BASKETBALL

ARBITRATOR REDUCES O’NEAL’S SUSPENSION Jermaine O’Neal won a 10-game reduction yesterday in his suspension for fighting with fans during the November 19 Pacers-Pistons brawl, but an arbitrator also upheld NBA commissioner David Stern’s bans on Ron Artest and two other Indiana players.

The league said the arbitrator has no legitimate role in the matter, and that it would go to federal court to challenge arbitrator Roger Kaplan’s decision. The ruling could make O’Neal eligible to return Saturday when the Pacers host the Detroit Pistons in the teams’ first matchup since the most violent melee in NBA history.

In a 28-page decision, Kaplan upheld Artest’s season-long suspension and the penalties given to Stephen Jackson (30 games) and Anthony Johnson (five games). O’Neal’s ban was reduced from 25 games to 15. Kaplan cited O’Neal’s “character, community involvement and citizenship” in deeming Stern’s suspension “excessive.”

BASEBALL

BOSTON SIGNS CLEMENT, AGRESS TO DEAL WITH MILLER The Red Sox finalized a $25.5 million, three-year contract yesterday with free-agent right-hander Matt Clement.

Boston also agreed to terms yesterday on a one year contract with Wade Miller. The former Astros pitcher, who was 7-7 with a 3.35 ERA in 15 starts before going on the disabled list June 29 with a season ending rotator cuff injury, passed a physical exam in Boston and agreed to a contract with a $1.5 million base salary and $3 million in incentives.

DODGERS REACH AGREEMENT WITH DREW Outfielder J.D. Drew and the Los Angeles Dodgers have reached a preliminary agreement on a $55 million, five-year contract.

Drew, whose contract is contingent a physical exam, hit .305 with 31 homers and 128 runs last year. He helped the Braves win the NL East and was sixth in the NL MVP voting.

GIANTS AGREE TO DEAL WITH ALOU Moises Alou is being reunited with his father after reaching a preliminary agreement on a two-year contract with Felipe Alou’s San Francisco Giants worth about $13.25 million, a person involved in the negotiations told the Associated Press yesterday. The deal, which includes a second year at the player’s option, is pending until Alou passes a physical.

FOOTBALL

OWENS HAS SURGERY ON INJURED ANKLE Terrell Owens likely has had his last flamboyant end-zone celebration of the season. The doctor who performed surgery yesterday on Owens’s injured ankle refused to rule out the Eagles star wide receiver’s return for the Super Bowl, but it remains a long shot – if Philadelphia makes it that far.

“While it is not unreasonable to hope that he returns to play in six weeks, it is not something we would expect,” Dr. Mark Myerson said.

Myerson said two ankle ligaments were torn, including one damaged all the way up to a fracture just below Owens’s knee.

EAGLES LEAD PRO-BOWL VOTING Donovan McNabb and Terrell Owens were among nine Philadelphia Eagles voted to the Pro Bowl, the most representatives for a team since 1998.

Joining quarterback McNabb and wide receiver Owens were tackle Tra Thomas, linebacker Jeremiah Trotter, place-kicker David Akers, special teamer Ike Reese, and three of four secondary starters: cornerback Lito Sheppard and safeties Michael Lewis and Brian Dawkins.

The only Giant going to the Pro Bowl is running back Tiki Barber. He and brother Ronde, a safety with Tampa Bay, became the first twins ever to be selected. Curtis Martin, the league’s leading rusher, was one of three Jets chosen, joining defensive end John Abraham and center Kevin Mawae.

SABAN OFFERED DOLPHINS JOB The Miami Dolphins offered their coaching job yesterday to LSU’s Nick Saban, the favorite for the position since Dave Wannstedt resigned last month. LSU athletic director Skip Bertman said Saban told him of the offer late yesterday afternoon, but did not divulge details of the deal or indicate if he planned to accept.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

BOWLING GREEN OUTGUNS MEMPHIS IN GMAC BOWL Omar Jacobs passed for 365 yards and five touchdowns, leading Bowling Green to a 52-35 victory over Memphis last night in the GMAC Bowl. The Falcons (9-3) turned a shootout into a blowout after leading 35-28 at halftime to win their fourth consecutive bowl game.

Jacobs got them started with four first-half touchdown passes – two apiece to Charles Sharon and Steve Sanders – and P.J. Pope helped carry them the rest of the way. Pope ran 28 times for 151 yards and a pair of 1-yard touchdowns, also scoring on a 13-yard reception.

Memphis (8-4) couldn’t keep up with the nation’s no. 4 offense, which totaled 558 total yards. Memphis star DeAngelo Williams rushed for 120 yards on 18 carries before leaving at the end of the third quarter with a fractured right fibula.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

ILLINOIS STRUGGLES IN WIN OVER MISSOURI Luther Head scored 20 points and Deron Williams scored nine of his 19 points in the final 3:19 to help top-ranked Illinois (11-0) overcome foul problems, poor shooting, and a second half surge by Missouri for a 70–64 win.

Missouri (6-5) cut a 15-point deficit to five with just under 8 minutes left and then to four on Jason Horton’s 3-pointer with 14 seconds to go. But Illinois was 11-for-12 at the free throw line down the stretch, including two by Williams with 10 seconds left for a 70-64 lead.

HOCKEY

BERTUZZI PLEADS GUILTY TO ASSAULT Vancouver Canucks player Todd Bertuzzi pleaded guilty to assault yesterday, more than nine months after slugging Colorado forward Steve Moore from behind and driving his face into the ice during a game.

Moore was hospitalized with three fractured vertebrae, facial cuts, post-concussion symptoms, and amnesia. Bertuzzi was suspended for the final 13 regular-season games and seven postseason games. On Friday, he was barred from playing in Europe by the International Ice Hockey Federation.

– Associated Press