Should fans storm the court at halftime if their team makes at least half of its field-goal attempts? Who, in their right mind, pays to watch some of this micro-managed junk with virtually zero creativity? In regard to competency, many overcoached games these days resemble freshman or junior varsity contests prior to freshman eligibility featuring players trying to learn how to properly conduct a layup line.

Is the "D" that dynamic or the "O" that odious? Where are the high-octane shooters adept at "filling it up"? Are the shot clocks malfunctioning while nearly every team seems to run a high-post offense forcing a shot as time runs down? Memo to those who bow at the global-warming altar: Is the half-baked left's answer to all adversity affecting air pressure and thus the flight of balls toward the rim? What are the priorities these days? Have we reached a tipping point where players should have their scholarships immediately rescinded if they don't budget more time practicing their shooting rather than focusing on design of their personal human billboard or being in a tattoo parlor?

In the court of public opinion, AG Eric Holder, a freshman hoopster for Columbia in 1969-70 long before any gun-running in Mexico, must be confiscating "guns" of all types, including those on the basketball court. In Holder's "nation of cowards," Northern Illinois shot blanks when it scored a record-low four points in the first half on 1-of-31 field-goal shooting en route to a 42-25 loss at Eastern Michigan. The Huskies broke the mark for lowest FG% in a half during the shot-clock era (3.2%) and lowest FG% in a game (13.1%). They tied the futility mark for fewest made field goals in a half by missing 29 consecutive attempts. Incredibly, it was the second time this season where NIU scored fewer than six points in a half.

Boasting the skeet-shooting accuracy of budget-buster POTUS despite the firearms fanatic practicing "all the time" between golf outings, players can't even seem to make "free" throws. Ole Miss' decisive points in a 63-61 win at Auburn came from the charity stripe but the Rebels were only 4-of-17 from the line.

We don't know the half of it. Cocky know-it-alls claimed new coach Frank Martin was going to promptly lay the groundwork to spur(rier)ing South Carolina to great heights but the Gamecocks had anything but "game" when they fell behind Florida at intermission, 33-10. The consistent corrosion must be contagious as in-state rival Clemson matched the meager output at intermission when the Tigers trailed Virginia, 38-10. Clemson's comatose offense also generated 10 points at halftime against Duke. In-state Furman outgunned USC and Clemson by trailing Davidson, 39-12.

Kansas was ranked among the nation's top five teams when the Jayhawks managed an anemic two points in the first 13:53 of a debacle at TCU, which was winless in league competition midway through the Big 12 Conference campaign. A week later, TCU trailed Oklahoma at intermission, 36-11. Elsewhere, Cincinnati claims to be a competent tourney-bound team despite going the last 9:21 without a field goal in a loss to visiting Pittsburgh.

Much of the widespread ineptitude gives fans half a mind to leave at halftime and demand at least half of the ticket price back. Many observers long for the good old days when real scorers roamed the earth prior to rules introduced to ostensibly increase point production (shot clock and three-point field goal). Instead, it's commonplace in premier six conferences to have ugly halftime scores such as Arkansas 28/Georgia 18, Clemson 25/Miami (Fla.) 25, Georgia 25/Tennessee 22, Illinois 29/Northwestern 15, Indiana 26/Iowa 14, Indiana 27/Nebraska 18, Kansas 26/Oklahoma State 26, Kansas 28/Texas 15, Marquette 22/Villanova 22, Miami (Fla.) 24/Virginia 22, Minnesota 34/Penn State 12, Missouri 34/Mississippi State 10, Notre Dame 29/Cincinnati 15, Penn State 25/Wisconsin 24, St. John's 26/Notre Dame 22, St. John's 33/South Florida 17, St. John's 24/Villanova 24, Seton Hall 25/Rutgers 23, Syracuse 23/Georgetown 21, Syracuse 43/Providence 16, Vanderbilt 26/Auburn 17, Wisconsin 28/Northwestern 12 and Wisconsin 24/Ohio State 23. Unless you were seeking a cure for insomnia, following are additional examples of the alarming number of hideous halftime scores this season (basketball; not football) including potential postseason teams and members of power leagues:

• Alabama 23, Auburn 13
• Alabama 23, Auburn 16
• Alabama 25, Tennessee 19
• Arkansas 21, Vanderbilt 11
• Clemson 20, Georgia Tech 15
• Colorado 23, Washington State 19
• Connecticut 22, Georgetown 19
• Duke 25, Clemson 10
• Florida 24, Vanderbilt 14
• George Washington 21, Georgia 18
• Georgetown 25, Syracuse 18
• Georgia 23, South Carolina 16
• Georgia 25, Texas A&M 16
• Illinois 25, Minnesota 16
• Iowa 23, Purdue 16
• Kansas 24, Kansas State 16
• Louisville 23, Syracuse 19
• Marquette 20, Georgetown 19
• Maryland 22, North Carolina State 16
• Memphis 22, Texas-El Paso 22
• Michigan 20, Wisconsin 17
• Miami (Fla.) 18, Clemson 16
• Miami (Fla.) 19, Maryland 14
• Michigan State 25, Wisconsin 18
• Minnesota 20, Michigan State 18
• Minnesota 17, Northwestern 14
• Nebraska 19, Wisconsin 19
• Northwestern 24, Texas Christian 14
• Oklahoma State 24, South Florida 19
• Oregon 25, Nevada 14
• Pittsburgh 22, Notre Dame 19
• Providence 16, Penn State 14
• Purdue 20, Eastern Michigan 19
• Purdue 19, Iowa 16
• Saint Louis 33, New Mexico 13
• Saint Louis 23, Richmond 19
• Saint Louis 24, Xavier 20
• San Diego State 25, Fresno State 17
• South Florida 27, Connecticut 15
• South Florida 20, Seton Hall 17
• Syracuse 24, Marquette 18 (regional final)
• Tennessee 18, Georgetown 16
• Tennessee 25, Mississippi 18
• Texas Christian 22, Kansas 13
• Texas-El Paso 22, Southern Mississippi 16
• UNLV 32, Wyoming 12
• Vanderbilt 24, South Carolina 19
• Virginia 26, Norfolk State 16
• Virginia 25, Tennessee 16
• Washington State 21, Texas A&M 16
• Wyoming 20, San Diego State 9

San Diego State returned the favor against Wyoming by taking a 37-13 halftime lead in their rematch before KU kept TCU under wraps by a 38-9 halftime count. Only half a fool or half empty (upstairs) believes contemporary players are better than counterparts from several decades ago. How many players thus far in the 21st Century would be a cinch to be included among the all-time Top 100 to 150 collegians in regard to impact on the game?

For a stark contrast showing how the other half lived, following is a summary of several league games involving the same opponents in the 1970s when players set school single-game scoring records: Auburn's John Mengelt (60 points vs. Alabama in 1970), Maryland's Earnest Graham (44 vs. North Carolina State in 1978) and Purdue's Rick Mount (61 vs. Iowa in 1970). How many points would Graham, Mengelt and Mount have scored if there had been a three-point arc at the time to further embarrass today's "Gang That Can't Shoot Straight"?

In the aftermath of Navy SEAL team 6 dispatching Osama bin Laden to hell (equivalent status even if satisfying 72 virgins is what transpired), the White House unveiled a photograph of President Barack Obama and his Cabinet inside the Situation Room, watching the daring commando raid unfold on May 1, 2011.

POTUS (Occidential, Calif., JV player) apparently wasn't the tallest ex-college hoopster in the room. Standing just outside the frame of that famous pic was an anonymous Central Intelligence Agency officer ("CIA John") who tracked OBL as a dogmatic deputy chief and reportedly was also influential as one of the principal proponents of drone deterrence. Two days after OBL was transformed into marine treat when dumped into the North Arabian Sea, "CIA John" accompanied then CIA Director Leon Panetta to Capitol Hill, where the Senate Intelligence Committee received a full briefing on the mission.

As most Americans are aware, an athlete from a Midwest university recently became a wanted man for self-centered interviews as a big butt of jokes across the nation because of a fake relationship. Unless the government is perpetuating a hoax putting the travails of Lance and Manti to shame, our country should still be interviewing and celebrating a selfless athlete from a Midwest university for kicking the butt of the world's most-wanted man but can't honor him because America's biggest hero might be underground with a fake identification.

According to AP accounts at the time, the meticulous senior intelligence analyst was the first individual to put in writing that a legitimate CIA lead had been assembled on possibly locating OBL. He spearheaded the collection of clues for nearly 10 years, leading the agency to a fortified compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, and its epic counterterrorism success. Our freedom-loving nation is eternally grateful that his accuracy as a deep-cover agent in pinpointing OBL's whereabouts stood in stark contrast to his free-throw marksmanship as a deep-bench player (barely over 30%) for multiple NCAA playoff teams.

A riveting film "Zero Dark Thirty" is atop the U.S. box office. The inspiring movie focuses on a young female CIA operative, allegedly also from flyover country, showing her tenacity, dedication and courage in primarily monitoring a vital courier for al-Qaeda's upper brass. According to Esquire, the shooter who killed OBL gave the magazine out of his gun as a souvenir to bloodhound "Maya." While the film doesn't do justice to the male super spy, the patriot is likely to defer anyway to the concept "there is no 'I' in team." Naturally, Langley issues a perfunctory "no comment" because concern exists about publishing his name and running biographical details that might make him a target for retribution.

Over the decades, there have been other notable "Secret Agent Men" in the CIA who were former college hoopsters. In fact, a Final Four player isn't required to hit a decisive basket or be selected Most Outstanding Player to be a hero. He doesn't even need to participate on the court. Bob Ames, a member of the Tom Gola-led La Salle teams in 1954 (national champion) and 1955 (runner-up to San Francisco), never got off the bench at the Final Four those two years although he was the only La Salle player to hit more than three-fourths of his free throws the season the Explorers won the NCAA title.

"Our coach, Ken Loeffler, only used seven guys, and Bob was the eighth man," said Frank Blatcher, a starter for the Explorers each season and their leading scorer with a total of 42 points at the Final Four on the championship team. "He had the talent. He just never got a chance to show it."

Ames, a pre-law major who scored a total of eight points in three NCAA playoff games in 1955, did have an opportunity to show his ability in another more vital endeavor, however. He joined the CIA and worked his way up the chain of command to become the Director of the CIA's Office of Analysis of the Near East and South Asia. "The Spy Who Loved Basketball" worked closely with both the Carter and Reagan administrations.

Regrettably, Ames was killed in Beirut in 1983. A truck loaded with TNT on a suicide mission rammed into the facility where Ames was staying while serving as a liaison trying to allay contacts among the Lebanese, Syrians and Israelis in hopes of calming the escalating discord.

"Here was a guy that turned out to have had a greater influence on our lives than just about any 1,000 other basketball players you can name," Blatcher said. "It just shows you that you don't have to be a star to accomplish something." Something like becoming a genuine American hero.

Elsewhere, the CIA's deputy director under George Bush in 1976 was Hank Knoche, the leading scorer in the Mountain States (Big Seven) Conference with 16.4 points per game for Colorado's 1946 NCAA Tournament team. Knoche, the father of former American University coach Chris Knoche, reputedly was the first player selected in the NBA's first college draft in 1947 after enrolling at Washington and Jefferson (Pa.) to play on a 16-4 team with two of his brothers. But he never appeared in the then-fledgling league, which doesn't have any official draft records prior to 1949. The franchise that selected him, the Pittsburgh Ironmen, folded shortly after the draft, and his rights reverted to the New York Knicks.

"I didn't know I was the first No. 1 pick until a writer from Atlanta called me for a story," Knoche said. "An NBA historian had informed him of my alleged status."

The elder Knoche, who went to live in the Denver area, chose not to play in an uncertain situation for little money. "I never received any contact from the Ironmen," he said. "The Knicks sent a contract offer in the mail, but it was for just $3,500 and that's if I made the team (many NBA standouts earn five times that amount every quarter).

"I chose to play industrial basketball, where I remember playing six times one year against seven-footer Bob Kurland (Oklahoma State three-time first-team All-American who never played in the NBA). That wasn't much fun going against Kurland because I was just a 6-4 center."

Knoche was recalled to the military during the Korean War, where he was assigned to intelligence work for the Navy and later embarked on a civilian career leading to a job with the CIA.

In the shadowy world of the CIA, no precise clues exist as to whether a basketball background for "CIA John" contributed to helping POTUS develop a comfort-zone bond with him like other ex-college hoopsters in his inner circle - Secretary of Education Arne Duncan (Harvard), Attorney General Eric Holder (Yale), former "body man" Reggie Love (Duke) and former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mike Mullen (Navy). But it isn't ridiculous to suggest there might not have been a second inauguration for President Obama if he didn't trust "CIA John."

A vital hurdle approving the raid came when the SEAL Squadron leader briefed Mullen on merits of the mission. According to Esquire, Vice Admiral William McRaven, head of Joint Special Ops Command, compared the raid and its fighters to the basketball movie Hoosiers in a final briefing with the participants.

A pithy precept occasionally surfaces in basketball trash talking that "some talk a good game and some play a good game." Depending upon your point of view, Time's Person of the Year in 2011 and/or 2012 should have been "CIA John." Surely, Time managing editor Rick Stengel, a backup for Pete Carril-coached Princeton in the mid-1970s, would have encouraged his colleagues to give "CIA John" special consideration after the White House acknowledged him and his colleagues as "unbelievably competent professionals."

Deserved or not, other individuals may get the bulk of the glory. When, if ever, will our nation get the opportunity to pay homage to our latest authentic hoop hero? Heaven only knows that we need one these days. But at the moment, it will simply be "The Greatest Hoop Story Never Told."

If All-American voters are paying attention, they better learn how to spell the last name of Gonzaga center Kelly Olynyk. On a highly-ranked Zags squad loaded with scorers, he has been averaging more than 20 points per game since early December, including back-to-back West Coast Conference contests with more than 30 points. Olynyk averaged a modest 4.8 ppg in 2009-10 and 2010-11 before sitting out last season because GU's roster had an abundance of seasoned big men.

If the junior redshirt earns All-American acclaim, he would be the first to achieve the feat after redshirting following two DI campaigns. Upon assessing CollegeHoopedia.com's comprehensive list of All-Americans, there were four sophomore redshirts (Santa Clara's Bud Ogden before freshmen became eligible and two players after one junior college season - UNLV's Armen Gilliam and Illinois' Ken Norman). The fourth non-freshman redshirt most closely resembling Olynyk is Vanderbilt center Will Perdue, who took a RS season after his freshman year with the Commodores before becoming an A-A as a senior.

Excluding World War II veterans, medical redshirts and academic partial qualifiers, there have been only eight freshman redshirts who went on to become All-Americans at least three years later - Juan Dixon, Brian Evans, Harvey Grant, Kirk Haston, Ervin Johnson, Alec Kessler, Al Thornton and DeJuan Wheat.

Following is an alphabetical list showing how Olynyk's potential status fits in with other redshirts (not because of medical reasons) who went on to become All-Americans:

NOTES: Gilliam and Norman played freshman seasons in junior college. . . . Grant transferred to Oklahoma. . . . Ogden's RS season was before freshmen became eligible.

Olynyk, who averaged 3.8 ppg as a freshman, isn't the only relatively obscure player to thrive as an upperclassmen. Neither Thomas Robinson (Kansas) nor Draymond Green (Michigan State) generated national headlines in their first two seasons before blossoming into NCAA unanimous first-team All-Americans last year.

Robinson, who was anything but one of the country's most dominant players when he scored 2.5 ppg as a freshman in 2009-10, improved as much as anyone during his college career and probably would have become consensus national player of the year except for the emergence of Kentucky freshman phenom Anthony Davis. If not for Davis, Robinson would have posted the lowest average for any national player of the year's first season at the major-college level since the initial award by UPI in 1955.

Admiration for Green's significant impact following a scoring average of 3.3 ppg as a freshman in 2008-09 won't end anytime soon, either. Green is a classic example of why fans shouldn't put too much stock in freshman statistics.

Robinson, who shunned his senior season to declare for the NBA draft, and Green aren't the only All-Americans who endured growing pains. Syracuse playmaker Michael Carter-Williams (2.7 ppg as a freshman last year) is expected to join Robinson on the following alphabetical list of players who averaged fewer than three points per game as a freshman before eventually earning All-American acclaim:

*Tyler became an All-American at Texas after transferring to his home state.

Oregon's Wally Borrevik (1.8 ppg in 1940-41), Wisconsin's Gene Englund (2.3 ppg in 1938-39), California's Darrall Imhoff (0.9 ppg in 1957-58), Kansas' Dean Kelley (0.8 in 1950-51), Purdue's Bob Kessler (2.3 ppg in 1933-34), Notre Dame's Leo Klier (2.7 in 1942-43), Oklahoma A&M's Gale McArthur (2.96 ppg in 1948-49), Notre Dame's Bob Rensberger (1.5 ppg in [1940-41](seasons/1940- 41)) and Stanford's George Yardley (2.9 ppg in 1947-48) averaged fewer than three points per game as sophomores when freshmen weren't eligible to play varsity basketball before becoming All-Americans.

A sure sign of the instability in USC's program was the Trojans' firing of their coach for the third time in mid-season in the last 18 seasons. But Kevin O'Neill (7-10 record this year) isn't the first bench boss from a power conference member to face such a fate. He joins a dubous list including John Brady (Louisiana State in 2007-08), Lou Campanelli (California in 1992-93), Gale Catlett (West Virginia in 2001-02), Jim Dutcher (Minnesota in 1985-86), Dennis Felton (Georgia in 2008-09), Larry Glass (Northwestern in 1968-69), Mark Gottfried (Alabama in 2008-09), Joe Harrington (Colorado in 1995-96), Bob Knight (Texas Tech in 2007-08), Ward "Piggy" Lambert (Purdue in 1945-46), Shelby Metcalf (Texas A&M in 1989-90), Charlie Parker (Southern California in 1995-96), Steve Patterson (Arizona State in 1988-89) and Quin Snyder (Missouri in 2005-06) as coaches who lasted more than half of a specific season before their tenures ended for one reason or another.

What about the schools that don't even give a coach half a season to make his case? A total of 27 schools in the previous 16 seasons had a coach relieved of his duties or pass away after the start of the season but before the second half of the campaign. The odds are against O'Neill's replacement (Bob Cantu) compiling a winning mark. Last year, Western Kentucky's Ray Harper (11-8) became only the seventh "successor" coach piloting a club more than half of a campaign since the NCAA playoffs expanded to at least 64 entrants in 1985 to post a winning record the remainder of the season. He joined Jeff Dittman (10-8 with Sam Houston State in 1988-89), Dave Fehte (9-8 with Saint Mary's in 1990-91), Max Good (13-9 with UNLV in 2000-01), Mike Perry (10-9 with Georgia State in 2002 -03), Brad Soderberg (16-10 with Wisconsin in 2000-01) and Stetson's Derek Waugh (14-8 with Stetson in 2000-01).

Harper and Soderberg guided the squads they inherited to an NCAA playoff berth. Following is an alphabetical list of universities in this impatient category since the start of national postseason competition and the records of their coaches that season:

In the aftermath of Nerlen Noel's season-ending knee injury, Big Blue Nation isn't in the best of spirits while waiting for next year's latest best-of-all-time recruiting class. Even when Noel was in the lineup, Kentucky's current crew of blueblood recruits seemed incapable of defeating an opponent worthy of national postseason competition. Off the court, loyalists were blue after Dan Hall, a frontcourt backup from a historic recruiting class as a freshman for UK's 1975 NCAA Tournament runner-up, died at age 58.

Alarmingly, he apparently is the third ex-Wildcat to commit suicide in the last 2 1/2 years, joining Jim Dinwiddie, who was 63 at the time of his death last year, and former All-American Melvin Turpin, who took his life at the age of 49 in the summer of 2010. Hall, one of three 6-10 players (joining Mike Phillips and Rick Robey) on the first nationally-acclaimed recruiting class after freshmen became eligible, subsequently transferred to Marshall, where he averaged 10.4 ppg and 5.6 rpg in 1976-77 and 1977-78.

In a freak set of circumstances at the 1975 Final Four, another young player from a marquee program who went on to thrive elsewhere was UCLA's Gavin Smith. Police have been probing Smith's mysterious disappearance last May. Smith, a 57-year-old movie executive for Fox, was driving a black 2000 four-door Mercedes E Class when he vanished at night.

Smith, whose son (Evan) played for Southern California, didn't participate at either the 1974 or 1975 Final Four before scoring 14 points at the 1976 Final Four and subsequently transferring from the Bruins' bench to becoming one of the NCAA's top scorers. Most media outlets focus on Smith's connection to UCLA but he actually made a hoop name for himself playing with Hawaii, where he finished 16th in the nation in scoring in 1976-77 by setting a Rainbows' single-season record 23.4 points per game).

When Penn center Matt White was murdered by his wife, it continued a disturbing blend of Alfred Hitchcock and the Twilight Zone regarding a striking number of Final Four players from the mid- to late-1970s who died prematurely. Hall and White are among the following Final Four players from that era who died before their time:

• Danny Knight, the leading scorer and rebounder for Kansas' 1974 Final Four team, was 24 when he died in June 1977, three weeks after sustaining injuries in a fall down the steps at his home. Knight had been suffering headaches for some time and doctors attributed his death to an aneurysm in the brain.

• Jerome Whitehead, the second-leading rebounder and third-leading scorer for Marquette's 1977 NCAA titlist, died in mid-December 2012 at the age of 56 because of chronic alcohol abuse.

• Guard Chad Kinch, the third-leading scorer for UNC Charlotte's 1977 Final Four team as a freshman, died at his parents' home in Cartaret, N.J., from complications caused by AIDS. He passed away on April 3, 1994, the day between the Final Four semifinals and final in Charlotte. The host school happened to be UNC Charlotte. It was the second time Kinch's parents lost a son. Sixteen years earlier, Ray Kinch, a Rutgers football player, was killed in a house fire.

• Forward Glen Gondrezick, the leading rebounder and third-leading scorer for UNLV's 1977 third-place club, died in late April 2009 at the age of 53 due to complications stemming from a heart transplant he received the previous September.

• Center Lewis Brown, the third-leading rebounder and sixth-leading scorer for UNLV's 1977 national third-place team, spent more than 10 years homeless on the streets of Santa Monica, Calif., before passing away in mid-September 2011 at the age of 56. According to the New York Times, family members said he used cocaine with the Rebels. "Drugs were his downfall," said his sister.

• Murray State transfer Larry Moffett, the second-leading rebounder for UNLV's 1977 national third-place team, passed away in early May 2011 in Shreveport, La., at the age of 56. He previously was a cab driver in Las Vegas.

• Point guard John Harrell, a point guard for Duke's 1978 runner-up after transferring from North Carolina Central, died of an aortal aneurysm at age 50 in the summer of 2008.

• Orlando Woolridge, a backup freshman in 1978 when Notre Dame made its lone Final Four appearance before he became a scoring specialist in 13 NBA seasons, died at the end of May 2012 at the age of 52 because of a chronic heart condition.

• Matt White, the second-leading rebounder and third-leading scorer for Penn's 1979 national fourth-place squad, was fatally stabbed in mid-February 2013 by his wife, who told police she had caught him looking at child pornography. White, who was 53, is the Quakers' all-time leader in field-goal shooting (59.1%).

Hall of Famer Mike Krzyzewski has defeated five #1 opponents while coaching Duke. But there is a price to pay for the Blue Devils spending more weeks ranked No. 1 during Coach K's tenure than unranked. After striking out at North Carolina State, Duke is tied with North Carolina for school with the most defeats as nation's top-ranked team (30). Kentucky is right behind the ACC rivals with 29.

An individual all-time high 26 (only eight outside ACC competition) of the 30 such setbacks have been with Krzyzewski as the Blue Devils' bench boss. Marquee mentors ranking behind him for most losses coaching the nation's top-ranked team are Dean Smith (18 with North Carolina), Roy Williams (17/11 with Kansas and six with North Carolina) and Adolph Rupp (15 with Kentucky).

Duke lost as the nation's top-ranked team seven straight seasons from 1997-98 through 2003-04. Five of the Blue Devils' seven such losses from late-November 1998 to the 2002 NCAA playoffs were by margins of fewer than four points. Following is a chronological list of the 26 K's for Krzyzewski when ranked No. 1 in the country:

Will former junior college guard Pierre Jackson of Baylor live up to the preseason projection of him becoming Big 12 Conference Player of the Year? Jucos such as Jackson weren't looked at so condescendingly by many four-year universities because of an improved image after the advent of stiffer academic requirements for Division I freshman eligibility. But amid more rigid scholastic standards for both high school and J.C. prospects, the jucos might go back to being deemed the rogues of recruiting.

Mid-major schools figure to be hit hardest by any reduction in the flow of juco talent but power leagues have often filled in holes from the J.C. ranks. The misconceptions regarding junior college basketball aren't helped when network TV pulls a snafu such as in the early 1990s when it was mistakenly inferred that Kentucky guard Dale Brown was the first instance of the Wildcats recruiting a junior college player.

Actually, legendary coach Adolph Rupp, a Kansas native, regularly attended the NJCAA Tournament at Hutchinson, Kan., in the 1950s and recruited four tournament MVPs or leading scorers. Two of the four didn't play much for Kentucky or transferred, but the other two - Bob Burrow (Lon Morris) and Sid Cohen (Kilgore) - proved to be pivotal players for the Wildcats and were selected in the NBA draft. Burrow, an NCAA consensus second-team All-American in 1956, still holds the school record for rebound average in a career (16.1 rpg). Guard Adrian Smith, a key member of Kentucky's 1958 NCAA champion, was also a junior college recruit. Ditto Doug Pendygraft, who joined UK after setting an NJCAA record with 63 points in a national tournament game for Lindsey Wilson.

John Wooden's first center with UCLA was Carl Kraushaar, a transfer from Compton (CA) Community College who led the Bruins in scoring in 1948-49 and was an All-PCC selection the next season. Often overlooked amid UCLA's amazing run of nine NCAA Tournament titles in a 10-year span from 1964 through 1973 was the impact of junior college products. The Bruins had six J.C. recruits, including 1970 Final Four Most Outstanding Player Sidney Wicks, who were part of multiple NCAA championships.

The Big Ten Conference has never had an abundance of junior college players, but J.C. transfer Dick Garmaker (Hibbing) scored 37 points for Minnesota in his first league game in 1954 before becoming an NCAA consensus All-American the next year.

Burrow (1954) and Garmaker (1952) are two of five players - including Furman's Darrell Floyd (1951), Tulsa's Paul Pressey (1980) and St. John's Walter Berry (1984) - who were named NJCAA Tournament MVP before becoming NCAA All-Americans. Berry also participated in the NCAA Final Four.

Five of the top six scorers for Oklahoma's 2002 Final Four team were former junior college players. Former Sooners coach Kelvin Sampson is fond of the realistic view junior college recruits offer a roster.

"A lot of their egos are broken down already," Sampson said. "They've been through a lot on and off the court. High school kids sometimes have egos that you have to work through. Their bubble hasn't burst yet. A high school kid sometimes gets faced with, `I thought I was better than this.' Also, juco kids only have two years left. They're hungry."

Jackson (Southern Idaho) might become the first player since Arizona's Jason Terry in 1998-99 to lead a power six conference in both scoring and assists the same year. Another "hungry" juco jewel this season is fellow guard Marshall Henderson (South Plains, TX), who is making a name for himself by sparking Ole Miss to the Rebels' best SEC start since national postseason competition commenced in the late 1930s. Either or both of them could join the following alphabetical list of J.C. recruits who became MVP in a power six league:

When you hit big bullies, they usually take their ball and go home. Why do so few power conference members play at in-state mid-major schools or even oppose them on a neutral court during the regular season? Why can't more big-name universities be like Villanova with its longstanding tradition of competing in the Philly Big 5?

Non-league schedules would be significantly more entertaining if skittish power league members weren't so condescending. Instead of meeting natural rival Davids, check out the following results thus far this century. They are a sobering reminder for Goliaths venturing away from Philistine, you plus Jay Bilas regarding the reasons why haughty "big boys" frequently stay home and pick on out-of-state patsies to pad their records:

2012-13
Brown 69, Providence 68
Butler 88, Indiana 86 (OT)
Coastal Carolina 69, Clemson 46
Florida Gulf Coast 63, Miami (Fla.) 51
Green Bay 49, Marquette 47
La Salle 82, Penn State 57
La Salle 77, Villanova 74 (OT)
Middle Tennessee 56, Vanderbilt 52
Old Dominion 63, Virginia 61

2011-12
Cal Poly 42, Southern California 36
Colorado State 65, Colorado 64
Creighton 76, Nebraska 66
Drake 74, Iowa Stae 65
Holy Cross 86, Boston College 64
Northern Iowa 80, Iowa 60
Saint Joseph's 65, Penn State 47
Saint Joseph's 74, Villanova 58
Southern Mississippi 86, Mississippi 82
Temple 78, Villanova 67
Xavier 76, Cincinnati 53

2010-11
Central Florida 57, Florida 54
Central Florida 84, Miami (Fla.) 78
Central Florida 65, South Florida 59
Florida Atlantic 50, South Florida 42
Fordham 84, St. John's 81
Furman 91, South Carolina 75
Kennesaw State 80, Georgia Tech 63
Marshall 75, West Virginia 71
UNC Wilmington 81, Wake Forest 69
North Texas 92, Texas Tech 83 (OT)
Northern Iowa 60, Iowa State 54
Princeton 78, Rutgers 73 (OT)

2009-10
Colorado State 77, Colorado 62
Creighton 67, Nebraska 61
Green Bay 88, Wisconsin 84 (OT)
Long Beach State 79, UCLA 68
Northern Iowa 67, Iowa 50
Portland State 88, Oregon 81
Rhode Island 86, Providence 82
Temple 45, Penn State 42
Temple 75, Villanova 65
Tulsa 86, Oklahoma State 65
Wofford 68, South Carolina 61
Xavier 83, Cincinnati 79 (2OT)

2008-09
College of Charleston 82, South Carolina 80 (OT)
Davidson 72, North Carolina State 67
Drake 60, Iowa 43
Lamar 85, Texas Tech 79
Southern Mississippi 78, Mississippi 59
Texas-El Paso 96, Texas Tech 78
Western Kentucky 68, Louisville 54

2007-08
Charlotte 63, Wake Forest 59
Creighton 74, Nebraska 62
Drake 79, Iowa State 44
East Carolina 75, North Carolina State 69
Old Dominion 72, Virginia Tech 69
Rhode Island 77, Providence 60
Richmond 52, Virginia Tech 49
Saint Joseph's 79, Penn State 67
Sam Houston State 56, Texas Tech 54
Tulane 68, Louisiana State 63
Xavier 64, Cincinnati 59

2006-07
Bradley 78, DePaul 58
Butler 60, Indiana 55
Butler 71, Notre Dame 69
Drake 75, Iowa 59
Gonzaga 97, Washington 77
Indiana State 89, Purdue 70
Northern Iowa 70, Iowa State 57
Ohio University 79, Cincinnati 66

2005-06
UC Davis 64, Stanford 58
Colorado State 83, Colorado 82
Creighton 70, Nebraska 44
Evansville 75, Purdue 69
George Washington 78, Maryland 70
Gonzaga 67, Washington State 53
Indiana State 72, Indiana 67
Marshall 58, West Virginia 52
Northern Iowa 67, Iowa 63 (OT)
Old Dominion 58, Virginia Tech 55
Portland 80, Oregon 72
Rhode Island 77, Providence 69
Xavier 73, Cincinnati 71 (OT)

2004-05
Bradley 63, DePaul 53
George Washington 101, Maryland 92
Gonzaga 99, Washington 87
Marshall 59, West Virginia 55
Northern Iowa 99, Iowa State 82
Santa Clara 86, Stanford 76
Temple 53, Villanova 52
Virginia Military 72, Virginia Tech 68

2003-04
Creighton 61, Nebraska 54
Gonzaga 95, Washington State 58
Illinois-Chicago 90, Northwestern 71
Northern Iowa 77, Iowa 66
North Texas 73, Baylor 69
Rhode Island 89, Providence 79
Temple 67, Penn State 56
Xavier 71, Cincinnati 69

2002-03
Dayton 75, Cincinnati 69
Florida Atlantic 74, Miami (Fla.) 73
Gonzaga 95, Washington 89 (OT)
Holy Cross 71, Boston College 70
Penn 62, Penn State 37
Penn 72, Villanova 58
Saint Joseph's 92, Villanova 75
William & Mary 60, Virginia Tech 52

2001-02
Butler 66, Indiana 64
Creighton 76, Nebraska 70
Drake 72, Iowa State 58
Fresno State 65, Southern California 58
Georgia State 83, Georgia 78
Gonzaga 67, Washington State 44
Marshall 81, West Virginia 79 (OT)
Northern Iowa 78, Iowa 76
Old Dominion 55, Virginia Tech 46
Penn 75, Villanova 74
Pepperdine 78, Southern California 77
Portland 79, Oregon 78
Rice 75, Baylor 60
Temple 75, Penn State 63
Temple 63, Villanova 57
Texas-Pan American 72, Baylor 66

2000-01
UC Irvine 56, California 52
Duquesne 71, Pittsburgh 70
Fordham 68, St. John's 67
Gonzaga 86, Washington 74
Indiana State 59, Indiana 58
Oakland 97, Michigan 90
Wichita State 76, Kansas State 66

1999-2000
Colorado State 79, Colorado 57
Creighton 89, Nebraska 72
Drake 48, Iowa State 44
George Washington 74, Maryland 69
Gonzaga 76, Washington 66
Gonzaga 73, Washington State 63
Long Beach State 76, Southern California 66
North Texas 91, Texas A&M 88
Saint Louis 75, Missouri 72
Temple 69, Villanova 66
Xavier 66, Cincinnati 64

With Auld Lang Syne chords playing in the background, the final day of the calendar year offered another time to say goodbye acknowledging the passing away in 2012 of a striking number of college basketball movers and shakers. Five former Kentucky regulars under legendary coach Adolph Rupp passing away in 2012 were Sid Cohen, John Crigler, Jim Dinwiddie, Kenny Rollins and Layton Rouse. All-Americans dying in 2012 included Bob Boozer (Kansas State), Pete Brennan (North Carolina), Ed Conlin (Fordham), LeRoy Ellis Sr. (St. John's), Art Heyman (Duke), Merv Jackson (Utah), Walt Kirk (Illinois), Arnie Risen (Ohio State), Charlie Share (Bowling Green State), Carlyle "Blackie" Towery (Western Kentucky), Jack Twyman (Cincinnati), Lou Watson (Indiana) and Jerome Whitehead (Marquette). Twyman and his brother, Ned Twyman (Duquesne), died within a two-month span and are among the following alphabetical list of deceased who didn't drop the ball:

• Ralph Abraham, 63, averaged 7.8 ppg and 6.7 rpg for St. John's from 1967-68 through 1969-70 under coach Lou Carnesecca. As a junior, Abraham led in rebounding for the Redmen's NCAA tourney team before finishing runner-up in that category the next season with NIT finalist.
• Dick Acres, 78, coached two sons (Mark and Jeff) while compiling a 47-34 record with Oral Roberts in three seasons from 1982-83 through 1984-85. They participated in the 1984 NCAA playoffs.
• Jack Allain, 77, was leading rebounder (12.5 rpg) and second-leading scorer (13 ppg) for Idaho State's NCAA Tournament team in 1956-57. He grabbed a game-high 15 rebounds in setback against San Francisco in 1957 NCAA playoffs after also appearing in tourney the previous year.
• C. "Leon" Ammerman, 76, averaged 15 ppg and 6.9 rpg for Tennessee from 1955-56 through 1957-58. Senior captain was runner-up in scoring with the Volunteers each of his last two seasons.
• Warren Armstrong, 65, averaged 16.7 ppg, 10.8 rpg and 5.5 apg for Wichita from 1965-66 through 1967-68. Leading rebounder for the Shockers all three seasons as All-MVC selection each year before changing his last name to Jabali.
• Larry Arnerich, 97, was a three-year letterman for San Jose State from 1933-34 through 1935-36, serving as team captain his senior season.
• Murray Arnold, 74, compiled a 248-147 DI coaching record with Tennessee-Chattanooga (135-46 in six seasons from 1979-80 through 1984-85), Western Kentucky (71-54 in four seasons from 1986-87 through 1989-90) and Stetson (42-47 in four seasons from 1997-98 to 2001-01). He guided UTC and WKU to the NCAA playoffs in the 1980s, winning three consecutive Southern Conference Tournament championships from 1981 through 1983.
• Steve Baidy, 76, averaged 9.7 ppg for Penn State in 1956-57 and 1957-58 under coach John Egli. Baidy was an INF for the Nittany Lions' runner-up in 1957 CWS.
• Larry Bailey, 81, averaged 9.6 ppg and 2.5 rpg for Utah State in 1956-57 after serving in U.S. Air Force during the Korean Conflict.
• Dick Ballantyne, 84, averaged 5.5 ppg for Oregon State from 1947-48 through 1949-50 under coach Slats Gill after serving in U.S. Navy. Ballantyne participated in 1949 Final Four before becoming an All-PCC North Division second-team selection as a senior.
• Rod Bambach, 86, was on roster of San Francisco's 1949 NIT titlist.
• Cedric "Rick" Barnett, 81, averaged 2.5 ppg for Marquette in 1949-50 and 1950-51.
• David Barns, 30, played for Detroit in 2003-04 and 2004-05 after transferring from Grand Valley State MI.
• Gene Bartow, 81, coached Valparaiso, Memphis State, Illinois and UCLA before starting UAB's program. He directed Memphis and UCLA to the Final Four in a four-year span from 1973 through 1976.
• Maurice "Red" Bell, 88, was a SEC All-Tournament second-team selection in 1945 for Alabama after playing briefly with Kentucky the previous season.
• Willis Bellamy Jr., 63, averaged 3.1 ppg and 1.9 rpg for Weber State in 1967-68 under coach Dick Motta before transferring to Western New Mexico.
• George Benigni, 85, earned a letter with Notre Dame in 1945 before transferring and doing likewise for Georgetown in 1947 when averaging 2.6 ppg. Selected in 21st round of 1949 AAFC draft by the Chicago Hornets as an end. He was chosen in seventh round of 1950 NFL dispersal draft by the Detroit Lions, but opted for a career in the FBI.
• Leon Bentley, 88, played for Missouri in 1942-43 before serving as First Lieutenant during WWII.
• Dr. J. "Brent" Berrey, 68, averaged 4.5 ppg and 2.3 rpg for Idaho State in 1963-64 and 1964-65.
• Mac Best was a starter for Texas Christian in 1938-39.
• Terry Bethel, 72, was an Illinois native who enrolled at or attended several Midwest major universities before serving as Army Ranger in two tours in Vietnam.
• Arthur Bibbs III averaged 12.3 ppg and 5 rpg for Tulane in 1975-76 and 1976-77.
• Roger Blalock, 65, was a juco recruit who averaged 12.3 ppg and team-high 9.8 rpg for Purdue in 1966-67 under coach George King.
• Kaspars "Kas" Blums, 70, played for Washington State in the mid-1960s under coach Marv Harshman.
• Jim Bogan, 76, averaged 3 ppg and 4.1 rpg for Alabama from 1954-55 through 1956-57.
• Dan Bogott, 77, averaged 4.6 ppg for Tennessee in 1952-53 and 1953-54. He served in U.S. Army during Korean Conflict.
• Bill "Bull" Bolton, 72, averaged 6.5 ppg and 6.9 rpg for Mississippi from 1960-61 through 1962-63. As a senior, he led the Rebels in rebounding with 10.1 rpg.
• Fernando Bonfim, 28, averaged 5 ppg and 2.4 rpg for Southern Utah in 2005-06 before seven-footer transferred to Chadron State NE. Brazilian's last name became Wilson following adoption by his juco town host parents.
• J.R. "Junior" Boone, 86, was a hoops teammate of eventual NFL executive Jim Finks with Tulsa in 1947-48. HB rushed for 497 yards and five touchdowns and caught 69 passes for 1,251 yards and seven TDs with the Chicago Bears, San Francisco 49ers and Green Bay Packers in six years from 1948 through 1953. 3B hit .250 in Organized Ball at Class B level in 1948.
• Bob Boozer, 75, was the leading scorer and rebounder for Kansas State's 1958 Final Four team coached by Tex Winter. Boozer was an NCAA unanimous first-team All-American in 1959 and consensus first-team All-American in 1958.
• John Breathwit, 58, averaged 4.7 ppg for Oklahoma in 1972-73 and 1973-74 before transferring to Louisiana State, where he averaged 2.9 ppg in 1975-76 and 1976-77 under coach Dale Brown.
• Pete Brennan, 75, was the leading rebounder and second-leading scorer for North Carolina's undefeated 1957 NCAA Tournament champion coached by Frank McGuire (32-0 record). Brennan became an NCAA consensus second-team All-American the next season, finishing his college career with averages of 16.4 ppg and 10.5 rpg before becoming fourth pick overall in NBA draft.
• Jim Brown Jr., 58, averaged 10.6 ppg and 10.1 rpg for Toledo from 1972-73 through 1974-75. All-MAC second-team selection as a junior led the Rockets in rebounding each of his last two seasons after pacing league in field-goal accuracy (59.1%) as a sophomore.
• Monroe "Monnie" Brown Jr., 41, averaged 9.8 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 3.5 apg and 1.9 spg for Penn State from 1988-89 through 1991-92, leading the Nittany Lions in scoring as senior MVP. He participated in national postseason tournament competition all four seasons (one NCAA/three NIT).
• Billy Joe "Buck" Buchanan, 77, averaged 1.8 ppg and 3 rpg for Texas Tech in 1954-55.
• Clarence "Dutch" Burch, 80, was Pittsburgh's leading scorer with 15.8 ppg as a senior in 1953-54.
• Jesse "Red" Burditt Jr., 86, lettered for Texas A&M in 1943-44. Aggie football player served in U.S. Navy during WWII.
• Frank Burns, 84, averaged 3 ppg for Rutgers in 1945-46. Second-round selection as back in 1949 NFL draft by the Philadelphia Eagles (19th overall pick DNP). He compiled a 78-43-1 coaching record with his alma mater from 1973 through 1983 (11-0 mark in 1976).
• Ed Burton, 72, played for Michigan State's freshman squad in the late 1950s before joining the Harlem Globetrotters. His brother, M.C., was a two-time All-Big Ten Conference selection with Michigan.
• James "Henry" Cabaniss, 75, averaged 12.9 ppg and 11.9 rpg for Georgia from 1955-56 through 1957-58. Senior captain led the Bulldogs in total rebounds all three seasons. He was a two-year lettermen in baseball as a first baseman.
• Curtis Cabbell, 57, was a member of Cincinnati's 1977 NCAA playoff team coached by Gale Catlett. Cabbell played in the tourney against champion-to-be Marquette.
• Bill Cady, 83, averaged 9.6 ppg for Xavier from 1948-49 through 1950-51, finishing runner-up in scoring for the Muskeeters as a sophomore.
• Dennis Cantrell, 65, was a Vanderbilt transfer who averaged 4.6 ppg and 4.4 rpg for Miami (Fla.) from 1967-68 through 1969-70.
• Frank Capitani, 76, averaged 11 ppg and 4 rpg for Gettysburg PA in 1957-58 before hitting .267 in two years as OF in the Philadelphia Phillies' farm system.
• Sean Carlson, 50, averaged 2.5 ppg and 2.7 rpg for Ohio University from 1980-81 through 1983-84 under coach Danny Nee.
• Jess Carroll, 78, averaged 2.4 ppg and 1.7 rpg for Georgia Tech from 1953-54 through 1956-57.
• James Carter, 100, compiled a 41-75 coaching record for Dayton in six seasons in the 1940s as Tom Blackburn's predecessor.
• Ed Catino, 80, averaged 4.3 ppg for George Washington from 1951-52 through 1954-55 under coach Bill Reinhart. Catino participated in NCAA Tournament as a junior.
• John "Jack" Caulfield, 83, averaged 1.2 ppg for Wake Forest in 1948-49 under coach Murray Greason. Caulfield was a security operative in Richard Nixon's Administration around the time of Watergate Scandal. Chief of security for Nixon's presidential campaign testified before the Senate's Watergate Committee but avoided any dirty-tricks prosecution.
• Steve Chalmers, 85, was a Maryland transfer who played for Arizona in the late 1940s after serving in U.S. Navy during WWII.
• Doug Chappell, 52, averaged 11.3 ppg and 5.7 rpg for Detroit from 1980-81 through 1983-84. All-Midwestern City Conference first-team selection as junior when leading the Titans in scoring and rebounding. He also paced UD in caroms as senior.
• Hal Christensen, 80, averaged 7.7 ppg and 4.4 rpg for Brigham Young from 1950-51 through 1952-53, earning All-Mountain States Conference first-team acclaim as a senior. Member of Stan Watts-coached NIT titlist as a sophomore had three sons go on to play for BYU (Craig, Kurt and Todd).
• Louis Christo, 85, averaged 1.9 ppg for Georgia in 1949-50.
• Mike Cimino, 82, averaged a team-high 9.2 ppg for St. Mary's in 1950-51. He coached his alma mater to a 54-147 record in eight seasons from 1962-63 through 1969-70.
• Charles Cleveland, 61, averaged 15.8 ppg, 7.5 rpg and 3.3 apg for Alabama from 1972-73 through 1974-75 under coach C.M. Newton. Three-time All-SEC selection was one of the Crimson Tide's top two scorers each season. He was a MLB draft choice out of high school as pitcher by the Kansas City Royals.
• Sylvester Coalmon, 73, averaged 7.8 ppg and 7.6 rpg for Fordham in 1960-61 under coach John Bach.
• William "Abe" Coates, 82, averaged 11.8 ppg for Virginia Tech from 1954-55 through 1956-57. All-Southern Conference second-team selection as a senior when he led the Hokies in scoring (16.1 ppg) and rebounding (14.3 rpg).
• Sid Cohen, 78, was an Army veteran and J.C. recruit who averaged 9.4 ppg and 3.4 rpg for Kentucky in 1958-59 and 1959-60 under coach Adolph Rupp.
• Sam Cohn, 69, played for Clemson in mid-1960s. Air Force veteran was one of the original 20 pilots for Southwest Airlines in the early 1970s.
• Dr. Ed Coleman, 69, was a member of Evansville's NCAA Division II championship club in 1964.
• Randy Coleman Sr., 81, averaged 1.4 ppg and 3.1 rpg for South Carolina in 1951-52.
• Whaylon Coleman averaged 10.3 ppg for Idaho from 1956-57 through 1958-59, leading the Vandals in scoring as a senior when he was an All-PCC second-team selection for the second straight season.
• Paul Collins Sr., 89, was an All-Big Six Conference first-team selection in 1943-44 for Missouri's first NCAA tourney team. He was the 14th pick overall in second round of 1945 NFL draft as a quarterback by the Chicago Cardinals.
• Lincoln "Abe" Collinsworth, 76, averaged 1.5 ppg for Kentucky from 1955-56 through 1957-58 under coach Adolph Rupp. Played in Final Four for NCAA champion as a senior.
• Fred "Bud" Conley, 93, was an All-Yankee Conference first-team selection with Rhode Island State for three seasons from 1938-39 through 1940-41 under coach Frank Keaney.
• Ed Conlin, 79, was a two-time All-American who averaged 18.2 ppg and 18.5 rpg for Fordham from 1951-52 through 1954-55, leading the Rams in scoring and rebounding each of his last three seasons when ranking among the nation's top nine in rebounding. Coached his alma mater to a 27-24 record in 1968-69 and 1969-70 as John Bach's successor and Digger Phelps' predecessor.
• Larry Cooke, 57, averaged 15.9 ppg and 5.5 rpg for Virginia Tech in 1974-75 and 1975-76. Juco recruit was runner-up in scoring both seasons for the Hokies under coach Don DeVoe.
• Rollie Cornish, 69, averaged 3.4 ppg and 1.9 rpg for Texas Christian from 1962-63 through 1964-65 under coach Buster Brannon. He was a starting guard as a junior.
• Al Correll, 72, averaged 8.5 ppg and 4.6 rpg for Kansas from 1959-60 through 1963-64 (redshirt in 1961-62). Philadelphia native still holds the school single-season record for free-throw shooting (90% as a senior).
• Emory "E.A." Couch, 75, played for Dayton in 1958-59 after transferring from Kentucky.
• Don Cox, 81, averaged 5.2 ppg and 2.4 rpg for Drake from 1950-51 through 1953-54 (did not play in 1951-52).
• L.C. Cozzens, 90, was New Mexico's leading scorer in 1946-47 (All-Border Conference first-team selection) and 1947-48. He had his college career interrupted by serving in U.S. Marine Corps during WWII.
• Dr. Elliott Craig, 73, averaged 2.2 ppg for Texas A&M in 1959-60 and 1960-61.
• John Crigler, 76, was third-leading scorer and rebounder for Kentucky's NCAA championship club in 1958 coached by Adolph Rupp.
• Kelsey Crooks, 31, averaged 5.5 ppg and 4 rpg for New Mexico State from 2000-01 through 2003-04 under coach Lou Henson.
• Dennis Cuff, 69, averaged 10.1 ppg and 8 rpg for Duquesne from 1961-62 through 1963-64. He was the Dukes' top rebounder each of his last two seasons.
• Grant Cullimore, 90, was a Utah State letterman in 1940-41 and 1941-42 before serving in U.S. Marine Corps during WWII. He was an OF who hit .263 in Class C Pioneer League in 1948 and 1949.
• Pat Cummings, 55, was Metro Conference MVP in 1978-79 when averaging 24.5 ppg and 11.3 rpg for Cincinnati. He averaged 17.1 ppg and 8.3 rpg in his four-year career with the Bearcats.
• Austin "Curt" Cunkle, 80, averaged 9.9 ppg and 8.1 rpg for Florida from 1950-51 through 1952-53. He was an All-SEC first-team selection as a senior when leading the Gators in total points.
• Russ Cunningham averaged 8.2 ppg for NYU from 1957-58 through 1959-60. As a senior, he was the third-leading scorer with the Violets' Final Four team.
• Steve Cunningham, 68, averaged 12.8 ppg and 7 rpg for Western Kentucky from 1963-64 through 1965-66. All-Ohio Valley Conference selection as a senior when the Hilltoppers competed in the NCAA tourney.
• Joe Curran, 89, compiled a 76-66 record as Canisius' coach for six seasons from 1953-54 through 1958-59. In the midst of three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, the Griffs' four-overtime 79-77 upset of North Carolina State in 1956 is one of the biggest upsets in NCAA playoff history. Curran was a Penn State letterman in 1944.
• Ed Dahler Jr., 86, was leading scorer with 16.9 ppg as senior for Duquesne's NIT team in 1949-50 before becoming 14th pick overall in NBA draft. He was the Dukes' first-ever 1,000-point career scorer.
• Robert "Biff" Daly, 70, averaged a team-high 13.1 ppg for Boston University in 1948-49.
• Dick Davies, 76, averaged 10 ppg and 2.3 rpg for Louisiana State in 1958-59 and 1959-60 after transferring from Gettysburg PA. Brother of Seton Hall All-American Bob Davies was member of 1964 U.S. Olympic squad.
• Larry Davis, 90, was a letterman with Cornell in 1943-44 before averaging 7.6 ppg for Penn in 1949-50 and 1950-51. Davis served in U.S. Marines during WWII and the Korean Conflict.
• Percy Davis Jr., 55, averaged 4.6 ppg and 2.1 rpg for Rhode Island from 1975-76 through 1977-78 under coach Jack Kraft before competing in Canada. Davis played in one-point loss in 1978 NCAA tourney against eventual runner-up Duke.
• John Davsko, 65, averaged 1.7 ppg and 1.1 rpg for St. Louis from 1965-66 through 1967-68. He compiled an 8-8 pitching record in the St. Louis Cardinals' farm system in 1968 and 1969.
• Rick Dean, 67, averaged 13.2 ppg and 7.6 rpg for Syracuse from 1964-65 through 1966-67. Teammate of All-American Dave Bing and eventual Orange all-time winningest coach Jim Boeheim was runner-up in scoring and rebounding as senior after appearing in NCAA playoffs as junior.
• Jim Diamond Sr., 82, was a U.S. Army veteran who averaged 5.2 ppg and 5.6 rpg for Auburn from 1953-54 through 1955-56 under coach Joel Eaves.
• Donald Dick, 87, played for Wisconsin in 1943-44 under coach Bud Foster before transferring to Navy, where he played in 1945-46 and 1946-47.
• Lou Dickman, 79, averaged 4 ppg and 2.8 rpg for three North Carolina State teams combining for a 78-15 record from 1953-54 through 1955-56 under coach Everett Case. Dickman played for two NCAA tourney teams.
• Jim Dinwiddie, 63, averaged 3.8 ppg and shot 52.5% from the floor from 1968-69 through 1970-71 for Kentucky. In an apparent suicide (gunshot wound), Dinwiddie was found in bedroom above his law office in a former hotel building he owned.
• Bobby Dobson, 80, averaged 3.1 ppg for Indiana in 1950-51 before transferring to Purdue, where he averaged 2.5 ppg in 1952-53.
• Charles "Buddy" Donnelly, 81, averaged 6.3 ppg with La Salle from 1949-50 through 1951-52. Senior captain of NIT champion.
• J.R. "Chick" Doster, 85, was Illinois' MVP in 1945-46 when averaging team-high 13 ppg as an All-Big Nine Conference second-team selection. His career, ending in 1947-48, was hampered by a liver ailment.
• William Dresser, 87, played for Kansas State in 1948-49 under coach Jack Gardner after serving in U.S. Navy during WWII.
• Malachy "Mal" Duffy, 80, averaged 19.8 ppg for St. Bonaventure from 1952-53 through 1954-55. Leading scorer for the Bonnies each of his last two seasons.
• Al Dufty Jr., 62, averaged 7.5 ppg and 4.5 rpg for Princeton from 1969-70 through 1971-72 under coach Pete Carril. The Tigers participated in NIT in Dufty's senior season.
• Michael Clarke Duncan, 54, was a juco teammate of eventual Chicago State coach Kevin Jones in 1980-81 before enrolling at Alcorn State to play briefly under coach Davey Whitney. Duncan went on to become an actor who appeared in four films with Bruce Willis, earning an Academy Award nomination and Golden Globe nomination in The Green Mile.
• Bill Durkin, 90, played for Loyola of Chicago in the early 1940s.
• William "Tippy" Dye II, 97, compiled a 220-132 coaching record in 14 seasons with Brown (11-7 in 1941-42), four seasons with Ohio State (53-34 from 1946-47 through 1949-50) and nine seasons with Washington (156-91 from 1950-51 through 1958-59). Dye guided OSU and UW to back-to-back NCAA playoff appearances in 1950 and 1951 before directing the Buckeyes to 1953 Final Four. Former OSU quarterback served for three years in U.S. Navy during WWII.
• Joe Early Sr., 79, was captain of Holy Cross' 1954 NIT champion coached by Buster Sheary. Politician (D-MA) served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1975 to 1993.
• Henry Ebershoff II, 67, averaged 14.2 ppg and 2.9 rpg for Purdue from 1964-65 through 1966-67. All-Big Ten Conference second-team selection as senior captain after setting still-existing single-season FT% record of 90.7 the previous year.
• LeRoy Ellis Sr., 72, was an All-American center for St. John's as a senior in 1962. He helped power St. John's to national postseason competition all three of his varsity seasons, including an NIT runner-up finish in 1962.
• Dave Emerson, 76, averaged 2.4 ppg and 3.1 rpg for Bradley from 1955-56 through 1957-58. As a junior, he was a member of the Braves' NIT titlist.
• John Emery averaged 3.1 ppg for Princeton from 1949-50 through 1951-52. Played in NCAA tourney as a senior.
• Thomas Erickson, 94, was an All-EIBL first-team selection as Yale's senior captain in 1939-40 after earning all-conference second-team honors in 1937-38.
• Wilbur "Willie" Ernst, 78, averaged 7.5 ppg for Cincinnati from 1953-54 through 1955-56. In 1957, he compiled a 12-9 minor-league pitching record in Southwestern League (Class B).
• Earl Evans II, 57, averaged 8.8 ppg and 3.5 rpg for Southern California in 1974-75 and 1975-76 under coach Bob Boyd before transferring to UNLV, where he averaged 16.9 ppg and 10.1 rpg in 1977-78 and 1978-79 under coach Jerry Tarkanian. Evans was the Rebels' top rebounder both seasons with them.
• Jerry "Bud" Faller, 80, played for Muhlenberg in the mid-1950s.
• Dr. Richard Falvey, 84, was senior captain for Georgetown in 1949-50 before serving in U.S. Air Force during the Korean War. He averaged 3.7 ppg from 1947-48 through 1949-50.
• Marty Farrell, 76, averaged 11.1 ppg and 9 rpg for Seton Hall's three NIT teams from 1954-55 through 1956-57 under coach Honey Russell. Farrell was the Pirates' top rebounder as a senior.
• Mike Faulkner, 61, averaged 14.7 ppg and 8.4 rpg for New Mexico in 1970-71 and 1971-72, leading the Lobos in scoring his final campaign. Runner-up in rebounding for them both seasons.
• Joe Faupl, 85, averaged 6.4 ppg for Marquette from 1947-48 through 1949-50.
• Paul Feeley Sr. scored 106 points for Loyola (Md.) in 1947-48.
• Steve Ferreboeuf, 62, averaged 12.2 ppg and 6.3 rpg for San Francisco in 1970-71.
• Dan Fisher, 93, averaged 4.8 ppg for Purdue from 1937-38 through 1939-40 under coach Piggy Lambert.
• Don Flatt, 70, averaged 1.8 ppg and 1.4 rpg with Ohio State from 1961-62 through 1963-64 under coach Fred Taylor. As a sophomore, Flatt played in majority of games for NCAA Tournament runner-up.
• Bill Fleming, 82, averaged 6 ppg for Duke from 1949-50 through 1951-52. As a senior teammate of All-American Dick Groat, he was runner-up in rebounding with the Blue Devils (9.7 rpg).
• Jim Flick, 82, played for Wake Forest in the early 1950s.
• Mario "Sam" Fortino, 88, led Michigan State in scoring in 1944-45 and 1945-46 as a teammate of eventual MLB Hall of Fame RHP Robin Roberts before transferring to Detroit, where he averaged a team-high 12.5 ppg in 1946-47. Fortino served in U.S. Navy during WWII.
• Dr. Ed Franklin, 76, scored a total of 262 points for Baylor from 1954-55 through 1956-57 under coach Bill Henderson.
• Pat Frink, 67, was first player to lead Colorado in scoring in three different seasons (second half of 1960s). Three-time All-Big Eight Conference selection averaged 17.4 ppg and 3.4 rpg under coach Sox Walseth.
• Mark Fritz played for Michigan in 1965-66 under coach Dave Strack.
• Stan Fronczak, 91, played for LIU in the mid-1940s under coach Clair Bee before serving in U.S. military during WWII. Fronczak subsequently played with Illinois.
• Frank Fucarino, 91, was on a pair of LIU's NIT teams in the early 1940s under coach Clair Bee.
• Bill Gardiner, 86, averaged 3.6 ppg for St. Louis from 1948-49 through 1950-51 under coach Eddie Hickey. Gardiner, a member of two NIT teams, led the Missouri Valley Conference in free-throw shooting as a junior (82.8%).
• Robert Garwitz, 88, played for Missouri in the mid-1940s. His college career was interrupted by serving in U.S. Navy during WWII.
• Leon Gecker, 72, averaged 1.4 ppg as a member of three straight Seattle teams appearing in NCAA playoffs from 1961 through 1963.
• John "Jack" George, 56, played for South Carolina in 1973-74 under coach Frank McGuire.
• Dr. Eddie Geosits, 55, averaged 2 ppg, 1.2 rpg and 1.5 apg for Lafayette from 1975-76 through 1978-79. He was runner-up with the Leopards in assists as a senior.
• Bernard "Barney" Gill Jr., 84, played hoops for Virginia in 1947-48. He also was a top punt returner for the Cavaliers' football squad in the late 1940s.
• Darrell Gissendanner, 53, averaged 5.1 ppg for Pittsburgh from 1978-79 through 1981-82. As a senior, he led the Panthers' NCAA tourney team in free-throw percentage while finishing runner-up in assists and steals.
• Lee Goldstein, 61, averaged 1.3 ppg for Delaware in 1969-70.
• Ed Gramigan Sr., 80, averaged 3.8 ppg and 2.2 rpg for Penn from 1951-52 through 1953-54, participating in the Quakers' first NCAA tourney in 1953 under coach Howie Dallmar. Gramigan was also a QB for the school's football squad, earning team award as top senior.
• Ronnie Green, 67, averaged 6.2 ppg and 6 rpg for Vanderbilt from 1963-64 through 1965-66 under coach Roy Skinner. As a junior, Green was member of Vandy team losing against Cazzie Russell-led Michigan in Mideast Regional final.
• Herb Gregg, 93, played for Missouri in the early 1940s. Lefthanded OF hit .254 at Class C level in the Pittsburgh Pirates' farm system in 1942 before serving in U.S. military during WWII. He was Northern Arizona's coach in early 1970s when the Lumberjacks transitioned to major-college status.
• O.B. "Sonny" Gregory, 81, played for Louisiana State in the early 1950s before serving in U.S. Air Force during Korean Conflict and subsequently transferring to Southwestern Louisiana.
• Mike Greig, 55, played for Oregon in 1976-77 under coach Dick Harter.
• Bob Griffin, 83, appeared in two basketball games for Arkansas in 1950-51. All-SWC first-team LB-C played in NFL with the Los Angeles Rams for six seasons after being their second-round pick in 1952 NFL draft.
• Joe Hafele, 83, was an All-Ohio Valley Conference selection for Evansville in 1948-49 and 1949-50.
• Dennis Hamilton, 68, averaged 13.5 ppg and 6.9 rpg for Arizona State from 1963-64 through 1965-66 under coach Ned Wulk. Hamilton was an All-WAC second-team selection as a senior.
• L. "Lynn" Hamilton, 83, averaged 2.3 ppg for Oregon from 1947-48 through 1949-50.
• Bill Hamm, 90, played for Kentucky's freshman squad in 1942-43 under coach Adolph Rupp before serving in U.S. military during WWII. Hamm subsequently became an All-Border Conference second-team selection for New Mexico A&M in 1946-47 prior to scoring 250 points in 1947-48.
• Bill Hammond, 74, averaged 4.6 ppg and 3 rpg for Oklahoma from 1957-58 to 1959-60.
• John Haner, 75, averaged 10 ppg and 3.4 rpg for Virginia from 1957-58 through 1959-60. He was the Cavaliers' fourth-leading scorer each of his last two seasons.
• Roosevelt Harper averaged 5.4 ppg for Florida A&M in 1981-82 and 1982-83.
• Dick Harter, 81, won nearly 60% of his games decided by fewer than six points while coaching Penn (88-44 in five seasons from 1966-67 through 1970-71), Oregon (112-82 in seven seasons from 1971-72 through 1977-78) and Penn State (79-61 in five seasons from 1978-79 through 1982-83) en route to a 279-187 record in 17 major-college campaigns after piloting Rider to a 16-9 mark in 1965-66. His 1971 Penn squad was unbeaten until losing the East Regional final against Villanova.
• Robert Hartman, 84, played for Purdue in late 1940s before averaging a team-high 17.6 ppg with Florida State's NAIB Tournament team in 1951.
• Nick Hashu, 95, was Michigan State's captain in 1944-45.
• Michael Haynes, 22, was a UTEP signee/Iona commitment. Juco recruit was shot and killed in his hometown of Chicago while trying to break up an argument over a necklace.
• Dean Hedden, 76, averaged 2.7 ppg for NCAA Tournament team from Wayne State MI in 1955-56.
• Roger Hedrick, 69, played for Middle Tennessee State in 1961-62.
• Kenny Heitz, 65, was a regular for UCLA's three consecutive NCAA titlists in the late 1960s when all-time great Lew Alcindor manned the middle for the Bruins. Heitz averaged 6 ppg and 2.6 rpg under coach John Wooden.
• Gary Hetherington, 57, averaged 2.5 ppg and 2.4 rpg for Southern Methodist in 1974-75.
• Gary Hevelone, 71, averaged 11.8 ppg and 2.2 rpg for Tulsa from 1960-61 through 1962-63.
• Dr. John "Jack" Hewson Sr., 87, played for Temple in 1944-45 and 1945-46 after previously attending Muhlenberg PA in 1942-43 and Bucknell in 1943-44.
• Art Heyman, 71, was the leading scorer and rebounder for Duke's national third-place team in the 1963 NCAA Tournament when earning acclaim as Final Four Most Outstanding Player. Named national player of the year as a senior by AP, UPI and USBWA. He averaged 25.1 ppg and 10.9 rpg during three-year career.
• Dave Hickey, 64, averaged 10.8 ppg and 2.7 rpg for Creighton from 1966-67 through 1968-69. As a junior, he was runner-up in scoring average with the Bluejays.
• Paul Hickey, 86, was a letterman for Denver in the late 1940s, averaging 6.1 ppg in 1948-49 and 1949-50.
• Sherman "Tony" Hill, 81, averaged 2.6 ppg for Indiana from 1949-50 through 1951-52 under coach Branch McCracken.
• Stuart "King" Hill, 75, was the fourth-leading rebounder for Rice in 1955-56 before averaging 5.4 ppg and 2.6 rpg the next season and subsequently becoming the first selection overall in NFL draft as bonus pick quarterback.
• Lew Hitch, 82, was Culver-Stockton MO transfer who led Kansas State's 1951 NCAA Tournament runner-up in rebounding under coach Jack Gardner before becoming 19th pick overall in NBA draft. Hitch averaged 6.4 ppg in two seasons with K-State.
• Charlie Hoag, 80, averaged 4.1 ppg and 2.4 rpg for Kansas in 1950-51 and 1951-52. Swingman was one of seven KU players chosen for 1952 U.S. Olympic squad that captured a gold medal in Helsinki after Jayhawks captured the NCAA Tournament title. Selected as running back in 1953 NFL draft by the Cleveland Browns.
• Bob Hodgson, 63, averaged 2.6 ppg and 1.1 rpg for Penn State from 1969-70 through 1971-72 under coach John Bach.
• Chuck Holley, 93, was an All-Southern Conference first-team selection for Duke in 1940-41.
• John Homeier, 75, played for Illinois in the late 1950s under coach Harry Combes.
• Robert Honea, 90, played for Arkansas in 1941-42.
• Laurence "Larry" Horan, 82, averaged 6.1 ppg for California as a starting forward in 1950-51 and 1951-52.
• Roland Horn Sr., 81, played for Rutgers in 1951-52.
• Bob Howard, 90, was a juco recruit who played for Oregon State in 1942-43 before becoming an All-PCC South Division selection with Southern California in 1943-44.
• Bill Hudak, 78, played for Arizona in 1955-56 under coach Fred Enke.
• Ellis "June" Hull Jr., 64, averaged 12.3 ppg and 3.6 rpg for Western Michigan from 1967-68 through 1969-70. He was WMU's leading scorer as a senior with 17.6 ppg.
• Joe Hunnicutt III, 76, played for Marshall in the mid-1950s.
• Ed Huse Sr., 76, averaged 5.8 ppg and 5.7 rpg for Wyoming from 1953-54 through 1955-56 under coach Everett Shelton.
• Bill Hymes Jr., 88, played for Canisius in the late 1940s.
• Walt Ivkovich, 64, averaged 1.4 ppg and 2.4 rpg for VMI from 1967-68 through 1969-70.
• Dr. Greg Jack, 58, averaged 1.7 ppg and 1.5 rpg for Washington in mid-1970s under coach Marv Harshman. As a senior, Jack played in 1976 NCAA Tournament.
• Merv Jackson, 65, averaged 17.6 ppg and 6.9 rpg for Utah from 1965-66 through 1967-68, pacing the Utes in scoring each of his last two seasons as All-Western Athletic Conference first-team selection. Member of Final Four squad as sophomore before ranking 20th in the nation in scoring and FT% as All-American senior.
• Gen. Samuel Jaskilka, 92, was an All-Yankee Conference second-team selection for Connecticut as a senior in 1941-42. He went on to become a general in the U.S. Marine Corps, serving as second-in-command during much of the second half of the 1970s.
• Gene Johnson, 24, played for Morgan State from 2007-08 through 2010-11, participating in NCAA playoffs as a junior.
• Leo Johnson, 83, averaged 7.7 ppg for Arizona from 1948-49 through 1950-51 under coach Fred Enke. Two-time All-Border Conference selection led the Wildcats' first-ever NCAA tourney team in rebounding (12.4 rpg) and assists (4.9 apg) as a senior.
• Ken Jolly, 72, averaged 6.3 ppg and 2.9 rpg for Tennessee Tech from 1959-60 through 1961-62 under coach John Oldham. Jolly is the father of Tennessee women's head coach Kellie Harper.
• Calvin Kane Jr., 50, played for Lamar's NCAA tourney team in 1980.
• John Kane, 79, averaged 11.7 ppg as Temple's captain in 1952-53 and 1953-54 under coach Harry Litwack. Kane was the Owls' leading scorer as a junior.
• John Keller, 77, averaged 4.1 ppg and 2.5 rpg for Seton Hall in 1954-55 under coach Honey Russell.
• George Kelley, 86, averaged 10.1 ppg for Vanderbilt from 1948-49 through 1950-51 under coach Bob Polk. Kelley was senior captain.
• John Kelly, 88, led Notre Dame in FG% as senior in 1946-47.
• Marv Kessler, 80, played for North Carolina State in 1955-56 and 1956-57 under coach Everett Case.
• Dr. Ed Kinsella, 91, played for St. Louis in 1939-40.
• Walton "Walt" Kirk, 88, was an All-American for Illinois in the mid-1940s before serving in Army during WWII. He was a two-time All-Big Ten Conference first-team selection.
• Clayce Kishbaugh, 77, averaged 10.8 ppg and 3.7 rpg for West Virginia's three NCAA Tournament teams from 1954-55 through 1956-57 under coach Fred Schaus. Kishbaugh was co-captain as a senior.
• Dave Klassen, 60, averaged 7.8 ppg and 5.4 rpg for Detroit in 1969-70.
• Jeff Klingler, 45, averaged 8.4 ppg and 2 rpg for Western Illinois in 1985-86 and 1986-87 (team runner-up in scoring average).
• James Knierim, 85, was a four-year letterman for Bowling Green State from 1944-45 through 1947-48 under coach Harold Anderson, playing in three NITs (finishing runner-up as freshman). Knierim was also an end on BGSU's football squad.
• Bill Koncar, 81, averaged 2.1 ppg for 1.9 rpg for Utah in 1955-56 after serving in U.S. Navy during Korean Conflict.
• Joel Kortus, 68, averaged 2.2 ppg and 1.5 rpg for Nebraska from 1962-63 through 1964-65.
• Dan Kraus Sr., 89, averaged 8.1 ppg for Georgetown in the mid-1940s. He was co-captain in 1942-43 for NCAA Tournament runner-up (third-leading scorer with Hoyas during playoffs) before serving in U.S. Marine Corps during WWII and coming back to earn two more letters.
• Dr. Frank Kudlaty, 84, was a four-year starter for Texas Christian from 1945-46 through 1948-49.
• Rollo Kuebler, 84, averaged 1.6 ppg for Loyola of Chicago in 1948-49 and 1950-51. U.S. Army veteran during WWII was inducted into Chicago 16-inch Softball Hall of Fame.
• Dr. Rod Lancaster, 89, played for Auburn in the mid-1940s.
• Marquis "Marc" Landrum, 73, averaged 6.5 ppg and 4.3 rpg for Yale in 1959-60 and 1960-61 under coach Joe Vancisin.
• Dr. John Laneve Sr., 77, averaged 1.7 ppg for Pittsburgh from 1954-55 through 1956-57.
• Carl Langschmidt Jr., 81, played for Tennessee in 1951-52 and 1952-53.
• Herb Larkins, a juco recruit, averaged 4.6 ppg and 2.9 rpg for North Texas State in 1969-70 and 1970-71.
• Dave Latimer, 82, averaged 7 ppg for Seton Hall from 1948-49 through 1950-51. Runner-up in points scored with the Pirates as a junior before serving as senior captain for fourth-place team in NIT.
• Frederick "Mike" Laughna, 62, averaged 16 ppg and 10.8 rpg for Georgetown from 1969-70 through 1971-72. Top player for the Hoyas just before John Thompson Jr. coaching era was their top rebounder all three seasons and also leading scorer as junior and senior captain and team MVP.
• Joshua "Manny" Lawrence was an All-Mountain States Conference first-team selection in 1960-61 when finishing runner-up in scoring and rebounding for Colorado State under coach Jim Williams.
• George Leddy, 86, averaged 2.3 ppg for DePaul in 1948-49 under coach Ray Meyer.
• Bob Leidy, 75, averaged 3.1 ppg and 1.5 rpg for Miami FL in 1957-58 under coach Bruce Hale.
• Andrew "Fuzzy" Levane, 92, was the third-leading scorer for St. John's in 1941-42 and 1942-43 under legendary coach Joe Lapchick. He won the Haggerty Award presented to premier player in New York City metropolitan area.
• Alonzo Lewis, 77, averaged 13.9 ppg for La Salle from 1954-55 through 1956-57. Sophomore teammate of All-American Tom Gola with NCAA Tournament runner-up (second-leading rebounder and third-leading scorer) before leading the Explorers in FG% as junior and FT% as senior.
• Bob Lewis, 86, was fifth-leading scorer as Utah freshman for 1944 NCAA Tournament titlist before becoming three-year letterman with Stanford in late 1940s.
• Delvy "Del" Lewis, 68, averaged 8.6 ppg and 2.6 rpg for Kansas from 1963-64 through 1965-66. All-Big Eight Conference first-team selection was senior co-captain of Ted Owens' first NCAA tourney team as coach of the Jayhawks.
• Fred Linari, 92, was a junior reserve for Stanford's national kingpin in 1942 under coach Everett Dean.
• Darnell "DJ" Lindsay, 24, was a juco recruit who averaged 8 ppg and 3 rpg for Tennessee Tech in 2008-09.
• John Liston, 77, was a member of Iowa's national fourth-place finisher in 1955 NCAA Tournament before transferring to Knox College IL.
• Bob Lofland, 90, lettered for Texas Tech in 1945-46 and 1946-47 after serving in U.S. Navy during WWII.
• Donn Lorenzen, 78, played for Iowa State in 1953-54.
• Carl Loyd, 86, was swingman who sandwiched stint in U.S. Navy during WWII between seasons lettering with Notre Dame in 1943-44 and 1946-47.
• Ted Luckenbill, 72, averaged 16.6 ppg and 9.8 rpg for Houston from 1958-59 through 1960-61 under coach Guy Lewis. Led the Cougars in rebounding all three seasons before becoming 15th pick overall in 1961 NBA draft.
• Harry Lux, 77, averaged 1.4 ppg for Michigan State from 1954-55 through 1956-57. Member of MSU's Final Four team as senior.
• Joe Lyles, 83, played for St. Louis in 1948-49 under coach Eddie Hickey. Lyles compiled a 4-12 pitching record in the St. Louis Browns' farm system in 1949 and 1950 before posting a 108-229-3 baseball coaching mark at Washington & Lee VA from 1959 to 1978.
• Jim Lysek, 77, played for Penn State in mid-1950s.
• Ed Magnus, 88, was a Marquette reserve in 1947-48 and 1948-49 after serving as Technical Sergeant in Battle of the Bulge during WWII.
• Rick Majerus, 64, compiled a 517-215 record in 25 seasons coaching Marquette (56-35 in three years from 1983-84 through 1985-86), Ball State (43-17 in two years in 1987-88 and 1988-89), Utah (323-95 in 15 years from 1989-90 through 2003-04) and Saint Louis (95-69 in five years from 2007-08 through 2011-12). Received Wooden Award as national coach of the year in 1998 when his Utah squad became the only Final Four team ever to feature three Academic All-Americans among its regulars.
• Clair Markey, 76, averaged 3.1 ppg for Seattle during three seasons in the late 1950s.
• Milton Martin, 73, averaged 15.4 ppg for Hardin-Simmons from 1957-58 through 1960-61. All-Border Conference second-team selection each of his last two seasons held the school's career scoring record for 33 years.
• Slater "Dugie" Martin Jr., 86, was the second-leading scorer for Texas' national third-place team in 1947 NCAA Tournament (26-2 record). He became an All-SWC first-team selection the next two seasons and scored a school single-game record 49 points as a senior against TCU (subsequently tied).
• Henry Mathews, 67, averaged 4.6 ppg and 2.4 rpg for Washington in 1963-64 and 1964-65.
• Dr. Ted Matthews Sr., 77, averaged 2.1 ppg for Pittsburgh in 1953-54.
• Will McAllister, 70, was on St. Louis' roster in 1960-61 under coach John Benington.
• John Paul "Pete" McCaffrey, 73, averaged 10.8 ppg and 5.9 rpg for St. Louis from 1957-58 through 1959-60. Among the top three scorers for back-to-back NIT teams. All-MVC first-team selection as senior before earning spot on 1964 U.S. Olympic squad.
• Charles McCaullagh, 79, played for Boston College in 1956-57.
• Len "Tuffy" McCormick, 89, played for Baylor's first NCAA Tournament team in 1946 under coach Bill Henderson. McCormick was a C-LB with the AAFC's Baltimore Colts in 1948.
• Jim McCoy Sr., 76, averaged 13.4 ppg and 5.2 rpg for Marquette from 1956-57 through 1958-59, appearing in the NCAA playoffs his senior season under coach Eddie Hickey.
• John McDowell, 57, averaged 8.9 ppg and 10.6 rpg for Pan American in 1974-75 and 1975-76 under coach Abe Lemons. Juco recruit ranked among the nation's top 20 rebounders as a senior.
• Bill McKenzie, 70, averaged 2.9 ppg for Washington State from 1959-60 through 1961-62 under coach Marv Harshman.
• Francis "Frank" McNamara Jr., 84, was on Georgetown's roster in 1945-46 but never played for the Hoyas.
• Roy Menzel, 95, was an All-EIBL first-team selection for Penn in 1936-37 and 1937-38.
• Ivan Mielke, 80, averaged 8.8 ppg and 10 rpg for Marshall in 1958-59.
• Francis "Beau" Minx, 92, played for Missouri in 1943-44 before serving in U.S. Navy during WWII.
• Bernie Mock, 90, was an All-Southern Conference first-team selection for North Carolina State in 1943-44 after serving as team captain the previous season.
• Jim Modlin, 64, averaged 14.9 ppg and 7.2 rpg for East Carolina from 1967-68 through 1969-70. Leading scorer for the Pirates as senior when named an All-Southern Conference second-team selection.
• Chester "Chet" Montgomery, 79, averaged 1.9 ppg for Western Kentucky in 1958-59 under coach Ed Diddle.
• W. "Udell" Moore, 93, played for Texas in the early 1940s.
• Tommy Moorman, 82, played for Texas Christian in the late 1940s.
• Rudy Moreno, 79, averaged 2.8 ppg for Arizona State in 1951-52 before serving in the U.S. Army.
• Grenville "Doc" Morgan, 77, averaged 1.1 ppg for Clemson from 1953-54 through 1955-56.
• Harold "Lefty" Morrill, 86, averaged 5.3 ppg for Michigan from 1947-48 through 1949-50 after serving in U.S. Navy during WWII aboard a minesweeper in the South Pacific.
• John "Paul" Morrow, 80, averaged 13.7 ppg for Wisconsin from 1951-52 through 1953-54 under coach Bud Foster, leading the Badgers in rebounding all three seasons. Morrow still holds school single-game record with 30 rebounds against Purdue as a junior when he paced team in scoring.
• John Moylan, 65, averaged 1.8 ppg for Creighton in 1965-66.
• John "Jack" Mueller, 85, was among Wake Forest's top three scorers in 1948-49 and 1949-50 under coach Murray Greason.
• Dr. Peter Mullins, 85, averaged 10.1 ppg for Washington State from 1950-51 through 1952-53 under coach Jack Friel. Captain as a senior when All-PCC North Division second-team selection led the Cougars with 13.4 ppg. He finished sixth in the decathlon in 1948 London Olympics as member of Australian contingent.
• Vic Napolitano, 83, scored 41 points in 17 games for Temple in 1949-50 and 1950-51 as teammate of All-American Bill Mlkvy. Napolitano was also a soccer goalie sensation.
• Aubrey Nash, 62, averaged 6.1 ppg and 3.2 rpg for Kansas from 1969-70 through 1971-72 under coach Ted Owens. Nash was in the regular rotation for the Jayhawks' 1971 Final Four team.
• Don Nuxhall, 78, averaged 5.7 ppg and 4.2 rpg for Miami of Ohio in nine games in 1953-54 before serving tour of duty in U.S. Army in Japan. He was a brother of MLB pitcher Joe Nuxhall.
• Bill O'Donald, 78, averaged 5.1 ppg and 3 rpg for Arizona from 1954-55 through 1956-57 under coach Fred Enke.
• Pat O'Keefe Sr., 77, averaged 6.8 ppg for Marquette from 1953-54 through 1955-56, playing for the school's first NCAA tourney team in 1955.
• Neil O'Neill, 70, averaged 5.7 ppg for NYU's East Regional third-place teams in 1961-62 and 1962-63.
• Chinedu "Nedu" Onyeuku, 29, was a J.C. recruit from Nigeria who averaged 5.6 ppg and 2.1 rpg for Illinois State in 2004-05 and 2005-06. He was shot and killed in botched burglary around 3 a.m. while breaking into an alleged marijuana dealer's home in Plano, Tex.
• Walter "Wally" Osterkorn, 83, was Illinois' leading scorer as a senior in 1949-50 before becoming the 17th pick overall in NBA draft. He was runner-up in scoring for NCAA tourney third-place finisher in 1949 under coach Harry Combes.
• Jim Owsley, 77, played for Colorado in 1953-54.
• Scott Pace, 33, played for Army in 2002-03 under coach Jim Crews. Aviation troop commander was flying on patrol when Army Captain's helicopter was riddled with machine-gun fire in Afghanistan.
• Mickey Panovich, 90, played for UCLA in 1946-47 after serving in U.S. Parachute Infantry during WWII.
• Noble Patton, 80, played for Vanderbilt in 1951-52 under coach Bob Polk before transferring and averaging 8.7 ppg and 4.9 rpg with Tennessee Tech's first Ohio Valley Conference regular-season champion in 1956.
• Jerry Payne, 67, was a juco recruit who averaged 2 ppg and 1.3 rpg for Texas A&M in 1965-66 and 1966-67 under coach Shelby Metcalf.
• Don Penwell, 81, was leading scorer with 15.6 ppg in 1951-52 for Oklahoma City's first of six straight NCAA tourney teams.
• Bob Peters, 76, averaged 10 ppg for Ohio University from 1955-56 through 1957-58 under coach Jim Snyder. Peters was an All-Mid-American Conference second-team selection as a senior when leading the Bobcats in scoring.
• Mel Peterson Jr., 85, was Marquette's leading scorer as a senior in 1949-50 after serving in U.S. Navy during WWII.
• Dave Pfahler, 65, averaged 6.5 ppg and 4.1 rpg for St. Joseph's from 1966-67 through 1968-69 under coach Jack McKinney. Pfahler was the Hawks' third-leading scorer and rebounder as a senior for their NCAA tourney team.
• Bill Phillips, 83, played for Furman from 1946-47 through 1948-49 under coach Lyles Alley. Hit .174 as a catcher in the Philadelphia Phillies' farm system in 1949 and 1950.
• Charley Powell, 65, averaged 21.5 ppg and 3.5 rpg for Loyola New Orleans from 1966-67 through 1968-69. First African-American to play for a predominantly white Louisiana university led the Wolfpack in scoring all three seasons.
• John Pritchard, 85, was a three-time All-Missouri Valley Conference selection for Drake in the late 1940s, leading the Bulldogs in scoring in 1948-49.
• Ellis "Bob" Pritchett, 86, led Idaho in scoring in 1948-49 and 1949-50 as an All-PCC North Division selection.
• Neil Reed, 36, is the former Indiana player who coach Bob Knight was caught on tape choking during a practice in 1997. Reed transferred to Southern Mississippi, where he led the Golden Eagles in scoring in 1998-99 with 18.1 ppg.
• Fred Rehm, 91, averaged 3.7 ppg as a sophomore for Wisconsin's 1941 NCAA Tournament titlist coached by Bud Foster.
• Nolan Richardson III, 47, averaged 6.5 ppg for Oklahoma State in 1985-86 and 1986-87 before son of Arkansas' 1994 NCAA champion coached Tennessee State to 23-41 record during three seasons from 2000-01 to 2002-03.
• Ocie Richie, 90, lettered with Arkansas' Final Four team in 1945 before transferring home to Northwestern State in Louisiana.
• Aaron Riggleman Sr., 54, was a backup center for Appalachian State in 1979-80 and 1980-81 under coach Bobby Cremins.
• Arnie Risen, 87, was an All-American and All-Big Nine Conference first-team selection in 1945 upon helping Ohio State reach the NCAA Final Four in back-to-back years after transferring from Eastern Kentucky.
• James "Tim" Robinson, 72, was runner-up to All-American Chet Walker in scoring and rebounding for Bradley in 1960-61 with 16.5 ppg and 8.6 rpg before Robinson and a teammate were dismissed in the wake of point-shaving allegations.
• John Robinson, 56, averaged 11.2 ppg and 6.8 rpg for Michigan from 1973-74 through 1976-77 under coach Johnny Orr. Second-leading rebounder and third-leading scorer for NCAA national runner-up as junior was UM co-captain as senior.
• Kenny Rollins, 89, was a two-time All-SEC selection who averaged 7 ppg for Kentucky in 1942-43, 1946-47 and 1947-48. He served in the U.S. Navy during WWII before starting for UK's NCAA titlist as a senior.
• Ken Rose, 82, averaged 5.8 ppg for Oklahoma City in 1951-52 and 1952-53, appearing in the NCAA tourney both seasons.
• Bill Ross, 52, averaged 4.8 ppg and 2.9 rpg for Clemson from 1978-79 through 1981-82 under coach Bill Foster. As a sophomore, the Tigers were West Regional runner-up.
• Ed Rothenberg, 77, averaged 2.7 ppg for Cincinnati in 1954-55 under coach George Smith.
• Dan Roundfield, 59, was three-time All-MAC selection who averaged 16.7 ppg and 13.1 rpg for Central Michigan from 1972-73 through 1974-75. League Player of the Year as senior when ranking fourth in the nation in FG%. He drowned off the coast of Aruba while attempting to save his wife from a similar fate.
• Layton "Mickey" Rouse, 93, averaged 6.2 ppg for Kentucky from 1937-38 through 1939-40 under coach Adolph Rupp. All-SEC selection and captain as senior.
• Jack Runyan, 80, averaged 9.9 ppg for Purdue from 1951-52 through 1953-54, leading the Boilermakers in total points as a junior.
• George Sauer Jr., 89, was a starter for Texas Christian in 1944-45 before serving in the U.S. Army at close of WWII.
• Peter Sauer, 35, was captain and third-leading rebounder as a junior for Stanford's 1998 Final Four squad coached by Mike Montgomery. Sauer, a three-year starter, averaged 7.9 ppg and 4.2 rpg in his four-season career.
• Alan Sawyer, 84, was UCLA's leading scorer as senior captain for coach John Wooden's first NCAA playoff team in 1949-50 before becoming the 28th pick overall in NBA draft. As a junior, Sawyer also led the Bruins in scoring average as an All-PCC South Division honoree.
• Herb Scherer, 83, was 18th pick overall in 1950 NBA draft after competing in NIT with LIU under coach Clair Bee.
• Dwayne Schintzius, 43, was the center for Florida's first three NCAA playoff teams in the late 1980s coached by Norm Sloan. Schintzius averaged 14.8 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 2.3 apg and 2.5 bpg in 3 1/2-season career before becoming a first-round selection in NBA draft.
• Tom Schlager, 65, averaged 7.3 ppg and 4 rpg for Xavier from 1966-67 through 1968-69. As a senior, he was the Musketeers' third-leading scorer.
• Allen Schlegelmilch, 73, averaged 2.7 ppg and 1.3 rpg for Indiana from 1957-58 through 1959-60 under coach Branch McCracken.
• Francis "Paul" Schmidt, 77, averaged 8.3 ppg and 6.1 rpg for Duke from 1955-56 through 1957-58 under coach Harold Bradley. All-ACC second-team selection as a senior when leading league in field-goal shooting (52.3%).
• George Schmidt Jr. averaged 11.4 ppg and 9.7 rpg for Penn from 1956-57 through 1958-59 under coach Jack McCloskey. Schmidt was an All-Ivy League second-team selection as a senior when he led the Quakers in scoring and rebounding.
• John Schmitt Sr., 94, played for Georgetown from 1937-38 through 1939-40. He was senior captain.
• Warren Scholler, 89, compiled a 43-52 coaching record with Bowling Green State in four seasons from 1963-64 through 1966-67 as Bill Fitch's predecessor.
• Don Shaffer, 72, averaged 5.3 ppg and 4.5 rpg for Cornell from 1959-60 through 1961-62.
• Charlie Share, 85, averaged 14.3 ppg for Bowling Green State from 1946-47 through 1949-50. Ranked among the nation's top 24 in scoring and field-goal percentage each of his last two seasons. All-American as senior before becoming first pick overall in NBA draft after one territorial selection.
• Steve Shumaker, 65, was a J.C. recruit who averaged 1.9 ppg and 3 rpg for Louisiana State in 1967-68 before transferring back to his home state at Iowa Wesleyan.
• Roy "Sleepy" Simms, 52, averaged 3.7 ppg, 2.8 apg and 1.5 spg for Detroit from 1979-80 through 1982-83, leading the Titans in assists as a senior.
• Joseph "Gene" Simpson, 81, averaged 2.8 ppg and 1.8 rpg for Tennessee in 1955-56 before U.S. military veteran concentrated on baseball.
• Ed Siudut, 65, averaged 22.4 ppg and 12.3 rpg for Holy Cross from 1966-67 through 1968-69, leading the Crusaders in rebounding all three seasons.
• Mike Sivulich Jr., 75, was a Navy veteran who averaged 14.5 ppg as All-Big Sky Conference first-team selection for Weber State in 1963-64 under coach Dick Motta when school made transition from J.C. level.
• Bill "Moose" Skowron, 81, scored 18 points in eight basketball games for Purdue in 1949-50. Six-time All-Star 1B hit .282 with 211 homers and 888 RBI with the New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, Washington Senators, Chicago White Sox and California Angels in 14 years from 1954 through 1967.
• G.J. Smith, 59, averaged 3 ppg for Kentucky from 1972-73 through 1974-75. Member of NCAA Tournament runner-up as a senior.
• John Eugene "Gene" Southwood, 82, averaged 5.6 ppg for Vanderbilt from 1949-50 through 1951-52.
• Charlie Spoonhour, 72, coached Southwest Missouri State, St. Louis and UNLV. In 1994, he guided SLU to its first NCAA tourney in 37 years.
• Eddie Spriggs, 68, was an Ohio native who played for Miami FL in 1965-66.
• Chris Stavreti, 73, averaged 3.5 ppg for Miami FL from 1959-60 through 1961-62. He was a teammate of a brother, Carl, his last two seasons with the Hurricanes.
• Jerome "Jerry" Steiner, 94, was a three-year letterman for Butler and captain as senior in 1939-40.
• Neil Stephens, 78, was a member of Brigham Young's NIT team in 1952-53.
• Bob Stevens, 88, scored a total of 57 points for Michigan State in 1947-48 and 1948-49 after serving in U.S. Marines during WWII. Compiled an 80-124 coaching record in eight seasons for South Carolina (34-45 from 1959-60 through 1961-62) and Oklahoma (46-79 from 1962-63 through 1966-67).
• Cyril Stitt, 57, averaged 1.9 ppg for Florida State from 1972-73 through 1974-75 under coach Hugh Durham.
• Denny Strickland, 73, averaged 9.6 ppg and 5.1 rpg for Oregon from 1958-59 through 1960-61. Team MVP as senior helped launch Nike's first couple advertising campaigns.
• John "Jack" Superka, 71, averaged 3.7 ppg and 2.1 rpg for Muhlenberg PA from 1959-60 through 1961-62.
• Daniel "Mike" Svilar, 83, was leading scorer for New Mexico A&M's first NCAA playoff team in 1952 as an All-Border Conference first-team selection.
• Larry Swanson, 76, averaged 1.7 ppg for Iowa State in 1955-56 and 1956-57. He also played baseball for the Cyclones, who reached the CWS in 1957.
• Gerard "Jerry" Tardie, 70, averaged 1.3 ppg for Seattle in 1962-63 and 1963-64.
• Marvin "Corky" Taylor, 60, averaged 3.4 ppg and 3.7 rpg for Minnesota from 1970-71 through 1972-73. He gained notoriety for his role in a nasty brawl with Ohio State (kneed Buckeyes center Luke Witte in groin).
• Scott Taylor, 40, was a reserve for Akron in 1991-92 and 1992-93.
• John "Jack" Thomas, 83, averaged 1.2 ppg for Tennessee in 1947-48.
• Dick Thompson, 83, scored 574 points for Louisiana State from 1947-48 through 1950-51 under coach Harry Rabenhorst. Thompson was the Tigers' runner-up in scoring with 10.4 ppg as a sophomore in 1948-49. He compiled a 22-25 pitching record and 3.19 ERA in the Detroit Tigers' farm system in four seasons from 1951 through 1955.
• Tyrell Thompson, 23, averaged 3.4 ppg and 1.3 rpg for Army from 2006-07 through 2009-10.
• John Tiller, 70, averaged 2.6 ppg and 3.3 rpg from 1961-62 through 1963-64 for St. Joseph's under coach Jack Ramsay as the Hawks' first African-American player.
• Carlyle "Blackie" Towery, 92, was a two-time All-American for Western Kentucky. He participated in the 1940 NCAA Tournament.
• Bob Tremaine Jr., 78, averaged 14.3 ppg for Hardin-Simmons TX from 1952-53 through 1956-57 (redshirt in 1955-56). Three-time All-Border Conference first-team selection participated in the NCAA playoffs as a senior.
• Ken Trickey Sr., 79, compiled a 171-179 NCAA Division I record in 13 DI seasons coaching Middle Tennessee State (45-54 in four years from 1965-66 through 1968-69), Oral Roberts (86-55 in five years from 1971-72 through 1973-74, 1987-88 and 1988-89), Iowa State (13-40 in two years in 1974-75 and 1975-76) and Oklahoma City (27-30 in two years in 1979-80 and 1980-81). He was an All-Ohio Valley Conference selection with MTSU in 1952-53 and 1953-54.
• Edward "Ned" Twyman, 73, averaged 14.1 ppg and 3.8 rpg for Duquesne from 1958-59 through 1960-61. Brother of Cincinnati All-American Jack Twyman led the Dukes in scoring as a senior before becoming the 58th pick overall in 1961 NBA draft.
• Jack Twyman, 78, was an All-American for Cincinnati as a senior in 1955. He led the Bearcats in scoring and rebounding his last three seasons.
• Kenneth Uffman, 84, played for Louisiana State in 1947-48 under coach Harry Rabenhorst.
• Bill Ulbin Jr., 59, averaged 2.1 ppg and 2.2 apg for American University from 1971-72 through 1973-74.
• Ellis "Gene" Vance, 88, was a member of Illinois' famed "Whiz Kids" in 1941-42 and 1942-43 before three-time All-Big Ten Conference selection's career was interrupted by three years serving in U.S. Army during WWII (earned two Bronze Stars).
• Jimmy Viramontes, 84, averaged 3.5 ppg for Texas in 1950-51 and 1951-52, leading the Longhorns in assists his second season after they captured SWC crown the previous year.
• Bill "Baldy" Vojtko (or Voit), 90, played for Duquesne in the mid-1940s under coach Chick Davies. Vojtko's college career was interrupted by serving in U.S. Navy during WWII.
• David Voss, 72, averaged 14.3 ppg and 6.2 rpg for Tulsa from 1958-59 through 1960-61, leading the Golden Hurricane in scoring as All-Missouri Valley Conference second-team selection as junior and senior.
• Frank "Whitey" Wahl, 90, was Akron's captain in the late 1940s.
• David Wall, 35, averaged 15.6 ppg, 3.7 rpg and 38 3FG% for Southern Mississippi in 1999-00 and 2000-01 under coach James Green. Juco recruit led USM in scoring average both seasons as All-Conference USA selection.
• Dennis Walling, 80, was a three-year letterman for West Texas State in the early 1950s. He coached his alma mater to an 83-67 record (.553) in six seasons from 1967-68 through 1972-73 (including 1969 NIT).
• Coy "Edwin" Watson Sr., 83, averaged 3.1 ppg for Furman in 1950-51 under coach Lyles Alley.
• Lou Watson, 88, was an All-Big Ten Conference first-team selection and All-American for Indiana as a senior in 1949-50 under coach Branch McCracken. Watson coached his alma mater for five seasons as Bob Knight's predecessor.
• Larry Wetter, 78, averaged 6.9 ppg for Iowa State from 1951-52 through 1954-55. Senior co-captain was third-leading scorer for the Cyclones when averaging 9.9 ppg.
• Phil Wheeler, 78, averaged 14.7 ppg and 10.5 rpg in three-year Cincinnati career under coach George Smith, leading the Bearcats in scoring as senior team captain with 21.5 ppg in 1955-56. Wheeler was runner-up in rebounding and third-leading scorer for 1955 NIT third-place team.
• Kendall "Fuzz" White, 77, averaged 8.5 ppg and 2.2 rpg for Virginia in 1955-56.
• Dr. Vilbry White, 84, was a member of Texas' 1947 Final Four squad before averaging 7.5 ppg as a senior in 1948-49.
• Jerome Whitehead, 56, was the second-leading rebounder and third-leading scorer for Marquette's 1977 NCAA championship club. Whitehead became an All-American the next season when he averaged 14 ppg and 8.3 rpg.
• Walter "Sam" Williams, 88, coached Pan American for 14 campaigns including first five seasons at NCAA Division I level when the Broncs compiled a 51-74 record from 1968-69 through 1972-73 before he was succeeded by Abe Lemons. Williams was a co-equal to Hall of Famer Don Haskins (Texas-El Paso) in Texas basketball integration.
• Dr. Cliff "Corky" Williamson, 78, averaged 1.1 ppg for Indiana from 1953-54 through 1955-56 under coach Branch McCracken.
• Norb Witte, 74, averaged 1.5 ppg and 2.3 rpg for Indiana from 1957-58 through 1959-60 under coach Branch McCracken.
• Morris Wood, 96, was an All-Border Conference selection for New Mexico A&M in 1937-38 and 1938-39.
• Don Woodson, 80, was a member of Kansas' squad in 1950-51.
• Orlando Woolridge, 52, was a backup freshman frontcourter for Notre Dame's lone Final Four team in 1978.
• Bob Wright, 86, coached Morehead State to a 58-38 record in four seasons from 1965-66 through 1968-69. He played for Marshall when the school didn't compete at major-university level.
• Lawrence "Lonnie" Wright, 67, averaged 18.1 ppg and 5.6 rpg for Colorado State from 1963-64 through 1965-66, pacing the Rams in scoring all three seasons. First athlete in professional sports history to simultaneously compete in football (defensive back with Denver Broncos) and basketball (Denver Rockets).
• Eddie Yost, 86, played basketball for NYU as a freshman in 1943-44. He went on to become an A.L. All-Star 3B who led league in walks six times, games played three times, on-base percentage twice, doubles in 1951 and runs scored scored in 1959. Yost assembled the longest consecutive games played streak (838) since Lou Gehrig.
• Bill Zimmer, 67, averaged 1.8 ppg for Duke in 1964-65 and 1965-66 under coach Vic Bubas.
• Francis "Frank" Zummach, 101, was a three-year letterman and Marquette's co-captain averaging 3.6 ppg in 1931-32 when the school competed against All-American John Wooden's Purdue squad.

The most ardent college hoops observer probably didn't realize that Akron zips along as one of only seven Division I schools posting at least 22 victories each of the previous seven seasons. Ohio State is the nation's only school to win at least 24 contests each of the last seven campaigns. Akron, which reached the Mid-American Conference Tournament final the last six years, is joined on this list by the following more recognizable institutions with a look at their best and worst seasons during these streaks:

Holiday festivities can go awry between Christmas and New Year's Eve. Just ask top-ranked Virginia, which lost at tiny Chaminade in 1982, and NCAA champion-to-be Michigan, which bowed to Alaska-Anchorage on a neutral court in 1988.

Amid the celebrations, a Christmas holiday week absolutely can not go by without the time-honored tradition of making a list and checking it twice. The wish list, focusing on the good and naughty, doesn't change much from the previous month at Thanksgiving but does have a little different perspective. Following is a healthy serving of food-for-thought wishes presented to hoop observers:

• Wish that a striking number of mid-major players earn deserved All-American acclaim this season.

• Wish Indiana's Cody Zeller and Duke's Seth Curry join their brothers as the 10th and 11th set of All-American siblings.

• Wish Missouri's Flip Pressey joins his father (Paul) as the ninth set of father-son All-Americans.

• Wish ex-college hoopster Tony Gonzalez (Atlanta Falcons tight end) wins his first NFL playoff game.

• Wish the Pac-12 Conference undergoes a prompt renaissance after struggling just a year ago.

• Wish Colorado State's Larry Eustachy, who overcame personal problems, becomes the first coach in history to win at least 24 games in a single season with five different DI schools.

• Wish special seasons for standout seniors because they didn't abandon college hoops early and give the sport at least some modicum of veteran leadership.

• Wish the best for the Ivy League and Patriot League, which seem like the last bastions replete with textbook student-athletes. Five Ivy League institutions - Brown, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard and Yale - can still hold their heads high despite each of them posting all-time losing records. The Ivy League deserves extra kudos for not conducting the money-grubbing gimmick otherwise known as a postseason conference tournament.

• Wish proper acclaim for pristine playmakers who show again and again that "pass" is not a dirty four-letter word amid the obsession with individualistic one-on-one moves by self-absorbed one-and-done scholars.

• Wish Gonzaga coach Mark Few, who has assembled a "mid-major" powerhouse, reaches his first Final Four.

• Wish many highlights for entertaining little big men (players 5-10 or shorter) who inspire us with their self-confidence and mental toughness in the Land of the Giants.

• Wish junior college players and foreigners could overcome perceptions in some misguided quarters that they are the rogues of recruiting.

• Wish a 100% recovery for Rashawn King, a freshman who overcame cancer to secure clearance to play for North Carolina Central.

• Wish patience for the numerous promising first-year coaches assuming control of programs this season. They need to remember the fortitude exhibited by many of the biggest names in coaching who rebounded from embarrassing defeats in their first season as a head coach. An active luminary who lost multiple games to non-Division I colleges in his initial campaign before ascending to stardom as the all-time winningest coach is Duke's Mike Krzyzewski (lost to SUNY-Buffalo, Scranton and King's College in 1975-76 while coaching Army).

• Wish Division I schools will soon find their bearings amid the chaotic restructuring of conferences forsaking tradition although the quest for megaleagues could be delusional because they're vying for television revenue that might not exist as network sports divisions operate at ample deficits.

• Wish more accuracy for recruiting services incapable of discerning that Creighton's Doug McDermott should have been a Top 100 recruit coming out of high school in 2010. Ditto to announcers who infect the sport by spreading this virus without ever seeing any of the players enough to properly evaluate them.

• Wish marquee coaches wouldn't serve up assistants as sacrificial lambs when the heat of an investigation of their program intensifies.

• Wish wisdom for anyone who incessantly castigates the majority of undergraduates declaring early for the NBA draft. Before accepting the party line that many of the players are making monumental mistakes by forgoing their remaining college eligibility, remember that more than half of the NBA's All-Pro selections in the last quarter century or so left college early or never attended a university.

• Wish a heart for any school not promptly granting a recruit seeking to enroll elsewhere a release from its letter-of-intent when he wants to attend another institution for legitimate reasons.

• Wish jaws wired shut for "Me Generation" showmen who've failed to comprehend that their respective teams don't benefit on the court from a trash-talking Harlem Globetrotter routine.

• Wish self-absorbed players will finally see the light and spend less time getting tattoos and practicing macho dunks and more on team beneficial free throws. It all hinges on dedication. There is a reason they're supposed to be "free" throws instead of Shaq-like "foul" shots.

• Wish high-profile coaches would show more allegiance rather than taking off for greener pastures despite having multiple years remaining on their contract.

• Wish network analysts would refrain from serving as apologists for the coaching community. When their familiar spiels echo throughout hoopdom, they become nothing more than the big mouths that bore.

• Wish marquee schools will vow to stop forsaking entertaining non-conference games with natural rivals while scheduling a half-dozen or more meaningless "rout-a-matics" at home. Two or three gimmes are enough.

• Wish a generous dose of ethics to defrauding coaches who manipulate junior colleges and high schools into giving phony grades. Ditto coaches who steer prize high school prospects to third parties toying with standardized test results.

• Wish authenticity for those "fatherly-advice" coaches who don't mandate that any player with pro potential take multiple financial literacy courses. Did they notice in recent years that products from Alabama, Georgia Tech, Georgetown, Kentucky and Syracuse filed for bankruptcy after combining for more than half a billion dollars in salaries over their NBA careers? What kind of classes are taken in college anyway if a staggering 60% of NBA players file for bankruptcy five years after retirement?

• Wish overzealous fans will stop flogging freshmen for not living up to their high school press clippings right away. The impatient onlookers need to get a grip on themselves.

• Wish many of the excessive number of small schools thinking they can compete at the Division I level would return to DII or DIII. There are far too many examples of dreamy-eyed small schools that believe competing with the big boys will get them national recognition, make big bucks from the NCAA Tournament and put the institutions on the map. They don't know how unrealistic that goal is until most of the hyphenated and directional schools barnstorm the country during their non-conference schedules in college basketball versions of Bataan Death Marches.

• Wish ESPN would cease giving forums to individuals who either lie to NCAA investigators as a coach or practice reprehensible race-baiting with the intellectually-bankrupt "Uncle Tom" bomb.