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News Nuggets, 03.17.04
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Compiled from staff reports and electronic dispatches

Cal visit to 'The Rock' highlights USM football slate

HATTIESBURG — Five home dates, including a battle with Insight.com Bowl champion California, and Conference USA rivalry games with Cincinnati, Houston, East Carolina and UAB headline Southern Mississippi's 2004 schedule.

Six road dates include a season-opening trip to Big 12 power Nebraska, a contest at Alabama in Tuscaloosa, and tough C-USA games with Memphis, South Florida, Texas Christian and Tulane.

The preliminary television schedule has the Golden Eagles appearing on ESPN in a Thursday-night date against Houston on Oct. 7th in Hattiesburg. A number of TV dates are yet to be assigned by ESPN so the dates and times of all games on the schedule are subject to change.

SOUTHERN MISS 2004 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

Date / Opponent / Site
Sept. 4  OPEN
Sept. 11 Nebraska                 Lincoln
Sept. 18 California               Hattiesburg
Sept. 25 Tulane                   New Orleans
Oct. 2   South Florida            Tampa
Oct. 7   Houston (Thursday, ESPN) Hattiesburg
Oct. 16  Alabama                  Tuscaloosa
Oct. 23  East Carolina            Hattiesburg
Oct. 30  OPEN
Nov. 6   Cincinnati               Hattiesburg
Nov. 13  Memphis                  Memphis
Nov. 20  Texas Christian          Fort Worth
Nov. 27  UAB                      Hattiesburg

Cincy clears Whaley to play on eve of tourney

CINCINNATI — Cincinnati center Robert Whaley was reinstated Tuesday, giving the Bearcats an inside scoring option for the NCAA tournament.

The 6-foot-10 Whaley quit the team Feb. 23 because he was unhappy with his limited playing time. He averaged 6.2 points and 2.7 rebounds in 20 games.

Whaley remained enrolled and was on the bench in street clothes during the Conference USA tournament, which Cincinnati won.

Cincinnati faces East Tennessee State in the first round of the NCAA tournament on Friday in Columbus.

"Rob came back and asked his teammates and coaches for another chance to be part of this basketball program," coach Bob Huggins said.

Whaley was rated as one of the top junior college players in the country last season, but struggled with the more physical play at Division I. He scored in double figures only four times, and had three or fewer rebounds in 13 games.

He also was slowed by a knee injury that required arthroscopic surgery on Dec. 3. He missed just one game, but complained that the knee still bothered him after the operation, limiting his ability to jump and shoot.

Low blow leaves status of DePaul guard in doubt

CHICAGO — DePaul guard LeVar Seals might be suspended for the team's NCAA tournament opener because of the punch he threw in a game last Saturday.

Coach Dave Leitao said the Blue Demons are preparing for Thursday's game against Dayton as if they'll be without their sixth man.

"It's always good to plan that way and then back up if the opposite" happens, Leitao said Tuesday before DePaul left for Buffalo, N.Y.

Seals was ejected from the Conference USA tournament championship game for punching Cincinnati's Tony Bobbitt in the groin. The junior said it was unintentional but referees called it a fight, meaning Seals could be suspended for DePaul's next game.

Conference USA officials are reviewing the punch. Deputy commissioner Brenda Wear was traveling Tuesday and did not return a phone call.

Seals is only averaging 3.8 points and 1.7 rebounds, but he plays almost 17 minutes a game and is one of DePaul's better defenders. If he can't play, senior Chris Exilus and freshman Tyler Smith will probably see more action.

Not having Seals might actually give the Blue Demons (21-9) more motivation.

"If he's not able to play, we'll have to dedicate the game to him," Quemont Greer said. "Just go out and play our hardest so we can get him to play in an NCAA game."

Seventh-seeded DePaul is in the tournament for just the second time in 12 years. The Blue Demons haven't won a game since 1989, when they beat Memphis State in the first round.

The Blue Demons had won 11 of their last 13 games before losing to Cincinnati.

Ex-Longhorns coach in running for Houston job

HOUSTON — Former Texas coach Tom Penders is one of several candidates who have interviewed for the Houston coaching job, according to a broadcast report Monday.

Penders, who spent 10 seasons at Texas, was interviewed this weekend by Houston athletic director Dave Maggard, Houston television station KRIV reported Monday, citing unnamed sources.

Houston coach Ray McCallum was reassigned to serve as a fundraiser for the athletic department March 8. In his four seasons as coach, the basketball team had a 44-72 record.

Penders compiled a 208-110 record while at Texas. He resigned in 1998 after controversy arose stemming from the release of a player's academic report to an Austin radio station by one of his assistant coaches.

After leaving Texas, Penders coached at George Washington, where he resigned in 2001 following allegations of NCAA violations.

Former NBA coach John Lucas, Sam Houston State coach Bob Marlin and Josh Pastner, an Arizona assistant coach, are among others who have interviewed for the job, KRIV reported.

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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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