Pitino Says He Has No Major Illness

Louisville Coach Rick Pitino refused to disclose the medical problem that forced him to take a two-day leave but insisted there was nothing seriously wrong with him.

“There is a diagnosis to it all, but it’s really not worth going into,” Pitino, 51, said Friday. “All I can say is this will not take away from me coaching Louisville for another eight or 10 years..”

He’ll coach the Cardinals (16-1, 6-0 Conference USA) when they try for their 17th consecutive win today against Marquette (12-5, 3-3) at Louisville’s Freedom Hall.

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Greg Wallace, 22, a junior transfer sitting out this season at Stephen F. Austin, collapsed and died while shooting baskets at Nacagdoches, Texas. ... Renaldo Balkman of South Carolina and Corey Smith of Vanderbilt were suspended for one game by the Southeastern Conference for fighting Wednesday night....

WOMEN

No. 2 Duke defeated North Carolina State, 75-56, at Durham, N.C., for its 50th consecutive Atlantic Coast Conference victory. The Blue Devils (16-2, 7-0) held the Wolfpack (10-11, 2-6) without a basket for a stretch of 8:38.