Sunday, September 12, 1999
COLLEGE BASKETBALL INSIDER
C-USA could grow membership to 15
BY MIKE DeCOURCY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Those who were concerned about the growth of Conference USA to a 14-team basketball league need not worry about that any longer.
Now, they'll have to concern themselves with the possibility of a 15-team league.
It turns out the expansion question not only involves TCU and SMU, but also a full membership for current football-only member East Carolina. South Florida, which plays all C-USA sports except football, is asking to compete in that sport beginning in 2001.
Commissioner Mike Slive has spent the past two weeks investigating what expansion might bring to the league, negotiating with TCU and SMU about leaving the Western Athletic Conference and talking with league members about the issue. He will have a full meeting with SMU Monday and is supposed to present his findings to league presidents sometime this week.
What once appeared to be a slam dunk for expansion now is in some trouble. There is considerable opposition among six schools — UNC Charlotte, Marquette, DePaul, Louisville, Saint Louis and Southern Mississippi —
enough to vote it down. There are several matters, though, that may govern how the voting is done:
• Will the university presidents follow the advice of the athletic administrators on their campuses? Or will they bow to peer pressure?
• Will East Carolina and South Florida be permitted to participate in the vote, basically electing themselves as full members?
• Will the entry fee requirements be too steep? It's possible TCU and SMU will be charged $1 million each to become members and be asked to forego a share of specific league revenues for the immediate future.
Those opposed to expansion believe there is no sound economic reason to grow the league but perceive plenty of logistical reasons not to.
PRINCE OF A PROSPECT: One of the rising stars on the recruiting circuit is 6-foot-7 Princeton High forward Eric Daniels, who began the summer on a lot of mid-major wish lists but has played himself into consideration for a big-time scholarship.
Marquette will visit Daniels later this month, and Tulane and Dayton also have a strong interest. Temple may want a look. At least four Mid-American Conference schools still hope to land Daniels: Miami, Bowling Green, Eastern Michigan and Toledo. Xavier considered Daniels but believes it is set at his position.
Daniels weighs only 175 and needs strength to compete in Division I, but he handles the ball well enough to play any perimeter position, has a knack for getting to the ball and has three-point range.
ETC.: As usual, Athlon Publications got the first preseason magazine to the newsstands. It does not rank teams by number but has Michigan State winning the NCAA championship game over Temple.
Sports Stories
REDS 12, MARLINS 4
Reds could win 95, miss playoffs
Pick one: Reds or Bengals?
Box, runs
REDS NOTEBOOK
Rotation key in recent stretch of wins
Astros 5, Cubs 3
Mets 6, Dodgers 2
Reds move into post-Schott era
Trio has reputation for low profiles, high profits
Buying Reds matter of dollars and sentiments
Coleman gently pried Schott's fingers off team
Stakes high, expectations low
Bengals' opener will color season
Pickens set to go back to work
Who has the edge?
By the numbers
TROY STATE 31, UC 24
Game statistics
UC NOTEBOOK
NEXT: WISCONSIN (2-0)
