Xavier’s West Selected as Top Player

The U. S. Basketball Writers Assn. has selected Xavier’s David West as the winner of the Oscar Robertson player of the year trophy and Kentucky’s Tubby Smith as winner of the Henry Iba coach of the year award.

West, a senior forward who averages 20.3 points and 12.0 rebounds, led Xavier to the Atlantic 10 Conference regular-season championship and became the first player in league history to be named conference player of the year three years in a row.

Smith guided Kentucky to the Southeastern Conference regular-season and tournament championships, a 29-3 record entering the NCAA tournament and a No. 1 ranking in the final Associated Press top 25 poll. He is the first Kentucky coach to earn coach of the year honors from the USBWA since Adolph Rupp won the award in 1966.

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San Francisco Coach Phil Mathews, a former Ventura College coach, agreed to a multiyear contract extension after a 15-14 season. He was in the final year of a five-year contract.

Mathews is 122-109 in eight seasons with the Dons, who finished third in the West Coast Conference.

In 1998, Mathews led San Francisco to its first NCAA tournament berth since 1982.

Fired UCLA coach Steve Lavin, whose father Cap played at San Francisco, was thought to be a candidate for the job had Mathews’ contract not been extended.

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Andy Stoglin is out after 14 years as coach at Jackson State.

The university decided not to renew his contract. Athletic Director Roy Culberson made the decision after meeting with Stoglin.

Stoglin was 197-216 with the Tigers, guiding them to three Southwestern Athletic Conference championships and two NCAA tournaments.

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Tennessee assistant Mickie DeMoss was hired as women’s coach at Kentucky. DeMoss has been Pat Summitt’s top assistant at Tennessee for 18 seasons. DeMoss will remain with the Lady Vols through the NCAA tournament.... Former Florida coach Carol Ross was hired as the new women’s coach at Mississippi.... Syracuse women’s coach Marianna Freeman resigned after going 104-174 in 10 seasons.