NCAA Basketball FanHouse

Stephen Curry's Plate Getting More Crowded As He Learns to Play the Point

Josh Alper — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 13:35:00 EST

Filed under: Mid-Majors Basketball, Davidson Basketball

Anyone who watched Davidson's run in the NCAA Tournament will always remember Stephen Curry running through screen after screen trying to create space and get his shot off. It worked well enough but with Jason Richards gone to graduation, the Wildcats won't have someone quite so adept at making sure the ball gets in Curry's hands.

The solution? Always have the ball in Curry's hands. He's working out at the Skills Academy of noted Davidson supporter LeBron James and playing point guard exclusively.

"Playing against this caliber of competition in drills and games can only help all of us. I have to work on the point guard spot for next year, so I'm playing five-on-five with these kind of guys, working on ball-handling and spacing. Now [with his shooting] I can add a little something to my game."

The move should help Davidson next year. Bryant Barr, an excellent outside shooter, is ready to play more minutes and the loss of Richards and others means Curry will have to carry an even heavier load this season. So long as the added responsibility doesn't wear Curry down completely, it will also help his pro prospects. At 6'1", he'll need to be able to play the point to convince NBA scouts of his bona fides for that level.

Stephen Curry's Plate Getting More Crowded As He Learns to Play the Point originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Wed, 09 Jul 2008 13:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

McKillop Close to Extention at Davidson

Shiloh Carder — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 19:43:00 EST

Filed under: Mid-Majors Basketball, NCAA Basketball Coaches, Charlotte, Davidson Basketball

Davidson head coach Bob McKillop is close to signing a long-term contract with Davidson. Details of the contract aren't yet known, but McKillop did say an announcement would be made soon.

Davidson reached the Elite Eight last year and were a missed three-pointer at the buzzer from downing eventual champion Kansas. On the way to facing Kansas, the Wildcats beat Gonzaga, Georgetown and Wisconsin. The 2008 NCAA Tournament will mostly be remembered for what McKillop's Wildcats did.

This news makes me happy because it is nice to see a coach from a small school stick around once his program gets some notice. Many times, a coach uses an opportunity like that to land a much higher profile (and paying) job. It is hard to blame them since most people who jump at those chances.

Some of you may say that McKillop needs to hug and kiss Stephen Curry for this contract. Maybe, but it wasn't like Davidson was some desolate place before Curry got there.

McKillop took Davidson to three NCAA Tournaments and three NITs in the 13 seasons before Curry arrived. In those seasons, the Wildcats finished in the top three of their SoCon division at the time, including two undefeated conference seasons.

Plus, it is extremely hard to coach an entire team that is built around a superstar and get everyone buying in. Remember Teen Wolf?

McKillop Close to Extention at Davidson originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Tue, 24 Jun 2008 19:43:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Ex-Duquesne Players Sue School, Say It Could Have Prevented Shooting

Michael David Smith — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 12:18:00 EST

Filed under: Mid-Majors Basketball, NCAA Basketball Police Blotter

Two former Duquesne basketball players who were shot on campus in 2006 filed a federal lawsuit against the school today.

The players, Shawn James and Kojo Mensah, say the school was negligent in failing to provide adequate security at the dance where they shot, and in allowing non-students to attend. They also claim that coach Ron Everhart forced them to play before they had completely recovered from their injuries.

Three other Duquesne players were also shot, and one of them, Stuard Baldonado, also sued the school. The shooters, William Holmes III and Derek Lee, both pleaded guilty to five counts of attempted homicide and aggravated assault. Former Duquesne student Brittany Jones, who invited Holmes and Lee to the dance and checked with the doorman beforehand to make sure her guests wouldn't be frisked, pleaded guilty to reckless endangerment.

Ex-Duquesne Players Sue School, Say It Could Have Prevented Shooting originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Mon, 23 Jun 2008 12:18:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Ex-Binghamton Player Hiding in Serbia

Charles Rich — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 00:06:00 EST

Filed under: Mid-Majors Basketball, NCAA Basketball Police Blotter

There's nothing about this story to like. The America Least Blog has been covering the tale of now former Binghamton University Bearcat player Minja Kovacevic reportedly beating a fellow student to near death. Kovacevic had bail posted. Despite reportedly surrendering his passport, the Serbian native apparently got back to Serbia. Now it turns out that the Serbian Consulate in New York had posted his bail.

Don't bother looking for answers about that yet, the Consulate has none.

Serbian Consul General Slobodan Nenadovic said Monday his office is aware of the incident. But the consulate official who handled Kovacevic's bail is out of the New York City office for two weeks. Nenadovic said Monday he was unable to comment until he knows more about the case.

"I don't know what else I can tell you," Nenadovic said.

That's convenient.

So how did a 6-9 man with no passport manage to leave the country? Homeland Security and Immigration have no idea.

"This is not a case that Immigration and Custom Enforcement was involved in at any point," said Michael W. Gilhooley, a spokesman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, a division of Homeland Security.

Yet, they can confirm he left the country. No, nothing about this stinks. Nothing at all.

Believe it or not, the US and Serbia have an extradition treaty and if Kovacevic is "found" in Serbia he can be returned to Broome County, NY. I'm not holding my breath anyone is going to find him. Not with everything that has happened.

Binghamton has announced that Kovacevic's scholarship hasn't been renewed for the 2008-09 school year. Bryan Steinhauer, the student that was beaten remains in the hospital in an unconscious and unresponsive since the beating in the beginning of May.

Ex-Binghamton Player Hiding in Serbia originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Thu, 19 Jun 2008 00:06:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Zags' Pargo, Bama's Steele Both Take Names Out of NBA Draft

Shiloh Carder — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 14:45:00 EST

Filed under: Alabama Basketball, Gonzaga Basketball, SEC Basketball, Mid-Majors Basketball, NBA Prospects

In unsurprising news, Gonzaga's Jeremy Pargo and Alabama's Ronald Steele have taken their names out of the NBA draft and will return to school.

Today is the deadline for underclassmen who still have their eligibility to pull their names out of the draft. UAB's Robert Vaden already has, Joe Alexander, Mario Chalmers and Bill Walker are staying in the draft. Reports also have UNC's Ty Lawson, Wayne Ellington and Danny Green returning to school.

Neither Pargo or Steele were looked at as first round locks ... but were entering into their final collegiate seasons and had nothing to lose by testing the waters. Pargo was projected to be a second round pick had he stayed and got a long of feedback on his game during this process.

Gonzaga should be a top 10-15 team next season.

Steele is a bit more interesting. He is a redshirt senior who missed all of last season with a knee injury and really wanted to just get his name out there. He even worked out for the Charlotte Bobcats this morning before filing the paperwork that took his name out of the draft.

Now Alabama is waiting on work from Richard Hendrix, a junior forward, and his intentions. He, like Steele, has not signed with an agent and has until 5 p.m. ET today to pull his name out of the draft.

Zags' Pargo, Bama's Steele Both Take Names Out of NBA Draft originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Mon, 16 Jun 2008 14:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Expanding MAC Madness to 14

Charles Rich — Thu, 29 May 2008 04:09:00 EST

Filed under: MAC, NCAA FB Rumors, A-10 Basketball, Mid-Majors Basketball, NCAA Basketball Rumors, Temple Football, Western Kentucky Football, Sun Belt

Sure, the Big East may have 16 members in basketball, and the Atlantic 10 has 14 members, but not since the WAC of the 90s has there been a conference with more than 12 teams in 1-A football and basketball. According to Andy Katz at ESPN.com ($), the MAC may be considering a leap to 14 members.

The MAC meetings are going on in Chicago, and according to a coach in attendance, there was more talk about expanding the league to 14 teams with adding Temple (Atlantic 10 for all sports but football) and Western Kentucky (Sun Belt) as full members.

For the MAC, this removes the awkward 13-team football conference with at least an equal number of teams in each division. It also eliminates the very annoying associate member status of Temple as a football-only member. The addition of two schools with strong basketball history provides additional possibilities of finally getting more than one team in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. Something the MAC hasn't had in 10 years.
The move makes sense, yet doesn't for Temple. The last time they were a football-only member of a conference, they eventually received the boot from the Big East. In the MAC, they played football in a conference in which they could participate and be competitive (4-4 last year). Plus, they had already agreed to schedule more basketball games with MAC teams.

At the same time, Temple has long been a member of the Atlantic 10 in its various names and formats, and very much an urban, Eastern basketball school. Couple that with their isolation from the rest of the member schools -- Buffalo is the closest school at 278 miles away -- and it is just an awkward fit. They just don't have as much in common with the rest of the MAC. That will have an impact on the Owls' recruiting for basketball.

The Hilltoppers were planning on going 1-A by 2009. It was assumed they'd simply become part of the Sun Belt Conference where they are a member for nearly every other sport. Moving to the MAC, though, puts them in a tighter geographic region. It also provides better competition in basketball, where Western Kentucky has been very successful. For them, this just looks like a solid fit.

Expanding MAC Madness to 14 originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Thu, 29 May 2008 04:09:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Jarvis Gets Four-Year Deal to Coach FAU

Shiloh Carder — Tue, 27 May 2008 12:47:00 EST

Filed under: Mid-Majors Basketball, NCAA Basketball Coaches

As fellow FanHouser Charles Rich told you nearly ten days ago, Mike Jarvis will become the new basketball coach at Florida Atlantic. FAU is giving Jarvis a four year deal, pending approval from the school's board of trustees.

~~Uncle Phil~~ Jarvis was a controversial choice after some goings on while he headed up St. John's program. That gig was his last (ending just six games into the 2003-2004 season) before taking this job. His final full season ended with St. John's winning the N.I.T. championship.

In his 18+ seasons at St. John's, George Washington and Boston University, he has taken his teams to nine NCAA Tournament appearances and four N.I.T.s. In his first season at St. John's (1998-1999), he took the Red Storm to the Elite Eight, before losing to Ohio State by three in the South Regional finals.

Jarvis is the third coach in a line of "names" to helm the Owls' hoops program. He replaces Rex Walters, a former Kansas standout, who left to become head coach at San Francisco. Walters replaced Matt Doherty in 2006. Doherty left after just one year with the school to take over the SMU head coaching job. Doherty, if you remember, was a National Coach of the Year winner during his controversial stint at North Carolina.

Jarvis Gets Four-Year Deal to Coach FAU originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Tue, 27 May 2008 12:47:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Fullerton-Santa Barbara Should Be Interesting

Adam Papagiorgio — Wed, 21 May 2008 00:20:00 EST

Filed under: Mid-Majors Basketball

Brad Holland is in the Big West again, this time as a No. 1 assistant at UC Santa Barbara. (And as I said last month, watch your back Bob Williams.) This should be a real fun reunion when the former Fullerton coach comes back to Titan Gym this season. The students won't care, but the old-timers will be out in full force.

Now some Titans will likely talk about Holland's cheating and other underhandedness that occurred during his reign of error. Some will point out that Holland was only able to win with Coach Sneed's players (including a senior named Bruce Bowen), and how he failed to move the Titans program forward.

But I am above all of that. Instead, here is how I would like to remember Brad "The Devil" Holland.Holland once came to Cal State Fullerton as an announcer, calling one of the great CS Fullerton/UNLV matches from back in the day. Holland was swept up in the euphoria of a Titans win, with a sold-out Fullerton crowd rushing the floor. This obviously showed Holland that this was a great place to be.

At least for a short time.

He eventually accepted a job at Cal State Fullerton, but never stopped looking for the next big thing. Holland was a star at UCLA and you know that his goal was to one day be the Bruins head coach. Fullerton was just a stepping stone. He joined the Titans and immediately tried to make a lateral move to Nevada.

He finally landed at the University of San Diego, screwing over Fullerton with the late job switch, and eventually became the school's winningest coach. But it was never enough. Not for UCLA to notice, and not enough for him to keep his job. The ultimate status climber, Holland fell off the ladder.

Holland who once had aspirations of coaching at UCLA, couldn't even get a sniff from UC Riverside. Now he has settled for a No.1 assistant job at a school that he no doubt believes is beneath him. That is how I choose to look at Holland. Not as the cheater who had his assistant pay for his player's summer school classes with his credit card. But rather that of an ultimate failure who will never land the dream job that remains out of reach.

Assist: Titan Central

Fullerton-Santa Barbara Should Be Interesting originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Wed, 21 May 2008 00:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

WCC Leaving Big Monday?

Adam Papagiorgio — Tue, 20 May 2008 23:51:00 EST

Filed under: Mid-Majors Basketball, WAC Basketball, WCC Basketball

The West Coast Conference could be saying good bye to ESPN's Big Monday lineup, according to the SpokesmanReview.com. The league is anxious to get back to a traditional Thursday/Saturday schedule, while leaving a troublesome late Monday night start behind.

The rational seems simple enough. The 9 p.m. start means that most East Coast viewers (who complain about the start times of their own games) have long gone to bed. Plus, Tuesday is kind of a lost day for the players, who likely will have trouble getting to bed following a high-energy game. Not to mention teams that have to travel.

So I can see the conference's point of view there. The WCC is made up of small private schools that actually value education. Besides, ESPN is still on the hook to show WCC games on Thursday. But as a fan, having a Big Monday game is a huge deal. Ask any Big West fan and they likely tell you that they miss playing games on Big Monday. No Big West fan ever complained about having to stay up late on a Monday to watch Larry Johnson and crew beat our teams. But heck, we were just state schools.

And that leads to an interesting question, who is going to fill that spot left open by the WCC? The Big West and WAC would likely be happy take that soon vacant spot. Hopefully the commissioners of those conferences are already wooing ESPN right now.

WCC Leaving Big Monday? originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Tue, 20 May 2008 23:51:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Akron Player Arrested After Shooting at Cops

Shiloh Carder — Mon, 19 May 2008 01:01:00 EST

Filed under: Mid-Majors Basketball, NCAA Basketball Police Blotter

Akron basketball player Rydell Brooks was arrested after he was shooting at police officers this weekend.

Akron basketball player Rydell Brooks was arrested early Sunday after shooting at police officers during a foot chase following a traffic stop.

Akron police said the 20-year-old Brooks ran from a car and fired several times as police officers chased him. He was being held in Summit County Jail and faces attempted murder and felonious assault charges.

The officers were not hit and he was in custody after the foot chase. Brooks was born and raised in Akron, OH. He attended Niagara University before transferring to the Zips last June.

Akron Player Arrested After Shooting at Cops originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Mon, 19 May 2008 01:01:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Mike Jarvis Poised to Be FAU's New Coach

Charles Rich — Sun, 18 May 2008 10:53:00 EST

Filed under: Mid-Majors Basketball, NCAA Basketball Coaches, NCAA Basketball Media Watch

The good news is it looks like there will be one less bland, mindless basketball analyst next season. Mike Jarvis, who has been doing color commentary for ESPN Regional Big East games for the past few years looks to be the the next coach at Florida Atlantic University. Presently the negotiations are just getting underway, but it is expected that Jarvis will be announced officially some time in the coming week.

How good it is for college basketball to have another coach with questionable ethics back in coaching is another issue ($).

The end result was there were no red flags in pursuing Jarvis. Jarvis wasn't nailed in the one NCAA issue that arose months after he left St. John's. The only thing that came out of a May 11, 2006 penalty letter was that the "former head men's basketball coach failed to monitor a financial situation of a student-athlete."

"The allegations made were unfounded and I was totally, totally cleared," Jarvis said. "There were things that I was blamed for, things that happened even though I wasn't coaching at St. John's."

The report does state: "that the former director of basketball operations claimed the former men's basketball coach supplied some of the cash during the 1999-2000 academic year but the former head men's basketball coach denied that assertion, and no allegations were made against the former head men's basketball coach by the NCAA enforcement staff related to cash payments, the committee noted in its report."

That's a very sanitized version of things from Andy Katz at ESPN.
After Mike Jarvis was fired from St. John's, Abe Keita, a former St. John's player alleged that he received about $300 a month from St. John's coaches for over 3 years.

The NCAA investigated St. John's and the coaches. Well, as well as the NCAA could with a former player and coach who refused to actually be interviewed. Interestingly enough, Andy Katz's recounting of the incident mentions that Keita didn't cooperate with the NCAA, but made no mention of the fact that Jarvis only sent written responses to the NCAA.

Of course he was. He says he was innocent through carefully crafted written responses to NCAA questions -- and the NCAA, lacking subpoena power, had no choice but to accept Jarvis' explanation.

So of course it was St. John's director of operations Alex Evans who gave former Red Storm player Abe Keita $300 a month -- for 3½ years -- for humanitarian expenses like video games and tip money at strip bars. Including a one-time donation of $2,400 for tuition fees, Keita received almost $10,000 from the St. John's coaching staff.

Evans, the director of basketball operation at St. John's under Mike Jarvis, was the only one nailed by the NCAA. The director of basketball operations is the position on a basketball coaching staff. It is also the lowest paid position.

Evans actually cooperated with the NCAA. He claimed that the money was cash each month and supplied by the coaches including Mike Jarvis. Of course it was cash, and there was no paper trail for the NCAA to follow without any cooperation from Jarvis or the other coaches.

That turned it into a "he said, he said" matter. Jarvis denied even knowing Keita was getting money and wouldn't interview with their investigators. The NCAA couldn't prove anything despite the logic issue of the lowest paid coaching assistant, living in NYC having a spare $300 each month to give to a player. The best the NCAA could do was a slap on the wrist for Jarvis with a "failure to monitor."

That might be part of the reason why Jarvis, despite a solid record and achievements at George Washington, Boston University and St. John's -- including over 350 wins, 9 NCAA Tournament appearances, and a trip to the Elite Eight -- that Jarvis did not even get a sniff from other schools for five years. The NCAA may not have been able to prove anything, but there was too much smoke for schools to ignore.

Mike Jarvis Poised to Be FAU's New Coach originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Sun, 18 May 2008 10:53:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Portland State Players Cleared of Beating a Man in Mexico

Charles Rich — Sat, 17 May 2008 00:15:00 EST

Filed under: Mid-Majors Basketball, NCAA Basketball Police Blotter

It was a salacious story last month. Two players from Portland State were put into a Mexican prison after being accused of beating a man while down in Cabo San Lucas for spring break. Portland State immediately suspended Scott Morrison and Jeremiah Dominguez pending the outcome of the investigation and possible charges.

Then the story disappeared from national attention. Well, it turned out that only days after their arrest, they were quietly released. An investigation yielded no evidence that the two were involved in the incidents and no charges were filed.

The person who was injured, a Michigan resident who was down there on an internship, still maintain it was Morrison who broke his jaw. He and his family are still seeking to have charges brought (if they can find anyone who can corroborate his story) and are looking into a civil action.

In the meantime, Portland State has reinstated the players.

Portland State Players Cleared of Beating a Man in Mexico originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Sat, 17 May 2008 00:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Bob Knight Advises Florida Atlantic's Athletic Director

Charles Rich — Thu, 15 May 2008 23:25:00 EST

Filed under: Mid-Majors Basketball, NCAA Basketball Coaches, NCAA Basketball Media Watch, NCAA Basketball Video

This is fantastic. Bob Knight is at a speaking engagement in Nashville, Tennessee and gets a call on his cell phone. In front of the crowd he starts to have a conversation with Craig Angelos, the Athletic Director at Florida Atlantic University. Knight recommended the hiring of Bob Hipsher -- presently an assistant at South Florida -- as the guy to fill FAU's head coach vacancy.

Obligatory warning, it's Bob Knight speaking off-the-cuff so the language is a touch colorful.

Apparently Knight's advice wasn't taken, as it is being widely rumored that Mike Jarvis will get the job.

Bob Knight Advises Florida Atlantic's Athletic Director originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Thu, 15 May 2008 23:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Tom Crean: Eli Holman's Departure From Indiana Was "Orchestrated"

Josh Alper — Fri, 09 May 2008 17:30:00 EST

Filed under: Indiana Basketball, Big Ten Basketball, Mid-Majors Basketball, NCAA Basketball Coaches

Nothing about Eli Holman's departure from the Indiana basketball team has gone smoothly. His conversation with Tom Crean to inform him of his intention to transfer ended with a call to University security and, now, his intentions are being questioned by his former coach.

Crean believes that Holman lied to him when he said his reason for transferring was so he could return closer to his home in California. He's got good reason to be suspicious. Holman is going to play for Detroit Mercy after sitting out next season and as any cartographer will tell you, that's nowhere near the Golden State. Crean doesn't think it's a coincidence, since UDM's new coach is Ray McCallum who was, until last month, an assistant at Indiana.

"We were led to believe that this was a family decision and that he wanted to get closer to home, but now it doesn't look like that's the way it's going to turn out. I don't think there's any doubt that there was a certain amount of orchestrating going on. It's disappointing -- very disappointing -- on a lot of fronts.''

NCAA rules prohibit contact between a school and a player under scholarship at another program until said player's transfer request is granted. UDM may have to face an inquiry into that but I find Crean's incredulousness a bit, well, incredulous.

Crean's a strange poster boy for ethics in college basketball. Whatever Holman's reason for wanting and however he may have proffered it, didn't Crean do the same thing to Marquette? He was under contract and entertained the solicitations of the Hoosiers without a second thought. That contract didn't mean all that much to him so it's difficult to understand why he thinks a contract should mean that much to others.

It's hard to generate much outrage when a player, whose scholarship can be rescinded by a school at any time, exercises a chance to determine their own future.

Tom Crean: Eli Holman's Departure From Indiana Was "Orchestrated" originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Fri, 09 May 2008 17:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Is Holland an Assistant at UCSB?

Adam Papagiorgio — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 01:57:00 EST

Filed under: Mid-Majors Basketball

There are rumors going around that UC Santa Barbara is close to adding a former Division I head coach to its men's basketball staff. Further speculation has it that the former coach once coached in the Big West conference leading many to believe that the person in question is Brad Holland. The former Cal State Fullerton coach who bolted from the Titans program to go to the University of San Diego back in the 1990s.

And you might remember USD. They were the squad that went to the NCAA tournament under first-year coach Bill Grier after being mired in mediocrity for years under Holland.

This would be a curious move for the Gauchos. Coach Bob Williams certainly should be feeling some heat for his own constant underachieving, so why would he want to add some competition to the bench? Holland showed during his tenure at Fullerton that he was nothing more than a glory loving, status seeker. Holland took the USD job because he felt it would give him the best chance to eventually wind up at UCLA. Williams would be forced to coach while wearing body armor with Holland sitting next to him, lest he get a knife in the back.

Fullerton fans, of course, would welcome Holland back to Titan Gym each season to let them know how they still feel about him. Holland's departure was ages and an NCAA tournament ago, but the Titans logo is an elephant. And you know the kind of memory elephants have.

Assist: The scoundrels over at the UCSB board.

Is Holland an Assistant at UCSB? originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Tue, 29 Apr 2008 01:57:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Alabama State's Deshean Porchea Collapses and Dies After Pickup Game

Shiloh Carder — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 20:17:00 EST

Filed under: Mid-Majors Basketball

Alabama State University is mourning the loss of one of their basketball players. Deshean Porchea collapsed and died moments after a pickup game on campus.

"Our campus is shocked and saddened by Deshean's sudden passing, and our hearts and prayers go out to his family and friends," said ASU President Joe A. Lee. "Deshean will be remembered for his tremendous intensity and friendly personality, both as an athlete and as a student. He will be deeply missed."

Porchea was just finished playing a pickup game when he walked off the court and suddenly collapsed. He was taken to a local hospital where attempts to revive him failed. He was pronounced dead at 4:27pm. There will be an autopsy to find the cause of death.

He was just 19 years old.

Porchea was a reserve sophomore guard for the SWAC regular season champions. He averaged just 2.1 points per game as primarily a three point shooter (28 of his 41 attempts were from behind the arc).

Alabama State's Deshean Porchea Collapses and Dies After Pickup Game originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Thu, 24 Apr 2008 20:17:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Arizona State Assistant Mark Phelps Is New Drake Head Coach

Josh Alper — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Mid-Majors Basketball, NCAA Basketball Coaches, MVC Basketball

With Keno Davis off to Providence after one wildly successful season as the Bulldogs head coach, Drake had to find someone to try and ensure it would be less than 37 years before their next NCAA Tournament appearance. They've settled on Mark Phelps, an assistant under Herb Sendek at Arizona State and North Carolina State for the last dozen seasons.

Phelps has never been a college head coach and has no ties to the Midwest but there are reasons to believe he'll succeed at Drake. He's been a top-flight recruiter domestically and abroad, the latter being a place Drake can exploit to get talented players who might not consider the school if they were from Chicago. In addition, two former Sendek assistants have done a fine job since leaving his bench. Thad Matta and Sean Miller have both won big so it's a decent bet on pedigree by the Bulldogs.

He's inheriting two solid players in Josh Young and Jonathan Cox and a program that's gained some name recognition thanks to their conference title. He should be able to recruit better players because of that and will need to since the Bulldogs are losing about half their scoring and assists from this season. The biggest loss is Adam Emmenecker, the MVC Player of the Year, who ran the point with aplomb last season. Replacing him will be quite tough and how well Phelps does it will help determine Drake's chances in the MVC and beyond in 2008-09.

Arizona State Assistant Mark Phelps Is New Drake Head Coach originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Mon, 21 Apr 2008 13:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Senderoff Starts Over at Kent State

Charles Rich — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 23:43:00 EST

Filed under: Indiana Basketball, Big Ten Basketball, Mid-Majors Basketball

When the Indiana chapter of "Kelvin Sampson, compulsive cell phone abuser" was first serialized in October, Rob Senderoff was the first sacrifice. The Indiana assistant coach took the fall for the 3-way calls with recruits that broke the NCAA restrictions on Sampson. Senderoff was also the assistant to win the award for most phone calls over the NCAA mandated maximum. Rob Senderoff took the fall. He may face further NCAA sanctions when Sampson and Indiana appear before the NCAA's show cause hearing in June.

What Rob Senderoff didn't do, however, was go against Sampson or Indiana. He took the termination quietly and remained silent even when it looks as though Indiana and Sampson will likely try to pin much of the blame on Senderoff.

That kind of loyalty by an assistant gets rewarded. Even if potential penalties loom. Senderoff was hired as an assistant at Kent State. The school where Senderoff was an assistant for 4 years prior to being hired by Sampson at Indiana.

What kind of an assistant Senderoff will be, depends on that hearing in June.

The Feb. 8 NCAA report accused Senderoff of providing "false or misleading information" to the NCAA and failing to abide by its expected ethical standards for honesty.

"I've learned a lot from my mistakes," Senderoff said, "and I'm looking forward to moving on to the next chapter."

Indiana will have a hearing in front of the NCAA's infractions committee in June, and Senderoff said he will take part. Sampson and IU officials will also be present.

Senderoff will likely have recruiting -- and especially phone -- restrictions placed on him after the hearings. In a worst case scenario he will have a "show cause" penalty which will require Kent State to petition the NCAA to allow him to be an assistant.

Senderoff Starts Over at Kent State originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Wed, 16 Apr 2008 23:43:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Fullerton's Akognon Vague About Future

Adam Papagiorgio — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 01:46:00 EST

Filed under: Mid-Majors Basketball

Cal State Fullerton's standout guard, Josh Akognon was interviewed prior to Tuesday night's Lakers game on CBS 2 in Los Angeles. This was your typical fluff interview with an inexperienced reporter asking some softball questions. Akgonon, however, did say that he was going to Texas to work out with some NBA guys, leading some to believe that he will be testing the league's interest.

But there is no need to panic, as fans on the team's message board are starting to do. Akognon is doing what any top-flight college player should do and test the waters. Former Fullerton guard Bobby Brown did the same thing following his junior season. This is what players do.

Odds are that Akognon will likely return to Cal State Fullerton for his senior season. Though, he does have the option of playing overseas, too. Akognon would be the odds-on favorite for Big West player of the year in 2009 and he would probably have a chance at All-America honors, too. Teammate Scott Cutley was an honorable mention All-America this season, and Akognon would have been too, but that would have made him a lock for a preseason All-America mention. And you know that the voters wouldn't give a school like CSF that honor so they opted by the senior Cutley instead. (That's not a knock on Cutley, but rather the truth.)

Akognon should continue to work with NBA players, improve his game and come back for a possible stellar senior season at Cal State Fullerton.

Assist: Titan Central

Fullerton's Akognon Vague About Future originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Wed, 16 Apr 2008 01:46:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Walters, Welcome to the USF Circus

Adam Papagiorgio — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 01:50:00 EST

Filed under: Gonzaga Basketball, Mid-Majors Basketball

Rex Walters has been hired as the men's basketball coach at the University of San Francisco, trying to add some stability to the shaky program on the hill. Walters is the first Dons coach in three months.

The school fired Jessie Evans last month after he was forced to take a leave of absence in December. Evans has responded by suing the school. Evans was owed almost $600,000 for the final two remaining years on his contract and will be seeking that along with other damages.

The school hired Eddie Sutton on a pure publicity stunt, aimed at getting the coach career win 800 while sitting on the Dons bench. And that's about all he did as USF was a non-factor in the West Coast Conference this season.

Athletic Director Debra Gore-Mann seems to be skating on thin ice. And let's not forget about the facilities. USF is way behind conference leaders Gonzaga and San Diego in terms of an arena. Although St. Mary's proved that you can still win in dimly lit gyms.

Seems like a dream job, right? Walters should give some stability to the situation. Or so you would think.

Let's be honest, Walters didn't really do that much at Florida Atlantic and his eagerness to jump over to the WCC smacks of a status-climber. The kind of guy who is looking at USF as a stepping-stone job. Though, if he played his cards right, he could really make a name for himself with the Dons.

But he had better be careful. Walters had a 31-33 record with the Owls, not the kind of success that jumps off a resume. The only thing that he proved is that he can be a below average coach with somebody else's recruits. That kind of stuff might have flown at Florida Atlantic, but that won't do you any good at USF.

The Dons fired a relatively successful coach, Phil Mathews, after his teams continually finished in the middle of the pack. San Diego made a bold (and much needed) move by canning Brad Holland and replacing him with Bill Grier because he could never seem to get over the hump.

Walters is going to be expected to come in and compete against some good coaches and three teams that qualified for the NCAA tournament this season. If Walters is looking to make his next career move, he might want to win some games quickly because he is not going to get much rope. But he is saying the right things right now.

"Since third grade and on, this is where I made my home," he said. "I've always wanted to get back here, desperately. USF, it's a national name and we need to be national basketball program and the challenge of that really excited me."

Remember to clip and save that quote just in case he is applying for the Cal or Stanford job in a couple of years.

Walters, Welcome to the USF Circus originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Tue, 15 Apr 2008 01:50:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments