Heading into this past season as a junior, Mathias already had the attention of many NCAA Division I basketball programs.
For months, Mathias talked to many college coaches and visited schools as the recruiting process heated up.
However, after playing in an AAU tournament this past weekend in Fort Wayne, Ind., Mathias decided to continue his basketball career at Purdue University.
Mathias accepted a scholarship from Purdue University this weekend, becoming the first member of the Boilermakers' 2014 recruiting class. He made an official visit to Purdue in April when he told Purdue coach Matt Painter he hoped to make a decision before July.
MLive: Michigan State men’s basketball coach Tom Izzo announced Wednesday that the Spartans have added Alvin Ellis III to their 2013 class.
Ellis, a former Minnesota commit, signed a valid Big Ten tender to attend Michigan State next fall. Ellis - a 6-4, 190-pound guard out of De La Salle High School in Illinois - joins forward Gavin Schilling in the 2013 class.
Making matters more interesting is the fact that Schilling and Ellis are former teammates, having played together as juniors at Chicago De La Salle before Schilling transferred following their junior season.
"Alvin will be a great addition to our backcourt," Izzo said. "We like his offensive skill set, especially his shooting touch, hitting 40 percent from three each of the last two seasons. He’s got good length and versatility, with the ability to defend a couple different positions on the perimeter."
Baltimore Sun: The only time Daquein McNeil has ever set foot in the state of Minnesota was for an AAU tournament in suburban Minneapolis one year ago. Outside of a trip to the Mall of America, the 6-foot-3, 190-pound combo guard says he doesn’t remember much about visiting the North Star State.
But despite his lack of familiarity with Minnesota, McNeil is “really excited” to spend the next four years of his life there. The East Baltimore native and Vermont Academy senior committed to the Golden Gophers on Wednesday, becoming the first commitment of the Richard Pitino era.
“It feels really good,” McNeil said. “I was just very grateful [to be offered by Minnesota]. In college basketball this year, [the Big Ten] was the best conference. I know how much work it takes. As soon as I figure out coming [to campus] this summer, we’re going to go to work.”
Dating back to his freshman year at Carver, McNeil had been pegged by most local basketball observers as a future high-major player. Playing for Vermont Academy in Saxtons River, Vt., and suiting up for Nike Baltimore Elite during the summer, did nothing to change those perceptions.
ESPN: Seton Hall sophomore guard Aaron Cosby said Friday he will transfer to Illinois.
Cosby committed to the Illini during a visit to the school on Friday. He had previously planned to also visit Missouri on Saturday, but canceled the trip. He will have two years of eligibility remaining after sitting out next season.
"Coach (John) Groce, the staff, the fans all made me feel at home," Cosby said in a text. "Coach Groce really put his best foot forward with me and my family, and I felt he was sincere. It's a great opportunity here, and it fit everything that I was looking for in my new situation.
"It was tough because I respect (Missouri coach Frank) Haith and what he's doing at Missouri. They did a great job recruiting me. But I just felt Illinois is right for me."
Chicago Tribune: Seton senior center Alex Fosterdecommitted from Minnesota on Tuesday in the wake of the firing of coach Tubby Smith.
Minnesota is expected to grant the 6-foot-8 Foster a release from his letter of intent Wednesday. The school recently hired Florida International coach Richard Pitino, the son of Louisville coach Rick Pitino. Smith, who was fired in late March, was subsequently hired at Texas Tech.
"(Alex) only took one official visit, so he has four that he can use," Seton coach Brandon Thomas said via text message. "He has no favorites at this point and is wide open. He will take his time with this process and select a school, coaching staff and style of play that best fits his needs as a student-athlete."
Foster elected not to talk about his reasons for reopening his recruitment. Foster's decision comes on the heels of De La Salle shooting guard Alvin Ellis' decision to seek another school. The 6-foot-4 Ellis received his release from his letter of intent from Minnesota on April 3.
Minnesota Daily: Basketball recruit Alvin Ellis has been released from his letter of intent to play for the Gophers next season, the Pioneer Press reported Wednesday.
Ellis told the Pioneer Press that he asked to be released because he couldn’t wait any longer to see whom the Gophers would hire to replace Tubby Smith.
Richard Pitino was confirmed as Smith’s replacement late Wednesday afternoon, about four hours after the report.
Ellis, a 2013 recruit from Chicago’s De La Salle High School, signed a letter of intent in November to play for Minnesota. Five months later, the Gophers fired Smith, the head coach who recruited him.
Omaha.com: The size-challenged Nebraska men’s basketball team took a step toward addressing that need Monday with an oral commitment from power forward Leslee Smith of Seward County (Kan.) Community College.
Smith, a native of the British Virgin Islands who played as a freshman at SMU, is listed at 6-foot-8 and 250 pounds.
“He’s all of that, and strong as an ox,” Seward County assistant Jason Sautter said Monday from Liberal, Kan.
OK, check mark in the size box. What about athleticism?
“The difference between Leslee and Brandon Ubel is like night and day,” Sautter said, using the Huskers’ outgoing senior co-captain for comparison.
Writing Illini: It was announced today that sophomore Mike Shaw, sophomore Ibby Djimde, and freshman Devin Langford will transfer from the University of Illinois following the spring semester. All three players requested and were granted permission to contact other teams about potential transfer opportunities.
Shaw, Djimde, and Langford might have all been Bruce Weber recruits, but that doesn’t mean anything to head coach John Groce.
Today, Groce said:
Mike, Ibby and Devin are outstanding young men who have always represented the University of Illinois in a first-class manner. We will help them in any we can during this process to find the best fit, so that they are able to achieve their goals on the basketball court and in the classroom.(Source: fightingillini.com)
Detroit Free Press: Michigan State will have a 2013 recruiting class after all. Gavin Schilling, a 6-foot-9 forward from Findlay Prep in Henderson, Nev., announced today on Twitter that he has chosen MSU over UCLA, Minnesota and Villanova.
"I proudly announce that I will be playing my college basketball at Michigan State University!" Schilling tweeted. "Much love to all who supported me!"
Schilling, originally from Chicago, visited MSU recently, attending the March 10 regular-season finale against Northwestern. He joins a frontcourt that will lose senior center Derrick Nix and could lose junior center Adreian Payne if Payne decides to leave for the NBA. The Spartans begin NCAA tournament play Thursday at the Palace, against Valparaiso.
MSU focused most of its 2013 recruiting effort on forward Jabari Parker of Chicago Simeon, but Parker chose Duke over MSU. Coach Tom Izzo is in on several high-profile prospects for 2014, including Chicago Curie big man Cliff Alexander, Chicago Whitney Young big man Jahlil Okafor and point guard Tyus Jones of Apple Valley, Minn.
Chicago Tribune: Athletic director Jim Phillips flew to New Jersey on Monday to meet with Jaren Sina, the talented guard who committed to play for Bill Carmody at Northwestern.
Sina's father and high school coach, Mergin Sina, told the Tribune that during the meeting the family asked Phillips to release Jaren from his scholarship. Phillips obliged, allowing Jaren to visit with other schools.
But Mergin said his academically-minded son remains open to attending Northwestern. It will depend on two things: Whom the school hires to replace Carmody and when the hire is completed.
Sina will sign by April 17, which ends the NCAA regular signing period.
Big Ten 
