MAAC

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)

Jon Teitel's "Forgotten Legends": Iona's Jeff Ruland

Jon Teitel — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 18:19:04 -0500

In the latest installment in his "Forgotten Legends" interview series CHN writer Jon Teitel spent some time with Iona great Jeff Ruland, who remains to this day one of the school's greatest players. Ruland still ranks in the Top 5 all-time in points, rebounds and field goal percentage, and he's now the head coach at the University of the District of Columbia.

Jon Teitel: You were nicknamed "McNasty". Who gave you the nickname, and how did you like it?

Jeff Ruland: Celtics announcer Johnny Most gave me the name. It was all right.

JT: In 1977 you were named to the first-ever McDonald's All-America team. What did it mean to you to be named a high school All-American, and which of your other honorees impressed you the most (Magic Johnson, Albert King, other)?

JR: I have known Albert since I was 14 years old, and he was as talented as anyone I have ever seen. The downside is that the coach only played me 12 minutes in the game, but I still ended up scoring 12 points. However, Magic played for 30 minutes and was named MVP.

JT: You played for Coach Jim Valvano at Iona, and you would often go to his home after practice to shoot baskets in his backyard with his daughter Nicole. What made Valvano such a great coach, and what made him such a great person?

JR: He was a great recruiter and motivator. He acted as a father figure for me, as I lost my dad when I was younger.

JT: What are your memories of the 1979 NCAA Tournament (Ruland scored 19 points in a four-point loss to Penn, who was led by Tony Price with 27 points and 12 rebounds)?

JR: It was disappointing. We took them a little for granted. We almost won it on a shot towards the end but were called for traveling.

JT: What are your memories of the 1980 NCAA Tournament (Ruland scored 16 points in a six-point win over Holy Cross for the only tournament win in school history, then scored 16 more in a three-point loss to Georgetown)?

JR: I was playing with two broken hands. I was open late in the Georgetown game but one of my teammates took a shot himself and missed it. He later said that he was recruited to take that shot, and I told him that I was recruited to MAKE that shot!

JT: You were named ECAC Rookie of the Year as a freshman and later were a two-time All-American. What did it mean to you to win such outstanding individual honors?

JR: I won the Haggerty Award during my junior year (given to the metropolitan New York Division I college basketball Player of the Year). Not to sound full of myself, but I actually thought that I should have won it the two previous years as well.

JT: In the summer of 1980 you left school early and were drafted 25th overall by Golden State (10 spots ahead of Rick Mahorn, aka "McFilthy"). Why did you decide to leave school early, and what did it mean to you make it to the NBA?

JR: I left school early because I messed up and signed with an agent. Future Hall of Famer Larry Fleisher told me that I would be taken in the top-16...then called me up right before the draft and told me that he could not represent me. I was a little bitter about being picked 25th, but it was a dream to finally make it to the NBA.

JT: Instead of playing for Golden State you decided to play professionally in Barcelona for one year (where Ruland averaged a double-double), and $8,000 of your contract money was confiscated/impounded by the Spanish court when your agent George Kalafatis tried to take it out of the country. Why did you decide to go overseas, and did you ever get the money back?

JR: George lost my money, and then I was cheated out of the money. George took $10,000 and I told him to put it in his luggage, but he decided to play "I Spy" and sew it into his trench coat. The police found it, and then they took it.

JT: The following year you returned to the US after Golden State traded you to Washington, and in your first year with the Bullets you averaged 14 points and nine rebounds per game off the bench while playing behind Spencer Haywood. Was it weird to be traded before even playing a single minute for the Warriors, and how were you able to be so effective off the bench?

JR: It was weird because the Bullets took Wes Matthews 11 spots ahead of me in the draft, which gave me a little chip on my shoulder. I liked coming off the bench because I could watch the flow of the game and then come in and do some damage, including getting to play most of the fourth quarter.

JT: You were twice named an All-Star, including the 1984 game that was a nine-point overtime win for the East. What did it mean to you to be an All-Star, and what do you remember most about the 1984 game?

JR: It was a great honor, although I had hoped to be selected the year before as well. 1984 was special because my daughter Courtney was born about one week before the game. Playing with Dr. J was great, as I had watched him play a lot while growing up.

JT: In 1984 you lost to eventual champion Boston in the playoffs while putting up an amazing 24 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists per game. How were you able to put up such great stats, and where does that Celtics team rank among the best you have ever played against?

JR: That Celtics team is definitely in the top-3, if not the best. I just tried to play hard and do what was asked of me. Boston was double-teaming me a lot, so I was able to find my teammates quite often to get a lot of assists.

JT: After playing an average of 79 games during your first three seasons, you broke a bone in your foot in 1985 and played just 72 total games over the next three years. How devastating was that injury, and do you ever wonder how your career would have been different if you had remained healthy?

JR: I came back too early from an ankle injury and came down after a shot and it just popped. It was tough to deal with at age 28, as I was never the same again. Then again, if that had not happened I might not have gone back to get my degree and go into coaching. I believe that everything happens for a reason.

JT: In 1991 you made a comeback with Philadelphia, but after 13 games you sustained an Achilles injury after a Celtics employee allegedly slammed a luggage cart into your leg outside Boston Garden. Is that a true story, and do you think it was an accident?

JR: It is true, and it was not an accident. Earlier that day I had broken up a fight between the ballboy and a Celtics traveling secretary. The guy ran the cart into me, which had about 50 bags on it. I had eyewitnesses and I sued the team, but the case was tried in Boston so they had a little home-cooking. I made the seconnd-greatest comeback behind George Foreman, but sadly I did not have a grill!

JT: You played 11 games with Detroit the following season before retiring for good in January 1993, and you are one of a very few former players to average 17-plus points, ten-plus rebounds and a field goal percentage above 55% for your career (Artis Gilmore and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar are the others). Did you feel frustrated that you could not go out on your own terms, and do you consider yourself to be one of the best big men in NBA history?

JR: Those numbers could have been even better if I had not played at all after the injury. I am proud of the seasons when I was healthy. As far as being one of the best big men: yes and no. Deep down I know I was but I just did not have the longevity. My mother (God rest her soul) messed up by having me too early before the salaries became what they are today!

JT: After retiring you became an assistant coach in Philadelphia under Fred Carter. What was it like to work under Fred?

JR: I learned a lot under Fred, but it was not fun working under owner Harold Katz.

JT: You later returned to coach at your alma mater, where you won three MAAC titles. What made you such a successful college coach?

JR: I had played the game all my life and I recruited pretty well, but it ended badly at Iona.

JT: What are your memories of the 2000 NCAA Tournament (Iona fell behind 23-4 to start the game before losing by 15 to Maryland)?

JR: Our guys were a little awestruck. After falling behind early we actually played them even the rest of the game.

JT: What are your memories of the 2001 NCAA Tournament (Courtney Fields drove into the lane and had the ball knocked away by Rahim Lockhart with two seconds left in a two-point loss to Ole Miss)?

JR: We lost our big freshman PF Greg Jenkins in the 1st half which hurt us inside. I thought Fields got fouled, but in retrospect maybe I should have had us shoot a three to try to win it.

JT: What are your memories of the 2006 NCAA Tournament (Glen Davis led LSU to the win with 22 points and 13 rebounds)?

JR: LSU had to go to a zone defense to beat us, which is saying something. We actually did a pretty good job against "Big Baby", but a couple of his teammates helped out as well.

JT: In 2009 you became the head coach at the University of the District of Columbia, and your team had to play several games with only five players due to health and eligibility problems. How on earth do you coach a team that does not have a bench, and how did you hope to bounce back?

JR: Let me just say that I got the job one week before the semester started while we were on probation. It was a horrible year but it is over with, and we had a good recruiting class going into the next season.

Ruland is also on Jon's list of best fantasy players in MAAC history.

Canisius: Ray Hall (1985) 2226 PTS (#1), 219 STL (#1), 77.7 FT% (#5), All-American
Fairfield: Joe DeSantis (1979) 1916 PTS (#2), 667 AST (#2), 84.9 FT% (#1), All-American
Iona: Jeff Ruland (1980) 1855 PTS (#4), 1067 REB (#2), 63.5 FG% (#1), 2-time All-American
Loyola (MD): Kevin Green (1992) 2154 PTS (#2), 162 3PM (#3), 40.5 3P% (#4), 159 STL (#3)
Manhattan: Luis Flores (2004) 2046 PTS (#1), 163 3PM, 161 STL, 88 FT% (#1), All-American, 2-time conference POY
Marist: Rik Smits (1988) 1945 PTS (#2), 811 REB (#3), 345 BLK (#1), 60.9 FG% (#1), All-American, 2-time conference POY
Niagara: Calvin Murphy (1970) 2548 PTS (#1), 84.9 FT%, 3-time All-American
Rider: Jason Thompson (2008) 2040 PTS (#3), 1171 REB (#1), 235 BLK (#1), 52.6 FG% (#1), conference POY
Siena: Marc Brown (1991) 2284 PTS (#1), 796 AST (#1), 221 STL (#2), 224 3PM (#4), 42.3 3P% (#5), 2-time All-American, conference POY
Saint Peter's: Keydren Clark (2006) 3058 PTS (#1), 501 AST (#2), 265 STL (#1), 435 3PM (#1), 36.5 3P% (#2), 85.5 FT% (#1), conference POY

Iona vs. Rider: Friday Thoughts

Raphielle Johnson — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 18:15:59 -0500

Light schedule tonight with Ivy League Fridays not really getting going on a consistent basis until next weekend, but there are some entertaining matchups to keep fans occupied. Both MAAC matchups consist of top-half (of the standings) teams taking on squads hoping to avoid "First Round Friday" in March's conference tournament. One such game is Iona hosting Rider on ESPNU, and while Tommy Dempsey's Broncs have been a major disappointment this year they have the firepower necessary to keep up with the Gaels.

But can Danny Stewart and company defend well enough to keep talents such as Scott Machado (the national leader in assists) and Mike Glover (AKA Optimus Prime) in check? Novar Gadson, who has found the going tough in recovering from offseason microfracture surgery, has shot 5-for-17 in his last three games and one has to wonder if there's some fatigue at play. The chemistry was off during non-conference play, especially with the addition of Virginia transfer Jeff Jones, but that seemed to be improving some before dropping games at Siena and Fairfield.

Also in the MAAC surprising Manhattan visits a Marist team that seems to be young every season, and it could become a situation where Chuck Martin's club needs a run in the MAAC Tournament to avoid a regime change. Freshman Chavaughn Lewis has been one of the better rookies in the MAAC and he's second on the team in scoring to Devin Price, but the Red Foxes average 15.7 turnovers per game. That could be an issue against Steve Masiello's Jaspers, who will look to ramp up the tempo with their full-court pressure.

George Beamon has led the way offensively for Manhattan, and after last season some seemed to forget how explosive a scorer he was in high school. Manhattan is a young team as well but they've all bought in to Masiello's vision for the program, and the team's experienced more success than expected as a result. Last year's meeting in Poughkeepsie looked to be a win for the home team...until Michael Alvarado did this. Hopefully we get similar fireworks tonight.

The best game of the night is in the Horizon League as first-place Milwaukee visits a Youngstown State team that's turned some heads this season. Seniors Kaylon Williams and Tony Meier lead the way for Rob Jeter's club, but they're going to have to be at their best defensively especially on the perimeter as the Penguins have multiple scoring options there. But what Youngstown State doesn't have is muscle in the paint, and Milwaukee may be able to take advantage of that. Butler was able to do so last weekend in their home win over YSU, and that could be what keeps Youngstown State from being a title contender this season.

Cleveland State is another Horizon contender and they host Green Bay, a team that has the ability to upset an unsuspecting title contender if not work their way back into the race. Center Alec Brown leads the way for the Phoenix, and his height (7'1") could be an issue for the Vikings in the paint. But can Green Bay slow down Jeremy Montgomery? That's easier said than done. And in the Atlantic Sun, Florida Gulf Coast visits Stetson in a battle of teams that are hoping to eventually separate from a middle of the pack that features five teams with either three or four league losses.

NCAA Division I Games
7:00 PM Florida Gulf Coast at Stetson (ESPN3)
7:05 PM Milwaukee at Youngstown State (ESPN3)
8:00 PM Green Bay at Cleveland State (ESPNU)
9:00 PM Manhattan at Marist (ESPN3)
10:00 PM Rider at Iona (ESPNU)

"Coaching Greats" Series: Pat Kennedy (Iona, FSU, DePaul, Montana, Towson)

Jon Teitel — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 15:23:07 -0500

In the latest installment in his "Coaching Greats" interview series CHN writer Jon Teitel spent some time with Pat Kennedy, who spent more than thirty years as a Division I head coach. During his time at Iona, Kennedy led the Gaels to three MAAC titles and two NCAA appearance, taking over for the late Jim Valvano after he moved on to NC State. After his time in New Rochelle, Kennedy went on to coach at Florida State, DePaul and Towson.

Jon Teitel: After three years as an assistant at Iona you replaced your mentor Jim Valvano as head coach at age 28. What made Valvano such a great coach, and what made him such a great mentor?

Pat Kennedy: Jim was a renaissance man. He was very much out of the mold of an Al McGuire. When you work with a guy in athletics you work together 24/7. What made him such a great coach is that he really studied game situations rather than X's and O's, and had the guts to put it into the framework of a game plan.

JT: USA Today cited your program at Iona as having one of the most outstanding graduation rates in college athletics, and at DePaul you suspended three of your top four scorers for academic reasons (even though they were eligible by NCAA standards). What importance do you place on academics, and how do you balance it with athletics?

PK: Anybody that is a coach at this level who does not understand the importance of players getting an education has something wrong with them. If you are sincere when you are recruiting guys then it is easy to back it up once they get to campus. If you are phony up front then you will be seen as a phony at the back end. If you sell it to a kid and his family and then the kid misses class or study hall, then he is missing out on a big part of the program.

JT: What are your memories of the 1984 NCAA Tournament (Othell Wilson made a jumper in the lane with six seconds left for a one-point Virginia win)?

PK: That Virginia team was very good, as they went on to the Final Four. We played our brains out on St. Patty's Day and executed our game plan very well. I was extremely proud of that team: that is the kind of game that coaches remember the most.

JT: What are your memories of the 1985 NCAA Tournament (senior co-captain Tony Hargraves missed a potential game-tying free throw with three seconds left in a one-point loss to Loyola-Illinois)?

PK: Loyola had a kid named Alfredrick Hughes, who was an All-American that year. That one really hurt because I felt that we were unlucky. The one good thing about that night is that I ended up meeting Doug Bruno (long-time women's coach at DePaul), who has become a great friend.

JT: In 1991 your team won Florida State's first-ever conference tournament title when Charlie Ward made a game-winning shot in a comeback win over Louisville. Where does Ward's shot rank among the most clutch you have ever seen, and how big a deal was it to win the conference tournament?

PK: We had to make a huge comeback just to put ourselves in that position. Charlie's shot was probably the biggest of his career. The FSU baseball team was playing Miami down the street at the same time, and I heard that their game was interrupted by the screams coming from our gym!

1992 NCAA Tournament

JT: You had a costly ten-point win over Montana in Boise when Ward dislocated his left shoulder. Did you fear that your chances of making a deep run in the tournament had fallen apart?

PK: Yes, but it just showed me how great Sam Cassell was going to be. I think Sam was the best player I ever had, with Quentin Richardson a close 2nd.

JT: Doug Edwards had 15 points and 16 rebounds in a ten-point win over Georgetown. How on earth were you able to keep Alonzo Mourning from making a field goal in the first half?

PK: I gave Sam the ball and ran a box offense, but I think the key is that we had less than ten turnovers that night. I pulled a page out of the Valvano playbook and told Bob Sura to play right in Mourning's chest. Mourning got frustrated because Sura would just wait for him to bring the ball down and then tie him up or poke it away.

JT: Edwards had 20 points in a loss to Indiana (who was led by Eric Anderson with 24 points off the bench). What was it like to coach a tournament game against Bob Knight, and do you think the bench scoring was the key to the game?

PK: We were concentrating on Calbert Cheaney but Anderson stepped up and played extremely well. That was the tournament when Knight brought out the whip! I was secretly offered the UNLV job the night before that game. Andrea Joyce from CBS came up to me and said that it was reported I was offered the job, and after the cat was out of the bag I decided to stay at FSU. I actually kept the contract from UNLV, as people forget how hot we were at FSU.

1993 NCAA Tournament

JT: Sam Cassell scored 18 points and your team had an 18-0 run during the first half of your win over Evansville in Orlando. Did you feel like you had a home-court advantage, and was the game over after that run?

PK: We became a very confident tournament team and we had a group of guys who felt they could win under any circumstances. What hurt us was that we had some injuries each year that we got to the tournament.

JT: Cassell scored 31 points and set a tournament record by making all seven of his three-pointers in a win over Tulane. Where does Cassell's shooting display rank among the best you have ever seen?

PK: Sam had so many of those kinds of efforts for us. The only other thing that could compare was a five or six-overtime game that we won at Fairfield back in the day.

JT: Cassell missed two shots in the final ten seconds of regulation, but Cypheus Bunton's potential game-tying three-point shot hit the rim twice before falling out and giving you a three-point overtime win over Western Kentucky. Did you feel that you might have blown it after Cassell missed the free throw, and did you think that Bunton's shot was going in?

PK: That was a very good WKU team who was well-coached by Ralph Willard. It did not surprise me that Bunton's shot missed because we had a bit of destiny going our way.

JT: Jared Prickett had 22 points (9-12 FG) and 11 rebounds in a 106-81 Kentucky victory. What was it like to coach a tournament game against Rick Pitino, and where does that rank among the best offensive displays you have ever seen?

PK: We actually cut their lead to one with nine minutes left before Prickett took over due to his height advantage over Sura. They just had more horses and wore us down.

1997 Postseason NIT

JT: You beat Syracuse (the first Big East team to ever win 18+ regular season games and not make the NCAA Tournament). Did it seem to you like their players were not focused because they felt that they belonged in the tournament instead?

PK: I think all Syracuse teams that do not get to the tournament are unhappy.

JT: James Collins scored a career-high 29 points as you turned a five-point deficit with less than a minute left in regulation into a six-point overtime win over Connecticut (Richard Hamilton had 26 for UConn). How were you able to even get the game into overtime, and could you tell at the time that Hamilton was going to become a star?

PK: Hamilton was a great player. Our most important guy was PG Kerry Thompson, as he controlled the tempo of the game (only two turnovers in 39 minutes).

JT: Robert "Tractor" Traylor had 26 points and 13 rebounds and was named NIT MVP in a nine-point Michigan win in the title game. How unstoppable was Traylor, and what was the feeling like in your locker room afterwards?

PK: Michigan had a great talented team. I thought Traylor could have been even better if he had some good conditioning.

JT: What are your memories of the 1999 NIT (Quentin Richardson had 23 points and ten rebounds in a five-point win over Northwestern, and then Willie Coleman missed a shot at the buzzer in a one-point loss to Cal)?

PK: I did not think we were ready to make a big run.

JT: What are your memories of the 2000 NCAA Tournament (Kenny Gregory scored 22 points [11-12 FG] in Kansas' five-point overtime win)?

PK: We had the game won but could not inbound the ball at the end. Kansas made some plays down the stretch that we did not make. Rick Reilly said that if all our talented players stuck around long enough even the school janitor could have led us to the title as a point guard!

JT: In 2004 you served as the president of the NABC. Why did you take the job, and how did you like it?

PK: The NABC helps shape NCAA legislation and I really enjoyed the exchange of ideas and getting to be around great colleagues. When you have one occupation your entire life it is great to be able to give something back.

JT: Before resigning last year you were one of a very few active coaches who spent at least 30 straight years as a Division I coach (along with legends such as Jim Calhoun, Mike Krzyzewski and Jim Boeheim). What is the key to sticking around so long, and what do you hope to do in the future?

PK: The other three guys are already in the Hall of Fame. I might be the only one who does not end up there! I was always the youngest of my group but we all have an incredible passion for basketball and are pretty good guys, which helps make the difference. We are honest with our administration, develop a good power base, etc. Norm Stewart at Missouri might have been the greatest of all. I feel pretty good and think I could coach for another ten years or so.

JT: You were previously recognized by the Special Olympics as its Volunteer Man of the Year. When did you 1st start working with the Special Olympics, and what did it mean to you to win such an outstanding individual honor?

PK: I met my wife of 32 years (Jean) through the Special Olympics; it was her passion. We are involved and our team was as well.

JT: You were one of the owners of one of Ireland's first professional basketball teams (the Burger Land Team of Cork). How did you get involved in Irish pro basketball, and how has the sport progressed in the Emerald Isle during your lifetime?

PK: I just got involved with too many Irishmen from NYC! Walter Kennedy was the NBA commissioner at the time and a lot of guys were pulled together to help start a team over there. They were actually known as the Blue Demons so I was able to send them some stuff once I got to DePaul! Connecticut assistant coach George Blaney was extremely instrumental in building gyms and sending equipment.

JT: Your son Joe was a guard for Northwestern and was team captain during his senior year. How proud are you of his success?

PK: I never coached him but got to watch him play all throughout high school. As a junior he was an intern for then-Senator Barack Obama, was later hired to be part of the transition team, and then worked at the White House under Valerie Jarrett. However, he was dying to get back into coaching someday, so he became director of operations at his alma mater.

Kennedy is also on Jon's list of best coaches in MAAC history.

Canisius: John Beilein (1992-1997) 89-62, 1 NCAA tourney, 1 conference title, 1-time conference COY
Fairfield: George Bisacca (1958-1968) 151-85, 3 NCAA tourneys
Iona: Pat Kennedy (1980-1986) 124-60, 2 NCAA tourneys, 3 conference titles, 1-time conference COY
Loyola (MD): Emil "Lefty" Reitz (1937-1944, 1945-1961) 349-227
Manhattan: Ken Norton (1946-1968) 300-205, 2 NCAA tourneys, 4 conference titles
Marist: Dave Magarity (1986-2004) 253-259, 1 NCAA tourney, 3 conference titles, 3-time conference COY
Niagara: John "Taps" Gallagher (1931-1943, 1946-1965) 465-261, 6 conference titles
Rider: Kevin Bannon (1989-1997) 131-103, 2 NCAA tourneys, 3 conference titles, 2-time conference COY
Siena: Fran McCaffery (2005-2010) 112-51, 3 NCAA tourneys, 3 conference titles, 1-time conference COY
St. Peter's: Don Kennedy (1950-1972) 323-195

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

Jon Teitel's All-Conference Teams (Pre-League Play Edition)

Jon Teitel — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 01:59:57 -0500

With conference play beginning for many leagues this week (a few conferences began their league slate in early December) it's a good time to look back on some of the top performers. Enter CHN writer Jon Teitel, who put together his all-conference teams for each of the leagues.

America East
G Gerardo Suero (Albany)
G Darryl Partin (Boston University)
G Gerald McLemore (Maine)
F Ben Dickinson (Binghamton)
F Chase Plummer (UMBC)

Atlantic 10
G Carl Jones (Saint Joseph's)
G Tu Holloway (Xavier)
G Ramone Moore (Temple)
F Chris Gaston (Fordham)
F Chris Braswell (Charlotte)

ACC
G Terrell Stoglin (Maryland)
G Kendall Marshall (North Carolina)
F Travis McKie (Wake Forest)
F Mike Scott (Virginia)
F Harrison Barnes (North Carolina)

Atlantic Sun
G Markeith Cummings (Kennesaw St.)
G Kerron Johnson (Belmont)
G Adam Sollazzo (East Tennessee St.)
F Torrey Craig (USC Upstate)
C Adam Pegg (Stetson)

Big 12
G Steven Pledger (Oklahoma)
G J'Covan Brown (Texas)
G Marcus Denmon (Missouri)
F Thomas Robinson (Kansas)
F Royce White (Iowa St.)

Big East
G Jeremy Lamb (Connecticut)
G Darius Johnson-Odom (Marquette)
G Dion Waiters (Syracuse)
F Kevin Jones (West Virginia)
F Herb Pope (Seton Hall)

Big Sky
G Damian Lillard (Weber St.)
G Charles Odum (Portland St.)
G Will Cherry (Montana)
G Stallon Soldivar (Northern Arizona)
F Collin Chiverton (Eastern Washington)

Big South
G Darren White (Campbell)
G Nick Barbour (High Point)
G Anthony Raffa (Coastal Carolina)
F Eric Griffin (Campbell)
C Al'Lonzo Coleman (Presbyterian)

Big Ten
G Drew Crawford (Northwestern)
G Tim Frazier (Penn St.)
F John Shurna (Northwestern)
F Robbie Hummel (Purdue)
F Jared Sullinger (Ohio State)

Big West
G Orlando Johnson (UCSB)
G Casper Ware (Long Beach St.)
G Phil Martin (UC Riverside)
F T.J. Robinson (Long Beach St.)
F James Nunnally (UCSB)

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 Damier Pitts (Marshall)
G DeAndre Kane (Marshall)
F Keith Clanton (UCF)
F Arsalan Kazemi (Rice)

Horizon
G Chase Simon (Detroit)
G Kendrick Perry (Youngstown St.)
G Ray McCallum Jr. (Detroit)
F Ryan Broekhoff (Valparaiso)
F Ben Averkamp (Loyola (IL))

Independent
G Mitch Albers (Nebraska-Omaha)
G Isaiah Wilkerson (NJIT)
F Aaron Broussard (Seattle)
F Art Bernardi (Houston Baptist)
C Antwan Carter (Longwood)

Ivy
G Zack Rosen (Pennsylvania)
G Tyler Bernardini (Pennsylvania)
F Keith Wright (Harvard)
F Ian Hummer (Princeton)
F Greg Mangano (Yale)

MAAC
G Dylon Cormier (Loyola (MD))
G Harold Washington (Canisius)
G Scott Machado (Iona)
F Michael Glover (Iona)
F Rakim Sanders (Fairfield)

Mid-American
G D.J. Cooper (Ohio)
G Rian Pearson (Toledo)
F Julian Mavunga (Miami (OH))
F Jarrod Jones (Ball St.)
F Javon McCrea (Buffalo)

MEAC
G Tony Gallo (Coppin St.)
G Darrion Pellum (Hampton)
F Brandon Riley (South Carolina St.)
F Dominique Sutton (North Carolina Central)
C Kyle O'Quinn (Norfolk St.)

Missouri Valley
G Colt Ryan (Evansville)
G Rayvonte Rice (Drake)
G Kyle Weems (Missouri State)
F Doug McDermott (Creighton)
F Taylor Brown (Bradley)

Mountain West
G Chase Tapley (San Diego St.)
G Wes Eikmeier (Colorado St.)
G Michael Lyons (Air Force)
F Chace Stanback (UNLV)
F Mike Moser (UNLV)

Northeast
G Shane Gibson (Sacred Heart)
G Kyle Vinales (CCSU)
F Ken Horton (CCSU)
F Julian Boyd (Long Island)
F Ike Azotam (Quinnipiac)

Ohio Valley
G Kevin Murphy (Tennessee Tech)
G Isaiah Canaan (Murray St.)
G Jeremy Granger (Eastern Illinois)
F Robert Covington (Tennessee St.)
F Tyler Stone (Southeast Missouri St.)

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

Patriot
G Charles Hinkle (American)
G C.J. McCollum (Lehigh)
G Jim Mower (Lafayette)
F Mike Muscala (Bucknell)
F JJ Avila (Navy)

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

Southern
G Kevin Giltner (Wofford)
G Harouna Mutombo (Western Carolina)
F Antwaine Wiggins (Charleston)
F De'Mon Brooks (Davidson)
C Mike Groselle (Citadel)

Southland
G Brandon Fortenberry (SE Louisiana)
G Kannon Burrage (UTSA)
G Anthony Miles (Lamar)
F LaQuentin Miles (Central Arkansas)
F Patrick Richard (McNeese St.)

SWAC
G Savalace Townsend (Arkansas-Pine Bluff)
G Marquis Baker (Alcorn St.)
G Jenirro Bush (Jackson St.)
F Kenderek Washington (Alabama St.)
C Paul Crosby (Miss. Valley St.)

Summit
G Reggie Hamilton (Oakland)
G Nate Wolters (South Dakota St.)
G Frank Gaines (IPFW)
F Alex Young (IUPUI)
F Terell Parks (Western Illinois)

Sun Belt
G Raymond Taylor (FAU)
G Chris Jones (North Texas)
F LaRon Dendy (Middle Tennessee)
F Chris Udofia (Denver)
C Augustine Rubit (South Alabama)

West Coast
G Kevin Foster (Santa Clara)
G Matthew Dellavedova (Saint Mary's)
G Kevin Pangos (Gonzaga)
F Noah Hartsock (BYU)
F Rob Jones (Saint Mary's)

WAC
G Kevin Olekaibe (Fresno St.)
G James Kinney (San Jose St.)
G Zane Johnson (Hawaii)
F Wendell McKines (New Mexico St.)
C Kyle Barone (Idaho)

College Hoops Sunday Recap: Shockers Put On a Show

Raphielle Johnson — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 22:32:25 -0500

Going into Sunday's game at Wichita State, the UNLV Runnin' Rebels were on the tail end of an eight-day stretch that began with a win over then-#1 North Carolina followed by a double-overtime win at UCSB. To say the least this wasn't the easiest way to end that stretch, and Joe Ragland and the Shockers made sure that was the case. Ragland made eight of nine from beyond the arc in scoring a game-high 31 points, and as a team Wichita State shot 12-for-23 from distance in the 89-70 win. Ragland had issues early on the defensive end of the floor, but that changed and as a result the visitors found themselves having a hard time slowing the senior guard down.

"I didn't expect that type of game from Joe Ragland but honestly, I've expected some game similar to that," said Wichita State head coach Gregg Marshall. "He's just a dynamite performer...he took it upon himself to bounce back from those missed defensive assignments that cost us a couple baskets early, and when he got back in there he was on a mission."

UNLV didn't play terribly in the first half but they still trailed 47-32 at the break due to a 24-3 Wichita State advantage in points scored from beyond the arc. Ragland made all five of his shots while David Kyles added two and Garrett Stutz, while UNLV made just one of nine shots from deep. The Shockers also did a good job of sharing the basketball as they assisted on ten of seventeen field goals. That was another difference between the two teams as UNLV assisted on just four of ten first-half field goals.

UNLV played better in the second half offensively, making 50% of their shots and assisting on more than half of their baskets (season assist percentage: 67.6%), but they simply could not stop Ragland or the rest of the Shockers. For the game Wichita State finished with an efficiency of 150.8. To put that number in perspective UNLV's opponents average an efficiency of 90.1 with a high of 106.0 (UCSB) according to the website statsheet.com.

Wichita State didn't have the best trip to Puerto Rico as they lost two of three games to finish fourth in the Puerto Rico Tip-Off, but the Shockers have improved in the three games since. There should be no doubt that they're going to be right there fighting for the Missouri Valley crown.

Other Notable Happenings

1. San Diego State hangs on to beat California at home by a point.
California was without the services of forward Richard Solomon on Sunday afternoon as he'd been suspended by head coach Mike Montgomery, meaning that they went small with a three-guard lineup. The insertion of Justin Cobbs was a good one as the Minnesota transfer scored 17 points, but with Jorge Gutierrez struggling (3-12 FG, six points) the Golden Bears had their issues on the offensive end against San Diego State. Chase Tapley was SDSU's lone double-figure scorer (25 points) but a key 14-3 run to end the first half gave Steve Fisher's team the breathing room they needed in what would end up being a 64-63 victory. Cal would pull even in the second half but could only gain the lead once (51-50 with 6:33 remaining) despite the play of Cobbs and Allen Crabbe (23 points, nine rebounds). With their loss to Creighton on Wednesday night, San Diego State needed this win to avoid an 0-2 week and thanks in large part to Tapley they got it.

2. Keep an eye on American, who has now won seven straight, in the Patriot League.
Bucknell is the defending league champion and Lehigh has one of the nation's most prolific guards in C.J. McCollum, but don't expect the Patriot League to simply be a two-team race. Jeff Jones' American Eagles won their seventh straight game on Sunday as Charles Hinkle scored a game-high 32 points in a 66-60 win over Saint Joseph's. The Eagles led 38-28 at the half thanks to both Hinkle (17 points) and the defensive effort against SJU guards Langston Galloway and Carl Jones, who combined to score just two points. Jones scored 11 points in the second half but it wasn't enough to overcome a 3-for-17 night from beyond the arc at Bender Arena. If there's a concern for American in the aftermath of Sunday's win it would have to be their play in the paint, with C.J. Aiken and Halil Kanacevic leading the way in a 34-16 SJU scoring edge. if the Eagles can improve in that area leading into league play next month, they'll be better equipped to take on the likes of Bucknell's Mike Muscala in league play.

3. Baylor's zone defense proves to be too much for Northwestern.
For all the press sent Kentucky's way the Wildcats may not have the most distracting front line in the country. Baylor could make a very good case for that distinction however, and their qualifications were on full display in a 69-41 win at Northwestern. Anthony Jones, Perry Jones III, Quincy Acy and Quincy Miller are four big reasons why, as their wingspan and activity within Scott Drew's matchup zone can eliminate both good looks and lanes to the basket. Northwestern could get little going offensively, shooting 24.1% from the field and shooting 4-for-26 from beyond the arc.

Even worse for the Wildcats was that once they got inside of the zone they made just 31% of their two-point shots, a difference of 19 percent from their season average. Also of note for Baylor was the play of point guard Pierre Jackson, who finished with 16 points and three assists. As he goes so will the Bears come March because even with the mid-season addition of Cal transfer Gary Franklin, Jackson could still be their best option at the point. At the very least, few teams will be looking forward to playing Baylor because of the defensive prowess of their big men.

Quick Hitters

1. While debating the merits of 9-0 Tulane it needs to be pointed out that Murray State is also undefeated, and they handled Dayton 75-58 on Sunday afternoon. Isaiah Canaan scored 21 points and dished out five assists to lead the way, and the Racers forced 17 Dayton turnovers while also limiting them to 3-for-14 from three.

2. Alasdair Frasier scored 23 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to lead three starters in double figures as Maine beat Rhode Island 76-74 in overtime in Kingston. The effort was better for the Rams but that doesn't change the fact that Jim Baron's team has lost seven of their first eight.

3. The process of rebuilding Manhattan is nowhere near complete for first-year head coach Steve Masiello, but the Jaspers are 2-0 in MAAC play following their 68-42 win over Saint Peter's. George Beamon led the way with 22 points (7-9 FG), four rebounds and four steals, but the defense stood out as Saint Peter's shot just 32.6% and turned the ball over 17 times.

4. Alex Abreu returned from a two-game suspension but it wasn't enough to prevent Akron from getting whipped 77-53 at Middle Tennessee. The Zips, who have lost four of their last five after a 2-0 start, shot 28.6% from both the field and from three on Sunday.

5. Stanford made the plays needed late to move to 8-1, beating NC State 76-72 in Palo Alto. Josh Owens led the way with 19 points and seven rebounds and Anthony Brown added 12 off the bench. Johnny Dawkins' team could be one to watch in the Pac-12.

6. Kansas State passed their first test of the season as they won at Virginia Tech 69-61. Jamar Samuels impressed with 17 points and 14 rebounds and Shane Southwell added 11 off the bench.

7. Oregon State posted an impressive win to close the day, beating expected Big Sky contender Montana 71-46. Ahmad Starks led four Beavers in double figures with 17 points, and Craig Robinson's team looked very good in a game that prior Oregon State teams would either struggle with or lose.

Three Notable Performances

1. G Joe Ragland (Wichita State)
31 points (8-9 3PT), five rebounds and three assists in the Shockers' 89-70 win over UNLV.

2. G Terrell Stoglin (Maryland)
31 points (11-20 FG), five rebounds and two assists in the Terrapins' 78-71 win over Notre Dame.

3. F Jamar Samuels (Kansas State)
17 points (7-8 FG) and 14 rebounds in the Wildcats' 69-61 win at Virginia Tech.

College Hoops Friday Recap: Jardine Leads Orange to Win

Raphielle Johnson — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 00:59:36 -0500

To this point in the season Dion Waiters was playing more minutes per game than senior starter Scoop Jardine, as the Syracuse sophomore was playing good basketball. But Jardine displayed his value in the second half of Friday's game against Florida, scoring eight of Syracuse' nine points during a critical stretch that put the Orange in control of a game they went on to win 72-68. Jardine finished with 16 points and seven assists while Brandon Triche (20 points) and Kris Joseph (14) also finished in double figures. Guards Kenny Boynton (22 points) and Erving Walker (17) led the Way for Florida, who lost their second game of the season against a Top 5 opponent due in large part to Jardine.

"He did what he was supposed to do," said Triche of his backcourt partner's performance. "As an experienced guard he came down the stretch and knocked down shots. The biggest thing was his three steals in a row and we were able to get them in foul trouble or convert on most of them."

The question for Florida wasn't so much how well they'd shoot given the ability of their perimeter players but rather the quality of the shots they took. The Gators made nine of twenty-six shots from beyond the arc but the 20 turnovers against the Syracuse zone proved to be the bigger issue. One thing that the Orange do well defensively is essentially decide who will take the shots. Will Yeguete had multiple opportunities in the high post, which is exactly where teams want to get the ball against a zone defense, but his inability to knock down mid-range jumpers is exactly why the Orange allowed him to shoot.

It also didn't help matters that Patric Young had to deal with foul trouble, and this changed the way in which the Gators went about attacking the Syracuse zone as they no longer had a viable low post threat. Syracuse outscored Florida 17-7 at the foul line and out-rebounded them by seven (40-33), with C.J. Fair grabbing 11 rebounds to go along with his nine points. Florida's offensive efficiency was more than 25 points below their season average, showing what can happen when taking on a defense with the length of Syracuse's. But the play and leadership of Jardine, who sat in favor of Waiters in New York last week, will be a key throughout the season. If Scoop's doing what Jim Boeheim needs him to do, this is a Final Four-caliber team.

"When you are trying to win championships, like we are doing here, we are going to need guys that make sacrifices and leave egos at the door," said Jardine. "If I can do it, I've been here five years, anyone can do it and that is one of the things I have done as a leader. Coach said it and congratulated me on it but it's going to be for everybody and that's how it is."

Link: Boeheim apologizes for his words in immediate response to the Bernie Fine charges.

Other Notable Happenings

1. Vanderbilt's foul shooting costs them the game at Louisville.
It is extremely rare for a team that boasts a free throw rate of 54.5% while their opponent is down at 18.3% to lose a game, regardless of the quality of said opponent. But when you don't take advantage of that edge, as Vanderbilt did on Friday night, the door is left open. Sure enough, Vanderbilt going 14-for-24 from the foul line ultimately cost them as Louisville came back to win 62-60 in overtime. The win capped a 4-0 night for the Big East in the HTC Big East/SEC Invitational, but that news is secondary to the way in which the Commodores lost. Kevin Stallings team, which led by nine with just under nine minutes remaining, couldn't shut the door due to their offensive execution and foul shooting.

John Jenkins led the way with 27 points while Lance Goulbourne and Jeffery Taylor scored 11 apiece, but outside of those three there wasn't much production. And come crunch time Vanderbilt almost seemed as if they tensed up, failing to display the aggressive nature needed to close out tough games. It all makes you wonder just how much had changed in Nashville. The familiar line outside of the program is that things will change once Festus Ezeli returns, but is he enough to change this team's mental fortitude?

2. Rider loses their MAAC opener by 16, dropping to 1-7 on the year.
While Tommy Dempsey's team got off to a horrific start offensively against Manhattan, they trailed just 26-25 at the half thanks to 9 Jasper turnovers. But the most troubling number in the first half for the Broncs was 15, as in the number of three-pointers they attempted (making one), and that didn't improve much in the second half. Each team would make five three-pointers in the second half with Manhattan needing nine attempts to do so while Rider hoisted fourteen, and the Jaspers made 16 of 18 from the charity stripe as they pulled away for the 71-55 win.

The loss dropped the talented Broncs to 1-7 on the season, and a team thought to be right there with Loyola above the fray yet below favorites Iona and Fairfield in the MAAC looks more like a team destined to lose 20 games. Novar Gadson led three Broncs in double figures with 16 points, but the inconsistent nature of this group has been a theme all season long. Can they snap out of it before it's too late? Tough question to answer right now.

3. Washington's failure to foul sends them to an overtime loss at Nevada.
In spite of early struggles Lorenzo Romar's team had every opportunity to sew up a win at Nevada late Friday night, but the inability to act on a simple instruction opened the door for the Wolf Pack. Following a 1-for-2 trip to the foul line that gave the Huskies a 66-63 lead in the final seconds Romar instructed his team to give the foul before Deonte Burton, who was red hot in the second half and overtime, got off a shot. What happened was a half-hearted attempt at the foul by Tony Wroten Jr. far too close to shooting range, and with the foul going uncalled Burton knocked down the three to send the game into overtime.

Burton continued his work in the extra session, leading Nevada to the 76-73 win. Washington got two shots at the tie, but Darnell Gant (shot blocked) and Abdul Gaddy were the shooters instead of either C.J. Wilcox or Terrence Ross. Why was Nevada able to hang around despite their own offensive difficulties? Twenty-one Washington turnovers, with Wroten and Gaddy combining for nine of them. Given the strength (or lack thereof) of the Pac-12 this season the Huskies will likely be involved in a number of thrillers, and just how successful they are will depend on late-game execution. And judging by Friday night there's a lot of work to be done.

Quick Hitters

1. The big injury news of the day regarded Ohio State forward Jared Sullinger, who won't play tomorrow against UTPA due to back spasms that flared up against Duke on Tuesday night. How long the All-American is out remains to be seen, but this means that Deshaun Thomas and Evan Ravenel will need to step up if Sullinger is out for an extended period.

2. Next in line was Pittsburgh point guard Tray Woodall, who will miss the next month or so with groin and abdominal injuries suffered in the Panthers' win over Duquesne on Wednesday. This could mean more time at the point for Ashton Gibbs, and John Johnson and Cam Wright (who was suspended for Wednesday's game) need to step up.

3. Seton Hall put forth an impressive showing in their 81-59 win over Auburn, and the difference in this team is quite apparent. The Pirates are playing loose but smart and look as if they enjoy being on the floor and playing as a team, a testament to what Kevin Willard and his staff have done.

4. There are few teams as inconsistent as Loyola Marymount, who lost 69-61 to a Columbia that was without their best player in shooting guard Norwua Agho. While Max Good's team has beaten UCLA and Saint Louis they've also lost to Middle Tennessee and now a team expected to finish in the bottom half of the Ivy League.

5. Cameron Clark scored 18 points to lead three starters in double figures in Oklahoma's 82-53 win over Sacramento State. That balance will be something that Lon Kruger relies on with Calvin Newell deciding the transfer despite averaging 13.0 ppg on the season.

6. While they are one of the top scoring teams in the country, Iona's NCAA Tournament hopes will depend upon their ability to defend. Tim Cluess' Gaels put forth their best defensive showing of the season in a 69-57 win at Canisius, forcing 21 turnovers (turnover percentage of 35%) on the night.

7. Dion Dixon came up big for Cincinnati in the second half, scoring 16 of his 19 points to help lead the Bearcats to a 57-51 win at Georgia. With that home loss to Presbyterian hanging over the team, Mick Cronin's squad could not afford to drop this one.

Three Notable Performances

1. G Juan'Ya Green (Niagara)
The freshman guard nearly delivered a win but came up short in the Purple Eagles' 79-75 loss to Fairfield. Green finished with 35 points, six rebounds and three assists.

2. F Herb Pope (Seton Hall)
23 points, 12 rebounds and two assists in the Pirates' 81-59 win over Auburn.

3. G Marcus Denmon (Missouri)
31 points (7-10 3PT), six rebounds and two assists in the Tigers' 90-56 win over Northwestern State.

College Hoops Friday: Your Commentary

Raphielle Johnson — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 14:23:44 -0500

The Friday night schedule may be light in quantity but it certainly doesn't lack for quality, with a pair of Top 20 matchups in the HTC Big East/SEC Invitational. #9 Florida (5-1) visits #3 Syracuse (7-0) in a game that promises to be played at a fast tempo, and given the offensive weapons that will be on display it should be high-scoring as well. This is the Gators' second true road game against a Top 5 opponent this season, as they fell at Ohio State in mid-November, which should pay off for this group when the stakes get raised in SEC play. Florida will encounter one of the tougher defenses in the nation in Syracuse's 2-3 zone, an active defense that's bolstered by the length of the Syracuse defenders.

The good news for the Gators is that they've made at least ten three-pointers in every game they've played this season, and that should come as no surprise given the caliber of shooters at Billy Donovan's disposal. Freshman Bradley Beal (17.0 ppg, 6.5 rpg), Erving Walker (13.7 ppg, 5.3 apg) and Kenny Boynton (18.5 ppg, 3.3 apg) start while Rutgers transfer Mike Rosario (12.0 ppg, 3.3 rpg) is one of the first subs off the bench, four key components for a team that shoots 42.9% from three on the season. The key for Florida in this regard will be to get the perimeter looks that they want instead of settling too often for the ones that Syracuse gives them.

With forward Erik Murphy injured Will Yeguete has started in his place, and despite the presence of Patric Young (10.2 ppg, 7.7 rpg) the Orange likely have the advantage inside due to their depth. Kris Joseph (14.7 ppg, 5.7 rpg) would count more as a wing in the Syracuse attack, and in addition to him Jim Boeheim can call upon sophomores Fab Melo (5.9 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 2.6 bpg), James Southerland (10.6 ppg, 3.6 rpg) and C.J. Fair (8.1 ppg, 6.0 rpg) as well as freshman Rakeem Christmas (4.3 ppg, 3.9 rpg). Fair, who was arguably Syracuse's best freshman last season, and the in-shape Melo have both made strides in their development from last season to this.

The same can be said for reserve guard Dion Waiters (11.9 ppg, 3.4), who has been outstanding after a frustrating 2010-11 campaign. The Philadelphia native offers up quite the contrast to fifth-year senior Scoop Jardine (7.0 ppg, 4.1 apg) due to his athleticism, which allows him to apply pressure to defenses in either the half or open court. The Florida guards, which will include capable defender Scottie Wilbekin, have to limit Waiters' opportunities in the open floor to make play. It will also help the Gators if they can limit Brandon Triche early, as he tends to be inconsistent depending on the result of his first few looks at the basket.

Offensively the Gators have been the better of the two teams when looking at the efficiency numbers, and while they do average four more possessions per game it isn't as if Syracuse can't play at a fast pace. Neither team has been that reliant on points from the foul line, and Florida scores 40% of their points from three-point range, a number they're likely to reach given the Syracuse zone (Syracuse's opponents have scored 38% of their points from deep thus far). It won't be how many points Florida scores from so much as how easily those points come about. It'll be tough to win at the Carrier Dome, but Florida has more than enough pieces to get the job done.

Also on tap is Vanderbilt's trip to Louisville, and the Cardinals have played good basketball for much of the season despite dealing with multiple injuries. The question is a simple one for Vanderbilt: can guards Brad Tinsley and John Jenkins get the job done on the defensive end of the floor? After dealing with Xavier guards Tu Holloway and Mark Lyons, the Commodores face a deep stable led by Peyton Siva and Chris Smith. In the frontcourt freshman Chane Behanan has been outstanding for the Cardinals thus far, and while the game is likely to be played at a fast pace the question is whether or not Kevin Stallings' team can both withstand and throw a few body blows.

Preseason MAAC favorite Iona and defending regular season champion Fairfield both open their conference slates with games in western New York, with the Gaels taking on a Canisius team that will be without the injured Gaby Belardo and Fairfield playing at Niagara. Niagara is a very young team, and freshmen such as guard Juan'Ya Green will be tested by Rakim Sanders, Derek Needham and company. Cincinnati visits Georgia in a game the Bearcats may need for their resume given their home losses to Presbyterian and Marshall, and in another MAAC matchup slumping Rider needs to rebound with Manhattan visiting the Broncs Zoo. Lastly, Washington closes out the night with a game at Nevada, and the talented Wolf Pack will provide a stiff test for the Huskies.

Top 25 Games
7:00 PM (9) Florida at (3) Syracuse (ESPN)
9:00 PM (19) Vanderbilt at (6) Louisville (ESPN)
8:00 PM Northwestern State at (13)Missouri (ESPN3)

NCAA Division I Games
5:00 PM North Texas vs. La Sierra University*
7:00 PM Cincinnati at Georgia (ESPNU)
7:00 PM Fairfield at Niagara (MAAC TV)
7:00 PM Iona at Canisius (MAAC TV)
7:00 PM South Carolina State at Longwood
7:00 PM Manhattan at Rider (MAAC TV)
8:00 PM Mississippi Valley State at Northwestern (BTN)
8:00 PM Sacramento State at Oklahoma (ESPN3)
9:00 PM Auburn at Seton Hall (ESPNU)
9:05 PM Haskell at Utah Valley
10:00 PM Columbia at Loyola Marymount
10:05 PM BYU Hawaii at Long Beach State
11:00 PM Washington at Nevada (ESPNU)

Jon Teitel's November All-Conference Teams

Jon Teitel — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 17:22:22 -0500

With the first month of the college basketball season concluded, this is a good time to recognize some of the top players throughout the country. With that in mind, CHN writer Jon Teitel gave his all-conference selections for each conference (and independents, which includes the Great West in this piece).

America East
G Darryl Partin Boston University
G Justin Edwards Maine
G Gerardo Suero Albany
F Ben Dickinson Binghamton
F Chase Plummer UMBC

Atlantic 10
G Carl Jones Saint Joseph's
G Mark Lyons Xavier
G Tu Holloway Xavier
F Andrew Nicholson St. Bonaventure
F Chris Braswell Charlotte

ACC
G Kendall Marshall North Carolina
G Terrell Stoglin Maryland
G Glen Rice Jr. Georgia Tech
F Travis McKie Wake Forest
F Mike Scott Virginia

Atlantic Sun
G Marcus Dubose ETSU
G Markeith Cummings Kennesaw St.
G Jordan Burgason Lipscomb
F J.J. Mann Belmont
F Torrey Craig USC Upstate

Big 12
G J'Covan Brown Texas
G Marcus Denmon Missouri
F Royce White Iowa St.
F Thomas Robinson Kansas
F Quincy Miller 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 St.
G Will Cherry Montana
G Kareem Jamar Montana
F Scott Bamforth Weber St.
F Collin Chiverton EWU

Big South
G Keith Gabriel VMI
G Darren White Campbell
G Anthony Raffa Coastal Carolina
F Eric Griffin Campbell
F Al'Lonzo Coleman Presbyterian

Big Ten
G Tim Frazier Penn St.
G Drew Crawford Northwestern
F John Shurna Northwestern
F Jared Sullinger Ohio St.
F Robbie Hummel Purdue

Big West
G Casper Ware Long Beach St.
G Orlando Johnson UCSB
F Stephan Hicks Cal State-Northridge
F James Nunnally UCSB
F T.J. Robinson Long Beach St.

CAA
G A.J. Davis James Madison
G Devon Saddler Delaware
G Humpty Hitchens James Madison
F Ryan Pearson George Mason
F Nathaniel Lester Hofstra

Conference USA
G Will Barton Memphis
G Miguel Paul East Carolina
F Keith Clanton UCF
F Josh Davis Tulane
F Cameron Moore UAB

Horizon
G Kendrick Perry Youngstown St.
G Chase Simon Detroit
F Kevin Van Wijk Valparaiso
F Ryan Broekhoff Valparaiso
C Alec Brown Green Bay

Independents
G Mitch Albers Nebraska Omaha
G Isiah Williams Utah Valley
F Aaron Broussard Seattle
F Jeremy Robinson Chicago State
F Antwan Carter Longwood

Ivy
G Zack Rosen Pennsylvania
G Sean McGonagill Brown
F Ian Hummer Princeton
F Greg Mangano Yale
F Keith Wright Harvard

MAAC
G Scott Machado Iona
G Harold Washington Canisius
G Dylon Cormier Loyola (MD)
F Michael Glover Iona
F Rakim Sanders Fairfield

MAC
G Rian Pearson Toledo
G D.J. Cooper Ohio
G Trey Ziegler Central Michigan
F Jarrod Jones Ball State
F Julian Mavunga Miami (OH)

MEAC
G Tahj Tate Delaware St.
G Tony Gallo Coppin St.
G Darrion Pellum Hampton
F Dominique Sutton NC Central
F Brandon Riley South Carolina St.

Missouri Valley
G Colt Ryan Evansville
G Rayvonte Rice Drake
F Doug McDermott Creighton
F Ben Simons Drake
F Taylor Brown Bradley

Mountain West
G Michael Lyons Air Force
G Chase Tapley San Diego St.
G Wes Eikmeier Colorado St.
F Anthony Drmic Boise St.
F Mike Moser UNLV

NEC
G Kyle Vinales Central Conn. St.
G James Johnson Quinnipiac
F Ken Horton Central Conn. St.
F Alex Francis Bryant
F Ike Azotam Quinnipiac

Ohio Valley
G Kevin Murphy Tennessee Tech
G Isaiah Canaan Murray St.
G Jud Dillard Tennessee Tech
F Mike Liabo UT Martin
F Robert Covington Tennessee St.

Pac-12
G Jared Cunningham Oregon St.
G Jorge Gutierrez California
G Trent Lockett Arizona St.
F Devon Collier Oregon St.
F Brock Motum Washington St.

Patriot
G Charles Hinkle American
G Jim Mower Lafayette
G C.J. McCollum Lehigh
F Ryan Willen Lafayette
C Mike Muscala Bucknell

SEC
G John Jenkins Vanderbilt
G Kenny Boynton Florida
G Brad Beal Florida
F Arnett Moultrie Mississippi St.
F Tony Mitchell Alabama

Southern
G Jamaal Trice Appalachian St.
G Eric Ferguson Georgia Southern
F De'Mon Brooks Davidson
F Antwaine Wiggins Charleston
F Mike Groselle Citadel

Southland
G Brandon Fortenberry SE Louisiana
G Anthony Miles Lamar
G Antonio Bostic Stephen F. Austin
F LaQuentin Miles Central Arkansas
F Patrick Richard McNeese St.

SWAC
G Marquis Baker Alcorn St.
G Savalace Townsend UAPB
G Tramaine Butler Alabama St.
F Casey Cantey Alabama A&M
F Demarquelle Tabb Alabama A&M

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

Sun Belt
G Chris Jones North Texas
G Jeremy Allen FIU
G Phil Taylor FIU
F Chris Udofia Denver
C Augustine Rubit South Alabama

WCC
G Evan Roquemore Santa Clara
G Kevin Foster Santa Clara
F Noah Hartsock BYU
F Rob Jones St. Mary's
C Robert Sacre Gonzaga

WAC
G Kevin Olekaibe Fresno St.
G Christian Kabongo New Mexico St.
G Zane Johnson Hawaii
F Wendell McKines New Mexico St.
C Kyle Barone Idaho