Allerik Freeman (Rivals.com)On April 5, one week after UCLA hired Steve Alford as its next basketball coach, shooting guard Allerik Freeman reaffirmed he intended to honor the commitment he made to Ben Howland eight months earlier.

"I've been a Bruin," he told Rivals.com. "And I am a Bruin."

Something has changed since Freeman's initial meeting with Alford because it doesn't appear as though he'll be a Bruin after all. The four-star shooting guard will seek a release from his letter of intent and reopen his recruitment, Findlay Prep coach Todd Simon told multiple outlets Tuesday night.

The timing of Freeman's decision is strange because almost a month has gone by since the hiring of Alford. Typically it doesn't take this long for an incoming recruit to decide he's uncomfortable with the new coach or for the new coach to determine that a player his predecessor liked doesn't fit with the program's new direction.

One possible explanation is that once Alford had time to evaluate his roster thoroughly, he realized Freeman was unlikely to earn much immediate playing time. Even with the early departure of Shabazz Muhammad, UCLA has an abundance of options at shooting guard next season, between sophomore Jordan Adams, junior Norman Powell and incoming freshmen Zach Lavine and Bryce Alford.

Where UCLA does have ample playing time available is at point guard as a result of the graduation of Larry Drew II and the lack of an obvious replacement on the current roster. Freeman had expressed interest in converting to that position, but those who saw the 6-4, 210-pound guard in high school suggest he lacks the ball handling and decision-making ability to make the transition.

Trevor Lacey (Getty Images)

Alabama appeared capable of contending in the SEC and making the NCAA tournament next season thanks to the anticipated return of its top seven scorers from this past year's 23-win team.

Then came an unexpected defection that has muted the optimism.

Sophomore guard Trevor Lacey, Alabama's second-leading scorer and assists leader, announced via a press release from the school Tuesday afternoon that he intends to transfer. Lacey offered only a vague explanation for his surprising decision in the release and neither of his parents were immediately reachable for comment.

"It was a family decision to pursue other opportunities," Lacey said. "This definitely was not an easy decision to make. It's been great at Alabama during my two years. It was tough my freshman year coming off surgery and having to work my way back. I wanted to improve during my sophomore season and I thought I did that."

It's difficult to overstate the impact of Lacey's transfer for Alabama because he was critical to the team's success. The heralded 6-foot-3 shooting guard started every game for the Crimson Tide this past season, averaging 11.3 points and 3.2 assists per game and knocking down 37 percent of his attempts from behind the arc.

What Alabama will miss most about Lacey is his ability to score. The Crimson Tide were ninth in the SEC in points per possession a year ago, a problem that could grow worse by the looks of next season's roster.

Sandi Marcius (Getty Images)

When Sandi Marcius announced his intent to transfer from Purdue earlier this month, the center's plan was to earn his diploma this summer so he'd be able to play immediately at his new school without sitting out a full season.

Two weeks later, Marcius has encountered an obstacle he apparently didn't expect.

Purdue reportedly will only honor Marcius' scholarship through the end of the spring semester, meaning the Croatian big man will have to foot the bill himself for the summer classes he needs in order to graduate. Tuition, books and room and board could cost more than $7,000, a hefty price that would likely require Marcius to take out a loan to cover.

Completing his degree this summer is especially important for Marcius because his college basketball career would be over if he has to sit out next season. College athletes have five years to complete their four seasons of eligibility, and Marcius already redshirted one full season at Purdue.

It would have been benevolent of Purdue to extend Marcius' scholarship through the end of the summer, but the school is certainly under no obligation to do so.

Marcius made the decision to transfer voluntarily after losing his starting job to freshman A.J. Hammons early in the season. Not only did Matt Painter want Marcius back next year as a backup, the Purdue coach urged Marcius to reconsider when he first broached the idea of leaving the program.

(AP)A Kansas-based ring collector is hoping to capitalize on Michigan's recent run to the national title game by selling what he claims is the 1989 national title ring earned by former Michigan guard Rumeal Robinson.

The collector, Yee Mar, has owned the ring for several years and purchased it from a friend of Robinson, who is in federal prison in Louisiana serving a 78-month sentence in 2011 for bank bribery, wire fraud and conspiracy to commit bank fraud.

Mar is asking $89,899.89 for the ring. He admitted he doesn't expect to get that much for the ring and he established that price as a tie to the year of the championship. He initially planned to hold on to the ring until next year, which will be the 25th anniversary of the Wolverines' only national title on the hardwood, but their success in the NCAA tournament this year made him reconsider and put it up for bid now.

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Angel Rodriguez (Getty Images)

Kansas State already knew it would lose standout guard Rodney McGruder to graduation this offseason.

Now the Wildcats must also overcome the departure of a member of the starting backcourt they did not expect to lose.

Angel Rodriguez, a second-team all-Big 12 point guard as a sophomore this past season, announced Monday night he intends to transfer to a school closer to his family in Puerto Rico. The 5-foot-11 guard averaged 11.4 points and 5.2 assists last season, leading the Wildcats in 3-pointers, assists and steals.

“After multiple conversations, Angel feels an obligation to be closer to his family,” Kansas State coach Bruce Weber said in a statement. “His mother is raising his two younger brothers all by herself in San Juan and he just wants to be able to see them more often.”

Rodriguez's departure comes as a surprise because he thrived under Weber last season and almost certainly would have been one of the Big 12's top point guards again as a junior. He had briefly considered transferring after Frank Martin left Kansas State last spring, but opted to remain with the Wildcats after a meeting with the then-newly hired Weber.

[Also: Gaudy asking price for Rumeal Robinson's Michigan national title ring]

“It is important that everyone understands that this was a really difficult decision,” Rodriguez said in a statement. “I have really enjoyed my time here and this decision was based entirely on my family and has nothing do with Kansas State, basketball or the coaching staff. It’s unfortunate after the year we just had, but I just feel right now this is the best thing for me and my family."

(Getty Images)

UConn and Cincinnati are both hoping their tenure as members of the American Athletic Conference is short enough that their fans won't need to get accustomed to the new name.

That possibility looks increasingly unlikely, however, now that one of their potential AAC escape routes may have slammed shut.

The ACC announced Monday that its 15 current or future members have signed a grant of rights deal effectively tethering them to the league until 2027. In a grant of rights deal, if an ACC school were to accept membership in another conference, the ACC would receive its media rights payments from the new league.

Since no school is going to willingly fork over tens of millions of dollars a year in TV revenue to bolt from the ACC, that all but ensures talk of Florida State joining the Big 12 or Virginia joining the Big Ten is dead for the foreseeable future. As a result, the ACC will have no need to add new members like a UConn or Cincinnati unless it decides to expand beyond 15 member schools at a later date.

UConn and Cincinnati have been angling for inclusion in the ACC since it became clear the Big East was beginning to disintegrate when Syracuse, Pittsburgh and West Virginia left the league. The ACC bypassed both the Huskies and Bearcats in favor of Louisville in November when the league sought a replacement for Big Ten-bound Maryland.

What makes the AAC unappealing to both schools is the large number of non-brand name schools who received invitations to the league to keep it afloat in Division I football. Neither UConn nor Cincinnati is wild about sharing a conference with the likes of Tulane, Tulsa, East Carolina and SMU.

Barry Larkin is thrilled his son emerged as one of college basketball's top point guards this past season, but the former Cincinnati Reds shortstop can't help but wonder what would have happened if Shane had pursued baseball instead.

"He still tells me I could go out there and hit 30 home runs and steal 30 bases," Shane Larkin said with a chuckle in late-January.

That may be true, but Shane's a little out of practice these days judging by his attempt at throwing the first pitch before Saturday's baseball game in Coral Gables between Miami and Clemson. Video shot by the South Florida Sun-Sentinel shows Shane's pitch sail wildly over the head of the catcher and to the backstop, a result that will no doubt earn him some ribbing on campus and at the family dinner table.

Russ Smith (AP)

Six days before the NBA's deadline for players to announce if they're entering this year's draft or not, a handful of top college prospects remain undecided. Here's a look at some of the decisions that will have the most bearing on next year's college basketball season:

1. Russ Smith (Louisville): Immediately after Louisville captured the national title by beating Michigan, Smith's father told reporters his son was entering the NBA draft. Since then, however, we've learned Smith himself isn't so sure. Both Smith and Louisville coach Rick Pitino have said the 6-foot-1 junior guard is 50/50 whether to stay or go, with a decision expected sometime this week. The Cardinals will be one of the nation's better teams with or without Smith, but his return would make the Bluegrass State the epicenter of college basketball again next season and give Louisville a far better chance of defending its title.
Why he should stay: The risk for Smith if he leaves is he is not a surefire first-round pick despite leading the Cardinals to a championship because he lacks the size to defend shooting guards in the NBA and the vision and passing ability to play point guard. His ability to provide instant offense off the dribble is unique enough to get him drafted, but Smith knows that going in the second round would mean an NBA contract and roster spot next season is certainly no guarantee.
Why he should go: It's probably going to be difficult for Smith to elevate his draft stock much if he returned as a senior because he wouldn't be playing point guard. Freshman Terry Rozier and junior college transfer Chris Jones are likely to inherit Peyton Siva's role, meaning Smith would not have much chance to showcase newfound passing and playmaking skills even if he were to improve in those areas over the offseason.