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Friday, March 16, 2012

Perhaps it was fitting the hit Palm Harbor University's Taylor Sabol gave up that ended her bid for a perfect game Thursday night came on a home run.

Armed with better tools and new techniques, hitters are taking over softball, especially when it comes to home runs.

For years, the long ball might as well have been an ancient artifact in softball, a rare find in a game dominated by power pitchers. There were plenty of pitchers in the county who wielded the most important weapon in the sport — speed. When they were on, they collected strikeouts at a dizzying pace.

But hitters, many now powered by weight lifting regiments, take precisely honed swings that generate lift, using light bats to take their cuts.

The evolution of hitting and the emphasis on power have created some eye-popping numbers this season. Osceola's Kara Oberer has seven home runs this season. Teammate Haley Brown has five. So does East Lake's Nicole Szelest. Palm Harbor University's Samantha McCloskey has four. Six players in the county have three or more home runs, including East Lake's Sarah Schutz with three. That's more than baseball, which still is adjusting to new aluminum bats with less pop.

"The numbers in home runs are definitely up this season," Countryside coach Kaylyn Bayly said after last week's Lady Canes Spring Tournament. "That probably has to do with the fact that pitching is a little bit down than it has been in years past."

Pitchers may not stand as tall on the mound as they once did. Former East Lake standout Alyssa Bache, the last in a long line of county aces, graduated and it seems there are not many to take over as the county's dominant pitcher.

The Hurricanes might be the only team with softball's most precious commodity, a rare pitcher who can make opposing hitters rest uneasy the night before a game and can elevate her team single-handedly.

Sabol has lifted PHU to the county's best record and has thrown plenty of one- and two-hit games. But as Thursday night showed, even she can fall victim to a home run.

For five years those on the mound have had to adapt. Because of mounting safety concerns, the Florida High School Athletic Association decided in 2006 to move the pitching plate 43 feet from home, back from 40.

Florida will be the only state to experiment with the 43-foot modification.

The rule gave hitters more time to react to pitches. Still, titanium arms, not titanium bats, ruled the county after the change.

That has changed. Hitters are now maulers who can tear down the fences. Take McCloskey. The PHU third baseman works in the weight room on a regular basis during the offseason.

"But it's not just me," McCloskey said. "The whole team does it. Squats, box jumps, jump rope; we do it all.

"But we also put in so much work in hitting. We're working off a tee and doing all sorts of other things."

On Thursday, McCloskey also drove one out of the park, hitting an opposite-field two-run homer to give the Hurricanes some breathing room in a 4-1 victory over East Lake.

And that was not her most impressive homer of the season.

"Every one of Sam's homers have been legitimate shots over the fence," PHU coach Chuck Poetter said. "Some aren't just over the fence. They're in the trees."

But McCloskey insists she isn't swinging for the fences every at-bat.

"I'm just looking to get a good, solid hit," McCloskey said. "I'm really not looking for a home run.

"But it's nice when you can get them."


Report: Manning picks next week

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Times wires
Friday, March 16, 2012

RALEIGH, N.C. — Peyton Manning has told teams he plans to make a decision on his future Monday or Tuesday, the NFL Network reported Friday, as the race to sign the NFL's only four-time MVP and most prized free agent of the offseason heated up.

The teams believed to still be in the running to sign Manning are the Titans, Broncos and 49ers. All involved teams are comfortable working off Manning's previous contract with the Colts, which was five years for $90 million, or an average of $18 million per year, the Denver Post reported.

Manning phoned the Dolphins on Thursday to advise them he'll sign elsewhere, the Associated Press reported. The team has turned its attention to free agent Matt Flynn.

Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt said his team was no longer in the running for Manning and would move on with Kevin Kolb. Kolb remained on the roster at a 4 p.m. deadline Friday, ensuring him a $7 million roster bonus the Cardinals would not have paid if they had landed Manning.

Manning threw at Duke's athletic fields Friday for the Broncos. The workout lasted a little under two hours, he came off the field about 4 p.m., and the Broncos contingent left about the same time.

"We enjoyed visiting with Peyton today in N.C.," Elway said on Twitter. "He threw the ball great and looked very comfortable out there."

Manning worked out for 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh on Tuesday night at Duke, according to media reports, and he told the Titans he would throw for them today.

Manning has been rehabilitating in North Carolina after a series of neck surgeries, which forced him to miss the 2011 season. Manning's uncertain health led the Colts to release him March 7, a move that triggered a flurry of meetings and visits with other teams.

The 49ers had been working to re-sign quarterback Alex Smith, the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2005. Smith and Manning are represented by agent Tom Condon.

More broncos: Bucs free agent linebacker Geno Hayes was scheduled to visit.

Raiders dump high-priced lb: Raiders linebacker Kamerion Wimbley was released one year into a $48 million, five-year deal in the latest cost-cutting move under new general manager Reggie McKenzie. That means the Raiders are no longer on the hook for an additional $4.5 million of Wimbley's guaranteed money for 2012. "We tried to make it work, but just too many constraints with (the) Raiders cap situation," Wimbley's agent, Joe Linta, told the Associated Press. The Raiders have cut seven players this offseason, including five starters from 2011's 8-8 team.

chargers: Charlie Whitehurst is in and Billy Volek out as quarterback Philip Rivers' backup. Whitehurst agreed to a two-year contract to return, and Volek was released.

chiefs: Tight end Kevin Boss, who spent last season with the AFC West rival Raiders, signed a $9 million, three-year deal.

falcons: John Abraham, the team's top pass rusher, agreed to terms on a three-year deal. Terms were not available.

giants: Punter Steve Weatherford agreed to terms on a five-year deal worth $12.75 million.

Jets: Quarterback Drew Stanton agreed to a $1.25 million, one-year contract to back up Mark Sanchez.

ravens: Six-time Pro Bowl center Matt Birk agreed to a three-year contract to stay with the team. Terms were not available. Birk, 35, has started every game in three seasons with Baltimore.

Redskins: Tight end Fred Davis signed his one-year franchise tender guaranteeing a base salary of $5.416 million in 2012.

Santana hits first struggles

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Friday, March 16, 2012

PORT ST. LUCIE — Johan Santana never quite found his footing during his latest exhibition outing.

The Mets ace struggled for the first time this spring and was pulled during the third inning of Friday's 9-0 loss to the Tigers.

Out of the majors last year while recovering from shoulder surgery, Santana had not allowed a run in his first two starts. But the two-time Cy Young winner gave up five runs — four earned — on four hits and two walks in 2 2/3 innings. He didn't have any strikeouts.

"It was a challenge out there," said Santana, who complained that the mound was soft. "They made me work, but I felt good. I was able to throw some fastballs with more intensity this time and I'm feeling good. It's a process and I'm building up."

"… But at the same time I was competing out there and these guys are swinging and challenging me," he said. "I was trying to make some adjustments, but I was fine. Today was the first time in a long time I went over 60 pitches and it was all right."

Santana retired the Tigers in order on just 14 pitches in the first inning, but he threw 26 pitches in the second and 25 more in the third. Mets manager Terry Collins said Santana was fatigued after the second.

"It's one of those things you sometimes see pitchers do," Collins said. "They pound the strike zone, pound the strike zone, and they're fouling, fouling, and they can't get those low-pitch outs and it probably wore him down a bit. But the bright spot was he came out good, he came out healthy."

No Worries about Buehrle: Marlins left-hander Mark Buehrle said he felt "too good" before a 5-0 loss to the Cardinals. He ended up surrendering five runs on six hits and two walks in throwing 70 pitches.

"That's where I wanted to get," Buehrle said of his pitch count, "but not in 2 1/3 innings.

"The ball was moving too much. I was falling behind in the count. Pretty much everything you're not supposed to do, I did," he said.

Buehrle signed a four-year, $58 million contract in December to add depth to the Marlins' rotation. He has a 9.95 ERA in two big-league exhibitions.

"That's a typical Buehrle spring training," said manager Ozzie Guillen, who knows Buehrle from their years together with the White Sox (2004-11). "I'm not worried about him. He knows what he's doing."

Cardinals: Ace Chris Carpenter (stiff neck) threw 30 fastballs off a mound for the first time in nearly two weeks. He said he felt better than he had expected and was happy with the session. If he feels well today, he could throw off the mound again Sunday or Monday, and pitch batting practice. The Cardinals hope to have a better idea by next week about when Carpenter would be ready for exhibition games.

Nationals: Manager Davey Johnson said right-hander Chien-Ming Wang, who strained his left hamstring fielding a grounder Thursday, will be out a couple of weeks.

PIRATES: Kevin Correia, the opening day starter last year, tossed four shutout innings against the Phillies, giving up only one hit in his best outing of the spring. "It was just a matter of trying to be a little more efficient," Correia said. "… I think my pitch count was a little higher than I wanted it to be in my previous outings in spring training. Today, I was a lot more efficient."

Royals: Catcher Salvador Perez will be out 12-14 weeks after having left knee surgery to repair a torn meniscus.

Twins: Right-hander Nick Blackburn had another impressive start, striking out three and allowing just one hit in four scoreless innings of a 3-1 loss to Baltimore. The right-hander, who is coming off an inconsistent, injury-slowed 7-10 season, has given up four hits and no runs through seven innings this spring.

Game preview: Tampa Bay Lightning vs. St. Louis Blues

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By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer
Friday, March 16, 2012

. Tonight

Lightning vs. Blues

When/where: 7; Tampa Bay Times Forum, Tampa

TV/radio: Sun Sports; 970-AM

Key stats: Blues goaltenders Brian Elliott and Jaroslav Halak entered Friday first and second in the league in goals-against average at 1.62 and 1.87, respectively. … Elliott and Halak have a combined 12 shutouts, one off the team record set in 1968-69 by Glenn Hall and Jacques Plante. … Lightning G Dwayne Roloson is 9-4-1 with three ties in 17 games against St. Louis, with a 1.89 goals-against average and .929 save percentage. … The Blues have killed 61 of their past 63 penalties.

Sports in brief

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Times wires
Friday, March 16, 2012

colleges

st. petersburg's romano wins NCAA swim title

AUBURN, Ala. — St. Petersburg's Megan Romano, a six-time state swimming champion at Northeast High who is now at Georgia, set a U.S. and NCAA record in winning the 200-yard freestyle Friday at the women's championships. The junior followed that by finishing second in the 100 backstroke and was a member of Georgia's title-winning 800 freestyle relay team.

Romano's 200 free time of 1 minute, 41.21 seconds bettered by .34 seconds the mark California's Dana Vollmer set in 2009. In the 100 back, Romano (51.37 seconds) was the runnerup to Cal's Cindy Tran (50.31).

Florida got third- and sixth-place finishes in the 400 individual medley from Elizabeth Beisel and Teresa Crippen, respectively. Hungarian Olympian Katinka Hosszu of USC defended her title in an NCAA-record 3:56.54. Runnerup Caitlin Leverenz of Cal set a U.S. record, 3:57.89.

Texas A&M's Breeja Larson set a U.S. record in the 100 breaststroke, 57.71.

Cal extended its team lead and led second-place Georgia 311 points to 247.

football: QBs Jeff Driskel and Jacoby Brissett shared repetitions with the first-team offense as Florida held its first open practice in nearly two years at Gainesville. … Clemson released a list of 10 secondary NCAA violations, including a four-game suspension of LB Lateek Townsend. The NCAA determined Townsend received $2,327 in impermissible benefits. Townsend, who played sparingly as a freshman last fall and will be eligible this year, is repaying the money, which will go to charity.

wrestling: Penn State all but wrapped up its second straight national championship, and with a day to spare in St. Louis. The Nittany Lions won all five of their semifinal matches and have unbeaten top seeds in three weight classes heading into the finals. Penn State had 124 points and a 23.5-point lead over Minnesota. Penn State's unbeaten finalists include at 149 pounds Frank Molinaro, who in the quarterfinals got a 10-2 a major decision over Michigan's Eric Grajales, a four-time state champion at Brandon High. Grajales moved into the consolation bracket, where in his next match he was pinned by Donald Vinson of Binghamton in 2:32.

et cetera

olympics: Five-time gold medalist Ian Thorpe missed his best chance of qualifying for this summer's Games when he failed to make the 200-meter freestyle final at the Australian swimming trials in Adelaide. His time of 1:49.91 was 12th among 16 semifinalists. He still can qualify in the 100 free.

horses: Undefeated Kentucky Derby prospect Gemologist, trained by Todd Pletcher, returned from a 31/2-month layoff for a seven-length victory in an $80,000 allowance race at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach. For his fourth straight win, he ran a mile in 1:354/5. … Senor Rain won by 11/2 lengths in the $58,350 feature at 21-1 odds at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif., leaving trainer Peter Miller impressed enough to consider a Kentucky Derby bid for the gelding.

tennis: Rafael Nadal outlasted David Nalbandian 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 in the BNP Paribas Open, setting up a semi­final against Roger Federer at Indian Wells, Calif. Federer beat Juan Martin del Potro 6-3, 6-2. On the women's side, No. 1 Victoria Azarenka beat Angelique Kerber 6-4, 6-3 to reach her sixth straight tournament final. It was her 22nd straight win to start the season, trailing only Martina Hingis' 37-0 start in 1997. Maria Sharapova and Ana Ivanovic played in a late semifinal.

Times wires

Tseng holds on in LPGA

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Times wires
Friday, March 16, 2012

PHOENIX — Yani Tseng had a blunt assessment of her first nine holes Friday in the LPGA Founders Cup.

"Front nine, it's very sorry," the top-ranked Taiwanese star said.

She opened with nine pars a day after playing a seven-hole stretch on the same nine holes in 7 under.

"I was like, 'Oh, yesterday I make birdie here. How could I make par.' And it was not even close," Tseng said. "A couple holes, I was trying to make safe par, but yesterday it was so easy."

She had three birdies and a bogey on her final nine for 2-under 70, leaving her at 9-under 135, a stroke ahead of five players after the second round.

Second-ranked Na Yeon Choi was second along with fellow South Koreans I.K. Kim and Meena Lee and Japan's Ai Miyazato and Mika Miyazato.

"I'm very satisfied what I did (Friday)," said Choi, who had 69. "The weather is good like yesterday, but I heard (today) and Sunday the weather will be a little cold and windy, so I have to prepare for that."

Kim had 66, Lee and Mika Miyazato shot 67, and Ai Miyazato had 68.

Paula Creamer (68) was two strokes back along with defending champion Karrie Webb (69), Karen Sjodin (68), Inbee Park (69), Jiyai Shin (71) and Hee Young Park (72). Park was tied with Tseng for the first-round lead after shooting 65.

Tampa resident Kristy McPherson shot 65 and was at 138. Seminole's Brittany Lincicome (76—145) and Tampa's Cindy LaCrosse (76—150) missed the cut.

Champions: Bernhard Langer birdied the final hole for 6-under 65 and a share of the first-round lead with Bobby Clampett and Olin Browne in the Toshiba Classic at Newport Beach, Calif.

Ohio knocks off Michigan

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Times wires
Friday, March 16, 2012

NASHVILLE — Walter Offutt left Ohio State after not getting enough minutes. The guard was in the right place at the right time Friday for Ohio.

Offutt grabbed a loose ball, was fouled and made both free throws with 6.8 seconds left to preserve Ohio's 65-60 upset of Michigan in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

The 13th-seeded Bobcats (28-7), who upset Georgetown two years ago in their previous tournament appearance, led the fourth-seeded Wolverines 35-22 with 2:49 left in the first half.

Trey Burke hit a 3-pointer with 4:12 left to cut it to 63-60. But the Wolverines missed their final five shots, four by Burke.

Michigan (24-10) got the rebound on Burke's third miss, a 3-pointer with 22 seconds left. But Evan Smotrycz lost control of the ball, and Offutt grabbed it.

"It's been an amazing journey," Offutt said. "Probably the best thing that ever happened in my life."

Michigan made only 7 of 23 3-pointers. Burke, Zack Novak and Stu Douglass, who averaged a combined 31.9 points, combined for just seven.

"I haven't cried over a basketball game since I got knocked out in high school," said Douglass, fighting tears. "So that kind of paints the picture for you."

Purdue 72, Saint Mary's (Calif.) 69: Lewis Jackson made two free throws with 22.8 seconds left to put the 10th-seeded Boilermakers ahead for good.

Trailing 66-55 with 4:24 left, the seventh-seeded Gaels (27-6) went on a 14-2 run. Jorden Page's 3-pointer with 44.2 seconds left capped it and put them ahead by one. After turnovers by both teams, Jackson drove to the basket and drew a foul for Purdue (22-12).

"He … is a senior leader, knowing he had to knock two of them down to retake the lead," Purdue senior guard Ryne Smith said. "That was tremendous, and we're still dancing."

Page air balled a 3-pointer with 10 seconds left. Robbie Hummel made two free throws. And Rob Jones, who scored 17 of his 23 in the second half, missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer.

"For a brief moment," Jones said on if he through the shot was going in. "I think I could have taken a half-second more to get it up. But there's no point thinking about it now."

N.C. St. 79, San Diego St. 65: Richard Howell scored 22, more than double his season average, as the 11th-seeded Wolfpack pulled off the upset in Columbus, Ohio. The 6-foot-8, 250-pound junior, who entered averaging 10.7 points, scored 15 in the first half.

He scored his final points on a spin move that he turned into a three-point play with 10:08 left that put the Wolfpack up 57-50.

San Diego State (26-8) scored the next four, but an 11-4 run sealed it for N.C. State (23-12).

"None of us had ever played in a game like this," Howell said. "This gave us a big confidence boost."

Creighton 58, Alabama 57: After missing two free throws with 8.7 seconds left, Josh Jones deflected Trevor Releford's 3-pointer as time expired to lift the eighth-seeded Bluejays in Greensboro, N.C. Creighton (29-5) rallied from an 11-point second-half deficit.

The ninth-seeded Crimson Tide (21-12) inbounded the ball with 2.4 seconds left. Releford's shot fell well short thanks to Jones. He remained on the floor and said later he was fouled.

"I felt like I got hit. But at the end of the day, it's the ref's call," he said. "And you've just got to live with it."

Jones disagreed.

"Anybody who is trying to get the last shot off — if it's not perfect — they're going to try to sell it," he said. "So you saw a good act."

UNC 77, Vermont 58: James McAdoo scored a season-high 17 for the top-seeded Tar Heels, who played without John Henson (sprained left wrist), in Greensboro, N.C.

North Carolina (30-5) led by 12 at halftime then blew it open on consecutive three-point plays from McAdoo. Fellow freshman P.J. Hairston followed with a 3-pointer that made it 57-37 with about 8½ minutes left.

"I kind of got down on myself a little because my shot wasn't falling (early), but I was getting great shots," McAdoo said. "I really just tried to play myself into the game on the defensive end and then just be aggressive."

Four McGlynn, who scored 18 for Vermont (24-12) in a first-round win over Lamar, had just six on 2-for-13 shooting (0-for-6 on 3-pointers).

G'town 74, Belmont 59: The third-seeded Hoyas, eliminated in their first game the past two years, bottled up the 14th-seeded Bruins in Columbus, Ohio.

"Finally got the monkey off our back," Georgetown guard Markel Starks said.

Belmont (27-8) made 10 of 27 3-pointers. And its leading scorer, Kerron Johnson, scored four, 10 below his average. Up 58-49, Georgetown (24-8) went on a 13-2 run. Henry Sims and Otto Porter had three-point plays and Hollis Thompson a 3-pointer.

Kansas 65, Detroit 50: Thomas Robinson had 16 points and 13 rebounds for the second-seeded Jayhawks in Omaha, Neb. Elijah Johnson scored 15 for the Jayhawks (28-6), who pulled away from the 15th-seeded Titans (22-14) during the last five minutes of the first half.

Times staff writer Antonya English contributed to this report.

Howard routs former suitor

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Friday, March 16, 2012

ORLANDO — Dwight Howard scored 18, Jameer Nelson and Glen Davis each had 13 and the Magic easily beat the Nets 86-70 Friday night.

Ryan Anderson added 12 points and 11 rebounds for the Magic, which built a 20-point lead and cruised from there. Orlando won for the fourth time in five games and extended its winning streak against the Nets to 10.

Reserve Gerald Green scored 15 to lead the Nets, who have now lost three of four.

Orlando heads to Miami on Sunday for its final regular-season meeting with the Heat.

Had Howard not signed a waiver of his early termination option before Thursday's trade deadline, which will keep him in Orlando to begin next season, New Jersey was likely one of the six teams general manager Otis Smith said put in offers for the All-Star center.

None of that mattered Friday.

Howard was 8-for-10 from the floor despite being forced for most of the night to pass out of double teams in the post.

It did open up the floor for his teammates, who were able to get free for open jump shots.

Howard got a huge ovation from the Orlando fans during player introductions and had 10 points in the first half.

Coach Stan Van Gundy said while it was nice to see the Howard saga resolved, it didn't dominate his day.

"I was doing my New Jersey film, I don't really remember exactly (when he found out)," he said. "It was a big moment for our organization, but it wasn't like the JFK moment where everybody remembers what they were doing. It wasn't quite that big."

Game highlights: LeBron James scored 29, Dwyane Wade had 12 points and 10 rebounds and the Heat held on to beat the host 76ers 84-78. Miami almost collapsed after leading by 29 in the third quarter. The 76ers sliced the deficit to four points, but James hit a pull-up jumper and sank a pair of free throws in the final 90 seconds. … One day after trading starters Gerald Wallace and Marcus Camby and then firing coach Nate McMillan, the Blazers got 21 points from LaMarcus Aldridge and beat the host Bulls 100-89. Chicago played without guard Derrick Rose, who sat with a strained groin. … Joe Johnson matched his season high with 34 points, including the first two baskets of a decisive 11-0 run in the fourth quarter, and the host Hawks beat the Wizards 102-88. … Tyson Chandler scored 16, Jeremy Lin had 13, and the host Knicks rolled under new coach Mike Woodson, beating the Pacers 115-100.

Fisher Buyout? Guard Derek Fisher, who was traded at the deadline from the Lakers to the Rockets, will reportedly have his $3.4 million option for next season bought out and become a free agent, CBSSports.com reported. Fisher was a no-show in Houston after he and a first-round pick were dealt for forward Jordan Hill. The Rockets were thought to need a backup point guard as starter Kyle Lowry slowly recovers from a bacterial infection. But Goran Dragic has filled in capably, and the Houston Chronicle reported that veteran Mike James could be brought in. The Rockets essentially gained a first-round pick because the Lakers wanted to be rid of Fisher.

Rubio out: Timberwolves guard Ricky Rubio will have reconstructive surgery on the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee next week and will miss the rest of the season.

Magic 86, Nets 70

NEW JERSEY (70): Stevenson 4-6 0-0 11, Humphries 0-6 4-4 4, S.Williams 2-4 0-0 4, Gaines 2-13 1-2 6, Brooks 1-11 0-0 2, Morrow 3-12 0-0 6, Green 6-9 1-2 14, J.Smith 2-7 0-0 5, Petro 4-7 0-0 8, J.Williams 4-8 2-2 10. Totals 28-83 8-10 70.

ORLANDO (86): Turkoglu 3-8 3-4 10, Anderson 4-11 3-4 12, Howard 8-10 2-3 18, Nelson 5-8 0-0 13, J.Richardson 4-9 0-0 10, Redick 2-7 1-2 6, Duhon 1-3 0-0 2, Davis 6-9 1-1 13, Clark 1-2 0-0 2, Liggins 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 34-67 10-14 86.

New Jersey 18 18 24 10— 70

Orlando 22 24 26 14— 86

3-Point GoalsNew Jersey 6-20 (Stevenson 3-5, Green 1-2, J.Smith 1-3, Gaines 1-5, Morrow 0-2, Brooks 0-3), Orlando 8-29 (Nelson 3-4, J.Richardson 2-5, Turkoglu 1-5, Redick 1-5, Anderson 1-7, Davis 0-1, Duhon 0-2). Fouled OutNone. ReboundsNew Jersey 46 (Petro 7), Orlando 48 (Anderson 11). AssistsN.J. 16 (Morrow 5), Orlando 24 (Turkoglu, Nelson 6). Total FoulsN.J. 14, Orlando 12. A18,938.

Blazers 100, Bulls 89

PORTLAND (100): Batum 6-11 0-0 15, Aldridge 9-18 3-3 21, Przybilla 1-4 0-0 2, Felton 6-11 3-3 16, Matthews 6-11 2-3 18, Thomas 0-0 0-0 0, Crawford 3-12 1-1 8, N.Smith 5-7 0-0 12, Babbitt 1-3 0-0 2, C.Smith 2-2 2-2 6. Totals 39-79 11-12 100.

CHICAGO (89): Deng 7-18 4-5 19, Boozer 9-14 4-4 22, Noah 6-12 0-0 12, Watson 4-12 0-0 10, Brewer 1-2 0-0 3, Gibson 3-7 1-2 7, Korver 1-5 0-0 3, Lucas 3-11 0-0 8, Asik 1-2 0-0 2, Butler 1-2 0-0 3. Totals 36-85 9-11 89.

Portland 29 21 28 22— 100

Chicago 32 21 26 10— 89

3-Point GoalsPortland 11-21 (Matthews 4-5, Batum 3-4, N.Smith 2-2, Felton 1-2, Crawford 1-6, Babbitt 0-2), Chicago 8-27 (Watson 2-7, Lucas 2-8, Butler 1-1, Brewer 1-1, Korver 1-3, Deng 1-7). Fouled OutNone. ReboundsPortland 43 (Batum 9), Chicago 49 (Boozer 14). AssistsPortland 17 (Felton 5), Chicago 21 (Noah 5). Total FoulsPortland 15, Chicago 15. TechnicalsPrzybilla, Boozer, Chicago defensive three second 2. A22,022.

Heat 84, 76ers 78

MIAMI (84): James 12-20 5-8 29, Bosh 4-12 2-3 10, Anthony 1-2 0-0 2, Chalmers 4-6 0-0 10, Wade 6-16 0-2 12, Haslem 5-7 0-2 10, Battier 2-5 1-2 6, Jones 1-2 0-0 3, Cole 0-4 2-2 2. Totals 35-74 10-19 84.

PHILADELPHIA (78): Iguodala 4-11 3-4 11, Brand 3-8 0-0 6, Vucevic 4-9 1-1 9, Holiday 3-16 0-0 7, Turner 6-13 0-2 13, Williams 4-15 2-5 12, T.Young 4-10 0-0 8, Allen 2-2 0-0 4, Meeks 3-8 0-0 7, S.Young 0-1 1-2 1. Totals 33-93 7-14 78.

Miami 31 26 12 15— 84

Philadelphia 18 12 26 22— 78

3-Point GoalsMiami 4-12 (Chalmers 2-3, Jones 1-2, Battier 1-2, Cole 0-1, James 0-2, Wade 0-2), Philadelphia 5-18 (Williams 2-6, Turner 1-2, Holiday 1-4, Meeks 1-5, Iguodala 0-1). Fouled OutNone. ReboundsMiami 51 (Wade 11), Philadelphia 64 (Iguodala 10). AssistsMiami 25 (James 8), Phi. 20 (Turner 5). Total FoulsMiami 11, Phi 17. A20,396.

Knicks 115, Pacers 100

INDIANA (100): Granger 4-15 0-0 9, West 3-6 2-2 8, Hibbert 2-10 0-1 4, Collison 4-7 7-7 15, George 2-6 0-2 5, Hansbrough 3-7 6-6 12, Hill 3-6 5-6 12, Amundson 3-5 0-0 6, Price 4-8 3-3 14, Jones 3-6 5-7 13, Stephenson 1-4 0-0 2, Pendergraph 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 32-81 28-34 100.

NEW YORK (115): Anthony 4-12 4-5 12, Stoudemire 3-9 2-2 8, Chandler 8-11 0-0 16, Lin 3-7 6-6 13, Fields 1-5 5-8 7, Jeffries 2-3 1-3 5, Shumpert 3-7 2-2 9, Davis 3-3 0-0 7, Novak 4-8 0-0 12, Smith 6-11 2-2 16, Harrellson 3-3 0-0 7, Bibby 1-2 0-0 3, Jordan 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 41-81 22-28 115.

Indiana 14 17 27 42— 100

New York 24 26 38 27— 115

3-Point GoalsIndiana 8-19 (Price 3-4, Jones 2-3, Hill 1-2, George 1-4, Granger 1-5, Stephenson 0-1), N.Y. 11-25 (Novak 4-8, Smith 2-6, Bibby 1-1, Harrellson 1-1, Lin 1-1, Davis 1-1, Shumpert 1-2, Fields 0-2, Anthony 0-3). Fouled OutNone. ReboundsIndiana 52 (Hansbrough, George 6), New York 49 (Anthony, Fields, Chandler 7). AssistsIndiana 17 (Hill, Collison 4), New York 22 (Lin, Anthony 5). Total FoulsIndiana 24, New York 24. TechnicalsSmith, New York three second. Flagrant Fouls—Anthony. A19,763.

Hawks 102, Wizards 88

WASHINGTON (88): Singleton 1-3 0-0 2, Booker 8-14 2-2 18, Seraphin 5-7 0-0 10, Wall 6-13 2-2 14, Crawford 2-9 1-2 6, Blatche 5-10 1-2 11, Vesely 3-3 1-1 7, Mason 5-9 0-0 12, Evans 1-5 0-0 3, Mack 2-5 0-0 5. Totals 38-78 7-9 88.

ATLANTA (102): J.Johnson 12-19 4-4 34, Smith 9-17 3-4 23, Pachulia 4-10 2-4 10, Teague 6-13 1-1 14, Hinrich 2-8 0-0 5, McGrady 1-3 0-0 2, I.Johnson 3-6 0-0 6, Pargo 3-6 0-0 8, Radmanovic 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 40-83 10-13 102.

Washington 26 28 10 24— 88

Atlanta 30 20 21 31— 102

3-Point GoalsWashington 5-11 (Mason 2-5, Mack 1-1, Evans 1-2, Crawford 1-3), Atlanta 12-27 (J.Johnson 6-8, Smith 2-4, Pargo 2-4, Hinrich 1-4, Teague 1-5, Radmanovic 0-1, McGrady 0-1). Fouled OutNone. ReboundsWashington 48 (Booker 9), Atlanta 40 (Pachulia 10). AssistsWashington 19 (Wall 9), Atlanta 30 (Smith 8). Total FoulsWashington 16, Atlanta 12. Flagrant Fouls—Singleton. A15,241.


Norfolk State shocks Mizzou

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By Antonya English, Times Staff Writer

Norfolk State shocks Missouri, sets up meeting with Florida Gators

Friday, March 16, 2012

OMAHA, Neb. — In its first appearance in the NCAA Tournament, Norfolk State wrote itself an impressive line in the record books.

The No. 15-seeded Spartans connected on 10 of 19 3-pointers to upset No. 2 Missouri 86-84 on Friday, becoming the fifth No. 15 seed to beat a No. 2 seed. (Lehigh became No. 6 a little later by beating Duke.)

"We messed up some brackets! We messed up some brackets!" center Kyle O'Quinn bellowed through the hall of the CenturyLink Center before turning a corner and seeing a pack of reporters.

"We even messed up my bracket," he added sheepishly.

Norfolk State plays Florida on Sunday.

"That was one of the most intense basketball games that I have ever been a part of," Norfolk State coach Anthony Davis said. "I have a tremendous amount of respect for Missouri and their coaching staff. Our guys fought hard; all hats off, very, very proud of them."

Missouri (30-5), the Big 12 tournament champion, found itself in a battle from the start with Norfolk State (26-9). There were six first-half ties and eight lead changes, the score tied at 38 at halftime.

"They had a counter for every time we scored; pretty much any kind of basket," Missouri guard Marcus Denmon said.

With the score tied at 81, the Spartans' Chris McEachin missed a shot. But O'Quinn tipped it in while being fouled with 34.9 seconds remaining. O'Quinn, a 6-foot-10 senior who had a game-high 26 points and 14 rebounds, completed the three-point play.

"I'm very disappointed as everybody in that locker room was," first-year Missouri coach Frank Haith said. "I hurt for those seniors because they put so much into this and they had high expectations as we came into the season. But let's understand one thing. They have had a hell of a year."

Saint Louis 61, Memphis 54: Kwamain Mitchell scored 22, including banking in a 3-pointer at the first-half buzzer, for the ninth-seeded Billikens in Columbus, Ohio. He made two more 3-pointers in the second half as Saint Louis (26-7) overcame an eight-point deficit.

"I came in with the attitude that we had something to fight for," Mitchell said. "Win, or lose and go home."

The Billikens, making their first tournament appearance since 2000, entered having held 10 opponents to 50 or fewer points and three to fewer than 40. Eighth-seeded Memphis (26-9), entered averaging 75 points but shot 39 percent from the field and made 2 of 15 3-pointers.

"My biggest thing is that the open man is the go-to man," coach Josh Pastner said. "We kind of went away from that."

Michigan St. 89, Long Island 67: Draymond Green recorded a triple double — 24 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists — for the top-seeded Spartans in Columbus, Ohio. The Big Ten Player of the Year joins Magic Johnson as the only Spartans with two triple doubles during the tournament. The Spartans (28-7) put away the No. 16 Blackbirds (25-9) with a 14-4 run midway through the second half. Green hit a 3-pointer to make it 69-50, and the senior skipped back on defense, flapping his arms to encourage Michigan State's fans to cheer. He then fed Derrick Nix for an alley-oop.

Information from Times wires was used in this report.

USF Bulls top Temple Owls to advance in NCAA Tournament

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By Greg Auman, Times Staff Writer
Friday, March 16, 2012

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Has a second verse ever been so different from the first?

USF missed 22 shots in a row from the field and suffered through 11 percent shooting in the first half, playing just enough defense to trail Temple just 19-15 at halftime. Then the 12th-seeded Bulls exploded, hitting 9 of their first 11 shots to open the second half.

Fifth seed Temple made a late run to cut a 14-point Bulls lead to three points, but the Bulls got a clutch 3-pointer from Victor Rudd and nine straight free throws to end it, holding on for a wild 58-44 win Friday night at Bridgestone Arena.

"I can't even explain it," freshman Anthony Collins said. "Basketball is a game of runs, so sooner or later they were going to make one. Rudd made a big shot, and after that, we just grabbed the momentum and just kept pushing to end the game strong."

And the Bulls held Temple to 32 points under its average and 20 under its previous season low. USF (22-13) matched the school record for wins and came up with the second NCAA win in school history — and in three days — sending them into Sunday's third round against 13th seed Ohio, which upset No. 4 Michigan earlier Friday.

"We're excited to see how far we can go. If we keep playing defense the way we've been doing, I don't think there's a team we should be afraid of," forward Toarlyn Fitzpatrick said. "We're taking it one game at a time, but we're excited."

The Bulls took the lead back early in the second half on a 3-pointer by backup guard Shaun Noriega with 16:35 left, then got a reverse dunk from Hugh Robertson. The lead was still at five points when forward Fitzpatrick hit back-to-back 3s, and Rudd added one of his own for a 39-25, capping a 30-6 run for the Bulls.

"It feels amazing — from where we've come from to where we are now," said Noriega, who ended the streak of 22 misses with a 3-pointer late in the first half.

Collins had five assists in that pivotal run, sparking the team, and finished with 17 points. He and Rudd combined for USF's final 13 points.

How did the Bulls pull such a turnaround? Even when their shooting was record-breaking bad, the Bulls played their typical stifling defense, and limited turnovers — just four in the first half and two in the first 12 minutes of the second half. And when Temple cut the Bulls' lead to just three points, Rudd answered with a clutch 3 — banked in, no less — to give his team more of a cushion. He added another 3-pointer with 2:27 left and finished with 17 points, his fourth straight game in double figures.

USF had shot 11 percent from the field for the entire first half — 3-for-27 including 22 consecutive misses — but held Temple to just 13 field-goal attempts and forced seven turnovers to keep themselves in the game, trailing just 19-15.

That was in stark contrast to Wednesday's game, which saw USF storm to a 36-13 halftime lead, hitting 15 of their first 21 shots in one of their best offensive showings in months. The Bulls led by as many as 32 points in the second half of that game, giving them confidence in their shooting ability entering a game against a Temple team that averaged 76 points per game.

No. 15 seed Lehigh stuns Duke

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Times wires
Friday, March 16, 2012

GREENSBORO, N.C. — The Lehigh Mountain Hawks said they weren't afraid of Duke.

Maybe no one believed them, but the Patriot League champions proved they were serious.

C.J. McCollum had 30 points and Lehigh upset Duke 75-70 to become the second No. 15 seed to beat a No. 2 on a wild Friday in the NCAA Tournament.

"It means a lot as a team, a family and as the Patriot League in general," McCollum said. "We wanted to come out here and protect this team and this family, get the win and we did that tonight."

History indeed.

The Mountain Hawks are the sixth No. 15 seed overall to pull off the trick. Norfolk State edged Missouri 86-84 in the West earlier in the day, and No. 13 Ohio knocked off Michigan to add to the madness.

"I told them they needed to suspend disbelief," Lehigh coach Brett Reed said. "Because there are so many naysayers, so many prognosticators."

The Blue Devils (27-7) had no answer for the speedy McCollum, the two-time Patriot League player of the year and the nation's No. 5 scorer.

"They had the best player on the court tonight in McCollum," Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said.

Lehigh (27-7) led most of the game, drawing support from North Carolina fans who borrowed brown signs from Mountain Hawks supporters.

"I've never seen anything like it," forward Justin Maneri said with a deep laugh. "We came to the practice the other day and as soon as you walked in they were going crazy for us and we're like, 'What's going on?' They were like, 'Go Lehigh, beat Duke!' … I've never seen two schools that hate each other so much."

Duke got as close as three twice in the final 30 seconds, the last when Quinn Cook hit a 3-pointer with 1.2 seconds left.

"They outfought us," Duke's Austin Rivers said. "They played harder, they wanted it more, they were into it, their bench was into it, their coaches were into it. The only thing we had was our coaches. That was it. No one else showed up."

XAVIER 67, NOTRE DAME 63: Tu Holloway came off the bench to score 25, including the go-ahead shot over Jack Cooley with 21.3 seconds left, for the No. 10 seed Musketeers in Greensboro. Xavier (22-12) set up a shocking meeting in the third round against Lehigh. Forward Jack Cooley led the Fighting Irish (22-12) with 18 points. Xavier trailed 57-53 with 5:19 left but Holloway, a senior guard who was 10-for-15 shooting, hit two baskets and two free throws and Dezmine Wells hit six free throws as the Musketeers closed the game with a 14-6 run.

K-State guard receives apology

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Times wires


Friday, March 16, 2012

PITTSBURGH — Kansas State G Angel Rodriguez said he has accepted Southern Miss' apology over remarks made by its band and moved on.

The freshman, who is from Puerto Rico and went to high school in Miami, said Friday that he heard chants of, "Where's your green card?" during Thursday's 70-64 victory. He added the Golden Eagles' athletic director and "personnel from their school" came to the team hotel to apologize.

Southern Miss president Martha Saunders issued a separate apology via a statement the school released.

Rodriguez said he accepted the apology because "there's ignorant people and I know that's not how they want to represent their university."

Rodriguez added a civics lesson, saying he doesn't pay attention to that "nonsense, especially because Puerto Rico is a commonwealth, so we don't need (any) type of papers."

Henson update: North Carolina F John Henson, who sprained his left wrist in the ACC quarterfinals, participated in the morning shootaround but did not play against Vermont in Greensboro, N.C. Coach Roy Williams said the chances of him playing Sunday are "a little better than 50-50."

The Sickles High graduate practiced this week. And during the shootaround, Henson palmed the ball with his left hand, caught passes with both hands and made strong moves off the dribble.

"I went to him, and I said, 'John, it just doesn't look like you're comfortable,' " Williams said. "And he says, 'Coach, not really, but I'm right there.' "

Hello again: Colorado was one of the first dominos to fall in conference realignment. Baylor was one of the programs that had the most to lose when the Big 12 looked as if it might disintegrate.

Given that, it's no stretch to say today's meeting between the former Big 12 foes in Albuquerque, N.M., will mean as much to the conference commissioners and athletic directors as the players.

The Buffaloes left for the Pac-12 after last season; Nebraska left for the Big Ten. Texas and Oklahoma also talked to the Pac-12. But the Longhorns and Sooners stayed. And even though Missouri and Texas A&M are going to the SEC, the Big 12 survived by adding TCU and West Virginia.

"I think like every other coach in the Big 12, you just hated it because it was such a good conference and league at the time," Baylor coach Scott Drew said. "When it's experiencing so much success, why change?

"But at the same time, I was blessed and fortunate enough to know the leadership and our university were going to put us in a great situation."

Aircraft carrier game: The USS Midway Museum, an aircraft carrier on San Diego Bay, will host a game Nov. 9. San Diego State and Georgetown will be invited (they haven't confirmed they will play) in the "Battle on the Midway." A final announcement isn't expected until after the tournament. The game will be organized by a different group than the one that ran this season's "Carrier Classic," in which North Carolina met Michigan State on the USS Carl Vinson. That group said last month it won't play in San Diego because no active Navy ship is available. That game likely will be played at the USS Yorktown museum in Charleston, S.C.

Tampa Bay Storm defeats Georgia Force 50-47

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

TAMPA — It took 10 weeks for new Storm coach Dave Ewart to win a home game last season. This year it only took two, with a dash of history mixed in.

The Storm, wearing new blue home uniforms, became the first team in Arena Football League history to reach 200 regular-season wins, defeating visiting division-rival Georgia 50-47 before a rowdy crowd of 16,054 Friday night at the Tampa Bay Times Forum.

"We have the best fans in the country," Ewart said. "We're a lot better football team at home."

The crowd was the largest to see a Storm game since Week 18 against Orlando in 2010. The largest home crowd last season was 12,226.

"Personally, this is largest home crowd I've played in cheering for me," said Storm quarterback Stephen Wasil, who played at Division III Albion (Mich.). "It was awesome."

After a 70-48 loss at Chicago, the Storm played with the lead the entire game Friday and evened its 2012 record at 1-1. It is 200-116 overall in regular-season games.

Wasil hit receiver Chandler Williams with an 11-yard touchdown on the Storm's first possession, and Tampa Bay extended the lead to 21 at one point in the third quarter.

Georgia scored twice in the final minute to cut the lead to three with 12 seconds to play, but Prechae Rodriguez swatted the Force's onside kick out of bounds and the Storm ran out the clock.

Wasil was a bit shaky in the first half, going 13-for-28 for 155 yards with a pair of touchdowns and an interception. But he bounced back in the final two quarters, going 12-for-17 for 143 yards and two TDs.

"I was rushing myself in the first half and was pressing," Wasil said. "I settled down in the second and wasn't trying to make the perfect pass."

With Amarri Jackson out for the second straight game, Rodriguez was again Wasil's favorite target. The former Jefferson High wideout caught 11 passes for 164 and a touchdowns after hauling in 12 balls for 186 yards and three scores last week against Chicago.

"Prechae made some big plays again," Wasil said.

Tampa Bay's defense was impressive in the first half, holding the Force to 13 points. The Storm got an interception from Riley Swanson and stopped Georgia on three of four possessions.

"We put in some things trying to force them to go over the top," Ewart said.

The Storm reeled off 20 straight first-half points to take control. Wasil found Williams for the second time in the half, this time from 23 yards out to give the Storm a 14-6 lead with 10:32 left in the second quarter.

C.J. Johnson then mishandled the ensuing kick off and former Buc Mark Jones pounced on the ball in the end zone.

After another defensive stop, Michael Lindsey ran off right tackle from 3 yards out for a 27-6 Storm lead.

St. Petersburg's Megan Romano wins NCAA swim title

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Times wires
Saturday, March 17, 2012

AUBURN, Ala. — St. Petersburg's Megan Romano, a six-time state swimming champion at Northeast High who is now at Georgia, set a U.S. and NCAA record in winning the 200-yard freestyle Friday at the women's national championships.

The junior followed that by finishing second in the 100 backstroke and was a member of Georgia's title-winning 800 freestyle relay team.

Romano's 200 free time of 1 minute, 41.21 seconds bettered by .34 seconds the mark California's Dana Vollmer set in 2009.

"I was just trying to help my team out," Romano told Georgia's website. "I was just honestly trying to go 1:42, but 1:41, I'll take it. It was exciting. The whole race felt good. I am really happy with the time."

Said Georgia coach Jack Bauerle, "Megan has gotten better and better the last few years, so we knew she was capable of a performance like this. An American record is no small feat, and to get it in the 200 freestyle is pretty special. That's a tough record to break."

In the 100 back, Romano (51.37 seconds) was the runnerup to Cal's Cindy Tran (50.31).

Florida got third- and sixth-place finishes in the 400 individual medley from Elizabeth Beisel and Teresa Crippen, respectively. Hungarian Olympian Katinka Hosszu of USC defended her title in an NCAA-record 3:56.54. Runnerup Caitlin Leverenz of Cal set a U.S. record, 3:57.89.

Texas A&M's Breeja Larson set a U.S. record in the 100 breaststroke, 57.71.

Cal extended its team lead and led second-place Georgia 311 points to 247.

USF Bulls prove again you can't give up on them

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By Gary Shelton, Times Sports Columnist
Saturday, March 17, 2012

NASHVILLE — Gave up, did you?

Went to bed, did you?

Decided it was just too ugly to suffer through, did you?

Well, good morning. And lift your coffee cup to toast the Bulls, still alive and still dreaming.

They won again, and now they are one victory away from a journey to the Sweet 16.

This one defied belief. This one challenged faith. This one ruined eyesight. And yet, the Bulls found a way to win again, 58-44 over fifth-seeded Temple. After one of the ugliest first halves in the history of college basketball, after a half in which it seemed as if Robert McCullum had resumed control of the USF program, after a half in which it looked as if it would soon be time to turn out the lights on the season, the Bulls won.

Somehow.

For 30 minutes, 12th-seeded USF was falling off a cliff, and by the time you braced for the splatter, it had learned to fly. Call it the greatest makeover in team history. One minute, the Bulls were being embarrassed by Temple, and the next, they were the ones doing the embarrassing.

To sum up: The Bulls overcame the Owls, and they overcame themselves, and they overcame an 11-point deficit, and they overcame 11 percent first-half shooting, and they overcame another one of those staggering scoring droughts that has haunted them throughout the season.

This is what they do. For all of their other attributes — the way they defend, the way they rebound, the way they compete — this might be the most important. Along the way, the Bulls can overcome a lot of ugly. A sputtering offense seems to be USF's natural habitat. Other teams might get unnerved when the points are not coming, but USF seems as comfortable as a snake in a bog.

Friday night, the first half challenged your senses. No USF game has looked this ugly, and no USF offense has smelled this bad. The Bulls hit their first two shots, then they missed 22 in a row. For the fourth time this season, they had a nine-minute span where they didn't score a point. For goodness sake, you could put boxing gloves on a college basketball team, and it should manage not to miss 22 straight shots.

And yet, Temple led only by four points. Maybe that should have been a hint because if USF has proved nothing else this season, it has proved it is harder to kill than Rasputin.

"We played so poorly in the first half," Bulls coach Stan Heath said. "We couldn't make anything. 'Hey, we're only down by four. We're only shooting 11 percent, so we can't get any worse.' I thought the energy level on offense and defense really picked up."

Yes, energy is good. But how do you explain the rest of it? How can a team be so bad in one half and so good in the next? How can it miss 22 in a row in one half then hit nine of its first 11 shots of the second? It is mystifying. It was as if someone turned on the lights and widened the rims for USF's shooters.

It doesn't matter how much basketball you have seen. It's a safe bet you have never seen a team improve its shooting by 49.8 percent from the first half (11.1 percent) to the second (60.9 percent). Here's another stat: After trailing 19-8 in the first half, USF outscored the Owls 50-25.

The Bulls aren't about stats, though. They're about a journey. If you judge by the first 30 minutes of the Cal win on Tuesday and the last 20 against Temple, USF is starting to look like a team that has the makings of causing a little trouble in this tournament. If the Bulls can shoot only a little bit, they are tough enough, resilient enough to be one of those rare teams that makes a name for itself. You know, like George Mason back in 2006, or VCU in 2011, or Butler in 2010 or Gonzaga in 1999. If the Bulls can get past Ohio on Sunday and reach the Sweet 16, they will be remembered as one of those unexpected teams making a name for themselves.

The thing is, most of those schools were overachievers from underappreciated conferences. USF? It's one of those rare teams from the dregs of a power conference that has learned to run, and to dunk, almost overnight.

Savor this, then. Appreciate the stubbornness of a team that will not go away no matter how bad the situation looks.

The Sweet 16? You had that in your bracket, right?

No? How about this? The Bulls have lasted longer than Duke in this tournament, and Missouri, and UConn, and Michigan, and West Virginia. They just keep grinding, winning games and winning over the skeptics.

Just a hint, but they're worth staying up to appreciate, don't you think?


All-Pinellas County boys soccer team

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By Bob Putnam and Rodney Page, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, March 17, 2012

Boys player of the year

M Kyle Curinga, Sr., Clearwater Central Catholic

The best criteria for picking a player of the year is how would the team fare if that player were not on the team. The Marauders were a slightly above-average team this year. Take away Curinga and it would have been a losing season for sure. He scored 33 goals and added 31 assists, and that's after missing a handful of games because of club team commitments. "There is no doubt in my mind that he is the best player out there," CCC coach Jim Harte said. "One of the best I've ever coached."

Most impressive accomplishment: Curinga was not only talented at midfield, but in a game against Bradenton St. Stephens he was moved to goalkeeper when the starter and reserve both were injured. He allowed a goal, but he also recorded an assist on a goal kick.

Did you know? During his four-year varsity career, Curinga played every position on the field.

First team

F Teddy Aloizakis, Sr., Dunedin: Had 29 goals and 13 assists to lead the Falcons.

F Garrett Bocon, Sr., Seminole: Bocon was big all season, but he was all over the place during the Warhawks' postseason push.

F Brandon Kim, Jr., Palm Harbor University: Had some big goals this season.

M Thomas Dieffenballer, So., East Lake: Coaches picked him as a first-team All-PCAC selection as well.

M Kiril Dimov, Sr., Palm Harbor University: Scored some big goals throughout the season and in the playoffs.

M Jeffrey George, Jr., Countryside: Played a big role in district tournament championship.

M Tarik Salkicic, Sr., Seminole: Had 19 goals and eight assists and was the Warhawks' go-to player.

D Robert Sennabaum, Sr., Palm Harbor University: He was like a wall in the back for the Hurricanes.

D Tyler Zulewski, Sr., Seminole: Speedy defender who can shut down top scorers.

GK Danny George, Sr., Countryside: The Florida Gulf Coast commitment is one of the most athletic keepers in the county.

Coach of the year

Rick Masi, Seminole. Led the Warhawks to the Class 4A state final.

Second team

F Yann Cerf, Sr., Seminole

F Eldi Feimi, Sr., Dixie Hollins

F Hudson White, Sr., St. Petersburg

M Alexi Cortez, Sr., Osceola

M Chad Gessner, Sr., Indian Rocks Christian

M/GK Jared Lucero, Sr., Dunedin

M Austin Powell, Jr., Clearwater

M Roberto Ycaza, Sr., St. Petersburg Catholic

D Taylor Cook, Sr., Countryside

D Adam Stephany, Sr., Osceola

GK Sean Covington, Jr., St. Petersburg

Honorable mention

Admiral Farragut: Louie Bobelis; Clearwater: Devohn Dublin, Bar Eshel, Donovan Price; Clearwater Central Catholic: Jared Brown, David Campbell, Billy Englert, Ray Fox, Tommy Going, Michael Purcell, Saul Ramirez; Countryside: David Kuckkhan, Dalton Martinez, Mike Tsalickis; Dixie Hollins: Miguel Lumbreras; Dunedin: Erik Brenner, Mike Koulouvaris; East Lake: Robert Coggin, Hunter Davis, David Gray; Gibbs: Clarke Jacobson, Amarildo Tahiri; Indian Rocks Christian: Shane Haas, Reid Hammil, Tyler Margan; Lakewood: Shai Brown, Chris Huber, Exavier Jones; Largo: Marcus Blanchard; Northeast: Kyle Apperson, Demis Cordova, Steve Rudderham, Victor Saucedo; Osceola: Taylor Abilone, Ben Brainard, Joey D'Alessandro, Colin Donalson; Palm Harbor University: Charlie Hales, Josh Preisig, Spencer Yost; Pinellas Park: Dusan Avramovic, St. Petersburg: Semmes Bruce, Blake Bryant, Jesse Lawhead, Hunter Loyden; Shorecrest: Sam Cressman; Seminole: Gerard Corning, Dean Favetta, Liam Murphy, Daniel Welland

Missing playoffs would hurt MVP candidacy of Tampa Bay Lightning's Steven Stamkos

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By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, March 17, 2012

When Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman said last week that Tampa Bay's Steven Stamkos should get serious consideration for league MVP, he touched off an interesting debate as to what should be the qualifications for the award.

Is it right, or fair, for a player not on a playoff team to be named a most valuable player?

Even Yzerman said that is a valid question. But he also said there are times a player is so good, his accomplishments should override his team's deficiencies.

It has happened four times in 87 years with the Hart Trophy, which is voted by the media (the last being Pittsburgh's Mario Lemieux in 1987-88), and three times in 40 years with the Ted Lindsay Award, which is voted by the players (the last being Calgary's Jarome Iginla in 2001-02).

Asked to give his criteria, Yzerman laughed.

"Well, it's far from scientific," he said. "The impact they have on their team, and, I guess, take that player out of your team and what happens?"

Though the Lightning gets high marks for overcoming its worst season since 2002-03 in terms of injuries, remove Stamkos and the league-best 50 goals he had entering Saturday — and especially the 10 winners, tied for the league lead — and Tampa Bay likely would have been out of the playoff conversation much sooner.

That said:

Where would the Penguins be without Evgeni Malkin, who has a league-best 85 points, is second with 40 goals and who carried Pittsburgh while waiting for the return of Sidney Crosby?

Where would the Rangers be without goaltender Henrik Lundqvist? New York leads the Eastern Conference but entered Saturday eighth in the East with a mediocre 194 goals. Lundqvist put his team on his back and entered Saturday with a league-best eight shutouts. He was third with a 1.88 goals-against average and second with a .935 save percentage.

The kicker is the efforts of Malkin and Lundqvist are leading their teams to the playoffs, and both have a better chance of being named MVP because of it.

Tampa Bay Lightning Nuts & Bolts

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By Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, March 17, 2012

5 questions D Brian Lee

You're from Minnesota. Are there really 10,000 lakes? There are more than 10,000.

How many are there? I don't know. You have to Google it.

Why isn't the state motto "We have more than 10,000 lakes?" I don't think they want to brag.

How many of the lakes have you been on? About 40.

Do you fish? For walleye, but sometimes they're a struggle.

Cut for a Cure

Six Lightning players have volunteered to have their heads shaved to raise money for cancer research, programs and care.

Captain Vinny Lecavalier, above; forwards Teddy Purcell, below, Brett Connolly and Tom Pyatt, and defensemen Bruno Gervais and Marc-Andre Bergeron will "go bald" on March 30 at the Pepin Hospitality Centre in Tampa.

"It's a great way to support the kids that go through it, and raise money," Lecavalier said.

Donations will go to the Vincent Lecavalier Pediatric Cancer and Blood Disorders Center at All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg and Tampa's Pediatric Cancer Foundation.

Last year's Lightning event raised $41,262, said Nancy Crane, foundation executive director, and the campaign in the Tampa Bay area raised $238,290.

To donate, go to Lecavalier's website, vinny4.com, or pcfcutforacure.org.

Slip sliding away

Because he hasn't played much this season, Mike Commodore, left, hasn't fought much, either, and the Lightning defenseman admitted it probably showed during his bout Tuesday with Bruins heavyweight Shawn Thornton.

"He knows what he's doing," Commodore said. "He's very good with both hands."

But Commodore said the fight was not as bad as it probably looked with Thornton winning a decision.

"Actually, the good thing is I slipped underneath most of them," Commodore said of Thornton's punches. "It doesn't look really good. I worked on my slipping that fight."

"That's pretty cool. That's really neat. I didn't even know I had a point until after the game. I got a point before my first win? That's pretty crazy, eh?"

G Dustin Tokarski, on getting an assist during his first NHL win, 6-1 Tuesday over the Bruins

Number of the day

70 Phone, text and email messages C Steven Stamkos said he received Tuesday after scoring his 50th goal.

Front seven remains a concern for Tampa Bay Buccaneers

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By Rick Stroud, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, March 17, 2012

TAMPA

The Bucs are rightfully being hailed for a $140.5 million spending spree for WR Vincent Jackson, G Carl Nicks and CB Eric Wright. They will help the passing game, running game and pass defense.

But the weak link last season was the defensive front seven, which contributed to allowing 156.1 rushing yards per game and 26 rushing touchdowns.

Specifically, the linebackers were subpar, to say the least, and injuries on the line only exposed the problem.

There has been a lot of talk by the Bucs about possibly moving Mason Foster from middle linebacker, which remains an option. And it's true they have shown interest in Falcons free agent Curtis Lofton, who has visited the Saints.

But GM Mark Dominik said he is now focused on the draft.

How can the Bucs be content at linebacker?

The truth is, they're not. Lofton has received minimal interest because it's believed he priced himself out of the market. With every free agent signing period, there is a dizzying rush of mega-deals for a few worthy stars. Then things settle down.

The Bucs remain approximately $20 mil­­lion under the salary cap. But coach Greg Schiano and his staff haven't seen Foster on the field. They haven't had a chance to see how he could function at middle linebacker in the scheme of defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan and certainly haven't evaluated fellow LBs Dekoda Watson or Quincy Black.

As a new coach, Schiano gets an extra minicamp, which the Bucs will hold before the draft.

"Certainly, we have some players who will have the opportunity to see what they can do at certain positions," Dominik said. "I know we're talking to the team about Mason Foster being the (middle) linebacker. And I think the coaching staff that has been in here evaluating that tape feels like he has a great opportunity to (call the defensive signals)."

To be fair, Foster was put in a difficult situation as a rookie coming off the lockout, with no offseason to prepare, being asked to not only perform his job, but be responsible for calling the signals.

He'll have to learn another system under Schiano, but at least he has experience under his belt and an offseason to improve.

That said, expect the Bucs to sign a veteran middle linebacker in free agency at some point to give them the option of moving Foster.

Barber update: The Bucs have invited CB Ronde Barber to return for a 16th season, but he says he needs more time to decide.

How does the signing of Wright affect his plans? It won't.

Wright is outstanding in coverage, but Barber is a tougher run defender and might win the job if allowed to compete. The Bucs will monitor CB Aqib Talib's trial, which starts March 26 and should be over prior to the draft. But a cornerback likely will be among their picks.

The word is Barber wants to play. Determining his role — and his salary — might take a little more time before he can make a decision.

No worries: The Bucs say they did plenty of research on Jackson, who has two convictions for driving under the influence since 2006. His blood alcohol level for his last arrest, in 2009, was .17, double the limit at which California presumes impairment.

Dominik said the Bucs are convinced the arrests are behind him.

"I'd say production speaks volumes," Dominik said. "Obviously, the guy has been a 1,000-yard receiver every time he's played. Certainly, he had a … situation there in San Diego. And certainly, we're aware of that and we dug into that very deep before we made the decision because we felt it was important.

"But certainly, we felt the time, what's happened, his punishment, what he's done, how he's responded over the last few years spoke volumes to us."

All-Pinellas County girls soccer team

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By Bob Putnam, Times Staff Writer
Saturday, March 17, 2012

Girls player of the year

F Gina Hayduke, Sr., Seminole

With several starters from the 2010-11 state semifinalist team graduated, Hayduke not only took on the bulk of the offensive load but also had to provide leadership. She did both, scoring 25 goals. Much like last season, she came on when her team needed her the most, scoring all three goals in a district semifinal win over Tarpon Springs. She did more than just score. She was an all-around dynamo teams had to account for throughout a game. About the only thing she was not able to do was lead the Warhawks back to the state final four. Hayduke tore the posterior collateral ligament in her knee and strained a calf muscle in the region semifinal. The injury prevented her from playing in the region final, which Seminole lost.

Most impressive accomplishment: In her career, Hayduke had 97 goals, including 61 her past two seasons. She was aiming to break the school record of 100 and might have had a chance had she not been injured.

Did you know? Hayduke was touted as a basketball player in middle school, so much that other coaches wanted to know where she was playing in high school and had an impressive performance at a camp as an eighth-grader. She would have played basketball in high school if the season had not coincided with soccer.

What's next: Hayduke has signed with USF and will play in the fall. Currently, she is playing club soccer and getting ready for the state cup.

First team

F Kaitlin Parker, Sr., Clearwater Central Catholic: Finished with 37 goals and 15 assists for state semifinalist.

F Kelly Phipps, Jr., Palm Harbor University: Most consistent scoring threat for the Hurricanes down the stretch.

F Jordyn Turner, Jr., Seminole: Teamed with Hayduke to provide Warhawks with 1-2 scoring punch.

M Alex Alberdi, Sr., Clearwater Central Catholic: Team's top scorer in the postseason had 22 goals and 16 assists this season.

M Paige Lombard, Sr., Palm Harbor University: Miami recruit provided toughness on defense and crisp passes.

M Alyssa Rosati, Sr., Countryside: Versatile player who could line up anywhere on the field but played mostly as midfielder.

D Renee Huy, Sr., Palm Harbor University: Came back from injuries to help Hurricanes stifle opponents in the postseason.

D Alyssa McHenry, Sr., Seminole: Spearheaded defense that was solid all season.

D Sydney Nelson, Sr., East Lake: Her quickness allowed her to stay with the top scorers.

D Katy Pelton, Sr., St. Petersburg: Tireless worker with incredible instincts in the back.

GK: Maggie Dalessio, Sr., St. Petersburg Catholic: Despite playing with many new starters, Dalessio still came through with the big stop.

Coach of the year

Steve Kuplicki, Seminole: In his final season, Kuplicki overcame the loss of several starters to guide the Warhawks to a district title and a berth in the region final.

Second team

F Madison Del Duca, Jr., East Lake

F Kristy Legoas, Sr., East Lake

F Cassidy Reich, Fr., Osceola

M Amanda Byrne, Sr., East Lake

M Anja Decker, Sr., Palm Harbor University

M Alex Glunt, Jr., Seminole

D Meghan Dodge, Sr., East Lake

D Angelina Kincy, Jr., Osceola

D Kelly Shanahan, Jr., Clearwater Central Catholic

D Alicia Tyler, Sr., Seminole

GK Morgan Lorenti, Sr., Palm Harbor University

Honorable mention

Boca Ciega: Amanda Douglas, Josefina Hernandez, Angie Reinhart; Clearwater: Katie Pederson, Lauren Sommerville; Clearwater Central Catholic: Kaitlin Englert; Countryside: Riley Narum; Dixie Hollins: Alexis Bak, Lauren Burkett, Kerri Hudson; Dunedin: Kailey Brandmaier; East Lake: Delaney Lester, Ashleigh Linse; Gibbs: Imani Bryant, Emaline Salvo; Lakewood: Melissa Dones, Katie Lally; Largo: Ashley Blanchard, Kennedy Flynn; Northeast: Raquel Hauss, Alyssa Huertas, Rachel Moore, Taylor Phillips; Northside Christian: Carolina Barnett, Courtney Sipes; Osceola: Kristen Brittain, Ashlyn Irwin, Samantha Pifer, Tara Thomas, Alison Watkins; Palm Harbor University: Nicole Naclerio; Seminole: Jackie Aiosa; St. Petersburg: Allie Coad, Caroline Krueger, Annelise Naftzger, Christina Rosetti; St. Petersburg Catholic: Hannah Dawkins, Erin Hillman; Shorecrest: Sophia Ginocchio; Tarpon Springs: Katie Badger, Maria Pseftelis, Allysa Young

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