Guys we won't see in the 2011 NCAA Tourney -- AKA the dudes leaving school early

Okie State's Anderson waits a whole two and a half days after the Cowboys lose to Georgia Tech in the NCAA Tournament to announced he's leaving school early.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=5018809

I can see the conversation now.

JA: "Coach, I'm thinking of heading to the NBA a year early."
Travis Ford: "James, don't you want to at least thin....."
JA: "Later."

 

How about teams we won't be seeing in the 2011 Tourney:

-Ohio
-Cornell
-Northern Iowa

 

I'll quibble with OU being on this list, just because only one of its top eight players is a senior (van Kempen). The talent's there for at least one more run, kind of like what Kent State did in the early 2000s, where it went to the tournament (and won a game) in 2001 then returned with that same team virtually the same and went to the Elite Eight.

Not saying OU's going to be an Elite Eight team next year, but with that kind of talent coming back - MAC Freshman of the Year (Cooper), MAC Tourney MVP (Bassett, if he doesn't jump to the NBA), top 3-pt shooter in the MAC (Freeman) - it's perfectly conceivable Ohio could be right back in the NCAA tournament next year.

 

If the Tourney expands as expected next season, these teams will all be in.

 

Re: Guys we won't see in the 2011 NCAA Tourney -- AKA the dudes leaving school e

Speaking of Georgia Tech, I'd be shocked if both Derrick Favors and Gani Lawal don't join Anderson in the draft in the coming weeks, though I think both will wait considerably more time before announcing.

 

The end of the current CBA and impending lockout next year ought to be driving more toward that door this year than any in a long time.

 

Wrong-o on the first team.

 

Any potential tournament expansion is supposed to happen a few years down the road.

 

They may have beaten Gtown, but they also finished 9-7 in the fucking MAC conference.

 

More like months...11 months...

http://www.sportsbybrooks.com/source-march-madness-with-96-teams-done-deal-27742

And, yes, it's a iffy sports blog but I've heard similar numbers from someone I trust at ESPN Radio.

 

Cole Aldrich declaring for NBA.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/draft2010/news/story?id=5037979

In total, that now means five of the six players named first-team All-Big 12 won't be around next year, with K-State's Jacob Pullen being the only returning player from that list.

 

I'm expecting Wall, Cousins and Bledsoe all gone from UK, plus Patterson.