Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!news.media.mit.edu!americast.com!usa-post Newsgroups: usa-today.sports From: usa-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: usa-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: sports Tue, Feb 18 1992 Date: Tue, 18 Feb 92 06:36:31 EST Message-ID: DECISIONLINE: Sports USA TODAY Update Feb. 18, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network TEAM USA WINS A POOL IN HOCKEY: The U.S. hockey team clinched first place in the A Pool with a 3-3 tie with Sweden Monday at the Winter Olympic Games. Team USA (4-0-1) plays France (2-3), the No. 4 seed in the B Pool, Tuesday. A win would put Team USA into the semifinals against the Unified Team or Finland. Also, Germany increased its lead in the medal count to eight gold and 21 overall. The Unified Team has 17. The USA has 6. CANADIENS CRUSH NORTH STARS: The Montreal Canadiens routed the Minnesota North Stars 8-0 Monday as Brent Gilchrest had a hat trick and Shayne Corson and Mike McPhee each had two goals. Montreal goalie Patrick Roy recorded his fifth shutout of the season and 18th of his career. In other NHL games: Vancouver 3, N.Y. Rangers 3, OT; N.Y. Islanders 5, Winnipeg 4, OT; Los Angeles 6, Boston 3; Detroit 5, St. Louis 3. CAVS EDGE BULLS: The Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Chicago Bulls 113-112 Monday. Chicago's Michael Jordan scored 46 points. Brad Daugherty led Cleveland with 25. In other NBA games: Atlanta 117, Washington 110; New York 104, Miami 102; Indiana 128, Charlotte 117; Minnesota 124, Houston 122, OT; Utah 88, Boston 83; Seattle 98, Phoenix 96; LA Clippers 124, San Antonio 110; Golden State 116, LA Lakers 100. SETON HALL BEATS COLD PITT: No. 21 Seton Hall topped Pittsburgh 82-63 Monday in Big East men's college basketball. Seton Hall went on a 15-0 run in the first half as Pittsburgh missed 22 consecutive shots. The Pirates (16-6, 8-5) have won five games in a row and seven of their last eight. Pitt (15-11, 7-6) shot just 15.6% from the field in the first half. Also, No. 10 Missouri 87, Nebraska 61. VIRGINIA MOVES BACK ON TOP: Virginia (23-1) reclaimed the No. 1 spot in the USA TODAY women's basketball poll Monday and routed Connecticut 64-43 in a non-conference game at Charlottesville, Va. The Cavaliers moved back to the top of the rankings following their victory over then-No. 1 Maryland 75-74 last Tuesday. No. 5 Maryland, which also lost to Clemson last week, beat Georgia Tech 71-63 Monday. MINISTERS SIDE WITH TYSON: A group of Indianapolis ministers said Monday it has gathered 10,000 signatures in a petition drive seeking a suspended sentence for boxer Mike Tyson on his conviction of raping an 18-year-old beauty pageant contestant. The Missionary Baptist Ministers Alliance said it wants to gather 100,000 signatures to present to Marion Superior Court Judge Patricia Gifford. STARS & STRIPES BEATS DEFIANT: Team Dennis Conner's Stars & Stripes beat America 3's Defiant in the second round of the America's Cup defender trials off San Diego Monday. Defiant beat Conner three times in the first round and the defending champion defeated Defiant in two races. Also, Italy's Il Moro di Venezia defeated France's Ville de Paris by only 10.1 seconds in the challenger trials. SIERRA GOES TO ARBITRATION: Ruben Sierra could emerge from Tuesday's salary arbitration hearing with the Texas Rangers a little richer, or a lot richer. If Sierra wins, he would be the first player to get $5 million a year in arbitration. Even if he loses, Sierra would get a record $3.8 million. Sierra made $2.65 million last season with the Rangers while batting .307 with 25 home runs and 116 RBI. COACHES WANT TO KEEP PLAYERS: College football coaches meeting Monday at the NCAA's annual College Football Forum, spoke out against the NFL taking players while they are still underclassmen. San Diego State's Al Luginbill said, "What we've got to do is stand up and say, hey, if we're truly interested in the student-athlete ... he needs a minimum of four years (in school) to have any opportunity to graduate." PIQUET TO TRY INDY 500: Three-time Formula One driving champion Nelson Piquet agreed Monday to drive one of Team Menard's Lola Buicks in the Indy 500 May 24 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. John Menard, who needed a driver after Kevin Cogan said he would not be able to race due to medical problems, said of Piquet, "I'm in awe of the guy." Piquet has never raced at Indy. COURIER INCREASES LEAD: No. 1 Jim Courier increased his lead in the world tennis rankings over No. 2 Stefan Edberg Monday. Courier has 3,884 points; Edberg 3,698. Other ATP ranking changes: Ivan Lendl drops to No. 7, his lowest since 1980, and Andre Agassi (No. 14) dropped out of the Top 10 for first time since 1988. Jimmy Connors, a year removed from his lowest ranking (No. 990), is No. 37. FRAZIER DOWNS RINALDI: No. 4 seed Amy Frazier defeated Kathy Rinaldi 6-1, 6-3 in a first-round singles match at the Virginia Slims of Oklahoma on Monday at Oklahoma City. Also, Jeff Tarango defeated Paul Annacone 6-7 (4-7), 6-1, 6-3 in the opening round of the $1 million U.S. Pro Indoor championship at Philadelphia. 24-HOUR TELEPHONE INFORMATION: USA TODAY Sports Hot Line. 95 cents a minute. 1-900-555-5555. Sports Editor: Jason P. Smith. (919-855-3491) Making copies of USA TODAY Update (Copyright, 1992) for further distribution violates federal law. 08:0002180000D0218 TECH-R F IBM-may-give-away-OS:2-software....... A D0218 This article is copyright 1992 Gannett News Service. 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