News and Notes from East Carolina, Conference USA and Beyond

PREVIOUS NUGGETS

05.05.06: Lowe and behold, Pack fills its vacancy ... Horns, Sooners extend deal with Cotton Bowl ... Mascot lands 7th-seeded Illini on the road

05.04.06: ECU's Harrell snares another C-USA award ... 'Bama okays hefty new contract for Shula ... Downey heading from Bearcats to Gamecocks

05.03.06: ECU's Chris Moore signs deal with Saints ... NCSU represented on World Cup team ... Politics: Shuler projected to face Rep. Taylor

05.02.06: ECU's Baker inks free agent pact with Steelers ... ECU women golfers headed for East regional ... UAB's Hackney signs with Browns

05.01.06: Giants take ECU's Whimper in fourth round ... Memphis back Williams selected by Panthers ... More names popping up in N.C. State search

04.30.06: C-USA affiliates with new Birmingham Bowl ... UNCW, new coach Moss get contract done ... Three NCSU D-linemen are first round picks

04.29.06: NCSU's Williams to go No. 1 in NFL draft ... Duke point guard's brother commits to Heels ... Blue Devils get a lacrosse victory

04.28.06: Pirates add juco guard to recruiting class ...
C-USA players contend for Howser Award ... ECU-Tulane Sunday game time changed

04.27.06: Larranaga gets contract extension at GMU ... Breakfast of Champions to honor Hunt, Reale ... SMU captures Conference USA men's golf

04.26.06: Stanford hires Iowa AD ... Houston, Memphis tied in C-USA golf ... Another Huskie headed for NBA

04.25.06: Matt Doherty takes Mustangs' reins ... ECU's Henderson cops C-USA hitting honor ... Texas' Tucker exploring NBA option

04.24.06: Lavin reportedly offered NCSU post ... Pirates perform well in rain-shortened meet ... Southern Miss hosting C-USA men's golf

04.23.06: C-USA relief aces up for Stopper of the Year ... Mother Nature leaves Wolfpack, Heels hanging ... Freshman quarterback shines for Gators ... UCLA duo considering NBA

04.22.06: Apparent West Virginia spy nabbed at Marshall ... Veteran guard plans to leave Georgia Tech ... ECU's tennis seasons end

04.21.06: UNCW coaching search gathers Moss ... ECU women advance in C-USA tennis ... NCAA examining prep diploma mills

04.20.06: Deacs to install FieldTurf at Groves Stadium ... Zags' Morrison headed to NBA ... Walberg to guide Pepperdine hoops program

04.19.06: Krog leads Pirates to C-USA women's golf title ... UConn sophomore opts for NBA ... Another UConn cager eyes different pro route

04.18.06: Two Duke lacrosse players reportedly indicted ... ECU leads C-USA women's golf ... Tar Heels ranked No. 1 by Collegiate Baseball

04.17.06: Pirate track team has success in Knoxville ... ECU's Salisbury wins women's javelin ... FSU's Johnson will examine NBA option

04.16.06: Houston Bowl payouts not yet fulfilled ... Simmons looking at NBA draft status ... More apparent rejections for Wolfpack

04.15.06: Calipari signs new contract with Tigers ... UAB's Davis selects staff ... NBA D- League lowers minimum age

04.14.06: Dooley withdraws from consideration at UNCW ... Redick wins Sullivan Award ... Young's death now believed accidental

04.13.06: Sooners name Capel cage coach ... Bradshaw gives back to alma mater ... Little Leaguers to have their day at ECU ... New Buckeyes threads fuel backlash

04.12.06: Calipari reportedly remaining at Memphis ... U of M grants raise, contract extension to West ... 'Bama booster killed, son in custody

04.11.06: ECU's Smith is Johnny Bench Award candidate ... Calipari visits Wolfpack ... Barnes stays but Texas star headed to NBA ... Temple names in-town successor to Chaney

04.10.06: Memphis AD focusing on keeping Calipari ... Frasure leads Pirates at Clemson ... Hodge recovering from gunshot wounds

04.09.06: Holtz laments spring game deficiencies ... Camels announce return to the gridiron ... Gonzalez to lead Pirates basketball ... The Citadel selects Conroy

04.08.06: Purple-Gold stage is set ... Davis returns to native state as UAB coach ... Army women's basketball coach dies at age 28

04.07.06: 1070 airing Purple-Gold Game programming ... SMU dismisses Tubbs ... Tulane hoops star invited to Portsmouth event ... Colorado College becomes C-USA women's soccer affiliate

04.06.06: Pirates hold final session before Purple-Gold ... Pressler resigns as Duke lacrosse coach ... Division I athletes face summer drug tests

04.05.06: Thirteen C-USA alums in big leagues ... UAB interviews Davis ... Rondo departs Kentucky

04.04.06: ECU hurler Taylor earns league's weekly honor ... Pirates prepare for Purple- Gold Game ... Wooden watches final from hospital

04.03.06: Bruins go for record 12th NCAA hoops title ... Throng watches Texas spring game ... Pirates make strong showing in Florida

04.02.06: Sendek may become a Sun Devil ... Brownell departs UNCW for Wright State ... San Diego State star opts for NBA

04.01.06: J.P., ECU air game in high gear ... Jury awards no dough in suit against Petrino ... Redick reaps AP player of the year honor ... Lightning strikes Tigers twice

No changes to the playing court were recommended and few other proposals were passed during the meetings of the Men’s and Women’s Basketball Rules Committees May 2-5 in Savannah, GA, according to a release at ncaa.org.

The Men’s Basketball Rules Committee, which experimented with extending the three-point line to 20 feet, 9 inches, a widened lane and a restricted-area arc during the 2005-06 season, will not collect data on the lane-change possibilities this year.

Experimentation in the last few years has indicated that moving the three-point line to 20 feet, 6 inches, the same distance that is used internationally, or 20 feet, 9 inches, which is the distance used in experiments last fall, would make little to no difference in the shooting percentages as compared to the line at 19 feet, 9 inches. Similarly, the data has demonstrated that the widened lane would not change the balance of rebounding after a missed free throw but must be further reviewed as to its impact on the game.

Both committees agreed to forward a recommendation to eliminate an airborne player’s ability to call timeout when momentum is carrying the player either out-of-bounds or into the backcourt.

This and all rules proposals are not final until reviewed and approved by the Playing Rules Oversight Panel. The panel, which is made of 12 administrators from all three divisions across the country, will meet via conference call May 30 to consider these proposals.

The Newark Star-Ledger has reported that St. Benedict's Prep (Newark, NJ) senior power forward Lance Thomas chose Duke over Rutgers on Thursday. The 6-foot-8, 210-pounder is rated the nation's No. 20 boys basketball recruit in the Class of 2006 by SchoolSports.com.

Thomas, who was a McDonald's All-American, averaged 14.1 points and 6.5 boards and shot 54 percent from the field this past year. He led St. Benedict's Prep to a school-record 30 wins and its fourth Prep A state title in the last five years.

The Rocky Mountain News of Denver has reported that Colorado basketball coach Ricardo Patton has been informed his contract will not be extended, citing a source close to the program.

Patton, the Buffaloes' coach since taking over on an interim basis midway through the 1995-96 season, has only next season remaining on a contract that pays him upwards of $750,000 annually. He was most recently extended in September 2004.

The pact expires June 30, 2007, leaving CU's embattled program facing uncertainty during and after an upcoming season that already was earmarked for rebuilding in the wake of 10 seniors departing, promising freshman Calvin Williams transferring and junior-to-be Richard Roby potentially moving on to the NBA.

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