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News Nuggets, 01.22.04
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Compiled from staff reports and electronic dispatches

2003 was good year at ticket office for C-USA football

Conference USA's football-playing schools increased their collective home game attendance average by more than 10 percent in the 2003 season.

Eight of the league's 11 members had more fans in the seats compared to the previous season. The spinning of the turnstiles was led by a resurgent Memphis program, which boosted its home attendance by more than 10,000 per game.

East Carolina, with a home schedule that included visits by prominent non-league foes North Carolina and West Virginia, upped its attendance by more than 3,300 per game despite a 1-11 record.

Other schools with increases at the gate were Texas Christian, Houston, UAB, South Florida, Southern Mississippi and Louisville, while Army, Tulane and Cincinnati saw lower attendance figures.

Following are the team-by-team summaries:

School          2003 Avg. 2002 Avg. Inc./Dec.
Memphis          40,662    29,257   + 11,405
Texas Christian  36,155    27,813   + 8,342
Houston          21,807    14,986   + 6,821
UAB              22,704    16,447   + 6,257
South Florida    30,512    26,403   + 4,109
East Carolina    33,012    29,629   + 3,383
Southern Miss    28,641    26,961   + 1,684
Louisville       36,771    36,743   +    28
Army             30,794    32,606   - 1,812
Tulane           25,635    27,901   - 2,266
Cincinnati       21,827    28,071   - 6,244

C-USA Averages   29,870    26,984   + 2,886

UNC-CH brings in former Nebraska assistant

Former Nebraska defensive backs coach Marvin Sanders was hired by North Carolina as co-defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach.

Sanders was one of seven assistants fired earlier this month by new Nebraska coach Bill Callahan.

"Marvin Sanders has proven to be one of the best college secondary coaches in the country over the past few years," Tar Heels coach John Bunting said in a statement Wednesday. "He comes from a great program at Nebraska and in just one year with the Huskers, he developed one of the best defensive backfields in college football."

The Cornhuskers led the nation with 32 interceptions last season. The 36-year-old Sanders has also coached defense at Colorado State and New Mexico State.

Sanders will share the defensive coordinator duties with former Minnesota coach John Gutekunst, who was hired by the Tar Heels earlier this month.

Diener on rebound after neck injury

Travis Diener's neck injury isn't serious and the Marquette guard might be able to play Saturday against DePaul. He is listed as day-to-day and it's unclear when he'll return to practice.

"All things considered, and having had a chance to see on tape the forceful nature of the collision, we are extremely thankful that Travis is going to be OK," coach Tom Crean said Wednesday.

Diener was re-examined Wednesday by Marquette's sports medical staff after returning from Charlotte, N.C. He was taken off the court on a stretcher during an 84-76 loss to Charlotte on Tuesday night.

The junior was injured when Charlotte's Calvin Clemmons went for a fake and came down hard on top of Diener on the left wing with 13:03 left. Diener's neck appeared to snap back before he fell hard to the floor.

Diener is averaging more than 17 points and six assists this season. He has played in all 82 games since arriving at Marquette in 2001.

Cards make Cincy's first loss a doozie

LOUISVILLE — Taquan Dean, showing no ill effects of an injured groin, had 21 points and seven rebounds to lead No. 5 Louisville to a 93-66 victory over previously unbeaten and sixth-ranked Cincinnati on Wednesday night.

"When I lifted my leg this morning, I couldn't even run," said Dean, who went 7-of-14 from the field, including 5-of-10 from 3-point range. "I wouldn't miss this game with one leg. I stuck it out. My leg was throbbing."

Dean was in severe pain earlier in the day and Louisville coach Rick Pitino had considered sitting him out.

Francisco Garcia added 19 points and seven assists and Luke Whitehead had 18 points and eight rebounds as the Cardinals (14-1, 5-0 Conference USA) beat the Bearcats for the fourth time in the last six meetings.

Louisville's victory margin matched the worst in Cincinnati coach Bob Huggins' 15 seasons there. The Bearcats lost to North Carolina 90-63 in 1993.

"I don't ever want to get beat like this again," Huggins said. "I'm embarrassed. I'd like to send a couple of our guys down here for a couple of days and let Rick have them. That would open their eyes."

The Cardinals went 29-of-42 from the free throw line, while Cincinnati was 12-of-26, and U of L outrebounded Cincinnati 42-38 while generating 19 points off the Bearcats' season-high 19 turnovers.

Louisville lost the rebound battle in three of its first five games, but has outrebounded its last 10 opponents.

"I knew, if we were going to be a great team, we were going to have to play great defense and rebound the ball better," Pitino said. "We've become a pretty good team."

Jason Maxiell scored 14 points to lead Cincinnati (13-1, 4-1), one of three undefeated teams in Division I coming into the game.

The Bearcats scored only 26 points in the second half.

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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