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Former Stony Brook running back Miguel Maysonet didn't become the first player in school history to be selected in the NFL draft, but it didn't take long for him to find a team.

Shortly after the draft ended Saturday night, Maysonet agreed to a free-agent contract with the Philadelphia Eagles, according to a source.

Maysonet was projected as a possible sixth- or seventh-round pick. A total of 22 running backs were selected during the three-day draft, but he didn't hear his name called.

The record-breaking runner will play for new coach Chip Kelly in Philadelphia. The Eagles didn't draft any running backs, but they have three holdovers at the position, including star LeSean McCoy.

Maysonet, who rushed for more than 1,900 yards last season, will have an opportunity to play in Kelly's suped-up spread offense. He will report to rookie minicamp in two weeks.

Point guard Jaren Sina committed to Seton Hall on Wednesday, over Indiana and Northwestern.

The New Jersey native had previously committed to Northwestern, but reopened his recruitment after coach Bill Carmody was fired last month.

Fred Hill, who was an assistant under Carmody at Northwestern, was officially hired by Seton Hall as an assistant on Wednesday as well.

Sina, 6-foot-2 and 175 pounds, is from Lake Hopatcong, N.J., played at Gill St. Bernard's School, and was rated the fifth-best senior in the state by ESPN. "Sina is a super skilled guard with a lethal jump shot," according to his ESPN Recruiting scouting report. "He's as skilled and smart as they get but his intangibles are what separate him. He plays with unwavering confidence and just enough cockiness to maximize his talents."

It's a big addition for Seton Hall coach Kevin Willard. The Pirates are coming off a 15-18 season, 3-15 in the Big East, and were in desperate need of backcourt help following the transfer of second-leading scorer Aaron Cosby.

Seton Hall has hired Fred Hill as an assistant men's basketball coach, the school announced Wednesday.

Hill, the head coach at Rutgers from 2006-10, previously served as a Seton Hall assistant from 1998-2001. He spent the past two seasons as an assistant at Northwestern under Bill Carmody, who was fired last month.

"We are excited to welcome Fred back to the Seton Hall family," head coach Kevin Willard said in a statement. "Fred has a great basketball mind and brings over 30 years of experience to our coaching staff. He is a proven recruiter who has a track record of attracting elite talent in each of his coaching stops. Fred enjoyed tremendous success on the recruiting trail in his first term at Seton Hall, and we look forward to this next chapter of his coaching career."

Hill went just 47-77 in his four seasons in charge at Rutgers, but has had great success as a recruiter throughout his career. He helped reel in some outstanding prospects during his first stint at Seton Hall -- including Andre Barrett and Eddie Griffin -- and should help the Pirates be more competitive in the new Big East, which debuts next season.

"I am grateful for this opportunity to work with Coach Willard and his terrific staff," Hill said. "It feels great to be back home at Seton Hall where I have so many fond memories. This is truly an exciting time to rejoin the Pirate family as we embark on the new Big East basketball conference. I look forward to working tirelessly with our staff to make my second experience at Seton Hall as wonderful as my first."

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. -- Bob Gregory, a three-year basketball starter for Manhattan College who went on to teach and coach in the New York City public school system for almost 30 years, has died. He was 63.

Gregory, who graduated from Manhattan in 1972 and played professionally in France for one year, died Tuesday after 18 months of fighting brain cancer, his family said.

He coached the girls basketball teams at Columbus H.S. and at Bronx High School of Science, where he compiled a 121-71 record that included 17-1 seasons in 2007-08 and 2008-09, reaching the PSAL semifinals in the second season.

Gregory is survived by wife Yolanda, stepdaughter Alexis, two grandsons, five brothers and sisters and five nieces and nephews.

A viewing will be Thursday at Ballard-Durand Funeral Services in White Plains, and a funeral Mass will be Friday at 10 a.m. at Sacred Heart Church in Hartsdale.

Iona guard Lamont "Momo" Jones has won the 2013 Haggerty Award, given to the best Division I men's basketball player in the New York metropolitan area.

Jones, a 6-foot senior from Harlem, finished third in the country in scoring, averaging 22.6 points per game. He led the Gaels to their second consecutive NCAA tournament.

Stony Brook's Steve Pikiell was named Coach of the Year by the Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association, and St. John's freshman forward Jakarr Sampson was named Rookie of the Year.

The All-Met first team, besides Jones, includes St. John's guard D'Angelo Harrison, Seton Hall's Fuquan Edwin, Iona's Sean Armand and a pair of LIU Brooklyn players, Jamal Olasewere and Jason Brickman.

The second team features Sampson, Myles Mack (Rutgers), Tommy Brenton (Stony Brook), Rhamel Brown (Manhattan) and Ella Ellis (Army).

The third team features Chris Obekpa and Phil Greene from St. John's, plus C.J. Garner (LIU Brooklyn), Jameel Warney (Stony Brook), Jonathon Williams (Wagner) and Chris Flores (N.J.I.T.).

Andrew Wiggins has several fans -- including Carmelo Anthony.

"I like him," Anthony said after watching the 6-foot-7 Wiggins, the No. 1 college basketball prospect in the nation, score 19 points and grab five rebounds in the Jordan Brand Classic on Saturday night at Barclays Center.

"I saw him last summer in Vegas. He looked really good."

Many NBA talent-evaluators believe Wiggins would be the top overall pick in the 2013 NBA draft if he was allowed to skip college.

"I wish him the best," Anthony said. "Next year, if he does what he’s gotta do, he’ll be ready to take that next step."

Wiggins, known for his athleticism and scoring prowess, remains undecided on where he’ll go to school next season.

"No one I care about is telling to go anywhere, or even bringing it up," Wiggins said.

Wiggins wowed the Barclays Center crowd with four dunks, but perhaps his best play of the night was when he fed Kentucky-bound big man Julius Randle for an alley-oop dunk on a 2-on-1 fastbreak in the first half.

John Calipari’s Wildcats have already put together one of the best recruiting classes ever, landing Randle along with twin guards Aaron and Andrew Harrison, Dakari Johnson, James Young and Marcus Lee. Randle (PF), Aaron (SG), Andrew (PG) and Johnson (C) are all the top-rated players at their respective positions.

Wiggins (SF) would give them a starting five full of No. 1s.

"I’m trying my best [to convince him to come to Kentucky], but it’s on him, and I wish nothing but the best for him," said Randle, who also scored 19 points and was named co-MVP of the game along with Duke’s Jabari Parker (16 points, seven rebounds), the No. 2 prospect in the country behind Wiggins.

"He threw a great pass. He’s a great player. He makes the game easier on me. It was fun playing wit him."

The star-studded crowd at Barclays Center included Michael Jordan, Anthony, Amar’e Stoudemire, J.R. Smith, CC Sabathia and rapper Drake, who performed briefly after the game.

"It’s an honor. I’m just thrilled at the fact all these celebrities saw us play," Wiggins said. "I appreciate that. I’m blessed to be here and play among the best high school players in the world."

Anthony also said he was impressed with Randle, Parker and Syracuse-bound point guard Tyler Ennis, who played his high school ball at St. Benedict’s Prep (N.J.).

"I know when I was in high school we weren’t as big as these guys these days," said Anthony, who scored 27 points in the 2002 Jordan Brand Classic. "They look like they’re in the gym all day, in the weight room. They’re already one step ahead."

Said Randle, who has known Stoudemire for 2-to-3 years: "These are just two players that you grow up idolizing. To have them courtside was a huge honor and I was glad they came."

WHAT IT MEANS: The West beat the East 102-98 in the 12th edition of the Jordan Brand Classic on Saturday night at Barclays Center.

Nigel Williams-Goss (Washington) delivered the game-winning basket -- a layup off a steal that turned into a three-point play, which gave the West a 99-96 lead with 28.5 seconds left. Williams-Goss led the West with 17 points, four assists and three rebounds. Jabari Parker (Duke) added 16 points. Projected 2014 No. 1 NBA draft pick Andrew Wiggins (undecided) and Julius Randle (Kentucky) each had 19 points for the East.

Parker and Randle were named co-MVPs. Past MVPs include Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving, Brandon jennings, Kevin Durant, Dwight Howard, LeBron James and Amar'e Stoudemire. Carmelo Anthony helped present the players with their trophies.

Local kid Tyler Ennis (St. Benedict’s Prep, N.J.), who is Syracuse-bound, had 14 points, six assists and five rebounds for the East.

MJ: Michael Jordan, now 50, was born in the Fort Greene section of Brooklyn but moved to North Carolina with his family when he was just 18 months old. He received a huge ovation when he was seen in a suite, and many in the crowd turned to take pictures on their cell phones.

1 vs. 2: Wiggins (undecided) and Parker (Duke) both started getting after it in the second half. The dynamic small forwards are ranked Nos. 1 and 2 in ESPN’s Top 100 recruiting rankings, respectively. Wiggins wowed the crowd with four dunks and added five rebounds, while Parker displayed his all-around game, snagging seven rebounds and dishing out two assists.

KNICK TAKEOVER: Stoudemire, Anthony and J.R. Smith all sat courtside. STAT (23 points, co-MVP) and Melo (27 points) both played in the 2002 game. Spike Lee showed off his “NEW YORK” Knicks sweatshirt on the JumboTron. He heard some boos from the crowd.

ALSO IN THE CROWD: Drake, who would perform after the game, received the loudest ovation of any of the celebrities in attendance. Others: CC Sabathia, Eric LeGrand, Fabolous, Chromeo, Andre Ward, Busta Rhymes and Michael K. Williams.

THE KENTUCKY SIX: Twins Aaron and Andrew Harrison, Randle, Dakari Johnson, Marcus Lee and James Young will all play for John Calipari’s Wildcats next season. Andrew (PG), Aaron (SG), Randle (PF) and Johnson (C) are all the No. 1-rated prospects at their respective positions.

DID YOU KNOW? Kuran Iverson, a 6-foot-8 small forward who will attend Memphis, is Allen Iverson’s cousin. Joel Embiid, a 7-foot center who will attend Kansas, did not start as a junior. He’s from Congo and made significant strides this season.

Steve Lavin added a big piece to the puzzle on Thursday.

Rysheed Jordan, the highly coveted high school point guard from Philadelphia, has committed to play for St. John's next season.

"I really like their style of play, pick-and-roll and how Coach Lavin lets their guards play," Jordan said in an interview with ESPN Recruiting's Reggie Rankin. "On my visit I also built a great relationship with Chris Obekpa and Phil Greene. I liked New York City, and Coach Lavin is a great coach, just awesome."

Jordan, 6-foot-3 and 180 pounds, is the No. 22-ranked senior in the country, and chose St. John's over UCLA and Temple. He just led his high school team to a state championship, and averaged 26 points, 6 assists and 4 rebounds a game.

"He's a big-time finisher for a lead guard, with strength to absorb contact and explosion to play well above the rim," according to his ESPN scouting report. "He's just as good getting to the elbow as he is the rim, where his size enables him to see over the defense to both pass and make short pull-ups."

With Jordan in the fold, St. John's could have one of the best backcourts in the country next season -- if D'Angelo Harrison returns to the Red Storm.

Harrison, the third-leading scorer in the Big East (17.8 ppg), was suspended by Lavin for the final six games of this past season for conduct detrimental to the team.

Reserve forward Amir Garrett left the program last week. But if the rest of the current roster returns (including Big East Rookie of the Year Jakarr Sampson), and with the addition of Jordan (as well as power forward Orlando Sanchez and swingman Max Hooper), St. John's figures to be a contender in the new Big East next season, and possibly nationally ranked as well.

Year 4 of the Steve Lavin era could be a breakthrough year for the Red Storm, who have missed the NCAA tournament the past two seasons.

Michigan State will be the star attraction in next season's Coaches vs. Cancer Classic at the Barclays Center.

The Spartans will be joined by Seton Hall, Oklahoma and Virginia Tech. The semifinals will be on Friday, Nov. 22, and the consolation and championship games will be held the following day. The matchups have yet to be announced.

Tickets will go on sale Saturday, April 13, available via Ticketmaster and the Barclays Center box office.

LIU Brooklyn forward Julian Boyd has been granted a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA, and will play for the Blackbirds next season.

Boyd, the NEC Player of the Year in 2012, played in just eight games this past year -- he tore the ACL in his right knee in a game against Rice on Dec. 12. He also missed the entire 2009-2010 season due to a heart condition.

As a junior, the 6-foot-7, 230-pound forward averaged 17.4 points and 9.3 rebounds per game. He averaged 18.5 points in eight games this year.

LIU Brooklyn has been to the NCAA Tournament the past three seasons, and with Boyd back, the Blackbirds should be contenders in the Northeast Conference again next year.

Coach Jack Perri is losing seniors Jamal Olasewere (18.9 ppg, 8.6 rpg) and C.J. Garner (16.1 ppg), but point guard Jason Brickman -- who led the nation in assists, at 8.5 per game -- will be back as well.

Baylor made history in New York.

The Bears became the first Big 12 team to win the NIT, soundly defeating the Iowa Hawkeyes 74-54 on Thursday night at Madison Square Garden.

"I’m proud of these guys," Baylor coach Scott Drew said. "Really proud of their heart and determination, and they’ll always be remembered. Whenever you make history -- you don’t get a lot of chances to do that."

Baylor led 27-22 at halftime, and Iowa cut the deficit to 28-27 early in the second half. But the game turned into a rout from there. Pierre Jackson, the Bears' leading scorer (19.9 PPG), heated up, scoring 13 of his 17 points after intermission. He also collected 10 assists, giving him a fourth consecutive double-double, and was named the tournament's most outstanding player.

"In the second half, they were getting some good screens for me to get to the paint," Jackson said, "and I got to the right spots and knocked down shots."

"They’re a terrific offensive team," said Iowa coach Fran McCaffery. "They had us spread out. They were moving the ball, and they’ve got a lot of weapons, and Jackson is tremendous."

Iowa, on the other hand, had a nightmarish game on offense. The Hawkeyes shot just 18-for-69 (26.4 percent) from the field and 5-for-24 (20.8 percent) from beyond the arc. They missed open looks on the perimeter and several chippies around the rim, clearly bothered by the presence of 7-foot-1 center Isaiah Austin (15 points, 9 rebounds, 5 blocks) and 6-foot-9 forward Cory Jefferson (23 points, 7 rebounds).

Roy Devyn Marble, who had scored 21 or more points in each of Iowa's first four games in this tournament, finished with just six, shooting 3-for-12 from the field.

"[It] seemed like we just kept missing easy shots," McCaffery said. "The stat that jumps out at me is we had 20 offensive rebounds against this team. That’s effort. That’s special. That should have equated to more success offensively."

Baylor (23-14, 9-9 Big 12) was ranked No. 19 in the country in the preseason, so ending up in the NIT was a disappointment. But the Bears certainly finished the season strong.

"You look at most teams in the NIT, they probably lost a lot of close games, and with our team, we lost some close games," Drew said. "And the common denominator was when we shot over 70 percent from the free throw line, we won, and when we shot in the 50s and 60s, we lost. That’s with a young front line."

Drew will lose his starting backcourt of Jackson and A.J. Walton, both seniors. But if the talented post players return, Baylor will be dangerous next season.

Iowa (25-13, 9-9 Big Ten) had its bubble burst Selection Sunday but gained valuable experience by playing five more games. Senior swingman Eric May departs, but everyone else should be back, and the Hawkeyes should go dancing next season, for the first time since 2006.

"There’s just no substitute for experience," McCaffery said. "Come to Madison Square Garden, the greatest venue in sports, and play twice against two really good teams, win one, lose one, learn from that -- it can only make us better."

What it means: Baylor is your 2013 NIT champion.

The Bears are the first Big 12 team ever to win this tournament, thanks to their 74-54 victory over Iowa on Thursday at Madison Square Garden.

Baylor (23-14, 9-9 Big 12) had a disappointing regular season. The Bears were ranked No. 19 in the country in the preseason, coming off a berth in the NCAA tournament's Elite Eight a year ago. They didn't even make the Big Dance this time around but finished the season on a high note.

Iowa (25-13, 9-9 Big Ten) was on the bubble on Selection Sunday, didn't make the NCAA cut, but collected four wins and some valuable experience the past couple of weeks.

The turning point: After Iowa's Roy Devyn Marble scored the first bucket of the game, Baylor scored nine straight points, and led the rest of the first half. It took the Bears' leading scorer, Pierre Jackson, almost 15 minutes to collect his first point. But Baylor still led 27-22 at intermission. The Hawkeyes shot just 7-for-28 (25 percent) in the first half, and committed eight turnovers.

Iowa cut the deficit to one early in the second half, 28-27, thanks to five quick points by Eric May. But Baylor answered with seven points in a row to reassert control, and soon turned the game into a rout. The Bears pushed the lead past 20 for the first time on a Cory Jefferson two-hand slam with 7:04 remaining. The rest was garbage time.

Star watch: Jackson scored just four points in the first half, shooting 1-for-6. The second half was a different story. The senior finished with 17 points and 10 assists, and was named the tournament's most outstanding player. Jefferson scored a game-high 23 points, and Isaiah Austin added 15.

Mike Gesell scored a team-high 13 points off the bench for Iowa, while Aaron White chipped in 12. Marble finished with just six points.

Number crunch: It just wasn't Iowa's night offensively. The Hawkeyes missed open shots from the perimeter, and several chippies around the rim -- they were clearly bothered by the presence of the 7-foot-1 Austin (five blocked shots) in the paint. For the game, Iowa shot 18-for-69 from the field (26.4 percent), including 5-for-24 from beyond the arc (20.8), while Baylor shot 26-for-48 (54.2 percent).

What's next: That's the final college basketball game of the season at Madison Square Garden. Enjoy the Final Four, and we'll see you next year.

Here are three things to watch for when Baylor (22-14, 9-9 Big 12) plays Iowa (25-12, 9-9 Big Ten) on Thursday at Madison Square Garden, in the NIT championship game.

Tipoff is at 9 p.m., and you can watch the game on ESPN.

UNCHARTED TERRITORY: Both teams are attempting to win the NIT for the first time in school history. In fact, Baylor would be the first Big 12 team ever to win the NIT. The Bears were also in the title game back in 2009, losing to Penn State.

Both the Bears and the Hawkeyes hoped to be in the NCAA tournament this season, but things didn't go as planned. Baylor, picked to finish second in the Big 12, ended up in sixth place. Iowa finished sixth in the Big Ten, a game better than Illinois and Minnesota, but those two schools went dancing while the Hawkeyes were left out.

Baylor (a No. 2 seed) and Iowa (a No. 3 seed) have won four games apiece to advance to the NIT final, and both teams sounded fired up after their semifinal victories on Tuesday. This will be only the second meeting ever between the two schools -- Iowa defeated Baylor 67-44 back on Dec. 2, 1983.

STAR POWER: Both teams feature an electrifying scorer capable of putting on a show.

For Baylor, point guard Pierre Jackson is averaging 19.9 points and seven assists per game this season. He leads all Big 12 players in both categories, and is about to become the first player to lead a major conference in both categories in a season since Arizona's Jason Terry in 1998-99. The 5-foot-10 senior has scored at least 20 points and dished out at least 10 assists in each of the team's past three games.

For Iowa, swingman Roy Devyn Marble is averaging 15.2 points per game on the season, but has boosted his scoring average to 24.3 points per game in the NIT. The 6-foot-6 junior can put the ball on the floor, or fill it up from the perimeter. He's the son of Roy Marble, a three-time All-Big Ten player for Iowa and the leading scorer in school history.

COMPARE AND CONTRAST: This is a matchup pitting one of the best offensive teams in the country versus one of the best defensive teams.

Baylor is ranked 21st in Division I in scoring offense, averaging 76 points per game. Iowa is ranked 19th in Division I in defensive field-goal percentage, holding teams to just 38.9 percent shooting.

St. John’s forward Amir Garrett has decided to leave the program, he announced via Twitter on Tuesday night.

“After a long thought out process of speaking with my family, I will be leaving St. John’s basketball program,” Garrett said.

He elaborated in subsequent tweets. “It was a well thought out decision that didn’t just pop up out of nowhere,” he added. “St. John’s will always have a special place in my heart.”

A 6-foot-6 sophomore from Los Angeles, Garrett averaged 5.4 points and 4.3 rebounds in 20.1 minutes per game this season. His playing time decreased from his freshman year, when he averaged 26.9 minutes per game.

Garrett is also a pitcher in the Cincinnati Reds organization. He was drafted by the team in the 22nd round in 2011, and given a $1 million signing bonus. The Reds allowed him to play basketball during the school year, and pitch during the summer.

He’ll be back on a mound shortly, but it doesn’t sound like Garrett is through with basketball.

“As of now I’m playing baseball,” Garrett tweeted, “but I plan on being at another program in the fall.”

Baylor and Iowa are both a long way from New York City.

They’re also both one win away from an NIT title.

Neither team has won this tournament before. The Bears and Hawkeyes are trying to make history, and finish their seasons on a winning note.

Baylor advanced first, defeating BYU 76-70 in the first game of Tuesday night's doubleheader at Madison Square Garden. The Bears led by just two at halftime, and three with just under five minutes remaining, before Pierre Jackson scored seven straight points to help Baylor pull away.

The electrifying 5-foot-10 senior scored a game-high 24 points -- 15 of them coming in the second half -- and also had 10 assists. "Pierre is like a time bomb," said Baylor coach Scott Drew. "You just wait for him to go off. He had a nice spurt there and that gave us a cushion."

Iowa won the nightcap, taking a 14-point first-half lead against Maryland, and then holding off a Terrapins rally in the second half to win 71-60. Junior forward Roy Devyn Marble scored a game-high 21 points, and nine of the 10 Hawkeyes who got into the game also got into the scoring column.

"I thought one of the keys to the game was how we came out, in particular with Dev offensively," said Iowa coach Fran McCaffery. "We got into a flow early, and then the same thing late, kept everything going."

What we're left with is a championship game in midtown Manhattan between schools from Waco, Texas and Iowa City, Iowa -- 1,627 and 995 miles away, respectively.

It's also a matchup between one of the best offensive teams in the country and one of the best defensive teams. Baylor entered Tuesday night's game ranked 21st in the nation in scoring, at 76 points per contest. Iowa was ranked 18th in defensive field goal percentage, at 38.8.

Makes for an intriguing matchup Thursday night at MSG.

Both these teams dealt with disappointment this year. Baylor was picked to finish second in the Big 12, but ended up in sixth. Iowa finished ahead of Illinois and Minnesota in the Big Ten standings, yet those schools went to the Big Dance, while the Hawkeyes were left out.

Nevertheless, Baylor and Iowa are two of the last college teams still in action in the first week of April. And the players sound pumped up about it.

"It feels good. We've got one more," said Jackson. "If we win on Thursday, I’ll probably be shaking because I’m too excited."

"It means a lot to me and the team and our program," said Marble. "A lot of teams look down upon [the NIT] because they didn't get into the other tournament, but we just looked at it as another opportunity to win a championship."