LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Rick Pitino refused to disclose the medical problem that forced him to take a two-day leave from Louisville but said nothing was seriously wrong.
"There is a diagnosis to it all, but it's really not worth going into," Pitino said Friday. "All I can say is this will not take away from me coaching Louisville for another eight or 10 years. I've got a clean bill of health."
Pitino, 51, rejoined his team Thursday after two days of tests at the Cleveland Clinic probed the cause of a "urological-related" pain that has persisted in his left side for months. Pitino said Tuesday that the source was not cancer-related or life-threatening.
"I know what I don't have, but I had to have answers," Pitino said of his visit to the clinic.
SEC SUSPENDS TWO: Vanderbilt's Corey Smith and South Carolina's Renaldo Balkman were suspended for one game for fighting. Balkman hit Smith in the first half Wednesday and was ejected for a flagrant foul, and Smith threw Balkman to the ground and hit him.
SFA PLAYER DIES: Greg Wallace, a junior transfer sitting out this season at Stephen F. Austin, collapsed and died while shooting baskets. A cause of death has not been determined.
State
JU 77, GEORGIA ST. 75: Haminn Quaintance put back a miss with three seconds left to lift the Dolphins (9-10, 4-8 Atlantic Sun). The Panthers (13-6, 8-4) were trying to tie a school record of eight consecutive home victories.
MERCER 76, STETSON 62: James Odoms and Delmar Wilson scored 16 each for the Bears (9-12, 6-6 A-Sun), who won their second straight in the new University Center. Kevin Craig scored 16 for the Hatters (7-11, 5-7).
WARNER SOUTHERN: A paperwork mixup forced the school to forfeit 20 games this season because of an ineligible player, the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics ruled.
The NAIA said no medical hardship papers could be found for senior guard Ryan Menten, who needed approval for a medical redshirt to play in his fifth year of eligibility, the Ledger of Lakeland reported. The Royals go from 13-9 to 1-21.
Women
NO.2 DUKE 75, N.C. STATE 56: Alana Beard scored 21 to help the host Blue Devils (16-2, 7-0) rally to their 50th straight ACC win. Beard and Iciss Tillis scored seven each during a 23-3 run that erased an early 10-point lead by the Wolfpack (10-11, 2-6 ACC).
