THE SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE THREAD

Scottie Wilbekin, Florida end Dayton's unexpected run

First yet again this season, the Florida Gators want more. Much more.

Try a national championship.

Scottie Wilbekin scored 23 points and Florida became the first team to advance to the Final Four with a 62-52 win Saturday night over the 11th-seeded Dayton Flyers in the South Region final.

Read more http://scores.espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=400549674

 

Aaron Harrison's 3 with 2.3 seconds left sends Kentucky to Final Four

The shot came from NBA range, and if things play out as expected, Aaron Harrison and a lot of those Kentucky kids will be playing in that league soon enough.

First, they're heading to the Final Four -- a trip to Big D courtesy of Harrison's unforgettable big shot.

The 6-foot-6 forward made a 3-pointer from about 24 feet with 2.3 seconds left Sunday to lift the Wildcats and all those freshmen to a 75-72 win over Michigan and the program's 16th trip to the Final Four.

Read more http://scores.espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=400549857

 

Willie Cauley-Stein (ankle) doubtful

Kentucky coach John Calipari said he doesn't expect injured sophomore Willie Cauley-Stein to play in this weekend's Final Four.

 

Mark Fox gets 2-year extension



Georgia Bulldogs coach Mark Fox has been given a two-year contract extension following a season in which athletic director Greg McGarity says he saw "very encouraging" improvement.

The financial terms of the new deal, which runs through the 2017-18 season, were not immediately disclosed. Fox was making $1.7 million annually and had two years remaining on his current contract.

Read more http://espn.go.com/mens-college-bas...rgia-bulldogs-given-2-year-contract-extension

 

Kentucky reaches title game thanks to another late Aaron Harrison 3

No, this was not an instant replay, though it certainly is turning into a highlight loop that Aaron Harrison and his Kentucky teammates could get used to watching.

Harrison took a pass from his twin brother, Andrew, spotted up from NBA range and watched the ball rattle in for the lead with 5.7 seconds left Saturday night to lift the Wildcats to a 74-73 victory over Wisconsin in the Final Four.

Read more http://scores.espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=400549978

 

Frank Haith: Arrests 'unacceptable'



Missouri coach Frank Haith has kicked forward Zach Price off the team, ending his career with the Tigers before it began.

Price, a transfer from Louisville who wasn't eligible to play until next season, was arrested twice last week on four counts of suspicion of assault. Another Missouri player, Earnest Ross, filed a petition in Boone County Circuit Court on April 2 that sought a protection order against Price.

Read more http://espn.go.com/mens-college-bas...er-former-missouri-tigers-teammate-zach-price

 

Chris Walker staying at Florida

Florida freshman big man Chris Walker, who was a potential first-round pick despite only averaging 4.8 minutes per game, has decided to return to school.

Walker confirmed the news to ESPN.com Wednesday afternoon shortly after tweeting the following:

"This year has been a great one, and I'm happy to say I will be joining the gatornation again for one more year!"

Read more http://espn.go.com/mens-college-bas...n-chris-walker-wait-nba-return-florida-gators

 

John Calipari content at Kentucky

John Calipari, who is often linked to NBA coaching jobs and who has been critical of the NCAA for not changing with the times, told ESPN on Tuesday that he is more motivated by helping his players at Kentucky than he would be by building the value of an NBA franchise.

But the former coach of the New Jersey Nets also believes that he would be a better NBA coach the second time around.

Read more http://espn.go.com/mens-college-bas...ays-content-motivated-coach-kentucky-wildcats

 

Willie Cauley-Stein returning to UK

Willie Cauley-Stein @THEwillieCS15

I'm proud to say I'm coming back for my junior year. I still have an empty spot to fulfill and in no rush to leave the best fans in the USA!

 

Jon Horford transfers to Florida



Florida has added Michigan junior big man Jon Horford, a source close to the situation told ESPN.

The 6-foot-9 Horford averaged 3.8 points and 4.2 rebounds per game last season. He will be eligible to play this year for coach Billy Donovan and the Gators.

Horford is the younger brother of former Gators standout and current Atlanta Hawks star Al Horford.

Read more http://espn.go.com/mens-college-bas...-transfers-florida-gators-michigan-wolverines

 

Harrison twins staying at Kentucky

Kentucky's chances of returning to the Final Four increased dramatically Friday with the decision of freshmen guards Aaron and Andrew Harrison to return to the Wildcats for their sophomore seasons.

Read more http://espn.go.com/mens-college-bas...rrison-andrew-harrison-stay-kentucky-wildcats

 

KeVaughn Allen commits to Gators

Billy Donovan and the University of Florida are off to another early start with their 2015 recruiting class.

The Gators scored their second verbal 2015 commitment on Wednesday night, this time from KeVaughn Allen, a 6-foot-3 shooting guard ranked No. 27 in the ESPN 60 from North Little Rock High School in Arkansas.

Read more http://espn.go.com/college-sports/r...5-guard-kevaughn-allen-commits-florida-gators

 

Vols release 2 from scholarships

Tennessee guard Darius Thompson and swingman A.J. Davis have asked to be released from their scholarships.

Volunteers coach Donnie Tyndall confirmed Monday at a Big Orange Caravan event in Atlanta that both players had asked for their releases "to explore their options."

"I don't think in either case, at least what they're telling me, that these guys have made their mind up to not come back," Tyndall said. "The door has been left open. We certainly hope they will come back, but at the end of the day, they need to be comfortable in what they're going to do the rest of their career, so we've released them to explore their options with the hopes that they'll decide to return."

Read more http://espn.go.com/mens-college-bas...teers-grant-releases-darius-thompson-aj-davis

 

John Calipari has right hip replaced

Kentucky basketball coach John Calipari is recovering from right hip replacement surgery on Friday, the school said.

On the athletic department's Twitter account, it said Calipari "is out of hip surgery and recovering. All went well. Thank you for the thoughts and prayers for him." Calipari said recently that he was under the care of one of the city's best hip doctors.

Read more http://espn.go.com/mens-college-bas...kentucky-wildcats-calipari-right-hip-replaced

 

Ga. Tech's Robert Carter to transfer

Georgia Tech coach Brian Gregory has announced that forward Robert Carter Jr. will not return for his junior season and plans to transfer.

Carter, a starter since his freshman year, was Gregory's top signee in 2012. He averaged 10.5 points and 7.4 rebounds in 54 games with the Yellow Jackets.

Read more http://espn.go.com/mens-college-bas...low-jackets-transfer-coach-brian-gregory-says

 

Ian Chiles transfers to Tennessee

Tennessee has added more immediate help with the addition of IUPUI transfer Ian Chiles.

The 6-foot-1 senior, who graduated and will be able to play his final season for new Vols coach Donnie Tyndall in 2014-15, told ESPN.com that he committed to Tennessee on Tuesday.

Read more http://espn.go.com/mens-college-bas.../ian-chiles-transferring-tennessee-volunteers

 

LSU grants releases to 3 players

LSU guards Anthony Hickey and Malik Morgan, along with forward Shane Hammink, have decided against returning to the Tigers next season, coach Johnny Jones announced on Tuesday.

Jones did not specify reasons behind the three players' departures, saying only that he and his staff appreciated "the contributions they made to the LSU Basketball team and certainly wish them well in their future plans."

Read more http://espn.go.com/mens-college-bas...ses-anthony-hickey-malik-morgan-shane-hammink

 

Eric McKnight to join Tennessee



Tennessee has added forward Eric McKnight, a graduate transfer from Florida Gulf Coast.

McKnight, a 6-foot-9 forward from Raleigh, North Carolina, plans to enroll at Tennessee this summer and will be eligible to play in this coming season.

Read more http://espn.go.com/mens-college-bas...da-gulf-coast-graduate-transfer-eric-mcknight

 

Gamecocks lose Shaw, Ringer

South Carolina is losing two players from its large freshman class this past season in guard Jaylen Shaw and forward Desmond Ringer.

Coastal Carolina announced Friday that Shaw had signed to play for the Big South Conference tournament champion while Mercer said that Ringer would join the Bears, the Atlantic Sun tournament champs who knocked off Duke in the NCAA tournament.

Read more http://espn.go.com/mens-college-bas...gamecocks-jaylen-shaw-desmond-ringer-transfer

 

Billy Donovan: I'm happy at Florida

The Cleveland Cavaliers have contacted Florida's Billy Donovan about their coaching vacancy, sources told ESPN.com.

Donovan said Thursday that several NBA teams had called him about openings in recent days but that he still plans to be with the Gators next season.

He declined to specify which teams called -- Detroit, Golden State, the Los Angeles Lakers, Minnesota, New York and Utah also have openings -- and jokingly cited his brief stint with the NBA's Orlando Magic in 2007 as reason for keeping details private.

see more at http://espn.go.com/mens-college-bas...rs-coach-billy-donovan-spoke-couple-nba-teams