IN BRIEF

golf

Aussie rookie Percy, Stadler
tied for lead in Houston Open

Australian Cameron Percy, a PGA Tour rookie, and Kevin Stadler each shot a 5-under-par 67 Thursday to share the first-round lead in the Houston Open at Humble, Texas.

An Aussie has led or shared the first-round lead in Houston every year since 2006, when the event moved to the Tournament Course at Redstone.

Vaughn Taylor, James Driscoll, Kevin Sutherland and Anthony Kim were one stroke off the lead.

Several top players have come to Houston because they view the course as an ideal dry run for next week's Masters. Organizers have groomed the 7,457-yard layout to simulate the conditions at Augusta National, with fast greens, shaved mounds, light rough and the fairways mowed toward the tee.

Defending champion Paul Casey (shoulder injury) withdrew before the round began, and Vijay Singh (back injury) withdrew after playing nine holes, the third time in three weeks he has pulled out of a tournament.

Also: Suzann Pettersen shot a bogey-free 5-under 67 in the first round of the Kraft Nabisco Championship in Rancho Mirage, Calif., to take a one-stroke lead over Lorena Ochoa in the season's first major.

basketball

Ex-Texas Tech coach Dickey
replaces Penders at Houston

James Dickey was hired as Houston's basketball coach, putting him in charge of a program for the first time since he was fired from Texas Tech in 2001.

Dickey has been out of coaching the last two seasons. He replaces Tom Penders, who resigned less than two weeks ago after leading the Cougars to their first NCAA Tournament berth since 1992.

Also: Former UNR star and NBA player Kirk Snyder was convicted in Lebanon, Ohio, of breaking into a neighbor's home in the middle of the night and beating him up in his bedroom. He could receive up to 18 years in prison at his sentencing in May.

Snyder, 26, was found guilty of aggravated burglary, felonious assault and assault. He has been treated for mental illness and had pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.

West Virginia coach Bob Huggins said it's "highly unlikely" point guard Darryl "Truck" Bryant will play in Saturday's Final Four semifinal game against Duke. The sophomore had hoped a specially designed shoe would ease some of the pain in his broken right foot.

Wake Forest sophomore forward Al-Farouq Aminu declared for the NBA Draft and said he will hire an agent. The 6-foot-9-inch Aminu, who averaged 15.8 points and 10.7 rebounds this season, is projected to be a first-round pick.

Coach Tubby Smith said he is working on a contract extension to stay at Minnesota. Rumors this week suggested Oregon would make a big-dollar offer to make Smith the successor to the recently fired Ernie Kent.

Vermont's Marqus Blakely beat Bradley's Chris Roberts in the college slam dunk contest in Indianapolis. Maryland's Eric Hayes won the men's 3-point contest, and Detroit's Brigid Mulroy won the women's 3-point final.

Cleveland Cavaliers center Shaquille O'Neal took part in some of Thursday's practice, but coach Mike Brown said he isn't counting on O'Neal being back before the playoffs. He has been out since tearing a ligament in his right thumb Feb. 25 and undergoing surgery.

Sacramento Kings center Spencer Hawes, averaging 10.0 points and 6.1 rebounds, will miss the rest of the season with an injured left knee.

miscellaneous

Venus wins again, will meet
Clijsters for Key Biscayne title

Venus Williams and Kim Clijsters advanced to the tennis final of the Sony Ericsson Open in Key Biscayne, Fla. Williams won her 15th consecutive match with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Marion Bartoli, and Clijsters defeated Justine Henin, 6-2, 6-7 (3), 7-6 (6).

Williams is riding her longest winning streak since 2004, and she's a finalist for the first time in nine years at the tournament she considers her hometown event. She won the title in 1998, 1999 and 2001.

In men's action, Tomas Berdych, who upset top-ranked Roger Federer on Tuesday, and Robin Soderling won quarterfinal matches and will play today. Andy Roddick and Rafael Nadal will meet in the other semifinal.

Also: Arsenal captain and star midfielder Cesc Fabregas will miss the rest of the Premier League season because of a broken right leg, an injury that jeopardizes his chance of playing for Spain in this summer's World Cup.

Brandon Bayardi hit a go-ahead three-run homer in the seventh inning to lead the UNLV baseball team to a 7-5 victory over New Mexico (17-10, 4-3 Mountain West Conference) at Wilson Stadium.

Brady Zuniga (4-0) picked up the victory, allowing two hits in 3 1/3 scoreless innings of relief, for the Rebels (16-10, 2-2). He struck out five and walked none.