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News Nuggets, 03.07.06
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Compiled from staff reports and electronic dispatches

Rouse earns C-USA distinction

East Carolina senior forward Corey Rouse has been named to the All-Conference USA second team as voted upon by the league's 12 head coaches and a panel of selected media voters.

Rouse becomes the first Pirate to earn all-conference honors since ECU joined the league in 2001-02.

The Kinston native led the conference in rebounding (10.6 rpg) and double-doubles (16), while he ranked among the top 10 in scoring, field goal percentage and blocks. Rouse also led the league in rebounding as a junior a year ago.

This season he joined some elite company, ranking among the league's all-time leaders in rebounds and double-doubles. He is one of 13 players in league history to record 27 double-doubles in his career and stands two rebounds shy of becoming the 13th player in conference annals to reach 700 rebounds in his career.

After leading No. 3 Memphis to its first-ever outright Conference USA title, senior Rodney Carney and sophomore Darius Washington Jr. were named to the 2006 C-USA First Team. The Tiger duo is joined on the first team by seniors Carldell "Squeaky" Johnson of UAB and John Tofi of Texas-El Paso and junior Morris Almond of Rice.

Carney finished the regular season ranked second in the conference in scoring at 17.0 ppg and sixth on the league's career scoring chart with 1,801 points. Despite playing with an injury most of the season, Washington Jr. averaged 13.9 points and 3.43 assists per game. It is the third consecutive year that a pair of teammates was named to the first team. Last season, Carney was named to the second team, and Washington Jr. was named to the third team.

Johnson earned the first all-conference recognition of his four-year career and is ranked in the Top 10 nationally for assists (6.37 per game) and steals (2.81). The Blazer senior and Washington Jr. are also both finalists for the Bob Cousy Award for the nation's top point guard. In their first seasons in C-USA, Tofi and league scoring leader (21.6 ppg.) Almond were named to the first team. Tofi was averaging 13.9 points and 9.2 rebounds per game when he suffered a career-ending ACL injury on Feb. 22.

Houston placed two players on the second team in senior Ramon Dyer and junior Oliver Lafayette. The Cougars are joined by UAB's Marvett McDonald and UTEP's Jason Williams along with Rouse.

Five different schools were represented on the all-conference third team. Houston junior Lanny Smith and Memphis freshman Shawne Williams received third team honors as the Cougars and Tigers had the most all-conference winners with three apiece. Southern Methodist senior guard Bryan Hopkins and senior post players Quincy Davis of Tulane and Mark Patton of Marshall were also named to the third team.

Spring drills: Depth chart two-plus weeks away

The East Carolina football team resumed spring practice Monday afternoon, conducting a two-hour workout at the Cliff Moore Practice Complex. The session was the Pirates' fourth overall and second in full pads.

While focusing on offensive and defensive fundamentals, ECU coach Skip Holtz and his staff continued the process of developing the spring's first official depth chart.

According to an ECU sports information release, the depth chart will be released after ECU's initial full intra-squad scrimmage, scheduled for Friday, March 24.

Holtz indicated that he would like to identify the Pirates' top two units after the first three weeks of work in order for selected personnel to take the majority of the repetitions during the last two weeks of drills, including the Purple-Gold Spring Game April 8.

"I thought we had another good day and I remain satisfied with the attitude of the team," Holtz said. "We're working hard and getting better, and really, that's all I can ask for at this point. We have a lot of guys who are extremely focused and that usually leads to positive results."

After an off-day Tuesday, the Pirates will return to work Wednesday beginning at 4:00 p.m. before closing the week with another session Thursday.

Marshall, Rice players share hitting honors

Marshall earned its first C-USA baseball honor as Thundering Herd infielder Brendan Murphy was been named co-Hitter of the Week after his big weekend against Buffalo. He shares the honor with Rice's Josh Rodriguez, whose clutch-hitting led to two victories over No. 7 Cal State Fullerton.

Pitching honors went to Houston's Brad Lincoln, who shut down No.8 LSU in Baton Rouge.

Murphy, a junior from Chattanooga, TN, hit .462 with 1.308 slugging percentage and .588 on base percentage as the Herd won three-of-four from Buffalo. He homered in three of the games and had at least two RBI's in each, finishing with 12 RBI's.

Rodriguez, a junior from Houston, hit .400 for the week with an .800 slugging percentage while driving in five runs and scoring five times. He hit walk-off solo home run in the 10th inning for a 3-2 victory over No. 7 Cal State Fullerton on Friday night and less than 24 hours later clubbed a bases-loaded double in the bottom of the 8th to break a 2-2 deadlock on the way to a 6-2 win over the Titans.

Lincoln, a junior from Clute, TX, won his second straight start in the series opener at No. 8 LSU last Friday night. He did not allow a hit until the fourth inning, surrendered just four on the evening and gave up just two runs while striking out seven and walking only one.

C-USA Scoreboard & Tournament 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 other sources. Copyright 2006 Bonesville.net and other publishers. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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