NEW YORK (AP) — Fordham coach Keith Urgo, his program under investigation for recruiting violations, was fired Thursday following the Rams' second straight losing season and a last-place finish in the Atlantic 10.
Athletic director Charlie Guthrie announced a national search for a successor to Urgo, who was promoted from assistant coach after Kyle Neptune left for Villanova in 2022.
The Rams went 25-8 and tied for second in the Atlantic 10 in Urgo's first season, and he was named conference coach of the year. Fordham slipped to 13-20 last season, and the Rams lost nine of their last 10 games this season to finish 12-21.
The school announced Jan. 16 it was self-imposing a four-game suspension of Urgo as part of its investigation with the NCAA. The Rams went 2-2 with associate head coach Tray Woodall leading the team.
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FILE - Fordham head coach Keith Urgo during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Dayton in the semifinals of the Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament, Saturday, March 11, 2023, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II, File)
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Madina Okot had 14 points and 13 rebounds before fouling out late and ninth-seeded Mississippi State beat California 59-46 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday.
Eniya Russell added 14 points for the Bulldogs (22-11), who are back in March Madness for the first time in two years. They lost in the national title game in 2017 and 2018.
Michelle Onyiah led the eighth-seeded Golden Bears with 17 points and 15 rebounds despite four fouls. Lulu Twidale added 13 points before fouling out in the final seconds.
Cal's only lead was by one point in the first quarter, when the Bears managed just five points. They recovered to play the Bulldogs evenly in the second but trailed 26-19 at halftime.
The Bears (25-9) capped their first season in the Atlantic Coast Conference by making the NCAAs for the first time since 2019, when current USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb was in charge.
The Bears got within six in the third quarter only to see the Bulldogs close on a 9-3 run to lead 41-29 going into the fourth. Four players scored in the spurt.
The Bears committed 24 turnovers and got outscored 32-18 in the paint and 15-0 in bench points.
Mississippi State will play JuJu Watkins and top-seeded USC in the second round on Monday at Galen Center. The Bulldogs last made the Sweet 16 in 2019.
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Mississippi State center Madina Okot (15) drives to the basket against California forward Marta Suarez (7) during the first half in the first round of the NCAA college basketball tournament Saturday, March 22, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)
