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Eastern freshman guard Jeremy Granger prepares to take a shot during practice on Tuesday afternoon in Lantz Arena. The Panthers will play Morehead State on Saturday. One of the Eagles' top players - junior forward Maze Stallworth - is suspended and will most likely not play on Saturday. (Erin Matheny / The Daily Eastern News)

Men's Basketball: Suspended Morehead forward will likely miss OVC game

By: Kevin Murphy / Sports Editor

Posted: 1/14/09

Morehead State junior forward Maze Stallworth was suspended last week when he was arrested on a felony charge of fraudulent use of credit cards of more than $100.

According to the Louisville Courier-Journal, he is suspended indefinitely.

Also according to the newspaper, Stallworth was released on a $500 bond on Jan. 8. He is scheduled to be arraigned on Feb. 4 at the Rowan County District Court in Kentucky.

He could return to the court next week, but possibly not before Saturday's Ohio Valley Conference men's basketball game at Eastern Illinois.

"We're anticipating Maze being back," Morehead State coach Donnie Tyndall said during Tuesday's OVC coaches teleconference. "This week will allow us to uncover some facts."

However, Tyndall didn't think Stallworth would play.

"My hands are a little bit tied as to what we can say, but I'll say this: Maze Stallworth is a fine, fine young man," Tyndall said. "I have not had one second of a problem in 2 1/2 years with Maze coaching him. I think with this Maze will be cleared. He did not make a good decision, but at the end of the day, I think Maze will be back with us. I support him 100 percent."

Stallworth is averaging 11.7 points for Morehead State.

Despite not having Stallworth, the Eagles won both of their OVC games last week and remains in a tie for first place atop the league standings with Austin Peay.

Panthers' game to be on radio

On Tuesday, the Ohio Valley Conference announced a partnership with ESPN Radio 1370 WDEF in Chattanooga, Tenn., to broadcast an OVC Men's Basketball Game of the Week beginning this Saturday and continuing through the conclusion of the regular season.

Broadcaster Marketing Services will broadcast the game and it will be aired exclusively on WDEF. Frank Santore will serve as the play-by-play announcer for the games.

Each of the 10 OVC schools competing for the league championship this season will make one appearance on the broadcasts this season.

The Panthers' game will be on Feb. 26 at 7:30 p.m. They will be playing at Austin Peay.

Jacksonville State cools off

The Jacksonville State men's basketball team started out on a hot streak. They posted wins against the Big South leader - Virginia Military Institute and Massachusetts - a team that beat defending national champion Kansas.

It started out with an 8-4 and a 2-1 record in the league, but then the Gamecocks dropped their next two league games.

This was all for a team that was predicted to finish last in the league.

"We played a lot on emotion early," Jacksonville State head coach James Green said during Tuesday's OVC coaches teleconference. "And now we're having to play through some of our injuries. They're the type that leaves you a little sore."

Green also thinks the team is scouted a little bit better, and teams are doing a better job preparing for them.

Redhawks moving on

Southeast Missouri fired head coach Scott Edgar on Dec. 31. Edgar had been on administrative leave since the fall.

Southeast received a Notice of Allegations (NOA) from the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) concerning possible major violations involving the men's basketball program in October. That university has been notified that the case will be considered by the committee at its April 17-18 meeting.

Edgar posted a 23-39 record in his two seasons at Southeast, including a 12-19 record last year.

Interim head coach Zac Roman sat down with his staff and the team and talked about the firing.

"That's one of those things where you got to move on," Roman said during Tuesday's OVC coaches teleconference. "We're getting ready for the next game. We can't let that hang over our heads the rest of the season."

Roman said he hadn't talked with anyone at SEMO about the coaching position for next season.

Kevin Murphy can be reached at 581-7944 or at kjmurphy@eiu.edu.