In brief: Jazz outlast Thunder in OT thriller

NBA: Deron Williams scored a career-high 42 points, including a go-ahead jumper from the top of the key with 1.1 seconds left in overtime, and the host Utah Jazz pulled into second place in the Western Conference with a wild 140-139 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Utah overcame 45 points by Kevin Durant, who thought he was fouled on a 3-pointer just before the buzzer that would have won it for the Thunder. Durant and several teammates stayed on the court pleading for a call that never came before the officials were escorted to the tunnel by security.

Durant hit four of his seven 3-pointers in the fourth quarter as the Thunder rallied to force overtime.

•Bosh taken to hospital: Toronto All-Star forward Chris Bosh suffered a broken bone in his face after being accidentally elbowed during a 113-101 loss to Cleveland. He was to be kept overnight in the hospital for further evaluation.

•Parker cleared: San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker has been cleared to play after missing the past month with a broken hand.

ESPN will televise Woods’ return to golf

Golf: Tiger Woods’ return to golf begins at 10:42 a.m. PDT Thursday in the penultimate group for the second straight year. Barring any delays, his group likely will be on about the eighth hole when ESPN’s live coverage begins at 1 p.m.

Joining him for two days will be Matt Kuchar, a popular figure in these parts from his All-America days at Georgia Tech; and K.J. Choi of South Korea, which is sure to appeal to Augusta National’s broadcast partners in Asia.

It will be the first time Woods has competed since a shocking sex scandal began to unfold the day after Thanksgiving.

Devils’ Brodeur notches 600th win

NHL: Martin Brodeur got his 600th career win with his second straight shutout and the New Jersey Devils beat the host Thrashers 3-0 in Ilya Kovalchuk’s return to Atlanta.

Kovalchuk, the former Thrashers captain who was traded to the Devils two months ago, returned to Atlanta to see the Thrashers eliminated from playoff contention.

Dean McAmmond, Zach Parise and Travis Zajac scored for New Jersey.

Boeheim wins Naismith award

College men: Coach Jim Boeheim, who guided the Orange from unranked in the preseason to No. 1, has been selected the Naismith college coach of the year.

Boeheim won out over finalists Steve Alford of New Mexico, John Calipari of Kentucky and Frank Martin of Kansas State.

■DePaul hires Purnell: Vowing to make DePaul “Chicago’s team” again, Clemson’s Oliver Purnell simply couldn’t resist the urge to restore a storied program and became the Blue Demons’ coach.

DePaul has one regular-season Big East win in two years.

•Donahue heads to Eagles: Cornell coach Steve Donahue, who led the Big Red to three straight conference titles and the longest run in the NCAA tourney for an Ivy League team in more than 30 years, was hired to replace Al Skinner at Boston College.

Seahawks sever ties with TE Owens

NFL: The Seattle Seahawks terminated the contract of tight end John Owens and waived running back Xavier Omon.

The six-year veteran Owens played in all 16 games last season for the Seahawks, with three starts.

The Seahawks signed Omon to their practice squad in November.

•Rams still undecided with draft pick: A day after the St. Louis Rams released Marc Bulger, general manager Billy Devaney said it’s far from certain that the team will take a quarterback with the first pick of the draft.

Devaney said several players remain under consideration for the No. 1 pick, and refused to tip his hand whether Oklahoma’s Sam Bradford was at the top of the list.

Bellotti’s severance labeled a buyout

Miscellany: University of Oregon president Richard Lariviere characterized the $2.3 million golden parachute for outgoing athletic director Mike Bellotti as a buyout – but he stopped short of saying that the former Ducks football coach was fired.

Bellotti coached the Ducks for 14 seasons and took them to 12 bowl games before sliding into the AD’s job last year.

•NCAA mulls women’s expansion: Jane Meyer, head of the NCAA women’s basketball selection committee, says all sorts of discussions are going on to figure out if or when the women’s tournament will expand to 96 teams.