Beard poised to coach UNLV
Arkansas-Little Rock’s Chris Beard is expected to become the next head coach at UNLV, according to multiple reports.
Beard met with UNLV officials over the weekend and reportedly has agreed in principle to a five-year deal.
Beard, 43, led Little Rock to a 30-5 record and a trip to the NCAA Tournament this season. The 12th-seeded Trojans upset fifth-seeded Purdue in double overtime in the first round before losing to fourth-seeded Iowa State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament’s Midwest Regional.
UNLV turned its attention to Beard after Cincinnati head coach Mick Cronin rejected its offer. UNLV also interviewed New Mexico State head coach Marvin Menzies over the weekend.
Sendek to coach at Santa Clara
After sitting out this past season, former Arizona State basketball coach Herb Sendek has landed a new coaching job.
According to CBS Sports, Sendek, 53, will be the new coach at Santa Clara. He replaced Kerry Keating who was fired after nine years at the helm of the Broncos.
In nine years leading the Sun Devils, Sendek compiled a 159-137 record. His teams made two NCAA Tournament appearances and four NITs. He was fired last March and remained out of coaching this past season.
Spurs’ Leonard out again
San Antonio All-Star forward Kawhi Leonard will miss his third straight game Monday night because of a right quadriceps contusion. The Spurs play the Memphis Grizzlies.
Leonard suffered the injury in a game last week against Miami.
Leonard’s quadriceps bruise isn’t considered serious, but he will have missed three straight games as the regular season winds down.
San Antonio also will be without Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker. None of the trio made the trip to Memphis as they are resting back home in San Antonio.
At 61-12, the Spurs have the second-best record in the league with only Golden State better at 66-7.
James to have rest day on Tuesday
When Cleveland hosts Houston on Tuesday, LeBron James will not be in uniform.
On Monday, Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue said James will rest.
This will be the fourth game this season James sits for precaution. The Cavs are 1-2 without him.
The Cavaliers have not fared well with James out of the lineup. They are 1-2, but did demolish Dallas two weeks ago without James.
Rangers sign F Nieves
The New York Rangers agreed to terms with forward Cristoval Nieves on an entry-level contract Monday.
Nieves, 22, played in 35 games with the University of Michigan this season, registering 31 points (10 goals, 21 assists) and 18 penalty minutes.
The 6-foot-3, 201-pound Nieves skated in 144 career games over four seasons with the Wolverines, recording 110 points (28 goals, 82 assists) and 72 penalty minutes.
Pistons sign G Brown to second 10-day contract
The Detroit Pistons signed guard Lorenzo Brown to a second 10-day contract Monday.
The 6-foot-5, 189-pound Brown, 25, holds NBA averages of 3.3 points, 2.3 assists, 1.7 rebounds and 13.2 minutes in 63 career games with the Philadelphia 76ers, Minnesota Timberwolves and Phoenix Suns. He was signed to two 10-day contracts with the Suns this season and averaged 2.5 points and 1.4 assists and 7.6 minutes in eight games.
Brown, a second-round selection (52nd overall) by the Timberwolves in the 2013 NBA draft, most recently played for the Pistons’ NBA Developmental League affiliate, the Grand Rapids Drive. He averaged 18.3 points, 5.9 assists, 5.5 rebounds and 2.1 steals in 25 games with the Drive.