SPORTS BRIEFS: Darton women drop first game

Darton women’s basketball drops first game

The Darton State College women’s basketball team lost its first game of the season Sunday afternoon, falling to Cape Fear 74-68 on the final day of the South Georgia Tech Classic in Americus.

The Lady Cavaliers (7-1) were led by Tamarah Fisher’s 24 points and 10 rebounds. Jeslynn Mahone finished with 12 points, while Shaineequah Fluellyn added 10 points.

Darton will play at Andrew College on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.

Nebraska fired after seven seasons at Nebraska

Bo Pelini was fired as Nebraska’s football coach on Sunday after a seven-year stint marked by an inability to restore the program to national prominence and too many embarrassing defeats.

Pelini extended his streak of winning at least nine games every season with a 37-34 overtime win at Iowa on Friday but he never won a conference championship and his teams lost four games in every season he completed.

Pelini was 66-27 and led the Cornhuskers to three league championship games in the Big 12 and Big Ten.

“Earlier this morning I informed Coach Bo Pelini of our decision to move forward in a new direction,” athletic director Shawn Eichorst said in a statement. “Coach Pelini served our University admirably for seven years and led our football program’s transition to the Big Ten Conference.”

Asked for comment, Pelini wrote in a text to The Associated Press, “I’m good. Thanks for asking!”

Quarterback Tommy Armstrong Jr. tweeted, “Biggest mistake you ever made…. Bo was the best coach I’ve ever had and I’ll always appreciate the things you taught me.”

Associate head coach Barney Cotton, a Nebraska alum, will be the interim head coach for the Cornhuskers’ bowl game.

Pelini was under contract through February 2019. The university will owe him a settlement of about $7.5 million, which can be reduced by a certain amount once he lands another job.

76ers set franchise record to start season

After setting a franchise record for losses to start the season, the 76ers continued to focus on long-term goals.

Tyson Chandler had 20 points and 13 rebounds to help the Dallas Mavericks beat Philadelphia 110-103 on Saturday night, sending the 76ers to a 16th straight loss to start the season.

Michael Carter-Williams had a triple-double with 18 points, 16 assists and 10 rebounds for the 76ers, who eclipsed the 1972-73 club that began 0-15 on the way to setting an 82-game NBA record for fewest victories at 9-73. Philadelphia became the fifth team in league history to open with at least 16 straight losses, joining the 1994-95 Clippers (0-16), 1998-99 Clippers (0-17), 1988-89 Heat (0-17) and the 2009-10 Nets (0-18).

“I’m fine and I don’t want those guys worrying about any record,” Philadelphia coach Brett Brown said. “We just have to keep our group together and move them along. I have so much respect for that group because their spirit has not been broken.”

Philadelphia, with a roster of draft picks and young, undrafted players, is sacrificing victories to build for the future. Of the 12 players Brown played versus Dallas, only Luc Mbah a Moute has more than two years of NBA experience.