9/9 - Some Links, Some News

-This probably won't surprise anyone, but Derrick Caracter isn't actually attending Oklahoma City University of the NAIA. It appears that Caracter will be enrolling at Southern Mississippi, where he will have to sit out a year before he is eligible to play. While I'm happy that Caracter has a chance to play D1 basketball again, I don't see how he is going to put in the effort of working out, staying in shape, and going to class when he is not playing for a year when he could barely do that while playing.

On the other hand, Southern Mississippi is coached by Larry Eustachy, a guy who knows a thing or two about second chances. He was the coach of Iowa State that was caught drinking at a frat party after playing a road game at Missouri. Well, he landed at Southern Mississippi and hopefully he can get through to Caracter. If he does, Southern Miss could be pretty good in 2009-2010, as they also landed Angelo Johnson, a transfer from USC.

-Look at this amazing piece of investigative journalism (sarcasm alert): college athletes that play big time sports for big time schools get (gasp) accepted into schools as "special admits" (kids that are expected to need tutoring and extra attention to graduate) at higher rates than normal students. Seriously though, look at this chart, the numbers are pretty crazy. In 2004-05, 95% of the freshman football class at California were special admits, 94% at Texas A&M.

-Kansas's Morris twins, Markieff and Marcus, were both declared academically eligible for the season, and will begin taking classes this week (class officially started August 21st). Hopefully, Markieff's legal troubles will be solved by then.

-VCU's Eric Maynor had an infected toe, which kept him out of the teams three exhibition games during their trip to the Bahamas. He'll be healthy by the time the season starts, but Maynor sitting out allowed his two sophomore backups to get experience playing with the first team.

-Adam Gore, a senior starter and returning all-Ivy performer for Cornell, tore his acl and will be out for the season, which is a huge hit to Cornell's chances of repeating as Ivy League champs. Gore did the same thing to his other acl in the first game of the 2006-07 season.

-UConn recruit Ater Majok, a 6'9" athletic, power forward, will not be eligible until at least December. Apparently, his high school, the American International School in Sydney, Australia, will not release his transcript until the rest of his classmates finish their semester as well, which means that UConn could not turn over all of his paperwork to the NCAA Clearinghouse. Since it is already the third week of classes in Storrs, it is very unlikely that Majok will be able to get eligible and enroll in classes in time to start the season with the Huskies.

-Texas point guard recruit Dogus Balbay was suspended for the first game of the upcoming season. From 2004-2006, he played in 11 games for a professional team in his native Turkey. The NCAA suspended him on a 1-for-1 basis, and he was deemed eligible in March of last year and sat out the team's final 10 games.

-Southern Illinois junior guard Josh Bone has decided to transfer, and will leave the school in December at the end of this semester. Continue reading...

Syracuse: 2008-2009 Team Preview

2007-2008 Team Record: 21-14, 9-9 Big East (8th)

Key Losses: Donte Greene (17.7 ppg, 7.2 rpg)

Key Returnees: Paul Harris (14.5 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 3.3 apg), Jonny Flynn (15.7 ppg, 5.3 apg)

Newcomers: Kevin Drew, Mookie Jones, Kris Joseph

Last season, the Orange were a pretty talented team, winning 21 games and going .500 in the Big East despite having a six-man rotation as a result of the season-ending knee injuries suffered by Andy Rautins and Eric Devendorf. The only guy they lose is leading scorer Donte Greene, who was a first round pick after his freshman year, although the loss of Greene may be a blessing in disguise. He was a 6'11" gunner, who shot almost eight 3's per game while only making them at a 34% clip (29% in conference play), taking away touches from some of Syracuse's other talented players.

Syracuse returns a lot of talent, especially in their back court. It starts with Jonny Flynn, the 6'0" (looks more like 5'10") point guard who is as exciting to watch as any guard in the conference. Flynn has range well beyond the college three and can knock it down consistently off the dribble or the catch, but he is also extremely quick and strong, and can get in the paint easily. He is fearless attacking the rim (and athletic enough that sooner or later he is going to embarrass a center by dunking on them), but, with shooters Devendorf and Rautins back, he is unselfish enough where he can create open looks for them off of his penetration. The return of Devendorf should actually help out Flynn, because Devendorf can play some point, which would take pressure off of Flynn (he averaged 39.2 mpg in Big East play). Devendorf was off the the best start of his career before tearing an acl against Tennessee State. He was averaging 17.0 ppg and 3.9 apg. Rautins will also be a key addition, most likely coming off the bench, as he is a great shooter with range which will help spread the floor.

The Orange also return Paul Harris, who is (still) a reliable jump shot away from being a lottery pick. Harris, a 6'4", 228 lb wing, is as strong as anyone in the conference. He is a fantastic rebounder and can get to the basket when he pleases, usually by just muscling his way through weaker defenders. Arinze Onuaku had to red shirt a season after knee surgery, but as a sophomore was a pleasant surprise for Jim Boeheim. Onuaku blossomed into one of the better centers in the conference, using his tremendous bulk (6'9", 258 lb, although he looks closer to 275 lb) to carve out space. He has a soft touch around the basket as well, and gets a ton of easy points off of offensive boards and drop-offs. Scoop Jardine and Kristoff Ongenaet are solid role players. Ongenaet really impressed me down the stretch with his hustle - he should complement Onuaku well. Also expect sophomore Rick Jackson and freshman Mookie Jones and Kris Joseph to get some playing time.

Outlook: Syracuse's biggest issue last season was depth - they couldn't really go past their sixth, maybe their seventh man. With Rautins and Devendorf returning, and the addition of two freshman (Jones and Joseph), the Orange's line-up looks much deeper than it did a year ago. The problem for Syracuse this season is that the Big East is loaded. They could feasibly finish 10th in the conference and still make the NCAA tournament. They aren't as good as the top four, but will battle it out with the like of Marquette, Villanova, and Georgetown for the 5th-10th spots. My prediction: 8th and a tournament bid. Continue reading...

Dick Vitale is a Hall of Famer

Some people like him. Some people can't stand him. But the one thing that you can't argue is that Dick Vitale has left his mark on college basketball, from each "Dipsy-Doo Dunkaroo" to every "Awesome Baby, with a capital A!". Sure, he was never the greatest coach (but how many people can name the top 10 winningest coaches of all-time? I can probably get, like, six tops) or the greatest player, but has there ever been a more recognizable announcer in college basketball (or any sport for that matter)?

Seriously, has there ever been a college basketball announcer that is more well known than Dickie V, especially with casual fans? Love him or hate him, he has been as much a face (or voice) of college basketball as anyone since the 90's. It has gotten to the point where, if he is working a game, fans will come out with their bald wigs on and their "PTPer" signs. What other announcer has ever gotten that kind of treatment, regardless of who is playing.

Isn't that what the Hall of Fame is all about? It is more than just a place where you can hang the plaques of the guys a group of writers think were the best ever. The Hall of Fame (and this goes for any sport) is supposed to be a museum - a place someone can go to learn about the history of the game, the athletes and people that played, and everyone that was involved with it.

How can you tell the story of college basketball without mentioning Dick Vitale?

The one thing that most people hate the most about Dickie V (other than the Duke bias) is that he rants and raves and yells his usual Dickie-babble when he gets excited. Well, I think that is his best attribute, and what makes him the best at what he does. Don't get me wrong. When he starts spouting that verbal diarrhea, I sometimes want to throw the remote at the TV.

But all of it is legitimate. He is not faking it. He actually gets that excited about a great play. He really is that emotional when talking about Jim Valvano, his close friend that died of cancer. He truly enjoys and loves the game that college basketball so much, and he is not afraid to wear those emotions on his sleeve. 

And regardless of how much you hate him, you have to admire him for that.

Congratulations Dickie V. At least one person thinks you deserved it.

Continue reading...

Jayhawk Pt. 2

On Thursday, reports started to trickle out of the NBA's Rookie Transition program that Mario Chalmers and Darrell Arthur were sent home because they were caught smoking weed with a couple of girls in their hotel room at 3:30 am Wednesday morning, the first night they were at the Rye Brook, NY resort.

Well, apparently, it was initially reported by the worldwide leader that Michael Beasley was also in the room at the time, but he was deemed not connected with the weed (later reports removed his name). From The Big Lead:

According to police, the mystery man locked himself in the bathroom, repeatedly flushed the toilet, and refused to open the door.

I don't think we will ever really know if that is true, but the fact that it is an internet rumor is not good for Beasley or the NBA, especially given the pre-draft concerns about his immaturity and "goofy" demeanor.

Back to Kansas, as I said in the previous post, this is just another knock on the reigning national champs. From Sherron Collins' run-ins with the law (and lack of run-ins with a treadmill), to Markieff Morris' target practice, to the accusations that Arthur's grades were falsified in high school, all the publicity that Kansas has been getting since winning the title has been bad.

If you've read this blog before, then you know that I am a big fan of Jason Whitlock, and here is his take on the situation. Continue reading...

Temple: 2008-2009 Team Preview

2007-2008 Team Record: 21-13, 11-5 A-10 (2nd)

Key Losses: Mark Tyndale (15.9 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 4.2 apg), Chris Clark (7.5ppg)

Key Returnees: Dionte Christmas (19.7 ppg, 5.3 rpg), Lavoy Allen (8.1 ppg, 5.7 rpg), Ryan Brooks (8.6 ppg)

Newcomers: TJ DiLeo, Andrew "Scootie" Randall, Juan Fernandez, Michael Eric (RS), Ramone Moore (RS)

Early on last season, the A-10 looked like it was going to get as many as five teams into the NCAA tournament, but Temple was not one of them. Then conference play started, injuries and losses started to pile up for teams like Dayton and UMass, and thanks to a late push by the Owls, including an upset of Xavier on the way to the A-10 tournament championship, they ended their six-year tournament drought. That Temple team was led by Mark Tyndale and Dionte Christmas, who combined to score 36 ppg last year. Tyndale has graduated, but Christmas is will be back on campus for his senior season.

Christmas is probably the preseason A-10 player of the year, thanks to his fantastic scoring ability. He has excellent range on his jump shot, and he is tall enough (6'5" shooting guard) that he can get it off against most perimeter defenders. He can also get to the rim (he is good at trying to get to the basket when his shots aren't falling), but is not overly quick, meaning he relies a lot of pump fakes and hesitation moves. Christmas will be joined in the backcourt by Ryan Brooks, a junior two-guard (from Kobe Bryant's high school), who hasn't been a starter (tough when you play behind Christmas and Tyndale) but was the Owls third leading scorer last year. He should slide into a starting spot on the wing. Senior Luis Guzman and sophomore Martavis Kee, who was a fairly big-time recruit but struggled to see the court (six games played), should battle it out for the starting point guard spot. Also, keep an eye on red-shirt freshman Ramone Moore, who was a big-time scorer coming out of Philly.

One of the keys to this years team will be how well Lavoy Allen develops. The 6'9", 225 lb Allen was one of only two top 100 recruits to head to the A-10 last year, and he had a pretty good year, averaging 8.1 ppg and 5.7 rpg and playing very good post defense. He is joined up front by Sergio Olmos, a 7-foot senior who finally seemed to fulfill some of his potential mid-way through he junior season. Michael Eric, another red-shirt freshman, will be counted on to play a lot of minutes off the bench.

Outlook: Any Temple fan should know what they are going to get out of Christmas. Regardless of who is defending him, he is going to find a way to put up 18-20 points, and has the ability to go for 30 against anyone (Florida last year, for one). But how good Temple is this year will depend on how well last year's role players progress, and whether or not they can fill some of the production and leadership lost with Tyndale's graduation. If Brooks, who has a tendency to be inconsistent, and Allen can both develop into all-conference caliber players, Temple seems poised to give Xavier a run for their money atop the A-10. Continue reading...

Team Previews: Top 25 and the Best of the Rest

Top 25
1) UNC
2) UConn
3) UCLA
4) Louisville
5) Pittsburgh
6) Gonzaga
7) Notre Dame
8) Purdue
9) Duke
10) Texas
11) Tennessee
12) Memphis
13) Oklahoma
14) Michigan State
15) Arizona State
16) Marquette
17) Baylor
18) Miami FL
19) Wake Forest
20) Davidson
21) UNLV
22) Wisconsin
23) West Virginia
24) St. Mary's
25) Xavier

Best of the Rest
Alabama
Arizona
BYU
Cincinnati
Clemson
Creighton
Drake
Florida
Georgetown
Kentucky
Illinois State
Kansas
Kent State
Nevada
Ole Miss
Syracuse
Temple
Villanova
Washington State
USC Continue reading...

Cincinnati: 2008-2009 Team Preview

2007-2008 Team Record: 13-19, 8-10 Big East (10th)

Key Losses: John Williamson (11.6 ppg, 6.3 rpg), Adam Hrycaniuk (6.4 ppg, 5.3 rpg)

Key Returnees: Deonta Vaughn (17.9 ppg, 4.0 apg)

Newcomers: Nick Aldridge, Dion Dixon, Yancy Gates, John Riek, Steve Toyloy, Mike Williams, Cashmere Wright

Cincinnati went 13-19 last year, including losses to powerhouse programs such as Belmont and Bowling Green, and lost four of their top six players. So how can I list them as one of the top 50 teams in the country? Well, it starts with one of the most exciting players in the country to watch - Deonta Vaughn. Last year, Vaughn averaged 17.9 ppg, but was one of the most explosive scorers in the country (he went for 30+ three times, 20+ eight times, and 19 four more times), mainly because of his three point shooting ability - he can hit them out to about 28 feet and has no conscience (and a permanent green light from Coach Mick Cronin).

Vaughn will be joined in the back court by top 100 recruit Cashmere Wright and sophomore Rashad Bishop. Wright is a similar player to Vaughn (shoot-first point guard) so he may end up coming off the bench, but since he is more of a penetrator than Vaughn is, they should complement each other well. Rashad Bishop is a tough defender who could turn into a very effective wing if he improves his jump shot - right now he is a slasher that can get to the rim and finish. Freshman Dion Dixon, who comes from Crane Tech in Chicago (which produced Tony Allen, Sherron Collins, and Will Bynum), and sophomore Larry Davis should also compete for time.

The Bearcats greatly improve their front court with the recruiting class that Cronin brought in, which is probably the second biggest reason I see Cincinnati being a good team. First and foremost, they add Yancy Gates, who has the potential to be one of the best freshman in the country. He is 6'9", 250 lb, and probably is the strongest player in the class, but he can also step out and shoot it to the three point line or put the ball on the floor. His biggest knock by most recruiting analysts is that he doesn't use his size or strength enough and falls in love with perimeter jumpers. 

The other huge signing for Cronin was 7'1" John Riek, who many considered to be the top prospect in the country a few summers ago, but has battled leg injuries for over a year. Riek, who is from the Sudan, may not be eligible for the first semester, but once he gets on the court, a starting front line of him and Gates is as talented as any in the Big East (although they are probably still a year away). Cincinnati also adds Mike Williams, who has sat out the last two years - one for transferring (from Texas) and the other after he blew out his achilles in August of 2007. JuCo transfer Steve Toyloy, freshman Nick Aldridge, and 7'0" sophomore Anthony McClain (who is a very similar player to Riek - long, athletic, oozing with potential, but very raw) should also get some minutes, especially if Riek is ineligible.

Outlook: Mick Cronin is really doing a good job with this Cincinnati program. It took them a while to gel last year, but once they did, they were very competitive in the Big East, starting the year out 8-5 in league play before dropping their last five (although, three were on the road - G'town, Pitt, UConn - and three were very close games). They will be young again, but with their front line and Deonta Vaughn, this team is my sleeper pick in the Big East.

Continue reading...

9/4 - Some Links, Some News

-Luke Winn of SI.com caught up with Lee Cummard of BYU. It is a pretty interesting article, as Cummard is a unique individual - a member of the Church of Latter-Day Saints, a husband, a father, and still a senior in college. Here is my favorite exchange:

LW: As a kid, you were notoriously skinny -- so much so that I read you were nicknamed 'Leethiopia.' How did it come about, and did it stick through high school?

LC: I got that nickname in elementary school, and my mom jokingly kept it around. None of my high-school teammates kept it up, but it became kind of a family joke that kept going.

LW: What do you get called now, at BYU?

LC: My teammates call me a lot of stuff. I'll just leave it at that.

LW: You're not going to give us any of them?

LC: Well ... a few. They call me Lee-Z, LeRoy, Big Pipes and Deez Salty.

His last name is Cummard. I'm sure he has plenty of nicknames, they just can't be posted on SI.com (if you are dense, replace the second 'm' with an 'h').

I also found this blog posting. Its kind of creepy...

-Police have confirmed that two of the people stabbed in a brawl at a night club were Oklahoma athletes. One was defensive line-man Frank Alexander, and the other was freshman guard Ray Willis from the basketball team. Reportedly, Willis sustained a collapsed lung, but that has not yet been officially confirmed. There were also reports that a 27-year old man was arrested in connection with the fight and charged with carrying a concealed weapon, but in fact no one has been arrested as of yet.

-Chris Singleton of Kent State was arrested for violating a noise ordinance after ignoring the first visit by police to his residence. He was also charged with resisting arrest after he was uncooperative with officers, and he apparently suffered wrist and shoulder injuries. This is his fourth run-in with law-enforcement this year - an OVI arrest (what?) on Jan. 26th resulting in a one game suspension, a nuisance party regulations charge on March 10th, and a DUI arrest on April 7th. I'm all for partying in college, but come on dude, be smart about it. Someone needs to tell Chris to walk to a friend's place to party (h/t March to Madness).

-Good news for Big Blue Nation - Kentucky will hold their Big Blue Madness (aka midnight madness) on Oct. 10th, a full week before teams are allowed to practice. How is that legal? Well, the NCAA allows two hours on on-court instruction per week prior to the start of the season, so UK has decided to just use both hours at the same time. (h/t Dickmonious)

-Bad news for the Pitt Panthers - Levance Fields needed a second surgery on his left foot, which he injured against Dayton last year (one game after Mike Cook blew out his knee). Apparently, he needed a bone graft because there was a small fracture. I don't know the medicine of it, but I do know he will be out about two months.

-Gary Parrish of CBS Sports caught up with Sonny Vaccaro. Apparently, Vaccaro has about 12 elite high school players (at least one from each class) looking to head over to Europe instead of going to college. Parrish and Vaccaro also both hint at the idea that Jennings will land a endorsement deal with Under Armour in the next few weeks.

-Last two notes. Ty Proffitt, a seldom used guard at Notre Dame, has decided to transfer closer to home (Kentucky) and has enrolled at Morehead State. Jim Larrananga, the George Mason head coach, was given a 40% raise, to $525,000 a year, through the 2014-15 season.. Continue reading...

Rock, Chalk ... err ... Smoke, Pot, Jay, Hawk

Players affiliated with the Kansas Jayhawks just can't seem to steer clear of the law. Darrell Arthur and Mario Chalmers, both members of the 2008 National Champions, were thrown out of the NBA Rookie Transition program in Rye Brook, NY after being caught in their hotel room with weed and women on the first (Tuesday) night. According to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports, both players are expected to be fined $20,000 and will have to repeat the program again next year. The Grizzlies, who signed Arthur to his rookie contract in July, and the Heat, who recently signed Chalmers, a second-round pick, to a two-year deal, may also be fined by the league.

The NBA Rookie Transition program is a four-day event which all newcomers to the league are required to attend. According to the AP:

it focuses on issues such as handling their finances, life skills, the differences in NBA and NCAA rules, legal matters, how to handle the media, and the importance of character and image.

I guess they got to that part on day 2... Continue reading...

Wednesday Where Are They Now?: Wayne Turner

Ever wonder what happened to those college stars that couldn't catch on in the NBA? The guys that put up the great numbers or the guys that left early, and were never heard from again? Every Wednesday, we at BIAH will take a look at a former college star that never made it in the NBA, and we will update you on where he is playing or what he is doing. We're guessing the results will surprise you. To request a player, leave a comment in the comments section.

Wayne Turner, Kentucky

Despite being a McDonald's all-american coming out of tiny Beaver Country Day School, Wayne Turner never put up superstar numbers at Kentucky. In fact, he has mediocre career averages of 7.7 ppg and 3.3 apg. Turner was known more for his defense (UK career leader in steals), his play-making ability (4th all-time at UK in assists), and his leadership than for his scoring. But more than anything, he was a winner, as his three NCAA Finals appearances and two NCAA championship rings can attest. Turner is actually the NCAA's career leader in games played (he broke Christian Laettner's record of 148) with 151.

Turner's first season in Lexington was the 1995-96 season. Despite joining one of the most talented teams of all-time (nine guys from that team played in the NBA, and the back court consisted of Tony Delk, Derek Anderson, Ron Mercer, Jeff Sheppard, and Anthony Epps), Turner was able to break into the rotation, averaging 14 mpg and 4.5 ppg and even starting eight games due to some injuries. Kentucky won the national title that year, the first of three consecutive title game trips for Turner and the Wildcats. Turner still was not a full-time starter as a sophomore, but he increased his averages to 22 mpg, 6.6 ppg, and 3.0 apg. He also developed into one of Kentucky's best perimeter defenders, using his outstanding quickness to harass opposing point guards as he helped guide a UK team that lost Delk, Sheppard, Antoine Walker, and Walter McCarty back to the Finals, where they lost to Arizona in overtime. Turner was named to the NCAA all-region team. Turner picked up his second championship ring as a junior, when he averaged 9.3 ppg and 4.4 apg and helped ease the tensions during Tubby Smith's first year, the first time UK had a black head coach. Turner's leadership to this team is exemplified by the fact that they were the first team in over 20 years to win a title without a lottery pick or a 1st team all-american (you have to love Wikipedia). Turner was named MVP of the SEC tournament and MVP of the South Region. As a senior, Turner averaged 10.5 ppg and 3.9 apg en route to being named 3rd team all-SEC, but Kentucky only reached the Elite 8 before being knocked out of the NCAA's.

Turner never really found a home as a professional. In the 1999-00 season, he landed with the Celtics summer league team and actually made the team, but only managed to play in 3 games before being waived. He eventually signed with the Cincinnati Stuff of the IBL for the remainder of the season. The next year he was on the Pacers summer league team then signed with Turkey's Kombassan Konya, but was cut before he played in any games. His next career choice took an interesting turn, as he signed with the Harlem Globetrotters. At the time, the Globetrotters had decided to start playing exhibition games against NCAA teams, and signed a couple of former college players (Alex Sanders from Louisville was another one) to try and compete. On Nov. 27th, 2000, Turner gained the dubious distinction of being on the Globetrotters team that had their 1,270 game winning streak snapped with a 72-68 loss to Michigan State.

In the summer of 2001 he played with the Knicks summer league team, then split the year between Fillattice Imola (Italian Series A, his best pro ball yet), the Dakota Wizards (CBA), and the Florida Sea Dragons. In 2002-03, it seemed like Turner had finally landed somewhere he could succeed. He signed with the Townsville Crocodiles of the Australian NBL, and proceeded to average 19.3 ppg, 7.0 rpg, and 5.1 apg. But the night before Turner was to return to Australia for the 2003-04, he was arrested for gun possession and possession of a high-capacity magazine (he had a Glock 9mm with 12 live rounds in the car). There were two passengers in the car, each of which had an open beer and one of whom had weed. As a result, Turner had his passport taken away, and was cut by Townsville eight days later (NOTE: Does anyone know what ended up happening? I spent an hour trying to figure it out before giving up).

Over the next four years, Turner bounced around Europe and local minor leagues, playing a few games here and there. The highlight is probably when he signed with TEC Spirou Charleroi (Belgium) in 2005-06, where he played limited minutes but reached the ULEB Cup. In 2007-08, he went back to the Aussie NBL, where he signed with the New Zealand Breakers, but 11 games in he suffered a season ending injury. According to Australia Basket, Turner is currently unsigned for the upcoming season. Continue reading...

9/2 - Some Links, Some News

-This off-season has not been a great one of the University of Kansas, even beyond the fact that they lost nine total players and five NBA Draft picks from last season's NCAA Championship team. First, it was Sherron Collins and the "elevator incident". Then freshman Markieff Morris was arrested for shooting a woman with a BB gun from his dorm room window. The lastest news to come out of Lawrence is that Collins has shown up to camp out of shape after off-season knee surgery. Collins has always battled conditioning and weight issues, but according to Bill Self

"He's a month behind where I thought he'd be at this stage," Self said when the Jayhawks opened camp on Aug. 21. "He just reported back in bad shape. He was [in Lawrence] up until the time he was cleared to start [working out]. When he got cleared to do some things, that's when he decided to go home [to Chicago]. You can't go four months off, not be prepared and then just walk out there and say, 'I'm going to practice.' His body is just not ready to take a pounding at all."

Collins was expected to be a leader for this young Kansas team as he is the only major contributor from last season. Collins did not play Saturday during Kansas' first game of a three game Canada trip, although the official reason was that his knee was no feeling well. He had 10 points in the team's second game.

-I have to say, I feel bad for New Mexico State coach Marvin Menzies. About a month ago, his best returning big man, Herb Pope, was visiting schools like Seton Hall in hopes of transferring to greener basketball pastures. On Friday, Pope announced that he would be returning the NMSU (most likely because he was going to have to sit out a year because he wasn't going to get an NCAA waiver for his undisclosed personal issues). Well, today Menzies said in a statement that Pope will in fact be leaving NMSU, hopefully to transfer to Duquense or Seton Hall, which is closer to his Pittsburgh home.

"A decision has been made that Herb Pope will not play for the Aggies this upcoming season," NMSU coach Marvin Menzies said in a statement. "It is unfortunate things did not work out for Herb at NMSU, however, moving forward is best for all parties involved. We are building a program that will have chemistry and success, and in order to do that you must have development and continuity. We wish him well in the future both on and off the court."

Last year, NMSU was 9-10 without Pope, but 12-4 in the 16 games he played in after being cleared by the NCAA. He averaged 11.1 ppg in those 16 games.

-The NBA Players Association has suspended Calvin Andrews, the agent from Bill Duffy Associates that allegedly gave OJ Mayo his improper benefits while Mayo was at USC, for one year and reserved the right to further punish him.

-Indiana's only returning contributor Kyle Taber will undergo knee surgery and is expected to miss about 10 weeks. Indiana may not win a game this year.

-Alabama freshman Tony Mitchell has been declared ineligible for at least the first semester, while Arkansas freshman Jason Henry has been cleared to play.
Continue reading...

USC: 2008-2009 Team Preview

2007-2008 Team Record: 21-12, 11-7 Pac-10 (t-3rd)

Key Losses: OJ Mayo (20.7 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 3.3 apg), Davon Jefferson (12.1 ppg, 6.3 rpg), Angelo Johnson (4.5 ppg, 2.1 apg)

Key Returnees: Taj Gibson (10.8 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 2.6 bpg), Dwight Lewis (10.8 ppg), Daniel Hackett (8.6 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 3.2 apg)

Newcomers: Demar Derozan, Percy Miller, Donte Smith, Marcus Johnson, Alex Stephenson, Leonard Washington, Nikola Vucevic

USC lost their top two scorers from 2007-08 to the NBA Draft (OJ Mayo and Davon Jefferson), but may be a better team now mainly because they will be deeper. Their leading returning scorer is Taj Gibson, a 6'9" power forward who actually had a less-productive sophomore year than he did as a freshman (down from 12.2 ppg and 8.7 rpg). Although he is very thin (220 lb), Gibson is long and has an effective finesse game around the basket. He is also a very good defender (2.6 bpg). The drop in production is worrisome, although it may be a result of OJ Mayo dominating the ball (although, Gabe Pruitt and Nick Young did the same thing). The biggest addition to their front court is Alex Stephenson, a 6'9" transfer from UNC (he is still waiting to hear from the NCAA on whether or not he will be eligible for this year. His father is sick which is why he transferred out of Chapel Hill, and it appears as if he will be allowed to play). Stephenson only played about 14 mpg for the Tar Heels, but he is strong and athletic and will complement Gibson well down low. Also in the mix will be 6'10" sophomore Keith Wilkinson, 6'10" freshman Nikola Vucevic, and 6'7" freshman Leonard Washington.

The Trojans will be loaded on the perimeter. The first guy you have to mention is freshman Demar Derozan, a consensus top five recruit in the country. Derozan is a phenomenal athlete known for his highlight reel dunks (at the 2:15 mark he goes 1-on-5 and dunks on a whole team, definite must watch). The rest of his game has been improving, but right now he is much better in the open court than he is in a set offense (he is drawing a lot of comparisons to Vince Carter at the same age). Marcus Johnson, another athletic wing, will become eligible after transferring from UConn and should see some quality minutes.

USC also returns two starters from last year's back court, Daniel Hackett and Dwight Lewis. Hackett is the type of player coaches love (coincidence that he is a coach's son?), meaning he can do a little bit of everything. With Angelo Johnson transferring to South Alabama, Hackett looks like he may get the nod as the primary ball-handler. Lewis is more of a scorer, whose strength is his mid-range game. Donte Smith, a 5'11" JuCo transfer, will challenge for minutes at the point, as he was fairly highly recruited. The last addition to the Trojans back court is Percy Miller, aka Lil' Romeo. He probably won't see many minutes, but that is worth a mention.

Outlook: The Pac-10 lost a lot in the draft and is wide open after UCLA. USC has a lot of talent, but there are still some question marks. Will Stephenson be eligible? Who will run the point? Can anyone shoot? Which Taj Gibson shows up this year? Tim Floyd is an excellent coach, but those are a lot of ifs to overcome - and to predict. I can see this team missing the NCAA's, but I can also see them reaching the second weekend, depending on if they catch some breaks. Continue reading...

Kentucky: 2008-2009 Team Preview

2007-2008 Team Record: 18-13, 12-4 SEC (2nd East)

Key Losses: Joe Crawford (17.9 ppg), Ramel Bradley (15.9 ppg, 3.3 apg), Derrick Jasper (4.2 ppg, 5.5 rpg)

Key Returnees: Patrick Patterson (16.4 ppg, 7.7 rpg), Jodie Meeks (8.8 ppg, 2.8 rpg), Perry Stevenson (5.9 ppg, 5.1 rpg)

Newcomers: DeAndre Liggins, Darius Miller, Kevin Galloway, Josh Harrellson, Donald Williams

The main reason Kentucky will have a chance to make their second straight NCAA tournament under Billy Gillespie is that Patrick Patterson, who is probably the favorite to win SEC player of the year, came back for his sophomore season. The 6'8", 232 lb Patterson underwent surgery during the off-season because of a stress fracture in his ankle, but he should be completely healthy by the time the season starts. There aren't many players in the country with his combination of size, strength, athleticism, and skills. It's not a stretch to say he could end up being a 1st team all-american, and with an inexperienced team around him, the 'Cats are going to go as far as Patterson can carry them.

Patterson's front court mate is junior Perry Stevenson, who started to play much better as the season went on, averaging more points, rebounds and minutes than starter Mark Coury (Coury, who is a walk-on, is rumored to be looking for a place to transfer where he will be on scholarship). Stevenson is long, athletic, and a above average defender, but offensively he is not much more than a dunker at this point. Josh Harrellson, a JuCo transfer who originally committed to Western Illinois, will also compete for minutes up front.

The backcourt is a different story as the Wildcats lost their three best ballhandlers in Ramel Bradley, Joe Crawford, and Derrick Jasper. The starting point guard spot will probably be a battle between Kevin Galloway and DeAndre Liggins, although both are more in the mold of a point forward (both are 6'6"). Galloway already has collegiate experience (JuCo transfer and former USC Trojan), so he looks to be the early favorite, but Liggins was a top-30 recruit this year and probably has more raw talent (he comes in with a rep as a penetrator with great vision and passing ability).

There are three guys that will get most of the minutes on the wing. Ramon Harris, who started 25 games last year, is UK's best perimeter defender, but doesn't bring much to the table offensively. Top-50 recruit Darius Miller, however, is much more skilled offensively, and the two should complement each other well. The wildcard for Kentucky this year will be Jodie Meeks. Meeks is a very talented two-guard who has yet to live up to his hype as a go-to scorer for UK. The 'Cats are really going to need him to step-up and be a guy who can put points on the board and take some of the pressure off of Patterson.

UPDATE: UK also signed 6'5" guard Donald Williams to a scholarship (about two days before classes started), so look for him to get some minutes as well.

Outlook: Kentucky's top six or seven are pretty good, but there is a real drop-off after that. The biggest problem for the Wildcats, however, will not be depth, it will be perimeter shooting (get this, they return a TOTAL of 38 made 3's from last year's team). Meeks is really the only guy on the perimeter that can shoot, which could be very problematic for Patterson as teams will collapse on him. That said, Kentucky is big, athletic, and will be a tough defensive team again this year. They aren't quite as good as Florida or Tennessee, but don't be surprised if they reach the second weekend of the tournament. Continue reading...

Washington State: 2008-2009 Team Preview

2007-2008 Team Record: 26-9, 11-7 Pac-10 (3rd)

Key Losses: Derrick Low (14.1 ppg, 2.6 3's, 39%), Kyle Weaver (12.2 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 4.2 apg)

Key Returnees: Taylor Rochestie (10.4 ppg, 4.7 apg), Aron Baynes (10.4 ppg, 6.0 rpg)

Newcomers: John Allen, Marcus Capers, DeAngelo Casto, Mike Harthun, Klay Thompson, James Watson, James Witherill

While Derrick Low was the leading scorer for the Cougars last year, the loss of Kyle Weaver is probably going to hurt more. Weaver was a great defender who could do a little bit of everything offensively and was very unselfish, the perfect kind of player to fit into the Bennett (Dick or Tony) system. The Cougars also lose start Robbie Cowgill, meaning that Tony Bennett will have a lot of production and minutes to replace.

Wazzu does return a couple talented players and big-time contributors from last year's team. The first is center Aron Baynes, who at 6'10", 270 lb, is as big and strong as anyone in the Pac-10. He has some decent post moves, but struggles to stay on the court (24 mpg because he averaged 3 fouls per game and fouled out 7 times). They also bring back Taylor Rochestie. Rochestie is one of the more underrated point guards in the country. A lefty, Rochestie was the team's best three point shooter (43%), averaged almost 5 assists per game while sporting an 2.8 assist-to-turnover ratio. 6th man Daven Harmeling is also back.

Wazzu brings in a huge recruiting class this year with seven freshman, and two more red-shirt freshman becoming eligible to play. The best of the bunch is probably Klay Thompson (son of former #1 pick Mychal Thompson). Thompson is a long, athletic, 6'6" wing with a pretty good jumpshot. He's not the playmaker that Weaver was, but he could step in and replace some of his production. Mike Harthun should also be able to contribute right away, as he is a two-guard known for his shooting ability who should be able to slide right in for Derrick Low. The rest of the class is tough to predict as Bennett likes to recruit guys that fly "under-the-radar"; guys that fit into the system he runs. Given his track record, I would expect them to fit pretty well.

Outlook: The Pac-10 lost a lot of talent from last year, including 5 of the first 11 picks and 7 first-rounders total. Washington State is going to be young and inexperienced, especially when it comes to their bench, but Bennett is a very good young coach that has a knack for getting the most out of his players. Probably not a favorite to win the conference, but a win in the NCAA tournament is a very likely scenario. Continue reading...

Coach Cal's Recruiting Part II

There has been a huge backlash from Memphis fans after my post yesterday (both in the comments and on this message board) so instead of getting in arguments in either place, I'm going to post my defense and be done with it.

First of all, I want to make it clear that in no way was I trying to insinuate that Memphis and Kansas are the only two schools that partake in such tactics as offering package deal (Seth Davis has a nice list here) . Don't get me wrong, I think Calipari is a fantastic coach - he is incredibly loyal to his players, he is passionate about his team and winning, and I love the style that his Memphis team plays. I also am not so naive as to believe that Memphis is the only school that skirts the boundaries when it comes to recruiting, but it is very hard to overlook the fact that three people recently added in some degree to the University of Memphis all had ties to players being recruited by Memphis.

CJ Henry, as I said in my original post, is probably not a package deal. He used to be a top 10 recruit, he doesn't need a scholarship, and he had a prior relationship with Memphis (although, he did originally commit to Kansas, where both of his parents happened to go to school, and Kansas and Memphis are listed as Xavier's top two schools), but it still looks fishy to me. The hirings of Bilal Blately (Nolan Dennis) and Lamont Peterson (Tyreke Evans) were after both players were committed to Memphis, and both jobs are seasonal, non-salaried, with out benefits, and low-paying (I believe less than 35k). But you have these three issues as Calipari just finished saving face from the Gaddy-Bronzcek phone call, and this is the same guy who was the coach of the UMass Final Four team that had their season removed because of money that Marcus Camby was getting.

Can you crucify Calipari for the Camby thing alone? Probably not, especially since the NCAA has cleared him. Can you criticize him for the phone call by itself? Probably not, because most reports have it as an over-zealous booster. But when all of this stuff is piled on top of each other, how many times can you give the guy a pass. Either he is very good at keeping his nose out of the dirt, or he is a guy that doesn't have complete control over his programs. Neither are good things to say about a coach.

But, I am willing to wager everything I own on every other big time school in the country having things like this happen, including my UConn Huskies. It is a flawed system, rather than a flawed coach, which is why I have no problem saying that Coach Cal is one of the three or four best coaches in the game right now.

With all that said, the point of the post in the first place wasn't the rip apart the Memphis program or to criticize Cal. It was to say that I didn't agree with the idea that hiring a parent or coach of a recruit is a bad thing, although it is technically illegal (the rule is poorly written, which is why teams can get away with it. These are the five rules that deal explicitly with this problem, if you are interested). College basketball is a cutthroat world, and I don't see a problem with allowing a kid to have someone there with him that he knows and trusts, as long as the person that was hired gets the normal pay.

There are a lot of things wrong with the college basketball recruiting process and amateur basketball, and this does not seem like one of the most important. Continue reading...

Coach Cal and his Shady Recruiting

Sure, Memphis lost Derrick Rose, CDR, and Joey Dorsey from the team that was a couple made free throws away from a national title, but don't expect the Tigers to fall too far from the top of Conference USA. They already have one of the best recruiting classes in the country, headlined by spring signee Tyreke Evans, but they added to it yesterday when CJ Henry decided to enroll in classes at Memphis, making him eligible to be a walk-on for Coach Cal.

Why, you ask, is it newsworthy to talk about a walk-on for Memphis?

For two reasons. First of all, in 2005, when Henry was a senior in high school, he was one of the most sought after recruits in the country out of Putnam City High in Oklahoma. Memphis wanted him. So did Texas, Kansas and just about every other school in the country. One assistant coach who recruited Henry out of high school told Jeff Goodman

"I loved him," the coach said. "He's a big guard who can score the ball. He's explosive and can really shoot it. He's more of a combo guard, but I think he can play the point. Because of his size and athleticism, I think he can play right away."

The thing is, the kid was also a great baseball player, getting picked 17th overall by the Yankees and lining his pockets with a $1.6 million signing bonus from George Steinbrenner.

Well, that baseball career never panned out. Between vision problems, poor performances, and injuries (this season alone he sprained his neck in an outfield collision and his knee in a collision at home plate), he never quite got on track. But in the contract he signed with the Yankees, it said that the organization would foot the bill if and when Henry decided to go to school. So, after hitting just .234 at single A this year, Henry called Coach Cal and Bill Self (he originally committed to Kansas) to gauge their interest and not 24 hours later, he was enrolled at Memphis and ready to take the court. He's not quite in basketball shape (at 6'4", he's up to about 220 lb), but given how wide open the Memphis backcourt is this year, expect Henry to compete for major minutes.

There is another reason that Memphis and Kansas wanted CJ Henry the second time around, and that is his little brother Xavier (pronounced ZAV-ee-yay), one of the top recruits in the class of 2009 (#3 on Rivals). And it just so happens that his top two schools are, you guessed it, Memphis and Kansas.

Now neither of these programs are averse to shady recruiting tactics and "package deals". Mario Chalmers father, Ronnie, was hired by Kansas the same year that his son decided to play for the Jayhawks and left the position when Mario headed to the league. Memphis is worse. Milt Wagner worked for Memphis for six years as a result of his son DaJuan deciding to play there. Already this summer, Coach Cal has hired Lamont Peterson (the trainer and coach for Evans) and Bilal Blatley (who is very close with 2009 commit Nolan Dennis). He also "allegedly" requested the CEO of FedEx to call the mother of recruit Abdul Gaddy, who happens to be a customer service rep for the company. And all this on the heels of Scott Drew hiring #1 recruit John Wall's AAU coach.

Now to be honest, I am not sure if the CJ Henry decision is a package deal. His family was apparently surprised by his decision, and because it was so quick, it is very possible that CJ Henry knew that since his brother was so coveted by the two schools and he didn't need a scholarship that both schools would jump at the idea of having him on the roster. But there is no way that Coach Cal and Bill Self did not at least have the thought run through their minds that getting CJ would give them an edge for landing Xavier.

Based on how commonplace this practice has become, many people might not realize that it is in fact illegal for a school to hire someone close to a recruit for the specific purpose of trying to get that recruit to attend school. In fact, the NCAA has recently made an effort to crack down on college basketball recruiting, including these package deals. Just this spring, the NCAA created a three-person group devoted entirely to keeping an eye on illicit recruiting practices. Despite all of the blatant violations, no schools have received anything more than a slap on the wrist for it since New Mexico State in 1996, mainly because intent in this type of situation is so hard to prove.

But apparently tougher enforcement is not the only thing the NCAA is looking to improve. They also want tougher legislation. During last year's Final Four, an initial working group, headlined by David Stern and Myles Brand, was brought together to discuss the problems facing youth basketball in this country. In their summary report, they said

When an institution hires an individual who has either coached or is related to a prospect who ultimately enrolls at that institution, there should be a rebuttable presumption that the hiring violates NCAA legislation. This presumption would be triggered if the individual were hired within two years, either before or after, of the prospect's initial enrollment at the institution. The burden would then be on the institution to prove to the enforcement staff that the hiring did not violate NCAA rules.

It sounds like a great idea on paper.

Personally, I am still torn on the issue. Yes, it can be unethical. Yes, it opens up doors for funneling money to players and their families. Yes, there are a lot of instances where this is just another adult sidling up with a talented kid just to try and make some money. But I'm willing to bet that many of these package deals are simply an 18 year old kid wanting to be around people that he knows, to have people he is comfortable with in his life.

Think about it like this. You are a kid from a poor family in Brooklyn. The only time you've ever left New York City is to play in high school and AAU basketball tournaments. You are getting recruited to play all over the country, and eventually decide that going to Duke is the best way to further your career and your education. But Durham is a long way from Brooklyn, and you want people that you know and you trust around you. Your parents can't go because you have three siblings and they need to be in Brooklyn. So who would you and your family be the most comfortable with being down there to help you? How about the AAU or high school coach that helped keep you out of trouble and who has coached, trained, and mentored you for the last four years of your life. But he isn't made of money, so he needs something to pay the bills while he is in Durham, so Coach K offers him a position within the Duke athletic office.

Is that really unethical? Continue reading...

Villanova: 2008-2009 Team Preview

2007-2008 Record: 22-13, 9-9 Big East (9th)

Key Losses: Malcolm Grant (5.6 ppg)

Key Returnees: Scottie Reynolds (15.9 ppg, 3.1 apg), Dante Cunningham (10.4 ppg, 6.5 rpg)

Newcomers: Maurice Sutton

Villanova had a surprising run in the NCAA tournament last year, reaching the sweet 16 as a 12 seed before finally losing to Kansas, and returns everyone except for Malcolm Grant (transferring to Miami). The biggest problem for Villanova is that they will be playing in a loaded Big East, where they aren't even one of the top four teams. But Villanova will be a sleeper, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see them make another (longer) run in the NCAA tourney this year (you heard it here first).

When you talk about this 'Nova team, the first thing you have to mention is Scottie Reynolds. He's not very big and not overly athletic, but he is deceptively quick and a fantastic shooter with deep range. He is just one of those guys who knows how to score and can put up points in a hurry. He will be joined in the backcourt by sophomore Cory Fisher, a lighting quick point guard who can penetrate and create, and a slew of big guards - Corey Stokes, Dwayne Anderson, and Reggie Redding. Stokes is probably the best scorer of the bunch thanks to his jump shot (he only shot 30% from deep, but really came on strong at the end of the year including a 20 point game in the Big East tourney and 18 against Siena in the NCAAs), while Anderson and Redding are more known for their defense and hustle.

Villanova's frontcourt is where the questions were last year, especially when Shane Clark was battling exhaustion (does anyone know if they ever actually figured out what was wrong with him?). Senior Dante Cunningham is probably their best forward. He came into 'Nova as a skinny freshman that could only jump, but has filled out (6'8", 230 lb) and developed a solid all-around game. Clark, also a senior, is a similar player, although he is a bit smaller and plays a more perimeter oriented game. They also have Antonio Pena and Casiem Drummond up front. Drummond could be a wild card for this team. He is 6'10" and has showed some flashes of his potential, but he is big (listed at 275 lb) and coming off of a broken ankle suffered in the NCAA's. If Drummond and 6'11" freshman Maurice Sutton can provide a presence in the paint on both ends of the court, Villanova could be really good.

Outlook: Villanova has the makings of a team that could make some noise in March - deep, talented, experienced, and coming off of a tournament run. You know what you're getting from veteran guys like Reynolds and Cunningham, so the X-factor for this team will be Drummond and Sutton inside. If they can develop, Villanova could make the Final Four. If they don't, Villanova may not make the Final Four of the Big East tournament. Continue reading...

Wednesday Where Are They Now?: Khalid El-Amin

Ever wonder what happened to those college stars that couldn't catch on in the NBA? The guys that put up the great numbers or the guys that left early, and were never heard from again? Every Wednesday, we at BIAH will take a look at a former college star that never made it in the NBA, and we will update you on where he is playing or what he is doing. We're guessing the results will surprise you. To request a player, leave a comment in the comments section.

Khalid El-Amin, UConn

Khalid El-Amin arrived at UConn in 1997 after having one of the most lauded high school careers in Minnesota history - he won four state titles, three player of the year awards, and was named a McDonald's all-american. Despite being built more like a fullback then a point guard (5'9", 200 lb), El-Amin exploded on the scene as a freshman, averaging 16 ppg on his way to setting the UConn freshman scoring record and being named Big East rookie of the year.

Through his high school and college career, El-Amin gathered a reputation as a leader and a winner. At UConn, he was always the guy that defenses (and fans, most road games resulted in "doughboy" chants) keyed on. He still remains the face of the 1999 championship team that also had NBA players Jake Voskhul and Rip Hamilton.

El-Amin's crowning moment as a Husky came after he led UConn to an upset victory over the heavily favored Duke Blue Devils in the 1999, when he went to the announcers and yelled "We shocked the world!!". El-Amin scored the final four points of that game to give the Huskies the title. UConn lost a lot of talent from that championship team, and although El-Amin probably had his best statistical year as a junior (16.0 ppg, 5.2 apg, 1.7 spg), UConn was knocked out in the 2nd round (partially due to his severely sprained ankle).

After his junior season, El-Amin turned pro and was taken with the 34th pick by the Chicago Bulls. He started 14 games, averaged 6.3 ppg and 2.9 apg, and was named to the all-rookie team, but he was not resigned by Chicago at the end of the 2000-01 season. After bouncing around between the Miami Heat and two D-League teams, El-Amin started to pursue his career overseas, signing with French team Strasbourg in January of 2002, where he averaged 12.8 ppg and 4.9 apg. El-Amin spent the next season in Israel playing for Maccabi Ironi where he averaged 19.7 ppg and 4.9 apg.

The next two years he spent playing for Besiktas Istanbul in Turkey, where he won back-to-back player of the year awards averaging more than 20 ppg and 5 apg each season. He then moved on to Azovmash Mariupol in the Ukraine, where he averaged 19 ppg, 4 rpg, and 4 apg over the course of two seasons, including in 2006 when Azovmash won the Ukrainian championship and El-Amin was named player of the year and finals MVP. In 2007 he signed with Turk Telekom, another Turkish team, where he won the Turkish basketball league title and played in the ULEB tourament. For the season, he averaged 17.5 ppg, but increased that to 19.7 ppg and 3.6 apg in the ULEB. His most memorable game of the past season came when his Turk Telekom team beat spanish phenom Ricky Rubio's Joventut team 96-94. El-Amin and Rubio went toe-to-toe, with El-Amin putting up 33 points and 5 assists while Rubio scored a career high 29 points with 10 assists.

El-Amin will be heading back to Azovmash for the 2008-09 season, where he will play along side Dijon Thompson from UCLA, Marc Salyers of Samford, and Rodney Buford from Creighton. Continue reading...

Florida: 2008-2009 Team Preview

2007-2008 Team Record: 24-12, 8-8 (4td SEC East)

Key Returnees: Nick Calathes (15.3 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 6.0 apg), Dan Werner (9.1 ppg, 6.4 rpg), Walter Hodge (10.4 ppg, 2.9 apg)

Key Losses: Marreese Speights (14.8 ppg, 8.5 rpg)

Newcomers: Eloy Vargas, Kenny Kadji, Ray Shipman, Allan Chaney, Erving Walker

The only significant loss for the Gators from last season is first round pick Marreese Speights, who was very talented but did not consistently put forth the effort that Billy Donovan wants from his players. Thanks to back-to-back outstanding recruiting classes (Rivals ranked them as #1 last year, #10 this year), Donovan has completely rebuilt and reloaded this Florida team.

The prize of this year's recruiting class are two 6'10" post players, Eloy Vargas and Kenny Kadji, who should make up for the loss of production from Speights. Kadji, a Cameroon native, is a big bodied (he has put on 40 pounds since he got here) center with nice post moves and a soft touch, although he tends to be too passive. Vargas (from the Dominican Republic) is a little less polished, but with a bigger upset. He is much more athletic and blocks a lot of shots, but needs to get stronger to be effective offensively. The Gator frontcourt is rounded out with sophomores Alex Tyus (great rebounder and energy guy off the bench) and Chandler Parsons, and junior Dan Werner. Parsons and Werner are both combo forwards who are versatile enough to play (and defend) on the perimeter or in the post. Werner was a starter last year, while Parsons was the leading scorer off the bench. Sophomore Adam Allen and freshman Allan Chaney and Ray Shipman should also compete for minutes.

The Gator backcourt will be led by do-it-all sophomore Nick Calathes. Calathes is a 6'6" point guard that can shoot the ball and get to the rim, but is very unselfish and a great playmaker. His size makes the Gators extremely versatile, as he can defend point guards (if they want to go big) and small forwards (if they want to go with a three-guard set). Also returning for Florida is senior (the only one on the roster) Walter Hodge and sophomore Jai Lucas. Hodge and Lucas are very similar players - small, quick guards that can make plays both defensively and offensively. Hodge is probably a better defender, while Lucas is a better shooter.

Outlook: There is no questioning that Florida has a very talented roster. Their biggest issue is that they are so young - only one senior and two juniors (one of those juniors is Georgetown transfer Vernon Macklin, who is not eligible this year) on the roster. If those young guys can mature, Florida has to be considered a contender for the SEC East. If not, then the Gators may miss the tournament for the second straight season. Continue reading...

8/26 - Some Links, Some News

-Remember last week when I wrote about Anthony DiLoretto, the 7 footer that robbed a bank? Well, I think I found someone to top that idiocy. The leading scorer for the University of Buffalo was suspended for the first three games of the season after he posted on Facebook's marketplace application that he would pay $40 or more for someone to write a term paper for him. Really, you post that on the internet? I mean, I don't really condone cheating, but is that really the best way to get away with it? He couldn't just pay someone on his hall or in the class to do it for him?

-Blake Griffin has had what I believe is his first run-in with the law - for peeing on a bush. Apparently, he was waiting for a ride and really had to go. He received a citation for "outraging public decency" (that doesn't sound right to me, shouldn't it be "outraging public indecency" or "disrespecting public decency" or something along those lines).If this is the worst thing that Griffin has done in his Sooner tenure, then I don't think Jeff Capel has much to worry about.

-Kentucky's chances of making the NCAA tournament again just got a huge boost as point guards DeAndre Liggins and Kevin Galloway were deemed eligible. After losing Ramel Bradley and Joe Crawford to graduation, and Derrick Jasper to UNLV, Billy Gillespie had a huge hole in his back court that needed to be filled. With Liggins and Galloway (both 6'6", Liggins is more of a point guard while Galloway is more of a scorer) teaming up with Perry Stevenson, the (finally) healthy Jodie Meeks, and arguably the best player in the SEC in Patrick Patterson, UK has a starting five that can match-up with anyone in the country. Their biggest question will be depth, especially if Mark Coury (a starter last year) decides to transfer to a school where he can get a scholarship.

-The preseason NIT bracket has been announced:

• Boston College will host the East Region where they will play Loyola, MD, and Cornell will face-off with St. John's.
• Purdue hosts the North Region where they will play Eastern Michigan and Georgia will face Loyola, IL (how many Loyola's are there).
• Oklahoma hosts the South Region where they take on Mississippi Valley State and Davidson will play James Madison.
• Arizona hosts the West Region and they will play Florida Atlantic whil UAB takes on Santa Clara.

The first and second round games will be played Nov. 17th and 18th, with the winners advancing to Madison Square Garden where the semis will be held Nov. 26th and the finals the 28th.

-Some noteworthy roster shake-ups: A couple of big recruits have not met eligibility requirements: Mark McLaughlin, committed to Nevada (now it looks like he will go to prep school), and J'Covan Brown of Texas. Oklahoma State has reinstated Terrell Harris, their third leading scorer from last season. He was suspended in April for violation of team rules. Former USC point guard Angelo Johnson, who left school after he wasn't guaranteed the starting point guard position, has decided to attend Southern Mississippi. Alabama recruit Tony Mitchell was finally cleared by the NCAA Clearinghouse as he attended classes this week, making him eligible for the basketball team. Continue reading...