OVC SOCCER TOURNEY TODAY IN MURRAY
OVC soccer fans have decended on Murray today for the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament Semifinals at Cutchin Field. Thy get underway at 10 a.m. when No. 2 seed Eastern Kentucky plays third-seeded UT Martin. Top seed Murray State will play fourth-seeded Morehead State at 1pm. The OVC Championship match is Sunday at 1 p.m. and the winner moves on to the NCAA Tournament.

RACERS DOMINATE SOCCER AWARDS
Seven Murray State soccer players and head coach Beth Acreman received All-Ohio Valley Conference Soccer last night at a banquet held in the Murray Room of the Regional Special Events Center. Racer goalkeeper Tara Isbell of Mayfield was named OVC Defensive Player of the Year and All-OVC First Team after a record-setting season. Rebekah Clay, Melisa Curry, and Katie Wilson were also All-OVC First Team selections. MSU's Sophie Hargreaves was named All-OVC Second Team. Racer freshmen Rachel Wright and Veronika Pribyslavska (PRIBBA SLAVSKA) made the All-OVC Newcomer team and MSU Head Coach Beth Acreman was named the Brine OVC Coach of the Year.

OVC BASKETBALL WRAP
Austin Peay shot 65 percent from the field in winning, 80-75, over Central Missouri, Thursday night in exhibition action at the Dunn Center. Drake Reed led the Govs with 14 points. The Racers have their only exhibition game of the season Tuesday night against Bethel, and you can hear it on 1340 WNBS and Froggy.

FINAL NIGHT OF HIGH SCHOOL REGULAR SEASON
It's a night off for the Murray High Tigers tonight and an extra week to prepare for the playoff game a week from tonight against Hancock County. Calloway County will try to close out the regular season with a five game winning streak when they visit Graves County. Lakers head coach Josh McKeel's team is not looking ahead to next week's playoff game against Russell County, but in one way they will be as they and Graves County both use the rare Wing-T offense. The Calloway-Graves County game kicks off at 7:30. In other games tonight: Heath at Lone Oak, Fulton City at Reidland, Caldwell County at Mayfield, Fulton County at Trigg County, Hancock County at Hopkins Central,

RACERS WELCOME REDHAWKS SATURDAY
The Murray State football team looks to put an end to a two-game losing streak as they play host to Southeast Missouri tomorrow at Roy Stewart Stadium. The Racers enter the game with an overall record of 3-6 and 2-3 in OVC action, while the Redhawks are 3-6 overall and 1-4 in the OVC.Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. , and airtime is 12:30 on Froggy 103.7. In other games tomorrow: Georgia at Kentucky (noon), Louisville at Pittsburgh (11 a.m.), Western Kentucky at Troy (2:30 p.m.), Western Illinois at Southern Illinois (2 p.m.). SEC: Alabama at LSU, Arkansas at South Carolina, Tennessee Martin at Auburn, Florida at Vanderbilt, Wyoming at Tennessee. OVC: Jacksonville State at Tennessee Tech, Tennessee-Martin at Auburn, Eastern Illinois at Tennessee State.

CUTCLIFFE AND DAVIS JUST SAY NO
Duke coach David Cutcliffe and North Carolina coach Butch Davis each made it clear this week they are not interested in leaving their current jobs to succeed Phillip Fulmer at Tennessee. Cutcliffe was offensive coordinator for years under Fulmer, with a break for a stint as head coach at Ole Miss. Both Cutcliffe and Davis made it clear they had not been contacted by Tennessee, but said they wanted to clear the air as names of possible successors to Fulmer started making the rounds on internet message boards. Fulmer accepted a buyout of six million dollars this week, and will leave as head coach of the Vols at the end of the season. Tennessee hosts Wyoming Saturday at noon at Neyland Stadium.

MSU VOLLEYBALL ON NTHE ROAD
The Murray State volleyball team travels to Death Valley this weekend. The Racers will first battle Morehead tonight at 6 and then play Eastern Kentucky tomorrow at 1.

CARDINAL HOLIDAY?
The Cardinals are reportedly interested in an All-Star outfielder. Joe Strauss from the "St. Louis Post-Dispatch," reports the Birds' brass has an interest in trading for Colorado left fielder Matt Holliday. Outfielder Ryan Ludwick could be part of a deal to bring the 28-year-old to St. Louis. Holliday hit .321 with 25 home runs and 88 RBI and is due 13.5-million dollars next year. He could be a free agent after next season. Strauss also says the Cards have had discussions with the Braves regarding shortstop Yunel Escobar and second baseman Kelly Johnson.

BEARS-TITANS PREVIEW
The Bears will be trying to hand the only undefeated team in the NFL its first loss when they welcome the Titans to Soldier Field in Week 10. The Titans improved to 8-and-0 after a 16-13 overtime victory against the Packers last week. After missing from 47 yards out at the end of regulation, Rob Bironas split the uprights from 41 yards away in overtime to help the Titans continue their best start in franchise history. Rookie Chris Johnson and LenDale White continue to terrorize opposing defenses, as the Titans are ranked third in the league with just over 149 rushing yards per game. The Bears lead the NFC North at 5-and-3, but lost starting quarterback Kyle Orton to an ankle injury in their 27-23 comeback win over the winless Lions. Rex Grossman came off the bench to throw for a touchdown and ran for another. Grossman will likely get the start if Orton can't go. Chicago has won two in-a-row and four of its last five overall. The Bears have also won the last three meetings between the two franchises. Airtime Sunday is 2pm on 1340 WNBS.

NATIONAL SPORTS REPORT

=== NFL ===

Jay Cutler passed for 447 yards and three touchdowns, outdueling an effective
Brady Quinn in his first NFL start, as Denver outscored and outlasted
Cleveland, 34-30. Eddie Royal caught six passes for 164 yards, including a 93-
yard score in the fourth quarter, while Brandon Marshall hauled in six passes
for 89 yards and a score for Denver (5-4). Quinn was solid in his first NFL
start, passing for 239 yards on 23-of-35 passing with two touchdowns and no
interceptions. Tight end Kellen Winslow was his favorite target with 10
catches for 111 yards and two touchdowns for Cleveland (3-6), which got 60
yards and a touchdown from Jamal Lewis on the ground.

===

St. Louis Rams running back Steven Jackson did not practice on Thursday,
leaving his status for Sunday's game against the New York Jets in doubt.
Jackson, who is battling a strained right thigh muscle, also did not practice
on Wednesday. The running back played in this past Sunday's 34-13 loss to
Arizona, after taking a limited part in practice in the week leading up to
that game, but ran for just 17 yards on seven attempts. Rams head coach Jim
Haslett said on Thursday that Jackson will need to go through an entire
practice in order to play against the Jets.

===

Chicago quarterback Kyle Orton sat out practice for a second straight day on
Thursday and Rex Grossman took reps with the first-team offense again, as the
Bears prepare to take on a formidable Tennessee Titans defense on Sunday.
Orton had to be carted off the field in last Sunday's 27-23 win against the
Detroit Lions with a right ankle injury that was originally thought to have
sidelined the signal-caller for up to a month. The injury appears to be less
severe and is being labeled a sprain. Grossman, who took over for Chicago
under center in the second half and guided the team to two touchdowns --
including a one-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter to win the contest --
could make his first start since a December 6 loss to Washington last season.
In that contest, Grossman went down with a knee injury that allowed Orton to
start the final three games and grab the starting role this season.

===

Baltimore Ravens running back Willis McGahee is listed as questionable for
Sunday's matchup with the Houston Texans with a nagging ankle injury. McGahee,
who was active for last Sunday's 37-27 win against Cleveland, did not see the
field in that contest as rookie Ray Rice and Le'Ron McClain split carries in
his absence. However, both Rice (chest) and McClain (ankle) are also
questionable for Sunday. Rice led the Ravens in rushing against the Browns
with 154 yards on 21 carries while McClain rushed 14 times for 34 yards and a
TD.


=== COLLEGE FOOTBALL ===

Brian Johnson completed 24-of-39 passes for 230 yards, but no completion was
bigger than his nine-yard touchdown pass to Freddie Brown with 48 seconds
left, as No. 10 Utah held on for a 13-10 win over No. 11 TCU to keep its
unbeaten season and BCS hopes alive. Brown's touchdown catch gave the Utes
(10-0, 6-0 Mountain West) a three-point lead in the final minute, and Robert
Johnson's interception of an Andy Dalton pass at the Utah 15 with 11 seconds
left sealed the win. Aaron Brown rushed for 106 yards on 15 carries for
the Horned Frogs (9-2, 6-1), who missed two short field goals in the fourth
quarter that could have extended their lead. Dalton completed 16-of-37 passes
for 251 yards with no touchdowns and two picks for TCU, which had won five
straight since its only other loss, a 35-10 defeat at Oklahoma on September
27. Jimmy Young had six catches for 97 yards, and Ryan Christian gained 69
yards through the air on four catches, running for another 35 yards and a
score on 11 carries for the Horned Frogs. Freddie Brown's go-ahead
touchdown capped a nine-catch, 105-yard day for the Utah receiver. The
Utes are 10-0 for the second time in school history and are two wins shy
of a 12-0 regular season, with games at San Diego State and at home against
BYU remaining.

===

Darren Evans ran for a career-high 253 yards and a touchdown, and the Virginia
Tech Hokies toppled the 23rd-ranked Maryland Terrapins with a 23-13 victory.
Sean Glennon completed 14-of-20 passes for 127 yards and a score, and Greg
Boone compiled 53 total yards and a receiving touchdown for Virginia Tech
(6-3, 3-2 ACC), which is now tied for second in the ACC Coastal Division
with Miami-Florida and Virginia. The Hokies had a dominant rushing attack
while stifling a horrid Maryland ground attack, outgaining the Terps
273 to negative-12 on the ground. Virginia Tech had 400 total yards, compared
to 228 for the Terps. Chris Turner threw for 240 yards and a score on 19-
of-31 passing for Maryland (6-3, 3-2), which fell into a first-place tie
with Florida State and Wake Forest atop the ACC Atlantic Division.


=== MLB ===

Philadelphia outfielder Pat Burrell and pitcher Jamie Moyer, as well as
Dodgers pitcher Brad Penny all filed for free agency on Thursday. Burrell,
32, played in 157 games for the World Series-winning Phillies last season
and hit .250 with 33 home runs, 86 runs batted in and a team-high 102 walks.
Moyer, who will turn 46 on November 18, made 33 starts for Philadelphia during
the regular season and went 16-7 with a 3.71 earned run average. Penny, 30,
regressed last season in an injury-plagued 2008. He started only 17 games,
playing in 19 total, and compiled a 6-9 record with a career-worst 6.27 ERA.
In 2007, Penny went 16-4 in 33 starts with a career-best 3.03 ERA. The right-
hander had a $9.25 million contract option declined by LA on Wednesday.

===

Outfielders Ichiro Suzuki of the Seattle Mariners and Torii Hunter of the Los
Angeles Angels of Anaheim each won their eighth consecutive Gold Glove Award
on Thursday, when the American League winners were announced. Each won their
first Gold Glove in 2001, and have been honored every year since. Joining
Suzuki and Hunter on the AL roster is Cleveland Indians center fielder Grady
Sizemore, who also won last season. While the AL outfield remained the same as
2007, the infield contained a trio of new names. Tampa Bay first baseman
Carlos Pena, Boston second baseman Dustin Pedroia and Texas shortstop Michael
Young each won his first Gold Glove Award. Third baseman Adrian Beltre of
Seattle won his second, as he also captured the honor last season. Minnesota
Twins catcher Joe Mauer was a first-time winner, while Yankees pitcher Mike
Mussina won his seventh Gold Glove -- but first since 2003.


=== NHL ===

New Jersey Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur underwent surgery Thursday morning
to have the distal biceps in his left elbow repaired and is still expected to
be sidelined for three to four months. Brodeur suffered the injury November 1
in a 6-1 win against Atlanta. He appeared to hurt his elbow reaching for a
shot in the second period and soon after fell to the ice clutching his left
arm. The four-time Vezina Trophy winner saw his streak of consecutive regular-
season starts end at a career-high 51 games dating back to January 8 of last
season. He had made 56 straight starts including the playoffs.