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BIG EAST NEWS & NOTES (4/11/2008)

Travis Ford says ‘no thank you’ to Providence after the Friars offered the UMass coach their head coaching position. Back to the drawing board at PC.

Marquette has one player announcing he will return, one player announcing he is leaving, one recruit says adios and another recruit is willing to listen.

Louisville names next year’s captains. South Florida is losing another player. A suspended Cincinnati player is closer to returning and a Notre Dame assistant is on the move up the coaching ladder. Read all about these items and more below…

Adam Zagoria caught up with St. Anthony’s senior guard Tyshawn Taylor on the even of his meeting with new Marquette coach Buzz Williams. Taylor committed to and signed a letter of intent with Marquette last fall, but is looking to re-open his recruitment. He is giving coach Williams, who was the assistant that recruited him to Marquette the first chance. Here is the Tyshawn Taylor Q & A from Zagsblog.

Coach Williams will make his pitch to keep Taylor and that could be more urgent now as guards Scott Christopherson and Nick Williams will not be part of the program next season. MU Releases Christopherson and Williams (Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel) on Thursday.

Christopherson played in 18 games last season as a freshman and averaged 1.3 points per game. Nick Williams was a recruit who committed prior to Buzz Williams joining the MU staff and is likely to look for a home in the SEC, closer to his Alabama home.

While Jerel McNeal is still likely to at least test the NBA waters this spring, Dominic James has made a decision and James Will Return (Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel) for his senior season. James had already tested the NBA waters last spring, so if he decided to this time there would be no turning back. Instead, he will finish out his eligibility at Marquette.

Well, Providence is Still Seeking a Coach (FoxSports.com) as Travis Ford is Staying at UMass (Providence Journal), leaving Providence Rejected Again (ProJo).

Earlier in the process, George Mason head coach Jim Larranaga, a PC alum, also declined the offer to become the Friars’ new head coach, replacing Tim Welsh who was fired after the season ended month ago.

Ohio University’s Tim O’Shea, ESPN analyst Fran Fraschilla and Albany’s Will Brown could be next in line as they each have had some form of contact with PC in the process. Could Larry Brown really be a candidate? Does the search widen? Nobody knows for sure, but it definitely seems that Ford’s Rejection Takes a lot of Shone Off PC Job (ProJo).
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Louisville’s Terrence Williams looks like he will not even test the NBA draft waters this season and will return for his senior season and be a leader for the Cards along with Andre McGee. Rick Pitino named McGee and Williams U of L Co-Captains (Louisville Courier-Journal) for next season.
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Could Orane Chine be the next South Florida player to leave Stan Heath’s program? Chin started 14 games at power forward this past season as a freshman, averaging 4 points and 3 rebounds a game. Chn was granted a release from coach Heath and Chin May seek Transfer (Tampa Tribune).

Chin is the fourth player to be granted a release from the USF program since the season ended and first that Heath recruited to USF.
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The Cincinnati Enquirer has an Alvin Mitchell Update as the suspended Cincinnati Bearcat freshman has improved his status with coach Mick Cronin. Mitchell is now on ‘probation’ with the program and no longer on an indefinite suspension.
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Mike Brey has am opening on his staff as Gene Cross is moving up. Notre Dame’s Cross Agrees to Take the Toledo Job (CBSSports.com) after serving on Brey’s staff.

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