News Nuggets, 01.16.04
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Compiled from staff reports and electronic dispatches

Houston, Hawaii kiss and make up

LAHAINA, HA — Less than a month after their teams were involved in a postgame brawl at the Hawaii Bowl, Houston offensive guard Rex Hadnot and Hawaii defensive tackle Lance Samuseva are teammates.

The two are playing on the "Kai" (North) team in Saturday's Hula Bowl all-star game. Players from Houston and Hawaii got into a fight after their bowl game on Dec. 25.

"We exchanged some words, but they were friendly," Samuseva said Thursday. "Whatever happened, happened. But now we're on the same team so we can't be fighting each other. We got to win the game on Saturday."

Samuseva said players on both sides were intense and competitive in the game that ended with Hawaii winning 54-48 in triple overtime.

"It happens in every football game, people get in each others' face," he said. "Of course you're going to want to fight them."

Hawaii officials on Wednesday suspended five Warriors for their roles in the fight.

Defensive end Tony Akpan, linebacker Alika Durington, offensive lineman Larry Saufea, linebacker Laiana Wong and defensive back Orlando Wong all will miss one game next season.

A sixth player, offensive lineman Shayne Kajioka, was a senior and will serve another form of disciplinary action, Hawaii athletic director Herman Frazier said Wednesday.

On Thursday, Houston also announced it would discipline some players.

Athletic director Dave Maggard said the school will keep the nature of discipline and the number of players involved secret.

"While an extremely hostile environment both on the field and in the stands instigated the postgame incident, we cannot condone even a few of our players retaliating," Maggard said in a statement. "It should be noted that the University of Houston has not had a single incident of fighting during a game this season."

For several minutes, players swung helmets, wrestled with each other and threw punches and kicks before the fight was broken up by coaches, security personnel and police. No major injuries were reported.

Hadnot, lounging at a West Maui beach Thursday and watching fellow Kai players try surfing, said he's received a warm welcome so far.

"At the beginning of the season, I would never have thought I would be going to Hawaii twice," he said. "Both times I enjoyed myself. It was a great game the last time I was here. But the end of the game antics kind of put a shadow on the game."

Although, Samuseva and Hawaii receiver Jeremiah Cockheran are on the same team as Hadnot, there is a chance the 310-pound Cougar will go against a Warrior again.

There are two Hawaii players on the Aina (South) team - safety Hyrum Peters and defensive end Houston Ala.

Southern Miss in danger at 'home' in Green Bay

Coming off a rare home loss, Marquette is looking to win on the road, even though the team is really staying home.

Huh?

Though it's technically a road game, 21st-ranked Marquette remains in its home state Friday when Southern Mississippi visits the Resch Center in Green Bay, Wis., for a Conference USA matchup.

Marquette (11-3, 2-1) lost for just the second time in 40 home games Wednesday, falling 85-73 to No. 10 Cincinnati.

Star point guard Travis Diener committed five of the team's season-high 23 turnovers as Marquette succumbed to the unbeaten Bearcats' pressure defense.

``I take responsibility for that. I just didn't make the right decisions,'' said Diener, who missed seven of 11 shots despite finishing with 19 points and nine assists.

``That's on the point guard and that's on me,'' he said. ``I have to do a better job.''

Diener's job now is to get Marquette back on track against a team which shares its nickname, the Golden Eagles.

Before the season started, Southern Miss (8-6, 1-2) sold this scheduled home game for $100,000 so it would be played in Green Bay, a two-hour drive from the Bradley Center in Milwaukee, where Marquette plays its home games.

Two hours is all it takes for Southern Miss fans to get there — by plane.

Southern Miss coach James Green explained his program's reasoning for moving this home game to Green Bay upon the release of the schedule in September.

``We'll have a greater potential for television there, and the additional revenue will permit us to do some things that will be beneficial for our program, long-term,'' Green said.

The other factor taken into consideration was the school thought Green Bay Packers superstar quarterback Brett Favre, a Southern Mississippi alum, would attend the game. Favre, however, is not expected to show up.

Though listed as a home game for Green's team, it will really be a road contest. Southern Miss has lost 18 straight road games since winning at Saint Louis on Feb. 17, 2001.

Southern Miss' latest defeat came at Saint Louis, 56-55 on Tuesday. David Haywood missed what would have been a game-winning 3-pointer at the final buzzer.

Charles Gaines was held to nine points — seven below his team-leading average — and Clement Carter, who averages 10 points, was held scoreless.

Marquette won the last meeting with Southern Miss, during the 2001-02 season, and leads the series 5-3.

Basketball rules changes delayed

INDIANAPOLIS — Proposals to extend the 3-point arc and widen the free throw lane have been put on hold while the NCAA tries to determine what impact the changes would have on college basketball.

The changes were recommended by the men's and women's basketball rules committees but were turned down this week by the NCAA executive committee at the association's convention in Nashville, Tenn.

"The most important thing is that we make a decision that's in the best interest for the game of basketball," men's committee chairman and Rice coach Willis Wilson said.

"Coaches, obviously, have to have input into that," Wilson said. "The court markings pertaining to the lane have not changed in the last 50 years; players have changed tremendously in the last 50 years. So I think the rules committee will be very careful in terms of looking at what adjustments, if any, should be made."

Last year, the men's and women's rules committees approved a proposal to adopt international standards - a trapezoid lane and a 3-point line of 20 feet, 6 inches, nine inches beyond the current 3-point line.

In June, the rules committees backed off a plan that would have altered the lines this season, and delayed the changes to 2004-05. It also removed the change in the free throw lane from the proposal for women.

Both changes were tried in selected games early this season. The rules committee is surveying coaches and officials about the changes and seeking comments from those who participated in the experiment, said Marty Benson, the NCAA liaison to the men's rules committee. The committee will not be bound by the results of the survey.

The next committee meeting will be May 3-6 in Phoenix.

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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