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Wednesday's Conference Tournament Primer

Raphielle Johnson — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 07:13:22 -0800

Day two of the Big East Championship features four teams looking to improve their chances of reaching the NCAA tournament, with the biggest game of the day being the first. Nine-seed Connecticut, who opener their tournament with an 81-67 win over DePaul on Tuesday, takes on eight-seed West Virginia with the winner likely locking up a tournament berth. These two teams met once during the regular season, a 64-57 UConn victory at the XL Center on January 9th, and with so much change over the nearly two months since that game there may not be a whole lot to take from it.

But there is rebounding, something the Mountaineers did extremely well in defeat and had they not gone cold in the second half Bob Huggins' team likely wins the game. WVU grabbed 20 offensive rebounds in the Januar meeting...twenty. The Mountaineers have been a very good team at hitting the offensive glass for most of Huggins' tenure at his alma mater, with the big men expected to give maximum effort in that department. This season West Virginia averages 14.7 offensive rebounds per game, which works out to the Mountaineers grabbing 40.7% of their misses per statsheet.com.

Kevin Jones, who led the Big East in both scoring and rebounding this season, has led the way and maybe he uses the slight of not being a unanimous All-Big East selection as motivation (this is the injustice Mountaineer fans should be upset about as opposed to the Player of the Year award). UConn clearly will try to account for Jones with their stable of big men, but if Deniz Kilicli brings the effort as well it will be tough for the Husky big men from a toughness standpoint. Roscoe Smith has played well of late and at this point is a key figure in the rotation, while getting the likes of Andre Drummond and Alex Oriakhi to play well on a consistent basis has remained an issue.

Guard play will be critical as well, especially with the Mountaineers calling on freshman guards Gary Browne and Jabarie Hinds in addition to senior Truck Bryant. Bryant needs to consistently make sound decisions if WVU is to be successful, and the same can be said for UConn's Jeremy Lamb and Shabazz Napier. The guards who play smarter will lead the winning team in this one.

Also on the bubble "stage" are Seton Hall and USF, with both teams likely needing wins albeit for different reasons. The Pirates looked to be a safe bet for the Field of 68 before dropping games to Rutgers and DePaul, so a win over Louisville would do a great deal for their hopes. USF simply needs to keep playing, as their unbalanced league slate has devalued their 12 league wins in the eyes of many.

Big East - Second Round
#8 West Virginia vs. #9 Connecticut, Noon (ESPN)
#5 Georgetown vs. #13 Pittsburgh, 2:00 p.m. (ESPN)
#7 Louisville vs. #10 Seton Hall, 7:00 p.m. (ESPN)
#6 USF vs. #14 Villanova, 9:00 p.m. (ESPN)

Big 12 - First Round
#8 Oklahoma vs. #9 Texas A&M, 7:00 p.m. (Big 12 Network)
#7 Oklahoma State vs. #10 Texas Tech, 9:30 p.m. (Big 12 Network)

Not a whole lot to see here, other than the fact that the two winners will move on to face Kansas and Missouri on Thursday. Oklahoma likely has the most to gain from today's action, as a win would guarantee a .500 (or better) finish and put them in line for a postseason berth in Lon Kruger's first season. The extra game and practice action can do a great deal for the Sooners, almost akin to what bowl practices can do for college football teams. The other three will need to win the conference tournament to either guarantee a .500 finish (Oklahoma State) or go to the postseason.

Big Sky - Title Game
#2 Weber State at #1 Montana, 9:00 p.m. (ESPN2)

The two best teams in the Big Sky all season long meet in Missoula with the winner getting the NCAA berth and the loser headed to the NIT. Weber State and Montana split the regular season series, with the home team winning both by double digits. The backcourt battle could be the best in the country on today's schedule, with Weber State's Damian Lillard and Scott Bamforth battling Montana's Will Cherry and Kareem Jamar. One area to watch tonight will be offensive rebounding, something the Wildcats have done well in both meetings. If Darin Mahoney and Kyle Tresnak can control the boards once again they can win in Missoula, and with the Grizzlies not being the best rebounding team that's definitely possible. Unlike the first two meetings, look for the rubber match to go right down to the wire.

Conference USA - First Round
#7 Rice vs. #10 East Carolina, 1:00 p.m. (CSS)
#6 Marshall vs. #11 SMU, 3:30 p.m. (CSS)
#8 UTEP vs. #9 Houston, 7:30 p.m. (CSS)
#5 UAB vs. #12 Tulane, 10:00 p.m. (CSS)

Similar to the Big 12's first round there's not much to see in Memphis in regards to who will make the NCAA tournament out of Conference USA (Memphis, who will reach the Sweet 16, is a lock. Who joins them?). UAB, Marshall, Rice and Houston are all playing for postseason berths, with the Thundering Herd having the best shot at finding somewhere to play next week. The other three all need multiple wins to ensure finishing .500 or better, and outside of the Herd (led by DeAndre Kane and Damier Pitts) and UAB (Cameron Moore is a player) it's tough to find any team capable of making a run to either Friday or Saturday.

MAC - Second Round
#12 Northern Illinois vs. #8 Western Michigan, 7:00 p.m. (STO)
#7 Toledo vs. #11 Central Michigan, 9:30 p.m. (STO)

The winners of tonight's action in Cleveland move on to battle Ohio and Kent State on Thursday night in the newly recorfigured MAC tournament, and for the Huskies and Chippewas to reach this point is a surprise in itself. NIU takes on a Western Michigan team that swept the regular season series, with the game in Kalamazoo being the closer of the two. CMU looks to be in better shape from a competitive standpoint in their matchup with Toledo, as the Chips lost to the Rockets by just five in their second meeting. Rian Pearson leads the way for the Rockets, and if CMU finds away to neutralize him they've got a shot at the win.

MEAC - Opening Round/Quarterfinals
# 1 Savannah State vs. #8 Hampton, 6:00 p.m.
# 2 Norfolk State vs. #10 Howard, 8:00 p.m.

The top two seeds begin their march towards the MEAC's automatic bid, and both Savannah State and Norfolk State will be favored to get to the semifinals. Horace Broadnax's Tigers won the regular season title outright, quite the achievement for a team not only picked to finish 11th in the preseason poll but also in its first season as a full Division I (and MEAC) member. NSU, who many expected to win the league, finished a game out of first and has the MEAC's best player in forward Kyle O'Quinn. Hampton may be able to give Savannah State some trouble and the same goes for Howard, but both favorites should move on.

NEC - Title Game
#3 Robert Morris at #1 LIU Brooklyn, 7:00 p.m. (ESPN2)

The NEC delivers a rematch of last season's title game, a battle that went right down to the wire with the home team (LIU Brooklyn) winning by a basket. The rematch should be just as close, with Velton Jones leading the Colonials and forwards Julian Boyd and Jamal Olasewere pacing the Blackbirds. LIU has to rebound, something they haven't always done consistently this season, if they're to defend their home floor and make a return trip to the Big Dance. RMU has done a solid job defensively of late, and that will be the ticket for them if they're to win an NEC title on the road for the second time in three seasons.

Pac-12 - First Round
#8 Washington State vs. # 9 Oregon State, 3:10 p.m. (FSN)
# 5 UCLA vs. # 12 USC, 5:40 p.m. (FSN)
# 7 Stanford vs. # 10 Arizona State, 9:10 p.m. (FSN)
# 6 Colorado vs. # 11 Utah, 11:40 p.m. (FSN)

The Pac-12 is essentially a tournament where one could toss two NCAA bids in the middle of the Staples Center and let all 12 teams fight to the death for them. The resumes are that bad, and without any true separation there isn't a clear favorite either. Colorado and Utah kick off their first Pac-12 tournament experiences and the Buffs will be favored to beat the Utes in the final game of the day. But a sleeper to grab the automatic berth may lie in the second game, as UCLA is coming off of a home sweep of the Washington schools as they brushed off the Sports Illustrated article that painted the program in a negative light. If Joshua Smith can stay on the floor and be a factor, there's no reason why the Bruins can't win the tournament. Oregon State and Stanford could also make a run, with the Cardinal likely being the better choice despite the presence of OSU's Jared Cunningham.

Patriot - Title Game
#2 Lehigh at #1 Bucknell, 7:00 p.m. (CBS SN)

The road team won both meetings during the regular season, with a C.J. McCollum dagger giving the Mountain Hawks the win in the second meeting. McCollum and Bucknell's Mike Muscala were the two best players in the Patriot League this season, with McCollum winning Player of the Year. But the key for the Mountain Hawks may be to make sure that Joe Willman doesn't have a big night alongside Muscala. Willman averaged 10.8 points per game and was a Second Team All-Patriot League selection, as was guard Cameron Ayers. Inside for Lehigh Gabe Knutson and Holden Grenier have both played well this season, providing good frontcourt scoring to balance out what McCollum brings to the table.

Southland - Quarterfinals
# 2 Stephen F. Austin vs. # 7 Sam Houston St, 1:00 p.m.
# 3 Lamar vs. # 6 Northwestern St., 3:30 p.m.
# 1 UT Arlington vs. # 8 Nicholls St., 6:00 p.m.
# 4 McNeese St. vs. # 5 UTSA, 8:30 p.m.

The Southland tournament gets going today (there's an off day between the semifinals and title game), and regular season champ UT-Arlington enters as the favorite. LaMarcus Reed III was one of the leaders for a team that lost just one game in conference play, but they won't go unchallenged in Katy either. Reigning tournament champion UTSA returned a number of key players from last season's team, most notable Melvin Johnson III and reserve Kannor Burrage leading the way. Pat Knight's Lamar Cardinals are another possible winner, provided seniors like Mike James take the reins from a leadership standpoint. Look for there to be an upset or two on our way to the championship.

SWAC -Quarterfinals
#2 Texas Southern vs. #7 Alabama A&M, 1:30 p.m. (SWAC TV)
#1 Mississippi Valley State vs. #8 Jackson State, 9:00 p.m. (SWAC TV)

MIssissippi Valley State begins tournament play with Jackson State, and while they ran through the SWAC without much fuss, the Delta Devils' overall record will make them a 16-seed should they get the automatic bid. Paul Crosby, Terrence Joyner and company have taken nearly a third of their shots from beyond the arc this season, and if those shots are falling MVSU is a tough team to beat. Jackson State played them close in both meetings, so the question for tonight is whether or not they have enough to get over the hump. Texas Southern gets the two-seed due to Southern's ineligibility, and they swept Alabama A&M during the regular season with both wins by double digits.

Detroit Grabs First Bid Since 1999: Tuesday's Quick Hitters

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 23:09:23 -0800

When Western Kentucky fired Ken McDonald on January 6th few envisioned the young Hilltoppers earning a bid to the NCAA tournament. But they did just that, beating North Texas 74-70 in the Sun Belt title game.

1. Another team playing their best basketball at the right time is Detroit, who pulled away to beat top-seed Valparaiso on the Horizon League title game.
Ray McCallum Sr.'s Titans struggled offensively in the first half of thir contest with top seed Valparaiso, shooting just 29% from the field. But they trailed by just three points thanks to their effort on the defensive end, forcing the Crusaders into 11 first half turnovers. Things would change for Detroit in the second half, as Ray McCallum Jr. took control of the contest and as a team the Titans shot 57.7% while limiting Valpo to 31.8% from the field. The end result was a 70-50 win for Detroit, who has now won ten of their last eleven games heading into the Big Dance.

McCallum Jr. finished with a team-high 21 points to go along with six rebounds, four steals and three assists. Jason Calliste added 17 points and LaMarcus Lowe 14 and ten rebounds, and three of Valparaiso's four best players were kept in check. Will Bogan, Ben Boggs and Erik Buggs combined to score just five points, shooting a poor 1-for-12 on the night. Depending on their seed Detroit is more than capable of throwing a scare into a high seed, and with the amount of talent at McCallum Sr.'s disposal it likely wouldn't be a stunner if they were to pick up a win next week.

2. South Dakota State caps the five-year trek with an NCAA bid, beating Western Illinois in overtime to win the Summit League.
To become a full-fledged Division I member schools have to go through a five-year provisional period, meaning that while they can compete in conferences and win regular season titles they're ineligible to compete in NCAA championship events. That five-year wait for the South Dakota State Jackrabbits was likely a rough one in that regard, but they were able to make up for Nate Wolters' off night to beat Western Illinois 54-52 in overtime.

Wolters shot 5-for-22 from the field, 4-for-17 from beyond the arc due in part to WIU's play defensively. But others stepped up, most notably Griffin Callahan, as he scored ten points and grabbed six rebounds to help lead the charge. If the Jackrabbits are to have any shot at a tournament win next week Wolters will need to have one of his best games of the season, but it will help matters if his teammates take advantage of their opportunities as well.

3. Princeton knocks off rival Penn, which gives Harvard their first NCAA tournament bid since 1946.
Rivalry games with a title on the line can be tricky affairs, especially if one team no longer has a shot at the title. That's exactly what Penn had to deal with on Tuesday night, as they visited rival Princeton looking for the win that would result in sharing the regular season title with Harvard and setting up a one-game playoff. Penn came out of the gatest slow, scoring just 17 points in the first half of what would become a 62-52 Princeton win. Zack Rosen scored 19 points to lead the Quakers, but he also had seven turnovers. Shooting would be the bigger issue for Jerome Allen's team as they shot 38.6% from inside of the arc, squandering an opportunity to take advantage of 20 Princeton turnovers. Add in a nearly unstoppable Ian Hummer and it becomes rather simple to figure out why the Crimson were able to wrap up an outright Ivy League title despite not playing. .

Quick Hitters

1. Day one at the Big East Championship didn't provide much in the way of drama as all four games were decided by at least 14 points. But most importantly both Connecticut and Seton Hall advanced, and they'll both have good opportunities for quality wins on Wednesday. UConn, who beat DePaul 81-64, takes on eight seed West Virginia in the first game of the day. Seton Hall will look to follow their 79-47 win over Providence with a win over seven-seed Louisville, and it's safe to say that both the Huskies and Pirates need to do the bare minimum and keep winning.

2. The home teams held serve in the first round of the Atlantic 10 tournament, with all four winning to advance to Atlantic City. This development also set up what will be a huge quarterfinal between four-seed Xavier and five-seed Dayton, as both teams are in serious need of wins at this point. The Flyers beat 12-seed George Washington 67-50, limiting the Colonials to 17 first-half points.

3. The fans will get what they wanted to see in the Big Sky: round three between regular season champion Montana and runner-up Weber State, as both won their semifinal matchups on Tuesday night. Mathias Ward scored 19 points and grabbed seven rebounds in the Grizzlies' 74-66 win over Eastern Washington but it was Kareem Jamar who left his fingerprints all over the game, accounting for 18 points, 13 rebounds and two steals. Damian Lillard put up 22 points, four assists and four steals to lead Weber State to a 69-63 win over Portland State. The home team won both meetings during the regular season, but that tends to go out of the window in tournament finals.

4. Back to the Big East for a second, as it is important to point out how critical the offseason will be for Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights ended their season with a 70-49 loss to Villanova on Tuesday, and while the addition of Kansas State transfer Wally Judge will help those youngers who were thrown into the fire this season need to improve if Mike Rice's team is to make a move in the Big East.

5. A lack of familiarity can spark some interesting (and unexpected) happenings, which was the case in Florida A&M's 74-72 win over Coppin State in the first round of the MEAC tournament. FAMU trailed 43-28 at the half and by six with 4:38 to go, but an 11-3 run put the Rattlers in the driver's seat. The only other lower-seeded team to win in Winston-Salem was Howard, who beat North Carolina A&T 51-50 on a Calvin Thompson layup with 46 seconds remaining

Hilltoppers Cap Improbable Run With a Sun Belt Title

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 22:07:40 -0800

Sometimes in conference tournaments, especially for one-bid conferences, the winner is the team that's playing the best basketball at that time as opposed to the team that showed itself to be the best throughout the season. But how often does the winning team not only play their best basketball at the right time but also successfully navigates an in-season coaching change? That's exactly what happened for Western Kentucky, who will make their first NCAA tournament appearance since 2009 as a result of their 74-70 win over North Texas.

Ray Harper took over for the fired Ken McDonald on January 6th in a move many criticized nationally. But he was able to develop the young Hilltoppers enough to not only earn the job full-time but also lead the team to the Big Dance, something few people expected to happen. Tuesday's star was forward/center Teeng Akol, who more than held his own inside against the Mean Green's Tony Mitchell. Akol finished with 23 points on 9-for-11 shooting, also grabbing five rebounds and blocking four shots, and George Fant added 17 points and six boards.

"I'm just happy for these young men," said Harper. "Give them credit, they bought in to what we were telling them. And I knew when we left Bowling Green, Kentucky...that we had a chance."

Drawing a player like Mitchell isn't easy for any big man, but Akol showed himself to be more than capable of taking on the challenge. Mitchell finished with 18 points and five rebounds, but despite four starters reaching double figures the Mean Green fell short. But the decisive blow was struck by WKU's lone senior, as guard Kahlil McDonald knocked down a three-pointer with 1:12 remaiing to give the Hilltoppers a lead they wouldn't relinquish. Freshman guard Derrick Gordon was quiet offensively as he scored just eight points, but the New Jersey native has been a key component all season long.

Under Harper maybe next season would have been the year in which people expected WKU to get things headed in the right direction, but thanks to a staff and a group of players who continued to work that time is now. WKU could end up with a trip to Dayton, but at this point you'll be hard-pressed to find a Hilltopper upset with that possible development. Only two months ago many left this team for dead, never thinking that an NCAA tournament appearance was possible.

Three Notable Performances

1. G/F Javorn Farrell (Massachusetts)
20 points, nine assists and seven rebounds in the Minutemen's 92-83 win over Duquesne in the first round of the Atlantic 10 tournament.

2. F/C Teeng Akol (Western Kentucky)
23 points (9-11 FG), five rebounds and four blocked shots in the Hilltoppers' 74-70 win over Nroth Texas to win the Sun Belt tournament.

3. F Ian Hummer (Princeton)
18 points, ten rebounds, four assists, four blocked shots and three steals in the Tigers' 62-52 win over Penn.

Tuesday's Conference Tournament Primer

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 09:03:10 -0800

While there's plenty of conference tournament action on Tuesday's schedule, and three bids to be distributed, there's also a huge game in the Ivy League as Penn (19-11, 11-2) visits rival Princeton (18-11, 9-4). What's on the line for the Quakers? A share of the Ivy League title with Harvard, which would force a one-game playoff between the two teams at a site to be determined. Jerome Allen's Quakers are led by the outstanding senior guard triumvirate of Zack Rosen, Tyler Bernardini and Miles Cartwright, with Rosen being the likely choice for Ivy League Player of the Year.

Rosen (18.5 ppg, 5.3 apg) has scored 20 points or more in four of Penn's last six games, and in Penn's 82-67 win over Princeton back on January 30th he scored 28 and dished out five assists. Job one for any team taking on Penn is to limit Rosen's impact on the game, but that's a task that's far easier said than done. And in most instances this season it's fallen short. Bernardini had to deal with foul trouble in that game yet still managed to score 14 points in 25 minutes, and the Quakers will need him to snap out of his current slump tonight if they're to force a playoff.

While Penn's won seven straight it isn't as if the Tigers come in playing poorly, as they've won seven of their last eight. Forward Ian Hummer's been a critical factor all season long for Mitch Henderson, leading the team in both scoring and rebounding and ranking second on the team with three assists per game. Hummer's a versatile forward who can be a difficult matchup for teams, and he combined with center Brendan Connolly to score 36 points in the first meeting (21 for Hummer).

Those two got their points but rebounding was a problem at the Palestra, as Penn grabbed 13 offensive boards and out-rebounded the Tigers 33-19. Pretty easy to figure out what Princeton needs to change from that first meeting if they're to defend their home floor. Princeton also has senior Douglas Davis in the backcourt, who averages 13.0 points per game, and point guard T.J. Bray has proven himself to be effective as both a distributor (3.6 apg) and a rebounder (4.5 rpg) at his position. If Penn wins the battle on the glass and shoots 10-for-18 from three as they did at The Palestra, there will likely be a playoff this weekend. But with Princeton playing better now than they were at the end of January, look for the rematch to be a 40-minute dogfight.

Atlantic 10 - First Round
#9 Duquesne at #8 Massachusetts, 7:00 p.m.
#12 Charlotte at #5 Saint Joseph's, 7:00 p.m.
#10 Richmond at #7 La Salle, 7:00 p.m.
#11 George Washington at #6 Dayton, 7:00 p.m.

The four winners will advance to the quarterfinals in Atlantic City, where the top four seeds await. Tonight's action is most important for Saint Joseph's and Dayton, two teams clinging to hopes of making a run at an NCAA tournament bid. For that to happen one would think that the Hawks and Flyers need to get to Sunday's final given recent missteps, but the simplest thing to do at this point is go out and win; live to fight another day.

Carl Jones, Langston Galloway and C.J. Aiken have the ability to lead Saint Joseph's on a run, and it's not like Archie Miller's Flyers lack for talent either. But keep an eye on La Salle, who has one of the best point guards in the conference in Tyreek Duren, and that 8/9 matchup could be the most entertaining given the pressure applied by both Duquesne and UMass.

Big East - First Round
# 16 DePaul vs. #9 Connecticut, Noon (ESPN2)
# 13 Pittsburgh vs. # 12 St. John's, 2:00 p.m. (ESPN2)
# 15 Providence vs. # 10 Seton Hall, 7:00 p.m. (ESPNU)
# 14 Villanova vs. # 11 Rutgers (ESPNU)

So, UConn begins their Big East Championship in the same spot they began their "five games in five days" run last season. But it's an entirely different scenario for the Huskies, who were safely in the NCAA tournament last season, and they had an assertive leader in Kemba Walker. That guy hasn't stepped up yet for the Huskies, who are also taking a DePaul team that despite their last place finish has improved since last season. Cleveland Melvin and Brandon Young are both very good sophomores, and freshman Jamee Crockett has improved his play. UConn can't afford to stumble, but they're likely in better shape than a slumping Seton Hall squad that dropped games to Rutgers and DePaul to end the regular season. Providence lacks depth but with Bryce Cotton, Vincent Council and LaDontae Henton the Friars can definitely scare the Pirates if not win.

Big Sky - Semifinals (at Montana)
#3 Portland State vs. #2 Weber State, 7:30 p.m. (Altitude)
#4 Eastern Washington at #1 Montana, 10:00 p.m. (Altitude)

The top four teams in the Big Sky meet up in Missoula, and few are expecting anything less than a Weber State/Montana rubber game on Wednesday night. Tyler Geving's Portland State team has won four straight and seven of their last eight game, and with Charles Odum and Chehales Tapscott he's got two of the better players in the Big Sky. But the question for PSU is whether or not they can limit Damian Lillard, and if the two regular season meetings are any indication of what could happen tonight their chances aren't good. Lillard's two point totals against the Vikings this season: 38 points on the road, 40 at home.

Eastern Washington has won three of their last four games, but in a weird scheduling quirk all three wins came at the expense of Idaho State (two regular season games, then their conference tournament meeting on Saturday). And they're running to a Montana squad that swept the two regular season meetings, and the Grizzlies are hot right now as well with a streak of 12 straight wins. Will Cherry and Kareem Jamar have played well on the perimeter all season long, and even with Cliff Colimon it's going to be tough for the Eagles to win on the Grizzlies' home floor.

Horizon League - Title Game
#3 Detroit at #1 Valparaiso, 9:00 p.m. (ESPN)

Valparaiso hosts a Detroit team that's gotten things going at just the right time, winning four straight and nine of their last ten heading into tonight's title game. The two regular season meetings were close but Bryce Drew's Crusaders won both, most recently beating the Titans at home on February 2nd. It was a tale of two halves, as Detroit shot 61% and scored 45 points in the first half, only to see VU clamp down and limit them to 34.5% shooting in the second half. Ray McCallum Jr. and Eli Holman are two key figures for Detroit but it's important to point out that five Titans finished that game in double figures.

The key for Detroit: slow down Horizon League Player of the Year Ryan Broekhoff, who scored 26 points in the second meeting (6-6 3PT). Kevin Van Wijk has done well inside for the Crusaders, averaging 14.5 points and 6.0 rebounds per game in Valpo's last two games, and if he can come close to those numbers tonight Valparaiso will have a better shot at returning to the Big Dance for the first time since 2004.

MEAC - Opening Round
# 8 Hampton vs. # 9 Morgan State, 11:00 a.m.
# 7 North Carolina A&T vs. #10 Howard, 1:30 p.m.
# 5 North Carolina Central vs. # 12 UMES, 4:00 p.m.
# 4 Bethune-Cookman vs. # 13 South Carolina State, 6:30 p.m.
# 6 Coppin State vs. # 11 Florida A&M, 9:00 p.m.

Given the nature of the MEAC race beneath regular season champion Savannah State and second-place finisher Norfolk State this could be a wild five days in Winston-Salem. The top three seeds take Tuesday off, and Bethune-Cookman and North Carolina Central shouldn't have much trouble with South Carolina State and UMES, respectively.

But beginning with Coppin State/FAMU things could get interesting, especially considering the fact that somehow the two teams didn't meet during the regular season. Tony Gallo leads four Eagles in double figures, and with both teams having issues defensively this could be a wild contest that goes down to the wire. Hampton/Morgan State shouldn't lack for entertainment value either with the two teams splitting their regular season meetings, but neither winner reached 70 points so don't expect offensive fireworks.

Summit League - Title Game
#4 Western Illinois vs. #2 South Dakota State, 9:00 p.m. (ESPN2)

Many expected the top two seeds to meet for the Summit League crown, but the Leathernecks took care of those plans with a 54-53 win over Oral Roberts on Monday night. Defending Dominique Morrison was tough enough and he still finished with 23 points, but just as it was on Monday the key for WIU in beating the Jackrabbits will be to make Nate Wolters' teammates don't go off as well.

Wolters, who led SDSU to a 63-47 win over Southern Utah with 31 points, seven rebounds and six assists, has an impact in all facets of the game for the Jackrabitts, and if he's able to get his teammates going offensively there's no telling how many points they could end up scoring (they hung 93 on Washington earlier this season). Ceola Clark III and Obi Emegano lead the way offensively for WIU, who will need a low-scoring (and low-possession) game if they're to pull off the upset.

Sun Belt - Title Game
#5 North Texas vs. #7 Western Kentucky, 7:00 p.m. (ESPN2 - Summit Arena)

When Ken McDonald was fired on January 6th, few people thought that a young Western Kentucky squad would have enough left to make a run at a Sun Belt title. But thanks in large part to new head coach Ray Harper and a freshman in Derrick Gordon who is going to win a conference Player of the Year award before his career's over, the Hilltoppers find themselves one win away from an improbable NCAA tournament appearance. On the other side of the floor is North Texas, a team many pegged as a team that could win the league thanks to the addition of one-time Missouri signee Tony Mitchell.

North Texas won the lone regular season meeting 84-67 back on January 12th, but this is a far different WKU team than the one that set foot in Denton on that night. Does WKU have enough left in the tank, playing their fourth game in four days, to win the title? It will be tough, but there's no reason to assume that can't at this point.

Saint Mary's Makes History: Monday's Quick Hitters

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 00:52:35 -0800

VCU jumped out to a big lead in the first half, holding on to beat Drexel for the CAA title.

1. Saint Mary's rebounds from a Gonzaga rally to force overtime, beating the Zags to win the WCC crown.
Both late title games featured wild comebacks to force overtime, but ultimately the team that could have been too crushed to rebound ended up winning. Elias Harris scored the final five points of regulation for Gonzaga, including a three-pointer in the final seconds to send the WCC title game into overtime, but his efforts wouldn't be enough as Saint Mary's won 78-74. Randy Bennett's team made history with the win, as it marks the first time in school history that the Gaels have won the regular season title outright and won the conference tournament in the same season.

Matthew Dellavedova scored 22 points and dished out four assists to lead the Gaels and Rob Jones added 18 and nine boards, but Jorden Page was just as important. Page scored 16 points on a night that saw Gonzaga's guards, most notably Kevin Pangos (3-for-18 FG), struggle while their big men played well. Harris finished with 22 points and 13 rebounds, and both Robert Sacre' (17 points) and Sam Dower (14 points) reached double figures. Saint Mary's out-rebounded the Bulldogs by four and outscored them by five at the foul line, but ultimately it was Gonzaga's three-point shooting (5-for-22) that caught up with them. Both teams will dance, and Saint Mary's likely improved their seeding with the result as they can now claim two wins over the Bulldogs this season.

2. Davidson finds away to survive Western Carolina despite some poor late-game execution.
Saint Mary's issues late in regulation had nothing on Davidson's, as the Wildcats looked nothing like the team that ran through the SoCon during the regular season. There were turnovers as well as silly fouls of jump shooters, but thanks to the efforts of De'Mon Brooks, Jake Cohen and JP Kulhman the Wildcats survived 93-91 in double overtime. Brooks and Kuhlman scored 19 points apiece while Cohen and Nik Cochran added 17 and 16 respectively, and Clint Mann added ten points off the bench. WCU, who entered the game having won seven straight games, had three players score 20 points or more but it wouldn't be enough to get them into the NCAA tournament.

Keaton Cole led the Catamounts with 21 points, and Tawaski King (ten rebounds) and Harouna Mutombo (seven rebounds, four assists and three steals) scored 20 apiece. Davidson shot 52.9% from the field but got themselves in trouble with the turnovers (15 total) and 5-for-21 night from beyond the arc. But it would be wise to not write off the Wildcats due to this performance, as Bob McKillop's team plays under control in most instances. Just so happened that they ran into a team that could speed up their thought process and force things to happen, and it very nearly got Davidson beat.

3. Loyola (MD) completes a long journey, going from 1-27 to an NCAA tournament berth.
In Scott Hicks' final season in charge the Loyola Greyhounds went an embarrassing 1-27, a clear indication that change is needed. Jimmy Patsos was hired and from there he began to rebuild the program, and the goal of getting to the NCAA tournament was final achieved on Monday night. Loyola ramped things up defensively in the second half, pressuring full-court on made basket, which negated the Stags' advantage inside. The Greyhounds went on to win 48-44 due to both their defense and the versatility of tournament MVP Erik Etherly, who finished with ten points, seven rebounds, three blocked shots and two steals.

Ryan Olander and Rakim Sanders both reached double figures but they combined to shoot just 6-for-25 from the field, and point guard Desmond Wade wasn't a whole lot better as he shot 1-for-5. Loyola limited the Stags to just 28.8% shooting for the game and 14 second-half points. While Patsos tends to be the center of attention from a media standpoint when the Greyhounds are playing, it's also important to recognize that there's a good team at Patsos' disposal as well. If Loyola can get the right matchup with a 14 or 15-seed, they've got the ability to throw a scare into someone.

Quick Hitters

1. The top four seeds in the Sun Belt are all gone before the final, with three-seed Denver being the last to go. Western Kentucky knocked off the Pioneers 67-63 in the second semifinal in Hot Springs, setting up a date with North Texas for the title. The Mean Green beat Arkansas State in the first semifinal.

2. There was also an upset in the Summit League semis as top-seed Oral Roberts lost to Western Illinois 54-53. Dominique Morrison led the Golden Eagles with 23 points, but his teammates shot just 11-for-36 from the field. Terell Parks led the Leathernecks with 14 points and eight rebounds, and Ceola Clark III added 11 points. WIU will take on two-seed South Dakota State in Tuesday's title game, as the Jackrabbits beat Southern Utah 63-47.

3. Two of the four road teams in the first round of the MAC tournament found a way to win, with Northern Illinois knocking off Eastern Michigan and Central Michigan upsetting Bowling Green. The first half between NIU and EMU featured just 29 points (18-11 NIU) and 17 combined turnovers. As for CMU, a Derek Jackson three with 1:40 remaining put the Chippewas up for good and Austin McBroom scored a team-high 20 points.

4. It was a busy day on the coaching carousel as Winthrop decided not the bring back Randy Peele, and Miami (OH) head coach Charlie Coles retired following the Redhawks' 60-53 loss at Toledo in a MAC tournament first round game. One name that has already been mentioned in regards to the Miami (OH) job is Arizona associate head coach James Whitford, as he spent 11 years on Coles' staff with eight of those being as the top assistant.

5. Two other coaching moves that didn't surprise many were Brown deciding not to renew Jesse Agel's contract, and UNCG removed Wes Miller's interim tag. Miller's the youngest head coach in college basketball, but his promotion sparked the Spartans run to the North Division title in the SoCon.

VCU Hangs On to Win CAA Tournament

Raphielle Johnson — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 21:57:43 -0800

There was no doubt that a lot was on the line in the CAA tournament final between two-seed VCU and top-seed Drexel, and that goes beyond the title that was at stake. A win would wrap up an automatic berth to the NCAA tournament, which in turn would remove the need to worry about whether or not their gaudy win total would be enough to sway the selection committee.

VCU was able to take over the game early with their chaotic brand of defense, leading 35-19 at the half, and the gap established in the latter stages of the first half proved to be too much to overcome for Bruiser Flint's Dragons. The Rams were able to withstand a Dragon rally, never relinquishing a lead that dwindled to as small as one point in a 59-56 victory in Richmond.

Shaka Smart's team shot 4-for-15 from three and was out-rebounded 41-24, but Drexel was unable to take full advantage of those issues. The Dragons turned the ball over 18 times for the game with 12 coming in the first half, and VCU was able to convert those turnovers into 16 points. Drexel fought their way back into the game in the second half by taking better care of the basketball, which in turn meant more scoring opportunities for guards Chris Fouch and Damion Lee (26 points combined in the second half).

"Sixteen points off turnovers in the first half, and they had two in the second. Bottom line," said Flint when asked what the difference was. "We wanted them to run half-court offense and we made them run half-court offense in the second half."

VCU was able to take Drexel out of their comfort zone, especially when it came to dealing with big men Samme Givens and Darryl McCoy. The Rams didn't allow Drexel's big men to set up on the block offensively, and on the other end they were able to make those bigs defend action on the perimeter. VCU's big men limited Givens, McCoy and Dartaye Ruffin to seven points...combined. That's a development that few would have expected of the likes of D.J. Haley and Juvonte Reddic back in December.

"I'm excited about the future with those [big men] and they're development's been good. Again they have a long way to go," said Smart of his frontcourt. "But you don't win a conference championship without big guys stepping up and playing high-level basketball."

Senior Bradford Burgess was quiet with six points on 2-for-9 shooting, but his leadership has been something VCU has been able to rely on all season. Also point guard Darius Theus stepped up in a big way, finishing with 16 points, five assists and five steals, leaving his fingerprints on the game at both ends of the floor. Treveon Graham scored 13 points off the bench and Troy Daniels knocked down four key free throws in the final minute to hold off the Dragons.

VCU was in a similar position to Drexel last year, having dropped the CAA final and having to watch other teams throughout the country in hopes of having enough on their resume to get into the Big Dance. The Rams' story is well-documented at this point, but will Drexel receive a similar opportunity? With an RPI (as of Sunday) of 63 and a strength of schedule of 259, those numbers don't look to be in the Dragons' favor.

But they did win 19 straight games going into the title game, and it's tough to argue against an outright conference title and 27 wins. It will definitely be an interesting case to keep track of in the days leading up to Selection Sunday, with the question being whether or not the selection committee believes that the combination of on-court product and resume is good enough to warrant giving Drexel a spot in the tournament.

Three Notable Performances

1. G Nate Wolters (South Dakota State)
31 points, seven rebounds and six assists in the Jackrabbits' 63-47 win over Southern Utah.

2. F Elias Harris (Gonzaga)
22 points (10-14 FG), 13 rebounds and two steals in the Bulldogs' 78-74 overtime loss to Saint Mary's.

3. F Jake Cohen (Davidson)
17 points (7-9 FG), seven rebounds, seven blocked shots and four assists in the Wildcats' 93-91 double overtime win over Western Carolina.

Monday's Conference Tournament Primer

Raphielle Johnson — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 10:01:55 -0800

WCC: #1 Saint Mary's vs. #2 Gonzaga, 9:00 p.m. (ESPN)

The top two teams in the WCC meet in Las Vegas, and it should be fun as the two teams don't care much for each other. Gonzaga won 11 straight WCC regular season titles before Saint Mary's grabbed this year's crown, and that should spice things up even more. Mark Few's Bulldogs played very well on Saturday night in their semifinal win over BYU, with Kevin Pangos going off for 30 points to lead the way. The Gaels had a little more trouble in their semifinal, as a talented San Francisco team gave them all they wanted before Randy Bennett's team pulled away late.

With second and third-round games being played in Portland this season, the winner of the WCC's automatic bid could lay claim to a protected seed there given the struggles of the Pac-12. Saint Mary's will look to counter Pangos with veteran point guard Matthew Dellavedova, who can also fill it up when left alone on the perimeter. He's been a constant for the Gaels in both meetings with the Bulldogs, which the two teams split with the home team winning both. The Australian averaged 23 points per game against Gonzaga this season, but the key for Saint Mary's will be how effective forward Rob Jones can be.

Jones scored just two points in the Saint Mary's win over Gonzaga, with the Gaels being able to withstand that thanks to 17 points and ten boards from redshirt freshman Brad Waldow. But in the 73-59 loss in Spokane, Jones and Waldow were kept in check on the glass (ten combined rebounds to 21 in the first meeting), and guard Stephen Holt went scoreless as well. Page is going to be a key figure on the perimeter tonight, because it's not just Pangos that the Gaels have to worry about.

Junior wing Guy Landry Edi has reached double figures in two of the last three games, most recently scoring 11 against BYU. The athleticism that both he and freshman Gary Bell have can make for tough matchups, especially when the Bulldogs can get out and run. Add in forwards Elias Harris and Robert Sacre, and Saint Mary's will have multiple areas they need to take care of in order to win. Pangos scored 27 points in the second meeting between the two but the contributions of those two can't be overlooked, as they combined for 22 points and 19 rebounds. Gonzaga's going to need more of the same if they're to take another title back to Spokane.

CAA: #1 Drexel vs. #2 VCU, 7:00 p.m. (ESPN)
When two teams with 27 wins apiece still aren't considered a lock for the NCAA tournament there's no real need to state just how important that title game may be. That's the situation that the top two seeds in the CAA find themselves in going into Monday's title game, because while both have the look of a tournament team on the court the resume is considered by some to be lacking when it comes to strength of schedule numbers. Drexel won the lone regular season meeting (64-58) but that game was played way back on January 8th, and both teams have improved a great deal since then.

Freshman Damion Lee has been outstanding for the Dragons, helping out the likes of Chris Fouch, Samme Givens and Frantz Massenat. VCU's youngsters have become more comfortable in their roles, as has senior wing Bradford Burgess. There will be a lot on the line and a nice contrast of styles as well, with the Rams looking to pressure all 94 feet and Bruiser Flint's squad playing a half-court defense befitting of his name. The winner won't have to spend the next six days worrying about their fate, while the loser may have to endure a few sleepless nights.

MAAC: #4 Fairfield vs. #2 Loyola (MD), 7:00 p.m. (ESPN2)
Fairfield pulled off the upset of the tournament as they beat top-seed Iona in the semis, but even with Derek Needham out for the season (broken foot) was it really that big of an upset? Sydney Johnson's Stags are talented and they have depth, led by senior forwards Ryan Olander and Rakim Sanders. Houston transfer Desmond Wade has played well at the point, and a team that struggled to find its was under a first-year head coach early in the season has rounded into form at just the right time. As for Jimmy Patsos' Greyhounds, they've got depth as well and guard Dylon Cormier is one of the best players in the MAAC. Loyola also features the versatile Erik Etherly, Robert Olson and MAAC 6th Man of the Year Justin Drummond. Look for this one to be a tight affair as the two teams split their regular season meetings with the road team winning both.

MAC: # 12 Northern Illinois at # 5 Eastern Michigan, 7:00 p.m.
# 9 Ball State at # 8 Western Michigan, 7:00 p.m.
# 10 Miami at # 7 Toledo, 7:00 p.m.
# 11 Central Michigan at # 6 Bowling Green, 7:00 p.m.

The Mid-American Conference changed up their tournament format before the season, doing away with divisional seeding and giving the top two seeds byes to the semifinals. That means we won't see either Akron or Buffalo until Friday night, and six of the eight teams playing in the first round come from the West Division. Eastern Michigan was the lone team in the West to finish with a winning conference record, which is a testament to what first-year head coach Rob Murphy has been able to do with the program. But the second place team in the division, Toledo, needs to be careful with ten-seed Miami (OH), as forward Julian Mavunga ranks among the best players in the MAC. The four winners advance to Cleveland, but it's difficult to figure out if any of these teams can truly do some damage once they get there.

SoCon: #3N Western Carolina vs. #1S Davidson, 9:00 p.m. (ESPN2)
Western Carolina has won seven straight games, which makes them a dangerous foe for top-seed Davidson. However, Bob McKillop's team has been the class of the SoCon and with forwards Jake Cohen and De'Mon Brooks leading the way it's easy to see why. Harouna Mutombo leads four Catamounts in double figures with an average of 13.7 points per game, and that balance is going to be key if WCU is to have any shot at knocking off the Wildcats. Davidson won the lone regular season meeting 88-67, outscoring the Catamounts by 18 from beyond the arc and by 15 from the foul line. Those margins need to be close tonight.

Summit League: #1 Oral Roberts vs. #4 Western Illinois, 7:00 p.m.
#2 South Dakota State vs.#6 Southern Utah, 9:30 p.m.

Southern Utah is the lone team not in the top four to advance to the semis as they knocked off three-seed Oakland on Sunday night. The Thunderbirds now get to take on South Dakota State, who is led by guard Nate Wolters. Wolters handles his many responsibilities very well in leading the Jackrabbits, and if Southern Utah doesn't have an answer for him it's going to be a long night for them. SDSU averages just two more possessions per game but they're far more efficient, and they average 12 more points per game as well. In the first semi top-seed Oral Roberts takes on Western Illinois, a team they swept during the regular season but their win at WUI was by just one point. Dominique Morrison shot just 2-for-11 from the field in their quarterfinal on Saturday, but he did score 27 points in the first meeting between these two.

Sun Belt: #9 Arkansas State vs. #5 North Texas, 7:00 p.m. (Sun Belt Network - Summit Arena)
#3 Denver vs. #7 Western Kentucky, 9:30 p.m. (Sun Belt Network - Summit Arena)

Neither of the top two seeds reached the semis with both Middle Tennessee and UALR falling in Sunday's quarterfinals, which in theory opens the door for three-seed Denver. But given the nature of the Sun Belt tournament all that did was guarantee the Pioneers the right to wear their home whites the rest of the event. Joe Scott's Pioneers take on WKU in the second semifinal, and Ray Harper's Hilltoppers are playing well as they've won four straight. Guard Derrick Gordon is going to be a star in the Sun Belt, but the Hilltoppers dropped their lone meeting with Denver by 13 (78-65).

The first semifinal features North Texas, who more than a few people picked to win the conference tournament based on the presence of Tony Mitchell. Mitchell averages 14.8 points and 10.9 rebounds per game, and it's a safe assumption that the Missouri transfer will have Arkansas State's attention from the start. John Brady's Red Wolves knocked off top-seed Middle Tennessee, but they can struggle offensively.

Sunday's Conference Tournament Primer

Raphielle Johnson — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 08:01:10 -0800

Missouri Valley - Title Game
#4 Illinois State vs. #2 Creighton, 2:00 p.m. (CBS)

The eyes of many bubble teams and their fan bases will be focused on St. Louis and the title game of the MVC tournament. The reason why: Illinois State, a team that was unlikely to be an at-large selection, is 40 minutes away from grabbing the Valley's automatic bid and making it a three-bid league. Standing in the way of the Redbirds is two-seed Creighton, who looked outstanding in their 99-71 win over Evansville and will be headed to the Big Dance with or without the automatic bid.

The problem for Illinois State, who beat Wichita State 65-64 on Saturday to reach the final, is that they've been unable to slow down the Bluejays in either meeting. Creighton averaged 94.5 points per game in two wins over the Redbirds, most recently handing ISU a 102-74 beating in Omaha on February 1st. Doug McDermott led six players in double figures that game with 25 points, and in the two meetings Creighton has shot 57.1% (87-78 win at ISU) and 56.4% from the field.

Tim Jankovich's team has improved since that loss on the defensive end of the floor as only three teams have shot better than 45% from the field since, but the Redbirds' improved defense will be tested this afternoon. Big man Jackie Carmichael has been outstanding all season long, and his physical play is a big reason why Illinois State has been able to reach this point. But he and Tyler Brown are going to need their teammates to step up if they're to have a shot at knocking off this powerful Creighton squad, and Nic Moore's 12 points on Saturday could be a step in the right direction in that regard.

In addition to McDermott the Bluejays have Gregory Echenique inside, and on the perimeter players such as Antoine Young, Grant Gibbs and Jahenns Manigat all have the ability to make plays. The offensive production is rarely a question for Greg McDermott's team, but how well they play defensively will ultimately determine how far they can go in the NCAA tournament. If Creighton can clamp down defensively the upset bid becomes even tougher for Illinois State, but they've got a shot. And at this point in the season that's the least a team can ask for.

America East - Semifinals
#1 Stony Brook vs. #4 Albany, 5:02 p.m. (ESPN3)
#2 Vermont vs. #6 Hartford, 7:15 p.m. (ESPN3)

Three of the top four seeds advanced to the semifinals in West Hartford, with the host Hawks being the lone exception. They were able to slow down a potent Boston University attack, winning 53-49, and at 9-21 on the season John Gallagher's Hawks really don't have anything to lose. But beating a Vermont team that swept the regular season series, winning both games by double digits, will be very tough to do. The Catamounts scored just 14 points in the first half of their 50-40 win over Maine on Saturday but with the likes of Matt Glass and Luke Apfeld don't expect that to happen again.

The first semifinal should be highly entertaining, as regular season champ Stony Brook takes on four-seed Albany, who has the league's leading scorer in Gerardo Suero. Suero, a guy many thought would be Player of the Year, can flat-out light it up and if Logan Aronhalt is effective the Great Danes can be a tough out. Steve Pikiell's Seawolves have five players averaging at least eight points per game with Bryan Dougher leading the way, and in Tommy Brenton they've got the league's best defender.

CAA - Semifinals
#1 Drexel vs. #4 Old Dominion, 2 p.m. (CAA-TV)
#2 VCU vs. #3 George Mason, 4:30 p.m. (CAA-TV)

There's no underestimating how important these two games are from an NCAA tournament standpoint, because while the chances of a second bid are slim given the troubles of bubble teams throughout the country the possibility for the CAA remains. Drexel won the regular season title outright and keeping in mind UAB's selection last season that achievement may hold weight with the selection committee. Frantz Massenat and the Dragons take on an ODU team that played arguably its best offensive game of the season on Saturday, but don't expect offensive fireworks given how good both teams have been defensively. The rubber match between VCU and George Mason will most likely determine the team with the best shot at an at-large should Drexel end up with the automatic bid, but more importantly the winner would control their own fate with a shot at the title on Monday night. Mason escaped Georgia State on Saturday night while VCU was able to take care of Northeastern.

Metro Atlantic - Semifinals
#4 Fairfield vs. #1 Iona, 2:00 p.m. (ESPN3)
#2 Loyola (MD) vs. #6 Siena, 4:30 p.m. (ESPN3)

Similar to America East the six-seed is the one "crashing" the party in the MAAC, as a Siena team that goes six deep knocked off three-seed Manhattan in Saturday's quarterfinals. Owen Wignot sent the game into overtime with a three-pointer with eight seconds remaining, and senior Brandon Walters picked a good time to play arguably the best game of his career. The question now is whether or not Mitch Buonaguro's team has enough left in the tank (especially with Evan Hymes battling a knee injury) to battle one of the MAAC's deepest teams in Loyola. Erik Etherly and Dylon Cormier may lead the way, but the Greyhounds can also call on the likes of Robert Olson and MAAC 6th Man of the Year Justin Drummond when needed.

The first semifinal matches the two teams expected to fight it out for the regular season title in top-seed Iona and Fairfield. It took the Stags a little longer than expected to mesh given the addition of Rakim Sanders and Desmond Wade, not to mention head coach Sydney Johnson just arriving by way of Princeton. The loss of guard Derek Needham hurts but Fairfield has the depth needed to navigate such a loss. The Gaels are deep as well, led by seniors Scott Machado and Mike Glover, and with their run last season ending in the MAAC title game there's going to be motivation to take care of business. If Iona can defend at a solid level they have more than enough offensive talent to advance to Monday's final.

NEC - Semifinals
#3 Robert Morris at #2 Wagner, Noon (MSG/FCS)
#5 Quinnipiac at #1 LIU Brooklyn, 6:00 p.m. (MSG/FCS)

The battle between the Colonials and Seahawks will be entertaining, especially when considering a likely matchup between RMU's Velton Jones and Wagner's Kenneth Ortiz. Jones leads the Colonials in scoring with an average of 16.4 points per game, and Ortiz is one of the NEC's best defenders. Both teams are deep, and with Latif Rivers and Tyler Murray also at his disposal on the perimeter Wagner head coach Dan Hurley won't lack for options. The same goes for RMU's Andy Toole, who also has sophomore Coron Williams and freshman wing Lucky Jones. RMU has been the better rebounding team this season, so if Jones and Russell Johnson can control things on the glass they can leave Staten Island with a win.

In the other semifinal high-scoring LIU Brooklyn hosts Quinnipiac, who have one of the league's best scoring guards in James Johnson. The key for QU however could be how well Ike Azotam does inside against Julian Boyd and Jamal Olasewere. The Bobcats are the best rebounding team in the NEC and Azotam is a big reason why, but Boyd and Olasewere can both step out on the perimeter and draw him away from the basket. Add in guards Jason Brickman and C.J. Garner and the Blackbirds have a rotation that's been tough to slow down all season long.

Southern - Semifinals
#1N UNCG vs. #3N Western Carolina, 6:00 p.m.
#1S Davidson vs. #2N Elon, 8:30 p.m.

Three of the four teams still alive in the SoCon hail from the North Division, which may be seen as a surprise based on how the regular season played out. Wes Miller's Spartans have played so well since he took over that the youngest head coach in America was named SoCon Coach of the Year, and with Trevis Simpson leading the way UNCG can reach the final. But the Spartans will face a Western Carolina squad that's won six straight, and they looked very good in their 82-59 win over Wofford on Saturday afternoon. In the other semifinal the clear favorite to win the automatic bid, Davidson, takes on an Elon team led by Jack Isenbarger. The question for the Phoenix is whether or not they have enough inside to deal with Jake Cohen and De'Mon Brooks, but then again no one's really had an answer for these two within the league.

Summit League - Quarterfinals
#4 Western Illinois vs. #5 North Dakota State, 7:00 p.m.
#3 Oakland vs. #6 Southern Utah, 9:30 p.m.

The top two seeds, Oral Roberts and South Dakota State, advanced on Saturday night and Sunday's slate features one of the country's most prolific scorers in Oakland's Reggie Hamilton. Hamilton averaged 25.5 points per game in two wins over the Thunderbirds, and Travis Bader is a capable scorer as well. Jackson Stevenett leads four SUU players in double figures with an average of 14.1 points per game, and that balance combined with better defense on Hamilton is the formula for a Southern Utah win. North Dakota State and Western Illinois each have three players averaging double figures in scoring, and guards Taylor Braun (NDSU) and Ceola Clark (WIU) are both capable of leading their teams to the victory. The winners will take on ORU and South Dakota State in Monday's semifinals.

Sun Belt - Quarterfinals
#1 Middle Tennessee vs. #9 Arkansas State, 7:00 p.m. (Sun Belt Network - Summit Arena)
#4 Louisiana-Lafayette vs. #5 North Texas, 7:15 p.m. (Convention Center Court)
#2 UALR vs. #7 Western Kentucky, 9:30 p.m. (Sun Belt Network - Summit Arena)
#3 Denver vs. #6 South Alabama, 9:45 p.m. (Convention Center Court)

The top five teams take the court for the first time in the Sun Belt tournament, and while Middle Tennessee has to be considered the favorite given how well they played throughout the season they won't go unchallenged. Denver put together an outstanding season thanks to the tandem of Brian Stafford and Chris Udofia, and if there's a player who can go on a run and make the tournament his own personal playground that would be North Texas' Tony Mitchell. UALR should also be in the conversation as Steve Shields' team won the automatic bid last season, and they're the two seed entering this year's tournament.

North Carolina Wins ACC Title: Saturday's Quick Hitters

Raphielle Johnson — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 06:10:15 -0800

Three teams (Belmont, Murray State and UNC Asheville) punched their tickets to the NCAA tournament on Saturday.

1. North Carolina jumps out to a big lead at Cameron, spoling Duke's Senior Day and winning the ACC regular season title.
Pouring salt in the wound of another isn't ever a good idea, and apparently the showing of a montage of big plays late in Duke's comeback win in Chapel Hill fired up UNC point guard Kendall Marshall. Marshall, and by extension his teammates, felt disrespected and as a result the Tar Heels had a little extra motivation to go along with the desire to beat their rival and win the ACC regular season crown. UNC jumped out to a 22-5 lead, withstood a Blue Devil rally in the second half and went on to win 88-70. Marshall led the way with 20 points and ten assists, knocking down seven of his fifteen shots from the field to make a defense that allowed him to shoot pay. In fact, Marshall was one of three starters to post a double-double, as Tyler Zeller (19 points, ten rebounds) and John Henson (13 points, ten rebounds) also had good nights.

All five starters finished in double figures for the Tar Heels, who also bludgeoned Duke on the glass 45-28 with 14 offensive rebounds. Mason (17 points, four rebounds) and Miles (16 points, 11 rebounds) Plumlee led the Blue Devils but the slow start landed them in a hole too deep to crawl out of. North Carolina did a better job of defending the three, and part of the battle was to make sure the Blue Devils didn't get the chance to attempt 36 as they did in Chapel Hill. Duke finished 6-for-21 from beyond the arc, and when combined with their 47.6% shooting inside of the arc that wasn't enough to withstand UNC shooting 60.3% from two and 54.5% overall. With both teams still in the fight for a one-seed in the NCAA tournament splitting the regular season series was key for North Carolina. One would think that an ACC tournament crown would be the "tiebreaker".

2. BYU gets outclassed by Gonzaga and now has to sweat out a week of action.
For the sake of the Cougars it may be a good thing if the selection committee got in some rest before they begin their week-long process of filling the 68-team field, because they did not look good in their WCC semifinal matchup with Gonzaga. The Bulldogs showed no ill effects of playing their first game of the tournament, coming out firing and jumping to a 12-4 lead by the first media timeout and leading by as many as 18 in the first half. BYU was able to close the margin to 12 at the half (38-26), but they were no match for Kevin Pangos and the Bulldogs in the second half as Gonzaga rolled to the 77-58 win. Pangos scored 30 points and dished out four assists, advancing the Bulldogs to the title game where they will play nemesis Saint Mary's, and the Zags limited BYU to 37.7% shooting on the night.

The question for BYU is how much damage does this defeat do to their NCAA tournament hopes. According to realtimerpi.com the Cougars entered Saturday with an RPI of 47, but their strength of schedule number (108) has to be a bit of a concern at this point. BYU does have three RPI Top 50 wins at this point, as they've beaten Oregon and Weber State in addition to Gonzaga, but two of those wins came at home and the Oregon win came in Salt Lake City. Saturday night notwithstanding BYU has the look of a tournament team, with Brandon Davies and Noah Hartsock inside leading the way. But does the resume match up? That's a question that many will ponder over the next week.

3. Illinois State upsets Wichita State in the Missouri Valley semis, setting up a date with Creighton.
It was the situation that many bubble teams fear annually: a team not expected to go to the NCAA tournament makes a run in their conference tournament to possibly take an available bid off the board. Illinois State is 40 minutes away from doing just that as they beat top-seed Wichita State 65-64 in St. Louis. Tyler Brown led the way with 25 points and six rebounds, and his two free throws with 6.4 seconds remaining gave the Redbirds a 65-64 lead they would not relinquish. Garrett Stutz had a good look at the basket just before time expired but his shot fell short, eliminating the possibility of a third meeting between the Shockers and Creighton. But neither that nor the fate of bubble teams is (or should be) of concern to Illinois State, and Tim Jankovich also has Jackie Carmichael to call on inside. If the Redbirds get better on the boards (Wichita State grabbed 17 offensive rebounds) they'll have every chance of beating the Bluejays and winning the MVC tournament title.

4. Chalk rules in the CAA semis, setting up a massive battle between George Mason and VCU.
Many have joined the "two bids for the CAA" campaig, citing the gaudy records of Drexel, VCU and George Mason as one reason why. All three needed to reach the semis to make that goal a possibility, and along with four-seed Old Dominion they all took care of business on Saturday. George Mason needed a Bryon Allen reverse in the final seconds to beat Georgia State 54-52 while Drexel and VCU would both pull away in their wins over UNCW and Northeastern. That sets up a critical battle between VCU and George Mason on Sunday afternoon, with the winner likely having the best case for an at-large bid, and Drexel takes on ODU in what should be a slugfest. Getting two bids may be tough given strength of schedule numbers but with numerous bubble teams stumbling down the stretch the door remains open, and that's the least the CAA can ask for at this point.

5. Seton Hall wraps up an 0-2 finish against teams they were expected to beat, casting doubt on their NCAA tournament hopes.
One of those stumbling bubble teams is Seton Hall, and all the Pirates had to do was beat Rutgers and DePaul in their last two games heading into the Big East Championship. Last Saturday they fell to Rutgers at home in overtime, and things got even worse a week later as the Pirates were blown out by the Blue Demons 86-58. Kevin Willard's team just never seemed ready to go, trailing by 13 at the half and things would only get worse from there. Jamee Crockett led four DePaul players in double figures with 21 points and as a team the Blue Demons put on a clinic offensively, assisting on 23 of their 29 made baskets and shooting 53.7% from the field. Now Seton Hall has to get things going in New York, beginning with a first round matchup with a Providence team capable of beating just about anyone (they beat Louisville by 33 earlier this season) despite their lack of depth. Seton Hall has the opportunity to leave a better impression, but after Saturday's debacle there may be doubt as to whether or not the Pirates can take advantage.

Quick Hitters

1. Two teams to watch in next week's Pac-12 tournament are Oregon and UCLA as both enter the event playing well. The Ducks embarrassed Utah 92-46 in their regular season finale, jumping out to a 32-2 lead and never looking back. As for UCLA, they came back to beat Washington 75-69 to cap a 2-0 week that was kickstarted by a negative story in Sports Illustrated. Given the wide-open nature of the league it wouldn't be a shock if either of these teams put together a run. Oh, that loss didn't help the Huskies one bit from a bubble standpoint.

2. Butler won't have the opportunity to make another trip to the NCAA tournament this season, as they fell 65-46 at top-seed Valparaiso in the Horizon League semifinals. Horizon League Player of the Year Ryan Broekhoff led the Crusaders with 19 points and 16 rebounds as VU jumped out early and never looked back. This ends an impressive run for Brad Stevens' program, but the combination of a strong recruiting class and Arkansas transfer Rotnei Clark will give the Bulldogs a nice boost next season.

3. Higher-seeded teams advanced in three of the four quarterfinals in the Metro Atlantic with the lone exception being six-seed Siena, who beat three-seed Manhattan 84-82 in an overtime thriller. Owen Wignot's three with eight seconds remaining sent the game into overtime, and the Saints navigated a five minutes that would have wilted most teams that lack depth as they do. Mitch Buonaguro's team takes on Loyola (MD) in one semi while Fairfield and Iona meet on the other side of the bracket.

4. Memphis went on the road and beat Tulsa 78-66 to clinch the outright Conference USA title, and don't be surprised if Josh Pastner's team ends up in the Sweet 16 either. Will Barton scored 30 points and grabbed nine rebounds to lead the way but a key factor in their recent success has been the play of Chris Crawford. His steadying influence (seven assists, zero turnovers on Saturday) has allowed Joe Jackson to simply go out and make plays, and while the turnovers for Jackson are still an issue (six against Tulsa) the emergence of Crawford has helped buffer the impact.

5. In a matchup of two teams perceived to be on the bubble, West Virginia beat USF 50-44 in Tampa to pick up a much-needed road victory. Neither team shot well (WVU shot 28.8%, USF 39.5%) but the Mountaineers were able to grab 12 offensive boards and Kevin Jones posted another double-double with 18 points and 11 boards. USF's the six-seed in the Big East Championship next week, and they're going to have some work to do at MSG.

6. Speaking of the Big East, Jim Calhoun made his return to the sidelines and provided a spark to his team as UConn beat Pittsburgh 74-65. Roscoe Smith made some huge plays late to help the Huskies hold off the Panthers and Shabazz Napier finished with 23 points, six rebounds and four steals. UConn begins their Big East Championship with a game against DePaul, but unlike last year's team there's no Kemba walking through that door. But at least they have their coach back.

7. Iowa State scored 50 second half points, erasing a seven-point halftime deficit to beat Baylor 80-72 and grab the three-seed in next week's Big 12 tournament. Scott Christopherson led the Cyclones with 23 points and six assists, and while Bill Self will most likely win Big 12 Coach of the Year (and rightfully so) an argument can be made for Fred Hoiberg as well.

8. The top two seeds in the Patriot League will meet on Wednesday night as both Bucknell and Lehigh won their semifinal matchups by wide margins. C.J. McCollum put up 27, ten and six assists in Lehigh's 85-66 win over American, and Bucknell beat Lafayette 79-52 thanks in part to 18 points apiece from Mike Muscala and Joe Willman. The two teams split their two regular season meetings with the road team winning both, and it was a McCollum dagger in the final seconds that made the difference in Lewisburg.

9. The North Division of the Southern Conference didn't have the best-looking records at the end of the regular season but three teams from that division make up the final four in that tournament. The lone exception is overall champion Davidson, who beat Furman 73-54. UNCG and Western Carolina meet in one semi while the Wildcats will take on Elon, who beat Georgia Southern in the nightcap 65-58.

10. Jamaal Franklin was outstanding for San Diego State on Saturday, accounting for 35 points, 13 rebounds and five assists as the Aztecs handed TCU their first home conference loss this season in overtime (98-92). The win, combined with New Mexico's 78-61 win over Boise State, means a shared conference title and it's anyone guess who will grab the automatic bid. One would think that the Mountain West is in line to receive four bids come Selection Sunday.

11. Harvard wrapped up a share of the Ivy League title as they beat Cornell 67-63. Penn remained tied in the loss column with their 68-47 win over Yale, and all that stands between the Quakers and a one-game playoff is bitter rival Princeton. That won't be a walk in the park for Zack Rosen and company to say the least.

12. One of the biggest questions going into the SEC tournament is whether or not Tennessee can make a run at an at-large bid. To think that this would have been a topic for discussion back in December would have been borderline absurd, but Cuonzo Martin's team is a different one since the addition of Jarnell Stokes. The Vols beat Vanderbilt 68-61, led by Cameron Tautm's 18 points and Trae Golden's 17, five rebounds and four assists.

13. Northwestern avoided what would have been a damaging blow to their NCAA tournament hopes as they beat Iowa 70-66 in Iowa City. The Wildcats did what they needed to do (at minimum) in their final three games, which was beat Penn State and Iowa (their loss was to Ohio State at home), and that keeps them alive heading into the Big Ten tournament.

14. There's just one undefeated (in conference play) team remaining in college basketball as Long Beach State, Ut-Arlington and Utah Valley all dropped their first conference games on Saturday. This comes just days after Mississippi Valley State lost their SWAC finale, leaving Kentucky as the lone undefeated. The Wildcats take on Florida Sunday afternoon in Gainesville.

15. Dominique Morrison shot just 2-for-11 from the field but thanks to Michael Craion and company Oral Roberts was able to withstand an IPFW challenge, winning 71-67 in a Summit League quarterfinal. Craion scored 16 points and grabbed six rebounds, and Warren Niles scored a team-high 17 as the Golden Eagles escaped.

Three Teams Punch Their Tickets to the Big Dance

Raphielle Johnson — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 00:07:04 -0800

The first three bids to the NCAA tournament were handed out on Saturday, with the game drawing the greatest amount of attention being the OVC title game between Murray State and Tennessee State. The reason: this is the time of the year when bubble teams actively watch the scoreboard in hopes that no unexpected competitors would show up on the landscape. At 29-1 entering the title game it was clear that Steve Prohm's team would be an "unexpected competitor" for an at-large bid and the Racers were going to receive one had they lost to the Tigers.

However Jewuan Long removed any doubt with a shot in the final seconds, giving Murray State the 54-52 win and their second OVC tournament title in the last three years. The Racers found a way to win a game that was played at a slower pace than either of the two regular season meetings, and it's not as if that was the only issue. Murray State was out-rebounded by ten (34-24) and they shot just 37.5% from the field, making four of eighteen shots from beyond the arc. In a game that finished with just 57 possessions (compared to 71 and 65 in the two regular season contests) those problems normally are too much to overcome, but the Racers found a way.

"[Tennessee State] had a great game plan and slowed it down on the offensive end," remarked Murray State head coach Steve Prohm, who won a conference title in his first season as head coach. "They made us work for everything."

Isaiah Canaan and Donte Poole scored 14 points apiece to lead Murray State, who will be an interesting team to watch on Selection Sunday from a seeding standpoint given the disparity between their ranking in the polls and where they stand in the various computer rankings. As for the Tigers, there's little solace in coming close to winning a conference title and if anything it hurts even more given the fact that they had a chance to take the lead on the possession before Long's shot. But Tennessee State turned the ball over, and their 18th turnover of the day proved to be the costliest.

"We did a good job defensively," said TSU head coach John Cooper. "Just down the stretch we had about four possessions where we came up empty. We don't score or we don't get anything down the stretch and that's hard to do as a team and really try to finish a game out."

Finishing the game out wasn't an issue for either UNC Asheville or Belmont, both of whom won their respective conference titles and earned a return trip to the Big Dance. UNC Asheville got out of the gates quickly against VMI, scoring the first six points on the game before the Keydets made their charge. The two teams were tied at 47 with just over 15 minutes remaining and that's where the Bulldogs would make their run, outscoring the Keydets 29-10 over the next eleven minutes to build a lead that proved insurmountable.

And it was the Big South Player of the Year, Matt Dickey, who was the catalyst despite not playing well in either of Asheville's two games leading up to the final. Dickey scored 15 points and all five starters reached double figures, which proved quite easy to do given their 24 assists on 29 made field goals. And once again it was UNC Asheville who was able to force turnovers against VMI as Duggar Baucom's team, which turned the ball over 17 times in both regular season meetings, turned the ball over 20 times on Saturday. The end result: an 80-64 defeat.

As for Belmont, Rick Byrd's team got off to a slow start against a Florida Gulf Coast team making its first-ever appearance in the A-Sun title game. The Bruins trailed by as many as 12 points in the first half before closing to within four at the half, but they kept after it. Belmont would ultimately win 80-64 thanks in large part to guard Kerron Johnson, who was named MVP after putting up 14 points, 11 rebounds and five assists.

Blake Jenkins scored 15 points and Scott Saunders 14 (and ten rebounds), and the Bruins' edges in rebounding (44-30) and at the foul line (21-25 to 9-16 for the Eagles) proved to be too much for FGCU to overcome in the end. Drew Hanlen's three with 18:11 remaining gave the Bruins a lead they wouldn't relinquish, and while their record isn't as good as it was last season Belmont will be a tough matchup for some higher seed.

Seeds and matchups are all discussions for another day however, as the three winners on Saturday are focused more on the accomplishment of a goal set at the beginning of the season. Congrats to Belmont, Murray State and UNC Asheville on earning their automatic bids to the NCAA tournament.

Five Notable Performances

1. G Jamaal Franklin (San Diego State)
35 points, 13 rebounds and five assists in the Aztecs' 98-92 overtime win at TCU.

2. G Will Barton (Memphis)
30 points (12-17 FG), nine rebounds, four assists and three steals in the Tigers' 78-66 win at Tulsa.

3. F Jae Crowder (Marquette)
26 points, 14 rebounds, five steals and three assists in the Golden Eagles' 83-69 win over Georgetown.

4. F Drew Gordon (New Mexico State)
30 points and 12 rebounds in the Lobos' 76-61 win over Boise State.

5. G Pierre Jackson (Baylor)
35 points, five rebounds and three assists in the Bears' 80-72 loss at Iowa State.