Sports briefs

BOSTON (AP) -- Rick Pitino resigned as coach and president of the Boston Celtics today, unable to restore the NBA's most successful franchise to its former glory.

Assistant coach Jim O'Brien was hired as interim head coach, the Celtics said.

O'Brien started his new job by leading practice Sunday, when Pitino said he was taking the day off to mull his options. Pitino told owner Paul Gaston he was through, and he reportedly gave up the remaining 6 1/2 years and $27 million on his contract.

The Celtics were to play the Portland Trail Blazers at the FleetCenter tonight.

Stricker wins Match Play Championship

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) -- Not even eligible for Match Play Championship three weeks ago, Steve Stricker completed an unlikely journey with a gutsy performance to defeat Pierre Fulke of Sweden and win the $1 million prize.

Stricker, No. 90 in the world ranking and the 55th seed in a 64-man field missing Tiger Woods and a slew of other top names, never trailed in the 36-hole match.

Stricker closed out the match on the 35th hole, 2 and 1, when the 29-year-old Swede failed to save par from the bunker.

It was Stricker's first victory in four years.

OSU wrestlers dump Gophers

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Daniel Cormier's takedown of Damion Hahn in the third period put Oklahoma State on the road to a 25-12 victory in a wrestling meet in Minneapolis.

Cormier, ranked No. 3 in the 187-pound category, just missed pinning Hahn at the end of the second period and then had four takedowns the following period Sunday. The 19-7 major decision brought the score to 10-9 and Oklahoma State (7-0) never looked back.

Lightning fires head coach

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -- The Tampa Bay Lightning, who have the third fewest points in the NHL, fired head coach Steve Ludzik on Saturday, replacing him with associate coach John Tortorella.

Warriors lose in JV boys' hockey

Grand Rapids defeated the Brainerd Warriors 4-2 in junior varsity boys' hockey Saturday.

Mark Germain scored both Warrior goals.