http://TheState.com/nationwire/index.xml News, sports and entertainment from TheState.com en-us Copyright 2009 TheState.com Top Stories - Wire 60 Mon, 23 Nov 2009 03:22:45 EST http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss McClatchy Interactive's Workbench support@TheState.com http://www.thestate.com/nationwire/story/1040407.html?RSS=untracked http://www.thestate.com/nationwire/story/1040407.html?RSS=untracked Mon, 23 Nov 2009 03:17 EST A young woman in the first row behind the far corner flag was savoring prime views of the world's most recognizable player.<p/>The T-shirt she wore to the MLS Cup on Sunday night had a simple message in black and white: "Beckham Bend It Here."<p/>David Beckham promised he will be indeed be back in MLS next season - and that he will eventually exercise his option to own one of the league's teams.<p/>"Of course," he said of returning in 2010, after his limped through the Los Angeles Galaxy's upset loss to Real Salt Lake in the league's championship match. "I've said I'll be back, and I will."<p/>It will be his fourth season of a $32.5 million, five-year contract with the United States' upstart league. It will also be another chance to win a title in three countries. http://www.thestate.com/nationwire/story/1040342.html?RSS=untracked http://www.thestate.com/nationwire/story/1040342.html?RSS=untracked Mon, 23 Nov 2009 03:03 EST Bryan Bickell scored his first goal of the season 1:12 into the third period, and Antii Niemi made 30 saves to lead the Chicago Blackhawks to a 1-0 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday night.<p/>After Niemi made several great saves to keep it scoreless through two periods, defenseman Brian Campbell helped set up the only goal early in the third, skating in from the point, eluding a check on the boards, and cutting into the crease. He lost the puck in a crowd in front but it squirted right to Bickell at the far side for a tap-in goal behind sprawled goalie Roberto Luongo.<p/>It was Bickell's first goal since April 2007. He was playing just his sixth game of a season spent mostly in the minor leagues, but has spent the last four games on the Blackhawks' top line with Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane.<p/>Niemi did the rest, making a couple more brilliant stops as the Blackhawks won their seventh straight game despite playing the night before in Edmonton.<p/>He got a glove on Henrik Sedin's wide-open shot from the slot, robbed Alex Burrows with his left pad, and got a break when Alex Edler hit the post with 6:19 left. http://www.thestate.com/nationwire/story/1040291.html?RSS=untracked http://www.thestate.com/nationwire/story/1040291.html?RSS=untracked Mon, 23 Nov 2009 03:03 EST World champions Ryan Lochte and Rebecca Soni won male and female athlete of the year awards Sunday night at the Golden Goggles honoring the year's top American swimming performances.<p/>Michael Phelps won for male race of the year and shared a relay award after earning a leading six nominations.<p/>Lochte ended Phelps' two-year ownership of the athlete of the year award.<p/>Lochte set two world records at the world championships in Rome, winning the 200-meter individual medley and the 800 freestyle relay. He earned five medals, including four golds. He defeated Phelps and Aaron Peirsol for male athlete of the year.<p/>"Jeah!" Lochte shouted, using his signature phrase while raising the trophy in the air. http://www.thestate.com/nationwire/story/1040277.html?RSS=untracked http://www.thestate.com/nationwire/story/1040277.html?RSS=untracked Mon, 23 Nov 2009 03:03 EST More than two decades ago, after Larry Bird made a shot from behind the backboard that didn't count in a preseason game, the NBA changed the rule on plays like that. Kobe Bryant was glad they did.<p/>Bryant duplicated Bird's memorable shot and finished with 26 points, leading the Los Angeles Lakers to a 101-85 rout of the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday night and adding yet another clip to his a 14-year NBA highlight reel.<p/>"You see him do things just fooling around with all kinds of shots in practice that you won't normally see," teammate Lamar Odom said. "But you expect the impossible, because he's not scared to take any shot from anywhere on the court. So that's why that's the result. It's never a bad shot to him. That's his mentality. He's not afraid to shoot it. He understands touch, getting the ball up and staying focused. His concentration is incredible."<p/>Bryant thrilled the sellout crowd late in the first quarter when he drove the baseline against rookie guard James Harden, ran out of room and made a desperation fadeaway jumper over the top of the backboard while hanging in the air as his momentum carried him out of bounds near the Lakers' bench.<p/>"I was aware that the rule was changed and that you could do that," said the 11-time All-Star and 2008 MVP, acknowledging that even he was amazed when it went in. "It was just lucky. We had a rabbit's foot on. I thought I was going to get a three-point play. It seemed like an obvious call to me - when the guy just hip-checks you to try to push you out of bounds. I just tried to get enough height on it so that it cleared the board. It was like a putt." http://www.thestate.com/nationwire/story/1040276.html?RSS=untracked http://www.thestate.com/nationwire/story/1040276.html?RSS=untracked Mon, 23 Nov 2009 03:03 EST The image most expected of David Beckham and Landon Donovan holding the championship of Major League Soccer for the league's marquee franchise will wait.<p/>Those upstarts from Real Salt Lake outlasted the stars from Los Angeles.<p/>Robbie Russell scored in the seventh round of penalty kicks and the scrappy underdogs from RSL beat the star-studded Galaxy 5-4 on penalties Sunday night for its first MLS title.<p/>Real Salt Lake goalkeeper Nick Rimando made two saves during penalties, and Donovan, the Galaxy's sure-footed league MVP, missed badly over the crossbar giving RSL a chance in the extra rounds. After Rimando smothered Edson Buddle's shot, Russell beat backup Los Angeles keeper Josh Saunders into the lower left corner to set off a wild celebration. A few thousand RSL fans that made the trip from Utah lined the railings around the field for 30 minutes, sometimes chanting "Nick Rimando" while the players celebrated on the confetti covered field.<p/>"It's nice to say we're the best team in the league," RSL coach Jason Kreis said. "... My honest opinion is we deserved to win that game." http://www.thestate.com/nationwire/story/1040221.html?RSS=untracked http://www.thestate.com/nationwire/story/1040221.html?RSS=untracked Mon, 23 Nov 2009 03:03 EST An ailing Matthew Stafford threw his fifth touchdown pass from 1 yard to Brandon Pettigrew, and Jason Hanson's extra point with no time on the clock gave the Detroit Lions a thrilling 38-37 win over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday.<p/>Detroit was given the untimed play because safety Hank Poteat was called for pass interference in the end zone when Stafford heaved a desperation attempt. Stafford was hit after his throw to the end zone and appeared to hurt his left shoulder or chest area. He was replaced by Daunte Culpepper.<p/>The Browns, though, gave Stafford a chance to get back in the game by calling a timeout with the ball at the 1-yard line. Stafford returned and connected with fellow rookie Pettigrew to snap Detroit's six-game losing streak.<p/>The Lions (2-8) started the winning drive with 1:46 remaining and no timeouts. Stafford, the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft, did just enough to rally them for the win - helped hugely by the call that went against the Browns (1-9).<p/>Brady Quinn threw four TDs, surpassing his previous career total, and connected with Michael Gaines with 5:44 left to put the Browns ahead after helping them score a franchise-record 24 points in the first quarter. http://www.thestate.com/nationwire/story/1040140.html?RSS=untracked http://www.thestate.com/nationwire/story/1040140.html?RSS=untracked Mon, 23 Nov 2009 03:03 EST JaJuan Johnson had 18 points and 10 rebounds to lead No. 7 Purdue to an 85-60 win over St. Joseph's on Sunday night in the Paradise Jam.<p/>Ryne Smith added 16 points while E'Twaun Moore and Mark Wohlford each scored 11 for the Boilermakers (3-0), who play No. 10 Tennessee in the championship game on Monday night.<p/>Trailing by nine in the first half, Purdue rallied and used a 23-3 run to start the second half and put the game away.<p/>Garrett Williamson led St. Joseph's (3-1) with 12 points. The Hawks will play DePaul in the consolation game. http://www.thestate.com/nationwire/story/1040133.html?RSS=untracked http://www.thestate.com/nationwire/story/1040133.html?RSS=untracked Mon, 23 Nov 2009 03:03 EST Scottie Reynolds scored 21 points, Corey Stokes added 18 and No. 5 Villanova beat Mississippi 79-67 on Sunday to win the Puerto Rico Tip-Off.<p/>Antonio Pena added 17 points and 16 rebounds for the Wildcats (5-0), who did nothing to diminish their status as favorites in the Big East during their trip to the Caribbean.<p/>Villanova used an 8-0 run in the opening minutes Sunday night and led 27-23 at halftime, holding the Rebels (4-1) to only 29.6 percent shooting from the field.<p/>Villanova wound up shooting 41.5 percent and outscored Ole Miss 36-18 in the paint, and the Rebels were just 12 of 21 (57.1 percent) from the foul line.<p/>Chris Warren led Mississippi with a game-high 24 points. Terrico White added 14 points and nine rebounds off the bench, and Murphy Holloway finished with 10 points. http://www.thestate.com/nationwire/story/1040127.html?RSS=untracked http://www.thestate.com/nationwire/story/1040127.html?RSS=untracked Mon, 23 Nov 2009 03:03 EST B.J. Jenkins scored 16 points, leading five Murray State players in double figures, as the Racers routed North Carolina Central 84-61 on Sunday night.<p/>Ivan Aska scored 15 points, Danero Thomas and Isaiah Canaan had 13 apiece and Isacc Miles added 10 for the Racers (3-1) in the 2K Sports Classic.<p/>The Racers have won three straight games since dropping the season opener to No. 13 California.<p/>The game stayed close throughout the first half, and Dami Sapara's layup with 5 minutes before halftime pulled the Eagles (1-4) even at 24-all. But Murray State went on a 15-0 run the rest of the way, taking a 39-24 lead into the locker room.<p/>The Racers were 6-for-6 from the foul line during the spree, and finished 19-for-27 in the game (70.4 percent). http://www.thestate.com/nationwire/story/1040126.html?RSS=untracked http://www.thestate.com/nationwire/story/1040126.html?RSS=untracked Mon, 23 Nov 2009 03:03 EST Tracy Smith's basket with 1.3 seconds remaining lifted North Carolina State to a 60-58 victory over Auburn on Sunday night.<p/>The Wolfpack (4-0), the only team to go unbeaten in the Glenn Wilkes Classic, struggled on offense for most of the game. Smith, their top returning scorer from last season, had an especially tough game, missing 14 of his first 16 field-goal attempts.<p/>But the 6-foot-8 junior delivered in the final minute, first with a three-point play and then on the game-winning basket. Smith grabbed a loose ball after Julius Mays missed a 3-pointer and scored.<p/>Smith finished with 11 points and 15 rebounds and was selected tournament MVP.<p/>Frankie Sullivan led Auburn (2-3) with 21 points. http://www.thestate.com/nationwire/story/1040125.html?RSS=untracked http://www.thestate.com/nationwire/story/1040125.html?RSS=untracked Mon, 23 Nov 2009 03:03 EST Allison Hightower scored 15 points, reaching 1,000 for her career, and No. 7 LSU routed Nicholls State 86-49 on Sunday night.<p/>Playing their second game in two nights, the Lady Tigers (4-0) showed no signs of fatigue against the Colonels (0-3).<p/>LSU scored the first 15 points before Nicholls State finally got on the board 5 minutes in. The Lady Tigers held the Colonels to 25 percent shooting from the field en route to a 46-15 halftime lead.<p/>The LSU lead grew to as many as 42 points in the second half.<p/>Hightower, who came into the game needing 14 points to become the 28th LSU player to score 1,000, reached the mark with 15:15 remaining on a pair of free throws. LSU coach Van Chancellor then called time out to allow Hightower to leave the game for good to an ovation. http://www.thestate.com/nationwire/story/1040124.html?RSS=untracked http://www.thestate.com/nationwire/story/1040124.html?RSS=untracked Mon, 23 Nov 2009 03:03 EST Amare Stoudemire scored 21 points and Steve Nash added 20 for Phoenix, then sat out the fourth quarter to watch the Suns rout road-weary Detroit 117-91 Sunday night for the Pistons' fifth straight loss.<p/>Nash made 7 of 8 shots and had nine assists. Jason Richardson scored 17 as the Suns (11-3), with six players in double figures, improved to 5-0 at home and tied Atlanta and Orlando for the best record in the young NBA season.<p/>Charlie Villanueva and rookie DaJuan Summers each scored 13 for Detroit. Ben Gordon was in foul trouble and finished with 10 on 3-of-11 shooting.<p/>The Pistons, who lost at Utah in overtime on Saturday night, finished off a winless four-game road trip.<p/>The Suns, who shot 58 percent overall and were 11 of 18 on 3-pointers, scored the last 12 points of the first half to lead 58-42 and Detroit never seriously threatened after that. http://www.thestate.com/nationwire/story/1040085.html?RSS=untracked http://www.thestate.com/nationwire/story/1040085.html?RSS=untracked Mon, 23 Nov 2009 03:03 EST Rodriquez Sherman scored 15 points to lead Kent State to a 63-44 victory over Rochester (Mich.) on Sunday night.<p/>Mike McKee and Anthony Simpson added 12 points each as the Golden Flashes (4-1) pulled away in the second half of the final game of the Hispanic College Fund Classic.<p/>Kent State led 28-24 at halftime, but the Golden Flashes scored the first seven points of the second half for a 35-24 advantage with 16:49 remaining.<p/>Rochester cut the lead to 50-44 on Torey Throop's layup with 5:47 left, but Kent State went on a 9-0 run for a 59-44 lead with 3:14 remaining.<p/>The Warriors (6-6) shot 50 percent from the field (10-for-20) in the first half, but only 33.3 percent (8-for-24) in the second half. http://www.thestate.com/nationwire/story/1039669.html?RSS=untracked http://www.thestate.com/nationwire/story/1039669.html?RSS=untracked Sun, 22 Nov 2009 22:58 EST Larry Bird finished his speech, walked back to his seat and received a fist bump from the man sitting next to him on the dais.<p/>Had to be Magic Johnson.<p/>If college basketball's hall of fame is going to open its doors to one, the other has to be there.<p/>Thirty years after their NCAA battle reshaped college basketball, Bird and Johnson were inducted into the National Collegiate Hall of Fame Sunday night.<p/>Bird and Magic, Magic and Bird - forever linked. http://www.thestate.com/nationwire/story/1040072.html?RSS=untracked http://www.thestate.com/nationwire/story/1040072.html?RSS=untracked Mon, 23 Nov 2009 03:03 EST Donovan McNabb and the Philadelphia Eagles found a way to pull out a close win. They also hurt the Chicago Bears in the process.<p/>McNabb threw for 244 yards against his hometown team, LeSean McCoy scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 10-yard run following Antonio Dixon's block of a field goal attempt, and Philadelphia came away with a 24-20 victory over struggling Chicago on Sunday night after back-to-back close losses.<p/>"It wouldn't have mattered if we had won 3-2, this was a game we needed to come out and win by any means necessary," McNabb said.<p/>The Bears were leading 20-17 when Dixon blocked a 48-yard field goal by Robbie Gould with 11 minutes left. McNabb then led the Eagles (6-4) on a 62-yard touchdown drive that McCoy capped with a neat 10-yard run, sending Chicago to its fifth loss in six games and delivering another big hit to its playoff hopes.<p/>Barring a big run, the Bears (4-6) will miss the postseason for the third straight season - certainly not what they expected when they made that big offseason trade with Denver for Jay Cutler. http://www.thestate.com/nationwire/story/1040068.html?RSS=untracked http://www.thestate.com/nationwire/story/1040068.html?RSS=untracked Sun, 22 Nov 2009 23:03 EST Will Harris scored 22 points and Tim Ambrose added 15 points to lead Albany (N.Y.) to a 71-66 victory over Robert Morris in the third round of the 2K Sports Classic on Sunday.<p/>Harris scored 17 of his points in the second half as the Great Danes (3-3) held off a late run.<p/>Velton Jones, who scored 17 points, helped Robert Morris (1-4), the defending Northeast Conference champion, hit consecutive jumpers to cut Albany's lead to 67-63.<p/>Albany's Derrek Tartt hit two free throws with 16.4 seconds left and Harris added two more in the final seconds to seal the victory.<p/>Albany led by 11 points with 4:14 remaining. http://www.thestate.com/nationwire/story/1040060.html?RSS=untracked http://www.thestate.com/nationwire/story/1040060.html?RSS=untracked Sun, 22 Nov 2009 23:03 EST Dwyane Wade had 31 points, and Udonis Haslem hit a jumper with 15.4 seconds left to lift the Miami Heat past the New Orleans Hornets 102-101 on Sunday night.<p/>Haslem finished with 14 points off the bench, including both field goals for Miami in the final minute. He tied the game at 100 with 45 seconds left, then after Marcus Thornton put the Hornets ahead with a free throw, Haslem won it with a shot from the left side.<p/>Thornton had 24 points and David West added 13 for New Orleans, which is still without injured point guard Chris Paul.<p/>Michael Beasley scored 17 points, Jermaine O'Neal added 15 and Mario Chalmers finished with 12 points and nine assists for the Heat, who snapped a season-worst three-game slide.<p/>Peja Stojakovic scored 14 points, as did former Heat forward James Posey. West finished with nine rebounds and Darren Collison scored 11 points for the Hornets. http://www.thestate.com/nationwire/story/1040028.html?RSS=untracked http://www.thestate.com/nationwire/story/1040028.html?RSS=untracked Sun, 22 Nov 2009 22:44 EST Lorena Ochoa and Jiyai Shin will settle their duel for LPGA Tour player of the year on the final, frantic day of the season.<p/>Kristy McPherson finished off a 5-under 67 in fading sunlight Sunday to move to 8 under and take the lead in the LPGA Tour Championship before the second round was suspended because of darkness.<p/>Shin was one stroke back with two holes to play in her second round; Ochoa was two back with one hole left. Players will resume the second round Monday morning, and the top 70 and ties will immediately begin the final round.<p/>For Ochoa to win her fourth straight player of the year title, she must win or finish no worse than third and then hope Shin places out of the top 10. The two are also decimal points apart in the race for the Vare Trophy, awarded for the season's lowest scoring average.<p/>"Tomorrow, everything will be answered," Ochoa said. "I am very excited, yes." http://www.thestate.com/nationwire/story/1040027.html?RSS=untracked http://www.thestate.com/nationwire/story/1040027.html?RSS=untracked Sun, 22 Nov 2009 22:44 EST Julius Wells scored 23 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to lead James Madison to an 81-68 win over Florida International on Sunday night.<p/>Darren White added 20 points and Matt Parker chipped in 13 for James Madison (1-2), which had five players score in double figures.<p/>Isiah Thomas' squad was looking for its first three-game winning streak since Feb. 9-20, 2008. With the loss, the Golden Panthers dropped to 2-4 in Thomas' first season.<p/>The Dukes went on a 10-0 run, including back-to-back 3-pointers by Parker late in the first half, to take a 35-30 lead into halftime.<p/>Wells drilled a trio of 3-pointers to give James Madison a 49-36 lead with 14:32 left in the game to cap a 12-0 run. FIU would get as close as six the rest of the way. http://www.thestate.com/nationwire/story/1040026.html?RSS=untracked http://www.thestate.com/nationwire/story/1040026.html?RSS=untracked Sun, 22 Nov 2009 22:44 EST Tyler Smith made two free throws with 13.7 seconds left, and No. 10 Tennessee held off DePaul 57-53 in the second round of the Paradise Jam on Sunday.<p/>Smith finished with 14 points and nine rebounds for the Vols (4-0), who will play No. 7 Purdue or Saint Joseph's for the tournament title on Monday night.<p/>DePaul (2-1) closed to 55-53 on Mac Koshwal's layup with 44.5 seconds left, but the Vols ran off nearly 30 seconds before Jeremiah Kelly finally fouled Smith. He made both ends of the 1-and-1, and Will Walker missed a 3-point attempt in the closing seconds.<p/>Wayne Chism added 13 points and eight rebounds for Tennessee, which out-rebounded DePaul 37-25 but turned the ball over 15 times to keep the game close.<p/>Koshwal and Walker each had 14 points for DePaul. Eric Wallace added 10.