NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Samardo Samuels grabbed the ball and launched a game’s worth of frustration and all of his 260 pounds at the rim. Surely, this would be the moment the Louisville freshman would help the third-ranked Cardinals take control and finally put away Western Kentucky.
Jeremy Evans had other ideas. The Western Kentucky [...]

NEW YORK (AP) – Oklahoma was ahead of Texas in the BCS standings Sunday and headed to the Big 12 championship game with an inside track to the national title.
A three-way tie between Oklahoma, Texas and Texas Tech atop the Big 12 South standings forced the league to use its fifth tiebreaker, best BCS [...]

After losing back-to-back home games, Rutgers got a much needed victory Sunday afternoon at the RAC.
The Scarlet Knights downed in-state rival St. Peter’s 68-47 to improve to 4-2 on the season.
Anthony Farmer led Rutgers with 13 points and JR Inman, who is still battling a knee injury but made his first start of the season, [...]

Here’s my interview with Cincinnati guard Deonta Vaughn, who is averaging 13.3 points and 4.5 assists for the 5-1 Bearcats. Vaughn, who tallied 19 points and six assists in Saturday’s 67-65 victory over UNLV, discusses Mike Williams, Rashad Bishop, John Riek and Cincinnati’s chances in the loaded Big East.

Clark Francis’ rankings of the Top Seniors in the Class of 2009 are out and Brooklyn Lincoln guard Lance Stephenson tops the list.
Stephenson has said he will wait until the spring to announce his future plans. St. John’s, Kansas and USC are among the schools recruiting him, and some speculate he may also opt to [...]

Notre Dame forward Luke Harangody is out indefinitely after being diagnosed with pneumonia and no timetable has been set for his return.
Harangody became ill following Notre Dame’s 81-80 win over sixth-ranked Texas in the semifinals of the EA Sports Maui Invitational, but played in the Irish’s 102-85 loss to top-ranked North Carolina in the [...]

Here’s my game story from last night when No. 4 Pitt downed Washington STate, 57-43, to win the Legends Classic. Brooklyn native Levance Fields had 14 points but is still rounding into shape, so to speak.
If you don’t think Pittsburgh has a recruiting pipeline into New Jersey, consider this:
**The Panthers practiced at St. Anthony Saturday [...]

Seton Hall could have easily experienced a letdown playing a noon game against Delaware on Saturday after pulling off victories over USC and Virginia Tech in Puerto Rico.
But the Pirates came up with big plays down the stretch and downed the Blue Hens 75-70 at the Prudential Center to improve to 5-1 on the season.
“I’m [...]

Charles Barkley and LeBron James are involved in a war of words.
On TNT’s “Inside the NBA” show Thursday, Barkley criticized King James for taking questions about his plans in 2010 earlier this week in New York. The Knicks and Nets are both clearing cap room in order to sign James that year.
“The outside forces should [...]

Jim Boeheim says he made a mistake and his players covered for him.
Three days after beating defending national champion Kansas and 2006 and ‘07 champ Florida in back-to-back nights for the CBE Classic title in Kansas City, the weary Orange came home and played Virginia.
Syracuse downed the Cavaliers, 73-70, Friday night behind 15 points apiece [...]