IN BRIEF

Lobos to self-impose penalties for violations

New Mexico plans to self-impose penalties, including the reduction of two scholarships for next season, in response to an NCAA investigation into academic fraud involving the school’s football program.

According to a report released Wednesday, New Mexico also proposes cutting the number of coaches who can recruit off campus by one — from seven to six — for the next two seasons and reducing the number of official visits to recruits by four during the 2007-2008 recruiting period.

The university also imposed two years’ probation on the program.

Also: Florida State junior linebacker Geno Hayes will forgo his senior season to enter the NFL Draft in April.

Tennessee linebacker Jerod Mayo will skip his senior year to enter the NFL Draft.

HOCKEY

Sabres’ Numminen likely done for season

Buffalo Sabres defenseman Teppo Numminen’s season is likely over after finding out he’ll need an additional two months to recover after having open-heart surgery to repair a faulty valve.

The news came as a shock to Numminen, 39, who spent the past month practicing with the team and was preparing to return to action within one or two weeks.

Also: Vancouver Canucks goalie Roberto Luongo said he will skip the NHL All-Star Game on Jan. 27 in Atlanta.

Luongo, voted in by fans as the starting goalie for the Western Conference, wants to spend time with his pregnant wife, Gina, at their offseason home in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Detroit Red Wings goalie Chris Osgood signed a three-year extension with the team.

MISCELLANEOUS

Tests confirm banned substances in boxer

The director of Nevada’s boxing regulatory agency said tests on a second urine sample confirmed the presence of banned substances in middleweight boxer Joey Gilbert, a conclusion strongly disputed by Gilbert’s lawyer.

Keith Kizer, executive director of the Nevada Athletic Commission, said the “B” sample test results “show the presence of a stanozolol metabolite on Mr. Gilbert’s pre-fight urine sample,” indicating steroid use.

But Gilbert’s lawyer, Mark Schopper, said the testing was flawed and criticized what he called the commission’s lack of protocols for drug testing.

Gilbert, 31, tested positive for anabolic steroid, methamphetamine and amphetamine and three other substances before and after his knockout victory over Charles Howe in Reno on Sept. 21.

Also: Golf Channel suspended anchor Kelly Tilghman for two weeks for saying last week at the Mercedes-Benz Championship that young players who wanted to challenge Tiger Woods should “lynch him in a back alley.”

Golf Channel didn’t know who would replace Tilghman in the booth this week at the Sony Open or next week at the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic.

The suspension ends in time for the Buick Invitational on Jan. 24, when Woods will make his 2008 debut.

Brendan Gaughan will drive in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series this year for Texas-based Circle Bar Racing.

Gaughan’s Las Vegas-based South Point Racing team closed at the end of last year.

UNLV senior Johan Claar was named the Mountain West Conference Men’s Swimmer of the Week.

Claar led the Rebels to a first-place finish Saturday at the UC Irvine Invitational.

Lleyton Hewitt and top seed Richard Gasquet were upset in the second round of the Sydney International, setting back their preparations for next week’s Australian Open.