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News Nuggets, 02.25.04
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Compiled from staff reports and electronic dispatches

Memphis tightens grip on first place

MEMPHIS — Sean Banks scored 22 points and No. 19 Memphis won its 11th straight game, beating Southern Mississippi 74-56 Tuesday night.

Memphis (20-4, 11-2 Conference USA) pulled away with a second-half burst after the Golden Eagles took their only lead of the game. Rattling off a 31-8 run, the Tigers took the lead to 22 points and coasted the rest of the way.

U of M became C-USA's first team this season to win 20 games. The victory also moved the Tigers two wins ahead of a trio of teams — Cincinnati, Charlotte and UAB — tied for second place in the league standings. [View updated standings in a new window.]

Southern Mississippi (12-12, 5-8) dropped its fourth game in the last five.

For the Tigers, the game had a revenge tone as Memphis was trying to avenge a 66-63 loss at Southern earlier in the season -- one of only two conference losses for the Tigers.

Rodney Carney added 18 points for Memphis, including 13 in the second half when the Tigers made their march. Antonio Burks, saddled with foul trouble in the second half, added 15 points and five assists, while Anthony Rice scored 12 points and grabbed nine rebounds.

Jasper Johnson and Charles Gaines led the Golden Eagles with 14 points each, 10 of Johnson's coming in the first half. Gaines managed only two field goals, but was 10-of-11 from the line. Jarekus Singleton finished with 12 points.

Memphis took an early lead because Southern Mississippi couldn't hit a shot. The Golden Eagles missed their first 10 from the field, falling behind 14-1. Their first basket didn't come until Jasper Johnson scored inside with 11:18 left in the half.

But Southern Mississippi went on an 11-2 run of its own to cut into the Tiger lead.

Memphis, however, would eventually lead by as many as 10 and held a 31-24 edge at the half.

Jasper Johnson led Southern Mississippi with 10 points, while Banks' 13 and 11 from Burks paced the Tigers. The two were a combined 11-of-17 from the field in the half.

A 13-5 run to open the second half would give Southern Mississippi its only lead. And about the same time, Memphis lost Burks, its second-leading scorer and point guard, with his fourth foul, presenting further trouble.

The Tigers responded with an 18-2 run, taking their biggest lead midway through the period. Memphis would eventually lead 67-45, capping its 31-8 run. During the 12-minute stretch, the Golden Eagles would manage only two field goals.

The Memphis defense pressured Southern Mississippi into 16 turnovers and only 35-percent shooting from the field. Meanwhile, the Tigers outrebounded the Golden Eagles 37-30.

C-USA basketball standings, scoreboard & schedule

Judge guts Big East claims against ACC

HARTFORD — The Atlantic Coast Conference defeated the Big East in court for the third time in four months.

A Connecticut judge has dismissed all claims against the ACC, its commissioner and officers in a lawsuit filed by four Big East schools over the ACC's expansion. A lawyer for the Big East schools said there will be an appeal.

The expansion sparked a major makeover of several conferences as many schools forged new affiliations.

"This is the outcome we expected and certainly we are pleased with this ruling," ACC assistant commissioner Brian Morrison said in a statement. "With the numerous changes in conference affiliations in recent months it is time for everyone to move forward in a collegial way."

The decision was made public Tuesday, a day after Judge Samuel Sferrazza dismissed the lawsuit against ACC commissioner John Swofford and three league officers. The judge determined neither the conference nor the ACC officers had sufficient ties in Connecticut to be sued in the state.

Swofford's only ties, the judge determined, was as a negotiator with Bristol-based ESPN for ACC television contracts.

"There is no evidence that these contracts were negotiated or signed in Connecticut," the judge wrote.

Sferrazza ruled two weeks ago that the ACC had no legal standing to be sued in Connecticut.

On Monday, all claims were dismissed against Swofford, ACC president Carolyn Callahan, vice president Donn Ward and treasurer Cecil Huey.

The Big East schools' lawsuit against Boston College, its athletic director and Miami can move forward.

Boston College, Miami, and Virginia Tech, have accepted invitations to join the ACC. Miami and Virginia Tech join this year; Boston College comes aboard next year.

The Big East plaintiff schools — Connecticut, Rutgers, Pittsburgh and West Virginia — allege that the ACC conspired with Miami and Boston College to weaken the Big East by luring away some of its biggest football powers.

The plaintiffs say they spent millions of dollars to upgrade their football programs based on the presumed loyalties of the departing schools. The schools originally sued in June 2003 and refiled in October to add Swofford and the officers as defendants immediately after Sferrazza dismissed claims against the ACC.

Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal said the plaintiffs will appeal Sferrazza's ruling.

"Our lawsuit is alive and well to vindicate our claims against Boston College and the University of Miami," Blumenthal said.

The Big East has rebuilt it ranks with Cincinnati, Louisville, South Florida, Marquette and DePaul. The new members will begin competing in the 2005-06 academic year.

The expanded ACC has 12 schools, enough members required by the NCAA to stage a lucrative league championship football game in the future.

Tulsa beefs up football schedule

TULSA — Tulsa will try to build on its first bowl appearance in a decade by playing five bowl teams in 2004, including Kansas and Oklahoma State in the first two weeks.

The Golden Hurricane opens its 2004 season with back-to-back road games Sept. 4 against the Jayhawks and Sept. 11 against the Cowboys, according to a schedule released Tuesday. They also play bowl teams Navy, Hawaii and Boise State.

The Midshipmen open the Golden Hurricane's home schedule Sept. 18.

The Golden Hurricane finished 8-5 last season, including a 52-10 loss to Georgia Tech in the Humanitarian Bowl, in coach Steve Kragthorpe's first year. Tulsa was 6-2 in the Western Athletic Conference.

The game against Oklahoma State marks the 70th meeting between the interstate rivals, but the first since 2000, when the Cowboys won 36-26. Oklahoma State finished 9-4 last year after losing to Mississippi in the Cotton Bowl.

The Golden Hurricane last played Kansas in 2002, losing 43-33 at Skelly Stadium. The Jayhawks lost in the Tangerine Bowl 56-26 to North Carolina State last year.

Division I-AA Southwest Missouri State completes Tulsa's nonconference schedule. Boise State, which beat Texas Christian in the Fort Worth Bowl 34-31, plays in Tulsa's homecoming Oct. 16.

Tulsa again does not have Fresno State on its WAC schedule. The Bulldogs tied the Golden Hurricane for second place last season.

After playing the 2004 season in the WAC, the Golden Hurricane will move to Conference USA in 2005.

Ticket broker guilty of fraud

SALT LAKE CITY — A former Utah ticket broker has pleaded guilty to several charges in an online ticket scam during last year's college football championship game.

Mark Beaver, of Salt Lake City, pleaded guilty Monday to eight counts of communications fraud and two counts of theft in a plea agreement. In exchange, prosecutors dropped eight additional theft charges, two communications fraud charges and one count of unlawful activity.

Beaver will be sentenced in April. He faces a $10,000 fine and between one and 15 years on each count.

Beaver was accused of taking more than $100,000 from hopeful football fans wanting to attend the Jan. 3, 2003, Fiesta Bowl between Ohio State and Miami.

According to court documents, Beaver offered the tickets on the Internet auction site, eBay. Fans paid half the ticket price in advance, sending him payment through an Internet pay service.

Prosecutors allege he told buyers he would meet them at a hotel or restaurant in Tempe, Ariz., before the game with the tickets.

Many fans who bought into the scam traveled to the Phoenix area, believing up until game time that they would meet Beaver for their tickets, but he never showed, said Polly Samuels, an assistant attorney general with the state's cyber crimes task force. She claimed he never had any tickets.

Beaver was arrested last June.

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News Nuggets are compiled periodically from staff, ECU, Conference USA and its member schools, and from Associated Press and other reports. Copyright 2004 Bonesville.net and other publishers. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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