Southland

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)

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

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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)

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

College Hoops Wednesday Recap: Long Beach State Wins at Pittsburgh

Raphielle Johnson — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 00:37:53 -0500

Much has been made of Long Beach State playing five non-conference opponents who were ranked in the Top 15 of the major preseason polls. Many wondered how Dan Monson's team would navigate such a slate in spite of the fact that this experienced group went through a similar schedule last season. If Wednesday night showed anything about the 49ers it's that they're ready for the challenge, as they handed Pittsburgh its' first loss in November or December at the Petersen Events Center in the history of the arena.

Casper Ware scored a career-high 28 points and James Ennis led three other starters in double figures with 19 points as Long Beach State won 86-76. Ashton Gibbs led four Pittsburgh starters in double figures with 20 points, but it wasn't enough on a night that saw Long Beach State shoot 58% from the field and the Pitt reserves manage to score just three points. Things were bad enough that the Panthers, known for years for their tough man-to-man defense, went zone in hopes of slowing down the 49ers. No such luck on this night.

"We did not plan to play zone that much, we hoped we defended better," said Pitt head coach Jamie Dixon. "The man didn't work that well and zone didn't work very well either. Bottom line, it was the transition baskets that were killing us."

Long Beach State was able to get out on the break (25 fast-break points) on many occasions, and they were unselfish as well. Twenty-four of Long Beach State's 32 field goals were of the assisted variety, with Larry Anderson (seven assists), Ennis (six) and Ware (six) accounting for at least six assists each. As a result The Beach made 69.4% of their two-point shots while Pitt made 43.7% of theirs.

To use the word "upset" in labeling this performance could result in not realizing what happened in Pittsburgh. There was no luck or gimmicks on display. Long Beach State simply was the better basketball team, and they left with the ultimate reward as a result. But don't expect the 49ers to rest on this victory, because you're only as good as your last result. Wednesday's win is just one small step in the direction of their most important goal, one they didn't accomplish a season ago despite winning the Big West regular season title by a comfortable margin.

"We're going to enjoy this, and it's great for a mid-major because we'll be recognized a little bit," said Monson. "This group hasn't been to the NCAA Tournament yet and I think we would trade this for that. That goal at the end of the year is not attained in one game. We have a lot of work ahead of us."

Other Notable Happenings

1. Indiana picks up the second true road win of the Tom Crean era with a comfortable win at Evansville.
The cynic will ask what the big deal about a 94-73 win at Evansville is, but those who have followed the Indiana program in recent years know full well how important the outcome is. Verdell Jones III led five Hoosiers in double figures with 17 points (and seven assists) and the Hoosiers assisted on 24 of their 33 field goals while shooting 55.9% from the field. The Hoosiers held a 40-20 advantage in points in the paint and they led by as many as 33 points in the second half in their best all-around performance in quite some time. There are steps that need to be taken in the rebuilding of a program, especially when said program has fallen to the depths that Indiana's plummeted to in the aftermath of the Kelvin Sampson era. With the influx of young talent (Cody Zeller and company this year, a highly-touted 2012 class on the way) combined with veterans who took the bumps at the start of the Crean tenure Indiana looks to be on their way.

2. Creighton snaps UAB's 38-game non-conference home win streak.
UAB waited a bit longer than most teams in the country to play their first game of the season, and one has to wonder if in hindsight they wish their game with Creighton came later in the schedule. The Bluejays held the Blazers without a field goal over the final 11:21 of the first half to take a 32-25 lead into the intermission, and Doug McDermott's 27 points led the way in a 70-60 win in Birmingham. Antoine Young scored 13 points and Grant Gibbs added seven rebounds and seven assists (no turnovers) for Creighton, who moves to 3-0 in advance of their game against Iowa on Saturday. Creighton scored 20 points off of 18 UAB turnovers, and despite a career-high seven blocks by Cameron Moore the Blazers were still outscored 40-22 in the paint. The Bluejays did this with Jahenns Manigat missing all eight of his shots from the field, and McDermott and Gregory Echenique finished the game with five turnovers apiece. And they're going to get better as the season wears on, which is good news for Creighton fans.

3. New Mexico State lands the first blow in the two-part series with rival New Mexico.
The rivalry between New Mexico and New Mexico State is an interesting one, not only because of them sharing a state but more importantly because they play a home-and-home every year. Marvin Menzies' team landed the first punch on Wednesday night, beating the preseason Mountain West favorites 62-53 in front of a packed house at The Pit. The problem for New Mexico: leading scorers Drew Gordon and Kendall Williams combined to shoot a putrid 0-for-13 from the field, and as a team New Mexico shot 19% from the field in the second half. Wendell McKines led the Aggies with 14 points and nine rebounds and Bandja Sy added 12 off the bench, and New Mexico State's size proved to be problematic for the Lobos in the final 20 minutes (16-0 NMSU points in the paint). The rematch is on December 28th in Las Cruces, and given how physical the first round was (52 combined fouls) look for Round Two to offer more of the same.

Quick Hitters

1. Saturday will deliver a matchup of two of the hotter scorers in the country as Texas (J'Covan Brown) takes on Oregon State (Jared Cunningham). Cunningham led the Beavers to an 82-72 win over Hofstra with 35 points, and center Joe Burton dropped an assists (11)/rebounds (10) double-double.

2. Don't bother attempting to hold a vigorous debate over who's the worst team in a BCS AQ league. The answer is Utah, who went to Boise State and ended up on the receiving end of an 80-59 beating. It's going to be a long season for first-year head coach Larry Krystowiak.

3. No Eric Atkins (sick) or Tim Abromaitis (NCAA suspension) for Notre Dame but it didn't matter much in their 74-41 win over Sam Houston State. Freshman Pat Connaughton led the way with 24 points off the bench while Jerian Grant was all over the box score with 17 points, seven assists, six rebounds and two steals.

4. NAIA school Philander Smith scored a big victory, knocking off Central Arkansas 97-90 in Conway. What's the bigger concern for Central Arkansas head coach Corliss Williamson: the mere fact that the Bears lost, or the fact that they allowed 97 points and turned the ball over 23 times?

5. Freshman guard Cezar Guerrero saved Oklahoma State, scoring six of his 29 points in a five-second span to tie their game with UTSA in regulation, and the Cowboys went on to win 90-85 in overtime. Guerrero made eight three-pointers while Le'Bryan Nash added 18 and nine rebounds, and Travis Ford will call on these freshmen quite often this season.

Three Notable Performances

1. G Jared Cunningham (Oregon State)
35 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals in the Beavers' 82-72 win over Hofstra.

2. G Tim Frazier (Penn State)
26 points, 10 assists and five rebounds in the Nittany Lions' 77-68 win over Long Island.

3. G Casper Ware (Long Beach State)
28 points and six assists in the 49ers' 86-76 win at #9 Pittsburgh.

Jon Teitel's All-Conference Picks, Part Two

Jon Teitel — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 03:13:58 -0400

In the latest installment in our 2011-12 preview series, CHN writer Jon Teitel took some time selecting his preseason all-conference selections for 31 conferences as well as the Independents. Below are the picks for the final 16 conferences, and Part One can be found here.

MAC
G: Trey Ziegler (Central Michigan)
G: Zach Filzen (Buffalo)
F: Justin Greene (Kent State)
F: Julian Mavunga (Miami-Ohio)
F: Jarrod Jones (Ball St.)

MEAC
G: Darrion Pellum (Hampton)
G: Landon Clement (North Carolina Central)
G: Kwame Morgan II (Hampton)
F: Dewayne Jackson (Morgan St.)
C: Kyle O'Quinn (Norfolk St.)

Missouri Valley
G: Colt Ryan (Evansville)
G: Antoine Young (Creighton)
G: Anthony James (Northern Iowa)
F: Doug McDermott (Creighton)
F: Kyle Weems (Missouri St.)

Mountain West
G: Oscar Bellfield (UNLV)
G: Kendall Williams (New Mexico)
F: Garlon Green (TCU)
F: Drew Gordon (New Mexico)
F: Chace Stanback (UNLV)

Northeast
G: Robby Ptacek (Central Connecticut State)
G: Shane Gibson (Sacred Heart)
G: Tyler Murray (Wagner)
F: Ken Horton (Central Connecticut State)
F: Alex Francis (Bryant)

Ohio Valley
G: TyShwan Edmondson (Austin Peay)
G: Jeremy Granger (Eastern Illinois)
F: Kevin Murphy (Tennessee Tech)
F: Leon Powell (Southeast Missouri State)
F: Kenny Moore (Tennessee State)

Pac-12
G: Allen Crabbe (California)
G: Jorge Gutierrez (California)
G: Trent Lockett (Arizona State)
F: Reeves Nelson (UCLA)
F: Josh Owens (Stanford)

Patriot
G: CJ McCollum (Lehigh)
G: Jordan Sugars (Navy )
G: Devin Brown (Holy Cross)
F: Ella Ellis (Army)
C: Mike Muscala (Bucknell)

SEC
G: Dee Bost (Mississippi State)
G: John Jenkins (Vanderbilt)
F: JaMychal Green (Alabama)
F: Terrence Jones (Kentucky)
F: Jeffery Taylor (Vanderbilt)

Southern
G: Ben Drayton III (Georgia Southern)
G: Drew Spradlin (Elon)
G: Omar Wattad (Chattanooga)
F: Omar Carter (Appalachian St.)
F: Jake Cohen (Davidson)

Southland
G: Fred Hunter (Nicholls St.)
G: Melvin Johnson III (UTSA)
F: Jeromie Hill (UTSA)
F: Patrick Richard (McNeese St.)
C: Jereal Scott (Stephen F. Austin)

SWAC
G: Lawrence Johnson-Danner (Texas Southern)
G: Jenirro Bush (Jackson St.)
G: Savalance Townsend (Arkansas-Pine Bluff)
F: Casey Cantey (Alabama A&M)
F: Daniel Broughton (Arkansas-Pine Bluff)

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

Sun Belt
G: Gregg Gant (Florida Atlantic)
G: Fred Brown (UL Monroe)
F: Chase Hallam (Denver)
F: DeJuan Wright (FIU)
C: Augustine Rubit (South Alabama)

WCC
G: Kevin Foster (Santa Clara)
F: Elias Harris (Gonzaga)
F: Rob Jones (Saint Mary's)
C: Robert Sacre (Gonzaga)
G: Matthew Dellavedova (Saint Mary's)

WAC
G: Deonte Burton (Nevada)
G: Zane Johnson (Hawaii)
G: Brockeith Pane (Utah State)
F: Dario Hunt (Nevada)
C: Kyle Barone (Idaho)

Thirty-Two Impact Freshmen, Part Two

Raphielle Johnson — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 00:59:06 -0400

After going over the teams expected to win their regular season titles, we move on to talking about the top freshmen in each conference. Will all automatically take over and become the stars of their respective teams and leagues? It's tough to say at this point in the season, but that doesn't mean that we can't discuss it. Below are the picks for final 16 conferences, and Part One can be found here.

MAC: Kris Brewer (Kent State)
The Memphis native spent last season at Brehm Prep in Illinois, and his presence will add to the options that Rob Senderoff can call upon. The Golden Flashes are expected to contend in the MAC this season due to their returnees, but the ability of a player like Brewer will help as well.

MEAC: Dwight Meikle (Hampton)
Meikle was originally expected to attend St. John's but the school released him from his Letter of Intent in April, clearing the way for Hampton to land a player who could be among the best in the MEAC. Meikle's a versatile wing who can both score and attack the glass, something the Pirates will need if they're to win the MEAC.

Missouri Valley: Christian Kirk (Missouri State)
Kirk had to sit out his senior season due to Missouri transfer rules, but there's no doubt that Missouri State gets a player who is a serious candidate for Newcomer of the Year honors. As a junior at St. Charles (MO) High, Kirk averaged 17.9 points and 8.8 rebounds per game.

Mountain West: Hugh Greenwood (New Mexico)
Big things are expected from the Australian, who many expect to slide right into the starting role left open by the departed Dairese Gary. Greenwood averaged 17.1 points per game for the Australian U-19 team at the U-19 World Championships this summer in Latvia, and at 6'3", 209 he's got the size needed to play the point with a physicality not seen in many freshmen.

Northeast: Andrew Nicholas (Monmouth)
Nicholas has the ability to step in and play right away in the first season of the King Rice era at Monmouth. Nicholas can play both forward positions and is a versatile offensive player, something the Hawks need given their offensive issues last season (averaged just 60.5 points per game).

Ohio Valley: Nino Johnson (Southeast Missouri State)
Getting the Memphis native to commit during the early signing period last season was quite the coup for the Redhawks, who get a 6'8" forward more than capable of contributing immediately. Johnson's physical tools have made him the trendy pick to be the best freshman in the OVC, and it would come as no surprise if he were to make good on the preseason praise.

Pac-12: Josiah Turner (Arizona)
The case could be made that the Sacramento native is the best point guard in the Pac-12 before playing a game in college. He's that skilled, possessing the ability to make plays for himself as well as setting up teammates for quality shots. If Turner performs at the level many expect him to, don't be surprised if the Wildcats win the league.

Patriot: Justin Burrell (Holy Cross)
The Crusaders lost their leading assist man in Andrew Beinert, which could open the door for the 5'8" Burrell. The Virginia native averaged 20.0 points, 8.0 assists and 4.0 steals per game as a high school senior and spent last year at Fishburne Military School in Virginia.

SEC: Anthony Davis (Kentucky)
Davis' upside (not going to go into the overused story of his growth spurt during high school) makes him a candidate to be one of the best players in America and not just one of the nation's best freshmen. The power forward can do a variety of things on both ends of the floor, and his play as a senior earned him a McDonald's All-America Game selection.

Southern: Adjehi Baru (College of Charleston)
With returning starter Willis Hall being lost for the season due to a torn ACL it was critical that the Cougars received some good news from the NCAA on Baru. Thursday brought that news, bolstering the frontcourt of a team expected to once again contend for the SoCon title. Baru averaged 19.0 points, 10.4 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game at The Steward School in Richmond, Virginia last year.

Southland: Luke Mergerson (Texas State)
With just two starters returning the Bobcats will likely need to call on some of their nine newcomers to contribute this year. One of those players is Mergerson, who played at Duncanville (TX) High School. At 6'8", 240, Mergerson has the size needed to be an impact freshman in the Southland Conference.

SWAC: LeAntwan Luckett (Alcorn State)
Luther Riley takes over as head coach at Alcorn State with the hope being that he can turn around a program that won just six game over the last two seasons. Luckett will be a key component for the Braves, as he is a slasher who averaged just under 20 points per game as a high school senior. Luckett received offers from BCS programs but chose Alcorn, and the Braves could benefit greatly from his decision.

Summit: Matt Poches (Oakland)
Given the loss of big man Keith Benson, some may not think that Greg Kampe's Golden Grizzlies can win the Summit League again. But they will be right back in the mix thanks in large part to the number of contributors returning on the perimeter. There lies the problem for a talented player like Poches: when and how often can he get on the floor? But the freshman is athletic enough to help Oakland out if he can earn playing time.

Sun Belt: Mychal Ammons (South Alabama)
Ammons led his Vicksburg (MS) High team to a 6A state title last season, averaging 21.8 points, 8.9 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game as a senior. And as Ronnie Arrow looks to rebound from a disappointing 2010-11 without four starters from that team, players such as the versatile Ammons will need to step up.

WCC: Gary Bell, Jr. (Gonzaga)
Mark Few put together a very good recruiting class and the Kent, Washington native is the centerpiece of it. Bell was the state's Mr. Basketball last year, and he also played on the same Seattle Rotary Select team as Washington freshman Tony Wroten Jr. Bell's versatility on the wing will help account for the loss of Steven Gray and allow the Zags to once again contend for a WCC title.

WAC: Shaquille Stokes (Hawaii)
It's probably a safe assumption that Stokes doesn't have issues with homesickness given the fact that the New York City native picked the furthest possible location to attend college. Stokes averaged 18.4 points and four assists per game as a senior at Lincoln (NY) High, helping lead the Railsplitters to a 29-3 record last season.

Thirty-Two Regular Season Champions, Part Four

Raphielle Johnson — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 04:52:32 -0400

With the college basketball season finally on the horizon, the game that's been overlooked by many in conference realignment will once again have the center stage. Perennial contenders will once again make a run at a national title while some new faces will pop up as well. The first four-part preview will focus on the conferences, and more specifically who will win each of the 32 leagues. In the final part of this series, the final eight conference champions are selected.

SEC: Kentucky
The removal of divisions in the standings (they will still be used in scheduling) could give the top of the SEC a distinctly eastern feel this season, and despite heavy roster turnover Kentucky could head the list. It's become par for the course for John Calipari and his staff: bring in a recruiting class filled with first round draft picks, and after seeing them off welcome in another. Sophomores Terrence Jones (15.7 ppg, 8.8 rpg) and Doron Lamb (12.3 ppg) and senior Darius Miller (10.9 ppg, 4.6 rpg) are the three returning starters (Lamb and DeAndre Liggins shared time as the 5th starter), and they'll be joined by one of the best incoming classes in America.

Forwards Anthony Davis and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and guard Marquis Teague have received the most acclaim, but there's also forward Kyle Wiltjer and Mississippi State transfer Twany Beckham. Eloy Vargas will need to step up his production inside to help out the newcomers, but the Wildcats have all the pieces needed to fight off the likes of Alabama, Florida and Vanderbilt.

Southern: Chattanooga
The strength in the SoCon has been in the South in recent seasons, but that may change with John Shulman's Mocs returning four starters from a team that finished tied for first place in the North last season. Omar Wattad (14.3 ppg, 3.7 rpg), Ricky Taylor (13.0 ppg, 3.7 rpg) and Keegan Bell (9.7 ppg, 5.7 apg) lead the way on the perimeter while forward Chris Early (9.3 ppg, 6.3 rpg) was Chattanooga's leading rebounder last year. The key for Chattanooga will be how they revamp a frontcourt that lost multiple contributors from last season.

Georgia transfer Drazen Zlovaric and Ole Miss football transfer Z. Mason are two of the players expected to help out Early with senior Jahmal Burroughs also chipping in. Freshmen Lance Stokes, Ronrico White and Trey Brown will be called upon on the perimeter to spell the veterans. Competition will be fierce with the likes of Appalachian State in the North and Charleston and Davidson in the South, but the Mocs should be prepared.

Southland: Texas-San Antonio
The Roadrunners finished in a tie for third place in their division last season, only to go on a run in the conference tournament and grab the Southland's automatic bid. With four returning starters Brooks Thompson's team could enjoy an "easier" route to the Big Dance, and junior guard Melvin Johnson III (14.9 ppg, 3.5 rpg) will lead the way. The question for UTSA is how junior college transfer Michael Hale II performs at the point. Jeromie Hill (13.4 ppg, 6.6 rpg) is the most productive returnee in the frontcourt, but there are a number of role players from last season back and hoping to use the summer trip to Australia as a springboard to bigger things. And look for another JUCO transfer, Kannon Burrage, to be called upon for perimeter scoring.

SWAC: Mississippi Valley State
Former Kentucky point guard Sean Woods has done a good job of building the Delta Devils into a team that can challenge for a SWAC title, and with four starters back from a team that finished in a tie for second place last season the top spot is within reach. D'Angelo Jackson was the team's leading scorer and he's gone, but there are experienced options back who can help pick up the slack. Guards Terrence Joyner (10.1 ppg, 2.5 rpg) and Kevin Burwell (6.4 ppg, 2.8 apg) return as do wing Falando Jones (8.0 ppg, 3.7 rpg) and forwards Jason Holmes (6.9 ppg, 6.1 rpg) and Paul Crosby (12.1 ppg, 7.0 rpg).

The Delta Devils will also welcome back Amos Sturdivant, who missed last season due to injuries but was an All-SWAC selection in 2009-10. Freshman Brent Arrington is arguably their best newcomer, but the key for MVSU (as it tends to be for many of the HBCU schools) is not getting too beat up during their early-season run of guarantee games. If the Delta Devils can do this and build on the experiences, look out.

Summit: Oral Roberts
All five of Scott Sutton's starters from a season ago return, with the goal being to take one step up from their second-place finish a season ago. Dominique Morrison (19.5 ppg, 5.0 rpg) was a CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major All-America selection, and forward Steven Roundtree (12.1 ppg, 6.4 rpg) was the Mid-Major Freshman of the Year. Add in Warren Niles and Damen Bell-Holter and you've got four starters who averaged double figure scoring last season, not to mention Summit League Newcomer of the Year Michael Craion off the bench. The amount of experience that Oral Roberts returns will place limited pressure on the shoulders of their four-member recruiting class, which will give them time to grow on the floor. And a non-conference schedule that includes games at West Virginia, Gonzaga and Xavier should not only prepare them for league play, but also the chance to knock someone off.

Sun Belt: Florida Atlantic
Mike Jarvis' Owls won 21 games last year and won the East Division by three games. But they were unable to win what turned out to be a wild Sun Belt Tournament, which should be more than enough motivation for a team that returns four starters. The backcourt is deep and returns a great deal of talent, led by juniors Raymond Taylor (14.0 ppg, 3.9 apg) and Greg Gantt (14.0, 3.9 rpg) and senior Alex Tucker (7.4 ppg, 4.3 apg). Kore White leads the way in the frontcourt, but that group will need to count more on newcomers than the guards. UC Davis transfer Jelani Floyd and freshman Kelvin Penn are two players likely to make their way into the rotation, and if the forwards can supplement what the backcourt will provide FAU can win another regular season crown.

WCC: Saint Mary's
Randy Bennett's Gaels will have to account for the loss of guard Mickey McConnell, but four starters return for a team that tied for the WCC regular season crown in 2010-11. But the Gaels were left to play in the NIT despite winning 25 games, so there will be plenty of motivation this winter. Guards Matthew Dellavedova (13.4 ppg, 5.3 apg) and Stephen Holt (6.2 ppg, 3.1 rpg) will be expected to lead the way on the perimeter while Jorden Page, Clint Steindl and SMU transfer Paul McCoy will also chip in. Inside forward Rob Jones (13.8 ppg, 7.7 rpg) was an All-WCC selection last season while Tim Williams and Kenton Walker II have also seen playing time. Northwestern transfer Kyle Rowley gives Saint Mary's a legit seven-footer and redshirt freshman Brad Waldow is more than capable of earning minutes as well. Competition will be fierce for the top spot with newcomer BYU joining Gonzaga, Santa Clara and San Francisco as likely contenders, but the Gaels have the tools needed to finish on top.

WAC: Nevada
Utah State has won the last three WAC regular season titles outright and shared the top spot in 2007-08, so it feels a little weird to not have Stew Morrill's team in this spot. But Nevada isn't far removed from outstanding play in the conference, and the hope of head coach David Carter is that returning all five starters will get the Wolf Pack back to the top of the WAC. Sophomore guard Deonte Burton (13.7 ppg, 3.5 apg) was second on the team in scoring in all games but averaged just under 16 points per game in WAC play, with leading scorer Malik Story (14.5 ppg, 3.0 rpg) averaging just under 14 a contest. Forwards Dario Hunt (12.4 ppg, 9.7 rpg) and Olek Czyz (12.3 ppg, 5.7 rpg) also return for the Wolf Pack, who will need the reserves to step up if they're to hold off the likes of Utah State and New Mexico State (Hawaii could also figure into things). But when you return a tandem like Burton and Story, there's no telling how good Nevada can be.

Part One: America East through Big Ten
Part Two: Big 12 through MAAC
Part Three: MAC through Patriot

Jon Teitel's "Coaching Greats" Series: Nicholls State's Rickey Broussard

Jon Teitel — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 04:08:37 -0400

In the latest installment in his "Coaching Greats" interview series CHN writer Jon Teitel spent some time with former Nicholls State head coach Rickey Broussard. In 12 seasons at the Louisiana school Broussard won 150 games and two led Nicholls State to NCAA Tournament appearances in 1995 and 1998. Broussard now works for State Farm Insurance as a recruiter.

Jon Teitel: You played baseball at Louisiana-Lafayette. How good a baseball player were you back then, and how did you end up switching from baseball player to basketball coach?

Rickey Broussard: I was not a great player, but I was happy that we won more games each successive year. My claim to fame was that I played alongside Ron Guidry, aka "Louisiana Lightning". He had an unbelievable fastball even back then and was a great athlete.

JT: In 1981 you coached the Acadiana All-Stars AAU team to a national runner-up finish. How close did you come to winning the title, and how has AAU ball changed over the past 3 decades?

RB: We lost to a NY Riverside (Riverside Church) team featuring guys like Pearl Washington and Chris Mullin. We were led by future Hall of Famer Joe Dumars, who was great. I will never forget that Billy Packer was at the game: he said afterwards that Dumars would be a legend if he were playing in NYC. The main change from then to now is that there are more and more good players in AAU ball. Coaches and parents understand that it is imperative to play AAU in the summer if you want to get recruited.

JT: You were an assistant coach at your alma mater from 1983-1986, where your team made the NIT during each of your three years there. What did it mean to you to return to Louisiana-Lafayette, and did people consider to you be the lucky charm because the team went to the postseason every year you were there?

RB: Back then the school was called USL. Among Southern schools we were considered a basketball school, whereas most other schools in the area were football schools. Even though it was the NIT we faced some great players/teams. In the Final Four we lost to Tim Kempton and Notre Dame, and we lost the third place game by one to Dell Curry and Virginia Tech.

JT: You later became head coach at Nicholls State, where you were a three-time conference COY. Why did you take the job, and what did it mean to you to win such outstanding individual honors?

RB: I had been a college assistant for six years at that point, but my goal was always to become a head coach. When I had the opportunity to go to Nicholls State, some of my coaching friends told me not to go there (due to a small gym, difficulty recruiting, etc.), but I looked at it as a way for me to prove myself. I was one of about 300 people in the country to be a college coach, so I was just honored to be there. We only won three games during my first season because I came in late and had no opportunity to recruit. We won 15 games the second year and got better and better each year.

JT: What are your memories of the 1995 NCAA Tournament, the first one in school history (Harold Deane scored 22 points in a Virginia win)?

RB: I felt like we had the size to compete except at the point guard spot. We played well in the first half, but Virginia coach Jeff Jones made an adjustment at halftime by backing off of our point guard to double-team our big men in the post. I felt like we could have won the game, as we played very competitively.

JT: What are your memories of the 1998 NCAA Tournament (Miles Simon scored 24 points in the Arizona win)?

RB: They just pounded us inside, as our tallest player was only 6'6". We would just pass and cut and drive. They were the defending champions, and had several NBA prospects on that team.

JT: In 2002 you became an assistant coach at LSU under John Brady but left after a couple of years. Why did you take the job, and why did you leave?

RB: I had been at Nicholls State for 12 years and thought about staying there. A lot of people I interviewed with at other schools said they could not hire me as a head coach because I was coming from such a little-known program. My salary was not great at Nicholls State, but the school president reminded me that I was the only basketball coach in the South who was making more than the football coach! It was not the best decision I ever made, but my salary went up $35,000, which helped a lot.

JT: Your younger brother Danny became head coach at St. Thomas More's at age of 23, and he has won well over 600 games there (including a 3A state title in 1986). Who is the better coach, and did Danny ever think about coaching at the college level like you did?

RB: He never thought about coaching in college, but he is by far the better coach. He is a great motivator, and knows how to teach.

JT: You currently work as an agency recruiter for State Farm Insurance. How do you like the job, and what do you hope to do in the future?

RB: I love the opportunity that I have been given. When you recruit players to come to your school, it is not a whole lot different than what I do now: give a person a chance to impact a lot of people's lives. I was #1 this past year out of 114 recruiters, so I must be doing something right, and it has paid off for me.

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

RB: I did not play college basketball, but I was successful as a coach despite having a couple of lean years. There are not a lot of Southland Conference coaches who have been able to be consistent winners. The two titles were great, so I am pretty proud of that. My legacy is my players who earned their degrees and became good citizens, which has meant a lot to me as I have gotten older.

Broussard is also on Jon's list of best coaches in Southland Conference history.

Central Arkansas: Don Dyer (1979-1993) 285-145, 3 conference titles, 3-time conference COY
Lamar: Pat Foster (1980-1986) 134-49, 2 NCAA tourneys, 3 conference titles
McNeese State: Ralph Ward (1952-1971) 282-194, 6 conference titles, 1 NAIA title
Nicholls State: Rickey Broussard (1990-2002) 150-183, 2 NCAA tourneys, 2 conference titles, 3-time conference COY
Northwestern State: Mike McConathy (1999-present) 184-188, 2 NCAA tourneys, 3 conference titles, 2-time conference COY
Southeast Louisiana: Billy Kennedy (1999-2005) 80-92, 1 NCAA tourney, 2 conference titles, 1-time conference COY
Sam Houston State: Bob Marlin (1998-2010) 225-131, 2 NCAA tourneys, 4 conference titles, 3-time conference COY
Stephen F. Austin: Danny Kaspar (2000-present) 199-124, 1 NCAA tourney, 2 conference titles, 1-time conference COY
Texas A&M CC: Ronnie Arrow (1999-2007) 134-91, 1 NCAA tourney, 1 conference title, 1-time conference COY
Texas State: Mike Miller (1994-2000) 87-79, 1 NCAA tourney, 2 conference titles, 1-time conference COY
Texas-Arlington: Eddie McCarter (1992-2006) 179-211, 1 conference title
UTSA: Tim Carter (1995-2006) 160-152, 2 NCAA tourneys, 1 conference title, 1-time conference COY

East Region Final Thoughts: What's in Store for 2011-12?

Raphielle Johnson — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 14:05:37 -0400

With the NCAA Tournament now over and many resting up for a couple days before hitting the spring recruiting circuit (the Nike EYBL Boo Williams Invitational is this weekend), why not take a look at all 68 teams in this year's field and their early prospects for next season? With the NBA Draft deadline (May 8th) still a month away, here's a look at each of the teams in the East Region and what they'll likely have in 2011-12.

(1) Ohio State: lost in Sweet 16 to Kentucky
2011 ended in rough fashion for the Buckeyes, who were knocked out on a Brandon Knight shot in the final seconds of their regional semifinal battle in Newark. But moving forward it's easy to see Thad Matta's team ranking among the nation's best once again. While they do lose Jon Diebler, Dallas Lauderdale and David Lighty the cupboard will not be bare in Columbus. William Buford, Aaron Craft and Jared Sullinger are three of the returnees, and they once again bring in a highly-touted recruiting class ranked 4th by ESPN and led by point guard Shannon Scott and center Amir Williams. If the five freshmen can contribute (in addition to Deshaun Thomas) Ohio State will likely have more bodies to call on next season.

(2) North Carolina: lost in Elite 8 to Kentucky
The Tar Heels, who made their charge once Kendall Marshall earned the starting job at the point, are in the position of waiting for a key player to make an important decisions with regards to the NBA Draft. Harrison Barnes is projected to be a first round pick, but if he returns Roy Williams has one of the best teams in the country. John Henson and Tyler Zeller both announced today that they will be returning for the 2011-12 season, a big boost for the frontcourt. Marshall and Reggie Bullock (who missed the final month due to injury) will be back, along with a recruiting class led by P.J. Hairston and James McAdoo. If the Heels lose more than one player to the draft they'll still be very good, it just may take a little longer for them to reach their full potential.

(3) Syracuse Orange: lost to Marquette in the third round
Syracuse went the way of their guards this season, and when Scoop Jardine and Brandon Triche were quiet so was the rest of the team. Jim Boeheim will have to replace a warrior in Rick Jackson, but the progression of Fab Melo late in the season was an encouraging sign. Kris Joseph may have a decision to make in regards to the draft but most expect him to return. Add to this nucleus a rising sophomore class led by C.J. Fair and Dion Waiters and a very good recruiting class led by Michael Carter-Williams and Rakeem Christmas, and the Orange may very well be the preseason favorite in the Big East.

(4) Kentucky: lost in national semifinals to Connecticut
John Calipari's team reached heights few expected them to before the season began, getting all the way to the Final Four before having their worst offensive outing of the season in a loss to eventual champ UConn. Now comes the time when the Wildcats wait to see who will return to school. Terrence Jones, Brandon Knight and DeAndre Liggins all have decisions to make with regards to the NBA Draft, and if they all return to school UK could be one of the candidates for preseason number one. Add in the nation's top recruiting class boasting forwards Anthony Davis, Michael Gilchrist and Kyle Wiltjer along with point guard Marquis Teague and the Wildcats will definitely be heard from early and often. Look for Kentucky to be at the very least the favorite to win the SEC.

(5) West Virginia: lost to Kentucky in the third round
The Mountaineers had a solid season in 2010-11, winning 21 games (11 in the Big East) but they dropped two of their last three games. The good news for West Virginia is that they've got some key contributors slated to return, most notably guard Truck Bryant, wing Kevin Jones and big man Deniz Kilicli. They will need to step up leadership-wise as well with John Flowers and Joe Mazzulla out of eligibility, and it remains to be seen if Dalton Pepper can defend consistently enough to be a part of the rotation night in and night out. WVU also brings in a large recruiting class led by point guard Jabarie Hinds and forwards Tommie McCune and Keaton Miles. Bob Huggins will not lack for options next season.

(6) Xavier: lost to Marquette in the second round
The season came to a disappointing end for the Musketeers, who were bounced in the Atlantic 10 quarterfinals and then fell to Marquette in their first NCAA Tournament game. But the good news is that they lose just two seniors of note (guard Dante Jackson and forward Jamel McLean), and the backcourt tandem of Tu Holloway and Mark Lyons will be the best in the A-10. Jeff Robinson had a promising sophomore campaign and will pair up with Kenny Frease in the frontcourt. And sharpshooter Brad Redford returns after missing all of this season with a torn ACL. Chris Mack welcomes a solid recruiting class led by 6-4 wing Dezmine Wells, with guard Dee Davis and power forward Jalen Reynolds completing the class.

(7) Washington: lost to North Carolina in the third round
For the second consecutive season the Huskies rebounded from an inconsistent regular season to grab the Pac-10's automatic bid, winning the Pac-10 Tournament on an Isaiah Thomas jumper as time expired. They hung on to beat Georgia but had some moments of brain lock late in their close loss to North Carolina. Now Lorenzo Romar needs to replace four key contributors: Thomas, who entered the NBA Draft and will hire an agent, along with seniors Matthew Bryan-Amaning, Justin Holiday and Venoy Overton. Abdul Gaddy (torn ACL) and C.J. Wilcox return in the backcourt and the frontcourt shouldn't lack for depth either. Add in a recruiting class led by guards Hikeem Stewart and Tony Wroten Jr. and the Huskies should be a factor in the league race.

(8) George Mason: lost to Ohio State in the third round
While VCU grabbed the headlines in the NCAA Tournament it must be noted that Jim Larranaga's team won the CAA regular season title by two games. The Patriots lose just one starter (leading scorer as well) in Cam Long, and valuable reserve Isaiah Tate also graduates. But forwards Luke Hancock and Ryan Pearson along with guard Andre Cornelius all return. The key for the Patriots will be how many reserves step up. Bryon Allen, Paris Bennett and Vertail Vaughns are just three of the options for George Mason, and they have a pair of recruits from the New York metropolitan area slated to be on campus as well in guard Corey Edwards and wing Vaughn Gray. Look for George Mason to be one of the teams expected to contend in the CAA.

(9) Villanova: lost to George Mason in the second round
For the second straight year Jay Wright's Wildcats embarked on a steady decline down the stretch, losing six straight and eight of their last ten games. Villanova does lose three seniors from their rotation (Corey Fisher, Antonio Pena and Corey Stokes), but there will be talent returning to campus. Maalik Wayns will be back (some thought he was declaring himself eligible for the NBA Draft but he won't), as will Mouphtaou Yarou, and Isaiah Armwood, James Bell and Dominic Cheek should also figure into the rotation. Add in a very good recruiting class led by guard Tyrone Johnson and center Markus Kennedy and the Wildcats have a shot at being very good in 2011-12. But the chemistry needs to be there, something that's seemed to be off since their Final Four run in 2009.

(10) Georgia: lost to Washington in the second round
Mark Fox's team found a way to squeak into the NCAA Tournament, where they came back in the second half before falling to Washington in the second round. Now they've got to go about replacing some key cogs in the attack, with Travis Leslie (no agent) and Trey Thompkins (will hire an agent) both declaring themselves eligible for the draft. Also leaving are forwards Chris Barnes and Jeremy Price, meaning that newcomers such as Nemanja Djurisic and John Florveus will need to show themselves ready for the SEC sooner rather than later. On the perimeter Gerald Robinson Jr. and Dustin Ware will be back, and the task of replacing Leslie may be made easier by the addition of McDonald's All-America Kentavious Caldwell. NCAA Tournament trips could become a common occurrence in Athens.

(11) Marquette: lost to North Carolina in the Sweet 16
Buzz Williams' team found a way to get into the NCAA Tournament, winning 22 games and getting to the Sweet 16 where they were overmatched against a bigger North Carolina team. But the Golden Eagles play hard for 40 minutes, something that keeps them in nearly every game they play in. Jimmy Butler, Dwight Buycks and Joseph Fulce all graduate so there will be some holes to fill, but there are a number of contributors slated to return. Vander Blue, Junior Cadougan and Darius Johnson-Odom will handle things on the perimeter, and Oregon transfer Jamil Wilson along will Jamail Jones add more attacking wings to a frontcourt led by Jae Crowder. Davante Gardner played well in March as did Chris Otule, and their incoming recruits aren't slouches either. Juan Anderson could be a Big East All-Rookie Team candidate while guards Todd Mayo and Derrick Wilson could contribute as well.

(12) Clemson: lost to West Virginia in the second round
In Brad Brownell's first season the Tigers were able to get into the NCAA Tournament, beating UAB before falling to West Virginia with a small bit of blame going towards the bad decision to have Clemson play at noon just two days after playing the late game in Dayton. Forward Jerai Grant and guard Demontez Stitt both graduate but they'll have talent returning, led by guard Andre Young and forwards Devin Booker and Milton Jennings. Bryan Narcisse and Tanner Smith also played important roles this season for the Tigers, who will also welcome in a soild recruiting class. Point guard Daniel Sapp and power forward Bernard Sullivan are two of the key players arriving on campus, and wing Kevin McDaniels also has the opportunity to crack the rotation. Another NCAA berth is more than possible in 2011-12.

(12) UAB: lost to Clemson in the First Four
There were more than a few vocal critics of the Blazers' inclusion in the field of 68, and they certainly didn't help matters by being whipped soundly by Clemson in Dayton. But Mike Davis' team did win the Conference USA regular season crown thanks in large part to the leadership of senior point guard Aaron Johnson. Johnson and leading scorer Jamarr Sanders both graduate, adding more to the workload for leading returnees Cameron Moore and Ovie Soko. There may not be as much depth in Birmingham next season (and as of right now they've got just two players in their 2011 recruiting class) but the Blazers could be a factor in C-USA. Tough to see them being an NCAA Tournament team as of right now, however.

(13) Princeton: lost to Kentucky in the second round
The Tigers were able to return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2004 and very nearly knocked off the Wildcats, losing on a Brandon Knight basket in the final seconds. Now, a team that loses Dan Mavraides and Kareem Maddox will also have to find a new head coach as Sydney Johnson moved on to take the job at Fairfield. Rising seniors Doug Davis and Patrick Saunders are two key cogs expected to be back next season, and with the right coaching hire the Tigers could once again be a factor in the Ivy League, but many will pick Harvard to win the Ancient Eight come October.

(14) Indiana State: lost to Syracuse in the second round
Greg Lansing did an outstanding job with the Sycamores this season, leading them to their best regular season finish in the MVC in more than a decade and their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2001. ISU will lose three seniors (Aaron Carter, Jake Kelly and Isiah Martin) but they've got more than enough slated to return to campus, led by point guard Jake Odum, wings Dwayne Lathan and Carl Richard, and forward Myles Walker. Slender forward Justin Gant is the lone member of their incoming class right now but even with the lean recruiting haul look for the Sycamores to once again be a player in the MVC.

(15) Long Island: lost to North Carolina in the second round
The Blackbirds had an outstanding season, winning 27 games overall in addition to the NEC regular season and tournament titles. Forwards Julian Boyd and Jamal Olasewere were key figures, as were wings David Hicks and Kyle Johnson. Point guard Jason Brickman and C.J. Garner brought different skill sets to the table and that's what made the Blackbirds such a tough team to deal with throughout the course of the season. But with Hicks and Johnson graduating they'll need a couple wings to step up next season, led by Michael Culpo. LIU has just one incoming recruit (guard Gerrell Martin) as of right now but they've got more than enough experience to make another run at the NEC crown. Luckily for LIU head coach Jim Ferry turned down the Manhattan job, allowing the program to build on 2010-11 with the same man in charge.

(16) Alabama State: lost to UTSA in the First Four
The Hornets, who were the four-seed in the SWAC Tournament, knocked off top seed Texas Southern in the semis before taking care of Grambling State in the title game to get to the Big Dance. Lewis Jackson's team featured balanced scoring with five players averaging at least six points per game and two in double figures (Tramaine Butler and Tramayne Moorer). Moorer, who only played in 16 games due to NCAA issues, is the lone senior who was a major contributor this season meaning that the Hornets will be expected to finish higher than fourth in the SWAC next season. Look for Chris Duncan and Kenderek Washington to be two key factors alongside Butler in 2011-12.

(16) Texas-San Antonio: lost to Ohio State in the second round
Despite going 9-7 in Southland play the Roadrunners were able to get hot at just the right time, winning five straight games going into their First Four matchup with Alabama State. Melvin Johnson III went off in the first half of that contest and UTSA held on to earn a matchup with top overall seed Ohio State. Brooks Thompson earned his first NCAA bid as a head coach but the question now is whether or not UTSA can make a return trip next season. Johnson III will be a junior and leading scorer Devin Gibson is the only key departure for this group, with Jeromie Hill ranking third on the team in scoring as a freshman. So the answer is yes, although the Roadrunners will not have an easy time getting through the Southland.