USA TODAY International Edition
Bad back has Calhoun on leave from Uconn
For the 23rd time since Jim Calhoun became basketball coach at Connecticut, his team will begin a game without him on the sideline when the Huskies visit No. 25 Louisville today.
The school announced Friday that the 26th- year coach, who turns 70 this year, was taking indefinite leave for medical reasons. He has been suffering for several months from spinal stenosis, which causes severe pain and hampers mobility.
It’s not clear how many games Calhoun will miss.
The Huskies ( 15- 7), the defending national champions, beat Seton Hall on Saturday with associate head coach George Blaney in charge, ending a four- game losing streak.
Calhoun has had a history of health problems. He is a threetime cancer survivor.
“I had back pain like never before last summer; thought it was back spasms,” he told the Associated Press on Friday. “I saw a neurologist, and he told me about scoliosis, stenosis and other things and that there could be things like a bone spur and that I could probably need something done at some point. I went for the physical therapy and it worked, but it started to lock up sometimes recently and it was worse.”
Beanpot hockey:
Boston College takes the first step toward what it hopes is its first threepeat since 1963- 65 when it plays Northeastern today in the 60th Beanpot tournament in Boston. Harvard and Boston University meet in the opening game, and the winners will play for the championship Feb. 13.
The No. 5 Eagles ( 16- 10- 1) won their second consecutive title last year by outlasting Northeastern 7- 6 in overtime. That followed a 3- 2 OT win vs. BU in the opening round.
No. 3 Boston U. ( 16- 8- 1) leads all schools with 29 Beanpot crowns. BC has 16, Northeastern ( 11- 11- 3) has four with the most recent coming in 1988 and Harvard ( 9- 9- 4) has won 10 with the most recent in 1993.
ACC alignment:
Pittsburgh will join the Atlantic Coast Conference Coastal Division in football and Syracuse will be in the Atlantic Division, the league announced Friday.
Pitt will play Syracuse in football every year.
When the Panthers and Orange will begin play in the ACC after leaving the Big East remains unknown, but Pitt athletics director Steve Pederson isn’t ready to shut the door on 2012. Pitt would like to leave the Big East before the 27 months’ notice required in conference bylaws. Pederson said he was keeping an eye on West Virginia’s lawsuit against the Big East. The Mountaineers are suing to play in the Big 12 in 2012. “We’re following that very closely,” Pederson said Friday.
Tough talk:
Seton Hall coach Kevin Willard might be subject to Big East discipline for his postgame comments about officials and to some scrutiny for comments about his own players. He was ejected from Saturday’s loss to Uconn in which his team shot 26%. Afterward he told news reporters, “I’m the only coach who has white guys that can’t shoot.” He also criticized officials: “I don’t mind getting blown out. I do have an issue when the refs enjoy the blowout. And I don’t think they should be smiling or enjoying one team getting their butt kicked.” Big East spokesman John Paquette said the league was aware of the comments.