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Wednesday, Dec. 03, 2008

Maybin embraced by Louisville community

It happens nearly every time Marques Maybin goes out.

Maybe it's in the Wal-Mart while he's running errands. Maybe it's at Burger King at 2 a.m. when he gets a late-night craving for fries. Maybe it's in class at Louisville, where he's finishing up a psychology degree he started working on more than a decade ago.

At some point, someone will see the face of the player who lit up Freedom Hall during his basketball career and tell him to hang in there, that if he ever needs anything, just ask.

It happens nearly every day. And five years after the motorcycle accident that left him paralyzed below the waist, the former Cardinal star says he still needs the encouragement, still loves it when a 15-minute dash to the grocery store turns into a two-hour chat with whomever is walking by.

"Everybody has been going through this with me," he said. "We're all going through this together. I've never felt alone in this whole thing."

The community that has nurtured him from the second he stepped on campus in 1997 will get a chance to embrace him once again this weekend when the Cardinals host the Marques Maybin Classic. The 13th-ranked Cardinals will host Ohio, Lamar and Indiana State in a three-day round-robin event, with a portion of the proceeds going to help pay for his mounting medical bills.

It's all still a little much for Maybin, the 13th all-time leading scorer in school history. Talking publicly Tuesday for the first time since the accident that cut short his professional career, the 30-year-old Maybin admits he still struggles with the feeling that he let everyone down.

"That's the most emotional part in all of this," Maybin said. "I had so much support. I wanted to succeed for them."

In 2003, Maybin was back home for a time after playing a couple of seasons in Europe. He was hoping to get an invite to an NBA training camp. But all of his dreams vanished in an instant that August when he ran into the back of a pickup truck while riding his bike through his hometown of Clarksville, Tenn.

Resetting his goals hasn't been easy.

"I battle demons on a day-to-day basis," he said. "But people don't let me slow down at all."

Tuesday's highlights

Western Kentucky 67, Georgia 63: A.J. Slaughter scored 20 points as Western Kentucky rallied to defeat visiting Georgia on Tuesday.

The first half was a two-man show between Slaughter and Georgia's Terrance Woodbury, who each scored 16 points in the half. Woodbury finished with 18 points.

Ohio St. 73, No. 21 Miami 68: Ohio State erased a 14-point second-half deficit Tuesday night, mounting the comeback after the ejection of Miami scoring leader Jack McClinton.

The senior guard was ejected for a flagrant foul midway through the first half after he took a swipe with the palm of his hand at Ohio State's Anthony Crater, brushing his face.

Miami Coach Frank Haith said he was unsure what McClinton's status would be for Saturday's game against Kentucky at Rupp Arena.

■ Miami guard Eddie Rios was suspended indefinitely Tuesday for a violation of team rules. Rios is averaging 6.0 points and 14.8 minutes per game.

No. 4 Duke 76, No. 9 Purdue 60: Kyle Singler had 20 points and 12 rebounds, and visiting Duke remained unbeaten. It was the Devils' first test against a ranked team this season.

South Carolina 84, Princeton 58: Devan Downey had 22 points, seven steals and six assists for South Carolina. Zam Fredrick added 20 points for the Gamecocks, who handed the Tigers their largest margin of defeat at Jadwin Gym since it opened in 1969.

Louisiana St. 84, Cal State-Fullerton 63: Tasmin Mitchell had 16 points and a career-high 15 rebounds to lead LSU to a home victory. Marcus Thornton led the Tigers, who are 6-0 for the first time in five seasons, with 24 points.