Campus Watch

McCrea cut from U.S. U-19 squad

---UB sophomore forward Javon McCrea was released from the USA Basketball Under 19 World Championship Team today.

McCrea had made the original cut from 21 players to 13 players and coach Paul Hewitt indicated McCrea was the last player cut from the team.

“The selection was harder than I expected," Hewitt said. “The young man we decided not to keep, Javon McCrea, it was really just a numbers situation, he played more than well enough to make the team. We just didn’t feel comfortable going over there without three point guards.”

Said UB coach Reggie Witherspoon: “This experience will benefit Javon in three ways; exposure, competition and instruction. When you add up these three things, it will result in great experience moving forward.”

---Rodney McKissic

(www.twitter.com/rodneyjmckissic)

McCrea among finalists for U.S. U-19 squad

---UB sophomore Javon McCrea is one of 13 players named as finalists for the 2011 USA Men’s U19 World Championship Team. The selections, which were made by the USA Basketball Junior National Team Committee, came after three-days, four training sessions, during the U19 Team training camp that got underway Friday. The USA squad will look to defend the gold medal won in 2009 at the 2011 FIBA U19 World Championship that runs June 30-July 10 in Latvia.

Training camp for the selected finalists continues today through Thursday with the official 12-member USA U19 roster being announced prior to the team’s departure for Europe on Friday.

---Rodney McKissic

(www.twitter.com/rodneyjmckissic)

McCrea gets his chance

---Jerry Sullivan writes about UB's Javon McCrea, who is trying out for the U.S. FIBA U19 World Championship team. Meanwhile, Mike Miller wants to know who you would choose if you were the coach of the Team USA coach for the World University Games.

---The Bulls Zach Filzen and Titus Robinson have been selected to play for Athletes in Action and have embarked on a tour of East Asia.

---Jared Sullinger has a lot of unfinished business.

---The SWAC has finally handed out it's post-season bans for schools that received APR marks below the minimum score of 925.

---Rodney McKissic

(www.twitter.com/rodneyjmckissic)

McCrea invited to U-19 World Championship team training camp

---UB's Javon McCrea has been invited to attend the 2011 USA Basketball Men's U19 World Championship Team training camp. The sophomore from Newark is one of 21 of the country’s best 19-and-under players invited to the camp.

The camp will be held June 17-24 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., will be used to select the 12-member team that will represent the United States at the 2011 FIBA U19 World Championship. The finalist will be announced June 19.

The FIBA U19 World Championship will be held June 30-July 10 in Valmiera, Liepaja and Riga Latvia.

---Rodney McKissic

(www.twitter.com/rodneyjmckissic)

Thomas, Bittner to play in all-star games

---Former UB players Josh Thomas and Peter Bittner will participate in senior all-star games in the next few weeks. Thomas, a three-year starter at cornerback, will play in the East-West Shrine Game this Saturday in Orlando while Bittner will play in the Dixie Gridiron Classic in St. George, Utah on Feb. 5.

---Rodney McKissic

(www.twitter.com/rodneyjmckissic)

More than likely, it will be Godfrey against UB

---Although he hasn’t announced it yet, Central Flordia coach George O’Leary will likely bench quarterback Rob Calabrese and go with with freshman Jeff Godfrey, pictured above, against UB on Saturday. O'Leary said on the Conference USA conference call on Monday that both QBs will take first-team snaps in practice this week, and O'Leary will decide his starter by Thursday.

---The Bulls are 11.5-point underdogs at home against UCF.

---Here's a good behind the scenes look from Samantha Steele on the UB-Baylor game.

---Kent State's Doug Martin believes if they can keep the turnover below 22 this season, they'll be in contention in the MAC.

---Toledo's defense is beginning to turn it up. A much maligned unit in 2009, the Rocket's defense allowed 533 yards of offense and 41 points in the opening loss to Arizona. But last Saturday, yielded just 13 points and 183 yards of offense in the MAC opener at Ohio.

---Michigan's Denard Robinson is the most electrifying player in college football, and has already set, broken and re-broken records in his first two career starts at quarterback.

---In terms of success against non-league opponents, the Big East is closer to the MAC and WAC than the Big 12 or Big Ten.

---In college hoops, Gary Parrish spoke anonymously to ten Division I coaches trying to determine why, and how many, illegal phone calls are made on the recruiting trail.

---The Los Angeles Times wrote a good profile on former UCLA and current St. John's coach Steve Lavin.

---- Andy Katz's writes how Syracuse and Duke functioned this summer with Jim Boeheim and Coach K coaching Team USA in Turkey.

---Rodney McKissic

(www.twitter.com/rodneyjmckissic)

Laettner's star shines in two Halls

 

---Bucky Gleason writes about Christian Laettner, the former Nichols School All-American and Angola native, who takes a place in history Friday when the Dream Team is inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. In November, the former Duke star enters the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame.

---This is a couple of days old (shout out to my man Keith McShea for the heads up) but Lackawanna native Curtis Underwood, pictured right, has a chance to start at tailback for North Carolina State.

---After a trying offseason, tailback Delone Carter is back on the Syracuse roster.

---Catching up with Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram.

---Changes at quarterback contribute to the new vibe at Western Michigan. ESPN.com takes a look at the Broncos and other schools in the MAC.

---Terrelle Pryor wants to leave a four-year legacy at Ohio State.

---Things are optimistic at Baylor as long as the Bears QB remains healthy. Baylor hosts UB on Sept. 11.

---Rodney McKissic

(www.twitter.com/rodneyjmckissic)

Temple now in the MAC spotlight

---The Mid-American Conference is a league in transition and Temple, who returns the most talent, will dominate the headlines.

---Syracuse junior point guard Scoop Jardine is part of the 20 player USA Men's Select Team that will train against the 2010 USA Basketball Men’s National Team during its July 19-24 training camp in Las Vegas, Nevada.

---Are jobs in the Big East destination positions or stepping stone jobs?

---Inexperience the issue for Penn State at QB, not talent.

---Sad news out of Kentucky with the passing of Melvin Turpin of an apparent suicide. Turpin's NBA career washed out quickly because he couldn't control his weight, which earned him the nickname "Dinner Bell Mel" but when he played at Kentucky alongside Sam Bowie and Kenny "Sky" Walker, Turpin possessed some serious offensive tools in the low post. During his Kentucky career, Turpin recorded three of the best six single-season shooting percentages in school history. His best — 61.7 percent in 1982-83, ranks third in school history. The way he performed at Kentucky is the way I choose to remember Melvin Turpin.

---Rodney McKissic

(www.twitter.com/rodneyjmckissic)

Brantley ready to take reins at Florida

---How would you like to be the guy who replaces Tim Tebow at Florida? John Brantley is about to find out.

---Austin Rivers, the son of Celtics coach Doc Rivers proves game ahead of age at FIBA tourney.

---In a bit of a shocker, Phil Steele picks the Oklahoma Sooners No. 1.

---Here's a Q&A with Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly.

---Florida State launches Heisman Trophy campaign for Christian Ponder.

---Texas Tech coach Tommy Tuberville is raising some eyebrows in the Big 12.

---Glen Miller, UConn's new assistant basketball coach will have a wide range of duties.

---The NCAA could bar early verbal offers of financial aid to students in all sports until July 1 before their senior year.

---Rodney McKissic

(www.twitter.com/rodneyjmckissic)

Witherspoon brings home the gold

---Allen Wilson writes about UB coach Reggie Witherspoon's experience coaching the Under-18 National Team at the FIBA Americas Championships. And remember that black bear that was killed by a driver along the I-990 last week? According to Witherspoon, Bulls guard Zach Filzen was the driver. Filzen was not injured in the accident but his car was totaled.

---UConn football was one of the few money losers among BCS programs in 2008-09.

---Legendary football scout Tom Lemming is always on the move.

---Michigan's recent NCAA investigation into its football program has been costly.

---Here's a preview on Miami (Ohio) by Collegefootballnews.com.

---Rodney McKissic

(www.twitter.com/rodneyjmckissic)