Williams Violated NCAA Gift Rules at Kansas

Roy Williams violated NCAA rules as basketball coach at Kansas by approving gifts to graduating players and others who had used up their eligibility, the school said Friday.

The university acknowledged other violations by its football and women’s basketball programs. Kansas put its athletic department on two years’ probation and reduced scholarships in football and women’s basketball.

The men’s basketball violation will be addressed through extra education about the rules regarding gifts. No other sanctions against the program are planned.

Kansas Athletic Director Lew Perkins said Coach Bill Self, who replaced Williams, had no knowledge of the gifts.

After conducting an internal review, the school said Williams, who won the national championship in April in his second season at North Carolina, approved payments made by three representatives of the university’s “athletics interests.”

Jurisprudence

An Illinois court allowed Northwestern University to continue its federal appeal of the $75,000 settlement between the estate of Northwestern football player Rashidi Wheeler and the makers of ephedra-containing products that the university contends contributed to the 22-year-old’s death.

The decision by the Appellate Court of Illinois is expected to delay Cook County (Ill.) Circuit Court proceedings in the wrongful death lawsuit Wheeler’s family filed against Northwestern after the Aug. 3, 2001, death of Wheeler, a senior strong safety from La Verne Damien High who collapsed during wind sprints.

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Motor Racing

Two-time Daytona 500 champion Michael Waltrip will not return next season after five years with Dale Earnhardt Inc. Waltrip, 42, said one reason for leaving was uncertainty over the company’s direction.

Rain washed out qualifying for the Indy Racing League’s Firestone Indy 200 at Nashville Superspeedway. Officials decided to set the lineup for tonight’s race based on the combined practice times, putting Tomas Scheckter on the pole for the third time this season after a lap of 203.117 mph. Danica Patrick (203.088 mph) will start second after being the only other driver to top 203 mph in practice.

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Tennis

Andre Agassi withdrew from next week’s RCA Championships in Indianapolis because of a nagging back injury.

Agassi, 35, said he hoped to be ready to rejoin the tour later this month at the Mercedes-Benz Cup at UCLA.

Russia rallied to earn a 1-1 split with France in the Davis Cup quarterfinals in Moscow. In Sydney on Saturday, David Nalbandian completed a four-set win over Wayne Arthurs, then teamed with Mariano Puerta for a doubles victory that gave Argentina a 2-1 lead over Australia in their Davis Cup quarterfinal. Lleyton Hewitt had given Australia a 1-0 lead with a 7-6 (5), 6-1, 1-6, 6-2 victory over Guillermo Coria on Friday.

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Pro Basketball

Nykesha Sales had 22 points to help lead the Connecticut Sun to a 70-66 win over the Houston Comets in a WNBA game at Uncasville, Conn. The Sun has a 12-game home winning streak.

Katie Smith made two free throws with 6.2 seconds left, and the Minnesota Lynx withstood the New York Liberty’s late run to win, 64-60, at New York.... Tamika Catchings had 20 points and 14 rebounds to lead the Indiana Fever to a 62-57 home victory over the Detroit Shock.... Penny Taylor had a season-high 31 points, leading the Phoenix Mercury to their fourth win in a row, 77-66 over the Washington Mystics at Phoenix.... Sue Bird and Lauren Jackson combined for all 15 points during a decisive second-half run at home for the Seattle Storm, which beat the San Antonio Silver Stars, 92-70.

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Soccer

Mexico forward Jared Borgetti has agreed to a deal with Bolton Wanderers of the English Premier League.

Christian Gomez’s two goals led D.C. United (7-6-4) to a 3-0 win over the San Jose Earthquakes (7-4-7) in a Major League Soccer game at Washington.

Luizao scored and set up a goal to help Sao Paulo beat visiting Atletico Paranaense, 4-0, for the Copa Libertadores title, South America’s club championship, on Thursday.

Monday’s Galaxy-Real Madrid match at the Home Depot Center is sold out, organizers announced.

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Miscellany

The USC men’s basketball team will play Oral Roberts in the first round of the eight-team Great Alaska Shootout in Anchorage on Nov. 23 and then play either Eastern Michigan or Marquette on Nov. 25.

Former Olympic swimmers Dana Kirk and Rhi Jeffrey dominated their events on the second night of competition in the four-day Janet Evans Invitational at USC. Kirk won the 200-meter women’s butterfly in 2 minutes, 11.86 seconds and Jeffrey took the women’s 100-meter freestyle at 56.84.

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Cat Osterman threw a one-hitter and the United States defeated Australia, 3-1, in the World Cup of Softball at Oklahoma City.