Show v' t Monday March 112002 A8 The Herald Journal Sports briefs N IT picking Ags go Irwin runs away with Toshiba Senior Utah State hosts Montana St Tuesday NEWPORT BEACH Calif (AP) — 65 SunHale Irwin shot a final-rouday and set a tournament record with a score of 196 in winning the le Toshiba Senior Classic by five shots over Allen Doyle Irwin’s total at the 6584-yapar-7-1 Newport Beach Country Club and three course was strokes better than the previous record set by George Archer in 1995 — the inaugural year of the tournament over the par-7-0 Mesa Vferde (X course Irwin who had rounds of 67 and 64 in the fust two rounds earned series this season "We’re just delighted to be hosting a game in die NIT" Morrill said in a press release late Sunday night "We are relieved By Gragg Hardy staff writer - home-and-ho- 54-ho- No drum roll needed here When the NCAA Tournament brackets were unveiled late Sunday afternoon the Utah State Aggies to no one's surprise nl $225000 Doyle' who won this tournament AP photo two years ago and finished second in 1999 birdied the final hole to complete a round of 67 for a 201 total He earned Santa Barbara's Chrismen Oliver (15) is defended by Utah State's Calvin Brown during the Big West title game Saturday night UC werenot on any of them Their 60-5-6 loss to UC Santa Barbara Saturday night in die Big West Tournament's championship game took care of that Instead the National Invitation Tournament extended Stew Morrill and his Aggies an offer to play in this year's tourney The NIT even threw the Aggies a bone allowing them to host an opening-roun- d game Tuesday night against the Montana State Bobcats who the Aggies swept in a to not be traveling (today) because that would have created all kinds of logistic and fatigue problems with our team" The Aggies (23-- returned to Logan Sunday afternoon after spending die previous four days in Anaheim Calif for the Big West tourney won the Big Sky's The Bobcats (19-regular-seaso-n tide before foiling in the semifinals of the conference tournament to eventual champion Montana "I'm sure Montana State is hoping we're 7) 9) See AGS on A9 M $132000 Dave Stockton who shot a 66 Sun- day and Michael Zinni who carjjed a 67 finished in a tie for third with scores of 202 and earned $99000 each Dana Quigley who shot 66 in the final round was next at 203 and earned $72foX) ' Irwin who recently joined Tiger Woods as the only players to surpass the $20 million mark in career pam- ings leads the 2002 Senior money list “Generally ' Stock tallies 15000th $735000 at I career assist am not a good starter ' but I got off to a good start Fiiday and the momentum of that start earned me HOUSTON (AP) — Steve Francis ' never had a doubt hit with a Francis of a second left to gi ve the Houston Rockets a 2 victory over the Utah Jazz on Sunday “I actually looked around tosee if anybody was open” Francis said “I knew it was in when it left my hand I juijt wanted to be sure there was no time left and I milked it just right” ' Utah point guard John Stockton had 3 assists to give him exactly 15000 for his career Magic Johnson is second on the NBA’s list with 10141 “I appreciate the ' compliments but I haven’t thought much about it” Stockton said “We didn't win the game and that’s what matters The record does- n’t have anything to do with through Sunday” he said “I’ve played well this year If I can keep this up I think I can have a banner year” v one-ten- th 95-9- Stewart wins MBNA ’ HAMPTON Ga (AP) — Tony Stewart dipped into his past Sunday and the result was his first career - 500-mi- le victory Stewart slid under Ward Button for the lead with 24 laps to go and held off Dale Earnhardt Jr' to win the MBNA America 500 at Atlanta - ' Motor Speedway “It feels great I think this is my first 500-mil- e win” Stewart said “I want- ed to get by (Burton) as fast as I could I thought ifwe could get by him and in clean air we'd be all right” get ' The decisive pass came in Turn 1 when Stewart moved to the inside mid slid in front of Burton It was similar to the “slide-job- ” passes Stewart used throughout his sprint cars days although most of those were on dirt This was on pavement and at 190 mph “I had four or five of those today” Stewart said of the technique “You have to know where their weak spot is on the race' track The biggest thing was even if I had to check up when I got in front of him I just had to get in front” One of NASCAR’s most outspoken drivers Stewart has complained all ' year about the aerodynamic disadvan' tages of his Pontiac He didn’t have any problems Sunday leading the most laps for die second straight race to get his first victory of the season rs scores NBA Orlando 92 Toronto 79 Houston 95 Utah 92 : Boston 98 Washington 91 Sacramento 98 Milwaukee 73 Indiana 8& Detroit 84 L A Clippers 95 Cleveland 78 LA Lakers 117 New York 103 Charlotte 88 Phoenix 82 v NHL NY Islanders 6 Atlanta 1 Buffalo 5 Detroit 1 Washington 4 Edmonton 2 Minnesota 5 Columbus 0 Tampa Bay 5 Nashville 1 New Jersey 3 DaHasO " Toronto 3 Philadelphia 1 Ottawa 4 Anaheim 2 San Jose 7 Vancouver 4 ” ' NBA : Charleston1 epm i' 1 NHL v i ESPN2— Colorado at St Lquis TENNIS pnu ESPN — Tennis Masters Serifs Pacific Life Open early round cover- : ageatlrtoUmWetaCaM 9pfnj all-ti- tonight’s game” Cuttino Nfohley scored 28 points ' including 17 in the second half and 18 Thomas had and Kenny points nine rebounds as the Rockets ended a losing streak Francis finished with 16 points Karl Malone led the Jazz with 21 points Stockton added 12 points 10 in the fourth quarter “It’s unfortunate it came when we lost the game bid it doesn’t take anything away from his 15000 assists” Malone said “It’s a tremendous accomplishment for him” The Jazz were upset about a ll and a technical on Malone late two-ga- ’ - ‘ AP photo Utah's Karl Malone left and Rusty LaRue right attempt to steal the ball from Houston's Steve Francis (3) during the first to lift the Rockets past the Jazz 95-9- 2 quarter Sunday Frands hit thejjame-wirtnin- g money’ Predictably the Rockets saw the play differently “The ref didn’t call a foul so it was no foul” Cato said “It might have been clean It felt clean But most of the time he gets that call” Jazz coach Jerry Sloan only knew Malone felt he was fouled “I don’t have a problem if it’s called the same both ways” Sloan said “We always have something Something strange funny always happens with us with him” Stockton hit a layup wife five sec- onds left to tie it at 92 Houston led by sis many as nine early in the fourth quarter before Utah rallied late behind Stockton Ttercnce Morris starting his 24th game in place of an injured Walt Williams sewed six points as Hous-to-n jumped to an 18-- 8 lead with 4:52 no-ca- in the game ' Kelvin Cato was not called for a foul when he blocked Malone’s layup with 1:08 to play Malone was then assessed a technical for something he said to referee Danny Crawford and Mobley hit the free throw to tie it at 90 with 34 seconds to play “ Yeahit was a blocked shot if he blocked my head” Malone said "(Crawford) said I walked over there and said he was I didn’t say anything That’s all I want to say about the whole thing Other--: wise it’s going to cost me some with-Dann- - Shoots -- y 6 pm FOXSN — Utah at Memphis NBA DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE 2 pm " ESPN2 — Grdenvilte at North ' 1 to pby in the first The Rockets led after one quarter with Mobley 9 sewing nine points Houston scored the first six points of the second quarter to extend its lead to 14 points But Utah went on an lii2 run withDonyell Marshall ' scoring five points to dose die gap to with 5:31 to play in the half 0 The Jazz finished the quarter on a 0 nih with Marshall scoring seven points to make it 40-3-9 at the break Marshall had 12 points in die first ' half It was close through most of the third quarter before Mobley’s six points sparked a 12-- 2 run that gave Houston a 4 lead with 2:26 left in die period Despite nine third- quarter points by Malone Houstoa still led 2 entering the fourth' Mobley had five points in an 2 v run that pushed the margin back to 27-1- 35-3- 9-- : 65-5- 67-6- 8-- 8 with 9:19 left But Rusty LaRue scored four points as Utah went on an 2 spurt to take sin 6 lead with 3:01 to play Eddie Griffin's free throw tied it with 2:27 remaining “It seems like everything’s always against us” Utah’s Bryon Russell said “Cato took off Malone’s head What are we supposed to do?” Notes: Williams who missed five ‘ weeks with a sprained left ankle before being activated Feb 25 was 6ut Sunday with the same injury He it in Friday’s game Ifcam officials said he is Houston coach Rudy Ibmjanovich ' passed Billy Cunningham for sole possession of 25 th place on the NBA’s Career wins list with 455 Utah is 6 on the road with victories in six of its last eight away from home 77-6- 11-- 87-8- ‘ ed day-to-d- ay 14-1- : On television " i ESPN2— Tennis Masters Series Pacific Life Open early round cover- ' age at Mian Write Caiif (sameMtlay tape) 6-un- der 66 in final round of Honda Classic to win by 2 CORAL SPRINGS Fla (AP) — out ai the champion" Kuchar said reached into his left through aseeniingly everlasting pants pocket pulled but a small piece smile “It has not bappenedto me a of white paper and read the phone whole lot so foe times it ddes it’s ' turn Neuman left for message Greg outstanding” Kuchar finished at 269 “Congratulations It’s about ' and earned $630000 in his 17di bloody time Welcome to tbeclub” Norman said ' event asaprofessional' have been more pte-- j “I wasn't sure it would happen as Nothing could ' v I'--- : sootaas it did” Kuchar said “I knew indudfogeight over dm final eight cise Kuchar the 1997 US Amateur it would i hrqjpen ) always dreamed fwcs to get die victory knd knew diat I would win snd feat I He gained a jriiare of die lead wifo ' champion who tunmd down millions ' in favor of graduating from Georgia would winafoLbutl wasn’t sure a birdie putt on die par--4 Na Thch earned his first PGA Tbur vic-that it would happen this soon” 13 then grabbed the ewtrightlead on' ' He had with a birdie on the par-- 5 No 14 — torySuhday eight tardies and two ' ' The his in final Floridian shot k 6-fourfti trighf birdie round his bogeys including under 66 in the final round of the Hotada low consecutive birdies tm die back 'Kuchv extended the lead M two ClariiC rod beN Brad Faxon (67) and nine to helphim rally from s four strokes with another txnlie on foe shot deficit toSindelar at the turn JotySinddarCTO) by two strokes par-- 5 16th and madesurenpone“It’s going to be a big day for could tie him with a solid paru ve on “Whatagreat feelingtocrane6ur- on top to play all week and Ip coma V him' said Sindelar X i'jhe tongfopaF4 18fh v ' ' ' Mtt Kuchar 19-un- ’ ’ ' 12-fo- ot a43-yearp- 1 v ld - 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