USBWA names co-winners for top player
ST. LOUIS, March 30 (UPI) -- The United States Basketball Writers Association has named Duke guard J.J. Redick and Gonzaga forward Adam Morrison college basketball co-players of the year.
It is the first time in the St. Louis-based organization's 50-year history that there were co-winners.
Redick, a 6-foot-4 inch senior, was the nation's second-leading scorer at 26.8 points per contest. Morrison, a 6-foot-8 inch junior, led the nation with 28.1 points per game.
"About once in a generation, we see a situation where there are two extraordinary players who separate themselves from the rest of college basketball and clearly stand together as the best in the game," said USBWA President Tony Barnhart of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
The pair will be presented with the Oscar Robertson Player of the Year trophy at the site of the Final Four in Indianapolis on Friday.
South Carolina wins NIT title
NEW YORK, March 30 (UPI) -- Tarence Kinsey scored a team-best 21 points Thursday night as South Carolina trounced Michigan, 76-64, in the NIT championship game at New York.
Tre Kelley had 20 points and five rebounds; Dwayne Day had 11 points and three rebounds; Renaldo Balkman had 10 points, 12 rebounds, six blocked shots and four steals; and Kinsey also had six rebounds for the Gamecocks, who successfully defended their 2005 title and finished this season with a record of 23-15.
Daniel Horton had 18 points and two rebounds. Chris Hunter had 12 points and five rebounds and Brent Petway added 12 points and four rebounds for the Wolverines, who ended with a record of 22-11.
Michigan won the title in 2004.
South Carolina out-rebounded Michigan, 32-25. Neither school was credited with an assist in the season-ending contest.
South Carolina is the first school to win back-to-back NIT titles since St. John's in 1943 and 1944.
Hansbrough to come back to UNC
CHAPEL HILL, N.C., March 30 (UPI) -- Freshman forward Tyler Hansbrough of North Carolina Thursday announced that he would return to the ACC school next winter.
The 6-foot-9 inch, 235-pound native of Poplar Bluff, Mo., was Rookie of the Year in the Atlantic Coast Conference this season. He had per game averages of 18.9 points and 7.8 rebounds while shooting 57 percent from the field.
"I never really considered leaving for the NBA after this season," he said. "The NBA is definitely a goal of mine down the line, but right now I am enjoying college a great deal and feel I can improve in every phase of my game. I enjoy school, my teammates and being part of the Carolina basketball family."
Hansbrough was just the ninth player in league history to lead his team in scoring as a freshman. He scored 40 points against Georgia Tech on Feb. 15, also a league record for a freshman.
Baseball suspends Julian Tavarez
NEW YORK, March 30 (UPI) -- Major League Baseball suspended Boston reliever Julian Tavarez for 10 days Thursday for his part in a March 27 brawl between the Red Sox and Tampa Bay.
He also was fined an undisclosed amount.
During a play at the plate in the eighth inning, Tavarez got his left leg entangled with the right forearm of Devil Rays outfielder Joey Gathright, who pushed Tavarez' leg away and started yelling. Tavarez then punched Gathright in the face and landed another punch to the top of his head.
Tavarez, who signed a two-year contract with Boston during the off-season, has been involved in a number of incidents since becoming a major leaguer in 1993.
He broke his hand after punching a clubhouse phone during the 2004 post-season with St. Louis, and he gained the reputation for being a head-hunter after beaning J.T. Snow in 2003. He also has been suspended for fighting and doctoring his cap.
Rangers put Adam Eaton on the DL
ARLINGTON, Texas, March 30 (UPI) -- The Texas Rangers put pitcher Adam Eaton on the 15-day disabled list Thursday because of a strained tendon on the middle finger of his pitching hand.
The right-hander suffered the injury Wednesday in an outing against his former team, the San Diego Padres. He missed time in 2005 because of a similar injury.
"Pretty much one pitch, the last pitch I threw," Eaton said on the Rangers' Web site. "Similar injury, different tendon. It feels the same, just a different part."
The injury ruined part of 2005 for Eaton, when he was 11-5 with a 4.27 ERA.
Eaton, who was acquired in an off-season trade with San Diego, can be a free agent after the 2006 season. He is due to make $4.65 million this season.
He has a lifetime record of 47-41 in 796 innings.
Mickelson on fire at the BellSouth
DULUTH, Ga., March 30 (UPI) -- Phil Mickelson carded a 9-under-par 63 on Thursday to take a one-stroke lead after one round of the BellSouth Classic at Duluth, Ga.
The defending champion tied a course record at the TPC at Sugarloaf, held by Tiger Woods (1998), Duffy Waldorf (1999) and Ben Crane (2003).
"Any round could have been better, but it could have been not nearly as good, either," Mickelson said. "It was a good day overall."
Gavin Coles, a two-time winner on the Nationwide Tour, shot 8-under 64 and was second. Charles Warren, who has won three times on the Nationwide Tour, is one stroke further back at 7-under 65.
Ian Poulter (66) shares fourth with Scott Parel and Joe Durant. David Howell shot 5-under 67 to share seventh place with Brett Wetterich.
Luke Donald and Padraig Harrington were among those at 4-under 68.
Ochoa has a big lead at Rancho Mirage
RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif., March 30 (UPI) -- Lorena Ochoa carded a 10-under-par 62 on Thursday to grab the first-round lead at the Kraft Nabisco Championship at Rancho Mirage, Calif.
Ochoa's course-record round put her four shots ahead of 16-year-old Michelle Wie, who is alone in second place at 6-under 66.
"It was a very special time, but I have three days to go," Ochoa said. "I'm just going to enjoy today and then tomorrow, try to play one day at a time."
Wie finished second to world No. 1 Annika Sorenstam at last year's McDonald's LPGA Championship. After a bogey at 18, Stacy Prammanasudh is third at 5-under 67.
Amateur Angela Park shot 4-under 68.
Sorenstam, the defending champion and a three-time Nabisco winner, struggled to a 1-under-par 71. She is nine shots behind the leader, and shares 17th place with six others, including Wendy Ward and Meena Lee.
