In an expected move, the University of Louisville Athletic Association’s Board of Directors on Monday voted unanimously to fire men’s basketball coach Rick Pitino.

The decision came 19 days after Louisville acknowledged that its men’s basketball program was being investigated as part of a federal corruption probe and Pitino was placed on unpaid administrative leave for his alleged role in funneling $100,000 to the family of an unnamed recruit.

On Oct. 2, the athletic association board, which is composed of trustees, faculty members, students and administrators, voted to begin the process of terminating Pitino’s contract for cause. Pitino’s lawyers appeared before the board on Monday and submitted an affidavit on the coach’s behalf that rejected the association’s right to fire him for cause.

Pitino coached 16 years at Louisville and led the Cardinals to the 2013 NCAA championship. He was the highest paid coach in college basketball with a 2017-18 salary of nearly $7.8 million.

FOOTBALL: UMaine running back Josh Mack and quarterback Chris Ferguson were honored by the Colonial Athletic Association after the Black Bears’ 51-27 win over Rhode Island on Saturday.

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Mack was named the offensive player of the week after rushing for 248 yards and a touchdown, while Ferguson was named the rookie of the week after throwing for five touchdowns.

GOLF

WOODS PRACTICING: Tiger Woods is swinging a driver and his agent says doctors have cleared him to practice without limitations.

Still to be determined is when Woods can play a tournament.

Mark Steinberg, his agent at Excel Sports Management, says Woods received a good report from doctors who performed fusion surgery on his lower back in April. On Sunday, Woods posted a video of himself hitting a driver. “Making progress,” he tweeted.

Woods has not played since withdrawing from the Dubai Desert Classic on Feb. 3 because of back spasms. He had his fourth back surgery two months later.

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HOCKEY

NHL: Ottawa defenseman Erik Karlsson will make his season debut when the Senators host the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday night.

The two-time Norris Trophy winner missed Ottawa’s first five games of the season after undergoing offseason surgery to fix tendons in his left foot.

Nikita Kucherov scored his second goal of the game with 18:13 remaining in the third period, lifting the Tampa Bay Lightning to a 3-2 victory over the Detroit Red Wings on Monday night in Detroit.

SOCCER

FIFA RANKINGS: FIFA has confirmed the seven highest-ranked nations joining host Russia as top seeds in the World Cup finals draw.

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France rises one place to No. 7 to edge Spain, as defending champion Germany heads an unchanged top six.

After a busy qualifying program last week, Brazil, Portugal, Argentina, Belgium and Poland are also top-seeded for the Dec. 1 draw in Moscow.

Mexico at No. 16 heads CONCACAF teams. The eliminated United States is No. 27.

BASKETBALL

WNBA: Katie Smith is the new coach of the New York Liberty.

Smith has been an assistant with the Liberty since she retired from the WNBA in 2013. She was promoted to associate head coach in 2016.


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