In Sports from United Press International

WTC flag to fly at Olympics

SALT LAKE CITY, Feb. 7 (UPI) -- Two days before the start of the Winter Olympics, it was announced Wednesday that the badly damaged American flag rescued from World Trade Center debris would be made a special part of Friday night's opening ceremonies.

Forecasters, meanwhile, called for a chance of snow showers along with temperatures at or slightly below freezing when the Salt Lake City Games are officially opened at 8 p.m. EST Friday.

The White House also announced Wednesday that President Bush would attend the opening ceremonies as well as visit with members of the American team.

With the Olympics fast approaching, concerns were growing in and around Salt Lake City about the weather, traffic congestion and the problems created by intense security.

Additional buses were being driven to Salt Lake from Dallas, for instance, to accommodate the spectators who are required to use that form of transporation to move from place to place in the mountains. Local officials also acknowledged that more than two dozen small planes had been diverted away from a no-fly zone that surrounds the city and will be in force until the end of the Olympics.

Other than logistical difficulties, however, the main issue facing International Olympic Committee officials Wednesday was their original decision not to allow the World Trade Center flag to be carried into the opening ceremonies. The IOC said the flag could be flown, but not be a special part of the festivities that will kick off the two-week carnival on snow and ice.

The American delegation had hoped to walk behind the flag during the ceremonies, but the IOC, which forbids any type of political statement at the Games, vetoed that idea.

After a local outcry, the IOC relented Wednesday and agreed that the flag, which has flown at the World Series and Super Bowl, would be raised during the ceremonies as the Star-Spangled Banner is played.

"We thought it was a great idea to have it above the stadium for the whole world to see," said Bob Ctrvrtlik, a three-time U.S. Olympic volleyball team member and the American athletic representative on the IOC. "This just isn't an American tragedy."

Mavericks win seventh straight road game

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J., Feb. 7 (UPI) -- Less than 24 hours after outlasting Indiana in double overtime, the Dallas Mavericks scored the game's last 11 points Wednesday night to down the New Jersey Nets, 112-100, for their seventh straight road victory.

The Mavericks moved a half game ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers for the second best record in the Western Conference when the Lakers were shocked at home by the Chicago Bulls, 97-89. Shaquille O'Neal sat out the game for the Lakers.

Dallas was coming off a 141-140 win at Conseco Fieldhouse and did not arrive on the East Coast until 3:30 a.m. Wednesday, leaving the Mavericks just 14 hours to prepare for the best team in the Eastern Conference.

Dirk Nowitzki had 22 points and nine rebounds and fellow All-Star Steve Nash added 18 points and 12 assists for Dallas, which improved to 2-0 on a six-game road trip. The next four games are after the All-Star break.

After Jason Kidd hit a three-pointer to give New Jersey a 98-96 lead with 6:12 remaining, the Mavericks closed the game on a 16-2 run. They scored the final 11 points after Kenyon Martin's alley-oop dunk reduced the deficit to 101-100 with 4:25 left.

Martin tallied 26 points and Keith Van Horn added 21 for New Jersey, which had an eight-game home winning streak snapped. Kidd chipped in 14, 12 rebounds and a career-high-tying six steals for the Nets, who had won three straight and 12 of 15 entering the contest.

Dallas shot 56 percent in the first half en route to a 64-52 advantage. Nash scored 15 points and Nowitzki and Adrian Griffin added 10 apiece. The Mavericks set a team record by making all 27 of their free throws.

Other NBA results: Sacramento 102, Boston 85; Cleveland 111, Houston 109; Minnesota 113, Portland 103; Seattle 90, Phoenix 79.

Red Wings extend home streak

DETROIT, Feb. 7 (UPI) -- Brent Gilchrist's first goal of the season with 2:57 remaining in the second period turned out to be the game-winner Wednesday night as the Detroit Red Wings defeated the New York Rangers, 3-1, to extend their home unbeaten streak to 13 games.

Gilchrist registered his first goal since Oct. 25, 2000 -- a span of 67 games -- to give the Red Wings a 2-0 lead.

In the teams' previous three meetings, the Red Wings outscored the Rangers, 20-2. But with Eric Lindros back in the lineup, New York showed some fight and halved the deficit on Petr Nedved's power-play goal 7:09 into the third period.

New York, however, could not get goaltender Mike Richter off for an extra skater in the final minute and the third goal was a backbreaker for the Rangers.

Chris Chelios' dump-in pass caromed off the boards to Kris Draper in the left circle. Draper passed in front to Sergei Fedorov, who snapped a one-timer underneath the crossbar to make it 3-1 with just 36 seconds left.

Detroit capitalized on a turnover by New York to open the scoring on Draper's goal 8:32 into the contest.

Dominik Hasek recorded 26 saves to record his league-high 29th victory. Richter stopped 32 shots for the Rangers, who suffered their third straight loss.

Other NHL results: Ottawa 6, Columbus 4; Washington 2, Minnesota 1; Tampa Bay 3, Florida 2; Nashville 2, Dallas 1; Chicago 5, Phoenix 2.

Oklahoma avoids upset bug

NORMAN, Okla., Feb. 7 (UPI) -- Aaron McGhee scored 23 points and Jason Detrick added 18 Wednesday night as fourth-ranked Oklahoma posted a 70-57 Big 12 Conference victory over Baylor to extend its winning streak to 15 in the series.

On Monday night, Hollis Price became the first Sooner to earn Big 12 Player of the Week honors. He averaged 21.0 points per game in Oklahoma's wins over Texas and 12th-ranked Oklahoma State last week.

However, Price had his worst game in conference play Wednesday night, finishing with seven points while hitting three of 12 shots.

Oklahoma (17-3, 7-2 Big 12) held a 33-26 lead at halftime as McGhee made just three of nine. But McGhee connected on all five of his attempts in the second half, mostly on easy layups and the Sooners held an overall 42-24 rebounding edge.

Junior guard Wendell Greenleaf led the Bears (13-8, 3-6) with 15 points. But they shot just 39 percent en route to their 13th straight road loss.

Meanwhile, there were two big surprises in the top 10. No. 8 Virginia fell to North Carolina State, 85-68; and No. 9 Kentucky lost in overtime at Tennessee, 76-74. No. 5 Cincinnati bounced back from its second loss of the season to down Charlotte, 85-66; and No. 6 Alabama was a 79-59 winner over Mississippi.

Schoolboy star going to Florida St.

OXNARD, Calif., Feb. 7 (UPI) -- Lorenzo Booker, the national Player of the Year last season at St. Bonaventure High School in Ventura County, announced Wednesday he will be playing his college football for the Florida State Seminoles.

The 170-pound running back has 4.3 speed and could make an immediate impact for Florida State, which is coming off an 8-4 season -- sub-par by its lofty standards.

Booker rushed for 3,103 yards and scored 49 touchdowns last season. He never lost a game in high school, leading St. Bonaventure to a 42-0 record and three state championships.

Booker had narrowed his choices to Florida State, Southern California, Notre Dame and Washington.

Wednesday's announcement came as somewhat of a surprise as Notre Dame, which is trying to revive its program under first-year coach Tyrone Willingham, had been rumored to be the favorites.

Wednesday was the first day that high school players could sign letters of intent with colleges, a decision that legally binds a player to a school. The signing period concludes in April.

Quarterback Ben Olson of Thousand Oaks, Calif., listed as the top prospect by Prep Football Report, will play at Brigham Young.

Another prized running back, Maurice Clarett, the USA Today High School Offensive Player of the Year, decided on Ohio State.

NIT to expand field

NEW YORK, Feb. 7 (UPI) -- In a one-year experiment, the National Invitation Tournament announced Wednesday it would expand its field for the 2002 event from 32 to 40 teams.

The one-year expansion is in response to repeated requests from schools throughout the country, NIT executive director John Powers said.

"Conference commissioners, athletic directors and coaches asked us to expand our postseason NIT field to accommodate additional teams who have had successful seasons but have failed to receive an invitation to the NCAA Tournament," Powers said.

The NCAA Tournament last year increased to 65 teams because of the addition of a new conference, resulting in a play-in game two days before the start of the first round.

The NIT expansion means that 105 of the 320 Division I schools will be participating in a postseason tournament.

Mickelson seeks third straight Buick win

LA JOLLA, Calif., Feb. 7 (UPI) -- San Diego native Phil Mickelson seeks a rare three-peat in the $3.6 million Buick Invitational that begins today at Torrey Pines, a course that has been revamped since the lefthander made it back-to-back wins with a bizarre playoff triumph over Frank Lickliter II last year.

The last player to win the same event three straight years was Tiger Woods, who captured the Memorial Tournament and World Golf Championships-NEC Invitational in 1999-2001.

The South Course, which is played exclusively for the final two rounds, has been redesigned by architect Rees Jones. All tees, fairways, bunkers and greens were reconstructed, with many of the greens closer to cliffs that overlook the Pacific Ocean.

The course was lengthened by almost 500 yards, stretching it to 7,607 yards, the longest on the PGA Tour this year. The par-5 18th hole, formerly a 498-yarder, is now 575 yards.

The North Course, which golfers use in one of the first two rounds, was expanded by nearly 200 yards.

Mickelson won a three-way playoff last year in which Davis Love was eliminated first. On the par-four 17th, both Mickelson and Lickliter drove out of play to the left. Each hit two provisional balls and then Mickelson won the title with a double bogey.

Mickelson won the Bob Hope Classic last month.

Among those trying to dethrone Mickelson this week is Woods, the World No. 1 who is seeking his first win of 2002.