Sports Digest || Top-ranked Akron soccer still unbeaten

To-ranked Akron soccer still unbeaten

BOWLING GREEN

The No. 1 University of Akron men’s soccer team used a pair of second-half goals to defeat Bowling Green, 2-0, in the Mid-American Conference opener for both teams.

Kofi Sarkodie broke a scoreless tie in the 64th minute and Darren Mattocks, who also assisted the first goal, found the net for the second time in as many games in the 81st.

For the Zips (3-0-0), the late goals were reward for a relentless attack that held a 16-1 shot advantage over the Falcons at the half and a commanding 29-6 margin for the game.

No Latest Line

The Latest Line was not received in time for this edition.

Bird leads Storm past Dream in WNBA finals

SEATTLE

Sue Bird made a tiebreaking jumper from the foul line with 2.6 seconds left and the Seattle Storm beat the Atlanta Dream 79-77 in Game 1 of the WNBA finals on Sunday.

Angel McCoughtry had a last-second try for the Dream, but her long 3-pointer from the left side bounced off the far side of the rim at the buzzer.

The best-of-five series resumes Tuesday night in Seattle.

Bird also hit a key shot in the Western Conference finals, making a 3-pointer with 2.8 seconds left to give the Storm a 91-88 victory against Phoenix in the clinching game.

Golden again: US captures world title

ISTANBUL

The so-called “B-Team” turned out to be the best team in the world.

The United States won its first world championship since 1994 on Sunday, beating Turkey 81-64 behind another sensational performance from tournament MVP Kevin Durant.

Durant had 28 points, setting a record along the way for most in the tournament by a U.S. player. He left the court with 42 seconds left and shared a long hug with coach Mike Krzyzewski, who finally won the world title after his previous two attempts ended with bronze medals.

Lamar Odom added 15 points and 11 rebounds.

America’s Cup

America’s Cup organizers are scheduled to make several major announcements in Valencia, Spain, today amid increasing indications that the next regatta will be sailed in 72-foot catamarans in 2013.

The switch from traditional monohulls to catamarans would make for faster, more exciting racing as organizers hope to make the event more TV-friendly. Catamarans and trimarans have been sailed in the America’s Cup before, but only because of lack of mutual consent for a class rule.

Early indications were that the 34th cup would be sailed in 2014.

WCup organizers unhappy with boards

SAO PAULO

Ads are growing for the next World Cup.

Organizers of the 2014 tournament say they are having to make changes to stadium designs because FIFA has increased the height of sideline advertising boards. Officials in charge of building and renovating stadiums claim FIFA told them recently that the signs will increase in height from 351/2 inches to 39 3-8 inches.

The change forces engineers to alter some stadium designs to ensure spectators’ sightlines are maintained.

Hatton ’distraught’ after allegations

LONDON

A spokesman for Ricky Hatton says the boxer is “distraught” after a newspaper published a photo that it says shows him snorting cocaine.

Publicist Max Clifford says people close to Hatton had been urging him to get help and they’re hoping the published photo “will bring him to his senses.”

The News of the World put a picture on its front page Sunday that it says shows the former four-time world champion in two weight divisions snorting cocaine at a Manchester hotel two weeks ago.

Vindicator staff/wire reports