In Brief

BASKETBALL

Crittenton arrested
on murder charge

Former NBA player Javaris Crittenton, who was suspended from the league for having guns in a locker room with teammate Gilbert Arenas, was arrested Monday in Santa Ana, Calif., to face a murder charge in a deadly Atlanta shooting, an attorney said.

Crittenton was taken into custody at about 8 p.m. at John Wayne Airport in Orange County after checking in for a Delta Air Lines flight to Atlanta, FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller said.

Eimiller said he was arrested without incident by FBI agents with assistance from the Orange County Sheriff's Department.

Authorities were trying to determine whether Crittenton will make an initial appearance in federal court or be taken directly to Atlanta to face state charges there.

"He offered to turn himself in," Lawyer Brian Steel told The Associated Press earlier Monday. "He's not guilty. We look forward to getting it to the courts."

Also: The lead negotiators for the NBA owners and players will meet Wednesday for just the second time since the lockout began.

Commissioner David Stern, deputy commissioner Adam Silver and San Antonio Spurs owner Peter Holt, who leads the labor relations committee, will take part, as will players' association executive director Billy Hunter and union president Derek Fisher of the Lakers, two sources told the Associated Press.

San Diego State basketball coach Steve Fisher was given a four-year contract extension, and long-time assistant Brian Dutcher was designated as his eventual replacement.

Fisher, 66, will get a $150,000 raise next season, to $800,000.

The Aztecs had a breakthrough season in 2010-11 when they set a school record by going 34-3, secured their first two wins ever in the NCAA Tournament and were ranked in the AP Top 25 for the first time.

Findlay Prep senior forward Brandon Ashley committed to Arizona, Findlay Prep assistant coach Todd Simon said.

Ashley, a 6-foot-8-inch transfer from Bishop O'Dowd High School in Oakland, Calif., is the Pilots' third player to make a commitment. He joins senior point guard Dominic Artis (UCLA) and junior forward Chris Wood (UNLV).

MISCELLANEOUS

Lawyer: LSU's Jefferson
should be reinstated

The lawyer for Jordan Jefferson said he will ask the university and coach Les Miles to consider lifting the Louisiana State quarterback's suspension while the legal process plays out in the case of a recent bar brawl involving numerous Tigers players.

Defense attorney Lewis Unglesby said he does not want to tell Miles how to discipline players, only to make the case that the arrest warrant police obtained for Jefferson is without merit and by itself should not be allowed to ruin his senior season.

Also: The New York Times is reporting Texas A&M has notified the Big 12 it will withdraw from the conference.

The newspaper reported on its website that Texas A&M president R. Bowen Loftin sent a letter to Missouri chancellor and Big 12 board chairman Brady Deaton to inform the league it was leaving.

NASCAR said Kevin Harvick has clinched at least a wild-card berth in the 12-driver Chase for the Sprint Cup championship.

Harvick was not listed among drivers who had clinched after Saturday's race at Bristol, Tenn., because there were still scenarios where he could fall outside of the top 10 in points. Further review determined his three victories this season have earned him at minimum one of the two wild cards.

Kyle Busch, Jimmie Johnson, Matt Kenseth and Carl Edwards officially clinched berths on Saturday night.