News Nuggets, 08.25.03
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Compiled from staff reports and electronic dispatches

Southern Miss 'community blitz' package includes ear of corn

HATTIESBURG — The University of Southern Mississippi will canvas the Hattiesburg community throughout the week beginning Aug. 25 for the Southern Miss Community Blitz, which will see every aspect of the university community reach out to Hattiesburg-area businesses.

"We will visit a total of more than 250 businesses within the main thoroughfares of the Hattiesburg area during the Southern Miss Community Blitz," said Scott Carr, associate athletic director for Southern Miss.

"We have concentrated on the high-traffic areas of the city so that our visitors and community members would see the support of the university throughout the businesses of the area. When people drive into Hattiesburg, we want them to ‘feel’ the university. They should see black and gold, and they should feel black and gold."

On Monday (Aug. 25), members of the Southern Miss athletic department will make calls on 50 businesses throughout the Pine Belt. Tuesday will bring Southern Miss administration members, including new college deans, making calls on another 50 businesses. Wednesday will incorporate visits from Southern Miss faculty, while Thursday will have visits by Southern Miss staff and Friday will see student visits to businesses that are closer to the heart of the Southern Miss campus.

"We know that business owners and managers throughout the Hattiesburg area are not all Southern Miss graduates, but every business benefits from the presence of the university, and should support our local university that contributes more than $250 million to the local economy," said Athletic Director Richard Giannini.

Members of Hattiesburg's commercial community, regardless of their individual alumni affiliations, clearly perceive the value of the relationship.

"I didn’t graduate from Southern Miss," said Greg Gough, senior vice president of BancorpSouth in Hattiesburg. "But our business is greatly affected by our customers, which constitute a large number of Southern Miss faculty and staff. We know the dollar effect of the university on our business, and we support the university that supports us, in ways they will never know.

"I appreciate that university personnel understand the impact we have, and can have, on the success of athletics and university programs. We are happy to give to the business (Southern Miss) that gives to us. We have to take care of one another to be successful."

Southern Miss Community Blitz members will distribute pocket game schedules, Southern Miss yard signs, black and gold pompons, game schedule posters, "Go Gold" posters, "Go Gold" T-shirts, Southern Miss spirit-pack order forms, and an ear of corn to commemorate the Southern Miss vs. Nebraska game on Sept. 25.

"This is great fun," said staff council president, Kenton McNeese. "We need the support of the Hattiesburg community in everything we do. This is a great way for us to get in to the community where we live, work, and do business."

Tough Louisville hoops slate heavy on national TV exposure

LOUISVILLE — Twelve national television appearances, an appearance in the John Wooden Tradition, a game against Florida in the Billy Minardi Classic and a full Conference USA slate highlight the 2003-04 University of Louisville men's basketball schedule.

At least 16 of the Cardinals' games will be played against teams that reached postseason competition last season, including 10 NCAA Tournament and six NIT participants (NCAA: Cincinnati twice, Florida, Holy Cross, Kentucky, Marquette twice, Memphis twice, Western Kentucky; NIT: DePaul, Iowa, Saint Louis, Seton Hall, Tennessee and UAB).

With 11 lettermen returning from U of L's 25-7 campaign which featured a 17-game winning streak, the Cards' first Conference USA Tournament title and a berth in the NCAA Tournament, the Cardinals will face their first outside competition in an exhibition game against EA Sports on Nov. 3, the first of at least 17 home games in Freedom Hall.

U of L will take on a team from the National Basketball Developmental League in an exhibition contest on Nov. 23, the first time the Cards have been able to play two exhibitions prior to the start of the season. U of L had been forced to play its second exhibition within the season in the past due to the limited availability of Freedom Hall.

U of L will open its 2003-04 season against Iowa in the John Wooden Tradition on Nov. 29 at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind. Indiana and Xavier will square off in the second game of the doubleheader.

Following home games against postseason participants Holy Cross (Dec. 7) and Seton Hall (Dec. 10), the Cardinals will play Florida in the second annual Billy Minardi Classic on Dec. 13 in Freedom Hall, an ESPN telecast. The event, presented by Anthem and Papa John's Pizza, is named in memory of Pitino's brother-in-law who died in the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center.

After a home game against first-time opponent VMI on Dec. 23, the Cardinals will play at intrastate rival Kentucky on Dec. 27 for a CBS telecast. U of L still has one non-conference opponent to add to its schedule for a game to be played on Dec. 20 in Freedom Hall.

U of L will open the new year against Murray State on Jan. 3 before embarking upon its 16-game Conference USA slate on Jan. 7 against Southern Mississippi in Freedom Hall.

The dual divisions format C-USA has employed for the past six seasons has been eliminated. Each of the 14 C-USA schools will face each other in addition to three mirror games based on geography, rivalries and television. Entering the season, the Cardinals have been dealt the toughest path to the league championship with the league's three other 2003 NCAA Tournament participants — Cincinnati, Marquette and Memphis — included as U of L's mirror games and the teams the Cards will face twice.

Aside from the Florida game, four additional home games will be televised to national audiences: Jan. 21 vs. Cincinnati (ESPN), Jan. 31 vs. Marquette (ESPN), Feb. 7 vs. UAB (ESPN) and Feb. 28 vs. Memphis (ABC).

The Cardinals will also be featured in six other network telecasts, including Jan. 15 at East Carolina (ESPN2), Jan. 25 at Tennessee (ESPN), Feb. 4 at Memphis (ESPN), Feb. 12 at Charlotte, Feb. 21 at Cincinnati (ABC) and March 6 at Marquette (CBS).

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.

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