DUKE FAVORED TO WIN NCAA TITLE; MICH. ST. UNDERDOG: [Derived Headline]

DUKE FAVORED TO WIN NCAA TITLE; MICH. ST. UNDERDOG: Oddsmakers inLas Vegas say Duke is the favorite among the Final Four to win theNCAA title while Michigan State is a longshot despite its trip tothe finals last year. Oddsmaker Kenny White of Las Vegas SportsConsultants said Monday that Duke was a 7-5 favorite to win thetitle and a 2.5-point favorite to beat West Virginia in thesemifinals on Saturday night.

White says either team would likely be favored over Butler orMichigan State in the finals.

The Las Vegas-based firm that recommends betting lines to 90percent of sports books in Nevada says Butler has a 5-2 chance ofwinning the title and put West Virginia's chances at 2-1 andMichigan State's at 17-5.

The firm says Butler is favored by 1.5 points in its game againstMichigan State.

A--SETON HALL ANNOUNCES WILLARD AS BASKETBALL COACH: In becomingthe basketball coach at Seton Hall, Kevin Willard has taken on twojobs.

The first is to guide the Pirates to the next level in the BigEast and land an NCAA tournament berth.

The second might be even more important: Willard must restorepeace to the program after a number of controversies led to thefiring of Bobby Gonzalez.

The 34-year-old Willard was officially announced as Seton Hall'snew basketball coach on Monday, a little less than two weeks afterGonzalez was dismissed.

Contract terms were not disclosed.

The university also confirmed on Monday that Anne Donovan wouldbe leaving the New York Liberty of the WNBA after this season totake over the Pirates' women's basketball program. She will replacePhyllis Mangina, who resigned after 25 years.

Patrick Hobbs, the law school dean who has overseeing the schoolsathletics department since July, said that Willard was the school'stop choice even though there were indications that Fran McCaffrey ofSiena was the frontrunner until accepting a job at Iowa.

A--AP SOURCE: LAVIN TO INTERVIEW WITH ST. JOHN'S: A person closeto the situation says former UCLA coach Steve Lavin will interviewwith St. John's.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition ofanonymity Monday because there was no official announcement. St.John's athletic director Chris Monasch was unavailable for comment.

Lavin has been an ESPN analyst since UCLA fired him in 2003. Hehad a 145-78 record with UCLA, leading the school to the NCAAtournament's round of 16 five times. The Bruins reached the finaleight in 1997, his first season.

Georgia Tech coach Paul Hewitt rejected an offer from St. John'slast week. Boston College's Al Skinner interviewed on Friday. St.John's fired Norm Roberts after six seasons and has not been to theNCAA tournament since 2002.

A--NEW IOWA COACH PROMISES UP-TEMPO STYLE: As the coach whohelped lift three basketball programs from obscurity to the nationalspotlight, Fran McCaffery has earned a reputation for fixingtroubled teams.

McCaffery may have just landed his toughest task yet.

Iowa introduced the 50-year-old McCaffery as its new coachMonday, ending a 13-day search to replace the fired Todd Lickliterafter one of the most disastrous seasons in the history of the once-proud program.

McCaffery said he's up to the challenge.

"Our players are going to have fun, they're going to enjoy whatthey do on the floor," McCaffery said. "This place is going to berocking again."

McCaffery comes to Iowa after five seasons at Siena, where histeams went 112-51 in five seasons and made three consecutive NCAAtournament appearances. But the former Notre Dame assistant is now ahead coach in the Big Ten, where the competition -- and expectations-- are much higher.

A--HARRIS SKIPPING LAST SEASON AT MICHIGAN FOR DRAFT: MannyHarris says he's skipping his senior season at Michigan to enter theNBA draft.

Harris had a news conference on Monday to announce his decisionand was joined by Wolverines coach John Beilein.

The guard from Detroit averaged a career-high 18.1 points pergame last season and was a third team All-Big Ten player for a teamthat fell short of high expectations.

A--LOUSIANA-LAFAYETTE HIRES MARLIN AS NEW COACH: Louisiana-Lafayette has hired former Sam Houston State coach Bob Marlin as thenew head coach of the Ragin' Cajuns.

Louisiana-Lafayette officials say Marlin has agreed to a five-year contract.

A--UCF HIRES MARSHALL'S DONNIE JONES AS COACH: Central Floridahas hired Donnie Jones as its new head coach.

The university made the announcement Monday.

A--WILLIAMS FAVORS DUKE TO WIN NATIONAL TITLE: Collegebasketball's marquee rivalry apparently ends on Tobacco Road.

North Carolina coach Roy Williams is picking Duke to win thenational championship next week in Indianapolis, which might beconsidered treason by the most ardent of Tar Heel fans.

The top-seeded Blue Devils play West Virginia on Saturday, withthe winner meeting the Michigan State-Butler winner in the final.

"I think Duke is the favorite. They've proven that, they're theNo. 1 seed, they deserved the No. 1 seed," Williams said Monday,calling West Virginia his second choice. "Duke is the favorite,there's no question in my mind about that, but it's the Final Fourand anything can happen."

-- Associated Press

DUKE FAVORED TO WIN NCAA TITLE; MICH. ST. UNDERDOG: [Derived Headline]

DUKE FAVORED TO WIN NCAA TITLE; MICH. ST. UNDERDOG: Oddsmakers inLas Vegas say Duke is the favorite among the Final Four to win theNCAA title while Michigan State is a longshot despite its trip tothe finals last year. Oddsmaker Kenny White of Las Vegas SportsConsultants said Monday that Duke was a 7-5 favorite to win thetitle and a 2.5-point favorite to beat West Virginia in thesemifinals on Saturday night.

White says either team would likely be favored over Butler orMichigan State in the finals.

The Las Vegas-based firm that recommends betting lines to 90percent of sports books in Nevada says Butler has a 5-2 chance ofwinning the title and put West Virginia's chances at 2-1 andMichigan State's at 17-5.

The firm says Butler is favored by 1.5 points in its game againstMichigan State.

A--SETON HALL ANNOUNCES WILLARD AS BASKETBALL COACH: In becomingthe basketball coach at Seton Hall, Kevin Willard has taken on twojobs.

The first is to guide the Pirates to the next level in the BigEast and land an NCAA tournament berth.

The second might be even more important: Willard must restorepeace to the program after a number of controversies led to thefiring of Bobby Gonzalez.

The 34-year-old Willard was officially announced as Seton Hall'snew basketball coach on Monday, a little less than two weeks afterGonzalez was dismissed.

Contract terms were not disclosed.

The university also confirmed on Monday that Anne Donovan wouldbe leaving the New York Liberty of the WNBA after this season totake over the Pirates' women's basketball program. She will replacePhyllis Mangina, who resigned after 25 years.

Patrick Hobbs, the law school dean who has overseeing the schoolsathletics department since July, said that Willard was the school'stop choice even though there were indications that Fran McCaffrey ofSiena was the frontrunner until accepting a job at Iowa.

A--AP SOURCE: LAVIN TO INTERVIEW WITH ST. JOHN'S: A person closeto the situation says former UCLA coach Steve Lavin will interviewwith St. John's.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition ofanonymity Monday because there was no official announcement. St.John's athletic director Chris Monasch was unavailable for comment.

Lavin has been an ESPN analyst since UCLA fired him in 2003. Hehad a 145-78 record with UCLA, leading the school to the NCAAtournament's round of 16 five times. The Bruins reached the finaleight in 1997, his first season.

Georgia Tech coach Paul Hewitt rejected an offer from St. John'slast week. Boston College's Al Skinner interviewed on Friday. St.John's fired Norm Roberts after six seasons and has not been to theNCAA tournament since 2002.

A--NEW IOWA COACH PROMISES UP-TEMPO STYLE: As the coach whohelped lift three basketball programs from obscurity to the nationalspotlight, Fran McCaffery has earned a reputation for fixingtroubled teams.

McCaffery may have just landed his toughest task yet.

Iowa introduced the 50-year-old McCaffery as its new coachMonday, ending a 13-day search to replace the fired Todd Lickliterafter one of the most disastrous seasons in the history of the once-proud program.

McCaffery said he's up to the challenge.

"Our players are going to have fun, they're going to enjoy whatthey do on the floor," McCaffery said. "This place is going to berocking again."

McCaffery comes to Iowa after five seasons at Siena, where histeams went 112-51 in five seasons and made three consecutive NCAAtournament appearances. But the former Notre Dame assistant is now ahead coach in the Big Ten, where the competition -- and expectations-- are much higher.

A--HARRIS SKIPPING LAST SEASON AT MICHIGAN FOR DRAFT: MannyHarris says he's skipping his senior season at Michigan to enter theNBA draft.

Harris had a news conference on Monday to announce his decisionand was joined by Wolverines coach John Beilein.

The guard from Detroit averaged a career-high 18.1 points pergame last season and was a third team All-Big Ten player for a teamthat fell short of high expectations.

A--LOUSIANA-LAFAYETTE HIRES MARLIN AS NEW COACH: Louisiana-Lafayette has hired former Sam Houston State coach Bob Marlin as thenew head coach of the Ragin' Cajuns.

Louisiana-Lafayette officials say Marlin has agreed to a five-year contract.

A--UCF HIRES MARSHALL'S DONNIE JONES AS COACH: Central Floridahas hired Donnie Jones as its new head coach.

The university made the announcement Monday.

A--WILLIAMS FAVORS DUKE TO WIN NATIONAL TITLE: Collegebasketball's marquee rivalry apparently ends on Tobacco Road.

North Carolina coach Roy Williams is picking Duke to win thenational championship next week in Indianapolis, which might beconsidered treason by the most ardent of Tar Heel fans.

The top-seeded Blue Devils play West Virginia on Saturday, withthe winner meeting the Michigan State-Butler winner in the final.

"I think Duke is the favorite. They've proven that, they're theNo. 1 seed, they deserved the No. 1 seed," Williams said Monday,calling West Virginia his second choice. "Duke is the favorite,there's no question in my mind about that, but it's the Final Fourand anything can happen."

-- Associated Press