Memphis, Kansas on UMass schedule

August 27, 2008

The University of Massachusetts released its 2008-09 men's schedule yesterday, and the Minutemen can't be accused of fattening up on cupcakes in its non-Atlantic 10 slate of games. UMass will play road games at defending NCAA champion Kansas (Dec. 13) and runner-up Memphis (Nov. 17). In playing the Tigers, UMass will be facing coach John Calipari for the first time since he left Amherst after leading the Minutemen to the Final Four in 1996. The Minutemen open the season at the 2K Sport Classic in Ann Arbor, Mich. on Nov. 10 or 11, and play their annual contest against Boston College Dec. 6 at the Mullins Center . . . The Eagles will play in the NIT Season Tip-Off tournament and will host Iowa Dec. 2 in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. BC opens its league schedule with a nationally televised game at North Carolina Jan. 4.

The Celtics officially signed first-round draft pick J.R. Giddens. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. The 6-foot-5-inch guard, the 30th pick in the draft, averaged 16.3 points and 8.8 rebounds for New Mexico during his senior season . . . Former Portland Trail Blazers center Kevin Duckworth died Monday night while on a trip to the Oregon Coast to host a free basketball clinic. He was 44. The Lincoln (Ore.) County sheriff's office, which confirmed the death, said the cause has not been determined. The 7-foot Duckworth averaged 11.8 points and 5.8 rebounds over 11 seasons in the NBA, helping Portland reach the NBA Finals in 1990 and 1992. Obituary, D11 . . . Former NBA player Wayman Tisdale, 44, had part of his right leg amputated Monday because of bone cancer. His wife, Regina, told the Associated Press that "everything went well." On his website, Tisdale said removing a portion of the leg would be the best way to ensure that the cancer would not return.

Senior Sean Glennon will be Virginia Tech's starting quarterback this year while sophomore Tyrod Taylor redshirts. Glennon began last season as the Hokies' starter, but was replaced by Taylor after a slow start in a season-opening, 48-7 loss at Louisiana State. Glennon got a second chance midway through the season when Taylor was injured. In the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game, Glennon was 18 of 27 for 174 yards with three TD passes against Boston College to earn MVP honors. If Taylor sits all year, he will have three years of eligibility remaining . . . Coach Joe Paterno selected Daryll Clark to start at quarterback for Penn State when the 22d-ranked Nittany Lions open the season against Coastal Carolina Saturday . . . The identity of Virginia's starting quarterback will remain a mystery until the Cavaliers take the field Saturday against No. 3 Southern Cal. Coach Al Groh said the process is ongoing . . . Defensive ends Eric Moncur (hernia) and Allen Bailey (bruised chest) have been ruled out of Miami's opener tomorrow night against Charleston Southern . . . Clemson's defensive coordinator has apologized for jokes he made about Alabama's recruiting practices. Fourth-year assistant Vic Koenning says he was joking with reporters Monday night when he discussed seeing high-profile Alabama receivers Julio Jones and B.J. Scott each driving a Cadillac Escalade. Ninth-ranked Clemson faces the 24th-ranked Crimson Tide Saturday . . . Colorado tight end Riar Greer was sentenced to two years' probation and 50 hours of community service after pleading guilty in an off-campus brawl. He was suspended from the team for the spring semester but will be allowed to play this fall.

Tribune Co. CEO Sam Zell said the media conglomerate has chosen five bidders for the Chicago Cubs. Zell said during a conference call with lenders that separate bids have been made on storied Wrigley Field, the nation's second-oldest baseball stadium. The team's sale must be approved by Major League Baseball. The list reportedly included a group headed by John Canning, chairman of private equity firm Madison Dearborn Partners LLC; Internet billionaire and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban; and the family of online brokerage Ameritrade's founder, Joe Ricketts . . . Rays rookie third baseman Evan Longoria will resume hitting his week as he continues a rehab program for a broken bone in his right wrist. He hopes to return next week . . . The Blue Jays activated third baseman Scott Rolen (shoulder tightness) from the 15-day disabled list.

NASCAR driver Reed Sorenson, 22, signed a multiyear contract to join Gillett Evernham Motorsports next season, where he'll join Kasey Kahne and Elliott Sadler. Sorenson decided to leave Chip Ganassi Racing, where he began his NASCAR career as an 18-year-old . . . Federal prosecutors briefly moved disgraced sprinter Marion Jones from a Texas prison to the San Francisco Bay area three months ago in case they needed her to testify against her former track coach, Trevor Graham, on trial for lying to investigators, according to a New York Times report citing an anonymous source . . . Jabir Herbert Muhammad, a longtime manager of Muhammad Ali and son of the late Nation of Islam leader Elijah Muhammad, died Monday following heart surgery in Chicago. He was 79 . . . The remains of Eight Belles, the filly who was euthanized following the Kentucky Derby in May, have been buried at Churchill Downs in Louisville. A wooden box containing the filly's remains was buried at the Kentucky Derby Museum during a ceremony Monday . . . Defending national champion Bowdoin is ranked No. 1 in the National Field Hockey Coaches' preseason Division 3 poll.