The Buzz on Kentucky Basketball: Give Billy Gillispie a Job Edition

Today's Top 5:

- Yahoo! Sports, CBSSports.com and FoxSports.com handed out All-America Honors and Awards today; Several Kentucky players and Kenneth Faried earned honors from all three sites

- Kentucky director of basketball operations is apparently leaving to accept the AD job at Samford

- Former Kentucky star Erik Daniels has officially joined the Erie BayHawks

- Kentucky and Louisville are projected as 4-seeds; Morehead State is project as a 15-seed

- UK's Brandon Knight won his sixth SEC Freshman of the Week award today

On Tuesday, Get Ready For:

- Kentucky Christian vs. Lancaster Bible in the NCCAA DII Tournament

Recruiting Updates:

- Michael Gilchrist is the nation's top interior scorer; he'll be a part of the high school game of the year Wednesday when St. Patrick and St. Anthony play for a mythical national championship

- John Calipari was recruiting in Memphis tonight

The Buzz:

- North Texas defeated Western Kentucky 81-62 in the Sun Belt Conference semifinals. Will there be coaching news coming out of Bowling Green soon?

- Speaking of coaching news, Pat Knight was fired at Texas Tech today which may open an opportunity up for former Kentucky head coach Billy Gillispie.

- Bluefield College will join the Mid-South Conference in 2012-13

- Former Kentucky Wildcat Kevin Galloway was named SWAC Newcomer of the Year; he has averaged 11.4 points, 7.0 rebounds and 6.2 assists per game.

- Patrick Patterson and Chuck Hayes battled DeMarcus Cousins tonight in the NBA. Cousins had 20 points and 11 rebound; Hayes had 8 points and 6 rebounds; Patterson had 8 points and 2 rebounds

Cousins and Patterson shared a pregame hug:



Video of the Day (Donnie Tyndall illustrates the emotions of March Madness):

John Calipari is Recruiting in Memphis Tonight

According to a report, Kentucky head coach John Calipari is in Memphis tonight to watch 2014 star LeRon Black from Memphis White Station High School.

Here is a post on Twitter from MemphisRoar.com:

MemphisRoar UK's John Calipari is in Memphis tonight watching Leron Black: http://bit.ly/egS2uv

Black is a 6-7, 200-lb. power forward who already holds offers from Auburn and Memphis.

Bluefield College to Join Mid-South Conference in 2012-13

Bluefield College will join the Mid-South Conference in 2012-13.

Here is a release from the conference:

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Over the last two academic years, the Mid-South Conference has expanded its full membership from six institutions to its current number of 10.

In 2012-13, that number will grow once again as Bluefield College will become the 11th full-time member of the conference.

The private Christian college in Bluefield, Va., is a charter member of the Appalachian Athletic Conference and currently a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Division II member.

Bluefield currently competes in 12 intercollegiate sports with football on the horizon. The school announced last June that football is coming back to the college after a nearly 70-year hiatus and will compete in the MSC and the NAIA in 2012.

Complete Release

2011 Big East Conference Tournament Tips Tuesday

The 2011 Big East Conference Tournament tips on Tuesday with four first round games.

The second round will feature four games on Wednesday.

The Louisville Cardinals, who received a double bye, will first play on Thursday night at 9:00 p.m. The Cards will play West Virginia, Marquette or Providence.

The tournament continues into the weekend with semifinals on Friday and the championship game on Saturday at 9:00 p.m. ET.

Complete Schedule:

FIRST ROUND - TUESDAY, MARCH 8, 2011

1. 12:00 p.m. (9) Connecticut vs. (16) DePaul

2. 2:00 p.m. (12) Seton Hall vs. (13) Rutgers

3. 7:00 p.m. (10) Villanova vs. (15) South Florida

4. 9:00 p.m. (11) Marquette vs. (14) Providence

SECOND ROUND - WEDNESDAY MARCH 9, 2011

5. 12:00 p.m. (8) Georgetown vs. 9/16 Winner
6. 2:00 p.m. (5) St. John's vs. 12/13 Winner

7. 7:00 p.m. (7) Cincinnati vs. 10/15 Winner

8. 9:00 p.m. (6) West Virginia vs. 11/14 Winner

QUARTERFINALS - THURSDAY MARCH 10, 2011

9. 12:00 p.m. (1) Pittsburgh vs. 8/9/16 Winner

10. 2:00 p.m. (4) Syracuse vs. 5/12/13 Winner

11. 7:00 p.m. (2) Notre Dame vs. 7/10/15 Winner

12. 9:00 p.m. (3) Louisville vs. 6/11/14 Winner

SEMIFINALS - FRIDAY MARCH 11, 2011

13. 7:00 p.m. Semifinal No. 1

14. 9:00 p.m. Semifinal No. 2

CHAMPIONSHIP - SATURDAY MARCH 12, 2011

15. 9:00 p.m. Championship Game

Complete Bracket

March Madness Rolls On Around the State

Here is a schedule for the week as tournament season rolls on:

Monday

7:00 p.m. Western Kentucky vs. North Texas (Sun Belt Conference Tournament Semifinal)

Tuesday

2:00 p.m. Kentucky Christian vs. Lancaster Bible (NCCAA DII Tournament)
7:00 p.m. Sun Belt Conference Championship Game

Wednesday

5:00 p.m. Union College vs. Walsh (NAIA DII National Tournament)
8:00 p.m. NAIA DI National Tournament Field Announced

Thursday

7:00 p.m. Campbellsville vs. TBA (NCCAA DI Tournament - Mid-East Region Semifinal)
9:00 p.m. Louisville vs. TBA (Big East Conference Tournament Quarterfinals)

Friday

3:30 p.m. Kentucky vs. South Carolina/Ole Miss (SEC Tournament Quarterfinals)
9:00 p.m. Big East Conference Semifinal

Saturday

1:00 p.m. SEC Tournament Semifinal
3:00 p.m. NCCAA DI Tournament - Mid-East Region Championship Game
6:00 p.m. Bellarmine vs. Indianapolis (NCAA DII National Tournament)
8:30 p.m. Northern Kentucky vs. Kentucky Wesleyan (NCAA DII National Tournament)
9:00 p.m. Big East Conference Championship

Sunday

1:00 p.m. SEC Tournament Championship
6:00 p.m. NCAA Tournament Selection Show
7:30 p.m. NCAA DII National Tournament - Regional Semifinal

Michael Gilchrist is the Nation's Top Interior Scorer

Rivals.com ranks future Kentucky forward Michael Gilchrist as the nation's top interior scorer.

They rank Bowling Green's Chane Behanan, who has signed with Louisville, at No. 3 on the list and future Wildcat Anthony Davis at No. 5.

Here are some excerpts:

1. Mike Gilchrist
School: Elizabeth (N.J.) St. Patrick
The Buzz: The strength in Gilchrist's game comes from within 15 feet on the offensive side of the ball. His relentless competitive fire, quick feet and length make him the best interior scorer in 2011. He's too big for most wings and too skilled and quick around the rim for bigger guys.

3. Chane Behanan
School: Bowling Green (Ky.)
The Buzz: Although he lacks the ideal height of a power forward, the 6-foot-7 Louisville signee has a fully developed game. His strength and ability to keep defenders sealed are tough to stop when combined with his footwork, skill and touch as a scorer.

5. Anthony Davis
School: Chicago (Ill.) Perspectives
The Buzz: A five-star forward who is on his way to Kentucky, Davis isn't your typical back-to-the-basket guy. He actually prefers to have the ball in his hands and is lethal facing the rim. However, his length, touch and feel for the game make him awfully tough in the paint.

Complete Article

Speaking of Gilchrist, he led St. Patrick (NJ) to a 69-41 win over Gill St. Bernard's in the NJSIAA Tournament semifinals.

Gilchrist breezed to a double-double in the win.

St. Patrick is expected to play St. Anthony on Wednesday in an epic championship game between No. 1 and No. 2 in the state and the nation.

Martin Newton Leaving Kentucky Basketball?

Accoring to AL.com, Kentucky Director of Basketball Operations Martin Newton is headed to Samford to be the school's new Athletics Director.

Here is an excerpt:

Martin Newton, Kentucky's director of basketball operations, is going to be introduced Wednesday as the new athletics director at Samford University, multiple sources close to the school said Monday.

Newton is the son of former Kentucky athletics director and former Alabama basketball coach C.M. Newton. The elder Newton confirmed two weeks ago that his son had interviewed for the Samford job.

"Timing is everything for athletics directors and coaches," C.M. Newton said then. "I think he's a great fit at this time. That's a dad talking and an old AD talking."

Martin Newton is a Samford graduate who started at point guard for the school's basketball team. He led the team in assists in 1979-80 and 1980-81. He's taking over the AD job that opened when Bob Roller resigned in November after 11 years.

Complete Article

Does Billy Gillispie Have a Shot at the Texas Tech Job?

The news is out today that Pat Knight has been fired at Texas Tech. The question now becomes: will Billy Gillispie get a shot (no pun) at the job?

ESPN wonders if Gillipsie would be the right fit at Tech:

The easy name to toss out for the Red Raiders' job is former Kentucky, Texas A&M and UTEP coach Billy Gillispie. If the Red Raiders go with Gillispie, they will certainly get a coach with strong Texas ties. But if it's not Gillispie, the job may be wide open. With athletic director Gerald Myers retiring, the university president will likely make the call. Gillispie didn't forget how to coach at Kentucky. He wasn't the right fit for the Wildcats but did wonders at UTEP and A&M.

The Star-Telegram says "give Gillispie a chance":

He hates mention of it, but Gillispie has become immersed in helping people. In addition to things he's done privately, he's formed an active volunteer relationship with Big Brothers and Big Sisters. He said if he does re-enter coaching, that he will become even more involved with those organizations.

"I really do want to coach," he said. "But I do have some other things going for me for probably the first time in my life. For the first time, I can perceive myself doing something else that would really be a good fit.

"I don't know where it's all going to lead. But I know the future will be good either in basketball or something else, because I know I have something to give. And that my heart is in the right place."

If I'm the new AD at Tech, I read that and consider that Gillispie's teams win, his players graduate and he's never had an NCAA rules problem, and I think this is a guy I at least want to talk to.

My Thoughts: I think Billy Gillispie has been away from the game long enough and I hope he ends up coaching the Red Raiders. I feel that Gillispie is the perfect fit for that program and he has proven that he can be successful. It's true that his time at Kentucky was a monumental fail but in his element, he can be a very good coach. Give Gillispie a chance.

Kentucky Fans: Cast Your Vote for Terrence Jones

Kentucky fans can now vote for Terrence Jones in the Papa John's Dunk of the Year contest.

Here's a message from UK Athletics on Twitter:

UKAthleticsNews Voting for the Papa John's Dunk of the Year is now open. Vote for UK's Terrence Jones at www.facebook.com/dunksoftheyear.

2011 NCAA DII National Tournament Field is Announced

The 2011 NCAA Division II National Tournament field was announced last night and the Bellarmine Knights will host the Midwest Regional as the top seed.

The Knights will play No. 8 Indianapolis on Saturday night at 6:00 p.m. ET.

At 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Northern Kentucky and Kentucky Wesleyan will battle in a No. 4 vs. No. 5 matchup.

Complete Schedule:

Saturday, March 12

12:00 p.m No. 3 Wayne State vs. No. 6 Ferris State
2:30 p.m. No. 2 Southern Indiana vs. No. 7 Drury
6:00 p.m. No. 1 Bellarmine vs. No. 8 Indianapolis
8:30 p.m. No. 4 Northern Kentucky vs. No. 5 Kentucky Wesleyan

Sunday, March 13

5:00 p.m. Regional Semifinal No. 1
7:30 p.m. Regional Semifinal No. 2

Tuesday, March 15

7:00 p.m. Regional Championship Game

Complete Tournament Bracket

Goodman Names Kenneth Faried Second Team All-American

Jeff Goodman of FoxSports.com has released his 2010-11 College Basketball All-America Teams.

Goodman names Morehead State's Kenneth Faried to his Second Team and Kentucky's Brandon Knight to his Fifth Team.

Here are excerpts on each:

C – Kenneth Faried, 6-8, 230, Sr., Morehead State – The New Jersey native led the nation in rebounding and didn’t just dominate against the Ohio Valley, either. Faried put up 20 points and 18 boards against Florida and had 15 points and 12 rebounds in a loss to Ohio State early in the season. Stats: 17.6 ppg, 14.5 rpg, 2.4 bpg.

G – Brandon Knight, 6-3, 185, Fr., Kentucky – Terrence Jones has put up more impressive numbers, but it’s been Knight who has been Kentucky’s best player throughout the course of the season. Stats: 17.7 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 4.0 apg.

He also has Knight and Kentucky teammate Terrence Jones on his All-Freshman Team:

All-Freshman Team

F – Tristan Thompson, 6-8, 225, Texas - 13.5 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 2.3 bpg.
F – Terrence Jones, 6-9, 230, Kentucky - 17.2 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 1.9 bpg.
C – Jared Sullinger, 6-9, 280, Ohio State - 17.3 ppg, 9.7 rpg.
G – Brandon Knight, 6-3, 195, Kentucky - 17.7 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 4.0 apg.
G/F – Harrison Barnes, 6-8, 220, North Carolina - 14.1 ppg, 5.6 rpg.

Faried is a Mid-Major All-American:

Mid-Major All-America Team

F – Keith Benson, 6-11, 230, Sr., Oakland – 17.7 ppg, 10.2 rpg, 3.8 bpg.
C – Kenneth Faried, 6-8, 230, Sr., Morehead State - 17.6 ppg, 14.5 rpg, 2.4 bpg.
G – Charles Jenkins, 6-3, 220, Sr., Hofstra – 23.1 ppg, 4.7 apg, 3.5 rpg, 41% 3-pointers.
G – Mickey McConnell, 6-0, 190, Sr., Saint Mary’s – 16.8 ppg, 6.1 apg, 48% 3-pointers.
G – Andrew Goudelock, 6-2, 200, Sr., College of Charleston – 23.0 ppg, 4.7 apg, 3.7 rpg, 40% 3-pointers.

Complete Article

Faried and the Eagles are "goin' dancing!":

Union's Beckley and Young Honored for Academic Work

Union College's Nathan Beckley and Ryan Young were recently named to the Appalachian Athletic Conference's All-Academic team.

Here is the release from Union College:

BARBOURVILLE, Ky. -- Union College men's basketball players Nathan Beckley and Ryan Young were recently named the the 2011 Appalachian Athletic Conference's All-Academic team for their work in the classroom.

Beckley, a senior guard, earns a spot on the All-Academic squad for the third straight season. Beckley has played in 25 of the teams 31 games on the year, making two starts. He averaged 2.4 points per game, 19 assists, six steals and four blocks.

Young, a sophomore guard, has seen action in all 31 games the Bulldogs have played on the season, making 27 starts. He is fifth on the team in scoring, averaging 8.7 points per game and is the team leader in assists recording 72 on the year.

Union, winners of the 2011 AAC Tournament Championship, open the NAIA National Tournament on Wednesday when they take on No. 1 Walsh. Tip-off is set for 5 p.m. EST in St. Charles, Mo.

CBS Names Knight and Jones to All-SEC Team

CBSSports.com has named Kentucky's Terrence Jones and Brandon Knight to their All-SEC First Team.

John Jenkins is named Player of the Year and Knight is named Freshman of the Year. Florida's Billy Donovan is Coach of the Year.
SEC First-team all-conference:

G Brandon Knight, Kentucky
G Scotty Hopson, Tennessee
G John Jenkins, Vanderbilt
F Terrence Jones, Kentucky
F Chandler Parsons, Florida

Morehead State's Kenneth Faried is named to the Non-BCS First Team.

Complete List of Awards

UK Makes Significant Climb in College Basketball Polls

The University of Kentucky Wildcats leapfrogged to No. 15 in the Associated Press Top 25 and No. 16 in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll this week following impressive wins over Vanderbilt and Tennessee.

The Louisville Cardinals sit at No. 14 in both major polls.

AP Top 25

RK TEAM RECORD PTS
1 Ohio State (52) 29-2 1,612
2 Kansas (13) 29-2 1,569
3 Pittsburgh 27-4 1,493
4 Notre Dame 25-5 1,416
5 Duke 27-4 1,265
6 North Carolina 24-6 1,209
7 San Diego State 29-2 1,197
8 Brigham Young 28-3 1,187
9 Purdue 25-6 1,108
10 Texas 25-6 1,081
11 Syracuse 25-6 984 12 Florida 24-6 931 13 Wisconsin 23-7 870 14 Louisville 23-8 794 15 Kentucky 22-8 639 16 Arizona 25-6 562 17 St. John's 20-10 462 18 Xavier 24-6 437 19 Kansas State 22-9 345 20 West Virginia 20-10 294 21 Connecticut 21-9 281 22 Georgetown 21-9 244 23 Utah State 28-3 234 24 Temple 24-6 209 25 Cincinnati 24-7 202

Others receiving votes: Texas A&M 177, Vanderbilt 101, Villanova 64, UCLA 40, UNLV 29, Missouri 22, George Mason 12, Old Dominion 11, Alabama 10, Belmont 9, Butler 9, Gonzaga 6, Saint Mary's 4, Virginia Commonwealth 3, UAB 2, Harvard 1

ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll

RK TEAM RECORD PTS
1 Ohio State (25) 29-2 767
2 Kansas (6) 29-2 748
3 Pittsburgh 27-4 702
4 Notre Dame 25-5 678
5 Duke 27-4 595
6 San Diego State 29-2 592
7 North Carolina 24-6 560
8 Brigham Young 28-3 546
9 Purdue 25-6 537
10 Texas 25-6 518
11 Syracuse 25-6 492 12 Florida 24-6 456 13 Wisconsin 23-7 396 14 Louisville 23-8 364 15 Arizona 25-6 285 16 Kentucky 22-8 274 17 Utah State 28-3 237 18 St. John's 20-10 230 19 Connecticut 21-9 165 20 Xavier 24-6 150 21 Texas A&M 23-7 146 22 Georgetown 21-9 117 23 Kansas State 22-9 113 24 Vanderbilt 21-9 80 25 Temple 24-6 77

Others receiving votes: West Virginia 64, Villanova 43, UCLA 36, Cincinnati 31, Missouri 23, UNLV 16, George Mason 14, Saint Mary's 11, UAB 4, Boston College 3, Florida State 2, Alabama 1, Harvard 1, Washington 1

Kentucky Christian Opens NCCAA Tournament as 8-Seed

Kentucky Christian will open play in the NCCAA national tournament tomorrow afternoon as the No. 8 seed.

Here is a schedule:

Tuesday:
Game #1: Kentucky Christian vs. Lancaster Bible 2:00
Game #2: Ohio Christian vs. Portland Bible 4:00
Game #3: Valley Forge Christian vs. Manhattan Christian 6:00
Game #4: Atlanta Christian vs. Faith Baptist Bible 8:00

Wednesday:
Celebration of Champions Banquet, Peterson Dining Commons (Tickets $15.00) 2:00
Game #5: Loser Game #1 vs. Loser Game #2 6:00
Game #6: Loser Game #3 vs. Loser Game #4 8:00

Thursday:
Game #7: Grace Bible vs. Winner of Game #1 2:00
Game #8: Dallas Christian vs. Winner of Game #2 4:00
Game #9: North Central vs. Winner of Game #3 6:00
Parade of Champions
Game #10: Central Bible vs. Winner of Game #4 8:00

Friday:
Loser of Game #7 vs. Loser of Game #8 2:00
Loser of Game #9 vs. Loser of Game # 10 4:00
Winner of Game #7 vs. Winner of Game #8 6:00
Winner of Game #9 vs. Winner of Game #10 8:00

Saturday:
Winner of Game #11 vs. Winner of Game #12 12:00
Loser of Game #13 vs. Loser of Game #14 2:00
Championship Game 4:00

Brandon Knight Captures Sixth Freshman of the Week Award

Kentucky's Brandon Knight has captured his sixth Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Week Award.

Here is the announcement from the SEC:

SEC Freshman Of The Week
Brandon Knight
Kentucky
G • 6-3 • 185 • Fr. • Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

Kentucky’s Brandon Knight was named SEC Freshman of the Week after averaging 18.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists in wins over Vanderbilt and at Tennessee. Knight scored 12 of his 17 points and grabbed four of his six rebounds in the second half against Vanderbilt to help the Cats remain perfect at home for the second straight season. He iced the game vs. Vanderbilt with two free throws with :08 left to UK an insurmountable 68-65 lead. At Tennessee, he scored 17 of his game-high 19 points in the second half. Knight, who was a perfect 12-for-12 from the free throw line on the week, hit a pair of free throws with just over a minute remaining to help put the game away.

Season Stats
PPG RPG APG BPG SPG
17.7 4.0 4.0 0.3 0.6

CBS and ESPN Both Project Kentucky as a No. 4 Seed

Both CBSSports.com and ESPN.com project the University of Kentucky as a 4-seed in the NCAA Tournament following a difficult road win at Tennessee on Sunday.

The CBS projections have Kentucky facing Belmont in the first round with West Virginia as a likely second round opponent.

ESPN's Joe Lunardi has Kentucky matched up with Charleston in the first round and West Virginia or Butler in the second round.

Louisville is projected as a 4-seed in by both sites, as well.

ESPN has the Cards against Harvard in the first round with Arizona likely in the next round.

CBS pits Louisville against Charleston with St. Mary's or Texas A&M in the second round.

Morehead State is projected as a 15-seed by both sites. CBS has the Eagles against Purdue while ESPN projects Morehead State against North Carolina.

ESPN's Bracketology

CBS Projections

Erik Daniels Will Rejoin the Erie BayHawks

Former Kentucky star Erik Daniels will officially join the Erie BayHawks according to GoErie.com.

Here is an excerpt:

Forward Erik Daniels, who led the BayHawks to the D-League playoffs in their expansion season in 2008-09, is expected to rejoin the team as early as today.

The BayHawks retained his rights after Daniels, 28, played overseas in the Ukraine last season. Daniels was playing in Croatia this season before hurting his hamstring in October.

Daniels likely will replace guard Garrett Temple, who will join the Charlotte Bobcats today on a 10-day contract. Temple had two 10-day contracts with the Milwaukee Bucks this season.

Complete Recap

Western Kentucky Headed to Sun Belt Semifinals

Western Kentucky 81
Louisiana-Lafayette 76

Final from Hot Springs, Arkansas

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. — The WKU Hilltoppers earned their first upset victory of the 2011 Sun Belt Conference Tournament Sunday night, knocking off the West Division second-seeded and regular season division co-champion Louisiana-Lafayette and snapping its nation-best 11-game winning streak in the process. The quarterfinal victory Sunday night means the Hilltoppers are heading to the semifinals of the conference tournament for the seventh-straight season and 20th time in 29 years as a member of the conference. WKU moves to 16-15 with the win, and Louisiana-Lafayette's season ends with a 14-15 record.

WKU advances to face West Division fourth-seeded North Texas on Monday night at 6:00 in one semifinal matchup in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament. The game will be televised on the Sun Belt Network and will air locally in Bowling Green on WKYU-PBS. The game will also be streamed over the internet on ESPN3.com. In addition, it will be broadcast over the airwaves on the Big Red Radio Network.

Complete Recap

Yahoo! Sports Names Jones Third Team All-American

Yahoo! Sports has named Kentucky freshman Terrence Jones Third Team All-American.

They credit Morehead State's Kenneth Faried and Kentucky's Brandon Knight as Honorable Mention selections.

Doron Lamb was named Sixth Man of the Year.

FIRST TEAM

F Johnson JaJuan Johnson, Purdue, senior

F Morris Marcus Morris, Kansas, junior

F Sullinger Jared Sullinger, Ohio State, freshman

G Fredette Jimmer Fredette, BYU, senior

G Smith Nolan Smith, Duke, senior

SECOND TEAM

F Kawhi Leonard, San Diego State, sophomore

F Derrick Williams, Arizona, sophomore

G Ben Hansbrough, Notre Dame, senior

G Jordan Taylor, Wisconsin, sophomore

G Kemba Walker, Connecticut, junior

THIRD TEAM

F Terrence Jones, Kentucky, freshman

F Tristan Thompson, Texas, freshman

C Jordan Williams, Maryland, sophomore

G John Jenkins, Vanderbilt, sophomore

G Jacob Pullen, Kansas State, senior

HONORABLE MENTION

Marshon Brooks, Providence, senior; Kenneth Faried, Morehead State, senior; Jordan Hamilton, Texas, senior; Dwight Hardy, St. John’s, senior; Tu Holloway, Xavier, junior; Brandon Knight, Kentucky, freshman; Rick Jackson, Syracuse, senior; Jon Leuer, Wisconsin, senior; E’Twaun Moore, Purdue, senior; Markieff Morris, Kansas, junior; Chandler Parsons, Florida, senior; Kyle Singler, Duke, senior; Nikola Vucevic, USC, junior; Brad Wanamaker, Pittsburgh, senior; Tyler Zeller, North Carolina, junior.

Player of the year: Nolan Smith, Duke

Coach of the year: Mike Brey, Notre Dame

Freshman of the year: Jared Sullinger, Ohio State

Newcomer of the year: Trevor Mbakwe, Minnesota

Defensive player of the year: John Henson, North Carolina

Sixth man of the year: Doron Lamb, Kentucky

Most improved: Festus Ezeli, Vanderbilt

Most underrated: David Lighty, Ohio State

Complete Article

The Buzz on Kentucky Basketball: Morehead State Edition

Today's Top 5:

- The field is set for the Southeastern Conference Tournament

- Kentucky finally figures out the secret to winning a tough road game; takes down Tennessee

- Louisville's Preston Knowles and Peyton Siva were named All-Big East Conference

- Georgetown College wins the Mid-South Conference Tournament championship

- Bellarmine University wins the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament championship

On Monday, Get Ready For:

- Our complete schedule for the week

- The Sun Belt Conference semifinal round; Western Kentucky vs. North Texas

OVC Tournament Coverage:

- We're back from the OVC Tournament and the Morehead State Eagles are headed to the NCAA Tournament.

- Check out the site for all kinds of coverage including photos, videos and articles

- Make sure you check out our YouTube Channel for numerous videos from the weekend

Recruiting Updates:

- Future UK point guard Marquis Teague led Pike High School to an Indiana Sectional championship

- Kentucky recruit Braeden Anderson is on an official visit to Kansas

- Future Wildcat Michael Gilchrist had 19 points, 11 rebounds, 2 blocks and 2 steals in St. Patrick's 69-41 win over Gill St. Bernard's in the North Non-Public B semifinals

The Buzz:

- The NCAA DII Men's Basketball Tournament bracket was announced tonight. Here is a schedule for teams from Kentucky:

March 12:

(1) Bellarmine (27-2) vs. (8) Indianapolis (19-8)

(4) Northern Kentucky (20-8) vs. (5) Kentucky Wesleyan (19-9)

March 13:

Bellarmine/Indianapolis vs. NKU/Kentucky Wesleyan

Complete Bracket

- Former Kentucky Wildcat Randolph Morris had 34 points and 15 rebounds in China over the weekend; Joe Crawford scored 20 points.

- DeMarcus Cousins exploded when Sacramento moved him to power forward on Saturday. He returns to the court on Monday.

- Congratulations to Bellarmine University and Georgetown College on winning their respective conference tournaments.

- The NAIA DI Basketball Tournament field will be announced Wednesday evening. I expect Georgetown, St. Catharine and Pikeville College to all make the field.

Video of the Day (Morehead State fans were Walking on Sunshine in Nashville last night):

Knowles, Siva Named to All-Big East Teams

A pair of Louisville players were included on the All-Big East Conference teams for the 2010-11 season.

Senior Preston Knowles was named All-Big East Second Team.

Peyton Siva was an Honorable Mention selection.

Here are the All-Big East Teams:

ALL-BIG EAST FIRST TEAM
Kemba Walker, Connecticut, G, Jr., 6-1, 172, Bronx, N.Y.
Austin Freeman, Georgetown, G, Sr., 6-3.5, 227, Mitchellville, Md.
*Ben Hansbrough, Notre Dame, G, Sr., 6-3, 206, Poplar Bluff, Mo.
Ashton Gibbs, Pittsburgh, G, Jr., 6-2, 190, Scotch Plains, N.J.
Marshon Brooks, Providence, G-F, Sr., 6-5, 200, Stone Mountain, Ga.
Dwight Hardy, St. John’s, G, Sr., 6-2, 195, Bronx, N.Y.

ALL-BIG EAST SECOND TEAM
Preston Knowles, Louisville, G, 6-1, 190, Winchester, Ky.
Darius Johnson-Odom, Marquette, G, Jr., 6-2, 215, Raleigh, N.C.
Brad Wanamaker, Pittsburgh, G, Sr., 6-4, 210, Philadelphia, Pa.
Rick Jackson, Syracuse, F, Sr., 6-9, 240, Philadelphia, Pa.
Corey Fisher, Villanova, G, Sr., 6-1, 200, Bronx, N.Y.

ALL-BIG EAST THIRD TEAM
Chris Wright, Georgetown, G, Sr., 6-1, 208, Washington, D.C.
Tim Abromaitis, Notre Dame, F, Sr., 6-8, 235, Unionville, Ct.
Jeremy Hazell, Seton Hall, G, Sr., 6-5, 188, Bronx, N.Y.
Kris Joseph, Syracuse, F, Jr., 6-7, 207, Montreal, Quebec
Corey Stokes, Villanova, G, Sr., 6-5, 220, Bayonne, N.J.

BIG EAST HONORABLE MENTION
Peyton Siva, Louisville, G, So., 5-11, 180, Seattle, Wash.
Jimmy Butler, Marquette, F, Sr., 6-7, 220, Tomball, Texas
Scoop Jardine, Syracuse, G, So., 6-2, 190, Philadelphia, Pa.
Kevin Jones, West Virginia, F, Jr., 6-8, 255, Mount Vernon, N.Y.

BIG EAST ALL-ROOKIE TEAM
Sean Kilpatrick, Cincinnati, G, Fr., 6-4, 215, White Plains, N.Y.
Jeremy Lamb, Connecticut, G-F, 6-5, 185, Norcross, Ga.
Shabazz Napier, Connecticut, G, Fr., 6-0, 170, Randolph, Mass.
*Cleveland Melvin, DePaul, F, Fr., 6-8, 210, Baltimore, Md.
Brandon Young, DePaul, G, Fr., 6-3, 175, Washington, D.C.
Gilvydas Biruta, Rutgers, F, Fr., 6-8, 230, Jonava, Lithuania

*denotes unanimous selection

Marquis Teague Leads Pike to Sectional Championship

University of Kentucky signee Marquis Teague led Pike High School to a 53-50 win over Avon in the Sectional Championship game.

Pike fell behind by double figures early but stormed back to get the win.

Teague led all scorers with 25 points.

"We weren't making shots that we normally hit," said Pike Senior Marquis Teague. "They were hitting a lot of shots, and we played from behind for most of the game. We just had to keep fighting and scrapping basically, keep trying to make good plays for each other so we could get back into it."

Pike (21-4) plays defending Class 4A Champions North Central (20-2) next Saturday in the Regional Championship

Source

Highlights from Pike's win:

 

Media Weighs In On Morehead State's OVC Championship

Here are some comments from around the nation about Morehead State's OVC Tournament championship:

ESPN says Morehead State's win was the Best mid-major news of the day on Saturday:

Best mid-major news of the day: Kenneth Faried and Morehead State will be in the NCAA tournament. Dana covered the Eagles' win in her post earlier, so I'll just say this: Having Faried, the leading rebounder in modern-day NCAA history and the best mid-major player in the country, in the NCAA tournament is not only a major win for Morehead, but for fans of the college game in general. In fact, the only loser here is whatever high-seeded frontcourt has to face Faried in the first round of the Dance.

ESPN's Dana O'Neil says Kenneth Faried was one of Saturday's big winners:

Kenneth Faried: The Morehead State senior is already the all-time leading rebounder in NCAA history, is tied for second in the record books with the most double-doubles in a career (he has 84, tied with Ralph Sampson and three shy of Tim Duncan) and now he’s got the ultimate award: a return ticket to the NCAA tournament. It got a little hairy late, but Faried and the Eagles held on to beat Tennessee Tech 80-73 to clinch the Ohio Valley Conference title. Morehead will be a popular upset pick thanks to the surefire NBA draft pick.

Teresa M. Walker of the Associated Press:

"Morehead State found one more way for senior center Kenneth Faried and senior guard Demonte Harper to play a tough opponent on a neutral court. The Eagles won the Ohio Valley Conference tournament and an automatic berth in the NCAAs. Harper had 27 points and 11 rebounds playing in his hometown, while Faried notched his 27th double-double with 24 points and 15 rebounds, and Morehead State beat Tennessee Tech 80-73 on Saturday night. "No one would play us because of Faried and Harper, so I had a hard time getting games," said Morehead State coach Donnie Tyndall, whose Eagles lost road trips to Florida and Ohio State...With his latest double-double, Faried now ranks tied for second all-time in that category with Ralph Sampson (84) and just behind leader Tim Duncan (87)."

Mark Story of the Lexington Herald-Leader praises Kenneth Faried and Demonte Harper

* Morehead State is currently projected as a No. 15 seed in the NCAA Tournament. I think they are playing like a 14-seed, but 15 is most likely unless there are some upsets in other conferences.

Kenneth Faried dunks on Tennessee Tech:

Tubby Smith Says He Is Staying in Minnesota

Despite numerous rumors that Tubby Smith is looking for a way out of Minnesota, the Gophers head coach says he isn't going anywhere.

Here is an excerpt from StarTribune.com:

Tubby Smith has't lost confidence in his basketball team even though the Gophers have a 1-8 record in the past nine games and are 6-11 in the Big Ten and 17-12 overall.

Smith is confident the Gophers will beat Penn State on Sunday, do well in the Big Ten tournament next week in Indianapolis and then get a berth in the NCAA tournament.

And Smith rejected the ESPN rumor that Georgia Tech was going to buy out coach Paul Hewitt's contract and hire Smith by saying: "Why would I be interested in that job? I'm not going anywhere. My wife likes it here, I like it here, and I'm going to finish my career here."

Complete Recap

Photo Source

Utah Jazz Send Jeremy Evans to the Development League

The Utah Jazz assigned former Western Kentucky star Jeremy Evans to the NBA Development League over the weekend.

Evans was assigned to the Utah Flash.

In 32 games for the Jazz this season, Evans has averaged 3.2 points, 1.4 rebounds and 6.6 minutes.

Evans started for the Flash in last night's 105-89 victory over New New Mexico. The former Hilltopper scored 11 points, pulled down 9 rebounds, dished out 5 assists and blocked 5 shots in his first D-League action.

Photo: NBA.com

Eric Bledsoe, John Wall Establish New Career Highs

Former Kentucky stars Eric Bledsoe and John Wall established new NBA career highs last night.

Bledsoe came in for the injured Eric Gordon and scored a career high 20 points. He was 7-11 from the field and 4-5 from the free throw line. Bledsoe also had 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 7 steals.

The Los Angeles Clipper defeated Denver 100-94.

Bledsoe will almost certainly see increased minutes as Gordon re-aggravated a wrist injury and is sidelined indefinitely.

In Washington, John Wall pulled down a career high 11 rebounds in the Wizards 103-96 win over Minnesota.

Wall also scored 18 points and dished out assists. He was 8-17 from the field.

Here is Bledsoe showing his athleticism off:

Georgetown College Wins Mid-South Conference Tournament

(1) Georgetown 79
(2) St. Catharine 75

Final from Frankfort, Kentucky

FRANKFORT, Ky. - Georgetown College broke open a 73-73 tie by hitting 6-of-6 from the line in the final 45.1 seconds to win its second straight Mid-South Conference tournament championship with a 79-75 win over St. Catharine College Sunday afternoon at the Frankfort Convention Center.

St. Catharine, 22-8 on the season and seeded second in the event, also received an automatic bid to the NAIA Div. I National Tournament. The Patriots went on a late 8-2 run to tie the game for the first time since 12-all on a free throw by senior Xavier Keeling with 1:10 to play.

But after that, senior Eddie Gray and junior Tyrone Shelley sank two free throws each on consecutive trips, and, after a dunk by St. Catharine junior Kashiff Carr, Gray ended it with two more with 10.8 seconds left. Gray had 13 points and four steals in the win.

Georgetown, 29-4, trailed 41-31 at the break but stormed out of the locker room with a 21-2 run. Six different Tigers scored in the stretch, which began with a basket by junior Maurice Pearson, who ended it with a three-point play with 13:23 left. Pearson had 18 points and six rebounds.

Complete Recap

Photo: Mid-South Conference

Chuck Hayes Isn't Afraid of Much Bigger Roy Hibbert

Watch as former Kentucky star Chuck Hayes, who is 6'6", stands toe-to-toe with the 7'2" Roy Hibbert:

John Calipari Discusses Win Over Tennessee

University of Kentucky head coach John Calipari talks about today's critical win over Tennessee (via bluenationblog on YouTube):

Bellarmine University Wins GLVC Championship in Overtime

Bellarmine University 87
Southern Indiana 81 F/OT

Final from St. Louis, Missouri

ST. LOUIS – Bellarmine University's men's basketball team won its second consecutive Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament on Sunday afternoon with an 87-81 overtime win over the University of Southern Indiana at Moloney Arena.

Justin Benedetti was named Most Outstanding Player for the tournament, and secured the honors with 18 points, four rebounds, and four assists in the winning effort.

Joining Benedetti on the All-Tournament Team was Braydon Hobbs, whose 10 assists led all players, and complemented his 19 points. Brandon Hogg and Mohamed Ntumba of Southern Indiana, as well as Anthony Young of Kentucky Wesleyan rounded out the squad.

With the win, Bellarmine established a new school record with their 27th victory of the season, and will almost certainly remain on top of the Midwest Region rankings, which will be released on Sunday night. The region's top team will play host to the first three rounds of the 2011 NCAA Division II Tournament starting on Saturday, Mar. 12.

The overtime period began with a blazing start as USI's C.J. Trotter and Bellarmine's Chris Dowe traded three-pointers from the corner. Following a second Trotter three, the Knights took a 69-68 lead off another Dowe jumper.

Complete Recap

Photo: Bellarmine University

2011 SEC Tournament Field is Set, UK Opens Friday

The 2011 Southeastern Conference Tournament field is set and the Kentucky Wildcats have secured the SEC East's No. 2 seed.

The Wildcats will play the winner of South Carolina and Ole Miss on Friday at 3:30 p.m. ET.

If Kentucky gets by the quarterfinals, they will play either Auburn, Georgia or Alabama on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. ET.

The championship game is Sunday at 1:00 p.m. ET.

Complete Bracket (click to enlarge):

Kentucky Toughs Out Huge Road Win at Tennessee

(20) Kentucky 64

Tennessee 58

Final from Knoxville, Tennessee

The Kentucky Wildcats showed a toughness on the road that they haven't shown this season as they gritted out a critical 64-58 win over the Tennessee Volunteers in Knoxville.

Kentucky (22-8, 10-6 SEC) earned the no. 2 seed in the Southeastern Conference Tournament and a first round bye with the victory.

Brandon Knight led Kentucky with 19 points, including several key three-pointers in the second half. Darius Miller and Terrence Jones put in 15 points each. Jones added 12 rebounds for his SEC-leading 11th double-double on the season.

The Wildcats only shot 19-53 (35.8%) from the field but nailed 7-18 (38.9%) from long range. They were 19-27 (70.4%) from the free throw line.

Tennessee (18-13, 8-8) was only 2-9 from long range in the game.

The Volunteers were led by Tobias Harris' 18 points and 6 rebounds. Scotty Hopson added 13 points but only shot 2-10 from the field.

Kentucky will play next in the quarterfinal round of next week's Southeastern Conference Tournament in Atlanta. The Wildcats will play the winner of South Carolina and Ole Miss on Friday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. ET.

DeMarcus Cousins Explodes in Start at Power Forward

The Sacramento Kings experimented with rookie DeMarcus Cousins starting at power forward in last night's game at Utah.

Even though the Kings lost 109-102 in overtime, the Cousins' experiment was a major success.

The former Kentucky star exploded for 18 points, 18 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals and 3 blocked shots.

The Kings return to action Monday night when they host the Houston Rockets at 10:00 p.m. ET.

WKU Opens Sun Belt Tournament with Impressive Win

(3E) Western Kentucky 66
(6W) Louisiana-Monroe 50

Final from Hot Springs, Arkansas

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. — WKU's three seniors combined for 53 points and 30 rebounds to power WKU to a 66-50 win over ULM in the first round of the 2011 Sun Belt Conference Tournament Saturday night in Hot Springs, Ark. The East Division third-seeded Hilltoppers improve to 15-15 this season, and ULM's season ends with a 7-24 record.

WKU now advances to play West Division two-seed Louisiana-Lafayette in the quarterfinal round of the tournament Sunday night at 6:30. A win against the Ragin' Cajuns would send WKU to the semifinals of the conference tournament for the seventh-consecutive season.

Sergio Kerusch led the Hilltoppers Saturday night with 20 points and 14 rebounds. Juan Pattillo added 18 points, six rebounds, two assists and two blocks, and Steffphon Pettigrew contributed 15 points and 10 rebounds. The double-double was Kerusch's 10th of the season and 24th of his career, and his 14 rebounds tied a season high. ULM was paced by Lawrence Gilbert's 13 points and 12 rebounds.

The victory is the 90th of Pettigrew's four-year WKU career. The senior from Elizabethtown, Ky., also became the 14th Hilltopper to amass 1,500 points in his career. With his 15 points Saturday night, Pettigrew passed Art Spoelstra on the career scoring list and is now 13th in total points at WKU.

Complete Recap

Sun Belt Tournament Bracket

Kentucky Struggles in the First Half at Tennessee

The University of Kentucky Wildcats struggled in the first half at Tennessee as the Volunteers lead 29-22 at the break.

Kentucky was just 8-28 (28.6%) from the field in the first half and 1-5 (20%) from the three point line. UK's starting five combined to shoot 4-22 (18.2%) including 1-9 shooting by Terrence Jones.

DeAndre Liggins came off the bench to lead Kentucky with 6 points and 5 rebounds. Jones added 5 points and 6 rebounds.

Freshman Tobias Harris led Tennessee with 12 first half points. Melvin Goins chipped in 7.

The winning team will earn the no. 2 seed in the SEC East and a first round bye in next week's SEC Tournament.

Photos: Morehead State Celebrates an OVC Title

The Morehead State Eagles celebrate their second OVC Tournament title in the last three years:

Scenes from Day 3 at the OVC Tournament

Here are a few pictures from our third and final day in Nashville for the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament:

Morehead State Holds Off Tech for OVC Title

(2) Morehead State 80
(4) Tennessee Tech 73

Final from Nashville, Tennessee

NASHVILLE, Tenn.—Morehead State seniors Kenneth Faried and Demonte Harper simply were accepting nothing less than their second Ohio Valley Conference men’s basketball tournament championship.

Harper scored 27 points, grabbed 11 rebounds, dished out eight assists and was named tournament Most Valuable Player. Faried recorded his 84th career double-double with 24 points, including 10-of-13 from the free throw line, 15 rebounds and five blocked shots as the Eagles defeated Tennessee Tech, 80-73, Saturday night to win their second OVC tournament title in the last three years.

It didn’t come easy though. MSU’s 15-point lead with 3:41 left was trimmed to just four in the final minute, but Harper hit a trio of free throws, Faried had a crucial rebound and putback, and Terrance Hill swished a pair of free throws as the Eagles held off the Golden Eagles. MSU (24-9) earned the league’s automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament. Tech finished 20-12, but as one of four teams in the league this year to win at least 20 games, TTU will likely be playing in one of the three other postseason tournaments.

MSU will find out its NCAA Tournament opponent on Sunday, March 13.

The Eagles hit 27 free throws in the game and shot 48 percent while limiting Tech to 35 percent. MSU also had a 47-27 rebounding advantage against an athletic Golden Eagle team that had out-rebounded them in the game at Tech earlier this year.

Hill also played a key role in the victory with 16 points and five rebounds.

Kevin Murphy nearly brought Tech back single-handedly, scoring a game high 30 points. Jud Dillard had 10 markers.

Complete Recap

Morehead State is "goin' to the dance!":

Morehead State Wins Ohio Valley Conference Championship

The Morehead State Eagles have defeated Tennessee Tech 80-73 to win the Ohio Valley Conference championship and NCAA Tournament bid.

Morehead's Demonte Harper was named tournament Most Valuable Player. Kenneth Faried joined Harper on the all-tournament team.

Complete recap coming soon...

Kenneth Faried celebrates:

West Virginia Upsets Louisville with Late Free Throws

West Virginia 72
(11) Louisville 70

Final from Morgantown, West Virginia

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) - Truck Bryant sank two free throws with 1 second left to lift West Virginia to a 72-70 win over No. 11 Louisville in their Big East regular-season finale Saturday.

West Virginia (20-10, 11-7 Big East) clinched a first-round bye in the conference tournament. The Mountaineers earned their fourth consecutive 20-win season under coach Bob Huggins and the seventh straight overall.

Kevin Jones had a career-high 25 points and 16 rebounds - his third straight double-double - for the Mountaineers. John Flowers had 12 points and 12 rebounds while Bryant finished with 10 points.

Kyle Kuric scored 21 points for Louisville (23-8, 12-6), which saw its four-game winning streak snapped. Preston Knowles added 15 points and Chris Smith scored 14.

Louisville, picked to finish eighth in the Big East preseason poll, already had clinched the No. 3 seed with a double bye into Thursday's Big East quarterfinals and didn't have anything on the line Saturday.

Complete Recap

Erik Daniels Exploring a Return to the Erie BayHawks

Former Kentucky star Erik Daniels is looking in to the possibility of rejoining the NBA D-League's Erie BayHawks.

Daniels returned the United States in October after injuring his hamstring while playing in Croatia.

Here is an excerpt from GoErie.com:

"They've been keeping up with my rehab," he said. "They've made me feel welcomed and wanted."

Daniels, 28, is looking to return to the franchise he led to the D-League playoffs in its expansion season in 2008-09.

A first-team all-D-League pick in 2009, the 6-foot 8-inch forward is back in Erie and is expected to join the team in a few days.

"I'll think I'll fit in well," he said. "I watched the guys. They don't have anyone like me on the team. I can come in and give them experience, leadership."

Complete Article

Scenes from Day 2 at the OVC Tournament

Here are a few pictures we snapped during Friday's OVC Tournament semifinal round: