NCAA tweaks up hoop
Pleased with recent changes that have boosted offense, the NCAA basketball rules committee chose not to propose any drastic moves for next season, such as breaking the men’s game into four quarters, pushing back the 3-point line or widening the lane.
The proposals the committee did announce yesterday included increasing the size of the coach’s box from 28 to 38 feet, expanding the use of replay in the last two minutes to aid officials with some block-charge calls and tweaking how the shot clock is reset. The committee also proposed making throw-in spots in the front court more consistent and redefining a legal screen.
The NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel will consider the proposals in June. . . .
Duke freshman Frank Jackson will sign with an agent and remain in the NBA draft. Jackson is the fourth Duke underclassman from this year’s team to turn pro. He averaged 10.9 points and 1.7 assists for the Blue Devils. . . .
Glen Williams, a star at St. John’s in the 1970s and a second-round draft pick of the Milwaukee Bucks, died in New York. He was 63.
NFL: Cowboys sign top pick
The Dallas Cowboys signed eight of their nine draft picks, including firstrounder Taco Charlton. The 6-foot-6, 277-pound Charlton, a defensive end from Michigan, was drafted 28th overall. He had 10 sacks for the Wolverines last season. . . .
The Detroit Lions signed eight draft picks, including first-round linebacker Jarrad Davis of Florida. . . .
The San Francisco 49ers signed third-round draft pick Ahkello Witherspoon, a cornerback out of Colorado, to a four-year deal. . . .
Yale Lary, an NFL Hall of Fame safety who helped the Detroit Lions win three NFL titles during the 1950s, died in Fort Worth, Texas. He was 86. Lary had 50 interceptions during an 11-year career. He was also a punter and kickoff returner for the Lions, averaging 44.3 yards a punt. He was enshrined in the Hall in 1979. . .
An early morning accident in Tangipahoa, La., claimed the lives of two people, including former NFL receiver Michael Jackson. Jackson played eight seasons with Cleveland and Baltimore from 1991-98.
NASCAR: Blaney wins pole
Ryan Blaney earned his first career pole for the NASCAR Cup race at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, taking advantage of a traffic jam at inspection that kept 11 cars from getting on the track.
Among those who failed to get through yesterday were Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Clint Bowyer and Kasey Kahne. That left only 28 cars eligible to contest the first round of qualifying.
Joey Logano will start second today, and Martin Truex Jr. third, while the drivers who failed to get through inspection will have to start at the back of the field based on points. NASCAR placed the blame on the teams.
Misc.: BC, UMass lax win
Sophomore Sam Apuzzo had three goals and four assists to become the first player in Boston College women’s lacrosse to score 100 points in a season, as the No. 13 Eagles advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament with a 21-8 victory over Canisius in Syracuse, N.Y. BC (14-6) faces sixth-seeded host Syracuse tomorrow.
Also, Holly Turner had four goals and two assists as UMass (17-3) beat Colorado, 13-7, to advance to the second round tomorrow against Navy. . . .
Chelsea clinched the English Premier League at the first opportunity, beating West Bromwich Albion, 1-0, through Michy Batshuayi’s 82ndminute goal. It is a second top-flight league title in three seasons and sixth in total for Chelsea. . . .
Former baseball star Doug DeCinces was convicted in Santa Ana, Calif., of insider trading for a stock buy that earned him more than $1 million. The former Baltimore Orioles and California Angels third baseman was convicted of 13 federal charges and could face decades in prison. Sentencing for DeCinces, 66, was not immediately set.