Sports digest 3/12/02

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SOUTHEAST BASEBALL TEAM ON THE ROAD TODAY

Southeast's baseball team will have two more road games today as the Indians (3-6) travel to Nashville, Tenn., for a 1 p.m. doubleheader with Lipscomb (4-12).

The Indians, who have not yet played at home, have won three of their last four games. Lipscomb is a former NAIA power that is struggling making the transition to Division I.

Southeast's first home action of the season will be Wednesday when Evansville visits Capaha Field for a 2 p.m. single contest.

Jackson grads lead Columbia in national event

Two Jackson High School graduates are part of the Columbia College men's basketball team that plays Wednesday in the NAIA national tournament in Kansas City, Mo.

Junior guard Justin Keen is the Cougars' fourth-leading scorer at 8.5 points per game. Senior forward Jeff Walter averages 2.9 points a contest.

The Cougars (28-7) will play Barat, Ill., in the first round.

Notre Dame swimmers last in triangular meet

ST. LOUIS -- The Notre Dame Regional High School girls' swimming team managed only one first and scored 56 points in its tri-meet with Parkway West (134) and MICDS (130).

Jessica Ducharme won the diving competition, while Lindsay Kuper finished second in the 500 freestyle, with a state qualifying time of 5:44.87, and third in the 200 individual medley.

ELSEWHERE

BOXING

It would take a surprise, last-round knockout to keep Mike Tyson from getting a boxing license in Washington. The judges' scorecards are already well in his favor going into today's public hearing.

While there's sure to be plenty of passion on both sides, the hearing by the D.C. Boxing and Wrestling Commission is approaching mere formality. The three-member panel bypassed protocol with an unofficial 3-0 vote in Tyson's favor last month, and they've given every indication that the actual vote, which is expected immediately after the hearing, will go the same way.

Commission vice chairman Michael Brown said the commission is unlikely to be dissuaded by emotional arguments, and that he would need tangible medical or psychological reasons to vote against Tyson. Brown said reports from the doctors who examined Tyson in Washington last week have been favorable.

Colleges

Steve Robinson was fired after coaching Florida State to four straight losing seasons -- and one big upset victory. Robinson was 64-86 in five years at Florida State, but just 46-72 over the last four seasons and 25-55 in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Robinson, 44, had two years left on a contract that was extended for that period in 1999. School officials said Robinson would be paid $250,000 to cover the remaining two years on his base salary and that he would immediately begin looking for a new coach.

Roy Kramer, who changed the way college football decides its national champion, will retire as commissioner of the Southeastern Conference.

Two sources with knowledge of Kramer's plans and speaking on condition of anonymity said he will step down after 12 years on the job. The SEC called a news conference for today at its headquarters in Birmingham.

The 72-year-old Kramer will attend, along with SEC president, Mississippi chancellor Robert Khayat and Arkansas chancellor John White, the SEC said. It did not release details about the nature of the news conference.

UAB basketball coach Murry Bartow, 40, resigned after failing to lead the Blazers to the postseason for the third straight year, the program's longest drought. UAB is coming off the worst season in its 24-year history, going 13-17 and losing in the first round of the Conference USA tournament. It was only the second losing season for the Blazers, who became NCAA tournament regulars under Bartow's father, Gene.

Athletic director Herman Frazier said Bartow informed him of his decision at a meeting afternoon to discuss the season.

Golf

John Daly and Matt Kuchar are returning to the Masters, although their road back to Augusta National could not have been any different.

Daly took baby steps during a 14-month journey that began last year when he was No. 507 in the world ranking and ended this week at No. 43. Kuchar took one giant leap, winning the Honda Classic on Sunday to improve 99 spots to No. 50.

That got them into the Masters, which extended invitations to players in the top 50 who were not already eligible. Rory Sabbatini (No. 45) also qualified.

That gives the Masters a field of 89 players who are expected to compete. The list includes six-time champion Jack Nicklaus, who has not decided whether to play.

-- From staff, wire reports