LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — The University of Arkansas' top executive upheld the dismissal of Nolan Richardson, saying Thursday that he concurred in a campus chancellor's decision to fire the basketball coach.

        President B. Alan Sugg said he reviewed 80 pages of material submitted by Richardson and interviewed a number of people.

        “Based on my review, I am firmly convinced that the termination of your employment agreement by (Chancellor) John White in consultation with (athletic director) Frank Broyles was legal and fair,” Sugg wrote Thursday in a letter to Richardson. “I find no evidence of discriminatory conduct or motive in the making of this decision by John White and Frank Broyles.”

        It wasn't known whether Richardson would sue. The appeal to Sugg was seen as a prerequisite for any action through the courts or government agencies.

        “We're not going to move in haste. We'll consider all options carefully and in due course,” said Richardson's lawyer, John Walker.

        For a time, and with input from several others, Richardson tried to develop a variety of conditions under which he might stay at the university, Walker said. One set of suggestions demanded that Broyles resign and that Richardson be allowed to take a year off.

        “We were asked by emissaries, purportedly representing the university, what conditions would be appropriate in order to resolve this matter,” Walker said.

        Walker and university lawyer Fred Harrison said Richardson never presented the demands to Arkansas.

        “They were never presented, because our settlement discussions broke down,” Walker said.

        White terminated Richardson's contract March 1 and said the coach had asked privately and publicly to be bought out.

        Richardson said Feb.23 and Feb.25 that if the university bought out his contract, he would leave. He said later, however, that he wanted to stay and asked Sugg to review White's decision.

        CAL:

        Center-forward Jamal Sampson declared himself eligible for the NBA draft Thursday after one season at California.

        Sampson averaged 6.4 points and 6.5 rebounds a game this season. The 6-foot-11 member of the Pac-10's all-freshman team also blocked 54 shots while starting 31 of Cal's 32 games.

        Sampson said he won't hire an agent, leaving open the possibility of returning to school.

        RADFORD:

        Ron Bradley resigned Thursday after 11 years as Radford's basketball coach to become Sherman Dillard's top assistant at James Madison.

        Bradley and Dillard were assistants together at Maryland under Lefty Driesell from 1981-85.

Sports Stories

DAUGHERTY: UK-IU fans make odd bedfellows Indiana stuns Duke Kent State knocks off Pitt in OT Missouri upsets UCLA Price, Sooners shoot down Arizona 88-67 The bigger the game, the sharper the Cats NCAA: East Notebook NCAA: Midwest Notebook NIT: South Carolina cruises into semifinals Richardson's ouster upheld at Arkansas NCAA tourney at a glance NCAA women's tourney at a glance NIT at a glance Women's NIT at a glance Request for Parole favored in Lane's End Spiral Stakes Clones win shootout Hockey death spurs reevaluation Oates assists new team in Philly Mohammed, Hawks rout Knicks Coming up this week

Bledsoe rejects Bengals
Bengals notebook
Road back leads Hamilton to Opening Day
Orioles 6, Reds 5
Reds notebook
Baseball notebook
'Huggins Watch' continues
Bacon rolls by Beechcroft
'Bron' guarantees a win against Bacon
Winton Woods takes quick, big team into final four
Delphos St. John's 80, Bristolville Bristol 53
E. Brown depends on speed
Russia's strategy change dooms Whiteoak
Star has taken Warriors team to new Hite
Baseball: Dixie Heights preseason No.1
Boone County wants to win fast-pitch title
List of schools playing slo-pitch grows
Tennis: CovCath preseason pick to win regional
Tennis: Loaded Pandas seek sixth straight regional
Tennis: St. X returns entire lineup
Kentucky schedule
Ohio schedule