Pat Summitt

All the bumping, pushing and shoving Rutgers did on defense didn't stop Ohio State All-American Jessica Davenport. It did, however, shut down the rest of the Buckeyes and put the Scarlet Knights a win away from their first Final Four appearance in five years. Cappie Pondexter scored 24 points, and Rutgers turned 15 Ohio State turnovers into 22 points in posting a 64-58 victory on Sunday at Philadelphia. "I thought we played great defense, as best we could," Coach C.

Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard will have a season-ending back surgery Friday in Los Angeles to repair a herniated disk in his lower back that has sidelined him for two weeks. The surgery will likely keep him out for four months, preventing him from participating in the playoffs and playing with the U.S. National team at the London Olympics. "It hurts [emotionally]," Howard told ESPN the Magazine's Chris Broussard. "That's the first thing -- it hurts. And then with people saying and thinking I'm quitting on my team.

With little debate, the Tennessee House voted 95 to 0 today for a bill to establish a jail term of up to six months for assaulting a referee or umpire at a sports event. The bill is designed to allow schools to prosecute unruly fans if the official is not available to file charges. The measure is sponsored by Rep. Tommy Head (D-Clarksville). His sister, Pat Head Summitt, is coach of the Lady Vols basketball team at the University of Tennessee.

It's coming, so be ready. When Michelle Snow slams a ball through the hoop, it will be the first dunk by a woman in an NCAA game since West Virginia's 6-foot-7 Georgeann Wells did it twice in the 1984-'85 season. It nearly happened last weekend in the Mideast Regional--no woman has ever dunked in an NCAA tournament game--when the 6-5 Snow, alone on a breakaway, had hand and ball above the rim, but finished with a rim-rattler. She's under orders to wait for an uncontested dunk, she said.

C. Vivian Stringer became the third women's basketball coach to get 600 victories as No. 16-ranked Rutgers (5-2) was a 68-64 winner over No. 25 Texas (7-3) at Piscataway, N.J. Stringer joined Texas Coach Jody Conradt and Tennessee's Pat Summitt in reaching the milestone. Stringer has also coached at Cheyney State and Iowa, and her teams have lost only 185 games over 27 seasons. . . . No. 8 Auburn (8-1) shot 61% in a 91-55 victory over Iowa (3-5) at Iowa City. . . .

Kara Lawson scored 21 points Tuesday night, 15 in the second half, as second-ranked Tennessee defeated Memphis, 92-69, at Memphis, Tenn. The Lady Vols (6-1) built on a 41-32 halftime lead, breaking the game open with a 25-4 run early in the second half. Tennessee's Tasheika Morris scored 11 points, including 10 during a 3 1/2-minute stretch in the first half, and Michelle Snow and Tamika Catchings scored 10 each. Despite the lopsided victory, Tennessee Coach Pat Summitt was far from satisfied.

Shea Ralph scored 18 points Wednesday night as top-ranked Connecticut defeated Oklahoma, 84-68, in front of 10,713 at Norman, Okla.--the largest crowd to ever watch a women's basketball game in Oklahoma. The Huskies (9-0) made 48% of their shots in dropping the Sooners to 9-3. No. 3 Louisiana Tech 88, Akron 61--Betty Lennox had 23 points, seven assists and seven steals to lead the Lady Techsters (9-1) over the Zips (3-8) in the final game of the Holiday Classic at Ruston, La. No.

LUBBOCK, Texas -- Coach Bob Knight reached another milestone. Texas Tech beat No. 10 Texas A&M, 68-53, Wednesday night, the Hall of Fame coach's 900th career victory. Afterward, fans chanted Knight's name as he walked off to a thunderous ovation. "You folks being here, seats being full for a change, really made a difference tonight," Knight told them before leaving. As when Knight surpassed former North Carolina coach Dean Smith on the Division I career list with win No.

Having lost consecutive games against nationally ranked opponents, the Tennessee women's basketball team--defending national champions--came to L.A. determined to get back on track. The Volunteers accomplished just that Sunday as they outran, outshot and outclassed UCLA in a 77-55 victory in front of 500 at Pauley Pavilion. "I didn't know how we would respond after Friday's loss (against No.