Auburn

Thursday First Round Predictions: ACC, Big Ten, SEC

Greg Mengelt — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 11:02:27 -0500

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

Cheerleader Of The Day: Auburn

Shawn Siegel — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 10:34:29 -0500

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
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Sunday Recap: Kansas State Controls Title Game Throughout

Raphielle Johnson — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 00:59:42 -0500

The question leading into the title game of the Diamond Head Classic was how would Kansas State deal with Long Beach State guard Casper Ware. But by the end of the game it was obvious that the better question to ask was how the senior would navigate the Wildcats' tough perimeter defense. Thanks in large part to Will Spradling and Martavious Irving the Wildcats harassed Ware in to a 5-for-18 night from the field, and they took control of the game at both ends on their way to a 77-60 win in Honolulu. Rodney McGruder led the way offensively with 28 points and six rebounds, and he was named tournament MVP as a result of his play all weekend.

As a team the 49ers shot just 36.8% from the field and 6-for-19 from beyond the arc, and while they did manage to grab 17 offensive rebounds it wasn't enough to overcome the K-State attack. Ware and Larry Anderson scored 17 points apiece for the 49ers but no other player would score more than eight on the night for them. In addition to McGruder's performance Spradling scored 17 points and Jamar Samuels added 11 to go along with eight rebounds, four assists and two blocked shots. Kansas State out-rebounded Long Beach State 39-32 and outscored the 49ers 48-38 in the paint, making 54% of their two-point shots.

Long Beach State by comparison made just 39% of their two-point shots, and when adding to that a minus-8 in points from the foul line (20-12; LBSU shot 12-for-21) there's no mystery as to why they were unable to make a comeback. Kansas State led by as many as 18 points in the second half of a game they never trailed, and it's time to start thinking of Frank Martin's club as a serious contender in the Big 12. They've got the bodies up front, with Samuels, Thomas Gipson and Jordan Henriquez-Roberts, and the perimeter depth is there as well. Baylor, Missouri and Kansas are the names that have received the headlines early, but K-State isn't far behind.

As for Long Beach State, while a win on Sunday would have been another solid boost for a non-conference schedule that is the toughest in America they essentially did what they had to do. In beating Xavier they landed a second win over a Top 15 (at the time) team, and their win over Auburn meant avoiding the possibility of having a "bad loss" take away from their resume. In Big West play they're not going to encounter a team like Kansas State, so while UCSB will once again provided a stiff challenge and Cal Poly's been a surprise the 49ers should be fine. They simply ran into a team that was able to put their stamp on the game early and determine the "rules of engagement" throughout.

Other Notable Happenings

1. Xavier beats Southern Illinois to end their three-game losing streak.
Falling to host Hawaii on Friday was tough enough for the Musketeers, who lost their third straight game for the first time in Chris Mack's tenure as head coach. But the situation would have been nothing compared to what could have been had they left the islands 0-3. Tu Holloway and Mark Lyons combined to score 38 points (Holloway dished out seven assists while Lyons grabbed ten rebounds) as the Musketeers beat Southern Illinois 87-77 in the seventh place game. Dantiel Daniels led four Salukis in double figures with 22 points but SIU shot just 40% from the field. So how did they score 77 points? Xavier couldn't keep them off the glass, as Southern Illinois grabbed 19 offensive rebounds on the afternoon.

But Xavier got to the foul line early and often, making 36 of their 48 attempts to take advantage of a 28-16 foul count. In addition to Lyons forward Andre Walker (13 points, 10 rebounds) recorded the first double-double of his career, and it couldn't have come at a better time for a team in desperate need of a win. Will this result allow Xavier to regain the confidence lost in the aftermath of the Cincinnati game? They get Dezmine Wells back so that will definitely help, and they've got a little time before Atlantic 10 play begins to regain the chemistry. This is not a team anyone will line up to face anytime soon.

2. UTEP makes the plays late to pull away from Auburn for third place.
Many picked Tim Floyd's team, which features nine players in their first season on the floor for the program, to finish in the bottom three of Conference USA. Either C-USA is a much-tougher conference than it's given credit for or people were wrong about the Miners, because in going 2-1 at the Diamond Head Classic that did not look like a team that would finish 10th-12th in the league. John Bohannon played his best game of the tournament in the Miners' 83-76 win over Auburn, finishing with 20 points and nine rebounds, and guard Michael Perez added 18 points and a couple of daggers late to seal the deal.

Five UTEP players reached double figures while Tim Floyd's move to a box-and-1 on Frankie Sullivan took the Auburn star out of the flow of the offense in the second half. Kenny Gabriel stepped up with 24 points, eight rebounds and four assists but that wasn't enough to make up for Sullivan scoring seven points on 2-for-5 shooting from the field. UTEP isn't particularly deep as they used just seven players and the inexperience has been documented. But when considering players like Bohannon and Perez, who are getting used to bigger roles, and a transfer in Jacques Streeter who's run a team at this level before (Cal-State Fullerton) maybe they can surprise some folks in Conference USA.

3. Zane Johnson's shooting sparks Hawaii's win over Clemson.
While most visitors to the islands leave with memories they'll never forget, the same may not be said for the Clemson Tigers in terms of their on-court experience. Milton Jennings was suspended for Sunday's fifth-place game against Hawaii due to conduct detrimental to the team for his behavior in a timeout in Friday's win over SIU, but it might not have mattered if he were on the floor Sunday. Zane Johnson made six of his twelve three-point attempts in scoring a game-high 27 points and the Warriors made 16 of 19 free throws in their 75-68 victory.

Vander Joaquim added 14 points and 10 rebounds while Hauns Brereton chipped in with 10 points off the bench. Clemson simple couldn't shoot well enough from inside of the arc, making 18 of 48 shots from two on the afternoon. Gib Arnold's team winning two of three games is a good boost for them as they approach WAC play, where many expect them to slot into the middle of the pack. As for Clemson, they picked up a win but it wasn't pretty. If Jennings and Devin Booker can't provide consistent help for Tanner Smith and Andre Young it could be a long season in the ACC despite the wide-open nature of the league outside of the top two.

Three Notable Performances

1. G Rodney McGruder (Kansas State)
28 points and six rebounds in the Wildcats' 77-60 win over Long Beach State.

2. G Zane Johnson (Hawaii)
27 points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals in the Warriors' 75-68 win over Clemson.

3. C John Bohannon (UTEP)
20 points (6-9 FG, 8-9 FT), nine rebounds, three assists and two steals in the Miners' 83-76 win over Auburn.

Diamond Head Classic All-Tournament Team

G Rodney McGruder (Kansas State) - MVP
G Zane Johnson (Hawaii)
G Michael Perez (UTEP)
G Larry Anderson (Long Beach State)
F Jamar Samuels (Kansas State)

Sunday Preview: Long Beach State vs. Kansas State

Raphielle Johnson — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 12:31:25 -0500

Happy Holidays to you all. Before getting into a preview of today's action, here are two stories here and here that you all will enjoy (h/t to Jameson Fleming of CBSSports.com and College Hoops Journal).

The only games being played on Christmas Day are out in Hawaii, with the Diamond Head Classic wrapping up. The title game matches Long Beach State (7-5), who has played one of the toughest schedules in the country to date, and a Kansas State (9-1) team that's been better than some expected. After beating Xavier in the first round the 49ers took care of business against Auburn in a matchup that would have done more harm in a loss than good in a win from a resume standpoint. As for Kansas State, they've beaten both Southern Illinois and UTEP in games they were expected to win, with the latter offering up more of a challenge than many anticipated going into the event.

The question for the Wildcats is how they go about defending Long Beach State point guard Casper Ware (16.7 ppg, 3.8 apg), who runs the show for the 49ers while also being asked to lead the team in scoring. Ware's shooting percentages aren't all that impressive, but that's got more to do with the number of shots Dan Monson has him take in their offense than shot selection. A key factor for the 49ers, both this weekend and in Big West play, will be freshman Michael Caffey. Caffey played very well in their win over Xavier, and his emergence off the bench will both keep Ware fresh and allow the senior to do more work off the ball when paired together with Caffey.

Kansas State has also had a reserve emerge while in Hawaii, as freshman Angel Rodriguez (7.7 ppg, 2.6 apg) has averaged 16.5 points per game in the tournament. Rodriguez made 10 of 16 shots from the field in the two wins, by far his best performance this season. If he can keep this up the freshman will be a nice addition to starters Will Spradling (11.2 ppg, 2.9 apg) and Rodney McGruder (10.6 ppg, 5.1 rpg) not to mention fellow reserve Shane Southwell. Long Beach State overall has more firepower on the perimeter however, with senior Larry Anderson (14.9 ppg, 4.6 rpg) and junior James Ennis (9.5 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 2.8 apg) also being key cogs in their attack.

The battle up front will be interesting to watch, with the Wildcats being the bigger of the two teams. But that doesn't mean that life will be easy for them, as the experienced T.J. Robinson (12.3 ppg, 10.0 rpg) and Eugene Phelps (9.3 ppg, 6.0 rpg) anchoring things for the 49ers. Long Beach State can also bring Edis Dervisevic off the bench, and this is something they may have to do against the K-State attack. Jamar Samuels (12.1 ppg, 7.0 rpg) leads the way for Kansas State while freshman Thomas Gipson (11.2 ppg, 7.1 rpg) has the build of a player far more experienced than he actually is.

There's also junior Jordan Henriquez-Roberts, who has progressed a great deal in his two-plus seasons in Manhattan. He'll be a key figure for the Wildcats going forward into Big 12 play, as they'll encounter some deep frontcourts. Kansas State has been the better rebounding team of the two, and they even average more possessions per game than Long Beach State. The 49ers have to hold their own on the glass in order to win, and given their schedule to date they're more than capable of doing so. Keep an eye on turnover margin as well, with both teams breaking even on assist-to-turnover ratio while forcing at least 16 turnovers per game defensively.

In the other games in Honolulu Xavier looks to bounce back from a disappointing loss to Hawaii against Southern Illinois, and the truth is that Chris Mack's team should win by a good margin. The Salukis have a good player in senior Mamadou Seck, and they have been competitive in their two games on the island, but Chris Lowery's bunch is in for a tough time in the Missouri Valley.

Clemson and host Hawaii play in the fifth-place game, as Tanner Smith stepped up for the Tigers in their win over SIU. Forwards Josten Thomas and Vander Joaquim provide a tough matchup inside however, meaning that it's time for Devin Booker to step up with Milton Jennings suspended. And in the third-place game UTEP, led by Jacques Streeter and the surprising Michael Perez, takes on Auburn in what should be a toss-up.

Top 25 Games
2:00 PM Southern Illinois vs. #14 Xavier (ESPN3)

NCAA Division I Games
4:30 PM Clemson vs. Hawaii (ESPNU)
7:00 PM Auburn vs. UTEP (ESPN2)
9:30 PM Kansas State vs. Long Beach State (ESPN2)

SEC Basketball: 5-Year Ranking

Shawn Siegel — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 11:54:04 -0500

As part of our 5-Year Ranking series, here's how the SEC teams stack up according to conference wins. Unlike most leagues, there hasn't been one dominant team over the last handful of years. Florida and Kentucky have had some great years, but also some very mediocre ones mixed in. At the bottom of the league, LSU and South Carolina are close to forming a bottom rung of their own.

First Tier

1 - Kentucky - 53 wins - Freshman U will battle with Florida for the league title

2 - Tennessee - 53 - The Vols seems destined to fall out of the lead pack, but Martin was a good hire

3 - Florida - 52 - Only a few years removed from their national championship era

Second Tier

4 - Vanderbilt - 49 - Haven't won a tourney game since 2007. Will they live up to this year's hype?

5 - Mississippi St - 47 - Have held steady at 9-7 over the last 3 seasons

Wannabees

6 - Ole Miss - 38 - Rebels basketball exemplifies mediocrity. Never awful, never good

7 - Alabama - 37 - Have been competitive in league play, but no tourney trips in this period

Also-Rans

8 - Arkansas - 32 - With a good recruiting class and a new coach, Hogs are back on track

9 - Auburn - 31 - Auburn still seems no closer to breaking out of this bottom pack

10 - South Carolina - 30 - These are bleak years for the Gamecocks, and it might get worse

11 - Georgia - 29 - After last year's tourney bid, its clear Georgia is on the move

12 - LSU - 29 - The tournament trip in 2009 seems like a distant memory at this point

All 5-Year Rankings.

Which BCS Conference Team is the Worst?

Raphielle Johnson — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 02:12:28 -0500

A familiar argument early in the season is which conference is tops. The preseason hype tended to go in the direction of the Big Ten, but with strong starts by the Big East and Big 12 there has been room for discussion. But what about the opposite end of the spectrum: which BCS conference member is the worst team to this point in the year? Unlike the best conference question, that answer has been rather straightforward as the Auburn Tigers have put forth quite the display of ineptitude through the first ten games of the Tony Barbee era. Lacking experience and dealing with some key injuries, the Tigers may be slipping under the radar in their own town thanks to the exploits of the football team and fans looking forward to their bowl game on January 10th. The hope for January 11th (besides the celebration of a national title): that Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton announces that he'll be joining the basketball team. Below is a breakdown of each of the BCS conference members currently with a losing record in alphabetical order, beginning with the team that may be the least deserving to be on the list.

Alabama (5-6)
Wins: Florida A&M, Troy, Alabama A&M, South Alabama, Southeast Louisiana
Losses: Seton Hall, Iowa, Saint Peter's, Purdue, Providence, Oklahoma State
Pomeroy: 74
Sagarin: 163
*Five of the Crimson Tide's six losses have come against teams from BCS leagues

The above note is exactly why Anthony Grant's team shouldn't be on here but they make the list simply because of their record. The Crimson Tide don't own any eye-popping victories, and five of their six defeats have come to teams in BCS conferences (with three of those losses on a neutral floor). Alabama is one of the better defensive teams in regards to efficiency and the triumvirate of Tony Mitchell, Senario Hillman and JaMychal Green is talented enough to make some things happen offensively. Ken Pomeroy projects Alabama to win eight games in the SEC this season, a number that isn't far-fetched when considering the strength (or lack thereof) of the SEC West. With their next three games at Coleman Coliseum look for the Tide to make their way off of this list.

Auburn (3-7)
Wins: Middle Tennessee, Georgia Southwestern, Arkansas-Pine Bluff
Losses: UNC Asheville, Samford, Campbell, Jacksonville, Rutgers, USF, Presbyterian
Pomeroy: 225
Sagarin: 306 (in between Longwood and Manhattan)
*Frankie Sullivan (knee) returned to the lineup last night

Things got off to a bad start in the summer when leading returning scorer Frankie Sullivan went down with an injury to his left knee. Sullivan's trying to give it a go, beginning with their loss last week at USF, but he doesn't look 100% and what good does that do for a team that needs a capable creator offensively? The Tigers are the lone team in the SEC with an adjusted offensive efficiency under 100 (96.7), and five of their seven losses have come to teams ranked 172 or worse in Ken Pomeroy's rankings. You'd like to say that their next three games (USC Upstate, Georgia Southern and Grambling) are likely wins, but what is a "likely win" for Auburn? If any of Gene Chizik's guys are as good on the court as they are at Jordan-Hare maybe they can make their way over once football season ends.

DePaul (5-6)
Wins: Chicago State, Northern Illinois, Central Michigan and Milwaukee
Losses: Western Carolina, Oklahoma State, Cal-State Northridge, Stanford, Indiana State, Ball State
Pomeroy: 197
Sagarin: 262 (in between UIC and Bethune-Cookman)
*Only Big East team not in the Top 100 of the Sagarin

Many expected there to be an adjustment period for the Blue Demons in the first year of the Oliver Purnell era, but a 0-3 showing in the 76 Classic didn't help the process. Included in that trip was an 88-66 loss to a rebuilding Cal-State Northridge squad, and the other 22-point beating the Blue Demons have taken this season came at the hands of Indiana State. DePaul hasn't been the most efficient team offensively and that was to be expected given their personnel. But to be allowing an effective field goal percentage of 51.1% (241st in America) certainly doesn't help matters. The good news for DePaul throughout the remainder of their non-conference slate is that four of their six losses have come by seven points or less. The bad news: they have to deal with Big East play, and as the lone team below 100 in the Sagarin it's likely going to be another long conference season in the Windy City.

Oklahoma (5-6)
Wins: Coppin State, North Carolina Central, Texas Southern, Gardner-Webb, Oral Roberts
Losses: Kentucky, Virginia, Chaminade, Arkansas, Arizona, Cincinnati
Pomeroy: 114
Sagarin: 125
*Lone team on this list with a loss to a Division III program (Chaminade)

After starting the season 3-0 Jeff Capel's team has lost six of their last eight (including five in a row immediately after that start), and they managed to set themselves apart from the other teams on this list by losing to a Division III squad (Auburn's loss to Division II Columbus State came in an exhibition) in the Maui Invitational (Chaminade). Why have the Sooners struggled? The same as just about anyone else on this list: the absence of a player who can make things happen in a variety of ways offensively. Cade Davis, who is also Oklahoma's lone senior, is a good shooter and players such as Steven Pledger and Andrew Fitzgerald can also score. But who's getting them the basketball? Oklahoma has a turnover percentage of 23%, and opponents are shooting 39% from behind the arc. But they, like Alabama, have lost five of their six games to teams from BCS leagues and you can definitely argue that they've had the toughest schedule to date. But given the start for the top of the Big 12 it could be a long year in Norman.

Oregon State (4-6)
Wins: Texas-Arlington, Charlotte, Howard, Texas-Pan American
Losses: Seattle, Texas Southern, Utah Valley State, Colorado, Montana, George Washington
Pomeroy: 188
Sagarin: 266 (in between Southern Utah and Mississippi Valley State)
*last night's loss at Montana moved the Grizzlies to 2-0 in Pac-10 play

The good news for Craig Robinson on Saturday was that the highly touted Roberto Nelson was finally able to play. But it didn't matter much as Oregon State fell at home to George Washington in their fifth loss to a team from a non-BCS conference this season. Oregon State owns three losses to teams with a Pomeroy ranking of 275 or worse, making for a stunning start for a team with one of the worst schedules in college basketball (SOS: 333). Three of the four wins have come at the expense of teams ranked 287 or worse (Howard and UTPA are in the 300s), but they receive a minor boost for being able to beat Charlotte (which Tennessee could not do). What works in Oregon State's favor is the fact that the Pac-10 is once again limping into conference play, meaning that once chemistry with Nelson is established they could win a few more games than expected. And it isn't as if Coach Robinson's team lacks experience; they simply need to get better at defending (eFG% 53.6% ranks 307th) as the season wears on.

Texas Tech (5-6)
Wins: Louisiana-Monroe, Stephen F. Austin, Liberty, Georgia Southern, Oral Roberts
Losses: North Texas, Saint Mary's, USF, Washington, TCU, UTEP
Pomeroy: 105
Sagarin: 185
*One of two teams on this list (Oklahoma) to own a win over Oral Roberts

Many saw this as a big year for head coach Pat Knight in regards to his future in Lubbock and it's gotten off to an uneven start to say the least. The Red Raiders have just one win over a team ranked in the Top 100 of the Pomeroy rankings, and with Stephen F. Austin sitting at 97 that doesn't say a whole lot. Three of their other four wins have come over teams ranked 264 or worse, but on a positive note North Texas (Pomeroy: 158) is the worst team they've lost to thus far. Texas Tech executes well offensively thanks in large part to Mike Singletary and John Roberson, but this is one of the poorest shooting teams in the Big 12 when it comes to the three-pointer (31.0%). And without a bell cow in the paint that they can look to on a regular basis that hurts the Red Raiders even more. Texas Tech has their next six games at home but with the final two being Baylor and Texas they're going to need a good finish to non-conference play in order to avoid a complete nosedive.

Dishonorable Mention: Iowa (6-5), USF (6-6), Wake Forest (6-5)

College Cheerleader of the Day: Auburn

Shawn Siegel — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:44:45 -0500

Each day (just about), CollegeHoops.net features a Cheerleader (or in this case Dancer) of the Day. Today's picture is courtesy of Icon Sports Media. Check out the archive for more

-- AUBURN

More Cheerleaders!
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- Also check out the Picture of the Day!

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Poll: Who Will Win the SEC Tournament?

Shawn Siegel — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 10:22:19 -0500

College Basketball Odds & Predictions: Thursday

Shawn Siegel — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 11:29:52 -0500

Betting odds are a great guide to college basketball entertainment. I'll discuss my daily predictions after the lines.. these are posted solely for fun, as I do not bet on games myself, nor do I suggest anybody else does either (it's not easy). If you agree or disagree with my picks, have thoughts on the day's lines, or have upsets or picks to announce, post them below.

February 18th: Odds & Predictions

- listed are the day's 6 most popular/intriguing games. I only predict games from this pool due to fan interest.

7:00

Auburn
at Florida

Favorite

Florida by 8.5

Over/Under

144.5

7:00

Vanderbilt
vs Mississippi

Favorite

Ole Miss by 3.5

Over/Under

154.5

7:00

Syracuse
vs Georgetown

Favorite

Georgetown by 2

Over/Under

144

9:00

Gonzaga
at Loyola Marymount

Favorite

Gonzaga by 11.5

Over/Under

153

9:00

Pittsburgh
at Marquette

Favorite

Marquette by 6.5

Over/Under

131

9:00

Wisconsin
at Minnesota

Favorite

Minnesota by .5

Over/Under

124

10:30

Southern California
at Washington

Favorite

Washington by 8

Over/Under

131

10:30

California
at Oregon St.

Favorite

Cal by 6

Over/Under

130

11:00

St. Mary's
vs San Diego

Favorite

St. Mary's by 7

Over/Under

134

- Lines as of 11:00 am (from SportsBetting) - Check out the day's other odds as the day progresses, including odds from other betting sites. Predictions below:

SEC Tournament Watch: Who Will Be Dancing?

Jason Brubaker — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 08:19:32 -0500

Valentine’s Day for many people involves an intimate dinner, flowers, perhaps some candy, maybe even a romantic horse-drawn carriage ride through the snow. But for college basketball fans – it means that teams have one month left to earn their dance cards. One more month of proving their worth against conference opponents, trying to build momentum as they enter March.

With the conference season halfway done, the SEC is in decidedly better shape than last year, when Cupid arrived and saw a mess of bubble teams that had no shot of reaching the second weekend. This year, as many as six teams could find themselves dancing, although as always, there’s still a lot that can happen.

Here’s the breakdown right now.

Tournament Locks:

Kentucky: 23-1 (8-1 SEC)

RPI: 6

Strength of Schedule: 51

Key wins: Vanderbilt, at Florida, Mississippi

Bad losses: None

Big games remaining: Tennessee, at Mississippi State at Vanderbilt, at Tennessee

The Cats have hovered in the top five all year, and should be in contention for a top seed come March. Despite some inconsistent efforts and youthful mistakes, they’ve simply been able to overwhelm people with their talent all year. Their non-conference schedule doesn’t look great, especially with North Carolina, Louisville and UConn struggling, but if they continue to win like they have, it won’t matter. With three tough road games left, it’s not unconceivable that the Cats could stumble once more, but barring a major surprise, they should be quite pleased on Selection Sunday.

Tennessee: 18-5. (6-3 SEC)

RPI: 19

Strength of Schedule: 38

Key wins: Kansas, Mississippi

Bad losses: at USC, at Georgia

Big games remaining: at Kentucky, at Florida, Kentucky, at Mississippi State

The Vols have responded better than many thought after the dismissal of star Tyler Smith, but they still have work to do to improve their seed. Since losing Smith, the Vols have knocked off Kansas, but also have dropped a pair of games to Vandy, and struggled to win against Florida and LSU. They still have a pair of games left with Kentucky, and winning one of those would be huge for their resume. Right now, the Vols look to be around a 5-seed, but they could go a couple spots in either direction depending on how strong they finish the season.

Vanderbilt: 18-5 (7-2 SEC)

RPI: 18

Strength of Schedule: 24

Key wins: Tennessee (2), Florida, Missouri

Bad losses: Western Kentucky, at Georgia

Big games remaining: at Mississippi, Kentucky, at Florida

The Commodores are a team to keep an eye on in March. They have veteran leadership, a balanced attack, and are playing well as of late, having won nine of 11 since the calendar flipped to 2010. If they’re able to score an upset of Kentucky in a huge home game on Feb. 20, they could find themselves as high as a three-seed in the NCAA. Right now, they’re probably in 5-seed range along with Tennessee, but they’re certainly capable of climbing higher. Look for Vandy to be a tough out this year in the NCAA Tourney.

Probably Dancing:

Mississippi: 17-6 (5-4 SEC)

RPI: 39

Strength of Schedule: 52

Key wins: at Kansas State

Bad losses: None

Big games remaining: at Mississippi State, Vanderbilt, Florida

The Rebels are in good position to make the tournament, but they may need to find another signature win somewhere. They don’t have any terrible losses, with four of their six losses coming to teams ranked in the top 15, and the early season win over Kansas State continues to look better. However, the Rebels need a strong finish to avoid being on bubble watch. If they’re able to get to 10 conference wins, and make a good showing in the SEC Tournament, they’ll likely find themselves in the 8-9 seed range. Knocking off Vanderbilt would be a huge boost for their resume.

On the Bubble:

Florida: 17-7 (6-4 SEC)

RPI: 50

Strength of Schedule: 70

Key wins: Michigan State, Florida State

Bad losses: South Alabama

Big games remaining: at Mississippi, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, at Kentucky

The Gators have been rolling lately, having won six of their last seven heading into a showdown with South Carolina on Wednesday. They don’t always win pretty, and have relied on some late-game heroics more than once, but regardless, they’re still sitting in a good position heading into March. They have two great non-conference wins, and even the loss to Richmond doesn’t look as awful as it did at the time. However, they’re still searching for a big SEC win to add to their resume. If they’re able to hold home court against Tennessee and Vanderbilt, as well as knock off Auburn and Georgia, 10 conference wins should get them into the tournament. They’re certainly not a sure thing, but they’re on the right track.

Mississippi State: 16-7 (4-4 SEC)

RPI: 71

Strength of Schedule: 126

Key wins: Mississippi

Bad losses: Rider, Western Kentucky

Big games remaining: Mississippi, Kentucky, Tennessee

The Bulldogs have plenty of work to do if they want to dance into March. The good news for them is that they’ll have plenty of chances, starting with a showdown against Ole Miss on Thursday. The Bulldogs also have homes dates with Kentucky and Tennessee, and they’ll probably need both to make their resume more tournament-worthy. Rick Stansbury’s club has some nice pieces, but they haven’t seemed to find a rhythm in conference play, having lost four of their last five. It’s not too late to make a run, but for a team that entered the season with expectations of a deep run through March, they’ve been largely disappointing so far.

On the Outside But Have a Chance:

South Carolina: 14-9 (5-4 SEC)

In all likelihood, the Gamecocks will need to win the SEC Tournament to earn a bid, but don’t count them out. Devan Downey is making a run at SEC Player of the Year, and he’s shown the ability to carry the team through long stretches. Another win over Kentucky certainly wouldn’t hurt, but overall, they still probably need to win out to even think about the bubble.

Arkansas: 13-11 (6-3 SEC)

Like South Carolina, the Hogs probably have too much work left to do to count on an at-large bid, and will need to run the SEC Tournament to get in. However, with Courtney Fortson back, the Hogs are a dangerous team, and they’re playing their best ball of the season right now. They may not win it, but look for the Hogs to at least put a scare into someone during the SEC Tournament.

There’s always next year:

Georgia 10-12 (2-7 SEC)

They may be the best 10-win team in the country, but at the end of the day, they’re still a 10-win team. The Dawgs have some good pieces, but just don’t have enough to compete this year.

Alabama 13-11 (3-7 SEC)

Like Georgia, the Tide can’t be faulted for their effort, but they just don’t simply have enough talent. On the bright side, spring football practice is only a couple months away.

Auburn: 12-12 (3-6 SEC)

The Tigers have attempted close to 600 three-pointers this year. When you’re shooting them at 32 percent, that’s not a recipe for success.

LSU 9-15 (0-10 SEC)

Nothing much to say here. The Tigers just simply aren’t a good team. Help may be on the way next year, but unfortunately, they have to finish this season first.