Hampton coach Kevin Nickleberry has resigned to pursue other opportunities, according to a university press release. Nickleberry coached the Pirates for three seasons. He decided to announce his resignation now to avoid damaging the team’s recruiting efforts throughout the spring and summer.

Missouri and coach Mike Anderson have agreed to a contract for the coach that will keep in Columbia for seven years and pay him $1.3 million per year, nearly a $500,000 raise. After leading the Tigers to the Elite Eight this past season, media reports frequently mentioned Anderson’s name in connection with high-profile opening like Georgia and Memphis.

Like last season, Memphis will once again look to replace its starting freshman point guard as Tyreke Evans announced that he will enter the NBA Draft. In 2008, the Tigers lost Derrick Rose after he helped lead Memphis to the national championship game. Evans is projected to be a lottery pick in the draft.

VCU can be considered a proving ground for talented, young head coaches, and Florida assistant coach Shaka Smart is next in line to draw some attention. Smart replaces Anthony Grant, who left the Rams to become Alabama’s head coach. He arrives in Richmond from Florida, where he has been an […]

After Billy Gillispie failed to deliver expected results on and off the court, the Wildcats turn to a proven winner in Memphis coach John Calipari. To snag one of the game’s best coaches, Kentucky was winning to pay top dollar: more than $31 million in eight seasons and a $2.5 billion signing bonus. The next intriguing story line will relate to Memphis’ recruits. The Tigers have one of the best incoming freshman classes in the country, led by Xavier Henry and DeMarcus Cousins.

The Western Athletic Conference suspended New Mexico State’s mascot, Pistol Pete, for one game after a clash with Utah State’s Big Blue mascot in the semifinals of the WAC Tournament. Pistol Pete will serve the suspension during the 2009-10 season opener in November.

Ohio State awarded contracts to two companies to manage the media profile of many Buckeye teams. The Buckeyes’ basketball team will still follow Big Ten and NCAA contracts with major networks like ESPN and CBS.

Liberty transfer Seth Curry, brother of sharp-shooting Stephen Curry, has decided to play for Duke, starting in 2010. The brother of the All-American averaged 20.2 points per game and appeared poised to become the next Curry to dominate NCAA opponents.

Junior swingman DaJuan Summers told Georgetown coach John Thompson III that he will skip his senior season to enter the NBA Draft. Summers led the Hoyas with 13.6 points per game this season. The Hoyas are bracing for another significant loss if freshman Greg Monroe opts to follow Summers into the NBA Draft.

Florida sophomore guard Nick Calathes announced that he will at least test the NBA Draft process. Calathes is a big guard at 6-6, which could make him an attractive pick for NBA teams that value size in the backcourt. However, Calathes is not blessed with blazing speed, which is not something he could improve on by remaining with the Gators.