K-State hands No. 7 Texas third loss in 4 games

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- Kansas State is surging at the right time.

Texas, the team that two weeks ago looked unstoppable in the Big 12, is slipping at precisely the wrong one.

Rodney McGruder scored 22 points, Jacob Pullen scored 20 and Kansas State muscled past No. 7 Texas 75-70 on Monday night, the Wildcats' fifth straight win and first on the road over a Top Ten team since 1994.

Pullen exemplified the tough, physical nature of the game, scoring 16 points in the second half despite falling hard on his right wrist as Kansas State (21-9, 9-6 Big 12) sent the Longhorns to their second straight loss and third in four games.

"Everybody wrote us off. They cast our season down the drain," Pullen said of the Wildcats' 1-4 start in the conference. "People say we're a good team again but we can't let things like that get into our locker room and we can't let down our guard. Our morale is to the sky."

Texas is heading in the opposite direction.

An 11-0 start in conference play had the Longhorns among the top contenders for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament. Now they're trying to regroup and not worry about how far they may fall.

"We're better than what we're playing and that's the concern," Texas coach Rick Barnes said. "You've got to stay disciplined with what you do. Kansas State did exactly what we thought they'd do and that was try to push us out of our offense."

Texas (24-6, 12-3) met its defensive match against the Wildcats, who held the Longhorns to 34 percent shooting. Freshman Tristan Thompson scored 26 points for the Longhorns but his teammates shot just 14 of 54 from the field. Kansas State shot 50 percent two days after Texas gave up a 22-point lead and let Colorado shoot 53 percent in a road loss.

Curtis Kelly scored 15 points for Kansas State, doing much of his damage in the first half when Pullen was struggling to score. McGruder was 4 of 6 on 3-pointers.

Thompson was the only Longhorn who could match Kansas State's physical play. He grabbed 10 rebounds and had several dunks but got little help on offense. Jordan Hamilton scored 14 points on 5-of-18 shooting and was a non-factor for most of the game. J'Covan Brown scored 11 points but didn't make a field goal until hitting two long 3-pointers in the final minute.

"They pressured us as well, but we just missed our shots," Texas guard Cory Joseph said.

Texas, which was used to blowing out teams at home, knew it was in for a fight when Kansas State's Jamar Samuels, who is 6-foot-7, decked 5-10 Texas guard Jai Lucas in a collision near midcourt in the early going.

But Thompson was the only one who really responded with three early dunks and tough rebounding. He scored 12 of Texas' first 20 points and Kansas State's best counterpunch was the inside scoring of Kelly and 7-footer Jordan Henriquez-Roberts.

Thompson's fourth dunk of the first half put Texas up 29-24. At that point, his six field goals were more than the rest of his team. Thompson's tough shot over Kelly put Texas up by five before a 3-pointer by McGruder pulled Kansas State within 33-31 at halftime.

Kelly made two consecutive baskets over Thompson to start the second, then blocked Hamilton as Kansas State quickly grabbed the lead. Hamilton also rimmed out a 3-pointer, his 10th miss in 11 shots.

"I try to be aggressive," Kelly said. "They're big and aggressive and try to attack me and I go back at them."

Pullen then made three consecutive baskets that put Kansas State ahead 50-42 with 12:06 to play.

Kansas State managed to maintain that lead for the next 5 minutes, but started piling up critical fouls. Samuels and Henriquez-Roberts both picked up their fourth, sending much of the Wildcats' interior strength to the bench.

The Wildcats simply went outside for points. McGruder slipped away from Hamilton for his fourth 3-pointer and a 60-51 lead.

Kansas State seemed to have the game wrapped up when McGruder dunked on a fast break with 47 seconds left. Brown's two long 3-pointers from the right wing gave Texas some life before Pullen and the Wildcats put the game away from the free throw line.

"Some of the breakdowns are baffling to be honest with you," Barnes said. "I can't tell you why because we've proven we can be really good defensively and offensively."

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Kings, Capitals beat the buzzer on deadline day

Dustin Penner was getting beat by a teammate at Ping-Pong when he was summoned to get the news he was about to be traded.

In one quick meeting, he was rescued from a losing game of Ping-Pong and the $50 bet that was on the line as well as the depths of the Western Conference standings.

Capitals GM George McPhee's patience pays off with his acquisition of Jason Arnott from the Devils. (AP Photo)

?It actually came at a good time,? Penner joked.

But more than anything, the deal that sent Penner to the Los Angeles Kings for prospect Colten Teubert and draft picks rescued the reputation of Kings general manager Dean Lombardi.

And his reputation wasn?t the only one on the line Monday.

Washington?s George McPhee and Lombardi were being outmaneuvered by their rival general managers in the weeks leading up to the trade deadline, and as time slipped away toward Monday?s 3 p.m. ET finish, the possibility that they wouldn?t be able to answer started to grow.

But in the final half hour, both general managers beat the buzzer. Lombardi landed Penner and McPhee landed the No. 2 center his team desperately needed with a deal for veteran Devils star Jason Arnott.

The Kings officially announced the Penner deal at 4:20 p.m. and the Capitals officially announced the Arnott deal at 5:25 p.m?long after the deadline had passed, but just in time to establish both as clear winners on deadline day.

?There weren?t many centers available and (Arnott) was one that a lot of people wanted to have,? McPhee said of the deal that sent David Steckel and a second-round pick back to New Jersey. ?This was the asking price. You do it reluctantly but it?s a decision you have to make in this position sometimes.?

It wasn?t an easy position.

Being the last one to act means everybody knows you?re trying to make a deal. Word leaked in the final days leading up to the deadline that the Kings and Oilers were trying to make a deal, but Lombardi made it clear to anyone listening that he wouldn?t part with coveted prospect Brayden Schenn.

Edmonton GM Steve Tambellini joked that when Schenn was brought up during a call to Lombardi, the reaction was always the same.

?There was a click,? Tambellini said. ?He didn?t want to discuss it too much. It?s (like) somebody asking me for Taylor Hall or Jordan Eberle. It?s a quick conversation.?

But Lombardi?s deft drafting and his hoarding of young talent in Los Angeles put him in position where he could make a deal on a day when asking prices were high. The immediate reaction was that the Kings paid a steep price for Penner?and they did.

Teubert is a former first-round pick who will someday make the Oilers much harder to play against. And no team likes to give up a high-end prospect AND a first-round pick, which Lombardi had to do.

But Penner didn?t have to be traded. He still has time left on his contract. And the reality is, there weren?t too many other impact players out there to be had for the price Lombardi was willing to pay.

?We didn?t have to move any player at this point,? Tambellini said. ?It became quite evident that the return was going to fit into what we were trying to do here.?

It was a strong return. But the Kings are stronger for having sent that package to the Oilers. Penner is a great fit in Los Angeles, and even though they say otherwise, it would have been natural for the players to feel let down if every other contender had improved while the Kings stood pat.

The same goes for the Capitals.

When the final trade of Monday?s 16 deals was completed, three of the best available players ended up with either the Caps or Kings?Penner, Arnott and Dennis Wideman.

Wideman may actually have the bigger impact on the ice for the Capitals, but McPhee paid the price for Arnott as much for what he brings off the ice, including a Stanley Cup ring.

?He?s a great guy and a great player. I think he?s going to be the big key for them,? former Devils teammate Johan Hedberg told Sporting News on Monday evening. ?He can kill penalties, play power plays. He?s a great person in the locker room and he?s a fun guy to be around. That was a big acquisition for them.?

And now the players for Los Angeles and Washington can turn their attention to winning games when it matters most.

Wideman could have been speaking for both the Kings and the Capitals when he summed up the team he was about to join.

?They?re moving in the right direction,? he said. ?I think we?re going to make a good push here.?

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Critical week in NFL labor talks as deadline looms

Both the NFL and its player's union will resume meeting with a federal mediator on Tuesday.

Doug Benc/Getty Images

NEW YORK (AP) This is the week hardly anyone expected to actually arrive: deadline time for the NFL and its players' union.

The collective bargaining agreement expires Thursday night, and the owners could lock out the players. Even before that, though, the Players Association is likely to decertify to prevent a lockout and take its chances in court.

Both sides will resume meeting with a federal mediator Tuesday and probably Wednesday in Washington; seven recent sessions brought little progress. The 32 team owners have meetings Wednesday and Thursday in nearby Chantilly, Va., where they will be briefed on the status of negotiations before deciding on the next step.

Just ahead stands the unthinkable: a labor shutdown in America's most prosperous and popular sport.

"Everything is hypothetical right now," new 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh said Monday. "I'm just optimistic we can get something done."

If the league locks out the players, everything stops except the NFL draft on April 28-30 - and any interviews or workouts teams conduct with college players leading up to the draft. After that, teams can't contact their picks, nor can they sign undrafted rookies.

Veterans also will be in limbo, with no offseason workouts (OTAs) or minicamps held. The longer the impasse lasts, the more in jeopardy training camps, the preseason and - gasp! - the regular season become.

Dolphins quarterback Chad Henne already has plans for practicing with teammates.

"We picked out a spot to work out at, and we're trying to get guys back in town," Henne said. "Normally our offseason program starts March 28, so we're going to try to have everybody back March 28 ... and hopefully a lot of guys will come back and we can work out and we can build some bonding and camaraderie."

The financial losses are almost incalculable, but would grow by tens of millions of dollars the longer the work stoppage lasts. The NFL is a $9 billion industry, but not when it comes to a halt.

Should the union decertify, something it did in 1989, only to reform, individual players would seek a court injunction preventing a lockout. Players on every team approved decertification in votes during the season.

But going through the courts can be a long, winding journey.

The league filed an unfair labor practice charge against the union with the National Labor Relations Board in mid-February, saying the NFLPA "consistently has failed to confer in good faith" during negotiations for a new contract. The NFL claimed the union's plans to decertify overrode its interest in reaching a new CBA, a charge union spokesman George Atallah said had "absolutely no merit."

If the union decertifies, which it must do before the CBA expires at 11:59 p.m. Thursday night, Commissioner Roger Goodell and the NFL in essence would have nobody to negotiate with. Then again, the players wouldn't have executive director DeMaurice Smith representing them anymore.

Already, some teams have withheld 2011 playbooks from veterans, particularly teams with new coaches, offensive or defensive coordinators. Indeed, several teams are putting together two sets of playbooks, one for use if there is an agreement and offseason workouts take place, and one in the event there are no OTAs or minicamps.

"There have never been any restrictions on when you could or couldn't hand out playbooks or do the normal offseason stuff," Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt said.

"Obviously, we have different schedules planned," Broncos coach John Fox added, "but all 32 teams are dealing with this."

Judge David Doty in Minneapolis is dealing with an NFLPA motion that $4 billion in TV rights fees from the NFL's network partners should be placed in escrow rather than spread among the teams in 2011 - even if no games are played. The league's agreements with the networks calls for payments to be made whether games take place next season or not, and the NFL says lockout protection is a normal part of such contracts.

Doty's decision likely won't come before Thursday night's CBA deadline.

Copyright 2011 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Alabama's Julio Jones wows scouts; Newton misses mark in drills

INDIANAPOLIS?The quarterbacks, wide receivers and running backs took to the Lucas Oil Stadium turf on Sunday, and here is a look at the day's most notable workouts at the NFL Scouting Combine:

Good impressions

Alabama wide receiver Julio Jones (8) can't get to a second-half pass as Penn State's D'Anton Lynn (8) defends. (AP photo)

Julio Jones, WR, Alabama. He definitely had a good day and locked up the spot as the No. 2, at worst, receiver in the draft. He definitely is a well-built receiver who showed great speed in his 40 (4.39 seconds) and explosiveness in his vertical and broad jumps. He displayed good hands throughout the receiving skills, too. He also eased concerns about his lack of quickness/burst.

Jordan Todman, RB, UConn. He showed strong running and receiving skills during the position drills. He showed great agility and change-of-direction skills after putting-up a good 40-yard dash time (4.4 seconds).

Ryan Williams, RB, Virginia Tech. Despite not running a great 40-time (4.58 seconds), he still had an impressive workout. He appeared quick and explosive with great balance and body control throughout the drills. He also showed soft hands, even though he wasn't utilized much as a receiver in college.

Christian Ponder, QB, Florida State. On a day where no QB displayed standout accuracy, Ponder seemed to be the most consistent. He showed strong footwork, smooth and easy passing mechanics and good enough arm strength to make all NFL throws.

Randall Cobb, WR, Kentucky. He ran fast (4.45 seconds in the 40), showed excellent quickness in and out of cuts and caught the ball well. His size and receiving skills project as a perfect fit as an NFL slot receiver. Also an elite kickoff and punt returner, he could end up being a late first-round pick.

Dion Lewis, RB, Pitt. His lateral quickness was impressive during running drills. He changed directions suddenly and without losing speed. He did not run fast in a straight line but confirmed his exceptional agility, body control and balance.

Denarius Moore, WR, Tennessee. He ran well (4.45 seconds), and then followed-up with a strong positional workout. He showed a natural ability to locate passes over his shoulder, adjusting his body to catch the ball at full speed. He looked good running the gauntlet drill and quickly turned up the sideline.

Titus Young, WR, Boise State. He showed excellent hands with the ability to extend and pluck the ball away from his body on every route. He caught every ball and showed rare ability to sink his hips with explosive quickness and body control, as he turned up the sideline after passing through the gauntlet drill. Unfortunately, a leg cramp ended his day early.

Austin Pettis, WR, Boise State. He showed the best combination of route-running ability and hands. He lacks pure speed or acceleration to threaten a defense downfield, but he shows excellent body control, balance and quickness coming out of breaks to make plays on underneath and intermediate routes. He is smooth and fluid but not sudden or explosive in his movements.

Bad impressions

Cam Newton, QB, Auburn. Despite his multimillion dollar smile and charismatic personality, his on-field workout was unimpressive. Since he didn't take snaps from center in college, it was not surprising that he appeared slow and unnatural with three-, five- and seven-step drops. After overthrowing all three deep balls, he then sailed two consecutive "out" routes 10-yards over the head of the receivers. He clearly must improve his fundamentals and techniques.

Ricky Stanzi, QB, Iowa. After Newton sailed passes high, Stanzi stepped up and threw passes into the ground in front of his receivers. Stanzi had a poor week at the Senior Bowl and was equally unimpressive Sunday. He simply lacks athletic skills and accuracy.

John Clay, RB, Wisconsin. He lost a lot of weight -- down to 230 pounds -- to try and impress in the timed drills and failed miserably. He was outclassed by his peers. He looked slow and stiff, and some teams could well project him at fullback moving forward in the draft process.

Damien Berry, RB, Miami (Fla.). He ran poorly in the 40-yard dash and then showed little explosive athleticism in the position drills. He ran the first drill incorrectly, after the four players who went before him did it the right way.

Jonathan Baldwin, WR, Pitt. Despite having great size and wingspan, he did not show the ability to quickly drop his hips to make sharp cuts. He lacks any special receiving skills, and his run-after-catch ability is barely average because it takes him so long to re-start after slowing down to make the catch. He had a drop and did not use his great length to catch a high pass away from his body downfield.

Edmond Gates, WR, Abilene Christian; Ricardo Lockette, WR, Fort Valley State. The two fastest receivers in a straight line -- both recorded 40 times at 4.37 seconds -- struggled as route-runners. Both had trouble getting into and out of breaks on horizontal routes. They also had trouble in dropping their weight and changing directions, especially when moving toward the sideline at full speed.

Other notable performances

Colin Kaepernick, QB, Nevada. With all of the attention given to Newton and Missouri's Blaine Gabbert, it is hard to understand why Kaepernick doesn't get more credit for having similar size and athletic skills. He followed up a strong showing at the Senior Bowl with a solid workout Sunday. He still shows some inconsistency because of an elongated throwing motion.

Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama. Although he did not run fast (4.62 seconds in the 40), he confirmed his outstanding quickness, body control and balance throughout the workout. His game tape and college production speak volumes. Strong, physical runners rarely impress during these workouts.

A.J. Green, WR, Georgia. He had a solid but unspectacular day. He ran well in the 40 -- 4.48 and 4.51 seconds -- and caught the ball well, but his route-running in some drills were not great. Still, he has the size and athleticism to remain as the No. 1 receiver on all teams' draft boards.

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J. Gordon snaps 66-race winless streak

Jeff Gordon tied Cale Yarborough for fifth all-time in Cup victories with his win on Sunday.

AP

AVONDALE, Ariz. (AP) ? Just before peeling off what he called a lame burnout near the finish line, Jeff Gordon screamed into his radio, the emotion pouring out with his voice.

"We just beat Kyle Busch!" he yelled.

Gordon did much more than that. He was headed back to Victory Lane, the longest winless streak of his career finally in the rearview mirror.

Overcoming a slew of potentially disastrous incidents, Gordon passed Kyle Busch with eight laps left and stretched his lead from there, ending his winless streak at 66 races Sunday at Phoenix International Raceway.

"It feels so amazing. I can't tell you how amazing this feels, " Gordon said. "It's been a long time, I know, and I'm going to savor this one so much."

PIR has been the place to end long winless streaks lately. Ryan Newman halted a 77-race checkerless streak at PIR in the spring and Carl Edwards stopped his run at 70 races without a win in the fall.

Gordon, a four-time series champion, was mired in a drought that seemed inexplicable for one of NASCAR's most successful and popular drivers. Even in ending it, it wasn't easy.

Coming off a disappointing Daytona 500, Gordon struggled in qualifying and started 20th. Early in the race, he was knocked into the wall by Edwards and later had to avoid a massive wreck that led to a 14-minute red flag. He also had to pull behind another car to shake loose a piece of debris from his grill and fight his way back to the front after a slow pit stop late in the race.

Gordon still managed to lead a race-high 138 laps and was able to pull alongside then bump Busch out of the way to win for the first time since April 2009 at Texas. It was his 83rd career victory, tying him with Cale Yarborough for fifth all-time.

"He was on a mission today, that's for sure, " said Busch, who held on for second to fall just short of winning all three NASCAR races in the same weekend for the second time in his career.

"When Jeff Gordon has a good car and he's got the opportunity to beat you, he's going to beat you, there's no doubt about that. He's my hero and I've always watched him and what he's been able to accomplish over the years, so it's no surprise that he beat us."

Jimmie Johnson, Kevin Harvick and Ryan Newman rounded out the top five in a 312-lap race around PIR's mile oval, the last on the current surface.

The quirky old track will undergo a $10 million repaving and reconfiguration project before the fall race, a move that isn't popular with many of the drivers.

The old bump-and-crack-filled surface held up well in its final weekend with a flurry of records.

Clint Bowyer set the qualifying mark in trucks on Friday, then Busch did it in Nationwide on Saturday. Edwards set a new Sprint Cup qualifying record at the track, hitting 137.279 mph to barely edge Kurt Busch on a day when 15 drivers eclipsed the previous record set by Edwards in the fall.

Conditions were a little different for Sunday's race.

A big storm came through the Valley of the Sun overnight, leaving a dusting of snow on the mountains above the track and washing away all the rubber that had built up on the track the previous two days. That meant a change in setups for all the teams, more grip for the tires and, fitting for the way the weekend went, more speed.

And it seemed the extra speed was hard to handle, leading to numerous early cautions, including one that took out Daytona 500 winner Trevor Bayne.

Edwards never got much of a chance to make it two straight wins at PIR. After leading several laps early, his No. 99 car got sent to the infield grass around Lap 60 when Kyle Busch's car got loose and hit him on the right side.

Edwards tried to keep going, but smoke started billowing out of the left side of his car and he was unable to turn, slamming into Gordon and sending both of them into the wall. He returned to the track later and finished 28th.

"I watched the replay and I think Kyle was just having a little trouble with his car, " Edwards said. "He was frustrated about it and didn't give us the room we needed. It just worked out in the absolute worst case for us."

A few laps later, the big wreck hit.

It started with Matt Kenseth bumping Brian Vickers coming out of Turn 2. Vickers tried to correct his slide, got loose and started a chain-reaction wreck that involved 13 cars and brought out the red flag, not to mention several wreckers ? the kind of aggressive racing not normally seen early in the season or early in races.

"They were driving like it was the last lap!" said Clint Bowyer, who was a part of the wreck. "Man, if we keep this up, we'll only have four cars to end all these races."

Once track officials finally cleared the track, the drivers were treated to a series of long runs.

Tony Stewart, Gordon and Johnson traded leads after that, with Gordon getting the longest stints. He seemed to be in control down the stretch, but lost the lead on a slow pit stop during the final caution.

Gordon quickly worked his way back through the field and caught up to Kyle Busch, who had passed Stewart for the lead. He stalked Busch for a few laps, then made his move and stretched the lead to take the checkers for the first time in a long time.

The fans in the grandstands savored the moment, nearly all of them rising as he crossed the line, and Gordon had a raucous celebration in the pits with his crew, owner and teammate Mark Martin.

"We were the only one to beat Kyle Busch this weekend and he's so tough to beat, " Gordon said. "What an awesome, awesome feeling to have a car like that."

And to win like that, finally.

Copyright 2011 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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No. 8 Purdue starts off fast, cruises to romp of Mich. State

EAST LANSING, Mich. (AFP) ? JaJuan Johnson and the Purdue Boilermakers are playing their best at the right time.

• 

  By Rick Osentoski, US Presswire

  Purdue's JaJuan Johnson dunks the ball during the eighth-ranked Boilermakers' rout at Michigan State on Sunday.

By Rick Osentoski, US Presswire

Purdue's JaJuan Johnson dunks the ball during the eighth-ranked Boilermakers' rout at Michigan State on Sunday.

Johnson had 20 points, a career-high 17 rebounds and seven blocks, leading No. 8 Purdue to a 67-47 win over Michigan State on Sunday.

"We're really playing at a high level right now," he said.

The Boilermakers (24-5, 13-3 Big Ten) have won six straight to surge into contention for the conference title.

"We're still in the hunt," Johnson said. "We need a little help, but it can be done."

The Boilermakers took control of their latest win with a 16-5 run midway through the first half, then turned the road game into a rout with a 19-4 spurt in the second half.

Purdue won both regular-season matchups against the Spartans for the first time since 1997, and handed them their worst home loss since Duke's 22-point win at the Breslin Center on Dec. 3, 2003.

"We need to move on, but we need to learn from getting punched in the mouth and not responding well," Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said. "The physical nature of that team, I would've really enjoyed it if I wasn't coaching against it."

The Spartans (16-12, 8-8) had won two straight and three of four to improve their shot at playing in a 14th straight NCAA tournament.

"I must say, I'm disappointed, but its been a recurring statement this year," Izzo said. "Give Purdue credit. They played with a tremendous amount of toughness and we just didn't match it."

Michigan State can't afford to fare poorly this week at home against last-place Iowa on Wednesday and on the road against rival Michigan before the Big Ten tournament.

"It's a big game for us on Wednesday," Izzo said.

Kalin Lucas scored 15 of his 23 points in the first half for the Spartans and didn't get much help.

Lucas limped off the court at halftime, favoring his right leg after Izzo said he "tweaked his ankle", but played another 18 minutes in the second. He more than tripled the scoring of any of his teammates.

Draymond Green scored seven, Mike Kebler had six points and slumping senior Durrell Summers scored just three on 1-of-4 shooting.

Johnson, meanwhile, was complimented by E'Twaun Moore scoring 17 and Lewis Jackson having 16 points.

The 6-foot-10, 221-pound center had plenty of help, but he was quite impressive himself.

Johnson had 13 points, 11 rebounds and two blocks in the first half alone as Purdue led 33-24. He finished 8 of 13 from the field on an array on low-post moves, fadeaway jumpers and made both of the three-pointers he attempted.

"JaJuan Johnson is playing as well as anybody in the country," Izzo said.

Johnson's defense inside was one of the reasons Michigan State connected on just one-third of its shots.

"I always tell him you have to prove it on the road and he did that," Purdue coach Matt Painter said.

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No. 8 Purdue starts off fast, cruises to romp of Mich. State

EAST LANSING, Mich. (AFP) ? JaJuan Johnson and the Purdue Boilermakers are playing their best at the right time.

• 

  By Rick Osentoski, US Presswire

  Purdue's JaJuan Johnson dunks the ball during the eighth-ranked Boilermakers' rout at Michigan State on Sunday.

By Rick Osentoski, US Presswire

Purdue's JaJuan Johnson dunks the ball during the eighth-ranked Boilermakers' rout at Michigan State on Sunday.

Johnson had 20 points, a career-high 17 rebounds and seven blocks, leading No. 8 Purdue to a 67-47 win over Michigan State on Sunday.

"We're really playing at a high level right now," he said.

The Boilermakers (24-5, 13-3 Big Ten) have won six straight to surge into contention for the conference title.

"We're still in the hunt," Johnson said. "We need a little help, but it can be done."

The Boilermakers took control of their latest win with a 16-5 run midway through the first half, then turned the road game into a rout with a 19-4 spurt in the second half.

Purdue won both regular-season matchups against the Spartans for the first time since 1997, and handed them their worst home loss since Duke's 22-point win at the Breslin Center on Dec. 3, 2003.

"We need to move on, but we need to learn from getting punched in the mouth and not responding well," Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said. "The physical nature of that team, I would've really enjoyed it if I wasn't coaching against it."

The Spartans (16-12, 8-8) had won two straight and three of four to improve their shot at playing in a 14th straight NCAA tournament.

"I must say, I'm disappointed, but its been a recurring statement this year," Izzo said. "Give Purdue credit. They played with a tremendous amount of toughness and we just didn't match it."

Michigan State can't afford to fare poorly this week at home against last-place Iowa on Wednesday and on the road against rival Michigan before the Big Ten tournament.

"It's a big game for us on Wednesday," Izzo said.

Kalin Lucas scored 15 of his 23 points in the first half for the Spartans and didn't get much help.

Lucas limped off the court at halftime, favoring his right leg after Izzo said he "tweaked his ankle", but played another 18 minutes in the second. He more than tripled the scoring of any of his teammates.

Draymond Green scored seven, Mike Kebler had six points and slumping senior Durrell Summers scored just three on 1-of-4 shooting.

Johnson, meanwhile, was complimented by E'Twaun Moore scoring 17 and Lewis Jackson having 16 points.

The 6-foot-10, 221-pound center had plenty of help, but he was quite impressive himself.

Johnson had 13 points, 11 rebounds and two blocks in the first half alone as Purdue led 33-24. He finished 8 of 13 from the field on an array on low-post moves, fadeaway jumpers and made both of the three-pointers he attempted.

"JaJuan Johnson is playing as well as anybody in the country," Izzo said.

Johnson's defense inside was one of the reasons Michigan State connected on just one-third of its shots.

"I always tell him you have to prove it on the road and he did that," Purdue coach Matt Painter said.

Copyright 2011 Agence France-Presse. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

For more information about reprints & permissions, visit our FAQ's. To report corrections and clarifications, contact Standards Editor Brent Jones. For publication consideration in the newspaper, send comments to letters@usatoday.com. Include name, phone number, city and state for verification. To view our corrections, go to corrections.usatoday.com.

We've updated the Conversation Guidelines. Changes include a brief review of the moderation process and an explanation on how to use the "Report Abuse" button. Read more.

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Report: Joe Torre named VP of operations for MLB

Updated: February 25, 2011, 5:41 PM ET

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Joe Torre has been hired as Major League Baseball's executive vice president of baseball operations, a person with knowledge of the appointment said.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Friday because commissioner Bud Selig wasn't expected to formally introduce Torre until Saturday.

MLB said Selig would make a major announcement at the new Salt River Fields ballpark, the spring facility for the Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies.

The 70-year-old Torre won four World Series titles for the New York Yankees in a 29-year career as a manager, retiring after last season following three years with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He played parts of 18 seasons in the majors.

Even when Torre stepped away from the dugout, he insisted he would always stay involved in the game to some extent -- though many figured that might be in television, or that he would take another managerial job elsewhere unable to truly call it quits as a skipper.

He likely will help Selig in a variety of roles. MLB lost chief operating officer Bob DuPuy last fall after he spent 8� years as the commissioner's top aide.

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

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Panthers to consider drafting QB with No. 1 pick

QB Cam Newton could vault into a top-5 draft slot -- perhaps No. 1 with Carolina -- with a solid showing at the NFL combine.

Kent Horner/Getty Images

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- Holding the No. 1 overall draft pick and needing help at quarterback to fix the NFL's worst offense, the Carolina Panthers were crushed when Stanford's Andrew Luck decided to stay in school.

There's still another QB who could perhaps be the top pick in April - only this time it would be a pretty big gamble: Auburn's Cam Newton.

New coach Ron Rivera has acknowledged the Panthers are considering taking the Heisman Trophy winner, who dazzled college football last season in leading the Tigers to the national championship.

"Whatever organization that I'm picked up, I'm going to be lucky, I'm going to be happy," Newton said Saturday at the NFL scouting combine.

His potential, athleticism and playing style draw comparisons to Michael Vick. But Newton carries plenty of risks, from whether his running style will translate to the NFL to questions about his character.

"That will all be along the process to see if he fits what we want to do and how we want to do it," Rivera said earlier in the week at the combine. "As far as the skill set goes, the kid's got tremendous physical talent. He's got natural size and ability to run. He's got a tremendous arm, and he's got a pretty good pocket presence already."

That would seem to fit what Carolina is looking for after a nightmare 2-14 season that included only 16 touchdowns and a franchise-low 196 points. Rookie Jimmy Clausen, who replaced the ineffective and injured Matt Moore, went 1-9 as a starter, had an NFL-worst 58.4 passer rating and didn't throw a touchdown pass to a wide receiver all season.

"We do believe you have to have a franchise quarterback, a guy that's basically going to lead your team for the next six, seven, eight years," Rivera said. "Most certainly, we believe that. Do you have to take that, or is that guy on our roster right now. That's part of our evaluation process."

Rivera, who was defensive coordinator with the San Diego Chargers until he replaced John Fox in January, indicated Newton will be brought to Charlotte before the April 28 draft.

"We'll bring him in, and visit with him and try to get a feel for what he does know, how well he'll learn," Rivera said.

But Newton is no automatic No. 1 choice like the NFL-ready Luck. Taking him might be one of the more riskier moves in franchise history.

The 21-year-old Newton has great size (6-foot-6, 250 pounds) and a rocket arm. He put up gaudy numbers in his only college season as a starter at Auburn, but played mostly out of the shotgun while running the ball almost as many times as he threw it.

"Everybody knows that Cam has been in a spread offense," Newton said. "I have been trying to work as much as possible trying to be fluent in coming from under center, the three-step game, the five-step and also the seven-step drop."

Adjusting to a pro style offense is a big concern. So are parts of his background.

Newton started his college career at Florida, but left school following a November 2008 arrest after he bought a stolen computer. The charges were later dropped after he completed a pretrial intervention program for first-time offenders.

Then an NCAA investigation determined his father, Cecil, solicited up to $180,000 from Mississippi State before his son went to Auburn.

Newton also raised eyebrows when he told Sports Illustrated recently that "I see myself not only as a football player, but an entertainer and icon."

Newton claimed Saturday he was misunderstood.

"Football is my No. 1 priority," he said. "I want to make that perfectly clear."

The Panthers, the NFL's worst team in 2010, need plenty of help elsewhere, too. There would seemingly be safer choices with the top pick, such as Clemson defensive end Da'Quan Bowers or Newton's teammate at Auburn, defensive tackle Nick Fairley. Rivera said another quarterback, Missouri's Blaine Gabbert, would get some consideration, too.

Newton remains the wild card.

"If you look at it, you'd have to say we're somewhere between seven and 10 guys that we have targeted," Rivera said. "That number may be lowered in a matter of time. We are exploring all positions. Quarterback is one of them, but we are exploring all positions."

Copyright 2011 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Kansas State gets bubble boost with home win over No. 21 Missouri

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) ? Kansas State was willing to go into a swoon once Saturday when Jacob Pullen went to the bench with foul trouble. Only once.

By Orlin Wagner, AP

Kansas State's Jacob Pullen looks to pass as Missouri's Matt Pressey defends during the first half of the Wildcats' victory in Manhattan, Kan.

When the Wildcats' senior guard picked up two fouls in the first half, No. 21 Missouri went on a 10-1 run. But when he took a seat with four fouls with about 7 minutes left in a tight game, his teammates settled down and took control, unfurling a gritty 9-0 run that carried them to an 80-70 victory.

"That's kind of what it's about," said Frank Martin, who became the first coach in Kansas State history to win 20 games in each of his first four seasons. "You have a team, not players."

Pullen scored 24 points, reaching a rare career milestone, and Curtis Kelly (FSY) added 15 points and six rebounds for the resurgent Wildcats (20-9, 8-6), who have won six of seven and are battling Missouri (22-7, 8-6) for the fourth and final bye in the Big 12 tournament.

Pullen went 3 for 3 from three-point range and scored 11 quick points at the game's outset, becoming one of two Kansas State players to go over the 2,000-point mark. But he picked up his fourth foul with 7:16 left and was on the bench when Missouri's Michael Dixon hit a three-pointer for a 60-60 tie with 6:10 to go.

But Will Spradling hit a three-pointer, Rodney McGruder made a floater in the lane and Nick Russell had four free throws in a 9-0 run as the foul-plagued Tigers dropped to 1-6 in Big 12 road games.

"Will was real tentative in practice the last two days and I was real hard on him," Martin said. "It's a credit that a young kid, a freshman, can step up and accept that responsibility. When Jake went out, him and Rodney accepted responsibility. Curtis accepted responsibility. The most important part was we got defensive stops, which is what gave us the opportunity."

Marcus Denmon had 22 points and Laurence Bowers had 16 points and nine rebounds for the Tigers, who came in with a four-game winning streak but have a conference road win against only last-place Iowa State.

While struggling to stop the Kansas State surge in the final minutes, the Tigers had four players with four fouls and three others with three.

"They made plays down the stretch," Denmon said. "We were in our zone defense when it was tied 60-60. It was a credit to them. We had a lot of mental mistakes as a team. We did a lot of things that you can't do on the road."

Pullen, one of the hottest shooters in the nation the past two weeks, hit his first three three-pointers and had 11 points as the Wildcats bolted to a 15-7 lead. He and Mike Evans are the only Kansas State players to score 2,000 points.

The Kansas State bench scored 29 points and the Wildcats had a 39-24 rebounding edge over the team that beat them 75-59 on Jan. 17.

"We had a lot of dudes step up, even in the first half," Pullen said. "Will made some shots. They had confidence. They felt like this was our game and we weren't giving it away. When you've got a team that's playing like we're playing right now, just hitting our stride and feeling really good about ourselves, it really makes everything easy, even when I'm not in the game."

In his four-year career, Pullen has never lost to Missouri at home.

"We take a lot of pride when we play again them," he said. "We really wanted this game. We had our moments when we kind of got lackadaisical. But at the end of the day we made plays and we did what we had to do to win the game."

The Wildcats led by as many as 10 points in the first half but Missouri closed to 41-38 at halftime.

"They started off with a tremendous run in a game where emotions are going to run sky-high," Missouri coach Mike Anderson said. "I thought our guys did a good job of settling in and getting back to the things that we came on the road to do in terms of execution of our offense and defense. When you go into halftime down by three points, you feel pretty good about your team."

McGruder had 10 points for Kansas State. Dixon had 10 for the Tigers.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Reports: Some Detroit Pistons AWOL to protest coach

Updated: February 25, 2011, 5:41 PM ET

A number of Detroit Pistons were rumored to be leaving the team around the trade deadline, but not like this.

Tracy McGrady, Tayshaun Prince, Richard Hamilton and Chris Wilcox missed the team's shootaround Friday morning before that night's game against the Sixers in Philadelphia, and team sources told multiple media outlets that the players were staging a protest.

Sources told the Detroit Free Press and Detroit News that the shootaround boycott was directed at second-year coach John Kuester, who has clashed with players in the past.

Stein: Coaching change coming in Detroit?

It sends the wrong message, but the Pistons have no choice but to part ways with John Kuester after Friday's incident, Marc Stein writes. Blog

Team spokesman Cletus Lewis said that McGrady had a headache, Prince an upset stomach and Hamilton and Wilcox missed the bus from the team hotel.

Rodney Stuckey and Austin Daye also missed the bus, but they arrived toward the end of a media session, Lewis said.

Ben Wallace also missed the shootaround but was dealing with a family matter, Lewis said, as he has over the past month.

"We'll go with the group that was here," said Kuester about facing the 76ers, according to the Free Press. "We got a number of guys that have a bug, but these guys went through shootaround the way it was supposed to. We have some things, some excuses, not excuses, but absences because of headache and stuff like that.

"We'll go with this group right here because they went through shootaround."

Prince and Hamilton are questionable for the game with a sore groin and sore back, respectively. They were two names that came up in trade talk over the past month.

Hamilton was rumored to be headed to New Jersey in a three-team trade with the Nuggets that would have landed Carmelo Anthony in New Jersey. That deal fell through. The Dallas Mavericks reportedly expressed interest in Prince at the deadline but couldn't pull off a trade.

Hamilton is averaging a career-worst 13.3 points per game after going for 17.7 for his 11-year career, the last eight of which came with the Pistons.

?

We'll go with this group right here because they went through shootaround.

? -- Pistons coach John Kuester

Prince has spent his entire eight-year career with Detroit and is having another solid, if unspectacular year, with averages of 14.1 points and 4.6 rebounds per game.

McGrady is in his first year with the Pistons and is averaging only 8.4 points per game. Wilcox is getting only 16.7 minutes per game and averaging 5.6 points.

The most important numbers for the Pistons, however, concern where they are in the standings. Detroit is 21-38, mired in fourth place in the Central and 6� games behind Indiana for the final playoff spot in the East.

The Pistons didn't make the playoffs last year for the first time in nine years. They won it all in 2003-04.

A team source told the Free Press that it wasn't clear what the next step would be for the Pistons, but he acknowledged that Detroit had just gone through an organized protest.

There have been signs of disharmony almost from the beginning. Kuester benched Stuckey barely a week into the season, although that was only temporary.

Kuester then benched Hamilton on Jan. 12, and he didn't play again until a Feb. 5 game at Milwaukee. Hamilton has missed every game since then. The team has said Hamilton has a groin injury.

The team was unable to trade Hamilton before Thursday's deadline. He's guaranteed $20 million over the next two seasons.

Kuester has juggled the lineup quite a bit this season, trying to find combinations that might help propel the Pistons to a playoff spot, but so far it's been no use. McGrady has been a bright spot, staying healthy and settling in as a point guard, and rookie big man Greg Monroe is showing promise -- but Detroit has clearly fallen a long way since Hamilton, Prince and Wallace led the Pistons to the 2004 NBA title.

Owner Karen Davidson has been trying to sell the team, and that turned into a drawn-out saga after she said she hoped it would be done by the start of the season. On Feb. 11, Davidson confirmed she and investor Tom Gores had a two-week "exclusivity" period for negotiations.

On Friday -- exactly two weeks later -- there was no update from the owner.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

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Howard, Magic silence Thunder in blowout

ORLANDO, Florida | Sat Feb 26, 2011 1:10am EST

ORLANDO, Florida (Reuters) - Dwight Howard was dominant in leading the Orlando Magic to an easy 111-88 win over an undermanned Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday.

"There's got to be a consistency to what we do," Orlando coach Stan Van Gundy told reporters. "We've got to try to be that team every night."

Despite shooting just 36 percent through the first three quarters, the Thunder trailed by only 10 points on the strength of Kevin Durant's 20 points.

The Magic held Durant to three points in the final period to finally pull away.

"Their defense was smothering," Thunder coach Scott Brooks admitted. "They made us take tough shots and it seemed like every shot was contested."

The Thunder were without Kendrick Perkins and Nate Robinson, who were acquired from the Boston Celtics, as well as Nazr Mohammed from Charlotte, and were unable to keep pace with the Magic in the fourth quarter.

Howard tied a season high with 40 points, 10 in each quarter, while pulling down 15 rebounds and blocking six shots.

"I actually left him in to get 40," Van Gundy added. "It may be the first time I've ever done that, but he was so close and I said we'll give him one more possession."

Jason Richardson hit five three pointers and scored 17 points for the Magic and J.J. Redick scored 16 points off the bench including nine points in the fourth quarter.

Russell Westbrook scored 18 points for the Thunder and James Harden added 17.

(Reporting by Mike Mouat in Windsor, Ontario; Editing by John O'Brien)

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Wagner charges one stroke clear in Mexico

MEXICO CITY | Sat Feb 26, 2011 9:10pm EST

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - American Johnson Wagner surged past overnight pacesetter Chris Stroud to take a one-shot lead in the third round of the Mayakoba Golf Classic Saturday.

Four strokes behind at the start of an overcast and occasionally rainy day, Wagner fired a six-under-par 65 on the El Camaleon course at the resort of Playa del Carmen on the Riviera Maya.

In pursuit of his second PGA Tour victory, the 30-year-old recorded five birdies, one eagle and a lone bogey to post a 13-under total of 200.

Stroud was alone in second after carding a 70 with fellow Americans Bobby Gates (64) and Spencer Levin (67), plus Australian Jarrod Lyle (67), a further shot back at 11 under.

"I feel like I've been practicing well," Wagner, who had missed the cut in his only two previous PGA Tour starts this year, told reporters.

"This week I just came into it wanting to be committed to what I'm doing and what I'm working on, and so far it's been phenomenal.

"It's nice to be back in this position. Hopefully this is what my career is going to look like for years to come."

Wagner, who won his maiden PGA Tour title at the 2008 Houston Open, covered the back nine in four-under 31 to take over at the top of the leaderboard.

"It just seemed like I had good birdie putt after good birdie putt on the back nine," he said. "They all didn't go in, but a lot of them did.

"(Tomorrow) I have to go out and make birdies and try to play the same kind of rounds that I've played the last two days. If I could go post a good number, I'd feel pretty good about it. Someone is going to have to play good to beat me."

(Writing by Mark Lamport-Stokes in Marana, Arizona; Editing by Frank Pingue)

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Jeter downplays Hank Steinbrenner's 'mansion' comments

TAMPA, Fla. -- Derek Jeter laughed off Hank Steinbrenner's assertion that some New York Yankees were "too busy building mansions" after winning the 2009 World Series.

The Yankees captain was building a large multimillion dollar home in Tampa last year when New York lost to Texas in the AL Championship Series after fading in the second half of the season and winding up with the AL wild card. Steinbrenner, the Yankees' co-chairman, made the remark Monday in saying his team lacked hunger last year.

"I understand most of it," Jeter said before Tuesday's spring training workout. "The house, I didn't understand. That's a first. That's funny, I think. I'm not moving, so we won't be talking about this again."

Jeter often smiled and laughed during an 11-minute pre-workout session with reporters. He pointed out, with a smile, that Steinbrenner used the plural "mansions" and that his name was not speciallly mentioned.

The shortstop said no further explanation was needed from the oldest son of George Steinbrenner, the Yankees owner who died last July.

"Hopefully this is the last time we have to discuss last season," Jeter said.

Steinbrenner said later Tuesday his comments were not directed at Jeter.

"It was a generalization, a euphemism. A bad choice of a euphemism," Steinbrenner said. "That's all it was.

Steinbrenner sent a message to Jeter clarifying his remarks.

"Sometimes teams get a little complacent, they celebrate for too long," Steinbrenner said. "It certainly isn't Derek. Derek's got five rings. You don't win five rings by being complacent. So, it was definitely not Derek I was talking about, and it wasn't, obviously, a few other players, either. But in the end we've got to win."

Jeter hit .270 last year, 44 points below his career average. He also went through offseason contract talks that were played out in public and became snippy at times en route to a $51 million, three-year deal.

Jeter disagrees with Steinbrenner, who said was the 2009 team may have been "riding the wave" of the World Series title.

"That I didn't see," Jeter said. "I wouldn't say it was a lack of hunger. I just think we didn't play as well, that's why we lost. We got beat by a team that was better than us in that [ALCS] series."

"Owners can say whatever they want," Jeter added. "They're entitled to their opinions. You don't always, necessarily, agree with their opinion. We can have a difference of opinion."

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LIVE: Track all the college hoops Top 25 scores

�	MON21 2 GAMES	TUE22 5 GAMES	WED23 11 GAMES	THU24 4 GAMES	FRI25 0 GAMES	SAT26 13 GAMES	SUN27 7 GAMES	�
� TOP 25 SCOREBOARD

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Job-hunters' alert: Spring training games begin

Job-hunters' alert: Spring training games begin

A winter highlighted by -- among other things -- the Philadelphia Phillies putting together one of the strongest pitching rotations in recent memory ends this weekend when spring training games begin.

"Obviously, they have an outstanding rotation," says Yankees manager Joe Girardi, whose first two games Saturday and Sunday are against the back end of that rotation -- Cole Hamels and Joe Blanton. "But I remember (Atlanta's Greg) Maddux, (Tom) Glavine, (John) Smoltz, (Steve) Avery. There's three sure Hall of Famers."

Girardi's Saturday starter, meanwhile, is Bartolo Colon, who didn't pitch in the majors last year and is 14-21 since winning 21 games in 2005. Colon, 37, impressed Yankees coach Tony Pena, who managed his winter league team.

Besides, the Yankees have at least one opening in their rotation. Not so for the Phillies, unless they are inclined to trade from their greatest strength. If so, Blanton would be the most likely candidate.

That's what spring training games are about -- battling for jobs, trying to extend a career, showcasing for potential trades or just tuning up for a season.

Today's one game at Scottsdale, Ariz. features the World Series champion San Francisco Giants againt the Arizona Diamondbacks. Seven more games are scheduled for Saturday, including first at the new Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, just outside Scottsdale. That's a matchup between the new complex's tenants, the Diamondbacks and Rockies.

After 11 more games Sunday, every team will have played except the Orioles, White Sox, Marlins, Astros, Mets, Cardinals and Nationals. They're in action Monday as part of the spring's first full 16-game schedule.

For the second year in a row, split-squad games are more common than in previous years, thanks to the 15-15 split of teams between Florida and Arizona.

The exhibition season ends Wednesday, March 30 and the regular season begins the next day with six games, a departure from the Sunday night opener in recent years.

See photos of: Philadelphia Phillies

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Rose blooms as Bulls hold off Heat

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Derrick Rose scored 26 points and Luol Deng added 20, including the tiebreaking 3, and the Chicago Bulls beat the Miami Heat 93-89 on Thursday night in a wild showdown between two of the Eastern Conference's top teams.

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Reports: Some Detroit Pistons AWOL to protest coach

Updated: February 25, 2011, 5:41 PM ET

A number of Detroit Pistons were rumored to be leaving the team around the trade deadline, but not like this.

Tracy McGrady, Tayshaun Prince, Richard Hamilton and Chris Wilcox missed the team's shootaround Friday morning before that night's game against the Sixers in Philadelphia, and team sources told multiple media outlets that the players were staging a protest.

Sources told the Detroit Free Press and Detroit News that the shootaround boycott was directed at second-year coach John Kuester, who has clashed with players in the past.

Stein: Coaching change coming in Detroit?

It sends the wrong message, but the Pistons have no choice but to part ways with John Kuester after Friday's incident, Marc Stein writes. Blog

Team spokesman Cletus Lewis said that McGrady had a headache, Prince an upset stomach and Hamilton and Wilcox missed the bus from the team hotel.

Rodney Stuckey and Austin Daye also missed the bus, but they arrived toward the end of a media session, Lewis said.

Ben Wallace also missed the shootaround but was dealing with a family matter, Lewis said, as he has over the past month.

"We'll go with the group that was here," said Kuester about facing the 76ers, according to the Free Press. "We got a number of guys that have a bug, but these guys went through shootaround the way it was supposed to. We have some things, some excuses, not excuses, but absences because of headache and stuff like that.

"We'll go with this group right here because they went through shootaround."

Prince and Hamilton are questionable for the game with a sore groin and sore back, respectively. They were two names that came up in trade talk over the past month.

Hamilton was rumored to be headed to New Jersey in a three-team trade with the Nuggets that would have landed Carmelo Anthony in New Jersey. That deal fell through. The Dallas Mavericks reportedly expressed interest in Prince at the deadline but couldn't pull off a trade.

Hamilton is averaging a career-worst 13.3 points per game after going for 17.7 for his 11-year career, the last eight of which came with the Pistons.

?

We'll go with this group right here because they went through shootaround.

? -- Pistons coach John Kuester

Prince has spent his entire eight-year career with Detroit and is having another solid, if unspectacular year, with averages of 14.1 points and 4.6 rebounds per game.

McGrady is in his first year with the Pistons and is averaging only 8.4 points per game. Wilcox is getting only 16.7 minutes per game and averaging 5.6 points.

The most important numbers for the Pistons, however, concern where they are in the standings. Detroit is 21-38, mired in fourth place in the Central and 6� games behind Indiana for the final playoff spot in the East.

The Pistons didn't make the playoffs last year for the first time in nine years. They won it all in 2003-04.

A team source told the Free Press that it wasn't clear what the next step would be for the Pistons, but he acknowledged that Detroit had just gone through an organized protest.

There have been signs of disharmony almost from the beginning. Kuester benched Stuckey barely a week into the season, although that was only temporary.

Kuester then benched Hamilton on Jan. 12, and he didn't play again until a Feb. 5 game at Milwaukee. Hamilton has missed every game since then. The team has said Hamilton has a groin injury.

The team was unable to trade Hamilton before Thursday's deadline. He's guaranteed $20 million over the next two seasons.

Kuester has juggled the lineup quite a bit this season, trying to find combinations that might help propel the Pistons to a playoff spot, but so far it's been no use. McGrady has been a bright spot, staying healthy and settling in as a point guard, and rookie big man Greg Monroe is showing promise -- but Detroit has clearly fallen a long way since Hamilton, Prince and Wallace led the Pistons to the 2004 NBA title.

Owner Karen Davidson has been trying to sell the team, and that turned into a drawn-out saga after she said she hoped it would be done by the start of the season. On Feb. 11, Davidson confirmed she and investor Tom Gores had a two-week "exclusivity" period for negotiations.

On Friday -- exactly two weeks later -- there was no update from the owner.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

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Watson keeps it elementary with carefree approach

U.S. golfer Bubba Watson hits off the 12th tee in final round play on Torrey Pines South course during the Farmers Insurance Open PGA golf tournament in San Diego, California January 30, 2011.

Credit: Reuters/Mike Blake

By Mark Lamport-Stokes

MARANA, Arizona | Fri Feb 25, 2011 9:36pm EST

MARANA, Arizona (Reuters) - Bubba Watson is enjoying a golden 2011 season, highlighted by his second PGA Tour victory at last month's Farmers Insurance Open in San Diego and a carefree approach to the game.

Just over a year ago, however, it was a very different story as the long-hitting American continually berated himself for not living up to his own high golfing standards, and those of others.

It took a serious sit-down with his concerned caddie, and another with his wife Angie, before Watson was able to transfer his happy-go-lucky approach to life to his day job out on the course.

"I've always been happy," Watson told reporters after overpowering Australian Geoff Ogilvy 6&4 in the third round of the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship on Friday.

"The problem was inside the ropes my life was going the wrong way. My caddie told me earlier last year he was going to leave me, because he's a good friend of mine, and he didn't want to see me beat myself (mentally) inside the ropes.

"Outside the ropes, as soon as I sign the scorecard, I'm the same Bubba from Baghdad (in Florida). I love to have fun, love to goof around. I don't worry about what I shot. I just had to bring it to the golf course."

Left-hander Watson, who clinched his maiden PGA Tour title at last year's Travelers Championship, said his caddie's threat to leave him had been a much-needed jolt.

"It was a slap in the face," the 32-year-old added. "My wife said the same stuff. We had a pow-wow and I was wrong.

"So I've worked hard to try to bring it to the golf course. And my caddie has kicked me in the butt a few times to remind me of what I'm supposed to be doing.

RIGHT DIRECTION

"Golf is the last thing I'm thinking about. We're just thinking about keeping my life in the right direction. It's working so far."

It has certainly worked for Watson this week at Dove Mountain's Ritz-Carlton Golf Club where he has not trailed at any stage in his first three matches in the elite 64-man event.

On Friday, he charged three up on Ogilvy after just three holes before sealing victory at the par-four 14th.

Ogilvy, a double Match Play champion, conceded the match to his opponent after taking three shots to reach the 14th green on a sun-baked afternoon at Dove Mountain.

U.S. Ryder Cup player Watson, who was effectively eight under par for the first 13 holes, had struck a superb approach there to just under four feet.

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Three defensive tackles will attract a lot of interest

This is the eighth in a series of position-by-position analyses of the NFL's 2011 free-agent draft class.

With Baltimore?s Haloti Ngata (franchise tag), Oakland?s Richard Seymour (new contract) and Miami?s Paul Soliai (franchise tag) off the market, the defensive tackle class still has three great options at the top ? but not much after that.

Although Aubrayo Franklin is coming off a bit of a down year, the 49ers will try to retain him because they need him in front of Patrick Willis in their 3-4 scheme. (AP Photo)

The top five

1. Aubrayo Franklin, 30, 49ers. With Soliai, a very similar player, getting the franchise tag, Franklin is the premier nose tackle available. Although Franklin is coming off a bit of a down year, the 49ers will try to retain him because they need him in front of Patrick Willis in their 3-4 scheme.

2. Brandon Mebane, 26, Seahawks. At 6-1, 311, this underrated player is a quick penetrator who thrives at stopping the run. Mebane comes with a minor injury concern after a bad calf cost him four games in 2010.

3. Barry Cofield, 26, Giants. He has been a well-coached, productive lineman working in New York's terrific rotation. Cofield?s age and potential to get even better will make him attractive to 4-3 teams.

4. Shaun Smith, 29, Chiefs. Simply put, he does his limited run-stopping job well in Romeo Crennel's 3-4. Smith has the potential to fill the same same role in a 4-3.

5. Anthony Adams, 30, Bears. Chicago officials want to keep their most consistent run stuffer?especially because they may cut fellow tackle Tommie Harris.

Boom or bust

Shaun Rogers, 31, Browns. Does he still have something left? In 2007 and '08, he was outstanding, but injuries limited him to 12 starts and four sacks the past two years combined.

Comeback candidate

Jonathan Fanene, 28, Bengals. Fanene, who looked good as a pass rusher two years ago, lost most of last season to a torn hamstring. He could contribute to a defense in a situational inside pressure role.

Big sleeper

Alan Branch, 26, Cardinals. At 6-5, 338, he gave Arizona a good option at both tackle and end as the team used both 4-3 and 3-4 concepts. He would be a fine backup for a DT-needy team and could take a run at a starting job.

On the decline

Marcus Stroud, 32, Bills. He struggled to make the adjustment to the Bills? 3-4 last season. After 10 years in the trenches, he may not have much left to offer.

End of the line?

Pat Williams, 38, Vikings. The oldest starting defensive player in the NFL is considering retirement. He has had a good run as half of the Williams Wall, but he may have finally hit it.

Free-agent defensive tackles

Anthony Adams, 30, Chicago

Alan Branch, 25, Arizona

Desmond Bryant, 25, Oakland

Tim Bulman, 28, Houston

Shaun Cody, 28, Houston

Barry Cofield, 26, N.Y. Giants

Ron Edwards, 31, Kansas City

Fred Evans, 27, Minnesota

Jonathan Fanene, 28, Cincinnati

Ronald Fields, 29, Denver

Andre Fluellen, 25, Detroit*

Eric Foster, 25, Indianapolis*

Aubrayo Franklin, 30, San Francisco

Gary Gibson, 28, St. Louis

Kedric Golston, 27, Washington

John Henderson, 32, Oakland

Chris Hovan, 32, St. Louis

Antonio Johnson, 26, Indianapolis

Ed Johnson, 27, Carolina*

Tank Johnson, 29, Cincinnati

Derek Landri, 27, Carolina

Damione Lewis, 32, Houston

Trey Lewis, 25, Atlanta*

John McCargo, 27, Buffalo

Tony McDaniel, 26, Miami

Brandon Mebane, 26, Seattle

Daniel Muir, 27, Indianapolis

Haloti Ngata, 27, Baltimore**

DeMario Pressley, 25, Houston

Darryl Richard, 24, New England*

Bryan Robinson, 36, Arizona

Shaun Rogers, 31, Cleveland

Clifton Ryan, 27, St. Louis

Junior Siavii. 32. Seattle

Shaun Smith, 29, Kansas City

Paul Soliai, 27, Miami**

Marcus Stroud, 32, Buffalo

Craig Terrill, 30, Seattle

Marcus Thomas, 25, Denver

Kevin Vickerson, 28, Denver

Gerard Warren, 32, New England

Gabe Watson, 27, Arizona

Pat Williams, 38, Minnesota

* Restricted free agent; ** Received franchise tag

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Celtics trade Perkins to Thunder, acquire Green

[unable to retrieve full-text content]The Boston Celtics and Oklahoma City Thunder weren't content with just being top-tier playoff contenders, swapping starters Thursday in a surprising deadline deal.

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Bryce Harper to make spring training debut Monday

VIERA, Fla. ? Bryce Harper, the top pick in last year's amateur draft, will make his spring training debut Monday when the Washington Nationals visit the New York Mets in Port St. Lucie for their spring training opener.

Nationals manager Jim Riggleman said he expects the 18-year-old Harper will get at least one at-bat in the game.

"I'm hoping that he kind of blends in," Riggleman said. "I'm not looking for him to excel against major league pitching."

Harper is learning a new position, moving from catcher to the outfield. Nationals outfielder Jerry Hairston said it will take time to make the adjustment.

"He's got a good head on his shoulders," Hairston said. "We've talked a little bit. He's a humble guy. He realizes what's going on. I'm sure everybody's excited about watching him play. He's a great talent. It's a spring training game. I know he's going to be a little excited."

Jayson Werth, who signed to a $126 million, seven-year contract with Washington in the offseason, will not make the trip. Neither will All-Star third baseman Ryan Zimmerman and first baseman Adam LaRoche. Their debuts likely will come Tuesday or Wednesday when Washington hosts the Mets and the Florida Marlins.

Chad Gaudin will pitch the first game for Washington on Monday. Livan Hernandez throws Tuesday and John Lannan goes Wednesday.

? The Associated Press

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