Jerry Tipton on UK basketball

The University of Kentucky could feel good about when the NCAA on Tuesday released its latest findings on academic performance by athletic teams.

All 22 of UK’s teams surpassed the NCAA target score, and 13 teams exceeded the national average for public universities in their sports.

Therefore, UK will not be subject to any penalties. The latest findings, in the Academic Progress Rate, cover the school years of 2003-04 through 2006-07.

Here’s a portion of the UK news release:

The women’s swimming team led the way for UK with 986 out of a possible 1,000 points, followed by women’s soccer (985), men’s outdoor track (976), women’s outdoor track (976), men’s indoor track (973) and women’s basketball (972).  The marks are a four-year composite, covering the 2003-04, 2004-05, 2005-06 and 2006-07 school years, that measures academic eligibility and retention of student-athletes.  The NCAA target score for each sport is 925.

The 13 Wildcat teams that exceeded the national average among public universities in their sports included baseball (940), men’s basketball (941), women’s basketball (972), men’s cross country (970), football (943), rifle (966), women’s soccer (985), women’s swimming (986), men’s tennis (958), men’s indoor track (973), women’s indoor track (971), men’s outdoor track (976) and women’s outdoor track (976).

“We’re proud of our student-athletes and coaches, who are committed to academic success, and we’re happy to see their hard work pay off,” said Mitch Barnhart, UK Director of Athletics.  “One of our core principles is to provide student-athletes with the best possible experience.  Academics, obviously, are a key component of that experience.” 

Two UK teams posted perfect 1,000 scores for the most recent year surveyed (2006-07), men’s basketball and women’s tennis. 

With each team exceeding the NCAA target score, no Wildcat squads are subject to penalties, such as scholarship reductions or postseason restrictions. 

Highly regarded prospect Tyreke Evans has committed to Memphis.

Here’s the report by The Associated Press:

One of the country’s last undecided high-profile basketball recruits will spend next season at Memphis.
<*J>Tyreke Evans, the most valuable player of the McDonald’s All-American game last month, announced his decision Wednesday at a news conference surrounded by his family at American Christian School.
<*J>“It was a tough decision, I wanted to stay close to home with my mom, my brothers and my family, but the school I chose was the University of Memphis,” Evans said.
<*J>A three-time state player of the year, Evans averaged 29 points per game as a senior and capped it off with a 21-point, 10-rebound performance in the McDonald’s game, the top event for high school seniors.
<*J>He seriously considered nearby Villanova as well as Texas before settling on the Tigers.
<*J>“I just decided Memphis was a better offense for me,” Evans said. “I would like to play with coach (John Calipari) because of the offense he ran.”
<*J>Evans will join the Tigers, who led Kansas down the stretch in the NCAA title game before falling in overtime, just as two of their top players may be leaving.
<*J>Evans could step directly into the starting spot vacated by Derrick Rose, who announced Tuesday that he is leaving for the NBA after one season with the Tigers. Chris Douglas-Roberts, the team’s leading scorer and Conference USA player of the year, may also end up in the NBA next season.
<*J>Evans, a 6-foot-5 shooting guard who excels at getting to the basket, could follow Rose as a one-and-done member of the Memphis backcourt.
<*J>“Hopefully coach Cal can get me ready to get to the next level and be a successful player in the NBA,” Evans said.
<*J>Evans played the last few games of his senior season with extra security after he began cooperating with police investigating a murder.
<*J>Evans in February testified against his cousin, Jamar Evans. Tyreke Evans said he was the driver of an SUV from which his cousin fatally shot another man.
<*J>Tyreke Evans testified that he heard a gunshot as the victim approached the vehicle and then drove off. He heard another, closer shot before seeing his cousin put a small handgun into his hooded sweat shirt.
<*J>Tyreke Evans was not charged in the case, but police complained that he did not talk to them until three weeks later — a few days before Jamar Evans was charged

Tyler Hansbrough was also named The Associated Press national Player of the Year in college basketball on Friday.

Earlier in the day, the United State Basketball Writers Association also named him its national Player of the Year.

In Thursday’s story about Kentucky, I made a mistake. I said that only George Mason in 2006 had advanced to the Final Four as an 11 seed.

A reader reminded me that LSU did the same thing in 1986. Who could forget that? I could.

So two out of 92 No. 11 seeds have advanced to the Final Four.

UK Coach Billy Gillispie choked up as he spoke about Kentucky overcoming obstacles and doubts this season to receive a NCAA Tourmament bid on Sunday.

“I’m really proud . . .,” he said before pausing to regain his composure at a news conference.

A few moments earlier, he called the bid a “great testament” to players who believed in themselves.

Gillispie described Marquette, UK’s first-round opponent, as another tough opponent.

“It’ll be a major undertaking,” he said. “But we’ve faced a lot of good teams. We haven’t backed down from any of them and I don’t think we will on Thursday.”

Gillispie had no complaints about:

– an 11th seed, which is the program’s second worst in the 64 (or 65)-team field. In 1985, Joe B. Hall’s last season as coach, the Cats were seeded 12th. “Seeding is very, very, very important,” he said. “But . . . the most important thing is to see your name pop up on the TV screen.”

– Having to travel to Anaheim and play on the first day of the tournament. “We’ll love it out west,” he said before playfully noting that UK had been as far west as Nashville this season. (Actually, the farthest West this season was the game at Houston.)

Gillispie said he had not studied Marquette yet. But, he added, UK admired Marquette “from afar.”

“What jumps out at you is their athleticism,” he said. “They have great guards and really good role player inside guys. They compete hard on every single play. I’ve always admired how hard (Tom Crean’s) teams play.”