SEC Basketball

Big Blue Madness went down Friday evening at Rupp Arena as the 2021-22 Kentucky women's and men's basketball teams were introduced to the Wildcats faithful.

Friday marked the 16th edition of the electric event, which features practices, drills, videos, speeches and more.

UK got the crowd going with this introduction hype video:

Women's hoops head coach Kyra Elzy made her entrance from the rafters:

She walked onto the court with her son, Jackson, who took the time to show off his dance moves:

Men's hoops coach John Calipari spoke to a packed house:

Calipari also honored former Wildcat guard Terrence Clarke, who died in a car crash last April:

The 19-year-old Clarke was in Los Angeles getting ready for the 2021 NBA draft.

Later in the evening, Blair Green won the women's three-point shooting contest over Rhyne Howard:

On the men's side, CJ Fredrick defeated TyTy Washington, who was exceptional in his own right, per Jack Pilgrim of Kentucky Sports Radio:

Jacob Toppin destroyed the dunk contest with some 50-point slams:

Daimion Collins jumped over teammate Oscar Tshiebwe for another 50:

Toppin was just sensational, though:

Both Wildcats teams will begin their regular seasons later this fall.

The women open at home against Presbyterian on Nov. 9. The men's team starts off at home against Kentucky Wesleyan on Oct. 29.

Jordan Walsh, a 5-star class of 2022 small forward prospect out of Link Academy, has announced his commitment to Arkansas:

The 247Sports composite list has Walsh ranked No. 27 overall, second among Texans and seventh in the small forward group.

Link Academy is a brand-new basketball program located on the campus of Camp Kanakuk in Branson, Missouri.

Walsh, a DeSoto, Texas, native, arrived after originally committing to Southern California Academy. Walsh's previous prep stop was Oak Cliff Faith Family Academy.

Walsh had 20 offers and made visits to Arkansas, Texas, Arizona State, Kansas and TCU.

Brandon Jenkins, 247Sports' recruiting analyst, offered this scouting report on April 17.

Walsh is a very long and active dual forward prospect who projects as a wing long-term but right now his offensive game is more that of a hybrid four. He has the upside to be a versatile asset at the high major level. He has good bounce and fluid strides to add to his lengthy frame. Walsh's calling card may be on the defensive end where he is disruptive guarding the ball and contesting shots.

He has a nose for the ball and looks to control the glass when motivated and he can lead the break after securing a defensive rebound but lacks the natural acumen to make the right decisions consistently in offensive structure. He has a good looking jumper but it is not totally reliable. Improving his decision making and becoming more of a threat when open from behind the arc are his main areas of focus.

ESPN has Walsh ranked seventh overall in his class and second at his position with a grade of 93 out of 100.

Now Walsh joins an Arkansas team on the rise under head coach Eric Musselman, who guided the Razorbacks to the Elite Eight last year.

The class of 2022 now has five members on 247Sports' composite top-100 list, including 5-star combo guard Nick Smith.

The LSU Tigers landed one of the best players in the 2022 recruiting class Friday when forward Julian Phillips committed.

He made his announcement during an interview with The Field of 68.

Phillips, who is 6'8" and 200 pounds, is a 5-star prospect and the No. 15 overall player, No. 2 power forward and No. 1 player from Missouri in the 2022 class, per 247Sports' composite rankings.

The first thing that stands out about his game is his versatility.

Phillips can play and defend multiple positions given his length and overall athleticism, which should help him play a key role in LSU's rotation right away. Jerry Meyer of 247Sports pointed to that skill set when projecting him as a future NBA second-round pick and comparing him to Corey Brewer.

While Brewer may not be a superstar name when it comes to comparisons, he was a productive NBA player who suited up in the league for 13 seasons for eight different teams. He also won a championship and was known for his versatility and defense.

That is a blueprint for Phillips, who Meyer noted is "developing" an outside shot to go with his driving ability on the offensive end.

He had a chance to further work on his game at Link Year in Branson, Missouri, before starting his collegiate career. Lou Bezjak of The State reported in August 2021 that Phillips transferred to the school and figured to play against elevated competition.

"We worked on my shooting and that is something I took very serious," said Phillips, who was a three-time all-state selection in South Carolina before the transfer. "I try to play as hard as I can and don't take any plays off. I think I am a versatile forward and can play inside and out."

If that shot continues to come along and Phillips lives up to expectations as someone who can impact the game in a number of ways, the Tigers will have one of the top overall playmakers in the 2022 class.

He should help them compete against some of the SEC's best teams, such as Kentucky, Arkansas and Alabama.

Five former players for the Florida Gators women's basketball team have shared details about alleged abuse by former head coach Cam Newbauer.

Per ESPN's John Barr, players said Newbauer routinely belittled and berated players and created a toxic and abusive culture:

Players described a pressure-cooker environment where the slightest misstep during a practice drill or a game could spark fury from their former coach. They said he threw basketballs at players, at one point hitting a player recovering from a torn ACL in her injured leg, made racially insensitive comments and routinely reduced players to tears during profanity-laced tirades.

Haley Lorenzen, who played for the Gators from 2014-18, told Barr that she didn't even pick up a basketball for more than a year after graduating because of her experience with Newbauer. 

"I had the opportunity to play professional basketball," she said. "I had an agent lined up. I even went to the WNBA combine and I got there and I just didn't even want to be there."

Details of the alleged abuse were first made public this week when Zachary Huber of The Independent Florida Alligator, Florida's student newspaper, published a story about Newbauer's history with the program. 

"For him, I felt very, 'You’re only useful to me on the court,'" Sydney Morang told Huber about her experience playing for Newbauer. "'I don’t really care about anything about you or how I treat you other than that.'"

Morang medically retired from basketball during her sophomore season because of a series of concussions. 

According to Barr, Sydney's parents, Frank and Lynn Morang, sent an email to Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin and school president Kent Fuchs in April 2018 that said Newbauer had "cultivated a toxic environment and is not equipped to coach young athletes who are at a crucial point in their development as women."

Current WNBA player Sydney Searcy told Barr that Newbauer would frequently call players "b---hes" and "made racially insensitive comments about the hair and tattoos of several Black players on his team."

Searcy and Mikayla Hayes also recalled witnessing Newbauer tell three Black players on the team to throw away their clothing. 

"He didn't like that they wore baggier or men's clothing, as if they dressed like thugs," Searcy said. "He had them go into the locker room and throw their clothes away. ... As a Black woman I saw the pain and the fear in their eyes."

Hayes noted other times in which Newbauer told a group of players on the Gators team who were gay that he "didn't like the way they looked or how they presented themselves."

Cydnee Kinslow, who played for the Gators as a graduate transfer during the 2020-21 season, told Barr "it was very difficult to play behind someone that we felt was very sexist and homophobic, racist, all those kinds of things."

Kinslow also described Newbauer's treatment toward women as "outrageous."

Newbauer was hired as head coach of the Florida women's team in March 2017. He spent the previous four years in the same position at Belmont. 

The school announced on June 1 that Newbauer's contract had been extended through the 2024-25 season. The 43-year-old announced his resignation on July 16, citing personal reasons. 

Despite no mention of the allegations by the school at the time of Newbauer's resignation, Florida issued a statement on Monday in the wake of Huber's reporting (via Barr):

There were concerns brought to our attention. Each time, additional information was sought, and these concerns were addressed directly with Cam as we required corrective actions and outlined clear expectations of behavior moving forward. Ultimately, we did not see the required improvements, and following discussions with Coach Newbauer he made the decision to resign.

Kelly Rae Finley, who was an assistant under Newbauer for the past four seasons, was promoted to interim head coach for the 2021-22 season. 

Point guard Jaden Bradley committed to Alabama on Thursday as part of the 2022 college basketball recruiting class.

ESPN's Paul Biancardi reported the decision:

Bradley is a 5-star prospect and ranked as the No. 18 overall player in the 2022 group, according to 247Sports' composite rankings. He's also listed as the third-best point guard and the No. 6 recruit from the state of Florida.

The 6'3", 185-pound IMG Academy standout is a floor general in every sense of the description. He's played beyond his years in terms of running an offense and leadership while showcasing great vision and distribution skills to make himself a high-end prospect.

He's also displayed terrific end-to-end speed that should make him a weapon on fast breaks.

Last July, Bradley told 247Sports' Brian Snow he was looking for the program that would best allow him to put those talents on display.

"I think a fast-paced system where the coaches let the players play a little bit is best for me," Bradley said. "Also, I want to go somewhere that puts their guards in a lot of ball screens where they are willing to push the tempo and get up and down the court."

He's got all the tools to become a one-and-done college player if that's the path he decides to take.

While it's too early to project exactly where he'll fit in for head coach Nate Oats and the Crimson Tide, he could be a great fit as the first guard off the bench running the second-unit offense if he doesn't crack the starting lineup right away as a freshman. It wouldn't be a surprise if he's an immediate starter, though.

Five-star guard Nick Smith Jr. announced his commitment to Arkansas on Wednesday.

Smith chose the Razorbacks over Alabama, Auburn and Arkansas Pine-Bluff.

A 6'4" combo guard out of North Little Rock (Arkansas) High School, he is the No. 9 overall prospect in the 2022 class and third-ranked combo guard, according to 247Sports' composite rankings.

Smith was one of the biggest breakout players of the summer, rocketing up recruiting boards after an excellent performance at the Nike Peach Jam in July. He scored 31 points in the finals of the tournament in front of a crowd packed with top recruiters.

"Before Peach Jam, schools really weren't sure," he said, per Jason Jordan of Sports Illustrated. "Then they saw what I did, not even being at 100 percent, and it went from there. I always knew where I stood as a player. I'm just taking my time and taking it all in."

Kentucky, Memphis and Tennessee all came through with offers in July, but Smith held his decision close to the vest.

"I'm not like everyone else," he said. "I really don't care about name; I'll go to a low Division I school if that's the best situation."

In the end, Smith chose to go the Power Five route with Arkansas. He is the fourth recruit of the 2022 class for the Razorbacks, who are well on their way to a top-10 class for head coach Eric Musselman.

Kentucky is loading up for big things during the 2022-23 season after landing top recruit Shaedon Sharpe on Tuesday. 

Sharpe confirmed his decision to ESPN's Jonathan Givony and announced his allegiance to the Wildcats on social media:

A standout at Dream City Christian High School in Glendale, Arizona, Sharpe has tremendous potential and now gets set to take the next step in his basketball life. 

Sharpe is a 5-star shooting guard prospect, the No. 2 player at his position and the fourth-ranked player overall in the 2022 class, per 247Sports' composite rankings. 

"At 6'4", Sharpe gets to the rim at will and has the athleticism (45-inch vertical leap) to finish with authority once he's there," Sports Illustrated's Jason Jordan wrote in Nov. 2020. "Sharpe can extend the defense with his perimeter jump shot and keeps them off balance with the addition of the efficient mid-range jump shot. He's a talented playmaker who makes strong reads out of ball-screens as well."

There was no shortage of schools interested in adding Sharpe to their roster. He posted an image on Instagram of his official visit to Kentucky in June. 

The Wildcats marked Sharpe's first official recruiting visit, but he also had offers from Alabama, Creighton and Oregon, among others. 

Ultimately, though, head coach John Calipari and his staff were able to make the right pitch to secure Sharpe's commitment. 

It's hardly a surprise that Sharpe would decide to play for Kentucky. The program has been one of the best in the nation at developing players for the NBA and competing at a high level in pursuit of national titles. 

Even coming off a disappointing 9-16 record during the 2020-21 season, Kentucky remained one of the go-to programs for top recruits. The Wildcats' 2021 class ranked seventh in the nation in 247Sports' composite rankings. 

Looking ahead to the 2022 class, things are off to a great start for Kentucky. Sharpe's combination of scoring and athleticism should make him an immediate contributor for the Wildcats.

SEC teams across all sports that are unable to compete in a conference game during the 2021-22 athletic year because of COVID-19 or other reasons will be issued a forfeit in the league standings.

The SEC announced as much in a statement Monday while clarifying the commissioner can declare a "no contest" if there are "extraordinary circumstances" in play:

In the event a team is unable to begin or complete a regular season Conference event due to the unavailability of participants (due to COVID-19, injuries or other reasons), that team will forfeit the contest and will be assigned a loss in the Conference standings. The opposing team that is ready to play will be credited with a win in the Conference standings. Both teams will be deemed to have played and completed the contest for purpose of the Conference standings.

If both teams are unable to compete due to the unavailability of participants (due to COVID-19, injuries or other reasons), both teams shall be deemed to have forfeited the game, with a loss assigned to both teams and applied to the conference standings. Both teams will be deemed to have played and completed the contest for purpose of the Conference standings.

The SEC's announcement explained schools that suffer financial losses because games do not happen can request reimbursement that will need approval from the league's executive committee.

This largely follows policies in place across the other Power Five conferences as well.

Barrett Sallee of CBS Sports noted teams in the Big Ten, Big 12 and Pac-12 also have policies in place calling for a forfeit if a team cannot play because of COVID-19 issues. The ACC does as well, although both teams will be given a loss if they both have COVID-19 issues that prevent the game from happening.

Much of the 2020 college football season was defined by working around COVID concerns, although there were a number of games canceled across the conferences because teams could not field enough players to participate.

Among the games that were canceled or postponed was the rivalry showdown between Ohio State and Michigan, an SEC clash between Alabama and LSU, and an ACC game between Clemson and Florida State.

Games that were canceled simply didn't go on the conference standings, which resulted in teams playing a vastly different number of games during the season.

In fact, Clemson played 11 games before the College Football Playoff while Ohio State played just six, although that didn't stop the Buckeyes from defeating the Tigers by 21 points in their national semifinal matchup.

While teams may play a different number of games this year, the total number of contests in the standings figures to be much closer with these new forfeiture rules in place.

Texas A&M men's basketball coach Buzz Williams will be suspended for two regular-season games after violating NCAA rules during the spring and summer.

The NCAA announced the infractions Friday, including Williams having impermissible contact with a prospect during an evaluation period.

The school is also responsible for an unnamed assistant coach holding 24 supervised, off-campus workouts with both a prospect and current student-athletes, which were prohibited because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Texas A&M was fined $5,000 for the violations and will be placed on probation for two years. 

The Level 2 violations will also result in some recruiting restrictions for the 2021-22 season.

The program will have five fewer official visits during the upcoming year and will be unable to host unofficial visitors during the first three SEC games.

It could especially hurt the Aggies considering they only have one committed prospect in the 2022 class, via 247Sports, unrated point guard Amaree Abram. 

Texas A&M had a three-man class in 2021 that rated No. 26 overall nationally.

That class might help turn things around for a team that finished just 8-10 last season while many of its games were canceled because of COVID-19. The squad went 16-14 during Williams' first year with the team in 2019-20.

Williams joined Texas A&M after impressive stretches at both Marquette and Virginia Tech, reaching the Sweet 16 with each program.

Illinois center Kofi Cockburn said Tuesday he's withdrawn his name from the 2021 NBA draft class and will continue to explore transfer options, including Kentucky, after entering the NCAA's transfer portal last week.

Cockburn told ESPN's Jonathan Givony he's "open" to all options and could still return to the Fighting Illini, but his connection to former Illinois assistant Orlando Antigua, who's joined the Wildcats staff, puts UK firmly in the conversation.

"Kentucky? It's a serious option. Antigua is my guy," he said. "I'm going to consider them, but there [are] a lot of schools. I wasn't really focused on that while I was in the NBA draft. Now I can take my time and evaluate it better."

Cockburn put together a strong sophomore season for the Illini in 2020-21. He averaged 17.7 points, 9.5 rebounds and 1.3 blocks while shooting 65.4 percent from the floor across 31 appearances.

The 21-year-old Jamaica native explained to Givony he felt prepared to make the NBA jump but didn't receive the type of response he wanted from the league's decision-makers.

"I think I'm ready for the next level, but I wasn't happy with the input I was getting from NBA teams," Cockburn said. "I didn't want to settle. I'm going to return for another year, raise my game and improve my draft stock."

In a different era, the 7-foot, 285-pound post player would likely be a top-10 draft pick. The NBA game has evolved toward more versatile big men, however, and the 2021 first-team All-Big Ten selection's game is still a work in progress in that regard.

Cockburn has attempted only one three-point shot and dished out just 25 assists in 62 games for Illinois, and he confirmed to Givony those were the most common concerns raised by pro teams.

"NBA teams are going to see my mid-range game next year and my playmaking," he said.

He'd be a welcome sight for any college program, but especially Kentucky as head coach John Calipari and Co. attempt to quickly bounce back from an uncharacteristically poor 9-16 campaign.

The Wildcats ranked 108th in rebound rate last season (via TeamRankings), and Cockburn could provide an immediate boost on the glass.

That said, it sounds like UK will have ample competition for the center in the transfer portal as he tries to find the best program to bolster his NBA stock heading toward the 2022 draft.