Briefs for print
In college basketball
Freshman Eric Williams Jr. poured in a career-high 34 points, hitting 9 of 15 from 3-point range, and grabbed 11 rebounds for his third straight double-double and ninth of the season as Duquesne held off George Mason 95-89 in double overtime on Saturday.
Williams struck the telling blow for the Dukes (14-6, 5-2 Atlantic 10 Conference) when he nailed a three-pointer with 41 seconds left in the second OT after George Mason’s Jaire Grayer tied the game at 89-89 on a trey with 61 seconds to play. Duquesne, which shot just 59 percent from the foul line, hit three free throws in the final 19 seconds to preserve the win.
Mike Lewis II scored 20 for the Dukes, while Rene Castro-Caneddy added 14 points and seven rebounds. Tydus Verhoeven had only four points, but the freshman added eight boards, five assists and a career-best nine blocked shots with five of those coming in the final five minutes.
Justin Kier paced the Patriots (9-11, 3-4) with a career-high 27 points on 10-of-15 shooting. Grayer chipped in with 22 points and a career-best 15 rebounds for his fifth double-double of the campaign. Otis Livingston II scored 12 with six assists and four steals.
- Blake
- Francis scored 19 points, sparked a breakaway run in the second half and Wagner climbed into a first-place tie in the Northeast Conference with Robert Morris, defeating the Colonials 62-49.
Each team is 6-2 in conference, a game up on the field.
Francis scored eight of his points in a 16-5 run as Wagner (13-6) broke open a six-point game to lead by 18, 56-38, with 5:40 remaining.
Robert Morris (12-9) was held to eight baskets in 35 tries in the second half and finished the game shooting 27 percent (18 of 66).
JoJo Cooper and Romone Saunders scored 11 points each for Wagner, which has won five of its last six games. Cooper added 12 rebounds and eight assists.
The win gave sixth-year coach Bashir Mason his 100th at Wagner.
Koby Thomas led the Colonials with 16 points and 12 rebounds.
Vrabel named
Titans head coach
The Tennessee Titans hired Houston defensive coordinator Mike Vrabel as their new coach in a fast search that wrapped up after three interviews and just five days after firing Mike Mularkey.
The Titans announced Saturday they have agreed to terms with Vrabel. A news conference was scheduled for Monday.
Vrabel was the first person Tennessee interviewed after firing Mularkey on Monday. Mularkey, who also coached Buffalo and Jacksonville, went 21-22 and led the franchise to its first playoff victory in 14 years . This will be Vrabel’s first head coaching job after 18 years in the NFL – 14 as a player and four as a coach.
Titans owner Amy Adams Strunk said in a statement it was easy to see Vrabel’s commanding presence and relationship with general manager Jon Robinson. The GM got his start in the NFL as a scout with the New England Patriots, where Vrabel won three Super Bowls as a linebacker.
The Titans became the seventh NFL team to change coaches since the start of the season, and now they are the third to hire their replacement, joining Oakland and Chicago. The Indianapolis Colts are closing in on Josh McDaniels but can’t hire him until the Patriots’ season ends. Arizona , Detroit and New York Giants have yet to hire new coaches.
Tennessee also interviewed Carolina defensive coordinator Steve Wilks – who satisfied the Rooney rule requiring teams to interview at least one minority candidate – and Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur.
The 42-year-old Vrabel is coming off his first season as defensive coordinator for the Texans. Vrabel’s 14-year career as a player included stints with Pittsburgh under coach Bill Cowher and New England under coach Bill Belichick, along with Kansas City. In 2011, he joined the staff at his alma mater, Ohio State, coaching linebackers and defensive linemen.
Vrabel went to Houston in 2014 and coached linebackers with the Texans for three seasons before becoming coordinator. The Texans won the AFC South in 2015 and 2016 thanks in part to strong defenses. The unit slipped this season amid injuries to players including J.J. Watt and Whitney Mercilus.