BERKELEY, Calif. — As impatience with the Cal basketball program swelled this season, a common remark about coach Ben Braun started something like: "He's a nice guy, but . . ."

Yesterday, after Braun was fired following 12 seasons, two of his players suggested being a nice guy might have been part of the problem.

Sophomores Jamal Boykin and Theo Robertson both said they were surprised and disappointed by the news the team was given first by Braun, then by Cal athletic director Sandy Barbour.

"I heard all the rumors, but I was speechless and shocked," said Boykin, a sophomore transfer from Duke, who became a starter late in the season. "That was my initial reaction. Kind of numb in a way."

Both players agreed the Bears, 17-16 overall this season and ninth-place finishers in the Pac-10 Conference, underachieved. Boykin said a more disciplined approach might have helped.

Braun posted a record of 219-154 at Berkeley, winning more games than any coach since Clarence "Nibs" Price, who set the school standard of 449 victories during a 30-year reign that ended in 1954.

NIT

OHIO STATE 74, BUTLER 63

Kosta Koufos scored 21 points and Jamar Butler added 12, leading the Buckeyes (22-13) over the Flyers (23-11) at Columbus, Ohio to advance to the semifinals against Mississippi at New York's Madison Square Garden Tuesday.

MISSISSIPPI 81, VIRGINIA TECH 72

Chris Warren scored 22 points and the Rebels (24-10) used a 9-0 second-half run to pull away from the Hokies (21-14) at Blacksburg, Va., to reach the semifinals.

CBI

TULSA 73, HOUSTON 69

Ben Uzoh scored 22 points as the Golden Hurricanes (23-13) edged the Conference USA rival Cougars (24-1) at Tulsa, Okla., to reach the best-of-three championship round of the College Basketball Invitational against Bradley starting Monday.

BRADLEY 96, VIRGINIA 85

Jeremy Crouch scored 27 points and the Braves (20-15) used a 19-5 run to break open a close game against the Cavaliers (17-16) at Charlottesville, Va.

OVER AND BACK

The board of trustees at Davidson set up a fund yesterday to pay for any student wishing to travel from North Carolina to Detroit to see Davidson play Wisconsin in the Midwest Regional semifinals. Students will get free bus transportation, two nights lodging and a ticket to tomorrow's game. ... Missouri State has hired Purdue associate coach Cuonzo Martin as its men's basketball coach. Martin, 36, replaces Barry Hinson, who was fired on March 9 after failing to take Missouri State to the NCAA tournament in nine seasons. ... Ben Carnevale, Navy basketball coach who later headed the U.S. Olympic Basketball Committee, died Tuesday at his home in Williamsburg, Va. He was 92.