Skirting the rules (Sports on Earth)
Recruiting obviously has a major impact on college basketball, with the nation’s top recruits making their decisions on national television and a number of games at the high school/grassroots level being televised. And with the way recruiting goes these days there have been plenty of accusations, either directly or indirectly, of cheating. So why have rules regulating it?
Meet Kansas’ Joel Embiid, a Cameroon native blossoming into a top NBA prospect (Bleacher Report)
Andrew Wiggins isn’t the only productive freshman on Kansas’ roster, with Frank Mason, Wayne Selden and Brannen Greene also factoring into the rotation. And there’s also center Joel Embiid, whose upside has turned many NBA executives into fans at this early point in the season.
“Package deal” for former Cooper star Vaughn draws scrutiny (Minneapolis Star Tribune)
When package deals are discussed these days, more often than not the conversation is about two players committing to the same school. But in the case of five-star 2014 prospect Rashad Vaughn, his move to Findlay Prep along with assistant coach/mentor Pete Kaffey has raised eyebrows in Minneapolis.
The Jumper (Slam Magazine)
We don’t discuss too much women’s basketball on here, so the name Maggie Lucas likely isn’t a familiar one. But the Penn State senior guard is one of the nation’s best players, and she’s the leader of a team that plays six freshmen and hopes to make a run at the Big Ten title.
The magic of negative motivation (Ken Pomeroy)
Southern Illinois head coach Barry Hinson made some headlines late Tuesday with his remarks following a loss at Murray State. Many laughed and even applauded the coach for making those statements. With this being the case, do we tend to give coaches the benefit of the doubt in these situations? It’s definitely something to consider.
Thoughts on the freshman hype and how it’s been covered (NBA Draft Blog)
The top freshmen have received a lot of attention this season, be it at the college level or in the professional ranks with many noting which teams may be tanking for a better shot at the top pick. But the hype may be a case of “too much, too soon,” as the cart is being put before the horse so to speak.
Jump hook proving an extremely effective weapon for Niang (Ames Tribune)
Iowa State sophomore forward Georges Niang has been highly productive this season, posting averages of 14.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game. And he has a weapon of choice on the block as well, with the jump hook proving to be a skill few opponents have been able to stop.
Bruins’ basketball success seems like ancient pyramid history (Los Angeles Times)
Of the 11 national titles won by UCLA just one came after John Wooden’s tenure came to an end, with Jim Harrick’s 1994-95 team winning the program’s last national title. And in a program that only hangs one kind of banner, getting back to those heights is something fans demand. Enter Steve Alford, who’s looking to return the Bruins to the top of college basketball.
Chaz Williams plays for past, future (ESPN)
UMass senior point guard Chaz Williams is one of the most exciting players in college basketball, leading the way for a program that’s ranked for the first time since 1998. And he’s got two sources of inspiration as he looks to help the Minutemen return to the NCAA tournament, his late father and his young daughter.