America East

Jon Teitel's "Forgotten Legends": Maine's Jeff Cross

Jon Teitel — Tue, 07 Aug 2012 14:45:49 -0400

In the latest installment in his "Forgotten Legends" interview series, CHN writer spent some time with Maine great Jeff Cross. Cross' story is a remarkable one, as in five years he went from a player who struggled to make his high school team to ECAC North Player of the Year. Cross is now the director of merchandising at Converse.

Jon Teitel: You did not start playing organized basketball until high school. Why did it take so long to get you on the court?

Jeff Cross: I always played basketball but was not very good at it. Being a big kid my favorite sport was football, and I was quite good at it from a young age. The other thing that played a huge role was that I started snow skiing with my family when I was age 5 and I loved the sport. This took up the majority of my winters; even today my wife and I ski 15-20 times a year. I still tried out for basketball each year in high school because that is just what you did as a football player/jock.

I was cut as a freshman and sophomore. My junior year the head coach (New England Basketball Hall of Fame Coach Danny Parr) said that I was getting better and that if I wanted to play he would keep me as the 13th man...on a 12-man roster! I eagerly accepted but only played in 4-5 games despite being 6-7. My senior year I grew another inch and was much better but was still riding the pine. We had a game at Nashua before Christmas and our starting center missed the bus after sliding into a snow bank on the way to school. I started that game and had a double-double in a very tight win over the best team in the state. To make a long story short, I started the rest of the season but only got my chance because Lenny Best missed the team bus!

JT: Why did you decide to go to Maine?

JC: Nobody recruited me out of high school so I did a prep year at Worcester Academy. I grew two more inches to a legit 6-10, and Coach Tom Blackburn turned me into a very good player. By the end of the year I was getting phone calls from the likes of Jim Boehiem and being offered full scholarships to some very good Division I schools. Maine Coach Peter Gavitt contacted me early in the year and said that I was on their radar screen, and he did a great job of keeping me a priority. He really was the sole reason I picked Maine. I had a very strong connection with him. So while it is hard to believe, I picked Maine over Syracuse!

JT: You had three teammates also named Jeff during your junior season. Was it hard for the coaches to call out different plays for different guys named Jeff?

JC: No. I was the go-to guy so if he said "Jeff" we all knew who was getting the ball. Just joking! Everyone liked to make a big deal about the 4 guys named Jeff but we all went by our nicknames anyway. I was "Crossy", Jeff Topliff was "Toppy", Jeff Wheeler was "Wheels", and Jeff Sturgeon was "Sturge". There really was never any confusion and they were a great group of guys.

JT: One of your more famous teammates was Rick Carlisle. Are you more surprised that he won an NBA title as a player or as a coach?

JC: I only played with Rick for one year at Maine because he transferred to Virginia after his sophomore year. Rick was an amazing ball-handler for a 6-5 guy; he had massive hands. I only saw Rick get picked once in his life. It was when he was at Virginia and he was being guarded by some little-known player from North Carolina by the name of...Michael Jordan! I am not surprised at any of his success to be honest. Rick played on one of the best teams in the history of the game. As for coaching, Rick had the best basketball mind of anyone I have ever met, period. I would have been surprised if he did NOT win a championship in his coaching career. He is that good and that talented.

JT: You were named all-conference during each of your final two seasons at Maine. How were you able to remain so consistent from year to year?

JC: A lot of hard work and very good coaching. Coach Gavitt did wonders for my career and really turned me into a player who loved defense and rebounding. I was a good offensive player but my game was fueled by the boards, blocked shots, and defense. Head coach Skip Chappelle constantly challenged me to take my game to a new level and I worked hard to do that. He always said that I should strive for (and see) improvement in part of my game every week. There were always ways to get better no matter how insignificant the improvement may seem. I took that to heart.

JT: In 1983 you were named ECAC North Player of the Year. What did it mean to you to win such an outstanding individual honor?

JC: It was quite an honor and quite exciting. I had made my high school varsity team out of mercy because Coach Parr liked me, and only five years later I was POY in a Division I conference. It really was a team effort to win that award. I never could have accomplished that without some amazing coaches (Parr, Blackburn, Gavitt and Chappelle) and teammates. The "Jeffs" played a very large role as well, but the one person at Maine who had the biggest role in my success was Kevin Green.

I met Kevin at Worcester Academy during my prep year while he was recovering from a brutal injury he sustained during his junior year of high school. Kevin was the most dedicated and focused athlete/person I had ever met at that point in my life. Kevin ended up walking on to the basketball program at Maine and became a starter. He was also my roommate for four years and was always there for me through good times and bad, just an amazing guy!

JT: In the summer of 1984 you were drafted in the third round by Dallas. Did you see that as a validation of your college career, the realization of a lifelong dream of reaching the NBA, or other?

JC: It is funny because I actually grew up dreaming of playing in the NFL, not the NBA. The Steelers and the Cowboys were my favorite teams. Basketball was still very new to me. It was very exciting and a huge honor to be seen in the same light as some of the best basketball players on the planet. It was almost surreal.

JT: In January 1986 you signed with the Clippers and played 21 games for them. What is your favorite memory from your time with the Clippers?

JC: Unfortunately my career was cut short by my third broken foot after my first year with the Clippers. I was a fringe NBA player, and with three different breaks over six years I was also a physical liability. My favorite person by far was Cedric Maxwell. Growing up in New Hampshire I was a huge Celtics fan, so being able to play, practice and hang with Cedric was a dream. He is one of the funniest people I have ever met and a terrific basketball player. It was also cool just to be playing on that team because it was a virtual who's who of All-Stars. Maxwell, Norm Nixon, Marques Johnson, Junior Bridgeman, etc.

The thing that I will never forget was the night that I played against the Rockets and their Twin Towers of Ralph Sampson and Hakeem Olajuwon. I played a career-high 20 minutes that night and had seven rebounds and three blocked shots. There was one sequence when I blocked Olajuwon cleanly two or three times in one possession. I was leaving the locker room after the game and I saw him standing there. He went out of his way to come over to me, shake my hand, and say, "Big man, I have no idea who you are but you played a really good game tonight!!" Not only did that make my day, it made my career.

JT: You currently work as Director of Merchandising at Converse. How do you like the job, and what do you hope to do in the future?

JC: I have been in the sneaker business since 1990 and have worked for Nike, Reebok, Puma, and Converse over the past eight years. I love the business and love my job at Converse: I hope to work here until I retire. As far as my future, I want to spend as much of it as possible with my beautiful wife of 26 years Carol and stay closely in touch with my two amazing sons. Carson is a RHP on the Connecticut baseball team and my youngest son Elliott will be attending New Hampshire this fall is and is the most amazing person I know. He inspires me daily. Oh yeah, I also want to ski a ton!

JT: When people look back on your career, how do you want to be remembered the most?

JC: I want to be remembered as a guy who worked hard, did the little things that it took to get better, and was a bear on defense and the boards. Most importantly, I want my teammates and other people to look back and say that I was a real nice guy.

Cross is also on Jon's list of best pro players in America East history.

Albany: NO ALUMNI IN ABA/NBA
Binghamton: NO ALUMNI IN ABA/NBA
Boston University: Gary Plummer (1985)
Hartford: Vin Baker (1994)
Maine: Jeff Cross (1986)
UMBC: NO ALUMNI IN ABA/NBA
New Hampshire: NO ALUMNI IN ABA/NBA
Stony Brook: NO ALUMNI IN ABA/NBA
Vermont: NO ALUMNI IN ABA/NBA

Saturday's Conference Tournament Primer

Raphielle Johnson — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 09:40:09 -0500

Pac-12 - Title Game
#4 Arizona vs. #6 Colorado, 6:10 p.m. (CBS)

With Selection Sunday just a day away, one of the big questions out there is how the selection committee will deal with the Pac-12. The league that's underachieved in historic fashion this season will get at least one team into the field (since that's the rule), but how many more? Regular season champion Washington and runner-up California have both been eliminated, leaving them at the mercy of the committee. The best thing for a team to do is make sure they remain in control of their own fate, which is what Arizona and Colorado have done by reaching the conference title game.

Colorado, in their first season in the Pac-12, has exceeded all expectations and that's that a credit to the job that Tad Boyle has done. Picked to finish in a tie for tenth in October, the Buffaloes managed to win 11 league games despite some major personnel losses and now sit one game away from their first NCAA tournament appearance since 2003. A balanced effort, with four players reaching double figures, is what got them past Cal on Friday night and a similar performance will be needed if they're to beat Arizona.

As for the Wildcats they've reached the final despite having to suspend point guard Josiah Turner, but to be fair was the personnel loss that big? Sean Miller's team may not have a "perfect" option at the point but they've got some versatile guys who can help with the duties. Nick Johnson has played some point as has Jordin Mayes, and senior Kyle Foog has been a "jack of all trades" kind of player on the perimeter. Add in forwards Jesse Perry and Solomon Hill and you've got a solid nucleus than can give opposing teams fits.

The home team won both of the regular season meetings, with Arizona putting forth the better performance in their victory than CU did in theirs. If Carlon Brown can continue his solid play for one more game the Buffs are more than capable of winning and grabbing that automatic bid, and forward Andre Roberson is a warrior on the glass. Last year's game went down to the wire, with Washington's Isaiah Thomas providing a moment that few will ever forget. With there not being much separating Arizona and Colorado we could be headed towards a similar finish today.

America East - Title Game
#2 Vermont at #1 Stony Brook, 11:02 a.m. (ESPN2)

The top two seeds in America East meet for a trip to the NCAA tournament, and it's interesting that Vermont's loss to Binghamton ended up being the difference. The home team won both meetings, and in a tight gym like Stony Brook's the Seawolves likely hold an advantage there. But with Matt Glass and Four McGlynn among other players, the Catamounts are more than capable of leaving Long Island with the title. For Stony Brook they need a good day at the point from Bryan Dougher, but he's going to have his hands full with Sandro Carissimo being one of the conference's best on-ball defenders.

ACC - Semifinals
#1 North Carolina vs. #5 NC State, 1:00 p.m. (ESPN/ACC Network)
#2 Duke vs. #3 Florida State, 3:00 p.m. (ESPN/ACC Network)

The team with the most to gain in Atlanta is NC State, who may have sealed their trip to the NCAA tournament with their win over Virginia on Friday afternoon. But a win over the Tar Heels, who may not have John Henson (wrist), would be quite the achievement due not only to their NCAA hopes but also he fact that Carolina won both regular season meetings by comfortable margins. In game two it's the rematch of a thriller at Cameron, won by the Seminoles on a Michael Snaer three as time expired (Duke did win the return meeting in Tallahassee).

Florida State's coming off one of the best offensive performances of the season, turning the ball over just 11 times and finishing their win over Miami with an efficiency of 122.1. Ian Miller and company will need to take care of the ball against Duke if they're to win, and with Ryan Kelly out this weekend the Seminole big men will have an edge from a depth standpoint.

Atlantic 10 - Semifinals
#8 Massachusetts vs. #4 St. Bonaventure, 1:00pm (CBS SN)
#2 Saint Louis vs. #3 Xavier, 3:30pm (CBS SN)

Xavier may be in following their win over Dayton last night but why leave anything to chance? In order to reach Sunday's final they're going to have to beat Saint Louis, who is one of the most disciplined teams in America. Rick Majerus has done an outstanding job with the Billikens, and players such as Brian Conklin and Kwamain Mitchell have played well all year long. In the first semifinal it's UMass and St. Bonaventure, which should provide an interesting contrast in styles. Point guard Chaz Williams has been outstanding for the Minutemen, and the same goes for the Bonnies' Andrew Nicholson. If St. Bonaventure can take care of the ball and not end up in a track meet, which is what UMass wants, they'd likely be the favorite to advance.

Big 12 - Title Game
#4 Baylor vs. #2 Missouri, 6:00 p.m. (ESPN)

Both teams have a lot to gain from this one. Baylor, who knocked off Kansas on Friday night, could pick up wins over the top two teams in the conference in consecutive days and that would be quite some confidence boost heading into the Big Dance. As for the Tigers, a win could put them in line for a one-seed if not at the very least having their road to the Final Four goiing through St. Louis. A.J. Walton has been a bit of an unsung hero for the Bears this week, and they're going to need more of the same from him against Missouri's talented backcourt. And it's safe to say that Marcus Denmon is going 0-for-10 as he did in the Tigers' win over Texas.

Big East - Title Game
#4 Cincinnati vs. #7 Louisville, 9:00 p.m. (ESPN)

Despite their shared history throughout the years, this is just the second time that the Bearcats and Cardinals have met in a conference tournament final (1981 as members of the Metro Conference). The transformation made by Mick Cronin's team throughout the season has been something else, and with the Bearcats playing as they are a Big East title is definitely possible. The same goes for Louisville with point guard Peyton Siva playing as well as he has in New York. One more solid performance from Yancy Gates could be enough to push Cincinnati to the Big East title, but he'll have his hands full with Chane Behanan and Gorgui Dieng. Look for this one to go right down to the wire.

Big Ten - Semifinals
#1 Michigan State vs. #4 Wisconsin, 1:40 p.m. (CBS)
#3 Michigan vs. #2 Ohio State, 4:05 p.m. (CBS)

The top four seeds all advanced to the semifinals for the first time in the history of the Big Ten tournament and neither matchup should disappoint. Michigan State swept the regular season series with the Badgers, and as it's been pointed out the 2000 national champions beat the Badgers four times on their way to the title. That's going to be far easier said than done this time around, especially with Rob Wilson playing his best basketball at just the right time. In game two Ohio State and Michigan meet for the third time, with the home team winning both meetings. Jared Sullinger was outstanding in the Buckeyes' win over Purdue and the same goes for Michigan's Trey Burke in their win over Minnesota.

Big West - Title Game
#1 Long Beach State, #3 UCSB, 10:00 pm (ESPN2)

Remains to be seen whether or not the 49ers can grab an at-large bid, but at the very least they'd want to win this one for pride. UCSB has won the last two Big West tournaments, and with Orlando Johnson a third is possible.

Conference USA - Title Game
#6 Marshall vs. #1 Memphis, 11:35 a.m. (CBS)

A Memphis win could make C-USA a two-bid league with Southern Miss being the other team. Should Marshall win, the league is likely looking at three bids. Bubble team will be tuned into this one. Will Barton's played at an All-America level this season, and Marshall's got an experienced group led by Damier Pitts and DeAndre Kane.

Great West - Title Game
#4 NJIT vs. #2 North Dakota, 5:00 p.m.

The winner gets an automatic berth to the CIT, and with North Dakota having won the league last season they'll likely be motivated by the prospects of a repeat. NJIT brings Chris Flores and Isaiah Wilkerson to the table, and a tournament title would be quite the achievement for a program just a few years removed from one of the longest losing streaks in Division I history.

MAC - Title Game
#1 Akron vs. #3 Ohio, 8:00 p.m. (ESPN2)

The winner goes to the Big Dance while the loser is likely NIT-bound. Zeke Marshall has played well for Akron and the same goes for Ohio point guard D.J. Cooper. Keith Dambrot's team won the regular season title but the Bobcats are more than capable of knocking them off, evidenced by their resounding win over the Zips in Athens just a couple weeks ago.

MEAC - Title Game
#4 Bethune-Cookman vs. #2 Norfolk State, 1:00 PM (ESPN2)

Regular season champ Savannah State may not be here but the team many expected to win the conference, Norfolk State, is. Kyle O'Quinn is a force inside for the Spartans, and BCC is going to need to account for him if they're to win. On the other side Clifford Reed has relied on a balanced attack, with Adrien Coleman and Kevin Dukes leading four players in double figures with an average of 11.5 points per game.

Mountain West - Title Game
#1 San Diego State vs. #2 New Mexico, 7:00 p.m.(NBC SN)

The top two seeds in the Mountain West meet for the third time this season, with the road teams winning both meetings. UNM's victory came during their huge week that also included a resounding home win over UNLV. The key for SDSU defensively is simple yet difficult to carry out: keep Drew Gordon from consistently establishing position in the paint. Tim Shelton, Garrett Green and DeShawn Stephens will be key in this regard. UNM's going to need their guard to play well given the fact that the Aztecs lean on MWC Player of the Year Jamaal Franklin and Chase Tapley. Demetrius Walker has played well off the bench for the Lobos, averaging 15.5 points per game off the bench this week.

SEC - Semifinals
#1 Kentucky vs. #4 Florida, 1:00 p.m. (ABC)
#7 Ole Miss vs. #3 Vanderbilt, 3:30 p.m. (ABC)

Similar to NC State in the ACC tournament there's one team with a lot to gain and three others who have a good idea where they're headed. Ole Miss moved a step closer to an NCAA berth on Friday night with their win over Tennessee, and a win over Vanderbilt this afternoon would likely put them into the field. Game one is all about confidence, as Kentucky won both regular season meetings by solid margins. If Florida can win that would be quite a boost for Billy Donovan's team, but he's going to need solid play from Kenny Boynton and Erving Walker in order to get the desired result.

Southland - Title Game
#3 Lamar vs. #4 McNeese St., 3:00 p.m. (ESPN2)

Much was made of Pat Knight's scathing critique of his senior class, but the fact of the matter is that Lamar hasn't lost a game since. Senior Mike James can score with the best of them provided he exercises good shot selection, and he'll need to do so against a McNeese State team that knocked off top-seed UT Arlington in Thursday's semifinals.

SWAC - Title Game
#2 Texas Southern vs. #1 Mississippi Valley State, 8:00 p.m. (ESPNU)

The top two seeds meet but there's quite the gap between the Delta Devils and Texas Southern, who would be the three seed had Southern been eligible to compete. Paul Crosby and Cor-J Cox lead the way for MVSU, who dominated the SWAC and play a style similar to what their head coach (Sean Woods) played under Rick Pitino at Kentucky. It would be a major surprise if Mississippi Valley State didn't win this one.

WAC - Title Game
#2 New Mexico State vs. #5 Louisiana Tech, Midnight (ESPN2)

Louisiana Tech pulled off the upset of the night on Friday as they knocked off top-seed Nevada, possibly relegating the Wolf Pack to the NIT. Next up is two-seed New Mexico State, who features Wendell McKines and freshman Daniel Mullings has played good basketball over the last month. The key for Marvin Menzies' team: no mental letdown. One would think that they came into the weekend expecting another shot at Nevada, but they can ill-afford to go into the game underestimating Louisiana Tech.

Conference Finals Predictions: Big 12, Big East, Pac-12 & More

Greg Mengelt — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 02:52:10 -0500

Our g ame prediction guru Greg Mengelt has been on fire this year. Here are is predictions for Saturday's conference championship game. Read more about Championship Week at CollegeHoops.net.

AMERICA EAST FINAL: AT STONY BROOK

(2) Vermont (22-11, 13-3) at (1) Stony Brook (22-8, 14-2)

Tipoff: 11:02 a.m. TV: ESPN2. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 2 – Stony Brook 65-59; Feb. 12 – Vermont 68-49. RPI: Stony Brook 141, Vermont 156. Analysis: Vermont has been great for the last month-and-a-half and will break the hearts of the Seawolves home faithful. Line: Stony Brook -3½. Pick: Vermont 63, Stony Brook 58.

BIG 12 FINAL: AT KANSAS CITY

(2) Missouri (28-4, 14-4) vs. (4) Baylor (27-6, 12-6)

Tipoff: 6 p.m. TV: ESPN. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 21 – Missouri 89-88*; Feb. 11 – Missouri 72-57. RPI: Baylor 8, Missouri 17. Analysis: I picked Baylor the first two times. Sticking with the Bears. Pick: Baylor 79, Missouri 74.

BIG EAST FINAL: AT NEW YORK CITY

(4) Cincinnati (24-9, 12-6) vs. (7) Louisville (25-9, 10-8)

Tipoff: 9 p.m. TV: ESPN. Regular-season meetings: Feb. 23 – Cincinnati 60-56. RPI: Louisville 18, Cincinnati 40. Analysis: Louisville’s stifling defense has carried the Cardinals this far. A Big East title is next. Pick: Louisville 59, Cincinnati 53.

BIG WEST FINAL: AT ANAHEIM

(1) Long Beach State (24-8, 15-1) vs. (2) UC-Santa Barbara (20-9, 12-4)

Tipoff: 10 p.m. TV: ESPN2. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 21 – Long Beach 71-48*; Feb. 22 – Long Beach 70-58. RPI: Long Beach 38, UCSB 126. Analysis: Do you think the 49ers have been looking forward to this game for a full year? They want blood – and they’ll get blood. Pick: Long Beach State 75, UC-Santa Barbara 54.

CONFERENCE USA FINAL: AT MEMPHIS

(1) Memphis (25-8, 13-3) vs. (6) Marshall (21-12, 9-7)

Tipoff: 11:35 a.m. TV: CBS. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 28 – Memphis 83-76; Feb. 25 – Memphis 87-67*. RPI: Memphis 16, Marshall 39. Analysis: The Memphis we’ve seen since the beginning of February is the Memphis we expected to see all season. Line: Memphis -9½. Pick: Memphis 90, Marshall 69.

MAC FINAL: AT CLEVELAND

(1) Akron (22-10, 13-3) vs. (3) Ohio (25-7, 11-5)

Tipoff: 8 p.m. TV: ESPN2. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 14 – Akron 68-63; Feb. 26 – Ohio 85-61. RPI: Akron 50, Ohio 68. Analysis: Ohio had a disappointing regular season. It will be a memory because the Bobcats are going dancing. Pick: Ohio 75, Akron 68.

MEAC FINAL: AT WINSTON-SALEM, N.C.

(2) Norfolk State (24-9, 13-3) vs. (4) Bethune-Cookman (18-16, 11-5)

Tipoff: 1 p.m. TV: ESPN2. Regular-season meetings: Feb. 25 – Norfolk State 75-72*. RPI: Norfolk State 134, B-C 243. Analysis: Norfolk is the class of the MEAC. Pick: Norfolk State 78, Bethune-Cookman 66.

MOUNTAIN WEST FINAL: AT LAS VEGAS

(1) San Diego State (26-6, 10-4) vs. (2) New Mexico (25-6, 10-4)

Tipoff: 7 p.m. TV: NBC Sports Network. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 18 – San Diego State 75-70*; Feb. 15 – New Mexico 77-67*. RPI: San Diego State 22, New Mexico 34. Analysis: How good did the Pack look in a virtual road game on Friday? Whoa! Pick: New Mexico 79, San Diego State 73.

PAC-12 FINAL: AT LOS ANGELES

(4) Arizona (23-10, 12-6) vs. (6) Colorado (22-11, 11-7)

Tipoff: 6:10 p.m. TV: CBS. Regular-season meetings: Jan 21 – Colorado 64-63; Feb. 9 – Arizona 71-57. RPI: Colorado 77, Arizona 84. Analysis: How does the Pac-12 deserve more than one team? Anyway, this one is a toss-up. Pick: Arizona 63, Colorado 58.

SOUTHLAND FINAL: AT KATY, TEXAS

(3) Lamar (22-11, 11-5) vs. (4) McNeese State (17-14, 10-6)

Tipoff: 3 p.m. TV: ESPN2. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 11 – McNeese 57-54; March 3 – Lamar 78-68. RPI: Lamar 118, McNeese 177. Analysis: Did you see what the Cowboys did to the UTA, which dominated the league all season? Take the points. Line: Lamar -5½. Pick: McNeese State 71, Lamar 69.

SWAC FINAL: AT GARLAND, TEXAS

(1) Mississippi Valley State (20-12, 17-1) vs. (2) Texas Southern (17-14, 13-5)

Tipoff: 8 p.m. TV: ESPNU. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 23 – MVSU 77-69 (OT)*; Feb. 20 – MVSU 56-53. RPI: MVSU 153, Texas Southern 231. Analysis: Valley wins, but the Tigers cover. Pick: Mississippi Valley State 60, Texas Southern 59.

WAC FINAL: AT LAS VEGAS

(2) New Mexico State (25-9, 10-4) vs. (5) Louisiana Tech (18-15, 6-8)

Tipoff: Midnight. TV: ESPN2. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 7 – NMSU 83-73*; Feb. 4 – NMSU 83-72. RPI: New Mexico State 69, Louisiana Tech 170. Analysis: Been saying all year that the Aggies would win this tournament. Nevada’s elimination only solidifies that. Pick: New Mexico State 84, Louisiana Tech 72.

Sunday's Conference Tournament Primer

Raphielle Johnson — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 11:00:46 -0500

Missouri Valley - Title Game
#4 Illinois State vs. #2 Creighton, 2:00 p.m. (CBS)

The eyes of many bubble teams and their fan bases will be focused on St. Louis and the title game of the MVC tournament. The reason why: Illinois State, a team that was unlikely to be an at-large selection, is 40 minutes away from grabbing the Valley's automatic bid and making it a three-bid league. Standing in the way of the Redbirds is two-seed Creighton, who looked outstanding in their 99-71 win over Evansville and will be headed to the Big Dance with or without the automatic bid.

The problem for Illinois State, who beat Wichita State 65-64 on Saturday to reach the final, is that they've been unable to slow down the Bluejays in either meeting. Creighton averaged 94.5 points per game in two wins over the Redbirds, most recently handing ISU a 102-74 beating in Omaha on February 1st. Doug McDermott led six players in double figures that game with 25 points, and in the two meetings Creighton has shot 57.1% (87-78 win at ISU) and 56.4% from the field.

Tim Jankovich's team has improved since that loss on the defensive end of the floor as only three teams have shot better than 45% from the field since, but the Redbirds' improved defense will be tested this afternoon. Big man Jackie Carmichael has been outstanding all season long, and his physical play is a big reason why Illinois State has been able to reach this point. But he and Tyler Brown are going to need their teammates to step up if they're to have a shot at knocking off this powerful Creighton squad, and Nic Moore's 12 points on Saturday could be a step in the right direction in that regard.

In addition to McDermott the Bluejays have Gregory Echenique inside, and on the perimeter players such as Antoine Young, Grant Gibbs and Jahenns Manigat all have the ability to make plays. The offensive production is rarely a question for Greg McDermott's team, but how well they play defensively will ultimately determine how far they can go in the NCAA tournament. If Creighton can clamp down defensively the upset bid becomes even tougher for Illinois State, but they've got a shot. And at this point in the season that's the least a team can ask for.

America East - Semifinals
#1 Stony Brook vs. #4 Albany, 5:02 p.m. (ESPN3)
#2 Vermont vs. #6 Hartford, 7:15 p.m. (ESPN3)

Three of the top four seeds advanced to the semifinals in West Hartford, with the host Hawks being the lone exception. They were able to slow down a potent Boston University attack, winning 53-49, and at 9-21 on the season John Gallagher's Hawks really don't have anything to lose. But beating a Vermont team that swept the regular season series, winning both games by double digits, will be very tough to do. The Catamounts scored just 14 points in the first half of their 50-40 win over Maine on Saturday but with the likes of Matt Glass and Luke Apfeld don't expect that to happen again.

The first semifinal should be highly entertaining, as regular season champ Stony Brook takes on four-seed Albany, who has the league's leading scorer in Gerardo Suero. Suero, a guy many thought would be Player of the Year, can flat-out light it up and if Logan Aronhalt is effective the Great Danes can be a tough out. Steve Pikiell's Seawolves have five players averaging at least eight points per game with Bryan Dougher leading the way, and in Tommy Brenton they've got the league's best defender.

CAA - Semifinals
#1 Drexel vs. #4 Old Dominion, 2 p.m. (CAA-TV)
#2 VCU vs. #3 George Mason, 4:30 p.m. (CAA-TV)

There's no underestimating how important these two games are from an NCAA tournament standpoint, because while the chances of a second bid are slim given the troubles of bubble teams throughout the country the possibility for the CAA remains. Drexel won the regular season title outright and keeping in mind UAB's selection last season that achievement may hold weight with the selection committee. Frantz Massenat and the Dragons take on an ODU team that played arguably its best offensive game of the season on Saturday, but don't expect offensive fireworks given how good both teams have been defensively. The rubber match between VCU and George Mason will most likely determine the team with the best shot at an at-large should Drexel end up with the automatic bid, but more importantly the winner would control their own fate with a shot at the title on Monday night. Mason escaped Georgia State on Saturday night while VCU was able to take care of Northeastern.

Metro Atlantic - Semifinals
#4 Fairfield vs. #1 Iona, 2:00 p.m. (ESPN3)
#2 Loyola (MD) vs. #6 Siena, 4:30 p.m. (ESPN3)

Similar to America East the six-seed is the one "crashing" the party in the MAAC, as a Siena team that goes six deep knocked off three-seed Manhattan in Saturday's quarterfinals. Owen Wignot sent the game into overtime with a three-pointer with eight seconds remaining, and senior Brandon Walters picked a good time to play arguably the best game of his career. The question now is whether or not Mitch Buonaguro's team has enough left in the tank (especially with Evan Hymes battling a knee injury) to battle one of the MAAC's deepest teams in Loyola. Erik Etherly and Dylon Cormier may lead the way, but the Greyhounds can also call on the likes of Robert Olson and MAAC 6th Man of the Year Justin Drummond when needed.

The first semifinal matches the two teams expected to fight it out for the regular season title in top-seed Iona and Fairfield. It took the Stags a little longer than expected to mesh given the addition of Rakim Sanders and Desmond Wade, not to mention head coach Sydney Johnson just arriving by way of Princeton. The loss of guard Derek Needham hurts but Fairfield has the depth needed to navigate such a loss. The Gaels are deep as well, led by seniors Scott Machado and Mike Glover, and with their run last season ending in the MAAC title game there's going to be motivation to take care of business. If Iona can defend at a solid level they have more than enough offensive talent to advance to Monday's final.

NEC - Semifinals
#3 Robert Morris at #2 Wagner, Noon (MSG/FCS)
#5 Quinnipiac at #1 LIU Brooklyn, 6:00 p.m. (MSG/FCS)

The battle between the Colonials and Seahawks will be entertaining, especially when considering a likely matchup between RMU's Velton Jones and Wagner's Kenneth Ortiz. Jones leads the Colonials in scoring with an average of 16.4 points per game, and Ortiz is one of the NEC's best defenders. Both teams are deep, and with Latif Rivers and Tyler Murray also at his disposal on the perimeter Wagner head coach Dan Hurley won't lack for options. The same goes for RMU's Andy Toole, who also has sophomore Coron Williams and freshman wing Lucky Jones. RMU has been the better rebounding team this season, so if Jones and Russell Johnson can control things on the glass they can leave Staten Island with a win.

In the other semifinal high-scoring LIU Brooklyn hosts Quinnipiac, who have one of the league's best scoring guards in James Johnson. The key for QU however could be how well Ike Azotam does inside against Julian Boyd and Jamal Olasewere. The Bobcats are the best rebounding team in the NEC and Azotam is a big reason why, but Boyd and Olasewere can both step out on the perimeter and draw him away from the basket. Add in guards Jason Brickman and C.J. Garner and the Blackbirds have a rotation that's been tough to slow down all season long.

Southern - Semifinals
#1N UNCG vs. #3N Western Carolina, 6:00 p.m.
#1S Davidson vs. #2N Elon, 8:30 p.m.

Three of the four teams still alive in the SoCon hail from the North Division, which may be seen as a surprise based on how the regular season played out. Wes Miller's Spartans have played so well since he took over that the youngest head coach in America was named SoCon Coach of the Year, and with Trevis Simpson leading the way UNCG can reach the final. But the Spartans will face a Western Carolina squad that's won six straight, and they looked very good in their 82-59 win over Wofford on Saturday afternoon. In the other semifinal the clear favorite to win the automatic bid, Davidson, takes on an Elon team led by Jack Isenbarger. The question for the Phoenix is whether or not they have enough inside to deal with Jake Cohen and De'Mon Brooks, but then again no one's really had an answer for these two within the league.

Summit League - Quarterfinals
#4 Western Illinois vs. #5 North Dakota State, 7:00 p.m.
#3 Oakland vs. #6 Southern Utah, 9:30 p.m.

The top two seeds, Oral Roberts and South Dakota State, advanced on Saturday night and Sunday's slate features one of the country's most prolific scorers in Oakland's Reggie Hamilton. Hamilton averaged 25.5 points per game in two wins over the Thunderbirds, and Travis Bader is a capable scorer as well. Jackson Stevenett leads four SUU players in double figures with an average of 14.1 points per game, and that balance combined with better defense on Hamilton is the formula for a Southern Utah win. North Dakota State and Western Illinois each have three players averaging double figures in scoring, and guards Taylor Braun (NDSU) and Ceola Clark (WIU) are both capable of leading their teams to the victory. The winners will take on ORU and South Dakota State in Monday's semifinals.

Sun Belt - Quarterfinals
#1 Middle Tennessee vs. #9 Arkansas State, 7:00 p.m. (Sun Belt Network - Summit Arena)
#4 Louisiana-Lafayette vs. #5 North Texas, 7:15 p.m. (Convention Center Court)
#2 UALR vs. #7 Western Kentucky, 9:30 p.m. (Sun Belt Network - Summit Arena)
#3 Denver vs. #6 South Alabama, 9:45 p.m. (Convention Center Court)

The top five teams take the court for the first time in the Sun Belt tournament, and while Middle Tennessee has to be considered the favorite given how well they played throughout the season they won't go unchallenged. Denver put together an outstanding season thanks to the tandem of Brian Stafford and Chris Udofia, and if there's a player who can go on a run and make the tournament his own personal playground that would be North Texas' Tony Mitchell. UALR should also be in the conversation as Steve Shields' team won the automatic bid last season, and they're the two seed entering this year's tournament.

Sunday Predictions: MVC Finals, AE Semis, MAAC Semis, More

Greg Mengelt — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 10:37:14 -0500

Our g ame prediction guru Greg Mengelt has been on fire this year. He'll be picking every conference tournament game over the next 2 weeks. Read more about Championship Week at CollegeHoops.net.

MISSOURI VALLEY CHAMPIONSHIP: AT ST. LOUIS

(2) Creighton (27-5, 14-4) vs. (4) Illinois State (20-12, 9-9)

Tipoff: 2 p.m. TV: CBS. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 13 – Creighton 87-78*; Feb. 1 – Creighton 102-74. RPI: Creighton 28, Illinois State 100. Analysis: After a bit of a late-season swoon, Creighton is back. The Redbirds can’t get enough points to justify taking them. Line: Creighton -5. Pick: Creighton 89, Illinois State 67.

COLONIAL SEMIFINALS: AT RICHMOND, VA.

(1) Drexel (26-5, 16-2) vs. (4) Old Dominion (20-12, 13-5)

Tipoff: 2 p.m. TV: Comcast Sports Net/CAA TV. Regular-season meetings: Feb. 25 – Drexel 73-72*. RPI: Drexel 67, Old Dominion 106. Analysis: Drexel’s defense is among the best in the country. If the Dragons can slow Kent Bazemore, who scored 37 against them last week, they should roll. Line: Drexel -3. Pick: Drexel 67, Old Dominion 58.

(2) Virginia Commonwealth (26-6, 15-3) vs. (3) George Mason (24-8, 14-4)

Tipoff: Approx. 4:30 p.m. TV: Comcast Sports Net/CAA TV. Regular-season meetings: Feb. 14 – George Mason 62-61; Feb. 25 – VCU 89-77. RPI: VCU 65, George Mason 79. Analysis: This may be an NCAA Tournament elimination game. VCU appears to have the slightly better team. Line: VCU -6. Pick: Virginia Commonwealth 83, George Mason 76.

AMERICA EAST SEMIFINALS: AT WEST HARTFORD, CONN.

(1) Stony Brook (21-8, 14-2) vs. (4) Albany (19-13, 9-7)

Tipoff: 5:02 p.m. TV: ESPN3. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 8 – Stony Brook 81-68; Feb. 4 – Stony Brook 76-69*. RPI: Stony Brook 158, Albany 219. Analysis: The top seed isn’t playing as well as it was in early February, and the Great Danes are playing their best basketball. Line: Stony Brook -3. Pick: Stony Brook 73, Albany 71.

(2) Vermont (21-11, 13-3) vs. (6) Hartford (9-21, 7-9)

Tipoff: Approx. 7:15 p.m. TV: ESPN3. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 8 – Vermont 72-59*; Feb. 4 – Vermont 82-56. RPI: Vermont 156, Hartford 310. Analysis: Vermont has won 12 of 13 and may be poised for an America East title. Line: Vermont -8. Pick: Vermont 77, Hartford 55.

METRO ATLANTIC SEMIFINALS AT SPRINGFIELD, MASS.

(1) Iona (25-6, 15-3) vs. (4) Fairfield (18-13, 12-6)

Tipoff: 2 p.m. TV: ESPN3. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 27 – Iona 71-62*; Feb. 24 – Iona 77-72. RPI: Iona 42, Fairfield 123. Analysis: Iona has scored at least 75 points in nine straight games, and the Stags simply can’t keep up. Line: Iona -5½. Pick: Iona 81, Fairfield 68.

(2) Loyola (Md.) (22-8, 13-5) vs. (6) Siena (14-16, 8-10)

Tipoff: Approx. 4:30 p.m. TV: ESPN3. Regular-season meetings: Dec. 3 – Loyola 66-59*; Jan. 19 – Loyola 66-55. RPI: Loyola 83, Siena 245. Analysis: Siena has shown the ability to rise to the occasion – and the Saints may just do it again. They’ll at least cover. Line: Loyola -6½. Pick: Loyola 80, Siena 76.

NORTHEAST CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS: AT CAMPUS SITES

(3) Robert Morris (23-9, 13-5) at (2) Wagner (25-5, 15-3)

Tipoff: Noon. TV: MSG or FCS. Regular-season meeting: Feb. 2 – Wagner 80-69. RPI: Wagner 88, Robert Morris 118. Analysis: Both teams are capable of winning this game, plus a possible NCAA tourney game. Tough call – so take the home team (and the Hurley brothers). Line: Wagner -6½. Pick: Wagner 84, Robert Morris 77.

(5) Quinnipiac (18-12, 10-8) at (1) Long Island (23-8, 16-2)

Tipoff: 6 p.m. TV: MSG or FCS. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 7 – Long Island 79-75*, Feb. 18 – Long Island 99-89. RPI: Long Island 99, Quinnipiac 162. Analysis: The Bobcats are playing very, very well and may just pull off this upset. Line: Long Island -3. Pick: Quinnipiac 80, Long Island 77.

SOUTHERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS: AT ASHEVILLE, N.C.

(1N) UNC-Greensboro (12-18, 10-8) vs. (3N) Western Carolina (15-17, 8-10)

Tipoff: 6 p.m. Regular-season meetings: Dec. 3 – Western Carolina 73-69; Jan. 28 – Greensboro 89-86 (OT). RPI: Greensboro 215, Western Carolina 231. Analysis: The Catamounts have won six straight and should upset UNCG. Line: Greensboro -7. Pick: Western Carolina 76, UNC-Greensboro 69.

(1S) Davidson (22-7, 16-2) vs. (2N) Elon (14-15, 9-9)

Tipoff: 8:30 p.m. Regular-season meetings: Feb. 23 – Davidson 66-45. RPI: Davidson 68, Elon 233. Analysis: It will be tough for the Wildcats to cover the spread because their starters will be resting early. Line: Davidson -13½. Pick: Davidson 73, Elon 59.

SUMMIT LEAGUE SEMIFINALS: AT SIOUX FALLS, S.D.

(4) Western Illinois (16-13, 9-9) vs. (5) North Dakota State (17-12, 9-9)

Tipoff: 7 p.m. Regular-season meetings: Dec. 1 – Western Illinois 55-51; Feb. 25 – Western Illinois 77-64. RPI: Western Illinois 191, North Dakota State 174. Analysis: NDSU really struggled from the field against the Bulldogs this season, especially from the 3-point line. And Terrell Parks has had his way with the Bison. Line: North Dakota State -1. Pick: Western Illinois 60, North Dakota State 55.

(3) Oakland (17-14, 11-7) vs. (6) Southern Utah (13-16, 8-10)

Tipoff: Approx. 9:30 p.m. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 19 – Oakland 72-63*; Feb. 15 – Oakland 76-68 (OT). RPI: Oakland 133, Southern Utah 244. Analysis: It’s been a strangely inconsistent season for Oakland, but Reggie Hamilton won’t let the Grizzlies go out early. Line: Oakland -7½. Pick: Oakland 80, Southern Utah 63.

SUN BELT QUARTERS: AT HOT SPRINGS, ARK.

(1) Middle Tennessee (25-5, 14-2) vs. (9) Arkansas State (13-19, 6-10)

Tipoff: 7 p.m. TV: Sun Belt Network. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 19 – Middle Tennessee 59-46. RPI: Middle Tennessee 48, Arkansas State 243. Analysis: Arkansas State is playing well. The Red Wolves are seven points from a 5-game winning streak. They should make Middle Tennessee uncomfortable. Line: Middle Tennessee -8½. Pick: Middle Tennessee 66, Arkansas State 62.

(4) Louisiana-Lafayette (16-14, 10-6) vs. (5) North Texas (16-13, 9-7)

Tipoff: 7:15 p.m. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 25 – Louisiana-Lafayette 64-62; Feb. 18 – Louisiana-Lafayette 57-53*. RPI: North Texas 204, Louisiana-Lafayette 183. Analysis: North Texas probably has more talent. Tony Mitchell is the difference in a tight game. Line: North Texas -2. Pick: North Texas 69, Louisiana-Lafayette 66.

(2) Arkansas-Little Rock (15-15, 12-4) vs. (7) Western Kentucky (12-18, 7-9)

Tipoff: 9:30 p.m. TV: Sun Belt Network. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 21 – Western Kentucky 65-53. RPI: Little Rock 166, Western Kentucky 220. Analysis: The Hilltoppers are playing their best basketball of the season. They probably won’t upset UALR, but they’ll stick with them. Line: Little Rock -2. Pick: Arkansas-Little Rock 61, Western Kentucky 60.

(3) Denver (21-8, 11-5) vs. (6) South Alabama (17-11, 8-8)

Tipoff: 9:45 p.m. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 7 – Denver 67-50*. RPI: Denver 94, South Alabama 172. Analysis: Denver will pull away late for a double-digit win. Line: Denver -8½. Pick: Denver 72, South Alabama 61.

Greg Against the Spread This Season: 117-87-2

Quarterfinals Predictions: AE, Big Sky, CAA, MAAC, SoCo, Summit

Greg Mengelt — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 13:12:21 -0500

Our g ame prediction guru Greg Mengelt has been on fire this year. He'll be picking every conference tournament game over the next 2 weeks. Read more about Championship Week at CollegeHoops.net.

AMERICA EAST QUARTERFINALS: AT WEST HARTFORD, CONN.

(1) Stony Brook (20-8, 14-2) vs. (8) Maryland-Baltimore County (4-26, 3-13)

Tipoff: 12:05 p.m. TV: AE All-Access Live Video. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 11 – Stony Brook 89-49*, Feb. 9 – Stony Brook 80-68. RPI: Stony Brook 151, Maryland-Baltimore County 334. Analysis: It will be hard for Stony Brook to cover because its starters could be resting by halftime. Line: Stony Brook -3. Pick: Stony Brook 73, Maryland-Baltimore County 56.

(4) Albany (18-13, 9-7) vs. (5) New Hampshire (13-15, 7-9)

Tipoff: 2:15 p.m. TV: AE All-Access Live Video. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 11 – Albany 86-63; Feb. 9 – New Hampshire 69-64. RPI: Albany 232, New Hampshire 303. Analysis: New Hampshire has nice balance, but Albany has a solid go-to scorer in Gerardo Suero for the stretch run. Line: Albany -3. Pick: Albany 71, New Hampshire 64.

(2) Vermont (20-11, 13-3) vs. (7) Maine (12-16, 6-10)

Tipoff: 6:05 p.m. TV: AE All-Access Live Video. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 16 – Vermont 79-65; Feb. 6 – Vermont 73-63. RPI: Vermont 161, Maine 281. Analysis: Vermont is a serious contender to win this tournament and secure an NCAA bid. Line: Vermont -9. Pick: Vermont 75, Maine 63.

(3) Boston U. (16-15, 12-4) vs. (6) Hartford (8-21, 7-9)

Tipoff: 8:15 p.m. TV: AE All-Access Live Video. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 22 – Boston U. 65-46*; Feb. 25 – Boston U. 64-55. RPI: Boston U. 188, Hartford 308. Analysis: Curious line after the Terriers whipped Hartford twice. It’s concerning, but you still have to go with BU. Line: Boston U. -3. Pick: Boston U. 66, Hartford 55.

BIG SKY QUARTERFINALS: AT CAMPUS SITES

(5) Idaho State (9-20, 7-9) at (4) Eastern Washington (14-16, 8-8)

Tipoff: 5 p.m. Regular-season meetings: Feb. 23 – Eastern Washington 85-78*; Feb. 28 – Eastern Washington 77-64. RPI: Idaho State 280, Eastern Washington 211. Analysis: If familiarity breeds contempt, this one should be contention. It’s the third time the two sides have played in two weeks. Line: Eastern Washington -7½. Pick: Eastern Washington 72, Idaho State 65.

(6) Montana State (12-16, 7-9) at (3) Portland State (16-13, 10-6)

Tipoff: 10 p.m. Regular-season meetings: Dec. 30 – Montana State 86-73; Jan. 26 – Montana State 70-65*. RPI: Montana State 277, Portland State 176. Analysis: The Bobcats gave Portland State two of its six losses, but the Vikings will find a way to get it done in a close one in Portland. Line: Portland State -7½. Pick: Portland State 76, Montana State 70.

COLONIAL ATHLETIC QUARTERFINALS: AT RICHMOND, VA.

(1) Drexel (25-5, 16-2) vs. (9) UNC-Wilmington (10-20, 5-13)

Tipoff: Noon. TV: CSN. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 14 – Drexel 79-57*. RPI: Drexel 63, Wilmington 213. Analysis: Wilmington took advantage of a beat up James Madison squad on Friday. No such luck today. Line: Drexel -12½. Pick: Drexel 73, Wilmington 53.

(4) Old Dominion (19-12, 13-5) vs. (5) Delaware (18-12, 12-6)

Tipoff: Approx. 2:30 p.m. TV: CSN. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 11 – Old Dominion 68-66 (OT)*. RPI: Old Dominion 115, Delaware 143. Analysis: ODU is the better team – but not by a whole lot. Line: Old Dominion -6. Pick: Old Dominion 60, Delaware 56.

(2) Virginia Commonwealth (25-6, 15-3) vs. (9) Northeastern (13-16, 9-9)

Tipoff: 6 p.m. TV: CSN. Regular-season meetings: Feb. 4 – VCU 59-56. RPI: VCU 61, Northeastern 179. Analysis: The Rams defense will give Delaware fits and force double-digit turnovers and convert them into points. Line: VCU -12. Pick: VCU 69, Northeastern 56.

(3) George Mason (23-8, 14-4) vs. (6) Georgia State/Hofstra (20-10, 11-7)

Tipoff: Approx. 8:30 p.m. TV: CSN. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 7 – George Mason 61-58. RPI: George Mason 84, Georgia State 147. Analysis: This is one of the strangest lines I’ve ever seen, but GMU is the better team – and the Patriots are desperate for a win. Line: Georgia State -1. Pick: George Mason 71, Georgia State 58.

METRO ATLANTIC QUARTERFINALS: AT SPRINGFIELD, MASS.

(4) Fairfield (17-13, 12-6) vs. (5) Rider (13-18, 10-8)

Tipoff: 2 p.m. TV: ESPN3. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 16 – Fairfield 61-52; Feb. 26 – Rider 65-62. RPI: Fairfield 128, Rider 198. Analysis: The Stags have lost 3 of 4, but they have enough talent to win the MAAC’s NCAA bid. Line: Fairfield -8. Pick: Fairfield 61, Rider 51.

(1) Iona (24-6, 15-3) vs. (8) Marist (14-17, 7-11)

Tipoff: 4:30 p.m. TV: ESPN3. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 8 – Iona 100-76*; Feb. 12 – Iona 83-74. RPI: Iona 44, Marist 225. Analysis: The Red Foxes were a different team in the second half of the season, but do they have enough to stay close against Iona’s high-powered offense? Probably not. Line: Iona -15½. Pick: Iona 90, Marist 74.

(2) Loyola (Md.) (21-8, 13-5) vs. (7) Niagara (14-18, 8-10)

Tipoff: 7:30 p.m. TV: ESPN3. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 2 – Niagara 66-61*; Jan. 27 – Loyola 69-57*. RPI: Loyola 86, Niagara 206. Analysis: With the advantage of already having played a tourney game, Niagara can keep it fairly close. Line: Loyola -7. Pick: Loyola 67, Niagara 62.

(3) Manhattan (20-11, 12-6) vs. (6) Siena (13-16, 8-10)

Tipoff: 9:30 p.m. TV: ESPN3. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 14 – Manhattan 72-53; Feb. 14 – Siena 70-64. RPI: Manhattan 142, Siena 239. Analysis: Expect the Jaspers to be a serious player in this tournament. Line: Manhattan -7. Pick: Manhattan 67, Siena 54.

SOUTHERN CONFERENCE QUARTERFINALS: AT ASHEVILLE, N.C.

(1N) UNC-Greensboro (12-18, 10-8) vs. (5N) Appalachian State (13-17, 7-11)

Tipoff: Noon. TV: ESPN3. Regular-season meetings: Dec. 1 – Appalachian State 78-64; Jan. 26 – Greensboro 77-73 (OT). RPI: Greensboro 227, Appalachian State 252. Analysis: If the Mountaineers are good enough to beat Charleston by 12 points, they’re good enough to beat Greensboro. Line: Greensboro -7. Pick: Appalachian State 77, UNC-Greensboro 66.

(2S) Wofford (19-12, 12-6) vs. (3N) Western Carolina (15-17, 8-10)

Tipoff: 2:30 p.m. TV: ESPN3. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 7 – Western Carolina 67-57; Jan. 30 – Wofford 82-56. RPI: Wofford 170, Western Carolina 241. Analysis: Wofford has won 4-of-5 since a 3-game losing streak in early February and the Terriers should do it again. Line: Wofford -5. Pick: Wofford 73, Western Carolina 66.

(1S) Davidson (16-2, 22-7) vs. (5S) Furman (15-15, 8-10)

Tipoff: 6 p.m. TV: ESPN3. Regular-season meetings: Dec. 3 – Davidson 86-65; Feb. 1 – Davidson 71-53*. RPI: Davidson 67, Furman 245. Analysis: The Wildcats are ready to roll through this tournament. Line: Davidson -11½. Pick: Davidson 84, Furman 65.

(2N) Elon (14-15, 9-9) vs. (3S) Georgia Southern (15-14, 12-6)

Tipoff: 8:30 p.m. TV: ESPN3. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 5 – Georgia Southern 69-63*. RPI: Elon 243, Georgia Southern 194. Analysis: Tough one to call, but Southern may have found itself in the second half of Friday’s win over Chattanooga. Line: Georgia Southern -1. Pick: Georgia Southern 67, Elon 58.

SUMMIT LEAGUE QUARTERFINALS: AT SIOUX FALLS, S.D.

(1) Oral Roberts (26-5, 17-1) vs. (8) IPFW (11-18, 5-13)

Tipoff: 7 p.m. TV: Midco Sports Net/Fox College Sports. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 19 – Oral Roberts 65-54; Feb. 15 – Oral Roberts 75-71*. RPI: Oral Roberts 43, IPFW 279. Analysis: ORU played a lot of tough games down the stretch and this one will be no different. Line: Oral Roberts -13½. Pick: Oral Roberts 66, IPFW 57.

(2) South Dakota State (24-7, 15-3) vs. (7) IUPUI (14-17, 7-11)

Tipoff: 9:30 p.m. TV: Midco Sports Net/Fox College Sports. Regular-season meetings: Dec. 1 – South Dakota State 97-93 (OT)*; Feb. 25 – South Dakota State 75-64. RPI: South Dakota State 57, IUPUI 202. Analysis: The Jackrabbits should have a bit of a home crowd advantage in Sioux Falls, but talented Jaguar star Alex Young won’t let it get out of hand. Line: South Dakota State -8½. Pick: South Dakota State 79, IUPUI 68.

Greg Against the Spread This Season: 100-69-2

Saturday's Conference Tournament Primer

Raphielle Johnson — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 10:36:52 -0500

Three tickets to the NCAA tournament will be punched on Saturday, beginning with the Big South title game matching seven-seed VMI and regular season champion UNC Asheville. Eddie Biedenbach's Bulldogs have avoided the turmoil on the opposite side of the bracket, which saw both Coastal Carolina and Campbell fall in the quarterfinals. Duggar Baucom's Keydets were the ones who knocked off CCU, as they shot an impressive 14-for-28 from three in their 85-68 win over the Chanticleers. VMI would follow that up with a 75-55 win over Winthrop on Thursday, limiting the Eagles to 32.8% shooting and forcing 15 turnovers.

A repeat of either of those performances will be tougher to come by against UNC Asheville, who relies on the Big South's best perimeter tandem on the offensive end of the floor. Matt Dickey and J.P. Primm average a combined 31.8 points and 7.6 assists per game on the season, and if one struggles the other is more than capable of picking up the slack. The Bulldogs aren't just a two-man attack however, as senior guard Chris Stephenson is scoring just over 13 points a game and forward Jeremy Atkinson adds 11.5 and 6.7 boards. VMI has Stan Okoye and Kenny Gabriel to rely on while Jordan Weethee has shot the ball well this week.

Both teams can clearly score, with UNC Asheville averaging 81 points per game and VMI 80, but the Bulldogs have been the more efficient team with their average of 1.1 4 points per possession. The two regular season meetings were both close, high-scoring affairs with the Bulldogs winning both by a combined 12 points.

VMI can force turnovers with the best of them and they pestered the Bulldogs into 18 of them in the second meeting. But the Keydets can't afford to turn the ball over themselves, something they did in both meetings (17 apiece). Take care of the basketball and VMI's got a shot to go dancing, but if they can't they'll be headed back to Lexington without the crown.

The OVC title game is the one most bubble teams will be tuned into (so long as they're not playing themselves), as Murray State is going to the Big Dance with or without an automatic bid. A Tennessee State win would make the OVC a two-bid league, and given the fact that the Tigers beat Murray State in their gym that's not exactly far-fetched.

Robert Covington is one of the toughest matchups in the OVC, and he put up 24 and 15 in the Tigers' 80-62 loss to Murray State on February 23rd. John Cooper's Tigers have been balanced offensively so it's not just a one-man show, and the same goes for the Isaiah Canaan-led Racers. Donte Poole accounted for 25 and seven rebounds in their win over Tennessee Tech, and Ivan Aska and Ed Daniel are two guys who thrive in physical games inside.

Last but not least there's the Atlantic Sun final which matches top-seed Belmont and six-seed Florida Gulf Goast, who are in their first season of full Division I membership. North Florida entered last season's title game in the same spot as the Eagles, but Belmont was having no part of a "storybook" finish for their opponent. Rick Byrd's Bruins haven't been as dominant as they were last season but they're still the class of the A-Sun with Kerron Johnson and big men Mick Hedgepeth and Scott Saunders leading the way.

FGCU has withstood two off performances from Brett Comer but they need him to be at his best if they're to dethrone the reigning champs. The good news for the Eagles is that big men Chase Fieler and Eddie Murray have played well this week, and another solid outing from them will give FGCU a chance.

Atlantic Sun - Title Game
#1 Belmont vs. #6 FGCU, 7:00 p.m. (ESPN2)

Big South - Title game
#7 VMI at #1 UNC Asheville, 12:00 p.m. (ESPN2)

Ohio Valley - Title Game
#1 Murray State vs. #2 Tennessee State, 2:00 p.m. (ESPN2)

America East - Quarterfinals (at University of Hartford)
#1 Stony Brook vs. #9 Binghamton, 12:05 p.m. (AE All-Access Live Video)
#4 Albany vs. #5 New Hampshire, *2:15 p.m. (AE All-Access Live Video)
#2 Vermont vs. #7 Maine, 6:05 p.m. (AE All-Access Live Video)
#3 Boston U. vs. #6 Hartford, *8:15 p.m. (AE All-Access Live Video)

Binghamton kicked things off in America East on Thursday night with a win over UMBC but the climb gets much steeper for Mark Macon's Bearcats as they take on regular season champ Stony Brook. The Seawolves scored just 67.4 points per game but they're one of the league's better defensive teams, limiting opponents to 59.1 points and 0.93 points per possession. If Robert Mansell and Ben Dickinson can shake free from the likes of league Defensive Player of the Year Tommy Brenton maybe Binghamton can hang around, but it doesn't look promising.

The 4/5 game should be interesting to watch due to the presence of Albany's Gerardo Suero, a junior guard who is one of the nation's best scorers and a guy some feel was robbed in the America East Player of the Year voting. UNH can counter with a solid guard of their own in Alvin Abreu, but slowing down Suero is a task that won't be done with ease. Also keep an eye on Albany's Logan Aronholt, who's been dealing with a knee injury that's forced him to sit for two games and play just nine minutes apiece in two others over the last four games.

Big Sky - Quarterfinals
#5 Idaho State at #4 Eastern Washington, 5:00 p.m.
#6 Montana State at #3 Portland State, 10:00 p.m.

The winners in the Big Sky will move on to play Montana and Weber State next week, and given how tight the race for those final tournament spots was these two contests shouldn't lack in the entertainment department. idaho State features one of the league's hottest scorers in Kenny McGowen, but the EWU trio of Cliff Colimon, Cliff Ederaine and Colin Chiverton will be tough to stop. Add in the fact that ISU is 4-12 on the road this season and it could be a tough day for the Bengals in Cheney.

As for Montana State, the Bobcats lost leading scorer Xavier Blount for the season due to injuries suffered in an altercation and it's been a struggle offensively ever since. They visit a Portland State team that hasn't had such issues thanks to Chehales Tapscott and Charles Odum, which means it could be a tough day on the road for Montana State.

Colonial - Quarterfinals
#1 Drexel vs. #9 UNCW, Noon (CAA-TV)
#4 Old Dominion vs. #5 Delaware, 2:30 p.m. (CAA-TV)
#2 VCU vs. #7 Northeastern, 6 p.m. (CAA-TV)
#3 George Mason vs. #6 Georgia State, 8:30 p.m. (CAA-TV)

The "big guns" in the CAA make their debut in this season's tournament, beginning with regular season champion Drexel taking on UNC Wilmington. The question surrounding the league this weekend is whether or not they can find a second NCAA tournament bid, with the Dragons, VCU and George Mason all owning impressive overall records (Drexel and VCU have won 25 games while George Mason has 23 wins). But the computer profiles are a bit lacking in the eyes of some, which could limit the CAA to just one bid come Selection Sunday.

CAA Player of the Year Ryan Pearson has the ability to put George Mason on his back and lead them to the title, but the same can be said for VCU's Bradford Burgess and Drexel's Frantz Massenat. Also keep an eye on four-seed ODU, led by senior Kent Bazemore. The Monarchs have a tough matchup to deal with in Delaware's Jamelle Hagins, but Blaine Taylor's squad has been solid defensively for much of the season.

Horizon League - Semifinals (at Valparaiso)
#3 Detroit vs. #2 Cleveland State, 6 p.m. (ESPN3)
#5 Butler at #1 Valparaiso, 8:30 p.m. (ESPNU)

The talk following Friday's quarterfinals was whether or not this was the beginning of another March run for Butler, but it would be wise to remember that Valparaiso is the regular season champion. The Crusaders won both regular season meetings: by six at Hinkle Fieldhouse on December 3rd and by 12 (71-59) in the regular season finale for both last Friday. The time off has also given forward Kevin Van Wijk more time to rest his knee, and that should help Bryce Drew's team along with playing at home. Horizon League Player of the Year Ryan Broekhoff was quiet in the second meeting but Van Wijk led the way with 18 and Will Bogan is a solid offensive piece as well.

Butler will need another solid night from Roosevelt Jones and Khyle Marshall along with Andrew Smith if they're to win at Valpo. The first semifinal matches Detroit, who looked very good offensively in their win over Youngstown State, and a Cleveland State team that's struggled since D'Aundray Brown went down. If Brown can go and be effective the Vikings can definitely win, but if he's limited or can't go they likely won't have enough weapons to keep up with the Titans.

Metro Atlantic - Quarterfinals
#4 Fairfield vs. #5 Rider, 2:00 p.m. (ESPN3)
#1 Iona vs. #8 Marist, 4:30 p.m. (ESPN3)
#2 Loyola (MD) vs. #7 Niagara, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN3)
#3 Manhattan vs. #6 Siena, 9:30 p.m. (ESPN3)

The first game of the day in the MAAC tournament is the most intriguing, as not only is the battle between Fairfield and Rider a contrast in styles but both teams have the ability to make a run this weekend. The Stags lost guard Derek Needham for the season due to a broken foot but they've got enough depth to navigate his loss, and in forward Rakim Sanders the Stags have one of the league's toughest covers. Tommy Dempsey's Broncs didn't play as well as expected during the regular season but with weapons such as Novar Gadson, Jeff Jones and Jonathon Thompson, Rider is more than capable of winning a shootout. But can they guard well enough to stick around Springfield for a few days? That's the big question.

Loyola has to be wary of Niagara given the scoring ability of freshmen Juan'ya Green and Antoine Mason, but the Greyhounds' depth and versatility could prove to be too much for the Purple Eagles. In the final game of the night Siena's chances hinge on the health of guard Evan Hymes due to their lack of depth, and Iona needs to take the floor with a killer instinct in their quarterfinal matchup with Marist.

Missouri Valley - Semifinals
#1 Wichita State vs. #4 Illinois State, 2:30 p.m. (MVC TV)
#2 Creighton vs. #3 Evansville, 5:00 p.m. (MVC TV)

The top four seeds meet in St. Louis and while many will expect the Shockers and Bluejays to advance don't sell the redbirds or Purple Aces short. Evansville took Creighton to overtime at home before some costly mistakes in the extra session cost them a win, lost by just three at Wichita State. But given the way Gregg Marshall's Shockers are playing of late it's going to be tough to slow them down given their many offensive options to go along with a solid defense. If Jackie Carmichael can control the paint in his battle with Garrett Stutz then ISU has a chance.

The second game could be a shootout given the offensive ability of both teams. Doug McDermott is a household name and he's got teammates more than capable of scoring as well, but Evansville has a combo in Colt Ryan and Denver Holmes who can get going offensively as well. If Marty Simmons' club can take care of the basketball and limit McDermott's paint touches they can win, but that's a big "if" at this point.

Southern - Quarterfinals
#1N UNCG vs. #5N Appalachian State, 12:00 p.m.
#2S Wofford vs. #3N Western Carolina, 2:30 p.m.
#1S Davidson vs. #5S Furman, 6:00 p.m.
#2N Elon vs. #3S Georgia Southern, 8:30 p.m.

The question is a simple one: which of the other seven teams left in the SoCon tournament can knock off Davidson, the overall regular season champion and prohibitive favorite to win the automatic bid? Jake Cohen and De'Mon Brooks have been outstanding all season long in the frontcourt and five Wildcats are averaging at least ten points per game. The best story may be UNCG, whose interim head coach (Wes Miller) was named league Coach of the Year due to his leading the Spartans to the North Division crown, and they've got a high-flying scorer in Trevis Simpson as well. Wofford's been to two NCAA tournaments under head coach Mike Young and they navigated the loss of a group of seniors led by Noah Dahlman to finish second in the South Division.

Summit - Quarterfinals
#1 Oral Roberts vs. #8 IPFW, 7:00 p.m. (FCS)
#2 South Dakota State vs. #7 IUPUI, 9:30 p.m. (FCS)

Summit League play opens tonight with the top two seeds tipping things off, and two of the country's best players whose names aren't tossed around on ESPN every night will be on display. ORU's Dominique Morrison has been an outstanding scorer this season, and South Dakota State point guard Nate Wolters is one of the country's most efficient players. Those two are expected to end up meeting in the title game, and even though the Jackrabbits did beat IUPUI by 11 in the regular season finale there was also the 97-93 thriller played between the two earlier this season. Alex Young is averaging 20.7 points per game to lead the Jaguars, who can salvage what's been a disappointing season with a run in Sioux Falls.

Sun Belt - First Round
#6 South Alabama vs. #11 Troy, 7:00 p.m. (Summit Arena)
#8 Florida Atlantic vs. #9 Arkansas State, 7:15 p.m. (Convention Center Court)
#7 Western Kentucky vs. #10 FIU, 9:30 p.m. (Summit Arena)

Seeds six through eleven open up play in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and it will be interesting to see if any of these teams can cause some chaos within the bracket. South Alabama may be the best choice due to the Jaguars being the lone team without a losing conference record (8-8), and after that it's anyone's guess. WKU is a very young team but they're talented as well with freshman Derrick Gordon leading the way. Three teams will keep their seasons alive but it's difficult to see any of them getting to the semifinals much less the title game.

WCC - Semifinals
#1 Saint Mary's vs. #5 San Francisco, 9:00 p.m. (ESPNU)
#2 Gonzaga vs. #3 BYU, 11:00 p.m. (ESPNU)

The three teams many expect to get to the NCAA tournament out of the WCC will be on display, but San Francisco has the ability to surprise Saint Mary's and reach the final. The Dons lost a close one to the Gaels in the regular season finale, and the celebration of their first outight WCC title in more than 20 years did go over too well with U.S.F. wing Rashad Green (he reportedly banged on the SMC locker room door and "asked" them to keep the noise down). Cody Doolin and Michael Williams are playing well and Angelo Caloiaro is one of the WCC's most versatile players, so don't be surprised if San Francisco can push Matthew Dellavedova, Rob Jones and company to the brink.

In the nightcap one would think that a BYU win over Gonzaga, which would give them two this season, would truly punch the Cougars' ticket to the Big Dance if it hasn't been already. Noah Hartsock looked good despite being bugged by a knee injury at the end of the regular season on Friday night, scoring 19 points in the Cougars' win over San Diego. But Matt Carlino can't turn the ball over nine times as he did against the Toreros if they're to knock off Gonzaga, who needs consistent play from Elias Harris and Robert Sacre inside.

Thursday's Conference Tournament Primer

Raphielle Johnson — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 04:14:40 -0500

Three more conferences begin tournament action on Thursday night, which includes four quarterfinal match ups in the NEC. The higher-seeded teams host all four games, which includes regular season champion and top-seed LIU-Brooklyn hosting a Sacred Heart team they've beaten twice this season. But this isn't your usual 1/8 matchup as LIU head coach Jim Ferry pointed out earlier this week, as both meetings have been close.

LIU won at Sacred Heart by six (87-81) on January 5th and their meeting in Brooklyn was a wild 103-91 overtime track meet. The Blackbirds have a number of weapons on which to rely, led by NEC Player of the Year Julian Boyd, but the first order of business for them on the defensive end will be to slow down Shane Gibson. Gibson ended the regular season with averaging 22.0 points and 4.6 rebounds per game, with the former number ranking fourth nationally and tops in the NEC.

According to Ken Pomeroy's numbers, Gibson is ninth nationally in offensive rating among players who have a possession percentage of 28% or higher. Simply put, when the Pioneers get the ball in his hands good things generally happen. Gibson accounted for 24 points, five steals and four assists in the meeting in Brooklyn, but while he's the feature option the junior guard is not the only player Dave Bike can call on.

Forward Justin Swidowski is averaging 11.1 points and 5.2 rebounds per game, putting up 23 and five against the Blackbirds. Swidowski clearly can be effective inside but he's going to need some help as LIU has not only Boyd but also Jamal Olasewere on which to rely in the paint. Both average at least 17 points per game with Boyd also leading the team with 9.7 caroms per contest, and despite having the ability to step out to the three-point line both shoot better than 50% from the field.

As a team LIU shoots 47.4% from the field, a number that is the best in the NEC. Sacred Heart isn't far behind as they make shots at a 45.9% clip, and with both regular season meetings being high-scoring affairs more of the same is to be expected. If Chris Evans, Evan Kelley and Luis Montes can raise their level of play on the perimeter Sacred Heart is capable of winning. But when you add in the likes of Jason Brickman and C.J. Garner for LIU it's going to be a tough task to say the least.

The one home team that did not manage to sweep their opponent during the regular season is Wagner, who opens tournament play with a visit from Central Connecticut State. The Blue Devils have three of the NEC's best scorers in Ken Horton, Robbie Ptacek and Kyle Vinales, and they did manage to beat Wagner 78-61 in New Britain in the regular season finale for both. The Seahawks, who have an ample supply of scorers themselves, got in trouble by shooting 5-for-24 from the field in the first half. A similar effort from Latif Rivers and company will get them beat again if they aren't careful.

Glen Braica's St. Francis (NY) squad limps into tournament play on a two-game losing streak, but they did sweep the regular season series with Quinnipiac, who they face in the 4/5 game. The second meeting was a 64-56 Terrier victory at QU, with Jalen Cannon leading a balanced offensive effort with 13 points while also pulling down 19 rebounds. QU guard James Johnson can light it up when he gets going, and Ike Azotam grabbed 15 boards in that game to lead the Bobcats.

And lastly three-seed Robert Morris hosts a Monmouth team that's turned some head in year one of the King Rice era. The Hawks have won three straight, most recently blowing out LIU 106-78 in the regular season finale, but they were swept by RMU during the regular season. Jesse Steele is the lone Monmouth player averaging double figures for what's been a balanced attack, and they have to be successful in slowing down Velton Jones if they're to have a chance to win at RMU.

Northeast - Quarterfinals
#8 Sacred Heart at #1 Long Island, 7:00 pm
#7 Central Connecticut at #2 Wagner, 7:00 pm
#6 Monmouth at #3 Robert Morris, 7:00 pm
#5 Quinnipiac at #4 St. Francis (NY), 7:00 pm

America East - First Round
#8 UMBC vs. #9 Binghamton, 8:15 p.m. (AE All-Access Live Video)

These two teams meet for the right to take on regular season champion Stony Brook on Friday and it's a safe assumption that regardless of who wins they'll be a decided underdog against the Seawolves. Binghamton won just one game all season, and that was a stunning home win over Vermont. UMBC won just four games this season but two of the wins came at the expense of Binghamton. There will be some solid players on display, as Chase Plummer (UMBC) and Robert Mansell (Binghamton) are the leading scorers for their respective teams.

Atlantic Sun - Quarterfinals
#4 ETSU vs. #5 North Florida, 2:30 p.m. (ESPN3)
#3 USC Upstate vs. #6 FGCU, 8:30 p.m. (ESPN3)

The other half of the A-Sun bracket will take the floor on Thursday, with a USC Upstate team that's won 20 games this season being the highest-seeded team. Torrey Craig was named league Player of the Year for his efforts, and he'll be a handful for Florida Gulf Coast to say the least. The Spartans won their most recent meeting 87-74, jumping out to a 46-24 halftime lead. Craig scored 30 points and grabbed nine boards and sidekick Ty Greene added 22 and six assists. Sherwood Brown and Bernard Thompson combined to score 44 points but Brown needed 23 shots to score his 24, and he has to be more efficient if the Eagles are to win.

In the other matchup ETSU looks to beat North Florida for the third time this season, and if the Bucs can force the Ospreys into 19 turnovers as they did in the second meeting that's definitely possible. UNF also didn't have an answer for Isiah Brown in the 65-50 result as he scored a game-high 27 points. Parker Smith led UNF with 17 points but no other Osprey scored more than seven, and that cannot happen again.

Big South - Semifinals
#7 VMI vs. #6 Winthrop, 6:00 p.m. (ESPNU)
#1 UNC Asheville vs. #4 Charleston Southern, 8:00 p.m. (ESPNU)

While chalk ruled in the top half of the Big South bracket both two-seed Coastal Carolina and three-seed Campbell fell on Wednesday. In theory that would clear the way for top-seed UNC Asheville, but theory doesn't always hold up especially in March. The backcourt tandem of Matt Dickey and J.P. Primm ranks among the best that doesn't end up on television every week, however one of their two league losses was a 93-88 defeat at home to Charleston Southern on January 19th. Arlon Harper and Saah Nimley scored a combined 48 points to lead the Buccaneers, matching the combined output of Dickey and Primm. If they can do that again don't be surprised if CSU pulls the upset.

VMI knocked down 14 three-pointers in their win over Coastal Carolina and there's no doubt that Stan Okoye and company can score. Winthrop forced 16 Campbell turnovers in their 71-55 win and Reggie Middleton was a tough cover on the other end, pacing the Eagles with 25 points. How they got to this point is of little concern to either VMI or Winthrop, as the winner will find themselves 40 minutes away from the NCAA tournament.

Missouri Valley - First Round
#8 Indiana State vs. #9 Southern Illinois, 7:00 p.m. (MVC TV)
#7 Drake vs. #10 Bradley, 9:30 p.m. (MVC TV)

The question for the four teams kicking off Arch Madness is a simple one: who is best capable of knocking off top seeds Wichita State and Creighton? That answer is a toss-up between Drake and Indiana State, with all due respect to SIU forward Mamadou Seck. Ben Simons and Rayvonte Rice can both put up some points for the Bulldogs while Jake Odum runs the show for the Sycamores. Those two should be the favorites to advance to Friday's quarterfinal round, although SIU did split the regular season series with ISU. Drake was able to sweep their two meetings with Bradley, beating the Braves by eight at home and by seven at Bradley.

Ohio Valley - Quarterfinals
#4 Tennessee Tech vs. #5 Southeast Missouri State, 6:00 p.m. (OVCSports.TV)
#3 Morehead State vs. #7 Jacksonville State, 8:00 p.m. (OVCSports.TV)

The two teams that played for the OVC crown last season look to begin a run at the title on Thursday as defending champ Morehead State and runner-up Tennessee Tech take the floor. Kevin Murphy has lit it up for Tech in conference play, and he's got a 50-point game to his credit to boot. Donnie Tyndall's Eagles won four of their last five games to end the regular season, but the loss of Terrance Hill did take some time to get used to on the offensive end of the floor. SEMO is more than capable of knocking off the Golden Eagles but they did drop the lone regular season meeting by 15, while Morehead and Jacksonville State split their two meetings with the visiting team winning both.

West Coast - Second Round
#5 San Francisco vs. #8 Portland, 9:00 p.m.
#6 San Diego vs. #7 Pepperdine, 11:00 p.m.

Of the four teams playing on Thursday night at Orleans Arena the Dons have the best shot of making some waves should they advance. Angelo Caloiaro is one of the better players in the WCC in regards to versatility and he's one of four San Francisco players averaging double figures in scoring. Eric Reveno's Pilots have had their issues on both ends of the floor, and the hope for Portland is that they play USF as they did in the second meeting (72-71 Dons win at Portland) as opposed to the first (104-70 loss at USF). San Diego won both of its meetings with Pepperdine this season, most recently beating the Waves 70-57 in Malibu on February 9th. Taylor Darby and Corbin Moore will have to take over if Pepperdine is to advance to play BYU on Friday.

Jon Teitel's All-Conference Teams, Part One

Jon Teitel — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 12:51:19 -0500

It's that time of the year again. With conference tournament action beginning today, it was a perfect time for Jon Teitel to present CollegeHoops.net's All-Conference Teams. Part one focuses on the teams who will enter conference tournament play this week, and the rest of the conferences will be posted next week. Player of the Year selections are 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 Sun
G Drew Hanlen (Belmont)
G Adam Sollazzo (ETSU)
G Kerron Johnson (Belmont)
F Torrey Craig (USC Upstate)
F Adam Pegg (Stetson)

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

Big South
G Nick Barbour (High Point)
G Keith Gabriel (VMI)
G Matt Dickey (UNC Asheville)
F Stan Okoye (VMI)
F Eric Griffin (Campbell)

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

Horizon
G Kendrick Perry (Youngstown State)
G Ray McCallum (Detroit)
G Julius Mays (Wright State)
F Ryan Broekhoff (Valparaiso)
F Ben Averkamp (Loyola (IL))

Metro Atlantic
G Juan'Ya Green (Niagara)
G Scott Machado (Iona)
F Michael Glover (Iona)
F George Beamon (Manhattan)
F OD Anosike (Siena)

Missouri Valley
G Colt Ryan (Evansville)
G Rayvonte Rice (Drake)
F Doug McDermott (Creighton)
F Kyle Weems (Missouri State)
C Garrett Stutz (Wichita State)

Northeast
G Shane Gibson (Sacred Heart)
G Kyle Vinales (CCSU)
F Ken Horton (CCSU)
F Jamal Olasewere (LIU-Brooklyn)
F Julian Boyd (LIU-Brooklyn)

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

Patriot League
G C.J. McCollum (Lehigh)
G Charles Hinkle (American)
F Ella Ellis (Army)
F Mike Muscala (Bucknell)
F Ryan Willen (Lafayette)

Southern
G Eric Ferguson (Georgia Southern)
G Brad Loesing (Wofford)
F Trevis Simpson (UNC Greensboro)
F De'Mon Brooks (Davidson)
C Mike Groselle (Citadel)

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

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

West Coast
G Drew Viney (Loyola Marymount)
G Matthew Dellavedova (Saint Mary's)
G Anthony Ireland (Loyola Marymount)
F Noah Hartsock (BYU)
F Rob Jones (Saint Mary's)

Conference Tournament Schedules, Week 1

Raphielle Johnson — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 21:04:32 -0500

It may feel like it was only yesterday when college basketball fans were excited about the prospect of playing a game on an aircraft carrier, but the most important time of the season is here. Championship "Week" ("Fortnight" sounds more appropriate) begins on Monday, February 27th and won't end until Selection Sunday on March 11th.

Below are the pairings and schedules for the conference tournaments that begin this week (the Big Sky will be added following the important Weber State/Montana battle on Tuesday night), and these will be updated throughout. Before you know it someone will be cutting down the nets at Mercedes Benz (yes, they went corporate) Superdome.

America East (March 1, 3-4 (West Hartford, CT), 10)
Regular season champion: Stony Brook
.pdf bracket

Thursday, March 1 - First Round
#9 Binghamton 73, #8 UMBC 67 (OT)

Saturday, March 3 - Quarterfinals
#1 Stony Brook 78, #9 Binghamton 69
#4 Albany 63, #5 New Hampshire 45
#2 Vermont 50, #7 Maine 40
#6 Hartford 53, #3 Boston University 49

Sunday, March 4 - Semifinals
#1 Stony Brook 57, #4 Albany 55
#2 Vermont 77, #6 Hartford 73 (2OT)

Saturday, March 10 - Title Game (at highest remaining seed)
#2 Vermont at #1 Stony Brook, 11:02 a.m. (ESPN2)

Atlantic Sun (February 29-March 3 in Macon, GA)
Regular season champion: Belmont
.pdf bracket

Wednesday, February 29 - Quarterfinals
#1 Belmont 76, #8 Jacksonville 62
#2 Mercer 61, #7 Lipscomb 53

Thursday, March 1 - Quarterfinals
#4 ETSU 68, #5 North Florida 66
#6 FGCU 71, #3 USC Upstate 58

Friday, March 2 - Semifinals
#1 Belmont 69, #4 ETSU 61
#6 FGCU 62, #2 Mercer 58

Saturday, March 3 - Title Game
#1 Belmont 83, #6 FGCU 69 (Belmont wins the automatic bid)

Big Sky (March 3, 6-7 at Montana)
Regular season champion: Montana
.pdf bracket

Saturday, March 3 - Quarterfinals
#4 Eastern Washington 81, #5 Idaho State 75
#3 Portland State 75, #6 Montana State 53

Tuesday, March 6 - Semifinals (at Montana)
#2 Weber State 69, #3 Portland State 63
#1 Montana 74, #4 Eastern Washington 66

Wednesday, March 7 - Title Game
#1 Montana 85, #2 Weber State 66 (Montana wins automatic bid)

Big South (February 27, 29, March 1, 3)
Regular season champion: UNC Asheville
.pdf bracket

Monday, February 27 - First Round
#7 VMI 55, #10 Radford 53
#8 High Point 68, #9 Gardner-Webb 58

Wednesday, February 29 - Quarterfinals (at UNC Asheville)
#7 VMI 85, #2 Coastal Carolina 68
#6 Winthrop 71, #3 Campbell 55
#1 UNC Asheville 86, #8 High Point 61
#4 Charleston Southern 88, #5 Liberty 74

Thursday, March 1 - Semifinals (at UNC Asheville)
#7 VMI 75, #6 Winthrop 55
#1 UNC Asheville 91, #4 Charleston Southern 64

Saturday, March 3 - Title game (at highest remaining seed)
#1 UNC Asheville 80, #7 VMI 64 (UNC Asheville wins automatic bid)

Colonial (March 2-5 in Richmond, VA)
Regular season champion: Drexel
.pdf bracket

Friday, March 2 - First Round
#9 UNCW 70, #8 James Madison 59
#5 Delaware 72, #12 Towson 65
#7 Northeastern 57, #10 William & Mary 49
#6 Georgia State 85, #11 Hosftra 50

Saturday, March 3 - Quarterfinals
#1 Drexel 59, #8 UNCW 47
#4 Old Dominion 88, #5 Delaware 74
#2 VCU 75, #7 Northeastern 65
#3 George Mason 61, #6 Georgia State 59

Sunday, March 4 - Semifinals
#1 Drexel 68, #4 Old Dominion 51
#2 VCU 74, #3 George Mason 64

Monday, March 5 - Title Game
#2 VCU 59, #1 Drexel 56 (VCU wins automatic bid)

Horizon League (February 28, March 2-3 (at Valparaiso), 6)
Regular season champion: Valparaiso

Tuesday, February 28 (campus sites)
#3 Detroit 80, #10 Loyola (IL) 71
#6 Youngstown State 77, #7 Green Bay 60
#4 Milwaukee 68, #9 UIC 55
#5 Butler 70, #8 Wright State 52

Friday, March 2 - Quarterfinals (at Valparaiso)
#3 Detroit 93, #6 Youngstown State 76
#5 Butler 71, #4 Milwaukee 49

Saturday, March 3 - Semifinals (at Valparaiso)
#3 Detroit 63, #2 Cleveland State 58
#1 Valparaiso 65, #5 Butler 46

Tuesday, March 6 - Title Game (highest remaining seed)
#3 Detroit 70, #1 Valparaiso 50 (Detroit wins automatic bid)

Metro Atlantic (March 2-5 in Springfield, MA)
Regular season champion: Iona
.pdf bracket

Friday, March 2 - First Round
#8 Marist 64, #9 Saint Peter's 57
#7 Niagara 80, #10 Canisius 70

Saturday, March 3 - Quarterfinals
#4 Fairfield 65, #5 Rider 63
#1 Iona 87, #8 Marist 63
#2 Loyola (MD) 86, #7 Niagara 73
#6 Siena 84, #3 Manhattan 82

Sunday, March 4 - Semifinals
#4 Fairfield 85, #1 Iona 75
#2 Loyola (MD) 70, #6 Siena 60

Monday, March 5 - Title Game
#2 Loyola (MD) 48, #4 Fairfield 44 (Loyola (MD) wins automatic bid)

Missouri Valley (March 1-4 in St. Louis, MO)
Regular season champion: Wichita State
.pdf bracket

Thursday, March 1 - First Round
#8 Indiana State 66, #9 Southern Illinois 51
#7 Drake 65, #10 Bradley 49

Friday, March 2 - Quarterfinals
#1 Wichita State 72, #8 Indiana State 48
#4 Illinois State 54, #5 Northern Iowa 42
#2 Creighton 68, #7 Drake 61
#3 Evansville 72, #6 Missouri State 64

Saturday, March 3 - Semifinals
#4 Illinois State 65, #1 Wichita State 64
#2 Creighton 99, #3 Evansville 71

Sunday, March 4 - Title Game
#2 Creighton 83, #4 Illinois State 79 (OT) (Creighton wins the automatic bid)

Northeast (March 1, 4, 7; all games at higher seeded team)
Regular season champion: LIU-Brooklyn
.pdf bracket

Thursday, March 1 - Quarterfinals
#1 LIU Brooklyn 80, #8 Sacred Heart 68
#2 Wagner 87, #7 Central Connecticut State 77
#3 Robert Morris 87, #6 Monmouth 68
#5 Quinnipiac 80, #4 St. Francis (NY) 72

Sunday, March 4 - Semifinals
#1 LIU Brooklyn 78, #5 Quinnipiac 75
#3 Robert Morris 71, #2 Wagner 64

Wednesday, March 7 - Title game
#1 LIU Brooklyn 90, #3 Robert Morris 73 (LIU Brooklyn wins automatic bid)

Ohio Valley (February 29 - March 3)
Regular season champion: Murray State
.pdf bracket

Wednesday, February 29 - First Round
#5 Southeast Missouri 75, #8 Eastern Kentucky 65
#7 Jacksonville State 75, #6 Austin Peay 70

Thursday, March 1 - Quarterfinals
#4 Tennessee Tech 77, #5 Southeast Missouri State 73
#3 Morehead State 68, #7 Jacksonville State 54

Friday, March 2 - Semifinals
#1 Murray State 78, #4 Tennessee Tech 58
#2 Tennessee State 59, #3 Morehead State 52

Saturday, March 3 - Title Game
#1 Murray State 54, #2 Tennessee State 52 (Murray State wins the automatic bid)

Patriot League (February 29, March 3, 7)
Regular season champion: Bucknell
.pdf bracket

Wednesday, February 29 - Quarterfinals
#1 Bucknell 87, #8 Navy 63
#5 Lafayette 84, #4 Holy Cross 76
#2 Lehigh 70, #7 Colgate 57
#3 American 57, #6 Army 40

Saturday, March 3 - Semifinals (at higher seed)
#1 Bucknell 79, #5 Lafayette 52
#2 Lehigh 85, #3 American 66

Wednesday, March 7 - Title Game (at highest remaining seed)
#2 Lehigh 82, #1 Bucknell 77 (Lehigh wins automatic bid)

Southern (March 2-5 in Asheville, NC)
Regular season champion: Davidson
.pdf bracket

Friday, March 2 - First Round
#5N Appalachian State 93, #4S Charleston 81
#3N Western Carolina 68, #6S The Citadel 56
#5S Furman 75, #4N Samford 66
#3S Georgia Southern 76, #6N Chattanooga 70

Saturday, March 3 - Quarterfinals
#1N UNCG 65, #5N Appalachian State 55
#3N Western Carolina 82, #2S Wofford 59
#1S Davidson 73, #5S Furman 54
#2N Elon 65, #3S Georgia Southern 58

Sunday, March 4 - Semifinals
#3N Western Carolina 82, #1N UNCG 77
#1S Davidson 83, #2N Elon 67

Monday, March 5 - Title Game
#1S Davidson 93, #3N Western Carolina 91 (2OT) (Davidson wins automatic bid)

Summit League (March 3-6 in Sioux Falls, SD)
Regular season champion: Oral Roberts
.pdf bracket

Saturday, March 3 - Quarterfinals
#1 Oral Roberts 71, #8 IPFW 67
#2 South Dakota State 77, #7 IUPUI 56

Sunday, March 4 - Quarterfinals
#4 Western Illinois 58, #5 North Dakota State 53
#6 Southern Utah 84, #3 Oakland 82

Monday, March 5 - Semifinals
#4 Western Illinois 54, #1 Oral Roberts 53
#2 South Dakota State 63, #6 Southern Utah 47

Tuesday, March 6 - Title Game
#2 South Dakota State 52, #4 Western Illinois 50 (OT) (South Dakota State wins automatic bid)

Sun Belt (March 3-6 in Hot Springs, AR)
Regular season champion: Middle Tennessee
.pdf bracket

Saturday, March 3 - First Round
#6 South Alabama 87, #11 Troy 81
#9 Arkansas State 70, #8 Florida Atlantic 55
#7 Western Kentucky 67, #10 FIU 63

Sunday, March 4 - Quarterfinals
#9 Arkansas State 64, #1 Middle Tennessee 61
#5 North Texas 65, #4 Louisiana-Lafayette 62
#7 Western Kentucky 68, #2 UALR 63
#3 Denver 61, #6 South Alabama 50

Monday, March 5 - Semifinals
#5 North Texas 76, #9 Arkansas State 72
#7 Western Kentucky 67, #3 Denver 63

Tuesday, March 6 - Title Game
#7 Western Kentucky 74, #5 North Texas 70 (Western Kentucky wins automatic bid)

WCC (February 29 - March 3, 5)
Regular season champion: Saint Mary's
.pdf bracket

Wednesday, February 29 - First Round
#8 Portland 74, #9 Santa Clara 70

Thursday, March 1 - Second Round
#5 San Francisco 87, #8 Portland 66
#6 San Diego 76, #7 Pepperdine 54

Friday, March 2 - Quarterfinals
#5 San Francisco 67, #4 Loyola Marymount 60
#3 BYU 73, #6 San Diego 68

Saturday, March 3 - Semifinals
#1 Saint Mary's 83, #5 San Francisco 78
#2 Gonzaga 77, #3 BYU 58

Monday, March 5 - Title Game
#1 Saint Mary's 78, #2 Gonzaga 74 (OT) (Saint Mary's wins automatic bid)