New Mexico State turns reins over to UCLA’s Walker
UCLA defensive coordinator DeWayne Walker has been hired as New Mexico State’s head coach.
NMSU athletic director McKinley Boston announced the hiring Tuesday.
Walker, in his third season with UCLA, visited NMSU on Monday and met with administrators and toured the athletic facilities.
He will replace Hal Mumme, who was fired in early December after the Aggies went 3-9 last fall, including a 1-7 mark in the Western Athletic Conference.
Walker becomes the eighth black head coach at the 119 major college football schools, and fourth hired this month, along with Mike Haywood at Miami of Ohio, Mike Locksley at New Mexico and Ron English at Eastern Michigan.
Walker, 48, has a major rebuilding project on his hands with New Mexico State. The Aggies own the nation’s current longest streak without a bowl appearance, last playing in the 1960 Sun Bowl.
•Alabama AG’s office gets involved: The Alabama attorney general’s office is reviewing reports of alleged contact between Crimson Tide offensive tackle Andre Smith and a sports agent after the All-American was suspended from the Sugar Bowl.
The attorney general’s office began reviewing the situation to see if a full investigation is warranted, spokesman Chris Bence said.
Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban suspended the Outland Trophy winner on Monday for violation of unspecified team rules.
•Trojans’ Havili won’t play: Southern California fullback Stanley Havili is academically ineligible for the Rose Bowl against Penn State on Thursday.
USC coach Pete Carroll said that Havili would not play.
Carroll said Havili, a sophomore, is ineligible for the remainder of the first semester but shouldn’t be affected after that and is expected to play spring football.
•Hurricanes’ QB transfers: Quarterback Robert Marve is leaving Miami, ending weeks of speculation about his future and adding to the tumultuous start of the Hurricanes’ off-season.
Marve started 11 of 13 games for the Hurricanes, but also served two suspensions, including one that kept him out of the Emerald Bowl.
•Cubit earns extension: Western Michigan coach Bill Cubit agreed to a new five-year contract.
NBA
Unhappy b-day for James
Dwyane Wade had 21 points and 12 assists, Mario Chalmers added 21 points and eight assists, and the Miami Heat dropped LeBron James’ pro record on birthdays to 0-3 with a 104-95 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers in Miami.
On the day he turned 24, James scored 38.
•O’Neal sparks Suns: Leandro Barbosa scored 28 points, Shaquille O’Neal added 24 to move into eighth place on the NBA scoring list and the visiting Phoenix Suns beat the Memphis Grizzlies 101-89 without ailing star Steve Nash.
O’Neal added 13 rebounds and three blocks, and his fourth-quarter dunk moved him past Oscar Robertson on the career scoring list with 26,711 points.
•Blazers top Celtics: Steve Blake scored 21 and Greg Oden added 13 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Portland Trail Blazers to a 91-86 win over the visiting Boston Celtics. It was Boston’s third loss in four games.
•Paul sparks Hornets: Chris Paul had 15 points, 16 assists and 10 rebounds for his third triple-double of the season, and the host New Orleans Hornets beat the Washington Wizards 97-85.
College basketball
Sooners upset
Michael Washington had 24 points and 11 rebounds, holding his own against Oklahoma’s Blake Griffin, and Arkansas (10-1) handed the fourth-ranked Sooners (12-1) their first loss of the season, 96-88 in Fayetteville, Ark.
•Aztecs upset Texas women: Jene Morris scored 24 points to lead San Diego State (9-3) to a 60-55 upset of No. 4 Texas (11-1) in the Surf ’N Slam championship game in San Diego.
Morris scored 15 in the second half, but it was late baskets by Jennifer Layton-Bailes and Paris Johnson that sealed the victory.
•Irish women rally: Becca Bruszewski scored 10 second-half points and No. 12 Notre Dame (11-1) overcame an 18-point deficit and defeated No. 20 Vanderbilt (11-3) 59-57 in Nashville, Tenn.
NHL
Bruins stay hot
Marc Savard scored a power-play goal, then set up Boston’s next two goals with excellent playmaking, and the streaking Bruins ran their longest winning streak in nearly 26 years to nine games by beating the host Pittsburgh Penguins 5-2.
•Chicago’s streak snapped: Ty Conklin made 36 saves for his seventh NHL shutout, and Johan Franzen scored twice to lift the host Detroit Red Wings to a 4-0 win that snapped the Chicago Blackhawks’ team-record, nine-game winning streak.
Miscellany
Ching invited to camp
U.S. men’s coach Bob Bradley has named 25 players to the training camp roster that will begin workouts Sunday in Carson, Calif.
The group will prepare for its first game of 2009, an exhibition against Sweden on Jan. 24 at The Home Depot Center in Carson.
The annual camp features 20 players from professional teams in the United States. MLS teams are well represented, with 10 of 15 clubs contributing players to the Carson camp, including goalie Jon Busch (Chicago), former Gonzaga University standout forward Brian Ching (Houston) and defenders Chad Marshall (Columbus) and Sean Franklin (Los Angeles).
•Holyfield fight under review: The WBA is reviewing Nikolai Valuev’s win over Evander Holyfield by majority decision in a Dec. 20 heavyweight title bout. The organization said that it has ordered a panel of judges to study the video of the fight.
One judged scored the bout in Switzerland a draw while the others had Valuev winning 116-112 and 115-114. The 46-year-old Holyfield was attempting to become the oldest heavyweight to win a major belt.
•Richardson, Davis win titles: Heather Richardson and Shani Davis won their first sprint national titles during the final day of the U.S. Long Track Speedskating National Championships in West Allis, Wis.
Richardson repeated Monday’s sweep in the 500- and 1,000-meter races at Pettit National Ice Center.
Davis of Chicago swept the 1,000 and was second in the 500 both days.