NEW ORLEANS -- The man who fatally shot retired New Orleans Saints defensive leader Will Smith was convicted of manslaughter on Sunday night, ending a week-long trial in which the defendant insisted he only fired because the popular football star was drunk, violent and had grabbed a gun following a traffic crash on the night of April 9.Smith was part of the Saints team that lifted the stricken citys spirits in the years after Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005, helping carry the team to a winning season in 2006 and a Super Bowl win four years later. His death at the hands of Cardell Hayes, 29, was stunning, even for a city where residents are accustomed to reports of multiple gunfire deaths every week.Hayes faces a possible sentence of up to 40 years in prison at his sentencing on Feb. 17.Hayes defense lawyers said Smiths popularity led to a rush to judgment by police and prosecutors.I knew for a fact that I was going to get shot, Hayes told the jury after taking the stand in his own defense Saturday. He said he not only saw the gun but heard what he believes was a gunshot before he began firing.Hayes, however, was the only witness to say Smith armed himself that night. Prosecutors acknowledged that a loaded gun was found in Smiths car but said there was no evidence that it was ever fired or that Smith had grabbed it.A pathologist report showed Smith was legally drunk with a high blood-alcohol level that night, the end of a day in which he had spent time at the citys annual French Quarter Festival, a bar and two restaurants. He, his wife and two passengers were in his Mercedes SUV the night of the shooting. They were heading from New Orleans Lower Garden District toward downtown when a series of events led to the shooting, beginning with Smiths vehicle appearing to lightly bump Hayes Hummer -- although the prosecution raised doubts that the two vehicles actually touched.Hayes vehemently denied intentionally running into Smiths Mercedes SUV moments later -- he said he was trying to dial 911 and didnt realize how close he was getting to Smith as he tried to report the apparent hit-and-run.Hayes said he armed himself only after he and his own passenger were accosted by Smith and Richard Hernandez, a passenger in the Smiths Mercedes. Hernandez, he said, wildly stripped off his shirt and took something shiny from his pocket -- Hayes said he was afraid it was a knife.Smith didnt initially notice the gun, Hayes said. He said Smith, 34, threw a cup containing some type of alcohol at him and punched him repeatedly. At some point during the fast-unfolding melee, Hernandez alerted Smith to Hayes gun, Hayes said under questioning from defense lawyer John Fuller.Hayes testified that Smith addressed him with a racial epithet and then told him, ... you got your gun. Well Im going to get mine and Ill show you what to do with it.Hayes said Hernandez, a white Hispanic who fled the scene, also used racial epithets.However, race has not been raised as an alleged factor in the confrontation. Hayes and Kevin ONeal, his passenger, are black, and so was Smith.On cross examination, Assistant Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Napoli repeatedly noted that no other witness said Smith had a gun and that Hayes never told investigators he saw a gun in Smiths hands that night.I never gave a full statement to anyone, Hayes said, growing testy as Napoli asked about inconsistencies in his testimony and past statements.Hayes also insisted he never shot Racquel Smith, although Napoli said ballistics evident indicates otherwise.Calm and sometimes smiling during his early testimony, Hayes voice broke a bit as he talked about being separated from his 6-year-old son. Hayes has been jailed since the shooting. Hayes owns a tow truck business and also said he breeds dogs. He discussed his high school and college football career, his time as a semi-pro football player and his admiration for Smith. 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OMAHA, Neb. -- November college basketball games typically dont mean much in the big picture of a season.As far as Greg McDermott was concerned, No. 22 Creightons 79-67 victory over No. 9 Wisconsin on Tuesday night meant a whole lot.You could argue it might be the best win weve had since Ive been here when you consider where were trying to get the program back to, where the Wisconsin program is today, and in the manner that we did it, the Bluejays seventh-year coach said.Khyri Thomas scored 15 of his 18 points in the second half, breaking open a close game with a three-point play and 3-pointer on consecutive possessions, as the Bluejays beat a Wisconsin team reached the Sweet 16 and returned all five starters.Maurice Watson Jr. had 17 points and 10 assists and Marcus Foster added 15 points for the Bluejays (2-0).I think new can go super far, especially in conference play and in the (NCAA) Tournament, Thomas said. We have so many athletic guys.The game was part of the Gavitt Tipoff Games matching Big East and Big Ten teams the first week of the season.Coming in here, I knew it would be a heck of a challenge, Badgers coach Greg Gard said. Gregs got a very good team; hes kind of earmarked this year as being their year. Congratulate his team on playing very well. We showed at times some very uncharacteristic Wisconsin-like handlings of possessions where we got a little disheveled at times.Bronson Koenig scored 21 points and Nigel Hayes had 16 points to lead the Badgers (1-1). But Wisconsin made only 3 of 26 3-pointers after starting 8 of 13 from beyond the arc. The Badgers also committed 16 turnovers, 12 of them by starters.Nobody forces Wisconsin into 16 turnovers, nobody keeps Wisconsin off the free-throw line, McDermott said. For us to beat a veteran team like they are, that plays the right way, and the success theyve had in their careers, is really a feather in the cap for our team.Hayes, the Big Ten preseason player of the year, scored 11 points in the first 12 minutes and was held scoreless until there were 11 minutes left in the game.Thats whhen Creighton started its decisive run.ddddddddddddCole Huffs jumper from in front of the Creighton bench put the Bluejays up 52-50. After Toby Hegner hit a 3, Thomas stripped the ball from Koenig, drove for a layup and converted a three-point play. Happ missed on the other end, and then Thomas drilled a 3 to make it 63-52.BIG PICTUREWisconsin: Typical November game. The Badgers glut of turnovers and impatience on offense, especially in the first half, will provide plenty of fodder for film study. Weve got to be able to touch the post more and try to play more inside-out, Gard said.Creighton: The Bluejays have one of the best home-court advantages in the nation, and they were fueled by it.The Bluejays got out to a quick lead, never let the Badgers go on a big run and got big-time defensive performances from 7-foot redshirt freshman Justin Patton and the 6-8 Huff.POLL IMPLICATIONSCreighton will merit a promotion in the Top 25 if it goes unbeaten this weekend in a tournament in the Virgin Islands. Wisconsin probably will drop, but not much.THOMAS RISEThomas went from struggling through conference play last season to becoming a major contributor in the NIT, averaging 12.3 points and 4.7 rebounds in three games.All of a sudden, his frame of mind changed going into the offseason, McDermott said. His motivation was better, his confidence is in a different place, hes eager to get into the gym because he tasted a little success in postseason basketball. That has carried over.ANTHEM PROTESTHayes and Jordan Hill, as they did in Wisconsins exhibition game and opener, stood a couple feet behind teammates during the national anthem. Hayes has said he doesnt take a knee on the court because it would be painful, so he chooses to stand back.UP NEXTWisconsin hosts Chicago State on Thursday.Creighton plays Washington State on Friday at the Paradise Jam in the Virgin Islands.---More AP college basketball: http://collegebasketball.ap.orgCheap Adidas Hockey JerseysWholesale College JerseysCheap Nike Basketball JerseysCheap Football Jerseys Free ShippingCheap Baseball JerseysCheap Jerseys Free ShippingCheap Jerseys From ChinaWholesale Nike NFL JerseysCheap NFL Jerseys ChinaWholesale Nike NBA JerseysCheap NHL Jerseys AuthenticCheap MLB Jerseys AuthenticWholesale Soccer Jerseys ChinaCheap NCAA Jerseys ChinaStitched NFL JerseysCheap Custom Jerseys ChinaCheap Basketball Jerseys AuthenticNFL Jerseys ChinaCheap College JerseysWholesale Football Jerseys ' ' '