Wichita State

State of '08: The Three-Program States

Shawn Siegel — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 08:47:27 -0700

What is the top D1 basketball program in each state.. and which program is the worst? 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 state by state ranking based mostly on recent success (the last five years) mixed in with subjective factors such as conference prestige, historical success, and overall program direction.

Up today: The four 3-program states.. followed by individual state articles. Note that 8 states have either one or no teams (Alaska). For more info, check out the State of '08 introduction.

THREE PROGRAM STATES

ARIZONA - Is the gap closing between one and two?..

Arizona - Last year was one of the more disappointing seasons in Wildcat history.. and it only looks to get worse with Bayless going pro and Jennings taking a year abroad in Italy. Still, down years for Arizona are good years for almost any other program, and their RPI of 38th still dominated ASU's RPI of 83.

Arizona State - Herb Sendek is leading a resurgent ASU program that actually finished ahead of Arizona in the conference standings (9-9 to 8-10). Still, ASU was coming off a couple seasons in which they were arguably no better than Northern Arizona.

Northern Arizona - Had this ranking been done last summer, NAU would have given ASU a run for its money. In 06 & 07, NAU dominated the Sun Devils in the computer polls. Despite coming off another solid 19-win season, the Lumberjacks still have to be considered the third fiddle in the Sun State, though #1 in terms of quality of their Mascot.

IDAHO - The Gem State is void of any basketball gems.

Boise State - From 2005 to 2008, the Broncos RPI has improved each season, from 201st to 87th. The improvement culminated in a 24-win season and a surprising trip to the NCAA Tournament. For the standards of Idaho, that's pretty heady stuff.

Idaho State - Despite being in a lesser conference than Idaho (the Big Sky), the Bengals have still managed more success over the last handful of years. In fact, ISU has beaten their in-state rival the last four seasons,

Idaho - One of the saddest programs in the country, Idaho would be more competitive again NAIA competition. Despite an RPI of 299, it was actually Idaho's best season in a couple years as they won 5 games in the WAC.

KANSAS - Putting the Rock in Chalk since 1898..

Kansas - National champions. One of the all-time great programs.. not much to say here.

Kansas State* - Before Bob Huggins came along, KSU was the Nebraska of its state.. always hovering around 110 or so in the RPI, never horrendous but never good. Huggins lured some big names to Manhattan, and though he's long gone, the momentum has carried into the Frank Martin era. While K-State has been better than WSU the last two seasons, it was just their first tournament win in 20 years.

Wichita State* - Mark Turgeon did a great job turning a dormant program back into a winner. WSU won at least 20 games in 04-05-06, and made the Sweet Sixteen in the last of those good seasons. But Turgeon is now at Texas A&M, and it remains to be seen what Gregg Marshall can do in Wichita. Though an improvement over last season's dismal 11-win, 199 RPI season is a lock.. anything more than .500 in the MVC would be overachieving.

* These two programs have had very similar success in the past 5 years. KSU's average RPI is 85.4 to 87.8 for WSU, while WSU has averaged 18 wins to 17 for KSU. But K-State gets an edge for being in a tougher conference, with more respect on the recruiting trail, and for having more historical success.

RHODE ISLAND - The Lamar Odom State

Providence - Since making the Big Dance in 2004, Providence has been going in the wrong direction and Tim Welsh finally lost his job after a promising start. Still, four postseason trips in 7 8** years still takes the cake in Rhode Island.

Rhode Island - URI topped Providence in ~~wins~~ RPI*** for the first time since 1999 thanks to the solid play of Will Daniels and Jimmy Baron. The 21 win season was a nice accomplishment considering the Rams won just 6 games as recently as 2005.

Brown - Perennially, one of the worst teams out there.. Brown is coming off its best season since about the time I was in kindergarten. 19 wins and an 11-3 Ivy record is impressive, but it will take an epic run to move them out of last on this list.

State of '08: The 7 Two-Program States Delaware, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, West Virginia

State of '08: The Introduction

2008-09 Wichita State Basketball Preview: #134

Joel Welser — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 08:22:54 -0700

Wichita State Shockers

Overall Rank: #134

Conference Rank: #7 Missouri Valley

2007-08: 11-20, 4-14, 9^th

2007-08 postseason: none

There is simply way too much talent and athleticism on this team for Wichita State to stay towards the bottom on the conference. Even if the team has some growing pains, by March they will be extremely dangerous. It is unrealistic to expect great things with this inexperienced team, but the expectations will build in a year or two. For now, the Shockers should forget about last year and start building towards future championships.

Who’s Out:

And with the top four scorers gone, there is plenty of rebuilding to be done by Coach Gregg Marshall. P.J. Couisnard was the heart and soul of the Shockers last year, leading the team with 13.4 points and adding 5.5 rebounds, 2.2 rebounds and 1.5 assists per contest. Matt Braeuer was the three-point specialist and the only other player to average double figures in scoring and Gal Mekel led the team in assists. Phillip Thomasson was the most effective post scorer and adding Lance Harris to that list, and Wichita State is looking for some new leaders and scorers.

Who’s In:

The newcomers will have to be ready to play from day one and as many as four of them could be starting sooner or later…mostly sooner. The backcourt needs the most help and Clevin Hannah, Reggie Chamberlain, Toure Murry and David Kyles will provide. Hannah can score in bunches and can handle the ball. At 6-0, he is a little small to be a two guard, but nobody will care as long as the junior college transfer can score with consistency. Chamberlain is a lot like Hannah…a 6-0 junior college guard who can play either the point or the off guard spot. Chamberlain has a smooth looking shot. Between Hannah and Chamberlain, whoever looks better bringing the ball up the court will run the point. The other could start at shooting guard. Either way, having a couple guys who can score and handle the ball, not to mention having some experience, will help immensely. Kyles is a great athlete and will compete for time on the wing, but the best of the newcomers is a transfer. A.J. Hawkins, a 6-5 wing, averaged 12.2 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists at St. Bonaventure during the 2006-2007 campaign. With one year on the sidelines in Wichita, Hawkins will be ready to become a team leader for the next two seasons. The newcomers in the frontcourt will have a little more time to adjust. Garrett Stutz and Ehimen Orukpe are both seven-footers. They will need some time to develop, but will be ready when the team needs them in a year or two.

Who to Watch:

Nearly all of the returning experience is in the frontcourt. Ramon Clemente led the Shockers with 7.9 rebounds per game during his junior campaign. He is also a decent scorer around the basket, but he will have to be even better this year. Fellow forward J.T. Durley is the better offensive weapon, coming off a freshman campaign where he averaged 7.0 points per game. Durley’s minutes were limited last year and he did not earn a start all season, but with a year of experience, Durley is expected to become a bigger contributor. And if he can double his minutes and double his scoring output, he will be one of the best scorers on the team. The problem is he cannot see that many minutes if he also doubles his fouls. With Mantas Griskenas and Aaron Ellis, the Shockers even have experienced backups in the frontcourt.

Final Projection:

How long will it take for all the new faces to start playing like a team? If it happens by November, Wichita State will be much better than expected. If it never happens, it will be another long year for Coach Gregg Marshall and the Shocker faithful.

Projected Post-season Tournament: none

Projected Starting Five:

Reggie Chamberlain, Sophomore, Guard DNP last season

Clevin Hannah, Junior, Guard, DNP last season

A.J. Hawkins, Junior, Forward, DNP last season

Ramon Clemente, Senior, Forward, 7.0 points per game

J.T. Durley, Sophomore, Forward, 7.0 points per game

Complete Top 144 Ranking | 2008-09 Preview & Awards | Coach Interviews | Discuss the Preview

Q&A: Wichita State Coach Gregg Marshall

Shawn Siegel — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 08:29:42 -0700

Perhaps it was a blessing in disguise when former coach Mark Turgeon left for Texas A&M. The Shockers ended up hiring Gregg Marshall, the man who led Winthrop to an impressive seven NCAA Tournaments in just nine years on the job. Marshall will have to prove his coaching mettle once again, taking over a program in flux:

CHN) Based on what you've been able to see from last year, what's the biggest improvement your team needs to get to the next level?

Gregg Marshall) I have seen some videotape from last year, but I was not here last year, obviously. I think we need more toughness, both physical and mental, from what I have gathered from our fall workouts.

CHN) Are you settled with your starting lineup? Expect any particular battles for the open spots?

GM) Absolutely not. Every position is open. I would hope that our five veterans who have competed at this level previously would assert themselves and become our top tier performers.

CHN) It might be hard to pick out one, but who is the most talented player you've ever coached?

GM) It would have to be a tie between Torrell Martin and Craig Bradshaw, two seniors I had at Winthrop last year.

CHN) Talk about one or two guys that stand out as being underrated components to the team's success?

GM) We have to get something from our two biggest post players who are not normally at the 5 position, Phillip Thomasson and J. T. Durley.

CHN) What do you think will be the hardest game on this year's schedule?

GM) It would have to be the game at Southern Illinois or at Creighton. They are two of the top Missouri Valley teams on the road.

CHN) Realistically, what should Wichita State fans and media expect from your team this year?

GM) Quite frankly, I have no idea at this point. Until we get on the court and start putting in our system and seeing these players play five on five, I would be hesitant to venture a guess on this.

Complete Top 144 Ranking | 2007-08 Preview & Awards | More Head Coach Interviews | Discuss the Preview

2007-08 Wichita State Basketball Preview

Joel Welser — Sat, 15 Sep 2007 06:47:37 -0700

Wichita State Shockers

Overall Rank: #64

Conference Rank: #4 Missouri Valley

2006-07: 17-14, 8-10, 6^th

2006-07 postseason: none

Wichita State lost its coach, three graduating seniors and a trio of transfers. All the turnover may cause some problems early in the season, but by the time the Shockers start taking on the Missouri Valley Conference, they will be nothing but dangerous. Coach Gregg Marshall can take the Shockers to the next level, but he will have to bring his team together very quickly if Wichita State wants to end up on top of the conference this year.

Who’s Out:

The Shockers have lost four of their top five scorers in Kyle Wilson, Sean Ogirri, Karon Bradley and Ryan Martin. Wilson led the way with 13.7 points and 5.2 rebounds. The forward’s ability to stretch the defense with his consistent outside shooting will be difficult to replace. Ogirri, who has opted to transfer, was the team’s most prolific outside shooter and averaged 9.5 points per game. Bradley, the dynamic wing, did a little bit of everything and Martin was an invaluable rebounding threat out of the backcourt. Chris Brown and Ryan Bradley are transferring after seeing limited action during the 2006-2007 campaign.

Who’s In:

The Shockers only have five guys on their roster who played for the team last year. That means this is a long list and some of them will have to be impact players sooner rather than later. The frontcourt has the most need and Ramon Clemente, Arbry Butler, J.T. Durley, Ehimen Orupke and Brett Burley will look to fill the void. Clemente was a dominating post scorer at the junior college level and earned Junior College Athletic Association Division I All-American third team honors last year. Clemente is a fine finisher and will work quickly under the basket and should at least be a serviceable option even while he is adjusting to the level of play. Butler needed to hit the weight room during his redshirt season, but he is a good athlete and can use his quickness to get around opposing power forwards. At 6-7, Durley is a bit shorter than Butler, but this redshirt freshman has the big body that Butler lacks. He is a solid scorer and a decent passer from the post. Orupke has a ton of potential. Right now the seven-footer can help on the glass and on the defensive end, but if he can develop an offensive game and learn Coach Marshall’s style, he will be a great player. Brett Burley is not really a frontcourt player. He is a big guy, but he has a nice shot and plays more like a slasher than a post player. A 6-7 wing is a nice mismatch in the MVC. Speaking of 6-7 wings, Wichita State has a couple more who are expected to make a big splash with Aaron Ellis and Mantas Griskenas. Ellis is a skilled athlete who can get to the basket and hit the outside shot with consistency. Griskenas is a hardworking, smooth shooting player who cannot be left on the bench for long. Graham Hatch will have to battle for minutes at the shooting guard position and walk-ons Lance Harris and Bret Michael will provide emergency depth.

Who to Watch:

If all was well in Shockerland, P.J. Couisnard would be playing the shooting guard position. Instead, he spent last season as a small forward, where he averaged 11.8 points per game and a team high 5.8 rebounds. Couisnard is not the greatest shooter in the world, or in Kansas, or on the team for that matter, but he will be the heart and soul of this year’s squad. If one of the newcomers (Griskenas or Ellis) proves that they deserve a starting role at small forward, Couisnard will be moved to the two. In the meantime, Gal Mekel will handle the duties. Mekel only started three contests during his freshman campaign but showed occasional times of productivity. Matt Braeuer returns to run the point after averaging 3.3 assists and just 1.2 turnovers per contest. He is also the best returning long range shooter on the team, which will not last long once the newcomers suit up, but he can at least keep the defense honest. Junior Wendell Preadom will provide backcourt depth along with the incoming players.

Final Projection:

Phillip Thomasson provided the lone interior threat last year and averaged 6.1 points and 3.7 rebounds. This year, WSU should have a bigger lineup on the floor and a couple of guards will not have to lead the team in rebounding. This group has a ton of potential and it all falls on Coach Marshall to pull the troops together and get them playing his brand of basketball. When that happens, nobody will want to face the Shockers.

Projected Post-season Tournament: NIT

Projected Starting Five:

Matt Braeuer, Senior, Guard, 6.1 points per game

Gal Mekel, Sophomore, Guard, 4.0 points per game

P.J. Couisnard, Senior, Guard, 11.8 points per game

Ramon Clemente, Junior, Forward, DNP last season

Phillip Thomasson, Senior, Forward, 6.1 points per game

Complete Top 144 Ranking | 2007-08 Preview | College Basketball Schedule | Discuss the Preview

Sean Ogirri Transfering to Wyoming

Jeff Borzello — Wed, 23 May 2007 15:09:36 -0700

MVC Weekly Notebook: Tourney Time

David Merchant — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 00:00:00 -0800

After a rugged 18-game conference schedule, the Southern Illinois Salukis are the 2007 Missouri Valley Conference Champions. SIU closed out the regular season by winning their fifth conference title in the last 6 years and will
enter the conference tournament as one of the top non-BCS teams in the nation at 25-5. The Salukis appear to be in line for a very favorable NCAA Tournament seed, one that could be in the top 4. The Creighton Bluejays finished second, 2 games behind SIU, and the Bluejays saw their chances at a conference title fade away as they went 0-2 against SIU. Missouri State finished 12-6 in league play for the second consecutive year and will enter the conference tournament as the 3 seed. The Bradley Braves finished fourth at 10-8 followed by Northern Iowa at 9-9. Wichita State, last years MVC regular season champion, finished in a disappointing sixth place at 8-10. Illinois State, Evansville and Drake all finished in a tie for seventh at 6-12, with the Redbirds winning a tiebreaker for the #7 seed at the conference tournament. After starting 4-1, the Indiana State Sycamores ended the season in dead last with a 5-13 league mark.

After winning the regular season crown, the Southern Illinois Salukis continued their climb in the national polls released Monday. SIU jumped from #13 to #11 in the AP Poll and the Salukis are also ranked #11 by the coaches in the USA Today / ESPN Coaches Poll after coming in at #14 last week. Creighton, the runner-up to SIU, was the only other MVC team to receive votes this week. The Bluejays received 12 votes in the USA Today / ESPN Coaches Poll, good for a #33 ranking.

The Missouri Valley Conference, currently with a #6 ranking in the RPI as a conference, appears to be in good shape this season to get three teams into the Big Dance. The Salukis however, will be the only team to enter the conference tournament as a “lock” to make the NCAA Tourney, as both Creighton and Missouri State need to win their quarterfinal games to enhance their resumes. The Bluejays and Bears, both currently in the top 40 in the RPI, appear to be at-large worthy and a win by both teams in their quarterfinal games will all but assure both teams of a tourney appearance. A loss by either team in the quarterfinals could send them packing to the NIT. The Bears failed to reach the semifinals last season, fell out of at-large status and were left out of the Big Dance despite a lofty RPI. It’s simple, win and get to the semifinals. And, the Bluejays and Bears have to like their chances.

The Missouri Valley Conference Tournament gets under way this Thursday from the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, MO. The tournament dubbed “Arch Madness,” is sure to be a dandy. SIU will look to become repeat champions and the first #1 seed to walk out with the league’s automatic NCAA Tournament berth since 1998. However, don’t just crown SIU the champs. The rest of the league will be vying for the all-important automatic bid and SIU will get the league’s best shot. If exciting college basketball is what gets your blood flowing, tune in this weekend to the always-entertaining MVC Tournament.

Game of the Week – #13 Southern Illinois at Indiana State, Tue Feb. 20, Hulman Center, Terre Haute, Indiana

The Southern Illinois Salukis knew all they had to do was win and the 2007 Missouri Valley Conference Championship would be theirs out-right. It was easier said then done Wednesday night in Terre Haute but the Salukis weren’t about to let everything they had worked for slip out of their grasp. SIU battled back from a 2-point halftime deficit and held on to beat Indiana State 58-50 and in doing so won the MVC. The Salukis have now won or shared 5 of the last 6 conference championships. Despite entering the contest having lost 4 straight games and in last place in the conference, the Indiana State Sycamores gave it their all and almost pulled off the biggest upset of the conference season. ISU built a 5-point advantage after a bank shot by Trent Wurtz at the 14-minute mark but SIU responded with a 10-2 run giving SIU a three-point lead with 7 minutes to play. SIU would never relinquish the lead and they would go on to beat ISU, earning the number 1 seed for this weekend’s conference tournament. Jamal Tatum and Tony Young each had 15 points as SIU shot 44 percent from the floor while holding Indiana State to just 35 percent. Marcio Stinson was the only Sycamore in double figures with 17 points. The Salukis will now head to St. Louis with their 25-5 record and the role of team to beat in the MVC Tournament. If SIU can become the first number one seed to win the tourney title since 1998, the Salukis could be heavily rewarded come Selection Sunday. With a tournament championship on their resume, SIU could land a # 2 seed in the Big Dance.

Game of the Upcoming Week – Missouri Valley Conference Tournament Championship Game, Sun. March. 4, Scottrade Center, St. Louis, Missouri at 1 p.m. on CBS

The Missouri Valley Conference will take center stage this Sunday when the league will host its conference tournament championship game on CBS. The Southern Illinois Salukis have to be the favorite this year to be the ones holding up the signs at center court on Sunday that read “Missouri Valley Champs”. The Salukis stormed through the regular season with a 15-3 conference record and enter Arch Madness with an 11 game winning streak. Top challengers would appear to be Creighton, the #2 seed and Missouri State, the #3 seed. The Salukis, during the regular season, however, swept both teams. And don’t rule out Bradley, who made an impressive run last year to the tournament final as the #5 seed, and Wichita State, who was ranked as high as #8 nationally this year. If these two teams can get on a roll, they have the talent and ability to win the tournament. Very rarely do the seeds hold to be true, but this year will be the exception. Southern Illinois, Creighton, Missouri State and Bradley, the top 4 seeds, will all make it to the semifinals Saturday. From here, it’s anybody’s guess, but Southern Illinois is to strong and Nate Funk has always played well in St. Louis and on Sunday the Salukis will battle the Bluejays with the league’s automatic berth on the line. SIU will defeat the Bluejays for the third consecutive time this season and enter the NCAA Tournament on a 14 game winning streak. The Salukis will likely receive a top 4 seed, possibly as high as # 2. SIU will have tons of momentum entering the Big Dance and they have the talent to make it very deep run into March.

Prediction – Southern Illinois over Creighton – 58-50

Player of the Week – Randal Falker, Jr., C – Southern Illinois

The recent emergence of junior center Randal Falker has been a big reason why SIU has climbed into the Top 15 of the national polls and just recently captured their fifth conference title in the last 6 years. Falker was a man among boys Saturday night in the Salukis win over Evansville as he put his team on his back and carried them to victory. Falker hit 13-of-15 shots from the floor while scoring a career-high 30 points while grabbing a game high 7 rebounds. In the Salukis conference championship-clinching win over Indiana State Wednesday, Falker had just 4 points but he took only 3 shots. Falker continued to be a force down low, however, as he grabbed a team high 10 rebounds. The only glitch in Falker’s game, which could prove to be costly in close tournament games, is his free throw shooting as he made just 6-of-15 attempts this past week. Falker is dominating on both ends of the floor and he is currently second on the team in scoring with 13 points per game while leading the team in rebounding, averaging 7 boards a game. When Falker his playing to the best of his ability, the Salukis are almost unstoppable. SIU needs to Falker to continue his solid play if they look to bring the MVC Tournament title to Carbondale.

Team Capsules

1. Southern Illinois (25-5, 15-3) Last Week: 1st

The Southern Illinois Salukis wrapped up the 2007 Missouri Valley Conference regular season championship Wednesday night when they defeated Indiana State 58-50 in Terre Haute. The Salukis have won or shared 5 of the last 6 regular season Valley Championships and in doing so have made a name for themselves on the national scene as one of the top mid-majors in the country. Despite trailing by 2 at the half to the Sycamores, the Salukis, who only had 6 buckets in the first half, played like champions in the second half as they held on to beat ISU behind 15 points from Tony Young and Jamal Tatum. The Saluki defense was once again outstanding as they held ISU to just 35 percent shooting. SIU then extended its winning streak to 11 games Saturday night when they knocked off Evansville, the same Ace team that beat them earlier this season, 76-69. Junior Randal Falker wasn’t going to let this years SIU seniors, who have accomplished so much, go out with a loss. Falker scored a career-high 30 points while grabbing a team high 7 rebounds as SIU avenged their earlier loss to Evansville. Young added 17 and Tatum had 15 in their final home game of their career. The Salukis will open up MVC Tournament action as the #1 seed Friday at noon when they face the winner of Thursday’s Evansville / Drake game. SIU will have no trouble moving on to the semis and even though no top seed has won the conference tournament since 1998, you’ve got to like the Salukis chances as they enter tournament action on an 11 game winning streak. A tournament championship will greatly enhance the Salukis chance at a top 4 seed in the Big Dance.

2. Creighton (19-10, 13-5) Last Week: 2nd

The Bluejays surprising home loss to Drexel in last Saturdays BracketBuster Event hung around a little longer than the Bluejays would have liked as they lost for the second consecutive time Tuesday, falling to Illinois State 65-55 in Normal, Illinois. The loss ended the Bluejays slim conference championship hopes and may have even put a damper on the Jays at-large hopes. If the Jays can get hot in St. Louis they’ll stay in the Big Dance mix. Creighton jumped out to a 10-point halftime lead and appeared to be coasting before the Redbirds made a stunning second half comeback. The Redbirds outscored CU 40-20 in the second half and went on to hand the Jays their fifth conference loss. Nate Funk led the Bluejays with 16 points and Anthony Tolliver added 12 points and 9 rebounds. Creighton however, bounced back and picked up a solid win Saturday to avoid entering the conference tournament on a three game skid. CU beat Wichita State, avenging an earlier loss to the Shockers, 71-54 at the Quest Center on Senior Night. The Bluejays were deadly from beyond the arc as they hit 56 percent of their three point attempts as they jumped all over the Shockers and coasted to a 15 point win. Nick Porter had 17 points and Funk added 16 as the Bluejays finished conference action 13-5. The Bluejays will enter the MVC Tournament as the 2 seed despite losing 3 out of their last 5 games to close out the regular season. Creighton will get the winner of the 7-10 match up between Illinois State and Indiana State. The Bluejays should have no trouble beating the winner of that game Friday and moving on to the semifinals where they’ll face either Missouri State or Wichita State. Creighton has the ability to make the championship game so don’t be surprised if they are playing for the league’s automatic bid Sunday afternoon on CBS.

3. Missouri State (21-9, 12-6) Last Week: 3rd

After losing 2 home games last week, the Missouri State Bears found themselves on the “bubble” for the NCAA Tournament. When faced with adversity, good teams respond and that’s just what the Bears did, picking up 2 wins this past week and putting themselves right back in the NCAA Tournament mix. Tuesday night, the Missouri State Bears did something they hadn’t done since 1996 when they beat Wichita State in Wichita. The Bears got 18 points from Nathan Bilyeu and 17 from Blake Ahearn as the Bears beat the Shockers 71-65 and in doing so completed the season sweep of Wichita State. Despite shooting just 42 percent from the field, the Bears were on fire from the three-point arc hitting 11-of-27 attempts, which proved to be the difference in the game as MSU was out rebounded 40-28. The Bears then picked up their second win of the week, a 92-74 win over Drake Saturday night and will now enter the MVC Tournament with some momentum. Blake Ahearn scored 24 points in his final home game in a Bear’s uniform and he also hit 4 threes giving him the school record for threes in a career. Ahearn hit 267 three points shots during his tenure as a Bear. The Bears were once again on fire all night long as they hit 55 percent of their shots and 42 percent of their three point attempts. The Bears have made the conference tournament final in 2 of the last 3 years, but have come up just short in both instances. It’s never easy to beat the same team 3 times in a season but the Bears will get that chance when they play Wichita State Friday night. The Bears should get past the Shockers and in doing so almost lock up an NCAA at-large berth. Missouri State could make a run at the tourney title but they are 0-4 against SIU and CU. The Bears will likely fall in the semifinals.

4. Bradley (20-11, 10-8) Last Week: 4th

Entering this week’s action the Bradley Braves were on everybody’s radar as a possible NCAA Tournament at-large team. The Braves didn’t help out their cause Tuesday night when they fell to UNI, but don’t count out the Braves just yet. If they can get hot in St. Louis, just like they did last year, and reach the tournament final, they may find themselves right back in the at-large picture come Selection Sunday. Bradley opened up last week with a very damaging loss, a 79-70 setback to Northern Iowa. The Braves jumped out to a 7-point halftime lead but then they allowed UNI to shoot a remarkable 78 percent from the floor in the second half as the Panthers came back and handed the Braves a 9-point loss. Daniel Ruffin had a game-high 20 points and 9 assists and Zach Andrews had 14 points and 12 rebounds in a losing effort. The Braves however, bounced back Saturday as they closed out the regular season with a 74-58 win over Indiana State and in doing so locked up a fourth place finish in the MVC. Jeremy Crouch led 5 Bradley players in double figures with 13 points. After only leading by 4 at the half, the Braves caught fire in the second half, outscoring ISU 40-28 as they coasted to their tenth conference win of the year. The Braves won’t have to wait long to get revenge on the Panthers for their loss last week. Bradley opens up tournament action Friday with a game against UNI. Bradley gets past the Panthers before losing to SIU in the semifinals.

5. Northern Iowa (18-12, 9-9) Last Week: 6th

After losing eight of their last nine games entering this past week, the Northern Iowa Panthers season looked to be slipping away. However, the Panthers bounced back last week picking up 2 very important conference wins and will now enter the MVC Tournament with a little momentum. If this team can get hot, they could be very dangerous in St. Louis, but they must be able to make their outside shots because when they can’t, they are in trouble. UNI opened the week with a solid 79-70 win over Bradley, led by Brooks McKowen and Travis Brown who each had 15 points. UNI trailed by 7 at the break but shot 78 percent from the floor in the second half as they picked up the win. The Panthers also hit 8-of-10 three-point shots in the game and showed they can be deadly from beyond the arc. Grant Stout and Eric Coleman each recorded a double double in the Panthers victory over the Braves. UNI then closed out the regular season Saturday with a 71-66 win over Illinois State. Stout, the Missouri Valley Player of the Week, had 19 points and 9 rebounds and Coleman added 15 points and 7 rebounds as they reasserted themselves as they top frontcourt duo in the conference heading into the MVC Tournament. UNI once again was solid from outside hitting 40 percent of their threes and they ended MVC action at 9-9. The Panthers will open tournament play Friday with an afternoon contest against Bradley. The Braves are the better team and will likely send UNI packing, but the Panthers played solid last week and could give the Braves fits. The Panthers however, had a solid year, despite their recent skid, and they will most likely be headed to the NIT after a loss to the Braves.

6. Wichita State (17-13, 8-10) Last Week: 5th

It’s been a strange year for the Wichita State Shockers, but with a solid showing at the MVC Tournament, the Shockers could resurrect what has been a very disappointing second half of the season. The Shockers rose all the way to #8 in the polls after a solid non-conference portion of the season but they then went 8-10 in MVC action and will now likely be playing in the NIT instead of the Big Dance for the second consecutive year. The Shockers picked the wrong time to fade as they have now lost 4 consecutive games as they head into St. Louis this weekend. The Shockers opened up play last week looking to end their two game skid but the Missouri State Bears come into Koch Arena and beat the Shockers on their own floor 71-65 for the first time since 1996. The Shockers out shot and out rebounded the Bears but they were just 9-of-20 from the free throw stripe and the Bears hit 11 three point baskets which proved to be the difference. Kyle Wilson and Karon Bradley each had 17 points in the loss. The Shockers then closed out the season Saturday with their fourth loss in a row, a 71-54 setback at the hands of Creighton. PJ Couisnard led the Shockers with 16 points and 12 rebounds. The Shockers will take the court at the Scottrade Center Friday night when they take on the Missouri State Bears. The Shockers have fallen to MSU twice this season, but they are good enough to win this game. However, Wichita State’s recent struggles will continue and their season will end with a quarterfinal loss in the MVC Tournament. The Shockers will likely be headed to the NIT.

7. Illinois State (15-15, 6-12) Last Week: 8th

The Illinois Sate Redbirds will enter the Valley Tournament this weekend having won 3 of their last 4 games. ISU picked up a very solid win Tuesday night when they beat the second place Creighton Bluejays 65-55 at Redbird Arena. After trailing by 10 at the break, the Redbirds went on numerous runs in the second half, led by the MVC Newcomer of the Week Osiris Eldridge who scored all 18 of his points in the second frame and ISU outscored CU 40-20 in the second half. The Redbirds used a 14-4 run to start the second half to tie the game and later went on a 15-5 run to distance themselves from the Jays. Levi Dyer added 12 points as the Redbirds won their sixth conference game of the year. The Redbirds however, saw their three game winning streak come to an end Saturday as they fell in their final game to Northern Iowa 71-66. Dyer had 17 points and Greg Dilligard had 12 points and 9 rebounds. The Redbirds will play the second opening round game Thursday night in St. Louis when they’ll battle the 10th seeded Indiana State Sycamores. Illinois State should have no trouble with the Sycamores and they’ll advance to the quarterfinals to take on Creighton. The Redbirds beat the Jays last week, but that won’t happen again. ISU’s season will end when they fall to Creighton on Friday at the MVC Tournament.

8. Evansville (14-16, 6-12) Last Week: 7th

The Evansville Purple Aces picked the wrong time to lose two games and the Aces, after falling in their final two games of the season last week, will now enter the MVC Tournament this weekend reeling. Evansville opened up last week with a hard fought 82-79 loss to Drake in Des Moines. After trailing 61-44 with just over 12 minutes top play the Aces went on a 16-1 run to get within 2 points but they couldn’t get over the hump. Jason Holsinger hit 8-of-12 three pointers on his way to a career high 29 points. Matt Webster added 15 points and 7 rebounds as the Aces split the regular season series with Drake. The Aces then had a very tough challenge Saturday night as they closed out the year with a visit to SIU for the Salukis Senior Night. The Aces hung around all night but the Salukis showed why they are ranked #11in the country as they avenged an earlier loss to the Aces by the score of 76-69. Webster led the Aces with 21 points as the Aces lost despite shooting over 50 percent from the floor and from three-point land. Of the four teams playing opening round games on Thursday at the MVC Tournament, the Evansville Purple Aces, despite entering the tournament as the 8 seed, are the most dangerous team of the four. The Aces own wins over Missouri State and Southern Illinois in conference play and if they can get hot from three-point land they could surprise some people in St. Louis. The Aces kick off the tournament Thursday with a game against Drake, a game they should have no trouble winning. The Aces will then give SIU all they can handle again Friday before falling in a very close game to the #1 seeded Salukis.

9. Drake (16-14, 6-12) Last Week: 10th

The Drake Bulldogs will enter this week’s Valley Tournament having won 4 of their last 6 games. Drake opened up last week with a solid 3-point win over Evansville Wednesday night. Drake jumped out to an 11-point halftime advantage and survived a late 16-1 run by Evansville to hold on for the 82-79 victory, their sixth conference win of the year. Nick Grant led the Bulldogs with 25 points on 9-of-15 shooting and Ajay Calvin added 16 points as the Bulldogs forced the Aces into committing 13 turnovers while only committing 6 themselves. The Bulldogs then closed out their regular season with a trip to Missouri State to take on the Bears who had not lost in 17 consecutive games on Senior Night. That streak ran to 18 as the Bulldogs fell to the Bears for the second time this season 92-74. Drake is 0-8 against the Bears in the last four years under coach Tom Davis. Calvin led the Bulldogs with 19 points and 9 rebounds as the Bulldogs got run off the floor by the Bears in the second half. The Bulldogs will open tournament action Thursday when they take on the Evansville Purple Aces. The two teams split their regular season series, with Drake beating Evansville just this past week. This time though the Drake Bulldogs will be on the short end of the stick as their season will come to a close as they’ll fall to the Aces in St. Louis. Despite their opening round loss to Evansville, it was still a very solid year for the Bulldogs as they finished the season with their first winning record in 20 years

10. Indiana State (12-17, 5-13) Last Week: 8th

The Indiana State Sycamores, after starting MVC play 4-1, and being one of the early surprises in the Valley, proceeded to go 1-12 in their final 13 conference games and wound up finishing in dead last in the conference standings. Indiana State had an opportunity Tuesday night to pull off one of the biggest upsets of the conference season when they hosted Southern Illinois as the Salukis looked to win the conference title outright. The Sycamores hung close for most of the game but SIU pulled away and beat ISU 58-50. The Sycamores had a 2-point halftime lead but SIU outscored ISU by 10 in the second half and held on for the 8 point win. Marcio Stinson was the only ISU player in double figures as he had 17 points. The Sycamores shot just 35 percent from the floor in the loss. ISU then closed out the regular season with a 74-58 loss to Bradley, their sixth consecutive loss. ISU was within 4 at the half but they allowed Bradley to shoot 49 percent from the floor in the second half and the Braves pulled away handing the Sycamores their 13th conference loss. Jay Tunnell had 14 points and Gabe Moore added 10. The Sycamores will likely be one and done at the MVC Tournament in St. Louis this weekend. The Sycamores open play with Illinois State Thursday night and the Redbirds should be able to dispatch the Sycamores rather easily. Indiana State’s season will end in St. Louis and they’ll return home with a 12-18 overall record and a bitter taste in their mouth after a very disappointing season that started so promising.

Expert Picks: #4 OSU at MSU..

CHN — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 07:59:01 -0800

Experts Picks

CHN experts predict four of the weekend's biggest games every Friday

#24 Kentucky at Arkansas

Saturday, 1:05

Southern Illinois at Wichita State

Saturday, 2:05, ESPN2

#4 Ohio State at Michigan State

Saturday, 4:00, CBS

#8 Texas A&M at #6 Kansas

Saturday, 9:00, ESPN

Jeff Borzello

SEC West teams have 4 wins vs. the SEC East (3 by Auburn). This will be the fifth, as Arkansas will outrun Kentucky.

Arkansas

The Shockers are back in the at-large mix, but I don't know if they will be able to handle SIU's defense.

Southern Illinois

Rematch of last week. With the Spartans at home, they will get off to a quick start (finally) and get the victory.

Michigan State

While both are legit Final Four contenders, Big 12 South teams don't win in Lawrence. It's simple.

Kansas

Jason Brubaker

Wildcats have had trouble in the past at Arkansas, but will ride Morris and Crawford to victory after a week to prepare. Cats defense will lock up the Hogs guards.

Kentucky

4 of 5 losses for Southern Illinois on the road, while Shockers are returning home after two straight road wins.

Wichita State

Oden and company simply too much for Spartans. Michigan State will keep it close for a while, but Buckeyes will build the lead and keep it this time

Ohio State

Jayhawks have enough athletes to handle the A&M pressure, plus a rocking Fieldhouse will be a boost. Julian Wright is a nightmare match-up, look for him to have a big game.

Kansas

Shawn Siegel

Two weeks ago, I picked UK at Georiga and got burnt. Wont make the same mistake again.

Arkansas

A win and WSU can start talking tournament once again.. I think they'll be firmly in the picture by tonight.

Washington State

Neitzel's blistering hot 2nd half last time around hid the fact Ohio State is twice as talented as the Spartans.

Ohio State

A&M still hasn't beaten a decent team on the road this year (unless you like Baylor). The streak continues.

Kansas

Eric Silver

Kentucky’s not quite as good as its record indicates; Arkansas is better than its record indicates. At home, the Razorbacks over the Wildcats.

Arkansas

The Salukis are at the top of the MVC, but the Shockers will avenge their loss at Carbondale earlier this year to run their winning streak to four.

Wichita State

Logic dictates that since MSU lost by two points at OSU last week, the Spartans will beat the Buckeyes at home. Forget logic. OSU in a nail-biter.

Ohio State

On a neutral court, I’d take the Aggies; in Lawrence, it’s hard to go against the Jayhawks. In the best game of the day, Kansas pulls it out.

Kansas

Jason Tomassini

A couple weeks ago I’d pick the Cats in a heartbeat. But their recent skid and the fact that Arkansas needs this one bad changes things.

Arkansas

I’m almost too shocked (no pun intended) that this game will be on TV to make a pick. Since I must, Wichita seems to be regaining their confidence and has the home court.

Wichita State

Don’t tell anyone, but the Greg Oden hype machine is slowing down. He might not get 37 and 23, but I’d say he’s due for a statement game.

Ohio State

Tough one, but I’ll take Kansas’ athletes and the home court. I wouldn’t put my money anywhere near this one.

Kansas

Predicting Record

Brubaker (13-7), Siegel (9-11), Borzello (8-12), Silver (7-1), McNeill (7-5), Tomassini (4-4)

* Ed: Oregon dropped to 6-2 before this was published.

Check the archive of Expert Predictions.

Wichita State Back on Track, Wins at UNI

Press Release — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 21:16:34 -0800

Cedar Falls, Iowa – Kyle Wilson scored a game-high 24 points and grabbed eight rebounds to lead Wichita State to a 67-61 win over the University of Northern Iowa Tuesday night in the McLeod Center. WSU improved to 15-8 overall, 6-6 in the Missouri Valley Conference, while UNI dropped its third straight game and fell to 15-7, 6-5 in the Valley.

UNI’s powerful inside duo of Grant Stout (New Sharon, Iowa) and Eric Coleman (Maplewood, Minn.) each posted a double-double, and brought the Panthers from way back to nearly earn the win. Stout had 22 points and a game-high 13 rebounds, while Coleman scored 19 points and grabbed 10 boards.

Wichita State jumped out to a 12-2 lead to start the game, as UNI missed eight of its first nine shots from the floor. UNI point guard Brooks McKowen (Fairbank, Iowa) scored five points during a 9-2 run that pulled the Panthers within 14-11, but WSU quickly extended its advantage back to 22-13.

A Jared Josten (Webster City, Iowa) three-pointer pulled the Panthers back within 22-18 with 7:32 left, but WSU went on a 13-1 run to open it largest lead of the game, 35-19, with just under three minutes left. The Shockers held a 41-26 lead at halftime, after hitting 52 percent of their field goals in the first 20 minutes, including 7-for-11 from three-point range. Conversely, UNI managed just 29 percent shooting in the first half, 2-for-13 on treys.

The Shockers maintained a double-digit lead for the first 10 minutes of the second half, before the Panthers came roaring back. Trailing 55-42 with 9:38 left in the game, Stout and Coleman combined for eight of the team’s next 10 points, and the Panthers pulled as close as three, 57-54, with 3:51 remaining, after a pair of Josten free throws.

On the next possession, UNI forced a WSU miss and Stout was fouled, but he missed the front end of a one-and-one opportunity. WSU’s Wilson then hit one of two free throws, and after UNI missed two threes that would have pulled it within one, Wilson nailed a trey from the right wing that put the Shockers up 61-54 with just over a minute to play. Wichita State hit all six of its free throws in the final minute to seal the 67-61 win.

Josten added 13 points for the Panthers, while McKowen had a game-high nine assists. UNI turned the ball over a season-low six times, but shot a season-worst 36.1 percent from the floor, including 6-for-26 from three-point range. WSU finished with 47 percent field goal shooting, and was 9-of-15 from behind the arc.

- www.unipanthers.com -

Illinois State Beats Wichita State

Press Release — Thu, 18 Jan 2007 20:01:01 -0800

NORMAL, Ill. — Junior Levi Dyer scored 20 points, including a perfect 4-for-4 from three-point land, as the Illinois State men’s basketball team defeated Wichita State 83-75 in a Missouri Valley Conference game Thursday night at Redbird Arena. Dyer became the first player this season to tally 20-plus points in consecutive games, and it marked the first time in Dyer’s career that he reached the 20 point plateau in back-to-back games.

Head coach Porter Moser secured his 100th career coaching victory, leading the Redbirds to its first win over the Shockers since January, 2002.

The Redbirds (10-9, 2-6 MVC) reached the 80-point mark for the first time since January 22, 2005, in an overtime win at Creighton. The ‘Birds also had four players reach double figures, as freshman Osiris Eldridge (16 points), junior Anthony Slack (14 points) and senior Greg Dilligard (10 points) all chipped in for the win.

The Shockers (12-7, 3-5 MVC) were led by senior Kyle Wilson, who scored a game-high 27 points on 7-for-12 shooting. Wichita State had three players reach double-digits in points, as P.J. Couisnard and Ryan Martin scored 15 and 14 points, respectively.

The first half began with both teams trading baskets until Wichita State was able to take an early lead at 10-5, courtesy of a layup from Ryan Martin at the 12:45 mark. The ‘Birds knotted the score at 10 when Dom Johnson hit a leaning jumper at 11:52; however, ISU and WSU traded baskets again until a layup in traffic from Slack gave the Redbirds a 19-17 advantage with 8:01 remaining.

The Redbirds were able to pull ahead, 30-22, when they went on a 13-5 scoring run that spanned just under five minutes. The run was sparked by sophomore Mike Vandello, who had five points. However, the Shockers went on a 7-4 spurt to close the gap at the half, 34-29.

Dyer led the ‘Birds with 10 points on 4-for-5 shooting, including 2-for-2 from beyond the arc in the opening period. Wichita State’s Martin led all scorers with 12 points and six rebounds. The Redbirds were able to get a push from their bench, as Illinois State outscored Wichita State 11-3. The Redbirds’ 34 points were also a season-high mark for a half in Valley play.

The second half began similar to the opening frame, as both the Redbirds and Shockers traded early buckets. It wasn’t until a 10-3 run by the ‘Birds that ISU was able to take a 54-45 advantage on a three pointer from Eldridge with 9:34 remaining, forcing a Shocker timeout. Wichita State was able to re-group and cut into the ‘Birds’ lead on a 7-2 run, paced by three points from guard Matt Braeuer, with the Redbirds clinging to a 54-52 lead with 8:16 left.

The ‘Birds took their largest lead of the game after Slack hit two free throws and Illinois State built a 10-point lead at 67-57 at the 4:22 mark. They matched the 10-point lead at 70-60 after Slack hit a layup and was fouled by the Shockers’ Wilson, nailing the subsequent free throw. Wilson committed his fifth foul during the play and fouled out with 27 points.

The Shockers rallied once again to cut the margin to 76-72 with 55.8 seconds remaining. But, after the Shockers regained possession on a jump ball, Gal Mekel attempted a shot that was blocked by Slack and sparked a fast break in which Boo Richardson converted an uncontested layup to put the game out of reach.

WSU Gets Back on Track at Creighton

Press Release — Tue, 16 Jan 2007 00:00:00 -0800

Wichita, Kan. – Kyle Wilson had a career-high with 25 points, leading Wichita State to a 62-59 victory over visiting Creighton in MVC action on Monday night. The win improves the Shockers to 12-6 (3-4 MVC), while Creighton fell to 11-6 (5-2 MVC) with the setback.

Wilson carried the Shockers in the first half. He made eight of his first 10 shots and had 18 points in the opening 20 minutes. Despite his effort, the Shockers could only muster a 32-30 halftime lead. It looked like CU would trail by four at the break, but a palming violation by WSU gave the ball back to the Jays, and Nate Funk weaved through the defense for a lay-up at the buzzer.

After a Nick Porter lay-in tied the score at 32 on CU’s first possession of the second half, the Shocker shooters heated up. Sean Ogirri drained consecutive three-pointers from the corner to give the hosts a 38-32 lead and prompt a Bluejay timeout. The Jays would turn it over on three consecutive possessions, and WSU took its largest lead at 40-32 after a coast-to-coast lay-in by PJ Couisnard.

The Bluejays would claw back to within 50-49, only to see the Shockers break away again. The Shockers blocked a shot an Ogirri hit a runner in transition. Next trip down, Wilson buried a wide-open trey, pushing WSU’s lead to 55-49 at the 6:35 mark.

Creighton clawed back within one at 55-54 and had a chance for the lead, but Funk’s runner rimmed out. After trading baskets, CU was down 57-56 but Ogirri picked Porter’s drive and dish and attempt. WSU reserve Phillip Thomasson drained two free throws at the 1:03 mark to give the Shockers a three-point edge.

CU then worked it inside to Watts, who missed a reverse lay-up but was fouled on the rebound. After one more WSU foul, Watts would miss a three-pointer that could’ve tied it. On WSU’s subsequent possession Matt Braeuer split two shots at the line to push their lead to 60-56 with 31.1 seconds left.

On the Jays next trip, Funk was fouled while shooting a trey with 20.2 seconds left. He missed the first from the line, snapping a streak of 27 consecutive makes. After hitting the second to draw within two, Funk missed the third and Ogirri grabbed the rebound and was fouled. Ogirri missed and the front end of a 1-and-1, and Funk pushed it upcourt and hit a bucket with 11 seconds left, trimming WSU’s lead to 60-59.

Wilson made two at the line with 7.4 seconds left to give WSU a three-point lead. CU inbounded the ball and Funk rose up from 25 feet, but his try from the right wing was blocked by Couisnard.

Funk led Creighton with 16 points, while Nick Porter had 15 points. Also in double-figures was Dane Watts, who had a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds. CU shot 42.6 percent for the game while hitting 9-of-25 (36 percent) from three-point range.

WSU was paced by 25 points from Wilson, while Ogirri had 12 of his 15 points in the second half. WSU shot an even 50 percent for the game, hitting 22-of-44 shots from the field. Couisnard had just four points, but did have five assists, three blocks and three steals.

Creighton returns to action on Thursday night with a 7:05 pm game at Bradley. The game will be televised on NET1 and can also be heard on Big Sports 590 AM.

- Creighton Sports Info -