BASKETBALL

TEMPLE ENDS NO. 6 GW’S PERFECT A-10 RUN CINCINNATI – Temple’s famously stingy defense got back to what it does best – breaking down opponents and creating havoc in tournament brackets.

The Owls’ inscrutable zone left George Washington’s high-powered offense in a shambles yesterday, setting up a 68-53 victory over the sixth-ranked Colonials in the A10 tournament quarterfinals.

The upset will have a far-reaching effect. Now, the Atlantic 10 will get two teams in the NCAA tournament.And, someone from another conference will be left out.

KENTUCKY STRENGTHENS CASE FOR NCAA BERTH NASHVILLE, Tenn.- Randolph Morris scored 17 points and Kentucky needed a late surge to beat Mississippi 71-57 in the first round of the Southeastern Conference tournament yesterday.

The Wildcats (20-11), who strengthened their case for an NCAA bid, had not played on the opening day of this tournament since 1979. It was the first time Kentucky failed to earn a first-round bye since the SEC split into divisions in 1992.

A large contingent of Big Blue fans showed up as usual to make Kentucky feel right at home, but nothing has come easy for the Wildcats this season and that didn’t change against Ole Miss.

SOCCER

METROSTARS SOLD AND RENAMED RED BULL NEW YORK Red Bull is buying Major League Soccer’s MetroStars, and the first order of business for the energy drink maker was to give its club a new team name.

Goodbye, MetroStars. Hello, Red Bull New York.

Anschutz Entertainment Group completed an agreement yesterday to sell the team to Red Bull Company Ltd., which already has its red, blue and silver colors on everything from European soccer jerseys to race-car paint jobs.

“This is a seminal moment in the history of this team and this league,” team president and general manager Alexi Lalas said. “What Red Bull brings to the table is something the likes of which this league has never seen.”

BASEBALL

BELTRE HOMERS AS DOMINICANS TOP ITALY KISSIMMEE, Fla. – Manny Acta smiled at the thought: The Dominican Republic is unbeaten in the first round of the World Baseball Classic and still hasn’t put its best lineup on the field.

The manager hopes to get Vladimir Guerrero back for the next round, noting the Los Angeles Angels slugger can’t help but give an already imposing team an even better chance of winning the tournament.

“You never have enough in baseball,”Acta said after the Dominicans beat Italy 8-3 yesterday to remain the only undefeated club in Pool D. “This is not the (Michael) Jordan Bulls against the Clippers. … It’s a very short tournament. Anything can happen, and we’re not taking anything for granted.”

Adrian Beltre, playing third base with A-Rod out of the picture, homered for the third time in two games to pace yesterday’s victory.Albert Pujols and Moises Alou also homered to help the Dominicans improve to 2-0.

BONDS BOOED, STRIKES OUT IN SPRING DEBUT TEMPE, Ariz. – If the latest round of steroids accusations is bothering Barry Bonds, he’s not letting on to it.

Boos coming his way from all directions, Bonds slowly stepped into the batter’s box for his first spring training appearance in two years and struck out swinging on six pitches.

– Associated Press