Wake Forest

Thursday First Round Predictions: ACC, Big Ten, SEC

Greg Mengelt — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 08:02:51 -0800

Our g ame prediction guru Greg Mengelt has been on fire this year. He'll be picking (just about) every conference tournament game over the next week, including tonight's three key championship games. Games listed in order with later rounds on top and earlier rounds at the bottom. Read more about Championship Week at CollegeHoops.net.

ACC FIRST ROUND: AT ATLANTA

(8) Maryland (16-14, 6-10) vs. (9) Wake Forest (13-17, 4-12)

Tipoff: Noon. TV: ESPNU. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 11 – Maryland 70-64. RPI: Maryland 111, Wake Forest 169. Analysis: The ACC Tourney starts with an upset. Line: Maryland -3½. Pick: Wake Forest 60, Maryland 55.

(5) North Carolina State (20-11, 9-7) vs. (12) Boston College (9-21, 4-12)

Tipoff: 2 p.m. TV: ESPNU. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 19 – N.C. State 76-62; Feb. 1 – N.C. State 56-51. RPI: N.C. State 52, BC 236. Analysis: The Wolfpack will pull away early for an easy win. Line: N.C. State -12. Pick: North Carolina State 73, Boston College 52.

(7) Clemson (16-14, 8-8) vs. (10) Virginia Tech (15-16, 4-12)

Tipoff: 7 p.m. TV: ESPNU. Regular-season meetings: Feb. 4 – Virginia Tech 67-65; March 1 – Clemson 58-56. RPI: Clemson 138, Virginia Tech 119. Analysis: Remember when being .500 in the ACC meant a lock for the NCAA Tourney? Line: Clemson -2½. Pick: Clemson 64, Virginia Tech 62.

(6) Miami (18-11, 9-7) vs. (11) Georgia Tech (11-19, 4-12)

Tipoff: 9 p.m. TV: ESPNU. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 24 – Miami 64-49*. RPI: Miami 50, Georgia Tech 183. Analysis: Strange line. Makes me think Vegas knows something the rest of us don’t. Oh, well. The Hurricanes are significantly better. Line: Miami -4. Pick: Miami 67, Georgia Tech 57.

BIG TEN FIRST ROUND: AT INDIANAPOLIS

(8) Iowa (16-15, 8-10) vs. (9) Illinois (17-14, 6-12)

Tipoff: 11:30 a.m. TV: Big Ten Network. Regular-season meetings: Feb. 26 – Illinois 65-54. RPI: Iowa 131, Illinois 77. Analysis: Not sure the Illinois players are interested in playing another game. Line: Illinois -2½. Pick: Iowa 60, Illinois 55.

(5) Indiana (24-7, 11-7) vs. (12) Penn State (12-19, 4-14)

Tipoff: 2 p.m. TV: Big Ten Network. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 8 – Indiana 88-82*; Jan. 22 – Indiana 73-54. RPI: Indiana 11, Penn State 156. Analysis: The Hoosiers are playing as well as anyone in the Big Ten – if not the nation. Line: Indiana -11½. Pick: Indiana 81, Penn State 67.

(7) Northwestern (18-12, 8-10) vs. (10) Minnesota (18-13, 6-12)

Tipoff: 5:30 p.m. TV: ESPN2. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 22 – Minnesota 75-52; Feb. 18 – Northwestern 64-53. RPI: Northwestern 41, Minnesota 89. Analysis: John Shurna and Drew Crawford will not let the Wildcats lose this game. Line: Northwestern -2½. Pick: Northwestern 68, Minnesota 62.

(6) Purdue (20-11, 10-8) vs. (11) Nebraska (12-17, 4-14)

Tipoff: 8 p.m. TV: ESPN2. Regular-season meetings: Feb. 22 – Purdue 83-65. RPI: Purdue 41, Nebraska 140. Analysis: Purdue has won 3-of-4 and even in the loss at Indiana, the Boilermakers played pretty well for most of the game. Line: Purdue -8. Pick: Purdue 79, Nebraska 64.

SEC FIRST ROUND: AT NEW ORLEANS

(8) LSU (17-13, 7-9) vs. (9) Arkansas (18-13, 6-10)

Tipoff: 1 p.m. TV: SEC Network. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 14 – Arkansas 69-60; Feb. 4 – LSU 71-65. RPI: LSU 84, Arkansas 92. Analysis: A strange season comes to an Arkansas. Things should start to improve next season under Mike Anderson. Line: LSU -1. Pick: LSU 73, Arkansas 68.

(5) Alabama (20-10, 9-7) vs. (12) South Carolina (10-20, 2-14)

Tipoff: 3:30 p.m. TV: SEC Network. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 25 – South Carolina 56-54. RPI: Alabama 32, USC 185. Analysis: This game could just go a lot of different ways, depending on how interested the Tide are, but eight points is too big of a line for what should be a low-scoring game. Line: Alabama -8. Pick: Alabama 58, South Carolina 52.

(7) Mississippi (18-12, 8-8) vs. (10) Auburn (15-15, 5-11)

Tipoff: 7:30 p.m. TV: SEC Network. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 14 – Auburn 69-68 (2OT); Feb. 11 – Ole Miss 61-54. RPI: Ole Miss 51, Auburn 136. Analysis: The Rebels are back on the bubble after three straight wins, but Auburn will end the dream. Line: Ole Miss -2½. Pick: Auburn 66, Mississippi 63.

(6) Mississippi State (21-10, 8-8) vs. (11) Georgia (14-16, 5-11)

Tipoff: 10 p.m. TV: SEC Network. Regular-season meetings: Feb. 11 – Georgia 70-68 (OT)*. RPI: MSU 64, Georgia 107. Analysis: Both teams are so unpredictable that it’s hard to tell how this one’s going to go. The Bulldogs are physically superior, though. Line: MSU -5. Pick: Mississippi State 71, Georgia 65.

*Road win

Greg Against the Spread This Season: 143-108-3

Tuesday Recap: Spartans Lose Green and the Game

Raphielle Johnson — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:18:12 -0800

Tuesday's night matchup between #9 Michigan State and Illinois wasn't a pretty affair, as neither team could establish much of a rhythm on the offensive end of the floor. Whether it was due to good defense or just an inability to make shots on a consistent basis, neither the Spartans nor the Fighting Illini had much succes on that end of the floor. But when it's all said and done what matters is the result, which was a 42-41 Illinois victory as Brandon Paul made two free throws with 45 seconds remaining.

Paul finished with a game-high 18 points, and while he didn't shoot well from the field (6-for-17) the junior guard would be the closest thing to "scalding hot" that this contest would deliver. Freshman forward Branden Dawson led the way for Michigan State with 12 points and 13 rebounds, but their biggest loss came late in the second half as senior forward (and team leader) Draymond Green went down with a knee injury. There's been no word on the severity of the injury (that will likely come sometime on Wednesday), but a loss that simply prevented the Spartans from moving into a first-place tie in the Big Ten could become a lot more painful if he's ruled out for an extended period.

Before the injury Green's night was a microcosm of the contest as a whole, as frustration led to a poor performance highlighted by a technical foul that was also his third personal in the first half. Green finished with five points (1-6 FG), eight rebounds and five turnovers while Keith Appling wasn't much better with four points (1-11 FG), two assists and five turnovers. Even with Illinois struggling as they were offensively and Michigan State grabbing 23 offensive rebounds, it's extremely difficult to win anywhere (much less on the road) when your two best players have poor nights.

"I didn't think we handled adversity very well at all," remarked Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo after the game. "My two best players had their worst games." (quote credit: Associated Press)

Illinois now has two wins over teams ranked in the Top 10 this season as they beat Ohio State in Champaign on January 10th, but while that's a good stat to claim it also has to make one wonder why the Illini can't carry their play over. Following that win the Illini dropped three straight, including road losses at Penn State and Minnesota. Bruce Weber's team is clearly talented enough to beat many teams both within the Big Ten and nationally, yet for some reason this group doesn't seem to deal well with prosperity.

Next up is Northwestern at home before trips to Indiana and Michigan, and while Tuesday's win showed that Illinois can gut out a victory on a night where things aren't going their way more will be learned about this group based on how they navigate this stretch of games.

Other Notable Happenings

1. Jae Crowder leads Marquette past Seton Hall, handing the Pirates their fifth straight loss.
Remember when Seton Hall was one of the country's biggest turnaround stories and looked poised to earn their first NCAA tournament berth since 2006? Well, the Pirates dropped their fifth straight game on Tuesday night and look more likely to end up in the NIT at this point. With Davante Gardner sidelined due to a sprained knee #18 Marquette did what they've tended to do during Buzz Williams' tenure in Milwaukee, and that's find a way to win tough ball games. Jae Crowder led the Golden Eagles to the 66-59 win with 20 points and 12 rebounds while Vander Blue (16 points, eight rebounds) and Darius Johnson-Odom (14 points, seven assists, five rebounds) also scored in double figures.

One of the major issues for Kevin Willard's team during this skid has been the productivity of senior point guard Jordan Theodore. Theodore shot 3-for-14 from the field last night, scoring seven points while dishing out seven assists. On a team that lacks consistent scoring punch behind he, Herb Pope (16 points, seven rebounds) and Fuquan Edwin (13 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals), Theodore can ill-afford to have nights like that. Theodore's shot 26.7% from the field in Seton Hall's last five games and while it would be unfair to place the losing streak on his shoulders alone, Seton Hall needs their senior leader to step up and soon. Their NCAA hopes may very well depend on how quickly he can get going.

2. Royce White's jumper with less than two seconds remaining caps Iowa State's comeback win.
With 14:27 remaining Kansas State led 53-39 and had the look of a team that was well on its way to a good win at Iowa State. But whether it was "Hilton Magic" or the fact that the Wildcats simply failed to execute down the stretch, it was the Cyclones who emerged victorious as Royce White scored the winning points in the 72-70 result. White (22 points, eight rebounds) was able to use a ball screen to work his way to the right side of the lane, and an up fake gave the Minnesota transfer enough room to get off a clean look that fell with 1.8 seconds remaining. Thomas Gipson led four K-State players in double figures with 13 points but that wasn't enough as the Wildcats fell despite shooting 58.3% from beyond the arc and grabbing 12 offensive rebounds.

Offensive rebounding was essentially the difference in the first half as Kansas State grabbed seven, converting them into nine second-chance points. Iowa State did a better job of keeping the Wildcats off the glass in the second half, limiting the Wildcats to five offensive boards while grabbing eight of their own. There were questions as to how Fred Hoiberg's team would bond given the fact that so many were transfers but these last two games are evidence that the Cyclones have established good chemistry, and they'll be a factor in the Big 12 the rest of the way.

3. Arkansas moves to 16-0 at home with an 82-74 win over Vanderbilt.
Mike Anderson's Razorbacks didn't shoot the ball well in the first half, making just 37.5% of their shots from the field. But the fact that they trailed #25 Vanderbilt by just two points (34-32) at the break had to have been an encouraging sign for the Hogs, whose problem was making shots as opposed to finding the looks they wanted. That changed in the second half as Arkansas scored 50 points, shooting 55.2% from the field, on their way to the 82-74 win. Rickey Scott led five Arkansas players in double figures with 18 points and Julysses Nobles added 17 for a team that's now 16-0 at Bud Walton Arena. John Jenkins (19 points, five rebounds) and Jeffery Taylor (18 and six rebounds) led the way for the Commodores, who did themselves no favors by shooting 6-for-21 from three.

So the question regarding Arkansas at this point has to be what are their chances of getting to the Big Dance. But with an overall record of 16-6 it's pretty clear that the focus at this point has to be winning some key games away from Fayetteville. NCAA tournament games are played on neutral floors but a team's success away from home is usually one of the factors that the selection committee values when filling out the field. That's what makes their games at LSU and Georgia that much more important despite the caliber of those teams (Arkansas doesn't have a quality road win opportunity left on their schedule outside of a trip to Mississippi State). If Mike Anderson's young team can take care of business away from home they can exceed the preseason expectations, but at the least their win on Tuesday is a good result to take to Baton Rouge.

Quick Hitters

1. Wisconsin didn't get off to the best of starts at Penn State, shooting 26.9% from the field and trailing 23-17 at the half. But Jordan Taylor (18 points, five assists) and company were able to rebound in the final 20 minutes, winning 52-46. The Badgers, who host Ohio State on Saturday, have won six straight games after starting Big Ten play 1-3.

2. Clemson fought hard despite the absence of forward Milton Jennings (academic suspension) but they fell just short in losing 65-61 at Virginia. The Cavaliers shot 63.2% from the field in the second half (efficiency: 140.3) and Mike Scott led the way with 23 points and ten rebounds.

3. Top-ranked Kentucky did allow 13 offensive rebounds in their 69-44 win over Tennessee, but that shouldn't overshadow how good the Wildcats were defensively. Tennessee shot just 28.1% from the field and 9-for-39 on two-point shots (23%). Having the likes of Anthony Davis (18 points, eight rebounds and seven blocks), Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (16 points, eight rebounds) and Terrence Jones (11 points, six rebounds) up front will have that kind of effect on teams.

4. North Carolina didn't play particularly well in Winston-Salem but they still beat Wake Forest 68-53. Is that a sign of how talented the Tar Heels are, or is it a sign of just how far Jeff Bzdelik's program has to go before they can be a consistently competitive team in the ACC? It's unfortunate for the Demon Deacons because in guard C.J. Harris they've got one of the better players in the league (Travis McKie can also play but he was kept in check by UNC), but due to their struggles he doesn't always receive the credit that he should.

5. New Mexico had no trouble with Air Force as they jumped out to a 40-19 halftime lead on their way to an 81-42 win in Colorado Springs. The Falcons, who took UNLV to overtime on Saturday night, had no such fortune against the Lobos as they shot 25.9% in the first half and 29.4% for the game. Drew Gordon and Kendall Williams scored 13 apiece to lead UNM, and two other Lobos finished with 11.

6. Washington State received the news many feared when guard Faisal Aden went down late in the first half of their loss at Arizona on Thursday night, with his season coming to an end due to a torn ACL. Aden averaged 14.5 points and 3.1 rebounds per game for the Cougars, who will now likely give even more opportunities on the offensive end to freshman DaVonte Lacy.

Three Notable Performances

1. G Markel Brown (Oklahoma State)
Brown led the Cowboys to an 80-63 win over Texas Tech by scoring 30 points and grabbing seven rebounds.

2. G Kendrick Perry (Youngstown State)
Scored 30 points and dished out four assists in the Penguins' 73-65 win at Milwaukee.

3. F Tyler Zeller (North Carolina)
18 points, 18 rebounds and three blocked shots in North Carolina's 68-53 win at Wake Forest.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Other Notable Happenings

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

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

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

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

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

Quick Hitters

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Three Notable Performances

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

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

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

Thursday Recap: Rutgers Beats #10 Florida

Raphielle Johnson — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 08:50:46 -0800

The matchup between #10 Florida and Rutgers on Thursday night was hyped up due to the return of Mike Rosario, who transferred from the New Jersey school following two seasons in New Brunswick. But his return was a subplot in what turned out to be one of the best games of the calendar year, with the focus by the end being Mike Rice's young guards. Eli Carter led the way with 31 points, seven rebounds and seven assists while Myles Mack knocked down some big shots late in regulation and during the overtime periods to lead Rutgers to the 85-83 double overtime victory.

Jerome Seagears added 13 points and junior forward Dane Miller was his usual versatile self with 16 points, seven rebounds, five assists and two steals. Kenny Boynton led four Florida players in double figures with 26 points, but the Gators seemed to bog down offensively down the stretch, once again not getting the ball inside enough to Patric Young. Young finished with 11 points but took just eight shots in 41 minutes of play, and there was even a possession where Florida failed to get him the ball despite being guarded by the 6'3" Carter. Florida's guards had the experience advantage, but it was Rutgers that made that one extra big play to win the game.

"Would I have liked them to get into our sets a little quicker? Sure," said Rice after the game. "But there was such a poise, such a confidence. They responded at the end. I always take it back because they practice like that ...hopefully this is [what's] to come."

For all their youth Rutgers turned the ball over just 11 times compared to 18 Florida turnovers, and their assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.64 was nearly double their season average (0.86). Also critical for the Scarlet Knights was their play on the boards, as they were out-rebounded by just one (37-36) on the night with Derrick Randall supplying eight rebounds in 17 minutes of play. The Rutgers reserves, led by Mack (14 points), outscored Florida's bench 22-8 with Rosario scoring five points for the Gators. The Scarlet Knights are young and there will be bumps in the road in Big East play, but as Coach Rice said after the game the future is bright.

"This is what happens when you don't think impossible is impossible," said Rice. "This is what happens when young men are determined to follow the formula and play for one another."

Other Notable Happenings

1. Vanderbilt jumps Marquette from the start and picks up a much-needed resume builder.
Much of the country didn't get to see the beginning of Vanderbilt/Marquette due to the length of Rutgers' win over Florida, and by the time ESPN2 switched over the game was essentially finished. Kevin Stallings' Commodores jumped out to a 19-4 lead and didn't look back, leading by as many as 25 points in the first half (31-6) on their way to a 74-57 victory. Marquette couldn't hit the broad side of a barn in the first half as they shot 21.2% from the field and finished the game making 32.2% of their shots.

Jeffery Taylor led four Commodores in double figures with 19 points while Lance Goulbourne added 13 to go along with 16 rebounds, and Marquette's inability to make shots allowed the visitors to get away with 17 turnovers. Jae Crowder (16 points) and Darius Johnson-Odom (12 points) reached double figures but with fellow starters Junior Cadougan and Vander Blue combining to make two of ten shots from the field the Golden Eagles weren't able to get back into the game. Vanderbilt needed a win like this to re-establish some national credibility after an 8-4 start, and this will help as they go into SEC play.

2. Saint Mary's welcomes BYU to the WCC with 98 points in Moraga.
BYU and Saint Mary's went into Thursday's game familiar with each other since they met last season, even with some of the key figures in that meeting no longer in school. But confernce play can be an entirely different animal, as the Cougars found out in the second half of the Gaels' 98-82 victory. Randy Bennett's team made 55.4% of their shots and assisted on 23 of 31 made baskets, and individually both Matthew Dellavedova and Rob Jones posted double-doubles. Dellavedova ran the show for Saint Mary's, finishing with 18 points and 12 assists, while Jones was a matchup nightmare for BYU with 24 points and 15 rebounds.

Brandon Davies was outstanding for BYU in scoring 28 points and grabbing seven rebounds, but there wasn't enough offensive help for Davies when considering the fact that four SMC starters finished in double figures. Stephen Holt made eight of his ten shots in scoring 21 points and Jorden Page added 13 and five assists. On a night filled with offense, BYU simply could not get stops when they needed them the most. Of the three contenders for the WCC title (Gonzaga) the Gaels have the weakest non-conference resume, so that regular season crown may be most important for them when it comes to the NCAA Tournament. Thursday night was a good first step in that direction.

3. Cashmere Wright takes matters into his own hands late to lead Cincinnati past Oklahoma.
One question regarding Cincinnati's smaller lineup in light of the suspensions of Yancy Gates and Cheikh Mbodj was how the Bearcats would deal with bigger teams, something that wasn't an issue in wins over lesser competition. Oklahoma provided that challenge, and while it wasn't pretty Cincinnati found a way to win 56-55. That way: give Cashmere Wright the chance to make plays late. The junior point guard scored just eight points on the night (3-14 FG), but he made two huge baskets in the final minute including the game-winner with 8.8 seconds to go. Cincinnati turned the ball over just eight times on the night compared to 17 for the Sooners (UC: 16 points off turnovers), and while they were a minus-9 in rebounding margin the Bearcats grabbed 13 offensive boards and scored ten second-chance points (OU finished with 11). Cincinnati's taken full advantage of what could have been a crippling turn of events, becoming a better basketball team as a result.

Quick Hitters

1. It was a bad night for ACC bottom-feeders on Thursday, with Boston College losing to #24 Harvard for the fourth consecutive time (67-46) and Georgia Tech losing at Fordham (72-66). To say the least these results don't do much to maintain the league's computer numbers, and it could be a long conference season for both the Eagles and Yellow Jackets. And it should also be noted that Wake Forest nearly lost to Yale after leading by 19, ultimately hanging on to beat the Bulldogs 72-71.

2. Freshman guard Jamal Branch has left the Texas A&M program and will transfer according to multiple media outlets. Branch averaged just 4.2 points and 2.5 assists per game, but his departure leaves the Aggies one option short on a perimeter that hasn't played at a championship level this season.

3. Two teams that took hits to their chances of an at-large bid on Thursday are Marshall and Iona, with both falling on the road. Iona couldn't recover from 19 first half turnovers in an 83-75 loss at Hofstra while the Thundering Herd lost 79-74 to a Belmont team they beat just ten days ago. The Herd may have a better shot at earning an at-large given their conference affiliation (Conference USA), but the climb for both teams became a lot tougher.

4. Shaka Smart's VCU Rams won their seventh straight game on Thursday, winning 76-75 in overtime at Akron. Bradford Burgess led four Rams in double figures with 19 points (and seven rebounds) and VCU forced 20 Akron turnovers on the night.

5. Getting to conference play wasn't the catalyst for Austin Peay that some thought it would be as the Governors lost 67-65 at Eastern Kentucky. Dave Loos' team dropped to 3-11 on the season (0-1 OVC) while the Colonels are now 2-0 in league play.

6. In the "inexplicable loss" category are the defeats suffered by American and James Madison, who in losing to Mount St. Mary's and Rhode Island respectively lost to teams that entered Thursday with a combined 2-21 record.

7. Even though they were the home team it's likely that few people expected Illinois State to beat Northern Illinois in the MVC opener for both teams. But that's exactly what happened as the Redbirds, led by Jackie Carmichael (19 points, 10 rebounds, four blocks), beat the Panthers 65-61.

8. The opening night of Pac-12 play didn't lack excitement either, with Stanford hanging on to beat UCLA 60-59. UCLA took 13 shots in the second half that would have given them the lead if converted...and missed them all. And in Seattle, Tony Wroten led Washington to a 95-80 win over Oregon State with 26 points, nine rebounds and four assists. If the freshman continues to learn how to use his talents to make his teammates better, look out.

Three Notable Performances

1. G Eli Carter (Rutgers)
31 points, seven rebounds and seven assists in the Scarlet Knights' 85-83 double overtime win over #10 Florida.

2. F Will Barton (Memphis)
27 points, 13 rebounds and three assists in the Tigers' 64-47 win over Robert Morris.

3. F Chris Gaston (Fordham)
23 points and 17 rebounds in the Rams' 72-66 win over Georgia Tech.

Who Will Win the 2011-12 ACC Title?

Shawn Siegel — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 18:50:47 -0800

ACC Basketball: 5-Year Ranking

Shawn Siegel — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 21:02:26 -0800

Here's how the ACC teams stack up over the last five years according to conference wins. Unlike many leagues, the ACC has a relatively strict caste system, with Duke and UNC firmly at the top. Tony Bennett's Virginia Cavaliers are one of the few teams with a chance to jump up a level, while Wake Forest is clearly going in the wrong direction.

First Tier

1 - Duke - 58 - Steady as she goes for Coach K. Expect the same this year.
2 - UNC - 57 - Could surpass Duke if they runaway with the ACC title

Second Tier

3t - Florida St - 45 - Should once again finish 3rd or 4th in the league
3t - Maryland - 45 - Gary Williams' tenure ended in steady if not spectacular fashion
3t - Virginia Tech - 45 - And yet they haven't made the NCAA's since 2007
6 - Clemson - 44 - Could potentially go 9-7 for 4th year in a row

Wannabees

7- Boston College - 38 wins - Steve Donahue would love a 7th place finish this year
8 - Wake Forest - 37 - Just one conference win last year doesn't help the cause

Also-Rans

9 - Virginia - 32 - Have a chance to move up a tier with a big season
10 - Georgia Tech - 29 - Remember when Georgia Tech was a relevant program?
11 - Miami - 29 - Amazing Missouri went after Frank Haith
12 - NC State - 25 - Herb Sendek quietly laughing out in Arizona

Check back for the Big 12 ranking over the weekend.

All 5-Year Rankings.

Jon Teitel's Coaching Greats Series: Former Virginia Tech head coach Charles Moir

Jon Teitel — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 12:53:11 -0800

In the most recent installment in his "Coaching Greats" interview series CHN writer Jon Teitel spent some time with former Virginia Tech head coach Charles Moir, who won 213 games and led the Hokies to four NCAA Tournament appearances during his time in Blacksburg. An alum of Roanoke College, Moir's son Page is currently the head coach there.

Jon Teitel: You played basketball and baseball at Appalachian State, and later played minor league baseball for a few years. Which sport did you like more, and which one were you better at?

Charles Moir: I was probably a better baseball player, but I had to stop playing due to rheumatic fever. After signing to play pro baseball as a sophomore, I was ineligible from playing college baseball.

JT: After retiring from baseball you became a high school basketball coach and won four state titles in 11 years. Was it frustrating to not be able to go out on your own terms, and how were you able to be so successful at the high school level?

CM: I hated to give up baseball but figured that I would not make it to the majors and had a family to support. My brother was also a high school basketball coach. I enjoyed coaching and had some mighty good players.

JT: In 1967 you became head coach at Roanoke College, where your first recruit was Frankie Allen (the first African-American basketball player in school history who later succeeded you as head coach at Virginia Tech). How big a deal was it to recruit Frankie at the time, and what was the reaction like on campus?

CM: Frankie was a great guy and an outstanding basketball player. He was well accepted and had a great career. He still has a lot of state records in Virginia, but more than that he was a class guy. We still talk a lot on the phone.

JT: In 1972 your team went 28-4 and won the Division II national title, while you were named National College Division Coach of the Year. What did it mean to you to win the title, and what did it mean to you to win such an outstanding individual honor?

CM: I had some outstanding players who I have to credit for our success. We were not expected to win it all: it was definitely the highlight of my career.

JT: After becoming head coach at Virginia Tech you won the 1979 Metro Conference title thanks to tournament MVP Dale Solomon. How was Solomon able to play so well despite being a freshman, and where does he rank among the best players you ever coached?

CM: Dale was an outstanding player and athlete. I have never seen anyone shoot the ball better in traffic. He later had a good career overseas. Chuck Daly tried to sign him from Italy to play for the Pistons, but he decided to stay abroad.

JT: What are your memories of the 1979 NCAA Tournament (Solomon scored 24 points in a win over Jacksonville, but Larry Bird scored 22 points and had 13 rebounds in a win by eventual national runner-up Indiana State)?

CM: Indiana State coach Bill Hodges lives here in Roanoke and coaches a high school team. I still see him around town every so often. I felt like we had an opportunity to beat the Sycamores, but Bird was a lot better than I thought he would be. Bird was just unstoppable, and he had some good players around him.

JT: What are your memories of the 1980 NCAA Tournament (Solomon scored 22 points and had 11 rebounds in a four-point overtime win over Western Kentucky, but Isiah Thomas scored 17 points and had seven assists in a nine-point Indiana victory)?

CM: We were down 19 points in the Western Kentucky game but Dale had a great second half to lead our comeback. We had a chance to beat Indiana and it was a good ball game. We got called for offensive basket interference late in the game (which hurt us), but Indiana was very good and it was a tough loss.

JT: What are your memories of the 1984 NIT (Virginia Tech won three games by a combined nine points before a three-points loss to eventual champion Michigan in the semifinals)?

CM: We missed some free throws down the stretch against Michigan, but should have won that game. Michigan had a great team, and I later became good friends with Coach Bill Frieder.

JT: In 1987 after the NCAA found 12 violations within the program, you were forced to resign despite being cleared of any wrongdoing. Why did they make you resign if you did not do anything wrong, and would you do anything differently if you had to do it over again?

CM: They asked me to come back and coach, but I realized that there would be no way I could recruit the caliber of athlete we needed. They did not "make" me resign; I just resigned on my own after they did not extend my contract. I enjoyed my career there and gave them everything I had. Frank Beamer and Seth Greenberg are still good friends of mine.

JT: Your son Page is currently the head coach at Roanoke College. Was it hard for him to follow in your large footsteps, and did you have any influence on his career choice?

CM: I advised him after college to do something else because coaching is a hard life with little money unless you can make it to the top, but he has done great at Roanoke and had some great teams. I enjoyed my time at Roanoke, and it is a good academic school. I am proud of him and he has my full support.

Coach Moir is also on Jon's list of best coaches in ACC history.

Boston College: Al Skinner (1997-2010) 232-149, 7 NCAA tourneys, 3 conference titles, 1-time national COY, 2-time conference COY
Clemson: Cliff Ellis (1984-1994) 177-128, 3 NCAA tourneys, 1 conference title, 2-time conference COY
Duke: Mike Krzyzewski (1980-present) 887-281, 26 NCAA tourneys, 12 conference titles, 4 NCAA titles, 5-time conference COY, 6-time national COY
Florida State: Hugh Durham (1966-1978) 230-95, 3 NCAA tourneys, 1 conference title
Georgia Tech: Bobby Cremins (1981-2000) 354-237, 10 NCAA tourneys, 2 conference titles, 3-time conference COY, 1-time national COY
Maryland: Gary Williams (1989-present) 456-245, 14 NCAA tourneys, 3 conference titles, 1 NCAA title, 2-time conference COY
Miami (FL): Bruce Hale (1954-1967) 220-112, 1 NCAA tourney
North Carolina: Dean Smith (1961-1997) 879-254, 27 NCAA tourneys, 17 conference titles, 2 NCAA titles, 1 NIT title, 8-time conference COY, 3-time national COY
N.C. State: Everett Case (1946-1965) 377-134, 6 NCAA tourneys, 9 conference titles, 6-time conference COY
Virginia: Terry Holland (1974-1990) 326-173, 9 NCAA tourneys, 3 conference titles, 1 NIT title, 2-time conference COY
Virginia Tech: Charles Moir (1976-1987) 213-119, 4 NCAA tourneys
Wake Forest: Dave Odom (1989-2001) 240-132, 8 NCAA tourneys, 1 conference title, 1 NIT title, 3-time conference COY, 1-time national COY

Jon Teitel's "Forgotten Legends" Series: Wake Forest's Dickie Hemric

Jon Teitel — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 16:05:45 -0800

In the most recent installment in his "Forgotten Legends" interview series CHN writer Jon Teitel spent some time with Wake Forest great Dickie Hemric. Hemric, who remains the school's all-time leading scorer and rebounder, is also the ACCs all-time leading rebounder. His point total led the NCAA until Oscar Robinson passed him and in 2003 he was named one of the 50 greatest players in ACC history.

Jon Teitel: Freshmen were eligible for the varsity in 1951 due to the Korean War and you averaged 22 points and 18.6 rebounds per game in your first season at Wake Forest. How were you able to come in and contribute from the start, and was there any family pressure to follow five of your older siblings into the military?

Dickie Hemric: I was the last of the eligible siblings to get a deferment to go to college. I just got a chance to play when I got there, and I took advantage of it. I later joined the Army Reserves and received an honorable discharge.

JT: Horace "Bones" McKinney joined the staff as an assistant the following year, and would spend time with you after practice working on your hook shot and footwork. What made him such a great coach and how much impact did he have on your success?

DH: Bones taught me a tremendous amount of basketball knowledge, and I give him credit for so much of my contribution that year. We won the SoCon title, which was based on winning the conference tourney.

JT: What are your memories of the 1953 SoCon Tournament final at NC State (Hemric scored 16 points in a one-point upset win that snapped the Wolfpack's streak of six straight conference tourney titles)?

DH: My memories are very vivid. It was a close game the entire way, and Jim DeVos missed two free throws with 10 seconds left that would have won it. NC State rebounded his second miss but they threw it right to us, and the clock ran out to allow us to win.

1953 NCAA Tournament

JT: You scored 29 points and had 17 rebounds in an eight-point loss to Holy Cross (who was led by Togo Palazzi with 32 points and 12 rebounds). How close did you come to winning that game, and did Palazzi remind you of that game after you became his teammate with the Celtics a couple of years later?

DH: There were only 16 teams in the tourney back then, as there were only 16 conferences. We had beaten Holy Cross in the Dixie Classic the previous December. Togo did not rub it in. I guess we both wanted to forget each other's loss!

JT: You scored 29 points and had 18 rebounds in a win over Lebanon Valley in the East Region consolation game. Was it hard to get motivated after losing your previous game?

DH: I do not think so. We wanted to win them all.

JT: In the summer of 1953 Wake Forest and six other SoCon teams left to form the ACC. How big a deal was it at the time, and what was the biggest difference between the two conferences?

DH: The upbeat quality of play was different, as the teams that left the SoCon were the better teams. We were playing against a top-ranked team every night, both home and away. Since we were playing in a smaller league we were also able to play more non-conference games.

JT: In 1954 you scored 44 points against Duke while playing on a broken foot. How were you able to play so well despite the injury?

DH: I hurt it against St. Joe's and just thought it was a sprained ankle. Duke orthopedic surgeon Doc Baker gave me an X-ray and discovered that it was broken after all. He shot me up with Novocaine so that I could not feel the pain, which is why it did not affect me that night.

JT: What are your memories of the 1954 ACC Tournament final (you scored 26 points and had 12 rebounds in a two-point overtime loss to NC State)?

DH: That game has been debated for years due to some controversial non-foul calls after our guy got hammered twice in the final seconds. Vic Molodet later admitted that he got away with one that night!

JT: In 1955 you scored 35 points and had 20 rebounds in a two-point win over West Virginia in the highest-scoring game in Dixie Classic history, while West Virginia All-American "Hot Rod" Hundley scored a Dixie Classic-record 47 points in defeat. Where does Hundley rank among the best players you ever saw, and could you tell at the time that he was going to become a star?

DH: Hot Rod was recruited heavily by NC State and spent a great amount of time in Raleigh. He later had a big-game on the road against NC State, and called out to head coach Everett Case "Home court, coach. Home court!", as it seemed like he was very comfortable shooting from different spots on their court. He was great right from the start.

JT: In 1955 you passed Furman's Frank Selvy to become the NCAA's career scoring leader. Did you feel like you were the best player in college basketball history?

DH: I never did take the achievement to that level, as I honestly did not realize the prominence it had. I remember the night I broke Selvy's record. We were playing at Clemson, and after I made the record-setting basket they stopped the game. Clemson AD Frank Howard presented me with the basketball, which I still have to this day. Oscar Robertson came along and broke my record a few years later, and it probably sunk in more at that time. In our day we did not have a lot of media to remind us of these things: we just had a couple of newspaper/radio guys. Before Tyler Hansbrough broke my NCAA record for most free throws made, it had not been written up much. I got more press the week that JJ Redick broke my ACC scoring record than I had received in the previous 51 years! ESPN even sent a crew to my house to do an interview that was aired during the countdown to JJ breaking the record.

JT: You were a two-time ACC Player of the Year and two-time All-American. What did it mean to you to win such outstanding individual honors?

DH: It meant a lot. I was a two-time SoCon All-Tournament pick and a two-time ACC All-Tournament pick when you add it all up. My senior year I was named ACC Athlete of the Year, but the honor that meant the most was in 2003 when I was named one of the Top 50 athletes in ACC history. Even today I carry that with me very close. It is very humbling for an old country boy from Jonesville, NC!

JT: Your ACC scoring record and NCAA free throw record have each been broken during the past decade, but your 1,802 rebounds remains an ACC record and 6th in NCAA history. Do you think anyone will ever break your record, and what was your secret for rebounding?

DH: There are a variety of factors: positioning, lower-body strength, techniques to box out your opponent, timing, etc. My teammate Billy Lyles said that he helped me break the record because he could not make a field goal! I was 6'6", which was a pretty good-sized individual back then. I was not the tallest, but I was up there.

JT: In the summer of 1955 you were drafted 10th overall by Boston (two spots behind Jack Twyman). Did you see that as a validation of your college career or the realization of a lifelong dream of reaching the NBA?

DH: The former. I just took it as it came and never set a goal of making the NBA. I simply wanted to go as far as my ability would take me. I started playing basketball in the 8th grade and did not make the varsity team until the 10th grade. When I started something, I gave it all I had. Wake Forest was the only real school of any renown that recruited me. I went to NC State and worked out against some of their players, as it was legal back then. Coaches did not have to "buy a pig in the poke"!

JT: What was it like to play on those legendary Celtics teams coached by Red Auerbach and featuring Hall of Famers like Bob Cousy and Bill Russell?

DH: It was the epitome of my career, as I won a championship ring. At the time it did not seem that outstanding, but it dawned on me afterwards. I wish I could have been taller, as I was too small to play down low as a PF/C.

JT: In 1957 you had a two-point double overtime win over St. Louis in Game 7 of the Finals to win an NBA title with Boston. Was that the most exciting game you have ever been a part of, and what was the feeling like in your locker room afterwards?

DH: It was in St. Louis. Naturally, it is always a splendid experience to celebrate winning a title. Game 3 of that series was also exciting, as Auerbach punched St. Louis owner Ben Kerner after an argument about the height of the basket! I can always say I was on the first-ever ACC champion, I held the record for most points in NCAA history, and I got to play on the first-ever Celtics championship team.

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

DH: I hope they remember me as a team person who was humble about his accomplishments on and off the court. Life has been good to me, and I appreciate all the opportunities I have received. I tried to set a good example for others to follow, and had the foresight to realize that college is more than just sports. They did not have to make me go to class, as my parents sent me there to get an education and graduate.

Hemric is also on Jon's list of best fantasy players in ACC history.

Boston College: Troy Bell (2003) 2632 PTS (#1), 272 STL (#2), 300 3PM (#1), 86.8 FT% (#1), 2-time All-American, 2-time conference POY

Clemson: Terrell McIntyre (1999) 1839 PTS (#2), 577 AST (#3), 194 STL (#2), 259 3PM (#1)

Duke: Christian Laettner (1992) 2460 PTS (#2), 1149 REB (#2), 243 STL (#5), 145 BLK (#5), 48.5 3P% (#1), 3-time All-American, conference POY, national POY, NCAA MOP

Florida State: Bob Sura (1995) 2130 PTS (#1), 435 AST (#5), 209 STL (#3), 214 3PM (#2), 2-time All-American

Georgia Tech: Mark Price (1986) 2193 PTS (#3), 240 STL (#1), 44 3P% (#1), 85 FT% (#1), 3-time All-American

Maryland: Juan Dixon (2002) 2269 PTS (#1), 333 STL (#2), 239 3PM (#1), 85 FT% (#3), 2-time All-American, conference POY, NCAA MOP

Miami (FL): Rick Barry (1965) 2298 PTS (#1), 1274 REB (#1), All-American

North Carolina: Tyler Hansbrough (2009) 2872 PTS (#1), 1219 REB (#1), 4-time All-American, conference POY, national POY

NC State: David Thompson (1975) 2309 PTS (#2), 3-time All-American, 3-time conference POY, 2-time national POY, NCAA MOP

Virginia: Ralph Sampson (1983) 2228 PTS (#4), 1511 REB (#1), 462 BLK (#1), 4-time All-American, 3-time conference POY, 3-time national POY, NIT MVP

Virginia Tech: Dell Curry (1986) 2389 PTS (#2), 407 AST (#4), 295 STL (#1), All-American, conference POY

Wake Forest: Dickie Hemric (1955) 2587 PTS (#1), 1802 REB (#1), 2-time All-American, 2-time conference POY

College Hoops Monday Recap: Blue Devils, Wildcats Advance

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 09:54:07 -0800

Looking at the semifinals of the O'Reilly Auto Parts CBE Classic on paper many expected Duke and Kansas State to advance to Tuesday's title game, and they took care of business at the Spirit Center in Kansas City. But while the Wildcats had some perimeter shooters other than the explosive Jacob Pullen step up in their 81-64 whipping of Gonzaga, Duke had to rely on a change from last season's title team to get past Marquette. One of the chief influences on the national title run made by head coach Mike Krzyzewski's team was the "dirty work" nature of big men Lance Thomas and Brian Zoubek, two players who didn't score a whole lot but they did all the little things that turn good teams into champions. Monday night provided a glimpse at the added dimension that this year's team has inside, and that would be sophomore forward Mason Plumlee.

Plumlee missed the first part of last season with a wrist injury, essentially stunting his progress similar to the way in which a back injury prevented UCLA's Tyler Honeycutt from taking off (both showed flashes last season but the full offseason to recuperate has done wonders). Mason scored 12 of his game-high 25 points in the final 8:47 of the game to help the Blue Devils hold off the hard-charging Golden Eagles, who had no way of slowing him down in losing 82-77. "Of course as a player you always want the ball," said Plumlee, who also had 12 rebounds and three assists. "I just wanted to stay within the plays and take the opportunities that come my way. My teammates did a good job of hitting me." On a weekend that saw Christian Laettner inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame it was fitting that a Duke forward made the difference.

As for Kansas State they blitzed a Gonzaga team playing with a less than full strength Elias Harris with a 10-2 run to start the game, and then held off a Bulldog rally before pulling away for good early in the second half. Jacob Pullen led the way with 18 points (4-8 3PT) and as a team Kansas State shot 46.2% (12 for 26) from beyond the arc while outrebounding the Bulldogs 37-24. Robert Sacre (17 points) and Steven Gray (15) were Gonzaga's only double-figure scorers on a night where they shot 33.3% from the field and 3-for-13 from three-point range. The Wildcat big men, who welcomed Curtis Kelly back into the fold, weren't great but they made Sacre work and with a little help from guard Rodney McGruder (game-high nine rebounds) controlled the glass throughout. They'll need more from the likes of Wally Judge and Freddy Asprilla on Tuesday but Frank Martin's club has more than enough to grab the CBE Classic title.

Other Notable Happenings
1. Old Dominion wins the Paradise Jam.
Just one day after Tu Holloway lit up Seton Hall to the tune of 31 points he ran out of gas thanks in large part to the perimeter defense of Blaine Taylor's Monarchs, who knocked off Xavier 67-58 in the finals of the USVI Paradise Jam. Trian Iliadis scored 12 points off the bench while Frank Hassell led the way for ODU with 16 points and eight rebounds but it was rebounding and defense that got the job done. Old Dominion finished the game a plus-10 (33-23) in rebounding margin and limited Xavier to just four three pointers in twenty attempts on the night. Holloway led the Musketeers with 14 points (as did Mark Lyons) but he made just three of ten shots and turned the ball over six times in Xavier's first loss of the season. Keep an eye on the Monarchs, who are the preseason favorites to win the CAA, as they return home for a holiday break before hosting Richmond on December 1st. While their three wins in the Virgin Islands (Saint Peter's, Clemson and Xavier) may have a negligible impact on their computer numbers they should definitely serve notice that this is a team capable of duplicating its NCAA showing of a season ago.

2. Kemba Walker catches fire in the second half and leads UConn past Wichita State.
Head coach Jim Calhoun will need Kemba Walker to be a superstar this season if the Huskies are to get back to the NCAA Tournament, so it did him little good to see his point guard on the bench for 16 minutes of the first half against Wichita State. But the junior from the Bronx made up for lost time in the second half, scoring 29 of his 31 points (14-15 FT) in the Huskies' 83-79 win over the preseason favorite to win the Missouri Valley. But credit should also be given to the youngsters who had to step up to keep the Huskies afloat while their leader was on the bench. Jeremy Lamb grabbed a team-best eight rebounds while Shabazz Napier and Roscoe Smith scored 10 points apiece off the bench. Next up for UConn is Michigan State, who struggled with Chaminade before establishing themselves late in the second half in a less than dominant performance. Walker must stay on the floor against the Spartans, and as he showed on Monday when he's out there he can put on quite the show.

3. Fans in Reno and Winston-Salem could be in for a long season.
Nevada (replacing four starters) and Wake Forest (replacing many key contributors and playing under a new head coach in Jeff Bzdelik) were expected to struggle this season. But what they've gone through thus far may be a bit much, as Nevada fell to George Washington 58-56 and the Demon Deacons lost to Winthrop 83-74. Which outcome spells more doom? That's may be Nevada's loss (even though it came at GW) given the fact that the Colonials have consistently been in the bottom half of the Atlantic 10 the last few years. Dario Hunt led the way with 16 points but David Carter's team can ill-afford 0-for-11 nights from Deonte Burton if they're to remain in the top half of the WAC. Wake Forest's issues are on the defensive end, where they allowed Winthrop to shoot 51.6% from the field and 6-for-11 from deep, but augmenting defensive strategies may be easier than finding consistent scorers. Keep an eye on both of these teams as they could be in for a long season.

Top Three Games
1. Connecticut 83, Wichita State 79
2. Duke 82, Marquette 77
3. Grambling St. 77, Southeast Missouri State 76 (OT) Stinks to see games decided by foul calls in the final seconds but that's all the Tigers needed to survive on the road for their first win of the season. Justin Patton led the way with 28 points, 12 rebounds and five assists and Raschard Boatner's free throw with two seconds remaining provided the final margin. The Redhawks, who were down 12 points at the under-4 timeout, were led by Leon Powell (18 points) and Anthony Allison (16 points, 10 rebounds and six assists).

Three Notable Performances
1. G Kemba Walker (Connecticut) 29 of his game-high 31 points came in the second half of the Huskies' win over Wichita State in the first Maui Invitational quarterfinal.
2. F Terrence Jones (Kentucky) 29 points, 13 rebounds and three assists in the Wildcats' 76-64 win over Oklahoma.
3. F Mason Plumlee (Duke) 25 points, 12 rebounds and three assists in the Blue Devils' win over Marquette.

#137 Wake Forest: 2010-11 Basketball Preview

Joel Welser — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 19:36:21 -0700

Overall Rank: #137

Conference Rank: #12 Atlantic Coast Conference

2009-10: 20-11, 9-7

2009-10 postseason: NCAA

Coach: Jeff Bzdelik (First year at Wake Forest, 107-104 overall)

Many thought the hiring of Jeff Bzdelik was an odd one for a program that has had so much recent success and probably could have gotten a bigger name coach. But those who follow college basketball closely already know Coach Bzdelik has worked some miracles in his day, most notably at Air Force. The most important thing for the Demon Deacons new staff was to hold onto their solid recruiting class and that is exactly what Coach Bzdelik has done.

Key Losses: F Al-Farouq Aminu, C Chas McFarland, G Ishmael Smith, F David Weaver, G L.D. Williams

Key Newcomers:

Wake Forest lost a ton of talent and this group of newcomers will all be looking for playing time right away. By most accounts this is a top ten class and the Deacons have every position covered. Point guard Tony Chenault is the least heralded of the newcomers, but should be forced into a role off the bench right away. Shooting guard J.T. Terrell will not be afraid to jump into the starting lineup and hoist up some long balls and that is something this team needs. Travis McKie may be the most talented of the bunch and should flourish in the new up and down offense. Melvin Tabb will give the team another big bodied forward. Carson Desrosiers is a center who wants to be a point guard. Usually that is a bad thing, but in this case the 6-11, 210 pounder has the skills to back it up. And if that was not enough, forward Nikita Meshcharakou will be eligible after the first semester after playing for a year and a half at Georgetown.

Backcourt:

This is suddenly a very young team. Shooting guard Gary Clark is the only senior on the roster and he averaged a mere 9.3 minutes per game in 24 contests last season. His experience will be very valuable, but eventually the newcomers will likely send Clark back to the bench. However, Clark is a good outside shooter when he has the chance. On a poor shooting team, Clark was a nice, consistent option and that could be the case again this year if the youngsters struggle. But the backcourt is really about sophomore C.J. Harris. After averaging 9.9 points per game as a freshman and showing plenty of potential, it is time for Harris to take over the team. Last year Harris was a shooting guard who really did not shoot very well. This year he will likely take over the point guard duties. If he can keep the turnovers down and improve his shooting, he could turn into a great player sooner rather than later. Yet, if there is no help around him, that will make his job much, much more difficult.

Frontcourt:

The other bright spot among the returning players is another sophomore. Ari Stewart never earned a start during his freshman campaign, but he was the team’s most prolific outside shooter. He will need to be more aggressive getting to the basket and use his 6-7 frame to do more than just shoot over the opposition. A year of experience should help in that regard and the Demon Deacons expect big things from Stewart. Without Al-Farouq Aminu and Chas McFarland it would also be helpful if Stewart spent more time in the paint so he could help out on the glass. McKie and the other newcomers will help too, but rebounding should not be an issue on a team that has a couple 6-7 forwards and a 6-4 shooting guard, but it could end up being that way if Stewart spends a majority of his time beyond the arc.

Who to Watch:

The hopeful new star in the post is Tony Woods. At 6-11 and 245 pounds, Woods has the size to make a big difference. When given the opportunity to play last year, Woods did a solid job on the glass and on the defensive end. He could even emerge as a decent scoring threat now that he will actually be looked at to do some scoring at times. He may have to hold off some of the freshmen, but Woods is one of the more experienced players on this team and he should be an unsung hero for Wake Forest, much like McFarland has been for the past couple of years.

Final Projection:

It all depends on the freshmen. Harris and Stewart are a nice core to build around, but they need help and certainly are not proven leaders. This will be a great team soon and Coach Bzdelik will have them playing smart basketball, but it will take at least a year before they are good enough to get back to the NCAA Tournament. Yet, by March this group could be very dangerous and nobody will want to face Wake Forest in the ACC Tournament.

Projected Post-season Tournament: none

Projected Starting Five:

C.J. Harris, Sophomore, Guard, 9.9 ppg

J.T. Terrell, Freshman, Guard, DNP last season

Ari Stewart, Sophomore, Forward, 7.3 ppg

Travis McKie, Freshman, Forward, DNP last season

Tony Woods, Junior, Center, 4.6 ppg

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College Basketball Preview - 144 Teams in 144 Days - Alphabetical Ranks/Previews