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College Basketball Notes: Illinois In Hawaii; National Signing Day

 width=>>Illini In Hawaii But Focused On Basketball

Illinois coach John Groce says he wants his players to enjoy their road trip to Hawaii but says the Illini have more important things on their agenda than the beach.

Groce told reporters Wednesday on a teleconference from Hawaii that the team has more than basketball planned, including a trip to Pearl Harbor.

But the Illini (1-1) also have four games starting Friday night at Hawaii.

That will be followed by three games in the EA Sports Maui Invitational starting with Monday night's opener against USC.

Groce joked that he has no problem with distractions such as Hawaii's sights. The bald, fair-skinned coach says that any trip to the beach for him would require sunscreen with an SPF rating of 75.

>>SMU Signs Two Chicago Prep Stars; Top JUCO Forward

 width=SMU coach Larry Brown has signed three players to national letters of intent to be part of the Mustangs' debut in the Big East Conference next season.

The signing class Wednesday included a pair of standout high school players from the Chicago area, 6-foot-4 guard Sterling Brown and 6-8 forward Ben Moore, along with 6-11 junior college forward Yanick Moreira.

Brown, the Hall of Fame coach in his first season at SMU, says the three players are high-character kids from winning programs that are athletic and can play multiple positions.

Along with the three signees, the Mustangs have three transfers who are sitting out this season.

Sterling Brown is the younger brother of Phoenix Suns guard Shannon Brown, who was coached by Larry Brown in Charlotte.

Brown's Assistant Coach, Jerrance Howard, was an Assistant at Illinois during Bruce Weber's tenure. Howard is credited with recruiting many of Illinois' Chicago talents.

>>Illinois Adds 5 On National Signing Day

Wednesday was National Signing Day for NCAA basketball, and the University of Illinois and first year head coach John Groce made five signings. They include:

6-9 forward Austin Colbertout of Gill St. Bernard's High School in Gladstone, N.J.

6-5 guard Malcolm Hill from Belleville East High School in Belleville, Ill.

Illinois added depth in the backcourt by signing 6-10 center Maverick Morgan out of Springboro High School in Springboro, Ohio.

Coach Groce runs a guard oriented offencse, and has added two guards from the two time defending IHSA Class 4A State Champion Chicago Simeon Career Academy. They are 6-3 guard Kendrick Nunn and 6-2 guard Jaylon Tate..

NCAA Basketball ("USA Today" Top-25 Poll)
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#10 Florida Gators 74, #20 Wisconsin Badgers 56
#13 Creighton Bluejays 77, UAB Blazers 60

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