West Virginia set to join the Big 12

The Big 12 welcomed West Virginia from the Big East and bid goodbye to Missouri before the Tigers even had a chance to make their move to the Southeastern Conference official.

Now that the poaching of the Big East seems to be over, the beleaguered league is not backing down. It has been busy courting six schools and says it was braced for the latest loss. And despite what the Big 12 says, the Big East plans to keep West Virginia for two more years — just as it has vowed to keep Pittsburgh and Syracuse away from the Atlantic Coast Conference until 2014.

The latest round of conference realignment appears to be winding down, but tug of war over who goes where when likely will take a while to sort out.

The Big 12 completed its work Friday by adding West Virginia to become its easternmost member, joining Texas, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Kansas, Kansas State, Baylor, TCU and Iowa State.

The Big 12 said it expects to have 10 schools for the 2012-13 season, listing West Virginia but not Missouri, which is expected complete its move to the SEC any day now.

U.S. wins water polo gold

The American women’s water polo team won gold at the Pan American Games Friday in Guadalajara, Mexico, after rallying from a 5-2 halftime deficit to send the game into overtime at 8-8. No one scored in the extra two periods, but the Americans held on to win a marathon shootout 19-18. The victory qualified the team for 2012 London Olympics.

The men’s water polo team will face Canada in another final Saturday — with another Olympic berth on the line.

ETC.

Dayron Robles was too far ahead of his rivals to get into any trouble this time, winning his second straight Pan American Games gold medal in the 110-meter hurdles. The Cuban world-record holder set a Pan American Games record of 13.10 seconds.

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In men’s soccer, Jeronimo Amione scored in the 75th minute and Mexico defeated Argentina, 1-0, to win gold.

The U.S. women’s field hockey team qualified for the Olympics with a stunning 4-2 victory over defending world champion Argentina.

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U.S. Open champion Rory McIlroy shot a three-under 69 to increase his lead to two strokes at 11-under 133 after the second round of the Shanghai Masters.

After opening with a bogey-free 64, McIlroy struggled on the front nine, bogeying the fourth hole and dropping two strokes on the par-four ninth after driving into the water.

Noh Seung-yul was second after a 63. The 20-year-old South Korea player began the round tied for 18th after an opening 72.

American Jeff Overton shot a course-record nine-under 62 for a share of the second-round lead with Sweden’s Fredrik Jacobson in the Asia Pacific Classic at Selangor, Malaysia.

Jacobson had a 64 to match Overton at 13-under 129 at the Mines Resort and Golf Club in the second-year event sanctioned by the PGA Tour and Asian Tour.

Bo Van Pelt was a stroke back after a 64, and Mark Wilson (66), Stewart Cink (66), Jimmy Walker (67) and Jhonattan Vegas (69) followed at nine under.

Scotland’s Richie Ramsay shot a one-over 72 to hold his two-stroke lead after the second round of the Andalucia Masters at Sotogrande, Spain. France’s Gregory Havret shot a 71 to trail Ramsay. Sergio Garcia had a second straight 70 and is three strokes behind in third.

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Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Hong-Chih Kuo had arthroscopic surgery on his left elbow Friday to remove a loose body and scar tissue.

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Former utility infielder Ricky Adams, an Upland native who played 66 games for the Angels in 1982-83, died Friday in Rancho Cucamonga after a lengthy bout with cancer. He was 52.