Welcome to season two of the Pac-12 microsite at Rush the Court. While we’ve still got a ways to go until we actually see some on-the-court action, the weather is changing, the leaves are turning, and we can begin to see basketball on the horizon, so it is time to get back into the swing of things as we count down the days until tip-off on Friday, November 9.

Bloggers Andrew Murawa (@amurawa) and Connor Pelton (@connorpelton128) return from last year’s team, but this year we’ll add a number of new faces to guide you through the Pac-12. We welcome Kevin Danna (@kevo408) and Parker Baruh (@ParkerBaruh) to our staff, and we’ll also continue to feature Adam Butler of Pachoops (@pachoopsab) as a featured columnist. Starting today and continuing to the Final Four and beyond, we hope to keep you on top of everything that is going on basketball-wise in the conference. And, hopefully, with an infusion of new and returning talent, the teams out west will cooperate and give us a bit higher quality of play this year than last.

So, welcome back and let us know what you think, whether you’ve got suggestions, disagreements or anything else for us. Now let’s get ready for some hoops.

1. The countdown to Jabari Parker’s final commitment continues. Parker, who is arguably the best high school recruit for the incoming 2013-14 season, has narrowed his list of schools to the final five and only one Big Ten team will be on his mind over the next month, Michigan State. The other four schools include BYU, Florida, Duke and Stanford. Michigan State’s head coach Tom Izzo is not known for recruiting the typical “one-and-done” player but Parker may be one of the best high school talents known in recent years. The high school senior will schedule on campus visits with each of the five schools and is expected to commit by the end of November. Parker averaged 19.5 PPG, 8.9 RPG and 4.9 APG at Simeon Career Academy of Chicago last season.
2. Illinois’ athletic director Mike Thomas is under immense pressure this season because he replaced both of the head coaches of the major sports – football and basketball. Even though Illinois football is off to a 2-4 start and has not caught the fans’ attention, he hopes that the basketball coach, John Groce, can turn the attitude around rather quickly. Groce has clearly impressed the Orange Krush with his recruiting abilities by bringing in Kendrick Nunn for next season, but he is preaching toughness for the upcoming year. Groce has been pushing the current guards to be in “attack” mode and has been specifically focused on senior guard Brandon Paul to become more consistent. Paul averaged 14.7 PPG and 4.7 RPG as a junior but he needs to show more consistency if the Illini hope to turn it around after a disappointing season that did not even result in an NIT appearance. Illinois averaged 65.4 possessions per game during the Big Ten and Groce hopes to field a much quicker and faster team which will push the tempo of the game.
3. President Obama’s love for basketball and his pickup games with various stars of the game has been well publicized over the years, but he is taking his game to the Big Ten country now. The Badger basketball squad spent five minutes with the President last week during his trip to Wisconsin and were promised a pick-up game after the election. Redshirt freshman point guard George Marshall helped organize the meeting by getting some help from his former high school teammates’ father who works with the President. Zach Bohannon, a redshirt junior, started the buzz about the meeting on Twitter. Marshall is one of the new faces that hopes to step into Jordan Taylor’s shoes to take over point guard duties. He averaged 17.3 PPG, 5.9 RPG and 5.4 APG during his senior season of high school in Chicago. Wisconsin does not have an experienced true point guard on the roster and Marshall ought to fill that role of running an efficient half court offense for Bo Ryan.
4. Deshaun Thomas and Aaron Craft of Ohio State have been hyped for the upcoming season and will continue to remain the primary contributors of the Buckeyes throughout the season. But junior guard Lenzelle Smith Jr. has the opportunity to become a consistent second scoring option in this offense and certainly has the talent to take over games if needed. Smith has been working on his game during the offseason and appears to be very comfortable with his role as he hopes to fill in the void left by Jared Sullinger. Even though Smith averaged only 6.8 PPG and 4.6 RPG last season, he showed flashes of brilliance during certain key contests. Against Indiana, he scored 28 points and went off for 17 against Michigan. He has the shooting range and athleticism to succeed in Thad Matta’s offense as the Buckeyes appear to be one of the contenders to win the Big Ten again.
5. Penn State’s football team has found its rhythm after an 0-2 start and seems to be one of the contenders to finish strong in a weakened Big Ten. The basketball team also seems to be in high spirits as Pat Chambers continues to mold the program by instilling toughness and more importantly, pushing the team for consistency. Football coach Bill O’ Brien will continue to act as the face of Penn State athletics in the media’s eyes due to the negative publicity of the Penn State football program, but Chambers may be the backbone and strong foundation that the athletic program needs during these times. Senior guard Tim Frazier is a good start as he has the ability to lead his team to a solid Big Ten season. Frazier stuffed the stat sheet last season by averaging 18.8 PPG, 6.2 APG and 4.7 RPG.

And we are back! Welcome to the second year of the Big Ten Microsite at RTC. Over the next six months, we will provide you a steady of stream of news and analysis about one of the best basketball conferences in college hoops.

Our team of four writers – Wesley Barger, Deepak Jayanti, Joey Nowak and Kevin Trahan will keep you posted about the various storylines that come up during the season. We will focus on the preseason over the next few weeks, transition into the key non-conference games, then go through the rugged conference season and follow the Big Ten’s quest for its first National Championship in over 12 seasons.

The stage is set for the conference to showcase its talent this season as four Big Ten teams – Indiana, Michigan, Michigan State and Ohio State – have the talent the go deep into the postseason and will be in the spotlight all year long. Stick with us through what could be one of the best seasons ever for the Big Ten!

1. No need to remind Chris Walker how difficult his job is this season at Texas Tech. He may have inherited one of the messiest situations in major college basketball after the resignation of Billy Gillispie, but he’s likely just happy to have the interim job at this point. With no expectations whatsoever, Walker is now pledging to get out and run with his new roster this season. Walker says he likes the Red Raiders’ athleticism, but as the article points out, his up-tempo style may depend on how well his new point guards perform. Last year, Gillispie’s point guards were nothing short of abysmal, and he did not ever find a viable option to take care of the basketball and facilitate offense. Those who’ve seen freshman Josh Gray say he’ll be a difference-maker at the point, but it’s hard to rely on a frosh for leadership and immediate production. No matter who takes the reins as the point guard, though, it’s nice to see Walker attempting to create an identity for this program. That’s the first step in the recovery process after the Gillispie debacle.
2. Two former Kansas basketball players joined the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame over the weekend, placing a Jayhawk stamp on the state with Bud Stallworth and Wayne Simien. As younger folks, we had to google Stallworth to make sure to cover all of our facts. He starred in the early ’70s, reached the Final Four in 1971 and saw his number retired by the school in 2005. Googling Simien was not necessary, however. Simien played in two Final Fours under Roy Williams and blossomed into one of the nation’s top forwards as an upperclassman, averaging a double-double as a senior in 2004-05. He played briefly in the NBA before heading to Europe, and he’s now listed as retired by Wikipedia. A bit surprising, sure, but Simien built quite a basketball pedigree in his short career.
3. We’re a little late on this, but Bill Self signed an extension last week to stay at Kansas through 2022. We’re not sure what we’ll be doing in 2022, but if Self makes it that far, he’ll rake in millions. The deal increases his annual salary, too, which begs the question: Is Bill Self still underpaid? Forbes took a look at the situation and makes a decent argument. The economic impact Self has made at Kansas is stunning. Forbes claims Self has increased the Jayhawks’ financial stock, from the eighth-most valuable college basketball program to the third-most valuable in just a few years. That alone is enough to justify Self’s salary.
4. Speaking of money, Kansas State just shelled out $18 million for a new practice facility. It’s 50,000 square feet and gives the basketball program luxurious courts, offices, locker rooms and other facilities. It may not translate directly to a national championship, but it’s the sort of thing that helps in the recruiting business and adds an extra benefit to potential prospects. It’ll also make Bruce Weber’s job a little easier as he begins to mark his place in Manhattan.
5. Oklahoma State represents Travis Ford‘s fourth coaching stop, and he’s had an interesting tenure with the Cowboys. After immediate success on the shoulders of the likes of Byron Eaton and James Anderson, he’s fallen on hard times lately and needs a rebound. As this piece points out, he’s slowly rebuilt the three previous programs at which he coached, but he’s now attempting to bounce back from an injury-riddled season and two straight seasons without an NCAA Tournament. It’s odd to say, but the pressure might be on Ford with Marcus Smart joining the crew this season. It’s silly to say he’s on the hot seat, but the direction of his program probably depends on how his team fares in 2012-13.

Six months after Kansas fell a game short of capturing a national championship, we’ve got a lot of catching up to do in the Big 12 after an offseason of coaching changes, scandals and conference realignment.

The Big 12 Was Last Seen Running Into a Juggernaut…

RTC’s Big 12 microsite underwent some personnel changes as well during the summer months, with newcomers Kory Carpenter (@Kory_Carpenter) and Nate Kotisso (@natekotisso) joining grizzled veteran Danny Spewak (@dspewak) to form the most dynamic trio the Internet has ever seen. No word on where the coaches will pick us in the preseason polls — hey, Kory and Nate make for a heck of a recruiting class — but we’re excited to bring you a constant stream of Big 12 news and analysis throughout the season. As Midnight Madness approaches this weekend, we’ll follow all the storylines — ranging from the post-apocalyptic and post-Billy Gillispie situation at Texas Tech, the arrival of TCU and West Virginia and Kansas’ quest for yet another Big 12 championship. Stick with us for the next six months and we promise not to disappoint you.

1. Residing under the national and local spotlight is a way of life for the national champion Kentucky Wildcats and coach John Calipari. But as if interest in the Cats wasn’t high enough already, a new ESPN series, titled All-Access Kentucky, will go in depth on the Big Blue’s preparation for the 2012-13 season. “With many new players on the Wildcats this year, there is enormous interest surrounding this team,” said Norby Williamson, ESPN’s executive vice president of programming and acquisitions. “All-Access Kentucky gives us an opportunity to deliver something entertaining and unique that helps bring fans closer to a sport they love.” The series will air in 30-minute segments beginning on October 17.
2. Is Kentucky the only SEC school that cares about basketball season? It seems as though everyone outside of Lexington is still paying attention to some other sport. Blasphemy. Meanwhile, Calipari gave each of a pair of walk-ons, Sam Malone and Brian Long, a scholarship for the upcoming year. While they may not have contributed much on the court, both achieved grade point averages well above 3.0 during last year. Both are excited their determination paid off. “It shows you’ve got to work hard and you’ve got to continue to keep working hard,” Long said. “And you’ve got to be successful on the floor and off the floor and in school. There’s a lot of factors, but it all pays off if you work hard.”
3. Vanderbilt is starting to turn one eye towards the hardwood, as Anchor of Gold examines a new-look Commodores team. Contrary to the last several years when the ‘Dores had a dominant center down low, Vanderbilt may now have to play small ball to put its best team on the court. Vandy lost its top six scorers from a year ago, and only returns three players standing above 6’9″. While their strength may be in the backcourt, the Commodores can’t ignore their weaknesses in rebounding and low post play. Junior Rod Odom and sophomore Josh Henderson will have to combine for well more than the pedestrian rebounding numbers they managed last season.
4. If you happened to live under a rock last week, you may have missed the huge announcement that the biggest package deal ever in college basketball recruiting made their collegiate choice on Thursday. If you live anywhere else in the world, you already knew that. The Harrison twins, Aaron and Andrew Harrison of Houston, Texas, chose to play for the SEC’s Kentucky Wildcats over the Maryland Terrapins. Andrew, one half of the future starting backcourt for Calipari’s Wildcats said, “Coach Calipari presented a challenge for us … he would push us every day. We just want to be better players.” With these couple of huge commitments for UK, and with Calipari positioned well for other top prospects in the class, the 2013 class is setting up to be one of Cal’s best since arriving in Lexington, and that’s saying something.
5. While Calipari continues to put his Wildcats in contention for the number one recruiting spot, he’ll have to beat out Florida coach Billy Donovan to do it. Donovan’s Gators currently sit atop the 2013 rankings, and he is feeling pretty good about hosting one of the top players in the class. Power forward and Plano, Texas, native, Julius Randle made a visit to Gainesville this past weekend. “He’s excited about (the visit),” said Chris Mayberry, Randle’s high school coach. “He went to Kentucky a couple of weeks ago, so this will be his second official visit.” Donovan has already loaded up for next season with Chris Walker (the #8 prospect), Kasey Hill (the #6 prospect), Damontre Harris (a transfer from South Carolina), and Dorian Finney-Smith (a transfer from Virginia Tech).

It’s time to kick off another year of SEC basketball coverage with year two of the SEC microsite. With year one under our belt, we are ready to get back to business to bring you even more quality and timely analysis, news, and insight on your favorite conference.

Brian Joyce is back for his second year with the site. You can follow more of his SEC coverage on Twitter @bjoyce_hoops. And we are thrilled to announce that we are welcoming a new writer to the SEC microsite this year – Kyle Almekinder. Kyle is itching to get started with Rush the Court from his home near Corpus Christi, Texas. We are excited to welcome Kyle to the site, and we are looking forward to his fresh look and new ideas. Read his posts, comment in the comments section, follow him on Twitter @almek14, and most importantly, give him a warm welcome to the SEC microsite.

Midnight (or 9 PM, but that’s not nearly as catchy!) Madness is just around the corner. Before you know it, the squeak of tennis shoes sliding across the court, the sound of coaches screaming at the top of their lungs, and the bounce of the ball against the hardwood will be back in our lives. And we will be here to catch it all. Starting this week, we will begin profiling the new faces to the SEC. Morning Fives are also starting back for a quick look around the conference. We welcome two new teams to the conference. And lots more. Hope you will stick around to catch all the action.

Looking forward to a fun basketball season and to the 2013 college basketball national championship staying in the SEC.

1. Baltimore Sun: In the wake of the Harrison twins choosing Kentucky over Maryland, Don Markus caught up with Lefty Driesell to talk recruiting. Driesell recounts stealing Tom McMillen from Dean Smith and losing Moses Malone to the ABA because of a promise with God and a million dollars. Here’s to hoping a writer eventually sits down with Driesell and some other prominent former coaches (Jerry Tarkanian anyone?) and takes the time to write a book with all of the recruiting legends.
2. Shelby Star: David Thompson was elected to the first class of the NC State University Sports Hall of Fame. This is a terrific profile of the Wolfpack great, who is on the short list of best college basketball players ever. Local high school coach Larry Sipe said, “The ACC hadn’t seen a player of his caliber before […] I was in grad school at Chapel Hill when he was a freshman at N.C. State. In those days, the freshman games the night before would be a sellout.”
3. Raleigh News & Observer: The newest piece of the puzzle in the North Carolina academic scandal fell last week when Dan Kane and company discovered a course called Naval Weapons Systems, which was comprised by nearly 80% athletes. The class had no quizzes, tests, or major papers. The newspaper discovered the athletic support staff was recommending the course to athletes. It’s certainly not news that universities push student-athletes to take less demanding classes, but it’s interesting that the relative enrollment of athletes spiked the one year the class had the loosest requirements.
4. Florida Times-Union: Florida State owns the title of defending ACC champion for the first time since it joined the conference in 1991. This year the Seminoles shouldn’t surprise anyone. Or, as Michael Snaer said, “They’re going to play us hard because they know we’re going to bring it, the hard-nosed basketball. People will be looking to beat us.” The only question is whether the Seminoles will be able to overcome losing the likes of Deividas Dulkys, Luke Loucks and Bernard James.
5. Charlotte Observer: Tallahassee isn’t the only place where heightened expectations can be found. Duke, North Carolina and NC State have never all been ranked in the top 15 of the AP poll going into the season. This year, the Wolfpack will join their Tobacco Road brethren amongst the best teams in the country for the first time since all three teams went to the Sweet Sixteen in 2005.

Video of the Day: Maryland Trains with Navy Seals

With Midnight Madness looming Friday night and the annual dashing of the ACC’s BCS title hopes in the rearview mirror, it’s time to turn up the ACC basketball coverage to 11 here at the ACC Microsite.

Leonard Hamilton and the Seminoles took home the ACC Championship last season. Can they do it again?
Photo Credit: Ethan Hyman / Raleigh News & Observer

This season the ACC appears to be a microcosm for the country: No one team stands out as a far-and-away favorite, but a long dormant historical power is attracting preseason accolades. That said, five of the 12 schools have a legitimate chance at contending for the regular season title. A parity-filled league should make for a rollercoaster season for fans up and down the east coast. It’s also the final year before newcomers Pittsburgh, Syracuse and (presumably) Notre Dame join the fold.

Joining Kellen Carpenter and me (Matt Patton) this season will be talented writers Ethan Mann and Adam Rowe of Duke Hoop Blog. We’ve also added a twitter account @rtcACC, where you can get to know the writers and find quick takes along with the articles.

Welcome back to Rush The Court’s Big East microsite. College basketball is, thankfully, almost here to rescue Big East fans’ offseason malaise, so we’ll usher in the upcoming season by indulging in some speculation about how the conference will shake out. We’ll be kicking off our coverage with a countdown of Big East team previews and preseason honors. You’ll also find the daily Big East Morning Five resuming this week, as we turn our attention toward preseason news and events around the conference.

Writing duties reside once again with returning blogger Michael Lemaire. New writers Dan Lyons and Will Tucker will join him to help make the microsite an even more comprehensive resource for Big East basketball news and analysis. We want this microsite to be an open and participatory experience for readers, so please chime in if you have thoughts, criticisms, or ideas for how we can improve the site. We imagine you’re as excited as we are for the season to begin, so we’ll dive right in.