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Our New Jersey trip concludes with a day of games at the Joe Brown Memorial Tournament. |
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The past adversity behind them, Duquesne is ready to take more steps forward next season. |
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Summer Classic East gave plenty of prospects a chance to show college coaches what they can do. |
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Zach looks back at the Mount St. Mary's success story in the 2007-08 season. |
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The July live period kicked off with Hoop Mountain having perhaps its best talent haul ever at Super Week II. |
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With July upon us, we take a look at some of the talent observed in New England during the spring. |
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With its win at the Hoop Group Regional Showcase, a New Jersey powerhouse looks like an early favorite for 2009. |
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Among the few team tournaments held in late June was the improved Team Boston Elite Invitational. |
Boiler's Crump Suspended For Season: Purdue junior guard Tarrance Crump has been suspended fro the entire season by head coach Matt Painter. Crump was arrested in late September for drunk driving and leaving the scene of an accident, after hitting and severely injuring another Purdue student. A JuCo transfer from Shelton State Community College in Alabama, Crump averaged 16 points and 7 assists last season. Crump will be allowed to practice with the Boilermakers during this season, but will be held out of all competition.
[10/31/05]
Deacon Swinton Suspended: Wake Forest freshman forward Kevin Swinton has been suspended for 30 days due to a violation of university policy. Swinton will miss two exhibition games as well as the first two regular season games - the first two games of the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic on Nov. 10 and Nov. 11. Reports out of the athletics department assert that Swinton violated university policy by having a paint-ball gun in a dormitory. [10/31/05]
Big Ten to Choose Tournament Home: The Big Ten Tournament will permanently reside in either Chicago or Indianapolis, depending on which site conference officials like best. After the Big Ten initiated a conference tournament in 1998, Chicago hosted it for the first four years. But the two cities have alternated as hosts since 2002. Both cities have their virtues and vices. Chicago is a huge town with a bigger facility, but that size also means that fans must travel within the city to get from one place to another. Indianapolis is a smaller market with a slightly smaller stadium, but the central downtown location allows fans to walk to restaurants, bars and the stadium from hotels. Conference officials will probably issue a decision in the spring.
[10/31/05]
Bulls Mourn Death of Teammate: As South Florida prepares to start this season, the Bulls will physically and spiritually miss their teammate Bradley Mosley. After a year-long battle with cancer, Mosley, 22, died Saturday at Good Samaritan Hospital in West Palm Beach, Fla. A 6-2 guard, Mosley contracted renal medullary carcinoma last fall. Team officials said Mosley maintained a positive attitude throughout treatment and during the rough periods of the disease. He had been the team's second leading scorer in 2003-04, averaging 14.6 points per game. [10/31/05]
Recruiting Violation Stirs Bitterness: The recruitment - and subsequent release - of would-be Tennessee Volunteer Tyler Smith has produced a secondary violation of NCAA recruiting rules and lots of bitterness. The school reported that a booster violated rules by encouraging Smith to attend Tennessee. As a result, the school will cut ties to the booster for two years, even though the booster insists he had a personal relationship with Smith for years. As a friend of one of the assistant coaches under former coach Buzz Peterson, the booster has known Smith since he was in middle school. Smith changed his mind about attending Tennessee after the school canned Peterson in favor of Bruce Pearl. The latter said Smith never gave his staff a chance, but Smith and his family disagree. Pearl had refused to grant a release of Smith's commitment. In the end, Smith is attending Hargrove Military Academy this season and plans to sign with a Division I school for next season. Volunteer fans should not get their hopes up for a second chance at Smith.
[10/29/05]
Bruins Careful With Farmar: UCLA will hold sophomore point guard Jordan Farmar out of practice for a few days to give their star floor general a chance to heal a sore groin. Farmar injured his right groin during practice Thursday, and team doctors will evaluate him Tuesday. He led the team in assists last season and was second in scoring. UCLA is a promising team, but the Bruins cannot afford to have Farmar miss a long period of time. So caution is an understandable and wise decision.
[10/29/05]
Cougar Collared by Injury: Washington State sophomore center Robbie Cowgill will miss at least a month after breaking his collarbone in practice. Cowgill suffered the injury when he dove for a loose ball. He started 19 games last season. The team opens the season in three weeks against California - Riverside.
[10/29/05]
Can't Steal What's Yours: That's what the lawyer of Xavier senior point guard Dedrick Finn said about the charges that he stole his ex-girlfriend's dog. Finn argued with the woman, and she said Finn pushed her and stole her pug. But Finn's lawyer said the dog belongs to the Musketeer, who has been suspended for the team's Nov. 5 exhibition game. The lawyer added that the school was too hasty to suspend Finn before finding out the facts in the case. Apparently, Finn had bought the dog and let his former girlfriend care for it because he could not keep the pug on campus.
[10/29/05]
Aggies to Raise Katrina Relief Funds: Texas A&M will donate all proceeds from the Nov. 26 game at Reed Arena against Tulane to the Green Wave's Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. The game will technically be a home for Tulane, although the crowd clearly will favor the Aggies. Just ask the NFL's New Orleans Saints about the "home" crowd at an opponents' stadium. The Saints played the New York Giants at the Meadowlands as a home game that featured tens of thousands of loud New Yorkers clamoring for a Giants victory. The scale is smaller, but the principle remains the same. Although referring to the game as a Tulane home game is bogus, the thought is what counts. Texas A&M is helping out its nearby neighbor as the Gulf Coast states continue to rebuild following the devastation from Katrina.
[10/29/05]
Deadbeat Cav: Former Virginia superstar Ralph Sampson owes more than $300,000 in child support for two teenage daughters. He has failed to pay $1,500 a month per child for apparently a very long time. He agreed to a plea bargain that will allow him to avoid jail time and fines. His lawyer said Sampson spent most of the summer raising funds to pay the child support. According to financial records, Sampson earned $500,000 in 1999, but his income dropped to $12,000 in 2001. An All-American at Virginia, Sampson was one of the most dominating players in ACC history. He was the No. 1 draft choice in the 1983 NBA Draft and played nine years in the NBA, averaging 15.4 points per game.
[10/29/05]
Ex-Husky Becomes Ex-Hospital Worker: Former Connecticut backup center Eric Hayward, 32, is under investigation for having an improper relationship with a patient at the Riverview Hospital for Children and Youth, where he worked. The hospital fired Hayward for violating its policy that bans such relationships. The extent of Hayward's relationship with a 16-year-old patient is not clear. She disappeared from the hospital July 19, and police found her a week later in front of Hayward's apartment building. He denies knowing that the girl was at his place, even though two witnesses said they had seen Hayward with the girl during the week she was missing. Hayward played for the Huskies from 1992-1996.
[10/29/05]
Red Storm Legend Passes: Former St. John's star and New York native Tony Jackson, 62, died after being sick for several months. Jackson played for the Red Storm during the late 1950s and was a two-time All-American. He ranks among the all-time leaders for points and rebounds at St. John's. The New York Knicks drafted Jackson in 1961, and he played in the NBA and ABA for several years.
[10/29/05]
Huskies Punish Williams, Price: Connecticut handed out firm suspensions for guards A.J. Price and Marcus Williams for stealing computers from a campus dorm this summer. Price is done for the entire season and cannot attend classes until next semester. Williams can still attend classes, but the school banned him from any basketball activities until mid-December. He won't be eligible to play in a game until Jan. 3 against Marquette. Both point guards have been kicked off campus, but Williams can return in August. Price can't return for three years. Without Price and Williams, Connecticut's backcourt will be shallow, despite having one of the best bunch of forwards in the nation.
[10/28/05]
Judge Sends Pierce up the River for Two Years: Former Iowa Hawkeye Pierre Pierce will serve two years in prison for several charges that resulted from a January incident with his girlfriend. Pierce was found guilty on charges of third-degree burglary, false imprisonment, fourth-degree criminal mischief and assault with intent to commit sexual abuse. The judge ordered the sentences to be served concurrently, which means Pierce will be out sooner than he otherwise would be. Pierce expressed remorse for his actions during sentencing, as he apologized to the victim and said he wish he could change his past actions. Hawkeye coach Steve Alford kicked Pierce off the team last season after learning that he was the center of the police investigation. At the time, he was the team's leading scorer.
[10/28/05]
Not a Zippy Recovery: Akron junior forward Jeremiah Wood tore his ACL last season against Ohio, the Zips' primary challenger for this year's MAC championship, and he may not be ready to play any time soon. Wood is a beast in the paint. He averaged 9.9 points and 7.3 rebounds per game as a freshman and was averaging 10.7 points and 8.1 rebounds per game last season before injuring his knee. Without Wood, Akron will have a more difficult time living up to expectations. But the Zips did take down Ohio twice last season, even without Wood after he injured the knee during the teams' first meeting.
[10/28/05]
Mending Cats: Arizona has several players who continue to recover from injuries. Chris Rodgers, one of the team's most important players entering this season, is among that bunch. He injured his knee about a month ago, and the team has watched his rehabilitation carefully to avoid rushing him into practice too soon. He participated in non-contact drills with the team this week, a good sign with the season about two weeks away. Meanwhile, Jawann McClellan and Fendi Onobun are nursing leg and ankle injuries, respectively. McClellan injured his leg against Illinois during the NCAA Tournament and needs more time to recover. He'll get that time this fall because he is academically ineligible this semester. Onobun's injury is minor, and he will likely return to practice next week.
[10/28/05]
Volunteer Work at Belmont: Freshman forward Matthew Dotson will play for Belmont this season after contemplating sitting out the season as a redshirt freshman. According to NCAA rules, if players sit out a season under the redshirt designation, the season won't count against their years of eligibility. Dotson arrived at Belmont in August after Tennessee released him from his scholarship. Dotson had signed with the Volunteers when former coach Buzz Peterson was in charge. But after the school ditched Peterson in favor of Bruce Pearl, Dotson realized his situation changed for the worse. Pearl told him that he would not get much playing time with the Volunteers. Belmont welcomed Dotson, but the school does not have a scholarship available this season. He was planning to redshirt this year, then grab a scholarship next season. But he has decided to contribute to the team sooner rather than later.
Much Maligned Miners: Add Kelvin Davis to Texas - El Paso's list of the walking wounded. Davis broke a foot and will miss six to eight weeks, which means he'll miss most of the Miners' non-conference schedule. He joins a list of injured players that includes guards Edgar Moreno, Vernon Carr and Josh Gutierrez. Moreno had hernia surgery, Carr has a bum ankle, and Gutierrez fractured a foot. Ouch.
[10/28/05]
Pioneer Gets off the Wagon: Denver sophomore Dan Gibbons has left the Pioneers to focus on academics. The former walk-on saw limited action last season, averaging only 1.7 minutes per game.
[10/28/05]
Facilities Fit for a King: Villanova wants the country to take the Wildcats seriously as a national powerhouse and championship contender. But the school's practice facility and Pavilion, where the Wildcats host elite Big East competition, do not befit a regal college basketball program. Yet. The school has plans to build a new practice facility by 2007 to join other Big East brethren that have state-of-the-art facilities, which help attract blue chip recruits and retain promising coaches, such as Jay Wright. The school also plans to give the Pavilion a makeover, including alterations to seats, concessions, restrooms and the student section. [10/28/05]
Expert Opinion Supports Prosecution in La Salle Rape Trial: A toxicologist testified that a La Salle student probably had three times the legal limit of alcohol in her when she said Explorer players Michael Cleaves and Gary Neal raped her. The prosecution argues that Cleaves and Neal took advantage of the drunk 19-year-old student and raped her while she was vomiting in the sink. According to the experts testimony, the woman had six to eight shots of 99-proof alcohol, which would have rendered her drunk. Or as the prosecution likes to say, "smashed." The defense and accused former players argue that the sex was consensual. The entire mess has been a black eye for La Salle, which is trying to build a competitive program in the Atlantic 10. [10/27/05]
It Pays to be Smart: The NCAA's executive committee and board of directors want to create a $10 million program that would dole out $100,000 at a time to schools for academic reasons. If the program comes to fruition, $2 million would go to schools that excel, $5 million would go to improving schools, and $3 million to schools that struggle academically and cannot fund some programs. The committees also issued approval for the NCAA's recent ban on hostile or abusive American Indian logos or nicknames during post-season competition.
[10/27/05]
Wilma Moves FAU: Hurricane Wilma has uprooted the Florida Atlantic Owls, at least for the next week. In a release, the university announced that the men's and women's basketball teams will move their practices from Boca Raton to Orlando through the weekend, and possibly into next week. The FAU campus is closed until Monday, as downed trees and power lines litter the area. Power will need to be restored, and the university will then have a team of structural engineers assess damage to the FAU Gymnasium, which sustained significant roof damage during Monday's storm. [10/27/05]
Hokie Breaks Foot: Virginia Tech sophomore forward Wynton Witherspoon broke a bone in his left foot and will be on the shelf for up to two months. Witherspoon broke the fifth metatarsal ("pinky-toe side") in practice, and is to have surgery to repair the break later today. Witherspoon played in 23 games as a freshman, averaging 2.4 points and 1.3 rebounds per contest, and was penciled in as the starting small forward for the Hokies this season. [10/27/05]
Coach K to Coach USA: Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski has been officially announced as the coach of the U.S. national team for the 2006 World Championships and the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Krzyzewski served as an assistant to the first "Dream Team" in Barcelona in 1992, where NBA stars were used to land the gold medal. Krzyzewski was previously considered for the head coaching vacancy for the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2004 offseason. Krzyzewski beat out Gregg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs and Pat Riley of the Miami Heat. No announcement has been made as to his Duke coaching duties during preparations for the two international events. [10/26/05]
Finn Gone To the Dogs: Xavier senior point guard Dedrick Finn was arrested last night on charges that he stole his ex-girlfriend's dog. Finn, who was arguing with the woman, allegedly shoved her and left with her pet pug, valued at $400. Finn is scheduled to appear in court November 28th. Xavier officials have not commented on the case. Update: Finn has been suspended for the Musketeers' exhibition game against Northern Kentucky Nov. 5, although Finn's lawyer said the punishment came before the school reviewed the case to determine whether Finn was innocent or guilty. Finn's lawyer said the dog belonged to him, so he couldn't have stolen his own dog. Apparently, Finn had bought the dog and let his former girlfriend care for it because he could not keep the pug on campus. [10/26/05]
SEC Going Throwback: The Southeastern Conference has announced that the week of February 18-26 will be "SEC Throwback Week", where each school in the conference will wear specially-designated retro threads. Each school has selected a uniform (and warmups) from its past, and will wear the duds (both home and away versions) in conference competition. The SEC Tournament will also be designated as a throwback event. Just a heads-up to help identify the next generations of rap-video couture. [10/26/05]
Gator Moss to Miss Month: Florida senior forward Adrian Moss underwent knee surgery yesterday, and he will miss up to four weeks. Moss, who was injured in practice over the weekend, had damaged cartilage under his right kneecap removed in the procedure. Moss, Florida's only senior, missed ten games last season with a herniated disc, requiring offseason surgery this past April. Moss averaged 2.4 points and 2.3 rebounds per contest last season. [10/26/05]
Pierre Pierce Protests Presentencing Presentation of Priors: Attorneys for former Iowa guard Pierre Pierce, accused of burglary, assault, attempted sexual assault, and criminal mischief, have asked District Court Judge Gregory Hulse to throw out a pre-sentencing report drawn up by the state. The report lists Pierre Pierce's priors (assault causing injury in 2002; violation of restraining order in 2004), something that his attorneys argue shouldn't be used in sentencing guidelines, per the deal worked out with prosecutors in August. Pierce pled guilty to reduced charges, and he is hopeful that he can avoid prison time. Prosecutors agreed to suspend the 5-year prison term for the burglary charge, but Pierce may still face four years on the other charges. Judge Hulse will sentence Pierce on Friday. [10/25/05]
West to Hang, or At Least His Jersey: West Virginia has announced that Mountaineer great Jerry West will have his No. 44 jersey retired. The ceremony will take place at halftime of the Mountaineer's game against LSU on November 26th. West set 17 school records and led the Mountaineers to a 61-12 mark during his career, including three consecutive NCAA berths. The school also announced that football tackle Sam Huff will have his No. 75 retired at halftime of the West Virginia-Pittsburgh Thanksgiving Day game. [10/25/05]
Explorers Extend Giannini: LaSalle has awarded second-year head coach John Giannini with a contract extension, securing his stay with the Explorers through the 2009-10 season. Giannini led the Explorers to a 10-19 record last season, and got his 300th overall coaching victory as well. Financial terms of the extension were not released. [10/25/05]
Relph Out Indefinitely For Bonnies: St. Bonaventure starting point guard Tyler Relph underwent surgery yesterday to remove bone spurs in his left ankle and to repair a stress fracture in his left foot. Relph, a former West Virginia transfer, sat out last season due to NCAA transfer rules. Head coach Anthony Solomon indicated that there was no timetable for his recovery, but Relph is expected to miss at least six weeks recovering from the procedures. Solomon announced that Relph's one-game suspension for drunk driving was lifted due to the injury. [10/25/05]
Drug Charges For Former Vol: Former Tennessee walk-on Richard "Pee-Wee" Gash was arrested on drug possession charges, after a traffic stop revealed a duffel bag with over $11,000 and marijuana residue were found in his vehicle. Gash, who is still enrolled at UT but left the team this summer after the departure of head coach Buzz Peterson, faces a hearing next week. The charges are unrelated to the marijuana possession charges levied against former player Jemere Hendrix, who was dismissed two weeks ago following an altercation with a Tennessee football player. [10/25/05]
Price Goes for Quick Probation: Connecticut sophomore point guard A.J. Price has applied for a special probation that would leave him without a criminal record and could return him to the Huskies' team. Price and junior guard Marcus Williams were charged with several counts of felony larceny in a scheme to sell stolen laptop computers in June. Williams has already been granted the probation as a first-time offender. Each player, both of whom are suspended indefinitely, are facing five years in prison and $5,000 in fines. You'll recall that Price was the player that suffered a brain hemorrhage last season, missing all of last season. [10/25/05]
Trial Starts in LaSalle Scandal: The attorneys for former LaSalle basketball players Gary Neal and Michael Cleaves contend that the two men are innocent of rape charges levied by a LaSalle basketball camp counselor, and that the incident was with her consent. The woman, then 19, was a University of New Haven women's player who was working as a counselor for the women's summer basketball camp on LaSalle's campus. She claims she was raped by both men after drinking several shots of alcohol in a LaSalle campus apartment in June of 2004. The LaSalle campus was rocked by the allegations, along with a separate claim that another female player was raped by a third Explorers team member, leading to the resignations of men's head coach Billy Hahn, and women's head coach John Miller. [10/25/05]
Ratliff Out With Bum Thumb: Indiana sophomore guard A.J. Ratliff had surgery on his injured right thumb Tuesday and will be out indefinitely. Ratliff last season averaged 5.8 points and 2.8 rebounds per contest, and started 14 games as a freshman. Also injured in the same practice was freshman Ben Allen, who was hit by an errant elbow, breaking his nose. He is expected to be ready for the start of the season November 18th against Nicholls State. [10/25/05]
Wooden Wins NCAA's Ford Award: Former UCLA coaching legend John Wooden was awarded the NCAA's Gerald R. Ford Award for leadership in advocating intercollegiate athletics. Wooden, known most for his string of national championships at the helm of UCLA in the 1960's and 70's, was lauded also for his efforts as head coach of Indiana State, who refused an invitation to the NAIA championship in 1946 because black players weren't allowed to participate. The NAIA changed its policy the following season. Former U.S. Sen. Birch Bayh was also given the award, primarily for his creation of Title IX. [10/25/05]
Princeton's Scott Makes Surprise Cuts: Princeton head coach Joe Scott surprised team members by announcing that junior reserves John Reynolds and Mike Rudoy have been cut from the Tigers basketball team. Three other players, Justin Conway, Zach Woolridge, and Max Schafer also received warnings from Scott, as he tries to reduce his 19-player roster. Schafer, a junior point guard who appeared in 25 games last season, was originally cut, and then was later reinstated. Because the Ivy League schools do not have athletic scholarships, there is no NCAA-mandated roster limit (only a scholarship limit), though the Ivy League limits travel teams to 15 players. With the cuts, the Tigers stand at 17 players with five recruits signed for next season's squad. Princeton opens November 14th against Drexel in the NIT Season Tip-Off. [10/24/05]
Back in the Saddle, Again: Former Gonzaga start Ronny Turiaf scrimmaged yesterday with some of his old teammates, just four month after open heart surgery. Turiaf, who was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers, underwent surgery in July after Lakers' team physicians discovered an enlarged aortic root. Turiaf, last year's WCC player of the year, participated in Gonzaga's Kraziness in the Kennel opening practice event. The Lakers retain Turiaf's rights while he rehabilitates. [10/23/05]
Huskies Try Chip Off Old Block: Northeastern head coach Ron Everhart has announced the hiring of Richard Pitino as an assistant coach on his Huskies staff. Pitino, the son of Louisville head coach Rick Pitino, last season was administrative assistant for the College of Charleston basketball team. Previously, Pitino was a student manager at Providence, and was an assistant coach at nationally-ranked Saint Andrew's School in Barrington, Rhode Island. Everhart also announced that former Director of Basketball Operations Daryn Freedman was promoted to assistant coach. Freedman previously was operations director at UMass under then-coach John Calipari. [10/23/05]
Morrissey Out for Nittany Lions: Penn State sophomore guard Danny Morrissey injured his left knee in practice yesterday, and may miss the entire season. Morrissey, an outside threat who led the Lions with 53 treys last season as a freshman, dislocated the knee during drills. A Penn State spokesman indicated that Morrissey will miss 4-6 months, putting the entire season in jeopardy. Morrissey suffered a similar injury to his other knee four years ago in high school. [10/23/05]
Freshman Cleared to Practice: Arizona State freshman forward Jeff Pendergraph has been cleared by his family physician to resume practice for the Sun Devils. Pendergraph, a 6-10 native of Etiwanda, Calif., had a benign tumor removed from behind his kneecap in August. While he is beginning practice late, head coach Rob Evans expected Pendergraph to be ready for the season opener against Southern Utah on November 23rd. [10/22/05]
NYU, Columbia Coaching Legend Passes: Longtime New York University head coach Lou Rossini passed away yesterday from complications from Alzheimer's disease. He was 84. Rossini coached the Violets from 1959-71, and led NYU to the 1960 Final Four (losing to Cincinnati), as well as two other NCAA tournament and four NIT appearances, including the NIT finals in 1966. Prior to taking the helm at NYU, Rossini coached at Columbia for seven seasons, including a 21-0 record in 1951-52. Prior to serving in the Army Air Corps during World War II, Rossini had been a player at St. John's. He also coached at St. Francis (New York) for four seasons, and ended up with a 357-256 career record. [10/22/05]
Bartow to Lead Bucs' Ship Two More Years: East Tennessee State officials signed coach Murry Bartow for two more years, keeping him on the Bucs' sidelines through 2009. Bartow has been coach for two seasons and has compiled a 37-25 record, including a Southern Conference championship in 2004. The Bucs advanced to the NCAA Tournament and nearly knocked off Cincinnati in the first round.
[10/22/05]
Another Wildcat Down: It's getting dangerous to be a Villanova Wildcat. Villanova forward Curtis Sumpter re-injured his knee in practice Wednesday, and will have surgery in the next week. Sumpter, who originally tore his ACL in Villanova's victory over Florida in the NCAA Second Round last March, re-injured the knee even while wearing a stabilizing brace. Sumpter, who averaged 15.3 points per contest last season, is expected to miss a good portion of the season with the injury. [10/21/05]
Weber State Legend Killed in Auto Accident: Weber State legend Willie Sojourner was killed in an automobile accident in Italy yesterday. He was 58. Sojourner, a three-time all-Big Sky selection, played at Weber State from 1968-71, leading the Wildcats to three consecutive conference titles. At the time he was the Big Sky career leader in both scoring and rebounding. After graduation, Sojourner played in the ABA for the Virginia Squires and the New York Nets. Sojourner also played professionally in Italy, and was most recently coaching a pro team in Rieti. [10/21/05]
St. Joseph's Freshman Out: St. Joseph's freshman guard Edwin Lashley is out indefinitely after coming down with mononucleosis. A 6-4 guard from Salisbury, Maryland, Lashley came to Philadelphia from St. Thomas More school in Connecticut, and was expected to contribute off the bench this season. He will be each week until University Health Services officials deem it safe for him to return to practice.
[10/21/05]
NCAA Tells Braves to Find a New Name: Bradley must change its nickname after the NCAA decided that the nickname "Braves" fosters hostile and abusive attitudes toward American Indians. In its recent sensitivity movement toward American Indians, the NCAA listed 18 schools that use nicknames or logos that are not politically correct. Several schools successfully appealed the measure, but Bradley will not be one of them. The school could appeal the recent decision to the NCAA' Executive Committee. Bradley officials pointed out that eight schools use the nickname Warriors even though they originally included American Indian images in their logos. Bradley dropped all such imagery more than a decade ago. If Warriors is OK, why not Braves, too?
[10/20/05]
Adidas Offers Olive Branch: Adidas will send a representative to meet with Arkansas State senior swingman Jerry Nichols, who refuses to wear shoes from the company because he tore his ACL in 2001 while wearing adidas shoes. The school has a contract with the company, and the athletic director said the shoes are part of the Indians' uniform. But it's not the same as wearing another team's jersey.
Winds of Change in Cincinnati: Cincinnati president Nancy Zimpher started to put her personal touch on the school's athletic department by hiring Mike Thomas as athletic director. Thomas comes to the Bearcats from Akron, where he spent the past five years earning a reputation as an academics-first administrator. That's just the kind of person Zimpher wants to succeed Bob Goin, who will retire later this year after spending eight years as the Bearcats' AD. He has been most closely associated with the tenure of former coach Bob Huggins, whom Zimpher forced out after tiring of the discipline and academic problems surrounding his program.
No News Is Normal: When it comes to Kentucky sophomore center Randolph Morris, coach Tubby Smith isn't saying much. The would-be Wildcat must wait on the NCAA to determine if he passes all its criteria for returning to school after failing to earn a spot in the NBA Draft. Morris declared for the draft and was loosely affiliated with SFX, a sports agency, but no NBA teams drafted him. According to NCAA rules, if Morris pays all his expenses for the draft process and petitions the school, he could return to the team. But the NCAA must determine the extent of Morris' relationship with SFX. Smith hasn't said much but mentioned that he expects Morris to suit up for the Wildcats at some point this season. In his stead, juniors Shagari Alleyne and Lukasz Obrzut will hold down the fort in the paint.
[10/20/05]
Flyers Reward Gregory for Success: Dayton officials extended the contract of coach Brian Gregory, extending his contract through 2013 and giving him a raise that includes incentives for performance. In two seasons at Dayton, Gregory has compiled a 42-20 record, and the school likes the direction of the program under his stewardship. With the addition of Charlotte to the Atlantic 10, the Flyers will have more challenging competition. [10/20/05]
Islanders on the Straight and Arrow: Texas A&M - Corpus Christi has one of the more awkward school names in college basketball. But get used to it under coach Ronnie Arrow. Under his tenure, the Islanders have jump-started a non-existent program. Arrow has led the team to an 88-76 record in six seasons as head coach. The school rewarded his success by extending his contract another three years through 2008. Last season, the Islanders finished 20-8, including wins against major conference opponents like TCU, Florida State and Baylor. The Islanders also beat NCAA Tournament participant Old Dominion. This season, the Islanders join the Southland Conference. With Arrow guiding the Islanders, it seems only a matter of time until Texas A&M-Corpus Christi appears in your brackets in March.
[10/20/05]
Johnny Napp Can't Play Ball: NCAA officials have told James Madison senior guard John Naparlo that he can't practice or play with the team until he puts aside his attempt to start a professional music career. An aspiring country singer, John Naparlo - better known as Johnny Napp to his fans - has an album entitled "Cowboy Up and Party Down" available on Amazon.com and iTunes. The album covers bears his likeness, which violates an NCAA rule for athletes. They are not allowed to profit off of their names or pictures. Naparlo isn't sure it's worth ditching his budding career to be a walk-on and sit on the bench for most of the season.
[10/20/05]
Northern Arizona Alum Returns to Coach: Former Northern Arizona player Billy Hix is back at the school, this time as an assistant coach. Head coach Mike Adras hired Hix, who spent one season as director of basketball operations at Northern Colorado. While playing at Northern Arizona, Hix averaged 6.4 points and 4.9 rebounds per game. He graduated in 2000.
[10/20/05]
Purple Aces Raid Austin Peay: Evansville has hired Rhet Wierzba as director of basketball operations, replacing Sean O'Regan. The Purple Aces promoted O'Regan to assistant coach last month. Wierzba had been a graduate assistant at Austin Peay, where he played and was a starter for three seasons. At Evansville, Wierzba will help coordinate travel, videotape exchanges, summer camps and student managers. [10/20/05]
Daniels Takes Medical Redshirt No. 2: Lipscomb point guard LaKory Daniels will miss another season because of a foot injury. The transfer from Alabama tore ligaments in his ankle and will receive a medical redshirt for this season, meaning that the NCAA will not count this season against his years of eligibility. It will be the second medical redshirt Daniels has received after he missed the 2003-04 season with a foot injury. For a point guard, Daniels needs to shake these foot injuries to be effective. He was a walk-on for the Crimson Tide and transferred to Lipscomb in search of more playing time.
[10/20/05]
Sharpshooter Down for First Semester: Indiana State junior guard Eric Gray will not play for the Sycamores during the first semester because of personal reasons. Gray has been in and out of the starting lineup during his first two seasons at Indiana State and is one of the team's most efficient three-point shooters. Last season, he averaged 10.4 points per game and hit 46 three-point field goals. [10/20/05]
Your Team Is In Trouble When...: Hairstyles become a big deal at Penn State. School officials found a way to emphasize that JuCo transfer David Jackson is the first Nittany Lions to sport the trendy cornrows look. Former coach Jerry Dunn had banned the style because he associated it with a street ethos he didn't want the team to exude. But the Nittany Lions haven't exuded any ethos for several years now, finishing in last in the Big Ten four years' running. If Jackson wins the starting point guard spot from junior Ben Luber, maybe everyone on the team will follow his lead and braid whatever hair rests on their heads. OK, so that's not a good idea. [10/20/05]
NCAA Ponders Rules Changes: As it has done in previous seasons, the NCAA will tweak the layout of the court during early season tournaments. In tournaments such as the Maui Invitational, the lane will be a foot wider, the three-point line will be a foot farther away from the basket and an arc in which defenders cannot draw charging calls will be drawn three feet from the center of the hoop. The NCAA vigorously tracks the statistics from these games to determine how the rules changes would affect the game. For example, the deeper three-point line has not made much of a difference at all in recent years. Although teams don't jack up fewer three-pointers, players could benefit from the deeper range when NBA scouts evaluate them to determine if their shooting in college would extend to the professional level.
[10/20/05]
What's in a Name?: You can change the name of the Preseason NIT, but you can't change the fact that the early season tournament is Duke's to lose. After buying up the NIT to end an antitrust lawsuit, the NCAA has decided to rename the Preseason NIT as the NIT Season Tip-Off. The name change simply means that the Blue Devils will likely become the first winner of the event under the current name. Other favorites to reach the finals in Madison Square Garden are Memphis, Alabama and UCLA. [10/20/05]
Trojans Appeal Dry Arena: Arkansas - Little Rock will find a way to serve alcohol to its fans if the school gets its way. But for now, the state's Alcohol Beverage Control has denied the school a liquor permit for its new basketball arena, the Stephens Center. Several groups oppose the proposition of serving alcohol at an on-campus arena. But Arkansas - Little Rock officials contend that the school's demographics defy stereotypes of alcohol-craving, irresponsible youths causing ruckus. The average Trojan student is 28 years old, and the average season-ticket holder is 50 years old - not exactly newbies to the taste of spirits. The ABC board could address the school's appeal at its next meeting Nov. 22.
[10/20/05]
Saluki Assistant Indicted: Southern Illinois assistant coach Shane Hawkins has been indicted for his role in the mess at Barton County Community College. Hawkins had been an assistant coach at Barton when coach Ryan Wolf led the school into a series of violations. An investigation indicated that the coaching staff helped players receive grants they did not deserve, get paychecks for jobs they did not work, finish courswork and exams, and send falsified academic records to other programs interested in the junior college's players. [10/20/05]
Stop If You're Heard This Before: Villanova has an injury to report. The Wildcats have been practicing for less than a week, and reserve Chris Charles has already become the first player to need surgery. He hurt his left wrist in practice and will need arthroscopic surgery to repair ligament damage. He averaged 1.8 points and 1.5 rebounds per game last season for Villanova. Coach Jay Wright did not indicate a timetable for Charles' return.
[10/20/05]
Cardinals' Guard Yates Out: Ball State junior guard Darren Yates will miss the start of the season following foot surgery yesterday. Yates, who averaged 3.9 points per game last season as a reserve, originally suffered a stress fracture in his right foot two weeks ago, but underwent surgery to repair the problem before it became chronic. Yates is expected to miss 6-8 weeks with the injury. [10/19/05]
Black Bear Returns to Sidelines: Maine head coach Ted Woodward has announced the hiring of former Black Bear playing legend Julian Dunkley as an assistant coach. Dunkley, who just finished a four-year stint as a professional player in Europe, replaces associate head coach Calvin Oldham, who accepted a similar position in the German Professional League, where he had spent 15 seasons as a player and coach. Dunkley ruptured his Achilles tendon in a summer league game, shelving another season as a player. Dunkley was an All-America East selection in 2000-01, and is the captain of the Jamaican national team.
[10/19/05]
Boeheim a Legend: Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim has been selected to receive the John R. Wooden Legends of Coaching award. Boeheim has a 703-241 record over the past 29 seasons at Syracuse, and one national title (2003). Dean Smith, Mike Krzyzewski, Lute Olson, Jim Calhoun, and Denny Crum are previous recipients fo the award. The ceremony will take place April 8th, 2006, at the Los Angeles Athletic Club. [10/19/05]
APA Weighs in on American Indian Nicknames: Tossing in its two cents, the American Psychological Association issued a statement that American Indian nicknames and mascots can be psychologically harmful to American Indians. The NCAA started a crusade in August against schools that use "hostile" or "abusive" American Indian nicknames. The well-intentioned movement did not go over well with schools like Florida State, Utah and Central Michigan, which have approval of the tribes they represent and maintain a positive relationship. The NCAA approved appeals from those schools.
Nichols Won't Sell Soul to adidas: Arkansas State officials have told senior swingman Jerry Nichols he must wear adidas shoes or not play. For now, Nichols has chosen the latter. The school has signed a deal with adidas that requires all student-athletes to wear adidas shoes, and the school's athletic director said he considers the shoes to be part of the uniform. Nichols is so adamant against lacing up his adidas shoes because he was wearing shoes from that company when he tore his ACL in 2001.
Free the Turtle: Maryland senior guard Chris McCray will not miss any playing time after Prince George's County, Md., officials dropped all charges from an August incident. McCray completed 20 hours of community service after he was charged for refusing to leave the scene of a fight. McCray's involvement in a 15-person altercation was unclear, but he attempted to evade arrest when an officer tried to handcuff him. The Terrapins' co-captain has never had any run-ins with the law until this incident, so county officials were lenient with him. The county had set a court date that would have forced McCray to miss the Terrapins' opening game in the Maui Invitational against Gonzaga. [10/19/05]
The OC Unifies Titans: Cal Sate - Fullerton wants to create a more intimidating presence at home, especially among its fans. And nothing spells intimidation quite like O.C. The campaign, dubbed "Orange Curtain" and devised by a Titan alum, will encourage all fans to wear orange T-shirts with the school's logo in the middle of the O. [10/18/05]
Former Assistant Graham Passes: Former Indiana assistant coach Ralph Graham passed away Friday in Hesston, Kansas. He was 95. Graham, a 1934 graduate of Kansas State, was the top basketball assistant at Indiana for four seasons, including the NCAA championship season of 1940. In 1942, he was named athletic director and head football coach at Wichita State. After two years of Navy service in WWII in the Philippines, Graham became head football coach at Kansas State, becoming the first Big Seven Conference coach to offer a scholarship to a black athlete. Graham left athletics in the early 50's, and worked for the Kansas Turnpike Authority for over twenty years. [10/17/05]
Golden Bear Kately Withdraws: California head coach Ben Braun has announced that junior forward Marquise Kately has withdrawn from school for personal reasons. Kately's production went down after his freshman season when he averaged 10.5 points per game. Kately averaged 9.3 points per contest last season, and was to compete with returning forward Leon Powe and Kansas transfer Omar Wilkes for playing time. [10/16/05]
Collier Dies From Heart Attack: Former Georgia Tech forward Jason Collier, most recently with the NBA's Atlanta Hawks, died yesterday at the age of 28 from a heart attack. Collier averaged 17.1 points and 8.3 points in two seasons for Tech after transferring from Indiana during his sophomore season. A native of Springfield, Ohio, he averaged 5.7 points and 2.6 rebounds in 70 games for the Hawks last year. Collier, whose father Jeff played four years for Tech in the 1970s, is survived by his wife Katie and a daughter, Elezan. [10/16/05]
Heel Has Bad Knee: North Carolina freshman Mike Copeland will miss the start of the season following arthroscopic surgery on his right knee this weekend. Copeland, a 6-7 forward from Winston-Salem, injured the knee during a scrimmage Friday night, and it was determined that he suffered torn cartilage. Copeland is expected to miss up to five weeks. [10/16/05]
Houston? No Problem: The University of Houston has announced that the NCAA has dropped an investigation into claims of grade changing for Houston student-athletes. The NCAA found no irregularities with the Cougar program. Former Houston instructor Alex Brown claimed that he was forced to change grades for student-athletes. Brown was later found guilty of stealing money from the athletic department. [10/16/05]
Kentucky Gets 23K: Kentucky fans broke the record for largest attendance for practice at the school's Big Blue Madness Friday night. Over 23,000 fans poured into Rupp Arena, besting the two-year old record of 21,600, set by North Carolina fans for Roy Williams' first practice in 2003. Kentucky distributed the free tickets starting on October 1st, and the first 20,000 tickets were claimed in 35 minutes. [10/15/05]
Tarver to Miss Six Weeks: Oregon State freshman guard Josh Tarver will miss the next six weeks after breaking a bone in his right foot. Tarver, who played at Jesuit High School in Portland last season, suffered the injury during a fast break drill on the first day of practice. [10/15/05]
Illinois Formally Appeals Mascot Ban: The University of Illinois has formally appealed the NCAA's ruling banning the use of the "Illini" mascot from NCAA events. In the letter to the NCAA, Board of Trustees Chairman Lawrence C. Eppley said, "Your failure or refusal to exempt UIUC from this arbitrarily derived policy will significantly affect our institutional autonomy and impair our ability to participate fully and equally as a member institution in NCAA competition," according to the release. The ruling outlawing "hostile and abusive" Native American mascots or nicknames, made August 5th, has been successfully appealed by Florida State, Utah, and Central Michigan, and has been upheld in the case of D-I hockey power North Dakota. 
USA Adds Farrar as Assistant: University of South Alabama head coach John Pelphrey has announced the hiring of C. David Farrar as assistant coach for the Jaguar program. Farrar was most recently the head coach at Idaho from 1997-2001, and previously was head coach at Middle Tennessee State for five seasons, and was an assistant at Mississippi State, Western Kentucky, and was a very successful head coach at Hutchinson (Kan.) Junior College, winning the NJCAA national championship in 1988. [10/14/05]
Mountain West: "Vegas, Baby, Vegas": The Mountain West Conference has announced that the conference tournament will return to Las Vegas for the 2006-07 season, after its three-year contract with Denver's Pepsi Center expires. According to the MWC, schools have lost between $20,000 to $30,000 per school annually since the change, mostly due to reduced attendance. And let's face it, which is a better-looking option in early March? Unless you're a snowboarder, of course. The switch to Denver was led by coaches who didn't like UNLV's home-court advantage, but those coaches (Rick Majerus of Utah, Steve Cleveland of BYU) are no longer coaching in the conference. [10/14/05]
Falcon Center Out for Season: Air Force center Nick Welch will end up missing the entire 2005-06 season, as his recovery from September ankle surgery will take much longer to rehabilitate than expected. Welch, who had a damaged tendon repaired last month, also had surgery in July for a broken left foot, not to mention three knee surgeries in each of the last three offseasons. Welch averaged 12 points and 3.6 rebounds last season, and will receive a "medical turnback" - academy terminology for a redshirt for this season. [10/14/05]
Olsen Done with Utes: Utah backup point guard Josh Olsen has been informed by the university that there will not be a scholarship available to him when he returns from his Mormon mission next season. Olsen, in the middle of a two-year mission to Florida, averaged 2.4 points and 1.6 assists in 14 minutes per game for Utah's 24-9 team in 2003-04. Former Utes head coach Rick Majerus had promised Olen a scholarship, but then reneged on the arrangement, forcing Olsen to walk-on for the 2002-03 season, with the promise that he would be under scholarship the following years. However, this wasn't communicated to new head coach Ray Giacoletti, and since Olsen was never on scholarship, he had no knowledge of the situation. [10/14/05]
McClure To Redshirt: While the media was all a-twitter with the news of Mike Krzyzewski's possible involvement with Team U.S.A., the coach had to assemble his Blue Devil roster for the 2005-06 season. That roster will not contain sophomore forward David McClure, who will redshirt this season following offseason knee surgery. McClure averaged 1.7 points and 1.4 rebounds in 25 games last season as a reserve, and has had two operations on his left knee in the past eight months. With proper rehab, McClure could again participate in practice by February. [10/14/05]
Grizzly Ruptures ACL: Montana senior center John Seyfert will not be able to play this season, thanks to knee surgery. Head coach Larry Krystkowiak announced that Seyfert, who averaged 5.2 points and 3.8 rebounds per game lsat season, injured his anterior cruciate ligament during a workout last week. Seyfert played started 17 games last season, and the Grizzlies will lean on freshman Eric Van Vliet in the paint this season. [10/14/05]
Former Mountaineer Coach to Congress?: Former West Virginia head coach Gale Catlett announced that he is considering a run for Congress. Catlett, the winningest coach in the history of Mountaineer hoops, is considering taking on either U.S. Sen. Robert Byrd or the 1st Congressional District's U.S. Representative Alan Mollohan. Catlett has ties to West Virginia Republican Party Chairman Rob Capehart, stemming from Catlett's start at WVU in 1978. Previously, Catlett was head coach at Cincinnati. [10/14/05]
Moore Good News for Bearcats: Finally, some good news for Cincinnati fans. Senior guard Chadd Moore has received medical clearance to resume basketball activities, and will be rejoining the Bearcat roster in time for practice this weekend. Moore, who left basketball last February due to a degenerative back condition and a herniated disk. However, the eight-month layoff provided him with enough recovery to return, though he will have to limit his minutes. Moore averaged 3.3 points, 2.5 assists and 15.1 minutes per game last season. [10/13/05]
Bruin Aboya Has Third Knee Surgery: UCLA freshman forward Alfred Aboya underwent his third knee surgery in the past 18 months yesterday, and will likely be sidelined 4-5 weeks. Aboya had cartilage damage in his left knee repaired yesterday, following right knee surgery in July, and left knee surgery in high school at Tilton Academy in Tilton, N.H. This comes at a bad time for head coach Ben Howland, as Josh Shipp (hip surgery), Michael Fey (groin), and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute (that's one guy) has a strained shoulder. All are expected back in time for the start of the season, save for Shipp, who is out until January. [10/13/05]
Austin Done At Villanova: Villanova senior reserve Marcus Austin's playing days are over, after injuring his shoulder this past summer in a pickup game. Following two months of rehab, no improvement was made, and Austin will undergo rotator cuff surgery next week. Since Austin used his medical redshirt to recover from a foot injury in 2003-04, Austin will be unable to resume his collegiate career. He averaged 1.7 points and 1.8 rebounds off the bench last season. Fortunately, Austin has already graduated and is currently working towards his graduate degree. [10/13/05]
Minor Still Suspended: LSU junior point guard Tack Minor has been suspended by head coach John Brady for an academic infraction of the school's Code of Student Conduct. Technically, this suspension is left over from the summer and fall suspensions levied against Minor, but with the extension of the semester due to Hurricane Katrina, Minor will have to wait an additional period of time before he can return. Minor started all 30 games last season, averaging 10.8 points, 4.6 assists, and 3.9 rebounds per game. [10/13/05]
Roberts Out Indefinitely: Louisiana-Monroe freshman guard Brandon Roberts will miss the start of the season and more following surgery to repair a stress fracture in his left foot. Roberts averaged 21 points and 7 rebounds per game for Van (Texas) High School, which won the state championship. Roberts was expected to contribute off the bench this season. Depending on the recovery, Roberts may return in December, although a redshirt season has not been ruled out. [10/12/05]
Wildcats To Honor Polk: Arizona men's and women's players this season will wear a "00" patch on their uniforms in memory of Arizona women's player Shawntinice Polk, who died September 26th during a workout due to a blood clot that traveled from her knee to her lungs. Polk entered her senior year as a pre-season Wooden award candidate and first-team all-Pac-10 center. Additionally, the school is selling red, white and blue wristbands that say "Polksey 00", with all proceeds going to the Shawntinice S. Polk endowment fund. [10/12/05]
Miner Moreno Out: UTEP head coach Doc Sadler has announced that senior point guard Edgar Moreno will miss 5-6 weeks of practice, following hernia surgery. Moreno, a native of Columbia, transferred from Texas (Austin) last season, sitting out due to NCAA transfer rules. He played in every game for the Longhorns in 2003-04, coming off the bench to average 2.5 assists per game. His first two seasons were played at Lon Morris Junior College. [10/12/05]
Dermody Leaves Buffs, Boulder: Colorado head coach Ricardo Patton has announced that freshman walk-on Ryan Dermody has left the Buffaloes team, and has withdrawn from the University of Colorado, citing personal reasons. Dermody, from nearby Loveland, Colo., was a two-time all-state selection at forward, averaging 19 points and 9 rebounds per contest last season in high school. [10/12/05]
Diaw A Yellow Jacket?: The NCAA has cleared Georgia Tech freshman swingman Papa Diaw to play this season for the Yellow Jackets. Diaw, nicknamed "Paco", is a native of Senegal, and is the younger half-brother of Phoenix Suns' guard Boris Diaw. Diaw played one season at Greater Atlanta Adventist Academy, who had to help translate Diaw's older transcripts, resulting in the clearance delay. [10/12/05]
USA Wants Coach K: Reports out of New York have named Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski as the top choice to coach Team USA in the 2006 World Championships this summer and the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. The USA Basketball selection committee, chaired by Phoenix Suns CEO Jerry Colangelo, will make the formal announcement on October 29th. The U.S. team is looking for a strong bid following a sixth-place finish at the 2002 World Championships and a bronze medal at the 2004 Olympics in Athens. Perhaps Krzyzewski can instill a Herb Brooks mentality to the team. However, Duke athletics director Joe Alleva dismissed reports that Krzyzewski would sit out a year to coach the team for Beijing. San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich has also been mentioned as a top candidate. [10/12/05]
Changes Coming to Sun Belt: The Sun Belt Conference announced today new divisions and a new format for the Sun Belt Tournament, starting in 2006-07. The tournament shuffle will award first-round byes to the top team in each division, and one "wild card" as the next-best team in the conference. The first rounds will be played at campus sites. The divisional alignment will feature Arkansas State, Arkansas-Little Rock, Denver, Louisiana-Lafayette, Louisiana-Monroe and New Orleans in one western division, and Florida Atlantic, Florida International, Middle Tennessee State, South Alabama, Troy and Western Kentucky in an eastern division, though the divisions haven't yet been named. [10/12/05]
Wolfpack Forward Could Be Deported: North Carolina State sophomore forward Gavin Grant is being investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and may face a hearing where he could be deported. Grant, who has been in the U.S. since 1994, entered the country from Jamaica after his mother, and then attended middle school and high school in the Bronx. A hearing in federal immigration court in Atlanta is the next step, though it has not been scheduled. The NCAA stated that residency and citizenship are not on eligibility checklists, as it is each school's responsibility. Grant will remain enrolled in classes, though a N.C. State spokesperson stated that Grant is not enrolled as a foreign student. Grant, 20, averaged 4.2 points and 2.4 rebounds last season off the bench as a freshman. Grant apparently has few options. Deportation is one, but he could voluntarily leave, and then apply for re-entry. Yeah, that'll make Herb Sendek happy. [10/11/05]
Trojans May Sport Two-Sporters: New USC head coach Tim Floyd has announced that he has received permission from football head coach Pete Carroll to approach Trojan wide receivers Dwayne Jarrett and Steve Smith for basketball team depth. Smith, who was reluctant to join the hardwood team, averaged 25 points per game his senior year at Taft High School. Jarrett is considering taking Floyd up on his offer. USC only returns four scholarship players from last season. [10/11/05]
Rebels Forward Ineligible: UNLV head coach Lon Kruger has announced that junior forward Wendell White (no, not the one from L.A. Confidential) is academically ineligible to play for the Rebels for fall semester. White, a JuCo transfer from Antelope Valley College in Lancaster, Calif., averaged 21 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists per game as a sophomore last season. Kruger expects White to be eligible for the Dec. 17 Las Vegas Showdown game against Texas Tech. [10/11/05]
Little Leaves Blazers: Alabama-Birmingham junior forward Ernest Little has left the Blazer basketball program. Little, a 6-9 native of Mobile, Alabama, averaged 3.4 points and 2.1 rebounds per game last season. UAB head coach Mike Anderson announced that Little left the program for personal reasons. [10/11/05]
Wildcats Lose McClellan to Grades: Arizona Wildcat Jawann McClellan has been ruled academically ineligible for the fall semester, which will result in him sitting out the Wildcats' first seven games of the season. McClellan, a Houston native, was enrolled in summer school but dropped out to return to Houston after his father's death in mid-June. McClellan was unable to complete the coursework for one of the classes, resulting in the disqualification. The 6-4 sophomore guard averaged 5.8 points and 3 rebounds off the bench last season. He may be eligible for Arizona's December 17th game at Utah. [10/11/05]
Ex-Tiger Hunt Indicted: Former Memphis Tiger Jeremy Hunt, dismissed from John Calipari's team just two weeks ago, was indicted in Shelby County Court on a domestic violence assault charge. The charge is not from Hunt's latest altercation with a bouncer on Beale Street three weeks ago (which led to his dismissal), but rather from January of 2005. Allegedly Hunt punched his former girlfriend at least six times in the face and kicked her. The charge is a class A misdemeanor. [10/11/05]
MVC Goes Big Time: The Missouri Valley Conference announced a bit of a media coup, as CBS will be airing the Sunday MVC tournament title game for two seasons, with an option for a third. This season's game is scheduled for March 5th in St. Louis. ESPN, which normally has the rights to the tournaments, sub-licensed the coverage to CBS to allow the MVC to have their final on a Sunday. In the past, the MVC final was held on Mondays to accommodate ESPN. [10/11/05]
Ranson Joins the Foxes: Marist has announced the hiring of Orlando Ranson as an assistant on head coach Matt Brady's Foxes coaching staff. Ranson was most recently the administrative assistant at Loyola-Maryland for two seasons, and previously coached at St. Frances Academy in Baltimore for two years. As a player at Southern New Hampshire University Ranson was a Sporting News D-2 All-American his senior year in 1999. [10/11/05]
Greyhounds Add Friar Guard: Loyola-Maryland head coach Jimmy Patsos has announced that former Providence junior guard Gerald Brown has transferred to the Greyhound program. Brown, who will sit out the 2005-06 season due to NCAA transfer rules, averaged 7.1 points in 15 games last season. The Baltimore native will have two seasons of eligibility remaining, starting in 2006-07. [10/11/05]
Peacocks Add Finamore: St. Peter's head coach Bob Leckie announced the hiring of Steve Finamore as an assistant coach. Finamore replaces Dennis Cook, who left coaching to pursue other interests. Finamore last season coached Portland High School in Portland, Michigan, but was part of Tom Izzo's support staff in 2000 for Michigan State's national championship. A native New Yorker, Finamore was an assistant coach at Bishop Ford High School in Brooklyn, NY, from 1989 to 1996, and was also active with the Brooklyn USA AAU club for ten seasons. [10/11/05]
Saints Alum Joins Bench: Siena head coach Fran McCaffery announced the hiring of former Saint Carmen Maciariello as Director of Basketball Operations. As a player, Maciariello played for Siena in 2000-01 and helped lead Louis Orr's squad to the Metro Atlantic regular-season championship. Maciariello started his career as a guard for New Hampshire for three seasons before transferring to Siena. Maciariello played professionally in Italy for three seasons, sitting out most of 2002 with a torn ACL. Last season he was head coach for the Albany City Rocks 17 and under team. [10/11/05]
Moore Promoted At UConn: Connecticut head coach Jim Calhoun announced today the promotion of longtime assistant Tom Moore to associate head coach. Moore, who has been on Calhoun's staff for the past eleven seasons, serves as the Huskies' recruiting coordinator. A Boston University grad, Moore previously was head coach at Worcester State for five seasons, and also was an assistant at Assumption College.
[10/10/05]
Bulldog Big Man Out: Georgia head coach Dennis Felton has announced that freshman center Kendrick Johnson will miss the entire 2005-06 season due to ankle surgery. Johnson, a 6-10 center from Morton, Texas, averaged 21 points and 9 rebounds last year as a high school senior, and was expected to contribute off the bench this season. The surgery to repair several small ankle injuries from his high school action will take up to three months to heal, and it's likely that the Bulldogs will redshirt him for this season. [10/10/05]
Two Georgia Southern Players Wounded: Two Georgia Southern basketball players were hospitalized following a shooting at a Statesboro-area bar last weekend. Sophomore guard Dwayne Foreman, 21, received a gunshot wound to the scalp and bullet fragments struck him in his left shoulder, left arm, left thigh and right groin. Freshman forward Rob Robinson, 18, received cuts to his head and gunshot wounds to his left shoulder, right side and arm. Both players were taken to Memorial Hospital in Savannah, Ga. According to local police, the shooting followed a heated argument at Legends Bar and Grill around 2 A.M. Sunday morning. Three suspects are in custody, Rafael Sanchez Howard, 19, Brandon Derrel Mobley, 22, and Eric Latwain Crump, 18 - all of Glennville, Ga. A semi-automatic rifle was found with the trio. Foreman, a reserve guard, played in all 31 games last season, averaging 2.8 points and 1.8 rebounds per contest. Robinson, from Silver Springs, Md., joined the team as a walk-on earlier this season. [10/10/05]
Hartford Finalizes Coaching Staff: Hartford head coach Larry Harrison has announced the hiring of two new assistants on his Hawks coaching staff, Lonnie C. Williams and Adam Finkelstein. Williams most recently was head coach and AD at Knoxville College, and was previously an assistant at Florida International, and was also the former head coach at Maryland-Eastern Shore. Finkelstein last season was an assistant at Western Connecticut State, and was a member of Jim Calhoun's support staff at Connecticut, his alma mater. [10/10/05]
Kossekpa's Career Over: James Madison junior guard Ulrich Kossekpa will be unable to complete his career for the Dukes due to medical reasons, announced head coach Dean Keener. Kossekpa will complete his schoolwork under the NCAA's "medical disqualification" designation. Kossekpa sat out 2002-03 on a medical redshirt, and averaged 1.3 points and .9 rebounds in 17 games over the past two seasons while missing time with several knee and leg injuries. [10/10/05]
Walker Hires International Coach: Binghamton head coach Al Walker has announced the hiring of Ali Ton to the Bearcat coaching staff. Ton, a former Davidson standout, comes to Binghamton from Turkey, where he was coaching the Turkish 20 and Under National Team. Ton was also an assistant at his alma mater, and was graduate manager at Western Carolina last season while completing his Master of Business Administration degree. Ton also played professionally in Turkey for four seasons. He replaces Brian Bidlingmyer, who left to take an assistant coaching position at Wisconsin-Milwaukee. [10/10/05]
Pride Promotes Parrotta: Hofstra assistant coach Tom Parrotta has been promoted to associate head coach on the Pride coaching staff. Parrotta has coached four years at Hofstra, and is being rewarded for the Pride's 21-9 record last season, including a 9-0 start. Previously, Parrotta was an assistant for six seasons at Niagara, and also coached at the high school level in New York. Parrotta is a Fordham grad, and as a player was a two-year captain and All-Metro Atlantic second team as a senior. [10/10/05]
Terriers Name Former Spider Assistant: Boston University has hired former Richmond assistant coach Mike Winiecki to the Terriers staff. Winiecki spent the past three seasons as an assistant at Richmond, and previously was an assistant at UNC-Wilmington and at Campbell. As a player at Richmond, Winiecki was an All-Colonial first team selection his senior season (1988-89), averaging 17.6 points and 8.3 rebounds per game. His 13th-seed Richmond team upset fourth-seed Indiana and fifth-seeded Georgia Tech in the 1989 NCAA Tournament. [10/10/05]
Wolverines Hope to Avoid Deja Vu: Last season, a promising Michigan season ended in major struggles after several players finished on the sidelines because of injuries. Before playing a single game, the Wolverines will be down Michigan forward Brent Petway, who is academically ineligible. Petway averaged 7.1 points and 5.4 rebounds per game last season, in which he missed time because of a dislocated shoulder. Petway will miss the first semester and could be back on the court by late December.
[10/09/05]
Cooke Homeless Again: Colorado State sophomore point guard Marquie Cooke, a transfer from Virginia Tech, will need yet another new home. In less than a month on campus, Cooke has already worn out his welcome. The team dismissed Cooke without specifying a reason. Virginia Tech kicked Cooke off the team earlier this year for failing to maintain team standards. Last season, Cooke averaged 3.6 points, 1.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game for the Hokies.
[10/08/05]
NCAA Gives Purdue a Point: In desperate need of a point guard, Purdue received good news when the NCAA cleared freshman guard Korey Spates for this coming season. The NCAA Clearinghouse decided that Spates had met academic standards required of incoming freshmen players. Spates might step into the starting point guard position if the school punishes Tarrance Crump for his Sept. 25 arrest. The JuCo transfer could miss some or all of the upcoming season, depending on what the Boilermakers' decision.
[10/08/05]
Dorsey Released From Hospital: Memphis forward Joey Dorsey was released from the hospital on Thursday morning and is reportedly doing fine. The 6'9" sophomore forward experienced minor chest pain on Tuesday while relaxing in the Finch Center players' lounge, and was taken to Baptist Memorial East Hospital and underwent a series of tests. [10/07/05]
Fairfield's Maxwell Ineligible: Fairfield has declared senior forward DeWitt Maxwell ineligible for the rest of the semester due to violation of the university's student code of conduct. Last Saturday Maxwell was arrested for reckless driving, operating a motor vehicle without a license and disorderly conduct. To make matters worse, he is accused of resisting arrest by breaking into a house to hide. Maxwell averaged 11.3 points and 5.6 rebounds per contest. [10/07/05]
Sacred Heart's Henley Undergoes Leg Surgery: Sacred Heart junior forward Joey Henley will miss the beginning of the basketball season due to two broken bones in his right leg. Henley, a 6-4 forward and basketball co-captain of the Pioneers, was injured Saturday in the Sacred Heart football game against Wagner, where he is a wide receiver. Henley was tackled after making a reception, and broke two bones in his lower leg and ankle. He will have screws inserted into the joint during surgery, and is expected to be out for up to ten weeks. Henley led the Pioneers last season with 12.3 points and 5.7 rebounds per game. [10/07/05]
Father-Son In Wolf Pack Hall Of Fame: Former Nevada head coach Sonny Allen will be inducted tonight into the Nevada Athletic Hall of Fame, joining his son, Billy, who was inducted in 1994. The elder Allen was head coach between 1980-1987, leading the Wolf Pack to a 114-89 record and two NCAA Tournament appearances in 1984 and 1985, the first appearances for the program. Allen, who has an overall coaching record of 356-260, is already a member of both the Marshall Hall of Fame (as a player) and Old Dominon Hall of Fame (as a coach.) Also being inducted tonight is basketball player Michael "Fly" Gray, who played for the Wolf Pack from 1977-79. [10/07/05]
Gopher to Miss Start of Practice: Minnesota head coach Don Monson has announced that freshman guard Kevin Payton will likely miss some practice to start the season. Payton, who is still recovering from July shoulder surgery, has been unable to participate in workouts, and has not been cleared to resume basketball activities, especially shooting. Monson did not tip his hand as to whether Payton will take a redshirt this season, as he will wait towards the beginning of the exhibition season a month from now. [10/07/05]
Violation Could Be Major: A school attorney said that the illegal phone calls made to recruits by former Fresno State head coach Ray Lopes could be deemed a major violation. The NCAA will soon inform the school of the results of its investigation, and if deemed a major violation, the school could face major sanctions since it would be a repeat violator currently on probation until next December. Lopes resigned on March 17 after admitting to "numerous" cases where he and his staff broke rules with phone calls to recruits. [10/06/05]
New Scoreboard Featured in Bloomington: Indiana University's Assembly Hall has a new scoreboard hanging over its basketball court. The 26,000-pound scoreboard cost approximately $2 million and includes high-definition television screens, small screens and a circular screen to be used for advertising. It should be ready for the Hoosiers' home opener on Nov. 4. [10/06/05]
Madness For Salley: Former NBA player and current television personality John Salley will emcee Arizona's "McKale Madness" on Oct. 14. Salley, who was a member of four NBA championship teams and is currently a host for Fox Sports Net's "Best Damn Sports Show, Period," will host an event that will feature souvenir giveaways, contests and a player autograph session. [10/06/05]
Carruth Leaves Team: Rashaad Carruth left the basketball team at Southern Miss, citing a desire to focus on finishing his degree. Carruth was the team's leading scorer last season at 13.4 points per game. [10/06/05]
New Arena Won't Host Exhibition: Alabama's new Coleman Coliseum is slated to open on October 15 as scheduled, and will officially open to the public when the Crimson Tide open the season on November 15 against Miami of Ohio. But fans won't be able to view the first competition of its existence, as they will scrimmage Western Kentucky on November 5 in a game that won't be open to the public. The back gym of Coleman will be used early on and could be used for the scrimmage if the main floor is not ready. [10/06/05]
Mocs Big Man Calls It Quits: Chattanooga sophomore center Matt Malone has announced he is leaving the Mocs basketball program. Malone plans on remaining in school at Chattanooga, but has decided to quit playing basketball. Malone, a 6-10 reserve from Greeneville, Tenn., averaged 4.3 points and 2.8 rebounds per contest last season, averaging almost 12 minutes off the bench.
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A Pinnock By Any Other Name...: George Washington junior guard J. R. Pinnock will be changing his name back to his birth name of Danilo. Pinnock, whose moniker J.R. was used instead of the proper abbreviation of "Junior," is honoring his father's request to go by his given name, Danilo Pinnock, Jr. According to a GW news release, the J.R. nickname came about because of his "Junior" status - his father is Danilo Pinnock, Sr. Pinnock has a two-year old son, named Trey, a common nickname for the third generation. Pinnock was the Colonials' second-leading scorer last season, averaging 13.4 points per contest.
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Rams' Robinson Suspended Indefinitely: Rhode Island senior guard Dawan Robinson has been suspended indefinitely from the Rams basketball team following an arrest by Narrangansett police last weekend. Robinson, who missed all of last season with a stress fracture in his foot, was charged with three misdemeanors: disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and failure to disperse. An altercation in the Black Point Bar and Grille escalated into the parking lot, and Robinson allegedly came to the aid of Michele Bilodeau, girlfriend of teammate Jamaal Wise. Robinson was arrested after being told four times to leave the scene. According to the Providence Journal, Robinson struggled with the officers, and he was then pepper-sprayed and handcuffed. Bilodeau is charged with assaulting an officer during the struggle, accused of jumping on a police officer's back and grabbing his gun belt. She has pleaded innocent to those charges. Robinson will be suspended a minimum of 60 days, and may face further suspension pending the outcome of the case.
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Tigers' Dorsey Collapses During Workout: Memphis sophomore forward Joey Dorsey collapsed yesterday in a workout at the Finch Center on campus. According to the Memphis Commercial Appeal, head coach John Calipari indicated that the collapse was likely caused by stress, and that the majority of tests being performed on Dorsey came out fine. Dorsey averaged 4.6 points and 6.0 rebounds per game last season. [10/06/05]
A Donnybrook in Knoxville: More details are surfacing from Knoxville regarding the altercation between Tennessee football player Daniel Brooks and basketball players Jemere Hendrix and Andre Patterson. As we reported two days ago, Brooks and Hendrix were both dismissed from the university, and Patterson was suspended indefinitely. Brooks has filed an assault complaint against Hendrix and Patterson with the UT Police Department, claiming that he was struck in the nose and then kicked by the pair while he was on the ground. Apparently Patterson was turned away from a party Brooks was hosting Saturday evening (the party resulted in Brooks missing curfew, thus getting suspended from the team). On Monday, the two got into a heated argument, and while Patterson was being pulled away, Hendrix stepped in and punched Brooks in the nose. Brooks claims that he was in the nose with a bottle, a claim that is disputed by some witnesses. [10/06/05]
Aggies Top Scorer Ineligible: North Carolina A&T head coach Jerry Eaves has announced that Sean Booker, the MEAC's top scorer last season, will miss the entire 2005-06 season due to failing to meet academic requirements. Booker, who averaged 16.1 points and 3.8 rebounds per contest last season, will continue his studies and will hopefully play for the Aggies in 2006-07 if his grades are up to snuff. Sophomore guard Demetrius Guions is the Aggies next-highest returning scorer from last season, averaging 6.2 points per game. [10/06/05]
Top X-Man Miller Extended: Xavier University head coach Sean Miller has signed a contract extension that will keep him on the Musketeers' sidelines thought the 2009-10 season. The extension tacks on one additional year to Miller's existing five year deal he signed in the summer of 2004. Miller led the Muskies to a 17-12 record last season, his first as head coach. Previously he was a three-year assistant at Xavier, and also has experience at North Carolina State, Pittsburgh, Miami (Ohio), and Wisconsin. [10/5/05]
"Two-in-Four" Upheld: The U.S. Supreme Court yesterday declined to hear an appeal of the NCAA's so-called "two-in-four" rule. The ruling, made last year by the U.S. 6th Circuit Court, upholds the legality of the NCAA's rule of allowing D-I schools to participate in certified basketball contests no more than twice every four years. Two groups of college basketball promoters had sought to strike down the rule on antitrust grounds in 2003. The case now returns to the 6th District (Ohio), where the injunction halting NCAA enforcement of the rule will be lifted. [10/5/05]
Belmont to Honor Alexander: Belmont associate head coach Casey Alexander will be inducted into the school's Athletic Hall of Fame this Friday evening. As a Belmont player, Alexander was a four-year letterwinner on the