The Morning Dish – Wednesday, July 16th
Dennehy Update: Waco police have continued searching for Patrick Dennehy yesterday, searching the Brazos river inside the Waco city limits by helicopter, but the search turned up nothing. Dennehy, a Baylor junior transfer from New Mexico, now has been missing over a month. Investigators have even turned to Fox Television’s “America’s Most Wanted”, hoping to spur more tips from viewers, as the leads have gotten weak. So far, out of over 200 tips, over 50 people have been interviewed.
Kentucky-Wesleyan Forfeits: Eight-time NCAA D-2 Champion Kentucky Wesleyan has agreed to forfeit all victories from this past season as a penalty for two secondary infractions. The crux of the issue is two transfer students’ eligibility, who were allowed to play despite being ineligible. The school chose not to appeal the sanctions when they were brought to their attention two months ago. The Panthers will forfeit their runner-up finish in the Division II championship, as well as all 31 wins from this past season.
Saluki Leaving: Southern Illinois University announced yesterday that sophomore forward Blake Schoen has left the team. Schoen, who was mainly a defensive specialist, played in all games last season, and averaged 2 points and 1.5 boards in just under 10 minutes per game. The reason for Schoen’s departure was not immediately known, but the move will leave the Salukis shorthanded for their upcoming trip to Scandanavia.
U.S. Juniors Update: The U.S. Junior squad remained undefeated in Thessaloniki, Greece, yesterday in the World Junior Basketball Championships. In yesterday’s matchup, Illinois junior Dee Brown notched 47 points, including nine 3-pointers, to defeat Lithuania 87-84. The U.S. squad is 5-0 overall, heading into the finals on Friday, having defeated Puerto Rico 106-72 on Monday, led by Oklahoma’s De’Angelo Alexander’s s23 points. The international tournament for ages 19-and-under was moved to Greece from Malaysia after fears of the SARS virus.
Georgia Rally: In the ongoing saga of Georgia athletics, hundreds of Bulldog fans rallied at the state Capitol in Atlanta to protest Georgia president Michael Adams, and his decision to not renew legendary AD Vince Dooley’s contract. Dooley, who is beloved by the Bulldogs’ alumni base, including Herschel Walker, was against the hiring of Jim Harrick as basketball coach, which Adams pushed through. Walker was allegedly so incensed about Dooley’s firing, that he resigned from the Bulldog Club fundraising drive. Board members of the university have not been swayed by protesters, as they remain behind the school’s president.
