Teams, fans pause for shuttle crew

Florida Tech postponed its men's and women's college basketball games Saturday, and fans across the country paused to mourn the seven astronauts killed aboard the space shuttle Columbia.

The shuttle broke into pieces over Texas, just minutes before it was supposed to land at Cape Canaveral in Florida.

Florida Tech, located in Melbourne, about 22 miles south of the NASA site, has strong ties to the space program; Cape scientists founded the institute in the 1950s.

Elsewhere, spectators were asked to remember those killed in the disaster.

Before the start of the men's game between No. 7 Kentucky and host South Carolina, a prayer was said and a moment of silence was observed as a picture of the crew was flashed on the large overhead scoreboard.

A moment of silence was observed at basketball arenas all around the country -- Storrs, Conn., Omaha, Neb., South Bend, Ind., Louisville, Ky., and Austin, Texas.

Bob Bender, a 39-year-old fan from Columbia, Mo., said he and his wife and two sons nearly stayed home from the Colorado-Missouri men's game before deciding to attend.

"We thought that maybe we should show our respect by staying home, but we all have to go on with our lives," Bender said.

CBS delayed the beginning of its televised coverage of the Bob Hope Classic golf tournament in La Quinta, Calif., for about an hour.

"The entire PGA Tour family grieves for today's tragic loss of the Columbia crew," Tour commissioner Tim Finchem said in a statement. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the countless family and friends of the shuttle crew who are mourning the loss of their loved ones."