Big Ten ACC Challenge

College Hoops Wednesday Recap: Barnes, Strickland Lead Heels

Raphielle Johnson — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 06:52:39 -0800

There was one big question for North Carolina going into their game with Wisconsin in the final night of the Big Ten/ACC Challenge: would they be able to play effectively in a tempo nowhere near what they look to establish on a nightly basis? Thanks to a second half run from Harrison Barnes and the excellent defense of Dexter Strickland, the Tar Heels passed said test with a 60-57 win over the Badgers in Chapel Hill. While the game didn't have any bearing on the result of the entire Challenge, which the Big Ten had comfortably wrapped up by the time the late games began, it could have long-term effects for a team that annually ranks among the nation's leaders in possessions per game.

A Barnes three pointer with 11:40 left in the game began an 18-5 North Carolina run, and the Heels wouldn't trail again despite a late Badger rally. Barnes scored ten of those points and finished with 20 while fellow frontcourt players Tyler Zeller (12 points, seven rebounds) and John Henson (eight points, 17 rebounds and five blocks) also played well for the 6-1 Tar Heels. But the biggest contribution outside of the scoring came from Dexter Strickland, who was given the task of guarding All-America point guard Jordan Taylor for good in the second half. Taylor, who was also guarded by Kendall Marshall at times, led Wisconsin with 18 points but he needed 20 shots to reach that total, making six.

"It was a difficult game for us," said head coach Roy Williams. "Jordan Taylor just dominates the ball so effectively, and yet you have to congratulate Kendall and Dexter because its hard to guard that guy. I was very pleased with what we did defensively."

One statistical category to take note of was Wisconsin's assist numbers, which underlines the effectiveness of North Carolina's defense. The Badgers assisted on just six of their twenty-three field goals, with Taylor having four, a far cry from their season averages in assists per game (15.6) and assist percentage (average of 57.4%; Wednesday's number was 26.1%). The Badgers also had two starters, Josh Gasser and Mike Bruesewitz, go scoreless as they put up matching 0-for-3 (0-for-2 3PT) stat lines. In a game as close as this one, Bo Ryan's team could ill-afford an off night from one starter much less two. UNC's length limited the number of good looks for Wisconsin, who made just eight of their 28 three-point attempts on the night.

"They're long and quick and getting good looks isn't the easiest thing in the world," said Ryan. "It was hard to get good looks. That was as hard fought a game as I have ever been in as a coach."

Next up for North Carolina is a matchup in Lexington with Kentucky on Saturday in a much-anticipated game that will be far different than Wednesday's battle. But if anything the need to shift from fast (UNLV) to slow (Wisconsin) and back to fast could be a benefit for the Heels as the season rolls on. After being outworked on Saturday night, North Carolina showed that they're capable of winning a game that gets them out of their comfort zone.

Other Notable Happenings

1. What a night for basketball in southern California. Creighton comes back to beat San Diego State and UNLV holds off UCSB in a double-overtime thriller.
Two games on the West coast proved to be the gems of the night, and while the competitive nature of the contests was to be expected few had any idea they'd end up being as good as they turned out to be. Creigton trailed by as many as 17 points in the first half at San Diego State, but Greg McDermott's team steadily worked its way back into the contest in front of a frenzied crowd at Viejas Arena. And thanks to Doug McDermott (25 points, 12 rebounds), Ethan Wragge (19 points in 19 minutes off th bench) and a crucial loose ball recovered by Jahenns Manigat in chasing down his own missed free throw, the Bluejays escaped with an 85-83 victory. In the second half Creighton scored 50 points and turned the ball over just once, and they needed that kind of play to beat a tough Aztec team led by Xavier Thames' 21 points.

As for UNLV they and the Gauchos of UCSB put on a show for the ages at the Thunderdome, with Mike Moser (34 points, 10 rebounds) and UCSB's Orlando Johnson (36 points, 10 rebounds) standing out. There were three key plays late in regulation and the first overtime session that would move this contest from the "good game" category to "classic". Anthony Marshall's missed layup with 34 seconds remaining kept the door open for the Gauchos, who would cut the lead to one on the ensuing possession as Johnson score three the old-fashioned way. In the final seconds Johnson missed a free throw on purpose, which big man Greg Somogyi would rebound and score to send the game into overtime tied at 71. UCSB had Vegas on the ropes but a Chace Stanback three with 1.7 seconds left in OT tied the score at 84. Moser and Johnson would foul out in the second overtime, and UNLV was able to survive thanks in part to Stanback (all 19 of his points in the second half or overtime). What a night on the West coast.

2. Indiana's improved play in the second half keeps them undefeated.
Tom Crean's Hoosiers are an improved basketball team, something they've shown throughout their 7-0 start. But there have still been naysayers, who chose to point out who the Hoosiers have played instead of focusing more on how they've played. No room for that in the aftermath of Wednesday's 86-75 win at NC State, as the Hoosiers displayed improved levels of both skill and toughness in picking up a critical road victory. Jordan Hulls led the way with 20 points and five assists but the big star arguably was freshman Cody Zeller, who scored 19 points, grabbed seven rebounds and blocked two shots in his fifth straight double-digit scoring game. Lorenzo Brown led four NC State players in double figures with 19 points, but the Wolfpack were done in late as Indiana scored the final ten points of the game. Baby steps should be taken in discussing Indiana, but there's no mistaking the fact that this is an improved basketball team that's trending up.

3. Denver hands Utah State their first home loss in 34 games.
The four-game stretch that began with a trip to California and ends with a home contest against high-scoring Iona on December 7th was seen by some as a defining one for Joe Scott's Denver Pioneers. And if their 67-54 win at Utah State doesn't qualify as a defining win for the Pioneers you'll be hard-pressed to find one that will, as they wouldn't trail again after a Brian Stafford three gave Denver a 5-4 lead with 18:14 remaining in the first half. Rob Lewis and Chris Udofia led four starter in double figures with 15 points apiece, and a 12-2 run to start the second half established a margin that Utah State could not recover from. The win ended Utah State's 33-game home win streak, and given their experience and system there's no reason why Denver can't be a factor in the Sun Belt once conference play begins.

Quick Hitters

1. Jim Baron attempted to send a message to his Rhode Island team by going with an entirely new starting lineup at Brown. It didn't seem to get through as URI lost 65-56 to the Bears, dropping to 1-6 on the season. Billy Baron and Andre Malone should help once they become eligible in December, but will it be too late by then?

2. Staying in the Atlantic 10, Dayton sure didn't handle their first game since winning the Old Spice Classic in good fashion as they were blown out by Buffalo 84-55. At home. Two things to take from the result: Javon McCrea and company are pretty good, and there's still plenty for Archie Miller and his staff to do with the Flyers.

3. Keith Appling played his best game of the season in Michigan State's 65-49 win over Florida State, scoring 24 points and grabbing seven rebounds. A key for the Spartans' improved play of late has been the progression of freshman point guard Travis Trice, whose emergence has allowed Appling to play at his more natural shooting guard spot.

4. Virginia Tech may have picked up a loss that could weigh them down come March as they fell 58-55 at Minnesota. The Golden Gophers were without Trevor Mbakwe, but the Hokies were unable to take advantage as Dorenzo Hudson (zero points) and Dorian Finney-Smith (three points) were slient offensively.

5. Don't overlook Ohio's 70-68 win at previously undefeated Marshall, with Reggie Keely leading four Bobcats in double figures with 16 points. Ohio's reserves outscored Marshall's bench 28-11 on the night. To say the least it was a good night for the MAC.

6. Northern Iowa knocked off Iowa State 69-62 in Ames with Anthony James scoring 17 points to lead the way. Ben Jacobson's Panthers got it done on the defensive end, holding Iowa State 19 points below their offensive efficiency average for the season.

7. In their first game without the services of center Dwayne Dedmon, who will miss the next 6-8 weeks with a stress fracture in his foot, USC beat UC Riverside 56-37. Dedmon's injury makes it even tougher for Kevin O'Neill in regards to dealing with a team that already lacked depth.

Three Notable Performances

1. F Mike Moser (UNLV) and G Orlando Johnson (UCSB)
These were two of the stars in the game of the night, which UNLV won 94-88 in double overtime. Moser finished with 34 points, 10 rebounds and three assists while Johnson paced the Gauchos with 36 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, three steals and two blocks.

2. F Doug McDermott (Creighton)
25 points and 12 rebounds in the Bluejays' 85-83 win at San Diego State.

3. G James Kinney (San Jose State)
30 points (7-12 3PT) in the Spartans' 72-66 win over UTSA.

College Hoops Wednesday: Your Commentary

Raphielle Johnson — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 01:36:29 -0800

The final night of the Big Ten/ACC Challenge will also boast a matchup of Top 10 teams as #7 Wisconsin (6-0) takes on #5 North Carolina (5-1) in Chapel Hill. Roy Williams' Tar Heels are coming off of a disappointing second half in Las Vegas on Saturday as they fell decisively to UNLV. With a trip to Kentucky next on the schedule it might be a good thing for North Carolina that the in-between game isn't one of the standard "avoid the letdown" variety, so they should be ready to go. But in Bo Ryan's Badgers the Heels will encounter a team unlike any they've played to this point in the season, in both talent and tempo.

Senior point guard Jordan Taylor (11.0 ppg, 5.8 apg, 5.0 rpg) is asked to do more scoring than counterpart Kendall Marshall (10.8 apg, 4.8 ppg), and that's another piece of evidence for the argument that there won't be another point guard matchup of this caliber all season long. Marshall is one of the best distributors in the game and while some may point at the many options at his disposal as the reason why, it takes a smart floor general to not only get guys the ball but make sure they get it in the best position to be successful. Taylor also has a very good assist-to-turnover ratio, and his ability to keep the tempo under control is another skill some point guards tend to struggle with.

Two other key components in the Wisconsin backcourt are Josh Gasser (10.2 ppg, 71.4% 3PT) and Ben Brust (12.8 ppg, 3.7 rpg), with the latter leading the Badgers in scoring despite coming off the bench. Brust was outstanding in Wisconsin's win over BYU on Saturday night, scoring 22 points in a game the Badgers won going away in the second half. Gasser is Wisconsin's best perimeter shooter, and as a team the Badgers score an astonishing 47% of their points from beyond the arc. North Carolina has been solid in defending the three as their opponents have shot 32% to date, but they will need to be solid in their defensive principles against Wisconsin in this area.

UNC sophomore wing Harrison Barnes (17.3 ppg, 4.8 rpg) is a go after spraining his right ankle in Saturday's loss to UNLV, and he'll represent a significant challenge for the Wisconsin defense. Ryan Evans will likely draw this assignment, and their job will be to turn Barnes into a player who needs more dribbles to get his shots. Barnes is an impressive offensive player when it comes to catch and shoot or jump shots off of one dribble; essentially situations where he isn't seriously challenged in scoring. But Barnes also averages 2.7 turnovers to just one assist per game, and this is something that Wisconsin will need to exploit in order to win.

The play inside will also be a focus, with the Tar Heels boasting a pair of likely first round NBA draft picks in Tyler Zeller (13.5 ppg, 7.2 rpg) and John Henson (15.8 ppg, 9.8 rpg, 3.0 bpg). The two were relatively kept in check by UNLV, and they will definitely be challenged from a physical standpoint by the Badgers. Mike Bruesewitz (7.7 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 2.0 apg) gives up a few inches but he's a tough glue-guy who can do the little things that winning teams need done, and Jared Berggren (12.3 ppg, 5.3 rpg) is their best interior scorer. In the swing offense big men also have the opportunity to make plays on the perimeter, and Berggren is shooting 38% from beyond the arc on the season.

North Carolina is the deeper team, but in order to take full advantage of players such as Dexter Strickland (starter), P.J. Hairston, Reggie Bullock and James Michael McAdoo they have to control the tempo. On the season UNC averages 76.7 possessions per game, a far cry from the 59.5 that the Badgers average. A faster pace would also minimize the amount of time that Marshall is forced to buckle down and defend Taylor, but it could be in North Carolina's interest regardless of tempo to go with Strickland on Taylor.

Out west there are a pair of games involving ranked teams to keep an eye on, with UNLV visiting UCSB and San Diego State hosting Creighton. The Runnin' Rebels will get to show how they deal with prosperity on the road against a dangerous team that went to the Big Dance last season and returns one of the most prolific scoring tandems in the country in Orlando Johnson and James Nunnally. So much is made of how teams respond to adversity, but maturity can be shown in how they deal with being told how great they are as well. Does UNLV come out of the gates hungry? If not their stay in the rankings could be a short one.

As for the matchup between the Bluejays and Aztecs, this MVC/MWC challenge is an event that the Valley needs some redemption in after taking a serious beating on the chin last season. Greg McDermott's got one of the better frontcourts around led by sophomore Doug McDermott, and the perimeter play isn't bad either thanks to the likes of Antoine Young. But can they keep the energetic Aztecs off the offensive glass? That will be a big question to be answered, and the outcome will most likely hinge on it.

Pittsburgh and Duquesne meet at the Consol Energy Center in what should be an entertaining city battle, Drexel (the one Philadelphia school not in the Big 5) visits Saint Joseph's and it would not be a surprise if the Dragons were to win. But Bruiser Flint's team needs to become more consistent, something that's easier said than done without the services of Chris Fouch. Preseason Patriot League favorite Bucknell visits George Mason in another solid matchup, Florida State takes on Michigan State in East Lansing and Notre Dame visits Gonzaga in their first big game without Tim Abromaitis.

Top 25 Games
9:30 PM (7) Wisconsin at (5) North Carolina (ESPN)
8:00 PM Florida Atlantic at (14) Kansas (ESPN3)
7:00 PM (17) Pittsburgh vs. Duquesne* (CBSSN)
11:15 PM Notre Dame at (18) Gonzaga (ESPN2)
10:00 PM (20) UNLV at UC Santa Barbara
10:30 PM (22) Creighton at San Diego State (The Mtn.)

NCAA Division I Games
7:00 PM Delaware vs. Boston University*
7:00 PM Towson at Massachusetts
7:00 PM Dartmouth at New Hampshire
7:00 PM Lafayette at Princeton
7:00 PM Ohio at Marshall
7:00 PM NJIT at Army
7:00 PM Buffalo at Dayton
7:00 PM Furman at Elon
7:00 PM Bucknell at George Mason
7:00 PM Northeastern at La Salle
7:00 PM Navy at Maryland-Eastern Shore
7:00 PM Elizabeth City at Norfolk State
7:00 PM Drexel at Saint Joseph's
7:00 PM UNC Wilmington at Toledo
7:00 PM Hope at Western Michigan
7:15 PM Penn State at Boston College (ESPNU)
7:15 PM Indiana at North Carolina State (ESPN2)
7:30 PM Florida State at Michigan State (ESPN)
7:30 PM Rhode Island at Brown
7:30 PM USF at VCU (ESPN3)
7:30 PM Richmond at William & Mary
8:00 PM Mississippi Valley State at Arkansas
8:00 PM Colorado at Colorado State (The Mtn.)
8:00 PM Northern Iowa at Iowa State (ESPN3)
8:00 PM Jamestown at North Dakota
8:00 PM Tulsa at Oklahoma State
8:00 PM Alcorn State at Texas A&M
8:00 PM Maine at Eastern Illinois
8:00 PM Louisiana Tech at Southeastern Louisiana
8:00 PM Robert Morris (IL) at SIU-Edwardsville
8:00 PM Wiley at Stephen F. Austin
8:00 PM Lamar at TCU
8:00 PM Central Arkansas at Tennessee-Martin
8:00 PM Southern University at Tulane
8:05 PM UAB at South Alabama
8:05 PM Missouri State at Oral Roberts
8:05 PM Rice at Houston Baptist
8:05 PM Chicago State at Illinois State
8:30 PM Grambling State at Washington State
9:00 PM Drake at Boise State
9:00 PM Idaho State at New Mexico
9:00 PM BYU at Northern Arizona
9:00 PM Utah Valley at Wyoming
9:05 PM Denver at Utah State (ESPN3)
9:15 PM Virginia Tech at Minnesota (ESPN2)
9:15 PM Wake Forest at Nebraska (ESPNU)
10:00 PM Sacramento State at Cal Poly
10:00 PM UTSA at San Jose State
10:00 PM USC at UC Riverside
10:00 PM Academy of Art at Fresno State
10:05 PM Cal State Bakersfield at Cal State Northridge
11:05 PM Eastern Washington at Idaho

College Hoops Tuesday Recap: Buckeyes Blow Out Duke

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 22:24:41 -0800

The game between #3 Duke and #2 Ohio State was a matchup expected to be a barnburner throughout. But in runs to begin and end the first half, the Buckeyes made a case to their fans and a national television audience that they should be mentioned in the same breath as Kentucky and North Carolina when talking about early favorites to win the national title. Thad Matta's team opened the game on an 11-0 run and finished the half with an 11-2 run on their way to the 85-63 win at Value City Arena, and four of their five starters finished in double figures.

Jared Sullinger scored a team-high 21 points and grabbed eight rebounds while William Buford added 20, and Buford would combine with Aaron Craft (17 points, eight assists) to score nine of Ohio State's first eleven points (Sullinger scored the other two). Duke would fight their way back into the game thanks in large part to freshman guard Austin Rivers, who finished with a game-high 22 points and three assists. Rivers was able to get to the basket with a variety of moves while also knocking down perimeter shots but when the time came for his teammates to step up they were unable to, and that's a credit to the Buckeyes.

"We couldn't hit a shot," said Duke head coach Mike Krzyzweski. "Their defense was outstanding and then they got hot. They can score from a number of different positions. They had a great crowd, they had a lot going for them and they took advantage of everything."

Mason Plumlee played well for the Blue Devils as he finished with 16 points and eight rebounds, but the other three starters combined for just seven points (all scored by Seth Curry). Not only were Andre Dawkins and Ryan Kelly scoreless but they took just three shots combined, and few teams much less one the caliber of Duke can win big games with that happening. As a team Duke shot 47% on the night but made just three of fifteen shots from beyond the arc, a far cry from Ohio State's 8-for-14 night.

As for the run to end the first half, Deshaun Thomas was a big factor as he scored Ohio State's final nine points to push the margin out to 19 (47-28) at the intermission. Thomas finished with 18 points, scoring 13 of those in the final 7:41 of the first half. In pulling away the Buckeyes outscored Duke 10-0 in second-chance points in the first half, and they would lead by as many as 24 in the second half. While many will look to jump on the backs of the Blue Devils as a result of the big loss, more energy should be spent crediting Ohio State for their play.

"This team is still so young at times I don't know what to expect from them," said Matta. "There's a lot of uncertainty going into games like this, so I'm always excited to see how we respond. Our guys played to their strengths tonight which is a credit to them."

Other Notable Happenings

1. Virginia defends their home floor and beats Michigan.
It's still early but what a difference a year makes for Tony Bennett's Virginia Cavaliers, especially defensively. Last season the Cavaliers ranked 11th in the ACC in points allowed per possession, and their field goal percentage defense finished in the same spot. Through seven games this season Virginia leads the ACC in points allowed per possession and rank second in the conference in field goal percentage defense. Michigan shot 44% on Tuesday night but with Tim Hardaway Jr. limited to just five points the Wolverines fell 70-58 in Charlottesville. Michigan's offensive efficiency was 12 points below their season average as a result of Virginia's packline defense, and offensively Joe Harris and Mike Scott scored 18 points apiece to lead the way. Virginia moved to 6-1 on the season, and has the look of a team that can challenge for a possible NCAA Tournament berth.

2. Don't read too much into Saint Louis' loss at Loyola Marymount.
Saint Louis, fresh off of winning the 76 Classic over the holiday weekend, took on the test of playing a road game against a well-rested team in playing their fourth game in six days. LaRon Armstead scored a game-high 22 points and Anthony Ireland (17 points) made some big shots late to lead LMU to the 75-68 win at Gersten Pavilion. Cody Ellis led SLU with 18 points off the bench, but the fact that they turned the ball over 15 times (24.6% of their possessions) proved to be too much to overcome. Did fatigue play a role in the outcome? It likely did for a team that while talented has been out on the road for a week. So try not to make too big of a deal about this loss because there's plenty of time left in the season for a team that's proven itself to be a viable NCAA Tournament candidate. Plus, this isn't the first time LMU has beaten a ranked opponent this season (UCLA).

3. Arizona's freshman guards step up in a good win at New Mexico State.
Make no mistake about the fact that Arizona's short trip east to take on New Mexico State was a dangerous one, and given how the Wildcats began their last game (a home loss to San Diego State) it would have been easy to expect the Aggies to win. But Sean Miller's team rose to the challenge, winning 83-76 thanks in part to good nights from freshman guards Nick Johnson and Josiah Turner. Johnson scored a game-high 19 points in his first start of the season and Turner added 12 points, six rebounds, three assists and three steals off the bench. With Kyle Fogg and Jordin Mayes quiet for much of the night it's likely a safe assumption that Arizona loses if not for their freshmen. The consistent Jesse Perry posted another double-double (15 points, 12 rebounds) and Solomon Hill scored 12 points and grabbed seven rebounds to carry the load in the frontcourt. The reconfigured starting lineup avoided the slow start, and as a result Arizona picked up a solid road victory.

Quick Hitters

1. For a team that some thought could be an NCAA Tournament possibility out of the Big Ten, things sure have gone downhill for the Iowa Hawkeyes. They were ice cold from the field in a 71-55 loss to Clemson at home, shooting 28.6% from the field and scoring 20 points in the first half. Fran McCaffery's team has lost three of their last four, with all three losses being by 16 points or more.

2. Perry Jones III made his return to the floor at Baylor and it was a triumphant one as the Bears rolled Prairie View A&M 90-54. Jones finished the game with 27 points and six rebounds, but Pierre Jackson's line may be the eye-opener. 17 points and eight assists off the bench for Jackson, who turned the ball over just two times. It's been said many times: if the Bears can get solid backcourt play to go with their deep and talented front line, look out.

3. Harvard might have the best team in the Ivy League, but the best point guard in the league is Penn senior Zack Rosen. Rosen scored a team-high 20 points and dished out five assists in the Quakers' 75-72 win over Manhattan to move to 4-4 on the season.

4. Life without Demetri McCamey has gotten off to a very good start for Illinois, who moved to 7-0 with a 71-62 win at Maryland. The big reason why: the steady play of Bradley transfer Sam Maniscalco, who scored a team-high 24 points to lead the way.

5. As if things weren't going bad enough for UMBC, the 0-6 Retrievers learned that senior point guard Chris De La Rosa was leaving the team for personal and family-related matters. He played in just one game this season, but De La Rosa accounted for nearly a quarter of UMBC's field goals and more than half their assists in 2010-11.

6. Oregon lost another freshman with the announcement that Bruce Barron decided to leave the team. But the departures of he and Jabari Brown opens the door minutes-wide for the remaining players, and Johnathan Loyd took advantage to the tune of a career-high 24 points in the Ducks' 64-59 win over UTEP.

Three Notable Performances

1. F Wendell McKines (New Mexico State)
28 points (10-18 FG) and 10 rebounds in the Aggies' 83-76 loss to Arizona.

2. F Perry Jones III (Baylor)
27 points (10-14 FG) and six rebounds in the Bears' 90-54 win over Prairie View A&M.

3. F John Shurna (Northwestern)
25 points, eight rebounds, three blocks and three steals in the Wildcats' 76-60 win over Georgia Tech.