Local News & Sports
LOCAL AND STATE NEWS 01-06
TODAY IS THE DEADLINE FOR TURNING IN NOMINATION PAPERS TO APPEAR ON THE BALLOT FOR THE UPCOMING PRIMARY ELECTION. SO FAR IN MANITOWOC’S MAYORAL RACE, FIVE CANDIDATES HAVE TURNED IN THEIR PAPERS WITH THE REQUIRED 200 SIGNATURES…ENSURING THEY’LL BE ON THE BALLOT FOR THE PRIMARY, WHICH WILL BE HLED ON FEBRUARY 17TH. ALDERMAN JIM BREY FILED HIS PAPERS THIS PAST FRIDAY…AND YESTERDAY, FELLOW ALDERMAN DAVE SOELDNER (SELDNER) AND BUSINESSMAN BOB KNOX FILED THEIR PAPERS. THEY ARE NOW OFFICIALLY IN THE RACE ALONG WITH MANITOWOC COUNTY CLERK JAMIE AULIC AND ALDERMAN JUSTIN NICKELS. MEANWHILE, BUSINESSMAN TIM NEWBERG HAS YET TO FILE HIS PAPERS …AND YESTERDAY, NURSING ASSISTANT KAY NEUSER KONECNY (KO-NETCH-KEY), ANNOUNCED THAT SHE WOULD NOT BE RUNNING, CITING MEDICAL AND FAMILY ISSUES AS THE REASONS. IT WAS ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO WHEN MAYOR KEVIN CRAWFORD ANNOUNCED HE WOULD NOT BE RUNNING FOR RE-ELECTION…BRINGING TO AN END…HIS 20- YEAR CAREER AS MANITOWOC MAYOR.
ANOTHER STEP IS MADE LAST NIGHT TOWARD THE BUILDING OF THE MANITOWOC FAMILY AQUATIC CENTER. THE FINANCE COMMITTEE MET AND DECIDED IT WOULD BE BEST TO USE A DIRECT PURCHASING PLAN, IN BUYING 40 ITEMS OF EQUIPMENT. UNDER THIS PLAN, THOSE ITEMS WILL BE PURCHASED DIRECTLY FROM MANUFACTURERS…AND WILL ALLOW THE CITY OF MANITOWOC TO AVOID PAYING WISCONSIN'S FIVE PERCENT SALES TAX. THE ITEMS INCLUDED IN THIS BUYING PLAN, RANGE FROM CONCRETE TO WINDOWS TO SLIDES, AND ACCORDING TO THE PROJECT MANAGEMENT TEAM …THIS SAME PLAN WAS USED WHEN CITY HALL WAS BUILT. CITY FUNDING FOR THE FACILITY WAS APPROVED BACK IN JULY. THE DEADLINE TO PETITION BORROWING WAS THIS PAST FRIDAY. OFFICALS NOW SAY PLANS ARE 95 PERCENT COMPLETE. A GROUNDBREAKING IS EXPECTED IN MARCH, AND THE BUILDING SHOULD BE COMPLETE THIS YEAR. THE AQUATIC CENTER IS EXPECTED TO OPEN IN SUMMER 2010.
THE ATTORNEY FOR STEVEN AVERY…SAYS SHE NEEDS MORE TIME TO APPEAL HER CLIENT’S 2007 HOMICIDE CONVICTION. YESTERDAY WAS THE APPEAL DEADLINE…BUT MADISON ATTORNEY SUZANNE HAGOPIAN, SAID SHE WASN’T READY YET AND MADE A REQUEST FOR MORE TIME. HAGOPIAN’S REQUEST HASN’T BEEN GRANTED…BUT SHE SAID YESTERDAY…THAT SHE IS EXPECTING TO HEAR AN ANSWER SOON. AVERY AND HIS TEENAGE NEPHEW BRENDAN DASSEY, WERE BOTH CONVICTED ON FIRST DEGREE INTENTIONAL HOMICIDE FOR THE HALLOWEEN 2005 MURDER OF FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER, 25-YEAR-OLD TERESA HALBACH AT THE AVERY’S AUTO SALVAGE YARD NEAR MISHICOT. BOTH WERE SENTENCED TO LIFE IN PRISON…WITH AVERY HAVING NO CHANCE AT PAROLE.
A MISHICOT TEEN WAS IN MANITOWOC COUNTY COURT YESTERDAY …AND IS DUE BACK LATER THIS MONTH TO FACE RAPE CHARGES. 17-YEAR-OLD MATTHEW PEROUTKA IS ACCUSED OF SEXUALLY ASSAULTING A 17-YEAR-OLD GIRL IN HIS CAR LATE LAST YEAR, SHORTLY AFTER THE TWO HAD LEFT A NEARBY BAR IN MANITOWOC. SHORTLY AFTER THE ALLEGED INCIDENT, THE GIRL TOLD THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT THAT SHE AND PEROUTKA HAD NON-CONSENSUAL SEXUAL CONTACT. ACCORDING TO THE CRIMINAL COMPLAINT…PEROUTKA INITIALLY DENIED THE ALLEGATION, BUT LATER TOLD INVESTIGATORS THAT THE ASSAULT HAD IN FACT OCCURRED…AND THAT IT WAS FORCED. PEROUTKA IS SCHEDULED TO APPEAR FOR A PRELIMINARY HEARING ON JANUARY 22ND.
THE WISCONSIN SENATE’S MAJORITY LEADER SAYS THE STATE SHOULD HAVE ITS OWN ECONOMIC STIMULUS PACKAGE. DEMOCRAT RUSS DECKER MADE THAT COMMENT YESTERDAY, AS LAWMAKERS OPENED THEIR NEW TWO-YEAR SESSION. DECKER SAYS A STATE STIMULUS PACKAGE WOULD USE WISCONSIN’S SHARE OF FEDERAL FUNDS AIMED AT PUTTING PEOPLE TO WORK BY BUILDING ROADS, BRIDGES, AND OTHER INFRA-STRUCTURE. DECKER ALSO SAID LAWMAKERS COULD GET MILLIONS MORE, BY STOPPING COMPANIES FROM SHELTERING THEIR WISCONSIN INCOME IN OUT-OF-STATE SUBSIDIARIES WHERE THEY PAY LITTLE-OR-NO INCOME TAXES. DEMOCRATIC GOVERNOR JIM DOYLE HAS OPPOSED THAT MEASURE, FEARING IT MIGHT CAUSE FIRMS TO CUT JOBS OR LEAVE THE STATE IN A TIME OF RECESSION. IN ANY EVENT, DECKER SAYS A STATE STIMULUS PACKAGE WOULD QUOTE, “LET WISCONSIN COMPANIES HIRE WISCONSIN WORKERS AT FAMILY-SUPPORTING JOBS.” THE DETAILS ARE STILL BEING WORKED OUT. ASSEMBLY DEMOCRAT MARK POCAN OF MADISON SAYS THE STIMULUS PACKAGE COULD ALSO
REDUCE THE STATE’S FIVE-POINT-FOUR-BILLION DOLLAR DEFICIT IN THE NEXT BUDGET. THE GOVERNOR WILL UNVEIL HIS BUDGET PROPOSAL ON FEBRUARY 10TH. AND NEW DEMOCRATIC ASSEMBLY SPEAKER MIKE SHERIDAN VOWED TO WORK TOGETHER WITH REPUBLICANS TO REPAIR THE BUDGET AND CREATE NEW JOBS.
GOVERNOR JIM DOYLE MIGHT CHANGE HIS MIND ABOUT LETTING THE HEAD OF THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES BE APPOINTED BY THE AGENCY’S OWN BOARD. FORMER G-O-P GOVERNOR TOMMY THOMPSON TOOK OVER THAT POWER IN 1995. AND SOME DEMOCRATS HAVE TRIED EVER SINCE TO GIVE IT BACK TO THE D-N-R BOARD, SAYING POLITICS SHOULD HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH WILDLIFE REGULATION. DOYLE HAS LONG AGREED, AND HAS SAID HE WOULD SIGN THE CHANGE IF IT EVER GOT TO HIS DESK. BUT YESTERDAY, DOYLE SPOKESMAN LEE SENSENBRENNER TOLD THE MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL QUOTE, “WE HAVE TO RE-EVALUATE AND RE-THINK, REALLY CAREFULLY, ABOUT DECREASING THE AUTHORITY OF THE GOVERNOR.” THAT COMMENT SURPRISED FORMER D-N-R SECRETARY GEORGE MEYER, WHO NOW HEADS THE WISCONSIN WILDLIFE FEDERATION. HE SAID DOYLE AGREED AS RECENTLY AS A MONTH AGO TO LET THE D-N-R BOARD APPROVE ITS OWN SECRETARY – AS LONG AS LAWMAKERS PROMISE TO ACT FASTER ON THE GOVERNOR’S OTHER APPOINTMENTS, AND THAT THE CHANGE DOESN’T COME UNTIL 2011, AFTER HIS CURRENT TERM. THE STATE’S LARGEST BUSINESS GROUP HAS LONG OPPOSED THE CHANGE. SCOTT MANLEY SAYS THE D-N-R MAKES MAJOR ENVIRONMENTAL DECISIONS – AND THE AGENCY IS MORE ACCOUNTABLE WHEN THE GOVERNOR APPOINTS THE LEADER. MEYER SAYS THE BUSINESS LOBBY HAS A BETTER CHANCE OF INFLUENCING ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS WHEN THE GOVERNOR DOES THE APPOINTING – A COMMENT MANLEY CALLS CYNICAL.
AUTHORITIES IDENTIFIED TWO MORE VICTIMS OF WISCONSIN SNOWMOBILE ACCIDENTS YESTERDAY. 38-YEAR-OLD CHRISTOPHER HANIFL OF SAINT CHARLES ILLINOIS WAS KILLED SATURDAY, WHEN HIS MACHINE LEFT A TRAIL AND STRUCK A TREE IN MONROE COUNTY. AND IN PRICE COUNTY, 65-YEAR-OLD DANNY KOLNIK OF PHILLIPS DIED ON SATURDAY, AFTER HIS SNOWMOBILE COLLIDED WITH ANOTHER ON A HILLCREST. SEVEN PEOPLE HAVE NOW DIED IN WISCONSIN SNOWMOBILE CRASHES SINCE THE START OF THE NEW YEAR. AND 13 HAVE BEEN KILLED SO FAR THIS SEASON – MORE THAN HALF OF LAST WINTER’S TOLL OF 25. A MEMORIAL SERVICE WILL BE HELD SATURDAY FOR A RACINE COUNTY COUPLE KILLED IN A VILAS COUNTY CRASH. NATHAN AND JENNIFER KENDER, BOTH 26 FROM CALEDONIA, WERE IN A MACHINE THAT COLLIDED NEARLY HEAD-ON WITH A SNOWMOBILE DRIVEN BY 39-YEAR-OLD SCOTT SUMOSKI OF SOUTH ELGIN ILLINOIS. HE DIED AS WELL. ALSO, FUNERALS WILL BE HELD THE NEXT TWO DAYS FOR A PAIR OF U-W STOUT STUDENTS KILLED IN A NEW YEAR’S DAY CRASH IN DOUGLAS COUNTY. 21-YEAR-OLD CAITLIN HIGGINS OF LITTLE CANADA MINNESOTA WILL BE BURIED TODAY IN SAINT PAUL. 20-YEAR-OLD MARTY PLATEK, A DEFENSIVE BACK ON THE U-W STOUT FOOTBALL TEAM, WILL HAVE HIS FUNERAL TOMORROW. THE D-N-R SAID PLATEK’S SNOWMOBILE WAS ON A LAKE WHEN IT STRUCK A SHORELINE, WENT AIRBORNE, AND HIT A DOCK.
STATE TRANSPORTATION OFFICIALS WILL TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT LAST YEAR’S TRAFFIC DEATHS, TO FIND OUT WHY THEY WERE AT THEIR LOWEST SINCE WORLD WAR TWO. STATE PATROL SUPERINTENDENT DAVID COLLINS WANTS TO FIND OUT THE EXACT ROLES THAT THINGS LIKE SEAT-BELT USAGE AND DRUNK DRIVING PLAYED. WISCONSIN HAD A 20-PERCENT DROP IN TRAFFIC DEATHS LAST YEAR – 589, WAY DOWN FROM 737 THE PREVIOUS YEAR. IT’S BEEN SAID THAT HIGH GAS PRICES, HEAVY SNOWS, AND THE ECONOMY ALL KEPT TRAVEL DOWN. COLLINS SAYS THE D-O-T DOES NOT HAVE AN EXACT CORRELATION BETWEEN THOSE FACTORS AND THE NUMBER OF FATALITIES. BUT HE HOPES IT SIGNALS A TREND THAT WILL CONTINUE. TO TRY AND ACHIEVE THAT, THE D-O-T KICKED OFF A 300-THOUSAND-DOLLAR CAMPAIGN YESTERDAY CALLED “ZERO IN WISCONSIN – A VISION WE CAN ALL LIVE WITH.” THE MESSAGE IS THAT EVEN ONE TRAFFIC DEATH IS TOO MANY. FEDERAL FUNDS ARE PAYING FOR THE ENTIRE PROMOTIONAL CAMPAIGN. IT WILL HIGHLIGHT THE BIGGEST CAUSES OF FATAL CRASHES – DRUNK DRIVING, INATTENTIVE DRIVING, AND NOT WEARING SEAT BELTS.
A 46-YEAR-OLD APPLETON WOMAN WAS KILLED YESTERDAY WHEN HER CAR COLLIDED WITH A MINI-SCHOOL BUS NEAR CHILTON. THE ONLY PERSON ON THE BUS WAS A 60-YEAR-OLD MALE DRIVER, AND HE ESCAPED INJURY. CALUMET COUNTY AUTHORITIES SAID THE WOMAN WAS HEADING NORTH ON COUNTY TRUNK DOUBLE-“B,” WHEN HER CAR FAILED TO YIELD AT HIGHWAY “E” AND WAS HIT BY THE BUS. THE BUS WAS OWNED BY SONNABEND OF BRILLION. THE CRASH HAPPENED ABOUT 3:20 IN THE AFTERNOON. THE WOMAN’S DEATH WAS THE SIXTH ON WISCONSIN ROADS IN THE NEW YEAR.
DAIRY MARKETS HAVE BEEN TUMBLING FOR THE LAST COUPLE WEEKS – BUT IT WILL BE AT LEAST ANOTHER MONTH BEFORE WISCONSIN FARMERS FEEL THE BRUNT OF IT. ACCORDING TO THE LATEST PROJECTIONS, WISCONSIN PRODUCERS WILL GET AN AVERAGE OF 17-DOLLARS AND 10-CENTS FOR EVERY HUNDRED-POUNDS OF MILK THEY MADE IN DECEMBER. THAT’S DOWN 70-CENTS FROM NOVEMBER. THAT MAY SOUND BAD, BUT OFFICIALS SAY THE DECLINE COULD BE AS MUCH AS FIVE-DOLLARS OVER THE NEXT TWO MONTHS. FOR NOW, WISCONSIN’S DECEMBER IS ABOUT 1.20 HIGHER THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE FOR THE 23 MAJOR DAIRY STATES. THE NATIONAL PRICE OF 15.90 WAS DOWN 1.20 FROM NOVEMBER. CALIFORNIA FARMERS WILL HAVE THE LOWEST MILK PRICES IN THE NATION FOR DECEMBER AT 13.50, DOWN 1.65 FROM THE PREVIOUS MONTH.
A FIRE-AND-POLICE COMMISSIONER IN MILWAUKEE HAS RESIGNED, AFTER BEING ARRESTED FOR DRIVING DRUNK IN DODGE COUNTY. 39-YEAR-OLD EARL BUFORD WAS ARRESTED DECEMBER 28TH, AND HE QUIT THE COMMISSION THE NEXT DAY. BUT THE NEWS DIDN’T GET OUT UNTIL LAST NIGHT, WHEN W-D-J-T CHANNEL-58 REPORTED IT. THE STATION PLAYED A RECORDING OF BUFORD’S 9-1-1 CALL, IN WHICH HE SAID HIS CAR WAS STUCK IN A DITCH. HE WASN’T SURE WHERE, AND IT TOOK A HALF-HOUR FOR OFFICERS TO FIND HIM. A REPORT SAID BUFORD GAVE OFFICERS A BUSINESS CARD, ASKED THAT HIS JOB BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION, AND SAID HE SHOULDN’T BE ARRESTED. BUFORD WAS ON MILWAUKEE’S FIRE-AND-POLICE COMMISSION FOR ABOUT THREE-AND-A-HALF YEARS.
SPORTS 1-6
THE LEADING CANDIDATES FOR GREEN BAY’S DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR APPEAR TO BE PACKERS’ ASSISTANT HEAD COACH WINSTON MOSS, AND FORMER SAN FRANCISCO COACH MIKE NOLAN. BUT THERE APPEAR TO BE QUESTIONS ABOUT BOTH, AS THE PACKERS LOOK TO REPLACE DEFENSIVE CHIEF BOB SANDERS – WHO WAS FIRED YESTERDAY ALONG WITH FIVE OTHER ASSISTANTS. THE MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL SAYS THERE’S BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION WITHIN THE PACKER RANKS ABOUT WHETHER MOSS IS RIGHT FOR THE JOB. BUT DEFENSIVE END CULLEN JENKINS CALLS MOSS A GREAT COACH WHO DOESN’T TAKE GRUFF. MOSS WAS INTERVIEWED BY SAINT LOUIS LAST WEEK FOR ITS HEAD COACHING VACANCY. THE PAPER SAYS NOLAN MIGHT WANT TOO MUCH MONEY, ESPECIALLY SINCE THE PACKERS HAVE TO KEEP PAYING THE COACHES THEY FIRED. AND HE MIGHT INSIST THAT THE PACK CHANGE FROM A 4-3 BASE DEFENSE TO A 3-4. NOLAN HAS NOT SAID WHETHER HE’D BE INTERESTED. OTHER NAMES POPPING UP ARE GREGG WILLIAMS OF JACKSONVILLE, SEAN MCDERMOTT OF PHILADELPHIA, KEITH BUTLER OF PITTSBURGH, AND FORMER HEAD COACHES ROD MARINELLI OF DETROIT AND JIM HASLETT OF SAINT LOUIS. ALSO FIRED BESIDES SANDERS WERE STRENGTH-AND-CONDITIONING COACH ROCK GULLICKSON AND POSITION COACHES KURT SCHOTTENHEIMER, CARL HAIRSTON, ROBERT NUNN, AND LIONEL WASHINGTON. FORMER PACKERS’ PUBLICIST CHUCK LANE SAID MIKE MCCARTHY SET A NEW ONE-DAY RECORD FOR FIRINGS BY A SITTING GREEN BAY COACH.
AFTER HELPING THE PITTSBURGH STEELERS POST THE NFL'S TOP-RANKED DEFENSE THIS SEASON, LINEBACKER JAMES HARRISON WAS NAMED MONDAY AS THE ASSOCIATED PRESS' DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR. HARRISON SET A STEELERS RECORD WITH A CAREER-HIGH 16 SACKS IN HELPING THE STEELERS TO A 12-4 REGULAR SEASON RECORD AND AN AFC NORTH TITLE. THE 30-YEAR-OLD ALSO NOTCHED AN NFL-HIGH SEVEN FORCED FUMBLES IN ADDITION TO 101 TACKLES AND AN INTERCEPTION IN 15 GAMES THIS SEASON. WITH HARRISON AS ITS ANCHOR, PITTSBURGH'S DEFENSE ALLOWED JUST 237.2 YARDS PER GAME AND 156.9 YARDS PER GAME THROUGH THE AIR, BOTH TOPS IN THE LEAGUE. HARRISON EARNED 22 OF THE 50 VOTES TURNED IN BY A NATIONWIDE PANEL OF SPORTS WRITERS. DALLAS' DEMARCUS WARE EARNED 13 TO FINISH SECOND IN THE VOTING.
PITTSBURGH QUARTERBACK BEN ROETHLISBERGER RETURNED TO PRACTICE MONDAY, AND DESPITE SUFFERING A CONCUSSION IN THE FINAL REGULAR SEASON CONTEST, IS EXPECTED TO START SUNDAY'S AFC DIVISIONAL PLAYOFF GAME AGAINST SAN DIEGO. ROETHLISBERGER LEFT A 31-0 WIN OVER CLEVELAND ON A STRETCHER AFTER SUFFERING A CONCUSSION IN THE SECOND QUARTER OF THE DECEMBER 28 GAME.
ARIZONA CARDINALS WIDE RECEIVER ANQUAN BOLDIN'S STATUS FOR SATURDAY'S PLAYOFF GAME AGAINST CAROLINA IS UNCERTAIN, AFTER HE STRAINED HIS HAMSTRING. BOLDIN SUFFERED THE INJURY DURING ARIZONA'S WIN OVER ATLANTA IN AN NFC WILD CARD CONTEST THIS PAST SATURDAY. IT HAPPENED DURING A 71- YARD TOUCHDOWN RECEPTION IN THE SECOND QUARTER. ARIZONA HEAD COACH KEN WHISENHUNT SAID HE WAS HOPEFUL BOLDIN COULD PLAY SATURDAY, WHEN THE CARDINALS TRAVEL TO CHARLOTTE FOR AN NFC DIVISIONAL PLAYOFF MATCHUP WITH THE CAROLINA PANTHERS. BOLDIN HAD ALREADY MISSED THE FINAL TWO REGULAR-SEASON CONTESTS BECAUSE OF A SHOULDER INJURY, AND BECAUSE THE AILMENT KEPT BOLDIN FROM DOING MUCH CONDITIONING, WHISENHUNT SAID THE RECEIVER'S INJURY WASN'T A TOTAL SURPRISE. BOLDIN HAD 89 RECEPTIONS FOR 1,038 YARDS AND 11 TOUCHDOWNS IN 12 GAMES DURING THE REGULAR SEASON, EARNING HIS THIRD CAREER PRO BOWL SELECTION.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
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COLT MCCOY'S 26-YARD TOUCHDOWN PASS TO QUAN COSBY WITH 16 SECONDS REMAINING LIFTED THIRD-RANKED TEXAS TO A 24-21 FIESTA BOWL WIN OVER NUMBER-10 OHIO STATE. MCCOY, NAMED THE GAME'S OFFENSIVE MVP, FINISHED 41-OF-59 FOR 414 YARDS THROUGH THE AIR, WHILE COSBY HAD 14 CATCHES FOR 171 YARDS AND A PAIR OF SCORES FOR THE LONGHORNS (12-1). DANIEL HERRON RAN 15 YARDS FOR THE GO-AHEAD SCORE WITH 2:05 REMAINING FOR THE BUCKEYES (10-3), UNTIL MCCOY'S HEROICS TURNED THE GAME AROUND. THE BUCKEYES WERE IN A BCS BOWL GAME FOR A FOURTH STRAIGHT YEAR AND SEVENTH TIME OVERALL. THEY HAD LOST THE NATIONAL TITLE GAME THE PREVIOUS TWO YEARS.
THE MILWAUKEE BUCKS USED A LATE RALLY TO BEAT TORONTO LAST NIGHT, 107-TO-97 AT THE BRADLEY CENTER. THE RAPTORS WERE UP BY THREE WITH 2:11 TO PLAY, BUT THE BUCKS SCORED THE FINAL 13 POINTS OF THE GAME. CHARLIE BELL MADE A THREE-POINTER TO TIE IT, AND CHARLIE VILLANUEVA HIT A JUMPER THAT PUT MILWAUKEE IN FRONT FOR GOOD. THE BUCKS WERE OUT-SHOT 54-TO-48 PERCENT. BUT MILWAUKEE HIT 11 THREE-POINTERS, AND MADE 20-OF-24 FREE THROWS. MICHAEL REDD LED THE BUCKS WITH A SEASON-HIGH 35 POINTS, AND VILLANUEVA ADDED 25. THEY WERE WITHOUT CENTER ANDREW BOGUT, WHO MISSED HIS SECOND STRAIGHT CONTEST WITH BACK SPASMS. CHRIS BOSH HAD 31 POINTS AND 11 REBOUNDS FOR TORONTO, WHICH LOST THEIR FOURTH GAME IN THEIR LAST SIX. THE BUCKS HAVE WON SIX-OF-THEIR-LAST-NINE. AND THEY’VE WON SEVEN-OF-EIGHT AT HOME TO IMPROVE TO 10-AND-5 AT THE BRADLEY CENTER. THE BUCKS ARE NOW 17-AND-19 OVERALL, AND WILL HOST PHILADELPHIA TOMORROW NIGHT.
THE MARQUETTE MEN ARE BACK IN THE A-P TOP-25, AFTER BEING OFF THE LIST FOR TWO WEEKS. THE GOLDEN EAGLES ARE TIED WITH VILLANOVA AT NUMBER-18. MARQUETTE IS 13-AND-2 OVERALL, AFTER WINNING ITS FIRST TWO BIG EAST CONTESTS AGAINST VILLANOVA AND CINCINNATI. THE EAGLES ALSO JUMPED 10 PLACES TO 15TH IN THE U-S-A TODAY-E-S-P-N COACHES’ POLL. MARQUETTE’S NEXT GAME IS TOMORROW NIGHT AT RUTGERS. THE WISCONSIN MEN ARE SIX SPOTS AWAY FROM THE A-P TOP-25, AND 13 SPOTS AWAY FROM THE COACHES’ LIST. BUT THE BADGERS STILL RECEIVED VOTES AFTER WINNING THEIR FIRST TWO BIG TEN CONTESTS AGAINST MICHIGAN AND PENN STATE. WISCONSIN IS 11-AND-3 OVERALL, AND WILL HOST NORTHWESTERN TOMORROW NIGHT. ALSO, THE BADGER WOMEN RECEIVED VOTES WITH A 12-AND-3 MARK. THEY’RE 12 SPOTS AWAY FROM THE TOP-25 IN THE A-P POLL, AND 10 SPOTS AWAY IN THE COACHES’ SURVEY. THE BADGERS WILL HOST OHIO STATE THURSDAY NIGHT.
PITTSBURGH JUMPED TO THE TOP OF THE LATEST ASSOCIATED PRESS POLL RELEASED MONDAY, AS NORTH CAROLINA FELL OUT OF THE TOP SPOT FOR THE FIRST TIME ALL SEASON. THE PANTHERS (14-0) RECEIVED 70 OUT OF 72 FIRST-PLACE VOTES AND 1,798 POINTS AFTER A STRONG WEEK, IN WHICH THEY BEAT RUTGERS ON NEW YEAR'S EVE BEFORE DOMINATING GEORGETOWN, 70-54, IN WASHINGTON ON SATURDAY. PITT HAD BEEN RANKED THIRD, BUT ROSE TO THE NUMBER-ONE POSITION AFTER BOTH UNC AND CONNECTICUT, PREVIOUSLY RANKED FIRST AND SECOND, SUFFERED LOSSES. THE TAR HEELS (13-1) HAD HELD THE TOP SPOT UNANIMOUSLY ALL SEASON, BUT AN 85-78 LOSS TO THEN-UNRANKED BOSTON COLLEGE IN CHAPEL HILL ON SUNDAY DROPPED THEM TO THIRD IN THE POLL. DUKE (12-1) ROSE THREE PLACES TO NUMBER-TWO WHILE WAKE FOREST (13-0) REMAINED UNDEFEATED AND JUMPED TWO SPOTS TO FOURTH. C ONNECTICUT (12-1) FELL THREE PLACES TO FIFTH AFTER LOSING TO GEORGETOWN ON DECEMBER 29 AT HOME, WHILE NUMBER-SIX OKLAHOMA FELL TWO SPOTS AFTER LOSING AT ARKANSAS LAST TUESDAY. ROUNDING OUT THE TOP 10 ARE TEXAS, MICHIGAN STATE, GEORGETOWN AND UCLA.