VIEW THE MOBILE ALPHA VERSION OF THIS SITE

News Nuggets, 10.21.05
 —  —  —  —  —
NOTES FROM ECU AND BEYOND...

Previous Day Nuggets...             Next Day Nuggets...

Compiled from staff reports and electronic dispatches

ECU injury report a mixed bag for U of M game

East Carolina will be dealing with question marks at a few positions when it tries to extend its winning streak to three games at Memphis on Saturday.

 • Junior wide receiver Robert Tillman's status from a hamstring ailment sustained at Southern Methodist last Saturday has been upgraded from questionable to probable for the Conference USA game at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium with the Tigers.

 • Offensive lineman Trey Magee is expected to be out with a knee injury he incurred in practice last week.

 • Freshman linebacker Jarrett Wiggins is questionable with a left shoulder problem.

 • An MRI taken by defensive lineman Marcus Hands for a shoulder is not expected to affect his status. He practiced on Wednesday.

ECU (3-3, 2-1 C-USA) is in a four-way tie for first place in C-USA's East Division after capturing back-to-back wins over Rice and SMU. Memphis (3-3, 2-2) can pull ahead of the Pirates in the league race with a victory.

From Bonesville.net staff and ECU Athletics reports.

NCAA tinkers with experimental basketball rules

INDIANAPOLIS — The NCAA said Thursday that it will continue to study new dimensions for the 3-point line, a wider lane and a restricted-area arc during certified tournaments such as the Maui Invitational.

In men's basketball, the lane would be widened by a foot rather than the 1 1/2 feet used last season. The arc will be drawn 3 feet from the center of the basket, a foot farther than last season, and the 3-point line will be 20 feet, 9 inches — a foot longer than the current 3-point line.

The experimental rules could help determine whether permanent rules changes will be implemented in future seasons.

``We need to make sure we've done all of our homework before we make any significant changes,'' said Larry Keating, chairman of the men's rules committee. ``It is not a decision we're taking lightly.''

Women's teams will experiment with a longer 3-point line, drawn at 20 feet, 6 inches, for the first time, and the 10-second violation to get the ball across half court. There currently is no 10-second line in women's basketball.

``We believe our players are more than capable of utilizing the 3-point line nine inches further from the basket,'' said Ronda Seagraves, chairwoman of the women's rules committee. ``We need to decide if this is good for our game or not.''

The NCAA asks institutions using experimental rules to track 3-point percentages, three-second violations, rebounds from free-throw attempts by lane space, and fouls following free-throw attempts.

The data from last season, according to the NCAA, showed lengthening the 3-point line did not create a significant difference in the number of 3-point shots made, attempted, or in the shooting percentage.

The percentage of offense and defensive rebounds also was consistent with random samples from regular-season games, and there was no significant change in three-second violations or fouls after free throws.

C-USA Football Standings, Scores & Schedule

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.

Page Updated: 02/23/2007 12:29 PM