CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP)—Italee Lucas had 23 of her 28 points in the first half and the #7 North Carolina Lady Tar Heels held off the Georgia Tech Lady Yellow Jackets, 89-78 Wednesday in Top 25 women’s college basketball action. Cetera DeGraffenreid and She’la White each added 13 points for North Carolina, who improved to 13-1 with the win. Deja Foster, Sasha Goodlett and Alex Montgomery each had 15 points for the Lady Yellow Jackets, who fell to 13-3 with the loss.

SALT LAKE CITY (AP)—C.J. Miles had 24 points and Carlos Boozer added 20 more as the Utah Jazz broke a 3-game losing streak with a 117-94 win over the Memphis Grizzlies Wednesday in NBA action at EnergySolutions Arena. The Jazz were without the services of Deron Williams, but still managed to bury the Grizzlies as they made 57 percent of their shots on the evening. Key to Utah’s success was their 39 assists, with Ronnie Brewer amassing a season-high 10 assists. After playing the Jazz to a 28-28 draw after one quarter, Lionel Hollins’ Grizzlies gave up 32 points to the Jazz in the 2nd Quarter and were never able to catch up from there. Zach Randolph had 18 points and seven rebounds for Memphis in the loss, which dropped them to 17-17. The win improved the Jazz to 19-16. In other NBA action Wednesday, Atlanta hammered New Jersey, 119-89, Cleveland dismantled Washington, 121-98, Toronto downed Orlando, 108-103, Boston surged past Miami, 112-106 in overtime, Golden State ousted Minnesota, 107-101, New Orleans tripped up Oklahoma City, 97-92, San Antonio stonewalled Detroit, 112-92, Phoenix bested Houston, 118-110 and the Los Angeles Clippers blew past the Los Angeles Lakers, 102-91.

(WASHINGTON D.C.) – Sen. Bob Bennett is blasting the Obama administration for stalling on domestic energy production around the country and preventing economic growth in Utah. Bennett is specifically criticizing the administration’s plan to expand reviews of the oil and gas leasing program managed by the BLM, causing further delays in the production of domestic resources. He said it’s another indication that the administration has no intention to honor its promise to produce a balanced energy plan that includes domestic energy production. Bennett commented that the BLM took seven years to create land use plans, including oil and gas production and Obama continues to increase the level of red tape and bureaucratic process to create even more delays than what has happened in the past. He said another layer of unnecessary review will amount to more delays and expenses and may shift jobs overseas rather than spurring job growth within our own country.

(LAYTON)—The Utah Supreme Court has overturned the sentence of a man convicted of aggravated murder in the 2002 death of a 6-year-old girl. The court said in a Tuesday ruling that Mark Anthony Ott’s counsel was deficient because it didn’t object to victim impact evidence concerning Ott’s character, chances for rehabilitation and deserved sentence. The court said that kind of victim impact evidence violates the Eighth Amendment when introduced in capital sentencing hearings. The court didn’t overturn the conviction but ordered a new sentencing hearing. The 45-year-old Ott has been serving a sentence of life without parole at the Utah State Prison. Lacey Paige Lawrence died September 1, 2002 in a house fire Ott allegedly started at the home of his estranged wife, Donna Ott.

(WASHINGTON D.C.)—Interior Secretary Ken Salazar is announcing changes he says will bring more security and greater public participation in the way oil and gas leases are handled on public lands. Salazar believes the changes will ensure stricter environmental standards in oil and gas leasing while bringing more certainty for energy companies that hope to drill on public lands, primarily in Western states. The Democrat often criticized the Bush Administration for what he called a “headlong” rush to lease public lands. Early last year, Salazar suspended 60 of 77 leases in Utah approved in the waning days of Bush’s tenure. Industry groups have accused Salazar of significantly reducing oil and gas leases on federal lands.

(SALT LAKE CITY)—Federal prosecutors have called off an auction of a Utah fraud suspect’s car collection. A defense lawyer says the government forgot to share appraisals for nearly 200 cars and motorcycles seized from Jeffrey Mowen. Mowen is in the Davis County jail charged with running a Ponzi scheme. The auctions, set to start Thursday, at a North Salt Lake warehouse, have been indefinitely postponed. Defense attorney Stephen McCaughey says Mowen wants to study the government appraisals to ascertain his vehicles are sold for at least two-thirds of their value. Those appraisals were not made available until late Tuesday. Mowen has the right to order his own appraisals if he doesn’t think the government is pricing his vehicles correctly. The money will go to Mowen’s investors.

(DELTA) – The funeral service for a Millard County Sheriff’s Deputy killed early Tuesday morning has been set for Monday in Delta. Family says the funeral for 37-year old, Josie Fox of Delta is planned to be held at the new LDS Stake Center near the hospital Monday morning at 11:00. Friends and family will conduct a viewing for Fox Sunday from 7-9pm at the Millard County Fairgrounds in Delta. Fox was shot to death while investigating a suspicious vehicle on SR-50 at about 1am Tuesday. The suspected shooter, 37-year old, Roberto Roman of Delta, along with an accomplice, 36-year old, Ruben Chavez of Fillmore, were eventually tracked down by deputies to a shed in Beaver County, where they were found asleep. Fox was a five-year veteran of the Millard County Sheriff’s Office. She is survived by her husband and two children.