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USF G Verdejo Will Miss Marquette Game

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By BRETT McMURPHY | The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 29, 2008

MILWAUKEE - USF's chances to end its winless Big East road losing streak just took another hit today. Junior guard Jesus Verdejo will miss tonight's game at No. 17 Marquette with a back injury.

Also, the Bulls will be without seldom used reserves Aris Williams and Eddie Lovett, leaving USF with only nine players.

Verdejo, who has started all 20 games for the Bulls, is averaging 9.1 points in Big East play, USF's third-leading scorer in conference games. He did not participate in today's shoot around at the Bradley Center.

Verdejo is USF's second-leading 3-point shooter (28 of 75, 37 percent). The loss of Verdejo, who was averaging 31 minutes in conference play, will be a huge blow to the Bulls against Marquette's guard-oriented lineup.

Without Verdejo, the Bulls will likely have to turn to freshman Aaron Holmes (5.8 points) and sophomore Solomon Bozeman (5.4 points).

Besides Verdejo, Williams, a senior forward, is not expected to play because of a lingering knee injury. Lovett, a junior guard, didn't make the trip and remained in Tampa to be with his fiancee who is expected to give birth to their child any day.

Williams and Lovett had played in only three of seven Big East games and were averaging a total of six minutes between them.

Reporter Brett McMurphy can be reached at (813) 259-7928 or bmcmurphy@tampatrib.com

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