JUCO BASKETBALL

Meridian ends Lady Indians'

year at Region 23 tourney

n CLINTON - Itawamba's Lady Indians almost climed out of a first-half hole, but couldn't pass Meridian, 87-79, Tuesday night in the first round of the Region 23 tournament.

ICC (21-7) was down 46-36 at halftime, but charged back in the final 20 minutes. It got the game within a point, 74-73, but Meridian (22-8) scored 13 of the game's last 19 points.

In her final game for ICC, Sanqueeta Meardith scored 22 points. Freshmen Ashleigh Jackson (20) and Birdie Bowens (12) added to the effort.

But the Meridian trio of LaQuinta Burrough (22), Tirara Parker (22) and Shardee Johnson (20) combined for 64 of the team's 89 points.

SPRING SPORTS

No. 14 Ole Miss

runs past ASU, 11-5

n OXFORD - Senior Jeremy Travis drove in four runs Tuesday as No. 14 Ole Miss defeated Arkansas State 11-5 at Oxford-University Stadium/Swayze Field.

Logan Power went 2-for-3 with three RBIs and two runs scored while drawing one walk on the night for Ole Miss (4-3).

Phillip Irwin (1-0) picked up the win in relief as he worked 4.0 innings and allowed one run on four hits with two strikeouts.

Jett Jones (0-1) suffered the loss for the Red Wolves (2-3) as he allowed six runs on four hits with a walk and four strikeouts.

n Ole Miss' men's tennis team prepared for the start of SEC play with Tuesday's 7-0 win over Memphis.

The Rebels (8-2) are ranked No. 10 in this week's national rankings. They host No. 4 Georgia on Friday (2 p.m.) and No. 5 Tennessee on Sunday (1 p.m.).

Ole Miss won all the doubles matches, 8-5, and didn't lose a set in singles play.

Ole Miss' women (4-2) open SEC by playing at Georgia (Friday) and at Tennessee (Sunday).

PRO FOOTBALL

Search ends for players

lost off Florida coast

n CLEARWATER, Fla. - As the four fishing buddies huddled together in the dark, clinging to their capsized boat miles off the Florida coast, a helicopter's light shone down upon them.

For a while, as the boat drifted in the rough seas, Nick Schuyler could even see the city lights from shore. But the men drifted away as the hours passed, Schuyler told a friend after he was rescued, with the two NFL players aboard disappearing first, leaving him and his college football teammate hanging onto the hull.

"The waves were just so much. They never got a break," said Schuyler's friend, Scott Miller.

The Coast Guard called off the search Tuesday for the other three: Oakland Raiders linebacker Marquis Cooper, free-agent defensive lineman Corey Smith and former University of South Florida player William Bleakley, three days after their boat capsized Saturday.

After scouring about 24,000 square miles of ocean, the Coast Guard said it had done all it could to locate the men. Capt. Timothy Close said officials were sure that if there were any more survivors, they would have been found.

Court documents:

McAllister owes $6.6M

n JACKSON - Former New Orleans Saints running back Deuce McAllister has filed for bankruptcy protection for a car dealership he owns in Mississippi.

The free agent running back is in a dispute with Nissan's financing arm. Nissan says McAllister owes more than $6.6 million and nearly $300,000 in interest.

The company says McAllister defaulted on a deal, then exceeded his credit line.

McAllister said Tuesday he filed for bankruptcy to protect his inventory and is searching for an investor.

The 2001 first-round draft pick was released by the Saints in a salary cap move last month and is now looking for a new team.

Daily Journal, wire reports