Clemson bounces BC
Ten players scored for Clemson and the Tigers shot 71 percent from the field as they defeated Boston College (14-17) 82-48 in the quarterfinals of the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament last night in Charlotte, N.C.
The Eagles lost in the ACC championship game last year, Boston College's first year in the conference.
Junior guard Tyrese Rice scored 15 of the Eagles' 48 points. The loss likely ends the season for the Boston College.
Chris Lofton hit a 3-pointer with 11.4 seconds remaining and the fourth-ranked Volunteers survived South Carolina's bid for a huge upset, sending Dave Odom into retirement with an 89-87 victory over the Gamecocks in the quarterfinals of the Southeastern Conference tournament.
Tennessee (29-3) already claimed its first SEC championship in 41 years and hopes to lock up a top seed in the NCAA tournament by winning the league tourney.
PRO BASKETBALL
Rockets streak hits 21 games
The Houston Rockets' 21st consecutive victory gave them the second-longest winning streak in NBA history and a share of first place in the Western Conference. Tracy McGrady scored 30 points and the Rockets beat the Charlotte Bobcats 89-80 to break a tie with the 1970-71 Milwaukee Bucks for the second-best victory streak in league history. Only the 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers, who won 33 in a row, had a longer streak. The win also sets up Sunday's showdown with the current Lakers at the Toyota Center. They're both 45-20, the best records in the West.
San Antonio's Bruce Bowen was suspended one game by the NBA on Friday for kicking Chris Paul, ending his consecutive games streak at 500. Bowen began his streak, the longest in the NBA, on Feb. 28, 2002. He has started every game since but will miss the Spurs' visit to Detroit on Friday night. Besides his streak, Bowen will lose about $373,000.
The Seattle SuperSonics and Oklahoma City reached a preliminary agreement on a lease at the Ford Center pending NBA approval of the team's move. The deal calls for the SuperSonics to pay the city $1.6 million annually for use of the building and reimburse $409,000 a year to replace revenue from naming rights for the arena. The 15-year agreement has an exit clause if attendance falls after the first two years.
FOOTBALL
Wright still right guy for Pats
The New England Patriots have re-signed defensive lineman Mike Wright. In three seasons since signing with the Patriots as a rookie free agent, Wright started five of the 38 games in which he played. He finished last season on the injured reserve list and was a restricted free agent. Last season, Wright had 12 tackles in nine games before being sidelined with a foot injury.
BASEBALL
Yanks, Rays hit with suspensions
Yankees center fielder Melky Cabrera and first baseman Shelley Duncan were suspended for three games each for their roles in Wednesday's spring-training fracas between New York and the Tampa Bay Rays. Tampa outfielder Jonny Gomes was suspended for two games. All three players were fined along with Yankees manager Joe Girardi, third-base coach Bobby Meacham and hitting coach Kevin Long.
The suspensions, unless appealed, will start at the beginning of the regular season. Benches cleared during the second inning of Wednesday's game, four days after Girardi complained about Tampa Bay's aggressive play after a collision at the plate that injured catcher Francisco Cervelli. Duncan slid into Rays second baseman Akinori Iwamura with spikes raised after hitting a hard grounder off third base.
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