In Brief

courts

Former Virginia lacrosse player
convicted of killing ex-girlfriend

A jury in Charlottesville, Va., convicted a former University of Virginia lacrosse player Wednesday of second-degree murder of his former girlfriend in a drunken, jealous rage, rejecting a first-degree murder verdict and a possible life sentence.

Instead, jurors recommended a 25-year prison term for George Huguely V in the May 2010 slaying of Yeardley Love. They added one more year for a grand larceny conviction. Huguely was found not guilty of four other charges, including breaking and entering and burglary. Jurors also could have returned lesser verdicts of involuntary or voluntary manslaughter.

Huguely, 24, bowed his head during sentencing. Circuit Judge Edward Hogshire set an April court date on sentencing matters before a formal sentencing is expected to be held in the summer. He is not bound by the jury's recommendations, but Virginia judges typically heed jurors' wishes.

Jurors deliberated for about nine hours before returning their verdict to a somber courtroom. Huguely stood erect, flanked by his attorneys, and appeared stoic as the verdict was read. Some sobs could be heard in the court.

Prosecutors said Huguely killed the Virginia women's lacrosse player after a day of golf and binge drinking, incensed that she had a relationship with a North Carolina lacrosse player. Love's right eye was bashed in, and she was hit with such power that her brain was bruised. She also had a wrenching head injury that caused bleeding at the base of her brain stem.

colleges

Boise State to remain in MWC
for 2012-13 athletic seasons

Boise State's highly successful football program won't be moving to the Big East Conference early.

The school announced that despite repeated conversations with the Big East, the Broncos will remain in the Mountain West Conference for the 2012-13 athletic seasons, saying there were too many obstacles and financial concerns to make the move a year earlier than expected.

Boise State was announced as the newest member of the Big East for football -- along with San Diego State, Houston, Southern Methodist and Central Florida -- with the intent of beginning in the 2013 season. Discussions had grown since the early December announcement about Boise State's potential for moving a year earlier than planned.

Boise State is 73-6 in the past five seasons, with two Bowl Championship Series victories.

Also: UNLV is fourth after the first day of the Mountain West Conference swimming and diving championships in Oklahoma City. Boise State leads with 108 points, followed by San Diego State (101), New Mexico (99) and the Rebels (78).

UNLV's 800-yard freestyle relay team of Jessica Heim, Brittany Ozar, Friderika Szel and Jessica Marsh took second and its 200 medley relay team third. The 200 team of Carmen Robb, Marley Prothero, Katelyne Herrington and Rachel Dixon swam to a school record and NCAA "B" provisional time of 1 minute, 39.53 seconds.

Connecticut basketball coach Jim Calhoun will undergo surgery Monday to address a lower back condition and will miss the Huskies' next two games. The university said the status of the Hall of Fame coach, who has been on a medical leave of absence since Feb. 3, then will be evaluated on a day-to-day basis.

pro basketball

Knicks' Lin appears on cover
of SI for second straight week

Covering Jeremy Lin has been easy for Sports Illustrated.

The high-scoring New York Knicks point guard is on the cover of SI for the second week in a row. He's the first New York-based team athlete to be given such treatment since the magazine started in 1954 -- not even Mickey Mantle, Joe Namath or Eli Manning made two straight.

Lin, who played at Harvard, is the 12th athlete to appear on the SI cover at least two weeks in a row since 1990. Dirk Nowitzki did it during last season's NBA Finals. Michael Jordan holds the SI cover record with three in row.

Also: Atlanta Hawks guard Joe Johnson will miss Sunday's NBA All-Star Game in Orlando, Fla., because of tendinitis in his left knee. NBA commissioner David Stern picked Boston Celtics guard Rajon Rondo to replace Johnson. Oklahoma City Thunder star Kevin Durant will take Johnson's place in the 3-point contest.

miscellaneous

Nevada commission suspends
UFC's Diaz for positive drug test

The Nevada Athletic Commission handed Ultimate Fighting Championship welterweight Nick Diaz a temporary suspension for testing positive for marijuana after his Feb. 4 loss to Carlos Condit at Mandalay Bay.

NAC executive director Keith Kizer said Diaz can respond to the positive drug test allegation at a full disciplinary hearing if he seeks reinstatement. No hearing date was set.

Diaz lost his license for six months and was fined $3,000 by the commission after a positive marijuana test following a win in 2007.

Also: Pitcher Roberto Hernandez, formerly known as Fausto Carmona, said he hopes to obtain a judicial pardon and return to the Cleveland Indians this season. Hernandez was placed on baseball's restricted list after he was arrested in the Dominican Republic on false identity charges last month. Authorities have said he is 31, three years older than the pitcher claimed.

Defending champion Andy Roddick was upset by Xavier Malisse 7-6 (8), 7-5 in an opening-round match in the Regions Morgan Keegan Championships in Memphis, Tenn.

For Roddick, whose world ranking has slipped to 27th, it was his earliest exit from the Memphis tournament in 12 appearances. Malisse, ranked 75th, was winless in four matches this season and in nine career matches against Roddick, who has been slowed by hamstring and ankle problems this season.

Tight end Jermichael Finley said he agreed to a new deal with the Green Bay Packers. He was set to become a free agent, and the team had considered using the franchise tag on him.

Eldorado High School boys soccer star Ruben Duran was named the Gatorade Nevada Boys Soccer Player of the Year. The award recognizes athletic and academic excellence.

Duran, a senior midfielder/forward, led the Sundevils (18-3-1) to their first region/zone title since 1994 and a Class 4A state semifinal berth. He has a weighted 4.25 grade-point average and has signed to play at Cal Poly.