BRIEFLY : MORE TIME FOR TYSON.

Byline: Daily News Wire Services

Mike Tyson's agreement to serve 60 days in a Maryland jail for violating his Indiana probation brought relief and satisfaction Friday to everyone involved in Indianapolis.

At no cost to Indiana, Tyson will serve that time in Maryland at the end of his one-year sentence there for two misdemeanor assault charges.

``(Tyson) wanted to get the best he could possibly get out here, straighten out his life and move on,'' said James H. Voyles Jr., Tyson's Indianapolis attorney. ``He had a potential of four years here, so I think it's a good deal.''

The agreement, filed in Marion (Ind.) Superior Court, was approved by Judge Patricia Gifford. She presided over his 1992 case in Indiana, in which he was convicted of rape.

Tyson agreed to drop his appeal of his no-contest plea in Maryland as part of the deal with Indiana. Tyson kicked one motorist and punched another one after a minor automobile accident in Gaithersburg, Md., in August.

Tyson's probation in Indiana will end after he serves the 60-day sentence, but he will still face two years of probation for the Maryland case.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL: Charlie Spoonhour retired after seven seasons as Saint Louis coach, saying the job had become too much of a grind.

Spoonhour, 59, was 122-90 at Saint Louis and led the Billikens to three NCAA Tournaments and one NIT. His final season was a frustrating 15-16.

Marquette fired coach Mike Deane after the team finished 14-15, its first losing season in his five years. Deane's departure was announced two days after Marquette finished the season with a loss in the first round of the Conference USA tournament.

Harry Miller quit as coach at Baylor, one day after the Bears finished the season without a single victory in the Big 12 Conference in 16 tries.

NFL: The New York Jets strengthened an already solid position by agreeing to a three-year contact with linebacker Roman Phifer.

Phifer had 99 tackles and 6-1/2 sacks last season for St. Louis and has 820 tackles, 16-1/2 sacks and seven interceptions for his eight-year career.

The San Francisco 49ers took J.J. Stokes off the free-agent market, signing the wide receiver to a seven-year deal reportedly worth more than $3 million a year.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Idaho State University defensive back Jacori Rufus was killed and two teammates injured when the car he was driving slammed into a tractor-trailer near Page, Ariz. The 19-year-old freshman was on his way home to Phoenix for spring break with two teammates.

Rufus started five games for the Bengals last fall and set the school record for interception returns, running one back 100 yards for a touchdown against Southern Utah.

MOTOR SPORTS: Bobby Labonte turned a track-record lap of 170.643 at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway into the pole position for Sunday's NASCAR Las Vegas 400.

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2 Photos

Photo: (1) SPOONHOUR

(2) PHIFER