NHL
Sabres 5, Stars 3: BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Rookie defenseman Tyler Myers had a goal and three assists and the Buffalo Sabres reclaimed the top spot in the Northeast Division with a 5-3 victory over the Dallas Stars on Wednesday night.
Thomas Vanek scored the go-ahead goal in the second period, and Jason Pominville, Mark Mancari and Derek Roy also scored. Buffalo won its third straight -- its best string since a six-gamer ended in early January -- and improved to 36-20-9 to move two points ahead of idle Ottawa in the Northeast.
Jamie Benn had a goal and assist, and Steve Ott and Toby Petersen also scored for the Stars, 1-4 in their past five games. The Stars (29-25-12), who return to Dallas to open a six-game homestand, are 10th in the Western Conference, five points behind Calgary for the eighth and final playoff berth.
In going 1-2 during a three-game trip, Dallas failed to build off the momentum of a 4-3 shootout win over Washington on Monday night.
NFL
HOUSTON -- Offensive lineman Wade Smith, an unrestricted free agent courted for his versatility, has agreed to terms with the Houston Texans, his Nashville-based agent, Brian Parker, confirmed.
Smith's four-year deal includes $6.25 million in guaranteed money in the first year and averages about $3 million a season.
An eight-year veteran who started 16 games over the last two seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, Smith is expected to challenge for a starting job at guard or center with the Texans.
He also was courted by the Buffalo Bills and Arizona Cardinals.
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PITTSBURGH -- Two off-duty Pennsylvania law enforcement officers were with Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger at the Georgia nightclub where a woman accused him of sexual assault, and the two men didn't see anything inappropriate, an attorney for one of them said Wednesday.
Anthony Barravecchio, an officer on the force in the Pittsburgh suburb of Coraopolis, and Pennsylvania Trooper Ed Joyner were among about eight people with Roethlisberger celebrating his birthday at the club, attorney Michael Santicola said. Santicola said the men were there because they are friends of the two-time Super Bowl winner.
"They were not there in their official capacity," said Santicola, who represents Barravecchio but said Joyner is also a longtime friend.
Police are investigating the 20-year-old college student's claim that Roethlisberger sexually assaulted her early last Friday at the club in Milledgeville, Ga. Roethlisberger has not been charged, and his attorney disputes the woman's claim.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Southland Conference
Sam Houston State 62, Nicholls State 57: KATY -- Ashton Mitchell scored 20 points to lead top-seeded Sam Houston State to a 62-57 victory over Nicholls State in the first round of the Southland Conference tournament Wednesday.
Sam Houston State (23-7) withstood a 40-point performance from Anatoly Bose, who was 15 of 23 from the field, including 5 of 11 from 3-point range, and kept the No. 8-seeded Colonels close throughout the game. The Bearkats will play Southeastern Louisiana in the semifinals Thursday.
Nicholls State (11-19) took its last lead on an inside score by Bose with 9:50 to play.
Mitchell scored on a layup on Sam Houston State's next possession and the Bearkats held on down the stretch.
Josten Crow scored 13 and Gilberto Clavell added 12 points for Sam Houston State.
Fred Hunter followed Bose in scoring with six points.
Bose scored 20 of Nicholls State's 27 first-half points.
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Big East
No. 22 Georgetown 69, South Florida 49: NEW YORK -- Jason Clark and Greg Monroe scored 16 points each, and No. 22 Georgetown built a big first-half lead before handling everything South Florida star Dominique Jones could offer in a 69-49 victory Wednesday in the Big East tournament.
Chris Wright also had 15 points for the eighth-seeded Hoyas (21-9), who were likely already in the NCAA tournament but now have the chance to improve their seeding with a deep run in the tourney. They'll play No. 1 seed Syracuse in the quarterfinals Thursday.
The two conference heavyweights have split their 12 meetings in the Big East tournament.
Georgetown built a 14-point first-half lead relying mostly on defense, which was good even by coach John Thompson III's stringent standards. South Florida (20-12) didn't score for nearly eight minutes, and Jones couldn't find open looks as the Hoyas rotated over to guard him.
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Northeast Conference
Robert Morris 52, Quinnipiac 50
HAMDEN, Conn. -- Dallas Green deflected a potential game-winning shot then sank two free throws with 7 seconds left as Robert Morris earned its second straight NCAA bid.
Freshman Karon Abraham scored 16 points to lead the Colonials (23-11), and Green and Russell Johnson each added nine. This will be Robert Morris' seventh trip to the NCAA tournament.
James Feldeine had 17 points for Quinnipiac (23-9) which was seeking its first conference title, but will settle for a berth in the NIT. Justin Rutty, the NEC Player of the Year, added 12 points and 10 rebounds.
Green got a piece of Feldeine's 3-point jumper with 10 seconds left and Robert Morris leading 50-48. His free throws gave the Colonials a four-point lead, and they held on for the win.
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Big Sky
Montana 66, Weber State 65
OGDEN, Utah -- Anthony Johnson scored 34 of his career-high 42 points in the second half, leading Montana back from a 22-point deficit and into the NCAA tournament.
Derek Selvig added 12 points and Brian Qvale pulled down 14 rebounds for the Grizzlies (22-9), who will return to the NCAA tournament for the first time since last winning the Big Sky in 2006.
After committing 14 turnovers in the first half, Montana had just six in the second, slowly chipping away until Johnson hit what turned out to be the winning shot, a short jumper with 10 seconds left.
Damian Lillard scored 16 to lead top-seeded Weber State (20-10).
NBA
Grizzlies 111, Celtics 91: BOSTON -- Rudy Gay scored 28 points to lead Memphis to a franchise-record seventh straight road win. It was the Grizzlies' first victory over the Celtics in seven tries since 2006.
O.J. Mayo scored 17 points and Zach Randolph had 13 points and 10 rebounds for Memphis.
Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo scored 17 points apiece, and Rondo added eight assists for the Celtics. It matched Boston's worst loss of the season and the worst loss for the Celtics with Kevin Garnett in the lineup.
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Bobcats 102, 76ers 87: PHILADELPHIA -- Gerald Wallace scored 28 points on 9-for-10 shooting from the field, Stephen Jackson added 24 points and 10 rebounds, and Charlotte won its fourth straight game.
Boris Diaw contributed 13 points for the Bobcats (32-31), who have never advanced to the postseason in their six seasons. They improved to just 9-23 on the road.
Rodney Carney led the Sixers with 14 points. Andre Iguodala and Jrue Holiday each added 13 for Philadelphia, which fell to 23-41 and 10-20 at the Wachovia Center.
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Heat 108, Clippers 97: MIAMI -- Dwyane Wade had 27 points and eight assists, Jermaine O'Neal finished with 19 points and nine rebounds, and Miami extended its longest home winning streak of the season to four games by beating Los Angeles.
Michael Beasley scored 15 points before leaving with a thigh bruise late in the third quarter, and Mario Chalmers chipped in with 12 points for Miami.
Former Heat forward Rasual Butler scored 31 points, two off his career best, for the Clippers, who lost their fifth straight. Chris Kaman scored 16, Steve Blake added 12 and Baron Davis scored 10 for the Clippers, now 2-20 on the road since Dec. 19.
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Nuggets 110, Timberwolves 102: MINNEAPOLIS -- Chauncey Billups scored 25 points and got a huge lift from role players Chris Andersen, Nene and J.R. Smith in Denver's victory over Minnesota.
Andersen had 14 points and 10 rebounds, Nene had 17 points and nine boards and Smith scored 15 to shake the Nuggets out a first-half funk and deliver their fourth straight win.
Al Jefferson had 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Timberwolves, who lost their seventh straight game and 13th in the last 14. Minnesota has won once since Feb. 6.
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Jazz 115, Pistons 104: AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- Deron Williams had 18 points and 12 assists, and Utah beat Detroit for the 10th straight time.
The Jazz had seven players in double figures. Former Pistons center Mehmet Okur finished with 18 points, while Carlos Boozer had 11 points and 12 rebounds.
Detroit also had seven players score at least 10 points, led by Charlie Villanueva's 19, but couldn't avoid its seventh loss in eight games.
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Thunder 98, Hornets 83: OKLAHOMA CITY -- Kevin Durant scored 29 points, Russell Westbrook added 17 points and came up just shy of a triple-double, and Oklahoma City beat injury-depleted New Orleans.
The Hornets got off to a hot start in their latest return to the building they called home for two seasons following Hurricane Katrina, but it was short-lived with Peja Stojakovic (lower abdominal strain) joining All-Star point guard Chris Paul on the team's injured list.
David West scored 33 for the Hornets.
-- Wire reports
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