CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. -- Virginia coach Tony Bennett said Sunday that kicking heralded transfer forward Austin Nichols off the team was a difficult decision but the right thing for his No. 8 Cavaliers and for Nichols.Bennett dismissed Nichols, who was expected to anchor Virginias interior offense, on Friday night. He gave no reason other than a violation of team rules, but he had also suspended the 6-foot-9 redshirt junior from two scrimmages and the Cavaliers season-opener at UNCG for an unspecified team rules violation.As a coach, you dont want to do hard things, unless you think its the right thing for your team and for a young man involved, Bennett said after Virginia beat Yale 62-38. Its just one of those situations. We always talk about theres a standard we have. Certainly showing compassion and grace, but theres also accountability and truth that comes with every situation, and with this case, thats how we dealt with it with Austin. I love Austin. My hope is that this will be a turning point for him and hell take the right steps.Nichols, one of the most coveted transfers following the 2014-15 season, averaged 13.3 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3.4 blocks as a sophomore at Memphis. He sat out last year and played in just one game this year, scoring 11 points against St. Francis Brooklyn on Tuesday.The past few days have been stressful, Bennett said.Thats the stuff you dont like about coaching, but thats the necessary stuff thats far more impactful and lasting to the guys in the program, those decisions you make, he said. Hopefully itll make a difference in the big picture. I dont have it all figured out and Ive made so many mistakes in my own life, but Im hoping that were doing the right things, the wise things for Austins case, for the young men in our program and that well keep taking the right steps forward. I just want to hopefully lead them well and our staff and go forward.But yeah, not easy, not at all. Been hard, for sure.---More AP college basketball: http://collegebasketball.ap.org---Follow Hank on Twitter: www.twitter.com/hankkurzjrMartinas Rankin Jersey . The 17-year-old native of Marystown, N.L., pulled out of Skate Canada International last month in Saint John, N.B., with the same problem. Deshaun Watson Jersey . Brad Jacobs and his Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., team took control of the game early. http://www.cheaptexansjerseysauthentic.com/?tag=authentic-d-j-coker-jersey .35 million, one-year contract that avoided salary arbitration. Plouffe batted .254 with 14 home runs and 52 RBIs in 477 at-bats last season, his second as a regular in the lineup. Steven Mitchell Jr. Jersey . Irving scored 23 points, Tristan Thompson had 20 points and 10 rebounds and the Cavaliers beat the Denver Nuggets 117-109 on Friday night. Jermaine Kelly Jr. Jersey . -- About a third of the way through the regular season, the Washington Wizards are at . NEW YORK -- Three U.S. horses highlight Saturdays $1 million Yonkers International Trot at Yonkers Raceway.The field of 10 for the races 38th edition also features horses from Canada, Italy, Sweden, Norway, Finland and Denmark.The American horses, all with career earnings of more than $1 million, are the first three choices in the morning line.Resolve?, a winner of 14 lifetime starts, is the 3-1 favorite and drew the No. 2 post position Tuesday. Ake Svanstedt is the trainer-driver.The only mare, ?Hannelore Hanover, drew the No. 1 post for driver Yannick Gingras and trainer Ron Burke. Thee 4-year-old is the 4-1 second choice.dddddddddddd Obrigado?, driven by Mark MacDonald, will leave from post No. 6 as the 5-1 third choice. Paul Kelley trains the 6-year-old. ?Three leading Europeans return from