‘SVU’ takes the fifth

NBC’s “Law & Order: SVU” finished the season in style – notching its best-ever num bers (18.4 million viewers) Tuesday night (10 p.m.).

The fifth-season finale also garnered NBC its best adult 18-49 ratings in that timeslot in five years (excluding sports and 2000 election cov erage).

Elsewhere on the NBC landscape, MSNBC anchor Sam Shane has written “Rocky the Mudhen,” a chil dren’s book about a kid who realizes his dream of playing baseball through hard work and determination.

Shane’s book is available on amazon.com and b&n.com. Sam played baseball at the University of Minnesota.

***

The 9/11 Commission hear ings pre-empted the last two days of “Live with Regis & Kelly” here in New York – so here’s what’s happened on the show’s “Mutt America” Pageant.

Among the finalists are local hound Wil son, who hails from New York (West End Avenue). Wilson was a rescue puppy who partipates in the Pet Outreach program as a therapy dog. Yesterday was “Meet the Mutts,” and on today’s show (9 a.m./Ch. 7) there will be a musical pro duction number, background pieces on the dogs, mutt makeovers, two segments of talent competition and an obedience segment. Viewers will then vote for their favor ite mutt – with the winner revealed tomorrow.

Last, but not least:

* “60 Minutes II” (Wednes day) will be renamed “60 Minutes” – sans the “II” – beginning this fall.

* Today on “Cold Pizza” (7-9 a.m./ESPN2): Jesse Palmer’s teammate, Amani Toomer, dishes on Jesse’s final pick from last night’s “Bachelor” finale.

* “Dateline” anchor Stone Phillips bid $1,800 to lunch with Walter Cronkite at Le Perigord during a silent auc tion. Stone emceed