Sports briefs 11/11/03

Colleges

Missouri's men's basketball team opened its exhibition schedule with an 85-76 win over the Lithuania Inter Hoop team just hours after debuting at No. 5 in the APTop 25 preseason poll. ArthurJohnson had 21 points and Rickey Paulding 15.

TCU jumped to sixth place in the Bowl Championship Series standings, the highest ranking ever for an outsider to the system. Oklahoma remained the leader in the standings that will determine which two teams will play for the national championship in the Sugar Bowl.

Missouri tight end Victor Sesay will miss the rest of the season with a torn patella tendon in his right knee. The injury will sideline Sesay, a junior college transfer, for four to six months, coach Gary Pinkel said. Sesay shared the starting spot with J.D. McCoy.

Charlotte accepted an invitation to join the Atlantic 10 Conference. The league is awaiting an expansion decision from St. Louis, which is expected to accept today.

Central Florida football coach Mike Kruczek was fired and will be replaced by assistant coach Alan Gooch for the final two games.

Ohio Valley Conference Tournament champion Eastern Illinois will play Missouri in the NCAA Women's Soccer Tournament on Friday. Kansas and Illinois State are the other teams in the Columbia, Mo., regional.

Football

Dante Hall's injured clavicle will not keep him out of Kansas City's game Sunday at Cincinnati, coach Dick Vermeil said. Hall, who came within 16 yards of a single-season record fifth touchdown return Sunday, hurt the shoulder late in the 41-20 victory that kept the Chiefs the only unbeaten team in the league.

The NFL fined defensive lineman Marcus Stroud of the Jacksonville Jaguars $5,000 for a hit on Tennessee quarterback Steve McNair two weeks ago.

Motorsports

FitzBradshaw withdrew from the Busch Series race this weekend after a fire destroyed a backup vehicle, crew uniforms, helmets, tools and other equipment. The fire broke out in a transporter carrying the car to Homestead-Miami Speedway

Outdoors

Young hunters killed a record 9,054 deer during a special weekend season for children ages 6 through 15, the state Conservation Department said. The deer kill during the youth firearms season was up significantly from last year's record of 7,580. The youth season, which was Nov. 1 and 2, is in its third year. The Conservation Department said there were no firearms-related deer hunting accidents. The regular firearms deer season begins Saturday.

Tennis

Andre Agassi faltered late against Roger Federer, wasting two match points and losing their opening round-robin encounter at the Tennis Masters Cup 6-7 (3), 6-3, 7-6 (7). The result means Federer, the Wimbledon champion, has an outside chance of overtaking Andy Roddick for the year-end No. 1 ranking.

Kim Clijsters successfully defended her title at the WTA Championships, defeating Amelie Mauresmo 6-2, 6-0.

-- From wire reports