Times wires
Saturday, February 11, 2012

COLLEGE football

Senator: Saban tried to get WVU in SEC

Alabama coach Nick Saban worked to get West Virginia invited to the SEC to no avail, the Charleston Daily Mail reported. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-WVa., told the paper he and Saban "were working toward" that invitation before the SEC took Missouri. Saban and his wife, Terry, are West Virginia natives, and he was an assistant at WVU for two seasons in the late '70s. "I thought we could have been in the SEC," said Manchin, who referred to Saban as "my dear friend." West Virginia is leaving the Big East for the Big 12, reportedly this year.

RECRUITING: Stefon Diggs, a receiver out of Olney, Md., rated as one of the nation's top 10 prospects, signed with Maryland. He had considered Florida and Ohio State.

HORSES

Major race winners fall to Hymn Book

Hymn Book won the $500,000 Grade 1 Donn Handicap at Gulfstream in Hallandale against a field that included Preakness winner Shackleford and Belmont champion Rule On Ice. Hymn Book, with John Velazquez aboard, ran 11/8 miles in 1 minute, 49.16 seconds. Shackleford was seventh with Rule On Ice eighth.

TAMPA BAY DOWNS: Action Andy ($3.80) won the $75,000 Super Stakes in Oldsmar. Ridden by Daniel Coa for trainer Carlos Garcia, Action Andy ran 7 furlongs in 1:23.22.

SOCCER

Man U wins, more Suarez controversy

Liverpool's Luis Suarez, in his return from an eight-game ban for racially abusing Patrice Evra, refused to shake Evra's hand before Manchester United's 2-1 win. Wayne Rooney scored twice for host Man U, whose manager, Alex Ferguson, called Suarez "a disgrace" and said, "He shouldn't be able to play for Liverpool again."

AFRICAN CUP OF NATIONS: Zambia, which lost almost its entire national team in a 1993 plane crash in Libreville, Gabon, plays in the same city today for the continent's championship. Zambia faces tournament favorite Ivory Coast.

U.S. WOMEN: Alex Morgan tied it in the 88th minute and scored the winner deep in extra time for a 2-1 exhibition win over New Zealand in Frisco, Texas.

ET CETERA

AUTOS: Morgan Lucas earned the No. 1 spot in Top Fuel in rain-shortened qualifying at the Winternationals in Pomona, Calif. Robert Hight (Funny Car) and Jason Line (Pro Stock) also lead their classes going into today's eliminations.

Don Jensen, Times correspondent; Times wires

TENNIS

U.S. TEAM COMPLETES WIN VS. SWISS

FRIBOURG, Switzerland — Given a tough draw in the Davis Cup, the United States is off to an exhilarating start.

The Americans took an insurmountable 3-0 lead against Roger Federer and Switzerland in the first round Saturday, with Mardy Fish and Mike Bryan winning in doubles on clay — a surface selected by Federer to exploit what was perceived an American weakness.

But Fish and Bryan, paired for the first time in more than three years, defeated Federer and Stanislas Wawrinka, the reigning Olympic champions, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3.

"This is probably going down as one of the most memorable (wins)," said Bryan, a Wesley Chapel resident who played on the 2007 winning team. Bryan usually plays doubles with his twin brother, Bob, but he was unavailable because of the birth of his daughter last week.

The U.S. team will again be on the road for the quarterfinals April 6-8 against France or Canada. Those two were tied at 1 going into the doubles late Saturday. Also Saturday, the Czech Republic, Spain and Argentina clinched spots. Japan, Serbia and Austria led 2-1 going into today's reverse singles.

By Mike Scandura, Special to the Times
Saturday, February 11, 2012

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — According to the play-by-play sheet, USF beat Providence 55-48 Saturday by converting 8 of 10 free throws in the final 59 seconds of their Big East game.

Realistically, the Bulls (15-10, 8-4) prevailed because seldom-used junior Shaun Noriega came off the bench and buried consecutive 3-pointers that produced a 47-46 lead with 1:46 to play.

LaDontae Henton's basket gave the Friars (13-13, 2-11) a 48-47 lead, but point guard Anthony Collins commenced USF's parade to the line as the Bulls made six straight free throws. The free-throw shooting — 12-of-15 for the game — might have been rendered moot were it not for Noriega.

"It was one of those gut feelings," coach Stan Heath said of his decision to insert Noriega with just more than two minutes remaining. "I asked him, 'What do you think? Can you do it?'

"He said, 'I've got one.' And the kid gave me two. Those were big momentum plays for us, and they changed the game. … He hadn't played much recently, and I didn't want to put him in a bad spot."

What made Noriega's long-range shooting more impressive was the fact he had not played in four of the previous six games.

"The last couple of weeks have been rough," he said. "But I just tried to stay positive and get better so I can play and contribute. I think (Saturday's) a big stepping-stone for our team and also for myself."

The Bulls moved four games over .500 for the first time since joining the Big East. But as Heath noted, the win wasn't easy, one reason being Providence scored 13 off 15 turnovers.

"We were very fortunate to steal a win," Heath said. "We just tried to hang in there, and we took a lot of punches."

Victor Rudd was the only Bull to reach double figures (11). Vincent Council (16) led the Friars.

The Bulls, who led 24-21 at halftime, also did a better job with their man-to-man defense against Providence than has been the case in the past. They held the Friars to 30 percent shooting and limited freshman forward Henton to seven points after he scored a career-high 33 on Jan. 29 in USF's 81-78 win.

"We knew we had to take away their transition," Heath said. "We did a much better job in the second half. I think it took some of their guys who can really score and didn't allow them to get in a rhythm that they've gotten into before.

"I don't know how those guys feel, but I'm exhausted," he added, with a laugh. "The guys did a fantastic job, and there are a lot of heroes in that locker room."

By Antonya English, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, February 11, 2012

GAINESVILLE — Don't for one second let the final score deceive you about Saturday's game between Florida and Tennessee at the O'Connell Center.

Unranked Tennessee defeated the No. 8 Gators 75-70, but the beating was much worse overall, much more telling about this Gators team right now.

"The difference in the game to me was simple: Our guys are not hardened enough right now," Florida coach Billy Donovan said. "I don't know if it's (a team) at a crossroads as much as it is a, 'Who are we, and who do we want to be' kind of thing."

Tennessee (13-12, 5-5 SEC) went in 0-7 on the road and left with a season sweep of the Gators. It was the first time in two years that Florida (19-6, 7-3) has suffered back-to-back losses (including Tuesday night's 20-point loss to Kentucky), and its 19-game home win streak ended.

"I told the guys in shootaround (Saturday) morning that today I felt like it was the first time we were able to win a road game," Vols first-year coach Cuonzo Martin said.

The Gators trailed 41-30 at halftime after Tennessee led by as many as 17. Florida shot 42 percent from the field (36 percent on 3s) and was outscored in the paint 36-14. The Gators hit five 3-pointers in the final 1:54 to make the score seem respectable.

Florida's troubles were compounded by the loss of defensive specialist Will Yeguete, who was knocked unconscious six minutes into the game when his head collided on the baseboard. He received 8-10 stitches and was diagnosed with a concussion. UF's other top reserve, guard Mike Rosario, missed the game with a hip pointer. And center Patric Young and junior forward Erik Murphy had two fouls midway through the half, cutting into the Gators' depth.

Oddly enough, Florida saw this one coming. After a 30-minute postgame with Donovan, the Gators emerged from the locker room and acknowledged they were dismissed from practice twice last week for lack of focus and intensity.

"We didn't compete at all really," said freshman guard Bradley Beal, who had 16 points and eight rebounds but shot 2-of-9 from the field.

In his postgame speech, Donovan reminded his team that there's still a lot of basketball to be played — and if they don't toughen up and focus, they might play themselves right out of an NCAA Tournament bid.

"It's an eye-opener," junior guard Kenny Boynton said. "But it can only be one way. We've got to wake up and play or we could be in the NIT."

By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, February 11, 2012

5 questions RW J. T. Wyman

Thursday was your first game at Madison Square Garden. What was it like?

Pretty amazing experience. You hear a lot about (the Garden). It lived up to every expectation.

What was your perception of the place going in?

Kind of like a storied building where a lot of exciting things have taken place.

What was the atmosphere like?

It was amazing; such an energetic crowd.

How did the fans treat you?

They were loud and into the game. It was fun.

Where else have you yet to play?

I haven't played in Minnesota yet. I'm from there, so that will be a cool experience.

Superstitions I

When D Bruno Gervais was in juniors, he ate the same thing every game day (spaghetti and meat sauce), drank the same thing (Brisk iced tea) and walked the same route to the arena.

If those things did not happen correctly, "it was like the end of the world," Gervais said. "I'm not going to have the energy. It's mental."

Most interesting, though, was this ritual:

"My trainer would have to tell me a joke every day," Gervais said. "So he had to really work on some stuff. There were a lot of games."

Superstitions II

Captain Vinny Lecavalier carried his superstitions into his first season with Tampa Bay.

"My whole day was based on where I would park, how I would get home, the way I would get home," he said. "I would sleep three hours in the afternoon. If I would sleep, say, for an hour and a half, (it was) the end of the world.

"I wouldn't consider it superstitions," added Lecavalier, who is now off that strict structure, "just game-day stuff that gives you a comfort level."

By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, February 11, 2012

Guy Boucher isn't sure if he would get some sort of buzzer connected to the referees, wave a flag or throw a red hanky onto the ice, as do NFL coaches. But the Lightning coach said he believes NHL coaches should be able to challenge one officiating call per game.

"The refs are human. They can't see everything," Boucher said. "The game is so fast, and there's so much on the line. I would be 100 percent for that."

The concept got an airing recently after two disputed calls:

• The Rangers lost 1-0 to the Devils after Artem Anisimov's apparent tying goal with 3.5 seconds left in the third period was waved off by a questionable goaltender interference call.

• The Kings beat the Blue Jackets 3-2 on Drew Doughty's goal with .4 seconds left in the third period after the game clock in Los Angeles froze with 1.8 seconds remaining and started again.

In the NHL, the only thing reviewed is whether pucks did or did not cross the goal line. If coaches had one shot to challenge a call, injustices could be avoided, Boucher said.

"There are millions (of dollars) that are on the line here," Boucher said. "It's not just one game. One game can mean the playoffs. Playoffs can mean millions of dollars. There's a lot that hangs in the balance, so I would be 100 percent behind that one call you can check during the game."

Don't hold your breath waiting for it to happen. Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman says league GMs have discussed the idea in the past with "not much support."

Still, Boucher persisted.

"It's one challenge," he said. "What's the difference between one call like that and the one time where we check if it's a goal or not?"

As Coyotes and former Lightning goaltender Mike Smith told the Arizona Republic: "Football does it, so I don't see why not here. Throw the flag out onto the ice."

Times wires
Saturday, February 11, 2012

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. — Standing eight shots out of the lead early, Tiger Woods was in a bunker to the left of the 13th fairway at Pebble Beach when he sent a 9-iron right of the green toward deep rough.

The ball caromed off a mound, onto the green and started rolling. When it finally settled a foot below the hole, and the gallery roared, Woods hung his head and smiled.

He went from possible bogey to unlikely birdie.

And with five birdies in six holes Woods, who started on the back nine, went from the periphery of contention to the thick of it Saturday in the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.

"Looked like I was having a tough time making par, and I was making birdie, and off we go," Woods said. "Sometimes, we need those types of momentum swings in a round."

Charlie Wi played bogey-free at Spyglass Hill for 3-under 69 and a three-shot lead over Ken Duke, who had 65 on the Shore Course at Monterey Peninsula.

Woods had 5-under 67, his best Saturday score on the PGA Tour since the 2010 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, and climbed within four of the lead.

Not only is Woods in the penultimate group today, he is paired with Phil Mickelson, who had 70 at Pebble despite playing the par 5s in 1 over.

Wi was at 15-under 199 and has a 54-hole lead for only the second time on tour. He has never won in 162 starts: "I haven't really thought about (the pressure of being in front). But I enjoy being in the lead."

Women's Australian Open: American teen Jessica Korda moved into position for a two-sport, father-daughter Australian double, shooting par 73 for a one-stroke lead after three rounds in Melbourne. Korda, 18, daughter of 1998 Australian Open tennis champ Petr Korda, was at 4-under 215. Seminole's Brittany Lincicome (73) was tied for eighth at 218; Tampa's Cindy LaCrosse (74—225) and Kristy McPherson (76—227) were farther back in the event, sanctioned by the LPGA for the first time in conjunction with Australian Ladies Professional Golf and the Ladies European Tour.

CHAMPIONS: Corey Pavin and Peter Senior shared the lead after two rounds at the Allianz Championship in Boca Raton. Senior (4-under 68) tied first-round leader Pavin (70) at 10-under 134.

EUROPEAN: Lee Westwood shot 5-under 67 for 15-under 201 and a one-shot lead over three players after the third round of the Dubai Desert Classic in United Arab Emirates.

By Stephen F. Holder, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, February 11, 2012

ST. PETE BEACH — Bucs cornerback Ronde Barber, who becomes a free agent next month and has been pondering retirement, said Saturday night that he remains noncommittal about returning for a 16th season.

"Things have to play themselves out, like they did last year," Barber, 36, said at former teammate Shelton Quarles' charity event at the Loews Don CeSar Hotel. "We'll have a meeting of the minds, like we did last year, and if I fit in, we'll go from there.

"I'm not allowing myself to lean one way or the other. I'm pretty sure where I stand, but I haven't allowed myself to commit."

Barber agreed last year with general manager Mark Dominik to approach his remaining seasons year to year. He played 2011 on a one-year deal.

The coaching change that led to the dismissal of Barber's close friend Raheem Morris could affect his decision. Barber recently met briefly with new coach Greg Schiano. Schiano seems like he has strong convictions, Barber said. "I think that's what we were looking for with the hire."

Another interview no: For the third time in two weeks, Schiano has been denied an opportunity to interview another team's assistant for one of his coordinator posts, according to a report. The 49ers declined to make defensive backs coach Ed Donatell available to discuss becoming the Bucs' defensive coordinator, NFL.com said.

The Bucs have been denied permission to interview two other assistants in recent weeks: Cardinals quarterbacks coach John McNulty and the Packers' Ben McAdoo, the tight ends coach who last week was promoted to quarterbacks coach. McNulty and McAdoo were candidates for the Bucs' offensive coordinator post, which was filled Friday by Giants quarterbacks coach Mike Sullivan.

If an assistant coach is under contract, NFL rules allow teams to prohibit the assistant from interviewing for other jobs unless the job is a head coaching position.

NFL nixed Nixon blackout plan: The NFL, which is trying to maintain its TV blackout of home games that don't sell out, missed an opportunity 40 years ago to preserve a more restrictive policy when it rebuffed an effort by President Richard Nixon to lift the hometown blackout for playoff games.

On a previously unreported tape recording, now in the National Archives, Nixon told Attorney General Richard G. Kleindienst to offer commissioner Pete Rozelle a deal: allow playoff games to be televised in the host city and the president would block any legislation requiring regular-season home games to be televised as well. At the time, the NFL blacked out all home games, whether they were sellouts or not. Rozelle rebuffed the attorney general.

Packers: Receiver Donald Driver said he's willing to take a pay cut to stay with the team. Driver, who turned 37 on Feb. 2, finished his 13th season in Green Bay with 37 receptions, 445 yards and six touchdowns. The catches and yardage were his lowest since the 2001 season. He's scheduled to earn a $2.6 million salary in 2012 and a $2.2 million roster bonus in March.

Rams: Falcons director of player personnel Les Snead accepted an offer to become general manager, NFL.com reported.

Steelers: In the wake of a report the team is planning to cut him, Hines Ward reiterated that he wants to retire with the franchise and will restructure his contract to do it. NFL.com reported Friday that the team is planning to get rid of Ward, the franchise's all-time leading receiver who turns 36 next month. Ward is scheduled to make $4 million in 2012.

Information from Times wires was used in this report.

Times wires
Saturday, February 11, 2012

TAMPA — Andrell Smith scored a season-high 22 for USF, which snapped a four-game losing streak by defeating Villanova 54-39 Saturday night.

Inga Orekhova added eight points and Tahira Johnson seven before a crowd of 682 at the USF Recreation Center in the Play 4 Kay Breast Cancer Awareness game.

"This win was very important for us," Smith said. "Coach (Jose Fernandez) told us we needed to get this win at home and to protect home court."

USF (13-13, 5-7 Big East), which never trailed, opened the game with a 10-0 run over 3:37, fueled by 3-pointers from Smith and Orekhova. The Wildcats (15-10, 5-7) got as close as three in the first half and trailed 28-23 at the half, but the Bulls opened the second half on a 10-2 run.

NOVA SE 61, TAMPA 54: The host Sharks made 12 of 21 3-pointers and scored the final seven of the game to beat the Spartans (9-14, 2-11 Sunshine State).

ECKERD 65, P.B. ATLANTIC 57: Kati Ruasberg had 21 points, and Amy Buccilla hit two go-ahead free throws with 2:48 left for the host Tritons (18-3).

ROLLINS 86, SAINT LEO 50: Coming off their first SSC win of the season, the visiting Lions (7-15, 1-11) shot 34.6 percent from the field (18-of-52) and had 26 turnovers.

Top 25

NO. 1 BAYLOR 71, NO. 15 TEXAS A&M 48: Brittney Griner had 21 points and 10 rebounds as the visiting Bears (25-0, 12-0 Big 12) avenged their NCAA Tournament region final loss to the Aggies (17-6, 8-4).

NO. 3 UCONN 80, NO. 14 G'TOWN 38: Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis scored 23 for the Huskies (23-2, 11-1 Big East), who held the Hoyas (19-6, 8-4) to 25 percent shooting and won their 99th straight home game.

NO. 9 GREEN BAY 64, WRIGHT ST. 59: Julie Wojta had career highs of 30 points and 20 rebounds, and the host Phoenix (21-1, 11-1 Horizon) bounced back from its first loss of the season.

NO. 19 GONZAGA 79, SAN FRAN. 59: Katelan Redmon scored 18 for the visiting the Bulldogs (22-4, 11-2 West Coast), who bounced back from a 30-point loss to BYU.

NO. 20 L'VILLE 89, SYRACUSE 62: Becky Burke made eight of the Cardinals' school-record 18 3-pointers, and host Louisville (18-7, 7-5 Big East) stopped a three-game losing streak.

NO. 25 ST. BONAVENTURE 56, DAYTON 55: Megan Van Tatenhove scored on a spinning jumper in the lane with 23 seconds left to help the Bonnies (24-2, 11-0 Atlantic 10) win their 13th straight overall and 12th in a row on the road.

Times wires
Saturday, February 11, 2012

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Tom Izzo is not a coach who likes to take his foot off the pedal. But he did, and as a result, No. 11 Michigan State had more fuel in the tank.

Adreian Payne scored 15, Draymond Green had 12 — and a critical talk with the coach — and the defense-minded Spartans beat No. 3 Ohio State 58-48 Saturday night, ending the Buckeyes' 39-game home winning streak.

"I told him the most important thing for us is going to be energy, trying to keep our energy level high," Green said of his conversation before Friday's workout. "Pretty much everything was just a walkthrough, knowing your assignments. That was really key for us."

Izzo admitted giving the Spartans a light practice the day before a major showdown was "something I never do."

"I knew we were just dragging because we had gone, like, 11 straight days," he said. "I listened to my players. Draymond Green took care of (talking to his teammates), and it was just a focused walkthrough."

The Spartans (20-5, 9-3 Big Ten) pulled into a tie with the Buckeyes (21-4, 9-3) for first place in the conference by playing a withering, physical defense. Ohio State hit just 26 percent of its shots from the field (14-of-53).

NO. 1 KENTUCKY 69, VANDY 63: Doron Lamb hit a 3-pointer with 3:18 left to put the visiting Wildcats (25-1, 11-0 SEC) ahead to stay and move them closer to the conference regular-season title. UK scored the game's final eight.

NO. 2 SYRACUSE 85, UCONN 67: Scoop Jardine hit 3-pointers on consecutive possessions in the closing minutes, and the host Orange (25-1, 12-1 Big East) earned its fifth straight win.

NO. 4 MIzzou 72, NO. 6 BAYLOR 57: Phil Pressey scored 19 and made four of the Tigers' season-best 14 3-pointers as Missouri (23-2, 10-2 Big 12) improved to 14-0 at home. The Bears (21-4, 8-4) were coming off a 14-point home loss against Kansas.

NO. 5 UNC 70, NO. 19 UVA 52: Tyler Zeller had 25 points and nine rebounds for the host Tar Heels (21-4, 8-2 ACC), who regrouped from Wednesday night's loss to Duke on a last-second 3-pointer.

NO. 7 KANSAS 81, OKLA. ST. 66: Jeff Withey had 18 points and a career-best 20 rebounds and Thomas Robinson 24 points and 14 boards for the host Jayhawks (20-5, 10-2 Big 12), who wasted most of a 29-point second-half cushion before pulling away.

NO. 9 MURRAY ST. 82, AUSTIN PEAY 63: Isaiah Canaan had 23 points and six assists as the host Racers (24-1, 12-1 OVC) bounced back from their first loss.

NO. 10 DUKE 73, MARYLAND 55: Miles Plumlee had a career-high 22 rebounds for the host Blue Devils (21-4, 8-2 ACC), becoming the first Duke player with 20 since Elton Brand in 1998.

NO. 14 UNLV 65, NO. 13 SAN DIEGO ST. 63: Mike Moser scored 19 and made a steal that set up the go-ahead shot for the host Runnin' Rebels (22-4, 6-2 Mountain West), who had several defensive stops in the final minute against the Aztecs (20-4, 6-2).

WICHITA ST. 89, NO. 17 CREIGHTON 68: The visiting Shockers moved closer to the Missouri Valley regular-season title, handing the Bluejays (21-5, 11-4) their third straight loss.

NO. 18 MARQUETTE 95, CINCINNATI 78: Darius Johnson-Odom and Jae Crowder scored 23 each for the host Golden Eagles (21-5, 10-3 Big East), who have won nine of their past 10.

GEORGIA 70, NO. 20 MISS. ST. 68, OT: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored 20 and hit a crucial 3 late in overtime as Georgia upset Mississippi State (19-6, 6-4 SEC) for its first conference road win.

NO. 24 L'VILLE 77, W. VA. 74: Kyle Kuric scored 17 to lead five players in double figures for the visiting Cardinals (20-5, 8-4 Big East), who finished with a 13-3 run.

PRINCETON 70, NO. 25 HARVARD 62: Ian Hummer had 20 points for the host Tigers, who kept the Crimson (21-3, 7-1) from going 8-0 in the Ivy League for the first time.

ALABAMA: Days after suspending forward Tony Mitchell indefinitely, coach Anthony Grant suspended starters JaMychal Green, Andrew Steele and Trevor Releford. No explanation was given.

LIPSCOMB: Senior guard Jordan Burgason, Division I's top 3-point shooter at 52.6 percent, was kicked out of school for an unspecified violation of team rules.

State

SO. MISS 78, UCF 74: Jonathan Mills scored 18 for the host Golden Eagles, who rallied past the Knights (18-7, 7-4 C-USA) with a 14-6 second-half run.

NOVA SE 61, TAMPA 44: The visiting Spartans (6-17, 2-11 Sunshine State) missed all 10 3-pointers in the second half and were swept in the season series.

ECKERD 78, P.B. ATLANTIC 68: Lance Kearse had 20 points to lead four players in double figures for the host Tritons (17-5).

SAINT LEO 71, ROLLINS 45: Trent Thomas had 20 points and reserve Regis Schafer had 17 in 21 minutes as the visiting Lions (12-10, 6-6 SSC) held the Tars to 28.9 percent shooting.

By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, February 11, 2012

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Before Saturday night's game with the Sabres, Lightning coach Guy Boucher was asked if the game had more resonance because Buffalo was ahead of Tampa Bay in the Eastern Conference standings.

"No," Boucher said. "We're not just chasing Buffalo; we're chasing everybody."

More efforts such as Tampa Bay's 2-1 win at the First Niagara Center would make that a lot easier. Steven Stamkos had two points and scored his league-best 37th goal, and Steve Downie scored the 50th of his career in a two-goal second period for the Lightning (24-24-6), which is 7-1-2 in its past 10 games.

Goalie Mathieu Garon made 26 saves as Tampa Bay had a 28-27 shot advantage and beat red-hot goaltender Ryan Miller, who entered on the best six-game stretch of his career: 5-0-1 with two shutouts, a 1.11 goals-against average and a .962 save percentage.

The game wasn't without drama.

Jason Pominville scored through Garon's legs 7:07 into the third period to make it 2-1. And Garon robbed Pominville with 4:52 left with a spread-eagle left-leg stop, his best save in a period in which the Lightning was outshot 14-5.

"I was a bit late," Garon said of his save. "I thought the guy on my right was going to shoot it. I had to stretch it. I was desperate a little bit."

The Lightning killed off its only penalty — tripping on J.T. Wyman — with 4:33 left. And Christian Ehrhoff clanged a shot off the crossbar with a minute left.

"That's what killed us in the beginning of the year," Stamkos said, "not being able to finish games like that and maybe not being able or willing to grind it out and pay the price."

The Lightning managed the end of the game solidly, Boucher said. "You can't be controlling the game until the end," he said. "You have to manage it. … It's all good."

The first period ended 0-0 but with Tampa Bay up 12-6 in shots. The only reason it was not leading was Miller. The Lightning played the final 1:43 of the period on the power play and took four shots, and each one seemed a tester.

Marty St. Louis broke free on Miller but could not get his backhand from in close past the goalie. Miller then smartly moved left to right to get a piece of Stamkos' blazing one-timer.

The Lightning kept the pressure on in the second period with an 11-7 shot advantage and allowed Buffalo just two shots in the period's final 16:49.

Tampa Bay took a 1-0 lead at 7:31 after about a minute of sustained pressure. Downie found a seam in front of the net, and after taking Hedman's perfect pass from the blue line, he did a quick deke on Miller and scored.

It was 2-0 with 6:44 left on Stamkos' goal at the end of a two-on-one with Teddy Purcell, who took the puck away from Buffalo's Drew Stafford then set up Stamkos for the one-timer from the left faceoff circle.

"I just tried to get as much wood on it as I could," Stamkos said. "Teddy made a great play."

First Period—None. Penalties—Ehrhoff, Buf (tripping), 18:17.

Second Period—1, Tampa Bay, Downie 9 (Hedman, Stamkos), 7:31. 2, Tampa Bay, Stamkos 37 (Purcell), 13:16. Penalties—Leopold, Buf (tripping), :42.

Third Period—3, Buffalo, Pominville 20 (Vanek, Weber), 7:07. Penalties—Kassian, Buf (slashing), 12:05; Wyman, TB (tripping), 15:27. Shots on Goal—Tampa Bay 12-11-5—28. Buffalo 6-7-14—27. Power-play opportunities—Tampa Bay 0 of 3; Buffalo 0 of 1. Goalies—Tampa Bay, Garon 17-13-4 (27 shots-26 saves). Buffalo, Miller 16-16-3 (28-26).

By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, February 11, 2012

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Despite video evidence showing Lightning C Dominic Moore did not hit Rangers W Ruslan Fedotenko with a shoulder hit to the head Thursday, coach Guy Boucher said Moore's $2,500 fine was justified.

"I think it was the right thing to do," he said Saturday. "Sometimes you can avoid those contacts. … They just want to warn the player, I think."

Moore was fined for what league disciplinarian Brendan Shanahan called "an intentional interference that caused injury."

The incident, for which Moore received a roughing penalty, occurred early in the third period of New York's 4-3 overtime win. Moore said he was trying to gain position to be available for a shot when he pushed back into Fedotenko, who after about a minute on the ice had to be helped to the trainers room. Fedotenko did not play Saturday vs. the Flyers. It is unknown if he has a concussion.

"It's just one of those plays," Moore said Saturday. "You're competing for space, and he came to check me, and I tried to hold my ground."

Moore reiterated the hit was not retaliation for Fedotenko drilling him into the side boards earlier in the period. Rangers F Brian Boyle told reporters Moore said he would retaliate.

"No," Moore said. "I mean, I don't talk much on the ice."

He also said he did not know whom he hit: "I was paying attention to the play."

"I looked at the clip and it's not something you want to see," Boucher said. "But it wasn't something premeditated. He wasn't aiming for a head shot."

MALONE SITS: LW Ryan Malone (upper body) missed his seventh straight game. There was talk Malone might play against the Sabres, and Boucher said he was "good to go." But Boucher also said he wanted to be cautious and indicated Malone might not even play tonight in Pittsburgh. "We've lost him for so long," Boucher said. "If we wait three, four days to be 100 percent sure, we just might do that."

REALIGNMENT: RW Adam Hall and D Marc-Andre Bergeron were scratched for the second straight game to correct a mistake, Boucher said — his.

Because of injuries, neither player was part of a 6-0-1 run heading into Tuesday's game with the Kings. Both were in the lineup, though, when the Lightning lost to Los Angeles 3-1. So Thursday against the Rangers, Hall and Bergeron sat. "I wanted to come back to the lineup that hadn't lost (in regulation) for seven games," Boucher said.

Neither player did anything wrong. Hall is one of the team's top penalty killers and its top faceoff man. But as Boucher said, "You have to have chemistry, and you have to ride it. I made the mistake in one game of not riding it, and I made that mistake against L.A. Right now it's a lineup that fought together and created some stuff and had some chemistry, and I don't want to touch that right now."

MEDICAL MATTERS: D Matt Gilroy left the game in the second with an upper-body injury.

ODDS AND ENDS: C Steven Stamkos has a six-game points streak with five goals, six assists. …D Brendan Mikkelson played his 100th NHL game.

Times wires
Saturday, February 11, 2012

ATLANTA — Earl Lloyd remembers when he suited up for the Washington Capitols more than 60 years ago as the first black to play in an NBA game and wondering if he would make a good enough impression to stick around.

Lloyd and the Capitols lost the game. But he played well enough to earn a roster spot and break the color barrier in a league that had only three black players in 1950 and now features the highest percentage of African-American athletes in any of the major professional leagues.

"Before the game, I was terrified," recalled Lloyd, who had six points and 10 rebounds for the Capitols in a 78-70 loss to the Rochester Royals on Oct. 31, 1950. "I had a fear of disappointing the people who depended on me. Luckily, letting people down was not a part of my DNA.

"I'm glad I was part of something that helped pave the way for others."

Now, as part of Black History Month, the 83-year-old Hall of Famer will be honored for his breakthrough at halftime of today's Hawks-Miami Heat game. The former West Virginia State standout and six other African-Americans will be recognized at all Hawks home games this month.

"I'm blessed to still have my health," said Lloyd, who also became the Detroit Pistons first black coach in 1971. "I know that there are a lot of people who didn't make it to 61 years of age. So for me to be around this long and still get some recognition."

Since Lloyd made history, the NBA has increased its number of black players to 78 percent, according to the league's racial and gender report last year. About 83 percent of the players in the league are people of color.

These days, Lloyd said some of his favorite players to watch are LeBron James and Dwyane Wade of the Heat. He met James a couple years ago but hasn't met Wade.

"They might be too busy with the game to come and see me," he said with a chuckle. "I've met LeBron before but hopefully if Dwyane slows down for a moment and decides to give me a high-five, I'll be sure to return the favor."

Lloyd, who was drafted in the seventh round, was one of three blacks to play in the NBA in 1950. His debut was a couple of days before two other African-Americans who helped integrate the NBA — Chuck Cooper of the Celtics, the first black draftee; and Nat Clifton of the Knicks, the first to sign a league contract.

When Lloyd first appeared in an NBA game, he said he couldn't have imagined the league as it is today. He gives credit not only to himself, but also to Cooper and Clifton.

"The league has come a long way," he said. "I'm happy that Chuck, Nat and myself helped pave the way for others."

GAME HIGHLIGHTS: Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, and DeAndre Jordan all had double doubles after three quarters as the visiting Clippers routed the Bobcats, 111-86. Charlotte has lost a franchise-record 14 straight and, at 3-24, owns a .125 winning percentage. That equals the league's all-time worst team, the 1972-73 Philadelphia 76ers who finished 9-72. … Jrue Holliday had 20 points to lead six players in double figures as the visiting 76ers rolled to a 99-84 win over the short-handed Cavaliers. … Ty Lawson scored 27 to help the visiting Nuggets snap a five-game skid by beating the Pacers 113-109.

VAREJAO OUT: Cavaliers center Anderson Varejao, who is having the best season of his eight-year career, is out indefinitely with a broken right wrist. Varejao, who leads the league in offensive rebounds per game, was injured in the third quarter Friday against the Bucks.

Clippers 111, Bobcats 86

L.A. CLIPPERS (111): Butler 5-8 2-2 16, Griffin 7-14 7-8 21, Jordan 5-6 1-2 11, Paul 6-11 6-6 18, Foye 5-7 0-0 12, M.Williams 4-10 1-1 9, Evans 0-2 0-0 0, Martin 2-5 3-4 7, Gomes 1-5 0-0 2, Bledsoe 1-2 0-0 2, Cook 2-4 0-0 5, Thompkins 3-4 1-1 8, Leslie 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 41-78 21-24 111.

CHARLOTTE (86): Maggette 3-8 6-7 12, Diaw 3-10 0-0 7, Biyombo 1-2 1-2 3, Walker 4-13 11-12 19, R.Williams 1-12 0-0 2, Higgins 2-8 4-6 8, Diop 0-0 0-0 0, Brown 1-3 8-10 10, Thomas 5-6 1-2 11, Mullens 4-7 2-4 10, Carroll 1-3 0-0 2, White 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 26-74 33-43 86.

L.A. Clippers 24 31 29 27— 111

Charlotte 16 21 15 34— 86

3-Point Goals—L.A. Clippers 8-20 (Butler 4-7, Foye 2-4, Thompkins 1-1, Cook 1-3, Martin 0-1, M.Williams 0-1, Paul 0-1, Gomes 0-2), Charlotte 1-14 (Diaw 1-6, Walker 0-2, Maggette 0-2, R.Williams 0-4). Rebounds—L.A. Clippers 53 (Jordan 12), Charlotte 45 (Maggette, Biyombo 6). Assists—L.A. Clippers 29 (Paul 14), Charlotte 18 (Walker 4). Total Fouls—L.A. Clippers 28, Charlotte 20. Technicals—Jordan, Martin, L.A. Clippers defensive three second. A—19,110 (19,077).

Nuggets 113, Pacers 109

DENVER (113): Brewer 8-16 2-4 19, Nene 5-9 1-4 11, Koufos 3-4 1-2 7, Lawson 10-17 5-7 27, Afflalo 8-11 6-6 23, Harrington 4-18 2-2 10, Miller 2-6 2-4 6, Faried 1-2 1-2 3, Fernandez 2-4 2-2 7. Totals 43-87 22-33 113.

INDIANA (109): Granger 10-18 4-5 26, West 10-11 2-3 22, Hibbert 5-11 2-2 12, Collison 3-7 1-1 7, George 5-9 1-2 15, Hansbrough 2-3 2-3 6, Stephenson 2-6 0-0 4, Price 4-8 3-3 13, Amundson 0-1 0-0 0, Jones 1-5 2-3 4. Totals 42-79 17-22 109.

Denver 26 34 27 26— 113

Indiana 35 25 24 25— 109

3-Point Goals—Denver 5-17 (Lawson 2-3, Fernandez 1-2, Brewer 1-3, Afflalo 1-3, Harrington 0-6), Indiana 8-22 (George 4-7, Price 2-4, Granger 2-6, Collison 0-1, Jones 0-2, Stephenson 0-2). Rebounds—Denver 54 (Koufos 7), Indiana 43 (West 7). Assists—Denver 14 (Miller 4), Indiana 22 (Collison 7). Total Fouls—Denver 22, Indiana 28. Technicals—Brewer, Denver Coach Karl, Miller, Denver defensive three second, Indiana defensive three second. A—15,313 (18,165).

76ers 99, Cavaliers 84

PHILADELPHIA (99): Iguodala 2-5 3-4 8, Allen 0-3 0-0 0, Brand 3-10 5-7 11, Holiday 6-13 7-8 20, Meeks 4-8 0-0 10, Young 7-11 2-2 16, Williams 6-14 5-7 19, Turner 2-7 1-2 5, Vucevic 5-8 0-0 10. Totals 35-79 23-30 99.

CLEVELAND (84): Casspi 2-9 1-2 6, Jamison 8-16 4-7 20, Erden 0-2 0-0 0, Sessions 8-15 2-2 19, Gibson 3-11 0-0 7, Samuels 3-8 0-0 6, Gee 4-8 9-10 17, Eyenga 0-3 1-2 1, Thompson 0-6 2-2 2, Hollins 1-1 0-0 2, Uzoh 1-3 0-0 2, Harangody 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 31-84 19-25 84.

Philadelphia 21 37 21 20— 99

Cleveland 19 22 19 24— 84

3-Point Goals—Philadelphia 6-14 (Williams 2-3, Meeks 2-5, Iguodala 1-1, Holiday 1-3, Turner 0-2), Cleveland 3-14 (Sessions 1-2, Casspi 1-4, Gibson 1-5, Gee 0-1, Harangody 0-1, Jamison 0-1). Rebounds—Philadelphia 50 (Young, Iguodala 6), Cleveland 60 (Jamison, Thompson 8). Assists—Philadelphia 21 (Holiday, Williams, Iguodala 5), Cleveland 19 (Sessions 8). Total Fouls—Philadelphia 16, Cleveland 19. A—17,155 (20,562).

Spurs 103, Nets 89

SAN ANTONIO (103): Jefferson 3-5 0-0 7, Duncan 6-11 1-2 13, Blair 5-9 1-3 11, Parker 4-11 4-4 12, Green 4-8 0-0 10, Ginobili 4-7 0-0 8, Bonner 2-6 0-0 5, Leonard 1-2 2-2 5, Neal 8-10 0-0 18, Splitter 3-5 4-6 10, Anderson 2-5 0-0 4, Joseph 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 42-80 12-17 103.

NEW JERSEY (89): Brooks 2-10 2-3 7, Humphries 7-10 1-2 15, Petro 3-5 0-0 6, D.Williams 9-23 7-8 27, Morrow 5-11 0-0 11, She.Williams 0-1 0-0 0, Sha.Williams 1-9 0-0 3, Farmar 5-10 0-0 12, Gaines 3-6 0-0 6, J.Williams 0-2 2-2 2. Totals 35-87 12-15 89.

San Antonio 24 31 22 26— 103

New Jersey 22 18 19 30— 89

3-Point Goals—San Antonio 7-22 (Green 2-4, Neal 2-4, Leonard 1-1, Jefferson 1-3, Bonner 1-4, Ginobili 0-2, Anderson 0-2, Parker 0-2), New Jersey 7-24 (Farmar 2-6, D.Williams 2-8, Brooks 1-3, Sha.Williams 1-3, Morrow 1-4). Rebounds—San Antonio 50 (Duncan 10), New Jersey 48 (Humphries 8). Assists—San Antonio 25 (Duncan, Parker 5), New Jersey 19 (D.Williams 8). Total Fouls—San Antonio 17, New Jersey 12. A—15,272 (18,711).

By Ric Liles, Times Correspondent
Sunday, February 12, 2012

The cold helps: This year has been warmer than any year I can remember in my 40 years of fishing the bay area. But it might be a good thing we had this cold front come through this past weekend. One of the main target species for a lot of area anglers in February is sheepshead. This is the time of year when the big females come into the bay and spawn. The moon phase has a lot to do with this, but we have not been catching near as many big sheepshead as we normally do at this time. Hopefully the front will move some of the sows in and our catches will improve. We have had a good sheepshead bite lately but most of the fish have been under legal size (12 inches). That's not as bad as it sounds when you consider we get 30 to 40 fish a day when fishing for them.

Trout: Another species that has been cooperative is sea trout. Hopefully this change in conditions will not affect their bite. Like the sheepshead, we have been catching more under-slot fish than keepers (15 to 20 inches) but have had good success catching enough to take home for a fish fry. The fish we have caught have been in the upper slot. Most of them have ranged from 18 to 22 inches. It's as if all the 15- to 18-inch fish are somewhere else or not hungry.

Redfish: The redfish bite was good this past week, but once again, size was an issue. Most fish were under the legal limit (18 to 27 inches) with a few keepers mixed in.

Bait: My best results lately have come from shrimp instead of whitebait. There are plenty of sardines at the bridge, and I have had them in my well on recent trips, but they have not been productive. If your target is snook, you might get better results, but shrimp seems to be best for everything else right now.

Ric Liles fishes out of Tampa, Ruskin, Bradenton and the surrounding areas, and can be reached at (813) 601-2900, via email at CaptainRic@msn.com, or at ReelSimpleFishing.com.

By Tom Jones, Times Staff Writer
Sunday, February 12, 2012

Most overhyped

Yeesh, could CBS golf host Jim Nantz have gushed any more about the Pebble Beach course over the weekend? We get it. It's a nice track. I just wanted to watch some golf, and I felt like Nantz was trying to sell me property.

CBS's golf coverage is only a few weeks old and I'm already yearning for NBC. The lone bright spot is main analyst Nick Faldo, who mixes in a nice blend of analysis and humor. He knows the game as well as anyone, and he knows how to communicate it. He isn't willing to be as critical as NBC's Johnny Miller. Then again, no one in golf, and few in sports broadcasting, are as critical as Miller. Faldo, however, does a good enough job to make CBS's announcing crew tolerable. Barely.

Meantime, if you watched CBS's coverage from Pebble Beach, you could tell how badly it wanted Tiger Woods to be in contention. That's not a criticism. Television ratings go up when Woods plays well. You can't blame CBS for wanting to see Woods make a run. Still, the announcers have a little more enthusiasm in their voices when Woods sinks a long putt or chips in from the sand. They certainly make more of a fuss than when another golfer does something similar.

This, however is criticism:

After Woods fell apart Sunday, Faldo said, "Tiger has got to face the media today.'' That, disappointingly, did not start with CBS. On-course reporter Peter Kostis started well enough by questioning Woods on his tough day but then completely ruined it by fawning all over him, telling Woods, essentially, that Woods did some good things and is going to win again soon. Seriously? It felt like Kostis was trying to win Woods' approval or hoping Woods wouldn't be mad at him for asking a couple of semitough questions.

It got worse. Nantz joined the Tiger pity party by thanking Woods for doing the interview at a difficult time. The guy lost a golf tournament, not a limb. Let's not act like Woods went above and beyond what is expected from any athlete.

It's all so obvious that these guys want Woods to like them that perhaps they don't even realize how docile they look. I've never seen an athlete have that kind of a grip on broadcasters.

Most interesting ticker item

CBS isn't the only network that understands how much Tiger Woods means to ratings. At one point Saturday, Woods was three shots out of the lead and that was enough to warrant ESPN running a "Tiger Alert'' on the bottom of the screen.

Best point

Is Giants quarterback Eli Manning, with his two Super Bowl MVP awards, a Hall of Famer? New York Daily News sports media critic Bob Raissman points out that ESPN's Chris Mortensen has it right.

"We don't have to have this discussion right now," Mortensen said on ESPN's NFL 32. "Let's let his body of work complete itself."

Mortensen is right. Manning just turned 31. He likely has another four or five productive seasons left in him.

Best highlight

Rangers and former Lightning center Brad Richards owes the Lightning's Dominic Moore an apology. Last week, Moore was given a roughing penalty and subsequently fined $2,500 for a hit on Rangers and former Lightning forward Ruslan Fedotenko, who might have suffered a concussion on the play.

In a rush to judgment, everyone assumed that Moore intentionally threw a shoulder at Fedotenko's head as he tried to gain position in the offensive zone. Turns out, Moore's shoulder actually hit Fedotenko's stick, and it was the stick that hit Fedotenko's jaw. NBC showed that revealing replay during Sunday's NHL on NBC game between the Rangers and Capitals. Analysts Pierre McGuire and Ed Olczyk both defended Moore. Last week, Richards criticized Moore's hit, saying Moore "knew what he was doing." It's admirable that Richards was sticking up for a teammate, but now that replays revealed that Moore never even touched Fedotenko, Richards should man up and say he was wrong to accuse Moore of something so sinister. Richards' teammate Brian Boyle, who called the hit a "really, really dirty play,'' owes Moore an apology, too. If you're going to toss around accusations that serious, you better be 100 percent right. Turns out, Richards and Boyle were wrong.

Best coming-out party

How about this Jeremy Lin of the Knicks? No player has scored more points (109) in his first four starts in NBA history. Despite playing without Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire, the Knicks have won all four games, with Lin averaging 28.5 points and eight assists. Look, maybe this is all a beginner's luck type of thing and Lin will flame out. And, yes, other teams gave up on Lin in the past. And, yes, the Knicks haven't played any elite teams in this stretch, unless you think the 15-12 Lakers are elite.

Still, if I'm a Knicks fan, I'm a little irritated that my team stumbled to a 9-15 start while this kid was sitting on the end of the bench.

Best addition

Former Lightning captain Dave Andreychuk was solid on Sun Sports over the weekend as he broadcast from between the benches for games at Buffalo and Pittsburgh. It's normally difficult for three broadcasters to call a hockey game, but regular announcers Rick Peckham and Bobby "Chief'' Taylor did a good job of working Andreychuk into the telecast.

Andreychuk spoke just enough to justify his spot on the ice, but not so much to step on Taylor's toes. Andreychuk's footprint was just about right.

His best moment came Saturday when he showed a folding chair next to him on the bench and explained how Lightning forward Marty St. Louis, who is 5-foot-8, preferred sitting on it because the bench was too high off the ground and didn't allow St. Louis to properly rest his legs.

That is what a sideline reporter is supposed to do.

Favorite analyst

You have to love ABC's NBA analyst Jeff Van Gundy. During Sunday's Celtics-Bulls game, the Washington Wizards came up in conversation and Van Gundy dropped this jewel: "Can we all come to an agreement that Washington be banned from national TV? What have they done to warrant being shown on national television?" Ha, beautiful. There are always rumors that Van Gundy will return to coaching some day. Let's hope not. He's the best NBA television analyst alive.

Three things that popped into my head

1. Would you just once like to hear a golf host say, "Welcome to our coverage and we'll do our best even though the course is lousy, the weather stinks, the tournament director and volunteers have been anything but helpful and we can't wait to get to next week's tournament''?

2. There were 33 college basketball games on television Saturday, but USF-Providence was not one of them. What a pity.

3. Do we really have to wait more than six months for a meaningful NFL game?

tom jones' two cents

Tampa Bay Times staff writer Tom Jones looks back at the best and worst from a weekend of televised sports.

Times wires
Sunday, February 12, 2012

PEORIA, Ariz. — Spring training is officially under way with Seattle's pitchers and catchers holding their first workout.

The center of attention for the brief Sunday morning session under a blue sky at the Peoria Sports Complex was the team's newest import from Japan.

Right-hander Hisashi Iwakuma did a small amount of running and a little defensive work. He will throw off the mound for the first time today.

"It felt really easy," he said through an interpreter, "because in Japan we spend like two hours for the warmup in Japan. We have a lot of stuff to do, even the fundamentals."

The Mariners and Iwakuma agreed to a one-year, $1.5 million contract last month, plus a little more than $3 million in incentives. He joins a franchise already popular in Japan because of the presence of Ichiro Suzuki.

Seattle started spring training a week ahead of other teams because it will open its season early, March 28 in Japan against Oakland. The Athletics chose not to begin spring training early. Their first workout at their Phoenix facility is set for next Sunday.

Some 30 Japanese reporters and photographers chronicled every move by the 6-foot-3, 180-pound pitcher as he jogged lightly, then fielded some balls off the mound.

"This is the first time to wear the uniform," Iwakuma said, "and I'm really excited to play with the pitchers and the catchers and the fielders."

KAZ TO THROW: Free agent left-hander Scott Kazmir, the former Rays ace who has struggled badly since 2009, plans to throw for scouts in Houston on Wednesday, ESPN reported.

RANGERS: Catcher Mike Napoli finalized a $9.4 million, one-year contract to avoid arbitration.

Times wires
Sunday, February 12, 2012

MELBOURNE, Australia — Jessica Korda broke out her father's trademark scissor-kick celebration Sunday when she won the Women's Australian Open at Royal Melbourne for her first LPGA Tour title.

She decided against the cartwheels her father, Petr, did when he won the 1998 Australian Open tennis title. Maybe she was still dizzy after a topsy-turvy final day.

After losing the lead with a late bogey run, the American, 18, fought back to take the last spot in an improbable six-player playoff, then won with a 25-foot birdie putt on the second extra hole.

"It is a really special place for my family," Korda said. "For my first win, I honestly could not have thought of a better place."

What did her father say when they spoke by phone afterward?

"That he was so proud of me and we'll talk about the three-putts after," she said.

She closed with 1-over 74 to finish at 3-under 289 in the first women's professional event at Royal Melbourne, the difficult sand-belt layout that was the site of the 2011 Presidents Cup.

Seminole's Brittany Lincicome — who barely missed a winning shot on the first playoff hole — Stacy Lewis, Julieta Granada, So Yeon Ryu and Hee Kyung Seo also were in the playoff that matched the largest in LPGA history.

Ryu and Seo, playing in the second-to-last group, topped the leaderboard at 4 under going into the final hole of regulation but made bogeys.

Split into threesomes on the par-4 18th, all six players parred the first extra hole. Lincicome's 6-foot birdie try circled the cup and stayed out.

Playing in the first threesome, Lincicome also narrowly missed a 15-foot birdie try on the second playoff hole.

"Same thing on the second putt, hit it exactly where I wanted to hit it and it just didn't break," Lincicome said.

A few minutes later in the second group, Korda made her birdie putt and won when Granada missed a 12-footer.

CHAMPIONS: Corey Pavin made a 12-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole to defeat Peter Senior and win the Allianz Championship in Boca Raton for his first tour title. Both players shot a final-round 71 to finish tied at 11-under 205.

Times wires
Sunday, February 12, 2012

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. — Phil Mickelson rallied from six shots behind to win for the fourth time at Pebble Beach, a final round made even more memorable by the guy in a red shirt who was among the first to congratulate him Sunday on the 18th green.

Turns out that Tiger Woods was just along for the ride.

Mickelson closed with 8-under 64, beating Woods by 11 shots in a one-sided showdown at the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.

"I just feel very inspired when I play with him," said Mickelson, who has posted the better score the past five times he has played alongside Woods in the final round, where "Lefty" has a 6-3-1 advantage. Their rivalry stands at 13-13-4 when they're paired together in any round.

"I love playing with him, and he brings out some of my best golf. I hope that he continues to play better, and better, and I hope that he and I have a chance to play together more in the final rounds."

Woods, one shot off the lead on the sixth hole after 54-hole leader Charlie Wi fell apart early, followed his first birdie of the final round with three straight bogeys, starting with a three-putt from 18 feet on the par-3 seventh. It never got much better from there.

He finished with a three-putt on the 18th for 75, the only consolation coming from the belief that he's closer than ever to putting it all back together.

"I didn't hit it as bad as the score indicated, but I putted awful," Woods said. "As good as I felt on the greens (Saturday), I felt bad (Sunday). Anything I tried to do wasn't working. Consequently, I made a ton of mistakes on the green."

At least he got to watch a clinic.

Mickelson went from six back to a two-shot lead on the par-5 sixth when he rolled in a 20-foot eagle putt, adjusting his read after watching Woods' amateur partner — Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo — miss from a similar line.

Woods holed a bunker shot for birdie on No. 12, but right when it looked like a two-shot swing that could give Woods some momentum, Mickelson made a 30-foot par putt. With Woods out of the way, Mickelson made a 40-foot par putt on 15 to keep a three-shot cushion, and he was never challenged from there.

He wound up with a two-shot win over Wi, who four-putted for double bogey on the opening hole and never recovered.

Mickelson, who finished at 17-under 269, became the ninth player in PGA Tour history with 40 career wins. This one was special for many reasons, and the thrashing he gave Woods was but a small part of it.

His wife, Amy, flew up for the weekend and gave him a pep talk Friday in the rain at Monterey Peninsula when Mickelson was going nowhere. He ran off five birdies, got back into the tournament and picked up a win he didn't see coming.

"It's one of the more emotional victories for me that I've had, and the reason is I've had some doubt these last couple of weeks, given the scores I've shot," he said. "Having these great practice sessions, I started to wonder if I'm going to be able to bring it to the course. So this gives me a lot of confidence and erases the doubt."

By Greg Auman, Times Staff Writer
Sunday, February 12, 2012

TAMPA — In recruiting jargon, a football player is often dubbed an "athlete" when his skills aren't limited to a single position or even one side of the ball.

Guito Ervilus, by nearly any jargon, is an athlete.

The USF signee didn't take up football until his sophomore year at Orlando's Oak Ridge High, when football coach Elijah Williams convinced the basketball player to try on a set of pads. With a lean 6-foot-4, 220-pound frame, Ervilus has lined up as a receiver, tight end, defensive end and linebacker; so while his first look as a Bull will be at defensive end, that's really just a starting point.

"He could end up anywhere," said Williams, himself a former Florida running back who wound up playing defensive back for the Atlanta Falcons from 1998 to 2001.

A four-minute YouTube highlight video of Ervilus, which says he runs a 4.56-second 40-yard dash and has a 38-inch vertical leap, is a dizzying collection of plays all over the field: a leaping catch, a quick-step sack, a pancake block on a running play. Ask USF's assistants, and there's a broad excitement about Guito Ervilus — that's GEE-to, with a hard G — as a raw talent to be molded into a college football player in the next few years.

"The guy I got really excited about at the end was Guito Ervilus," said defensive tackles coach Kevin Patrick, who played defensive end at Miami. "That kid right there, when you look at athletes and guys who can do more than one thing, he's a guy you could put anywhere on that field, with the exception of maybe offensive line, and he could play. That's what he brings to the table."

Last spring, Ervilus was on the radar of all the state's top programs, and even Ohio State, Tennessee and West Virginia, but he tore the ACL in his left knee in May, costing him the summer of 7-and-7 tournaments and combines and half of his senior season. He had thought he was headed to North Carolina, but when interim coach Everett Withers wasn't retained, he reopened his recruitment, and USF edged Kentucky among his final choices.

He's healthy enough that he's back playing basketball — Oak Ridge went undefeated in district and is hosting a region playoff game Thursday, with Ervilus playing forward. He has ruled out playing basketball in college — he was Oak Ridge's leading scorer as a junior — and if you ask him which football position he'd like to play most, he dodges the question nicely.

"I really want to play on both sides. It's actually kind of fun, being able to do both," Ervilus said. "I like receiver, but I don't think they'll try me there, because I'm too big. I'm just going to try to be the best player I can be."

USF coach Skip Holtz called him "extremely athletic" on signing day, and defensive ends coach Vernon Hargreaves admitted that part of the logic in introducing Ervilus as a defensive end was to make sure landing his commitment didn't hurt USF's position with Sean Price, a four-star tight end who also signed. Ervilus is one of four ends joining the Bulls this season, and the defensive coaches will lobby to keep him in the fall and beyond.

"He hasn't played football very long," Hargreaves said. "Those are the kind of guys that have so much upside that once you teach them and they start learning, they just take off. I'm excited about him."

Greg Auman can be reached at auman@tampabay.com and at (813) 226-3346. Check out his blog at tampabay.com/blogs/bulls and follow him at Twitter.com/gregauman.

Times wires
Sunday, February 12, 2012

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Suddenly the only noise in an arena that had been loud all day was the happy screaming of the West Virginia Mountaineers, who had just managed possibly the biggest upset for the women's program.

West Virginia matched No. 2 Notre Dame's physical play and won most of the hustle points in a 65-63 victory that ended the Irish's 21-game winning streak.

Brooke Hampton hit two free throws with 4.6 seconds left to give the Mountaineers the lead. The celebration was on after Natalie Novosel's 15-footer bounced off the rim at the buzzer.

"This is a great win for us," West Virginia coach Mike Carey said. "We were below .500 three or four years ago and we beat Louisville at Louisville when they were ranked third in the country. This is right up there."

The Mountaineers (18-6, 8-3 Big East) went in on a three-game winning streak. Center Asya Bussie, who had 22 points and eight rebounds, said they were confident heading in.

"I just think we were more focused," said Bussie, who hit a turnaround jumper with 39 seconds left that tied the score at 63. "We prepared all week, and we just came in and did what we had to do to get the win."

Skyler Diggins scored a career-high 32 for Notre Dame (24-2, 11-1), which went in leading the nation at 83.2 points per game.

Diggins missed a contested layup that could have tied the score with less than 10 seconds to play. She fouled Hampton at midcourt as she went for a steal with 4.6 seconds to go.

NO. 5 DUKE 67, FSU 57: Haley Peters scored 18 to lead a balanced attack for the visiting Blue Devils (21-3, 12-0 ACC), who are bearing down on a third straight conference title. The Seminoles (13-13, 5-7) appear likely to miss the NCAA Tournament for the first time in seven years.

NO. 6 Miami 76, NO. 8 MD. 74: Stefanie Yderstrom scored a career-high 26 and Shenise Johnson added 20 for the visiting Hurricanes (22-3, 11-1 ACC), who won their 11th straight. The Terrapins (21-4, 8-4) led 66-60 with six minutes left before Johnson keyed a rally.

NO. 24 S.C. 62, UF 58: Markeshia Grant had 20 points and hit five 3-pointers, and LaKeisha Sutton scored on a left-handed scoop shot in the final minute as the host Gamecocks (19-6, 8-4 SEC) held off a rally by the Gators (16-9, 6-6).

NO. 4 STANFORD 82, UCLA 59: Nnemkadi Ogwumike had 25 points and eight rebounds for the host Cardinal (22-1, 13-0 Pac-12), which won its 19th straight.

NO. 10 OHIO ST. 80, NO. 16 PURDUE 71: Samantha Prahalis hit a 3-pointer from the right wing with 41 seconds left, helping the host Buckeyes (22-3, 9-3 Big Ten) rally past the Boilermakers (19-6, 9-3) and create a four-way tie atop the conference.

NO. 12 DEL. 94, GEORGIA ST. 56: Division I scoring leader Elena Delle Donne had 31 points in 25 minutes, and the visiting Blue Hens (21-1, 12-0 Colonial) won their 12th straight.

ST. JOHN'S 61, NO. 17 RUTGERS 52: Coach Kim Barnes Arico earned her school-record 169th win for the visiting Red Storm, which handed the Scarlet Knights (17-7, 6-5 Big East) their fourth straight loss.

NO. 18 PENN ST. 77, N'WESTERN 63: Alex Bentley scored 18 to lead four players in double figures, and the visiting Lions (20-5, 11-2 Big Ten) won their fourth straight.

NO. 21 GEORGIA 76, VANDY 63: Anne Marie Armstrong scored a career-high 23 for the host Bulldogs (19-6, 8-4 SEC), who led the entire game.

NO. 22 GA. TECH 56, NO. 22 UNC 54: Sasha Goodlett had 13 points for the visiting Yellow Jackets (18-7, 8-4 ACC), who handed the Tar Heels (17-8, 7-5) their third straight loss in the first women's game between teams with the same ranking since Jan. 14, 2003, when No. 14 Mississippi State beat No. 14 Vanderbilt 78-75.

Men

NO. 12 G'TOWN 71, ST. JOHN'S 61: Freshman forward Greg Whittington scored a career-high 12, and the host Hoyas (19-5, 9-4) shot 61 percent in the second half and hit several clutch 3-pointers.

NO. 22 MICHIGAN 70, ILL. 61: Tim Hardaway scored 15 and Evan Smotrycz 13, and the Wolverines (19-7, 9-4 Big Ten) improved to 14-0 at home.

Times wires
Sunday, February 12, 2012

Soccer

Zambia wins title near site of tragedy

LIBREVILLE, Gabon — Zambia returned to the scene of its worst sporting tragedy to make it a place of joy after winning the African Cup of Nations final Sunday on penalties over favorite Ivory Coast.

Stophira Sunzu scored the deciding sudden-death spot-kick after Gervinho missed, giving Zambia an 8-7 win on penalties after a 0-0 tie through 120 minutes.

Zambia's first African title came just a few kilometers from where most of its team was killed in a plane crash 19 years ago.

"We have been thinking about that since we went to camp," goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene said. "The brotherhood in the team was the key."

Apology: Liverpool striker Luis Suarez apologized for refusing to shake the hand of Manchester United's Patrice Evra before the teams played Saturday. Suarez was returning from an eight-match ban for racially abusing Evra, who is black, earlier this season. "I should have shaken Patrice Evra's hand before the game," Suarez said.

Tennis

U.S. finishes Davis Cup sweep

The United States completed its 5-0 rout of host Switzerland in the first round of the Davis Cup, with Ryan Harrison, 19, and John Isner winning singles matches.

Harrison made his Davis Cup debut, beating Michael Lammer 7-6 (7-0), 7-6 (7-4). Isner, who stunned Roger Federer on Friday, beat Marco Chuidinelli 6-3, 6-4 to give the U.S. team its first sweep since 2004 .

The Americans play at France or Canada in the quarterfinals in April.

Alpine Skiing

U.S. mogulist sets Cup streak

American Hannah Kearney won her 15th straight World Cup moguls event, breaking downhill great Ingemar Stenmark's all-discipline record for consecutive FIS World Cup victories.

"It's insane," said Kearney, 25, after winning in Breida Lake, China.

Stenmark won 14 giant slaloms from 1978-80.

Autos

Force, 62, wins NHRA opener

Driver/owner John Force, 62, got his 134th career Funny Car victory at the season-opening Winternationals at Pomona, Calif., beating Mike Neff in the final despite a slower time. Force won reaction time on a holeshot with a 4.080-second run at 315.64 mph. Neff went 4.036 but was slower out of the gate. Spencer Massey (Top Fuel) and Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) also won titles.

Et Cetera

Figure skating: Wesley Chapel's Caydee Denney and partner John Coughlin, the 2012 U.S. champions, were second as China's Sui Wenjing and Han Cong won the pairs title at the Four Continents Championships in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Horses: Animal Kingdom, winner of the 2011 Kentucky Derby, is one of 39 horses nominated for the Grade III $150,000 Tampa Bay Stakes on Feb. 25 at Tampa Bay Downs in Oldsmar.

Don Jensen, Times correspondent; Times wires