San Antonio win streak reaches 10
TORONTO, Feb. 15 (UPI) -- Tony Parker turned in another huge outing Wednesday and the San Antonio Spurs needed it fight off Toronto 113-106 and extend their winning streak to 10 games.
Parker scored 34 points and handed out 13 assists, hitting all 12 of his attempts from the foul line.
The last five victories in San Antonio's streak have come at the start of a nine-game road trip that will take the Spurs across the country next for meetings with the Los Angeles Clippers, Utah, Portland and Denver.
During the current winning stretch, Parker has popped up with game-saving performances. He scored 42 points against Oklahoma City Feb. 4 and 37 against Philadelphia Feb. 8. San Antonio last lost Jan. 29 against Dallas.
San Antonio had an eight-point lead after one quarter and spent the rest of the game holding off the Raptors. The Spurs' advantage going into the fourth quarter was only five and Toronto closed within a point with 4:24 to go before San Antonio went on a game-closing 16-10 run.
Tiago Splitter and Danny Green both added 13 points for the Spurs. DeMar DeRozan had 29 for Toronto.
Both sides shot 54 percent from the field, but San Antonio went 23-of-25 from the foul line while the Raptors made just 9-of-14.
Jaworski sacked as Monday Night analyst
BRISTOL, Conn., Feb. 15 (UPI) -- ESPN Monday Night Football announcer Ron Jaworski has been demoted from the top-rated show's broadcast lineup, the network said Wednesday.
Jaworski, a former Super Bowl quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles, had teamed with former Tampa Bay Buccaneers Coach John Gruden and play-by-play man Mike Tirico in the Monday Night Football booth since 2007.
But Norby Williamson, ESPN's executive vice president for programming, told The New York Times Jaworski would instead concentrate on analyst slots in other ESPN football programming such as the Sunday and Monday night "NFL Countdown" shows.
"Jaws served us well," Williamson told the newspaper. "But when we looked at everything we have, it became apparent that expanding his role on the other stuff to let him focus on all the teams, not just one game, was a better use of him."
Gruden had overshadowed Jaworski on the Monday night games, emerging as its new focus while the ex-quarterback took on a supporting role, the Times reported.
"Jaws has taught me so much about broadcasting and nobody works harder," Gruden said in a statement issued by ESPN.
UConn coach Calhoun to miss 3 more games
STORRS, Conn., Feb. 15 (UPI) -- University of Connecticut men's head basketball Coach Jim Calhoun said Wednesday he is still ailing and will miss at least three more games.
Calhoun has been absent during the Huskies' last three contests against Seton Hall, Louisville and Syracuse while receiving treatment for spinal stenosis.
He indicated he will also miss Wednesday's contest against DePaul as well as the next two games against Marquette and Villanova.
"I am happy that we seem to have located the problem and I am currently moving forward with treatment," Calhoun said in a statement. "We have to give that treatment time to see whether or not it is effective."
The coach said he hopes to have a "clearer picture of where we are and when I can look forward to getting back to doing what I do" by next week.
Associate head Coach George Blaney will continue to run the team in Calhoun's absence.
Calhoun is in his 25th year as head coach at Connecticut and has led the school to three NCAA titles -- in 1999, 2004 and last season. Currently, the Huskies are 15-9 overall and 5-7 in the Big East.
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TCU football players caught in drug bust
FORT WORTH, Texas, Feb. 15 (UPI) -- Four football players were among the 17 Texas Christian University students arrested Wednesday on drug charges, police said.
Those charged included Tanner Brock, a junior linebacker and potential all-American.
University Police Chief Steve McGee said the arrests involved "hand-to-hand" sales of recreational drugs including marijuana, cocaine, LSD, ecstasy and prescription drugs. The other football players arrested were identified as offensive lineman Ty Horn, defensive back Devin Johnson and defensive lineman D.J. Yendrey.
"There are days people want to be a head football coach, but today is not one of those days. As I heard the news this morning, I was first shocked, then hurt and now I'm mad," head football coach Gary Patterson said in a statement.
"Under my watch, drugs and drug use by TCU's student-athletes will not be tolerated by me or any member of my coaching staff. Period. Our program is respected nationally for its strong ethics and for that reason the players arrested today were separated from TCU by the university. I believe strongly that young people's lives are more important than wins or losses."
TCU is scheduled to switch from the Mountain West conference to the Big 12 this year.
