By Joe Smith, Times Staff Writer
Thursday, March 15, 2012

Quote of the day

"There's no better place in the lineup. That's the ruby red slippers right there. Slide on in, get in and get comfortable because if you've got a guy that gets on base in front of you and he's got some speed, it's like why don't you just open up the gate and lead the lambs to the lion. Eat good."

DH Luke Scott on potentially hitting No. 2 in the order

Guests of the day

Manager Joe Maddon, a Lafayette College alumnus, hosted the school's baseball team Thursday at Charlotte Sports Park. And it gave Maddon a gift, a collage of photos that included the former catcher hitting a home run.

Rays at Blue Jays

When/where: 1:05 today; Florida Auto Exchange Stadium, 373 Douglas Ave., Dunedin

Tickets: $15-$28, available at stadium box office, through bluejays.com or by phone at (727) 733-0429 or toll free 1-888 525-5297.

Rays information: Toll-free 1-888-326-7297

Pitchers: Rays — Jeff Niemann; Blue Jays — Ricky Romero

Heads-up

3B Evan Longoria, 2B/RF Ben Zobrist, INF Sean Rodriguez, C Jose Molina and LF Desmond Jennings will make the trip.

On deck

Saturday: at Pirates, 1:05. Rays — James Shields; Pirates — TBA

Sunday: vs. Red Sox, 1:05, Sun Sports. Rays — Matt Moore; Red Sox — TBA

Monday: Off

Upcoming schedule

All games 1:05 unless noted

March

20: at Marlins

21: Yankees

22: at Pirates

23: Jays (7:05)

24: at Twins (3:05)

25: Marlins

26: at Twins

27: at Red Sox (1:35)

28: Pirates (7:05)

29: at Phillies

30: at Pirates

31: Red Sox

April

1: at Orioles

2: Twins *

3: at Twins

4: vs. Future Rays, 1:40, at Trop

* Value game, $2 off

Who is this answer: SS Tim Beckham

Joe Smith, Times staff writer

"Love it."

— Maddon's wife, Jaye

"I honestly didn't recognize him."

— Pitching coach Jim Hickey

"After that look he had going on, great. That was a rough look he had."

— Principal owner Stuart Sternberg

Who is this Ray?

He was the top overall pick of the 2008 draft. His oldest brother, Jeremy, was selected by the Rays in the 17th round of the same draft out of Georgia Southern.

Times wires
Thursday, March 15, 2012

PHOENIX — Top-ranked Yani Tseng played a seven-hole stretch on the back nine in 7 under and finished with 7-under 65 Thursday for a share of the first-round lead with Hee Young Park in the LPGA Founders Cup.

Tseng birdied the 11th, 13th and 14th holes, eagled the par-5 15th and birdied the 16th and 17th. She had a 4-foot try for a birdie on 18 but pulled her putt just left.

"I tried too hard on the last hole," Tseng said. "I think it's harder at the end because you are trying, you're saying, 'Oh, I have three, I have four.' And you want to go five, six, seven, and every hole is harder. You're just trying harder and harder."

Park closed with bogey on the par-4 ninth for her 65. "Most of the shots were perfect," the South Korean player said.

Jiyai Shin opened with 66, and second-ranked Na Yeon Choi was another shot back along with Karen Stupples, Pernilla Lindberg and Hee Kyung Seo in the tour's first U.S. event of the year after stops in Australia, Thailand and Singapore.

Tseng successfully defended her LPGA Thailand title in February for her 13th LPGA victory. The Taiwanese star led the tour last season with seven victories, including two majors, and finished with 12 worldwide titles.

Defending champion Karrie Webb was in a group at 68 that included Stacy Lewis, So Yeon Ryu, Cristie Kerr and Ai Miyazato. Seminole's Brittany Lincicome shot 3-under 69, Tampa resident Kristy McPherson 1-over 73, and Tampa's Cindy LaCrosse 74.

Times wires
Thursday, March 15, 2012

BERLIN — Sebastian Vettel aims to become the youngest driver to win a hat trick of titles when the longest Formula One season yet begins this weekend in Australia.

The 24-year-old German could better five-time winner Juan Manuel Fangio and compatriot Michael Schumacher, the record seven-time world champion for whom the 2012 season looks likely to be a second farewell.

"All good things come in threes, and that would of course be something great, but until then, there's a long way to go," Vettel said.

After Vettel's Red Bull team dominated the past two seasons, rivals look slightly more confident of their prospects for a season featuring a record six current and former world champions.

Heading into the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, all signs from preseason testing have shown that Ferrari and two-time world champion Fernando Alonso may struggle, but Lotus could be the big surprise. The former Renault team hired 2007 world champion Kimi Raikkonen, who returns after two years away from the series.

Red Bull's biggest challenge could come from McLaren. Last year's runnerup, Jenson Button, and teammate Lewis Hamilton, both former world champions, should contend.

Mercedes again turns to German pair Schumacher and Nico Rosberg. The team's progress could well affect any decision Schumacher, 43, makes about whether to continue.

"The car felt good from the first moment," he said. "We can say that we are very well prepared. But once again, what this means in relation to our competitors is something I can't judge until after the first race."

This season is a 20-race marathon that includes the inaugural race in Austin, Texas, on Nov. 18, the first race in the United States since 2007.

Times wires
Thursday, March 15, 2012

JUPITER — Jose Reyes stepped into the on-deck circle, turned toward the Mets dugout and bowed. No hard feelings.

The Marlins shortstop, who left the cash-strapped Mets in the offseason for a six-year, $106 million deal, faced his ex-team for the first time Thursday, shaking hands and offering hugs beforehand.

"Of course, I'm going to miss the fans there in New York because of all the support they gave to me," Reyes said after Miami's 3-1 win. "But I have new fans now down here in Miami."

Reyes got mostly applause but some boos when he was introduced. The real reaction will come April 24, when the Marlins play in New York for the first time.

"This is nothing," Reyes said. "It's going to really go crazy when I go back to New York."

In his only at-bat, Reyes hit a comebacker to R.A. Dickey.

"I started kind of giggling to myself before he stepped in," Dickey said. "It's hard. He's such an exuberant personality, a great guy, a great teammate. But when he got in, it was business."

Nationals: Righty Chien-Ming Wang, favored to be the No. 5 starter, strained his left hamstring. Wang fielded a slow roller by the Yankees' Russell Martin. He fell as he touched first base. His leg went in the air and was hit by Martin. Manager Davey Johnson said Wang would have tests to determine his status.

Rangers: Outfielder Josh Hamilton, who left Wednesday's game after jamming his right heel chasing down a double, returned.

Red Sox: Righty Aaron Kurcz, 5-4 with a 3.28 ERA last year at Class A, came from the Cubs as part of the compensation for general manager Theo Epstein's departure. The Cubs previously sent minor-league reliever Chris Carpenter, and Boston still owes a player to complete the deal.

Rockies: Righty Jhoulys Chacin left after three innings because of a blister on his right index finger. He said he hopes to be ready for his next start.

Royals: Shortstop Alcides Escobar signed a $10.5 million, four-year extension with options in 2016 and 2017 that could make it worth $21.75 million. Last year, Escobar, 25, acquired from the Brewers in 2010 in the deal involving starting pitcher Zack Greinke, hit .254 with four homers, 46 RBIs and 26 stolen bases.

Clemens case: Roger Clemens' federal retrial was moved up one day to April 16 . The star pitcher is accused of lying under oath when he testified before Congress in February 2008 that he never used performance-enhancing drugs. His first trial ended with a mistrial when prosecutors used inadmissible evidence.

Thursday, March 15, 2012

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — New England quarterback Tom Brady might want to watch his back. The Jets' Mark Sanchez, too.

After spending the past six seasons harassing quarterbacks for the Texans, defensive end Mario Williams has found new motivation in a huge contract and a new home in the AFC East with the Bills.

"I'm ecstatic, very excited. I can't wait for the opportunity," Williams said Thursday after signing a six-year deal potentially worth $100 million. "There's no pressure. I've played against great quarterbacks. And I'm looking forward to playing against these quarterbacks, chasing them down and making things happen."

Williams' deal, which includes $50 million in guaranteed money, is the richest ever given to an NFL defensive player. Terms were provided by the player's agent, Ben Dogra.

"We got a lot better," Buffalo general manager Buddy Nix said, noting that the Bills addressed their highest offseason priority, improving a defense that managed 27 sacks in 2010, and 29 sacks in 2011.

Listed at 6 feet 6 and 285 pounds, Williams is a two-time Pro Bowl starter and had a franchise-best 53 sacks in six seasons with the Texans, who drafted him No. 1 overall in 2006. He was limited to five games last season because of a torn chest muscle, but Williams said he's healthy now.

Manning derby: Now Peyton Manning needs to decide what happens next.

All indications are that the Broncos, Cardinals and Titans are still in the running to sign the former Colts star.

Titans owner Bud Adams told KHOU radio in Houston on Wednesday that he has offered Manning a contract "for life" and said he "feels great" about the chances of landing Manning.

ESPN and other media said free agent QB Matt Flynn was planning to visit the Dolphins after his trip to Seattle, an indication that the Dolphins know they won't get Manning.

If there's no word from Manning by today, the Cardinals might have to move on. Arizona will decide by 4 p.m. today whether to release quarterback Kevin Kolb, who would be due $7 million if he is on the roster Saturday.

Jaguars QB duel? Jacksonville signed quarterback Chad Henne to a two-year contract worth nearly $6.75 million on Wednesday, envisioning him as a backup to Blaine Gabbert. But on Thursday, coach Mike Mularkey created a buzz when he spoke about Henne, who passed for 31 touchdowns and 37 interceptions in 36 games for the Dolphins. "He's coming in as a backup, competing for a starting job," Mularkey said. "We don't want anybody here that's very comfortable and wants to be in a backup role."

nameless are 'Gutless': Quarterback Mark Sanchez said he and receiver Santonio Holmes have ended their feud that contributed to the Jets' demise last season, but he described unnamed teammates who criticized him as "gutless," ESPN.com reported. Sanchez said he and Holmes cleared the air at a recent dinner, adding: "I know it can work between us. It's not a question of if, it's just a matter of when — and that's now." Later in a radio interview, Sanchez fired back at players who were quoted anonymously in newspaper stories. "It is a gutless thing to do," he said.

Viking acquitted: Cornerback Chris Cook was acquitted of all charges that he assaulted his girlfriend in October and said he will get ready to play this season. Cook said he acted in self-defense when the fight turned physical.

TRANSACTIONS

Bears: Free agent DE Israel Idonije agreed to a one-year contract.

Broncos: Former Browns S Mike Adams agreed to terms.

Browns: Free agent DE Frostee Rucker (Bengals) agreed to a five-year, $21 million contract. OL Oniel Cousins and TE Alex Smith, both backups, re-signed.

Chargers: WR/PR Eddie Royal (Broncos) agreed to a three-year, $13.5 million deal, $6 million guaranteed.

Chiefs: TE Kevin Boss (Raiders) agreed to terms on a three-year, $9 million contract.

Cowboys: Free agent S Brodney Pool (Jets) agreed to a one-year deal. Free agent LB Dan Connor (Panthers) agreed to a two-year deal and is expected to compete at inside linebacker.

Dolphins: G-T Artis Hicks signed a one-year deal, his agent said.

49ers: CB Shawntae Spencer was released.

Giants: S Chris Horton, who last played for the Redskins in 2010, signed.

Patriots: Special teams captain Matthew Slater and DT Marcus Harrison re-signed.

Redskins: Former Bears S Brandon Meriweather agreed to a two-year, $6 million deal.

Saints: G Ben Grubbs agreed to a five-year, $36 million contract, replacing Carl Nicks, who left for the Bucs. Grubbs gets $16 million guaranteed, including a $10 million signing bonus.

Titans: Free agent G Steve Hutchinson (Vikings) agreed to a multiyear contract. Terms not released.

Times wires
Thursday, March 15, 2012

ALPINE skiing

Vonn clinches another title in world cup

SCHLADMING, Austria — Lindsey Vonn won her fourth World Cup super-G title Thursday by finishing sixth in the discipline's final race of the season. It was her 16th career Cup title.

Viktoria Rebensburg of Germany was the winner, her first super-G victory. American Julia Mancuso was second.

Vonn, the overall World Cup champion, narrowly avoided skiing out on a blistering run, taking a 1.22-second advantage over Rebensburg into the final intermediate time check. She went off course and just made the next gate shortly before the finish.

Vonn has two races left to earn 53 points and overtake Austrian great Hermann Maier's record of 2,000 World Cup points in a season. She is closing in on the women's mark of 1,980 points held by Janica Kostelic of Croatia.

Vonn may skip the slalom Saturday for extra giant slalom training. She failed to finish her past three slaloms but has had an outstanding giant slalom season with her first two wins in the discipline.

colleges

U.S. record powers Cal swim team

California's Caitlin Leverenz set American and NCAA records in the 200-yard individual medley to help the defending champion Golden Bears take the first-day lead at the women's swimming and diving championships in Auburn, Ala.

Leverenz's time of 1 minute, 51.77 seconds topped the 2-year-old mark of 1:52.31 set by Julia Smith of Stanford. Georgia sophomore and former Country­side standout Melanie Margalis finished sixth in the race in 1:55.10.

California built a 132-118 lead over Stanford and Southern Cal. Florida was 13th with 31 points.

football: Florida is opening two of its spring workouts to the public at the Sanders Practice Fields in Gainesville: today at 4:35 p.m. and Saturday at 1:05.

wrestling: Defending champion Penn State got two pins each from unbeaten top seeds David Taylor (157 pounds) and Ed Ruth (174), and led Minnesota 38.5 points to 33 after the first two rounds of the national championships at St. Louis. Penn State advanced seven of its nine entrants to the quarterfinals of the championship bracket.

et cetera

gymnastics: The sport's international federation opened disciplinary cases against two judges over suspected mistakes in the women's events at the 2011 world championships in Tokyo. The judges' identities will remain confidential, the federation said. Results and medals won't be revised, and qualification places for this summer's Olympics are unchanged.

olympics: Gold medalist Ian Thorpe swam his fastest time in the 200-meter freestyle since coming out of retirement, 1 minute, 49.16 seconds, to reach the semifinals of the Australian trials in Adelaide, continuing his quest to qualify for this summer's Games.

soccer: Athletic Bilbao beat Manchester United 2-1 to lead three Spanish teams into the Europa League quarterfinals. Athletic overwhelmed United — owned by the Glazer family, which owns the Bucs — for a 5-3 aggregate victory.

tennis: Novak Djokovic defeated Nicolas Almagro 6-3, 6-4 to reach the semifinals of the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells, Calif. On the women's side, Maria Sharapova needed more than three hours to subdue Maria Kirilenko 3-6, 7-5, 6-2 and advance to the semis. She faces Ana Ivanovic, who defeated Marion Bartoli 6-3, 6-4.

Times wires

Times wires
Thursday, March 15, 2012

PORTLAND, Ore. — Louisville point guard Peyton Siva did his best Steve Nash impersonation against Davidson.

Siva had 17 points and six assists, many times driving inside then pulling out to the perimeter, and the fourth-seeded Cardinals moved on in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2009 with a 69-62 victory over Davidson on Thursday.

The idea behind Siva's tactic was to tire the Wildcats and their up-tempo offense.

"We said one of the greatest things Steve Nash does off the pick and roll, if he probes the lane and he decides he doesn't have anything, he just dribbles it back out and takes a different angle of the screen," Louisville coach Rick Pitino said. "I think that helped Peyton, watching Steve Nash do it."

After getting ousted in their opening game the past two seasons, Pitino and the Cardinals (27-9) advanced to the third round. Louisville, coming off a run to the Big East tournament title, is making its sixth straight NCAA appearance.

Davidson (25-8) couldn't quite get a read on Siva and it wore out the Wildcats.

"Our guys defended ball screens three, four or five times during a possession," coach Bob McKillup said. "I don't know if you've ever defended a ball screen before, but when you do, you better move your legs, and that is wearing and tearing on their legs."

Siva had a contingent of supporters from his hometown of Seattle, about three hours away.

"It was kind of like high school," he said of the support.

Murray St. 58, Colo. St. 41: Isaiah Canaan scored 15 and Donte Poole shook off a likely broken nose to score 13 as the sixth-seeded Racers (31-1) beat the 11th-seeded Rams (20-12) in Louisville, Ky. "It's just great," said Poole, who struggled to breathe after taking an inadvertent elbow early in the second half. "As long as we won, I'm fine." Pierce Hornung, who fouled out, had 17 rebounds, the most for Colorado State in a tournament game since Dale Schlueter had 19 in the first round in 1966. "It didn't turn out like we wanted but still feel like we accomplished a lot," Hornung said. "We definitely have goals next year that exceed where this year ended."

MARQUETTE 88, BYU 68: Jae Crowder had 25 points and 16 rebounds, Darius Johnson-Odom scored 12 of his 20 in the second half and the third-seeded Golden Eagles withstood a rally by the 14th-seeded Cougars (26-9) in Louisville, Ky. "I'm not a home run coach. I didn't hire home run assistant coaches," Marquette coach Buzz Williams said. "We just want to be a good pitch team. And for the most part, we were able to throw good pitches." BYU coach Dave Rose said: "I don't think they played any harder than we did. I don't think they fought any harder than we did. They were just a little better."

N. Mexico 75, long beach st. 68: Kendall Williams scored 14 of his 16 in the second half and bottled up Casper Ware defensively as the fifth-seeded Lobos (28-6) beat the 12th-seeded 49ers (25-9) in Portland, Ore. Williams' length and quickness bothered Ware, as the Big West player of the year went nearly 25 minutes without a field goal and finished with 17 points on 5-of-19 shooting. "He's got something you just don't teach," coach Steve Alford said of Williams. "He has that extra gear. He's the fastest player I ever coached." Alford instilled a defensive mind-set when he arrived in New Mexico five seasons ago. His Lobos teams are 58-0 when opponents fail to score 60. This season, opponents averaged 59.1. Long Beach State lost its tournament opener for the fifth straight time. Coach Dan Monson said he should have given Ware more rest: "I told him we kind of wore him out."

By Greg Auman, Times Staff Writer
Thursday, March 15, 2012

NASHVILLE — Stan Heath can't put a finger on why USF's offense clicked so well in Wednesday's 65-54 victory over California, the program's first-ever NCAA Tournament victory.

But as the Bulls seek their second in tonight's second-round game against Temple, the coach said he believes his team looked more relaxed, having shed the burden of trying to make the tournament.

"Since around mid January, we were playing for our lives," said Heath, whose team entered averaging 59.2 points. "We felt like any game we lost was an elimination game. And I think in some ways, it might have been my fault that we put a lot of pressure on ourselves. And maybe I coached that way, where just every possession was just so important.

"I felt like once we got in the tournament — and we talked about this — it was like, 'Hey, we're in a new season. Let's relax and play.' "

Those relaxed Bulls (21-13), jumped out to a 36-13 halftime lead on the Golden Bears, hitting 15 of their first 21 shots while maintaining the stifling defense they exhibited throughout the season.

USF playing well at both end of the court makes it that much more difficult to prepare for, according to Temple coach Fran Dunphy.

"They figured out what they needed to do to win," said Dunphy, whose team has beaten Duke (a No. 2 seed in the tournament) and Wichita State (No. 5) this season. "The thing that impresses me the most is when you can be tough physically or tough mentally, you have a chance to be a really good team. I think … especially at this point in the year, South Florida is both. So that's a tough task for us."

Heath said the public perception of his team struggling on offense might be magnified because it was especially low scoring when the national spotlight was on it late in the season — scoring 48 in a loss at Syracuse, 46 in a win against Cincinnati, 58 in a win against Louisville, 44 in a loss to West Virginia and 56 and 53 in its Big East tournament games.

The key to USF's scoring, Heath said, is limiting turnovers. Against Cal, the Bulls did with 11.

"When we have 12 or less turnovers, we average 67 points a game," Heath said. "We had 11 in that game, and we scored (65) points. So when we take care of the basketball, we are a different team offensively. We give ourselves more chances."

USF might need more scoring to keep up with Temple, which has scored at least 64 in every game. The Owls averaged 76, more than any team in the Big East.

At the same time, USF's players said the best inspiration for the offense clicking is the confidence that comes with their defensive identity controlling the game.

"I think we like to play defense a lot more than we like to play offense at times because we know that getting stops is what's going to keep us being successful," junior forward Toarlyn Fitzpatrick said.

"When we see other teams frustrated and our plan unfolding out on the court, we definitely feed off that and it gives us a lot of confidence on the offensive end as well."

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 staff, wires
Thursday, March 15, 2012

TAMPA — USF routed Florida Atlantic 76-20 Thursday in a Women's NIT opener.

It's not the most lopsided win in the program's history — the Bulls beat Puerto Rico-Mayaguez by 80 in 2005, and Morris Brown by 70 before that.

Jasmine Wynne scored 20, Andrell Smith 15 and Kaneisha Saunders and Inga Orekhova both nine each for the Bulls (18-15).

"We shared the basketball real well, and we defended," coach Jose Fernandez said. "I like their focus, enthusiasm and energy level. We just continued to defend, get on loose balls and help each other out."

Wynne has scored in double figures in 27 games this season.

The Bulls host FIU in the second round at 7 p.m. Saturday at the USF Recreation Center. FIU beat Stetson on Thursday.

The Bulls outrebounded FAU 55-34 and forced 25 turnovers.

USF closed the first half shooting 51.6 percent, and led 35-8.

The Bulls held FAU to 10.3 percent shooting in the first half, tying for third-fewest points allowed in a half in USF history.

Smith shot 6-of-12 to contribute to 34 points by the Bulls bench.

Mississippi State's Stansbury steps down

STARKVILLE, Miss. — Mississippi State men's coach Rick Stansbury is stepping down after 14 seasons because he wants to be a better father and husband.

A red-eyed Stansbury thanked family and friends.

"My emotions are about happiness," he said. "I promise you."

Stansbury led the Bulldogs to a 293-166 record with 11 postseason appearance, but he last went to the NCAA Tournament in 2009. He averaged more than 20 wins per season and ranks ninth in wins in SEC history.

The Bulldogs lost seven of their last nine this season, falling the first round of the NIT.

"We've had a couple of disappointing years by our standards, which we created," said Stansbury, 52.

Stansbury plans to keep his family in Starkville and work in some capacity for Mississippi State, where he has been for 22 years, counting time as an assistant coach.

By Gary Shelton, Times columnist
Thursday, March 15, 2012

NASHVILLE — The first ingredient of a miracle is simple. First, there has to be widespread hopelessness before it happens.

Often, there also is despair. And anguish. And gloom. If you look hard enough, you may find a few locusts.

Throw in a few basketballs clanking off a few rims, and you might as well be talking about the past 20 years of USF basketball. You know, Team Pestilence. For two decades, no team in America was easier to ignore. For two decades, the Bulls wandered aimlessly — and shot the same way — from gym to gym without success.

They were the easiest team in the country to ignore. There was no tradition and no history, no recruits and no chance. The Bulls were the smallest kids on the toughest block in college basketball.

Look at them now, beaming and bouncing across the arena floor. They are alive in the NCAA Tournament, which has usually been out of their reach. They have been successful in the Big East, where the competition has usually been over their heads. They are coming off the biggest win in their history on a stage that once would have seemed beyond their dreams.

Call it the Miracle of Fowler Avenue.

For heaven's sake, the meek have inherited the gym.

Go ahead, smile. These are the sweetest moments in the program's history. At this point, what people need to realize is just how improbable this turnaround has been. You can throw six darts through a darkened room and have a better chance to puncture the winning numbers out of a Lotto card on the other side.

For other teams, in other towns, none of this might seem that impressive. After all, 68 teams make this tournament and 34 of them win a game. Frankly, the Cal team the Bulls beat probably couldn't have handled five guys from the pep band.

Ah, but to appreciate the Bulls, you need to remember the odds they beat to get here. You need to notice a roster filled with vagabond players seeking second chances. You need to acknowledge one of the finest coaching jobs in the nation. You need to remember the muscle of the Big East. You need to know how far this team has come.

Start with Stan Heath, the coach who convinced his team that success was possible. In college basketball, most coaches turn programs around in one of three ways. One, they find a great player and follow him to success. Two, they recruit well and grow their own players until they are hardened seniors. Three, they play in a smaller conference where night-in and night-out the competition isn't as fierce.

Heath didn't do any of that. He found out early that the best players he could get were transfers, and he put out a welcome mat. Ron Anderson Jr. started at Kansas State. Victor Rudd was at Arizona State. Augustus Gilchrist originally signed with Virginia Tech and then transferred to Maryland before landing at USF. Toarlyn Fitzpatrick signed with Georgia Southern. Hugh Robertson, Jawanza Poland and Blake Nash all came from junior college. In other words, success came from everywhere.

"It just worked out that way," Heath said. "In our league, we've got to compete against schools that get McDonald's All-Americans and top 50 players. We haven't been able to grab that guy. So we have to find a way to compete against that level. The most talented guys we could get were transfers.

"It's like 'why are you leaving? What's the situation? What are your academics like. What is your character like?' If it's a good fit, it's a good fit. Gilchrist has already graduated, and Ron Anderson will be graduating soon."

Along the way, Heath has taken all the loose puzzle pieces and assembled them into a team that endured the Big East. No, the league wasn't as good as usual this year. But it's still a beast. It's still the league where every other team but USF has reached the Final Four. It's still a league where the Bulls had finished higher than 14th only one time before this year.

Yet, Heath has taken these Shot­less Wonders — until Wednesday's game against Cal — and convinced them they could win with this defense-first blueprint. Along the way, he has changed the perception of his program. From here, recruiting should be easier. From here, standards should be higher.

The thing is, Heath's a second-chancer himself. Five years ago, he was the Arkansas coach, and his team won 20 games, and it reached the NCAAs. And Heath was fired.

"When it first happens, it stings and you do have a chip on your shoulder, you have that edge. You really do, because you feel like the rug was pulled out from under you. But at some point, you move on. I've fallen in love with USF. I've fallen in love with Tampa.

"My motivation is we're creating history. We're building something special, something that hasn't been done before. I feel very proud to be part of that."

Why not? His team has finally given USF basketball fans a reason to smile. He has returned hope. He has made dreaming possible again.

When it comes to miracles, that's a pretty good start.

By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer
Thursday, March 15, 2012

TAMPA — The Lightning's playoff hopes are not officially squashed, but after Thursday night's 3-1 loss to the Maple Leafs at the Tampa Bay Times Forum, reality should be sinking in.

This was a game Tampa Bay had to win as it came off an uplifting victory over the defending Stanley Cup champion Bruins to face a Toronto team on a 2-13-2 nosedive.

Instead, the Lightning (32-31-7), losers of four of five, wasted its game in hand on the Capitals to remain 11th in the Eastern Conference, seven points behind idle Washington for the eighth and final playoff spot with 12 games to go and three teams to jump.

"It was," center Steven Stamkos said, "a lost opportunity."

"I don't think it was our effort that wasn't there," defenseman Brian Lee said, "just our smarts."

It was a bad night for Tampa Bay in all sorts of ways — much to the delight of the boisterous Leafs fans who nearly split the sellout crowd — with the bright spots being Marty St. Louis' goal with 26 seconds left and Dwayne Roloson's 18 saves in relief of Dustin Tokarski.

Other than that …

Lee's ill-advised interference penalty seven seconds into the game provided a power play on which John-Michael Liles scored at 1:09.

Tokarski got little help from his defenses but struggled and was pulled with 7:23 left in the second period after allowing three goals on 10 shots.

Coach Guy Boucher had his hand in it as well. He short-circuited a second-period power play by mouthing off to referee Eric Furlatt for missing what he believed was a trip on Stamkos that would have given the Lightning, down 2-0, a 53-second five-on-three.

Thirty-eight seconds later, Jake Gardiner scored four-on-four through Tokarski's legs to make it 3-0 after a splendid play in which he passed to himself off the side boards and went around Lee. "You get a five-on-three and it's 2-0 and get an entire minute of five-on-three, that can change everything," Boucher said. "I saw, and still believe what I saw. I spoke my mind. To me it's a clear penalty and an easy (call) to make."

Still, there was no guarantee the Lightning would have converted; it went 0-for-5 with the extra man. And when it did challenge James Reimer, the goalie was solid with 33 saves.

Bottom line, the Lightning is going down for the third time. It is 1-2-0 on a seven-game homestand that was to be the linchpin of its playoff push. It is four points from the bottom of the East and Saturday faces the Blues, the NHL's No. 1 team.

"We cannot," Lee said, "afford to lose."

First Period—1, Toronto, Liles 6 (Grabovski, Kessel), 1:09 (pp). Penalties—Lee, TB (interference), :07; Komisarek, Tor (hooking), 2:27; Stamkos, TB (holding), 13:08.

Second Period—2, Toronto, Crabb 9 (Lombardi, T.Connolly), 3:27. 3, Toronto, Gardiner 5 (Lombardi), 12:28. Penalties—Wallace, TB (hooking), 3:51; Grabovski, Tor (holding), 10:47; TB bench, served by Wallace (abusive language), 11:54; Phaneuf, Tor (unsportsmanlike conduct), 19:38; Stamkos, TB (unsportsmanlike conduct, high-sticking), 19:38.

Third Period—4, TB, St. Louis 23 (Clark), 19:34. Penalties—Gunnarsson, Tor (hooking), 5:18; Phaneuf, Tor (hooking), 8:06; Hall, TB (tripping), 18:00; Phaneuf, Tor, double minor (roughing), 18:38; Stamkos, TB (roughing), 18:38. Shots —Toronto 4-10-14—28. TB 9-12-14—35. PP opportunities—Toronto 1 of 6; TB 0 of 5. Goalies—Toronto, Reimer 12-12-4 (35 shots-34 saves). TB, Tokarski 1-2-1 (10-7), Roloson (12:28 second, 18-18).

By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer
Thursday, March 15, 2012

TAMPA — Lightning C Steven Stamkos' 50 goals are 11 more than any other NHL player.

His 40 even-strength goals also lead, his 84 points are second, and his 10 winning goals are tied at the top.

It is a rich enough resume, GM Steve Yzerman said, that Stamkos should be considered for league MVP.

"No question," Yzerman said Thursday. "He's elevated his play and scored so many goals that were part of our comeback. He's such a big part of our team, he should get serious consideration, in my opinion."

One thing that would hurt Stamkos with media voters is Tampa Bay not making the playoffs, said Yzerman, who acknowledged that is a legitimate caveat.

"The name of the game is to win, so generally you're going to look at who had the biggest impact on a winning team," he said. "But every now and then a player is so good and so important to his team, even if they don't make the playoffs, you have to take a look at him."

Pittsburgh C Evgeni Malkin, Rangers G Henrik Lundqvist and Red Wings C Pavel Datsyuk also should get consideration, Yzerman said.

Stamkos, 22, whose MVP profile has been building nationally, said his focus is on the team.

"You don't play to score a certain amount of goals or get individual awards," he said. "You play to win a team championship. … I'll keep working hard toward that. That's when you know you've done a lot."

THOMPSON HURT: C Nate Thompson did not play the final 7:37 against the Maple Leafs because of an upper-body injury coach Guy Boucher said might sideline him for Saturday's game with the Blues.

FEISTY: When Stamkos attacked Toronto D Dion Phaneuf with 1:22 left in the third for checking Marty St. Louis along the side boards with no penalty called, it was the continuation of a confrontation that had begun with 21.1 seconds left in the second.

That ended with matching unsportsmanlike conduct penalties and Stamkos getting an extra two minutes for high-sticking Phaneuf across the face.

"I thought he hit me late on that play the refs obviously didn't see," Stamkos said. "I gave him a shot back. He plays that way. We all know the way he plays and tries to get under your skin. It's something that he's obviously good at doing, but the refs didn't see how that started again and missed a call."

As for Stamkos, 6 feet 1, 188 pounds, going after Phaneuf, 6-3, 214, Boucher said he liked it. "He's standing up for his buddy," Boucher said. "He's a warrior, that kid, in every way."

IN THE HOUSE: W Carter Ashton, a 2009 first-round draft pick traded by the Lightning at the February deadline from AHL Norfolk to Toronto for D Keith Aulie, faced his former organization for the first time and had two shots and three hits in 14:37 of ice time.

MORE MEDICAL MATTERS: D Marc-Andre Bergeron said back surgery to relieve pressure on his sciatic nerve was a success. "The pain in my leg is gone," he said. "It's the moment I've waited for for a long time." … D Bruno Gervais (shoulder) was available but was scratched.

ODDS AND ENDS: The Maple Leafs are 3-0-0 against the Lightning this season with a 17-5 advantage in goals. … RW Adam Hall and wife Dina on Wednesday had their first child, Evan John Hall, 8 pounds, 4 ounces. … RW Brandon Segal, C Vinny Lecavalier (hand) and G Mathieu Garon (groin) also were scratched.

Times wires
Thursday, March 15, 2012

PORTLAND, Ore. — Bradford Burgess hit a 3-pointer with 1:33 left and Shaka Smart coached VCU to another tournament surprise, holding off Wichita State 62-59 Thursday night.

The 12th-seeded Rams (29-6) led by 13 in the second half. The Shockers closed to 54-53 on Garrett Stutz's layup with 5:39 left. Troy Daniels hit a 3-pointer for the Rams, and Joe Ragland answered with a 3 for Wichita State.

Toure Murry made a 3 that gave Wichita State the lead, but Burgess came back with his big shot to give the Rams a 60-59 edge. Darius Theus' runner from about 6 feet provided the final margin. Stutz missed a 3-pointer just before the buzzer for fifth-seeded Wichita State (26-6).

Burgess scored 16 for the Rams, who last year beat Georgetown, Purdue, Florida State and Kansas in becoming the third No. 11 seed to reach the Final Four.

"This team has shown that in its own right, it's a terrific team," Smart said. "People are going to want to compare. In a lot of ways, we've done better than what last year's team did."

Defending champion ousted

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Chris Allen led four players in double figures with 20 points as eighth-seeded Iowa State beat ninth-seeded Connecticut 77-64.

It's only the second time the Huskies have lost their opening tournament game.

"I'm surprised as anybody, clearly," coach Jim Calhoun said. "I imagine our players are, too."

Iowa State (23-10) led by as many as 22 in the first half. Ryan Boatright made three consecutive baskets to pull Connecticut (20-14) within 58-52 with 8:24 to play. But the Huskies got no closer, going scoreless for about 51/2 minutes.

As the game wound down, the Cyclones' Royce White, who had 15 points and 13 rebounds, pointed at Iowa State's radio crew and said, "I told you, didn't I?"

Kentucky 81, W. Kentucky 66: Terrence Jones had 22 points and 10 rebounds and fellow sophomore Doron Lamb scored 16 as the top-seeded Wildcats (33-2) routed the 16th-seeded Hilltoppers (16-19) in Louisville, Ky.

"For this to be the first NCAA game for us, freshmen are usually — well I know I was last year — just a little nervous about all the pressure put on us. And it wasn't even as much pressure last year as it is this year," Jones said. "I just wanted to tell everybody to have fun and run. We just got going from there."

Baylor 68, South Dakota St. 60: The third-seeded Bears (28-7) rallied against the 14th-seeded Jackrabbits (27-8) in Albuquerque, N.M. South Dakota State took a 12-point lead early then fought back from a double-digit deficit in the closing minutes.

"In the beginning of the game, we showed our jitters a little bit," Baylor coach Scott Drew said. "Then after that, I was very pleased with how we calmed down and got back to playing basketball."

Indiana 79, New Mexico St. 66: The fourth-seeded Hoosiers, who missed the tournament the past four seasons, earned their first win since 2007 in Portland, Ore. Jordan Hulls made 8 of 12 shots to score 22 for Indiana (26-8). He scored 11 straight during one stretch, including three 3-pointers. The last gave Indiana a 62-41 lead with 11:14 left, and the 13th-seeded Aggies (26-10) didn't get closer than 12 from there.

Champs to out

Defending champions who failed to win their opening games the following season since the tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985:

Thursday, March 15, 2012

ORLANDO — The cloud that hovered over the Magic evaporated early Thursday somewhere in the clouds between San Antonio, Texas, and Orlando.

After months of agonizing over his future, and with the trade deadline just hours away, All-Star center Dwight Howard decided to commit to the Magic for at least one more season. He waived his early termination option and ensured he will remain with the franchise for the 2012-13 season.

"I'm glad that this is finally over with," Howard said during a news conference at Amway Center, flanked by CEO Alex Martins and GM Otis Smith.

"It's been very tough for me the past couple of months to make a decision. I've gone back and forth. It's not as easy as what people think. It's very hard when you're talking about a career-changing event, and most people wouldn't see that."

If Howard had not eliminated his early termination option, team officials said they would have traded him before the 3 p.m. trade deadline.

Magic officials had determined they didn't want Howard, 26, to leave via free agency this summer without anything in return.

On Wednesday night, just before a 122-111 loss to the Spurs, Howard notified team officials he would not waive his out clause. After the game, he said he should not be traded and that the organization should "take a chance" he would sign elsewhere in the offseason.

But something changed during the flight home. He told team officials he wanted to waive the out clause, but Smith advised Howard to sleep on it. Howard signed the paperwork at midday Thursday.

Some around the league scoffed at Howard's decision. Heat star Dwyane Wade tweeted: "Loyalty hahahahaha."

Regardless, Howard, who will earn $19.5 million next season, sounded relieved: "I want this city to know I love them, and I love this team and I want them to believe in us and believe in what we can accomplish."

Centers on the move in deadline deals

Nene and JaVale McGee were among the centers who found new homes before the trade deadline, though it was relatively quiet as teams were wary of taking on long-term contracts with the more punishing luxury tax rules of the new collective bargaining agreement.

Denver dealt Nene to Washington, just three months after re-signing him to a five-year, $67 million contract. The Wizards sent McGee and Ronny Turiaf to Denver and Nick Young to the Clippers. Washington also picked up forward Brian Cook in the deal.

The Lakers got younger at point guard, acquiring Ramon Sessions from Cleveland and sending veteran Derek Fisher to Houston. Sessions had been backing up No. 1 pick Kyrie Irving in Cleveland.

Blazers overhaul: A day after a 42-point loss to the Knicks, the Blazers fired coach Nate McMillan and named assistant Caleb Kanales as interim coach. The firing was part of a busy day that included trading veteran center Marcus Camby to the Rockets and forward Gerald Wallace to the Nets. Center Greg Oden, the former No. 1 pick, was waived. Portland is 20-23, last in the Northwest Division.

Game highlights: Kevin Durant scored 24 and the visiting Thunder beat the short-handed Nuggets 103-90. … Dirk Nowitzki scored 27 and the host Mavericks improved to 15-0 all time against the Bobcats.

Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.

Thunder 103, Nuggets 90

OKLAHOMA CITY (103): Durant 8-15 7-8 24, Ibaka 2-7 1-2 5, Perkins 2-3 0-2 4, Westbrook 7-17 7-8 23, Sefolosha 1-4 0-0 3, Harden 6-11 2-2 18, Collison 2-6 2-2 6, Jackson 2-4 0-0 5, Mohammed 2-4 0-0 4, Cook 4-8 0-0 11, Ivey 0-0 0-0 0, Aldrich 0-0 0-0 0, Hayward 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 36-79 19-24 103.

DENVER (90): Gallinari 6-12 0-0 15, Faried 3-8 2-2 8, Mozgov 1-4 0-0 2, Lawson 4-9 1-2 9, Afflalo 4-11 2-3 10, Harrington 1-8 3-4 5, Miller 7-9 3-4 17, Koufos 2-3 1-2 5, Fernandez 2-6 0-0 5, Brewer 2-4 2-4 6, Andersen 1-3 3-4 5, Stone 0-0 0-0 0, Hamilton 1-1 0-0 3. Totals 34-78 17-25 90.

Oklahoma City 29 21 28 25— 103

Denver 25 26 14 25— 90

3-Point Goals—Okl. City 12-25 (Harden 4-6, Cook 3-6, Westbrook 2-3, Jackson 1-2, Sefolosha 1-3, Durant 1-5), Denver 5-22 (Gallinari 3-7, Hamilton 1-1, Fernandez 1-4, Brewer 0-1, Harrington 0-2, Lawson 0-2, Afflalo 0-5). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—Okl. City 46 (Durant 8), Denver 54 (Faried 9). Assists—Okl. City 22 (Westbrook 5), Denver 21 (Lawson 5). Total Fouls—Oklahoma City 23, Denver 19. Technicals—Okl. City Coach Brooks, Denver three second 2. A—18,458.

Mavericks 101, Bobcats 96

CHARLOTTE (96): Maggette 5-15 9-10 21, Thomas 5-7 4-4 14, Biyombo 1-7 0-0 2, Augustin 4-12 2-2 12, Henderson 5-12 1-1 12, White 1-4 0-0 2, R.Williams 3-7 0-0 7, Mullens 2-3 0-0 4, Brown 3-5 0-0 6, Walker 4-8 2-3 12, Najera 2-4 0-0 4. Totals 35-84 18-20 96.

DALLAS (101): Marion 2-8 0-0 4, Nowitzki 9-21 6-7 27, Haywood 3-5 0-2 6, Kidd 2-5 2-2 7, Carter 3-11 3-3 11, Odom 1-4 0-0 2, Mahinmi 3-4 2-3 8, Terry 6-13 3-4 18, Beaubois 7-9 0-0 14, Wright 2-4 0-0 4, Cardinal 0-0 0-0 0, Jones 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 38-84 16-21 101.

Charlotte 23 31 14 28— 96

Dallas 23 25 26 27— 101

3-Point Goals—Charlotte 8-21 (Walker 2-3, Maggette 2-4, Augustin 2-6, Henderson 1-2, R.Williams 1-4, Najera 0-2), Dallas 9-25 (Terry 3-5, Nowitzki 3-7, Carter 2-6, Kidd 1-4, Marion 0-1, Odom 0-2). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—Charlotte 50 (Biyombo 11), Dallas 52 (Haywood 8). Assists—Charlotte 21 (Augustin, Walker 4), Dallas 20 (Nowitzki 5). Total Fouls—Charlotte 22, Dallas 17. Technicals—Dallas three second. A—20,507.

Wizards 99, Hornets 89

WASHINGTON (99): Singleton 1-5 0-0 2, Booker 5-8 4-4 14, Seraphin 5-7 2-2 12, Wall 11-16 4-4 26, Crawford 6-16 4-6 17, Mason 7-9 1-1 19, Evans 0-1 0-0 0, Blatche 2-9 0-0 4, Vesely 0-1 0-0 0, Mack 2-3 0-0 5. Totals 39-75 15-17 99.

NEW ORLEANS (89): Ariza 3-11 6-6 13, Ayon 6-11 4-4 16, Kaman 9-15 2-4 20, Jack 5-11 0-0 11, Belinelli 4-8 0-0 8, Vasquez 4-9 0-0 10, Thomas 1-4 3-3 5, Henry 0-1 0-0 0, Aminu 2-5 2-2 6. Totals 34-75 17-19 89.

Washington 28 28 19 24— 99

New Orleans 28 21 24 16— 89

3-Point Goals—Was. 6-18 (Mason 4-6, Mack 1-1, Crawford 1-7, Evans 0-1, Wall 0-1, Singleton 0-2), N.O. 4-14 (Vasquez 2-3, Ariza 1-4, Jack 1-4, Aminu 0-1, Belinelli 0-2). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—Was. 46 (Seraphin 9), N.O. 35 (Ayon 9). Assists—Was. 20 (Wall 12), N.O. 22 (Vasquez 6). Total Fouls—Was. 18, N.O. 14. Technicals—N.O. three second. A—14,256.

Jazz 111, Wolves 105 OT

MINNESOTA (105): Johnson 3-9 2-2 9, Love 9-23 5-10 25, Pekovic 7-12 6-8 20, Ridnour 7-12 2-2 18, Webster 2-5 5-5 10, Williams 1-4 0-0 3, Barea 4-8 1-2 11, Ellington 1-5 2-2 4, Randolph 2-5 1-2 5, Tolliver 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 36-83 24-33 105.

UTAH (111): Howard 4-12 2-2 10, Millsap 7-17 2-3 16, Jefferson 5-13 2-4 12, Harris 5-14 5-7 18, Bell 1-3 0-0 2, Hayward 9-17 6-7 26, Tinsley 3-5 0-0 6, Burks 6-8 3-4 15, Favors 2-9 0-0 4, Kanter 1-5 0-0 2. Totals 43-103 20-27 111.

Minnesota 20 27 24 28 6— 105

Utah 24 29 24 22 12— 111

3-Point Goals—Min. 9-27 (Barea 2-3, Ridnour 2-4, Love 2-8, Webster 1-3, Williams 1-3, Johnson 1-5, Ellington 0-1), Utah 5-13 (Harris 3-7, Hayward 2-3, Howard 0-1, Burks 0-1, Bell 0-1). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—Min. 54 (Love 16), Utah 69 (Favors 16). Assists—Min. 22 (Ridnour 13), Utah 22 (Tinsley 5). Total Fouls—Min. 22, Utah 23. Technicals—Min. three second. A—18,053.

By Greg Auman, Times Staff Writer
Thursday, March 15, 2012

NASHVILLE — USF senior C Ron Anderson is more familiar with tonight's NCAA Tournament opponent tonight than his teammates.

Three years ago, when he was transferring from Kansas State, his decision came down to USF and Temple.

"I know the coaching staff at Temple and have a lot of respect for them. I love everything about Temple," said Anderson, the Bulls' most vocal leader, on Thursday.

"(Senior G) Ramone Moore is a great player. He was my host when I went there."

Anderson said he expects a battle tonight. Temple's top scorers are guards, but it has solid rebounders in 6-foot-11 Micheal Eric (8.8 per game) and 6-9 Rahlir Hollis-Jefferson (6.5) to challenge him in the post.

"I've got a history with Temple," he said. "And I know they're going to come out ready to play."

FAMILIAR FACE: Michigan coach John Beilein could face USF on Sunday. And when he sees Bulls freshman PG Anthony Collins, he can't help but think of Collins' brother, J.D., who played for him at West Virginia from 2002-06.

"It's like I'm looking at the same young man," Beilein said as his team prepared to face Ohio today. "J.D. came into West Virginia basically just to prove a point that he could play big-time basketball, and we were looking for players with that type of attitude.

"I see lots of similarities in the two in that they were handed the ball somewhat as a freshman and they played like seniors from the very beginning."

BIG CHALLENGE: Florida State will have its hands full with St. Bonaventure's 6-9 F Andrew Nicholson, who averages 18.4 points and 8.5 rebounds. FSU's Bernard James said he reminds him of Central Florida 6-9 F Keith Clanton, who was held to 11 points on 3-of-7 shooting in the Seminoles' 73-50 win on Nov. 14.

"He can go out and shoot it," James said. "He can play a back-to-the-basket game as well. I think this guy is a little bit tougher than Clanton, but he does have that same solid play."

Ego check: James said FSU's overtime loss to Virginia Commonwealth in last year's region semifinals still haunts the Seminoles. He added he and his teammates use it to check their ego, even after beating North Carolina and Duke twice.

"I've thought about it every day since the VCU game," James said. "We use it as a constant reminder every day to stay focused and to perform at the top of our ability."

Admiration: Temple coach Fran Dunphy said he is a fan of USF's defensive style, watching it several times on television, including Wednesday's win.

"If I didn't have to play against them (today), I would have enjoyed very much watching the game, really celebrated what they had done," he said. "Now I'm, obviously, worried."

THIS AND THAT: USF played in Bridgestone Arena three years ago, losing 71-52 to Vanderbilt in the Big East/SEC Challenge. It was senior Augustus Gilchrist's second game as a Bulls freshman. … With the Sun Dome reopening after a $35 million renovation, USF is looking into hosting a four-team round-robin tournament in November.

Information from Times wires was used in this report.

Times wires
Thursday, March 15, 2012

PITTSBURGH — Syracuse was staring at NCAA Tournament history. A No. 1 seed had never lost to a No. 16 seed, and the Orange trailed North Carolina-Asheville with just more than six minutes to play.

Led by reserve forward James Southerland and helped by two controversial calls, Syracuse rallied for a 72-65 victory Thursday.

Most of the sellout crowd of 18,927 was behind the underdogs throughout the second half and the crowd was irate over the final two minutes with calls that went against the Bulldogs.

The Orange (32-2) held Asheville (24-10) to one field goal over the final minute while it made 6-of-7 free throws.

Asheville coach Eddie Biedenbach, livid at the calls, suggested his team was better.

"I don't think luck had anything to do with this game," Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim said, "and I think the better team won."

It was the third time a 16th seed led a No. 1 at halftime. Fairfield led North Carolina 35-28 in 1997, and Holy Cross led Kansas 37-35 in 2002. The Tar Heels won 82-74; the Jayhawks won 70-59.

There have been two one-point wins by No. 1s over 16s — Georgetown over Princeton and Oklahoma over East Tennessee State, both in 1989. One went OT — Michigan State 75-71 over Murray State in 1990.

The Bulldogs got within three points three times in the final 1:04 but Syracuse made its free throws and the officials made the controversial calls.

The first call was a lane violation by Asheville on a missed one-and-one Syracuse free throw with 1:20 left. The Orange went on to make both free throws. With 35 seconds left, the ball appeared to go out of bounds off Syracuse's Brandon Triche but officials gave it to the Orange.

Official Ed Corbett declined to discuss the out-of-bounds play, and said the lane violation was clearly correct.

"It's tough when things don't go your way," said J.P. Primm, who led the Bulldogs with 18 points. "In college basketball, sometimes you have to play everybody in the building."

k-state 70, southern miss 64: Point guard Angel Rodriguez overcame jitters to score seven of his 13 in the final 2:10 as the eighth-seeded Wildcats (22-10) beat the ninth-seeded Golden Eagles (25-9) in Pittsburgh.

At one point coach Frank Martin feared Rodriguez and his fellow freshmen were "going to make me cry on national TV." But Martin said it was no coincidence that Rodriguez — who airballed two shots early and had three turnovers — had the ball in his hands with the season on the line.

"It's not like I trust him with 10 minutes to go and not trust him with two minutes to go," Martin said. "That's why you saw him out there making the plays he made toward the end of the game."

Rodney McGruder led Kansas State with 30 points and Jordan Henriquez added 15 points, nine rebounds and six blocks. Henriquez, a 52 percent free-throw shooter, was 9-of-10 at the line.

Southern Mississippi coach Larry Eustachy returned to the tournament nine years after his ouster at Iowa State led to treatment for alcoholism.

"They say when you start drinking, you stop maturing," Eustachy said. "I didn't appreciate it as much, you know. This is as special as it gets."

gonzaga 77, w. virginia 54: Robert Sacre and Gary Bell scored 14 apiece as the seventh-seeded Bulldogs (26-6) routed the 10th-seeded Mountaineers (19-14) in Pittsburgh. It was West Virginia's worst postseason loss in 28 years, despite a homecourt advantage. "I've never gotten beat like that," Mountaineers coach Bob Huggins said. "We just were never in the game. Shouldn't say 'never.' Maybe a couple times. I don't know. Have to figure it out."

ohio state 78, Loyola (Md.) 59: Deshaun Thomas scored a career-high 31 and had 12 rebounds to lead the second-seeded Buckeyes (28-7) past the 15th-seeded Greyhounds (24-9) in Pittsburgh. Jared Sullinger added 12 points and 11 rebounds for Ohio State, which had a 49-24 rebounding advantage. The Buckeyes twice took a 15-point lead in the first half, and led by 20 in the second half.

Wisconsin 73, Montana 49: Rob Evans scored 18 and Jordan Taylor had 17 points and six assists as the fourth-seeded Badgers (25-9) ended the 13th-seeded Grizzlies' (25-7) school record 14-game winning streak in Albuquerque, N.M. Wisconsin, 10-1 in NCAA Tournament openers under Bo Ryan, held the Grizzlies to a season-low 21 rebounds.

vandy 79, harvard 70: John Jenkins made all six of his free throws down the stretch and finished with 27 points as the fifth-seeded Commodores (25-10) beat the 12th-seeded Crimson (26-5) in Albuquerque, N.M. Laurent Rivard led Harvard with 20 points. The Crimson nearly rallied from 18 down when Vanderbilt failed to make a field goal during the last 5:22.

Times wires
Thursday, March 15, 2012

GREENSBORO, N.C. — The left wrist injury John Henson sustained last week during the ACC tournament continues to improve, but North Carolina coach Roy Williams wasn't convinced the former Sickles High standout could play if the Tar Heels needed him today in their opener against Vermont.

Henson said he practiced through about 65 percent of UNC's workout Thursday morning.

"Hopefully it keeps on improving, and we'll see what happens (today)," he said.

UNC held Henson out of "live" work earlier this week, but let him participate in those situations, which more closely resemble a game, on Thursday. Williams said Henson didn't attempt a shot with his left hand, nor did he block a shot with his left hand.

After the practice, Henson told Williams he could play.

Asked how many questions he'd heard about his wrist, Henson said, "A lot. A lot. A lot. A lot. A lot."

Henson said his wrist felt about 60 percent healthy, and that he likely wouldn't play unless he felt at least 80 percent.

HAPPY FOR A HAIRCUT: Mike Scott and Jontel Evans are sporting new hairdos in Omaha, Neb., after making good on their promises to cut their hair if Virginia made it to the tournament.

Scott and Evans showed up at a team party on Selection Sunday with poofed-out hair, though the clippers were out an hour after the Cavaliers' West Region game against Florida was announced.

Scott vowed late last season not to get his hair cut until Virginia made the NCAAs.

"I don't know how the women, how you guys can do your hair," he said. "I was getting my hair done once a week, trying to get a new 'do' every game. I'm glad it's over."

Coach Tony Bennett said he likes the way Scott and Evans look: "They're a little more aerodynamic.''

pep band taunt: After Southern Mississippi lost to Kansas State, school president Martha Saunders apologized for chants by pep band members.

Several chanted "where's your green card" at Kansas State guard Angel Rodriguez while he shot free throws. Rodriguez is from Puerto Rico and attended high school in Miami.

Saunders said the school "deeply regrets" the remarks, apologized to Rodriguez and promised quick discipline.

RECRUITING GIMMICK: Forget the posh locker room or beautiful court. St. Bonaventure's biggest edge in convincing Andrew Nicholson to play for the Bonnies was a new science building.

"It was just a perfect match," coach Mark Schmidt said.

The 6-foot-9 Nicholson is averaging 18.4 points, a key reason why the 14th-seeded Bonnies will meet No. 3 seed FSU today in the East Region in Nashville. And the Atlantic 10 player of the year who started as a chemistry major will finish with a degree in physics, a change made only because Nicholson faced three-hour chemistry labs this year.

"He has three more classes to graduate with a physics degree so he can be a physicist, whatever that does," Schmidt said.

PRESIDENTIAL PICKS: N.C. State is seeded 11th in the Midwest Region, but coach Mark Gottfried is feeling heat because his team is a popular choice by bracketologists that include President Barack Obama. Obama selected the Wolfpack to beat San Diego State today and make it to the round of 16. Gottfried sent a text to ESPN reporter Andy Katz about Obama's picks.

"I told him that the president's trying to get votes; I'm trying to get wins," he said jokingly.

Thursday, March 15, 2012

BRANDON — If there is such a thing as a clutch performance, Bloomingdale's Austin Wilson and Tyler Harris delivered two of them Thursday in the Saladino Tournament semifinals. Their two hits produced five RBIs as the Bulls beat Wharton 8-4 to advance to the final, where they will meet Jefferson, for the first time in coach Kris Wilken's five-year tenure.

"Any championship-caliber team has to come through in the clutch," Wilken said. "And the clutch is with two outs."

Wilson worked the count full in the third before delivering a single that scored all three runners. Then in the fifth, with a 2-2 count and two on, Harris sent a shot to leftfield, and Wilson and Garrett Lorenzo scored to make it 5-4.

Jefferson 2, Newsome 1: In a span of two seventh-inning pitches, Jefferson ace Jimmy Herget nearly lost his pitching hand and did lose his mouthpiece. But his masterpiece never got away from him. The USF signee tossed an 82-pitch one-hitter to lift the Dragons (11-3) to a 2-1 semifinal triumph. Herget helped avenge a loss to the Wolves in last year's Saladino title game.

Joey Knight, Times staff writer

By Brandon Wright, Times Correspondent
Friday, March 16, 2012

TAMPA — Baseball is a game predicated on failure.

The odds, and game itself, are stacked against sustained success. Players who get a hit three-out-of-four times over the course of a season will likely be considered an all-star, despite falling short seven times.

And for the scouts who handpick these players, finding the next Albert Pujols is an equally frustrating chase that parallels the game's many failures.

"There are so many variables," San Francisco Giants' scout Paul Turco Jr., said. "It's an inexact science for sure."

Scouts from dozens of pro and college teams made their yearly pilgrimage to the prestigious Saladino Tournament last week, each trying to land the perfect fit for their organization.

"You take a look at a kid playing basketball and no matter where he plays, the rim is going to be 10 feet (high)," Turco said. "In baseball you have to take into account they're using bats that are different than the major-league level. You have to look at the (hitting/pitching) matchups. And you have to be able to project years down the road in terms of body type as well."

Radar guns may indicate how fast a pitcher throws and stopwatches gauge a player's speed, but those raw numbers don't tell a scout everything he needs to know.

"Another aspect is how well will this kid deal with his first battle with failure?" Turco said. "All these guys have always been the best on their teams and haven't been forced to face (failure). You need to find out how mentally tough you think that kid is."

Most major-league teams use a tiered scouting system that relies on levels throughout the organization. For example, a team will have an area scout that is responsible for a portion of Florida. He then reports a player up to a regional scout, who typically covers a section of the country like the Southeast. That regional scout then will kick a player up to the organization's national scouting director.

"Usually for players who will go in the first five rounds or so, that is the chain of command," Turco said.

But once those higher-profile players are gone, the area scout's opinion becomes even more important. The Major League Baseball draft lasts 50 rounds, leaving a lot of the heavy lifting to the area guys.

"A lot of times it's just one person's opinion," Turco said. "And with so many players, you might only have a chance to see a guy once or twice."

That's another reason scouts descend upon the Saladino Tournament — accessibility.

"Hillsborough County has always been a great area, and you get a chance to see a lot of these kids at once," he said. "And with the format, you can catch games all throughout the weekdays at times games aren't normally held."

Turco, who has been in scouting for 12 years, comes from a family of scouts, including his father, Paul Sr., and brother Anthony. Among the three of them, the Turcos have a combined 46 years of experience in the game.

Paul Turco Jr. said the technological advances have been the most drastic change over the past three decades.

"When my Dad started (in 1986), scouts carried an atlas with them to figure out how to get to places," he said. "They would have to leave numbers for the hotel they were staying at and then go back and check for voicemails. Now, we have a GPS and a smartphone."

Even in the 12 years Turco has been scouting, the rapid advancement of technology has altered the game.

"When I first started, I wasn't even working with a computer," he said. "We were still entering everything by hand."

Florida State assistant coach Mike Bell, who handles the bulk of the scouting for the Seminoles, agreed that technology has made players more accessible.

"Now you can see kids on YouTube, you get emails, video clips, Facebook and it's all instant access," said Bell, who also has coached and scouted for Tennessee and Oklahoma. "You can call anything you want to know up and it's right there at your fingertips."

Bell said that although all these tools exist for the modern scout, there is no replacement for personal interaction.

"You use them as a reference point," he said. "But ultimately you have to go see them and trust your eyes."

Brandon Wright can be reached at hillsnews@tampabay.com.

By Matt Baker, Times Staff Writer
Friday, March 16, 2012

ST. PETERSBURG — Dario Franchitti doesn't need a history lesson.

When the three-time defending IndyCar Series champion held court during media day this month, someone plopped a record book on the table and reminded the room that Franchitti's four series titles trail only A.J. Foyt (seven).

"You don't think I know that?" Franchitti said.

Yes, Franchitti knows Foyt's place atop the sport's history heading into next week's Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, where he will likely be one of the top contenders. What's tougher to figure out is where Franchitti ranks after a dominant IndyCar stretch sandwiched around a failed foray into NASCAR.

IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard said the 38-year-old Scotsman belongs among the top five drivers in history. Aside from Foyt, only Mario Andretti and Sebastien Bourdais have as many North American open-wheel championships as Franchitti. In NASCAR, only Dale Earnhardt, Richard Petty, Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson have at least four series titles.

"That's huge," Bernard said.

It's hard to overstate how strong Franchitti has been in his past four IndyCar seasons (2007, 2009-11), which were spread around a 2008 stock car stint plagued by an ankle injury and doomed sponsorships.

The Chip Ganassi Racing driver has led more than 2,600 laps in his past four IndyCar seasons. That's 26 percent of the series' total. He's won almost a quarter of the races, and his 16 wins are two more than second-place Scott Dixon.

Last year, Franchitti paced all drivers with 884 laps led — more than four out of every 10 in the circuit — including 94 of the 100 at St. Petersburg to claim his first victory here and his first of four season wins.

"He's a good, tough competitor," series runner-up Will Power said. "He's won four championships. He's very good at his job and bloody hard to beat."

Power should know. He's finished second to Franchitti each of the past two years and been the only driver to challenge him into the final race, including a 2011 cliffhanger that ended in tragedy.

St. Petersburg resident Dan Wheldon's death at Las Vegas ended the season finale early and devastated Franchitti. Instead of savoring his third consecutive title, Franchitti cried as he got into his No. 10 Dallara Honda for the five-lap salute to his close friend and former teammate.

Franchitti didn't celebrate his historic title then, and he didn't celebrate later. He and his team congratulated each other at a muted Christmas party two months later, but that was all.

"There was never that sort of fist-pumping moment with all your guys," Franchitti said. "It just hasn't happened, and it won't happen, because unfortunately when I think about that championship, I think about Vegas. When I think about Vegas, I think about Dan. That says it all, really."

Franchitti thought about leaving the sport after Wheldon's death, just as he considered walking away after Greg Moore's fatal crash in 1999.

But a week after the wreck, he pulled himself into a car for testing at Indianapolis. With a new car to master and engine competition for the first time since 2005, Franchitti and other drivers expect this season to be wide open. He had to get ready to repeat, again.

That's why Franchitti was hardly ecstatic when he received his fourth championship trophy in Indianapolis last month. Last season is behind him, and Franchitti is focused on his drive for five.

"The one thing we won't forget, obviously, is Dan," Franchitti said. "Apart from that, the rest of it's in the history books."

But where Franchitti ranks there remains open for debate.

Matt Baker can be reached at mbaker@tampabay.com.