Nationwide

College Basketball

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) – Bo Schembechler, who became one of college football’s great coaches in two decades at Michigan, died on the eve of the Wolverines’ No. 1 vs. No. 2 showdown with perennial rival Ohio State. He was 77.

Schembechler collapsed at the studios of WXYZ-TV after taping his weekly TV show.

The seven-time Big Ten coach of the year compiled a 194-48-5 record at Michigan from 1969-89. Schembechler’s record in 26 years of coaching was 234-65-8.

Schembechler’s Wolverines were 11-9-1 against the Buckeyes. Fans in both states generally agree the rivalry’s prime years were 1969-78, when Schembechler opposed his friend and coaching guru, Woody Hayes.

Pro Basketball

MIAMI – Shaquille O’Neal will undergo surgery to repair torn knee cartilage and is expected to be sidelined four to six weeks.

The injury, originally diagnosed as a hyperextended knee, occurred in Miami’s loss to Houston on Sunday.

Last season, O’Neal sprained his ankle in Miami’s home opener and missed the next 18 games. He sat out a total of 23 games, and the Heat went 10-13 without him before their postseason run to the title.

Baseball

TORONTO – The Blue Jays finalized an $18.12 million, two-year contract with Frank Thomas.

The 38-year-old led the Oakland Athletics with 39 homers and 114 RBIs this year, batting .270. Thomas has hit .305 with 487 homers and 1,579 RBIs in 17 major league seasons, 16 with the Chicago White Sox.

Auto Racing

HOMESTEAD, Fla. – Mark Martin made his last race in a Roush Racing truck a memorable one, pulling away for a hard-earned victory, and Todd Bodine wrapped up the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship with a 21st-place finish.

Martin, who will end a 19-year association with Jack Roush’s team in Sunday’s Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway will drive a part-time Nextel Cup schedule with MB2 Motorsports next season and a partial truck schedule with the Wood Brothers/JTG Racing team.

Bodine was never really challenged for the points lead in the season-finale as runner-up Johnny Benson finished 26th in the race and 127 points behind Bodine.

Tennis

SHANGHAI, China – Rafael Nadal rallied to beat Nikolay Davydenko 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 and set up a Masters Cup semifinal against top-ranked Roger Federer.

James Blake topped the Gold Group despite losing 6-2, 3-6, 7-5 to Tommy Robredo in the last round-robin match.

Blake opened the season-ending championship with wins over No. 2 Nadal and No. 3 Davydenko and had secured a semifinal against defending champion David Nalbandian before the Robredo match.