Sports briefs 3/12/04

Basketball

Vin Baker won his arbitration case against the NBA on Thursday, freeing him to sign with the team of his choice for the remainder of the regular season. In a case that was argued Monday, arbitrator Roger Kaplan invalidated an NBA memo barring the other 28 teams from signing Baker until his other grievance -- against the Boston Celtics -- is settled.

College

The NCAA is considering strict new recruiting standards, including a ban on university-funded visits, after allegations the University of Colorado and other schools used sex and parties to lure star high school athletes. S. David Berst, chairman of an NCAA task force reviewing recruiting rules, said it's clear current standards are inadequate. Final decisions on changes are expected in the next several weeks, Berst said.

Golf

Carl Pettersson shot a 9-under 63 in the opening round of the Honda Classic, giving him a two-stroke lead. Mark Hensby was two shots back after a 65. Steve Flesch, Jesper Parnevik and Rory Sabbatini were another stroke back.

Jung Yeon Lee matched the second-lowest round in LPGA Tour history, carding a 10-under 60 to take a three-shot lead in the season-opening Welch's/Fry's Championship. The 25-year-old South Korean player, unaware that she had a chance to match Annika Sorenstam's historic 59, missed a 20-foot birdie putt from the fringe on No. 17 and a 10-footer on the 18th. Karen Stupples opened with a 63, England's Laura Davies and South Korea's Seol-An Jeon shot 65s.

Miscellaneous

The government will crack down on the steroidlike supplement taken by Mark McGwire, telling companies Thursday to quit selling androstenedione unless they can prove it's not dangerous. The Food and Drug Administration told 23 manufacturers to cease their production of andro.

-- From wire reports