Published: July 01, 2009 07:21 pm      

MSU's Sidney meetings set

From staff and wire reports

JACKSON, Miss. — The attorney for Renardo Sidney says the NCAA has rescheduled meetings with the Mississippi State men’s basketball signee and his family for next week.

Meetings at Don Jackson’s Montgomery, Ala., law offices were scheduled for Wednesday, but the NCAA asked to move them to Monday and Tuesday.

The NCAA is investigating whether Sidney and his family may have received benefits not allowed under amateurism rules. A Los Angeles Times report citing anonymous sources questioned how the family could afford to live in million-dollar homes and fund a club basketball team after moving to California from Jackson.

Jackson says the family has done nothing wrong and has provided NCAA investigators with documents he hopes will clear the top recruit in time to play next season.

• In other MSU hoops news, Mississippi State has accepted an invitation to participate in the 2009 John R. Wooden Classic, the university announced on Thursday. The Bulldogs will battle traditional powerhouse UCLA on Dec. 12 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., marking the second meeting between the two schools. They first met in the 1995 NCAA Tournament, with the Bruins claiming an 86-67 victory in Oakland, Calif.

This two-game, one-day event, now in its 16th season, also features Washington and a team to be announced to soon.

“No. 1, it’s very meaningful to be playing in a tournament with John Wooden’s name attached to it,” said 12th-year MSU coach Rick Stansbury, the school’s all-time winningest coach with 231 victories. “I think everyone understands the importance and prestige of his name. Second, this gives us a chance to play a high-caliber team from a BCS conference.”

The John R. Wooden Classic invitation is the second for the Mississippi State program. In 2004, the Bulldogs dropped a 68-64 decision to No. 20 Arizona.

“To come back for a second time and play against one of the better programs in the history of college basketball, especially against a team John Wooden used to coach, is special,” Stansbury said. “I know our players are really excited about this our opportunity, and our fans will be too.”

The Bulldogs posted a 23-13 ledger this past season en route to winning the SEC Tournament and advancing to the NCAA Tournament for the sixth time in the last eight years.