NW Sports from the AP

AP-NW–1st SportsMinute,377
Here is the latest Washington, Oregon and Alaska sports news from
The Associated Press

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) – Paul Wulff says he believes Washington
State was an injury or two away from playing in a bowl game this
year. But after a 4-8 record this season and a 9-40 record in four
seasons, Wulff was fired yesterday as the Cougars’ football coach.
Wulff had one year remaining on his contract and will be paid
$600,000. Athletic director Bill Moos said yesterday that he hoped
to hire Wulff’s successor in two or three weeks.

LOS ANGELES (AP) – When the raw emotion from UCLA coach Rick
Neuheisel’s firing began to settle, the Bruins realized they’ve
still got one or two games to play this season. UCLA went back to
work Monday night, a few hours after Neuheisel was canned. He
joined the Bruins again on the practice field that night, preparing
to coach UCLA in Friday’s Pac-12 Conference title game at Oregon.
UCLA is a 30-point underdog to the powerful Ducks.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – Thomas van der Mars scored 19 points to
lead Portland to a hard-fought 76-64 victory over Lewis & Clark
last night. Portland led most of the way over the Pioneers, a
Division III team, but never managed a double-digit lead until the
last minute. The final score was its largest lead. Reserve Kevin
Bailey contributed 14 points for the Pilots and Ryan Nicholas
scored 11. Ross Erickson had 16 points for the Pioneers.

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) – Johnathan Loyd scored 24 points and made a
career-high six 3-pointers to lead Oregon past UTEP 64-59 last
night. Olu Ashaolu added 13 points for the Ducks, who won their
fourth in a row. Michael Perez scored 18 for the Miners, who shot
50 percent but were just 6-for-16 from the free throw line. John
Bohannon had 13 points and nine rebounds. Loyd, a sophomore guard,
shot 8-for-11, including 6-of-7 on 3-pointers.

SEATTLE (AP) – Seattle Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik
(zur-EHN’-sihk) carefully danced around the question of whether
Seattle will pursue slugging first baseman Prince Fielder, whom
Zduriencik drafted while with the Brewers organization. On a
conference call yesterday, he said the Mariners’ priorities remain
adding a bat to the lineup, getting a left-hander for the bullpen
and trying to find a veteran starter for the team’s young rotation.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)

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