Larry Tucker

In Phillip Pendergrass' perfect world, he wouldn't be sitting in an office at Hill Field House, speculating on the prospects of another "we'll see" season for the Morgan State football team. The defensive tackle, who stands 6 feet 4 and weighs 280 pounds, would have played the full 1999 season and graduated in May, and would have spent the summer most anywhere but his hometown of Wilmington, Del. "I'm more of an independent person here," said Pendergrass, in that office at Hill Field House, predicting great things for a Morgan State football program hoping for its first winning season in more than two decades.

Sharif Chambliss and Tyler Smith scored 13 points apiece as Penn State moved into the championship game of the Golden Bear Classic with a 66-49 victory over Coppin State yesterday in Berkeley, Calif. Coppin State's Larry Tucker led all scorers with 22 points and nine rebounds. Jimmy Boykin added 12 points for the Eagles (3-9), who have lost seven of eight. Women Albany 66, Towson 60: Kelli Talbot had 13 points and Mia Chapman added 11, but the Tigers (1-10) could not get by the visiting Great Danes (3-7)

Kareem Rush and Clarence Gilbert ended slumps that coincided with No. 17 Missouri's three-game losing streak, combining for 40 points in a 74-47 victory over visiting Coppin State last night. Rush, a preseason All-American, shot 29 percent and Gilbert shot 23 during the losing streak, which followed nine straight Missouri (10-3) victories to open the season. Rush was 5-for-9 from three-point range. Gilbert hit his first three shots, all three-pointers. The duo averaged a combined 39.9 points over the first nine games and 24 over the last three.

WASHINGTON -- Jorge Cajigas scored 25 points in Coppin State's 86-61 victory over Howard yesterday, leading an effort in which five Eagles scored in double figures and the team showed the ability to put away an opponent, a trait that comes with maturity. Granted, the result shouldn't have come as a surprise. Howard (1-18, 1-9 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) doesn't give many teams trouble, and Coppin (8-13, 8-4) had won five of eight games entering yesterday. Still, opponents such as the Bison have given Fang Mitchell's team trouble.

Sixth-ranked Southern of Baltimore, No. 8 Dunbar, No. 13 Lake Clifton, No. 14 Randallstown and 20th-ranked Walbrook are among the nine local boys teams to be featured in the fourth Mayor's Basketball Academy Tournament, which begins tomorrow at Coppin State and ends Saturday. Among the local girls teams, No. 6 Dunbar, No. 7 Western and No. 11 Milford Mill will tackle Montgomery County's Newport and Wheaton, along with Prince George's County's DuVal. Tickets for the event, which also features boys teams from Northern, Edmondson and Mervo, can be purchased for $8 at the door, from the participating schools or by calling the Department of Recreation and Parks for Baltimore City at 410-396-7900 or 410-396-7901.

Police Blotter is a sampling of crimes from police reports in Baltimore City and Baltimore County. Baltimore City Southwestern District Shooting: A man was in critical condition last night at Maryland Shock Trauma Center after he was shot in the neck late Wednesday while driving in the 100 block of Denison St. The victim, whose name was not divulged, drove to a gas station at Baltimore and Hilton streets, and an attendant called police. Northeastern District Arrest: Eric Purnell, 25, of the 2600 block of Greenmount Ave. was arrested yesterday in the 1900 block of W. North Ave. by Warrant Apprehension Task Force members on a charge of attempted murder in the shooting Feb. 7 of Larry Tucker, 25, in the 4500 block of Erdman Ave. Northwestern District Carjacking: A 26-year-old man gave two men a ride to the 4300 block of Penhurst Ave. about 10 p.m. Wednesday and was forced out of the vehicle at gunpoint.

BaseballAngels: Named Darrell Miller director of player development.Cubs: Agreed to terms with C Yoon-Min Kweon.Pirates: Signed IF Dale Sveum to minor-league contract.Reds: Released IF Juan Melo.BasketballKnicks: Placed G Rick Brunson (bone spurs in his right foot) on injured list.Lakers: Activated G-F Devean George. Placed F-C Travis Knight (sprained right ankle) on injured list.Rockets: Placed retired F Charles Barkley on injured list. Signed F Devin Gray (St. Frances), who had been with CBA Yakima.

BaseballBrewers: Named Larry Aaron and Justin McCray scouts. Named Tom Allison, Bobby Heck and Ric Wilson scouting crosscheckers.Indians: Signed P Brian Barber to minor-league contract and invited him to spring training.Mariners: Announced that team has reached two-year friendship agreement with Fortitudo Bologna Baseball Club of Italian Professional League.Red Sox: Named Billy Gardner Jr. manager of Double-A Trenton.Reds: Named Gary Hughes director of professional scouting and special assistant to general manager.

NEW YORK -- Paul Mazursky has pretty good concentration. Talking about his latest movie, "Scenes from a Mall," he has a tendency to veer off on tangents -- though he somehow always finds his way back to the mainstream. Which, it should be pointed out, is much the same way that he built his career.Mr. Mazursky, who was born in Brooklyn, moved initially from acting to teaching acting to stand-up comedy. Armed with satirical and character bits, he started going places -- Chicago, Dallas, San Francisco, Los Angeles.

For the first time in a long while, Morgan State fans have a positive context in which to place the football portion of homecoming weekend.With a 28-22 win over Towson last week, the Bears (2-3 overall, 0-2 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) bask in the glow of victory as they enter today's 3: 30 p.m. game at PSINet Stadium against North Carolina A&T (4-1, 2-0).Morgan has not gone into homecoming after a win since 1979, also the last time the Bears had a winning season (9-2)."Now they know how it is to be a winner," said coach Stanley Mitchell.