Associated Press
WINSTON-SALEM ó Wake Forest has granted sophomore forward Ari Stewart his release from the basketball program.
The school confirmed Tuesday night that Stewart had been granted the release.
Stewart did not play in the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament earlier this month. The forward averaged 8.5 points and 4.4 rebounds in 30 games for the Demon Deacons (8-24).
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. ó Tennesseeís program appears to be in shambles after the firing of popular coach Bruce Pearl amid. Volunteers athletics officials still insist itís an attractive place to be despite ongoing NCAA compliance problems.
Tennessee athletics director Mike Hamilton said in a statement Monday that the search would begin immediately for a new coach.
ěThis is a great job and will attract a significant number of interested coaches,î Hamilton said. ěMuch of that interest is a tribute to what coach Pearl has helped to build, but more importantly, what our fans have built. We will take an appropriate amount of time, but will move as swiftly as is effective to bring this to conclusion.î
NBA
SAN ANTONIO ó Tim Duncan is on crutches and the San Antonio Spurs donít know when heíll be back.
Duncan passed an MRI test Tuesday with no signs of structural damage in his sprained left ankle. The Spurs wonít know how long the 34-year-old might be out until later this week, but Duncan will miss at least the next three games as the NBAís winningest team tries to clinch the Westís No. 1 seed.
ěIt structurally looks good,î general manager R.C. Buford said Tuesday. ěWe will have a better idea of what the timeline is in the next 48 hours.î
Duncan sprained the ankle Monday night in a win over Golden State. Four minutes had barely passed in the game when Duncan, after making a short jumper, landed awkwardly on his left foot and collapsed beneath the basket.
MINNEAPOLIS ó Minnesota Timberwolves power forward Kevin Love did not practice on Tuesday because of a strained left groin.
Love says he was injured in a game against Utah last week, but played through it against the Lakers on Friday. He started the game against Sacramento on Sunday, but he played just 14 minutes. Love finished with three rebounds and no points in the loss to the Kings.
He says he is unsure if heíll be ready for Minnesotaís next game at Dallas on Thursday night. He says another day of rest on Wednesday may be enough to get him ready.
Love says itís still important to him to finish out the season, despite only 11 games remaining and no playoffs on the line.
NCAA FOOTBALL
COLUMBIA, S.C. ó South Carolina quarterback Stephen Garcia has returned to spring practice after his suspension.
Garcia threw several passes as the Gamecocks worked on passing drills Tuesday. He missed three practices after coach Steve Spurrier suspended him for violating team rules. Garcia was on the sidelines Saturday when the team scrimmaged, but did not participate.
It was the third time in Garciaís five spring practices at South Carolina that he missed time due of suspension.
Garcia has started every game for the past two seasons, leading the Gamecocks to their first Southeastern Conference championship game last season. But he threw five interceptions as South Carolina lost to Auburn in the SEC title game and to Florida State in the Chick-fil-A Bowl.
Garcia threw for 3,059 yards and 20 touchdowns in 2010.
NHL
PITTSBURGH ó Penguins forward Matt Cooke apologized for an illegal hit that earned him the stiffest suspension of his NHL career, saying he needs to ěchangeî the way he plays.
Cooke told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review and the Post-Gazette late Monday in Detroit that he ěmade a mistakeî when he landed an elbow to the head of New York Rangers defenseman Ryan McDonagh.
ěI realize and understand, more so now than ever, that I need to change,î Cooke told the newspapers. ěThatís what I wanted my message to be.î
The oft-penalized left wing was suspended by the NHL for the remainder of the regular season and the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs, which means heíll sit a minimum of 14 games.
ěI made a mistake. Iím the one thatís accountable for that. I take full responsibility for it,î Cooke told reporters. ěIím sorry to my teammates, my management, my coaching staff and my organization. Itís something that, moving forward, Iíll make different.î
Cooke is the fourth player suspended for the remainder of a season, joining former Islanders forward Chris Simon, former Canucks forward Todd Bertuzzi and former Bruins defenseman Marty McSorley. Cooke will end up forfeiting $219,512.20 in salary during the suspension.
The suspension is the fifth of his career and fourth since joining the Penguins in 2008. He was also suspended four games last month for hitting the Blue Jacketsí Fedor Tyutin from behind.
ěThey arenít the same. Theyíre different plays and … I want to change,î Cooke said. ěIn the game against the Rangers, I had a chance to hit (Brian) Boyle in the middle of the ice and I didnít. I had a chance to hit (Bryan) McCabe, and he turned, so I didnít hit him. Itís a learning process. It doesnít just stop with being suspended.
ěIt also doesnít just stop with words,î he said. ěMy actions will prove it.î
Penguins general manager Ray Shero supported the penalty the NHL gave Cooke, saying in a statement that the suspension was warranted because ěhead shots have no place in hockey.î
NHL disciplinarian Colin Campbell said the length of the suspension was determined in part because Cooke was a ěrepeat offenderî and because he ěunnecessarily targeted the head of an opponent who was in an unsuspecting and vulnerable position.î
ěThis isnít the first time this season that we have had to address dangerous behavior on the ice by Mr. Cooke,î Campbell said, ěand his conduct requires an appropriately harsh response.î
Cooke said that he hopes to win back the support of Penguins management and his fellow players, though he acknowledged that wonít be accomplished merely with an apology.
ěIím fortunate that Ryan McDonagh wasnít hurt. I donít want to hurt anybody. Thatís not my intention. I know that I can be better,î Cooke told the Pittsburgh newspapers. ěAs I just said, my actions will speak louder than words. Thatís what matters most.î
The Associated Press
03/22/11 18:58