France's anti-doping agency accused Lance Armstrong of violating its rules yesterday for not fully cooperating with a drug tester and says it could punish the seven-time Tour de France champion.

Armstrong has denied misbehaving during a test of his hair, urine and blood on March 17. No banned substances were found.

The agency, known as AFLD, said in a statement that the doctor leading the tests maintains Armstrong "did not respect the obligation to remain under the direct and permanent observation" of the tester.

At question is a 20-minute delay when Armstrong says the tester agreed to let him shower while the American rider's assistants checked the tester's credentials.

AFLD said cycling's governing body has given its permission to open disciplinary procedures against Armstrong, but did not say what the punishment could be.

AFLD president Pierre Bordry noted that the statement does not say that Armstrong is guilty of an infraction.

Messages left with Armstrong's spokesman for comment yesterday were not immediately returned.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

CALHOUN WILL RETURN

Connecticut men's basketball coach Jim Calhoun says he plans to return for a 24th season at the school.

Calhoun's Huskies finished the season 31-5, losing in the national semifinals to Michigan State.

In a statement released by the school yesterday, Calhoun said the "journey" of the past season has made him realize how much he enjoys being at Connecticut.

HOCKEY

FROZEN FINAL SET

In an NCAA tournament filled with upstarts and upsets, hockey blue-blood Boston University is one victory from its fifth national championship.

Hobey Baker Award finalist Colin Wilson scored twice, including a tiebreaking goal with about 5 1/2 minutes left, and the top-seeded Terriers beat Vermont, 5-4, in a Frozen Four semifinal last night in Washington.

In tomorrow's championship game, BU will play No. 4-seeded Miami (Ohio), which ended the surprising run of outsider Bemidji State by winning the first semifinal, 4-1.

U.S. WOMEN IN FINAL

Natalie Darwitz and Hilary Knight each scored hat tricks to lead the defending champion United States past Finland, 7-0, yesterday to reach the women's world championship final at Hameenlinna, Finland.

"It was a great victory," said U.S. head coach Mark Johnson, who coaches at Wisconsin. "I'm excited for the team. We talked about what we wanted to do and the players went out and executed."

The Americans will face Canada in Sunday's final.

NFL

BILLS RB SUSPENDED

Buffalo Bills running back Marshawn Lynch will miss the first three games of the regular season after being suspended without pay by the NFL for violating the league's personal conduct policy.

The NFL announced the suspension yesterday, a month after Lynch pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor gun charge in Los Angeles. It was the player's second run-in with the law, following a hit-and-run accident in Buffalo in May.

The suspension means the Bills will be without the 2007 first-round draft pick for their season-opener at New England on Sept. 14.

OUTSIDE THE LINES

VICK IN VIRGINIA JAIL

The Federal Bureau of Prisons says suspended NFL quarterback Michael Vick is in a prison in his home state of Virginia.

The bureau's Web site reported yesterday that the former Atlanta Falcons star has been moved to the medium security unit of the Petersburg Federal Correctional Complex about 25 miles southeast of Richmond.

A bankruptcy judge Tuesday had ordered Vick to return to a federal penitentiary in Leavenworth, Kan. It was unclear whether Vick is still going back there. His attorneys had sought to keep him in Virginia.

AND WHAT'S MORE ...

UCLA guard Jrue Holiday plans to enter the NBA draft, but he won't hire an agent and is leaving open the option of returning for his sophomore season. ... Tommy Haas rallied past defending champion Marcel Granollers, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, last night, leaving the U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships in Houston without a seeded player in the quarterfinals.