CJ Leslie one of three players get three games suspensions

Just hours before NC State took the floor in the season-opener against UNC-Asheville, the school announced that sophomore forward CJ Leslie would be suspended for first three games.

The suspension is the result of $410 worth of impermissible benefits that Leslie and a relative received. The NCAA declared Leslie ineligible, but he will be reinstated if he donates $410 to charity and sits out these three games.

What did Leslie do that was so bad? He had a fellow student front him $260 so his brother could pay an application fee for an apartment. While I don't necessarily agree that act should result in a suspension, its at least understandable that it would draw a suspicious eye from the NCAA. The other $150 in impermissible benefits? Leslie borrowed a car from a fellow student for a week after he got in an accident. The $150 is what the NCAA determined it would have cost to rent a car for a week.

That's a violation now, too?


Granted, I don't know the whole story. Maybe the car he "borrowed" was a brand new Ferrari, which makes this a different story. But if Leslie was truly using a friend's car to get around, that should not merit a suspension. What's next, getting suspended for bumming a ride from a neighbor to campus? Having a friend spot you four dollars at Taco Bell because you forgot your wallet? Watching football on Sundays in someone else's apartment because they have NFL Redzone and you don't?

Sometimes it seems like the people that make the rules at the NCAA never actually went to college. One of the most important things you do when you are a freshman is to figure out which kids have a car. Then you make it a point to befriend them just in case you ever need a ride.

Impermissible benefits exist because the NCAA wants to keep the idea of amateurism in college sports intact. They want the athletes to be like any other student.

But if everything is an impermissible benefit, the players are just getting more and more isolated and alienated.

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Leslie wasn't the only player suspended on Friday.

Marquette freshman Juan Anderson will miss the first three games of the season as well. He accepted a ticket to a Brewers playoff game. Its unclear where the ticket came from, but it wasn't from a parent or legal guardian.

You can't do that. And Anderson learned the hard way.

"My college eligibility is much too valuable for me to risk," Anderson said. "I should have been more aware, but I have learned from my mistake."

He sat out last night's opener against Mt. St. Mary's. Anderson has made some headlines in the preseason with his play. He's expected to be Marquette's next great combo-forward, following in the footsteps of Lazar Hayward, Jimmy Butler and Jae Crowder.

Georgia Tech junior Glen Rice Jr. was also suspended three games. His punishment came from within, however, as Brian Gregory opted to hold him out following a violation of team rules.
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TJ Warren picks NC State over Georgetown, Gottfried continues hot recruiting

This post can also be found at Beyond the Arc.

Mark Gottfried has certainly earned his paycheck thus far in his NC State tenure.

With Rodney Purvis and Tyler Lewis, who currently sit at 11th and 58th, respectively, in the Consensus Recruiting Rankings, already committed to join the Wolfpack in 2012, Gottfriend landed a player he absolutely had to get on Wednesday.

TJ Warren, a high-scoring, left-handed small forward that is currently rated 22nd, picked NC State over Georgetown.

"When I was growing up I went to a lot of games when Herb Sendek was the coach and Julius Hodge was there," said Warren. "I've always been a State fan."

He should be. Warren grew up 20 minutes from the campus. His father played for the Wolfpack. Before he blew up on the AAU circuit this spring and summer, before he was being recruited by the Kentucky and the North Carolinas, Warren loved NC State. If Gottfried is going to have success with the Wolfpack, those are the players he has to make sure he gets.

There's more. Purvis and Lewis? They're both North Carolina natives as well. And along with Warren, they form what will likely be the best perimeter of any recruiting class in 2012. Lewis is one of the most entertaining point guards in the country to watch thanks to his slick handle and terrific passing ability. Purvis is a combo-guard known for his ability to attack the basket. And Warren is one, if not the best all-around wing scorer in the class.

If Gottfriend wants to have success in the Triangle, he has to keep compete with UNC and Duke for in-state talent, especially the kids from the Raleigh area.

So far, he's doing just that.



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Mark Gottfried linked to the Donnan Ponzi Scheme

The Ponzi Scheme that has captured out attention this summer is the one involving David Salinas because, frankly, we aren't as interested in coaches investing their money poorly as we are coaches investing with an AAU coach to potentially land recruits.

But its not the only investigation currently going on in the world of sports.

Former Georgia head football coach and ex-ESPN analyst Jim Donnan is currently being investigated for a Ponzi Scheme that conned investors out of millions of dollars. One of the names involved with Donnan was also involved with Salinas. Billy Gillispie, who lost more than $2 million to Salinas, was also scammed out of as much as $3 million by Donnan.

According to JP Giglio, Mark Gottfried, the new NC State head coach, also invested with Donnan. Court documents indicate that Gottfried had as much as $250,000 invested.

If you are an investment adviser and you aren't a criminal, I'm sure there are plenty of college coaches looking for someone legitimate.
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Mark Gottfried lands an important commitment

NC State got a huge commitment this afternoon as Torian Graham, a 6'4" scoring guard from Word of God HS in North Carolina that is a top 25 recruit nationally, popped for the Wolfpack.

Its a big get for new NC State head coach Mark Gottfriend, who called Graham the day he got the job, according to Evan Daniels.

The state of North Carolina is a fertile breeding ground for high school prospects. The key for Gottfried is to keep that talent in-state and headed to Raleigh. He did so when he managed to keep Tyler Lewis, a stud point guard from the class of 2012, committed when he took the job, and he did so by landing a commitment from Graham.

Is Rodney Purvis next?



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2010-2011 Season Preview Top 50 Countdown: Nos. 35-31

Over the coming weeks, we will be counting down our Top 50 teams in the country. Teams 26-50 will be posted in groups of five, while we will count backwards from No. 25 to the No. 1 team in the country.

For a complete listing of our season previews, click here.

To browse through the rest of our Top 50 Countdown, click here.


35. Florida State

• Last Season: 22-10, 10-6
  


• Head Coach: Leonard Hamilton
  


• Key Losses: Solomon Alabi, Ryan Reid, Jordan DeMercy
  


• New Additions: Jon Kreft, Bernard James, Okaro White, Ian Miller
  


• Projected Lineup:


• G: Derwin Kitchen, Sr.
  
• G: Michael Snaer, So.
  
• F: Chris Singleton, Jr.
  
• F: Bernard James, Jr.
  
• C: Xavier Gibson, Jr.
  
• Bench: Deividas Dulkys, Jr.; Luke Loucks, Jr.; Ian Miller, Fr.; Okaro White, Fr.; Jon Kreft, Jr.
  

• Outlook: Florida State's biggest issue last season was their ability on the offensive end; simply put, they couldn't score. With the exception of incoming freshman Ian Miller, a four star point guard out of Charlotte, this is going to be the same group. The two best players on the Seminoles roster are Chris Singleton and Michael Snaer. Both are tremendous athletes -- Snaer is more of a guard, while Singleton is a combo-forward -- with a ton of upside, but offensively they were limited skillwise last season. One of those two is going to need to develop into a legitimate threat with the ball. Derwin Kitchen might be the best creator for Leonard Hamilton's club, but he turns 25 during the season. Rounding out the perimeter will be juniors Luke Loucks and Deividas Dulkys. While the Seminoles struggled offensively, they were a tough, physical defensive team with guys like Snaer and Singleton setting the tone on the perimeter. Florida State lost both of their starting front court players -- Solomon Alabi and Ryan Reid -- but should still have enough size this season. 6'11" junior Xavier Gibson is the only rotational big man back from last season, but Hamilton brings in plenty on big men. Okaro White is a 6'8", top 100 forward. Jon Kreft, who initially signed with Florida State in 2006 but has had his share of troubles getting into the school, is a seven-footer and former five-star recruit that will finally get eligible this year. Bernard James is a 6'10" JuCo all-american that spent six years abroad in the Air Force. Those three should be able to offset the loss of Reid and Alabi inside, and if Snaer or Singleton can become the star they seemed destined to be, the 'Noles will be dancing once again.
  

34. West Virginia

• Last Season: 31-7, 13-5 (Big East)
  


• Head Coach: Bobby Huggins
  


• Key Losses: Devin Ebanks, Da'Sean Butler, Wellington Smith
  


• New Additions: Noah Cottrill, Kevin Noreen
  


• Projected Lineup:


• G: Joe Mazzulla, Sr.
  
• G: Truck Bryant, Jr.
  
• F: John Flowers, Sr.
  
• F: Kevin Jones, Jr.
  
• C: Deniz Kilicli, So.
  
• Bench: Noah Cottrill, Fr.; Casey Mitchell, Sr.; Kevin Noreen, Fr.; Dalton Pepper, So.; Danny Jennings, So.; Cam Thoroughman, Sr.
  

• Outlook: Expect the Mountaineers to have a bit of a different makeup next season. Three of the five players from their all small forward line-up are gone -- Da'Sean Butler, Wellington Smith, and Devin Ebanks. Whereas the 'Eers were seemingly short of point guards last season, they will be flush this year. Joe Mazzulla may never be a real shooting threat again, but he is a bulldog and a true leader, and his ailing shoulder should be as healthy as it ever will be. Truck Bryant, who dealt with some injuries and inconsistencies after a good freshman year, is also back. Noah Cottrill, one of the better point guard recruits in the class of 2010, is built in the same mold but should immediately be the best shooter of the three. The interesting question for Bob Huggins is going to be what happens on the perimeter. Casey Mitchell (who is currently suspended from the team) and Dalton Pepper were both touted as shooters and scorers coming into Morgantown, but neither really lived up to the hype last season. The front court will be fine for WVU. Kevin Jones is a star-in-the-waiting at the power forward spot, while Deniz Kilicli should fare much better this season without having to serve a 20 game suspension. With guys like John Flowers, Cam Thoroughman, Danny Jennings, and freshman Kevin Noreen -- who may end up being the best scorer of the bunch -- Huggy Bear has plenty of options up front. WVU lost a lot of talent. Its going to be tough to replace that scoring, defensive versatility, and offensive rebounding ability. WVU will look a bit different, but they should still be good enough to earn an NCAA Tournament berth.
  

33. St. Mary's

• Last Season: 28-6, 11-3
  


• Head Coach: Randy Bennett
  


• Key Losses: Omar Samhan, Ben Allen, Wayne Hunter
  


• New Additions: Stephen Holt, Brad Waldow, Kenton Walker, Rob Jones
  


• Projected Lineup:


• G: Mickey McConnell, Sr.
  
• G: Matthew Dellavedova, So.
  
• F: Clint Steindl, Jr.
  
• F: Rob Jones, Jr.
  
• C: Kenton Walker, Jr.
  
• Bench: Jorden Page, So.; Tim Harris, Fr.; Stephen Holt, Fr.; Mitchell Young, So.
  

• Outlook: The Gaels will be a much different team this season than the one that had the school's most successful season in history -- which included a run to the Sweet 16 -- mostly due to the fact that they lose their starting front court, particularly Omar Samham. The strength on this year's team will be on the perimeter. Scrappy sophomore Matthew Dellevadova, who came into Moraga with a lot of hype and didn't disappoint, has a chance to develop into a star this season. Sharpshooting point guard Mickey McConnell is back as well, and will once again be relied upon quite heavily to orchestrate Randy Bennett's offense. Redshirt freshman Tim Harris, whose season was cut to one game with a hamstring tear, will see heavy minutes, as will Stephen Holt, a freshman point guard that is one of Bennett's most heralded recruits. 6' sophomore Jorden Page and 6'7" junior Clint Steindl will also play heavily into Bennett's perimeter rotation, and Beau Levesque could see minutes as well. The front court is a different story. Rob Jones, a tough, rugged 6'6" forward and transfer from San Diego, will likely see time at both forward spots. He should be a key contributor for this team after averaging 9 points and 6 boards in two seasons at San Diego. 6'9" Creighton transfer Kenton Walker may end up starting for the Gaels at center this season. Three bigs return -- Mitchell Young, Phil Benson, and Tim Williams. Young was the only one that got consistent minutes last season for the Gaels, but with the void left by Samhan and Ben Allen, all three of these players will be counted on to produce inside. The Gaels are not as good as last year's team, but this is still a squad that will compete for a spot in the NCAA Tournament and, if things break right, could give Gonzaga a run for the league title.
  

32. Temple

• Last Season: 29-6, 14-2 (A-10)
  


• Head Coach: Fran Dunphy
  


• Key Losses: Ryan Brooks, Luis Guzman
  


• New Additions: Anthony Lee, Aaron Brown, Jimmy McDonnell
  


• Projected Lineup:


• G: Juan Fernandez, Sr.
  
• G: Ramone Moore, Jr.
  
• G: Rahlir Jefferson, So.
  
• F: Lavoy Allen, Sr.
  
• F: Michael Eric, Jr.
  
• Bench: Craig Williams, Sr.; Scootie Randall, Jr.; TJ DiLeo, So.
  

• Outlook: The Owls had a fantastic regular season, using a stifling defense to win both the A-10 regular season and tournament title, only to once again flame out in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. While Temple loses leading scorer Ryan Brooks, they should still have more than enough weapons to compete for the league title. Junior sharpshooter Juan Fernandez is back and should be expected to have a bump in production as he becomes the centerpiece of Fran Dunphy's perimeter attack. Big man Lavoy Allen, who flirted with the NBA Draft, also returns after averaging a double-double last season. Combine those two with talented junior Ramone Moore, who won the A-10 sixth man of the year award, and the Owls once again have a solid core. Michael Eric, a 6'11" Nigerian junior, has shown some promise and could develop into a nice sidekick for Allen, while sophomore Rahlir Jefferson is a talented swingman that seems to be a nice fit for Dunphy's defensive style. Temple was not all that deep last season, especially towards the end of the year as Craig Williams, Scootie Randall, and TJ DiLeo, who should slide into the starting point guard role, really saw their minutes shrink. With two starters -- Brooks and Luis Guzman -- that combined for 68 minutes a game gone, Dunphy is going to have to find minutes somewhere, and it seems as if those three, plus incoming freshmen Aaron Brown and Anthony Lee, will be the ones competing for that time. Temple is always going to be competitive with their defensive ability, but there were times when this team struggled to score last season. With Brooks gone, that could become more of an issue. I think Temple will be a tournament team and a contender for the A-10 title, but they need depth, another scoring option, and a point guard to develop for that to happen.
  

31. NC State

• Last Season: 20-16, 5-11 (ACC)
  


• Head Coach: Sidney Lowe
  


• Key Losses: Dennis Horner, Farnold Degand, Julius Mays
  


• New Additions: CJ Leslie, Ryan Harrow, Lorenzo Brown
  


• Projected Lineup:


• G: Javier Gonzalez, Sr.
  
• G: CJ Williams, Jr.
  
• G: Scott Wood, So.
  
• F: CJ Leslie, Fr.
  
• F: Tracy Smith, Sr.
  
• Bench: Lorenzo Brown, Fr.; Ryan Harrow, Fr.; Richard Howell, So.; Jordan Vandenburg, So.
  

• Outlook: It seems that Wolfpack fans that have been patient with Sidney Lowe's tenure will finally be rewarded this year, as NC State looks to have a team that can make a run at a tournament bid. Its starts up front, where the Pack got some great news when Tracy Smith, who led the team in scoring and rebounding as a junior, withdrew from the NBA Draft and decided to return for his senior season. The news got better when Lowe scored a recruiting upset, landing 6'9" Raliegh native CJ Leslie, a top 20 recruit with a ton of length and athleticism with a still-developing post game. With Richard Howell and 7'0" sophomore Jordan Vandenburg also returning, the Wolfpack have a very good front line. Lowe will also have a nice combination of experience and young talent in his back court. Javier Gonzalez, who started at the point last season, will be back for his senior season. 6'7" shooter Scott Wood also returns, as does CJ Williams, a 6'6" swingman who started 16 games as a sophomore. Freshmen guards Lorenzo Brown and Ryan Harrow were both heralded recruits. Harrow is more of a point guard, while Brown is more of a combo guard, but both should be impact players in the ACC. This is the most talented, and probably the deepest, team Lowe has had at NC State. It will be a disappointment if he cannot lead this group to the NCAA Tournament.

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Derek Kellogg is cleaning up the SEC's mess

Derek Kellogg has not had the best start to his head coaching career.

In 2008-2009, his Minutemen struggled through a 12-18 season, although they did knock off then-defending champion Kansas. Last season wasn't much better, as UMass finished just 12-20. And while UMass brings back the majority of their rotation, they will be conspicuously without Ricky Harris, who was just seven points shy of averaging 20 ppg on the season.

But the good people of Amherst do have something to look forward too. Kellogg is proving to be a serious recruiter. His 2009 class was impressive, as top 100 recruit Terrell Vinson headlined a five-man class where each player received at least a three-star rating by Rivals (Vinson was a four-star).

Derek Kellogg has been doing a great job on the recruiting trail.
(photo credit: NCAABBS)

This season, Kellogg brings in three more three-star recruits, with 5'8" spark plug Daryl Traynham, who cracked the Rivals top 150 list, leading the way.

With second leading scorer Anthony Gurley also coming back, UMass has talent on their roster this season. I doubt I'm the only one that thinks this team could be a sleeper in the Atlantic 10 this season.

But wait.

There's more.

Cady Lalanne is an 6'7" forward that showed enough potential to draw interest from a number of major college programs before committing to Georgia last October. But Lalanne couldn't get academically eligible at Georgia, and as the SEC does not allow Prop-48 players (Prop-48 requires incoming student-athletes to reach certain academic standards, and if they aren't met, the athlete can become eligible if they have a 2.0 GPA after their freshman year), Lalanne needed to find a different school.

Along came Kellogg, who scooped up Lalanne two weeks ago.

But wait.

There's more.

Luke Cothron has as much potential as just about any power forward in the class of 2010. He's big, he's athletic, and he has the skills to be a face up forward. But he also has attitude and effort problems, and after bouncing around during high school, Cothron committed to, then de-committed from, NC State before signing with Auburn. But like Lalanne, Cothron was not cleared academically. And like Lalanne, Cothron is expected to go from the SEC to UMass.

Now, neither Cothron or Lalanne (Cothron and Lalanne ... has a nice ring to it, no?) will be eligible until 2011. And there's something to be said about the potential of a recruit that is unable to get eligible in college -- especially one with the red flags of a kid like Cothron. But talent is talent. Kellogg is a protoge of John Calipari, who has seemingly perfected the art of coaching questionable characters with talent.

With a roster that will lose just one significant piece this year (Gurley), and a full year for Kellogg to bring in another recruit of two, the future looks bright for the Minutemen.

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Wednesday Where Are They Now?: Julius Hodge, NC State

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, hit us up on twitter @ballinisahabit or via email at contactbiah@gmail.com.

Julius Hodge, NC State:

Coming out of basketball powerhouse St. Raymond's in The Bronx, Hodge was a can't miss prospect. A lanky, 6'7" wing that had the skills of a point guard. A McDonald's all-american and top five recruit nationally, Hodge eventually decided on attending NC State, where he would become one of my least favorite college basketball players.


As a freshman, Hodge had an immediate impact for the Wolfpack, becoming their second leading scorer -- and the ACC's leading freshman scorer -- at 10.7 ppg. With Hodge on the roster, and despite losing Damien Wilkins and Kenny Inge from the roster the year before, Hodge was able to help lead NC State the the NCAA Tournament and a 21-11 record in 2002, a big improvement on their 13-16 season the year before.

As a sophomore, Hodge really started to come into his own. He averaged 17.7 ppg, 6.1 rpg, and 3.5 apg, and while NC State struggled to an 18-13 finish, the Wolfpack made a run to the finals of the ACC tournament, got an at-large bid to the big dance and Hodge earned a spot on the all-ACC first team. NC State was knocked out of the second round of the tournament, however.

Hodge's junior season was his best ever. The 18.2 ppg and his shooting percentages were the highest of his career. The 6.4 ppg and 3.8 apg he averaged were his best to night. It was enough to get Hodge a nod as a consensus second team all-american. But once again Hodge was bounced in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

He decided to return for his senior season, and while Hodge saw his numbers take a hit, he firmly entrenched himself in the mind of every UConn fan in the country. In the second round of the 2005 NCAA Tournament, Hodge answered a game-tying bucket by Charlie Villanueva by making Rudy Gay fall, then picking up an and-one bucket at the rim when Ed Nelson tried to take a charge, sending the Wolfpack to the Sweet 16. It hurts to watch.

Hodge would go on to get picked by the Nuggets with 20th overall, but he was never really able to latch on in the NBA. He played just 14 games in 2005-2006, getting just 33 total minutes, before his season was cut short. In April of 2006, Hodge was shot when another car pulled alongside his on the highway in Denver at 2am, after Hodge had left a club. He was shot in the leg, but made it to the hospital in time and made a full recovery.

He wouldn't play anymore that season, and the following year bounced between the NBA and the NBDL, while also being traded midway through the season. The following summer he had a tryout with the Sonics, but ended up signing with Cimberio Varese in Italy in August of 2007.

Once again, Hodge spent the 2007-2008 season bouncing between teams. He transferred from Cimberio Varese to Legea Scafati, a fellow Italian Serie A member, before signing with the Adelaide 36ers later in the season. Once the 36ers season was over, he returned to the States to once again play in the NBDL.

Hodge got a shot with the Nets the following summer, but once fall came around, he was back in Australia with Adelaide. But after a dispute over payment, Hodge unceremoniously left the team. He would finish the season out in France with Besancon.

Hodge returned to Australia, playing for Adelaide's rival, the Melbourne Tigers. During his first trip to play at Adelaide on December 7th, Hodge spent much of the game being taunted and booed by the crowd. At the end, when the Tigers won, Hodge created quite an uproar by stamping on the 36ers' logo at center court (video here).

Next season, Hodge will head to China, where he will play for Guangzhou Free Man.
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NC State recruit takes Sidney Lowe's back

Herb Sendek didn't have a bad run as the head coach at NC State. In his last* five years at the Raleigh, NC, school, he didn't miss an NCAA Tournament.

(*When first posted, we omitted the word "last" which, admittedly, completely changes the lede. State Fans Nation really took us to task. Those damn BIAH copy editors... Someone got fired today.)

But he wasn't competing for Final Fours and conference titles like his tobacco road counterparts Roy Williams and Coach K, which led to a unhappy fanbase and, eventually, a new job at Arizona State.

Brought in to replace Sendek is Sidney Lowe, who has been, well, pretty bad. In three seasons, Lowe has all of one NIT appearance and no finishes above 10th in the ACC, a fact that won't change this season. As a result, there has been quite a bit of speculation regarding Lowe's job security.

Last week, NC State officials gave Lowe a vote of confidence, in large part because of the loaded recruiting class he is bringing in next season. Ryan Harrow, Lorenzo Brown, and Luke Cothran can all be found in the top 50 of most recruiting sites.

He is also still in the running for McDonald's all-american CJ Leslie, a Raleigh native and potential program-changing talent.

But more impressive than the class Lowe is bringing in is the how loyal these players already are to him.

Case in point: Ryan Harrow. Harrow has yet to even graduate from high school, but he still wrote the following letter to the folks on, NC State's scout-affiliated site:

Coach Lowe believed in me when a lot of coaches thought I didn't have what it takes. Sad on those coaches behalf haha. Now I am what I am and I'm sticking beside Coach Lowe because of the loyalty he showed me. I feel if a person treats you with that much respect and has that much faith, then I must show that same courtesy back.

Myself and Lorenzo are on NC State's blogs and forums everyday and we look to see all the support you give us, but now a days we see so much negative and it has become really discomforting to my godbrother and I. The things that are said about the fans giving up and not wanting to show the support like I know ya'll can. I was at the Duke game. Our fans can get crazy lol. Those statements matter to me. I came to the school at first solely for Coach Lowe but when I come to see games and people are greeting me, saying " thank you so much for joining us", it made me realize I love the atmosphere to. These fans can get better. I hate going on the forums reading those things.

Also Lorenzo and I see the statements about coach Lowe and it really makes me think, " what am I getting myself into". Coach Lowe works hard and is very passionate about the game. He just needs people and players around him like Lorenzo, Luke, C.J., and me to transpire that fire onto the court. Every bad game we cannot criticize coach Lowe. It comes down to the players performing on the court. I know Coach Lowe is going to help my game and make me the best point guard I can be. But it will come in time.

The 2010 class will be a great one, especially adding to the players that's already at the school. We will get better as the year goes on. But ya'll have to remember, even though I think myself and Lorenzo are two of the best guards out there in the nation, we are coming into a new experience so we have to learn a little first. So if we don't get the results ya'll want right away, plz don't give up on supporting the team and don't say we need to fire the coach. We are going to be a great team and one of the best teams to come through NC State. It just takes time. I hope Lorenzo and I have not offended anybody and would hope that ya'll understand where we are coming from. My family and Lorenzo's family are Wolfpack until we die now, but we need support and comfort. Thank you and Go STATE!

Its impressive that Coach Lowe has built that good of a relationship with a couple of his recruits, especially considering where they are rated nationally.

Its even more impressive that these two kids were able to get through to the most fickle of fans -- those that post on message boards.

Talented players and good kids.

Things may be looking up for the Wolfpack.
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Monday's Shootaround: Florida State and Wake Forest start ACC play off with the win

Florida State 66, Georgia Tech 59 OT: Everyone knows about the size of the Georgia Tech front line, but Florida State proved on Sunday that they have a pretty good group of their own. Ryan Reid scored a team high 17 points, and he and Solomon Alabi (9 points, 12 boards, 4 blocks) combined keep Derrick Favors (8 points, 12 boards - the first time he hasn't scored in double figures) and Gani Lawal (4 points, 4 boards) in check. Zack Peacock, who led the Jackets with 17 off the bench, hit a 17 footer to force the overtime, then started off the OT with a three. But Reid would spark a 12-2 run, which included a short jumper by Chris Singleton with a minute left to give FSU a 61-59 lead with just over a minute left.

Wake Forest 67, NC State 59: Al-Farouq Aminu went for 18 points and 13 boards as the Demon Deacons opened up the ACC season with a win. Wake took control midway through the first half and led the rest of the way. NC State cut the lead to 42-38, but Wake responded with a 13-4 run. Ish Smith had 10 points, 7 assists, and 4 boards.

UConn 60, UCF 51: UConn played one of their worst halves of the season as they headed into halftime down 25-20 and found themselves down 31-22 before Stanley Robinson took over in the second half, scoring 23 points as the Huskies asserted their dominance on the Knights. As you should expect with a disappointing performance from UConn, the were outrebounded 36-34 and only grabbed 9 offensive rebounds against the smaller Knights. Ater Majok, the 6'11" Sudanese freshman, had just 1 point and 3 boards in 16 minutes.

Cornell 91, Davidson 88 OT: Ryan Wittman was 7-16 from deep and scored 29 points, but none was bigger than the 30 footer he hit at the buzzer of overtime to give the Big Red the win. Louis Dale hit a runner in the lane with 0.7 seconds left to force the overtime.

St. John's 72, Hofstra 60: Charles Jenkins, who finished with 24 points for Hofstra, scored with six minutes to go to give the Pride a 59-54 lead. But Hofstra would only scored 1 point the rest of the game, as DJ Kennedy scored 10 of his 19 points as the Johnnies went on a game-ending 18-1 run. Cornell and St. John's will play for in the championship game of the Holiday Festival at MSG.

Iowa State 87, Bradley 68: Marquis Gilstrap scored 25 points and Craig Brackins went for 16 points and 12 boards as the Cyclones used a 26-4 midway through the first half to open up a 44-19 first half lead.

Boston College 72, Bryant 46: Joe Trapani had 21 points and 10 boards and Corey Raji added 20 as BC beat winless Bryant.

Baylor 94, UT-Arlington 63: Epke Udoh had 22 points, 16 boards, and 9 blocks and Tweety Carter added 12 points and 10 assists.

South Florida 69, San Diego 60: Mike Mercer scored 19 points to lead four players in double figures and sparked a 6-0 run that broke open a 51-51 game late in the second half.

Sunday's Best:

• Baylor's Epke Udoh was a block away from a triple-double with 22 points, 16 boards, and 9 blocks.
• Jawan Carter had 26 points, 6 boards, 4 assist, and 4 steals to lead Delaware to a win over Vermont.
• Gilberto Clavell scored 34 points on 14-17 shooting to help lead Sam Houston State to a 107-89 win over Auburn.
• Vincent Simpson had 31 points and 5 assists, but Hampton still lost to Towson.
• For the second game in a row, Tristan Thompson scored 20+ points for North Texas, going for 27 in a loss to Southeastern Louisiana.
  

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Thursday's Pregame Beat

7 pm: James Madison @ Ohio State: On Monday night, Ohio State's Evan Turner made quite the case for himself as a potential national player of the year candidate. Not only did he notch the second triple double in Ohio State history with 14 points, 17 boards, and 10 dimes, but he also added 2 steals and 2 blocks. While playing the point. Turner wasn't alone, however, as the trio of wings (Jon Diebler, William Buford, and David Lighty) all looked impressive. The issue is inside. With Dallas Lauderdale still on the pine, Thad Matta is going to be looking for guys like Kyle Madsen and Zisis Sarikopolous to prove that they can play on the interior.

7 pm: Georgia State @ NC State: NC State fans never seem to be happy playing fourth fiddle to UNC, Duke, and now Wake Forest. Herb Sendek was run out of town after five consecutive NCAA Tournaments, and his replacement, Sidney Lowe, has seemingly been on the hot seat since he arrived, as he has finished 10th or worst in the 12 team ACC all three years. It doesn't look much better this season as the Wolfpack lost their top three scorers from last season. All is not lost, however. Sidney brought in a five man recruiting class, and junior Tracy Smith could be a star in this league. Georgia State landed one of the best centers in the country in Rashanti Harris, but he isn't listed on the roster on the school's website. Is he eligible? Well, I guess we find out tonight.
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North Carolina State Loses Two Players

And it begins.

NC State junior Brandon Costner has declared for the NBA Draft. From an NC State release:

"I really want to thank the coaches, the fans and everybody at NC State for the time I have spent here,” said Costner. “So many people have helped me while I was a member of the Wolfpack, I just feel like it is time to move on and pursue my dreams of playing professionally."

Costner is a junior, and given the "testing the waters rule", which allows a player to go through the draft process once and still return to school with their eligibility intact, this seems like a pretty standard decision.

But Costner will graduate in May with a degree in communications, which would make it very difficult to convince him to come back to school should he have a chance at getting picked.

That's the issue. Costner is not a great prospect. He was a highly touted recruit (by Herb Sendek, not Sidney Lowe), and after dominating the ACC tournament and leading NC State to the title game as a redshirt freshman, a lot of people had high hopes for him. But Costner is not an overwhelming athlete, he doesn't rebound particularly well, and he plays no defense. So while he does have a versatile offensive game (he averaged 13.6 ppg as a junior), the question becomes is anyone going to use a draft pick on a homeless man's Derrick Coleman?

NC State also lost another redshirt junior in Trevor Ferguson, but not to the draft. Ferguson will graduate this summer with a degree in Science, Technology, and Society, and will be ending his basketball career. Continue reading...