COLLEGE: UConn cracks Top 25
Connecticut (7-1) moved into the Associated Press’ Top 25 rankings, checking in at No. 16 after Saturday’s 22-15 victory over South Florida. Ohio State stayed No. 1, followed by Boston College, LSU, Oregon and Oklahoma.
In the BCS standings, Ohio State remained on top, followed by Boston College, LSU, Arizona State, Oregon, Oklahoma, West Virginia and Kansas. UConn, which next plays Rutgers, is No. 13.
* SMU coach Phil Bennett was fired yesterday, a day after the Mustangs lost 29-23 at Tulsa and were eliminated from bowl contention. Bennett, who is 18-48 in six seasons, will finish out the season.
* Kevin Smith ran for 175 yards and two touchdowns and set four school records to help Central Florida (5-3, 3-1 C-USA) scored a 34-17 victory over Southern Mississippi (4-4, 3-2) last night in Hattiesburg, Miss.
NASCAR: Johnson wins at Atlanta
Jimmie Johnson won the Pep Boys Auto 500 after an aborted green-white-checkered flag finish yesterday at Atlanta Motor Speedway to close the gap on Nextel Cup points leader Jeff Gordon.
Johnson, who made a late decision to change only two tires, sealed victory for the second week in a row after lying between fifth and eighth for most of the race. Carl Edwards, driving a Ford Fusion, finished second with Reed Sorenson, in a Dodge Charger, placing third. Gordon wound up seventh for his overall lead over Hendrick Motorsports teammate Johnson to be trimmed to nine points with just three races remaining.
NBA: Jackson not happy with Kobe
As trade rumors continue to float about, Phil Jackson said he is upset with Kobe Bryant‘s level of commitment. “Obviously he hasn’t thrown his heart and soul into performing on the floor,” Jackson told reporters after practice Saturday. “That hurts me a little bit.”
According to ESPN.com, the Lakers and Bulls have had daily trade discussions involving Bryant. The Lakers are asking for a package built around Luol Deng, Ben Gordon, Tyrus Thomas and Joakim Noah.
GOLF: Three set for playoff
Play was suspended by darkness with Shiegki Maruyama, Fredrik Jacobsen and Daniel Chopra all at 18 under, two shots ahead of clubhouse leader Dicky Pride yesterday at the Ginn sur Mer Classic in Port St. Lucie, Fla. The final round will resume at 8 a.m. today, with $810,000 going to the winner.
* Jim Thorpe successfully defended his title in the Charles Schwab Championship, birdieing the final four holes to win the Champion Tour’s season-ending event yesterday in Sonoma, Calif.
* Suzann Pettersen shot a 1-under 71 to win the Honda LPGA Thailand to score her second straight LPGA Tour victory and third in four weeks. Laura Davies finished one stroke back after shooting a 65.
* Gregory Bourdy of France shot a 3-under 67 to win the Mallorca Classic for his first European Tour win. England’s Sam Little finished second, two shots back.
* Marc Turnesa, the 29-year-old grandson of six-time PGA Tour winner Mike Turnesa and great nephew of 1952 PGA champ Jim Turnesa, won the Nationwide Tour’s Miccosukee Championship yesterday in Miami.
TENNIS: Federer clinches No. 1 spot
Roger Federer beat Jarkko Nieminen 6-3, 6-4 in Basel, Switzerland, to win his second straight Swiss Indoors and clinch the No. 1 ranking for the fourth consecutive year. Federer joins Pete Sampras, Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe and Ivan Lendl as the only men’s players to end the season ranked No. 1 four or more times since the inception of the ATP rankings in 1973. For Federer, it was his seventh title of the season.
* Second-seeded Andy Murray won his third career title yesterday, beating sixth-seeded Fernando Verdasco 6-2, 6-3 in the final of the St. Petersburg (Russia) Open.