NCAA News up to the New Season

Memphis guard Antonio Anderson has withdrawn from the 2008 NBA Draft and is returning to school for his final season of eligibility

He said in a statement released by the school Friday that he'd been projected as a second-round pick, and he was not satisfied with that.

This past season, he was the team's fourth-leading scorer at 8.6 points per game. He tied for the team lead with 49 steals and was second with 136 assists.

Anderson also was the most valuable player of the Conference USA tournament.

Obviously will be looked to for some leadership


Providence loses Dwain Williams, who averaged 11.0 points and 2.3 assists in 21 games for Providence last season, because he is transferring to Long Beach State.

Coach Dan Monson said Thursday that Williams has signed a national letter of intent with the 49ers.

The 6-foot guard from San Diego will have two years of eligibility remaining butwill have to sit out next season.

But Providence didnt need that loss.


Marquette guard Jerel McNeal is withdrawing his name from the upcoming NBA Draft to return for his senior season.

He entered his name for draft consideration in late April, but did not hire an agent.

McNeal said he made his decision Wednesday after weighing all his options.

"I felt it was in my best interest to come back and accomplish some of the goals I have set for myself and get better, both on the court and academically," he said.

Marquette reached the second round of the NCAA tournament before falling to Stanford. McNeal averaged 14.9 points, 3.5 assists and 2.2 steals per game as one of only two Marquette players to start all 35 games.

Alabama forward Alonzo Gee will remove his name from the NBA draft list and return for his senior season.

Gee said Thursday that he learned a lot from exploring his draft status, but will play for the Crimson Tide next season.

He averaged nearly 15 points and seven rebounds as a junior, starting every game.

Guard Ronald Steele and forward Richard Hendrix have also submitted their names for the NBA draft. Both have been invited to the NBA’s pre-draft camp in Orlando, The Birmingham News reported Thursday.

Like Gee, they have the option of returning because they haven’t signed with an agent.


Indiana coach Tom Crean dismissed forward Brandon McGee from the team on Thursday, leaving the Hoosiers with only three returning players for next season.

McGee was kicked off the team because of academic and team guideline violations.

“Our coaching and support staff tried to make this work out, but we felt that there were some basic standard operating procedures that were not being met,” Crean said in a statement.

The 6-foot-7 McGee played in 17 games during his freshman season, averaging 1.5 points and 1 rebound.

McGee’s dismissal comes days after Crean signed 7-foot, 255-pound center Tijan Jobe from Olney Central junior college in Illinois. Jobe, who averaged 4.0 points and 4.0 rebounds last season, will be able to play for the Hoosiers this year.

Jobe is from Gambia and chose Indiana over UAB, Auburn and Nebraska.

He is the sixth player Crean has signed to scholarship offers to play for the Hoosiers next season since becoming coach last month. Others are forward Tom Pritchard and guards Verdell Jones III, Matt Roth, Devan Dumes and Nick Williams.

The only returning players remaining on the IU roster are guard Jordan Crawford, forward Kyle Taber and walk-on guard Brett Finkelmeier.

Um OK !!! lol hope that recruiting goes well



CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP)—North Carolina point guard Ty Lawson was charged Friday with driving after consuming alcohol following an early morning traffic stop.

Lawson was stopped in downtown Chapel Hill because of the loud music coming from the car, said Chapel Hill Police Capt. Jackie Carden. The car smelled of alcohol and a field sobriety test led the officer to file charges, she said.

Because Lawson is not 21, he could be charged with driving after consuming alcohol. He was also charged with violating the city’s noise ordinance and driving with a suspended or revoked license, police said. He was taken into custody and later released. Lawson is scheduled to appear in court July 8.

Neither Lawson nor coach Roy Williams will comment until the legal process runs its course, a school spokesman said in a statement.

He was one of three North Carolina players who declared for the 2008 NBA draft. Lawson has not hired an agent, meaning he could return to school for his junior season.

Lawson attended the NBA pre-draft workouts last week in Florida with teammates Wayne Ellington and Danny Green. On Wednesday, he worked out for the Indiana Pacers.

Lawson helped the Tar Heels reach the Final Four, where they lost to eventual national champion Kansas in the semifinals.


Im sayin this will pretty much ensure that hell be hiring an agent and goin to the NBA because i doubt the Ncaa or Roy will be none to happy with any of this! We'll see obviously!

PITTSBURGH (AP)—Morakinyo Williams, a 6-foot-11 center who was one of Kentucky’s top recruits a year ago, is transferring to Duquesne.

Williams, who played sparingly at Kentucky last season and wanted a chance to play more minutes and make a bigger impact, signed his scholarship papers Monday and faxed them to Duquesne. He also considered Tulane and Penn after deciding recently to leave Kentucky.

Williams, a native of Solihull, England, whose middle name is Michael, was recruited by former Kentucky coach Tubby Smith only to get caught in a coaching staff change when Billy Gillispie was hired before last season. Williams played 19 minutes in Kentucky’s season opener, but played only 11 more minutes the rest of the season, averaging 0.8 points and 1.0 rebounds.

“I had a lot of fun here (at Kentucky), but I was ready to get out of here,” Williams said Monday in a telephone interview. “I want to play a lot more minutes—I just wanted to play a lot more. Hopefully when I do start playing at Duquesne, I can be an impact player.”

Williams, who must out the 2008-09 season as a redshirt transfer, is a center who plays mostly with his back to the basket and has strong post moves.

Asked what he knows about the Dukes’ fast-paced style, Williams said, “I know they like to get up and down the court, everyone gets some touches and they like to get a lot of shots.”

The Dukes, 3-17 two years ago, won 10 games under first-year coach Ron Everhart in 2006-07 and 17 games last season.

Everhart was forced to do far more recruiting than most Division I coaches after 6-10 center Shawn James, one of the leading shot-blockers in NCAA history, and 6-0 guard Kojo Mensah decided to pass up their final season of eligibility and enter the NBA draft.

Duquesne has added six players since the season ended, including Williams.

The Dukes also recruited standout shooter Aleksandr Milovic, a 6-6 swingman from Centje, Montenegro who was considering several large-conference schools; 6-8 Rodrigo Peggau, a strong rebounder who played at the Patterson School in Lenoir, N.C.; 6-5 Melquan Bolding, who initially committed to Louisville; 6-5 B.J. Monteiro, Connecticut’s high school player of the year, and 6-3 Chase Robinson of Huntsville, Ala.

Williams played at Bishop Ireton H.S. in Alexandria, Va., averaging 14 points and 10 rebounds as a senior.

Everhart was not available Monday to comment on Williams. Everhart recently hired assistant coach Scott Rigot, a Pittsburgh-area native who coached at Kentucky under Smith.


Well they needed a facelift obviously, so it looks like theyve gotten one, so how can they Meld together is the ? to be answered!



LOS ANGELES (AP)—Highly regarded prep center J’Mison Morgan has signed a grant-in-aid to attend UCLA, Bruins coach Ben Howland announced Thursday.

A 6-foot-10, 248-pounder who averaged 13.5 points, 11 rebounds and four blocked shot for South Oak Cliff High in Dallas, originally signed a letter of intent with LSU, but was released from that commitment last month


How is Arizona going to look?


Bayless is gone for good since he has already signed with an agent. It is unlikely that Budinger will come back. He hasn’t yet signed with an agent, but he is expected to be drafted in the first round if he remains in the draft.

Arizona’s recruiting class did hold the No. 7 spot in the team recruiting rankings prior to the spring signing period. But the class took a hit with the defection of Emmanuel Negedu and the significant upgrade of some other classes with late signees.

In particular, Kansas, Memphis, Connecticut and Tennessee surged up the rankings with significant additions.

Arizona did add a solid three-star point guard in Kyle Fogg to go along with elite point guard Brandon Jennings, four-star Jeff Withey and in-state three-star prospect Brendon Lavender. The four-man class places the Wildcats at No. 14 in the post-spring signing period team rankings.



some news on these two kids expected to be pretty good and dont want to be separated apparently


Sticking together?
Are guards Abdul Gaddy and Avery Bradley close to committing? Which team is most likely to land the dynamic duo from Washington, and what do they bring to the table?

I doubt a decision is going to come anytime soon for these prospects. A couple of weeks ago, Bradley told Rivals.com that he wanted to take his five official visits in the fall before making a decision. I doubt that Gaddy would rush into a decision after his recent decommitment from Arizona. Furthermore, Gaddy has indicated that he wants to play with Bradley in college and that he wants to be re-recruited by the new coaching staff at Arizona.

Although Gaddy is on record saying Bradley and he are a package deal, the two prospects do not have identical school lists. Gaddy has Gonzaga, Oregon and Washington on his list, and Bradley is considering Florida, UCLA and Wake Forest - which are not on Gaddy’s list.

Assuming the two are serious about playing together, Arizona, Kansas, Memphis, Texas and USC are in favorable positions.

Whichever school (or schools) lands Gaddy and Bradley will get two extremely talented five-star prospects. Gaddy, the No. 14 ranked prospect in the Rivals150, is a crafty and skilled point guard with good size. He has a great feel for running a team, can make difficult shots in the midrange and is an intelligent defender.

Bradley, the No. 17 ranked prospect in the Rivals150, is a great scorer off the dribble. He has the athleticism to attack the rim, and he is also terrific in the midrange. Not only is Bradley an impressive scorer, he is also a tenacious defender. Extremely quick laterally, Bradley can use his rangy build to lock down opposing guards.

Is Arkansas going to be ok this year?

Are Courtney Fortson and Rotnei Clarke goin to help Arkansas next season? Both are freshmen But They will play immediately, more out of necessity than anything else. Arkansas is probably among the five or 10 teams nationally losing the most talent. Four starters must be replaced, including point guard Gary Ervin and wing Sonny Weems.

Fortson, a 5-foot-10 point guard, could start, especially if coach John Pelphrey chooses to keep junior-to-be Patrick Beverley off the ball. Regardless, Fortson should see steady minutes. His toughness and tenacity on the defensive end gives him an edge over other freshmen. So does playing last season at The Patterson School, a prep school in Lenoir, N.C., that has produced a number of good high-major players in recent years.

Don’t expect Fortson to be an instant star, though. He lacks size and polish. Moreover, point guard is the most difficult position to play in college basketball and he’ll go through some growing pains, particularly when it comes to making decisions with the ball in his hands.

I think you will see Clarke be a contributor off the bench. He isn’t as talented as Fortson, but he’s a great outside shooter, perhaps the best Arkansas has had in a long time. That will make him a valuable weapon.



some SEC news!

Ole Miss spent a good bit of this past season in the top 25 and nearly snuck into the NCAA Tournament. If defending SEC West champ Mississippi State loses star guard Jamont Gordon (he entered the draft but has not signed with an agent), the Rebels will be picked by some to win the division. Arkansas, which finished second in the division season, will be taking a step back after losing four starters.

LSU is a much better fit for the “sleeper” tag. A 13-18 record last season pushed the Tigers way off the national radar. They also are losing talented freshman Anthony Randolph, a projected lottery pick.

But LSU still has enough firepower to win the West. The Tigers have the SEC’s leading returning scorer in guard Marcus Thornton (19.6 ppg) and one of the league’s top big men in Chris Johnson (11.6 ppg, 2.6 bpg). Versatile wing Tasmin Mitchell, who averaged 13.2 points and 5.4 rebounds in 2006-07, returns after taking a medical redshirt last season because of an ankle injury.

Trent Johnson may not have been the right choice for the long term. Given his West Coast background - and the fact that ace recruiter Butch Pierre left to join Travis Ford’s staff at Oklahoma State - Johnson may not be able to win the recruiting battles in his new backyard. But Johnson should be a great fit for the short term. He is a proven winner, having been to Sweet 16s at Nevada and Stanford, and he inherits a good blend of talent and experience.

Alabama is another team to keep an eye on. Point guard Ron Steele, who also took a medical redshirt last season, finally looked healthy at the NBA Pre-Draft Camp last week. If Steele pulls out of the draft as expected, he would join a team loaded with scoring weapons and desperate for a playmaker. Big man Richard Hendrix (17.8 ppg, 10.1 rpg) has entered the draft, but has not signed with an agent. Small forward Alonzo Gee (14.5 ppg, 6.8 rpg) is coming back. The Tide also are adding a top-15 recruiting class.



Cuse in da hizzy!!

If Syracuse fails to reach the NCAA Tournament for what would be the third consecutive time next season, the last possible excuse should be a lack of firepower.

Even with the early departure of Greene, who’s a probable first-round pick, the Orange are loaded with major scoring threats. They return three double-digit scorers from last season: point guard Jonny Flynn (15.7 ppg), versatile forward Paul Harris (14.5 ppg) and center Arinze Onuaku (12.7 ppg). There’s also the return of veteran shooting guard Eric Devendorf, who was averaging 17.0 points before tearing his ACL in December.

Flynn is a dynamic playmaker who can create his own shot as easily as he can create shots for others. Harris does a great job creating contact and drawing fouls. He led the Big East with 237 free-throw attempts last season. Onuaku brings great size and has the potential to score more. Devendorf is a good 3-point shooter, something the Orange missed when he was lost.

The last thing the Orange need to be worried about is offense. The first thing is defense. They gave up 74.3 points a game last season, which ranked 14th in the Big East.



G Freeman transferring to Southern Illinois


Tony Freeman has decided to make a change for his senior season.

Freeman has opted to transfer to Southern Illinois, the school announced Monday.

Following NCAA rules, the 6-1 guard will sit out the 2008-09 season. He will have one year of eligibility when he returns.

As a junior with Iowa this past season, Freeman led the Hawkeyes in scoring with 13.8 points despite missing the first 10 games of the season with a stress fracture.

“Tony brings maturity and toughness, which have been so consistent in our guard play in the past,” Southern Illinois coach Chris Lowery said. “We’ve got to get our practices back to where they are really competitive, and he’ll help us do that.”

Freeman also shot 38.3 percent on 3-pointers en route to being named to the third team of the All-Big Ten Conference. Despite that, Iowa went 13-19 for its first losing record in eight seasons.

The Salukis, on the other hand, are coming off an 18-15 record and an appearance in the NIT. Prior to that, Southern Illinois made the NCAA Tournament six straight seasons.

Good stuff mang.

ATHENS, Ga. -- Georgia coach Dennis Felton has dismissed Billy Humphrey from the team following Humphrey's third arrest in less than a year.

The 20-year-old Humphrey was charged with DUI, failure to maintain his lane and the underage purchase of alcohol and taken to the Gwinnett County jail early Tuesday.

Felton announced Friday that Humphrey, a rising senior who was the team's second-leading scorer last season, was dismissed from the team.

"I am disappointed in Billy," Felton said. "We've worked really hard with him in the past to see that he succeeds, but I feel that it's now best for our program to move forward without him."