Louisville

Monday Recap: Huskies Observe Second Half Dunk Contest in Loss

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:58:12 -0500

Quite a bit was made of the team meeting called by UConn forward Alex Oriakhi on Friday, and how it may have sparked a revival of the reigning national champions. But maybe that should have been another red flag, given the first couple of paragraphs in the Hartford Courant recapping the Huskies' 69-46 win over Seton Hall. Oriakhi mentioned that he'd been advised by people to call a team meeting, and while the junior is getting used to a new role within the team as its elder statesman the fact that such a push would need to be made is far more concerning than anyone seemed to realize.

The Huskies hit the road on Monday without head coach Jim Calhoun for the first time, and after hanging around for most of the first half things went downhill in a big way as Louisville rolled 80-59. Louisville hit UConn in the mouth, going on a 14-2 run halfway through the second half to push their lead out to 58-34, and instead of fighting back the Huskies seemed to play dead in hopes that the Cardinals would let up. What happened instead was a parade of Louisville players to the basket for emphatic dunks with some backbreaking three-pointers mixed in.

"I sure hope they do," remarked interim head coach George Blaney when asked if the players were embarrassed by their showing. "That was a pretty good beating in the second half. Fifty-one points and 50 percent shooting, seven or eight threes I think."

Gorgui Dieng, who was a gametime decision due to a sprained ankle suffered in Saturday's win over Rutgers, outplayed the UConn front court and finished with 15 points, six rebounds and six steals and guard Chris Smith scored a team-high 16 points. Ryan Boatright led the Huskies with 18 points and five assists, but it was troubling to see that as a team the Huskies finished with seven assists to 15 turnovers. Those mistakes were converted into 20 points by the Cardinals, with 12 of those points coming in the second half. It also didn't help matters that Louisville did such a good job on Jeremy Lamb, limiting the All America candidate to seven points and three turnovers.

"[Dick McGuire] said inferior guards play on the sidelines and great guards play in the middle," said Louisville head coach Rick Pitino of his late friend. "What we try to do with guys like that is to keep them on the sideline as much as possible. We try to take their talents away, and we did a great job of that today."

Louisville looks to be in good shape, but the same cannot be said for UConn with two of their next three games being Syracuse (on the road) and Marquette, a team that will fight for every inch of real estate on the court. Lamb, Oriakhi and Shabazz Napier have not stepped up to a championship level from a leadership standpoint, and the other guys are either too inconsistent (Andre Drummond was practically non-existent on Monday night) or in the case of Boatright really haven't played enough to cement themselves as the team leader. Who steps up? That remains to be seen, but if they all don't show up in the Carrier Dome looking for a fight this season's going to get even worse.

Other Notable Happenings (with some Sunday notes mixed in)

1. Reggie Johnson shines on Super Bowl Sunday as Miami wins for the first time at Duke.
Few people (if any) outside of the Miami basketball family gave the Hurricanes any chance of picking up their first-ever win at Cameron Indoor Stadium, seeing it as one final bit of hoops entertainment before watching the Super Bowl. But the Hurricanes believed, and thanks in large part to an outstanding afternoon from their big man Miami not only beat Duke 78-74 in overtime but may have also revived their NCAA tournament hopes. Reggie Johnson outplayed the Duke front court, scoring 27 points and grabbing 12 rebounds to lead the way and Kenny Kadji added 15 and eight boards.

Seth Curry (22 points) and Austin Rivers (20) led the way offensively for the Blue Devils but the poor performances of their front court didn't allow Duke to take advantage of Miami's starting guards (Malcolm Grant, Shane Larkin and Durand Scott) shooting a combined 6-for-29. Duke has some things to figure out ahead of their battle with North Carolina on Wednesday night, most importantly getting consistent production from the Plumlee brothers and Ryan Kelly.

2. Draymond Green shakes off his knee injury to lead Michigan State past Michigan.
The health of the senior forward was one of the keys to the matchup between the Spartans and Wolverines, but there was no doubt that Green would be on the Breslin Center floor. And he was highly effective as well, leading Michigan State to the 64-54 win with 14 points and 16 rebounds. Michigan State, who shot 52.2% from the field, was so dominant on the glass that Green's rebounding total matched that of Michigan's entire team (40-16 MSU edge) and the Spartans rebounded 48% of their missed shots.

That made up for Michigan State's 15 turnovers as they still finished with an efficiency of 108.5 to Michigan's 91.5. Michigan shot just 39.6% from the floor and the shooting of Tim Hardaway Jr. was one reason why the Wolverines struggled offensively as he made just one of ten shots from the field (four points). With the win the Spartans remain a game behind Ohio State in the Big Ten standings, and with two games against the Buckeyes still to be played Tom Izzo's team will contend throughout the remainder of the season.

3. Texas picks up a key win on the road as they beat Texas A&M.
Rick Barnes' Longhorns entered Monday's game in College Station with a record of 1-5 in true road games, and a return trip to the NCAA tournament will likely hinge on what they can do down the stretch away from Austin. The Longhorns shot 58.3% from the field in the second half and turned the ball over just eight times, winning 70-66 to move to 5-6 in Big 12 play. J'Covan Brown led the way with 20 points and seven assists and Sheldon McClellan added 15 for Texas, who put together their most efficent offensive showing in Big 12 play this season.

It didn't hurt to go up against a Texas A&M team without Dash Harris and Khris Middleton (Kourtney Roberson's also been out for quite some time with a fractured ankle), but regardless of who was on the floor Texas really needed a win to improve their profile. With road games against the likes of Oklahoma and Kansas remaining on the slate, this could be the confidence boost that Barnes' young team needed for a stretch run.

Quick Hitters

1. One of the things to watch on Monday was how Missouri would move on from their emotional win over Kansas on Saturday night. Oklahoma gave the Tigers all they wanted and then some, but Steven Pledger's game-tying three was off the mark and Missouri left with a 71-68 victory. Marcus Denmon scored 25 points as the Tigers won despite being out-rebounded 36-22 (Ricardo Ratliffe grabbed ten of those 22 boards). Mizzou now gets some much-needed rest before hosting Baylor on Saturday.

2. One of the tougher things to do in recent years is figure out which Illinois team will show up on any given day, and that was once again the case on Sunday as they lost 74-70 to Northwestern in Champaign. The Wildcats shot 60.4% from the field and 75.0% from two in the win, with John Shurna (24 points) and Reggie Hearn (20 points) leading the way. If Illinois is to be a factor come March they need to get more from D.J. Richardson, who scored nine points (3-9 FG) on Sunday and has reached double figures just twice since opening Big Ten play with three straight double figure scoring efforts.

3. Jamie Dixon's Pittsburgh Panthers won their fourth straight game on Sunday as they beat Villanova 79-70, and with their upcoming schedule Pitt could sprint right into an NCAA tournament bid. Tray Woodall, whose return to full strength sparked this run, scored 19 points and dished out five assists while Ashton Gibbs added 25 and they combined to go 19-for-19 from the foul line. There aren't many teams in the Big East volunteering to play the Panthers right now.

4. With a 54-46 win over East Tennessee State, Bob Hoffman's Mercer Bears moved into sole possession of first place in the Atlantic Sun. Mercer, who is tied with Belmont in the loss column but has one more win, had three players score 11 points to lead the way and Jake Gollon made up for his cold shooting by grabbing 11 boards. Not only does Mercer get Belmont at home in the regular season finale but they also host the conference tournament, which will add more suspense than last season when Belmont rolled to the crown.

5. Davidson clinched at least a share of the South Division crown in the SoCon with their 76-54 win over Wofford, limiting the Terriers to 26.9% shooting and 15 points in the first half (Wofford had as many turnovers (seven) as field goals in the half). J.P. Kuhlman and De'Mon Brooks led four players in double figures with 14 and 13 points respectively, and Bob McKillop's team turned the ball over just six times on the night.

6. A pair of Dominique Sutton free throws with three seconds remaining sealed North Carolina Central's 81-79 win over Bethune-Cookman, adding even more intrigue to the MEAC race. With the Eagles' victory six teams are separated by two games in the loss column atop the MEAC with 9-2 Norfolk State leading the way. Levelle Moton's got some talented players with Sutton leading the way, and while they'll need some outside help keep an eye on NCCU down the stretch.

7. There was some important recruiting news as 2012 forward Ricardo Gathers (former St. John's verbal) committed to Baylor. The Louisiana native has a build ready for professional football much less college basketball, and to add him alongside the slender Isaiah Austin is quite the coup for Scott Drew and his staff.

Oscar Robertson Trophy Midseason Watch List Released

Six Notable Performances (Sunday and Monday)

1. C Reggie Johnson (Miami)
27 points and 12 rebounds in the Hurricanes' 78-74 overtime win at Duke.

2. G Truck Bryant (West Virginia) and G Gerard Coleman (Providence)
Bryant scored 32 points and knocked down the game-winning three-pointer in the Mountaineers' 87-84 overtime win at Providence, while Coleman paced the Friars with a career-high 30.

3. F Draymond Green (Michigan State)
14 points and 16 rebounds in the Spartans' 64-54 win over #22 Michigan.

4. G Marcus Denmon (Missouri)
25 points and two steals in the Tigers' 71-68 win at Oklahoma.

5. G Tray Woodall and G Ashton Gibbs (Pittsburgh)
Woodall accounted for 29 points, six rebounds and five assists while Gibbs finished with 25 points in the Panthers' 79-70 win over Villanova.

6. G Kendrick Perry (Youngstown State)
28 points (11-14 FG), seven steals and six assists in the Penguins' 80-63 win over Loyola (IL).

#25 Louisville vs. Connecticut: Monday's Preview

Raphielle Johnson — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 22:52:29 -0500

On the heels of their decisive win over Seton Hall, Connecticut (15-7, 5-5) will look to keep things going as they visit #25 Louisville (18-5, 6-4) in a critical Big East matchup. For all the issues that UConn's dealt with recently they're just a game out of fourth, and with that being the final double-bye slot in the Big East Championship this is a game both teams need.

The Huskies are being coached by George Blaney due to Jim Calhoun's indefinite leave of absence, but the biggest development from their win on Saturday was the fact that the guys on the floor finally took the reins and showed leadership. If they can build on that aspect of their win, UConn could be in line to go on a run despite a tough week that also features a trip to Syracuse.

Wing Jeremy Lamb (17.6 ppg, 4.6 rpg) is the primary offensive option for UConn, with his smooth game invoking memories of Richard Hamilton among many involved with the program. But part of the problem during the Huskies' skid was the fact that neither Lamb, Shabazz Napier (13.3 ppg, 5.7 apg, 4.0 rpg) nor Alex Oriakhi (6.4 ppg, 4.9 rpg) seemed capable of leading the way.

Napier and Oriakhi were moved to the bench in hopes of providing a spark to an offense that's been stagnant, especially against zone defenses, and freshman Ryan Boatright has been that guy. Boatright (9.8 ppg, 3.5 apg) scored 19 points and dished out five assists against Seton Hall and the offense looked a bit crisper with him running the show.

Louisville is going to come at UConn with their full-court pressure, which could be an issue for a team that's averaging 13.4 turnovers per game. But it would have been an even bigger problem without Boatright, and if anything the Huskies may be more concerned about Louisville's 2-3 zone than anything.

The Cardinals allow opponents to shoot just 37% from the field and 33.3% from three, and it isn't as if all 16 of the turnovers that Rick Pitino's team forces comes by way of the press. The Cardinals need to be careful with the basketball themselves as they average 15 turnovers per game, and the run-out opportunities that could result may give UConn the boost they need.

Peyton Siva (8.5 ppg, 5.6 apg) is a highly athletic guard who runs the show for the Cardinals, but he's also averaging 3.5 turnovers per game. Both he and sixth man Russ Smith (12.4 ppg, 2.2 apg) need to make smart decisions while not losing their aggressive nature, a task that's proven easier said than done at times.

Louisville is the deeper team on the perimeter, with the likes of Chris Smith and the versatile Kyle Kuric also playing integral roles in the Cardinal attack. What happens on the perimeter will be key to the outcome but the play inside will be just as important for both, especially for a UConn team that needs its big men to be productive offensively.

Freshman Andre Drummond (10.2 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 2.7 bpg) can at times look to be a man among boys on the court, and that's what happened on Saturday as the Pirates were without Herb Pope. But he's going to run into some resistance in the form of the much-improved Gorgui Dieng (10.2 ppg, 9.5 rpg, 3.5 bpg), the Big East's leader in blocked shots.

Dieng (sprained his right ankle in Saturday's win ) has become more confident offensively, and even with him the Cardinals can also call on a Chane Behanan as well. This is where Oriakhi, Tyler Olander and Roscoe Smith come into play; they need to be productive if the Huskies are to win on the road. The Huskies have been a slightly better rebounding team but both can hit the offensive glass, and with the shooting being what it can be second-chance points should be right up there in regards to importance.

Also of note on Monday is the first of two meetings this season between Texas and Texas A&M, made even more important by the fact that both teams are in desperate need of wins from an NCAA tournament resume standpoint. The Aggies have been without both Khris Middleton and Dash Harris of late due to injury, meaning that Elston Turner will need to be even more effective as a scorer. If he can get some help from Naji Hibbert A&M will have an even better chance of defending their home floor.

Mercer has the opportunity to take over sole possession of first place in the Atlantic Sun as they host East Tennessee State in what's also a key game for the Bucs as they jostle for seeding in the upcoming conference tournament. Belmont, who's tied with the Bears atop the A-Sun, takes on Austin Peay in a non-conference matchup (this will be a league game next year as the Bruins will join the OVC) and Wofford visits Davidson in a SoCon battle in hopes of moving one step closer to locking down that other conference tournament bye out of the South Division.

Davidson's three games up with four to go, and a win would clinch at least a tie for the division crown. Lastly, Missouri looks to build on their win over Kansas as they visit an Oklahoma team that's hanging on to hopes of earning an at-large bid. Steven Pledger has been one of the most improved players in the Big 12, and he's going to need to play extremely well if the Sooners are to pull off the upset.

Top 25 Games
7:00 PM (4) Missouri at Oklahoma (ESPNU)
9:00 PM (15) Marquette at DePaul (ESPNU)
7:00 PM Connecticut at (25) Louisville (ESPN)

NCAA Division I Games
7:00 PM Stony Brook at New Hampshire (ESPN3)
7:00 PM Stetson at Jacksonville
7:00 PM Vermont at Maine
7:00 PM USC Upstate at Kennesaw State (ESPN3)
7:00 PM Boston University at Albany
7:00 PM Wofford at Davidson
7:00 PM Appalachian State at Elon
7:00 PM East Tennessee State at Mercer
7:00 PM Florida Gulf Coast at North Florida
7:30 PM North Carolina A&T at Florida A&M
7:30 PM Furman at Georgia Southern
7:30 PM North Carolina Central at Bethune-Cookman
7:30 PM Hampton at Delaware State
7:30 PM Norfolk State at Maryland-Eastern Shore
7:30 PM Howard at Morgan State
7:30 PM Longwood at South Carolina State
8:00 PM Austin Peay at Belmont
8:00 PM Texas A&M-CC at Savannah State
8:30 PM Alabama State at Arkansas-Pine Bluff
8:30 PM Southern University at Jackson State
8:30 PM Alabama A&M at Mississippi Valley State
9:00 PM Idaho State at Montana
9:00 PM Texas at Texas A&M (ESPN)
9:00 PM Alcorn State at Grambling State

Seton Hall vs #25 Louisville: Prediction & Fan Poll

Greg Mengelt — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 03:44:20 -0500

NO. 25 LOUISVILLE (16-5, 4-4 Big East) AT SETON HALL (15-5, 4-4 Big East)

Time/TV: 8 p.m./SNY, MASN, Big East Network, ESPN Full Court

Location: Prudential Center

RPI Ratings

Louisville 37 (No. 7 Big East)

Seton Hall 19 (No. 6 Big East)

Line: Seton Hall -1 (O/U 133)

Louisville Players to Watch: G Peyton Siva, 6-0 Jr. (8.4 ppg, 5.8 apg, 2.1 spg); G/F Kyle Kuric, 6-4 Sr. (13.5 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 36.8% 3s); C Gorgui Dieng, 6-11 So. (10.3 ppg, 9.5 rpg, 3.3 bpg). Kuric appears to be over his ankle injury, which forced him to miss two games. He played 33 minutes, scored 21 points, grabbed five boards and had a pair of steals and an assist in U of L’s 73-62 win over Pitt, and 16 points, five assists and three steals as the Cardinals beat Villanova, 84-74.

Seton Hall Players to Watch: F Herb Pope, 6-8 Sr. (16.1 ppg, 10.3 rpg, 1.7 bpg); G Jordan Theodore, 6-0 Sr. (16 ppg, 7.2 apg, 2.2 spg); F Fuquan Edwin, 6-6 So. (14 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 3.1 spg). Pope and Theodore are the Pirate stars, but Edwin has been strong of late. He had 14 points in the loss to Villanova and 11 points, 12 rebounds in Wednesday’s loss to Notre Dame.

Storylines: Louisville is back to .500 in the Big East after three wins in its last four games, including back-to-back victories at Pittsburgh and at home over Villanova. Seton Hall has gone the other way. The Pirates were 4-1 in the Big East after four straight wins, including a triumph over defending national champion Connecticut, before losing three straight. The streak features losses to South Florida and Notre Dame at home.

Keys: In its three consecutive losses, Seton Hall is 61-for-173 from the field, a dreadful 35 percent, including a 15-for-57 performance (26.3 percent) against Notre Dame. The Pirates have made just 21 of their last 69 3-point attempts, including their first nine in Wednesday’s loss to the Irish. Theodore has typified the dry spell, going 4-for-12 overall and 0-for-4 from deep on Wednesday. The senior is fifth in Seton Hall history with 458 career assists, although he had a season-low one in Wednesday’s loss. For the season, Seton Hall has missed 394 3-pointer through 20 games. The most any Pirate team has ever missed in a season was 761 in 2000-01. Louisville, on the other hand, shot 55.3 percent at Pitt and despite shooting 42.6 percent against Villanova, scored 84 points. In the victory, the Cardinals made 8-of-23 3s and 24-of-34 free throws. Dieng vs. Pope will be the matchup to watch. If either has a big day, his team will likely take the victory. The Pirates are 39^th in the nation and sixth in the Big East with a 1.19-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio. Louisville ranks 11th in the league in that category with 307 assists and 304 turnovers. The Cardinals are sixth in the country and second in the Big East in field goal defense, allowing opponents to shoot 37.3 percent from the floor. However, the Cardinals allow 33.6 from beyond the 3-point line. Seton Hall plays strong perimeter defense. Its opponents shoot only 29.4 percent from deep, and Louisville is shooting only 31.8 from beyond the 3-point arc. Both teams are poor free throw shooting teams. Louisville is at 66.7 percent and the Pirates shoot 65.1 from the charity stripe. Louisville is second in the Big East and fourth in the nation with 9.8 steals per game. Eight different Cardinals have missed at least one game this season. Louisville sophomore Russ Smith is averaging 16 points, four assists and 3.8 steals during his last four games. He is sixth in the nation and second in the Big East in steals (2.6 per game).

The Pirates were unbeaten at home – winning their first 10 games at the Prudential Center – until Wednesday’s loss to Notre Dame. The Cardinals have played just six true road games, going 3-3. Louisville holds a 9-5 advantage in the all-time series, including last year’s 73-54 win at the KFC Yum! Center. Saturday’s game marks the 100^th anniversary of the first game ever played by the University of Louisville. On Jan. 28, 1912, the Cardinals lost to the Louisville YMCA, 35-3.

The Bottom Line: Louisville would win at home and probably on a neutral court. At the Prudential Center, however, the Pirates will come out of their slump for a big win. They have too many weapons to slump for this long.

The Pick: Seton Hall 71, Louisville 64

AP Top 25 Commentary: Ultra-Conservative Voting

Shawn Siegel — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 13:11:38 -0500

AP Top 25 Commentary: There was a major re-shuffling in this week's AP Poll. Only one team remained in the same spot: #18 Mississippi St. The big news is that Kentucky takes over from Syracuse atop the poll, but there were more interesting changes at the bottom.

Florida St and Wisconsin re-entered the Top 25, replacing Illinois and Florida. It is amazing how conservative the voting community is.. there is always the tendency to put power-conference teams from the Preseason Top 25 back into the poll as soon as reasonably possible. Sure, FSU had a couple big wins, but it is still the same team that lost to Princeon, Clemson, and Harvard. Harvard is 30th in the poll, still being punished for the Fordham loss. Odd how major-conference teams (FSU, Cincy losing to Presbyterian, etc) don't get punished in the same fashion.

Even Louisville, yet to to beat a ranked team at home, or a Top 100 on the road, was given much respect by the voters. The Cardinals are 29th in the AP Poll (and amazingly 25th in the Coaches). Meanwhile, Wichita St (who has beaten a ranked team, and multiple Top 100 teams away from home, and has won 7 straight games) could only muster a 31st place ranking.

1 Kentucky (61) 19-1 1,620
2 Missouri (2) 18-1 1,532
3 Syracuse (2) 20-1 1,506
4 Ohio State 17-3 1,411
5 Kansas 16-3 1,383
6 Baylor 17-2 1,234
7 North Carolina 16-3 1,232
8 Duke 16-3 1,176
9 Georgetown 16-3 1,045
10 Michigan State 16-4 1,009
11 Murray State 20-0 925
12 UNLV 18-3 886
13 San Diego State 17-2 832
14 Florida 15-4 709
15 Creighton 18-2 682
16 Indiana 16-4 609
17 Marquette 16-4 517
18 Mississippi State 16-4 422
19 Virginia 15-3 414
20 Michigan 15-5 396
21 Saint Mary's 19-2 345
22 Kansas State 14-4 252
23 Florida State 13-6 244
24 Connecticut 14-5 203
25 Wisconsin 16-5 182

Others receiving votes:

West Virginia 96, Gonzaga 82, Vanderbilt 40, Louisville 35, Harvard 32, Wichita State 28, Cincinnati 20, Illinois 11, Middle Tennessee 9, Dayton 3, Iona 2, Long Beach State 1

Dropped from rankings:

Illinois 22, Louisville 23

New:

Florida St 23, Wisconsin 25

Tuesday Recap: Michigan Moves Streak to Three

Raphielle Johnson — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 03:31:08 -0500

Given how reliant Michigan is on the three-point shot, many would think it highly unlikely that John Beilein's team would win a game in which they shot 6-for-21 from beyond the arc. But thanks to a late basket from Stu Douglass and some solid defense on the final possession of the game, that's exactly what happened as the Wolverines beat in-state rival Michigan 60-59 at Crisler Arena. Trey Burke scored a game-high 20 points and Tim Hardaway Jr. and Zack Novak scored ten points apiece, but Novak's biggest contribution came on the defensive end of the floor.

Despite giving up three inches in height the senior did an outstanding job of guarding Draymond Green, with Green making three of eight shots for seven points. Green, who did grab 11 rebounds, also turned the ball over five times against a Michigan defense that held him scoreless over the final fifteen minutes of the game. Michigan State fought their way back into the game by shooting 52.4% from the field in the second half, and it didn't hurt to have a reserve in Derrick Nix score a season-high 13 points off the bench.

Brandan Kearney's three with 6:45 remaining gave the Spartans their first lead of the game at 50-49, and at that point it would have been easy for the Wolverines to fold. But they didn't, remaining within striking distance thanks in part to a switch to their 1-3-1 zone before taking the lead on Douglass' bucket that Burke assisted on with 36.5 seconds remaining. And while Michigan State did get two attempts to take the lead in the final seconds neither came without pressure from Michigan (one of which was blocked), resulting in opportunities that weren't as good as the Spartans would have hoped for.

"We really tried to completely deny Draymond the ball," said Beilein of the final sequence of the game. "You almost have to double him sometimes. We had to today, and then he passed the ball out of there. Fortunately they didn't have any success with either one."

Michigan's win means that they remain a player in the Big Ten race, which is currently led by Illinois by a game in the loss column. The Wolverines have won the last three games in the series, but while the recent run of success gives Michigan bragging rights it's just a portion of the big picture. Both teams remain contenders for the Big Ten title, meaning that the meeting in East Lansing on February 5th will be just as important in determining whether or not either team can win the league. Round one goes to Michigan.

Other Notable Happenings

1. Florida State builds on Saturday's win by whipping Maryland in Tallahassee.
On the heels of their emphatic win over North Carolina it would have been easy for Florida State to go into their game against Maryland dwelling on what happened Saturday. But Leonard Hamilton's team displayed both maturity and some offensive firepower on Tuesday night, beating the Terrapins 84-70 in their second straight excellent performance. One factor in the Seminoles' win was that they took care of the basketball, finishing the game with just nine turnovers (four in the second half). Michael Snaer led the way with 19 points while Ian Miller and Okaro White combined to score 31 points off the bench in a balanced effort for the Seminoles.

Maryland's Terrell Stoglin led all scorers with 27 points but the only other Maryland player to reach double figures was Nick Faust, and he finished with ten points. Florida State was balanced in their scoring and efficient in their execution, which led to them leading by as many as 21 points in the second half. FSU visits Duke this weekend, and it will be interesting to see if they can continue to play as they have the last two games. If so, the Seminoles have the ability to leave Durham with a win.

2. UNC Asheville extends its lead in the Big South to two games with a win over Coastal Carolina.
All six players who scored for Coastal Carolina reached double figures, with Sam McLaurin scoring 17 points to lead the way, but it wasn't enough to win at UNC Asheville due in large part to the Bulldogs' ability to get to the foul line and take advantage of those trips. Eddie Biedenbach's team attempted 33 free throws and made 31, winning 88-81 to take a two-game lead in the Big South as a result. J.P. Primm scored 23 points to lead the Bulldogs and Matt Dickey added 19 with 12 of his points coming from the foul line.

While it's well-known that this tandem is a handful, when they score a combined 20 points from the foul line Primm and Dickey are near impossible to beat. With the victory the Bulldogs took an important step towards the regular season crown, and with the champion getting to host the semifinals and title game of the Big South Tournament that's an important advantage to have. The goal for CCU now is to at the least remain two games back before the two teams meet again on Valentine's Day, and if they can get some help as well the Big South title would still be a realistic possibility.

3. Anthony Davis breaks Kentucky's single-season blocks record in the Wildcats' win over Arkansas.
In freshman Anthony Davis it's become quite apparent that Kentucky head coach John Calipari has a player that is extremely difficult for opponents to deal with. And now there's also the historical aspect of Davis' freshman campaign, as he is now the school record-holder for the most blocked shots in a season with 89 (blocking seven on Tuesday) and still counting. The blocked shots weren't Davis' sole contribution however as he scored 27 points and grabbed 14 rebounds in the Wildcats' 86-63 win.

Five players reached double figures for Kentucky, who shot 57.1% from the field and out-rebounded Arkansas 38-26. Doron Lamb scored 14 points off the bench, Terrence Jones (13 points, nine rebounds and five blocks) and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (ten points, four rebounds and four assists) were both all over the stat sheet and Marquis Teague played arguably his best game in a Kentucky uniform with nine assists and four rebounds with just three turnovers. With all of their young talent Kentucky's got unlimited potential, and the fact that the Wildcats have yet to play their best basketball should concern the rest of the SEC.

Quick Hitters

1. One of the keys for getting into the NCAA Tournament is to avoid bad losses, and that's exactly what Colorado State did in their 66-55 win over Boise State. Dorian Green scored a game-high 20 points and Pierce Hornung grabbed ten rebounds off the bench as Tim Miles' team moved to 2-0 in Mountain West play.

2. Louisville, which has been hit hard by injuries this season, found out on Tuesday that forward Rakeem Buckles was done for the year with a torn ACL. Buckles, who averaged 4.0 points and 3.8 rebounds per game, injured himself in the Cardinals' loss at Marquette on Monday.

3. So Western Carolina took on Toccoa Falls on Tuesday night as they wanted to avoid having too much time off between games. The final score: 141-39. Nine Catamounts scored in double figures and two others scored nine points, and WCU also held a 62-19 edge on the boards. Things got out of hand in Cullowhee.

4. Campbell picked up a 54-51 win at Winthrop, and as a result the Camels are tied with Coastal Carolina two games behind UNC Asheville in the Big South. Eric Griffin scored 12 of his 14 points in the second half while also grabbing 11 rebounds, and the Camels outscored Winthrop 13-4 over the final 6:40 of the game.

5. Robbie Hummel scored 17 points and grabbed 11 rebounds and Lewis Jackson added 14 as Purdue rebounded from a slow start to beat Iowa 75-68 in West Lafayette. The Boilermakers shot just 41.1% from the field but they out-rebounded the Hawkeyes by nine (41-32) and coverted 13 Iowa turnovers into 20 points.

6. Georgetown proved to be too much for DePaul, winning 83-75 at Allstate Arena, but the improvement that the Blue Demons have made under Oliver Purnell is definitely noticeable. Outside of Jeremiah Kelly and Krys Faber the rotation is young, meaning that as upperclassmen talented players such as Brandon Young and Cleveland Melvin will be well-equipped to improve the standing of the program within the Big East.

Three Notable Performances

1. F/C Anthony Davis (Kentucky)
27 points, 14 rebounds and seven blocks in the Wildcats' 86-63 win over Arkansas.

2. G Jason Clark (Georgetown)
Career-high 31 points (11-14 FG), five rebounds and four steals in the Hoyas' 83-75 win at DePaul.

3. G Nick Barbour (High Point)
33 points (11-16 FG) and three assists, but he didn't receive much help in the Panthers' 85-66 loss at Radford.

Monday Recap: The More Things Change...

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 00:05:15 -0500

Monday's showdown between #3 Baylor and #7 Kansas gave the visiting Bears a great chance to make the statement that they were ready to dethrone a program that's won at least a share of the last seven Big 12 titles. Well while there's still plenty of basketball to be played before the regular season champion is determined, it's safe to say that Bill Self's team has no plans to simply hand over the top spot. Thomas Robinson outplayed the highly-touted Baylor frontcourt, scoring 27 points and grabbing 14 rebounds, and Tyshawn Taylor scored a game-high 28 points and dished out six assists as the Jayhawks rolled to the 92-74 victory.

"We played terrific. That's the best game we've played all year," remarked Self. "The energy level was great and we got off to a great start."

Baylor looked to be every bit Kansas' equal after the Jayhawks jumped out to a 17-9 lead, putting together an 18-5 run over a nearly seven-minute stretch to take a 27-22 lead with 6:01 remaining. But to sustain such play at Allen Fieldhouse is difficult to say the least, and Kansas would close the half on a 17-2 run to take a 39-29 lead into the break. Taylor, who capped the half with a three-pointer from the top of the key, led the way with 14 points while Robinson added 12 and five boards. Rebounding was an issue all night for Baylor, who ignored the need to box out and it cost them.

Kansas grabbed 15 offensive rebounds on the night, scoring 17 second-chance points, and out-rebounded the Bears 39-24. And if that wasn't enough the Jayhawks outscored Baylor 48-34 in the paint and all five starters reached double figures in scoring. Jeff Withey, the player who had to show up lest Robinson be left to deal with the Baylor frontcourt by himself, posted a double-double with ten points and ten rebounds in addition to three blocked shots. With Baylor's starting frontcourt scoring 49 of their 74 points Withey had to be a factor and he was.

"When we get Jeff going, it really gets a lot of us going, and a lot of people don't know that," said Elijah Johnson, who finished with 11 points and five rebounds. "Jeff is a key player to our team, especially with getting us started. When he is on track, it can be a long night for some teams."

Perry Jones III led Scott Drew's club with 18 points and Quincy Miller scored 17 but it wasn't enough to avoid their first defeat of the year. Pierre Jackson scored 11 points off the bench in his sixth-man role to go along with 11 assists, but his solid performance was eclipsed by what Taylor was able to do. Provided they improve their rebounding, which is surprisingly mediocre given their size, Baylor will be a factor in both the Big 12 and national title races. But the biggest lesson to come out of Monday night is that to win the Big 12 the road once again goes through Lawrence.

Other Notable Happenings

1. Marquette climbs out of an 18-2 hole to beat Louisville at home.
Down 18-2, Marquette head coach Buzz Williams took what many would judge to be an unconventional approach to dealing with his team. He didn't flip out or panic, and as a result his lack of an overreaction proved to be the best move. The Golden Eagles would outscore Louisville 32-12 from that point forward to take a 34-30 halftime lead on their way to the 74-63 win at the Bradley Center. Darius Johnson-Odom led four Marquette players in double figures with 19 points, Davante Gardner scored 17 and grabbed six rebounds and Jae Crowder posted a double-double (14 points, 11 rebounds), but the foul line proved to be the difference on Monday afternoon.

Marquette made 16 of their 18 free throws while Louisville failed to take advantage of their opportunities, making four of ten from the charity stripe. Russ Smith scored 20 points to lead the Cardinals, who were once again without the injured Kyle Kuric, and their half-court offense remains an issue. Louisville finished with 17 assists but also turned the ball over 17 times, and the absence of Kuric severely hampers the bench production as Smith moves into the starting lineup. Marquette's reserves, led by Todd Mayo (11 points), outscored the Louisville reserves 15-3. Marquette could have lost their composure and allowed the Cardinals to run away with the game at 18-2 but they stayed the course and ultimately won.

2. Syracuse continues the best start in school history with a win over Pittsburgh.
Despite their recent track record of futility against Pittsburgh heading into Monday's game at the Carrier Dome (no current player had ever beaten the Panthers), few expected the top-ranked Orange to struggle with Jamie Dixon's club. And after 20 minutes of play it looked as if Syracuse was going to roll to their 20th consecutive win as they led 35-26. Pitt couldn't take care of the basketball, and their 11 first-half turnovers led to 12 Syracuse points. But the Panthers were able to remain within striking distance by hitting the glass,out-rebounding the Orange 22-14. That would continue in the second half, and while the Orange went on to win 71-63 the 40-28 disadvantage on the glass is something that sticks out for Jim Boeheim's 20-0 squad.

Dion Waiters led five players in double figures with 16 points and Fab Melo posted a double-double with ten points and ten assists while Pitt was led by three players who scored ten points apiece. But just like Louisville, the Panthers' woes at the foul line prevented them from making the game uncomfortably close for Syracuse. Syracuse made 20 of their 23 free throws while the Panthers shot 12-for-23 with Nasir Robinson missing six of his eight attempts.

Be it free throws or layups Pittsburgh is not completing the "simple" plays right now, and that's a big reason why they're off to their worst start in Big East play since the 1995-96 season. As for Syracuse, while they were the unanimous choice for the top spot in the coaches' poll this week there's still plenty to improve upon. For a team that can achieve special things this season, this is just one step on the road they hope leads them to New Orleans.

3. So much for the SWAC showdown, as Mississippi Valley State rolls Southern.
With Southern entering their road game in Itta Bena just a game out of first place in the loss column there was reason to believe that Rob Spivery's Jaguars would challenge the Delta Devils. Twenty-one turnovers later however Southern found themselves on the wrong end of a 77-56 result, as they also shot 38.8% from the field and gave up 19 offensive rebounds. Five MVSU players reached double figures with Cor-J Cox scoring a game-high 23 off the bench and Paul Crosby grabbed 14 rebounds in addition to scoring 18 points.

To say the least it's a lot easier to win when scoring 27 points off of 21 turnovers and 23 second-chance points, and as a result Sean Woods' Delta Devils find themselves in sole possession of first place with a 5-0 league mark. With five teams within two games of each other in the loss column it's anyone's guess as to how the race will shake out, but the Delta Devils' win keeps them above the rest for the time being.

Quick Hitters

1. From Sunday, there were two huge differences between Ohio State's 80-63 win over Indiana and their loss to the Hoosiers in the first meeting. One, Aaron Craft was much better running the show (seven assists and no turnovers; had six turnovers in Bloomington). And two, Lenzelle Smith Jr. went off to the tune of 28 points and seven rebounds on 10-for-12 shooting. If Smith Jr. can be a consistent supplement to William Buford, Jared Sullinger and Deshaun Thomas, look out.

2. Missouri took care of business ahead of their meeting with Baylor in Waco on Saturday, beating Texas A&M 70-51. The point guard play wasn't close with Phil Pressey outplaying Dash Harris and that's one reason as to why Billy Kennedy's team has struggled this season. The Aggies need more from their guards if they're to have a shot at climbing into the middle of the Big 12 pack.

3. Logan Aronhalt scored 20 points and Mike Black 13 to lead Albany, but when two starters manage to go scoreless it's tough to win on the road. Guards D.J. Irving and Darryl Partin combined to score 32 points as Boston University beat the Great Danes 70-57 to move to 4-1 in America East play. The Terriers are a half-game behind Stony Brook for first place, as the Seawolves moved to 5-1 with a 71-62 win over New Hampshire.

4. In a matchup of undefeated (in league play) teams Norfolk State won 74-66 at Coppin State. Kyle O'Quinn, who has to be the frontrunner for MEAC Player of the Year right now, scored 24 points and grabbed 19 rebounds and Pendarvis Williams scored a game-high 25 points. The Spartans sit atop the MEAC standings with a 4-0 record.

5. Christian Williams made just three of twelve shots from the field but his three-pointer with 22 seconds remaining gave Jackson State a 52-51 lead on their way to the 54-51 win over previously undefeated Texas Southern. Jenirro Bush led the Tigers with 23 points and eight rebounds.

6. Memphis freshman Adonis Thomas could be done for the season due to an injury suffered in practice on Friday, according to Gary Parrish of CBSSports.com. A surgery that would repair a tendon between Thomas' ankle and foot would necessitate a recovery period of two to three months.

Three Notable Performances

1. F/C Kyle O'Quinn (Norfolk State)
24 points and 19 rebounds in the Spartans' 74-66 win over Coppin State.

2. F Thomas Robinson and G Tyshawn Taylor (Kansas)
Robinson scored 27 points and grabbed 14 rebounds and Taylor put up 28 points and six assists in the Jayhawks' 92-74 whipping of #3 Baylor.

3. G Melquan Bolding (Fairleigh Dickinson)
38 points, five rebounds and three steals in the Knights' 87-83 loss to Longwood.

#23 Louisville vs #21 Marquette: Prediction & Poll

Greg Mengelt — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 13:32:48 -0500

NO. 15 LOUISVILLE (14-4, 2-3 Big East) AT NO. 24 MARQUETTE (14-4, 3-2 Big East)

Time/TV: 3:30 p.m./ESPN

Location: Bradley Center

RPI Ratings: Louisville 41 (No. 7 Big East); Marquette 19 (No. 6 Big East).

Line: Marquette -4

Louisville Players to Watch: PG Peyton Siva, 6-0 Jr. (8.4 ppg, 5.7 apg, 2.1 spg); G Russ Smith, 6-0 So. (12.2 ppg, 2.1 apg, 2.4 spg); C Gorgui Dieng, 6-11 So. (10.1 ppg, 9.3 rpg, 3.3 bpg). Smith is one of the most inconsistent players in the country, but when he’s on, the Cardinals are nearly impossible to defeat.

Marquette Players to Watch: G Darius Johnson-Odom, 6-2 Sr. (18.1 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 2.8 apg); F Jae Crowder, 6-6 Sr. (16.3 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 50.5% FG); G Todd Mayo, 6-3 Fr. (9.9 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 1.3 apg). Mayo has been up-and-down, but he played a strong all-around game in Saturday’s 62-57 win over Pitt with nine points (on 4-of-7 shooting), seven rebounds, two assists and a steal.

Storylines: After falling to 1-2 in the Big East, Marquette bounced back for wins over St. John’s and Pittsburgh at home last week. Early last week, Louisville suffered an embarrassing 90-59 loss at Providence to fall to 1-3 in the conference, but the Cardinals, too, recovered for a 76-59 victory over DePaul on Saturday.

Keys: Dieng, who is playing with a sore neck, could have a big day with no Eagles able to match his size. However, Marquette’s undersized center Devonte Gardner did play his best game of the season with 22 points and 15 rebounds in Wednesday’s win over St. John’s. That was followed by a 7-point, 6-rebound performance in the victory over Pitt on Saturday. The Eagles have almost no shot-blocking presence. … Both teams force a lot of turnovers. Louisville has typically handled pressure well, but the Cardinals have been turnover prone of late, including 17 in the 18 in a double-overtime loss to Notre Dame a week ago. On the other side, Junior Cadougan and Mayo will be tested against Siva, Smith and the feisty Cardinal press. … Without a true go-to scorer, Louisville has gone through several long scoring draughts this season, and it seems to happen more often away from home. … Louisville is one of the worst 3-point shooting teams in the country at 31.5 percent. Take away Kyle Kuric’s 35.2 percent and Chris Smith’s 40.9 and they’re even worse. Marquette defends the arc well, surrendering only 32.2 percent. … Marquette is 12-1 at home this season. Louisville is 2-2 in true road games.

The Bottom Line: This is a really tough one to call. Both teams have struggled lately but each came up with a win in their last game. Throw in the unpredictability of a weekday afternoon game, and really, anything could happen. If you’re a gambler, the wise move is to stay far, far away from this one.

The Pick: Marquette 70, Louisville 67.

College Basketball Top 50: Louisville Continues Slide

Shawn Siegel — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 22:06:13 -0500

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

January 15th Top 50 Ranking

by Shawn Siegel: Collegehoops.net Editor

	Team	Record	Last	Pre.
1	Syracuse	19-0	1	4
2	Kentucky	17-1	3	2
3	Baylor	17-0	4	25
4	Duke	15-2	6	5
5	North Carolina	15-3*	2	1
6	Ohio State	16-3*	5	3
7	Missouri	16-1	8	30
8	Michigan State	15-3*	10	28
9	Georgetown	14-3*	9	NA
10	Indiana	15-3**	7	NA
11	UCONN	14-3	13	8
12	UNLV	16-3*	11	34
13	Murray St	18-0	14	NA
14	Kansas	14-3	15	13
15	Virginia	14-2*	16	NA
16	San Diego St	15-2	17	NA
17	Creighton	16-2	18	39
18	Michigan	14-4*	12	19
19	Mississippi St	15-3	19	35
20	Marquette	14-4	21	23
21	Illinois	15-3	27	46
22	Gonzaga	14-3*	20	21
23	Seton Hall	15-3*	25	NA
24	Alabama	13-4*	24	24
25	Harvard	15-2	26	NA
26	Kansas St	12-4**	22	49
27	St. Mary's	17-2	31	47
28	Wichita St	15-3	30	45
29	New Mexico	15-2	29	27
30	Florida	14-4	35	7
31	Louisville	14-4*	23	6
32	West Virginia	13-5*	28	41
33	Wisconsin	14-5	37	16
34	Southern Miss	16-3*	32	NA
35	Temple	11-5*	34	22
36	California	15-4	40	29
37	Vanderbilt	13-4	41	10
38	MTSU	17-2	39	NA
39	Stanford	15-3	44	NA
40	Xavier	12-5	46	12
41	Marshall	13-4	49	42
42	St Louis	14-4*	33	NA
43	BYU	15-4	51	NA
44	Cincinnati	14-4	50	17
45	Northwestern	12-5*	54	NA
46	Purdue	13-5*	36	32
47	Memphis	12-5	NA	11
48	Iona	14-4*	48	NA
49	Texas	12-5*	42	33
50	Cleveland St	15-4*	38	NA

* = losses this week

last = last week's ranking

pre. = preseason ranking

Next Five: Minnesota (14-5), Dayton (13-5*), UCF (13-4*), Davidson (12-4), Florida St (11-6)

Top 50 Drop Outs

		Week	Pre
Arizona	12-6*	10	20
Ohio	13-4*	10	NA
Virginia Tech	11-6**	10	NA
Pittsburgh	11-7**	9	9
Texas A&M	10-6*	9	14
Minnesota	14-5	9	NA
Florida State	11-6	8	18
Charleston	12-5*	8	NA
Kent St	12-4	7	48
Northern Iowa	13-6**	7	NA
Belmont	12-6	6	44
Washington	10-6	5	26
Miami	9-6*	5	36
Villanova	8-10**	5	37
Notre Dame	11-7*	4	38
Weber St	14-3	4	NA
Butler	10-9*	3	31
UCLA	9-7	2	15
George Mason	13-5*	2	40
Drexel	12-5	2	43
VCU	13-5*	2	50

week = week dropped out of Top 50

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

Check out past week's rankings and this week's AP Top 25.

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

#10 Kansas vs. #4 Baylor: Monday's Preview

Raphielle Johnson — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 21:45:46 -0500

Throughout the history of the Big 12 Conference there has been one measuring stick for the rest of the league: Kansas. The Kansas (14-3, 4-0) program has won seven straight Big 12 regular season titles, and despite the early-season doubts of many Bill Self's team has the ability to extend that streak. And while there are multiple challengers there may not be a more talented one than #4 Baylor (17-0, 4-0), and Scott Drew's team is well-equipped to be the last team standing in April as well. And the guards, who were a cause for concern before the season began, have shown themselves capable of making plays and running the show this season.

Junior college transfer Pierre Jackson (12.3 ppg, 5.1 apg) has put together solid assist-to-turnover marks after a stretch early in the season that saw him struggle with turnovers. Over the last three games, Jackson has accounted for 26 assists and nine turnovers, more than double his A/T ratio for the season (1.4). Jackson's third on the team in minutes per game despite coming off the bench, as A.J. Walton (3.8 apg, 3.1 rpg) is the starter. In addition to those two there's Boston College transfer Brady Heslip (10.5 ppg, 48.1% 3PT), who has shown himself to be one of the Big 12's best shooters.

Kansas has talent on the perimeter as well, but the one player who has stepped up his production of late has been Travis Releford (10.0 ppg, 4.2 rpg), who had a stretch of four straight games in double figures snapped in the Jayhawks' win over Iowa State. The redshirt junior has already gone for a double-double in conference play (16 and 11 in the win over Kansas State) and he led Kansas to a win at Oklahoma with 28 points. Senior Tyshawn Taylor (15.5 ppg, 5.2 apg) runs the show and while he's had his moments when it comes to turnovers, Taylor's been solid for most of the season. And in Elijah Johnson the Jayhawks have a guard that can be a pest on the defensive end of the floor (1.6 spg).

But the frontcourts will be what the majority of people watching will focus on and with good reason. Baylor's one of the deepest teams in the country inside, led by Perry Jones III (13.8 ppg, 7.7 rpg), Quincy Acy (12.3 ppg, 6.9 rpg, 2.4 bpg) and Quincy Miller (11.7 ppg, 5.3 rpg). Be it their man-to-man or matchup zone defense, the wingspan of the Baylor frontline (which also includes Anthony Jones and Corey Jefferson) can be problematic for opponents. But while the Bears are very good at getting out and challenging shots (teams shoot 32.0% from three) they're only blocking 6.4 shots per game.

Kansas doesn't have the depth that Baylor possesses inside but in junior Thomas Robinson (17.2 ppg, 12.2 rpg) the Jayhawks have an absolute warrior they can rely on. Robinson has the muscle needed to go inside and bang around while also being able to step out and knock down the occasional mid-range jumper. He'll likely be fine against Baylor, but the concern lies in how Jeff Withey and Kevin Young will play. Withey's shown promise this season, but he scored 17 points in three league games before scoring 13 against Iowa State. Young isn't called on for points but rather help when either Robinson or Withey needs a breather. He'll need to be more productive if the Jayhawks are to slow down the Bears' frontcourt.

Turnovers will likely decide the outcome, as both teams have been good at forcing them but not necessarily great at avoiding them on the offensive end. That means Taylor and Jackson will be the guys to watch for each team, with the point guard that makes better decisions likely being a big reason as to why their team wins. Baylor's taken on some formidable opposition this season, and their win at BYU sticks out when it comes to dealing with rowdy crowds. How much will that matter at Allen Fieldhouse? One would think that the experience would help the Bears out, but that first trip into "The Phog" can be a tough one for newcomers. Veterans such as Acy, Jones III and Walton will need to lead the way in areas that can't be measured on the stat sheet.

Also in the Big 12 Missouri host Texas A&M in a game the Aggies desperately need to perform well in as their resume is meager, and a blowout loss in Columbia would mean big trouble. But can A&M match up with Missouri point guard Phil Pressey? It's difficult to see them being able to do so, and that will likely mean big trouble. Another team that needs a good showing on the road is Pittsburgh, who visits top-ranked Syracuse.

While their 0-5 start to Big East play say that the Panthers could get blown out, keep in mind two interesting facts regarding this series. One, no current Syracuse player has beaten Pittsburgh, and secondly Jamie Dixon has never lost in the Carrier Dome. Will that help Ashton Gibbs and company? Who knows, but the move of Isaiah Epps into the starting lineup coincided with Gibbs' best game of the year. The Panthers will need to limit the impact of reserves Dion Waiters and C.J. Fair if they're to have any chance of beating the Orange.

Also in the Big East, Louisville visits Marquette in a matchup of teams coming off of wins on Saturday. Louisville's Russ Smith is one of the more explosive scorers in the conference but his aggressive nature can get him in trouble as well. Against Marquette's backcourt, led by Darius Johnson-Odom and an improving Junior Cadougan, Smith and Peyton Siva will need to make plays without getting out of control. And it's going to be interesting to see how Louisville goes about defending Jae Crowder as well.

In the SWAC try to keep an eye on Southern's trip to Mississippi Valley State, with these being two of the four teams within a game of each other in the loss column atop the standings. MVSU, led by Terrence Joyner and Paul Crosby, has won three of its four league games by 12 points or more (4-0). Southern is 4-1 in league play and guard Derrick Beltran leads four players averaging at least 9.6 ppg with an average of 11.6 ppg.

Top 25 Games
7:30 PM Pittsburgh at (1) Syracuse (ESPN)
9:30 PM (4) Baylor at (10) Kansas (ESPN)
5:30 PM Texas A&M at (9) Missouri (ESPN)
3:30 PM (15) Louisville at (24) Marquette (ESPN)

NCAA Division I Games
2:00 PM Longwood at Fairleigh Dickinson
5:00 PM New Hampshire at Stony Brook
7:00 PM Albany at Boston University (CBS SN)
7:00 PM Maine at Vermont
7:00 PM USC Upstate at Jacksonville
7:00 PM Hampton at Morgan State (ESPNU)
7:00 PM East Tennessee State at North Florida
7:30 PM Stetson at Lipscomb
7:30 PM Rider at Fairfield
8:00 PM North Carolina Central at Howard
8:00 PM South Carolina State at Florida A&M
8:00 PM Florida Gulf Coast at Belmont
8:00 PM Savannah State at Bethune-Cookman
8:00 PM Norfolk State at Coppin State
8:00 PM Prairie View A&M vs. Grambling State*
8:45 PM Tennessee State at Austin Peay
9:00 PM Notre Dame at Rutgers (ESPNU)
9:00 PM Alcorn State at Arkansas-Pine Bluff
9:00 PM Texas Southern at Jackson State
9:00 PM Southern at Mississippi Valley State
9:05 PM Saint Mary at Utah Valley
10:00 PM BYU at San Diego (BYU TV)
10:05 PM Idaho State at Portland State
10:10 PM Eastern Washington at Seattle

Tuesday Recap: Paul Leads Illinois Past Ohio State

Raphielle Johnson — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 02:41:32 -0500

The matchup between Ohio State and Illinois was anticipated by many for the individual matchup between the Buckeyes' Jared Sullinger and Illinois' Meyers Leonard. Then there was the ceremony honoring Lou Henson, the all-time winningest coach in Illinois history. But few people expected Brandon Paul to end up being the center of attention, which is exactly what happened in the Fighting Illini's 79-74 win at Assembly Hall.

Palu scored a career-high 43 points, making 11 of his 15 shots from the field (8-10 3PT) and 13 of 15 from the charity stripe to lead Bruce Weber's squad to the win. But it wasn't all about the points for Paul, as he contributed in other areas as well. Paul also led the team in rebounds (eight) and blocked shots (four), more than making up for his game-high seven turnovers. Wehn you've got it rolling like Paul did on this night, the mistakes tend to fade into the background.

"I was laughing a couple times. After the first couple threes, I just said I was going to keep shooting," remarked Paul. "That's the mindset that I've got to have."

Paul's offensive explosion was essentially the difference in the game as both teams finished with four starters reaching double figures and zero points from their respective benches. Deshaun Thomas (23 points, six rebounds) and Sullinger (21 points, five rebounds and three steals) led Ohio State offensively, but Sullinger was also their best three-point shooter as he made both of his attempts.

The rest of the team made just three of thirteen from beyond the arc and with Paul shooting the way he was, Thad Matta's team found itself in trouble throughout much of the second half. Shooting 60% from the field and 61% from three can cure a lot of ills, as it did for the Illini as they turned the ball over 18 times. It also didn't hurt Illinois to have a plus-7 advantage in points from the foul line (14-7), with Sullinger not attempting his lone free throws of the night until late in the game.

All things considered Leonard did a good job in his individual matchup with Sullinger, scoring 14 points and grabbing five rebounds in 38 minutes of action. But Tuesday night was all about the guard who got hot early and stayed so throughout. Even switching Aaron Craft, one of the best defenders in the country, onto Paul did the visitors from Columbus any good. Sometimes guys just have one of those nights, and that was exactly the case for Brandon Paul.

Other Notable Happenings

1. If you haven't given Baylor their due by now, this would be a good time to do so.
For whatever reason, Scott Drew's Baylor Bears haven't been discussed in the same realm as teams such as Syracuse, North Carolina, Kentucky and Ohio State despite owning some impressive wins to date. But after the Bears made the winning plays they needed to make late in their 75-73 win at #18 Kansas State, it's time for the nation to put the Bears in that company when discussing teams that can not only get to the Final Four but win the national title. Perry Jones III led four players in double figures with 17 points and eight rebounds while two other players (A.J. Walton and Quincy Miller) scored eight and nine points, respectively.

By the four minute mark of the second half five Baylor players had four fouls, but none fouled out and it was one of those players who stepped up big in crunch time. Quincy Acy, who played just 24 minutes due to foul trouble, scored a basket and then stole a pass on Kansas State's ensuing possession to give the Bears a 73-71 lead with 3:14 remaining. The Bears wouldn't trail again, and it was Acy's deflection of a pass in the final seconds that preserved the victory. Rodney McGruder led K-State with 30 points but their mistakes late opened the door for the Bears, and the visitors took advantage.

2. Providence honors the '87 Final Four team and blows out Louisville for their first league win.
It seems as if every time Rick Pitino brings a team to Providence his 1987 squad that reached the Final Four is being honored. After Tuesday night however, he may look to no longer be involved in such ceremonies at The Dunk. Louisville didn't look ready for a street fight from the start, and that's a bad way to enter a game when playing a team desperate for its first league win. Bryce Cotton and Kadeem Batts scored 27 points apiece as the Friars more than made up for the absence of Gerard Coleman (back injury), beating the Cardinals 90-59 to give Ed Cooley his first Big East victory.

Louisville couldn't turn over the Friars as point guard Vincent Council was the consummate floor general with 15 points, 14 assists and just two turnovers, and from there things really got out of hand for the visitors. It's been known that Peyton Siva and the rest of the Cardinals have a hard time scoring when they're unable to get out and run off of turnovers. And until that changes results like this remain a possibility as they encounter league opponents who can take care of the basketball. Hindsight is 20/20, but it looks as if those who felt that the Cardinals were overrated when they reached the Top 5 were ahead of the curve.

3. Northern Iowa forced Antoine Young to make plays, and he did as Creighton kept pace atop the MVC.
UNI needed a win in Omaha to remain within striking distance of the top of the Missouri Valley thanks to their losses to Illinois State and Evansville, with the latter coming at home. But due to two defensive moves the Panthers left town with a 2-3 record as they fell to the Bluejays 63-60. Ben Jacobson's squad essentially dared Creighton guard Antoine Young to make them pay offensively, and he did just that with a game-high 21 points. On the other hand Greg McDermott and his staff made the defensive move that may have won the game, placing more emphasis on limiting Marc Sonnen's perimeter looks.

Sonnen scored 15 points in the first half as he made all five of his three-point attempts. Sonnen finished the game with 15 points, and without his shooting the Panthers sputtered offensively. UNI shot 33.3% from the field and 28.6% from three in the second half, a far cry from their first half numbers of 42.3% and 66.7%. In addition to Young, Creighton received some big plays from Grant Gibbs (ten points) and Doug McDermott (14 points, eight rebounds) in addition to 11 rebounds from Gregory Echenique.

Quick Hitters

1. Playing their first game as a ranked team in 11 years, Seton Hall used a 17-1 second half run to put away DePaul 94-73. Fuquan Edwin scored a career-high 28 points to go along with nine rebounds, and point guard Jordan Theodore finished with 26 and 11 assists. Theodore's play this season has been outstanding, so much so that he has to be considered for Big East Player of the Year. Makes you wonder what the Cousy Award committee was thinking when they left Theodore off the list of 20 finalists for the award.

2. After winning consecutive conference road games at Wisconsin and Minnesota, Iowa has found out the hard way that they've still got some distance to travel before becoming a factor in the Big Ten. Michigan State whipped the Hawkeyes 95-61 in East Lansing, and in their last two games Iowa has lost by a combined 63 points.

3. Bernard James put forth an impressive performance for Florida State, scoring 18 points and grabbing 15 rebounds in the Seminoles' 63-59 win at Virginia Tech. James also blocked three shots and Ian Miller scored 15 off the bench as FSU picked up a much-needed win on the heels of their embarassing effort at Clemson.

4. An Atlantic 10 team to keep an eye on over the next two months: La Salle. The Explorers have won 11 of their last 12 games, beating Big 5 rival Penn 68-57 at The Palestra on Tuesday night. Point guard Tyreek Duren scored 21 points and dished out six assists while Earl Pettis added 18. The key for Dr. John Giannini's team, whose guards can play with anyone in the A-10, will be how they deal with bigger teams in league play.

5. Washington made things far more difficult than they needed to be in beating Seattle 91-83, but then again is anything expected to be "easy" for the Pac-12 this season? C.J. Wilcox scored a team-high 25 points off the bench while Tony Wroten scored 24 for the Huskies, who are off until Sunday's matchup with in-state rival Washington State.

6. Missouri State and Wichita State both took care of business at home to remain tied with Creighton atop the MVC standings, with the Bears beating Southern Illinois and Wichita State holding off Illinois State. And in Kyle Weems (MSU) and Joe Ragland (WSU), these two teams have players who can go off on a moment's notice if teams don't limit their looks.

7. Harvard avoided what would have been a catastrophic loss with regards to a possible at-large berth (should they need it) as they beat Monmouth 70-61. Keith Wright led the way with 18 points and 15 rebounds for the Crimson, who play George Washington before heading back into Ivy League play.

Three Notable Performances

1. G Brandon Paul (Illinois)
43 points (11-15 FG, 8-10 3PT), eight rebounds, four blocks, two assists and two steals in the Fighting Illini's 79-74 win over #5 Ohio State.

2. F Fuquan Edwin and G Jordan Theodore (Seton Hall)
The old Paterson Catholic teammates led the way for the Pirates in their 94-73 win over DePaul. Edwin scored a career-high 28 points and grabbed nine rebounds while Theodore added 26 and 11 assists.

3. F Kadeem Batts (Providence)
Batts, who was suspended for the fall semester, was one of the key figures in the Friars' 90-59 win over #15 Louisville. Batts scored 27 points, grabbed ten rebounds and blocked three shots in helping lead the Friars to their first Big East win under head coach Ed Cooley.