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 Wed, Feb 26 1992 Date: Wed, 26 Feb 92 06:30:01 EST Message-ID: DECISIONLINE: Sports USA TODAY Update Feb. 26, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network PITT TOPS CONNECTICUT: No. 20 Connecticut continued to struggle Tuesday, losing to Pittsburgh 86-77 in a Big East college basketball game. The Huskies (17-7, 8-7) have lost six of their last seven games and have dropped into a tie for fifth in the league. Also, No. 19 Syracuse ended a four-game skid with a 76-70 win over Boston College. It was the longest losing streak in coach Jim Boeheim's 16-year tenure. N.C. ST. UPSETS MARYLAND: The No. 5 Maryland women (22-4) were upset by North Carolina State 86-83 Tuesday in college basketball and No. 9 Penn State beat Holy Cross 71-59. Also, No. 2 Tennessee (23-2) beat No. 24 Texas 86-68. The Lady Longhorns are 17-8. PISTONS DOWN BULLS: The Detroit Pistons stopped their eight-game losing streak against Chicago Tuesday with a 108-106 win over the Bulls. Joe Dumars led the Pistons with 28 points and stopped Michael Jordan on the last play of the game to preserve the win. In other NBA games: New Jersey 109, Boston 95; Charlotte 94, Milwaukee 82; San Antonio 123, Miami 101; Utah 106, LA Clippers 101. BECKER, MCENROE ADVANCE: Germany's Boris Becker and the USA's John McEnroe had straight-set victories Tuesday to advance to the second round of the ABN AMRO World tennis tournament in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Becker, ranked No. 4 in the world and seeded second, beat the Netherlands' Michiel Schapers 6-3, 6-1. McEnroe, seeded sixth, defeated Mark Koevermans, also of the Netherlands, 6-3, 6-2. SELES TOPS REINACH: Monica Seles beat Elna Reinach 6-1, 6-1 in a second-round match Tuesday at the Matrix Essentials Evert Cup in Indian Wells, Calif. Also, Kathy Rinaldi downed Victoria Milvidskaia of the Commonwealth of Independent States 6-4, 7-5. Rinaldi had been scheduled to meet Martina Navratilova, who withdrew because of the flu. KING DENIES BRIBE CHARGE: Promoter Don King, in his first major interview since Mike Tyson's rape conviction, said Desiree Washington was not offered a $1 million bribe "that I know of" to drop the charges. King was interviewed Tuesday night on Black Entertainment Television. Also, U.S. Attorney Deborah J. Daniels said Tuesday in Indianapolis she will review allegations that Washington was offered a bribe. RANGERS REACH 40 WINS: The New York Rangers beat the Chicago Blackhawks 4-1 Tuesday on three third-period goals. With the win, the Rangers (40-20-4) became the first NHL team this season to win 40 games. In other NHL games: St. Louis 5, Hartford 2; Philadelphia 4, N.Y. Islanders 1; New Jersey 5, Toronto 5, OT; Washington 5, Pittsburgh 3; Buffalo 5, Calgary 3; Los Angeles 4, Vancouver 3. NELSON RESIGNS FROM GIANTS: The San Francisco Giants said assistant general manager Ralph Nelson resigned Monday for "personal reasons," but his departure was involuntary. Nelson was reportedly forced out in a front-office power struggle with executive vice president Corey Bush. Nelson was considered to be the successor to president and GM Al Rosen. Nelson said he left in "a friendly and amicable way." NORMAN LIKELY TO MISS TOURNEY: Greg "The Great White Shark" Norman injured his left knee last Saturday while diving for spear fish off the Bahamas and is not expected to play in next week's Doral-Ryder Open in Miami. Norman had arthroscopic surgery Monday in Orlando to remove loose cartilage. "The doctor advised me not to play Doral. He definitely thinks its out," Norman said. TOMBA TO SKI SUNDAY: Olympic champion Alberto Tomba of Italy will ski in a super giant slalom in Japan Sunday as part of his campaign to win the overall World Cup title. His agent, Paolo Comellini, said Tuesday that Tomba made the decision after two days of discussions with his parents, who share the skier's dislike for speed races. MCNEIL'S SUIT SET: New York Jets' running back Freeman McNeil's lawsuit against the NFL's free-agency restrictions is scheduled to come to trial June 15 in Minneapolis federal court before Judge David Doty. McNeil and seven other players allege the NFL's limits on free agency (a right of first refusal for the clubs and entitlement to compensation in the form of draft picks for players lost) violate antitrust laws. SURPRISE FOR HARRIS: Former West Virginia quarterback Major Harris and his Washington Marauders teammates knew something wasn't right when they arrived in their Professional Spring Football League training camp at DeLand, Fla. "We kept hearing rumors about other teams getting kicked out of hotels," Harris said Tuesday. League operations are suspended pending an infusion of money. 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. 08:0002260000D0226 TECH- R F IBM-unveils-fast-PCs.................. A D0226 This article is copyright 1992 Gannett News Service. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM