Sports

Sports Shorts

NCAA: Rutgers suing Big East over exit fee

Rutgers University is suing the Big East Conference, trying to avoid paying an exit fee. The university is trying to avoid a $10 million hit for leaving en route to the Big Ten. Big East bylaws state a school must give 27 months’ notice and pay a $10 million withdrawal fee.The suit says the Big East selectively enforced the rules. Rutgers claims some schools did and some did not have to give notice or pay the fee on their way out of the embattled conference. The Big East allowed Syracuse, Pittsburgh, West Virginia and TCU to leave the league before the 27-month period had run its course.

Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez will return to the sideline to coach the Badgers against Stanford in the Rose Bowl in the aftermath of former coach Bret Bielema taking the head job at Arkansas. … Cincinnati’s Butch Jones denied he has agreed to become Colorado’s football coach.

Texas A&M QB and Heisman Trophy finalist Johnny Manziel was voted the SEC offensive player of the year. … Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te’o won the Lombardi Award as college football’s best lineman or linebacker.

NBA: Bryant youngest to 30,000 career points

Kobe Bryant scored 29 points, making him the fifth player in NBA history to score 30,000 points, and the Lakers snapped a two-game skid with a 103-87 victory over the Hornets. Bryant, 34, became the youngest player in NBA history to eclipse the 30,000 mark. Wilt Chamberlain was 35 when he hit the mark.

Kevin Garnett had 18 points and remained unbeaten against his former team as the Celtics beat the Timberwolves 104-94 in Rajon Rondo’s return from a two-game suspension.

NFL: Dockett sorry for spitting in Rhodes’ face

Cardinals Darnell Dockett has apologized to teammate Kerry Rhodes for the pair’s on-field run-in during the waning seconds of Sunday’s loss to the Jets. Dockett allegedly spit in Rhodes’ face, and described the incident as a “very heated argument” stemming from Rhodes trying to persuade him to allow the Jets to score so the Cardinals could get the ball back and try for the winning touchdown.

The Cardinals also announced that John Skelton will be back at starting quarterback when the Cardinals play the Seahawks on Sunday in Seattle. He would replace struggling rookie Ryan Lindley after two starts.

Seattle cornerback Brandon Browner dropped the appeal of his suspension for using performance-enhancing substances and will miss the final four games of the regular season … The Vikings placed wide receiver Percy Harvin (ankle) on injured reserve, abruptly ending his season.

ETC: Armstrong keeps bronze medal for now

Lance Armstrong, recently

stripped of his seven Tour de France titles from 1999-2005 for doping, can hold on to his 2000 Olympic bronze medal a little while longer. The International Olympic Committee executive board cited procedural reasons for the delay in stripping Armstrong of the bronze medal he won 12 years ago in the cycling road time trial in Sydney.

Blaise Ffrench hit a jumper with four seconds left to help Saint Peter’s (4-4) beat Iona (3-3) 64-62. … Mike Black scored 21 points as Albany beat St. Francis of Brooklyn (2-4), 77-73.

Baylor’s Brittney Griner had 24 points as the No. 3 Lady Bears beat No. 5 Notre Dame 73-61 in a rematch of last season’s women’s championship game.

John Senden shot a 6-under 66 to take the early lead in the Australian Open, with Justin Rose two strokes back along with Kim Felton. Adam Scott had a 72.