News Nuggets, 11.13.03
NOTES FROM ECU AND BEYOND...
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Compiled from staff reports
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Pirates welcome Holcomb-Faye and Stars
PREVIOUS NUGGETS |
11.12.03: Billikens
bolt on heels of 49ers... .. Revived Clemson takes lesson to
heart... .. Seven C-USA, Carolinas teams land in preseason
basketball rankings... ..
More... |
11.11.03: C-USA
wins academic realignment war... .. 49ers headed to A-10,
Billikens set to follow... .. Coach of beleaguered UCF
football program dismissed... ..
More... |
11.10.03: College
football weekend: The good, the bad, the ugly... ..
Conference USA standings, scores and schedule... ..
Associated Press writers and USA Today/ESPN coaches polls... ..
More... |
11.09.03: Game
briefs from around C-USA... .. Charlotte hoops teams invite
fans 'Uptown'... .. Lengthy absence expected for Tar Heel
forward... ..
More... |
11.08.03: Homecoming
Saturday: Hoops and football from 11 a.m. 'til... .. SEC
makes 11th hour change in tiebreaker... .. Army can salvage
season starting now... .. Clemson vs. Florida State TV
capsule... ..
More... |
11.07.03: Bulls'
road to postseason eligibility goes through Greenville... ..
Rouse leads ECU rout of international team... .. Suspensions
keep on coming at UCF... .. Arkansas hogties 'Cocks, then
rests... .. Reunion of Bowdens no merry affair... ..
More... |
11.06.03: ECU
women's soccer star nets big C-USA honor... .. Pirate golfer
snares tourney title... .. Gear from celebrity Frogs up for
auction... .. WAC zebras sanctioned for bad calls... ..
Suspensions cloud UCF's day in sun... ..
More... |
11.05.03: Frogs'
BCS worthiness gets gut-check tonight... .. Fans of Frogs
challenged in writing... .. Prolific Tulane running back
sidelined... .. Bowers extends Blackwell suspension... ..
More... |
11.04.03: Dozen-member
committee gets marching orders for AD search... .. Big news
expected from Big East... .. BCS standings: Frogs hop up
three notches... .. Cards spank EA Sports in preseason
opener... ..
More... |
11.03.03: Pirate
harrier breaks new ground... .. College football weekend:
The good, the bad, the ugly... .. C-USA standings, scores,
schedule... .. AP writers and USA Today/ESPN coaches polls... ..
More... |
11.02.03: Game
briefs from around Conference USA... .. Preseason hoops
injuries taking toll on Bearcats... .. Crain selected for
Team USA baseball... ..
More... |
|
Fans might be tempted to cheer for both
teams when East Carolina plays its second and final exhibition game tonight
(7:00 p.m.) at Minges Coliseum's Williams Arena against the visiting
Charlotte Stars.
Travis Holcomb-Faye, ECU coach Bill
Herrion's first recruit upon taking the reigns of the Pirates five seasons
ago, is on the Stars' 12-man roster of former college players.
A guard, Holcomb-Faye finished his ECU
career last year as the program's career assists leader.
The Pirates, who defeated the World
HoopStars 104-31 last Thursday in their first exhibition game, open the
regular season at home on Saturday, Nov. 22, against Campbell.
Read a
more comprehensive story on ECUPirates.com...
Deacs limp into Garden to face Memphis
WINSTON-SALEM — Skip Prosser thought it
would be good exposure for No. 20 Wake Forest to open the season in the
Coaches vs. Cancer Classic.
He wishes he could take a mulligan on scheduling Thursday's early opener
after a series of injuries have the defending ACC regular-season champions
limping into Madison Square Garden against Memphis.
"We're the ones who said we would play in this," Prosser said Tuesday. "That
was before a stress fracture, tendinitis and an appendectomy. It seemed like
a much better idea last spring than it does now. But I can't say, `By the
way, we can't play."'
So, Wake Forest, 25-6 last season, will take on the Tigers without starting
point guard Taron Downey (appendicitis) and top reserve forward Chris Ellis
(broken foot).
Forward Vytas Danelius will start, but he's been hobbled in the preseason by
a sore knee.
This will also be the first game without Josh Howard, who is now in the NBA
after being the ACC's unanimous player of the year in 2003.
"Josh was a true leader," Danelius said. "He carried us through tough times
when we struggled. He always stepped up and rarely had a bad game. This
year, the team is going to be more talented, we're going to have more
potential, but we need to find some guys who can bring a consistent, good
game very day."
Wake Forest still has plenty of talent despite the injuries and will likely
start veterans Justin Gray, Eric Williams, Jamaal Levy, Danelius and
freshman sensation Chris Paul.
Heisman chase still motivates Rivers
RALEIGH — Heisman Trophy voters who crossed
Philip Rivers off their list after two early losses by North Carolina State
may want to rethink his candidacy.
Rivers, one of the favorites coming into the season, has thrown for 3,318
yards and completed a remarkable 72.2 percent of his passes.
Behind Rivers, the Wolfpack (7-3) has won four straight and remain in
contention for a share of the Atlantic Coast Conference title and a BCS
bowl.
``It's pretty astonishing that he can do that,'' Maryland coach Ralph
Friedgen said of Rivers' completion rate. ``It's a feat because of the
number of times they throw the ball.''
No one appreciates the senior's ability to make a difference more than his
own coach.
``He needs to keep doing what he's doing and we have a chance — and so does
he,'' added N.C. State coach Chuck Amato. ``His numbers are outrageous, not
only this year but over the last four years.''
Rivers acknowledges he remains a dark horse behind Oklahoma's Jason White
and several other candidates, but season-ending wins over Florida State and
Maryland could get the QB back in the race.
``With three losses that hurts. That's been all the negative I hear about
the whole thing,'' Rivers told The Associated Press. ``I don't think I
necessarily have to have some magical, crazy game, but winning against
Florida State is important.''
The Heisman voting can often be hard to handicap. Sometimes the best player
on the best team wins, while other years a player gets major consideration
for career stats.
If the latter is the case, Rivers should be in the mix. The 6-foot-5 senior
is fifth in NCAA history with 12,311 passing yards and holds the ACC records
for passing yards, total offense, TD responsibility, TD passes, attempts,
completions and 300-yard games.
He's also the only quarterback in conference history to have three
3,000-yard passing season.
``Even when we had three losses and people were saying it was done, I just
said to myself to keep playing,'' Rivers said. ``I just want to say at the
end I did all I could do and let it go from there.''
Even if Rivers doesn't win, he would like an opportunity to be one of the
five players invited to New York for the award ceremony.
``Just to get a chance to sit up there with the top-notch players in the
country would be the utmost honor,'' Rivers said. ``I know White's the
favorite and well deserving. His numbers are unbelievable and they are
dominating as a team.''
No matter what happens in the next two weeks, Rivers will be content with
his stellar career.
``It's not an honor you expect,'' Rivers said of the Heisman. ``There is no
failure.''
Rivers is well within the single-season completion percentage record of 69.5
percent, set by Heisman winner Charlie Ward of Florida State in 1993.
``That's been a big deal for me,'' Rivers said. ``That's something I've
concentrated on, just being consistent. It's not the (record) that's the
most recognizable, but it would mean a lot as long as this league has been
around. It's attainable.''
Few knew in August that Rivers started the season on a major downer. His
wife had a miscarriage two weeks before the opener.
``That was an obstacle and I haven't had many,'' Rivers said. ``I've had it
pretty good. Most of the things have been great in my career, but that was
kind of a different one. ``It was tough, but that was one of those things in
life.''
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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