Associated Press
SAN DIEGO ó The San Diego Sports Commission has confirmed that Michigan State and North Carolina will play in the Carrier Classic on Veterans Day, the first NCAA basketball game to be played aboard an aircraft carrier.
The commission, working with Morale Entertainment Foundation, says it has received written commitments from the two schools and that approval from the U.S. Navy is expected soon.
Organizers haven’t announced which aircraft carrier will host the Nov. 11 game.
MORE COLLEGE HOOPS
SAN DIEGO ó A former University of San Diego star basketball player, another former player and a former assistant coach were charged with running a sports betting business to affect the outcome of games, federal authorities said.
The indictment names Brandon Johnson, the schoolís all-time leading scorer who finished his college career last year, Thaddeus Brown, an assistant coach at the school in the 2006-07 season, and Brandon Dowdy, who played at USD in the 2006-07 season and at the University of California, Riverside, from 2008 to 2010. Seven other people were also charged.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. ó Florida coach Billy Donovan is rebuilding his staff with a close friend and a longtime colleague.
Donovan hired former Arkansas coach John Pelphrey and former St. John’s coach Norm Roberts as assistants Tuesday.
BRILL DIES
DURHAM ó Bill Brill, a veteran sportswriter who covered the Atlantic Coast Conference for more than 40 years and was a member of the Duke Athletics Hall of Fame, has died. He was 79.
Brill had been battling esophageal and liver cancer.
Brill, a 1952 graduate of Duke, worked for the Roanoke Times from 1956-1991, the last 31 years as sports editor. He was executive sports editor at The Herald-Sun of Durham from 1992-1994. The media room at Cameron Indoor Stadium is named for him, and he wrote a book with coach Mike Krzyzewski.
Brill said he saw 118 consecutive North Carolina-Duke games, a streak broken when he went on a cruise with his wife.
GOLF
CHERRY HILLS VILLAGE, Colo. ó Denver Broncos Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway played a starring role in bringing two Super Bowl titles to the Mile High City.
Once again, Elway came up big ó on another green field no less ó as he helped his home golf course land a major PGA event.
Elway announced Tuesday that Cherry Hills Golf Club will host the 2014 BMW Championship. The tournament is scheduled to be held Sept. 1-7.
BONDS TRIAL
SAN FRANCISCO ó Jurors in the Barry Bonds case remained mostly out of sight on day 3 of their deliberations. They never entered Judge Susan Illston’s courtroom on the 19th floor of the Phillip Burton Federal Building, spending about six hours behind closed doors Tuesday without reaching a verdict.
Except for a couple of quick breaks and a timeout for lunch, that was it.
No questions for the judge. No readbacks of testimony. And no clues as to which way, if any, the eight women and four men who will decide the home-run king’s fate are leaning.
With each passing hour Wednesday, speculation mounted as to whether the jury even will be able to reach a verdict on the four charges: three counts of making false statements to a grand jury in 2003 and one count of obstruction of justice.
TENNIS
NEW YORK ó Serena Williams grabbed her racket and got out on a tennis court Tuesday, which she said was her ěfirst day backî after a series of health problems, including blood clots in her lung.
The 13-time Grand Slam singles champion and former No. 1-ranked player has not played an official match since she won the title at Wimbledon in July.
On Tuesday, Williams tweeted: ěCool news guys stay tuned.. Ill update u with a pic.. U ready??î
Then, a little later, she tweeted again: ěLook who I spotted on the court. Her first day back…î That posting came with a link to a photo of Williams in a neon pink bodysuit, standing at the baseline and midway through her service motion with a racket in her right hand.
Shortly after claiming her fourth singles championship at the All England Club last year, Williams cut her foot on glass at a restaurant, an injury that led to two operations. The second surgery was in October, and she said she spent 10 weeks in a cast and 10 weeks in a walking boot.
The 29-year-old American was diagnosed in February with blood clots in her lung.
HOCKEY
TORONTO ó The Edmonton Oilers will pick first overall in the NHL draft for a second straight year.
The New Jersey Devils won the draft lottery Tuesday, but teams can’t move up more than four spots, leaving Edmonton with the first overall pick.
The Devils will pick fourth, the New York Islanders fifth and the Ottawa Senators were bumped down to the sixth spot, with Colorado and Florida falling in order at second and third, respectively.
After finishing its season in 30th place, Edmonton held the highest odds of getting the No. 1 pick at 48.2 percent.
ST. PAUL, Minn.ó The Minnesota Wild fired coach Todd Richards after the team missed the playoffs in each of his two seasons.
SENATOR CARL?
MOUNT HOLLY, N.J. ó Olympic gold medalist Carl Lewis says heíll run again ó for New Jersey Senate.
It is the first bid for elected office for the 49-year-old Willingboro, N.J., native. Lewis won nine Olympic gold medals and is considered among the best track and field athletes of all time.