Hoops Housekeeping: Two players find a transfer locale, two players leave school

Jamal Coombs-McDaniel is headed to Hofstra: After wasting quite a few words yesterday on the potential for Missouri to land four impact transfers this offseason, Coombs-McDaniel opted to forgo his visit with the Tigers and committed to Hofstra. The 6'6" sophomore combo-forward followed in the footsteps of Pat Sellers, the assistant who recruited him to UConn, who is now an assistant with Hofstra.

"I had a great visit there a week ago and just felt it was the right fit for me," JCM told CBSSports.com. "I love the coaching staff, playing in New York and the success of Charles Jenkins were all important for me."

Coombs-McDaniel has also made headlines for other reasons. He is currently attending a drug-education class after he was arrested for possession of 5.6 grams of weed back in April. The cruel irony there? Connecticut recently passed a law that prevents an actual arrest for possession of less than a half an ounce of weed. JCM was well under that number.


From Oregon to Wichita State: The Shockers picked up a solid transfer in former Oregon Duck Malcolm Armstead. Armstead, who nearly transferred after his sophomore season, averaged 8.6 ppg and 4.3 apg for the Ducks last year. He will have one season of eligibility left and will be allowed to use it during the 2012-2013 season.


Troy Gillenwater pulls his name from the draft: New Mexico State's Troy Gillenwater, who averaged 18.9 ppg and 6.3 rpg last season for the Aggies, has pulled his name out of consideration for the NBA Draft. Don't celebrate yet, NMSU fans. Gillenwater's decision does not affect his status as a collegiate hooper; since he did not withdraw his name by the May 8th deadline, his eligibility was already gone. This decision simply affects whether or not he will be eligible for the 2012 draft, since it seems unlikely he will get picked.


Arkansas loses a point guard: Jeff Peterson started out at Iowa, averaging 10.6 ppg and 4.2 apg as a sophomore at Iowa before transferring to Arkansas. After sitting out a season and starting for the Razorbacks this past year, Peterson has again opted to transfer with Mike Anderson coming in. Peterson has graduated already, so he will immediately become a highly sought after recruit in the same was that Justin Knox and John Fields last year and Brandon Wood and Andre Walker have this year.

"I just felt it was best to explore a different opportunity,” Peterson told CBSSports.com on Wednesday afternoon. "I love the school and the fans, but I just felt as though it was the best decision for me.”

Peterson has a 3.4 GPA, but he has played at two schools at the bottom of their respective conferences. Apparently, Florida State is showing interest, but Peterson may be better off heading to a school like George Mason.
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Missouri lands another transfer, could two more be on the way?

For the second time in the span of a week, Missouri has landed a big name transfer.

Earnest Ross, who was Auburn's leading scorer and rebounder at 13.1 ppg and 5.7 rpg this past season, is headed to Columbia, MO.

"It's the best fit for me," Ross told Jeff Goodman of CBSSports.com. "It's a family atmosphere, the fans are crazy and they really treated both me and my mother like a part of the family."

"I think I can make an immediate impact here and can also get national exposure."


Ross is a strong, 6'6" small forward originally from Raleigh, NC. He will have to sit out the 2011-2012 season due as a transfer, but when he does become eligible in 2012-2013, Ross is going to have two seasons of eligibility left. According to the Kansas City Star, in addition to the facilities and the fan support at Missouri, it was the way that Ross and his mother got treated by the basketball team and the coaching staff that was the tipping point.

"The players and the coaches, they treated me and my mother as if we were family already," he told the Star. "That was a big thing for my mom. With me being so far away, she wanted to come here and make sure that I was OK. She felt like she was at home."

Ross is far from the only transfer that Haith has been in the mix with the offseason.

For starters, there is former Louisville Cardinal George Goode. The Missouri native followed former Louisville assistant and joined the Tigers for his final season of eligibility. Goode, a 6'8" forward that never was able to crack Louisville's rotation in his three seasons there, will be eligible immediately. He has already graduated from Louisville.

And then, as we mentioned on Monday, Missouri in heavily involved with two other high-profile transfers. Pepperdine transfer Keion Bell, who has one year of eligibility remaining after declaring for and withdrawing from the 2011 NBA Draft, just finished up a visit to the Columbia campus. Bell is an explosive leaper and big time scorer that averaged 18.9 ppg for the Waves last season despite battling through injuries and a season-ending suspension in February. Bell, who will have to sit out a year wherever he opts to transfer too, is also interested in visiting Texas A&M and possibly Oregon.

UConn transfer Jamal Coombs-McDaniel is also eyeing up the Tigers. Coombs-McDaniel just finished a visit to Hofstra and will likely head to Missouri in the coming weeks. Hofstra appears to be the favorite, as Pat Sellers, the assistant that recruited Coombs-McDaniel to UConn in the first place, is now a member of Hofstra's staff. (UPDATE: Coombs-McDaniel has committed to Hofstra.)

Missouri has room for all four players due to the transfer of guard Ricky Kreklow earlier this spring. And while only one player -- Goode -- actually will be eligible to play in the 2011-2012 season, the importance of landing Coombs-McDaniel and Bell can be seen in what the Tigers will lose after this season. Laurence Bowers, Marcus Denmon, Kim English, Matt Pressey, and Ricardo Ratliffe are all seniors, meaning that Missouri stands to lose five of their top six players after the season. With a 2012 recruiting class that currently includes a single JuCo recruit, having talent entering the program ready to contribute immediately will be a key for Frank Haith if he wants to avoid a drop off after the upcoming season.

It also should be noted that Haith has landed commitments from Tyrek Coger and Ishmail Wainwright, two top 100 recruits in the class of 2013.

Clearly, Haith and his staff have been putting in the effort on the recruiting trail since they arrived in Columbia.
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Hoops Housekeeping: SDSU adds an athlete, VCU loses a big man, and two WCC stars headed to the midwest?

Dwayne Polee is headed back west.

The athletic, 6'7" freshmen that averaged 4.4 ppg and 2.5 rpg with St. John's this past season will return to his native Southern California, opting to transfer to San Diego State. If Polee had returned to St. John's, he would have been their most experienced player, as he started 27 games as a freshman.


Polee is a solid addition to the SDSU program. He's an athlete that excels in the open floor and should flourish playing in Steve Fisher's open court system. Landing Polee is important for Fisher as well. He is a product of the powerhouse Westchester High program in LA, the same high school that produced SDSU's all-time leading scorer Brandon Heath. Building a pipeline to the Westchester program wouldn't be a bad way to bring in some of SoCal's homegrown talent.

Per NCAA transfer rules, Polee will have to sit out for a year before becoming eligible for the 2012-2013 season. But SDSU will apply for a waiver that will allow Polee to become eligible immediately. Part of the reason that he decided to leave St. John's was that he wanted to be closer to home. His mother will be undergoing surgery for an undisclosed illness.


Toby Veal leaves VCU: In one of the more under-reported moves of the offseason, Toby Veal has decided to leave VCU to "pursue other opportunities". Veal, who began his career at Colorado before transferring to a Junior College, was expected to anchor a talented but inexperienced front court for the Rams. With Jamie Skeen graduating and Veal now gone, sophomores Juvonte Reddic, DJ Haley and David Hinton and freshman Jarred Guest will make up VCU's frontcourt.

"We're very appreciative of Toby's contribution to our program," VCU coach Shaka Smart said in a release. "He is a fine young man, and we wish him nothing but the best in the future."


Keion Bell looking to transfer to the Big 12: Keion Bell was an explosive scorer in the WCC the past three seasons, averaging 18.9 ppg this past season despite battling through injuries and a suspension that cost him the end of his junior year. He declared for the draft, but opted to withdraw his name when he didn't receive the kind of interest he was looking for. Bell just finished up a visit to Missouri, which apparently involved some intense games of pool, and is also involved with Texas A&M and Oregon, according to Jeff Goodman. Bell would have to sit out a year before playing his final season with the Tigers in 2012-2013.


Manny Arop is headed to the MVC: Indiana State has added a quality perimeter player in Gonzaga transfer Manny Arop. Arop, who was never quite able to make is mark in his two seasons with the Zags, is a tough perimeter defender that showed flashes of being a capable perimeter scorer. He should be able to thrive in the more defensive-minded MVC.


Kansas guard heads west: Royce Woolridge, the son of former NBA player Orlando Woolridge and the brother of Tennessee's Renaldo Woolridge has decided where he will be transferring too. After seeing action in just 16 games as a freshman at Kansas, Royce decided to leave the school back in April. Over the weekend, he committed to Washington State. The former Arizona state player of the year should be an impact player for the Cougars when he gets eligible in the 2012-2013 season.


Jamal Coombs-McDaniel down to two schools: Over the weekend, Coombs-McDaniel visited Hofstra and reportedly had a great trip. In the coming weeks, he will be headed to Missouri, where he will choose between the two schools. Coombs-McDaniel had a couple of big games with the Huskies this season, but struggled to find consistent minutes with the Huskies, averaging just 6.6 ppg this season. He was arrested during UConn's spring weekend for possession of marijuana. It should be noted that Hofstra recently hired Pat Sellers, the assistant that recruited Coombs-McDaniel to UConn.


Louisville redshirts?: The Cardinals, who already have enough players on their roster that two potential starters -- Chris Smith and Kyle Kuric -- will be walking on next season, may end up being forced to redshirt another potential starter. Rick Pitino told the Louisville Courier-Journal that Jared Swopshire and Rakeem Buckles, who both battled injuries last season, could end up being redshirted if they aren't 100% when the season starts.

"Maybe one of the two can be redshirted," Pitino said. "It's something we'll consider, depending on how they come back. We do have a young man who is very healthy in Chane Behanan, who is an impact freshman."

Swopshire missed the entire season -- without being redshirted -- due to a potentially career-threatening groin injury. Buckles broke his finger midway through the season, but was able to return only to tear his acl late in the year.
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Jamal Coombs-McDaniel transferring; Luke Hancock as well?

On the same day that he appeared in court due to an arrest for possession of marijuana, it was announced that UConn's Jamal Coombs-McDaniel was transferring out of the program.

JCM, who won high school and AAU national titles with UConn teammates Alex Oriakhi, never was able to figure out a way to get along with Husky head coach Jim Calhoun. He played sparingly during his freshman season, and his sophomore season was following that same trajectory. Until mid-February, that is, when JCM exploded for 64 points over a three-game stretch. While he never was able to defend the way that is required by Calhoun, the 6'7" Dorchester, MA, native proved that his offensive versatility was an asset for the Huskies.

After playing 38 minutes and scoring 23 points in a win over Georgetown on February 16th, JCM's minutes tailed off again down the stretch of the season. He played just 22 minutes in UConn's final three games and scored 12 points in the NCAA Tournament, ten of which came in UConn's win over Cincinnati.

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In what is probably bigger news, George Mason granted NCAA Tournament hero Luke Hancock his release to allow him to look into a transfer.

"He requested permission to explore his options and it was granted to him," a Mason team spokesman told Patrick Stevens of the Washington Times. "At this point, all he is doing is looking. In no way, shape or form has he decided to leave."

It makes sense for him to look. As you know, George Mason underwent a coaching change in the past few weeks, with longtime head coach Jim Larrananga taking his staff with him to Miami. Former Georgia Tech head coach Paul Hewitt took over, and according to Brian Mull of the Wilmington Star, Hancock does not believe he fits into Paul Hewitt's system.

If Hancock does decide to leave, it would be a major loss for the Patriots. George Mason's point guard by definition is Andre Cornelius, but Hancock is their playmaker in the half court. The 6'5" wing averaged 4.2 apg to go along with 10.9 ppg and 4.3 rpg as a sophomore, which includes an 18-point, five assist performance against Villanova in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in which Hancock hit the game-winning jumper.

Mason will still be a favorite in the CAA without Hancock.

But they won't be a preseason top 25 team if they lose Hancock and Cam Long, who graduated.
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UConn's Jamal Coombs-McDaniel arrested for possession of marijuana

Jamal Coombs-McDaniel was arrested on Thursday night.

The sophomore swingman for the national champion UConn Huskies was caught with two other students by campus police in a dorm with 5.6 grams of weed, a grinder, and a pack of blunts. It certainly isn't difficult to figure out what their plans were.

Obviously, this is not the kind of publicity that UConn needs right now. This is a program that most believe is dirty after Nate Miles spoke to the media during the Final Four about the story that Yahoo! broke two years ago. Throw in the laptops that were stolen by Marcus Williams and AJ Price and a couple of other disciplinary issues (the arrest of Jerome Dyson and Doug Wiggins three years ago comes to mind) and its not wonder why rival Big East fans refer to the Huskies as You-Con.

There is no doubt that Coombs-McDaniel will face some kind of punishment.

The question I ask is how big of a deal is this?

The day before Coombs-McDaniel was arrested was April 20th, also known as 4/20, the counterculture holiday for folks that enjoy puffing the cannabis. Thursday also marked the first day of UConn's spring weekend.

Coombs-McDaniel deserves to be reprimanded.

But he should be reprimanded for being dumb enough to get caught, not for possessing a small amount of weed on what is no doubt the biggest party weekend of the year in Storrs, CT.

If you disagree, think back to what you did as a sophomore in college.
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Eligibility updates: Jamal Coombs-McDaniel and Renardo Sidney

UConn has the good news rolling in. Over the weekend, both Jerome Dyson and Donnell Beverly received full clearance from the NCAA.

Today, the news broke that freshman Jamal Coombs-McDaniel was cleared by the NCAA. After sitting in the stands during the Huskie's first two scrimmages, Coombs-McDaniel will be in jersey on Nov. 12th against William & Mary.

This is a big break for the Huskies. Coombs-McDaniel could end up being the first guy off the bench for Jim Calhoun. He isn't the defender that a Jamaal Trice is and he isn't a point guard like Darius Smith, but he is the most willing scorer on UConn's bench and should be a dynamic player off of the wing.


The more important development today came down Starkville, MS. Last week, Sidney, his family, and his lawyers met with the NCAA to turn over documents pertaining to their finances and the house they rented in Southern California. It seemed hopeful, as Jackson expected a decision made today.

Well,the NCAA eligibility center did make a decision today.

And the Sidney's are probably not going to be happy about it. From the Clarion Ledger:

Mr. (Sidney attorney Don) Jackson and his client did not provide all of the information requested since April and his client’s status remains non-certified due to non-response."

So, basically, nothing has changed since the summer.

Jackson responded by saying

It is clear that the ultimate goal is to prolong this inquiry. In effect, they have been unable to establish a violation despite months of effort to do so and are unwilling to end this investigation until they find something damaging to this family. Since they are unable to find anything damaging, they have opted to prolong the investigation indefinitely.

So, as he has done throughout this investigation, Jackson is steering the conversation away from Sidney and what he is accused of, instead focusing on how Sidney has been slighted.

One of two conclusions can be drawn from this. The NCAA may actually be throwing the Sidneys for a loop. In these situations, the NCAA has a tendency to simply draw out their decision in order to avoid litigation after the fact. In the end, they clear the player at some point during the season, forcing the player to essentially serve a suspension. I wouldn't be surprised if that was the case here as well.

But the guy throwing out those accusations is Don Jackson. Jackson, if you remember, has already accused the NCAA of being racist and threatened to take the case to Congress. This isn't exactly mother Theresa crying foul.

The only person I feel bad for here is Jarvis Varnado. He's out five grand after givng up his scholarship to Sidney.
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Three UConn players miss tonight's exhibition

Three players - Jerome Dyson, Donnell Beverly, and Jamal Coombs-McDaniel - all were held out of UConn's scrimmage against American International College on Wednesday night.

Dyson and Beverly were held out due to "pending routine educational document review for eligibility certification." Coombs-McDaniel was held out as a result of "pending initial-eligibility clearances from the NCAA eligibility center. In his case, academic records have been requested and a review of those records is currently underway."

Beverly, a junior guard, is not expected to get major minutes for the Huskies, but losing Dyson or Coombs-McDaniel would be a big loss for the Huskies.

Dyson is one of the best two guards in the country, and his athleticism will be a huge factor in the Huskies game plan this season. Freshman Coombs-McDaniel is not expected to start, but he has the talent and versatility to be an impact player as a freshman.

UConn has been quiet on the issue, but it looks like all three should be ready when the start of the season rolls around Nov. 13th.
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