The Record, Bergen County, NJ

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. The long wait for Jorge Julio to finally arrive came to an end when the burly reliever made his way to the Mets' complex Sunday morning. But the wait now is to find out exactly what the Mets have in the hard-throwing righty. Is it the former Orioles' closer who posted a 1.99 ERA in 2002 and saved 83 games over three years? Or is he the pitcher who lost his closer job, watching his ERA balloon to 5.90 last year and 8.07 after the All-Star break?

Hustling Uconn Turns the Tables

Forget revenge or first place. The one thing that kept coming up after No. 3 Connecticut beat No. 2 Villanova was toughness. After the Huskies' 89-75 victory Sunday left everybody in Gampel Pavilion drained whether they played or watched, coaches and players talked about the attitude and style that has become the trademark of the Big East.

Ru Ready for Emotional Night Vs. Top Rival

National-ranking implications and conference superiority are just a few of the rewards at stake when Rutgers and Connecticut meet in women's basketball. That's on a normal night. But tonight's contest between the two teams promises to add so much more to the emotional gas tank that always seems to overflow between the powerhouse programs. Connecticut is looking to avenge its only conference loss, a shocking one at home to upstart Rutgers. Rutgers will be hosting an emotional senior night, whe...

Rutgers Wins in Tough Times

PISCATAWAY So what if South Florida is 0-for-the-Big-East. So what if South Florida ranks last in nearly every offensive category. So what if South Florida will end the season without winning on someone else's home floor and so what if Rutgers was the team that actually had something to play for. The Scarlet Knights still dominated their southern visitors Sunday afternoon, they still knocked the Bulls around, 62-44, and that, point guard Anthony Farmer said, is a testament to their coach.

Kenseth Enjoys Surprise

FONTANA, Calif. Even when he took the lead late in the NASCAR Nextel Cup race at California Speedway, Matt Kenseth didn't expect to win. "I was sort of planning on running second," Kenseth said, grinning.

Oglivy Dispatches Love in a Heartbeat

CARLSBAD, Calif. Ten times during the Match Play Championship, Geoff Ogilvy watched his opponent stand over a putt that would have sent him home. There was no such stress Sunday as he completed his long, improbable journey by making short work of Davis Love III. Ogilvy pulled away with an eagle-birdie knockout punch and won, 3 and 2, in the final tournament at La Costa Resort to join Craig Parry as the only Australians to capture a World Golf Championship.

Nets Notes

New guy enthusiastic Bostjan Nachbar sees many similarities between his new team, the Nets, and his old one, the Hornets.

Carter Is Hurt in Loss ; Nets Falter Vs. Indiana

EAST RUTHERFORD Vince Carter's drives to the hoop are often breathtaking, in their fluidity and in their acrobatics. The one he made with 3:06 to go in the first quarter Sunday night wasn't either of those things, and it didn't even result in a basket. Yet it has the Nets holding their collective breaths.

Mosley Rebounds with Sweet Victory

LAS VEGAS Sugar Shane Mosley moved back into the boxing limelight by stopping Fernando Vargas, and now he wants a shot at a bigger match. "Floyd Mayweather is a talent. Pound-for-pound, we're two guys with great skills," Mosley said. "It should be a great fight."

State Basketball Tournament Preview ; Boys

North 1, Group 4 Today

State Basketball Tournament Preview ; Girls

North 1, Group 4 Today

Fencing

State squad tournament AT NORTH HUNTERDON HIGH

Glen Rock Coach Relishes Tough Road

The Cup playoffs are history, but the fun is just starting. Or, if you're Paramus, it's already begun.

Boys Top 25

1. Don Bosco (21-4) Last week: No. 1

Girls Top 25

1. Eastside (23-3) Last week: No. 2

Scarlets Make History ; Ridgefield Park Wins Its First Bergen Title

MAHWAH Joe Branda hasn't been counting down the days, but he knows the end is near. The Ridgefield Park girls basketball coach decided two years ago that his 21st season would be his last with the Scarlets. Little did he know at the time that he would go out on top.

Combine Notes

Deal may be near The doom and gloom of the past week has been replaced by reports the players and owners are close to agreeing on an extension of the Collective Bargaining Agreement before Friday's deadline.