WPPA / T-102 SPORTS / Thursday

PITTSBURGH (AP) - The Pittsburgh Penguins blanked the New York
Islanders for the second time in nine days, winning 3-0 on
Wednesday night. Pittsburgh has won four consecutive and seven of
eight - all without captain Sidney Crosby

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) -Jrue Holiday had 11 points, 11 assists and 10
rebounds for his first career triple-double to lead the
Philadelphia 76ers to a 106-92 victory over the New Jersey Nets on
Wednesday night. Nets coach Avery Johnson was ejected for arguing a
non-call .

VILLANOVA, Pa. (AP) -No. 12 Villanova snapped a two-game losing
streak with a 75-70 win over Marquette on Wednesday night. The
Wildcats had lost three of four and fell out of the Top 10.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -Temple withstood a late rally by La Salle to
earn a 71-67 victory Wednesday night. The Owls won their third in a
row and snapped the Explorers' three-game winning streak. La Salle
made a late charge, but came up short.

DALLAS (AP) - Pittsburgh Steelers center Maurkice Pouncey sat
out practice Wednesday but still expects to play in the Super Bowl.
Pouncey's left ankle was sprained in the AFC championship game. He
hopes to practice Friday and called his chances of playing against
the Green Bay Packers 75 percent.

DALLAS (AP) - An outside labor lawyer for the NFL says the
league's owners are as unified right now as NHL owners were when
that sport lost an entire season to a lockout. Bob Batterman said
Wednesday that the owners of the NFL's 32 teams "know what's wrong
with the business today."

DALLAS (AP) - An arbitrator has denied a grievance by the NFL
Players Association that sought to make teams pay health insurance
premiums for active players after the current labor deal expires
March 3. Arbitrator Shyam Das ruled in the NFL's favor Wednesday.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Juan Castillo is the new defensive
coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles, the team announced on
Wednesday. The Eagles also added offensive line coach Howard Mudd
to Andy Reid's staff.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) - The fuss about coach Joe Paterno's
future didn't prevent Penn State from making a late push on the
recruiting trail. A mad dash and a few timely decommitments by
prospects from schools with coaching upheaval helped the program
built by the 45-year veteran finish strong .

PITTSBURGH (AP) - Introduced as Pittsburgh's third head coach in
a five-week span on January 11, Todd Graham endured a frenzied
22-day span to salvage what he could of a fractured recruiting
class before Wednesday's national signing day. "It's been a very,
very unique three weeks," Graham said.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - The son of Philadelphia Eagles coach Andy
Reid is one of 20 players sending their letters of intent to Temple
and first-year coach Steve Addazio. Spencer Reid, a 5-foot-10,
205-pound running back, is one of the commitments that Addazio will
build around. The Owls open spring practice on March 23.

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) - Fans of the Green Bay Packers and
Pittsburgh Steelers tend to carry their passions for life. Babies
in Terrible Towels, pilgrimages to the graves of Lombardi or
Lambeau. On Sunday, two of the most rabid, far-reaching fan bases
in pro sports will follow the venerable franchises in the Super
Bowl in Dallas.


NBA
Wednesday's Games
Atlanta 100, Toronto 87
Indiana 117, Cleveland 112
Philadelphia 106, New Jersey 92
Charlotte 97, Detroit 87
Dallas 113, New York 97
Memphis 102, Minnesota 84
Oklahoma City 104, New Orleans 93
Denver 109, Portland 90
Phoenix 92, Milwaukee 77
Houston 97, Utah 96
Chicago 106, L.A. Clippers 88
Thursday's Games
Miami at Orlando, 8 p.m.
Milwaukee at Golden State, 10:30 p.m.
San Antonio at L.A. Lakers, 10:30 p.m.

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

TOP-25 COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Wednesday's Games
( 5) Duke 80 Maryland 62
(17) Syracuse 66 ( 6) Connecticut 58
( 7) San Diego St. 56 Colorado St. 54
( 8) BYU 69 Wyoming 62
(12) Villanova 75 Marquette 70
Oklahoma St. 76 (14) Missouri 70
Indiana 60 (18) Minnesota 57
(22) Utah St. 67 Nevada 45
(25) West Virginia 56 Seton Hall 44
Thursday's Games
No. 1 Ohio State vs. Michigan, 7 p.m.
No. 9 Notre Dame at DePaul, 9 p.m.
No. 20 Washington at Oregon State, 9 p.m.
No. 21 Arizona at Stanford, 9 p.m.


TOP-25 WOMEN'S COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Wednesday's Games
( 1) Baylor 92 (13) Oklahoma 70
(15) North Carolina 84 (19) Florida St. 75
(22) Iowa St. 79 Oklahoma St. 59
Thursday's Games
No. 3 Duke vs. No. 18 Miami, 7 p.m.
No. 4 Stanford at Arizona State, 8:30 p.m.
No. 11 Michigan State at Wisconsin, 8 p.m.
No. 12 Maryland at No. 24 Georgia Tech, 7 p.m.
No. 16 Kentucky vs. Auburn, 7 p.m.
No. 20 Iowa at Purdue, 6:30 p.m.
No. 21 Wisconsin-Green Bay vs. Cleveland State, 8 p.m.
No. 24 Georgia vs. Arkansas, 7 p.m.