Kyle Lowry to enter NBA Draft
VILLANOVA, Pa., April 27 (UPI) -- Villanova guard Kyle Lowry Thursday became the latest under-classman to announce his decision to enter this year's NBA Draft.
Lowry, a 6-foot sophomore from Philadelphia, said he will not hire an agent, which leaves the door open for him to return for his junior season at the Big East school.
In the 2005-06 season, he averaged 11.0 points, 4.3 rebounds and a team-high 3.7 assists per contest, as the Wildcats compiled a 28-5 record. Lowry was second team all-Big East.
Villanova advanced to the Elite Eight before losing to eventual national champion Florida, and finished fifth in the final USA Today/ESPN coaches poll.
The list of other non-seniors who have made a similar decision includes Pittsburgh junior center Aaron Gray, Connecticut junior guard Marcus Williams, Michigan State junior guard Shannon Brown, junior guard P.J. Tucker of Texas and his teammate, sophomore forward LaMarcus Aldridge.
Lima, Storm are co-leaders at Cadiz
CADIZ, Spain, April 27 (UPI) -- Jose-Filipe Lima of France and England's Graeme Storm Thursday are co-leaders after the first round of the Andalucia Open at Cadiz, Spain, at 7-under-par 65.
It was a course-record score for one round. The former record, 6-under 66, was set in 2005 by Peter Gustafsson and Stephen Dodd.
"7-under is great," said Lima, who also was the first-round leader at last year's BMW Championship. "I am really pleased overall."
Raul Ballesteros of Spain, the nephew of five-time major champion Seve Ballesteros, is among a group of five players who trail Lima and Storm by one stroke at 6-under 66.
Ten players, including Sweden's Niclas Fasth and Francesco Molinari of Italy, are tied for eighth at 5-under 67.
Forty-six players are within five shots of the leaders heading into Friday's second round.
Churchill Downs considering surface switch
LOUISVILLE, Ky., April 27 (UPI) -- Churchill Downs, the legendary horse racing track where the Kentucky Derby is held, is considering a switch from dirt to a synthetic surface, a report said.
Advocates say Polytrack, which was developed in England, is safer.
Turfway Park in northern Kentucky, the only U.S. track now using Polytrack, found that only three horses suffered injuries so bad that they needed to be put down in the first year after the switch, compared to 24 in the previous year, the Louisville Courier-Journal reported.
But Turfway also found that horses run slower on Polytrack than on dirt. If Churchill Downs makes the switch, speed records like Secretariat's 1973 run might stand forever.
The Keeneland track plans to make the switch this summer. Churchill Downs wants to observe Polytrack's performance before making its biggest change since the Derby went from a mile and a half to a mile and a quarter in 1896.
Blank still hopes to buy Braves
ATLANTA, April 27 (UPI) -- Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank says he believes he would be the best possible owner for the Braves.
But Blank told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution he would support whoever ends up with the National League East team.
The newspaper reported that the most likely buyer is Liberty Media, which owns Starz and QVC. Time Warner announced that the team was up for sale last year.
"I'd be very disappointed, but I'd certainly support whoever the eventual owner is, and I'd hope and pray they would be an excellent owner and support the Braves and do the things I would have done and increase the value of the franchise and most importantly be responsive to the fans and the community," Blank said.
Blank said he would not have tried to buy the Braves if he didn't think that he would be the best possible owner, given his track record with the NFL Falcons.
Scolari may become England's manager
LONDON, April 27 (UPI) -- There are reports Brazilian soccer star Luiz Felipe Scolari has been asked to become manager of England's team but the Football Association won't confirm it.
Sky News reports that FA chief executive Brian Barwick traveled to Portugal to talk with Scolari but details were not disclosed.
After returning, Barwick said, "We've been speaking to Felipe Scolari as part of the process of recruiting the next coach and that process continues."
Scolari is currently the manager of Portugal and has repeatedly said that he will not make a decision on his future until after the World Cup, the report said.
The Guardian reported that Scolari is the FA's preferred candidate. The newspaper said Barwick and his director of corporate affairs together traveled to Portugal to offer the job to the Brazilian.
USC's Sanchez arrested on sex charge
LOS ANGELES, April 27 (UPI) -- USC quarterback Mark Sanchez has been arrested on suspicion of sexual assault in Los Angeles, with bail set at $200,000.
The 19-year-old was arrested Wednesday afternoon after a USC student said she had been sexually assaulted by the redshirt freshman earlier in the morning.
Michael Jackson, USC's vice president of student affairs, told The Los Angeles Times Sanchez would be put on "interim suspension" while the case was pending, meaning the athlete cannot attend class or participate in other student activities until the university reviews the situation further.
Sanchez is the second USC player to be arrested on suspicion of sexual assault in the last 13 months. In March 2005, cornerback Eric Wright was booked on suspicion of rape, but he was never charged.
