Lappas hired as UMass coach
Amherst, Mass. Steve Lappas was hired on Monday as basketball coach at Massachusetts two days after he unexpectedly resigned at Villanova.
He replaces James "Bruiser" Flint, who in five years restored integrity to a school shaken by scandal but was unable to produce a consistent winner.
"We want to go to the NIT and NCAA as often as we can," Lappas said at a campus news conference. "No one can put more pressure on me than me. The reason you get into this is to achieve excellence."
Athletics director Robert Marcum would not disclose how much Lappas will be paid. He said some parts of the contract were still being negotiated.
UMass posted a 15-15 (11-5 Atlantic 10) record this year but failed to earn an invitation to the NCAA or NIT tournaments.
Calipari leads Memphis to semis
New York John Calipari knows firsthand what a trip to the NIT semifinals can do for a young team.
The first-year Memphis coach used an NIT run 10 years ago at Massachusetts as a springboard for a team that made five straight NCAA tournament berths, capped by a Final Four appearance in 1996.
"This is good for our team," Calipari said Monday. "This is the best thing that can happen for a team on the rise. This tournament has helped a lot of teams get over the hump."
The NIT semifinals are tonight in New York. Detroit (25-10) plays Alabama (24-10) in the first game, followed by Memphis (20-14) against Tulsa (24-11).
Source: Wright to coach Villanova
Jay Wright, who led Hofstra into the last two NCAA tournaments, has accepted the job as coach at Villanova, a university source told The Associated Press on Monday night.
The source, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said Villanova will officially announce Wright's hiring on Tuesday. The school scheduled a 3 p.m. EST news conference to introduce its new coach.
Wright, who was being wooed by several other schools including Tennessee, said earlier Monday that he was offered the Villanova job by Wildcats athletics director Vince Nicastro, but "has not made a decision at this time."
Baron takes Rhode Island job
South Kingstown, R.I. Jim Baron, the former St. Bonaventure basketball coach with a reputation for rebuilding struggling teams, took over the Rhode Island program Monday.
He replaced Jerry DeGregorio, who resigned after the season with a 12-48 record, the worst two-year stretch in school history.
Majerus won't go to Wisconsin
Madison, Wis. Rick Majerus, Wisconsin's No. 1 pick to take over its basketball program, isn't going to coach the Badgers.
Athletics director Pat Richter said Monday he met with Majerus about the position, but the two "mutually agreed that the timing is such that he could not seriously consider our position."
"We had very positive discussions about our program, but the search continues," Richter said in a statement.
Richter has publicly courted Majerus since deciding a week ago to replace Brad Soderberg, who went 16-10 after taking over for Dick Bennett.
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