Apr 1, 2021 3 min read

In college basketball

Chris Beard is leaving Texas Tech for the job at Big 12 rival Texas.

Beard said Thursday he was “thrilled and excited” to be returning to Austin, where he was a student assistant under coach Tom Penders.

Beard led the Red Raiders to an NCAA Tournament runner-up finish two seasons ago. At Texas, he will replace Shaka Smart, who left after six seasons for Marquette.

n Cade Cunningham announced that he will enter the NBA draft after a dynamic freshman season that saw him named a first-team AP All-American.

The 6-8 point guard is expected to be a high pick – possibly No. 1 overall. His decision was no surprise. He participated in Senior Night activities in Stillwater.

n Iowa’s Luka Garza, a 6-11 senior, is the Associated Press men’s college basketball player of the year after finishing second last season. He was the runaway choice for the award, receiving 50 of 63 votes.

Ayo Dosunmu of Illinois was second with six votes, followed by Oklahoma State freshman Cade Cunningham with three. Gonzaga’s Corey Kispert and Baylor’s Jared Butler each earned two votes.

n The 2022 Maui Invitational will be headlined by Arkansas, Ohio State and San Diego State.

The field also will include Arizona, Louisville, Texas Tech, Creighton, and Cincinnati for the November tournament at the Lahaina Civic Center.

n Michigan’s Juwan Howard was named the Associated Press men’s college basketball coach of the year, receiving 35 of 63 votes from a national media panel. Gonzaga’s Mark Few was second with 16 votes, and Baylor’s Scott Drew and Alabama’s Nate Oats each received five.

In golf

Camilo Villegas chipped in twice to highlight a nine-birdie round that earned him an 8-under 64 and the first-round lead at the Valero Texas Open on Thursday.

Sung Kang, a 33-year-old South Korean, is two shots back with Cameron Tringale after each carded 66 at TPC San Antonio’s Oaks Course. Jordan Spieth, whose struggles the past three years appear to be subsiding after four top-10 finishes the past two months, sits three back (67) with Seung-Yul Noh and Hideki Matsuyama.

Phil Mickelson dropped to 15 shots back when he had a 10 on the 18th hole – he took two penalty shots and another three strokes trying to get away from a greenside stream – and ended with a 79.

n Michelle Wie West was back on a major championship leaderboard at the ANA Inspiration. So was Shanshan Feng in her first tournament in 14 months.

Playing for the second straight week after a 21-month break, Wie West shot a 2-under 70, leaving her four strokes behind leader Patty Tavatanakit after the morning wave.

Feng birdied three of her last five holes for a bogey-free 67.

In the NFL

The NFL is considering a rule change that would allow teams to maintain possession of the ball after a score by substituting one offensive play for an onside kickoff attempt.

The proposal submitted by the Philadelphia Eagles is among 11 that will be voted on at the spring league meetings. This one would allow teams to keep the ball by converting a fourth-and-15 from their 25-yard line.

Another proposal from the Baltimore Ravens changes the overtime format and eliminates overtime in the preseason. It allows the winner of the overtime coin toss to choose where to spot the ball for the first play or start on offense or defense from the designated spot.