College Basketball Nation: Mississippi State
Summer Buzz: Mississippi State Bulldogs
August, 12, 2011
8/12/11
2:07
PM ET
By
Eamonn Brennan | ESPN.com
Our friends at The Mag are previewing one high-profile school per day for their Summer Buzz series. For the sake of all that is synergistic, yours truly will be attempting the same, complementing each comprehensive Insider preview with some analytic fun. Today's subject: Mississippi State.
Renardo Sidney stayed in school.
At a glance, this should have been a no-brainer. Since arriving at Mississippi State, Sidney has been in trouble and out of shape. He spent his entire freshman season awaiting eligibility clearance from the NCAA. Then, when he was granted that eligibility, he was forced to sit out 11 games of his sophomore year. Then, when he finally did get on the court, Sidney -- one of the most sought-after recruits in the 2009 class (at least until the NCAA started sniffing around the Sidney family's living arrangements) -- was consistently underwhelming. Also, he got in a public fight with a teammate. So, yeah, things did not go well.
In other words: Of course Sidney should have stayed in school. But given all the bad decisions he's made in the past, and his apparent desire to get to the NBA as quickly as possible, it was a legitimate surprise to see Sidney make the prudent decision to return to school this spring.
And that's not all: Sidney has spent much of his summer working out in Houston with former NBA veteran and personal trainer John Lucas. The forward checked in with Lucas at 320 pounds earlier this summer, and last we heard, he's already lost about 25 pounds on the way to a desired playing weight of 270. Sidney has apparently been so dedicated to these workouts that he decided to skip Mississippi State's exhibition trip to Europe; he found it more worthwhile to stay in Houston and keep working out. That may not be the best move for team chemistry, but if it helps Sidney show up to campus ready to contribute in major ways to the Bulldogs, it might have been the right move after all.
However you choose to view it, one thing is certain: If the talented forward wants to live up to his hype and realize his NBA dream, he needs to contribute now. No more excuses. No more public fights. No more suspensions, no more arguments with coaches, no more weight gain, no more mess. For Mississippi State to reach its collective potential -- which could include a run at SEC contention and a spot in the NCAA tournament -- Sidney has to maximize his individual play. It's really just as simple as that.
Which is not to say there aren't other talented players in Rick Stansbury's team. Guard Dee Bost -- who famously entered the 2010 NBA draft only to return to school claiming he didn't understand the new draft withdrawal deadline -- decided to skip that noise in 2011 and come straight back to the school. Bost was one of the country's best distributors in 2011, when he posted a 38.8 percent assist rate, the 14th-highest mark in college hoops. Fellow backcourt mate Brian Bryant posted a 21.4 percent assist rate in 2011; he's back for his senior season, too. That gives the Bulldogs a solid, experienced backcourt, one that very much prefers to find teammates before looking for its own shots.
There's more good news on the way, too, as former UTEP transfer Arnett Moultrie becomes eligible to play this fall. Moultrie's addition might be the most important non-Sidney factor for this team's success in 2011-12. Why? Because Moultrie defends. The last time we saw him in action -- during UTEP's impressive 2010 season -- the 6-foot-11 forward earned national ranks in block rate, steal rate, and defensive rebounding percentage. He was a major contributor to a UTEP defense that ranked No. 21 in Pomeroy's adjusted defensive efficiency (a rank that would have been even higher had that Miners team not been so frustratingly prone to foul).
If there's anything Mississippi State needs, it's defense. The Bulldogs ranked No. 170 in the country in adjusted defensive efficiency in 2011. They were good at one thing: not fouling. They were bad at everything else, particularly forcing turnovers, where they ranked No. 336 in all of Division I. Moultrie can add length, physicality and toughness, which is exactly what the Bulldogs need.
His entrance is important for another reason too: it offsets the pressure Sidney will face. Despite the disappointing performances we saw from a physically winded Sidney last season, he did use those limited minutes to flash the talent that got scouts excited about him in the first place. His advanced shooting percentages were solid. His defensive rebounding rate came in at 24.2 percent, the highest of any Bulldog. He drew about five fouls per 40 minutes. His posted a 3.4 percent block rate. There's clearly some ability here.
What Sidney hasn't had, at least thus far, is the physical stability to turn those flashes into sustainable success. Assuming he'll be able to do that this year is a fool's errand, because we heard much the same about his physical transformation last summer, and we all saw how that went.
But if he can get in shape and can stay on the floor, Moultrie's presence alongside him can be huge. Moultrie can draw the lion's share of the interior defensive responsibilities while Sidney helps on the weak side, disrupting shots and crashing the glass. It also gives him more breathing room -- literally and figuratively -- on the offensive end. Mississippi State's guards will be willing to find their big men in the paint, and having Moultrie offset Sidney in low-post possessions seems like a viable, consistent offensive strategy.
But all of it relies on Sidney. If he's the Renardo Sidney we've seen so far, then Mississippi State is a decent team with little chance of making waves in the SEC. If Sidney is what he was expected to be -- if he's even close -- the Bulldogs will be considerably more formidable. Will the real Renardo Sidney please stand up? Has he already?
We'll find out in 2011-12. Sidney's a junior now, believe it or not. If he wants to get to the NBA after all -- and make his team a contender in the process -- the time for youthful indiscretion is long since over.
Renardo Sidney stayed in school.
At a glance, this should have been a no-brainer. Since arriving at Mississippi State, Sidney has been in trouble and out of shape. He spent his entire freshman season awaiting eligibility clearance from the NCAA. Then, when he was granted that eligibility, he was forced to sit out 11 games of his sophomore year. Then, when he finally did get on the court, Sidney -- one of the most sought-after recruits in the 2009 class (at least until the NCAA started sniffing around the Sidney family's living arrangements) -- was consistently underwhelming. Also, he got in a public fight with a teammate. So, yeah, things did not go well.
[+] Enlarge
AP Photo/Rogelio V. SolisIs this the season Renardo Sidney finally lives up to his potential?
AP Photo/Rogelio V. SolisIs this the season Renardo Sidney finally lives up to his potential?And that's not all: Sidney has spent much of his summer working out in Houston with former NBA veteran and personal trainer John Lucas. The forward checked in with Lucas at 320 pounds earlier this summer, and last we heard, he's already lost about 25 pounds on the way to a desired playing weight of 270. Sidney has apparently been so dedicated to these workouts that he decided to skip Mississippi State's exhibition trip to Europe; he found it more worthwhile to stay in Houston and keep working out. That may not be the best move for team chemistry, but if it helps Sidney show up to campus ready to contribute in major ways to the Bulldogs, it might have been the right move after all.
However you choose to view it, one thing is certain: If the talented forward wants to live up to his hype and realize his NBA dream, he needs to contribute now. No more excuses. No more public fights. No more suspensions, no more arguments with coaches, no more weight gain, no more mess. For Mississippi State to reach its collective potential -- which could include a run at SEC contention and a spot in the NCAA tournament -- Sidney has to maximize his individual play. It's really just as simple as that.
Which is not to say there aren't other talented players in Rick Stansbury's team. Guard Dee Bost -- who famously entered the 2010 NBA draft only to return to school claiming he didn't understand the new draft withdrawal deadline -- decided to skip that noise in 2011 and come straight back to the school. Bost was one of the country's best distributors in 2011, when he posted a 38.8 percent assist rate, the 14th-highest mark in college hoops. Fellow backcourt mate Brian Bryant posted a 21.4 percent assist rate in 2011; he's back for his senior season, too. That gives the Bulldogs a solid, experienced backcourt, one that very much prefers to find teammates before looking for its own shots.
There's more good news on the way, too, as former UTEP transfer Arnett Moultrie becomes eligible to play this fall. Moultrie's addition might be the most important non-Sidney factor for this team's success in 2011-12. Why? Because Moultrie defends. The last time we saw him in action -- during UTEP's impressive 2010 season -- the 6-foot-11 forward earned national ranks in block rate, steal rate, and defensive rebounding percentage. He was a major contributor to a UTEP defense that ranked No. 21 in Pomeroy's adjusted defensive efficiency (a rank that would have been even higher had that Miners team not been so frustratingly prone to foul).
If there's anything Mississippi State needs, it's defense. The Bulldogs ranked No. 170 in the country in adjusted defensive efficiency in 2011. They were good at one thing: not fouling. They were bad at everything else, particularly forcing turnovers, where they ranked No. 336 in all of Division I. Moultrie can add length, physicality and toughness, which is exactly what the Bulldogs need.
His entrance is important for another reason too: it offsets the pressure Sidney will face. Despite the disappointing performances we saw from a physically winded Sidney last season, he did use those limited minutes to flash the talent that got scouts excited about him in the first place. His advanced shooting percentages were solid. His defensive rebounding rate came in at 24.2 percent, the highest of any Bulldog. He drew about five fouls per 40 minutes. His posted a 3.4 percent block rate. There's clearly some ability here.
What Sidney hasn't had, at least thus far, is the physical stability to turn those flashes into sustainable success. Assuming he'll be able to do that this year is a fool's errand, because we heard much the same about his physical transformation last summer, and we all saw how that went.
But if he can get in shape and can stay on the floor, Moultrie's presence alongside him can be huge. Moultrie can draw the lion's share of the interior defensive responsibilities while Sidney helps on the weak side, disrupting shots and crashing the glass. It also gives him more breathing room -- literally and figuratively -- on the offensive end. Mississippi State's guards will be willing to find their big men in the paint, and having Moultrie offset Sidney in low-post possessions seems like a viable, consistent offensive strategy.
But all of it relies on Sidney. If he's the Renardo Sidney we've seen so far, then Mississippi State is a decent team with little chance of making waves in the SEC. If Sidney is what he was expected to be -- if he's even close -- the Bulldogs will be considerably more formidable. Will the real Renardo Sidney please stand up? Has he already?
We'll find out in 2011-12. Sidney's a junior now, believe it or not. If he wants to get to the NBA after all -- and make his team a contender in the process -- the time for youthful indiscretion is long since over.
Renardo Sidney still not in shape
December, 17, 2010
12/17/10
12:59
PM ET
By
Eamonn Brennan | ESPN.com
Yesterday, Diamond caught you up on the influx of talent currently happening at Mississippi State, where guard Dee Bost and forward Renardo Sidney are both finally making their way to the floor for the Bulldogs. Both missed much of the nonconference schedule thanks to eligibility-related suspensions by the NCAA -- Bost for removing his name from the draft after the deadline; Sidney for taking improper benefits as a high-schooler -- and both are key to the Bulldogs' chances of cracking that ever-elusive NCAA tournament nut.
The only problem? Somehow, Sidney is still not in shape. Here's MSU coach Rick Stansbury speaking after Mississippi State's Tuesday exhibition win over Bellhaven (via Mike DeCourcy):
I might be missing something, but hasn't Renardo had an entire calendar year, plus a month or so this season, to focus on getting in shape? Didn't his teammates rave about his work ethic in the offseason? Didn't these concerns trail Renardo throughout his entire high school and AAU career? Didn't anyone get this memo?
Mississippi State desperately needs Sidney to have a productive year. That's motivating factor No. 1. Sidney desperately needs to show NBA scouts he can capitalize on the talent that made him one of the most highly sought-after big men in the class of 2009. That's motivating factor No. 2. Even if Sidney didn't buy in to the former, you'd think he'd realize -- especially given his bombast and bravado during the suspension -- how much skin he has on the line in the latter. Apparently not, or at least not yet.
The only problem? Somehow, Sidney is still not in shape. Here's MSU coach Rick Stansbury speaking after Mississippi State's Tuesday exhibition win over Bellhaven (via Mike DeCourcy):
“Renardo had a lot of fatigue. He will have to get in better shape if we are going to use him a lot.”
I might be missing something, but hasn't Renardo had an entire calendar year, plus a month or so this season, to focus on getting in shape? Didn't his teammates rave about his work ethic in the offseason? Didn't these concerns trail Renardo throughout his entire high school and AAU career? Didn't anyone get this memo?
Mississippi State desperately needs Sidney to have a productive year. That's motivating factor No. 1. Sidney desperately needs to show NBA scouts he can capitalize on the talent that made him one of the most highly sought-after big men in the class of 2009. That's motivating factor No. 2. Even if Sidney didn't buy in to the former, you'd think he'd realize -- especially given his bombast and bravado during the suspension -- how much skin he has on the line in the latter. Apparently not, or at least not yet.
Renardo Sidney testing long-range game
November, 3, 2010
11/03/10
8:45
AM ET
By
Eamonn Brennan | ESPN.com
Renardo Sidney is a very large man. He has reportedly lost weight since his days as a top-rated recruit in the class of 2009, but weight loss or no, Sidney is still 6-foot-9 and well over 200 pounds. That sort of bulk is -- duh -- almost always best used under the rim. Plenty of athletic, versatile point forwards have have changed the game for big men in recent years, but very few, if any, of them have been bruisers.
Sidney is a bruiser. Or, at least, he should be. But according to the results from Mississippi State's scrimmage this week, Sidney himself doesn't seem to realize this fact. This is not a good sign:
It's not a good sign, but it's also not a big deal. At least not yet. This was, after all, an exhibition, and sometimes it's cool if players try a few things in the name of experimentation. Like your first week at college. But also like your first week at college, some experiments need to end immediately, and that's probably the best thing you can say about the Sidney point forward project. It's OK now, but when the games start to matter, and Mississippi State's NCAA tournament chances start to depend on the ability of Sidney to replace the interior presence of former center Jarvis Varnado, then, yeah, Renardo will have to get on the block. Simple as that.
Sidney is a bruiser. Or, at least, he should be. But according to the results from Mississippi State's scrimmage this week, Sidney himself doesn't seem to realize this fact. This is not a good sign:
The sophomore, who must sit out the first nine games of the season due to an NCAA suspension, flashed more frustration than skill on his way to 10 points. He finished 4-for-13 from the floor and attempted six shots beyond the arc. Two of his misses came on back-to-back attempts, including a putback, underneath the basket.
“We’ve got to get him down to the block more,” Stansbury said. “There’s no question about that. He’s got to not have that game slippage. Again, it’s going to be a work in progress. He’s just got to keep working, get that body in shape, get on the block where he can do some things. He has some ability to make those (3-point) shots out there but that’s not where you’re going to make your living at. You’ve go to get on that block more. He’ll find ways to do that.”
It's not a good sign, but it's also not a big deal. At least not yet. This was, after all, an exhibition, and sometimes it's cool if players try a few things in the name of experimentation. Like your first week at college. But also like your first week at college, some experiments need to end immediately, and that's probably the best thing you can say about the Sidney point forward project. It's OK now, but when the games start to matter, and Mississippi State's NCAA tournament chances start to depend on the ability of Sidney to replace the interior presence of former center Jarvis Varnado, then, yeah, Renardo will have to get on the block. Simple as that.
Since he first moved back from California and committed to Mississippi State in the summer of 2009, now-sophomore Renardo Sidney hasn't spent much time with the media. Nor should he have: Sidney's recruitment was the focal point of an investigation by the NCAA, which eventually found that Sidney had received impermissible benefits in high school. The NCAA ordered him to repay around $11,000 and sit out 30 percent of the upcoming season.
Combined with a voided freshman campaign -- Sidney wasn't allowed to play as the NCAA conducted its inexorable investigation -- the penalty could be perceived as harsh. At the very least, it had to be a challenge. So now that Sidney is (almost) eligible, reportedly in shape, and working out in Starkville, what does he think of the whole mess?
In an interview (if you can call it that) with the media (if MSU's athletics department press relations corp counts as "media"), Sidney discussed the situation for the first time. For his part, Renardo wasn't sure what the big deal was all about, exactly:
Is it just me, or do the last two sentences of Sidney's quote sound like he was the recipient of a Leonardo DiCaprio-led inception? That would explain Sidney's desire to stay in college and work on his game instead of seeking out a route to professional hoops. Sidney always drew questions about his work ethic throughout his high school career, and quotes like this one from the MSU interview ...
... make one think Renardo wasn't always the most focused athlete before he got to college. But the inception worked: Sidney has slimmed down, is working harder than ever, and seems to have genuinely bonded with his teammates over his freshman-year ordeal. That's good news for the Bulldogs, and bad news for the SEC.
(HT: Kyle Veasley, Gary Parrish)
Combined with a voided freshman campaign -- Sidney wasn't allowed to play as the NCAA conducted its inexorable investigation -- the penalty could be perceived as harsh. At the very least, it had to be a challenge. So now that Sidney is (almost) eligible, reportedly in shape, and working out in Starkville, what does he think of the whole mess?
In an interview (if you can call it that) with the media (if MSU's athletics department press relations corp counts as "media"), Sidney discussed the situation for the first time. For his part, Renardo wasn't sure what the big deal was all about, exactly:
“I was hurt, because I knew I hadn’t done anything wrong,” Sidney said. “It just killed me, because I really wanted to be on the floor helping my team win. Someone else was deciding my fate and it didn’t feel fair. It was tough, and I experienced a lot of emotions. It was like a dream, but a bad one.”
Is it just me, or do the last two sentences of Sidney's quote sound like he was the recipient of a Leonardo DiCaprio-led inception? That would explain Sidney's desire to stay in college and work on his game instead of seeking out a route to professional hoops. Sidney always drew questions about his work ethic throughout his high school career, and quotes like this one from the MSU interview ...
"It was very hard adjusting to college life and being away from home. You have to be on time for everything."
... make one think Renardo wasn't always the most focused athlete before he got to college. But the inception worked: Sidney has slimmed down, is working harder than ever, and seems to have genuinely bonded with his teammates over his freshman-year ordeal. That's good news for the Bulldogs, and bad news for the SEC.
(HT: Kyle Veasley, Gary Parrish)
Winners from Saturday
Notre Dame: The Irish gave the selection committee another reason to put them in the dance with yet another road win, this time with Luke Harangody and at Marquette -- a team in the tournament field. The Irish are earning their way into the field.
Duke: The Blue Devils likely earned the fourth No. 1 seed with a hammering of North Carolina on Saturday night. Duke also clinched a share of the ACC regular-season title. The Blue Devils passed the eye test of a team that could get to Indy.
Saint Louis: The Billikens won at Dayton, completing a season sweep of the Flyers and finishing in fourth place in the Atlantic 10. Rick Majerus has done an outstanding job with a club that is void of upperclassmen. The Billikens could be a sleeper to win the A-10 in Atlantic City next week.
Baylor: If you’re looking for a sleeper in the Big 12 tournament, it could be Baylor. The Bears ran away from Texas and looked like a team ready to get busy in the postseason.
Kansas: The Jayhawks may have locked up the No. 1 overall seed after winning at Missouri on Saturday. Kansas got inspired play from its key contributors and once again heads into the conference tournament on a high.
Louisville: The Cardinals had to win two of there games this week and did. Louisville beat Connecticut, then lost at Marquette before beating Syracuse on Saturday. That gave the Cardinals a sweep of Syracuse and a likely bid to the Dance in the final game at Freedom Hall.
Tennessee: The Vols did something Lane Kiffin couldn’t do, taking a 17-0 lead on the road in the SEC. Tennessee lit up Mississippi State and had the look of a team that could be a major factor in an SEC tournament that they'll play in their home state just a few hours away in Nashville.
Virginia Tech: The Hokies didn’t have their second-leading scorer in Dorenzo Hudson, survived a nasty moving screen by Gani Lawal on Malcolm Delaney and gutted out a win over Georgia Tech in Atlanta. The Hokies dismissed any doubt about their candidacy with a win.
Washington: The Huskies kept alive their chances of an at-large berth by winning at Oregon State. That win doesn’t get them in the dance, but a loss would have been crushing.
Arizona State: The Sun Devils are in Joe Lunardi’s bracket and they had to beat UCLA to stay in the field. They did, sweeping the L.A. schools this week. But here’s the deal: ASU and Washington are heading for a showdown in the semifinals of the Pac-10 tourney. Loser is out, winner has a pulse.
Memphis: The Tigers had a great week, winning at UAB and crushing Tulsa at home. The Tigers get the sweep of the Blazers. If you’re looking for a second C-USA team to go along with league champ UTEP, it could be the Tigers. They may get a third shot at UAB in the semifinals.
Maryland: The Terps won at Virginia. Yes, UVA was playing without Sylven Landesberg, who has been suspended for the season due to academics, but the Terps still won a road game. That means Maryland gets a share of the ACC title. That’s an outstanding accomplishment for this squad.
Pitt: The Panthers lost to Indiana early in the year without Jermaine Dixon and Gilbert Brown. Pitt could have lost to Providence at home, but when it mattered most the Panthers have come up huge. They beat Rutgers as expected Saturday but that meant Pitt got the No. 2 seed after beating West Virginia and Villanova at home in February. Jamie Dixon has done a phenomenal job with the Panthers. There is no reason Pitt should be No. 2 in the Big East with what it lost.
Losers from Saturday
Rhode Island: Had a shot to convince the selection committee that it was worthy, but lost at UMass a week after losing at St. Bonaventure. The Rams didn’t beat the top three teams in the A-10 (Xavier, Temple or Richmond). URI must win the conference tournament.
Mississippi State: The Bulldogs started a must-win game down 17-0. Mississippi State has blown two chances to win a key home game – to Kentucky and now Tennessee. The Bulldogs didn’t do anything Saturday to convince the selection committee.
Georgia Tech: The Yellow Jackets may still get into the field. But they gave the selection committee a reason to pause after losing at home to Virginia Tech, sans Dorenzo Hudson, who was hurt. The Yellow Jackets finished seventh in the ACC and had only one conference road win.
Connecticut: The Huskies had an awful week, losing at Notre Dame and then losing at South Florida on Saturday. The Huskies now probably have to get to the Big East semifinals to crawl back into the conversation.
Dayton: The Flyers were teetering on the bubble before the Billikens bulldozed the Flyers late and stole a win. Dayton now probably has to win the A-10 tournament to get a bid.
Villanova: The ‘Cats may have played themselves out of a No. 2 seed by losing at home to West Virginia. Villanova also fell to the No. 4 seed in the Big East tournament. ‘Nova can still make a magnificent run, but it made the journey more difficult.
Kansas State: The Wildcats lost their third home game in the Big 12 by falling to lower-level Iowa State (also lost to Kansas and Oklahoma State). The Wildcats blew a No. 2 seed with the home loss Saturday.
LaSalle: The Explorers were supposed to be a sleeper in the A-10. They won’t even make the tournament in Atlantic City. The Explorers will join winless Fordham in sitting out the conference tourney.
Oklahoma: The disaster season came to a conclusion with a sad effort against Texas A&M. The atmosphere was awful and the Sooners sunk.
North Carolina: The Tar Heels were handed the second-worst loss under Roy Williams. The Tar Heels were embarrassed by Duke and limp into the ACC tournament. It was just awful.
UAB: The Blazers had a huge week with games against UTEP and Memphis. They lost them both and pushed themselves onto the wrong side of the bubble.
Tulsa: The Golden Hurricane got hammered by Memphis and limp into hosting the conference tournament next week. Tulsa was the preseason favorite to win Conference USA.
A few nuggets:
Notre Dame: The Irish gave the selection committee another reason to put them in the dance with yet another road win, this time with Luke Harangody and at Marquette -- a team in the tournament field. The Irish are earning their way into the field.
Duke: The Blue Devils likely earned the fourth No. 1 seed with a hammering of North Carolina on Saturday night. Duke also clinched a share of the ACC regular-season title. The Blue Devils passed the eye test of a team that could get to Indy.
Saint Louis: The Billikens won at Dayton, completing a season sweep of the Flyers and finishing in fourth place in the Atlantic 10. Rick Majerus has done an outstanding job with a club that is void of upperclassmen. The Billikens could be a sleeper to win the A-10 in Atlantic City next week.
Baylor: If you’re looking for a sleeper in the Big 12 tournament, it could be Baylor. The Bears ran away from Texas and looked like a team ready to get busy in the postseason.
Kansas: The Jayhawks may have locked up the No. 1 overall seed after winning at Missouri on Saturday. Kansas got inspired play from its key contributors and once again heads into the conference tournament on a high.
Louisville: The Cardinals had to win two of there games this week and did. Louisville beat Connecticut, then lost at Marquette before beating Syracuse on Saturday. That gave the Cardinals a sweep of Syracuse and a likely bid to the Dance in the final game at Freedom Hall.
Tennessee: The Vols did something Lane Kiffin couldn’t do, taking a 17-0 lead on the road in the SEC. Tennessee lit up Mississippi State and had the look of a team that could be a major factor in an SEC tournament that they'll play in their home state just a few hours away in Nashville.
Virginia Tech: The Hokies didn’t have their second-leading scorer in Dorenzo Hudson, survived a nasty moving screen by Gani Lawal on Malcolm Delaney and gutted out a win over Georgia Tech in Atlanta. The Hokies dismissed any doubt about their candidacy with a win.
Washington: The Huskies kept alive their chances of an at-large berth by winning at Oregon State. That win doesn’t get them in the dance, but a loss would have been crushing.
Arizona State: The Sun Devils are in Joe Lunardi’s bracket and they had to beat UCLA to stay in the field. They did, sweeping the L.A. schools this week. But here’s the deal: ASU and Washington are heading for a showdown in the semifinals of the Pac-10 tourney. Loser is out, winner has a pulse.
Memphis: The Tigers had a great week, winning at UAB and crushing Tulsa at home. The Tigers get the sweep of the Blazers. If you’re looking for a second C-USA team to go along with league champ UTEP, it could be the Tigers. They may get a third shot at UAB in the semifinals.
Maryland: The Terps won at Virginia. Yes, UVA was playing without Sylven Landesberg, who has been suspended for the season due to academics, but the Terps still won a road game. That means Maryland gets a share of the ACC title. That’s an outstanding accomplishment for this squad.
Pitt: The Panthers lost to Indiana early in the year without Jermaine Dixon and Gilbert Brown. Pitt could have lost to Providence at home, but when it mattered most the Panthers have come up huge. They beat Rutgers as expected Saturday but that meant Pitt got the No. 2 seed after beating West Virginia and Villanova at home in February. Jamie Dixon has done a phenomenal job with the Panthers. There is no reason Pitt should be No. 2 in the Big East with what it lost.
Losers from Saturday
Rhode Island: Had a shot to convince the selection committee that it was worthy, but lost at UMass a week after losing at St. Bonaventure. The Rams didn’t beat the top three teams in the A-10 (Xavier, Temple or Richmond). URI must win the conference tournament.
Mississippi State: The Bulldogs started a must-win game down 17-0. Mississippi State has blown two chances to win a key home game – to Kentucky and now Tennessee. The Bulldogs didn’t do anything Saturday to convince the selection committee.
Georgia Tech: The Yellow Jackets may still get into the field. But they gave the selection committee a reason to pause after losing at home to Virginia Tech, sans Dorenzo Hudson, who was hurt. The Yellow Jackets finished seventh in the ACC and had only one conference road win.
Connecticut: The Huskies had an awful week, losing at Notre Dame and then losing at South Florida on Saturday. The Huskies now probably have to get to the Big East semifinals to crawl back into the conversation.
Dayton: The Flyers were teetering on the bubble before the Billikens bulldozed the Flyers late and stole a win. Dayton now probably has to win the A-10 tournament to get a bid.
Villanova: The ‘Cats may have played themselves out of a No. 2 seed by losing at home to West Virginia. Villanova also fell to the No. 4 seed in the Big East tournament. ‘Nova can still make a magnificent run, but it made the journey more difficult.
Kansas State: The Wildcats lost their third home game in the Big 12 by falling to lower-level Iowa State (also lost to Kansas and Oklahoma State). The Wildcats blew a No. 2 seed with the home loss Saturday.
LaSalle: The Explorers were supposed to be a sleeper in the A-10. They won’t even make the tournament in Atlantic City. The Explorers will join winless Fordham in sitting out the conference tourney.
Oklahoma: The disaster season came to a conclusion with a sad effort against Texas A&M. The atmosphere was awful and the Sooners sunk.
North Carolina: The Tar Heels were handed the second-worst loss under Roy Williams. The Tar Heels were embarrassed by Duke and limp into the ACC tournament. It was just awful.
UAB: The Blazers had a huge week with games against UTEP and Memphis. They lost them both and pushed themselves onto the wrong side of the bubble.
Tulsa: The Golden Hurricane got hammered by Memphis and limp into hosting the conference tournament next week. Tulsa was the preseason favorite to win Conference USA.
A few nuggets:
- Georgetown coach John Thompson III said late Saturday night that Austin Freeman felt fine after the game, his first since being diagnosed with diabetes. Freeman scored 24 points in the win over Cincinnati. Freeman missed the West Virginia game last Monday. Thompson told me that the Hoyas will continue to monitor Freeman’s blood-sugar level and don’t anticipate any problems going forward this season.
- Notre Dame got Luke Harangody back for the win at Marquette. Harangody played 11 minutes off the bench. Irish coach Mike Brey told me late Saturday night that Harangody will continue to come off the bench this season. He said ‘Gody told him to use him however he wants to ensure the team wins. Brey said the Irish have become mentally tougher in the past few weeks. The Irish were 4-2 without Harangody, beating Pitt and Connecticut at home and winning at Georgetown.
- KVAL-TV reported that Oregon coach Ernie Kent has been fired and that he was told on Feb. 22 by Oregon athletic director Mike Bellotti. No one will be surprised if this does occur, but Kent told me in a text late Saturday night that this is the same story he has heard the past four years. Meanwhile, Bellottti sent this statement out late Saturday night after Oregon’s win over Washington State: "Ernie and I have talked, and we will continue to talk through the Pac-10 Tournament."
MSU fans hear it from school brass
February, 17, 2010
2/17/10
6:54
PM ET
By
Eamonn Brennan | ESPN.com
Last night, Mississippi State nearly missed its chance at upsetting Kentucky in Starkville, a win that would have vaulted MSU's tournament résumé to the top of the "maybe" pile. Naturally, when this opportunity evaded the Bulldogs -- thanks in part to a couple of questionable calls by referees down the stretch -- a few State fans decided they had the right to throw full water bottles onto the court, one of which nearly decked a referee. Not cool.
Of course, Mississippi State's athletics program and school officials are in charge of making sure this sort of thing doesn't happen again, and today they took one step toward doing that. Below is a letter from MSU athletic director Gregory Byrne -- titled "Great Atmosphere Overshadowed By Just A Few" -- that chastises MSU's fans for the ugly scene. The letter will go to season ticket holders and students. Hit the jump for the full read:
Of course, Mississippi State's athletics program and school officials are in charge of making sure this sort of thing doesn't happen again, and today they took one step toward doing that. Below is a letter from MSU athletic director Gregory Byrne -- titled "Great Atmosphere Overshadowed By Just A Few" -- that chastises MSU's fans for the ugly scene. The letter will go to season ticket holders and students. Hit the jump for the full read:
The Morning After: Hey hey, Hokies
February, 17, 2010
2/17/10
9:00
AM ET
By
Eamonn Brennan | ESPN.com
The Morning After is our semi-daily look at last night's best basketball action. Try not to make it awkward.
No. 2 Kentucky 81, Mississippi State 75: The most obviously intriguing part of Tuesday night's Kentucky-Mississippi State match up -- at least before the game began -- was the interior battle between two of the country's best big men, Jarvis Varnado and DeMarcus Cousins. By the end of regulation, that was no longer the case. Varnado was on the bench, thanks to five fouls. Cousins was on the floor, grabbing rebounds and dominating in the paint. And the game had become so much more.
AP Photo/Rogelio V. SolisKentucky's DeMarcus Cousins, left, finished with 19 points and 14 rebounds against Jarvis Varnado and Mississippi State.It's always tough playing Kentucky (duh, Eamonn, thanks for the brilliant analysis); it's even tougher when your all-world defensive player and team-leading rebounder gets his fifth foul with plenty of time left in the second half (hey, you're welcome). Really, Mississippi State deserves credit just for pushing the game to overtime, because it was unlikely they'd make it that far after Varnado's foul-out. They did, though, and they gave us a thrilling game in the meantime, pushing Cousins and John Wall and Patrick Patterson to their best in a hard-fought SEC road win.
A few other notes:
1. Mississippi State fans celebrated their team's loss by throwing water bottles and other junk onto the floor. Combined with their racist and God-knows-what-else text messages to DeMarcus Cousins before the game, this was not a particularly strong national showing for the denizens of Starkville. Seriously, guys? Water bottles?
2. Kentucky fans will be happy to see Patrick Patterson playing well again. After drawing criticism earlier this season, Patterson looked like a dominant big man at times on Tuesday night; his contributions made the whole Varnado-Cousins faceoff a moot point.
3. John Calipari used all three of his remaining timeouts in the last six seconds of regulation, which resulted in a double-teamed DeAndre Liggins hoisting a prayer (which, to his credit, almost fell) from the baseline corner as time expired. I'm guessing this is not the shot Calipari wanted, but you'd think with all those timeouts, the Cats would have been able to get something better.
In any case, great game. Kentucky rolls on. State completes a valiant effort in a near-loss to an uber-talented, highly-ranked team. And Mississippi State fans get to spend some much-needed time in the corner. Everybody wins. (Well, you know, except Mississippi State. They actually, like, literally lost. But you know what I mean.)
Virginia Tech 87, No. 25 Wake Forest 83: Virginia Tech couldn't get no respect. This is the Hokies' fault -- building a 20-4 record against one of the worst schedules in recent memory (No. 340 in strength of schedule, to be exact) has a lot to do with scheduling; you almost have to try to play a non-conference slate as bad as Va. Tech's. I mean, just look at it. It's ... it's breathtaking. And not in a good way.
Nevermind that, now. The Hokies may have started their season with dreck, but they're ending with their most difficult and important games, and so far, so good.
It wasn't just that Virginia Tech won; it's how. Trailing by 11 with 16 minutes to play, Malcolm Delaney led his Hokies on a comeback, scoring 10 of his 31 points (he finished with nine rebounds, too), making big bucket after big bucket to get his team its all-important second win over a top 50 RPI team. As big as this game was for the Hokies' national respect, it should do just as much for Delaney's -- the guard just so happens to be leading the ACC in scoring at 21.2 points per game. I bet you didn't know that. What I didn't know was whether to believe in Virginia Tech. Another win or two like Tuesday night's, and we won't have a choice.
Everywhere else: Weirdly enough, Indiana was out-everything'd (not an actual word, but let's roll with it) by Michigan State last night but managed to hang tough until the second half, when the light-years-more-talented Spartans eventually pulled away ... Without suspended Jordan Eglseder, UNI rolled Creighton to clinch the MVC regular-season crown ... Baylor might have sealed its own tourney fate (in) as well as Texas Tech's (out; hey, this is turning into an episode of Project Runway), as the Bears gave the Raiders their seventh conference loss ... Meanwhile, two teams moving in relatively opposite directions in the Big East did exactly that Tuesday night, as South Florida edged Cincinnati ... and, not to rub any more salt in UNC fans' wounds, but you know it's bad when ESPN anchors stop during your highlight to talk about how much they're not used to seeing this sort of scoreline. Ouch. (Also: "Ed Davis, 0 points." Double ouch!)
No. 2 Kentucky 81, Mississippi State 75: The most obviously intriguing part of Tuesday night's Kentucky-Mississippi State match up -- at least before the game began -- was the interior battle between two of the country's best big men, Jarvis Varnado and DeMarcus Cousins. By the end of regulation, that was no longer the case. Varnado was on the bench, thanks to five fouls. Cousins was on the floor, grabbing rebounds and dominating in the paint. And the game had become so much more.
AP Photo/Rogelio V. SolisKentucky's DeMarcus Cousins, left, finished with 19 points and 14 rebounds against Jarvis Varnado and Mississippi State.A few other notes:
1. Mississippi State fans celebrated their team's loss by throwing water bottles and other junk onto the floor. Combined with their racist and God-knows-what-else text messages to DeMarcus Cousins before the game, this was not a particularly strong national showing for the denizens of Starkville. Seriously, guys? Water bottles?
2. Kentucky fans will be happy to see Patrick Patterson playing well again. After drawing criticism earlier this season, Patterson looked like a dominant big man at times on Tuesday night; his contributions made the whole Varnado-Cousins faceoff a moot point.
3. John Calipari used all three of his remaining timeouts in the last six seconds of regulation, which resulted in a double-teamed DeAndre Liggins hoisting a prayer (which, to his credit, almost fell) from the baseline corner as time expired. I'm guessing this is not the shot Calipari wanted, but you'd think with all those timeouts, the Cats would have been able to get something better.
In any case, great game. Kentucky rolls on. State completes a valiant effort in a near-loss to an uber-talented, highly-ranked team. And Mississippi State fans get to spend some much-needed time in the corner. Everybody wins. (Well, you know, except Mississippi State. They actually, like, literally lost. But you know what I mean.)
Virginia Tech 87, No. 25 Wake Forest 83: Virginia Tech couldn't get no respect. This is the Hokies' fault -- building a 20-4 record against one of the worst schedules in recent memory (No. 340 in strength of schedule, to be exact) has a lot to do with scheduling; you almost have to try to play a non-conference slate as bad as Va. Tech's. I mean, just look at it. It's ... it's breathtaking. And not in a good way.
Nevermind that, now. The Hokies may have started their season with dreck, but they're ending with their most difficult and important games, and so far, so good.
It wasn't just that Virginia Tech won; it's how. Trailing by 11 with 16 minutes to play, Malcolm Delaney led his Hokies on a comeback, scoring 10 of his 31 points (he finished with nine rebounds, too), making big bucket after big bucket to get his team its all-important second win over a top 50 RPI team. As big as this game was for the Hokies' national respect, it should do just as much for Delaney's -- the guard just so happens to be leading the ACC in scoring at 21.2 points per game. I bet you didn't know that. What I didn't know was whether to believe in Virginia Tech. Another win or two like Tuesday night's, and we won't have a choice.
Everywhere else: Weirdly enough, Indiana was out-everything'd (not an actual word, but let's roll with it) by Michigan State last night but managed to hang tough until the second half, when the light-years-more-talented Spartans eventually pulled away ... Without suspended Jordan Eglseder, UNI rolled Creighton to clinch the MVC regular-season crown ... Baylor might have sealed its own tourney fate (in) as well as Texas Tech's (out; hey, this is turning into an episode of Project Runway), as the Bears gave the Raiders their seventh conference loss ... Meanwhile, two teams moving in relatively opposite directions in the Big East did exactly that Tuesday night, as South Florida edged Cincinnati ... and, not to rub any more salt in UNC fans' wounds, but you know it's bad when ESPN anchors stop during your highlight to talk about how much they're not used to seeing this sort of scoreline. Ouch. (Also: "Ed Davis, 0 points." Double ouch!)
Mississippi State fans cheapen team's effort
February, 17, 2010
2/17/10
12:10
AM ET
By Pat Forde | ESPN.com
Mississippi State played an inspired game against Kentucky. It pushed the No. 2 team in the country beyond 40 minutes, despite the suspension of its leading scorer and the foul-out of its best player. It did everything but beat the Wildcats.
But in the end, here is the double dose of disappointment for the Bulldogs:
They didn’t close the door, losing a seven-point lead with 2:45 to play in regulation.
And then their fans – some of whom are the nastiest and most vulgar I’ve heard in 19 years of covering SEC basketball – embarrassed the school by throwing bottles on the floor.
Mississippi State fans had their fodder when Kentucky got as many as three key calls in its favor in the final minutes: a block-charge call that went Patrick Patterson’s way, when virtually every collision had been called a charge all night; a no-call on a John Wall goaltend; and a tickle foul on a Wall jumper.
Those calls contributed to – did not cause, but contributed to – an 81-75 Kentucky victory in overtime. It was a game the Bulldogs desperately needed to make the NCAA tournament. It was a bitter loss.
But so what. There is no excuse for throwing what appeared to be a full water bottle at official Mike Kitts. There is no excuse for throwing empty bottles. There is no excuse for throwing anything on the floor during a basketball game.
Same with the West Virginia fans who have cheapened their university with their behavior at recent home games. A couple of knuckleheads can make an entire university look bad.
This was a game destined to be unusually heated. Mississippi State fans got hold of combustible center DeMarcus Cousins’ cell number and allegedly bombarded him with calls and texts – some of them slurs, according to Cousins. Reporters said Kentucky players engaged fans in some trash talk before the game, and the Wildcats appeared to be in flaunt-and-taunt mode after it was over.
So perhaps some idiot behavior was inevitable. But it doesn’t make anyone look good, and it shouldn’t make anyone feel better.
But in the end, here is the double dose of disappointment for the Bulldogs:
They didn’t close the door, losing a seven-point lead with 2:45 to play in regulation.
And then their fans – some of whom are the nastiest and most vulgar I’ve heard in 19 years of covering SEC basketball – embarrassed the school by throwing bottles on the floor.
Mississippi State fans had their fodder when Kentucky got as many as three key calls in its favor in the final minutes: a block-charge call that went Patrick Patterson’s way, when virtually every collision had been called a charge all night; a no-call on a John Wall goaltend; and a tickle foul on a Wall jumper.
Those calls contributed to – did not cause, but contributed to – an 81-75 Kentucky victory in overtime. It was a game the Bulldogs desperately needed to make the NCAA tournament. It was a bitter loss.
But so what. There is no excuse for throwing what appeared to be a full water bottle at official Mike Kitts. There is no excuse for throwing empty bottles. There is no excuse for throwing anything on the floor during a basketball game.
Same with the West Virginia fans who have cheapened their university with their behavior at recent home games. A couple of knuckleheads can make an entire university look bad.
This was a game destined to be unusually heated. Mississippi State fans got hold of combustible center DeMarcus Cousins’ cell number and allegedly bombarded him with calls and texts – some of them slurs, according to Cousins. Reporters said Kentucky players engaged fans in some trash talk before the game, and the Wildcats appeared to be in flaunt-and-taunt mode after it was over.
So perhaps some idiot behavior was inevitable. But it doesn’t make anyone look good, and it shouldn’t make anyone feel better.
Saddle Up: DeMarcus, Jarvis. Jarvis, DeMarcus.
February, 16, 2010
2/16/10
4:02
PM ET
By
Eamonn Brennan | ESPN.com
Saddle Up is our nightly look at the hoops your TV wants you to watch. Here's Tuesday night's rundown.
No. 2 Kentucky at Mississippi State, 9 p.m. ET, ESPN: Unstoppable force, immovable object. DeMarcus Cousins, Jarvis Varnado. Even if Kentucky rolls over Mississippi State in Starkville tonight -- certainly no guarantee, despite Kentucky's vastly superior backcourt talent -- this matchup alone is worth your undivided attention. Cousins is a dominant freshman with a burgeoning skill set and one of the best interior offensive stat lines in the country. (Cousins gets a ton of offensive rebounds, takes a ton of shots, and makes most of them.) Varnado, meanwhile, is the best shot blocker in the country, and maybe of the past decade -- averaging five blocks a game this season, he's well on his way to setting the NCAA career record for blocked shots. He also leads the Bulldogs in rebounds, many of which come on the defensive end; he's one of the best in the country at that, too.
Unfortunately for Mississippi State, Varnado can shut down Cousins and the Cats can still roll. (Kentucky still has this dude named John Wall. I suppose he's pretty good.) Regardless of the outcome, though, Cousins-Varnado might be the year's best big man matchup, at least until we can get these two to play Cole Aldrich in a game of 21. You should probably watch.
No. 25 Wake Forest at Virginia Tech, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN2: While Indiana is taking its probable beating from Michigan State on ESPN at 7 p.m., you might also flip over to ESPN2, a game with actual tournament implications. (Though I suppose Michigan State could lose to Indiana, and that would have tournament implications ... but whatever, you see what I mean.) See, Virginia Tech is 20-4. That's a gaudy record. It was also amassed against one of the worst schedules in the history of college basketball, and I'm barely exaggerating: The Hokies are ranked No. 344 -- No 344! -- in nonconference strength of schedule this season. They have one win over a team in the RPI's top 50 (Clemson). Their best wins are over Seton Hall, Miami, North Carolina, Georgia, and Virginia (twice). Sorry, but this is not the résumé of an NCAA tournament team -- at least not yet. Tonight, Va. Tech gets its chance to prove the haters wrong, notch another RPI top-50 win and build momentum for its backloaded ACC slate, which includes games at Duke, vs. Maryland and at Georgia Tech. Contender or pretender? Tonight, the Hokies have a chance to answer.
Everywhere else: The first game of Jordan Eglseder's controversially short suspension is tonight, when UNI plays Creighton in Cedar Falls. ... As mentioned above, Indiana will try to recover from its ugly Big Ten losing streak as MSU attempts to stave off a letdown. ... Texas Tech, still trying to play its way into the tournament, will go to Baylor, which already has. ... Dominique Jones and Lance Stephenson do anything for you? Cincinnati-South Florida sounds entertaining, at least. ... Less entertaining: Rutgers at DePaul. ... North Carolina will look to build on last week's near-miss against rival Duke with a trip to Georgia Tech. ... Drexel will play VCU in a matchup of putative CAA contenders.
No. 2 Kentucky at Mississippi State, 9 p.m. ET, ESPN: Unstoppable force, immovable object. DeMarcus Cousins, Jarvis Varnado. Even if Kentucky rolls over Mississippi State in Starkville tonight -- certainly no guarantee, despite Kentucky's vastly superior backcourt talent -- this matchup alone is worth your undivided attention. Cousins is a dominant freshman with a burgeoning skill set and one of the best interior offensive stat lines in the country. (Cousins gets a ton of offensive rebounds, takes a ton of shots, and makes most of them.) Varnado, meanwhile, is the best shot blocker in the country, and maybe of the past decade -- averaging five blocks a game this season, he's well on his way to setting the NCAA career record for blocked shots. He also leads the Bulldogs in rebounds, many of which come on the defensive end; he's one of the best in the country at that, too.
Unfortunately for Mississippi State, Varnado can shut down Cousins and the Cats can still roll. (Kentucky still has this dude named John Wall. I suppose he's pretty good.) Regardless of the outcome, though, Cousins-Varnado might be the year's best big man matchup, at least until we can get these two to play Cole Aldrich in a game of 21. You should probably watch.
No. 25 Wake Forest at Virginia Tech, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN2: While Indiana is taking its probable beating from Michigan State on ESPN at 7 p.m., you might also flip over to ESPN2, a game with actual tournament implications. (Though I suppose Michigan State could lose to Indiana, and that would have tournament implications ... but whatever, you see what I mean.) See, Virginia Tech is 20-4. That's a gaudy record. It was also amassed against one of the worst schedules in the history of college basketball, and I'm barely exaggerating: The Hokies are ranked No. 344 -- No 344! -- in nonconference strength of schedule this season. They have one win over a team in the RPI's top 50 (Clemson). Their best wins are over Seton Hall, Miami, North Carolina, Georgia, and Virginia (twice). Sorry, but this is not the résumé of an NCAA tournament team -- at least not yet. Tonight, Va. Tech gets its chance to prove the haters wrong, notch another RPI top-50 win and build momentum for its backloaded ACC slate, which includes games at Duke, vs. Maryland and at Georgia Tech. Contender or pretender? Tonight, the Hokies have a chance to answer.
Everywhere else: The first game of Jordan Eglseder's controversially short suspension is tonight, when UNI plays Creighton in Cedar Falls. ... As mentioned above, Indiana will try to recover from its ugly Big Ten losing streak as MSU attempts to stave off a letdown. ... Texas Tech, still trying to play its way into the tournament, will go to Baylor, which already has. ... Dominique Jones and Lance Stephenson do anything for you? Cincinnati-South Florida sounds entertaining, at least. ... Less entertaining: Rutgers at DePaul. ... North Carolina will look to build on last week's near-miss against rival Duke with a trip to Georgia Tech. ... Drexel will play VCU in a matchup of putative CAA contenders.
Cousins receives racist messages
February, 16, 2010
2/16/10
10:35
AM ET
By
Eamonn Brennan | ESPN.com
Hey, Mississippi State fans? Not cool, guys. Not cool at all.
See, somehow Kentucky forward DeMarcus Cousins' phone number leaked to a whole mess of Bulldogs fans, whose team plays UK tonight in Starkville. Naturally, those Bulldogs fans did the right thing -- they wiped the number from the Internet and actively discouraged their fellow fans from harassing a 19-year-old who just happens to be their athletic rival. Ha, just kidding. They called and texted Cousins in droves, leaving plenty of racist and anti-gay slurs on his voicemail in the process.
Cousins is not known for having the coolest head -- he's been involved in several, um, on-court disagreements with players and referees in his short Kentucky career, the latest of which came in Saturday's win over Tennessee. It would be easy to predict Cousins handling this situation poorly. (Come to think of it, it would be tough for any of us to handle hundreds of people calling you horrible names on your cell phone. I would not react well.) But Cousins' reaction has been quite the opposite. He's answering the phone and having conversations with these whack jobs (including one that called while Cousins was in the middle of an interview). He's laughing it off to reporters. Above all, he doesn't seem to take the nonsense personally:
Kudos to Cousins for handling the situation well, because I wouldn't, and I don't know too many people who would. For someone who has been (rightfully) criticized for his lack of maturity during his freshman year, the big man is showing he has the quality in spades. And he can appreciate a good prank call? Somewhere, Moe Syzslak is wondering where DeMarcus finds the serenity.
See, somehow Kentucky forward DeMarcus Cousins' phone number leaked to a whole mess of Bulldogs fans, whose team plays UK tonight in Starkville. Naturally, those Bulldogs fans did the right thing -- they wiped the number from the Internet and actively discouraged their fellow fans from harassing a 19-year-old who just happens to be their athletic rival. Ha, just kidding. They called and texted Cousins in droves, leaving plenty of racist and anti-gay slurs on his voicemail in the process.
Cousins is not known for having the coolest head -- he's been involved in several, um, on-court disagreements with players and referees in his short Kentucky career, the latest of which came in Saturday's win over Tennessee. It would be easy to predict Cousins handling this situation poorly. (Come to think of it, it would be tough for any of us to handle hundreds of people calling you horrible names on your cell phone. I would not react well.) But Cousins' reaction has been quite the opposite. He's answering the phone and having conversations with these whack jobs (including one that called while Cousins was in the middle of an interview). He's laughing it off to reporters. Above all, he doesn't seem to take the nonsense personally:
"It started right after the [the game Saturday night]... and I got called the N-word, some Bs," Cousins said. [...] "I'm going to change it after the game, I want to see what they have to say," Cousins said to laughter from reporters. Asked what his reaction was to the phone calls, Cousins said, "It kind of made me mad in the beginning, but now I'm answering the phone having conversations with them."
Kudos to Cousins for handling the situation well, because I wouldn't, and I don't know too many people who would. For someone who has been (rightfully) criticized for his lack of maturity during his freshman year, the big man is showing he has the quality in spades. And he can appreciate a good prank call? Somewhere, Moe Syzslak is wondering where DeMarcus finds the serenity.
The Morning After: WVU rolls, KU gets buff
February, 4, 2010
2/04/10
10:47
AM ET
By
Eamonn Brennan | ESPN.com
The Morning After is our semi-daily recap of the night's best basketball action. Try not to make it awkward.
No. 6 West Virginia 70, No. 21 Pittsburgh 51: Who wants to go play in Morgantown? Not me. Granted, I am not a college basketball team, so I don't have to worry about that. If I was an opposing team, though, I would officially see the angry fans -- the people who threw spare change onto the court (make it rain!) as Pitt rebounded and closed the deficit last night, prompting Bob Huggins to grab the microphone and tell fans "that's stupid" -- and I would get a little nervous. But the real cause for concern is the Mountaineers themselves. West Virginia is officially finding its stride. Huggins' group has won five straight over Big East foes in consistent and overpowering ways, especially on the offensive glass -- WVU grabbed 57.6 percent of its misses on offense last night, leading to a variety of second-chance buckets and putbacks, and that's the key right there. That's how West Virginia wins. They don't have to shoot the ball all that well. They just have to rebound. If you can stop them, you can win, but good luck: No one's figured it out yet.
Pittsburgh shouldn't be too discouraged by this result, which started OK and then got ugly after the half. (Speaking of ugly and true to its name, the Backyard Brawl included some mild brawl-like occurrences late in the game.) Why? Because the Panthers never really found their shot, and despite a high number of free throws and plenty of offensive rebounds of their own, the lack of shooting wasn't enough. It should correct itself in time. That might not make Jamie Dixon, whose team has now lost four of its last five, feel any better. But it's true.
No. 1 Kansas 72, Colorado 66: I barely previewed this game in Saddle Up, and that tiny mention was merely this: "New No. 1 Kansas will try to avoid the fate of last week's No. 1 when it hits the road for a meeting with a marginal conference opponent." Lesson learned: Don't sleep on marginal conference opponents at home. Of course I knew this already, but sometimes it takes a little reminder, and last night's thrilling back-and-forth in Boulder (my third favorite college town of all-time, and I've only been there for like three hours) was all that and more.
Part of me wants to say I knew Colorado had this in them -- the Buffs were pesky against Gonzaga and Arizona in Maui in November, after all. But I didn't. Rather, I expected Kansas to take control of the No. 1 seed and avoid the road pitfalls that have so frequently plagued other No. 1s this year. Oh well. The Jayhawks weren't at their finest, and Colorado deserves credit for finding a way to hang in despite not really beating Kansas in any particular phase of the game, but after Colorado missed its last-second opportunity in regulation, you had to figure Kansas would overpower the Buffaloes in overtime. So it did, and so it stays. But at least it was interesting on the way down.
South Florida 72, No. 8 Georgetown 64: "Y'all come watch Dominique Jones play!" That was the sentence screamed from Georgetown's court by -- who else? --Dominique Jones Wednesday night, just after Jones scored 22 of his 29 points in the second half to give South Florida its biggest win in program history. Um, you guys? Maybe we should listen to him. If you caught any glimpse of the game last night, or if you've seen Jones in the past, you know: Jones is an occasionally dominating college basketball player, a guy with skills to isolate the ball at the top of the key but the size outrebound and physically dominate smaller defenders. Check out the move he makes at the -0:15 mark in these highlights. Strength, size, speed and skill, all melded into one. Watch him play. He wasn't joking.
Everywhere else: Running out of words in a hurry, so let's go to the lightning round: UAB will have to wait to take full control of Conference USA, as Memphis topped the Blazers by 10 and pulled itself into a tie for the conference lead. ... Vanderbilt got a major late challenge from Mississippi State; Jarvis Varnado had another ho-hum nine-block effort. ... Northern Iowa hung on at home over Wichita State, avenging its earlier loss in Wichita and moving to 11-1 in the Missouri Valley. ... Evan Turner line watch: 27 points, 10 rebounds, six assists, and three steals (!!). ... Baylor cruised over Iowa State at home. ... Georgia State handed George Mason its second conference loss, moving Jim Larranaga's squad to 10-2 in the CAA and making a conference tournament win a must.
No. 6 West Virginia 70, No. 21 Pittsburgh 51: Who wants to go play in Morgantown? Not me. Granted, I am not a college basketball team, so I don't have to worry about that. If I was an opposing team, though, I would officially see the angry fans -- the people who threw spare change onto the court (make it rain!) as Pitt rebounded and closed the deficit last night, prompting Bob Huggins to grab the microphone and tell fans "that's stupid" -- and I would get a little nervous. But the real cause for concern is the Mountaineers themselves. West Virginia is officially finding its stride. Huggins' group has won five straight over Big East foes in consistent and overpowering ways, especially on the offensive glass -- WVU grabbed 57.6 percent of its misses on offense last night, leading to a variety of second-chance buckets and putbacks, and that's the key right there. That's how West Virginia wins. They don't have to shoot the ball all that well. They just have to rebound. If you can stop them, you can win, but good luck: No one's figured it out yet.
Pittsburgh shouldn't be too discouraged by this result, which started OK and then got ugly after the half. (Speaking of ugly and true to its name, the Backyard Brawl included some mild brawl-like occurrences late in the game.) Why? Because the Panthers never really found their shot, and despite a high number of free throws and plenty of offensive rebounds of their own, the lack of shooting wasn't enough. It should correct itself in time. That might not make Jamie Dixon, whose team has now lost four of its last five, feel any better. But it's true.
No. 1 Kansas 72, Colorado 66: I barely previewed this game in Saddle Up, and that tiny mention was merely this: "New No. 1 Kansas will try to avoid the fate of last week's No. 1 when it hits the road for a meeting with a marginal conference opponent." Lesson learned: Don't sleep on marginal conference opponents at home. Of course I knew this already, but sometimes it takes a little reminder, and last night's thrilling back-and-forth in Boulder (my third favorite college town of all-time, and I've only been there for like three hours) was all that and more.
Part of me wants to say I knew Colorado had this in them -- the Buffs were pesky against Gonzaga and Arizona in Maui in November, after all. But I didn't. Rather, I expected Kansas to take control of the No. 1 seed and avoid the road pitfalls that have so frequently plagued other No. 1s this year. Oh well. The Jayhawks weren't at their finest, and Colorado deserves credit for finding a way to hang in despite not really beating Kansas in any particular phase of the game, but after Colorado missed its last-second opportunity in regulation, you had to figure Kansas would overpower the Buffaloes in overtime. So it did, and so it stays. But at least it was interesting on the way down.
South Florida 72, No. 8 Georgetown 64: "Y'all come watch Dominique Jones play!" That was the sentence screamed from Georgetown's court by -- who else? --Dominique Jones Wednesday night, just after Jones scored 22 of his 29 points in the second half to give South Florida its biggest win in program history. Um, you guys? Maybe we should listen to him. If you caught any glimpse of the game last night, or if you've seen Jones in the past, you know: Jones is an occasionally dominating college basketball player, a guy with skills to isolate the ball at the top of the key but the size outrebound and physically dominate smaller defenders. Check out the move he makes at the -0:15 mark in these highlights. Strength, size, speed and skill, all melded into one. Watch him play. He wasn't joking.
Everywhere else: Running out of words in a hurry, so let's go to the lightning round: UAB will have to wait to take full control of Conference USA, as Memphis topped the Blazers by 10 and pulled itself into a tie for the conference lead. ... Vanderbilt got a major late challenge from Mississippi State; Jarvis Varnado had another ho-hum nine-block effort. ... Northern Iowa hung on at home over Wichita State, avenging its earlier loss in Wichita and moving to 11-1 in the Missouri Valley. ... Evan Turner line watch: 27 points, 10 rebounds, six assists, and three steals (!!). ... Baylor cruised over Iowa State at home. ... Georgia State handed George Mason its second conference loss, moving Jim Larranaga's squad to 10-2 in the CAA and making a conference tournament win a must.
Mississippi State nearing decision on Sidney
February, 3, 2010
2/03/10
10:57
PM ET
By
Andy Katz | ESPN.com
Mississippi State is expected to decide in the coming days if it will accept that ineligible freshman forward Renardo Sidney committed an unethical conduct violation, and whether it will appeal or just accept the facts and seek his reinstatement.
According to a source with direct knowledge of the ongoing case, the school and the Sidney family is leaning toward attempting to get reinstatement but that could be a long shot for this season based on past history.
The problem is that an appeal of the interpretation of the facts will likely mean he won’t play this season. That process would drag on for weeks. The major issue for Sidney is that he was said to have been unethical by lying to investigators. Sidney’s attorney, Donald Jackson out of Montgomery, Ala., said that Sidney didn’t lie but didn’t remember the facts of issues from a ninth-grade trip to Los Angeles.
Jackson said the Sidney case is reminiscent of the Dez Bryant situation in football where he was found guilty of not telling the truth about a visit with Deion Sanders and was held out of competition for the remainder of the season at Oklahoma State last fall.
According to a source, the staff has found that Sidney provided false information, and even if it were by mistake it would be difficult to overturn in an appeal. The source said the usual punishment is a one-year ban from competition.
Sidney has been practicing but hasn’t been cleared to play.
If the Sidney family and Mississippi State accept the facts of the case and then file a reinstatement appeal they can’t go back and challenge the facts. If the appeal is denied then Sidney would lose the year of eligibility if that ends up being the punishment.
Jackson said Sidney isn’t balking about leaving school or Mississippi State. But it would be interesting to see if he would stay in college if he couldn’t play until next season.
Mississippi State lost at Vanderbilt Wednesday, 75-72, to drop to 4-3 in the SEC, 16-6 overall.
This was the email sent to Jackson letting the family know of the NCAA’s interpretation of the facts:
Finally, a note about process at this stage. If the institution wishes to appeal any of the staff interpretations, it may do so by submitting a request to the NCAA Division I Legislative Review and Interpretations Committee. The interpretative appeal must be based on the agreed-upon set of facts that that AMA used in their analysis and not on new facts.
If the institution wishes to proceed directly to the student-athlete reinstatement stage, it may do so at this time. However, the institution may not appeal any of the interpretive issues once it has received a decision from the student-athlete reinstatement staff.
According to a source with direct knowledge of the ongoing case, the school and the Sidney family is leaning toward attempting to get reinstatement but that could be a long shot for this season based on past history.
The problem is that an appeal of the interpretation of the facts will likely mean he won’t play this season. That process would drag on for weeks. The major issue for Sidney is that he was said to have been unethical by lying to investigators. Sidney’s attorney, Donald Jackson out of Montgomery, Ala., said that Sidney didn’t lie but didn’t remember the facts of issues from a ninth-grade trip to Los Angeles.
Jackson said the Sidney case is reminiscent of the Dez Bryant situation in football where he was found guilty of not telling the truth about a visit with Deion Sanders and was held out of competition for the remainder of the season at Oklahoma State last fall.
According to a source, the staff has found that Sidney provided false information, and even if it were by mistake it would be difficult to overturn in an appeal. The source said the usual punishment is a one-year ban from competition.
Sidney has been practicing but hasn’t been cleared to play.
If the Sidney family and Mississippi State accept the facts of the case and then file a reinstatement appeal they can’t go back and challenge the facts. If the appeal is denied then Sidney would lose the year of eligibility if that ends up being the punishment.
Jackson said Sidney isn’t balking about leaving school or Mississippi State. But it would be interesting to see if he would stay in college if he couldn’t play until next season.
Mississippi State lost at Vanderbilt Wednesday, 75-72, to drop to 4-3 in the SEC, 16-6 overall.
This was the email sent to Jackson letting the family know of the NCAA’s interpretation of the facts:
- March 2006 trip to LABased on the information submitted, the student-athlete has jeopardized his amateur status by accepting transportation around Los Angeles from two individuals with whom there is no pre-existing relationship. This benefit is contrary to Bylaw 12.1.2.1.6.
Further, based on facts found by the Fact-Finding Committee, a violation of Bylaw 10.1-(d) was committed by the student-athlete for the statements outlined in Fact number 25 – (a), (b) and (f). These statements have proven to be false statements provided during the interviews noted in the document.
Due to the fact that there does not appear to be any evidence that the complimentary hotel room was provided based on the student-athlete’s athletics ability or reputation , there is not enough evidence to confirm a violation of NCAA rules at this time. Further, through interviews, the student-athlete’s father maintains that he provided the remainder of the expenses for the trip to Los Angeles. While there is no documentation to substantiate this, based on the Fact-Finding Committee’s deliberation on this issue, there are no other remaining issues with the expenses for the trip to Los Angeles.
Reebok agreements
Based on the information provided, the family used money contractually delivered to the nonprofit foundations established for the purpose of administering a basketball team for personal use (e.g., Sunglass Hut, Arco Arena Team store, LA Sparks, flights not connected to basketball tournaments/travel). Thus, the family obtained personal gain from money deposited into the foundations in violation of requirements established for operating such a nonprofit foundation. Based on the totality of circumstances surrounding this issue, it is reasonable to conclude that the money obtained for personal gain was a direct result of the student-athlete’s athletics reputation. As a result, the use of this money for personal use is contrary to Bylaw 12.1.2.1.6 and jeopardizes the student-athlete’s amateur status. In addition, it also appears that pursuant to the articles of incorporation of the foundations established in California, use of the foundation’s money for personal benefit is also impermissible.
Excess Reebok gear
Prospective student-athletes are permitted by Bylaw 12.1.2.1.4.3 to obtain apparel for their use in practice and competition from a team on which they compete. Further, they are permitted by Bylaw 12.1.2.4.10 to receive apparel directly from a manufacturer to be used in their sport under the conditions noted in the bylaw. Based on the information submitted, neither of these standards has been met in relation to the “excess” gear received by the student-athlete. The gear was provided through the nonprofit foundation to the student-athlete, as opposed to directly from the manufacturer, and was in excess of actual and necessary apparel for participation on the team. Thus, the excess gear was contrary to Bylaw 12.1.2.1.6 and jeopardizes the student-athlete’s amateur status.
San Francisco workouts
A violation of 12.1.2.1.6 has already been agreed on between the institution and ACP staff. The AMA staff concurs with this outcome.
Unofficial visits
Based on the information submitted, the student-athlete’s receipt of lodging expenses from Chris Rivers is contrary to Bylaw 12.1.2.1.6 and jeopardizes the student-athlete’s amateur status.
Loans from Financial Institutions
The AMA staff did not determine there to be a violation of NCAA rules related to the facts outlined in this section.
Finally, a note about process at this stage. If the institution wishes to appeal any of the staff interpretations, it may do so by submitting a request to the NCAA Division I Legislative Review and Interpretations Committee. The interpretative appeal must be based on the agreed-upon set of facts that that AMA used in their analysis and not on new facts.
If the institution wishes to proceed directly to the student-athlete reinstatement stage, it may do so at this time. However, the institution may not appeal any of the interpretive issues once it has received a decision from the student-athlete reinstatement staff.
Saddle Up is our daily preview of the hoops your TV wants you to watch. Here's Wednesday night's rundown.
No. 21 Pittsburgh at No. 6 West Virginia, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN360: Aw, you guys. Stats LCC has a case of the bummers: "Two weeks ago, the matchup between West Virginia and Pittsburgh was shaping up to be one of the most highly anticipated meetings in this storied rivalry. A sudden string of losses by the Panthers dashed that prospect, but it likely won't diminish the atmosphere in Morgantown." Never fear, nameless Stats LLC writer. Sure, the Backyard Brawl won't be quite as brawl-y as it might have been for the Pittsburgh team that jumped to a 5-0 record in the Big East. (The difference in brawl escalation probably lies somewhere between brass knuckles and a trident.) Sure, Pittsburgh's 1-3 record in its last four games ruined the prospect of having two top-10 teams in a hated rivalry facing each other in ever-hostile Morgantown.
But Stats LCC, don't you see? This is still an awesome college basketball game. Pittsburgh is reeling, so what better time to get hot and steal a huge Big East road win than now? And West Virginia? The Mountaineers are coming off a controversial last-second win over Louisville, have lost two Big East games by a combined three -- yes, three -- points, and are developing the sort of edgy home atmosphere that should simultaneously outrage fans and scare opponents. (When your own student newspaper thinks you've gone too far, you've probably gone too far.) And, lest we forget, a win for Pitt means the Panthers leapfrog the Mountaineers and get right behind Syracuse and Villanova in the Big East race. (A panther leapfrogging a human? I am thoroughly enjoying this mental image.)
So don't fret, Stats LLC. This game might not be as cool as it would have been two weeks ago, but it's still an awesome Big East rivalry with plenty on the line. There's no reason to frown.
(OK, maybe one reason: The game's not actually on TV, but rather on ESPN360. Get your laptops ready. It's 2010, people. The power of the Internet compels you.)
UAB at Memphis, 8 p.m. ET, CBS College Sports: This might be the first game we've featured that's been on CBS College Sports, but that's because few CBS CS games have had this sort of import. Sure, Memphis is in the midst of what appears to be a very short rebuilding, but the Tigers are still a solid Conference USA team and tonight they face the biggest threat to their longstanding C-USA crown: UAB. Mike Davis has the Blazers playing better than at any time in his tenure. Elijah Millsap & Co. are 18-3 and 6-1 in the conference so far, but if they want to seize the title, even for one year, they'll have to go through the house that competitively priced shipping costs built. (Um, the FedEx Forum. No one?)
Mississippi State at No. 20 Vanderbilt, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN360: If Kentucky continues to play how it did Tuesday night, the Cats are going to roll to an easy SEC title. But they're not without challengers. Kevin Stallings' ever-improving Vanderbilt team is one such challenger. The Commodores are a mere half-game back of Kentucky and, if they manage to survive their upcoming slate, could welcome UK to Nashville on Feb. 20 with the division title on the line. Meanwhile, Mississippi State still doesn't have Renardo Sidney, and it's not looking good. But the Bulldogs are worth watching merely for the defensive brilliance of Jarvis Varnado, a once-in-a-generation shot-blocking machine.
Everywhere else: New No. 1 Kansas will try to avoid the fate of last week's No. 1 when it hits the road for a meeting with a marginal conference opponent ... Georgetown gets a courtesy date with South Florida ahead of Saturday's big matchup with Villanova ... The surprising Temple Owls host Duquesne, a similarly surprising team but for different reasons ... and Penn State goes to Columbus, so make sure to have your Evan Turner scoresheet watch in full effect. It could get awesome.
No. 21 Pittsburgh at No. 6 West Virginia, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN360: Aw, you guys. Stats LCC has a case of the bummers: "Two weeks ago, the matchup between West Virginia and Pittsburgh was shaping up to be one of the most highly anticipated meetings in this storied rivalry. A sudden string of losses by the Panthers dashed that prospect, but it likely won't diminish the atmosphere in Morgantown." Never fear, nameless Stats LLC writer. Sure, the Backyard Brawl won't be quite as brawl-y as it might have been for the Pittsburgh team that jumped to a 5-0 record in the Big East. (The difference in brawl escalation probably lies somewhere between brass knuckles and a trident.) Sure, Pittsburgh's 1-3 record in its last four games ruined the prospect of having two top-10 teams in a hated rivalry facing each other in ever-hostile Morgantown.
But Stats LCC, don't you see? This is still an awesome college basketball game. Pittsburgh is reeling, so what better time to get hot and steal a huge Big East road win than now? And West Virginia? The Mountaineers are coming off a controversial last-second win over Louisville, have lost two Big East games by a combined three -- yes, three -- points, and are developing the sort of edgy home atmosphere that should simultaneously outrage fans and scare opponents. (When your own student newspaper thinks you've gone too far, you've probably gone too far.) And, lest we forget, a win for Pitt means the Panthers leapfrog the Mountaineers and get right behind Syracuse and Villanova in the Big East race. (A panther leapfrogging a human? I am thoroughly enjoying this mental image.)
So don't fret, Stats LLC. This game might not be as cool as it would have been two weeks ago, but it's still an awesome Big East rivalry with plenty on the line. There's no reason to frown.
(OK, maybe one reason: The game's not actually on TV, but rather on ESPN360. Get your laptops ready. It's 2010, people. The power of the Internet compels you.)
UAB at Memphis, 8 p.m. ET, CBS College Sports: This might be the first game we've featured that's been on CBS College Sports, but that's because few CBS CS games have had this sort of import. Sure, Memphis is in the midst of what appears to be a very short rebuilding, but the Tigers are still a solid Conference USA team and tonight they face the biggest threat to their longstanding C-USA crown: UAB. Mike Davis has the Blazers playing better than at any time in his tenure. Elijah Millsap & Co. are 18-3 and 6-1 in the conference so far, but if they want to seize the title, even for one year, they'll have to go through the house that competitively priced shipping costs built. (Um, the FedEx Forum. No one?)
Mississippi State at No. 20 Vanderbilt, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN360: If Kentucky continues to play how it did Tuesday night, the Cats are going to roll to an easy SEC title. But they're not without challengers. Kevin Stallings' ever-improving Vanderbilt team is one such challenger. The Commodores are a mere half-game back of Kentucky and, if they manage to survive their upcoming slate, could welcome UK to Nashville on Feb. 20 with the division title on the line. Meanwhile, Mississippi State still doesn't have Renardo Sidney, and it's not looking good. But the Bulldogs are worth watching merely for the defensive brilliance of Jarvis Varnado, a once-in-a-generation shot-blocking machine.
Everywhere else: New No. 1 Kansas will try to avoid the fate of last week's No. 1 when it hits the road for a meeting with a marginal conference opponent ... Georgetown gets a courtesy date with South Florida ahead of Saturday's big matchup with Villanova ... The surprising Temple Owls host Duquesne, a similarly surprising team but for different reasons ... and Penn State goes to Columbus, so make sure to have your Evan Turner scoresheet watch in full effect. It could get awesome.
Renardo Sidney could be on the court soon
January, 27, 2010
1/27/10
12:11
PM ET
By
Andy Katz | ESPN.com
The likelihood highly touted Mississippi State freshman forward Renardo Sidney will be on the court in the coming weeks has improved, according to Sidney’s attorney, after the fact-finding portion of the case didn’t produce anything alarming.
Don Jackson, Sidney’s Montgomery, Ala.-based attorney, sent out an e-mail to local and national media Wednesday explaining the details of the NCAA’s fact-finding mission on the Sidney case.
Sidney has missed the Bulldogs’ first 19 games. He has practiced at times with the team and more so of late individually as the Bulldogs (15-4, 3-1 SEC) deal with his absence.
Jackson said the case now moves forward to see if there is a “determination of whether there were violations, and if so, whether there is a basis for a suspension or restitution.” Jackson said the fact-finding committee’s inability to prove the investigator’s claim that there was something awry with a bank loan and living expenses for the Sidney family while living in Los Angeles for Renardo’s final two seasons of high school. The Sidney family had moved to L.A. from Jackson, Miss.
“In light of the findings and the number of games that Renardo has already missed, the likelihood of him being on the floor in the next several days is considerable,’’ Jackson said.
Jackson hasn’t filed a court injunction to get Sidney on the court because Mississippi State has made it clear it wouldn’t play Sidney unless he was cleared to compete in games. With Sidney next to Jarvis Varnado, the Bulldogs would have a potential front line that could compete with some of the top teams in the country. Mississippi State, coming off a loss at Alabama on Saturday, plays at Arkansas Thursday.
Jackson said the fact-finding committee convened Monday in Sidney’s amateurism investigation and filed this blast email:
Don Jackson, Sidney’s Montgomery, Ala.-based attorney, sent out an e-mail to local and national media Wednesday explaining the details of the NCAA’s fact-finding mission on the Sidney case.
Sidney has missed the Bulldogs’ first 19 games. He has practiced at times with the team and more so of late individually as the Bulldogs (15-4, 3-1 SEC) deal with his absence.
Jackson said the case now moves forward to see if there is a “determination of whether there were violations, and if so, whether there is a basis for a suspension or restitution.” Jackson said the fact-finding committee’s inability to prove the investigator’s claim that there was something awry with a bank loan and living expenses for the Sidney family while living in Los Angeles for Renardo’s final two seasons of high school. The Sidney family had moved to L.A. from Jackson, Miss.
“In light of the findings and the number of games that Renardo has already missed, the likelihood of him being on the floor in the next several days is considerable,’’ Jackson said.
Jackson hasn’t filed a court injunction to get Sidney on the court because Mississippi State has made it clear it wouldn’t play Sidney unless he was cleared to compete in games. With Sidney next to Jarvis Varnado, the Bulldogs would have a potential front line that could compete with some of the top teams in the country. Mississippi State, coming off a loss at Alabama on Saturday, plays at Arkansas Thursday.
Jackson said the fact-finding committee convened Monday in Sidney’s amateurism investigation and filed this blast email:
1. There was no evidence to establish that a family loan was based upon the student-athlete's athletic ability or "payback" potential as the Eligibility Center staff alleged.
2. The committee made NO findings relative to the family's living expenses during the term of their stay in California. Notably. The ACP Staff did not include any reference to the allegedly inappropriate living arrangement in their proposed Statement of Facts. Despite a nearly yearlong investigation, no factual findings were made or proposed regarding the Los Angeles residence.
More than adequate documentation was provided to document the family's payment of living expenses.
3. The ACP Staff alleged and the committee agreed that the student-athlete received excess Reebok gear and that a family friend assisted with the costs of unofficial visits to two schools. The family friend was repaid; no factual finding was made on the repayment of the loan.
4. No factual finding was made and the ACP Staff did not propose any specific facts relative to the propriety of the student-athlete's father's employment with Reebok. The reality of the matter is that his employment with Reebok does not (in any way) point toward a violation of any type.
Other "factual issues" were either determined to have been beyond the scope of the committee's authority or no findings were issued. In an interesting and unprecedented twist, the ACP Staff attempted to impose an unethical conduct charge upon the family of the student-athlete maintaining that 10.1 applied to their interview testimony. This represents an extraordinary stretch as 10.1 has always been interpreted to apply to athletic department staff and student-athletes ... never family members. This was a clear effort to manufacture a violation.
Currently, the student-athlete has missed nineteen (19) regular-season games and two (2) exhibition games.
Editor Note: Here is an NCAA statement in response to the latest statments by Donald Jackson. "Mr. Jackson is wrong in his description of Renardo Sidney, Jr's., initial-eligibility status, and he continues to demonstrate a lack of understanding of the Amateurism Certification Process. The NCAA Division I Amateurism Fact-Finding Committee has only determined what facts will now be analyzed to decide if violations of NCAA legislation have occurred, and if so, what penalties should be assessed. This matter will not be concluded until such final determinations have been made. At this point, it is premature to speculate on a timeframe and an ultimate outcome. However, it is correct to say had Mr. Jackson promptly and accurately replied in full to the NCAA’s repeated requests for specific information beginning in April 2009 the process would be much further along."
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Eamonn Brennan
Brennan joined ESPN.com in 2009 after several years of blogging at Yahoo! and other places around the Internet. The Iowa native lives in Chicago with his roommates, his dog, and a crippling addiction to caffeine.
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