BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — LSU coach Will Wade declined on Thursday to take questions about RJ Luis Jr., who a day earlier won a temporary restraining order that could open a door for him to play for the Tigers — if Wade adds him to his roster. Wade says he already has made himself clear and that his stance has not changed. Wade has previously stated that he intended to follow “SEC protocols” regarding Luis. But a Louisiana judge's latest court order in Luis’ case ostensibly bans Wade from doing that. Specifically, the ruling temporarily bars the SEC from punishing LSU if it plays Luis. It also forbids LSU from citing SEC rules as a reason for declining to play Luis.
UNDATED (AP) — This week in the Southeastern Conference, Florida faces Georgia in a highly anticipated matchup in Atlanta. Georgia has dominated the series recently, winning eight of the last ten games. Both teams had different outcomes in Week 7, with Georgia losing to Auburn and Florida defeating Texas. Georgia is favored by 11.5 points. Meanwhile, Ole Miss hosts Auburn. Ole Miss looks to bounce back after a loss to Texas, but they'll be without star running back Kewan Lacy. Auburn's dual-threat quarterback Byrum Brown could challenge Ole Miss's defense. Ole Miss is a 13-point favorite in this matchup.
ATLANTA (AP) — The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party will have a different feel when No. 3 Georgia plays No. 17 Florida in Atlanta for the first time. The usual neutral site setting of Jacksonville, Fla., is not available due to renovations at EverBank Stadium. Instead, the 50-50 split of tickets at Mercedes-Benz Stadium may provide a setting similar to the Southeastern Conference championship game held each year at the facility. The 2027 game will be played in Tampa Bay before the series returns to Jacksonville. Georgia is 8-2 in the rivalry with coach Kirby Smart, including wins in the last five games.
UNDATED (AP) — The eligibility chaos playing out in lawsuits and courthouses all over the country has reached the basketball season. The first Division I men's and women's basketball games start Sunday. Yet that comes as legal cases tied to eligiblity inch their way through the court system. Many cases are centered on the NCAA's adoption of an age-based model giving athletes a fifth year going forward. Others deal with athletes returning to college after signing with professional teams. The cases have created volatility with players still waiting to be cleared or facing hearings that could change their status abruptly during the season.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — The Ohio Supreme Court has filed an order to keep players involved in an eligibility case available to play for teams nationwide. This decision maintains a previous ruling that stayed a lower-court decision declaring the players ineligible. The case involves the NCAA and players like Filip Borovicanin of Xavier. The court was asked to determine the legality of an executive order by Gov. Mike DeWine granting athletes a fifth year of eligibility, defying NCAA rules. The NCAA sued DeWine, claiming the order disrupts fair competition. This issue has led to lawsuits and chaos as coaches finalize rosters.
UNDATED (AP) — March Madness is getting supersized. The men’s and women’s NCAA Tournament fields are growing to 76 teams this season, up from 68. This marks the first time the men’s draw has expanded since it went from 64 teams to 68 in 2011. The women’s draw didn’t go from 64 to 68 teams until 2022. Here's a breakdown of the new men's and women's tournament formats with important dates and locations.
UNDATED (AP) — College basketball fans don’t need to wait until March to see some high-profile matchups. They don’t even need to hold out for the start of conference play. This year’s men’s college basketball schedule features plenty of huge games long before Christmas. The most notable early-season games include a rematch of last year’s NCAA Tournament final as well as a matchup between the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the preseason Top 25. Many of the top five teams will be facing off with one another over the next six weeks.
