KUAD: Kansas vs San Jose State pregame notes
San Jose State is preparing for Monday night's game against No. 12 Kansas like it's just another game on the schedule.
However, when you're facing one of the elite teams in the nation, a program that played in the title game of the NCAA tournament last season -- in a matchup on ESPNU -- it's a bit more than just another basketball game.
"As a little kid I dreamed about playing big-time basketball," Spartans junior forward Chris Cunningham said. "And, to play in that arena, one of the most historic in college basketball, is exciting."
That historic arena is Allen Fieldhouse, which has a reputation for loud sellout crowds of 16,300 fans.
"We played at Utah State last season," senior guard James Kinney said. "They pack 10,000 in every game. It's really loud. I feed off that ... the crowd, the lights and a nationally televised game. There's not much else you need to get going for a game like this."
…While the Spartans are excited about this matchup against Kansas (4-1), they aren't getting caught up in the all the hype.
"If we defeat Kansas, we'll be excited, but we won't hang a banner in here (San Jose State Event Center)," Nessman said. "We still have to prepare for Montana State."
Marin Independent Journal
Kevin Young is quiet by nature, the sort of laid-back power forward who once agreed to sit on campus and let regular students heave pies at his face for charity.
But to get an idea of Young’s basketball philosophy, it’s best if you ask about his most prized feature: his shapely, and ever growing, Afro. It seems Young’s strategy for getting a haircut sounds a lot like his personality on the basketball floor.
“(You) don’t tell anybody,” said Young, a 6-foot-8 senior. “You just go in there and just get it done.”
For the record, Young isn’t planning any immediate trips to the barbershop. But he will be back in the starting lineup at the four spot when Kansas plays host to San Jose State at 8 tonight at Allen Fieldhouse.
…“Our team was better in Kansas City with Kevin playing,” Self said. “I’m not saying it will stay that way forever, but I’m happy with what Kevin does.”
KC Star
“The ball moves,” Self said. “He’ll throw it to (Withey). He’s not scared to make a mistake. He understands better where to look for Jeff. I think there’s no question Kevin’s presence helps Jeff.”
Young’s experience is what KU needs in November, which doesn’t mean the Jayhawks are ready to write off the upside of freshman Perry Ellis.
KU eventually would like more scoring potential from the power forward spot, but Self is willing to wait for it.
“I’d like to be able to get more scoring out of that spot, and of course the natural person would be Perry,” Self said. “He’s got to go at a pace where he’s comfortable. I think he’s going to get there. I just want everybody getting there by around January 1.”
Ellis provided an initial tease with 15 points in KU’s season opener, but his production in the next four games — 5.5 points and 15 minutes on average — provided a more realistic timeline.
“We got spoiled because he had 15 in a couple of games, but they were easy 15s,” Self said. “Against real guys, you don’t get those easy baskets. He’s got to get where he can score against real guys.”
…San Jose State brings a 2-2 record to Allen Fieldhouse with losses to Houston and New Orleans and wins against Weber State and UC-Santa Cruz.
Senior guard James Kinney leads the Spartans in scoring at 21 points per game.
“They play fast, and they’ve got one cat that can really score,” Self said.
TCJ
“I think we play way too slow,” Self said Sunday. “I don’t think our guards are creating near the pace the game needs to be played at. We need Elijah (Johnson) and Naadir (Tharpe) to create the pace.
“It’s amazing to me. I tell these guys all the time, ‘Everybody wants to go to a place where they play fast, they get there, and they don’t want to commit to playing fast.’ It takes energy to play fast. Elijah more so than anybody ... he is not putting pressure on the defense the way Tyshawn (Taylor) put pressure on the defense. If you take it hard 10 possessions, you may get two free points you didn’t have to earn. We are not taking it hard 10 possessions. His mind-set is, I think, to get us into offense,” Self added, noting starting point guard Johnson at times should decide to “go make a play.”
As far as backup point guard Tharpe ... “He is playing better. He can create havoc and do some things,” Self said. “If you are a little guard and don’t create havoc, people will pick on you eventually. He has to have that mind-set .... ‘Hey, if I am the littlest guy out there, I have to make sure I’m the toughest guy out there and create havoc.’ He improved on that (in wins over Washington State and Saint Louis last week in K.C.).”
LJW
Self does think the Big Ten’s going from 12 to 14 schools will have a “domino effect” on conferences nationwide.
“I think what it does is it speeds up the process for the Big East to not stay intact the way we know it,” Self said. “The Big East has lost Pittsburgh and Syracuse and now with Maryland leaving, they say they want Connecticut now to go from the Big East to the ACC so that makes that league (Big East) that much weaker. I think the Big Ten obviously has the most juice of all the leagues. People say the Southeast Conference ... I still think the Big Ten and Southeast would be one and two and after that, I think the Big 12 falls three to be real candid with you.”
…It’s safe to say freshman forward Zach Peters, who has not practiced yet this season because of a rotator cuff injury, will not be a factor at all this year.
“His health isn’t great. He’s been under the weather sick-wise and he can’t catch a break right now. I really don’t know what his situation is moving forward. He’s got to the point now he’s going to be so far behind we are definitely not anticipating him to be an impact player for us this year. Who knows how it’ll be moving forward. I feel bad for him. I feel bad for us because I think he could definitely help us without question but it just hasn’t been a good situation for him yet.”
Self reiterated freshman forward Landen Lucas will red-shirt, “unless somebody were to get hurt in the near future. I think it’s better for him and us to substitute age 23 for 18, 19. I do think he has a chance to be a really good player.”
LJW
Kansas headlines the field for the 2013 Battle 4 Atlantis.
Seven of the eight teams in next year's field were announced Saturday night after No. 5 Duke beat No. 2 Louisville 76-71 in the 2012 title game.
Joining the Jayhawks are Villanova, Wake Forest, Tennessee, Southern California, UTEP and Xavier.
The eighth team will be announced at a later date.
The tournament started in 2011 when Harvard beat Central Florida in the championship game.
The games are played in the Imperial Arena, a grand ballroom which is turned into a basketball venue.
AP
Brandon Rush was already not coming back to the Warriors this season (which sucks, they could use him right about now with injuries on their perimeter), but now you have to wonder at what point next season he’ll be back.
Rush has torn his MCL as well as his ACL in his left knee. What that means in practical terms is it delays his ACL surgery until likely next month, and that means it will be a challenge for Rush to be back by the start of next season.
NBC Sports
But arguably the biggest positive heading into the Suns' six-game road trip Sunday, has been the play of Morris.
Morris finished with a career-high 23 points on 9-of-12 shooting and looked at ease at the offensive end -- whether in the post or on the perimeter -- for much of the night.
"I mean it's a little different, but coach put me in to be a starter," Morris said of his new role. "You know I've been waiting to be a starter, and I need to produce and that is what I am doing."
Friday's performance marked the second straight game Morris made at least nine shot attempts. In his previous six games, the former No. 13 overall pick shot just 36 percent from the floor.
When asked after Friday's win of why Morris looks so confident with his shot of late, Gentry admitted the spacing has been better with him on the floor at the power forward position.
"Obviously, with Markieff out there he gives us much more spacing," Gentry said. "That opens up the floor not just for post ups, but it also opens up the floor more for him. When the ball is swung, he's in a shooting rhythm of late. So when he's gotten it, he's shot the ball well like he did again tonight."
Morris may have saved his best shot for last against New Orleans. Up just two with under a minute to play in overtime, the former Kansas star drained a three-point shot from the top of the key to keep the Suns ahead for good.
AZ Sports
The best moment? On a night like this one, how could you possibly pick?
There was Justin Timberlake, decked out in a Grizzlies cap, taking his place in the owners' seats with Jessica Biel.
There was Timberlake, not long after, standing up to shake it with the Grizzlies Grannies and Grandpas.
There was Darrell Arthur, checking in for the first time in two seasons, to a huge ovation.
There was Arthur, hitting his first shot, and the entire Grizzlies bench going nuts.
Memphis CA
KUAD: WBB vs Creighton box score, recap, notes
Kansas coach Bonnie Henrickson hit a milestone victory Friday night. But after a somewhat sloppy 76-59 victory over Alabama A&M, Henrickson preferred to talk about the Jayhawks’ struggles on defense.
Never mind that Friday’s win was the 300th of Henrickson’s career.
“I wish it would have been a prettier one,” Henrickson said. “That would have been nice. But I’ve been really blessed in my career to coach really, really talented players.”
Henrickson, who is 300-183 overall and 142-121 at Kansas, may have her best KU squad this season. The No. 22 Jayhawks, 4-0, are finishing their first week in The Associated Press top 25 poll since January 2010.
KC Star
The 22nd-ranked Jayhawks (4-0) didn’t find out their coach was in line for a 300th win until hours before the game. After Davis scored 19 points in 20 minutes, the senior forward said Henrickson’s passion for basketball has made her successful.
“She’s been doing this a long time, and she reminds us about that all the time,” Davis said of Henrickson, who now holds a 142-121 mark in her time at KU after amassing a 158-62 record in seven seasons at Virginia Tech.
“She won’t steer us wrong,” Davis added. “She tells us what we need to know. She’s great at her job.”
Goodrich, who scored 15 points and passed out a game-high eight assists against the Bulldogs (1-3), said Henrickson’s attention to details and dedication have helped her reach this point.
“She’s determined. She is always workin’, workin’, workin’. No matter what,” Goodrich said. “She like never sleeps. She does everything she can to make us prepared, and that’s what makes her so special.”
LJW
Kansas University senior Carolyn Davis joined the 1,400-point club as No. 22 Kansas University remained undefeated with a 58-48 nonconference women’s basketball victory over Creighton on Sunday at D.J. Sokol Arena.
Davis was 5-for-6 from the floor and had 12 points. She has 1,400 for her career.
LJW
KU Volleyball earned the No. 11 overall seed and will host Cleveland State in the opening round at 6:30 p.m. Friday at Allen Fieldhouse.
The Jayhawks weren’t certain they would be hosting while watching Sunday’s selection show. Though the Jayhawks finished the season No. 7 in the RPI, they were ranked No. 20 in last week’s coaches poll.
The top 16 teams in the NCAA are selected as hosting sites.
“I’m sure there’ll be a number of people out there that’ll wonder if we got seeded too high. This team plays with a chip on its shoulder regardless,” KU coach Ray Bechard said. “We can come up with something to get them motivated for sure.”
The KU-CSU winner will face the winner of Friday’s other match-up — between Arkansas and Wichita State — at 6:30 p.m. Saturday.
It is the first time in school history KU has been selected to host in the first and second rounds.
LJW
Kansas Athletics has named David Reed, associate athletics director for compliance at the University of Miami (Fla.), associate athletics director for compliance at Kansas.
Reed, in his sixth year at Miami, serves as the lead on all NCAA Compliance-related initiatives there. Among other responsibilities, he researches and interprets NCAA rules for coaches and staff members; prepares NCAA-related waivers; conducts NCAA rules-education sessions for coaches and staff, and supervises and reviews all NCAA-related monitoring systems.
“David is exactly what we were looking for in a compliance director,” KU Director of Athletics Sheahon Zenger said. “He has terrific experience in rules interpretation, waiver processes and compliance education. His professional colleagues and references spoke unfailingly about his knowledge, integrity, and work ethic.”
KUAD
Kansas 2012-13 MBB Schedule
Kansas 2012-13 WBB Schedule
Big 12/College News
It was an unfortunate night for the No. 24/21 Baylor men’s basketball team. After placing third in the Charleston Classic last weekend, Baylor suffered a loss at home to the College of Charleston.
“We’re upset, but we can only be upset with ourselves,” guard Pierre Jackson said. “Prior to the game we didn’t prepare well enough as a team, we didn’t pay enough attention to the scouting report, and they executed well and capitalized on our mistakes.”
The 63-59 loss snapped the 29-game winning streak in non-conference home games Baylor had established. The Bears’ last non-conference loss at home was on Jan. 2, 2009 against South Carolina.
With the score tied 10 times and after nine lead changes, College of Charleston forward Willis Hall scored six consecutive points to break the final tie and allow his team to finish out the upset. Hall finished the night with 12 points and eight free throws.
“Coming into the game, we knew they could shoot the ball,” guard A.J. Walton said. “They’re a team that hasn’t been outrebounded. They stuck to their game plan, they executed well, and capitalized on our mistakes.”
Baylor guard Pierre Jackson recorded 21 points on the night, but his efforts were not enough to give Baylor the win. Tonight was the 14th straight game in which he scored in double figures. He is currently averaging 18.8 points and 6.5 assists per game during the streak.
One of Baylor’s key scorers, guard Brady Heslip, sat out tonight’s game after having his appendix removed on Tuesday. It was the first game Heslip had missed after starting 42 of his first 43 career games.
“You miss his shooting, but you also miss his leadership and poise down the stretch,” Baylor head coach Scott Drew said about the loss of Heslip. “It was a great experience for our young guys. A lot of them have never been in that situation before.”
Baylor ended the night with a 39.3 shooting percentage from the field, compared to the College of Charleston’s 48.8 field goal percentage, making it almost impossible for the Bears to win the battle on the court.
Baylor was outscored by five points in the first half of the game, giving up 31 and only scoring 26, and could not make up the deficit in the second half. The Bears scored only one point more than the Cougars in the second half.
The Bears need to get healthy and reestablish their momentum and energy before they travel to Kentucky on Dec. 1 to take on the Wildcats in a rematch of the Elite Eight game last season when the Wildcats pushed the Bears out of the NCAA tournament. -- Savannah Pullin
Star-Telegram
Frank Haith has always seemed to imply that he will determine when suspended guard Mike Dixon returns to the court. But there increasingly have been rumblings that the decision about when or if Dixon will play this season is not entirely in his hands.
Multiple sources have suggested as much over the past two weeks, and former Missouri guard Kim English seemed to corroborate those with a series of Twitter messages posted early Saturday morning, not long after the 13th-ranked Tigers were blown out by No. 2 Louisville 84-61 in the Battle 4 Atlantis semifinals. MU could have clearly used Dixon's ball-handling in that game as they committed 23 turnovers that the Cardinals turned into 31 points.
At 12:09 a.m., English, whose Twitter handle is @Englishscope24, tweeted: "The Univ of Missouri "student board" is a joke. Acting and making a decision without having actual facts. University should be ashamed!"
He followed that up with this post at 12:22 a.m.: "Michael has handled this situation w/ nothing but poise, class and professionalism. Would be awesome if his University would do the same."
At 12:25 a.m., he wrote: "Thank God we have an AMAZING chancellor who I trust will make the right decision soon. And do what's right by reinstating Michael Dixon Jr."
"Student board" would seem to be a reference to the Student Conduct Committee, which is charged with hearing the cases of students accused of violating the university's standard of conduct. Pages 18 through 20 of the Missouri handbook -- known as the M Book -- outline what the Student Conduct Committee is and its procedures for the formal disposition of cases.
If the committee rules against a student and expels, dismisses or suspends the student from the university, the M Book states that the student has a right to appeal the ruling to chancellor or the person he designates to hear the appeal and that their decision is final "unless it is to remand the matter for further proceedings," the M Book states.
…Dixon, whose Twitter handle is @M1keD1xonJR, had his own tweet after Friday night's game. He wrote: "Our team fought hard. I wish I could b out there helping them. I'VE DONE NOTHING WRONG! Nobody is going to feel sorry for us tommorow. #VCU."
Dixon's tweet was later removed.
Columbia Tribune
It’s too late to nitpick the choice to hand the reins to Weber. He’s on the bench, he’s implementing his system, and the future of the Wildcats program is in his hands.
But for those who lamented the loss of Martin, Wednesday night’s 66-63 win over Delaware in the semifinals of the Preseason NIT did little to inspire confidence that Weber can maintain the level of success that has become customary in recent years.
"We did not play pretty; I mean, that was pretty obvious," Weber said. "It had been so good for us at home and we had defended so well, made shots, and the games came easy. Now it didn't come quite as easy."
The team Weber took over at Kansas State is a group made up almost exclusively of Martin holdovers. The Wildcats returned 12 players from last year’s team, including four starters, and K-State has just one freshman, forward D.J. Johnson, playing considerable minutes.
But in the first true test of the season after routes of North Dakota, Lamar, Alabama-Huntsville and North Florida, K-State didn’t play like the veteran tournament team it is.
Fox Sports
For the first two games of the EA Sports Maui Invitational, the Butler Bulldogs looked like giant-killers, circa 2010 and 2011.
A buzzer-beater versus Marquette followed by a thumping of North Carolina in the semifinals set them up for another magical run, this time in Maui.
Unfortunately for coach Brad Stevens and his upstart Bulldogs, Illinois had other plans.
The Fighting Illini, behind strong performances from guards Brandon Paul, D.J. Richardson and Tracy Abrams, defeated Butler 78-61 in Wednesday's championship game.
While the game itself was periodically tight, the Illini led the entire way. With 10 minutes, 49 seconds left to go in the first half, they got their first double-digit lead and the Bulldogs got it down to single digits for only a brief stretch in the second half.
The win was a major validation for new coach John Groce, who led Ohio to the Sweet 16 last season and has brought his trademark aggressive offensive and defensive schemes to Champaign this season. The team looks completely transformed from Bruce Weber’s past few underperforming squads.
“I need to take a deep breath,” Groce said after the game. “You see the names that are on that trophy and it really puts it into perspective. The quality of this tournament. I think it’s the premier preseason tournament.”
ESPN
The density of the NCAA rulebook has become something of a punch line among athletic officials and sports fans alike in recent years, and one of the myriad regulations placed on college basketball teams limits them to 29-game regular-season schedules.
That limitation stands, except for so-called “exempt events,” which allow programs to participate in multi-team, multi-game early-season tournaments and count them as just one game. In the late 1990s, the NCAA tried to limit teams to two such events every four years, but a judge struck down the restriction in a lawsuit brought about by several organizers of such tournaments.
So, since December 2000, teams have been permitted to play in one exempt event each year, with the caveat that they can only play in a particular event once every four years. Duke has taken full advantage of these opportunities, participating in events like the Maui Invitational, the NIT Season Tip-Off and the CBE Classic. But this year, the Blue Devils opted to try a new event, the Battle 4 Atlantis at the Atlantis Paradise Island resort in the Bahamas.
“The exempt-event world is always twisting and turning, and [the scheduling] goes out many years,” said Mike Cragg, senior associate director of athletics. “We’ve got a pretty good cycle of ones we want to do every year, but things come up along the way. Things shift, and it ended up we had an opening relatively soon, and so we jumped at the chance.”
Duke Chronicle
Deshaun Thomas scored 15 of his 21 points as No. 3 Ohio State coasted to a huge first-half lead on the way to a 91-45 victory against overmatched Missouri-Kansas City on Friday night.
The game was the final tuneup for the Buckeyes (4-0) before their ACC/Big Ten Showdown matchup against No. 5 Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium on Wednesday night.
Wire
Two players for No. 1 Indiana have lost their appeals for reduced suspensions.
Freshman forward Hanner Mosquera-Perea and freshman center Peter Jurkin must sit out the remaining four games of their nine-game suspensions including Tuesday night's showdown with No. 9 North Carolina.
The NCAA ruled Nov. 6 both players would have to sit out after accepting benefits from an AAU coach who donated $185 to the school's Varsity Club. The school says those donations stopped in 1992. Under NCAA rules, though, the coach still fits the definition of a booster. Neither would have been suspended had they chosen another school because the benefits are permissible under NCAA rules unless they are provided by a booster.
AP
Even after UCLA signed the nation’s No. 1 recruiting class, I had doubts that were masked by the program’s potential.
The additions of Shabazz Muhammad, Kyle Anderson, Tony Parker and Jordan Adams suppressed my concerns. So I bought stock in UCLA and I slotted the Bruins as a top-10 team in ESPN.com’s initial preseason poll. They had to get better, I figured. Too much talent to repeat the woes of 2011-12.
And then, UC-Irvine nearly upset the former powerhouse in overtime. Young players need time to click with veterans, right?
And then, the Bruins lost to Georgetown. C’mon, man. It was Muhammad’s first game.
And then, they fell to Cal Poly 70-68 after leading by 18 points with 11:53 to play on Sunday night. The game ended when the Bruins put the Mustangs on the free throw line in the closing seconds of a tie game. Well, even the best teams lose and … wait a minute. Huh?
It was an indefensible collapse against a program that’s lost to both Fresno State and TCU this season. Yet, it’s reminiscent of the Bruins teams that have all fallen short of expectations since the Final Four trifecta from 2006-08.
The latter teams all finished in the top five of defensive efficiency. Ben Howland hasn’t had a squad that’s even cracked the top-30 since that run.
ESPN
The Bruins just lost to Cal Poly. Lost at home to Cal Poly. Lost at home to Cal Poly for the first time in UCLA history. Lost to Cal Poly period for the first time in program history. Who'd have guessed the first team to win at new Pauley Pavilion would be these anonymous guys?
And not only that, but UCLA blew an 18-point lead with 12 minutes to go. It was the kind of collapse only the most disappointing programs can supply. The final score: 70-68, Mustangs. Yes, Cal Poly's nickname is the Mustangs, which you probably didn't know until now. You very well could've been uncertain Cal Poly even played basketball -- or that there was something called "Cal Poly." (They play in the Big West, by the by.)
Dear lord is Ben Howland in a mess now. The UCLA coach pretty much has to make the NCAAs to keep his job this year, and losses like this do huge damage to reputation and stability in the here and now. Not to mention, it's a real resume-killer when it comes time to pick the teams that go to the NCAAs.
There's zero reason -- absolutely zero -- for a team with all the talent, the future pros, UCLA should lose to Cal Poly, which has never reached the NCAA tournament, let alone had a 20-win season in D-I. (They made the move in 1994.)
And good on the Mustangs for getting a W that could ultimately make their season. But UCLA is the story, and UCLA's story again is an underachieving quagmire of a club that in no way resembles the UCLA that reclaimed its rank among the nation's best programs when it went to three straight Final Fours from 2006-08.
We've gone through this before with Howland and UCLA. It's been an uncertain ride for the past few years, only this time the recruits are there and everyone's patience has about run out. Well, the worst loss of them all has hopefully come to roost. Only thing now is to hope Howland can coach -- actually coach; really, truly, fully coach -- his team out of the dark and get a bunch of four- and five-star recruits to jell like the way they do in Lexington, Lawrence, Durham and Bloomington.
CBS Sports
UCLA guard Tyler Lamb has decided to transfer.
No. 11 UCLA announced Sunday that Lamb has been released from the basketball team. The junior will leave school at the end of the fall quarter.
"We are very sad to see Tyler leave our program," UCLA coach Ben Howland said in a statement. "He is a great kid, and we have really enjoyed having him play for UCLA. We fully support his decision, and we wish him all the best in the future."
Lamb started 32 games for the Bruins last season and played in all 34 games as a freshman. He averaged 5.8 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.9 assists in two seasons.
Link
"A turnover is when a team makes a play and intercepts it. A gift is when you give somebody something. You just give it to them. We're giving things to them right now."
Izzo indicated that players continuing to commit turnovers will begin seeing their minutes cut.
The main target of Izzo's frustration was freshman Denzel Valentine, who tied for the team lead in the category this season after committing five more turnovers in Sunday's 63-60 win against Louisiana-Lafayette.
"When they start turning it over from the very first minute of the game (as Denzel Valentine did), and I'm telling some of the guys the same thing day after day, I'm going to start sitting guys," said Izzo, who substituted for Valentine after the turnover.
Valentine also threw the ball away with a minute left, and Louisiana-Lafayette cashed in with a layup that cut the lead to 62-60, leaving the Ragin' Cajuns two shots to tie the game that missed.
Keith Appling, Russell Byrd and Brandan Kearney, playing in a backcourt that's missing injured guards Gary Harris and Travis Trice, committed four turnovers apiece.
Mlive
2012-13 Early Season Events List
Big 12 Composite Schedule
Recruiting
Greene, Kansas commit, also believes he would beat Taylor’s 138 points.
“About 180! Obviously I’d be super hot if I had the nerve to take that many shots,” says Greene.
Link
Julius Randle limped off the floor in the first half of Prestonwood Christian’s 58-48 loss to Duncanville on Saturday at the Thanksgiving Hoopfest, according to MaxPreps.com. It appeared to be a foot injury.
“He will be fine,” Jeff Webster, Randle’s AAU coach, told SNY.tv by text.
…Randle will visit Texas Dec 15-16 , Kansas Dec. 28-30 and N.C. State Jan. 25-27, his mother told SNY.tv.
Coaches from Kansas and Texas both watched Randle Friday at the Thanksgiving Hoopfest.
Zags Blog
Rivals: Randle shows off at Hoopfest
Star Sports: Randle, Botley key season-opening win at Hoopfest
11/21/12, 10:04 PM
Flashback: At one time, multiple recruiting analysts had Mitch McGary as the No. 1 ranked player in the country. You heard me correctly.
Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanCBS)
Andrew Wiggins started things off with what the fans came to see Friday night: a dunk on the first possession of the game that rattled the rim and set the crowd to roaring in Waddell Language Academy’s hot and stuffy gym.
“It always motivates me when I see a crowd’s reaction like that,” said Wiggins, the nation’s top high school basketball prospect. “That’s what they want to see.”
Wiggins is in Charlotte with his top-ranked Huntington (W.Va.) Prep team for this weekend’s Charlotte Hoops Challenge.
…So Florida State coach Leonard Hamilton was at Waddell on Friday to watch Wiggins. North Carolina coach Roy Williams recently visited him in West Virginia. Several fans wearing Kentucky and North Carolina T-shirts were in the gym. Fulford said Wiggins will begin scheduling official visits to the four finalists in December.
“I’m seeing which school and which coach I can be situated with,” said Wiggins, who has a teammate – guard Xavier Rathan-Mayes – who has already committed to Florida State. “And we’ll take it from there.”
Telep, who has seen all the great prospects of recent seasons and compares Wiggins to Tracy McGrady as a prospect, thinks he has an idea.
“I don’t know what he’s going to do,” he said. “But I wouldn’t be surprised if the words ‘Florida State’ or ‘Kentucky’ come out of his mouth at some point. He’s got a real strong pull to Florida State. And Kentucky is Kentucky. When it gets to the (recruiting) finals, they’re always either the gold or silver medalist these days.”
Charlotte Observer
Greg Welch and Tony Brown created shirts that read, "Chicago to Provo" with images of Chicago's skyline and Provo's Mount Timpanogos. The T-shirts were purchased with more than 200 donations to the website CougarBoard.com.
Parker, ranked No. 2 in the nation, arrived at BYU for his official visit on Friday and is expected to attend Saturday's game between the Cougars and Cal State Northridge. Parker is also considering Duke, Florida, Michigan State and Stanford. He is expected to commit in December or January.
…Welch never expected to receive enough donations to have 6,000-plus T-shirts made to welcome Parker. He was thinking a much smaller number. Welch wouldn't divulge the specific amount contributed, but said it was "several" thousand dollars.
"I thought we would have a hundred of the shirts," said Welch, who will be handing out T-shirts from a U-Haul truck on private property across from BYU's Marriott Center. "The way the Internet and social media works these days, if something catches fire, you don't know where it's going."
Parker has said he's included BYU partly because he is Mormon, but also because of BYU's recent success. The Cougars have reached the past five NCAA tournaments.
ESPN
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