Brandon Beane named Bills’ GM

The Buffalo Bills hired Brandon Beane to fill their general-manager vacancy. Beane’s hiring completes a short search process that began after Doug Whaley and his scouting staff were fired the day after completing the NFL draft.

Beane, 40, has spent his entire 19-season NFL career working up the Carolina Panthers’ ranks, including the past two as the team’s assistant GM. Obituary: Former Indiana Pacers and Detroit Pistons head coach George Irvine died, the Pacers announced. He was 69 and had been dealing with cancer. He was a Warriors assistant under Rick Adelman from 1995 through ’97. College baseball: Colton Hock set a Stanford season record with his 14th save as he recorded the final four outs of the Cardinal’s 4-0 victory over visiting USF (23-26). No. 10 Stanford (31-13) opens a threegame series at Cal on Saturday. College basketball: Indiana guard James Blackmon Jr. has hired an agent and will not return to school for his senior season.

Arkansas guard Jaylen Barford says he is returning for his senior season after entering the NBA draft without hiring an agent.

The Missouri Valley Conference invited Valparaiso to join the league to replace departing Wichita State. College golf: The Stanford women’s team seized a four-shot lead heading into the final round of the NCAA regional in Albuquerque. Cal stands fifth, with six of the 18 teams advancing to the NCAA championships. Stanford’s Albane Valenzuela holds a one-stroke lead in the individual competition in Albuquerque. San Jose State is 10th in the Columbus, Ohio, regional. Volleyball: Frank Lavrisha, one of the winningest coaches in Division II history during a 30-year stay at Regis University, was named head women’s coach at USF. He succeeds Vicki Brown, who was appointed associate head coach at Iowa. Tennis: Top-ranked Andy Murray made his debut at the Madrid Open with a 6-4, 6-3 win over wild-card Marius Copil of Romania in the second round.