Tar Heels’ Jamison Stands Alone on All-America Team

Only three schools were needed to make up the Associated Press All-America starting five.

Antawn Jamison of North Carolina was the top vote-getter on the team. He was joined by Arizona guards Mike Bibby and Miles Simon and Kansas teammates Raef LaFrentz and Paul Pierce.

These are the sixth and seventh sets of teammates voted to the first team, and the first since Larry Johnson and Stacey Augmon of Nevada Las Vegas in 1991.

Jamison, a junior forward, was one vote shy of being a unanimous selection of the national media panel, the same group that selects the top 25 every week.

LaFrentz, the only returning All-American from last season, became the third repeat selection in the ‘90s, joining Tim Duncan of Wake Forest last year and Shaquille O’Neal of Louisiana State in 1992.

Jamison, the Atlantic Coast Conference player of the year and a second-team All-America last year, was voted to the first team on all but one of the 70 three-team ballots and had 348 points.

Bibby, the sophomore guard and Pacific 10 player of the year, had 68 first-team votes and 346 points in the 5-3-1 point system.

The Kansas teammates were third and fourth in the voting. LaFrentz, the Big 12 player of the year the last two seasons, had 65 first-team votes and 340 points, 39 more than Pierce, the junior forward who received 51 first-team votes.

Simon, the Final Four MVP last season as a junior, received 18 first-team votes and 162 points.

Sophomore Richard Hamilton of Connecticut, the Big East player of the year, led the second team and was joined by Ansu Sesay of Mississippi, Mateen Cleaves of Michigan State, Vince Carter of North Carolina and Pat Garrity of Notre Dame.

The third team was Lee Nailon of Texas Christian, Matt Harpring of Georgia Tech, Trajan Langdon of Duke, Michael Dickerson of Arizona and Bonzi Wells of Ball State.

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By noon today, Indiana University must decide whether to pay a fine or suspend Coach Bob Knight for the Hoosiers’ first-round NCAA tournament game.

On Tuesday, the Big Ten rejected Indiana’s appeal of the disciplinary action previously ordered against the basketball coach and also turned down the university’s request for a hearing.

The league stipulated that a suspension would be served immediately and not held over until next season. Indiana plays Oklahoma in a first-round NCAA tournament game on Thursday.

The discipline involves a series of incidents involving Knight that took place during and after a game with Illinois on Feb. 24. Knight received three technicals from referee Ted Valentine during the game and then sharply criticized the officiating in public remarks after the game.

There were reports that Valentine also was being disciplined by not being able to referee in the Big Ten for the first two months next season.

The Big Ten reportedly gave Knight a choice between a one-game suspension or a $10,000 fine. However, neither the conference nor Indiana has confirmed the amount of the fine.

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Jerry Tarkanian will return as Fresno State coach for at least one more season.

Tarkanian has agreed to a one-year extension of his contract with options to renew again for the two seasons after that and 2001 campaigns.

His $95,760 base salary will be renewed for next year, said Athletic Director Al Bohl. The Fresno Bee estimated that Tarkanian’s total income approaches $400,000 a year including revenue from broadcasting, a shoe contract and endorsements.

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Niagara fired Coach Jack Armstrong, 34, who had only two winning seasons during a nine-year stint.

The Purple Eagles were 14-12 before losing to Loyola in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference playoffs. Armstrong was 100-154 at Niagara, his best season a 23-7 record in 1993.

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Montana Coach Blaine Taylor was suspended for the first game of the 1998-99 season for bad-mouthing the officiating at last week’s Big Sky Conference tournament.

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Bo Ellis, an assistant coach at Marquette the last 10 years and a three-time All-American at the school, was named men’s coach at Chicago State.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

EAST REGIONAL

FIRST-ROUND GAMES, THURSDAY

Hartford, Conn.

1. North Carolina (30-3) 9:15 a.m.

16. Navy (19-10)

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8. North Carolina Char. (19-10)*

9. Illinois Chicago (22-5)

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4. Michigan State (20-7)*

13. Eastern Michigan (20-9)

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5. Princeton (26-1) 4:30 p.m.

12. UNLV (20-12)

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Washington

2. Connecticut (29-4)*

15. Farleigh Dickinson (23-6)

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7. Indiana (19-11) 4:30 p.m.

10. Oklahoma (22-10)

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3. South Carolina (23-7)*

14. Richmond (22-7)

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6. Xavier (22-7) 9:15 a.m.

11. Washington (18-9)

WEST REGIONAL

FIRST-ROUND GAMES, THURSDAY

Sacramento

1. Arizona (27-4)*

16. Nicholls State (19-9)

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8. Tennessee (20-8) 4:45 P.M.

9. Illinois State (24-5)

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4. Maryland (19-10) 11:30 a.m.

13. Utah State (25-7)

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5. Illinois (22-9)*

12. South Alabama (21-6)

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Boise, Idaho

2. Cincinnati (26-5)*

15. Northern Arizona (21-7)

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7. Temple (21-8) 9:30 a.m.

10. West Virginia (22-8)

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3. Utah (25-3) 4:45 p.m.

14. San Francisco (19-10)

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6. Arkansas (23-8)*

11. Nebraska (20-11)

SOUTH REGIONAL

FIRST-ROUND GAMES, FRIDAY

Lexington, Ky.

1. Duke (29-3)*

16. Radford (20-9)

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8. Oklahoma State (21-6) 4:30 P.M.

9. George Washington (24-8)

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4. New Mexico (23-7)*

13. Butler (22-10)

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5. Syracuse (24-8) 9:15 a.m.

12. Iona (27-5)

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Atlanta

2. Kentucky (29-4) 9:15 a.m.

15. South Carolina State (22-7)

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7. Massachusetts (21-10)*

10. Saint Louis (21-10)

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3. Michigan (24-8) 4:30 p.m.

14. Davidson (20-9)

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6. UCLA (22-8)*

11. Miami (18-9)

MIDWEST REGIONAL

FIRST-ROUND GAMES, FRIDAY

Oklahoma City

1. Kansas: (34-3)*

16. Prairie View: (13-16)

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8. Rhode Island: (22-8) 4:45 p.m.

9. Murray State: (29-3)

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4. Mississippi: (22-6) 9:30 a.m.

13. Valparaiso: (21-9)

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5. Texas Christian: (27-5)*

12. Florida State: (17-13)

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Chicago

2. Purdue: (26-7) 4:45 p.m.

15. Delaware: (20-9)

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7. St. John’s: (22-9)*

10. Detroit: (24-5)

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3. Stanford: (26-4)*

14. College of Charleston: (24-5)

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6. Clemson: (18-13) 9:30 a.m.

11. Western Michigan: (20-7)

* Thirty minutes after previous game

ALL TIMES PACIFIC