CCSU

Jon Teitel's Coaching Greats: CCSU's Bill Detrick

Jon Teitel — Fri, 04 May 2012 20:44:47 -0700

In the most recent installment in his "Coaching Greats" series, CHN writer Jon Teitel caught up with former Central Connecticut State head coach Bill Detrick. During his time in New Britain Detrick, whose name now adorns the Blue Devils' home arena, won 468 games and helped the program transition to Division I.

Jon Teitel: You went to college at Central Connecticut State, where you played football, basketball and baseball. Which sport were you best at, and which one did you enjoy the most?

Bill Detrick: I was definitely best at football, but I loved baseball and played in the minors after graduation for about $95/month. I was captain of the basketball team but it was not my best sport.

JT: After your playing career you became a coach at CCSU. What made you get into coaching?

BD: Basketball was the best sport to coach because you were really able to teach the game and it is where the action is. You have to use every skill you can think of, whereas some football players can just be stronger than anyone else. I wanted to coach since third grade because if you wanted to play on the playground it was better to be the guy picking the teams!

My PE teachers and coaches were kind of my idols, as I was not a good student. John Chaney at Cheyney State was the best guy I ever coached against. He forced me to change some of the things I did.

JT: What are your memories of the 1966 Division II tournament (CCSU won three games before losing to eventual champ Kentucky Wesleyan)?

BD: We were just a state teachers college in NAIA so a lot of the Division II schools shunned us. It was a big deal for us. The governor even showed up to watch us play. I always wanted us to go to Division I but I was not in any position of power to do so, whereas Kentucky Wesleyan was the opposite and just continued to dominate at the Division II level. When I was coaching my guys were as good as those at Connecticut because we took a lot of guys who were not able to get in there.

JT: One of your former players was Howie Dickenman (the first player in school history with 1000 career points and rebounds), who later became the only coach to lead the Blue Devils to the Division I tournament. What made Dickenman such a great player, and did you ever think he would become such a good coach?

BD: Howie was a man's man. His father was also a great coach so I assume he just followed in his footsteps. He was a great leader and could jump very high. Howie and I are still close and we talk a lot. I always ask him how he could play for me and turn out to be such a defensive genius! I just marveled at how Howie beat up UMass a couple of seasons ago. He learned a lot from Coach Jim Calhoun.

JT: After stepping down in 1988 you took one year off before spending a year as coach at the Coast Guard Academy. How did you enjoy the year off, and why did you decide to get back on the sideline?

BD: I did not get the AD job so my choice was to go back to coaching or retire, and I decided to retire with most of my pension. I decided to go back because I had some new ideas that I wanted to try out. We were 11-11 going into our last game and we lost by one point to finish with a losing record, which was very disappointing. I had a player make 59 straight free throws, which set a national record.

I called a timeout after he made the record-setting free throw so that the crowd would give him a big ovation, and he came over to the sideline and said, "Who the hell called that timeout!?" I realized that I had a lot of perks at Central Connecticut State because the players at the Coast Guard were treated just like all the other students!

JT: You spent the past two decades as golf coach at Trinity (CT) College. How did you switch from coaching basketball to coaching golf, and which sport do you enjoy coaching more?

BD: I have such a dilemma coaching golf, as the players all have their own swing coaches. I just help them to grow up and improve their academics. If I had known 20 years ago that I was going to still be doing this, I would have spent a lot more time being a coach rather than being a teacher. The academic culture at Trinity left me shell-shocked. Some of the players will get a 3% deduction in their grade if they skip a class to play in a golf match!

JT: Your wife Barbara was a teacher, and each of your three kids ended up going into public education. How important is education to you, and how do you get your players to balance academics with athletics?

BD: When I went to Trinity I thought that we could not win...and I was right. However, we have been able to get a lot of Academic All-Americans who have gone on to get great jobs after graduation. Athletics came first for me, but if my players tell me that they need to study then I let them study. A good teacher is hard to find. I taught at Central for 35 years and only had a few students who failed to graduate.

JT: You are the winningest coach in school history. What made you such a great coach?

BD: You have to have great players: that is the main thing. I am coaching in my sixth straight decade and it has changed a lot. My golfers asked me how they would do if they played basketball for me, and I told them that they would sit on the bench! When I tell them to change their grip and they tell me their grip is just fine...oh no. I have two rules: you have to be able to relate to people and then you have to know what you are talking about. You have to continually readjust things to make sure it still works.

JT: The gym at Central Connecticut State now bears your name. What did it mean to you to receive such an outstanding honor?

BD: Some people give a school $1,000,000 to get their name on a building. I gave them a $1,000,000 in sweat and hard work. I never missed a game or practice. I saw a lot of coaches holding onto their job too long and I did not want to get into that situation. When my grandkids go to a game and see the family name up there they really get a kick out of it. It means more and more every year.

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

BD: I wish I knew the answer to that. A lot of people have called me a fierce competitor, so I like to think that I competed pretty well. I tried to provide an environment for my players to do well and use some psychological techniques to get them prepared. If a kid had the drive and desire then he could play for me.

Detrick is also on Jon's list of best coaches in NEC history:

Bryant: Max Good (2001-2008) 132-86
Central Connecticut State Bill Detrick (1959-1988) 468-266
Fairleigh Dickinson Tom Green (1983-2009) 407-351, 4 NCAA tourneys, 4 conference titles, 2-time conference COY
LIU Brooklyn: Clair Bee (1931-1943, 1945-1951) 360-80-2, 2 NIT titles, 1 Helms title
Monmouth: Bill Boylan (1956-1977) 367-157
Mount St. Mary's: Jim Phelan (1954-2003) 830-524, 2 NCAA tourneys, 1 conference title, 16 D-2 tourneys, 1 D-2 title, 2-time national COY, 2-time conference COY
Quinnipiac: Burt Kahn (1960-1991) 459-358
Robert Morris: Jarrett Durham (1984-1996) 157-183, 3 NCAA tourneys, 3 conference titles, 2-time conference COY
Sacred Heart: Dave Bike (1978-present) 519-480, 1 D-2 title, 1-time D-2 national COY
St. Francis (NY): Daniel Lynch (1948-1969) 283-237, 2 conference titles
Saint Francis (PA): Skip Hughes (1945-1966) 293-206-1
Wagner: Tim Capstraw (1989-1999) 117-164, 1-time conference COY

CollegeHoops.net Awards: Crowder, Horton, Belmont, Kansas

Greg Mengelt — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 11:08:54 -0800

A review of the week that was in college basketball focusing on the best (and worst) performances. Check in every Monday morning for CollegeHoops.net's weekly awards by Greg Mengelt.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Jae Crowder, Marquette Senior Forward: Crowder – the reigning Big East Player of the Week – scored 53 points, grabbed 11 boards, handed out five assists and had five blocks and five steals in a pair of Golden Eagle wins.

In Wednesday’s 82-65 win over Rutgers, Crowder made 11 of his 14 field goal attempts and finished with 27 points, seven rebounds, four assists, four steals and three blocked shots.

He followed that performance with 26 points, four rebounds, two blocks, two steals and an assist in Marquette’s big 61-60 win at West Virginia.

“He’s a really good player,” Mountaineer star Kevin Jones said. “He came in with a chip on his shoulder. You can’t take away anything from him and his team. They’re a tough team, as you can see.”

For the season, the senior forward is averaging 17.4 points on 51.6 percent shooting. He’s also gets 7.6 rebounds, 2.4 steals, two assists and a block per night.

MID-MAJOR PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Ken Horton, Central Connecticut State Senior Forward: Horton ended his scoring slump in a big way last week, scoring 61 points in a pair of Blue Devil wins last week.

In Thursday’s 78-63 victory over Mt. St. Mary’s, Horton went for a career-high 39 points on 15-of-20 from the field, including 4-of-8 from behind the 3-point line. He also had 13 rebounds, six steals, five assists and a blocked shot. On Saturday, he scored 22 points, grabbed seven boards, blocked five shots and had four steals and three assists in a 78-61 win over Wagner.

For the season, Horton is averaging 18.7 points, 8.9 rebounds, 2.1 steals, 1.7 assists and 1.4 blocks while shooting 49.3 percent from the field.

TEAM OF THE WEEK

Belmont: After clinching at least a share of the Atlantic Sun regular-season title with an 88-79 win over South Carolina-Upstate on Monday, the 24-7 Bruins clinched the championship outright with a 62-61 win at second-place Mercer on Saturday.

In the win over USCU, five Belmont players scored in double-figures. On Saturday, Mick Hedgepeth hit a free throw with 12 seconds left to seal the conference title. Ian Clark led four Bruins in double-figures with 16 points.

SINGLE-GAME PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK

Daniel Mullings, New Mexico State Freshman Guard: Mullings continued a nice freshman campaign with a triple-double in Thursday’s 115-73 win over Hawaii.

Mullings led the Aggies’ offensive explosion with a career-high 28 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists, five steals and a blocked shot. He made 11 of his 15 field goal attempts and 6-of-9 foul shots. It was the first triple-double in NMSU history

The Toronto native, who hadn’t had a double-double before Thursday’s triple-double, is averaging nine points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.7 steals for the year. He’s averaging 15.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists and four steals over his last four games.

WIN OF THE WEEK

Kansas 87, Missouri 86 (OT): The Jayhawks clinched their eighth consecutive Big 12 championship by coming from 19 points down in the second half to defeat their rivals in overtime.

Tyshawn Taylor hit a pair of free throws with 8.3 seconds left in overtime as Kansas improved to 24-5 overall and 14-2 in the Big 12. The Jayhawks now have a 2-game lead over Missouri with two games to play. They only need to win at Oklahoma State on Monday or at home against Texas on Saturday to clinch the title outright.

“That couldn’t have been scripted a lot better for us,” Kansas coach Bill Self said. “I’m not the most emotional guy, but that’s about as good as it gets.”

The 19-point comeback tied the largest ever for Kansas at home (it did the same against UCLA on Dec. 2, 1995 in an 85-70 win) and was three points shy of its largest comeback in program history.

“We had the game in our hands, and we gave them a gift,” Missouri senior Kim English told the Associated Press.

With the 105-year rivalry coming to a close – at least for the time being – Kansas will have eternal bragging rights.

UPSET OF THE WEEK

Penn 55, Harvard 54: Zack Rosen scored 20 points, including Penn’s last nine, and nailed a pair of free throws with 23 seconds left as the Quakers kept Harvard from essentially wrapping up the Ivy League title and the first NCAA Tournament bid.

With the win, Penn pulled within a half-game of the Crimson and only has to beat Brown (Friday) and Yale (Saturday) at home and at Princeton (March 3) to force a 1-game playoff between the Quakers and Crimson for the Ivy League’s tourney bid.

LOSS OF THE WEEK

Northeastern 85, George Mason 82 (OT): Any hope George Mason had of collecting an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament probably went away when 13-15 Northeastern outscored the Patriots 10-7 in overtime.

On Saturday, GMU fell to VCU, 89-77 to fall to third in the Colonial standings, making a CAA tournament championship run vital for the Patriots.

PLAY OF THE WEEK

No shot?: After Taylor hit his free throws to give Kansas an 87-86 lead, Missouri’s Michael Dixon dribbled out the final 8.3 seconds of the clock and the Tigers never got a chance to upset the Jayhawks.

With a second left, Dixon finally got the ball to Marcus Denmon, who hit a 3-pointer but not until after the buzzer had sounded as Missouri dropped consecutive games for the first time this season.

Thursday Recap: Cougars Bounce Back in Provo

Raphielle Johnson — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 07:46:00 -0800

A week after being outclassed at home by first-place Saint Mary's there was no ignoring the importance of BYU's game against Gonzaga, especially if the Cougars were to remain alive in the race for second place in the WCC. Dave Rose's team responded as good teams should, taking control of the game with an 11-4 run to close out the first half on their way to an 83-73 victory. The frontcourt matchup proved to be the difference as BYU's duo of Noah Hartsock and Brandon Davies outplayed Elias Harris and Robert Sacre, with Hartsock's 24 points and 14 rebounds leading the way.

Davies added 15 points and five rebounds for BYU, who picked up an important resume-building victory to move to 19-6 (7-3) on the season. Harris attempted just three shots for the Bulldogs, making one and finishing with seven points in 21 minutes of action, while Sacre scored 11 points and grabbed five boards. Sam Dower (15 points, five rebounds) and Marquise Carter (11 points) led the way off the bench for Gonzaga, who as a whole didn't not deal well with one of the toughest environments in college basketball.

"We were rattled, frazzled, played with no poise and no composure," remarked Gonzaga head coach Mark Few. "We have two freshmen guards out there. But they were only part of the problem. It was everybody - seniors, juniors. BYU came out and played us physical and got after us. Their posts attacked us very well - Hartsock and Davies."

Gonzaga did manage to score 49 points in the second half as they shot 51.4% from the field but that didn't matter much as BYU was able to find the shots they wanted on the other end (45 points, 54.5% FG). Two reasons for that were guards Matt Carlino (18 points, five assists) and Anson Winder (10 points, five assists). Winder made his first start of the year on Thursday night, replacing Brock Zylstra in the starting lineup as Rose hoped that Zylstra would provide a spark to the bench scoring. Safe to say that Winder provided a boost himself by reaching double figures for the first time since December 20th.

Entering the week ranked 48th in the NCAA's most recently released RPI, BYU was without a win over an RPI Top 50 opponent (0-4) going into Thursday night. To take care of that now is a good development for the Cougars, who wouldn't have another shot until their regular season finale in Spokane. But more importantly the win keeps BYU in the conversation for one of the two double-byes in the conference tournament, which leaves a team two games away from an automatic bid.

"That's a big win for our team and for our guys," said Rose. "Every player that went in the game tonight played with real urgency and a great effort. Our effort was extremely high the whole night and that was our focus going in."

Other Notable Happenings

1. Arizona makes big plays late to win at Cal, showing that they aren't done yet.
There were some who left the Arizona Wildcats for dead in the aftermath of Kevin Parrom's season-ending injury as he broke his right foot in the first half of their two-point loss to Washington (the Huskies are now in sole possession of first place). And the Wildcats did little to erase that doubt early in Berkeley as they trailed Cal by as many as 12 halfway through the first half. But Arizona stormed back, outscoring the Golden Bears 36-14 over the final 10:43 of the half and holding off Cal's many attempts to wrestle away control in the second half to win 78-74. Kyle Fogg came up big on a night that saw Solomon Hill struggle with foul trouble, scoring 23 points and blocking an Allen Crabbe three that would have tied the game in the final seconds.

Jesse Perry added 18 points and four rebounds but there was also a bit of a youth movement for the Wildcats as well. Nick Johnson, who also had a critical blocked shot in the final minute of play, scored 11 points and dished out a team-high five assists and Angelo Chol added eight points, four rebounds and two blocked shots in his best performance of the season with regards to both the stat line and his activity. Josiah Turner was solid as well despite four turnovers, and he's going to have more on his plate with Jordin Mayes going down with a foot injury that could sideline him for the remainder of the season. That would be another tough blow for Arizona to absorb, but if Thursday's effort showed anything it's that they won't be going down without a fight.

2. Murray State storms back in the second half to remain undefeated.
Second-place Southeast Missouri State is the biggest threat to Murray State's hope of winning the OVC's automatic bid, and the Redhawks showed why in the first half on Thursday night as they led by as many as 11 and took a 39-33 lead into the half. But that margin proved to be too close for comfort on the road as Isaiah Canaan and company got rolling in the final 20 minutes. Murray shot 22-for-28 from the foul line and out-rebounded SEMO 28-18 (14 offensive rebounds) on their way to the 81-73 win.

Canaan finished with 32 points, five rebounds and three assists and Ivan Aska was one of three other players to reach double figures with ten points and 11 rebounds, moving the Racers to 22-0 on the season. Marcus Brister led four Redhawks in double figures with 17 points and eight rebounds but it's tough to win anywhere, much less on the road, when allowing a team to not only whip you on the offensive glass but also attempt 28 free throws. They'll get another crack at Murray State on the 15th, allowing Dickey Nutt's team the opportunity to apply the lessons they've learned, but that's far easier said than done against Steve Prohm's talented squad.

3. St. Francis (NY) beats CCSU to move to 9-2 in the NEC.
One of the better (and more unheralded) coaching jobs has been done in Brooklyn, and while many will rush to point out what Jim Ferry has done at LIU Brooklyn (and rightfully so) he's not the only one getting it done in the borough. Glen Braica's St. Francis (NY) Terriers have been the surprise of the NEC this season, and the continued their run of success with a 73-67 win over Central Connecticut State to move to 9-2 in league play. Akeem Johnson and Travis Nichols scored 16 points apiece to lead the way for the Terriers, who won despite allowing the Blue Devils to grab 18 offensive rebounds.

The reason: balance. The CCSU trio of Ken Horton, Robbie Ptacek and Kyle Vinales combined to score 53 points but no other Blue Devil put up more than four while SFNY had four players reach double figures. Also SFNY took care of the basketball as they finished with just eight turnovers, a far cry from their season average of 16.7 per game. St. Francis (NY) doesn't have the star power of an LIU or a Wagner but they're every bit the threat to win the league, something they can take advantage of with two meetings with their borough rivals next week.

Quick Hitters

1. In recent years the matchup with Virginia Tech has given Duke trouble, but there was no such luck for the Hokies on Thursday as the Blue Devils won 75-60. Austin Rivers accounted for 18 points, five rebounds and five assists and Seth Curry and Ryan Kelley combined to score 26 points off the bench.

2. #11 Florida shot just 37.3% from the field against South Carolina but made up for it by making 23 of their 32 free throws in a 74-66 win. Kenny Boynton scored 24 points and Bradley Beal added his first career double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Quick turnaround for the Gators too as they host Vanderbilt on Saturday afternoon.

3. Nate Wolters scored 24 points and dished out nine assists to lead South Dakota State past Oral Roberts 75-60, handing the Golden Eagles their first Summit League loss of the season. Dominique Morrison struggled with foul trouble all night, scoring 12 points but attempting just eight shots before fouling out.

4. Josh Brown scored 21 points and grabbed ten rebounds and Elfrid Payton added 20 off the bench as Louisiana-Lafayette beat Denver 72-71 in overtime, a result that left the visitors none too pleased thanks to some dubious officiating late. Denver needs to bounce back quickly however as their host the Sun Belt's best team (Middle Tennessee, who beat North Texas) on Saturday afternoon.

5. Idaho State was the preseason pick to finish last in the Big Sky, but after the second game-winning shot from Kenny McGowen (30 points) in less than a week the Bengals are now tied for third with Montana State (who they beat 87-86). At the least ISU is doing themselves the favor of remaining above the fight for those final Big Sky tournament slots, something few expected to happen back in October.

6. Latif Rivers scored 28 points in leading Wagner past Robert Morris 80-69 to keep the Seahawks a game behind LIU Brooklyn in the NEC race. Wagner's tied for second with surprising SFNY, who plays LIU Brooklyn twice next week and the outcome could very well open things up atop the NEC standings.

7. Wes Miller's making it tough on the administration to look for someone other than he to lead the UNC Greensboro program on a permanent basis. The Spartans beat The Citadel 82-71 to move to 7-4 in SoCon play, remaining atop the North Division standings. Trevis Simpson scored 23 and grabbed seven rebounds and Aloysius Henry and Derrell Armstrong combined to score 27 points off the bench.

8. Thanks to some questionable decisions from Detroit early in the second half along with their own shooting Valparaiso moved to 9-3 in the Horizon League with a 78-73 win. Valpo shot 57.9% from the field and 15-for-20 from the foul line in the second half, and Ryan Broekhoff led three Crusaders in double figures with 26 points.

9. Marcos Knight scored 19 points and grabbed seven rebounds to lead Middle Tennessee to a 68-66 win at North Texas, moving the Blue Raiders to 10-0 in the Sun Belt. Alzee Williams scored 29 points to lead the Mean Green, who will be a team to keep an eye on in the conference tournament due to talented players such as Williams and Tony Mitchell. But Kermit Davis' team is clearly the class of the conference, and they're up four games in the loss column in the East Division with six to play.

Three Notable Performances

1. G Lamont "MoMo" Jones and G Scott Machado (Iona)
Jones set a Hynes Center record by scoring 43 points in the Gaels' 105-86 win over Canisius while Machado dished out 14 assists with just two turnovers (14 points as well).

2. G Damian Lillard (Weber State)
The nation's leading scorer put up 40 points and five assists in the Wildcats' 92-79 win over Portland State.

3. G Kevin Murphy (Tennessee Tech) and C John Fraley (Austin Peay)
These were two of the stars in the matchup between the Golden Eagles and the Governors, which Tennessee Tech won 94-88. Murphy, who scored 50 points in a game earlier this week, paced Tennessee Tech with 33 points and seven rebounds while Fraley scored 31 and grabbed 17 rebounds in a losing effort. Can't forget Tennessee Tech's Jud Dillard either as he scored 29 and grabbed nine boards.

Saturday Recap: Northwestern, Florida State Pick Up Important Wins

Raphielle Johnson — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 21:07:05 -0800

There weren't many opportunities to watch ranked teams play each other (there was just one, which is discussed below), but Saturday's slate provided many teams the chance to improve their resumes. Florida State and Northwestern took full advantage of their opportunities as they both knocked off Top 10 opponents at home, albeit in different ways.

While #6 Michigan State put up a fight in losing to Northwestern 81-74 in Evanston, #3 North Carolina offered no such challenge for Florida State in Tallahassee. Deividas Dulkys, who entered the game averaging 6.2 points per game, went off to the tune of 32 points (8-10 3PT) in the 90-57 beating.

Roy Williams' team went into the locker room at the half down just eight points at 36-28, but the Tar Heels didn't look like a team that wanted to fight back in the second half. Entering the game Florida State was the worst team in the ACC when it came to taking care of the basketball, but it was North Carolina that turned the ball over 22 times on Saturday with Kendall Marshall tallying seven.

FSU did turn the ball over 17 times but six of those belonged to Luke Loucks, and all six came in the first half. Leonard Hamilton's team didn't shoot better in the second half (47.1% to 50.0% in the first), but they took better care of the basketball (six turnovers). And combining that with their defense (33.3% FG allowed) meant bad things for the visitors from Chapel Hill.

"I think it was a team effort just defending their system," said Hamilton when asked of how they limited Tyler Zeller (14 points, 14 rebounds) and John Henson (ten points, three rebounds). "You just try to limit the clean looks they get and make them work for whatever they get."

As for Northwestern, they received help from the supporting cast and that was a big reason why the Wildcats were able to beat Michigan State. John Shurna (22 points) and Drew Crawford (20 points) did what they normally do, but Davide Curletti and Reggie Hearn (10 points) also reached double figures. As a team the Wildcats shot 50.0% from the field and assisted on 20 of 26 made field goals with just seven turnovers.

Bill Carmody's team also played well defensively in the second half, limiting Michigan State to 34.4% shooting overall and 7-for-21 on two-point shots. Michigan State scored 37 points in both halves, but the drop in their accuracy on two-point shots (61.5%) and efficiency helped Northwestern take control of the game and eventually push their lead out to 12 (69-57) with 6:45 remaining.

Keith Appling scored 17 points and Draymond Green 14, but they were the only two Spartans to reach double figures. Both Northwestern and Florida State were "out of character" in their victories on Saturday, with the Seminoles taking better care of the basketball and the Wildcats getting scoring from guys other than their two primary options. But the wins aren't going to mean much if they can't build on the outcomes and continue to improve.

"In order for this game to be meaningful we need to continue to stacking on these types of games," remarked Hamilton. Can't say it any better than that.

Other Notable Happenings

1. Jamaal Franklin's runner in the final seconds pushes #22 San Diego State past #12 UNLV.
The lone contest on the schedule matching ranked teams was also the Mountain West opener for both the Aztecs and Runnin' Rebels, and they gave the fans either at Viejas Arena or watching on TV a treat. Jamaal Franklin, who had to leave the game with 1:01 remaining after injuring his ankle, returned to the floor 30 seconds later and provided the winning points for San Diego State.

Franklin's driving bucket with three-tenths of a second remaining was the difference in the Aztecs' 69-67 win over UNLV, who remained within striking distance thanks in large part to their work on the offensive glass. UNLV grabbed 19 offensive rebounds, leading to ten second-chance points.

Franklin was outstanding despite some early issues with rushed shots, finishing with 24 points and ten rebounds. But he wasn't the only key contributor for Steve Fisher's team, as James Rahon scored 22 points and Chase Tapley 11. Anthony Marshall led UNLV with 26 points, but he was the Runnin' Rebels' lone double figure scorer as SDSU did a solid job of defending the likes of Chace Stanback (3-9 FG, seven points) and Mike Moser (3-11 FG, nine points, 11 rebounds).

UNLV entered the game averaging more than 18 assists per game but they finished with just nine, and the foul line didn't help matters either. UNLV made 11 of 21 from the charity stripe while SDSU knocked down 16 of 20, and leaving points at the foul line is one of the easiest ways to lose a close contest. With New Mexico getting their shot at both teams next week (SDSU in Albuquerque on Wednesday, at UNLV on Saturday) there isn't much time to rest on this outcome, but at the very least San Diego State held serve at home.

2. Oregon hangs on the beat Arizona, pulling off the road sweep of the Arizona schools for the first time in 34 years.
Dana Altman's team entered Saturday's game in Tucson needing a win to remain a game out of first place in the loss column, but to say the least history was not on their side as they hadn't beaten both Arizona and Arizona State on the road in the same season in 34 years. But thanks to a balanced offensive effort (four players scored either 12 or 13 points) the Ducks made program history in winning 59-57 despite blowing a 17-point lead. The Wildcats had two chances in the waning moments to either tie or win the game but couldn't make either shot, and quiet afternoons from Jesse Perry (2-4 FG, eight points) and Kyle Fogg (1-9 FG, five points) didn't help matters either.

Arizona's had trouble with bigger teams this season, and that was no different with the Ducks having Tony Woods and Olu Ashaolu to pester Perry inside. Does Oregon have enough to contend for the Pac-12 crown? The addition of guard Devoe Joseph is one reason why, and E.J. Singler has played well for much of the season. In a wide-open league the teams that can pull off road sweeps will likely have the best chance of winning the title. This is a big weekend for Oregon from a historical standpoint, but how big it is this season depends on whether or not they can build on the positive momentum.

3. Kentucky makes the plays they needed to make late to win at Tennessee.
Cuonzo Martin welcomed freshman Jarnell Stokes (nine points, four rebounds) into the fold on Saturday, and while he still has a way to go with regards to both conditioning and understanding the system there's no denying Stokes' talent. In spite of a fired up crowd at Thompson-Boling Arena and a team that refused to lie down, Kentucky found a way to leave Knoxville with a win thanks in large part to Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. It's become obvious that the freshman is Kentucky's leader and he once again made the "winning plays" needed to close teams out, finishing with 17 points, 12 rebounds and three steals in the 65-62 win.

Anthony Davis added 18 points, eight rebounds and four blocked shots and Terrence Jones ten points as Kentucky won their second conference road game of the season. That matches their total from all of last season, which should be a good sign for John Calipari's young team. Cameron Tatum led Tennessee with 16 points and Jeronne Maymon added 15 and ten rebounds, but the Volunteers couldn't overcome Kentucky's seven-point edge (21-14) at the foul line. Tennessee gave Kentucky everything they wanted and will get better as the season wears on, but a team with a glue guy the caliber of Kidd-Gilchrist is tough to beat.

4. Weber State makes quite the statement in whipping Montana to take sole possession of first place in the Big Sky.
The second-biggest game of the day out west took place in the Big Sky, with Montana and Weber State being the lone remaining undefeated teams in the conference. But with the return of two key cogs in the attack, Randy Rahe's Wildcats made a statement in their 80-64 win over the Grizzlies in Ogden. Damian Lillard (21 points) and Scott Bamforth (15 points) are names known by most college basketball fans, but what about Frank Otis and Gelaun Wheelwright? Otis, who like Kyle Bullinger missed multiple games due to injury, sparked a Weber State run from the eight-minute mark of the first half that resulted in a 49-36 halftime lead.

Both he and Wheelwright finished with seven points and Kyle Tresnak scored 12 as the Wildcats proved to be too much for Montana on both ends of the floor. Montana shot just 35.7% in the first half and 38.5% for the game as their six-game win streak came to an end. There's a lot of basketball to be played before Wayne Tinkle's team gets another shot at Weber State (the regular season finale for both on February 28th), but Weber State's performance on Saturday night clearly makes them the team to beat.

5. Oklahoma picks up a much-needed win, knocking off #18 Kansas State in Norman.
There aren't many teams that are going to beat Missouri and Kansas period, much less in back-to-back games, so there wasn't much shame in falling to those teams as Lon Kruger's Sooners did to start Big 12 play. But to lose at Oklahoma State on Monday night to fall to 0-3 made Saturday's game against #18 Kansas State even more important, and the Sooners rose to the challenge as they won 82-73 in Norman. Andrew Fitzgerald scored 21 points and Steven Pledger and Romero Osby scored 18 apiece for Oklahoma, who shot 70.0% from the field in the second half to maintain the nine-point spread they built in the first half.

Kansas State shot just 33.3% from the field in the first half and trailed 38-29 at the break, and a big problem for them was the lack of productivity from their starters other than Rodney McGruder (19 points, ten rebounds) and Will Spradling (11 points). The other three starters combined to score just ten points with nine coming from Jamar Samuels, and while Nino Williams and Jeremy Jones scored 12 apiece off the bench it wasn't enough as the Wildcats were unable to get stops in the second half. Whether or not the Sooners can make a run at a tournament bid remains to be seen and it will be tough since the Big 12 is now a true round-robin, but at the least they needed a win Saturday and they got one.

Quick Hitters

1. While neither team won on Saturday, both Pittsburgh and Villanova played far better than they did on Wednesday in losses to Rutgers and Syracuse respectively. The Panthers fell at #24 Marquette 62-57, but the move to put Isaiah Epps in the starting lineup at the point served as a boost for Ashton Gibbs (29 points). As for Villanova, Maalik Wayns (39 points, 13 rebounds, six assists) was outstanding but it wasn't enough in an 82-78 loss at Cincinnati. Whether or not these two can play their way into NCAA Tournament consideration remains to be seen, but at the least they've shown signs of life. That wasn't the case on Wednesday.

2. There may not have been a more impressive bounce-back from a bad outing earlier in the week than what Iowa was able to do, as they beat #13 Michigan 75-59 in Iowa City following a 95-61 loss at Michigan State on Wednesday. Matt Gatens led four Hawkeyes in double figures with 19 points and Fran McCaffery's team assisted on 18 of their 25 made baskets. It also didn't hurt to have Michigan shoot 8-for-31 from beyond the arc.

3. Good luck attempting to handicap the Atlantic 10 race, but unlike the Pac-12 that action would be to sift through quality options as opposed to detritus. Xavier looks to be back to their normal selves as they beat St. Bonaventure 77-64 at home, and Saint Louis was finally able to win a close game as they won 68-67 at Charlotte. But Temple and Saint Joseph's weren't as fortunate, falling to Richmond (76-65) and a surprising UMass (71-62) respectively. This is going to be a fun race to watch unfold.

4. Another non-BCS race to keep an eye on is the NEC, which currently has one undefeated team (LIU Brooklyn at 6-0), three teams at 5-1 (CCSU, St. Francis (NY) and Wagner) and Robert Morris sits a game behind those teams at 4-2. Dan Hurley's Seahawks beat CCSU 67-58 at home despite 21 turnovers, moving their win streak to seven games (Wagner hadn't done that since the 1979-80 season) thanks in large part to their defense (19 TOs forced, 38.8% FG allowed). Jonathon Williams led Wagner with 18 points while CCSU was paced by Robby Ptacek, who finished with 26.

5. The three remaining undefeated teams (Baylor, Murray State and Syracuse) all won on Saturday afternoon, with the Bears and Orange both blowing out overmatched opponents (Baylor beat Oklahoma State 106-65 while Syracuse beat Providence (without the suspended Vincent Council) 78-55). Murray State dealt with a stiffer challenge, beating Tennessee Tech 82-74 thanks in large part to a combined 52 points from guards Donte Poole (28) and Isaiah Canaan (24). With Ivan Aska out for the next month or so while his broken hand heals, the Racers are going to need more from their frontcourt to remain atop the OVC.

6. Zeke Marshall (17 points, six rebounds) became the 8th player in MAC history to block at least 200 shots in a career, but the biggest reason for Akron's 68-63 win over Ohio was the production of their bench. Nick Harney and Brett McClanahan scored 10 points apiece and the Zips' reserves outscored Ohio's 31-18. Keith Dambrot's team moved to 3-0 in league play and there's little doubt that Akron has the tools needed to return to the NCAA Tournament.

7. Arnett Moultrie won the individual matchup between he and JaMychal Green, scoring 25 points and grabbing 13 rebounds, and as a result #20 Mississippi State beat Alabama 53-50 in Starkville. Dee Bost added 17, and it should be seen as a good sign for Rick Stansbury's team that they found a way to win with starters Rodney Hood and Jalen Steele combining to shoot 0-for-11 from the field.

8. Despite Shabazz Napier's foot still bothering him and guard Ryan Boatright being held out due to eligibility concerns, #16 Connecticut ended Notre Dame's 29-game home win streak with a 67-53 win. Napier scored a team-high 16 points, Alex Oriakhi had arguably his best game of the season (12 points, seven rebounds) and Andre Drummond posted another double-double (10 points, 13 rebounds) to make up for Jeremy Lamb scoring just six points. Eric Atkins scored 20 but Notre Dame made just 32.3% of their shots on the day.

9. Early pick for Ivy League Player of the Year? Has to be Penn guard Zack Rosen, who scored 18 points and dished out five assists (five steals as well) in the Quakers' 64-52 win at Cornell. Penn's off to a 2-0 start in conference play, and while there's quite the gulf between Harvard and the rest of the league Rosen and Tyler Bernardini (18 points, eight rebounds) are two reasons why Jerome Allen's team may be their biggest threat.

10. Bob McKillop's Davidson squad took control of the South Division of the SoCon with their 83-79 win at Appalachian State, moving to 6-0 in league play. Jake Cohen scored 21 points and grabbed seven rebounds and De'Mon Brooks scored seven straight during a 10-0 run to move the Wildcats to 12-4 overall. And with Georgia Southern losing at Wofford, Davidson is two games up on the second place Eagles.

Five Notable Performances

1. G Maalik Wayns (Villanova)
39 points, 13 rebounds and six assists in the Wildcats' 82-78 loss at Cincinnati.

2. G Deividas Dulkys (Florida State)
32 points (8-10 3PT) and four assists in the Seminoles' 90-57 pasting of #3 North Carolina.

3. C Kyle O'Quinn (Norfolk State) and F Dewayne Jackson (Morgan State)
In Norfolk State's 90-89 double overtime win O'Quinn posted a line of 25 points, 12 rebounds and seven blocks while Jackson led the Bears with 33 points, four rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks.

4. G J'Covan Brown (Texas)
34 points (10-16 FG), four rebounds and two assists in the Longhorns' 84-73 loss at #9 Missouri.

5. F T.J. Robinson (Long Beach State)
14 points and 19 rebounds in the 49ers' 76-66 win over Pacific, Long Beach State's 17th straight win at home.

Saturday Recap: Five Ranked Teams Fall to Unranked Opponents

Raphielle Johnson — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 01:27:58 -0800

The first Saturday of the new year proved to be far more exciting than anticipated, much to the detriment of ranked teams who took their show on the road. Removing #7 Missouri and #20 Marquette, who both lost on the road to ranked opponents (more on both of those games below), five ranked teams lost to unranked opponents with four of the losses coming on the road. The Big East provided the most intrigue, with #8 Connecticut and #9 Georgetown falling on the road while #10 Louisville lost in double overtime at home. So which of the three defeats is most concerning? That's likely a toss-up between the Huskies and Cardinals.

Connecticut lost at Rutgers, who already owned a win at The RAC over then-#10 Florida, 67-60 with Eli Carter leading the Scarlet Knights with 19 points. It was a Saturday night to forget for Jeremy Lamb, who scored just eight points before fouling out. With the preseason All-America dealing with foul trouble for much of the night, Rutgers head coach Mike Rice was able to go with a zone defense to take advantage of the Huskies' issues in dealing with zones.

While UConn's 36.5% shooting from deep on the season isn't a great number it's definitely better than the 4-for-19 performance they put up against Rutgers. But of more concern than the lack of perimeter shooting is the lack of leadership and toughness for this group, something that was lost with the departure of Kemba Walker. And it's a sore subject for head coach Jim Calhoun, who returned to the bench after missing the last three games due to an NCAA suspension.

"There's not a lack of leadership, there's none," said Calhoun. Short, and to the point.

As for Louisville, their issues of running a half-court offense with cohesion has been well documented, and for that reason it's reasonable to say that Rick Pitino's team was given too much credit earlier in the season. Eric Atkins' shot with 17 seconds remaining gave the Fighting Irish a 65-63 lead and his two free throws in the final seconds of the second overtime sealed the 67-65 victory, giving Notre Dame their first win in the Commonwealth of Kentucky until 1980.

Louisville shot much better from the field, making 42.3% of their shots compared to 31.7% for Notre Dame. But when you hand the ball over 18 times, allowing Notre Dame to score 16 points off of turnovers, there's a good chance that the outcome won't be a positive one. The Cardinals now already have two home conference losses, and that's definitely not a good spot to be in if they're to contend for a Big East title.

"Hard fought game, but if you break it down, they made their free throws and we didn't," said Pitino. "To lose two home games in the Big East with the type of schedule we have is very destructive to say the least."

The other two losses to unranked opponents came in the SEC, with Florida kicking off the crazy day with a 67-56 loss to Tennessee (more on that below) and #15 Mississippi State getting lit up at Arkansas 98-88. The Bulldogs weren't much more than a sieve defensively, allowing the Razorbacks to shoot 56.5% from the field for the game. Rick Stansbury's team seemed to be in solid shape at the half, trailing by just six (43-37) despite turning the ball over eleven times to just two for Arkansas.

But that optimism was misguided as the Bulldogs allowed 55 points in the final 20 minutes with the Hogs making 67.9% of their shots. Julysses Nobles and B.J. Young scored 24 points apiece to lead Arkansas, who finished with five players in double figures, and they were also aided by the fact that three players scored 63 of Mississippi State's 88 points. Arnett Moultrie scored just nine but did grab ten rebounds before fouling out with over six minutes remaining, but his fifth foul essentially signaled the end of the game for Mississippi State. The lesson the Bulldogs learned was similar to that learned by the other ranked teams to fall: anyone can fall on any given day.

Other Notable Happenings

1. Kansas State takes advantage of #7 Missouri's lack of interior depth and hands the Tigers their first loss.
There were certainly concerns about how Frank Haith's team would deal with bigger teams as the season wore on, as Missouri has just seven scholarship players and two true frontcourt players. And at the "Octagon of Doom" the Tigers got their first glimpse of how difficult things could be, especially if their perimeter scorers aren't as productive as expected. Missouri shot just 32.7% from the field and were out-rebounded 39-25 by #23 Kansas State in the Wildcats' 75-59 victory, suffering their first loss of the season.

It didn't help matters that starting forward Ricardo Ratliffe played just 14 foul-riddled minutes, scoring two points and grabbing one rebounds. The Tigers can't afford that level of production when their guards are on, much less when Phil Pressey misses all six of his shots from the field and the team shoots 7-for-24 from three. Rodney McGruder led K-State with 20 points and as a team the Wildcats assisted on 18 of their 28 field goals, resulting in an efficiency (111.9) 21 points higher than what Missouri opponents averaged on the season.

2. Syracuse runs out to a big lead and hangs on to beat Marquette in the Carrier Dome.
Thanks to a 23-1 run in the first half to turn a 12-11 lead into a seemingly insurmountable 35-12 edge, top-ranked Syracuse seemed to be well on their way to an emphatic victory over #20 Marquette. But Jim Boeheim's team apparently left their intensity in the locker room, as they came out of halftime flat while Buzz Williams' team displayed the fight expected of his program. Marquette would eventually pull to within two points (59-57) but could get no closer as the Orange would eventually win 73-66, moving to 17-0 and by the end of the night sitting alone atop the Big East standings.

Marquette could hit nothing in the first half, shooting 30% from the field and going 1-for-7 from beyond the arc. But led by Darius Johnson-Odom (19 points), Jae Crowder (15 points, seven rebounds) and Junior Cadougan (10 points, five assists) the Golden Eagles attacked the inside of the Syracuse zone, resulting in quality looks that were few and far between in the first half. But with Kris Joseph scoring 17 points and reserves C.J. Fair and Dion Waiters combining to score 25 points Syracuse was able to sew things up late, and while they weren't as efficient as usual the Orange did assists on 19 of 24 made baskets. While the landscape beneath them is too muddled to make sense of, it's pretty clear that the Orange are the class of the Big East.

3. Florida has some things to work on defensively if they're to be a factor come March.
The first thing that will stick out in#13 Florida's 67-56 loss at Tennessee is likely the fact that they scored just 56 points, shooting 35.7% from the field in doing so. But what should really be taken out of the defeat is their play on the defensive end of the floor, because despite the struggles offensively Billy Donovan's team won't lack for scoring options. Simply put, can Florida get the stops needed when the possessions become even bigger in March? If they're going to do so some things will need to change, with one being the lack of ball pressure on the perimeter. The issue against Tennessee wasn't about what the Volunteers could do off the dribble but rather the lack of pressure on entry passes.

On multiple occasions the lack of pressure on passers allowed a Jeronne Maymon (12 points, seven rebounds) or Kenny Hall (13 points, five rebounds) the time to walk their man up the lane and out of prime defensive position. If Florida couldn't get away with this against Tennessee, what are they going to do in their two meetings with Kentucky? And it's not out of the realm of possibility that a team like Alabama (or even Mississippi State) that has multiple big men could give them a hard time inside. The Vols entered Saturday's game scoring 33% of their points from three, but they didn't have to do that as the paint was open for business. Florida can't allow that to happen if they're to reach their full potential, prolific offense or not.

4. George Mason beats Georgia State to take over sole possession of first place in the CAA.
In prior seasons the three-game stretch for Georgia State of Drexel/VCU/George Mason would elicit bets of what the Panthers' combined margin of defeat would be. To say the least things have changed under Ron Hunter, as they'd won the first two games of that stretch going into Saturday's showdown with the Patriots for sole possession of first place in the CAA. But despite Ryan Pearson failing to make a single field goal it was George Mason who was able to make the key baskets late on their way to the 61-56 win. Neither team shot well from the field and George Mason turned the ball over 19 times, but the deciding factor was the charity stripe.

George Mason, who shot 67.3% from the line on the season, made 18 of 21 on Saturday night and outscored the Panthers by eight in that department. Vertail Vaughns (17 points) and Mike Morrison (14 points, 15 rebounds and four blocks) more than made up for Pearson's 0-for-4 night, while the Georgia State combo of Josh Micheaux and Devonta White shot a combined 3-for-15 (they entered the game averaging a combined 20.2 points/game). Jihad Ali led Georgia State with 19 points, and while they didn't win the Panthers have the look of a team that could hang around the race throughout the season. But they didn't have enough down the stretch, allowing the Patriots to take control of the driver's seat a quarter of the way through CAA play.

5. Oral Roberts blows out South Dakota State and moves to 6-0 in the Summit League.
The matchup between the Golden Eagles and Jackrabbits was anticipated by some due to not only the matchup of early Summit League POY frontrunners Dominique Morrison (ORU) and Nate Wolters (SDSU) (Oakland's Reggie Hamilton will also figure in the discussion). But they game didn't live up to that, much to the detriment of the Jackrabbits, who fell 97-75 in Tulsa. Morrison was outstanding as he finished with 38 points and seven rebounds, but he had plenty of help as Steven Roundtree scored 17 off the bench and Michael Craion and Warren Niles scored 15 apiece.

Wolters led five SDSU players in double figures with 22 points to go along with six assists, but the Jackrabbits' biggest problem was they they couldn't stop the Golden Eagles. ORU shot 60.7% from the field on the night and 67.5% from two while also making ten of twenty-one from beyond the arc, and when ORU's got it rolling like that they're extremely difficult to beat at the Mabee Center. Oral Roberts finished the game with an offensive efficiency of 154.0, scoring 1.5 points/possession on the night. To say the least South Dakota State will do their best to make sure that doesn't happen in the rematch on February 2nd.

Quick Hitters

1. Saturday marked the first step towards another March in which Virginia Tech is once again discussed as a bubble team, with the Hokies losing at Wake Forest 58-55. Erick Green was solid for the Hokies, finishing with 19 points, seven rebounds and six assists, but more is needed from Dorenzo Hudson (4-13, eight points) if they're to be a tournament team.

2. Entering the week with an 0-2 league record, UCLA couldn't afford anything less than a split with the Arizona schools if they wanted to be a contender in the Pac-12 race. Ben Howland's squad did better than that, wrapping up a sweep with a 75-58 win over Arizona State. Travis Wear scored 16 points and grabbed seven rebounds and Joshua Smith added 18 off the bench.

3. Few people gave Colorado a shot at being in first place in the Pac-12 at this point in the season, but there they sit after sweeping the Washington schools this weekend. A big reason why: defense. In their 71-60 win over Washington State, Colorado limited the Cougars to 36.5% shooting and none of their three league opponents have shot over 40% from the field. Also in forward Andre Roberson, Tad Boyle's got one of the most underrated players in the country.

4. Of the four teams tied for first place in the MVC the most surprising has to be Illinois State, who beat Evansville 75-73 on a miraculous shot by Jackie Carmichael. Carmichael, who finished with 17 points, seven rebounds and four blocks, banked in his first career three-pointer as time expired to win the game. We'll find out how much staying power the Redbirds have immediately too, as they visit Wichita State and host Creighton in their next two games.

5. In a matchup of teams undefeated in SoCon play Davidson shot 60% from the field and made 11 three-pointers in their 96-74 win over Georgia Southern. Jake Cohen (29 points) and De'Mon Brooks (24 points) combined to score 53 points with Cohen also grabbing 12 rebounds in the victory.

6. There was also a matchup of undefeated teams in the NEC, and that game wasn't particularly close either. Ken Horton scored 21 points and grabbed ten rebounds while Robbie Ptacek scored 24 points and Kyle Vinales 18 in Central Connecticut State's 68-53 win over Robert Morris. Robert Morris shot just 30.3% from the field and turned the ball over 15 times in defeat.

7. Back in the ACC, Florida State laid a serious egg in their ACC opener as they fell 79-59 at Clemson. Not only did the Seminoles struggle offensively, shooting 35.5% and turning the ball over 15 times, but they also allowed the Tigers to shoot 60% from two and 49% overall. Leonard Hamilton's team can ill-afford the defensive breakdowns they had on Saturday if they're going to be a tournament team.

8. Both Temple and Saint Joseph's dropped conference games at home on Saturday, with Dayton pulling away late to be at the Owls 87-77 and Charlotte shocking the Hawks 57-52. Archie Miller's Flyers picked up a key resume-building win, and Charlotte's victory was a good step for Alan Major as he looks to rebuild that program.

9. Bowling Green also provided a surprise in their MAC opener as they beat Ohio 67-57. Jordon Crawford led the way, scoring 16 points to go along with five assists, four rebounds and two steals. BGSU turned the ball over 20 times (Crawford: six turnovers) but the Bobcats shot 4-for-20 from three, alliowing the home team to lock up the victory.

10. And in terms of a possible changing of the guard Nevada may have struck the biggest blow, handing Utah State their first conference home loss since 2007 by the final score of 78-71. Deonte Burton, who finished with 25 points and five assists, provided the dagger in the form of a four-point play with 37 seconds remaining while Dario Hunt scored 14 points and grabbed 12 rebounds.

Five (plus one) Notable Performances

1. F Doug McDermott (Creighton)
44 points (18-23 FG), eight rebounds and two assists in the Bluejays' 92-83 win at Bradley.

2. F Dominique Morrison (Oral Roberts)
38 points (11-15 FG), seven rebounds and two assists in the Golden Eagles' 97-75 win over South Dakota State.

3. G Damian Lillard (Weber State)
38 points (8-14 3PT), five rebounds and five assists in the Wildcats' 88-81 win at Portland State.

4. G Isaiah Canaan (Murray State)
35 points (7-8 3PT), five assists and two rebounds in the Racers' 87-75 win at Austin Peay.

5. F Kevin Jones (West Virginia)
22 points (8-12 FG) and 16 rebounds in the Mountaineers' 74-62 win over #9 Georgetown.

Plus One: F Royce White (Iowa State)
18 rebounds, ten points and ten assists in the Cyclones' 74-50 demolition of Texas A&M in College Station.

Game of the Day: Stanford 103, Oregon State 101 (4 OT)
If you missed this one late that's too bad, because the Cardinal and Beavers combined to play an instant classic. The game didn't truly take off until the final moments of regulation, as Stanford's game-winning basket was ruled to have come after time expired. Stanford would eventually win as Roberto Nelson's three-point attempt as time expired missed the mark. Chasson Randle led six Stanford players in double figures with 24 points off the bench while Nelson and Jared Cunningham led six Oregon State players in double figures with 19 apiece.

Robert Morris at Central Connecticut: Prediction & Poll

Greg Mengelt — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 07:09:35 -0800

ROBERT MORRIS (12-4, 3-0 NEC) AT CENTRAL CONNECTICUT STATE (6-7, 3-0 NEC)

Time: 3:30 p.m.

Location: William H. Detrick Gymnasium

RPI Rankings: Robert Morris 76; Central Connecticut State 248

Robert Morris Players to Watch: G Velton Jones, 6-0 Jr. (15.9 ppg, 4.1 apg, 2.8 rpg); G Coron Williams, 6-2 So. (12.1 ppg, 43.5% 3s); F Mike McFadden, 6-8 So. (8.5 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 1.3 bpg).

Central Connecticut State Players to Watch: F Ken Horton, 6-6 Sr. (21 ppg, 9.6 rpg, 49.2% FG); G Kyle Vinales, 6-1 Fr. (19.6 ppg, 3 apg, 1.3 spg); G Robby Ptacek, 6-3 Sr. (18.5 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 2.4 apg). Horton, Vinales and Ptacek are one of the highest-scoring threesomes in the nation at 59.1 points per game.

Storylines: The Colonials and Blue Devils are both 3-0 in the Northeast Conference entering Saturday’s battle in New Britain. The two should challenge Wagner and pre-season NEC favorite Long Island for league supremacy.

Keys to Victory: The Colonials will have to find a way to shut down Horton, who has become one of the Northeast Conference’s top offensive weapons. Behind Horton, the Blue Devils should also have a significant advantage on the boards. However, Robert Morris leads in NEC in defense – surrendering just over 60 points per contest – and CCSU has given up a lot of easy buckets this season.

The Bottom Line: Central Connecticut State has been through battles at Michigan State, Northwestern and UMass, hence its 6-7 record. Those tests should prove beneficial at home on Saturday.

The Pick: Central Connecticut State 71, Robert Morris 66.

College Hoops Monday Recap: Pangos Catches Fire in Spokane

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 03:27:37 -0800

The Gonzaga Bulldogs have some impressive offensive performers that Washington State likely made themselves very aware of in preparation for their game at midnight. Elias Harris and Robert Sacre are formidable frontcourt players while Marquise Carter is a jet-quick point guard who is more than willing to attack defenses. But if the Cougars had a plan for how to slow down freshman guard Kevin Pangos it sure didn't look like it. Pangos knocked down nine three pointers, tying the school record held by Dan Dickau (he did it twice) and scoring 33 points in an 89-81 victory that ended up being closer than it needed to be.

"We knew he was a very good shooter and he was a concern of ours when the game started," remarked Washington State head coach Ken Bone after the game.

The problem for Washington State defensively is that rarely was Pangos forced to take a hurried shot, and the majority of his threes that fell came without a hand in his face. Gonzaga rode the Canadian's hot shooting to a lead that would be as large as 21 points in the second half, but they had to hang on as Washington State fought back to within three points late in the second half. Harris (14 points, 11 rebounds) and Sacre (15 and 10) both posted double-doubles for Gonzaga and freshman Gary Bell Jr. added 14 points off the bench, and Gonzaga also held a 16-point edge (30-14) at the charity stripe.

Brock Motum led five Washington State players in double figures with 17 points, and Cougars shot 47.5% from the field. But they were outrebounded 41-33, and Gonzaga's edge of nearly eleven percentage points in the offensive rebounding percentage category (Gonzaga rebounded 37.8% of their misses to 27% for Wazzu) was a factor. Harris and Sacre combined for eight of Gonzaga's 14 offensive rebounds on the night, and keeping them off the boards proved to be a problem for a Washington State team that lacks bulk inside. That will need to improve, but the big news was Kevin Pangos putting future Gonzaga opponents on notice. If this becomes a habit, the Bulldogs become that much tougher to guard.

Other Notable Happenings

1. UCLA suspends Reeves Nelson indefinitely.
Already owning a loss on the season, things took another turn for Ben Howland's UCLA Bruins on Monday night as it was announced that he'd suspended forward Reeves Nelson indefinitely. The two were supposed to meet to talk things over on Monday but the coach instead made the move to suspend Nelson and delay the talk until after the Bruins play Middle Tennessee State on Tuesday. There have been attitude issues in regards to Nelson, who was a preseason All-Pac 12 selection and a player of the year candidate in the league. But it's tough to play at that level when not fully invested in what the coach wants done. This is just the latest happening in what could develop into a soap opera of sorts if the Bruins aren't careful. Better to try to handle these issues now, because the longer they're allowed to fester the more damaging the issues can be.

2. Florida State clamps down on UCF in the second half, winning by 23.
From an efficiency standpoint the UCF Knights haven't been at their best this season. But those numbers hit a new low on Monday night in Tallahassee as they ran into one of the toughest defenses in the country. Florida State limited UCF to 30.5% shooting from the field and an offensive efficiency of 72.5 in their 73-50 win over the Knights to move to 2-0. But it wasn't just Florida State's abilty to defend that did in the Knights. Florida State finished with a rebounding advantage of 46-31, with their 16 offensive rebounds helping to make up for 19 turnovers. Bernard James led four Seminoles in double figures with 18 points to go along with 11 rebounds, while Tristan Spurlock led the Knights with 12. UCF is a bit shorthanded with A.J. Rompza and Josh Crittle out of the lineup, but it likely wouldn't have mattered on Monday. FSU was that good defensively.

3. Northern Iowa can't make a shot in Moraga as Saint Mary's picks up the convincing win.
Northern Iowa put together one of the best defensive performances of the season to date this weekend in holding Old Dominion to 46 points on the road. But the tables were turned early Tuesday morning at Saint Mary's as the Panthers struggled mightily offensively and fell 57-41. It wasn't pretty for either team in the first half but the Gaels closed the half on a 14-2 run to lead 26-13 at the break. Things only got worse for the Panthers, especially Anthony James as he shot 1-for-15 from the field on the night. Matthew Dellavedova led Saint Mary's with 11 points but it was UNI's inability to score that provided the headline. UNI shot 27.1% from the field, making just 25% of their two-point shots. Can't win on the road shooting that poorly, especially at a place as tough to win in as Saint Mary's.

Quick Hitters

1. Don't underestimate Providence's 80-72 win at Fairfield in Ed Cooley's return to his previous employer. Rakim Sanders' second half foul trouble triggered a Friar run, and they ultimately held on. This is good win for a program still looking to build its foundation.

2. Temple picked up an important Big 5 victory, outlasting Penn 73-67 in overtime at the Palestra. Juan Fernandez's 19 points and five assists led the way as the Owls survived a 27-point effort from Penn's Zach Rosen.

3. UNLV led by 14 points with just over four minutes left in their game against rival Nevada but had to do everything in their power to get the 71-67 win. Justin Hawkins led a balanced scoring effort with 13 points and the Rebels assisted on 18 of their 26 field goals while also outrebounding the Wolf Pack 47-40.

4. In a game that could linger throughout the season George Mason fell to FIU 79-76 in overtime in the Blackburg regional of the Preseason NIT. Paul Hewitt's team thus allows a resume-building opportunity against Virginia Tech slip away as a result.

5. Eric Atkins and Joey Brooks scored 13 points apiece to lead Notre Dame to a 59-53 win over Detroit, with the game changing once the Titans' LaMarcus Lowe fouled out. Lowe finished the game with eight points, ten rebounds and five blocks but with him no longer in the middle things became easier for the Irish offensively.

Three Notable Performances

1. G Kevin Pangos (Gonzaga)
33 points (9-for-13 3PT) and six assists in the Bulldogs' 89-81 win over Washington State, tying Dan Dickau's school record for made threes in a game.

2. G Kyle Vinales (Central Connecticut State)
39 points (15-23 FG) in just 26 minutes of action for the Blue Devils, who lost 103-96 in overtime at Niagara. CCSU led by as much as 17 in the first half.

3. G Gerald Suero (Albany)
29 points (9-12 FG), nine rebounds, three assists and three steals in the Great Danes' 77-68 win over Brown.

Jon Teitel's Coaching Greats Series: Robert Morris' Jarrett Durham

Jon Teitel — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 09:34:14 -0800

In the latest installment in his "Coaching Great" interview series CHN writer Jon Teitel spent some time with former Robert Morris head coach Jarrett Durham. Coach Durham led the Colonials to three NCAA Tournament appearances in Moon Township and remains the school's winningest coach. Durham now works at his alma mater, Duquesne, as a Special Assistant to the Athletic Director in addition to calling the men's basketball games on the radio (WPBG-FM 104.7 in Pittsburgh).

Jon Teitel: In your first year at Duquesne you averaged 21.1 PPG as your freshman squad went unbeaten and you were known as "Jarrett the Jewel". How did you get that nickname, and do you think you could have beaten the varsity team that year?

Jarrett Durham: Of course I think we could have beaten the varsity! The nickname came about because I was being flippant with a news reporter who was asking me about other players. I had just seen Marquette's Dean Meminger play, and I said that if he was "Dean the Dream", then I was "Jarrett the Jewel"! I was just an 18-year old kid who did not realize that the reporter would write it in the paper, and the nickname just stuck.

1969 NCAA Tournament

JT: You beat St. Joseph's in the opening round. How far did you think your team could go that year?

JD: We felt pretty good about our team, and thought we could go pretty far. Beating St. Joe's in Rhode Island was great.

JT: You had a one-point loss to North Carolina after Lee Dedmon scored off of an 85-foot pass in the final minute. Do you think that you should have won that game, and what was the reaction like in your locker room afterwards?

JD: We thought we got hosed when one of the Nelson twins (I forget if it was Barry or Garry) got called for goaltending, and then the ref awarded the Heels a pair of free throws on top of that.

JT: You had a three-point win over St. John's in the third place game. Did you get some measure of satisfaction by winning your final game, or was it just a case of taking out your revenge on St. John's?

JD: We just felt good about winning every time we stepped onto the court.

JT: As a senior you were named Honorable Mention All-American and graduated as the fourth leading scorer in school history. Did you realize at the time how prolific a player you were?

JD: Not really. I just played each game one at a time, and just had fun playing.

JT: What are your memories of the 1971 NCAA Tournament (Bob Morse had 19 rebounds in a five-point Penn victory)?

JD: I did not shoot well in that game. We were very disappointed, as we were always chasing Penn from behind but could not overtake them.

JT: In the summer of 1971 you were drafted in the fourth round by Detroit (four spots behind Tom Owens), but ended up playing one minute for the New York Nets and made it to the ABA Finals. Why did you end up going to the ABA, and what was it like for that one magical minute?

JD: It was great to play in the ABA. The Nets made me an offer, and I waited for an offer from Detroit, but it did not arrive until after I had already decided on New York. I came in for a guy who had fouled out, played for one minute, and that was that.

JT: What are your memories of the 1982 ECAC Metro Tournament final as an assistant coach at Robert Morris (tournament MOP Tom Parks scored 21 points off the bench in a one-point win over LIU)?

JD: We were unbelievably shocked, as we had lost to LIU on the road by 40 points earlier that season. It was one of my career highlights as a coach.

JT: What are your memories of the 1982 NCAA Tournament (Forest Grant scored 25 points in a loss to defending champion Indiana)?

JD: The biggest journey for a small school is just getting to the tourney, as you will probably face a high seed once you get there. Our starting center was only 6'7", which was as tall as Indiana SG Randy Wittman!

JT: What are your memories of the 1983 NCAA tourney (10-points win over Georgia Southern, then Steve Reid made a 23-footer with five seconds left in a two-point Purdue victory)?

JD: It was great to get our first win, as we were very well prepared. I had played for Indiana coach Bobby Knight in an all-star game during my senior year, and he came into our locker room after the 1982 tourney game. He told us that the first time that most teams make it to the tourney they just enjoy getting there, but the second time you make it is when you can really make a difference and win a game. Purdue held the ball at the end because there was no shot clock at the time.

JT: You became head coach at Robert Morris in 1984 and remain the all-time winningest men's basketball coach in school history. How did you get the job, and what made you such a good coach?

JD: I was just fortunate to be in the right place at the right time. My first year as an assistant coach there was the first winning season in RMU history, so that helped a lot. The kids really identified with me because I ran the show on the defensive end, and we used to press a lot.

JT: In 1989 and 1990 you were named NEC Coach of the Year. What did it mean to you to win such outstanding individual honors?

JD: It was the first time that I ever won a big accolade as a head coach, so it meant a lot to me. We had a great group of kids who had great chemistry. We did not have the most talent, but winning meant a lot to them.

JT: What are your memories of the 1989 NEC Tournament final (one-point win over FDU)?

JD: It was really exciting. Anthony Dickens had to sit out the previous year due to reconstructive hip surgery. We kept him around the team to keep his spirits up, and he just kept getting better and better. He ended up becoming captain, and made the winning free throw despite being only a 45% FT shooter.

JT: What are your memories of the 1989 NCAA Tournament (Sean Elliott scored 27 points [8-12 FG] in an Arizona victory)?

JD: I remember thinking that we would never score! They had several first round picks on that team: Elliott, Kenny Lofton, Anthony Cook, etc. I remember the first play of the game was a lob to Lofton, and I told my guys that it was going to be a long night.

JT: What are your memories of the 1990 NCAA Tournament (Rick Calloway scored 22 points [9-10 FG] in an eight-point Kansas victory)?

JD: It was a great experience. We were only down by three points at the half and kept it close throughout the game. Nobody had really ever heard of RMU, but the crowd got behind us as the underdog. My wife went to buy an RMU t-shirt at halftime...but they were all sold out!

JT: What are your memories of the 1992 NCAA Tournament (Tracy Murray scored 20 points [8-11 FG] in a UCLA victory)?

JD: We played them tough for about 30 minutes, and then the roof caved in on us as we just ran out of gas. We were only down by about five points at halftime, but when the big guy keeps hitting you in a boxing match, it is hard to keep your arms up.

JT: You returned to Duquesne as an assistant coach in 2000, then became associate athletic director in 2001, and were recently hired to do color commentary for men's basketball games. What did it mean to you to go back to your alma mater, and how excited are you about the new gig?

JD: I am very excited for the new opportunity, as it was always something that I wanted to do. Coming back to Duquesne was great because I have launched a few different careers here: coaching, administration, and now broadcasting.

Coach Durham is also on Jon's list of best coaches in NEC history.

Central Connecticut State: Howie Dickenman (1996-present) 217-196, 3 NCAA tourneys, 3 conference titles, 4-time conference COY

Fairleigh Dickinson: Tom Green (1983-2009) 407-351, 4 NCAA tourneys, 4 conference titles, 2-time conference COY

Long Island: Clair Bee (1931-1943, 1945-1951) 360-80-2, 2 NIT titles, 1 Helms title

Monmouth: Wayne Szoke (1987-1998) 168-133, 1 NCAA tourney, 1-time conference COY

Mount St. Mary's: Jim Phelan (1954-2003) 830-524, 2 NCAA tourneys, 1 conference title, 16 D-2 tourneys, 1 D-2 title, 2-time national COY, 2-time conference COY

Quinnipiac: Burt Kahn (1960-1991) 459-358

Robert Morris: Jarrett Durham (1984-1996) 157-183, 3 NCAA tourneys, 3 conference titles, 2-time conference COY

Sacred Heart: Dave Bike (1978-present) 478-430, 8 D-2 tourneys, 1 D-2 title, 1-time national COY

St. Francis (NY): Daniel Lynch (1948-1969) 283-237, 2 conference titles

Saint Francis (PA): Skip Hughes (1945-1966) 293-206-1

Wagner: Tim Capstraw (1989-1999) 117-164, 1-time conference COY

Northeast Conference Tournament: Preview & Prediction

Evan Dorey — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 16:23:06 -0800

This is one in a series of conference tournament previews, in which I run down all the teams involved, give a brief statistical review and present the log5 projections, using in-conference offensive and defensive efficiency. The basic log5 methodology comes from Bill James, and this is an area Ken Pomeroy has looked at in the past as well. I claim nothing new in the application, but obviously with slightly different methodologies, these numbers may differ from others you find. I don’t claim to be an expert on any particular conference, and I’m sure there are some mis-characterizations on some players I’ve seen sparingly at best, so please add your thoughts in the comments. Anyway, with no further ado, the preview follows below:

NEC Tournament

The NEC Tournament has all game played at the higher seed with 8 of the 11 teams making the quarters.

#	Team	SF	F	W
1	Robert Morris	94.76%	82.61%	64.72%
2	Mount St. Mary's	91.99%	66.85%	22.16%
3	Sacred Heart	91.38%	31.18%	9.09%
4	Long Island	72.84%	12.75%	3.11%
5	Quinnipiac	27.16%	3.76%	0.71%
6	Central Connecticut	8.62%	0.98%	0.06%
7	Wagner	8.01%	0.99%	0.07%
8	St. Francis NY	5.24%	0.88%	0.09%

Robert Morris has separated itself from the rest of the conference all season, and with it hosting every game it plays, it should be on course for the NCAA bid.

#1 – Robert Morris Colonials (21-10, 15-3) ; Efficiency Margin: +0.162

Last NCAA Tournament bid: 1992 (1^st Round)

Besides one bad weekend in which they lost twice on the road, the Colonials have looked untouchable in NEC play. This is mostly thanks to their ability to defend the inside and force a lot of turnovers. They are vulnerable to the outside shot, and foul a lot, both areas that can be exploited. Offensively, they commit a lot of turnovers themselves, but are solid shooters from all over the floor.

Players to watch:

6-3 SR Jeremy Chappell, 16.6 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 3.2 APG, 2.5 SPG, 56.2 eFG% - No player in the conference could replace what Chappell does for RMU, he’s a spectacular player who leads the team in every major category except blocks, and leads the NEC in steals. He’s also a 40% three-point shooter, but he does have a bit of a turnover problem.

5-11 JR Jimmy Langhurst, 10.1 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 60.4 eFG% - Chapell is a good shooter, but Langhurst is lights-out, at 43% from behind the arc. Any opponent focusing too strongly on Chapell will get burned by Langhurst’s scoring ability.

#2 – Mount St. Mary’s Mountaineers (17-12, 12-6) ; Efficiency Margin: +0.115

Last NCAA Tournament bid: 2008 (1^st Round)

The only team that looks to have a serious chance of stopping Robert Morris, the Mountaineers ran off an eight-game winning streak in January that moved them from 0-3 into contention for the league title. Like the Colonials, Mount St. Mary’s relies on its defense, and while it isn’t quite as good as the league leaders in that area, it still has a strong group that forces a lot of turnovers and causes a lot of problems on the outside. When they get the ball, the Mountaineers tend to send it inside, to reasonable success. They are also good offensive rebounders who rarely turn the ball over.

Players to watch:

5-9 JR Jeremy Goode, 15.8 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 4.1 APG, 1.9 SPG, 48.2 eFG% - Goode is the best three-point shooter for the Mountaineers, but takes most of his shots from inside, where he’s not too successful. He leads the team in steals and assists, and is a effective lead guard.

6-3 SO Jean Cajou, 13.2 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 50.3 eFG% - Cajou is another perimeter player, and is most notable for his free-throw shooting, a stellar 84-for-95 on the season. He’s a solid, double-digit scorer who doesn’t make much of an impact on the other lines of the box-score.

#3 – Sacred Heart Pioneers (16-13, 12-6) ; Efficiency Margin: +0.099

Last NCAA Tournament bid: None

The Pioneers, who are the third team that the numbers give a serious chance of making of the final, will hope that the conference’s best offense will help them to make their first NCAA Tournament. They shoot 50% from the field, and do it with a balanced attack that is excellent on both twos and threes. Sacred Heart needs to be efficient with its shots, as it turns the ball over a lot and is one of the nation’s worst teams at getting to the free throw line. The Pioneer defense isn’t as strong, but is a solid unit that does a lot of things well, but nothing really well.

Players to watch:

6-5 SR Joey Henley, 15.8 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 1.3 BPG, 62.0 eFG% - Henley is the perfect fit as an NEC ‘big’ man, leading the team in points, rebounds and blocks, and having the conference’s best field goal percentage. He’s a purely inside player who will cause a lot of problems for opponents.

6-6 SR Ryon Howard, 10.7 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 1.4 SPG, 54.4 eFG% - Howard is also a strong inside player, but while he’s a bit better of a rebounder, he lags well behind in most of the other statistical areas.

#4 – Long Island Blackbirds (16-13, 12-6) ; Efficiency Margin: +0.061

Last NCAA Tournament bid: 1997 (1^st Round)

Long Island may be tied with the two teams above them, but in terms of efficiency margin there is a pecking order, and LIU clearly sits 4^th. The Blackbirds are the last team in the tournament which average more than a point-per-possession, and do it despite a terrible FG%. They manage to be effective by leading the league in turnovers, and doing an excellent job at the free throw line. Long Island’s defense is also a pretty solid unit, thanks to the Blackbirds’ strong rebounding and keeping opponents from scoring much behind the arc or at the stripe.

Players to watch:

6-1 JR Jaytornah Wisseh, 15.2 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 4.5 APG, 1.5 SPG, 41.7 eFG% - Wisseh is one of those odd players that shoots better from three than two, and his 36% from inside the arc is a serious hindrance to his play. Despite this, he’s a pretty good player, as just like his team he shoots very well from the free throw line.

6-4 SR Ron Manigault, 5.7 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 1.9 APG, 47.7 eFG% - Manigault’s offensive play is basically non-existent, but he’s one of the conference’s best rebounders, and for a team that depends so heavily on dominating the glass, he’s plays an important role.

#5 – Quinnipiac Bobcats (14-15, 10-8) ; Efficiency Margin: +0.030

Last NCAA Tournament bid: None

The period between mid-December and mid-January was tough for Quinnipiac, just 2-9 over that stretch. After that, they had a strong finish to battle up to the fifth spot and earn themselves a shot at a semifinal berth. The Bobcats have the best field goal defense in the league, but are somewhat vulnerable to long-distance shooters. Quinnipiac may stop its opponents’ shots, but hits very few of its own, and it depends on some of the nation’s best offensive rebounding to stay above .500.

Players to watch:

6-7 SO Justin Rutty, 14.9 PPG, 9.5 RPG, 1.1 BPG, 60.3 eFG% - Rutty is the closest player in the conference to averaging a double-double, and the NEC’s best rebounder. He’s an excellent player in the paint, shooting 60% from the floor, but his 42% on free throws makes him a bit of a liability in the late game.

6-4 JR James Feldeine, 16.8 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 1.7 SPG, 47.3 eFG% - In addition to having the conference’s leading rebounder, the Bobcats also have the NEC’s top scorer in Feldeine. He takes a lot of shots, and makes just enough of them to remain an efficient player.

#6 – Central Connecticut Blue Devils (13-16, 8-10) ; Efficiency Margin: -0.054

Last NCAA Tournament bid: 2007 (1^st Round)

They may be the #6 seeds, but the Blue Devils are the weakest team in the tournament, hampered by a defense that has struggled. Opponents have been able to dominate the inside with little resistance, shooting a high percentage and picking up a lot of their own misses. CCSU takes very few three-pointers, and with good reason, given its league-worst performance behind the arc, and has put together a decent offense by getting the ball inside.

Players to watch:

6-6 SO Ken Horton, 16.6 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 1.6 BPG, 54.6 eFG% - There can’t be much doubt that Horton is the team’s most important player, as he leads it in points, rebounds and blocks, and is also the Devils’ most efficient offensive weapon. He’s a good inside scorer who can complement it with a good outside shot, one of the few guys on the team who can hit a three.

6-0 SO Shemik Thompson, 11.6 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 4.9 APG, 2.0 SPG, 42.6 eFG% - Thompson has some decent averages, but is a player that ends up wasting a lot of possessions. He’s really struggled with his shooting, and while he does put up good steal and assist numbers, he also commits a lot of turnovers.

#7 – Wagner Seahawks (16-13, 8-10) ; Efficiency Margin: -0.039

Last NCAA Tournament bid: 2003 (1^st Round)

Wagner looked destined for the bottom three after entering February 3-and-9 in conference play, but a stirring finish to the season, including wins over Mount St. Mary’s and Robert Morris, saw them get into a tournament spot. During its streak, Wagner has improved its shooting percentages both offensively and defensively, especially in its ability to hit threes. The Seahawks cause a lot of turnover trouble for opponents, which generally manages to cover its own problems holding onto the ball.

Players to watch:

6-4 SR Llewchean Radford, 11.2 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 52.8 eFG% - Radford is a very good rebounder who has actually seen his scoring diminish somewhat as the team has started to string together victories, but has kept up his rebounding numbers. His biggest trouble has been avoiding foul trouble, as his time on court is limited in a number of games in which he manages to pick up four or five fouls.

6-2 SR Joey Mundweiler, 14.0 PPG, 1.6 RPG, 57.0 eFG% - Mundweiler is basically a three-point shooting specialist, and at nearly 40% from behind the arc, he’s a good one. His game against Monmouth to close out the regular season was a stellar one, as he set an NEC record by making 11 three-pointers.

#8 – St. Francis (NY) Terriers (10-19, 7-11) ; Efficiency Margin: -0.031

Last NCAA Tournament bid: None

Despite grabbing the last seed in the tournament, St. Francis has actually been slightly better than both of the teams just above it in the seedings. The Terriers are the NEC’s most three-dependent team, and thus have a fairly low FG% relative to their eFG%. However, they face the problems we might expect from a perimeter heavy team, struggling on the glass and not getting to the free throw line much. A couple of other weaknesses are less typical, poor free throw shooting and a lot of turnovers. Defensively, they hold opponents to a low percentage from the outside, but don’t do well inside, and commit the most fouls in the league.

Players to watch:

6-2 SO Ricky Cadell, 15.1 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 1.1 SPG, 55.6 eFG% - Cadell is a player who has really developed into a bigger scoring threat over the season, averaging 21 points a game in the month of February. He’s an excellent three-point shooter, but also does a lot of damage inside.

5-8 SR Jamaal Womack, 10.1 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 4.1 APG, 41.7 eFG% - Womack is a solid point guard when it comes to distributing the ball, but when a possession ends with him shooting, the Terriers don’t typically benefit. His long-distance shot is close to being decent, but he is a disaster when he takes shots inside.

My statistical all-NEC team:

Robert Morris SR G Jeremy Chappell, 16.6 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 3.2 APG, 2.5 SPG, 56.2 eFG%

Mount St. Mary’s JR G Jeremy Goode, 15.8 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 4.1 APG, 1.9 SPG, 48.2 eFG%

Central Connecticut SO F Ken Horton, 16.6 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 1.6 BPG, 54.6 eFG%

Sacred Heart SR F Joey Henley, 15.8 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 1.3 BPG, 62.0 eFG%

Quinnipiac SO F Justin Rutty, 14.9 PPG, 9.5 RPG, 1.1 BPG, 60.3 eFG%

NEC Player of the Year (Jeremy Chappell) & All-Conferencee

Press Release — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 14:52:09 -0800

Somerset, NJ -- Robert Morris senior guard Jeremy Chappell (Cincinnati, OH/Northwest) was unanimously selected as the 2008-09 Northeast Conference Men’s Basketball Player of the Year in a vote conducted by league head coaches. Long Island freshman forward Julian Boyd (San Antonio, TX/William H. Taft) was named NEC Rookie of the Year, while Robert Morris senior guard Bateko Francisco (Paris, France/Fort Scott JC) was voted NEC Defensive Player of the Year. Quinnipiac junior forward James Feldeine (New York, NY/Cardinal Hayes) was the recipient of the inaugural NEC Most Improved Player award. Jim Phelan Coach of the Year honors went to Robert Morris head coach Mike Rice for the second year in a row. The honorees were announced on a media teleconference this morning to promote the 2009 NEC Men’s Basketball Tournament, which begins on Thursday with quarterfinal play at four campus sites.

Chappell follows in the footsteps of former teammate Tony Lee to make it back-to-back NEC Player of the Year award winners for the Colonials, who head into the NEC Tournament as the top seed after winning their second straight regular season crown. After sharing the offensive load with fellow all-stars Lee and A.J. Jackson the last two years, the 6’3” Chappell became the focal point of the Robert Morris attack this season and was more than up to the task. With the ability to shoot from long range, attack the rim, sweep the boards, distribute the ball to teammates and defend the perimeter, Chappell ranks in the NEC top-15 in nine different categories. The two-time Choice Hotels NEC Player of the Week leads the conference and ranks 13th nationally with 2.6 steals per game. Chappell is also third in scoring (16.6 ppg), made three pointers (73, 2.4 per game) and free throw percentage (.854), eighth in rebounding (6.3 rpg) and ninth in three-point percentage (.403). The former NEC Rookie of the Year and two time all-star will also be remembered as one of the top all-around performers in the history of the league. With career totals of 1,805 points, 656 boards, 324 assists, 259 steals and 232 three-pointers, Chappell is the only player in NEC history to compile 1,000 points, 500 rebounds, 250 assists, 250 steals and 200 three-pointers in his career. A Cincinnati, OH native, he is the third-leading scorer in school history and tenth on the NEC career chart. He also ranks seventh all-time in the conference in steals. In Chappell’s four years in Moon Township, the Colonials have compiled a 79-41 record and he will graduate as the school recordholder for games played (120) and games started (116). Chappell is the first unanimous NEC Player of the Year selection since FDU’s Chad Timberlake in 2005-06. Other Robert Morris players to earn NEC Player of the Year include Lee in 2007-08, Chipper Harris in 1983-84, Vaughn Luton in 1988-89 and Myron Walker in 1991-92.

Boyd stepped into the void left by the graduation of Kellen Allen and gave the Blackbirds a legitimate threat on the low block and workhorse on the offensive glass. On Monday, the 6’7” forward earned his league-leading sixth Choice Hotels NEC Rookie of the Week honor, the most in a season since Saint Francis (PA)’s Darshan Luckey was honored on eight occasions in 2002-03. Boyd, who hails from San Antonio, TX, enters the postseason ranked first among NEC freshmen in rebounding (6.3 rpg) and second in scoring (10.3 ppg) despite coming off the bench all 29 games and averaging just 22.6 mpg. Per 40 minutes, Boyd is averaging 18.3 ppg and 11.1 rpg for the Blackbirds, who posted their best conference record (12-6) since 2000-01 and are assured of their first winning season since 1997-98. Additionally, Boyd ranks second in the league in offensive boards (3.0 rpg) and ninth in field goal percentage (.508). Boyd is the third Long Island recipient of the NEC Rookie of the Year award, joining James Williams (2004-05) and Richie Parker (1996-97).

A terrific perimeter defender for Robert Morris, Francisco helped anchor one of the NEC’s stingiest defenses in 2008-09. Teaming with NEC steals leader Jeremy Chappell in a formidable backcourt, the Colonials allowed a conference-low 62.8 ppg in league play, ranked second overall during the regular season in scoring defense at 66.4 ppg and yielded less than 70 points in 12 of their last 13 games against NEC competition. Individually, the native of Paris, France has compiled 39 steals and is tenth in the league with 1.3 spg.

Feldeine’s steady rise at Quinnipiac culminated with his selection as the inaugural winner of the NEC Most Improved Player award. A seldom used freshman, Feldeine became a key contributor as a sophomore in 2007-08, then developed into a full-fledged star for the Bobcats this past season when he effortlessly stepped into the role formerly held by all-conference standout DeMario Anderson. Picture-perfect jump shot aside - the 6’4” forward has hit 46 shots from three-point range - Feldeine can score in a variety of ways from converting in transition to attacking the basket in traffic. With double-digits in all but one game this season, the New York City native leads the NEC with 16.8 ppg. He is also a strong rebounder with 6.1 per game (10th in the NEC) and has posted three double-doubles on the year. The Mid-Majority Baller of the Week on December 22 and two-time Choice Hotels NEC Player of the Week, Feldeine has more than doubled his scoring average from last season when he averaged 8.3 ppg.

In leading Robert Morris to its second consecutive NEC regular season championship, Rice joins Rider’s Kevin Bannon as the only coaches in NEC history to be voted Jim Phelan Coach of the Year in each of their first two years in the conference. Despite the loss of 2007-08 NEC Player of the Year Tony Lee and three-time NEC all-star A.J. Jackson, Rice kept the Colonials playing at a high level by emphasizing defensive effort on the floor, adding newcomer Rob Robinson to the front line and turning the keys on offense over to Jeremy Chappell, the latest Robert Morris standout to earn NEC Player of the Year plaudits. The Colonials are an astounding 31-5 in NEC play over the last two years, the second-best two year stretch behind Marist’s 28-4 (.875) run from 1986-88. Overall, Robert Morris has posted a 47-18 record in his tenure and back-to-back 20-win seasons for the first time since 1988-89 (21 wins) and 1989-90 (22 wins). Other notable achievements in Rice’s short time with the program include an NEC record 15-game road winning streak against conference opposition that was just recently snapped, a school record 26 wins in 2007-08 and a win over ACC opponent Boston College last season. Robert Morris has also received votes in the Associated Press Top-25 poll in each of the last two years. Heading into the NEC Tournament as the top seed, the Colonials have clinched a berth in the Postseason NIT for the second straight year. Last season, the Colonials nearly pulled off the upset in the NIT with an 87-81 setback at Syracuse. Former Robert Morris coaches Matt Furjanic (1982-83) and Jarrett Durham (1988-89 and 1989-90) have also won this award.

Two of the five players that comprise the all-NEC first team were second team all-stars a year ago, led by Robert Morris senior guard Jeremy Chappell (Cincinnati, OH/Northwest), the league’s Player of the Year. Long Island junior guard Jaytornah Wisseh (Brooklyn, NY/Banneker Academy) was also a second-team honoree in 2007-08, while Sacred Heart graduate student forward Joey Henley (Kent, WA/Kentride) was voted to the second team in 2004-05. Mount St. Mary’s junior guard Jeremy Goode (Charlotte, NC/Providence Day) and Quinnipiac sophomore forward Justin Rutty (Newburgh, NY/Newburgh Free Academy) are both first time award recipients.

A fleet-footed 5’9” point guard who has started 90 games since his arrival in Emmitsburg in 2006, Goode immediately transformed Mount St. Mary’s into a title contender and led an improbable Mount run from the #4 seed to the program’s third NEC title last season. Serving as the indispensable hub of the offense, Goode powers the Mount’s transition game and directs the team’s halfcourt attack with equal aplomb. Throw in an improved shot from long range - he has boosted his three-point shooting from 29.9 percent as a sophomore to 39.8 percent this season - and you have one of the most dynamic performers in the conference. A two-time Choice Hotels NEC Player of the Week, Goode is sixth in the NEC in scoring at 15.8 ppg, and also ranks second in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.74:1), third in steals (1.9 spg), seventh in assists (4.1 apg) and tenth in three-point percentage (.398). In three years, the Charlotte, NC native has already moved into 24th place on the NEC career list with 457 assists and is the fourth-leading active scorer on the circuit with 1,249 points.

A grizzled veteran who was a second team all-NEC performer back in 2004-05, Henley has been the face of Sacred Heart basketball for the better part of the decade. Now a sixth-year graduate student, Henley shook off the second major knee injury of his career to make a triumphant return to the hardwood this season and reclaim his spot as one of the top interior players on the circuit. One of the great athletes in NEC annals - he has also competed at high levels in both football and track and field at Sacred Heart - the 6’5” Henley’s quickness, leaping ability and tenacity on the block make up the size differences he often faces in the paint. As he attempts to lead the Pioneers to their first NEC title, the Kent, WA product enters the postseason as the league’s leading field goal shooter with a 62.0 percent conversion rate. That figure is good for seventh nationally. The two-time Choice Hotels NEC Player of the Week is also seventh in the conference in scoring (15.8 ppg), sixth in rebounding (6.7 rpg) and fourth in blocks (1.3 bpg). Henley is now up to 1,368 career points and 631 rebounds, both marks second among active NEC competitors.

Rutty’s emergence as a dominant interior force in his sophomore campaign helped keep Quinnipiac afloat in the NEC playoff race despite a rash of injuries playing havoc with the team’s rotation. One of the few players in the conference with the ability to change the course of a game through his work on the glass, the burly 6’7, 250 lb. Rutty currently sits first in the league with 9.5 rpg (24th in the nation) and 11 double-doubles as the leader of the NEC’s top rebounding team. His work on the offensive glass has earned him recognition as he ranks second in the nation with 4.4 offensive rebounds per game, second only to Pittsburgh All-American candidate DeJuan Blair. Rutty also refined his post game, developing a reliable jump hook that made him nearly impossible to defend in the paint. To that end, the Newburgh, NY native is tenth in the NEC in scoring at 14.9 ppg and ranks second in the NEC and 14th nationally in field goal percentage (.603).

Wisseh is one the quickest players to emerge from the NEC ranks in recent years and his unique ability to create plays off the dribble sets him apart from most guards in the region. Virtually unguardable one-on-one or in transition, the 6’1” Wisseh can work his way into the paint at will and gets to the line more than any other player in the league. His unselfish nature also leads to drive-and-dish opportunities for teammates, who often find themselves unguarded as opposing defenses collapse on the Brooklyn native. In leading the Blackbirds to a #4 tournament seed, Wisseh emerged as the fourth-leading distributor in the conference with 4.5 apg, and also ranks eighth in scoring (15.3 ppg), sixth in free throw percentage (.813), and eighth in steals (1.5 spg) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.46:1). With 1,168 career points, he enters the postseason as the seventh-highest scorer among active NEC players. A second team all-NEC honoree a year ago, Wisseh’s 371 career assists ranks fourth among the current crop of NEC competitors and 41st all-time in the league.

The all-NEC second team features five first-time honorees, all of whom will all be back in the fold next season. Along with Quinnipiac’s James Feldeine (New York, NY/Cardinal Hayes), the NEC’s Most Improved Player award winner, the second team is comprised of Fairleigh Dickinson junior guard Sean Baptiste (North Brunswick, NJ/St. Joseph’s of Metuchen), St. Francis (NY) sophomore guard Ricky Cadell (New York, NY/The Patterson School (NC)), Central Connecticut State sophomore forward Ken Horton (Ossining, NY/Ossining) and Robert Morris junior forward Rob Robinson (Waldorf, MD/Oxon Hill (Globe Institute)).

Baptiste has evolved into a complete offensive package for the Knights. A prolific scorer with an NEC-best five 30+ point outings on the year, he has the ability to shake defenders in the halfcourt, create mid-range shot opportunities, shoot with accuracy from three-point territory (48 this season) and is strong enough in the air to finish around the hoop. He finished his junior season ranked fourth in the NEC with 16.3 ppg, but led the conference in league play with 18.6 ppg. His nose for the ball and aggressive nature around the hoop led to the 6’3” guard pulling down a team-high 5.9 rpg, the 11th-best mark on the circuit. Baptiste, a North Brunswick, NJ product, cracked the 1,000-point mark in February and will enter his senior year with 1,034 career points.

Cadell took his game to another level during the second half of the season and helped keep the Terriers in contention for an NEC playoff spot after leading scorer and rebounder Kayode Ayeni went down with a season-ending injury. A tough player to defend due to his quick first step and ability to slice into the lane and finish, the 6’2” Cadell keeps defenders honest with his long distance shooting skills. Over the last 11 games, the New York City native has averaged 19.5 ppg, including a career-high 33-point explosion last Thursday against Sacred Heart. The scoring surge lifted Cadell’s season average to a team-best 15.1 ppg, the ninth-best mark in the NEC. He ranks second among conference guards and 14th overall in field goal shooting at 47.0 percent. Cadell is also eighth in the league in three-point accuracy (.406) and ninth in made three-pointers (1.9 per game).

Following a terrific rookie campaign for CCSU in 2007-08, Horton continued to hone his skills and led the NEC in scoring for much of the 2008-09 campaign. Playing longer than his lanky 6’6” frame would indicate, his versatility hails a new breed of forward who can effectively play a number of positions on the floor. Horton is an effective post player whose range extends out to three-point territory where he has hit 29 shots this season. Currently ranked second in the NEC with 16.6 ppg, his 13 games of 20+ points are four more than any other player in the conference. He is also third in the league with 1.6 blocks per outing and ranks eighth in free throw accuracy (.807), 11th in field goal percentage (.502) and 12th in rebounding (5.9 rpg).

By giving the Colonials a solid post presence and interior defender, the 6’8”, 215 lb. Robinson helped fill the hole left in the Robert Morris frontcourt after the graduation of A.J. Jackson. A terrific athlete who can fill the lane on the break and finish above the rim, Robinson excelled in league play where he averaged 12.9 ppg, 6.1 rpg and shot 56.9 percent from the floor. Overall, he finished the regular season fourth in the league in field goal percentage (.545) - including a 9-9 game against Wagner on January 17th and a 7-7 performance on Saturday against Mount St. Mary’s - and ranked second on the Colonials in scoring (11.9 ppg) and rebounding (5.3 rpg).

A terrific freshman crop is led by Long Island’s Julian Boyd (San Antonio, TX/William H. Taft), the NEC Rookie of the Year. He is joined by a pair of Monmouth players in Will Campbell (Willingboro, NJ/Paul VI) and Travis Taylor (Union, NJ/Union). After averaging 4.2 points over his first 20 collegiate games, Campbell was switched to the off-guard position in late January, a move that resulted four straight 20+ point outings to close the season and 11 consecutive double-digit efforts. Over those 11 games, he averaged 18.1 ppg to lift his season average to 9.1 ppg and was twice honored as Choice Hotels NEC Rookie of the Week. A 5’10” sharpshooter from long range, Campbell ranked second on the Hawks with 42 three-pointers. Taylor, an athletic 6’8” power forward with an already refined post game, was a three-time Choice Hotels NEC Rookie of the Week honoree and closed out his freshman campaign ranked first among league freshmen with 12.4 ppg and 54.2 percent shooting from the floor (fifth overall in the NEC). He also pulled down a team-high 5.8 rpg. Renowned for his unlimited shooting range and high arcing three-point shots, St. Francis (NY) forward Stefan Perunicic (Belgrade, Serbia/Dimitrije Tucovic) has set an NEC freshman record with 86 treys this season, including a 7-11 display from downtown in a December win over Robert Morris and a 7-9 effort in a victory over Bryant in February. Perunicic is second among NEC freshmen with 11.0 ppg and a 38.7 percent success rate from beyond the arc. He also ranks in the NCAA top-30 in both made three-pointers and three-point percentage. Immediately assuming the starting role at the point, James Johnson’s (Brooklyn, NY/Bishop Loughlin) game no longer resembles that of a typical freshman after averaging 32.8 minutes per game for playoff bound Quinnipiac during the regular season. An unselfish player who is contributing 10.0 ppg, Johnson also paces NEC first year competitors with 4.2 apg, 1.6 spg and a 1.54:1 assist-to-turnover ratio.

2008-09 NEC Men’s Basketball Award Winners
Player of the Year 
Jeremy Chappell     Robert Morris       G   6-3 210 Sr  Cincinnati, OH/Northwest
Rookie of the Year 
Julian Boyd     Long Island     F   6-6 220 Fr  San Antonio, TX/William H. Taft

Defensive Player of the Year 
Bateko Francisco    Robert Morris       G   6-1 185 Sr  Paris, France/Fort Scott JC
Most Improved Player
James Feldeine      Quinnipiac      F   6-4 190 Jr  New York, NY/Cardinal Hayes

Jim Phelan Coach of the Year 
Mike Rice       Robert Morris 
2008-09 NEC Men’s Basketball First Team All-Conference
Name            School          Pos     Ht  Wt      Yr      Hometown/High School 
Jeremy Chappell     Robert Morris       G   6-3 210 Sr  Cincinnati, OH/Northwest
Jeremy Goode        Mount St. Mary’s    G   5-9 170 Jr  Charlotte, NC/Providence Day
Joey Henley     Sacred Heart        F   6-5 210 Gr  Kent, WA/Kentride
Justin Rutty        Quinnipiac      F   6-7 240 So  Newburgh, NY/Newburgh Free Academy
Jaytornah Wisseh    Long Island     G   6-1 180 Jr  Brooklyn, NY/Banneker Academy
2008-09 NEC Men’s Basketball Second Team All-Conference
Name            School          Pos     Ht  Wt     Yr   Hometown/High School 
Sean Baptiste       Fairleigh Dickinson G   6-3 185 Jr  North Brunswick, NJ/St. Joseph’s of Metuchen
Ricky Cadell        St. Francis (NY)    G   6-2 180 So  New York, NY/The Patterson School (NC)
James Feldeine      Quinnipiac      F   6-4 190 Jr  New York, NY/Cardinal Hayes
Ken Horton      Central Connecticut St. F   6-6 185 So  Ossining, NY/Ossining
Rob Robinson        Robert Morris       F   6-8 215 Jr  Waldorf, MD/Oxon Hill (Globe Institute)
2008-09 NEC Men’s Basketball All-Rookie Team
Name            School          Pos     Ht  Wt     Yr   Hometown/High School 
Julian Boyd     Long Island     F   6-6 220 Fr  San Antonio, TX/William H. Taft
Will Campbell       Monmouth        G   5-10    170 Fr  Willingboro, NJ/Paul VI
James Johnson       Quinnipiac      G   6-0 183 Fr  Brooklyn, NY/Bishop Loughlin
Stefan Perunicic    St. Francis (NY)    F   6-6 195 Fr  Belgrade, Serbia/Dimitrije Tucovic
Travis Taylor       Monmouth        F   6-8 200 Fr  Union, NJ/Union