College 3-point line gets a little deeper
The 3-point line is moving back in men’s college basketball.
The NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel announced Wednesday in Indianapolis that the arc will be moved to 22 feet, 1¾ inches for the 2019-20 season, matching the international distance.
The change will not go into effect in Division II and III until 2020-21 due to the potential financial impact on schools.
The committee said the line was moved to make the lane more available for drives from the perimeter, to slow the trend of making 3-pointers so prevalent and to create more offensive spacing by requiring the defense to cover more of the court.
The 3-point line was last moved in 2008-09, extending a foot to 20-9.
More college sports
Tony Bland, a former assistant basketball coach for Southern California was sentenced to 100 hours of community service and two years’ probation for accepting a bribe to steer young athletes to a particular manager. Bland, 38, was the first of four assistant basketball coaches who pleaded guilty to bribery conspiracy to learn his fate. U.S. District Judge Edgardo Ramos will sentence two others later this week.
• Texas center Sedona Prince, one of the nation’s top recruits, will transfer after sitting out last season with a leg injury. Prince, a 6-foot-7 high school all-American, broke her leg playing for the under-18 U.S. national team at the Women’s Americas Championship in Mexico City and never played for the Longhorns.
Pro football
Defensive tackle L.T. Walton, who appeared in 36 games the past four seasons with the Steelers, signed with the Buffalo Bills.
• Authorities in Hollywood, Fla., said two female acquaintances vanished with more than half a million dollars in jewelry from star running back Le’Veon Bell’s Florida home. Bell said items in his closet were in disarray and all his jewelry was missing, including two gold chains with diamonds, a black panther pendant with black and white diamonds and a Rolex.
Pro basketball
Kristi Tolliver had 19 points, 6 assists and 4 steals, Elena Delle Donne added 12 points and 7 rebounds, and the host Washington Mystics (2-1) beat the Chicago Sky (1-2), 103-85, in WNBA play. Diamond DeShields scored 24 points for Chicago.
Hockey
San Jose Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson, who is eligible for free agency July 1, had groin surgery last week, has started rehabilitation and expects to be ready for the 2019-20 season.
Soccer
Ronaldo scored a hat trick to give Portugal a 3-1 win against Switzerland in Porto, Portugal, and a spot in the final of the inaugural Nations League. Portugal will play the Netherlands or England, which meet in the other semifinal, in the championship match Sunday.
• The United States lost an international friendly to Jamaica, 1-0, at Audi Field in Washington. Shamar Nicholson scored in the second half for the only goal.
Elsewhere
Sam Farmer, now in his 25th year of NFL coverage and his 19th at the Los Angeles Times, was selected as the 2019 Dick McCann Award winner by the Professional Football Writers of America.