Lamar

Jon Teitel's "Coaching Greats": Lamar and Houston's Pat Foster

Jon Teitel — Sat, 30 Jun 2012 14:54:24 -0700

In the latest installment in his "Coaching Greats" series CHN writer Jon Teitel spent some time with Pat Foster, who went 134-39 in six seasons at Lamar. From there Foster went on to Houston, where he led the Cougars to multiple NCAA tournament appearances. Before becoming a head coach Foster was an assistant at his alma mater (Arkansas) under Eddie Sutton, and the Razorbacks reached the Final Four in 1978.

Jon Teitel: You were an All-SWC basketball player at Arkansas and played first base on the baseball team. Which sport did you like more, and which one were you better at?

Pat Foster: I liked basketball better because I was more successful at it, but I like baseball as well and have been a baseball fan ever since.

JT: You spent eight years as an assistant to coach Eddie Sutton with fellow assistant Gene Keady at your alma mater, where you helped recruit guys like Sidney Moncrief. How were you able to convince Moncrief to come to Arkansas?

PF: Moncrief, Marvin Delph and Ron Brewer came here because every time one of the assistants went into a meeting that is what we focused on. A lot of times the person who gets credit for recruiting a player is not the person who actually makes it happen. I introduced Sidney and Ron to the program, and Marvin's high school coach and I were friends. I used some contacts that I had in Little Rock who helped convince Moncrief to come here. There are many factors that go into recruiting so I cannot take all the credit.

JT: One of your former players at Arkansas was Houston Nutt, who later became a successful Division I football coach. What was he like as a basketball player, and did you ever imagine that he could become an SEC football coach?

PF: I could see it. I really liked him and I knew his dad. He was a really quick basketball player and could handle the ball. He was fancy before fancy was popular: no-look passes, behind-the-back dribbles, etc. He was not a great shooter and got caught behind a perimeter that was well-stacked. He did not play a lot but was easy to coach, as his dad was a coach as well.

JT: What are your memories of the 1977 NCAA tournament (after finishing the regular season at 26-1, Arkansas suffered a six-point loss to Wake Forest thanks to 26 points [10-17 FG] from Rod Griffin, and Sutton was so upset by that loss that he allegedly refused to speak to any of the players over the following summer)?

PF: That story about Sutton is not true. I had a lot of tough losses but that one is still in the Top 5 for me, even though I was just an assistant. It was a sad time for us because we led by 14 in the second half. It was a brutal situation but Eddie did not take it out on his players.

1978 NCAA tournament

JT: Delph had 23 points and ten rebounds while playing all 40 minutes in a four-point win over UCLA. What was the mood of the team before facing the legendary Bruins, and what did you learn from the 1977 tournament that helped you in 1978?

PF: Experience calms a player down and also gives them confidence. I feel that the 1977 loss helped us win in 1978. We were not cocky at all but were supremely confident...and damn good! The five starters fit together very well even though none of them were alike as basketball players. Jimmy Counce and Moncrief were the two best leaders I was ever around as players. Moncrief made himself a great player: he was only a 6-4 post player in high school. Sutton coached the game based on tough defense. If they drove to the basket then we would pop them.

JT: Regional MVP Brewer hit a 25-foot shot with just over one minute left to clinch a three-point win over Fullerton, during which NBC broadcaster Al McGuire labeled Brewer, Delph and Moncrief the "Triplets". How good a shooter was Brewer, and how did the guys like the nickname?

PF: They liked the nickname just fine. They had supreme respect for authority. Brewer's shot was more like a 17-20 footer. Fullerton came back down the floor and Brewer made a great defensive play to knock the ball loose.

JT: Tourney MOP Jack Givens had 23 points and nine rebounds in a five-point win by eventual champion Kentucky. How devastating was that loss, and where does that Kentucky team rank among the best you have ever seen?

PF: Any loss is a bad loss but it was not a devastating, hang-your-head loss because they were better than we were. Eddie instilled in his players that they had to play to the best of their ability for as long as they could. We really did all that we could do against Kentucky.

JT: Coach Sutton called for a "Brewer Special", so Brewer backed down Bill Hanzlik and made a turnaround jumper at the buzzer in a two-point win over Notre Dame in the third-place game to finish the season 32-4 and tie the then-NCAA record for most wins in a season. Where does Brewer's shot rank among the most clutch you have ever seen, and what was the reaction like when it went in?

PF: At that point in our development as a program it was a real big shot. I do not say this a lot but Brewer might be the most talented player I was ever around. He was a great jump shooter but could also take it to the rim over a bigger player.

1979 NCAA tournament

JT: Steve Schall had 18 points (9-9 FG) and eight rebounds in a win over Weber State after you had beaten them in the first round of the 1978 tournament. Was Schall just "in the zone" that night, and do you think Weber was getting sick of playing you every year in the tourney?

PF: Probably. Current UCLA coach Ben Howland played for Weber State that year. That was probably Schall's best game.

JT: Moncrief had 27 points and 12 rebounds while playing all 40 minutes in a win over a Louisville team that won the NCAA title the following year. What made Moncrief such a great player, and could you tell at the time that Denny Crum had the pieces in place to make a long run in the tournament the following season?

PF: After Louisville won the title in 1980 Crum told me that he used Moncrief as an example of a guy who could score against anybody. "Possessed" is the best word I could use to describe Moncrief in big games. He just refused to let us lose. He was not the kind of guy who would talk in the huddle, he just led by doing it. Our lanky freshman Scott Hastings dunked a ball in the Louisville game that goes down in my memory as one of the biggest plays I have ever seen.

JT: Larry Bird had 31 points and ten rebounds while playing all 40 minutes in a two-point win by eventual runner-up Indiana State. Was Bird as unstoppable as he seemed, and was he the best opponent you ever faced?

PF: He was the best I ever faced and the most outstanding college basketball player I have ever seen in person. He was like Pistol Pete but under control. God he was great!

JT: What are your memories of the 1981 NCAA tournament in your first year as head coach at Lamar (Lamar beat Missouri by four, but Rudy Macklin scored 31 points in a win by 1-seed LSU)?

PF: We did as well as we could. LSU ended up making it all the way to the Final Four. Missouri had some great players like Jon Sundvold and Steve Stipanovich, but they had a bad game while we shot the lights out. We were the closest thing toGonzaga at that time in terms of a mid-major who could win games in the tournament.

JT: What are your memories of the 1983 NCAA tournament (Lamar beat Alabama then fell to Villanova by two)?

PF: The Alabama game was one of the best games that we ever played. Alabama had won the SEC title but before they knew it we had beat them. The conference tournaments have given the mid-majors a better shot of pulling an upset.

JT: The following season you had a three-point loss to Karl Malone's Louisiana Tech team which snapped Lamar's 80-game home court winning streak at the Beaumont Civic Center (which was the longest in the nation). How close did you come to winning that game, and what was the reaction like after the streak ended?

PF: It was a last-second deal. We had a 6-9 guy named James Gulley who could take it inside and score on Malone, but one great player will beat three good ones every time. Several years later Malone saw me in the airport, walked up to me and said, "Have you talked to Gulley lately?!"

JT: After previously withdrawing your name from consideration as a replacement for the retiring legendary head coach Guy Lewis at Houston, you changed your mind and accepted their offer. Why did you withdraw your name at first, and what made you later change your mind?

PF: I withdrew because they would not make a decision as to whether they wanted me or not. They later came back to me with an offer that I could not refuse. Guy Lewis is one of the nicest coaches I have ever met and was nothing but professional.

JT: What are your memories of the 1990 NCAA tournament (Carl Herrera scored 19 points in a four-point loss to UCSB)?

PF: That is one of my Top 5 worst and is probably equal to the Wake Forest loss. It hurt me really bad. A lot of the Houston fans switched their allegiance from the Cougars to the Rockets once Hakeem Olajuwon left the former for the latter.

JT: In 1992 you were named Southwest Conference Coach of the Year. What did it mean to you to win such an outstanding individual honor?

PF: I did not remember that. I guess it is better than not getting it! I took every game as an Arkansas assistant coach as personally as if I was the head coach because all of my friends were there. When you win a game or an award you just worry about what you will do next to keep it going, and that pressure is what eventually breaks coaches down.

JT: What are your memories of the 1992 NCAA tournament (Jon Barry scored 17 points in a five-point Georgia Tech victory)?

PF: Bobby Cremins beat me. We had them beat even though they had a few future pros on that team (including Travis Best and Matt Geiger), but could not hang on for the win. They hit an amazing three-pointer towards the end. If you coach long enough you will win games you are not supposed to win...but then it will turn on you!

JT: You had three players who were in the 1992 Olympics: Carl Herrera (Venezuela), Rolando Ferreira (Brazil), and David Diaz (Venezuela). How were you able to recruit so many foreign players, and what impact do you think foreign players will continue to have on college basketball in the 21st century?

PF: A lot, I hope. Many of those guys are throwbacks to the 1970s in terms of fundamentals because the foreign coaches have learned a lot after decades of clinics run by American coaches. Recruiting is the dark side of sports and has ruined a lot of good players, but foreign players were not scarred by that at all. I have always had a great feeling for foreign players and like to see them get the opportunity to come here and play. It is impossible to judge eligibility because some of them get money for playing on club teams. The system is different.

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

PF: I have thought about this more than you think. I have some regrets that I did not really do as much for my players as I should have. Winning becomes everything and the pressure to keep winning and supporting the program caused me to worry. Instead of chewing a kid's rear end out I should have had more compassion for the pressure that they were under. After he went to the NBA, Moncrief said that it would be great if coaches could remember how hard it is to play and if players could remember how hard it is to coach.

Foster is also on Jon's list of best coaches in Southland history.

Central Arkansas: Don Dyer (1979-1993) 285-145, 3 conference titles, 3-time conference COY
Lamar: Pat Foster (1980-1986) 134-49, 2 NCAA tourneys, 3 conference titles
McNeese State: Ralph Ward (1952-1971) 282-194, 6 conference titles, 1 NAIA title
Nicholls State: Rickey Broussard (1990-2002) 150-183, 2 NCAA tourneys, 2 conference titles, 3-time conference COY
Northwestern State: Mike McConathy (1999-present) 200-204, 2 NCAA tourneys, 3 conference titles, 2-time conference COY
SE Louisiana: Billy Kennedy (1999-2005) 80-92, 1 NCAA tourney, 2 conference titles, 1-time conference COY
Sam Houston State: Bob Marlin (1998-2010) 225-131, 2 NCAA tourneys, 4 conference titles, 3-time conference COY
Stephen F. Austin: Danny Kaspar (2000-present) 219-136, 1 NCAA tourney, 2 conference titles, 1-time conference COY
Texas A&M CC: Ronnie Arrow (1999-2007) 134-91, 1 NCAA tourney, 1 conference title, 1-time conference COY
Texas State: Mike Miller (1994-2000) 87-79, 1 NCAA tourney, 2 conference titles, 1-time conference COY
UT Arlington: Eddie McCarter (1992-2006) 179-211, 1 conference title
UTSA: Tim Carter (1995-2006) 160-152, 2 NCAA tourneys, 1 conference title, 1-time conference COY

Jon Teitel's Coaching Greats: Lamar, Oklahoma and TCU's Billy Tubbs

Jon Teitel — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 16:47:49 -0700

In the most recent installment in his "Coaching Greats" interview series CHN's Jon Teitel caught up with Billy Tubbs, who led three different schools to the NCAA tournament during his career. At TCU Tubbs won 156 games, leading the Horned Frogs to their last NCAA appearance (1998) during his time in Fort Worth. Also to his credit are multiple tournament appearances at both Lamar and Oklahoma, losing to Kansas in the 1988 national title game when at OU.

Jon Teitel: You were an All-American guard at Lon Morris JC, where you helped the Bearcats to the NJCAA semifinals. How good a player were you back then?

Billy Tubbs: I was an okay player who played on some good teams. I also played at Lamar where I was an average player at best.

1979 NCAA tournament (head coach at Lamar)

JT: Clarence Kea had 33 points and a tournament school-record 19 rebounds in 33 minutes in an eight-point upset of Detroit. What made Kea so unstoppable?

BT: He was a real tough kid who played hard. He was an undersized post man but was physically and mentally strong.

JT: Magic Johnson had a triple-double (13 points, 17 rebounds and ten assists) in a win by eventual champion Michigan State. Could you tell at the time that Magic was going to become a star?

BT: Magic was an All-American that year and it was quite obvious that he was a special player.

1980 NCAA tournament

JT: Mike Olliver had a tournament school-record 37 points in a one-point win over Weber State on its home court. How much of a home-court advantage did the Wildcats have, and how were you able to hang on for the win?

BT: Anytime you are playing a ranked team on their home floor it is a big advantage for them, but our guys accepted the challenge. We had a big lead and barely hung on to win the game, which helped us in the next game.

JT: Cestrakiah Lewis had 11 points and 11 rebounds in a four-point win over Oregon State, which is still the highest-ranked Division I team ever beaten by Lamar. Where does that win rank among the best in your career?

BT: That has to be one of the highlights, without question.

JT: In 1983 after becoming coach at Oklahoma you spent two weeks in intensive care after being hit by a car. How close did you come to dying, and what impact did that incident have on your life (if any)?

BT: I had a severe concussion and some pelvic injuries so I missed the last several games of the season. Many people thought that I would never coach again, but I was able to prove that I could make it back to the sideline.

JT: What are your memories of the 1984 NCAA tournament (Roosevelt Chapman scored 41 points in 40 minutes in a four-point Dayton upset victory)?

BT: We played pretty well but just could not stop Chapman. We had a first-round bye which is something I never wanted because they often led to upsets.

1985 NCAA tournament (at Oklahoma)

JT: Karl Malone had 20 points and 16 rebounds, but Wayman Tisdale made a turn-around eight-foot shot that bounced several times on the rim before going in with three seconds left in a two-point win over Louisiana Tech. Did you think that Tisdale's shot was going in, and was it extra-special to beat Coach Andy Russo after he said you reneged on a contract to play the first-ever game in Louisiana Tech's new arena three years before?

BT: Russo and I had played against each other back in college but the special thing was just to win the game. The fact that the shot rolled around the rim for a couple of seconds really helped us because Louisiana Tech did not have a chance to come down the court and respond.

JT: Keith Lee had 23 points and 11 rebounds in a two-point Memphis victory. How close did you come to winning that game?

BT: It could have gone either way at the end but Memphis made plays and we did not.

1987 NCAA tournament

JT: Tim McCalister had 28 points in a three-point win over Pittsburgh after Demetreus Gore and Jerome Lane each missed three-point shots in the final seconds. Did you think that you were headed to overtime?

BT: I just remember beating them. It was kind of an upset.

JT: Kevin Gamble had a career-high 26 points (11-13 FG) and made a 21-foot shot with two seconds left in a two-point overtime win by Iowa. Where does Gamble's shot rank among the most clutch you have ever seen?

BT: The thing I remember is that we ran a good out-of-bounds play that was set up to take a charge, but the ref made a no-call even after our guy got ran over.

JT: What are your memories of the 1988 NCAA title game (tournament MOP Danny Manning had 31 points and 18 rebounds in a four-point Kansas victory)?

BT: It was a hard-fought game. The whole Final Four process was very exhausting, especially talking to the media. We played the late game on Saturday and I think we were tired by Monday night.

JT: During a 1989 Oklahoma/Missouri game you picked up the microphone and told your fans to stop throwing things on the floor no matter how bad the referees were. Why did you do that, and would you do the same thing if you had it to do all over again?

BT: Probably. The refs were the ones who told me to tell the fans to stop throwing stuff.

JT: What are your memories of the 1989 NCAA tournament (Stacey King had 28 points and ten rebounds in a one-point win over #16-seed ETSU)?

BT: We were very lucky to win. The only time we had the lead was at the end of the game.

JT: What are your memories of the 1990 NCAA tournament (Rick Fox scored 23 points and made a leaner off the glass at the buzzer for a two-point North Carolina victory)?

BT: It was very unusual because even though we were the #1-seed we had to play a great team like North Carolina in the second round (they were the #8-seed). There were a couple of bad calls late. I could not say it back then, but I can say it now!

JT: What are your memories of the 1998 NCAA tournament as coach at TCU (Lee Nailon scored 32 points before fouling out in a nine-point loss to Florida State)?

BT: Florida State played exceptionally well. We had a good inside game but we were below-average from the perimeter. We had a really good year but could not get the win.

JT: You were known for having a high-scoring offense and full-court-pressing defense. How did you decide to use those styles, and why were they so effective?

BT: I liked to coach that way because that is how I had success as a player (in terms of offense). I think our defense was always underrated. It was a very hard defense to play against because we tried to cover 100% of the floor. It was a simple case of risk/reward and was great when it worked for us. That was how I believe the game should be played, and it attracted attention. Our fans liked it because it was fun to watch and it helped our recruiting because guys wanted to play for us. We recruited players who could run, jump and shoot. The main reason I played that style is because we could win that way!

JT: You are one of a handful of coaches in NCAA history to record 100 wins at three different schools. How were you able to have so much success at so many different programs?

BT: I considered myself a program-builder: I never inherited a lot of great teams. I liked to take programs that people said would not succeed and then show them that they could. When I left Lamar coach Pat Foster inherited a great team and took them to the NCAA tournament.

JT: Your son Tommy played point guard for you at Oklahoma and was an assistant coach for you at Lamar. What was it like to coach your own son, and how proud are you of all his success?

BT: It was great to coach Tommy. However, he is the only player who I ever thought I was unfair to: he probably deserved more playing time. The 1 thing that hurt Tommy is that I did not want to be like the little league baseball dad who let his son play the entire game...or at least that is what his mother always tells me!

Tubbs is also on Jon's list of best coaches in Mountain West history.

Air Force: Bob Spear (1957-1971) 165-166, 2 NCAA tourneys
Boise State: Bobby Dye (1983-1995) 213-133, 3 NCAA tourneys, 2 conference titles, 3-time conference COY
Colorado State: Jim Williams (1954-1980) 352-293, 4 NCAA tourneys, 1 conference title
New Mexico: Dave Bliss (1988-1999) 246-108, 7 NCAA tourneys, 1 conference title, 2-time conference COY
San Diego State: Steve Fisher (1999-present) 258-160, 5 NCAA tourneys, 3 conference titles, 1-time national COY, 1-time conference COY
TCU: Billy Tubbs (1994-2002) 156-95, 1 NCAA tourney, 1 conference title, 1-time conference COY
UNLV: Jerry Tarkanian (1973-1992) 509-105, 12 NCAA tourneys, 12 conference titles, 1 NCAA title, 1-time national COY, 8-time conference COY
Wyoming: Everett Shelton (1939-1959) 328-201, 8 NCAA tourneys, 8 conference titles, 1 NCAA title

No Suspense in Dayton on Wednesday Night

Raphielle Johnson — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 21:56:36 -0700

After the wild doubleheader that took place at UD Arena on Tuesday night college basketball fans were due for a letdown. That's exactly what happened on Wednesday as Vermont and USF won their games in comfortable fashion, paring the field down to 64 teams.

Four McGlynn scored 18 points in 27 minutes off the bench and Brian Voelkel provided his customary all-around game with 12 rebounds and seven assists to lead the Catamounts to the 71-59 win over Lamar. Vermont's award for the second NCAA tournament win in program history is a matchup with Midwest Region top seed North Carolina on Friday in Greensboro.

"I got into a really good flow," said McGlynn. "My teammates, I have to give credit to them, because they're the ones, especially Brian Voelkel who gives me the ball in spots I'm wide open. It's easy to knock down open shots, especially when you're getting great passes."

The first half boiled down to the simple fact that Pat Knight's Cardinals couldn't make shots, whether that was because of them missing good looks or the more likely reason that Vermont played well defensively. Lamar shot just 29% from the field in the first half, trailing 30-21 as a result. Lamar would shoot slightly better in the second half but so would the Catamounts, who knocked down 54.5% of their shots in the final 20 minutes.

Mike James and Devon Lamb scored 16 points apiece to lead the Cardinals, who were unable to take advantage of 19 offensive rebounds. Lamar outscored Vermont 16-8 in second chance points, but that was nullified and then some by the Catamounts' 35-5 edge in bench points.

Lamar entered Wednesday having won six straight games, playing inspired basketball after their seniors were called out by Knight on February 22nd. But they were unable to get going offensively against a Vermont team that limits opponents to 40.5% shooting, and that proved to be their downfall.

The second half of the doubleheader was about over by the under-8 timeout in the first half. USF was able to get just about whatever look they wanted against California, and their length and size on the defensive end proved to be too much for the Golden Bears. Cal took five minutes to score and they went into the locker room down 36-13 at the break.

A late run provided a deceiving 65-54 final score, with the Bulls picking up the first NCAA tournament win in school history. Victor Rudd Jr. led four Bulls in double figures with 15 points and five rebounds, and point guard Anthony Collins added 12. Collins may have had just one assist but Toarlyn Fitzpatrick and Hugh Robertson combined to dish out seven.

Rudd was also productive on the defensive end as he was the primary defender on Allen Crabbe. Crabbe finished with ten points on 3-of-14 shooting, and as a team the Golden Bears made just 36.2% of their shots compared to USF shooting 57.1%. Say what you will about the Pac-12 but that shouldn't take away from how well the Bulls played, looking like a team more than capable of beating Temple on Friday night in Nashville.

"I like what Coach said about getting in your breath and making you uncomfortable. That's what I tried to do to him," said Rudd of his strategy in guarding Crabbe. "I shadowed him wherever he went, and I didn't want to give him a good look off of it."

Player of the Night: USF G Victor Rudd (15 points, five rebounds and limited Cal's Allen Crabbe to 3-of-14 shooting)

Stat of the Night: Lamar shot 33.3% on the night. During their six-game win streak going into Wednesday they shot at least 42% in every game.

Making history: USF picked up the school's first-ever NCAA tournament win, leaving Northwestern and Nebraska as the lone BCS AQ conference members still without one.

Vermont vs Lamar: First Four Prediction

Greg Mengelt — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 23:42:43 -0700

(16) VERMONT vs. (16) LAMAR: MIDWEST REGION

Records

Vermont 23-11, 13-3 America East (Conference Tournament Champions)

Lamar 23-11, 11-5 Southland Standings (Conference Tournament Champions)

Time: 6:30 p.m.

TV: TruTV

Location: University of Dayton Arena in Dayton, Ohio

RPI Ratings

Vermont 140

Lamar 108

Line: Lamar -3½ (O/U TBA)

Players to Watch

Vermont: F Matt Glass, 6-8 Sr. (11.9 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 46.4% FG); G Four McGlynn, 6-2 Fr. (12 ppg, 1.1 apg, 38.7% 3s); F Brian Voelkel, 6-6 So. (4.8 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 5.2 apg). Voelkel is one of the most interesting players in the country. He struggles to shoot and score, shooting 34 percent from the field and 20 percent from the 3-point line, but at 6-6, he’s an exception passer and rebounder.

Lamar: G Mike James, 6-1 Sr. (17.2 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 2 apg); G Anthony Miles, 6-1 Sr. (14.5 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 4.1 apg); G Devon Lamb, 6-2 Sr. (11.9 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 1.7 spg). James was the difference in the Cardinals' Southland championship game win over McNeese State. He finished with 28 points, nine boards and three assists as Lamar drubbed the Cowboys 70-49.

Why They're Dangerous

Vermont: Vermont plays exceptional defense, allowing opponents to shoot just 44.3 percent from the floor and 36.4 from the 3-point line against it. It will attempt to keep the game slow and limit Lamar’s offensive possessions. The Catamounts are outstanding from the foul line (74.2 percent), which could be big in what should be a close game. Vermont also protect the basketball, turning it over just 12 times per game. After opening the season 4-7, Vermont closed with 17 wins in its last 19 games.

Lamar: Lamar has a talented trio of senior guards with James, Miles and Lamb. The have as much experience as any team in the tournament. What the Cardinals do well on the floor is two things. First, they rebound. They had a plus-5.2 rebounding margin and the 19^th-most offensive rebounds per game at 14. They are 10^th in total rebounds nationally and they rebound 37.5 percent of their own misses. Despite their deep shooting woes, Lamar is solid from the free throw line. It makes 72.1 percent of their charity shots. Its 601 free throws made is seventh nationally.

Why They're Vulnerable

Vermont: The Cats struggle from the floor at times, particularly from the 3-point line (34.6 percent). In their tourney championship win over Stony Brook, they made just 18-of-43 shots from the field. The Catamounts, who were 198^th in the nation in scoring (67.2 per game), have a minus-1.6 rebounds per game and their assist-to-turnover ratio is just 1.07-to-1. Vermont gets just 6.2 steals per game and force only 12.1 turnovers per contest. The squad is young with Glass the only senior seeing significant floor time.

Lamar: Like Vermont, the Cardinals struggle to shoot from outside of the paint. They shot just 43.5 percent from the floor and 33.8 from the 3-point line. Lamar made 149 3-pointers. That’s 314^th in the country.

The Bottom Line: The America East is probably better than the Southland and the Cardinals had five Southland losses. Leaning Vermont, particularly with the points.

The Pick: Vermont 59, Lamar 55

(Winner would face North Carolina, Friday in Greensboro, N.C.)

Greg Against the Spread This Season: 198-148-6

Conference Finals Predictions: Big 12, Big East, Pac-12 & More

Greg Mengelt — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 23:52:34 -0800

Our g ame prediction guru Greg Mengelt has been on fire this year. Here are is predictions for Saturday's conference championship game. Read more about Championship Week at CollegeHoops.net.

AMERICA EAST FINAL: AT STONY BROOK

(2) Vermont (22-11, 13-3) at (1) Stony Brook (22-8, 14-2)

Tipoff: 11:02 a.m. TV: ESPN2. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 2 – Stony Brook 65-59; Feb. 12 – Vermont 68-49. RPI: Stony Brook 141, Vermont 156. Analysis: Vermont has been great for the last month-and-a-half and will break the hearts of the Seawolves home faithful. Line: Stony Brook -3½. Pick: Vermont 63, Stony Brook 58.

BIG 12 FINAL: AT KANSAS CITY

(2) Missouri (28-4, 14-4) vs. (4) Baylor (27-6, 12-6)

Tipoff: 6 p.m. TV: ESPN. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 21 – Missouri 89-88*; Feb. 11 – Missouri 72-57. RPI: Baylor 8, Missouri 17. Analysis: I picked Baylor the first two times. Sticking with the Bears. Pick: Baylor 79, Missouri 74.

BIG EAST FINAL: AT NEW YORK CITY

(4) Cincinnati (24-9, 12-6) vs. (7) Louisville (25-9, 10-8)

Tipoff: 9 p.m. TV: ESPN. Regular-season meetings: Feb. 23 – Cincinnati 60-56. RPI: Louisville 18, Cincinnati 40. Analysis: Louisville’s stifling defense has carried the Cardinals this far. A Big East title is next. Pick: Louisville 59, Cincinnati 53.

BIG WEST FINAL: AT ANAHEIM

(1) Long Beach State (24-8, 15-1) vs. (2) UC-Santa Barbara (20-9, 12-4)

Tipoff: 10 p.m. TV: ESPN2. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 21 – Long Beach 71-48*; Feb. 22 – Long Beach 70-58. RPI: Long Beach 38, UCSB 126. Analysis: Do you think the 49ers have been looking forward to this game for a full year? They want blood – and they’ll get blood. Pick: Long Beach State 75, UC-Santa Barbara 54.

CONFERENCE USA FINAL: AT MEMPHIS

(1) Memphis (25-8, 13-3) vs. (6) Marshall (21-12, 9-7)

Tipoff: 11:35 a.m. TV: CBS. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 28 – Memphis 83-76; Feb. 25 – Memphis 87-67*. RPI: Memphis 16, Marshall 39. Analysis: The Memphis we’ve seen since the beginning of February is the Memphis we expected to see all season. Line: Memphis -9½. Pick: Memphis 90, Marshall 69.

MAC FINAL: AT CLEVELAND

(1) Akron (22-10, 13-3) vs. (3) Ohio (25-7, 11-5)

Tipoff: 8 p.m. TV: ESPN2. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 14 – Akron 68-63; Feb. 26 – Ohio 85-61. RPI: Akron 50, Ohio 68. Analysis: Ohio had a disappointing regular season. It will be a memory because the Bobcats are going dancing. Pick: Ohio 75, Akron 68.

MEAC FINAL: AT WINSTON-SALEM, N.C.

(2) Norfolk State (24-9, 13-3) vs. (4) Bethune-Cookman (18-16, 11-5)

Tipoff: 1 p.m. TV: ESPN2. Regular-season meetings: Feb. 25 – Norfolk State 75-72*. RPI: Norfolk State 134, B-C 243. Analysis: Norfolk is the class of the MEAC. Pick: Norfolk State 78, Bethune-Cookman 66.

MOUNTAIN WEST FINAL: AT LAS VEGAS

(1) San Diego State (26-6, 10-4) vs. (2) New Mexico (25-6, 10-4)

Tipoff: 7 p.m. TV: NBC Sports Network. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 18 – San Diego State 75-70*; Feb. 15 – New Mexico 77-67*. RPI: San Diego State 22, New Mexico 34. Analysis: How good did the Pack look in a virtual road game on Friday? Whoa! Pick: New Mexico 79, San Diego State 73.

PAC-12 FINAL: AT LOS ANGELES

(4) Arizona (23-10, 12-6) vs. (6) Colorado (22-11, 11-7)

Tipoff: 6:10 p.m. TV: CBS. Regular-season meetings: Jan 21 – Colorado 64-63; Feb. 9 – Arizona 71-57. RPI: Colorado 77, Arizona 84. Analysis: How does the Pac-12 deserve more than one team? Anyway, this one is a toss-up. Pick: Arizona 63, Colorado 58.

SOUTHLAND FINAL: AT KATY, TEXAS

(3) Lamar (22-11, 11-5) vs. (4) McNeese State (17-14, 10-6)

Tipoff: 3 p.m. TV: ESPN2. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 11 – McNeese 57-54; March 3 – Lamar 78-68. RPI: Lamar 118, McNeese 177. Analysis: Did you see what the Cowboys did to the UTA, which dominated the league all season? Take the points. Line: Lamar -5½. Pick: McNeese State 71, Lamar 69.

SWAC FINAL: AT GARLAND, TEXAS

(1) Mississippi Valley State (20-12, 17-1) vs. (2) Texas Southern (17-14, 13-5)

Tipoff: 8 p.m. TV: ESPNU. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 23 – MVSU 77-69 (OT)*; Feb. 20 – MVSU 56-53. RPI: MVSU 153, Texas Southern 231. Analysis: Valley wins, but the Tigers cover. Pick: Mississippi Valley State 60, Texas Southern 59.

WAC FINAL: AT LAS VEGAS

(2) New Mexico State (25-9, 10-4) vs. (5) Louisiana Tech (18-15, 6-8)

Tipoff: Midnight. TV: ESPN2. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 7 – NMSU 83-73*; Feb. 4 – NMSU 83-72. RPI: New Mexico State 69, Louisiana Tech 170. Analysis: Been saying all year that the Aggies would win this tournament. Nevada’s elimination only solidifies that. Pick: New Mexico State 84, Louisiana Tech 72.

Daily Conference Poll: Who Will Win the Southland?

Shawn Siegel — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 08:25:58 -0800

Southland Basketball Preview: 08-09

CHN — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 07:17:58 -0800

Conference Rank: 21st

10 year average: 27th

Southland Conference Page

All-Southland Team
Pos.	Player	Team	Yr.

G	Devin Gibson	Texas-SA	So
G	Josh Alexander	SFA	Sr
G	Kenny Dawkins	Lamar	Sr
F	Anthony Vereen	Texas-Arlington	Sr
F	Matt Kingsley	SFA	Sr
CHN Award Winners		Returning Leaders
Mid-Major All-Americans Josh Alexander Devin Gibson		Points: Josh Alexander 16.0 Rebounds: Brandon Bush (Tex St) 7.2 Assists: Eric Bell (SFA) 5.7

Southland Standings
Nat'l	Team	League	Tourney

84	Stephen F. Austin	Southland	1	NCAA
133	Lamar	Southland	2
150	Texas Arlington**	Southland	3
187	Sam Houston St	Southland	4
230	McNeese State	Southland	5
242	Northwestern St	Southland	6
250	Texas San Anton	Southland	7
257	SE Louisiana	Southland	8
272	TAMU CC	Southland	9
277	Texas State	Southland	10
294	Nicholls State	Southland	11
312	Central Arkansas	Southland	12

*Click on links for full Top 144 team preview

** returning conference champion

Poll: Who Do You Think Will Win the Southland? (soon)

Other SLC Content

Conference Media/Coaches Poll

Other

Rise & Fall: Southland

State of 08: Texas

State of '08: Texas

Shawn Siegel — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 18:15:15 -0700

Duke or Carolina? BC or UMASS? Gonzaga or Washington.. or Washington State? What is the best program in each state? While there's not much competition in Hawaii.. there are great debates to be had in loaded regions like California, North Carolina, and Texas. The State of '08 is a ranking of every program in every state.. based mostly on recent success (the last five years) mixed in with subjective factors such as conference prestige, historical success, and overall program direction.

For more info, check out the State of '08 introduction.

TEXAS

TEXAS - Easy one here. Texas has made ten straight NCAA Tournaments under Rick Barnes, and have reached the Sweet Sixteen or better fives times.

TEXAS A&M - From 1988 to 2004, A&M was a horrendous BCS program that managed justt one NIT appearance. But thanks to Billy Gillispie, A&M has won at least 20 games and made the postseason in four straight seasons. The future of the program is a bit less certain under Mark Turgeon.

TEXAS TECH - In Bob Knight's six full seasons, the Red Raiders made 4 NCAA Tournaments and reached the NIT semifinals. Last year's team was destined to miss the postseason regardless of who the coach was, and its hard to project what type of coach Pat Knight will be.

BAYLOR - Scott Drew took over a broken program at the start of the 03-04 season, but has managed to turn things around. Last year the team won 21 games and reached the Big Dance. Many pundits expect a Top 25 squad this year. Not bad considering the 21-53 record from '04 to '07.

UTEP - Since 2004, a year after Billy Gillispied took over, UTEP has made two NCAA Tournaments and the CBI. The Niners should once again make a postseason push (probably NIT or CBI) in 2009.

6. HOUSTON - Its been over 15 years since Houston last made the NCAA Tournament, but Tom Penders teams have been consistently competitive. His four teams have all won at least 9 games in Conference USA, and 3 made the postseason (2 NITS and the CBI last year).

7. NORTH TEXAS - Johnny Jones has quietly transformed UNT from a consistent loser into a consistent winner. The Mean Green made the Big Dance in 2007 after rolling through the Sun Belt Tournament, and were solid last year, going 17-11 against D1 teams. Once again in 2008, North Texas should be dangerous in league play.

8. SAM HOUSTON STATE - Last year's Bearkats fizzled out after a great start, and late-season SLC tournament success has been hard to come by recently. But overall, this has been the most consistently solid SLC team over the last decade, and one of the only league teams capable of knocking off big-name non-conference opponents.

9. RICE - The program finally parted ways with 16-year coach Willis Wilson, whose teams varied from good to horrible and anywhere in between. From '03 to '05, the Owls finished in the RPI Top 100, but have gone steadily downhill since. Last year's 3-27 finish was an unfortunate end to Wilson's tenure.

10. STEPHEN F AUSTIN - SFA's great 26 win season, which included wins over Oklahoma and Top 100 San Diego, came out of nowhere considering the Lumberjacks were a sub-200 RPI team the previous three seasons. SFA is the 2009 favorite to accomplish what they couldn't last year, winning the Southland tournament.

11. TEXAS A&M-CORPUS CHRISTI - Ronnie Arrow did a masterful job in his tenure at TAMU-CC, turning a green D1 program into a 20-win program. But after making the Dance in 2007, Arrow left, and its hard to tell whether the program can regain a decent level of success under Perry Clark.

12. TCU - In six seasons under Neil Dougherty, TCU never finished over .500 in either the CUSA or MWC, although the 2005 team did sneak into the NIT. Former Kent State coach Jim Christian was hired in the off-season to turn things around.

13. LAMAR - In the last 7 seasons, Lamar has finished .500 or better in the SLC six times, but have never really been able to put together a dangerous postseason run.

14. UT-ARLINGTON - After making the NCAAs last year, UTA is once again one of the league favorites. In the previous 9 seasons though, the Mavs won just a single SLC Tourney game.

15. SMU - The last time SMU was any good was 2003, and the last time SMU was Tournament good was 1993. Matt Doherty was brought in to turn things around, but his teams have gone 7-25 in CUSA play.

16. UTSA - Once one of the more consistently solid Southland teams, UTSA simply hasn't been good the past few seasons. A 2009 .500 finish in the league would be a step in the right direction.

17. UTPA - Considering they've been stuck as an independent for a decade now, UTPA's minimal success isn't that bad. They've been able to beat a good amount of the in-state Southland members over the years, but haven't beaten a Top 200 team since December of 2004.

18. TEXAS STATE - In '06 & '07, this was one of the worst programs in the country, with just 8 D1 wins. That makes last year's 10-16 D1 record shockingly good.

19. TEXAS SOUTHERN - After winning the SWAC in 2003, there hasn't been much to cheer about at Texas Southern. The team has hovered around 300 in the RPI.

20. PRAIRIE VIEW - Like Texas Southern above, Prairie View hasn't been good since 2003.. but unlike Texas Southern who has at least been decent in SWAC play, the Panthers have been atrocious.

*Houston Baptist will also join D1 this season

Last: Tennessee - Next: Utah

State of '08: The Introduction (& State list/links)

2008-09 Lamar Basketball Preview: #133

Joel Welser — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 08:22:09 -0700

Lamar Cardinals

Overall Rank: #133

Conference Rank: #2 Southland

2007-08: 19-11, 13-3, 1^st East

2007-08 postseason: none

Lamar was playing some great basketball in February, but unfortunately for fans of the Cardinals that did not last into March. Still, Coach Steve Roccaforte’s team ended up with a 13-3 conference record and a share of the Southland title. But for this year there is quite a bit of rebuilding to do from a team that many considered to overachieve. Ending up on the top of the standings this year will not be any easier than it was last year, but there is a solid foundation to build around.

Who’s Out:

The loss of Lamar Sanders is big. It was not just his 11.7 points or 7.0 rebounds or 1.3 blocks per game that made him a valuable asset to the team, but he was the leader on the floor. Without part-time starters Currye Todd, Darren Hopkins and Matthew Barrow, the team will need to find some more shooters to fill in on the perimeter.

Who’s In:

And perimeter players are exactly what Lamar’s recruiting class has plenty of. Anthony Miles is a quick point guard who will push the ball in transition but remain under control. He will have a couple years before he is expected to step into the starting lineup, but getting some quality minutes from him off the bench as a freshman would be beneficial. Brandon Moton could be the shooter the team needs on the wing. The junior college transfer can consistently knock down the long ball and, at 6-5, can provide some much needed help on the glass. Charlie Harper excels in open court play and that makes him a good fit at Lamar. The 6-4 shooting guard has a nice mid-range game and will score from anywhere on the floor. Skyler Williams, another junior college transfer, does not have the size that Moton and Harper have, but he is a quick player and can be an explosive scorer. Shane Mahoney returns after missing last season with an injury and will add even more depth on the perimeter.

Who to Watch:

The recruiting class has yet to address the need for a big man. Forward Justin Nabors is expected to perform well during his senior campaign after averaging 11.2 points and 6.4 rebounds last season, but he needs some help. Tristan Worrell took over the starting job at the five spot by the end of last season, but he is not much of a scoring threat. Neither is Lawrence Nwevo. Coy Custer, a 6-10 sophomore, could be the answer, but he only made ten appearances last year. If Coy can develop into a decent big man off the bench, it would at least give the team some options. Jay Brown and Ashton Hall will probably fill in at the small forward spot, but could spend some time at the four when Nabors needs a rest. A lot of these guys were seeing their first playing time last year at Lamar, whether out of high school or the junior college level, so improvement is a possibility. And time is almost out for junior college transfers like Brown and Worrell. If somebody can turn from a newcoming roleplayer into a leading veteran, preferably one of the centers, then the Lamar frontcourt will be decent.

Final Projection:

Meanwhile the backcourt, well Kenny Dawkins, has to carry the Cardinals. After averaging 14.6 points and 4.5 assists his first year at Lamar via Arizona Western College, Dawkins is the uncontested leader of the team. He is a superb shooter and knocked down 42.0 percent of his attempts from long range. He hit 2.3 long balls per game and nobody else returning hit over one. However, Brandon McThay, along with the newcomers, will get more opportunities this time around. McThay shot over 42 percent from beyond the arc; he just did not take too many shots. If he is going to help replace the departures in the backcourt, he will certainly get his chances to hit more three-pointers.

Projected Post-season Tournament: none

Projected Starting Five:

Kenny Dawkins, Senior, Guard, 14.6 points per game

Brandon McThay, Senior, Guard, 5.9 points per game

Brandon Moton, Junior, Guard, DNP last season

Justin Nabors, Senior, Forward, 11.2 points per game

Tristan Worrell, Senior, Forward, 3.4 points per game

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