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Fri, 18 Sep 2009 12:51:00 +0000

BIG TOP: Watch Big Ten events on the Web all season

Michigan State, Purdue appear to be the class of the conference, but 9 teams have legit NCAA hopes

Herb Gould — Sat, 7 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000

This year, it's OK to drink the Big Ten Kool-Aid. Even the national skeptics are on board, putting six Big Ten teams in the Associated Press' preseason Top 25, including two in the top 10: No. 2 Michigan State, No. 7 Purdue, No. 15 Michigan, No. 16 Ohio State, No. 23 Illinois and No. 25 Minnesota. The conference returns all five members of the 2008-09 All-Big Ten first team: MVP Kalin Lucas, Talor Battle, Manny Harris, JaJuan Johnson and Evan Turner. Six more second- and third-teamers also return, giving the league 11 of its top 15 back. In addition, Indiana, Minnesota and Illinois are among the programs excited about their recruiting classes. And they aren't the only schools that expect newcomers to make an immediate impact. Michigan State and Purdue are realistic Final Four candidates, and nine teams head into the season with legitimate NCAA tournament hopes. Even Northwestern and Penn State might be knocking on the Big Dance door. The way things are looking, the Big Ten even has a shot at winning the ACC/Big Ten Challenge for the first time in the 11-year history of the event. Here's a team-by-team look at why there's so much excitement: 1. Michigan State Key number - 5: Trips to the Final Four the Spartans have made in the last 11 seasons, tops in the nation. TOM IZZO SAYS: ''We lost more than people give us credit for: a lockdown defender [Travis Walton] and a glue guy [Goran Suton]. But I like what we have back, too.'' THE STORY LINE: Kalin Lucas leads a superb group of returnees that includes Raymar Morgan, Delvon Roe, Durrell Summers and Chris Allen. Walton and Suton are significant losses. And Izzo must get interior help from two freshmen, 6-10 Garrick Sherman and 6-9 Derrick Nix. THE BOTTOM LINE: Coming off their first Big Ten title since 2001 and a Final Four trip to nearby Detroit, the Spartans face another year of great expectations. But they have the personnel to fulfill them. 2. Purdue Key number -- 65: Miles from West Lafayette to Indianapolis, the site of the 2010 Final Four. MATT PAINTER SAYS: ''When you're able to win the Big Ten tournament and go to the Sweet 16, you're excited about the season starting. Hopefully, we can do some things that are special this year.'' THE STORY LINE: Even with Robbie Hummel in and out of the lineup because of a back problem, Purdue went 27-10 last season, won its first Big Ten tournament and reached the NCAA Sweet 16 for the first time since 2000. With Hummel healthy and 6-10 JaJuan Johnson poised to take another step for a maturing and deep squad, the Boilermakers are stoked. THE BOTTOM LINE: Purdue will need to find a way to deal with elite, athletic teams. But it has the pieces to follow the lead of Michigan State, which reached the Final Four in Detroit last season, and give the Big Ten another close-to-home Final Four team. 3. Ohio State Key number -- 0: Freshmen at Ohio State, which has had three one-and-done 7-footers the last three seasons in Greg Oden, Kosta Koufos and B.J. Mullens. THAD MATTA SAYS: ''David Lighty is a guy that has won a Big Ten championship and played for a national championship and is a strong candidate for defender of the year. He's a guy we need on the floor as much as we can have him.'' THE STORY LINE: When Lighty (foot) went down last season, Evan Turner stepped up, leading the Big Ten in scoring. Now Lighty's back, joining Turner and William Buford to form one of the most skilled trios around. If 7-foot transfer Zisis Sarikopoulos, from Greece by way of UAB, and Nikola Kecman, a 6-8 sophomore from Serbia, can handle their roles, the Buckeyes will be right in the hunt. THE BOTTOM LINE: Matta, who has specialized in monster recruiting classes, has assembled a team with a big upside. And he doesn't face the pressure to blend in stud recruits for a change. It looks like a very good situation. 4. Illinois Key number -- 4: Quality freshmen Illinois is adding. D.J. Richardson should start, Brandon Paul will be a top reserve and Joseph Bertrand and Tyler Griffey will have chances to create roles, although Bertrand might redshirt because of a lingering knee injury. BRUCE WEBER SAYS: ''D.J. Richardson replaces what Chester Frazier gave us -- that tough, hard-nosed guy that has great intensity and just gets after it as soon as he steps on the court. And he has shot the ball better than we anticipated.'' THE STORY LINE:A lean Demetri McCamey seems poised to be more consistent at the point, and shooter Alex Legion is showing signs he's ready. If skilled front-liners Mike Tisdale and Mike Davis can work around their muscle gap, Illinois can build on the positive strides it made last season. THE BOTTOM LINE: The precocious freshmen will add a lot. If the juniors can develop the thick hides that departed seniors Frazier, Trent Meacham and Calvin Brock had, Illinois will meet the challenges it will face in what figures to be a rugged Big Ten. 5. Michigan Key number -- 2: Top-five scorers returning. Manny Harris (16.9 ppg) was second and DeShawn Sims (15.4) fifth in the Big Ten. JOHN BEILEIN SAYS: ''We're still hunting. Until we can get Michigan to the point where this is normal -- to be in the NCAA tournament -- we haven't turned anything around yet.'' THE STORY LINE: Harris and Sims, who guided the undersized Wolverines to their first NCAA tournament appearance in 11 years last season, will try to keep it going. But Michigan probably will need some complementary big men to step up their contributions. THE BOTTOM LINE: Pencil in another trip to the Big Dance. But Beilein's shoot-first offense will go a lot further if the Wolverines answer their interior questions positively. 6. Northwestern Key number -- 0: All-time NCAA tournament appearances by Northwestern, which has come up empty since it hosted the inaugural NCAA championship game in 1939. BILL CARMODY SAYS: ''I don't think it's that much pressure. That's why you're here. There are 330 Division I teams, and that's everyone's goal -- to get in the NCAA. The guys embrace that.'' THE STORY LINE: The pieces are in place for NU to break its tournament drought. Deft scorer Kevin Coble is a senior, and crafty point guard Michael Thompson are the starting points. Solid frontcourt depth -- a rarity at NU -- and incoming freshman Drew Crawford also are reasons for optimism. THE BOTTOM LINE: The Cats proved they could win on the road by beating Michigan State in East Lansing and Purdue in West Lafayette last season. If they can get more things done at home, they'll be headed in the right direction. 7. Minnesota Key number -- 32.7: Three-point shooting percentage for Minnesota last season, 11th in the Big Ten. TUBBY SMITH SAYS: ''I hope they took away that we tasted postseason play at the NCAA level. Now what do we have to do to go deeper into the NCAA tournament?'' THE STORY LINE: The Golden Gophers were more gritty than pretty last season. Nothing wrong with that. But they probably will need some scorers to go along with their twin towers, 6-11 Ralph Sampson III and 6-10 Colton Iverson, who should make strides as sophomores after solid debuts. Lawrence Westbrook leads the grinders. THE BOTTOM LINE: Scrap those rumors about Smith bolting for a warmer climate and a fancier gym. With his top nine scorers back and a recruiting class that might be second only to Indiana's in the conference, Smith figures to keep things toasty in venerable Williams Arena. 8. Wisconsin Key number -- 7: Schools that have appeared in the last 11 NCAA tournaments: Arizona, Duke, Gonzaga, Kansas, Michigan State, Texas and Wisconsin. BO RYAN SAYS: ''We know how good the league is going to be. We have some players that have to grow up in a hurry.'' THE STORY LINE: With frontcourt mainstays Marcus Landry and Joe Krabbenhoft gone and the Big Ten poised for a big season, Ryan faces a big challenge to keep the Badgers' NCAA tournament streak going. That's especially true because Wisconsin doesn't have the obvious go-to leaders it usually leans on. THE BOTTOM LINE: Jordan Taylor and Trevon Hughes are good candidates to step up in the backcourt. Front-liners such as Keaton Nankivil, Jon Leuer and promising redshirt freshman Jared Berggren will need to handle big loads for Wisconsin in the improved Big Ten. 9. Penn State Key number -- 0: Times Penn State has had back-to-back winning seasons in Big Ten play since it joined the conference in 1993. The Nittany Lions were 10-8 in the Big Ten last season. ED DeCHELLIS SAYS: ''Jamelle Cornley's numbers were very good, but more important for us was his presence, his toughness, his spirit, the command of the locker room. I'm hoping Talor Battle can provide that leadership.'' THE STORY LINE: Snubbed by the NCAA, Penn State proved itself by winning the NIT last spring. Despite losing their Nos. 2 and 3 scorers in Cornley and Stanley Pringle, the Nittany Lions return a good core around first-team All-Big Ten guard Battle. But they face a tough road to moving up in an improved Big Ten. THE BOTTOM LINE: After posting a school-record 27 victories last season, Penn State will have to overachieve to take the next step, which is an NCAA tournament appearance. 10. Indiana Key number -- 1: Ranking of Indiana's recruiting class in the Big Ten (11th in the nation by Rivals.com). Small forward Christian Watford and guards Maurice Creek and Jordan Hulls headline the group. TOM CREAN SAYS: ''The best thing is that we're on the upswing. When we're in practice, when we're recruiting, when we're planning, we really feel good about the direction. The program's moving forward.'' THE STORY LINE: Doc Rivers' son, Jeremiah, a junior transfer from Georgetown, is expected to upgrade the point-guard position. Between holdovers such as Devan Dumes and Verdell Jones and the incoming freshmen, Indiana should be competitive on the perimeter. Led by Watford, the Hoosiers also will have freshman help upfront. THE BOTTOM LINE: If Crean can coax the intensity out of his players that he got last season, the Hoosiers should add a few victories to their 1-17 record in the Big Ten and position themselves to take a bigger step next season. 11. Iowa Key number -- 4: Transfers who left: Jake Kelly (to Indiana State), Jeff Peterson (to Arkansas), Jermain Davis (to Minnesota State) and David Palmer (to Northern Kentucky). TODD LICKLITER SAYS: ''We know the expectations are low. But if predictions always came true, there would be no need to play the games.'' THE STORY LINE: Patience remains the word at Iowa, where Lickliter is making recruiting inroads. Meanwhile, in the wake of a program left in disarray by Steve Alford, the transfers continue. Kelly, who wanted to be closer to home, is the player lowa will miss most. THE BOTTOM LINE: Guards Matt Gatens and Dean Bawinkel and forward Jarryd Cole will try to hold down the fort until reinforcements arrive. At least Iowa will stay close to home, playing 13 of its first 18 games at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, where plenty of tickets figure to be available. Copyright 2009 Chicago Sun-Times, Inc.All Rights Reserved

Nittany Lions cruise in exhibition win

Fri, 6 Nov 2009 21:21:00 +0000

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; Nov. 6, 2009 – Despite a seven-month layoff since winning the 2009 NIT title, Penn State shot out of the gate like it had just left the Madison Square Garden floor on Friday jumping to a 19-0 lead before cruising home with an 82-51 victory over Slippery Rock in the Nittany Lions first and only exhibition game of the season. The up-tempo play delighted an enthusiastic crowd of 7,623 that turned out to see the 2009-10 edition of the Nittany Lions. Naismith and Wooden Award candidate Talor Battle (Albany, N.Y.) led the way posting 10 points, five rebounds and three assists in the first eight minutes as slashed to the basket with ease and got his teammates involved. Battle ended the night with a double-double posting a team-high 16 points, 10 rebounds and six assists in 30 minutes of action despite a stomach virus that caused him to leave the floor late in the first half. Chris Babb (Arlington, Texas) added 12 points and 9 boards and freshman Sasa Borovnjak (Belgrade, Serbia) tossed in 10 points for the Lions who cruised to the win despite shooting just 5-of-24 (20.8%) from three. Penn State shot 43.1 percent (31-72) from the field, dished out 20 assists and had a 60-37 advantage on the boards. Twelve Nittany Lions scored on the night, including four freshmen. Michael Evans Jr. led led slippery Rock with 20 points. The Rock, which played Big East power Pittsburgh close on Sunday before falling 75-64, was held to just 21.9 percent (16-73) shooting from the floor and 10-of-39 (25.6%) from three. The Nittany Lions took the floor at the Bryce Jordan Center with a starting line-up of Jeff Brooks, David Jackson, Andrew Jones, Babb and Battle. Brooks started the game off for the Lions with a jumper from the right baseline and Jackson got a lay-up, both assists from a cutting Battle. Battle drove in for a lay-up to give Penn State a 6-0 lead at the 18-minute mark. Babb scored an easy fast break layup after a steal at the 16:48 mark to bring the lead to 12-0 going into the first timeout. Brooks took a pass through the lane and scored with a powerful tomahawk slam bringing a roar from the crowd and extending Penn State's lead to 14-0. Battle hit an and-one floater followed by a fast break dunk to give the Lions a 19-0 lead at the 14:44 mark in the first half. Slippery Rock scored their first bucket of the game with a put back lay-up from Cecil Brown at the 13:49 mark. At the 10-minute mark Tim Frazier stepped on the floor for the first time at point guard along side Battle who shifted to the two-guard. Borovnjak made his first appearance with 6:54 in the first half. Babb hit consecutive threes from the left wing to give the Lions a 22-point lead, 33-11, at the 5:24 mark. Adam Highberger hit a three of his own to further extend Penn State's lead, 40-16. Borovnjak scored his first bucket and hit the and-one to give the Lions a 43-18 lead with 1:28 left in the first half as the Lions had four freshmen on the floor. The first half concluded with Penn State holding a 46-23 lead. Battle led all scorers in the half with 12 points and six rebounds. Babb added 10 points and four rebounds. Babb hit a tough floater in the paint, giving the Lions a 48-23 lead to open the second half. Battle hit Jackson for an easy lay-up to extend the lead to 52-26. Evans hit his 17th point of the game for the Rock with a three to cut the deficit to 57-38 at the 11:56 mark. Maurice Douglas added to the 8-0 Rock run with a lay-up cutting the Lions lead to 17, 57-40 with 10 minutes left. However, a 9-0 run by Penn State with baskets from Battle and a three by Cammeron Woodyard gave Penn State a 66-40 lead at the 8:25 mark. The Lions would cruise on from there leading by as many as 35.

NCAA clears Indiana freshman to play basketball

Thu, 5 Nov 2009 16:50:00 +0000

BLOOMINGTON, Ind.(AP) Indiana freshman Bawa Muniru has been cleared by the NCAA to play college basketball this season. The Hoosiers had been waiting for the NCAA's eligibility center to make its ruling on Muniru, a 6-foot-11, 260-pound center from Tumu, Ghana. Muniru played high school ball the last two seasons in the U.S. The decision takes immediate effect. Coach Tom Crean said he understood it would take the NCAA time to do a thorough review and appreciated the work done both by the eligibility center and compliance officials at Indiana. The Hoosiers host St. Joseph's in their final exhibition Monday night, then open the season at home against Howard on Nov. 13.

Indiana overcomes slow start, drills Grace

Wed, 4 Nov 2009 20:45:00 +0000

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Indiana had six players score in double figures and scored 20 second half points off of turnovers and 14 via the fastbreak in the final 20 minutes as the Hoosiers pulled away from NAIA power Grace (Indiana), 96-73, in front of 15,453 in Assembly Hall. "We've got a long way to go," said Indiana Coach Tom Crean. "There is a lot of room to improve; a lot of things we do we have not even covered in practice yet. But I love their mindset; I love their attitude; I love their desire to get better. I thought they were competitive." The Hoosiers, who begin their second season under Crean, saw freshmen and sophomores tally 81 of the squad's 96 points collectively. In addition, nine players saw at least 13 minutes of action, with none playing more than 27 minutes (Verdell Jones III). Six players scored in double figures led by freshman Christian Watford who finished with 19 points and 11 rebounds. Freshman Jordan Hulls had 14 points, three assists and three steals, junior Jeremiah Rivers had 12 points, 10 in the second half, freshman Derek Elston had 10 points and seven boards, while Jones had 10 points and eight assists. "I thought we were unselfish," noted Crean. "I thought they really moved the ball well. I didn't think we took any real arrogant shots. I thought they really tried to understand how to get into the bonus and what to do once we were in the bonus. That is one of the ways we have to play. I thought they got better as the game went on." Watford scored on a conventional three-point play off of the opening tip, but the Lancers, led by long distance shooter David Henry, were able to hang tough throughout the first half, leading 16-12 on a layup by David Swanson with 15:59 to go. There were nine ties in the first half, with the last coming on a triple by Grace's Elliot Smith with 1:33 to go in the half at 36-36. The Hoosiers would score the last six points of the half on a jumper by Hulls, a steal by Maurice Creek and a basket by Elston, and a second steal by Creek who made a layup at the buzzer to make it 42-36 at halftime. "We are a young team and it takes awhile for them to grasp," added Crean. "We knew that we would be pushed because of how well Grace runs their offense. We certainly weren't surprised by that. That is good for us to learn how fast we have to run it in practice. I thought we pressured the ball and we thought at halftime if we could keep that pressure up there would come a point in the game around the middle of the second half that we would be able to wear them down." For five more minutes, Grace put up quite a fight and when Smith made two free throws, he cut the IU lead to 48-46 with 15:22 to go. The Hoosiers would then go on a 14-2 run over the next five minutes to break it open. Indiana would put the game away for good when Rivers would make back-to-back dunks to make it 73-55 for the Cream and Crimson with 7:51 remaining. For Crean, it also gave him an opportunity to empty as bench as all 13 players who were healthy were able to see some action on the floor. "Our teaching is on-going," said Crean. "There is no question about it. In a game like this, you are playing hard and you are going at it but you are also trying to make teaching points. There were a lot of basic mistakes that young people are going to make. And the opportunity to go through it in a game, the opportunity to correct it in a game, and then most importantly the opportunity to show it on film and get it corrected in practice is where the real teaching value is." The Hoosiers will host Saint Joseph's (Indiana) College at 7 p.m., Monday, November 9 before opening the season on Friday, November 13 against Howard. "I thought the crowd was awesome," said Crean. "I've coached in front of big crowds but never a bigger crowd than that for me personally in an exhibition game. Very thankful for the way the fans turned out for them."

Northwestern takes care of Robert Morris

Wed, 4 Nov 2009 20:50:00 +0000

EVANSTON, Ill. - Sophomore forward John Shurna posted game highs of 21 points and seven rebounds as the Northwestern men's basketball team defeated Robert Morris (Ill.) 78-49 Wednesday evening at Welsh-Ryan Arena. It was the Wildcats' lone exhibition contest prior to opening the regular season against Northern Illinois Nov. 13. Kevin Coble chipped in with 15 points and six boards for NU. Lester Ferguson paced the Eagles with 15 points. Shurna tallied 13 points and grabbed six of his boards during the opening half of play. The Wildcats held a slim 18-17 lead with under eight minutes left before the intermission when Shurna caught fire. He nailed back-to-back 3-pointers and Jeff Ryan added a lay-up as Northwestern extended its lead to nine. Robert Morris was within six before Shurna knocked down his third trey in as many attempts and Ivan Peljusic threw down at dunk to give NU its largest lead of the half at 11. The 'Cats would eventually take a 35-26 advantage into the break. The Eagles scored the first four points of the second half to get within five before Northwestern gradually began to pull away. A lay-up by Drew Crawford capped a 12-3 surge over a four-minute span that extended the advantage to 14 at 47-33. The visitors trailed by 12 with 12 minutes left before the Wildcats put the game out of reach by scoring 16 of the game's next 19 points. NU held a commanding 51-33 advantage on the boards, including hauling in 18 offensive caroms which led to 19 second-chance points. The Wildcats dominated the play in the post, out-scoring the Eagles 44-16. Sophomore center Luka Mirkovic was a key figure in the post for Northwestern, notching eight points and six boards. Peljusic and Ryan contributed to the Wildcats' 26 points off the bench by scoring nine and seven points, respectively. Ryan's solid all-around effort also included four rebounds and a game-high four assists. The hosts also dished out 24 assists while committing only seven turnovers.

No. 16 Ohio State rolls in exhibition, 86-48

Rusty Miller — Wed, 4 Nov 2009 20:47:00 +0000

COLUMBUS, Ohio(AP) Evan Turner had 15 points, 14 rebounds and six assists and No. 16 Ohio State shot 63 percent from the field in beating Walsh 86-48 in an exhibition game Wednesday night. Eleven players scored for the Buckeyes, who open their season on Monday against Alcorn State in the 2K Sports Classic. William Buford added 15 points, David Lighty had 11 and Jeremie Simmons and Jon Diebler had 10 apiece for the Buckeyes, who went 22-11 and lost to Siena in the first round of the NCAA tournament last season. Lighty played his first game since breaking a bone in his foot early last season. Ricky Jackson led Walsh with 14 points. Kyle Madsen started at center for Ohio State in place of Dallas Lauderdale, out with a broken finger.

Gophers will be without top newcomer until his legal issues are resolved

Marcus R. Fuller — Wed, 4 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The University of Minnesota men's basketball team needed Trevor Mbakwe to be the physical inside presence it lacked last season. But the Gophers might have to do without one of their top newcomers for the entire 2009-10 season. A 6-foot-8, 240-pound junior-college transfer from St. Paul, Mbakwe will not be allowed to play basketball until his felony battery case is resolved in a satisfactory manner, Gophers athletics director Joel Maturi announced Monday. Mbakwe was charged in an alleged assault in April in Miami. The pre-trial hearing is scheduled to begin Dec. 14. Mbakwe's attorney, Gregory Samms, did not respond to requests for an interview Monday, but has said he'd like to postpone the court date until after the basketball season to ensure his alibi witnesses are there. "If this doesn't get resolved during this basketball year, (Mbakwe) could still come back to play two additional years. He could look at this as a redshirt year," Maturi said. "I told he and his mom that this would give him the opportunity to make sure he gets his degree before he leaves. That could be a very positive thing." Mbakwe will continue to attend classes and practice with the Gophers, but he will not dress for home games and won't travel with the team, Maturi said. "There was no need to make (the decision) sooner, because we made a decision earlier to allow him to practice. There was no need to come to a finality on this until this week," Maturi said. "He's been charged with a serious allegation, a serious offense. I believe that being the highly visible student-athlete that he is, and the highly visible sport that he competes in, that it wasn't in his best interest or our best interest for him to play." Maturi said he met with Mbakwe and Mbakwe's mother, Ana, in his office on Thursday to let them know his decision. "Trevor is a quality young man," Maturi said. "That's what made this more difficult. His mother is an unbelievably wonderful young woman. I know they both would have liked for him to play. They believe very strongly that he's been wrongly accused and that he's going to unfairly miss some games. I'm respectful of that." Minnesota coach Tubby Smith expected Mbakwe to play a major role on a team that is ranked No. 25 in the Associated Press' preseason poll, the program's first preseason national ranking since 2002-03. Mbakwe, a junior college All-American last season, was a projected starter for the Gophers. The former St. Bernard's and Henry Sibley standout was arguably the most impressive player in the Oct. 16 scrimmage in front of fans at Williams Arena. "I think he's the type of kid that would have had the potential to lead the Big Ten in rebounding," said Henry Sibley coach Tom Dasovich, who coached Mbakwe for two seasons. "You could see from Tubby's Tip-off that he was the best player on the floor. When you can make an argument that the best player is going to have to sit out, then obviously that's going to affect any team." Without Mbakwe, Smith has a number of options at power forward, including 6-11 sophomore Ralph Sampson III, 6-8 freshman Royce White, 6-7 senior Damian Johnson and 6-8 junior Paul Carter, although White, Johnson and Carter are better suited for small forward. Former Gophers center Spencer Tollackson, the team's new radio analyst, watched Mbakwe dominate the paint in practice with his aggressiveness and leaping ability. "He is that physical, athletic presence that (they needed)," Tollackson said. "He can rebound better or as well as anyone out there, I think. I was impressed with how quickly he got off the ground. He's extremely explosive and physical. You know, that's extremely vital to have in the Big Ten. There were a couple plays where he was camping out by the hoop on the baseline, and Blake (Hoffarber) was just throwing him alley-oops. He would just go get it and dunk on people." Maturi said if Mbakwe is found not guilty, his playing status would be up to Smith. Gophers coaches and players were unavailable for comment Monday and newcomers such as Mbakwe are not allowed to address the media until the Big Ten season starts. One of Mbakwe's mentors, Errol Carlstrom, said he talked to him Sunday night to offer support and advice. "I told him that if you can't resolve this until the spring, then you have to use this as a positive," said Carlstrom, chairman of the Howard Pulley AAU basketball program. "You have another year to study and get your grades better than they are already. You have to work to make the team better this year. (Mbakwe) said, 'I understand. I'm not going anywhere. I'm staying at Minnesota, and I'm going to be an asset.' " Samms said previously that three of the alibi witnesses were members of Mbakwe's Miami-Dade College basketball team. They are expected to testify that Mbakwe was at a team party during the alleged incident, according to Samms. Minnesota's season opener is Nov. 13 against Tennessee Tech at Williams Arena. The first exhibition game will be at 7 p.m. Thursday at home against Minnesota-Duluth. Copyright 2009 St. Paul Pioneer PressAll Rights Reserved

Purdue powers past Cal (Pa.) in exhibition opener

Tue, 3 Nov 2009 21:13:00 +0000

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Senior guard Keaton Grant scored a game-high 14 points to lead a quartet of Boilermakers in double figures as the No. 7/7 Purdue men's basketball team defeated California of Pennsylvania, 78-44, on Tuesday in its exhibition opener. The victory was Purdue's 14th in a row in exhibition play, and improved the Boilermakers' overall exhibition record to 48-7. The win also ran fifth-year head coach Matt Painter's exhibition to 9-0 at his alma mater. Grant was 4-of-5 from the floor and 4-of-5 from the line in 19 minutes of work, recording five steals, three assists, two rebounds and a block to go along with his 14 points. Junior forward/center JaJuan Johnson netted 12 points on 6-of-12 shooting, while junior guard E'Twaun Moore and freshman guard D.J. Byrd each had 11, for a Purdue team that shot 40.9 percent for the game. Grant, Moore and junior forward Robbie Hummel shared game-high honors with three assists apiece. Spearheaded by Grant's five-steal effort, the Purdue defense hounded Cal U for the duration of the night, forcing 32 turnovers and limiting the Vulcans to 28.8 percent shooting from the field and a 16.7 clip from beyond the arc. Johnson had four rebounds and three blocks on the evening, while senior guard Chris Kramer added a pair of rejections and grabbed five rebounds to share game-high honors with redshirt freshman guard John Hart. The Boilers will return to action on Monday, Nov. 9, when they host eight-time NCAA Division II champion Kentucky Wesleyan in their final exhibition tuneup of the year. The game is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET and can be seen via live stream on BigTenNetwork.com.

Gophers suspend White, Bostick for breaking rules

DAVE CAMPBELL — Tue, 3 Nov 2009 16:32:00 +0000

MINNEAPOLIS(AP) Minnesota coach Tubby Smith has suspended two players indefinitely for breaking team rules. Smith would not say Tuesday why freshman forward Royce White and senior guard Devron Bostick were in trouble. They'll be held out of exhibitions Thursday (against Minnesota Duluth) and Monday (against Minnesota State Moorhead) and possibly more, until Smith decides they're ready to return to the No. 25-ranked Gophers. "It could be two games. It could be five, six. It could be more,'' Smith said, adding: "It could be 20. It depends on what I want, what I decide.'' White has a Nov. 17 arraignment scheduled for two misdemeanor citations, theft and fifth degree assault, stemming from an Oct. 13 incident at the Mall of America in Bloomington, a suburb of Minneapolis, according to the city attorney's office. Bostick is a reserve who averaged 11 minutes per game last season. White was dismissed from DeLaSalle High School in Minneapolis last year for academic misconduct before finishing his prep career at Hopkins. White is part of a touted recruiting class that includes transfer Trevor Mbakwe, who is also out indefinitely while a felony aggravated battery charge against him goes through the legal process. "If you do something wrong, our guys know that playing time ... is a privilege,'' Smith said. "We expect them to conduct themselves in a proper way. When they don't, unfortunately they force our hands and force us to do something we really don't want to do.'' White and Mbakwe were expected to give Minnesota some bulk and athleticism at the power forward spot. Damian Johnson and Paul Carter, who are more natural at small forward, will play more inside while White and Mbakwe are out. For now, the Gophers are down to 11 players including freshman walk-on guard Dominique Dawson, who was expected to redshirt but might be activated instead to provide more depth. "We still have a really solid group,'' Smith said. As for Mbakwe, Smith said he agreed with athletics director Joel Maturi's decision to keep the junior from playing until he's cleared in the court system. Mbakwe wasn't at practice Monday or Tuesday to take care of his legal matters. "We love Trevor, and he's done everything we've asked him to do since he's been here,'' the coach said. Smith said he wasn't sure when he would decide whether Mbakwe should be redshirted or not. "He'll have two years of eligibility left if he does sit out this year, but if he gets it resolved in his favor he'll be back on the court immediately,'' Smith said. Minnesota's first regular season game is against Tennessee Tech on Nov. 13. Mbakwe is scheduled for a Dec. 14 trial date in Miami-Dade County for an alleged attack on a woman in Miami in April. His attorney, Gregory Samms, said Tuesday he's been told the case will take priority in court that week and won't be pushed back.

Gophers' Mbakwe can't play until cleared in court

DAVE CAMPBELL — Mon, 2 Nov 2009 16:32:00 +0000

MINNEAPOLIS(AP) Junior forward Trevor Mbakwe, one of Minnesota's touted new recruits, will not be allowed to play for the 25th-ranked Gophers until his pending court case on a felony aggravated battery charge is cleared up. Athletics director Joel Maturi announced Monday his decision on Mbakwe, who faces a December trial for an alleged attack on a woman in Miami in April. His attorney, Gregory Samms, told the Star Tribune newspaper this summer that his client was mistakenly identified. Samms didn't return messages Monday left by The Associated Press. Mbakwe can attend classes, practice and participate in team functions, but Maturi said he can't play until the legal matter ``has been resolved in a satisfactory manner.'' Mbakwe also can't suit up for home games or travel with the team. Maturi said he has spent the past several weeks speaking "to as many people as he possibly could'' before making what he called a difficult decision about Mbakwe, who transferred to Minnesota for this season. "There's not a person who knows him who didn't respond to me telling me what great character he has. Everybody said what a wonderful young man he is, not that we would feel any differently,'' Maturi said. "The decision is not at all based on whether I feel he is innocent or guilty. It's an educational decision that I feel will allow Trevor to learn from.'' If the situation drags out and causes Mbakwe to miss several games, he could take a redshirt season and still have two years of eligibility left. Neither coach Tubby Smith nor Mbakwe were available for comment Monday. "I think he's very understanding of the situation,'' Maturi said of Smith. ``He cares for Trevor. He recruited Trevor.'' Mbakwe appeared in 11 games during an injury-plagued freshman season at Marquette after playing for two Twin Cities area high schools - Henry Sibley in Mendota Heights and St. Bernard's in St. Paul. He transferred to a junior college in Miami last year before deciding to return to Minnesota. If he's allowed to play, Mbakwe will give the Gophers some needed bulk at the power forward position. He's part of a nationally lauded recruiting class that includes freshmen Royce White, Rodney Williams and Justin Cobbs.

Summers, Spartans roll Northwood, 76-45

Mon, 2 Nov 2009 17:53:00 +0000

EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan State men's basketball team opened the 2009-10 season with a 76-45 exhibition victory over Northwood University on Sunday afternoon at the Breslin Center. The Spartans' Durrell Summers led all scorers with 17 points while junior guard Kalin Lucas poured in 16 points and played a team-high 29 minutes. Each team started slow to begin the game as the Spartans led just 4-0 less than five minutes in. Neither the Spartans nor the Timberwolves were able to put much of scoring spurt together in the first half, but Northwood was able to pull within two points on a couple of occasions. A three-pointer by Booker Stoudmire cut the MSU lead to just one with 6:39 to play in the first half to make the score 22-21. The Spartans then scored the next four points over the next two minutes to regain a five-point advantage and held on for a 33-30 halftime lead. Michigan State put together a 7-0-run to begin the second half with the help of Summers who scored six points over the span. The Timberwolves answered with five consecutive points to pull within five points at 40-35 but it would be the closest they would come the rest of the way. The Spartans then put the game away; outscoring Northwood 32-3 over the next 13-plus minutes. The run began with 14-0-spurt. Draymond Green ended the game with 14 points, 11 rebounds and dished out four assists for the Green and White. MSU was without likely starters Raymar Morgan and Chris Allen who each missed the game due to injury while Delvon Roe left the game with a head injury after playing just seven minutes. The Spartans will play their final exhibition game on Monday, Nov. 9 when they host Grand Valley State at 7 p.m.

Harangody leads AP preseason All-America team

Jim O'Connell — Mon, 2 Nov 2009 12:58:00 +0000

Luke Harangody should get used to being on top of lists. The senior forward from Notre Dame was the leading vote-getter Monday on The Associated Press' preseason All-America team, and if he has the type of season he usually does, he will become the leader for his school and conference in scoring and rebounding. The 6-foot-8 Harangody received 57 votes from the 65-member national media panel and was followed in the balloting by Kansas teammates Cole Aldrich and Sherron Collins. They are the sixth set of teammates selected for the preseason team, which began in 1986-87, and the second from Kansas, joining Raef LaFrentz and Paul Pierce in 1997-98. Aldrich, a 6-11 junior who recorded a triple-double in the NCAA tournament, received 49 votes, 10 more than Collins, a senior point guard. Junior forwards Patrick Patterson of Kentucky, who had 35 votes, and Kyle Singler of Duke, who had 30, rounded out the team announced Monday. Harangody averaged 23.3 points and 11.8 rebounds last season, the only player to rank in the top 10 nationally in both categories. He was a preseason All-American in 2008-09 and was selected to the second team after the season. He enters this season with 1,823 points - 738 away from Austin Carr as Notre Dame's career leader. He needs 370 rebounds to pass Tom Hawkins as the Fighting Irish's career rebound leader, and averaging 20.6 points and 9.0 rebounds this season would make him the Big East's career leader in both categories, passing Syracuse's Lawrence Moten and Derrick Coleman, respectively. Harangody decided to return to Notre Dame for his senior season after exploring his options for entering the NBA draft. "It was a good experience for Luke to go through the process he did last summer,'' Notre Dame coach Mike Brey said. "He's even more confident at moving around to different spots on the floor. We're going to have him open up in transition much like he did at the end of last season and run him off a screen for 15- and 18-foot jump shots. "He'll be our main threat in the low post because that is his bread and butter, but we're going to have him step out along the perimeter which should add another dimension to his game.'' Aldrich's stock rose all last season and it culminated with the first official triple-double in Kansas history when he had 13 points, 20 rebounds and 10 blocks in a second-round NCAA win over Dayton. He averaged 14.9 points and 11.1 rebounds, joining national player of the year Blake Griffin of Oklahoma as the only players in the Big 12 to average a double-double last season. Collins didn't become a full-time starter until last season when he averaged 18.9 points and 5.0 assists in earning third-team All-American honors. He and Aldrich are the stars of a deep Kansas team picked No. 1 in the preseason Top 25. "I do think we return the best guard in the country and the best big man in the country,'' Kansas coach Bill Self said. "I think if you're going to start a team, why not have an anchor and why not have a guard?'' Aldrich and Cole are the first teammates chosen to the preseason team since J.J. Redick and Shelden Williams of Duke in 2005-06. The 6-9 Patterson averaged 17.9 points and 9.3 rebounds for the Wildcats last season and he's expected to be more of an inside presence this season with the addition of freshman point guard John Wall to new coach John Calipari's offense. Singler averaged 16.5 points and 7.7 rebounds last season for the Blue Devils but his role should change to more of a perimeter one this season.

Illini rout Missouri Southern St. in exhibition opener

Mon, 2 Nov 2009 17:56:00 +0000

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The Fighting Illini saw their first action against outside competition Friday night at Assembly Hall, routing Missouri Southern State, 95-67, in the first of two exhibition tune-ups before the regular season. Junior Demetri McCamey had 16 points to lead five Illini in double-figures and all four freshmen made significant contributions in the victory. Illinois jumped out of the gates fast, as senior Dominique Keller scored the first six points of the game to help the hosts jump out to a 19-1 lead. Sloppy play, including a host of UI turnovers midway through the first half, helped the Lions close to within eight at one point, 32-24, at the four-minute mark, but Illinois finished the half on a 17-4 run to take a healthy 49-28 lead at the break. McCamey led the way with 12 first-half points and the Illini held 24-13 rebounding edge, but also turned the ball over 15 times in the first 20 minutes. The Orange and Blue took much better care of the ball in the second half, committing just four turnovers. For the game, the Illini shot 52.4 percent (33-of-63) from the field, 70.3 percent from the line (26-of-37), forced 24 MSSU turnovers and outrebounded the guests 47-35. The Illini held a dominating 46-22 edge in the paint and outscored the guests 33-14 off turnovers. All four Illini freshmen saw plenty of action in their first exhibition. D.J. Richardson hit 5-of-8 from the field for 14 points and had three steals in 19 minutes, while Brandon Paul added 13 points, five rebounds and three assists in 17 minutes of play. Tyler Griffey (six points in 18 minutes) and Joseph Bertrand (six points in 19 minutes) also got loads of game-experience in front of the Assembly Hall crowd of over 14,000. Other Illini scoring in double-figures were Keller, who finished with 12 points, and junior Mike Davis, who chipped in 10 points. Junior Mike Tisdale led the way on the boards with nine, while McCamey dished out a game-high seven assists to go with his 16 points. Skyler Bowlin led MSSU with 17 points. The Fighting Illini have one more exhibition game next Sunday, Nov. 8, at 4 p.m. against Quincy University, before opening up the regular season on Friday, Nov. 13, when they host SIU-Edwardsville at 7 p.m. CT.

Illini hope less is more for McCamey

Herb Gould — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Has the light gone on for guard Demetri McCamey? ''I think so. I hope so,'' Illini coach Bruce Weber said at Big Ten media day Thursday at the Crowne Plaza O'Hare. ''I'm cautious on it because he hasn't done it consistently. But he has definitely shown some signs of becoming the player that everybody envisioned him being.'' The most obvious sign is McCamey's svelte new body. He's a sculpted 210 pounds, down 13 from last season. ''Stopped the fried food for most of the summer,'' the junior from St. Joseph's said. ''I went from fried chicken to baked chicken, from French fries to rice and green beans, stuff like that. The chicken was the toughest.'' That has helped McCamey go harder at both ends of the floor. And it has moved him closer to his goal of being the all-around leader Illinois will need to build on its solid 24-10 record of last season, which was marred by a disappointing first-round loss to Western Kentucky in the NCAA tournament. ''He looks 10 times more athletic,'' center Mike Tisdale said. ''It's not that he wasn't before, but now he gets up and down the court on defense. He's jumping, dunking the ball more, things you didn't necessarily see last year. Losing the weight's helped him a lot.'' McCamey led the Illini in scoring last season (11.5 points) and earned third-team All-Big Ten honors. But his rare combination of skill, quickness and muscle left everybody wanting more. Including McCamey, whose ultimate goal is to join high school rival Derrick Rose and Illinois predecessor Deron Williams in the NBA. That goal looked a long way off early last season, when Weber made his point about McCamey needing to work harder by refusing to start him in the Illini's first two games. Even when McCamey erupted for 23 points in the third game, a 69-63 victory at Vanderbilt, Weber challenged him to keep it going rather than focusing on a good effort in a tough road venue. The prodding is still there, but it's gentler this season. ''Before, I had to blow up on him,'' Weber said. ''Now, I'm just consistently pushing him. Maybe I'm asking for too much. But as a coach, that's what your job is -- to get the most out of the guys. ''I don't think he'll ever be a defensive stopper. But if he has a dream of playing in the NBA, you've got to be able to guard somebody.'' To help McCamey shed his lazy ways, Weber has found a trio of helpers in freshman guards D.J. Richardson, Brandon Paul and Joseph Bertrand. ''That's one of the best things about the freshmen,'' Weber said. ''They pushed Demetri in conditioning. He doesn't even win. He's just trying to not get blown out. Before, he just kind of went through the motions. Now, he realizes that's what he has to do to really become a dominant player.'' Richardson, who's tracking to start at shooting guard, has the all-around potential to be an especially strong motivator for McCamey. In the frontcourt, junior Alex Legion, who lit up Assembly Hall at the Orange and Blue scrimmage last weekend, is the leading candidate to start at small forward alongside Tisdale and power forward Mike Davis. If all the pieces fall into place, Illinois has the potential to have its best team since the 2005 Final Four squad. But as the point guard, McCamey shapes up as the key. And from his conversations with 2005 stars Williams, Dee Brown and Luther Head, McCamey is intent on using his improved body to respond to Weber's urgings. ''They said they'll always have coach Weber's back,'' McCamey said. ''He helped them out tremendously on and off the court. They told me he's a good guy to listen to.'' And a guy who consistently will deliver his message about consistency. Copyright 2009 Chicago Sun-Times, Inc.All Rights Reserved

MSU men picked to win Big Ten

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 09:07:00 +0000

2009-10 Top Three Preseason Picks Team Team 2008-09 Final Records 1. Michigan State 31-7, 15-3 Big Ten (1st) 2. Purdue 27-10, 11-7 Big Ten (T-2) 3. Ohio State 22-11, 10-8 Big Ten (T-4) 2009-10 Preseason All-Conference Team Player 2008-09 Final Stats Manny Harris, MICH, JR, G 16.9 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 4.40 apg, 1.23 spg Kalin Lucas, MSU, JR, G 14.7 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 4.63 apg Evan Turner, OSU, JR, G/F 17.3 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 3.97 apg, 1.76 spg Talor Battle, PSU, JR, G 16.7 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 4.97 apg, 1.18 spg Robbie Hummel, PUR, JR, F 12.5 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 1.94 apg 2009-10 Preseason Player of the Year Kalin Lucas, MSU Park Ridge, Ill.– Defending Big Ten Champion and national runner-up Michigan State has been selected as the preseason conference favorite for the 2009-10 men's basketball season, as voted upon by a 24-member media panel. Purdue and Ohio State were chosen to finish second and third, respectively. In addition, after five sophomores were named to the All-Big Ten first team last season, five juniors were selected for the 2009-10 Preseason All-Big Ten Team. Reigning Big Ten Player of the Year Kalin Lucas of the Spartans was tabbed as the Preseason Player of the Year. The other four juniors earning preseason accolades are Michigan's Manny Harris, Ohio State's Evan Turner, Penn State's Talor Battle and Purdue's Robbie Hummel. Michigan State returns three starters and 12 letterwinners from a team that finished with a 31-7 overall record and a 15-3 conference mark, earning its first outright Big Ten title since 1999. Big Ten Coach of the Year Tom Izzo took the Spartans to the Final Four for the fifth time in his 14 years as the head coach, before falling in the national championship game. Izzo will look to guide MSU to a 12th Big Ten crown this season and back-to-back titles for the first time since he boosted the program to at least a share of four straight championships from 1998-2001. Purdue brings back all five starters and nine letterwinners from a squad that won its first Big Ten Tournament title last season. Head coach Matt Painter guided the Boilermakers to a tie for second place in the conference standings at 11-7 while producing an overall record of 27-10 and advancing to the NCAA Championship round of 16. Ohio State also returns all five starters, along with 10 letterwinners, after finishing in a tie for fourth place in the Big Ten standings at 10-8 last season. Head coach Thad Matta led the Buckeyes to an NCAA Championship berth for the third time in four seasons, and compiled a 22-11 overall mark. The Spartans' Lucas was tabbed the Preseason Player of the Year after becoming just the seventh sophomore in conference annals to earn Big Ten Player of the Year accolades last season. The junior guard led MSU to its first Big Ten Championship since 2001 while ranking second among all players with 16.5 points per game in conference play. Lucas is the second Spartan in the last three years to earn Preseason Player of the Year laurels after Drew Neitzel was honored prior to the 2007-08 campaign. The five-man Preseason All-Big Ten team includes four players that were named first-team All-Big Ten last season, including Lucas, Harris, Turner and Battle. Hummel was a third-team All-Conference pick last season after earning first-team All-Big Ten honors as a freshman.

Knight turns down Hall-of-Fame invite from Indiana

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:29:00 +0000

INDIANAPOLIS(AP) Former Indiana coach Bob Knight will not attend next week's Hall of Fame induction. Athletic director Fred Glass said Thursday that Knight contacted him directly to decline the invitation. Glass said Knight was concerned that the interest in him would be a distraction from the other six inductees. All living members of the 2009 Hall of Fame class, except Knight, are expected to attend in person. The General won a school-record 662 games and three national championships at Indiana before being fired by then university president Myles Brand in September 2000. Knight retired in 2008 with the most wins (902) of any coach in Division I men's basketball.

Michigan St ranked No. 2 in year of high hopes

LARRY LAGE — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:19:00 +0000

EAST LANSING, Mich.(AP) Tom Izzo is so driven to win another national title that he's recruiting as relentlessly as he did a decade go when he was turning a good Michigan State program into a great one. The coach is hitting the road in a different way: Instead waiting in airports and flying to see prospects, Izzo is going to have somebody cruise him around the Midwest in a new van, so he can prepare for the next game by reviewing video on a laptop, call family, friends and coaches on his cell phone and get much-needed sleep in a bed. ``It's silver,'' Izzo said of the van Thursday in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. ``It's great.'' Izzo's team should be, too. The Spartans are ranked No. 2 in The Associated Press preseason poll, which was released Thursday. The finished well behind top-ranked Kansas, but drew five first-place votes. ``They have their whole team back, plus some freshmen,'' Spartans standout Kalin Lucas said. ``We lost some key players.'' Yet Michigan State shouldn't be too shabby. Lucas, senior standout Raymar Morgan, five more of the team's top nine scorers and Izzo are back from the team that lost to North Carolina in the NCAA championship game last season. The Spartans will have a chance to live up to lofty expectations if Lucas and Morgan can become leaders who make their teammates better, and inexperienced big men provide some balance on a team with such a talented backcourt. It's early, but the hard-driving Izzo has been pleased with preseason practices. ``Kalin Lucas, Draymond Green and Delvon Roe have made a lot of progress,'' Izzo said. ``And the three big guys are better than I thought they would be. They all have a long way to go, but they're going to have to play.'' Izzo is hoping freshmen centers Garrick Sherman and Derrick Nix along with 7-foot junior Tom Herzog can combine to play about 25 minutes a game to make up for the losses of three seniors inside. If they can, a lot of problems will be solved because the Spartans are at least solid at every other position the court. The lighting-quick Lucas returned for his junior season after winning the Big Ten player of the year award and is a favorite to earn the honor again this season. Morgan was Michigan State's best player last season before a batch of illnesses. He bounced back well enough to score 18 points and grab nine rebounds in a win over Connecticut in the Final Four. Izzo is counting on Morgan to be healthy and happy, avoiding injuries and attitude funks that have slowed him in the past, because he needs him to help fill the leadership void created by the departures of Travis Walton and Goran Suton. Morgan insisted he's ready. ``A lot is expected, but I can handle it,'' Morgan said. ``This is why I came here.'' Junior shooting guards Durrell Summers and Chris Allen came to Michigan State providing glimpses of promise, but Izzo is still waiting for them to be consistent. Sophomore guard Korie Lucious is almost at full speed in practice, recovering from a second surgery on his right foot. ``I think we have the best guards in the country,'' Lucas said. The 6-foot-8 Roe and 6-foot-6 Green don't quite have the size to help Michigan State's weakness in the lane, but they're talented enough to cause problems for opponents if they're matched up with lumbering centers. Per tradition, Izzo has filled his schedule with tough games to test his players and satisfy fans who crave marquee matchups before Big Ten play. Michigan State will get challenged early with games against North Carolina, Florida, Texas and Gonzaga. ``How they handle success or failure is going to be a key because we're going to lose some games early,'' Izzo predicted. ``Our young guys up front is going to have their hands full because the big guys we'll play in the first couple of weeks are as good as we've played in years. ``If we win some games, do we take off? If we lose, do we get down in the dumps? That's why No. 1 on my list is leadership and chemistry.''

Kansas overwhelming No. 1 in AP preseason poll

JIM O'CONNELL — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 13:05:00 +0000

For the second time in its storied basketball history, Kansas is No. 1 in The Associated Press' preseason Top 25. The Jayhawks were a runaway choice Thursday, receiving 55 first-place votes from the 65-member national media panel to easily outdistance Michigan State, which was No. 1 on five ballots. There was little suspense as to which team would top the preseason poll. Kansas has all five starters and the top nine scorers back from last season's team that went 27-8 and reached the third round of the NCAA tournament. The Jayhawks also feature a recruiting class considered among the nation's best. ``I'm not surprised,'' said Bill Self, who was also the coach the other time Kansas was the preseason No. 1 in 2004-05. ``But I know this - we aren't practicing like a team that's preseason No. 1 in the country. It has been a very few good days of practice but we do have good players. ... There's a lot of excitement surrounding these guys.'' The Jayhawks received great news when guard Sherron Collins and center Cole Aldrich, last season's leading scorers, decided to return to school rather than test the NBA draft. Then brothers Xavier and C.J. Henry decided to enroll in Lawrence, making the Jayhawks the early national favorite as well as the choice to win a sixth straight Big 12 title. ``My goal for this team isn't to play to that ranking early in the season,'' Self said. ``My goal is to play to that ranking when it counts the most. I hope it happens soon.'' Michigan State has seven of the top nine scorers back from the team that lost to North Carolina in the national championship game. Texas, Kentucky and Villanova rounded out the top five, while North Carolina, a unanimous preseason No. 1 last season, was sixth. Kentucky received three first-place votes and Texas and North Carolina got one each. Purdue, West Virginia, Duke and Tennessee completed the top 10. While Kansas' showing this preseason many not have been as impressive as North Carolina's a year earlier when it became the first ever unanimous preseason pick, both had plenty of reasons to claim No. 1. ``There are some similarities, but that North Carolina team had been through a lot more experiences than our guys have,'' Self said. ``The North Carolina team had been through Final Fours, had been to Elite Eights, had had some heartache, been through some tough times. I don't know that this group has been through tough times like they had. The fact we return nine guys and a good recruiting class is the reason people are so optimistic about us.'' Butler was 11th in the poll followed by Connecticut, California, Washington, Michigan, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Mississippi State, Louisville and Georgetown. The last five ranked teams were Dayton, Georgia Tech, Illinois, Clemson and Minnesota. Kentucky, under new coach John Calipari and with a loaded freshman class, Georgetown and Georgia Tech were the only teams in the preseason poll not to play in the NCAA tournament last season. Texas, Kentucky, West Virginia and Tennessee lead the 13 teams in the preseason poll who were not ranked in the final poll of last season. Louisville and North Carolina were Nos. 1 and 2 in that final poll. In addition to those two, Pittsburgh, Wake Forest, Duke and Connecticut all were ranked No. 1 at some point in the season. The Big Ten has six teams in the preseason poll, one more than the Big East. The Atlantic Coast Conference had four and the Big 12 and Southeastern Conference three each.

Knee injury sidelines PSU freshman forward

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:25:00 +0000

UNIVERSITY PARK, PA., Oct. 29, 2009 – The Nittany Lion basketball team suffered its first set-back of the season on Wednesday when 6-6, 235-pound freshman forward Bill Edwards (Middletown, Ohio) suffered a partial tear to the MCL in his right knee during a morning practice. Team doctors expect Edwards to miss 4-6 weeks with the injury making his scheduled return to the line-up sometime in mid-December. Edwards, who was named the 2009 Ohio Senior Player of the Year after averaging 17.4 ppg and 9.0 rpg as a senior, had been impressive in the preseason with a smooth left-handed shot from the three-point arc and strength taking the ball into the lane and was expected to earn playing time early in the Nittany Lions season. Penn State will take the floor on Friday, Nov. 6 at the Bryce Jordan Center when they take on Slippery Rock in exhibition action. That game will tip off at 6:00 p.m. and will be held prior to ""Rally in the Valley"" with coach Joe Paterno and the Penn State football team in the Jordan Center. The Nittany Lion football team takes on Ohio State on Saturday, Nov. 7 in Beaver Stadium. Both the Nittany Lions' exhibition basketball game and ""Rally in the Valley"" in its entirety can be seen on the BigTenNetwork.com.