Wake Forest: Paintball Gun Gets Swinton 4-Game Suspension

Deacon Swinton Suspended: Wake Forest freshman forward Kevin Swinton has been suspended for 30 days due to a violation of university policy. Swinton will miss two exhibition games as well as the first two regular season games – the first two games of the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic on Nov. 10 and Nov. 11. Reports out of the athletics department assert that Swinton violated university policy by having a paint-ball gun in a dormitory. [10/31/05]

Big Ten: Big Ten to Choose Tournament Home

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Big Ten to Choose Tournament Home: The Big Ten Tournament will permanently reside in either Chicago or Indianapolis, depending on which site conference officials like best. After the Big Ten initiated a conference tournament in 1998, Chicago hosted it for the first four years. But the two cities have alternated as hosts since 2002. Both cities have their virtues and vices. Chicago is a huge town with a bigger facility, but that size also means that fans must travel within the city to get from one place to another. Indianapolis is a smaller market with a slightly smaller stadium, but the central downtown location allows fans to walk to restaurants, bars and the stadium from hotels. Conference officials will probably issue a decision in the spring.
[10/31/05]

South Florida: Bulls Mourn Death of Teammate

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Bulls Mourn Death of Teammate: As South Florida prepares to start this season, the Bulls will physically and spiritually miss their teammate Bradley Mosley. After a year-long battle with cancer, Mosley, 22, died Saturday at Good Samaritan Hospital in West Palm Beach, Fla. A 6-2 guard, Mosley contracted renal medullary carcinoma last fall. Team officials said Mosley maintained a positive attitude throughout treatment and during the rough periods of the disease. He had been the team’s second leading scorer in 2003-04, averaging 14.6 points per game. [10/31/05]

Tennessee: Recruiting Violation Stirs Bitterness

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Recruiting Violation Stirs Bitterness: The recruitment – and subsequent release – of would-be Tennessee Volunteer Tyler Smith has produced a secondary violation of NCAA recruiting rules and lots of bitterness. The school reported that a booster violated rules by encouraging Smith to attend Tennessee. As a result, the school will cut ties to the booster for two years, even though the booster insists he had a personal relationship with Smith for years. As a friend of one of the assistant coaches under former coach Buzz Peterson, the booster has known Smith since he was in middle school. Smith changed his mind about attending Tennessee after the school canned Peterson in favor of Bruce Pearl. The latter said Smith never gave his staff a chance, but Smith and his family disagree. Pearl had refused to grant a release of Smith’s commitment. In the end, Smith is attending Hargrove Military Academy this season and plans to sign with a Division I school for next season. Volunteer fans should not get their hopes up for a second chance at Smith.
[10/29/05]

UCLA: Bruins Careful With Farmar

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Bruins Careful With Farmar: UCLA will hold sophomore point guard Jordan Farmar out of practice for a few days to give their star floor general a chance to heal a sore groin. Farmar injured his right groin during practice Thursday, and team doctors will evaluate him Tuesday. He led the team in assists last season and was second in scoring. UCLA is a promising team, but the Bruins cannot afford to have Farmar miss a long period of time. So caution is an understandable and wise decision.
[10/29/05]

Washington State: Cougar Collared by Injury

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Cougar Collared by Injury: Washington State sophomore center Robbie Cowgill will miss at least a month after breaking his collarbone in practice. Cowgill suffered the injury when he dove for a loose ball. He started 19 games last season. The team opens the season in three weeks against California – Riverside.
[10/29/05]

Xavier: Can’t Steal What’s Yours

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Can’t Steal What’s Yours: That’s what the lawyer of Xavier senior point guard Dedrick Finn said about the charges that he stole his ex-girlfriend’s dog. Finn argued with the woman, and she said Finn pushed her and stole her pug. But Finn’s lawyer said the dog belongs to the Musketeer, who has been suspended for the team’s Nov. 5 exhibition game. The lawyer added that the school was too hasty to suspend Finn before finding out the facts in the case. Apparently, Finn had bought the dog and let his former girlfriend care for it because he could not keep the pug on campus.
[10/29/05]

Texas A&M: Aggies to Raise Katrina Relief Funds

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Aggies to Raise Katrina Relief Funds: Texas A&M will donate all proceeds from the Nov. 26 game at Reed Arena against Tulane to the Green Wave’s Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. The game will technically be a home for Tulane, although the crowd clearly will favor the Aggies. Just ask the NFL’s New Orleans Saints about the “home” crowd at an opponents’ stadium. The Saints played the New York Giants at the Meadowlands as a home game that featured tens of thousands of loud New Yorkers clamoring for a Giants victory. The scale is smaller, but the principle remains the same. Although referring to the game as a Tulane home game is bogus, the thought is what counts. Texas A&M is helping out its nearby neighbor as the Gulf Coast states continue to rebuild following the devastation from Katrina.
[10/29/05]

Virginia: Deadbeat Cav

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Deadbeat Cav: Former Virginia superstar Ralph Sampson owes more than $300,000 in child support for two teenage daughters. He has failed to pay $1,500 a month per child for apparently a very long time. He agreed to a plea bargain that will allow him to avoid jail time and fines. His lawyer said Sampson spent most of the summer raising funds to pay the child support. According to financial records, Sampson earned $500,000 in 1999, but his income dropped to $12,000 in 2001. An All-American at Virginia, Sampson was one of the most dominating players in ACC history. He was the No. 1 draft choice in the 1983 NBA Draft and played nine years in the NBA, averaging 15.4 points per game.
[10/29/05]

Connecticut: Ex-Husky Becomes Ex-Hospital Worker

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Ex-Husky Becomes Ex-Hospital Worker: Former Connecticut backup center Eric Hayward, 32, is under investigation for having an improper relationship with a patient at the Riverview Hospital for Children and Youth, where he worked. The hospital fired Hayward for violating its policy that bans such relationships. The extent of Hayward’s relationship with a 16-year-old patient is not clear. She disappeared from the hospital July 19, and police found her a week later in front of Hayward’s apartment building. He denies knowing that the girl was at his place, even though two witnesses said they had seen Hayward with the girl during the week she was missing. Hayward played for the Huskies from 1992-1996.
[10/29/05]

St. John’s: Red Storm Legend Passes

Red Storm Legend Passes: Former St. John’s star and New York native Tony Jackson, 62, died after being sick for several months. Jackson played for the Red Storm during the late 1950s and was a two-time All-American. He ranks among the all-time leaders for points and rebounds at St. John’s. The New York Knicks drafted Jackson in 1961, and he played in the NBA and ABA for several years.
[10/29/05]

Connecticut: Huskies Punish Williams, Price

Huskies Punish Williams, Price: Connecticut handed out firm suspensions for guards A.J. Price and Marcus Williams for stealing computers from a campus dorm this summer. Price is done for the entire season and cannot attend classes until next semester. Williams can still attend classes, but the school banned him from any basketball activities until mid-December. He won’t be eligible to play in a game until Jan. 3 against Marquette. Both point guards have been kicked off campus, but Williams can return in August. Price can’t return for three years. Without Price and Williams, Connecticut’s backcourt will be shallow, despite having one of the best bunch of forwards in the nation.
[10/28/05]

Iowa: Judge Sends Pierce up the River for Two Years

Judge Sends Pierce up the River for Two Years: Former Iowa Hawkeye Pierre Pierce will serve two years in prison for several charges that resulted from a January incident with his girlfriend. Pierce was found guilty on charges of third-degree burglary, false imprisonment, fourth-degree criminal mischief and assault with intent to commit sexual abuse. The judge ordered the sentences to be served concurrently, which means Pierce will be out sooner than he otherwise would be. Pierce expressed remorse for his actions during sentencing, as he apologized to the victim and said he wish he could change his past actions. Hawkeye coach Steve Alford kicked Pierce off the team last season after learning that he was the center of the police investigation. At the time, he was the team’s leading scorer.
[10/28/05]

Akron: Not a Zippy Recovery

Not a Zippy Recovery: Akron junior forward Jeremiah Wood tore his ACL last season against Ohio, the Zips’ primary challenger for this year’s MAC championship, and he may not be ready to play any time soon. Wood is a beast in the paint. He averaged 9.9 points and 7.3 rebounds per game as a freshman and was averaging 10.7 points and 8.1 rebounds per game last season before injuring his knee. Without Wood, Akron will have a more difficult time living up to expectations. But the Zips did take down Ohio twice last season, even without Wood after he injured the knee during the teams’ first meeting.
[10/28/05]

Arizona: Mending Cats

Mending Cats: Arizona has several players who continue to recover from injuries. Chris Rodgers, one of the team’s most important players entering this season, is among that bunch. He injured his knee about a month ago, and the team has watched his rehabilitation carefully to avoid rushing him into practice too soon. He participated in non-contact drills with the team this week, a good sign with the season about two weeks away. Meanwhile, Jawann McClellan and Fendi Onobun are nursing leg and ankle injuries, respectively. McClellan injured his leg against Illinois during the NCAA Tournament and needs more time to recover. He’ll get that time this fall because he is academically ineligible this semester. Onobun’s injury is minor, and he will likely return to practice next week.
[10/28/05]

Belmont: Volunteer Work at Belmont

Volunteer Work at Belmont: Freshman forward Matthew Dotson will play for Belmont this season after contemplating sitting out the season as a redshirt freshman. According to NCAA rules, if players sit out a season under the redshirt designation, the season won’t count against their years of eligibility. Dotson arrived at Belmont in August after Tennessee released him from his scholarship. Dotson had signed with the Volunteers when former coach Buzz Peterson was in charge. But after the school ditched Peterson in favor of Bruce Pearl, Dotson realized his situation changed for the worse. Pearl told him that he would not get much playing time with the Volunteers. Belmont welcomed Dotson, but the school does not have a scholarship available this season. He was planning to redshirt this year, then grab a scholarship next season. But he has decided to contribute to the team sooner rather than later.

Dotson is the second Tennessee player or recruit to arrive in Nashville to play on this Belmont team, joining junior center Boomer Herndon, who sat out last season according to NCAA rules for transfer students. While Dotson and Herndon will suit up this season, sophomore forward Will Peeples will not. He has decided to redshirt this season to complete his recovery from knee surgery last spring. [10/28/05]

UTEP: Much Maligned Miners

Much Maligned Miners: Add Kelvin Davis to Texas – El Paso’s list of the walking wounded. Davis broke a foot and will miss six to eight weeks, which means he’ll miss most of the Miners’ non-conference schedule. He joins a list of injured players that includes guards Edgar Moreno, Vernon Carr and Josh Gutierrez. Moreno had hernia surgery, Carr has a bum ankle, and Gutierrez fractured a foot. Ouch.
[10/28/05]

Denver: Pioneer Gets off the Wagon

Pioneer Gets off the Wagon: Denver sophomore Dan Gibbons has left the Pioneers to focus on academics. The former walk-on saw limited action last season, averaging only 1.7 minutes per game.

[10/28/05]

Villanova: Facilities Fit for a King

Facilities Fit for a King: Villanova wants the country to take the Wildcats seriously as a national powerhouse and championship contender. But the school’s practice facility and Pavilion, where the Wildcats host elite Big East competition, do not befit a regal college basketball program. Yet. The school has plans to build a new practice facility by 2007 to join other Big East brethren that have state-of-the-art facilities, which help attract blue chip recruits and retain promising coaches, such as Jay Wright. The school also plans to give the Pavilion a makeover, including alterations to seats, concessions, restrooms and the student section. [10/28/05]

La Salle: Expert Opinion Supports Prosecution in La Salle Rape Trial

Expert Opinion Supports Prosecution in La Salle Rape Trial: A toxicologist testified that a La Salle student probably had three times the legal limit of alcohol in her when she said Explorer players Michael Cleaves and Gary Neal raped her. The prosecution argues that Cleaves and Neal took advantage of the drunk 19-year-old student and raped her while she was vomiting in the sink. According to the experts testimony, the woman had six to eight shots of 99-proof alcohol, which would have rendered her drunk. Or as the prosecution likes to say, “smashed.” The defense and accused former players argue that the sex was consensual. The entire mess has been a black eye for La Salle, which is trying to build a competitive program in the Atlantic 10. [10/27/05]