COLLEGE BASKETBALL

TEMPLE’S CHANEY WILL COACH IN NIT

John Chaney will return to coach Temple in the NIT.

Chaney was suspended for the final five games of the season after ordering rough play from one of his players. In a loss to Saint Joseph’s on February 22, Chaney used Nehemiah Ingram – a player the coach called a “goon” – to “send a message” by committing hard fouls in response to what Chaney said were illegal picks going uncalled. Ingram fouled out in four minutes, including a hit on John Bryant that left the senior sprawled on the court for several minutes. An MRI later revealed he had a broken arm.

Chaney, 73, first suspended himself for one game before the school extended the punishment to three games after the extent of Bryant’s injury was discovered. The Hall of Fame coach then banned himself for the Atlantic 10 tournament.

The school announced yesterday that Chaney would be on the bench when the Owls (16-13) play at Virginia Tech (15-13) in a first-round game tonight. Temple president David Adamany said the school will wait until after the season to determine Chaney’s future. Chaney has a 721-294 career record in 23 seasons at Temple and 33 overall.

ILLINOIS FINISHES REGULAR SEASON ATOP AP POLL

Illinois won the poll. Now it’s a matter of winning the tournament. The Illini (32-1) were no. 1 for the 15th straight week yesterday – and unanimous, too – in the final Associated Press college basketball poll.

This was the fourth straight week at no. 2 for North Carolina (27-4), while Duke (25-5) moved up two spots after winning the ACC tournament for the sixth time in seven years. Louisville (29-4), a no. 4 seed in the NCAA Tournament, moved up two spots to fourth in the poll after winning the Conference USA tournament.

Syracuse jumped from 16th to no. 11 after winning the Big East tournament, and Florida (23-7), which beat Kentucky to win its first SEC tournament, jumped into the poll at no. 16 after being out of the rankings for the last 14 weeks.

The three teams that fell out of the rankings all lost in the quarterfinals of their conference tournaments: no. 22 Pittsburgh (20-8) lost in the Big East, no. 24 Nevada (24-6) lost in the WAC, and no. 25 Charlotte (21-7) lost in Conference USA.

GILLEN STEPS DOWN AT VIRGINIA

Pete Gillen stepped down as Virginia’s basketball coach yesterday, ending a seven-year tenure marked by just one trip to the NCAA tournament. Gillen had six years remaining on a 10-year, $9 million contract he signed after the 2000-01 season.

The Cavaliers’ only trip to the NCAA tournament under Gillen came in 2000-01.That season and his success with an undermanned team his first two years prompted the long-term deal. But the Cavaliers finished 14-15 overall this season and 4-12 in the expanded ACC. Gillen’s record at Virginia was just 118-93.

TENNESSEE, UMASS FIRE COACHES

Buzz Peterson was fired as Tennessee’s basketball coach after the Volunteers failed to make the NCAA tournament during his four years at the school. The Vols finished 14-17 overall and 6-10 in the Southeastern Conference this season after losing to Kentucky in the second round of the league tournament. It was Peterson’s second losing season in Knoxville, leaving him with a 61-59 record in four years.

Also yesterday, Massachusetts coach Steve Lappas was dismissed following four seasons in which the Minutemen had a 50-65 record. Lappas had been hired in 2001 to turn around a faltering program. The Minutemen improved to 16-12 this year after three straight losing seasons but were eliminated by LaSalle during the first round of the Atlantic 10 tournament and failed to get an NIT bid.

FOOTBALL

BECHT LANDS IN TAMPA BAY

Former Jets tight end Anthony Becht, one of the hottest players remaining on the free agent market, reached a contract agreement last night with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, according to a report by ESPN.com.

Becht, 27, has 133 career receptions for 1,164 yards and 17 touchdowns. He has three seasons of 25 catches or more and his best year came in 2002, when he caught 40 balls for 356 yards and four touchdowns.

BROWNS RELEASE BROWN

The Cleveland Browns released defensive end Courtney Brown yesterday, yet another former first-round pick who failed to make it with the team. Brown, the first overall pick in 2000, was due to receive a $2.5 million roster bonus today. With Brown out, the first three no. 1 picks that Cleveland took after it returned to the league in 1999 are gone.

He joins quarterback Tim Couch, the first overall pick in 1999, and defensive tackle Gerard Warren, no. 3 overall in 2001, as ex-Browns. Couch was released last June and Warren was traded to Denver for a fourth-round pick.

BASEBALL

PRIOR OUT INDEFINITELY WITH ELBOW TROUBLE

Cubs ace Mark Prior will be out indefinitely because of inflammation in his right elbow, the latest injury to one of Chicago’s star pitchers.

Cubs trainer Mark O’Neal said yesterday the 24-year-old Prior has some inflammation in the elbow joint and a little irritation to the ulnar nerve. Prior missed the first two months of last season because of right Achilles’ tendinitis and stiffness in his right elbow. Last July, he missed a start because of discomfort in the elbow. But Prior and O’Neal both said the current injury is not related to last year’s problem.

TENNIS

DAVENPORT, RODDICK ADVANCE AT PACIFIC LIFE

Overcoming gusty winds that sent sand swirling around the court yesterday, Lindsay Davenport beat Meghann Shaughnessy in the Pacific Life Open. No. 1 Davenport bounced back after losing the second set and came away with a 6-2, 2-6, 6-2 victory to move into the quarterfinals.

Andy Roddick played later in the afternoon when the wind had eased, and he advanced to the men’s fourth round with a 6-1,6-2 victory over Jiri Novak. Also advancing to the fourth round was Tim Henman, a 7-5, 6-4 winner over Jurgen Melzer. Maria Sharapova was a 6-2, 6-3 winner over 37th ranked Dinara Safina in a match of Russian teenagers.

– Associated Press