No. 1 Tar Heels win 12th straight
CHAPEL HILL, N.C., Dec. 27 (UPI) -- Tyler Hansbrough scored 26 points and Wayne Ellington made five three-pointers Thursday, leading No. 1 North Carolina past Nevada 106-70.
The Tar Heels ran their record to 12-0, their best start to a season since they won their first 17 games in the 1998-99 season. It is also their longest winning streak since they won 14 games during the 2004-05 campaign.
Ellington finished with 23 points and Ty Lawson added 16 and 10 assists.
Nevada (7-5) was led by Armon Johnson with 23 points and Marcelus Kemp with 19. The Wolf Pack had won their previous five games.
North Carolina put together a 24-2 run that spanned the halves. The Tar Heels scored 13 of the last 15 points in the first period and the first 11 of the second.
Bulls make Boylan interim coach
CHICAGO, Dec. 27 (UPI) -- Assistant Jim Boylan was named interim head coach of the Chicago Bulls Thursday, and will guide the team at least for the rest of the 2007-08 season.
Boylan succeeds Scott Skiles, who was fired Christmas Eve after the Bulls had compiled a 9-16 record.
"I feel comfortable giving (Boylan) the interim head coaching position," said John Paxon, the team's executive vice president of basketball operations.
"Jim has paid his dues as an assistant coach and has his own ideas on the way he wants us to play. Many top assistants never get the chance to be a head coach in the NBA and Jim has assured me he will provide the necessary energy and commitment this position requires."
Boylan, 52, is in his fourth season with the Bulls.
He was also an assistant at Cleveland under Mike Fratello, Vancouver under Brian Hill, at Phoenix when Skiles was there and Atlanta under Terry Stotts.
Joe Sakic slated for hernia surgery
DENVER, Dec. 27 (UPI) -- The Colorado Avalanche announced Thursday captain Joe Sakic would undergo hernia surgery and miss most of the rest of the season.
Sakic, 38, has not played since Nov. 30. The recovery time for the surgery is usually eight to 12 weeks.
"Joe's rehabilitation has not progressed as anticipated and upon further evaluation the decision has been made to perform surgery in order for him to fully recover," Avalanche team doctor Andy Parker said.
Sakic had played in 232 straight games before suffering the injury. He has seven goals and 15 assists this season.
"After consulting with the doctors we believe this procedure will enable me to return to the lineup," Sakic said.
NFL fines two Oakland players
NEW YORK, Dec. 27 (UPI) -- The NFL announced Thursday fines had been levied against Oakland defensive linemen Warren Sapp and Derrick Burgess.
Both were fined for their actions toward game officials during last Sunday's game at Jacksonville.
Sapp was fined $75,000 for making physical contact and yelling at an official. He received three unsportsmanlike conduct penalties and was kicked out of the game.
Burgess was fined $25,000 for verbally abusing an official in the same incident.
Sapp and Burgess both confronted the officials with 21 seconds left in the first half. Sapp had to be restrained by teammates and defensive line coach Keith Millard after being ejected from the game.
Referee Jerome Bogar said after the game that Sapp had been ejected for bumping umpire Garth DeFelice, but Sapp denied touching the official.
