Sports briefs 2/27/04

College

Former Baylor basketball coach Dave Bliss made improper payments to students, including a player who was killed last summer, the school president said Thursday. Citing a report by a school-appointed committee, president Robert Sloan accused Bliss of allowing major NCAA infractions during his four-year stay. The report on the basketball program was ordered after Patrick Dennehy was found dead in July and another player was charged with his murder. Bliss resigned in August. Sloan said the school will report the committee's findings, along with self-imposed sanctions and corrective measures, to the NCAA early next week.

Salim Stoudamire, the leading scorer for No. 17 Arizona, was suspended indefinitely by coach Lute Olson "for failure to meet team responsibilities." The school announced the suspension before Thursday night's game against Washington. Stoudamire is fifth in the Pac-10 in scoring at 16.8 points per game.

Football

Pro Bowl receiver Terrell Owens could miss out on free agency because he failed to file papers voiding the final two years of his contract with the San Francisco 49ers. Owens was supposed to be one of the top players available this offseason.

Golf

Frank Lickliter II is back at Tucson National, where his game suits the course and it shows. The defending Chrysler Classic of Tucson champion had four straight birdies late in the first round and finished with a 9-under 63 to begin his title defense with a two-shot lead.

Olympics

As Greek organizers sought to reassure the world the Athens Games will be safe, anti-Olympic activists firebombed two government vehicles to coincide with a major meeting of IOC officials. A group calling itself "Phevos and Athena" -- the names of the Olympic mascots -- said in a call to an Athens newspaper the attack was tied to the meetings of the IOC and the Association of National Olympic Committees.

Tennis

Venus Williams lost in the Dubai Open quarterfinals, beaten by unseeded Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-2, 6-3.

-- From wire reports