With the program under investigation and a second straight losing season just completed, the University of Connecticut fired men’s basketball coach Kevin Ollie on Saturday. Just four years after Ollie led his alma mater to an NCAA title, the university said it has “initiated disciplinary procedures’’ to dismiss him for “just cause.’’ The school says it would have no further comment until its disciplinary process and the NCAA inquiry are complete. The scope of the investigation is not clear. Ollie was in the second year of a five-year deal valued at $17.9 million that was signed amid reports he was a candidate for several NBA jobs. He is not owed the remainder of his contract if fired for just cause, which includes serious NCAA violations. The team went 14-18 this season, including 7-11 in the American Athletic Conference. Ollie, a former UConn guard who played 13 seasons in the NBA, was 127-79 in his six seasons leading the Huskies. He replaced Hall of Fame coach Jim Calhoun for the 2012-13 season and led UConn to the 2014 title . . . Georgia fired men’s basketball coach Mark Fox after a disappointing regular season and a loss to Kentucky in the quarterfinals of the SEC tournament.
BASEBALL
Lynn, Twins reach one-year pact
According to reports, the Twins have signed righthander Lance Lynn. MLB.com reported the deal is for one year at $12 million. Lynn turned down a $17.4 million qualifying offer from the Cardinals earlier this offseason. The 30-year-old Lynn went 11-8 with a 3.43 earned run average in 2017, his first season back from Tommy John surgery . . . Major League Baseball suspended Royals outfielder Jorge Bonifacio for 80 games after he tested positive for the performance-enhancing substance Boldenone . . . White Sox outfield prospect Luis Robert will miss 10 weeks with a sprained left thumb ligament sustained when he slid into second base on a steal last week.
TENNIS
Williams sisters set up Indian Wells clash
Serena and Venus Williams each won at the BNP Paribas Open to set up a third-round clash Monday in Indian Wells, Calif. Serena got by No. 29 seed Kiki Bertens, 7-6 (7-5), 7-5, in the second round, while older sister Venus downed Sorana Cirstea, 6-3, 6-4. Serena leads Venus, 17-11, all-time and has won eight of their last nine meetings, most recently last year’s Australian Open final. American wild card Danielle Collins beat US Open finalist Madison Keys, 6-3, 7-6 (7-1). Defending champ Elena Vesnina ousted American CiCi Bellis, 2-6, 6-1, 6-1, and No. 4 seed Elina Svitolina beat Mona Barthel, 6-4, 6-3. On the men’s side, fifth seed Dominic Thiem beat Stefanos Tsitsipas, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3, and No. 7 Kevin Anderson beat Evgeny Donskoy, 7-5, 6-4.
ALPINE SKIING
Shiffrin captures her fifth slalom title
Mikaela Shiffrin added to her growing list of achievements, securing her fifth World Cup slalom title in Ofterschwang, Germany, a day after locking up her second straight overall championship. The American also set a World Cup record as the first 22-year-old skier, male or female, with 42 World Cup wins. Shiffrin turns 23 on Tuesday. Shiffrin clinched the title when Slovakian Petra Vlhova failed to get a top-two result. Shiffrin edged Wendy Holdener of Switzerland by 0.09 seconds. Olympic champ Frida Hansdotter of Sweden was third, and Vlhova fourth. It was the Shiffrin’s fifth slalom title in six seasons. Only Swiss great Vreni Schneider won more slalom titles (6). Shiffrin’s 11th win was a personal best, though Schneider (14 in 1988-89) and American Lindsey Vonn (12 in 2011-12) won more races in a single season . . . Rookie Robert Wickens snatched the pole from Will Power for Sunday’s season-opening IndyCar race through St. Petersburg, Fla. Power shot to the top of the board with less than a minute left in the qualifying session, but Wickens bumped him at the buzzer with a lap of 1 minute, 01.66 . . . Milwaukee Bucks general manager Jon Horst said the club has requested waivers on forward Mirza Teletovic, who has been sidelined since December because of pulmonary embolisms in both lungs . . . Jockey Javier Castellano and Bolt d'Oro won the $400,000 San Felipe Stakes after even-money favorite McKinzie was disqualified for interference at Santa Anita . . . Ridden by Florent Geroux, 19-1 underdog Quip won the $400,000 Tampa Bay Derby in Florida by a length over Flameaway, running 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.72 . . . Ronnie Franklin, who as a 19-year-old rode Spectacular Bid to 1979 Kentucky Derby and Preakness wins, died. He was 58. Walter Cullum said his uncle died of lung cancer in Baltimore on Thursday.
