Oklahoma St

Turnarounds: 31 Teams to Watch For: Part Two

Raphielle Johnson — Wed, 14 May 2008 10:56:40 -0700

With the off-season now upon us and the spring signing period well under way, this is a good opportunity to attempt to forecast some of the teams who could make the jump next season. Is there a team out there like this past season’s Drake Bulldogs, who went from ninth place to a dominating run through the Missouri Valley? Or how about Arizona State, a team that went from dead last in the Pac-10 to fifth place and could have the makings of a conference title run this season? With one pick for each conference, here are 31 teams you should keep an eye on next season. (Return to Part One.)

Big 12: Oklahoma State

2007-08 Record: 17-16 (7-9)

The Cowboys made some news during the Final Four, even though they weren’t playing in the event. Their desire for alum Bill Self to come back to Stillwater wasn’t hidden, but in the end the national champion coach decided that it was in his best interest to remain in Lawrence. Enter Travis Ford, who led UMass to back-to-back twenty win seasons and a spot in this season’s Postseason NIT title game. While there will be an adjustment period in the early going, the cupboard certainly isn’t bare with key contributors such as James Anderson, Byron Eaton and Obi Muonelo all coming back next season. This is a team that should make a run at an NCAA Tournament berth.

Big West: Pacific

2007-08 Record: 21-10 (11-5)

Not going out on a limb here with this pick, but I really like Bob Thomason’s Tigers to get back to the top of the Big West standings with seven seniors on the roster. No key contributors from 2007-08 were lost, which could make Pacific a popular choice in some circles to make some serious noise come March. Three players averaged double figures in scoring led by First Team All-Big West selection Steffan Johnson. Rising sophomore Terrell Smith was named to the conference’s All-Freshman Team, and Anthony Brown and Chad Troyer were both honorable mention All-Big West selections. All this coming back to Stockton makes the Tigers the early favorite to win the Big West…and maybe send some unsuspecting foe home come NCAA Tournament time.

Colonial: Northeastern

2007-08 Record: 14-17 (9-9)

Bill Coen didn’t have a lot of experience to work with last season, having just one senior (forward Mark Washington) on the roster. Matt Janning, a second-team all-conference selection, will lead a cast that will have another season of experience under their belts. Guard Chaisson Allen was named to the CAA’s All-Rookie Team, having led all conference newcomers in assists and steals. This is one of those teams that while everyone may predict them to be “one year away” from a title, they’ve got just enough to let everyone know that next year is now.

Conference USA: SMU

2007-08 Record: 10-20 (4-12)

A move up the ladder in Conference USA won’t be easy for Matt Doherty and his young program, as C-USA stands to be even better as a whole in 2008-09. But the commitment from the athletics department is certainly there, something that couldn’t always be said in years past. But the young talent is definitely taking notice of the changes, with Coach Doherty inking top guard prospect Paul McCoy just last week. The Mustangs will have to replace two of their top three scorers from last season in Jon Killen and Derrick Roberts, but big men Bamba Fall and Papa Dia will both be back next season. If some of the returnees can step into the holes left by the loss of Killen and Roberts, they’ve got a shot at moving into the middle of the Conference USA pack.

Horizon: Wisconsin-Green Bay

2007-08 Record: 15-15 (9-9)

With their top five scorers all slated to return (there was only one senior on the roster in 2007-08), the Phoenix could end up being one of the chief challengers to Butler in the Horizon League. Mike Schnachter led the team in scoring last season, and received help from the likes of Ryan Tillema and Rahmon Fletcher. Fletcher did a good job of running the point, and should only get better with a full season under his belt. Caught in a logjam in the middle of the Horizon standings last season, look for UWGB to make that move up in 2008-09.

Ivy: Harvard

2007-08 Record: 8-22 (3-11)

Tommy Amaker’s first season at Harvard was highlighted by their home win over his former employer Michigan. Unfortunately for the Crimson, they received more attention for an article on their recruiting in the New York Times than they did their play in within the league. But with a lot of Ancient Eight rivals (Cornell pretty much has everyone back) losing key contributors to graduation, maybe they can move up a couple of slots. Jeremy Lin, a second-team all-conference selection, will lead the charge in 2008-09, and he’ll be helped out by the likes of Pat Magnarelli, Evan Harris and Drew Housman. By no means is this a prediction that the Crimson will compete for the Ivy’s automatic bid (I think Cornell’s a safe bet on that), but they should be drastically improved.

MAAC: Manhattan

2007-08 Record: 12-19 (5-13)

I’m going with the Jaspers slightly ahead of Iona here, but I really like both to make move in the MAAC. Given the growth experienced in the MAAC Tournament by Barry Rohrssen’s club (a stronger commitment to defense and Devon Austin became more assertive as a team leader), and the fact that they return every key returnee leads me to believe that they can challenge for a spot in that 2-5 area of the standings. Antoine Pearson is one of the conference’s best point guards, and rising sophomores Chris Smith and Rashad Green should be ready to take the next step in their development. All that separates them from where they are and where they want to be is the consistency on the defensive end of the floor. And when that comes, look out.

MAC: Bowling Green

2007-08 Record: 13-17 (7-9 East Division)

While the change to Louis Orr didn’t mean an increase in overall wins (they won thirteen games in 2006-07 as well), it did mean four more league victories to get to 7-9. And while they’ll have to replace three of their top five scorers, led by Nate Miller, they should be improved with another year of seasoning under their belts. Chris Knight, who led the team in rebounding and was second in scoring, will be back next season along with guard Joe Jankubowski. Not too sure if the improvement will mean a jump in the MAC East standings, but the Falcons will be a better team next season.

Part One: ACC, Big East, Big Ten etc

Part Three tomorrow: MVC, MWC, Pac-10, etc

Lots of changes at Marist...and some other Northeast news

Raphielle Johnson — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 09:41:33 -0700

Well, today marks the beginning of the Spring Signing Period, and many fans are awaiting the decision of guard Tyreke Evans. The explosive prerimeter player is said to be leaning in the direction of Memphis, and that's who I'd expect him to sign with due to the departure of Derrick Rose. But the school with the most going on in recent days has to be Marist, who will any day be gaining a head coach, but they've already lost two players. - Memphis assistant Jose "Chucky" Martin to be named Marist head coach. Many services have reported that the official announcement is coming any day now. Martin, a native of New York City, has many ties to the area due to both his playing at St. Raymond's in the Bronx and assistant stints at Manhattan and St. John's. That's the good news for fans of the Red Foxes, who head into this critical portion of the offseason with a head coach in place. As for the bad... - Guard Jay Gavin is transferring to VCU. According to Phil Strum of the Poughkeepsie Journal, star freshman guard Jay Gavin will be leaving Marist at the end of the semester to attend Virginia Commonwealth. He'll have to sit out next season due to NCAA transfer rules, but with the coaching change the people most instrumental in getting him to Marist are now gone (the entire coaching staff went with Matt Brady to James Madison). And speaking of James Madison, former Marist verbal commitment Andrey Semenov will follow Brady and his staff to JMU. Coach Martin will have a lot of work to do in regards to filling out his roster for the upcoming season. - G Doug Wiggins has asked to be released from his scholarship in order to transfer. A couple of weeks ago head coach Jim Calhoun talked about some imminent changes that would be coming this offseason for his program. One domino has fallen apparently, that being East Hartford native Doug Wiggins. Some moves were expected in regards to playing time/off-court issues, and Wiggins certainly had to deal with the latter during his two years in Storrs. But the main thing for Wiggins is to find a place in which he'll see a lot of playing time over his final two seasons. - "Christmas in April" for Rutgers? Maybe. Reported on Monday by Stacey Davis of NYCHoops.net, there is the possibility of St. Benedict's Prep forward and Rutgers commit Greg Echinique accelerating his coursework in order to graduate in time to join the Scarlet Knights this fall. A member of the Class of 2009, sources have told Davis that Echinique has entered an accelerated program with hopes of getting this done. If it can happen, look out for RU next season. - Sources say that Travis Ford could be the new head coach at Oklahoma State any day now. According to ESPN.com, UMass head coach Travis Ford is expected to take the same position at Oklahoma State any day now, just about a week after turning down Providence and agreeing to a new deal to stay at UMass. He replaces Sean Sutton, who was let go after two seasons in Stillwater.

Sutton Out at Oklahoma State

Shawn Siegel — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 11:52:28 -0700
Sean Sutton's two year stint as Oklahoma State head coach is reportedly coming to an end. Various outlets are saying Sutton is being "forced out" regardless of whether he ends up technically resigning or not. Sutton's brief record is 39-29 over two seasons with two NIT losses. Making things worse for Sutton is the lack of talent on the horizon. The Cowboys have two players locked up for next year who are glorified high-major prospects, while rival Oklahoma is bringing in Top 20 recruit Willie Warren. Unfortunately, Sutton may most be remembered most for appearing unstable at times on the Oklahoma State sideline.

2008 NIT Capsule: Oklahoma State

Joel Welser — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 15:11:51 -0700

Oklahoma State Cowboys

Big 12 (17-15, 7-9)

Big Wins: 2/13 Baylor (93-83), 2/16 at Texas A&M (59-54), 2/23 Kansas (61-60)

Bad Losses: 11/14 at North Texas (73-82), 11/21 vs Illinois (49-65), 1/19 at Iowa State (66-73)

Coach: Sean Sutton

Probable Starters:

Byron Eaton, Junior, Guard, 11.7 ppg, 3.6 apg, 2.0 spg

Obi Muonelo, Sophomore, Guard, 10.0 ppg, 3.4 rpg

James Anderson, Freshman, Guard, 13.3 ppg, 3.7 rpg

Marcus Dove, Senior, Forward, 9.7 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 1.1 bpg

Ibrahima Thomas, Freshman, Center, 6.1 ppg, 4.2 rpg

Key Roleplayers:

Terrel Harris, Junior, Guard, 10.2 ppg, 4.3 rpg

Martavius Adams, Freshman, Center, 3.1 ppg, 2.1 rpg

Why They Can Surprise:

Oklahoma State will not score too many points, but they can score in a hurry. The team nabs over eight steals per game and those often lead to easy buckets for the Cowboys. Point guard Byron Eaton leads the way with 2.0 steals per contest. He is also a dynamic scorer who can hit the outside shot and is the most effective player on the team getting to the basket.

Guard Terrell Harris and wing Marcus Dove are always threats to grab a couple of steals too. Harris will not always start, but he is a double-digit scorer who will always give the team some much, much needed help on the glass. Dove is a very interesting player and a tough match-up for any team. The 6-9 wing can stretch the defense with his outside shooting, but he will also mix it up in the paint. However, Dove’s best asset is on the defensive end. Besides his ability to steal the ball, Dove will use his long arms to block a shot or two every game. He has to play at the power forward spot due to personnel, but he can do everything a traditional power forward does and more.

Why They Can Disappoint:

Dove is a decent rebounder, averaging a team high 5.8 per contest, but the same cannot be said for the rest of the frontcourt. Ibrahima Thomas is not horrible on the glass, but the 6-11 center only averages 4.1 rebounds per contest. The freshman can find himself in foul trouble quite a bit and he needs to stay on the floor longer if he wants to pick up some better numbers. The only other option up front is Maravius Adams. Another freshman, Adams is full of potential, but that potential has yet to turn into production. With so much youth in the frontcourt, OSU will continue to have problems on the glass and with their interior scoring. Luckily, they have a wing like Dove who can man the four spot or this team would be in a lot of trouble.

Who To Watch:

There are even more scorers in the backcourt, including the team’s leading scorer, James Anderson. The 6-6 freshman was a McDonald’s All-American last year and has already lived up to his high expectations. Over half of the shots he takes will come from behind the arc, but he can still get to the basket and finish. It would be helpful to the Cowboys if he looked for the easier shot more often instead of settling for the three, but that will come as he gains confidence. Obi Muonelo is another tall wing and dynamic scorer. Muonelo can put up some big numbers, but his consistency has been a major issue. Yet, he did score in double-digits six out of the last seven games of the regular season and that may be a good sign.

By the Numbers:

Scoring Offense: 69.2 (164^th in nation, 9^th in conference)

Scoring Defense: 66.4 (112, 8)

Field-Goal Percentage: 43.4 (201, 11)

Field-Goal Defense: 43.9 (182, 9)

Three-Point Field Goals Per Game: 7.3 (101, 3)

Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage: 34.8 (174, 7)

Free-Throw Percentage: 72.1 (76, 2)

Rebound Margin: -1.3 (222, 8)

Assists Per Game: 10.8 (306, 12)

Turnovers Per Game: 15.0 (217, 11)

- More 2008 NIT Coverage & Team Capsules

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Seven Day Stretch: Sutton Brothers Going Different Directions

Rob Carpentier — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 07:30:47 -0800
Three weeks ago I pegged Providence College as the Seven Day Savior (team), and they have collapsed since then. Two weeks ago, I put Seton Hall in the same category and they too, have fallen off the radar since my selection. Even my choices of SDS individual awards have been hit. Two weeks ago, it was Central Florida. Last week it was UNC-Asheville. Both teams went from undefeated when I wrote about them to losing…in UCF’s case, more than once. Last week I selected Drake and probably put a scare into those Bulldog followers that read the column. They proceeded to lose to Southern Illinois.. Look out ASU.

Seven Day Savior (Team): Arizona State Sun Devils

ASU played only one game last week, but what a game it was! The Sun Devils went into Tucson and defeated the Arizona Wildcats for the Sun Devils’ first season sweep of their in-state rivals since the 1994-95 season. The win, however, went far beyond just a sweep of the Wildcats. ASU, which had been at the top of the Pac-10 Conference only a couple of weeks ago, were in danger of collapsing down the stretch and being shut out of all post-season play. With that victory, coupled with an equally impressive win over Stanford last night, the Sun Devils have again become relevant in any NCAA conversation. This really is an amazing accomplishment considering the state of the ASU program only 1 ½ years ago. Coach Herb Sendek doesn’t have a senior that plays significant minutes and his top player, James Harden, is a freshman. Sendek’s rebuilding plan is already well ahead of schedule.

Seven Day Savior (Player): Ryan Wittman, Cornell Big Red

The sophomore guard from Eden Prairie, Minnesota, and son of Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Randy Wittman has clearly become the best player in the Ivy League. In Cornell's sweep of Pennsylvania and Princeton, Wittman had 45 points and was clearly the best player on the floor. The 22.5 PPG average from last week really shouldn’t be a shock. Wittman was one of the best players on the floor earlier this season when Cornell went to Durham, North Carolina and played Duke tough. Wittman averages 15.7 PPG and shoots 51%...that’s right, 51%, from behind the three-point line. He’s an 87% free throw shooter and is even tied for second on the Big Red in rebounding average. With Wittman on the squad, Cornell is a real threat to not only get to the NCAA Tournament, but also upset a team or two along the way. By the way, the win over Penn was Cornell’s first over the Quakers in 18 games.

　

News of the Week: Indiana’s NCAA Troubles

When Indiana hired Kelvin Sampson to replace Mike Davis, there were more than a few whispers. Regardless of what one might think about Bob Knight, (and I’ve always thought of him as over-the-top), he ran a VERY clean program while in Bloomington. Sampson, who had already gotten into hot water with the NCAA because of some illegal recruiting phone calls while he was at Oklahoma, has a reputation as a loose cannon when it comes to the nitty-gritty of the rules. This reputation began when Sampson was at Washington State and gained steam while at OU. Indiana HAD to have known about these whispers, and yet they hired Sampson anyway. The powers-that-be in the Indiana athletic department felt that Sampson was worth the risk. He’s a very good game coach and prepares his teams well. He has Indiana poised to get a good seed in the NCAA Tournament. But now he has been accused of lying to the NCAA. This is the second-worst infraction that a school or coach can be accused of, behind only the dreaded, “lack of institutional control.” Based on the fact that Sampson was already put on what was effectively a probation while at Oklahoma, and that Indiana had to punish him last fall, the likelihood of Sampson’s surviving these latest allegations is pretty slim. Want to bet that the Indiana AD is wishing they went in a different direction now?

Game of the Week (The one you DON’T know about): Memphis at UAB

While were on the subject of Indiana, let’s look at former Hoosier coach Mike Davis and his UAB Blazers as they prepare to host the #1 ranked Memphis Tigers on Saturday. Houston has been getting a lot of press the past few weeks as the only Conference-USA team that could give Memphis a problem. Obviously the press hasn’t been paying attention to Birmingham. Davis is building a strong program at UAB, and he’s doing it outside the shadow of Bob Knight. Memphis is certainly a stronger program…right now, but if Davis and the Blazers can upset the Tigers then it will show that they have taken a big step up. UAB still has an outside shot at an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament and a win against the Tigers would go a long way to getting them on the Big Dance card. On the other hand, Memphis is still looking at gaining the #1 overall seed for the NCAA Tourney. Because of C-USA’s low RPI rating, any loss in conference in the regular season will cost Memphis disproportionately in the seeding process compared to any other of the top teams. This is a big game for both teams.

Seven Days Under the Radar: Oral Roberts Golden Eagles

At least one of the Sutton boys is doing well these days. Scott Sutton and the Golden Eagles have been the dominant force in the Summit League, (formerly known as the Mid-Continent Conference), for the past several years, supplanting the Valparaiso Crusaders who just moved to the Horizon League. Sutton’s squad is undefeated in league play; they have an overall record of 17-5, including an easy win against Oklahoma State at a neutral site and they have a wonderful opportunity for a big win on television in next weekends Bracket Buster games when they host Missouri Valley Conference power, Creighton. There is a possibility that if Oral Roberts ran the table for the rest of the regular season and got to the Summit League Tournament final but lost, that the Golden Eagles could be in line for an at-large bid to the Big Dance; their RPI is actually pretty good, at 59 this week.

Seven Days on the Hot Seat: Sean Sutton, Oklahoma State

Scott Sutton is having a great season at Oral Roberts. Scott’s brother Sean, the second-year head man at Oklahoma State, is not. When Eddie Sutton, the famous coaching legend and father of the two Sutton boys, “retired” prematurely, it left Sean in a bit of a lurch. He had been named Eddie’s successor, but the time for that to happen was supposed to be at least another season away. Fate has a funny way of causing plans to go awry. Sutton, who is a good X’s and O’s guy, wasn’t ready quite yet to be the head man. It was hope that he would grow into the position, being able to rely on the talent that was supposed to be in Stillwater. The problem is that the talent isn’t that good, (thanks, Dad), and Sutton isn’t an ace recruiter. Adding to Sutton’s woes is the fact that the Cowboys haven’t won a conference road game since beating Kansas State on February 4…2006! That’s more than two years between conference road wins. As of today, the Cowboys sit in LAST place in the Big 12. That’s a big fall for a proud program. And a big fall usually needs a fall guy.

Seven Days of Head Scratching: Nepotism in Coaching

The Divine Right of Kings used to dictate that the eldest living son of a given European royal family would take the throne upon the death of the king. Whether the new ruler was going to be better than the newly deceased ruler was a crapshoot, but the idea was that the genetics that ran through the family would provide a wise and benevolent ruler. England beheaded Charles I; France did the same to Louis XVI, while Czar Nicholas II of Russia was shot along with his entire family. You get the idea. People generally know that you shouldn’t hire applicants for jobs just because they’re family members. That has a way of turning out badly. A coaching gig at a major Division I institution should be thought of as no different. However, the statistics would show otherwise, at least recently. With last week’s “retirement” of Bob Knight at Texas Tech, and the subsequent hiring of Knight’s son, Pat, as the new head man, nepotism is alive and well in college basketball, and that may not be a bad thing. Admittedly, sometimes it turns out poorly. I already mentioned Sean Sutton’s troubles, but he’s far from the only one. I mentioned last week that it was much more likely, based on his resume, that Pat Knight was going to struggle at Tech. However, there are many “legacies” coaching in their fathers’ chairs that are doing very well. Keno Davis is the mid-major darling of the college hoops world right now, with his 22-1 Drake team. Several years ago, Scott Drew took over for his father Homer at Valparaiso and he got them to the NCAA Tournament in his only season before he took the Baylor job. Based on Baylor’s play this year, Drew knows his stuff and is qualified to be a successful D-1 coach. John Thompson III has taken his father’s seat at Georgetown and returned the Hoyas to prominence. Perhaps most successful of all is Tony Bennett at Washington State, who has had the Cougars poised for a top seed in the NCAA Tourney the past two seasons. One would think that the laws that apply to the rest of the world in regards to leadership would remain the same in the basketball world. Apparently they do not. But, hey, even if they didn’t, at least if you weren’t a success the fans wouldn’t kill you…I think.

Mr 800: Eddie Sutton's Season Past the Brink

Jacob White — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 07:30:50 -0800

If the San Francisco Dons lose the rest of their games this season they will become historically significant. If they win one more game, their coach believes that he will become more historically significant. This is why it is in the best interest of the San Francisco Dons to not win another game this season. If they continue to lose they will captivate the sports world by highlighting the grotesque vanity of pursuing statistical milestones at all costs. If they win, they will be nothing more than an anomaly on the statistical scroll of a hall of fame coach.

In sports, retirement is an art that is debated annually. Whether it is Lance Armstrong leaving on top, Shaq struggling with the inevitable, Favre’s indecision, or Jordan’s flip-flopping, the way in which an athlete ends their career is integral to the legacy they leave behind. Eddie Sutton lost his chance to walk away from college basketball with dignity when he was pulled over for drunk driving last season. His long tenure as Oklahoma State’s coach was likely cut a season or two short and he was forced to go through the Don Imus public charade necessary for “forgiveness.” Sutton had gone through this all before when he was fired from Kentucky, with rumors of drug and alcohol abuse. But he was younger then; he had time to redirect the arc of his coaching career.

After a seemingly innocuous start to San Francisco’s season, the Dons’ coach, Jessie Evans, was forced into a leave of absence. The curmudgeon Eddie Sutton was roused from retirement and placed on the sideline to coach the remainder of the season. The obvious reason for this unneeded resurrection, is to push his win total from 798 to 800, where he will remain the fifth most winningest coach in college basketball history.

The difference between 798 and 800 seems to appease nothing more than vanity. Perhaps Sutton watched Bernie Mac’s “Mr. 3,000” while in rehab and decided that “Mr. 800” may produce lucrative promotional opportunities. I can just picture his mastiff face in front of the neon “Mr. 800” sign. However, Sutton has denied that 800 wins is the reason he accepted the short termed position.

“The thing I missed about coaching is the practice sessions, watching kids mature and grow,” Sutton was quoted as saying about his new team.

Apparently he only wants to watch the Dons mature and grow for a couple of months. Living out of a hotel room in San Francisco, Sutton has made it clear that as soon as the season is done he has no interest in remaining.

During San Francisco’s game with Gonzaga on ESPN’s Big Monday, the announcers expressed amazement that Sutton was at the pre-game practice, and that he had actually stood up and pointed out what the players were doing wrong. Yes, the announcers in an unnecessary amount of words, expressed their amazement that Sutton had been seen coaching his team. Sutton was then shown in the locker room watching Oklahoma State’s game. While his players continued warm-ups on the court, Sutton displayed more interest in Oklahoma’s game than he would in the course of his own.

One would assume that Sutton might approach this awkward situation by displaying some amount of humbleness and gratitude to the players. After all, he has arguably wasted a year of their eligibility for his own gain. Sutton has repaid the players by routinely referring to them as “the worst team I have ever coached.”

Even if this is a true statement, it seems unnecessarily harsh. Sutton has brushed it off as mere honesty; a statement hard to believe when paired with the obvious lies about his motivations for being there. Some may claim that he is attempting reverse psychology, but this is granting Sutton a level of effort that he has simply not shown.

After eight games Sutton’s presence on the bench has led to a record of one and seven. With nine remaining games, the Dons losing the rest of the season may not require a concerted effort on their part. Players are not often so clearly in control of a coach’s legacy. The Dons should seize this opportunity to send their “coach” off the way he deserves, the way that every player who has ever had to endure a coach who was in it for all the wrong reasons has dreamed of doing.

Since getting his 799^th win, sports news organizations began writing articles in anticipation of number 800. For the first time, the Dons’ highlights are being shown on Sports Center. With each successive loss these highlights increase in awkwardness. As the season reaches its end, this awkwardness will likely work its way into a crescendo that will eclipse the excitement of any league championship. I can just imagine the talking heads of PTI and Around the Horn psychoanalyzing Sutton and the over/under on his sobriety.

In watching the final throws of Sutton’s career sports fans are being treated to a combination of the most pondered questions in sports: what weight should be placed on statistics, and when should an athlete retire? Sutton’s return and subsequent failure to reach 800 would be the barometer in which the selfish pursuit of statistics is gauged. If the Dons can do what Sutton has been unable to, put aside their own ego, they will become a sports story far more compelling than a coach with 800 wins instead of 798.

Daily Dribble: Tuesday Report Card

Shawn Siegel — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 12:20:40 -0800

The Report Card

A new series, the Daily Report Card tells you all you need to know about the day in college hoops. From good to bad and bad to worse, I'll be laying down the law.

A - DJ Augustin

Texas hasn't been playing their best ball of late, and if it wasn't for Augustin, they'd be on a 3-game losing streak. AJ Abrams has been throwing up bricks recently, but Augustin continues to come up clutch on the offensive end. He scored 26 last night, getting to the hole with ease, and occasionally knocking down a long-range bomb.

B - Saint Mary's

The Gaels continue to win games and are hanging around the periphery of the Top 25. They don't face Gonzaga for another couple weeks, so there's a good chance the wins will keep on coming. With that said, their three WCC wins have come at home, and trips to San Francisco are no walkovers. Unfortunately for SMC, one loss in these games will knock them out of the polls.

C - Davidson

The Wildcats are quietly 9-0 in Southern Conference play. Stephen Curry's scoring in bunches, Jason Richards is doing his thing handling the ball.. and another tournament bid is in sight. However, they still failed to win a decent non-conference game this year, so they won't rise above a C grade unless they beat someone good in postseason play.

D - Me

I'll give myself a low grade for not having much time to write today, and getting a shortened report card up late in the afternoon.

F - Scott Sutton

I'm not giving this grade because of his coaching. The Cowboys gave a good effort against Texas last night, and the program has a decent future. I give Sutton an F because he scares the hell out of me.. and I find him hard to look at. Every time you look over on the sideline, Sutton looks like he's on the verge of either a) a nervous breakdown or b) death.

Previous Best / Worst

January 21st - New York Giants / Marquette

January 20th - Maryland / ESPN.com editors

January 18th - Cleveland State / Marquette

January 17th - Drake / HP Laptops

January 14th - Roy Hibbert / Michigan State

January 10th - Tony Bennett / Saint Louis

January 9th - DJ White / CSTV

January 8th - Robert Morris / Schedule Makers

January 7th - Wayne Ellington / Illinois

January 6th - Herb Sendek / Kentucky

Picture of the Day: Eddie & Scott Sutton

Shawn Siegel — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 08:52:59 -0800

Picture of the Day

Thanks to our friends over at Icon Sports Media, we now have access to thousands of great college basketball photos to use on the site. Each day, CHN will feature a Picture of the Day, which might include a newsworthy, funny, or simply interesting subject. At the bottom will be a caption or headline that might be informative or amusing. The possibilities are endless!

Eddie & Scott Sutton

An older picture this afternoon, from better days when Eddie Sutton was a head coach at a top program, and his son Scott was an assistant. Last night, Eddie lost out on his chance to win 800 as San Francisco lost at Gonzaga, while his son's team lost a close affair to Texas. Combined, their two programs are 2-5 in conference play and both have little shot at postseason play.

- Check out recent Pictures of the Day!

Games of the Night: Texas at Oklahoma State

Shawn Siegel — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 08:41:54 -0800

Games of the Night

A companion to our daily Three Stars of the Day, we present the top three Games of the Night.

#19 Texas (14-3) at Oklahoma State (10-7)

9:00 PM ESPN

On a rather week night of games, this Big 12 battle gets top honors. Two weeks ago I would have said that the Longhorns would roll over OSU, but they've looked rather pedestrian in two previous conference games. They lost to Missouri on the road and barely put away lowly Colorado at home. Overall, Texas is 3-3 in their last six games. Oklahoma State has lost two straight, but still hasn't lost a true road game on the year. The Longhorns though have the better point guard and big men, a combination that should lead to a win.

Prediction: Texas

Niagara (11-5) at Marist (11-7)

7:30 PM

These teams come in tied for second in the MAAC at 5-2 apiece. Both teams are coming off road losses, though Niagara's loss to conference cellar-dweller Canisius hurts a bit more. Besides that loss to Canisius, the Purple Eagles haven't been too bad on the road this season, so you have to give them a chance. Still, Marist is unbeaten at home so they deserve the edge.

Prediction: Marist

Syracuse (13-6) at #6 Georgetown (14-2)

7:00 PM ESPN

On most other nights, this game wouldn't sniff the top three. But for whatever reason, most of tonight's two dozen games are completely lopsided affairs. So even though the Cuse have shown little reason they can hang with a Top 10 team on the road, there's nothing better out there.

Prediction: Georgetown

Previous Game of the Night (Predictions)

January 19th - Marquette at UCONN (2-1)

January 18th - Illinois State at Drake (2-1)

January 17th - Vanderbilt at Tennessee (2-1)

January 14th - Georgetown at Pittsburgh (2-1)

January 12th - Stanford at Oregon (3-0)

January 9th - Rhode Island at Dayton (2-1)

January 8th - Florida at Alabama (2-1)

January 7th - Robert Morris at Boston College (1-2)

January 6th - North Carolina at Clemson (2-1)

January 5th - Western Kentucky at South Alabama (3-0)

January 4th - American at Brown (0-3)

January 3rd - UCLA at Stanford (3-0)

January 2nd - Houston at UMASS (2-1)

Big 12: All-November

Jeff Fox — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 19:36:31 -0800
All of the Big 12 (minus Texas) breathed a sigh of relief at the end of last season when freshman terror Kevin Durant bolted to the NBA. Little did they know that a new phenom up in Manhattan was going to be terrorizing the league this season à la Durant. You’ll find that phenom – plus four other players quick out of the gates – on the Big 12 All-November team.

Guard – D.J. Augustin – Texas – SO

17.7ppg, 6.6apg, 2.1spg

Best game – Nov 23^rd – New Mexico St – 25 points, 10 assists, 4 steals

No Durant, no problem. The Longhorns are Augustin’s team now and he hasn’t disappointed, leading them to victories over #7 Tennessee and #1 UCLA. He’s also been unconscious from downtown, hitting 18 of 36 for three. Now, about those turnovers (4.3 per game)?

Guard – Mario Chalmers – Kansas – JR

13.3ppg, 4.6apg, 2.3spg

Best game – Nov 11^th – UMKC – 23 points, 6 assists, 4 steals

The defensive stud has led the deep Jayhawks to a perfect start, including dropping 20 points on ranked USC. Add his 48% from long range to his tenacious D and you’ve got yourself a handful.

Guard/Forward – James Anderson – Oklahoma St – FR

19.7ppg, 1.5spg, 16/36 3pts

Best game – Nov 9^th – Prairie View A&M – 29 points, 5 assists, 4 boards

Anderson is letting it be known that there is more than one standout freshman residing in the Big 12 this season. He currently leads the Cowboys in scoring, three’s made and is tied for the lead in blocks. Not bad for a frosh.

Forward – Michael Beasley – Kansas State – FR

26.7ppg, 15.0rpg, 1.6bpg

Best game – Nov 9^th – Sacramento St – 32 points, 24 boards, 4 blocks

The aforementioned phenom is none other than Mr. Beasley. While Kansas State hasn’t knocked off any teams of significance yet, Beasley has been a nightmare to opponents. Just look at his averages – ridiculous.

Center – Aleks Maric – Nebraska – SR

16.2ppg, 9.0rpg, 2.3bpg

Best game – Nov 17^th – Alabama A&M – 21 points, 16 boards, 4 blocks, 4 steals

It’s hard for a guy measuring in at 6’11” 270lbs to fly under the radar, but Maric does. One of the top players in the Big 12, he’s really picked up his D numbers so far, tripling his steals average from last season and doubling his blocks per game. Can he keep it up?

- Big East coming tomorrow -