Soccer Sports News & Betting

Terrance Shannon wont be playing his senior season at Forsyth (Ga) Mary Persons due to a knee injury. That just means bad news for the ACC. The Rivals150 forward will rehab this year and prepare himself for a career at Florida State.

Shannon officially committed to the ACC school on Friday, according to his high school coach Robert Worthy.

We had an opportunity gone down there this summer as a team and had a chance to ride around Florida States campus a little bit. In the process, I think Terrance liked what he saw, Worthy said. When they began to pursue Terrance, I think he kind of fell in love with the coaching staff and he knows a couple of guys on their team right now. He felt like that was the best fit for him.

Shannon tore his ACL in July and had surgery to repair the injury two weeks ago. Worthy said his star player will miss the season because of it. As one of the most competitive and aggressive rebounders in the class of 2009, Shannon will certainly be hunger to hit the hardwood next fall for Leonard Hamilton.

Worthy said he will obviously miss his senior leader but knows Shannon will go onto a successful career in Tallahassee.

Hes very, very coachable. Hes a high-energy guy that continues to try to perfect the things that hes not better at, Shannon said. Hes a team player.

Shannon also considered Georgia, Memphis and Xavier. He is the first player to commit to Florida State in 2009.

Southern California sophomore guard Marcus Simmons will miss 8-to-12 weeks. After having surgery to remove additional bone growth in his left leg due to complications from an ankle injury last season.

Simmons was limited to 15 games last season after sustaining a high ankle sprain on the first day of practice. He averaged 0.5 points and 1.5 rebounds in 6.7 minutes. He had the latest surgery Tuesday, coach Tim Floyd said Friday.

The Trojans open the season Nov. 15 against UC Irvine.

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Purdue to face Davidson in Wooden Tradition.

Pairings have been set for the annual Wooden Tradition, with Purdue taking on Davidson and Stephen Curry, the nation’s top returning scorer.

Southern Illinois will play Saint Mary’s of California in the second matchup of the Dec. 20 doubleheader at Conseco Fieldhouse. Both are first-time Wooden participants.

Curry averaged 25.9 points last season and led the Wildcats to their first Elite Eight appearance in the NCAA tournament.

The annual college basketball showcase is named for former Purdue player and UCLA coach John Wooden.

Doctors amputated the left leg of Northern State coach Don Meyer below the knee Friday morning. And now they will decide on a course to treat his cancer.

Meyer and his family were told the surgery went well, and its possible the second-winningest coach in mens college basketball to Bob Knight could be on the sideline for the Division II Wolves when the season begins Nov. 18 at home against Mount Marty College.

Jerry Meyer, who played for his father at Lipscomb and now is a national basketball recruiting analyst for Rivals.com, said his father is in good spirits.

They said the prosthesis would take about three months, but he could be in a wheelchair or walker and keep coaching, Jerry Meyer said. Its possible he could be coaching by the start of the season.

Jerry Meyer said his father told doctors the day after his auto accident two weeks ago that they should do whatever they needed to do.

He told them to take the leg; he could coach without it, Jerry Meyer said.

Don Meyer, 63, was leading a team caravan to a hunting lodge not far from the Northern State campus in Aberdeen, S.D., for an annual preseason retreat when the wreck occurred. The vehicle he was driving abruptly crossed the center line on two-lane Highway 20 and was hit on the left side by an oncoming semi-truck.

His left side was crushed. All of the ribs on his left side were broken, and he had multiple compound fractures of both bones in his lower left leg. Doctors also immediately removed his spleen and a portion of his intestines. When they opened him up, they discovered the cancer.

The oncologist told Meyer its a slow-growing cancer. Doctors have not decided how they will proceed.

Meyer has been a head basketball coach for 36 seasons, the past nine at Northern State. Prior to that he was at then-NAIA Lipscomb, located in Nashville, Tenn., for 24 seasons. He trails Knight on the wins list 902-891.

The Wolves went 29-4 last season and advanced to the Sweet 16 of the Division II national tournament. They were 17-1 at home, where they led Division II in attendance.

The perimeter-oriented Bears can trot out four guards as good as any collection in the country. Seniors Curtis Jerrells and Henry Dugat, junior Tweety Carter and sophomore LaceDarius Dunn are each capable of leading the team in scoring in any given game. They took turns doing so last season while powering the Bears to their first NCAA bid since 1988.

For the most part, the quartet is interchangeable parts. Each can bring the ball up or play on the wing. But Jerrells is the one who may be irreplaceable. The offense revolves around his ability to penetrate and draw multiple defenders. Quick and athletic, he excels at finishing around the basket.

Dunn, who may be the most dangerous of the bunch, emerged as one of the best sixth men in the nation last season. A great 3-point shooter with a quick release, Dunn ranked third in the Big 12 in 3-point field-goal percentage (41.6 percent, 74 of 178). He averaged 13.6 points despite not starting a game. He was able to provide such a big lift off the bench that the Bears may use him in the same role again.

Carter also ranks among the Big 12s top 3-point shooters, having knocked down 40.4 percent (55 of 136). Hes also a reliable ballhandler and a good decision-maker with the ball in his hands.

Dugat, who will be a four-year starter, may be the most well-rounded member of the group. He can attack off the dribble, shoot from the outside and also is a good defender who often matches up with the opponents top perimeter scorer.

With so many proven guards, coach Scott Drew frequently will use all four on the court at the same time, creating matchup issues for virtually any defense.

FRONTCOURT

The Bears are built around their deep crop of speedy guards, but junior power forward Kevin Rogers was their most valuable player last season. Rogers gave the undersized team an inside scoring threat and kept the Bears from getting dominated on the glass. An athletic big man with a soft shooting touch, he averaged close to a double-double (12.3 ppg, 8.5 rpg). None of the other post players averaged close to half that many points or boards.

The hope is that two freshmen 6-9 small forward Anthony Jones and 6-7 power forward Quincy Acy can keep the Bears from being so reliant on Rogers and add some much-needed depth. The Bears won recruiting battles against a handful of high-profile programs to land each.

Acy, the No. 84 prospect in the 2008 class, will play significant minutes immediately and may start. A true post player who runs the court well, Acy needs to help on the glass and bolster the Bears interior defense.

Jones, the No. 44 prospect, will create matchup problems with his size and shooting range, which extends beyond the new 3-point line. Jones also can defend multiple positions. Hell be part of the rotation and likely one of the first players off the bench.

The Bears also have two 7-foot centers in senior Mamadou Diene and junior Josh Lomers, who split time last season. Neither has done much offensively in the past, but Diene is a terrific shot-blocker and can make scoring on the inside difficult. The Bears are hoping Lomers, a top-100 prospect coming out of high school, will make some strides so they can take advantage of his size.

OFFENSE

Drew gives his guards an extraordinary amount of freedom, and that has led to an extremely fast-paced and high-scoring attack. The Bears led the Big 12 in scoring at 81.3 points per game last season. Instead of running a lot of set plays, the guards, who have the green light to shoot from just about anywhere at any time, rely on beating their man off the dribble then finding teammates for open looks from 3-point range.

DEFENSE
With three and sometimes four guards on the court at the same time, the Bears frequently will mix in zone defenses in an effort to hide their lack of size. Last season, they alternated between 2-3 and 3-2 zones, but neither was particularly effective. The Bears gave up 74.9 points a game, the most of any Big 12 team.

SHOES TO FILL

G Aaron Bruce. The Bears have more than enough firepower to replace Bruces 8.4 points per game. But his loss does mean the backcourt isnt quite as deep, making staying out of foul trouble and avoiding injuries slightly more important.

MUST STEP UP

Acy. If the Bears are going to take that next step and become a real threat to advance past the first weekend, they must get better on the inside. Thats where Acy can help. If he develops quickly and gives defenses a big man to be worry about besides Rogers, the Bears are going to be much more formidable in March.

IMPACT NEWCOMER

Jones. A four-star recruit, Jones has the makings of a future All-Big 12 player. Long and athletic, he has a smooth shooting stroke and deep range. His offense and versatility will be valuable assets immediately.

There is a giant brewing in the Colonial Athletic Association. Georgia State is landing giants at a rapid pace. Rashanti Harris, a 6-foot-8, 238-pound center from Mississippi, committed to Rod Barnes and the Panthers on Friday.

According to Paula Wilson, Harriss coach with the Columbus Titans, Barnes has developed a long relationship with the No. 26 ranked player in the class of 2009.

He has known coach Barnes since eighth grade. He knew him when he was at Ole Miss. Coach Barnes was one of the first coaches to recruit him when he was at Ole Miss, Wilson said. He continued to call him when he went to Oklahoma and then now at Georgia State. Coach Barnes has gotten to know their family really wellHe had developed a great relationship with them.

Assistant coach William Small also played a big role in Harriss recruitment. Small also helped secure three-star center James Vincent, who committed to the program last weekend. The two make up for the best incoming frontline so far in the CAA.

For Georgia State, Harris is a major addition and should help significantly after his prep year at Patterson in North Carolina. The Panthers have a player that could potentially play in the pros, Harris said.

The sky is the limit for Rashanti, Harris said. He wanted to go somewhere that he could play and thrive. I think the smaller setting is perfect for him, especially academically. It can allow him to have more attention in the classroom. That played a big factor as well.

Harris looked hard at Memphis, Wilson says, but things changed when the Tigers had a couple of coaching changes in the off-season.

Rashanti had developed a good relationship with coach but he left to UMass, I guess that transition changed things. Plus, I know they just signed a big man from Miami-Dade Junior College, Wilson said. That changed things a little bit.

Wilson said Harris saw the decision DeMarcus Cousins made by committing to UAB and liked the idea of playing at a small school and having a bigger impact earlier on. Harris will certainly have an impact at Georgia State.

Trevon Hughes made the transition from role player to starter fairly smoothly. An afterthought as a freshman on a senior-laden team, he started 34 of 36 games last season and delivered for coach Bo Ryan. He was second on the team in scoring (11.2 ppg) and third in assists (2.5). He also led the Badgers in steals (1.8), ranking fourth in the Big Ten.

Now for the bad news: Hughes struggled mightily down the stretch. Once the calendar turned to March, he averaged just 7.8 points (eight games) and shot less than 40 percent. He actually shot less than 40 percent for the season, and his assist-to-turnover ratio was 1.18-to-1 not exactly what youre looking for in a point guard. The Badgers need more of the player who tore up the non-conference schedule and less of the guy who averaged only 9.7 points in Big Ten play. He doesnt have to be spectacular for Wisconsin to be successful, just steady.

Jason Bohannon was the Big Tens Sixth Man of the Year last season, and now he steps into a starting role. While Hughes faltered in conference play, Bohannon was at his best. He had six double-digit scoring games in conference play, including 18 points on six 3-pointers at Indiana. Hes an excellent spot-up shooter, and he led the team in 3-pointers while sinking a respectable 39.3 percent from beyond the arc.

Bohannon brings a different dimension than the graduated Michael Flowers. Hes not the defender his predecessor was, but hes a much better shooter. Coaches believe hell play serviceable defense and bring some added leadership.

Freshman Jordan Taylor, a three-star prospect, will see plenty of time in the backcourt. He was Mr. Basketball in Minnesota after averaging 22.3 points and 7.1 assists. Word in Madison is that he has impressed the upperclassmen with his play in the summer. Some believe he has the mind-set and maturity to step in and be a factor and hes physically ready as well.

FRONTCOURT

The Badgers will be anchored by senior forwards Marcus Landry and Joe Krabbenhoft. What a luxury for Ryan to have two players on whom he can rely to provide offense, defense, rebounding, toughness, etc. They simply find ways to contribute, be it filling up a box score or doing the little things that help Wisconsin win games.

Landry blossomed last season as a full-time starter. The leagues coaches voted him to the all-conference second team. He ranked third on the Badgers in scoring (10.8 ppg), but he was first in scoring during Big Ten play (12.1 ppg). He was second on the team in blocks and third in rebounding.

Krabbenhoft was a member of the five-man all-conference defensive team. He led the Badgers in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.5-to-1), was second in rebounding (6.5), assists (2.5) and field-goal percentage (48.5 percent), and ranked third in steals. Good things happen for Wisconsin when Krabbenhoft has the ball. Defensively, he plays all-out - diving for loose balls and taking charges.

Keaton Nankivil will get the first crack at being the third starter up front. He has added strength and explosiveness this offseason, and the coaches believe hes ready to break through. He played sparingly as a freshman (2.4 mpg), but he had seniors Brian Butch and Greg Stiemsma in front of him. If he can take the experience of going against them in practice and be a little more physical, he has a chance to play significant minutes.

Jon Leuer saw more time as a freshman than Nankivil. He played mostly on the perimeter last season, and he shot the ball well from 3-point range (12 of 28) in limited opportunities. He flashed his potential against Michigan, going for 25 points, including 5-for-5 from 3-point range. Coaches expect Leuer to be more physical this season and get some of his points around the rim, too.

OFFENSE

Ryan and his staff do an excellent job of maximizing talent with their swing offense. Be it posting smaller players or sending post players to shoot 3-pointers, the Badgers find ways to score efficiently. They value each possession and put a premium on taking good shots.

DEFENSE
Few teams play better defense than Ryans Badgers. They yielded only 54.4 points per game last season to lead the nation. Its a clinic in hard-nosed man-to-man every time out. Theyll pressure the ball and deny in the post as if their lives depend on it.

SHOES TO FILL

F Brian Butch. The Polar Bear led the Badgers in scoring (12.4 ppg) and rebounding (6.6). He was a clutch player who will be missed.

MUST STEP UP

Landry. Hes the leader up front. The Badgers dont have a lot of experience in the frontcourt. While they hope Nankivil and/or four-star prospect Jared Berggren and/or three-star prospect Ian Markolf can develop quickly, Landry will have to hold down the fort.

IMPACT NEWCOMER

Taylor. Everything points to Taylor being the first player off the bench for the Badgers. The coaches love his feel for the game and his mental makeup.

The backbone of Siena team is its multi-talented and veteran backcourt.
Kenny Hasbrouck likely will be the preseason conference player of the year after averaging 16.1 points per game last season while leading Siena’s defense with a league-best 77 steals.

He also is one of the league’s best defenders. His shot selection needs to improve, though.
The backbone of Siena’s team is its multi-talented and veteran backcourt. Kenny Hasbrouck likely will be the preseason conference player of the year after averaging 16.1 points per game last season while leading Siena’s defense with a league-best 77 steals. He also is one of the league’s best defenders. His shot selection needs to improve, though.

The versatile Edwin Ubiles led the team in scoring last season. He is perhaps the most talented of the group and able to contribute from multiple positions. During the offseason, he worked to improve his jumper. He already was a 3-point threat and also possesses a nice mid-range game.

The glue guy in the backcourt is diminutive point guard Ronald Moore, who is generously listed at 6 feet. He distributes well (5.3 apg), makes good decisions (2.43-1 assist/turnover ratio) and pushes the pace in Siena’s up-tempo offense. He might be better-served to be even more of a passer this season, as he shot just 37.4 percent from the floor last season.

Clarence Jackson will be the first guard off the bench. He’s hoping to be more productive after struggling with an ankle injury last season.

FRONTCOURT

Leading the frontcourt is Alex Franklin. Although he is undersized at 6-5, he finished in the top 10 in the conference in scoring and rebounding thanks to his length and athleticism.

Also starting in the frontcourt is Josh Duell, who can create problems for a defense with his shooting ability. Duell, who began his career at Vermont, is an excellent free-throw shooter.

Coming off the bench are defensive specialist Cory Magee and Ryan Rossiter, who can provide an inside presence with his rebounding and shot-blocking. Neither is an offensive threat.

OFFENSE

Siena is a running team whose strength is getting up and down the floor. The backcourt leads the team in transition. The Saints have a wealth of outside shooters returning to a team that led the conference in scoring and assist-to-turnover ratio.

DEFENSE
Siena likes to force the tempo with its defense but is not an all-out pressing team. The Saints like to pick their spots and mix up the defense with man-to-man and zone. Siena led the MAAC in steals last season.

SHOES TO FILL

G Tay Fisher. He was a senior leader and the team’s best 3-point shooter. Hasbrouck is the returning leader with 56 3-pointers, but Ubiles, Jackson and Moore will have to fill part of the void.

MUST STEP UP

The bench. Siena knows what it will get out of its veteran starting five. Without Fisher and backup guard Chris De La Rosa, who transferred, the bench must be more productive, especially against the Saints’ demanding non-conference schedule. Rossiter and Jackson will be the first two off the bench.

IMPACT NEWCOMER

G Kyle Downey. With a veteran team, the freshmen won’t be asked to contribute much immediately, but Downey brings good 3-point shooting to the mix.

The Big East is being touted as the best league in the country. Already there is talk of a record number of NCAA bids. Will the conference live up to the hype.

GREG ANTHONY

The Big East has been solid for the last several years, and I expect nothing different this year.

While the Big East is and will always be good, the nature and the landscape of college basketball is such that we’ll never see the kind of dominance that was so compelling in the 1980s. There’s a BIG difference between good and great.

College basketball is forever changed with the influx of freshmen to the NBA. The best teams won’t necessarily feature the best talents because chemistry plays such a big role in basketball. Look at the impact on West Virginia and Syracuse. I guarantee you Bob Huggins didn’t expect to lose Joe Alexander, and I bet Jim Boeheim didn’t expect to lose Donte Greene.

Yes, these programs will rebuild and be good. However, they won’t contend for the title this year. Having said that, teams like Connecticut, Louisville, Villanova and Notre Dame will be really good. This quartet has the potential to get at least one team to Detroit. The best NCAA Tournament preparation for those teams will be the grind of the regular-season schedule.

It seems like forever since UConn and Syracuse won back-to-back titles in 2003-04. But, yes - give the Big East the love because the conference will live up to the hype. And I can’t wait to see who will emerge as this year’s Joe Alexander.

BOB McCLELLAN

I guess that depends on how you define “living up to the hype.” If it’s a record number of NCAA Tournament teams, that’s a distinct possibility. If it’s seven or even eight teams in the polls, that also could happen. If it’s produce the national champion, I’ll say no. I’ll pick the Tar Heels till I’m Carolina Blue in the face.

But, yes, the Big East is going to be ungodly. It has eight teams in the Rivals.com preseason Top 25. No typo. There are 31 conferences in Division I and one composes nearly a third of our top 25.

Here’s the thing: You could be a really good Big East team and go 8-10 or 7-11 in conference play. And that isn’t going to get you into the Big Dance. If you can finish .500 or better in the Big East this season, you should get an automatic bid.

I believe, top to bottom, the 2008-09 Big East might be one of the best leagues ever. But it won’t be the best unless it has the eventual national champion. And it doesn’t.

ANDREW SKWARA

I lean heavily toward yes. Even in the worst-case scenario, the Big East is going to send eight teams to the NCAA Tournament.

North Carolina is undoubtedly the best team in the nation, but the next best four may be Connecticut, Louisville, Notre Dame and Pittsburgh and each is from the Big East.

Marquette and Villanova have Final Four potential. Some analysts are down on Georgetown because they lose Roy Hibbert and Jon Wallace. But the Hoyas beat teams with their system more than their players. I have no doubt they’ll be dancing again. Same goes for West Virginia, which has a good blend of veterans and big-time recruits.

The real key to getting a record ninth team in the field of 65 is Syracuse. The Orange are one of the five most-talented teams in the league. But that was the case in each of the past two seasons, which both ended with the Orange on the wrong side of the NCAA Tournament bubble. If the Orange finally play to their potential and the Big East doesn’t beat up on itself too much which is a big if I think this will go down as the best season by one conference that anyone ever has seen.

MIKE HUGUENIN

There is no doubt the Big East is going to be the best league in the nation this season. None. That said, there is a lot of doubt about whether a Big East team can win it all.

Can the Big East “live up to the hype” without having a national champion? Sure, and that’s because of the sheer number of top-flight teams in this league. Almost every league game (and we say “almost” because, just as with every other league, there is some flotsam and jetsam at the bottom of the conference) is going to be a battle royal. Even teams that finish .500 in the league will have legitimate chances to be Sweet 16 teams in the NCAA Tournament.

In other words, if a .500 team from the ACC or Big 12 or SEC or Pac-10 were to make it to the Sweet 16, that team would be lucky. But if a .500 team from the Big East were to make it, it would be because that team is darned good.

This could be the season of the junior college transfer.

Two of the biggest and most tradition-rich programs in college basketball, Kansas and Kentucky, are welcoming recruiting classes that feature two junior college transfers apiece. So is talent-laden Oklahoma, which will be among the favorites in the Big 12.

Tennessee, which will be favored in the SEC for the second consecutive season, is counting on a junior college transfer (Bobby Maze) to fix its problems at point guard. Pittsburgh, which will be a preseason top-10 team, and Baylor, coming off a breakthrough season that included an NCAA Tournament appearance, also have added JC players.

All that activity has many fan bases wondering what they should expect from these transfers. We delve into that question in this weeks mailbag.

Jayhawk jucos

Markis from Kansas City : Kansas is bringing in two of the nations top junior college transfers (Tyrone Appleton and Mario Little). What can we expect from these guys? Who have been some of the top junior college transfers in recent seasons and what have they done?

You usually dont see elite schools go the junior college route. But Kansas is in a unique situation because it is losing all five starters and a key reserve (Sasha Kaun) from a national-title team. The Jayhawks desperately need players who can come in and help immediately.

And its not rare to see JC transfers make a big impact at the highest levels. Sonny Weems comes to mind. Weems, the No. 1 junior college transfer two years ago, averaged 15 points per game last season for an Arkansas team that reached the NCAA Tournament. In the same conference, another junior college transfer - LSUs Marcus Thornton - ranked second in the league in scoring at 19.6 points per game.

Mario Boggans college career took him from Florida to a junior college to Oklahoma State, where he was selected first-team All-Big 12. Tim Pickett went from the junior college ranks to Florida State, where he was an all-league player.

That doesnt mean Appleton and Little, for instance, are locks to make similar transitions. However, I think the odds are good. They are the cream of the crop from the latest class of junior college prospects, and they are joining teams that need each to play heavy minutes immediately.

Wanting more

James from Fort Collins, Colo. : I just took a look at North Carolinas schedule and have to admit Im a little disappointed. There are a couple of big non-conference games on there, but I was expecting much more. This team is loaded. Why not load up on tougher matchups?

I feel your pain, James. This should be the season North Carolina puts together the toughest schedule imaginable. The Tar Heels clearly have the best team in college basketball, so why not showcase it? Why not put it to the test? After all, suffering a couple of non-conference losses doesnt hurt much in college basketball. Alas, UNC coach Roy Williams apparently doesnt share our sentiment.

For the most part, the Tar Heels non-conference slate is full of pushovers and theres just one set opponent whos likely to be in the preseason top 25 and the school didnt even set that game up. The annual ACC/Big Ten Challenge pits the Tar Heels against Michigan State at Ford Field in Detroit in what will be one of the must-see games of the season.

UNC is in the Maui Invitational, but the field isnt as strong as in past seasons. The Tar Heels also are on the weaker side of the bracket. They open with Chaminade (the host team) and will face either Alabama or Oregon next. The Crimson Tide will need some fortunate twists to be an NCAA Tournament team and the Ducks are in rebuilding mode after losing four starters. Notre Dame and Texas are on the other side of the bracket, and each have Final Four potential.

I dont think you can place all the blame on Williams and the Tar Heels. They play host to Kentucky and travel to Nevada. When they set those games up, they thought they were getting top-caliber matchups. But Kentucky hasnt performed up to its lofty standards in recent seasons, and the Wolf Pack suffered a down season last year after a dominating run in the WAC.

Still, the Tar Heels should have been bolder when scheduling. They could have one of the greatest teams in school history. A team with that kind of potential has no reason to dodge anyone.

Durant Beasley ?

Brian from Austin, Texas: Do you see any incoming freshman putting up Kevin Durant- or Michael Beasley-type numbers this season?

Absolutely not. I cant emphasize enough just how extraordinary Durant and Beasley were at the college level. Im not sure we will see another freshman come along in the next 10 years and match their numbers. That they came along in back-to-back seasons was more of an anomaly than a sign of things to come.

The 2008 class includes some wonderful prospects. There are a handful of one-and-done types at the top, including Ohio States B.J. Mullens and Memphis Tyreke Evans. But it doesnt have anyone on Durants or Beasleys level.

Top talent

Braj from Knoxville, Tenn.: Can you give us your top three at each position?

At point guard, Ill give UCLAs Darren Collison the slight edge over Connecticuts A.J. Price and North Carolinas Ty Lawson assuming Price recovers from a knee injury last season. Collison is the best decision-maker of the three and has a knack for hitting clutch 3-pointers.

At shooting guard, you have to have Davidsons Stephen Curry at the top. Id put UT-Martins Lester Hudson and Marquettes Jerel McNeal second and third, respectively. Hudson plays in a small league but has had great games against a slew of high-major teams. McNeal always has been a great defensive player and has improved on the offensive end.

Tennessees Tyler Smith is the top small forward. Smith is versatile and a clutch shooter. Arizona States James Harden and BYUs Lee Cummard would be my next two choices. Harden turned the Sun Devils into one of the nations most-improved programs last season, and the well-rounded Cummard may have the fewest weaknesses of any player in college basketball.

For big men (Im combining power forwards and centers), Tyler Hansbrough has to be No. 1. Notre Dames Luke Harangody, the reigning Big East Player of the Year, is second. Id give Washingtons Jon Brockman the edge over Oklahomas Blake Griffin for the third spot for now, although I wouldnt be surprised if Griffin ends up having a better season.

After hitting rock bottom, Colorado State is counting on Tim Miles to bring the program back to respectability.

Miles had one year added on to his original five-year contract, the school announced on Wednesday.

Financial terms were not disclosed for the extension, which pushes Miles contract through the 2012-13 season.

Miles, 42, inherited a tough situation when he took over the reins for the Rams last season, inheriting a team that returned just two letterwinners and one starter.

Both letterwinners, centers Stuart Creason and Ronnie Aguilar, missed significant time with injuries, leading to a 7-25 season for the Rams, including an 0-16 record in the Mountain West Conference. It was the schools first 20-loss campaign since going 3-24 in 1980-81.

However, Colorado State athletic director Paul Kowalczyk sees light at the end of the tunnel, especially since guard Marcus Walker, who led the MWC in scoring last season with 17.1 points as a junior college transfer, returns.

Todays announcement shows a commitment to Tim and his staff, Kowalczyk said. Its easy to reward someone after a successful season. But last year, Tim showed amazing strength and character in the face of really difficult circumstances, most of which were out of his control. His leadership during tough times convinced us that we have the coach to lead the program to the upper echelon of the Mountain West.

Prior to his hiring by the Rams, Miles served six seasons at North Dakota State, going 99-71 as the Bison transitioned to Division I.

I am both humbled and excited by Pauls gesture to extend my contract, Miles said. Our entire staff is dedicated to the effort of rebuilding this program, and we are confident that Rams fans will be proud of the achievements by our team.

Overall, Miles has a record of 219-157 over 13 seasons with the Rams, Bison, Division II Southwest Minnesota State and the NAIAs Mayville State.