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News Nuggets, 04.06.04
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Compiled from staff reports and electronic dispatches

UConn fuels fans back home with title win

Boisterous students and fans set fires and danced on campus streets in Storrs, CN, Monday night celebrating the Connecticut Huskies' second men's national basketball title.

There were no reports of serious injuries.

In the game itself, which was staged in San Antonio, UConn never let up, and Georgia Tech was never a serious threat. The Huskies won 82-73 with a start-to-finish effort expected from the team that was ranked No. 1 for much of the season.

It didn't matter that the lead was 15 points at halftime — the third-largest in championship game history — or 25 with just over 14 minutes to go. Huskies coach Jim Calhoun never took his foot off the pedal and his team got to cut down the nets.

Once the battle in San Antonio subsided, the action on the streets of Storrs picked up in earnest. Police were dispersing crowds while firefighters doused the flames.

At least two people were arrested outside Gampel Pavilion, where about 7,000 people watched UConn's 82-73 victory over Georgia Tech in San Antonio on three large-screen televisions.

Some fans set a couch and a barrier on fire near the arena, and UConn police confirmed several reports of fires across campus. Fans also set off firecrackers, turned over trash cans and drank from open alcohol containers.

When UConn won its first championship in 1999, fans set bonfires and hurled bottles. University officials said there were not allowing bonfires Monday night.

"This is the greatest finish to college," said Adam Hudak, 22, who graduated from UConn last year and now lives in Monroe. "We never saw a national championship. We watched Maryland and Duke win, but we weren't a part of it. Now we are."

Cheers for the Huskies also were heard in New Orleans, where the UConn women's team will play for the national championship against Tennessee on Tuesday night. If the Huskies win, UConn will become the first school to win both titles in the same year.

After the men's game ended in San Antonio, fans streamed out of a hotel bar in New Orleans. Maureen Caggiano, of Wolcott, wearing a feather boa in her team's colors of blue and white, shook her pompoms and chanted "UConn! UConn!"

"One more to go," Caggiano said. "One more to go."

T-Law lands C-USA honor

Trevor Lawhorn of East Carolina and Derek Hankins of Memphis have been named the Hitter and Pitcher of the Week in Conference USA for their performances this past weekend.

HITTER OF THE WEEK: TREVOR LAWHORN, EAST CAROLINA, Soph., 2B, Wilmington

Lawhorn hit a home run in each game of the Pirates three-game sweept at Charlotte, batting .500 (8-for-16) with a three-hit game and a four-hit game. He closed out the series with three home runs, one double and seven RBI, while scoring six times. Lawhorn has homered in four straight games to take over the team lead with 12.

PITCHER OF THE WEEK: DEREK HANKINS, MEMPHIS, Junior, RHP, Altamont, IL

Hankins tossed a complete-game four hitter at Louisville on Saturday, allowing just one earned run in a 6-2 victory. He struck out 14 without walking a batter. It was the second-highest strikeout total in C-USA this season, trailing Hankins' 17-K performance against Murray State on Feb. 28. Hankins retired 18 of the last 19 Louisville hitters and faced the minimum through the last six innings.

JamesOn may be off Heels' scholarship list

BURLINGTON — North Carolina recruit JamesOn Curry pleaded guilty Monday to drug charges and was sentenced to three years' probation.

Curry, the leading scorer in state high school basketball history, pleaded guilty to six felony counts: two each of possession with intent to sell and deliver marijuana; two each of the sale of marijuana and two each of delivering marijuana, in Alamance County court.

According to a Monday report on CBS Sportsline.com, the felony pleas are likely to result in the revocation of North Carolina's offer of a grant-in-aid to Curry.

Two misdemeanor charges of marijuana possession were dismissed.

He was sentenced to 36 months of probation, 200 hours of community service and various fines.

Curry was kicked off the Eastern Alamance team shortly after his arrest in February. He was one of 49 students arrested that month after a system-wide undercover drug investigation by the Alamance County Sheriff's Office and the Alamance-Burlington schools. The operation was aimed at dealers and distributors, authorities said.

Last summer, Curry committed to North Carolina. An athletic department spokesman has said previously that Curry's scholarship has not been revoked.

According t

North Carolina spokesman Steve Kirschner said the school would have no further comment until coach Roy Williams returns from the Final Four in San Antonio and speaks with Curry and his family.

Baseball America & Collegiate Baseball Polls

The top 25 teams in the Baseball America and Collegiate Baseball polls with records through Apr. 4 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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