Sports briefs

James in hospital

Superstar NBA baller LeBron James is in the hospital with a strained chest muscle, ESPN reports. James woke up midweek with chest pain that prevented him from practicing and playing in the Cleveland Cavaliers first exhibition game. James was admitted to the Cleveland Clinic for testing, and though it appears to be a simple muscle strain, the team is taking no chances.

PSU Academic all-stars

The Portland State softball team is ranked 18in the nation in GPA with a cumulative score of 3.289. The team notes that the score is higher than academic powerhouses such as Harvard and Stanford. The softball team’s new head coach Amy Hayes takes over the team after 29 years under Teri Mariani. They start their season Feb. 10 after finishing fall practice this week.

Basketball practice opens

The men and women’s basketball teams open practice tonight at the Stott Center. The men’s team lost starters Blake Walker, Will Funn, Seamus Boxley and will play under new head coach Ken Bone. The women’s team returns star junior guard Heather Arns and will look to build off of a 3-23 year in 2004 as head coach Charity Elliott heads into her second season.