Lsu

Jerome Dyson and backcourt mate Kemba Walker each scored 20 points as No. 13 Connecticut routed previously unbeaten Louisiana State, 81-55, last night in the first semifinal of the NIT Season Tip-Off in New York City. Gavin Edwards added 15 points and nine rebounds for the Huskies, who advanced to play No. 7 Duke or Arizona State for the title tomorrow. Stanley Robinson had 14 points and 11 rebounds. UConn (4-0) had been underwhelming during its first three games this season, even trailing Hofstra by nine late in the second half in the tournament quarterfinals.

It's too bad for LSU that Tennessee wide receiver Kelley Washington did not move through the Florida Marlins system a little faster. Washington, a 10th-round draft pick of the Marlins in 1997 as a shortstop, set a Tennessee single-game receiving record with 256 yards (on 11 catches) last night as the seventh-ranked Vols beat the 14th-ranked Tigers, 26-18. Washington, a 22-year-old freshman walk-on whose education is being paid for by the Marlins, caught a 70-yard scoring pass from quarterback Casey Clausen in the third quarter.

The power of positive thinking is a wonderful thing. Just ask Villanova's Greg Woodard. Wildcats coach Rollie Massimino has been telling Woodard that he could be the best shooter in the country. Yesterday, the junior guard proved that Massimino knows shooting. Operating behind a wall of picks, Woodard popped free for a career high of 28 points and led the Wildcats to a season-opening 93-91 victory over 14th- ranked LSU in the Hall of Fame Tip-Off Classic at the Springfield Civic Center.

LSU got a bowl team's welcome yesterday at the Phoenix airport, fitting enough given the Tigers' No. 5 ranking and postseason potential. It didn't take coach Les Miles long to size up the welcome he expected from No. 15 Arizona State, though. "I suspect that the field of play will be different than the red carpet that was rolled out here," Miles said. Miles and his players have their game faces on, a small miracle given that the contest was scheduled for Baton Rouge, La., and LSU officials didn't agree to move the game until Monday after their campus had been transformed into an evacuation center and medical headquarters following Hurricane Katrina.

April Brown scored 17 points as No. 11 Louisiana State coasted to an easy 85-48 victory over Louisiana-Lafayette last night in Baton Rouge, La. Brown, a senior, now has 1,003 college points, making her the 20th player at LSU to reach 1,000. It has been six years and 54 games since a non-SEC team has beaten LSU (15-4) at home. Louisiana-Lafayette (6-13) did not come close to threatening that mark, leaving the Ragin' Cajuns 0-19 overall against LSU. LSU outscored the Ragin' Cajuns, 15-5, over the first 4 1/2 minutes of the game and never looked back.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - No. 1 LSU gained the inside track to the BCS title game, beating No. 2 Alabama, 9-6, on Drew Alleman's 25-yard field goal in overtime after a fierce defensive struggle in which neither Southeastern Conference power reached the end zone on Saturday night. The Crimson Tide missed four field goals, including Cade Foster's 52-yard attempt after Alabama got the ball first in the extra period. LSU appeared to win the game on Michael Ford's run around left end after taking a pitch, but he stepped out of bounds at the 7. After two plays gained nothing, LSU (9-0, 6-0)

LSU forward Shawnson Johnson has quit the team because of a lack of playing time. Johnson left the team during Tuesday's game against Delaware State. Coach John Brady said he did not want to discuss Johnson's departure. "I want to move on," Brady said. "It's a waste of my time to discuss it. " Johnson could not be reached for comment. The 6-9 post player was expected to provide much-needed help inside. He had a team-high 10 points and 13 rebounds in LSU's opener against Nicholls State.

No matter how well Louisiana State plays, it just can't win in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Shondra Johnson made four free throws in the final 1:06 to lift Alabama to a 72-68 upset over No. 7 LSU, snapping the Tigers' eight-game winning streak. LSU (18-4 overall, 7-2 Southeastern Conference) hasn't won at Tuscaloosa since 1986, a streak of eight straight losses. "It seems like the same story every time we come here," LSU coach Sue Gunter said. "We were unable to sustain a lead and we just could not defend them.

When Wichita State's 6-3 loss to Louisiana State in the College World Series finale was complete yesterday, LSU players piled atop one another in jubilation on the pitcher's mound at Rosenblatt Stadium. Inside the Wichita State dugout, centerfielder Jim Audley turned to starting pitcher Tyler Green and said, "Think we could start over?" Green, whom the Phillies made their first-round draft pick on Monday, will not remember his last college game fondly. The lean righthander struggled from the outset, giving up five hits and three walks before being lifted in the fourth inning.

Tom Hodson threw three touchdown passes to Wendell Davis as Louisiana State rolled to a methodical 37-17 victory over visiting Tulane last night in Baton Rouge, La. After the game, LSU coach Bill Arnsparger abruptly announced his resignation, amid speculation that he might become the athletic director at Florida. He said he would make his last coaching appearance when LSU played Nebraska in the Sugar Bowl. "In fairness to the young men being recruited by LSU and to the next coach and his staff, I felt this was the best time to announce my decision," he said.