Arizona

Question of the Week: Who Will be Arizona's Next Coach?

Shawn Siegel — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 02:28:56 -0500

This Week's Question: Who Will be Arizona's Big-Name Coach Next Year?

Its safe to assume Arizona will go big-time when hiring a full-time coach to replace retired legend Lute Olson. Who do you think Arizona will hire? Or who do you think they should hire? Some potential candidates that have been thrown around media articles and message boards includes:

John Calipari - Memphis

Jamie Dixon - Pittsburgh

Scott Drew - Baylor

Mark Few - Gonzaga

Jim Livengood - Will the Arizona AD hire himself?...

Sean Miller - Xavier

Kelvin Sampson - Milwaukee Bucks (not really)

Jay Wright - Villanova

What do you think? Post your thoughts below:

-- Question of the Week Archive:

Nov. 26 - Did the NCAA Come Down Hard Enough on Kelvin Sampson?

Nov. 19 - When Will UNC Lose For the First Time?

Chase Budinger: NBA Draft Profile

Jeff Fox — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 15:38:57 -0500

Chase Budinger

College: Arizona

Class: Junior

Position: SG/SF

Height: 6’7”

Weight: 203bs

Accolades:
Third Team All-Pac-10 (08), Second Team Freshman All-American – CHN (07), Pac-10 Freshman of the Year (07), co-MVP McDonald’s All-American Game – high school (06), McDonald’s All-American – high school (07), First Team All-American – Parade – high school (06), MVP Nike Junior World Championship (06).

Scouting Report:
A long-range bomber who can also jump out of the gym.

Strengths:
Incredible leaper – his vertical is apparently over 40 inches. Big-time scorer – put up very good scoring numbers throughout college. Played in one of the toughest conferences around, the Pac-10. Averaged big minutes all three years in school. Amazing athlete – excels in volleyball also. Good outside shooter – good for two to three made three-pointers a game. Solid rebounder for a wing player. Solid passer and ball-handler.

Weaknesses:
Not always aggressive enough. Needs to work on his defense. Can take too many outside shots – shoots almost six three-pointers a game. Inconsistent – can be a streaky scorer. Needs to improve his assist to turnover ratio – had almost as many turnovers as assists.

Projected 2009 Draft Range:
Lottery to mid first round pick.

Consensus:

Chase Budinger has all the tools to be a very good NBA player, despite criticisms of his game in college. However, he needs to improve his defense and become more consistent to fully capitalize on his amazing physical gifts.

NBA Draft on CollegeHoops.net

More 2009 NBA Draft Profiles

Current NBA Mock Draft Position

Complete NBA Draft coverage

CHN's Six-Star Ranking System w/ 2008 Equivalents

= Superstar/All-NBA Potential - Michael Beasley

= Potential NBA All-Star - Derrick Rose

= Consistent NBA Starter - Brook Lopez

= 6th Man/Fringe Starter - Russell Westbrook

= Career Reserve - Roy Hibbert

= Fringe NBA Player/12th Man - JR Giddens

0 stars = Life in the Minor Leagues - Drew Neitzel

Pac-10 Coach Raking: Big Ben

Jeff Fox — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 12:33:40 -0500

Take a wild guess who is ranked as the top coach in the Pac 10? You got it, that guy.

1) Ben Howland – UCLA

Ben Howland is truly the king of the Pac 10. He has the Bruins on course for a fourth-straight Final Four.

2) Mike Montgomery – California

A great hire for Cal – Mike Montgomery has the coaching pedigree to lead the Golden Bears back to their 1990s Jason Kidd-led level.

3) Tim Floyd – USC

There’s a new player in L.A. hoops. Tim Floyd seems to have the recruiting touch and the Trojans are ready to fight back against neighborhood bully UCLA.

4) Herb Sendek – Arizona State

Herb Sendek has the Sun Devils headed towards the upper echelon of the Pac 10 and is now the top coach in the Land of McCain.

5) Tony Bennett – Washington State

There is no way that Washington State should be a player in the Pac 10 every year, yet Tony Bennett has them doing just that.

6) Lorenzo Romar – Washington

The back-to-back Sweet Sixteen appearances in ’05 and ’06 seem ages ago. At least Lorenzo Romar has Jon Brockman around for his senior season.

7) Ernie Kent – Oregon

Ernie Kent’s Ducks appear to have peaked in 2007 with their appearance in the Elite 8. Don’t expect a repeat performance this season.

8) Johnny Dawkins – Stanford

It should be a long season for first year coach Johnny Dawkins. Couldn’t at least one of those Lopez twins have stuck around for another season?

9) Craig Robinson – Oregon State

It’s debatable who has the tougher task ahead of him – Craig Robinson or his brother-in-law Barack Obama.

10) Russ Pennell – Arizona

Its always hard to follow a legend, but being thrown into the head coaching position at the last minute (and thrown into the middle of a soap opera to boot) makes Russ Pennell’s job even harder.

College Football: Saturday Touchdowns

Raphielle Johnson — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 01:34:55 -0500

Heading into this Saturday it seemed like the Notre Dame Fighting Irish were well on their way to a seventh victory and a berth in either the Gator or Sun Bowl. All they had to do was beat Syracuse, playing for a recently dismissed head coach in Greg Robinson and dead last in the Big East. But while the Orange haven't played particularly well this season, you can't accuse this team of quitting. What ensued was one of the more stunning results of the day, with Syracuse stunning the Irish 24-23 on a late touchdown pass. Where do the Irish go from here? USC is the finale next week, and a loss there puts them at 6-6 and in a very tough situation. A 6-6 team can't be taken ahead of a team with a 7-5 record or better, so they could be in a very undesirable locale...if they accept a bid in that case. Beat USC and it doesn't matter, but they'll have a tough task in front of they in the Coliseum.

Here are the seven key points for this Saturday. And congrats to Florida State safety Myron Rolle for being named a Rhodes Scholar today. It's much better to hear this news when it comes to Florida State than hearing about receivers being suspended for getting into a lunchroom brawl.

1. Boy was I wrong about that Texas Tech/Oklahoma game.

Going into this one, it surprised me how quickly people were jumping off the Texas Tech bandwagon for their showdown in Norman with the Sooners, so much so that I actually picked the Red Raiders to win. Let's say it all together: fool. What ensued was one of the worst beatings of the season when you take into consideration the quality of the two teams, with the Sooners running away 65-21 in a game that was essentially over when Tech failed to convert a 4th-and-6 just past midfield with about twelve minutes left...in the second quarter. The Sooner offense did what it pleased, putting up more than 600 yards of offense in a brutally effiecient fashion (326 passing, 299 rushing). But that defense needs some credit as well, limiting the nation's best passing offense to 406 yards of total offense (45 on the ground) and 1-for-13 on third downs. That's not going to get it done if your on the road in a game of this magnitude.

Now the question is this: do the Sooners move ahead of Texas in the BCS standings when they're unveiled tomorrow afternoon? That depends on what pollsters and the computers value: the head-to-head meeting (which Texas won) or who's playing better football right now (Oklahoma would win that argument given what they did tonight). To push OU ahead of Texas would be, in some way, blaming the Longhorns for playing that game in early October and that wouldn't be fair at all. We shall see what happens, and what makes it all the more important is that in the case of a three-way tie the team ranked highest in the BCS is the one that goes to the Big 12 Championship Game.

2. Utah completes their undefeated season. Now they have to wait for two weeks.

The Utes got the job done against bitter rival BYU, picking off Max Hall five times in the 48-24 beating. Now 12-0, Kyle Whittingham's team is pretty much assured of a BCS at-large slot and they've earned it. QB Brian Johnson had an outstanding game in his final appearance in Rice-Eccles Stadium, going 30-36 for 303 yards and four touchdowns along with twenty-eight yards on the ground. But it was the Utah defense that made the difference in this one, forcing six turnovers and holding the Cougars to 4-12 on third down. The two-week wait should be little more than a coronation of what they've accomplished, but you never know with this system.

3. Cincinnati holds on to put a virtual chokehold on the Big East race.

Pittsburgh made this game close in the fourth quarter, scoring fourteen unanswered points to reach the 28-21 final. But this was the product of a dominant defensive showing by the Bearcats (264 total yards allowed and seven sacks) and QB Tony Pike's play in leading the Bearcat offense (26-32, 309 yards and three touchdowns). Now Brian Kelly's team is one win, over Syracuse next weekend, from clinching the Big East and heading most likely to the FedEx Orange Bowl (hence fans showering the field with oranges). But Syracuse won't be thought of as a pushover in that locker room, especially with what the Orange accomplished in South Bend. To think about where this program was in their final seasons in Conference USA (the New Orleans Bowl to the BCS? Almost like the Notorious B.I.G.'s quote about going from "ashy to classy") makes their rise all the more spectacular.

But there an unfortunate consequence of Cincinnati's success: Coach Kelly's name could be thrown around in regards to high-profile job openings in the month between the end of the regular season and their bowl game. But that's all for another day for Cincinnati, who should celebrate their recent success (their first-ever win over Pitt).

4. The dream lives in Corvallis, Oregon.

There were two plays that could have led Oregon State fans to believe that their first trip to Pasadena in more than forty years wasn't meant to be: James Rodgers dropping a deep ball that would have been the game-tying touchdown, then kicker Justin Kahut hooking a potentially game-tying extra point to leave the Beavers down 17-16 with four minutes remaining. But a pair of unlikely heroes stepped up in the 19-17 comeback victory: backup quarterback Sean Canfield and wide receiver Sammie Stroughter. With both players possessing a wealth of experience the word "unlikely" is a stretch, but given the amount of attention heaped upon the Rodgers brothers (Jacquizz was lost to injury and wasn't available) they've been forgotten by some.

It was this combination that picked up the slack for James Rodgers on that touchdown drive, and once again on the gamewinning charge with a deep ball to put Kahut in position to keep their Rose Bowl hopes alive. Kahut did just that, hitting the kick as time expired. Every week people look for the wheels to fall off and the dream to die. But the Beavers continue to win games, with guys stepping up on a weekly basis. Maybe they are a team of destiny. Oregon will look to change that in the "Civil War" next weekend.

5. We finally have some frontrunners in the ACC. I think.

It's all cut and dry for these two teams: Boston College (Atlantic) and Virginia Tech (Coastal) win next week and they'll meet in Tampa on December 6th. The only other teams with a shot are Florida State and Georgia Tech, who need those two to lose in order to get in. Boston College, who lost starting QB Chris Crane to a broken collarbone in their come-from-behind 24-21 win at Wake Forest. The Eagles did a good job in keeping both teams in the game, with miscues setting up all 21 Demon Deacon points before winning the game in the end. Dominique Davis led the gamewinning drive for BC, but the credit for this win should go to their defense for holding Wake to under 200 yards of total offense. Other than taking advantage of the Eagle mistakes, Wake Forest did nothing on offense.

As for the Hokies, they didn't look pretty against Duke but they won the game and that's what's most important. Nine combined turnovers made this game an eyesore, but Virginia Tech did manage to rush for 187 yards on the night. Duke's longest passing play: a 23-yard pick-six by Virginia Tech's Macho Harris. The Blue Devils finished the game with twenty yards in the air and 136 yards total offense. Next weekend, the Eagles host Maryland (37-3 loser to FSU tonight) while the Hokies host rival Virginia (13-3 loser to Clemson).

6. Washington State picks up their first Pac-10 win of the season while rival Washington remains winless.

Missed field goals are what did in the Huskies in this one, with a missed 40-yarder keeping the Cougars within three in the fourth quarter and a missed chip shot in the second overtime setting the stage for Wazzu's victory. For as hard as they've played this season, Washington has found ways to lose football games and this one has to hurt considering how dominant they'd been in the trenches on both sides of the football. But give credit to Washington State, which hung around and found a way to win the Apple Cup in the end. The Huskies have one more shot at getting that elusive victory with a trip to Cal next week, but how much do they really have left in the tank? They'll be decided underdogs in Berkeley, but this much is known: they will compete. There are other teams in similar situations (tough year, coaching change, etc.) who have mailed it in but neither UDub or Wazzu has done that, And you have to give those kids and their coaches some credit (instead of pointing and laughing at their misfortune) for that even though it hasn't panned out in the form of wins.

7. Penn State headed back to the Rose Bowl. And Michigan has a lot of work to do this offseason.

The Nittany Lions were dominant from start to finish in their 49-18 victory over Michgan State, picking up the 800th win in school history at the same time. Darryl Clark, who has been criticized by some for his uneven play of late, threw for 341 yards and four touchdowns without a turnover in the beating, and that defense held Javon Ringer to 42 yards on the ground. The Spartans needed QB Brian Hoyer to attempt around twenty-five passes or so to have a shot in this one, meaning that Ringer was having a productive day running the football. Hoyer threw forty passes, and he was even replaced by backup Kirk Cousins late. Penn State is a talented football team on both sides of the football, but also an example of what one bad quarter (4th quarter at Iowa) can do to your national title dreams if you're not careful.

As for the Wolverines, there really isn't much to analyze in their 42-7 pasting at the hands of Ohio State, They hung in there for a half, going into the locker room down just 14-7. But things got out of hand quickly, with Dan Herron breaking a 49-yard touchdown run less than four minutes into the second half. From there Michigan had to try their luck through the air, and Nick Sheridan isn't ready to make plays in the passing game. It got ugly, and with nine losses and an embarassing defeat to the hated Buckeyes this is an extremely important offseason for Rich Rodriguez and his staff. Regardless of the system used, that was not Michigan Football, and their fanbase will not accept anything less than marked improvement next year.

Offensive Performance of the Day: West Virginia QB Pat White. White ran for 200 yards and three touchdowns on twenty-one carrier along with 6-11 for 122 yards and two touchdowns through the air in the Mountaineers' 35-21 win at Louisville. White is now the all-time NCAA leader in rushing yards by a quarterback, passing Missouri's Brad Smith. And he also is the Big East's all-time leader in total touchdowns, passing Syracuse's Donovan McNabb.

NIT Season Tip-Off Preview: OU, Davidson, Purdue, Arizona

Kevin McNeill — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 16:12:51 -0500

Usually, with all the hope and excitement that naturally accompanies the start of yet another great season, college basketball fans anxiously gather around their sets in November to take in all the...blowouts.

Whether you're awaiting Duke's season opener against the always dangerous Presbyterian College Blue Hose, or mighty UConn testing their mettle against the likes of Bryant and Delaware State, there doesn't seem to be much to look forward to in the very early season.

But there is. The early season tournaments are getting better and better, and this year's might be the best in a long while. So here's a preview of what's to come, and proof that November basketball might not be so bad after all.

2008 Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off Tournament (Regionals Nov 17-18, Semifinal and Final Nov 26 and 28)

Key Games (assuming no unexpected upsets in the first round):

Oklahoma vs. Davidson
Arizona vs. UAB / Santa Clara winner
Purdue vs. Georgia
Boston College vs. St. Johns / Cornell winner

Possible Semifinals:

Purdue vs. Boston College
Oklahoma vs. Arizona / UAB

Call this the what-have-you-done-for-me-lately tournament. Just about every participating team was a complete surprise last season...or a disappointment.

Arizona, ranked 17th in the preseason polls, ended up with a 19-15 record, a NCAA Tournament berth, and their very own reality show when it came to their head coach. First, Hall of Fame Coach Lute Olson took a leave of absence from the program just before the start of the season, catching the entire University by surprise. Turns out he was battling a particularly ugly divorce. He left assistant Kevin O'Neill in charge, going so far as to label him the "coach-in-waiting" for when the 74 year old legend decided to gracefully exit the stage, to try to create some semblance of stability.

Then things got interesting. After the Wildcats got off to a mediocre start, several credible reports claimed that Olson was holding private team meetings with the players, more or less to tell them that their "coach-in-waiting" couldn't coach. Olson all but confirmed his impression of O'Neill by refusing to let him have his old job back on the sideline as an assistant when he returned.

But hope was running high in Tucson. Chase Budinger decided to come back. Arizona received commitments from some of the top prospects in the nation to come to Tucson. Lute Olson said he was "excited" and energized to be coaching again (and getting married again). Then, just as practice was underway, Olson abruptly retired due to health reasons, once again throwing the program into disarray right before the start of the season.

Three of Olson's top recruits immediately de-committed. Assistant coach Mike Dunlap turned down the top job because he didn't want the "interim" label, so the school went instead with assistant coach Russ Pennell. The best part? Before joining Olson's staff, Pennell was an assistant coach for the hated, arch-rival Sun Devils for eight years, and actually provided color commentary for the Arizona State University radio network last season.

Suffice it to say, this tournament will be more than just a challenge for the Wildcats.

Davidson and Purdue were both unranked in the preseason polls, with Purdue not even picked to contend in the Big 10, yet ended the season in the Top 25 (Top 10 for Davidson). As a result, both enter the current season on everyone's radar. For Davidson, they have to manage simply unheard of expectations for them following their Elite Eight run and the surprise return of Stephen Curry. Big 10 Coach of the Year Matt Painter has a loaded team coming back, led by Robbie Hummel, and fans are looking for a breakout year from JaJuan Johnson.

Oklahoma is coming off a 20 win season, but a 30-point thrashing to Louisville in the NCAA Tournament still lingers. However, the unexpected decision by Blake Griffin to turn down NBA lottery riches to return to Oklahoma, in addition to the fanfare surrounding incoming freshman Willie Warren, has created a buzz not felt in Norman since their Final Four season seven years ago. With virtually the entire Kansas national championship team now playing in the NBA, the Sooners are the favorites to win the Big 12 regular season and tournament titles, something they haven't done in 20 years, when the conference was still called the Big 8.

Georgia won the SEC tournament, right after losing 11 out of their last 13 games, and finishing with a 4-12 conference record. To win that automatic bid, all the Bulldogs had to do was beat Ole Miss on a banked buzzer-beater in overtime, and then go on to beat Kentucky and the SEC West's #1 seed Mississippi State on the same day, thanks to a tornado ripping apart the Georgia Dome and sending the tournament to Alexander Coliseum at Georgia Tech. They then beat Arkansas in the final with what seemed to be a formality at that point. With Dave Bliss and Sundiata Gaines gone, this figures to be another long season for the Bulldogs. But hey, there's always the SEC Tournament.

UAB is coming off a disappointing loss in the second round of the NIT, after watching their bubble burst on Selection Sunday. The Blazers are looking for redemption, and a ticket back to the NCAA Tournament, but all that depends on Robert Vaden. He needs to be able to continue his school-record setting ways while staying clear of trouble off the court. Whether or not C-USA is once again a one-bid conference could depend on it.

Boston College posted a 14-17 record last season, and the last time we saw them they were nipped by Clemson in the ACC Tournament 82-48. Yet, with four sophomores returning, the arrival of freshman guard Reggie Jackson, and more importantly, all-everything senior Tyrese Rice, team expectations are focused squarely on a winning ACC record.

An Oklahoma - Purdue title game would obviously be the most anticipated matchup of the NIT, but it will be especially interesting to see whether the much-hyped Warren can hold his own against Curry and the speedy Wildcats should the Sooners face Davidson in the earlier game.

College Basketball: Top Juniors

Joey Whelan — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 15:42:04 -0500

In this day and age of one and done phenoms, it is rare to see a large group of talented upperclassmen. While this years crop of juniors is very strong at the top, the talent quickly dwindles once you get below the top 20-25 players; at least when comparing this class to the freshman or sophomores. Luckily this list will only be dealing with the best of the best from the juniors. While some of these players were stars before they even suited up for their first college game, some have built their reputation over the years and have climbed to the top of their class.

Pick Six: Top Seniors

CHN's Pick Six series highlights the Top 6 players by position, league, and class.

1. Stephen Curry - Davidson

When it’s all said and done, he won’t be the best pro player on this list, he wont even be the highest drafted; but for now Curry is king. The Wildcats’ sharp shooter captivated the nation last year with one of the greatest individual performances in NCAA Tournament history and will likely continue to post gaudy numbers this year (if his 41 points in Davidson’s first exhibition game are any indication). Few players can match his shooting prowess at this level and his non stop movement off the ball makes him a nightmare for defenders. Even with teams focusing almost all of their attention on Curry this season, he’ll still likely manage to torch many of his opponents.

2. Hasheem Thabeet – Connecticut

While Thabeet has already proven to be a game changing force, this selection is mainly a potential pick. The 7’3” shot blocking machine showed tremendous flashes last season and if he has gotten stronger in the off season and improved his post game, Big East opponents better watch out. The Husky big man has more than enough potential to emerge as the top defensive player in the country this year, and with his frame and length, if he puts it together offensively, could be a go to force inside.

3. Luke Harangody – Notre Dame

His game may not be pretty, in fact more often than not it isn’t, but you simply have to respect a 20 and 10 season in the Big East. Harangody is a bruising force inside, with an almost immovable frame, great hands and a soft touch. He almost always seems to know where he is in relation to the basket and just finds a way to get his points night in and night out. More than anything though, you have to love the effort that the big man gives each and every time out on the floor despite the physical beating he takes. It’s been said before, but he is the next closest thing to Tyler Hansbrough.

4. Chase Budinger – Arizona

This high-flyer could have left for the NBA after each of the last two seasons, but opted to return. This year will likely be his last, but could also be his best. There isn’t a player in the Pac-10 with a better combination of athleticism and a perimeter skill set than Budinger. His ability to connect from the perimeter or mid-range has definitely improved since his freshman season and now is a consistent threat to beat teams from the outside. Of course, if team’s play him to shoot he can burn them with a solid first step and do serious damage in the lane with his 40-inch vertical leap. In all, Budinger is a devastating perimeter player who will see his name on All-American lists at the end of the season.

5. Tyler Smith – Tennessee

The SEC has plenty of young talent this season, but it’ll be the upperclassmen Smith who stands above them all as the conference’s top player. The junior does a little bit of everything, rebounding well from his position, and proving to be a solid passer. His shooting numbers improved dramatically from his freshman to sophomore seasons, and with his quickness is a constant threat to attack the basket. Defense is Smith’s bread and butter, showing the ability to guard multiple positions. He has very good lateral quickness, great length and a high basketball IQ on this end of the floor. While the Vol’s have plenty of talent this season, Smith will be the key to how far they go come March.

6. Earl Clark – Louisville

Statistically, Clark will never completely jump off the page due to the number of weapons Louisville trots out each night; that doesn’t mean the junior isn’t a big time inside/outside presence. Clark brings a great physical package to the floor, with good length, quickness and athleticism. Much of his game centers on his dribble drive game; he has a nice first step and solid handles, able to attack with either hand. Clark’s jump shot has improved during his career but certainly still needs some work before it is a consistent weapon. Clark has also shown some nice flashes of ability when he catches the ball on the block. He may not even be the best player on his team this season, but Clark will certainly be one of the top juniors in the country.

Next in Line: Wayne Ellington, North Carolina; Gerald Henderson, Duke; Damion James, Texas; Ty Lawson, North Carolina; Greivis Vasquez, Maryland; Derrick Brown, Xavier

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