ABC 3 FLORIDA SPORTS NEWS

Last Update on March 20, 2010 06:30 EDT

NCAA TOURNAMENT-WEST REGIONAL

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) -- Syracuse didn't mess around with Vermont.

In the Orange's NCAA tournament opener in Buffalo, the West's top seed opened up a 12-point lead by half time and cruised to a 79-56 win over the 16th-seeded Catamounts.

Five Syracuse players reached double figures in scoring, led by Wes Johnson's 18 points.

They'll play the West Regional's No. 8 seed Gonzaga next.

MILWAUKEE (AP) -- Jermaine Dixon and Gilbert Brown scored 17 points apiece and Pittsburgh avoided becoming the latest Big East powerhouse to get knocked off in the first round of the NCAA tournament, routing Oakland 89-66 in the West Regional.

Brown's strong performance off the bench was a boost for the third-seeded Panthers, who are making their ninth straight NCAA appearance.

Next up is No. 6 seed Xavier.

Jordan Crawford scored 17 of his 28 points in the second half to lead Xavier to a 65-54 victory over Minnesota.

NCAA TOURNAMENT-SOUTH REGIONAL

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) -- Duke has begun its quest for a fourth national championship in dominating fashion.

Kyle Singler had 22 points and 10 rebounds and South Regional top seed rolled past Arkansas-Pine Bluff 73-44.

Duke jumped out to an early lead and never trailed. While the Golden Lions turned in a respectable defensive performance, they struggled to score against Duke's bigger, more physical frontcourt.

The Blue Devils play No. 8 seed California in the second round Sunday.

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) -- Purdue spoiled a lot of people's brackets today.

Many, including President Barack Obama, had predicted the Boilermakers would be upset victims in the NCAA tournament's first round.

But Purdue held off a feisty Sienna in the South Regional. The 13-seed closed within 3 points of the Boilermakers in the closing minutes, but at the final buzzer, it was Purdue on top 72-64.

The other South Regional game in Spokane, Wash., saw fifth-seeded Texas A&M beat No. 12 Utah State 69-53. Freshman Khris Middleton scored a career-high 19 points for the Aggies.

NCAA TOURNAMENT-MIDWEST REGIONAL

MILWAUKEE (AP) -- Jon Diebler was the shooting star, as Ohio State outlasted a persistent UC Santa Barbara 68-51 in the NCAA tournament's Midwest Regional.

Diebler scored 23 points, while big forward Dallas Lauderdale blocked eight shots and pulled down 12 rebounds for the second-seeded Buckeyes. Poor shooting limited Evan Turner to nine points, but he did manage 10 rebounds.

Meanwhile, Georgia Tech mastered its free throws and topped Oklahoma State 64-59. The 10th-seeded Yellow Jackets came into the game shooting less than 65 percent at the free throw line, but sank 24 of 25.

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) -- Freshman Jordan Williams set career highs with 21 points and 17 rebounds, and Maryland beat Houston 89-77 in the first round of the NCAA tournament's Midwest Regional.

Maryland overcame an off night by ACC player of the year Greivis Vasquez, who had a quiet 16 points.

The fourth-seeded Terrapins will play Sunday against fifth-seeded Michigan State, a 70-67 winner over New Mexico State.

Kalin Lucas scored a career-high 25 points for the Spartans.

After 12th seeded Cornell knocked off Temple, 13 seed Wofford gave Wisconsin a scare. But the Badgers tight defense kept the clamps on the Terriers, emerging with a 53-49 victory.

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) -- In Buffalo, the No. 2 seed in the East, West Virginia, overcame a cold start to beat 15th seed Morgan State. The Mountaineers missed their first 11 shots, but eventually found their range, rolling to a 77-50 first round win.

They'll meet Missouri next. The East Region's 10 seed knocked off No. 7 Clemson, 86-78.

NBA-SCHEDULE

CHICAGO (AP) -- LeBron James became the youngest player to score 15,000 career points, breaking Kobe Bryant's mark by about two years, and the Cleveland Cavaliers pulled away late to beat the Chicago Bulls 92-85.

James scored 13 of his 29 points in the fourth quarter, giving him 15,026 in his career. He also pulled down 11 rebounds. Mo Williams added 18 points for the Cavaliers, who continued to roll without the injured Shaquille O'Neal. They're 10-1 with their big man recovering from a thumb injury.

Elsewhere in the NBA:

-- Detroit guard Rodney Stuckey returned to action for the first time since collapsing on the bench during a game two weeks ago. But his team-leading 25 points weren't enough to pull off a comeback. Danny Granger scored 29 points to lead the Indiana Pacers to a 106-102 victory over the Pistons.

-- Joe Johnson sank a fall away jumper over three defenders to lift the Atlanta Hawks past the Charlotte Bobcats, 93-92 in overtime. All but two of Johnson's 18 points came in the fourth quarter or overtime.

-- Kevin Durant's 31 points led the Oklahoma City Thunder to their sixth victory in seven games, 115-89 over the Toronto Raptors. The fans at Air Canada Centre stood and booed the Raptors off the court at game's end.

-- The New York Knicks were shorthanded, but still managed a 92-88 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers. Toney Douglas scored 14 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter, to rally the Knicks who were missing starters David Lee and Wilson Chandler.

-- Manu Ginobili scored 23 points and the San Antonio Spurs throttled the Golden State Warriors 147-116. It's the most points the Spurs have scored since Gregg Popovich took over as head coach 14 years ago.

-- Paul Pierce scored 26 points, Ray Allen hit five 3-pointers and had 19 points, as the Boston Celtics snapped Houston's four-game winning streak with a 94-87 victory over the Rockets.

-- Amare Stoudemire scored a season-high 44 points for Phoenix and the Suns led all the way in a 110-100 victory over Utah. That pulls them within a game of the Jazz for fourth place in the West.

-- The Lakers handed the Minnesota Timberwolves their 12th straight loss. Kobe Bryant had 22 points and a season-high 13 assists in L.A.'s 104-96 victory.

-- Brandon Jennings scored 35 points, hit a career-high eight 3-pointers and added eight assists in the Milwaukee Bucks' 114-108 double-overtime victory over the Sacramento Kings.

-- Portland's Brandon Roy sank a 22-foot jump shot with 0.9 seconds left, to send Trail Blazer fans home happy. They beat the Washington Wizards 76-74.

NHL-RESULTS

CALGARY, Alberta (AP) -- The Calgary Flames beat the struggling San Jose Sharks 4-3, to move into a tie with Detroit for eighth place in the Western Conference.

The Sharks have lost four in a row in regulation, and their lead atop the Pacific Division has dwindled to three points over the Phoenix Coyotes with 11 games remaining for both. They remain tied with Chicago for the top spot in the West.

In other NHL action:

-- Gilbert Brule scored the shootout winner as the Edmonton Oilers beat the Detroit Red Wings 3-2.

-- The Anaheim Ducks rallied from a two-goal, third period deficit to beat the New York Islanders 5-4 in overtime. Saku Koivu scored the game winner after Lubomir Visnovsky tied the game with 32 seconds to go in regulation.

-- Rick Nash returned from an injury and scored two third-period goals as the Columbus Blue Jackets handed the Minnesota Wild a costly 4-2 loss. The Wild is seven points back in the race for the Western Conference's last playoff spot.

NFL-NEWS

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) -- Free-agent linebacker Joey Porter has agreed to a three-year contract with the Arizona Cardinals.

The 11-year NFL veteran and four-time Pro Bowler spent the past three seasons with the Miami Dolphins, after eight years with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

With 92 career sacks, Porter trails only Jason Taylor in sacks among active players. Porter has 12 career interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown, 23 forced fumbles and nine fumble recoveries with two returned for TDs.

Terms of the deal were not immediately released.

In other NFL news...

-- Tennessee has acquired defensive end Jason Babin after the Philadelphia Eagles declined to match the Titans' offer.

-- The New York Jets have signed former Seahawks linebacker and special teams captain Lance Laury.

COLLEGE-OREGON

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) -- Oregon athletic director Mike Bellotti is stepping down after less than a year in the job.

Bellotti was the Ducks head football coach for 14 seasons, before he formally took over as A.D. in July. He's leaving to become a college football analyst for ESPN.

Bellotti's tenure as AD has been tumultuous. Earlier this week, he dismissed men's basketball coach Ernie Kent because of losses and dropping attendance.

He's also seen a spate of player misconduct on the football team. Quarterback Jeremiah Masoli was suspended for the upcoming season after pleading guilty to a second-degree burglary charge, while running back LaMichael James pleaded guilty on an unrelated harassment charge, earning a one game suspension.

PGA-TRANSITIONS CHAMPIONSHIP

PALM HARBOR, Fla. (AP) -- The second round is complete at the Transitions Championship in Palm Harbor, Fla., and Padraig Harrington is the leader after shooting a 6-under 65.

Carl Pettersson, Jim Furyk , Bubba Watson and Retief Goosen are one stroke back.

MLB-SPRING TRAINING

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) -- Talk about an exhibition.

Brian Anderson went 5 for 5 with seven RBIs and hit for the cycle in the Kansas City Royals' 24-9 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks in Cactus League play.

The Royals finished with 27 hits while the Diamondbacks had 12.

Billy Buckner, a candidate for the Diamondbacks' rotation, allowed eight runs and nine hits in two innings.

In Grapefruit League action:

-- The Washington Nationals' Stephen Strasburg coughed up a pair of homers, but also struck out eight in just four innings of a split squad game against the St. Louis Cardinals.

PENSACOLA SPORTS

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PENSACOLA WEATHER

Forecast

Overnight:  Mostly clear.  Lows in the mid 40s.

Saturday:  Mostly sunny.  Highs around 70.

Rain is likely early Sunday mainly between 1am and 8am.

For river flood information CLICK HERE.

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