News and Notes from East Carolina, Conference USA and Beyond

PREVIOUS NUGGETS

02.07.05: Conference USA scoreboard, standings & schedule ... Scelfo joins Scelfo and Scelfo at Tulane ... More...

02.06.05: Charlotte bids stinging farewell to Bearcats ... No. 9 Louisville escapes close call at UAB ... Omaha secures CWS through end of decade ... More...

02.05.05: BCS bowl payouts to start escalating in 2006 ... NCAA baseball calendar changes still in limbo ... Doherty eager for opportunity to coach again ... More...

02.04.05: Talks underway about revamped BCS bowl deals ... No more potty language, admonishes coach ... More...

02.03.05: 'Bama booster convicted in Means recruiting scandal ... Bug rolling through Tar Heel hoops roster ... Cards gain control of first place from Bearcats ... More...

02.02.05: C-USA lead at stake as Cincinnati, Louisville collide ... UNC-Chapel Hill assistant caught up in Memphis trial ... Houston-Oregon football game set for national TV ... More...

02.01.05: Big week culminates in recognition for Badiane ... Means recruiting scandal trial draws in Scherer ... Associated Press basketball poll ... More...

01.31.05: C-USA scoreboard, standings & schedule ... Bearcats dancers repeat as national champions ... More...

01.30.05: Signing day blowout looms for recruiting fanatics ... No. 12 Cardinals attack Tulane in waves ... No. 21 Cincinnati dismantles Houston ... More...

01.29.05: Wolfpack turns to NFL for offensive coordinator ... High-flying Cards eye Tulane as next victim ... Smothering Cincinnati defense awaits Cougs ... More...

01.28.05: Six C-USA, Carolinas teams on baseball Top 35 list ... Bearcats get little resistance from Bulls ... DePaul winning streak ends in Memphis ... More...

01.27.05: Wall-to-wall radio coverage set for ECU baseball ... C-USA basketball scoreboard, standings & schedule ... USM announces lineup of football opponents ... More...

01.26.05: TCU cheerleaders market calendar with a cause ... Louisville hawking used helmets for $150 ... Green Wave wideout lands spot in Senior Bowl ... More...

01.25.05: Spurrier's South Carolina debut scheduled for prime-time ... Associated Press basketball poll ... More...

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 Feb. 7, 2005. Conference USA team, including future members, and Carolinas teams in bold; East Carolina opponents in red.]

1. Illinois (72) 23-0 1800 1
2. North Carolina 19-2 1711 2
3. Kansas 18-1 1625 3
4. Boston College 20-0 1561 5
5. Kentucky 17-2 1505 6
6. Wake Forest 19-3 1429 7
7. Duke 17-2 1349 4
8. Syracuse 21-2 1311 8
9. Louisville 20-3 1262 9
10. Oklahoma State 17-3 1144 10
11. Washington 19-3 1059 13
12. Arizona 19-4 983 14
13. Michigan State 15-4 872 12
14. Gonzaga 17-4 805 17
15. Utah 19-3 686 21
16. Oklahoma 17-4 657 14
17. Alabama 17-4 648 11
18. Pittsburgh 15-4 550 16
19. Connecticut 14-5 535 23
20. Wisconsin 15-5 309 19
21. Cincinnati 17-5 250 18
22. Villanova 13-5 242 24
23. Texas 15-6 189 20
24. Pacific 18-2 173 28
25. Texas Tech 14-5 156 35

Others receiving votes:

Georgia Tech 116, Charlotte 108, Florida 97, Wichita State 65, Minnesota 50, Vermont 40, Georgetown 17, Maryland 12, Old Dominion 12, Mississippi State 10, St. Mary's 9, Nevada 8, Texas A&M 8, George Washington 7, Iowa 7, Wisconsin-Milwaukee 6, Marquette 5, Notre Dame 5, Texas-El Paso 3, Stanford 2, Holy Cross 1, Miami (FL) 1.

Charlotte's Eddie Basden earned his first Conference USA Players of the Week honor for games of Jan. 31-Feb. 6.

The senior swingman's exceptional all-around performance against then No. 17 Cincinnati helped the 49ers' claim their second win over a ranked opponent this season. He also tied the Conference USA career steals record with 231.

Basden, a combination forward/guard from Washington, DC, is the first 49er to pick up the C-USA Player of the Week honor this season after leading his club to a 91-90 victory over the Bearcats on Saturday. He compiled 20 points, 11 rebounds, seven assists and four steals in the win.

Basden is the only player in the league to rank in the Top 15 in all four of those statistical categories this season.

This is the third-straight season Basden has recorded at least 60 steals, making him the first player in the school's history to accomplish that feat.

With his 20-point, 11-rebound effort, Basden logged his fourth double-double of the season and fifth of his career. He also matched his career-high in assists with seven helpers.

DURHAM — Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski proclaimed himself fit Monday, two days after he collapsed on the sidelines during a game.

The green flag from the doctor means he expects to be on duty when North Carolina visits the Blue Devils Wednesday night.

Coach K fell to the floor Saturday during a timeout in the first half of the Blue Devils' 82-65 win over Georgia Tech. He lay on his side for several seconds before returning to the huddle, and he coached the remainder of the game.

``When you have an episode, you shouldn't be stupid,'' Krzyzewski said. ``You should get checked out.''

And as he figured, he heard plenty of advice from his three daughters about how to take care of himself.

He even joked about the incident during a session with reporters. When a phone rang in the media room at Cameron Indoor Stadium, Krzyzewski stopped in mid-sentence.

``You can answer it, 'I'm OK,''' he quipped. ``I've been getting a lot of phone calls.''

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.