Notre Dame

AUSTIN, Texas -- On Wednesday, ESPN announced the eight sites for ESPN's weekly "College GameDay Driven by State Farm" men's college basketball series and the "Saturday Primetime" game-of-the-week telecast.

NOTRE DAME, Ind. - University of Notre Dame men's basketball coach Mike Brey has announced that sophomore guard Ty Proffitt (London, Ky.) has left the basketball program, withdrawn from the University and will transfer to another school.

As a freshman in 2007-08, Proffitt appeared in eight contests and averaged 1.0 points and 0.4 rebounds.

Like civilizations, all great basketball programs eventually fall.. replaced by an upstart newcomer. In this week's Rise & Fall series, we'll take a look at which BCS programs are rising, falling, or merely treading water. Up today, the:

BIG EAST

A few days after the 2008 NCAA Championship game, I made an early projection of the 08-09 All-Americans to go along with Top 50 and All-Freshman projections. Now that players have officially entered or withdrawn from the Draft, we have a much better sense of how next year's landscape will look:
First Team
G - Brandon Jennings - Arizona
G - Stephen Curry - Davidson
F - Kyle Singler - Duke**
F - Luke Harangody - Notre Dame
F - Tyler Hansbrough - North Carolina

Following my projected 2009 Field of 65, here is an early look at the 2008-09 All-Americans.

First Team
G - DJ Augustin - Texas
G - Stephen Curry - Davidson
G - Brandon Jennings - Arizona
F - Luke Harangody - Notre Dame
F - Tyler Hansbrough - North Carolina

Second Team
G - James Harden - Arizona State
G - Terrence Williams - Louisville
G - Tyrese Rice - Boston College
F - Kyle Singler - Duke

The “Curse” bit Stanford, Valparaiso, Arizona and even me last week. That’s right; I was the victim of my own making. I went on a national radio show to talk a bit on the upcoming NCAA Tournament and when asked about which team I thought was “this year’s George Mason”, I talked about South Alabama. The Jaguars lost that very night on their home floor to put their NCAA status in serious doubt. Sorry, Jags…next time I’ll keep my mouth shut.

Seven Day Savior (Team): George Mason Patriots

Notre Dame

Big East

by Joel Welser

Last NCAA Appearance: 2007, First Round loss to Winthrop

Coach: Mike Brey (4-6 in 6 NCAA appearances)

It’s been a fun week in the world of college basketball. The bubble keeps expanding and contracting, Indiana is in trouble and BracketBusters is nearly upon us. This week, that and more is what “Welser Wonders…”

…who will be the next coach at Indiana?