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News Nuggets, 02.01.05
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Compiled from staff reports and electronic dispatches

Big week culminates in recognition for Badiane

Good things sometimes happens in bunches, an adage borne out by Moussa Badiane's experiences of the last week.

The only senior on East Carolina's basketball team, Badiane helped the Pirates pick up their first two Conference USA wins of the season, broke a league record in the process and saw his productive week rewarded Monday with an individual honor.

Badiane was named, along with Louisville guard Larry O'Bannon, a co-recipient of the C-USA Player of the Week award, the league office announced.

Badiane became the C-USA's all-time career leader in blocked shots with a trio of swats during the Pirates' 54-51 upset of league-leader Charlotte on Saturday. For the week, he averaged 12 points as the Pirates picked up their first two league-wins of the season.

O'Bannon averaged 21.5 points during a pair of Cardinal victories, which included a career-high 30-point effort vs. Marquette.

Co-recipients of the C-USA Player of the Week award:

Moussa Badianne, East Carolina
Senior, Center, Les Ulis, France

Badiane became Conference USA's all-time leader in blocked shots Saturday by swatting three shots against Charlotte. Badiane has totaled 294 blocks during his career, breaking the record of 292 held by former Cincinnati All-
American Kenyon Martin.

In the final minute of the game against Charlotte, Badiane blocked a Curtis Withers field goal attempt and drew a charge against Eddie Basden with ECU holding a one-point advantage. He scored 13 points in the second half against the 49ers en route to 16 points.

Badiane averaged 12 points, seven rebounds and three blocks in ECU's two wins over Saint Louis and Charlotte last week.

Larry O'Bannon, Louisville
Senior, Guard, Louisville, Ky.

O'Bannon averaged 21.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists and shot 54.2 percent from the field in a pair of Conference USA victories for the Cardinals.

O'Bannon scored a career-high 30 points, while hitting six three-point goals against Marquette. He added five rebounds, two steals and a career-best seven assists with no turnovers in the contest. Against Tulane, he was one of six Cardinals in double figures with 12 points.

O'Bannon has scored in double figures in 19 games this season, more than any other Cardinal. He was one of six Cardinals on the U of L Athletic Director's Honor Roll for the 2004 fall semester with a 3.0 or better GPA.

Compiled from ECU and C-USA reports.

Recruiting scandal trial draws in Scherer

MEMPHIS — Former Memphis coach Rip Scherer told a jury Monday he did not offer a free law school education for the wife of a high school coach in exchange for getting a top football recruit to sign with the Tigers.

Scherer was the third former college coach to challenge the court testimony of the government's chief witness in a federal trial over a recruiting scandal.

Scherer was called as a defense witness at the trial of Logan Young, a wealthy businessman charged with paying a $150,000 bribe to get defensive lineman Albert Means to sign with Alabama.

Former high school coach Lynn Lang testified last week that Scherer made the law school offer while trying to recruit Means in 2000.

Asked by defense lawyer James Neal if such an offer was made, Scherer replied, ``Absolutely not.''

Lang, Means' former coach, has pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy and is awaiting sentencing. He testified that Young bribed him in cash handouts each under the $10,000 threshold for IRS reporting.

Lang said he was referred to Young by former Alabama assistant coach Ivy Williams. Williams told the trial jury last week that Lang's testimony was untrue.

Lang also testified that eight schools offered inducements while recruiting Means and three — Alabama, Georgia and Kentucky — handed out money. He said former Georgia coach Jim Donnan gave him $700 cash, while Memphis, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi and Michigan State also made offers.

Donnan testified last week and denied giving Lang money.

The government sought to link Young to Lang through Lang's testimony as well as phone and bank records.

Those records showed numerous calls between phones belonging to Lang and Young around the time of Means' recruitment.

Bank records showed that Young made numerous cash withdrawals, while Lang made cash deposits of more than $47,000.

Defense lawyers describe Lang as a liar who is trying to avoid a long prison sentence by testifying against Young.

Associated Press basketball poll

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

(Poll released Jan. 30, 2004. Conference USA team, including future members, and Carolinas teams in bold; East Carolina opponents in red.]

 1. Illinois (72) 21-0 1,800 1
 2. North Carolina 17-2 1,707 3
 3. Kansas 16-1 1,603 6
 4. Duke 16-1 1,514 2
 5. Boston College 18-0 1,505 8
 6. Kentucky 16-2 1,497 7
 7. Wake Forest 17-3 1,337 5
 8. Syracuse 20-2 1,318 4
 9. Louisville 18-3 1,208 12
10. Oklahoma State 15-3 1,062 9
11. Alabama 17-3 982 14
12. Michigan State 14-3 916 15
13. Washington 17-3 910 10
14. Arizona 17-4 815 11
14. Oklahoma 16-3 815 13
16. Pittsburgh 14-3 738 20
17. Gonzaga 15-4 569 17
18. Cincinnati 17-3 558 21
19. Wisconsin 14-4 496 18
20. Texas 15-5 396 16
21. Utah 17-3 305 25
22. Maryland 13-5 259 _
23. Connecticut 12-5 256 19
24. Villanova 12-4 228 _
25. Georgia Tech 12-6 213 22

Others receiving votes: Iowa 113, Wichita State 85, Pacific 52, Mississippi State 46, Florida 19, Notre Dame 17, Vermont 17, Charlotte 16, St. Mary's (CA) 9, Marquette 4, Stanford 4, Texas Tech 4, Old Dominion 3, Texas A&M 2,Holy Cross 1, Texas-El Paso 1.

News Nuggets are compiled periodically based on material supplied by staff members; data published by ECU, Conference USA and its member schools; and reports from Associated Press and other sources. Copyright 2005 Bonesville.net and other publishers. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Page Updated: 02/23/2007 12:21 PM