CBB

DURHAM, N.C. (AP) Duke says freshman center Marques Bolden will miss the top-ranked Blue Devils' first two games with a leg injury. Team spokesman Cory Walton announced the injury to Bolden's lower left leg on Monday. Bolden will miss the opener against Marist on Friday night and the second game Saturday...

AP Basketball WriterVillanova gets top overall seed in NCAA's early rankingsBy JOHN MARSHALLVillanova had a surprising loss to unranked Marquette last month, a setback that bumped the Wildcats from the top spot in the AP Top 25.The NCAA Tournament selection committee was not swayed by one surprising loss. It...

AP Sports WriterNorth Carolina's Justin Jackson leads AP all-ACC TeamBy JOEDY McCREARYRALEIGH, N.C. (AP) North Carolina forward Justin Jackson is The Associated Press player of the year in the Atlantic Coast Conference and Georgia Tech's Josh Pastner is its coach of the year.Jackson, one of three unanimous selections...

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) Minnesota coach Richard Pitino defended his embattled father Wednesday, saying Rick Pitino had no knowledge of a former staffer allegedly paying escorts to have sex with recruits and players in a Louisville dorm.''I know, and I told him this, `Put your head on the pillow at...

Big East picks ex-Villanova AD Nicastro for new positionNEW YORK (AP) Former Villanova athletic director Vince Nicastro has been named deputy commissioner and chief operating officer of the Big East Conference.Commissioner Val Ackerman announced the appointment to the newly created position on Thursday.Nicastro was the athletic director at...

BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) Ivan Rabb is so famous around Berkeley and San Francisco's East Bay that fellow California freshman and top recruit Jaylen Brown is doing his best to take the pressure off.''This guy, this is young Iv right here,'' Brown said with a chuckle before Thursday's practice....

Alabama signs Southern Illinois grad transfer OlaniyanTUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) Alabama has signed graduate transfer forward Bola Olaniyan from Southern Illinois.Crimson Tide coach Avery Johnson said Monday that Olaniyan adds experience, leadership and rebounding to the Crimson Tide. He averaged 5.2 points and 6.0 rebounds during his career at...

Associated PressIllinois hopes return of old faces bring improved resultsBy DAVID MERCERCHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) The Illinois team that takes the court in early November will look a lot different than the one that limped to a 15-19 record last season.Illini fans accustomed to no real point guard and...

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) Andrew White III began his career at Kansas, then transferred to Nebraska and redshirted a year before playing another, only to wind up at Syracuse to finish off his unique college basketball odyssey. All that moving around hardly makes him unique, though. It's more like the new norm. More...

AP Basketball WriterBarclays Center, MSG provide impressive college schedulesBy JIM O'CONNELLNEW YORK (AP) It's not quite Tobacco Road but New York City is providing college basketball fans in the Metropolitan Area with plenty of chances to see ranked teams.The two arenas that provide all these opportunities are just...

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) Arkansas point guard Anton Beard will make his return to the court on Saturday after missing the season's first nine games following a summer arrest on forgery charges.Beard, named to the Southeastern Conference's All-Freshman team last season for the Razorbacks (5-4), was arrested in July...

Alabama hosts Kentucky looking to topple another Top 25 teamBy The Associated PressHere are a few things to watch in the Southeastern Conference this week:GAME OF THE WEEKEND: No. 15 Kentucky at Alabama: Kentucky has lost three of its last five games and is coming off a closer-than-expected 92-85...