Sports briefly: Ex-Spartans coach Heathcote dies at 90

Jud Heathcote, who led Michigan State and Magic Johnson to the 1979 NCAA championship, has died. He was 90.

Heathcote died Monday in Spokane, Wash., according to Michigan State.

Spartans coach Tom Izzo was hired by Heathcote and was promoted to replace him when he retired in 1995.

Heathcote won three Big Ten titles and appeared in nine NCAA tournaments during his 19-year career at Michigan State. He got his start as a head coach in college at Montana in 1971.

"The basketball world is a sadder place today with the passing of Jud Heathcote," Spartans coach Tom Izzo said. "No one cared more about the welfare of the game than Jud. He was a coach's coach and a mentor to many. Our hearts are filled with sadness and deepest sympathy for his wife Beverly and the Heathcote family.

"Without a doubt, he was one of the most influential people in my life, giving me a chance when no one else would. Any coaching success I've ever had is because of him. Long after he left Michigan State, he was still one of the first people I would call when I had a tough decision in coaching or in life.

"Michigan State has lost one of its icons today. And yet, nothing can erase his impact on the program, the players he coached and the coaches he mentioned. Spartan basketball is what it is today because of Jud Heathcote."

"Art Briles will no longer be joining the Hamilton Tiger-Cats as a coach," read a statement release Monday night from the CFL and Tiger-Cats.

"We came to this decision this evening following a lengthy discussion between the league and the Hamilton organization. We wish Mr. Briles all the best in his future endeavors."

The 61-year-old Briles was fired in May 2016 by Baylor after an investigation by a law firm found that over several years the school mishandled numerous sexual assault allegations, including some against football players.

Russian figure skater Yulia Lipnitskaya retired at the age of 19 following a battle with anorexia.

Lipnitskaya won gold in the team event at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi when she was 15, becoming the youngest Olympic skating champion since 1936.

Lipnitskaya's mother, Daniela, told Russia's Tass news agency that her daughter informed Russian skating officials of her retirement in April following three months of treatment for anorexia.

She became a symbol of the Sochi Olympics for many Russians. But she struggled to cope with fame. She complained in November 2014 that she had lost her freedom and felt "constant stress" when trying to live up to her fans' expectations.

NHL: New York Rangers Hall of Famer Jean Ratelle will have his No. 19 raised to the rafters at Madison Square Garden, the same season Eric Lindros will have his No. 88 retired by the Philadelphia Flyers.

NBA: Nerlens Noel signed his $4.1 million qualifying offer from the Mavericks.