Sports briefs 12/1/03

Basketball

Philadelphia 76ers star Allen Iverson was fined $10,000 by the NBA for making an obscene gesture toward fans during a loss in Milwaukee.

Colleges

Iowa State quarterback Wayne Terry, who was carried off the field on a stretcher during the Cyclones' game at Missouri on Saturday, was released from the hospital and returned to Ames. Terry was held overnight at University of Missouri Hospital in Columbia so doctors could check on his head and neck. An Iowa State spokesman said Terry had full feeling in his arms and legs.

Arkansas fullback Mark Pierce "has made a commitment that he wants to go play professional football," Razorback coach Houston Nutt said, and he won't be on the team for a bowl game. Nutt said he was aware of Pierce's decision to enter the NFL draft as a junior before Friday's game with LSU, but "I just told him, for focus, it was best for his teammates and his team to wait."

Oklahoma tied Notre Dame for the most No. 1 rankings in The Associated Press college football poll by earning their 95th. The Sooners (12-0) remained the unanimous pick for the top spot in the rankings after an off week as they prepare for the Big 12 championship game. A win next Saturday against No. 13 Kansas State will give Oklahoma the record to itself. Ohio State has the third most No. 1 rankings with 73, followed by Miami with 68, and Florida State with 60.

Boston College accepted an invitation to play in the San Francisco Bowl on New Year's Eve. The Eagles (7-5), in a postseason bowl game for the fifth consecutive year, will meet Colorado State (7-5) of the Mountain West conference.

Green Bay Packers assistant coach Sylvester Croom has an offer to become the next football coach at Mississippi State, the school's athletic director said. If Croom takes the job, he'll become the first black head football coach in Southeastern Conference history. Croom visited the campus and met with Templeton for about five hours Sunday, two days after Templeton and university president Charles Lee went to Green Bay to meet with him.

Nevada football coach Chris Tormey was fired after failing to guide his team to a winning record in four seasons. The Wolf Pack went 1-4 down the stretch to finish 6-6.

Golf

Annika Sorenstam earned another $50,000 but finished second to Fred Couples, the grand master of the Skins Game who won his record fourth championship. Couples won all but $25,000 of his $605,000 on the final day of the 18-hole, made-for-television event. Sorenstam, the first woman to play in the competition, earned $225,000. Phil Mickelson was third with $170,000.

Sergio Garcia won the Nedbank Golf Challenge, beating Retief Goosen with a 15-foot birdie putt on the first hole of a playoff. Garcia, also the 2001 winner in a playoff, closed with a 2-under 70 and Goosen shot a 69 for 14-under 274 totals on the Gary Player Country Club course. Vijay Singh finished third, three strokes back.

Hockey

Kerry Fraser was the referee for his record 1,500th NHL regular-season game when the Toronto Maple Leafs played the New York Rangers. Fraser, 52, was already No. 1 in games refereed after he passed Andy Van Hellemond in March.

Swimming

American swimmer Michael Phelps won the 100-meter butterfly and 400-meter individual medley at the short course World Cup, giving him six wins in as many races. Phelps, who set five world records at the long-course world championships in Spain this year, led the way as Americans won six races on the final night of the three-day competition. The other American winners were Ed Moses, Jason Lezak, Lindsay Benko and Amanda Beard.

-- From wire reports