Tennis Homecourt Advantage [Times photo: Lance A. Rothstein] Jennifer Capriati's exhibition match may be in her hometown, but it's a rare opportunity for the community to see her play.

Devil Rays, baseball
Rays give up on 2, take chance on 2
OUT Bryan Rekar, Dan Wheeler. IN: P's Kevin McGlinchy and Steve Kent.

Negotiations collapse regarding contraction
BOSTON -- Thursday wasn't necessarily a good day for the Twins and Expos.

Bucs
Bucs' Dunn breaks his long silence
The running back, playing injured, is tired of the backfield debate.

G McDaniel's absence was more than just rare
TAMPA -- He doesn't want to talk about it, and that's understandable. But when guard Randall McDaniel came off the field Sunday against the Lions it was a historic moment.

Lightning
Khabibulin proves better than ever
EDMONTON -- Nikolai Khabibulin is back. Not that it wasn't self-evident with his stats speaking so loudly for themselves.

Pleased Kubina a Czech Olympian
EDMONTON -- Pavel Kubina was not all that surprised he was named to the Czech Republic's Olympic team.

Broadcast sports
ESPN's Ward quietly broadcasting history
You might know her voice . . . or think you do. Wasn't that Robin Roberts calling the Mountain West Championship Game Saturday between Brigham Young and Hawaii? Or wait, maybe it was Mary Carillo.

Etc.
Sports in brief
Woods' wild cards have host looking prophetic

Colleges
Spartans shorts
TAMPA -- The University of Tampa women's basketball team improved to 5-2 after an 88-71 win against Newport News on Dec. 1. The win was another step toward overcoming its sluggish 1-2 start to the season. The Spartans have pulled off four wins in a row and have received balanced, consistent play during that stretch.

Bulls bits
TAMPA -- South Florida baseball coach Eddie Cardieri took full advantage of the early signing period last week with eight players signed.

Rebuilt Bulls ready for conference play
TAMPA -- The loss to Florida on Saturday wasn't just the first of the year for the South Florida women's basketball team, it also was a barometer of the Bulls' rebuilding process.

Selmon Jr. to respond to lawsuit today
TAMPA -- The attorney for South Florida player Lee Roy Selmon Jr. said he will file a response today in Hillsborough Circuit Court to the civil complaint brought against his client in late October.

Preps

• East, West All-Stars jell quickly
  TAMPA -- It takes some high school football players years of practice to jell as a team.
• Eagles carve up Pirates, win 3-1
  SPRING HILL -- Crystal River's reserves couldn't contain a collective "ooh" when Springstead's Greg Emmerman sambaed between four of their defenders Thursday.
• Rams hold on, remain undefeated
  LAND O'LAKES -- Ridgewood coach Gary Anders had to get nervous Thursday when Land O'Lakes shaved a nine-point lead to four with 17 seconds to play.
• Title cures Panther's ills
  After two disappointing finishes at the state meet, a healthy Mallory Giordano finally puts it all together.
• Boys hoops extra
  Games to Watch
• Green Devils can't contain Spartans
  Lakewood slowly works up to speed in a 69-43 conference win.

Outdoors
To catch fish, plan accordingly
Perfect weather conditions and water temperatures still in the 70s have confused things: Which species do you target inshore? What game plan do you use offshore?