In Brief

PRO BASKETBALL

Women's standout Taurasi
cleared of doping charge

Diana Taurasi was always confident she would be cleared of doping allegations.

It finally happened Wednesday.

Taurasi had her provisional suspension lifted by the Turkish Basketball Federation, which said the lab that returned a positive test retracted its report after it "evaluated" Taurasi's statements in her defense. The federation did not say whether the lab made a mistake.

"I got the news this morning at 5 a.m. and was in shock," Taurasi told The Associated Press by phone from her Phoenix home.

Taurasi had insisted that she never used performance-enhancing drugs, even though she had her contract terminated by Turkish club Fenerbahce last month. The lab that tested her sample had said the results came back positive for the stimulant modafinil.

With the reversal, Tauras will be able to compete in the 2012 Olympics. She's also free to continue playing in the Turkish basketball league, although she said she doesn't plan on going back there anytime soon.

Taurasi, a star with the Phoenix Mercury, plays overseas during the WNBA's offseason.

COLLEGES

UNLV women's basketball falls
short against Air Force, 91-87

The UNLV women's basketball team lost a shootout to Air Force 91-87 at Air Force Academy, Colo.

The Lady Rebels (9-17, 2-10 Mountain West Conference) erased a seven-point deficit in the second half and led 87-86 with 50 seconds remaining, but Megan Muniz hit a 3-pointer for Air Force (8-16, 3-9) with 23 seconds left, and UNLV failed to score again.

Guard Kelli Thompson paced UNLV with 22 points, including a 5-for-10 effort from 3-point range. Markiell Styles had 12 points and 11 rebounds for the Rebels, and Sandrine Nzeukou had 12 points and 10 rebounds.

Also: UNLV's Mehdi Bouras was named Mountain West Conference men's tennis co-player of the week with Air Force's Lance Wilhelm.

Bouras went 3-0 in singles and 3-0 in doubles last week, helping UNLV win three matches.

Florida State football coach Jimbo Fisher received a $4.75 million raise over the next five years, following his first season at the helm.

Fisher signed a new five-year, $13.75 million contract that runs until Jan. 4, 2016. He receives an annual pay raise of $950,000, money to be paid to him for his radio and TV shows and public appearances.

In Fisher's first season taking over for longtime coach Bobby Bowden, the Seminoles finished 10-4, defeating instate rivals Miami and Florida, then beating South Carolina in the Chick Fil-A Bowl.

Florida International shortstop Garrett Wittels will be in the Panthers' lineup when their season begins Friday, despite unresolved legal issues stemming from a rape charge in the Bahamas late last year.

Wittels received clearance from university officials. He enters this season on a 56-game hit streak, two shy of Robin Ventura's college record set in 1987 for Oklahoma State.

MISCELLANEOUS

Horse trainer Dutrow hit
with 90-day suspension

Thoroughbred horse trainer Rick Dutrow was suspended 90 days by New York racing stewards for two infractions.

Dutrow was banned 60 days because he had a horse that tested positive for a pain killer and 30 days for having hypodermic needles in his Aqueduct barn.

Dutrow has been sanctioned a number of times for medication violations. The trainer for Big Brown also admitted to using steroids on the 2008 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner, though they were legal at the time.

Also: Anna Chakvetadze collapsed on the court at the Dubai Championships and had to retire from her match against top-seeded Caroline Wozniacki in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

The 23-year-old Russian lost the first set 6-1, but she was serving for the second set at 5-3. After a long rally that Wozniacki won, Chakvetadze wobbled before fainting.

She was given extensive medical treatment during a seven-minute delay and returned for one more point before forfeiting the match and tearfully hugging Wozniacki.

Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. today for the April 9 Golden Boy Promotions boxing card at the MGM Grand Garden.

The card will feature three fights involving former world champions: Erik Morales meets Marcos Maidana in a 12-round junior welterweight bout; Winky Wright faces European super middleweight champion Matthew Macklin in a 10-round fight; and Michael Katsidis takes on Robert Guerrero in a 12-round lightweight bout.

Tickets, ranging from $25 to $350, are available at all Ticketmaster outlets and at ticketmaster.com and mgmgrand.com.