AP Today’s Morning Mix is rather light. We want you to save up you energy for tomorrow, which looks like the most fully loaded day of hoops we’ve seen all season.
Oh, and you can take tonight off. There are only three games on tonight. We got you covered.
Lets hit the links.
Friday’s Top Games:
7:00 p.m. – Stony Brook @ Vermont
7:00 p.m. – Jacksonville @ North Florida
7:00 p.m. – Fairfield @ Iona
Read of the Day:
Former-Virginia Tech forward Allen Chaney was away from the game for 44 months thanks to viral myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart, but he’s now getting a second shot at hoops at High Point, and making the most of it. Ryan Fagan has the story. Read it. (The Sporting News)
Top Stories:
No. 10 Florida holds Elston Turner to four points, beats Texas A&M: Four days after going into Lexington and earning a win against Kentucky, Texas A&M was set to host a beat up Florida team with a chance to really make a statement to the folks that put together bubble projections. Unfortunately for the Aggies, Elston Turner scored 37 points less that he did on Saturday and the Gators rolled over Texas A&M with “Johnny Football” in attendance.
No. 5 Michigan holds on to win at No. 9 Minnesota, 83-75: m Hardaway Jr. led Michigan with 21 points and Trey Burke added 18 points and nine assists as the Wolverines opened up an 18-point lead and withstood a strong Gophers comeback to earn the bounce-back on the road at the Barn.
10 tidbits to know: Great coaching in the state of Maryland: NBC Sports Talk’s College Hoops Insider, Vin Parise, is back with his weekly look at ten interesting tidbits. This week he dishes on the coaching success taking place in “The Old Line State”, and an interesting non-conference game taking place this weekend.
Florida Atlantic and Middle Tennessee looking to leave Sun Belt early? Florida Atlantic and Middle Tennessee are reportedly negotiating with the Sun Belt Conference to leave after the current academic year instead of waiting until 2014 according to Dan Wolken of USA Today. The two programs will join the reconfigured Conference USA, which will lose four of its members to the Big East Conference at the end of the 2012-13 academic year.
Frank Haith’s lawyer speaks about potential NCAA infractions: The Missouri head coach is still tangled up in the mess that is the Nevin Shapiro scandal at Miami, and with the notice of allegations on the way, his lawyers have issued a statement filled with lawyer-speak.
Report: James Southerland eligibility issue centers around term paper: According to Mike Waters of the Syracuse Post-Standard the current eligibility issue may center around the writing of a term paper. Specifically, whether or not a tutor wrote part of Southerland’s term paper.
Hoops Housekeeping
- Chris Webber’s ban from being associated with Michigan will end in May and the university is currently discussing how to handle issues surrounding the Fab-5. (Detroit News)
- San Diego State guard Xavier Thames tweaked his back in practice yesterday and his status for the Wyoming game this weekend is questionable. (San Diego Union-Tribune)
- R.J. Williams returned from his suspension last night as Loyola (Md.) handled Marist at home 72-58. (D1scourse)
- UConn guard Shabazz Napier is dealing with a shoulder injury but hopes to be able to play against Pittsburgh this weekend. (New Haven Register)
- Seton Hall landed a commitment from 2013 shooting guard Jerron Wilbut. (South Orange Juice)
- Central Florida junior Isaiah Sykes returned to practice on Thursday for the first time since injuring his ankle last weekend. He hopes to be able to play this weekend against Houston. (Orlando Sentinel)
Observations & Insight:
- Valparaiso snapped Detroit’s 17-game home winning streak thanks to 31 points from Kevin Van Wijk. The Crusaders trailed by 18 at the half, but scored 57 points in the second half in order to win the rematch of last season’s Horizon League Championship game. (Detroit Free-Press)
- Bradley head coach Geno Ford was in attendance for the Wednesday night game between Chicago high schools Simeon and Morgan Park, in which a man was shot and killed following the game. (Peoria Journal-Star)
- A lot of people were hesitant about Illinois’ early season surge, and they can now pat themselves on the back. The Illini dropped their third straight with a lethargic loss to Northwestern last night. (State Journal-Register)
- With the conference realignment impacting the Sun Belt Conference, here is a look at some of the facilities of potential Members. (App State Nation)
- Andy Glockner provides his take on the conference power rankings. I too agree that the Mountain West is third best. (Sports Illustrated)
- A history lesson about win-less teams and when they usually get their first win of the season. (Eye on College Basketball)
- The Big-Ten is usually the conference people think about when an ugly, low-scoring game is on. But this season, the ACC seems to be the posterboy for scoring deficiency. (Tech Hoops)
Picture of the Day:
As if his team’s performance wasn’t bad enough, an Illinois fan got ejected from Assembly Hall last night. The Illini lost to Northwestern last night in pathetic fashion.
Dunk: of the Day:
Glenn Robinson III had himself a big game last night against Michigan. He scored 20 points and threw down a 360 dunk on a fast break. Personally, I’m not a big fan of 360s. First, they aren’t real 360s because the rotation starts before they leave the ground. Second, it just doesn’t look as pretty as a poster-dunk or wind-mill jam. But the people sure do like them.
Do you like the new Morning Mix? Hate it? Have a suggestion or want something featured? Troy Machir will take all your praise, insults and inquiries via Twitter (@TroyMachir)
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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…
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Report: Nebraska to open Pinnacle Arena against Florida Gulf Coast
May 17, 2013, 3:21 PM EDT
Getty Images
Florida Gulf Coast was one of the best stories of the 2013 NCAA tournament, becoming the first 15-seed to reach the Sweet 16 and earning the moniker “Dunk City” (thanks to Troy Machir) with their attractive style of play and penchant for above the rim finishes. And next season the Eagles, under new head coach…
