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 Mon, Mar 30 1992 Date: Mon, 30 Mar 92 05:43:33 EST Message-ID: 03-30 0000 DECISIONLINE: Sports USA TODAY Update March 30, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network CINCINNATI, MICHIGAN ADVANCE: Cincinnati and Michigan filled the final spots for this year's NCAA men's basketball Final Four, winning regional titles to join Indiana and Duke in Minneapolis. Michigan, paced by freshmen Chris Webber and Jalen Rose, beat Ohio State 75-71 in overtime to win the Southeast Regional at Lexington, Ky. Cincinnati routed Memphis State 88-57 at Kansas City, Mo., for the Midwest title. FINAL FOUR SET: Cincinnati and Michigan will meet in one NCAA men's basketball tournament semifinal Saturday at Minneapolis. In the second game, defending champion Duke, in the Final Four for the fifth consecutive year, will play Indiana. USA TODAY analyst Danny Sheridan makes Michigan an early three-point favorite against Cincinnati and favors Duke by 2 1:2 points against the Hoosiers. NHL STRIKE SET FOR NOON: A 20-hour bargaining session that ended Sunday morning between NHL owners and players did not produce a contract agreement, meaning the league's first strike could begin at noon Monday. Owners met Sunday and decided a contract proposal made Saturday to the players would be their last offer. Chicago Blackhawks center Jeremy Roenick said the players are standing firm. RED WINGS CLINCH TITLE: The Detroit Red Wings clinched the Norris Division title with a 6-2 win over the New York Islanders. Steve Yzerman scored twice and Brad McCrimmon had three assists for the Red Wings. In other NHL games: Washington 7, Vancouver 4; Philadelphia 5, New Jersey 4; Winnipeg 6, San Jose 5; Hartford 2, Buffalo 2, OT; Los Angeles 2, Edmonton 2, OT; Chicago 5, Toronto 1. USA ADVANCES IN DAVIS CUP: Andre Agassi beat Karel Novacek 7-6 (7-5), 6-0, 6-0 Sunday to advance the USA to the Davis Cup semifinals against Sweden. Friday, Pete Sampras beat Novacek and Agassi beat Petr Korda, but Korda rallied the Czechs. He teamed with Cyril Suk Saturday in a straight-set doubles victory against John McEnroe and Rick Leach, then tied the match Sunday by defeating Sampras 6-4, 6-3, 2-6, 6-3. SELES WITHDRAWS FROM CUP: No. 1 Monica Seles, who sprained her wrist in a bicycle accident, withdrew Sunday from this week's Family Circle Magazine Cup. Gabriela Sabatini becomes the No. 1 seed and Martina Navratilova, who Sunday won the U.S. Hardcourts title 6-2, 6-1 over Nathalie Tauziat of France, is No. 2. CELTICS DOWN HAWKS: Larry Bird had 11 of his 20 points in the first quarter as the Boston Celtics opened a 19-point lead en route to a 117-93 win against the Atlanta Hawks. Kevin Gamble led the Celtics with 22 points. In other NBA games: Detroit 107, San Antonio 103; Sacramento 112, Minnesota 86; Dallas 105, Denver 98; New York 107, Portland 96; LA Lakers 117, Philadelphia 88. ELLIOTT WINS TRANSOUTH 500: Bill Elliott won Sunday's TranSouth 500 in Darlington, S.C., to run his Winston Cup winning streak to four. He saved his tires for a late-race charge. While others were making an extra pit stop for tires or sliding around the tricky 1.366-mile Darlington International Raceway oval, Elliott was making his move. Elliott finished 7.8 seconds ahead of Harry Gant. MOCHRIE, LOVE III WIN: Dottie Mochrie and Davis Love III earned victories Sunday in two of golf's prestigious championships. Mochrie birdied No. 18, then parred the playoff hole to defeat Juli Inkster and win the LPGA Nabisco Dinah Shore at Rancho Mirage, Calif. At The Players Championship in Ponte Vedra, Fla., Love beat Nick Faldo, Ian Baker-Finch, Tom Watson and Phil Blackmar by four strokes. FLOYD HAS SUCCESSFUL DEBUT: Ray Floyd, in his senior golf debut, shot 6-under-par 66 Sunday for a 54-hole 197 to win the Japan Senior PGA Tour Fuji Electric Grand Slam in Kurimotmachi, Japan. Floyd, who eagled the 491-yard par-5 16th hole, is able to play in Japan because rules there set a player's age on Jan. 1. Floyd will be 50 years old Sept. 4. He earned $69,000. DEADLINE FACES TEAMS: Major league baseball teams have until 2 p.m. EST Tuesday to release player without being obligated to pay their entire 1992 salary. If a club beats the deadline, the obligation is only 25% of the salary. A guaranteed contract is an exception. The deadline means some established players who still have the ability to contribute will be pared in cost-cutting measures. ASTROS BEAT BRAVES: The Houston Astros beat the Atlanta Braves 2-0 in a baseball spring training game Sunday. Other scores: Montreal 3, Yankees 2; Detroit 9, Minnesota 6; Boston 6, Philadelphia 3; Baltimore 11, Toronto 7; Kansas City 4, White Sox 3; Mets 8, L.A. 6; Texas 4, Pittsburgh 2; Milwaukee 4, Cubs 3; Oakland 3, Seattle 0; Cleveland 5, S.F. 2; San Diego 5, California 4; Cincinnati 8, St. Louis 5. 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. 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