If they pace their respective conferences in scoring and assists, Ohio University's D.J. Cooper (Mid-American) and South Dakota State's Nate Wolters (Summit League) are among the striking number of mid-major players who could become All-Americans this season by guiding their schools back to the NCAA playoffs. Wolters became SDSU's all-time leading scorer in mid-season and Cooper became the first player in NCAA history to amass 2,000 points, 900 assists, 600 rebounds and 300 steals.

Finishing atop a league in scoring and assists has happened more often than one might think at first glance. Louisiana State's Pete Maravich, the NCAA's all-time leading scorer when he averaged more than 43 points per contest each of three years, also paced the SEC in assists with 6.3 per game as a senior in 1969-70. Houston's Rob Williams was a sophomore in 1980-81 when he topped the SWC in both scoring (25 ppg) and assists (4.9 apg).

Loyola Marymount's Keith Smith (West Coast in 1984-85 and 1985-86) and Marquette's Travis Diener (Conference USA in 2003-04 and 2004-05) twice achieved the feat. Premium NBA playmakers John Stockton (Gonzaga) and Steve Nash (Santa Clara) were among four different WCC players in this category in a 12-year span from 1984 through 1995.

Baylor's Pierre Jackson (Big 12) could become the first player to pace a power six league in scoring and assists in the same campaign since Arizona's Jason Terry in 1998-99. Following is a chronological list of guards who led a major conference in scoring average and assists in the same season since assists became an official NCAA statistic in 1983-84:

Season	Scoring/Assists Leader	School	PPG	APG	Conference (Finish)
1983-84	John Stockton	Gonzaga	20.9	7.1	West Coast (T4th)
1984-85	Keith Smith	Loyola Marymount	25.1	5.6	West Coast (T6th)
1985-86	Keith Smith	Loyola Marymount	21.0	7.0	West Coast (2nd)
1987-88	Vernell "Bimbo" Coles	Virginia Tech	24.2	5.9	Metro (T3rd)
1987-88	Ken "Mouse" McFadden	Cleveland State	20.5	5.9	Mid-Continent (2nd)
1988-89	Anthony Manuel	Bradley	21.1	8.0	Missouri Valley (4th)
1989-90	Gary Payton	Oregon State	25.7	8.1	Pacific-10 (T1st)
1990-91	Terrell Lowery	Loyola Marymount	28.5	9.1	West Coast (2nd)
1992-93	Curt Smith	Drake	21.1	4.6	Missouri Valley (5th)
1994-95	Steve Nash	Santa Clara	20.9	6.4	West Coast (1st)
1994-95	Damon Stoudamire	Arizona	22.8	7.3	Pacific-10 (2nd)
1995-96	Ira Bowman	Pennsylvania	16.4	5.3	Ivy League (T1st)
1996-97	Antonio Daniels	Bowling Green	23.5	6.7	Mid-American (T1st)
1996-97	Andre Woolridge	Iowa	20.2	6.0	Big Ten (T2nd)
1997-98	Charles Jones	Long Island	29.0	7.4	Northeast (1st)
1998-99	George "Gee" Gervin Jr.	Houston	20.6	3.9	C-USA (6th/N)
1998-99	Shawnta Rogers	George Washington	20.7	8.0	Atlantic 10 (1st/W)
1998-99	Jason Terry	Arizona	21.9	5.5	Pacific-10 (2nd)
1999-2000	Detric Golden	Troy State	17.6	5.9	Trans America (T1st)
1999-2000	Rashad Phillips	Detroit	23.0	5.3	Midwestern Collegiate (3rd)
2002-03	Marques Green	St. Bonaventure	21.3	8.0	Atlantic 10 (6th/E)
2003-04	Travis Diener	Marquette	18.8	6.0	C-USA (8th)
2003-04	Marquis Poole	Idaho State	19.0	6.0	Big Sky (T2nd)
2004-05	Travis Diener	Marquette	19.7	7.0	C-USA (9th)
2005-06	Jose Juan Barea	Northeastern	21.0	8.4	Colonial Athletic (5th)
2008-09	Stephen Curry	Davidson	28.6	5.6	Southern (1st/S)
2008-09	Brandon Ewing	Wyoming	18.5	5.0	Mountain West (6th)
2008-09	Eric Maynor	Virginia Commonwealth	22.4	6.2	Colonial Athletic (2nd)

A presidential campaign, resembling life, is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer you get to the end, the faster the _ _ _ _ goes. It doesn't come fast enough when, amid chronically condemning Christians, petty punditry emerges such as: "The future does not belong to those who slander the prophet of Islam." Whether you're an adult or a dolt, it's closing argument time before getting off the pot and voting (either for revenge or love of country).

Amid self-radicalization gibberish, a problem persists that the overwhelming majority of slanted reporters, including the toy department (sports), write through a liberal prism insulting our common sense and intelligence. Thus the toughest question Social Engineer/President Barack H. Obama faced in a given year from the malpractice minions probably was an ESPN bracket racket inquiry concerning whether his alma mater (Harvard) was going to advance to the second round in NCAA basketball playoff competition. Don't you wish he would have put as much effort into meeting a budget deadline as he did in providing a bracket, accepting mulligan lessons from Tiger or hosting parties at Club Obama?

By any measure, the puff-piece enemies of illumination failed to fully vett Obama and his leftist fantasies before he became POTUS other than perhaps focusing on an alleged hoop prowess. The second time around, surrogates from Obama's campaign office and in the myopic media sounded like out-of-control fans in the stands hollering at referees, saying numerous repulsive things about opponent Mitt Romney and his intact family.

But as NBA Commissioner David Stern said in jest about Obama's basketball background: "He thinks he's better than he really is." Although probably not intentional, Stern's dispassionate assessment also summarizes Obama's presidency. At the risk of being the next U.S. citizen subject to a drone strike, following is a detailed scouting report on the hoop-loving lefty before votes were cast for his second term:

INSATIABLE URGE TO ALWAYS GO TO HIS LEFT
From Frank Marshall Davis, a member of the old Moscow-controlled Communist Party USA who was a mysterious friend and adviser while Obama was growing up in Hawaii; to his early “daze” rooming with shady Sohale Siddiqi in a drug-infested portion of NYC after visiting Siddiqi’s native country during college with other Pakistanis; to a close association with Dr. Khalid al-Mansour, a key adviser to a Saudi billionaire who mentored the founding members of the Black Panthers (alleged in a 1995 book that the U.S. was plotting genocide against black Americans); to attending a black liberation church for almost two decades under a disgraced pastor - Jeremiah Wright - who “inspired him”; to launching his first campaign for public office with a fund-raising party at the home of friends (unrepentant Weather Underground leaders William Ayers and Bernardine Dohrn) whose violent guerilla group bombed the Pentagon; to employing as a state senator senior staffers who belonged to Louis Farrakhan’s controversial Nation of Islam; to having benefactors such as FBI fugitive Salman Ibrahim (Sunrise Equities fraud) and far left-wing Rabbi Arnold Wolf who even invited the “Chicago 7” to address his synagogue; to longstanding shady dealings with slumlord/convicted influence peddler Tony Rezko and purchasing a home with his help for $1.65 million; to connections with first cousin Odinga who wanted to bring Kenya under Sharia law; to gushing over Chicago pal Rashid Khalidi, a mouthpiece for master terrorist Yasser Arafat, the sheikh- and emperor-bowing disciple of Saul Alinsky (author of Rules for Radicals) seems to be most comfortable taking far-left turns with Marxists and revolutionaries boasting difficult-to-spell names plus United Nations-affiliated nut jobs seemingly straight out of the Star Wars tavern scene.

FAILS TO EXHIBIT ADEQUATE COURT LEADERSHIP
Anyone with a triple-digit IQ sizing up the parasites influencing him could discern the shameless shenanigans around the corner. Czar-loving O-bow-a catered to two-bit dictators and Hollyweird, won’t protect the border (probably since “we’re not a Christian nation”) but did take time from numerous golf outings to praise the Phoenix “Amnesty” Suns for protesting Arizona’s new immigration law, paid ACORN almost $1 million to conduct some corrupt “community organizing,” doesn’t boast sufficient courage to say the word “terrorist” but is sufficiently clever to create contrived phrases such as "workplace violence" and “man-caused disaster,” conducted a beer summit after getting “all wee wee’d up” prejudging a white police officer, aligned with the scare-tactic buffoonery of Al Bore regarding the global warming hoax, claims he’s in charge from the start of the Gulf Coast oil spill while making more long trips West campaigning for Barbara “I Work So Hard” Boxer and Dingy Harry, savaged oil companies but didn’t return the $1 million BP donated to him (also accepted similar amount from self-anointed know-it-all Bill Maher despite his genuine "War on Women"), attempted to fix elections hiding behind Sick Willie so his favorites can continue to suck on the government boob via what few jobs he did create (75 times less than food stamp growth), ran from the abortion issue because it’s “above his pay grade” and is more likely to promote the grand opening of a mosque near Ground Zero rather than attending Arlington Cemetery on Memorial Day. Our fearless leader, much more concerned with illegal immigrants, gay rights and lowering flag to half-staff for singler/drug-addict Whitney Houston, failed to acknowledge the murder of an authentic hero - Chris "American Sniper" Kyle - or Christian pastor imprisoned in Iran. The "leader" of the free world knows all about the sexual preference of an NBA center averaging 1 ppg but doesn't know anything about reports of intimidating potential State Department witnesses.

GENERALLY LISTLESS PERFORMER DOESN’T DELIVER IN CLUTCH
Enlightened elitist Progressives, amused by the absence of “shovel-ready” jobs, aren’t nearly as bright as they like to portray themselves. Fawning liberals chronically convey to us that the Audacity of Hype is a super smart guy. Barry is a “genius” in the vernacular of his principal MSNBC sycophants Chrissy "Thrill Up My Leg" Matthews, Mika the Mannequin, Rachel Madcow and Al “Not So” Sharpton. And yet, for the width and breadth of such utter brilliance, Obama seems to be way above his pay grade about many things, especially when his teleprompter isn’t functioning properly. Surely, a once-in-a-lifetime Messiah would know the fact the U.S. doesn’t have 57 states; Afghans’ language isn’t Arabic; there is no language called Austrian; daughter's asthma might be triggered more his smoking than climate change; difference between Memorial Day and Veterans Day; a singular bomb wasn’t dropped on Pearl Harbor; the word corpsman isn’t pronounced like a dead body; “under God” is nothing to hide from when reciting the Pledge of Allegiance; distinction between Great Britain and England; would admit he was for tax cuts and reducing the national budget before he was against them; collective salvation is absurd from a Christian perspective; it’s incorrect to say Twitters and internets; his home state (Hawaii) isn’t part of Asia; priorities are screwed up if encouraging NASA to become a Muslim outreach program, and you shouldn’t make the unforgivable gaffe mistakenly identifying a fallen member of the Army as another soldier in a completely different Army unit who is alive. Unless there is some stench to hide, Ramadan-celebrating B.O. also should permit his squirreled-away college papers/academic records to see the light of day so the public could judge for themselves the dimensions of his breathtaking splendor.

KNOWS THE BASICS BUT MOST COMFORTABLE AS ROLE PLAYER
Let me be clear about the clunker lame-stream media exhibiting most of the traits of Baghdad Bob (Gibbs)! In 2008, they failed to point out Obama was devoid of executive experience but had an excess of agitator experience alongside contemptible Chicago-gang comrades Screwie Louie Farrakhan, bombastic Blago, repulsive Rahm, demented David Axel(grease) and dumb-as-a-stump Rev. Wrong. That’s probably why the community organizer became a temporary interior decorator by promptly ridding the White House of the bust of dauntless Winston Churchill, an authentic hero whose guardianship of freedom is so alien to him. The apologist-in-chief proudly proclaims that “the U.S. is not a Christian nation.” Prior to giving Solyndra preferential treatment, the only business transaction he ever conducted was a sweetheart housing deal with felon Tony Rezko. How is all that hope and change working out for us as he describes Americans as “lazy” or "clinging to their guns and religion"? We didn’t build anything. If you voted for Hopey in ’08 to prove you’ve shed your white guilt, it seems you’d have to vote for someone other than “Debt Man Walking” in ’12 to prove you’re not a village idiot worthy of earning a trip on Farrakhan’s mother ship (where vacation junkie Michelle will be a “Let’s Move (It)” stewardess forcing organic food down our palates). Rather than buckling down and exhibiting authentic leadership skills in fiscal cliff negotiations or offering a bonafide budget, the golfer-in-chief went on vacation in Hawaii, including hitting the links with a longtime pal arrested last year on suspicion of soliciting a prostitute.

BELIEVES IN DISTRIBUTION BUT MORESO FOR OTHERS THAN HIMSELF
Simplistic Demorats lecture us endlessly but are “Do As I Say; Not As I Do” when it comes to being champions of the poor. In the decade before becoming Vice Plagiarist, (Oh So Ordinary) Joe Biden gave a grand total of $3,690 to charity (0.2% of income). Now, he helps the deficit by charging the Secret Service seven times that amount in rent (to protect him and his clean-and-articulate family) for a cottage on his property. Debate prep companion Lurch Kerry gave a big fat goose egg in 1995 but did spend a half million dollars that year on a 17th-Century Dutch seascape painting. In the previous two years to that enormous disparity, however, the self-proclaimed Vietnam hero gave a staggering sum of $2,214. In 1998, Al Bore, boasting a personal carbon footprint the size of Bigfoot, gave an anemic $353 to charity. Liberal Lyin’ Ted Kennedy gave 1% of his income to charity in the decade of the ‘70s. Barack and Michelle Peron gave an average of 3.5% of their income to charity in the eight years before his presidency. Their lofty rhetoric and Ivy League educations notwithstanding, none of these charlatans apparently applies tithing to their personal lives. Meanwhile, the self-indulgent half of America paying no federal taxes is more than happy to raise taxes on the inspired half who actually prosper by getting off their royal cushion and going to work.

BLOCKS OUT FOR “REBOUNDERS” TO PICK AND ROLL (IN DOUGH)
The clueless clowns comprising OWS (really need to Occupy Water in Shower) should have been protesting at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Consider the following three former Fannie Mae executives who were instrumental in disgracing Wall Street and igniting the bevy of bailouts: (1) Franklin Raines – Chairman and CEO departed with a golden parachute valued at $240 million in benefits when he was forced to retire in the wake of auditing discovering severe irregularities; (2) Tim Howard – Chief Financial Officer’s golden parachute was estimated at $20 million despite resigning under pressure for cooking the books, manipulating earnings to trigger bonuses; (3) Jim Johnson – Former executive at Lehman Brothers and Fannie Mae, who was investigated for taking illegal loans from Countrywide, received an estimated $28 million golden parachute despite hiding his compensation from the public. Where did this stench-filled trio of trash take their expertise? Raines worked for Obama’s Campaign as Chief Economic Advisor, Howard was also a Chief Economic Advisor to Obama, and Johnson, a Senior Obama Finance Advisor, was selected to run the VP Search Committee. Naturally, this doesn’t include morally bankrupt ex-N.J. governor Jon Corzine, an Obama fundraiser and alleged economic expert immersed in the MF Global scandal.

CLEARLY KNOWS NUANCES OF GAME WITH EMPHASIS ON BACKDOOR CUTS
Cutting backroom deals is his forte with an emphasis on union waivers. Do you think a pardon is already in the works for fellow Chicagoan Jesse Jackson Jr. if one is necessary after he cost taxpayers more than $5 million to fill his spot with the timing of his suspect resignation from Congress? Moreover, Obama never stands up to race baiters such as the 95% Diversity President Al Sharptongue. Devoid of heart, august POTUS simply looks the other way while a plantation potentate practices soft racism of low expectations. Simply overlook Sharptongue’s history as described by the lovely and gracious Ann Coulter: In addition to libeling innocent men in the Tawana Brawley hoax, ginning up angry mobs outside the Central Park jogger’s rapists’ trial, inciting throngs after an auto accident in Brooklyn’s Crown Heights neighborhood killed a black child and a rabbinical student was stabbed to death, Sharptongue famously ignited an anti-Semitic protest against a Jewish-owned clothing store in Harlem, saying, “We will not stand by and allow them to move this brother so that some white interloper can expand his business.” Someone who was listening to Sharptongue later decided to storm the store and start shooting, wounding several employees, and setting a fire killing seven people. Nevertheless, the lame-stream media generally and MSNBC specifically frequently parade out “Resist We Much!” as an “expert” when commenting on civil discourse.

PLAYS MATADOR DEFENSE WITH OBSESSION FOR BLAMING EVERYONE ELSE
If George W. can’t be affixed with fault for SuperStorm Sandy amid everything else, Obama will find someone in a "fast and furious" fashion to serve as fall guy after securing his photo op. A classic example of the blame game was when the feds were more concerned with detaining some obscure producer of an anti-Islamic film making light of the prophet Mohammed. At least they didn't pull out the workplace-violence card again. Meanwhile, the stonewalling Obama Administration - either grossly incompetent or immersed in "crude and disgusting" fraud - dealt with a terrorist attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya, by shamelessly standing in front of caskets at an airport hangar (plus the White House press corps, the U.N. and national politically-oriented shows such as Meet the Depressed) offering an orchestrated narrative claiming the nondescript video was responsible for a spontaneous murder of the American ambassador and three other Americans. Unbelievably, a Navy SEAL among the deceased violated stand-down orders to help save numerous individuals at the death-trap embassy and then fought the terrorists for seven hours while his pleas for backup at a nearby annex were ignored by government officials real-time watching events unfold. Weeks later, the apologist-in-chief and cowardly cronies were still striving to supply a cogent response to their deflect-and-deny sacrificial inaction. Where's a photo of the vaunted Obama Team deliberating during the Benghazi attack before rescue troops were told to "stand down"? Bracing for a cross-country campaign trip, did "That's Not What We Do" go to bed while brave Americans were savaged? If not, then be transparent enough to at least conduct a stand-up, man-up press conference detailing what you did do (other than dispatching a "Damsel in Distress" who allegedly didn't know as much about the topic as a general's mistress); not just cozy up to David Letterman and be charm-offensive "eye candy" for The View vixens. Surely, he and his dignified cohorts didn't indefensibly throw lives in the trash akin to late-term abortions. Barry, buttressed by Roman columns, was hailed as a savior but emphasizes selective salvation when it came to "punishing" children he wasn't hiding behind. Planned Murderhood notwithstanding, he proclaimed "if there's a step we can take to save even one child, we should take that step."

There are ample reasons why the majority of Americans fail to have confidence in a biased mass media to report the news fully, accurately and fairly. The major TV networks and two principal liberal rags (New York Slimes and Washington Compost) refused to give coverage to a Fox News report acknowledging the Obama Administration denied aid multiple times to Americans attacked and murdered by terrorists in Benghazi on September 11 of all days. If they withheld evidence (such as emails from the National Security Advisor's office telling a counter-terrorism unit to stand down), they're as corrupt in a cover-up as the administration's self-righteous Siskel & Ebert wannabees more concerned with muzzling Benghazi survivors than transparency with the public.

Why didn't the lapdog media do its job and press the issue providing accountable answers to the many questions accuring about what precisely occurred in the Celebrity-in-Chief's chamber? Why do the vast majority of them remain so disinterested in pursuing the litany of "jaw-dropping" misstatements and dissembling regarding what was known before and after the Benghazi attack? It wasn't because the misfit media was too busy prepping for coverage of the capital case carnage in the Dr. Gosnell abortion trial.

Al Jazeera is more objective in its coverage of U.S. politics than incestuous ABC, CBS, NBC, MSNBC and CNN. In an effort to help the inept media shine the light of truth on the Benghazi bungling and scrubbed talking points, following are some basic "who/what/when/why/where" questions for which the public deserves answers:
* Who first concocted "the (misleading) spontaneous reaction" to a YouTube video explanation for the attack (framed before the final two deaths) and did the same individual help orchestrate a coordinated response at various venues in the days and weeks immediately following said attack?
* What portion of the entire 7 1/2 hours of the attack did POTUS himself spend in the Situation Room and was he directly involved with multiple "stand-down" orders while the attacks were in place?
* When precisely did POTUS and/or his national security staff first become aware that an attack was underway at the Benghazi compound?
* Why was the Obama Administration's response so lax despite an unmanned drone providing real-time live video feed of the scene?
* Where is evidence of the "Betray Us" administration's responses to repeated pleas to strengthen security for Americans in Libya, not only from the State Department security chief and man on the ground in charge of security, but from the ambassador?

In the previous election cycle, NBC's slobbering Brian "Save the Tin Foil" Williams, the self-proclaimed patriot, was fond of displaying adoring news magazine "halo" covers to Obama and then asking him if his mother would have liked the image. Since Williams is in dire need of a drool bucket, perhaps one of his counterparts who isn't certified Obama Orgasmic should brandish photos of the murdered Americans in front of POTUS and ask him if he sleeps well at night knowing he did everything humanly possible before and during the attack to protect and help these hero sons of steadfast mothers. The Messiah could also be asked what did give-me-a-break Shrillary Rotten mean when the former Secretary of State callously said during testimony: "What difference does it make?" Despite not being interviewed by the review board, the difference could be a little candor to the country's citizens vs. cover-up deception with much of the media serving as corrupt accomplices.

Dan Rather's blather at CBS frequently ended with some inane reference to "courage." Was that a trait exhibited by CBS when it concealed footage for an extended period from a 60 Minutes interview with Obama where he clearly refused to categorize the Benghazi attack as an act of terror? Of course, curious George Stephanopoulos is deemed a journalistic jewel by ABC after earning his spurs as a political hack for the petulant Clintons disparaging one female after another. Is this the best and most honest our country can produce in the newsrooms and Oval Office? In helping "educate" the public before election day, all we could expect from the courageous "never-seen-you-lose" media was something like: "Will Harvard return to the NCAA Tournament this season?"

The biggest loser over the last couple of election cycles is the mangy media serving as little more than the Praetorian Guard for liberal lunacy praising Planned Parenthood and its accompanying murders of innocent babies while smearing whistleblowers crestfallen over the murders of innocent colleagues. As shamelessly one-sided as conservaties have asserted for years, excessive media malpractice finally discarded the pretense of objectivity. The good news is that the influence-peddling gig for broadcast networks, major daily newspapers and newsweeklies is nearly expired because the less-than-honest brokers are gutless wonders shackled by a business model in free-fall. Good riddance to the fourth-rate estate and don't let death's door hit you in your contemptible can on the way out!

The NFL Injury Report comes out in mid-week although it isn't nearly as important to genuine hoop fans as the NFL Basketball Report. The hoop headliner recently was wide receiver Vincent Jackson, who had a 95-yard pass reception and run for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers against the New Orleans Saints.

Elsewhere, veteran tight end, Tony Gonzalez, who excelled in the 1997 NCAA playoffs with California, is having a splendid season with the unbeaten Atlanta Falcons. Gonzalez led his team in pass receptions much of the campaign comparable to Jackson and fellow ex-college hoopster Kendall Wright (Tennessee Titans).

Regal receiver Terrell Owens (1995 NCAA playoffs with Chattanooga) didn't have a chance to test the patience of replacement officials early this season because he is no longer on an NFL roster. But the league still boasts the following versatile players who previously were college hoopsters:

Player	Pos.	NFL Team	College(s)	Summary of 2012 NFL Season
Connor Barwin	OLB	Houston Texans	Cincinnati	16 tackles (14 solo/2 assists) in fourth season but only one sack (after 11 1/2 last year)
Demetress Bell	LOT	Philadelphia Eagles	Northwestern State	newcomer after signing 5-year deal in off-season following 30 starts with Buffalo Bills the previous three seasons
Jordan Cameron	TE	Cleveland Browns	Brigham Young/Southern California	12 pass receptions for 140 yards (long of 23) in second campaign
Demar Dotson	RT	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Southern Mississippi	6-9 lineman is a starter in fourth season
London Fletcher	ILB	Washington Redskins	Saint Francis, PA/John Carroll, OH	team-high 65 tackles (38 solo/27 assists) plus one fumble recovery, one sack and one interception in 15th season
Antonio Gates	TE	San Diego Chargers	Kent State	21 pass receptions for 238 yards (long of 33) and two touchdowns in 10th year
Tony Gonzalez	TE	Atlanta Falcons	California	team-high 46 pass receptions for 459 yards (long of 25) and four touchdowns in 16th campaign
Jimmy Graham	TE	New Orleans Saints	Miami, FL	third-year pro has 30 pass receptions for 315 yards (long of 24) and four touchdowns
Todd Heap	TE	Arizona Cardinals	Arizona State	long-time Baltimore Raven has eight receptions for 94 yards (long of 28) in 12th season
Vincent Jackson	WR	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Northern Colorado	team highs of 29 receptions, 626 yards (long of 95) and five touchdowns in eighth campaign
Evan Moore	TE	Seattle Seahawks	Stanford	first season in NW for third-stringer after three years with the Cleveland Browns, including four touchdowns in 2011
Julius Peppers	RDE	Chicago Bears	North Carolina	14 tackles (10 solo/four assists) and team-high 5 sacks in 11th season
Julius Thomas	TE	Denver Broncos	Portland State	second-year backup hopes to get a start similar to last season
Kendall Wright	WR	Tennessee Titans	Baylor	rookie has team-high 40 pass receptions (for 351 yards and three touchdowns/long of 35 yards)

Numerous universities have had versatile athletes who played college basketball before going on to major league baseball careers. While many single-minded basketball fans are assessing polls and rankings in preseason hoop magazines and websites, here is an incisive "Who Am I?" quiz for well-rounded basketball/baseball fans that will take a toll on their memories as they try to recall World Series participants, including former members of the Detroit Tigers and San Francisco Giants, who played varsity basketball for a current NCAA Division I college.

Keep your chin up if you need relief answering the following questions because they're almost as difficult as the Tigers keeping the Giants' Panda in the park in Game 1:

I was a 13-year major league second baseman who set several fielding records and played in the 1967 World Series with the Boston Red Sox after ranking among the nation's top 12 free-throw shooters both of my college basketball seasons with Oklahoma State. Who am I? Jerry Adair

I was a 17-year first baseman who hit four homers and a double in a single game and played in back-to-back World Series with the Milwaukee Braves after being LSU's leading scorer (18.6 points per game) for the Tigers' 1945-46 team that compiled an 18-3 record and lost against Kentucky in the Southeastern Conference Tournament final. Who am I? Joe Adcock

I was a 10-year pitcher who led the A.L. in winning percentage in 1935 with an 18-7 record (.720) for the World Series-bound Detroit Tigers after I was named to the first five on an all-conference basketball team in my final season at Kansas State. I was a submariner who hurled a complete game victory in a 10-4 verdict over the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 4 of the '34 Series before losing Game 7 to Dizzy Dean. Who am I? Eldon Auker

I was a shortstop who participated in five World Series, four with the champion, in a six-year span from 1910 through 1915 after earning a basketball letter for Holy Cross in 1908. Who am I? John "Jack" Barry

I was a rookie pitcher in 1978 with the New York Yankees who went the distance for the first time in my major league career in a Game 5 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series. I was a 6-5 forward who averaged 14.3 points and a team-high 8.9 rebounds per game for Dartmouth in 1974-75 when I was selected team MVP and honorable mention All-Ivy League. Who am I? Jim Beattie

I was a catcher who appeared in back-to-back World Series with the New York Yankees (1927 and 1928) after being a basketball letterman for Niagara from 1916-17 through 1918-19. Who am I? Bernard "Benny" Bengough

I was an outfielder who, during my 11-year career with the Pittsburgh Pirates, hit a double in the 1925 World Series to help them become the first team to come back from a 3-1 deficit in a seven-game series. I played with my brother on Oregon's basketball squad before we briefly played alongside each other with the Pirates. Who am I? Carson "Skeeter" Bigbee

I was a player-manager who earned American League MVP honors in leading the Cleveland Indians to the 1948 World Series after being the top scorer for an Illinois team that shared a Big Ten basketball title. Who am I? Lou Boudreau

I was a pitcher who appeared in the 1947 and 1949 World Series with the Brooklyn Dodgers after notching 21-12 and 13-5 won-loss marks, respectively, following a basketball career at NYU, where I was the Violets' sixth-leading scorer in 1943-44 with an average of 3.8 points per game. Major league player and manager Bobby Valentine is my son-in-law. Who am I? Ralph Branca

I was a 12-year outfielder who played in three World Series with the New York Yankees and hit 38 home runs in one season with Kansas City after finishing my college basketball career ranking fourth on Nebraska's career scoring list. Who am I? Bob Cerv

I posted a 1.88 ERA in 14 1/3 innings for the Boston Red Sox against the New York Giants in the 1912 World Series after being a two-year basketball letterman with Vermont. Who am I? Ray Collins

I am a three-time All-Star Game performer who pitched in the 1957 World Series for the Milwaukee Braves after being an All-Pacific Coast Conference first-team selection in 1949-50 when the 6-7 sophomore center led Washington State and the PCC North Division in scoring (13.3 points per game). Who am I? Gene Conley

I hit .323 in three World Series (1948 with Boston Braves; 1951 and 1954 with New York Giants). Member of LSU's 1942-43 basketball squad before entering military service (Marine Corps V-12 program) during World War II. Known as the "Swamp Fox," I was a five-sport letterman with Southwestern Louisiana Institute (now Louisiana-Lafayette) during 1943-44. Who am I? Alvin Dark

I led N.L. outfielders in putouts three years and hit near or over .300 for three St. Louis Cardinal pennant winners (1926, 1928 and 1930) after lettering three seasons in basketball for California. Who am I? Taylor Douthit

I was a 10-year utility infielder who saw action in two World Series games in 1959 with the Chicago White Sox after averaging seven points per contest as a 5-9 starting guard for Indiana in 1951-52. Who am I? Sammy Esposito

I was a catcher who appeared in two World Series with the Los Angeles Dodgers (1974 and 1978). Pacific teammate of All-American Keith Swagerty averaged 3.7 ppg and 2.3 rpg in 1965-66 and 1966-67 under coach Dick Edwards, scoring two points against eventual NCAA champion UCLA in the 1967 West Regional final. Who am I? Joe Ferguson

I led the A.L. in won-loss percentage in 1946 with a 25-6 mark before pitching a shutout in Game 3 of the World Series for the Boston Red Sox against the St. Louis Cardinals after being a basketball letterman for Mississippi State in 1940-41. Who am I? Boo Ferriss

I was a lefthanded hitting backup outfielder who participated in the 1929 World Series with the Philadelphia Athletics after being a basketball letterman for Army's 18-5 team in 1921. Who am I? Walter French

I wasa righthanded pitcher who appeared in the 1980 World Series with the Kansas City Royals after leading New Hampshire with 7.2 rpg in 1975-76. Who am I? Rich Gale

I was a first baseman-outfielder who hit 103 major league homers and pinch hit four times for the Cincinnati Reds in the 1961 World Series after earning a letter with Temple's basketball team in 1948-49 when I averaged 2.7 points per game. Who am I? Dick Gernert

I was a lefthanded pitcher who appeared in the 1960 World Series with the Pittsburgh Pirates after finishing my four-year college career as Mississippi's leader in career scoring and rebounds following a senior season when my scoring average was higher than first-team All-Americans Elgin Baylor (Seattle) and Wilt Chamberlain (Kansas). Who am I? Joe Gibbon

I am a Hall of Fame pitcher who set a record with 17 strikeouts against the Detroit Tigers in my third World Series in five years after becoming the first player in Creighton history to average at least 20 points per game in a career. Who am I? Bob Gibson

I am an eight-time All-Star Game shortstop who started for World Series championship teams with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1960 and St. Louis Cardinals in 1964 after twice ranking among the top four scorers in the country with Duke. Who am I? Dick Groat

I was a perennial All-Star outfielder with multiple Gold Gloves and N.L. batting titles who sparked the San Diego Padres to two World Series (1984 and 1998) after being a two-time All-WAC second-team selection as a San Diego State guard who led the league in assists as a sophomore and junior. Who am I? Tony Gwynn

I was a three-time All-Star catcher who played in the 1962 World Series with the San Francisco Giants (swatted a two-run homer off Hall of Famer Whitey Ford of the Yankees in Game Four) after playing as a backup forward for Illinois' basketball squad as a sophomore (1956-57) and junior (1957-58). Who am I? Tom Haller

I was a 12-year lefthanded reliever who appeared in back-to-back World Series with the New York Yankees after being a 6-7 Morehead State forward-center who ranked 15th in the country in scoring as a junior (24.2 ppg) and among the nation's top 10 rebounders as a senior (19.1 rpg). Who am I? Steve Hamilton

I was a 12-year lefthanded pitcher who appeared in the 1989 World Series with the San Francisco Giants after being a 6-2 guard who averaged 5.3 points per game as a freshman in 1976-77 and 4.9 ppg as a sophomore in 1977-78 for East Tennessee State. Who am I? Atlee Hammaker

I was a first baseman-outfielder who participated in the 1942 World Series with the New York Yankees after playing for Manhattan basketball teams that won a school-record 17 consecutive games in 1930 and 1931. Who am I? John "Buddy" Hassett

I was a lefthanded hitting utilityman who participated as a rookie with the New York Yankees in the 1923 World Series against the New York Giants after being a basketball letterman for Vanderbilt in 1918. Who am I? Harvey Hendrick

I was a 10-year pitcher who hurled four shutout innings as the fourth-game starter for the New York Yankees in the 1939 World Series after being a basketball All-American for Butler. I was named to the first A.L. All-Star team in 1933. Who am I? Oral Hildebrand

I was a 16-year first baseman/outfielder who homered in Game 4 of the 1963 World Series to help the Los Angeles Dodgers sweep the New York Yankees and twice led the A.L. in homers after leading Ohio State in scoring and rebounding as a junior and senior. Who am I? Frank Howard

I was a 13-year infielder who slugged 43 of my 136 career homers for the Atlanta Braves in 1973 after appearing in four World Series with the Baltimore Orioles (1966, 1969, 1970 and 1971). I averaged 1.7 points per game as a sophomore in my only varsity basketball season (1961-62) with Texas A&M before signing a pro baseball contract. Who am I? Dave Johnson

I was a 13-year outfielder who hit .306 for the New York Yankees in 19 World Series games after being a three- year basketball letterman for Maryland. Who am I? Charlie Keller

I was a Philadelphia Phillies relief pitcher who became N.L. MVP but lost the 1950 World Series opener to the New York Yankees as a starter, 1-0, after playing two seasons for Syracuse basketball teams. Who am I? Jim Konstanty

I began my rookie year with the Chicago Cubs by winning nine of my first 10 decisions before becoming a reliever for the 1969 Amazin' Mets World Series champion. I was a standout basketball player for Campbell in 1960 and 1961 when the North Carolina-based school was a junior college. Who am I? Cal Koonce

I was an infielder-outfielder who hit .303 in my 15-year career. When I was with the Detroit Tigers, I led the A.L. in batting average once (.353 in 1959), hits four times (209 in 1953 when he was rookie of the year, 201 in 1954, 196 in 1956 and 198 in 1959) and doubles on three occasions (38 in 1955, 39 in 1958 and 42 in 1959) before appearing in the 1962 World Series with the San Francisco Giants. I managed the Milwaukee Brewers in the 1982 World Series. I played in five games for Wisconsin's basketball team in the 1951-52 season. Who am I? Harvey Kuenn

I was a three-time All-Star outfielder who posted a .331 average with 22 HRs and 107 RBI in my first full season with the New York Giants in 1935 before appearing in the World Series in 1936 and 1937. I had two hits in a six- run second inning of Game Four in the Giants' lone victory against the New York Yankees in 1937 after scoring 16 points in nine basketball games for Arizona in 1931. Who am I? Hank Leiber

I am an outfielder who led the A.L. in stolen bases, a record for an A.L. rookie, and appeared in the World Series with three different teams (Cleveland Indians, Atlanta Braves and San Francisco Giants) after setting Arizona basketball records for steals in a season and career. Who am I? Kenny Lofton

I was a 12-year infielder who played in the 1957 and 1958 World Series with the New York Yankees after being a member of Southwest Missouri State squads that won 1952 and 1953 NAIA Tournament titles. Who am I? Jerry Lumpe

I was a lefthanded outfielder who appeared in 1943 World Series for the New York Yankees against the St. Louis Cardinals after being a basketball letterman with William & Mary from 1935-36 through 1937-38. Who am I? Arthur "Bud" Metheny

I was a Gold Glove left fielder in 1960 between participating in two World Series with the Dodgers (1959 and 1965) after averaging 4.3 ppg with Texas A&M in 1948-49 and 1949-50. Who am I? Wally Moon

I was a righthander who appeared in 1934 World Series with the St. Louis Cardinals' Gas House Gang against the Detroit Tigers. I was an all-around athlete at East Tennessee State. Who am I? Jim Mooney

I was an infielder who hit .303 with the Washington Senators and Boston Red Sox in 17 A.L. seasons from 1925 through 1941, participating in two World Series (1925 and 1933). I was a basketball letterman for Mississippi State in 1923-24. Who am I? Charles "Buddy" Myer

I was a five-time All-Star who holds the A.L. record for most homers by a third baseman (319), but was homerless in five World Series (four with the New York Yankees and one with the San Diego Padres). The highlight of my career was four dazzling stops in Game Three of the 1978 World Series to help the Yankees win their first of four consecutive games. I averaged 5.3 points per game while earning basketball letters in my hometown for San Diego State in 1963-64 and 1964-65, shooting 87.8 percent from the free-throw line (36 of 41) as a sophomore. Who am I? Graig Nettles

I was a 19-year pitcher who appeared in two World Series with the Philadelphia Phillies after averaging 18.9 points and 14.3 rebounds in three varsity basketball seasons with Notre Dame. Who am I? Ron Reed

I was a catcher who played with the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1967 and 1968 World Series. I led Duquesne in scoring in my senior season with a 17.9 average in 1956-57 when I finished fourth in the nation in free-throw percentage (86.2). As a sophomore, I was a starter for an NIT championship team that compiled a 22-4 record and finished sixth in the final AP poll. Who am I? Dave Ricketts

I appeared in 1915 World Series with the Philadelphia Phillies en route to becoming the N.L.'s winningest lefthanded pitcher until Warren Spahn broke my record. I earned basketball letters with Virginia in 1911-12 and 1913-14. Who am I? Eppa Rixey Jr.

I am a Hall of Fame pitcher who was a 20-game winner for six consecutive seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies after leading Michigan State in field-goal percentage as a junior captain. In 1950, I lost my only World Series start, 2-1, when the Yankees' Joe DiMaggio homered off me in the 10th inning. Who am I? Robin Roberts

I am a Hall of Fame infielder who was a regular for six National League pennant winners after compiling league- high scoring averages in both of my seasons with UCLA. I collected two homers and seven doubles in World Series competition for the Brooklyn Dodgers. Who am I? Jackie Robinson

I was a four-time All-Star third baseman with the New York Yankees who appeared in six of the seven World Series from 1936 through 1942. I managed the Detroit Tigers after being a head basketball coach at Yale and with the Toronto Huskies of the Basketball Association of America. I played in a handful of basketball games for Dartmouth. Who am I? Robert "Red" Rolfe

I was a New York Yankees lefthander who registered a pair of 2-1 World Series victories (over the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1941 and St. Louis Cardinals in 1943) after playing for two of the premier teams in college basketball history when LIU went 24-2 in 1934-35 and 26-0 in 1935-36. I was named to the first five on the Metropolitan New York Basketball Writers Association All-Star Team after the undefeated season. Who am I? Marius Russo

I pitched in two World Series games for the New York Yankees in 1964 after being a 6-4 sophomore forward who averaged 13.5 points and 7.1 rebounds per game for Connecticut's NCAA Tournament team in 1959-60. Who am I? Rollie Sheldon

I was a three-time All-Star first baseman-outfielder who played in the 1956 and 1958 World Series with the New York Yankees and 1967 World Series with the Boston Red Sox. I was a member of Southwest Missouri State squads that won back-to-back NAIA Tournament titles in 1952 and 1953. Who am I? Norm Siebern

I was an infielder-outfielder who batted .319 or better in 12 of 14 major league seasons with the Cleveland Indians and Chicago Cubs from 1921 through 1934. In 1927, my first full season with the Cubs, I led the N.L. with 46 doubles. In the Cubs' 1929 pennant-winning season, I combined with Hall of Famers Kiki Cuyler and Hack Wilson to become the first outfield in N.L. history to have each starter finish with more than 100 RBI. I hit .378 in nine World Series games with the Cubs in 1929 and 1932 after being a guard who earned a basketball letter with the Alabama Crimson Tide in 1920. Who am I? Riggs Stephenson

I was a 10-year switch-hitting utilityman who played in the 1970 World Series with the Cincinnati Reds. I was an all-conference selection both years when I finished third in scoring for Austin Peay teams in 1959-60 (11.5 points per game) and 1960-61 (10.4 ppg) that participated in the NCAA Division II Tournament. Who am I? Jimmy Stewart

I was a 13-year veteran who appeared in 485 major league games, all as a reliever, and won a 1979 World Series game with the Baltimore Orioles after being a starting forward opposite national player of the year David Thompson of North Carolina State for an NCAA basketball champion. Who am I? Tim Stoddard

I was a lefthander who led the N.L. in won-loss percentage in 1973 (12-3 mark with the New York Mets) before appearing in the World Series and notching a save in Game 2 against the Oakland A's. Basketball letterman for Louisiana Tech in 1964-65 and 1965-66 (averaged 14.7 ppg as teammate of noted women's coach Leon Barmore). Who am I? George Stone

I was a lefthanded swinging catcher-utilityman who participated in 1940 World Series with the Detroit Tigers after being a basketball letterman for Portland in the late 1920s. Who am I? Billy Sullivan

I was an 11-year infielder who led the A.L. in stolen bases three times and hit .326 in the World Series for back-to-back N.L. pennant winners with the Cincinnati Reds after becoming the first Duke player to earn All- American honors in basketball. I was the initial player to bat in a televised major league game (Reds vs. Brooklyn on August 26, 1939) and the only player ever to hit four consecutive doubles in a game in both leagues. Who am I? Billy Werber

I was an outfielder who played in 12 All-Star Games and had over 3,000 career hits after playing the entire game for Minnesota in the Gophers' first NCAA Tournament appearance in 1972. I participated in the World Series with the New York Yankees (1981) and Toronto Blue Jays (1992). Who am I? Dave Winfield

Dominoes seem to fall every time a school seeks greener pastures. The Ivy League is the only Division I conference to remain intact since the late 1980s.

Oddly, some schools such as Boise State (Big West), Charlotte (C-USA), Georgia State (Sun Belt), Idaho (Big Sky), Pacific (West Coast) and San Diego State (Big West) are going full circle and returning to leagues where they previously were members. They join the following institutions that re-enlisted with a conference after leaving for various durations:

School	DI Conference (Membership Tenure)	School Status During Interim
Boise State	Big West (1997-2001 and will rejoin in 2014)	WAC (2002-11) and Mountain West (2012 and 2013)
Campbell	Big South (1986-94 and since 2012)	TAAC/Atlantic Sun (1995-2011)
Charlotte	Conference USA (1996-2005 and wll rejoin in 2014)	Atlantic 10 (2006-13)
Creighton	Missouri Valley (1929-48 and since 1978)	Independent
Davidson	Southern (1937-88 and since 1993)	Big South (1991 and 1992)
Drake	Missouri Valley (1908-51 and since 1957)	Independent
Duquesne	Eastern 8/Atlantic 10 (since 1977 except for 1993)	Midwestern Collegiate (1993)
Georgia State	Sun Belt (1977-81 and will rejoin in 2014)	TAAC/Atlantic Sun (1985-2005) and CAA (2006-13)
Harvard	EIBL/Ivy League (1902-09 and since 1934)	Independent
Idaho	Big Sky (1964-96 and since 2014)	Big West (1997-2005) and WAC (2006-13)
Lamar	Southland (1969-87 and since 1999)	American South (1988-91) and Sun Belt (1992-98)
Murray State	Ohio Valley (since 1949 except for 1962)	Independent
New Orleans	Sun Belt (1977-80 and 1992-2010)	Independent and American South (1988-91)
Northern Illinois	Mid-American (1976-86 and since 1998)	Mid-Continent (1991-94) and Midwestern Collegiate (1995-97)
Oregon	Pacific Coast (1916-59 and since 1965)	Independent
Oregon State	Pacific Coast (1916-59 and since 1965)	Independent
Pacific	WCAC/West Coast (1953-71 and will rejoin in 2014)	PCAA/Big West (1972-2013)
Penn State	Eastern 8/Atlantic 10 (1977-79 and 1983-91)	Independent
Prairie View A&M	SWAC (since 1921 except for 1991)	Discontinued program one season
San Diego State	Big West (1970-78 and will rejoin in 2014)	WAC (1979-99) and Mountain West (2000-13)
Washington State	Pacific Coast (1917-59 and since 1964)	Independent

Kentucky has had a series of regal recruiting classes, including one arriving in 2013-14. But the Wildcats' prize prospects don't always live up to billing. Following are six McDonald's All-Americans who averaged less than seven points per game in their UK careers:

Year	McDonald's All-American	UK Career Scoring Average
1978	Chuck Verderber	5.7 ppg
1980	Bret Bearup	3.6 ppg
1983	James Blackmon	6.8 ppg
1984	Cedric Jenkins	2.5 ppg
1984	Richard Madison	5.5 ppg
1999	Marvin Stone*	5.3 ppg

*Transferred to Louisville.

The NFL Injury Report comes out in mid-week although it isn't nearly as important to genuine hoop fans as the NFL Basketball Report. The hoop headliner this week is tight end Antonio Gates, a second-team All-MAC basketball selection in 2002, combining with San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers to become the first QB/TE combination in NFL history with 50 touchdowns.

Another veteran tight end, Tony Gonzalez, who excelled in the 1997 NCAA playoffs with California, is having a splendid season with the Atlanta Falcons. Gonzalez led his team in pass receptions much of the campaign comparable to fellow ex-college hoopsters Vincent Jackson (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) and Kendall Wright (Tennessee Titans).

Regal receiver Terrell Owens (1995 NCAA playoffs with Chattanooga) didn't have a chance to test the patience of replacement officials because he is no longer on an NFL roster. But the league still boasts the following versatile players who previously were college hoopsters:

Player	Pos.	NFL Team	College(s)	Summary of 2012 NFL Season
Connor Barwin	OLB	Houston Texans	Cincinnati	11 tackles (9 solo/2 assists) in fourth season but no sacks (after 11 1/2 last year)
Demetress Bell	LOT	Philadelphia Eagles	Northwestern State	newcomer after signing 5-year deal in off-season following 30 starts with Buffalo Bills the previous three seasons
Jordan Cameron	TE	Cleveland Browns	Brigham Young/Southern California	10 pass receptions for 124 yards (long of 23) in second campaign
Demar Dotson	RT	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Southern Mississippi	6-9 lineman started five of first six games in fourth season
London Fletcher	ILB	Washington Redskins	Saint Francis, PA/John Carroll, OH	team-high 54 tackles (29 solo/25 assists) plus one fumble recovery and one interception in 15th season
Antonio Gates	TE	San Diego Chargers	Kent State	19 pass receptions for 224 yards (long of 33) and two touchdowns in 10th year
Tony Gonzalez	TE	Atlanta Falcons	California	team-high 43 pass receptions for 430 yards (long of 25) and four touchdowns in 16th campaign
Jimmy Graham	TE	New Orleans Saints	Miami, FL	third-year pro has 25 pass receptions for 252 yards (long of 24) and three touchdowns
Todd Heap	TE	Arizona Cardinals	Arizona State	long-time Baltimore Raven has eight receptions for 94 yards (long of 28) in 12th season
Vincent Jackson	WR	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Northern Colorado	team highs of 20 receptions, 370 yards (long of 54) and four touchdowns in eighth campaign
Evan Moore	TE	Seattle Seahawks	Stanford	first season in NW for third-stringer after three years with the Cleveland Browns, including four touchdowns in 2011
Julius Peppers	RDE	Chicago Bears	North Carolina	10 tackles (eight solo/two assists) and 2.5 sacks in 11th season
Julius Thomas	TE	Denver Broncos	Portland State	second-year backup hopes to get a start similar to last season
Kendall Wright	WR	Tennessee Titans	Baylor	rookie has team-high 33 pass receptions (for 285 yards and two touchdowns/long of 35 yards)

Mid-major schools, featuring an abundance of gifted guards, could have a banner season in 2012-13. This is the first time in 40 years that mid-level schools managed to boast two returnees who were NCAA consensus first- and second-team All-Americans (Murray State guard Isaiah Canaan and Creighton forward Doug McDermott). There were three such mid-major returnees in 1972-73 - Southwestern Louisiana's Dwight "Bo" Lamar (36.3 ppg) and Oral Roberts' Richie Fuqua (35.9) were the nation's top two scorers in 1971-72 and Long Beach State's Ed Ratleff (21.4) was the leading scorer for the nation's fifth-ranked team.

Last season, McDermott became only the eighth mid-major player in the last 21 years to earn NCAA consensus first-team All-American status. He and second-teamer Canaan could be joined at A-A status by a couple of the following mid-level candidates:

Backcourt - Deonte Burton (Nevada), Will Cherry (Montana), Rotnei Clarke (Butler), D.J. Cooper (Ohio University), Matthew Dellavedova (Saint Mary's), Kevin Dillard (Dayton), Jamaal Franklin (San Diego State), Shane Gibson (Sacred Heart), Tyler Haws (Brigham Young), Lamont "Momo" Jones (Iona), Frantz Massenat (Drexel), Ray McCallum (Detroit), C.J. McCollum (Lehigh), Kevin Pangos (Gonzaga), Colt Ryan (Evansville), Chase Tapley (San Diego State), Chaz Williams (Massachusetts) and Nate Wolters (South Dakota State).

Frontcourt - Anthony Bennett (UNLV), De'Mon Brooks (Davidson), Keith Clanton (UCF), Brandon Davies (Brigham Young), Erik Etherly (Loyola, MD), Elias Harris (Gonzaga), Alex Kirk (New Mexico), Tony Mitchell (North Texas), Mike Moser (UNLV), Mike Muscala (Bucknell), Kelly Olynyk (Gonzaga), Chris Udofia (Denver) and Leonard Washington (Wyoming).

Could the mid-majors manage as many as six NCAA consensus All-Americans for the first time since 1955-56? Following is a chronological list of mid-level NCAA consensus first- and second-team All-Americans who played for a school never to be a member of a power conference (Houston, Memphis, SMU and Temple moving up to Big East) since the ACC was introduced in 1953-54:

1954 - La Salle's Tom Gola (1st), Western Kentucky's Tom Marshall (2nd), Furman's Frank Selvy (1st) and Duquesne's Dick Ricketts (2nd)

1955 - Furman's Darrell Floyd (2nd), La Salle's Tom Gola (1st), Duquesne's Sihugo Green (1st), Duquesne's Dick Ricketts (1st) and San Francisco's Bill Russell (1st)

1956 - Furman's Darrell Floyd (2nd), Duquesne's Sihugo Green (1st), Holy Cross' Tom Heinsohn (1st), San Francisco's K.C. Jones (2nd), San Francisco's Bill Russell (1st) and Dayton's Bill Uhl (2nd)

1957 - Seattle's Elgin Baylor (2nd) and Columbia's Chet Forte (1st)

1958 - Seattle's Elgin Baylor (1st) and San Francisco's Mike Farmer (2nd)

1959 - Marshall's Leo Byrd (2nd)

1960 - St. Bonaventure's Tom Stith (1st)

1961 - Gonzaga's Frank Burgess (2nd), St. Bonaventure's Tom Stith (1st) and Bradley's Chet Walker (1st)

1962 - Holy Cross' Jack Foley (2nd) and Bradley's Chet Walker (1st)

1963 - Colorado State's Bill Green (2nd), Loyola of Chicago's Jerry Harkness (1st), NYU's Barry Kramer (1st) and Bowling Green State's Nate Thurmond (2nd)

1964 - Princeton's Bill Bradley (1st), Davidson's Fred Hetzel (2nd) and Wichita State's Dave Stallworth (1st)

1965 - Princeton's Bill Bradley (1st), Utah State's Wayne Estes (2nd), Davidson's Fred Hetzel (1st) and Wichita State's Dave Stallworth (2nd)

1966 - St. Joseph's Matt Guokas (2nd) and Davidson's Dick Snyder (2nd)

1967 - New Mexico's Mel Daniels (2nd), Western Kentucky's Clem Haskins (1st) and Dayton's Don May (2nd)

1968 - St. Bonaventure's Bob Lanier (2nd), Dayton's Don May (2nd) and Niagara's Calvin Murphy (2nd)

1969 - Detroit's Spencer Haywood (1st), Davidson's Mike Maloy (2nd), Niagara's Calvin Murphy (1st) and Santa Clara's Bud Ogden (2nd)

1970 - New Mexico State's Jimmy Collins (2nd), St. Bonaventure's Bob Lanier (1st) and Niagara's Calvin Murphy (1st)

1971 - La Salle's Ken Durrett (2nd), Jacksonville's Artis Gilmore (1st) and Western Kentucky's Jim McDaniels (1st)

1972 - Oral Roberts' Richie Fuqua (2nd), Southwestern Louisiana's Dwight "Bo" Lamar (1st) and Long Beach State's Ed Ratleff (1st)

1973 - Illinois State's Doug Collins (1st), Southwestern Louisiana's Dwight "Bo" Lamar (1st), Long Beach State's Ed Ratleff (1st) and American University's Kermit Washington (2nd)

1974 - Canisius' Larry Fogle (2nd)

1975 - none

1976 - none

1977 - San Francisco's Bill Cartwright (2nd)

1978 - Indiana State's Larry Bird (1st) and Portland State's Freeman Williams (2nd)

1979 - Indiana State's Larry Bird (1st), San Francisco's Bill Cartwright (2nd), Northeast Louisiana's Calvin Natt (2nd), Dayton's Jim Paxson (2nd) and Rhode Island's Sly Williams (2nd)

1980 - La Salle's Michael Brooks (1st)

1981 - Brigham Young's Danny Ainge (1st)

1982 - San Francisco's Quintin Dailey (1st), UC Irvine's Kevin Magee (2nd) and Tulsa's Paul Pressey (2nd)

1983 - UNLV's Sidney Green (2nd)

1984 - San Diego State's Michael Cage (2nd), Brigham Young's Devin Durrant (2nd) and Cal State Fullerton's Leon Wood (2nd)

1985 - Wichita State's Xavier McDaniel (1st)

1986 - Miami of Ohio's Ron Harper (2nd) and Navy's David Robinson (2nd)

1987 - UNLV's Armon Gilliam (2nd) and Navy's David Robinson (1st)

1988 - Bradley's Hersey Hawkins (1st) and Brigham Young's Michael Smith (2nd)

1989 - La Salle's Lionel Simmons (2nd)

1990 - Loyola Marymount's Hank Gathers (2nd), UNLV's Larry Johnson (1st), Loyola Marymount's Bo Kimble (2nd) and La Salle's Lionel Simmons (1st)

1991 - UNLV's Stacey Augmon (2nd), East Tennessee State's Keith "Mister" Jennings (2nd) and UNLV's Larry Johnson (1st)

1992 - none

1993 - UNLV's J.R. Rider (2nd)

1994 - none

1995 - Massachusetts' Lou Roe (2nd)

1996 - Massachusetts' Marcus Camby (1st)

1997 - none

1998 - none

1999 - Miami (Ohio)'s Wally Szczerbiak (2nd)

2000 - Fresno State's Courtney Alexander (2nd)

2001 - none

2002 - Gonzaga's Dan Dickau (1st) and Xavier's David West (2nd)

2003 - Creighton's Kyle Korver (2nd) and Xavier's David West (1st)

2004 - St. Joseph's Jameer Nelson (1st) and Gonzaga's Blake Stepp (2nd)

2005 - none

2006 - Gonzaga's Adam Morrison (1st)

2007 - Nevada's Nick Fazekas (2nd)

2008 - Davidson's Stephen Curry (2nd)

2009 - Davidson's Stephen Curry (1st)

2010 - none

2011 - Morehead State's Kenneth Faried (2nd), Brigham Young's Jimmer Fredette (1st) and San Diego State's Kawhi Leonard (2nd)

2012 - Murray State's Isaiah Canaan (2nd) and Creighton's Doug McDermott (1st)

The NFL Injury Report comes out in mid-week although it isn't nearly as important to genuine hoop fans as the NFL Basketball Report. Veteran tight end Tony Gonzalez, who excelled in the 1997 NCAA playoffs with California, is having a splendid season with the Atlanta Falcons. Gonzalez leads his team in pass receptions like fellow ex-college hoopsters Vincent Jackson (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) and Kendall Wright (Tennessee Titans).

Luminaries Donovan McNabb (Syracuse), Terrell Owens (Chattanooga) and Jason Taylor (Akron) are gone, but the NFL still boasts the following versatile players who previously were college hoopsters:

Player	Pos.	NFL Team	College(s)	Summary of 2012 NFL Season
Connor Barwin	OLB	Houston Texans	Cincinnati	eight tackles in fourth season but no sacks (after 11 1/2 last year)
Demetress Bell	OT	Philadelphia Eagles	Northwestern State	newcomer after signing 5-year deal in off-season following 30 starts with Buffalo Bills the previous three seasons
Jordan Cameron	TE	Cleveland Browns	Brigham Young/Southern California	eight pass receptions for 86 yards in second campaign
Demar Dotson	RT	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Southern Mississippi	6-9 lineman started four of first fiver games in fourth season
London Fletcher	LB	Washington Redskins	Saint Francis, PA/John Carroll, OH	team-high 43 tackles (23 solo/20 assists) plus one fumble recovery and one interception in 15th season
Antonio Gates	TE	San Diego Chargers	Kent State	13 pass receptions for 143 yards (long of 33) in 10th year
Tony Gonzalez	TE	Atlanta Falcons	California	team-high 39 pass receptions for 388 yards and four touchdowns in 16th campaign
Jimmy Graham	TE	New Orleans Saints	Miami, FL	third-year pro has 25 pass receptions for 252 yards and three touchdowns
Todd Heap	TE	Arizona Cardinals	Arizona State	long-time Baltimore Raven has eight receptions for 94 yards (long of 28 yards) in 12th season
Vincent Jackson	WR	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Northern Colorado	team highs of 16 receptions, 304 yards and two touchdowns in eighth campaign
Evan Moore	TE	Seattle Seahawks	Stanford	first season in NW for third-stringer after three years with the Cleveland Browns, including four touchdowns in 2011
Julius Peppers	DE	Chicago Bears	North Carolina	10 tackles (eight solo/two assists) and 2.5 sacks in 11th season
Julius Thomas	TE	Denver Broncos	Portland State	second-year backup hopes to get a start similar to last season
Kendall Wright	WR	Tennessee Titans	Baylor	rookie has team-high 33 pass receptions (for 285 yards and two touchdowns/long of 35 yards)

Whether it should or not, aftershocks from the Jerry Sandusky earthquake child-molestation case and sentencing will spill over from Penn State's football program and affect the entire athletic program. But what further damaged the hoops program specifically was a sentencing to 16 years in federal prison of Gyasi Cline-Heard, leaving him among the all-time "Bad Boys of College Basketball."

The leading rebounder and second-leading scorer for the Jerry Dunn-coached Nittany Lions' 2001 Sweet 16 squad was apprehended in February in Clearwater, Fla., for spearheading a drug/gun ring. Raids of his tattoo shop and multiple other residences in the area unearthed four dozen guns. According to the Tampa Bay Times, the enormity of the stockpile of weapons shocked investigators (most of them assault rifles and machine guns with rounds capable of penetrating officer's vests and cruisers).

The bust unfolded after undercover agents purchased, in the course of 11 transactions over the winter, more than a pound of cocaine - crack and powder - plus a .380-caliber handgun from the son of former NBA player and coach Gar Heard. The guns seized were "to kill people and to keep their drug operation going," the sheriff said.

Second-year coach Pat Chambers has a massive job keeping PSU's basketball operation going; especially after star point guard Tim Frazier was lost for the season because of an Achilles injury. It is akin to reviving disbanded programs at Miami (FL), San Francisco, Southwestern Louisiana and Tulane. The Sweet 16 team in 2001 was the only time since 1954 that Penn State won multiple games in an NCAA Tournament. Unhappy Valley indeed.

For those who revel in recruiting rhetoric and reviews, the world stopped revolving when the Harrison twins (Aaron and Andrew) announced their intention to attend Kentucky. There are all sorts of short-term Harrison Hysteria questions regarding how they reached their verdict. But the biggest long-term question is how will they rank among the most touted twins in college basketball history; especially in regard to impact including multiple seasons.

If the Harrisons simply become the latest additions to UK's list of "one-and-done" players, they won't crack the Top 10 of the most influential sets of twins at the same school - 1. Van Arsdales (Indiana); 2. O'Briens (Seattle); 3. Lopez (Stanford); 4. Morris (Kansas); 5. Collins (Stanford); 6. Graham (UCF/Oklahoma State); 7. Hughes (Wisconsin); 8. Holmes (VMI); 9. Hayes (Western Carolina/Georgia); 10. Williams (VMI); 11. Kerrs (Colorado State); 12. Stanley (Texas A&M); 13. Nelsons (Duquesne). Here is a chronological look at them plus many of the nation's most outstanding sets of twins who played together at least one season on the same team:

• George and Francis Coakley were members of Clemson's 1939 Southern Conference Tournament championship team. It is the Tigers' only league tourney title.
• Clifford and Beauford Minx combined for 10.9 ppg for Missouri's 1944 NCAA Tournament team.
• Forwards John and Rupe Ricksen combined to average 9.7 ppg for California in 1950-51, 15.9 ppg in 1951-52 and 18.4 ppg in 1952-53. The Bears won at least 16 games each of their seasons together. They were co-captains as seniors when Cal captured the PCC South Division title and John earned first-team all-conference status.
• Bantam-sized Johnny and Eddie O'Brien were the top two scorers for Seattle (26-3 record) when it reached the 1953 NCAA Tournament in the Chieftains' first season at the major-college level. They also were infielders for the Pittsburgh Pirates the same year. Johnny O'Brien, a 5-8 unanimous first-team All-American who played center on offense, is the only player to score more than 40 points in his first NCAA Tournament game (42 in an 88-77 victory against Idaho State). Eddie contributed 21 in the same playoff contest.
• Bob (8.6 ppg in 63 games) and Bill (7.5 ppg in 40 games) Gaines played together for Furman from 1954-55 through 1956-57. Each of them averaged 10.3 ppg as a senior.
• Don and Pat Stanley combined for 17.3 ppg and 10.2 rpg in 1959-60 and 24.8 ppg and 11.7 rpg in 1960-61 for Texas A&M. They earlier played at Kilgore when it won a national J.C. title.
• Don and Doug Clemetson combined for 9.5 ppg for Stanford in 1960-61 and 11 ppg in 1961-62. The 16-6 Cardinal finished AAWU runner-up to UCLA, which wound up at the 1962 Final Four.
• Tom and Dick Van Arsdale ranked sixth and seventh on Indiana's list of all-time leading scorers when they graduated in 1965. They were among the nation's top 60 point producers as juniors in 1963-64 and combined for 76 points in a 108-102 neutral court victory over Notre Dame. The Hoosiers went 19-5 their senior campaign. They each played 12 seasons in the NBA, where they both scored more than 14,200 points.
• Lloyd and Floyd Kerr were swingmen who combined to average 25.3 ppg and 10.7 rpg for Colorado State from 1966-67 through 1968-69. Brothers Kerr each scored more than 10 points in all three NCAA playoff games when the Rams reached the Midwest Regional final their senior season (17-7 record) before becoming NBA third-round draft choices.
• Barry and Garry Nelson combined for 21.7 ppg and 16.9 rpg for Duquesne teams that compiled a 59-16 record from 1968-69 through 1970-71. Garry led the team in field-goal percentage all three seasons and in rebounding as a sophomore and junior.
• In 1974, seniors Kim and Kerry Hughes carried Wisconsin to its only winning record in Big Ten Conference competition (8-6; 16-8 overall) in a 34-year span from 1963 through 1996. Kim was the Badgers' top rebounder as a sophomore. The 6-11 identical twins combined for 27 ppg and 22 rpg in their junior season and 26 ppg and 20.3 rpg in their final year. Kerry had 21 points and Kim contributed 20 in a home game versus Northwestern their senior year.
• Billy and Bobby Martin excelled for UNC-Wilmington in 1976-77 and 1977-78 after transferring from junior college. Bobby and Billy still rank among the school's all-time leaders in assists.
• Harvey and Horace Grant combined for 16.4 ppg and 11.1 rpg as sophomores for Clemson's 16-13 NIT team in 1984-85. Harvey transferred after the season to a junior college before enrolling at Oklahoma. Each of them had long NBA careers.
• Wichita State's Dwayne and Dwight Praylow combined for 16.3 ppg in 1987-88 (20-10 record) and 20.1 ppg and 8.8 rpg in 1988-89 (19-11 record).
• Victor and Vincent Lee played for Northeast Louisiana from 1986-87 through 1988-89. Their best season was 1988-89 when they were juniors (9.1 ppg and 4.7 rpg).
• Terry and Perry Dozier combined for 9.1 ppg and 3.5 rpg with South Carolina from 1986-87 through 1988-89.
• Damon and Ramon Williams combined for 28.9 ppg in their four-year VMI careers from 1986-87 through 1989-90. They were All-Southern Conference Tournament first-team selections as sophomores in 1988. Ramon was an all-league first-team pick as a junior and Damon achieved the feat as a senior. They rank among the school's top scorers in history.
• Carl and Charles Thomas were among the top 40 scorers in Eastern Michigan history when they finished their careers following the 1990-91 campaign. They combined to average 16.9 ppg and 7.2 rpg in college before making brief stints in the NBA.
• Sean and Shawn Wightman played together with Western Michigan for three years (1990-91 through 1992-93) after transferring from Illinois State. They combined for 17.9 ppg as juniors. Sean was the nation's top three-point marksman as a junior and led the Mid-American Conference in free-throw shooting as a senior.
• Joe and Jon Ross played together with Notre Dame from 1990-91 through 1993-94. They combined for more than eight rebounds per game their last two seasons.
• Sammie and Simeon Haley of Missouri combined for 12.5 ppg and 8.8 rpg for an NCAA Tournament team in 1994-95 (20-9 record) and 14.6 ppg and 9.2 rpg for an NIT team in 1995-96 (18-15 record) after transferring from junior college.
• Jim and David Jackson combined for 7.7 ppg and 3.6 rpg for Virginia Tech's NCAA Tournament team in 1995-96 (23-6 record) and 13.4 ppg and 4.8 rpg in 1996-97 (15-16 record).
• Bill and Bob Jenkins combined for 14.9 ppg and 12.5 rpg for Valparaiso's NCAA playoff Sweet 16 team in 1997-98 (23-10 record).
• Stanford's Jarron and Jason Collins combined for 19.3 ppg and 12.6 rpg in 1999-2000 before powering the Cardinal to a 31-3 record in 2000-01 with 27.3 ppg and 14.5 rpg.
• Jarvis and Jonas Hayes combined for 25.1 ppg as freshmen with Western Carolina in 1999-2000. They transferred to Georgia after Jarvis led the Southern Conference in scoring with 17.1 ppg. With the Bulldogs, the twins teamed for 25.8 ppg and 10.3 rpg in 2001-02 and 25 ppg and 8.8 rpg in 2002-03.
• Joey and Stevie Graham combined for 25.3 ppg and 9.5 rpg as sophomores with Central Florida in 2001-02 before they transferred to Oklahoma State. They collaborated for 15.2 ppg and 6.6 rpg in 2003-04 and 24.2 ppg and 9.4 rpg in 2004-05 for two OSU NCAA playoff teams.
• Errick and Derrick Craven combined for 17.6 ppg and 7.5 rpg for Southern California in 2002-03, 17.2 ppg and 5.2 rpg in 2003-04 and 10.4 ppg and 4.5 rpg in 2004-05.
• Lodrick and Rodrick Stewart combined for 13 ppg and 4.8 rpg with Southern California in 2003-04 before Rodrick transferred to Kansas.
• Yale swingmen Caleb and Nick Holmes combined for 12.3 ppg, 5.5 rpg and 3.2 apg from 2004-05 through 2007-08.
• Travis and Chavis Holmes combined for 18.7 ppg with VMI in 2005-06, 34.2 ppg in 2006-07 and 34 ppg in 2007-08. They colloborated for 57 points in a 156-95 victory over Virginia Intermont in 2006-07 when they each ranked among the nation's top five in steals (placed 1-2 in the Big South Conference). Finished 1-2 nationally in thefts their senior season.
• Centers Brook and Robin Lopez combined for 20.2 ppg, 11.5 rpg and 4.1 bpg with Stanford as freshmen in 2006-07 and 29.4 ppg, 13.8 rpg and 4.4 bpg as sophomores in 2007-08 before they both left school early and became NBA first-round draft choices.
• La Salle's Jerrell and Terrell Williams combined for 12.3 ppg and 8.5 rpg from 2007-08 to 2009-10.
• Charles and Philip Tabet combined for 7.2 ppg and 3 rpg with South Alabama in 2008-09 before falling off to 2.8 ppg with 4.5 rpg in 2009-10.
• Markieff and Marcus Morris from Philadelphia combined for 12 ppg and 9.2 rpg with Kansas in 2008-09, 19.5 ppg and 11.4 rpg in 2009-10 and 30.8 ppg and 15.9 rpg as All-Big 12 Conference selections in 2010-11 before they both left school early and became NBA first-round draft choices. Marcus was KU's leading scorer (17.2) and Markieff its leading rebounder (8.3) for the Jayhawks' 2011 Big 12 champion.
• David and Travis Wear combined for 6.5 ppg and 3.8 rpg as freshmen for North Carolina in 2009-10 before transferring to UCLA.
• Charlie (freshman RS in 2009-10) and Colin Reddick combined for 7.7 ppg and 6.1 rpg with Furman in 2010-11.