SPORTS NEWS ROUNDUP

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Former Northwestern hoops players indicted over point shaving
-------------------------------------------------------------

Two former Northwestern University basketball players were
indicted today on charges of taking part in a conspiracy to
shave points in three games during the 1994-95 season.

A federal grand jury in Chicago indicted former Northwestern
starters Dewey Williams and Kenneth "Dion" Lee and two bettors
on charges of conspiracy to commit sports bribery. The
indictments at one of the nation's top academic institutions
were college basketball's second gambling scandal in less than a
year and come two days before the Final Four, the crown jewel of
the sport's season.

FBI officials said at an afternoon news conference at Dirksen
Federal Courthouse that the conspiracy was designed to ensure
the success of bets that were placed against Northwestern to
cover the spread in three games. Those contests were identified
as February 15th against Wisconsin, February 22nd against Penn
State and March 1st against Michigan.

Report: Michigan's Traylor to enter NBA draft
---------------------------------------------

Michigan's Robert Traylor said before the NCAA Basketball
Tournament began he would return for his senior year if Brian
Ellerbe was named the Wolverines' permanent head coach. He
apparently has had a change of heart.

ESPNEWS is reporting today that the 6-8, 300-pound junior
forward will annouce his intentions to enter the NBA draft on
Friday. A news conference has been scheduled for Friday at 2
p.m. EST at Detroit's Murray-Wright High School, his alma mater.

Ellerbe, who replaced Steve Fisher on an interim basis at the
start of the season, was hired as Michigan's full-time coach
last week. Traylor helped lead Michigan to a 26-8 record. He
was the Wolverines' second-leading scorer at 16.2 points per
game and led the team in rebounds with 10.1 per contest. He also
blocked a team-high 45 shots.

* Minnesota captures National Invitation Tournament
---------------------------------------------------

Although the Big Ten is nowhere to be found in the NCAA Final
Four, it couldn't be denied a second consecutive National
Invitation Tournament title tonight in New York, and that was
just fine with Minnesota coach Clem Haskins.

Minnesota captured its second NIT title in five years with a
79-72 victory over Penn State tonight in the all-Big Ten final
at Madison Square Garden.

The victory comes on the heels of Michigan's victory over
Florida State last year, giving the perennial football
powerhouse conference its second straight NIT title.

Blazers activate G Damon Stoudamire from injured list
-----------------------------------------------------

The struggling Portland Trail Blazers, trying to lock up a
playoff spot tonight, got back their starting point guard when
they activated Damon Stoudamire from the injured list.

Stoudamire severely sprained his right ankle in a win over the
Phoenix Suns on March 3rd. He did not dress in the next three
contests and was placed on the injured list on March 13th.

Portland was 34-24 when Stoudamire went down but has struggled
without him, going 3-7 and dropping its last three contests.
Still, with Stoudamire back in the starting lineup tonight, the
Blazers can secure a berth in the playoffs with a victory over
Vancouver.

Sacramento Kings fine, suspend C Polynice two games
---------------------------------------------------

Disgruntled Sacramento Kings center Olden Polynice, who was
involved in a profanity-laced tirade with coach Eddie Jordan in
the second quarter of Wednesday's 114-91 loss to the Los Angeles
Lakers, was given a two-game suspension by the team today.

Polynice, who also was fined an undisclosed amount, played only
four minutes and did not score against the Lakers. The Kings
said in a statement they disciplined Polynice for "conduct
detrimental to the NBA club."

The Sacramento Bee reported today that some Kings players saw
Polynice, who wants out after losing his starting job this
season to rookie Michael Stewart, spit on the floor near Jordan
during a timeout. Jordan did not confirm the spitting, but said
he saw moisture on the floor.

F Gary Trent does not play in Toronto loss
------------------------------------------

After being activated from the injured list, Toronto Raptors
forward Gary Trent did not play in tonight's 97-96 loss to the
Cleveland Cavaliers. But he did get off the bench.

Trent and teammate Marcus Camby both came off the bench during a
third-period fight between Raptors center Oliver Miller and
Cavaliers forward Danny Ferry. Neither Trent nor Camby were
ejected, but the league will review the tape on Friday. Both
players may face a mandatory one-game suspension.

The 6-8, 250-pound Trent missed 11 games with a strained left
hip flexor. He was acquired in the six-player trade that sent
star point guard Damon Stoudamire to Portland and averaged 7.8
points and 10.3 rebounds in 29.5 minutes in four games with the
Raptors.

Red Sox finally agree to terms with 2B Lemke
--------------------------------------------

The Boston Red Sox, facing the prospect of having to use two
players with no major-league experience at the position, agreed
to terms today with second baseman Mark Lemke on a minor-league
contract. Financial terms were not disclosed.

The switch-hitting Lemke will report to the team's training camp
in Fort Myers, Florida on Saturday. He is expected to open the
season as the regular second baseman for Boston, which had been
looking at Lou Merloni and Donnie Sadler at the position since
Jeff Frye suffered a season-ending knee injury.

The 32-year-old Lemke had spent his entire 10-year career with
the Atlanta Braves but became a free agent after the 1997
season. He hit .245 with two homers and 26 RBI in 109 games last
year before tearing right ankle ligaments on August 20th.

Cardinals RHP Morris to undergo preliminary shoulder exam
---------------------------------------------------------

Already without young fireballer Alan Benes and left-hander
Donovan Osborne for the first month of the season, the St. Louis
Cardinals today announced that right-handed phenom Matt Morris
will undergo a precautionary right shoulder examination Monday.

Morris last pitched three days ago, allowing three runs and nine
hits with three strikeouts in five innings against the Florida
Marlins. He was having a more difficult time recovering between
starts due to right shoulder soreness, prompting Monday's exam.

As a precaution, the team is holding Morris out of his last
spring training start Saturday but expects him to pitch on April
2nd against the Los Angeles Dodgers. season.

Raiders sign unrestricted free agent S Anthony Newman
-----------------------------------------------------

The Oakland Raiders made their second defensive acquisition of
the offseason today when they signed unrestricted free agent
safety Anthony Newman.

Oakland, which finished 4-12 and tied with the San Diego
Chargers for last in the AFC West, acquired linebacker Rob
Fredrickson from the Detroit Lions in exchange for a 1998
fourth-round pick on Wednesday.

Newman started 12 games at strong safety for the New Orleans
Saints in 1997, recording 63 tackles and three interceptions for
19 yards. The 6-0, 200-pound Newman has spent the past three
seasons with New Orleans after spending his first seven years
with the Los Angeles Rams.

Arkansas tries to stop Tennessee in Women's Final Four
------------------------------------------------------

Can anyone stop Tennessee? Arkansas gets a second chance on
Friday.

For the third time in four years, the Southeastern Conference
has two teams in the Final Four of the NCAA women's basketball
tournament. The meeting between the undefeated Lady Vols and
the surprising Lady Razorbacks guarantees that the SEC will have
a team in Sunday's national championship game.

Of course, that team figures to be Tennessee (37-0), which
continues its march toward a third straight title on Friday at
Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Missouri. The other semifinal has
North Carolina State (25-6) facing Louisiana Tech (30-3).

Kournikova advances to finals against Venus Williams at Lipton
--------------------------------------------------------------

Russian sensation Anna Kournikova dispatched eighth seed Arantxa
Sanchez Vicario of Spain in three sets tonight, setting up an
all-teenage final against Venus Williams in the $4.6 million
Lipton Championships in Key Biscayne, Florida.

The 23rd-seeded Kournikova rebounded for a 3-6, 6-1, 6-3 victory
in 96 minutes. She scored many backhand winners and benefited
from 45 unforced errors by Sanchez Vicario for her fourth
straight win over a top-10 opponent.

The 16-year-old Kournikova will face the equally hot Williams,
the 11th seed who avenged her family name and beat top-ranked
defending champion Martina Hingis of Switzerland for the second
time this year, 6-2, 5-7, 6-2. The victory propelled the
17-year-old Williams into her third final this year.

Day eagles 18, takes first-round lead at Players Championship
-------------------------------------------------------------

Glen Day completed a 6-under-par 66 today with a 180-yard eagle,
vaulting past Fred Couples and into the first-round lead at the
$4 million Players Championship at the TPC at Sawgrass in Ponte
Vedra Beach, Florida.

When Day arrived at the par-4, 440-yard 18th hole of the Stadium
Course, he was one shot behind two-time champion Couples, the
early clubhouse leader, and Rocco Mediate. After his tee shot,
Day used a 7-iron to hole out from 180 yards and take the lead.
It was the first 2 at the hole in tournament history.

On a day that saw 1994 champion Greg Norman withdraw and join
defending champion Steve Elkington on the sidelines, Jerry Kelly
shot a 4-under 68 and is one shot better than a dozen players,
including David Duval, Ben Crenshaw and Phil Mickelson.

Hurst, Hetherington share lead at LPGA's first major
----------------------------------------------------

Pat Hurst and little-known Rachel Hetherington of Australia shot
4-under-par 68s today and share the lead after the opening round
of the $1 million Nabisco Dinah Shore -- the first major
tournament of the LPGA season -- at Rancho Mirage, California.

Hurst, a former teaching pro at the nearby La Quinta Country
Club, started quickly with an eagle at the par-5 second hole and
a birdie at the par-4 third. She played the rest of the Mission
Hills Country Club course at 1-under, bogeying the par-4 16th
hole to leave the door open for Hetherington.

The 25-year-old Australian, beginning her second year on the
LPGA Tour, collected a bogey and five birdies, moving into a tie
for the lead with a birdie at the par-4 15th hole.

David Graham looks to defend title at $1 million Dominion
---------------------------------------------------------

College basketball's Final Four is not the only sporting event
taking place this weekend in San Antonio.

David Graham, who already has one victory on the Senior Tour
this year, looks to defend his title at the $1 million
Southwestern Bell Dominion, which begins Friday at the Dominion
Country Club.

The Australian is attempting to join Lee Trevino and Jim Albus
as the only players to win this tournament twice. Trevino
(1991-92) and Albus (1994-95) won in consecutive years.

Silver Charm leads 10 to post in $4 million Dubai World Cup
-----------------------------------------------------------

Heavily favored Silver Charm seeks to return from a hoof injury
with a victory as he leads a field of 10 to post in Saturday's
third annual $4 million Dubai World Cup in the United Arab
Emirates.

Ridden by Gary Stevens and trained by Bob Baffert, Silver Charm,
the 5-4 favorite, drew the outside post for the 1 1/4-mile Grade
I race which originates from the Nad al Sheba Racecourse.

Silver Charm, the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner who
came within a length of capturing the sport's first Triple Crown
in nearly 20 years, was scratched from his last scheduled start
in the March 7th Santa Anita Handicap with a bruised right front
hoof. But after traveling halfway around the world, he seemed
OK.

-------------------------------------------
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-------------------------------------------

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Minnesota captures National Invitation Tournament
-------------------------------------------------

Although the Big Ten is nowhere to be found in the NCAA Final

* Vasser to start on pole for CART Budweiser 500
------------------------------------------------

Jimmy Vasser will start on the pole in Saturday's (Friday night
in the United States) inaugural CART Budweiser 500 after rain
cancelled today's qualifying session at the Twin Ring race track
in Motegi, Japan.

Officials determined the starting grid based on Thursday's
combined practice results. Vasser gained his fifth career pole
position in his 90th career start, posting a top lap of 217.964
miles per hour. It is his first pole since the 1996 Michigan
500 and the 15th pole in the last 34 races for the Target/Chip
Ganassi Racing team.

Adrian Fernandez of Mexico will start next to Vasser in the
front row. His top lap of 217.701 mph was 26 hundredths of a
second behind Vasser and secured his best starting position in
72 career CART races. He qualified second for the inaugural
U.S. 500 in 1996 but was involved in an accident approaching the
green flag and was not credited with a start.

Silver Charm leads 10 to post in $4 million Dubai World Cup
-----------------------------------------------------------

Heavily favored Silver Charm seeks to return from a hoof injury
with a victory as he leads a field of 10 to post in Saturday's
third annual $4 million Dubai World Cup in the United Arab
Emirates.

Ridden by Gary Stevens and trained by Bob Baffert, Silver Charm,
the 5-4 favorite, drew the outside post for the 1 1/4-mile Grade
I race which originates from the Nad al Sheba Racecourse.

Silver Charm, the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner who
came within a length of capturing the sport's first Triple Crown
in nearly 20 years, was scratched from his last scheduled start
in the March 7th Santa Anita Handicap with a bruised right front
hoof. But after traveling halfway around the world, he seemed
OK.

-------------------------------------------
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---------------------------------

Former Northwestern hoops players indicted over point shaving
-------------------------------------------------------------

Two former Northwestern University basketball players were

indicted Thursday on charges of taking part in a conspiracy to

shave points in three games during the 1994-95 season.

A federal grand jury in Chicago indicted former Northwestern
starters Dewey Williams and Kenneth "Dion" Lee and two bettors
on charges of conspiracy to commit sports bribery. The
indictments at one of the nation's top academic institutions
were college basketball's second gambling scandal in less than a
year and come two days before the Final Four, the crown jewel of
the sport's season.

FBI officials said at an afternoon news conference at Dirksen
Federal Courthouse that the conspiracy was designed to ensure
the success of bets that were placed against Northwestern to
cover the spread in three games. Those contests were identified
as February 15th against Wisconsin, February 22nd against Penn
State and March 1st against Michigan.

Report: Michigan's Traylor to enter NBA draft
---------------------------------------------

Michigan's Robert Traylor said before the NCAA Basketball
Tournament began he would return for his senior year if Brian
Ellerbe was named the Wolverines' permanent head coach. He
apparently has had a change of heart.

ESPNEWS reported Thursday that the 6-8, 300-pound junior forward
will annouce his intentions to enter the NBA draft today. A
news conference has been scheduled for today at 2 p.m. EST at

Detroit's Murray-Wright High School, his alma mater.

Ellerbe, who replaced Steve Fisher on an interim basis at the
start of the season, was hired as Michigan's full-time coach
last week. Traylor helped lead Michigan to a 26-8 record. He
was the Wolverines' second-leading scorer at 16.2 points per
game and led the team in rebounds with 10.1 per contest. He also
blocked a team-high 45 shots.

Minnesota captures National Invitation Tournament
-------------------------------------------------

Although the Big Ten is nowhere to be found in the NCAA Final
Four, it couldn't be denied a second consecutive National

Invitation Tournament title Thursday night in New York, and that

was just fine with Minnesota coach Clem Haskins.

Minnesota captured its second NIT title in five years with a

79-72 victory over Penn State Thursday in the all-Big Ten final
at Madison Square Garden.

The victory comes on the heels of Michigan's victory over
Florida State last year, giving the perennial football
powerhouse conference its second straight NIT title.

* Stoudamire leads Portland to win in return from injured list
--------------------------------------------------------------

Without point guard Damon Stoudamire, the Portland Trail Blazers
were a struggling team. With him back Thursday, they are a
playoff team.

Stoudamire returned from a stint on the injured list Thursday
night to lead the Trail Blazers to a 108-102 victory over
Vancouver. He started and played a game-high 40 minutes,
scoring 11 points to go along with five rebounds and five
assists.

Stoudamire severely sprained his right ankle in a win over the
Phoenix Suns on March 3rd. He did not dress in the next three
contests and was placed on the injured list on March 13th.

Sacramento Kings fine, suspend C Polynice two games
---------------------------------------------------

Disgruntled Sacramento Kings center Olden Polynice, who was
involved in a profanity-laced tirade with coach Eddie Jordan in
the second quarter of Wednesday's 114-91 loss to the Los Angeles

Lakers, was given a two-game suspension by the team Thursday.

Polynice, who also was fined an undisclosed amount, played only
four minutes and did not score against the Lakers. The Kings
said in a statement they disciplined Polynice for "conduct
detrimental to the NBA club."

The Sacramento Bee reported Thursday that some Kings players saw

Polynice, who wants out after losing his starting job this
season to rookie Michael Stewart, spit on the floor near Jordan
during a timeout. Jordan did not confirm the spitting, but said
he saw moisture on the floor.

F Gary Trent does not play in Toronto loss
------------------------------------------

After being activated from the injured list, Toronto Raptors

forward Gary Trent did not play in Thursday night's 97-96 loss

to the Cleveland Cavaliers. But he did get off the bench.

Trent and teammate Marcus Camby both came off the bench during a
third-period fight between Raptors center Oliver Miller and
Cavaliers forward Danny Ferry. Neither Trent nor Camby were

ejected, but the league will review the tape today. Both

players may face a mandatory one-game suspension.

The 6-8, 250-pound Trent missed 11 games with a strained left
hip flexor. He was acquired in the six-player trade that sent
star point guard Damon Stoudamire to Portland and averaged 7.8
points and 10.3 rebounds in 29.5 minutes in four games with the
Raptors.

Red Sox finally agree to terms with 2B Lemke
--------------------------------------------

The Boston Red Sox, facing the prospect of having to use two
players with no major-league experience at the position, agreed

to terms Thursday with second baseman Mark Lemke on a

minor-league contract. Financial terms were not disclosed.

The switch-hitting Lemke will report to the team's training camp
in Fort Myers, Florida on Saturday. He is expected to open the
season as the regular second baseman for Boston, which had been
looking at Lou Merloni and Donnie Sadler at the position since
Jeff Frye suffered a season-ending knee injury.

The 32-year-old Lemke had spent his entire 10-year career with
the Atlanta Braves but became a free agent after the 1997
season. He hit .245 with two homers and 26 RBI in 109 games last
year before tearing right ankle ligaments on August 20th.

Cardinals RHP Morris to undergo preliminary shoulder exam
---------------------------------------------------------

Already without young fireballer Alan Benes and left-hander
Donovan Osborne for the first month of the season, the St. Louis

Cardinals on Thursday announced that right-handed phenom Matt

Morris will undergo a precautionary right shoulder examination
Monday.

Morris last pitched three days ago, allowing three runs and nine
hits with three strikeouts in five innings against the Florida
Marlins. He was having a more difficult time recovering between
starts due to right shoulder soreness, prompting Monday's exam.

As a precaution, the team is holding Morris out of his last
spring training start Saturday but expects him to pitch on April
2nd against the Los Angeles Dodgers. season.

Raiders sign unrestricted free agent S Anthony Newman
-----------------------------------------------------

The Oakland Raiders made their second defensive acquisition of

the offseason Thursday when they signed unrestricted free agent
safety Anthony Newman.

Oakland, which finished 4-12 and tied with the San Diego
Chargers for last in the AFC West, acquired linebacker Rob
Fredrickson from the Detroit Lions in exchange for a 1998
fourth-round pick on Wednesday.

Newman started 12 games at strong safety for the New Orleans
Saints in 1997, recording 63 tackles and three interceptions for
19 yards. The 6-0, 200-pound Newman has spent the past three
seasons with New Orleans after spending his first seven years
with the Los Angeles Rams.

Arkansas tries to stop Tennessee in Women's Final Four
------------------------------------------------------

Can anyone stop Tennessee? Arkansas gets a second chance

tonight.

For the third time in four years, the Southeastern Conference
has two teams in the Final Four of the NCAA women's basketball
tournament. The meeting between the undefeated Lady Vols and
the surprising Lady Razorbacks guarantees that the SEC will have
a team in Sunday's national championship game.

Of course, that team figures to be Tennessee (37-0), which

continues its march toward a third straight title tonight at

Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Missouri. The other semifinal has
North Carolina State (25-6) facing Louisiana Tech (30-3).

Kournikova advances to finals against Venus Williams at Lipton
--------------------------------------------------------------

Russian sensation Anna Kournikova dispatched eighth seed Arantxa

Sanchez Vicario of Spain in three sets Thursday, setting up an

all-teenage final against Venus Williams in the $4.6 million
Lipton Championships in Key Biscayne, Florida.

The 23rd-seeded Kournikova rebounded for a 3-6, 6-1, 6-3 victory
in 96 minutes. She scored many backhand winners and benefited
from 45 unforced errors by Sanchez Vicario for her fourth
straight win over a top-10 opponent.

The 16-year-old Kournikova will face the equally hot Williams,
the 11th seed who avenged her family name and beat top-ranked
defending champion Martina Hingis of Switzerland for the second
time this year, 6-2, 5-7, 6-2. The victory propelled the
17-year-old Williams into her third final this year.

Day has lead at Players Championship
------------------------------------

Glen Day hold a one-stroke lead when second round play begins
today at the $4 million Players Championship at the TPC at

Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.

Day completed a 6-under-par 66 Thursday with a 180-yard eagle,
vaulting past Fred Couples and into the lead When Day arrived at

the par-4, 440-yard 18th hole of the Stadium Course, he was one
shot behind two-time champion Couples, the early clubhouse
leader, and Rocco Mediate. After his tee shot, Day used a
7-iron to hole out from 180 yards and take the lead. It was the
first 2 at the hole in tournament history.

On a day that saw 1994 champion Greg Norman withdraw and join
defending champion Steve Elkington on the sidelines, Jerry Kelly
shot a 4-under 68 and is one shot better than a dozen players,
including David Duval, Ben Crenshaw and Phil Mickelson.

Hurst, Hetherington share lead at LPGA's first major
----------------------------------------------------

Pat Hurst and little-known Rachel Hetherington of share the lead
heading into second-round play today at the the $1 million

Nabisco Dinah Shore -- the first major tournament of the LPGA

season -- in Rancho Mirage, California.

Hurst and Hetherington each shot 4-under-par 68s Thursday.

Hurst, a former teaching pro at the nearby La Quinta Country
Club, started quickly with an eagle at the par-5 second hole and
a birdie at the par-4 third. She played the rest of the Mission
Hills Country Club course at 1-under, bogeying the par-4 16th
hole to leave the door open for Hetherington.

Sweden's Liselotte Neumann, the 1998 money leader who won last
week's Standard Register PING, is tied for third with Sherri
Steinhauer after a 3-under 69. Helen Alfredsson of Sweden, who
already has a pair of victories this year, heads a group of four
players who shot 2-under 70s.

David Graham looks to defend title at $1 million Dominion
---------------------------------------------------------

College basketball's Final Four is not the only sporting event
taking place this weekend in San Antonio.

David Graham, who already has one victory on the Senior Tour
this year, looks to defend his title at the $1 million

Southwestern Bell Dominion, which begins today at the Dominion
Country Club.

The Australian is attempting to join Lee Trevino and Jim Albus
as the only players to win this tournament twice. Trevino
(1991-92) and Albus (1994-95) won in consecutive years.

Vasser to start on pole for CART Budweiser 500
----------------------------------------------

Jimmy Vasser will start on the pole in Saturday's (tonight in

the United States) inaugural CART Budweiser 500 after rain

cancelled Friday's qualifying session at the Twin Ring race
track in Motegi, Japan.

-------------------------------------------
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Stoudamire leads Portland to win in return from injured list
------------------------------------------------------------

Without point guard Damon Stoudamire, the Portland Trail Blazers

-------------------------------------------
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-------------------------------------------
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* DENOTES UPDATED OR NEW MATERIAL
---------------------------------

Former Northwestern hoops players indicted over point shaving
-------------------------------------------------------------

Two former Northwestern University basketball players were
indicted Thursday on charges of taking part in a conspiracy to
shave points in three games during the 1994-95 season.

A federal grand jury in Chicago indicted former Northwestern
starters Dewey Williams and Kenneth "Dion" Lee and two bettors
on charges of conspiracy to commit sports bribery. The
indictments at one of the nation's top academic institutions
were college basketball's second gambling scandal in less than a
year and come two days before the Final Four, the crown jewel of
the sport's season.

FBI officials said at a Thursday afternoon news conference at

Bengals obtain backup QB Paul Justin from Colts
-----------------------------------------------

The Cincinnati Bengals traded for a backup quarterback Thursday,
acquiring Paul Justin from the Indianapolis Colts for a fifth
round pick in the upcoming NFL draft.

The Bengals were looking for a number two quarterback behind
Jeff Blake after Boomer Esiason retired. The only other
quarterback on the Bengals' roster is Eric Kresser.

"We've been pursuing this deal for some time," said Cincinnati
coach Bruce Coslet. "Everyone knew we needed to add another
experienced quarterback to our roster, and this is a guy who
obviously has shown he can perform at a high level. It's also
important we were able to get him before our spring camp."

-------------------------------------------
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---------------------------------

Former Northwestern hoops players indicted over point shaving
-------------------------------------------------------------

Two former Northwestern University basketball players were
indicted Thursday on charges of taking part in a conspiracy to
shave points in three games during the 1994-95 season.

A federal grand jury in Chicago indicted former Northwestern
starters Dewey Williams and Kenneth "Dion" Lee and two bettors
on charges of conspiracy to commit sports bribery.

The indictments at one of the nation's top academic institutions
were college basketball's second gambling scandal in less than a
year and come two days before the Final Four, the crown jewel of
the sport's season.

FBI officials said at a Thursday afternoon news conference at
Dirksen Federal Courthouse that the conspiracy was designed to
ensure the success of bets that were placed against Northwestern
to cover the spread in three games. Those contests were
identified as February 15th against Wisconsin, February 22nd
against Penn State and March 1st against Michigan.

A third player, substitute guard Matt Purdy, was said to be part
of the conspiracy but was not charged.

Additional charges were filed against bettors Kevin Pendergast
and Brian Irving, both 27. Pendergast was charged with three
counts of using interstate facilities in aid of racketeering and
Irving was charged with two counts of the same offense.

In a separate case, Brian Ballarini, a former Northwestern
football player, was charged with offenses relating to his
participation in a gambling business. Ballarini allegedly
accepted wagers on college and pro events on a regular basis
from other students, including Lee. He is alleged to have
threatened Lee in order to receive payment of a gambling debt.

The indictments were announced by Scott R. Lasser, U.S. attorney
for the Northern District of Illinois, and Herbert L. Collins,
special agent-in-charge of the Chicago Field Division of the
FBI.

"Any criminal activity -- whether by student-athletes or anyone
else -- that corruptly influences the outcome of sporting events
damages the integrity of athletic competition and the notion of
fair play," Lassar said. "The point-shaving case charges a
conspiracy in which the student-athletes and corrupt bettors
betrayed the principles of collegiate athletics, its faithful
teams, the universities involved, and the communities they
serve."

Lasser added that Pendergast and Lee, who played this past
season with Forbo-Paderboren in the German second division, are
cooperating with authorities and likely will plead guilty to the
charges in the near future. All of the defendants will be
summoned to appear before arraignment in U.S. District Court.

If convicted, conspiracy to commit sports bribery and each count
of interstate transportation aid of racketeering carry a maximum
penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Lee, a 24-year-old native of Louisville, Kentucky, and Williams,
a 25-year-old from Chicago, were seniors in the 1994-95 season.
Williams started each game at forward or center that season and
was named the team's Most Valuable Player. Lee, the team's
leading three-point shooter, frequently started at guard.

Pendergast, a California resident who once lived in Chicago,
allegedly paid $4,000 to Lee to fix certain games in which the
Wildcats were underdogs.

Pendergast and Irving, a San Francisco native, allegedly placed
bets and caused bets to be placed on Northwestern's opponents at
casinos in Nevada and elsewhere.

According to National Sports Services in Las Vegas, the
consensus line moved in Northwestern's favor in two of the three
games in question, which means bettors placed more money on
Northwestern than its opponents. That would indicate that any
point-shaving scheme would have been instigated by a bookmaker
rather than a gambler.

Based on line movement, the February 15th contest jumps out.
Northwestern opened as 15-point home underdogs to Wisconsin but
the line was bet down to 13 1/2 points. The Wildcats lost,
70-56.

The one game in which Northwestern covered the spread was an
81-64 home loss to Michigan on March 1st. It was the only game
in which the line moved in the opponent's favor, as Northwestern
opened as 24 1/2-point underdog and the spread moved to 25
points by tip-off.

"The scheme didn't work in the Michigan game," Lasser said.

Penn State covered a 13 1/2-point spread in an 89-59 road win
over the Wildcats on February 22nd. The line opened at 14
points.

Charges against Ballarini, a 25-year-old Chicago native, include
one count of extortionate collection of credit, which carries a
maximim prison term of 20 years. He also was charged with using
interstate transportation in aid of racketeering and using a
telephone to transmit wagering information, both of which carry
lesser penalties.

FBI officials said it began its investigation in December 1994
when Northwestern officials turned over the results of its own
internal inquiry.

"We need to hold accountable and responsible those athletes and
non-athletes alike who gamble," said NU athletic director Rick
Taylor. "If there is a saving grace in any of this, it's the
way the university acted on what they knew without restraint.

"We will survive this, but we will not forget it."

NCAA executive director Cedric Dempsey bemoaned the timing of
Thursday's indictments. Speaking in San Antonio, Texas, the
site of the Final Four, Dempsey said, "When we heard there was
going to be a press conference in Chicago, it was a real concern
for us. This has been one of the greatest tournaments we have
ever had. To have an announcement like this, coming at the Final
Four, is something we don't like to have."

Lasser denied reports that there were any connections between
the events at Northwestern and a 1996 scandal involving football
players at Boston College.

ESPNEWS reported that records seized by law enforcement
officials during the Boston College investigation showed
telephone calls from one of the bookmakers who pleaded guilty to
accepting bets from BC players also placed daily calls to
Northwestern.

The BC investigation revealed that two Eagles players bet
against their team in a 45-17 loss to Syracuse in October of
that year.

The alleged scandal at Northwestern comes just months after
former Arizona State players Stevin Smith and Isaac Burton
pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit sports bribery for their
part in a point-shaving scheme during the 1993-94 season.

Michigan's Traylor to enter NBA draft
-------------------------------------

Michigan's Robert Traylor said before the NCAA Basketball

Tournament began he would return for his senior year if Brian
Ellerbe was named the Wolverines' permanent head coach. He
apparently has had a change of heart.

ESPNEWS reported Thursday that the 6-8, 300-pound junior forward

will announce his intentions to enter the NBA draft today. A
news conference has been scheduled today at 2 p.m. EST at

Detroit's Murray-Wright High School, his alma mater.

Ellerbe, who replaced Steve Fisher on an interim basis at the
start of the season, was hired as Michigan's full-time coach
last week.

Traylor helped lead Michigan to a 26-8 record. He was the
Wolverines' second-leading scorer at 16.2 points per game and
led the team in rebounds with 10.1 per contest. He also blocked
a team-high 45 shots.

Michigan's season ended in an 85-82 loss to UCLA in the second
round of South Region on March 15th, denying the Wolverines
their first trip to the Sweet 16 since 1994.

Arkansas tries to stop Tennessee in Women's Final Four
------------------------------------------------------

Can anyone stop Tennessee? Arkansas gets a second chance
tonight.

For the third time in four years, the Southeastern Conference
has two teams in the Final Four of the NCAA women's basketball
tournament. The meeting between the undefeated Lady Vols and
the surprising Lady Razorbacks guarantees that the SEC will have
a team in Sunday's national championship game.

Of course, that team figures to be Tennessee (37-0), which
continues its march toward a third straight title tonight at
Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Missouri. The other semifinal has
North Carolina State (25-6) facing Louisiana Tech (30-3).

Tennessee survived a major scare against North Carolina as it
rallied from a 12-point second-half deficit for a 76-70 win in
the Mideast Region championship game in Nashville, Tennessee,
advancing to its 11th Final Four.

The SEC also received a bonus when ninth-seeded Arkansas (22-10)
became the lowest women's seed to qualify for the Final Four by
upsetting second-seeded Duke, 77-72, in the West Region final in
Oakland, California.

In the schools' only meeting this season, Chamique Holdsclaw and
Tamika Catchings combined for 52 points as Tennessee ripped
Arkansas, 88-58, in Knoxville on January 1st. But Lady Vols
coach Pat Summitt does not expect things to be that easy the
second time around.

"Well, I think first of all Arkansas is a different basketball
team right now than we played earlier," she said. "(Arkansas
guard) Christy Smith was not 100 percent and right now she is
playing terrific basketball. I think our team understands when
you get to this level, anything can happen."

This year's Final Four field offers an intriguing contrast --
two schools making their first appearance in the national
semifinals against tradition-laden powers Tennessee and
Louisisana Tech, who have combined for 20 appearances.

Tennessee was the only top seed to get to Kansas City, marking
the first time that fewer than two top seeds reached the Final
Four. Stanford lost in the first round in the West, Texas Tech
fell in the second round in the Midwest and Old Dominion was
ousted in the East Region semifinals.

The Lady Vols, who already have set an NCAA single-season record
for wins, have won 43 consecutive games, including 16 straight
in the NCAA Tournament. In search of its sixth national title
under Summitt, Tennessee is 59-11 all-time in tourney play. In
contrast, Arkansas is making its first trip to the Final Four.

After routing nearly every opponent, the Lady Vols faced the
season's most difficult test against the Tar Heels. Trailing in
the second half for just the second time this season, they came
back from a 61-49 deficit in the final eight minutes to punch
their ticket to Kansas City.

Holdsclaw had 29 points and nine rebounds for Tennessee, which
won its three previous tournament games by 98 points. The Lady
Vols rallied from a 21-point deficit to defeat Illinois, 78-68,
on December 12th.

"This is obviously a weekend that we put on our calendar early
on, and we're glad to be here," Summitt said. "Certainly it was
not an easy regional final for us. And I think it makes this
even more special. I've had more fun coaching this year than
I've had in 24 seasons. So I'm glad I at least have an
opportunity to coach one or two more times."

The other semifinal features a similar matchup, with seasoned
Louisiana Tech of the Sun Belt Conference against first-timers
North Carolina State of the Atlantic Coast Conference.

"I think experience and tradition always helps and I think we
understand that experience can give them a little bit of an
edge," North Carolina State coach Kay Yow said. "We're going to
have to make up for that in some way."

N.C. State got here with a 60-52 victory over Connecticut in the
East Region in Dayton, Ohio. Chasity Melvin had 18 points and
11 rebounds as the bigger Wolfpack denied Connecticut a return
trip to the Final Four.

Perennial power Louisiana Tech rallied for a 72-65 victory over
Purdue in the Midwest Region final in Lubbock, Texas, to earn
its ninth Final Four appearance.

The Lady Techsters knocked off three powers to reach their first
Final Four since 1994, but coach Leon Barmore is concerned with
the Wolfpack's size.

"North Carolina State presents us with a problem we haven't seen
in our three playoff games with Clemson and Alabama and Purdue,"
he said. "Now we're playing a team that's stronger inside. You
beat Old Dominion and Connecticut in three days, you have to be
a very good basketball team."

Louisiana Tech and Tennessee are the only schools to play in all
17 NCAA women's tournaments.

Minnesota captures National Invitation Tournament
-------------------------------------------------

Although the Big Ten is nowhere to be found in the NCAA Final
Four, it couldn't be denied a second consecutive National
Invitation Tournament title Thursday night in New York, and that
was just fine with Minnesota coach Clem Haskins.

Minnesota captured its second NIT title in five years with a

79-72 victory over Penn State Thursday night in the all-Big Ten

final at Madison Square Garden.

The victory comes on the heels of Michigan's victory over
Florida State last year, giving the perennial football
powerhouse conference its second straight NIT title.

The Golden Gophers, who were supposed to be in a rebuilding mode
following last season's trip to the Final Four, also captured
the NIT crown in 1993 with a victory over Georgetown.

"We lost some key players from last year," Haskins said. "And to
be able to get here, this is as big a thrill for me as going to
the Final Four because we were not expected to do well."

Both teams advanced with hard-fought semifinal victories on
Tuesday. Minnesota (20-15) edged Fresno State, 91-89, in
overtime, while Penn State (19-13) turned back Georgia, 66-60.

Minnesota's hopes for postseason play appeared slim when it
ended the regular season one game under .500 (13-14). But
Minnesota beat Northwestern and upset Michigan State in the
inaugural Big Ten tournament to become eligible for the NIT.

"It's been such a great experience for me, both as a coach and
also as an ex-player," Haskins said. "It's been a pleasure for
me to come to this city and play. This is our second time
winning it and it seems like it becomes bigger and bigger every
year."

Most Valuable Player Kevin Clark scored 28 points and Sam
Jacobson added 21 for Minnesota, which has compiled an 18-6
record in eight NIT appearances.

Clark, a junior college transfer from Cowley City Community
College in Arkansas City, Kansas, was two points shy of his
career best, which he set in Tuesday's semifinal overtime
victory against Fresno State.

Penn State, which finished in third place in both 1990 and 1995,
was playing its first post-season tournament final in the
school's history. The Golden Gophers converted 15 free throw
chances over the final 4:34 and finished 22-of-27 from the
stripe while the Nittany Lions were just 10-of-20.

G.G. Smith's school-record nine three-pointers accounted for all
of his career-high 27 points as Georgia put an end to Fresno
State's chaotic season with a 95-79 victory in the consolation
game.

Smith, the son of Kentucky coach Tubby Smith, finished 9-of-15
from the field -- all from three-point range -- and dished out
six assists as Georgia (20-15) overcame 26 turnovers.

Georgia, which lost to Penn State in the semifinals, capped the
best three-year run in school history by posting its third
consecutive 20-win season.

Stoudamire leads Portland to win in return from injured list
------------------------------------------------------------

Without point guard Damon Stoudamire, the Portland Trail Blazers
were a struggling team. With him back Thursday, they are a
playoff team.

Stoudamire returned from a stint on the injured list Thursday to

lead the Trail Blazers to a 108-102 victory over Vancouver. He
started and played a game-high 40 minutes, scoring 11 points to
go along with five rebounds and five assists.

Stoudamire severely sprained his right ankle in a win over the
Phoenix Suns on March 3rd. He did not dress in the next three
contests and was placed on the injured list on March 13th.

Portland was 34-24 when Stoudamire went down but struggled
without him, going 3-7, including losses in its last three
games. But thanks to the return of their point guard, the
Blazers clinched their 16th straight postseason appearance.

"It felt good to get back on the court," Stoudamire said. "It
felt like starting all over again. I was close to 100 percent
tonight. I wasn't worried about my condition, I was worried how
my ankle would respond after halftime and in the late stages of
the game."

Numerous teams were interested in Stoudamire before the trading
deadline before the Blazers acquired him in a blockbuster
six-player trade with the Toronto Raptors on February 13th. The
Blazers acquired the point guard and forwards Walt Williams and
Carlos Rogers from the Raptors in exchange for guards Kenny
Anderson and Alvin Williams and forward Gary Trent.

Walt Williams also benefitted from Stoudamire's return, scoring
20 points off the bench.

"Damon was doing a great job penetrating," Williams said. "I
know Damon wasn't 100 percent but even at 80 percent he is a
damn good player."

Stoudamire is averaging 18.5 points, 7.9 assists and 40.7
minutes in 58 contests.

The 1996 Rookie of the Year averaged a team-high 19.4 points and
8.1 assists in 49 games for the Raptors this season, his third
in the NBA. Despite those numbers, Stoudamire was on the
trading block after the team was unable to reach agreement on a
contract extension with him last summer.

Stoudamire is making $1.748 million this season and becomes a
free agent July 1st. The Raptors made him the first draft pick
in franchise history when they selected him seventh overall in
1995 and Stoudamire has averaged at least 19 points per game in
each of his three seasons.

To make room for Stoudamire, Portland placed rookie guard Rick
Brunson on the injured list with a bruised right shoulder.

Sacramento Kings fine, suspend C Polynice two games
---------------------------------------------------

Disgruntled Sacramento Kings center Olden Polynice, who was
involved in a profanity-laced tirade with coach Eddie Jordan in
the second quarter of Wednesday's 114-91 loss to the Los Angeles
Lakers, was given a two-game suspension by the team Thursday.

Polynice, who also was fined an undisclosed amount, played only
four minutes and did not score against the Lakers. The Kings
said in a statement they disciplined Polynice for "conduct
detrimental to the NBA club."

The Sacramento Bee reported Thursday that some Kings players saw
Polynice, who wants out after losing his starting job this
season to rookie Michael Stewart, spit on the floor near Jordan
during a timeout.

Jordan did not confirm the spitting, but said he saw moisture on
the floor.

"I was drawing up a play," Jordan told the newspaper. "I saw it
(the spit) on the court and I asked somebody about it. That was
in the team huddle and that's where it stays."

Polynice, who will sit out home contests against the Portland
Trail Blazers on Friday and the Minnesota Timberwolves on
Sunday, would not comment on the alleged incident.

"Ask EJ," said Polynice, who will not be allowed to practice
with the team during the suspension. "I don't have anything to
say about the organization."

Polynice, who makes $3.6 million this season and is signed
through the 1998-99 campaign, is averaging 8.1 points, 6.6
rebounds, 1.5 assists and 21.4 minutes in 63 games. He also has
registered a career-high seven DNPs.

According to the newspaper, Jordan also had to separate guard
Terry Dehere and forward Lawrence Funderburke, who argued with
each other as they walked toward the Kings' locker room
following the game.

Red Sox finally agree to terms with 2B Lemke
--------------------------------------------

The Boston Red Sox, facing the prospect of having to use two
players with no major-league experience at the position, agreed
to terms Thursday with second baseman Mark Lemke on a
minor-league contract. Financial terms were not disclosed.

The switch-hitting Lemke will report to the team's training camp
in Fort Myers, Florida on Saturday. He is expected to open the
season as the regular second baseman for Boston, which had been
looking at Lou Merloni and Donnie Sadler at the position since
Jeff Frye suffered a season-ending knee injury.

The 32-year-old Lemke had spent his entire 10-year career with
the Atlanta Braves but became a free agent after the 1997
season. He hit .245 with two homers and 26 RBI in 109 games last
year before tearing right ankle ligaments on August 20th.

Lemke has a .248 lifetime batting average but is a solid clutch
hitter who set a club record in 1994 with a .994 fielding
percentage. The following year, he committed only five errors
and had a 78-game errorless streak from May 26th, 1994 to May
10th, 1995.

"Mark is an experienced veteran who stabilizes our infield and
our defense up the middle," said Red Sox general manager Dan
Duquette. "With his 10 years of service in the major leagues
and his tremendous postseason experience, he should prove to be
an asset to the Boston Red Sox."

The 5-9, 167-pound spark plug has played in 62 postseason games
and in 1996 became the first player in National League
Championship Series history to hit safely in each game of a
seven-game series. He tied an LCS record with four hits in Game
Five.

Mariners acquire RHP Jim Bullinger from White Sox
-------------------------------------------------

Desperate for a healthy veteran starter, the Seattle Mariners
Thursday acquired right-hander Jim Bullinger from the Chicago
White Sox for minor-league pitcher Marty Weymouth.

Seattle also claimed 24-year-old right-hander Jose Paniagua on
waivers from the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Once a touted starter
with the Montreal Expos, Paniagua was 0-0 with a 6.00 ERA in
four spring outings with Tampa Bay after being selected in the
expansion draft.

The 32-year-old Bullinger, Montreal's opening day starter last
season, allowed five runs and nine hits with three walks and six
strikeouts for Chicago in four appearances this exhibition
season.

He was 7-12 with a 5.56 ERA in 36 games with Montreal in 1997
before signing a minor-league deal with the White Sox on January
9th. The versatile Bullinger is 34-40 with a 4.96 ERA and 11
saves in 184 major-league games with the Chicago Cubs and Expos.

Bullinger likely will join Randy Johnson, a perennial All-Star
who has suffered through recent back problems, and veteran
left-handers Jeff Fassero and Jamie Moyer in the rotation.
Fassero is on the 15-day disabled list with an inflamed pitching
elbow.

Injury-prone veteran Bill Swift and 23-year-old Ken Cloude also
are vying for starting spots. Swift has been impressive in six
spring outings, posting a 1-0 record with a 2.84 ERA in 19
innings. Cloude has struggled to a 2-2 mark with a 6.75 ERA in
25 1/3 innings.

The 20-year-old Weymouth, a right-hander, spent the 1997 season
with Seattle's Single-A club, going 5-7 with a 5.06 ERA in 23
games. A 1995 ninth-round pick, he is 9-13 with a 4.82 ERA and
144 strikeouts in 42 games over three minor-league seasons.

Cardinals RHP Morris to undergo preliminary shoulder exam
---------------------------------------------------------

Already without young fireballer Alan Benes and left-hander
Donovan Osborne for the first month of the season, the St. Louis

Cardinals Thursday announced that right-handed phenom Matt

Morris will undergo a precautionary right shoulder examination
Monday.

Morris last pitched three days ago, allowing three runs and nine
hits with three strikeouts in five innings against the Florida
Marlins. He was having a more difficult time recovering between
starts due to right shoulder soreness, prompting Monday's exam.

As a precaution, the team is holding Morris out of his last
spring training start Saturday but expects him to pitch on April
2nd against the Los Angeles Dodgers. season.

The 23-year-old Morris was 12-9 with a 3.19 ERA in his rookie
season of 1997, allowing 208 hits while walking 69 and striking
out 149 in 217 innings. He has struggled to a 1-2 mark and a
7.11 ERA in five appearances this spring.

Losing Morris for any significant amount of time would reduce
the Cardinals' opening-day rotation to two healthy, reliable
starters -- right-hander Todd Stottlemyre and left-hander Kent
Mercker.

Benes, who has yet to pitch this spring, was 9-9 with a
team-leading 2.89 ERA last season and is expected to eventually
anchor the staff with the free-agent departure of brother Andy
Benes to Arizona. Osborne appeared in just 14 games last season
and is out with a lingering groin injury.

Bengals obtain backup QB Paul Justin from Colts
-----------------------------------------------

The Cincinnati Bengals traded for a backup quarterback Thursday,
acquiring Paul Justin from the Indianapolis Colts for a fifth
round pick in the upcoming NFL draft.

The Bengals were looking for a number two quarterback behind
Jeff Blake after Boomer Esiason retired. The only other
quarterback on the Bengals' roster is Eric Kresser.

The 29-year-old Justin is entering his fourth NFL season after
being namd the Most Valuable Player of the World League in 1995.
He became an unrestricted free agent following the season and
signed a three-year contract with the Colts just before the
trade that will now be picked up by the Bengals. The contract
reportedly is worth $5 million with a $1.25 million bonus.
Justin played in only eight games during the 1997 season and
missed the last four contests with a contusion to his left knee.
He spent the last three weeks of the season on the injured
reserve list.

Raiders sign unrestricted free agent S Anthony Newman
-----------------------------------------------------

The Oakland Raiders made their second defensive acquisition of
the offseason Thursday when they signed unrestricted free agent
safety Anthony Newman.

Oakland, which finished 4-12 and tied with the San Diego
Chargers for last in the AFC West, acquired linebacker Rob
Fredrickson from the Detroit Lions in exchange for a 1998
fourth-round pick on Wednesday.

Newman started 12 games at strong safety for the New Orleans
Saints in 1997, recording 63 tackles and three interceptions for
19 yards. The 6-0, 200-pound Newman has spent the past three
seasons with New Orleans after spending his first seven years
with the Los Angeles Rams.

"I'm pleased to have Anthony join the Raiders," Raiders coach
Jon Gruden said. "He is an experienced player who can contribute
on defense and special teams."

In 10 seasons, the 32-year-old Newman has played in 151 games,
making 83 starts. He joins a defensive backfield that features
cornerback Larry Brown, the MVP of Super Bowl XXX with the
Dallas Cowboys who has been a disappointment with the Raiders.

Kournikova advances to finals against Venus Williams at Lipton
--------------------------------------------------------------

Russian sensation Anna Kournikova dispatched eighth seed Arantxa

Sanchez Vicario of Spain in three sets Thursday night, setting

up an all-teenage final against Venus Williams in the $4.6
million Lipton Championships in Key Biscayne, Florida.

The 23rd-seeded Kournikova rebounded for a 3-6, 6-1, 6-3 victory
in 96 minutes. She scored many backhand winners and benefited
from 45 unforced errors by Sanchez Vicario for her fourth
straight win over a top-10 opponent.

The 16-year-old Kournikova will face the equally hot Williams,
the 11th seed who avenged her family name and beat top-ranked
defending champion Martina Hingis of Switzerland for the second
time this year, 6-2, 5-7, 6-2. The victory propelled the
17-year-old Williams into her third final this year.

Kournikova has had quite a week. In addition to being featured
in Sports Illustrated, she knocked off fifth seed and two-time
champion Monica Seles of the United States on Monday, ninth seed
Conchita Martinez of Spain on Tuesday and second-seeded Lindsay
Davenport in Wednesday's quarterfinals.

Sanchez Vicario surprised third seed Jana Novotna of the Czech
Republic with a 6-1, 6-1 victory on Wednesday. Sanchez Vicario,
who won this event in 1992 and 1993, fell to 16-2 this season.

Earlier this week, Hingis survived two match points in the third
set to outlast Serena Williams, Venus' younger sister. She also
beat Venus Williams last week in the semifinals at Indian Wells,
California, making this win double-revenge for Venus Williams.

Venus Williams breezed through the first set and forced Hingis'
back to the wall in the second set, leading 5-3. But Hingis
survived three match points and a mediocre backhand to force a
decisive third set, where she was overpowered.

"Serena gave me one pointer that really helped, which I will not
disclose to you all for fear that it will appear in papers and
over television," said a laughing Venus Williams. "That really
helped me in the end."

Hingis lost outdoors in the United States for just the second
time in 45 matches over the last two years. She fell to 19-3
this season, with two of those losses to Venus Williams, who
also beat Hingis in Sydney in January.

"I guess it's pretty difficult to play the Williams family two
matches in a row," said Hingis. "But, you know, against Serena,
I could pull it out for match point. But, it's tough to do it
like three times in a tournament when you play three sets."

The growing rivalry has leveled off this year after Hingis beat
Venus Williams in all three meetings last year, including the
final of the U.S. Open. Hingis acknowledged that Williams has
closed the gap and drawn even.

"She is," Hingis said. "She beat me now. She beat me in Sydney.
Of course, she is going to be a tough opponent."

In men's play, Andre Agassi's comeback continued Thursday with a
record-setting straight-set victory over fellow American Jeff
Tarango that moved him into the semifinals.

A three-time champion at this event, Agassi breezed to a 6-4,
6-3 victory in just 71 minutes. He improved to 23-3 -- tying
third-ranked Marcelo Rios of Chile for the best record on the
ATP Tour this season -- as he continued his revival from an
awful 1997 season. Last year, Agassi was just 12-12, including
eight losses in opening-round matches.

The 27-year-old Agassi notched his third Lipton Tournament win,
breaking the record set by Stefan Edberg of Sweden. Agassi won
the event in 1990, 1995, and 1996 and advanced to the 1994 final
before losing to Pete Sampras.

A former top-ranked player who will play on the U.S. Davis Cup
team next month, Agassi defeated Sampras to win the Sybase Open
in San Jose, California last month and also won the event in
Scottsdale, Arizona two weeks ago.

The 29th seed, Agassi improved to 7-0 all-time against Tarango
and will face eighth-seeded Alex Corretja of Spain, who routed
American qualifier Steve Campbell, 6-3, 6-1 Thursday night.

Corretja reached the quarterfinal by downing No. 23 Fabrice
Santoro of France, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, while Campbell ousted No. 32
Wayne Ferreira of South Africa, 6-7 (3-7), 6-2, 7-5. Ferreira
upset Sampras on Monday.

First prize is $360,000 for the men and $235,000 for the women.

Glen Day has lead at Players Championship
-----------------------------------------

Glen Day hold a one-stroke lead when second round play begins
today at the $4 million Players Championship at the TPC at
Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.

Day completed a 6-under-par 66 Thursday with a 180-yard eagle,
vaulting past Fred Couples and into the lead When Day arrived at
the par-4, 440-yard 18th hole of the Stadium Course, he was one
shot behind two-time champion Couples, the early clubhouse
leader, and Rocco Mediate. After his tee shot, Day used a
7-iron to hole out from 180 yards and take the lead. It was the
first 2 at the hole in tournament history.

"It was lucky," said Day, who is winless in five seasons on the
PGA Tour. "Somebody was going to get lucky. It just happened to
be me. I mean, I just hit a good shot. ... Just like making a
hole-in-one. Just a lucky shot."

On a day that saw 1994 champion Greg Norman withdraw and join
defending champion Steve Elkington on the sidelines, Jerry Kelly
shot a 4-under 68 and is one shot better than a dozen players,
including David Duval, Ben Crenshaw and Phil Mickelson.

Day, whose nickname is "All" for his slow play as a Tour rookie
in 1994, was making birdies all day. He holed seven, offsetting
a double-bogey at the par-4 fifth hole and a three-putt bogey at
the par-3 13th.

"Whoever wins this week is going to be the person that makes the
least amount of mistakes," Day said. "There is birdies out
there to be made, but it is whoever doesn't try to hit a 3-wood
out of the rough and get over the water."

That is exactly what Day did at the fifth hole, and it cost him
two strokes. But he moved back to par with a 10-foot birdie at
the sixth hole and added another 10-footer as he completed the
front nine.

"I played the rest of the round solid," Day said. "The only
thing I did wrong was the 3-wood on (No.) 5."

Day had birdies on the 11th, 12th, 15th and 17th holes before
finishing with a flourish. The Arkansas native will not have to
wait long to see if he still has the hot hand; he tees off first
today.

"Obviously it is an advantage when you play late and play good
because because theoretically tomorrow we wouldn't have the wind
or the greens will be perfect," Day said. "I have a good
opportunity to go out in the morning and post a good number."

That is what Couples did Thursday. A winner here in 1984 and
1996, he birdied four of the first six holes, offsetting a bogey
at No. 5. After a three-putt bogey at the par-5 ninth, Couples
drained three more birdies on the back nine.

"I got off to a great start," said Couples, who won the Bob Hope
Chrysler Classic in January. "The course was perfect. It (the
wind) started to blow during the round. The greens are very
firm."

Before January, the last victory for the 38-year-old Couples was
here two years ago. He is not among the Tour's younger players
anymore but knows he can play with them.

"As far as being young or old, I still feel very competitive,"
Couples said. "Winning the Bob Hope was a great deal for me.
Winning any tournament is a big deal. ... I wouldn't even come
if I didn't think I could compete."

Norman, the former top-ranked player in the world and the PGA
Tour's all-time leading money winner, pulled out due to a left
shoulder injury. He holds the tourney record with a 24-under
264.

Elkington, the Australian who also won this event in 1991,
pulled out Tuesday after undergoing sinus surgery last week.

Mediate has not won since 1993. Kelly is winless since joining
the PGA Tour in 1991.

Also among the large group at 69 are Mark Calcavecchia, who won
the Honda Classic two weeks ago, and Billy Mayfair, who won the
Nissan Open earlier this month.

Tiger Woods, the 1997 Player of the Year, managed a par 72 with
three birdies and three bogeys. The world's top-ranked golfer
had finished in the top 10 in his first four events before
fading to a tie for 13th at last week's Bay Hill Invitational
and still is seeking his first PGA Tour victory of the season.

The par-72 Stadium Course at the TPC at Sawgrass measures 6,896
yards. First prize is $720,000.

Hurst, Hetherington share lead at LPGA's first major
----------------------------------------------------

Pat Hurst and little-known Rachel Hetherington share the lead

heading into second-round play today at the the $1 million
Nabisco Dinah Shore -- the first major tournament of the LPGA
season -- in Rancho Mirage, California.

Hurst and Hetherington each shot 4-under-par 68s Thursday.
Hurst, a former teaching pro at the nearby La Quinta Country
Club, started quickly with an eagle at the par-5 second hole and
a birdie at the par-4 third. She played the rest of the Mission
Hills Country Club course at 1-under, bogeying the par-4 16th
hole to leave the door open for Hetherington.

The 25-year-old Hetherington, beginning her second year on the

LPGA Tour, collected a bogey and five birdies, moving into a tie

for the lead with a birdie at the par-4 15th hole.

Sweden's Liselotte Neumann, the 1998 money leader who won last
week's Standard Register PING, is tied for third with Sherri
Steinhauer after a 3-under 69. Helen Alfredsson of Sweden, who
already has a pair of victories this year, heads a group of four
players who shot 2-under 70s.

Hurst and Hetherington successfully avoided the rough. Hurst
missed only two fairways, while Hetherington missed one.

"There were very few times I was in the rough off my drive,"
said Hurst, whose lone victory came last year at the Oldsmobile
Classic. "Overall, the key to my round was keeping it in the
fairway. You have to be patient out there. You know you'll
make bogeys, you have to accept that because everyone else is,
too. If you can have a good short game, you can still go for
the pins and get up and down."

Hurst hit a 3-wood within 14 feet to set up her eagle at the
second hole, then rolled in a 10-footer at No. 3. After seven
straight pars, she made a six-foot birdie at the par-5 11th hole
and a 15-footer at the par-4 13th. But missing the fairway cost
Hurst at the par-4 16th, where she could not get up and down and
bogeyed.

"I would take any win," Hurst said when asked about winning a
major. "A major is even more, but that's a lot of pressure and
this game has enough of that."

Hetherington, who watched this tournament as a spectator last
year, opened with a four-foot birdie but gave the stroke back at
the par-4 third. She played the rest of the round mistake-free,
making back-to-back birdies at the sixth and seventh hole and
draining birdie putts of 20 and 15 feet at Nos. 13 and 15,
respectively.

Nancy Lopez, who won this event in 1981, carded a 1-under 71 and
is tied with five players, including Australia's Karrie Webb and
former champion Donna Andrews.

Defending champion Betsy King, one of two three-time winners of
this event, stumbled to a 1-over 73. That's one shot better
than Kelly Robbins, whose 74 was the same score she posted in
the final round of last year's event after sharing the
third-round lead with King.

The Dinah Shore, in its 27th year, features a limited field of
108 golfers competing for the $150,000 first prize. The par-72
Mission Hills Course measures 6,460 yards.

David Graham looks to defend title at $1 million Dominion
---------------------------------------------------------

College basketball's Final Four is not the only sporting event

taking place this weekend in San Antonio, Texas.

David Graham, who already has one victory on the Senior Tour
this year, looks to defend his title at the $1 million
Southwestern Bell Dominion, which begins today at the Dominion
Country Club.

The Australian is attempting to join Lee Trevino and Jim Albus
as the only players to win this tournament twice. Trevino
(1991-92) and Albus (1994-95) won in consecutive years.

Graham pulled out a dramatic victory last year, eagling the
par-five 18th hole to edge John Jacobs by one stroke with a
four-round total of 12-under 206. It was Graham's second victory
of the year en route to his first $1 million season.

Graham, currently fifth on this year's money list with $275,050
in six events, will be trying to repeat a feat he accomplished
last year when he won twice in his first seven tournaments.

Graham notched his fourth career Seniors victory earlier this
year when he defeated Dave Stockton Sr. in a playoff at the
Caribbean Classic in Key Biscayne, Florida.

Graham narrowly missed another victory last week at the $1.5
million Liberty Mutual Seniors Legends of Golf at Amelia Island,
Florida, where he and partner Hugh Baiocchi lost a two-hole
playoff to the over 60 duo of Charles Coody and Dale Douglass.

Albus, who won the GTE Championship in February, and Graham are
the only 1998 Senior Tour winners competing in the tournament.
The top three money winners -- Gil Morgan, Hale Irwin and Larry
Nelson -- are skipping the event.

Albus, sixth on the money list with $236,280, can become the
first three-time winner of the event after winning in 1994 and
1995. Trevino, currently 23rd on the money list with 108,990,
also is looking to become a three-time winner, but hasn't tasted
victory on the Senior Tour since winning the Emerald Gold
Classic 1996. Trevino won this event in 1991 and 1992.

The par-72 Dominion Country Club course measures 6,835 yards.
First prize is $150,000.

Vasser to start on pole for CART Budweiser 500
----------------------------------------------

Jimmy Vasser will start on the pole in Saturday's (tonight in
the United States) inaugural CART Budweiser 500 after rain

cancelled the qualifying session at the Twin Ring race track in
Motegi, Japan.

Officials determined the starting grid based on Thursday's
combined practice results. Vasser gained his fifth career pole
position in his 90th career start, posting a top lap of 217.964
miles per hour. It is his first pole since the 1996 Michigan
500 and the 15th pole in the last 34 races for the Target/Chip
Ganassi Racing team.

"(The start) is advantageous for us, but it's a long race,"
Vasser said. "I think that where the yellows (caution flags)
fall will dictate our strategy."

The 1996 PPG Cup champion finished 16th in the season-opening
Grand Prix of Miami on March 15th. He was coming off a solid
end to last year, sandwiching second-place finishes at Vancouver
and Fontana, California around a win at Laguna Seca.

Adrian Fernandez of Mexico will start next to Vasser in the
front row. His top lap of 217.701 mph was 26 hundredths of a
second behind Vasser and secured his best starting position in
72 career CART races. He qualified second for the inaugural
U.S. 500 in 1996 but was involved in an accident approaching the
green flag and was not credited with a start.

"We are excited about the race," Fernandez said. "It's a shame
we didn't qualify so that all the Japanese people could see how
exciting our qualifying is. Now we'll concentrate on giving
them a good show during the race."

Gil de Ferran of Brazil and 1997 PPG Cup champion Alex Zanardi
of Italy comprise row two, followed by Canada's Greg Moore and
Scotland's Dario Franchitti. Mark Blundell of Britain, Andre
Ribeiro of Brazil, Bryan Herta and Tony Kanaan of Brazil round
out the top 10.

Points leader Michael Andretti, coming off a win at Miami,
qualified 14th in his Swift-Ford.

Hideshi Matsuda and veteran Hiro Matsushita are the lone
Japanese entries in the 30-car field. Matsuda qualified 25th,
while Matsushita is the last entry in the field.

CART's first-ever event in Asia is set for 201 laps around the
1.549-mile oval. The start is scheduled for 11 p.m. EST.

Silver Charm leads 10 to post in $4 million Dubai World Cup
-----------------------------------------------------------

Heavily favored Silver Charm seeks to return from a hoof injury
with a victory as he leads a field of 10 to post in Saturday's
third annual $4 million Dubai World Cup in the United Arab
Emirates.

Ridden by Gary Stevens and trained by Bob Baffert, Silver Charm,
the 5-4 favorite, drew the outside post for the 1 1/4-mile Grade
I race which originates from the Nad al Sheba Racecourse.

"It's so dry here, I fell like I'm back home in Arizona," joked
Baffert. "I'm very comfortable and more importantly, I think
Silver Charm is very comfortable."

Silver Charm, the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner who
came within a length of capturing the sport's first Triple Crown
in nearly 20 years, was scratched from his last scheduled start
in the March 7th Santa Anita Handicap with a bruised right front
hoof. But after traveling halfway around the world, he seemed
OK.

"The whole trip didn't seem to effect him at all," said Baffert,
who believes that Silver Charm will benefit from an inordinately
long homestretch of 3/8 mile because of his come-from-behind
style.

"It's a tiring track, but I think it's quite safe, and I think
the long stretch could be in his favor because he likes to
battle in the stretch," he said.

Silver Charm is the first Kentucky Derby winner to race outside
North America since 1961 Derby winner Carryback raced in Paris.

Along with the $4 million Breeders' Cup Classic, the Dubai World
Cup is the world's richest horse race. Silver Charm can more
than double his $2.2 million in career earnings with a victory
as the winner's share is worth $2.4 million.

Baffert had only two choices when his turn came up -- the rail
and the post. Baffert choose the outside, leaving the rail to
Malek, who under the guidance of trainer Richard Mandella upset
heavily favored Gentlemen in the Santa Anita Handicap.

From the rail out, the rest of the field consists of 5-1 second
choice Predappio, Luso, Behrens, Kyoto City, Swain, Oxlagu,
Borgia and Loup Savage, who also is 5-1.

Malek, with Alex Solis up, is listed at 10-1 and Behrens is the
7-1 third choice with Jerry Bailey. They join Silver Charm as
the only American entries.

Post time is scheduled for 5:30 a.m. EST and although Islamic
laws prohibit gambling in Dubai, wagering will be allowed
throughout the United States via simulcast betting.

--------------------------------------------
(NEXT SPORTS NEWS ROUNDUP AT 10:30 A.M. EST)
--------------------------------------------

BSW

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---------------------------------

Former Northwestern hoops players indicted over point shaving
-------------------------------------------------------------

Two former Northwestern University basketball players were
indicted Thursday on charges of taking part in a conspiracy to
shave points in three games during the 1994-95 season.

A federal grand jury in Chicago indicted former Northwestern
starters Dewey Williams and Kenneth "Dion" Lee and two bettors
on charges of conspiracy to commit sports bribery. The
indictments at one of the nation's top academic institutions
were college basketball's second gambling scandal in less than a
year and come two days before the Final Four, the crown jewel of
the sport's season.

FBI officials said at a Thursday afternoon news conference at
Dirksen Federal Courthouse that the conspiracy was designed to
ensure the success of bets that were placed against Northwestern
to cover the spread in three games. Those contests were
identified as February 15th against Wisconsin, February 22nd
against Penn State and March 1st against Michigan.

Michigan's Robert Traylor to enter NBA draft
--------------------------------------------

Michigan's Robert Traylor said before the NCAA Basketball
Tournament began he would return for his senior year if Brian
Ellerbe was named the Wolverines' permanent head coach. He
apparently has had a change of heart.

ESPNEWS reported Thursday that the 6-8, 300-pound junior forward

will announce his intentions to enter the NBA draft. A news
conference has been scheduled for 2 p.m. EST at Detroit's

Murray-Wright High School, his alma mater.
Ellerbe, who replaced Steve Fisher on an interim basis at the
start of the season, was hired as Michigan's full-time coach
last week.

Traylor helped lead Michigan to a 26-8 record. He was the
Wolverines' second-leading scorer at 16.2 points per game and
led the team in rebounds with 10.1 per contest. He also blocked

a team-high 45 shots and was named Most Valuable Player of the
Big Ten tournament.