Josh Smith
Jamari Traylor’s weekend arrest has resulted in a one-game suspension, meaning the Kansas University junior forward won’t play in Wednesday’s 6 p.m. game against Georgetown in the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C.
The 6-foot-8 Chicago native, who was charged with interfering with duties of an officer at the scene of a fight outside The Cave nightclub, will make the trip to support his teammates on the bench.
“Jamari and I have talked. I’m going to hold him out of the game. He’s going to travel with us. Hopefully it’ll be a situation where we can put it behind us, even though he’s still got some legal obligations ahead of him,” coach Bill Self said Monday.
“I know that hindsight being 20/20, he realizes he should have handled the situation differently. But he’s a good kid, made a bad, bad choice, certainly brought some negative attention on him and our program. But he will not play against Georgetown.”
…Sophomore guard Frank Mason III, who suffered an ankle sprain in Friday’s victory over Florida, practiced “50 percent of the time” Monday, Self said on his “Hawk Talk” radio show.
“He should be a ‘go’ Wednesday, no question,” Self said of Mason playing against the Hoyas (5-2), who also have defeated Florida this season. “Frank is a different dude. Yesterday we were talking. I said, ‘Frank, you are not going to practice.’ He said, ‘I want to practice. My goal was never to miss a practice.’ That’s how he does think. He wants to be out there all the time.”
…The Jayhawks will leave for Washington D.C. after a morning practice today. Several Jayhawks will have family members and friends at the game, including Mason, who hails from Petersburg, Virginia, and Devonté Graham, who is from Raleigh, North Carolina.
“My mom, grandma, uncles, cousins, friends, coaches will be there,” Graham said, noting it is about a 41⁄2-hour drive from his hometown. “I think I’ll be a little more excited about them being in the crowd. I know Frank has a lot of people coming, I think Wayne (Selden, Roxbury, Massachusetts), too.”
…New KU football coach David Beaty joined Self for a segment on Self’s “Hawk Talk” radio show.
“I’m sure his (first news conference at KU) was a lot better than mine. This is a guy who I get a call from late at night. He didn’t have to do that. He doesn’t realize how encouraging that was,” Beaty said of Self calling to congratulate Beaty on getting the job. “He was getting ready for the big game, which is always the next game on the schedule. Means a lot to me.”
Self cracked: “I had to call you. You texted me and woke me up. Why wouldn’t I call?”
LJW
“Certainly, this is one that could have easily been avoided because he wasn't a part of anything going on there; he was just there,” Self said of Traylor. “Of course, you guys have read the report. You know about as much as I do. (He) just didn't handle it very well when he was asked to do something.”
Former Kansas football player Kevin Short also was arrested on suspicion of interfering with the duties of a police officer.
New Kansas football coach David Beaty, who was introduced on Monday morning, issued a statement Sunday evening.
“The situation concerning Rodriguez was brought to our attention in the early morning hours,” Beaty said. “We are in the fact-gathering process at this time and will handle this matter internally.”
KC Star
Self has a mild conundrum in his backcourt. He would like to put starting point guard Frank Mason and backup Devonte’ Graham together on the floor more often, but his little guards keep getting dinged up. Graham has been nursing a sore shoulder since Kansas’ loss to Kentucky, while Mason suffered an ankle injury in Friday’s victory over Florida.
Both players are expected to play Wednesday at Georgetown, but each has been limited to certain degrees at practice. Self said Mason spent the last few days receiving treatment on his ankle, while Graham still wears a yellow jersey in practice, to limit the contact that he receives.
“Those guys need to play together some,” Self said, “there's no question about that.”
The combination of Mason and Graham was critical in an 18-point comeback against Florida, especially on the defensive end. Mason finished with 12 points, five rebounds and two steals, while Graham had nine points and three steals.
…While the Big 12’s absence of a team in the inaugural College Football Playoff has spurred more conversation about possible Big 12 expansion, Self says he’s “fine with whatever.”
“I will say this,” Self said, “and I'm not in the meetings, but the football coaches, based on what I was told when we went to 10, were quite happy that we did not have a playoff game. That was also based before we went to the football playoff. So that may drive a different deal moving forward.”
KC Star
Members of the Georgetown men's basketball team spoke emphatically Friday about wanting to play again after a week-plus layoff on the heels of a tournament in the Bahamas that ended with consecutive losses.
Then the Hoyas showed that their intentions were more than mere bluster, swarming Towson in the first half and coasting to a 78-46 victory Sunday afternoon in the opening game of the BB&T Classic at Verizon Center.
Georgetown (5-2) had all but put the game out of reach by halftime, thanks in large part to the inside-outside combination of center Joshua Smith and forward Paul White.
Smith finished with 12 points, seven rebounds and three assists without missing from the field or the foul line in the first half. White, meantime, frequently found himself open from the 3-point line because of all the attention shown to Smith.
The freshman went 3-for-3 from beyond the arc in the first half on the way to 11 points for the game, two short of his season high, in 17 minutes. By the time White made his final field goal, a jumper with 16:06 left in regulation, the Hoyas were ahead 48-21.
Baltimore Sun
The 6-foot-8 Chicago native, who was charged with interfering with duties of an officer at the scene of a fight outside The Cave nightclub, will make the trip to support his teammates on the bench.
“Jamari and I have talked. I’m going to hold him out of the game. He’s going to travel with us. Hopefully it’ll be a situation where we can put it behind us, even though he’s still got some legal obligations ahead of him,” coach Bill Self said Monday.
“I know that hindsight being 20/20, he realizes he should have handled the situation differently. But he’s a good kid, made a bad, bad choice, certainly brought some negative attention on him and our program. But he will not play against Georgetown.”
…Sophomore guard Frank Mason III, who suffered an ankle sprain in Friday’s victory over Florida, practiced “50 percent of the time” Monday, Self said on his “Hawk Talk” radio show.
“He should be a ‘go’ Wednesday, no question,” Self said of Mason playing against the Hoyas (5-2), who also have defeated Florida this season. “Frank is a different dude. Yesterday we were talking. I said, ‘Frank, you are not going to practice.’ He said, ‘I want to practice. My goal was never to miss a practice.’ That’s how he does think. He wants to be out there all the time.”
…The Jayhawks will leave for Washington D.C. after a morning practice today. Several Jayhawks will have family members and friends at the game, including Mason, who hails from Petersburg, Virginia, and Devonté Graham, who is from Raleigh, North Carolina.
“My mom, grandma, uncles, cousins, friends, coaches will be there,” Graham said, noting it is about a 41⁄2-hour drive from his hometown. “I think I’ll be a little more excited about them being in the crowd. I know Frank has a lot of people coming, I think Wayne (Selden, Roxbury, Massachusetts), too.”
…New KU football coach David Beaty joined Self for a segment on Self’s “Hawk Talk” radio show.
“I’m sure his (first news conference at KU) was a lot better than mine. This is a guy who I get a call from late at night. He didn’t have to do that. He doesn’t realize how encouraging that was,” Beaty said of Self calling to congratulate Beaty on getting the job. “He was getting ready for the big game, which is always the next game on the schedule. Means a lot to me.”
Self cracked: “I had to call you. You texted me and woke me up. Why wouldn’t I call?”
LJW
“Certainly, this is one that could have easily been avoided because he wasn't a part of anything going on there; he was just there,” Self said of Traylor. “Of course, you guys have read the report. You know about as much as I do. (He) just didn't handle it very well when he was asked to do something.”
Former Kansas football player Kevin Short also was arrested on suspicion of interfering with the duties of a police officer.
New Kansas football coach David Beaty, who was introduced on Monday morning, issued a statement Sunday evening.
“The situation concerning Rodriguez was brought to our attention in the early morning hours,” Beaty said. “We are in the fact-gathering process at this time and will handle this matter internally.”
KC Star
Self has a mild conundrum in his backcourt. He would like to put starting point guard Frank Mason and backup Devonte’ Graham together on the floor more often, but his little guards keep getting dinged up. Graham has been nursing a sore shoulder since Kansas’ loss to Kentucky, while Mason suffered an ankle injury in Friday’s victory over Florida.
Both players are expected to play Wednesday at Georgetown, but each has been limited to certain degrees at practice. Self said Mason spent the last few days receiving treatment on his ankle, while Graham still wears a yellow jersey in practice, to limit the contact that he receives.
“Those guys need to play together some,” Self said, “there's no question about that.”
The combination of Mason and Graham was critical in an 18-point comeback against Florida, especially on the defensive end. Mason finished with 12 points, five rebounds and two steals, while Graham had nine points and three steals.
…While the Big 12’s absence of a team in the inaugural College Football Playoff has spurred more conversation about possible Big 12 expansion, Self says he’s “fine with whatever.”
“I will say this,” Self said, “and I'm not in the meetings, but the football coaches, based on what I was told when we went to 10, were quite happy that we did not have a playoff game. That was also based before we went to the football playoff. So that may drive a different deal moving forward.”
KC Star
Members of the Georgetown men's basketball team spoke emphatically Friday about wanting to play again after a week-plus layoff on the heels of a tournament in the Bahamas that ended with consecutive losses.
Then the Hoyas showed that their intentions were more than mere bluster, swarming Towson in the first half and coasting to a 78-46 victory Sunday afternoon in the opening game of the BB&T Classic at Verizon Center.
Georgetown (5-2) had all but put the game out of reach by halftime, thanks in large part to the inside-outside combination of center Joshua Smith and forward Paul White.
Smith finished with 12 points, seven rebounds and three assists without missing from the field or the foul line in the first half. White, meantime, frequently found himself open from the 3-point line because of all the attention shown to Smith.
The freshman went 3-for-3 from beyond the arc in the first half on the way to 11 points for the game, two short of his season high, in 17 minutes. By the time White made his final field goal, a jumper with 16:06 left in regulation, the Hoyas were ahead 48-21.
Baltimore Sun
Watch Kings guard Ben McLemore show off insane hang time to block Trey Burke’s layup attempt in his team’s game against the Utah Jazz.
Dime Mag
Former University of Kansas basketball star, turned pro, Ben McLemore is doing his part to give back to the community that helped give him a hand up.
"The relationship between Ben and the shelter is that he was formerly homeless and so he's kind of taken us under his wing," said Mia Gonzalez, director of development and marketing at the Lawrence Community Shelter.
Former Jayhawk Ben McLemore is a guard for the Sacramento Kings, but he's also the face of the nonprofit, All 4 Kids, that helps underserved and low-income youth. On Saturday, although he couldn't be there himself, McLemore provided a holiday dinner at the Lawrence Community Shelter for all of its guests.
"Where we grew up in West Missouri, we see the same stuff - homelessness. We didn't grow up rich either, so we understand about homelessness and try to give back to the community," said Richard Boyd, McLemore's cousin.
Members of All 4 Kids handed out toys to the kids after everyone enjoyed a full turkey dinner prepared by Maceli's. Currently at capacity with 140 people staying at the shelter, McLemore's representatives said it encourages them to do more.
Link
“Pay Heed. The game you love began here. Respect those who came before you. Make their legacy your own. Because destiny favors the dedicated. And rings don’t replace work. In this game you don’t get what you want. You get what you earn. We are Kansas. Together we rise. Rock Chalk Jayhawk!
Big 12 / College News
While you're weighing, have fun watching Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl and, possibly beyond. TCU's reward for being in the Chosen Four on Saturday morning, then winning 55-3 Saturday afternoon, was a trip to the, um, Peach Bowl.
Meantime, UC is at the window, nose pressed firmly against the Big 12 glass. "Hey buddy,'' says UC. "Over here.''
Bowlsby suggests he will ask the NCAA for a waiver of the 12-team rule. He has said many times he likes the misnomered Big 12 just the way it is. Fewer mouths to feed, when the TV checks roll in.
The Cotton Bowl is New Year's Day. Baylor and Michigan State. Dallas is lovely this time of year. Perfect for a runner-up bowl. Maybe they could rename the conference the Big Twen.
And there is UC, rapping lightly on the door. "You scratch our back, we'll scratch yours.''
No one in Clifton had much to say about any of this. That's probably a good sign. Let the dealing occur in private, as long as it's occurring. The Bearcats got burned by their Big East brethren. They can't afford to miss another boat.
Why would the Big Twen be good for the Bearcats? We will give you 17 million reasons. They are the only reasons you'll ever need. That's the difference, approximately, in dollars a Big Twen school receives from TV contracts, bowl-game payouts and NCAA tournament checks and what an American Athletic Conference member gets.
That's a damned big difference.
…UC's football and basketball programs would hold their own in the Big 12. The school would likely need to spend some money to get the entire athletic program up to standard. It's money the Bearcats would have.
You could suggest that it's not exactly nurturing academic excellence to ask, say, a basketball player to play in Lubbock, Texas, on a Tuesday night, then show up for a morning class in Clifton on Wednesday. You'd be right. But nobody cares about the athletes anyway, do they? Not if there's a truckload of cash to be made.
And really, other than Lubbock (1,036 miles from here), Big 12 schools all are about a two-hour flight away. That's not a lot different than the current setup, in the AAC. If the Big 12 added UC and Memphis or UCF, it could split into geographical divisions that would have the Bearcats partnering with West Virginia and Iowa State, which is a mere 579 miles. That's 92 miles closer than Connecticut.
It's possible that when all is said and said, the Big Twen will get the waiver to hold a title game, and ask that its high-profile football schools schedule better, out of conference. Baylor went 11-1 on the backs of SMU, Northwestern State and Buffalo.
Regardless, the current league has a problem. UC is ready to help. Let's open the phone lines.
Cincy Enquirer
Following an 84-75 upset win over UMass over the weekend, Florida Gulf Coast finds itself at 8-1 and with an RPI of 31, the best in program history. The Eagles' lone loss remains to mid-major powerhouse Green Bay, the team which currently sits atop those RPI rankings.
While the Eagles are still prone to some of the flash that turned them into America's team for a couple of weeks in March of 2013, this group is more balanced and poised than the past two FGCU squads. Second year head coach Joe Dooley has done an exceptional job of blending his style with elements of the previous one that were overwhelmingly successful.
Link
Kentucky's ballyhooed platoon system for substitutions is good for getting players into games and UK's basketball program into headlines. But it might not be the best for getting three-point shots into baskets.
Tony Delk, Kentucky's career leader in three-pointers with 283, cited platoons as a possible reason for Kentucky's poor perimeter shooting recently.
Shooting is "about rhythm," he said before working the SEC Network telecast of UK's game against Eastern Kentucky Sunday. "What gets guys going is being on the court for consecutive minutes."
Delk's idea being: the longer a player stays on the court, the more comfortable he becomes, the greater the chance of getting into a good shooting rhythm.
Although not strictly adhered to, UK's platoons move players on and off the court at about four-minute intervals.
Lex HL
The rumored home-and-home series between college men's basketball's two most storied programs is now official, as Kentucky announced Monday it has signed a two-year deal to play at UCLA next season and host the Bruins the following year.
The Wildcats will make their first-ever trip to Pauley Pavilion on Dec. 3, 2015, and UCLA will visit Rupp Arena for the first time on Dec. 3, 2016. The two teams will play this season — on Dec. 20 at Chicago's United Center — as part of the CBS Sports Classic.
USA Today
Complete ESPN Networks schedule
Big 12 Composite Schedule & Results
Meantime, UC is at the window, nose pressed firmly against the Big 12 glass. "Hey buddy,'' says UC. "Over here.''
Bowlsby suggests he will ask the NCAA for a waiver of the 12-team rule. He has said many times he likes the misnomered Big 12 just the way it is. Fewer mouths to feed, when the TV checks roll in.
The Cotton Bowl is New Year's Day. Baylor and Michigan State. Dallas is lovely this time of year. Perfect for a runner-up bowl. Maybe they could rename the conference the Big Twen.
And there is UC, rapping lightly on the door. "You scratch our back, we'll scratch yours.''
No one in Clifton had much to say about any of this. That's probably a good sign. Let the dealing occur in private, as long as it's occurring. The Bearcats got burned by their Big East brethren. They can't afford to miss another boat.
Why would the Big Twen be good for the Bearcats? We will give you 17 million reasons. They are the only reasons you'll ever need. That's the difference, approximately, in dollars a Big Twen school receives from TV contracts, bowl-game payouts and NCAA tournament checks and what an American Athletic Conference member gets.
That's a damned big difference.
…UC's football and basketball programs would hold their own in the Big 12. The school would likely need to spend some money to get the entire athletic program up to standard. It's money the Bearcats would have.
You could suggest that it's not exactly nurturing academic excellence to ask, say, a basketball player to play in Lubbock, Texas, on a Tuesday night, then show up for a morning class in Clifton on Wednesday. You'd be right. But nobody cares about the athletes anyway, do they? Not if there's a truckload of cash to be made.
And really, other than Lubbock (1,036 miles from here), Big 12 schools all are about a two-hour flight away. That's not a lot different than the current setup, in the AAC. If the Big 12 added UC and Memphis or UCF, it could split into geographical divisions that would have the Bearcats partnering with West Virginia and Iowa State, which is a mere 579 miles. That's 92 miles closer than Connecticut.
It's possible that when all is said and said, the Big Twen will get the waiver to hold a title game, and ask that its high-profile football schools schedule better, out of conference. Baylor went 11-1 on the backs of SMU, Northwestern State and Buffalo.
Regardless, the current league has a problem. UC is ready to help. Let's open the phone lines.
Cincy Enquirer
Following an 84-75 upset win over UMass over the weekend, Florida Gulf Coast finds itself at 8-1 and with an RPI of 31, the best in program history. The Eagles' lone loss remains to mid-major powerhouse Green Bay, the team which currently sits atop those RPI rankings.
While the Eagles are still prone to some of the flash that turned them into America's team for a couple of weeks in March of 2013, this group is more balanced and poised than the past two FGCU squads. Second year head coach Joe Dooley has done an exceptional job of blending his style with elements of the previous one that were overwhelmingly successful.
Link
Kentucky's ballyhooed platoon system for substitutions is good for getting players into games and UK's basketball program into headlines. But it might not be the best for getting three-point shots into baskets.
Tony Delk, Kentucky's career leader in three-pointers with 283, cited platoons as a possible reason for Kentucky's poor perimeter shooting recently.
Shooting is "about rhythm," he said before working the SEC Network telecast of UK's game against Eastern Kentucky Sunday. "What gets guys going is being on the court for consecutive minutes."
Delk's idea being: the longer a player stays on the court, the more comfortable he becomes, the greater the chance of getting into a good shooting rhythm.
Although not strictly adhered to, UK's platoons move players on and off the court at about four-minute intervals.
Lex HL
The rumored home-and-home series between college men's basketball's two most storied programs is now official, as Kentucky announced Monday it has signed a two-year deal to play at UCLA next season and host the Bruins the following year.
The Wildcats will make their first-ever trip to Pauley Pavilion on Dec. 3, 2015, and UCLA will visit Rupp Arena for the first time on Dec. 3, 2016. The two teams will play this season — on Dec. 20 at Chicago's United Center — as part of the CBS Sports Classic.
USA Today
Complete ESPN Networks schedule
Big 12 Composite Schedule & Results
Recruiting
Blue-chip basketball prospect Malik Newman put on quite a show in front of Kansas University basketball coach Bill Self and Kentucky assistant Kenny Payne at Saturday’s Marshall County Hoop Fest in Benton, Kentucky.
The 6-foot-3 senior combo guard from Callaway High in Jackson, Mississippi, who is ranked No. 3 nationally by Rivals.com, scored 42 points off 15-of-29 shooting (4-for-9 from three, 8-for-12 from line) in Callaway’s 85-71 loss to Orangeville (Canada) Prep.
He finished four points shy of Monta Ellis’ record-setting 46-point performance set in 2004 at the festival. The No. 1 player in the Class of 2016, Thon Maker, had 19 points for Orangeville.
Newman, who is considering KU, Kentucky, Mississippi State, Mississippi, UConn, Texas A&M, North Carolina State and others, is expected to choose a school sometime in April.
…Newman did not update reporters on his recruitment. “I choose not to speak on it,” he told Kentucky.com.
His dad, Horatio Webster, who is a former Mississippi State standout, told the Lexington Herald-Leader that his wife asked him last week where he thought Malik would go to school.
“I don’t have any idea,” was his answer. “We’re not even talking about it.”
Most expect him to visit KU sometime during the 2014-15 season.
“It (recruitment) is open to everybody right now,” Malik told the Herald-Leader.
He told the Louisville Courier Journal that he, No. 2-ranked Jaylen Brown (6-7 forward, Wheeler High, Marietta, Georgia), and No. 18 Brandon Ingram (6-8, Kinston, North Carolina High) might want to attend school as a package deal.
“Kansas, Kentucky and UCLA are our common schools,” Bragg told the C-J. “We talk every other day, to see how practice is going. We’ll have to see,” he added, asked the odds of all three picking the same school.
KU assistant Norm Roberts watched Brown score 34 points and grab 12 boards in Wheeler High’s 97-61 win over Walton High on Saturday in Georgia. Coaches from UCLA, Georgia and Georgia Tech also were there in pursuit of Brown.
Bragg sensational: Self, Payne and Illinois’ John Groce watched No. 14-ranked Carlton Bragg score 25 points and grab 13 rebounds in Cleveland Villa Angela St. Joseph High’s 60-54 victory over Archbishop Carroll on Saturday at the Hoop Fest.
The 6-9, 225-pound Bragg scored 19 of his points the second half, including the go-ahead points on a slam dunk. He also hit a three from the corner late.
LJW
The question of whether he had been watching the University of Kentucky basketball team this season drew a big smile and an immediate reply from five-star recruit Carlton Bragg over the weekend.
"Oh my God, yes," he said. "That team is a bunch of animals."
Bragg was back in Kentucky on Saturday night for the second consecutive season, this time for the Marshall County Hoop Fest.
Last year's trip to the Mustang Madness event in Paducah resulted in a UK scholarship offer for the 6-foot-9 prospect out of Cleveland.
In the 11 months since that visit, Bragg has maintained his five-star ranking and narrowed his college choices to four schools: UK, Kansas, UCLA and Illinois.
He and his mentor, Michael Graves, have seen plenty of the top-ranked Wildcats this season.
"We're fully paying attention to what's going on," Graves said with a smile. "I mean, you can't go without watching Kentucky."
Graves is helping Bragg navigate the recruiting process and said the high school senior texts him regularly to say that he's watching the Wildcats.
…Graves said he sits down with Bragg and his mother once or twice a month to go over the latest in his recruitment. He speaks to coaches from each college two or three times a week.
Bragg's mentor says the family has created a "formula" that charts several different factors for choosing a school. Those include academics, campus life, the "togetherness" of the team, coaching style and demeanor, the coaching staff.
They're also keeping an eye on how many players at Bragg's position will be returning to each of the four teams.
"Right now we have a chart," Graves said. "So we know how many forwards each school has. We're charting to see which ones might go to the NBA. We'll just have to see."
…"But all of these are really great programs. It's all about the best fit for Carlton and where he feels comfortable. Because, when he's comfortable, he plays great basketball."
Lexington HL
Even as defenses key on him, Newman regularly takes and makes some of the most difficult shots of any player in high school basketball – deep threes, midrange jumpers, contested shots in the lane – and they're usually created off the dribble from his fantastic array of crossovers, stepbacks, stop-and-pops and fadeaways.
"Malik's biggest strength is his ability to go out and get points, and I think he's really good at creating shot opportunities for himself," said top Scout.com analyst Evan Daniels, whose site ranks Newman No. 11 nationally. "He may be the best in the 2015 class at creating space and being able to pull up and make 3-pointers.
"I think he's a tremendous talent with a really quick first step. … His strength relies on his ability to go out and get buckets."
UK assistant Kenny Payne and Kansas head coach Bill Self watched him on Saturday night, and those teams are seen as key contenders for Newman, although he says he's still open-minded about any school. His father played at Mississippi State, and the Bulldogs want Newman badly, too. Ole Miss is also contender, and Webster said coaches from North Carolina State, Memphis and Connecticut have visited Newman this fall as well.
Louisville CJ
Recruiting Calendar
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