In the NCAA Tournament semi-finals, Louisville defeats Wichita State 72-68…
Michigan defeats Syracuse 61 to 56…
Louisville and Michigan meet Monday night in the championship game
Auburn A.D. Jay Jacobs says school will review charges of multiple NCAA violations…
Auburn is accused of fixing players’ grades and of paying players money to bypass the NFL and stay in school
ESPN investigation claims a dozen players on Auburn’s 2010 football team failed tests for synthetic marijuana
Investigation claims schools officials knew results but kept it secret
Georgia wide receiver Malcolm Mitchell will miss the rest of spring practice after having knee surgery
Follow the SEC at MrSEC.com and at twitter.com/mrsec all day, every day

There are two SEC programs searching for a new head coach.  A third school might be looking for one if they can’t hold onto theirs.

We’ll start with South Carolina where native son Gregg Marshall is still expected to be high on the list.  Trouble is, there are plenty of people in Kansas who are saying it’ll take a lot of cash to lure Marshall away from Wichita State.  From columnists in Wichita to ESPN’s Andy Katz, it’s clear that someone is driving up Marshall’s price tag on the coach’s behalf.  Word is that the Shockers’ coach wants at least $2 million to takeover a Gamecock program that ends coaching careers with great regularity.

If Marshall can’t be had, don’t be surprised if AD Eric Hyman makes a run at Duke assistant Jeff Capel.  Hyman tried to hire him when he inked Darrin Horn.  Capel has washed out once at Oklahoma and the program was put on probation under his watch.  (Though like John Calipari, Capel was not accused of any wrongdoing.)

Meanwhile, president Mark Keenum of Mississippi State says AD Scott Stricklin is just getting started in his search for a Rick Stansbury replacement.  Promoting an assistant — that’s how MSU has landed its last two coaches — is not out of the question and outgoing point guard Dee Bost has already tweeted his support for ex-Stansbury aide Phil Cunningham.

Katz also tosses out the name of Kentucky assistant Kenny Payne — a man with ties to the Magnolia State — as a potential candidate in Starkville.

Whoever State hires will inherit a program in flux.  And MSU recruits are now mulling their options.

Finally, there may or may not be an opening at Ole Miss.  There’s been speculation from multiple sources all weekend (and today with the aforementioned Katz) that Andy Kennedy might be a target for his alma mater, UAB.

Kennedy is expected to meet with UM chancellor Dan Jones regarding his contract over the next “several weeks.”  The school is also looking for a replacement for AD Pete Boone, which further complicates Kennedy’s contract negotiations.

If UAB does make a run at Kennedy, he’ll likely have to take a pay cut to return to his old stomping grounds.  As we pointed out last week, previous Blazer coach Mike Davis made about half as much as Kennedy currently pulls down in Oxford.

Now we know why Scott Stricklin has been so quiet the last 24 hours.  He’s been working out a “retirement” package for head basketball coach Rick Stansbury.  The winningest coach in MSU history is expected to announce this afternoon that he’s stepping down after three NCAA Tournament-less seasons.

Stansbury — who served as an assistant at State from 1990 through 1998 before taking over as head coach — compiled a career mark of 293-165.  That’s a winning percentage of .641.  He fielded 10 20-win teams.  He also took the Bulldogs to 11 postseason tournaments (six NCAAs, five NITs) in his 14 years in the captain’s chair.

But Stansbury failed to lead the Dogs to a single Sweet Sixteen.  His last three years have been marked by disappointments on the court and embarrassing issues off it (most of which stemmed from the signing of Renardo Sidney, who can rightfully be called a “coach-killer” at this point).  Fan support dwindled as the faithful became tired of seeing the same guy stalk the Humphrey Coliseum sideline.

Stansbury is just 52 years of age, so if you think he’s actually “retiring” without a gentle nudge from AD Scott Stricklin’s shoe, you’re dreaming.  Expect him to coach again at some point.  With his record, he’ll get a shot somewhere.

As for State — like South Carolina — it’s now all about the job search.  No doubt you’ll hear the biggest and hottest names in the biz kicked around by fans and fan websites.  Expect to hear Cowbell ringers from Hernando to Pascagoula shouting “Shaka Smart!”

Who Mississippi State can actually land?  Well, that’s another matter.  We’d put our money on an up-and-comer.  Don’t be surprised if Gregg Marshall of Wichita State doesn’t suddenly pop up on two SEC programs’ radar, for example.

But for now, the focus will be on Stansbury for just a few more hours.  Fans have been invited to attend his press conference at 2pm ET.  There some of the same people who’ve called for his ouster can soothe their consciences by cheering him and thanking him for his valuable contribution to MSU hoops.

Contributions that are unmatched in school history.  Contributions a new coach will be expected to top.

Yesterday, Eric Hyman said that he would study a wide pool of candidates in his search to replace fired hoops coach Darrin Horn.

From our standpoint, South Carolina’s search will likely begin with one man — Wichita State head coach Gregg Marshall.  Marshall led tiny Palmetto State school Winthrop to seven NCAA Tournaments in nine seasons before heading to Kansas.  He’s taken Wichita State from a losing team to a #5 seed in this week’s NCAA Tournament (with an RPI of 12) in five years.

He’s also from Greenwood, South Carolina which is just about 80 miles from Columbia.  And during Hyman’s presser yesterday, he said that recruiting, player development, and connections to the area would all be factors in his decision. 

Marshall makes sense.  That said, being from South Carolina, he may wonder why he was never tabbed for the Gamecock head coaching job earlier in his career.  And as a native of the state he would surely know that Carolina has been a graveyard for coaches since the Frank McGuire era came to an end in 1980.

Marshall might have the following choice to make: home and SEC money versus — according to history — probable doom.

If he’s not the Gamecocks’ choice — and through multiple interviews with SEC schools in the past, Marshall has not been the choice — then who will be on Carolina’s short list?

Columbia’s The State newspaper has posted an online poll that includes in addition to Marshall a number of coaches with ties back to the state (meaning the actual state, not the newspaper).  Included on the list:


Dave Dickerson — current assistant at Ohio State and Carolina native (also fired as head coach at Tulane)

Tommy Amaker — current head coach at Harvard and former Duke player (also fired as head coach at Michigan)

Tubby Smith — current head coach at Minnesota (where he’s doing a so-so job) and a former Carolina assistant coach under George Felton in the late 1980s

Jeff Capel — an assistant at Duke and former player there (also fired as head coach at Oklahoma)

Stan Jones — an assistant at Florida State and former assistant at Mississippi State

Anthony Solomon — an assistant at Notre Dame and former assistant at Clemson

Shaka Smart — VCU’s head coach and one of the hottest names in the country


Smart could land better jobs than Carolina.  He’s on everyone’s list for a second year in a row.  One look at USC’s track record and he’ll likely turn his head in another direction.

Smith is 61-years-old and the Gamecocks went the veteran route with a 59-year-old Dave Odom back in 2001.  Speaking as someone who’s now over 40, the older you get… the less you excite a fanbase.

If a lack of fan support helped do in Horn, would a coach who was fired from another program really generate excitement in Columbia?  Would the hiring of an assistant?

It’s ridiculously early to be making guesses about who Hyman will wind up handing a contract to, but if you’re gonna do it, the smart money’s on Marshall.

Alabama’s NIT run came to a sad end last night in a 66-57 loss to Wichita State in the tournament finals.  The Tide’s shots didn’t fall and once again JaMychal Green found himself in foul trouble.  This time, Bama couldn’t find a work-around.

“We lost to a better team today,” Anthony Grant said.  “I can live with that.  Hopefully, this experience will makes us better.”  He added: “Their depth, physicality and skill were better than ours today.  They were a better team today, but it take nothing away from the season our team had.  It’s a disappointment for our seniors, but for our younger players, it’s a building block.”

After starting the season 5-6, the Crimson Tide lost just six games in their final 26 contests.  In reach the NIT finals they also concluded a unbeaten season at Coleman Coliseum. 

Alabama’s assistants earned bonuses for their work in the NIT.  Green, Trevor Relford made the NIT’s all-tournament team.  Bama’s players will also take away some great memories from their trip to New York and Madison Square Garden.

Obviously, the NCAA Tournament is every team’s goal.  Not getting a bid on Selection Sunday was a bitter disappointment from Grant’s team.  But the coach was able to focus his team and take advantage of the opportunity they were given, albeit in the NIT. 

Expectations for 2011-12 will be higher.  And the offseason work in Tuscaloosa will likely include some form of raise or extension for the Tide’s popular new coach.

Not bad for a team off the season heading in a totally different direction.

1.  Alabama’s Anthony Grant will likely receive a pay raise this offseason.

2.  Bama and Wichita State are both on hot streaks entering tonight’s NIT championship game.

3.  Here are some Alabama spring practice notes.

4.  The new allegations made last night have Auburn on the defensive again.

5.  And they’ll likely bring the NCAA to The Plains again.

6.  In fact, Auburn has already been in contact with the NCAA’s enforcement staff regarding the new accusations.

7.  Stanley McClover’s high school coach denies his former players’ charges.

8.  Here are some Arkansas spring practice notes.

9.  The Hogs want competition at cornerback.

10.  LSU is now being lumped in with Auburn when it comes to alleged pay-for-play scandals.

11.  Before the Patrick Peterson-Willie Lyles story broke on ESPN this morning, LSU AD Joe Alleva had already declined comment regarding a former Auburn player’s claim that someone representing the Bayou Bengals gave him $500.

12.  Redshirt freshman Vincent Sanders finds an open door at receiver in Oxford.

13.  DT Shackleford is trying to resurrect Ole Miss’ defense.

14.  The injury situation isn’t good in Starkville.

15.  Chris Relf still appears to be the man to beat in MSU’s quarterback competition.

Anthony Grant’s team relied on its defense once again last night in Madison Square Garden.  And once again, its defense came through in the clutch.

Trevor Releford hit a layup to put Alabama up 62-61 with 12.6 seconds to play against Colorado in last night’s NIT semifinal.  The Crimson Tide then held on as CU leading scorer Alec Burks missed a jumper at the buzzer.

The Tide will now face Wichita State in the NIT finals at 7pm ET on Thursday.

“Defense is what gives this team a chance to win,” Grant said after the game.  “That’s what won for us tonight.”  But Bama’s coach also credited his freshman point guard, Releford.

With leading scorer JaMychal Green fouled out, Releford cut through the Buffaloes’ defense for the game-winning bucket.  “Trevor is a playmaker,” his coach said.  “As a freshman, he’s had to grow into that.  But at the end, I wanted to have the ball in his hands.  He read the play, they were cheating to the screen so he was able to rip the baseline and make the shot.”

And the Crimson Tide rolls on.

A source “in the school’s athletic department” has told The Knoxville News Sentinel that five names are on Tennessee’s wish list as it begins its search for a new basketball coach.

Those names:


Jamie Dixon of Pittsburgh — Dixon is this year’s National Coach of the Year according to The Sporting News.  Tennessee had better bring a big checkbook.  And remember, Dixon turned down basketball power Arizona just two years ago… and the Wildcats weren’t in the NCAA doghouse.

Jay Wright of Villanova — Wright was one of the few coaches in the country to try to defend Bruce Pearl this past season.  Would he really be interested in replacing him?

Anthony Grant of Alabama — If Grant has expressed interest as has been rumored, it’s likely a contract ploy.  Tennessee has bigger facilities, but you don’t make a lateral move to land at a school where you’ll be saddled with probation and sanctions.

Mark Turgeon of Texas A&M — Turgeon makes sense.  He’s had success at Wichita State and A&M and his current salary is around the $1.5 million mark.

Gregg Marshall of Wichita State — And Marshall is the perfect fallback candidate for UT, if it can land him.  Marshall interviewed for the UT job years ago while coaching at Winthrop.


That’s a good looking list, but is it realistic?  We’ll see.

If Tennessee has crunched the numbers and projected what kind of financial hit it might take from a decrease in baskeball attendance (and parking, merchandise, concessions, etc), then the Vols might view a $2 million (or more) investment in a new coach as a sound financial move. 

When Nick Saban signed a $4 million per year deal at Alabama, the world gasped.  A couple of years later when the Tide was adding 10,000 seats to its stadium it became clear that Saban’s price tag was actually a steal. 

So if — if mind you — UT officials believe spending $2.5 million per year might save the Vols — spit-balling here — $4 million per year in basketball revenue, wouldn’t that investment be worth it?

All that said… we still expect the Vols to land a mid-major coach.

Georgia 58 – Arkansas State 49. Georgia goes to 7-2 on the season.

Texas A&M 71 – Arkansas 62 (OT). Melee leads to ejections and Aggies rally from 9-point second-half deficit.

Ohio State 79 – South Carolina 57. Both of South Carolina’s losses have come at the hands of Big 10 opponents.

Ole Miss 71 – East Tennessee State 50. Reginald Buckner delivers career highs in points, blocks and minutes.

Florida 57 – Kansas State 44. Gators rally from 12-point first-half deficit.

Oklahoma State 68 – Alabama 60. Cowboys make 14 of 18 free throws down the stretch.

Wichita State 70 – LSU 69. Tigers lose in Bossier City.

Presbyterian 62 – Auburn 59. Tigers drop to 3-7.

Vanderbilt 85 – SE Louisiana 52. Commodores hit thirteen 3-pointers.

Virginia Tech 88 – Mississippi State 57. Bulldogs lose in the Bahamas.

Kentucky 85 – Mississippi Valley State 60. Cats roll, Calipari tossed.

Content provided by Jerry Tipton on UK basketball.

The top five were easy again to fill in on my top 25 ballot this week for The Associated Press.

After that, it was a case of many coin flips and hopes for the best.

Note that the ballot was turned in prior to Texas playing Southern Cal.

1. Duke
2. Ohio State
3. Pittsburgh
4. Kansas State
5. Kansas
6. Connecticut
7. Michigan State
8. Syracuse
9. Illinois
10. Villanova
11. Texas
12. Georgetown
13. Missouri
14 San Diego State
15 Kentucky
16 Minnesota
17 Vanderbilt
18 Memphis
19 Purdue
20 Baylor
21 UNLV
22 Tennessee
23 Wichita State
24 North Carolina
25 Cleveland State

* If Texas loses to Southern Cal, move Texas down to No. 20 and move everyone up one.