Love, Westbrook to reveal NBA plans today

UCLA’s star freshman center Kevin Love has scheduled a 1 p.m. news conference for today where he is expected to announce he is making himself available for the NBA draft.

Also expected to be at the news conference is sophomore guard Russell Westbrook, who a source said will announce his availability for the draft as well. Neither player is expected to hire an agent immediately.

Love, who led the Bruins in scoring (17.5) and rebounding (10.6) while becoming the Pacific 10 Conference player of the year and first-team All-American, had returned home to Lake Oswego, Ore., last week to discuss his plans with his family. His father, Stan, who played four years in the NBA, and UCLA Coach Ben Howland will also be at the news conference.

Last week Howland said his research indicated Love could be taken as high as fourth in the June 26 draft and most pre-draft predictions have Love being taken between No. 5 and No. 12.

Over the last week sources familiar with both the NBA draft and who are close to several UCLA players, had indicated that junior guard Darren Collison, Westbrook and junior forwards Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, Alfred Aboya and Josh Shipp are considering whether or not to return to the team.

-- Diane Pucin

Travis Ford is leaving Massachusetts to coach Oklahoma State.

Ford will replace Sean Sutton.

Ford, 38, led UMass to a 25-11 record this season and an appearance in the NIT championship game, where it lost to Ohio State. He was 62-35 in three seasons, including NIT bids the past two seasons.

Oklahoma State was turned down by Kansas Coach Bill Self.

Kansas State Coach Frank Martin, who took over last summer and led the Wildcats to a 21-12 record and an NCAA tournament appearance, signed a five-year contract through the 2011-12 season that will pay him $760,000 annually.

Tyreke Evans, a 6-foot-5 shooting guard from Pennsylvania who was the most valuable player of the McDonald’s All-American game last month, announced he will attend Memphis.

TENNIS

Querrey eliminated by Massu in Houston

Nicolas Massu rallied to beat fourth-seeded Sam Querrey, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4, to reach the second round of the U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship in Houston.

Top-seeded James Blake defeated wild card Kei Nishikori, 6-4, 6-4.

Defending champion Jelena Jankovic beat Alexandra Stevenson, 7-5, 6-0, at the Family Circle Cup in Charleston, S.C.

Fourth-seeded Elena Dementieva defeated Jill Craybas, 6-0, 6-2.

Second-seeded Nikolay Davydenko rallied past Ivo Minar, 2-6, 6-2, 6-4, in the second round of the clay-court Estoril Open in Oeiras, Portugal.

Third-seeded Tommy Robredo beat fellow Spaniard Santiago Ventura, 6-7 (7), 6-3, 6-4, to reach the quarterfinals of the Valencia Open.

Madison Brengle, 18, and former South African Liezel Huber were chosen to represent the U.S. in next weekend’s Fed Cup semifinals against Russia in Moscow.

Vania King and Ahsha Rolle also were chosen. Venus and Serena Williams and Lindsay Davenport pulled out for medical and other reasons.

MISCELLANY

Breeders’ Cup Challenge grows

The Breeders’ Cup Challenge, a series of qualifying races, expanded to Europe with the addition of three races to be run Sept. 27 at Ascot Racecourse in England, officials announced.

The additions bring the number of races in the “win and your in” challenge series to 53, up from 24 last year.

This year’s Breeders’ Cup, consisting of 14 races with purses totaling $25.5 million, will be held Oct. 24-25 during the Oak Tree meet at Santa Anita.

-- Larry Stewart

Cesar Villaluz scored in the 14th minute and it held up as Mexico defeated China, 1-0, in a soccer exhibition at Qwest Field in Seattle.

Boxing’s Oscar De La Hoya, volleyball’s Karch Kiraly and distance running’s Joan Benoit will be inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame on June 19 in Chicago.

Basketball’s David Robinson, swimming’s Amy Van Dyken and figure skater Brian Boitano will join them. Movie producer Frank Marshall will go in as a special contributor.

Hawaii will receive nearly $4.4 million for playing in the Sugar Bowl, a record payout to a non-Bowl Championship Series school.

PASSINGS

Kleine, Notre Dame and Redskins lineman, 43

Wally Kleine, who played defensive tackle for Notre Dame and the Washington Redskins, died of heart failure Sunday in Lubbock, Texas. He was 43.