I don't know. What do they return in the frontcourt?

5/18/2009 1:22:41 PM

without looking it up I'm pretty sure 4 of their 5 starters last year were seniors. All I know from last year is Collins. I think they have a pretty highly rated pf coming in this year. Not Garrius Adams. Someone else.

5/18/2009 1:52:04 PM

16 Pittsburgh

Didn't they lose Blair, Fields and Young? That's going to be tough to replace.

5/18/2009 2:45:29 PM

True, but Dante Taylor should keep them competitive. I'm inclined to replace them with UConn, b/c I'm thinking that that is where the 4th placed Big East team might be ranked next year. I just don't know what UConn loses and keeps. NyM what do you think UConn will be like next year?


For page 2

1. Kansas
2. Michigan State
3. Kentucky
4. Syracuse
5. Villanova
6. Texas
7. UNC
8. Purdue
9. Tennessee
10. USC
11. Xavier
12. Duke
13. Illinois
14. Dayton
15. West Virginia
16. UConn
17. Clemson
18. Washington
19. Mississippi State
20. Michigan
21. Wake Forest
22. Ohio State
23. UCLA
24. California
25. NC State


Which conference do you all think is going to be the best one next year?

[Edited on May 18, 2009 at 3:17 PM. Reason : ]

5/18/2009 3:16:35 PM

http://ncstate.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=946926

Howell is ready and willing

Richard Howell, a power forward from Wheeler High in Marietta, Ga., has never been afraid to seize an opportunity.

One of his first chances came when he was just a boy, and ironically it helped launch a basketball career that will bring him into the ACC next fall as a forward at NC State.

"I started playing basketball when I was four years old," Howell noted. "My pops was in the military, and he was in New York and he was coming back and when he came back he brought me one of those Fisher-Price goals, and I was playing basketball all the time on the Fisher-Price goal.

"I would shoot from different spots for people's money. I would go to my uncle and say, 'If I make this shot give me $10.' And I would make it. I would save my money because I was saving up for a basketball goal, which was my goal the whole time. I was saving money and my parents didn't know about it, and then I brought it one day.

"I was kind of sketchy about that. I got it outside and I just started shooting on it every single day. Then my pops got me a personal trainer, and I started working out, two-a-days after school. That was basically how I started, the Fisher-Price goal."

The next opportunity for Howell will come at NC State in the form of playing time. The 6-8, 230-pounder will be one of three incoming recruits that will help provide some much needed depth and beef to the post, where only rising junior forward Tracy Smith returns.

Howell though may have the loftiest credentials of the three incoming recruits. Center Jordan Vandenberg from Melbourne, Australia is an unknown, and the 7-0, 230-pounder readily admits he will need to add some strength before he is ready to contribute.

DeShawn Painter, 6-9, 210 pounds, is a raw athlete from Norfolk, Va., trying to develop the necessary skill set to become a factor in the rotation.

Howell however comes in with a reputation of skilled power forward that should be ready to contribute quickly.

"I was always a guard who kind of grew into a forward," Howell said. "I could always dribble, I could always shoot. When I started growing more, I worked on my post game, so I basically became an all-around player.

"An all-around player, can shoot and go to the hoops, block out, great defender, anything the coach asks me to do, I can do."

So what kind of role does Howell see himself playing next year?

"I don't know how to answer that," Howell said. "Whatever role coach gives me, I don't know what it is at the moment, I am going to take it and use it to the best of my ability."

Howell does keep in close contact with assistant coach Larry Harris.

5/18/2009 8:02:25 PM

MERRY CHRISTMAS LEXINGTON!

5/19/2009 10:21:00 AM

Gerald Henderson signed with an agent.

5/19/2009 5:36:40 PM

Quote :

""I started playing basketball when I was four years old," Howell noted. "My pops was in the military, and he was in New York and he was coming back and when he came back he brought me one of those Fisher-Price goals, and I was playing basketball all the time on the Fisher-Price goal. "I would shoot from different spots for people's money. I would go to my uncle and say, 'If I make this shot give me $10.' And I would make it. I would save my money because I was saving up for a basketball goal, which was my goal the whole time. I was saving money and my parents didn't know about it, and then I brought it one day."

my kind of guy

5/19/2009 6:24:15 PM

http://wolfpackhoops.blogspot.com/2009/05/catching-up-with-courtney.html

Quote :

"WPH: Wow you’re not kidding it’s no joke. So they really work you hard, huh? Did you feel prepared or was it harder than you expected? Fells: No, I’m in good shape so I was able to do it. In Coach Lowe’s practices helped me be prepared. We did a lot of the same drills so I felt pretty confident in the workouts."

We need recruits reading this sort of thing.

Quote :

"WPH: That’s awesome to hear. Congrats! Now you played 4 years with the Pak and I’ll tell you, you certainly provided some exciting moments in your time here. Tell us about your time at State, how would you describe the experience? Fells: I’d say it was a roller coaster ride. I was recruited and came in under Coach Sendek. Then, he left and didn’t say good bye so that was kind of hard, but Coach Lowe really came in and kept the team together. I definitely learned a lot during my time at NC State. I feel like now I’m stronger mentally from overcoming adversity. I also think it helped me playing for two different coaches. They were different. So I learned to adapt to two different style of coaching. That should help me at the next level if I get traded or have to play for a new coach, I’ll know what it’s like. Coach Sendek was always talking about defense and Coach Lowe does too but he’s more about taking care of the basketball and executing on offense."

Quote :

"My senior year was ok but I was injured. A lot of people said I just had a “tweaked” ankle but most people don’t know that I played most of the season with a torn ligament, a bruised bone and a high ankle sprain. That happened against Davidson and I wasn’t supposed to play again until the end of January but I played through it, and actually re-injured it against Marquette on a dunk."

That sucks to learn that we didn't get to see Courtney at full health in his senior season.

[Edited on May 19, 2009 at 6:45 PM. Reason : ]

5/19/2009 6:45:21 PM

Wood is a pure shooter
http://ncstate.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=947848

5/20/2009 6:19:14 PM

Quote :

"Which conference do you all think is going to be the best one next year?"

ACC

CONFERENCE PRIDE!

5/20/2009 7:38:17 PM

I like the fact that Sid has gone out and got some games against big name competition. It nearly worked out for us this past year when we almost beat Marquette and Florida. Next year with Arizona being added to the schedule it looks like we might have a decent OOC schedule.

What programs do you want to see us try and get home-and-home series with? I know that this regime tried to get UMass and Kentucky on the slate, but I don't know if anything came of that. At least they were able to get the Marquette, UF, and UA deals though.

I'd like to see us get some games with Tennessee (good for regional recruiting purposes, especially if we beat them), Texas, UK, KU, Ok St, any of the 4 Pac 10 Cali schools (a lot of good talent in that state), UConn or St. John's (good for recruiting the tri-state area, especially NYC), any of the Big 5 Philadelphia schools (they have some good players in that city and I'll be living in Philly for the next 4 years and it'd be great to be able to see the Pack play with out me having to go anywhere ).

I would have mentioned one of the historic Big 10 powers like MSU, IU, UofI, tOSU, UM, or UW, but with the ACC/Big Ten Challenge we probably don't really need to be going out of the way to schedule any of them if we take care of business and start finishing in the Top 4 of the league.

5/20/2009 10:47:41 PM

Quote :

"NyM what do you think UConn will be like next year?"

Very high ceiling if things come together, but also high bust potential.

I've read a few people say that Alex Oriakhi is one of the top players in the class in terms of expected impact as a freshman. Really they have two Top 15 players entering the program this year when Majok is eligible in December and they have quality experience with Dyson, Robinson, Edwards and Kemba.

Top 20 for sure and the potential to be much, much, much better later in the year...

5/20/2009 10:51:45 PM

Well this is odd, yet awesome to hear.

http://www.wspa.com/spa/sports/college/clemson/clemson_basketball/article/report_oglesby_leaving_clemson_for_europe/18110/

Quote :

"The TigerIllustrated.com website reports that Clemson rising junior guard Terrance Oglesby will leave the program to play professionally in Europe. A Clemson athletic spokesman said Tuesday night the school has no comment. Last season, Oglesby was the third-leading scorer for the Tigers, averaging 13.2 points per game. He was the leading three-point shooter on the team with 92 makes on the season, the fourth-highest single-season total in school history."

5/26/2009 9:14:06 PM

^glad to see him go, I hated that motherfucker

5/27/2009 1:17:58 PM

don't understand that..

5/27/2009 1:26:51 PM

I long ago gave up trying to read the minds of young men of any color or creed and I'm a better man for it.

[Edited on May 27, 2009 at 1:37 PM. Reason : .]

5/27/2009 1:30:08 PM

^umm he's white

5/27/2009 1:33:26 PM

haha I haven't seen a Clemson game in 3 years and the whole Terrance thing, well, you know...

5/27/2009 1:40:42 PM

Just to post this in here since this is also relevant to our basketball season as well as the Hurricanes, we will have a new HD jumbotron this coming season.

5/27/2009 11:32:27 PM

Memphis hit with allegations of SAT fraud. hope it follows Calimari but doubt it does.

in addition, former UK BG is suing the university for firing him

5/27/2009 11:40:52 PM

My first attempt at a movie. Don't be too harsh.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98lzWuHRkec

6/3/2009 12:11:50 AM

How do you all think Duke will do next season without Henderson? He pretty much was the catalyst for them beating us in Cameron last year.

6/3/2009 5:57:42 PM

I personally don't see why the NBA can't put in an age limit. They are a private organization, and if one of their requirements for work is a year of competitive ball after high school either in college or Europe, then so be it.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=Ar1bX4F9rvx4HBzxBcJ47.jevbYF?slug=dw-agerule060309&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

Congressman questions NBA’s age rule

By Dan Wetzel, Yahoo! Sports 6 hours, 2 minutes ago

LOS ANGELES – A U.S. Congressman is demanding that NBA commissioner David Stern and NBA Players Association executive director Billy Hunter explain to Congress the reasoning behind the league’s 19-year-old age minimum for U.S. players to enter the draft.

U.S. Rep Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) wrote both men a letter Wednesday to express his “deep concern” over a rule that “bar(s) athletes from playing in the league on the basis of age” and asked that the “policy be repealed” in the next collective bargaining agreement.

The four-year-old rule sends most U.S. players to the collegiate ranks for at least one season.

“This system does far more to serve the financial interests of the universities at which the students play than the educational interests of the student themselves,” Cohen wrote in a letter obtained by Yahoo! Sports. “I am convinced the (age rule) contributed to the recent spate of scandals involving college athletes.”

Cohen has asked that Stern and Hunter voluntarily open a dialogue with him concerning the rule and discuss “why this rule exists,” according to press secretary Steven Broderick.

If they do not respond, the congressman is “prepared to pursue other avenues to get the answers,” according to Broderick.

Broderick would not speculate on those avenues, but they would presumably include the calling of a hearing that would require testimony from Stern and Hunter.

“We are looking forward to receiving, reviewing and responding to the congressman’s letter, as we always do,” said NBA spokesman Tim Frank.

“We anticipate that the issue of the age limitation will be front and center during the upcoming collective bargaining negotiations and we look forward to the opportunity to revisit the change to the rule that was made in 2005,” said NBPA spokesman Dan Wasserman.

The league and its players association jointly put the age limit into their collective bargaining agreement back in 2005. Stern has spoken about possibly extending the age minimum to 20 years old or two years out of high school for U.S. players. European players need only be 18.

“I ask that this policy be repealed when the NBA completes its new collective bargaining agreement (with) the NBA Players Association,” wrote Cohen, who is a member of the powerful committee of the judiciary and the chair of the subcommittee on commercial and administrative law.

Cohen represents Tennessee’s ninth district, which includes the city of Memphis and the University of Memphis, currently involved in an NCAA infractions case involving former Tigers guard Derrick Rose(notes).

Rose is a classic “one-and-done” player who spent time in college basketball only because of the NBA rule. He’s accused by the NCAA of academic fraud for irregularities on his SAT.

Rose denied the claim, according to NCAA documents. The university has responded by saying the NCAA does not have enough evidence to conclude that Rose used a stand-in on his SAT. University officials will appear before the committee on infractions Saturday in Indianapolis.

6/3/2009 9:43:21 PM

You know, I wish they'd just do away with the age limit. Let the guys who want to make the jump from high school try the draft (and end up in Europe or the D-League). I don't care much for one-and-dones. I'd rather get guys who will at least stick around for two or three years.

6/3/2009 9:51:35 PM

Nice vid Brass Monkey.

6/3/2009 10:10:17 PM

one-and-dones are pretty much the equivalent of "just the tip"

6/3/2009 10:21:04 PM

^^ thanks

I want the rule gone too, but I don't think it's wrong for the NBA to have it in place. Personally I think it'd be much more beneficial to the kids, the schools, and the NBA for them to make it a 2 years removed from HS or 20 years of age limit. The kids would be much closer to getting a degree, they will actually have to take classes serious for more than a semester, and those that truly wanted to experience college would do so. Those that don't would go to Europe or perhaps the D-League, which I think doesn't have the age requirement. It works out for everyone. Bob Knight proposed that they should make it 2 years, b/c as he pointed out kids just have to do enough in the Fall semester to be eligible, then they don't have to attend classes for the Spring semester if they know they are going to the league.

Obviously though the best thing for college basketball overall would be to have the MLB setup where those that don't want to go to college and are good enough to go straight to the pros can get drafted right out of HS, and those that do want to go to college have to stay for 3 years. I think this would potentially usher in an era of consistency not seen in college ball in quite some time. The 80s seemed to be the golden age for college basketball. Can you imagine a talent like Patrick Ewing staying all four years nowadays, especially after having the freshman campaign he had and making the NC game?

[Edited on June 3, 2009 at 11:00 PM. Reason : ]

6/3/2009 10:54:36 PM

all the nba cares about is basketball. they could give a fuck if john wall takes two years of classes.

6/3/2009 11:02:48 PM

20 or nothing, i say.

6/3/2009 11:35:35 PM

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=4246625

Tim Floyd resigns. He'll take the hit for all of the voilations the basketball program has had, and the school will remain "clean".


I hate that shit. USC needs to be hit hard with the violations that have been reported in all of their major programs in the past decade or so.

6/9/2009 8:34:01 PM

Even if he's from Mississippi, why in the hell is this story breaking in the Jackson paper?

6/9/2009 8:46:21 PM

stake in the Renardo Sidney ordeal

6/9/2009 9:16:47 PM

wouldnt they have to boot all the players he "recruited" in order to have a "clean" program...

6/9/2009 10:50:15 PM

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/427124/1983_north_carolina_state_wolfpack_succeeding_against_the_odds/

plz 2 embed

<embed src="http://www.metacafe.com/fplayer/427124/1983_north_carolina_state_wolfpack_succeeding_against_the_odds.swf" width="400" height="345" wmode="transparent" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" name="Metacafe_427124" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"> </embed><br><font size = 1><a href="http://www.metacafe.com/watch/427124/1983_north_carolina_state_wolfpack_succeeding_against_the_odds/">1983 North Carolina State Wolfpack - Succeeding Against The Odds</a> - <a href="http://www.metacafe.com/">Free videos are just a click away</a></font>

6/14/2009 4:04:27 PM

1983 North Carolina State Wolfpack - Succeeding Against The Odds - For more funny videos, click here

6/14/2009 6:47:06 PM

Quote :

"For more funny videos"

6/14/2009 7:16:48 PM

hahaha

6/14/2009 7:56:20 PM

Jodie Meeks is gone.

6/15/2009 12:51:43 PM

BM, you may want to update your preseason USC ranking, haha.

6/15/2009 12:59:12 PM

Quote :

"10.USC"

lawl

6/15/2009 1:16:36 PM

Gani Lawal is going back to school. Teague is staying in the draft.

[Edited on June 15, 2009 at 1:52 PM. Reason : .]

6/15/2009 1:41:27 PM

Grevis Vasquez is back for his senior year, per Andy Katz

6/15/2009 3:12:09 PM

Yeah USC isn't in my new Top 25 anymore now that Floyd and all of the players are jumping ship.

1. Kansas
2. Michigan State
3. Kentucky
4. Texas
5. Villanova
6. Syracuse
7. UNC
8. Purdue
9. Tennessee
10. Illinois
11. Xavier
12. West Virginia
13. Dayton
14. Washington
15. UConn
16. Duke
17. Mississippi State
18. Missouri
19. Michigan
20. Clemson
21. Ohio State
22. UCLA
23. California
24. Oklahoma State
25. NC State

[Edited on June 15, 2009 at 4:09 PM. Reason : ]

6/15/2009 4:03:21 PM

ACC Now has a very early ranking of ACC teams:

Quote :

"1. Duke: Kyle Singler, finally in his natural position, will be the best player in the league. (Previous: 1) 2. UNC: New talent that hasn't played together yet. That's the only reason the Heels are behind Duke. (2) 3. Boston College: Guard Tyrese Rice was such a big part of that team, but the way Al Skinner's offense works, the remaining parts — with four starters back from an NCAA team — will function without Rice. (4) 4. Georgia Tech: Talent on top of talent. Memo to Paul Hewitt: Coach the team, not the refs. (5) 5. Florida State: Another huge loss (guard Toney Douglas) but bigs Solomon Alabi and Chris Singleton and combo guard Derwin Kitchen give the Noles a great core. (6) 6. Maryland: Gary's tweeting about his new big men. They have to be an improvement from the burlap sack and Swiffer WetJet that manned the post last year — and still made the tourney. (7) 7. Clemson: Who's going to shoot without K.C. Rivers and Terrence Oglesby? (3) 8. Virginia Tech: A three-man team has been reduced to a two-man team without A.D. Vassallo. (8) 9. Virginia: New Coach Syndrome gives the Hoos hope. (10) 10. N.C. State: The Sidney Lowe Era hits Phase 2 with his own players. (9) 11. Wake Forest: Maybe they'll have more structure on offense with Ish Smith at the point. Maybe Al-Farouq Aminu will develop into an All-ACC player. Maybe. Maybe. Maybe. With Wake you never know. (11) 12. Miami: Not budging on this. Unlike FSU and BC, the Canes do not have the means to replace their superstar guard. And stop with the Villanova transfer (Malcolm Grant), he's not Jack McClinton. (12) "

http://blogs.newsobserver.com/accnow/second-look-at-the-acc-in-2009-10

this is a pretty terrible ranking, BC and GT at 3 and 4? completely retarded. Wake at 11 is also ridiculous, as is UVA at 9.

6/16/2009 1:43:50 PM

Does anyone else really buy GT vaulting into the top half of the ACC next year? I mean this team is still coached by Paul Hewitt. I know they have a good recruiting class coming in, but besides Favors and maybe Udofia, I don't see how the others will significantly contribute right away.

6/20/2009 11:13:21 AM

^I agree, they won't be top 4 in the conference by any stretch though I certainly think they'll be better than they were last year. Udofia will help them a lot because he will allow Shumpert to move to the 2 guard which is really his natural position (his assist:turnover ratio last year was horrible). Their frontcourt will be a beast though.

On a separate note, Kevin O'Neil got the USC job, which I guess is a good choice since they would have a hard time getting a really good coach to try and rebuild there (Jamie Dixon turned them down a couple of times). I thought he severely underachieved with Arizona the season before last though, he had 3 first round picks (assuming Budinger goes in the first round) and he barely made the tournament and subsequently lost in the 1st round.

6/20/2009 1:49:48 PM

Talent-wise, Ga Tech should be a Top 5 team but Hewitt is a shitty-ass coach. Really, we are a top half team on pure talent but it is inexperienced (which is key) and I don't particularly think we have a great coach either..

6/20/2009 1:57:53 PM

Quote :

"I don't particularly think we have a great coach either.."

6/20/2009 2:23:34 PM

brass im really skeptical on michigan this coming year with an unknown backcourt, specifically point guard...
yea we have shooters but cj lee graduated and we lost an amazing backup, who would have started, in kelvin grady (who might actually play football now for UofM if he doesn't transfer to play basketball somewhere), which really hurt, that kid was good

6/20/2009 2:25:46 PM