Midnight Madness will come two weeks earlier this year.

The NCAA announced Friday that teams now have 42 days (six weeks) to hold their 30 preseason practices, starting this fall. Previously, teams only had four weeks to schedule in those 30 practices. The college basketball season begins Nov. 8, so practices can start on Sept. 27.

The NCAA found no wrongdoing in the Lance Thomas jewelry case. Credit: CHUCK LIDDY

The NCAA has finished its inquiry into a 2009 jewelry purchase totaling nearly $100,000 by former Duke basketball player Lance Thomas and found no wrongdoing. There will be no disciplinary action against the school.

“The NCAA has found no evidence of a rules violation in this situation based on the information available, and both the NCAA and Duke consider the matter closed,” said a university statement released by associate athletic director Jon Jackson.

N.C. State basketball coach Mark Gottfried said he wanted more options in the frontcourt next season. The Wolfpack added another big man to its recruiting class on Monday with the commitment of forward Lennard Freeman.

Freeman, a 6-8, 215 pound power forward from Oak Hill Academy in Virginia, joins fellow forwards BeeJay Anya and Kyle Washington in the 2013 class and will be the fifth newcomer for Gottfried's third team. Freeman confirmed the decision on his Twitter account on Monday.

N.C. State will visit all three ACC newcomers next basketball season. The Wolfpack will have to travel to Pittsburgh, Syracuse and Notre Dame, according to the schedule information released by the ACC on Tuesday.

The league announced the conference opponents for the 2013-14 basketball season, but not the dates or the order of the games, and the Wolfpack will face North Carolina, Wake Forest, Miami and Pitt twice.

RALEIGH There was more thinking than doing on Saturday and more mistakes than big plays, but after his first Kay Yow spring game, new N.C. State coach Dave Doeren kept his wits about him.

"Well, we won," Doeren said on the field in his post-game interview.

Officially, the Red beat the White, 20-10 in a game played at Carter-Finley Stadium before a crowd of 27,500.

Three points to watch in today's Kay Yow Spring Game, the first under coach Dave Doeren:

1) Tempo and variety

N.C. State will move faster between plays and huddle less. The actual plays will also develop more quickly, to get the ball out of quarterback's hands and give the offensive line a break.

Doeren and coordinator Matt Canada have been clear that they won't always go fast, but they want the ability to push tempo and take advantage of a tired defense (and limit personnel substitutions.)

Notre Dame's unique partnership with the ACC won't bring the Fighting Irish's football team to the state of North Carolina until 2016.

North Carolina and Wake Forest will both go to South Bend, Ind., in 2014, the first year of Notre Dame's abbreviated ACC schedule.

The Fighting Irish will be in the ACC in all sports, except football, starting this fall. The traditional national power will remain independent in football but will play five ACC teams each year.

There are wholesale changes on the first depth chart of the spring released by new coach Dave Doeren. In all, the Wolfpack needs to replace seven regular starters on both offense and defense.

With a new coaching staff, and new players coming in the fall, the depth chart promises to be fluid after Saturday's Kay Yow Spring Game and up to the Aug. 31 opener against Louisiana Tech.

It makes perfect sense for Reggie Bullock to enter the NBA draft, as he and North Carolina confirmed Tuesday he will do. It’s a weak draft year for small forwards, Bullock aptly demonstrated his ability to play the position this season, and with family to support in Kinston, it’s as good a time as any for Bullock to cash in on his talent. If he lands in the right spot, he’ll do well.

Duke is bringing Jon Scheyer back to Durham as a special assistant. CREDIT: CHUCK LIDDY

Jon Scheyer is coming back to Duke.

A source close to the program said Monday confirmed that Scheyer will be a special assistant next season. Scheyer is currently playing professionally in Spain and did not respond to a request for comment.