IN BRIEF

BASKETBALL

UNLV's Rougeau nets MWC weekly honor

UNLV senior Rene Rougeau was named Mountain West Conference Player of the Week on Monday after averaging 15.5 points and 9.5 rebounds in wins at Fresno State and UNR last week.

The 6-foot-6-inch guard had 12 points and two blocks in an 82-76 victory at Fresno. Against UNR, Rougeau had 19 points, 13 rebounds, two steals and two assists in a 64-57 win.

Also: North Carolina's 35-point romp over a ranked team kept the Tar Heels a unanimous No. 1 choice in The Associated Press men's college basketball poll.

The Tar Heels (8-0) dismantled Michigan State 98-63 at Ford Field last week as part of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge and again received all 72 first-place votes from the national media panel.

Connecticut and Pittsburgh held the second and third spots, while Gonzaga and Oklahoma both moved up one place to fourth and fifth, respectively. Texas, Duke, Tennessee, Louisville and Xavier rounded out the top 10.

Oklahoma State coach Travis Ford dismissed starting forward Ibrahima Thomas from the team, citing a perceived lack of commitment.

Thomas was averaging 8.3 points and 3.9 rebounds while starting the first seven games for the Cowboys (5-3).

Former UNLV standout Sequoia Holmes was selected fifth by the Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA dispersal draft. The draft was conducted after the Houston Comets folded.

Holmes was a rookie for the Comets last season. She started three games and played in 17, averaging 3.1 points.

GOLF

Frazar breezes to win in PGA Tour qualifying

Harrison Frazar finished a memorable week that included a 59 by reaching his ultimate goal, closing with a 5-under 67 at the PGA Tour qualifying tournament in La Quinta, Calif., to lead 28 players who earned their cards for next season.

Frazar, who has played 300 times on the PGA Tour without winning, seized control of Q-school with a 59 in the fourth round. He built such a big lead that even with a double bogey on the final hole, he still won by eight shots.

Frazar finished at 32-under 400.

Derek Fathauer, who made the cut at the U.S. Open this year as an amateur, and James Nitties each closed with a 70 to tie for second.

Former UNLV standout Chris Riley, a member of the 2004 U.S. Ryder Cup team, shot 69 for a 19-under 413 total, making the cut right on the number.

Also: Paul Azinger said he will not return as U.S. captain in the Ryder Cup after leading the Americans to their only victory this decade.

The PGA of America will announce the new captain Thursday, with all indications that it will be Corey Pavin.

MISCELLANEOUS

Health forces Torres out of title fight vs. Holt

Kendall Holt has a new opponent for Saturday's WBO junior welterweight title fight in Atlantic City after Ricardo Torres pulled out for health reasons. Torres has reportedly missed a significant amount of training because of an undisclosed illness and was concerned he could not make the 140-pound weight limit.

Demetrius Hopkins, scheduled to fight on the undercard, has been moved up to the main event as Torres' replacement.

Torres defeated Holt in Colombia in September 2007 with an 11th-round technical knockout, but lost the rematch when Holt knocked him out at Planet Hollywood in July.

Also: U.S. Open champion Serena Williams has withdrawn from next month's Hopman Cup in Perth, Australia, as she continues to recover from a hamstring injury.

Williams, No. 2 in the rankings, was injured at last month's WTA Championships. The Hopman Cup starts Jan. 3, but Williams still intends to play at the Australian Open starting Jan. 19.