Arizona 7-footer plans to transfer to Kansas

Jeff Withey, a 7-foot freshman who spent one semester at Arizona but did not play for the Wildcats, will transfer to Kansas next semester.

Kansas baskeball coach Bill Self confirmed Withey's decision Wednesday night via text message.

Arizona's top 2008 freshman, Withey requested a release from his scholarship before the season began after coach Lute Olson suddenly retired in October.

Withey chose Kansas over Texas, Gonzaga, Cincinnati, Indiana, San Diego, San Diego State and Boston College.

At Kansas, Withey will enroll in classes for the spring semester and will be able to practice immediately. He'll redshirt this season and be eligible to play as a freshman in December 2009.

Withey averaged 20.8 points, 13 rebounds, seven blocks and four assists in his senior season at Horizon High in San Diego.

MORE BASKETBALL

CIAA HONORS: Johnson C. Smith junior James Dillard of Apex is the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association's men's player of the week. JCSU freshman James Otey received rookie honors, and their coach, Steve Joyner Sr., was the coach of the week.

JCSU (9-1) beat Catawba and Bluefield State last week, helped by Dillard's total 57 points.

FOOTBALL

DEDICATED TO THE GAME: All of Michigan State's other football players had long since finished answering reporters' questions, wrapping up a news conference previewing the Capital One Bowl.

But Javon Ringer was still hard at work, surrounded by TV cameras and tirelessly granting interviews in a suite overlooking Spartan Stadium.

Even off the field, Ringer carries the load for No. 19 Michigan State (9-3). He'll be relied upon to do so again on New Year's Day in Orlando, Fla., against No. 16 Georgia (9-3), which has its own standout running back, Knowshon Moreno.

The All-American running back leads the nation in carries this season with 370 -- a whopping 30.8 rushes per game. But the 5-foot-9, 202-pound senior shows no signs of wearing down. Teammates and coaches attribute his stamina to freakish physical skills and an equally strong mental makeup.

"No running back in the country was asked to carry more of his team's workload," Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio said. "He's a warrior."

Ringer has a black belt in karate and his parents are Pentecostal ministers, a unique background that helped give the Dayton, Ohio, native the discipline to fight through tough times during his career at Michigan State.