Storrs, Conn. — A Connecticut football player who was an expectant father was stabbed to death early Sunday after an on-campus dance, just hours after helping his team to a homecoming victory.

Jasper Howard, 20, of Miami, and another student were stabbed during a fight after a fire alarm was pulled during a university sponsored dance at the UConn Student Union just after 12:30 a.m., police said.

Police had not identified a suspect or released the name of the other victim.

Connecticut coach Randy Edsall said the team was heartbroken and devastated over the loss of Howard, a junior and the team’s starting cornerback who came to the school to get away from the violence on the streets of his hometown, and became the first person in his family to go to college.

“I know this,” Edsall said, his eyes red and welling with tears, “he loved UConn; he loved his teammates; he loved everything about this.”

Edsall said Howard’s death was especially tragic, because he was about to become a father.

Joanglia Howard said she got news of her son’s death about 4 a.m. and described him as a ‘good kid’ who never got into trouble.

“All I wanted him to do was go to school and get an education, and he was doing what I asked him to do,” she told WSVN-TV in Miami.

The coach gathered his team at its training facility at 6 a.m. to deliver the news.

“As Jazz looks down on us, I can promise him and his family, that son or daughter will have 105 uncles,” punter Desi Cullen, a team captain, said during an afternoon news conference. “And we will do what it takes to not get through this, but to grow from it.”

UConn Police Major Ronald Blicher said this is the first homicide at the university in the over 30 years he has been associated with the school.

Blicher said Howard was stabbed following a fight between two groups that included students and non-students, which broke out just after a fire alarm went off in the student center, forcing the evacuation of about 300 people. Police had cordoned off the crime scene near the university’s Gampel Pavilion basketball arena.

College football

Stoops: No Bradford update

An MRI and an X-ray revealed no new injury to Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford, ESPN.com reported on Sunday night.

The tests revealed the 2008 Heisman Trophy winner only aggravated the previous shoulder sprain that kept him out of three games this season.

Bradford sustained an injury to his right shoulder in Saturday’s 16-13 loss against Texas. He missed most of the game.

OU coach Bob Stoops said Sunday there was no update on Bradford. Stoops likely won’t make a decision on the QB’s status before Thursday. Oklahoma will travel to Lawrence to face Kansas University at 2:30 p.m. Saturday.

Nebraska mulls QB change

Lincoln, Neb. — Nebraska fans’ voices have been heard. They want a quarterback change.

More important, coach Bo Pelini might want one, too.

“Yeah, absolutely,” Pelini said when asked if he would consider making freshman Cody Green the starter over Zac Lee after the Cornhuskers turned in another lethargic offensive performance in Saturday’s 31-10 loss to Texas Tech.

S.C. WR’s status uncertain

Columbia, S.C. — South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier says he doesn’t think receiver Moe Brown will be cleared to play next Saturday after suffering a concussion against Alabama.

W.Va.’s QB day-to-day

Morgantown, W.Va. — West Virginia coach Bill Stewart says quarterback Jarrett Brown is day to day after taking a helmet-to-helmet hit.

Stewart says Brown didn’t practice Sunday.

Golf

Laird wins in playoff

Las Vegas — Scotland’s Martin Laird won the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open on Sunday for his first PGA Tour title, beating George McNeill with a birdie on the third hole of a playoff.

Laird closed with a 3-under 68 to match McNeill (67) and former UNLV player Chad Campbell (69) at 19-under 265. Campbell was eliminated on the second extra hole.

Three-time Las Vegas winner Jim Furyk (62) and Jeff Klauk (68) tied for fourth at 18 under.

Westwood ends drought

Vilamoura, Portugal — Lee Westwood ended a two-year drought with a two-shot victory over Francesco Molinari at the Portugal Masters on Saturday.

The Englishman shot a 6-under 66 to finish at 23-under 265 at the Oceanico Victoria and move to the top of the European Tour money list. Molinari had a 70 and Padraig Harrington had a 67 to finish third another two shots back.

Cook wins in Texas

The Woodlands, Texas — John Cook won his third career Champions Tour title and first of the season, closing with a 4-under 68 on Sunday to hold off Jay Haas and Bob Tway by two strokes in the Administaff Small Business Classic.

NBA

Knicks game delayed

New York — The New York Knicks’ 106-91 exhibition victory over Maccabi Tel Aviv was delayed for about 8 minutes in the third quarter Sunday when the visiting coach refused to leave the floor after being ejected.

In a bizarre scene, a rabbi even came onto the court to ask the referees to let Pini Gershon remain. Gershon eventually left after a discussion with the officials, his assistant coaches and NBA security personnel.

College basketball

Santa Clara center out

Santa Clara, Calif. — Santa Clara center Scott Thompson will miss the season because of a heart condition.

College athletics

Arizona swimmer honored

Indianapolis — Former Arizona swimmer Lacey Nymeyer was honored as the NCAA woman of the year at a dinner Sunday night.

Auto racing

Button clinches F1 title

Sao Paulo — Jenson Button clinched his first Formula One title with a fifth-place finish at the Brazilian Grand Prix on Sunday and his Brawn GP team made history by becoming the first to take the constructors’ crown in its debut season.

Red Bull’s Mark Webber claimed his second Grand Prix win ahead of Robert Kubica of BMW Sauber and defending champion Lewis Hamilton of McLaren.