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College Basketball Top 50: Butler & Miami Enter

Shawn Siegel — Sun, 09 Dec 2012 21:39:13 -0500

Collegehoops.net's Top 50 Power Ranking is your weekly dive into the national college basketball scene. The CHN Top 50 is brought to you before all the other polls late Sunday night. Arrows represent notable moves. (Also: Check out the weekly Non-BCS Top 25 Ranking.)

Top 50 Ranking: December 9th

by Shawn Siegel: Collegehoops.net Editor

	Team	Record	Last
1	Indiana	9-0	1
2	Michigan	9-0	2
3	Duke	9-0	3
4	Florida	7-0	4
5	Syracuse	8-0	5
6	Louisville	8-1	6
7	Ohio State	6-1	7
8	Arizona	7-0	9
9	Kansas	7-1	10
10	Missouri	8-1	11
11	Cincinnati	9-0	12
12	Illinois	10-0	15
13	New Mexico	10-0	14
14	Minnesota	10-1	16
15	Gonzaga	9-1*	8
16	Creighton	9-1	13
17	Michigan State	8-2	17
18	San Diego St	7-1	18
19	North Carolina	7-2	19
20	UNLV	7-1	21
21	Oklahoma St	7-1	22
22	Wichita St	9-0	23
23	Notre Dame	8-1	24
24	Pittsburgh	9-1	26
25	Georgetown	7-1	30
26	NC State	6-2	29
27	Kentucky	6-3	28
28	Baylor	5-3*	27
29	Murray St	7-1	31
30	Kansas St	7-1	32
31	Oregon	8-1	34
32	Memphis	6-2	36
33	Colorado	7-2*	20
34	UCONN	7-2*	25
35	Wyoming	10-0	39
36	Bucknell	8-1	41
37	Temple	6-1*	37
38	Alabama	6-2*	33
39	Maryland	8-1	47
40	St. Joseph's	5-2	43
41	VCU	6-3	44
42	Butler	7-2	NA(+5)
43	Xavier	7-2*	40
44	Marquette	6-2	49
45	Miami	5-1	NA(+5)
46	Virginia Tech	7-1*	46
47	Belmont	6-2	50
48	Ohio	7-2*	38
49	Wisconsin	6-4*	42
50	Colorado St	6-2**	35

* = losses this week

last = last week's ranking

Next Five: Arizona St (8-1), Saint Mary's (6-2), Ole Miss (6-1*), Boise St (6-2*), California (6-2*)

Top 50 Drop Outs

			Week
	California		4
	Boise St		4
	Santa Clara		3
	Tennessee		3
	Northwestern		3
	UCLA		3
	Florida State		3
	Saint Louis		3
	St. Mary's		2
	Texas		2
	Northern Iowa		2
	Iowa St		2
	South Alabama		2

week = week dropped out of Top 50

During the season, don't forget to check out the CHN Top 50 Power Ranking every Sunday night!

For more depth, check out the weekly the Non-BCS Top 25 ranking.

You can also revisit the Top 50 archive and view this week's AP Top 25.

Early 2012-13 Ranking: Teams 46 to 60

Shawn Siegel — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 11:05:09 -0400

Continuing with the Early 2012-13 Ranking, here are teams 46 to 60.

Its worth repeating that I had to make many assumptions about the NBA Draft in compiling the following list, and I've noted which assumptions I've made. This ranking will be updated later in the summer once players have made their official draft decisions. Also uncertain is where some remaining unsigned recruits will end up, and how the coaching carousel will take form. I purposely made no assumptions about where unsigned prospects will end up. (All prospect rankings are according to the Rivals 150 ranking.)

Early 2012-13 Ranking: Teams 45-60

46 Miami Another year under Jim Larranaga should find the Hurricanes on the inside of the NCAA Tournament bubble. Malcolm Grant departs but he did not have a terribly good season anyways.

47 Butler After a down year, Butler should once again be the class of the Horizon League. Transfer Rotnei Clarke gives them a scoring-punch that was severely lacking this year. Three solid guards enter as freshmen, who should help with depth.

48 Colorado Carlon Brown and Austin Dufault are not small loses, but the hope is that Andre Roberson blossoms into a Pac-12 Player of the Year candidate. The Buffs recruiting haul is easily their best of the last decade.

49 BYU The Cougars lose veterans Hartsock and Abouo but should still settle into their usual bubble-bound slot. Another year of improvement from Matt Carlino should help.

50 Pittsburgh Coming off of a disastrous season, Pittsburgh has no where to go but up. Although Gibbs and Robinson depart, the Panthers welcome 4th ranked recruit Steven Adams, one of their best-ever recruits. A healthy Tray Woodall would certainly help as well.

51 UCF After being a fringe-bubble team that last two years, UCF will once again be hoping to make the tourney. Although PG AJ Rompza graduates, the team returns solid All-CUSA caliber players in Keith Clanton, Marcus Jordan, and Isaiah Sykes.

52 Temple The Owls should take a step back with key senior losses, including leader Ramone Moore, but expect them to still be competitive in the A10. Khalif Wyatt could score 20 ppg now that the team is fully in his hands. The recruiting haul might be Temple's best since 2007.

53 Xavier Besides leader Tu Holloway, they also loses Kenny Frease and Andre Walker. Role players like Travis Taylor and Jeff Robinson will really need to step it up if Xavier wants to makes its 8th tourney in a row. 4-star recruit Semaj Christon is capable of contributing at PG from day one.

54 UCONN Jeremy Lamb and Andre Drummond will presumably go pro, and the roster looks pretty thin without them. Last year's shock tourney run covers up what has been 3 years in a row of .500 or worse basketball in Big East play. Add in the potential sanctions and Calhoun's health, and you have yourself a lot of questions.

55 Belmont Seniors Drew Hanlen, Mick Hedgepeth, and Scott Saunders depart, but Kerron Johnson and Ian Clark are still two of the A-Sun's top players. Incoming PG Craig Bradshaw is one of Belmont's better pickups and should fit right into the program.

56 South Florida Three seniors that played over 25 minutes per game depart, but South Florida shouldn't expect too much of a drop-off. USF's 4-person recruiting class is solid for their standards, but still mediocre as far as the Big East goes.

57 Mississippi St With Dee Bost a senior and Arnett Moultrie presumably going pro, Mississippi St loses its leading scorer, passer, rebounder, and defender. Although an underrated 5-person recruiting class was set to come in, Rick Stanbury's retirement does open some questions.

58 West Virginia For a team that often struggled to score the ball, it will be interesting to see how they'll manage without Kevin Jones and Darryl Bryant. Those two scored almost 50% of the Mountaineers points. Aaric Murray and Juwan Staten are solid transfers who will help.

59 Southern Miss USM was never as good as their gaudy RPI suggested.. Graduations will put a major dent into their major strength, which was depth, but their top two scorers do return.

60 Iowa St The key for Iowa St is whether Royce White decides to go pro. I'm assuming here that he does, which would mean the Cyclones lose their 3 leading scorers. A pair of solid transfers enter the mix, as well as their best recruiting class in a few years.

Also Under Consideration (alphabetical order)

Akron

California

Harvard

Illinois St

Minnesota

Nevada

Ole Miss

Oregon

Providence

Vanderbilt

Virginia

<< Return to 2012-13 Ranking: Teams 1 to 45

Cal May Not Be As Safe as We Think: Friday's Quick Hitters

Raphielle Johnson — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 03:38:20 -0500

Cincinnati and Louisville advance to the Big East final, marking the first time that no original members will be in the game.

1. California falls to Colorado in the Pac-12 semis, which could mean two bids for the league.
Based on conventional wisdom, Mike Montgomery's Cal Golden Bears had the best resume of any team in the Pac-12. But in a league that went 1-31 against non-conference Top 50 opponents this season, what's that really saying? Thanks to the Golden Bears' 70-59 loss to Colorado in the second Pac-12 semifinal we've got extra time to figure that out. Carlon Brown and Andre Roberson scored 17 points apiece and Austin Dufault added 15 for the Buffaloes, who are one win away from being picked to finish 10th in the conference to grabbing the Pac-12's automatic bid.

As for Cal, who shot a decent 42.9% from the field but turned the ball over 17 times and saw Colorado shoot 50% from the field? They may be in a little more trouble than many thought. Entering Friday with an RPI of 34 and a strength of schedule of 82 (non-conference SOS: 71), Cal looked to be in good shape in that regard. But this is where further inspection is needed. 16 of their 23 wins have come against teams sitting 101 or worse in the RPI, and their two Top 50 wins both came at the expense of Oregon, who was 49th at the start of the day. Their best non-conference wins: Weber State and Denver. Cal likely will find their way into the Field of 68 come Selection Sunday, but the optimism may need to be a bit more cautious at this point in time.

2. Baylor and Missouri advance to the Big 12 title game in Kansas City.
Entering the Big 12 tournament most of the talk centered around the possibility of Kansas and Missouri meeting for a third time this season, and with a one-seed possibly being on the line it was expected that the Jayhawks and Tigers would meet. But two things were learned on Friday night: Baylor, who felt a little disrespected by the talk (they did go 0-4 against those two this season), stepped up after Kansas made their run and beat the Jayhawks 81-72. Secondly, Missouri didn't seem to be in the mood for "Border War" talk, as they showed a focus that championship-caliber teams tend to display at this point in the year.

Marcus Denmon may have gone 0-for-10 from the field but Missouri beat Texas 81-67 anyway, as Kim English and Phil Pressey scored 23 points apiece and Ricardo Ratliffe added 18 and 14 boards. The Bears now get another shot at the Tigers, and with Brady Heslip coming off of a big performance in which he knocked down some key three-pointers and A.J. Walton playing well this week it's fair to say that Baylor has improved. Missouri can earn a one-seed with a victory, but Baylor could jump a seed line as well (likely tapping out at a two).

3. Miami loses Durand Scott before the game, and their loss to Florida State may have cost them an at-large bid too.
Just before the tip-off of the final quarterfinal of the night in the ACC, Miami announced that starting guard Durand Scott was ineligible to play due to the possible receipt of impermissible benefits. That certainly didn't help Jim Larranaga and his Hurricanes, who fell 82-71 to Florida State. With so many other bubble teams faltering maybe the loss doesn't kill Miami's NCAA hopes, but with the chance to distinguish themselves from the "competition" the Canes were unable to do so.

Not only did the Seminoles take care of the basketball, finishing with 11 turnovers (they average more than 16 per game), but they outscored Miami 25-9 from the foul line. Michael Snaer and Ian Miller led five FSU players in double figures with 20 and 18 points respectively, and the Seminoles put together their most efficient showing on the offensive end since their 84-70 win over Maryland on January 17th. Miami has to hope for a swift (and positive) decision regarding Scott, because the selection committee does take a team's current parts into consideration. This capped a day in Atlanta that also saw John Henson injure his left wrist and NC State may have locked up an at-large bid with their win over Virginia.

Quick Hitters

1. It was a busy day in the Big Ten and not just because of a full day of action in Indianapolis. Both Illinois and Nebraska made moves at the top of their programs, deciding that it was time to move forward without the services of Bruce Weber and Doc Sadler respectively. While neither move is a surprise, what is interesting about Tom Osborne's decision to let Sadler go is that he'd given him an extension after last season.

2. With the quarterfinal between Xavier and Dayton being thought of as almost an NCAA tournament elimination game, the Musketeers' 70-69 victory could loom large on Selection Sunday. Chris Mack's team may be safe at this point but a win over Saint Louis on Saturday wouldn't hurt their chances either.

3. Another game of that magnitude was the first game of the night session at the SEC tournament, and Ole Miss picked up a much-needed 77-72 overtime win over Tennessee. Next up for Andy Kennedy's Rebels is a matchup with Vanderbilt, and a win over the Commodores would likely lock up a bid for a team few had near the bubble just a couple weeks ago.

4. One more automatic bid to the NIT may have been accounted for as well, as WAC regular season champion Nevada fell 78-73 to Louisiana Tech in the WAC semis. David Carter's Wolf Pack find themselves in a situation similar to that of Drexel: gaudy record but the strength of schedule numbers (168 overall, 165 non-conference) could put them in a tough spot come Selection Sunday.

5. Once again it will be Long Beach State and UCSB playing for the Big West crown, and while quite a few believe that the 49ers would get in with a loss one can never be too sure. The Gauchos, who held off Cal Poly, have won the last two conference tournament titles.

6. Three players who hail from the state of Ohio scored 30 points or more in Big Ten quarterfinal games, all leading their teams to wins. Rob Wilson scored 30 points in Wisconsin's 79-71 win over Indiana, Trey Burke scored 30 in Michigan's 73-69 overtime win over Minnesota and Jared Sullinger scored 30 in Ohio State's 88-71 win over Purdue.

7. One player to watch out of the Mountain West, which should get four teams into the Big Dance, next week is New Mexico wing Demetrius Walker. In wins over Air Force and UNLV, Walker's averaging 15.5 points per game, more than double his season average. The Lobos take on top-seed San Diego State in Saturday's title game.

8. Marshall advanced to the Conference USA title game with a 73-62 win over Southern Miss, and a win by the Thundering Herd could make C-USA a three-bid team. Tom Herrion's team will have their work cut out for them however as they take on Memphis, who took UCF's resume and ripped it to shreds with an 83-52 demolition of the Knights.

9. Top-seed Akron took care of business in their MAC semifinal, beating Kent State 78-74 with Nikola Cvetinovic leading four Zips in double figures with 15 points. They'll take on three-seed Ohio, who beat two-seed Buffalo 77-74 in the other semifinal. D.J. Cooper led five Bobcats in double figures with 18 points to go along with nine assists.

10. The top two seeds in the SWAC tournament will meet on Saturday as both regular season champ Mississippi Valley State beat UAPB 71-64, and Texas Southern beat Alcorn State 60-55. Cor-J Cox led the Delta Devils with 19 points and 11 rebounds as they avenged their lone conference defeat.

Bracketology: NC State In, Miami Out, Duke a #1?

Shawn Siegel — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 02:28:48 -0500

2:00 AM Saturday: Bracketology projections will be coming fast and furious right up until Selection Sunday, expect another update later Saturday. With Cal falling in the Pac-12 tournament, one of Arizona or Colorado will win the conference, effectively stealing a bid from a bubble team. The unfortunate squad was fellow Pac-12 school Washington. This is not because the committee will actively cap the Pac-12's bids at two, but because the Huskies RPI fell to 68th and they didn't beat a Top 100 RPI team in non-conference play.

NC State also replaced Miami in the field. Besides beating Virginia today, NC State has two wins over Miami which certainly helps. Northwestern remains the last team, while Drexel the first out. At the top of the bracket, Duke regained a #1 seed, giving the ACC two #1 seeds. This is quite controversial, but when you look at the season in total, Duke's wins over the likes of Michigan St, Kansas, Michigan, and UNC stack up with anybody. Cincinnati also moved into the final 7 spot, jumping 2 seeds thanks to the win over Syracuse. The Orange remain the 2nd overall team despite the loss.

Why Pay Attention to What I Have to Say: Collegehoops.net's projections have consistently proven to be the best in the business. Over the last 4 years, Shawn Siegel is the #1 ranked Bracketologist according to the Bracket Project. This ranking includes the likes of Joe Lunardi, Gary Parrish, Jerry Palm, and Andy Glockner.. none of whom come close.

As always, the field below is a prediction of what the committee would do as things stand today, not what they should do. This is done by taking into account standings, polls, computer rankings, and the committee's historical biases. Check out the follow up Bubble Watch for updates about teams on the NCAA Tournament Bubble, and NITology for a ranking of the best of the rest.

Notes:

Arrows indicate how many seeds a team has moved up or down since the previous update. Teams in Green are new to the field today. Teams in CAPS have locked up a bid. **=Projected Conference Champs. Locked Up Bid.

ONE

Kentucky**

Syracuse

North Carolina

Duke**

TWO

THREE

FOUR

FIVE

SIX

Temple

SEVEN

Memphis**

EIGHT

NINE

TEN

Harvard**

VCU**

ELEVEN

Colorado St

TWELVE

Arizona**

THIRTEEN + 2

Seton Hall / NC State

Tennessee / Northwestern

Belmont**

Nevada**

FOURTEEN

Davidson**

South Dakota St**

Akron**

Montana**

FIFTEEN

Loyola (MD)**

Long Island**

Lehigh**

Detroit**

SIXTEEN + 2

UNC-Asheville**

Lamar**

Stony Brook** / Mississippi Valley St**

Western Kentucky** / Norfolk St**

Last In: Northwestern, Tennessee, NC State, Seton Hall

First Out: Drexel, Miami, South Florida, Ole Miss

Further Four: Mississippi St, Iona, Washington, Dayton

Dropped Out Of Field (at-large): Miami, Washington

New (at-large): NC State

Conference Bids

- Multiple Bid Leagues

Big East - 9

Big Ten - 7

Big 12 - 6

ACC - 5

SEC - 5

MWC - 4

A-10 - 3

WCC - 3

CUSA - 2

MVC - 2

Pac-12 - 2

------------------- (20 one-bid leagues)

League Leaders/Winners (31)

- #1 team according to current standings

- New leaders in green

- Locked Up Bid

America East - Stony Brook
A-10 - Saint Louis
ACC - Duke
Atlantic Sun - Belmont
Big 12 - Missouri
Big East - Cincinnati
Big Sky - Montana
Big South - UNC-Asheville
Big Ten - Michigan St
Big West - Long Beach
CAA - VCU
Conference USA - Memphis
Horizon - Detroit
Ivy - Harvard
MAAC - Loyola (MD)
MAC - Akron
MEAC - Norfolk St
MVC - Creighton
MWC - San Diego St
Northeast - Long Island
Ohio Valley - Murray St
Pac-12 - Arizona
Patriot - Lehigh
SEC - Kentucky
Southern - Davidson
Southland - Lamar
SWAC - Mississippi Valley St
Summit - South Dakota St
Sun Belt - Western Kentucky
WAC - Nevada
WCC - Saint Mary's

Check out Bubble Watch for updates and NITology for teams that are 2nd best. Follow Shawn @collegehoopsnet for his up to the minute bracketology thoughts.

Friday's Conference Tournament Primer

Raphielle Johnson — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 10:24:37 -0500

ACC - Quarterfinals
#1 North Carolina vs. #8 Maryland, Noon (ESPN2/ACC Network)
#4 Virginia vs. #5 NC State, 2:00 p.m. (ESPN2/ACC Network)
#2 Duke vs. #10 Virginia Tech, 7:00 p.m. (ESPN2/ACC Network)
#3 Florida State vs. #6 Miami, 9:00 p.m. (ESPN2/ACC Network)

After wins on Thursday both NC State and Miami have shots at quality wins on Friday, and should both accomplish that the ACC may be able to grab six NCAA tournament bids. The Wolfpack take on Virginia, and with the lone regular season meeting decided by a single point (61-60 Virginia win on January 28th) this should be a close contest.

Tony Bennett's team has been banged up for much of the season and with freshman Malcolm Brogdon being ruled out for the season the Cavaliers are essentially down to six players in their rotation. But the most important one is still on the floor, as Mike Scott has been one of the best players in the ACC all season long.

The key for Virginia is getting consistent production from guard Sammy Zeglinski, because when he's shooting it well the Cavaliers are tougher to slow down. Tony Bennett's pack line defense can frustrate teams, so the Pack have to be smart in not settling for too many perimeter shots. C.J. Leslie scored 17 points in the first meeting and Richard Howell put up 11 and 18 rebounds, and as a team NC State out-rebounded Virginia 42-25 in Raleigh.

But they shot 2-for-15 from three and just 12-for-21 from the foul line, thus negating that edge on the glass. The Wolfpack may average 15 three-point attempts per game and if a decent chunk of those are taken by Scott Wood that's fine. But they can't fall in love with the shot as that's what Virginia wants teams to do. Work the ball inside and take advantage of their depth, and NC State likely wins.

As for Miami, the Hurricanes and Seminoles split the regular season series with the home team winning both meetings. Jim Larranaga's team won in Coral Gables with Reggie Johnson sitting due to an NCAA issue, with Miami shooting 61% from the field and scoring 54 points in the second half of the 78-62 win. And the Hurricanes got it done with offensive balance, as four players finished in double figures.

If they can be balanced, with Johnson and Kenny Kadji inside and guards Malcolm Grant, Shane Larkin and Durand Scott producing on the perimeter, Miami can pose problems for one of the ACC's best defensive teams. Florida State has to take care of the basketball, not just for tonight but also for the remainder of the season if they're to make any kind of noise.

Leonard Hamilton's team turns the ball over on 24% of their possessions, which is not part of the formula for winning in March. Luke Loucks and Ian Miller have to perform better in this area if the Seminoles are to hang around, because despite FSU's ability on the defensive end that can be nullified if they're giving away too many possessions.

Of course North Carolina and Duke can't be forgotten but both take on teams who aren't going to the Big Dance unless they win the ACC tournament. Maryland's a young team led by Terrell Stoglin, whose shot selection at times leaves much to be desired, and if the Terps are hot they can hang around with UNC. But don't expect that to happen, and while Virginia Tech tends to play Duke tough they likely don't have the horses even with Duke's Ryan Kelly missing the tournament with a foot injury.

Atlantic 10 - Quarterfinals
#1 Temple vs. #8 Massachusetts, 12:00pm (CBS SN syndicated)
#4 St. Bonaventure vs. #5 Saint Joseph's, 2:30pm (CBS SN syndicated)
#2 Saint Louis vs. #7 La Salle, 6:30pm (CBS SN syndicated)
#3 Xavier vs. #6 Dayton, 9:00pm (CBS SN syndicated)

In the final game of the night in Atlantic City, Xavier and Dayton are essentially playing for a trip to the NCAA tournament. Not sure if there's any other way to describe the game between the two rivals, which should make for a heated battle at Boardwalk Hall. Tu Holloway and Mark Lyons still haven't played their best basketball, and what better time to get going than right now? Dayton's led by point guard Kevin Dillard and they've got some good players on the wings, led by senior Chris Johnson.

Saint Joseph's can also work their way into the bubble chatter, and clearly getting to the semis with a win over St. Bonaventure would be a good start. The battle between C.J. Aiken and A-10 Player of the Year Andrew Nicholson will have a lot to say about the outcome, but the Bonnies will need to slow down guard Carl Jones as well. Temple and Saint Louis are well on their way to the Big Dance, but a loss today could have a negative impact from a seeding standpoint.

Big 12 - Semifinals
#4 Baylor vs. #1 Kansas, 7:30 p.m. (ESPNU)
#2 Missouri vs. #6 Texas, 10:00 p.m. (ESPNU)

While the buzz may be the fact that we're one win apiece away from a third meeting between Missouri and Kansas, the truth of the matter is that both have business to attend to tonight. The Jayhawks take on a Baylor team they beat decisively in both regular season meetings, with Thomas Robinson doing what he does and Jeff Withey absolutely killing the Bears inside. Baylor will need Perry Jones III to come out with the same aggression he did in Thursday's win over Kansas State, putting up 31 points and 11 boards.

The second game matches Missouri and six-seed Texas, who played well in the second half of their win over Iowa State on Thursday. It will be important for J'Covan Brown and Myck Kabongo to play well for the Longhorns, but if anything they're going to need Clint Chapman and the rest of their big men to go to work on the glass. It won't hurt to get Ricardo Ratliffe in foul trouble either but that can be easier said than done. Marcus Denmon, Phil Pressey and Kim English lead the way for the Tigers, who could still be in the discussion for a one-seed.

Big East - Semifinals
#1 Syracuse vs. #4 Cincinnati, 7:00 p.m. (ESPN)
#7 Louisville vs. #3 Notre Dame, 9:00 p.m. (ESPN)

Louisville is the lone team not in the top four to reach the Big East semifinals, as they jumped Marquette early and hung on to beat the Golden Eagles on Thursday night. They take on Notre Dame, who survived a comedy of errors down the stretch in their overtime win over USF. The key for the Cardinals will be to achieve a near-chaotic tempo within possessions against the Irish, who are extemely difficult to speed up. That game follows Syracuse and Cincinnati, with the Bearcats in position to help themselves out in the seeding department with a win. But beating the Orange is tough anywhere, much less in the Garden. Who steps up for Syracuse tonight? To have as many answers as they do is a nice luxury to have, but if Yancy Gates and Cashmere Wright play well the Bearcats can win.

Big Ten - Quarterfinals
#1 Michigan State vs. #8 Iowa, Noon (ESPN)
#4 Wisconsin vs. #5 Indiana, 2:25 p.m. (ESPN)
#2 Michigan vs. #10 Minnesota, 6:30 p.m. (BTN)
#3 Ohio State vs. #6 Purdue, 8:55 p.m. (BTN)

With Northwestern going down the bubble suspense has likely left the Big Ten tournament, unless either Iowa or Minnesota can get hot and get to Sunday's final. They take on the top two seeds in the event, and while Michigan State and Michigan won shares of the regular season title (along with Ohio State) they can be beat. The 4/5 matchup is the one to watch, not only because of how evenly matched Wisconsin and Indiana are but also because of the fact that this will be the first game for IU without Verdell Jones III, who tore his ACL on Thursday. This will be a good test for Tom Crean's team in that regard, because while they're deep enough rotation-wise to lose an important senior at this point in the year does require some adjusting.

Big West - Semifinals
#1 Long Beach State vs. #7 UC Irvine, 9:30 p.m. (ESPNU)
#3 UCSB vs. #4 Cal Poly, Midnight (ESPNU)

Top-seed Long Beach State, who is without their best defender (Larry Anderson) this weekend due to injury, received a nice break as UC Irvine knocked off two-seed Cal State Fullerton on Thursday night. With the Big West re-seeding its teams after the quarterfinals the 49ers take on the Anteaters, and while Russell Turner's team isn't to be underestimated this is a better semifinal matchup for Casper Ware and company than a battle with Cal Poly would have been. The Mustangs take on UCSB, who has won the last two conference tournament titles and with Orlando Johnson leading the way a third is not out of the realm of possibility. If the Gauchos have James Nunnally going as well look out.

Conference USA - Semifinals
#2 Southern Miss vs. #6 Marshall, 4:00 p.m. (CBS SN)
#1 Memphis vs. #4 UCF, 6:30 p.m. (CBS SN)

With Memphis safely in the NCAA tournament field the question for Conference USA is whether or not another team can pop up and earn a bid. That chatter focuses on Southern Miss, who likely wrapped up a spot with their escape against ECU. Larry Eustachy's team has an impressive set of computer numbers, so that likely means two bids for C-USA, but if DeAndre Kane can go off for 40 as he did in Marshall's win over Tulsa the Thundering Herd can earn a trip to the title game. Opposing Memphis is UCF, who likely needs to win the tournament if they're to go dancing, but with Keith Clanton leading the way they don't lack for talent either.

Great West - Semifinals
#4 NJIT vs. #1 Utah Valley, 1:00 p.m.
#3 Texas-Pan American vs. #2 North Dakota, 3:30 p.m.

MAC - Semifinals
#4 Kent State vs. # 1 Akron, 7:00 p.m. (STO)
#3 Ohio vs. # 2 Buffalo, 9:30 p.m. (STO)

The top four seeds in the MAC all hail from the East Division, and it should come as no surprise that these four meet in the semis. The question now is who has enough left to grab two wins and the league's automatic bid. The conversation has to start with regular season champion Akron, who won the tournament last season and in Zeke Marshall have a big man who can change games with his shot-blocking ability. Two-seed Buffalo counters with forwards Javon McCrea and Mitchell Watt, two very good players who will be a handful for Ohio tonight. The Bobcats have the league's best point guard in D.J. Cooper, and Kent State has three players averaging double figures with forward Justin Greene leading the way. Thursday may have gone according to plan with Ohio and Kent State moving on, and it wouldn't be a surprise if those two won again tonight.

MEAC - Semifinals
#8 Hampton vs. #4 Bethune-Cookman, 6:00 p.m.
#2 Norfolk State vs. #11 Florida A&M, 8:00 p.m.

Mountain West - Semifinals
#1 San Diego State vs. #4 Colorado State, 9:00 p.m. (CBS SN)
#2 New Mexico vs. #3 UNLV, 11:30 p.m. (CBS SN)

The two semifinals in Las Vegas promise to be entertaining affairs with both being regular season splits. San Diego State didn't look their best against a young Boise State team that's going to be good in years to come, and Jamaal Franklin and the rest of the Aztecs have to sharpen things up if they're to beat the Rams. Colorado State looked impressive in their win over TCU, and with Wes Eikmeier and Dorian Green leading the way Tim Miles' crew definitely has a shot at the tournament crown. In game two how UNLV defends Drew Gordon will go a long way in determining the outcome, as they were unable to slow him down in the second half of their loss in Albuquerque last month. Mike Moser also struggled in that game, and if he can get going early the Runnin' Rebels can take advantage of their home floor.

Pac-12 - Semifinals
#9 Oregon State vs. #4 Arizona, 9:10 p.m. (FSN)
#2 California vs. #6 Colorado, 11:40 p.m. (FSN)

Who wants an NCAA tournament bid? That's the question in Los Angeles as California is likely the only team secure with their prospects. Arizona has to beat Oregon State if they're to go dancing, but the same could have been true even if Washington were their opposition since the Huskies swept the regular season series from the Wildcats. Colorado and Oregon State know at this point that they'll have to win the automatic bid, and both are capable of doing just that. There's an awful lot on the line at Staples Center, truthfully more than many would expect to be in the semifinals of a BCS AQ conference tournament.

SEC - Quarterfinals
#8 LSU vs. #1 Kentucky, 1:00 p.m. (SEC Network)
#5 Alabama vs. #4 Florida, 3:30 p.m. (SEC Network)
#7 Ole Miss vs. #2 Tennessee, 7:30 p.m. (SEC Network)
#11 Georgia vs. #3 Vanderbilt, 10:00 p.m. (SEC Network)

Ole Miss/Tennessee is the game to watch from a bubble standpoint as both teams need wins, and with a number of bubble team across the country faltering of late either one can step up and earn a bid. Jarnell Stokes has helped change the prospects for the Volunteers, who with his addition had two tough players inside who give opponents fits (Jeronne Maymon). The Rebels will need Terrence Henry to play well again if they're to advance, and Murphy Holloway has played well for much of the season too. The other three games seem to be straightforward with Kentucky already having a one-seed in the NCAA tournament and Vanderbilt, Florida and Alabama all headed to the Big Dance as well.

SWAC- Semifinals
#2 Texas Southern vs. #6 Alcorn State, 1:30 p.m. (SWAC TV)
#1 Mississippi Valley State vs. #5 UAPB, 9:00 p.m. (SWAC TV)

WAC - Semifinals
#6 Hawai'i vs. #2 New Mexico State, 9:00 p.m. (WSN)
#5 Louisiana Tech vs. #1 Nevada, 11:30 p.m. (WSN)

Northwestern and USF Stumble Late: Thursday's Quick Hitters

Raphielle Johnson — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 09:15:55 -0500

It was a tough day for bubble teams in the Pac-12 as both Washington and Oregon fell in the quarterfinals.

1. Also stumbling on Thursday were Northwestern and USF, with the former being in far greater trouble at this point.
Northwestern University has never made the NCAA tournament, and with their 75-68 overtime loss to Minnesota in the first round of the Big Ten tournament that could very well remain the case after Sunday. In each of the last two seasons there seems to be a moment where Bill Carmody's team needs to make one play, be it a score or a defensive stop, to get the job done but the Wildcats simply can't. The problem against Minnesota: they couldn't shoot inside of the arc.

Both teams finished the game 11-for-26 from beyond the arc, but the Wildcats squandered a 17-6 edge from the foul line (points) by making just nine of their thirty-one shots from two (29%). John Shurna scored 21 points on the afternoon but made just two of eight two-point shots, and Drew Crawford did the same while scoring just eight. If not for JerShon Cobb putting up 24 points and eight rebounds, there likely would not have been an overtime period to play.

As for USF, while many can argue with the aesthetics you really can't argue with the results, as Stan Heath's Bulls have won 13 conference games when adding their second round win over Villanova. But against a team that also plays a deliberate brand of basketball USF was unable to pick up the signature win they needed, falling to Notre Dame 57-53 in overtime in the final game of the night in the Big East Championship. Stan Heath's team looked to be in good shape late in regulation, but stunning decisions lef the door for the Irish, and USF's execution on their final possessions of overtime provided a fitting ending for a frustrating night. But unlike Northwestern the Bulls were able to win a game in their conference tournament, so they have that going for them at least.

2. Texas was one team that took advantage of their opportunity as they beat Iowa State.
It seemed to take a while on Thursday to find a team that truly took advantage of its opportunity to make a statement to the selection committee, but Rick Barnes' Longhorns didn't disappoint in the final game of the night at the Big 12 tournament. After shooting 26.3% from the field in the first half Texas shot 50% in the second, scoring 46 points to beat three-seed Iowa State 71-65 to advance to the Big 12 semis. Texas shot 54% from two and got to the foul line at a higher rate, knocking down 14 of their 17 attempts while the Cyclones could manage just four attempts.

J'Covan Brown led the way with 23 points and five rebounds while Myck Kabongo added 11 and five assists with no turnovers, and Clint Chapman was solid on both ends of the floor with ten points and eight rebounds while also helping defend Royce White. Texas should feel good about their NCAA hopes but there is the matchup with Missouri on Friday night, and a win there would provide a nice boost to their seeding as well.

3. Indiana beats Penn State but they may have lost Verdell Jones III for the remainder of the season.
Tom Crean's Hoosiers knocked off Penn State 75-58 in a Big Ten tournament game, out-rebounding the Nittany Lions 45-29 to make up for shooting just 36.5% from the field. But it may have been a Phyrric victory, as senior guard Verdell Jones III went down with that was reported to be a sprained knee during the first half. More tests will be done on Friday, but when an injury occurs like Jones' (non-contact) there isn't a very positive outlook.

Head coach Tom Crean was near tears when discussing the injury in postgame interviews, and it's easy to see why. Jones III was one of the guys who was there with Crean from the start, going through the horrible 6-25 campaign and the tough process of bringing Indiana basketball back to this point. Do the Hoosiers have the depth needed to make up for Jones' loss if he can't go in the NCAA tournament? They do, and this likely means more minutes for a Will Sheehy, but it's deeper than that. For all the work Verdell Jones III put into the program it would be fitting that he's on the floor in the Big Dance. Sadly, that may not happen.

Quick Hitters

1. One more team was added to the NIT field on Thursday night as the regular season champ in the Southland, UT Arlington, fell 92-72 to McNeese State. The defense let the Mavs down as McNeese State shot 54.2% from the field and knocked down 11 of 24 three-point shots to ensure the win.

2. Also of note in New York was Syracuse's 58-55 win over Connecticut, and for a team that's had so many answers this season the Orange found another on Thursday. James Southerland scored ten points off the bench and Scoop Jardine 18 as Syracuse advanced to Friday's quarterfinal.

3. Two players their respective teams will need to step up in the Big Dance did just that in the Big 12 quarterfinals, as Perry Jones III put up a double-double (31 points, 11 rebounds) in Baylor's 82-74 win over Kansas State. As for the other player that would be none other than Kansas' Elijah Johnson, as he scored 26 points in the Jayhawks' 83-66 win over Texas A&M.

4. Iowa may have brought an end to the Bruce Weber era in Champaign, beating Illinois 64-61 in the first game of the day at the Big Ten tournament. Matt Gatens paced the Hawkeyes with so 20 points and Aaron White added 13 and nine rebounds off the bench. In fact it was announced that Weber will not be retained as head coach on Friday morning.

5. The game of the day may not have been artistic by any means, but that's of little concern for a Marshall team that outlasted Tulsa 105-100 in triple overtime. DeAndre Kane led all scorers with 40 points, and it would come as no surprise if the Herd were to reach Saturday's title game.

6. Cal State Fullerton picked arguably the worst time of the season to have their three-point shot to betray them. In the Titans' 65-59 loss to UC Irvine the Titans shot 5-for-20 from three while the Mustangs shot 10-for-22 from beyong the arc. Chris McNealy led the way with 24 points.

7. ACC bubble teams NC State and Miami took care of business on Thursday night, beating Boston College and Georgia Tech respectively to advance to the quarterfinals. Next up for the Wolfpack is four-seed Virginia, while the Hurricanes take on Florida State in the day's final quarterfinal.

8. It wasn't the prettiest shot but all that matters is the end result, as Jamaal Franklin's three as time expired gave San Diego State a 65-62 win over Boise State in a Mountain West quarterfinal. The top four seeds all advanced and that includes Colorado State, who beat TCU 81-60 and should be safely in the NCAA tournament field at this point.

#18 Louisville vs. USF: Wednesday's Preview

Raphielle Johnson — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 04:33:23 -0500

Wednesday's Conference Tournament Primer

It took a while but on Sunday, USF (18-11, 11-5) finally picked up their second Big East win over a team ranked in the Top 100 of the RPI, beating Cincinnati 46-45. Wednesday night offers the opportunity to not just pick up a Top 25 win but to also do it on the road, as the Bulls visit #18 Louisville (22-7, 10-6) with the Cardinals still entertaining hopes of a double-bye in next week's Big East Championship. One key reason for the Bulls' success this season has been freshman point guard Anthony Collins, who has been the steadying influence that was missing from last year's squad that won a paltry ten games.

Collins isn't a big scorer but he's done a solid job of distributing the basketball and he already ranks among the best defensive point guards in the Big East. How he matches up with Louisville's Peyton Siva will be something to watch, because even though Siva is one of the best athletes in the country his decision-making can be downright mystifying at times.

The same can be said for redshirt freshman Russ Smith, who comes off the bench and scores an average of 12.2 points per game and that number ranks second on the team. Smith, like Siva, is a fearless guard and his confidence can sometimes get him into trouble. If these two can play fast while avoiding the poor decisions that can haunt both them and their team, Louisville is a tough squad to beat. USF has just one player averaging double figures (big man Augustus Gilchrist - 10.0) but six average between 7.7 and 10.0 points per game.

Balance and defense are what's gotten the Bulls to this point and if they're to go dancing that's what they'll have to rely on. Toarlyn Fitzpatrick has proven to be a good option as a three/four, shooting 45.6% from the field and 42.1% from beyond the arc. In addition to him there's Ron Anderson Jr., a forward more adept at banging inside, and Arizona State transfer Victor Rudd Jr. is a versatile wing who can score despite low shooting percentages this season.

Kyle Kuric may be the player to watch for Louisville both Wednesday night and in tournament play, as his effectiveness has a major impact on the Cardinals' success. Kuric's averaging 13.1 points per game but over the last five games he's alternated good performances with ones that have left a lot to be desired. With Kuric scoring 17 in the 57-54 win over Pittsburgh does the trend continue? If so it could be a long night for both Kuric and the Cardinals. Chris Smith is another perimeter option averaging double figures while also ranking fourth on the team in rebounding.

Inside, freshman Chane Behanan has steadily become the Cardinals' best interior presence and that's with the improvement of Gorgui Dieng. Behanan may be undersized from a height standpoint as he plays the four at 6'6", but his physicality makes him a tough matchup for most opponents. He and Dieng will need help on the glass however, as USF is a slightly better rebounding team when looking at the margin as well as offensive rebounding numbers (Louisville grabs 13.3 per game but gives up that same amount).

Turnovers will be critical at the KFC Yum! Center, as USF has been the slightly worse team in regards to turnover rate and the Cardinals force their opponents into turnovers on 22.4% of their possessions according to statsheet.com's numbers. Simply put, live-ball turnovers will get the Bulls beat and it could get ugly if they happen too often.

The Bulls have won five of their last six and the nine-turnover outing against Cincinnati was a nice change when compared to the 18 they handed over in the loss at Syracuse. In the last six games USF has turned the ball over 15 times or more four times, so that should be the number to watch. Fifteen or lower they've got a shot at beating Louisville. Anything above that and the uphill climb becomes that much steeper.

Outside of the conference tournament action it's another good day to check out some bubble teams in need of wins, chief among them Cincinnati and Colorado State. The Bearcats, who are being weighed down by a non-conference strength of schedule that's embarrassing to be frank, has a great opportunity to impress as #7 Marquette rolls into town.

The Golden Eagles found a way to win at West Virginia on Friday night despite three starters (Vander Blue, Junior Cadougan and Darius Johnson-Odom) sitting for the first half and their best reserve (Todd Mayo) sitting for the second due to disciplinary issues. What that did was further bolster the resume of Jae Crowder, who is looking more and more like the best option for Big East Player of the Year.

As for the Rams they host #17 UNLV, and if they can get through this three-game stretch against the best in the Mountain West with a 2-1 record (beat UNM, lost at SDSU) that would do wonders to validate their already solid computer numbers. Pierce Hornung was outstanding in the win over New Mexico and he'll need to do more of the same for CSU to knock off the Runnin' Rebels.

Massachusetts is hanging on for dear life at this point but a win at #25 Temple would be quite the boost for Derek Kellogg's team, and in order to do so Chaz Williams will have to be the best guard on the floor. Miami visits NC State and the Hurricanes need to take care of business, especially with Reggie Johnson being reinstated after missing Sunday's game due to eligibility issues in regards to a relative possibly receiving improper benefits.

Shane Larkin and company played well in beating Florida State on Sunday, but a loss in Raleigh to a team that's gone downhill since their loss at Duke would hurt the Canes' chances of dancing. There aren't many chances left for teams to impress the selection committee, which means that those squads need to step up and take advantage of the opportunity.

Top 25 Games
7:00 PM Maryland at (6) North Carolina (ESPN)
7:00 PM (7) Marquette at Cincinnati (ESPN2)
8:00 PM Iowa State at (8) Missouri (ESPN3)
8:30 PM (11) Ohio State at Northwestern (BTN)
10:00 PM (17) UNLV at Colorado State (CBS SN)
7:00 PM South Florida at (18) Louisville (ESPN3)
10:00 PM (23) San Diego State at Boise State (The Mtn.)
7:00 PM Massachusetts at (25) Temple

NCAA Division I Games
12:00 PM VMI vs Coastal Carolina*
2:00 PM Winthrop vs Campbell*
2:30 PM Jacksonville vs Belmont* (ESPN3)
6:00 PM High Point at UNC-Asheville
6:30 PM Penn State at Purdue (BTN)
7:00 PM La Salle at George Washington
7:00 PM Georgia Tech at Boston College (ESPN3)
7:00 PM Lafayette at Holy Cross
7:00 PM Marshall at East Carolina
7:00 PM Saint Joseph's at St. Bonaventure
7:00 PM Miami (OH) at Bowling Green
7:00 PM St. John's at Pittsburgh (ESPNU)
7:00 PM Fordham at Rhode Island
7:00 PM Dayton at Richmond
7:00 PM Buffalo at Akron
7:00 PM Central Michigan at Ball State
7:00 PM Navy at Bucknell
7:00 PM Ohio at Kent State (ESPN3)
7:00 PM Colgate at Lehigh
7:00 PM Eastern Kentucky vs Southeast Missouri State*
7:00 PM Eastern Michigan at Western Michigan
7:30 PM Army at American
7:30 PM Duquesne at Charlotte
8:00 PM Tulsa at UAB
8:00 PM Air Force at New Mexico (The Mtn.)
8:00 PM Tulane at Houston
8:00 PM Texas A&M-CC at Texas-Arlington
8:00 PM Lamar at Texas State
8:00 PM Auburn at Alabama (ESPN3)
8:00 PM UTSA at Central Arkansas
8:00 PM Liberty vs Charleston Southern*
8:00 PM Toledo at Northern Illinois
8:00 PM Nicholls State at Northwestern State
8:00 PM Stephen F. Austin at Sam Houston State
8:00 PM McNeese State at Southeastern Louisiana
8:00 PM SMU at Southern Miss
8:00 PM Mississippi State at South Carolina (ESPN3)
8:00 PM Nebraska Omaha at Western Illinois
8:05 PM SIU-Edwardsville at Chicago State
8:30 PM Lipscomb at Mercer (ESPN3)
9:00 PM Tennessee at LSU (ESPN3)
9:00 PM Miami (FL) at NC State (ESPN3)
9:00 PM Iowa at Nebraska (ESPNU)
9:00 PM Oklahoma at Texas (ESPN2)
9:00 PM Jacksonville State vs Austin Peay*
9:00 PM Santa Clara vs Portland*
9:00 PM Rice at UTEP
10:00 PM UC Irvine at Long Beach State
10:05 PM Cal State Northridge at Cal State Fullerton
10:10 PM Longwood at Seattle

Bracketology: Top 10 Games to Watch This Week

Shawn Siegel — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 14:23:08 -0500

We're getting down to the nitty gritty. Some leagues have already wrapped up their schedules, while others have a couple of games left. Here's a breakdown of this week's Top 10 games as it relates to NCAA Tournament Bracketology and the Bubble:

1) Wednesday: Northwestern (17-11, 7-9) vs Ohio St (23-5, 11-4)

Even average sports fans know that Northwestern has never made the NCAA Tournament. If the Wildcats could somehow knock off the top 10 Buckeyes, their tourney dreams could finally come true. But that's a big if. When Northwestern went to Columbus back in December, the Buckeyes won by 33 points. But Northwestern has been solid at home, and its fun to keep dreams alive.

2) Wednesday: NC State (18-11, 7-7) vs Miami (16-10, 7-6)

NC state has lost 4 straight at the worst possible time. But if they were to beat Miami and then finish 9-7 in the ACC, they'd certainly have a shot at the bubble. Miami is in a very similar situation, stringing along near .500 in conference, trying to take advantage of the ACC's weakness. Miami has the better RPI and the better marquee win (at Duke), but no non-conference wins of note. The loser should be relegated to the NIT.

3) Tuesday: UCONN (17-11, 7-9) at Providence (14-15, 3-13)

UCONN came oh so close to topping Syracuse on Saturday, and perhaps booking their ticket to the Dance. Instead, they have a road game at Providence and a home tilt with Pittsburgh to prove they deserve a bid. Despite PC's weak overall record, they've been competitive at home and should give UCONN a stiff test. If UCONN can't win this game they don't deserve to go anywhere near the NCAA Tournament.

4) Saturday: South Florida (17-11, 10-5) vs West Virginia (17-12, 7-9)

A month ago, West Virginia seemed like a tourney lock, and South Florida didn't even seem like an NIT team. But in college basketball, a few weeks can change everything. WVU has lost 7 of 9 games, including 4 in a row at home. After hosting DePaul on Tuesday (they can't conceivably lose that game, can they?), West Virginia heads to Tampa to face a Bulls team with an outside shot at a bid as well. This could very well be an elimination game, the loser's dreams busted.

5) Tuesday: Saint Louis (22-6, 10-4) vs Xavier (18-10, 9-5)

Xavier is a perfect example of a bubble team. A team that top teams would be afraid to face, yet a team that can't seem to put it all together. They've been playing .500 ball for a month, and haven't beaten a top 100 team on the road since late November (Vanderbilt.) SLU blew a golden chance to lock up a tourney bid by losing to URI on Saturday. It was their first bad loss of the season, and came at the worst possible time. If they were to bounce back and beat Xavier, they'd 100% be assured of a spot in the field of 68. If SLU were to lose.. well, Bills fans don't want to even consider that possibility.

6) Wednesday: Tennessee (16-13, 8-6) at LSU (17-11, 7-7)

LSU simply didn't show up at Ole Miss on Saturday, losing by 24. That game probably ruined their at-large hopes, but they can still play spoiler against a Tennessee team riding the bubble. Tennessee has two wins over Florida and a win over UCONN, not to mention an over .500 SEC record. Their biggest problem has been winning on the road. If they were to top LSU, adding both a road win and another Top 100 RPI win to their resume, the Vols might be Dancing. Who would have guessed that after a 2-6 start?

7) Tuesday: UCF (20-8, 9-5) at Memphis (21-8, 11-3)

After a shock loss to UTEP last week, Memphis bounced back with 2 straight wins, including a 20 point blowout over Marshall. This probably assures them of a tourney bid. UCF still has slim bubble chances, but a win over Memphis is a must. The Knights already topped Memphis at home, and also have a win against UCONN under their belt. A second win over Memphis and a strong 11-5 CUSA record would certainly look good to the committee. But their dreams are 100% dashed if they don't win.

8) Saturday: Southern Miss (23-16, 10-4) at Marshall (17-11, 8-6)

Despite a top 20 RPI, Southern Miss has not locked up a bid. Two straight road losses to Houston and UTEP last week came at the worst possible time. Marshall is a solid team, but their blowout loss to Memphis on Saturday shows how vulnerable they are. Southern Miss not only need a win, but they need an equally emphatic win to show they're for real. If Southern Miss beats SMU on Wednesday and then rolls against Marshall, I don't see how the committee couldn't give them a bid.

9) Wednesday: Saint Joseph's (19-11, 9-6) vs Saint Bonaventure (16-10, 9-5)

The Hawks don't get much attention nationally, but I think they have the committee's attention. After all, they're ranked 51st in the RPI, and hold wins over Creighton and Temple, not to mention 6 other top 100 w's. If not for a 3-point hiccup loss to Richmond last week, they might very well be featured in every Bracketology projection. As it is, they're on the outside looking in, needing a strong finish to their season. This is by no means an easy game, but the Hawks can't afford to lose.

10) Saturday: Washington (20-8, 13-3) at UCLA (16-13, 9-7)

The way things have played out, it does look like the Pac-12 will get a 2nd bid. Whether the league actually deserves a 2nd bid is an open question. Washington finishes their schedule with road games in Los Angeles, at USC and then at UCLA. Assuming they beat lowly USC, this sets up an intriguing nationally televised CBS game in which UCLA can play the roll of spoiler. I wouldn't say UW 100% needs this win, but a loss would not help the cause..

USF Picks Up a Big Win: Sunday Thoughts

Raphielle Johnson — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 14:10:01 -0500

It wasn't pretty but USF found a way to get the job done, beating Cincinnati 46-45 to move to 11-5 in the Big East and 18-11 overall. Freshman point guard Anthony Collins made a pair of free throws with 3.4 seconds remaining to give the Bulls the win, and while it isn't a resume-building win the Bulls did the simplest thing a bubble team can do this time of the year: they won. Collins, who is going to be an outstanding point guard in the Big East as he gains experience, led USF with 14 points and five assists and Toarlyn Fitzpatrick added eight and ten rebounds.

The burning question is what this win does for USF's tournament chances, and the response is a simple one: they're still alive. The same goes for Cincinnati in spite of their non-conference strength of schedule (321 going into today's action). While teams can't control what their opponents do there is the simple aspect of taking care of your own business, and if that's done the door will remain open.

Stan Heath's Bulls are 14-1 at home this season, a record that may not impress when considering the opposition but they've played in three different arenas due to renovations to the Sun Dome. For this group to be in position to earn their first NCAA berth in 20 years (1992) is an impressive achievement when all things are considered. USF has games remaining at Louisville and against West Virginia at home before the Big East Championship in New York, and Cincinnati closes with #10 Marquette at home and at Villanova.

Stony Brook wins America East: Dallis Joyner scored 12 points and four other players scored between seven and nine points as Stony Brook beat Maine 55-48, wrapping up the outright America East title and grabbing the one-seed in next week's conference tournament. Steve Pikiell's Seawolves shot just 37% from the field but they were better on the defensive end of the floor, holding New Hampshire to 32.1% from the field and 4-for-21 from three.

Big Games Later Today

#15 Wisconsin at #9 Ohio State (4 PM, CBS)
This is a big one for the Buckeyes in regards to both the Big Ten title and the opportunity to grab a one-seed in the NCAA tournament, while the Badgers would do wonders for their NCAA seeding possibilities with a win. Ohio State is 17-1 at home this season, and a big part of their win in Madison on February 4th was their defending of the three. Wisconsin, who scores 35.2% of their points from three (per statsheet.com), shot 5-for-27 from beyond the arc in that contest.

That was also during a period when Jordan Taylor was struggling from the field, and clearly he'll be the focal point of what the Badgers look to do offensively. Aaron Craft is an outstanding defensive point guard, which will make for a fun battle within the game. If William Buford is scoring at an efficient rate it will be tough for Wisconsin to leave Columbus with a win.

Loyola (MD) at Manhattan (4 PM)
Iona already has the top seed wrapped up for next weekend's MAAC tournament but seeds two through four are all up for grabs. Fairfield (at Rider; 3:30 PM) also has a shot but the focus will be on Loyola's trip north to take on the Jaspers. Loyola won the first meeting 61-60 in Baltimore on January 5th and a lot has changed with both teams since then.

Rhamel Brown is one of the country's best shot blockers when taking height into consideration (he's only 6'6" but averages 2.5 rejections per game), but he'll have a tough matchup with Loyola calling on the likes of Erik Etherly. The first meeting was bizarre in that the Greyhounds won despite shooting 30.5% from two, and a Dylon Cormier three in the final seconds was the difference. Expect another tight affair at Draddy this afternoon.

California at Colorado (5:30 PM, FSN)
The visit from the Bay Area schools could not have gone worse for Colorado to this point, as they were blown out on Thursday night by Stanford...and then watched the Cardinal lose at Utah on Saturday. To say the least this is a huge game for Tad Boyle's team as the Golden Bears are the only team in the Pac-12 with a Top 50 RPI. A win over Cal will by no means punch Colorado's ticket (they aren't close at present time) but it will keep them alive, and in order to do so Carlon Brown needs to snap out of his funk.

Good luck doing that against Jorge Gutierrez, who is one of the best defenders in the country. Add in Justin Cobbs playing outstanding basketball of late and this will be a tough task for Colorado, but it can be done. Spencer Dinwiddie is one of the best freshmen in the conference and Andre Roberson has been good all season long, so they'll have a shot to knock off the Bears if they can keep Cobbs, Gutierrez and Allen Crabbe under wraps.

#16 Florida State at Miami (6 PM, ESPNU)
How's this for a bubble twist: Miami center Reggie Johnson has been declared ineligible by the NCAA and will not play tonight against Florida State, according to Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press. That means the Hurricanes will need even more from Kenny Kadji, who has played well this season, if they're to beat the Seminoles at home. FSU is deep inside with Bernard James, Xavier Gibson, Okaro White and John Kreft, meaning that they're better equipped to navigate foul trouble and that was before the Johnson news hit.

Malcolm Grant, Shane Larkin and Durand Scott will need to control the tempo if Miami is to take care of business at home, and if they can turn over the Florida State guards that would be even better. Maybe this is another game Michael Snaer wins at the end as he owns a pair of buzzer-beaters this season, but FSU may have caught a break with the Johnson news.

Poll: Which Bubble Team Is Most Likely to Get a Bid?

Shawn Siegel — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 15:54:54 -0500