in the Mountain West Conference so far, he was concerned about the negativity surrounding the program.

"I just felt like rather than walk around on eggshells for the next month, if this thing was going to happen we might as well deal with it right now," he said.

He noted that Schroyer had asked for a midseason evaluation of the program before the season began.

Schroyer was fired Monday, two days after the Cowboys lost their seventh consecutive game and 15th of the season. He had a cumulative record of 49-68.

Schroyer, who was hired by Burman in 2007, was not available for comment and did not wish to add any comment beyond what he said in a news release Monday through the university, UW athletics spokesman Tim Harkins said.

In the release, Schroyer said he was disappointed in the decision but that he enjoyed his time as UW head coach.

Associate head coach Fred Langley is serving as interim head coach for the rest of the season.

The Cowboys (8-15) play at New Mexico on Wednesday night.

Burman said the players he's talked to were handling the decision well.

"The kids, they understand the business, they want to see us turn this program around; the current status isn't good enough for them either," he said.

Wyoming will hire a search firm to help find a new coach, Burman said. No timetable for finding a new coach has been set.

Burman said the search will look at Division I coaches, assistant head coaches of successful programs and former coaches.

He said UW would be "aggressive in the market" in terms of pay for the next coach.

He did not provide specifics other than saying the university couldn't afford a $1 million annual salary.

"We just need to find a way to be more competitive in the salary for the head coach, and we have a plan to address that," Burman said.

Schroyer had an annual base salary of $160,000. His contract ran through the 2013-14 season.

UW will pay Schroyer $160,000 per year for the remaining three years.

Burman said the money will come from reserves the university has built up in its athletic accounts.

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

View the original article here

Wyoming coach Schroyer fired after shaky start

Updated: February 8, 2011, 2:20 AM ET

CHEYENNE, Wyo. -- Wyoming fired basketball coach Heath Schroyer on Monday, two days after the Cowboys lost their seventh consecutive game and 15th of the season.

The Cowboys are 8-15 this season, including 1-8 in the Mountain West Conference.

Schroyer, who took over the UW program in 2007 after previous coach Steve McClain was also fired, compiled a 49-68 record over the three and a half seasons he was coach. His best season was 2008-09, when the team went 19-14 and earned a spot in the College Basketball Invitational tournament, in which it lost at home to Northeastern in the first game.

UW athletic director Tom Burman said associate head coach Fred Langley will serve as interim head coach for the rest of the season.

A national search for a head coach would begin immediately, Burman said.

"Although I am obviously disappointed in the University's decision to terminate my contract, I have thoroughly enjoyed my time as head coach at the University of Wyoming," Schroyer said in a release.

He thanked the players, the university and the university community for their support.

"I love our team, and I believe they have a bright future on and off the court," he said.

The news release said Schroyer would have no further comment.

Burman said he regrets the firing but feels it is in the program's best interest.

"While winning is key to a successful program, we cannot lose sight of the off-the-court progress this program has made under Heath's guidance," Burman said in the release.

The team has improved its academic standing after having been penalized scholarships for poor academic performance under McClain.

"Coach Schroyer recruited numerous young men who have represented UW with class on and off the court - I for one applaud him for those efforts," Burman said.

The university said Burman would have no further comment until a news conference Tuesday.

Schroyer's current contract would have expired at the conclusion of the 2013-14 season. Under the terms of that contract, UW will pay him $160,000 per year for the remaining three years.

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

View the original article here

Future Brooklyn Nets arena gets vodka sponsor

Today Stolichnaya, a pioneer in the flavored vodka category, and Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment, the sales and marketing arm of the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, announced that Stolichnaya is embarking as a Founding Partner in a five-year alliance with the Barclays Center, the planned state-of-the-art sports and entertainment venue, and with NETS Basketball. The opening of the Barclays Center in late spring/early summer of 2012 will mark the return of major professional sports to Brooklyn for the first time since 1957, and Stoli will become the official vodka partner of the Barclays Center.

“This partnership represents Stoli’s first long-term foray into professional sports and we look forward to an exciting and successful partnership with the Barclays Center and NETS Basketball,” said Andrey Skurikhin, Partner at SPI Group, the Stolichnaya brand owner. “Stoli is a pioneering brand in the spirits industry and celebrates the same spirit of innovation that characterizes the development of the Barclays Center and the revitalization of the NETS. We look forward to engaging with our consumers in this much anticipated, exciting new venue.”

“We are thrilled to become partners with the most innovative and historic brand in the spirits industry,” said Brett Yormark, president and CEO of Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment. “The Barclays Center continues to align with renowned companies which seek to build their brands in the heart of world commerce. Stoli has made a major commitment to the Barclays Center and we look forward to building its brand with a year-round marketing platform.”

As part of the agreement with the Barclays Center, Stoli will receive numerous entitlements, including category exclusive branding throughout the new arena and the branding of six bars.

View the original article here

NBA fines Rudy Fernandez

Rudy Fernandez of the Portland Trail Blazers has been fined $50,000 for public statements detrimental to the NBA, the league announced today.

The statements, which concerned a desire to be released by the Trail Blazers, were made by Fernandez’s agent, Gerard Darnes, on October 6. Fernandez was previously fined $25,000 on August 19 for statements concerning his desire to be traded or released by Portland.

View the original article here

Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle faints at practice

Reuters reports:

Dallas Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle fainted at a team practice Friday and was briefly hospitalized, the team said.

“Rick did faint at practice today and was taken to the hospital as a precaution,” Mavericks spokesman Scott Tomlin told Reuters.

View the original article here