Friday's Sports In Brief


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IN THE COURTS

PRETORIA, South Africa (AP) — In a day of potentially damaging testimony, a former girlfriend of Oscar Pistorius said at his murder trial Friday that he once shot his gun out of a car sunroof and later cheated on her with the woman he killed last year. And a security guard recalled the athlete telling him everything was "fine" after neighbors reported gunshots coming from Pistorius' house on the night of her death.

The gripping accounts capped the first week of the televised trial of the double-amputee Olympian, whose chief defense lawyer has tried to sow doubt about the testimony of neighbors who said they heard a woman's screams before gunshots. Proceedings have also focused on past incidents involving alleged gunplay, part of an apparent prosecution effort to portray Pistorius, 27, as a hothead who sometimes thought he was above authority.

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PRO FOOTBALL

NENEW ORLEANS (AP) — A person familiar with the situation says Darren Sproles has been informed that the Saints will release him if they are unable to trade him before free agency begins Tuesday4 p.m.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the club's decision, first reported by NFL.com, has not been made public.

New Orleans' decision to part with Sproles is the latest in a series of cost-cutting moves, including Friday's release of receiver Lance Moore.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A person with knowledge of the agreement told The Associated Press that veteran quarterback Matt Cassel is re-signing with the Minnesota Vikings.

The two sides reached an agreement one day before Cassel would be able to open negotiations with other teams. The person requested anonymity because an official announcement has not been made.

Terms of the deal were not immediately available.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A judge refused to immediately release former NFL All-Pro safety Darren Sharper from jail in a Los Angeles rape case, but said she would have to free him soon if charges aren't filed in a similar case in Louisiana.

The ruling came after lawyers for Sharper argued that he had been freed on $1 million bail and pleaded not guilty in the Los Angeles case but was jailed again after an arrest warrant was issued last week in Louisiana.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — The Jacksonville Jaguars are bringing back quarterback Chad Henne.

Henne and the team agreed to a two-year contract worth $8 million, keeping the starter from hitting the free-agent market.

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BASEBALL

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Carmen Berra, the wife of New York Yankees great Yogi Berra, died. She was 85.

The Yankees confirmed that she died Thursday night in New Jersey's Essex County. The team didn't say how she died.

The Berras got married in January 1949 and recently celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary.

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GOLF

DORAL, Fla. (AP) — Matt Kuchar played out of the rough to tap-in range for birdie on the 18th hole for a 2-over 74 that allowed him to join an exclusive group at the Cadillac Championship — one of only four survivors to par.

The Blue Monster and a raging wind gobbled up just about everyone else.

Dustin Johnson bogeyed three of his last six holes for a 74. Patrick Reed made only two birdies in his round of 75. Hunter Mahan atoned for a triple bogey with a 4-iron into 5 feet for eagle on the eighth hole, giving him a 74. They joined Kuchar atop the leaderboard at 1-under 143.

Only three players broke par in the second round. No one shot in the 60s. The average score was a fraction under 76.

Tiger Woods hit three of the 113 balls that went into the water in the second round and scraped out a 73, thanks in part to a 90-foot birdie putt on the par-3 fourth hole. He was six off the pace with Phil Mickelson, who shot a 75.

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COLLEGE BASKETBALL

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) — Siyani Chambers scored 17 points and Harvard became the first team to clinch a berth in this year's NCAA tournament, beating archrival Yale 70-58 to capture the Ivy League title for the third straight year.

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Suspended South Carolina coach Frank Martin apologized to fans for his harsh words aimed at Gamecocks point guard Duane Notice in the loss to No. 1 Florida this week.

Martin was suspended one game by athletic director Ray Tanner on Thursday. He already apologized to Notice and is not travelling with the team to its regular-season finale at Mississippi State on Saturday. Associate head coach Matt Figger will take over the team in Starkville.

Martin will resume his duties before the Gamecocks play in the Southeastern Conference tournament next week.

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (AP) — The UC Santa Barbara fan who went on the court and confronted Hawaii coach Gib Arnold during a game was arrested.

UCSB athletic department spokesman Bill Mahoney said the man was arrested after the incident in the first half of Thursday night's game. He provided no other details and a spokesman for the campus police didn't immediately return phone calls.

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AUTO RACING

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Joey Logano won the pole for Sunday's NASCAR race at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, turning a qualifying lap at a track-record 193.28 mph.

Logano will start on the front row next to Penske Ford teammate Brad Keselowski, who came in second at 193.099.

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SOCCER

The U.S. women's soccer team's two-year unbeaten streak ended at 43 games Friday with a 1-0 loss to Sweden and former coach Pia Sundhage at the Algarve Cup in Albufiera, Portugal.

Lotta Schelin beat goalkeeper Hope Solo with a header in the 24th minute. The U.S. had been 36-0-7 since a 1-0 loss to Japan at the Algarve Cup on March 5, 2012, and 16-0-4 under Tom Sermanni, who took over as coach after Sundhage left in 2012 to lead her native Sweden.

NEW YORK (AP) — Major League Soccer's referees and other on-field officials were locked out a day before the season openers.

The Professional Referee Organization, which manages game officials for the U.S. Soccer Federation and MLS, notified the Professional Soccer Referee Association of the lockout and said replacement officials will be used.

PRO said the union, which was formed last year, rejected a no strike-no lockout agreement that management had proposed. The sides have bargained since July without reaching a deal on a labor contract.

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PRO BASKETBALL

NEW YORK (AP) — The WNBA Board of Governors ratified a new eight-year collective bargaining agreement that included an increase by one to teams' maximum roster size to 12.

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TENNIS

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. (AP) — Third-seeded Victoria Azarenka tumbled out of the BNP Paribas Open in her first match in more than a month, falling 6-0, 7-6 (2) to American Lauren Davis.

Azarenka, from Belarus, had been sidelined since the Australian Open because of a left foot injury that required her to wear a boot for several weeks.

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