After jumping out to an early six point lead to start the game, the No. 9 Louisville Cardinals saw that lead turn into a four point deficit towards the end of the half. Going into the lockerroom, the Cards lead Austin Peay 41-39.

Defensive break downs and careless turnovers have hurt the Cards in the first half of play. Austin Peay has been able to get penetration with their guards and that has led to many open looks for shooters. The Governors shot 55% from the field in the first half and 4-9 from behind the line.

Austin Peay has been led by senior forward Drake Reed, who scored a game high 13 points, while grabbing three rebounds. The Governors outrebounded the Cards 17-15 at the half.

Here’s a quick look at No. 24 Marquette (7-1) vs. IPFW (4-5) in Milwaukee this afternoon.

Starting lineups (season stats in parenthesis):

Marquette:

G Dominic James (11.5 ppg, 5.1 apg)

G Jerel McNeal (18.5 ppg, 5.0 rpg)

G Wesley Matthews (20.4 ppg, 5.9 rpg)

F  Lazar Hayward (15.8 ppg, 9.6 rpg)

F Dwight Burke (1.9 ppg, 3.5 rpg)

IPFW:

G Nick Daniels (7.6 ppg, 3.8 rpg)

G Zach Plackemeier (7.4 ppg, 3.6 apg)

G Ben Botts (11.7 ppg, 2.6 rpg)

F David Carson (15.2 ppg, 5.4 rpg)

F Deilvez Yearby (8.2 ppg, 6.1 rpg)

Marquette is coming off a 61-58 win over Wisconsin on Dec. 6, and is looking to protect an unblemished 6-0 home record at the Bradley Center today. You worry a little bit about a letdown here though, since most Marquette students have headed home for winter break (as I write this, there are about 300 fans in the arena 22 minutes before game time). IPFW topped Valpo 63-46 last time out.

We should also see the debut of junior forward Joseph Fulce for Marquette today. Fulce missed the team’s first seven games with a stress reaction in his right knee. He’ll probably just play a few minutes here and there, but it’ll be interesting how coach Buzz Williams utilizes his length.

We’ll have more on this one as we go.

With nine minutes to play in the first half the Cards lead Austin Peay 23-22. Louisville has had many defensive breakdowns and mental mistakes throughout the game. There have been several occasions in which Cardinal defenders have lost their man and that has contributed to to many open lay ups and second chance points for the Governors.

Here’s a look at the projected starters:

Louisville Cardinals (5-1)

                                          Ht          Yr.         PPG         RPG

G:  E.  Sosa                6-1        Jr.            6.0             0.7

G: J. Smith               6-2        Jr.            8.3             2.0

F:  T. Williams         6-6        Sr.           9.0            9.5

F: E. Clark                  6-9      Jr.           12.5           8.2

C:   S. Samuels            6-9      Fr.         16.3          5.2

Austin Peay (5-2)

 G:  C. Brown             6-0         So.           7.0        2.0

G:   W. Channels       6-3         Jr.            16.7       2.4

F:  D. Reed                   6-5        Sr.            20.9      7.9

F:   E. Fields                 6-6        Jr.            5.4       5.0

F:  K. Duncan            6-5           Sr.           10.4      4.7

The Rutgers University Board of Governors approved a new financing plan earlier today that ensures the Rutgers Stadium seat expansion, a $102 million project, will be completed before the start of the 2009 season.

The project will be funded entirely by revenue generated by the success of the athletics program – including ticket sales for the approximately 12,500 new seats as well as parking fees, concession sales and donations from season ticket holders according to a press release.

The release also said that certain parts of the expansion that do not generate revenue, such as new locker rooms, will be addressed at a later date.

“Rutgers football has generated tremendous excitement throughout the university community and the state of New Jersey. Coach Greg Schiano has built a program that is successful both on the field
and in the classroom,” Rutgers President Richard L. McCormick said in a statement. “The university has thoroughly reviewed all options related to the construction and financing of the Rutgers Stadium expansion project. The consensus is clear – the completion of this project is the right economic decision. The revenue generated by the football program will cover the cost of construction. This project will create badly needed construction jobs, contribute to the state’s economic recovery and dedicate a permanent source of new revenue for Rutgers athletics,” McCormick added. “Now it is time to complete the stadium expansion project and give thousands of additional fans the opportunity to root for the Scarlet Knights in person.”

What a week it has been in the world of Syracuse sports.  I’ve missed a bit beingin Las Vegas all week for the Baseball Winter Meetings, but the attention back to the SU Hill and here we go…

1. Skip Holtz was offered the Syracuse Football job.  He doesn’t want it.

2. Saints Offensive Coordinator Doug Marrone has been reported as the next Orange coach.  Granted, Holtz was reported as the new head man earlier this week by NFL.com, but this report comes from Steve Infanti at 9-WSYR in Syracuse.  I know Steve, so I’ll buy this one as true.

3. Eric Devendorf has been suspended not from the Orange basketball team, but from SU in total for a November 1st incident where he allegedly struck a female student in the face.  Devendorf will appeal.  Jim Boeheim was on with Jim Lerch today during Bud and the Manchild on Sports Radio 620 WHEN.  Click here for the coach’s reaction.

4. If Andrew Robinson, Cam Dantley, Cody Catalina, David Legree and Ryan Nassib don’t tickle your fancy at all, the Orange football squad has signed a JUCO transfer with an affinity for using his feet.  Gee, last time the Orange had one of those I think his name began With Donovan and rhymed with Honovan Nickblab.  I think he plays in the NFL…I think.

University of Louisville running back Victor Anderson was named Big East Rookie of the Year by the league’s coaches. Anderson averaged near six yards a carry and finished with 1, 047 on the ground and eight touchdowns.

Anderson was one of the few bright spots on a U of L that failed to shine in many areas and produced more than half of the teams’ total yards rushing. Anderson is the first Cardinals’ running back to gain one thousand yards rushing since Michael Bush in 2005.

“After 10 years at the helm of the Rutgers Department of Athletics and helping build the program into a nationally respected and recognized organization, I am disappointed I was not allowed to finish the job. I
have had the privilege to work with an excellent program and many special individuals and it is an experience I will always cherish.

We have been responsive to the audit committee’s report and have worked with the University on all of their recommendations. At no point during my tenure has anyone stated from the University or Board of Governors that I have done anything wrong.

Rutgers has long been regarded as an excellent public research university. Now the university is gaining an athletics reputation tomatch its academic accomplishments. The recent success of the Rutgers
athletics program has brought tremendous pride to New Jersey and the university.

We have been part of one of the most memorable eras in the history of the athletic department over the last decade. The football program has risen from the depths of the Football Bowl Subdivision to achieve Top 25
rankings and bowl championships, the women’s basketball program has reached the NCAA Tournament’s Elite Eight in three of the last four seasons, including an appearance in the national championship game, and
in 2006-07, the Rutgers Athletic program was ranked in the Top 20 nationally for its athletics and academic achievements. It is now the norm, rather than the exception, to see Rutgers’ sports teams ranked in Top 25 polls.

Rutgers Athletics has also achieved in the classroom during my time at Rutgers. In the most recent Academic Progress Rate (APR) report released by the NCAA in May, 2008, seven sports at Rutgers were ranked in the top 20 percentile nationally, headlined by football, women’s tennis and
men’s cross country, which are ranked in the top 10 percentile within their sport. According to the report, Rutgers recorded an average APR score of 972 for its 24 sports.

It has been an honor and privilege to be associated with our State University and the Department of Athletics for the last 10 years.”

I just wanted to go ahead and put out the statistics of two member of the Rutgers football team that may have been snubbed by the voters.

Quarterback Mike Teel: 3,099 yards and 23 touchdowns this season including a six touchdown performance against Pittsburgh and a seven touchdown performance against Louisville. USF’s Matt Grothe, the Second Team All-Big East quarterback, had 2,675 passing yards and just 15 touchdowns on the year to go along with 724 rushing yards and four rushing touchowns.

Defensive tackle Pete Tverdov: had 13 tackles for losses this season and at least one in every game.