Most top Division I schools, Syracuse included, have traditionally bypassed junior-college — generally referred to as juco — athletes in favor of prep school alternatives. But new legislation by the NCAA could reverse that trend, with more athletes perhaps forced to take the juco route if they are not qualified academically. While the legislation is intended to be imposed on all sports, basketball may be the hardest hit. The legislation serves to eliminate those prep schools that have been termed “diploma mills,” that is, they exist solely for the purpose of graduating athletes and have little, if any, actual educational benefit.

LAWRENCE, Kan. — As they move on without Julian Wright, the Kansas Jayhawks can look to the 2003-04 Georgia Tech team for clues how to survive and even thrive after losing your best player to the NBA Draft.

LOS ANGELES — It’s a warm July night in Los Angeles, USC’s campus has settled into its summer lull and the traffic along Figueroa has noticeably thinned.

(CSTV U-WIRE) LOS ANGELES — It’s tough to garner much publicity in the fall if you don’t wear a cardinal helmet on your head, but two USC freshmen have already shown their potential to make big headlines come winter.
Davon Jefferson and O.J.

(CSTV U-WIRE) MINNEAPOLIS — It appears the hire of Tubby Smith is already paying dividends for the Minnesota men’s basketball team.

(CSTV U-WIRE) LAWRENCE, Kan. — Steve Nash is a South African born, Canadian raised two-time NBA MVP for the Phoenix Suns. Sherron Collins is a Chicago-bred sophomore guard for a Final Four contender.
A little different? Uh, yeah.