Ravens' Ray Lewis to retire
OWINGS MILLS, Md., Jan. 2 (UPI) -- Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis, a 13-time Pro Bowl selection, said Wednesday he would retire from the NFL after the season.
Lewis has had his playing time limited this season by a triceps injury but he is to be on the field Sunday when the Ravens play the Indianapolis Colts in a wild-card playoff game.
Lewis, 37, told the team of his decision Wednesday, saying, "This is my last ride."
Baltimore selected Lewis with the 26th selection of the 1996 NFL draft -- the second pick in franchise history -- and he has been one of the NFL's best defensive players since. He has had recorded more than 2,000 tackles and been credited with 41.5 sacks and 31 interceptions.
He made his first appearance on the Pro Bowl team in 1997 and only missed selections in 1996, 2002, 2005, and 2012 in his 17-season career. Among his other honors was selection as Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl XXXV.
Boeheim moves past Knight on wins list
SYRACUSE, N.Y., Jan. 2 (UPI) -- James Southerland finished off a huge first-half run Wednesday that sent Syracuse to a 78-53 victory over Rutgers and Coach Jim Boeheim to a milestone win.
Boeheim, who has spent his entire 37-year coaching career at Syracuse, moved into second place by himself on the all-time victory list for major college basketball coaches.
He has 903 victories, one more than Bob Knight. Duke's Mike Krzyzewski, who won his 940th game Wednesday when the Blue Devils downed Davidson, is No. 1 on the list.
Rutgers owned a 20-18 lead with 8 minutes to play in the first half, but Syracuse scored the final 21 points of the period. Southerland scored seven of them and finished the run with a layup that gave the Orange a 39-20 halftime lead.
Syracuse improved to 13-1 in what was the first Big East Conference game of the season for both clubs.
Brandon Triche led Syracuse with 25 points and C.J. Fair had 15. Eli Carter was the only player in double figures for Rutgers (9-3) with 19.
Rutgers coach Mike Rice returned to the bench after a three-game suspension without a pay and a $50,000 fine imposed by the school. The action was taken after an internal investigation showed a history of abusive behavior by Rice toward players during practice sessions.
NHL players present latest labor proposal
NEW YORK, Jan. 2 (UPI) -- The union representing locked-out NHL players Wednesday submitted its latest proposal for a labor deal aimed at saving the 2012-13 NHL season.
The offer was the fourth put on the table by the NHL and the players union since last week as the pace of negotiations picked up with the looming threat of the cancellation of what remains of the season.
The offer was delivered to the NHL office in New York around 2:30 p.m., less than a day after the league made its latest proposal late Tuesday, USA Today reported.
Further talks possible in the evening, NHL Players' Association Executive Director Donald Fehr told reporters.
"We will hear from them when that process is completed," he said. "There is not a lot else to say."
The league has said a new collective bargaining agreement to end the 109-day-old lockout much be reached by Jan. 11 in order to hold a 48-game season that would begin Jan. 19 following a one-week training camp.
The (Toronto) Globe and Mail reported the two sides were close on the key issues of revenue sharing and pensions, but differences remain on the term of the new deal, salary cap provisions, buyout rules and other issues.
Toronto keeps hot streak going
TORONTO, Jan. 2 (UPI) -- DeMar DeRozan ignited Toronto to a quick start Wednesday and the Raptors stayed hot by rolling over Portland 102-79.
Toronto has run off eight victories in nine games, a stretch that has come after the Raptors managed just four wins in their first 23 outings.
After taking a 16-6 lead, Toronto opened a 16-point advantage at halftime and coasted during the final two periods.
DeRozan scored 24 points and Ed Davis had 19 for the Raptors, but they were the only starters who scored. With the game in hand, the bench players got plenty of time and combined to score 59 points. Terrence Ross had 26 points in a backup role and Amir Johnson added 17.
Portland, which had won its previous two contests, was led by 18 points from Damian Lillard.
Toronto shot 53 percent from the field and held Portland to 4-of-22 from 3-point range.
