Chattanooga

College Hoops Saturday Recap: "Game of the Year" Lives Up to Hype

Raphielle Johnson — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 02:18:12 -0500

One of the most anticipated regular season college basketball games in recent memory came down to wingspan. That was the difference between Kentucky and North Carolina as freshman Anthony Davis got a hand on John Henson's jumper in the final seconds to preserve a 73-72 win at Rupp Arena. UNC would enjoy the largest lead for either team with just under seven minutes left in the first half as they led 34-25, and the two titans would play close throughout. But in spite of the close nature of the score there were areas in which John Calipari's team separated itself and ultimately won the game.

The biggest discrepancy could be found in the paint, where the Wildcats outscored the Tar Heels 36-14 on the afternoon. Unlike North Carolina, who scored 45.8% of their points from beyond the arc, the Wildcats were able to consistently attack the basket and scored 65.8% of their points on two-point baskets. Terrence Jones (14 points, seven rebounds) and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (17 points, 11 rebounds) were two of the key factors in this department, with Kidd-Gilchrist successfully attacking Harrison Barnes off the dribble on multiple occasions.

"At the 12-minute timeout I told them who was doing the scoring for them and it was Teague and [Kidd-] Gilcrhist and the guys taking the ball to the basket so our defense had to get stronger," said UNC head coach Roy Williams. "You look at the stat sheet and (Kentucky) shot 56 percent in the second half but they were a little more patient with it than we were."

North Carolina's biggest weapon on the offensive end was the three-point shot as they made 11 of their 18 attempts. Four players made those 11 shots with Harrison Barnes (14 points) and P.J. Hairston (11) leading the way with four and three made bonus shots respectively. But the Tar Heels didn't attack the rim nearly as much as Kentucky throughout the course of the game, and that posed some issues as the game wore on. Doron Lamb woke up from his slow offensive start to score 12 of his 14 points in the second half to help lead the Wildcats, and he simply began to make better decisions after a slow start was amplified by four turnovers.

"I thought in the second half, I put the ball in his hands saying, 'Let's go down'," said Kentucky head coach John Calipari. "He [had] a couple layups. He had a couple 3s. They were big shots. That one in the corner was a huge shot. He knocked it down."

The question now is what the two teams need to do in order to position themselves for a possible rematch down the line. North Carolina displayed a level of toughness some wanted to see in the aftermath of their loss to UNLV, and the young Wildcats turned the ball over just nine times with Marcus Teague having just one. While there are definitely issues for both to work out, and there will be a large number of challengers for the national title, it isn't unrealistic to think that these two could meet again this season with a lot more on the line.

Other Notable Happenings

1. Marquette picks up a good win at Wisconsin despite personnel "limitations".
Before the game it was learned that head coach Buzz Williams suspended junior point guard Junior Cadougan for a violation of team rules. Add to that the foul trouble that Jae Crowder had to deal with and there would be little chance of Marquette leaving Madison with a win, right? Wrong. Darius Johnson-Odom scored 17 points and Todd Mayo added 14 off the bench as the Golden Eagles beat in-state rival Wisconsin 61-54.

How did Marquette get it done? Defense and toughness, as they limited the Badgers to 32% shooting from the field (35.4% on twos and 26.3% on threes) and controlled the boards to the tune of a 44-32 advantage. The numbers weren't pretty but Marquette won by attacking Wisconsin on both ends of the floor, and there were a number of players who contributed to the effort. Buzz Williams' teams will make opponents fight for every inch of space, and that's a big reason why this group is capable of being a player in the Big East race.

2. Down 19 at one points in the second half, Xavier storms back to beat Purdue.
It was absolutely ugly for Chris Mack's Musketeers in the first half as they turned the ball over 18 times and trailed Purdue 33-22 at the break. Things would get worse before they got better in the second half as the Boilermakers led 55-36 with 10:44 remaining, but Xavier's "never say die" attitude resulted in a comeback for the ages. Tu Holloway made up for a rough 30 minutes with some impressive pressure shot-making and Xavier limited Purdue to 37.9% shooting in the second half on their way to the 66-63 win.

Matt Painter's team wasn't helped by the fact that Robbie Hummel had to deal with leg cramps down the stretch, and his absence in the final seconds was apparent as the team struggled to fine a good look for Ryne Smith. Holloway would lead four Xavier starters in double figures with 21 points, and there may not be another player in the country who can not only take the big shots but embrace the pressure that comes with them. He and Mark Lyons form the kind of backcourt that can lead a team deep into the NCAA Tournament, and their aggressive nature makes them a handful for whoever the Musketeers face.

3. A power outage seemingly robs UCLA of their energy as they fall to Texas at home.
Late in the first half the LA Sports Arena lost power, and with UCLA leading by double figures this was the worst possible time for a team of shaky temperment to have to leave the court. Of course after the break Texas would outscore UCLA 9-4 to end the half, and Rick Barnes' team kept the ball rolling in the second half on their way to a 69-59 win. J'Covan Brown scored 22 points and Myck Kabongo added 13 points and eight assists in leading the comeback, but the soap opera that is UCLA Basketball added another unfortunate chapter on Saturday afternoon.

Reeves Nelson was benched the entire second half due to a missed defensive assignment, and outside of Lazeric Jones (21 points) and Travis Wear (13 points) the Bruins didn't get much done offensively. While Texas shot 54.7% from the field UCLA limped to the finish shooting at a 38.6% clip, and they struggled to keep the Longhorns off of the offensive glass as well (Texas' offensive rebounding percentage: 48.0%). With just one win over a Division I opponent it's extremely difficult to see UCLA contending for a conference championship with the current level of play, regardless of how weak the Pac-12 has been.

4. Charleston's late-game execution ultimately results in a double-overtime victory.
With 21 seconds remaining Bobby Cremins' team trailed visiting Chattanooga 65-61, and the Mocs looked to be a decent bet to pick up their first SoCon win of the season after dropping their league opener. But College of Charleston refused to lie down, and in coming back the Cougars played smart basketball in eventually forcing overtime. Andrew Lawrence scored five of his career-high 25 points in the final ten seconds of regulation to send the game into overtime, and the Cougars would ultimately take advantage of the second chance in winning 87-85 in double overtime.

Anthony Stitt came off the bench to score 20 points, and Trent Wiedeman (15 points, 12 rebounds) and Antwaine Wiggins (14 and 12) both posted double-doubles to back up Lawrence. The result dropped Chattanooga to 0-2 in SoCon play, and that's exactly the start that the Mocs were hoping to avoid given their status as the preseason favorite in the North Division. But execution is critical in games such as this one, and Charleston's ability to play smart basketball without panicking is why they were able to come back.

5. Tulane moves to 9-0 with a win over Georgia Tech, but how good are they?
You never want to discount a team's 9-0 start to a season, especially when that team has struggled as much in recent years as the Tulane Green Wave. But even with Ed Conroy's team off to a 9-0 start with their most recent outing being a 57-52 win over Georgia Tech, there remain questions about Tulane due to a strength of schedule that ranks 342nd nationally. Ricky Tarrant picked up the slack for leading scorers Kendall Timmons and Josh Davis with 24 points on Saturday, and on the season four players are averaging double figures in scoring.

Tulane shot just 31% from the field against the Yellow Jackets but won because of a +12 differential in points from the foul line along with 8-for-16 shooting from beyond the arc. Tulane likely won't overwhelm teams offensively once they get into Conference USA play but this is an improved basketball team. Just beware reading too much into the record, as the Green Wave likely won't be tested again until they visit Syracuse on the 22nd. So the answer to the question of how good Tulane is: we don't have enough information right now.

Quick Hitters

1. The development of big man Meyers Leonard has been a sight to behold in Champaign, and despite foul trouble he put up 21 points and six rebounds in Illinois' 82-75 win over Gonzaga. Leonard has added a physical dimension inside that Bruce Weber hasn't had for a couple years, and this could end up being one of his best teams as a result.

2. At some point in his career B.J. Young will be an All-SEC player at Arkansas. The freshman scored 28 points in 27 minutes off the bench, but it wasn't enough to lead the Razorbacks to a win at Connecticut as they fell 75-62. Another encouraging development for the Hogs: 27 offensive rebounds despite losing Marshawn Powell for the season with a knee injury last week.

3. Valparaiso won a thriller in their Horizon League opener as they beat Butler 77-71 in overtime at Hinkle Fieldhouse. Richie Edwards led five players in double figures with 18 points off the bench, and the Crusaders were solid enough defensively to limit the Bulldogs to 34.3% shooting from the field.

4. Mississippi State outscored West Virginia 23-10 over the final 8:02 in beating the Mountaineers 75-62 in Starkville. Arnett Moultrie led the way with 21 points and 13 rebounds and Dee Bost chipped in with 17 points, seven assists, five rebounds and five steals.

5. It was quite obvious how much Rutgers needed big man Gilvydas Biruta on the floor, as his foul trouble in the second half coincided with the Scarlet Knights' struggles in a 55-50 loss to LSU. Mike Rice's team scored just two points after Biruta fouled out with 4:49 remaining, and they had a hard time controlling LSU defensively when he wasn't in as well.

Five Notable Performances

1. F Greg Magnano (Yale)
22 points, 15 rebounds and three blocks in the Bulldogs' 68-52 win over Vermont.

2. G Kevin Giltner (Wofford)
28 points, 10 rebounds and three assists in the Terriers' 83-63 win over The Citadel.

3. G Taylor Braun (North Dakota State)
30 points (9-11 FG), eight rebounds and three assists in the Bison's 84-79 win at IUPUI.

4. G C.J. McCollum (Lehigh)
31 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals in the Mountain Hawks' 81-79 overtime loss at Cornell.

5. F Noah Hartsock (BYU)
23 points, 12 rebounds, four blocks and two assists in the Cougars' 79-65 win over Oregon.

Thirty-Two Regular Season Champions, Part Four

Raphielle Johnson — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 04:52:32 -0400

With the college basketball season finally on the horizon, the game that's been overlooked by many in conference realignment will once again have the center stage. Perennial contenders will once again make a run at a national title while some new faces will pop up as well. The first four-part preview will focus on the conferences, and more specifically who will win each of the 32 leagues. In the final part of this series, the final eight conference champions are selected.

SEC: Kentucky
The removal of divisions in the standings (they will still be used in scheduling) could give the top of the SEC a distinctly eastern feel this season, and despite heavy roster turnover Kentucky could head the list. It's become par for the course for John Calipari and his staff: bring in a recruiting class filled with first round draft picks, and after seeing them off welcome in another. Sophomores Terrence Jones (15.7 ppg, 8.8 rpg) and Doron Lamb (12.3 ppg) and senior Darius Miller (10.9 ppg, 4.6 rpg) are the three returning starters (Lamb and DeAndre Liggins shared time as the 5th starter), and they'll be joined by one of the best incoming classes in America.

Forwards Anthony Davis and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and guard Marquis Teague have received the most acclaim, but there's also forward Kyle Wiltjer and Mississippi State transfer Twany Beckham. Eloy Vargas will need to step up his production inside to help out the newcomers, but the Wildcats have all the pieces needed to fight off the likes of Alabama, Florida and Vanderbilt.

Southern: Chattanooga
The strength in the SoCon has been in the South in recent seasons, but that may change with John Shulman's Mocs returning four starters from a team that finished tied for first place in the North last season. Omar Wattad (14.3 ppg, 3.7 rpg), Ricky Taylor (13.0 ppg, 3.7 rpg) and Keegan Bell (9.7 ppg, 5.7 apg) lead the way on the perimeter while forward Chris Early (9.3 ppg, 6.3 rpg) was Chattanooga's leading rebounder last year. The key for Chattanooga will be how they revamp a frontcourt that lost multiple contributors from last season.

Georgia transfer Drazen Zlovaric and Ole Miss football transfer Z. Mason are two of the players expected to help out Early with senior Jahmal Burroughs also chipping in. Freshmen Lance Stokes, Ronrico White and Trey Brown will be called upon on the perimeter to spell the veterans. Competition will be fierce with the likes of Appalachian State in the North and Charleston and Davidson in the South, but the Mocs should be prepared.

Southland: Texas-San Antonio
The Roadrunners finished in a tie for third place in their division last season, only to go on a run in the conference tournament and grab the Southland's automatic bid. With four returning starters Brooks Thompson's team could enjoy an "easier" route to the Big Dance, and junior guard Melvin Johnson III (14.9 ppg, 3.5 rpg) will lead the way. The question for UTSA is how junior college transfer Michael Hale II performs at the point. Jeromie Hill (13.4 ppg, 6.6 rpg) is the most productive returnee in the frontcourt, but there are a number of role players from last season back and hoping to use the summer trip to Australia as a springboard to bigger things. And look for another JUCO transfer, Kannon Burrage, to be called upon for perimeter scoring.

SWAC: Mississippi Valley State
Former Kentucky point guard Sean Woods has done a good job of building the Delta Devils into a team that can challenge for a SWAC title, and with four starters back from a team that finished in a tie for second place last season the top spot is within reach. D'Angelo Jackson was the team's leading scorer and he's gone, but there are experienced options back who can help pick up the slack. Guards Terrence Joyner (10.1 ppg, 2.5 rpg) and Kevin Burwell (6.4 ppg, 2.8 apg) return as do wing Falando Jones (8.0 ppg, 3.7 rpg) and forwards Jason Holmes (6.9 ppg, 6.1 rpg) and Paul Crosby (12.1 ppg, 7.0 rpg).

The Delta Devils will also welcome back Amos Sturdivant, who missed last season due to injuries but was an All-SWAC selection in 2009-10. Freshman Brent Arrington is arguably their best newcomer, but the key for MVSU (as it tends to be for many of the HBCU schools) is not getting too beat up during their early-season run of guarantee games. If the Delta Devils can do this and build on the experiences, look out.

Summit: Oral Roberts
All five of Scott Sutton's starters from a season ago return, with the goal being to take one step up from their second-place finish a season ago. Dominique Morrison (19.5 ppg, 5.0 rpg) was a CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major All-America selection, and forward Steven Roundtree (12.1 ppg, 6.4 rpg) was the Mid-Major Freshman of the Year. Add in Warren Niles and Damen Bell-Holter and you've got four starters who averaged double figure scoring last season, not to mention Summit League Newcomer of the Year Michael Craion off the bench. The amount of experience that Oral Roberts returns will place limited pressure on the shoulders of their four-member recruiting class, which will give them time to grow on the floor. And a non-conference schedule that includes games at West Virginia, Gonzaga and Xavier should not only prepare them for league play, but also the chance to knock someone off.

Sun Belt: Florida Atlantic
Mike Jarvis' Owls won 21 games last year and won the East Division by three games. But they were unable to win what turned out to be a wild Sun Belt Tournament, which should be more than enough motivation for a team that returns four starters. The backcourt is deep and returns a great deal of talent, led by juniors Raymond Taylor (14.0 ppg, 3.9 apg) and Greg Gantt (14.0, 3.9 rpg) and senior Alex Tucker (7.4 ppg, 4.3 apg). Kore White leads the way in the frontcourt, but that group will need to count more on newcomers than the guards. UC Davis transfer Jelani Floyd and freshman Kelvin Penn are two players likely to make their way into the rotation, and if the forwards can supplement what the backcourt will provide FAU can win another regular season crown.

WCC: Saint Mary's
Randy Bennett's Gaels will have to account for the loss of guard Mickey McConnell, but four starters return for a team that tied for the WCC regular season crown in 2010-11. But the Gaels were left to play in the NIT despite winning 25 games, so there will be plenty of motivation this winter. Guards Matthew Dellavedova (13.4 ppg, 5.3 apg) and Stephen Holt (6.2 ppg, 3.1 rpg) will be expected to lead the way on the perimeter while Jorden Page, Clint Steindl and SMU transfer Paul McCoy will also chip in. Inside forward Rob Jones (13.8 ppg, 7.7 rpg) was an All-WCC selection last season while Tim Williams and Kenton Walker II have also seen playing time. Northwestern transfer Kyle Rowley gives Saint Mary's a legit seven-footer and redshirt freshman Brad Waldow is more than capable of earning minutes as well. Competition will be fierce for the top spot with newcomer BYU joining Gonzaga, Santa Clara and San Francisco as likely contenders, but the Gaels have the tools needed to finish on top.

WAC: Nevada
Utah State has won the last three WAC regular season titles outright and shared the top spot in 2007-08, so it feels a little weird to not have Stew Morrill's team in this spot. But Nevada isn't far removed from outstanding play in the conference, and the hope of head coach David Carter is that returning all five starters will get the Wolf Pack back to the top of the WAC. Sophomore guard Deonte Burton (13.7 ppg, 3.5 apg) was second on the team in scoring in all games but averaged just under 16 points per game in WAC play, with leading scorer Malik Story (14.5 ppg, 3.0 rpg) averaging just under 14 a contest. Forwards Dario Hunt (12.4 ppg, 9.7 rpg) and Olek Czyz (12.3 ppg, 5.7 rpg) also return for the Wolf Pack, who will need the reserves to step up if they're to hold off the likes of Utah State and New Mexico State (Hawaii could also figure into things). But when you return a tandem like Burton and Story, there's no telling how good Nevada can be.

Part One: America East through Big Ten
Part Two: Big 12 through MAAC
Part Three: MAC through Patriot

College Hoops Monday: Your Commentary

Raphielle Johnson — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 14:03:40 -0500

While many cite the way in which Villanova (21-6, 9-5) shot the three in their 83-72 win at the Carrier Dome last month, it may have been the foul line that did in Syracuse (22-6, 9-6) on that Saturday afternoon. Jay Wright's team hit 11 of 24 from deep but the Orange were nearly as good, making 10 on 26 attempts. That's where the foul line, and Villanova's ability to get there, made the difference as they knocked down 22 of 24 to Syracuse's 8-for-12 performance. So Villanova dispelled one belief in attacking the Syracuse zone (you can't be too willing to fire away from deep) while using another (attacking the gaps) to take home the victory.

The rematch at Wells Fargo Arena has a lot riding on it with both teams caught in the middle of a serious scrum for a single bye (at least) in next month's Big East Tournament, and the winner takes a step in that direction tonight. Corey Stokes, who has missed the last three games due to turf toe, scored 16 points in the first meeting and will be back but given the unpredictable nature of the injury it remains to be seen how effective he can be. That means guards Corey Fisher (16.3 ppg, 4.96 apg) and Maalik Wayns (13.4 ppg, 4.6 apg) will need to play as well as they did in the first meeting, combining for 37 points and nine assists.

Fisher is coming off of a 34-point performance in the Wildcats' overtime win at DePaul and has reached double figures in seven straight games, and Wayns added 17 points on Saturday. There's also sophomore Dominic Cheek who can provide some perimeter scoring, although he played just eight minutes in the first game and freshman James Bell has earned more playing time in Stokes' absence. But inside play will also play a role in the outcome, with Antonio Pena and Mouphtaou Yarou both averaging more than seven rebounds per game. Syracuse out-rebounded Villanova 34-29 in the first contest but given the Wildcats' proficiency from both the foul and three-point lines there wasn't much of an impact.

Rick Jackson leads the Big East in rebounding, averaging 11.2 rebounds in addition to 13 points per game. Kris Joseph (15.0 ppg, 4.9 rpg) and Baye Moussa Keita (4.2 rpg, 1.4 bpg) alsp provide help on the glass and freshman C.J. Fair has proven himself to be Jim Boeheim's most prepared rookie in regards to having an impact at this level. But overall Syracuse isn't a dominant rebounding team with a margin of plus-4.2, and the Wildcats have been slightly better for the season with a margin of plus-6.4. Syracuse did however grab 16 offensive rebounds in the first meeting, and to allow that kind of production is like playing with fire.

That means in addition to Pena and Yarou, Isaiah Armwood and everyone else on the floor will need to do their job boxing out on long shots from the likes of Joseph, Scoop Jardine and Brandon Triche. Triche has played good basketball for much of the last month, although he did make just three of fifteen shots from the field on Saturday (the sophomore got to the foul line however, resulting in a 17-point output). Triche is averaging 17.3 points per game over his last four outings, beginning to consistently take advantage of Jardine being the primary ball-handler to make things happen.

The winner in Philadelphia will do two things: control the boards and get to the foul line, a trait that proved more important than many anticipated at the Carrier Dome. Also of note on Monday is Oklahoma State's trip to Kansas, with the Cowboys in need of wins especially after letting one slip away at home to Texas A&M on Saturday. One face they won't see on the floor at Allen Fieldhouse is that of Tyshawn Taylor, who's been suspended for a violation of team rules. Losing the junior cuts down on Kansas' perimeter depth but with the Morris twins inside and Josh Selby in addition to some experienced guards will have few people weeping for them.

And in the Southern Conference Furman takes on Chattanooga, which may be a bit more important than many think. For all the talk about Charleston and rightfully so, Chattanooga hosts the SoCon Tournament and tonight provides a good opportunity for Omar Wattad and company to prove themselves against one of the best teams in the conference (they host Wofford on Wednesday).

Top 25
9:00 PM Oklahoma State at (2) Kansas (ESPN)
7:00 PM (20) Syracuse at (14) Villanova (ESPN)

NCAA Division I Games
1:00 PM UCF at UTEP
7:00 PM Samford at Charleston
7:00 PM Furman at Chattanooga
7:00 PM Western Carolina at UNC Greensboro
7:00 PM Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Prairie View A&M (ESPNU)
7:00 PM Kent State at Western Michigan
7:45 PM Stetson at Florida Gulf Coast
8:00 PM Delaware State at Coppin State
8:00 PM North Carolina A&T at North Carolina Central
8:00 PM St. Thomas (TX) at New Orleans
8:00 PM Norfolk State at South Carolina State
8:00 PM Valparaiso at Green Bay
8:30 PM Bethune-Cookman at Howard
8:30 PM Florida A&M at Hampton
9:00 PM Alabama State at Alcorn State
9:00 PM Maryland-Eastern Shore at Morgan State (ESPNU)
9:00 PM Alabama A&M at Southern University
9:00 PM Mississippi Valley State at Texas Southern
9:05 PM North Dakota at Northern Colorado

College Basketball Odds & Predictions: Monday

Shawn Siegel — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 14:53:45 -0500

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

February 22nd: Odds & Predictions

- listed are the 5 games you can bet online today. Usually, I only post lines & predict games from the day's most popular games.

7:00

Appalachian St.
at Elon University

Favorite

Appalachian St by 4.5

Over/Under

144

7:00

West Virginia
at Connecticut

Favorite

West Virginia by 2.5

Over/Under

136

7:00

Davidson
at Chattanooga

Favorite

Davidson by 5

Over/Under

143.5

8:00

Georgia Southern
at Samford

Favorite

Samford by 9.5

Over/Under

127

9:00

Oklahoma
at Kansas

Favorite

Kansas by 21.5

Over/Under

146.5

- Lines as of 12:00 pm (from BetUS) - Check out the day's other odds as the day progresses, including odds from other betting sites. Predictions below:

Poll: Who Will Win the Southern Conference?

Shawn Siegel — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 12:07:14 -0400

Kevin Goffney, Chattanooga: Tournament Talk Q&A

Jon Teitel — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 05:57:58 -0400

Collegehoops.net's Jon Teitel is in Philadelphia all week bringing you live coverage and interviews from one of the opening weekend's most intriguing venues.

NCAA Tournament Q&A

Kevin Goffney: Sr, F, Chattanooga

Q: Is it hard being at your 3rd school in 4 years (Nicholls State, then Pratt CC)?
A: It was kind of hard because I had a lot of different coaches and teammates with different personalities. I got settled at Pratt, but it was a big change coming to Chattanooga: the D-1 game is more physical, and my teammates here became like my family, because we are all very close.

Q: How did you hurt your ankle in the Tennessee game, and how bad was it (team was 16-8 this year when he started and played for more than a minute, 2-8 when he did not)?
A: I did not think it was that bad, as my ankle just rolled, so I was going to keep playing, but when I came back to the bench and took off my shoe, my ankle was as fat as a baseball (it turned out to be a broken bone).

Q: How did you rehab yourself, and what did it feel like when you came back?
A: I was out for 9 games. It was rough at first because I was not as explosive, and it was hard to get back to full speed. Our trainers helped me out big time.

Q: Your non-conference schedule featured a ton of NCAA tourney teams (Tennessee, Missouri, Memphis, USC, Davidson, E. Tennessee State): what effect did your 1-7 start have on your team?
A: It was kind of rough, but it prepared us for this moment right here, which is our goal. We will not be surprised by anything Connecticut does.

Q: After finishing the regular season with 3 straight single-digit losses, you had a team-high 18 points and a career-high 5 assists in the 1-point conference tourney quarterfinal win over Elon: what turned it around for your team?
A: We had a great week of preparation before the conference tourney: we just focused on defense/rebounding, and did not put up many shots at all, because we just wanted to stay aggressive.

Q: After being tied at 34 at halftime of the title game vs. College of Charleston, what did Coach John Shulman tell the team, and how did you guys respond in order to get the win?
A: We played them earlier this year on senior night and they blew us out, so we did not want it to happen again. We came out and got stop after stop: the 1st 5 minutes after halftime were very critical.

Q: How important is the veteran leadership of you, Stephen McDowell, and Nicchaeus Doaks?
A: Big time, because our team is young after the 3 of us. We have to pick the young guys up, so we try to be as vocal as we can, and tell the young guys to just keep playing hard.

Q: Has Coach Shulman said anything about his time in 1992 as an assistant at E. Tennessee State when they upset Arizona as #14 seed?
A: He has talked to us about what it takes to get an upset, and and how it feels to win and keep on going: he is a great coach.

Q: Was your hometown of Ethel, LA affected by Hurricane Katrina, and if so, how bad was it?
A: We were not affected too much, although my family lost power for a few weeks and the roof was blown off our house, even though it is a couple of hours away from the coast.

Q: Are you the original “KG”, or did Kevin Garnett have it first?
A: Kevin is the man: just call me “Little KG”.

+ More Tournament Talk Q&A's

+ NCAA Basketball Tournament

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• NCAA Tournament Capsules

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• NCAA Tournament Schedule

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Seven Day Stretch: Mocs, Mocks, Wild Big Ten, and More Billy G

Rob Carpentier — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 11:44:40 -0400

Rob Carpentier's "Seven Day Stretch" is a whirlwind tour around every corner of college basketball nation:

Seven Day Savior (Team): North Carolina Tar Heels

I think we can safely put to bed the idea that UNC is one of the greatest college basketball teams of all time, but the Tar Heels finished the regular season exactly where they started, as the #1 team in the country. North Carolina has had to deal with season-ending injuries, raised expectations and the knowledge that they were going to typically get an opponents best shot. In terms of those adverse conditions, what the Tar Heels have been able to accomplish this year has been pretty impressive. The Heels closed out the regular season by beating Duke for the second time this year. They enter the ACC Tournament as the consensus favorite to win the national title. Carolina reminds me quite a bit of the Florida squad from a few years ago that ended up winning a second consecutive national championship. That Florida team sort of coasted through the regular season and noticeably kicked their play up a notch when the postseason began. Outside of senior Tyler Hansbrough, who plays every possession as if it’s his last, the Tar Heels show some of the same qualities as those Gators. The Heels lose focus at times, especially on defense, but it seems to be because they know that the time for serious focus is fast approaching.

Seven Day Savior (Player): Kenneth Faried, Morehead State Eagles

Faried had a very good season for the Eagles, averaging almost 14 PPG and 13 RPG. However, he didn’t begin to turn it on until towards the end of the year. Faried is a sophomore and played at the beginning of the season like a young man who didn’t know exactly what to do when he was on the floor. However, his transformation and growth has been almost exponential. He capped off a superior second half of his season by dominating the Ohio Valley Conference Tourney and leading the Eagles to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1984. He was simply a one-man wrecking crew in the OVC final against Austin Peay. His block of Peay’s attempted game-winning shot at the end of the first overtime was a thing of beauty. The Govs had designed a very nice play for an inbounds with 3 seconds to go in that first OT. The Peay players ran it to perfection but there was Faried to simply swat the shot away like it was nothing and send the game into a second OT where the Eagles won to go dancing.

Game of the Week (The One You Already Know About): Big Ten Conference Tournament

Because we’ve now entered Championship Week, there really isn’t one game to focus on, but rather an entire tournament. The Big Ten Tourney has serious ramifications because most “experts” in the NCAA selection process have stated or written that the Big Ten should get 8 teams into the NCAAs. However, some of those squads, specifically Minnesota, Michigan, Wisconsin, Penn State and even Northwestern, have a bit of work to do in order to feel comfortable about what’s going to happen to them on Selection Sunday. It really is a compelling tournament because of this one issue. The Gophers open with Northwestern while Wisconsin has to play Ohio State on Thursday. The Nittany Lions get Indiana first, which should be a win, but Michigan has a tricky game with Iowa to open their tournament. The long and short of it is that the Big ten really is the only conference that is beginning it’s conference tournament with so much postseason uncertainty surrounding so many of its teams.

Game of the Week (The One You Don’t Know About): The WAC Tournament

As much as the Big Ten has five teams with their postseason fate hanging on their tournament performances, the WAC really has only one storyline; Utah State. There has been so much talk over the past several weeks about how there aren’t that many mid-major teams that are going to “steal” spots in the NCAA Tournament from teams in the bigger conferences. That means that most mid-major conferences are going to be one-bid leagues. With the Horizon League having completed their tournament, the only mid-major left playing that might steal a bid from a BCS school is Utah State. If the Aggies make the WAC Tournament final and lose, there is a very good chance that they will get an at-large bid to the Big Dance. There are only a few schools that bubble teams are keeping an eye on this week and Utah State is one of them. Every team in the proverbial bubble is hoping that the Aggies win the WAC.

Seven Days Under the Radar: Chattanooga Moccasins

The Mocs started the season 0-6. They lost seven of their first eight. They were a mess in December. Now they are going to the NCAA Tournament. Even though they are 18-16, the Mocs have all the ingredients of a team that can pull off a first round upset. They have a big-time scorer in guard Stephen McDowell who averages almost 19 PPG, and two complimentary scorers in Nicchaeus Doaks and Kevin Goffney. They shoot well from the outside and for the past four weeks they’ve been defending and rebounding with a renewed passion. They have very good guard play and that, coupled with their other qualities, mean the Mocs are going to be a real threat in their first round game. They are probably looking at a 14 or 15 seed in the NCAAs, but even if they get that dreaded 16 seed…well, just remember where you read it first.

Seven Days on the Hot Seat: Billy Gillispie, Kentucky Wildcats

I put Gillispie in this spot earlier this season and was chastised by many readers for it. Heck, the leader of collegehoops.net, Shawn Seigel, even stated that I was essentially wrong to put Gillispie on the hot seat*. Well, the Wildcats are about to have their streak of NCAA Tourney appearances put on ice, and quite frankly, deservedly so. Gillispie has brought a certain style to Lexington but he hasn’t modified his system at all to fit the players he inherited when he arrived from Texas A&M two years ago. He has alienated several of his players, his game decisions have been questionable throughout the season and, most importantly, he hasn’t gotten his players to buy in to his philosophy. Now he’s losing the fans because this Kentucky team has been terribly underwhelming in a year when the SEC has been terribly down. Gillispie has no connection to Kentucky and seems like he is a coach who would be better off being slightly under the radar like he was at College Station. If the Wildcats lose early in the SEC Tournament and then go to the NIT, don’t be surprised if there’s a change in Lexington.

*Ed: My direct quote was, "UK will be fine.. more than fine actually down the road. I have a lot of faith in Gillispie's coaching ability."

Seven Days of Head Scratching: Scheduling and the Economy

One of the things I’ve been thinking about this year is how some of the smaller D-1 programs are going to cope with the shrinking economy. The first thing that came to mind was and is scheduling. Many of these low-major programs are cannon fodder for the big schools at the beginning of the season. However, this year there has also been more of an effort by many of these smaller programs to schedule NAIA and D-II schools. That simply can’t happen anymore, or at least no where near as much as this past season because of the cost involved in bringing those teams in to small school ‘X’s arena. These small schools, or at least many of them could possibly be in serious trouble as D-1 entities. The fact is that many of these schools moved into Division 1 when they shouldn’t have. They don’t have the facilities, the fan base or the tradition to survive what appears to be an economy that is reaching into all areas of society. Perhaps that’s a good thing; some of these schools will be forced to move back to a classification that better fits their enrollment, facilities, etc. The question, and it bears watching, is how this recession is going to hit these smaller D-1 programs.

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Chattanooga: 2009 NCAA Tournament Capsule

Joel Welser — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 06:23:27 -0400

Chattanooga Mocs

Southern Conference (18-16, 11-9)

Big Wins: 12/30 Niagara (99-84), 2/5 at Wofford (84-77), 3/9 Charleston (80-69)

Bad Losses: 1/3 at Georgia Southern (74-78), 1/24 at Elon (85-86), 2/7 at Furman (70-72)

Last NCAA Appearance: 2005, First Round loss to Wake Forest

Coach: John Shulman (0-1 in 1 NCAA appearance)

Why They Can Surprise:

Few starting lineups in all of college basketball have as much experience as Chattanooga’s starting five. All of them are seniors and the sixth man is a junior. Coach John Shulman can rely on his players to do what they do best. And what this group does best is rebound. Nicchaeus Doaks has emerged as the most productive member of the frontcourt, averaging 13.9 points, 8.7 rebounds and one block per contest. The 6-7 Trenton, Tennessee native will spend most of his time hanging around the basket, but he can step outside and knock down the occasional three-pointer.

Small forward Kevin Goffney can hit the long ball as well. Goffney is not a back to the basket type of player and he will slash down the paint and score with ease. He is even a great passer and that is rare for a 6-5 forward. The biggest of the big guys is 6-8, 222 pound senior Khalil Hartwell. He is a decent scorer around the basket and solid rebounder. Hartwell will not block many shots, that is Doaks’ job, but he can play good defense.

Why They Can Disappoint:

The biggest concern for the Mocs is the lack of depth. Ty Patterson and Jasper Williams are the only two players outside of the likely starting five that average more than ten minutes per game. And those two are guards. Patterson will provide a spark off the bench with his outside shooting and Williams can handle the ball, but if one of the big guys gets hurt or in foul trouble, Coach John Shulman suddenly has a much smaller lineup on the floor and the advantage on the glass virtually disappears. Patterson is 6-6 and can certainly play at the three or four spot, but he will not be hitting the glass as effectively as the player he substituted in for.

Who To Watch:

Keyron Sheard is a solid guard who does a good job creating shots for his teammates. The teammate that is usually the beneficiary of his passing is Stephen McDowell. The 5-11 transfer from South Carolina connects on an amazing 4.0 three-pointers per game. Only a couple players in the nation can say they hit more than that. And it is not like McDowell just jacks up three’s all the time. His 43.4 percent from long range ranks in the top 20 in the nation. And McDowell does more than just shoot. A majority of his shots do come from beyond the arc, but he will mix things up every once in a while and attack the basket. He is a little small to do that against some opponents, but he seems to always find a way. McDowell seems to have his best scoring performances in big games and they do not get any bigger than the NCAA Tournament.

Probable Starters:

Keyron Sheard, Senior, Guard, 7.1 ppg, 3.8 apg

Stephen McDowell, Senior, Guard, 18.6 ppg, 3.4 rpg

Kevin Goffney, Senior, Forward, 13.3 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 2.6 apg

Nicchaeus Doaks, Senior, Forward, 13.9 ppg, 8.7 rpg

Khalil Hartwell, Senior, Forward, 9.1 ppg, 7.1 rpg

Key Roleplayers:

Ty Patterson, Junior, Guard, 8.4 ppg, 3.4 rpg

Jasper Williams, Freshman, Guard, 2.2 ppg, 1.5 apg

By the Numbers:

Scoring Offense: 76.7 (42^nd in nation, 3^rd in conference)

Scoring Defense: 76.2 (314, 10)

Field-Goal Percentage: 44.4 (136, 6)

Field-Goal Defense: 43.9 (202, 3)

Three-Point Field Goals Per Game: 8.4 (18, 2)

Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage: 35.6 (108, 5)

Free-Throw Percentage: 65.0 (273, 9)

Rebound Margin: 3.2 (70, 2)

Assists Per Game: 13.8 (114, 2)

Turnovers Per Game: 15.7 (284, 11)

Following the final Bracket announcement, more team info will be added, including final RPI, final team statistical rankings, Joel's prediction, and more!

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Southern Conference Tournament: Preview

Evan Dorey — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 12:07:15 -0500

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:

Southern Conference

The SoCon Tournament is in Chattanooga, TN, and uses a divisional system, with the top 4 teams getting first round byes.

#	Team	QF	SF	F	W
N1	Chattanooga	100.00%	65.87%	29.27%	5.08%
S1	Davidson	100.00%	94.62%	85.70%	74.62%
N2	Western Carolina	100.00%	35.38%	2.77%	0.82%
S2	The Citadel	100.00%	72.60%	47.43%	11.19%
N3	Samford	87.80%	26.70%	12.18%	1.64%
S3	College of Charleston	88.06%	61.74%	9.30%	4.57%
N4	Appalachian St.	77.37%	4.94%	2.07%	0.68%
S4	Wofford	76.38%	30.16%	10.46%	1.34%
N5	Elon	23.62%	3.97%	0.58%	0.03%
S5	Georgia Southern	22.63%	0.44%	0.08%	0.01%
N6	NC Greensboro	11.94%	2.88%	0.09%	0.01%
S6	Furman	12.20%	0.70%	0.08%	0.00%

Between Davidson, Charleston and The Citadel, the South division should dominate the tournament, with the hosts Chattanooga a having a decent shot to make the final, but not looking good against the dominant favorites.

North #1 – Chattanooga Mocs (15-16, 11-9) ; Efficiency Margin: +0.028

Last NCAA Tournament bid: 2005 (1^st Round)

The Mocs may be North Division champions, but that’s more about the strength of the South than a ringing endorsement of their play, as Chattanooga has just barely been better than a .500 team. They put up a lot of threes, but make a fairly poor percentage, and are excellent at getting to the free throw line, where they shoot just 65%, adding up to a lot of wasted chances. Chattanooga has struggled to stop the three-point shot, allowing opponents to hit 38% of attempts, and their defensive style means more than 45% of opponents’ shots come from behind the arc, more than any other team in the country. It doesn’t take much statistics knowledge to realize how damaging that is. The saving grace for the Mocs’ defense is that they force turnovers and do well on the defensive glass, but they are still only an average team at best.

Players to watch:

5-11 SR Stephen McDowell, 18.3 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 58.9 eFG% - McDowell is the conference’s top scorer not named Curry, powered by his 42% three-point shooting on nearly 300 attempts. He doesn’t tend to do much else besides score, but when you’re this good a scorer, that’s more than enough.

6-7 SR Nicchaeus Doaks, 14.3 PPG, 8.9 RPG, 1.1 BPG, 53.6 eFG% - Doaks leads the conference in rebounds, and is a 57% shooter from inside the arc. He’s excellent at getting to the free throw line, but shoots just 63% there.

South #1 – Davidson Wildcats (25-6, 18-2) ; Efficiency Margin: +0.232

Last NCAA Tournament bid: 2008 (Elite Eight)

While the Wildcats’ hopes for an NCAA at-large bid basically disappeared with a two-week period that saw them drop three games, including both their conference losses, they are still heavy favorites to win the conference tournament, and clearly the SoCon’s dominant team. While the Davidson offense gets a lot of focus because of Stephen Curry, the team’s major asset is its defense, the best in the conference by a wide, wide margin. It holds opponents under 40% from the field, and forces a lot of turnovers, in the top 25 in the nation in both areas. If it has a defensive weakness, it’s a tendency to commit a few too many fouls. Offensively, the Wildcats’ shooting percentages aren’t particularly good, but their turnover rate is one of the country’s lowest.

Players to watch:

6-3 JR Stephen Curry, 28.4 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 5.8 APG, 2.6 SPG, 55.1 eFG% - You might have heard of this Curry fellow, as he only happens to be the nation’s leading scorer. He also leads the conference in both assists and steals, and is among the national elite in both of those categories. The amazing thing about Curry is how he manages to stay so efficient when he gets so many possessions; a lot of players have shot as well as he has, percentage-wise, but only Curry can maintain that level over nearly 40% of his team’s shots. He may not get enough credit as a ball distributor, as he has a great assist rate with very few turnovers.

6-8 SR Andrew Lovedale, 12.5 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 1.5 BPG, 51.4 eFG% - Lovedale is a quality defensive player, and important to Davidson’s strong play at that end of the floor; he leads the team in rebounding and shot-blocks, and is an important influence inside. He’s not a huge scorer, but he doesn’t need to be: he takes his chances pretty well when he gets them.

North #2 – Western Carolina Catamounts (16-14, 11-9) ; Efficiency Margin: -0.012

Last NCAA Tournament bid: 1996 (1^st Round)

I promise to stop harping on it, but it’s a little unfair to the South division that the North #2 is has actually been outscored in conference play, yet still earns a first round bye. The Catamounts have allowed the highest opponent FG% in the conference, including 53% on two-point attempts, and commit more than 21 fouls a game, but actually have a league average defense. This is due to good rebounding and the best rate of forcing turnovers in the SoCon. Western Carolina is also an average shooting team, but thanks to its ability on the offensive glass, gets a lot of second-chance opportunities.

Players to watch:

6-4 FR Harouna Mutombo, 14.6 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 1.9 SPG, 51.3 eFG% - A talented freshman out of Pickering HS, not too far from where I call home, Mutombo has led the Catamounts in rebounding and scoring, and has put up a very good shooting percentage, well over 50% from two-point range.

6-2 JR Brigham Waginger, 8.6 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 3.4 APG, 2.5 SPG, 50.2 eFG% - Waginger isn’t much of a scorer, but shoots the ball pretty well, with most of his attempts coming from three, and has one of the nation’s best steal rates.

South #2 – The Citadel Bulldogs (20-11, 15-5) ; Efficiency Margin: +0.094

Last NCAA Tournament bid: None

While much of the talk about the SoCon has focused solely on Davidson, one of the great stories in college basketball this season managed to gain some well-deserved attention when the Citadel beat Davidson in mid-February. This was the highlight of a run that saw the Bulldogs go 11-1 over the last month or so of the season, and the first time that the team had reached 20 wins in thirty years. If any team has a chance of stopping the Curry show from making a stop at the NCAA tournament, this looks like it. The Citadel has depended on a dynamite defense, the only non-Davidson unit to hold opponents below a point per possession on the year. It managed this with tough perimeter defending, allowing just 39% on opponent three-point attempts, and good defensive rebounding. The Citadel’s offense is only at the league average, but it’s a solid shooting team that doesn’t make a lot of mistakes, good enough to carry them through a defensively deficient league.

Players to watch:

6-8 SR Demetrius Nelson, 16.1 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 59.3 eFG% - The team’s leader in both points and rebounds, Nelson has been one of the best players in the conference this year, hitting nearly 60% of his shots and getting to the free-throw line quite often, where he makes 76% of attempts.

6-1 SO Cameron Wells, 15.5 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 3.0 APG, 1.4 SPG, 49.0 eFG% - Wells is nowhere as efficient a player as Nelson, but he’s a good scorer who leads the team in assists and steals.

North #3 – Samford Bulldogs (14-15, 9-11) ; Efficiency Margin: +0.024

Last NCAA Tournament bid: 2000 (1^st Round)

Samford’s overall record is a little misleading, they’ve been an .500 team in efficiency margin, though they don’t have the wins to show for it. The Bulldogs run one of the country’s slowest offenses, and take 50% of their field goal attempts from behind the arc. This has helped their inside play somewhat, as they are among the best two-point shooting teams in the country, but they’ve struggled with offensive rebounding and turnovers. Samford is also poor at defensive rebounding, and is vulnerable to opponents inside, but forces a lot of turnovers, rarely fouls and gets teams it plays to shoot a lot of threes.

Players to watch:

6-4 JR Trey Montgomery, 11.2 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 2.6 APG, 1.4 SPG, 57.3 eFG% - Montgomery is a do-everything player who leads the team in four separate categories, including rebounds and assists. A lot of this is due to the fact that Samford has tended to spread out its possessions and playing time, as his rates aren’t great, but he plays a lot. He’s a good shooter who scores mostly inside, and has a good complimentary long-distance shot.

6-4 FR Josh Davis, 10.0 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 61.9 eFG% - Davis is a three-point specialist, and he does an awfully good job of it, hitting 40% of his attempts and leading the conference in eFG%. He’s averaged 15 points a game in his last eight contests.

South #3 – College of Charleston Cougars (23-7, 15-5) ; Efficiency Margin: +0.067

Last NCAA Tournament bid: 1999 (1^st Round)

The Cougars are the fourth favorite for the tournament title, and twice fought Davidson down to the final possession, including causing the Wildcats’ first conference loss in early February. They feature the conference’s best offense, hitting shots well inside and outside, and rarely giving up the ball. Charleston’s defense has only been average, and its weak spot has been rebounding, as opponents have managed to get back a lot of their own misses. With the Cougars forcing few turnovers, this has meant a lot of chances for opposing teams to score.

Players to watch:

6-1 SO Andrew Goudelock, 16.9 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 56.3 eFG% - Goudelock is the conference’s best free throw shooter at 89%, and is also pretty good from behind the arc, where he earns a lot of points.

6-8 SR Dustin Scott, 9.7 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 1.4 SPG, 1.4 BPG, 55.5 eFG% - Scott’s best contributions come on the defensive end, where he leads the Cougars in both steals and blocks. He’s a very good percentage shooter, but doesn’t take a lot of shots, and he’s faced a lot of foul trouble in recent games, fouling out in 4 of his last 8.

North #4 – Appalachian St. Mountaineers (12-17, 9-11) ; Efficiency Margin: +0.002

Last NCAA Tournament bid: 2000 (1^st Round)

The Mountaineers just barely finished with a positive efficiency margin, and featured a pretty solid conference offense. They are the best pure shooters in the SoCon, leading the league in free throw and three-point percentage, and get back a lot of the shots they do miss. They need to maximize these chances, as they generally lose out in the turnover battle by a wide margin, the worst in the conference in both forcing and committing them. The problem that Appalachian St. has had is that its opponents make a lot of shots, and while it is as good on the defensive glass as the offensive glass, it doesn’t force enough misses to really take advantage.

Players to watch:

6-1 JR Kellen Brand, 15.0 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 57.7 eFG% - Brand is one of a pair of quality long-distance threats, shooting over 40% from behind the arc, but his contributions in the other parts of the boxscore are fairly limited.

6-10 SO Issac Butts, 8.7 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 1.1 BPG, 58.9 eFG% - Butts doesn’t have a huge role in the offense, but he’s pretty much what you want out of a big guy, a high percentage scorer who dominates the boards. He hasn’t played that much in recent weeks, but has had some big games, including 12-and-10 against Chattanooga.

South #4 – Wofford Terriers (16-13, 12-8) ; Efficiency Margin: +0.019

Last NCAA Tournament bid: None

Wofford is the last of the teams in the top 8 of the conference; after it, there is a large drop-off to the teams in the league basement. It’s had a pretty good offensive showing, making a fair number of its threes, avoiding turnovers, and doing well on the offensive glass. The Terriers’ problem has been defensive, especially from behind the arc, where opponents have shot 39%.

Players to watch:

6-6 SO Noah Dahlman, 17.8 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 61.1 eFG% - Dahlman is one of the SoCon’s most efficient players, as he does a lot of things really well, an over 60% shooter who is an excellent offensive rebounder and has committed just 37 turnovers all season.

6-2 JR Junior Salters, 15.2 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 54.4 eFG% - Salters is a good three-point shooter who has seen his scoring numbers drop over the month of February, and will need to find some form if Wofford is to make any noise in the tourney.

North #5 – Elon Phoenix (10-19, 7-13) ; Efficiency Margin: -0.083

Last NCAA Tournament bid: None

All of the teams from here and below have averaged less than a point-per-possession offensively, and all are underdogs in their opening round games. Elon is the best of these teams, as it has an above-average defense, holding opponents to a fairly low percentage from behind the arc and forcing a lot of turnovers. The Phoenix have needed this defense to be good, as they’ve had the conference’s second worst offense, shooting just 43% from the field and not being able to get their misses back very often, resulting in a lot of one-and-done possessions.

Players to watch:

6-8 SR Ola Atoyebi, 14.0 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 57.3 eFG% - Atoyebi leads the Phoenix in both points and rebounds, and is an is an excellent shooter who takes a large role in the offense.

6-5 SR Brett James, 13.1 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 1.5 SPG, 1.5 BPG, 46.4 eFG% - James is an impressive defensive player, leading the team in both blocks and steals, but his relatively poor shooting, including just 30% on three-pointers, holds back his offensive game.

South #5 – Georgia Southern Eagles (8-21, 5-15) ; Efficiency Margin: -0.108

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

Georgia Southern seemed to be going pretty well when it was 5-4 in conference in the final week of January, but totally lost its way from then on, losing 11 straight games to finish just one game out of a tie for last place. The Eagles have fallen this far because of their conference-worst defense, which has been one of the country’s worst in several areas, allowing opponents to shoot 38% on threes and 52% on twos, and getting very few defensive rebounds. Their offense has been better, but still not particularly good, below average in pretty much every statistical category.

Players to watch:

5-10 FR Ben Drayton, 11.7 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 57.0 eFG% - Drayton has been an excellent three-point shooter, over 50% from behind the arc, and while he hasn’t taken a huge number of them, he’s made enough to raise his efficiency. Drayton’s scoring average is somewhat dampened by his start, in which he played little; in the last month he’s averaged more than 17 points a game.

6-2 JR Antonio Hanson, 11.9 PPG, 1.6 RPG, 53.2 eFG% - Hanson hasn’t shot as good a percentage as Drayson, but he’s taken more threes than anyone else on the team, and made nearly 40% of them. His only real contribution is with his shot, so when he can’t get it to fall, he’s pretty much invisible statistically.

North #6 – NC Greensboro Spartans (5-24, 4-16) ; Efficiency Margin: -0.114

Last NCAA Tournament bid: 2001 (1^st Round)

Only Georgia Southern has defended worse than the Spartans in the SoCon this year, despite the fact that Greensboro has been better than average at defending shots. The problem for Greensboro has been limiting the number of chances its opponents get; it rarely gets opponents to turn the ball over, and picks up relatively few of its opponents’ misses. The Spartans have also struggled on the offensive side of the ball, sitting second to last in the conference in shooting on both three-pointers and two-pointers.

Players to watch:

6-5 JR Ben Stywall, 11.3 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 1.2 SPG, 52.5 eFG% - Stywall is one of the SoCon’s better rebounders, and is pretty efficient on the offensive end, shooting 52% from the field and getting to the free throw line a lot. His 59% shooting at the stripe is a drop-off from previous seasons and an area he needs to improve.

6-4 JR Mikko Koivisto, 12.5 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 2.4 APG, 50.5 eFG% - The Vantaa, Finland native is the only major three-point shooting threat on the Spartans, and the team’s leading scorer, though he tends to be inconsistent.

South #6 – Furman Paladins (6-23, 4-16) ; Efficiency Margin: -0.146

Last NCAA Tournament bid: 1980 (1^st Round)

Furman is the weakest team in the Southern Conference, with two of its six wins on the season coming against non-D1 opponents. It is the conference’s worst shooting team, barely managing to crack 40% from the field, and is one of the SoCon’s worst teams at committing turnovers. Defensively, they’ve been pretty weak inside, and while they’ve done a decent job of forcing turnovers, they just haven’t been good enough to cover for their offensive woes.

Players to watch:

6-2 SO Jordan Miller, 13.7 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 1.4 SPG, 42.0 eFG% - Miller takes a lot of the Paladins’ shots, and is the team’s leading scorer, but his percentages are weak, especially his sub-40% two-point shooting.

6-5 SO Bryson Barnes, 8.5 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 1.1 BPG, 48.5 eFG% - Barnes has only started 10 games, but leads the team in both rebounding and shot-blocks, and is a decent inside scorer. He’s increased his role in recent games, averaging 12 points in his last six games.

My statistical all-Southern team:

Davidson JR G Stephen Curry, 28.4 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 5.8 APG, 2.6 SPG, 55.1 eFG%

Chattanooga SR G Stephen McDowell, 18.3 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 58.9 eFG%

The Citadel SO G Cameron Wells, 15.5 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 3.0 APG, 1.4 SPG, 49.0 eFG%

Wofford SO F Noah Dahlman, 17.8 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 61.1 eFG%

The Citadel SR F/C Demetrius Nelson, 16.1 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 59.3 eFG%

SoCo Awards: Curry Player of the Year & More

Press Release — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 13:19:30 -0500

2008-09 All-Conference
Kellen Brand, Appalachian State
Stephen Curry, Davidson
Noah Dahlman, Wofford
Nicchaeus Doaks, Chattanooga
Andrew Goudelock, College of Charleston
Andrew Lovedale, Davidson
Stephen McDowell, Chattanooga
Harouna Mutombo, Western Carolina
Demetrius Nelson, The Citadel
Cameron Wells, The Citadel

All-Freshman Team
John Brown, The Citadel
Ben Drayton III, Georgia Southern
Damian Eargle, UNC Greensboro
Harouna Mutombo, Western Carolina
Brad Loesing, Wofford

Freshman of the Year
Harouna Mutombo, Western Carolina

Defensive Player of the Year
Max Paulhus Gosselin, Davidson

Player of the Year
Stephen Curry, Davidson

Coach of the Year
Ed Conroy, The Citadel

- The league’s men’s basketball coaches voted on the All-Conference and All-Freshmen teams.