IN BRIEF

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Rice tops Southern Miss, ends four-game skid

Jarett Dillard caught two touchdown passes, Andrew Sendejo intercepted two passes and Rice held off a fourth-quarter comeback to snap a four-game losing streak Wednesday night with a 31-29 win over Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, Miss.

The Owls (1-4, 1-0 Conference USA) converted four of seven Golden Eagles turnovers into 24 points and batted down a 2-point conversion that would have tied the game late. Southern Miss (2-3, 1-1) was down by 24 with 10:30 left, but scored two late touchdowns to cut the deficit to 31-29.

Also: Florida safety Tony Joiner practiced, one day after he was charged with felony burglary for allegedly trying to take his girlfriend's car out of a towing company's impound lot.

Coach Urban Meyer stripped Joiner of his captain's status and said the senior starter has not been cleared to play Saturday at top-ranked Louisiana State.

Jacksonville running back Rudell Small was reinstated after teammate Cecil Coltrane admitted planting more than 20 grams of marijuana in Small's dorm room.

Small, a freshman, was arrested last week after sheriff's deputies acted on a tip and discovered the illegal substance in his room. He was suspended from school and did not play in Saturday's game against Davidson.

Louisville running back George Stripling was suspended from Friday night's game against Utah for violating team rules.

Coach Steve Kragthorpe did not elaborate on why Stripling was disciplined.

Texas Tech linebacker Kellen Tillman was suspended indefinitely after his arrest on a marijuana possession charge.

Tillman was arrested Monday when police found marijuana in the car he was driving.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Howland, UCLA agree to new seven-year deal

UCLA coach Ben Howland, who has guided the Bruins to consecutive Final Four appearances, has agreed to a new seven-year contract.

The deal guarantees compensation of $1.5 million for the upcoming season and increases to $2 million for the final year. Howland earned $1.2 million last season.

Also: After a two-year hiatus, the Western Athletic Conference Tournament will return to UNR's Lawlor Events Center in the spring of 2009 and 2010, WAC officials said.

MISCELLANEOUS

Melendez, Montiel to fight for WBO title

Luis Melendez and Fernando Montiel will fight for the WBO super flyweight title tonight in a scheduled 12-round bout at the Hard Rock Hotel.

Melendez (25-2-1, 20 knockouts) is coming off a fourth-round knockout of Rafael Castillo and has won 13 of his last 14 fights. Montiel (34-2-1, 25 KOs) is a former WBO junior bantamweight and flyweight world champion.

The card begins at 5 p.m. and will be televised by Versus.

Also: UNLV senior Elena Gantcheva beat No. 36 Gira Schofield of South Carolina 6-3, 6-3 at the Riviera/ITA Women's All-American Tennis Championships in Pacific Palisades, Calif., before losing her next match.

The 50th-ranked Gantcheva lost to No. 83 Lauren Lui of Northwestern 6-2, 6-4, eliminating her from singles play at the tourney.

Green Valley High School product and Henderson resident Drew Scott captured the recent California State Open Golf Championship in Temecula, Calif.

Scott carded rounds of 66-70-70 on the par-72 Redhawk Golf Club course, with his 10-under 206 besting Nick Jones of Los Angeles by three strokes.