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Show 2C The Salt Lake Tribune, Fridav, January 24, iSportlight lWi s Wood, Bullets Overcome Struggling Suns Tribune Wire Services Three weeks ago, Leon Wood was collecting splinters at the end of the bench in Philadelphia But since being traded to Washington Jan 10. the second-yeaguard has been in the thick of the action "Since I've been here, I ve played almost all of the fourth quarters, unless it's a spot right at the end where we have to shut somebody down, Wood said Thursday night after the Washington Bullets had defeated the Phoenix Suns, in National Basketball Association action Wood didnt start but was in the lineup for much of the fourth quarter He scored 12 of his 21 points in that period, backing up Jeff Malones r 114-11- 31 game-hig- Fiut the Bullets still needed Dan Roundfield's followup with 10 seconds remaing to nail down their third consecutive victory. The Bullets had three opportunities to score in the last 30 seconds, after Walter Davis three-poin- t play had I given the Suns their first lead since the first quarter Malone and Cliff Robinson both missed jump shots, but Koundfield was credited with what proved to be the winning points when goaltending was called against Phoenix forward Ed Pinckney Air By Dick Rosetta Tribune Sports Writer Utah State UnFRESNO, Calif. iversity fiddled around with the lock on Grant's Tomb again Thursday night, but for the seventh year in a row, the Ags were charged with invasion of privacy. Given an uncharacteristic boost from the foul line with charities down the stretch, the Fresno State Bulldogs blunted an Aggie Pacific comeback attempt for a Coast Athletic Association victory before the 93rd consecutive sellout in Selland Arena (10,132). A 52 percent team and under immense public scrutiny for such ineptitude, Coach Boyd Grant watched with delight as Jos Kuipers, Mike Mitchell, Leo Walker and Marvin Carter each swished a pair of free throws in the last two minutes to cement the Bulldogs 11th in the win against seven losses - 70-6- 4 g Rockets 124, Kings 107: At Houston. Akeem Olajuwon and Robert Reid took up scoring slack for Ralph Sampson, who was ejected from the game, and led the Rockets past the Kings the Year head In voting by the 750 members of the FWAA, the second-yea- r coach was named on 691- ballots to outdistance Johnny Majors of Tennessee, who was listed on 50 ballots. DeBerry is the second straight Western Athletic Conference coach to win the Football Writers award. In 1984, LaVell Edwards of BYU was the choice. - Blazers 117, Sonics 107: At Pot- Colter Steve scored six points in land, the second overtime as the Trail Blazers pulled away for a victory over the SuperSomcs. The Somes, losers of six in a row. led nearly the entire second half and were up after Xavier McDaniel made one of two free throws with 10 seconds left in regulation. But Terry Porters driving lay-uwith four seconds to play forced the overtime Format Changes for Early NIT The Big Apple National Invitation Tournament, played this season for the first time, will have a new format next time, Pete Carlesimo, executive director of the college basketball evet, has announced. Instead of playing doubleheaders in four neutral arenas, eight seeded teams will be chosen and awarded the game either at home or a nearby major arena, Carlesimo said. The other eight teams in the tournament will then be chosen and the entire field will be seeded and paired. 91-8- 9 p Report Says Mora Headed (4-- 3 PCAA). Now, will you guys please get off my back?" Grant implored of the media after his club ended up from the stripe, dropping USU to in the PCAA heading overall and into a duel with Pacific in Stockton 6-- 9 2-- 4 Saturday night. At the other end of the spectrum was USU Coach Rod Tueller, who ajain watched his club have a shot at victory only to stumble through what the veteran Ag coach termed, "poor free throw shooting and a huge mental mistake on that inbounds play." The poor foul shooting for the game) came with the Ags trailing with 5:31 left when Jeff Anonly derson (11 points off the bench) missed two in a row and at 4 24 when Kevin Nixon missed the front end of a 8 52-5- 0 blunder came with when Brian Salone was left fanalested under the basket for an allejf-oostuff off Kuipers pass. "Its just inexperience, thats all," Tueller moaned about the basket that made it for Fresno. The Ags didn't die meekly. Anderson hit a field goal to make it and after Mitchells two charities (he was a 43 percent shooter coming in), Greg Grant got a basket to But four straight Bullmake it dog free throws finished it. While it was Kuipers who devastated the Ags with goals in Logan last winter, it was Carter, a senior, but only a starter the last three " the Ags gfUjfs, who into submission Thursday. With the Bulldogs unable to do Jhe 14 left, 64-5- 9 64-6- 2 66-6- "home-runned- to New Orleans Jim Mora, reported last week to have reached an oral agreement to coach the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League, will coach the New Orleans Saints instead, a television station reported Thursday night. said Mora has "verbally agreed" to join the Saints The KYW-Tbecause he considers the team to have more championship potential than the Eagles. Mora, reached by The Associated Press at his home in Medford, N.J., said he had no comment on the report. Green Grabs Phoenix Open Lead Green birdied his last hole for an Hubert PGA champion lead in the first round Thursday of the $500,000 63 and a Phoenix Open Golf Tournament. on Green scattered nine birdies across his card, including a his last hole at the Phoenix Country Club that gave him sole possession of the top spot. A single stroke back at 64 was a group made up of defending champ Calvin Peete. former PGA champ Hal Sutton, Australian Greg Norman and Larry Mize. Tribune Wire Services much damage inside "they really packed it in on their zone when we went inside," Coach Grant admitted Carter was called on from outside field goal shooting, includand on answered the ing e challenge. United Press International "I didnt play this guy Carter early in the season. Shows you how good a coach I am, huh?" Boyd offered. "But hes been shooting that way in practice, so I gave him the green Sacramentos LaSalle Thompson (41) and Houstons Kareem Olajuwon fight for a rebound during NBA game on Thursday. Bears McMahon a Victim of False TV Report light." From Grant, giving the "green light" is highly unusual since he preaches patient basketball, using as clock as posmuch of the sible. "We Forces DeBerry Honored Fisher DeBerry, who guided the Air Force Academy to a 12-- record and the No 8 ranking in the final Associated Press poll, was named of Wednesday the 1985 Football Writers Association of America Coach Free Throws Lift Fresno Past USU ' Jim Mora Hubert Green Fisher DeBerry werent very smart there NEW ORLEANS (AP) Chicago Bears quarterback Jim McMahon, alBowl ready the center of attention because of acupuncture treatments for a bruised buttock, was back in the spotlight Thursday over a broadcast report that he had called New Orleans women sluts. A local television station said McMahon had made such a statement, but the station and its reporter later apologized. McMahon denied making such a statement and complained that the report had brought an abrupt end to a night's sleep. "I woke up this morning and there was a message from a lady saying, 'Who in the hell do you think you are calling the women in New Orleans sluts?" McMahon said. "That was the first I heard about it. pre-Sup- in the first half with an lead We took 3 or 4 shots after making just one pass. We needed to control the game and make them play defense. We just dont have the outside offensive firepower to play run and gun. Well have to get smarter, Grant observed. The Ags, who had a whopping rebound edge of (They had the better legs the whole game," Grant admitted), actually led the game, with 1141 to play when Nathan d Grant, Gregs younger brother, in four straight points. But then the rabid Selland Arena crowd got into the act and three minutes later, after Mitchell popped in a it was for the Bull21-1- 33-2- 4 41-4- fun-nele- McMahon at first refused to participate in the Bears' news conference Thursday but later relented. The rumor reportedly originated with a Chicago radio station, WLS. wanted to clear the air, he said. "I ve been getting a lot of calls and Im lucky I'm still alive. What makes me mad is the guy went on the air with it. It is ridiculous. rector who is in New Orleans for Sundays Super Bowl between the Bears I I've enjoyed the people in New Orleans. I was out on Bourbon Street last night. I had dinner and cocktails and signed autographs. aired the report Thursday morning, attributing the remark to McMahon. But the station started its noon news show Thursday with a three-minut- e apology and Buddy the reporter on the story, also issued a personal apology. WDSU-T- But Les Grobstein, WLS sports with it di- and the New England Patriots, denied carrying such a statement. I havent even talked toJilcMa-hon- , said Grobstein. Chris OKelly, the manager of radio station WEZB in New Orleans, said its night disc jockey, known only as Boomer," had received calls that McMahon had statement. made such on his sportscast last night." McMahon has been involved in controversy over his acupuncture treatments. He also mooned a helicopter during the Bears Wednesday prac tice session. "No big deal. McMahon said of that gesture. "I just wanted to show him where it hurt." McMahon has been taking acupuncture treatments for a bruised lower left back and upper left buttock. a Boomer was getting calls all night from people saying McMahon had said this," O'Kelly said. Boomer told Buddy D Diliberto and Buddy went "I'm feeling much better, he said. The treatments are helping. I took one this morning and Ill take two more today. If I keep getting better I probably will not need any more treatments by Saturday. 48-4- 4 dogs. Greg Grant, who brought a average into the game (good for fifth in the nation), put up only 13 shots, seven below his seasonal average. Should he have shot more? My shots come from our offense and I tried to stay with it. Any more shots would have taken us out of our candigame, said the date who ended with 22 points, five assists and four blocked shots. "We had the intensity and we mixed up our defenses enough to confuse them. We were in a position to win the game. I cant expect much more except we didnt win," Tueller reasoned. Reg. up to The Bulldogs took a nap to end the first half and enabled the deficit Ags to erase half of a to leave the intermission count, for Fresno. Only a free throw and a field goal by Jos Kuipers in the final six minutes of the half prevented it from being a total collapse in front of the 93rd consecutive sellout in Selland (10,132). 165 28-2- 3 Now UTEP Clips Colo. State; Rebels Overcome Aggies Tribune Wire Services Smith scored 15 points to helpNo. 19 Texas-E- l Paso defeat Colin Western Athletic orado State Conference basketball action Thursday night at El Paso. Dave Feitl with 13 points and Mike Richmond with 10 were the only other Miners in double figures. UTEP hiked its season record to 16-in the WAC. The Rams, and now had for the season and three players in double figures. Rich Strong had 13 points while Pat Durham and David Turcotte each scored Jten 65-5- 7 5-- 2 1 12 . struggle the rest of the way. The Wildcats improved to 15-- overall in conference play. Georgia and fell to 10-- and 2 6-- 1 6 Kansas 81, Missouri 77: At Columbia, Mo., Ron Kellogg dropped in two of his 27 points on foul shots with eight seconds remaining, helping seventh-ranked Kansas withstand Missouri's furious finish en route to a Big s Eight Conference victory. The are and Jay-hawk- 18-- 2 UAB 81, 63: At Birmingham, Steve Mitchell scored 19 points and James Ponder added 14 as No. 18 cruised to a victory over North The victory lifts the in the Blazers record to and Sun Belt Conference. UN'C-Charlot- te Now take advantage of tremendous savings on a season-en- d selected group of famous Kuppenheimer l()()"o wool suits! Because we manufacture our own clothing and sell directly to the consumer, we eliminate the middleman mark-up- . This means substantial savings to you ...everyday. And now you can save even more during our Final Winter Clearance on these handsomely tailored first quality l()()" wool suits. The Kuppenheimer difference: quality, service, selection and value. Alabama-Birmingha- UNLV 88, New Mexico St. 79: At Las Cruces, Anthony Jones scored 28 points and Freddie Banks added 21 as No. W Nevada-La- s Vegas wore down NeWl'Mexico State. The victory, the niqtjjtraight for the Runnin Rebels, and imptpved their record to gav&UNLV sole possesison of the mark. New PCAJC lead with a Mexln State, playing before its largest Jbwd in the schools history, and 13, 70fv dropped to 18-- 0 11-- 4 Kentucky 74, Georgia 69: At Lex ington, Ed Davender scored 15 points and No. 11 Kentucky used a balance attack to hold off stubborn Georgia in a Southeast Conference game. Kenlead at the half, tucky built a and increased it to 24 in the first five rullfctes of the second half, only to 18-- Bradley 67, III. State Hurry in today because this exceptional offerends February 1, 1986. America's Number One Value Clothier For Men 63: At Peo- ria, Mike Williams scored a career-hig30 points and Jim Les addedd 13 and dished out ten assists to lead Bradley to an overtime win over Illinois State. The win, BraJley's tenth in a row, gives the Braves a 19-overall record and a record in the Missouri Valley Conference. h 17th-ranke- d Indiana 71, Purdue pM WK E N S CLOTHI E R S j DONT CUT UOKNHKS TO CUT TIIK IKIUK 70: At Bloo- mington, Steve Alford scored 27 points, including 13 of Indianas final 17, as the Hoosiers beat Purdue, The victory lifted Indiana to 4 2 in the overall Big Ten and Purdue fell to and 16-- Soil I .ako C Tlv : 401 Sou ih Highland Dr. 27K - 047 Rm: 53X7 Sou ill 0( M ) West. 77(-3l)2- 1. 15lh-ranke- 12-- OM' Kuppenlh mo urn 4 lJUOUkJU m. m.k. mj i |
