PAGE 6
TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2012
BASKETBALL
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Quick hits: Self's bonus, All-Americans
KORY CARPENTER
kcarpenter@kansan.com
ROBINSON,
TAYLOR NAMED AP
ALL-AMERICANS
After averaoino
After averaging 17.9 points and 11.8 rebounds this season, Thomas Robinson was selected to the AP's All-America First Team. He earned all 65 votes and became the first unanimous AP All-American since Oklahoma forward Blake Griffin in 2009. Robinson played sparingly two seasons ago as a freshman and played just 14.6 minutes per game last season but was a dominant force this year while leading the Jayhawks in points and rebounds. Other First Team selections include Kentucky's Anthony Davis, Creighton's Doug McDermott, Michigan State's Draymond Green, and Ohio State's Jared Sullinger. Senior guard Tyshawn Taylor earned a Third-Team selection after averaging 17.3 points and 4.8 assists per game this season.
SELF EARNS
PAYDAY
With the Elite 8
With the entire 8 victory over North Carolina on Sunday, Bill Self's bank account will experience a considerable increase. According to Self's contract, he earns a bonus check of $100,000 for making the Final Four. His Big 12 regular season championship earned him an extra $50,000 and should the Jayhawks win the National Title, Self will receive an extra $200,000.
ALL-AMERICAN SHOWDOWN IN NEW ORLEANS.
Thomas Robinson and Ohio State center Jared Sullinger will be the first AP First Team All-Americans to meet in this year's NCAA Tournament. Kansas and Ohio State met back on Dec. 10 in Allen Fieldhouse in which the Jayhawks won, 78-67. Sullinger didn't play, however. He
was suffering from back spasms at the time and decided not to play the morning of the game. He's averaging 17.6 points and 9.3 rebounds for the Buckeyes this season and is a rare back-to-back All-
American.
FOUL TROUBLE
COULD BE KEY
Both Ohio and
Both Ohio and Kansas have relatively small rotations and neither team has had much room for error when it comes to foul trouble. The Jayhawks have only two legitimate big men and the Buckeyes have three. After that, things get tricky for both squads. Ohio State didn't have a single off the bench play more than nine minutes in their Elite 8 victory over Syracuse while Kansas' best forward off the bench is Kevin Young, who's known more for his hustle than post defense. If either team gets in early foul trouble, it could become disastrous.
Edited by Bre Roach
Junior forward Thomas Robinson screams after the Boilermakers, down by three points, call a time out with three seconds left on the clock.
CHRIS NEALKANSAN
NCAA TOURNAMENT
Casinos pick Kentucky as national champion
LAS VEGAS — Sin City casinos are sticking with Kentucky and Ohio State as Final Four favorites and still think the Wildcats have by far the best shot of winning the NCAA title.
Odds put out by Nevada casinos after the matchups were set show they think Kentucky — the No. 1 seed overall in the tournament — has a 52 percent shot at the title despite needing to win two more games, gambling expert RJ Bell of Pregame.com told The Associated Press.
"Clearly, Kentucky feels like a significant favorite." Bell said.
Casinos believe Ohio State has a 25 percent chance, Kansas a 15 percent chance and Louisville an 8 percent chance, Bell said.
Cantor Gaming, which operates six sports books in Las Vegas and shares its lines with the vast majority of Nevada's 186 sports books, made Kentucky a 9.5-point favorite over Louisville and Ohio State a 3-point favorite over Kansas for Saturday's semifinals.
Kentucky's odds over Louisville are the widest gap between two teams in a semifinal matchup since 1999, Bell said.
Associated Press
KANSAS STATE
Rumors of Martin's departure continue, move uncertain
CORBIN MCGUIRE
Kansas State Collegian
The number of reports surrounding the future of Frank Martin increased on Monday.
David Cloninger posted on his Twitter around 6:30 p.m. CDT on Monday, "South Carolina has scheduled a basketball press conference at approximately 10:30 a.m. [EDT] on Tuesday ... to 'discuss the men's basketball coaching situation'"
Cloninger also posted on his Twitter that the press conference would open to the public but that it will be streamed live on gamecocksonline.com.
According to the website for the University of South Carolina Board
of Trustees a meeting will take place at 10 a.m. EDT.
Andy Shain, a reporter and editor for The State, a South Carolina newspaper, posted on his Twitter Monday that the "USC Board of Trustees meeting for tomorrow has been moved to a suite at Colonial Life Arena"
Cloninger wrote "the official presser will begin after the BOT meeting, which is set for 10 a.m.", on his Twitter after the press conference was announced.
The University of South Carolina is looking to replace Darrin Horn, who finished his last season as head coach of the Gamecocks with only 10 wins and in last place in the Southeastern Conference standings.
Cloninger's Twitter also said a
source with insight to the negotiations told him that Martin's contract is supposed to be worth between $1.75 and $2 million in his first year, with increments throughout the deal. The source told Cloninger that the contract is either five or six years.
Robert Cassidy, however, wrote in an article Monday on GoPowercat. com "Kansas State basketball coach Frank Martin will become the basketball coach at South Carolina, according to media reports, but a source close to the negotiations denies that the deal is done." Cassidy continued by quoting sources close to Martin that said an agreement between USC and Martin were "close to complete."
Shakey Rodriguez, Martin's mentor and former high school coach, confirmed to Cassidy the inklings that the reasons behind Martin's interest in USC come from a damaged relationship with K-State's Athletics Director John Currie.
Recruiting could also be affected if Martin accepts the job.
There is speculation among the media that Robert Upshaw, the Wildcats' top recruit, may decide to re-open his recruitment. Cassidy said in his article that the family of Upshaw had no knowledge of Martin leaving when he contacted them by phone.
If Martin does leave K-State, he will have led the Wildcats to three consecutive NCAA tournament bids and recording at least 20 wins in each of his five seasons as head coach.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Kansas State coach Frank Martin yells instructions during the first half of an NCAA tournament game against Syracuse in Pittsburgh, Saturday, March 17, 2012.
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