UCLA shocks Arizona in Pac-10 tourney
LOS ANGELES, March 14 (UPI) -- The Arizona Wildcats will have a week's rest before they embark on their quest for the NCAA championship.
Embattled UCLA Coach Steve Lavin pulled off one of the biggest wins of his career as the Bruins stunned top-ranked Arizona in overtime, 96-89, to advance to the semifinals of the Pac-10 Conference Tournament.
UCLA's win highlighted the busiest day of the conference tournament season, one in which 45 games were played.
Among the day's top activities, Alabama-Birmingham shocked Marquette in the Conference USA quarterfinals, 83-76; Syracuse recorded its third win of the season over Georgetown in the Big East quarterfinals, 74-69; James Wright banked in a three-point shot at the buzzer to give Colorado a 77-76 win over Kansas State in the Big 12 opening round and Indiana improved its hopes for an NCAA bid with a 77-49 crushing of Penn State in the Big Ten's first round.
UCLA, however, came up with a potentially significant triumph near the end of what has been its worst season in 60 years. There has been considerable speculation that Lavin will be fired at the end of the season.
After seven seasons of almost constant criticism, Lavin survived to coach at least one more game with the Bruins (10-18). Arizona (25-3), which had a 10-game winning streak snapped, beat UCLA in the two regular-season meetings by 35 and 36 points.
But the Bruins, who needed to win their final two regular-season games just to get into the Pac-10 tournament, were determined to go down fighting in this one, erasing a 12-point deficit in the final 10 minutes of regulation.
UCLA tied the game on Ray Young's long three-pointer with 4.9 seconds remaining in the second half and never trailed in the overtime.
Jason Kapono scored 26 points for the Bruins.
Rick Anderson scored a career-high 23 points for the Wildcats, who will still likely receive a top seed in the West Region when the NCAA Tournament pairings are announced on Sunday.
Arizona Coach Lute Olsen has made it clear he does not think the Pac-10 needs a conference tournament and said prior to the event that he would use it as a tune-up for the NCAA tourney.
Amonte scores with new team
PHILADELPHIA, March 14 (UPI) -- Tony Amonte had a goal and an assist in the third period of his first game with his new team Thursday night.
John LeClair also notched a power-play goal in his return to the lineup as the Philadelphia Flyers snapped a three-game skid with a 5-3 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes.
Amonte, a three-time 40-goal scorer, was acquired from Phoenix on Monday for left wing Guillaume Lefebvre and a pair of draft picks.
The five-time All-Star assisted on Keith Primeau's power-play goal less than a minute into the third to make it 3-2 and scored the eventual game-winner with 8:10 remaining to double the lead.
LeClair missed 47 games following surgery to repair a dislocated right shoulder.
The only player in team history with five straight 40-goal seasons, LeClair broke a 1-1 deadlock just over five minutes into the second period with his 12th goal.
Other NHL results: Boston 4, New Jersey 3; Ottawa 3, New York Rangers 2 in overtime; Philadelphia 5, Carolina 3; Colorado 5, Columbus 1; Montreal 4, Atlanta 2; Calgary 4, Toronto 3 in overtime; New York Islanders 5, Edmonton 2; St. Louis 4, Vancouver 4.
Nets cruise past Celtics
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J., March 14 (UPI) -- Lucious Harris scored 24 points off the bench Thursday night, helping New Jersey Cruise past Boston, 90-75.
Jason Collins added a season-high 15 in a balanced attack.
Last season, the Nets reached the NBA Finals despite having no player average more than 15 points per game. This season, the team has relied more on the offense of All-Star point guard Jason Kidd and has suffered a bit.
The Nets lost 10 of 14 coming out of the All-Star break but appeared to straighten things out with Sunday's win at New Orleans that helped them maintain first place in the Atlantic Division. With Harris and Collins contributing, they made sure the Celtics did not get any closer.
Harris, who filled in as a starter earlier this season, snapped out of a slump that had seen him score just 25 points in the last five games. He made 10 of 16 shots and scored 17 points in the final 14 minutes.
Collins also had been slumping, reaching double figures just once in the last eight games. But the second-year center made four of five shots and seven of eight free throws, scoring all of his points in the middle two quarters.
Other NBA results: Seattle 107, Dallas 100; Phoenix 109, Sacramento 84.
Bears sign Kordell Stewart
LAKE FOREST, Ill., March 14 (UPI) -- The Chicago Bears Thursday signed veteran quarterback Kordell Stewart to a two-year contract.
Financial terms were not disclosed, but Stewart reportedly received $5 million, making it commensurate annually with the three-year, $7.5 million deal quarterback Jeff Blake got from the Arizona Cardinals on Wednesday.
The 30-year-old Stewart was offered a four-year contract by the Cardinals, but did not want to commit long-term.
The Baltimore Ravens, who lost Blake, also expressed interest in Stewart. Facing Pittsburgh twice a year in the AFC North may have been tempting to Stewart, but he decided to sign with the Bears, who cut starting quarterback Jim Miller last month.
Chicago originally targeted quarterback Jake Plummer, who came here for a visit but struck it rich with a seven-year, $40 million deal from the Denver Broncos.
Stewart spent his first eight years with the Steelers and twice led them to the AFC championship game. But he lost his starting job to Tommy Maddox last season and became a salary cap casualty with a price tag of $6.3 million for the 2003 season.
After an 0-2 start, Maddox led the Steelers to a 16-13 win over Cleveland, and Stewart was relegated to the bench until Maddox suffered a concussion in a Nov. 17 loss to Tennessee. But Maddox returned three weeks later and led the Steelers to the AFC North title.
Last season, Stewart completed 109 of 166 passes for 1,155 yards, six touchdowns and six interceptions for an 82.8 rating. He also rushed for 191 yards and two scores.
Hewitt reaches quarterfinals
INDIAN WELLS, Calif., March 14 (UPI) -- Defending champion Lleyton Hewitt again had a difficult time Thursday before pulling out a victory at the Pacific Life Open.
The top-seeded Australian banged out a 6-7 (3-7), 6-4, 6-3 victory over Argentina's Guillermo Coria to reach the quarterfinals at the Tennis Masters Series event.
While Hewitt was expected to advance, three Americans, including a pair of qualifiers, joined him in the quarterfinals.
After James Blake outsted No. 5 Carlos Moya of Spain, 5-7, 6-3, 6-2, Robby Ginepri shocked flu-ridden seventh seed Marat Safin of Russia 6-0, 6-1, and Brian Vahaly knocked off Spain's Tommy Robredo, 6-2, 7-5.
Vahaly made it to the qualifying draw only after four players withdrew. After reaching the main draw, the 21 year-old Atlanta resident eliminated Fernando Gonzalez and world No. 3 Juan Carlos Ferrero.
On the women's side, Hewitt's girlfriend, top-seeded Kim Clijsters of Belgium, rolled to a 6-2, 6-3 victory over American Chanda Rubin.
Rodriguez has shoulder examined
ARLINGTON, Texas, March 14 (UPI) -- Superstar Alex Rodriguez underwent testing on his left shoulder Thursday in what the Texas Rangers said was merely precautionary.
The Rangers shortstop complained of stiffness and fatigue in the shoulder after Tuesday's game with Arizona and reported no change after Wednesday's contest with Seattle. With an off day on Thursday, the Rangers opted to take no chances with their franchise player and sent him back to Texas for additional testing.
Rodriguez was expected to return to Arizona by the weekend.
The 27-year-old Rodriguez, who is in the third year of a 10-year, $252 million deal, was batting .300 with a homer and nine RBI in 10 games this spring. He hit .300 with a major league-high 57 homers, 142 RBI and 389 total bases in 2002.
Uecker honored with Frick Award
MILWAUKEE, March 14 (UPI) -- Longtime Milwaukee radio announcer Bob Uecker is going into the Hall of Fame.
Uecker, who became a goodwill ambassador for the game through television and commercials, was honored Thursday with the Ford Frick Award for contributions to baseball broadcasting.
Uecker, 68, will be presented his award during Hall of Fame ceremonies on July 27. He will be part of an induction class that includes Eddie Murray, Gary Carter and J.G. Taylor Spink winner Hal McCoy of the Dayton Daily News.
Uecker, a native of Milwaukee, is a member of the Radio Hall of Fame and has been selected as the Wisconsin Sportscaster of the Year five times. He became a mainstream celebrity with beer commercials, many of which poked fun at his baseball ability and fame, and later had his own prime time television series called "Mr. Belvedere."
Uecker, who earned the monicker "Mr. Baseball," also appeared in the baseball movie "Major League" and the comedy "Fatal Instinct."
Rain delays Honda Classic
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla., March 14 (UPI) -- Justin Leonard, Notah Begay III and Jeff Brehaut each shot a 63 Thursday for a share of the lead at the Honda Classic.
Jim Furyk, Esteban Toledo and John Senden were a stroke back in the clubhouse with Chris Riley and David Peoples two off the pace before inclement weather at The Country Club at Mirasol forced the suspension of play.
Thirty-eight of the 144 players in the field were left on the course and will return Friday morning to complete the opening round.
Eberharter wraps up World Cup title
KVITFJELL, Norway, March 14 (UPI) -- Austria's Stephan Eberharter swept the World Cup overall and super-G titles Thursday, winning the season's finale in the discipline.
The powerful Austrian sped down the sun-soaked Olympiabakken course in 1 minute, 36.97 seconds, a convincing 0.41 ahead of his nearest challenger, home-hero Lasse Kjus. Eberharter's younger teammate Hannes Reichelt completed the podium, crossing another two-tenths back in 1:37.40.
Eberharter, who had already clinched the downhill title last month when he won in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, had entered the race with a 173-point lead over his only rival, Bode Miller of the United States. His victory gave him 273 points and out of reach with only two races remaining this season -- a giant slalom and slalom this weekend.
It marked the second year in a row that Eberharter won the three titles.
