Attention College Hoop Fans... Updated TGS Special Ticker!

ARIZONA...Starting sr. PG Mustafa Shakur (left, getting instructions from HC Lute Olson) is expected to be in the starting lineup against USC Feb. 15, but he’s been significantly hampered by a sprained ankle recently. Shakur hit just 1 of 11 shots in last Saturday’s win at Oregon. Rapidly-emerging frosh F Jordan Hill (11 ppg, 9 rpg, 2.3 bpg in last 6) should also be available against the Trojans, although insiders report he might be less than 100% due to a bout with the flu this week. BAYLOR...Jr. Aaron Bruce (12 ppg, 4 apg, 84% FTs), the Bears’ most experienced G and one of their top perimeter shooters & defenders, sat out 78-71 loss at Missouri Feb. 14 due to a high-ankle sprain. Bruce poured in 18 ppg as a frosh during the 2004-05 season. BROWN...With 6-7 jr. Keenan Jeppesen and 6-8 sr. Nathan Eads both leaving the squad earlier in the season, the smallish Bears (only 2-9 their last 11 games) are getting regularly hammered on the boards. 6-2 jr. G Mark McAndrew is the team’s leading rebounder. BUFFALO...Frustrated with a bumbling attack that has averaged nearly as many turnovers per game (20+!) as field goals, Bulls’ head coach Reggie Witherspoon has recently turned to frosh walk-on Byron Mulkey as his starting PG. Although Mulkey is hitting just 24% of his FG attempts, he has contributed 6 ppg, 5 rpg, 3 apg & 1 spg in his first 5 games (through Feb. 16). Mulkey is also the only player on their entire Buffalo squad who has a positive assist/TO ratio! DARTMOUTH...The Big Green was without leading scorer sr. G Leon Pattman (respiratory infection; 17 ppg) during 20-point loss at Penn Feb. 9 and 1-point win at Princeton Feb. 10. He’s questionable for trip to Yale & Brown this weekend. DELAWARE...Unless sr. G Calvin Cannon (academically ineligible; missed last 3 games thru Feb. 16) is reinstated, the shorthanded Blue Hens, who have won just 5 games so far this season, will go the rest of the campaign with only 6 scholarship players.

EAST CAROLINA...6-9 frosh John Fields (9 ppg, 6 rpg, 2 bpg), whose play has been one of the few bright spots for the Pirates during this year’s difficult campaign, did not play in 80-42 home loss to Southern Miss Feb. 14 and is out indefinitely with a knee injury. EASTERN MICHIGAN...The Eagles are 1-4 straight up, with all losses by double digits, but 3-2 vs. the pointspread in the 5 games (through Feb. 16) since leading scorer soph G Carlos Medlock suffered a season-ending knee injury. FLORIDA STATE...Second-leading scorer G Toney Douglas (13 ppg, 42% treys) broke his hand in double-digit loss at Clemson Feb. 7 and is expected to miss about a month. Also, scouts report that star sr. F Al Thornton (team-high 19 ppg, 7 rpg) was far less than 100% in home loss to Georgia Tech Feb. 13 due to a sore back suffered in a hard fall during the previous game, a 1-point home loss to BC. Thornton played just 28 minutes against the Yellow Jackets before fouling out. FRESNO STATE...Sr. G Ja’Vance Coleman (right, in action earlier this season vs. Stanford), who poured in 17 ppg during the previous 2 seasons, has been dismissed from the squad. GEORGIA...Soph Mike Mercer (14 ppg), the Dawgs’ second-leading scorer, will miss the rest of the season after suffering a major knee injury during the second half of last Saturday’s blowout win at South Carolina. GONZAGA...6-11 soph F/C Josh Heytvelt (16 ppg, team-high 8 rpg & 1.7 bpg) sat out the 60-49 win over Saint Mary’s Feb. 10 & 84-73 loss to Santa Clara Feb. 13 (the Bulldogs’ first home setback in 50 games!) and is suspended indefinitely.

ILLINOIS...Soph G Jamar Smith (8 ppg) and reserve frosh 6-11, 265 C Brian Carlwell are out indefinitely due to injuries suffered in a car crash earlier this week. INDIANA STATE...6-8, 240 soph F/C Jay Tunnell (9 ppg & 6 rpg), the Sycamores’ top frontcourt player, did not play in 68-53 home loss to Illinois State and is questionable vs. Miami-Ohio Saturday after spraining his ankle during 76-61 loss at Evansville Feb. 11. IOWA...6-7 frosh F Tyler Smith (16 ppg, 5 rpg, 4 apg, 1.6 spg) is expected to play vs. Northwestern Feb. 15 with the injured pinky finger on his shooting hand taped up. LONG BEACH STATE...Sr. G Kejuan Johnson (15 ppg, 4 rpg, 4 apg, 2 spg, 85% FTs) & 6-9 sr. C Mark Dawson (6 ppg on 55% FGs, 4 rpg) have returned to action after serving 3-game suspensions recently. In his first game back, Johnson scored a team-high 22 points to help the Big West-leading 49ers escape with a 1-point win at UC Santa Barbara Feb. 10. LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE...Head coach Robert Lee missed Louisiana-Monroe game Feb. 15 in order to appear before the NCAA infractions committee regarding some alleged violations at ULL that are under investigation. LOUISIANA-MONROE...Frosh G Brandon Roberts (10 ppg, 5 apg, 43% treys) missed the last 2 games (home wins over Middle Tennessee Feb. 8 and North Texas Feb. 10) and is through for the season due to a knee injury. LOYOLA-MARYMOUNT...6-8 sr. F/C Matthew Knight (right), the Lions’ leading scorer & rebounder, sat out 76-69 loss at USF Monday night after suffering a concussion very early in 71-66 upset win at San Diego Feb. 10. MINNESOTA...Key 6-9, 265 jr. C Spencer Tollackson (13 ppg on 56% FGs, 6 rpg) is back in action after missing a month with a hand injury. He had 23 points during the Gophers’ 91-78 home loss to Iowa Feb. 7. NEBRASKA...Starting soph G Jamel White (9 ppg) did not play in 74-63 home win over Kansas State Feb. 13 and has been suspended for the rest of the season.

NOTRE DAME...Leading scorer 6-4 sr. G Russell Carter (18 ppg, 5 rpg, 2 spg, 42% treys) is expected to be available vs. Providence Feb. 15, but Irish insiders say Carter won’t be 100% against the Friars due to a sore hip. SAN FRANCISCO...Sr. G Armondo Surratt (left; 14 ppg), the Dons’ floor leader, hurt his knee late in double-digit loss at Santa Clara Feb. 5 and missed home wins over Pepperdine Feb. 10 & Loyola-Marymount Feb. 12. SMU...7-1 soph C Bamba Fall (7 ppg, 5 rpg, 2.6 bpg) sat out 52-49 loss at Marshall Feb. 14 and will miss a couple of weeks due to a broken finger. STANFORD...Soph G Anthony Goods (ankle; 13 ppg—second on the team) is not expected to play Feb. 15 vs. Oregon State or Feb. 17 against Oregon. TENNESSEE...Star jr. G Chris Lofton (22 ppg, 46% treys), the SEC’s leading scorer, is back in action after missing 4 games with sprained ankle. He had only 8 points in 21 minutes during 70-67 home win over LSU Feb. 6, 16 points in 26 minutes during 84-57 drubbing of Vandy at Knoxville Feb. 10, then 23 points & 5 assists in 30 minutes during 89-85 home win over Kentucky on Tuesday. UCLA...Super-quick starting soph PG Darren Collison (shoulder; 13 ppg, 49% treys, team-leading 6 apg & 2.2 spg) did not play at West Virginia Feb. 10, and 6-9 jr. C Lorenzo Mata (hip; 6 ppg on 63% FGs, 5 rpg) sat out the second half. Frosh G Russell Westbrook struggled mightily in place of Collison, hitting just 1 of 11 FGs with 3 turnovers before fouling out of the 70-65 loss to Mountaineers. Both Collison & Mata are expected to be back in action at Arizona State Feb. 15.

Return To Articles Archive