College Basketball

Friends' Central standout Amile Jefferson is, finally, set to announce where he will play his college basketball. The 6-foot-8, 200-pound senior will make a commitment at 4 p.m. Tuesday at the Wynnewood school. Wednesday marks the end of the spring signing period. "The process has been long and tough, for sure," Jefferson said. "But it's time for me to make a decision. I have to do it. " While North Carolina State and Duke are believed to be the finalists for his services, the two-time Inquirer Southeastern Pennsylvania player of the year said Kentucky, Ohio State, and Villanova were still in the mix. "I'm still looking at all the schools on my list," he said.

Props To Duke, for hitting the road this week for games at Miami and Florida State. Of course, the Atlantic Coast Conference insists that Mike Krzyzewski take his team into actual opposing gymnasiums. The only remaining nonconference road game for the Blue Devils is Feb. 26 against St. John's at Madison Square Garden. Chops To anyone calling Villanova's 1985 NCAA title-game upset of Georgetown "the perfect game. " It was nearly the perfect shooting game, but the Wildcats had 17 turnovers in a game without a shot clock.

College basketball, above all else, is a coach's game. Players come and go, coaches remain. Coaches get most of the attention. They get the big money. They get the television shows. They get the sneaker contracts. They get the made-for-TV reputations. And many are getting out of control. "If you look at the sidelines, it seems like coaches are out of control, and 15 percent of the time, I think, they may be," said Lou Bonder, supervisor of officials for the Atlantic 10. "I've said for a long time that I think we should be restricted a whole lot more on the sidelines than we are," Arizona coach Lute Olson said.

Yancy Gates scored a season-high 22 points as 24th-ranked Cincinnati extended the second-best start in school history, beating Xavier, 66-46, on Thursday night to regain the city's bragging rights. Cincinnati's 15-0 start matches the 1998-99 team for second-best in school history. The Musketeers (8-5) had won three in a row and eight of 11 in the series, which often gets overheated. Xavier's Terrell "Tu" Holloway got a technical for throwing an elbow. Philadelphia University 72, Bridgeport 70 - The host Rams (7-5)

1. Already? You're not going to believe this, but we are more than halfway through the 2011-12 college basketball season, with only eight weeks (and one day) remaining before Selection Sunday. Syracuse, which started the season ranked fifth, is the No. 1 team and stands - with Baylor and Murray State - as one of three major unbeatens. At the other end, Towson, Binghamton, and Chicago State have yet to win a game, going a combined 0-49. Surprise teams to this point have been Indiana, Georgetown, UNLV, Seton Hall, and Murray State; while Pittsburgh, Memphis, and Xavier have been the most disappointing measured against expectations.

The building itself is utilitarian - brick and iron and, if not devoid of architectural splendor, certainly not revealing of any on first glance. Inside, trophy cases contain aging mementoes of an athletic era long past, lending an air of foreboding to the musty, dimly lit corridors. In fact, the 60-year-old structure resembles a museum or a Depression-era train station - until you walk up one of the chutes that lead to the stands. Then, gradually, the murmur that was audible even outside becomes a piercing chorus of screaming voices, and the grim passageways give way to a brightly lit wooden floor surrounded by darkened, pulsating stands.

There's nothing better to heat up a chilly February day than stoking the debate over who is Philadelphia's best college basketball player. That would be especially true this season when the city boasts three outstanding talents - Ramone Moore of Temple, Zack Rosen of Penn, and Maalik Wayns of Villanova - and plenty of others performing well for their teams. "It's a wonderful debate from a fan point of view because there are so many good players in our city," La Salle coach John Giannini said.

Friends' Central standout Amile Jefferson is, finally, set to announce where he will play his college basketball. The 6-foot-8, 200-pound senior will make a commitment at 4 p.m. Tuesday at the Wynnewood school. Wednesday marks the end of the spring signing period. "The process has been long and tough, for sure," Jefferson said. "But it's time for me to make a decision. I have to do it. " While North Carolina State and Duke are believed to be the finalists for his services, the two-time Inquirer Southeastern Pennsylvania player of the year said Kentucky, Ohio State, and Villanova were still in the mix. "I'm still looking at all the schools on my list," he said.

  Kentucky's Anthony Davis won the Wooden Award on Saturday, the latest honor in his accolade-filled season. Davis becomes the second freshman to win the Wooden Award after Kevin Durant, who accomplished the feat in 2007. Hall of Fame coach John Wooden's grandson, Greg, presented the award on behalf of the Los Angeles Athletic Club. Davis was named AP player of the year on Friday.   K-State names Weber Bruce Weber knows Kansas State fans may not accept him right away.

Stanford's young guards Chasson Randle and Aaron Bright each scored 15 points, and the Cardinal routed Minnesota, 75-51, to win the NIT title Thursday night at Madison Square Garden. Stanford forced two turnovers to open the second half to take a 10-point lead and stayed up by double figures the rest of the way. The Golden Gophers turned it over 22 times on the night. The third-seeded Cardinal (26-11) won their second NIT title, the first coming in 1991. The final minutes turned into a celebration of three-pointers and fastbreak layups for Stanford, with bench players jumping up to cheer on nearly every possession.

NEW ORLEANS - The Pimlico spring meet had just opened. There were races to be played. But I just could not tear myself away from a TV set near the racing office that was playing a regional final. I had been waiting all season for Louisville to play Kentucky. I knew Louisville was better. Now, finally, the Cardinals would have a chance to prove it. I did not know the history. Did not know that Kentucky would not play Louisville in the regular season. Had not played them in a regularly scheduled game since 1922.

NEW ORLEANS - The question has been dressed in different ways, asked by countless people in every situation imaginable: Is this the best coaching job of Kansas coach Bill Self's career? The second-seeded Jayhawks have played a who's who of major-college basketball: Duke and Kentucky, Missouri and Baylor. In the regular season they beat Ohio State, the team they'll play in the Final Four on Saturday night, and won their record eighth straight Big 12 title. And they've done it with an all-American forward (Thomas Robinson)

Brittney Griner had 23 points, 15 rebounds and nine blocks before being ejected with less than a minute left as top-seeded Baylor rolled over Tennessee, 77-58, on Monday night in Des Moines, Iowa, to advance to the Final Four. Shekinna Stricklen had 22 points for the Vols (27-9), whose seniors became their first four-year class not to reach a Final Four. Tennessee now faces an uncertain future, as Pat Summitt has yet to say if she'll return for a 39th season as the Vols' coach.

Austin Rivers is leaving Duke after one season for the NBA. The freshman guard announced on Monday his decision to enter the draft and his plans to hire an agent after team officials said he spent the weekend discussing his future plans with his family at their home outside Orlando, Fla. "Duke has prepared me for the challenges that are ahead both on and off the court," Rivers said in a statement issued by the school. "I have learned so much from the coaching staff and my teammates that will help me succeed at the next level.

Laurin Mincy had 21 points and a career-best 12 rebounds to help Maryland rally past defending national champion Texas A&M, 81-74, on Sunday in the semifinals of the NCAA tournament's Raleigh Regional in North Carolina. Alyssa Thomas added 21 points and nine rebounds for the second-seeded Terps (31-4), who fought their way back and held the Aggies (24-11) to just one basket over the final 71/2 minutes. "This team knows and has the confidence it can come back against anyone," Maryland coach Brenda Frese said.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - The Tennessee Vols have been doing a little daydreaming about other spring break activities during practice and coach Pat Summitt says they better snap out of it. With how quiet and distracted her Tennessee team has been while preparing for a shot at the Final Four in Saturday's regional semifinal meeting with Kansas, Summitt is concerned they may not get that opportunity. "I think we've got to get them refocused," Summitt said. "It's obviously very important to all of us [to get to the Final Four]