Here are a couple of quick Big East men’s basketball notes:
**Seton Hall sophomore forward Herb Pope has withdrawn his name from the NBA Draft and is eligible to return to the team next season, health permitting.
The 6-foot-8 Pope collapsed April 28 during a workout at Seton Hall’s Recreation Center and remains hospitalized at St. Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, N.J.
He averaged 11.5 points and a Big East-best 10.7 boards last season.
Junior guard Jeremy Hazell and junior forward Jeff Robinson also pulled out of the draft. Should Pope recover and return to the court, Seton Hall would have a very skilled and experienced team under first-year coach Kevin Willard. Guards Jordan Theodore and Keon Lawrence are also expected to return.
The Pirates have two players locked up for 2010 in 6-5 forward Fuquan Edwin of Paterson, N.J., and 6-8 Anali Okoloji of Fort Greene, Brooklyn and expect to add two more frontcourt players to the recruiting class.
They are involved with several players, including 6-8 Notre Dame Prep forward Cleveland Melvin, who visits Rutgers this week.
Forwards Jamir Hanner and Eugene McCrory have made verbal commitments but have yet to sign with the Pirates.
The signing period ends May 19.
**At UConn, freshman guard Jamaal Trice has asked for and received his release, according to the Hartford Courant.
Trice averaged 0.2 points in 10 games as a freshman in 2009-10.
Head coach Jim Calhoun said after the press conference announcing his contract extension that the Huskies could add another recruit to the 2010 class, the Courant reported. Another player would have to leave the team for that to happen.
(Photo courtesy Seton Hall Athletics)
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