ACC

Bracketology Poll: How Many ACC Teams Will Make the Tourney?

Shawn Siegel — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 11:36:16 -0500

Tuesday Recap: Spartans Lose Green and the Game

Raphielle Johnson — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 08:17:48 -0500

Tuesday's night matchup between #9 Michigan State and Illinois wasn't a pretty affair, as neither team could establish much of a rhythm on the offensive end of the floor. Whether it was due to good defense or just an inability to make shots on a consistent basis, neither the Spartans nor the Fighting Illini had much succes on that end of the floor. But when it's all said and done what matters is the result, which was a 42-41 Illinois victory as Brandon Paul made two free throws with 45 seconds remaining.

Paul finished with a game-high 18 points, and while he didn't shoot well from the field (6-for-17) the junior guard would be the closest thing to "scalding hot" that this contest would deliver. Freshman forward Branden Dawson led the way for Michigan State with 12 points and 13 rebounds, but their biggest loss came late in the second half as senior forward (and team leader) Draymond Green went down with a knee injury. There's been no word on the severity of the injury (that will likely come sometime on Wednesday), but a loss that simply prevented the Spartans from moving into a first-place tie in the Big Ten could become a lot more painful if he's ruled out for an extended period.

Before the injury Green's night was a microcosm of the contest as a whole, as frustration led to a poor performance highlighted by a technical foul that was also his third personal in the first half. Green finished with five points (1-6 FG), eight rebounds and five turnovers while Keith Appling wasn't much better with four points (1-11 FG), two assists and five turnovers. Even with Illinois struggling as they were offensively and Michigan State grabbing 23 offensive rebounds, it's extremely difficult to win anywhere (much less on the road) when your two best players have poor nights.

"I didn't think we handled adversity very well at all," remarked Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo after the game. "My two best players had their worst games." (quote credit: Associated Press)

Illinois now has two wins over teams ranked in the Top 10 this season as they beat Ohio State in Champaign on January 10th, but while that's a good stat to claim it also has to make one wonder why the Illini can't carry their play over. Following that win the Illini dropped three straight, including road losses at Penn State and Minnesota. Bruce Weber's team is clearly talented enough to beat many teams both within the Big Ten and nationally, yet for some reason this group doesn't seem to deal well with prosperity.

Next up is Northwestern at home before trips to Indiana and Michigan, and while Tuesday's win showed that Illinois can gut out a victory on a night where things aren't going their way more will be learned about this group based on how they navigate this stretch of games.

Other Notable Happenings

1. Jae Crowder leads Marquette past Seton Hall, handing the Pirates their fifth straight loss.
Remember when Seton Hall was one of the country's biggest turnaround stories and looked poised to earn their first NCAA tournament berth since 2006? Well, the Pirates dropped their fifth straight game on Tuesday night and look more likely to end up in the NIT at this point. With Davante Gardner sidelined due to a sprained knee #18 Marquette did what they've tended to do during Buzz Williams' tenure in Milwaukee, and that's find a way to win tough ball games. Jae Crowder led the Golden Eagles to the 66-59 win with 20 points and 12 rebounds while Vander Blue (16 points, eight rebounds) and Darius Johnson-Odom (14 points, seven assists, five rebounds) also scored in double figures.

One of the major issues for Kevin Willard's team during this skid has been the productivity of senior point guard Jordan Theodore. Theodore shot 3-for-14 from the field last night, scoring seven points while dishing out seven assists. On a team that lacks consistent scoring punch behind he, Herb Pope (16 points, seven rebounds) and Fuquan Edwin (13 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals), Theodore can ill-afford to have nights like that. Theodore's shot 26.7% from the field in Seton Hall's last five games and while it would be unfair to place the losing streak on his shoulders alone, Seton Hall needs their senior leader to step up and soon. Their NCAA hopes may very well depend on how quickly he can get going.

2. Royce White's jumper with less than two seconds remaining caps Iowa State's comeback win.
With 14:27 remaining Kansas State led 53-39 and had the look of a team that was well on its way to a good win at Iowa State. But whether it was "Hilton Magic" or the fact that the Wildcats simply failed to execute down the stretch, it was the Cyclones who emerged victorious as Royce White scored the winning points in the 72-70 result. White (22 points, eight rebounds) was able to use a ball screen to work his way to the right side of the lane, and an up fake gave the Minnesota transfer enough room to get off a clean look that fell with 1.8 seconds remaining. Thomas Gipson led four K-State players in double figures with 13 points but that wasn't enough as the Wildcats fell despite shooting 58.3% from beyond the arc and grabbing 12 offensive rebounds.

Offensive rebounding was essentially the difference in the first half as Kansas State grabbed seven, converting them into nine second-chance points. Iowa State did a better job of keeping the Wildcats off the glass in the second half, limiting the Wildcats to five offensive boards while grabbing eight of their own. There were questions as to how Fred Hoiberg's team would bond given the fact that so many were transfers but these last two games are evidence that the Cyclones have established good chemistry, and they'll be a factor in the Big 12 the rest of the way.

3. Arkansas moves to 16-0 at home with an 82-74 win over Vanderbilt.
Mike Anderson's Razorbacks didn't shoot the ball well in the first half, making just 37.5% of their shots from the field. But the fact that they trailed #25 Vanderbilt by just two points (34-32) at the break had to have been an encouraging sign for the Hogs, whose problem was making shots as opposed to finding the looks they wanted. That changed in the second half as Arkansas scored 50 points, shooting 55.2% from the field, on their way to the 82-74 win. Rickey Scott led five Arkansas players in double figures with 18 points and Julysses Nobles added 17 for a team that's now 16-0 at Bud Walton Arena. John Jenkins (19 points, five rebounds) and Jeffery Taylor (18 and six rebounds) led the way for the Commodores, who did themselves no favors by shooting 6-for-21 from three.

So the question regarding Arkansas at this point has to be what are their chances of getting to the Big Dance. But with an overall record of 16-6 it's pretty clear that the focus at this point has to be winning some key games away from Fayetteville. NCAA tournament games are played on neutral floors but a team's success away from home is usually one of the factors that the selection committee values when filling out the field. That's what makes their games at LSU and Georgia that much more important despite the caliber of those teams (Arkansas doesn't have a quality road win opportunity left on their schedule outside of a trip to Mississippi State). If Mike Anderson's young team can take care of business away from home they can exceed the preseason expectations, but at the least their win on Tuesday is a good result to take to Baton Rouge.

Quick Hitters

1. Wisconsin didn't get off to the best of starts at Penn State, shooting 26.9% from the field and trailing 23-17 at the half. But Jordan Taylor (18 points, five assists) and company were able to rebound in the final 20 minutes, winning 52-46. The Badgers, who host Ohio State on Saturday, have won six straight games after starting Big Ten play 1-3.

2. Clemson fought hard despite the absence of forward Milton Jennings (academic suspension) but they fell just short in losing 65-61 at Virginia. The Cavaliers shot 63.2% from the field in the second half (efficiency: 140.3) and Mike Scott led the way with 23 points and ten rebounds.

3. Top-ranked Kentucky did allow 13 offensive rebounds in their 69-44 win over Tennessee, but that shouldn't overshadow how good the Wildcats were defensively. Tennessee shot just 28.1% from the field and 9-for-39 on two-point shots (23%). Having the likes of Anthony Davis (18 points, eight rebounds and seven blocks), Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (16 points, eight rebounds) and Terrence Jones (11 points, six rebounds) up front will have that kind of effect on teams.

4. North Carolina didn't play particularly well in Winston-Salem but they still beat Wake Forest 68-53. Is that a sign of how talented the Tar Heels are, or is it a sign of just how far Jeff Bzdelik's program has to go before they can be a consistently competitive team in the ACC? It's unfortunate for the Demon Deacons because in guard C.J. Harris they've got one of the better players in the league (Travis McKie can also play but he was kept in check by UNC), but due to their struggles he doesn't always receive the credit that he should.

5. New Mexico had no trouble with Air Force as they jumped out to a 40-19 halftime lead on their way to an 81-42 win in Colorado Springs. The Falcons, who took UNLV to overtime on Saturday night, had no such fortune against the Lobos as they shot 25.9% in the first half and 29.4% for the game. Drew Gordon and Kendall Williams scored 13 apiece to lead UNM, and two other Lobos finished with 11.

6. Washington State received the news many feared when guard Faisal Aden went down late in the first half of their loss at Arizona on Thursday night, with his season coming to an end due to a torn ACL. Aden averaged 14.5 points and 3.1 rebounds per game for the Cougars, who will now likely give even more opportunities on the offensive end to freshman DaVonte Lacy.

Three Notable Performances

1. G Markel Brown (Oklahoma State)
Brown led the Cowboys to an 80-63 win over Texas Tech by scoring 30 points and grabbing seven rebounds.

2. G Kendrick Perry (Youngstown State)
Scored 30 points and dished out four assists in the Penguins' 73-65 win at Milwaukee.

3. F Tyler Zeller (North Carolina)
18 points, 18 rebounds and three blocked shots in North Carolina's 68-53 win at Wake Forest.

Jon Teitel's End of January All-Conference Teams

Jon Teitel — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 13:35:11 -0500

With the final month of the regular season on our door step, this is a good time to put together some all-conference teams. Enter CHN writer Jon Teitel, who not only picked his all-conference teams for each league but also provided a conference Player of the Year as well. Without further ado here are the all-conference teams, with the league POY in italics.

America East
G Gerardo Suero (Albany)
G Darryl Partin (Boston University)
G Gerald McLemore (Maine)
F Chase Plummer (UMBC)
F Alasdair Fraser (Maine)

Atlantic 10
G Ramone Moore (Temple)
G Carl Jones (Saint Joseph's)
G Tu Holloway (Xavier)
F Chris Gaston (Fordham)
F/C Andrew Nicholson (St. Bonaventure)

ACC
G Terrell Stoglin (Maryland)
G C.J. Harris (Wake Forest)
F Harrison Barnes (North Carolina)
F Mike Scott (Virginia)
F John Henson (North Carolina)

Atlantic Sun
G Jordan Burgason (Lipscomb)
G Markeith Cummings (Kennesaw State)
G Adam Sollazzo (ETSU)
F Torrey Craig (USC Upstate)
F Adam Pegg (Stetson)

Big 12
G J'Covan Brown (Texas)
G Marcus Denmon (Missouri)
G Tyshawn Taylor (Kansas)
F Thomas Robinson (Kansas)
F Perry Jones III (Baylor)

Big East
G Maalik Wayns (Villanova)
G Darius Johnson-Odom (Marquette)
G Jeremy Lamb (Connecticut)
F Kevin Jones (West Virginia)
F Herb Pope (Seton Hall)

Big Sky
G Damian Lillard (Weber State)
G Charles Odum (Portland State)
G Will Cherry (Montana)
F Collin Chiverton (Eastern Washington)
F Scott Bamforth (Weber State)

Big South
G Nick Barbour (High Point)
G Anthony Raffa (Coastal Carolina)
G Darren White (Campbell)
F Stan Okoye (VMI)
F Eric Griffin (Campbell)

Big Ten
G Tim Frazier (Penn State)
G Drew Crawford (Northwestern)
F John Shurna (Northwestern)
F Jared Sullinger (Ohio State)
F Draymond Green (Michigan St.)

Big West
G Orlando Johnson (UCSB)
G Phil Martin (UC Riverside)
G Casper Ware (Long Beach State)
F Stephan Hicks (Cal State Northridge)
F T.J. Robinson (Long Beach State)

Colonial
G Mike Moore (Hofstra)
G Devon Saddler (Delaware)
G Keith Rendleman (UNC Wilmington)
F Ryan Pearson (George Mason)
F Jamelle Hagins (Delaware)

Conference USA
G Will Barton (Memphis)
G Miguel Paul (East Carolina)
G DeAndre Kane (Marshall)
F Cameron Moore (UAB)
F Arsalan Kazemi (Rice)

Horizon
G Ray McCallum (Detroit)
G Chase Simon (Detroit)
G Kendrick Perry (Youngstown State)
F Kevin Van Wijk (Valparaiso)
F Ryan Broekhoff (Valparaiso)

Independent
G Mitch Albers (Nebraska-Omaha)
G Isaiah Wilkerson (NJIT)
F Aaron Broussard (Seattle)
F Jeremy Robinson (Chicago State)
C Antwan Carter (Longwood)

Ivy
G Zack Rosen (Pennsylvania)
G Tyler Bernardini (Pennsylvania)
G Brian Barbour (Columbia)
F Greg Mangano (Yale)
F Ian Hummer (Princeton)

MAAC
G Juan'ya Green (Niagara)
G Scott Machado (Iona)
G George Beamon (Manhattan)
F Michael Glover (Iona)
F O.D. Anosike (Siena)

MAC
G Rian Pearson (Toledo)
G Trey Ziegler (Central Michigan)
F Julian Mavunga (Miami (OH))
F Jarrod Jones (Ball State)
F Javon McCrea (Buffalo)

MEAC
G Darrion Pellum (Hampton)
G Tony Gallo (Coppin St.)
F Amin Stevens (Florida A&M)
F Brandon Riley (South Carolina State)
C Kyle O'Quinn (Norfolk St.)

MVC
G Colt Ryan (Evansville)
G Rayvonte Rice (Drake)
F Doug McDermott (Creighton)
F Taylor Brown (Bradley)
F Kyle Weems (Missouri St.)

Mountain West
G Chase Tapley (San Diego St.)
G Wes Eikmeier (Colorado St.)
G Jamaal Franklin (San Diego St.)
F Mike Moser (UNLV)
F Drew Gordon (New Mexico)

Northeast
G Shane Gibson (Sacred Heart)
G Velton Jones (Robert Morris)
G Robby Ptacek (CCSU)
F Ken Horton (CCSU)
F Julian Boyd (LIU Brooklyn)

OVC
G Kevin Murphy (Tennessee Tech)
G Isaiah Canaan (Murray State)
G Jud Dillard (Tennessee Tech)
F Robert Covington (Tennessee St.)
F Tyler Stone (Southeast Missouri St.)

Pac-12
G Jared Cunningham (Oregon St.)
G Tony Wroten (Washington)
G Allen Crabbe (California)
F Brock Motum (Washington St.)
F Andre Roberson (Colorado)

Patriot
G C.J. McCollum (Lehigh)
G Charles Hinkle (American)
F Ella Ellis (Army)
F J.J. Avila (Navy)
F Mike Muscala (Bucknell)

SEC
G John Jenkins (Vanderbilt)
G Kenny Boynton (Florida)
F Jeffery Taylor (Vanderbilt)
F Arnett Moultrie (Mississippi St.)
F Anthony Davis (Kentucky)

Southern
G Kevin Giltner (Wofford)
G Eric Ferguson (Georgia Southern)
F Antwaine Wiggins (Charleston)
F De'Mon Brooks (Davidson)
C Mike Groselle (Citadel)

Southland
G Mike James (Lamar)
G Trevon Lewis (Nicholls St.)
F Patrick Richard (McNeese St.)
F LaQuentin Miles (Central Arkansas)
F LaMarcus Reed III (UT-Arlington)

SWAC
G Quincy Roberts (Grambling St.)
G Savalace Townsend (UAPB)
G Jenirro Bush (Jackson St.)
F Casey Cantey (Alabama A&M)
C Paul Crosby (Mississippi Valley St.)

Summit
G Reggie Hamilton (Oakland)
G Nate Wolters (South Dakota St.)
G Frank Gaines (IPFW)
F Alex Young (IUPUI)
F Dominique Morrison (Oral Roberts)

Sun Belt
G DeJuan Wright (FIU)
F Tony Mitchell (North Texas)
F Chris Udofia (Denver)
C LaRon Dendy (Middle Tennessee)
C Augustine Rubit (South Alabama)

WCC
G Kevin Foster (Santa Clara)
G Anthony Ireland (Loyola Marymount)
G Matthew Dellavedova (Saint Mary's)
F Noah Hartsock (BYU)
F Rob Jones (Saint Mary's)

WAC
G Kevin Olekaibe (Fresno St.)
G James Kinney (San Jose St.)
G Deonte Burton (Nevada)
F Wendell McKines (New Mexico St.)
C Vander Joaquim (Hawaii)

Wednesday Recap: Oklahoma State Beats #2 Missouri

Raphielle Johnson — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 03:11:39 -0500

Consistency has been an issue for the Oklahoma State Cowboys this season, and it's been an issue for highly-touted freshman Le'Bryan Nash as well. After scoring 21 points in the Cowboys' 71-68 loss to Iowa State (which ended at the buzzer on a Scott Christopherson three) Nash scored just four points in a 66-58 home loss to Kansas State. But the Dallas native brought his "A-game" to Gallagher-Iba Arena on Wednesday night, making 12 of 18 shots from the field to score 27 points while also grabbing four rebounds in Oklahoma State's 79-72 win over #2 Missouri.

"Le'Bryan Nash played at a very high level. All his moves were a little bit more explosive," remarked Oklahoma State head coach Travis Ford. "Everyone is going to look at his 27 points, but his defense was better than his offense. It's not a coincidence that he told me yesterday he was going to be ready today and he had a good practice."

Brian Williams added 22 points and Keiton Page 12 on a night that saw the Pokes shoot 59.6% from the field, a stunning development given the fact that Oklahoma State entered the game dead last in the Big 12 in field goal percentage. But as with Nash personally it was Oklahoma State's improved defensive effort down the stretch that allowed them to put the game away. Phil Pressey, who leads the conference in assists per game, could only muster two assists and as a team Missouri finished with just eight assists (they average nearly 16 per game). Missouri assists on 56.4% of their baskets on the season but the number on Wednesday was 30.8%, which played right into the hands of the Cowboys.

Nash's performance became even more important when Markel Brown was given his second technical foul after an emphatic dunk with 6:57 remaining. Following two Marcus Denmon free throws the Cowboys were down 58-53 and two more free throws from Ricardo Ratliffe put the Tigers up seven. Nash scored 13 points in the final 6:31 to lead the Cowboys to a win that the young players really needed given their two games prior to Wednesday. Ratliffe led the Tigers with 25 points and 12 rebounds but they were unable to take advantage of 20 points off of 16 OSU turnovers and a 16-6 edge in second-chance points. The key for both Nash and Oklahoma State now is to play a consistent brand of basketball.

"It's a huge win for us, it's a big win, but it just shows us what we're capable of," said Page. "It shows us that we can play with anybody. We still have a long ways to go...We've gotta get more wins, get some wins on the road."

Other Notable Happenings

1. Saint Louis wins at Xavier, and after Wednesday 11 of the 14 teams in the A-10 have either two or three league losses.
Despite entering their game with a 15-4 record Rick Majerus' Billikens needed a solid road victory due in large part to a strength of schedule that left something to be desired. Brian Conklin scored 19 points and Rob Loe led three other SLU players in double figures with 14 points on their way to the 73-68 win over the Musketeers at the Cintas Center. Conklin was a big reason for Saint Louis' 28-18 edge in points in the paint, and the Billikens received more contributions across the board than a Xavier team that didn't receive much help outside of Mark Lyons (career-high 27 points) and Tu Holloway (22 points).

Jeff Robinson scored ten points and grabbed six rebounds for Xavier but the other big men didn't do much of consequence. Xavier has been the gold standard in the Atlantic 10 for quite some time, and while there's more competition atop the conference it's important to not think that their run is suddenly over. Saint Joseph's win over Dayton pulled the Flyers back to the pack, as now 11 teams sit anywhere from 4-2 to 3-3. To say the least the race for the A-10 crown will be wildly entertaining over the next month.

2. Pittsburgh finally gets their first Big East win as they took their frustrations out on Providence.
The struggles of the Panthers, who entered Wednesday with an eight-game losing streak, were well-doucmented and hadn't been seen in the Steel City for quite some time. That made the game against Providence that much more important, and thanks to a hot Ashton Gibbs the Panthers picked up their first Big East win. Gibbs scored 14 straight points late in the first half as Pittsburgh took control of the game, finishing with 22 points while Tray Woodall (17 points, nine assists) and Nasir Robinson (14 points, six rebounds) also reached double figures in the 86-74 win.

Pittsburgh, who assists on 61.2% of their baskets this season, finished Wednesday's game with an assist percentage of 68.8% and Woodall (who didn't have the rust that was evident in Saturday's loss to Louisville) is a big reason why. The shame for Providence is that their defensive performance overshadowed an outstanding night from point guard Vincent Council (26 points, ten rebounds and nine assists), but there isn't a whole lot you can do when a team makes 11 of 20 shots from beyond the arc. Whether or not this win serves as a major catalyst for Pitt remains to be seen, but they simply needed to get something going and they did that.

3. BYU beats Virginia Tech by two in Blacksburg, but was this a game that would have had a bigger impact in defeat?
Dave Rose's Cougars entered this week with an RPI of 55 and a strength of schedule of 97, and while games against Saint Mary's and Gonzaga are bigger in the grand scheme of things their final non-conference game of the season was also important. But thanks in large part to Virginia Tech's struggles the Cougars' game in Blacksburg took on the appearance of one that could do more harm in defeat than good in victory. BYU took care of business, winning 70-68, with Noah Hartsock (22 points, seven rebounds) and Brandon Davies (17 points, five rebounds) leading the way.

The Cougars won despite a poor shooting night from Charles Abouo and Matt Carlino, who combined to make just six of twenty-eight shots on the night. While many may expect this group to attempt to fire away from deep as they did last season with Jimmer Fredette and (to a lesser extent) Jackson Emery, that isn't realistic at this point. Relying on Davies and Hartsock in the frontcourt could be BYU's best bet when it comes to getting back into the WCC race, and it could be what they need to do to make sure they've got staying power in March as well.

Quick Hitters

1. Congratulations to Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo on his 400th victory, as the Spartans beat Minnesota 68-52 to move into a tie for first place in the Big Ten. Draymond Green led the way with 22 points, 14 rebounds and six assists and Branden Dawson added 16, four rebounds and four blocks.

2. Maryland honored former head coach Gary Williams, naming the Comcast Center court in his honor, but the emotion of the night wasn't enough to lead the Terrapins past #6 Duke. Mason Plumlee scored 23 points and grabbed 12 rebounds (four assists as well) in the Blue Devils' 74-61 win that was closer than the final score would indicate. Maryland shot 40.4% from the field but the bigger issue was the foul line, where they made 11 of 21 on the night.

3. With Creighton and Wichita State both winning while their closest competition in the Missouri Valley lost, the Bluejays and Shockers are four games up on the pack with eight to go. Unless one of those other teams can make something happen in "Arch Madness" it's very likely that the Valley is just a two-bid league. Garrett Stutz led the Shockers to an 86-74 win over Evansville with 23 points and eight rebounds, and Doug McDermott led Creighton past Drake with 30 points and nine rebounds.

4. Of the top four teams leading Conference USA it's anyone's guess as to who ends up reaching the NCAA Tournament, meaning that avoiding bad losses will be key in the final month-plus of the season. No such luck for Marshall, who lost 56-49 to UAB at home, or UCF as the Knights lost 66-61 at Tulsa. Memphis and Southern Miss both avoided this fate by taking care of business.

5. Just two weeks ago Seton Hall looked to be in good shape when it came to getting back to the Big Dance for the first time since 2006. But with three straight losses it may be wise to avoid that discussion, with the Pirates falling 55-42 to Notre Dame in Newark. Senior leaders Jordan Theodore and Herb Pope combined to shoot 6-for-28 from the field, and Seton Hall struggled with Notre Dame's deliberate offense. Next up for Kevin Willard's team is Louisville, followed by road games at Marquette, UConn and rival Rutgers.

6. That could also apply to Alabama, who lost 56-54 at South Carolina on a Bruce Ellington basket with 1.4 seconds remaining. Ellington and Damontre Harris scored 12 points apiece and Malik Cooke led the Gamecocks with 18 points. Levi Randolph scored 12 points off the bench to lead the Crimson Tide, who are now 2-4 in the SEC, and JaMychal Green's ankle injury didn't help matters either.

7. Chris Fouch scored 15 points off the bench as Drexel whipped Georgia State 68-46 in Philadelphia to not only avenge their loss in Atlanta but establish some distance between the top four and the rest of the CAA. George Mason remains in first place with a 9-1 record after beating Hofstra while VCU and Old Dominion are tied with Drexel with 8-2 marks. The top four teams get first round byes in the CAA Tournament.

8. Things didn't go too well for West Virginia in their trip to Madison Square Garden as St. John's jumped them early on their way to the 78-62 victory. The favorite for Big East Rookie of the Year, Moe Harkless, led the Red Storm with 23 points and 13 rebounds while D'Angelo Harrison led three other Johnnies in double figures with 19 points. Kevin Jones led the Mountaineers with 26 points and 14 boards, but they never seemed to figure out the matchup zone St. John's threw their way.

Four Notable Performances

1. F Jackie Carmichael (Illinois State)
26 points, 16 rebounds and two assists in the Redbirds' 76-69 win over Missouri State.

2. F Draymond Green (Michigan State)
22 points, 14 rebounds and six assists in the Spartans' 68-52 win over Minnesota.

3. F Mike Moser (UNLV)
18 points, 21 rebounds, two assists, two blocked shots and two steals in UNLV's 77-72 overtime win at Boise State.

4. F Jared Sullinger (Ohio State)
20 points, 13 rebounds, two assists and two blocked shots in the Buckeyes' 78-54 win over Penn State.

Xavier vs. Saint Louis: Wednesday's Preview

Raphielle Johnson — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 01:15:50 -0500

Neither team is currently in first place in the Atlantic 10 but if anything that magnifies the importance of Saint Louis (15-4, 3-2) heading east to take on Xavier (13-6, 4-2) at the Cintas Center. Both teams are a game out of first place in the loss column, and a closer look at the Billikens' computer numbers shows that they could use a win like this to bolster the resume. According to the most recent "nitty gritty" report released by the NCAA Saint Louis is currently 51st in the RPI, but their problem is a non-conference strength of schedule of 211 (overall SOS of 124).

Xavier has no such issue currently but after a loss at Dayton the Musketeers need to get back on track to remain a game behind the Flyers in the loss column. While the Phyrric victory over Cincinnati hurt the chemistry and psyche of Chris Mack's team, there's also the issue of Xavier not being as efficient offensively as they were last season. The Musketeers are averaging just 1.04 points per possession this season and they're also not shooting the three well, making 35.3% of their shots to date.

Guards Tu Holloway (15.7 ppg, 5.6 apg) and Mark Lyons (16.6 ppg, 3.6 rpg) lead the way for Xavier, but Holloway's percentages have taken a hit (40.9% FG, 31.6% 3PT). But without consistent production from the big men more responsibility ends up on their shoulders. Senior Kenny Frease (8.9 ppg, 5.7 rpg) has been around for four seasons and while there always seems to be the feeling that he's just one step away, that progression just hasn't happened. Vanderbilt transfer Andre Walker (6.1 rpg) leads the team in rebounding but neither he nor Monmouth transfer Travis Taylor has shown themselves to be capable of being a bell cow for the Musketeers on the block.

Freshman wing Dezmine Wells (10.1 ppg, 5.3 rpg) has been one of the best first-year players in the A-10, and he has to be on the short list of the most explosive finishers in college basketball. He's done well as Xavier's third scorer but with his best work coming in the open floor, someone inside needs to step up. Saint Louis also has three players averaging double figures, one of which comes off the bench. Forward Cody Ellis (11.2 ppg, 3.7 rpg) checks in at 6'8", 240 but he's more comfortable on the perimeter (40.2% 3PT), and his shooting is balanced out by Brian Conklin's willingness to go inside.

Conklin is shooting 58.6% from the field on the season with just one three-point attempt, so it's safe to say that he won't be out firing away with reckless abandon. Guard Kwamain Mitchell (11.8 ppg, 3.8 apg) runs the show but also leads SLU in field goal attempts, and his individual matchup with Holloway should be fun to watch. Saint Louis has five players who have attempted 40 three-pointers or more, with three of those players attempting more than half their shots from distance and as a team the Billikens score 31.2% of their points on the bonus shot.

If there's one area to watch it will be turnovers, especially if Xavier gets impatient and looks to force the issue offensively. Saint Louis' opponents average 15.7 turnovers per game, and with the Billikens averaging a shade under 63 possessions per game that's a sizable number. Holloway and Lyons need to make plays without getting out of control, and if they don't Saint Louis has the ability to make them pay. SLU is 2-3 on the road this season but it's not like the Musketeers have been invincible at home (9-2), which should make for an entertaining matchup.

Wednesday's schedule features five ranked teams taking on unranked opponents on the road, one of which being #6 Duke taking on a young Maryland team in College Park. The Terrapins are led by sophomore guard Terrell Stoglin, but while Maryland has the ability to give Duke some trouble on the perimeter they lack interior depth and the shot selection leaves something to be desired at times. The same could be said for Oklahoma State, who hosts #2 Missouri, and Texas Tech as a player in Jordan Tolbert that can make life difficult for #24 Kansas State.

Minnesota visits #11 Michigan State in need of a resume-building victory but to say the least it's going to be tough for Tubby Smith's team to leave East Lansing with a win. Minnesota has received good play of late from Joe Coleman, and they do have a win at Indiana to their credit. BYU's trip to Virginia Tech is big for both teams as the victor would end up with a resume-building victory that could be a difference-maker come Selection Sunday.

Also keep an eye on Georgia State visiting Drexel in hopes of sweeping the season series, with both in hot pursuit of George Mason in the CAA. Colorado State/New Mexico and Notre Dame/Seton Hall are both solid conference match ups that will also have an impact on the resumes of all four teams.

Top 25 Games
7:30 PM (2) Missouri at Oklahoma State (ESPN2)
6:30 PM Penn State at (3) Ohio State (BTN)
9:00 PM (6) Duke at Maryland (ESPN)
8:30 PM Minnesota at (11) Michigan State (BTN)
8:05 PM (14) Creighton at Drake (ESPN3)
10:00 PM (15) UNLV at Boise State (The Mtn.)
8:00 PM LSU at (16) Mississippi State (ESPN3)
9:00 PM (24) Kansas State at Texas Tech (ESPNU)
7:00 PM Villanova at (25) Louisville (ESPN)

NCAA Division I Games
7:00 PM Delaware at Northeastern
7:00 PM VCU at Towson
7:00 PM Southern Miss at East Carolina
7:00 PM Florida State at Wake Forest (ESPN3)
7:00 PM Maine at New Hampshire
7:00 PM DePaul at Rutgers (ESPN3)
7:00 PM Central Michigan at Bowling Green
7:00 PM Toledo at Miami (OH)
7:00 PM Western Michigan at Ohio (ESPN3)
7:00 PM Providence at Pittsburgh (ESPN3)
7:00 PM St. Bonaventure at Rhode Island (CBS SN)
7:00 PM Fordham at Richmond
7:00 PM BYU at Virginia Tech (ESPN3)
7:00 PM UAB at Marshall (CSS)
7:00 PM Holy Cross at Army
7:00 PM Old Dominion at UNC Wilmington
7:00 PM Binghamton at Albany
7:00 PM American at Bucknell
7:00 PM Lafayette at Colgate
7:00 PM Loyola (IL) at Detroit
7:00 PM Georgia State at Drexel
7:00 PM George Mason at Hofstra (FiOS 1)
7:00 PM Northern Illinois at Kent State
7:00 PM George Washington at La Salle
7:00 PM West Virginia at St. John's (ESPNU)
7:00 PM Dayton at Saint Joseph's (TCN Philadelphia)
7:00 PM Hartford at Stony Brook
7:00 PM UIC at Wright State
7:00 PM Saint Louis at Xavier (FSN MW)
7:05 PM Northern Iowa at Indiana State
7:05 PM Missouri State at Illinois State (ESPN3)
7:30 PM Temple at Charlotte
7:30 PM McNeese State at Nicholls State
7:30 PM Air Force at TCU (The Mtn.)
8:00 PM UCF at Tulsa (CBS SN)
8:00 PM Rice at Memphis
8:00 PM Texas State at Texas A&M-CC
8:00 PM Lamar at Northwestern State
8:00 PM Central Arkansas at Southeastern Louisiana
8:00 PM Notre Dame at Seton Hall (ESPN3)
8:00 PM Alabama at South Carolina (ESPN3)
8:00 PM Sam Houston State at Stephen F. Austin (ESPN3)
8:00 PM Jarvis Christian at UTSA
8:00 PM SMU at Tulane
8:00 PM Evansville at Wichita State (ESPN3)
8:15 PM North Texas at Louisiana-Lafayette
9:00 PM Auburn at Arkansas (ESPN3)
10:00 PM Colorado State at New Mexico (CBS SN)

Bracketology: ACC Picks Up Another Bid

Shawn Siegel — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 12:25:43 -0500

Collegehoops.net's Bracketology projections have consistently proven to be the best in the business. Over the last 4 years, Shawn Siegel is the #1 ranked Bracketologist according to the Bracket Project. This ranking includes the likes of Joe Lunardi, Gary Parrish, Jerry Palm, and Andy Glockner.. none of whom come close.

As always, the field below is a prediction of what the committee would do as things stand today, not what they should do. This is done by taking into account standings, polls, computer rankings, and the committee's historical biases. Check out the follow up Bubble Watch for rankings and standings of teams on the NCAA Tournament Bubble

Notes:

Arrows indicate how many seeds a team has moved up or down since the previous update. Teams in Green are new to the field today. Teams in CAPS have locked up a bid. **=Projected Conference Champs

ONE

TWO

Duke**

Kansas**

THREE

FOUR

FIVE

SIX

SEVEN

EIGHT

Harvard**

NINE

Dayton**

Temple

TEN

ELEVEN

TWELVE + 1

Minnesota / NC State

THIRTEEN + 1

BYU / Stanford

Oral Roberts**

Long Beach**

Davidson**

FOURTEEN

Iona**

Nevada**

Akron**

Cleveland St**

FIFTEEN

Belmont**

George Mason**

Bucknell**

Weber St**

SIXTEEN + 2

Long Island**

Norfolk St**

UNC-Asheville** / Mississippi Valley St**

Texas-Arlington** / Stony Brook**

Last In: Stanford, BYU, NC State, Minnesota

First Out: UCF, Northwestern, Texas, Arizona

Further Four: Ole Miss, Oregon, Notre Dame, Arkansas

Dropped Out Of Field (at-large): Northwestern, Texas

New (at-large): Minnesota, NC State

Conference Bids

- Multiple Bid Leagues

Big East - 8

Big Ten - 8

ACC - 5

Big 12 - 5

SEC - 5

A-10 - 4

CUSA - 3

MWC - 3

WCC - 3

MVC - 2

Pac-12 - 2

------------------- (20 one-bid leagues)

League Leaders/Winners (31)

- #1 projected team for now.

- New leaders in green

America East - Stony Brook
A-10 - Dayton
ACC - Duke
Atlantic Sun - Belmont
Big 12 - Kansas
Big East - Syracuse
Big Sky - Weber St
Big South - UNC-Asheville
Big Ten - Ohio State
Big West - Long Beach
CAA - George Mason
Conference USA - Marshall
Horizon - Cleveland St
Ivy - Harvard
MAAC - Iona
MAC - Akron
MEAC - Norfolk St
MVC - Creighton
MWC - San Diego St
Northeast - Long Island
Ohio Valley - Murray St
Pac-12 - California
Patriot - Bucknell
SEC - Kentucky
Southern - Davidson
Southland - Texas-Arlington
SWAC - Mississippi Valley St
Summit - Oral Roberts
Sun Belt - Middle Tennessee
WAC - Nevada
WCC - St. Mary's

Check out the companion Bubble Watch for a more in-depth look at teams on the NCAA Bubble.

Thursday Recap: Vanderbilt Wins Eighth Straight Game

Raphielle Johnson — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 11:37:54 -0500

Remember the concerns late in non-conference play that Vanderbilt was destined to be one of the country's biggest busts? Don't look now but Kevin Stallings' Commodores won their eighth straight game on Thursday night, beating Alabama 69-59 in Tuscaloosa to remain tied atop the SEC with Kentucky (4-0). Alabama shot 26.5% from the field in the first half and trailed 26-19 at the half, and a 17-4 run over a five-minute stretch pushed the Vanderbilt lead out to 23 points at 58-35 with 8:12 remaining.

John Jenkins scored 20 points and grabbed eight rebounds to lead the way for Vanderbilt, which is looking like the SEC title contender that many expected to see at the beginning of the season, and Jeffery Taylor added 17 and six boards. One reason for the turnaround was the return of center Festus Ezeli, who accounted for 12 points and ten rebounds as he outplayed Alabama's JaMychal Green (six points, eight rebounds in 31 minutes of action). Ezeli's presence, despite the fact that he's not a great shot-blocker by any stretch of the imagination, gives the other Vandy defenders a safety blanket that wasn't there when he was out of the lineup.

"Our guys are very physical in there. It's nice to have big strong bodies to throw out there," said Stallings of his frontcourt's play against Green. "I thought our front court play offensively, actually more so defensively, was the key of the game for us. Our bigs really stepped up and played well."

Vanderbilt's big men played well against the high-flying Tony Mitchell as well, as he missed all eight of his field goal attempts and failed to score a single point. Trevor Releford scored 14 points to lead Alabama but without their big men being able to get going offensively and a 48-35 deficit on the glass, it was going to be tough for Anthony Grant's team to grab the victory.

If there is a concern for Vandy to come out of the win it would have to be the turnovers, as they had difficulty dealing with the Alabama pressure late in the second half (17 turnovers for the game). Get that cleaned up and the Commodores can definitely make good on the promise many believed them to have before the season began.

"Well in the middle 30 minutes of the game it was very effective," remarked Stallings about his team's ball-handling. "The first five and last five it was not very effective at all. That's ok though. That's the second time we've had a game close like that. When you have it that far out of reach, I guess that's a good thing."

Other Notable Happenings

1. A starting lineup change lights two fires as Duke beats Wake Forest.
Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski made the decision before the Blue Devils' game against Wake Forest to replace freshman guard Austin Rivers in the starting lineup with junior sharpshooter Andre Dawkins. And whatever the reasoning was for the move, be it for motivation or the fact that Rivers wasn't playing his best, the move worked out best for the Blue Devils in their 91-73 victory. Dawkins came out of the gates hot and finished with a team-high 21 points (7-12 3PT) while Rivers added 20 points in his most efficient offensive performance in ACC play.

Add in another 20 from Ryan Kelly and Duke simply had too much for the young Demon Deacons, but it's just as important to figure out what this means for Duke as they look to win an ACC title and a national title as well. Rivers is a phenomenal talent, but if he's not making things happen while being efficient the other weapons can suffer. Florida State will provide a stiffer test on Saturday, so it will be interesting to see if Duke can build on this against an outstanding defense.

2. North Carolina gets back on track but Strickland goes down with a knee injury.
After getting their heads handed to them in Tallahassee on Saturday, North Carolina needed to bounce back with a win at Virginia Tech but with the game being in Blacksburg that was going to be a tough task. It certainly worked out that way in the first half, as the Hokies were hot from the perimeter and took a 39-34 lead into the half. What really needed to be seen was not an emphatic UNC victory but rather the Tar Heels showing the ability to respond to getting popped in the mouth, and Roy Williams' team did just that in their 82-68 win. Harrison Barnes scored a game-high 27 points, scoring nine of those points during an 18-0 second half run that essentially put the game away.

Forwards John Henson (16 points, 16 rebounds) and Tyler Zeller (14 points, 11 rebounds) both posted double-doubles for North Carolina as well. But the victory wasn't without concern as shooting guard Dexter Strickland went down with a knee injury in the second half (still no report on the severity of the injury). If Carolina were to lose Strickland for an extended period of time they would be without their best perimeter defender, and it's difficult to point out who would be best capable of assuming that responsibility. Hopefully it isn't a serious injury, because this would be a big loss for North Carolina if it were..

3. Penn State knocks off Illinois in Happy Valley.
Said it before and will say it again: a lot can be learned about teams in watching how they deal with prosperity, just as a lot can be learned in watching how teams deal with adversity. That was the case for Illinois on the heels of their win over Ohio State nine days prior to their game at Penn State, and apparently that was too much time in between games for Bruce Weber's team as they fell 54-52. Tim Frazier's floater with 8.3 seconds remaining proved to be the difference but the Fighting Illini didn't help themselves by turning the ball over 14 times or shooting 34.4% from the field either.

Brandon Paul, who lit up the Buckeyes for 43 points, hit the game-tying three with 39.3 seconds to go and finished with 20 points while Meyers Leonard added 15. But the other three starters, most notably D.J. Richardson (2-for-11, six points), accounted for just ten points combined and the Illini spent way too much time on the perimeter. Twenty-two of their 49 field goal attempts were three-pointers, and Illinois scored 40.4% of their points from deep compared to 38.5% from two. Illinois is at their best when they can get things going inside of the arc, with either Leonard or Paul, Richardson and Joseph Bertrand being able to get opportunities at the rim or in the mid-range game. Penn State deserves some credit for this, but Illinois needs to be more assertive in getting the best looks for themselves if they're to remain a contender in the Big Ten.

Quick Hitters

1. While they still have seven conference games left to play, it may be time to pencil in Davidson as the Southern Conference's regular season champ. Bob McKillop's Wildcats were too much for Charleston, out-rebounding the Cougars 44-31 in the 87-69 win. Jake Cohen (29 points, 14 rebounds) led the way and De'Mon Brooks scored 15 points in 17 foul-plagued minutes. No other team in the SoCon has fewer than three league losses.

2. A big development in the Pac-12 was the play of California walk-on Robert Thurman in the Golden Bears' 69-66 win at Washington. Thurman scored 16 points and grabbed seven rebounds in 21 minutes off the bench and Allen Crabbe accounted for 16 and ten rebounds. If Thurman can be a solid contributor with Richard Solomon finished for the year, Mike Montgomery's team could have enough inside to still win the conference.

3. In a matchup of 5-1 teams it was Wagner who came out on top, beating St. Francis (NY) 73-61 in Brooklyn to remain a game behind LIU Brooklyn in the NEC. Tyler Murray scored 19 points while Kenneth Ortiz and Jonathon Williams scored 11 apiece for the Seahawks, who at 15-3 are off to their best start in school history. That sets up a huge meeting with the first-place Blackbirds on Saturday afternoon.

4. Charleston Southern landed an important blow in the Big South race as they beat first-place UNC Asheville 93-88 in Asheville. Arion Harper led the Buccaneers with a career-high 28 points, Saah Nimley added 20 and Kelvin Martin was all over the box score with 17 points, 12 rebounds, four assists and three steals (seventh double-double of the year).

5. For all the talk about the inconsistent (when they weren't completely healthy) nature of Loyola Marymount, fact is they're two close home defeats to Gonzaga and BYU away from being in first place in the WCC. Anthony Ireland scored 27 points in addition to five assists and five steals for the Lions, who avenged that seven-point loss to BYU with an 82-68 win in Provo.

6. One team in the Horizon League that isn't receiving much press as a contender for the league crown is Valparaiso. Bryce Drew's Crusaders moved to 6-2 in league play with a 68-49 win at Loyola (IL) on Thursday night, limiting the Ramblers to 22 first-half points. Jay Harris led the way with 18 points and five assists off the bench and three starters reached double figures. One thing that needs improvement: free throw shooting, as the Crusaders shot 3-for-8 from the charity stripe.

7. North Carolina wasn't the only team to wake up on Friday hoping for good news on the injury front. NC State was without forward C.J. Williams the final nine minutes of their 76-62 win over Boston College due to a shoulder injury, and if he's out for an extended period of time Mark Gottfried will have some shuffling to do with his rotation. That would be a tough blow for a team that's improved a great deal since last season.

Three Notable Performances

1. F Jake Cohen (Davidson)
29 points and 14 rebounds in the Wildcats' 87-69 win over College of Charleston.

2. G Faisal Aden (Washington State)
33 points and five rebounds in the Cougars' 81-69 win over Stanford.

3. G Charlie Westbrook (South Dakota)
32 points, six rebounds, six assists, four steals and two blocks in the Coyotes' 88-78 win over IUPUI.

Saturday Preview: #20 Marquette at #1 Syracuse

Raphielle Johnson — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 12:09:03 -0500

Just two games on the schedule for Saturday match ranked teams, one of which being #1 Syracuse (16-0, 3-0) hosting #20 Marquette (12-3, 1-1) with the visitors looking to rebound from a disappointing loss at Georgetown earlier this week. The Golden Eagles led by as many as 17 points in the second half but they went away from the "paint touches" that are so valued in Buzz Williams' program, which led to the Hoya comeback. Those paint touches will be even more important at the Carrier Dome, as Syracuse does a good job with their 2-3 zone at limiting those opportunities.

Jim Boeheim's team is always well-versed in who should be allowed to shoot perimeter shots and who should be defended tightly as well, meaning that Marquette will need to be judicious in their shot selection. As a team Marquette shoots 34.7% from three, scoring 22.3% of their points from distance on the season. The most reliable shooters are also their leading scorers: Darius Johnson-Odom (17.9 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 2.7 apg) and Jae Crowder (16.6 ppg, 7.3 rpg) both start while freshman Todd Mayo (10.2 ppg) come off the bench.

The Golden Eagles can match the Syracuse depth on the perimeter, with those three along with Vander Blue, Junior Cadougan and Derrick Wilson, but the Orange have been flat-out explosive this season. Scoop Jardine (8.7 ppg, 4.3 apg) and Brandon Triche (10.3 ppg, 3.1 apg) are the starters and have played well for much of the season, but in sixth man Dion Waiters (12.6 ppg, 2.8 apg) the Orange have one of the best reserves in the country. It can even be argued that Waiters is Syracuse's best option when considering postseason awards, which is a testament to his growth as well as Syracuse's depth.

Freshman Michael Carter-Williams also sees some time at guard, and on the wing the Orange are deep as well. Senior Kris Joseph (13.9 ppg, 5.0 rpg) leads the team in scoring and when allowed to get out and fill a lane on the break is a dangerous player to contend with. But there's also sophomore C.J. Fair (8.4 ppg, 5.0 rpg), who is second on the team in minutes, and junior James Southerland (8.3 ppg, 3.1 rpg) shoots 42.6% from beyond the arc. Marquette will be smaller than Syracuse on the wing, but they can manage the difference due to their speed. The real concern comes in the paint, where the Golden Eagles are without a key contributor.

Chris Otule is still out with a knee injury and there's been no announcement on his prospects for the remainder of the season, meaning that Davante Gardner (8.7 ppg, 4.9 rpg) had to step into the starting role. Gardner came off the bench in Marquette's win over Villanova after a subpar performance in the loss to Vanderbilt, but he responded with 13 points and ten rebounds and followed that up with 11 against Georgetown. Facing the much-improved Fab Melo (7.4 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 3.1 bpg), Gardner's going to need a similar performance if Marquette is to win. Turnovers will also be a major factor with Marquette forcing nearly 18 per game and Syracuse almost 19.

Also in the Big East, #9 Georgetown hits the road to take on West Virginia, and Bob Huggins' team could definitely use a win like this for their resume. Kevin Jones has been one of the best players in the Big East for the Mountaineers, who will need young guards Gary Browne and Jabarie Hinds to mature as the season wears on in order to be a team that can win games in the NCAA Tournament. And Seton Hall will look to build on the momentum gained in their win over Connecticut with a win at Providence, but with the Friars desperate for their first league win that's going to be a tough task for Kevin Willard's squad.

League play tips off in the ACC and SEC this weekend, with the former looking to sort itself out after the generally accepted top three of North Carolina, Duke and Virginia. While the Tar Heels shouldn't have much of a problem with Boston College, Duke should be on upset alert at Georgia Tech while Virginia hosts a Miami team that could be a factor in the ACC as Reggie Johnson approaches full strength. In the SEC Mississippi State visits Arkansas, and the Bulldogs had better make sure that freshman B.J. Young isn't allowed to heat up.

The Big 12's got a pair of dangerous games for ranked teams on the schedule as well, with Baylor visiting Texas Tech and Missouri taking on Kansas State in Manhattan. The Bears should beat the Red Raiders but that trip to Lubbock could be a tricky one if you're not focused. As for the Tigers, their interior depth will be tested by the Wildcats, led by Jamar Samuels, Thomas Gipson and Jordan Henriquez. If either Ricardo Ratliffe or Steve Moore get into early foul trouble, Missouri could end up in trouble as well.

Other games of note include Georgia State, who is currently in first place in the CAA, visiting George Mason just days after winning at VCU. Ron Hunter's done a masterful job with the GSU program in his first season in charge, and Devonta White and Jihad Ali have done a good job of leading the way offensively. Mike Morrison and Ryan Pearson can be a handful up front for the Colonials, and there's a strong possibility that this game isn't decided until late. Temple hosts Dayton in the Owls' Atlantic 10 opener, and after they beat Saint Louis in overtime this could be a big week for Dayton's resume if they can win at Liacouras Center as well.

Top 25 Games
4:00 PM (20) Marquette at (1) Syracuse (ESPN3)
4:00 PM South Carolina at (2) Kentucky (ESPN3)
12:00 PM (3) Duke at Georgia Tech (ESPNU)
2:30 PM Boston College at (4) North Carolina (ESPN3)
1:45 PM (5) Baylor at Texas Tech (ESPN3)
1:30 PM (6) Missouri at (22) Kansas State (ESPN3)
3:00 PM (7) Ohio State at Iowa (BTN)
8:00 PM (8) Connecticut at Rutgers (ESPN3)
12:00 PM (9) Georgetown at West Virginia (ESPN3)
4:00 PM Notre Dame at (10) Louisville (ESPNU)
11:00 AM (14) Florida at Tennessee (ESPN2)
2:00 PM (15) Kansas at Oklahoma (ESPNU)
9:00 PM (16) Mississippi State at Arkansas (ESPN3)
8:00 PM (18) Murray State at Austin Peay (ESPNU)
2:00 PM Dartmouth at (21) Harvard
6:00 PM Miami (FL) at (23) Virginia (ESPNU)
8:00 PM (24) Creighton at Bradley (ESPN3)

NCAA Division I Games
12:00 PM Virginia Tech at Wake Forest (ESPN3)
12:00 PM Xavier at Fordham
12:00 PM Canisius at Loyola (MD)
12:00 PM Wagner at Monmouth
1:00 PM Nebraska at Illinois (BTN)
1:05 PM Missouri State at Indiana State (ESPN3)
1:30 PM Ole Miss at LSU (ESPN3)
1:30 PM Auburn at Vanderbilt (ESPN3)
2:00 PM Colgate at American
2:00 PM Mount St. Mary's at Fairleigh Dickinson
2:00 PM Albright at Cornell
2:00 PM Washington at Utah (FSN)
2:00 PM Northeastern at James Madison
2:00 PM Loyola (IL) at Cleveland State (ESPN3)
2:00 PM Western Michigan at Ball State
2:00 PM St. John's at Cincinnati (ESPN3)
2:00 PM NJIT at Longwood
2:00 PM LIU-Brooklyn at Quinnipiac
2:00 PM Charlotte at Saint Joseph's
2:00 PM Kennesaw State at USC Upstate
2:05 PM Evansville at Illinois State
2:30 PM Charleston at Furman (ESPN3)
2:30 PM UMBC at Maine
2:30 PM Western Illinois at IPFW
3:00 PM Georgia Southern at Davidson
3:00 PM Texas State at Northwestern State
3:05 PM Wichita State at Southern Illinois
3:15 PM Jacksonville at Stetson
3:30 PM Lehigh at Holy Cross
3:30 PM North Dakota at New Mexico
3:30 PM Robert Morris at Central Connecticut State
3:30 PM St. Francis (NY) at Sacred Heart
4:00 PM Washington State at Colorado (FSN)
4:00 PM Dayton at Temple
4:00 PM Florida State at Clemson (ESPN2)
4:00 PM Iowa State at Texas A&M (ESPN3)
4:00 PM Bucknell at Army
4:00 PM St. Bonaventure at Duquesne
4:00 PM Mercer at East Tennessee State
4:00 PM Florida A&M at North Carolina Central
4:00 PM Bethune-Cookman at North Carolina A&T
4:00 PM Eastern Michigan at Northern Illinois
4:00 PM Coppin State at Savannah State
4:00 PM Morgan State at South Carolina State
4:00 PM Southern Miss at Tulane
4:00 PM Delaware at William & Mary
4:00 PM VMI at Winthrop
4:00 PM St. Francis (PA) at Bryant
4:30 PM Denver at South Alabama (ESPN3)
4:30 PM Central Arkansas at Lamar
4:30 PM Liberty at UNC Asheville
4:30 PM Wofford at Western Carolina
5:00 PM Troy at Western Kentucky (FCS)
5:00 PM UCF at East Carolina
5:00 PM Jackson State at Alcorn State
5:00 PM Grambling State at Southern University
5:15 PM North Florida at Florida Gulf Coast
5:30 PM Tennessee State at Jacksonville State
5:30 PM Coastal Carolina at Charleston Southern
6:00 PM Ohio at Bowling Green (ESPN3)
6:00 PM San Francisco at BYU (BYU TV)
6:00 PM Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Alabama A&M
6:00 PM Mississippi Valley State at Alabama State
6:00 PM Howard at Hampton
6:00 PM Maryland-Eastern Shore at Norfolk State
6:00 PM IUPUI at Oakland
6:00 PM Seton Hall at Providence (ESPN3)
6:05 PM Fresno State at Idaho (ESPN3)
6:30 PM Louisiana-Lafayette at Middle Tennessee
7:00 PM Alabama at Georgia (ESPN3)
7:00 PM Akron at Miami (OH)
7:00 PM Richmond at Rhode Island
7:00 PM Appalachian State at Chattanooga
7:00 PM Oklahoma State at Texas (LHN)
7:00 PM Towson at Old Dominion
7:00 PM Hofstra at UNC Wilmington
7:00 PM Kent State at Buffalo
7:00 PM Toledo at Central Michigan
7:00 PM Southeast Missouri State at Eastern Kentucky
7:00 PM High Point at Gardner-Webb
7:00 PM Georgia State at George Mason
7:00 PM Lafayette at Navy
7:00 PM Southeastern Louisiana at Stephen F. Austin
7:00 PM SIU-Edwardsville at Tennessee-Martin
7:00 PM Prairie View A&M at Texas Southern
7:05 PM Samford at Citadel
7:05 PM Illinois-Chicago at Youngstown State
7:30 PM Louisiana-Monroe at FIU
7:30 PM Campbell at Presbyterian
8:00 PM George Washington at Saint Louis
8:00 PM South Dakota State at Oral Roberts
8:00 PM SMU at Tulsa
8:00 PM Marshall at Rice
8:00 PM Nicholls State at Texas-Arlington
8:00 PM Green Bay at Milwaukee (ESPN3)
8:00 PM McNeese State at Texas A&M-CC
8:00 PM Florida Atlantic at Arkansas-Little Rock
8:00 PM Santa Clara at Gonzaga
8:00 PM New Mexico State at Louisiana Tech
8:00 PM Pepperdine at Portland
8:05 PM South Dakota at UMKC
8:05 PM North Texas at Arkansas State
8:05 PM Northern Iowa at Drake
8:05 PM Eastern Illinois at Houston Baptist
8:30 PM Morehead State at Tennessee Tech
9:00 PM Memphis at UAB
9:00 PM Nebraska Omaha at Colorado State
9:00 PM Loyola Marymount at San Diego
9:00 PM Houston at UTEP
9:05 PM Montana at Idaho State
9:05 PM Nevada at Utah State (ESPN3)
9:05 PM Northern Arizona at Eastern Washington
9:05 PM Seattle at Utah Valley
9:30 PM North Dakota State at Southern Utah
10:00 PM Cal State Fullerton at Cal Poly
10:00 PM Stanford at Oregon State
10:00 PM UC Riverside at Pacific
10:00 PM UC Irvine at UC Davis
10:00 PM Weber State at Portland State
10:00 PM Texas-Pan American at Cal State Bakersfield
10:05 PM Northern Colorado at Sacramento State
10:05 PM Long Beach State at Cal State Northridge
10:30 PM Arizona State at UCLA
12:05 AM San Jose State at Hawaii

College Basketball Conference Ranking: RPI, KenPom, Sagarin

Shawn Siegel — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 11:09:04 -0500

With the new year upon us and conference play starting in earnest, it seemed like a fitting time to check on how the computers rank the conferences so far. The computers all agree on one thing: the Big Ten is by far the most dominant league in the country. After that, there are subtle disagreements down the line. It is noteworthy that the Mountain West is ahead of 3 traditional power conferences, while the Pac 12 barely comes in ahead of the MVC and A10.

The overall ranking is based on an average of three rankings: the RPI, KenPom.com's ratings, and the Sagarin rating from USA Today.

Rank	Conference	RPI	KenPom	Sagarin	Avg
1	Big Ten	1	1	1	1.0
2	Big 12	3	2	2	2.3
3	Big East	2	3	3	2.7
4	Mountain West	4	6	4	4.7
5	SEC	6	4	5	5.0
6	ACC	5	5	6	5.3
7	Pac 12	9	7	7	7.7
8	Missouri Valley	7	9	8	8.0
9	Atlantic 10	8	8	9	8.3
10	CUSA	11	10	10	10.3
11	WCC	10	11	11	10.7
12	Horizon	12	13	13	12.7
13	WAC	18	12	12	14.0
14	MAC	14	15	14	14.3
15	Summit	13	17	15	15.0
16	Colonial	20	14	16	16.7
17	Ivy	17	16	19	17.3
18	Sun Belt	15	20	17	17.3
19	Atlantic Sun	19	18	18	18.3
20	MAAC	16	19	21	18.7
21	Big West	21	21	20	20.7
22t	Patriot	23	22	26	23.7
22t	Southern	22	24	25	23.7
24t	Ohio Valley	24	25	24	24.3
24t	Big South	27	23	23	24.3
26	Big Sky	28	26	22	25.3
27	Southland	25	28	27	26.7
28	Northeast	26	27	28	27.0
29t	America East	31	29	29	29.7
29t	MEAC	29	30	30	29.7
31t	Independent	32	31	31	31.3
31t	SWAC	30	32	32	31.3

Post your thoughts below or join us @collegehoopsnet

Thursday Recap: Rutgers Beats #10 Florida

Raphielle Johnson — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 11:50:22 -0500

The matchup between #10 Florida and Rutgers on Thursday night was hyped up due to the return of Mike Rosario, who transferred from the New Jersey school following two seasons in New Brunswick. But his return was a subplot in what turned out to be one of the best games of the calendar year, with the focus by the end being Mike Rice's young guards. Eli Carter led the way with 31 points, seven rebounds and seven assists while Myles Mack knocked down some big shots late in regulation and during the overtime periods to lead Rutgers to the 85-83 double overtime victory.

Jerome Seagears added 13 points and junior forward Dane Miller was his usual versatile self with 16 points, seven rebounds, five assists and two steals. Kenny Boynton led four Florida players in double figures with 26 points, but the Gators seemed to bog down offensively down the stretch, once again not getting the ball inside enough to Patric Young. Young finished with 11 points but took just eight shots in 41 minutes of play, and there was even a possession where Florida failed to get him the ball despite being guarded by the 6'3" Carter. Florida's guards had the experience advantage, but it was Rutgers that made that one extra big play to win the game.

"Would I have liked them to get into our sets a little quicker? Sure," said Rice after the game. "But there was such a poise, such a confidence. They responded at the end. I always take it back because they practice like that ...hopefully this is [what's] to come."

For all their youth Rutgers turned the ball over just 11 times compared to 18 Florida turnovers, and their assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.64 was nearly double their season average (0.86). Also critical for the Scarlet Knights was their play on the boards, as they were out-rebounded by just one (37-36) on the night with Derrick Randall supplying eight rebounds in 17 minutes of play. The Rutgers reserves, led by Mack (14 points), outscored Florida's bench 22-8 with Rosario scoring five points for the Gators. The Scarlet Knights are young and there will be bumps in the road in Big East play, but as Coach Rice said after the game the future is bright.

"This is what happens when you don't think impossible is impossible," said Rice. "This is what happens when young men are determined to follow the formula and play for one another."

Other Notable Happenings

1. Vanderbilt jumps Marquette from the start and picks up a much-needed resume builder.
Much of the country didn't get to see the beginning of Vanderbilt/Marquette due to the length of Rutgers' win over Florida, and by the time ESPN2 switched over the game was essentially finished. Kevin Stallings' Commodores jumped out to a 19-4 lead and didn't look back, leading by as many as 25 points in the first half (31-6) on their way to a 74-57 victory. Marquette couldn't hit the broad side of a barn in the first half as they shot 21.2% from the field and finished the game making 32.2% of their shots.

Jeffery Taylor led four Commodores in double figures with 19 points while Lance Goulbourne added 13 to go along with 16 rebounds, and Marquette's inability to make shots allowed the visitors to get away with 17 turnovers. Jae Crowder (16 points) and Darius Johnson-Odom (12 points) reached double figures but with fellow starters Junior Cadougan and Vander Blue combining to make two of ten shots from the field the Golden Eagles weren't able to get back into the game. Vanderbilt needed a win like this to re-establish some national credibility after an 8-4 start, and this will help as they go into SEC play.

2. Saint Mary's welcomes BYU to the WCC with 98 points in Moraga.
BYU and Saint Mary's went into Thursday's game familiar with each other since they met last season, even with some of the key figures in that meeting no longer in school. But confernce play can be an entirely different animal, as the Cougars found out in the second half of the Gaels' 98-82 victory. Randy Bennett's team made 55.4% of their shots and assisted on 23 of 31 made baskets, and individually both Matthew Dellavedova and Rob Jones posted double-doubles. Dellavedova ran the show for Saint Mary's, finishing with 18 points and 12 assists, while Jones was a matchup nightmare for BYU with 24 points and 15 rebounds.

Brandon Davies was outstanding for BYU in scoring 28 points and grabbing seven rebounds, but there wasn't enough offensive help for Davies when considering the fact that four SMC starters finished in double figures. Stephen Holt made eight of his ten shots in scoring 21 points and Jorden Page added 13 and five assists. On a night filled with offense, BYU simply could not get stops when they needed them the most. Of the three contenders for the WCC title (Gonzaga) the Gaels have the weakest non-conference resume, so that regular season crown may be most important for them when it comes to the NCAA Tournament. Thursday night was a good first step in that direction.

3. Cashmere Wright takes matters into his own hands late to lead Cincinnati past Oklahoma.
One question regarding Cincinnati's smaller lineup in light of the suspensions of Yancy Gates and Cheikh Mbodj was how the Bearcats would deal with bigger teams, something that wasn't an issue in wins over lesser competition. Oklahoma provided that challenge, and while it wasn't pretty Cincinnati found a way to win 56-55. That way: give Cashmere Wright the chance to make plays late. The junior point guard scored just eight points on the night (3-14 FG), but he made two huge baskets in the final minute including the game-winner with 8.8 seconds to go. Cincinnati turned the ball over just eight times on the night compared to 17 for the Sooners (UC: 16 points off turnovers), and while they were a minus-9 in rebounding margin the Bearcats grabbed 13 offensive boards and scored ten second-chance points (OU finished with 11). Cincinnati's taken full advantage of what could have been a crippling turn of events, becoming a better basketball team as a result.

Quick Hitters

1. It was a bad night for ACC bottom-feeders on Thursday, with Boston College losing to #24 Harvard for the fourth consecutive time (67-46) and Georgia Tech losing at Fordham (72-66). To say the least these results don't do much to maintain the league's computer numbers, and it could be a long conference season for both the Eagles and Yellow Jackets. And it should also be noted that Wake Forest nearly lost to Yale after leading by 19, ultimately hanging on to beat the Bulldogs 72-71.

2. Freshman guard Jamal Branch has left the Texas A&M program and will transfer according to multiple media outlets. Branch averaged just 4.2 points and 2.5 assists per game, but his departure leaves the Aggies one option short on a perimeter that hasn't played at a championship level this season.

3. Two teams that took hits to their chances of an at-large bid on Thursday are Marshall and Iona, with both falling on the road. Iona couldn't recover from 19 first half turnovers in an 83-75 loss at Hofstra while the Thundering Herd lost 79-74 to a Belmont team they beat just ten days ago. The Herd may have a better shot at earning an at-large given their conference affiliation (Conference USA), but the climb for both teams became a lot tougher.

4. Shaka Smart's VCU Rams won their seventh straight game on Thursday, winning 76-75 in overtime at Akron. Bradford Burgess led four Rams in double figures with 19 points (and seven rebounds) and VCU forced 20 Akron turnovers on the night.

5. Getting to conference play wasn't the catalyst for Austin Peay that some thought it would be as the Governors lost 67-65 at Eastern Kentucky. Dave Loos' team dropped to 3-11 on the season (0-1 OVC) while the Colonels are now 2-0 in league play.

6. In the "inexplicable loss" category are the defeats suffered by American and James Madison, who in losing to Mount St. Mary's and Rhode Island respectively lost to teams that entered Thursday with a combined 2-21 record.

7. Even though they were the home team it's likely that few people expected Illinois State to beat Northern Illinois in the MVC opener for both teams. But that's exactly what happened as the Redbirds, led by Jackie Carmichael (19 points, 10 rebounds, four blocks), beat the Panthers 65-61.

8. The opening night of Pac-12 play didn't lack excitement either, with Stanford hanging on to beat UCLA 60-59. UCLA took 13 shots in the second half that would have given them the lead if converted...and missed them all. And in Seattle, Tony Wroten led Washington to a 95-80 win over Oregon State with 26 points, nine rebounds and four assists. If the freshman continues to learn how to use his talents to make his teammates better, look out.

Three Notable Performances

1. G Eli Carter (Rutgers)
31 points, seven rebounds and seven assists in the Scarlet Knights' 85-83 double overtime win over #10 Florida.

2. F Will Barton (Memphis)
27 points, 13 rebounds and three assists in the Tigers' 64-47 win over Robert Morris.

3. F Chris Gaston (Fordham)
23 points and 17 rebounds in the Rams' 72-66 win over Georgia Tech.