BRIEFLY : PATRIOTS PULL U-TURN AT CONNECTICUT CUTOFF.

Byline: Daily News Wire Services

The New England Patriots are back where they started, calling off a deal to move to Connecticut because a stadium could not be built fast enough.

In a major blow to Connecticut, a Patriots spokesman said the team notified Gov. John Rowland of ``our termination.''

The Patriots did not immediately disclose their plans for a stadium, but the NFL intends to discuss the situation in Atlanta on May 25.

Patriots owner Robert Kraft had signed an agreement with Rowland in December to move the team to Connecticut after the state offered him a deal he seemingly couldn't refuse: a $380 million stadium on the Hartford waterfront.

In the last weeks, however, the deal seemed on shaky ground as it appeared less likely the stadium would be completed by 2002 - the year insisted upon by Kraft.

The Patriots' announcement comes days after Massachusetts political and business leaders announced a plan designed to keep the team in the state.

Under the plan, which needs legislative approval, Massachusetts would pay $70 million for infrastructure supporting a new stadium in Foxboro, the team's current home. But Kraft would have to pay for the stadium.

The Patriots did not immediately announce what their plans were.

Despite watching Kordell Stewart's production drop precipitously as they went 7-9 last season, the Pittsburgh Steelers apparently have worked out the details of an extension that will run at least three more seasons.

Stewart already is set to make $2.05 million this season and $2.5 million in 2000, though his base salary could drop next year to reflect a signing bonus of about $10 million.

Coach Bill Cowher and team president Dan Rooney both said recently they wanted to reaffirm their commitment to Stewart, who led them to the AFC Championship Game in his first year as a starting quarterback in 1997.

COLLEGE BASEBALL: Wichita State's top pitcher, Ben Christensen, who hit an opposing player with a warmup pitch last week, was suspended for the rest of the season by the Missouri Valley Conference.

Christensen, 9-1 for the seventh-ranked Shockers, hit Evansville's Anthony Molina in the head with a warmup pitch before the game on April 23. Molina was reported to be at least 15 feet from home plate when he was hit.