The Associated Press national player of the week in men's college basketball for Week 1 of the season:
The 7-foot-1, 270-pound fifth-year senior put up incredible numbers in the 14th-ranked Bluejays' first two games, starting with a career-high 49 points on 20-for-22 shooting to go with 11 rebounds and three blocked shots in a win against UT-Rio Grande Valley. The output was two points shy of matching Bob Portman's single-game program record set in 1967. Kalkbrenner followed that by scoring 24 points on 9-for-10 shooting in a win against Fairleigh Dickinson. For the week, he averaged 36.5 points on 90.6% shooting (29 of 32).
Zeke Mayo, Kansas. The 6-4 transfer from South Dakota State made an immediate impact for No. 1 Kansas. He had 19 points in his Jayhawks debut against Howard. Then, in a blueblood matchup against then-No. 9 North Carolina, Mayo had 21 points with five rebounds and four assists in the 92-89 home win. Mayo twice tied the game in the final 2 1/2 minutes, first with two free throws and later a jumper at the 1:45 mark. For the week, he made 14 of 26 shots (.538) and made 8 of 17 3-pointers (.471).
Alex Karaban, UConn; Kam Jones, Marquette.
Nelly Junior Joseph, New Mexico. The 6-10 center is off to a strong start in his fifth year, starting with 28 points and 16 rebounds against Nicholls State and then another double-double (16 points, 12 rebounds) in the Lobos' takedown of then-No. 22 UCLA. He'll have another shot at a ranked opponent this week as New Mexico plays No. 22 St. John's on Sunday at Madison Square Garden in New York.
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Kansas guard Zeke Mayo attempts to score during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Howard, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024, in Lawrence, Kan. (AP Photo/Colin E. Braley)
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Rapper Nelly won't face drug charges following his arrest this summer at a St. Louis-area casino, a prosecutor said.
“We don’t believe the facts in this case warrant the issuing of charges," St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell said in a statement Tuesday.
Nelly, 49, whose birth name is Cornell Haynes II, grew up in the area. His lawyer, Scott Rosenblum, has said the search that led to Nelly's August arrest was unwarranted.
Bell’s office didn’t elaborate on why the decision was made to not file charges. Rosenblum said in an email Wednesday that Bell's decision followed “a fair and impartial review of the evidence.”
Nelly was arrested at 4:45 a.m. Aug. 7 as he sought to collect several jackpots he won at Hollywood Casino & Hotel in Maryland Heights, Missouri. A trooper assigned to the casino told Nelly that a warrant search is required when a gambler wins more than a certain amount of money. Rosenblum said no such warrant check is required.
The background check showed that a judge issued a warrant in December over a 2018 citation for operating a vehicle without proof of insurance. Because of the outstanding warrant, Nelly was arrested and searched. That's when the officer allegedly found four ecstasy pills. Police had sought a charge of felony possession of a controlled substance.
Meanwhile, the insurance charge has been resolved. Rosenblum said it was dismissed after Nelly provided proof that he has car insurance.
Nelly, a three-time Grammy Award winner, is known for hits like “Hot in Herre” and “Just A Dream.” He’s had four No. 1 hits and received nine Billboard Music Awards. He also has appeared in several films and TV series.
Nelly won Grammy Awards in 2002 for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration and Best Male Solo Rap Performance, and his “Nellyville” was nominated that year for both Best Rap Album and Album of the Year. He also won a Grammy the following year for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group the following year for “Shake Ya Tailfeather.”
This story was updated to correct the spelling of “Hot in Herre.”
Nelly arrives at the Baby2Baby Gala on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood, Calif. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)
Nelly arrives at the Baby2Baby Gala on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood, Calif. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)
