Memphis to Forfeit Final Four; Wooden List

John Calipari will forfeit a Final Four appearance for the second time in his coaching career.

The University of Memphis will forfeit its 2008 Final Four appearance and 38-win season, according to the Memphis Commercial Appeal, which cited a source close to the situation. The NCAA will release findings of its investigation into violations committed by the program Thursday.

The NCAA investigated whether someone took the SAT for former Memphis guard Derrick Rose (pictured), now with the Chicago Bulls. That made Rose retroactively ineligible. His older brother, Reggie Rose, was also found to have accumulated $2,260 in unpaid trave expenses. Memphis was notified of potential violations in January and met with the NCAA in June.

“Honestly, I don’t care,” Antonio Anderson, a member of the ’08 team told Jeff Goodman of FoxSports.com. “We know what we did. We didn’t do anything wrong, but it is what it is.”

It would be the second time both Memphis and Calipari, who left Memphis after the season to coach Kentucky, had to vacate Final Four seasons. The Tigers were stripped of their 1985 appearance under Dana Kirk and Calipari’s Massachusetts team lost its 1996 berth because Marcus Camby took money from an agent.

Only Memphis’ 1973 Final Four appearance will remain on the books.

Memphis athletic director R.C. Johnson, coach Josh Pastner and a spokesman for the team couldn’t be reached by The Associated Press for comment Wednesday night.

(The AP contributed)

WOODEN WATCH LIST

Here is the Wooden Top 50 Preseason List released today. Freshmen were not eligible. Big East players are bolded.

Solomon Alabi 7-1 So. C Florida State

Cole Aldrich 6-11 Jr. C Kansas

Al-Farouq Aminu 6-9 So. F Wake Forest

Luke Babbit 6-9 So. F Nevada

Talor Battle 5-11 Jr. G Penn State

Trevor Booker 6-7 Sr. F Clemson

Matt Bouldin 6-5 Sr. G Gonzaga

Craig Brackins 6-10 Jr. F Iowa State

Da’Sean Butler 6-7 Sr. F West Virginia

Sherron Collins 5-11 Sr. G Kansas

Ed Davis 6-10 So. F North Carolina

Devan Downey 5-9 Sr G South Carolina

 Jerome Dyson 6-3 Sr. G Connecticut

Devin Ebanks 6-9 So. F West Virginia 

Corey Fisher 6-1 Jr. G Villanova

Luke Harangody 6-8 Sr. F Notre Dame

Manny Harris 6-5 Jr. G Michigan

Gordon Hayward 6-8 So. G/F Butler

Jeremy Hazell 6-5 Jr. G Seton Hall

Robbie Hummel 6-8 Jr. F Purdue

Damion James 6-7 Sr. G/F Texas

Sylven Landesberg 6-6 So. G Virginia

Gani Lawal 6-9 Jr. F Georgia Tech

Kalin Lucas 6-0 Jr. G Michigan State

Tasmin Mitchell 6-7 Sr. F Louisiana State

Greg Monroe 6-11 So. C Georgetown 

E’Twaun Moore 6-3 Jr. G Purdue

Raymar Morgan 6-8 Sr. F Michigan State

A.J. Ogilvy 6-11 Jr. C Vanderbilt

Patrick Patterson 6-9 Jr. F Kentucky

Jerome Randle 5-10 Sr. G California

Scottie Reynolds 6-2 Jr. G Villanova

Samardo Samuels 6-8 So. F Louisville

Larry Sanders 6-11 Jr. F VCU

Jon Scheyer 6-5 Sr. G Duke 

DeShawn Sims 6-8 Sr. F Michigan

Kyle Singler 6-8 Jr. F Duke

Tyler Smith 6-7- Sr. G/F Tennessee 

Isaiah Thomas 5-8 So. G Washington

 Deon Thompson 6-8 Sr. F North Carolina

 J.T. Tiller 6-3 Sr. G Missouri

Evan Turner 6-7 Jr. G/F Ohio State 

Jarvis Varnado 6-9 Sr. F/C Mississippi State

Greivis Vasquez 6-6 Sr. G Maryland 

Deonta Vaughn 6-1 Sr. G Cincinnati

Kemba Walker 6-1 So. G Connecticut

Willie Warren 6-4 So. G Oklahoma

Terrico White 6-5 So. G Mississippi 

Nic Wise 5-10 Sr. G Arizona

Chris Wright 6-8 Jr. F Dayton

(Photo courtesy West Virginia athletics)