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Returning SEC hoops leaders

Now that we know who is staying and who is going as far as college basketball is concerned, we grab a better grasp on the outlook for next hoops season.

Here are the top statistical SEC returnees by points, rebounds and assists.

Points per game (all games)

•   1. Marcus Thorton, LSU                    19.6
•   2. Devan Downey, South Carolina      18.4
•   3. A.J. Ogilvy, Vandy                        17.0
•   4. Patrick Patterson, Kentucky          16.4
•   5. Chris Warren, Ole Miss                 15.8
•   6. Nick Calathes, Florida                   15.3
•   7. Zam Fredrick, South Carolina         14.8
•   8. Alonzo Gee, Alabama                    14.5
•   9. Tyler Smith, Tennessee                 13.6
• 10. Rasheem Barrett, Auburn              13.6

Rebounds per game (all games)

•   1. Jarvis Varnado, Miss State            7.8
•   2. Patrick Patterson, Kentucky          7.7
•   3. Alonzo Gee, Alabama                   6.8
•   4. A.J. Ogilvy, Vanderbilt                   6.7
•   5. Tyler Smith, Tennessee                6.7
•   6. Patrick Beverley, Arkansas           6.6
•   7. Chris Johnson, LSU                      6.6
•   8. Dan Werner, Florida                      6.4
•   9. Wayne Chism, Tennessee            5.8
• 10. Dominique Archie, South Carolina  5.7

Assists per game (all games)

•   1. Nick Calathes, Florida                  6.1
•   2. Devan Downey, South Carolina     5.4
•   3. Jermaine Beal, Vanderbilt            4.6
•   4. Chris Warren, Ole Miss               4.5
•   5. Eniel Polynice, Ole Miss             4.1

Speights leaving Florida

It's official. According to the Gainesville Sun, Florida center Marreese Speights is going to keep his name in the NBA draft, thus exiting Gainesville.

Surprisingly enough, despite wildly inconsistent play in his two years as a Gator, Speights apparently projects as a first-round pick in the upcoming selections.

Billy Donovan confirmed that Speights, who averaged 14.5 points and 8.1 rebounds last year., is in fact departing the program. Florida has a couple of excellent freshmen big men coming into the program next year, but losing Speights is still a blow. The Gators were a small team a year ago. Speights worked out for the Indiana Pacers yesterday and is to work out for the Houston Rockets on Friday.

Yikes -- Didn't you used to be Ken Stabler?

Disturbing image via And the Valley Shook, which got it via southernledger.com.

It's Ken Stabler after his DUI arrest. The poor ex-Alabama, ex-Oakland Raider quarterback, once known as "Snake," is also the color man on Alabama football broadcasts. Hope Jeff Piecoro is too busy with the Reds to get into this kind of trouble.

Paul Finebaum said at first people on his radio show were calling for Stabler's firing, but now, “You're hearing 'We love Kenny, we want him to stay. He's done a bad thing. We want him to get help.' But as this story settles in, people are taking a deep breath and showing a lot more forgiveness,” Finebaum said.

Columnist: Polk is "wrong, wrong, wrong."

Rick Cleveland, long-time columnist of the Clarion-Ledger in Jackson, Miss., writes this morning that ex-Mississippi State coach Ron Polk was far too harsh and "wrong, wrong, wrong" for blasting MSU athletics director Greg Byrne over his hiring of ex-UK coach John Cohen instead of Polk's personal choice, assistant Tommy Raffo.

Polk's comments have created quite a stir in Starkville and elsewhere. The long-time MSU coach, a college baseball legend, is known for his blunt words. He has been a constant critic of the NCAA. And though Polk desperately wanted Raffo to be his successor, many think the old coach has stepped over the line.

Including Cleveland.

Highlights:

• Writes Cleveland, "Greg Byrne did what he was charged to do: Hire the best baseball coach possible at Mississippi State. Certainly nothing wrong with that. From here, it looks like Byrne belted a grand slam."

• Longtime readers of this column know of my respect for Polk and all he has achieved. This time, however, he is wrong, wrong, wrong.

• Cohen on Polk: "I want to publicly say that I'm not standing here right now accepting this job if it were not for what I learned from Ron Polk. I told him that yesterday when I talked to him. He said, 'John, I love you, but. . . '"

• Cleveland writes that Byrne was asked specifically about Polk's comments Byrne had no clue what he was doing, and replied, "You know, I just don't think I want to say anything more about that."
  Good for him.

• "My vision is real simple," Cohen said. "I want to win a a national championship at Mississippi State."

• Cleveland writes that Jay Powell, who played for Polk before going on to win the seventh game of a World Series in the Major Leagues, believes they will. Powell, a smart guy who dearly loves his school, called Cohen's hiring "a no-brainer." "Look what he's done at Kentucky," Powell said. "I think he's going to do an unbelievable job for us."

• "I love Coach Polk and I respect everything he has done," Powell said, "but I'll tell you the same thing I told him yesterday. I don't agree with what he's doing. This is about what's best for Mississippi State. It's about John Cohen. It's not about Ron Polk. Again, I love Coach Polk but what he's doing isn't good for the program and I don't think it's been fair to John Cohen or to Greg Byrne."

Cohen thanks Polk, but also takes a veiled shot.

Polk irate over Cohen hire at Mississippi State

The John Cohen hiring at Mississippi State is not being met with open arms.

Not by his predecessor, that's for sure.

According to the Jackson Clarion-Ledger, retiring Mississippi State coach, and legend, Ron Polk is blasting MSU for passing up his assistant coach Tommy Raffo and hiring Cohen, UK's baseball coach and a former State player under Polk, as the new Bulldogs coach.

Highlights:

• “I just got slapped in the face, punched in the stomach,” Polk told the Clarion-Ledger. “All my coaches have been slapped in the face, punched in the stomach by a young athletic director who has absolutely no clue what he’s doing.”

• That young athletic director is Greg Byrne, former assistant athletic director at Kentucky, who was part of the committed that hired Cohen as the UK baseball coach.

• Polk told the Clarion-Ledger that he will send Byrne a letter saying, "within 48 hours, my name comes off the stadium, comes off the centerfield fence, the banner off the concourse comes down. It will remain down until (Byrne) gets fired or somebody runs him off.”

• Polk also said he intends to take Mississippi State out of his will as long as Byrne is the AD.

• He also said that he will not be at Saturday's press conference to introduce Cohen, but that he holds nothing against his former player for taking the job.  “I’m not castigating John Cohen,” Polk said. “He probably felt like if he wasn't going to take it, somebody else would.”

Football coaches: Recruiting young different for us

Interesting story on the Scripps wire giving opinions from SEC coaches about the recent basketball trend, spear-headed by UK and Billy Gillispie, of gaining commitments from younger and younger prospects.

Story highlights:

• When asked if he would ever offer an eighth-grade prospect, Florida football coach Urban Meyer said, "Depends how fast he can run the 40." Meyer was laughing when he responded.

• Both football and basketball at the SEC Spring Meetings agreed that basketball prospects develop more quickly.  "You can look at some of those eighth-graders and say, 'That cat is going to be a player,"' Mississippi State basketball coach Rick Stansbury said. "If you get a commitment from one that age, there's a lot less traffic and a lot less hoops to jump through."

• Alabama coach Nick Saban said there was probably too much of a risk involved in trying to recruit young football prospects. "We need to evaluate character and attitude, academics and athletic ability," Saban said. "Coaches are trying to get a (recruiting) jump on the other guy, but in doing that, sometimes you make some mistakes."

• Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville said it's "foolish" for a football coach to offer a scholarship to an eighth- or ninth-grader. "We see our guys physically change tremendously from the time we get them until the time they graduate," Tuberville said. "In football, we have to build more of our players than basketball."

• Ole Miss football coach Houston Nutt said the general public doesn't quite understand the competitive recruiting game. "They say, 'Why in the world would somebody offer (a scholarship to someone 14 years old?"' Nutt said. "That's the world that we're in. You want to be first, you want to say 'We offered him first."'

Donovan's Smart pickup is no small thing

Florida's hiring of Clemson assistant coach Shaka Smith is attracting attention inside basketball circles.

As recruiting coordinator, Smith had helped Oliver Purnell build Clemson into a team worthy of challenging for the ACC title. And though Billy Donovan is known for his relentless recruiting, the Florida coach has taken some aid hits of late. Defensive sage Larry Shyatt is still in place. But Anthony Grant left for VCU, where he took the Rams to the Sweet 16 two years ago. And last year Donnie Jones took the step up to head coach at Marshall.

Smart replaces Lewis Preston, who joined the staff at Penn State.

Smart's addition is being hailed by Greg Wallace of the Anderson Independent Mail, who writes in the Clemson Sports Blog, "The move, first reported by TigersIllustrated.com and confirmed by CBS Sportsline , is a definite blow to the Tigers' momentum and is expected to become official later this week. Smart put together an excellent incoming recruiting class and built a solid Class of 2009 headlined by five-star in-state forward Milton Jennings and four-star Union forward Devin Booker, the brother of Clemson rising junior center/forward Trevor Booker. . . . Smart will be missed - he was always friendly and energetic - and Purnell needs to hire well to replace him. The Tigers' 2009 recruiting work is largely done, but recruiting is a job that is neverending and must be done well for Clemson to continue its recent ACC rise."

Paul Strelow of The State writes, "Smart, 31, was credited with elevating Clemson’s recruiting by helping land several top-100 prospects. He was instrumental in signing 7-foot-1 center Catalin Baciu for the incoming class, and his relationship with Pinewood Prep forward Milton Jennings played a role in Jennings’ commitment for the 2009 class. Jennings, rated as the nation’s No. 6 prospect by rivals.com, picked Clemson over UCLA and Florida."

Not a good showing for SEC baseball

Nine SEC baseball teams were invited to the NCAA Tournament. More than any other conference. Arkansas made the NCAA Tournament after failing to qualify for the SEC Tournament. Yet after three days of play, only one SEC team has made it through to this week's Super Regionals, while a second conference team tries to make its way through tonight.

Here is how conference teams fared:

• Alabama: Jim Wells' club roared out of the gate, whipping East Carolina 16-3. Then the wheels fell off. Coastal Carolina outslugged the Tide 13-10 on Saturday. Then East Carolina exorcised revenge by thumping the Tide 16-1 yesterday. Record: 1-2.

• Arkansas: There was a legitimate reason why the Razorbacks missed the SEC. They lost to Pepperdine 4-3 on Friday, then fell to regional host Stanford 5-1 on Saturday. Record: 0-2.

• Florida: Upset Friday in Tallahassee all but killed the Gators chances. Florida lost to Tulane 7-4 before FSU was shocked by Bucknell 7-0 on Friday. That set up a UF vs. FSU elimination game. Bye-bye Gators. Florida State won 17-11. Record: 0-2.

• Georgia: As regional host, the Bulldogs were stunned 10-7 by tiny Lipscomb in the first round. Georgia rebounded Saturday to eliminate Louisville 9-8. Yesterday, the Bulldogs mashed Lipscomb 14-3, then blanked arch-rival Georgia Tech 8-0 in the nightcap. The Dogs and Jackets play again tonight with the winner advancing. Record: 2-1.

• Kentucky: John Cohen's club lost at host Michigan 7-5 in opening-round game, which was spread out over two days because of rain. The Cats rebounded to beat Eastern Michigan 4-3 on Saturday. Yesterday, the Cats pounded Michigan 12-6, but then lost to Arizona 5-3 last night. Record: 2-2. Mark Maloney's recap.

• LSU: That Tiger train keeps on rolling. LSU routed visiting Texas Southern 12-1 on Friday. The Tigers then squashed Southern Miss 13-4 on Saturday. Last night, they eliminated Southern Miss 11-4 for their 23rd straight victory and a spot in the Super Regionals. Record: 3-0.

• Ole Miss: The Rebels had the misfortune of meeting a hot Missouri pitcher in the opener, losing 7-0. They rebounded to whip Bethune-Cookman 14-1 on Saturday and edge Missouri 9-6 on Sunday. But No. 1 Miami was just too tough, eliminating Ole Miss 11-2 on Sunday night. Record: 2-2.

• South Carolina: The Gamecocks nearly doubled-up Charlotte 15-8 in the opener at Raleigh. But a tough 5-4 loss to North Carolina State on Saturday put USC's backs to the walls. The Gamecocks beat James Madison 7-5 on a walk-off homer in the first game Sunday. But N.C. State eliminated USC 2-1 in the finals Sunday night. Record: 2-2.

• Vanderbilt: Heartbreak for the Commodores. They lost to Oklahoma 8-5 in the first game in Tempe. A 9-4 win over Stony Brook on Saturday set up a rematch with OU on Sunday. Second game was no better as Sooners eliminated Vanderbilt with 11-10 win. Record: 1-2.

Steele returning to Alabama

Andy Katz is reporting that after participating in the NBA Pre-Draft Camp, Ronald Steele is returning to Alabama.

Steele put up solid numbers, but looked a bit slow in five-on-five games, said Katz. He hopes that a full year back in Tuscaloosa will help his draft standing this time next year.

Steele's teammate, Richard Hendrix, is continuing with the pre-draft process. Alonzo Gee has decided to return to school.

Day 2: SEC baseball in NCAA Tournament

Links from SEC teams in the NCAA Tournament:

• Kentucky beats EMU to stay alive. [Lexington Herald-Leader]

• Coastal Carolina explodes to beat Alabama 13-10. [Birmingham News]

• Georgia eliminates Louisville, earns rematch with Georgia Tech. [AJC]

• LSU takes streak to 22 wins. [The Advocate]

• Ole Miss' Irwin saves best outing for regional. [Clarion-Ledger]

• Florida State eliminates Florida from Tallahassee regional. [Gainesville Sun]

• Arkansas stranded in California. [Arkansas Democrat-Gazette]

• Vandy stays alive for rematch with Oklahoma. [Tennessean]

• South Carolina must win three straight to take regional. [The State]

SEC scores and schedules in NCAA Baseball Tournament

Ann Arbor Regional
Friday, May 30
Game 1 -- Arizona 13, Eastern Michigan 7
Game 2 -- Kentucky (42-17) vs. Michigan (45-12) -- Suspended, rain
Saturday, May 31
Game 2 -- Michigan 7, Kentucky 5
Game 3 -- Kentucky 4, Eastern Michigan 3 … Eastern Michigan is eliminated.
Game 4 -- Arizona 4, Michigan 3
Sunday, June 1
Game 5 -- Kentucky (43-18) vs. Michigan (46-13), 2 p.m. ET
Game 6 -- Arizona (40-17) vs. Winner of Game 5, 7 p.m. ET
Monday, June 2
Game 7 -- Winner of Game 4 vs. Winner of Game 5 (if nec.), 7 p.m. ET

Athens Regional
Athens, Ga.
Friday, May 30
Game 1 -- Lipscomb 10, Georgia 7
Game 2 -- Georgia Tech 8, Louisville 5
Saturday, May 31
Game 3 -- Georgia 9, Louisville 8 … Louisville is eliminated.
Game 4 -- Georgia Tech 6, Lipscomb 3
Sunday, June 1
Game 5 -- Georgia (36-22-1) vs. Lipscomb (33-29), 2 p.m. ET
Game 6 -- Georgia Tech vs. Winner of Game 5, 6 p.m. ET
Monday, June 2
Game 7 -- Winner of Game 4 vs. Winner of Game 5 (if nec.), 7 p.m. ET

Baton Rouge Regional
Baton Rouge, La.
Friday, May 30
Game 1 -- Southern Miss. 16, New Orleans 3
Game 2 -- LSU 12, Texas Southern 1
Saturday, May 31
Game 3 -- New Orleans 18, Texas Southern 5 … Texas Southern is eliminated
Game 4 -- LSU 13, Southern Miss. 4
Sunday, June 1
Game 5 -- New Orleans (43-20) vs. Southern Miss (41-21), 2 p.m. ET
Game 6 -- LSU (46-16-1) vs. Winner of Game 5, 7 p.m. ET
Monday, June 2
Game 7 -- Winner of Game 4 vs. Winner of Game 5 (if nec.), 2 p.m. ET

Conway Regional
Conway, S.C.
Friday, May 30
Game 1 -- Coastal Carolina 10, Columbia 2
Game 2 -- Alabama 16, East Carolina 3
Saturday, May 31
Game 3 -- East Carolina 9, Columbia 0 ... Columbia is eliminated
Game 4 -- Coastal Carolina 13, Alabama 10
Sunday, June 1
Game 5 -- East Carolina (41-20) vs. Alabama (35-27), 1 p.m. ET
Game 6 -- Winner of Game 4 vs. Winner of Game 5, 7 p.m. ET
Monday, June 2
Game 7 -- Winner of Game 4 vs. Winner of Game 5 (if nec.), 1 p.m. ET

Coral Gables Regional
Coral Gables, Fla.
Friday, May 30
Game 1 -- Missouri 7, Mississippi 0
Game 2 -- Miami 7, Bethune-Cookman 4 … Highlights
Saturday, May 31
Game 3 -- Mississippi 14, Bethune-Cookman 1 ... Bethune-Cookman is eliminated
Game 4 -- Miami 6, Missouri 5
Sunday, June 1
Game 5 -- Mississippi (38-25) vs. Missouri (39-20), noon ET
Game 6 -- Miami (49-8) vs. Winner of Game 5, 4 p.m. ET
Monday, June 2
Game 7 -- Winner of Game 4 vs. Winner of Game 5 (if nec.), 7 p.m. ET

Raleigh Regional
Raleigh, N.C.
Friday, May 30
Game 1 -- South Carolina 15, Charlotte 8
Game 2 -- NC State 6, James Madison 2
Saturday, May 31
Game 3 -- James Madison 13, Charlotte 12 … Charlotte is eliminated.
Game 4 -- N.C. State 5, South Carolina 4
Sunday, June 1
Game 5 -- James Madison (39-18) vs. South Carolina (39-22)
Game 6 -- N.C. State (41-20) vs. Winner of Game 5, 6 p.m. ET
Monday, June 2
Game 7 -- Winner of Game 4 vs. Winner of Game 5 (if nec.), 1 p.m. ET

Stanford Regional
Stanford, Calif.
Friday, May 30
Game 1 -- Pepperdine 4, Arkansas 3
Game 2 -- UC Davis 4, Stanford 2
Saturday, May 31
Game 3 -- Stanford 5, Arkansas 1 … Arkansas is eliminated.

Tallahassee Regional
Tallahassee, Fla.
Friday, May 30
Game 1 -- Tulane 7, Florida 4
Game 2 -- Bucknell 7, Florida St. 0
Saturday, May 31
Game 3 -- Florida St. 17, Florida 11 ... Florida is eliminated

Tempe Regional
Tempe, Ariz.
Friday, May 30
Game 1 -- Oklahoma 8, Vanderbilt 5
Game 2 -- Arizona State 8, Stony Brook 7
Saturday, May 31
Game 3 -- Vanderbilt 9, Stony Brook 4 … Stony Brook is eliminated.
Game 4 -- Arizona State 15, Oklahoma 3
Sunday, June 1
Game 5 -- Vanderbilt (40-22) vs. Oklahoma (35-25-1)
Game 6 -- Arizona State (47-11) vs. Winner of Game 5, 9 p.m. ET
Monday, June 2
Game 7 -- Winner of Game 4 vs. Winner of Game 5 (if nec.), 9 p.m. ET