UCLA continued an annual tradition of giving basketball coach Ben Howland a raise for reaching the Final Four.

Howland, a former Pitt coach, agreed yesterday to a new seven-year contract that runs through the 2014-15 season, a year longer than his previous deal. The contract keeps Howland among the top five highest-paid coaches in college basketball.

He is guaranteed $1.97 million for next season. His salary escalates to $2.3 million in the final year of the deal, which also includes incentives that could reach up to $235,000.

Pro basketball

Shameka Christon scored a career-high 28 points and the New York Liberty rallied for an 89-78 victory against the host Los Angeles Sparks.

• Diana Taurasi scored 28 points and the visiting Phoenix Mercury used a strong second quarter to beat the winless Atlanta Dream, 97-79.

• Lindsay Whalen had nine assists to set Connecticut's career record and scored 14 points to help the Sun overcome a 14-point deficit to beat the visiting Houston Comets, 78-68.

Auto racing

NASCAR team owner Chip Ganassi shut down Dario Franchitti's race team because of a lack of sponsorship, putting the former IndyCar Series champion's future in doubt.

• Dale Earnhardt Inc. will use Aric Almirola full time next season in a promotion that will free Mark Martin to move to Hendrick Motorsports next season.

High schools

Adam Kaufman will take over for Frank Guerra, who resigned after five years as the Montour boy's basketball coach.

College football

John Pont, who guided Indiana to its only Rose Bowl appearance 40 years ago and also coached at Northwestern, Yale and Miami of Ohio, has died. He was 80.

Pro football

The New England Patriots released defensive back Willie Andrews one day after he was arrested for allegedly pointing a handgun at his girlfriend's head.

• A Cincinnati judge has declared a mistrial in the assault case of former Bengals receiver Chris Henry.

• Browns receiver Joe Jurevicius had his second knee surgery since January, a procedure that could prevent him from reporting to training camp on time.

• Offensive lineman Demetrius Bell, the first of the Bills' three seventh-round picks, signed with Buffalo.

• The Chicago Bears signed defensive tackle Marcus Harrison to a four-year contract and agreed to four-year deals with wide receiver Earl Bennett and cornerback Zack Bowman.

• Third-round draft pick Bryan Smith signed with the Eagles.

• Brandon Hefflin, a defensive back from Penn Hills High School, had two interceptions and a fumble recovery to help the Cleveland Gladiators defeat the visiting Orlando Predators, 69-66, in the Arena Football League playoffs Monday. Fullback Josh Rue, a graduate of Gateway High School and Duquesne University, also is a member of the Gladiators.

Golf

The Women's Golf Association of Western Pennsylvania will have their Junior Girls' Championship Aug. 7 at Shadow Lakes Country Club. The event is open to any girl golfer 21 years old or younger from Western Pennsylvania. For more information, go to www.wgawp.com.

Wild Things

Washington designated hitter Tim Alberts put on a show in the Wild Things' 7-0 win against the visiting Midwest Sliders. In his Consol Engergy Park debut, Alberts knocked in five runs and scored one.