Walker, a 6-foot-10 power forward ranked as the No. 7 overall prospect in the Class of 2013 by 247Sports, was admitted to Florida only last month after academic issues kept him from enrolling in August. The extent of the impermissible benefits came to light Wednesday, with the NCAA noting in a statement that Walker accepted free cell phones, travel accommodations, meals and apparel, and people close to Walker received free airfare and lodging for nine trips.

Walker is an exceptionally athletic player who won last year's dunk contest at the McDonald’s All-American Game, but he's still raw.

Says Sporting News’ Mike DeCourcy of Walker: "A 6-10, 205-pound power forward from Holmes County High in Florida, Walker is an extraordinary athlete. And he certainly made an impression on recruiting analysts while playing summer basketball on the same team as incoming Gators freshman point guard Kasey Hill.


"Walker is not an extraordinary basketball player, though. He is marginally skilled, not yet physically powerful and not all that certain about how to make an impact on a game.
 Look at his evaluation at Scout.com. His strengths are listed as athleticism, length and an ability to run the floor. His weaknesses are listed as low-block scoring and the mid-range game.

"It's fairly clear he'll need all the basketball practice he can get, so this certainly does not help Walker to develop toward his NBA goals. And it never hurts to have an extra 6-10 athlete on the bench of a big-time college basketball team.
"

Florida has not lost since falling to UConn on Dec. 2, and has risen to No. 3 in the country in the meantime. The Gators are looking for their first trip to the Final Four since 2007, when they won the second of consecutive national titles.

Florida has reached the Elite Eight each of the past three seasons. Could Walker be another piece that helps them reach the next level?


THE SHOW MUST GO ON


If you planned to watch the North Carolina at Georgia Tech game on ESPN2 on Wednesday night, here's why you didn't find it. The snow and ice that blanketed Atlanta and produced gridlock on the city’s interstates on Tuesday and into Wednesday made it impossible for the network to get its crew and equipment in place.

Nonetheless, the game went off as scheduled.

“Given the incredibly unforeseen and unique set of circumstances over the last 24 hours in Atlanta, playing this game was a hard decision and one not arrived at without great thought,” Georgia Tech director of athletics Mike Bobinski said. “We sincerely regret that the weather conditions won’t allow a majority of our fans to attend the game. Due to the readiness of our opponent, our game officials and numerous event support staff, we believe that playing the game tonight, as scheduled, is our very best option.”

According to Atlantic Coast Conference policy, a game can only be postponed and/or cancelled if the teams and/or game officials cannot make it to the game because of safety considerations. The Tar Heels made it in, even taking a train to get there. And the officials made it, too.


INACTION JACKSON?


Cincinnati forward Justin Jackson’s injured ankle prevented him from practicing Wednesday, making him a game-day decision for Thursday's American Athletic Conference showdown at No. 12 Louisville.

The No. 13 Bearcats are off to an 8-0 start in conference play and are 19-2 overall, but Jackson played only six minutes of their 80-76 victory Sunday at Temple. He twisted his ankle and had to be helped off the court and did not return as his teammates built a 19-point lead, then allowed the Owls to rally for a late tie before two Sean Kilpatrick free throws and a blocked shot by Jermaine Sanders secured the victory. That was Cincinnati’s 12th consecutive victory.

A 6-8 senior from Cocoa Beach, Fla., Jackson has become one of the nation’s top shot-blockers, averaging 3.4, and he leads the Bearcats with 7.0 rebounds per game and is second in scoring at 11.1. He is at the heart of the nation’s No. 5-ranked defense.

“Can’t play if he can’t move,” coach Mick Cronin told Sporting News.

Coach Rick Pitino's Cardinals are 6-1 in the American, with a 17-3 overall mark. Their 7 p.m. ET game with the Bearcats will be televised by ESPN.


OBAMA WANTED HOOPS


Luke Russert, son of the late NBC News legend Tim Russert, is already following in his dad’s footsteps — bringing us the news that the nation needs to know, minus a dry erase board.

First, his tweet: "Told that in the Capitol hold room Obama wanted ESPN but said staff prefer he watch the filing in on C-SPAN ahead of #SOTU."

Now, the context. President Obama was giving his State of the Union speech Tuesday night, and the Michigan State-Iowa game was on ESPN at the time of Obama’s request.

So it’s clear that the president loves Fran McCaffery and Tom Izzo. Or maybe the known basketball lover wanted to brush up on two of the teams that will make up the NCAA Tournament’s Field of 68.

Mr. President, we know you’ve become buddies with ESPN’s Andy Katz over the past few years, giving him the first access to your bracket, but here’s an open invitation to invite Hall of Fame Sporting News college basketball writer Mike DeCourcy to the White House this March to break down your bracket.

Make this happen, because this message may have been approved by Reggie Love.

 


SYRACUSE SURPRISE


Superstar singer Vanessa Williams, best known for her song “Save The Best For Last," instead will be an awesome pregame warmup for Saturday’s Duke-Syracuse game at the Carrier Dome. The 2008 Orange grad will be singing the national anthem before an expected crowd of 35,000-plus.

Williams first rose to prominence after becoming the first African-American Miss America winner in 1983, then launched a singing career.

Syracuse set an on-campus NCAA record for a basketball game last year against Georgetown, the final time the Orange would play the rival Hoyas as a member of the Big East, and interest for Saturday's contest could eclipse that crowd of 35,012.

Contributors: Roger Kuznia and Mike DeCourcy