College Confidential

Texas PG Kabongo says he regrets mistake, will be "a better teammate" when he returns from NCAA suspension #Longhorns

In a statement issued today by school officials, Texas point guard Myck Kabongo said he looks forward to returning to action Wednesday after a 23-game, NCAA-mandated suspension and considers himself “a better teammate” after being punished for misleading school and NCAA officials investigating claims that he accepted improper benefits. In retrospect, Kabongo said he made a mistake in the way he handled the situation.

“I should have been upfront with UT about everything the first time I had a chance, but I’m glad that I corrected my mistake and I’m glad that I was truthful with the NCAA,” said Kabongo, a preseason All-Big 12 selection who is scheduled to be in the lineup Wednesday when Texas (10-13, 2-8 in Big 12) meets Iowa State (16-7, 6-4) at 7 p.m. in Austin. “I have learned a lot about myself and what is important to me through this process. I have a great team, and they have supported me all year. I believe I am a better teammate and am looking forward to finishing the season with my team.”

_ Jimmy Burch

The full text of Kabongo’s statement is below …

“I am ready to start playing with my team again and putting behind me the last several months.  When I went to Cleveland last summer, I did not intend to break any rules and did not believe I had broken any.  I should have been upfront with UT about everything the first time I had a chance, but I’m glad that I corrected my mistake and I’m glad that I was truthful with the NCAA.  

"I have learned a lot about myself and what is important to me through this process.  I have a great team, and they have supported me all year.  I believe I am a better teammate and am looking forward to finishing the season with my team.  I want to thank my teammates and my coaches for sticking by and supporting me all year.”

 

 

 

Baylor's Jackson Named Cousy Award Finalist

Baylor men’s basketball senior Pierre Jackson has been selected as one of 12 finalists for the 2013 Bob Cousy Collegiate Point Guard of the Year Award, as announced by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Thursday.

The annual honor, named for Hall of Famer and former Basketball Celtic Bob Cousy, recognizes the top point guard in men’s college basketball.

Jackson, who was one of 11 finalists during his debut season at Baylor last year, is also one of only three players to be finalists in both 2012 and 2013. The initial watch list consisted of 85 players then was narrowed down to 20 before, again, being narrowed down to only 12.

Jackson, a Las Vegas, Nev., native, leads the Big 12 in points and assists per game. He ranks 21st nationally with 19.3 points per game and is tied for 22nd nationally with 6 assists per game – this makes Jackson the only player in the nation’s top 25 in both points and assists per game. He is on track to be the first player from power-6 conference to lead his league in both points and assists since Arizona’s Jason Terry in 1998-99.

In March, the list of candidates will be trimmed to only five. A selection committee has been appointed by the Hall of Fame to review the final five candidates in contention for the award. The winner of the 2013 Bob Cousy Award will be presented at the Hall of Fame’s Class Announcement on Championship Monday in Atlanta as part of NCAA Final Four weekend.

2013 Bob Cousy Award Finalists
Keith Appling (Michigan State)
Lorenzo Brown (North Carolina State)
Trey Burke (Michigan)
Aaron Craft (Ohio State)
Matthew Dellavadova (Saint Mary’s)
Shane Larkin (Miami)
Phil Pressey (Missouri)
Peyton Siva (Louisville)
Marcus Smart (Oklahoma State)
Michael Carter-Williams (Syracuse)
Nate Wolters (South Dakota State)

Texas A&M has six players invited to NFL Scouting Combine

Six Texas A&M players have been invited to the NFL Scouting Combine, Feb. 20-26. They are offensive tackle Luke Joeckel, running back Christine Michael, defensive end Damontre Moore, linebackers Sean Porter and Jonathan Stewart and wide receiver Ryan Swope.

Other notables:

From the Texas Longhorns, wide receiver/kick returner Marquise Goodwin, defensive end Alex Okafor and safety Kenny Vaccaro;

From TCU, wide receiver Josh Boyce, defensive end Stansly Maponga and running back Matthew Tucker;

From Baylor, wide receivers Lanear Sampson and Terrance Williams;

And Tarrant County area  high school products: defensive lineman Kapron Lewis-Moore (Weatherford, Notre Dame), kicker/punter Quinn Sharp (Mansfield Summit, Oklahoma State), and running back Stepfan Taylor (Mansfield, Stanford).

The Aggies' Joeckel and Moore are Nos. 1 (Kansas City) and 2 (Jacksonville) overall in the most recent mock draft of ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. Todd McShay at ESPN, however, has Joeckel at No. 4 (Philadelphia) and Moore falling to Tampa Bay at No. 13. Moore slips out of the top 10, McShay writes, because "he comes with some character baggage."

Bucs Nation blogger Sander Philipse says Moore does come with questions about his pass-rushing technique, but "the character issues don't concern me: those consist of one marijuana arrest."

-- Vince Langford

 

Video: TCU storms court after upset of No. 5 Kansas

TCU fans stormed the court after the Horned Frogs' first win over a Top 5 team.

 

Lady Bears remain undefeated in Big 12

The Lady Bears remain undefeated in the Big 12 after beating Kansas 86-45 to finish out the series for the season.

Brittney Griner, once again, led Baylor in scoring with 26 points and also accounted for the most rebounds on the team (13). She had 19 points in the first half before Baylor took a 45-24 lead at the half.

To open the second half, Baylor went on a 22-5 run, with Brooklyn Pope scoring seven and Kimetria Hayden adding back-to-back layups. After being down 68-29 with 13:11 left in the game, Kansas head coach Bonnie Henrickson used her fourth timeout of the game to get her team back on track.

After the break, Kansas scored the next four points. But the Jayhawks were never able to cut into Baylor’s already substantial lead, and the damage became even worse when the Lady Bears went on another run to up their lead to a 45-point advantage with almost seven minutes left in the game.

While Baylor ended the night with a 56.7 field goal percentage, the Lady Bears’ defense was able to hold the Jayhawks to a season-low 27.7 percentage from the field.

Kansas’ Angel Goodrich, who had been scoring 14 points a game for Kansas, was held to only two by the Lady Bears, and did not score in the second half. Carolyn Davis, who had been second in the conference in field goal percentage, went 3-for-12 from the field to finish with only six points.

Pope and Odyssey Sims each added 13 for Baylor while Kimetria Hayden had 11 points.

The Lady Bears will travel to Austin, Texas, on Saturday to take on in-state rival University of Texas that night. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT.

D Time! Video shows UTA Mavs always thinking about defense

UT Arlington coach Scott Cross thinks UTA’s latest three-game road trip out west helped his team refocus on what has made them a Western Athletic Conference contender –- defense. It’s all about defense, as evidenced by a YouTube video filmed on the road trip that shows players and coaches running around the hotels and airports yelling “D Time” at each other at the top of their lungs.

-- Sam Morton 

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Recognition continues to roll in for Lady Bears

The women of the Baylor women’s basketball team continue to be honored this week as senior post Brittney Griner and junior point guard Odyssey Sims are announced as part of the State Farm “Wade Watch” list for the second straight season.

The State Farm Wade Trophy is presented annually to the nation’s most outstanding NCAA Division I women’s basketball player.

The Wade Watch List, from which The State Farm Wade Trophy recipient is chose, consists of players selected on the basis of game and season statistics, leadership, character, effect on their team and overall playing ability.

Griner, who won the award last year and was selected as Preseason National Player of the Year, leads Baylor in scoring and rebounding with a league-leading 22.8 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. Griner recently became the Big 12’s all-time scoring leader and the NCAA career block record holder (675), men or women. She already owns the NCAA record for career dunks (12).

Sims, an All-American candidate, averages 12.4 points and 5.7 assists per game. She is also 48-of-57 (.842) from the free throw line.

The list will be trimmed to 12 finalists in mid-March, and the Wade Trophy winner will be announced during the WBCA National Convention, held in conjunction with the NCAA Women’s Final Four in New Orleans.

Fox Sports SW to televise A&M signing day show #TAMU

Fox Sports Southwest will televise Texas A&M’s national signing day show, created by the school’s 12^th Man Productions, on Wednesday morning from 7 to 10 a.m. The show will feature live updates about signees, with football coach Kevin Sumlin offering perspective in discussions with host Will Johnson.

_ Jimmy Burch

Sigmon joins group overseeing new college FB playoff system

Reid Sigmon has been hired as chief financial officer of the group that will oversee college football’s new playoff system and championship game, BCS executive director Bill Hancock announced today. Sigmon, a senior associate athletic director at Kansas State, will join Hancock and Michael Kelly, the group’s chief operating officer, among the leaders in efforts to transition from college football’s current BCS model to a post-season playoff that begins at the conclusion of the 2014 regular season.

_ Jimmy Burch

Evans, McGee to receive 2012 Founder's Award from Davey O'Brien Foundation

Pat Evans and Bobby McGee, two past presidents of the Davey O’Brien Foundation, have been selected as co-recipients of the 2012 Charles Ringler Founder’s Award. The award, established in 2004, honors an individual or corporation that has exhibited longtime devotion to the foundation and will be presented during the Davey O’Brien Awards Dinner, Feb. 18 at the Fort Worth Club.

Evans served as president of the O’Brien Foundation from 2000-2005 and helped create the Legends Award in 2001. McGee, the foundation president from 2005-2010, oversaw creation of the fan vote that is part of today’s selection process for the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award. The 2012 recipient, Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel, also will be honored Feb. 18 at the Fort Worth Club.

_ Jimmy Burch