Georgia Tech’s Cremins Retiring

In the end, Bobby Cremins made it easy for everybody.

The white-haired coach who took Georgia Tech’s woeful program to national prominence before watching it fall into mediocrity the last four years, announced Friday that he will retire at the end of the season.

The news was a welcome relief for Athletic Director Dave Braine, who attended the news conference along with school President Dr. G. Wayne Clough and members of the basketball team.

Braine was spared the potentially explosive decision whether to fire the popular Cremins, who has been at Georgia Tech since 1981.

“I don’t know if I could have survived [the alumni],” Braine said. “I don’t think I could have won that battle.”

In the tearful farewell, Cremins, 52, read from a statement.

“I feel the time has come for new leadership in our basketball program,” he said. “I had hoped to have a better record at this time and be in the hunt for an NCAA bid. Had this occurred, I planned on coaching at Georgia Tech for a long time.”

That didn’t happen. Georgia Tech is 11-13 overall and 3-8 in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

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Dan Monson, who was hired to clean up Minnesota’s basketball program, didn’t suspend his star 7-footer to send a message or set an example.

“That’s what I think is ironic,” Monson said. “People think this is about last year. This has nothing to do with last year. This is about the credibility of your program. I find it hard to believe it could be done any other way.”

Monson suspended sophomore center Joel Przybilla, a native Minnesotan, fan favorite and best player on his roster, for what he termed a “lack of academic commitment” Tuesday.

Instead of returning to class and practice, however, Przybilla left campus and his parents confirmed he’s quitting the program to prepare for the NBA draft in June.

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Duquesne center Simon Ogunlesi will sit out the Dukes’ next two games after being suspended for fighting by Atlantic 10 Commissioner Linda Bruno.

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C. Vivian Stringer, who has transformed No. 8 Rutgers into a national power, was given a three-year contract extension, making her one of the highest-paid coaches in women’s college basketball.

Stringer will earn a base salary of $175,000, while the total package is worth $400,000 annually when money from a basketball camp, public relations and promotions and cost-of-living expenses are added in.

WOMEN

No. 1 Connecticut 100, Syracuse 74--All-American junior Svetlana Abrosimova contributed 24 points and 12 rebounds as the Huskies (24-1, 13-0) overpowered the Orangewomen (10-13, 3-9) in a Big East game at Storrs, Conn.

No. 11 UC Santa Barbara 79, Pacific 62--Erin Buescher scored a season-high 34 points and pulled down 14 rebounds to lead the Lady Gauchos (22-3, 10-0) over the Tigers (13-8, 4-6) in a Big West game at Santa Barbara.

No. 16 Old Dominion 85, William & Mary 43--Alli Spence scored 16 points as the Lady Monarchs (19-4, 12-0) rolled over the Tribe (5-16, 0-11) at Williamsburg, Va., for their 95th consecutive Colonial Athletic Assn. victory.

No. 23 Marquette 65, North Carolina Charlotte 40--Abbie Willenborg scored 21 points to lead the Golden Eagles (21-4, 13-1) to a Conference USA victory over the 49ers (8-16, 3-10) at Milwaukee.

Stanford 81, California 56--Guards Milena Flores and Jamie Carey combined for 29 points to lead the Cardinal (16-6, 9-3) over the Golden Bears (7-14, 2-10) in a Pac-10 game at Berkeley.

Washington University 61, Carnegie Mellon 38--Ali Fischer scored 22 points as the Bears (23-0) romped over the Tartans (14-9) at Pittsburgh, giving the Division III school from St. Louis its NCAA women’s record 61st consecutive victory.

The only winning streak longer in college basketball is the 88-game streak by the UCLA men’s team from 1971-74.