Woods coasts into Accenture third round
MARANA, Ariz., Feb. 21 (UPI) -- Tiger Woods coasted into the third round of the Accenture Match Play Championship Thursday while Phil Mickelson was eliminated by Stuart Appleby.
Woods, who staged a remarkable rally Wednesday to get past first-round opponent J.B. Holmes, built a 4-up lead through 11 holes and downed Arron Oberholser 3 & 2 at the Dove Mountain Gallery Course.
The world's No. 1-ranked player will next meet Aaron Baddeley, who advanced when David Toms had to withdraw due to a bad back.
Mickelson, who is second behind Woods in the world rankings, won the opening two holes and then saw Appleby record nine birdies en route to a 2 & 1 victory. In Friday's third round, Appleby will take on Justin Leonard, a 2 & 1 victor over Lee Westwood.
Another intriguing third-round match will bring together free spirits Woody Austin and Boo Weekley. Austin rallied to defeat Adam Scott in 19 holes and Weekley eliminated Sergio Garcia 3 & 1.
The remaining third-round match-ups will include Paul Casey vs. K.J. Choi; Jonathan Byrd vs. defending champion Henrik Stenson; Rod Pampling vs. V.J. Singh; Steve Stricker vs. Angel Cabrera; and Colin Montgomerie vs. Stewart Cink.
11-player deal at the NBA trading deadline
NEW YORK, Feb. 21 (UPI) -- An 11-player deal among three teams Thursday highlighted action at the NBA's trading deadline.
In the day's blockbuster, Chicago sent center Ben Wallace, forward Joe Smith and its second-round draft pick in 2009 to Cleveland.
The Cavaliers sent forwards Ira Newble and Donyell Marshall to Seattle for guards Wally Szczerbiak and Delonte West. Cleveland guards Larry Hughes and Shannon Brown, and forwards Drew Gooden and Cedric Simmons went to the Bulls, while Chicago guard Adrian Griffin and a second-round draft pick went to Seattle.
The deal likely strengthens Cleveland the most because the Cavaliers needed offensive help for star forward LeBron James if they expect to make a solid run in this season's playoffs.
West and Szczerbiak both are offensive-minded players.
Wallace, twice the NBA Defensive Player of the Year, had been a disappointment for the Bulls after signing a four-year, $60 million contract in 2006.
The skills of the 6-foot-9 inch, 12-year veteran have declined this season.
Nothing official about Sampson's status
INDIANAPOLIS, Feb. 21 (UPI) -- Indiana University men's basketball coach Kelvin Sampson apparently retained his job Thursday following several meetings of high-level school administrators.
His status went unresolved during the daylong meetings held because Sampson allegedly made improper telephone calls to potential recruits while he was on NCAA probation for similar actions when he was basketball coach at Oklahoma University.
Athletic Director Rick Greenspan, who will make the final decision on Sampson, got involved after Sampson lied to investigators about the calls. Earlier reports said he had coached his final game in Bloomington when the 14th-ranked Hoosiers downed Big Ten archrival and No. 15 Purdue 77-68 Tuesday.
The Indianapolis Star reported assistant Dan Dakich would be named interim coach for Saturday's game at Northwestern.
"Somebody is making assumptions that are not based in fact at this point," director of university relations Larry MacIntyre told the newspaper Thursday.
IU is 22-4 overall and its 11-2 record is second in the Big Ten.
Gagne to sit out remainder of season
PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 21 (UPI) -- Philadelphia Flyers forward Simon Gagne said Thursday he is resigned to missing the remainder of the season due to post-concussion syndrome.
Gagne was advised by doctors Wednesday to sit out the remainder of the season and said he was going to take their advice. He suffered his third concussion of the year last week.
"They don't believe it was three different concussions, but that every time I was hit in the head, it came back from the first time," Gagne said after his consultations with concussion expert Dr. James Kelly in Colorado. "The best course of action is to take this time to basically relax. I'm done. I don't think I will be back this year. I don't feel myself now. I get dizzy, off-balance."
Gagne has seven goals and 11 assists in 25 games this season. He has 208 goals in 527 NHL career games.
"The effects of the concussions that he's had have left him in a position of vulnerability, and we feel it's best right now that he recover," said Philadelphia General Manager Paul Holmgren.
