Louisville parts with interim coach Padgett
Louisville didn’t take long to make its first offseason move, parting ways interim men’s basketball coach David Padgett less than 24 hours after the Cardinals season ended.
The former Cardinals player was brought in to bring calm amid turmoil and upheaval after the school placed coach Rick Pitino on unpaid administrative leave following its acknowledgement that it was being investigated in a federal corruption probe of college basketball.
Padgett did his job. He went 22-14 after he was elevated from second-year Louisville assistant last fall.
l Scratch Arizona coach Sean Miller off the list of potential coaches at Pitt.
Miller said in a statement he isn’t a candidate for the coaching vacancy created when the Panthers fired Kevin Stallings after two seasons earlier this month. Miller, who played point guard for the Panthers from 1987-92, wished his alma mater luck .
SERENA LOSES IN MIAMI
Serena Williams lost in the first round of the Miami Open on Wednesday, still rusty in her return from pregnancy and unable to overcome a tough draw against Naomi Osaka, who won 6-3, 6-2.
The 20-year-old Osaka, who earned her first career title Sunday at Indian Wells, showed no signs of letup and overpowered the erratic Williams.
BILLS WR WILL BE ‘FINE’
Zay Jones is with family and is going to be fine, the Buffalo Bills receiver’s father said Wednesday, two days after his son was arrested following a naked, bloody argument with his brother.
Robert Jones posted a note on his Twitter account saying Jones “is with me and his mom,” while adding “he’s going to be fine!”
l The Denver Broncos are staying in the Bowlen family after the team announced an agreement to buy back a portion of John Bowlen’s minority stake in the franchise. The brother of majority owner Pat Bowlen announced his intention late last year to sell his non-voting interest in the team. His share of the team is believed to be about 33%.
CAVS RALLY TO RIP RAPTORS
LeBron James scored 35 points and added 17 assists, his last setting up a late 3-pointer by Kevin Love, and the undermanned Cleveland Cavaliers ended Toronto’s nine-game road winning streak with a 132-129 victory over the Eastern Conference-leading Raptors on Wednesday night. The Cavs were missing five rotational players and coach Tyronn Lue.
l Giannis Antetokounmpo left the Milwaukee Bucks’ 127-120 loss to the visiting Clippers and did not return after rolling his right ankle.