Attached Thumbnails (click for larger image)

 

Jabari Parker’s already been tagged as the “next big thing” for some time now. The Chicago product and top recruit in the class of 2013 was the 2012 Gatorade national player of the year – as a junior – thanks to his impressive mix of size, skill and savvy. Even better? By all accounts, he’s a humble kid, who stays grounded thanks to his family and faith. Good thing, too. He’s about to earn a much-higher profile after this week’s Sports Illustrated hits. The “best high school player since LeBron James” places more than a little pressure on Parker’s 6-9 shoulders. SI reserves its cover for pros and the occasional phenom. (Bryce Harper was one a few years ago.) To associate his name with LeBron ensures everyone’s already high expectations for Parker rise even more among hoopheads.

A final ride on the coaching carousel Make no mistake: This coaching search was not pretty. Illinois AD Mike Thomas was dead set on VCUs Shaka Smart until Smart made clear the interest was far from mutual. Thomas, urged on by two board of trustees members concerned about the school's historic lack of an African-American head coach in either football or men's basketball, reached out to a handful of African-American candidates (Washington's Lorenzo Romar and Alabama's Anthony Grant, among others) who proved just as uninterested as Smart. When Thomas eventually abandoned that plan -- as well as a moon-shot hope of luring Butler coach Brad Stevens -- he snared Ohio coach John Groce, fresh off leading his 13th-seeded Ohio Bobcats to the Sweet 16. Some Illinois fans looked at the search and Groce's three-year record at Ohio (which included a 34-30 mark in the MAC) as proof their program wasn't nearly as sought after as they once believed. But despite the follies of the journey, the Illini arrived at an entirely acceptable destination. Groce hails from the well-respected Xavier and Ohio State coaching tree -- former OSU national player of the year Evan Turner tweeted his approval almost immediately -- and the Bobcats' key player in last season's Ohio run was D.J. Cooper, a Chicago native. If Groce can extend that familiarity with the tricky Chicago recruiting scene into something resembling a pipeline, Illinois will have no shortage of talent with which to establish itself as a yearly force in the Big Ten.

The data, updated for 2011, are based on the revenue and expense reports collected from more than 225 public schools in the NCAA's Division I that have an obligation to release the data (the NCAA does not release the data publicly). The others are private or are covered under a state exemption. The best way to use the data is to compare a school's expenses over time to see how they have changed. Because the categories are standardized, comparisons between schools are possible as well. The school's president or chancellor reviews the data before it's submitted to the NCAA, which also does a general audit of the data. In an effort to standardize reporting, NCAA staff members have worked with the National Association of College and University Business Officers for formulate definitions for each category. Still, some schools interpret the reporting rules slightly differently. http://www.usatoday.com/sports/colle...ase/54955804/1

Citing temporary decals and logos that may cause players to slip, the Men’s and Women’s Basketball Rules Committees are recommending a rules change that requires the court be “of a consistent surface” so student-athlete safety is not compromised. The committees believe most surfaces already are in compliance, but no rule exists requiring a consistent surface. In some cases, temporary decals can create a difference on the floor that may cause players to lose their footing. All rules proposal must be approved by the Playing Rules Oversight Panel, which is scheduled to meet via conference call June 12. http://www.ncaa.org/wps/wcm/connect/...surface+issues

Tue, Nov 27 North Carolina at Indiana NC State at Michigan Minnesota at Florida State Maryland at Northwestern Iowa at Virginia Tech Nebraska at Wake Forest Wed, Nov 28 Ohio State at Duke Virginia at Wisconsin Michigan State at Miami Purdue at Clemson Georgia Tech at Illinois Boston College at Penn State http://www.hokiesports.com/mbasketba...120514aaa.html

The university called on Parker Executive Search to help hire John Groce in March — the same firm that helped recruit Thomas for the athletic director's job last summer. Parker was paid a total of $182,183 for the two searches — a $90,000 fee for each, plus expenses. . . . The basketball search lasted just three weeks — compared with almost three months for the athletic director's search — but the university did not ask for a discount in the firm's $90,000 fee. High-profile coaching searches move rapidly, so the work is just packed into a tighter time frame, Parks said. http://www.news-gazette.com/news/edu...hs-hiring.html

ESPN's announcement of 2012 ACC B1G MBB Challenge schedule expected Monday afternoon. The 12-game Challenge will be played Nov. 27 & 28. http://twitter.com/BigTenMarkTV