The Morning Mix

By Troy MachirJan 16, 2013, 8:00 AM EST

Marshall Henderson. Get familiar with that name because you will be seeing it a lot in the coming months. Well, if you’re a daily reader to the site, then you’ve already seen it a lot, because College Basketball Talk has been driving the Marshall Henderson bandwagon all season long.

Now, lets hit the links.

Tuesday’s Top Games:
7:00 p.m. – Richmond @ No. 13 Butler
7:00 p.m. – No. 14 North Carolina State @ Maryland
7:00 p.m. – No. 18 Michigan State @ Penn State
7:00 p.m. – Pittsburgh @ Villanova
7:00 p.m. – Dayton @ La Salle
8:00 p.m. – Xavier @ St. Bonaventure’s
8:00 p.m. – Illinois State @ Wichita State
8:00 p.m. – Georgia @ No. 17 Missouri
9:00 p.m. – No. 18 New Mexico @ Boise State
9:00 p.m. – Seton Hall @ No. 25 Marquette
9:00 p.m. – No. 16 Kansas State @ TCU
9:00 p.m. – Air Force @ Colorado State
9:00 p.m. – West Virginia @ Iowa State
10:00 p.m. – UNLV at No. 15 San Diego State
10:00 p.m. – Wyoming @ Fresno State
11:00 p.m. – Saint Mary’s @ BYU
11:30 p.m. – Colorado @ Washington

Read of the Day:
A great story about how an increase in the number of court cases the NCAA deals with could impact their image. It’s wordy, but worth your read. (Associated Press)

Read of the Day:
Andy Glockner’s “Bubble Watch” is the only “Bubble Watch” you need to read. Read it. (Sports Illustrated)

Top Stories:
Marshall Henderson hits 35-footer to force OT in Ole Miss’ comeback win over Vandy: The Rebels avoided an ugly loss to Vanderbilt thanks to a 35-foot buzzer-beater from sharpshooter Marshall Henderson which sent the game in to overtime. Ole Miss gained momentum in the extra frame and never looked back.

Wisconsin knocks off No. 2 Indiana, so why did we question Bo Ryan? For the 11th consecutive time, Wisconsin has beaten Indiana, with Tuesday’s win coming as the unranked Badgers went into Assembly Hall and knocked off No. 2 Indiana, 64-59. All of a sudden, in the loaded Big Ten, the Badgers are sitting alone atop the league standings at 4-0.

Kyle Wiltjer helps Kentucky outlast Tennessee to get bounce-back win: The Wildcats avoided back-to-back home losses by gutting out a tough victory over Tennessee thanks in large part to the play of sophomore Kyle Wiltjer.

St. John’s beat No. 20 Notre Dame while Jack Cooley watches? The Irish lost their second straight game to an unranked opponent on Tuesday night, and they did so with their best player watching a good portion of it from the bench. But why?

Coach K bashes realignment again, calls it an ‘assault on tradition’: Coach K has been an outspoken critic of realignment, and on his Sirius XM radio show this week he specifically criticized realignment for breaking the bonds of geographical rivalries and eliminating one of the unique competitive advantages of the sport.

If Duke loses on the road, you can bet fans are storming the court: An analysis by the Wall Street Journal found that Duke has lost 31 true road games over the past 10 seasons. Of those 31 losses, 25 times the fans of the opposing team stormed the court in celebration (80.6 percent of the time), most recently Saturday against NC State.

Report: Luke Martinez kicked an unconscious man in the head: Luke Martinez, the Wyoming forward that was suspended for his involvement in a bar fight that resulted in a broken hand, was arraigned on Tuesday.He was charged with aggravated assault and battery, and the details of the brawl were also made public. The details are pretty ugly.

Hoops Housekeeping
– Bill Self has been selected as a member of this newest class of inductees for the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame. (KUSports.com)

– Cal head coach Mike Montgomery expects guard Brandon Smith to return to the lineup this weekend after being sidelined for fives games due to a concussion. (Bear Talk)

– Kansas guard Ben McLemore has a sore ankle but isn’t expected to miss any games after injuring it in the closing minutes of the Jayhawks’s win over Baylor on Monday (KUsports.com)

– UMass junior guard Jesse Morgan will miss the rest of the season due to an ACL injury he suffered during the Minutemen’s 70-62 loss at Saint Louis on Monday. (ESPN Boston)

– Alabama’s Trevor Releford may miss the Crimson tide’s game tonight at Mississippi State because of an ankle injury. (The Sporting News)

Observations & Insight:
– Ole Miss and Vanderbilt put on arguably the best ending to regulation that we’ve seen all year. (USA Today)

– This isn’t necessarily surprising, but seeing it in writing is always kinda interesting: Division I schools spend more on athletics than education. (USA Today)

– We really shouldn’t be too surprised that Wisconsin beat Indiana last night. This is kinda their thing. They get down early in the season, people forget about them, and BOOM, they rally off a couple of top-25 wins in a row and make the tournament. That’s Bo Ryan for ya. (ESPN)

– Doug Gottlieb provides five reasons why Wisconsin still has Indiana’s number (CBS Sports)

– Ryan Evans is in one heckuva shooting slump. Those of you who watched the Wisconsin/Indiana game last night saw it first-hand. Ken Pomeroy provides the gory statistics. (KenPom Blog)

– Illinois State is 0-5 in the Missouri Valley Conference. Nobody saw this coming. Not us and not them. They are hoping they can fix it. (Omaha World-Herald)

– San Diego State has never really had a true rival on the hardwood. But their recent series with UNLV could change that. So could conference realignment. (San Diego Union-Tribune)

– Doug McDermott scored 21 of his 31 points in the second half as the Creighton Bluejays extended their winning streak to 11 games with a 79-68 win over Northern Iowa (Fox Sports)

– Butler will have to re-tool some of its offense to make up for the absence of Rotnei Clarke for the next two games. (Indianapolis Star)

– Is there such a thing as “an encouraging loss”? If there is, James Madison had one last night against George Mason (JMU Sports Blog)

– As expected, Texas A&M’s Elston Turner was named as the Oscar Robertson Player of the Week. That’s what happens when you score 41 points at Rupp Arena. (USBWA)

– Here’s some interesting discussion on whether or not Oklahoma State sophomore Le’Bryan Nash is a “spectacular athlete”. (Pistols Firing)

Picture of the Night:
We have to commend this Tennessee student, who somehow got himself a ticket to Rupp Arena and a spot in the Kentucky student section. This kid has some serious brass. (H/T @Vols_Photos)

Video of the Night:
Marshall Henderson drills a 30-footer to force overtime against Vanderbilt.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hx3s5tDfNLE%5D

Henderson wasn’t the only one jacked up about the Rebels’ huge road win. (The Mock Session)

Dunk: of the Day:
Victor Oladipo is usually the one doing the posterizing. But this time around, it was Wisconsin’s Jared Berggren posterizing Oladipo.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbwpBImJrwM%5D

Do you like the new Morning Mix? Hate it? Have a suggestion or want something featured? Troy Machir will take all your praise, insults and inquiries via Twitter (@TroyMachir)

Ed Cooley takes over at Georgetown with lofty aspirations

Associated PressMar 22, 2023, 6:03 PM EDT

Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images

WASHINGTON – Ed Cooley’s task at Georgetown is to bring a once-storied program back to prominence in a competitive conference that has three teams still part of March Madness in the Sweet 16.

Cooley’s lofty aspirations go beyond lifting the Hoyas up from the bottom of the Big East Conference. After leaving Providence, which he took to the NCAA Tournament seven times in 12 years, he already is talking about trying to coach Georgetown to its first championship since 1984.

At his introductory news conference Wednesday that felt like a pep rally, Cooley said he wanted current and former players to envision cutting down nets and watching “One Shining Moment” with the nets hanging around their necks. He promised wins – many of them – and plotted a path forward that he knows will involve some tough times.

“It’s a process, and the process now, because you have a changing landscape in athletics, you’ll have an opportunity to probably move it quicker than you would have 10, 20 years ago,” Cooley said. “We’re going to lose some games. It’s OK. Losing’s part of growth. But over the course of time, it will pay off.”

Georgetown has lost a lot the past couple of years under Patrick Ewing, who was fired earlier this month after six seasons. The team went 7-25 this season after going 6-25 last season and lost 37 of 39 games in Big East play.

While Cooley at Providence was responsible for four of those defeats, the 53-year-old distanced himself from Georgetown’s recent run of losing.

“I don’t have anything to do what happened yesterday,” he said. “My job is to move us forward from today.”

Cooley’s mere presence is an acknowledgement that Georgetown needed a major change to become relevant again. After late Hall of Fame coach John Thompson’s 27-year-old run led to longtime assistant Craig Esherick succeeding him and then son John Thompson III and Ewing getting the head job, Cooley is the school’s first outsider in the position in a half-century.

His only connection to the Hilltop – beyond coaching in the Big East – is his daughter, Olivia, attending Georgetown. Cooley, a Providence native, said her desire to live in the Washington area played into his decision to leave for a conference rival.

It was certainly no accident that athletic director Lee Reed and school president John J. DeGioia used phrases like “new era” and “new chapter” when discussing Cooley. DeGioia said he believes Cooley will “uplift and restore this team” to compete at the highest levels of the sport.

“He has a proven record of success,” Reed said. “We knew we needed a leader, someone who understood our identity and could reimagine Georgetown basketball to fit today’s unique basketball landscape.”

That landscape, including players being able to profit off the use of their name, image and likeness (NIL) and more easily transfer schools, are the biggest changes Cooley has seen since landing his first head job at Fairfield in 2006. He expects to be aggressive, and given the high volume of Georgetown players coming and going via the transfer portal, could rebuild the roster in his image sooner rather than later.

“You have to find student-athletes that fit the way you want to play, your style of play, that fit you as a coach,” Cooley said. “We need to find players that can play for me that can attend Georgetown, not the other way around.”

Cooley acknowledged that some luck is needed but also stressed recruiting local talent to keep the best players in the region around. That’s just one building block to putting Georgetown back on the map, which Cooley wants the time and latitude to do.

“The word patience is always hard because everybody wants it and they want it right now,” he said. “Everybody wants it right now. Have a little bit of patience.”

Texas’ Arterio Morris plays amid misdemeanor domestic violence case

Associated PressMar 22, 2023, 12:56 PM EDT

Amy Kontras-USA TODAY Sports

AUSTIN, Texas — In a season when Texas fired coach Chris Beard after a felony domestic violence arrest, it has allowed a reserve guard to keep playing while he awaits trial on a misdemeanor charge of assaulting an ex-girlfriend.

Second-seed Texas has advanced under interim coach Rodney Terry to the program’s first Sweet 16 since 2008, and the Longhorns play No. 3 Xavier in Kansas City, Missouri.

Arterio Morris, a freshman who was one of the top recruits in the country last year, was initially scheduled to stand trial March 29, three days before Final Four weekend. Denton County prosecutors were granted a delay to an unspecified date.

Beard was fired Jan. 5, about three weeks after he was arrested on suspicion of a felony charge of choking his fiancée in a fight during which she also told police he bit, and hit her. She later recanted the choking allegation and the Travis County district attorney dismissed the case, saying prosecutors were following her wishes not to got to trial and that the charge could not be proved beyond a reasonable doubt.

Morris is charged with Class A misdemeanor assault causing bodily injury to a family member, which in Texas includes dating relationships. It stems from a June 2022 confrontation in the Dallas suburb of Frisco. The charge carries penalties ranging from probation and fines to up to a year in jail if convicted.

Morris’ attorney, Justin Moore, said the charges against Beard and the player are different.

“(Beard) was charged with a felony family assault,” Moore said. “That was far more serious as to what Arterio was alleged to have to committed. We maintain Arterio’s innocence.”

According to police, the ex-girlfriend said Morris grabbed her arm and pulled her off a bed, and later pulled the front of her sports bra, causing an injury to her neck and shoulder area. Police reported seeing a sizable bruise or scratch.

Texas officials declined comment. Beard said before the season that school officials he would not identify determined the freshman could play this season.

Moore defended Texas officials’ decision to not suspend Morris.

“I do believe Texas has taken this seriously. They’ve also allowed Arterio to enjoy his due process rights,” Moore said.

Morris has played in all 36 games this season, although his minutes and have been limited on a senior-dominated team. He averages nearly 12 minutes and 4.7 points per game. His biggest moment was a soaring alley-oop dunk against Kansas in the Big 12 Tournament championship game.

Attempts to reach Morris’ ex-girlfriend through family members were not successful. According to online records, prosecutors sought the trial delay to “procure witness availability.” Prosecutor Jamie Beck did not immediately return messages.

Wichita State hires ORU’s Paul Mills to lead program

Associated PressMar 22, 2023, 12:52 PM EDT

Russell Lansford-USA TODAY Sports

Wichita State hired Paul Mills away from Oral Roberts to turn around its languishing men’s basketball program, landing what has been one of the hottest names among mid-major coaches.

The 50-year-old Mills led the the Golden Eagles to two of the past three NCAA Tournaments, engineering upsets of Ohio State and Florida as a No. 15 seed in 2021 before going 30-5 this past season and losing to Duke as a No. 5 seed.

He replaces Isaac Brown, who was fired after three seasons as the Shockers slowly slipped toward mediocrity.

“My family and I are extremely excited about being a part of Wichita State,” said Mills, who will be introduced during a news conference Thursday at Charles Koch Arena. “The rich history, winning tradition and unbelievable community support will keep us working on behalf of the greatest fans in all of college basketball.”

Mills got his break in coaching when he joined Scott Drew’s first staff at Baylor in 2003, working alongside future Kansas State coach Jerome Tang in helping to turn around a program that had been mired in controversy. Mills stayed for 14 years, helping to reach seven NCAA Tournaments, before replacing Scott Sutton at Oral Roberts before the 2017 season.

“I absolutely love Paul Mills. He’s like a brother to me. So happy for him and his family, for Wendy and the girls,” said Tang, who has Kansas State playing Michigan State in the Sweet 16 on Thursday night. “He’s going to be incredible because he is passionate about young people and about developing young men.

“There’s no throttle, like, hold-back governor on him in terms of love and what he pours into his guys.”

Mills went just 11-21 each of his first two seasons in Tulsa, but the seeds of a turnaround had been planted, and the Golden Eagles have not had a losing season since. The biggest step came two years ago, when Mills led Oral Roberts to the Sweet 16 of an NCAA Tournament played entirely within an Indianapolis “bubble environment” because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Golden Eagles slipped to 19-12 the following year before winning 30 games and the Summit League title this past season, when they were led by high-scoring guard Max Abmas, an honorable mention All-American selection.

“He’s the one that told me, he said, ‘Tang, 10s hangs with 10s and one hangs with ones,’” Tang said, “and he’s a 10 and he’s going to have some 10s around him.”

The hiring of Mills comes as the Shockers try to position themselves at the forefront of a new-look American Athletic Conference. Perennial powerhouse Houston is joining Central Florida and Cincinnati in leaving for the Big 12 after this season, and six new schools are due to arrive from Conference USA for the start of next season.

Wichita State, a power under Ralph Miller and Gene Smithson in the 1960s, returned to prominence when Mark Turgeon took over in 2000. But it was under Gregg Marshall, who resigned in November 2020 amid allegations of verbal and physical abuse of players, that it began to soar. The Shockers advanced to the Final Four in 2013, finished the regular season unbeaten the following year and at one point went to seven consecutive NCAA Tournaments.

Brown, who was Marshall’s top recruiter, led them back to the NCAA Tournament in his first year. But the Shockers were just 15-13 last year and 17-15 this past season, leading Saal to decide that a coaching change was necessary.

Turns out the answer Saal was looking for was just a few hours south at Oral Roberts.

“Paul Mills’ heart for people, passion for life and approach to the development of young people and programs is energizing,” Wichita State athletic director Kevin Saal said in a statement. “He aligns with Shocker Athletics’ core values, facilitates a first-class student-athlete experience and fuels broad-based competitive excellence.”

Arizona State extends Bobby Hurley through 2025-26 season

Associated PressMar 22, 2023, 12:02 AM EDT

Getty Images

TEMPE, Ariz. — Arizona State agreed to a contract extension with head coach Bobby Hurley that runs through the 2025-26 season.

The deal announced on Tuesday is subject to approval by the Arizona Board of Regents. Hurley’s previous contract was set to expire after next season.

“Coach Hurley has made our program relevant nationally with many significant wins and an exciting style, along with a firm commitment to the academic success of our student-athletes,” Arizona State athletic director Ray Anderson said in a statement. “He has made it clear to us that he wants to be here and we have done likewise with him. We share a strong confidence in the present and future state of Sun Devil men’s basketball.”

Hurley led the Sun Devils to 23 wins this season and their third trip to the NCAA Tournament the last five times it has been played. Arizona State beat Nevada in the First Four before losing to Texas Christian on a last-second shot last Friday.

The Sun Devils have won at least 20 games four of the past six seasons. They are 141-113 in eight seasons under Hurley.

Mark Campbell new TCU women’s coach after taking Sacramento State to NCAA

Associated PressMar 22, 2023, 12:00 AM EDT

Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports

FORT WORTH, Texas – Mark Campbell was hired as TCU’s women’s basketball coach after the former Oregon assistant took Sacramento State to its first NCAA Tournament in an impressive and quick turnaround.

Sacramento State was coming off a 3-22 season when Campbell was hired two years ago. The Hornets won 14 games in Campbell’s first season, and then made another 11-win improvement this season while finishing 25-8 with Big Sky regular-season and tournament championships.

During his seven seasons on Oregon’s staff before that, the Ducks had some of the nation’s top recruiting classes. That included Campbell recruiting Sabrina Ionescu, who became the AP player of the year in 2020 before she was the first overall pick in the WNBA draft.

Campbell replaces Raegan Pebley, who stepped down after nine seasons as TCU’s coach with a 141-138 record. The Horned Frogs were 8-23 this season, including 1-17 in Big 12 play during the regular season.

TCU athletic director Jeremiah Donati described Campbell as an elite recruiter and program builder.

“Similar to his success at Sacramento State, he was instrumental in Oregon quickly becoming one of the nation’s most successful programs, reaching their first NCAA Elite Eight and then Final Four,” Donati said.

The Frogs haven’t been to the NCAA Tournament since 2010. That was their ninth NCAA appearance, all coming in a 10-season span without making it past the second round.