A roundup of the week March 19-25

COLLEGE BASKETBALL—FORT HAYS STATE (Kan.) defeated Wisconsin-Stevens Point 48-46 in overtime to win the NAIA title in Kansas City, Mo.

PRO BASKETBALL—Atlanta got shot down thrice in Texas. In the fourth quarter in San Antonio, the Hawks outscored the Spurs 28-18 to tie the game at 101-101 with 21 seconds left, only to fall 135-132 in triple overtime. The next night in Dallas, Mavs guard Rolando Blackman hit a 14-footer with two seconds remaining to seal a 102-101 Dallas victory. "That's the old Chicago White Sox way of winning," said Maverick coach Dick Motta. "Ugly." Then Houston's Ralph Sampson sank two foul shots with four ticks left to beat Atlanta 103-102. Dallas, which is atop the Midwest, was the only division leader to get through the week unscathed, as it added victories against the Rockets (116-104) and Nuggets (119-101) to its defeat of the Hawks. Central Division-leading Milwaukee fell 99-94 to Pacific Division champ Los Angeles before beating New Jersey (102-95) and Indiana (106-92). The Lakers went on to lose to Detroit for the first time in five years, 121-118, to crown the Kings 123-116 in K.C. before 17,164 fans, the largest crowd in that franchise's 12-year history, and to clip the Clippers 114-102 at The Forum. Atlantic Division-leading Boston won only one game, 108-100 over the Knicks, in a week of three defeats: 123-121 to Indiana as Pacer Butch Carter tossed in an NBA record 14 points (out of Indiana's total of 15) in overtime; 101-97 to New Jersey as Darryl Dawkins scored the Nets' last 15 points; and 119-114 to archrival Philadelphia in double OT as 76er Moses Malone got 27 rebounds.

CROSS-COUNTRY—CARLOS LOPES and MARICICA PUICA won individual crowns at the World Cross Country Championships in East Rutherford, N.J. The U.S. won the women's team title, while Ethiopia was the men's champion (page 80).

PRO FOOTBALL—USFL: Maulers coach Joe Pendry knows when his team has been, well, mauled. "Their special teams beat us, their offense beat us and their defense beat us," he said after the Philadelphia Stars, co-Atlantic Division leaders with New Jersey, handed Pittsburgh its fourth loss in five games, 25-10. Stars quarterback Chuck Fusina completed 16 of 21 passes for 249 yards and connected with former Penn State teammate Scott Fitzkee for three second-half TDs. Another stellar performer was New Jersey's Herschel Walker, who rushed for 116 yards and a USFL record-tying four touchdowns as he led the Generals to a 43-6 annihilation of the Washington Federals. Quarterback Johnnie Walton of Southern Division-leading New Orleans found Frank Lockett with a 44-yard scoring strike to beat Chicago 41-35 in overtime. Denver held on to its lead in the Pacific Division by defeating Memphis 28-24; San Antonio defeated Oakland 14-10 for its first win; and Central Division pacesetter Michigan was idle.

GOLF—BOB EASTWOOD shot a 16-under-par 272, three strokes better than Larry Rinker, to win a $400,000 PGA event in New Orleans.

COLLEGE HOCKEY—BOWLING GREEN rebounded from a 3-1 deficit in the third period to beat Minnesota-Duluth 5-4 in four overtimes and win the NCAA title in Lake Placid, N.Y.

HOCKEY—To start an up-and-down-and-up week, the Patrick Division-leading Islanders beat New Jersey for the 14th consecutive time. This victory was by a 5-2 count. Ho hum. Then, just five seconds into the Isles' next game, with Boston, New York's Bryan Trottier tied Doug Smail's two-year-old record for the earliest goal in a game. Hee hee. But it was downhill from there as the Islanders, trailing 3-1 in the second period, could pull out only a 3-3 tie with the Bruins. Two days later, against Norris Division champ Minnesota, the Isles played to a 4-4 draw. New York then shuffled off to Buffalo and somehow managed a 5-3 come-from-behind victory over the Adams Division-leading Sabres. The playoff picture began to take final form: On the strength of a 6-4 victory over Calgary, Detroit got its first postseason berth since 1978; Montreal's 2-1 defeat of Chicago clinched the fourth spot in the Adams Division for the Canadiens; and St. Louis' 9-3 wipeout of Winnipeg assured the Blues of their 14th playoff visit in 17 years. In that game, St. Louis right wing Joe Mullen scored his 37th, 38th and 39th goals of the season, thus breaking Neal Broten's 1982 record for goals by a U.S.-born player. The Blues then surprised Smythe Division champion Edmonton 7-1.

MOTOR SPORTS—ALAIN PROST, driving a McLaren, defeated Keke Rosberg, in a Williams, by 40 seconds to win the Brazilian Grand Prix in Rio de Janeiro. Prost averaged 111.5 mph over the 3.125-mile course.

FIGURE SKATING—In the world championships in Ottawa, Canada, KATARINA WITT won the gold medal in the women's competition; SCOTT HAMILTON was the men's champ; BARBARA UNDERBILL and PAUL MARTINI won the pairs event; and JAYNE TORVILL and CHRISTOPHER DEAN were the ice-dancing winners.

SKIING—ERIKA HESS finished fourth in a women's slalom in Oslo to clinch her second overall World Cup crown, nine points ahead of Hanni Wenzel.

SOCCER—MISL: The Baltimore Blast remained a game ahead of Pittsburgh and Cleveland in the East by creaming Kansas City 7-3; busy St. Louis, which was No. 1 in the Western Division, finished the week two games ahead of Wichita after thrashing Phoenix 6-1, falling to the Wings 4-2, and edging the Comets 3-2 in OT.

SWIMMING—Despite a double victory by Texas' Rick Carey (SI, March 26th) in the 100-and 200-yard backstroke, FLORIDA sank Texas 287.5-277 to win the men's NCAA swimming and diving championship. Other double winners were Stanford's Pablo Morales (100 and 200 butterfly), SMU's Ricardo Prado (200 and 400 IM), UCLA's Tom Jager (50 and 100 freestyle) and Stanford's John Moffet (100 and 200 breaststroke).

TENNIS—STEFAN EDBERG upset Mats Wilander 6-4, 6-2 to win the $350,000 Cuore Cup in Milan.

MILEPOSTS—ACQUITTED: By a Brooklyn Federal Court jury of charges of game-fixing in three games during the 1978-79 season, former Boston College basketball guard ERNIE COBB, 27.

INDICTED: By a federal grand jury in Tampa, 1968 American League MVP DENNY McLAIN, 40, on five charges, including racketeering, extortion and possession and distribution of marijuana.

SOLD: By Clint Murchison to H.R. Bright and a 10-member partnership, including team general manager Tex Schramm, the Dallas Cowboys, for an estimated $80 million, the highest price ever paid for a sports franchise. Murchison was awarded the expansion franchise in 1960 for $500,000.

By Edgar F. Kaiser Jr., majority interest in the Denver Broncos to Canadian oilman Patrick Bowlen. Total sale price of franchise was $70 million.

TRADED: By the Detroit Tigers, outfielder GLENN WILSON, 25, and catcher-outfielder JOHN WOCKENFUSS, 35, to the Philadelphia Phillies for relief pitcher WILLIE HERNANDEZ, 28, and infielder DAVE BERGMAN, 30.

DIED: Hall of Famer STAN COVELESKI, 94, who had a career record of 214-141 in 14 seasons (1912, 1916-28) as a righthanded spitball pitcher for the Athletics, Indians, Senators and Yankees; after a brief illness; in South Bend.