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News Nuggets, 10.06.06
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Compiled from staff reports and electronic dispatches

Big Ten announces fines, reprimands

As a direct result of unsportsmanlike conduct involving Illinois and Michigan State players occurring in the immediate aftermath of the Sept. 30 football game, each institution has been fined $10,000 and Illinois coach Ron Zook and Michigan State coach John L. Smith have been reprimanded by the Big Ten Conference for failing to ensure that their teams conducted themselves in an acceptable fashion.

The conference made the announcement in a release on the league's website.

Illinois players reportedly attempted to plant a school flag at midfield after a 23-20 win at Michigan State on Saturday.

"The Big Ten and its member institutions, coaches, student-athletes and fans place a high value on competing fairly and with dignity regardless of the competitive outcome," Commissioner James E. Delany said. "The conduct of the players last week in the postgame environment violated our rules and expectations for student-athletes and as a result we have taken the aforementioned actions."

The Big Ten Conference stated that it considers the matter concluded and will have no further comment.

Central Florida wins late field goal battle

Kevin Smith rushed for a season-high 166 yards before getting hurt and Michael Torres kicked a 22-yard field goal with 6.7 seconds left to lift Central Florida to a 23-22 victory over Marshall on Wednesday night, according to a release on the Conference USA website.

Anthony Binswanger's career-high 50-yard field goal gave Marshall a 22-20 lead with 3 minutes left, but that left enough time for UCF quarterback Steven Moffett.

Moffett, who was benched for most of the first half, completed four straight passes to move the Golden Knights (2-3, 1-1 C-USA) to the Marshall 17 with 50 seconds remaining. He finished 13-of-19 for 165 yards.

Jason Peters then ran 14 yards to the 3, setting up Torres' third field goal of the game, all from 22 yards.

Marshall (1-4, 0-1) couldn't take advantage of the 181-yard rushing effort of Ahmad Bradshaw and the energized atmosphere of having actor Matthew McConaughey on the sidelines.

McConaughey is starring in an upcoming film on the aftermath of a 1970 plane crash that killed 75 people, including most of the Marshall football team. He led the current team on a walk to the stadium before the game. A 4-minute scene from the film, scheduled to be released Dec. 22, was shown at halftime.

Smith's 34-yard run set up Moffett's 28-yard TD pass to Mike Walker to give UCF a 20-9 lead early in the third quarter. Smith suffered an undisclosed injury late in the third quarter and didn't return.

Bradshaw answered a minute later with a 32-yard TD run and Binswanger's 26-yard field goal early in the fourth brought Marshall within 20-19.

Marshall drove 99 yards for its first score, aided by Bradshaw's 59-yard run. Bernard Morris hit freshman tight end Cody Slate with a 7-yard TD pass for a 6-0 lead after the missed extra point.

Kyle Israel replaced Moffett on UCF's third series and scored on a 2-yard run to put the Golden Knights ahead 7-6 early in the second.

Millican shoots 74 in qualifying event

Former East Carolina standout golfer Adrienne Millican moved one step closer to earning her LPGA Tour card on Wednesday when she fired another 2-over-par round of 74 to finish tied for 22nd at the Venice (FL) LPGA Sectional Qualifying Tournament at Plantation Golf and Country Club, according to an ECU athletic media relations release.

Tara Bateman of Chandler, AZ, took a two-shot lead after shooting a 2-under-par 70. Bateman is only one of two players currently under par for the tournament and is one of only seven players to post an under-par round after windy conditions on Wednesday. The dream of LPGA Tour status is still alive for 73 players who survived the 36-hole cut Wednesday, which fell at 153 (+9).

Bateman, who played on the Panther course, is currently at 3-under-par 141 (71-70) and holds a two-shot lead over South Korean Hae-Jung Kim.

With her two-day total of 148 (74-74), Millican advances to the third round and will play the Bobcat Course (par-72, 6,401-yard) Thursday morning. In first round action, she carded a 2-over-par 74 put her in a tie for 34th.

The first two days, players competed on both the Bobcat and Panther courses at Plantation Golf and Country Club, playing each of the courses once before the 36-hole cut was made today. The final two rounds will be played on the Bobcat Course. The top-30 players and ties at the end of 72 holes will advance to the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament at LPGA International in Daytona Beach, FL, Nov. 29-Dec. 3.

The Venice qualifier is the second of the LPGA Tour's two sectional qualifying events in 2006. The first was at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, CA, two weeks ago. The top-30 finishers and ties from each qualifier join current LPGA Tour members attempting to improve their status and the players who finished sixth through 15th on the final 2006 Duramed Futures Tour money list at the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament.

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 electronic services and other sources. Copyright 2006 Bonesville.net and other publishers. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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