New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez will have surgery on his left knee and is expected to be ready in time for training camp.

The team said yesterday that the operation, which will repair the patella ligament that holds the kneecap in place, will be performed by Jets physician Dr. Ken Montgomery and orthopedist Dr. Elliott Hershman in the next few weeks.

Sanchez, who led the Jets to the AFC title game in his rookie season, will miss some offseason workouts. The procedure is expected to help prevent future tweaks to the kneecap area.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

NO. 1 UCONN ROMPS

Kalana Greene scored 18 points and top-ranked Connecticut opened the second half with a 23-4 run in routing visiting No. 11 West Virginia, 80-47, last night for its 61st straight victory.

UConn (22-0, 9-0 Big East) is only nine wins short of the NCAA and school record of 70 straight wins. Sarah Miles scored 14 points to lead West Virginia (20-3, 7-2), which matched its highest ranking in history this week.

NBA

DURANT ON A ROLL

Kevin Durant had 33 points and 11 rebounds, Jeff Green added 19 points and two key baskets down the stretch, and the host Oklahoma City Thunder recovered after letting a 13-point lead slip away to beat the Atlanta Hawks, 106-99, last night.

Durant became the first player since Allen Iverson nine seasons ago to score at least 25 points in 22 consecutive games.

GOLF

MCCARRON IS SORRY

Scott McCarron has apologized to Phil Mickelson for using the word "cheating" when he disagreed with Mickelson and others who use the Ping Eye2 wedges that are only allowed because of a legal loophole.

PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem met with players at the Northern Trust Open yesterday afternoon in Los Angeles and, according to one player, said the tour was working with Ping to figure out a solution.

AND WHAT'S MORE...

New York Jets coach Rex Ryan was fined $50,000 by the team yesterday for making an obscene gesture —which spread across the Internet — at a mixed martial arts event last Saturday in Sunrise, Fla. ... Outfielder Scott Hairston and the San Diego Padres have agreed to a $2.45 million, one-year contract to avoid arbitration. ... Thomas Dold, a 25-year-old from Stuttgart, Germany, ran up the 1,576 steps to the 86th floor observation deck of the Empire State Building yesterday in 10 minutes, 16 seconds, winning the race for a record-tying fifth time.