Soccer

Brazil rips shoddy U.S. 4-1

Neymar converted a penalty kick and assisted on goals by defenders Thiago Silva and Marcelo as Brazil took advantage of a sloppy American backline to beat the United States 4-1 in an exhibition game Wednesday night in Landover, Md.

Neymar, the 20-year-old Santos sensation, put Brazil ahead in the 12th minute after a hand ball on Oguchi Onyewu, then took a corner kick that Thiago Silva headed in for his first international goal in the 26th.

Herculez Gomez, making his first start for the U.S. since the 2010 World Cup, scored in the 45th following a fine run by Michael Bradley and cross by Fabian Johnson.

But before an enthusiastic crowd of 67,619 at FedEx Field, Marcelo restored the two-goal lead in the 52nd as Onyewu and American captain Carlos Bocanegra left him unmarked in front of the net. Second-half sub Alexandre Pato scored a goal in the 87th.

Meola, Reyna, Armstrong inducted into U.S. soccer hall

Former U.S. national team goalkeeper Tony Meola, captain Claudio Reyna and defender Desmond Armstrong were inducted into the U.S. National Soccer Hall of Fame, along with former women's national team coach Tony DiCicco.

The four were honored before the United States' exhibition game against Brazil, as was longtime Los Angeles Times soccer writer Grahame L. Jones, who was given the Colin Jose Media Award.

College football

Big 12 favors four-team playoff; set with membership

The Big 12 favors a selection committee to be involved in picking the four teams involved in a college football playoff instead of a system that would emphasize conference champions.

Interim commissioner Chuck Neinas also said during the league's spring meeting that the current Big 12 membership is content with 10 schools after inviting TCU and West Virginia, though he left open the potential for future expansion.

NCAA investigates Montana

The NCAA is investigating Montana's football program, which already is the subject of investigations by the U.S. Department of Education and Department of Justice.

The Justice Department said this month it's reviewing how the university, its football team and the city of Missoula have responded to sexual assault and harassment reports by female students, with some cases involving football players. The federal Education Department has opened a similar investigation.

College basketball

Indiana-Kentucky series

negotiations stalled

Negotiations to keep the popular Indiana-Kentucky basketball series alive have stalled for the second time in a month and there seems to be little chance of reviving it.

Indiana athletic director Fred Glass announced May 3 that the series, an annual tradition since 1969, would end because the two schools could not agree on whether to play the games at neutral sites or on the two campuses.

According to a letter obtained by The Associated Press, the two athletic directors reopened negotiations May 10. Two weeks later, the letter said, Kentucky rejected Indiana's offer for a four-year extension that would have put the first two games at Lucas Oil Stadium, which Wildcats coach John Calipari wanted. The third game would have been played at Kentucky and the fourth at Indiana.

"I'm disappointed Kentucky rejected what I thought was a compromise that would address everyone's concerns," Glass told The Associated Press. "(Coach) Tom (Crean) and I felt like we tried to be accommodating to Kentucky."

WNBA

Lynx blow 24-point lead,

recover for 79-77 victory

Lindsay Whalen put back her own miss with a second remaining to give visiting Minnesota a 79-77 win over the Washington Mystics on after the Lynx blew a 24-point lead.

Maya Moore and Rebekkah Brunson led the Lynx (5-0) with 16 points and Seimone Augustus scored 15.

Matee Ajavon led the Mystics (1-2) with 20 points.

Fowles leads Chicago

past San Antonio

Sylvia Fowles had 23 points and 12 rebounds, helping the visiting Chicago Sky dominate the smaller San Antonio Silver Stars for a 77-63 victory.

The Sky used their height advantage to rally and take control of the game. San Antonio started 6-foot-1 forwards Sophia Young and Danielle Adams against 6-6 Fowles and 6-5 Ruth Riley.

Elsewhere

• Liverpool appears set to hire Brendan Rodgers as its new manager.

The hire would vault the Northern Irishman from relative obscurity to one of the toughest jobs in soccer, with his current club Swansea claiming a deal was expected to be finalized on Thursday.

• Boxer Paul Williams' longtime promoter said the fighter is in good spirits in an Atlanta hospital as he awaits surgery after he was paralyzed in a motorcycle crash Sunday morning in Marietta, Ga.

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