Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!americast-post Newsgroups: americast.twt.sports From: americast-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: americast-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: New season, Midnight Madness bring new hope to George Mason Date: Mon, 2 Nov 92 15:45:13 EST Message-ID: \SE C;SPORTS;COLLEGE NOTES \SS (WS) \HD New season, Midnight Madness bring new hope to George Mason \BY FROM COMBINED DISPATCHES When the NCAA decided to move back the start of preseason basketball practice from Oct. 15 to Nov. 1 this season, George Mason decided to adopt a Halloween theme for its annual "Midnight Madness" celebration. While many of the roughly 3,000 fans wore some sort of costume, none could top last season's George Mason team for pure scariness. Decimated by injuries on the court and lack of chemistry off the floor, the Patriots lost seven straight to end last season at 7-21. It was the worst record by a Mason team in 13 seasons. The Patriots' 3-11 mark against the rest of the Colonial Athletic Association was the team's first losing record in conference play since 1982; the last-place finish was the first in school history. Predictably, there were as many new faces as familiar ones on hand when the players took the floor for a 20-minute intrasquad scrimmage at one minute past midnight. Five of the 14 players weren't with the team at all last season. Two others - sophomore forwards Mark McGlone and Jemel Buck - were redshirts in 1991-92. A third, senior guard Derek Shackelford, played in only 14 games before going down with a mysterious viral ailment that caused him to lose 25 pounds and left him with recurring dizzy spells and disorientation. "It's almost like a whole new group of kids we have here," coach Ernie Nestor said. "In some respects were a much more talented team. But our most talented players are also our most least experienced people, as well." Leading the class of newcomers is 6-foot-1 freshman guard Troy Manns, who led Patrick Henry High School of Roanoke to a 27-1 record and the Virginia Group AAA state championship last season. Joining Manns in the freshman class are 6-4 guard Richie Vetere from Christ the King High School in New York City; and forwards Kenwan Alford (6-6, Hopkins, S.C.), Khyl Horton (6-6, Erie, Pa.) and Camerron Taylor (6-6, Trenton, N.J.). COAST-TO-COAST MADNESS Kentucky fans waited in long lines for tickets to "Midnight Madness," the Wildcats' annual celebration held on the first night of basketball practice. At least as many fans as got in - about 8,000 - as were turned away early yesterday morning from Memorial Coliseum. One hundred of the 298 Division I schools scheduled some form of Midnight Madness. The originator of the idea, Lefty Driesell when he was at Maryland, had a Midnight Madness session at James Madison, where he now works. Former N.C. State coach Jim Valvano, who has been battling cancer for five months, returned to the sidelines early yesterday morning as an honorary coach for a midnight intrasquad scrimmage for UNLV's Runnin' Rebels. A line of at least 5,000 Kentucky Wildcat fans stretched from the Coliseum doors into the rainy, 40-degree weather. Most fans waited in line for at least five hours. Kansas State opened its practice with players entering Bramlage Coliseum dressed in black robes and hoods and carrying tombstones inscribed with the names of their intended victims this season. HUSKIES RECLAIM NO. 1 Washington's impressive 41-7 victory over nationally ranked Stanford lifted the Huskies back to No. 1 in the new Associated Press college football poll. The Huskies, who trailed Miami by one point last week, moved six points ahead of the Hurricanes after beating then-No. 15 Stanford. Miami easily beat unranked West Virginia 35-23 Saturday, but three late touchdowns against the Hurricanes may have cost them the No. 1 ranking in the media poll. Washington topped Miami 33 1/2 to 27 1/2 in first-place votes and 1,520 1/2 to 1,514 1/2 points. BC STILL MAKING CONVERTS BOSTON - Boston College breezed through the first phase of its schedule with four easy wins. The Eagles stumbled only slightly in phase two, tying West Virginia while winning three more games. Now comes the tough part - games against Notre Dame and Syracuse and then, after what should be a respite at Army, its first bowl game since 1986. "We've completed the second phase of our season now," coach Tom Coughlin said after his Eagles (7-0-1) defeated Temple 45-6 on Saturday to move up two notches to ninth in the national rankings to No. 9. "We're in position to be in position now." This article is copyright 1992 The Washington Times. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM