--- As for tickets, the game is on a better pace than they were for N.C. State at this point last year. The game is not yet sold out, thanks in large part to the fine folks at Pitt being unable to sell their allotment. Still, should be a pretty large crowd with more than 8,000 students tickets out for the Blackout.

The St. John's Red Storm fell to the Pittsburgh Panthers, 73-59, in the first round of the Big East Tournament on Tuesday afternoon. Ultimately, the reality of inexperience, a short rotation, and an unfavorable match-up did the Johnnies in against Pitt, who has now beaten St. John's twice in a week.

This will be a disjointed week at the site. There will be no morning jump off throughout the week, I simply will not have enough time. I will put up a couple of things about the Syracuse game. A gamethread will be up for tonights Basketball game. Regular service will resume next week

Plant City (Fla.) QB Bennie Coney to #Cincinnati per HC Wayne Ward http://t.co/ASqsNRe

Lewis was a big get for Cincinnati, especially as the Bearcats went through a coaching transition. He was not academically eligible to practice with the team this past season, but he was enrolled in classes. Even if he were a full member of the team, Lewis might not have cracked a deep wide receiver rotation in 2010. Now that he's eligible, he'll compete for playing time with former high school teammate Anthony McClung and junior college transfer Kenbrell Thompkins. The Bearcats have a go-to receiver in D.J. Woods, but the Nos. 2 and 3 jobs are open.

Poteat, whose team will play in the PIAA Class AAA championship game tonight, said Cincinnati is probably his No. 1 choice now and he will take some official visits to other colleges. He said he will also look at Rutgers, but Tennessee and Michigan State are in the picture, too.

Butch Jones said at his Tuesday press conference that the ankle injury sustained by RB Darrin Williams is serious.

Williams will be held out Friday against Louisville and the following week against USF. After that, Williams will be re-evaluated by the staff. Jones said, at that point, there is a chance he could be ruled out for the year.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - University of Cincinnati senior volleyball player Stephanie Niemer (Erlanger, Ky./St. Henry) led the conference in both hitting percentage and kills to become the first player in BIG EAST Conference history to claim five straight league volleyball Player of the Week honors.

Niemer earned the distinction after leading the conference in both kills (6.50 per set) and hitting percentage (.578) last week. The senior led the Bearcats to straight-set wins over DePaul on Oct. 8 and Notre Dame on Oct. 10, helping the squad break the school record for consecutive set wins with 27. Cincinnati has not dropped a set since Sept. 17 against Illinois.

Once again, West Virginia has a stranglehold on the top of the poll, but after that everything gets very, very ugly. Syracuse is sitting pretty in second place and based on their resume, they certainly deserve to be there. However, I doubt anyone actually believes they are the second best team in the conference. As Meacham pointed out to me, beating USF may have raised up the Orange, but losing to Syracuse meant the Bulls got a one-way ticket to last place.

UC has lost starting cornerback Dominque Battle for the rest of the season with a torn lateral ligament in his left knee that he injured in the Oklahoma game.