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College Hoops Tuesday Recap: Krzyzewski Gets 903rd Victory

Raphielle Johnson — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 02:07:49 -0500

After wins over Belmont and Presbyterian moved Mike Krzyzewski into a tie with Bob Knight for the most wins in college basketball history, many at Madison Square Garden were hoping that the Duke head coach would become the record-holder with a win over Michigan State on Tuesday night. But while some went as far as to almost assume the game to be a coronation of sorts, Tom Izzo's Spartans refused to back down. Michigan State, never a team to back down from a challenge, went toe to toe with Duke in the first half, outscoring the Blue Devils in the paint 16-4 and scoing 15 points off of eight Duke turnovers.

But the first half was ultimately about missed opportunities for Michigan State, who despite those numbers went into the locker room trailing 34-33. Why? Two big reasons: eleven turnovers, and a combined 23 points scored by Duke guards Andre Dawkins (14) and Seth Curry (9). And in hindsight all Michigan State did was delay the inevitable, as Dawkins, Curry and Ryan Kelly kept it going in the second half and helping push the Duke lead out to as high as 20 points with just over nine minutes left in the game. Michigan State refused to fold but it was too little too late in Duke's 74-69 win.

"I thought we were, I don't know, tight or tentative the whole first half," said Krzyzewski of his team's play. "I don't know if the moment was so big or we tried to downplay the moment but then obviously, you all being here, and it's in the Garden and it becomes a big thing."

Michigan State attempted 20 more field goals than Duke on the night, but the Blue Devils more than made up for that at the charity stripe as well as beyond the arc. Duke made 30 of 41 free throws while Michigan State was just 13 of 18, with the Spartans committing eight more fouls (29-21). Duke also outscored Michigan State 30-12 from three, and when the Blue Devils are able to reach such an edge it's nearly impossible to beat them.

Keith Appling bounced back from his performance against North Carolina to lead the way with 22 points and Brandon Wood added 15, but an off night from senior Draymond Green was a major factor as well. Green made just four of fifteen shots from the field, finishing with 10 points, seven rebounds and five turnovers. Kelly defensively was a big key for Duke in controlling Green, a happening that you'd be hard-pressed to expect from the junior in either of his prior two seasons in Durham.

"I thought Ryan Kelly did a good job on Green," remarked Krzyzewski. "I think Green is a heck of a player and went 4-15 and had four turnovers and two assists. I thought Ryan was really good in that second half."

Michigan State dominated the glass on Friday in their loss to North Carolina, but they could do no more than out-rebound Duke by one (32-31) on this night. Dawkins was superb for Duke, finishing with a game-high 26 points while Curry added 20 and Kelly 14, and this trio combined to score 16 points in a 17-4 Duke run early in the second half to take control of the game. The Plumlee brothers may have been quiet and Austin Rivers may have made just one of seven shots, but the veteran trio more than made up for those struggles.

The days in leading up to Duke's next game (Davidson) will likely be spent talking about what this record means and what Krzyzewski means to the sport, and there should be little doubt that a "Mount Rushmore" for college basketball would include the West Point grad along with his college coach. But just as important, if not moreso, is the play of Dawkins and Curry on such a stage.

For all the talk about the newcomers in the backcourt, it's pretty obvious that the experienced members will be just as important (if not more) as the Blue Devils embark on life without Nolan Smith and Kyle Singler. Tuesday night provided an impressive message as to their willingness to be the players Duke looks to for big plays. As for Michigan State, they'll grow from this and be a good basketball team as the season wears on. Appling isn't a true point guard right now and freshman Travis Trice is still learning the ropes. These two games offer great lessons to Izzo's team, and they'll be that much better for it.

"We are going to grow from these two games," said Izzo. "A lot people think we are insane but, we are going to get better from it. We played two very good teams and we are competing more and more. Everybody playing together, I think we are going to get better as a team."

Other Notable Happenings

1. UCLA hit a new low in an 86-66 pasting suffered at the hands of Middle Tennessee.
Well, using the logic that since Middle Tennessee beat a Loyola Marymount team that beat UCLA it wasn't a stretch to expect the Blue Raiders to give the Bruins a good run at the L.A. Sports Arena. Well Kermit Davis' team didn't just give UCLA a run for their money...they ran them out of the arena. Middle Tennessee shredded the UCLA defense with an array of backdoor cuts and drive and kicks for open threes while also thoroughly confusing the Bruins by using multiple defenses on their way to an emphatic 20-point win. Middle Tennessee shot a staggering 71% from the field and 91% from three (making their first nine before finally missing one late) with LaRon Dendy leading five players in double figures with 16 points (and 13 rebounds). If Middle Tennessee can build on this performance keep an eye on them in the Sun Belt.

As for UCLA, where do you start? Defense has been one of the core principles for Ben Howland's program during his time in Westwood, but it was nowhere to be found on Tuesday. Frankly UCLA looked to be unprepared to deal with what Middle Tennessee was throwing at them, and they were getting out-hustled to boot. Of course not having Reeves Nelson (suspension) or Anthony Stover (injury) didn't help matters, but that's no excuse for this kind of loss. And for a team that according to some has the best frontcourt in the Pac-12, why would the Bruins shoot 20 three-pointers (making four)? Joshua Smith led the way with 15 points and nine rebounds, but the fact that UCLA has attempted 35 three-pointers in two games (making six) is exactly why they're 0-2. There's no sugar-coating this: UCLA had better figure things out in a hurry with the Maui Invitational on the horizon.

2. Kentucky uses a strong second half to beat Kansas, and they're only going to get better.
Just like Michigan State in the first game of the Champions Classic, Kansas had every opportunity to go into the locker room with a nice advantage on a team that played a poor first half. And just like the Spartans the Jayhawks allowed that opportunity to slip away, tied at 28 with Kentucky at the break. And sure enough John Calipari's young, talented squad made Kansas pay in the second half, going on an 11-0 run and pushing their lead up to as many as 17 points by the 10-minute mark. Kansas would fight back but they didn't have enough horses as Kentucky put the finishing touches on 75-65 win. Doron Lamb led five Wildcats in double figures with 17 points but the talk of the night (especially in the second half) was freshman Anthony Davis, who finished wih 14 points, seven blocks and six rebounds.

The Chicago native's wingspan and skill set are impressive enough to take over games, and he was part of the defensive effort that made things very tough on Kansas forward Thomas Robinson. Robinson rarely got a chance to go one on one in the post, posting a double-double (11 points, 12 rebounds) but making five of twelve shots. Kentucky had its moment of lackadaisical play, turning the ball over 19 times (Marquis Teague had six and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist five), but when they needed to turn it on in the second half they did. Just imagine this young group consistently playing at a high level. That's a scary thought for much of their remaining schedule.

3. Ohio State beats Florida in Columbus, but that doesn't mean that Florida can't take positives out of the game.
Ohio State was able to rebound from Florida scoring eight of the first ten points of the game behind 21 points from William Buford, beating the Gators 81-74 in front of a packed house at Value City Arena. Ohio State led by as many as 16 points in the second half, but Florida fought back and eventually cut the deficit to five in the final minute as they refused to give in. There are other positives that Billy Donovan's team can take out of the defeat as well, beginning with the play of sophomore forward Patric Young. Young scored 14 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, leading the Gators to a 38-29 edge on the glass despite the presence of Jared Sullinger.

Florida also held a 15-8 advantage in second-chance points, but theses numbers weren't enough to overcome 16 turnovers. Bradley Beal, who led the way with 17 points, turned the ball over five times while fellow guards Erving Walker and Kenny Boynton finished with three apiece. Florida was outscored by 14 points at the foul line but they knocked down 11 of 22 from beyond the arc, and the 14 points scored by Erik Murphy is another encouraging sign. Florida's backcourt prowess is well-known at the early point in the season, but getting 28 points from their starting frontcourt against a Top 5 opponent is something that they should be able to build on.

Quick Hitters

1. While Florida and Kentucky split their games against ranked opponents, neither LSU nor South Carolina did the SEC any favors on the road. LSU visited defending regular season Big South champ Coastal Carolina and left with a 71-63 loss as they were out-rebounded 51-32. Sam McLaurin led the Chanticleers with 16 rebounds. The Gamecocks on the other hand shot 3-for-27 from three in losing 58-53 at Elon. The teams in the bottom half of the SEC are going to need to step up if the conference is to boost its national reputation.

2. There were two impressive road victories in the morning hours of the College Basketball Tipoff Marathon: Drexel pulling away in the second half to whip Rider 80-62 and Kent State winning 70-60 at West Virginia. The Dragons, expected to at the very least contend in the CAA, received 21 points apiece from Samme Givens and Frantz Massenat. Kent State outscored WVU 42-27 in the second half and held the Mountaineers to 36.8% shooting for the game.

3. There are few players hotter than Texas guard J'Covan Brown. Brown scored 35 points to go along with six rebounds, six assists and no turnovers in the Longhorns' 100-90 win over Rhode Island. Brown's averaging 28.0 points, 8.0 assists and 4.0 rebounds per game on the season with just one turnover through two games.

4. How impressive was Memphis in their 97-81 win over Belmont? Will Barton led three starters with 20 or more points with 23 while Joe Jackson accounted for 20 points, seven assists and four rebounds with just two turnovers. Memphis shot 58.6% from the field while their length and athleticism limited the Bruins to 38.8% shooting.

5. Damian Lillard made just four of sixteen shots in scoring 17 points, but that was OK as Scott Bamforth dropped 28 to lead Weber State to a 73-63 win over Utah State in Ogden. The preseason favorites to win the Big Sky made 12 of 23 shots from beyond the arc and forced 15 Aggie turnovers. Weber State visits BYU on December 7th.

Four Notable Performances

1. G J'Covan Brown (Texas)
35 points, six rebounds, six assists and no turnovers in the Longhorns' 100-90 win over Rhode Island.

2. G Dorenzo Hudson and F Dorian Finney-Smith (Virginia Tech)
Hudson finished with 31 points and five rebounds while Finney-Smith added 14 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and two steals in the Hokies' 78-63 win over FIU.

3. F Josh Davis (Tulane)
Davis spearheaded the Green Wave's 96-50 beating of Nicholls State with 23 points, 11 rebounds, four assists and three blocks.

4. G/F James Nunnally and G/F Orlando Johnson (UCSB)
Nunnally scored 21 points and grabbed four rebounds while Johnson scored 24 to go along with eight rebounds and three assists in the Gauchos' 89-56 win over Santa Clara.

Thirty-Two Impact Freshmen, Part Two

Raphielle Johnson — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 00:59:06 -0400

After going over the teams expected to win their regular season titles, we move on to talking about the top freshmen in each conference. Will all automatically take over and become the stars of their respective teams and leagues? It's tough to say at this point in the season, but that doesn't mean that we can't discuss it. Below are the picks for final 16 conferences, and Part One can be found here.

MAC: Kris Brewer (Kent State)
The Memphis native spent last season at Brehm Prep in Illinois, and his presence will add to the options that Rob Senderoff can call upon. The Golden Flashes are expected to contend in the MAC this season due to their returnees, but the ability of a player like Brewer will help as well.

MEAC: Dwight Meikle (Hampton)
Meikle was originally expected to attend St. John's but the school released him from his Letter of Intent in April, clearing the way for Hampton to land a player who could be among the best in the MEAC. Meikle's a versatile wing who can both score and attack the glass, something the Pirates will need if they're to win the MEAC.

Missouri Valley: Christian Kirk (Missouri State)
Kirk had to sit out his senior season due to Missouri transfer rules, but there's no doubt that Missouri State gets a player who is a serious candidate for Newcomer of the Year honors. As a junior at St. Charles (MO) High, Kirk averaged 17.9 points and 8.8 rebounds per game.

Mountain West: Hugh Greenwood (New Mexico)
Big things are expected from the Australian, who many expect to slide right into the starting role left open by the departed Dairese Gary. Greenwood averaged 17.1 points per game for the Australian U-19 team at the U-19 World Championships this summer in Latvia, and at 6'3", 209 he's got the size needed to play the point with a physicality not seen in many freshmen.

Northeast: Andrew Nicholas (Monmouth)
Nicholas has the ability to step in and play right away in the first season of the King Rice era at Monmouth. Nicholas can play both forward positions and is a versatile offensive player, something the Hawks need given their offensive issues last season (averaged just 60.5 points per game).

Ohio Valley: Nino Johnson (Southeast Missouri State)
Getting the Memphis native to commit during the early signing period last season was quite the coup for the Redhawks, who get a 6'8" forward more than capable of contributing immediately. Johnson's physical tools have made him the trendy pick to be the best freshman in the OVC, and it would come as no surprise if he were to make good on the preseason praise.

Pac-12: Josiah Turner (Arizona)
The case could be made that the Sacramento native is the best point guard in the Pac-12 before playing a game in college. He's that skilled, possessing the ability to make plays for himself as well as setting up teammates for quality shots. If Turner performs at the level many expect him to, don't be surprised if the Wildcats win the league.

Patriot: Justin Burrell (Holy Cross)
The Crusaders lost their leading assist man in Andrew Beinert, which could open the door for the 5'8" Burrell. The Virginia native averaged 20.0 points, 8.0 assists and 4.0 steals per game as a high school senior and spent last year at Fishburne Military School in Virginia.

SEC: Anthony Davis (Kentucky)
Davis' upside (not going to go into the overused story of his growth spurt during high school) makes him a candidate to be one of the best players in America and not just one of the nation's best freshmen. The power forward can do a variety of things on both ends of the floor, and his play as a senior earned him a McDonald's All-America Game selection.

Southern: Adjehi Baru (College of Charleston)
With returning starter Willis Hall being lost for the season due to a torn ACL it was critical that the Cougars received some good news from the NCAA on Baru. Thursday brought that news, bolstering the frontcourt of a team expected to once again contend for the SoCon title. Baru averaged 19.0 points, 10.4 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game at The Steward School in Richmond, Virginia last year.

Southland: Luke Mergerson (Texas State)
With just two starters returning the Bobcats will likely need to call on some of their nine newcomers to contribute this year. One of those players is Mergerson, who played at Duncanville (TX) High School. At 6'8", 240, Mergerson has the size needed to be an impact freshman in the Southland Conference.

SWAC: LeAntwan Luckett (Alcorn State)
Luther Riley takes over as head coach at Alcorn State with the hope being that he can turn around a program that won just six game over the last two seasons. Luckett will be a key component for the Braves, as he is a slasher who averaged just under 20 points per game as a high school senior. Luckett received offers from BCS programs but chose Alcorn, and the Braves could benefit greatly from his decision.

Summit: Matt Poches (Oakland)
Given the loss of big man Keith Benson, some may not think that Greg Kampe's Golden Grizzlies can win the Summit League again. But they will be right back in the mix thanks in large part to the number of contributors returning on the perimeter. There lies the problem for a talented player like Poches: when and how often can he get on the floor? But the freshman is athletic enough to help Oakland out if he can earn playing time.

Sun Belt: Mychal Ammons (South Alabama)
Ammons led his Vicksburg (MS) High team to a 6A state title last season, averaging 21.8 points, 8.9 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game as a senior. And as Ronnie Arrow looks to rebound from a disappointing 2010-11 without four starters from that team, players such as the versatile Ammons will need to step up.

WCC: Gary Bell, Jr. (Gonzaga)
Mark Few put together a very good recruiting class and the Kent, Washington native is the centerpiece of it. Bell was the state's Mr. Basketball last year, and he also played on the same Seattle Rotary Select team as Washington freshman Tony Wroten Jr. Bell's versatility on the wing will help account for the loss of Steven Gray and allow the Zags to once again contend for a WCC title.

WAC: Shaquille Stokes (Hawaii)
It's probably a safe assumption that Stokes doesn't have issues with homesickness given the fact that the New York City native picked the furthest possible location to attend college. Stokes averaged 18.4 points and four assists per game as a senior at Lincoln (NY) High, helping lead the Railsplitters to a 29-3 record last season.

Thirty-Two Regular Season Champions, Part Three

Raphielle Johnson — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 13:57:41 -0400

With the college basketball season finally on the horizon, the game that's been overlooked by many in conference realignment will once again have the center stage. Perennial contenders will once again make a run at a national title while some new faces will pop up as well. The first four-part preview will focus on the conferences, and more specifically who will win each of the 32 leagues. After going through parts one and two, the Mid-American through Patriot leagues will be touched on today.

MAC: Kent State
The Golden Flashes will have a new head coach with Geno Ford taking the job at Bradley, but it's not as if introductions were needed. Rob Senderoff, who has been a part of the program since 2002, takes over and he'll have an experienced and talented squad on his hands. Three of the seniors back won individual honors last season: MAC Player of the Year Justin Greene (15.4 ppg, 8.3 rpg), MAC Defensive Player of the Year Michael Porrini (10.1 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 4.3 apg) and MAC Sixth Man of the Year Carlton Guyton (12.4 ppg, 3.8 rpg). Four starters return and newcomers Patrick Jackson (Rutgers transfer) and Chris Evans (JUCO All-America) will provide a boost inside. The MAC race can be unpredictable, especially in the conference tournament, but Kent State looks like a solid choice.

MEAC: Morgan State
Todd Bozeman's Bears finished fourth last season but advanced to the MEAC Tournament final, where they fell to Hampton, and with four starters back they can complete the mission in 2011-12. Interior presence Kevin Thompson (13.1 ppg, 9.1 rpg) has Player of the Year ability, and versatile forward DeWayne Jackson (14.5 ppg, 4.6 rpg) is a 6'8" junior who can do a variety of things on the floor. Jackson's versatility actually isn't rare for the Morgan State team as Aric Brooks, Justin Black and Ameer Ali can all play multiple positions. Senior point guard Larry Bastfield (5.1 ppg, 3.4 apg) will run the show, and his ability to do so will be critical if the Bears are to return to the top of the MEAC.

Missouri Valley: Creighton
Creighton's been the team that's received the bulk of the media attention in the offseason, and rightfully so given the number of talented players back in Omaha. Sophomore Doug McDermott (14.9 ppg, 7.2 rpg) looks to build on a busy summer and a freshman year that saw him become the first freshman to be named First Team All-Missouri Valley since Wichita State's Cleo Littleton in 1951-52. Gregory Echenique (10.5 ppg, 5.8 rpg) will have a full season to play after sitting out the first half of last season after transferring from Rutgers, and guards Antoine Young (13.1 ppg, 5.0 apg) and Jahenns Manigat (5.4 ppg, 2.0 rpg) will also be heard from. Gonzaga transfer Grant Gibbs will also factor into the backcourt rotation, and frontcourt players Ethan Wragge and Will Artino will get the chance to contribute as well. There will be plenty of challenges from the likes of Wichita State, Indiana State and Northern Iowa, but this could be a special season for the Bluejays.

Mountain West: New Mexico
Steve Alford had a young team at his disposal outside of senior point guard Dairese Gary, who is the lone starter not back for a team that won 22 games in 2010-11. But given his impact, why would the Lobos be the favorite in the Mountain West without Gary? Because the returnees, including four starters, are very talented with forward Drew Gordon (13.0 ppg, 10.5 rpg) leading the way. Guards Jamal Fenton (5.4 ppg, 1.9 apg), Kendall Williams (11.6 ppg, 4.0 apg) and Tony Snell (4.4 ppg, 1.9 rpg) all return, and the backcourt will also be bolstered by some highly-touted newcomers. Australian Hugh Greenwood has a wealth of international experience, Arizona State transfer Demetrius Walker is an exceptional athlete and Dominique Dunning can do a number of things on the floor. Alex Kirk and Cameron Barstow will need to help out Gordon in the paint, but the Lobos have all the tools needed to win the conference with UNLV in hot pursuit.

Northeast: Long Island
It took eight seasons at the helm in Brooklyn for Jim Ferry to get LIU back to the NCAA Tournament, but given the talent that returns he may not have to wait for a second trip. The NEC's best frontcourt returns intact with Julian Boyd (13.0 ppg, 8.9 rpg), Jamal Olasewere (12.9 ppg, 6.8 rpg) and Kenny Onyechi (7.4 ppg, 4.2 rpg) all back on campus. Arnold Mayorga, Booker Hucks and freshman Troy Joseph will supply the depth. The question comes in the backcourt, where the Blackbirds have to replace the 21.7 points per game that Kyle Johnson and David Hicks provided. Look for C.J. Garner (9.5 ppg, 3.4 apg) and Jason Brickman (6.2 ppg, 5.5 apg) to see more time together despite the fact that they're both 5'10", with Brickman being the distributor while Garner gets more time off the ball. Michael Culpo is a very good perimeter shooter, and newcomers Gerrell Martin and Brandon Thompson could also factor into the rotation.

Ohio Valley: Tennessee Tech
It's either Tennessee Tech or Austin Peay atop the OVC, with the pick here being the Golden Eagles and their four returning starters. Guard Zac Swansey (9.7 ppg, 6.4 apg), also known as "Big Shot Z" in some circles, will once again run the point with shooting guard Kevin Murphy (17.0 ppg, 4.5 rpg) being the scorer with a variety of offensive skills. First-year head coach Steve Payne has a deep backcourt at his disposal with Zach Bailey and Chase Dunn also at the ready.

The Golden Eagles did lose Alfred Jones in the frontcourt, meaning that there will be chances for reserves to earn more playing time. Terrell Barnes (4.9 rpg) returns after starting 28 games, and how much he can improve offensively (4.1 ppg) could determine where Tennessee Tech finishes. Jud Dillard (11.0 ppg, 5.8 rpg) was Tennessee Tech's leading rebounder last season, and look out for freshmen Javon McKay (redshirted last season) and Lanerryl Johnson on the perimeter.

Pac-12: Arizona
On the heels of winning the final Pac-10 regular season title and losing to eventual national champion Connecticut by two points in the Elite 8, Sean Miller's Wildcats look to build on that success with a highly-touted recruiting class descending upon the Old Pueblo. Guards Josiah Turner and Nick Johnson may get the bulk of the attention, but also keep in mind that they'll have some experienced help/competition as well. Senior Kyle Fogg (8.1 ppg), sophomore Jordin Mayes (4.9 ppg) and junior Brendon Lavender (3.6 ppg) all return and despite the loss of MoMo Jones the Wildcats are better on the perimeter.

Solomon Hill provides a "jack of all trades" option at small forward, and if they can get back Kevin Parrom at some point following a trying off-season Arizona will be even deeper on the wing. Inside returnees Jesse Perry and Kyryl Natyazhko will be joined by freshmen Angelo Chol and Sidiki Johnson, and the goal will need to be "step up what we do well" as opposed to stressing out about "replacing" lottery pick Derrick Williams. The Pac-12 is improving with the likes of Cal and UCLA looking strong, but the Wildcats remain at the head of the class.

Patriot: Bucknell
The Bison have one starter to replace from last year's NCAA Tournament squad, and how they account for the loss of point guard Darryl Shazier could determine whether or not they repeat. Shazier averaged 5.4 assists per game and was second nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio, and Cameron Ayers (7.4 ppg) looks to be the likely candidate to assume that role. The good news for Bucknell: reigning Patriot League Player of the Year Mike Muscala (14.9 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 2.0 bpg) is back for his junior campaign and fellow starters Bryan Cohen (7.0 ppg, 3.9 rpg), Bryson Johnson (11.7 ppg) and Joe Willman (7.6 ppg, 4.6 rpg) return as well. Dave Paulsen will also enjoy the benefit of just one of these players (Cohen) being a senior, which mean that Bucknell will have more than enough left in the stable to get comfortable atop the Patriot League standings.

Next: SEC through WAC

Part One: America East through Big Ten
Part Two: Big 12 through MAAC

Ten Non-NCAA Teams to Watch in 2011-12

Raphielle Johnson — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 02:03:32 -0400

While many tend to ignore the "other" postseason tournaments in March due to the overwhelming popularity of the NCAA Tournament, there's an awful lot to be gained from said events especially if a team has a lot due back the following season. So similar to those bowl games outside of the BCS in college football, teams gain valuable practice and game experience. Below are ten teams (in alphabetical order) who fit the mold, including one that didn't play in the postseason at all, and could make some noise in 2011-12.

(1) Alabama (25-12, 12-4 SEC)
Anthony Grant's Crimson Tide were ultimately done in by a non-conference schedule that featured losses to the likes of Iowa, Providence and Seton Hall, having to settle for a Postseason NIT berth as a result. But they took advantage of the extra games, getting all the way to the title game before falling to Wichita State. While Alabama will have three seniors to replace (Charvez Davis, Senario Hillman and Chris Hines) the top three scorers will be back, including forwards JaMychal Green and Tony Mitchell. Guard Trevor Releford was one of the best freshmen in the SEC this season, and a four-player recruiting class led by guard Levi Randolph and forward Nick Jacobs will likely keep Bama atop the SEC West at the very least.

(2) Baylor (18-13, 7-9 Big 12)
Scott Drew's Bears were arguably the most disappointing team in America, going from a team some thought could make some noise to one that didn't play anywhere in the postseason. The Big 12's all-time leading scorer (LaceDarius Dunn) graduates but with Perry Jones III deciding to return to Waco next season look for high expectations once again. Quincy Acy and Anthony Jones will also return up front, and the addition of guard Deuce Bello and forward Quincy Miller will add even more talent-wise. But the biggest question is point guard play, something that cost the Bears dearly this season. If A.J. Walton and JUCO transfer Pierre Jackson can take care of the basketball look out. But if not, things could get sloppy.

(3) Harvard (23-7, 12-3 Ivy)
Tommy Amaker's Crimson put forth arguably the best season in school history but thanks to Doug Davis' shot at the buzzer that still wasn't enough to get back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1946. But for many who follow the Ivy League 2011-12 was supposed to be Harvard's year, and with everyone expected back that may very well be the case. Kyle Casey and Keith Wright will lead the way up front, and guards such as Oliver McNally, Laurent Rivard and Christian Webster can get it done on the perimeter. Add in the Ivy's best incoming recruiting class that's six-deep and should at the very least offer a challenge in practice, and Harvard could very well end up in the Big Dance.

(4) Iona (25-13, 13-5 MAAC)
Tim Cluess' Gaels picked the wrong time to go cold offensively, struggling to crack the tough Saint Peter's defense in the MAAC Tournament final and ending up in the CollegeInsider.com Tournament as a result. Iona reached the title game in that event as well, losing to Santa Clara but gaining valuable game and practice time as a result. The lone departures will be seniors Rashon Dwight and Alejo Rodriguez, and with point guard Scott Machado and power forward Mike Glover leading the way Iona could be the preseason favorite in the MAAC. The key for the Gaels: defense. If they can defend at a solid clip this will be a tough team to beat given all the offensive weapons at Coach Cluess' disposal.

(5) Kent State (25-12, 12-4 MAC)
Of the ten teams on this list Kent State is the only one to lose it's head coach, with Geno Ford moving on to take the Bradley job. But by no means does that kill the Golden Flashes' chances of getting to the NCAA Tournament. New head coach Rob Senderoff obviously knows the personnel having been promoted from assistant, and with just one of their top five scorers (Rodriguez Sherman) moving on Kent State can win a lot of games next season. Justin Greene and Carlton Guyton are the leading returning scorers, and incoming freshman Kris Brewer should help make up for Sherman's departure on the perimeter. Tough to peg the MAC given its wild nature, but look for the Golden Flashes to be one of the favorites.

(6) Long Beach State (22-12, 14-2 Big West)
Dan Monson's 49ers took on one of the toughest schedules in the nation last season, with Larry Anderson missing a decent portion of that stretch due to injury. But once he returned The Beach took control of the Big West, comfortably winning the Big West regular season title before falling to UCSB in the tournament final. The top three scorers all return and that includes Anderson in addition to guard Casper Ware and forward T.J. Robinson, and another tough non-conference schedule will prepare them for another run through the Big West. But for one-bid leagues one weekend in early March can undo all that hard work, something Long Beach State will be more than aware of.

(7) Montana (21-11, 12-4 Big Sky)
Wayne Tinkle's Grizzlies were one win away from representing the Big Sky in the NCAA Tournament, falling to regular season champ Northern Colorado in the title game on the road. But with the Bears taking on heavy personnel losses it's unlikely they're the preseason favorite to win the league, and with all that Montana has coming back they likely assume that role. The Grizzlies do have to replace big man Brian Qvale but Derek Selvig returns for his senior campaign, and the backcourt should be in good hands with Will Cherry, Kareem Jamar and Art Steward. It should surprise no one if Montana were to be the Big Sky's tournament representative.

(8) Oral Roberts (19-16, 13-5 Summit)
The last two seasons it's been Oakland who has won the Summit League, but despite the return of Reggie Hamilton the Golden Grizzles do have to account for important losses including big man Keith Benson. So who has the good to challenge Oakland if not dethrone them? Scott Sutton's Golden Eagles look to be in good position to do so, with Dominique Morrison leading the way. ORU's top five scorers are all due back and in Morrison they've got a tough scorer who most likely will be the preseason Player of the Year in the Summit League. It should be a good year for the Golden Eagles, and that may be a conservative statement.

(9) Santa Clara (24-14, 8-6 WCC)
There will be two major national storylines in the West Coast Conference to start next season: the arrival of BYU (football independence but all other sports in the WCC) and Gonzaga being the preseason favorite to win the conference. But people had better not ignore Kerry Keating's Broncos, who won the CollegeInsider.com Tournament and replace just one senior of note (Ben Dowdell). Kevin Foster, Evan Roquemore and Marc Trasolini all return for Santa Clara, and they also welcome in a four-member recruiting class with Robert Garrett having the ability to add some interior depth. If anyone in the WCC can prevent Gonzaga from coasting to the conference title it may be Santa Clara.

(10) Wichita State (29-8, 14-4)
Gregg Marshall's Shockers were the preseason favorites to win the Missouri Valley and while they didn't accomplish that feat in either the regular season (Missouri State) or postseason (Indiana State), Wichita State was able to win the Postseason NIT. There will be some key losses, most notably leading scorer J.T. Durley, but given the number of players due back and the offensive balance (eight players scored at least six points per game) the Shockers could make a run at the regular season crown. David Kyles, Toure Murry and Garrett Stutz all return, and with Coach Marshall giving so many guys a chance to play meaningful minutes this year the Shockers should be able to hit the ground running in 2011-12.

Five others: California (18-15, 10-8 Pac-10), UCF (21-12, 6-10 Conference USA), Drexel (21-10, 11-7 CAA), Florida Atlantic (21-11, 13-3 Sun Belt), New Mexico (22-13, 8-8 Mountain West).

Sears BracketBusters Saturday Preview

Raphielle Johnson — Sat, 19 Feb 2011 02:55:10 -0500

Score two wins for the Colonial Athletic Association, with VCU winning at Wichita State and Drexel defending their home floor with a win over Kent State in Friday's Sears BracketBusters contests. VCU needed a pair of Joey Rodriguez free throws with eight tenths of a second remaining to win a game they nearly handed over after leading by nine at the half. Rodriguez racked up 11 assists to go along with 15 points. Bradford Burgess scored 17 to lead the Rams, and Joe Ragland scored 15 to lead the Shockers. Gregg Marshall's team shot just 39% for the game, and if not for VCU getting just eight free throws (18 for Wichita State) the margin is likely larger. As for Drexel Samme Given led five Dragons in double figures with 17 points and 15 rebounds, and defensively they limited Kent State to 35.9% shooting on the night. Two victories that give the CAA a slight bump in the computers could become more valuable as the season approaches Selection Sunday.

The crown jewel of this year's Sears BracketBusters event comes from the West Coast, where Utah State visits Saint Mary's in a game both need for their respective resumes. One could argue that the visiting Aggies (24-3, 12-1 WAC) need a win more, given their 0-2 record in games against teams in the RPI Top 50 and the high probability that this will be their last chance to erase that bagel before Selection Sunday. Saint Mary's (22-5, 10-2 WCC) can at least claim one Top 50 win (St. John's) and they also host Gonzaga in their next contest. While Gonzaga isn't as good as previous editions their presence on Saint Mary's slate outweighs any remaining games on Utah State's schedule.

Randy Bennett's Gaels have yet to lose at home this season, and in addition to the crowd their guard play has been a key reason as to why. Mickey McConnell (16.9 ppg, 6.2 apg) and Matthew Dellavedova (12.7 ppg, 5.4 apg) were crucial factors in the run to the Sweet 16 a season ago and they've had their fingerprints on a number of Saint Mary's victories this season as well. McConnell is likely the favorite at this point to win Player of the Year in the WCC, boasting an assist-to-turnover ratio near 3-to-1 while shooting 52% from the field and 47% from three. How junior Brockeith Pane (10.7 ppg, 3.3 apg) performs in this matchup will have a lot to do with the outcome, and Pane needs to play under control for forty minutes.

Inside Stew Morrill's team will have the size advantage, although Saint Mary's has some solid interior players. But in Tai Wesley (14.3 ppg, 7.9 rpg) the Aggies have one of the premier forwards in the Western United States, and his partners in crime aren't too shabby either. Brady Jardine and Nate Bendall also contribute to a team that has a rebounding margin of plus-8.9 on the season. Saint Mary's with Rob Jones and Mitchell Young won't be as physical up front and they hold a rebounding edge of just plus-3.4, but they'll compete and make things tough on Utah State. If Wesley gets into early foul trouble the edge that the Aggies hold could be neutralized.

Two players to keep an eye on for the Aggies who haven't been mentioned yet: veterans Pooh Williams and Brian Green. Williams averages just under nine points per game but he's a solid defender who does many of the little things on the floor for the Aggies. Green averages 11 points per game off the bench and knocks down 46% of his shots from beyond the arc. Adding in Brady Jardine's contributions off the bench and Coach Morrill has a pair of reserves who can outperform most starters on any given night. And with the Aggies needing a solid resume win to add to their resume both will need to step up in Moraga.

Other televised games to keep an eye on include Vermont at Charleston and George Mason at Northern Iowa, with the road teams being among the hotter clubs in America. Jim Larranaga's Patriots have shown off the value of preseason trips to Europe, as their trek to Italy fostered a level of unity that was nowhere to be found last season. They've won 12 straight games with 11 of the wins by 14 points or more, and while it's tough to knock off UNI in their building Ben Jacobson's group has struggled of late in the Missouri Valley.

As for Vermont, the move by head coach Mike Lonergan to put freshman point guard into the starting lineup for defensive reasons has led to 10 straight wins. But he's in for a challenge with Andrew Goudelock being one of the best scorers in the nation. That being said, Antwaine Wiggins and the other Charleston forwards will need to contend with the tandem of Evan Fjeld and Brian Voelkel, with both likely to clean up come awards time in America East.

Iona visits Liberty with the home team possibly feeling better about their NCAA Tournament chances due to the roster turnover at Coastal Carolina, and two of the better guards around meet in Dayton with Charles Jenkins (Hofstra) and Vaughn Duggins (Wright State) on the same floor. It's always difficult to define the true value of the BracketBusters event but at the least it's one more shot at beating a solid opponent late in the season, and the games tend to provide good entertainment for that reason.

Televised Games
11 a.m. Hofstra at Wright State (ESPNU)
1 p.m. Austin Peay at Fairfield (ESPNU)
3 p.m. Iona at Liberty (ESPNU)
5 p.m. Missouri State at Valparaiso (ESPN2)
5 p.m. Vermont at College of Charleston (ESPNU)
7 p.m. George Mason at Northern Iowa (ESPN2)
9 p.m. No. 21 Utah State at Saint Mary's (ESPN2)
11 p.m. Montana at Long Beach State (ESPN2)
1 p.m. (Sunday) Cleveland State at Old Dominion (ESPN2)

Non-Televised Games
Noon Miami (Ohio) at James Madison
1:05 p.m. Morehead State at Indiana State
2 p.m. Eastern Kentucky at Western Carolina
2 p.m. Canisius at Boston University
2 p.m. Manhattan at Stony Brook
2 p.m. Central Michigan at Niagara
2 p.m. Illinois State at Western Michigan
2 p.m. Northeastern at UNC Asheville
3 p.m. Bradley at Tennessee-Martin
3 p.m. Saint Peter's at Loyola-Chicago
3:05 p.m. Green Bay at Southern Illinois
4 p.m. Delaware at Rider
4 p.m. Delaware State at Tennessee State
4 p.m. Georgia State at Louisiana Tech
4 p.m. Seattle at Northern Illinois
4 p.m. VMI at Morgan State
4:30 p.m. Jacksonville State at Eastern Michigan
5 p.m. Hawaii at UC Davis
5 p.m. UC Irvine at Nevada
6 p.m. Cal State Fullerton at Idaho State
7 p.m. Eastern Illinois at Toledo
7 p.m. Appalachian State at High Point
7 p.m. Ball State at Wofford
7 p.m. Charleston Southern at UNC Wilmington
7 p.m. Creighton at Akron
7 p.m. Hartford at UMBC
7 p.m. Loyola at Towson
7 p.m. Maine at Siena
7 p.m. Milwaukee at Buffalo
7 p.m. Ohio at Winthrop
7 p.m. Radford at William & Mary
7:05 p.m. Bowling Green at Youngstown State
7:30 p.m. Davidson at Presbyterian
7:30 p.m. New Hampshire at Marist
8 p.m. Evansville at Murray State
8 p.m. Pacific at Oral Roberts
8:05 p.m. Detroit at Drake
8:30 p.m. Northern Colorado at New Mexico State
8:30 p.m. Sacramento State at Southeast Missouri State
8:30 p.m. Gardner-Webb at Tennessee Tech
9 p.m. Idaho at Montana State
10 p.m. Cal State Northridge at Eastern Washington
10 p.m. UC Riverside at Fresno State
10 p.m. Boise State at UC Santa Barbara
10 p.m. Northern Arizona at Cal Poly
10 p.m. Weber State at San Jose State

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#105 Kent State: 2010-11 Basketball Preview

Joel Welser — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 21:57:12 -0400

Overall Rank: #105

Conference Rank: #3 Mid-American Conference

2009-10: 24-10, 13-3

2009-10 postseason: NIT

Coach: Geno Ford (43-25 at Kent State, 94-57 overall)

After finishing with an impressive 24-10 overall record in Coach Geno Ford’s second year at the helm of Kent State, the Golden Flashes have some rebuilding to do. However, despite the loss of a bulk of their production last year, this is not a team that should fall too far. Another conference championship may be asking too much, but a postseason berth is not.

Key Losses: G Tyree Evans, F Frank Henry-Ala, G Mike McKee, F Anthony Simpson, G Chris Singletary

Key Newcomers:

The four junior college transfers will have the biggest impact on the team this year, but four freshmen will also be competing for serious playing time. Perhaps the most intriguing prospect is 6-6 forward Robert Johnson. He could stretch out the defense with his outside shooting ability from the four spot or do a little bit of everything at the small forward position. His lack of experience may keep him on the bench at the beginning of the year, but he may be too talented to keep there by the time the conference season heats up. Mark Henninger and Darius Leonard will add some more depth to the frontcourt, while Eric Gaines will battle with an already talented backcourt for playing time during his freshman campaign.

Backcourt:

Kent State returns a proven scorer and a player with plenty of promise to the perimeter. Rodriguez Sherman is not the greatest shooter around, which is a problem that plagued KSU all of last year, but he is a good all-around scorer. Sherman can attack the basket with ease and even dished out 3.0 assists and grabbed 4.0 rebounds per game last season. As the only senior on the roster, Sherman will have to become the leader on and off the floor. Randal Holt was hindered during his freshman campaign with injuries, but the 6-1 guard showed plenty of potential. Ideally, Holt will be able to run the point and Sherman can work at his more comfortable two guard position. Even if Holt is not running the show, he is a capable player who should at least begin the season in the starting lineup as long as he is healthy.

Frontcourt:

If Kent State could return one player from the team, they would probably pick Justin Greene. The 6-8, 225 pound junior is coming off of a superb season in which he led the team in points, rebounds and blocks. Greene has developed into a great big man who stays under the basket and works hard to create shots for himself. Greene is even a superb free-throw shooter and connected on a smooth 80.0 percent of his attempts from the charity stripe. For a big guy who many opponents have no choice but to foul, that is a big plus. Unless an outside shooter steps up, the opposing defense will be able to key in on Greene, so it is important that the Golden Flashes find a shooter, not to mention another forward, to keep the pressure off of Greene.

Who to Watch:

Most of the holes will be filled by the junior college transfers. DeAndre Nealy, a 6-6 forward out of Mott Community College in Michigan, could step into a starting position right away. He may be a little undersized for a power forward, but he will throw his 230 pound frame around and grab his fair share of rebounds. Nealy is also surprisingly athletic and a superb shot blocker. While Greene did lead the team in blocked shots a year ago, he is not that much of a defensive threat. Nealy could fix that issue. Justin Manns, a 6-11 center who redshirted last season, will add more depth to the frontcourt. The backcourt gets a couple impact players as well. Michael Porrini could be running the point from day one if Holt is best utilized elsewhere and Carlton Guyton might just be the best newcomer on the team. Guyton is a superb athlete who is already a proven scorer from anywhere on the floor. At 6-4, Guyton has the size to play the small forward position where he can help out on the glass and knock down some long balls.

Final Projection:

It may take some time for this group to come together and be a team. With so many new faces that is bound to happen. However, there are plenty of options for Coach Ford and having Sherman and Greene to build around is not a bad place to start. This will be a dangerous team by March, but their early growing pains will likely keep them out of MAC title consideration. But just wait until 2011-2012 if you want to see a great Kent State team and this year should be a building block to the perceived future success.

Projected Post-season Tournament: CBI/CIT

Projected Starting Five:

Randal Holt, Sophomore, Guard, 3.9 ppg

Rodriquez Sherman, Senior, Guard, 10.6 ppg

Carlton Guyton, Junior, Guard, DNP last season

DeAndre Nealy, Junior, Forward, DNP last season

Justin Greene, Junior, Forward, 13.6 ppg

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

2010 CollegeHoops.net Mid-Major All-Americans

CHN — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 14:47:23 -0500

Being the best player on a Top 15 team is a recipe for earning CollegeHoops.net's Mid-Major Player of the Year honors. Gordon Hayward averaged 15.4 ppg, 8.5 rpg, and 1.8 apg in leading Butler to a 28-4 record. He's joined on the Mid-Major First Team by CAA Player of the Year Charles Jenkins, Cornell leader Ryan Wittman, and big men Keith Benson of Oakland and Art Parakouski of Radford.

Butler has three players on the list: Hayward, 2nd teamer Shelvin Mack, and Honorable Mention Matt Howard. Other teams with multiple players include Cornell (Wittman & Jeff Foote), IUPUI (Alex Young & Robert Glenn), Northeastern (Matt Janning & Chaisson Allen) Siena (Ryan Franklin & Ryan Rossiter),

CollegeHoops.net Mid-Major Player of the Year:

Gordon Hayward, Butler, So

CollegeHoops.net First-Team Mid-Major All-America
G Charles Jenkins, Hofstra
G Gordon Hayward, Butler
G/F Ryan Wittman, Cornell
F Keith Benson, Oakland
C Artsiom Parakhouski, Radford

Second-Team Mid-Major All-America

G Shelvin Mack, Butler
G CJ McCollumn, Lehigh
F Kenneth Faired, Morehead St
F Alex Young, IUPUI
C Adnan Hodzic, Lipscomb

Third-Team Mid-Major All-America
G David Kool, Western Michigan
G Damian Lillard, Weber St
F Marqus Blakely, Vermont
F Larry Sanders, VCU
F Alex Franklin, Siena

Fourth-Team Mid-Major All-America

G Gerald Lee, Old Dominion

G Matt Janning, Northeastern

F Tyren Johnson, Louisiana-Lafayette
F Charles Garcia, Seattle
F Orlando Johnson, UCSB

Honorable Mention

Chaisson Allen, Northeastern

Noah Dahlman, Wofford
Rahmon Fletcher, UWGB
Jeff Foote, Cornell

Robert Glenn, IUPUI

Andrew Goudelock, Charleston

Joseph Harris, Coastal Carolina
Marquez Haynes, UT-Arlington

John Holland, Boston U

Reggie Holmes, Morgan St

Anthony Johnson, Montana

Matt Howard, Butler

Jeremy Lin, Harvard

Ashton Mitchell, Sam Houston St

Derek Needham, Fairfield

TJ Robinson, LBSU

Ryan Rossiter, Siena
David Schneider, William & Mary

Chris Singletary, Kent St
AJ Slaughter, Western Kentucky
Ben Smith, Jacksonville
Ryan Thompson, Rider

G Dominic Waters, Portland St

Kent St 2010 NIT Capsule

Joel Welser — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 21:24:18 -0500

Kent State Golden Flashes

Mid-American Conference (23-9, 13-3)

Big Wins: 11/14 UAB (72-65), 12/29 vs Wofford (73-66), 3/5 at Akron (74-61)

Bad Losses: 11/15 Green Bay (86-87), 1/12 at Miami Oh (53-55), 1/17 Bowling Green (70-76)

Coach: Geno Ford

Why They Can Surprise:

This was supposed to be a down year for the Mid-American Conference’s most dominating team for the last decade. As it turns out, there really are not any down years for Kent State. Coach Geno Ford has done a tremendous job in just his second year as the head coach of the Golden Flashes turning some inexperienced players into seasoned veterans. And, as usual, it all starts on the defensive end. This is a group that will generate a ton of turnovers and rarely commit many themselves.

It all starts with Chris Singletary. Not only is he a fine scorer averaging 12.0 points per game, but Singletary is arguably the best defender in the conference. At 6-4 he has the size to cover the best opposing player in nearly every circumstance and that is what he has done all year long. Singletary has also turned into a superb floor leader and dishes out 4.1 assists per game. The return of Rodriquez Sherman, who missed all of last season with an injury, makes the perimeter defense even better. Sherman is also a quality ballhandler and has turned into a rather dynamic scoring threat. Tyree Evans usually does not give up the ball once it is in his hands, but the senior, along with Mike McKee, is one of the team’s outside shooting threats and yet another solid defender.

Why They Can Disappoint:

This would be a really good team if they had a little more size in the paint. Frank Henry-Ala is the usual starting power forward, but he is just 6-5. While Ala is a good athlete and rebounder, his lack of size can cause problems against certain teams. Anthony Simpson has more size at 6-8 and is a much better scorer, but he spends a lot of time out on the perimeter. That is great for the offense to have a big guy who can step away from the basket and make shots, but again it causes problems on the defensive side of the floor. The other option is to play Brandon Parks. While he is not a great scorer or rebounder, Parks is an experienced 6-10, 270 pound senior who can eat up a lot of space in the paint.

Who To Watch:

If Parks is at the center spot that would move Kent State’s leading scorer, Justin Greene to the power forward position. Greene is leading the team in both scoring, rebounding and shot blocking and his emergence has saved the frontcourt. At 6-8 and 230 pounds, Greene has enough size to dominate the paint against most MAC opponents, but he may need to play the power forward position a little more against bigger teams and that means Simpson and Parks better be ready for an increased role.

Probable Starters:

Chris Singletary, Senior, Guard, 12.0 ppg, 4.1 apg, 1.9 spg

Tyree Evans, Senior, Guard, 9.8 ppg, 2.8 rpg

Rodriquez Sherman, Junior, Guard, 10.7 ppg, 3.1 apg, 4.2 rpg

Frank Henry-Ala, Senior, Forward, 3.6 ppg, 3.6 rpg

Justin Greene, Sophomore, Forward, 13.7 ppg, 6.8 rpg

Key Roleplayers:

Randal Holt, Freshman, Guard, 3.6 ppg, 1.4 apg

Mike McKee, Senior, Guard, 6.4 ppg, 1.2 apg

Brandon Parks, Senior, Center, 2.6 ppg, 2.4 rpg

Anthony Simpson, Senior, Forward, 8.9 ppg, 5.8 rpg

By the Numbers:

Scoring Offense: 70.5 (134^th in nation, 3^rd in conference)

Scoring Defense: 64.0 (62, 4)

Field-Goal Percentage: 43.6 (168, 3)

Field-Goal Defense: 42.4 (134, 6)

Three-Point Field Goals Per Game: 5.6 (224, 9)

Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage: 32.4 (226, 7)

Free-Throw Percentage: 68.1 (199, 6)

Rebound Margin: 1.6 (131, 4)

Assists Per Game: 13.1 (166, 6)

Turnovers Per Game: 12.3 (61, 1)

Follow Joel Welser's Postseason Capsules & College Basketball Previews on Twitter @Joel_Welser and on his Facebook page. Joel will be back in June for his annual Top 144 Teams in 144 Days preview on CollegeHoops.net

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MAC Quaterfinals Recap: Favorites Fall & Double-OT

Brendan Bowers — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 04:14:55 -0500

Brendan Bowers will be in Cleveland all week covering the MAC Tournament for CollegeHoops.net.

Upset of the Day: Ohio Bobcats beat Kent State 81 – 64

In my preview I predicted that regular season champion Kent State would ‘have no trouble with this Bobcat group’ in their opening round match-up. No sooner did I post that then did a friend of mine - an OU grad - text me the following: ‘Bowers, the odds of Kent beating OU by more than 5 are slim. Honestly, the Bobcats are very dangerous and I think they will win.’ Turns out, Kent did have a lot of trouble with this Bobcat group, and OU did win. The results of which were my feasting on crow throughout his numerous text messages during the latter stages of the game. And by a lot of trouble, I mean Kent got steam-rolled.

Armon Bassett dominated the game by way of a stat line that read 38 points and 5 rebounds as he led his OU squad to the improbable upset over the top-seeded team in the tournament – their first win in three tries against Kent this season. He had help too. Teammate DeVaughn Washington came off the bench to capitalize on the space being created by the attention paid to Bassett on the offensive end, and he went 8 for 8 from the field on his way to 19 points and 8 rebounds. With 5:26 left in the first half he caught a pass from Bassett and dunked it home to give OU a commanding 32-15 lead. From there - despite a 22-9 run by the Flashes to open the second half that cut the lead to 3 (49-46) – the Bobcats would play Kent even, and win the game by that same 17-point margin (81-64).

Kent State’s Chris Singletary led the Golden Flashes with 19 points, but struggled from the free throw line, and ended up fouling out with 2:52 left in regulation as his team trailed 70-60. Anthony Simpson scored 12 points and grabbed 8 rebounds for Kent as well, but it wasn’t enough as their dreams of an NCAA berth ended two days before the conference title game. Kent fell to 23-9 on the season, and will be forced to settle with a berth in the NIT. The Bobcats moved to 19-14 with the win, and will face Miami tomorrow in the semis.

OU’s Armon Bassett on his production offensively: “They [Kent State] really like to get up in you and pressure you defensively and that plays into my game. I like penetrating, and I was able to get by them and really get going tonight.”

Game of the Day: Akron beats Eastern Michigan in Double OT 97-89

With 6:41 left in regulation Akron’s Chris McKnight hit a three to put Akron up by 10 (61-51) over Eastern Michigan. Five and a half minutes later, EMU’s Carlos Medlock connected on a three of his own which capped a run by the Eagles that brought them all the way back and gave them a lead of 71-69. From there, madness ensued, as if it wasn’t crazy enough already. Chris’ brother, Brett McKnight, converted a lay-up for Akron with 31 seconds left in the second half to tie it at 71, and the Zips would get one last stop as regulation expired to force OT. But it wouldn’t stop there.

The first OT looked like it would end by way of an upset after EMU’s Jay Higgins converted a triple try with 8 seconds left to give his team a lead by as many points. With one tick remaining however, Akron’s Steve McNees would express his own desire to play one more session. With no timeouts, and his team trailing by three, he pulled up on an off-balanced three with two defenders on him while drifting to his left…and he nailed it. You can call it the shot of his life, and they played another overtime.

This time, in the second OT, the Eagles just ran out of gas. Akron would get up by as many as 10 before eventually hanging on to an 8 point win. The loss should do nothing to diminish the effort by Eastern Michigan’s Carlos Medlock however, who was flat-out amazing. If a player ever has a chance to win the MVP of the tournament despite his team losing in the quarterfinals its Medlock. He played all but two minutes of the entire game – 48 total minutes – and he scored 41 points while grabbing 8 rebounds and dishing out 3 assists in his final game as senior. He defined the often used cliché of leaving it all on the floor, and his epic effort was not lost on those in attendance. Teammate Brandon Bowdery kicked in 21 points and 14 rebounds as EMU closed out their season with a record of 17-15. Akron moved to 23-9 with the 97-89 victory, and was paced by McNees’ 18. Anthony “Humpty” Hitchens also scored 16 for the Zips, as they now appear the clear-cut favorite to win it with Kent State out of the way. They’ll face Western Michigan tomorrow.

Akron’s Steve McNees on his thoughts leading up to his OT three: “The first thing I thought was I was pretty disappointed he [ Higgins ] made his. I knew I had to get it [my shot] up quick, we had no timeouts. I like shooting it going to my left, so I just tried to go that way and get it up.”

Recap: Western Michigan 69 – Central Michigan 60

Central Michigan was the two-seed as the MAC quarterfinals tipped off this afternoon, and for the first half they played like it against the 7^th seeded Chippewas. They held conference POY David Kool to 2 points on 0-4 shooting from the field during the first half, and at halftime, CMU led 31-22. They led by as many as 11 in the first half, and with 13:42 left in the second half they would lead by as many as 14 after Amid Rashid (14 points) hit a jumper to make the score 49-35. From that point on though, Western Michigan’s Kool played the way his name would describe, and when he hit a jumper with 4:44 in the game he’d tie the score at 54 apiece. Kool would then captain a 15-6 charge to close it out, and finish with 26 points on 7 of 15 shooting en-route to a nine point victory. Kool also had 4 rebounds and 3 assists for the game while scoring 24 points in the second half, and teammate Flenard Whitfield had a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds as well. CMU was paced by Robbie Harman who scored 20 on 7 of 17 shooting from the field, and Jordan Bitzer kicked in 15 points and 4 rebounds as well in defeat. Western Michigan will play Akron in the semis on Friday.

Recap: Miami 73 – Buffalo 59

Sitting behind a contingent of Buffalo fans I never realized – until midway through the second half – just how catchy the phrase ‘let’s go Buffalo’ really is. Say it a couple times to yourself, its catchy, trust me. Nevertheless, despite the urgings from the Buffalo faithful, the Bulls wouldn’t have enough tonight in the last of four quarterfinal games at the Q. Miami led by 11 at halftime (32-21), and never allowed the Bulls to get anything going. Leading scorer Rodney Pierce was held to 2 of 8 from the field in the first half, and finished with 12. On the flip-side, Charlie Coles’ Redhawks squad was paced by fellow first- team all MAC selection - Kenny Hayes – who scored 27 and did just about anything he wanted to all night. Miami stretched the lead out to 11 (68-57) with two minutes to go, and the game was never as close as I thought it’d be. Julian Mavunga finished with 14, and Cleveland native Nick Winbush finished with 11, as Miami now readies themselves for a match-up with OU in the semis.

Friday’s Semi-Finals Match-Ups:

Akron vs. Western Michigan (Prediction: Akron)

Ohio vs. Miami (Prediction: Ohio)

My prediction record in the tournament thus far is 2-2. I’ll keep you posted going forward. For in-game updates tomorrow during the semis, follow Twitter @StepienRules.

MAC Tournament: Game by Game Preview

Brendan Bowers — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 11:11:10 -0500

Brendan Bowers will be in Cleveland all week covering the MAC Tournament for CollegeHoops.net.

The quarterfinals of the Mid American Conference tournament are set to tip-off at Quicken Loans Arena on Thursday, and the 8-team field is set. A profile of those participating in the playoff that will inevitably send one team to the largest of all collegiate dances is below. My initial thoughts and predictions on the tournament are included as well, however, as my credentialed coverage of the games get underway this weekend, I do reserve the right to change my predictions in accordance with the actual outcomes.

That said, the teams, conference records, and profiles – in order of match-ups / game times – are below:

#7 Western Michigan (8-8) vs. #2 Central Michigan (9-7) - 12 pm on Thursday

Western Michigan: The Broncos are led by Senior, and Conference POY, David Kool who led the MAC in scoring with 22 ppg. He also had four games of 30 or more, and is currently the leading scorer in school history…so he’s good. Martelle McLemore and Flenard Whitfield also average double figures in scoring at 11.7 and 10.2 per game respectively and Donald Lawson leads the team on the glass (7.2 rpg). Western ended their season winning three of their last four while playing some of their best basketball of the season at just the right time.

Central Michigan: The Chippewas, winners of the MAC West Division, are paced by senior guard Robbie Harman who’s definitely a guy that needs to be paid attention to on the perimeter. Harman has hit an average of 3.5 three-pointers per game this season, totaling 101 on the year. His 17.8 ppg lead CMU, and his backcourt mate Jordan Bitzer comes in averaging 15 points and 5 rebounds per game in conference as well. But while the MAC West title is certainly an accomplishment, it’s worth noting that CMU’s 9-7 mark would have been good enough to tie them for third with two other teams out East.

Prediction: If an 8-8 team beating a 9-7 one isn’t exactly worthy of an upset nod, a seven seed beating a two during the opening round of a tournament would be. So call it a big upset …I guess… as Western Michigan moves on past Central behind a big night from Kool.

#6 Eastern Michigan (8-8) vs. #3 Akron (12-4) - 2pm on Thursday

Eastern Michigan: Senior Guard Carlos Medlock was amongst those receiving votes for the conference POY award this season, and his 16 points per game total only one more (500 total points) than the 499 scored by teammate Brandon Bowdry who also averages 16 per. Bowdry also leads the team in rebounds at 10 per game, and those two guys were the main reasons why EMU had a look at the MAC West title down the stretch, as their Eagles narrowly lost out by one game.

Akron: Senior Forward Jimmy Conyers was named the MAC’s Defensive POY and offensively, there’s a lot of different ways these Zips can beat you. Three guys - Chris McNight, Brett McNight, and Jimmy Conyers - average between 10 and 12 points respectively in conference, with Conyers leading the way at 12. All three though, including Anthony Hitchens and Steve McNees, are capable of having a big night for Coach Dambrot’s club at any time. Conyers also leads the way on the glass, averaging 7 per game, and don’t be surprised if the Zips find a way to win this whole thing, and punch their ticket.

Prediction: Some people said that the loser of last week’s Akron – Kent State game would actually put themselves in a better position for this tournament with respect to the quarterfinal and semi-final match-ups, and for the second time this season, Akron did lose to Kent. Not saying seeding’s the reason why, but the Zips certainly don’t find themselves in all that bad of a spot as a result. Look for Akron to take care of Eastern Michigan in this one, and move on to Friday.

#9 Ohio (7-9) vs. #1 Kent State (13-3) - 7pm on Thursday

Ohio: Bobcat Guard DJ Cooper was named Freshman of the Year for the regular season by way of 13.5 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. It would be through his youthful direction that the Bobcats will look to follow their opening round win with a ‘biggest in school history type upset’ of the Golden Flashes on Thursday. Armon Basset (15.5 ppg) and Steve Coleman (11.3) will be critical as well if the lowest seeded team in the field has a shot to up-stage the highest.

Kent State: Golden Flashes Coach Geno Ford earned COY honors and Chris Singletary (11.7 ppg) was edged out in the POY race by 7 votes. Teammate Justin Greene (13.9 ppg) finished third in that same balloting, and those two make up four of the KSU starters that average between 10 and 14 points per game. Rodriguez Sherman and Tyree Evans round out that group with 10 points apiece per game. Anthony Simpson was the 6^th MOY, and on paper this squad should have been the regular season champs that they were.

Prediction: Kent Coach Geno Ford will match-up against his alma mater in his opening round attempt towards adding a tournament title to the 4^th regular season crown in school history they earned this season. His Flashes should have no trouble with this Bobcat group he once ran the point for, and Kent will cruise here in probably the most lopsided game of the tournament.

#5 Buffalo (9-7) vs. #4 Miami (9-7) - 9pm on Thursday

Buffalo: Senior guard Rodney Pierce leads the charge for Buffalo and his Bulls will go as far as his 18 points per game scoring can take them. He’ll be aided in his efforts by teammate Calvin Betts who’s scoring and rebounding at rates of 11 and 7 per night. This team was 18-11 overall, and their conference mark would have won the division had they been out West. Not a team to sleep on to be sure.

Miami: Despite a losing record overall (13-17), the Redhawks turned in solid conference effort to earn the four seed in this tournament. They’re paced by Kenny Hayes at over 14 points and 3 assists per contest and Julian Mavunga also boast a double digit average with 10. Junior Guard Nick Winbush (9.8 ppg) will return home to Cleveland for this one, where he was a two-time All Ohio Selection during his prep career at Shaker Heights.

Prediction: As much as I’m thinking to say that Charlie Coles’ club edges out Buffalo in a tight one, I’m picking the Bulls to advance. Rodney Pierce will prove to be too much as the Bulls get the win, and a shot at Kent State next time out.

Overall Tournament Predictions:

· Sleeper Team: Western Michigan

· Finals Match-Up: Kent State vs. Akron

· Tournament Champs: Akron

Look for more blogs, sound bites, recaps, and predictions on all MAC tournament action right here as the games get underway on Thursday. For the latest also feel free to follow me on Twitter @StepienRules… I promise I’ll follow you back.