Cal Poly

Monday Recap: Baylor Workmanlike in Win over Texas A&M

Raphielle Johnson — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 22:18:49 -0800

With the Baylor Bears achievig the highest ranking in school history on Monday it would have been easy for Scott Drew's team to suffer a letdown against Texas A&M. But the fourth-ranked Bears were ready from the start, scoring the first eight points of the game on their way to a 61-52 win that wasn't as close as the margin would indicate. The Bears shot just 35.7% from the field in the first half but still went into the break with a 30-17 lead thanks to their defense, which limited the Aggies to 21.4% shooting. Perry Jones III led four starters in double figures with 14 points to go along with 12 rebounds and the Bears led by as many as 19 points early in the second half.

"We came in prepared, but we played very timidly and a little bit overwhelmed," said Texas A&M guard Elston Turner, who led the Aggies with 21 points. "The fact that we weren't making shots didn't help either. Like coach said, the foul trouble kind of got our offense out of sync."

Khris Middleton, who entered the game as Texas A&M's leading scorer, finished with 14 points but played just ten minutes in the first half due to foul trouble (scoring three points). It also didn't help that David Lobeau picked up three first-half fouls and didn't attempt a shot, and he was unable to get into the flow of things at all for that reason. Texas A&M needed guys to step up to assist Turner and that simply did not happen, with the other three starters scoring 15 points combined and the bench getting outscored 13-2 by Baylor. That didn't get it done in Waco and similar production will land the Aggies in serious trouble down the line as well, but they won't encounter many defenses like Baylor's either.

"The back line of that zone is very big and takes time to adjust to," said Texas A&M head coach Billy Kennedy. "I thought we got some pretty good looks early. We just didn't make them and got in foul trouble. We didn't get a whole lot of help from the bench either."

Baylor won comfortably despite 16 turnovers (Pierre Jackson had seven) and A&M limiting Jackson and Brady Heslip to four points combined, as A.J. Walton picked up the slack with 10 points and two assists. That's the scary thing about the Bears: while they've had some good wins the potential is there to be a much better team. And with the players Baylor has on the back line of that zone, from Jones III to Quincy Acy to Quincy Miller, Anthony Jones and even Cory Jefferson they're an extremely difficult matchup. The turnovers and rebounding need to be cleaned up, but this could be a special season in Waco.

"One game it might be the guards, one game it might be the wings and one game it is the inside players," said Drew of his team's versatility. "It all depends on what the defense gives you and that is what makes us good - our depth. We're unselfish and we work for each other."

Other Notable Happenings

1. Another rough day for the bottom of the ACC as Boston College and Wake Forest both fall.
The ACC hasn't had the best start to the season from a non-conference standpoint when you remove Duke, North Carolina, Virginia and Virginia Tech. Florida State is 0-2 against the Ivy League and other teams have also had their issues. So what Boston College and Wake Forest did on Monday didn't help matters despite the fact that neither has the look of a team headed for postseason play come March. The Eagles fell 78-72 in double overtime to a Rhode Island team that's won just three games on the season, with the combination of 16 turnovers, URI making 27 free throws to BC's 11 and a 46-35 URI rebounding edge dooming Steve Donahue's team.

As for the Demon Deacons, with C.J. Harris (groin) out they fell to Wofford 56-52 in Winston-Salem. Wake shot 34.8% from the field in the first half as they trailed 32-22 at the break, and they couldn't do enough in the second half to make it up. Results like these won't do the ACC any favors in the computers, and that could be the difference for a league bubble team. So for the sake of the middle of the pack, the teams at the bottom needed to do more to carry their weight outside of the league. Safe to say that hasn't been the case.

2. Robert Morris finds a way to win at Ohio despite turning the ball over 31 times.
Very rarely will a team that turns the ball over 31 times and shoots 21 fewer shots than their opponent ends up winning, but that's exactly what happened for Andy Toole's Colonials as they beat Ohio 70-67. Why was Robert Morris able to end the Bobcats' nine-game win streak? Because of their defense, which didn't allow Ohio to take advantage of those extra opportunities. Ohio shot just 35.3% from the field and Walter Offutt and D.J. Cooper combined to make six of their thirty-two shots from the field, and as a team the Bobcats also shot 3-for-26 from beyond the arc.

Velton Jones led three RMU starters in double figures with 17 points, and it's difficult to see the Colonials turning the ball over 31 times in a game again. With Wagner's excellent holiday run and this win the Northeast Conference has received a welcome boost, which should make the race for the regular season title all the more entertaining. Robert Morris will definitely be a player, and an NCAA Tournament bid is definitely possible for a team that was one win away last season.

3. Orlando Johnson makes up for a quiet night with a big shot to lead UCSB past Cal Poly.
Monday marked the first game in over a week for UCSB and it wasn't an easy contest either, as the Gauchos were on the road to take on a Cal Poly team that's surprised folks this season. Orlando Johnson, UCSB's leading scorer, made just three of his first thirteen shots from the field in what was one of his worst outings of the season. But he saved his best for last, getting a shooter's roll on a three-pointer with 5.1 seconds remaining being the difference in UCSB's 58-57 win. Alan Williams was the unsung hero for UCSB with 13 points and ten rebounds off the bench as the Gauchos picked up a key Big West victory, while Will Taylor led the Mustangs with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Even with the time off not playing a home game in 35 days took its toll on UCSB, who is expected to be right there with Long Beach State in the run for the regular season title. And with Johnson and James Nunnally leading the way, Bob Williams team should be able to do just that.

Quick Hitters

1. Staying in the Big West for a moment, keep an eye on Cal-State Fullerton. Bob Burton's Titans moved to 10-3 overall and 2-0 in league play with a 78-73 win over Pacific, and their surplus of Division I transfers could make them the dark horse in that title race. Cal transfer D.J. Seeley scored 20 points and San Francisco transfer Kwame Vaughn scored a team-best 21, while another former Golden Bear (Amondi Omoke) scored 11 and grabbed 11 rebounds.

2. It wasn't pretty as the two teams combined to turn the ball over 31 times but Virginia did what they had to do in beating LSU 57-52 in Baton Rouge. Sammy Zeglinski led three starters in double figures with 17 points as the Cavailers had the offensive balance that LSU failed to create (outside of Justin Hamilton (21 points, 9-14 FG) the Tigers shot 12-for-34 from the field.

3. Can Rider (4-11) find a way to snap out of their funk and be a factor in the MAAC race? That remains to be seen, but the Broncs took the first step in their 88-77 win at Manhattan. Novar Gadson led five players in double figures with 21 points and Brandon Penn posted a double-double (12 points, 11 rebounds) as Rider avenged their loss to Manhattan last month. The talent's there to make a run but the productivity needs to be there as well.

4. Staying in the MAAC, Niagara picked up a big victory as they won 66-61 at Loyola (MD). Juan'Ya Green and Antoine Mason combined to score 35 points while Ameen Tanksley added 15 (averaging 8.2 per game) as the Purple Eagles handed the Greyhounds their first conference loss.

5. Campbell moved to 3-0 in Big South play as they beat Coastal Carolina 70-65 in overtime. CCU turned the ball over 20 times as they fell to 3-1 in league play and Trey Freeman led the Camels to the win with 20 points and five assists. Look for these two teams to be right there with UNC Asheville in the run for the Big South crown.

6. Big news from early Monday in Stillwater as Oklahoma State announced that guard J.P. Olukemi would miss the remainder of the season with a torn ACL. With the Cowboys losing two guards at the end of the semester (transferring) this was one loss they didn't need. Even more will be asked of Keiton Page and Cezar Guerrero now, and going into Big 12 play shorthanded could be too much for Travis Ford's team.

7. It's early but VCU is looking to be the class of the CAA right now. The Rams have won 10 of their last 11 games, beating Hofstra 80-63 in Hempstead. Also preseason favorite Drexel fell at Georgia State 58-44, and even with players such as Chris Fouch at his disposal scoring could once again be a concern for Bruiser Flint.

Three Notable Performances

1. F Kenny Gabriel (Auburn)
24 points (11-13 FG), 13 rebounds, ten blocked shots, four steals and three assists in the Tigers' 67-41 win over Bethune-Cookman.

2. F Kenny Kadji (Miami) and G Trevis Simpson (UNC Greensboro)
Both players put up career-best performances in the Hurricanes' 99-89 victory. Kadji finished with 30 points and 12 rebounds while Simpson paced the Spartans with 36 points and some emphatic above-the-rim finishes.

3. F Stan Okoye (VMI)
25 points, seven rebounds, seven assists, four steals and three blocks in the Keydets' 76-72 win over Gardner-Webb.

Monday Preview: Texas A&M at #6 Baylor

Raphielle Johnson — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 21:43:23 -0800

While bowl games will garner most of the attention on Monday college basketball won't be taking the day off with leagues transitioning into conference play. One such matchup is the first game of Big 12 play as Texas A&M (9-3) visits Waco to take on #6 Baylor (13-0), and Billy Kennedy's Aggies can definitely use a win for resume reasons.

According to realtimerpi.com Texas A&M has an RPI of 242 and a strength of schedule of 341, and while those numbers will jump considerably in Big 12 play their non-conference resume lacks quality wins. That puts even more pressure on the Aggies to finish high in the Big 12, and they'll need to steal a few on the road in order to do so. But this isn't a very good matchup for Texas A&M, even with Baylor's question marks on the perimeter.

Scott Drew's Bears have been more effective on the perimeter than many expected when the season began, and that will need to continue if Baylor is to make noise in March. Junior Pierre Jackson (12.2 ppg, 4.4 apg) has improved by the game coming off the bench but the turnovers are still an issue, with Jackson averaging 3.4 per game.

The same goes for starter A.J. Walton, who is second on the team with 3.9 assists per game. While Walton has the better assist-to-turnover ratio (1.8) of the two he's also got the highest turnover percentage (32.9%). Cal transfer Gary Franklin will also see time and in Boston College transfer Brady Heslip (10.8 ppg, 49.4% 3PT) have one of the best shooters in the Big 12.

Texas A&M also has concerns in the backcourt, and the decision of Jamal Branch to transfer didn't help matters despite his playing just 18.6 minutes per game. Washington transfer Elston Turner (12.8 ppg, 3.6 rpg) has been the Aggies' most effect guard from a scoring standpoint, but A&M will need other guards to step up.

Senior point guard Dash Harris (5.0 ppg, 4.4 apg) has more value as a distributor but he's attempted the second-most three-pointers despite making just 34.8% of those shots. Many thought that Branch could at one point take over the starting point guard job but that's out of the window now, meaning that Harris and others need to step up their play.

Baylor's frontcourt ranks among the best in the country when considering both talent and depth, and while Texas A&M has done a good job of rebounding (margin of plus-8.2) the Bears are an entirely different challenge. Perry Jones III (13.4 ppg, 6.8 rpg) is considered to be Baylor's best NBA prospect, and when he can play with a level of aggression equal to his skill set consistently look out.

Freshman Quincy Miller (10.9 ppg, 5.1 rpg) may be Baylor's most versatile frontcourt player as he's also third on the team in assists (2.1 per game), and seniors Quincy Acy (12.4 ppg, 7.5 rpg) and Anthony Jones (6.8 ppg, 4.2 rpg) are also tough customers. Baylor's wingspan is what makes their matchup zone so tough to deal with, and with A&M shooting 31.9% from three on the season look for the Aggies to face that zone for much of the night.

Beating Baylor's zone will depend largely on how effective the Aggies are at finding the gaps, and in wing Khris Middleton (13.6 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 3.4 apg) Texas A&M has one of the best players in the Big 12. Middleton missed time earlier in the season with a knee injury but he's reached double figures in each of the four games played since his return. He's Texas A&M's most versatile player, and he'll likely have to be the best player on the floor if the Aggies are to win.

David Lobeau (11.6 ppg, 4.9 rpg) and Ray Turner (12.0 ppg, 6.4 rpg) are also important factors for A&M on both ends of the floor, especially when considering the lack of scoring from the guards outside of Turner. There isn't a big difference between the teams from a tempo standpoint, which makes the disparity in offensive efficiency (Baylor 112.2, A&M 99.6) all the more glaring. A&M will need some unheralded guys to put forth excellent performances in order to leave Waco 1-0 in league play, and that may not be a realistic expectation right now.

Also of note on Monday is Virginia's trip to Baton Rouge, and with Trent Johnson's team having won seven straight games (including a win over Marquette) this is a treacherous trip for the Cavaliers. Mike Scott and Joe Harris will have to lead the way while Jontel Evans and Sammy Zeglinski play with poise on the perimeter for the Cavaliers to leave town with a win.

And Vanderbilt hosts Miami (Ohio), who has one of the best frontcourt players in the MAC in Julian Mavunga. Taking on Charlie Coles' team is a tough task so don't be surprised if the Commodores have some issues early in that one. Another non-conference battle involving the MAC is Ohio hosting Robert Morris, with point guard D.J. Cooper being the catalyst for a team that's won nine straight.

In conference games there's VCU's trip north to take on Hofstra in a CAA battle of teams that have been playing good ball of late. Shaka Smart's young team seems to be figuring things out as they've won seven straight, and Mo Cassara's Pride have won three in a row.

Bradford Burgess (VCU) and Mike Moore (Hofstra) are two of the better players in the CAA, but with the Rams forcing turnovers on 28.2% of their opponents' possessions Hofstra has to be sound with the basketball in order to win. ODU visiting James Madison is another game in the CAA to keep an eye on, and the same goes for the Big West battle between UCSB and surprising Cal Poly.

Top 25 Games
7:00 PM Texas A&M at (7) Baylor (ESPNU)
7:00 PM (24) Virginia at LSU (ESPN3)

NCAA Division I Games
12:00 PM William & Mary at George Mason
1:00 PM Rhode Island at Boston College (ESPN3)
1:00 PM American at Brown
2:00 PM Delaware at UNC Wilmington
3:00 PM Old Dominion at James Madison (ESPN3)
7:00 PM Northeastern at Towson
7:00 PM Wofford at Wake Forest (ESPN3)
7:00 PM UMBC at New Hampshire
7:00 PM Fairleigh Dickinson at Columbia
7:00 PM Robert Morris at Ohio
7:00 PM Stetson at Kennesaw State
7:00 PM Hartford at Albany
7:00 PM Maine at Binghamton
7:00 PM Drexel at Georgia State
7:00 PM Charleston Southern at High Point
7:00 PM VCU at Hofstra (FiOS 1)
7:00 PM Shawnee State at Kent State
7:00 PM Presbyterian at Liberty
7:00 PM Rider at Manhattan
7:00 PM Saint Peter's at Marist
7:00 PM UNC Asheville at Radford
7:00 PM Vermont at Stony Brook
7:00 PM Chattanooga at Tennessee (ESPN3)
7:00 PM Gardner-Webb at Virginia Military
7:00 PM Lafayette at NJIT
7:05 PM Virginia-Wise at Citadel
7:15 PM Lipscomb at Jacksonville
7:30 PM Brewton Parker at Georgia Southern
7:30 PM Niagara at Loyola (MD)
7:30 PM FGCU at Mercer
7:45 PM Coastal Carolina at Campbell
7:45 PM Belmont at North Florida
8:00 PM Bethune-Cookman at Auburn
8:00 PM Miami (OH) at Vanderbilt
8:00 PM Roosevelt at Northern Illinois
8:00 PM Jarvis Christian at Sam Houston State
8:30 PM Jacksonville State at Southeast Missouri State
9:00 PM UNC Greensboro at Miami (FL) (ESPN3)
9:05 PM Idaho State at Northern Colorado
10:00 PM UC Santa Barbara at Cal Poly
10:00 PM Cal State Northridge at UC Riverside
10:00 PM Boise State at Fresno State
10:00 PM Long Beach State at UC Irvine
10:00 PM New Mexico State at Cal State Bakersfield
10:05 PM Pacific at Cal State Fullerton

College Hoops Tuesday: Your Commentary

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 08:07:43 -0800

After both teams won their semifinal games at the CBE Classic in blowout fashion, Missouri (4-0) and California (4-0) should have a stiffer challenge on their hands as they play for the championship in Kansas City. Neither team has much of an issue with playing fast. but given their roots in the "40 Minutes of Hell" system used by former coach Mike Anderson the Tigers could be at an advantage if the pace becomes frenetic. The tricky thing for Missouri is to find a way to speed up the Golden Bears, whose experienced backcourt made the difference as their game against Georgia progressed.

Senior Jorge Gutierrez (13.5 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 4.3 apg) is the leader for Mike Montgomery, and while noted for his defense and toughness the Chihuahua, Mexico native has improved each year on the offensive end as well. Point guards Brandon Smith and Justin Cobbs bring slightly different games to the table, with the Minnesota transfer Cobbs being the more attack-minded of the two when it comes to scoring. And in sophomore Allen Crabbe the Golden Bears have one of the better scorers around, but he hasn't been too big on forcing opponents to foul (no foul shots attempted this season).

Cal only averages 2.5 fewer possessions per game than Missouri, but the one concern is that they're also averaging nearly five more turnovers per game than the Tigers. Under Frank Haith Missouri hasn't employed the 94 feet of pressure that was a trademark of the Anderson era, but they remain a difficult team to deal with defensively due to their speed. Missouri averages eleven steals per game and they had ten against Notre Dame, and Tiger opponents average a shade under 16 turnovers per game.

When jet-quick guards like Marcus Denmon, Phil Pressey and Michael Dixon Jr. are allowed to attack in odd-man situations it's a safe bet that Missouri will get points out of the exchange. The lack of interior depth is a concern as senior Ricardo Ratliffe is essentially their lone big man due to the season-ending injury suffered by Laurence Bowers, but Denmon (6.0 rpg) and Kim English (5.3 rpg) have been two of the Tigers helping out on the glass. Cal will have a size advantage with Harper Kamp, Richard Solomon and freshman David Kravish, but will they be physical enough to pound Missouri into submission? That's unlikely, unless they get Ratliffe into foul trouble early.

Keep an eye on the efficiency numbers especially for Cal defensively tonight. Missouri's got an offensive efficiency rating of 121.0 on the season, but Golden Bear opponents have posted an average of just 79.3 through four games. That number can be a little difficult to read into at this stage in the season, but the Bears have the ability to make things difficult on the Tigers. Turnover margin will also be key, because as noted above too many opportunities for Missouri to get out and run would prove fatal for California.

In other action the semifinals of the Maui Invitational will also receive a great deal of attention, with Michigan taking on Duke and UCLA playing Kansas. The Wolverines were very impressive on both ends of the floor against Memphis after a slow start, and their style gave Duke fits in the third round of last year's NCAA Tournament. Tim Hardaway Jr. and freshman guard trey Burke played well on Monday for Michigan while Ryan Kelly and Seth Curry were two of the standouts for the Blue Devils in their win over Tennessee. As for the nightcap, the outcome will likely depend on which UCLA team shows up. Sure they were motivated in beating Chaminade, but to be fair it's easier to look motivated when things are going your way. The big men will have their hands full with Kansas' Thomas Robinson.

The two games in Cancun should also be interesting, with Rutgers taking on Illinois State and Illinois playing Richmond. There have been good reports on the progress of Illini big man Meyers Leonard, and if he can emerge as an option to go along with D.J. Richardson and Brandon Paul this will be an NCAA Tournament-caliber team. The two games will also serve as a solid measurement of the early growth of Mike Rice's Scarlet Knights, with sophomores Gil Biruta and Mike Poole being key players also with junior Dane Miller and their many freshmen. And Cal Poly will be looking for the upset at UNLV, but the Rebels' Mike Moser has been outstanding thus far.

Tuesday's Schedule
SIUE vs. Lipscomb 1:30 pm
Memphis vs. Tennessee 2:00 pm (ESPN2)
Sacred Heart vs. Hampton 4:00 pm
South Dakota St. vs. Sam Houston 4:30 pm
Georgetown at Chaminade 4:30 pm
Monmouth vs. Brown 5:00 pm
George Washington vs. Austin Peay 5:00 pm
UAPB vs. SMU 6:00 pm
Ecclesia at Central Arkansas 6:00 pm
Canisius at Buffalo 7:00 pm
Florida Gulf Coast at Miami (Fla.) 7:00 pm (ESPN3)
Southern at Providence 7:00 pm
Fairleigh Dickinson at Lafayette 7:00 pm
UMBC at Central Connecticut St. 7:00 pm
Illinois St. vs. Rutgers 7:00 pm (CBSN)
Robert Morris at James Madison 7:00 pm
Morehead St. at West Virginia 7:00 pm
Columbia at Stony Brook 7:00 pm
Mississippi Val. at South Carolina 7:00 pm (ESPN3)
East Carolina vs. Appalachian St. 7:00 pm
Bryant at Army 7:00 pm
Cornell at Delaware 7:00 pm
La Salle at Pittsburgh 7:00 pm
Tennessee Tech at High Point 7:00 pm
FAU at Hofstra 7:00 pm
Elon at Princeton 7:00 pm
Michigan vs. Duke 7:00 pm (ESPN)
Yale at Seton Hall 7:00 pm
Wagner at Penn 7:00 pm
Marshall at UNC Wilmington 7:00 pm
Fresno St. vs. UT-San Antonio 7:00 pm
Tulane at Navy 7:00 pm
Niagara at Mercer 7:00 pm
Arkansas St. at Louisville 7:00 pm (ESPN3)
Bucknell at Marist 7:00 pm
Quinnipiac at American 7:30 pm
Cleveland St. at Kent State 7:30 pm
Tennessee St. at North Carolina 7:30 pm
Detroit at Bowling Green 7:30 pm
East Tennessee St. at Charlotte 7:30 pm
Albany at George Mason 7:30 pm
Notre Dame vs. Georgia 7:45 pm (ESPNU)
UMKC at Wisconsin 8:00 pm (BTN)
Victory at UT-Pan American 8:00 pm
North Texas at UT-Arlington 8:00 pm
Lamar at UT-Martin 8:00 pm
Utah Valley at Arkansas 8:00 pm
Cumberland University at Middle Tennessee 8:00 pm
Wofford at Bradley 8:00 pm
Florida A&M at Rice 8:00 pm
Northern Colorado at Iowa State 8:00 pm (ESPN3)
Tulsa at Jackson State 8:00 pm
Troy at UAB 8:00 pm
Georgia St. at Samford 8:00 pm
Greenville at Western Illinois 8:00 pm
Dillard at McNeese St. 8:00 pm
Western Caro. at Northern Iowa 8:00 pm
UMES at Kansas St. 8:00 pm (ESPN3)
Oakland at Houston 8:15 pm
FIU at Oral Roberts 8:30 pm
Utah St. at Texas A&M-CC 8:30 pm
Northern New Mexico at Northern Arizona 8:35 pm
St. Francis (NY) at St. John's 9:00 pm (ESPN3)
Nebraska Omaha at North Dakota St. 9:00 pm
Prairie View at BYU 9:00 pm (BYUTV)
Seattle at Montana St. 9:00 pm
South Dakota at Wyoming 9:00 pm
Coastal Carolina at Clemson 9:00 pm (ESPN3)
UCLA vs. Kansas 9:30 pm (ESPN)
Manhattan at Colorado St. 9:30 pm
Richmond vs. Illinois 9:30 pm (CBSN)
Portland at UCSB 10:00 pm
Holy Names at San Jose St. 10:00 pm
Longwood at Nevada 10:00 pm
Morgan St. at USC 10:00 pm
Sacramento St. at UC Davis 10:00 pm
South Carolina State State at Baylor 10:00 pm
Boise St. at Long Beach St. 10:05 pm
San Diego Christian at CSU Northridge 10:05 pm
Missouri vs. California 10:15 pm (ESPN2)
Cal Poly at UNLV 10:30 pm

Who Will Win the 2011-12 Big WestTitle?

Shawn Siegel — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 08:50:19 -0800

Thirty-Two Impact Freshmen, Part One

Raphielle Johnson — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 15:26:54 -0700

After going over the teams expected to win their regular season titles, we move on to talking about the top freshmen in each conference. Will all automatically take over and become the stars of their respective teams and leagues? It's tough to say at this point in the season, but that doesn't mean that we can't discuss it. Below are the picks for each of the 32 conferences.

America East: James Kennedy (Boston University)
With Jake O'Brien lost for another season due to injury first-year head coach Joe Jones may need to call on the 6'6" forward for important minutes. The Boston native helped lead Cushing Academy to a 21-7 record last year.

Atlantic 10: Dezmine Wells (Xavier)
While many expect Kenny Frease to be back with the team at some point in the near future, Xavier can make up for the height they lack in the frontcourt with sheer talent. Wells is one reason why, as the 6'5" small forward can flat-out make things happen on the floor.

ACC: Austin Rivers (Duke)
Not sure if there's much that hasn't been said about the Winter Park, Florida native. Duke needs to account for the loss of Nolan Smith in the backcourt, and while there are some experienced options returning to Durham they aren's as explosive as Austin. He should also benefit from the team's summer trip to China and Dubai, as Duke gained 10 practices to prepare for the journey.

Atlantic Sun: Rashawn Rembert (East Tennessee State)
ETSU lost three starters, and not only were they all guards but they were also the top three leading scorers. That means plenty will be needed from a shooting guard like Rembert, who averaged more than 20 points and seven rebounds per game at Sickles High in Tampa.

Big East: Andre Drummond (Connecticut)
Remember when Drummond was slated to spend a year at Wilbraham & Monson with friend and Connecticut Basketball Club teammate Kris Dunn (Providence commit)? That all changed in August as the 6'11", 275-pound Drummond decided this was the right time to join the UConn program. Joining forces with Alex Oriakhi and Tyler Olander will give the Huskies one of the country's best frontcourts.

Big Sky: Gelaun Wheelwright (Weber State)
The team that most people expect to win the Big Sky does have seven players returning from last year's team, not to mention a healthy Damian Lillard. But there's always room for someone else to step up, and that player could be the Centennial (CA) High product. Wheelwright averaged 18.7 points and 4.3 rebounds per game as a senior.

Big South: John Brown (High Point)
Scott Cherry landed a good on in Brown, who was named 1A Player of the Yeah in the State of Florida. Brown averaged 17.9 points, 12.1 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game as a senior, and the Jacksonville native has the ability to be the conference's best freshman.

Big Ten: Cody Zeller (Indiana)
The 2011 class is the first of two recruiting classes that many expect Indiana head coach Tom Crean to use as a springboard back to where many expect IU to be on the college landscape. One key cog is forward Cody Zeller, who averaged 24.6 ppg, 13.0 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game for a Washington (IN) High team that won the 3A state title.

Big 12: Le'Bryan Nash (Oklahoma State)
When's the last time a recruit of this caliber has shown up in Stillwater? It's safe to say that a player the quality of Le'Bryan Nash doesn't come around every day, and his arrival could make the Pokes a factor in the Big 12 race. Nash was a McDonald's All-American last year and to say the least has an NBA-ready build (and skill set) right now.

Big West: Reese Morgan (Cal Poly)
The Mustangs ranked 338th nationally in scoring with an average of 59.3 points per game, so to say the least they could use a boost in the scoring column. Enter Reese Morgan, who scored more than 2,400 hundred points in his high school career at Peninsula High in San Pedro, California. Morgan averaged 27.3 points per game as a senior.

CAA: Erik Copes (George Mason)
The freshman forward/center from Philadelphia pairs up with senior Ryan Pearson, and it isn't far-fetched to think that this duo could rank among the best frontcourts in the CAA. Copes was a player Paul Hewitt was able to get in the summer, a near steal for a senior of his caliber.

Conference USA: Adonis Thomas (Memphis)
In addition to their roster full of returnees Memphis should have a good feeling about this season due to the arrival of Memphis native Adonis Thomas. The Melrose High product ranked among the top players in the country in the 2011 class, and his ability to run the floor and finish above the rim will make Memphis even better.

Great West: Shane Benton (North Dakota)
The Fighting Sioux welcome back a host of contributors from a team that won the first Great West conference tournament as well as a game in the CollegeInsider.com Tournament, but Benton has the ability to crack the rotation. The 6'3" guard is a product of Linn-Mar High school in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where he was a teammate of North Carolina commit (2012) Marcus Paige.

Horizon: Roosevelt Jones (Butler)
With Matt Howard and Shelvin Mack both moving on the Bulldogs need players to step up as offensive options. One of those possibilities could be Jones, a small forward from O'Fallon, Illinois who can do a variety of things on the floor. As a senior Jones averaged 17.2 points, 10.4 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game.

Ivy: Wesley Saunders (Harvard)
Tommy Amaker and his staff have brought in a very good recruiting class for this season, but the question is just how much the preseason Ivy League favorites will need to call on them. One option to play may be the 6'5" Saunders, who averaged a double-double as a senior at Windward High in Los Angeles. He's a very good athlete who also played volleyball in high school.

MAAC: Juan'ya Green (Niagara)
The MAAC will have some good freshmen entering the league (a crop that would have been bolstered by Siena's Imoh Silas and Lionel Gomis if cleared by the NCAA), but one who will have to step up from the start is Philadelphia native Juan'ya Green. The Purple Eagles like to attack teams with their guards, and as a scorer who can also handle the ball Green fits the system.

Next: MAC through WAC

Jon Teitel's "Coaching Greats" Series: Cal Poly's Jeff Schneider

Jon Teitel — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 04:15:16 -0700

In the most recent installment in his "Coaching Greats" interview series CHN writer Jon Teitel spent some time with former Cal Poly head coach Jeff Schneider, who led the Mustangs to a conference title in 1996 and won seventy games over five seasons. Coach Schneider, who is now CEO/President of the Big Shots, sent a son (David) off to William & Mary where he became one of the best players in school history.

Jon Teitel: You were an All-American at Washington Irving HS (where Schneider became the only two-time West Virginia High School Player of the Year ever) but lost to Logan in the 1977 AAA state title game. Do you consider yourself to be one of the best high school players in West Virginia history?

Jeff Schneider: I was fortunate to be the only two-time winner of the Player of the Year award. We had a really good run when I was in high school, and we got on the map once we made it to the state finals. I am very proud of those honors.

1980 NCAA Tournament (as a player at Virginia Tech)

JT: You scored nine points in a four-point overtime win over Western Kentucky. How were you able to hang on for the win?

JS: It was an amazing game. There were not a lot of games on TV back then but we were on TV...and down by 21 at halftime. It was WKU coach Gene Keady's last game before he went to Purdue. We came out strong in the second half and tied it up to force overtime. Dale Solomon did nothing in the first half but ended up with 22 points and 11 rebounds.

JT: You scored 12 points (6-8 FG), but Isiah Thomas had 17 points and seven assists in a nine-point Indiana win. Could you tell at the time that Thomas was going to become a star?

JS: He was phenomenal. Growing up as a coach's son I had run a lot of Coach Bobby Knight's offense and defense. I got to play against some great players like Ralph Sampson, Larry Bird and Darrell Griffith, but Isiah was the best point guard I ever saw.

JT: In the summer of 1982 you were drafted in the 5th round by Houston but did not make the roster. Did you consider it to be a success (due to getting drafted) or a failure (due to not making the team)?

JS: I ran into former All-Star Bob Dandridge a few years ago and he said that I would have a better chance of making an NBA roster today because there are so many more teams now. I wish the three-point line was in play back then. I took a lot of deep shots and was a 50% shooter, which not a lot of guards are.

JT: What are your memories of the 1984 NCAA Tournament as a graduate assistant at VCU under JD Barnett (Rolando Lamb made a jump shot at the buzzer for a one-point win over Northeastern despite 31 points from Reggie Lewis on 15-17 shooting from the field, then Rafael Addison scored 24 points to lead Syracuse to a win in the next round)?

JS: We had three amazing assistant coaches: Tubby Smith (now at Minnesota), David Hobbs (former Alabama head coach), and Kevin Eastman (now an assistant with the Celtics). Jim Calhoun coached Northeastern and they led the nation in rebounding despite not having a guy over 6'6" because their starting five all played above the rim. Northeastern set a record that night by shooting 75% in the loss, as we only shot 69%. Barnett and Calhoun are both great defensive coaches but neither one could stop the other that night. Lamb made a turnaround shot to win it, and we all jumped on top of him in a pile. Pearl Washington just dominated the Syracuse game.

1994 NCAA Tournament (as an assistant for Tubby Smith at Tulsa)

JT: Gary Collier scored 34 points (12-13 FT) in a ten-point win over UCLA that saw your team take a 29-point lead in the first half. How on earth were you able to dominate a team that would win it all the following season?

JS: I think that game had a lot to do with UCLA becoming champs the following year, as it was a real embarrassment to them. My dad did not watch the game. Once he saw the score he assumed that the Bruins were just blowing us out! We were terrific offensively. This was before people knew who Tubby was. Collier was a 6'3" power forward, so even after the game UCLA coach Jim Harrick still probably would not have recruited him!

JT: Lou Dawkins made a three pointer with six seconds left to clinch a two-point win over Oklahoma State in Oklahoma City. Was your team out for revenge after losing to the Cowboys by double-digits earlier that season?

JS: It was a big rivalry. They were crushing us at halftime, as "Big Country" (Bryant Reeves) already had a double-double. I asked Tubby how our own kids would guard us, and he said that they would double-team us, so we did just that. We left Scott Sutton wide open and double-teamed Big Country, who scored only two points in the second half.

JT: Eventual tournament MOP Corliss Williamson scored 21 point in a win by eventual champion Arkansas. Did you get the sense that the Razorbacks were going to win it all, and what was the reaction like when you got back to campus?

JS: We had played them earlier in the year without Shea Seals and they only beat us by two points in overtime. They played a 2-3 zone defense and just dominated us by forcing us way out of the paint. We had to get there really early because President Clinton was attending the game!

JT: In 1996 you won a conference title in your very first season at Cal Poly. How were you able to come in and be so successful so quickly?

JS: When I got there we had only sold about 12 season tickets, but we just got on a roll and it became fun to attend the games. We went from 100 people at our home games to 3,000 people almost overnight. We played Tubby's system of just pressing on defense and running on offense. The effort our team put in was amazing. Hall of Famer Jerry Lucas came to every one of our games and said we were the hardest-working team he had ever seen. We would just jump on people.

JT: Your teams at Cal Poly were consistently among the best in the nation in scoring and three-point shooting. What is the secret to three-point shooting, and do you believe that a good offense beats a good defense?

JS: Some of it is that I recruited players who played like me and were good shooters. If I did it over again, I would probably play more zone defense and use a Princeton offense with a lot of back cuts...but I would still shoot the three. If you look at the school record book, that is when all of the records were broken.

JT: You had a 100% graduation rate at Cal Poly for guys who played four years. How important were academics to you?

JS: It is a top-level academic school so we valued that and took pride in having everyone graduate. I am sure that guys went on to be successful, even if they did not like all the study hours that we made them put in!

JT: Your son David played basketball at Brophy College Prep in Phoenix and was later named CAA Men's Basketball Scholar Athlete of the Year at William & Mary, and is currently playing professionally in England. How proud are you of all his success, and how do you think he is going to do as a pro?

JS: David was a low SAT guy but developed a tremendous work ethic. He was probably the highest scorer that Brophy had at the time, then scored 1,500+ points at William & Mary. He played as hard as anyone could play, and could score 14 points per game no matter where he played. Unlike a lot of players who know all their opponents David did not know a lot of the guys he played against, but statistically he was as good or better as a lot of them. He is averaging double figures in England and just goes out and plays for a team that wins a lot of games. David probably learned from those Tulsa and Poly teams because they played so hard themselves.

JT: You currently serve as CEO/President of Big Shots, where your Skills Academy teaches fundamental skills and techniques for players of all ages and hosts nationwide tournaments. What makes your academy different from other academies, and how important is it for players to participate in tournaments where they can get exposure to coaches?

JS: I used to do more training but my main focus now is on tournaments. I cannot think of anyone else who has been a player/assistant coach/head coach, has a recruiting service, and runs his own events. My entire career has prepared me to do this. The NCAA is talking about getting rid of July events but that is crazy because July is the cleanest time of the year. There are 200 coaches and the NCAA at each event! As a college coach if you go to an event with 500 teams and 5,000 players, there are probably at least 30 guys who are good enough to play at a school like North Carolina. You can see them all over the course of two days, whereas it would take about two years to go around the country and see them all on your own. I think my own kids got college scholarships due to the exposure they got from playing in summer tournaments. The recruiting advantage is TV. For example, the reason the SEC has won five straight NCAA football titles is because they split billions of dollars from their contract with CBS. LSU is not getting top recruits because they are attending Les Miles' football camp!

Coach Schneider is also on Jon's list of best coaches in Big West history.

Cal Poly: Jeff Schneider (1995-2001) 70-84, 1 conference title
Cal-State Fullerton: Bob Burton (2003-present) 134-112, 1 NCAA tourney, 1 conference title
Cal-State Northridge: Bobby Braswell (1996-present) 219-199, 2 NCAA tourneys, 3 conference titles, 3-time conference COY
UC Riverside: John Masi (1979-2005) 462-269, 6-time conference COY
UC Davis: Bob Williams (1990-1998) 158-76, 4 conference titles, 1 D-2 title, 1-time national COY
Long Beach State: Jerry Tarkanian (1968-1973) 122-20, 4 NCAA tourneys, 4 conference titles
Pacific: Bob Thomason (1988-present) 381-277, 4 NCAA tourneys, 5 conference titles, 5-time conference COY
UC Irvine: Pat Douglass (1997-2010) 197-191, 2 conference titles, 1-time conference COY
UCSB: Bob Williams (1998-present) 217-170, 3 NCAA tourneys, 5 conference titles, 3-time conference COY
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Jon Teitel's Interview Series: Cal Poly's Mike Wozniak

Jon Teitel — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 21:55:29 -0700

CHN writer Jon Teitel recently spent some time with Cal Poly great Mike Wozniak, catching up with the sharpshooter on both his career at Cal Poly and some of the things on his plate today. Second on his school's all-time scoring list, Wozniak remains the school's all-time leader in three pointers made.

Jon Teitel: You grew up in Texas and Indiana. How did you end up at Cal Poly?

Mike Wozniak: I got some looks in the Midwest from schools like Butler and Indiana State but I wanted to expand my opportunities, so I went to California to play for the Pump Brothers and Bob Gottlieb. I wanted to try to go to USC, but in the end it came down to USD and Poly. I chose Poly because it was a prestigious institution, gave me the chance to play as a freshman, and it was a wonderful college town/environment. Actually, these were my criteria for all the schools I looked at.

JT: You played several different sports in high school. Which was your favorite, and why did you choose to stick with basketball?

MW: Golf is actually my favorite sport now; I would rather tee it than tip it. It was all basketball in high school in Indiana, although I had played QB until the 8th grade in Texas.

JT: In 1998 you set a school single-season record with 89 FT%. How were you able to maintain your focus for such a long stretch, and what is your secret for free throw shooting?

MW: I just followed an old George Lehmann routine: Balance, Eyes on Target, Elbow Keeps the Basketball Straight, Follow Through. I would just take one dribble, think about my legs, and follow through. When I work with kids on their own free throw shooting, I tell them to believe in their routine. It also helps to practice outside your comfort zone, and try to block out your surroundings.

JT: In 2000 you scored a career-high 36 points and had no turnovers in an eight-point loss to UCSB. Was it just one of those scenarios where every shot you put up seemed to go in because you were "in the zone"?

MW: No doubt, but I had other games where I felt "in the zone". We could not get many defensive stops, as it was a very retaliatory game with a lot of points (we lost 87-79). During one game in my senior year of high school I had 35 points in the first half after making all eight of my three-point attempts. You hear a lot about being "in the zone", but you do not think about it at the time. I do remember getting a lot of points off the dribble in that game against UCSB and getting to the line a lot.

JT: You still hold the record for most three-point field goals in school history. How big a weapon was the three-point shot in your offensive arsenal, and what is your secret for three-point shooting?

MW: It was a huge part of our game. Our coach Jeff Schneider was a Tubby Smith disciple, so we would press full court and get a lot of points in transition. I finished three shots back of Adam Jacobsen's conference record of 311. I joke with that kids I work with that as a 6'2" guy who was not that athletic, my three-point shots counted more than a dunk. The three-point shot was a big part of Poly's style, as it opened up the post for the big guys down low, and that was one of the reasons why I chose to go to Poly.

JT: Your career overlapped with Chris Bjorklund, who is the leading scorer in school history (2,006 points). How on earth were the two of you able to share the ball enough to each score so many points, and was Bjorklund the best teammate you ever had?

MW: Coach Schneider paired us together, so we trusted each other and screened for each other. Chris could stretch defenses just like I could, and he was great, but our point guard Ben Larson was the best teammate I ever had. Ben was a fellow Indiana guy, our team leader in steals, ran the offense, and was very unselfish.

JT: You currently are a talk show host for ESPN Radio. How did you get into the business, and how do you like the job?

MW: I traveled and played one year professionally then got my MBA at Poly. I started a youth basketball academy, then did color commentary for Poly games and then got hooked up with the local ESPN affiliate. Now I have even started calling national games for the Pac-10 and Big 12; business connections are very helpful.

JT: You also do some color commentary for your alma mater's games. What do you think are the biggest changes in the college game since you played a decade ago?

MW: Most people say athleticism/size/speed, but I think it is the willingness of coaches to go smaller (like Jay Wright at Villanova). In the past coaches tried to recruit guys to fill specific roles, but now they are searching for players who can play multiple positions, multi-tool guys who can do a little of everything.

JT: You also serve as director of the Youth Basketball 3-Ball Academy. What kind of work does the Academy do, and have you had any notable graduates?

MW: My first group of guys are currently sophomores in college, but several of them are playing in college. The Academy just grew from local parents asking me if I could teach their kids to shoot like I could. It is now a year-round program that travels to tourneys around the country. Right now we have eight teams, and we have kids from every high school in the area.

JT: When people look back on your career, what do you want them to remember the most?

MW: I just want them to know that I cared. I was a kid who graduated in four years and took academics seriously, as I looked at books and basketball as dual obligations. I did my best to work with the administration and boosters. I know it is not just a one-way street; at a small school it is often about relationships. I used basketball as a vehicle to enjoy the world.

Mike is also on my list of best fantasy players in Big West history:

BIG WEST

Cal Poly: Mike Wozniak (2000): 1,903 PTS (#2), 308 3PM (#1), 86 FT% (#2)

Cal-State Fullerton: Leon Wood (1984): 1,876 PTS (#2), 744 AST (#1), 81.1 FT% (#2), All-American

Cal-State Northridge: Brian Heinle (2001): 1,641 PTS (#1), 785 REB (#2), 290 AST (#5), 76 BLK (#2), 149 3PM (#2), All-American

UC Riverside: Howard Lee (1972): 1,386 PTS (#2), 1,004 REB (#1)

UC Davis: Mark Olson (1976): 1440 PTS (#4), 869 REB (#2)

Long Beach State: Ed Ratleff (1973): 1,820 PTS (#3), 683 REB (#4), 410 AST (#5), 2-time All-American

Pacific: Ron Cornelius (1981): 2,065 PTS (#1), 973 REB (#4), 57 FG% (#3), 2-time All-American, conference POY

UC Irvine: Jerry Green (2002): 1,993 PTS (#1), 162 STL (#1), 2-time conference POY

UCSB: Carrick DeHart (1990): 1,687 PTS (#2), 133 STL (#2), 196 3PM (#2), All-American

Poll: Who Will Win the Big West?

Shawn Siegel — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 06:46:14 -0700

Big West Basketball Preview: 08-09

Shawn Siegel — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 04:25:09 -0800

Conference Rank: 19th

Conference Page

All-BIG WEST Team
Pos.	Player	Team	Yr.

G	Josh Jenkins	Northridge	Sr
G	Josh Akognon	Fullerton	Sr
G	Donovan Morris	LBSU	Sr
F	Chris Devine	UCSB	Sr
F	Tremaine Townsend	Northridge	Sr
CHN Award Winners		Returning Leaders
Mid-Major All-Americans Josh Akognon Donovan Morris		Points: Josh Akognon 20.2 Rebounds: Tremaine Townsend 9.8 Assists: Josh Jenkins 6.4

BIG WEST Standings
Nat'l	Team	League	Tourney

98	Pacific	Big West	1	NCAA
115	CS Northridge	Big West	2
138	UC Santa Barbara	Big West	3
166	CS Fullerton**	Big West	4
182	Cal Poly	Big West	5
210	Long Beach St	Big West	6
259	UC Irvine	Big West	7
281	UC Riverside	Big West	8
311	UC Davis	Big West	9

*Click on links for full Top 144 team preview

** returning conference champion

Note: A lot of changes have occurred at Pacific in the months since this preview was written. They would almost certainly not be our #1 choice as of today.

Poll: Who Do You Think Will Win the Big West?

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Rise & Fall: Big West

State of '08: California