News Nuggets, 08.24.03
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Compiled from staff reports and electronic dispatches

ECU-Houston game celebrates region's military bases

GREENVILLE — East Carolina's nationally-televised home football game on Tuesday night, Sept. 30, against Houston has been designated Military Appreciation Night at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium.

Military Appreciation Night provides for veterans and active members of the military and their families to receive a ticket to the game for $5 ($2 for children under 12), according to a release issued by the ECU media relations office.

Tickets are available for purchase through the ECU Athletic Ticket Office (1-800-DIAL-ECU or 252-328-4500) or participating military base ticket offices. Area bases that are participating include Cherry Point, New River, Camp Lejeune, Fort Bragg, Seymour Johnson, and Pope Air Force Base.

A variety of military themed events are planned for the evening, including halftime recognition of military dignitaries and other pregame and halftime festivities.

"We are extremely appreciative of the men and women throughout eastern North Carolina that serve their country in the U.S. Armed Forces," said Nick Floyd, ECU's interim director of athletics. "We hope that the entire Pirate community joins us in showing support for our military personnel on this special night."

The Conference USA game is scheduled for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff and will be telecast by ESPN2.

USM-Cal game selected for HD-TV telecast

HATTIESBURG — The Southern Miss football team's season opener against California will be televised nationally on the HDNet high-definition network. HDNet is available on DIRECTV, Charter Communications, Insight Communications, several NCTC cable affiliate companies, and soon DISH network.

A high-definition television set and receiver are required to view HDNet, along with equipment specified by each service provider. Viewers should contact their cable or satellite service provider for the required HD equipment.

Network play-by-play veteran Barry Tompkins and former Cal quarterback Mike Pawlawski will handle the broadcasting duties for the game.

The game is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 30. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m., CT.

Charlotte slate features two Final Four teams

CHARLOTTE — The Charlotte 49ers men's basketball team will face yet another difficult schedule in 2003-04, but one that head coach Bobby Lutz feels will put them into position to gain an NCAA Tournament berth. The slate includes 14 games against teams that participated in the 2003 post-season, including NCAA champion Syracuse and NCAA Final Four participant Marquette. In all, the 49ers will play nine games against teams that advanced to the NCAA Tournament.

"It shapes up as the type of schedule that we like to play at Charlotte," said 49ers head coach Bobby Lutz, whose teams have played schedules that rank on average among the 40 toughest in the country over the last five years. "It's the type of schedule that if we take care of business and win the games we need to win, we'll be in position to be in the NCAA Tournament and that's what we're trying to do."

In Lutz' five seasons, which includes three NCAA Tournament trips and one NIT invitation, the 49ers strength of schedule according to the RPI has been rated, chronologically, 17, 33, 72, 22 and 49 (an average of 38.6).

"It's a very challenging conference schedule when you have Cincinnati, East Carolina and Saint Louis as your three mirror games (the 49ers play those teams twice)," Lutz said. "We never have won at Saint Louis or Cincinnati and that speaks for itself. We have a great home conference schedule with the likes of Marquette and Louisville in addition to the other opponents that we have.

"We have a tough stretch with some away games, but I think the conference schedule is very fair to us and we're looking forward to the challenges that it presents. When you combine (the C-USA schedule) with the non-conference schedule, where our road games are so difficult and we have some quality home games against people who beat us last year, it makes for the type of schedule that we look for at Charlotte."

Five of the 49ers eight home conference games are against teams that went to post-season, last year. In addition, five of the 49ers six non-conference road games are against teams that went to the post-season last year.

The schedule includes nationally-televised home contests against Louisville (ESPN2) and Cincinnati (ESPN) as well as three games to be televised as part of the ESPN-Regional syndicated package. The 49ers local TV package has not been released, yet. Times are to be announced.

News Nuggets are compiled periodically from staff, ECU, Conference USA and its member schools, and from Associated Press and other reports. Copyright 2003 Bonesville.net and other publishers. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Page Updated: 02/23/2007

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