The Morning Dish – Monday, November 3rd
Michigan State Generals?: Michigan State had their long-awaited exhibition with the Magic Johnson-led Harlem Globetrotters, and it made the Spartans look like the Washington Generals. Michigan State, who snapped the Globetrotters’ 1,270-game win streak three years ago, got payback as they 97-83 to a Globetrotters team that featured several former NBA players. Johnson scored 44 points and carried the Harlem squad, guest-coached by Larry Bird, and also appeared during the 25th anniversary reunion of the 1979 NCAA Championship squad. The weekend was capped off with the dedication of the Earvin “Magic” Johnson statue outside the Breslin Center. State was out-rebounded 43-21, and sophomore forward Paul Davis led the Spartans with 19 points and six rebounds
Bulls a “Go”: University of South Florida officials have voted to back all efforts by President Judy Genshaft to seek membership in the Big East. Tomorrow is the day that the Big East is to announce their expansion intentions, and trigger the dominoes of conference shuffling throughout the nation. USF has green-lighted a possible $10 million increase in funding to meet current Big East athletic department budgets – currently at $29 million annually. USF may be joining fellow Conference USA members Cincinnati, DePaul, Louisville, and Marquette in jumping to the Big East. USF would “replace” the recently-departed Boston College, and Cincinnati and Louisville would replace the football programs of Miami and Virginia Tech.
Taylor Not Sitting: Saturday we brought you news that Mississippi State forward Lawrence Roberts will be shielded from press questions about his Baylor experience. Yesterday, Texas head coach Rick Barnes announced that Kenny Taylor, another transfer from Baylor, will play this season, rather than redshirt as was announced last month. Barns stated that Taylor will give a boost to Texas’ ability to score from the perimeter, and that his defense and leadership have been better than expected. Taylor was a three-point threat last season, and averaged almost 12 points per game last season.
Affleck in Hoops Film: Ben Affleck has agreed to portray Don Haskins in an upcoming movie Glory Road, to be released by Disney. Affleck will play the retired coaching legend Haskins, who led the all-black starting five of Texas Western (now UTEP) to the 1966 NCAA title over the all-white Kentucky squad, 72-65. That Texas Western team led to full integration of all basketball teams, especially in the SEC, which had not chosen to integrate up to that point. Some might question the age of Affleck, 31, but Haskins was 36 at the time of the win. The film will be directed by Antoine Fuqua (Training Day), and filming is to begin early 2004.
