Burning Questions: Who will be this year’s surprise All-American?
Nov 6, 2012, 2:00 PM EDT
Getty Images Real, live college basketball games start on Friday, and with all of our glorious preseason content finally finished, this week we will be providing you with water cooler fodder as we roll through a series of Burning Question. You can read them all right here.
Which player not on one of the NBCSports.com All-American teams is the most likely to become a first-teamer this year?
Phil Pressey, Missouri (Eric Angevine): Pressey showed he could dish and defend at a high level last season in the Big 12. With Kim English matriculated and Michael Dixon in the doghouse, Pressey will have ample opportunity to show he can score, too. I believe he’s up to the task.
Gorgui Dieng, Louisville (Troy Machir): The Louisville center is in the perfect position to excel this season. First and foremost, he has made tremendous improvements in each of his first two seasons, and if healthy, he will continue his upward progression this season. Second, He has players around him that him him the best chance to succeed. Guys like Montrezl Harris, Chane Behanan, Wayne Blackshear and Luke Hancock, skilled forwards and wing players, will divert attention away from the big-man, which will allow Dieng to get more high quality looks. Dieng won’t be forced to do too much, which will allow him to excel at his craft. Finally, what real pressure is there on Dieng? He’s not the star and doesn’t have to be. Plus, Pitino does a good job keeping the media out of his player’s heads, so they can remained focused.This season was tailor-made for Gorgui Dieng to recieve All-American praise.
Jamaal Franklin, San Diego State (Daniel Martin): Franklin became a full-time contributor last season and capitalized. Now he has the reins of a team that will fight for the Mountain West title and has the potential to become a household name. He averaged 17.4 points and 7.9 rebounds per game last season, including just a shade up 20 points and 10 boards in MWC play.
Nate Wolters, South Dakota State (David Harten): Wolters has every tool that gets a college basketball player recognition. He can score (21.1 ppg), rebound (5.1 rpg), distribute (5.9 apg) and guard (1.7 spg). Problem is, he plays for a Jackrabbits’ team that just made its first trip to the NCAA Tournament and plays in the Summit League. His game translates against better teams — need I remind you how hard he clowned Washington last season? — and he’s proven countless times he can play on the big stages (19 points, 4 boards, 4 assists and 3 steals against Baylor in the NCAA Tournament last season). He could be on everyone’s All-American list by season’s end.
Andre Roberson, Colorado (Raphielle Johnson): Andre played the four for the Buffaloes last season, and while that may be the same in 2012-13 he’ll get to expand his game some. 11.6 points and 11.1 rebounds per game last season, and with a better jump shot I’d expect the scoring average to increase. And there may be some motivation to be derived from the Pac-12 media picking Colorado to finish sixth in the conference this season. My money’s on Roberson.
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Boston College nears completion of 2013-14 non-conference schedule
May 19, 2013, 1:47 PM EDT
Getty Images
Steve Donahue and the Boston College Eagles nearly have their non-conference schedule for the upcoming season set in stone. It was recently reported by BC Interruption that Toledo, Sacred Heart, and Philadelphia University were added to the home slate. Not exactly three teams to get overly excited about, especially with Philadelphia U being a sub-Division…
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Getty Images
As teams begin to solidify their non-conference schedules for the 2013-14 season, it has been reported that UCLA will host Alabama next season with the Bruins traveling to Alabama the following year. Anthony Grant may have his best team in next season his fifth in Tuscaloosa even with Trevor Lacey transferring out of the program.…
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gohatters.com
When Lipscomb completed their search for a head men’s basketball coach this past Friday evening, it was supposed to represent the end of the coaching carousel for 2013. However, the Bisons poached Casey Alexander from fellow Atlantic Sun school Stetson, so now that leaves the Hatters as the final Division 1 school remaining without a…
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Providence’s Ed Cooley joins staff for USA Basketball Men’s Under-19 World Championship team
May 19, 2013, 10:09 AM EDT
AP
Yesterday, news broke that Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski was in discussions to return as the USA Olympic men’s basketball coach through the Rio 2016 Olympics. On a smaller scale, earlier last week the Providence Journal reported that Providence head coach Ed Cooley will join Marquette head coach Buzz Williams and Tim Ryan, head coach from the College of Central…
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VIDEO: Shaka Smart throws a strike, gets his own bobblehead
May 18, 2013, 9:00 PM EDT
photo courtesy of the Richmond Flying Squirrels
Friday evening, VCU head coach Shaka Smart did one of those things coaches do in the offseason. He took to the field in a minor league game to throw out a first pitch. It was an auspicious day for the Rams’ head man, as he was being honored with his very own bobblehead doll last…
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AP
There has been a lot of change at Arizona over the past few months, with several players and even a coach leaving the program. Replacing assistant James Whitford, who became head coach at Ball State, was easy: Wildcat legend Damon Stoudamire came back home to round out the staff. But the personnel situation on the…
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Report: Baylor coach told Griner not to talk about her sexuality
May 18, 2013, 5:20 PM EDT
Getty Images
Former Baylor player and current WNBA top draft pick Britney Griner made it quite clear recently that she has no problem talking about her sexuality. She spoke with Sports Illustrated shortly after her college career ended, and was candid about something that is, frankly, not really anybody’s business. We now know why she never mentioned…
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AP
The Atlantic Sun tournament was played in front of a near-capacity crowd at Mercer’s Hawkins Arena last March. Hawkins was chosen as the tourney site ahead of time, and the whole event played out there. The reported crowd of 4,394 was packed with Mercer fans who simply had to roll out of bed and find…
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Since he led Team USA to a gold medal in the 2012 Olympics in London, Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski has maintained that it would, in fact, be his last run at the head of the USA Basketball program. That may be changing, however. According to a report from Pete Thamel of Sports Illustrated, Coach…
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Adreian Payne, Lacey Holsworth attended Dick Vitale’s gala on Friday
May 18, 2013, 2:32 PM EDT
Adreian Payne was a special guest at Dick Vitale’s celebrity gala on Friday night, but he wasn’t the star of the show. Lacey Holsworth was. If you haven’t heard the story by now, watch the video above. In short, Payne has befriended a seven-year girl, Lacey, who has been battling cancer for much of her…
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Georgetown forward Brandon Bolden transfers to Kansas State
May 18, 2013, 1:15 PM EDT
After appearing in only four regular season games and registering five minutes of playing time with no statistics, Georgetown forward Brandon Bolden has opted to transfer to Kansas State, the Wildcats announced on Friday. The 6-10, 210-pound Bolden will sit out the upcoming 2013-14 season due to NCAA transfer rules, but will have three years of…
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Report: Lipscomb hires a former Belmont player as head coach
May 18, 2013, 12:12 PM EDT
Lipscomb has finally replaced long time head coach Scott Sanderson, as they hired Stetson head coach Casey Alexander, according to a report. Alexander led the Hatters to a 15-16 record last season, as they finished 11-7 in the Atlantic Sun. Both records were the best for the program since the 2008-2009 season. But here’s where…
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FIBA
Oregon State picked up a late 2013 commitment when 6-2 combo guard Malcolm Duvivier opted to sign his letter of intent on Friday after previously being a member of the 2014 class. Duvivier — a native of Toronto — was previously regarded as Rivals’ No. 116 player in the 2014 national rankings before filling an…
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Report: Tennessee center Makanjuola transfers to UNC-Wilmington
May 18, 2013, 10:02 AM EDT
AP
Tennessee sophomore center Yemi Makanjuola has opted to transfer to UNC-Wilmington, per a Tweet from Brian Mull of StarNews. Makanjuola — a 6-9, 250-pound native of Nigeria — will have two years of eligibility remaining after NCAA transfer rules force him to sit out next season. Makanjuola will be eligible in the 2014-15 season and saw action…
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Washington guard C.J. Wilcox undergoes surgery on left foot
May 17, 2013, 9:02 PM EDT
AP
One month after making the decision to return to Washington for his senior season, second team All-Pac-12 selection C.J. Wilcox underwent surgery on his left foot to stabilize a stress fracture that according to the Associated Press lingered for much of the 2012-13 season. The purpose of the surgery was to stabilize the fifth metatarsal…
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AP
Last May 6-7 forward Sheldon Jeter chose to attend Vanderbilt, picking the Commodores over Penn State and Wisconsin and South Carolina with Pittsburgh showing some interest late but never offering the Beaver Falls, Pa. native. Jeter played 17.5 minutes per game as a freshman, averaging 5.5 points and 3.4 rebounds per game. And after one…
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AP
In the immediate aftermath of Steve Alford’s decision to leave New Mexico to take over as head coach at UCLA, many wondered how much would he have to pay UNM in order to get out of his contract. While Alford and his representation argued that the coach, who led the Lobos to four Mountain West…
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Reuters
A good week on the recruiting front for the Xavier coaching staff got even better Friday afternoon. 6-4 guard Remy Abell, who spent his first two seasons at Indiana, announced his decision to transfer to Xavier as reported by multiple outlets. Abell won’t be eligible to play this season per NCAA transfer rules, but he will…
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Marshall bolsters backcourt depth with addition of Jaylen Brantley
May 17, 2013, 5:23 PM EDT
ny2lasports.com
With three guards, most notably leading scorer DeAndre Kane, deciding to transfer Marshall head coach Tom Herrion was in need of some extra depth for his backcourt in 2013-14. Thanks to a commitment from 2013 combo guard Jaylen Brantley, the Thundering Herd won’t go into next season shorthanded in that area. Brantley, who played at…
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Report: Sandi Marcius transferring to DePaul for final season
May 17, 2013, 4:36 PM EDT
AP
Last month it was reported that Purdue forward Sandi Marcius was running into a major complication in regards to his decision to graduate and then transfer to another school where he would be able to play as a graduate student. That major complication was Purdue’s refusal to pay for the summer school courses Marcius needs…
