In brief: Mavericks top struggling Heat 106-95
NBA: Caron Butler scored seven of his 23 points in Dallas’ key run to start the second half and the host Mavericks went on to their fifth straight win, 106-95 over the struggling Miami Heat on Saturday night.
Even though LeBron James and Dallas-born Chris Bosh have joined Dwyane Wade in Miami, the Heat still can’t beat Dallas in the regular season. The Mavericks have won 13 consecutive games over the Heat since March 2004. That doesn’t include the 2006 NBA Finals won by the Heat.
While Miami missed its first 10 shots after halftime, Dallas scored 13 consecutive points and led 64-49 when Butler hit a 3-pointer.
James was 5-of-19 shooting but had 23 points for Miami, which lost for the fourth time in five games. Bosh and Wade both scored 22.
U.S. women qualify for World Cup
Soccer: The top-ranked Americans clinched the 16th and final spot in next year’s Women’s World Cup by beating Italy for the second time in a week. Amy Rodriguez scored off a rebound in the 40th minute to give the U.S. a 1-0 victory at Bridgeview, Ill..
Poulter takes two- shot lead in Dubai
Golf: Ian Poulter shot a 3-under 69 in the third round to take a two-shot lead at the Dubai World Championship in the United Arab Emirates. The Englishman is at 12-under overall, ahead of Ross Fisher of England, Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee and Francesco Molinari of Italy at 10-under.
Georgetown upsets No. 4 Lady Vols
College basketball: Sugar Rodgers scored 28 points to lead No. 12 Georgetown to a 69-58 victory over No. 4 Tennessee in the Paradise Jam at St. Thomas, Virgin Islands. Monica McNutt added 13 for the Hoyas (5-1), who opened the game on an 11-4 run and never trailed. Angie Bjorklund (University HS) scored six points for the Lady Vols (6-1).
• Richmond men upset No. 10 Purdue: Richmond’s Kevin Anderson and the Spiders (6-1) defeated No. 10 Purdue 65-54 at Hoffman Estates, Ill. The Boilermakers (5-1) suffered their first loss.
Las Vegas captures UFL crown again
Football: Alfred Malone blocked Nick Novak’s 45-yard field-goal attempt on the game’s final play, preserving the defending champion Las Vegas Locomotive’s 23-20 victory over the Florida Tuskers in the United Football League title game in Omaha, Neb.
• Brennan out of hospital: Former University of Hawaii quarterback Colt Brennan has been released from a Honolulu hospital more than a week after an auto accident that left him with broken ribs and injuries to his head and collar bone.
Worley wins giant slalom in Colorado
Skiing: France’s Tessa Worley as she used a strong second trip through the course to edge Olympic champion Viktoria Rebensburg of Germany by 0.01 seconds in a World Cup giant slalom in Aspen, Colo. Lindsey Vonn skied off the course while American teammate Julia Mancuso was eighth.
• Walchhofer wins downhill: Michael Walchhofer won the first men’s downhill of the World Cup season, leading a strong Austrian showing on a day when Bode Miller finished eighth at Lake Louise, Alberta.
Marquez successfully defends crowns
Boxing: Juan Manuel Marquez successfully defended his WBA and WBO lightweight titles, stopping Michael Katsidis at 2:14 of the ninth round at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
In the ninth round, Marquez (52-5-1, 38 KOs) landed 36 punches to nine for Katsidis (27-3, 22 KOs). Referee Kenny Bayless halted the bout after Katsidis was hurt by several combinations.
On the undercard, undefeated Andre Berto successfully defended his WBC welterweight title, stopping Freddy Hernandez at 2:07 of the first round.
• Froch wins WBC super middleweight title: Carl Froch of Britain unanimously outpointed Arthur Abraham of Germany in 12 rounds to take the vacant WBC super middleweight title at Helsinki.
• Ward remains unbeaten: Undefeated Andre Ward successfully defended his WBA super middleweight title, unanimously outpointing Cameroon’s Sakio Bika in Oakland, Calif.
Kozuka,Korpi win Trophee Bompard
Miscellany: Takahiko Kozuka won the Trophee Bompard after an exceptional men’s free program in Paris.
Florent Amodio of France was second and Brandon Mroz of the United States took third.
Overnight leader Kiira Korpi of Finland won the women’s event, overcoming a fall and one mistimed jump in her free skate to narrowly hold off Americans Mirai Nagasu and Alissa Czisny, who took silver and bronze.
The Trophee Bompard is the last event in the ISU Grand Prix series. Next month is the Grand Prix Final in Beijing, which features the top six figure skaters in each discipline.
• Victor’s Cry victorious: Victor’s Cry, an 11-1 longshot, rallied from next-to-last and used a powerful stretch run to win the $250,000 Citation Handicap at Hollywood Park in Inglewood, Calif.
The winner paid $24.40, $12 and $6.20. Proudinsky returned $15.40 and $8.20, and Meteore paid $11.40 to show.