UPI NewsTrack Sports

Hansbrough named college player of year

SAN ANTONIO, April 4 (UPI) -- North Carolina star Tyler Hansbrough was awarded the Oscar Robertson Trophy Friday as the nation's top college basketball player.

The U.S. Basketball Writers Association presented the trophy at its annual college basketball awards breakfast in San Antonio.

Hansbrough has led the Tar Heels to 36 wins going into their game against Kansas in the NCAA Tournament semifinals Saturday.

Hansbrough.of Poplar Bluff, Mo., was named the top college freshman player by the basketball writers two years ago.

The North Carolina forward, who has averaged more than 23 points and 10 rebounds per game, was named Atlantic Coast Conference player-of-the-year this season.

Hansbrough is the fourth North Carolina player to win the Robertson trophy. The others were Phil Ford (1978), Michael Jordan (1984) and Antawn Jamison (1998).

Robertson, a member of basketball's Hall of Fame, was an all-America college player and all-star in the NBA. In 1996, he was named one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history.

Loyola-Marymount hires Bill Bayno

LOS ANGELES, April 4 (UPI) -- Loyola-Marymount University Friday hired former UNLV coach and Portland Trail Blazers assistant Bill Bayno as coach of its men's basketball team.

Bayno succeeds Rodney Tention.

UNLV had a 95-65 record under Bayno from 1995 to 2000. The school fired him during the 2000-01 season.

Tention, who had a 30-61 record as coach of the Lions, resigned last month. LMU won just five games this season.

Dr. William Husak, LMU's athletic director, said Bayno would be officially introduced at a news conference Wednesday.

Foot injury ends Shawn Marion's season

MIAMI, April 4 (UPI) -- A foot injury has ended the 2007-08 NBA season of Miami Heat forward Shawn Marion.

The Florida South Sentinel reported that the 6-foot-7, 230-pound Marion was diagnosed with plantar fasciitis in his left foot and heel.

The injury, which affects ligaments, causes weakness and swelling.

Marion was already bothered by back spasms that forced him to miss 11 of the past 12 games.

"The back is a problem," Marion told the newspaper, "but I've had trouble with my heel and foot for years."

The Heat acquired Marion from Phoenix for Shaquille O'Neal in a Feb. 6 trade.

Other Heat players out for the season include Dwyane Wade (knee), Udonis Haslem (ankle), Alonzo Mourning (knee) and Dorell Wright (knee).

"I don't even think about it anymore," Coach Pat Riley said. "We're just moving on and finishing the season."

Niya Butts named Arizona women's coach

TUCSON, April 4 (UPI) -- Niya Butts, who has been an assistant at Kentucky for five years, is the new women's basketball coach at the University of Arizona.

Butts succeeds Joan Bonvicini, who was fired last month.

Prior to her stint at Kentucky, Butts was an assistant at Michigan State.

"It is an amazing feeling to be the head coach at Arizona," Butts said after being named to the new job Thursday. "This is the opportunity I have been waiting for."

Bonvicini had a record of 287-223 in 17 seasons at Arizona. The 2007-2008 team finished at 10-20 overall and 4-14 in the Pac-10.