Eighty-three years playing home basketball games in one leaky, creaky facility can get a little old. Mostly for the lanky, cranky opposing teams. The University of Oregon’s McArthur Court – aka Mac Court, more notoriously referred to as “The Pit” – is scheduled to disappear as the Ducks’ advantageous dungeon when the next season of Pacific-10 Conference play starts. It’ll be replaced by a sleek, $200 million all-purpose facility across campus bankrolled primarily by Nike chief Phil Knight. The overtime loss UCLA suffered on Mac Court’s maple floor Thursday night, and the game USC will play there tonight, mark the last time either Southern California team has to step foot in the rickety relic again.

SAN DIEGO – Already missing Tiger Woods because of a sex scandal, the PGA Tour headed into another mess Friday when a player accused Phil Mickelson of “cheating” for using wedges that are allowed under a legal technicality.

ARCADIA – Eleven races into his career, The Usual Q.T. looks like a top-notch turf runner and an ordinary horse on synthetic tracks when gazing at the 4-year-old gelding’s past performances. The son of Unusual Heat has won six of seven on the grass, including three graded stakes, and is winless in four tries over synthetics while running second three times.

Oscar De La Hoya sat inside the ESPN Zone at L.A. Live on Tuesday after playing host to a news conference promoting the Feb.

MELBOURNE, Australia – Roger Federer decided the crowd didn’t get quite enough value from his semifinal romp over Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, so he worked on his comedy routine. After dismissing his 10th-seeded opponent, 6-2, 6-3, 6-2, Friday night (late Thursday PST), Federer looked toward the final and the last obstacle between him and a fourth Australian Open title – Andy Murray.

TEMPE, Ariz. – Kurt Warner thanked God, hugged his children and wife and said goodbye to an NFL career that seems the stuff of sports fiction. The 38-year-old quarterback announced his retirement Friday after a dozen years in a league that at first rejected him, then revered him as he came from nowhere to lead the lowly St. Louis Rams to two Super Bowls.

PHILADELPHIA – For a while, it seemed like old times. Allen Iverson went a little crazy in the third quarter Friday night, a sellout crowd rose to its feet and the Lakers got a little nervous as their lead began to shrink with each possession. Iverson swished a 3-pointer, then hit a running bank shot, then pulled up for a jumper, then the Philadelphia 76ers were within five points late in the third. Philadelphia fans bellowed ever louder after sitting quietly for most of the game. For a while, it looked like Iverson and the 76ers might have a chance.

With a showdown with West Torrance on its doorstep, Mira Costa did what it had to, beating Leuzinger 1-0, in a Bay League boys soccer game Friday night at Leuzinger. Dylan Cleland took a pass from Alex Seyferth and scored in the 58th minute, putting Mira Costa (15-1-4, 5-1-0) ahead, but not without a little help from its goalkeeper Daniel Caves. With about 10 minutes left, Caves made a diving, fingertip save on a shot from about 15 yards out.

Jerry West is proving he’s “Mr. Clutch” on the golf course, too. West, in his first year as the Northern Trust Open executive director, convinced Anthony Kim and Y.E. Yang and Stewart Cink among other golfers, to put Thursday’s PGA Tour stop at Riviera Country Club back on their schedule. Four of the world’s top 10-ranked players are in the field: defending champion Phil Mickelson (2), Steve Stricker (3), Jim Furyk (5) and Padraig Harrington (7). The Northern Trust Open also has seven of the top-20 ranked players and 21 of the top 50.

Super Late Model racers wanted television time Friday night. All the wrecks and red flags ensured the 39 drivers got that on the opening night of the NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown. Rip Michels extended his Toyota Speedway at Irwindale victory total to 61 after leading all but one lap in front of 3,500.