UConn tops AP poll; Zags move up to No. 4

Connecticut and Villanova, the regular-season co-champions of the Big East, were also the top two teams in the Associated Press men’s college basketball poll.

The Huskies (27-2) moved to No. 1 for the second time this season. They replaced Duke, which lost twice last week and dropped to third, its lowest ranking of the season.

Villanova (24-3) matched Connecticut’s 14-2 record in the Big East with a win at Syracuse on Sunday.

Gonzaga moved up one spot to fourth, the highest ranking of the season for the Bulldogs. Washington moved up two spots to 12th.

The final poll of 2005-06 will be released next Monday.

“T.J. Carter scored 12 of his 23 points in the final three minutes, lifting North Carolina-Wilmington to a 78-67 victory over Hofstra and its fourth Colonial Athletic Association championship in seven years.

The Seahawks earned the league’s automatic berth in the NCAA tournament, and left Hofstra and co-league champion George Mason hoping for at-large invitations.

“Arizona coach Lute Olson suspended the team’s leading scorer, Hassan Adams, from participation in this week’s Pacific-10 tournament following the star forward’s arrest on suspicion of drunk driving during the weekend.

“Louisville center David Padgett underwent arthroscopic knee surgery in New York City to repair damage in his left knee.

Padgett averaged 11.8 points and 6.1 rebounds in 24 games, but his season ended in a loss to Syracuse on Feb. 18.

“Tennessee basketball players Anthony Passley and Jordan Smith were charged with possession of crack cocaine and suspended indefinitely from the team.

Officers found 15.2 grams of crack cocaine in the car and charged the pair with possession for resale, a police spokesman said.

Tennis

Instant replay OK’d

The ATP and WTA Tours have decided to use instant replay starting with the Nasdaq-100 Open in Key Biscayne, Fla., in two weeks. This year’s U.S. Open will be the first Grand Slam event to review disputed calls electronically.

Players will be permitted two challenges per set, and a third if there’s a tiebreaker. Calls upheld will count against a player’s allotment.

Football

Vick pleads guilty

Former Virginia Tech quarterback Marcus Vick pleaded guilty to two traffic charges that helped end his college football career.

“It’s just a traffic situation,” said Vick, the younger brother of Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick.

Vick, who made himself eligible for the NFL draft, also faces a later court appearance on three misdemeanor counts of brandishing a firearm.

“Three University of Delaware football players were arrested and charged with breaking into an off-campus apartment, holding two students at gunpoint and robbing them.

Arrested were sophomore linebacker Demetrice Alexander, sophomore running back Danny Jones and junior defensive back Jeff Robinson. The men were being held without bail on armed robbery and burglary charges.

Sled dog racing

Iditarod at Finger Lake

Iditarod dog teams headed toward a cabin on Finger Lake on the second day of the 1,100-mile race to Nome.

After starting Sunday in Willow, about 60 miles north of Anchorage, many teams competing in the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race passed overnight through the first two checkpoints of Yentna and Skwentna.

Rookie Bryan Bearrs of Anchorage was the leader, followed by Ramy Brooks of Healy and Melanie Gould of Talkeetna.