UPI NewsTrack Sports

Mississippi State football coach resigns

STARKVILLE, Miss., Nov. 29 (UPI) -- Mississippi State football Coach Sylvester Croom resigned Saturday, one day after the Bulldogs ended their season with a 45-0 loss to Ole Miss.

Croom, the first African-American football coach in the Southeastern Conference, directed the Bulldogs to a 21-38 record, including 4-8 this season, in his five years at the helm..

"Five years ago, Mississippi State gave me the unprecedented opportunity to be a head football coach in the Southeastern Conference and to build a program based upon a strong foundation," Croom said. "I believe the foundation has been set for those goals to be reached under the leadership of someone else, and it was my decision to resign."

Mississippi State had just one winning season under Croom, an 8-5 finish last year that included a victory over UCF in the Liberty Bowl.

The former Alabama star was an assistant at his alma mater from 1977-86, then spent 17 seasons as an assistant in the NFL.

Florida wide receiver Hardin injures ankle

TALLAHASSEE, Fla., Nov. 29 (UPI) -- Florida wide receiver Percy Harvin injured his right ankle Saturday in the third-ranked Gators' 45-15 win over No. 23 Florida State.

Harvin, tackled from behind and hit from the front, twisted to the ground with 6:44 left in the half. Harvin remained on the field before limping off with the help of trainers, keeping the weight off his right foot.

He was attended to on the sideline, and didn't return to the game. It is unknown if he will be able to play in next Saturday's game for the Southeastern Conference championship against top-ranked, undefeated Alabama.

Harvin has been important in the Gators' success this season. He leads the team in pass receptions with 35 for a team-high 595 yards and seven touchdowns. He also has rushed for 525 yards and eight touchdowns.

Orlando Magic guard out with thumb injury

ORLANDO, Fla., Nov. 29 (UPI) -- Orlando Magic guard Mikael Pietrus will miss three-to-six weeks with a torn right thumb ligament, the Orlando Sentinel reported.

The 6-foot-6 inch native of Les Abymes, Guadeloupe, played with the injury in Thursday's 105-90 win at Washington, but an MRI on Friday revealed the extent of the damage, which actually occurred in Orlando's 96-94 victory at Philadelphia on Wednesday.

"I was playing with some pain because I was trying to be tough," the Magic's primary three-point shooter told the newspaper. "But sometimes you have to take care of the injury."

Teammate Keith Bogans, who suffered a similar injury earlier this month, told Pietrus to expect to wear a cast for six weeks.

"Now I think I can learn and watch my teammates play, and when I get back, bring them the energy that I used to bring," Pietrus said Saturday after he watched the Magic's shootaround.

Notre Dame basketball star out with pneumonia

SOUTH BEND, Ind., Nov. 29 (UPI) -- Eighth-ranked Notre Dame has lost forward Luke Harangody indefinitely because of pneumonia.

The Big East Conference school said on its Web site Saturday that no timetable has been set for the return of the 6-foot-8 inch, 255-pound junior from Schereville, Ind.

"There's no timetable set right now in terms of when Luke is going to be able to play in a game," said Coach Mike Brey. "We're going to be very careful and cautious with his illness. Our immediate concern is Luke and his health."

The potential all-American became ill following Notre Dame's 81-80 win over seventh-ranked Texas in the semifinals of the EA Sports Maui Invitational, but played in the 102-85 loss to top-ranked North Carolina in the championship game on Thursday.

In seven games, Harangody leads the Fighting Irish with 22.6 points and 11.2 rebounds per contest