News and Notes from East Carolina, Conference USA and Beyond

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05.11.05: Pair with N.C. ties no longer on Bearcats hoops team ... Clarke leaving Billikens basketball program ... Tulane gears up to host post-season baseball ... More...

05.10.05: Basketball player dies in hometown pickup game ... 5 UConn football players charged in shooting ... Baseball America and Collegiate Polls ... More...

05.09.05: C-USA baseball standings, scores & schedule ... Delaware strength coach moving to Tulane ... More...

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05.07.05: Dissenters simmer over Marquette name change ... Sugar Bowl serves as Sugar Daddy for Big Easy ... More...

05.06.05: Air Force coach succeeds Wainwright at Richmond ... Marquette dodges Warriors in changing name ... More...

05.05.05: CAA raids A-10 to launch 12-team football league ... Black Bears football program to join Colonial ... More...

05.04.05: Charlotte center Iti bolting after sophomore season ... New bowl has sponsor, draws C-USA support ... Report: ACC strikes silent deal to settle case ... More...

05.03.05: Raleigh sports talk station adds Durham signal ... Baseball America and Collegiate Baseball Polls ... More...

05.02.05: C-USA baseball standings, scores & schedule ... 12 C-USA, Carolina players make Howser list ... More...

05.01.05: Burke switch from ECU helps Crean seal Top 10 class ... 22-inning marathon sets new NAIA mark ... More...

Cincinnati has signed point guard Domonic Tilford of Jeffersontown High School in Louisville to a National Letter of Intent, Bearcats coach Bob Huggins announced earlier this week.

Tilford, who becomes the seventh member of Cincinnati's 2005-06 recruiting class, was most recently named Mr. Basketball in the state of Kentucky.

The 5-11, 160-pounder was a first team All-State selection following his senior season after averaging 20.6 points, 4.1 assists and 3.2 rebounds while leading Jeffersontown High School to a 29-5 record and a berth in the regional finals.

Tilford, who was also named the Louisville Courier Journal and Kentucky's Associated Press Player of the Year, shot 45 percent from the field and 85 percent from the free throw line.

“Domonic is a very talented player who can do a lot of things,” Huggins said in a statement. “He plays with a lot of energy and will be an integral part of our up and coming young backcourt here at Cincinnati.”

Only the 18th player in Louisville high school basketball history to top the 2,000-point mark, Tilford will compete this summer in the Kentucky-Indiana High School All-Star games.

Tilford is the third spring signee for the Bearcats, joining Ivan Johnson (6-8, F, San Antonio, TX) and DeAndre Coleman (6-6, F, Stone Mountain, GA).

Cincinnati signed four players during the fall signing period: Devan Downey (5-10, G, Chester, SC), Tyree Evans (6-3, G, Richmond, VA), Abdul Herrera (6-10, C, Miami, FL), and junior college transfer Cedric McGowan (6-7, F, Miami, FK) from Kilgore College in Texas.

LOUISVILLE — Western Kentucky basketball player Danny Rumph died because of a heart condition, the school said Wednesday.

The 21-year-old junior guard had cardiomyopathy, a condition that causes cardiac arrhythmia and sudden death.

Funeral services were scheduled for May 16 in Philadelphia. Arrangements were being made for a memorial service in Bowling Green.

The 6-foot-2 Rumph started 29 of 31 games last season, averaging nine points and three assists.

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.