Lawhorn decommits from Fordham

The recruitment of Danny Lawhorn has been a roller-coaster ride that including reclassifications, Facebook commitments, one decommitment, coaching changes and now, another decommitment.

“Not going to Fordham,” Lawhorn said in a text message Wednesday evening.

The 5-10 point guard from South Kent Prep (Conn.) committed to the Rams in March, choosing them over Georgia Southern, Houston, Baylor, Montana State and Connecticut.

Prior to that, there were reports that Lawhorn had announced his commitment to Connecticut via Facebook and Twitter. Those were later proven to be false.

Even before, Lawhorn had committed to Boston College before decommitting from the Eagles and opening up the possibility that he would reclassify to 2011. Instead, he is back in 2010 – and looking for a college again.

Lawhorn’s main recruiter at Fordham was interim head coach Jared Grasso, and he said that Grasso was the primary reason for committing to the Rams. When former Hofstra head coach Tom Pecora took over the job, Lawhorn cooled on Fordham.

“I didn’t really speak to [Pecora] and Grasso wasn’t there; that’s who I gave my trust to,” Lawhorn said.

He said he is unsure of which schools he will look at next.

Leslie commits to N.C. State -- again

There is just one five-star player left to make his college decision now, as C.J. Leslie took his name off the board on Wednesday.

The 6-8 forward from Word of God Christian Academy (N.C.) committed to North Carolina State, choosing the Wolfpack over Kentucky and Connecticut, the latter of which he visited this past weekend. The story was first reported by Dave Telep of Scout.com.

“It was a good school. Is that enough? Nah, I’m kidding,” Leslie joked.

“It’s a great school, they have a great coach, and I think we can do some things next season,” Leslie told me shortly after his commitment.

Leslie had originally committed to North Carolina State in June of 2007 but reopened his recruitment last March. He had finalized his list recently, and admitted he enjoyed his visit to Connecticut.

However, that was not enough to dissuade him from heading to the ACC.

“I think I can make a major impact next season,” Leslie said. “Coach [Sidney Lowe] was excited when I told him.”

Leslie was one of the final players left to make a decision, as 6-8 forward Terrence Jones is the lone five-star prospect yet to announce his destination.

“I’m very relieved,” Leslie said. “I can now focus on basketball and getting better over the summer.” 

Sterling Gibbs to Maryland

The 2011 commitments continue to fly off the board, as junior Sterling Gibbs, a 6-1 guard from Seton Hall Prep (N.J.) made his commitment to Maryland Monday night.

“I just committed about five minutes ago,” he said by phone.

His relationship and familiarity with the coaching staff and players was the deciding factor in his decision.

“I just felt at home, that was my second family the whole time,” Gibbs said. “I knew that if I went there, I wouldn’t regret my decision at all.

“I was comfortable with Gary Williams. I know just about the whole team, I know a lot of the guys coming in.”

Gibbs chose the Terrapins over Seton Hall, Rutgers, Indiana, Wake Forest, Pittsburgh, Florida, Virginia and St. John’s.

He visited the College Park campus before the season started, and was impressed by the entire trip.

“I really liked coach Williams’ personality,” Gibbs said. “He’s a fiery coach, and he gets the most out of his players. He’s fun to be around.”

It was more than just basketball that attracted Gibbs to Maryland, though.

“The whole campus was really nice,” he said. “I love the school overall. The campus, the academics, it’s not too far from home. And the academic advisors seem like they’re really on top of work, so I can graduate on time.”

Gibbs said that coach Williams was very excited when he notified him about the commitment. He said that Williams is looking forward to the potential of more metro-area players coming to Maryland.

Gibbs is confident that he will be able to come in and immediately get on the floor for the Terrapins.

“If I work hard, I’ll be able to come in and get a lot of playing time as a freshman,” he said. “I think I can make a very big impact. I’m a pure point guard, and I can score when needed. I just want to win, and I’m going to try to have fun. In the ACC, you have to bring it every night, and I love that. I’m a competitive guy.”

Gibbs is the younger brother of Pittsburgh star guard Ashton Gibbs, and the two siblings will likely have many an argument about which conference is better: the ACC or Big East.

Despite Ashton’s ties to the Panthers, Sterling said that his older brother helped him out throughout the entire recruitment.

“He was on the phone with coach [Chuck] Driesell and coach Williams trying to set everything up,” Gibbs said. “He felt like it was the right decision.”

Although Driesell did accept the head coaching job at The Citadel earlier today, Gibbs is still happy with his decision to commit to the Terrapins.

“I knew that this was definitely where I wanted to be,” he said. “At the end of the day, coach Williams is the one making the subs.”

Gibbs is now looking forward to his final AAU circuit and his senior season, where he can finally focus on basketball and not worry about his recruitment.

“I feel like there is a boulder off my chest,” he said. “I’m able to focus on getting better. I don’t have to worry about what coaches are thinking about me, because I know I’m going to Maryland.”

Full-Court Press, April 26

There is plenty of news from the past couple of days to catch up on, so let’s get started.

Pullen returns to Kansas State

Kansas State junior guard Jacob Pullen has decided to return to the Wildcats for his senior season, according to a release from the school.

Pullen averaged 19.3 points last season, garnering first team All-Big 12 honors and All-American consideration by multiple outlets.

With Pullen’s return, Kansas State could enter the season ranked in the top 10.

Temple’s Allen will test waters

Temple junior forward Lavoy Allen announced on Friday that he would be entering the NBA Draft. However, Allen will not hire an agent, leaving open the option of returning to the Owls for his senior campaign.

“Lavoy informed me of his intentions to declare for this year’s NBA draft, and we will support him as we gather additional information through evaluations,” Temple head coach Fran Dunphy said in a release.

Allen averaged 11.5 points and 10.7 rebounds last season, picking up first team All-Atlantic 10 honors.

Northern Arizona’s Jones enters draft

Northern Arizona junior guard Cameron Jones has entered his name into the NBA Draft pool, he announced in a release on Friday.

“My goal is to get my name out and see if any teams are interested,” Jones said. “It is mostly setting me up for life after my senior year of college basketball. Putting my name in will get my name out there and the scouts will be looking for me next year. I want to help my opportunity after college and my senior season.”

Jones averaged 19.3 points and 4.6 rebounds last season, gaining a spot on the All-Big Sky first team.

Nicholls State’s Bole tests waters

As first reported by DraftExpress via Twitter, Nicholls State junior swingman Anatoly Bose will enter the NBA Draft.

In an email to DraftExpress, Bose said he will “test the NBA draft waters and will not hire an agent.” The 6-6 Bose can return to the Colonels for his senior campaign if he maintains his amateur status.

Bose averaged 21.1 points and 6.0 rebounds last season.

Paul George signs with agent

Fresno State forward Paul George has officially ended his college career, as the 6-8 sophomore has hired an agent.

"He's a projected first round pick," Cleveland said, according to the Fresno Bee. "Based upon his family and Paul's projections I'm not surprised at all. There seems to be a lot of talk about [an NBA] lockout next year. I'm not saying that had an impact, but there's a lot of guys going out right now ... Paul and his family would not make this decision unless they were confident."

George, who averaged 16.8 point and 7.2 rebounds last season, signed with Aaron Mintz of Priority Sports and Entertainment.

Warren, Sidney return to school

As first reported by Jeff Goodman of FOXSports.com via Twitter, Mississippi guard Chris Warren and Mississippi State forward Renardo Sidney will forgo the NBA Draft and return to school next season.

Warren, a 5-10 junior, averaged 17.2 points and 3.6 assists last season, while the 6-10 Sidney sat out the entire season because of an NCAA investigation.

McDermott to Creighton

Creighton wasted no time in replacing Dana Altman.

According to multiple reports, the BlueJays have offered the head coaching job to Iowa State’s Greg McDermott, and he is expected to accept the position Monday afternoon.

Altman left for the head job at Oregon, while McDermott has spent four years at Iowa State after coaching at Northern Iowa.

Howard hires DePaul assistant

DePaul hired assistant coach Kevin Nickelberry last week – and he is already moving on.

Nickelberry, the former head coach at Hampton, accepted an offer to become the head coach at Howard, according to Jeff Goodman of FOXSports.com.

Nickelberry was the head coach of the Libya National Team for the past season, but had been an assistant at Clemson and Charlotte and the associate head coach at Holy Cross before taking over at Hampton in 2006.

Ross to Washington

Terrence Ross, one of the top unsigned players left in the country, is set to commit to Washington during his official visit today.

“I am going to Washington because of the great relationship I have with the team and coaches,” Ross told Alex Kline of ZagsBlog.com. “I thought it would be the best choice for me and I would fit in with the team.”

Ross, a 6-5 scoring guard, chose the Huskies over Kansas, Kentucky, Oregon and Oklahoma. He had previously committed to Maryland before opening up his recruitment.

2011 stud commits to Duke

Duke has not rested since winning the national championship, as the Blue Devils secured a commitment from Tyler Adams, one of the best big men in the class of 2011, on Sunday.

"The reason I went with Duke is I feel like it's the best fit for me," Adams told Evan Daniels of Scout.com. "The last couple of months they've been recruiting me pretty hard. A program like this, not many people get a chance to go there. So I wanted to go ahead and go with Coach K."

Adams, a 6-8 center, chose Duke over Mississippi State, Alabama, Memphis and Clemson.

The Citadel finds a coach

According to Jeff Goodman of FOXSports.com via Twitter, Maryland assistant coach Chuck Driesell is likely headed to The Citadel.

Driesell is the son of legendary Terrapins coach Lefty Driesell, and has been an assistant with the Terps for four seasons. He was also an assistant coach at Georgetown and an associate head coach at James Madison.

Full-Court Press, April 24: Oregon has its coach

According to Jeff Goodman of FOXSports.com, Oregon has finally found a head coach.

Creighton head coach Dana Altman has been offered the Ducks’ job, and will agree to it as early as tonight or tomorrow, sources tell Goodman.

“[Former Oregon athletic director] Pat [Kilkenny] continues to speak with multiple coaches about the Oregon job,” Oregon senior associate athletic director Joe Giansante said. “But every step of the way, Dana Altman's name has come up in the coaching fraternity. He's talked to a lot of people and without question, he's considered one of the best coaches in the country.”

Since Ernie Kent stepped down in March, Oregon has gone after big names, missing out on each one of them. The search has lasted 37 days thus far.

Altman has spent 16 season at Creighton, going to seven NCAA Tournaments and winning at least 20 games in 11 straight seasons prior to this past campaign.

Joseph ends recruitment

Cory Joseph, the top unsigned senior in the country, has made a decision.

The 6-3 point guard from Canada chose Texas on Friday, picking the Longhorns over Connecticut, Villanova, Minnesota and UNLV.

“Coach [Rick] Barnes and the staff, we have a good relationship,” Joseph told Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog.com. “The style of play, they go up and down. I really feel like it can excel my game to the next level there. It was the best fit for me.”

At Texas, he will join Tristan Thompson, who was a teammate of Joseph on his high school team at Findlay Prep and his AAU team, Grassroots Canada.

Joseph has played his recruitment very close to the vest. His older brother, Devoe, plays for Minnesota, while many thought that Villanova could be the leader for his services.

“There’s no seconds or thirds or fourths or fifths,” Joseph said. “The five schools were great schools. It was a very hard decision. They all have great coaches. I got to talk to the coaches, and I just felt where I could fit best was Texas.”

Other tidbits

- 2011 forward Jaylen Bond committed to Pittsburgh on Friday, after visiting the Panthers and West Virginia last weekend.

- According to Jeff Goodman of FOXSports.com, former Iowa sophomore forward Aaron Fuller has transferred to USC.

- Senior forward Jason Carter chose Alabama over Ole Miss on Friday. The Texas native also had offers from Arkansas and Oklahoma State.

- As reported by Jeff Goodman of FOXSports.com via Twitter, former UCLA sophomore center J'Mison Morgan has transferred to Baylor.

Full-Court Press, April 23: Alabi goes pro

Florida State sophomore Solomon Alabi, possibly the last major player yet to make his decision about the NBA Draft, has decided to submit his name into the early-entry pool.

"Solomon is going to finish his classes this semester and continue working hard to improve his standing for the upcoming NBA Draft," head coach Leonard Hamilton said in a release. "Solomon's desire to mature and improve as both a person and as a basketball player has led him to think about what his future could hold for him and the NBA is something that is certainly within his reach. He has the full support of our coaching staff in making this decision."

Alabi, a 6-11 center, averaged 11.7 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.3 blocks last season, garnering third-team All-ACC honors.

Patterson makes it official

To no one’s surprise, Kentucky junior forward Patrick Patterson has officially announced that he will enter his name into the NBA Draft. Patterson will hire an agent, ending his career with the Wildcats.

“Pretty much, I just felt that it was time for me to go, time for me to start a new chapter in my life, time for me to move on,” Patterson said, according to the Louisville Courier-Journal. “I’ve had a great collegiate career here these past three years, had a lot of fun and met some exciting people.”

Patterson, who averaged 14.3 points and 7.4 rebounds last season, is a potential lottery pick in the upcoming draft. He is one of five Kentucky players to enter the NBA Draft, joining freshmen John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins, Eric Bledsoe and Daniel Orton.

Cornell hires Courtney

As first reported by former Cornell forward Jon Jaques and Jeff Goodman of FOXSports.com via Twitter, Virginia Tech assistant coach Bill Courtney will be the next head coach at Cornell.

Prior to his one season with the Hokies, Courtney spent time as an assistant at VCU, Virginia, Providence, Bowling Green and American, and was an associate head coach at George Mason for eight seasons.

He replaces Steve Donahue, who took the head coaching position at Boston College.

Nevada’s Johnson hires agent

Nevada junior guard Armon Johnson will not return to the Wolf Pack next season, hiring an agent and therefore forgoing his remaining eligibility.

According to Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.com via Twitter, Johnson has signed with Excel Sports Management, specifically Michael Lindeman.

Johnson averaged 15.7 points and 5.6 assists last season. He is projected as a second-round pick in most mock drafts.

Full-Court Press, April 22: Moultrie likely to return

It was reported yesterday that UTEP sophomore Arnett Moultrie would be entering the NBA Draft. However, Moultrie will not hire an agent and it seems as if he is leaning towards returning to the Miners for his junior campaign.

In an interview with an NBC affiliate in El Paso, Moultrie made his intentions clear.

“Yeah, yeah, I am coming back, I am going back,” he said. “I am just going to test the waters to get feedback to raise my stock . . . I will be back at school though.”

Moultrie, an athletic 6-11 forward, averaged 9.8 points and 6.7 rebounds last season.

Silas heading back to Northern Illinois

Northern Illinois junior guard Xavier Silas announced Thursday that he plans on withdrawing his name from the NBA Draft and returning to the Huskies.

"We talked to a couple friends who are affiliated with the league, and they said if I went back and had a good year in all aspects of the game, I could be a first-rounder," Silas told Scott Powers of ESPN Chicago. "That's better than chancing it this year."

Silas is a 6-5 scoring guard who averaged 19.7 points and 5.3 rebounds last season.

Louisiana-Monroe hires Richard

According to Jeff Goodman of FOXSports.com, Louisiana-Monroe will hire LSU assistant coach Keith Richard as its next head coach.

Richard was an assistant for the Warhawks from 1989-1994, and then went 150-117 in nine seasons as the head coach at Louisiana Tech.

He will replace Orlando Early, who resigned to become an assistant at South Carolina.

Fortson staying in draft

As first reported by Hoops Hype via Twitter, Arkansas guard Courtney Fortson has hired an agent and will keep his name in the NBA Draft.

Fortson, a 5-11 sophomore was suspended for the first 14 games of last season, but averaged 17.9 points, 5.2 rebounds and 5.7 assists during the final 18 contests.

He has signed with BP Sports Management.

Full-Court Press: Polynice enters draft

Mississippi junior guard Eniel Polynice announced Wednesday that he will forgo his final season with the Rebels and enter the NBA Draft.

"I have enjoyed my experience as a student-athlete during my four years at Ole Miss," Polynice said in a release. "I will be the first person in my family to graduate from college in a few weeks, and now I'm ready to pursue my dream of playing professional basketball."

Polynice averaged 8.8 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.9 assists last season. Most experts do not projected him to be drafted. 

Sources: Moultrie tests waters

According to Chad Ford of ESPN.com, UTEP sophomore forward Arnett Moultrie will enter his name into the NBA Draft.

Moultrie will not hire an agent, leaving open the option of returning to the Miners for his junior campaign.

He averaged 9.8 points and 6.8 rebounds last season.

Full-Court Press, Coaching Carousel

Over the past couple of days, there's been some more changes in the coaching fraternity.

- According to Jeff Goodman of FOXSports.com, Dartmouth will hire Paul Cormier has its next head coach. Cormier was the coach of the Big Green from 1984 to 1991.

- According to Goodman, Grambling will remove the interim tag off of Bobby Washington and make him the permanent head coach. The team went 7-21 last season under Washington.

- Chicago State fired Benjy Taylor, who went 39-53 in three seasons with the Cougars. 

Sooners lose Gallon to NBA

Another Oklahoma player has entered the NBA Draft.

Freshman big man Keith “Tiny” Gallon has announced his intentions to forgo his sophomore season and place his name in the draft pool.

"I had a long conversation with my mom and then with Coach [Jeff] Capel, and I decided that this is the best thing for me at this time," Gallon said in a statement. "I've had a great experience at OU, but at the same time I'm excited about my possible future in the NBA.”

Gallon averaged 10.3 points and 7.9 rebounds last season. He is the third Sooner to leave the program for NBA this season, joining guards Willie Warren and Tommy Mason-Griffin.

Babbitt leaves Nevada for NBA

Nevada sophomore forward Luke Babbitt, one of the last major holdouts to make a decision, has announced that he will enter the NBA Draft.

“After a lot of praying, gathering information and talking to my family and coaches, I have made the decision to hire an agent and enter the 2010 NBA Draft,” Babbitt said in a release. “The two years I have spent at Nevada and the 12 years I have spent living in the Reno community as a Wolf Pack fan have been unbelievable, yet I feel like now is the best time to move forward with my lifelong dream of playing professional basketball.”

Babbitt averaged 21.9 points and 8.9 rebounds last season, winning the WAC Player of the Year award. He is projected as a late first round pick by several mock drafts.

Fredette enters draft

BYU junior guard Jimmer Fredette has decided to enter the NBA Draft. However, Fredette will not hire an agent, leaving open the option of returning to the Cougars for his senior season.

“I’ve decided to put my name in the draft to explore my options with the NBA at this time,” Fredette said in a release. “I’m not hiring an agent to give me the opportunity to come back to BYU. I’m excited for this opportunity to see how I compare with the best players in the nation and to gain feedback on how I can improve as a basketball player.”

Fredette averaged 22.1 points and 4.7 rebounds last season, garnering All-American honors by multiple outlets. He scored 37 points in the Cougars’ first-round win over Florida in the NCAA Tournament, and also poured in a McKale Center record 49 points against Arizona.

Full-Court Press: Singler returning to Duke

According to Jeff Goodman of FOXSports.com, Duke junior forward Kyle Singler will forgo entering the NBA Draft and return to the Blue Devils for his senior season.

Singler was projected to be chosen in the late first round of this year's draft, but his return makes Duke the clear-cut preseason No. 1 in the country next season.

He averaged 17.7 points and 7.0 rebounds this past season, helping lead the Blue Devils to a national championship. 

Samuels going pro?

According to a release from the Jamaican Basketball Association, Louisville sophomore forward Samardo Samuels has entered his name into the NBA Draft.

“I am looking forward to showing GM’s across the NBA my total repertoire of skills as a power forward and passion for the game,” Samuels stated in the release.

However, Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog.com said that sources at Louisville are saying that Samuels is just testing the waters and the release is not true.

Samuels averaged 15.3 points and 7.0 rebounds this past season, and is projected as a second-round pick in the 2011 NBA Draft by DraftExpress.com.

Appalachian State hires Jason Capel

According to Jeff Goodman of FOXSports.com, Appalachian State has hired assistant coach Jason Capel as its next head coach.

Capel has only been coaching in college for one season, but still won the job over veteran assistant Matt McMahon.

Capel, who is the younger brother of Oklahoma head coach Jeff Capel, will replace newly-hired UNC-Wilmington coach Buzz Peterson.

Richmond's Anderson enters draft

Richmond junior point guard Kevin Anderson announced on Monday that he has entered his name into the NBA Draft. However, Anderson will not hire an agent, leaving open the option of returning to the Spiders for his senior campaign.

"I love the University of Richmond and am extremely excited about what we can accomplish as a team next year," Anderson said in a statement. "Obviously playing in the NBA has always been a goal of mine. I have declared for the draft to gain access to all the resources available for a college player, putting myself in the best position to represent the University of Richmond in the NBA."

Anderson helped lead Richmond to the NCAA Tournament this past season, averaging 17.8 points per game and winning Atlantic-10 Player of the Year honors.

Full-Court Press Roundup

Here is a recap of the news and notes from the past couple of days:

NBA Draft

- Georgetown big man Greg Monroe has decided to leave the Hoyas and enter the NBA Draft. (Washington Post)

- Arkansas head coach John Pelphrey announced Sunday that point guard Courtney Fortson will enter the NBA Draft without an agent. (ESPN)

- Illinois forward Mike Davis announced he will be testing the NBA Draft waters, but will not hire an agent. (Official Illinois site)

- Florida State sophomore forward Chris Singleton told Jeff Goodman of FOX Sports.com that he will be returning to the Seminoles. (Jeff Goodman's Twitter)

- Michigan State swingman Durrell Summers announced he would be returning to the Spartans next season.

Transfers

- As first reported by Dave Telep of Scout.com, Rutgers sophomore guard Mike Rosario has announced that he will be transferring to Florida. (Scout.com)

Coaching Changes

- Colorado has hired Northern Colorado head coach Tad Boyle to replace Jeff Bzdelik, who went to Wake Forest. (Jeff Goodman, FOX Sports.com)

- Finally. UNC-Wilmington hired Appalachian State head coach Buzz Peterson as its next head coach, ending a search that lasted more than two months. (Jeff Goodman, FOX Sports.com)

- Golden State Warriors assistant for player development Rico Hines has been added to the St. John's coaching staff as an assistant under Steve Lavin. (Newsday)

Recruiting

- Josh Selby, the top remaining unsigned player, announced during the Jordan Brand Classic that he will attend Kansas.

- Five-star prospect Doron Lamb announced during the Jordan Brand Classic that he will be headed to Kentucky.

- Unsigned forward Will Yeguette chose Florida over Georgia Tech and Indiana.

Benson enters NBA Draft

Oakland junior center Keith Benson has submitted his name to enter the NBA Draft. However, he will not hire an agent, leaving open the option of returning to the Golden Grizzlies for his senior season.

“I’m really happy for Kito because it’s been a lifelong dream for him,” Oakland coach Greg Kampe told the Detroit Free Press. “He’s put himself in position where his dream can become a reality.”

The 6-11 Benson is projected as a late second-round pick in the 2011 draft by DraftExpress.com. He averaged 17.3 points, 10.5 rebounds and 3.3 blocks, garnering Summit League Player of the Year honors. Benson also helped lead Oakland to the NCAA Tournament before falling to Pittsburgh in the first round; he went for 28 points and nine rebounds against the Panthers.

Thompkins returning to Georgia

Georgia sophomore forward Trey Thompkins announced today that he will return to the Bulldogs for his junior season instead of entering the NBA Draft.

“Don’t worry, Coach, I’m coming back,” Thompkins told head coach Mark Fox at the Georgia Basketball Tipoff Club’s end-of-season banquet, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Thompkins, a 6-9 forward, averaged 17.7 points and 8.3 rebounds last season, garnering unanimous first-team all-SEC honors. Teammate Travis Leslie has already announced that he will be returning to Georgia next season.

Full-Court Press, April 15

There have been several noteworthy happenings in the college basketball world in the past couple of days -- here's a recap:

NBA Draft

- Butler's Gordon Hayward enters draft (Indianapolis Star)

- Purdue's E'Twaun Moore joins JaJuan Johnson in draft (West Lafayette Courier-Journal)

- Mac Koshwal of DePaul ends career to enter draft (Chicago Sun-Times)

- Michigan State's Kalin Lucas will return to Spartans (Detroit Free-Press)

- Baylor's LaceDarius Dunn forgoes draft, stays in school (Fort Worth Star-Telegram)

Transfers

- Former Rutgers star Mike Rosario looking at Florida, Tennessee, Kansas State, Maryland, Kentucky and Oklahoma (ZagsBlog.com)

- Boston College guard Rakim Sanders leaving Eagles (Jeff Goodman of FOXSports.com)

- Washington guard Elston Turner transferring from Huskies (UW Daily)

- Boston College freshman Brady Heslip granted release from Eagles (Jeff Goodman of FOXSports.com)

Recruiting

- Brandon Knight and Mike Gilchrist to Kentucky

- Trey Zeigler to play for his dad at Central Michigan

- Ray McCallum signs with Detroit to play for father

- JC big man Aziz N'Diaye signs with Washington

- Unsigned center Maurice Walker signs with Minnesota

Coaching

- Former Hartford assistant John Gallagher returns as head coach (Dana O'Neil of ESPN.com)

- UW-Green Bay hires assistant coach Brian Wardle (WBAY News)

- Orlando Early leaves Louisiana-Monroe for assistant spot at South Carolina (Monroe News-Star)

- Holy Cross close to signing Mount St. Mary's head coach Milan Brown (Jeff Goodman of FOXSports.com)

Full-Court Press: Signing period starts tomorrow

The late signing period for high school basketball begins tomorrow, and it will kick off with a bang. The top unsigned player remaining, Brandon Knight, will announce his decision tomorrow, as will the No. 1 junior, forward Mike Gilchrist. Furthermore, unsigned point guards Trey Zeigler and Ray McCallum will also make their choices.

My predictions? Knight and Gilchrist to Kentucky, and Zeigler and McCallum both signing with their fathers, Zeigler to Central Michigan and McCallum to Detroit. 

Leibovitz resigns from Hartford

The coaching carousel continues.

Hartford head coach Dan Leibovitz announced Tuesday that he will be resigning from his position with the Hawks to take the top assistant coach spot at Pennsylvania. 

The news was first broken by Andy Katz of ESPN.com.

Bolding leaves Duquesne

According to Jeff Goodman of FOXSports.com, Duquesne swingman Melquan Bolding is leaving the Dukes and will transfer to another program.

Bolding missed 13 games last season with a fractured right wrist, but averaged 11.8 points and 3.9 rebounds in the 19 games he played.

Early-Entry Decisions and Coaching Changes

From now until the NBA Draft, we will begin posting a daily "News and Notes" section. It will include rumors about early-entries and coaching changes, as well as transfer and personnel decisions. To catch everyone (and myself) up until now, though, I've compiled all the important news from the past three weeks or so. (Note: Transfer update coming later.)

NBA Draft

Declared with agent

• Cole Aldrich, Kansas
  
• Al-Farouq Aminu, Wake Forest
  
• James Anderson, Oklahoma State
  
• Eric Bledsoe, Kentucky
  
• Craig Brackins, Iowa State
  
• Derrick Caracter, UTEP
  
• DeMarcus Cousins, Kentucky
  
• Ed Davis, North Carolina
  
• Devin Ebanks, West Virginia
  
• Derrick Favors, Georgia Tech
  
• Charles Garcia, Seattle
  
• Paul George, Fresno State
  
• Manny Harris, Michigan
  
• Xavier Henry, Kansas
  
• Armon Johnson, Nevada
  
• Wesley Johnson, Syracuse
  
• Sylven Landesberg, Virginia
  
• Gani Lawal, Georgia Tech
  
• Tommy Mason-Griffin, Oklahoma
  
• A.J. Ogilvy, Vanderbilt
  
• Patrick Patterson, Kentucky (he says he’s 50-50)
  
• Larry Sanders, VCU
  
• Lance Stephenson, Cincinnati
• Evan Turner, Ohio State
  
• John Wall, Kentucky
  
• Willie Warren, Oklahoma
  
• Hassan Whiteside, Marshall
  
• Elliot Williams, Memphis
  
• Jahmar Young, New Mexico State
  

Testing Waters

• Talor Battle, Penn State
  
• Avery Bradley, Texas
  
• Jordan Crawford, Xavier
  
• Malcolm Delaney, Virginia Tech
  
• Kenneth Faried, Morehead State
  
• Jeremy Hazell, Seton Hall
  
• Darington Hobson, New Mexico
  
• Adnan Hodzic, Lipscomb
  
• JaJuan Johnson, Purdue
  
• Dominique Jones, South Florida
  
• Demetri McCamey, Illinois
  
• Elijah Millsap, UAB
  
• Daniel Orton, Kentucky
  
• Rico Pickett, Manhattan
  
• Herb Pope, Seton Hall
  
• Jeff Robinson, Seton Hall
  
• Xavier Silas, Northern Illinois
• Alex Tyus, Florida
  
• Ekpe Udoh, Baylor
• Chris Wright, Dayton
  
• Terrico White, Mississippi
  

Returning

• Scotty Hopson, Tennessee
  

Up in the Air

• Solomon Alabi, Florida State
  
• Luke Babbitt, Nevada
  
• William Buford, Ohio State
  
• Alec Burks, Colorado
  
• LaceDarius Dunn, Baylor
  
• Corey Fisher, Villanova
  
• Jimmer Fredette, BYU
  
• JaMychal Green, Alabama
  
• Jordan Hamilton, Texas
  
• Elias Harris, Gonzaga
  
• Gordon Hayward, Butler
  
• Malcolm Lee, UCLA
  
• Travis Leslie, Georgia
  
• Kalin Lucas, Michigan State
  
• Greg Monroe, Georgetown
  
• E’Twaun Moore, Purdue
  
• Marcus Morris, Kansas
  
• Iman Shumpert, Georgia Tech
  
• Renardo Sidney, Mississippi State
  
• Kyle Singler, Duke
  
• Chris Singleton, Florida State
  
• Jeffery Taylor, Vanderbilt
  
• Tyshawn Taylor, Kansas
  
• Trey Thompkins, Georgia
  
• Kemba Walker, Connecticut
  
• Chris Warren, Mississippi
  
• Chris Wright, Georgetown
  

 

Coaching Changes

Auburn – OUT: Jeff Lebo IN: Tony Barbee

Boise State – OUT: Greg Graham IN: Leon Rice

Boston College – OUT: Al Skinner IN: Steve Donahue

Central Arkansas – OUT: Rand Chappell IN: Corliss Williamson

Central Florida – OUT: Kirk Speraw IN: Donnie Jones

Charlotte – OUT: Bobby Lutz IN: Alan Major

Citadel – OUT: Ed Conroy IN:

Clemson – OUT: Oliver Purnell IN: Brad Brownell

Colorado – OUT: Jeff Bzdelik IN:

Columbia – OUT: Joe Jones IN:

Cornell – OUT: Steve Donahue IN:

Dartmouth – OUT: Terry Dunn IN:

DePaul – OUT: Jerry Wainwright IN: Oliver Purnell

East Carolina – Mack McCarthy IN: Jeff Lebo

Fordham – OUT: Dereck Whittenburg IN: Tom Pecora

Gardner-Webb – OUT: Rick Scruggs IN:

Hawaii – OUT: Bob Nash IN: Gib Arnold

Hofstra – OUT: Tom Pecora IN: Tim Welsh

Houston – OUT: Tom Penders IN: James Dickey

Holy Cross – OUT: Sean Kearney IN:

Howard – OUT: Gil Jackson IN:

Iona – OUT: Kevin Willard IN: Tim Cluess

Iowa – OUT: Todd Lickliter IN: Fran McCaffery

Louisiana-Lafayette – OUT: Robert Lee IN: Bob Marlin

Marshall – OUT: Donnie Jones IN: Tom Herrion

Oregon – OUT: Ernie Kent IN:

Penn – OUT: Glen Miller IN: Jerome Allen

Rutgers – OUT: Fred Hill IN:

Sam Houston State – OUT: Bob Marlin IN: Jason Wooten

Seton Hall – OUT: Bobby Gonzalez IN: Kevin Willard

Siena – OUT: Fran McCaffery IN: Mitch Buonaguro

St. Francis (N.Y.) – OUT: Brian Nash IN:

St. John’s – OUT: Norm Roberts IN: Steve Lavin

Toledo – OUT: Gene Cross IN: Tod Kowalczyk

Tulane – OUT: Dave Dickerson IN: Ed Conroy

UC-Irvine – OUT: Pat Douglass IN: Russell Turner

UNC-Wilmington – OUT: Benny Moss IN:

UTEP – OUT: Tony Barbee IN: Tim Floyd

Wagner – OUT: Mike Deane IN: Dan Hurley

Wake Forest – OUT: Dino Gaudio IN: Jeff Bzdelik

Wisconsin-Green Bay – OUT: Tod Kowalczyk IN:

Wright State – OUT: Brad Brownell IN: Billy Donlon

What's Ahead for March Madness All Season?

First of all, congratulations to the Duke Blue Devils, who cemented their spot in history with a win over Butler in what ended up being one of the greatest championship games in college basketball history. It was the perfect way to cap what had been an exciting and unpredictable NCAA Tournament, a Big Dance that might have been the best ever.

Next, thanks to everyone who read the March Madness All Season website this season. I appreciate all the traffic and feedback I have received this past season. As always, if there is anything you would like me or the website to improve on, e-mail me at marchmadnessallseason@yahoo.com and let me know. Thanks.

Also, feel free to take a look back at some of the biggest projects I've done this past season: 2009-2010 Season Preview, 2010 Championship Week Preview, and the 2010 NCAA Tournament Preview.

Looking ahead to the offseason for the site, I'll be back with a new article this week recapping all of the early-entries and coaching changes that have taken place over the past couple of weeks, as well as an article looking at the Pre-Preseason Top 25 for next season, and some other teams to watch heading into next year.

Moreover, I'm also going to start posting a daily "News and Notes" section, which will include links to news stories and other college basketball-related articles from newspapers and media outlets from across the country. It will have all the NBA Draft news and rumors, early-entry decisions and coaching moves that you need.

Of course, I will also continue to cover high school basketball and the recruiting scene. The AAU circuit kicked into high-gear this past weekend with the inaugural Elite Youth Basketball League at the Boo Williams Sportsplex in Hampton, Va. I was there to cover it all for the NBE Basketball Report, so continue to visit here and NBE to get the latest in recruiting.

It should be a very interesting offseason, with all the coaching changes and personnel turnover. Stay locked into March Madness All Season for all the latest in analysis and news and you will never feel lost in the college basketball world.

Greatest NCAA Tournament Ever -- in Photos

Photos Credits: AP, SI and Getty Images

National Championship Preview: Duke vs. Butler

We are finally here. The National Championship Game. The game everyone has been looking forward to since the season tipped back in November. Neither Duke nor Butler was expected to be in this position back in the preseason, and not many people pegged them to be playing for the title, even as recently as last week. Sure, this isn’t Kansas and Kentucky, or Syracuse and West Virginia, or even Ohio State and Kansas State. One may not think that the Blue Devils and Bulldogs are the two best teams in the country, but they have been the best the past couple of weeks – and ultimately, that’s what matters. Hopefully, this will be the perfect climax to a Big Dance that has been one of the most unpredictable and exciting in recent memory. Enjoy the conclusion to the best three weeks in the world of sports, the NCAA Tournament.

How They Got Here

Duke is in its first Final Four since 2004 and in the title game for the first time since 2001. The Blue Devils received a No. 1 seed after tying for the ACC Championship and then winning the conference tournament. They opened with an easy win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff and then fended off tough first halves against California and Purdue before pulling away late in both games to win by 15 points and 13 points, respectively. A tough Elite Eight game against Baylor was the tightest game the Blue Devils had all tournament, winning by seven, before destroying West Virginia by 21 in the Final Four.

Butler got off to a slow start in the non-conference season against a tough schedule, but the Bulldogs are now going for a national championship in their first Final Four appearance in the school’s history. Furthermore, Butler is trying to be the first No. 5 seed to ever win a title. The Bulldogs ran away in the second half against UTEP in the first round and escaped Murray State by two in the second round. In the Sweet Sixteen, Butler upset top-seeded Syracuse with a late run, and then knocked off No. 2 seed Kansas State in the Elite Eight. For their 24^th straight win, the Bulldogs beat Michigan State in the Final Four by two in a controversial ending.

Five Key Questions

1. Will Matt Howard play for Butler? Sure, Howard has been in foul trouble in nearly every game of the NCAA Tournament and is only averaging 6.0 points per game in the Big Dance, but his presence would boost Butler’s chances greatly. He suffered a head injury in the semifinals against Michigan State, and will be a game-time decision in the title game. Howard is the team’s best inside scorer and a great rebounder at both ends. He will need to play – and be effective – scoring the ball in the paint and controlling the defensive glass.

2. Will Butler be able to shoot the ball consistently against Duke? Despite winning, Butler shot just 30.6 percent from the field and 23.8 percent from three-point range against Michigan State. If the Bulldogs have a repeat performance against Duke, there is no way they will beat the Blue Devils. Duke is the best team in the country at defending the three-point line and teams shoot barely 40 percent against them from the field. Gordon Hayward and Shelvin Mack will have to knock down shots, and Willie Veasley will also to be a factor on offense. Sixth man Zach Hahn is a gunner; he has to make shots.

3. Can Duke continue to dominate the offensive glass? Duke grabbed 23 offensive rebounds against Baylor in the Elite Eight, and then picked up another 11 against West Virginia in the semifinals on Saturday. The Blue Devils rank sixth in the country in offensive rebounding percentage, grabbing 40.4 percent of the available boards. On the other side, Butler ranks 14^th in the country in defensive rebounding percentage, allowing offensive boards just 27.6 percent of the time. Brian Zoubek has been a monster on the glass recently; if Howard doesn’t play, this could be a tough battle for Butler. Even if he does play, Howard, Veasley and Hayward need to come up big on the glass.

4. Will Duke be able to limit its fouls and not allow Butler to get to the free-throw line? Butler does not shoot the ball that effectively from three-point range, and don’t receive much production from inside the arc. However, the Bulldogs get better than 25 percent of their offensive from the free-throw line, and get to the free-throw line often. Against Michigan State, the Spartans sent Butler to the free-throw line 24 times, committing 21 fouls. Without those points, Butler would not be in the national title game. Duke committed 16 fouls against West Virginia, and is averaging 16.5 fouls per game in the last four contests. The Blue Devils have to limit their fouls and make Butler beat them from the field.

5. Who will win the backcourt battle? On paper, Duke’s backcourt duo of Jon Scheyer and Nolan Smith is a better group than Butler’s Shelvin Mack and Ronald Nored. However, opposing backcourts have had a nightmare of a time scoring the ball against Butler in the NCAA Tournament. Nored was the Horizon League Defensive Player of the Year, while Mack is a strong guard whose physical style keeps opponents out of the lane. Scheyer and Smith have been rolling so far in the postseason, but they have not faced a backcourt with Butler’s defensive ability yet. If Scheyer and Smith are able to knock down shots often, though, Duke could pull away early.

Match-up Analysis

Jon Scheyer vs. Ronald Nored: This could be a key battle. Scheyer is starting to find his stroke again after struggling in the early part of the NCAA Tournament, but Nored is one of the best on-ball defenders in the country. Scheyer’s emergence as an All-American point guard is the primary reason for Duke’s success this season. Advantage: Duke

Nolan Smith vs. Shelvin Mack: An excellent match-up between arguably the most explosive scorer on the Blue Devils and an underrated scoring combo guard. Both players are former point guards who have had fantastic seasons this year after moving to the shooting guard position. Mack’s physicality against Smith will be something to keep an eye on. Advantage: Duke

Kyle Singler vs. Gordon Hayward: Easily the best match-up in the game. Singler is one of the most difficult players in the country to guard, due to his ability to knock down shots and score inside. Hayward has played himself into a high draft pick with his performance in the NCAA Tournament; he can carry the Bulldogs offensively at times. Advantage: Even

Lance Thomas vs. Willie Veasley: Despite Veasley’s 6-4 height, he is a lockdown defensive player and is one of the most versatile power forwards in the country. He can shoot the three and rebound against bigger players. Thomas is a hard-worker who rebounds the ball very well at both ends of the floor. Advantage: Butler

Brian Zoubek vs. Matt Howard: If Howard plays, this match-up could be the one that decides the game. Zoubek has been a dominant offensive rebounder lately, and Howard is Butler’s best inside player (when he’s not in foul trouble). However, if he does not play due to a head injury, it could be tough for Avery Jukes to keep Zoubek off the glass. Advantage: TBD

Duke Bench vs. Butler Bench: Butler’s bench could be more important, especially if Howard doesn’t play. If that is the case, Jukes is going to need to play a much bigger role, as will seldom-used 6-11 freshman Andrew Smith. Zach Hahn is a sharpshooter, and Shawn Vanzant is a quick defender. Duke brings the Plumlee twins, Mason and Miles, off the pine on the inside. Both are athletic and productive in the frontcourt. Guard Andre Dawkins is an excellent three-point shooter with a smooth stroke and deep range. Advantage: Duke

Mike Krzyzewski vs. Brad Stevens: What a contrast in, well, just about everything. Coach K has been here before, eight times to be exact, while Stevens has only been a head coach for three seasons. Krzyzewski is 63, Stevens is 33. Coach K is certainly more demonstrative on the sidelines, while Stevens seems to rarely raise his voice or change his demeanor. Advantage: Duke

Who's Going to Win and Why

Wow, talk about a David vs. Goliath battle. Duke is one of the most storied programs in college basketball history, perennially near the top of the rankings with a slew of four and five-star recruits up and down the roster. On the other side, Butler is a mid-major school that had never been to the Final Four and has made a historical run to the national championship game with unheralded and underrated prospects. To demonstrate just how big a gap there is between the two programs, think about this: according to Darren Rovell of CNBC, Duke spent $394,068 per player last year. Butler? $347,108 for the entire team. You couldn’t ask for more storylines than this.

During the actual game, there are several things to watch for. When Butler has the ball, it will be interesting to see if the Bulldogs are able to consistently get open shots and knock them down. They aren’t all that accurate shooting the ball from long distance despite their propensity to shoot three-pointers. If Howard is out, Butler will become more one-dimensional – not a good thing when facing a team that guards the three-point shot better than anyone in America. Another thing to watch will be Butler’s ability to use its forwards as match-up problems. Singler might not have the quickness to stay with Hayward, while Thomas will have to guard Veasley all the way out on the perimeter, opening up driving lanes for the rest of Butler’s guards.

On the other side, Duke’s offensive rebounding ability will be key. Butler is vastly undersized when compared to the Blue Devils, and there is no doubt they will have a difficult time keeping Zoubek, Thomas and the Plumlee brothers off the offensive glass – whether Howard plays or not. Duke thrives on second-chance opportunities, and beat Baylor by essentially dominating the offensive glass. There could be a lot of offensive rebounding opportunities given the way Nored and Mack hound opposing backcourts. Scheyer and Smith have been offensive keys all season, but they will have a tough time getting open looks against Butler. If those two are shut down, Duke might not have the inside weapons to get enough offensive balance.

In the end, I think that Duke will be too much at both ends for Butler. First of all, even if Howard does play, it remains to be seen how effective he will be against the depth and size of Duke’s frontline. The Blue Devils crash the glass and Butler has very little in terms of true post players outside of Howard. Jukes and Smith need to have big games off the bench if Butler is to have a chance. Furthermore, with Howard scoring inside, Butler’s offense will rely too heavily on the three-point shot, and Duke guards the perimeter too well to get beaten from behind the arc. Unless Howard emerges at the start of the game as healthy and effective as always, it will be tough for Butler, both offensively and defensively, to hang with Duke. Moreover, if he does play, his propensity for foul trouble will spell doom for Butler. Despite the amazing run by Butler in the NCAA Tournament – and the fact that nearly every remotely neutral fan will be rooting for Bulldogs to win a title in their home city – it all spells a Duke national championship. Of course, this tournament has been completely unpredictable, so would anyone really be shocked by a Butler victory?

Prediction: Duke 66, Butler 57

West Virginia vs. Duke Preview

For a complete preview of the Final Four, click here.

After last week’s victory over Kentucky, West Virginia forward Wellington Smith exclaimed that that game was essentially the national title game. Don’t tell that to Duke, one of the most consistent programs in college basketball, a Final Four contender nearly every year. This season, the Blue Devils were not considered much of a national title threat, but they have rolled off wins in 16 of their last 17 games to reach Indianapolis. On the other side, West Virginia has won 10 games in a row, including a Big East tournament title and an East region championship. The Mountaineers have been playing arguably the best basketball in the country over the past few weeks, but they will need to continue that against an experienced Duke team that will not be intimidated.

If West Virginia is going to continue to overcome its lack of guards and true post scorers or perimeter shooting and get to the national championship, the Mountaineers are going to need to rely on their defense. Their zone defense created problems for the talented and explosive Kentucky offense, and John Wall and co. never really got going offensively. They shot horrendously from behind the arc, but West Virginia can’t expect Duke to have the same inaccuracies from three-point range. Duke is one of the most effective three-point shooting teams in the country, and the Mountaineers will have to be sure to utilize their size on the perimeter to disrupt the Blue Devils’ shooting. Another key on the defensive end will be boxing out. Brian Zoubek and co. lead one of the best offensive rebounding groups in the country, one that grabbed 23 offensive boards in the Elite Eight against Baylor. West Virginia will have to keep Duke off the offensive glass. On the offensive side, West Virginia has to knock down perimeter shots like it did against Kentucky. The Mountaineers won’t hit like they did in the first half against the Wildcats, but they will need to knock down a couple so the defense can’t sag off and only focus on guarding the lane. Da’Sean Butler and Devin Ebanks will likely have a size advantage on whoever defense them, so they need to go down low. Likewise, Kevin Jones and Wellington Smith have to drag Zoubek and Lance Thomas away from the basket, opening up opportunities for West Virginia’s second-rated offensive rebounding group.

On the other side, Duke has to continue to rely on its strengths to get to the title game. The Blue Devils are an excellent three-point shooting team that crashes the offensive glass and gets second-chance points around the rim. That is what they do when they win games, and that is what they need to do against West Virginia. Kentucky couldn’t knock perimeter shots against the West Virginia zone, but Duke has shooters like Jon Scheyer and Kyle Singler to exploit the openings and gaps in the defense. Moreover, Nolan Smith has to find a way to get inside the zone and create shots. He is the more explosive penetrator on Duke, and his ability to get into the paint against the West Virginia defense will be key. Zoubek also has to be able to get second opportunities against the long and athletic West Virginia frontline. Getting a thin West Virginia team into foul trouble will also help. On the defensive end, Duke has to box out. West Virginia has a laundry list of combo forwards that can crash the glass and get lay-ups off of offensive rebounds. The Mountaineers grab a ridiculous 41.9 percent off their possible offensive rebounds; Duke can’t allow that to occur. The Blue Devils also have to limit Da’Sean Butler. If he gets going early, he is very difficult to slow down. Another key for Duke will be getting back in transition defense. Joe Mazzulla beat Kentucky downcourt several times in the Elite Eight, creating shots for himself and his teammates.

The difference in this game will be West Virginia’s defense. The Mountaineers’ ability at that end of the floor has created havoc for every team they have played so far. They slowed down a pressing Missouri team, dominated the second half against an up-tempo Washington team and then completely shut down Kentucky. While Duke can knock down perimeter shots, I don’t think the Blue Devils will get enough clear looks or second chances to beat the Mountaineers.

Prediction: West Virginia 69, Duke 64

Butler vs. Michigan State Preview

For a complete preview of the Final Four, click here.

For the first time in the history of the Final Four, two No. 5 seeds will face each other in the national semifinals for the right to play for the national championship. Michigan State was a Final Four favorite in the preseason, but the Spartans struggled down the stretch before rebounding to win four straight games in the Midwest region. They have also won the last three games without the services of star point guard Kalin Lucas; it’s tough to argue against Tom Izzo at this point. Butler had a rough start to the regular season, but the Bulldogs have won 23 games in a row, including back-to-back wins over Syracuse and Kansas State to reach Indianapolis. Butler will be playing in its hometown, making them the crowd – and sentimental – favorite.

If Michigan State is going to continue its winning ways and reach the national title game for the second season in a row, the Spartans will have to first overcome what will be a major homecourt advantage for Butler. Outside of that, Michigan State will need to find ways to score against the tough Butler halfcourt defense. The Bulldogs really guard the perimeter well, so the Spartans will need to beat defenders off the dribble and get into the lane. Without Lucas to penetrate, Korie Lucious will have to initiate the offense effectively. Durrell Summers has become a go-to scorer on the wing, but Butler has tough on-ball defenders in Ronald Nored and Shelvin Mack. Furthermore, the Spartans’ offense is predicated on crashing the offensive glass and getting second chances. Unfortunately for Michigan State, Butler is a fantastic defensive rebounding team. Draymond Green and Raymar Morgan will need to get offensive boards and put-backs. Moreover, getting Matt Howard in foul trouble will be a key. Defensively, Michigan State needs to defend the three-point shot. Butler gets nearly 30 percent of its offense off of three-pointers, and the Spartans have struggled to guard the perimeter at times this season. Moreover, Summers and Morgan have to keep Gordon Hayward and Mack out of the lane. When those two are scoring, and Howard is effective inside, Butler is a tough bunch. Limiting Butler’s free-throw attempts is also a key.

On the other side, Butler will need to demonstrate offensive balance against Michigan State in order to keep the Spartans at bay. If the Bulldogs’ three-pointers aren’t falling, they are much easier to defend. Because Michigan State has shown that it is vulnerable to three-pointers, Butler should spread the floor with its variety of shooters and create match-up problems. With 6-4 power forward Willie Veasley and sixth man Zach Hahn are on the floor, Butler has four players who can stroke the three. Howard might be the key for the Bulldogs on offense. He needs to stay out of foul trouble and make an impact in the low post. He can create contact and get to the free-throw line. Butler is one of the best teams in the country and getting to the charity stripe, so Mack and Hayward’s penetration will be a major factor. On the defensive side, the main thing for Butler will be to keep Michigan State off of the offensive glass. Green, Morgan, Delvon Roe and co. are relentless when attacking the boards, and Michigan State is much more efficient offensively when they are getting easy baskets around the rim. Veasley could be a major key. He is only 6-4, but he can guard any position. His ability to keep the bigger and stronger Roe and Morgan from getting rebounds is imperative. Additionally, Butler needs to force turnovers. Michigan State has struggled to take care of the ball throughout the season, and that was with Lucas at the helm. Without him running the point, the Bulldogs need to exploit that deficiency.

The difference in the game will be Michigan State’s size and ability to rebound the ball around the rim, as well as the Spartans’ defensive talent. Morgan will be a tough match-up for Hayward, while Summers has the length to give Mack trouble. Unless Butler can keep Michigan State off the glass and force the Spartan guards into nightmarish performances, it’s awfully tough to pick against Izzo and Michigan State.

Prediction: Michigan State 67, Butler 64

Final Four Preview, Part Three

For a complete preview of the Final Four, click here.

Best Point Guard

1. Jon Scheyer, Duke: The key to the Blue Devils’ success this season, Scheyer has developed into an All-American at the point.

2. Shelvin Mack, Butler: Mack is an underrated and versatile scorer who can drive past his defender and pull-up for threes in transition.

3. Korie Lucious, Michigan State: He has filled in admirably for the injured Kalin Lucas, including knocking down a game-winning three vs. Maryland.

4. Joe Mazzulla, West Virginia: With Darryl Bryant still out, Mazzulla will start against Duke. He scored 17 points in the Elite Eight.

Best Shooting Guard

1. Nolan Smith, Duke: Smith is arguably the most explosive perimeter scorer for the Blue Devils, as well as their best perimeter defender.

2. Devin Ebanks, West Virginia: Not a true guard, Ebanks is the best ball-handler of the WVU forwards. He also has the length to defend well.

3. Durrell Summers, Michigan State: Summers has become the go-to scorer for the Spartans since Lucas went down. He can fill it up.

4. Ronald Nored, Butler: An unheralded guard, Nored was the best defender in the Horizon League and he can also penetrate.

Best Small Forward

1. Da’Sean Butler, West Virginia: He might be the best player left in the NCAA Tournament. He is extremely clutch offensively.

2. Kyle Singler, Duke: Singler is match-up nightmare for opponents. He can stroke the three with efficiency and score around the rim.

3. Gordon Hayward, Butler: Although his shooting numbers are down this season, Hayward is an unstoppable scorer at times.

4. Raymar Morgan, Michigan State: If he were at the PF spot, he would be ranked No. 1. He is athletic and has multiple tools at both ends.

Best Power Forward

1. Willie Veasley, Butler: He’s only 6-4, but he can defend every position on the court and averages double-figures at the offensive end.

2. Delvon Roe, Michigan State: Roe has been hampered by injuries throughout his career, but he is athletic and can rebound very well.

3. Wellington Smith, West Virginia: Smith is a strong but solid forward who can step out and hit the three-point with effectiveness.

4. Lance Thomas, Duke: Thomas will not put up flashy numbers, but he is a very hard worker who will rebound and defend down low.

Best Center

1. Kevin Jones, West Virginia: One of the most underrated players in the country, Jones is an inside-outside scorer who can also rebound.

2. Matt Howard, Butler: Although he has a tendency to get into foul trouble too often, Howard is a physical big man who can score in the post.

3. Brian Zoubek, Duke: Zoubek came on strong towards the end of the season, dominating the offensive rebounds and defending.

4. Derrick Nix, Michigan State: He plays far fewer minutes than Draymond Green, but he gets the start at center. Nix can score down low.