Nicole Kubik

The Sparks reached their required 11-player limit with a stunning move Sunday, cutting their first-round draft pick, Nicole Kubik, a 5-foot-10 guard from Nebraska. It was the first time in the WNBA's four seasons that a first-round choice has been dropped before the season opener. The league's 15th pick in the April 25 draft, Kubik was to back up veteran guard Tamecka Dixon.

The Sparks reached their required 11-player limit with a stunning move Sunday, cutting their first-round draft pick, Nicole Kubik, a 5-foot-10 guard from Nebraska. It was the first time in the WNBA's four seasons that a first-round choice has been dropped before the season opener. The league's 15th pick in the April 25 draft, Kubik was to back up veteran guard Tamecka Dixon.

Nicole Kubik, the Sparks' top draft pick, is a true-to-life Nebraska farm girl who has been driving since she was 11, but she nonetheless approached her first trip on the Southland freeway system Monday with moist palms. "I was a little worried, but I didn't have any problems," said Kubik, whose first question to the Sparks on draft day was: "What are the freeways really like?"

Nicole Kubik, the Sparks' top draft pick, is a true-to-life Nebraska farm girl who has been driving since she was 11, but she nonetheless approached her first trip on the Southland freeway system Monday with moist palms. "I was a little worried, but I didn't have any problems," said Kubik, whose first question to the Sparks on draft day was: "What are the freeways really like?"

The Sparks went small, then big with their first two picks in the WNBA's player draft on Tuesday. First, with the 15th pick of the first round, the club selected 5-foot-9 Nebraska guard Nicole Kubik, then, in the second round, chose 6-5 Connecticut center Paige Sauer with the 31st pick. UCLA's Maylana Martin was the 10th overall pick, by Minnesota. The No. 1 pick, by Cleveland, was Ann Wauters, a 20-year-old, 6-foot-4 Belgian.

The No. 1 picks in the WNBA drafts, and the Sparks' top pick (with overall selection): * acquired Nikki Teasley, the No. 5 pick, in a draft-day trade *--* Year No. 1 pick Sparks' first pick Overall 1997 Tina Thompson, Houston Jamila Wideman No. 3 1998 Margo Dydek, Utah Allison Feaster No. 5 1999 Chamique Holdsclaw, Washington DeLisha Milton No. 4 2000 Ann Wauters, Cleveland Nicole Kubik No. 15 2001 Lauren Jackson, Seattle Camille Cooper No. 16 2002 Sue Bird, Seattle Rosalind Ross * No.

Doc Robinson made a tiebreaking three-point basket with 24.4 seconds to play and Scott Pohlman added two free throws to help No. 4 Auburn end a 14-game losing streak against No. 20 Kentucky with a 66-63 Southeastern Conference victory Tuesday night at Auburn, Ala. It was Auburn's first victory over Kentucky (10-5, 1-1 in the SEC) since 1990 and ended the Wildcats' six-game winning streak. Auburn improved to 14-1 and 2-0.

Second-ranked Maryland made its first 14 shots Thursday night and built a 22-point lead in the opening eight minutes en route to a 92-69 victory over Wake Forest at College Park, Md. Obinna Ekezie had 19 points and the Terrapins, 8-0 overall and 1-0 in the Atlantic Coast Conference, had four players in double figures in the first half while taking a 54-29 lead over the Demon Deacons (6-2, 0-1). No.

The Sparks' vaunted defense, the decisive element in so many of their 26 victories, will get a major test tonight in America West Arena against the re-energized Phoenix Mercury. In what shapes up as a preview of the WNBA's Western Conference playoff opener here on Friday, the Sparks have two new problems in matching up with the Mercury, both familiar names to Southland followers of the women's game: * Adrain Williams.

Maylana Martin scored 20 points and LaCresha Flannigan had 15 to lead 10th-ranked UCLA to an 80-72 victory over Stanford on Saturday at Palo Alto, ending at 67 the Cardinal's Pacific 10 Conference home winning streak. Stanford's previous conference home loss was on Feb. 9, 1991, to Washington, 69-68. UCLA, 14-4 overall and 6-0 in the Pacific 10, won at Stanford for the first time since March 12, 1988.

The Sparks went small, then big with their first two picks in the WNBA's player draft on Tuesday. First, with the 15th pick of the first round, the club selected 5-foot-9 Nebraska guard Nicole Kubik, then, in the second round, chose 6-5 Connecticut center Paige Sauer with the 31st pick. UCLA's Maylana Martin was the 10th overall pick, by Minnesota. The No. 1 pick, by Cleveland, was Ann Wauters, a 20-year-old, 6-foot-4 Belgian.

The No. 1-ranked Tennessee women's basketball team had its 46-game winning streak stopped Sunday, as the Volunteers lost to No. 5 Purdue, 78-68, in the State Farm Women's Tip-Off Classic at West Lafayette, Ind. Stephanie White-McCarty scored 24 points to lead Purdue, and four consecutive free throws by Katie Douglas, who was seven of eight from the foul line, helped Purdue hold off a late Tennessee rally. Tennessee went 39-0 last season in winning its third consecutive women's championship.

No. 2-ranked Louisiana Tech survived a scare Sunday, thanks to the long-range shooting of Tamicha Jackson. Jackson made seven of 13 three-point shots and had 30 points as the Lady Techsters (5-1) beat host Arizona, 85-72, in the championship game of the Insight.com Bowl tournament at Tucson. Arizona is 3-3. In the consolation game, No. 18 Iowa State defeated Sam Houston State, 82-56, as Megan Taylor scored 27 points and Desiree Francis had 23 points and 13 rebounds for the Cyclones (5-1).