Weekend Notebook: Predictions, News and Notes

Sure, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day are holidays for many – but not college basketball. Here is a rundown of the News and Notes from the past couple of days, as well as predictions for the weekend’s top games.

Weekend Predictions

• Pittsburgh at Syracuse (Saturday, 12:00 PM, Regional TV/ESPN FullCourt): Prediction: Syracuse 71, Pittsburgh 59
  
• Baylor at South Carolina (Saturday, 12:00 PM, Regional TV): Prediction: Baylor 82, South Carolina 74
  
• UAB at Arkansas (Saturday, 12:00 PM, Regional TV): Prediction: UAB 77, Arkansas 65
  
• Notre Dame at Connecticut (Saturday, 12:00 PM, ESPNU): Prediction: Connecticut 75, Notre Dame 68
  
• Gonzaga at Illinois (Saturday, 1:00 PM, CBS): Prediction: Illinois 69, Gonzaga 61
  
• Arizona at UCLA (Saturday, 1:00 PM, CBS): Prediction: UCLA 63, Arizona 53
  
• Oklahoma State at Rhode Island (Saturday, 2:00 PM, ESPNU): Prediction: Oklahoma State 81, Rhode Island 77
  
• Villanova at Marquette (Saturday, 3:30 PM, ESPN2): Prediction: Villanova 74, Marquette 65
  
• Louisville at Kentucky (Saturday, 3:30 PM, CBS): Prediction: Kentucky 85, Louisville 72
  
• Oregon at Washington (Saturday, 5:00 PM, Regional TV): Prediction: Washington 88, Oregon 74
  
• Kansas at Temple (Saturday, 5:30 PM, ESPN2): Prediction: Kansas 73, Temple 67
  
• Michigan State at Northwestern (Saturday, 6:30 PM, Big Ten Network): Prediction: Northwestern 65, Michigan State 63
  
• Georgia Tech at Charlotte (Saturday, 7:00 PM, Regional TV): Prediction: Georgia Tech 77, Charlotte 70
  
• Seton Hall vs. Virginia Tech (Saturday, 7:30 PM, ESPN2): Prediction: Virginia Tech 83, Seton Hall 80
  
• Arizona State at USC (Saturday, 10:30 PM, Regional TV): Prediction: USC 68, Arizona State 60
  
• Wisconsin at Penn State (Sunday, 2:00 PM, Big Ten Network): Prediction: Wisconsin 61, Penn State 53
  
• Missouri State at Northern Iowa (Sunday, 2:05 PM, Regional TV): Prediction: Northern Iowa 70, Missouri State 59
  
• UTEP at Texas Tech (Sunday, 3:00 PM, Regional TV): Prediction: Texas Tech 76, UTEP 68
  
• Florida at North Carolina State (Sunday, 3:00 PM, FSN): Prediction: Florida 72, North Carolina State 66
  
• Ohio State at Michigan (Sunday, 4:30 PM, Big Ten Network): Prediction: Ohio State 74, Michigan 70
  
• Xavier at Wake Forest (Sunday, 5:30 PM, FSN): Prediction: Wake Forest 75, Xavier 67
  
• Clemson at Duke (Sunday, 7:45 PM, FSN): Prediction: Duke 87, Clemson 79
  
• Southern Illinois at Illinois State (Sunday, 8:00 PM, ESPNU): Prediction: Illinois State 67, Southern Illinois 60
  

Four Tennessee players arrested, suspended

The morning after Tennessee defeated Memphis on the road, four Volunteers were arrested on drug and weapons charges. The players were Tyler Smith, Cameron Tatum, Melvin Goins and Brian Williams.

The players face various misdemeanor charges, which include possession of a firearm with an altered serial number, unlawful possession of a firearm, possession of marijuana and having an open container of alcohol.

As first reported by Gary Parrish of CBSSports.com, head coach Bruce Pearl will suspend all four players indefinitely.

Smith leads the team in assists, and is second in points and third in rebounds. Tatum has started six games, and ranks second on the team in three-point shooting. Goins is the backup point guard, while Williams is second on the team in rebounds.

Holmes dismissed from South Carolina

South Carolina junior forward Mike Holmes has been dismissed from the Gamecocks for multiple violations of team rules.

He has missed the last month with an eye injury, but did not attend games or practices. Holmes is the second South Carolina starter to be lost for the season, as forward Dominique Archie suffered a season-ending knee injury in November.

"We have a standard and basic level of expectations for our team - both staff and players - and Mike was repeatedly unable to reach those expectations, on and off the court," head coach Darrin Horn said in a statement. "We will work with Mike to help him continue his education and basketball career."

Holmes averaged 11.0 points and 4.8 rebounds in six games this season.

Yarou cleared to practice

Villanova freshman Mouphtaou Yarou has been cleared to practice with the Wildcats.

The 6-9 big man was diagnosed in November with Hepatits B after playing in just two games. Many reports indicated he would miss the rest of the season.

However, it appears he might dress against Marquette this weekend.

"He was able to work out on his own, just not practice with the team," head coach Jay Wright said. "He's in good shape. He was able to do everything today. He has been cleared to play. If we see an opportunity to play him in the Marquette game, we will. He will dress for the game. But we might wait until Wednesday and play him then" at home against DePaul.

He averaged 5.0 points in two games.

Legion to Florida International

According to Jeff Goodman of FOXSports.com, Alex Legion will transfer to Florida International.

Legion announced that he was leaving Illinois earlier this week after averaging just 2.7 points per game this season. He previously played at Kentucky.

White could return to Minnesota

A couple of weeks after Royce White released a YouTube video declaring his intentions to leave the Minnesota basketball program, the freshman could be close to rejoining the team.

According to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, White participated in practice on Thursday after meeting with head coach Tubby Smith on Tuesday.

"I think he's learned," his grandfather, Frank White, said. "He really wants to play."

White was a highly-touted recruit coming out of high school, but was suspended indefinitely from the team after being named as a suspect in the theft of a laptop from a university dorm.

Recruiting Notes

- Four-star recruit Terrence Ross has decommitted from Maryland and is now looking at Kansas, Kentucky and Duke, in addition to the Terrapins.

- 2011 prospect Davontay Grace has verbally committed to St. John’s.