Louisville loses Roburt Sallie and Justin Coleman; UConn and Villanova also take a hit

Louisville got some bad news on Friday.

The Cardinals announced that neither Roburt Sallie or Justin Coleman will be joining the team this season. Sallie, a 6'5", 25 year old sharpshooter that spent the last two seasons at Memphis, was trying to take advantage of a rule that allowed students to enroll in graduate school at a different university without having to sit out a year. But "due to the timing requirements of meeting the matriculation deadline for graduate school."

As far as Coleman is concerned, the 6'5" wing, who spent last season at Huntington Prep, was unable to qualify academically.


With Edgar Sosa, Jerry Smith, and Reginald Delk both graduating, there is a big hole on the Cardinals perimeter. Peyton Siva should slide comfortably into the starting point guard role, and Preston Knowles, who has been fully reinstated to the team after some offseason off-the-court trouble, will likely start at the off-guard. That means that sophomore Mike Marra and junior Kyle Kuric (he of the unforgettable 22 point performance against Syracuse) will see quite a bit more time.

The question now is how much does this loss hurt the Cardinals. Sallie was expected to start, Coleman likely would have been the first perimeter player off the bench. But Kuric and Marra both showed the potential to be above average Big East players. Also expect Jared Swopshire to now spend more time playing the three.

Louisville was a borderline NCAA Tournament team with Sallie and Coleman, and while their loss puts a damper on the depth Pitino will have in his back court, it probably doesn't kill their tournament chances.

Louisville isn't the only Big East team that took a hit.

It looks like UConn will now be playing without Ater Majok. Majok was a big time recruit, but it took him a long time to get cleared by the NCAA, finally getting cleared midway through last season. He declared for the 2009 NBA Draft, after sitting out that entire season, but withdrew and was finally declared eligible in December.

Majok, who would be a 23 year old sophomore, had little to no impact on the Huskies. It was obvious the potential was there, but it would take 6'10" Sudanese native a while to grow into that potential.

According to the Hartford Courant, it is likely that Majok will be headed back to Australia, where he played his high school ball, to begin his professional career.

Its tough to hate on this decision. If he does decide to become a professional, he will be doing it to support his family.

And then there is Villanova's James Bell. Bell, a four-star freshman, has stress fractures in both of his tibias. It is unknown how long he will be out.

With the loaded perimeter that Jay Wright has this season, it was unlikely that Bell would have started. But, when he returns, Bell will provide depth and compete for minutes with the likes of Dominic Cheek, Corey Stokes, and Corey Fisher.

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Roburt Sallie lands at Louisville

By now, you have likely heard that the rumors are true -- Roburt Sallie, the former Memphis two-guard, is transferring to Louisville.

Sallie is leaving Memphis because of "a change in his role next season." In other words, Memphis coach Josh Pastner told him that with a loaded recruiting class coming in, especially in the back court, his services would no longer be needed.

Roburt Sallie should provide a nice shooting touch for Rick Pitino.
(photo credit: Examiner)

Here's the catch: Sallie only has one year of eligibility left. Now as I'm sure all of you know, when a player transfer from one D1 school to another, that player must sit out one season. A basketball vagabond in its truest form (Sallie's story is full of twists and turns. He graduated from the Laurinburg Institute back in 2005 alongside Robert Dozier and Anthony Anderson, among others. He originally signed with Washington, but was ruled ineligible, so he spent a season at Patterson Prep before signing with Nebraska, but again, he was ruled ineligible and was forced to sit out the 2006-2007 basketball season. So Sallie spent a year at a JuCo out in California before finally enrolling at Memphis for the 2008-2009 season.), Sallie doesn't have a year of eligibility to spare. If he sits out a season, his collegiate career is over. He'll be turning 25 turning the 2011 season.

There's a catch.

If a player graduates from one institution with eligibility remaining, they are allowed to transfer to another institution for graduate school without sitting out the mandatory redshirt season. So if Sallie can finish up his credits and graduate this summer from Memphis (he's an Interdisciplinary Studies major), he can apply to Louisville's graduate school, apply for a waiver from the NCAA, and hopefully be cleared in time to enroll in classes.

Its a lot, I know. But I can't imagine that Rick Pitino would formally announce the addition of Sallie if he didn't believe that it was at least plausible that Sallie would be able to contribute to Louisville this season.

Sallie will be a good fit for a Louisville team that loses Edgar Sosa, Jerry Smith, and Reginald Delk. He's a big guard -- 6'5", 200 lb -- that can defend and isn't afraid to shoot. Louisville runs a 2-2-1 press that falls back into a 2-3 zone. With his size and quickness, Sallie can play at the top of the zone, or he can slide to a wing with Pitino has Peyton Siva and Preston Knowles on the floor together.

Offensively, Sallie should be a great replacement for Jerry Smith on the wing. He certainly can shoot (ask Cal St. Northridge), and will help spread the floor for some of Louisville's scorers. He also brings experience, having been to an Elite 8 and having started for Memphis last season.

Losing Samardo Samuels will definitely hurt the Cardinals, but with Sallie joining Siva and Knowles on the perimeter, if Terrence Jennings, Raheem Buckles, and Jared Swopshire can live up to their potential, the Cardinals should have a team that will compete in the top half of the Big East.

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2009-2010 College Basketball Season Preview: Breakout Players

Cole Aldrich averaged just 8.3 mpg as a freshman, before becoming one of the best centers in the country this past season.

Jodie Meeks had two unimpressive, injury-plagued seasons before becoming one of college basketball's most electrifying scorers as a junior.

Every season, there are kids that come from college basketball obscurity and burst onto the national scene. Who will have a break out year in 2009-2010?

Ed Davis, North Carolina - 6'10" 225lb: Davis is in kind of the same boat Aldrich was last season. As a freshman, he was a promising prospect that was stuck behind a loaded front line. Davis is long, athletic, and plays with a great deal of energy. He has shown the ability to be one of the better defenders and rebounders in the country, and with the added scoring opportunities with the graduation of Tyler Hansbrough, Wayne Ellington, and Ty Lawson, it isn't a stretch to think Davis could average 15 and 10 as a sophomore.

Ed Davis could be the next great Tar Heel big man.
(photo credit: Raleigh Durham About)

Kemba Walker, UConn - 6'1" 172lb: Walker was stuck playing behind AJ Price as a freshman. But with Price's graduation, this will be Kemba's UConn team to run. And run they will. The last two seasons, UConn has played a much more controlled pace than you expect from a Jim Calhoun team. Price, Hasheem Thabeet, and Jeff Adrien were all more suited to a slower paced, grind-it-out style. With those three gone, UConn will rely on Walker, Jerome Dyson, and Stanley Robinson to lead them, all of whom could be considered the most athletic player at their positions. UConn is going to press defensively and run offensively, and Walker is going to be the catalyst.

Kim English, Missouri - 6'6" 200lb: Anyone that watched the NCAA tournament (and if you read this blog, that means you) should know what English can do when he gets hot: during a four minute stretch against Marquette in the second round, English hit three threes and scored 15 points. A 6'6" two-guard, English is tall enough to get his shot off over most perimeter defenders, but he also has enough athleticism to survive in the 40-minutes-of-hell style the Tigers play. With guys like Leo Lyons, DeMarre Carroll, JT Tiller, and Matt Lawrence all graduating, expect English to get many more minutes and shots.

Chris Wright, Georgetown - 6'1", 208lb: Wright was a much-hyped recruit coming out of St. John's high school in Maryland, but an injury to his foot severely limited his court time as a freshman. Combine that with playing behind Jonathon Wallace, and last season was essentially Wright's first in the Big East. With that came the growing pains - at times he was brilliant, but overall he had an inconsistent season. He now has a year of experience under his belt, and knowing what to expect in a watered down Big East, Wright should be more comfortable and confident leading the Hoyas.

Wesley Johnson, Syracuse - 6'7", 198lb: Johnson was a player for two years with Iowa State, averaging 12 ppg both seasons. But during his sophomore year, he played on an ankle that required surgery after the season was done. Now that he has had 16 months to get healthy, Johnson will start over in a program looking for their own fresh start. The Orange lost a ton of talent on the perimeter, and Johnson will be expected to shoulder the scoring load from day one. Johnson is a tremendous athlete with a jumper that is very effective when he doesn't fall in love with it - which is what happened during his sophomore season (although, that was most likely a result of his injury). If he can become the player he was as a freshman - attacking the glass, going to the basket, defending - Johnson should put up impressive scoring numbers and thrive playing the back line of the Syracuse zone.

Iowa State transfer Wesley Johnson will be counted on to replace the scoring of Jonny Flynn and Eric Devendorf.
(photo credit: Flagrant Fouls)

Matthew Bryan-Amaning, Washington - 6'9", 240lb: A lot of people are predicting the Huskies to be the best team on the West Coast, and that prediction could very well hold true as U-Dub will field one of the most dynamic back courts in the country. But back court play will only get you so far during the season. Washington will be heading into this year with a gaping hole in their frontline courtesy of Jon Brockman's graduation. Bryan-Amaning will be the guy called upon to fill a lot of those minutes. He has shown signs of being a star-in-the-making during his first two seasons, but both seasons faded down the stretch as his minutes and production tailed off during Pac-10 play. The Huskies, if possible, are going to play an even faster tempo than they did last season, and given Bryan-Amaning's length, athleticism, and face-up game, he should be able to thrive.

Malcolm Lee, UCLA - 6'5", 180lb: Lee has been getting a ton of attention during the off-season, and it isn't hard to see why - the kid looks like he could be the second coming off Russell Westbrook. If you remember, Westbrook flew under the radar as a freshman before exploding as a sophomore and becoming the fourth pick of the 2008 draft. Like Westbrook, Lee is a rangy combo guard with outstanding athleticism. He struggled to find minutes in a crowded back court last season, but that doesn't mean that he isn't blessed loads of talent. Lee is still a bit raw, especially on the offensive end, but he has already garnered a reputation for being a play maker defensively. If he is allowed to take some advantage of his outstanding ability to create in the open court, Lee could be a first team all-Pac 10 player.

Can Malcolm Lee follow in Russell Westbrook's footsteps?

Roburt Sallie, Memphis - 6'5", 196lb: Remember what I said about Kim English? If you watched the NCAA Tournament, you know what this guy is capable of. The exact same can be said about Sallie. Sallie spent most of the season on John Calipari's bench, but exploded for 35 points and 10 three's as he carried the Tiger's to a first round win against Cal State Northridge. One of the best shooters in the country, new coach Josh Pastner is going to need a big season out of Sallie, as the NBA Draft and a disappearing recruiting class has left the Tiger's cupboard pretty bare.

Ishmael Smith, Wake Forest - 6'0", 175lb: As a freshman, Ishmael Smith was one of the most promising point guards in the country, averaging 6.0 apg. But something happened over the past two seasons, and that something was named Jeff Teague. Teague dominated the ball during his time in Winston-Salem, forcing Smith into a much less significant role. But that doesn't mean Smith can't play. He is not a great scorer, but what he does well is break down a defense and lead a break. In other words, he can create scoring chances for others, which is going to be so important for a Wake team that doesn't have a lot of polished offensive weapons.

Ashton Gibbs, Pttsburgh - 6'2", 200lb: Pitt will be heading into this season with basically a whole new team. With four starters gone, and two of their top returners out to start the season (Jermaine Dixon's foot injury and Gilbert Brown's suspension), Gibbs and Brad Wanamaker will be basically the only two guys back. Gibbs played a limited role as a freshman for the Panthers, but in those limited minutes he produced. He also had an impressive summer playing for the U-19 World Champions (coached by Pitt head coach Jamie Dixon). Gibbs will be counted upon immediately to produce for the Panthers, and he should be up to the task. He proved his ability to shoot from the perimeter last season, but this year he will be asked to lead this team as a scorer and play maker.

William Buford, Ohio State - 6'5", 185lb: Buford took some time to find a rhythm as a freshman, but once he got comfortable he really started to show some promising signs at the end of the year. Buford is one of the most fluid scorers in the Big Ten. He is so good at reading a defense and coming off of a screen, and is deadly when shooting in the 15-18 foot range. If Buford can expand his ability to slash to the rim, he could prove to be a deadly complement to Evan Turner.

Honorable Mention:

Michael Dunigan, Oregon
Paul George, Fresno State
Demetri Goodson, Gonzaga
Terrence Jennings, Louisville
Larry Sanders, VCU
Jeff Taylor, Vanderbilt
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Friday Morning Shootaround: Western Kentucky, Michigan, and Maryland the only upsets

Pretty exciting first day of the tournament. No buzzer beaters, but we did have some great games and some great performances:

GAME OF THE DAY: UCLA 65, VCU 64

UCLA went on a 13-0 run late in the first half to open up a 35-23 lead on the Rams. The Rams would make a couple runs in the second half, but each time UCLA had an answer. Two Eric Maynor fre throws cut the lead to 47-43, but Jrue Holiday responded with six straight points to cap an 8-1 spurt and the Bruins would open up a 55-44 lead. But that is when Maynor would take over. The senior would score 7 points and dish out 2 assists in a 14-6 run that cut the lead to 65-64 with just 48 seconds left on the clock. After Darren Collison had a lay-up blocked by Larry Sanders, it was Ram ball with 11.6 seconds left down one.

But Maynor's jumper at the buzzer, which was very closely contested by Collison, came up well short and UCLA advanced to take on Villanova. I had all sorts of issues with the last play run by the Rams. Maynor got the ball in the back court with about 8 seconds left, but a VCU player ran over to set a screen for him about 40 feet from the rim. As he came off the screen, the other defender hedged hard, forcing Maynor to dribble wide around him, wasting valuable seconds off the clock. Instead of allowing your senior point guard, conference player of the year, future first round draft pick, and already proven March performer a chance to take his time and go one-on-one for the win, you forced him to rush a tough shot against a great defender.

Darren Collison and Josh Shipp celebrate after holding on against VCU.
(photo credit: Michael Perez/AP)

Maynor finished with 21 points, 6 boards, and 7 assists for VCU, while Sanders added 10 points, 11 boards, and 4 blocks. All five UCLA starters reached double figures, led by 16 from Josh Shipp.


PLAYER OF THE DAY: Roburt Sallie, Memphis

Roburt Sallie, a big-time recruit coming out of high school, was supposed to be playing for Washington right now, but he was declared ineligible out of high school. After spending a year at Laurinburg Prep in North Carolina, he signed with Nebraska. But once again, Sallie was declared ineligible. After sitting out the '06-'07 season, he played at the City College of San Francisco the next season, earning JuCo all-american honors. He was all set to finally attend Nebraska, but some weird rule made him ineligible for any Big XII school (while awaiting his eligibility status, he started attending classes at Nebraska, but was not supposed to enroll. He was declared ineligible on September 11th and left school, but a mix-up somewhere in the school had him enrolled. The Big XII has some rule where once you enroll at a school, you must meet initial eligibility requirements or yo can never play at a Big XII school). So it looked like Sallie was out of luck, until former Laurinburg Prep teammates currently at Memphis (Antonio Anderson, Robert Dozier) convinced Sallie to join the Tigers

Roburt Sallie scored a career-high 35 points to lead Memphis. His previous high was 13.
(photo credit: Orlin Wagner/AP)

Why does all this matter? Because if Sallie had not been in the line-up against Cal St-Northridge, Memphis would not have won. The Matadors threw multiple zone looks at the Tigers, and they could not figure out the defense. Except for Sallie that is. The sophomore, who came in averaging just 4.5 ppg, went for 35 points, hitting 10-15 three's in the process. For the day, Sallie was 12-17 from the field. The rest of his team went 17-42 (37%) and 1-13 from deep.

They were good too:

• Marcus Thornton, LSU: The SEC Player of the Year went for 30 points, including a number of critical baskets down the stretch, and the Tigers held off Butler 75-71.
• Greivis Vazquez, Maryland: Vazquez led Maryland to a win over the Cal Bears by scoring 27 points and adding 5 boards and 4 dimes.
• Manny Harris, Michigan: The sophomore went for 23 points, 7 boards, and 6 assists in his first ever NCAA Tournament game.
• Dwayne Anderson and Dante Cunningham, Villanova: The two Wildcat frontcourt starters combined to go for 50 points and 15 boards and Nova came back from 14 down against American. Anderson was 9-10 from the floor and 4-5 from three.
• Blake Griffin, Oklahoma: Griffin finished with 28 points and 13 boards, and was only flipped once.
  

TEAM OF THE DAY: Western Kentucky

For the second straight season, Western Kentucky came in the tournament as a twelve seed and has advanced. This year, it was against short-handed Illinois (who was playing without Chester Frazier who broke his hand). A 15-2 run midway through the first half gave WKU a 27-13 lead, and the Hilltoppers would hold on to the lead the rest of the way. Illinois got within single digits at the half, but WKU pushed the lead back to 15 midway through the second.

The Illini were not about to go away without a fight. Spurred by the tenacious defense they played all season long, Illinois got it down to 74-72 on a Trent Meachem (who had a season-high 24 points) lay-up, but on the ensuing inbounds WKU was able to run the clock all the way down to 0.9 seconds. Two free throws game the final margin.

The Hilltoppers, who put all five starters in double figures, were led by 17 points from a Name All-American Steffphon Pettigrew.

Deserves mention:

• Maryland: For everything that the Terps and Gary Williams have gone through this season, it is fitting that they have made it to the second round of the tournament. Maybe it speaks to the overall strength of the ACC versus the Pac-10, but Maryland looked like a much better team than Cal. One of the most impressive parts of this game was how well Vazquez played within the offense. He is not always known as a team player, but watching him and Eric Hayes play off of each other down the stretch was something special. I said it a number of times in yesterday's Day 1 live-blog, but when basketball is played the right way, it is one of the prettiest things to watch. How many open threes did those did get each other in Maryland's final push?
  

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