Gary Harris, the No. 6 shooting guard in the Class of 2012, hasn’t cut his list but says five schools are recruiting him the hardest.

“Haven’t cut any yet,” he said by text.

The 6-foot-4, 195-pound guard out of Fishers (Ind.) Hamilton Southeastern said Indiana, Michigan State, Louisville, Notre Dame and Purdue are “recruiting me the hardest.”

Still, Harris said Kentucky assistant Orlando Antigua has also been in touch “a little bit.”

As for when he may decide, Harris said he he plans to discuss his recruitment with his parents over the summer and has “no timetable” at the moment.

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Matt Painter will remain at Purdue instead of going to Missouri.

After meeting with Missouri officials Wednesday in Florida about their coaching vacancy, Painter ultimately signed a new eight-year contract with Purdue through the 2018-19 season.

Painter, 40, previously earned $1.3 million annually and made $1.9 million this year with incentives, according to The Indianapolis Star.

Missouri’s offer was more than $2 million per year, the paper reported.

Terms of the contract were not disclosed. (more…)

King Rice, the Vanderbilt assistant and former North Carolina point guard, appears to be the leader at Monmouth and could be introduced as the next coach this week.

“I’ve been on campus but  I have not been on campus today [Monday],” Rice told Tony Graham of The Hawks Nest by phone. “I’m trying hard to get the [Monmouth] job, that’s the information I’ve got. I have to run, I have to get to a meeting. Hopefully, I’ll get to talk to you soon.”

A former assistant at Oregon, Illinois State and Providence, Rice was a finalist for the Wagner job last year, along with Texas A&M associate head coach Scott Spinelli and Dan Hurley, who ultimately got the job and led a dramatic turnaround. (more…)

(AP) — Purdue star forward Robbie Hummel will miss the upcoming season after injuring his right knee again.

The school said he tore his anterior cruciate ligament in practice Saturday. This is the same knee he hurt Feb. 24 against Minnesota that knocked him out for the rest of last season. He had surgery in March and had hoped to be ready for his senior season.

Jacob Lawson, a 6-foot-8, 215-pound power forward from Oak Ridge (N.C.) Military Academy, verbally committed to Purdue Saturday after a visit there.

“Yes, I committed,” he said in breaking the news to ZAGSBLOG Monday morning.

Lawson also considered Seton Hall, West Virginia, Ole Miss and Maryland.

“Purdue meets Jacob’s academic and basketball needs and he will have the opportunity to compete for minutes as a freshman,” said his coach, Stan Kowalewski. “He loves the staff and trusts them.” (more…)

Jacob Lawson, a 6-foot-8, 215-pound power forward from Oak Ridge (N.C.) Military Academy, is considering five schools.

Lawson is mulling Purdue, Seton Hall, West Virginia, Ole Miss and Maryland, according to his coach, Stan Kowalewski.

“I think everything’s even right now,” Kowalewski said of the schools. “We’re trying to work through the process and once he feels there’s something he loves he’ll pull the trigger.”

Lawson took his first official to Purdue and was still on campus as of Friday afternoon. (more…)

Even Chane Behanan admitted to being surprised at his most recent performance.

After averaging 14.7 points and leading the Hawks to the championship game, the 6-foot-6, 240-pound Behanan was named the Most Valuable Player of the NBA Top 100 Camp in Charlottesville, Va.

“I was shocked,” Behanan, the No. 6 power forward in the Class of 2011, said Sunday night in a phone interview. “I felt good this morning. A lot of people came through that camp and I was the most outstanding one so I was kind of happy.”

Behanan’s phone hasn’t been ringing off the hook the way you might expect, but he did pick up an offer from Indiana Sunday. (more…)

NEW YORK – With his team trailing by three points in the closing seconds of overtime against Oklahoma, Lewis Jackson penetrated the Sooners’ defense and had an opportunity to shoot near the basket.

The play was for Jackson to drive in for a layup to cut the lead to one, but instead he bounced a pass toward Keaton Grant, who stood beyond the three-point line on the left wing.

Jackson’s bounce pass went left as Grant slid the other way.

The two teammates looked at each other and grimaced over the miscommunication, but the damage had been done.

It was Oklahoma ball with 9.5 seconds left and the Sooners hit their free throws down the stretch to preserve an 87-82 overtime victory in the championship game of the NIT Season Tip-Off at Madison Square Garden. Boston College beat UAB, 83-77, in the consolation game behind 24 points from senior guard Tyrese Rice.

Read the full story here.

There is no time for Purdue to wallow, as a date with No. 7 Duke looms ahead in Tuesday’s ACC/Big Ten Challenge.

“We’re drooling, we’re drooling,” Purdue guard Keaton Grant said of the matchup. “This one sits in our stomach with a bad taste in our mouth. We’re drooling for Tuesday.”

I’m headed to Madison Square Garden this afternoon for the final of the NIT Season Tip-Off between No. 10 Purdue and No. 11 Oklahoma.

Purdue beat Boston College Wednesday and Oklahoma downed UAB behind 32 points and 15 boards from sophomore big man Blake Griffin.

“There’s no other Blake Griffin,” Purdue guard Keaton Grant said. “There’s only one of them in the United States, get 20 rebounds [per game]. So it’ll definitely be a great challenge playing against them and we look forward to it.” (more…)