AUBURN, Ala. — Auburn hired Tony Barbee as coach Wednesday night after he led UTEP to the regular-season Conference USA title and the NCAA Tournament.
Barbee, a former assistant at Wyoming, will replace Jeff Lebo, fired the day after a first-round SEC Tournament loss. Barbee, 38, becomes Auburn’s first black head coach in men’s or women’s basketball.
Jacobson rewarded
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa — Northern Iowa and coach Ben Jacobson agreed to a new 10-year deal that will increase his annual salary to $450,000 starting next season, with annual raises of $25,000 throughout the length of a deal that runs through 2020.
Onuaku out for Orange
SALT LAKE CITY — Syracuse center Arinze Onuaku will not play against Butler tonight in Salt Lake City. Onuaku, who averages 10.5 points and 5.1 rebounds, has an injured right quadriceps.
Footnotes.
Tom Pecora, who compiled a 155-126 record at Hofstra over the past nine seasons, has agreed to coach at Fordham, which fired Dereck Whittenburg five games into the season.
• Oklahoma guards Tommy Mason-Griffin and Ray Willis won’t be returning to the Sooners next season.
• The University of Kansas said it plans an independent review of the athletics department’s ticket office and fundraising entity after a report said federal investigators are looking into possible illegal sale of basketball tickets.
The Associated Press
