October 2017 | Page 3 of 22 | Zagsblog
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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.

On Oct. 13, the same day that North Carolina avoided major penalties in the NCAA investigation into academic violations, the school hosted its Midnight Madness event with several recruits, including 6-foot-7 wing Nassir Little, who had committed to the Tar Heels nine days earlier.

Little is projected as Top 10 pick in the 2018 NBA Draft by ESPN.com, meaning North Carolina could have back-to-back one-and-dones following the exit of freshman forward Tony Bradley after one season.

But with the academic scandal behind them, North Carolina seems poised for a recruiting roll and remains in the mix for several elite recruits.

One source close to the program said it “definitely helps to have [the investigation] behind us. People used it against us for years.”

Zion Williamson, the No. 2 player in 2018 and the projected No. 2 pick in 2018 via ESPN, announced he will visit North Carolina this weekend after he chopped UCLA off his list.

In a lengthy interview with Louisville radio host Terry Meiners, former Louisville coach Rick Pitino says “outsiders” at the school “killed my dreams” and “killed one of the top recruiting classes in history.”

Pitino was “effectively fired” Sept. 27, one day after the FBI college bribery scandal was revealed. He was then officially let go on Oct. 16. He has since said he had “no knowledge” of any alleged payments to freshman Brian Bowen and feels “vindicated” by the process.

“Terry, nobody got indicted,” Pitino said from Tampa, Fla. “No system coaches got indicted. Nothing happened yet. The facts haven’t been out. They rushed to judgment. They killed my dreams. They killed some of the players’ dreams who wanted to play for me. They killed one of the top recruiting classes in the history of my tenure without any facts going on. Now that’s OK. I’m a big boy, and I’ll land on my feet the right way when the truth comes out.

Joining a long line of prominent college basketball programs that have answered the call to help those affected by natural disasters, the St. John’s and Rutgers men’s basketball teams will play an exhibition game on Nov. 5 at 1 p.m. in Piscataway, N.J., benefitting the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund.

General admission tickets to the contest and parking at The RAC will be $10 each with all net proceeds going to help those in need.  Floor seating, however, will be reserved for Rutgers season ticket holders that occupy those seats throughout the year.

Tickets can be purchased online or by calling https://d.adroll.com/cm/aol/outat 1-866-445-GORU (4678). Tickets will also be available on gameday at the Rutgers Athletics Ticket Office, located at the RAC.

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