Alabama sophomore guard Trevor Lacey has decided to transfer and has been granted his release, the school announced Tuesday.

Lacey called the move a “family decision” in a statement released by the school.

“This definitely was not an easy decision to make,” Lacey said. “It’s been great at Alabama during my two years. It was tough my freshman year coming off surgery and having to work my way back. I wanted to improve during my sophomore season and I thought I did that. I want to thank the coaches and staff, my teammates and all the fans for their support.”

Lacey was a key all-around contributor for Alabama last season, averaging 11.3 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game. The Huntsville, Ala., native was the only player to start all 36 games for the Crimson Tide.

Maryland 58 – Alabama 57

1. Alabama’s season ends when Trevor Lacey’s shot at the buzzer missed.  Crimson Tide finish 23-13.

2. Lacey: “I think if I shot it again, I’d probably lean into him and try to draw the foul.”

3. Reason for the miss - the ghost of Jarnell Stokes?

4. Kevin Scarbinsky on Alabama basketball: “Better than it used to be. Not as good as it needs to be.”

1.  Alabama won at Arkansas last night without three of its best players.  (Anthony Grant’s tough disciplinary stance seems to be paying off or his suddenly tough Tide.)

2.  Trevor Lacey went down just 10 minutes into last night’s game with an ankle injury.

3.  Arkansas is just 1-5 during its current late-season slide.

4.  LSU players know their tournament future is riding on a road trip to Ole Miss tomorrow.

5.  Florida’s Will Yeguete will have a screw inserted into his broken left foot today.

6.  Gator footballers are going from speed-first training to Olympic-style power work.

7.  Georgia receiver Malcolm Mitchell will “experiment” at cornerback this spring.

8.  Mitchell’s expanded role is part of Mark Richt’s focus on versatility.

9.  Kentucky’s mission tomorrow: Defend super Vandy shooter John Jenkins.

10.  Tennessee’s Jeronne Maymon stepped up his effort against Ole Miss on Wednesday.

11.  Think Maryland regrets bringing in Randy Edsall instead of promoting James Franklin as was initially the plan?  

12.  Vandy’s Kevin Stallings says Kentucky’s second half at MSU this week was “about the most impressive thing I’ve seen in college basketball this year.”  (Guess he doesn’t read Thayer Evans.)

1. Report: Arkansas State head coach Hugh Freeze expected to be offered Ole Miss job today. Also here. He’s expected to accept.

2. Report: Texas A&M hires Houston coach Kevin Sumlin.  Sumlin denies report.  Push for former Florida assistant and current Louisville coach Charlie Strong  is “surging.”

3. Kentucky 73 – North Carolina 72. Blocked shot in final seconds preserves the victory for the Wildcats.

4. John Clay: “The Rumble in Rupp was 120 glorious minutes of everything we hoped it would be.”

5. Connecticut 75 – Arkansas 62.  Razorbacks drop to 5-2 as the Huskies win their 38th straight non-conference game at home.

6. Pittsburgh 61 – Tennessee 56.  A late chance to tie for Tennessee gets all tied up.

7. LSU 55 – Rutgers 50. Tigers now 3-0 on the season when scoring less than 60 points.

8. Mississippi State 75 – West Virginia 62.  21 points and 13 rebounds for Arnett Moultrie.

9. Freshman guard Trevor Lacey may not be starting at Alabama, but he is making quite an impression.

10. Holding on to leads a priority at Ole Miss as the Rebels prepare to take on Penn State.

11. A struggling South Carolina team faces Clemson today.

12. When is the 2012 SEC football schedule coming out? “Very soon,” according to Mike Slive.

13. Looks like Vanderbilt is headed to the Liberty Bowl against a Big East team.

14. Florida a favorite for the Gator Bowl.

15. Matt Roark – genuine Kentucky folk hero.

16. Keeping tabs on Trent Richardson’s Heisman competition.

17. Post season autopsy on the Tennessee football season, the report cards, and the highs and lows

 Extra

18. 13 fans injured - two critically – after Oklahoma State fans storm the field Saturday night.

1.  Florida basketballer Scottie Wilbekin will tour Macedonia and Kosovo this summer as a member of the Athletes in Action team.

2.  Kentucky lost out on Trevor Lacey, but at least one report has the Cats landing ex-Wake Forest big man Tony Woods (and all the bad pub that will come with his signing).

3.  This writer says signee Trevor Lacey shouldn’t be made into the savior of Alabama basketball.

4.  Crimson Tide officials say they lost about $400,000 on this year’s Capital One Bowl trip.

5.  Bama’s Trent Richardson and South Carolina’s Marcus Lattimore are workout warriors.  (They ain’t too bad on the field, either.)

6.  Mississippi State announced today that it’s one step closer to expanding Davis-Wade Stadium.

Shooting guard Trevor Lacey is scheduled to announce his college decision at 3 p.m. eastern time on Wednesday.

The original plan was for Lacey to announce his choice in the library at Butler High School in Huntsville, Ala. Instead, Lacey will be in the auditorium to accommodate the large crowd expected to attend the event.

Lacey is considering Alabama, Auburn, Kentucky and Kansas.

There’s the possibility that Lacey could postpone his decision. He appeared to still be undecided on Monday, according to a report from Steve Jones of Cat’s Illustrated.

John Calipari was in Alabama yesterday to visit that state’s reigning Mr. Basketball selection — Trevor Lacey.  Lacey led his high school to its third state championship in four years this past season.

Lacey is deciding between Kentucky, Auburn, Alabama — where he took in the A-Day festivities on Saturday — and Kansas.  Jayhawks coach Bill Self is expected to visit Lacey today.

The two-time Mr. Basketball in the state of Alabama, Trevor Lacey, is expected to narrow his college decision down to the Crimson Tide and Kentucky.  But Auburn, Kansas and national champ UConn are interested in the 6-4 guard as well.

With good reason.  Lacey averaged 31.3 points per game at his Huntsville high school last year.

If he signs with Anthony Grant, he’ll join a signing class already ranked #16 in the nation by both Rivals.com and ESPN.com.  If he inks with John Calipari, he’ll make the nation’s #1 rated class even better.

UK’s coach is expected to visit Lacey tomorrow morning, before the player heads to Tuscaloosa for a visit.  Tony Barbee, Bill Self (Kansas), Jim Calhoun (UConn) and Mark Gottfried (NC State) are all expected to visit Lacey next week.  (Gottfried?)

Lacey is expected to make a final decision after playing in Louisville’s Derby Festival Classic game on April 22nd.

1.  Alabama basketball signee Rodney Cooper is making a name for himself.

2.  Alabama and Auburn are battling for Trevor Lacey who “might be the best unsigned high school senior basketball players in the country.”

3.  Arkansas linebackers coach Reggie Johnson is happy with the Razorbacks’ recruiting haul.

4.  LSU signee Johnny O’Bryant will play in the McDonald’s All-American game next month.

5.  John Calipari has recorded another UK recruiting first: Every member of the Cats’ 2011 signing class has been named a McDonald’s All-American.

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I apologize for my lack of activity, but I am currently working offsite, and of all things, the Alabama Basketball Blog is blocked there. Total heresy, but I digress….

From the Huntsville Times….

Trevor Lacey, the state’s reigning Mr. Basketball, started his senior season in style by torching the Parker Thundering Herd for 50 points in Butler’s 77-53 victory in the Rocket City/Magic City Classic at Johnson High School here in Huntsville. Coach Anothony Grant was in attendance as Lacey was 15-of-26 from the field, including 8-of-14 from 3-pt range. He sank 12-of-14 from the free throw line, had 7 rebounds, 3 steals, and a blocked shot.

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