YSU

YSU
Women's teamhosts Loyola
YOUNGSTOWN -- The Youngstown State women's basketball team goes for its second straight Horizon League victory today when the Penguins play host to Loyola of Chicago in a 7 p.m. tipoff at Beeghly Center.
YSU (7-10, 4-3 Horizon), is coming off an 87-61 victory over Wright State on Thursday at Beeghly.
Loyola (11-7, 5-2 Horizon) defeated Cleveland State Thursday and holds third place in the standings. YSU is tied with Detroit Mercer for fourth place. UW-Milwaukee and UW-Green Bay are deadlocked for the top spot at 7-0 and the two teams play today at 4 p.m. in Green Bay, Wis.
The Penguins shot 62 percent in the first half against Wright State and coasted to 50-34 halftime lead. The Penguins had five players in double figures, led by sophomore Heather Harris with 17.
Springfield,McDonald on tap
NEW MIDDLETOWN -- The McDonald girls basketball team will play at Springfield Local today at 1 p.m. in the makeup of a game Inter-County League game postponed earlier.
MAC ticketson sale Monday
CLEVELAND -- Individual-session ticket packages for the Mid-American Conference Men's and Women's Basketball Tournament at Gund Arena will go on sale Monday.
The first-round games in each tournaments will be held on campus sites.
The men's event gets under way March 7 and the women's tournament begins March 6. Tickets are available at all TicketMaster locations.
PA.
Bremer breaksscoring record
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- J.R. Bremer, former Rising Star Basketball Classic participant, broke the St. Bonaventure University career scoring record in a 93-74 win over Temple.
A native of Cleveland, Bremer scored 28 points to break the school mark held by Tim Winn.
Pirates signoutfielder Rios
PITTSBURGH -- Outfielder Armando Rios, who played only two games with Pittsburgh last season before badly injuring his left knee, agreed Friday to a $925,000, one-year contract.
Rios was the Pirates' fourth and final arbitration-eligible player to reach terms. Rios had sought $1.15 million and the Pirates had offered $750,000.
Rios made $315,000 last season, batting .259 with 14 homers and 49 RBIs in 93 games with the San Francisco Giants before being dealt July 30 with pitcher Ryan Vogelsong for pitcher Jason Schmidt and outfielder John Vander Wal.
Rios torn his left anterior cruciate ligament trying to make a catch against the Giants Aug. 1, though tests later revealed he initially injured the knee in his first game with Pittsburgh the night before.
Rios' knee has progressed on schedule and he likely will compete with Derek Bell for the right fielder's job.
Straka skates
CANONSBURG, Pa. -- Penguins forward Martin Straka practiced Friday for the first time since breaking his right leg in October.
While when he was hurt, it was feared he would miss the rest of the season, Straka said Friday he aims to be back in the lineup in late February.
"This is what I love to do, but I don't want to take any risk," Straka said. "I want to be 100 percent when I come back, and that's the bottom line."
Straka skated on his own for about 20 minutes Thursday and did not take part in contact drills Friday.
Straka tied for second on the Penguins last season with a career-best 95 points. He was leading the team this season with nine points in 11 games when he was injured.
Straka was chosen for the Czech Olympic team but was dropped after he announced he could not play. A titanium rod was inserted into his tibia during surgery.
NATION
Mariners tradeBell to Giants
SEATTLE -- David Bell is an everyday third baseman once again.
Bell, out of a job with the Seattle Mariners, was traded to the San Francisco Giants on Friday for infielder Desi Relaford and cash.
The Mariners didn't have a place for Bell after acquiring third baseman Jeff Cirillo from Colorado in a trade last month.
The Giants didn't have a regular third baseman last year after trading Bill Mueller to the Cubs in the offseason. San Francisco tried Russ Davis at third along with Ramon Martinez.
Bell hit .260 last year with 15 home runs and 64 RBIs.
Zoeller makessenior debut
WAILEA, Hawaii -- Fuzzy Zoeller knows exactly what his role is on the Senior PGA Tour.
With personalities like Chi Chi Rodriguez and Lee Trevino in the twilight of their careers, Zoeller is being looked at as a player who can generate more interest and fun to the tour.
"My thing is to bring fun back to the game," he said Friday. "A smiley face. If I do well, it's a bonus."
Zoeller, who turned 50 in November, makes his senior debut today at the Senior Skins Game alongside Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Hale Irwin. Zoeller's first full-field event will be the Royal Caribbean Classic next week.
Bills fireSheppard
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- The Buffalo Bills fired offensive coordinator Mike Sheppard on Friday.
Sheppard was hired by head coach Gregg Williams last February. He spent the previous two years as quarterbacks coach in Seattle.
The Bills were 3-13, their worst season in 16 years.
Staff/wire reports