• ABC 3 FLORIDA SPORTS NEWS

Last Update on March 12, 2010 05:45 EST

TIGER WOODS

DORAL, Fla. (AP) -- Tiger Woods intends to remain out of golf at least until the Masters, two people with knowledge of his plans have told The Associated Press.

Woods has been practicing at Isleworth near his Orlando home the last two weeks, and swing coach Hank Haney flew there during the weekend to work with him. That led to speculation Thursday he was close to playing again.

The two people, who spoke on condition of anonymity because only Woods is supposed to release such information, say he is likely to play first at Augusta National in April.

BULLS-MAGIC

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) -- Vince Carter had 23 points to help the Orlando Magic pull away early and cruise past the injured Chicago Bulls, 111-82 on Thursday night for a season-high seventh straight win.

Matt Barnes added 14 points, and reserve Brandon Bass scored 13 in another blowout victory against a struggling team for the Magic.

And one that was dealt a big blow.

All-Star point guard Derrick Rose sprained his left wrist in a midair collision with Dwight Howard in the first quarter and didn't return for the Bulls, the latest setback in a season that's quickly going sour. Taj Gibson and Hakim Warrick had 12 points apiece, not nearly enough to prevent Chicago's sixth consecutive loss.

HEAT-BEASLEY

MIAMI (AP) -- Heat forward Michael Beasley has a bruised left thigh and is listed as a game-time decision for Miami's key game against the Chicago Bulls on Friday night.

Beasley is Miami's second-leading scorer behind Dwyane Wade, averaging 15.3 points per game. He got hit in the thigh in the third quarter of Wednesday's win against the Los Angeles Clippers.

Entering Thursday's games, Miami held the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference playoff race, barely ahead of No. 9 Chicago.

SEC-AUBURN-FLORIDA

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Alex Tyus scored 24 points, and Florida snapped a three-game skid by beating Auburn 78-69 Thursday night in the opening round of the Southeastern Conference tournament.

Coach Billy Donovan didn't want to discuss how many wins his Gators need to ensure their first NCAA tournament berth since they won their second straight national title in 2007. Now Florida , already 7-0 against the SEC West, has a chance to add another win Friday night against Mississippi State, the West's No. 1 seed, in the quarterfinals.

Auburn beat Florida in the quarterfinals last year. But the Tigers now have lost 12 of 13 games to Florida in what could be coach Jeff Lebo's final game with Auburn.

Chandler Parsons scored 21 points for Florida, and Vernon Macklin had 10.

Frankie Sullivan scored a career-high 27 points for Auburn. DeWayne Reed added 18 and Lucas Hargrove 11.

ACC-MIAMI-WAKE FOREST

GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) -- Redshirt freshman Reggie Johnson scored a season-high 22 points against his hometown school and 12th-seeded Miami routed fifth-seeded Wake Forest 83-62 on Thursday in the first round of the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament.

Johnson was 8-for-8 from the field and 6-for-6 from the line while James Dews added 15 points for the Hurricanes .

They led by 25, shot nearly 52 percent against one of the league's toughest defenses and made a huge early run stand in advancing to Friday's quarterfinal matchup against fourth-seeded Virginia Tech.

Ishmael Smith had 14 points to lead the Demon Deacons .

They didn't get closer than 16 in the second half in falling to 0-3 in ACC tournament games under coach Dino Gaudio. They've lost five of six, and that can't help but damage their seeding -- if not drop them onto the NCAA tournament bubble -- when Selection Sunday rolls around.