College Basketball | Legendary coach Pete Newell dies at 93

BERKELEY, Calif. — Pete Newell coached his last game nearly a half-century ago, but his impact is felt at basketball's highest level today.

The beloved Hall of Fame coach — who won an NCAA championship and an Olympic gold medal, and who later tutored some of the sport's greatest big men — died Monday in Rancho Santa Fe, Calif. He was 93.

Newell guided California to the 1959 NCAA championship. He coached for 14 seasons at San Francisco, Michigan State and California before doctors advised him to give it up because of the emotional toll.

Newell's final coaching job came in the 1960 Olympics, when he took a U.S. team led by Oscar Robertson, Jerry West and Jerry Lucas on a dominant run to a gold medal in Rome.

Hall of Fame coach Bob Knight, who coached three NCAA championship teams at Indiana and also won Olympic gold, said, "I just don't think anybody has contributed more to my life in more ways than Pete Newell did. Jerry West and I had a very tearful conversation about an hour after Pete had passed away this morning and I think Jerry felt exactly the same about Pete as I did."

Newell returned to prominence with his popular camps for big men. He instructed some of the game's greatest centers, including Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bill Walton and Shaquille O'Neal.

Emotionally high strung, Newell seemingly lived on coffee, cigarettes and little else during the seasons he coached college teams. He was told by doctors to leave full-time coaching, which he did in 1960 at age 44.

Newell's overall record was 234-123, and he beat UCLA coach John Wooden the last eight times they met.

Wooden won 10 NCAA titles in a 12-year span at UCLA.

Speaking in 2005 about Newell, Wooden said, "In his time, I think he was one of the better coaches the game has ever seen. When I think of the outstanding teachers of the game, he ranked up there with the very best."

Newell grew up in Los Angeles and appeared in several movies.

No. 16 Virginia women

win at No. 5 Tennessee

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Monica Wright scored 35 points and Britnee Millner made a free throw with 6.4 seconds left to help No. 16 Virginia defeat fifth-ranked Tennessee 83-82.

Tennessee coach Pat Summitt said, "We just weren't tough."

Oregon men lose in OT

EUGENE, Ore. — Johnathon Jones scored 32 points, including 10 in overtime, to lead Oakland of Michigan to an 82-79 victory over Oregon.

LeKendric Longmire scored 18 points for the Ducks (1-1). The Golden Grizzlies (1-1) beat Oregon 68-62 last season in Auburn Hills, Mich.

Top 10 women

At No. 4 North Carolina 102, Kennesaw St. 68

Jessica Breland scored 19 points as the Tar Heels (3-0) overwhelmed the Owls (1-1).

At No. 9 Louisville 72, Austin Peay 42

Monique Reid had 17 points for the Cardinals (2-0) against the Governors (1-1).

Top 10 men

At No. 2 Connecticut 99, Hartford 56

Craig Austrie and freshman Kemba Walker scored 21 points each as the Huskies (2-0) routed the Hawks (0-2).

At No. 6 Pitt 82, Miami (Ohio) 53

Levance Fields contributed 12 points and a career-high 12 assists for the Panthers (2-0).

Pac-10 men

At Arizona 75, Florida Atlantic 62

Chase Budinger scored 21 points and Nic Wise added 19 as the Wildcats (1-0) beat the Owls (1-1) in an NIT Season Tip-Off game.

Notes

• Gonzaga is ninth in the Associated Press media poll and 11th in the USA Today-ESPN coaches poll.

• Garrison Carr, an Issaquah High School graduate, scored 28 points to lead host American past Saint Francis 67-46.

• Ryan Staudacher, a former standout at Lake Washington High School in Kirkland, scored a career-high 21 points to help Montana beat Montana Western 75-67.