UPI NewsTrack Sports

Riesch edges Vonn in final downhill

GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN, Germany, March 10 (UPI) -- Maria Riesch edged Lindsey Vonn Wednesday in the season's last World Cup downhill race, narrowing the gap between the two in the overall points standings.

Vonn had already captured the World Cup downhill title for this season and on Wednesday received the crystal globe for winning that title. It was Vonn's third consecutive downhill championship. She won six of the eight races this season in addition to her downhill gold medal at the Olympics.

Riesch, however, won Wednesday's race by .48 of a second to move within 225 points of Vonn for the overall World Cup championship.

"It was a tough downhill and I tried my best," Vonn said. "But I didn't ski the best that I could have and made a couple mistakes and that's why Maria was the winner today. Anyone can win these races and I have to ski my best if I want to continue to win.

"For me, my eyes are set on the big crystal -- the overall title. So I have to really try hard to beat Maria in these next couple races."

Both Vonn and Riesch will race in a super-giant slalom event on Thursday.

Bryant signs with Bengals for $28M

CINCINNATI, March 10 (UPI) -- Free agent wide receiver Antonio Bryant has agreed to a $28 million, four-year contract with the Cincinnati Bengals, sources said Wednesday.

The deal for the eight-year veteran wideout, who has played for Tampa Bay, Cleveland and San Francisco, could go as high as $29 million with incentives, The Cincinnati Enquirer reported.

The newspaper said the transaction would be announced as soon as Bengals head Coach Marvin Lewis returns from the NFL Competition Committee meetings.

Bryant, 29, was said to be the top free agent wide receiver on the NFL market. Last year with the Buccaneers, training camp knee injuries limited him to 13 games, during which he made 39 receptions for 600 yards, scoring four TDs.

Two years ago, he posted an outstanding season, grabbing 83 receptions for 1,248 yards and seven touchdowns, the Enquirer said.

Wallace almost perfect against 76ers

PHILADELPHIA, March 10 (UPI) -- A near-perfect shooting effort from Gerald Wallace helped Charlotte to a quick start Wednesday and the Bobcats easily held on to defeat Philadelphia 102-87.

Charlotte won its fourth in a row and moved a game above the .500 mark. The Bobcats also inched a full game in front of idle Chicago for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

Wallace made 9-of-10 from the field and 10-of-11 from the foul line, scoring 28 points and leading six Bobcats in double figures. Charlotte led by 27 points going into the final period.

Stephen Jackson added 24 points and Boris Diaw had 13.

Philadelphia was led by Rodney Carney with 14 points off the bench. The 76ers made just 4-of-24 attempts from 3-point range.

Source: Roethlisberger says consensual

PITTSBURGH, March 10 (UPI) -- Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger told police he had consensual sexual contact with a woman who has accused him of assault, sources say.

KDKA-TV, Pittsburgh, quoted unnamed sources saying that on the night of the alleged assault of a 20-year-old Georgia college student at a nightclub in Milledgeville, Ga., Roethlisberger conceded to police that he did have contact with the woman, but that it was consensual and not consummated.

Roethlisberger reportedly told police the woman slipped and fell, injuring her head. The alleged victim immediately went to a local hospital after the incident claiming she had been sexually assaulted, the sources said.

KDKA reported that Georgia authorities are seeking a DNA sample from the Steelers signal-caller, presumably to match with samples from the woman.

Pittsburgh legal analyst Bob Del Greco told the broadcaster that the seeking of DNA evidence in conjunction with a head injury could present evidence of a sexual attack.

Meanwhile, a lawyer representing Roethlisberger said a team of investigators will be looking into allegations of sexual assault against the Pittsburgh Steelers star.

Attorney Edward T.M. Garland said his law firm hired the investigate team to collect information regarding the allegations, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported Wednesday.

"The fans and the people that believe in him should be patient. ... The truth will come out," Garland said Tuesday of his client.