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Adam Zagoria covers basketball at all levels. He is the author of two books and an award-winning journalist whose articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Sports Illustrated, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide.
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Saturday / November 23.

JT3NEW YORK –– A resumption of the Georgetown-Maryland rivalry could highlight the Gavitt Tip-Off Games when they begin in November 2015.

“If you’re just looking at geography, you probably think they’re going to try and put us with Maryland, but we’ll see,” Georgetown coach John Thompson III told SNY.tv on Monday at Madison Square Garden where the event was formally announced. “As the Commissioner [Val Ackerman] says, the matchups will come out in May [2015] and we’ll go from there.”

He added: “I’m fine with it. Whatever happens, happens. No big deal.”

Former Maryland coach Gary Williams said the Gavitt Tip-Off Games could trigger a resumption of the series. The two teams haven’t played since 2008, when Georgetown crushed Maryland, 75-48, in the Old Spice Classic in Florida.

LavinDuke will visit St. John’s at Madison Square Garden in January or February of 2015, and the Johnnies will then travel to Cameron Indoor Stadium the following season, St. John’s coach Steve Lavin confirmed Monday.

It had previously been reported that the meeting next season will take place Jan. 31, but St. John’s AD Chris Monasch said no date had been finalized.

The two teams last met Jan. 28, 2012 at Cameron Indoor Stadium, with Duke holding off the Johnnies, 83-76, despite 30 points from Maurice Harkless, now with the Orlando Magic.

ArtisA trio of Oregon players —  junior point guard Dominic Artis, junior guard Damyean Dotson and sophomore forward Brandon Austin — are not currently participating in team activities, the school announced Monday.

The trio are the subject of a forcible rape allegation, details of which can be found in this graphic police report released Monday evening by the Eugene Police Department.

The Oregonian is all over this story:

The district attorney’s office listed only Dotson as a suspect when it wrote April 14 that due to insufficient evidence it would not pursue prosecution. It also did not list any of the charges Dotson had been accused of. However, it added, “While there is no doubt the incidents occurred, the conflicting statements and actions by the victim make this case unprovable as a criminal case.”

Artis and Dotson were contacted by law enforcement after the incident and told investigators the sex was consensual. Austin was also contacted by police but asked that any inquiries be handled by his lawyer.

Keith ThomasNEW YORK — Keith Thomas, the 6-foot-7, 230-pound forward from Westchester Community College, committed to St. John’s on Monday.

Thomas, who averaged 15.3 points and 15.7 rebounds last season, chose the Johnnies over  Loyola-Chicago and Fordham. He will have at least two years of eligibility and possibly three.

“It’s in New York, why wouldn’t I [commit]? Thomas told SNY.tv. “They was two games away or a few games away from getting to the [NCAA] Tournament. They got a good backcourt and there’s a lot of minutes there for me. I live right in New York, so I gotta eat in New York, so why not?”

PunterKevin Punter, a 6-foot-4 shooting guard from State Fair Community College in Missouri, has committed to Tennessee.

“I Am Officially The Newest Member Of The Tennessee Vols !! I Will Be Spending My Next 2 Years In The City Of Knoxville,’ the Bronx native Tweeted.

Punter had initially committed to Missouri but changed course after the coaching change there that saw Frank Haith leave for Tulsa and get replaced by Kim Anderson.

Craig ROregon State has fired head coach Craig Robinson, the brother-in-law of President Obama

“Despite my sincere want for Coach Robinson to be successful at Oregon State, as the days moved on since March, it became clear to me that wanting it to work with Craig as our head coach was not good enough,” Oregon State AD Bob De Carolis said. “Oregon State University, our student-athletes and our loyal supporters deserve more than simple desire — they deserve success.

“Since that time, after further evaluation, thought and discussion, I decided last Thursday that my initial decision was wrong,” De Carolis said.

Robinson completed his sixth season at the helm of the Beavers in March, compiling an overall record of 94-105; 39-69 in Pac-12 play.

MCWFormer Syracuse star Michael Carter-Williams of the Philadelphia 76ers won the Eddie Gottlieb Trophy as the 2013-14 NBA Rookie of the Year.

Carter-Williams, who became only the third rookie since 1950-51 to lead all rookies in scoring, rebounding and assists, received 104 of a possible 124 first-place votes from a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada, finishing with 569 points.

Former Indiana star Victor Oladipo of the Orlando Magic finished second with 364 points (16 first-place votes) and former Michigan standout Trey Burke of the Utah Jazz finished third with 96 points (one first place vote). Players were awarded five points for each first-place vote, three points for each second-place vote and one point for each third-place vote. 

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