10 Mid-Major forwards and centers to watch in 2012-13--
Run The Floor
5. Ryan Broekhoff - Valparaiso
The Aussie is a 3-point specialist who can also do work on the interior. He took roughly half his shots from beyond the arc (making 39%), made 60% of his 2s, rarely turned the ball over, made it to the line 4.5 times a game, and played 81% of the team's minutes.
...
10. Alec Brown - Wisconsin Green Bay
The 7-1 stick thin Brown makes this list due to his rebounding and shot blocking. He was elite in both those categories, and while he only shot 47% from the field, he did make over 77% of his free throws.
Ranking the Unranked--
Basketball Prospectus
7. Anton Grady, Cleveland State (MM+)
A Cleveland product who stayed home, Grady led the Horizon league in defensive rebounding rate and was an effective scorer in the post. He ranked in the top 10 nationally in block rate among freshmen. Foul problems kept him from demonstrating it in the counting stats, but he was as good a scorer as the Vikings had (no small accomplishment) and he crashed the glass and played great interior defense.
Celtics beat Heat 93-91 in OT, tie series at 2-2--
Miami Herald
It was down to 73-68 after three, and the Heat tied it for the first time when James' layup made it 74-all with 8:54 remaining. Norris Cole's layup on the next possession gave Miami the lead for the first time and it stayed tight from there.
Miami Heat narrowly falls to the Boston Celtics in OT, series tied 2-2--
Miami Herald
A 13-1 run by the Heat spanning the third and four quarters sliced the Celtics lead to nothing. With 8:45 remaining in the game, the Heat tied the game for the first time since the opening tip. The Celtics called a timeout but its offense continued to sputter. Meanwhile, the Heat got a boost from an unlikely source, Norris Cole.
With Mario Chalmers in foul trouble, Cole entered the game with less than five minutes to play in the third quarter. He gave the Heat its first lead of the game with 8:23 left and then put the Heat ahead 78-76 with 7:41 left in the game.
Miami Heat taking shots for last-second misses--
Miami Herald
• Spoelstra said not using Miller in the second half of Game 4 was a “lineup decision” and unrelated to Miller’s back issues. Spoelstra opted instead for more of Norris Cole, “who gave us some good minutes,” and Jones. Spoelstra said Miller will play in Game 5.
Boston takes 3-2 lead as Miami Heat falls to Celtics--
Miami Herald
Bosh made and immediate impact, scoring nine points and grabbing six rebounds in 10 minutes in the first half. His driving layup off a pick and roll from Norris Cole got the crowd going. Bosh drew a foul and converted the basket before jackknifing both arms high over his head and swing them down in celebration. Screaming into the stands, Bosh’s recognizable wide mouth reminded everyone at AmericanAirlines Arena of his importance to the team.
Little things add up in Boston Celtics’ Game 5 win over Miami Heat--
Miami Herald
But at the start of the fourth, it was the Heat who made the first big little play. Heat guard Norris Cole’s stat line included zeros in field goals made, free throws taken and points early in the fourth quarter when Heat guard James Jones lost the ball with the Heat down 70-67. Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo scooped up the ball and raced off toward a fast break layup.
But Cole chased down Rondo and did a little George Teague-on-Lamar Thomas thievery. A U-turn with the ball and Cole began a possession that ended with a Dwyane Wade rebound layup.
That ignited an 11-2 run that seemed to be rolling toward a 3-2 series lead, with the Heat up 78-72.
Two Vikings have off-season surgery--
Cleveland State Hoops
Andrew Crane Named To Women's Basketball Staff--
csuvikings.com
Titans Get It Done In The Classroom In 2012--
detroittitans.com
Titan Men's Basketball Camps Sold Out--
detroittitans.com
Coach McCallum Runner-Up In "Shots from the Heart"--
detroittitans.com
UIC to play New Mexico in Paradise Jam--
The Chicago Tribune
UIC to Compete in 2012 Paradise Jam in US Virgin Islands--
uicflames.com
Miller Completes Elite Coaching Excellence Course--
uicflames.com
New Rule Puts Phoenix Back in the Gym--
GreenBayPhoenix.com
Could Horizon be mid-major superconference?--
PantherU
Panthers Add State Prep Standout To Roster For Next Season--
uwmpanthers.com
10 coaches who could really play, too--
College Basketball Nation Blog
Bryce Drew (coach: Valparaiso; player: Valparaiso): No historical introductions needed here. If you've ever seen more than a few minutes of the NCAA tournament, you've seen Bryce Drew's legendary shot, simply known as "The Shot," because it needs no further clarification. But Drew was far from a one-trick college hoops pony. He also led Valpo to three straight Mid-Continent regular-season and conference tournament titles. When he returned to take over his father Homer Drew's program last season, he arrived as the school's all-time leader in points, assists and 3-point field goals. The dude could always cook.
Capobianco on Trip to East Asia With U.S. Eagles--
valpoathletics.com
Butler scrambles to make early jump to Atlantic 10--
Kansas City Star
Butler President James Danko and athletic director Barry Collier informed Horizon League officials on May 2 that the conference’s best-known school and one of its longest-tenured members would leave for the A-10 after making a farewell tour next season.
What changed?
Perhaps it was the reaction Butler expected to face during next season’s road trips.
"Actually we talked a little about that and we didn’t know how it would turn out," said guard Rotnei Clarke, who played at Arkansas but sat out last season because of NCAA transfer rules. "We figured the crowds would give us a little bit of something, that maybe it would be a little more amped up than it normally is. We also know there are going to be a lot of great atmospheres in the Atlantic 10."
Or maybe it was the reaction from the Horizon League presidents. CBSSports.com reported that the presidents wanted to make Butler’s teams ineligible for all league tournament titles, which would have kept Butler men’s basketball team from having a chance to seek an automatic NCAA tourney bid.
Stevens said he didn’t know if that was true. Collier declined to comment on the report, citing an agreement with the Horizon League that allows Butler to leave the conference immediately. League officials have repeatedly said the agreement does not allow them to discuss Butler’s impending departure, either.
Whatever occurred, it expedited the move.
"We did announce we were leaving in 2013-14 and now we’re going a year early," Collier said. "But once people have their destination, they usually don’t mind getting there a little sooner."
Butler’s early move will force the conference to reduce the league schedule from 18 games to 16, giving each team two new open dates. Conference spokesman Bill Benner said he is not aware of any league mandate that would prohibit a Horizon League school from scheduling Butler.
The simplest solution might be adding a 10th member this summer. Don’t count on it.
"I think it would be fairly unlikely, if not fully unlikely, to add a team or teams that soon," Benner said.
...
"Like I said, the Horizon League deserves credit because it’s a lot better league than people think," Clarke said. "But I think the Atlantic 10 will give us a better chance to get there (NCAA tourney), and it will give us more exposure, too."
Butler's early departure may not mean anything for Oakland--
Grizzlies Den
Waters To Speak At ACE Program--
csuvikings.com
Loyola Names Lindsay Schrader Assistant Women's Basketball Coach--
LoyolaRamblers.com
Women's basketball: Illinois to pay Bollant $330,000 per year--
Green Bay Press Gazette
40-0 Won't Happen In 2012 --
Anonymous Eagle
3-point shot: UConn watching Smith case--
ESPN
2. Butler’s early move to the Atlantic 10 means Horizon League teams are trying to replace two games. Preseason favorite and last season’s regular-season champ Valparaiso is looking to replace the Bulldogs with a similar high-profile game. The Crusaders, who traditionally struggle to get home games, are at Nebraska, Missouri State and Kent State and are trying to get games with New Mexico and Kansas, both on the road, but not exclusive to those schools. The Crusaders will have a strong schedule, but it won’t be at home.
Former Spartan Brandon Wood pleads guilty to trespassing--
The Detroit Free Press
Who has the edge? Miami Heat-Boston Celtics--
South Florida Sun Sentinel
BENCH: Against just about any other playoff opponent, perhaps every other playoff opponent, the Heat would be at a clear disadvantage on this count. But while the Heat at times have had a thin bench, the Celtics, now playing without sidelined Avery Bradley and forced to start Ray Allen, have essentially no bench. With Udonis Haslem back from his one-game suspension, with Joel Anthony proving to be an energizer, with Mike Miller still ambulatory, and with Norris Cole learning when not to shoot, the Heat measure up quite nicely against the likes of Mickael Pietrus, Keyon Dooling and Greg Stiemsma. EDGE: HEAT
Morning Five: 05.23.12 Edition--
Rush The Court We may not be fans of the decision to make the Crosstown Shootout a neutral site rivalry, but we are fans of the Crossroads Classic, which is held in the Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The Classic, which was started last year to pair the premier programs in the state of Indiana–Butler, Indiana, Notre Dame, and Purdue–against each other, has been extended for at least two more years. As we have stated before we are big fans of these type of match-ups and advocated for more in our Big Four State Tournament series last year. For some states like North Carolina where the premier programs are all located in the same conference it is not a major issues, but there are plenty of other states, which we identified where it would be a big boost to all the teams involved and more importantly would generate more interest in college basketball.
Montrezl Harrell, Devonta Pollard could cause late recruiting shakeup--
Sports Illustrated
Tip-ins
...
• One of the more skilled and physical prospects in the class of 2013 is Elkhart (Ind.) Memorial combo guard Markese McGuire. The 6-foot-3 junior has enjoyed a fine spring with Spiece Higher Level and currently holds offers from UIC, Northern Illinois, Evansville, Mercer, Gardner Webb and Valparaiso. Dayton and Davidson are among the programs that have also taken a look.
Mark Lyons, Alex Oriakhi among 10 biggest impact transfers--
Sports Illustrated
Rotnei Clarke, Butler
Clarke made 42 percent of his 653 three-point attempts in three seasons at Arkansas and, with incoming freshman sniper Kellen Dunham, should provide Butler with an enormous dose of perimeter competence it completely lacked last season. Having legit shooters to spread the floor should also allow returning bigs Khyle Marshall and Andrew Smith to be much more productive inside. The Bulldogs should be back in the top 25 this season in their Horizon League swan song.
Midwest Mid-Majors like Thompson--
The Recruit Scoop (Pay)
Gridiron or Hardcourt for Nigel Hayes?--
The Recruit Scoop (Pay)
Conference realignment and how it affects college hoops--
CollegeBasketballTalk
The Horizon League lost Butler to the Atlantic 10, send yet another Final Four program from the mid-major ranks to a powerful hoops league.
Crossroads Classic to be extended for two seasons--
CollegeBasketballTalk
Finally, Shelvin Mack and Robert Pack have a dance dedicated to them (VIDEO)--
Ball Don't Lie
Utah Jazz's Derrick Favors and Gordon Hayward officially named to USA Men's Select Team--
Deseret News
Jazz's Hayward, Favors won't play in summer league--
Utah Jazz Notes
Crossroads Classic college basketball event extended for two more seasons--
The Indy Star
Realignment winner: Atlantic 10--
Indy Star Butler Insider
Crossroads: Dawgs solidify position--
Indy Star Butler Insider
Crossroads Classic Agreement Extended--
ButlerSports.com
Flint native J'Nathan Bullock too much for Iceland competition, he dominates pro hoops league--
Flint Journal Sports
Cleveland State has interest in Dayton transfer Ralph Hill--
Cleveland State Hoops
Rothstein Files: Ten Mid-Major Guards To Watch Next Season--
CBS New York
3. RAY MCCALLUM, DETROIT
THE SKINNY: The epitome of a stat sheet stuffer, McCallum nearly single handedly willed the Titans to the NCAA Tournament. With good size at 6-foot-2, the son of Detroit head coach Ray McCallum Sr. is a reliable jump shot from having a chance to play in the NBA. His stats will tell you he’s got everything else covered — averaging 15.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, and four assists per contest last season.
Metro & state: Detroit Mercy extends women's basketball coach Autumn Rademacher's contract--
The Detroit Free Press
UDM women's hoops coach Autumn Rademacher gets three-year extension--
The Detroit News
Former Titan Great Jermaine Jackson Opens Community Center In Mount Clemens--
detroittitans.com
Early Publicity For UDM's Ray McCallum--
detroittitans.com
Mark Your Calendars - Legends and Traditions Men's Basketball Weekend--
detroittitans.com
Titans Announce Three Year Extension For Coach Rademacher--
detroittitans.com
--
College Sports Madness Lynx owner believed in team, his faith was rewarded last season--
StarTribune
THORN GOT LAST ROSTER SPOT
Reeve liked both 5-11 forward Queralt Casas of Spain and 6-0 guard/forward Julie Wojta of Wisconsin-Green Bay. But both were cut on Wednesday. They were the last two cuts.
Wojta, who has signed to play with a pro team in Belgium, came closest to making the team.
They both spent good time here, Reeve said.
"From a basketball standpoint , they really did some good things as they got more and more comfortable," Reeve said. "Their games are very different.
“For Julie, that was the one that was on a lot of people’s radar screen. We have talked to her about what needs to happen now for her to try to get a spot in this league," Reeve said. "We gave her a good, hard look and in the end we just said, we felt like having a third ball-handler [Erin Thorn] was really important to this squad. So that was what the separator was.”
Women's basketball: Phoenix takes 'a chance' on Golden--
Green Bay Press Gazette
Borseth Completes Coaching Staff--
UWGB Basketball
New UWM athletic director Geiger will make $215,000--
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Milwaukee still looking for dates--
PantherU
UWM Set To Honor Botham With 'Celebrating Sandy' June 27--
uwmpanthers.com
Wood's agent talks about legal troubles--
The State News
Top 10: The nation's top shot-blockers--
ESPN
Damian Eargle (Youngstown State): First, he has the best name on this board. But he’s an equally talented defender who squeezed 3.7 blocks out of his 6-foot-7 frame. Youngstown State struggled in most Horizon League stat categories but the squad led the conference in blocked shots thanks to Eargle, who was a junior last season.
Spots Remain in Women’s Basketball Summer Camp Series--
ysusports.com
Hayward Named to USA Basketball Select Squad--
Horizon League Network
Detroit Announces Three Year Extension For WBB Head Coach Autumn Rademacher--
Horizon League Network
