California has turned to its biggest rival to find its new basketball coach, hiring former Stanford coach Mike Montgomery yesterday to replace the fired Ben Braun.

Montgomery was to be officially introduced at a news conference on campus today, the school said.

Montgomery, who spent 18 years with the Cardinal, has been out of coaching since August 2006 when he was let go after two seasons in the NBA with the Golden State Warriors.

Braun was fired last week after 12 seasons as coach when the Bears missed the NCAA tournament for the fourth time in five years. Montgomery made the tournament his final 10 years at Stanford, winning at least one game each time.

CBI

TULSA WINS TITLE, 70-64

Ben Uzoh scored 17 points and Tulsa rallied after a miserable start to beat Bradley, 70-64, last night and win the championship of the inaugural College Basketball Invitational tournament at Tulsa, Okla.

Rod Earls hit a 3-pointer from the left side to give Tulsa a 60-59 edge with 2:24 to play, and Uzoh followed by going 1-for-2 at the foul line. The Golden Hurricane (25-14) never trailed again.

"It's been a long season, but it is great to win any kind of championship," senior Rod Earls said. "I'm going to miss playing with these guys."

Theron Wilson led Bradley (21-17) with 17 points.

LOYOLA MARYMOUNT

BAYNO HIRED AS COACH

Former UNLV basketball coach Bill Bayno took over the Loyola Marymount program yesterday, leaving his position as an assistant with the Portland Trail Blazers.

Bayno, 46, will be introduced Wednesday at a news conference on campus as the successor to Rodney Tention, who resigned March 12 after guiding the Lions to a 30-61 record over three seasons.

Bayno guided UNLV to a 95-65 record and two NCAA tournament appearances as the Rebels' coach from 1995-2000.