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News Nuggets, 09.08.03
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Compiled from staff reports and electronic dispatches

Hurdles ahead get more ominous for struggling Pirates

If winning is the cure-all, East Carolina will find it difficult to apply the treatment in the immediate future. The Pirates, reeling from season-opening blowout losses to Cincinnati and West Virginia, will face opponents over the next two weeks with more formal notoriety than either the Bearcats or the Mountaineers.

Unlike Cincy and WVU, both Miami and Wake Forest are perched in this week's national rankings. ECU will face the Hurricanes in the Orange Bowl on Saturday (7 p.m., ESPN2), before traveling to Winston-Salem seven days later to tangle with the surging Demon Deacons.

The Hurricanes leap-frogged Ohio State into 2nd place on the strength of an inspiring comeback win over No. 19 Florida, while the Demon Deacons staggered No. 24 N.C. State to vault into the rankings at No. 20.

Associated Press Top 25

The Top 25 teams in The Associated Press college football poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, records through Sept. 7, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote, and previous ranking:

(1st-Place Votes)/Record/Points/Previous Rank
 1. Oklahoma (47) 2-0 1,549 1
 2. Miami (2) 2-0 1,448 3
 3. Ohio St. (8) 2-0 1,398 2
 4. Southern Cal (4) 2-0 1,380 4
 5. Michigan (2) 2-0 1,332 5
 6. Texas 1-0 1,267 6
 7. Kansas St. 3-0 1,198 7
 8. Georgia 2-0 1,085 8
 9. Virginia Tech 2-0 1,075 9
10. Florida St. 2-0 998 11
11. Pittsburgh 1-0 980 10
12. LSU 2-0 896 13
13. Tennessee 2-0 879 12
14. Wisconsin 2-0 669 18
15. Notre Dame 1-0 615 19
16. Arizona St. 1-0 507 20
17. Colorado 2-0 493 24
18. Nebraska 2-0 435 23
19. Florida 1-1 383 21
20. Wake Forest 2-0 330 _
21. Washington 1-1 286 22
22. Texas Christian 2-0 195 25
23. Iowa 2-0 184 _
24. N.C. State 1-1 181 14
25. South Carolina 2-0 127 _

Others receiving votes: Alabama 81, Missouri 67, N. Illinois 66, Minnesota 48, Virginia 45, Purdue 44, Oregon 38, Arkansas 33, Colorado St. 30, Bowling Green 24, Texas A&M 23, Boise St. 16, Arizona 9, Air Force 8, Auburn 8, Washington St. 7, Hawaii 6, Michigan St. 6, Oregon St. 6, Marshall 5, Boston College 4, BYU 3, Oklahoma St. 2, Texas Tech 2, West Virginia 2, Louisville 1, Stanford 1.

TV exposure plentiful for Marquette basketball

MILWAUKEE � At least 10 national or regional television appearances, including one each on both ABC and CBS, highlight the 2004 Conference USA portion of the Marquette University men's basketball schedule. Included in the MU schedule are three appearances on ESPN, two telecasts on ESPN2 and three broadcasts on the ESPN-Plus Conference USA Weekend Package.

The Golden Eagles, the defending C-USA regular-season champions, open league play with a road game at Houston on Jan. 7 before returning to the Bradley Center for back-to-back home dates against Saint Louis (Saturday, Jan. 7) and Cincinnati (Wednesday., Jan. 14). The contest against UC will be the squad's first league tilt that will be aired by ESPN. Other ESPN telecasts will include the game at Louisville (Saturday, Jan. 31) and a home date against Memphis on Saturday, Feb. 14, starting at 8:00 p.m. It will mark the first time that Marquette and Memphis have met since the 2001 C-USA Tournament in Louisville.

Marquette's ABC appearance during conference action takes place at DePaul on Saturday, Feb. 7, starting at 2:00 p.m. The Golden Eagles' regular-season finale on Saturday, Mar. 6, against Louisville will be telecast by CBS starting at 1:00 p.m.

Marquette will be featured as part of the C-USA ESPN-Plus Weekend Package on three occasions including home games against DePaul (Sat., Jan. 24, 11:00 a.m.) and Tulane (Sat., Feb. 21, Noon) along with a road test at UAB (Sat., Feb. 28, 2:00 p.m.).

This year, C-USA basketball teams will play in a single 14-team division as opposed to the American and National Divisions that had been in place since the 1997-98 season. Every team will play each other at least once with teams playing three opponents twice. This year, the Golden Eagles will play Saint Louis, DePaul and Louisville on two occasions.

Marquette's non-conference schedule is in the final stages of completion and will be released shortly.

USC baseball team schedules mid-winter excursion to Cuba

LOS ANGELES � Southern California has been selected by the Cuban Baseball Federation to play in Cuba this January. The Trojans will travel with other USC students and faculty as part of an educational exchange and play three games against Cuba's No. 1 national all-star team � the first time the Cuban national team has faced a U.S. college team.

Previously, the Cuban team played the U.S. Olympic team and the Baltimore Orioles. Former USC coach Rod Dedeaux will be part of the Trojans' traveling party. USC fans and alumni will also have an opportunity to make the five-day trip from Jan. 23-28. Packages and information about tickets can be found at www.trojanstocuba.com.

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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