Morrison Expected to Declare for NBA

Gonzaga forward Adam Morrison is expected to forgo his senior season of eligibility and declare himself available for the NBA draft, according to reports.

Morrison, a first-team All-American and the nation’s leading scorer, has not commented on the reports, but has scheduled a news conference at Gonzaga for today.

His mother would not say if Morrison was turning pro.

Spokane television stations KHQ, KREM and KXLY and FoxSports.com reported Monday night that Morrison had decided to turn pro. All had cited unnamed sources. The Spokesman-Review and Seattle Times reported in Tuesday’s editions that he would leave, also citing unnamed sources.

Morrison, who averaged 28.1 points a game last season, is expected to be a first-round draft choice in the June 28 NBA draft. He has until April 29 to officially declare for the draft.

The West Coast Conference player of the year, Morrison edged Duke’s J.J. Redick for this year’s national scoring title. He finished second to Redick for the Naismith and John R. Wooden awards for college basketball’s player of the year.

UCLA’s starting sophomore guards, Arron Afflalo and Jordan Farmar, were given the Coach John Wooden Award as the Bruins’ co-most valuable players at UCLA’s season-ending banquet. Forward Luc Richard Mbah a Moute was named most valuable freshman.

California forward Leon Powe will announce today whether he will give up his final two seasons of eligibility to make himself eligible for the NBA draft or return to the Golden Bears.

Anthony Grant, who spent the last 10 years as an assistant at Florida, was named coach at Virginia Commonwealth, replacing Jeff Capel, who left to take over at Oklahoma.

Purdue forward Marcus White is ending his college basketball career because of a bad back. He averaged 10.1 points and four rebounds in 20 games last season.

Arizona State assistant Brooks Thompson was hired as coach at Texas San Antonio.

Penn State University fined women’s Coach Rene Portland $10,000 for violating school policy in her treatment of a player she believed was a lesbian.

The university also said that Portland would be fired for any further violations of the school’s policy on discrimination.

Former WNBA and North Carolina standout Sylvia Crawley is the new women’s coach at Ohio.

SOCCER

Defender Spector Dislocates a Shoulder

Defender Jonathan Spector dislocated a shoulder playing for Charlton, a blow to his chances of making the U.S. World Cup roster.

Spector, regarded as a longshot to make the U.S. team, was hurt when he fell awkwardly after a collision with Portsmouth’s Benjani Mwaruwari during Monday night’s Premier League game. He was taken off on a stretcher in the 39th minute.

Ludovic Giuly sent a left-footed shot past Milan goalkeeper Dida in the 57th minute to lift Barcelona to a 1-0 victory over AC Milan in a Champions League semifinal at Milan, Italy.

Barcelona will enter next week’s return leg of the home-and-home, total-goals series with a nine-game unbeaten streak at Camp Nou in European play.

Arsenal plays host to Spain’s Villarreal tonight in the first leg of the other semifinal.

Teams at the World Cup will be subject to FIFA’s new anti-racism rules, which include a possible three-point penalty in the standings for misbehavior by fans.

FIFA’s new rules took effect April 4 and will govern domestic competitions starting next season.

“The regulations will also be applied for this World Cup,” FIFA President Sepp Blatter said. “At the first sign [of racism] there will be a deduction of three points, then we are finished with the problems of discrimination.”

FIFA general secretary Urs Linsi said that salaries for World Cup referees have been raised to $40,000 -- twice as much as they received in 2002 in Japan and South Korea.

TENNIS

Nadal Defeats Clement at Monte Carlo Masters

Defending champion Rafael Nadal of Spain beat Arnaud Clement of France, 6-4, 6-4, in the first round at the Monte Carlo Masters in Monaco.

The second-ranked Nadal -- the only player to have beaten top-ranked Roger Federer this year after winning at Dubai -- is seeking his second title and 14th overall.

Nadal will play No. 154 Jean-Rene Lisnard of Monaco, who defeated Andrew Murray of Britain, 4-6, 7-6 (5), 7-5.

Former champion Guillermo Coria of Argentina beat Mikhail Youzhny of Russia, 6-3, 6-1. Coria, the 2004 champion and runner-up last year, will face Paul-Henri Mathieu of France, who beat two-time Grand Slam champion Marat Safin of Russia, 6-0, 7-5.

GOLF

Casino to Offer Sport’s Biggest Purse

The Wynn Las Vegas resort-casino will host “The Ultimate Game” golf finals next year, with the winner taking home the biggest purse in golf, company officials said.

The tournament has players put up a $50,000 entry fee and then compete for the pooled funds. The winner will take home $2 million.

Organizers noted the winner’s purse was the best in golf, topping The Players Championship at $1.44 million and the British Open at $1.21 million.

Those who win at least two match-play rounds will win back their initial stakes. Half of the starting pool of 160 players will be eliminated in each of the first four rounds of match play.

The final 10 players will compete in a two-day, 36-hole winner-take-all stroke-play competition, June 6-8 at the Wynn Las Vegas Golf Course and Country Club. Players on the PGA Tour, Nationwide Tour or Champions Tour are not eligible.

MISCELLANY

Four Bruins Are Named to NCAA Softball Team

Four former UCLA players were named to the NCAA Division I softball 25th anniversary team.

Debbie Doom (pitcher), Lisa Fernandez (pitcher and third base), Lisa Longaker (pitcher) and Natasha Watley (shortstop) were honored.

Olympic documentarian Bud Greenspan will be among those honored at “The Billies” Thursday night at the Beverly Hilton.

The event will feature entertainment by Elton John and is being presented by the Women’s Sports Foundation to recognize the media for positive portrayal of women’s sports. Billie Jean King created the foundation in 1974.

Kentucky owes nothing to former assistant football coach Claude Bassett, who claimed the school’s athletic department defrauded him after he resigned amid recruiting violations, a federal judge ruled.

Andy Graves, the first employee hired by car owner Chip Ganassi when he started his NASCAR operation, resigned as team manager.

Safety Andre Lott, who started three games for the Washington Redskins in 2004, signed a two-year contract with the San Diego Chargers.

The Kansas City Chiefs signed free-agent cornerback Chris Johnson, who started one game last season for the St. Louis Rams.

Linebacker Gerald Hayes and defensive end Antonio Smith have re-signed with the Arizona Cardinals. Hayes, a restricted free agent, signed his one-year qualifying offer and Smith signed his one-year exclusive rights contract. Terms weren’t disclosed.

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Out early

Gonzaga’s Adam Morrison, above, is expected to announce today that he will leave school early. He would join these fellow underclassmen in the NBA draft (includes players who have not hired an agent and could still withdraw from the draft):

Morris Almond, Rice, G, 6-6, Jr.

* LaMarcus Aldridge, Texas, F, 6-11, So.

* Will Blalock, Iowa St., G, 6-0, Jr.

* Josh Boone, Connecticut, F, 6-10, Jr.

* Guillermo Diaz, Miami, G, 6-2, Jr.

* Quincy Douby, Rutgers, G, 6-3, Jr.

* Thomas Gardner, Missouri, G, 6-5, Jr.

* Rudy Gay, Connecticut, F, 6-8, So.

* Aaron Gray, Pittsburgh, C, 7-0, Jr.

* Nick Fazekas, Nevada, F, 6-11, Jr.

* Brandon Heath, S.D. State, G, 6-3, Jr.

* Alexander Johnson, Florida St., F, 6-9, Jr.

* Trey Johnson, Jackson State, G, 6-5, Jr.

* Paul Millsap, Louisiana Tech, F, 6-7, Jr.

* Danilo Pinnock, Geo. Wash., G, 6-5, Jr.

* Richard Roby, Colorado, G, 6-6, So.

* Rajon Rondo, Kentucky, G, 6-2, So.

* Mustafa Shakur, Arizona, G, 6-3, Jr.

* Cedric Simmons, N.C. St., C, 6-10, So.

* Marcus Slaughter, S.D. St., F, 6-8, Jr.

* Curtis Stinson, Iowa State, G, 6-3, Jr.

* Tyrus Thomas, LSU, F, 6-9, Fr.