*BASKETBALL: Trail Blazers center Greg Oden returned to play Wednesday in a 104-96 win over the Heat. Oden, who missed the Blazers’ six previous games with a sprained right foot, had three points and two rebounds in 16 minutes. … Heat forward Shawn Marion was held out against the Trail Blazers because of continued problems with a strained groin, which he injured Saturday. … Bobcats guard Jason Richardson will be out up to a week following arthroscopic surgery on his right knee. … Forward Kevin Durant missed the Thunder’s game against the Magic because of a sore left ankle. … Jerry Colangelo was elected chairman of USA Basketball Board of Directors.
*NHL: Senators forward Jarkko Ruutu was suspended for two games without pay by the NHL for catching the Canadiens’ Maxim Lapierre with an elbow on Tuesday. … Rangers center Scott Gomez missed Wednesday’s game against his former Devils teammates because of a leg injury. Gomez is day-to-day. … The Blue Jackets activated goaltender Pascal Leclaire off injured reserve after he missed seven games with an ankle injury. … Former Blackhawks general manager Bob Murray has been hired as GM of the Ducks after Brian Burke declined a contract extension.
*BASEBALL: The Athletics have completed their trade for star outfielder Matt Holliday from the Rockies for right-handed reliever Huston Street, lefty starter Greg Smith and promising outfielder Carlos Gonzalez. … Rays center fielder B.J. Upton had surgery on his left shoulder this week and the team expects him to be ready by Opening Day. … Left-handed reliever Damaso Marte and the Yankees agreed to a $12 million, three-year contract that includes a club option for 2012. … Retired major-leaguer Vinny Castilla will coach Mexico at the World Baseball Classic. … A’s bench coach Don Wakamatsu interviewed for the vacant Mariners managerial job.
*COLLEGE BASKETBALL: Carlton Fay scored 17 points and Bryan Mullins added 16 to lead Southern Illinois (2-0) to an 80-73 win over Massachusetts to win the Carbondale regional of the Coaches vs. Cancer tournament. … Manny Harris had 26 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists as Michigan (2-0) beat Northeastern 76-56 to win the Ann Arbor regional.
*ALSO: In college football, Texas center Chris Hall will miss Saturday’s game at Kansas after spraining his left knee in practice. … Roger Federer kept his hopes alive for a fifth Masters Cup title by beating Radek Stepanek 7-6 (4), 6-4 in Shanghai. … American Peter Marshall broke the short-course record in the 50-meter backstroke at a World Cup meet in Stockholm. Marshall won the event in 23.05 seconds, beating Australian Robert Hurley’s mark of 23.24. … The Big East named John Marinatto to succeed Mike Tranghese as the conference’s commissioner, effective July 1, 2009. … Chivas USA’s Sasha Victorine will miss the start of the 2009 MLS season after undergoing microfracture surgery on his left knee. … Bulgaria national weightlifting coach Plamen Asparuhov took responsibility for a doping scandal that barred the team from competing at the Beijing Olympics and said Wednesday his resignation had been accepted.
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EDITED BY MIKE PANKOW FROM TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICES
