Ohio State signs

Loving, Williams

COLUMBUS (AP) — Ohio State has signed Marc Loving of Toledo (Ohio) St. John and Kameron “Kam” Williams from Mount St. Joseph’s High School in Baltimore to national letters of intent for the 2013-14 season.

Loving, a 6-foot-8-inch, 215-pound forward, was the 2012 Associated Press Division I co-player of the year in the state and preceded his first-team big-school all-state mention with a second-team pick his sophomore season. He averaged 22.5 points, 9 rebounds and 2.7 assists last year.

Williams is a 6-2 shooting guard who was MVP of the Baltimore Catholic League last season and also led his AAU squad in scoring with 22.2 points per game.

The fourth-ranked Buckeyes have only one senior (center Evan Ravenel) this season.

 

 

Kentucky lands

top recruiting class

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky has received verbal commitments from what is considered to be one of its best recruiting classes ever.

The Wildcats are just waiting for them to put them in writing.

Six-foot-5 twins Aaron and Andrew Harrison of Richmond, Texas, 6-6 James Young of Rochester, Minn., 6-9 Marcus Lee of Antioch, Calif., and 6-9 Derek Willis of Mt. Washington, Ky., have said they would attend Kentucky. But none had signed letters of intent on Wednesday, the first day of the early signing period that ends on Nov. 21.

Aaron Harrison indicated that he and his brother will wait until the late signing period in April before committing to ensure the Wildcats’ coaching staff would remain in place.

Kentucky spokesman DeWayne Peevy says the school will announce signings when letters are received.

 

 

ESPN strikes deal

with SEC, Big 12

NEW YORK (AP) — The Big 12 and Southeastern Conference have agreed to a 12-year deal with ESPN for the rights to the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans.

A person familiar with the contract said it was worth about $80 million per year. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because terms of the agreement were not being made public and details were still pending.

The Big 12 and SEC recently picked the Sugar Bowl as the site of it new marquee game, starting in the 2014 season.

The champions of each conference will play in the game, unless those teams are selected for the four-team playoff that also starts that season.

The Sugar Bowl will be one of six sites in the playoff rotation.