Memphis has been stripped by the NCAA of every victory in its 38-win season under coach John Calipari that ended in the national title game last year. The reason: an ineligible player believed to be Derrick Rose.

The announcement yesterday came 16 months after the Tigers lost to Kansas in the championship game following the 2007-08 season. Memphis president Shirley Raines said the school would appeal the ruling.

It is the second time both Memphis and Calipari had to vacate Final Four seasons. The Tigers were stripped of their 1985 appearance and Calipari's Massachusetts team lost its 1996 berth.

Calipari is now the basketball coach at Kentucky, where officials have voiced support for him despite the Memphis scandal.

"I'm not worried about it because they have never said Coach Cal did anything wrong at all," said Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear, who appeared with Calipari at the Kentucky State Fair yesterday before the NCAA announcement.

Asked about the possibility of a vacated season Calipari said: "I would be disappointed if that's what they chose to do."

Memphis was 38-2 in 2007-08, setting the NCAA record for wins in a season.

In its report, the NCAA did not identify the ineligible player by name, though earlier descriptions of him lead to the conclusion it could only be Rose. He was taken by the Chicago Bulls as the No. 1 pick in the 2008 draft and went on to win the NBA rookie of the year award.

The player was accused of having another person take his SAT exam so he would be eligible as a freshman.

GOLF

Bryant's 62 tops Champions: Brad Bryant matched a tournament record yesterday with a 10-under 62 in the first round of the Jeld-Wen Tradition at Crosswater Golf Club in Unriver, Ore.

Bryant had 11 birdies and one bogey for a three-shot lead in the fourth of five majors this year on the Champions Tour.

Loren Roberts shot a 65, while Tom Watson and Tom Lehman each had 67s. Defending champion Fred Funk was in a group at 4-under.

Three share PGA's Wyndham lead: Chez Reavie, Ryan Moore and former winner Brandt Snedeker each shot 6-under 64s yesterday to share the lead in a delayed first round of the Wyndham Championship at Greensboro, N.C.

Heavy rains and lightning forced a mid-afternoon delay of about four hours at Sedgefield Country Club and play was suspended because of darkness with 78 players left on the course.

Hawai'i's Parker McLachlin, a Punahou alum, slipped in before play was called with a 68, while Kane'ohe's Dean Wilson, a Castle High alum, was 1 under through 10 holes.

Fujikawa tied for 76th at 71: Moanalua High School graduate Tadd Fujikawa fired a 1-over-par 71 yesterday in the opening round of the European Tour's KLM Open at Kennemer Golf & Country Club, in Zandvoort, Netherlands.

The 18-year-old is tied for 76th, seven shots off the lead shared by Ireland's Paul McGinley and Scotland's Gary Orr. Defending champion Darren Clarke shot 65.

TENNIS

Top seeds in Masters quarters: Top-ranked Roger Federer struggled in blustery conditions yesterday, but rallied for a 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory over David Ferrer to lead the top four seeds into the quarterfinals of the Cincinnati Masters at Mason, Ohio.

Second-ranked and No. 3 seed Andy Murray beat Radek Stepanek, 6-4, 6-1; third-ranked and No. 2 seed Rafael Nadal swept past Paul-Henri Mathieu, 7-5, 6-2, and No. 4 seed Novak Djokovic beat Jeremy Chardy, 7-5, 6-3.

Serena cruises in Rogers Cup: Second-seeded Serena Williams cruised past Alona Bondarenko, 6-1, 6-4, yesterday to advance to the quarterfinals of the Rogers Cup in Toronto.

Earlier, fourth-seeded Elena Dementieva rallied past Shahar Peer, 6-1, 1-6, 6-4, while Aravane Rezai, who upset top-seeded Dinara Safina on Wednesday, lost to Alisa Kleybanova, 6-3, 6-4.

AND WHAT'S MORE ...

Boxing: The Nevada Athletic Commission approved limited use of instant replay in boxing and mixed martial arts to help referees rule whether hits like low blows or head-butts are accidental — if they cause a fight to end because of injury.

Soccer: Brian Ching, a Kamehameha Schools alum, scored in the 68th minute, lifting the Houston Dynamo to a 1-0 victory over El Salvador's Isidro Metapan Wednesday night in the teams' first game of CONCACAF Champions League Group A play.