Maryland wins national championship
ATLANTA, April 2 (UPI) -- The superstar skills of Juan Dixon and the inside strength of Lonny Baxter finally surfaced with the game on the line Monday night, allowing the Maryland Terrapins to fight off the Indiana Hoosiers, 64-52, and win the first NCAA basketball championship in school history.
With the game 30 minutes old, the underdog Hoosiers completed an unlikely comeback in a sloppily-played contest and took a 44-42 lead on a layup by Jared Jeffries.
Having looked nothing like the team that was seeded No. 1 in its region and had sliced up the talented Kansas Jayhawks in the national semifinals two nights earlier, the Terrapins were on the verge of seeing their title hopes dribble away.
But 11 seconds after Jeffries gave Indiana its only lead of the game, Dixon hit a three-pointer to put Maryland back in front. From that point, the Terrapins demonstrated why they had come this far. They swarmed on defense, dominated the backboards and outscored Indiana down the stretch, 22-8.
Maryland's Gary Williams, in his 24th year as a head coach, became only the second man to lead his alma mater to the NCAA championship as his team completed the 2001-002 season at 31-5.
The national crown came a dozen years after Williams took over a program that had been slapped with a severe NCAA probation, one that kept the Terrapins out of the NCAA Tournament and off television.
"I don't even like to think about those times," Williams said. "There was so much mistrust, so much doubt about the program. We had to work all those things out before we could even think about having a good basketball team.
"There had been so many great Maryland teams in the past and things never quite worked out right. This year they did and I hope everybody associated with the school feels a part of it."
It was the sixth time Indiana had played for the national championship and the first time in that situation the Hoosiers had lost. After beating pre-tournament favorite Duke and powerhouse Oklahoma during its run to the national title game, Indiana completed its season at 25-12.
"Maryland is a great basktball team," said Indiana Coach Mike Davis, who brought the Hoosiers to the title game in his second year on the job as the successor to Bob Knight. "We knew coming into the game they were physical inside and their guards were quick. We had no answer for them.
"But just think about it. Not many teams get here. And we had a chance. Maybe we will get a little closer next year."
Johnson dominant on Opening Day
PHOENIX, April 2 (UPI) -- The first full day of the baseball season saw one superstar pitcher have plenty of success while two others struggled.
Randy Johnson, the most dominant pitcher in the major leagues, tossed a two-hitter and Mark Grace homered as the Arizona Diamondbacks began defense of their World Series title with a 2-0 triumph over the San Diego Padres.
Johnson, who improved to 5-0 on Opening Day and 8-0 against the Padres, picked up where he left off last season, when he won his third straight Cy Young Award.
Johnson's gem was the majors' second Opening Day shutout in as many days. Before this season, no pitcher had thrown a shutout in his team's first game of the season since Dwight Gooden accomplished the feat in 1993.
Bartolo Colon shut out Anaheim for the Cleveland Indians Sunday night.
In Boston, however, Red Sox ace Pedro Martinez gave up eight runs and nine hits in three innings as Toronto raced to an 8-3 lead. Boston took Martinez off the hook by grabbing an 11-8 advantage, but the Blue Jays staged a rally of their own and won the game in the ninth, 12-11.
And in Baltimore, Tony Batista delivered a grand slam homer off Roger Clemens in the Orioles' 10-3 victory over the New York Yankees.
Clemens, who was making his 12th Opening Day start, struggled with his control after he tried to barehand a ground ball by David Segui that went for an infield single in the fourth. Clemens walked Jeff Conine and Jay Gibbons before Batista homered to left-center field on the first pitch.
After the game, Clemens was taken to a hospital for precautionary x-rays.
Other American League results: Minnesota 8, Kansas City 6; Chicago 6, Seattle 5; Oakland 8, Texas 3. And in the National League, it was New York 6, Pittsburgh 2; Cincinnati 5, Chicago 4; St. Louis 10, Colorado 2; Atlanta 7, Philadelphia 2.
Maple Leafs clinch playoff spot
DETROIT, April 2 (UPI) -- Mats Sundin scored with 86 seconds left in overtime Monday night as the Toronto Maple Leafs squandered a two-goal lead before nailing down a post-season spot with a 5-4 triumph over the Detroit Red Wings.
Igor Larionov was denied after stickhandling deep in the Toronto zone and Sundin counterattacked two on one. Using Alexander Mogilny as a decoy, Sundin carried down the right side, drifted into the slot and snapped a shot into the top right corner of the net.
It was Sundin's 38th goal of the season and ninth game-winner, moving him into a tie with St. Louis' Pavol Demitra for the league lead.
In the final minute of regulation, Sundin smashed his stick in frustration after goaltender Manny Legace stopped his point-blank wrist shot with the heel of his glove.
Other NHL results: New York Islanders 4, New Jersey 3; Buffalo 3, Philadelphia 1; Montreal 3, Pittsburgh 0; New York Rangers 6, Tampa Bay 4; Dallas 3, Columbus 1; Colorado 5, Nashville 1; Phoenix 5, St. Louis 3.
Rob Ray suspended five games
NEW YORK, April 1 (UPI) -- The Buffalo Sabres must continue their playoff push without veteran enforcer Rob Ray, who was suspended five games without pay by the NHL Monday for delivering a blow to the head of St. Louis Blues defenseman.
The incident occurred Thursday in the third period of the Sabres' 4-1 loss. With 6:58 remaining, Ray elbowed Salvador, receiving minor and match penalties for attempt to injure.
Ray, a 33-year-old right wing, already has sat out one game and will miss contests on Monday against Philadelphia, Wednesday against the New York Islanders, Friday against Florida and Sunday at Tampa Bay. He is eligible to return on April 10 at Pittsburgh.
Buffalo could be out of the postseason race by then. The Sabres are tied for 10th in the Eastern Conference, five points behind Montreal and Washington for the final playoff spot with seven games to play.
Rob Moore signs with Broncos
ENGLEWOOD, Colo., April 1 (UPI) -- Veteran wide receiver Rob Moore, who has not played a down the last two seasons, will try to revive his career with the Denver Broncos.
Moore signed a contract with the Broncos Monday that reportedly is worth $775,000 for one year.
The Broncos have been searching for a third receiver to complement Rod Smith and Ed McCaffrey and a healthy Moore, who was with the Arizona Cardinals since 1995, would be perfect for the role. Moore suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury in the 2000 preseason and struggled through a series of hamstring injuries in 2001.
Before the injuries, Moore posted three straight 1,000-yard receiving seasons. A first-round pick of the New York Jets in 1995, Moore has caught 628 passes for 9,368 yards and 71 touchdowns.
In New Orleans, the Saints signed right tackle Spencer Folau, who started 15 games for the Miami Dolphins last season.
