Brendan Haywood

Does speed really beat size any day of the week? That's what Tulsa Coach Bill Self likes to say. All that matters in the NCAA South Regional final is which one wins today. Either North Carolina--with its huge, plodding lineup--will be on its way to an improbable Final Four after losing more games than any Tar Heel team since 1952, or Tulsa--with its quick, four-guard team--is going for the first time in school history. It's size versus speed, and history versus hustle.

Youth was finally served, after so many years of the rookies being picked over like a cheese platter. The first-year NBA players put together an inspired performance Friday night at American Airlines Arena in the Rookie Challenge, resulting in a 140-128 victory over the sophomore team that snapped a seven-year losing streak. It was the first triumph by the rookies since Jason Richardson led them in 2002 and only their third in 11 games since the current format of competing against second-year players was adopted in 2000.

Ohio State's Sean Connolly never had a doubt when the ball left his hands. Illinois' Frank Williams never had a chance. Connolly's three-point basket with 30 seconds left was decisive for Ohio State in a 63-61 victory over No. 3-ranked Illinois Thursday night at Columbus, Ohio. "It felt like it was going in when it left my hand," said Connolly, a transfer from Providence in his first season with Ohio State. Illinois' Brian Cook missed a three-point shot with nine seconds remaining.

Ademola Okulaja scored 15 points and grabbed a career-high 17 rebounds as No. 10 North Carolina beat Florida International, 65-44, Monday night in the first round of the Preseason NIT. The Golden Panthers (2-1) were playing their third game in four days and wore down against the deep Tar Heels (2-0), who will play host to Georgia in the second round. Brendan Haywood added 12 points, 10 rebounds and five blocked shots for the Tar Heels, who have won 51 straight against nonconference teams.

Less than a month from now, the playoffs will start and the Lakers will brace themselves to try to defend their NBA championship. But the road they must travel to a repeat will be difficult. That was a topic Lakers owner Jerry Buss and Coach Phil Jackson discussed Monday while the team picture was taken at the practice facility in El Segundo. Buss and Jackson recalled the challenge the Lakers faced when they were trying to win their third consecutive NBA championship in 2002.

Kenyon Martin wanted to let people know that when top-ranked Cincinnati takes the court he is in charge of things near the basket. In the Bearcats' 77-68 victory over No. 7 North Carolina on Wednesday night in the Great Eight at Chicago, Martin finished with 16 points, nine rebounds and four blocked shots. But it was goaltending calls, giving the Tar Heels their first two baskets of the game, that let people know it was going to be his night inside. "That's the norm for me," he said.

'Gunsmoke,' NBA-style Is that all there was? The Gilbert Arenas - Javaris Crittenton incident, which looked like the Gunfight at the NBA Corral, now looks more like the comic duel in "Love and Death" between the Woody Allen character and Count Anton Inbedkov, rivals for the notorious Countess Alexandrovna. As scary as it is for children to play with guns, they don't seem to have drawn down on each other, as reported by a single outlet, the New York Post, and recycled endlessly.

North Carolina senior center Brendan Haywood had a lot on his mind when he stepped to the free-throw line with 1.2 seconds left at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, N.C., Thursday night. The game between No. 4-ranked North Carolina and No. 2 Duke was tied, and Haywood--a 48% free-throw shooter this season--was thinking about when he missed two free throws late as a freshman in a two-point loss to Duke.