SPORTS IN BRIEF
STORRS, Conn. – Dan Hurley became a hot commodity after coaching Rhode Island to two straight NCAA Tournaments. On Thursday, he left for a bigger name in New England basketball.
Hurley jumped across state lines to join a UConn team that has won four NCAA titles in 20 years but is under NCAA investigation and just finished a second straight losing season. The Huskies fired coach Kevin Ollie this month.
“This program, which is part of one of the top public universities in the country, has a championship history and wonderful support from a passionate fan base,” Hurley said in a statement. “I look forward to continuing this proud tradition.”
Hurley was 113-82 in six seasons with the Rams, who went 26-8 this year before losing in the second round of the NCAA Tournament to Duke. It was the second straight trip to the tournament
Giants trade Pierre-Paul to Bucs for draft picks
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Sending two-time Pro Bowl defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul to Tampa Bay for two draft picks gives the New York Giants muchneeded salary cap space for 2019 and allows the Buccaneers to continue rebuilding a line that had the fewest sacks in the NFL last season.
With the unexpected trade announced Thursday, the Giants take another step in their rebuilding under new general manager Dave Gettleman and the Bucs upgraded their defense in a bid to end a decade-long playoff drought.
The Giants will get Tampa Bay’s third-round pick (69th overall) in the draft in late April. The teams also will swap fourth-round picks, with the Bucs moving up to the 102nd pick and the Giants selecting 108th.
Hornets’ Howard suspended after technical foul
NEW YORK – Charlotte Hornets center Dwight Howard has been suspended for Thursday’s game against Memphis after picking up his 16th technical foul this season.
The NBA announced the penalty Thursday, noting that league rules require an automatic one-game suspension without pay for a player or coach who receives 16 technical fouls during a regular season. After hitting that threshold, a player or coach will be suspended without pay automatically for another game for every two additional technical fouls received during that regular season.
Howard picked up his most recent technical with 10:48 left in Wednesday’s 111-105 win against the Brooklyn Nets. That came as he finished with 32 points and a franchise-record 30 rebounds, becoming just the eighth player in league history with a 30-30 game.