WPPA / T-102 SPORTS / Friday

RENTON, Wash. - The Seattle Seahawks may be double-digit
underdogs at home against defending Super Bowl champion New Orleans
on Saturday, but at least they are getting their starting
quarterback back on the field. Seahawks coach Pete Carroll says
35-year-old Matt Hasselbeck's hip injury is improving and he gets
the starting nod over backup Charlie Whitehurst for the Seahawks,
who enter the playoffs sporting a 7-9 record.

STANFORD, Calif. (AP) - Saying he's committed to earning his
Stanford degree in architectural design by the spring of 2012,
Andrew Luck says he's passing on the NFL draft this year to play
another year of college ball. Many scouts had projected the
Stanford quarterback to be the No. 1 overall pick had he chosen to
go pro.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) - Alabama has scheduled a news conference
today as a report has surfaced that the Tide's standout defensive
end Marcell Dareus is heading to the NFL. Dareus's legal guardian,
Lester Reasor, told The Birmingham News that Dareus has decided to
skip his senior season and head to the NFL.

KAPALUA, Hawaii (AP) - Jonathan Byrd and Carl Pettersson start
the day tied for the lead at the PGA season-opening Tournament of
Champions at Kapalua on the big island of Hawaii. Two-time
defending champion Geoff Ogilvy (OH'-gihl-vee) withdrew three days
after gouging his right index finger on a coral feer at the beach.

BOSTON (AP) - The Minnesota Wild stayed unbeaten in Boston with
a 3-1 win over the Bruins that gives the Wild a 9-2 overall mark
against the Bruins since Minnesota entered the NHL in 2000.
Boston's loss coupled with Montreal's 2-1 shootout win over
Pittsburgh, trims the Bruins' Northeast Division lead to one point
over the Canadiens, although the Bruins have two games in hand.


NBA
Thursday's Games
Oklahoma City 99, Dallas 95
Sacramento 122, Denver 102
Friday's Games
San Antonio at Indiana, 7 p.m.
Chicago at Philadelphia, 7 p.m.
New Jersey at Washington, 7 p.m.
Toronto at Boston, 7:30 p.m.
Utah at Memphis, 8 p.m.
Portland at Minnesota, 8 p.m.
Houston at Orlando, 8 p.m.
Miami at Milwaukee, 8:30 p.m.
Cleveland at Golden State, 10:30 p.m.
New Orleans at L.A. Lakers, 10:30 p.m.
New York at Phoenix, 10:30 p.m.

NHL
Thursday's Games
Toronto 6, St. Louis 5, SO
Montreal 2, Pittsburgh 1, SO
Minnesota 3, Boston 1
Philadelphia 4, New Jersey 2
Phoenix 2, Colorado 0
Edmonton 2, N.Y. Islanders 1
Nashville 5, Los Angeles 2
Buffalo 3, San Jose 0
Friday's Games
Toronto at Atlanta, 7:30 p.m.
Carolina at Florida, 7:30 p.m.
Ottawa at Chicago, 8:30 p.m.
N.Y. Rangers at Dallas, 8:30 p.m.
Detroit at Calgary, 9 p.m.
Edmonton at Vancouver, 10 p.m.
Columbus at Anaheim, 10 p.m.


TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Thursday's Games
( 7) Villanova 83 South Florida 71
(20) Illinois 88 Northwestern 63
(23) Washington 87 Oregon 69
(24) Cincinnati 66 Xavier 46
Friday's Games
No games scheduled


TOP-25 WOMEN'S COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Thursday's Games
( 3) Duke 71 (14) Maryland 64
( 4) Stanford 87 Arizona 54
( 5) Tennessee 110 Alabama 45
Georgia Tech 71 ( 8) North Carolina 70
(25) Arkansas 78 (10) Kentucky 67
(11) Michigan St. 62 Wisconsin 43
(24) Florida St. 79 Virginia Tech 48
Friday's Games
No games scheduled