COLLEGE UPDATE
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May 8
Leo Lyons Will Stay at Mizzou
University of Missouri junior forward Leo Lyons announced that he has withdrawn his name from the 2008 NBA Draft and will return to Columbia, Mo. next season.
Lyons made the decision on Thursday after meeting with Head Coach Mike Anderson and his staff, as well as family members and teammates throughout the last two weeks.
“I just felt like it was the right decision,” Lyons said.
“I really want to graduate, and by staying at Missouri, that will happen. Graduating is a goal that has been important to both my mom and I, so that weighed heavily into my decision. Second, I want to become the best basketball player I can be. This process over the last two weeks has allowed me to get feedback from NBA organizations and now I get a chance to use that my advantage.”
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May 7
Strong NCAA Academic Progress Rates
Tigers lead Big 12 in nine sports, rank among top 2 in 14-of-20 total sports
"We are extremely encouraged and proud of the latest Academic Progress Rate numbers provided by the NCAA,” Director of Athletics Mike Alden said. “The academic success and advancement of our student-athletes is one of our three core values here at Mizzou and we certainly salute the classroom efforts of our student-athletes, our coaches and our academic staff.”
Overall, Missouri led the Big 12's APR efforts in nine sports, including men's golf, men's swimming and diving, men's indoor track and field, women's basketball, women's cross country, women's golf, women's gymnastics, women's swimming and diving and women's indoor track and field. The Tigers ranked second overall in baseball, men’s basketball, men's cross country, men's outdoor track and field and women's outdoor track and field.
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April 24
Carroll, Lyons Declare For NBA Draft
They will not hire an agent, preserving collegiate eligibility
University of Missouri junior forwards DeMarre Carroll and Leo Lyons announced on Thursday that they have declared for the 2008 NBA Draft, but will not hire agents.
By not hiring agents and maintaining their academic standing, both Carroll and Lyons can retain their collegiate eligibility and have the option of returning to Missouri if they choose to remove their name from the draft by the June 16 deadline.
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April 21
Andy Strickland's Buzz Report
- Ben Hansbrough will visit Notre Dame Friday, and he hopes to sign to play for the Fighting Irish this weekend.
- Mizzou baseball won a series over the weekend in Oklahoma for the first time since 1971.
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April 18
Mizzou Report
Gabe DeArmond of PowerMizzou.com joined Bernie Miklasz and Randy Karraker on the Roll Home Friday. Gabe thinks there will probably be around 15,000 in attendance for the Spring Game tomorrow, and Mizzou would be very happy with 20,000.
The starters will all play the first half of the game, and it will be the 1st team offense vs. 2nd team defense and vice versa.
Gabe said that there aren't many questions going into the game because they pretty much know the starting lineups on both sides of the ball. He doesn't know if they will have any more answers tomorrow than they have today.
Mizzou is getting to the point where football is a year round deal for the fans.
Recruits from OK, MI, KS, TX, and Sheldon Richardson among other guys from eastern Missouri is supposed to be at the game.
Gabe also said that at RB this year, Jimmy Jackson is the starter right now with Derrick Washington behind him. Devin Moore is a close third. He said we will probably see a 50-30-20 percentage split of carries and it wouldn't surprise him if any of them were the starter against Illinois this fall.
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April 17
Coach Pinkel Talks Football
Missouri Football Coach Gary Pinkel joined Bernie Miklasz and Randy Karraker on the Roll Home Thursday to talk about the upcoming Spring Game and how things are shaping up for this coming season.
Pinkel said there are a lot of things in place and they just have to keep working hard. He tells his players there are certain ways to get better including knowledge, working on the fundamentals of their position. "You can't waste a rep during practice," he said.
“I tell the players that their focus and habits they develop in workouts and lifting weights, will ultimately determine how fast they are ready to play for a Championship.”
Coach said that the players stepping into roles of players who aren't back with the team are playing well so far. They lost 2 starters on the offensive line and 2 back-ups, so 4 of top 10 lineman are gone. Mizzou recruited well, but the line is the area that needs to step up, and there are still decisions to be made on who will be starting.
on Bad Conduct of Team?----Pinkel said they are no different than any team in the country in that they have a bunch of young guys and are going to have some problems. However, he said hopefully they will keep it to a minimal.
"We have the responsibility of a great image and do not want to tarnish that," Pinkel said. "We have to work very hard to be a well respected program."
Pinkel also touched on LB depth, the Spring Game Saturday among other topics.
Listen to Gary Pinkel Interview
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April 15
Assistant Coach Leaves Billikins
Angres Thorpe, the only coach retained by Coach Rick Majerus from Brad Soderberg's regime, left St. Louis University today to become an assistant coach at University of Wisconsin--Green Bay.
It is not believed that there were any hard feelings, but that it is an opportunity for Coach Thorpe to be more involved.
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April 11
Four Men’s Basketball Players Granted Release
The four, who will seek to continue their collegiate playing careers elsewhere, are sophomore forward Adam Knollmeyer (Linn, Mo. / Linn), sophomore guard Dustin Maguire (Edwardsville, Ill. / Edwardsville), freshman forward Anthony Mitchell (East St. Louis, Ill. / East St. Louis) and freshman forward Marcus Relphorde (Homewood, Ill. / American Christian [Pa.]).
“After a thorough and in-depth conversation, together we agreed that it is in the best interests of everyone that they pursue their academic and basketball careers elsewhere,” SLU Coach Rick Majerus said.
“Everybody at SLU appreciates their hard work and dedication in the classroom and on the court, and we wish them all the best in the future. We will do everything in our power to find the best fit both academically and athletically for them.”
Knollmeyer played in 22 games in 2007-08 and averaged 1.4 ppg and 1.2 rpg, while Maguire redshirted this season. Mitchell appeared in eight games and totaled three points and seven rebounds. Relphorde saw action in 21 games and finished with 22 points and 10 rebounds.
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April 3
Final Four & NBA Talk
Kevin Harlan of CBS and TNT, joined Bernie Miklasz and Randy Karraker on the Roll Home Thursday to preview the Final Four and talk a little NBA basketball.
They discussed Roy Williams facing his old team Kansas and talked about their favorites to win the tournament.
The guys also talk about how no one has ever seen anything like the Western Conference this year in the NBA.
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April 2
NCAA Final Four Discussion
Westwood One's Brad Sham joined Bernie Miklasz and Randy Karraker on the Roll Home Wednesday. Sham will call the play-by-play for the Men's Championship game Monday.
The guys talked in depth about each match-up and discussed individual performances from UNC's Tyler Hansbrough, UCLA's Kevin Love, and Memphis' Derrick Rose.
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March 31
Final Four Discussion
Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook Editor Chris Dortch joined Randy Karraker Monday on the Roll Home to talk about the Final Four Match-ups. They also talked about how impressed UNC Coach Roy Williams is with Tyler Hansbrough's work ethic.
Chris Dortch Interview
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March 26
Grant Wahl Discusses NCAA Tourney
SI.com's Grant Wahl joined Bernie Miklasz and Randy Karraker from the Charlotte Regional and talked about Memphis' chances of making the Final Four, Tyler Hansbrough, the Big 12, and other Tourney match-ups.
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March 24 (10:10pm)
Mizzou Baseball #2 in Nation
Mizzou Head Baseball Coach Tim Jamieson came on the Roll Home with Bernie Miklasz and Randy Karraker Monday on his way to Minnesota with the team to talk about the season so far and what Mizzou has coming up.
Mizzou is ranked #2 in the nation by Baseball America, and they beat #14 Baylor over the weekend.
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March 24
NCAA Tourney Talk
Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook editor Chris Dortch joined Bernie Miklasz and Randy Karraker Monday on the Roll Home to talk about thier brackets so far and the tournament upsets and games in general.
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March 20
SLU AD Chris May Discusses New Job
Chris May joined Bernie Miklasz and Randy Karraker this afternoon on the Roll Home and said he's impressed with the competition in the A-10. May added that Fr. Biondi is a visionary and that the new arena is dynamite. He also said that he is good friends with Mike Alden and will work on a SLU vs. MIZZOU game.
Following the interview, Bernie and Randy discussed the new AD and Rick Majerus among other SLU topics.
Click to hear the Chris May Interview
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March 18
Mike DeCourcy Talks NCAA HOOPS
The Sporting News' Mike DeCourcy discussed the NCAA Tourney with Bernie and Randy Tuesday on the Roll Home on Team 1380.
DeCourcy said that Georgetown and Duke could be vulnerable; Davidson and Arizona could be sleeper teams; and he didn't think there were any egregious snubs.
Mike said that the teams at the top of the field are very impressive, but that the talent falls off quickly.
Click HERE to listen to the interview.
Bernie and Randy discussed the Bracket and gave some advice after the interview. Click HERE to listen.
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March 18
Pinkel Dismisses Booker after Practice
Graham Watson of the Post-Dispatch reported that Mizzou Head Coach Gary Pinkel dismissed sophomore linebacker Marquis Booker from the football team today.
Booker was arrested early Sunday in Columbia on a weapon charge and a liquor law violation.
CLICK to hear Bernie and Randy talk about Mizzou on the Roll Home Tuesday.
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March 14
Jerry Palm of collegeRPI.com joined
Bernie Miklasz and Randy Karraker on The Roll Home on Team 1380 Friday afternoon to talk about teams trying to make the NCAA Tournament cut Sunday.
Click HERE to listen
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March 14
Rick Majerus joined
Bernie Miklasz on the Roll Home
Coach talked with Bernie and took calls for 40 minutes so I split the interview into 2 parts:
Click HERE for Part 1
Click HERE for Part 2
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March 14
Mizzou Falls To Nebraska, Lyons To Reportedly Make Himself Available For NBA Draft
Nebraska held off the Missouri Tigers 61-56 in an opening round matchup in the Big 12 Tournament Thursday night in Kansas City.
Sophomore guard Keon Lawrence scored 15, and Mizzou finished the season at 16-16.
It has been reported in the Post-Dispatch that junior forward Leo Lyons will make himself available for the NBA draft.
As long as he doesn't sign with an agent, Lyons has the option of returning to Mizzou next season if he goes undrafted.
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March 13
Gabe DeArmond of PowerMizzou.com joined
Randy Karraker on
The Roll Home on Team 1380 Thursday afternoon, and they talked about spring football and Big 12 tourney basketball.
Click HERE to listen
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March 12
Mizzou Football Coach Gary Pinkel joined Bernie Miklasz and Randy Karraker on the Roll Home on Team 1380 Wednesday.
Click HERE to listen to the interview
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March 12
Billikens Fall To Dayton in OT
SLU lost to Dayton, 63-62 in overtime, this afternoon in the first round of the A-10 tournament in Atlantic City.
Senior Danny Brown led the Billikens with 24 points while junior guard Tommie Liddell added 21. The Bills' record dropped to 16-15 overall.
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March 9
No. 10-seeded Missouri travels to Kansas City as it faces No. 7-seeded Nebraska in the opening round of the 2008 Phillips 66 Big 12 Championships at the Sprint Center.
Click HERE for full Big 12 Bracket.
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March 6
PowerMizzou.com's Gabe DeArmond talked with Bernie Miklasz and
Randy Karraker on Team 1380
- Gabe thinks there are definite questions if Leo Lyons will return next year. He thinks Mizzou needs him as a go to offensive guy when he is on, and having him next year could be the difference of making the tournament opposed to being a NIT team.
- Mizzou football's spring game will be televised on ESPN-U. Spring ball starts on Tuesday.
- Will Franklin (Vashon High) had a great workout at the Pro Day. He had a vertical jump of 40.5 inches and a broad jump of 10 feet 11 inches today. Will ran a 4.37 forty at the Combine. He will visit 10 NFL cities before the draft, including St. Louis and Kansas City.
- Martin Rucker and Pig Brown did not work out today. They are planning on working out at the next Pro Day in 2 weeks. Pig got hurt exactly 6 months to the day before the draft, and he said he is way ahead of schedule and he's happy with where he's at.
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March 6
Andy Strickland's report during the Daily BUZZ on Team 1380:
- Bryan Cox is coming in town a week from today to work out Lindenwood's Brian Schaefering to scout him for the draft. Cox is a member of the NY Jets coaching staff.
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March 5
Andy Strickland's report during the Daily BUZZ on Team 1380:
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Pig Brown will try to participate in at least a couple drills at Mizzou's Pro Day Thursday.
- Neither Scott Linehan nor Billy Devaney will attend Mizzou's Pro Day---they will send a regional scout.
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March 5
Missouri Valley Commisioner Doug Elgin talked with Bernie Miklasz and
Randy Karraker on Team 1380
When asked about SLU potentially joining the MVC in the future, he said the MVC would like to stay away from having 11 schools, but that doesn't mean they wouldn't have discussions with SLU if there was mutual interest. He said SLU would be a good fit in the MVC.
Elgin said that contrary to reports that the MVC isn't as strong as in years past, they are actually ranked 8th in RPI (last year they were 7th), and the MVC has had 2 teams ranked in the top 20 this years. MVC tournament #1 seed Drake and #2 seed Illinois State have the best shot of making the NCAA tourney this season.
Tickets are available from Ticketmaster or Scottrade Center. Both Taco Bell and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch are offering coupons/discounts on tickets.
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March 4
Andy Strickland's report during the Daily BUZZ on Team 1380:
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Rick Majerus spent Tuesday and Wednesday recruiting in Minnesota.
- SLU's Chaifetz Arena's grand opening will be on April 10. The Harlem Globetrotters will play there April 11.
- The best high school basketball players in Missouri will play in an All-Star game at Chaifetz Arena April 12.
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