N.C. State fires Gottfried
No. 1 Gonzaga stretches win streak to 27 games
RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina State said men’s basketball coach Mark Gottfried won’t return for a seventh season but will coach the remainder of this season.
The school announced the decision Thursday, less than a day after the Wolfpack fell by 24 points to 10th-ranked rival North Carolina in the team’s sixth straight loss as a oncepromising season continues to unravel. N.C. State hosts No. 25 Notre Dame on Saturday.
“Mark and I met today to discuss the future direction of our program,” athletic director Debbie Yow said in a statement. “While it has long been my practice to evaluate the body of work at season’s end, in reviewing the direction of our program, we believe a change in leadership is necessary moving forward.
“Our focus now remains on supporting our student-athletes and staff over the final weeks of our season.”
Gottfried had a 122-82 record with the Wolfpack, including NCAA Tournament trips in his first four years that included two Sweet 16 appearances.
But N.C. State has slid to 30-30 over the past two seasons — including 8-24 in Atlantic Coast Conference play — and struggled to maintain continuity amid transfers, players leaving early to pursue professional playing careers and staff turnover.
Gottfried got a new five-year deal in 2015 that paid him roughly $2.5 million per season. The contract will require N.C. State to pay him nearly $2.3 million to buy out the final three seasons.
Top 25 men
(1) GONZAGA 96, SAN FRANCISCO 61: In Spokane, Wash., Nigel Williams-Goss scored 30 points as undefeated Gonzaga (270, 15-0 West Coast) beat San Francisco (18-10, 8-7), extending the nation’s longest winning streak to 27 games.
Przemek Karnowski added 23 points and seven rebounds for Gonzaga. (5) ARIZONA 78, WASHINGTON STATE
59: In Pullman, Wash., Lauri Markkanen scored 19 points and had 11 rebounds to help Arizona (24-3, 13-1 Pac-12) overcome an early deficit to beat Washington State (11-15, 4-10).
Parker Jackson-Cartwright added a gamehigh 20 points for the Wildcats, who trailed for just over 10 minutes in the first half, but carried a 16-6 run into halftime.
(7) OREGON 79, UTAH 61: In Eugene, Ore., Dillon Brooks scored 20 points and Oregon (23-4, 12-2 Pac-12) defeated short-handed Utah (17-8, 8-6) to extend the Ducks’ home winning streak to 41 games.
Jayce Johnson had 14 points and 12 rebounds for Utah, playing without top scorer Kyle Kuzma because of a sprained ankle.
MICHIGAN 64, (11) WISCONSIN 58: In Ann Arbor, Mich., Moe Wagner scored 21 points and Zak Irvin broke out of a slump with 18, helping the Wolverines (17-9, 7-6 Big Ten) beat the Badgers (21-5, 10-3).
Michigan has won three straight. The Badgers have lost consecutive games for the first time this season, dropping into a three-way tie atop the Big Ten with No. 16 Purdue and No. 23 Maryland.
State colleges
CAMERON 86, WNMU 66: In Lawton, Okla., Tyus Momoh scored 18 points and the Aggies (16-10, 9-7 Lone Star) rolled past the Mustangs (2-21, 0-15). Jordan Enriquez led WNMU with 16 points.
ENMU 72, MIDWESTERN STATE 69: In Wichita Falls, Texas, Chris Lewis scored 23 points and Greyhounds (11-14, 5-10 Lone Star) scored the final four points to edge the Mustangs (13-12, 6-10).
Top 25 women
(3) MISSISSIPPI STATE 58, GEORGIA 49: In Starkville, Miss., Ketara Chapel and Teaira McCowan each scored 14 points and Mississippi State (26-1, 12-1 SEC) rallied in the fourth quarter to beat Georgia (13-13, 5-8).
VIRGINIA 60, (4) FLORIDA STATE 51: In Charlottesville, Va., Dominique Toussaint scored five of her 14 points in the final 1:27, including the go-ahead 3-pointer, and the Cavaliers (17-9, 6-7 ACC) held the Seminoles (23-4, 11-2) to five points in the fourth quarter.
(6) SOUTH CAROLINA 82, VANDERBILT 51: In Columbia, S.C., Kaela Davis and Alaina Coates each scored 15 points to help the Gamecocks (22-3, 12-1 SEC) beat the Commodores (12-14, 2-11). South Carolina outscored Vanderbilt 50-10 in the paint.
(7) NOTRE DAME 84, CLEMSON 80: In Clemson, S.C., Marina Mabrey scored 24 of her career-high 29 points in the second half to help the Irish (24-3, 12-1 ACC) hold off the Tigers for their eighth straight victory.
(12) OHIO STATE 87, NEBRASKA 69: In Lincoln, Neb., Kelsey Mitchell hit five 3-pointers and scored 27 points and Ohio State (23-5, 13-1 Big Ten) rolled past Nebraska (5-20, 1-12) for its ninth-straight win.
(13) DUKE 79, WAKE FOREST 53: In Winston-Salem, N.C., Lexie Brown scored 24 points with seven assists and four steals and the Blue Devils (23-4, 11-3 ACC) took control in the third quarter.
(15) NORTH CAROLINA STATE 70, BOSTON COLLEGE 58: In Chestnut Hill, Mass., Dominque Wilson scored 23 points and North Carolina State (20-6, 10-3 ACC) overcame a slow start to beat Boston College (9-18, 2-12).
INDIANA 72 (20) MICHIGAN 61: In Bloomington, Ind., Tyra Buss scored 21 points to go with seven steals and three assists as the Hoosiers (18-8, 8-5 Big Ten) upended the Wolverines (21-6, 10-3).
State colleges
ENMU 61, MIDWESTERN STATE 57: In Wichita Falls, Texas, junior Mikaehla Connor scored 22 points as the Greyhounds (19-5, 15-2 Lone Star) turned back the Mustangs (7-16, 4-13). Eastern is ranked second in the Division II South Central Region poll.
CAMERON 75, WNMU 62: In Lawton, Okla., the Aggies (10-13, 8-9 Lone Star) outscored the Mustangs 31-14 off the bench and 42-26 in the paint. Western was led in scoring by senior Jordan Gutierrez with 21 points.