CBK Roundup: Indiana's Zeller to declare for NBA draft, Pac-12 to open new probe
Cody Zeller will follow Indiana teammate Victor Oladipo and declare his intentions to enter the 2013 NBA draft, The Indianapolis Star reported Wednesday.
Zeller's decision was expected despite questions about the 7-foot center's physical readiness for the pros. Still, he considered a top-10 pick by draft experts.
In two seasons at Indiana, Zeller scored 1,157 points in 72 games. He averaged 16.1 points and 7.3 rebounds per game.
Oladipo and Zeller helped lead the Hoosiers to their first outright Big Ten title since 1993 and a No. 1 seed in the 2013 NCAA Tournament. Indiana posted a 56-16 record in Zeller's two seasons.
---The Pac-12 will conduct another investigation of the officiating at the men's conference tournament in the wake of comments by former head of officials Ed Rush that led to his resignation last week, CBSSports.com reported.
During an officials' meeting at the tournament in Las Vegas last month, Rush offered money and a trip to referees who ejected or called technical fouls on Arizona coach Sean Miller. Rush initially said he was joking but later acknowledged his mistake.
Urged by Pac-12 presidents, commissioner Larry Scott said the conference has decided to review what transpired at the tournament and also evaluate its officiating in general. The results will be presented to the executive committee of the conference's CEO Group governing board in June, according to CBSSports.com
"Nothing is more important to the Pac- 12, or to me personally, than maintaining confidence in our integrity," Scott said, according to CBSSports.com.
---Missouri guard Phil Pressey has signed with the CAA sports agency and will enter the NBA Draft in June, the school announced. Pressey will forgo his final year of eligibility, leaving Missouri as the career leader in assists (580) and steals (196). He averaged 11.9 points and 7.1 assists during his three years with the Tigers and was named to the All-Southeastern Conference first team by the coaches this season.
---Sophomore point guard Michael Carter-Williams will leave Syracuse to enter the 2013 NBA Draft. Carter-Williams, who averaged 11.9 points, 7.3 assists and 4.9 rebounds per game, is projected as a top-15 draft pick. The 6-5, 190-pound point guard led the team in minutes played and steals (2.7 per game) last season after finding playing time scarce as a freshman.
---Hofstra University officially named Joe Mihalich as its basketball coach. Mihalich, 56, agreed to a six-year contract, according to the university.
Mihalich has the most basketball coaching wins the history of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. In 15 years at Niagara, he finished with a 265-203 record and led the Purple Eagles to two NCAA tournament berths. Mihalich was named the MAAC coach of the year this year after guiding Niagara to the conference regular-season title.
He replaces Mo Cassara, who was fired after three seasons. Hofstra has not reached the NCAA tournament since 2001 and went 7-25 this season. Off the court, the program was hurt this year when six players were involved in off-court incidents.
