Sophomore C/F Ekpe Udoh, who led the Big Ten in blocked shots last season and was a member of the league’s All-Defensive team, has left Michigan and is considering the University of South Florida.

The 6-foot-10 Udoh started 24 games last season at UM, averaging six points, five rebounds and 2.9 blocks a game. Besides USF, he said he’s considering Baylor, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Arkansas and Missouri State.

“Playing in the Big East is a positive, it’s an NBA market,” said Udoh, who played high school at Edmond (Okla.) Santa Fe.

Udoh said he was intrigued the way USF utilized Kentrell Gransberry last season. “That’s a position I look forward to playing,” Udoh said. “They get the best players the ball.”

Udoh said his leader at this point is Baylor, but it’s still wide open. The distance from Oklahoma to Florida is not be a problem, he said. “The schools around here [Oklahoma] get a plus, but if I don’t feel right [with those] I’ll go somewhere else,” said Udoh, who has a 7-foot-3 wing span.

Udoh played in all of Michigan’s 67 games the past two seasons with 31 starts. In his UM career, he averaged 5.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.4 blocks a game.

Udoh, who would have two years eligibility after sitting out the 2008-09 season, said he would make a decision by June 15. Here’s the link to his University of Michigan bio page.

Another big possibility FoxSports.com’s Jeff Goodman reports that 7-foot John Riek of Bradenton’s IMG Academy is considering USF.

Goodman wrote from the NBA pre-draft camp in Orlando: “John Riek, the talented, but oft-injured 7-footer who has been working out at IMG Academy (Fla.), could barely run in the drills and had to sit out the 5-on-5 work. Riek told FOXSports.com that he wants to play Wednesday and Thursday, but his knee has been a constant issue this entire season and he’d be best served sitting out the camp and spending next season somewhere such as South Florida – where he can get game action. ``I want to play,” Riek said. “I’m going to see the doctor tomorrow.”

For Riek to get to USF, he would have to remove his name from the NBA Draft and then meet the college entrance requirements.

Really scary Selvie: Not sure this ranks above being named a Playboy All-American, but for what it’s worth USF DE George Selvie was named the No. 2 scariest defender in college football by Rivals.com.

The Sporting News’ Matt Hayes ranks the Big East’s five best players at each position. Selvie rates as the Big East’s No. 1 defensive lineman, Cedric Hill the No. 1 TE, Matt Grothe the No. 2 QB, Tyrone McKenzie the No. 3 LB, Nate Allen the No. 3 DB, Mike Ford the No. 4 RB and Delbert Alvarado the No. 3 punter and No. 4 kicker.

Around the Big East: USF’s sailing team finished 10th at the 2008 ICSA Women’s National Championship in Newport, R.I. Proposed marketing slogan for USF home sailing events: “No one comes into the Gulf of Mexico and wins.” … From the tall get taller department: UConn’s 7-foot-3 center Hasheem Thabeet recently announced he would return to the Huskies for his junior season. And now the Huskies have landed Chukwuma “Charles” Okwandu, a 7-1 junior college center, who will have three years eligibility. … In case you want a look at UConn’s football team, ESPNU is broadcasting the Huskies’ spring football game June 11 (11 a.m.), June 18 (6 p.m.), June 23 (7 p.m.) and June 30 (11 a.m.). I have not been able to confirm yet that Syracuse’s spring game will be televised on - you can see this coming a mile away - Comedy Central.