COLLEGE: Floyd stays at USC

Tim Floyd said yesterday he is staying put as Southern California’s coach, spurning an offer to become men’s basketball coach at Arizona. He was offered the job Wednesday to replace Arizona interim coach Russ Pennell.

* Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl has a newly renegotiated six-year contract keeping him with the Volunteers. It came hours after reports surfaced that Memphis wanted to talk to Pearl about replacing John Calipari.

* In a surprise move, Georgia hired Nevada’s Mark Fox to replace Dennis Felton. . . . Butler coach Brad Stevens agreed to a contract extension with the Bulldogs through the 2015-16 season.

* Former Boston College lineman B.J. Raji, who is considered the top defensive tackle eligible for this month’s NFL draft, failed a drug test at the NFL combine, according to a report on SI.com

* Fordham sophomore swingman Mike Moore was granted a release from his scholarship and will transfer to another school. Moore appeared in all 28 games this season, averaging 12.8 points.

MLB: Reds eye Sheffield

Reds manager Dusty Baker said that he’s interested in adding free agent Gary Sheffield — a friend for many years — to the roster. The trouble is that he can’t offer regular playing time to Sheffield, who is hoping for a full-time job and a multi-year deal.

GOLF: Winds halt Houston

The first round of the Shell Houston Open was suspended because of high winds with half of the 72-player field on the course. Lee Westwood shot a 4-under 32 on the front nine to take the lead.

* Defending champion Lorena Ochoa (73) was seven strokes behind leader Brittany Lincicome at the LPGA’s Kraft Nabisco Championship in Rancho Mirage, Calif.

TENNIS: Serena tops sis

Serena Williams retained the No. 1 ranking with a 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 victory over her sister Venus in the semifinals at the Sony Ericsson Open in Key Biscayne, Fla. Serena’s opponent tomorrow will be 19-year-old Victoria Azarenka of Belarus, who beat Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-3, 2-6, 7-5. In the men’s quarterfinals, top-ranked Rafael Nadal was upset by Juan Martin del Potro, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (3).

ETC.: Pace to Bears

The Bears agreed to a three-year deal with free agent Orlando Pace, 33, adding a seven-time Pro Bowl tackle to their offensive line on the same day they acquired quarterback Jay Cutler in a trade with Denver.

* In Boston, the Bruins beat the Senators 2-1 for their fifth straight win, moving within one victory of clinching the best record in the East.

* Mexico soccer coach Sven-Goran Eriksson was fired, a day after a 3-1 loss to Honduras in a World Cup qualifier.