Georgia Tech hires Stoudamire
Georgia Tech moved quickly to put a new leader in charge of its struggling men’s basketball program, hiring longtime NBA guard Damon Stoudamire as the new Yellow Jackets coach.
The 49- year- old Stoudamire comes to the Atlantic Coast Conference school from the Boston Celtics, for whom he served as an assistant coach since 2021. Stoudamire’s only previous head coaching experience was at Pacific, where he compiled a 71- 77 record over f ive seasons. He was the West Coast Conference coach of the year in 2020.
Stoudamire replaces Josh Pastner, who was fired Friday after the Yellow Jackets capped a 15- 18 season with a second- round loss to Pittsburgh in the ACC tournament. Mississippi hired Chris Beard as its men’s basketball coach slightly more than two months after his f iring from Texas following a domestic violence arrest. Beard is a four- time conference coach of the year and was the Associated Press national coach of the year in 2019, but his two- year tenure at alma mater Texas ended abruptly in January, though felony domestic charges were dismissed on Feb. 15. ... Temple men’s coach Aaron
McKie is out after four years and no NCAA tournament appearances and will become a special advisor to the athletic department. ... Alabama, the overall No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament, ascended to the top spot in the f inal AP men’s poll, jumping over Houston. UCLA earned one first- place vote but fell five spots to seventh, while Memphis is in the poll for the first time this season, at No. 24. ... In the final women’s AP poll, South Carolina became the third school ranked No. 1 for the entire season in back- toback years, equaling Connecticut and Louisiana Tech. UCLA moved up three spots to No. 14. ... Suzy Mer
chant has stepped down as Michigan State’s women’s coach, citing health concerns. ... Georgetown women’s coach James Howard will not have his contract renewed.
The Cal State Dominguez Hills women’s basketball team won the Division II West Region with a 73- 51 victory over visiting Cal State San Marcos to clinch a berth in the Elite Eight. Asia Jordan scored 19 points and was named region most outstanding player for the topseeded Toros ( 31- 2).
Giannis Antetokounmpo had 46 points and 12 rebounds as the Milwaukee Bucks beat Sacramento 133124. Domantas Sabonis had 23 points, 17 rebounds and 15 assists for his 10th tripledouble of the season for Sacramento. ... Klay Thompson scored 33 of his 38 points in the f irst half and Golden State beat Phoenix 123- 112. ... Dallas stars Luka Doncic ( left thigh) and Kyrie Ir ving ( right foot soreness) missed a second consecutive game, a 104- 88 loss to Memphis.
Carolina Hurricanes forward Andrei Svechnikov will be out indefinitely with a knee injury, the team said.