- Let’s get the morning started with some recruiting and prospect news… blue-chip forward Ricardo Gathers committed to Baylor this week, choosing to leave his home state of Louisiana. Now, we are learning today why he spurned Louisiana State. Apparently, Gathers wasn’t too happy with the lackadaisical approach LSU coach Trent Johnson took during his recruitment. Johnson disagrees, claiming he has recruited Gathers during the entire duration of his high school career. Unfortunately, Johnson only made it to one of his games this year, which may have cost him his commitment. Scott Drew has to be smiling about that.
- Marcus Smart already committed to Oklahoma State a long time ago, but now he has been selected as a McDonald’s All-American. We have talked a lot about Smart’s impact next season, and this selection should now only add to the hype. Smart, considered one of the top guards in the Class of 2012, plays for a state championship team in Texas and could be a program-changer– especially if he gets to team with Le’Bryan Nash.
- McDonald’s All-Americans are old hat to Kansas, which learned Perry Ellis will also join the team in March. Ellis is an important recruit for Bill Self, who has been criticized (probably unfairly) for failing to bring in elite talent to Lawrence lately. And by that, we mean some of his current players are, um, not McDonald’s All-American. Unacceptable. And yes, that was sarcasm.
- You didn’t ask for this, but we have got another Missouri article coming your way except we swear, this one is very well-done and original. Every time we read the story of Frank Haith and the Tigers’ tumultuous off-season, we begin to wonder how this dream season is even possible. From Mike Anderson to Nevin Shapiro to Laurence Bowers, shall we say there’s a feel of destiny to this 2011-12 campaign?
- Texas knows exactly what it must do at this point to reach the NCAA Tournament: get that signature win already! We can sit here all day and debates the ins and outs of the Longhorns’ RPI and non-conference SOS, but it all comes down to Texas beating either Baylor or Kansas. They already threw away two golden opportunities against Missouri and Kansas, so it is now or never for Rick Barnes. Close losses don’t count for moral victories anymore.