U.S. Routs Algeria, 110-60

The Americans arrived in Indianapolis for the World Basketball Championships knowing that, without the likes of Shaquille O’Neal and Tim Duncan on the roster, they would be tested by a tough international field.

But not in the opening game. Not against Algeria.

In what amounted to a warmup drill at the RCA Dome on Thursday, the United States eased to a 110-60 victory over an Algerian team making its first-ever appearance in this tournament.

“This was a good start for us,” guard Paul Pierce said. “Just to kind of get the jitters out.”

But even with many of the NBA’s top names taking a pass on this 11-day tournament, the U.S. still has Jermaine O’Neal, Shawn Marion and Andre Miller. On Thursday, it had Elton Brand scoring 17 points and Pierce making four of eight three-point attempts for 22.

The going should get tougher against Germany tonight and in later rounds. In its first game, Germany was led by Dirk Nowitzki’s 30 points in an 88-76 victory over China. Yao Ming, China’s 7-foot-5 center, was never a factor in scoring 16 points.

David Wharton

Golf

Wales’ Becky Morgan, winless in two seasons on the LPGA Tour, shot a career-best nine-under-par 63 to take the first-round lead in the State Farm Classic at Springfield, Ill.

Morgan birdied seven of the last 10 holes, hit 17 greens in regulation and had only 26 putts in the bogey-free round on the Rail Golf Course.

France’s Patricia Meunier-Lebouc opened with a 64, the best of her LPGA Tour career, and 47-year-old Betsy King was three strokes back at 66 along with U.S. Solheim Cup player Laura Diaz, Becky Iverson and Jen Hanna.

South Africa’s David Frost shot a bogey-free six-under 65 to take a one-stroke lead after the first round of the Air Canada Championship at Surrey.

Shigeki Maruyama, Peter Lonard, Scott Gump and Hank Kuehne opened with 66s, and 10 more players, including Tommy Tolles, David Gossett and Steve Lowery, shot 67s.

Phil Mickelson will not play in next week’s Canadian Open after slightly injuring his back. Mickelson felt a twinge in his back while lifting luggage after returning from the NEC Invitational in Seattle earlier this week.

Jurisprudence

Former UCLA standout Duval Love, an offensive lineman for three teams, including the Rams, during a 12-year NFL career, was arrested on federal drug conspiracy charges in Tampa, Fla.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office charged Love, 39, of Coto de Caza, Calif., with one count of conspiracy to distribute 11 pounds of cocaine, one count of conspiracy to distribute MDMA, or Ecstasy, and two counts of aiding another person in attempts to distribute cocaine and Ecstasy.

Love pleaded innocent and was released on a $100,000 bond.

The crimes occurred last year, a federal grand jury indictment said. Neither the U.S. Attorney’s Office nor Tampa police, who were involved in the investigation, would discuss details of the case.

Earlier this month, he was hired as a graduate assistant coach at Nevada Las Vegas, reuniting him with former Los Angeles Ram coach John Robinson. The school said Love is dismissed from the team until the charges are resolved.

Miscellany

The United States capped a dominant performance at the Pan Pacific swimming championships with five gold medals and a world record in the men’s 4x100-meter medley relay at Yokohama, Japan.

Aaron Peirsol, Brendan Hansen, Michael Phelps and Jason Lezak clocked 3 minutes 33.48 seconds, eclipsing the previous world mark of 3:33.73 set by the U.S. at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

The relay victory gave the United States 21 gold medals in the six-day meet. Australia was next with 11.

Natalie Coughlin won the women’s 100 freestyle, collecting her fourth gold medal with a championship record 53.99 seconds.

NASCAR fined driver Ward Burton $5,000 for throwing the heat shields from his shoes at Dale Earnhardt Jr. Burton was upset with Earnhardt after the two made contact at Bristol Motor Speedway last Saturday, with Burton getting knocked out of the race.

Guard Marcus Barnes, who helped lead the Miami Hurricanes to last year’s NCAA tournament, was kicked off the team for an unspecified violation of team rules.

The Dallas Stars signed left wing Steve Gainey to a one-year deal.