 |
||
 |
|
|
|
|
||
|
 |
Hamilton is absent from camp FORT MYERS -- Josh Hamilton's once-promising career has taken another detour if not a serious wrong turn. Piniella plans to inject speed at top of lineup Carl Crawford and Rocco Baldelli probably will be at the top of the order with left-handers hitting behind them. Lightning Center takes shot at expectations Lightning's success is proportional to the number of shots Vinny Lecavalier takes.
TAMPA -- Let's get a few things straight. It's not like Auburn came in with no reputation whatsoever. Gary Shelton: Losing is getting old TAMPA -- In the end, they went down without firing a shot. If you remember nothing else about these Florida Gators, remember that. NCAA - Midwest: Pittsburgh outmuscles Hoosiers BOSTON -- Pittsburgh has a Steel Curtain defense again, thanks to coach Ben Howland. NCAA - South: Terps' title defense heads to Sweet 16 NASHVILLE -- No need to beat the buzzer this time. Maryland is off on another run in the NCAA Tournament. NCAA - East: Butler ready for closeup BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- A team of blue-collar kids with crew cuts from a tiny Indiana school beat a powerhouse in the big tournament. NCAA - West: Heart-stopper has Arizona feeling lucky SALT LAKE CITY -- Humbled and relieved, Arizona advanced to the round of 16 with an appreciation of just how fortunate it is to still be in the NCAA Tournament. NIT: Auburn bounces Seminole women AUBURN, Ala. -- Natasha Brackett scored 20 and Tia Miller 15 as Auburn advanced to the women's quarterfinals with a 68-57 win over Florida State on Sunday. Women's NCAA: UConn displays no aftereffects in romp STORRS, Conn. -- Diana Taurasi had her game back and top-seeded Connecticut had the look of a winner again Sunday as the Huskies rebounded in a big way from their first loss in two years. Tampa subregional: Double whammy AUBURN 68, WAKE FOREST 62: Tigers answer critics with upset of No. 2 seed. Florida/Michigan State Quotebook Senior forward Matt Bonner on the inevitability of losing: Slovenian's 3-pointers help knock off Gators TAMPA -- This is Erazem Lorbek's first year in the United States and first glance at the NCAA Tournament. MSU wins by playing its game Spartans' suffocating D, a strength all season, keeps UF from mounting a challenge. Best and Worst: Florida/Michigan State BEST PREVIEW OF COMING ATTRACTIONS: The Spartans have a chance to be frightening. They graduate two seniors, only one of whom started, and return a core of freshmen and sophomores, all of whom played huge minutes this season. Starting guards Alan Anderson, Kelvin Torbert and Chris Hill are sophomores, and forward/centers Paul Davis and Erazem Lorbek are freshmen. Freshman guard Maurice Ager was second on the team with 23 3-pointers. "The play of Paul Davis and Erazem Lorbek has come a long way," coach Tom Izzo said. "I knew, once Ager got things going, he was going to prove to be a key player in this offense." Spartans push Gators around Spartans are too physical for UF and even beat Gators outside. Auburn/Wake Forest Quotebook AUBURN Wake points finger at itself Demon Deacons, the No. 2 seed, say turnovers, inconsistency are responsible for an early exit. Freshman has a career day for the Deacons TAMPA -- In a pinch, it took a freshman off the bench to keep Wake Forest from embarrassing itself against underdog Auburn. Daniels picks sweet time to shine After sitting out a stretch with foul trouble, the senior helps send the Tigers to the Sweet 16. Best and Worst: Wake Forest/Auburn BEST APPEARANCE BEFORE THE CREDITS: He had four fouls, limiting his playing time, but Auburn star Marquis Daniels came up with a critical series that gave the Tigers their winning six-point cushion. With Auburn ahead 57-54, Daniels came off the bench and scored seven straight points to push the Tigers ahead 64-56. Primetime not ready for blowout It had the potential to be the best game of the Tampa subregion, a clash of styles between two young teams that won their first round games with ease with a couple of announcers -- play-by-play Ian Eagle and analyst Jim Spanarkel -- who have been surprisingly fresh for CBS. If it's a major NCAA event, count on George to be there TAMPA -- The Final Four, the Super Bowl; they spoiled us. All eyes on Myra TAMPA -- Myra is in the house. Hoopla! Quaker power! Fan attendance equals success TAMPA -- It's one thing to boast an arena as the second-largest to host a subregional this season, but another accomplishment to fill it up. College basketball: Butler darling of NCAA A year after not even being invited to the NCAA Tournament, Butler is all the rage. NFL: Push for NFL diversity close to Dungy's heart The Jets' Herm Edwards says owners see less risk in hiring an experienced head coach. Golf: A gutsy win Despite a bout of food poisoning, Tiger Woods leaves Bay Hill field 11 shots behind. Rainy day, slow play too much for Huston ORLANDO -- The constant rain was one irritant, and so was the pace of play. It's bad enough to be getting wet all morning and afternoon, but to be doing it slowly makes the situation even worse. Especially for John Huston, whose idea of a slow walk on a golf course is a mini-sprint. Pak's 64 leaves Sorenstam an also-ran PHOENIX -- Se Ri Pak needed a big start to beat Annika Sorenstam, and she got it with a pair of front-nine eagles. On a course where birdies came in bunches, though, it took a scrambling par to clinch her win. Baseball: Rain ends attempt to get back on track CLEARWATER -- Randy Wolf is the Phillies' rain man. Larkin set to see time in outfield SARASOTA -- The Reds set their pitching staff Sunday by awarding Jimmy Anderson a spot in the rotation and giving bullpen jobs to Kent Mercker, Felix Heredia and Josias Manzanillo. Right-handers Seth Etherton and Jeff Austin were optioned to Louisville. In brief: Age is not a factor for Martin KEY BISCAYNE -- Todd Martin showed older can be better, beating Andy Roddick 7-6 (7-3) 6-4 in an intergenerational matchup at the Nasdaq-100 Open on Sunday. NHL: Wild is third to make playoffs in third year ST. PAUL, Minn. -- The Wild accomplished two significant things Sunday night. One took 21 seconds, and the other was three years in the making. Arena: Storm plays keepaway, wins 41-20 Tampa Bay intercepts four passes and holds Indiana to 194 yards in posting its fourth straight victory. Figure skating: U.S. women favored for a sweep at worlds WASHINGTON -- Seems like we have seen this before -- perhaps in Salt Lake City little more than a year ago. Equestrian: New Yorker prevails at tough Grand Prix Though tested by the indoor course, McLain Ward wins jumpoff. NBA: McGrady, Magic stay hot MIAMI -- From the opening tip, it was obvious that Sunday was going to be Tracy McGrady's night. Motorsports: Same pattern, same winner: Tracy MONTERREY, Mexico -- Paul Tracy made it 2-of-2 this season with an easy win Sunday in the CART Monterrey Grand Prix. Short track, even shorter fuses BRISTOL, Tenn. -- Crumpled fenders, wadded up sheet metal, name-calling and a whole bunch of angry drivers: Just another day at Bristol Motor Speedway. Keep the drama; Busch gladly will take victory After three runner-up finishes this season, once in door-banging fashion, he avoids trouble at the Food City 500.
|
|
On The Wire
|
