The Enquirer and wire reports

The NCAA filed a legal brief Monday in support of the NFL's appeal to keep former Ohio State running back Maurice Clarett out of the draft.

President Myles Brand said that college sports' largest governing body asked the federal appeals court to consider six points regarding antitrust legislation before issuing a decision. The points were not cited in the statement. The court will hear the dispute over whether Clarett can enter the NFL draft less than a week before its April 24 start.

COLTS: Starting guard Rick DeMulling appears ready to sign the team's one-year offer of $1.368 million.

Cincinnati Mighty Ducks

Last week: Tied at Cleveland (2-2); won vs. Houston (4-0); lost vs. Cleveland (8-3).

Where they stand: Finished regular season 29-37-13-1 and in fifth place in the American Hockey League West Division.

This week: The Ducks will face Houston in a best-of-3 Calder Cup qualifying series. The Aeros requested a time change for Game 3 of the playoff series scheduled for Sunday (if necessary). All games in the series will be played at Houston's Toyota Center: 8 p.m. Thursday; 8 p.m. Saturday; 6 p.m. Sunday. All games scheduled to be broadcast on WCKY-AM (1360).

Who's Hot: C Tony Martensson had seven points (two goals, five assists) in his last seven games. ... D Mike Mottau had nine points (five goals, four assists) in his last 12 games. ... D Juha Alen had three points (two goals, one assist) in his last four games.

Nuts & Bolts: With 64 games played, 27 wins, 3,748 minutes played, 1,644 saves, six shutouts and a 2.32 GAA, G Ilya Bryzgalov broke the single-season franchise records in each category. His 64 games played were tied for the second most by a goalie in Cincinnati pro hockey history behind Bob Parent, who played 65 games in 1981-82 with the CHL Tigers. ... C Tony Martensson claimed his second consecutive team scoring title with 50 points (16 goals, 34 assists). ... LW Chris Kunitz led the club in goals (19). His 0.75 points per game average ranked first among AHL rookies.

Tickets/promotions: Tickets for the Ducks' first two potential Calder Cup playoff home games are on sale at the Gardens Box Office; at Ticketmaster at 562-4949; toll-free at 1-800-829-5353; at all Ticketmaster outlets; or online at ticketmaster.com. Ticket prices for the Ducks' first two home playoff games are $17, $14 and $12 ($8 for children age 12 and under).

Pro hockey

BLUE JACKETS: Columbus signed Maine defenseman Prestin Ryan to a one-year deal. Ryan will be assigned to Syracuse, the club's American Hockey League affiliate, for the Crunch's playoff run.

Ryan, 23, had four goals and 18 assists as a senior with a school-record 148 penalty minutes. He helped Maine to a 33-8-3 record and a spot in the NCAA championship game, which the Black Bears lost 1-0 to Denver Saturday. He had 11 goals, 35 assists and 359 penalty minutes in 119 career games at Maine.

Horse racing

KEENELAND: Minister Eric, runner-up in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile who many expected to run in Saturday's Coolmore Lexington Stakes, has been entered instead in a $54,000 allowance race Wednesday.

That leaves Gotham Stakes winner Saratoga County and Lecomte Stakes winner Fire Slam to head the probable field in the Lexington Stakes, one of the last chances for 3-year-olds to amass graded earnings for the Kentucky Derby. Also probable for the Lexington: Bride's Best Boy, Capac, Pomeroy, Quinton's Gold Rush, Suave, Tiger Heart.

College football

OHIO STATE: Former OSU offensive lineman John Peterson has returned to his alma mater as tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator, succeeding long-time OSU assistant Bill Conley, who resigned this month.

Peterson, a Middletown native, has spent the past five seasons as offensive line coach at Miami University. He left Miami in January to become the offensive guards and centers coach at Arizona under Mike Stoops.

After graduation from Ohio State in 1991, Peterson spent two years at the University of Cincinnati as a graduate assistant (1991-92). He returned to OSU in 1993 as a grad assistant. He also was an assistant at Akron.

Auto racing

BURTON UNHURT: NASCAR driver Ward Burton escaped serious injuries when his sport utility vehicle ran off a highway, struck a guardrail and overturned, North Carolina Highway Patrol said.

AUTOPSY PHOTOS: The Orlando Sentinel and the South Florida Sun-Sentinel dropped their challenge to a state law restricting access to autopsy photos that passed after the death of NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt, citing a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision. They sued in Broward County after a medical examiner refused to release the photos, saying the restriction violated the state constitution.