November 26 Notebook

UPCOMING GAMES

Note: All times listed are Central

The Arena, Northwest Florida State College, Niceville, Fla.

Friday, Nov. 28 Games

Eastern Illinois (1-4) vs. North Carolina Central (1-3), 11 a.m.

Southern (1-4) vs. Northern Arizona (1-4), 1:30 p.m.

Middle Tennessee State (3-1) vs. Cincinnati (4-0), 5 p.m.

Mississippi (3-1) vs. Creighton (5-0), 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 29 Games

Loser E.Illinois/N.Carolina Central vs. Loser Southern/N. Ariz, 11 a.m.

Winner E.Illinois/N.Carolina Central vs. Winner Southern/N. Ariz, 1:30 p.m.

Loser Mid. Tenn. St/Cincinnati vs. Loser Miss./Creighton, 5 p.m.

Winner Mid. Tenn. St/Cincinnati vs. Winner Miss./Creighton, 8 p.m.

Championship can be seen on CBS Sports Network

PAST WEEK”S RESULTS INVOLVING

EMERALD COAST CLASSIC TEAMS

Wednesday, Nov. 19

Creighton 65, Oklahoma 63

Cincinnati 69, Morehead State 61

Thursday Nov. 20

Cal-Davis 63, Eastern Illinois 61

Mississippi 69, Southern 38

Northern Arizona 73, Fresno State 52

Saturday. Nov. 22

Middle Tennessee State 66, Southern 48

Sunday, Nov. 23

Mississippi 80, Northern Arizona 74

Creighton 65, North Carolina Central 45

Cincinnati 54, Eastern Illinois 49

Tuesday, Nov. 25

Middle Tennessee State 65, Northern Arizona 53

Cincinnati 59, North Carolina Central 50

Creighton 75, Eastern Illinois 53

Tulane 74, Southern 59

READY FOR TIP-OFF: After months of planning the time is finally approaching with much anticipation as the battle for the inaugural Emerald Coast Classic title takes place this Thanksgiving weekend.

Teams will arrive Wednesday in preparation for the third round of the tournament which will take place at the Arena on the campus of Northwest Florida State College Friday.

Fans from Creighton and Cincinnati, which have storied basketball traditions, began arriving at the Northwest Florida Regional Airport Tuesday, to escape the cold weather which has plagued the Midwest. Temperatures are expected to be in the mid 60s under sunny skies along Florida’s Emerald Coast which includes the Destin, Fort Walton Beach and Niceville areas.

Creighton, ranked No. 23 in the latest Associated Press poll, and Cincinnati will enter the tournament both undefeated but this weekend marks their first road tests of the year. The Bluejays are 5-0 for the fourth straight season, while Cincinnati stands 4-0.

Eastern Illinois will face North Carolina Central in the opening game of Session 1 at 11 a.m. Friday followed by Southern meeting Northern Arizona at1:30 p.m.

The evening session on Friday features four teams who own 2-0 records against Emerald Coast Classic teams. Middle Tennessee State plays Cincinnati at 5 p.m. followed by Creighton tangling with Mississippi at 7:30 p.m.

Games will be played at 11 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 5 p.m. Saturday climaxed by the championship at 8 p.m. Central time. The championship game will be televised live on the CBS Sports Network at 8 p.m. Central time Saturday.

Cincinnati, Creighton and North Carolina Central all played in the 2014 NCAA Basketball Tournament, while Middle Tennessee State and Southern either won outright or earned a share of their respective conference regular season titles. Cincinnati and Creighton also were ranked Nos. 15 and 16, respectively, in the final 2014-15 Associated Press poll.

HEALTHY ZIERDEN PAYS DIVIDENDS: The pain that Isaiah Zierden felt as the doctor examined his injured right knee in March hardly compared to the slap of reality that hit him a few minutes later.

“You might not ever play again.”

Zierden knew he had injured his knee badly days before at Xavier. He didn’t need a medical degree to know that it was serious when he was lying with his face on the court and his foot was pointing in the opposite direction that it normally does.

BEARCATS NEED TO GET TOUGHER: In a recent article in the Cincinnati Enquirer by sportswriter Bill Koch, Cincinnati head coach Mick Cronin is concerned about the Bearcats lack of mental and physical toughness.

“We’ve got to develop some toughness and that has to be the message from our returning players,” Cronin said after UC’s 54-49 win over Eastern Illinois. “Right now we’re full of excuses instead of answers and that’s just the truth.”

MORE HEADLINES

Cincinnati

Nov. 25

http://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/college/university-of-cincinnati/2014/11/25/uc-bearcats-beat-north-carolina-central/70122820/

Freshman Scores Season High in Win

Nov. 24

http://www.cincinnati.com/story/sports/college/university-of-cincinnati/2014/11/23/uc-notebook-cobb/19465181/

Cincinnati-Eastern Illinois post-game notes

Nov. 23

http://www.gobearcats.com/sports/m-baskbl/recaps/112314aaa.html

Late Run Keys Victory

Nov. 22