Changes all over college basketball’s landscape

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

There was a ton of college basketball news Thursday, with the coaching roulette spinning wildly and one guy deciding not to join the endless gyrating this year.

But the area’s biggest news in the men’s ranks was the University of Idaho losing highly touted recruit Andre McFarland thanks to the departure of an assistant coach.

It has been speculated that McFarland, who was let out of his letter-of-intent (and I applaud UI for that), will follow coach DeMarlo Slocum to Colorado State, where Slocum has joined the staff of new head coach Tim Miles.

• The biggest news on the women’s side, of course, was the resignation of WSU head coach Sherri Murrell. Murrell’s five-year record at WSU: 27-114, 8-82 in the Pac-10.

Some people think it can’t be done in Pullman. Win that is. I’m not in that club. But I do think it will take a coach of inexhaustible energy, a coach who is willing to commit to a type of play that will stand out in the conference, primarily one who sells 40 minutes of defensive intensity and offensive execution. I know, it sounds likes Tony Bennett. Duh.

• The Huskies’ new coach arrived on campus yesterday.

• Spencer Hawes is ready to enter the NBA draft, though he won’t hire an agent which means he may return to UW.

• OK, back to the roulette wheel.

Billy Donovan decided to stay at Florida. Only his players left.

Kentucky then reached out and grabbed Billy Gillespie from Texas A&M, which will probably turn out to be a great hire.

But the wheel kept spinning, and when Bob Huggins is involved, it means it was out-of-control.

Huggins returns to his alma mater, which we all know is the only way he would have left Manhattan, Kansas (just kidding). And all those kids he lured to the Midwest – I’m sure the spiel went something like this: “We play all our home games in Manhattan.” “In the Garden?” “Not exactly … but close.” – are stuck either playing for a new coach, sitting a year or turning pro.

Meanwhile, Huggins makes millions.

• By the way, in the Huggins’ link is a note that former Roosevelt Rough Rider Marcus Williams will hire an agent and enter the NBA draft, severing his connections to the University of Arizona. That’s bad news for the rest of the Pac-10.