Arkansas

Thursday First Round Predictions: ACC, Big Ten, SEC

Greg Mengelt — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 08:02:51 -0800

Our g ame prediction guru Greg Mengelt has been on fire this year. He'll be picking (just about) every conference tournament game over the next week, including tonight's three key championship games. Games listed in order with later rounds on top and earlier rounds at the bottom. Read more about Championship Week at CollegeHoops.net.

ACC FIRST ROUND: AT ATLANTA

(8) Maryland (16-14, 6-10) vs. (9) Wake Forest (13-17, 4-12)

Tipoff: Noon. TV: ESPNU. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 11 – Maryland 70-64. RPI: Maryland 111, Wake Forest 169. Analysis: The ACC Tourney starts with an upset. Line: Maryland -3½. Pick: Wake Forest 60, Maryland 55.

(5) North Carolina State (20-11, 9-7) vs. (12) Boston College (9-21, 4-12)

Tipoff: 2 p.m. TV: ESPNU. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 19 – N.C. State 76-62; Feb. 1 – N.C. State 56-51. RPI: N.C. State 52, BC 236. Analysis: The Wolfpack will pull away early for an easy win. Line: N.C. State -12. Pick: North Carolina State 73, Boston College 52.

(7) Clemson (16-14, 8-8) vs. (10) Virginia Tech (15-16, 4-12)

Tipoff: 7 p.m. TV: ESPNU. Regular-season meetings: Feb. 4 – Virginia Tech 67-65; March 1 – Clemson 58-56. RPI: Clemson 138, Virginia Tech 119. Analysis: Remember when being .500 in the ACC meant a lock for the NCAA Tourney? Line: Clemson -2½. Pick: Clemson 64, Virginia Tech 62.

(6) Miami (18-11, 9-7) vs. (11) Georgia Tech (11-19, 4-12)

Tipoff: 9 p.m. TV: ESPNU. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 24 – Miami 64-49*. RPI: Miami 50, Georgia Tech 183. Analysis: Strange line. Makes me think Vegas knows something the rest of us don’t. Oh, well. The Hurricanes are significantly better. Line: Miami -4. Pick: Miami 67, Georgia Tech 57.

BIG TEN FIRST ROUND: AT INDIANAPOLIS

(8) Iowa (16-15, 8-10) vs. (9) Illinois (17-14, 6-12)

Tipoff: 11:30 a.m. TV: Big Ten Network. Regular-season meetings: Feb. 26 – Illinois 65-54. RPI: Iowa 131, Illinois 77. Analysis: Not sure the Illinois players are interested in playing another game. Line: Illinois -2½. Pick: Iowa 60, Illinois 55.

(5) Indiana (24-7, 11-7) vs. (12) Penn State (12-19, 4-14)

Tipoff: 2 p.m. TV: Big Ten Network. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 8 – Indiana 88-82*; Jan. 22 – Indiana 73-54. RPI: Indiana 11, Penn State 156. Analysis: The Hoosiers are playing as well as anyone in the Big Ten – if not the nation. Line: Indiana -11½. Pick: Indiana 81, Penn State 67.

(7) Northwestern (18-12, 8-10) vs. (10) Minnesota (18-13, 6-12)

Tipoff: 5:30 p.m. TV: ESPN2. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 22 – Minnesota 75-52; Feb. 18 – Northwestern 64-53. RPI: Northwestern 41, Minnesota 89. Analysis: John Shurna and Drew Crawford will not let the Wildcats lose this game. Line: Northwestern -2½. Pick: Northwestern 68, Minnesota 62.

(6) Purdue (20-11, 10-8) vs. (11) Nebraska (12-17, 4-14)

Tipoff: 8 p.m. TV: ESPN2. Regular-season meetings: Feb. 22 – Purdue 83-65. RPI: Purdue 41, Nebraska 140. Analysis: Purdue has won 3-of-4 and even in the loss at Indiana, the Boilermakers played pretty well for most of the game. Line: Purdue -8. Pick: Purdue 79, Nebraska 64.

SEC FIRST ROUND: AT NEW ORLEANS

(8) LSU (17-13, 7-9) vs. (9) Arkansas (18-13, 6-10)

Tipoff: 1 p.m. TV: SEC Network. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 14 – Arkansas 69-60; Feb. 4 – LSU 71-65. RPI: LSU 84, Arkansas 92. Analysis: A strange season comes to an Arkansas. Things should start to improve next season under Mike Anderson. Line: LSU -1. Pick: LSU 73, Arkansas 68.

(5) Alabama (20-10, 9-7) vs. (12) South Carolina (10-20, 2-14)

Tipoff: 3:30 p.m. TV: SEC Network. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 25 – South Carolina 56-54. RPI: Alabama 32, USC 185. Analysis: This game could just go a lot of different ways, depending on how interested the Tide are, but eight points is too big of a line for what should be a low-scoring game. Line: Alabama -8. Pick: Alabama 58, South Carolina 52.

(7) Mississippi (18-12, 8-8) vs. (10) Auburn (15-15, 5-11)

Tipoff: 7:30 p.m. TV: SEC Network. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 14 – Auburn 69-68 (2OT); Feb. 11 – Ole Miss 61-54. RPI: Ole Miss 51, Auburn 136. Analysis: The Rebels are back on the bubble after three straight wins, but Auburn will end the dream. Line: Ole Miss -2½. Pick: Auburn 66, Mississippi 63.

(6) Mississippi State (21-10, 8-8) vs. (11) Georgia (14-16, 5-11)

Tipoff: 10 p.m. TV: SEC Network. Regular-season meetings: Feb. 11 – Georgia 70-68 (OT)*. RPI: MSU 64, Georgia 107. Analysis: Both teams are so unpredictable that it’s hard to tell how this one’s going to go. The Bulldogs are physically superior, though. Line: MSU -5. Pick: Mississippi State 71, Georgia 65.

*Road win

Greg Against the Spread This Season: 143-108-3

Bracketology: Remaining Teams That Can Steal Bids

Shawn Siegel — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 19:55:54 -0800

While bubble teams were able to breathe easier when Murray St and Creighton won close conference titles, the coast is not entirely clear.

Here's a brief look at the remaining teams most likely to "steal" bids from the bubble hopefuls**.

ACC

With UNC and Duke lurking, its hard to imagine a spoiler coming from the ACC, but you never know..

Clemson (16-14, 8-8, RPI #138)

The ACC might be down this year, but .500 in that league still counts for something. The Tigers would need to beat VT in the opening round and then steal one from Duke. Clemson only lost to Duke by 7 at Cameron.

Maryland (16-14, 6-10, RPI #110)

The Terps have an easy opening game against Wake Forest, and they'd they have to beat UNC in the quarterfinals.

Atlantic 10
While Temple and St Louis are locks, there is a ton of parity in the A10. All of these teams deserve more respect than they get nationally and are extremely dangerous in the A10 tournament.

Dayton (20-11, 9-7, #73)

Dayton cruised past GW in the opening round and now faces Xavier. While Xavier is more likely to get an at-large bid, both teams have similar resumes. The loser of that game will be eliminated from at-large contention.

La Salle (210-11, 9-7, #79)

La Salle beat a tough Richmond squad in the opening round and now faces Saint Louis. La Salle struggled against the Billikens earlier in the year, but does have a geographical advantage playing in Atlantic City.

St Bonaventure (17-11, 10-6, #95)

A dangerous squad, St Bonaventure faces bubble team Saint Joseph's Wednesday afternoon. The Bonnies have already beaten Saint Joe's and with Andrew Nicholson leading the way, no one wants to face them.

UMASS (21-10, 9-7, #87)

UMASS topped Duquesne Tuesday night, which sets up an afternoon game with #1 seed Temple. UMASS took Temple to OT a few weeks, so they're far from scared.

Big East

UCONN showed that its not impossible to run through the Big East Tournament from a Tuesday start.

Pittsburgh (17-15, 5-13, #98)

Perhaps there is a little bit of magic left from this preseason top 25 team that struggled mightily.

Big Ten
These 3 teams have had their moments during the season, and would need to go on epic runs to win the league.

Illinois (17-14, 6-12, #82)

As bad as Illinois has been, how many teams have beaten the likes of Michigan St, Ohio St, and Gonzaga. The Illini would need Brandon Paul to go off for 40 every game in Indy..

Iowa (16-15, 8-10, #131)

Iowa has been surprisingly competitive this year, and has beaten Wisconsin twice along with beating Michigan and Indiana. They face Illinois in round one, the winner could have great momentum going forward.

Minnesota (18-13, 6-12, #81)

Once considered a potential tourney team, Minnesota's season went south in a hurry. They face bubble team Northwestern in round one and could seriously hurt the Wildcats at-large hopes.

Conference USA

While the RPI suggests Memphis and Southern Miss are by far the class of this league, these teams certainly have to be feared. If not for the tournament being in Memphis, the odds of one of these teams stealing a bid would be even bigger.

UCF (21-9, 10-6, #64)

With an opening round by, the Knights would face the winner of UAB or Tulane in round two. UCF is a close loss or two away from being firmly in the NCAA Tournament field. With the exception of one bad showing at Memphis, UCF has been competitive in every CUSA game.

Marshall (18-12, 9-7, #66)

Like UCF, Marshall is a dangerous squad that could be looking at the NCAA's with a little more luck. As it is, they have a very favorable spot in the bracket, opening against SMU and then potentially facing Tulsa in the quarterfinals.

Tulsa (17-13, 10-6, #112)

Most wouldn't have guessed that Tulsa would earn the #3 seed in the CUSA Tournament.

UTEP (14-16, 7-9, #158)

A real darkhorse as a #8 seed, UTEP has beaten Memphis and Southern Miss this year, so you never what could happen if they got hot.

MWC
The MWC is a small league, so you only have to win 3 games to earn the title.

Wyoming (20-10, 6-8, #80)

The Cowboys face UNLV in the opening round, and have already beaten the Rebels. While they've struggled away from home, they can't be written off.

TCU (17-13, 7-7, #101)

TCU can ruin Colorado St's bubble hopes in the opening round. The two split their season series, and the game should be close.

Pac-12
The Pac-12 is a complete mess. Cal and Washington can't be considered locks and a ton of teams could potentially win the league title.

Arizona (21-10, 12-6, #77)

Arizona awaits the winner of UCLA/USC after getting a first round bye.

Colorado (19-11, 11-7, #83)

The #6 seed opens with lowly Utah. The Buffs aren't that much worse than anyone else in the league.

Stanford (20-10, 10-8, #97)

The only team in the league to beat a Top 50 opponent in non-conference play, Stanford has been playing better after slumping a few weeks back.

UCLA (18-13, 11-7, #118)

With the tournament in Los Angeles, and a favorable bracket, you certainly can't write off the Bruins.

SEC

Outside of Kentucky, the SEC is much more even than you might think. Teams like Florida and Vanderbilt are overrated, and 2nd seed Tennessee is not that great away from home. Kentucky might lose focus, and then the league is up for grabs.

Arkansas (18-13, 6-10, #100)

If the Hogs can get by LSU, they'd face Kentucky in the quarterfinals. If they could somehow beat UK..

LSU (17-13, 7-9, #89)

The same exact situation as Arkansas.

**I'll define the bubble as including the following teams:

BYU

California

Colorado St

Drexel

Miami

NC State

Northwestern

Ole Miss

Oregon

Saint Joseph's

Seton Hall

South Florida

Tennessee

Texas

UCONN

Washington

Xavier

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Hoosiers' Balance Too Much for Michigan State: Tuesday's Quick Hitters

Raphielle Johnson — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 00:37:11 -0800

In other action on Tuesday night both Connecticut and Xavier fell on the road, and it's now beyond danger time for both teams.

1. Draymond Green played well, but Indiana's many contributors proved to be too much for Michigan State.
With the chance to clinch the outright Big Ten title #5 Michigan State hit the road to take on #18 Indiana in Bloomington. But while Green further strengthened his Big Ten Player of the Year candidacy with 29 points and eight rebounds his teammates struggled mightily, with no other Spartan scoring more than eight points (Austin Thornton). Indiana defended well (the other Spartans shot a combined 10-for-34 from the field) and they executed offensively, shooting 47.9% from the field and finishing with an efficiency of 120.7 in their 70-55 win. Michigan State wasn't bad offensively in the first half, shooting 40.7%, but on the other end of the floor they were unable to keep Victor Oladipo and the other Hoosiers from the foul line.

The aggressive Oladipo scored 11 of his 13 points in the first half, with seven of those points coming from the charity stripe, and as a team the Hoosiers shot 16-for-18 as they built a 41-27 lead. Cody Zeller finished the night as Indiana's leading scorer with 18 points while Verdell Jones III scored 12 off the bench and starters Jordan Hulls and Christian Watford (14 rebounds) scored ten apiece. Indiana has now won 23 games this season and at this rate Tom Crean's squad could earn a "protected" seed in the NCAA tournament given their resume that features three wins over Top 5 teams (Kentucky and Ohio State the others). Michigan State can still win the outright Big Ten crown with a win over Ohio State on Sunday, but in order to do so they're going to need more from Keith Appling and the rest of Draymond Green's supporting cast.

2. All four home teams hold serve in the first round of the Horizon League tournament.
There wasn't much suspense in the first round of the Horizon League tournament on Tuesday night as all four home teams advanced to the quarterfinals. Butler shot 53.7% from the field and Andrew Smith put up 25 points and seven rebounds in the Bulldogs' 70-52 win over Wright State. The Raiders have had issues offensively for much of the season, but it was their defense that let them down at Hinkle Fieldhouse. Butler will take on Milwaukee, who led UIC 35-14 at the half in a game the Panthers would win 68-55. Milwaukee shot 11-for-25 from beyond the arc, making up for their poor free throw shooting (13-for-24) and 19 turnovers. Butler and Milwaukee played a pair of low-scoring contests in the regular season, splitting the two games with the home team winning both games.

The other quarterfinal will match Detroit and Youngstown State, and those two split their regular season series with the visiting team winning both meetings. Detroit forced 23 Loyola (IL) turnovers in their 80-71 win over the Ramblers, and offensively Eli Holman (20 points, six rebounds) and Chase Simon (19 points, four steals) led five Titans in double figures. Youngstown State also won the turnover battle in their first round matchup, forcing 17 Green Bay turnovers while also knocking down ten three-pointers in their 77-60 win. YSU scored 45 points in the first half thanks in large part to making eight three-pointers out of twelve attempts, and with all five starters scoring in double figures the Penguins did enough in the first half to retain control of the game.

3. Montana controls play at home to beat Weber State and win the Big Sky regular season title.
The battle between the Grizzlies and Wildcats was arguably the most important regular season game on the schedule Tuesday night when considering what was at stake. The winner would not only win the regular season title but also host the semifinals and title game of the conference tournament, an honor that Montana earned with their 66-51 victory. Wayne Tinkle's team got the job done on the defensive end of the floor, limiting Weber State to 30.2% shooting and a frigid 3-for-26 from three. Weber State did manage to grab 16 offensive rebounds but due to their shooting woes the Wildcats were unable to take advantage.

Montana was led by guard Will Cherry, who was outstanding in scoring 23 points and dishing out four assists. Combining with Kareem Jamar (17 points, seven rebounds) on the perimeter, Montana's backcourt outplayed Weber State's Damian Lillard and Scott Bamforth. Lillard did manage to score 19 points but he needed 19 shots to do so, making just seven, while Bamforth scored nine points on 4-for-13 shooting. These two split the regular season series with the home team taking control in the latter stages of the first half in both meetings, which may add to the importance of having home court in a possible title game rubber match. And given how much better Montana and Weber State were than the rest of the Big Sky, it's expected that these two would meet for a third time this season.

Quick Hitters

1. For all the talk about Arkansas' struggles on the road, one would expect the Razorbacks to take care of business at home down the stretch. That wasn't the case on Tuesday as the Hogs allowed 51 second half points in a 77-75 loss to Ole Miss, and that's the last thing Mike Anderson's team needed given their at-large prospects. Arkansas will most likely need to win the SEC tournament to go dancing.

2. How's this for an impressive stat: according to Wisconsin Assistant Director of Athletic Communications Patrick Herb, the Badgers clinched a first-round bye in the Big Ten tournament for the 12th consecutive season with their 52-45 win over Minnesota. Wisconsin scored 36 of their points in the second half, quite the reversal from their 19% shooting in the first half.

3. Texas A&M may have shot 51% from the field but they still didn't have enough offensively to prevent Kansas State from leaving College Station with a 76-70 victory. K-State shot 12-for-17 from beyond the arc with Rodney McGruder going 5-for-7 (26 points) from deep, and Jamar Samuels added 17 and 11 rebounds.

4. Vanderbilt kept alive their hopes of finishing second in the SEC with 77-67 win over Florida in Nashville. John Jenkins made six of his nine shots from beyond the arc in scoring 22 points and Jeffery Taylor added 18 on what was an emotional night for the Commodores' senior class.

5. Led by Will Barton (18 points, 11 rebounds, four assists and four blocked shots), not only did Memphis move one step closer to an outright Conference USA title but they also may have ended UCF's at-large hopes in the 84-55 beating. Memphis shot 63.3% from the field in the second half, and while they anxiously await a definitive diagnosis of Antonio Barton's foot injury Josh Pastner's bunch has played some good basketball of late.

Cheerleader of the Day: Arkansas

Shawn Siegel — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 21:13:09 -0800

CollegeHoops.net's Cheerleader of the Day is back in 2012. Picture courtesy of Icon Sports Media. Check out our new college cheerleader archive.

Cheerleaders of the Day
>>		>>		>>			..Archive

#16 Florida State vs. #4 Duke: Thursday's Preview

Raphielle Johnson — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 07:24:38 -0800

There's the perception that the trip to Tallahassee has been a nightmare for #4 Duke (23-4, 10-2) in recent years, but while it is a tough trip the Blue Devils hadn't lost there since 2006 before their 66-61 loss last January. On the line tonight is a share of first place (with North Carolina), a position few expected #16 Florida State (19-7, 10-2) to be in as they were struggling in November and December. FSU won the first meeting this season on a Michael Snaer three as time expired, but the Seminoles' offensive performance in the second half of that game was arguably their best of the season.

Florida State scored 50 points in the second half of the January 21 meeting, shooting 66.7% from the field, 80% from three and assisting on 11 of their 18 made baskets. Leonard Hamilton's team was successful due to their offensive balance and they took care of the basketball, finishing the game with 12 turnovers. On the season however, Florida State turns the ball over an average of 16.7 times per game, a number that remains the worst in the ACC (their assist-to-turnover ratio is also the worst in the conference). Ian Miller's return has improved things offensively in terms of adding a guard who can make plays, but the turnovers have been a concern all season long.

Florida State's lost just once in the seven games since their win at Cameron Indoor Stadium but they've racked up 15 or more turnovers in five of those. This isn't a "vintage" Duke team from a defensive standpoint, especially on the perimeter outside of Tyler Thornton, but they have enough players who can give Florida State some trouble if the Seminoles are careless with the ball. Miller, Snaer, Deividas Dulkys and Luke Loucks all have to make sound decisions with the basketball if Florida State is to feed off of what should be a raucous crowd. Duke's issues in the first meeting (besides Snaer's shot) came inside of the arc offensively, thanks in large part to FSU's defensive prowess.

Mike Krzyzewski's club shot just 37.5% from two in the first meeting, with guard Seth Curry (2-for-8) and Ryan Kelly (1-for-7) being the biggest culprits. The Blue Devils can go blow for blow with anyone in the ACC on the perimeter thanks to Curry, Austin Rivers and sharpshooter Andre Dawkins (Kelly can also step out and knock down shots), but at a certain point tonight they're going to need tough buckets inside from Miles and Mason Plumlee. Mason's been the more productive of the two in both scoring (11.2 ppg) and rebounding (9.7 rpg) but Miles has played well of late, which is a good sign heading into a game against a frontcourt as physical as FSU's.

Xavier Gibson, Bernard James and Okaro White lead the way inside for Florida State and seven-footer Jon Kreft will also see some time, and this group is a big reason why Florida State leads the ACC in both field goal percentage defense (37%) and adjusted defensive efficiency per Ken Pomeroy's stats (85.4; subscription required for link). Duke's biggest issue in the first meeting was the simple act of missing shots, and the fact that they scored 41 points in the second half shows that they're more than capable of navigating the Seminoles' tough defense.

Turnovers are going to be key on both sides of the basketball, especially when Florida State has possession. Live-ball turnovers against Duke, whose shooters are very good when it comes to finding open spots in odd-man situations, are a good way to get beat regardless of the venue. Duke's also done a better job of keeping opponents off the offensive boards than Florida State, owning a slight edge in opponents' offensive rebounding percentage. Duke grabbed 14 offensive rebounds in the first meeting but thanks to Snaer's heroics it didn't burn the Seminoles. FSU may not be as fortunate this time around, especially if they don't keep their turnovers in check.

Also of importance on Thursday night is the second meeting of the season of BYU and Gonzaga, with the winner remaining alive in the race for the WCC title. BYU won the first meeting in Provo as their frontcourt tandem of Brandon Davies and Noah Hartsock was too much for Elias Harris and Robert Sacre. But things may change in front of "The Kennel", as both Bulldogs play better at home. The key for BYU will be the decision-making of Matt Carlino at the point as well as getting contributions from a player such as Anson Winder, who scored ten points in the Cougars' win in Provo.

Alabama may or may not have JaMychal Green back in the lineup for their game at Arkansas, but either way this is a critical game for both teams in regards to reaching the NCAA tournament. Mike Anderson's Razorbacks have been brutal on the road this season, which in turn makes the home games they get even more important. B.J. Young has been one of the best freshmen in the SEC, and his performance tonight against Trevor Releford will go a long way in determining the outcome. If the Hogs can turn Alabama over and get some fast-break opportunities they'll have a good chance of picking up another win at Bud Walton Arena.

And Thursday night is a big one on the bubble as Cincinnati and Colorado host key league games. The Bearcats will look to knock off #17 Louisville in a game they really need to boost their resume. The big problem for Cincinnati has been that weak non-conference slate, which includes losses to Presbyterian and a Marshall team that hasn't played as well in Conference USA as many expected them to. Cashmere Wright (UC) and Peyton Siva (Louisville) will be the most important players on the floor; whichever point guard plays better will end up leading the winning team.

Colorado kicks off a big weekend with a matchup against Stanford, who is also hoping to fight their way into the bubble conversation. Tad Boyle's Buffaloes are 13-1 at home this season and a sweep of Stanford and Cal would go a long way when it comes to getting into the bubble conversation. Andre Roberson and Spencer Dinwiddie need to have big games if the Buffs are to defend their home floor. Stanford freshman Chasson Randle has been one of the Pac-12's best freshmen (as has Dinwiddie), and his skill gives the Cardinal a good shot at leaving Boulder with a win.

Lastly the Patriot League title will be decided tonight as Bucknell visits American. Dave Paulsen's Bison entered last week's play 10-0 in league play only to drop games to Lehigh and Holy Cross, opening the door for both the Mountain Hawks (10-3) and American (9-3). Led by big man Mike Muscala (21 points, 12 rebounds) the Bison won the first meeting 67-61 as they shot 52% from the field. But the Eagles still had a chance to win thanks to their ability to get to the foul line and rebound, and in Charles Hinkle American has one of the best players in the Patriot League. Two weeks ago Bucknell was a win from locking up the regular season title. A loss tonight and they could find themselves in third place.

Top 25 Games
7:00 PM (4) Duke at (16) Florida State (ESPN)
8:00 PM (12) Murray State at Tennessee State (ESPNU)
9:00 PM (15) Wisconsin at Iowa (ESPN2)
9:00 PM (17) Louisville at Cincinnati (ESPN)
10:00 PM (23) Saint Mary's at Portland (ESPNU)

NCAA Division I Games
7:00 PM Alabama at Arkansas (ESPN2)
7:00 PM Bucknell at American University (CBS SN)
7:00 PM LIU Brooklyn at Fairleigh Dickinson
7:00 PM Chattanooga at Furman
7:00 PM Detroit at Cleveland State
7:00 PM Belmont at Kennesaw State
7:00 PM Albany at Binghamton (ESPN3)
7:00 PM Mount St. Mary's at Central Connecticut State (MSG+)
7:00 PM Elon at Davidson
7:00 PM Stetson at East Tennessee State
7:00 PM South Alabama at Florida Atlantic
7:00 PM Coastal Carolina at Liberty (ESPN3)
7:00 PM St. Francis (NY) at Monmouth
7:00 PM Gardner-Webb at UNC-Asheville
7:00 PM St. Francis (PA) at Quinnipiac
7:00 PM Presbyterian at Radford
7:00 PM Robert Morris at Sacred Heart
7:00 PM Charleston Southern at VMI
7:00 PM Samford at Western Carolina
7:00 PM Wright State at Youngstown State
7:00 PM Wagner at Bryant
7:30 PM SIU-Edwardsville at Eastern Kentucky
7:30 PM Troy at Florida International
7:30 PM Lipscomb at Mercer
7:30 PM Eastern Illinois at Morehead State
7:30 PM Florida Gulf Coast at USC Upstate
8:00 PM Milwaukee at Illinois-Chicago
8:00 PM Arkansas State at Western Kentucky (FCS)
8:00 PM Oakland at UMKC
8:00 PM Georgia Southern at Charleston (ESPN3)
8:00 PM IPFW at South Dakota
8:00 PM North Texas at Arkansas-Little Rock
8:00 PM San Jose State at Louisiana Tech
8:00 PM Green Bay at Loyola (IL)
8:00 PM IUPUI at North Dakota State
8:00 PM Western Illinois at South Dakota State
8:30 PM UCLA at Arizona State (FSNAZ.com)
8:30 PM USC at Arizona (FSN AZ)
8:30 PM Middle Tennessee at Louisiana-Monroe
8:30 PM Austin Peay at Tennessee-Martin
8:45 PM Southeast Missouri State at Jacksonville State
9:00 PM Northern Arizona at Montana (Altitude)
9:00 PM Hawaii at New Mexico State (ESPN3)
9:00 PM California at Utah
9:00 PM Siena at Marist (ESPN3)
9:05 PM Eastern Washington at Idaho State
9:05 PM Weber State at Northern Colorado
9:05 PM Houston Baptist at Utah Valley
10:00 PM Seattle at Fresno State
10:00 PM Cal State Fullerton at Pacific
10:00 PM San Diego at Loyola Marymount
10:00 PM Pepperdine at Santa Clara (CSN CA)
10:30 PM Stanford at Colorado (FSN)
10:35 PM Portland State at Sacramento State
11:00 PM BYU at Gonzaga (ESPN2)

Rivers' Shot Caps Duke Rally: Wednesday Recap

Raphielle Johnson — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 06:36:40 -0800

There have been some thrilling comebacks in the history of the Duke/North Carolina rivalry, but surprisingly there haven't been many games that have been decided at the buzzer. Wednesday night's game in Chapel Hill wasn't a case of "down eight with 17 seconds to go" as it was in meetings in 1974 (UNC with the comeback and win) and 1995 (Duke with the comeback but UNC ended up winning), but with the Tar Heels up ten (80-70) with 3:35 remaining one would expect them to win.

But missed free throws and botched possessions late left the door slightly ajar, and the Blue Devils would take advantage as Austin Rivers' three from the right wing as time expired gave Duke the 85-84 win. Rivers was Duke's best offensive player as he scored 29 points, but even with his numbers the many critics were sharpening their knives with the expectation being that North Carolina would close the game out. Rivers and company would prevent that by outscoring UNC 15-4 over the final 3:35, resulting in a three-way tie atop the ACC.

"They made the right plays and we didn't. I mean, it's just that simple," said UNC wing Harrison Barnes, who scored 19 of his 25 points in the second half. "You've got to give credit where credit is due, and they played a great game."

Rivers is the focus on any night for the Blue Devils for the simple fact that he is Duke's most talented perimeter player, and the key for the Blue Devils down the road is that the freshman uses his talent to not only get his points but also get others involved. Ryan Kelly and Seth Curry scored 15 points apiece and Tyler Thornton knocked down a critical three during the final run, displaying a confidence one wouldn't expect from a player who'd gone 0-for-5 from deep to that point in the contest.

Barnes had a bit of a roller coaster game, as he was quiet in the first half only to get rolling in the first ten minutes of the second and then fade into the background down the stretch. Tyler Zeller (23 points, 11 rebounds) played well throughout but will be remembered more for the missed free throws and the fateful switch that resulted in him guarding Rivers on the final sequence, and John Henson (12 points, 17 rebounds) posted a double-double as well. If anything the contest was a mixture of North Carolina not taking care of business and Duke refusing to quit. And with a player like Austin Rivers at your disposal anything is possible.

"Austin was magnificent. We had a play set for a three, a different three, if they hit both free throws," said Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski. "But when they missed the second, we wanted to go to a quick angle and he could either take it to the basket or he shot it, and he shot it and it was all net."

Other Notable Happenings

1. Kansas goes on a 34-6 run spanning both halves to soundly defeat Baylor in Waco.
Jeff Withey proved to be a problem for Baylor in the first meeting between the two teams as he finished two blocked shots short of a triple double, and that was also the case on Wednesday night in Waco. Withey scored 17 of his 25 points in the first half to help Kansas navigate the half despite Thomas Robinson being in foul trouble. The Jayhawks' run reached the point to where they led by 20 points, and they never relinquished control in the 68-54 victory.

Tyshawn Taylor added 19 points and Robinson scored 15 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for Kansas, who is tied with Missouri atop the Big 12 standings. The Jayhawks hit Baylor in the mouth and the Bears didn't respond well at all, with the game getting to the point where it's fair to wonder whether or not Scott Drew's team has the mettle required to make a run in March. The Bears have a great deal of talent but when Perry Jones III accounts for just five points and a player who burned them the first time does so again, it's difficult to expect the Bears to be a national title hopeful at this point.

2. Kris Joseph scores 29 points to lead Syracuse past Georgetown in overtime.
There were people who truly wondered how Georgetown would be able to hang with #2 Syracuse at the Carrier Dome, seeming to forget the fact that the Hoyas had the system and the personnel to give the Orange some trouble. That's exactly what happened as Georgetown grabbed 23 offensive rebounds and out-rebounded to Orange 52-35, making up for their poor shooting. But it wasn't enough to leave with a win at Kris Joseph scored 29 points ot lead Syracuse to the 64-61 win.

Joseph and Fab Melo (11 points, seven rebounds and six blocks) were the only Syracuse players to score in double figures on a night that saw their guards struggle and the other frontcourt players used weren't much better. But that was countered by the struggles of Georgetown's Henry Sims, who shot 1-for-12 from the field in scoring six points, somewhat negating the impact he had as a distributor from the high post. Syracuse had the one player on the floor who didn't seem to have any issues finding good looks in crunch time in Joseph, and that ultimately was the difference on a night that saw them get whipped on the glass.

3. Arkansas leaves the Fayetteville and promptly gets blown out by Georgia.
There's a reason why so many were hesitant to give the Razorbacks that NCAA tournament "stamp of approval" after their win over Vanderbilt. The Hogs entered Wednesday's game at Georgia 0-6 in true road games and it was easy to see why by halftime with the Bulldogs taking a 43-24 lead into the break. Arkansas shot 26.1% from the field in the first half and where soundly whipped on the glass by a count of 25-10 (eight offensive rebounds for the Bulldogs), ending up in a hole that was too big to climb out of in an 81-59 defeat.

Gerald Robinson Jr. went just about wherever he wanted to, finishing with 27 points, six rebounds and five assists, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope chipped in with 18 and five rebounds. Arkansas has shot better than 40% from the field just once in seven road games this season, and that's a big reason why they haven't won on the road. Not sure what the missing spark is for the Razorbacks but they'd better figure out how to get things going away from Bud Walton Arena before it lands them in the NIT.

Quick Hitters

1. David Kyles scored 16 points off the bench and Toure' Murry led four players in double figures with 21 points as Wichita State took sole possession of first place in the MVC with an 82-57 win over Northern Iowa. Gregg Marshall's Shockers have the look of a team that can do some serious damage come March, and a win at Creighton on Saturday would give them a two-game lead.

2. Florida State's offensive execution down the stretch reverted to its pre-seven game win streak form in Chestnut Hill, and the end result was a 64-60 loss to Boston College. Jordan Daniels scored 21 points and dished out five assists to lead the Eagles, who snapped a six-game losing streak. Florida State is now part of a three-way tie for first in the ACC.

3. Cody Ellis scored 20 points and grabbed four rebounds off the bench to lead Saint Louis to a 72-60 win at Saint Joseph's, keeping them tied with Xavier in second place in the Atlantic 10 a game behind Temple (who came back from 15 down to beat George Washington) in the loss column. Rick Majerus has a solid eight-man rotation on which to rely, and he's one of the best in America at putting together a game plan.

4. Two possible conference champions to keep an eye on come March remained undefeated in league play with road wins on Wednesday night. UT Arlington moved to 10-0 in the Southland with a 75-63 win at Sam Houston State and Bucknell took care of Colgate 66-50 to move to 9-0 in the Patriot League. In LaMarcus Reed III (UT Arlington) and Mike Muscala (Bucknell) these two teams feature players currently on the short list for Player of the Year in their respective leagues.

5. Southern Miss did themselves no favors on the road as they fell 71-61 at UAB. The Golden Eagles simply did not have an answer for Cameron Moore, who accounted for 27 points, 12 rebounds and three blocked shots. Southern Miss is now tied with Memphis (7-2) atop the Conference USA standings and UCF (7-3) is just a game back in the loss column due to their win over Marshall.

6. In a matchup of the top two teams in the NEC it was LIU Brooklyn who came out victorious as they beat borough rival St. Francis (NY) 81-71 at Madsion Square Garden. Jamal Olasewere (21 points, 11 rebounds) and Julian Boyd (17 points, 11 rebounds) both posted double-doubles and C.J. Garner scored 19 points to lead the Blackbirds. They play again on Saturday, and a Terrier win could be the only thing that keeps Jim Ferry's squad from winning the regular season title as LIU has already swept second-place Wagner.

7. Form held in the CAA as the top four teams all won, widening the gap between themselves and the rest of the league. In most season that would essentially guarantee the conference cashing in to the tune of multiple NCAA tournament berths, but due to the league's profile and team's non-conference resumes that may not be the case this season. George Mason, VCU and Drezel are all 12-2 in league play while Old Dominion is a game out at 11-3.

8. In two other Big East results worth mentioning, Pittsburgh saw their run of success ended in Tampa as they shot just 34.6% from the field in a 63-51 loss at USF. Hugh Robertson led three Bulls in double figures with 18 points and Ashton Gibbs shot just 2-for-9 from the field and scored four points. And Jordan Theodore scored 24 points to lead Seton Hall past Rutgers 59-54, meaning that the senior will finish his career with a 4-0 mark on the floor of the Pirates' in-state rival.

Three Notable Performances

1. F Cameron Moore (UAB)
27 points, 12 rebounds and three blocked shots in the Blazers' 71-61 win over Southern Miss.

2. F Kris Joseph (Syracuse)
29 points, five rebounds and three steals in the Orange's 64-61 overtime win over Georgetown.

3. G Austin Rivers (Duke)
29 points, five rebounds and two steals and the game-winning three as time expired in the Blue Devils' 85-84 win at North Carolina.

Tuesday Recap: Spartans Lose Green and the Game

Raphielle Johnson — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:18:12 -0800

Tuesday's night matchup between #9 Michigan State and Illinois wasn't a pretty affair, as neither team could establish much of a rhythm on the offensive end of the floor. Whether it was due to good defense or just an inability to make shots on a consistent basis, neither the Spartans nor the Fighting Illini had much succes on that end of the floor. But when it's all said and done what matters is the result, which was a 42-41 Illinois victory as Brandon Paul made two free throws with 45 seconds remaining.

Paul finished with a game-high 18 points, and while he didn't shoot well from the field (6-for-17) the junior guard would be the closest thing to "scalding hot" that this contest would deliver. Freshman forward Branden Dawson led the way for Michigan State with 12 points and 13 rebounds, but their biggest loss came late in the second half as senior forward (and team leader) Draymond Green went down with a knee injury. There's been no word on the severity of the injury (that will likely come sometime on Wednesday), but a loss that simply prevented the Spartans from moving into a first-place tie in the Big Ten could become a lot more painful if he's ruled out for an extended period.

Before the injury Green's night was a microcosm of the contest as a whole, as frustration led to a poor performance highlighted by a technical foul that was also his third personal in the first half. Green finished with five points (1-6 FG), eight rebounds and five turnovers while Keith Appling wasn't much better with four points (1-11 FG), two assists and five turnovers. Even with Illinois struggling as they were offensively and Michigan State grabbing 23 offensive rebounds, it's extremely difficult to win anywhere (much less on the road) when your two best players have poor nights.

"I didn't think we handled adversity very well at all," remarked Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo after the game. "My two best players had their worst games." (quote credit: Associated Press)

Illinois now has two wins over teams ranked in the Top 10 this season as they beat Ohio State in Champaign on January 10th, but while that's a good stat to claim it also has to make one wonder why the Illini can't carry their play over. Following that win the Illini dropped three straight, including road losses at Penn State and Minnesota. Bruce Weber's team is clearly talented enough to beat many teams both within the Big Ten and nationally, yet for some reason this group doesn't seem to deal well with prosperity.

Next up is Northwestern at home before trips to Indiana and Michigan, and while Tuesday's win showed that Illinois can gut out a victory on a night where things aren't going their way more will be learned about this group based on how they navigate this stretch of games.

Other Notable Happenings

1. Jae Crowder leads Marquette past Seton Hall, handing the Pirates their fifth straight loss.
Remember when Seton Hall was one of the country's biggest turnaround stories and looked poised to earn their first NCAA tournament berth since 2006? Well, the Pirates dropped their fifth straight game on Tuesday night and look more likely to end up in the NIT at this point. With Davante Gardner sidelined due to a sprained knee #18 Marquette did what they've tended to do during Buzz Williams' tenure in Milwaukee, and that's find a way to win tough ball games. Jae Crowder led the Golden Eagles to the 66-59 win with 20 points and 12 rebounds while Vander Blue (16 points, eight rebounds) and Darius Johnson-Odom (14 points, seven assists, five rebounds) also scored in double figures.

One of the major issues for Kevin Willard's team during this skid has been the productivity of senior point guard Jordan Theodore. Theodore shot 3-for-14 from the field last night, scoring seven points while dishing out seven assists. On a team that lacks consistent scoring punch behind he, Herb Pope (16 points, seven rebounds) and Fuquan Edwin (13 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals), Theodore can ill-afford to have nights like that. Theodore's shot 26.7% from the field in Seton Hall's last five games and while it would be unfair to place the losing streak on his shoulders alone, Seton Hall needs their senior leader to step up and soon. Their NCAA hopes may very well depend on how quickly he can get going.

2. Royce White's jumper with less than two seconds remaining caps Iowa State's comeback win.
With 14:27 remaining Kansas State led 53-39 and had the look of a team that was well on its way to a good win at Iowa State. But whether it was "Hilton Magic" or the fact that the Wildcats simply failed to execute down the stretch, it was the Cyclones who emerged victorious as Royce White scored the winning points in the 72-70 result. White (22 points, eight rebounds) was able to use a ball screen to work his way to the right side of the lane, and an up fake gave the Minnesota transfer enough room to get off a clean look that fell with 1.8 seconds remaining. Thomas Gipson led four K-State players in double figures with 13 points but that wasn't enough as the Wildcats fell despite shooting 58.3% from beyond the arc and grabbing 12 offensive rebounds.

Offensive rebounding was essentially the difference in the first half as Kansas State grabbed seven, converting them into nine second-chance points. Iowa State did a better job of keeping the Wildcats off the glass in the second half, limiting the Wildcats to five offensive boards while grabbing eight of their own. There were questions as to how Fred Hoiberg's team would bond given the fact that so many were transfers but these last two games are evidence that the Cyclones have established good chemistry, and they'll be a factor in the Big 12 the rest of the way.

3. Arkansas moves to 16-0 at home with an 82-74 win over Vanderbilt.
Mike Anderson's Razorbacks didn't shoot the ball well in the first half, making just 37.5% of their shots from the field. But the fact that they trailed #25 Vanderbilt by just two points (34-32) at the break had to have been an encouraging sign for the Hogs, whose problem was making shots as opposed to finding the looks they wanted. That changed in the second half as Arkansas scored 50 points, shooting 55.2% from the field, on their way to the 82-74 win. Rickey Scott led five Arkansas players in double figures with 18 points and Julysses Nobles added 17 for a team that's now 16-0 at Bud Walton Arena. John Jenkins (19 points, five rebounds) and Jeffery Taylor (18 and six rebounds) led the way for the Commodores, who did themselves no favors by shooting 6-for-21 from three.

So the question regarding Arkansas at this point has to be what are their chances of getting to the Big Dance. But with an overall record of 16-6 it's pretty clear that the focus at this point has to be winning some key games away from Fayetteville. NCAA tournament games are played on neutral floors but a team's success away from home is usually one of the factors that the selection committee values when filling out the field. That's what makes their games at LSU and Georgia that much more important despite the caliber of those teams (Arkansas doesn't have a quality road win opportunity left on their schedule outside of a trip to Mississippi State). If Mike Anderson's young team can take care of business away from home they can exceed the preseason expectations, but at the least their win on Tuesday is a good result to take to Baton Rouge.

Quick Hitters

1. Wisconsin didn't get off to the best of starts at Penn State, shooting 26.9% from the field and trailing 23-17 at the half. But Jordan Taylor (18 points, five assists) and company were able to rebound in the final 20 minutes, winning 52-46. The Badgers, who host Ohio State on Saturday, have won six straight games after starting Big Ten play 1-3.

2. Clemson fought hard despite the absence of forward Milton Jennings (academic suspension) but they fell just short in losing 65-61 at Virginia. The Cavaliers shot 63.2% from the field in the second half (efficiency: 140.3) and Mike Scott led the way with 23 points and ten rebounds.

3. Top-ranked Kentucky did allow 13 offensive rebounds in their 69-44 win over Tennessee, but that shouldn't overshadow how good the Wildcats were defensively. Tennessee shot just 28.1% from the field and 9-for-39 on two-point shots (23%). Having the likes of Anthony Davis (18 points, eight rebounds and seven blocks), Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (16 points, eight rebounds) and Terrence Jones (11 points, six rebounds) up front will have that kind of effect on teams.

4. North Carolina didn't play particularly well in Winston-Salem but they still beat Wake Forest 68-53. Is that a sign of how talented the Tar Heels are, or is it a sign of just how far Jeff Bzdelik's program has to go before they can be a consistently competitive team in the ACC? It's unfortunate for the Demon Deacons because in guard C.J. Harris they've got one of the better players in the league (Travis McKie can also play but he was kept in check by UNC), but due to their struggles he doesn't always receive the credit that he should.

5. New Mexico had no trouble with Air Force as they jumped out to a 40-19 halftime lead on their way to an 81-42 win in Colorado Springs. The Falcons, who took UNLV to overtime on Saturday night, had no such fortune against the Lobos as they shot 25.9% in the first half and 29.4% for the game. Drew Gordon and Kendall Williams scored 13 apiece to lead UNM, and two other Lobos finished with 11.

6. Washington State received the news many feared when guard Faisal Aden went down late in the first half of their loss at Arizona on Thursday night, with his season coming to an end due to a torn ACL. Aden averaged 14.5 points and 3.1 rebounds per game for the Cougars, who will now likely give even more opportunities on the offensive end to freshman DaVonte Lacy.

Three Notable Performances

1. G Markel Brown (Oklahoma State)
Brown led the Cowboys to an 80-63 win over Texas Tech by scoring 30 points and grabbing seven rebounds.

2. G Kendrick Perry (Youngstown State)
Scored 30 points and dished out four assists in the Penguins' 73-65 win at Milwaukee.

3. F Tyler Zeller (North Carolina)
18 points, 18 rebounds and three blocked shots in North Carolina's 68-53 win at Wake Forest.

Illinois vs. #10 Michigan State: Tuesday's Preview

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:27:38 -0800

One of the season's bigger mysteries in the Big Ten has been figuring out which Illinois (15-6, 4-4) team would show up on any given night. A big reason for that is their inconsistent nature on the offensive end of the floor, as the Illini go through bouts with poor shot selection that's gotten them in trouble at times. Despite being at home they can ill-afford to go through such issues against #10 Michigan State (17-4, 6-2), who looks every bit the Big Ten title contender few expected them to be back in October.

Tom Izzo's team could be short-handed however as freshman guard Travis Trice is dealing with a groin injury and was deemed questionable on Monday. Not having him would limit the Spartans' backcourt depth but the progression of guards Keith Appling and Brandon Wood have played a major role in Michigan State's growth as a team. Appling (12.3 ppg, 4.0 apg) has done a better job of taking care of the basketball while also being the team's second-leading scorer, and Wood (9.2 ppg, 2.3 apg) has improved as well.

Illinois' perimeter rotation is in for a challenge, especially juniors Brandon Paul and D.J. Richardson. Paul (14.6 ppg, 5.0 rpg) leads the team in scoring and does have that scintillating 43-point performance against Ohio State to his credit, but the efficiency numbers tend to show that him firing away at will is a bad thing for the Illini more times than not. Richardson's been inconsistent of late as he's reached double figures in just two of Illinois' last six games (33.3% FG in those games). That can't happen against a Michigan State defense that's allowing opponents to shoot 38% from the field, a number that ranks second in the Big Ten.

Also of note for Illinois are senior point guard Sam Maniscalco and freshman Joseph Bertrand, with Maniscalco recently returning from an ankle injury (still not 100%) and Bertrand averaging 8.8 points per game since his 25-point outing against Nebraska on January 7th. The play in the paint will be just as important, with Michigan State being led by one of the frontrunners for Big Ten Player of the Year and Illinois calling on a seven-footer who's likely the league's most improved player. Draymond Green (15.3 ppg, 10.3 rpg, 3.7 apg) does just about everything for the Spartans, and his comfort both inside and out makes him a very tough matchup.

Meyers Leonard (13.4 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 2.0 bpg) has stepped up for Bruce Weber's team, giving them a more consistent option inside than their two departed seniors did last season. But he's got to become more assertive on the offensive end of the floor, as this could end up helping the Illini avoid some of the bad perimeter shots they take. Michigan State's deeper inside as they can call on Adriean Payne, Derrick Nix and Branden Dawson, and it isn't out of the realm of possibility that multiple players are given the responsibility of guarding Leonard.

Those big men for Michigan State are one reason why they're so good on the glass, out-rebounding their opponents by 9.5 rebounds per game and boasting an offensive rebounding percentage of 38.8%. Illinois has done a good job of taking care of their defensive glass and they'll need to continue that in front of the home folks if they're to win. But shot selection, especially for Paul and Appling, will go a long way in determining the outcome as well.

Also of note is Seton Hall's trip to Milwaukee, where the slumping Pirates will look to boost their profile and pick up a much-needed win against #18 Marquette. There weren't many people outside of the Marquette fan base who thought that Buzz Williams' team would be 7-2 at the halfway point in the Big East, especially with the loss of center Chris Otule, but the Golden Eagles have stepped up.

Darius Johnson-Odom and Jae Crowder have been the two biggest reasons but the play of forward Davante Gardner has been just as important. Seton Hall needs seniors Jordan Theodore and Herb Pope to get back to playing as they did earlier this month, and their NCAA hopes could hinge on how quickly that turnaround occurs.

Kansas State's trip to Ames has become a little more important for the Wildcats due to their loss to Oklahoma over the weekend, and while Iowa State is coming off of a win over Kansas Fred Hoiberg's team can use all the quality wins they can get. Royce White has been one of the best players in the Big 12 this season, and slowing him down will be a tough task for a K-State team whose front court players outside of Jamar Samuels are far more comfortable in the paint.

Can Will Spradling and Rodney McGruder perform well enough to push Kansas State to a win on the road? Clemson, who will be without Milton Jennings due to suspension (unresolved academic issue), visits Virginia and Vanderbilt visits Arkansas in two other intriguing match ups. And in the nightcap New Mexico had better be careful at Air Force as the Falcons nearly knocked off UNLV in overtime on Saturday.

Top 25 Games
7:00 PM Tennessee at (1) Kentucky (ESPNU)
9:00 PM (6) North Carolina at Wake Forest (ESPNU)
7:00 PM (10) Michigan State at Illinois (ESPN)
8:00 PM Seton Hall at (15) Marquette (ESPN3)
7:00 PM Clemson at (18) Virginia (ESPN2)
8:00 PM (20) Wisconsin at Penn State (BTN)

NCAA Division I Games
7:00 PM Trinity Baptist at Savannah State
7:07 PM Kent State at Central Michigan (ESPN3)
8:00 PM Youngstown State at Milwaukee
8:00 PM Southern Illinois at Northern Iowa (ESPN3)
8:00 PM Oklahoma State at Texas Tech (ESPN3)
9:00 PM Vanderbilt at Arkansas (ESPN)
9:00 PM Kansas State at Iowa State (ESPN3)
10:00 PM New Mexico at Air Force (The Mtn.)

Syracuse Suffers First Loss of the Season: Saturday's Recap

Raphielle Johnson — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 06:27:54 -0800

With the announcement that starting center Fab Melo would miss Saturday's game due to an unresolved academic issue, the chances that top-ranked Syracuse would remain undefeated took a hit. But few would have thought that the Orange would have few (if any) answers in the paint as a result of his absence, and that's exactly what happened at Purcell Pavilion. Jack Cooley scored 17 points and grabbed ten rebounds and Notre Dame led by as many as 18 points on their way to the 67-58 win, the eighth in school history over a top-ranked opponent.

The biggest problem for Syracuse was their lack of rebounding, as Notre Dame out-rebounded the Orange 38-25 on the night. Syracuse on the season has allowed opponents to rebound 38% of their misses and while Notre Dame didn't reach that number, finishing with an offensive rebound percentage of 34.6%, it was enough to punish the Melo-less Orange. C.J. Fair moved into the starting lineup and was largely ineffective for the Orange, finishing with six points and four rebounds as the Irish took advantage of Syracuse's lack of interior muscle.

"The problem was that when they did that we did not get the rebounds," said Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim. "Probably six times we had a good defensive possession and Notre Dame put a shot up at the end of the shot clock and we did not get the rebound. If you give them a long possession and then they miss and they get the rebound, it is just not a good thing."

Notre Dame established their biggest lead of the game late in the first half on an Alex Dragevich three-pointer with 1:28 remaining, and the bonus shot was one of the themes of the half. The Irish made six of their ten shots from behind the arc and Syracuse received underwhelming performances from their starters (reserves scored 15 of their 23 first half points), establishing a distance the Orange were unable to overcome. The second half was where the rebounding came into play as Notre Dame made just two of six from deep, and three other players finished with at least six rebounds to go along with Cooley's ten.

Notre Dame finished the night with just seven second-chance points but it was those extra possessions that proved costly for the visitors in what turned out to be just a 61-possession game. The focus for the Orange now is how they go about fixing the rebounding issue without Melo heading into their game at Cincinnati, but it's been an issue well before his absence. Whatever happens with Melo, if the Orange can't do a better job of taking care of the defensive glass they'll be asking for more trouble down the road.

Other Notable Happenings

1. Michael Snaer's shot at the buzzer pushes Florida State past Duke at Cameron.
It's been an excellent week for Leonard Hamilton's Seminoles, who at this stage are not only a contender to win the ACC but also a logical choice in the "best team in the ACC" discussion. Simply put, Florida State has come a long way since opening conference play with a 20-point loss at Clemson. Florida State went toe-to-toe with Duke on Saturday at Cameron, ultimately winning 76-73 on a three-pointer from Michael Snaer as time expired. But Snaer shouldn't be the only one who receives credit for the final play. Luke Loucks remained under control in that final sequence, having the presence to find the open Snear as Andre Dawkins was too hasty in his help defense. Most players would have forced up a challenged shot but Loucks' composure made the shot possible.

FSU ultimately won the game from inside of the three-point arc despite Duke making ten of their twenty-three attempts from deep, shooting 55.5% from two while Duke made 37.5% of their shots from two. Bernard James (12 points, eight rebounds) and Xavier Gibson (16 points (7-8 FT), five rebounds and three blocks) outplayed the Plumlee brothers inside (combined 13 points and 14 rebounds) for a decent portion of the contest, and Seth Curry socred 12 points but shot 4-for-16 from the field for the Blue Devils. Florida State's offensive efficiency, which has been much improved over the last three games, made up for allowing Duke to grab 14 offensive rebounds and should be seen as a sign that they're figuring things out. ACC title contender? Definitely.

2. Missouri more than holds their own on the glass and wins at Baylor as a result.
Despite the final margin (89-88) it would be safe to say that Frank Haith's Tigers were more impressive than the final margin would indicate. The undersized Tigers out-rebounded Baylor 32-26 and finished the game with an offensive rebounding percentage of 48.3%, further highlighting Baylor's problems on the boards. Toughness could be cited as a reason why, but it shouldn't be at the expense of attention to detail. With the number of tall athletes that Scott Drew's team has the players on the floor seem to be more of the "outjump opponents for the ball" mindset when it comes to rebounding instead of boxing out, and Missouri made them pay on many occasions on Saturday afternoon.

Six of Ricardo Ratliffe's eight rebounds were of the offensive variety, and the national leader in field goal percentage finished the game with 27 points on 11-for-14 shooting. Baylor improved on the glass some in the second half as they allowed just four second-chance points and out-rebounded the Tigers 15-11 but the damage was done. Quincy Miller scored a game-high 29 points and Pierre Jackson added 20 to go along with 15 assists, but the last two games have shown that the Bears have a lot of work to do on the glass if they're to not only contend for the Big 12 crown but also have a shot at getting to the Final Four. As for the Tigers, Saturday's win should be taken as a sign that it's time to stop focusing on what they don't have but rather on what they do.

3. Arkansas and Tennessee pick up some solid non-conference wins for the SEC.
Not a big fan of the "best conference" but with the majority of the discussion centering on the Big Ten and Big 12 to this point in the season, the SEC may have been ignored some. That was before Saturday, as home wins for both Arkansas and Tennessee show that the league is deeper than many believe. The Razorbacks led by as many as 20 points at Bud Walton Arena before holding on to beat #20 Michigan 66-64. B.J. Young and Hunter Mickelson combined to score 26 points off the bench for the Hogs, who benefitted from the Wolverines shooting just 8-for-28 from beyond the arc. Arkansas is now 14-5 (2-2 SEC) on the season, and it may be time to wonder if Mike Anderson's young team has enough to reach the NCAA Tournament. This win will help their resume.

As for Tennessee, the Volunteers are beginning to play with the same toughness that their head coach displayed as a player at Purdue. Cuonzo Martin's team was the tougher of the two on the floor at Thompson-Boling Arena on Saturday afternoon and freshman forward Jarnell Stokes outplayed both Alex Oriakhi and Andre Drummond in the 60-57 win over #13 Connecticut. Stokes, playing in just his third collegiate game, finished with 16 points and 12 rebounds in his first start and Cameron Tatum added 15 points. UConn was without the services of Ryan Boatright but that's no excuse for zero bench points or the three starters outside of Shabazz Napier and Jeremy Lamb (combined 41 points) scoring just 16. When shots aren't falling for either team toughness more times than not reigns supreme, and that's why Tennessee ended up with the win.

4. UNLV's depth the difference in their impressive win over New Mexico.
Dave Rice pledged to put the running back in the Runnin' Rebels program when he was hired in the offseason, and while that's happened what makes UNLV even tougher for opponents to defend is their depth. In their 80-63 win over preseason Mountain West favorite New Mexico, UNLV outscored the Lobos 26-0 in fast break points and 28-9 in bench points in what was an outstanding performance in front of the frenzied crowd at Thomas and Mack Center. Carlos Lopez (14 points) and Justin Hawkins (ten points) scored 24 of those bench points and three starter finished in double figures as well for UNLV, who remain a game behind first-place San Diego State with the win.

A couple of notable stat lines for New Mexico underline the difference on Saturday night. Point guard Hugh Greenwood, who has been dealing with a sprained ankle, finished without a point and key reserve Phillip McDonald shot 2-for-7 from the field (five points) one game after scoring 20 in their loss to SDSU. New Mexico also didn't do themselves any favors with 21 turnovers, which led to 32 UNLV points. So after the first "rotation" of the three contenders in the Mountain West it's safe to say that the pecking order is San Diego State, UNLV and then a decent gap between the Runnin' Rebels and New Mexico. But if UNLV can play the way they did on Saturday night, it wouldn't be a surprise if they finished the season on top.

5. LIU Brooklyn wins at Wagner, further establishing themselves as the team to beat in the NEC.
In what may have been the most anticipated game of the season in the Northeast Conference to date it was three-point accuracy that lifted Jim Ferry's Blackbirds past Wagner on Staten Island. LIU Brooklyn, who many believe to have the best frontcourt in the NEC, made up for allowing 17 offensive rebounds by making six of ten shots from beyond the arc with Jason Brickman making all three of his attempts and scoring 17 points. Julian Boyd led the way for LIU Brooklyn with 19 points and 15 rebounds on the night and Jamal Olasewere added 18 for the visitors, who are now two games ahead of the competition with an 8-0 league record.

Latif Rivers led four Seahawks in double figures with 17 points but as a team Wagner made just four of nineteen shots from beyond the arc. In a 69-possession game that proved to be the difference in spite of 17 second-chance points. The win also earned LIU Brooklyn a sweep of the season series (78-73 win on December 1st being the first), which could prove vital in the case of a tiebreaker. LIU Brooklyn is a middle of the pack rebounding team when looking at percentages so that will need to improve if they're to get back to the NCAA Tournament, but if they can continue to shoot as they have (2nd in the NEC in three-point percentage) it's going to be tough to dethrone the NEC's best offense.

Quick Hitters

1. Mississippi State picked up a good road victory, beating Vanderbilt 78-77 in overtime in Nashville. Arnett Moultrie scored 21 points and grabbed 14 rebounds and Dee Bost scored 24 for the Bulldogs, who moved to within a game of the second-place Commodores with the win.

2. The presence of "College Gameday" provided a spark for Pittsburgh and their fans but it didn't bring a win as Louisville won 73-62 to drop the Panthers to 0-7 in the Big East. Tray Woodall wasn't as effective as Pitt would have hoped but the bigger issue was their defense. Louisville shot 55.3% from the field and received a boost in the form of Kyle Kuric's return.

3. As a result of their 87-72 win over rival Xavier, Dayton moved to 4-1 in the Atlantic 10. Kevin Dillard (16 points, eight assists) and Matt Kavanaugh (20 points) led the way for the Flyers, who are now in sole possession of first place in the A-10.

4. Torrey Craig's putback just before time expired gave USC Upstate a 79-78 win over Belmont and made the Atlantic Sun race a lot more interesting than many outsiders expected it to be. Craig finished with 22 points and six rebounds for the Spartans, who are now one of three teams that sit a game behind the Bruins and Mercer atop the A-Sun.

5. Cincinnati had a chance to pull into a tie for first place in the loss column in the Big East ahead of their game against Syracuse on Monday night, but it wasn't meant to be as West Virginia won 77-74 in Morgantown. Kevin Jones posted another double-double with 26 points and 13 rebounds and Gary Browne's three late in regulation sent the game into overtime.

6. E.J. Singler went 16-for-17 from the foul line and scored a career-high 26 points (and seven rebounds) as Oregon came back from a 13-point halftime deficit to beat UCLA 75-68 in Eugene to move to 6-2 in the Pac-12. The Ducks are one of four teams tied in the loss column atop the league standings, with Cal being the other team sitting at 6-2 (Colorado and Washington are 5-2).

7. Tony Mitchell's putback as time expired in overtime gave North Texas a 75-74 win over Denver, moving the Mean Green into a tie for first place in the West Division of the Sun Belt with both the Pioneers and UALR. Mitchell, a transfer from Missouri, scored 30 points and grabbed 17 rebounds while Roger Williams added 18 and ten boards.

8. The Big West showdown between Long Beach State and UCSB proved to be anything but as Dan Monson's 49ers took over at the Thunderdome, leaving with a 71-48 victory. The Beach, who is now 7-0 in league play, had four starters in double figures with Larry Anderson (19 points) and T.J. Robinson (11 points, 11 rebounds) being two of the leaders.

Five Notable Performances

1. F Leonard Washington (Wyoming)
32 points and 14 rebounds in the Cowboys' 70-51 win over Colorado State.

2. F Tony Mitchell (North Texas)
30 points and 17 rebounds in the Mean Green's 75-74 overtime win over Denver.

3. G Darren White (Campbell)
22 points, 16 rebounds and eight assists in the Camels' 80-73 win over VMI.

4. G Velton Jones (Robert Morris)
35 points, six assists and three steals in the Colonials' 81-73 win at Monmouth.

5. G Langston Galloway (Saint Joseph's)
32 points, six rebounds, two assists and two blocks in the Hawks' 84-80 loss to Pennsylvania.

#2 Kentucky vs Arkansas: Prediction

Greg Mengelt — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 10:45:18 -0800

ARKANSAS (13-4, 2-1 SEC) AT No. 2 KENTUCKY (17-1, 3-0 SEC)

Time/TV: 9 p.m./ESPN

Location: Rupp Arena

RPI Ratings: Arkansas 74 (No. 8 SEC); Kentucky 9 (No. 1 SEC).

Line: Kentucky -18.5 (Total: 143)

Arkansas Players to Watch: G B.J. Young, 6-3 Fr. (15 ppg, 3 rpg, 52.2% FG); G Julysses Nobles, 6-1 Jr. (9.4 ppg, 4 rpg, 3.6 apg); F Hunter Mickelson, 6-10 Fr. (4.6 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 2.8 bpg). Despite being just a freshman and playing just 16.6 minutes per game, Mickelson has proven to be a natural defensive talent. He’s averaging a blocked shot nearly every five minutes and has at least one in every game in his career.

Kentucky Players to Watch: F Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, 6-7 Fr. (13.4 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 49.4% FG); F Anthony Davis, 6-10 Fr. (13.1 ppg, 10.2 rpg, 4.6 bpg); F Terrence Jones, 6-9 So. (11.7 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 47.9% FG). Kidd-Gilchrist recorded his third career double-double with 17 points and 12 rebounds in Saturday’s 65-62 road win over Tennessee.

Storylines: Kentucky has won 10 straight games since its lone loss at Indiana and is tied atop the SEC with Vanderbilt at 3-0. Arkansas has been a bit of a surprise, especially without Marshawn Powell, at 12-4 overall and 2-1 in the SEC.

Keys: Kentucky is 44-0 at home under John Calipari. … Expect a lot of points in this one. Kentucky is averaging 79.3 points per game, while the Razorbacks score 76.9 per night. The Wildcats will love to try to match Arkansas’ fast-paced style. … Just about Arkansas’ only hope is that it can force freshman point guard Marquise Teague into a turnover machine. Teague is averaging over three turnovers per game, while the Razorbacks force 18.4 turnovers per outing. … Arkansas is a poor free throw shooting team at 69 percent. In their last two games, the Razorbacks are 25-of-45 from the charity stripe. … Arkansas has one of the deeper teams in the SEC. Mike Anderson’s squad has 10 players who play at least 16 minutes per game. Kentucky, on the other hand, has just six players who play 16 minutes or more. … Arkansas won the last meeting against Kentucky, 77-76 in overtime in Fayetteville last season, but the Razorbacks have lost eight straight at Rupp Arena. … Both teams are very young. Kentucky’s youth is obvious. Arkansas has three very talented freshmen in its rotations in Young, Mickelson and Devonta Abron. … Davis could wrack up the blocked shots in the game. He’s averaging 4.6 per game and the Razorbacks allow opponents to block 4.1 per contest.

The Bottom Line: Kentucky’s at home and Arkansas’ style plays right into its hands. This one will be over early.

The Pick: Kentucky 84, Arkansas 65.