Southland

Jon Teitel's "Coaching Greats": Lamar and Houston's Pat Foster

Jon Teitel — Sat, 30 Jun 2012 14:54:24 -0700

In the latest installment in his "Coaching Greats" series CHN writer Jon Teitel spent some time with Pat Foster, who went 134-39 in six seasons at Lamar. From there Foster went on to Houston, where he led the Cougars to multiple NCAA tournament appearances. Before becoming a head coach Foster was an assistant at his alma mater (Arkansas) under Eddie Sutton, and the Razorbacks reached the Final Four in 1978.

Jon Teitel: You were an All-SWC basketball player at Arkansas and played first base on the baseball team. Which sport did you like more, and which one were you better at?

Pat Foster: I liked basketball better because I was more successful at it, but I like baseball as well and have been a baseball fan ever since.

JT: You spent eight years as an assistant to coach Eddie Sutton with fellow assistant Gene Keady at your alma mater, where you helped recruit guys like Sidney Moncrief. How were you able to convince Moncrief to come to Arkansas?

PF: Moncrief, Marvin Delph and Ron Brewer came here because every time one of the assistants went into a meeting that is what we focused on. A lot of times the person who gets credit for recruiting a player is not the person who actually makes it happen. I introduced Sidney and Ron to the program, and Marvin's high school coach and I were friends. I used some contacts that I had in Little Rock who helped convince Moncrief to come here. There are many factors that go into recruiting so I cannot take all the credit.

JT: One of your former players at Arkansas was Houston Nutt, who later became a successful Division I football coach. What was he like as a basketball player, and did you ever imagine that he could become an SEC football coach?

PF: I could see it. I really liked him and I knew his dad. He was a really quick basketball player and could handle the ball. He was fancy before fancy was popular: no-look passes, behind-the-back dribbles, etc. He was not a great shooter and got caught behind a perimeter that was well-stacked. He did not play a lot but was easy to coach, as his dad was a coach as well.

JT: What are your memories of the 1977 NCAA tournament (after finishing the regular season at 26-1, Arkansas suffered a six-point loss to Wake Forest thanks to 26 points [10-17 FG] from Rod Griffin, and Sutton was so upset by that loss that he allegedly refused to speak to any of the players over the following summer)?

PF: That story about Sutton is not true. I had a lot of tough losses but that one is still in the Top 5 for me, even though I was just an assistant. It was a sad time for us because we led by 14 in the second half. It was a brutal situation but Eddie did not take it out on his players.

1978 NCAA tournament

JT: Delph had 23 points and ten rebounds while playing all 40 minutes in a four-point win over UCLA. What was the mood of the team before facing the legendary Bruins, and what did you learn from the 1977 tournament that helped you in 1978?

PF: Experience calms a player down and also gives them confidence. I feel that the 1977 loss helped us win in 1978. We were not cocky at all but were supremely confident...and damn good! The five starters fit together very well even though none of them were alike as basketball players. Jimmy Counce and Moncrief were the two best leaders I was ever around as players. Moncrief made himself a great player: he was only a 6-4 post player in high school. Sutton coached the game based on tough defense. If they drove to the basket then we would pop them.

JT: Regional MVP Brewer hit a 25-foot shot with just over one minute left to clinch a three-point win over Fullerton, during which NBC broadcaster Al McGuire labeled Brewer, Delph and Moncrief the "Triplets". How good a shooter was Brewer, and how did the guys like the nickname?

PF: They liked the nickname just fine. They had supreme respect for authority. Brewer's shot was more like a 17-20 footer. Fullerton came back down the floor and Brewer made a great defensive play to knock the ball loose.

JT: Tourney MOP Jack Givens had 23 points and nine rebounds in a five-point win by eventual champion Kentucky. How devastating was that loss, and where does that Kentucky team rank among the best you have ever seen?

PF: Any loss is a bad loss but it was not a devastating, hang-your-head loss because they were better than we were. Eddie instilled in his players that they had to play to the best of their ability for as long as they could. We really did all that we could do against Kentucky.

JT: Coach Sutton called for a "Brewer Special", so Brewer backed down Bill Hanzlik and made a turnaround jumper at the buzzer in a two-point win over Notre Dame in the third-place game to finish the season 32-4 and tie the then-NCAA record for most wins in a season. Where does Brewer's shot rank among the most clutch you have ever seen, and what was the reaction like when it went in?

PF: At that point in our development as a program it was a real big shot. I do not say this a lot but Brewer might be the most talented player I was ever around. He was a great jump shooter but could also take it to the rim over a bigger player.

1979 NCAA tournament

JT: Steve Schall had 18 points (9-9 FG) and eight rebounds in a win over Weber State after you had beaten them in the first round of the 1978 tournament. Was Schall just "in the zone" that night, and do you think Weber was getting sick of playing you every year in the tourney?

PF: Probably. Current UCLA coach Ben Howland played for Weber State that year. That was probably Schall's best game.

JT: Moncrief had 27 points and 12 rebounds while playing all 40 minutes in a win over a Louisville team that won the NCAA title the following year. What made Moncrief such a great player, and could you tell at the time that Denny Crum had the pieces in place to make a long run in the tournament the following season?

PF: After Louisville won the title in 1980 Crum told me that he used Moncrief as an example of a guy who could score against anybody. "Possessed" is the best word I could use to describe Moncrief in big games. He just refused to let us lose. He was not the kind of guy who would talk in the huddle, he just led by doing it. Our lanky freshman Scott Hastings dunked a ball in the Louisville game that goes down in my memory as one of the biggest plays I have ever seen.

JT: Larry Bird had 31 points and ten rebounds while playing all 40 minutes in a two-point win by eventual runner-up Indiana State. Was Bird as unstoppable as he seemed, and was he the best opponent you ever faced?

PF: He was the best I ever faced and the most outstanding college basketball player I have ever seen in person. He was like Pistol Pete but under control. God he was great!

JT: What are your memories of the 1981 NCAA tournament in your first year as head coach at Lamar (Lamar beat Missouri by four, but Rudy Macklin scored 31 points in a win by 1-seed LSU)?

PF: We did as well as we could. LSU ended up making it all the way to the Final Four. Missouri had some great players like Jon Sundvold and Steve Stipanovich, but they had a bad game while we shot the lights out. We were the closest thing toGonzaga at that time in terms of a mid-major who could win games in the tournament.

JT: What are your memories of the 1983 NCAA tournament (Lamar beat Alabama then fell to Villanova by two)?

PF: The Alabama game was one of the best games that we ever played. Alabama had won the SEC title but before they knew it we had beat them. The conference tournaments have given the mid-majors a better shot of pulling an upset.

JT: The following season you had a three-point loss to Karl Malone's Louisiana Tech team which snapped Lamar's 80-game home court winning streak at the Beaumont Civic Center (which was the longest in the nation). How close did you come to winning that game, and what was the reaction like after the streak ended?

PF: It was a last-second deal. We had a 6-9 guy named James Gulley who could take it inside and score on Malone, but one great player will beat three good ones every time. Several years later Malone saw me in the airport, walked up to me and said, "Have you talked to Gulley lately?!"

JT: After previously withdrawing your name from consideration as a replacement for the retiring legendary head coach Guy Lewis at Houston, you changed your mind and accepted their offer. Why did you withdraw your name at first, and what made you later change your mind?

PF: I withdrew because they would not make a decision as to whether they wanted me or not. They later came back to me with an offer that I could not refuse. Guy Lewis is one of the nicest coaches I have ever met and was nothing but professional.

JT: What are your memories of the 1990 NCAA tournament (Carl Herrera scored 19 points in a four-point loss to UCSB)?

PF: That is one of my Top 5 worst and is probably equal to the Wake Forest loss. It hurt me really bad. A lot of the Houston fans switched their allegiance from the Cougars to the Rockets once Hakeem Olajuwon left the former for the latter.

JT: In 1992 you were named Southwest Conference Coach of the Year. What did it mean to you to win such an outstanding individual honor?

PF: I did not remember that. I guess it is better than not getting it! I took every game as an Arkansas assistant coach as personally as if I was the head coach because all of my friends were there. When you win a game or an award you just worry about what you will do next to keep it going, and that pressure is what eventually breaks coaches down.

JT: What are your memories of the 1992 NCAA tournament (Jon Barry scored 17 points in a five-point Georgia Tech victory)?

PF: Bobby Cremins beat me. We had them beat even though they had a few future pros on that team (including Travis Best and Matt Geiger), but could not hang on for the win. They hit an amazing three-pointer towards the end. If you coach long enough you will win games you are not supposed to win...but then it will turn on you!

JT: You had three players who were in the 1992 Olympics: Carl Herrera (Venezuela), Rolando Ferreira (Brazil), and David Diaz (Venezuela). How were you able to recruit so many foreign players, and what impact do you think foreign players will continue to have on college basketball in the 21st century?

PF: A lot, I hope. Many of those guys are throwbacks to the 1970s in terms of fundamentals because the foreign coaches have learned a lot after decades of clinics run by American coaches. Recruiting is the dark side of sports and has ruined a lot of good players, but foreign players were not scarred by that at all. I have always had a great feeling for foreign players and like to see them get the opportunity to come here and play. It is impossible to judge eligibility because some of them get money for playing on club teams. The system is different.

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

PF: I have thought about this more than you think. I have some regrets that I did not really do as much for my players as I should have. Winning becomes everything and the pressure to keep winning and supporting the program caused me to worry. Instead of chewing a kid's rear end out I should have had more compassion for the pressure that they were under. After he went to the NBA, Moncrief said that it would be great if coaches could remember how hard it is to play and if players could remember how hard it is to coach.

Foster is also on Jon's list of best coaches in Southland 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) 200-204, 2 NCAA tourneys, 3 conference titles, 2-time conference COY
SE 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) 219-136, 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
UT 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

Jon Teitel's "Forgotten Legends": Northwestern State's John McConathy

Jon Teitel — Sun, 17 Jun 2012 21:24:02 -0700

In the most recent installment in his "Forgoteen Legends" interview series CHN writer Jon Teitel spent some time with Northwestern State great John McConathy. The McConathy family has become synonomous with Northwestern State over the year, and John was the one who got things rolling. McConathy is one of three All-American players in the history of the program, averaging 21.6 points per game in 1951.

Jon Teitel: After you hitchhiked 50 miles to the Northwestern State campus to try and join the team Coach Lee Prather said that he did not have a spot for you, but you hung around campus for a few days and eventually were given a scholarship on a day-to-day basis. Why was it so important for you to make the team, and were your parents worried when you did not return home that first night?

John McConathy: They were not worried because they knew I was going to campus to try and get into the school. My older brother was there on scholarship so I needed financial help as well. I was only 5-11, 165 pounds; I was a late-developer. They had offered a scholarship to someone else, but after the guy did not show up Coach Prather said he would give me an opportunity one day at a time due to my persistence. I did not play at all as a freshman but grew to 6-5, 200 pounds as a sophomore. I finally got to start halfway through my junior year and became all-conference as a senior. Coach Prather retired after my junior year and became the school's president.

JT: You played basketball and ran track in college. Which sport did you enjoy the most, and which one were you better at?

JM: I was a high-jumper who could get up to about 6-4, which was not too bad, but I enjoyed basketball the most.

JT: In 1951 you averaged 21.6 ppg and were named All-American. What did it mean to you to win such an outstanding individual honor?

JM: It was fantastic and a tremendous honor. I was only the second All-American in school history. I even got to play for Coach Adolph Rupp at the College All-Star game in Chicago.

JT: In 1951 you were drafted fifth overall by Syracuse. Did you see that as a validation of your college career, or the realization of a lifelong dream of reaching the NBA, or other?

JM: It was a dream come true. I was the only small-college player to get drafted that year. The money was not real great back then because the NBA had only been around for a few years at that point. I got around $6,000, while George Mikan made $25,000 and Bob Cousy made $15,000. I got to room with Hall of Famer Dolph Schayes at Syracuse.

JT: You only played 11 games in the NBA because you had to return home to National Guard meetings. What is your favorite memory from your time in the NBA?

JM: The Korean War was going on and my mother called me up and told me that I was AWOL! People would applaud when you dunked back then but now it seems like they dunk on every shot. My greatest thrill was when we played against Minneapolis with Mikan, Hall of Famer Jim Pollard, etc. Teams would put on pre-game exhibitions for the crowd, but I was a nervous rookie so I just dunked the ball several times.

JT: In 1960 as head coach at Bossier (Louisiana) High you set a state record with 41 wins, the last of which was a five-point win over De La Salle in the state title game. How big a deal was it to beat the three-time defending state champions, and what did it mean to you to win the title?

JM: De La Salle had won it several times: the New Orleans schools always had the best athletes. I was fortunate to coach there for six years as well as be the assistant principal. We had a fantastic team and good talent. It was a real shot in the arm for this area. They still write about it even today!

JT: Your son Mike was an All-American player at Louisiana Tech who scored over 2,000 career points and is the current coach at Northwestern State. What made him such a great scorer, and why did he decide to go into coaching?

JM: My two other boys also played basketball but Mike was a tremendous competitor. I will take a little credit for all three of them. I told them to devote the time it takes to become a good player. Mike had decided to go to Louisiana Tech and was later drafted by Chicago. I retired because Mike wanted to become a coach and I did not think it was fair for him to get a job while I was in the administration. He works with his kids to be the best they can on the court but also graduate and make a living. I have spent the past 25 years as chairman of a bank.

JT: Your brothers George and Leslie and grandchildren Michael and Logan also played at Northwestern State. How much is your family revered on campus, and do you hope the next generation follows in all of your footsteps?

JM: My older brother was the one who helped me get started there and George was a great all-conference player as well. It means a lot to us that Mike is there as coach. He has a lot of people pulling for him. My grandchildren were smaller point guards but were very knowledgeable. Logan ended up buying the house behind us so I get to see him every day.

JT: Your #14 jersey hangs in the rafters of the Prather Coliseum. Where does that rank among the highlights of your career?

JM: We have only had three All-Americans in school history so there were not a lot to pick from! I am proud of it.

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

JM: I was less than forthright but gave the best I had. I really paid a price to get to play and Coach Prather was extremely pleased with the way I developed.

John is also on Jon's list of best pro players in Southland history.

Central Arkansas: Scottie Pippen (1988)
Lamar: Clarence Kea (1981)
McNeese State: Joe Dumars (1986)
Nicholls State: Gerard King (1999)
Northwestern State: John McConathy (1952)
SE Louisiana: NO ALUMNI IN ABA/NBA
Sam Houston State: Frank Gates (1950)
Stephen F. Austin: James Silas (1973)
Texas A&M C.C.: NO ALUMNI IN ABA/NBA
Texas State: Jeff Foster (2000)
UT Arlington: NO ALUMNI IN ABA/NBA
UTSA: Devin Brown (2003)

Saturday's Conference Tournament Primer

Raphielle Johnson — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 06:40:33 -0800

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Greg Mengelt — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 23:52:34 -0800

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

AMERICA EAST FINAL: AT STONY BROOK

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

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

BIG 12 FINAL: AT KANSAS CITY

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

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

BIG EAST FINAL: AT NEW YORK CITY

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

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

BIG WEST FINAL: AT ANAHEIM

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

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

CONFERENCE USA FINAL: AT MEMPHIS

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

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

MAC FINAL: AT CLEVELAND

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

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

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

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

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

MOUNTAIN WEST FINAL: AT LAS VEGAS

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

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

PAC-12 FINAL: AT LOS ANGELES

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

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

SOUTHLAND FINAL: AT KATY, TEXAS

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

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

SWAC FINAL: AT GARLAND, TEXAS

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

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

WAC FINAL: AT LAS VEGAS

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

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

Wednesday's Conference Tournament Primer

Raphielle Johnson — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 07:13:22 -0800

Day two of the Big East Championship features four teams looking to improve their chances of reaching the NCAA tournament, with the biggest game of the day being the first. Nine-seed Connecticut, who opener their tournament with an 81-67 win over DePaul on Tuesday, takes on eight-seed West Virginia with the winner likely locking up a tournament berth. These two teams met once during the regular season, a 64-57 UConn victory at the XL Center on January 9th, and with so much change over the nearly two months since that game there may not be a whole lot to take from it.

But there is rebounding, something the Mountaineers did extremely well in defeat and had they not gone cold in the second half Bob Huggins' team likely wins the game. WVU grabbed 20 offensive rebounds in the Januar meeting...twenty. The Mountaineers have been a very good team at hitting the offensive glass for most of Huggins' tenure at his alma mater, with the big men expected to give maximum effort in that department. This season West Virginia averages 14.7 offensive rebounds per game, which works out to the Mountaineers grabbing 40.7% of their misses per statsheet.com.

Kevin Jones, who led the Big East in both scoring and rebounding this season, has led the way and maybe he uses the slight of not being a unanimous All-Big East selection as motivation (this is the injustice Mountaineer fans should be upset about as opposed to the Player of the Year award). UConn clearly will try to account for Jones with their stable of big men, but if Deniz Kilicli brings the effort as well it will be tough for the Husky big men from a toughness standpoint. Roscoe Smith has played well of late and at this point is a key figure in the rotation, while getting the likes of Andre Drummond and Alex Oriakhi to play well on a consistent basis has remained an issue.

Guard play will be critical as well, especially with the Mountaineers calling on freshman guards Gary Browne and Jabarie Hinds in addition to senior Truck Bryant. Bryant needs to consistently make sound decisions if WVU is to be successful, and the same can be said for UConn's Jeremy Lamb and Shabazz Napier. The guards who play smarter will lead the winning team in this one.

Also on the bubble "stage" are Seton Hall and USF, with both teams likely needing wins albeit for different reasons. The Pirates looked to be a safe bet for the Field of 68 before dropping games to Rutgers and DePaul, so a win over Louisville would do a great deal for their hopes. USF simply needs to keep playing, as their unbalanced league slate has devalued their 12 league wins in the eyes of many.

Big East - Second Round
#8 West Virginia vs. #9 Connecticut, Noon (ESPN)
#5 Georgetown vs. #13 Pittsburgh, 2:00 p.m. (ESPN)
#7 Louisville vs. #10 Seton Hall, 7:00 p.m. (ESPN)
#6 USF vs. #14 Villanova, 9:00 p.m. (ESPN)

Big 12 - First Round
#8 Oklahoma vs. #9 Texas A&M, 7:00 p.m. (Big 12 Network)
#7 Oklahoma State vs. #10 Texas Tech, 9:30 p.m. (Big 12 Network)

Not a whole lot to see here, other than the fact that the two winners will move on to face Kansas and Missouri on Thursday. Oklahoma likely has the most to gain from today's action, as a win would guarantee a .500 (or better) finish and put them in line for a postseason berth in Lon Kruger's first season. The extra game and practice action can do a great deal for the Sooners, almost akin to what bowl practices can do for college football teams. The other three will need to win the conference tournament to either guarantee a .500 finish (Oklahoma State) or go to the postseason.

Big Sky - Title Game
#2 Weber State at #1 Montana, 9:00 p.m. (ESPN2)

The two best teams in the Big Sky all season long meet in Missoula with the winner getting the NCAA berth and the loser headed to the NIT. Weber State and Montana split the regular season series, with the home team winning both by double digits. The backcourt battle could be the best in the country on today's schedule, with Weber State's Damian Lillard and Scott Bamforth battling Montana's Will Cherry and Kareem Jamar. One area to watch tonight will be offensive rebounding, something the Wildcats have done well in both meetings. If Darin Mahoney and Kyle Tresnak can control the boards once again they can win in Missoula, and with the Grizzlies not being the best rebounding team that's definitely possible. Unlike the first two meetings, look for the rubber match to go right down to the wire.

Conference USA - First Round
#7 Rice vs. #10 East Carolina, 1:00 p.m. (CSS)
#6 Marshall vs. #11 SMU, 3:30 p.m. (CSS)
#8 UTEP vs. #9 Houston, 7:30 p.m. (CSS)
#5 UAB vs. #12 Tulane, 10:00 p.m. (CSS)

Similar to the Big 12's first round there's not much to see in Memphis in regards to who will make the NCAA tournament out of Conference USA (Memphis, who will reach the Sweet 16, is a lock. Who joins them?). UAB, Marshall, Rice and Houston are all playing for postseason berths, with the Thundering Herd having the best shot at finding somewhere to play next week. The other three all need multiple wins to ensure finishing .500 or better, and outside of the Herd (led by DeAndre Kane and Damier Pitts) and UAB (Cameron Moore is a player) it's tough to find any team capable of making a run to either Friday or Saturday.

MAC - Second Round
#12 Northern Illinois vs. #8 Western Michigan, 7:00 p.m. (STO)
#7 Toledo vs. #11 Central Michigan, 9:30 p.m. (STO)

The winners of tonight's action in Cleveland move on to battle Ohio and Kent State on Thursday night in the newly recorfigured MAC tournament, and for the Huskies and Chippewas to reach this point is a surprise in itself. NIU takes on a Western Michigan team that swept the regular season series, with the game in Kalamazoo being the closer of the two. CMU looks to be in better shape from a competitive standpoint in their matchup with Toledo, as the Chips lost to the Rockets by just five in their second meeting. Rian Pearson leads the way for the Rockets, and if CMU finds away to neutralize him they've got a shot at the win.

MEAC - Opening Round/Quarterfinals
# 1 Savannah State vs. #8 Hampton, 6:00 p.m.
# 2 Norfolk State vs. #10 Howard, 8:00 p.m.

The top two seeds begin their march towards the MEAC's automatic bid, and both Savannah State and Norfolk State will be favored to get to the semifinals. Horace Broadnax's Tigers won the regular season title outright, quite the achievement for a team not only picked to finish 11th in the preseason poll but also in its first season as a full Division I (and MEAC) member. NSU, who many expected to win the league, finished a game out of first and has the MEAC's best player in forward Kyle O'Quinn. Hampton may be able to give Savannah State some trouble and the same goes for Howard, but both favorites should move on.

NEC - Title Game
#3 Robert Morris at #1 LIU Brooklyn, 7:00 p.m. (ESPN2)

The NEC delivers a rematch of last season's title game, a battle that went right down to the wire with the home team (LIU Brooklyn) winning by a basket. The rematch should be just as close, with Velton Jones leading the Colonials and forwards Julian Boyd and Jamal Olasewere pacing the Blackbirds. LIU has to rebound, something they haven't always done consistently this season, if they're to defend their home floor and make a return trip to the Big Dance. RMU has done a solid job defensively of late, and that will be the ticket for them if they're to win an NEC title on the road for the second time in three seasons.

Pac-12 - First Round
#8 Washington State vs. # 9 Oregon State, 3:10 p.m. (FSN)
# 5 UCLA vs. # 12 USC, 5:40 p.m. (FSN)
# 7 Stanford vs. # 10 Arizona State, 9:10 p.m. (FSN)
# 6 Colorado vs. # 11 Utah, 11:40 p.m. (FSN)

The Pac-12 is essentially a tournament where one could toss two NCAA bids in the middle of the Staples Center and let all 12 teams fight to the death for them. The resumes are that bad, and without any true separation there isn't a clear favorite either. Colorado and Utah kick off their first Pac-12 tournament experiences and the Buffs will be favored to beat the Utes in the final game of the day. But a sleeper to grab the automatic berth may lie in the second game, as UCLA is coming off of a home sweep of the Washington schools as they brushed off the Sports Illustrated article that painted the program in a negative light. If Joshua Smith can stay on the floor and be a factor, there's no reason why the Bruins can't win the tournament. Oregon State and Stanford could also make a run, with the Cardinal likely being the better choice despite the presence of OSU's Jared Cunningham.

Patriot - Title Game
#2 Lehigh at #1 Bucknell, 7:00 p.m. (CBS SN)

The road team won both meetings during the regular season, with a C.J. McCollum dagger giving the Mountain Hawks the win in the second meeting. McCollum and Bucknell's Mike Muscala were the two best players in the Patriot League this season, with McCollum winning Player of the Year. But the key for the Mountain Hawks may be to make sure that Joe Willman doesn't have a big night alongside Muscala. Willman averaged 10.8 points per game and was a Second Team All-Patriot League selection, as was guard Cameron Ayers. Inside for Lehigh Gabe Knutson and Holden Grenier have both played well this season, providing good frontcourt scoring to balance out what McCollum brings to the table.

Southland - Quarterfinals
# 2 Stephen F. Austin vs. # 7 Sam Houston St, 1:00 p.m.
# 3 Lamar vs. # 6 Northwestern St., 3:30 p.m.
# 1 UT Arlington vs. # 8 Nicholls St., 6:00 p.m.
# 4 McNeese St. vs. # 5 UTSA, 8:30 p.m.

The Southland tournament gets going today (there's an off day between the semifinals and title game), and regular season champ UT-Arlington enters as the favorite. LaMarcus Reed III was one of the leaders for a team that lost just one game in conference play, but they won't go unchallenged in Katy either. Reigning tournament champion UTSA returned a number of key players from last season's team, most notable Melvin Johnson III and reserve Kannor Burrage leading the way. Pat Knight's Lamar Cardinals are another possible winner, provided seniors like Mike James take the reins from a leadership standpoint. Look for there to be an upset or two on our way to the championship.

SWAC -Quarterfinals
#2 Texas Southern vs. #7 Alabama A&M, 1:30 p.m. (SWAC TV)
#1 Mississippi Valley State vs. #8 Jackson State, 9:00 p.m. (SWAC TV)

MIssissippi Valley State begins tournament play with Jackson State, and while they ran through the SWAC without much fuss, the Delta Devils' overall record will make them a 16-seed should they get the automatic bid. Paul Crosby, Terrence Joyner and company have taken nearly a third of their shots from beyond the arc this season, and if those shots are falling MVSU is a tough team to beat. Jackson State played them close in both meetings, so the question for tonight is whether or not they have enough to get over the hump. Texas Southern gets the two-seed due to Southern's ineligibility, and they swept Alabama A&M during the regular season with both wins by double digits.

Conference Tournament Schedules, Week 2

Raphielle Johnson — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 05:37:50 -0800

Week One Conference Tournament Schedules

ACC (March 8-11 in Atlanta)
Regular season champion: North Carolina
.pdf bracket

Thursday, March 8 - First Round
#8 Maryland 82, #9 Wake Forest 60
#5 NC State 78, #12 Boston College 57
#10 Virginia Tech 68, #7 Clemson 63
#6 Miami 54, #11 Georgia Tech 36

Friday, March 9 - Quarterfinals
#1 North Carolina 85, #8 Maryland 69
#5 NC State 67, #4 Virginia 64
#2 Duke 60, #10 Virginia Tech 56
#3 Florida State 82, #6 Miami 71

Saturday, March 10 - Semifinals
#1 North Carolina vs. #5 NC State, 1:00 p.m. (ESPN/ACC Network/ESPN3
#2 Duke vs. #3 Florida State, 3:00 p.m. (ESPN/ACC Network/ESPN3)

Sunday, March 11 - Title Game
Semifinal winners, 1:00 p.m. (ESPN/ACC Network/ESPN3)

Atlantic 10 (March 6 (at higher seeded teams), 9-11 in Atlantic City)
Regular season champion: Temple
.pdf bracket

Tuesday, March 6 - First Round
#8 Massachusetts 92, #9 Duquesne 83
#5 Saint Joseph's 80, #12 Charlotte 64
#7 La Salle 80, #10 Richmond 72
#6 Dayton 67, #11 George Washington 50

Friday, March 9 - Quarterfinals
#8 Massachusetts 77, #1 Temple 71
#4 St. Bonaventure 71, #5 Saint Joseph's 68
#2 Saint Louis 78, #7 La Salle 71
#3 Xavier 70, #6 Dayton 69

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

Sunday, March 11 - Title Game
Semifinal winners, 1:00pm (CBS)

Big 12 (March 7-10 in Kansas City)
Regular season champion: Kansas
.pdf bracket

Wednesday, March 7 - First Round
#9 Texas A&M 62, #8 Oklahoma 53
#7 Oklahoma State 76, #10 Texas Tech 60

Thursday, March 8 - Quarterfinals
#4 Baylor 82, #5 Kansas State 74
#1 Kansas 83, #9 Texas A&M 66
#2 Missouri 88, #7 Oklahoma State 70
#6 Texas 71, #3 Iowa State 65

Friday, March 9 - Semifinals
#4 Baylor 81, #1 Kansas 72
#2 Missouri 81, #6 Texas 67

Saturday, March 10 - Title Game
#4 Baylor vs. #2 Missouri, 6:00 p.m. (ESPN)

Big East (March 6-10 in New York City)
Regular season champion: Syracuse
.pdf bracket

Tuesday, March 6 - First Round
#9 Connecticut 81, # 16 DePaul 67
# 13 Pittsburgh 73, # 12 St. John's 59
# 10 Seton Hall 79, #15 Providence 47
# 14 Villanova 70, 11 Rutgers49

Wednesday, March 7 - Second Round
#9 Connecticut 71, #8 West Virginia (OT)
#5 Georgetown 64, #13 Pittsburgh 52
#7 Louisville 61 #10 Seton Hall 55
#6 USF 56, #14 Villanova 47

Thursday, March 8 - Quarterfinals
#1 Syracuse 58, #9 Connecticut 55
#4 Cincinnati 72, #5 Georgetown 70 (2OT)
#7 Louisville 84, #2 Marquette 71
#3 Notre Dame 57, #6 USF 53

Friday, March 9 - Semifinals
#4 Cincinnati 71, #4 Syracuse 68
#7 Louisville 64, #3 Notre Dame 50

Saturday, March 10 - Title Game
#4 Cincinnati vs. #7 Louisville, 9:00 p.m. (ESPN)

Big Ten (March 8-11 in Indianapolis)
Regular season champions: Michigan, Michigan State and Ohio State
.pdf bracket

Thursday, March 8 - First Round
#8 Iowa 64, #9 Illinois 61
#5 Indiana 75, #12 Penn State 58
#10 Minnesota 75, #7 Northwestern 68
#6 Purdue 79, #11 Nebraska 61

Friday, March 9 - Quarterfinals
#1 Michigan State 92, #8 Iowa 75
#4 Wisconsin 79, #5 Indiana 71
#2 Michigan 73, #10 Minnesota 69 (OT)
#3 Ohio State 88, #6 Purdue 71

Saturday, March 10 - Semifinals
#1 Michigan State vs. #4 Wisconsin, 1:40 p.m. (CBS)
#3 Michigan vs. #2 Ohio State, 4:05 p.m. (CBS)

Sunday, March 11, 2012 - Title Game
Semifinal winners, 3:30 p.m. (CBS)

Big West (March 8-10 in Anaheim, CA)
Regular season champion: Long Beach State
.pdf bracket

Thursday, March 8 - Quarterfinals
#3 UC Santa Barbara 72, # 6 Pacific 52
#7 UC Irvine 65, #2 Cal State Fullerton 59
#1 Long Beach State 80, #8 UC Davis 46
#4 Cal Poly 66, #5 UC Riverside 54

Friday, March 9 - Semifinals
#1 Long Beach State 68, #7 UC Irvine 57
#3 UCSB 64, #4 Cal Poly 52

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

Conference USA (March 7-10 in Memphis, TN)
Regular season champion: Memphis
.pdf bracket

Wednesday, March 7 - First Round
#10 East Carolina 68, #7 Rice 66
#6 Marshall 74, #11 SMU 56
#8 UTEP 67, #9 Houston 62 (OT)
#5 UAB 72, #12 Tulane 64

Thursday, March 8 - Quarterfinals
#2 Southern Miss 81, #10 East Carolina 78 (OT)
#6 Marshall 105, #3 Tulsa 100 (3OT)
#1 Memphis 65, #8 UTEP 47
#4 UCF 64, #5 UAB 54

Friday, March 9 - Semifinals
#6 Marshall 73, #2 Southern Miss 62
#1 Memphis 83, #4 UCF 52

Saturday, March 10 - Title Game
#6 Marshall vs. #1 Memphis, 11:35 a.m. (CBS)

Great West (March 8-10 in Chicago, IL)
Regular season champion: Utah Valley
.pdf bracket

Thursday, March 8 - First Round
#4 NJIT 65, #5 Houston Baptist 64

Friday, March 9 - Semifinals
#4 NJIT 88, #1 Utah Valley 78 (OT)
#2 North Dakota 63, #3 UT-Pan American

Saturday, Mar 10 - Title Game
#4 NJIT vs. #2 North Dakota, 5:00 p.m.

Mid-American (March 5 (campus sites), 7-10 in Cleveland, OH)
Regular season champion: Akron
.pdf bracket

Monday, March 5 - First Round
#12 Northern Illinois 55, # 5 Eastern Michigan 52
#8 Western Michigan 69, #9 Ball State 63
#7 Toledo 60, Miami (OH) 53
#11 Central Michigan 54, # 6 Bowling Green 53

Wednesday, March 7 - Second Round
#8 Western Michigan 71, #12 Northern Illinois 54
#7 Toledo 75, #11 Central Michigan 72

Thursday, March 8 - Quarterfinals
#4 Kent State 76, #8 Western Michigan 72
#3 Ohio 65, #7 Toledo 57

Friday, March 9 - Semifinals
# 1 Akron 78, #4 Kent State 74
#3 Ohio 77, # 2 Buffalo 74

Saturday, March 10 - Title Game
#1 Akron vs. #3 Ohio, 8:00 p.m. (ESPN2)

MEAC (March 6-10 in Winston-Salem, NC)
Regular season champion: Savannah State
.pdf bracket

Tuesday, March 6 - Opening Round
#8 Hampton 69, # 9 Morgan State 65
#10 Howard 51, # 7 North Carolina A&T 50
#5 North Carolina Central 60, # 12 UMES 43
#4 Bethune-Cookman 62, # 13 South Carolina State 53
#11 Florida A&M 74, # 6 Coppin State 72

Wednesday, March 7 - Opening Round/Quarterfinals
#8 Hampton 59, #1 Savannah State 46
#2 Norfolk State 71, #10 Howard 61

Thursday, March 8 - Quarterfinals
#11 Florida A&M 65, #3 Delaware State 55 (OT)
#4 Bethune-Cookman 60, #5 North Carolina Central 59

Friday, March 9 - Semifinals
#4 Bethune-Cookman 81, #8 Hampton 72
#2 Norfolk State 58, #11 Florida A&M 46

Saturday, March 10 - Title Game
#4 Bethune-Cookman vs. #2 Norfolk State, 1:00 PM (ESPN2)

Mountain West (March 8-10 in Las Vegas)
Regular season champions: New Mexico and San Diego State
.pdf bracket

Thursday, March 8 - Quarterfinals
#1 San Diego State 65, #8 Boise State 62
#4 Colorado State 81, #5 TCU 60
#2 New Mexico 79, #7 Air Force 64
#3 UNLV 56, #6 Wyoming 48

Friday, March 9 - Semifinals
#1 San Diego State 79, #4 Colorado State 69
#2 New Mexico 72, #3 UNLV 67

Saturday, March 10 - Title Game
#1 San Diego State vs. #2 New Mexico, 7:00 p.m.(NBC SN)

Pac-12 (March 7-10 in Los Angeles)
Regular season champion: Washington
.pdf bracket

Wednesday, March 7 - First Round
#9 Oregon State 69, #8 Washington 64
#5 UCLA 55, #12 USC 40
#7 Stanford 85, #10 Arizona State 65
#6 Colorado 53, #11 Utah 41

Thursday, March 8 - Quarterfinals
#9 Oregon State 86, #1 Washington 84
#4 Arizona 66, #5 UCLA 58
#2 California 77, #7 Stanford 71
#6 Colorado 63, #3 Oregon 62

Friday, March 9 - Semifinals
#4 Arizona 72, #9 Oregon State 61
#6 Colorado 70, #2 California 59

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

SEC (March 8-11 in New Orleans)
Regular season champion: Kentucky
.pdf bracket

Thursday, March 8 - First Round
#8 LSU 70, #9 Arkansas 54
#5 Alabama 63, #12 South Carolina 57
#7 Ole Miss 68, #10 Auburn 54
#11 Georgia 71, #6 Mississippi State 61

Friday, March 9 - Quarterfinals
#1 Kentucky 60, #8 LSU 51
#4 Florida 66, #5 Alabama 63
#7 Ole Miss 77, #2 Tennessee 72 (OT)
#3 Vanderbilt 63, #11 Georgia 41

Saturday, March 10 - Semifinals
#1 Kentucky vs. #4 Florida, 1:00 p.m. (ABC)
#7 Ole Miss vs. #3 Vanderbilt, 3:30 p.m. (ABC)

Sunday, March 11 - Title Game
Semifinal winners, 1:00 p.m. (ABC)

Southland (March 7-8, 10 in Katy, TX)
Regular season champion: UT Arlington
.pdf bracket

Wednesday, March 7 - Quarterfinals
#2 Stephen F. Austin 68, #7 Sam Houston St 46
#3 Lamar 76, #6 Northwestern St. 69
#1 UT Arlington 96, #8 Nicholls St. 48
#4 McNeese St. 78, #5 UTSA 78 (OT)

Thursday, March 8 -Semifinals
#3 Lamar 55, #2 Stephen F. Austin 44
#4 McNeese St. 92, #1 UT Arlington 72

Saturday March 10 - Title Game
#3 Lamar vs. #4 McNeese St., 3:00 p.m. (ESPN2)

SWAC (March 7-10 in Garland, TX)
Regular season champion: Mississippi Valley State
.pdf bracket

Wednesday, March 7 -Quarterfinals
#2 Texas Southern 75, #7 Alabama A&M 62
#1 Mississippi Valley State 63, #8 Jackson State 60

Thursday, March 8 - Quarterfinals
#6 Alcorn State 103, #3 Prairie View A&M 79
#5 UAPB 60, #4 Alabama St. 56

Friday, March 9 - Semifinals
#2 Texas Southern 60, #6 Alcorn State 55
#1 Mississippi Valley State 71, #5 UAPB 64

Saturday, March 10 - Title Game
#2 Texas Southern vs. #1 Mississippi Valley State, 8:00 p.m. (ESPNU)

WAC (March 8-10 in Las Vegas)
Regular season champion: Nevada
.pdf bracket

Thursday, March 8 - Quarterfinals
#6 Hawai'i 72, #3 Idaho 70
#2 New Mexico State 65, #7 Fresno State 49
#1 Nevada 54, #8 San Jose State 44
#5 Louisiana Tech 72, #4 Utah State 72

Friday, March 9 - Semifinals
#2 New Mexico State 92, #6 Hawai'i 81
#5 Louisiana Tech 78, #1 Nevada 73

Saturday, March 10 - Title Game
#2 New Mexico State vs. #5 Louisiana Tech, Midnight (ESPN2)

Jon Teitel's All-Conference Teams, Part Two

Jon Teitel — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 21:01:39 -0800

Last week CHN writer Jon Teitel unvelied part one of his CollegeHoops.net All-Conference selections, featuring the fourteen conferences that begain conference tournament play at that time. The final seventeen teams are here, with the Player of the Year in each league in italics.

Atlantic 10
G Ramone Moore (Temple)
G Tu Holloway (Xavier)
G Khalif Wyatt (Temple)
F Chris Gaston (Fordham)
F Andrew Nicholson (St. Bonaventure)

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

Big 12
G J'Covan Brown (Texas)
G Marcus Denmon (Missouri)
G Tyshawn Taylor (Kansas)
F Thomas Robinson (Kansas)
F Royce White (Iowa State)

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

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

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

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

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

Ivy
G Zack Rosen (Pennsylvania)
G Brian Barbour (Columbia)
G Sean McGonagill (Brown)
F Greg Mangano (Yale)
F Ian Hummer (Princeton)

Mid-American
G Rian Pearson (Toledo)
G Trey Ziegler (Central Michigan)
F Julian Mavunga (Miami (OH))
F Jarrod Jones (Ball St.)
F Mitchell Watt (Buffalo)

MEAC
G Darrion Pellum (Hampton)
G Tony Gallo (Coppin St.)
G Jay Threatt (Delaware St.)
F Brandon Riley (South Carolina St.)
C Kyle O'Quinn (Norfolk St.)

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

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

SEC
G John Jenkins (Vanderbilt)
G Dee Bost (Mississippi St.)
F Jeffery Taylor (Vanderbilt)
F Arnett Moultrie (Mississippi St.)
F Anthony Davis (Kentucky)

Southland
G Mike James (Lamar)
G Anthony Miles (Lamar)
F Patrick Richard (McNeese St.)
F LaMarcus Reed III (UT-Arlington)
C William Mosley (Northwestern St.)

SWAC
G Quincy Roberts (Grambling St.)
G Savalace Townsend (UAPB)
G Terrence Joyner (Mississippi Valley St.)
F Quinton Doggett (Southern)
C Paul Crosby (Mississippi Valley St.)

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 (Hawai'i)

Consensus Conference Ranking: February vs January

Shawn Siegel — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 07:56:23 -0800

Although the conference table was mostly set back in January when we last updated the Consensus Conference Ranking, there have been some changes since. As you'll see below, the Mountain West dropped from 4th to 6th since January 3rd, while the Colonial and Ivy have jumped 2 spots. This often has to do with the benefits conferences get from regularly playing a Top ranked team: ie, Murray St's ranking rubbing off on the rest of the OVC teams, or Kentucky rubbing off on the SEC.

Below is the Consensus Conference Ranking as of today, as well as January's ranking below for reference. The difference in standings can be seen in green/red.

Rank	Conference	RPI	KenPom	Sagarin	Avg	Change
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	SEC	4	4	4	4.0	+1
5	ACC	6	5	5	5.3	+1
6	Mountain West	5	6	6	5.7	-2
7	Atlantic 10	7	7	8	7.3	+2
8	Pac 12	10	8	7	8.3	-1
9	Missouri Valley	8	9	9	8.7	-1
10	CUSA	9	10	10	9.7
11	WCC	11	11	11	11.0
12	WAC	12	12	12	12.0	+1
13	Horizon	13	15	13	13.7	-1
14	Colonial	15	13	14	14.0	+2
15	Ivy	14	14	16	14.7	+2
16	MAC	17	17	15	16.3	-2
17t	Summit	16	18	19	17.7	-2
17t	Atlantic Sun	20	16	17	17.7
19	Sun Belt	19	19	18	18.7	-1
20	MAAC	18	20	20	19.3
21	Big West	24	21	21	22.0
22t	Patriot	22	22	23	22.3
22t	Ohio Valley	21	24	22	22.3	+2
24	Southern	23	23	25	23.7	-2
25	Big Sky	26	26	24	25.3	+1
26	Big South	27	25	26	26.0	+2
27	Northeast	25	27	28	26.7	+1
28	Southland	28	28	27	27.7	-1
29	America East	29	29	29	29.0
30	MEAC	30	30	30	30.0	-1
31	Independent	31	31	31	31.0
32	SWAC	32	32	32	32.0	-1

	January 3rd
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

Jon Teitel's End of January All-Conference Teams

Jon Teitel — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:35:35 -0800

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 08:09:28 -0800

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