2014-15 SEC Basketball Projections

[jbcarol]

Ben Frederickson @Ben_Fred  ·  5h
Second #Vols basketball newcomer Q&A: Devon Baulkman brings junior-college grit to UT http://shar.es/11MoDp

[jbcarol]

Adam Zagoria @AdamZagoria  ·  1h

NBA Personnel interested to see Towns, Harrison Twins at Calipari Combine http://zagsblog.com/articles/nba-personnel-interested-to-see-harrison-twins-towns-at-calipari-combine/ ...

[jbcarol]

Razorback Basketball @RazorbackMBB  ·  2h

Razorbacks featured by @DavidFox615 of @AthlonSports as 1 of 12 teams on the rise for 2014-15> http://athlonsports.com/college-basketball/12-college-basketball-teams-rise-2014-15 ...

Arkansas, Georgia, and Kentucky are featured among the twelve.

[jbcarol]

Steve Walentik @Steve_Walentik  ·  20m
#Mizzou freshman basketball players D'Angelo Allen and Jakeenan Gant arrested on suspicision of third-degree assault, per CDT arrest list.

Austin Kim @AustinKKim  ·  11m
According to the Trib log, Gant and Allen were arrested for 3rd degree assault. MU basketball did not immediately return my call for comment

[jbcarol]

Austin Kim @AustinKKim  ·  23m
The following is a statement from Kim Anderson regarding the Allen, Gant arrests....

Anderson: "We are aware of the situation involving Jakeenan Gant and D'Angelo Allen, and have suspended them from team-related activities....as we gather more information."

More Anderson: "We have high standards for the conduct of our student-athletes and expect mucgh more from them as members of our program."

Kim Anderson has had to dismiss Torren Jones while suspending two of his freshmen all before his debut as #Mizzou head basketball coach.

[jbcarol]

MU freshman basketball players arrested, suspended

Missouri freshman basketball players D'Angelo Allen and Jakeenan Gant, both 18, were arrested early Sunday morning in downtown Columbia on suspicion of misdemeanor third-degree assault, according to the Columbia Police arrest information log.

Missouri coach Kim Anderson suspended both players from all team activities as the team gathers more information on the incident, Anderson announced in a statement Tuesday night.

"We have high standards for the conduct of our student-athletes and expect much more from them as members of our program," Anderson said.

Allen and Gant were arrested with Michael Martin, 22, of Lone Jack, Mo., after officers responded at 1:34 a.m. to reports of an assault in the area of Eighth Street and Elm, the northwest edge of Mizzou's campus by the journalism school.

In the public report, listed under weapons are "hands/fists/feet." They were not detained and were released on signature summons.

Gant, a four-star 6-8 forward from Springfield, Ga., was the jewel of Mizzou's freshman class, having first signed in November. Allen, a 6-7 forward from Dallas, signed with the Tigers shortly after Anderson was hired in April.

Sunday's incident is the latest for a basketball program that had its share off off-court issues dating back to last season. In March, guards Wes Clark and Shane Rector were suspended after police arrested them on suspicion of marijuana possession. Senior forward Tony Criswell went to court for not paying rent and was eventually dismissed from the team. Shortly after the season Louisville transfer Zach Price was arrested twice in the same day for two separate assault incidents involving teammate Earnest Ross, a senior last season. Price was kicked off the team and later pleaded guilty to reduced misdemeanor charges. All those incidents occurred on former coach Frank Haith's watch.

In August, Anderson dismissed forward Torren Jones for an undisclosed violation of team rules.

[jbcarol]

Tennessee Basketball @Vol_Hoops  ·  4h

With tip times and networks confirmed, we can announce that all 30 of our regular-season games will be televised! http://1tn.co/1o399ld

[jbcarol]

Joe Walljasper @JoeWalljasper  ·  4h

Here's an updated story on the arrest of MU basketball players Jakeenan Gant and D'Angelo Allen from @Steve_Walentik http://ow.ly/BBhvI

According to the incident report, three men said they were walking east on Elm Street when they were jumped by three or four black males. One of the alleged victims, age 20, said he was hit two or three times while trying to help a friend, age 21, who was on the ground being assaulted by the suspects. The other alleged victim, age 20, said he was also assaulted and noticed one of the suspects dropped his wallet during the incident. The dropped wallet belonged to Gant.

University of Missouri Police stopped Gant, Allen and Martin, who met the description of the suspects, at approximately 2 a.m. at 404 Kentucky Blvd. on the MU campus. They were released after being issued summonses and were not taken to Boone County Jail.

Third-degree assault is a Class A misdemeanor. Persons can be charged with third-degree assault for attempting to cause or recklessly causing physical injury to another individual but also for threatening another individual and making them apprehensive about immediate physical injury.

Persons found guilty can be sentenced to up to one year in jail or a fine of up to $1,000 or both.

[jbcarol]

Randy Rosetta @RandyRosetta  ·  1h

SEC unveils start times, broadcast homes for several LSU basketball games http://www.nola.com/lsu/index.ssf/2014/09/sec_unveils_start_times_broadc.html ...

[jbcarol]

Athlon has the Hogs at 25.

http://athlonsports.com/college-basketball/college-basketball-2014-15-arkansas-razorbacks-team-preview

[jbcarol]

Stanley Boom Jones @KySportsRadio  ·  Sep 18

Here are pictures and video of the scene at BBM Campout tonight as the players came to meet the fans: http://bit.ly/1mixFn9

[jbcarol]

Dick Vitale @DickieV  ·  4h

Bama -doubles score on Gators - at least the Gators have hoops to look forward to - ROWDY REPTILES will create energy in hoops @gatorhoops

[jbcarol]

USAT Bracketologist

1-seed  Kentucky
3-seed  Florida
11-seed Arkansas
11-seed Georgia

[jbcarol]

In its 2014-15 college basketball preview magazine, Athlon Sports picked Kentucky as the No. 1 team in the nation and the SEC champion.

"Kentucky was the easy pick for No. 1 in the pre-season," managing editor Mitchell Light wrote in an email. "We have picked UK No. 1 in previous seasons based on pure talent alone — and we've been wrong (like others). This team, however, has talent and experience and depth. ... No team is perfect, but Kentucky doesn't appear to have many weaknesses."

Athlon also picked five UK players to its pre-season All-SEC teams: Andrew Harrison on the first team, Aaron Harrison, Alex Poythress and Karl-Anthony Towns to the second team and Willie Cauley-Stein to the third team.

Andrew Harrison is also a second-team preseason All-America pick.

Light, a Vanderbilt graduate, noted the difficulty in assessing UK's many freshmen in recent pre-seasons.

"Basically, we have to go by what we've learned from the recruiting analysts and from some of the reports from summer workouts. ... ," he wrote. "The summer tour in the Bahamas did factor in to a degree. It looks as though Alex Poythress is poised for a big junior season. He went, in our opinion, from a fringe all-conference guy to a guy we had to have on one of the teams. He looked very good."

[root_hawg]

Not really surprising

[jbcarol]

Kevin Brockway @gatorhoops  ·  2h

Told that G Dillon Graham (hip) and G Eli Carter (leg) both taking part in individual workouts. Coming off medical redshirt seasons #Gators

[jbcarol]

Matt Jones @KySportsRadio  ·  1h

Calipari says this season could be another "Watershed moment" for UK basketball: http://kentuckysportsradio.com/basketball-2/coach-cal-is-excited-and-that-makes-bbn-excited/ ...

If you wonder why everyone is panicked outside of the Big Blue Nation, why everyone is curious as to how we are going to make this work, why writers with agendas to another program or coach are pitting player against player, platoon vs. platoon, it's because they are afraid of what could happen. They know that if this turns out the way they think it could, it becomes a watershed moment for college basketball. There will be no going back. No player will ever worry about who else is in the program or who may stay...

[jbcarol]

Matt Jones @KySportsRadio  ·  1h

Hearing that Trey Lyles was on the court practicing with the team today. Very good news. Looks like he will be fine when games begin

[jbcarol]

USA Today Bracketologist (updated yesterday)

1-seed   Kentucky (#1 overall)
3-seed   Florida
11-seed Arkansas  (for fun: first game v. Nebraska in Columbus, OH)
11-seed Georgia

Last 4 in - Florida St., Seton Hall, BYU, N. Iowa    
First 4 out - Maryland, NC State, UTEP, Indiana

Multi bid conferences - ACC - 9, Big 10 - 8, Big 12 - 5, PAC 12 - 5, Big East - 4, SEC - 4,...

Banned from participating - Wisc-Milwaukee, San Jose St., Alabama St., App St., Fla A&M, Houston Baptist, Lamar, Central Ark.

[jbcarol]

After losing three of their top four scorers from last season the Vanderbilt Commodores will be a young basketball team in 2013-14. Head coach Kevin Stallings has just three seniors on his roster, and among the backcourt players expected to contribute the majority of them have yet to play a game of college basketball.

That can impact the way in which a team fills out its non-conference schedule, with the goal being to prepare for conference play while also avoiding the possibility of overwhelming the younger players on the roster. Monday afternoon Vanderbilt announced that its non-conference schedule has been completed, with the Commodores beginning regular season play against new Division II member Trevecca on November 16.

With their first four games of the season at Memorial Gym, Vanderbilt won't leave Nashville until a November 25 meeting with Rutgers at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Depending on the results in that weekend's Barclays Center Classic, Vanderbilt could run into a Virginia (the Cavaliers play La Salle in the other half of that doubleheader) team that won the ACC and should once again factor into the ACC and national conversations.

Outside of those two games Vanderbilt will play away from Memorial Gyn just once before they get into SEC play, as they visit Saint Louis on New Year's Eve. Vanderbilt's most productive returnees are senior James Siakam (7.2 ppg, 5.3 rpg) and sophomore Damian Jones (11.3 ppg, 5.7 rpg), and they'll be joined by a talented crop of freshmen led by 6-foot-2 guard Wade Baldwin IV.

Vanderbilt opens SEC play January 6 against Auburn, with their first league road game scheduled for January 10 at Arkansas.

http://www.vucommodores.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/092214aaa.html

[jbcarol]

Kevin Brockway @gatorhoops  ·  1h

Blue Ribbon Magazine ranks Florida 10th in preseason college basketball Top 25, second in SEC (behind No. 1 Kentucky).

[jbcarol]

Drew Champlin @DrewChamplin  ·  14h

Former Alabama basketball star, NBA champion Robert Horry shares thoughts on Crimson Tide, Anthony Grant http://ow.ly/BSTRV

Former Alabama basketball star and NBA champion Robert Horry knows Anthony Grant well. He last saw the Alabama men's head basketball coach at the Final Four in April.

Grant had just finished his fifth and worst season at Alabama, as the Crimson Tide went 13-19. Grant's 5-year record is 99-71, and he went 76-25 in three seasons at Virginia Commonwealth prior to taking the Alabama job, but last season was easily the most challenging.

"He's been under fire a lot, but he's stayed calm," Horry said Wednesday. "That's one thing I look at and I just smile because he's probably one of the smoothest brothers you'll meet."

"I think it's going to be patience with Anthony," Horry said. "Sometimes it's hard to try to implement your system when you don't have the guys you recruited. Now he has guys he's recruited so they're going to be looking for him to change the minds around there. Hopefully he can do well and the guys will go out and play hard for him."

[jbcarol]

Ben Frederickson @Ben_Fred  ·  20h

.@BlueRibbonSport Top 25 is out. #Vols will face three — #1 UK, #10 Fla and #14 VCU. Could also see #6 KU and #20 MSU in Orlando Classic.

[jbcarol]

Kevin Brockway @gatorhoops  ·  14h

Blue Ribbon ranks UF basketball at No. 10: Despite losing four starters from a Final Four team, Florida still ... http://bit.ly/Y53DHK

Florida still enters 2014-15 considered among the nation's elite programs.

The Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook ranked Florida No. 10 in its annual preseason. The magazine, considered the most comprehensive basketball preview guide in the country, also picked the Gators to finish second in the Southeastern Conference behind preseason No. 1 Kentucky.

Florida returns starting junior guard Michael Frazier II, who led the SEC in 3-point shooting percentage last year (44.7 percent). In addition, the Gators bring back combo forward and SEC sixth man of the year Dorian Finney-Smith, sophomore McDonald's All-American point guard Kasey Hill and sophomore McDonald's All-American forward/center Chris Walker, a projected NBA lottery pick.

In its synopsis of the Gators, the Blue Ribbon writes:

"Even with the loss of four senior starters, this is still a team capable of making deep run in the NCAA Tournament. But there are question marks. Can Hill handle the demands of point guard full time and stay injury free? Can Frazier mix-up his game and be productive when his 3-point shot isn't falling? Can Chris Walker figure things out on the defensive end of the floor and play within the system and unselfishly on offense?

And what about defense? Will Florida be as committed at that end of the floor after losing four senior starters that had the skill and will to lock down opposing teams?

How much this current group of Florida players learned from the seniors that preceded them could wind up the difference between another Final Four season or an early NCAA Tournament flop."

Other notes:

– Third-year sophomore guard Dillon Graham and fourth-year junior guard Eli Carter are both healthy enough to be taking part in individual drills this month. Graham is coming off offseason hip surgery, while Carter is still trying to get back to full strength after a broken leg sidelined him in February of 2013 when he was at Rutgers. The Gators are hopeful that either Graham or Carter could recover to give Florida an experienced third option in the backcourt behind projected starters Hill and Frazier.

[jbcarol]

Zagsblog: SEC ... Dwarves Other Leagues, Schools in NBA Prospects

Jonathan Givony and his colleagues at DraftExpress.com are busily cranking out videos and scouting reports on prospects for the 2015 NBA Draft. (Link available at link above)

Givony produced videos on 10 SEC players "considered serious first-round prospects in our view..."

Florida's Chris Walker, Arkansas' Bobby Portis and LSU's Jarell Martin.

Kentucky: Karl-Anthony Towns, Willie Cauley-Stein, Dakari Johnson, Andrew and Aaron Harrison, Alex Poythress and Marcus Lee.

By contrast, the ACC has five first-round prospects (with videos), the Pac-12 and Big 12 have four apiece, the Big 10 has three, the American Athletic Conference has one and the Big East has none. Zero. Nada...

[jbcarol]

Mike Strange @Strangemike44  ·  32m
Just talked to Donnie Tyndall. Starting 5 if #Vols played today: Punter, Richardson, Baulkman, Moore, Carmichael.

[jbcarol]

Alex Drake @Drakeycakes  ·  Sep 27
Coach Pearl: "Auburn basketball is gonna do exactly what Coach Malzahn's team did last year! I'm pretty sure we can win 11 games." #welldone

[jbcarol]

Hugh Kellenberger @HKellenbergerCL  ·  2h

Ole Miss is sixth in Blue Ribbon Yearbook's preseason SEC basketball projection. Jarvis Summers only non-UK/UF player on all-SEC team.

[jbcarol]

Calipari spoke to a group of more than 1,000 fans at the Greater Louisville UK Alumni Association Tipoff Luncheon

The long rotation and five-for-five "platoon" substituting that UK used during its tour of the Bahamas this summer are likely to stay during the season as Calipari makes use of his loaded roster. Calipari said he has 12 players who deserve time — the 10 who played during the Bahamas tour, plus big men Trey Lyles and Willie Cauley-Stein, who missed the summer exhibitions with injury. He said 10 players will get roughly equal minutes, and two - presumably forward Derek Willis and guard Dominique Hawkins - will be subbed in situationally.

Calipari said that by having players on the court for only 19-21 minutes per game, he expects to play at a faster tempo and press full-court more.

"I have never coached this way, but I'm going to and I'm studying and I'm doing everything I can to try to make this thing work, so every one of these kids eats," he said.

Calipari, who has played almost exclusively man-to-man defense his entire career, said the Cats' immense height may force him to play some zone.

"We have might have two 7-footers, a 6-10 and two 6-6 guards (on the court together.) 'Just stand there, don't move!'" Calipari said, extending his arms like a defender.

• Having such a deep team was part of the motivation for UK hiring Joel Justus recently as the director of statistical analytics.

"If you're playing 20 minutes, what will your NCAA stats look like? Terrible for NCAA stats, so we're going to have big data stats, per-minute and efficiency stats that we can send to NBA teams.

He added: "Our NCAA team stats should look pretty good."

Calipari praised 5-9 freshman point guard Tyler Ulis, whom the coach called "the little guy."

"He can really play. He's a battler, and he's a special kid," the coach said.

[jbcarol]

Every year one of the basketball preseason rankings I enjoy looking at is the Top 144 countdown.  They put a new team on each day and slowly count down to who they have as the #1 team going into the season.  They do a good job going through a thorough breakdown of who is leaving and coming in.

http://www.collegesportsmadness.com/mens-basketball/top-144-previews

A lot of the "too early to tell" rankings that came out in April and May had us as a bubble team, most as 11 and 12 seeds, but this one at least has us at least at 10 because they are now at team #40 on the countdown.  Arkansas should pop up soon so I thought I'd post it now.

Here is where they have our competition ranked coming into this year.  Nice to see only a few teams not making the 144 list, and only two SEC teams not making it.  Even a few that didn't make it had an RPI in the top 144 last year, so it was likely that many barely missed the cut.

? Kentucky
? Florida
? Iowa State
? Dayton
? SMU
? Arkansas
? Tennessee
44 Texas A&M
50 Alabama
55 Georgia
80 LSU
91 Missouri State
92 South Carolina
94 Wake Forest
104 Missouri
107 Iona
116 Ole Miss
119 Clemson

Not in Top 144 (Last year's RPI)

(131) Wisconsin Milwaukee
(144) Utah Valley
(158) NW St
(169) Auburn - surprised they weren't listed in the top 144.  I expect their RPI to be around 100 this year.
(195) North Texas
(245) Mississippi State
(254) Alabama State
(329) Delaware State

[jbcarol]

Calipari hiring an analytics director is smart, yet necessary, strictly for his players

John Calipari's added a new member to his coaching staff: Joel Justus, a former Elon assistant and UNC-Wilmington player that now has the title Director of Men's Basketball Analytics.

In and of itself, that addition is not really newsworthy...

    "If you're playing 20 minutes, what will your NCAA stats look like? Terrible for NCAA stats, so we're going to have big data stats, per-minute and efficiency stats that we can send to NBA teams.

    He added: "Our NCAA team stats should look pretty good."

    Calipari said that by having players on the court for only 19-21 minutes per game, he expects to play at a faster tempo and press full-court more.

    "I have never coached this way, but I'm going to and I'm studying and I'm doing everything I can to try to make this thing work, so every one of these kids eats," he said.

Cal is so devoted to the idea of playing a platoon system — and, if not a platoon, guaranteeing that at least 10 guys are playing major minutes — that he made a hire specifically designed around showcasing strengths and weaknesses when it comes to efficiency — per-minute and per-possession — stats.

Cal says that this is so that he can prove to NBA teams that limited production doesn't mean limited ability with his guys, but I'm not buying it. Every NBA organization has a team of scouts that understand how basketball works. They're not stupid...

[jbcarol]

Kyle Tucker @KyleTucker_CJ  ·  7h 7 hours ago

Calipari on two-platoon plan: "The players are bought into it," but the lurking danger "is the clutter of the ego." http://www.courier-journal.com/story/sports/college/kentucky/2014/09/30/two-platoons-in-cals-corps/16515507/ ...

[jbcarol]

Steve Walentik @Steve_Walentik  ·  12h 12 hours ago

#Mizzou announces that G Cam Biedscheid, who transferred in January from Notre Dame, will no longer be a member of MU program.

Columbia Daily Tribune http://www.columbiatribune.com/sports/mu_basketball/biescheid-no-longer-a-member-of-missouri-program/article_fef55660-8ead-5109-8f1a-40ba3e2ff173.html ...

[jbcarol]

Matt Jones @KySportsRadio  ·  2h

John Calipari did a Preseason interview with the UK media. He said a lot but here are the 15 things you should know http://bit.ly/1nIES0A

1.) They will platoon...
Calipari told fans he will run with two teams of five, plus one guard and one big man substitute to make 12 total contributors. That's a lot of time to be shared, but he insists the players are all on board...

Cal explained, "... I think that, if you can get two groups that are balanced, yet good enough, we can do it. We have some time. We have to see. I'd like to play that way because it includes 10 guys, and really it includes all 12 because even the two that are left – you're in the rotation if someone gets hurt or, if a guard's not playing well, you're in. If a big's not playing well, you're in. So everybody's into the rotation."

[jbcarol]

SEC Sports Insider @SECSportInsider  ·  1h

Dickey V releases his top 40 on ESPN: UK tops the list @ No. 1 UF No. 9 UGA No. 33 Ark No. 36 LSU No. 38 Agree??

[jbcarol]

Steve Walentik @Steve_Walentik  ·  28 seconds ago

Blog: Counting down the Top 25 starting with some teams that just missed the cut http://www.columbiatribune.com/blogs/courtside_view/counting-down-the-top-the-also-considered/article_72c8f583-de5d-59c7-a605-faa2ebf8c02d.html ...

Razorbacks: I think Mike Anderson finally has the pieces to return Arkansas to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2008 with sophomore forward Bobby Portis, junior swingman Michael Qualls and senior guard Rashad Madden headlining a roster deep with speed and athleticism. I wouldn't even be surprised if the Razorbacks end up ranked...

[jbcarol]

Ben Frederickson @Ben_Fred  ·  2h 2 hours ago

#Vols hoops assistant @AdamHoward14: Willie Carmichael and Kevin Punter are up 20 pounds. Dominic Woodson is down 20.

Adam Howard on Dom Woodson: We want to see more. Work ethic, day in and day out, has to improve. At this point he still has a long way to go

Howard on Robert Hubbs: Sunday he had a great workout. He looked really good. He's coachable, still finding his way coming off of injury.

Adam Howard: Effort has been consistently good from Josh Richardson, Devon Baulkman, Kevin Punter and Armani "Ronnie" Moore.

[jbcarol]

Jonathan Givony @DraftExpress  ·  2 hours ago

Who are the top 22 draft prospects in the loaded SEC? Here's the list. Read/learn more here: http://www.draftexpress.com/article/Top-NBA-Prospects-in-the-SEC-Part-Twelve-Prospects-18-22-4731 ...

[jbcarol]

Jeff Goodman @GoodmanESPN  ·  59m

My first 2015 NBA Mock Draft has five Kentucky guys going in the first round

[Insider link and nothing else about the SEC in the teaser]

[jbcarol]

Kevin Brockway @gatorhoops  ·  19h

Frazier receiving preseason accolades: Florida junior guard Michael Frazier is getting plenty of national atte... http://bit.ly/1mRMgWC

[jbcarol]

Steve Walentik @Steve_Walentik  ·  2 hours ago

ICYMI: Blog: News and notes from #Mizzou basketball media day http://m.columbiatribune.com/blogs/courtside_view/notes-from-missouri-basketball-media-day/article_7299217b-568e-5567-9e17-f200d6ddfec4.html ...

6-foot-7 freshman D'Angelo Allen, a natural small forward, could see some time at PF with Tigers lacking depth in the frontcourt.

G Namon Wright on offseason: "We've had sicknesses, we've had a couple players leave, so I don't know, I just hope it makes us stronger."

Wright also thinks #Mizzou will get contributions from many different guards, not be dependent on just one or two guys.

[jbcarol]

Missouri basketball coach Kim Anderson lifted the suspensions for freshmen D'Angelo Allen and Jakeenan Gant, who were arrested last month on suspicion of misdemeanor third-degree assault stemming from a fight with three men in downtown Columbia. As of Wednesday, neither player had been charged with a crime related to the incident.

"In order to return they had to fulfill some things we wanted them to do in regards to character development, in regards to community service, in regards to basketball conditioning," Anderson said. "They fulfilled those and matter of fact surpassed our expectations."

In unrelated news, Missouri assistant athletics director for strategic communications Dave Reiter was arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated early Wednesday morning in Lafayette County. 

Chad Moller, Mizzou's associate athletics director for strategic communications, said Reiter, 36, is suspended indefinitely.

Missouri State Highway Patrol arrested Reiter at 1:33 a.m for DWI and speeding. He was taken to the Odessa Police Department and released. Reiter is Mizzou's primary media contact for the men's basketball team...

[jbcarol]

Johnathan Williams III out with torn meniscus, hopes to return by the end of the month

Steve Walentik        ✔ @Steve_Walentik
#Mizzou PF Johnathan Williams III said he tore meniscus during individual workout. He twisted his ankle and his knee also started hurting.
5:26 PM - 1 Oct 2014

Williams said he is expected to be out a few more weeks, but he expects to be ready to play by the Tigers' first exhibition (Oct. 29).
5:27 PM - 1 Oct 2014

To clarify, Williams' injury was described as a small tear.
5:29 PM - 1 Oct 2014

Although Williams averaged just 5.8 points last season, he is the leading returning scorer for a Missouri team that loses Jabari Brown, Jordan Clarkson and Earnest Ross from the 2013-14 campaign. Those three guards combined to average more than 50 points per game. Williams is also the team's leading rebounder.

[jbcarol]

Matt Jones @KySportsRadio  ·  2 hours ago
ESPN projects three UK players in Top 10 of NBA Draft...they aren't the three you might expect: http://kentuckysportsradio.com/nba-cats/goodman-projects-five-nba-first-rounders-from-kentucky ...

Up first is Karl Towns going second overall to the Milwaukee Bucks, one spot behind Duke's Jahlil Okafor to Philadelphia with the top pick. Does Philly really need another center?

Following Towns is Willie Cauley-Stein at No. 9 to join Eric Bledsoe in Phoenix, then Trey Lyles to the New York Knicks right after him at No. 10. Goodman writes, "Phil Jackson needs to accumulate some high basketball IQ guys in New York, and Lyles really knows how to play."

Then he has Aaron Harrison up next, headed to Toronto to join Patrick Patterson with the Raptors at No. 18. Dakari Johnson is the fifth first-rounder, going 28th overall to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

That leaves Andrew Harrison, Alex Poythress and maybe more as second round picks if they decide to leave...

[jbcarol]

Kyle Tucker @KyleTucker_CJ  ·  13h

Cauley-Stein: "You don't get these years back. You only live it once. So why not live it? Why rush into something?" http://cjky.it/1r4ShKS

LEXINGTON, Ky. – He admits now he was probably still a little loopy on pain medicine, lying there in a hospital bed back in April after having a plate and four screws inserted in his left ankle.

Some would argue that was a less-than-ideal environment for Willie Cauley-Stein to make such a major life decision as whether to stay at the University of Kentucky for a third season or bolt for the big bucks and even brighter lights of the NBA. But sometimes clarity strikes like a bolt of lightning, even when you're in a fog – or video-chatting with your cousin from the recovery ward.

"I was talking to him and I was like, 'Yo, I just feel like I can get better. I feel like I've got so much stuff that I haven't shown to nobody that I can do and make my stock so much higher,' " Cauley-Stein said. "I was super amped. I was fresh out of surgery, so what I was saying was just a bunch of nonsense – but it was real. I was really feeling that.

"That was one of my biggest decisions. I was laying there and I was like, 'Yo, I'm

And so it was that the first, 7-foot-tall domino fell for the Wildcats. After his decision, five other players who helped UK reach the NCAA championship game last season announced they would also pass on the NBA and come back to school for another year...

The 7-footer has been working out some at the 3.

[jbcarol]

Tennessee Media Opportunity:

Ben Frederickson @Ben_Fred  ·  18h
Tyndall: Dom Woodson has been cleared by NCAA to play this season.

Tyndall made it clear Woodson can play, but won't if he can't continue to lose weight. Woodson has lost 17 pounds in 5 weeks

Tyndall on Woodson: As glad as we are that he is cleared, if we tipped it up today he wouldn't check in

Tyndall on Woodson: If he gets to 265 he could push for starting spot, maybe shift Willie Carmichael to the 4.

Josh Richardson on Dom Woodson: "He's our biggest guy, by far. He has made a lot of progress this summer. He still has a long way to go before he can come on and dominate people like we want him to do."

Tyndall said one of the best part of practice starting is the 20 hours of film per week. He quizzes players during classroom sessions.

Tyndall: With an extremely young team and new coach, there are going to be some bumps in road. But I'm excited to have some long workouts

Tyndall: Kevin Punter is playing point guard despite it not being his natural position. Ian Chiles has struggled with turnovers.

Tyndall: Robert Hubbs needs to play more compact, rebound better. Has been coachable.

Tyndall: Wille Carmichael has been the most pleasant surprise all summer long... He would start on our team today if we tipped it up.

Tyndall hopes to have eight/nine players in rotation. Says he's got six he would trust in a game right now.

Armani "Ronnie" Moore says he's playing the 3 and the 4, mostly the 4


Dom Woodson received a "run off' waiver.

[jbcarol]

Austin Kim @AustinKKim  ·  Oct 1

Here's the unedited Montaque Gill-Caesar interview from media day today #Mizzou: http://www.abc17news.com/sports/web-extra-montaque-gillcaesar-media-day-interview/28359674 ...

#Mizzou freshman Montaque Gill-Caesar said his unofficial visit to Mizzou this summer sold him on the program. Liked the guys and staff.

[jbcarol]

Matt Jones @KySportsRadio  ·  2 hours ago

ESPNU will air the UK NBA Combine on Oct 10 at 3 pm

Jay Bilas, Avery Johnson and Seth Greenberg calling the NBA Combine

[jbcarol]

Andy Katz @ESPNAndyKatz  ·  5h 5 hours ago
Updated Kentucky-combine story with Calipari not ruling out scouts at practices during season: http://es.pn/1r8wAcO  via @espncbb

"Someone said, 'You'll make them think about the NBA.' Excuse me? They all do. Even the walk-ons,'' Calipari said. "It creates a base for me to build with each individual kid and what I need to do.

"All 30 teams will be here my first week of practice. Now it's all controlled and organized. How long I keep the [NBA scouts] out? I don't know. It could be weeks or months. I will have all the information I need to help each one of these kids."

The trend of having a pro day isn't new to college sports. College football programs have traditionally done this after the season before the NFL draft.

With the changes in the NBA draft rules, getting players to participate in a combine-style event has proved difficult. A number of the top players choose not to play in the NBA-sponsored Chicago draft camp in May.

The newer NCAA draft rules say that a player has until a week after the Final Four to declare for the NBA draft, but that is not binding.

The only NBA draft deadline the NBA considers is the one it administers at the end of April. If a college player sends in his name for the draft then, he is draft-eligible. And once that occurs, the player cannot return to college under NCAA rules.

Players no longer have the luxury of working out for teams in May and "testing" the draft process. Once they declare and send in their official letter, then they are in the draft.

[jbcarol]

Brandon Marcello @bmarcello  ·  4m 4 minutes ago
Scenes from Bruce Pearl's first day of fall practices at Auburn http://ow.ly/CgzUq

The practice served as our official introduction to the Tigers' newcomers, including junior college transfer Cinmeon Bowers, their starting center.

(Video at link above)