Basketball notes: Patrick Ewing to coach Georgetown

Georgetown hired Patrick Ewing as head coach Monday, bringing the Hoyas legend back to campus to take over a program that had fallen on hard times over the past two seasons.

Ewing led the Hoyas to the school’s only national championship in 1984 and now he takes over for the son of the man who coached him at Georgetown.

“My four years at Georgetown were the best of my life,” Ewing said in a statement issued by the school. “Georgetown is my home and it is a great honor for me to return to my alma mater and serve as the next head coach. I have been preparing to be a head coach for many years and can’t wait to return to the Hilltop.”

John Thompson III, the son of John Thompson, was fired last month after consecutive losing seasons.

Ewing has been an assistant coach with the NBA’s Charlotte Hornets and had hoped for years to land a head coaching job in the pros. He also served as an assistant for Washington, Houston and Orlando and spent every July coaching the Hornets’ summer league team, never acting entitled despite his Hall of Fame credentials.

Etc.

Kentucky freshman De’Aaron Fox says he will enter the NBA draft and hire an agent, becoming the first of several Wildcats underclassmen who could leave after reaching the Elite Eight this season. The 6-foot-3 guard scored a career-high 39 points against UCLA in the South Regional semifinals.

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The University at Buffalo is cutting four sports programs, including baseball, in a restructuring aimed at saving the athletic department $2 million a year. The Mid-American Conference school also is eliminating men’s soccer, men’s swimming and diving, and women’s rowing to bring the number of teams to 16.

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Karl-Anthony Towns had 34 points and 12 rebounds and the Minnesota Timberwolves ended Portland’s six-game winning streak with a 110-109 victory over the Trail Blazers. Damian Lillard scored 25 points for Portland, but he made only seven of 21 shots.

Both teams are set up for difficult back-to-backs because this game had to be shoe-horned into the schedule. It was originally scheduled to be played on March 6, but condensation on the court forced the postponement.

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The Sparks have hired former Wisconsin women’s coach Bobbie Kelsey as an assistant coach.