Tennessee-Martin

State of '08: Tennessee

Shawn Siegel — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 09:22:22 -0700

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Duke or Carolina? BC or UMASS? Gonzaga or Washington.. or Washington State? What is the best program in each state? While there's not much competition in Hawaii.. there are great debates to be had in loaded regions like California, North Carolina, and Texas. The State of '08 is a ranking of every program in every state.. based mostly on recent success (the last five years) mixed in with subjective factors such as conference prestige, historical success, and overall program direction.

For more info, check out the State of '08 introduction.

TENNESSEE

MEMPHIS - Whatever blueprint John Calipari follows seems to work. In his eighth year at Memphis, the Tigers advanced to the National Title game after making back to back Elite Eights. At UMASS, it also took eight years for him to reach the Final Four.

TENNESSEE - The Vols are in the midst of a good run under Bruce Pearl, three NCAA Tournaments in a row including back to back Sweet Sixteen trips. Before Pearl arrived, Tennessee hadn't made the Tourney in five years.

VANDERBILT - Vandy has been a consistent winner the last five seasons under Kevin Stallings. There's been four 20-win seasons, 5 postseason trips, and a pair of Sweet Sixteen runs. After winning 26 games last year (the 2nd best in school history), the team's first round loss to Siena was a bit of a downer.

BELMONT - Long-time coach Rick Byrd is suddenly the leader of a mid-major power. Belmont has made three NCAA Tournaments in a row, and is once agan favored to win the Atlantic Sun in 08-09.

AUSTIN PEAY - Dave Loos is nearing 20 years at APSU, a time in which the Govs have consistently been one of the top teams in the OVC. In the last decade, there hasn't even been a sub-.500 finish in conference play. In the last six years, they've made 2 NCAA trips and one NIT.

6. MIDDLE TENNESSEE - Before Kermit Davis took over in 2002, MTSU was coming off a brutal season that included just 4 D1 wins. While Davis hasn't led the Blue Raiders to the Big Dance, the program has made amazing strides under his leadership. Last year, the team advanced to the Sun Belt finals, and many feel they are that league's team to beat in '09.

7. CHATTANOOGA - Just as Davidson is the current Southern Conference darling, Chattanooga was once the league's team to beat. The last decade has been a bit more pedestrian however, with just a lone tourney trip in 2005, though the team came close in '03 & '04 as well. The last few teams have been mediocre, with win totals boosted by playing an oddly high amount of D2 teams.

8. EAST TENNESSEE STATE - With the exception of a horrible 2005 campaign, ETSU has been one of the A-Sun's most consistent winners. In 2004, the Bucs won the league title, in 2007 they dominated the regular season before falling to Belmont in the finals, and they were solid once again in 2008.

9. TENNESSEE TECH - The Golden Eagles haven't won their conference tournament in over 40 years, but they've come close in the last decade. From 2000-2003, Tech was one of the best teams in the OVC but they couldn't get over the postseason hump. The last five years have been up and down however, and this year could be one of the downers.

10. LIPSCOMB - From 2002 to 2004, this was one of the country's worst program. But after those initial growing pains, this young program has made nice progress in the A-Sun. 2006 was the program's best season with 21 wins, a 143 RPI, and a close loss to Belmont in the conference title game. This year, expectations are a bit muted.

11. TENNESSEE STATE - In the early part of the decade, Tennessee State was one of the country's worst programs. But a lot of progress has been made, and last year was the first time in a decade that the Tigers won an OVC Tournament game. Not only did TSU win one game, but they made it to the conference championship.

12. TENNESSEE-MARTIN - Over the last 20 years, UTM has hovered between bad and worse, with only 2 winning seasons in that period. But last year was surprisingly mediocre with a 15-16 D1 record and 11-9 OVC finish. Now, there's suddenly high expectations for the first time, and some publications are projecting a league title.

* Note: An unfinished version of this article, with the wrong ranking (Lipscomb in 12th) was originally posted, but it has since been corrected.

Last: South Carolina - Next: Texas

State of '08: The Introduction (& State list/links)

NBA Draft: Nothing Wrong With Testing the Waters

Jason Brubaker — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 12:57:53 -0700

Nothing wrong with testing the waters..

With the deadline for underclassmen to pull out of the 2008 NBA Draft now passed, it’s time to look at who used, and who was used, by the system, The rule that allows players to “test the waters” has come under fire from some analysts in recent weeks, as players with no business declaring for the Draft have left college coaches and fan bases anxiously awaiting their final decisions.

ESPN’s Jay Bilas even wrote that the “testing the waters” rule needs to be eliminated, feeling that all of the kids who declare do so with the intention of staying in the draft, only returning to school if they were forced to. While I can’t necessarily disagree with that, it’s hard for me to say that the system isn’t working.

To illustrate that, simply look at the list of players returning for another year of school. North Carolina has to be considered the early title favorite, with Wayne Ellington, Ty Lawson and Danny Green all pulling out and returning to Chapel Hill for another season. Now, maybe all of them would have preferred to stay in the Draft, but now they return to school, knowing what they need to work on and where they need to show improvement for the 2009 draft. Where’s the harm in that?

Likewise, Arizona guard Chase Budinger declared for the draft, wasn’t able to get a good read on his stock, and decided to return for his junior season. How this does anything but help him is a mystery to me.

I understand the anxiousness caused by players declaring early, both amongst coaches and fans. North Carolina would have had a drastically different look if their terrific trio elected to stay in the draft, likely having to rely on incoming freshmen to carry a large load. Now, Coach Roy Williams knows he has an experienced, veteran group who enter the season sporting a large target. Not knowing who will be on the team in the fall can drastically alter a coach’s summer plans, be it on the recruiting path or even just in the gym, working out players.

But the rule also allows players to get honest feedback on their Draft status, adding another layer of protection to a high-risk process. Players now can declare, see where they stand, and return to school, having gained a knowledge of the process and an understanding of what they need to work on. If they were simply “in or out”, as some analysts would prefer, more and more players would be sure to slip through the cracks, becoming cautionary tales for future generations, following in the tradition of players like Omar Cook and Joe Forte. The draft is a risky endeavor for all parties, and any way to reduce that risk should be encouraged.

The system also is great for players at lower-profile schools, such as Lester Hudson at UT-Martin. A terrific scorer, Hudson was able to test his skills against a higher caliber of players than he faced during the season, giving him a better feel for his own skill set. Although he showed some potential, the process exposed holes in his game that he might never otherwise have found, and he returns to school a better player because of it. His name is also going to be on scouts’ radar all year now, and he has a chance to be a first-round pick in 2009.

I understand the process now encourages players who have no business declaring to give it a shot, hoping to catch fire in a couple workouts and convince a team to take a shot (i.e. Ronald Steele). But if the thought behind wanting to eliminate the rule is wanting to eliminate bad decisions…well that’s just not going to happen. Today’s players have too many friends, family members, runners, etc. whispering in their ears, telling them how good they are, and sad as it may be, that’s not changing anytime soon.

But as it stands now, kids are allowed to make a poor choice, and then reverse it. Today’s players can use the system to their advantage, and many of them did this year. There will always be poor decisions made by players who overestimate their own skill set – that’s not going to change no matter how many rules are put in place. IUPUI’s George Hill and USC’s Davon Jefferson, in my opinion, made poor choices staying in the draft, as neither will likely be a first rounder. But for guys like Hudson, Steele, the UNC trio, Budinger, Jeremy Pargo, Lee Cummard, Robert Dozier…the system worked great, and they will be better players because of it.

Lester Hudson: NBA Draft Profile

Shawn Siegel — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 07:26:32 -0700

Lester Hudson

College: Tennessee-Martin

Class: Junior

Position: SG

Height: 6’3”

Weight: 195lbs

Accolades: OVC Player of the Year (07-8), All-OVC First Team (07-08), OVC All-Newcomer Team (07-08), AP Honorable Mention All-American (07-08), CollegeHoops.net Mid-Major All-American (07-08)

Scouting Report: Late-blooming JUCO transfer who can light up the scoreboard.

Strengths: Big-time scorer. Averaged 25.7 ppg in just his first D1 season. Has made big strides every season since being a relative unknown in high school. Great length (over 6'9") for his size, and is physically superior to most prospects. Quality jumper, and shows more offensive diversity than most prospects. Has mid-range game and enough core strength to score when off-balance or coming off curls. Strong frame, especially if he can be molded into a point guard. Numbers didn't just come against small schools, but lit up Memphis for 35.

Weaknesses: Age - he'll be 23 on Draft day and is 3 to 4 years older than most serious prospects. Head - didn't graduate from high school or Junior College. Size - Many claim he's not even 6'3", though the length makes up for it. Position - Though a great scorer, Hudson isn't automatic from three (38%) and he's also not particularly adept at beating guys off the dribble and finishing at the pro level. Teams will probably try to mold him into a point guard, though his ball-handling skills and speed is only mediocre.

Projected 2008 Draft Range: Late first round to middle-second round pick.

Consensus: No doubt some team will take a chance on his natural scoring instincts and impressive physicality, hoping he develops ala Rodney Stuckey.

Stats: http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/player/profile?playerId=37439

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2008 CollegeHoops.net Mid-Major All-Freshman Team

CHN — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 17:56:03 -0700

Awards Week continues on CHN..

CollegeHoops.net Mid-Major Player of the Year: Patrick Mills (Saint Mary’s)

CollegeHoops.net Mid-Major All-Freshman Team

G: Patrick Mills (Saint Mary’s)

G: Marquis Weddle (UT-Martin)

G: Devin Gibson (Texas-San Antonio)

F: Tyrone Shelley (Pepperdine)

F: Matt Howard (Butler)

CollegeHoops.net Second Team Mid-Major All-Freshman

G: Vinnie McGhee (Sacramento State)

G: Darion Anderson (NIU)

G: Josh White (North Texas)

F: Omar Carter (Charleston Southern)

F: Malcolm Thomas (Pepperdine)

CollegeHoops.net Honorable Mention Mid-Major all-Freshman: Alvin Abreu (UNH), Nate Blank (Gardner Webb), Kenneth Faried (Morehead State), Rahmon Fletcher (UWGB), Jay Gavin (Marist), John Holland (Boston U), Rob Jones (San Diego), Mark Payne (UC Davis), Deonte Roberts (Milwaukee), Gerald Robinson Jr. (Tennessee State), Brian Rudolph (Loyola), Cameron Wells (The Citadel)

The CollegeHoops.net All-American teams are voted on by staff writers.

Check out all the: CHN 2007-08 Postseason Awards

All-Americans, All-Rookie, Top Coaches & more!

Three Stars of the Day: Weddle, Butler, Giddens

Shawn Siegel — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 09:51:15 -0800

We handpick the best performances of the day, whether it be stat lines that make you drool, or clutch performances. Either way, its our way of showing the love:

Marquis Weddle - Tennessee-Martin

In a triple-OT OVC tourney thriller, Weddle scored 39 points and hit big ft's down the stretch to seal the win

Jamar Butler - Ohio State

The Buckeyes needed all 25 of Butler's points as they beat Purdue in OT

JR Giddens - New Mexico

Had 17 points, 15 boards, and 5 assists in a rare Tournament-quality victory over UNLV

Other Top Performers

Michael Beasley - Kansas State - Just another ho hum 33 point, 14 rebound effort from the Beast

Bruce Carter - Murray State - The Racers advance din the OVC Tournament behind the senior's 24 & 12

Scott Cutley - Fullerton - His 8th double-double included 23 points and 11 boards

Previous Stars of the Day

March 4th - Joe Alexander, WVU

March 3rd - Kevin Love, UCLA

March 2nd - Tyrese Rice, BC

February 28th - Rob McKiver, Houston

February 26th - Shan Foster, Vanderbilt

February 25th - DJ Augustin, Texas

February 20th - OJ Mayo, USC

February 19th - Blake Griffin, Oklahoma

February 18th - John Bryant, Santa Clara

February 17th - Johnson/Teague, Wake Forest

February 15th - Tyrese Rice, Boston College

February 12th - J'Nathan Bullock, Cleveland State

February 10th - Tyler Hansbrough, UNC

February 9th - Hasheem Thabeet, UCONN

February 7th - Ronald Ramon, Pittsburgh

February 6th - Michael Beasley, Kansas State

February 4th - Todd Golden, Saint Mary's

February 3rd - Tyler Hansbrough, UNC

Three Stars of the Day: Hudson, Hamerling, Hines

Shawn Siegel — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 09:22:55 -0800

Three Stars of The Day

We handpick the best performances of the day, whether it be stat lines that make you drool, or clutch performances. Either way, its our way of showing the love:

Lester Hudson - Tennessee-Martin

His second honor of the week, as the high-scoring guard had 29 points and 10 boards in a win

Daven Hamerling - Washington State

Coming off the bench, the junior forward hit 7 of 10 shots to pace the Cougars with a season-high 19 points

Robert Hines - St. Francis (NY)

Helped the Terriers break a 9-game losing streak by scoring 23 points and hauling in 10 boards

Other Top Performers

Collin Davis - North Texas - His 30 points helped the Mean Green improve to a surprising 11-4 record

Shawn King - Oral Roberts - The senior center had is all-time best game with 21 points and 11 boards against IPFW

Maarty Leunen - Oregon - One of a trio of Ducks with at least 18 points, Leunen also added 11 rebounds and 3 assists

Previous Stars of the Day

January 9th - DJ White, Indiana

January 8th - Lester Hudson, Tennessee-Martin

January 7th - Wayne Ellington, UNC

January 6th - Shan Foster, Vanderbilt

January 5th - Damon Huffman, Brown

January 4th - Luke Harangody, Notre Dame

January 3rd - Damon Huffman, Brown

January 2nd - Martin Zeno, Texas Tech

November/December Star of the Day Archive

Three Stars of the Day: Hudson, Howard, Griffin

Shawn Siegel — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 07:17:11 -0800

Three Stars of The Day

We handpick the best performances of the day, whether it be stat lines that make you drool, or clutch performances. Either way, its our way of showing the love:

Lester Hudson - Tennessee-Martin

The nation's leading scorer put up 27 against Tennessee State, but more importantly hit the game-winning free throws with a second to go.

Matt Howard - Butler

Loyola couldn't handle the Bulldogs young big man, who scored 19 points on 6-10 shooting,

Blake Griffin - Oklahoma

Set a new career high with 26 points, albeit in a blowout win over Mount St. Mary's

Other Top Performers

Sollie Norwood - Texas Southern - Had his first double-double and also added 3 assists and 3 steals as the Tigers improved to 2-0 in the SWAC

Tim Pierce - San Jose State - Hit four threes as the improving Spartans improved to 7-7 on the season

Drew Shubik - Sacred Heart - Didn't do much scoring, but his 9 assist, 8 rebound, 3 steal was one of the night's better lines

Previous Stars of the Day

January 7th - Wayne Ellington, UNC

January 6th - Shan Foster, Vanderbilt

January 5th - Damon Huffman, Brown

January 4th - Luke Harangody, Notre Dame

January 3rd - Damon Huffman, Brown

January 2nd - Martin Zeno, Texas Tech

November/December Star of the Day Archive