Briefs | College basketball: Kevin O'Neill says he can win next season

College basketball

O'Neill says Trojans can win immediately: Kevin O'Neill took over USC's troubled basketball program on Monday, promising to try to win next season under the weight of an NCAA investigation and the departures of three starters and several recruits.

"There's nothing here that says you can't win and that's why I like this job," he said after being introduced by athletic director Mike Garrett at a campus news conference.

Both O'Neill and Garrett refused to answer questions about the coach's contract at the private university, including its length.

"Hopefully, he's here forever," Garrett said.

The 52-year-old coach returns to the college ranks after spending last season as an assistant with the Memphis Grizzles.

"My attraction to the job was simple, it's USC," O'Neill said. "They major in graduation and championships here, two pretty good things."

The titles, however, belong to the powerhouse football program and to sports other than basketball, which was on the upswing until Tim Floyd resigned suddenly on June 9 amid allegations that he paid to have O.J. Mayo play for him at USC.

In Floyd's four-year tenure, the Trojans reached the NCAA tournament the last three seasons and won the school's first Pac-10 tournament title in March.

"I want to be able to continue the good things that Tim is doing here and has done here," O'Neill said. "He's really done a nice job with the program."

Tulsa coach gets six-year extension: Tulsa coach Doug Wojcik has agreed to a new six-year contract to remain with the Golden Hurricane.

Tulsa athletic director Bubba Cunningham said the new deal adds a two-year extension to Wojcik's previous contract, which now runs through the 2014-15 season.

NHL

Yzerman, Hull, Robitaille, Leetch lead Hall candidates: Steve Yzerman, Brett Hull and Luc Robitaille are waiting by the phone.

The three former NHL stars won a Stanley Cup together with the Detroit Red Wings in 2002. Today they could be part of the same Hockey Hall of Fame class.

They're among an impressive list of first-time eligible players that also includes Brian Leetch, Alexander Mogilny and Dave Andreychuk.

The hall's 18-member selection committee will announce its newest members today and can choose only four players. The voters can also elect members into the builders and referee/linesmen categories.

Yzerman, the longtime Detroit Red Wings captain, retired in the summer of 2006 with the sixth-highest point total in NHL history.

Judge moves deadline date to Aug. 5 for proposed sale of Coyotes: A bankruptcy judge has moved up the deadline to Aug. 5 for the proposed sale of the Phoenix Coyotes to a local owner. Chicago Bulls and White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf promised a bid in a hearing that would keep the team in Arizona.

However, Judge Redfield T. Baum set a fallback date in September for a bid to relocate the team to Hamilton, Ontario, if a local sale fails to go through.

Devils in no rush to hire coach: Lou Lamoriello, New Jersey Devils team president and general manager, says he won't accelerate his search for a Devils coach just to have one hired before this weekend's NHL draft.

Chelios won't be offered deal with Detroit: Chris Chelios won't be with the Detroit Red Wings next season.

Wings general manager Ken Holland tells The Detroit News and the Detroit Free Press he met with the 47-year-old and Chelios wouldn't be offered another contract.

College sports

Kupets wins Honda-Broderick Cup as top female college athlete: Courtney Kupets led Georgia to its fifth straight NCAA gymnastics crown in April, amassing individual titles in the all-around, bars, beam and floor competition.

On Monday, Kupets won the Honda-Broderick Cup, given to the nation's top female college athlete. She received the award at Columbia University.

The other finalists for the Honda-Broderick Cup were Washington softball pitcher Danielle Lawrie, Connecticut's Renee Montgomery (basketball), Colorado's Jennifer Barringer (track and field) and Penn State's Nicole Fawcett (volleyball).

Lawrie helped the Huskies to their first NCAA softball title this season and also was named national player of the year.

Cincinnati coach gets extension: Cincinnati has given football coach Brian Kelly a contract extension, adding a year at nearly $1.5 million.

The school said Kelly is guaranteed $1.475 million to coach the Bearcats through the 2013 season. He had been signed through 2012.

WNBA

Leslie out for six games: Los Angeles Sparks center Lisa Leslie is expected to miss about six games because of a sprained right knee.

Leslie hurt her knee and bruised her right hip Friday against Phoenix.

Soccer

ESPN will broadcast live Premier League matches: ESPN will broadcast live Premier League matches for the first time in Britain after gaining rights from financially troubled Setanta Sports.

The Premier League on Monday announced that ESPN, owned by The Walt Disney Co., will televise 46 matches next season and 23 in each of the three seasons from 2010-11 in its first major contract to broadcast live sports in Britain.

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