The Official 2011-2012 NCAA Men's Basketball Thread

**DaveR** · 10-23-2011, 05:19 PM

2011-12 College Men's Basketball National TV schedule
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/colle...ule/50731734/1

**DaveR** · 10-25-2011, 02:41 AM

Kentucky alums lose to 'Villains' squad

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/71...stian-laettner

LEXINGTON, Ky. -- A team of former Wildcats and a team made up of alumni of Kentucky's rivals participated in an exhibiton game Monday night, wrapping up a nine-stop barnstorming tour at various small gyms against college teams across the state.

The Big Blue All-Stars -- featuring Rajon Rondo, Jodie Meeks, Chuck Hayes and Keith Bogans -- completed their tour with a 152-149 loss to The Villains at Rupp Arena.
The Villains' coach was Christian Laettner who, while at Duke, hit a turnaround buzzer beater to beat Kentucky in a regional final of the 1992 NCAA Tournament. The shot, and Laettner's reaction, has become one of college basketball's most iconic moments.

...

**DaveR** · 10-25-2011, 02:45 AM

If Approved, NCAA Plan Would Keep UConn Out Of NCAA Tournament In March

http://www.courant.com/sports/uconn-...,3034043.story

The NCAA is aiming to implement stricter academic standards, the final touches of the plan to be voted upon this week.

But NCAA President Mark Emmert dropped a bit of a bombshell in Washington on Monday, telling the Knight Commission on Interscholastic Athletics of a proposal that, if approved, would render UConn ineligible for the NCAA Tournament next March.

According to USA Today, Emmert said the NCAA Board of Directors will vote Friday on a plan to bar schools from the next tournament if their Academic Progress Rate is below 900. UConn's APR last spring was 893, and even though school officials say there was significant improvement since then, there would be no way for UConn to get to 900 for this year.

UConn President Susan Herbst is a strong supporter of higher academic requirements, but she told the Courant that schools need time to be in position to meet them.

"I am strongly in favor of holding colleges and universities responsible for meeting APR standards," Herbst said. "There are many reasonable penalties for failing to meet these standards, and a postseason ban is one of them. My only addition to the conversation is that institutions need time to prepare, to make sure that all of their academic supports are in place, so that players and coaches are ready to meet the expectations of presidents and the NCAA. … I don't know that the ramp-up time is settled yet, in the discussions."

Other UConn sources said they believe there is little chance the NCAA will pass a proposal to implement a postseason ban for 2012, but more likely it will take effect for the 2013 tournament, which is what the NCAA's committee for academic performance has recommended. There would also figure to be an appeal process within the plan, where schools showing improvement can apply for waivers.

Nevertheless, Emmert said, "We need to act with some dispatch."

UConn, which won the NCAA championship last season, would not have qualified for the tournament if the proposed rule was in place a year ago. The Huskies had a four-year rolling average APR of 893 for the 2009-10 calendar year and as a result were penalized two scholarships.

In August, school presidents met and discussed plans to raise the APR threshold for sanctions from 900 to 930, which translates to a 50 percent graduation rate. University of Hartford President Walter Harrison, chairman of the NCAA's committee on academic performance, said at that time the new standard could be implemented over a three- to five-year period. The NCAA has approved the new standard of 930, but is now considering proposals of where and how to implement it. The committee has recommended beginning the postseason ban in 2013, but the Board of Directors has the option of implementing it in 2012, NCAA spokesman Bob Williams told USA Today.

Emmert said the proposal to upgrade from 900 to 930 would take 24 months to implement, but the NCAA could institute the postseason ban for failing to reach the standard immediately. UConn, with its 893 score, lost two scholarships because it had two "0-for-2" players (players leaving school with unsatisfactory academic standards). Those players are believed to be Darius Smith and Jonathan Mandeldove.

Several school sources have said UConn's most recent APR will be vastly improved, but even a perfect 1,000 would not raise its four-year rolling average from 893 to 900. It will take multiple years of high scores for UConn to get to 930.

The next four-year rolling score will include individual academic year scores from 2007-08 (909), 2008-09 (844), 2009-10 (826) and 2010-11. That means UConn, even if it scores a perfect 1,000, will be unable to boost its rolling score to 925 or even 900.

If the 900-or-ineligible proposal for 2012 were to be passed, it could bar as many as 33 schools from the tournament next March. UConn, though, is defending national champion and enters the season with high hopes to contend for another title and would probably be the school most adversely affected by an immediate implementation.

"I can't take a position on timing of the phase-in because I haven't seen the alternatives being discussed," Herbst said. "But I look forward to learning how the discussions have evolved since the presidents discussed this months ago. Everyone involved wants the outcome to be fair to students and institutions. This is a collegial discussion of presidents trying to do the right thing."

Emmert said he would go along with implementing the 930 standard and the penalty immediately, even though this would bar numerous schools in 2012. Also to be voted on are proposals to allow schools to add $2,000 to athletic scholarships for athletes to pay for living expenses.

On Tuesday, the NCAA will announce and discuss the current "Graduation Success Rates," which is a different scale, measuring the success of freshmen entering in 2001-2002 through 2004-2005, giving them six years to graduate.

Herbst underscored the need for the NCAA to impose and enforce stricter standards.

"This proposal, and others like it, are needed so we can underscore the student in student-athlete in college athletics once again," she said. "UConn will not only support new rules, some day, I hope that we can lead the charge, as a model for the highest academic standards, paired with the highest level of play."

**DaveR** · 10-25-2011, 10:32 PM

DaJuan Coleman commits to Syracuse

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/re...boosting-class

DaJuan Coleman, a 6-10, 280-pound center from Dewitt, N.Y., committed to nearby Syracuse on Tuesday, deciding that staying home was the best place for him to play college basketball.

Coleman, who's No. 14 on the ESPNU 100 list, chose the Orange over Kentucky and Ohio State.

He is the fourth-rated center in the Class of 2012.

Coleman has been around the Syracuse basketball program since middle school, going to games and attending basketball camps on campus. That's where he got to know Syracuse associate head coach Mike Hopkins and coach Jim Boehiem. He credited the Orange coaching staff with making him "feel comfortable."

Coleman has improved steadily throughout high school and had a slew of offers to choose from. He said his biggest improvement was in his conditioning and dedication, something he will have to continue his focus on at Syracuse.

Syracuse, previously unranked in the class rankings, will jump to No. 10. Jerami Grant, a 6-7, 190-pound forward, previously commited to the Orange. He is the 43rd-ranked player in the ESPNU 100.

**Fletch** · 10-26-2011, 07:51 PM

1. Occupy College, Fred. Occupy College!!!!!!!!

2. By the way, how are them 1993 Playoffs on NBA TV?

3. Yo, Dave, when is that 24 hours of hoops on ESPN? Colin ain't watchin' all that ****!

(hahahahahaha!)

**DaveR** · 10-26-2011, 07:58 PM

Originally Posted by Fletch

...
3. Yo, Dave, when is that 24 hours of hoops on ESPN? Colin ain't watchin' all that ****!

(hahahahahaha!)

11/16 - http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebaske...-espn-marathon

**Fletch** · 10-27-2011, 03:15 PM

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/co...d_meeting.html

**DaveR** · 10-27-2011, 03:43 PM

Originally Posted by Fletch

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/co...d_meeting.html

saw that ... going to be interesting to see its affects through the years

**DaveR** · 10-27-2011, 09:31 PM

Originally Posted by DaveR

saw that ... going to be interesting to see its affects through the years

APR rule change would hit UConn

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-bask...s-2013-tourney

HARTFORD, Conn. -- Changes in NCAA rules adopted Thursday would keep defending national champion Connecticut from participating in the 2013 NCAA men's basketball tournament.

Under the rules adopted by the NCAA's Division I Board of Directors, a school cannot participate in the 2013 tournament unless it has a two-year average score of 930 or a four-year average of 900 on the NCAA's annual Academic Progress Rate, which measures the academic performance of student athletes.

...

**DaveR** · 10-31-2011, 01:30 PM

http://youtu.be/k1c_It0ekC0

**DaveR** · 10-31-2011, 03:31 PM

Jared Sullinger tops All-America team

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-bask...l-america-team

Jordan Taylor is in a class by himself on The Associated Press' preseason All-America team.

The guard from Wisconsin was the only senior on the team Monday. He was joined by four sophomores, including Ohio State's Jared Sullinger, a unanimous pick of the 65-member national media panel.

Harrison Barnes of North Carolina, Terrence Jones of Kentucky and Jeremy Lamb of Connecticut were the other sophomores.

The 6-foot-1 Taylor averaged 18.1 points and 4.7 assists last season in leading the Badgers to a 25-9 record, third place in the Big Ten and their 13th straight NCAA tournament appearance. He received 51 votes.

"I just hope he doesn't think he has to score 40 a game this year," coach Bo Ryan said. "I think we're going to be in trouble if he does. He doesn't. He wants to be even more consistent. He wants to be more inclusive with his teammates, maybe in transition. There are different things we're looking at in trying to get done with a different-sized team maybe on the floor."

The 6-9 Sullinger was one of the players who decided to pass on the NBA draft. His coach said an impending lockout had nothing to do with him returning.

"He knew what he was going to do from the time he got to Ohio State in the summer," Buckeyes coach Thad Matta said. "When he told me he was coming back, I said, 'Are you sure? Let's talk about this.' I want what's best for our players. He said, 'No, there's no need to do it, I'm coming back.' "

His return has Ohio State at No. 3 in the AP preseason Top 25, behind two schools also featuring the return of a star.

North Carolina was a runaway choice for No. 1 in both the AP and ESPN/USA Today coaches' polls, and Barnes was second to Sullinger in the voting with 63. The Tar Heels' entire front line is back after thinking about entering the draft.

The 6-8 Barnes was the first freshman selected to the preseason team, which started before the 1986-87 season. Many felt there was too much pressure on Barnes as the season started, and he did start to play more consistently once conference play began.

"Coming into last year, there was a lot of expectations, but we didn't know what to expect and we didn't know how things went," said Barnes, who averaged 15.7 points and 5.8 rebounds for an inexperienced North Carolina team. "There wasn't really anybody we could talk to on the team who had been through that. ... I think this year we kind of know what to expect. We're not looking at it as championship or bust. We're looking at it as go out and play the best basketball we can."

Jones, who received 33 votes, also thought about leaving for the NBA but he will be back for the Wildcats, who were No. 2 in the preseason Top 25. The 6-9 forward averaged 15.7 points and 8.8 rebounds last season as Kentucky reached the Final Four.

Lamb asserted himself as the season went on and became a key player in the Huskies' 11-game run to their third national championship. The 6-5 guard, who received 25 votes, averaged 11.1 points and 4.5 rebounds last season.

The last unanimous pick to the preseason All-America team was North Carolina's Tyler Hansbrough before the 2008-09 season.

Besides Barnes, the other members of last season's preseason team were Jimmer Fredette of BYU, who went on to become national player of the year; JaJuan Johnson of Purdue, a first-team selection; Jacob Pullen of Kansas State, a third-team pick; and Kyle Singler of Duke, an honorable mention.

The other members of the postseason first team were Nolan Smith of Duke and Kemba Walker of Connecticut.

**DaveR** · 10-31-2011, 11:20 PM

W. Virginia files lawsuit against Big East

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/st...john-marinatto

West Virginia filed a civil lawsuit against the Big East on Monday in an attempt to exit the conference in 2012 to join the Big 12, squarely blaming commissioner John Marinatto for the instability of the conference.

In the 14-page suit filed in Monongalia County Circuit Court in West Virginia, the university claims it should not be held to the 27-month waiting period required of all departing teams. West Virginia alleges, "The Big East Conference and its commissioner, through their actions, breached their contract to WVU and nullified and voided the bylaws."

The reason the Big East breached its contract? West Virginia alleges that nothing was done to protect the remaining six football playing schools once Pitt, Syracuse and TCU left. That created such instability, that the lawsuit alleges Cincinnati, Rutgers and UConn engaged in discussions with the ACC, SEC, Big 12 and Big Ten.

West Virginia alleges Marinatto failed to take proactive measures to "maintain, let alone enhance the quality of competition in the league" and the school had no choice but to accept an invitation to the Big 12.

"We are disappointed that West Virginia has adopted this strategy and cannot imagine why it believes it does not have to respect and honor the bylaws it agreed to as a member of the Big East," Marinatto said in a statement Monday. "Based on an initial review of the lawsuit, it is clear that the allegations and claims in it are false and inaccurate.

"Certainly there is nothing in it that would justify WVU's not fulfilling its obligations. To put it simply, a contract is a contract."

West Virginia also believes the Big East will lose its position as an automatic BCS-qualifying conference.

West Virginia also alleges, "The denigration of the Big East Conference is a direct and proximate result of ineffective leadership and breach of fiduciary duties to the football schools by the Big East Conference and its commissioner."

The school is asking for a court injunction to declare the current 27-month waiting period void or count the $2.5 million payment the conference already received from the school as a way to waive the waiting period. West Virginia also is seeking damages for the breach of contract.

Marinatto has said West Virginia is not eligible to join the Big 12 until July 1, 2014.

"Once we have reviewed the filing, we will explore all our legal options and will act vigorously to ensure that WVU lives up to all its obligations to our conference," Marinatto said. "In the meantime, this lawsuit will not interfere in any way with our ongoing efforts to strengthen and expand the Big East."

WVU spokesman John Bolt declined to elaborate, saying "the lawsuit speaks for itself."
The league has been adamant about holding Pitt, Syracuse and West Virginia to the waiting period.

When the Big 12 announced it had accepted West Virginia as a member last week, both the conference and school said the Mountaineers would be full members in 2012.

The lawsuit is the latest development in a flurry of conference realignment activity this fall. Syracuse and Pittsburgh withdrew from the Big East in September to join the Atlantic Coast Conference.

TCU accepted an invitation to join the Big East in September but switched to the Big 12 in October and was not required to honor the 27-month notice requirement.

"That's basically because they never started with the Big East," Big East spokesman Chuck Sullivan said of the Horned Frogs. "Because they had not formally joined the conference, which would have been July 1, 2012, they were subject only to the financial component."

**Fletch** · 10-31-2011, 11:53 PM

Yo, when is this conference realignment shit gonna stop??????????????

**DaveR** · 11-01-2011, 12:11 AM

Originally Posted by Fletch

Yo, when is this conference realignment shit gonna stop??????????????

who knows, but as much as I don't like it, WVU gone gangsta (which might be a great move for them) ... instead of waiting for fallout, they are turning the tables and will be tying up BE funds (and might get their way)

**Fletch** · 11-01-2011, 12:15 AM

Originally Posted by DaveR

who knows, but as much as I don't like it, WVU gone gangsta (which might be a great move for them) ... instead of waiting for fallout, they are turning the tables and will be tying up BE funds (and might get their way)

Yeah, and they're "tryin' to get credit", meaning the 2.5 million they already paid to the Conference!

**DaveR** · 11-01-2011, 12:14 PM

Originally Posted by Fletch

Yeah, and they're "tryin' to get credit", meaning the 2.5 million they already paid to the Conference!

right ... like I said, "Gangsta"

**DaveR** · 11-01-2011, 12:17 PM

College hoops primed to fill NBA void

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-bask...ege-basketball

NBA stars are talking about embarking on their own world tour, a four-continent, six-game exhibition run.

Call it "American Idol, Roundball Edition." Yes, there will be a lot of talent assembled but not a lot of substance. Seeing LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade on one court surely will attract attention, but this is little more than a traveling NBA All-Star Game, where the only result that matters is the paycheck at game's end.

And six games, no matter how much star quality they might contain, do not equate to 82. Not even in the fuzzy elementary school world of new math.

So what's a hoops junkie to do with his or her downtime?

Ron Artest already was booted from "Dancing With the Stars," after all.

Time to start that new personal fitness routine? Catch up on some great literature?

How about watch basketball?

Just as college football was poised to step into the void before the NFL averted its disaster, college basketball is waiting in the wings for its star turn.

The question: Will fans make like Derrick Rose and cross over? Will folks in Indy ditch their Pacers jerseys in favor of Butler blue? Do Jim Larranaga's talents in South Beach replace those of LeBron and D-Wade?

History says no.

...

**DaveR** · 11-01-2011, 07:04 PM

Originally Posted by Fletch

Yo, when is this conference realignment shit gonna stop??????????????

Report: Big East extends six invites

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/st...cording-report

The Big East Conference will invite Boise State, Navy and Air Force for football only and SMU, Houston and Central Florida for all sports, a source with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press.

The conference's member presidents, meeting in Philadelphia, voted unanimously Tuesday to extend invitations to football-only and all-sports members. Commissioner John Marinatto declined to name the schools being targeted.

He did say he expected the targeted schools to accept, but added that there are still details to work out with each institution.

"As we've learned over the last two months, don't believe anything anybody tells you. Nothing's done until it is over," Marinatto said. "So I'm obviously being very cautious and that's why I'm reluctant to say names of schools.

He did acknowledge the league intends to expand west.

...

**tbowling19** · 11-01-2011, 07:34 PM

North Carolina. Nough said. NEXT!!!!

**DaveR** · 11-01-2011, 07:44 PM

Originally Posted by tbowling19

North Carolina. Nough said. NEXT!!!!

they have a scary good looking squad this year

... best wishes, and stick around - a few of us ncaa hoops fans have fun in this thread all year long

**DaveR** · 11-02-2011, 03:50 PM

potentially more trouble in Championship Land ... ugh

... but good they've caught it early, and he won't play any games b4 it's cleared up

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Ryan Boatright's eligibility in question

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-bask...ility-question

HARTFORD, Conn. -- Connecticut freshman guard Ryan Boatright is being held out of competition while the school and the NCAA investigate his eligibility.

Fourth-ranked UConn declined to disclose Wednesday what the issue is, but said it is not related to academics.

"Boatright will continue to practice with the team and may sit on the bench during games, but will not dress or see action while the joint review takes place," the school said in a statement. "The university and athletic department will not be making any further comment during this ongoing process."

Boatright was one of just 10 scholarship players on the roster at UConn, which lost two scholarships because of poor academic performance and another as a result of NCAA recruiting violations.

The defending national champions open their exhibition schedule Wednesday night with a game against American International, coach Jim Calhoun's alma mater.

Boatright, who is generously listed at 6-foot in the team's media guide, won the slam dunk competition during UConn's annual First Night celebration earlier this month and was expected to see a lot of playing time this year as a backup for sophomore Shabazz Napier.

"My main focus right now is just playing," Boatright said after practice last Friday. "I just want to play."

Boatright, who is from Aurora, Ill., is perhaps best known for committing to play at USC when he was in eighth grade. He later withdrew that commitment, and a year ago verbally committed to West Virginia. He withdrew that commitment a couple of weeks after WVU recruited another point guard, and ultimately settled on Connecticut.

Boatright and Napier are the only point guards on scholarship on the team. Last week, UConn added another-walk-on player, guard Brendan Allen of Windsor. Coach Jim Calhoun said Tuesday that Allen was practicing at both guard spots, because of UConn's lack of depth, and could see action on Wednesday night.

"He's looking better every single day in practice," Calhoun said Tuesday evening. "He's strong. He's 6-foot-4 and he can really defend."

**DaveR** · 11-03-2011, 09:22 PM

Jeff Van Gundy to call college games

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/71...es-nba-lockout

BRISTOL, Conn. -- Former NBA coach Jeff Van Gundy will call college games this month with no pro basketball to analyze.

Van Gundy and ESPN play-by-play colleague Mike Breen will each announce some nonconference matchups with the NBA lockout eliminating their normal jobs during November.

Breen will work Duke's first two games as coach Mike Krzyzewski attempts to tie the Division I men's wins record. Van Gundy and Breen will team up to call Rhode Island-Texas on Nov. 15.

**DaveR** · 11-04-2011, 12:36 AM

Ed Steitz's 3-point dream turns 25

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-bask...ege-basketball

The kids in town were used to it. For as long as they knew Ed Steitz, or Doc as they liked to call him, he was tinkering with basketball.

So when Doc called the kids over to his half court in the backyard and asked them to guard his son, Bob, as he shot from various taped markings on the court, they shrugged and went along with it.

"OK, Bob, shoot from here," Doc would say.

And Bob would take 10 shots while his dad recorded his makes and misses.

"Now try here," he'd say, again writing down the results.

"OK, try it with a hand in your face," and Doc would grab one of Bob's buddies and ask him to sag off the shooter just a hair.

"Now let's get some real defense," and the kids would go at Bob as if it were a real game.

Finally someone got curious enough and asked Doc what exactly he was doing.

"I remember he said, 'Well I think there might be a time where we have to add another shot to the game and maybe it will be worth 3 points or something like that,'" recalled Bob Steitz, now the associate athletic director at Villanova. "And we all laughed. 'Sure. A free throw is 1 point, a regular basket is 2. Why not 3?"

Little did the kids know during those days in the early 1970s that they were changing basketball history.

In 1986, based on the research presented by Ed Steitz, the secretary-editor of the NCAA basketball rules committee, the 3-pointer was officially introduced into college basketball.

Received then with all the enthusiasm of a root canal, the 3-pointer celebrates its 25th anniversary this season. What was once viewed as "a Mickey Mouse rule," as Lou Carnesecca called it, is now an integral part of the game, an equalizer for mid-majors and a crowd-pleaser in lockstep with the dunk.

...