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News Nuggets, 03.23.04
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Compiled from staff reports and electronic dispatches

NCAA to take over policing of grad rates

INDIANAPOLIS — The NCAA will collect its own information to determine 2003 graduation rates so it can publish more representative data.

The NCAA made the move after the U.S. Department of Education decided last August that it would not publicize graduation rates. It's the first time the NCAA will collect the data since 1997.

NCAA president Myles Brand said Monday he believed the education department's decision would have kept poorly performing programs out of the spotlight.

"We cannot allow this decision by the DOE to blot the sunshine from how intercollegiate athletics is doing with its most important objective — educating student-athletes," Brand said in a statement.

Brand said that because of the decision, it would not be known that four schools which sent teams to the 2004 NCAA Tournament had graduation rates of zero for their athletes.

Brand said positive steps have been made, including an all-time high 62-percent graduation rate last year.

"But we continue to have problems in football and especially men's basketball, and the DOE's suppression decision makes it more difficult to identify the problem programs," Brand said.

Collecting the information on its own will allow the NCAA to sidestep federal restrictions. The NCAA expects to make the information public late this summer.

"Without continued full publication of the graduation rates — especially those at the low end — we will lose the ability to expose those athletics programs which are failing to educate their student-athletes," Brand said.

The NCAA also is planning to include additional ways to measure graduation rates in the future. Those rates will include the academic success of transfer students, which are not included in the current calculations.

Tournament TV ratings skyrocket

NEW YORK — The average ratings for the first four days of the NCAA tournament were up 53 percent from last year.

CBS drew a 5.5 rating and 13 share in preliminary ratings, easily beating the 3.6 and 7 averages of 2003. The four-day average is the best since a 5.7 in 2000.

Irish reduce C-USA to one NIT survivor

FORT WAYNE — Chris Thomas scored a career-high 39 points, including 27 in the second half, to lead Notre Dame past Saint Louis 77-66 Monday in the second round of the NIT.

Notre Dame (19-12) won for the sixth time in seven games and defeated the Billikens for the fourth straight time in their 30-game series. The teams last met Jan. 30, 1985.

The Irish will host the winner of Tuesday night's game between Oregon and George Mason.

Josh Fisher scored 21 points and Reggie Bryant had 19 for Saint Louis (19-13).

The Billikens' loss leaves Marquette as Conference USA's lone hope in the NIT. The Golden Eagles, a Final Four team last season, defeated Toledo in a first round game and host Boise State tonight at 8 p.m.

Baseball America & Collegiate Baseball Polls

The top 25 teams in the Baseball America and Collegiate Baseball polls with records through Mar. 21 and previous rankings. The Baseball America poll is voted on by the publication's staff. The Collegiate Baseball poll, which includes each team's point total, is voted on by coaches, sports writers and sports information directors:

[Conference USA teams — present and future — and Carolinas teams in bold.]

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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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