Michigan

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).

Wednesday Recap: Lineup Changes Spark Nothing As UConn Falls

Raphielle Johnson — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 09:55:56 -0500

Connecticut head coach Jim Calhoun knew heading into Wednesday's game that his struggling team, losers of three straight, needed some kind of spark to get things going. That meant shuffling the lineup, with Shabazz Napier and Alex Oriakhi being replaced as starters by Ryan Boatright and Roscoe Smith, and for a short time on Wednesday night the move paid off. UConn got out to a 13-7 lead at the first media timeout and generally played better basketball on the offensive end, which was likely the desired effect of the move.

But Georgetown went to their 2-3 zone defense, and against zones UConn has shown neither the confidence nor the basketball IQ needed to solve such a riddle. It didn't help matters that Boatright, who did a good job of facilitating the offense, picked up his second foul with just over ten minutes left in the half and the Huskies leading 15-14. It was essentially all downhill from there as the Hoyas woud outscore the Huskies 17-6 the remainder of the half, going on to beat UConn 58-44 and lead many to ask whether or not the defending national champs had what it took to turn things around.

"We come back from six [down] and somebody went for a steal, next thing you know we took a bad shot and now were down ten," remarked Calhoun of his team's struggles. "And you can't keep running up the hill for only so long and so that's where we picked up our fourth straight loss and should have lost all four games."

So how did the four players involved in the lineup changes respond? Not well, with Boatright having his performance short-circuited by foul trouble (zero points, four assists) being the biggest blow given how the flow of the contest changed when he had to sit. Napier, who earlier in the season lamented the lack of a response to his attempts to be a leader, shot 0-for-9 from the field and scored just one point while Oriakhi went scoreless. And Smith opened the scoring 33 seconds into the game...only to not score again.

Last year's team struggled in conference play, but the difference is that (in addition to having Kemba Walker) they were a lot tougher mentally than this group. Who steps up to change the path that this season is currently travelling? Jeremy Lamb's not the vocal type and while he scored 14 points it took 18 shots to do so (making four), and while Andre Drummond (18 points, seven rebounds) was UConn's best player on the floor it's tough to ask a freshman to become the team leader.

The truth of the matter is that Napier and Oriakhi should be the leaders for this team, and yet neither has shown the ability to do so. The teams that leave a mark in March will fight for everything in the face of adversity, pulling together to accomplish the common goal. That hasn't been a trait of this current edition of Huskies, as they either fail to respond or the "fight back" dissolves into guys trying to close the gap all by themselves.

Georgetown, a team picked to finish tenth in the Big East in the preseason, should be the story here given the play of Hollis Thompson (18 points, nine rebounds) and Jason Clark (11 points, five rebounds), and they're likely to improve even more as the season approaches it's defining month. Can the same be said for UConn? That's a tough question to answer at this point, but with a game against a Seton Hall team that's also struggling a lot will be learned about the toughness of both teams on Saturday.

Other Notable Happenings

1. Michigan jumps out to a big lead and holds off Indiana's second half rally to remain undefeated at home.
There's no doubt that Tom Crean's Hoosiers can win big games at home, with the energy provided by the Assembly Hall crowd providing a needed boost to a program that's definitely improved. But what about on the road, where teams have to manufacture their own energy in the face of a hostile crowd? That question remains unanswered thanks to Indiana's slow start in Ann Arbor, as they trailed Michigan by as many as 20 points in the first half on the way to a 68-56 defeat. Indiana was able to get as close as two points (52-50) with less than four minutes remaining but they couldn't overtake the Wolverines, who were led offensively by Trey Burke (18 points, four assists), Zack Novak (13 points) and Tim Hardaway Jr. (13 points).

Indiana shot a respectable 42.9% from the field in the first half but they turned the ball over eight times to just one for Michigan, and the Wolverines converted those miscues into eleven points (led 33-22 at the half). Michigan's now 13-0 at home this season while Indiana remains with just one conference road victory (Penn State) this season. While the Hoosiers are in a dogfight to remain in the top half of the league standings Michigan's bounce back from the loss at Ohio State shows that they remain a serious contender for the Big Ten crown.

2. UT-Arlington opens their new arena with a win over UTSA, increasing their lead in the Southland.
Wednesday night was a special night in the history of UT-Arlington, with the Mavericks playing in the new College Park Center for the first time. And they picked a good matchup for the debut, as defending Southland tournament champ UTSA was in town looking to move into a tie for first place with the Mavericks. But despite turning the ball over 23 times on the night UT-Arlington found a way to win, beating the Roadrunners 67-66 to expand their lead to two games. A pair of Kevin Butler free throws with 13.7 seconds remaining proved to be the points the Mavs needed to remain on track for the regular season crown in their final campaign before they head to the WAC in July.

LaMarcus Reed III scored 24 points and grabbed seven rebounds to lead the way while Butler added 21 and eight, and these two are a big reason why the Mavs were able to make up for their turnovers by out-rebounding the Roadrunners 46-33 and score 16 second-chance points to just seven for UTSA. Kannon Burrage led the Roadrunners with 21 points off the bench and Melvin Johnson III added 14, but with Michael Hale III and Stephen Franklin combining to shoot 2-for-18 UTSA wasn't able to take full advantage of their turnover margin edge. With these two meeting in the regular season finale UTSA essentially has to win out while hoping for some help, and with UT-Arlington having won 12 straight that strategy may not bear fruit.

3. Pierre Jackson and Quincy Acy make big plays late to lead Baylor past Texas A&M.
Scott Drew's Bears seemed to try their best to give Texas A&M the game in the second half as they shot 31% from the field while the Aggies made half their field goals. But thanks to big plays down the stretch from Pierre Jackson (14 points, five assists) and Quincy Acy (11 points, four rebounds) Baylor escaped College Station with a 63-60 win in what could be the last regular season meeting in the "Battle of the Brazos" for a long time. A Jackson three with 17 seconds remaining proved to be the push Baylor needed to get to the finish line, and his two free throws with just over a second remaining sealed it.

Those two free throws came as a result of a hustle play by Acy, whose quick move to tip Jackson's missed free throw out (which Jackson was able to chase down), gave the junior college transfer a second chance at increasing the Bears' lead and he cashed in. After a Ray Turner basket gave A&M a 49-44 lead it was Acy who scored six of Baylor's nine points in a 9-0 run that put them up 53-49 with 6:13 to go. While the lottery picks (Perry Jones III and Quincy Miller) will enjoy the majority of the attention the contributions of a player like Acy cannot be ignored. In fact, that may be what allows Baylor to go deep into the NCAA tournament.

Quick Hitters

1. While the Atlantic 10 has enough quality teams to warrant four bids to the NCAA tournament, the chances of that happening become slimmer when teams at the top of the conference don't take care of business as they should. Wednesday's results of note were UMass losing 81-78 in overtime at Rhode Island and Dayton losing 83-73 at home to Duquesne. Xavier nearly joined those two teams but Tu Holloway's layup with 30 seconds remaining capped a good night for him (21 points, seven assists, six rebounds) and pushed the Musketeers past George Washington 59-58.

2. In a battle for sole possession of first place in Conference USA, Southern Miss finally got over the hump as they beat Memphis 75-72 to snap an 18-game losing streak in the series. Darnell Dodson and Neil Watson combined to score 40 points off the bench for the Golden Eagles, who are now 7-1 in conference play.

3. Center Garrett Stutz has been outstanding in road games for Wichita State this season and that trend continued in the Shockers' 74-67 win at Missouri State as he scored 25 points and grabbed 11 rebounds on the night. Ben Smith added 21 for Wichita State, who remains a game behind first-place Creighton (102-74 win over Illinois State) as a result of the victory.

4. With seven freshmen and three sophomores on the roster many expected the first year of Mountain West play to be a tough one for Boise State and it has been. But they've also shown signs of growth, and if not for a missed Thomas Bropleh three as time expired the Broncos would have left San Diego State with a win. Leon Rice's team has the ability to scare some teams in the MWC, and with the likes of Bropleh and Anthony Drmic the future looks to be bright for Boise State.

5. There's now a three-way tie for first place in the CAA as Delaware beat George Mason 65-60 in Newark. Kyle Anderson shot 8-for-11 from the field and scored 21 points to lead the way for the Blue Hens, and as a team Delaware shot 7-for-14 from deep (Mason finished 3-for-16). Drexel and VCU both picked up victories on Wednesday, and with the league's profile being poorer than in seasons past the fight for the CAA crown should be even fiercer than it's been of late.

6. Huge news in the recruiting world was broken by ESPN's Dave Telep, who reported that Tilton School big man Nerlens Noel move back to the 2012 class. Noel, who counts Kentucky and Syracuse among his most vigorous suitors, returns to his original class and is now right there with Shabazz Muhammad for the honor of being the best player in the class.

7. Vermont held off a Boston University rally to beat the Terriers 68-67 in Boston to take over sole possession of second place in America East. Luke Apfeld scored 16 points and grabbed six rebounds for the Catamounts, who swept the season series as a result of the win.

Three Notable Performances

1. F Julian Mavunga (Miami (OH))
19 points, 19 rebounds and eight assists in the RedHawks' 62-57 overtime win over Eastern Michigan.

2. F Thomas Robinson (Kansas)
20 points, 17 rebounds and four assists in the Jayhawks' 84-62 win over Oklahoma.

3. F Orion Outerbridge (Rhode Island)
29 points and 11 rebounds in the Rams' 81-78 overtime win over Massachusetts.

#14 Georgetown vs. Connecticut: Wednesday's Preview

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 23:58:26 -0500

While both Connecticut (14-6, 4-4) and #14 Georgetown (16-4, 6-3) enter Wednesday night's contest off of losses over the weekend, the feelings regarding each program are drastically different at this time. John Thompson III's Hoyas have been one of the Big East's pleasant surprises, thanks in large part to some veteran leaders and a young group of players who have shown themselves to be ready for Big East play. UConn on the other hand has been one of the more disappointing teams in conference play, and their 50-48 loss to Notre Dame on Sunday has sparked major changes to their starting lineup.

Head coach Jim Calhoun announced the changes on Tuesday, with freshman guard Ryan Boatright (9.8 ppg, 3.4 apg) and sophomore forward Roscoe Smith (3.4 ppg, 3.1 rpg) moving in while Shabazz Napier (14.3 ppg, 6.1 apg) and Alex Oriakhi (6.5 rpg, 4.9 rpg) will come off the bench. Frankly the Huskies need a spark, and the hope is that these moves will provide that boost. Clearly a lot was lost with the departure of Kemba Walker but just as important as the tangible contributions were Walker's intangibles, which have proven to be difficult to account for. Regardless of a team's skill set it's difficult to win consistently without emotion, and that's been a lesson the Huskies have learned quite often in recent games.

What's interesting about these two teams is that they're practically even when it comes to offensive efficiency with the Huskies at 109.0 and Georgetown at 109.2, and both are shooting 47% from the field. But the Hoyas are averaging nearly two more points per game and their scoring balance is likely one of the reasons why. All seven of Georgetown's leaders in minutes per game shoot at least 46% from the field with wing Hollis Thompson (13.9 ppg, 5.1 rpg) leading the way at 50.7%. Georgetown's system, which more times than not is initiated by center Henry Sims (11.8 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 3.6 apg), has opened up passing lanes and quality shot opportunities for much of the season and they've taken advantage.

UConn on the other hand has relied more on one-on-one play to get their shots, a situation that turned downright ugly on Sunday afternoon. Jeremy Lamb (17.9 ppg, 4.4 rpg) leads the way offensively with Napier second on the team in scoring, and while that was expected to be the case before the season began the spacing and ball movement haven't been what is generally expected of teams pegged to contend for championships. And with Georgetown likely to employ a zone defense to take advantage of these issues, Connecticut had better improve in this area if they're to leave the nation's capital with a win.

The youngsters could tip the scales in one direction or the other at the Verizon Center, and one who has played very well is Georgetown's Otto Porter. Porter (8.5 ppg, 6.9 rpg) leads the Hoyas in rebounds and while he hasn't strung together consecutive double-digit scoring outings since November in the Maui Invitational there's no denying his improvement. If Boatright performs well as the starter and vets Napier and Oriakhi respond positively to their move to the bench UConn can win and turn things around. Talent-wise the Huskies are more than capable of doing so, but are capable when it comes to the intangibles? We'll get that answer on Wednesday.

Indiana visits Michigan in the night's lone matchup of ranked teams, with the Hoosiers looking to remain in the top half of the conference standings while Michigan needs a win to remain a game out of first in the loss column. The two frontrunners for Big Ten Rookie of the Year will also be on display, with Indiana's Cody Zeller and Michigan's Trey Burke being the focus. The outcome could ultimately be decided by veterans such as IU's Jordan Hulls and Michigan's Tim Hardaway Jr. Colorado State looks to build on their win over San Diego State win a win at UNLV, but look for the Runnin' Rebels to be fired up given the fact that the Rams won in Las Vegas last season. And the top two teams in Conference USA as Southern Miss hosts Memphis, and the hope for the home folks has to be that Larry Eustachy's bunch can finally beat Memphis.

Top 25 Games
9:00 PM (6) Baylor at Texas A&M
9:00 PM Oklahoma at (8) Kansas
8:05 PM Illinois State at (12) Creighton (ESPN3)
10:30 PM Colorado State at (13) UNLV (The Mtn.)
7:00 PM Connecticut at (14) Georgetown (ESPN2)
10:15 PM Boise State at (17) San Diego State (CBS SN)
6:30 PM (20) Indiana at (22) Michigan (BTN)
7:00 PM Georgia Tech at (24) Florida State (ESPN3)

NCAA Division I Games
7:00 PM Xavier at George Washington (FCS)
7:00 PM George Mason at Delaware
7:00 PM Oakland at IUPUI
7:00 PM Vermont at Boston University
7:00 PM Drexel at Northeastern
7:00 PM SMU at East Carolina
7:00 PM Hartford at New Hampshire
7:00 PM Eastern Michigan at Miami (OH)
7:00 PM Fordham at Temple
7:00 PM Massachusetts at Rhode Island
7:00 PM Davidson at Furman
7:00 PM Saint Joseph's at Richmond
7:00 PM Tulane at Marshall
7:00 PM Georgia State at UNC Wilmington
7:00 PM UMBC at Albany
7:00 PM Toledo at Akron (ESPN3)
7:00 PM Ball State at Buffalo
7:00 PM Duquesne at Dayton
7:00 PM Towson at Hofstra
7:00 PM Charlotte at La Salle
7:00 PM Rutgers at Providence (ESPNU)
7:00 PM Binghamton at Stony Brook
7:00 PM Bowling Green at Western Michigan
7:00 PM VCU at William & Mary
7:00 PM Colgate at N.J.I.T.
7:30 PM Texas A&M-CC at Nicholls State
8:00 PM Georgia at Auburn (ESPN3)
8:00 PM Evansville at Bradley
8:00 PM NC State at Boston College (ESPN3)
8:00 PM St. Bonaventure at Saint Louis
8:00 PM UTEP at Rice
8:00 PM Drake at Indiana State (ESPN3)
8:00 PM Northwestern State at Central Arkansas
8:00 PM Maryland at Miami (FL) (ESPN3)
8:00 PM Ohio at Northern Illinois
8:00 PM McNeese State at Sam Houston State
8:00 PM Lamar at Southeastern Louisiana
8:00 PM Memphis at Southern Miss (CBS SN)
8:00 PM Texas State at Stephen F. Austin
8:00 PM Wyoming at TCU (The Mtn.)
8:05 PM Wichita State at Missouri State
8:30 PM Cal State Bakersfield at New Mexico State (ESPN3)
8:30 PM St. John's at DePaul (ESPN3)
8:30 PM Grambling State at Alabama State
8:30 PM Minnesota at Iowa (BTN)
9:00 PM Houston at UAB
9:00 PM UTSA at Texas-Arlington

#3 Ohio St vs #20 Michigan: Prediction & Fan Poll

Greg Mengelt — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 03:46:53 -0500

NO. 20 MICHIGAN (16-5, 6-2 Big Ten) AT NO. 3 OHIO STATE (18-3, 6-2 Big Ten)

Time/TV: 1 p.m./CBS

Location: Value City Arena

RPI Ratings

Michigan 22 (No. 4 Big Ten)

Ohio State 8 (No. 2 Big Ten)

Line: Ohio St -14 (127 o/u)

Michigan Players to Watch: G Tim Hardaway Jr., 6-6 So. (15.2 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 2.4 apg); G Zack Novak, 6-4 Sr. (9.5 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 50.3% FG); F Jordan Morgan, 6-8 So. (7.6 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 65.1% FG). Later this season, Novak should become the 28^th Wolverine to reach 1,000 points and 500 rebounds for his career. He currently has 967 points and 555 boards.

Ohio State Players to Watch: F Jared Sullinger, 6-9 So. (17.3 ppg, 9.3 rpg, 59.5% FG); G William Buford, 6-6 Sr. (15.2 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 3.3 apg); F Deshaun Thomas, 6-7 So. (14.7 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 54.4% FG). Sullinger is the reigning Big Ten Player of the Week after 19 points and 12 rebounds in the Buckeyes’ 71-40 win over Nebraska, and 28 points, eight boards and four steals as OSU defeated Iowa 76-47 on the road.

Storylines: The Buckeyes, who are riding a 3-game winning streak after starting conference play 3-2, and Michigan, which has won 4-of-5 league games with a loss at Arkansas mixed in, are tied with Michigan State at the top of the Big Ten standings. With the Spartans off this weekend, the winner of Sunday’s tilt moves to the front of the pack.

Keys: Ohio State is second in the Big Ten in scoring (78 points per game behind Indiana’s 78.4) and second in scoring defense (55.9 to Wisconsin’s nation-best 49.6). Of course, the Buckeyes are the league leader in scoring margin at 22 points per game – 6.5 points better than Wisconsin and Michigan State. The Buckeyes are also second in the Big Ten in field goal percentage. Their 49.4 percent is a hair behind Indiana’s league-best 49.8. Ohio State should have an advantage on the boards. The Buckeyes grab 37.2 boards per game to the Wolverines’ 33, and OSU has a plus-7.6 rebounding margin to Michigan’s plus-2.3. Ohio State is tops in the Big Ten in turnover margin. It forces 18.1 errors per contest, while committing only 11.8 of its own. Michigan ranks eighth in the league with a plus-1.52 margin. Michigan ranks second in the conference, making 8.1 3-pointers per game, but Buckeyes’ 3-point defense is superb, allowing opponents to shoot just 31.6 percent against them. Sullinger and Michigan freshman point guard Trey Burke grew up together in Columbus and were teammates at Northland High School and in AAU. This will be the first time they’ve ever faced each other. Buckeye reserve J.D. Weatherspoon was also on the Northland squad. Michigan’s 16-5 start is the best under coach John Beilein. The Wolverines’ last three games have been decided by a total of five points. They beat Michigan State 60-59, lost to Arkansas 66-64, then won at Purdue 66-64 in their last outing. Over Michigan’s last four games, Morgan is shooting 68.2 percent from the field (15 for 22), and he’s averaging nine points and 4.8 assists. He’ll likely get the assignment against Big Ten Player of the Year candidate Sullinger. The Buckeyes lead the all-time series 90-71 and are 51-26 all-time in Columbus vs. the Wolverines. Ohio State has won the last five and 14 of its last 16 against its rival. This is the first time both teams entered a head-to-head contest when both were ranked since Feb. 9, 2006. That day, the Buckeyes beat Michigan, 94-84. Sullinger had 14 points and 13 rebounds in the last meeting vs. Michigan, a 68-61 victory in last year’s Big Ten Tournament. Ohio State is 15-0 at Value City Arena and has beaten its opponents by an average of 27 points per game there. OSU has won 37 straight games at home overall. Michigan is 2-4 in true road games this season after winning at Purdue Tuesday.

The Bottom Line: The Buckeyes have clearly turned a corner since two early Big Ten losses and should pull away for an easy win.

The Pick: Ohio State 86, Michigan 62

Tuesday Recap: Travel Issues, Cowboys Can't Derail San Diego State

Raphielle Johnson — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 10:35:27 -0500

It's been an interesting couple of days in college basketball when it comes to travel issues, with Purdue having to bus to Michigan State in the early hours of Saturday for a noon tip. While the Boilermakers hung tough in the first half they lost their legs in the second as the Spartans rolled. So what was going to happen to San Diego State, whose trek to Laramie for an important Mountain West game against Wyoming took 20 hours, not to mention the fact that they'd be playing more than 7,000 feet above sea level? The Aztecs seemed to find their second wind in the second half, opening the stanza on a 16-4 run on their way to the 52-42 win.

SDSU shot 57.1% from the field in the second half while limiting the Cowboys to 7-for-27, and their defense helped make up for 19 turnovers that Wyoming was able to convert into 18 points. Chase Tapley and Jamaal Franklin scored 12 points apiece for San Diego State, who remains a game ahead of UNLV with a 4-0 league mark, and Franklin also grabbed eleven rebounds (unfortunately he was three turnovers away from a triple-double).

Leonard Washington (12 points, eight rebounds) and Luke Martinez (11 points) led the way for the Pokes, who have dropped two conference home games (New Mexico before this) and are still in search of a marquee win to add to their resume. Foul trouble short-circuited Wyoming in the first half but they were able to hang close, trailing 25-22 at the break. But their offensive struggles coming out of the gates in the second half proved to be the difference.

"They played very good position defense, but they didn't pressure us other than for a few possessions when JayDee [Luster] was out," remarked Wyoming head coach Larry Shyatt. "They are a tough, competitive group of kids, and they have an arrogance where they expect to win. All good teams have that."

Given the fact that there were just 58 possessions in the game neither team was all that great at taking care of the basketball, combining for 34 turnovers on the night. San Diego State made the most of the possessions they were able to get through without turning the ball over, shooting 51.2% from the field and 45.5% from three. Both teams made five three-pointers on the night, but SDSU only attempted 11 to Wyoming's 22. The Cowboys attempted eight more field goals and six more free throws but it was they who looked to be the team that spent 20 hours on the road, and that's a credit to Steve Fisher, his staff and most importantly the players.

"It had no impact on the game at all, in my opinion," said Fisher of the travel issues. "We've had problems in Laramie my thirteen trips in here. It's a hard place to play and win. To come in here and get a win, I'm very appreciative, and do believe we earned it."

Other Notable Happenings

1. Michigan hangs on to beat Purdue in West Lafayette.
It's safe to say that Michigan didn't get off to a good start at Arkansas on Saturday afternoon, but to their credit the Wolverines fought back before falling short 66-64. No such beginning on Tuesday night for Michigan, but they needed a missed Robbie Hummel three in the final seconds to beat Purdue 66-64 in West Lafayette. Tim Hardaway Jr. led four Michigan players in double figures with 19 points and forwards Jordan Morgan and Evan Smotrycz combined for 22 points in the win.

Michigan wasn't as reliant on the three-point shot as they normally are in their system, attempting 14 (making six). But that's fine when they're able to find enough good shots from two to shoot 58.3% inside of the arc. Purdue on the other hand shot 9-for-26 from deep, and Hummel and Lewis Jackson combined to score 33 of their 64 points. With the win Michigan remains atop the Big Ten standings with a 6-2 mark, and if they can get play like this from Morgan and Smotrycz on a consistent basis they'll remain a contender for the Big Ten title.

2. Baylor bounces back from an 0-2 week by winning at Oklahoma.
It was a tough week for Scott Drew's Bears but that was understandable given the fact that they were playing a Top 10 team on the road (Kansas) and a Top 5 team at home (Missouri). The issue came in how they lost especially when considering rebounding, and while Oklahoma still managed to grab 12 offensive rebounds they weren't able to fully take advantage. Perry Jones III scored 21 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to lead Baylor to the 77-65 win, with Oklahoma's poor three-point shooting (3-for-12) also playing a role in the outcome.

Baylor on the other hand made nine of their eighteen shots from beyond the arc, and when combined with a 14-for-17 night from the charity stripe it isn't too difficult to figure out why the 12 offensive boards allowed wasn't a killer. Pierre Jackson scored 16 points and dished out seven assists but also had six of Baylor's 12 turnovers, but the Sooners only scored 12 points off of those turnovers. Romero Osby scored 16 points and grabbed 11 rebounds and Steven Pledger scored 17 to lead Oklahoma, who dropped to 2-5 in league play with the defeat.

3. Texas picks up a key win over Iowa State to split the season series.
Fred Hoiberg's Cyclones have made their way into the NCAA Tournament discussion with their play throughout the season but they let a good opportunity slip through their fingers with a 72-65 loss at Texas. A win would have given the Cyclones a sweep of the season series, and if both teams were to end up on the bubble that would be a nice line to have on their resume. What makes the defeat even more painful is that Texas won despite J'Covan Brown shooting 3-for-16 from the field.

Myck Kabongo led the Longhorns with 13 points and Julien Lewis chipped in with 12 and seven rebounds, giving Texas a much-needed home win as their next two games are at Baylor and home against Missouri. Iowa State shot just 33.3% from the field and 5-for-21 from three, and starters Scott Christopherson and Chris Allen combined to make just two of their fourteen shots from the field. Iowa State will have plenty of good opportunities for resume-building wins between now and March, but this defeat may put a little more pressure on them to split their next two games (home against Kansas and Kansas State).

Quick Hitters

1. Despite 25 points and nine rebounds from Ball State's Jarrod Jones, Akron won 70-58 in Muncie to remain in sole possession of first place in the MAC East. Quincy Diggs and Brian Walsh scored 16 points apiece to lead the Zips and Alex Abreu added 12 on four three-pointers.

2. Kentucky forward Anthony Davis moved to third on the list of most blocked shots in a single season in SEC history, blocking five shots to move his total to 98 in the Wildcats' 57-44 win at Georgia. Darius Miller scored 19 points off the bench and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist added 14 and 11 rebounds as Kentucky moved to 6-0 in conference play.

3. In Nashville, Vanderbilt blitzed Tennessee early on their way to a 65-47 win as Jeffery Taylor led the way with 23 points, nine rebounds and four steals. John Jenkins added 16 as the Commodores were able to win in comfortable fashion in spite of Festus Ezeli's ejection for a flagrant 2 foul in the first half.

4. With two of their next three games being road contests against ranked teams, there was some thought that we'd find out how good USF is. The first game didn't go well for the Bulls as they fell 67-47 at #18 Marquette. Toarlyn Fitzpatrick led the Bulls with 19 points and ten rebounds but as a team USF shot 35.6% from the field and turned the ball over 20 times, leading to 20 Marquette points.

5. If Jim Larranaga's Miami team is to make a run at a spot on the NCAA Tournament bubble they need to avoid stubbing their toe against teams they're expected to beat in the ACC. That was the case on Tuesday as the Hurricanes beat Georgia Tech 64-49 thanks in large part to 21 points and eight rebounds from Kenny Kadji. Miami needs to take care of business against Boston College and Maryland ahead of their trip to Duke on February 5th.

6. While Buffalo does have one of the country's most underrated players in Javon McCrea, they've also got another solid forward by the name of Mitchell Watt. Watt scored 14 points and grabbed nine rebounds to compliment McCrea's 17 points as the Bulls beat Eastern Michigan 67-47 to remain a game behind Akron in the MAC East.

Three Notable Performances

1. F/C Will Davis II (UC Irvine)
21 points (9-10 FG), ten rebounds and five blocks in the Anteaters' 78-67 win over Seattle.

2. F Perry Jones III (Baylor)
21 points and 12 rebounds in the Bears' 77-65 win at Oklahoma.

3. F Jeffery Taylor (Vanderbilt)
23 points, nine rebounds and four steals in the Commodores' 65-47 win over Tennessee.

Wyoming vs. #12 San Diego State: Tuesday's Preview

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 11:41:42 -0500
It's been a while since there's been the ability to say "Wyoming" and "NCAA Tournament" in the same sentence, but in the first season of Larry Shyatt's second run in Laramie the Cowboys (16-3, 2-1) have turned some heads. With first-place #12 San Diego State (17-2, 3-0) visiting, not only can the Pokes pull into a tie atop the Mountain West with a win but they can also lend the NCAA talk a little credibility with a win. Despite their gaudy record Wyoming has that albatross of a strength of schedule (268 overall, 328 non-conference per the most recent NCAA "nitty gritty" sheet) to deal with, a number that could prove costly without some marquee wins within league play.
Wyoming has four players averaging at least 9.7 points per game but their most important player could very well be Jaydee Luster, a point guard averaging just 5.8 points but leading the team with 3.6 assists per contest. Luster's improved as a floor general for the Cowboys, which has led to good things for his teammates, one of which being forward Leonard Washington (12.9 ppg, 6.7 rpg). The USC transfer was too much for Colorado State on Saturday as we punished the Rams with 32 points and 14 rebounds. Joining him in the front court is senior Adam Waddell (9.7 ppg, 2.9 rpg) and reserve Larry Nance Jr. (3.8 rpg, 3.5 ppg), but the Cowboys essentially break even on the glass.

That's not going to get it done against San Diego State, who still causes problems on the offensive glass despite losing their three best rebounders from a season ago. As a team the Aztecs corral 32.9% of their missed shots and out-rebound opponents by five rebounds per game, and big men Deshawn Stephens, Garrett Green and Tum Shelton lead the way on the offensive glass. The SDSU guards are also good rebounders, with Jamaal Franklin (15.4 ppg, 6.6 rpg) leading the team in rebounding while Xavier Thames (11.3 ppg, 5.1 apg, 3.3 rpg) and Chase Tapley (16.6. ppg, 4.4 rpg, 2.5 apg) do their part as well.

The challenge for the Wyoming guards, which in addition to Luster features Paco Cruz (12.3 ppg, 2.9 rpg) and Luke Martinez (13.3 ppg, 3.6 rpg), will be to keep the SDSU guards out of the lane. Percentage-wise the Aztecs are a better three-point shooting team than Wyoming but they're also less reliant on the shot for points, scoring 56% of their points on two-point shots. If this one is close late free throw shooting could come into play and the Cowboys are one of the best in the country there, making 76.7% of their foul shots, so keep an eye on that area in addition to the rebounding numbers. Wyoming's schedule may lead some to underestimate the program's growth, but they've got a great opportunity to show just how far they've come tonight.

Tuesday's action also features a few teams looking to bounce back from disappointing weekend results, most notably Baylor (who visits Oklahoma) and both teams in the Michigan/Purdue matchup. The Bears were outworked on the glass by both Kansas and Missouri last week, and while the Sooners may not be as strong as either of those teams they've got some guys who can hurt you (Steven Pledger being one). Baylor simply has to rebound, and that doesn't mean just jump for the ball. Proper fundamentals, zone defense or not, such as boxing out need to be utilized if the Bears are to take full advantage of their height.

Michigan and Purdue fell on the road on Saturday, with the Wolverines losing at Arkansas while the Boilermakers were whipped by Michigan State. Michigan's issue was that they were cold early while the Razorbacks were red-hot, while Purdue's travel issues weren't as big a deal as the Spartans shooting 62% in the second half. USF, off to a surprising 5-2 start in the Big East, will see the schedule get tougher beginning with a trip to Milwaukee to take on #18 Marquette.

Freshman point guard Anthony Collins has been solid for the Bulls, who have had multiple guys step up and make plays, but they'll have their hands full with Darius Johnson-Odom and Jae Crowder. Also keep an eye on Tennessee's trip to Nashville to play Vanderbilt and Iowa State taking on Texas in Austin, as those both are games that will have an impact on the midsection of the SEC and Big 12 standings respectively.

Top 25 Games
9:00 PM (1) Kentucky at Georgia (ESPN)
8:00 PM (7) Baylor at Oklahoma (ESPN3)
8:30 PM (12) San Diego State at Wyoming (The Mtn.)
8:00 PM South Florida at (18) Marquette (ESPN3)
7:00 PM (22) Michigan at Purdue (ESPN)

NCAA Division I Games
7:00 PM UMBC at Boston University
7:00 PM Tennessee at Vanderbilt (ESPNU)
7:00 PM Akron at Ball State (ESPN3)
7:00 PM Eastern Michigan at Buffalo
7:00 PM South Carolina State at Hampton
7:00 PM Morehead State at Norfolk State
7:05 PM Longwood at Florida Gulf Coast
8:00 PM Western Illinois at Nebraska Omaha
8:05 PM Bradley at Southern Illinois
8:05 PM Texas-Arlington at Houston Baptist
9:00 PM Miami (FL) at Georgia Tech (ESPNU)
9:00 PM Iowa State at Texas (LHN)
10:00 PM Seattle at UC Irvine

Syracuse Suffers First Loss of the Season: Saturday's Recap

Raphielle Johnson — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 09:27:30 -0500

With the announcement that starting center Fab Melo would miss Saturday's game due to an unresolved academic issue, the chances that top-ranked Syracuse would remain undefeated took a hit. But few would have thought that the Orange would have few (if any) answers in the paint as a result of his absence, and that's exactly what happened at Purcell Pavilion. Jack Cooley scored 17 points and grabbed ten rebounds and Notre Dame led by as many as 18 points on their way to the 67-58 win, the eighth in school history over a top-ranked opponent.

The biggest problem for Syracuse was their lack of rebounding, as Notre Dame out-rebounded the Orange 38-25 on the night. Syracuse on the season has allowed opponents to rebound 38% of their misses and while Notre Dame didn't reach that number, finishing with an offensive rebound percentage of 34.6%, it was enough to punish the Melo-less Orange. C.J. Fair moved into the starting lineup and was largely ineffective for the Orange, finishing with six points and four rebounds as the Irish took advantage of Syracuse's lack of interior muscle.

"The problem was that when they did that we did not get the rebounds," said Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim. "Probably six times we had a good defensive possession and Notre Dame put a shot up at the end of the shot clock and we did not get the rebound. If you give them a long possession and then they miss and they get the rebound, it is just not a good thing."

Notre Dame established their biggest lead of the game late in the first half on an Alex Dragevich three-pointer with 1:28 remaining, and the bonus shot was one of the themes of the half. The Irish made six of their ten shots from behind the arc and Syracuse received underwhelming performances from their starters (reserves scored 15 of their 23 first half points), establishing a distance the Orange were unable to overcome. The second half was where the rebounding came into play as Notre Dame made just two of six from deep, and three other players finished with at least six rebounds to go along with Cooley's ten.

Notre Dame finished the night with just seven second-chance points but it was those extra possessions that proved costly for the visitors in what turned out to be just a 61-possession game. The focus for the Orange now is how they go about fixing the rebounding issue without Melo heading into their game at Cincinnati, but it's been an issue well before his absence. Whatever happens with Melo, if the Orange can't do a better job of taking care of the defensive glass they'll be asking for more trouble down the road.

Other Notable Happenings

1. Michael Snaer's shot at the buzzer pushes Florida State past Duke at Cameron.
It's been an excellent week for Leonard Hamilton's Seminoles, who at this stage are not only a contender to win the ACC but also a logical choice in the "best team in the ACC" discussion. Simply put, Florida State has come a long way since opening conference play with a 20-point loss at Clemson. Florida State went toe-to-toe with Duke on Saturday at Cameron, ultimately winning 76-73 on a three-pointer from Michael Snaer as time expired. But Snaer shouldn't be the only one who receives credit for the final play. Luke Loucks remained under control in that final sequence, having the presence to find the open Snear as Andre Dawkins was too hasty in his help defense. Most players would have forced up a challenged shot but Loucks' composure made the shot possible.

FSU ultimately won the game from inside of the three-point arc despite Duke making ten of their twenty-three attempts from deep, shooting 55.5% from two while Duke made 37.5% of their shots from two. Bernard James (12 points, eight rebounds) and Xavier Gibson (16 points (7-8 FT), five rebounds and three blocks) outplayed the Plumlee brothers inside (combined 13 points and 14 rebounds) for a decent portion of the contest, and Seth Curry socred 12 points but shot 4-for-16 from the field for the Blue Devils. Florida State's offensive efficiency, which has been much improved over the last three games, made up for allowing Duke to grab 14 offensive rebounds and should be seen as a sign that they're figuring things out. ACC title contender? Definitely.

2. Missouri more than holds their own on the glass and wins at Baylor as a result.
Despite the final margin (89-88) it would be safe to say that Frank Haith's Tigers were more impressive than the final margin would indicate. The undersized Tigers out-rebounded Baylor 32-26 and finished the game with an offensive rebounding percentage of 48.3%, further highlighting Baylor's problems on the boards. Toughness could be cited as a reason why, but it shouldn't be at the expense of attention to detail. With the number of tall athletes that Scott Drew's team has the players on the floor seem to be more of the "outjump opponents for the ball" mindset when it comes to rebounding instead of boxing out, and Missouri made them pay on many occasions on Saturday afternoon.

Six of Ricardo Ratliffe's eight rebounds were of the offensive variety, and the national leader in field goal percentage finished the game with 27 points on 11-for-14 shooting. Baylor improved on the glass some in the second half as they allowed just four second-chance points and out-rebounded the Tigers 15-11 but the damage was done. Quincy Miller scored a game-high 29 points and Pierre Jackson added 20 to go along with 15 assists, but the last two games have shown that the Bears have a lot of work to do on the glass if they're to not only contend for the Big 12 crown but also have a shot at getting to the Final Four. As for the Tigers, Saturday's win should be taken as a sign that it's time to stop focusing on what they don't have but rather on what they do.

3. Arkansas and Tennessee pick up some solid non-conference wins for the SEC.
Not a big fan of the "best conference" but with the majority of the discussion centering on the Big Ten and Big 12 to this point in the season, the SEC may have been ignored some. That was before Saturday, as home wins for both Arkansas and Tennessee show that the league is deeper than many believe. The Razorbacks led by as many as 20 points at Bud Walton Arena before holding on to beat #20 Michigan 66-64. B.J. Young and Hunter Mickelson combined to score 26 points off the bench for the Hogs, who benefitted from the Wolverines shooting just 8-for-28 from beyond the arc. Arkansas is now 14-5 (2-2 SEC) on the season, and it may be time to wonder if Mike Anderson's young team has enough to reach the NCAA Tournament. This win will help their resume.

As for Tennessee, the Volunteers are beginning to play with the same toughness that their head coach displayed as a player at Purdue. Cuonzo Martin's team was the tougher of the two on the floor at Thompson-Boling Arena on Saturday afternoon and freshman forward Jarnell Stokes outplayed both Alex Oriakhi and Andre Drummond in the 60-57 win over #13 Connecticut. Stokes, playing in just his third collegiate game, finished with 16 points and 12 rebounds in his first start and Cameron Tatum added 15 points. UConn was without the services of Ryan Boatright but that's no excuse for zero bench points or the three starters outside of Shabazz Napier and Jeremy Lamb (combined 41 points) scoring just 16. When shots aren't falling for either team toughness more times than not reigns supreme, and that's why Tennessee ended up with the win.

4. UNLV's depth the difference in their impressive win over New Mexico.
Dave Rice pledged to put the running back in the Runnin' Rebels program when he was hired in the offseason, and while that's happened what makes UNLV even tougher for opponents to defend is their depth. In their 80-63 win over preseason Mountain West favorite New Mexico, UNLV outscored the Lobos 26-0 in fast break points and 28-9 in bench points in what was an outstanding performance in front of the frenzied crowd at Thomas and Mack Center. Carlos Lopez (14 points) and Justin Hawkins (ten points) scored 24 of those bench points and three starter finished in double figures as well for UNLV, who remain a game behind first-place San Diego State with the win.

A couple of notable stat lines for New Mexico underline the difference on Saturday night. Point guard Hugh Greenwood, who has been dealing with a sprained ankle, finished without a point and key reserve Phillip McDonald shot 2-for-7 from the field (five points) one game after scoring 20 in their loss to SDSU. New Mexico also didn't do themselves any favors with 21 turnovers, which led to 32 UNLV points. So after the first "rotation" of the three contenders in the Mountain West it's safe to say that the pecking order is San Diego State, UNLV and then a decent gap between the Runnin' Rebels and New Mexico. But if UNLV can play the way they did on Saturday night, it wouldn't be a surprise if they finished the season on top.

5. LIU Brooklyn wins at Wagner, further establishing themselves as the team to beat in the NEC.
In what may have been the most anticipated game of the season in the Northeast Conference to date it was three-point accuracy that lifted Jim Ferry's Blackbirds past Wagner on Staten Island. LIU Brooklyn, who many believe to have the best frontcourt in the NEC, made up for allowing 17 offensive rebounds by making six of ten shots from beyond the arc with Jason Brickman making all three of his attempts and scoring 17 points. Julian Boyd led the way for LIU Brooklyn with 19 points and 15 rebounds on the night and Jamal Olasewere added 18 for the visitors, who are now two games ahead of the competition with an 8-0 league record.

Latif Rivers led four Seahawks in double figures with 17 points but as a team Wagner made just four of nineteen shots from beyond the arc. In a 69-possession game that proved to be the difference in spite of 17 second-chance points. The win also earned LIU Brooklyn a sweep of the season series (78-73 win on December 1st being the first), which could prove vital in the case of a tiebreaker. LIU Brooklyn is a middle of the pack rebounding team when looking at percentages so that will need to improve if they're to get back to the NCAA Tournament, but if they can continue to shoot as they have (2nd in the NEC in three-point percentage) it's going to be tough to dethrone the NEC's best offense.

Quick Hitters

1. Mississippi State picked up a good road victory, beating Vanderbilt 78-77 in overtime in Nashville. Arnett Moultrie scored 21 points and grabbed 14 rebounds and Dee Bost scored 24 for the Bulldogs, who moved to within a game of the second-place Commodores with the win.

2. The presence of "College Gameday" provided a spark for Pittsburgh and their fans but it didn't bring a win as Louisville won 73-62 to drop the Panthers to 0-7 in the Big East. Tray Woodall wasn't as effective as Pitt would have hoped but the bigger issue was their defense. Louisville shot 55.3% from the field and received a boost in the form of Kyle Kuric's return.

3. As a result of their 87-72 win over rival Xavier, Dayton moved to 4-1 in the Atlantic 10. Kevin Dillard (16 points, eight assists) and Matt Kavanaugh (20 points) led the way for the Flyers, who are now in sole possession of first place in the A-10.

4. Torrey Craig's putback just before time expired gave USC Upstate a 79-78 win over Belmont and made the Atlantic Sun race a lot more interesting than many outsiders expected it to be. Craig finished with 22 points and six rebounds for the Spartans, who are now one of three teams that sit a game behind the Bruins and Mercer atop the A-Sun.

5. Cincinnati had a chance to pull into a tie for first place in the loss column in the Big East ahead of their game against Syracuse on Monday night, but it wasn't meant to be as West Virginia won 77-74 in Morgantown. Kevin Jones posted another double-double with 26 points and 13 rebounds and Gary Browne's three late in regulation sent the game into overtime.

6. E.J. Singler went 16-for-17 from the foul line and scored a career-high 26 points (and seven rebounds) as Oregon came back from a 13-point halftime deficit to beat UCLA 75-68 in Eugene to move to 6-2 in the Pac-12. The Ducks are one of four teams tied in the loss column atop the league standings, with Cal being the other team sitting at 6-2 (Colorado and Washington are 5-2).

7. Tony Mitchell's putback as time expired in overtime gave North Texas a 75-74 win over Denver, moving the Mean Green into a tie for first place in the West Division of the Sun Belt with both the Pioneers and UALR. Mitchell, a transfer from Missouri, scored 30 points and grabbed 17 rebounds while Roger Williams added 18 and ten boards.

8. The Big West showdown between Long Beach State and UCSB proved to be anything but as Dan Monson's 49ers took over at the Thunderdome, leaving with a 71-48 victory. The Beach, who is now 7-0 in league play, had four starters in double figures with Larry Anderson (19 points) and T.J. Robinson (11 points, 11 rebounds) being two of the leaders.

Five Notable Performances

1. F Leonard Washington (Wyoming)
32 points and 14 rebounds in the Cowboys' 70-51 win over Colorado State.

2. F Tony Mitchell (North Texas)
30 points and 17 rebounds in the Mean Green's 75-74 overtime win over Denver.

3. G Darren White (Campbell)
22 points, 16 rebounds and eight assists in the Camels' 80-73 win over VMI.

4. G Velton Jones (Robert Morris)
35 points, six assists and three steals in the Colonials' 81-73 win at Monmouth.

5. G Langston Galloway (Saint Joseph's)
32 points, six rebounds, two assists and two blocks in the Hawks' 84-80 loss to Pennsylvania.

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.

#19 Michigan vs. #9 Michigan State: Tuesday's Preview

Raphielle Johnson — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 23:50:57 -0500
Tuesday night's schedule may be light but that simply allows one of the Big Ten's more heated rivalries to take center stage as #19 Michigan (14-4, 4-2) hosts in-state rival #9 Michigan State (15-3, 4-1). With both teams coming off of road losses on Saturday (Michigan at Iowa and Michigan State at Northwestern) there will be an added sense of urgency to not only get back on track but to remain one of the key players in the conference title race. The key for Michigan State is to remain disciplined on the defensive end of the floor, something they did not do when faced with a similar offensive system to the one they'll see from Michigan in their loss to Northwestern (NU: 50% FG, 126.6 efficiency per statsheet.com).
Michigan is second in the Big Ten in points scored by way of the three-pointer as 36.1% of their points come by way of that shot. Five different players have the ability (and the green light) to fire away from deep in John Beilein's system with Evan Smotrycz (9.3 ppg, 6.3 rpg) and Zak Novak (9.3 ppg, 4.6 rpg) being the most accurate. Smotrycz, who normally is a tough matchup for opposing power forwards due to his ability to step out, will see a lot of either Draymond Green (15.8 ppg, 9.9 rpg, 3.4 apg) or Branden Dawson (8.1 ppg, 4.5 rpg) when on offense.

But Green offers a unique matchup when the Spartans are on offense as well, as his versatility allows Tom Izzo to run a lot of their stuff through the senior in a role that could be described as a "point forward". This, combined with playing games, has helped young guards Keith Appling (12.9 ppg, 3.8 apg) and Travis Trice (5.8 ppg, 2.1 apg) grow into their roles in the backcourt. Add in Valparaiso transfer Brandon Wood (10.1 ppg, 2.4 apg) and the Spartans have a core trio of guards that have improved a great deal since those losses to North Carolina and Duke to start the season.

They're in for a serious test in Ann Arbor as freshman Trey Burke (14.3 ppg, 4.9 apg, 3.6 rpg) and junior Tim Hardaway Jr. (15.7 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 2.6 apg) rank among the best backcourts in the Big Ten. Burke's been one of the best freshmen in the country, especially when considering his role as the point guard, and Hardaway Jr. has continued to develop as a primary scoring option. That's been a big reason as to why the Wolverines have been able to account for the early departure of Darius Morris, who was a second-round draft pick last June.

If there's one stat to keep an eye on Tuesday night it's the rebounding margin because while Michigan State isn't dominant in this area they're far better than Michigan. The Spartans out-rebound their opponents by an average of 6.1 rebounds per game while the Wolverines are just below breaking even (minus-0.6). And that's due in large part to the number of perimeter shots they take as opposed to getting whipped on the offensive glass, as opponents have grabbed just 9.3 offensive rebounds per game.

Michigan State has rebounded 39.7% of their misses this season, and if the likes of Adriean Payne and Derrick Nix can help out Green and Dawson in this area it could be tough sledding for a Michigan team whose leading rebounders (Smotrycz and Jordan Morgan) average a combined 11.0 rebounds per game. Look for Michigan's rebounding and Michigan State's defense of the three (opponents shoot 30.2%) to ultimately decide the victor.

Also of note on Tuesday is an ACC tilt between Maryland and Florida State, as the Seminoles look to build on their win over North Carolina while the Terrapins need quality wins to work their way into the NCAA Tournament conversation. It's anyone's guess as to how the middle of the conference will shake out and these are two of the teams that can make a run for that final first-round bye slot come ACC Tournament time.

Terrell Stoglin ranks among the best guards in the ACC, but a concern for Mark Turgeon's young guards has been shot selection. They'll need to keep that under control in dealing with one of the league's best defenses, and the same goes for Florida State in the turnover department. It's no coincidence that Leonard Hamilton's team pulled away when they took better care of the basketball and Deividas Dulkys (32 points) got hot.

#2 Kentucky hosts Arkansas in a game that may not impress from a scoring margin standpoint as the Wildcats (on paper) are far superior to the Razorbacks. But it does offer viewers the opportunity to watch some of the SEC's best freshmen. Kentucky's crop is well-known at this point in the season, but in guard B.J. Young the Hogs have one of the conference's most prolific scorers. If Mike Anderson's team can harass Marquis Teague with their pressure this could be a more strenuous exercise for Kentucky than many anticipate.

There's also a big game in the Big South as defending conference tournament champ UNC Asheville hosts the reigning regular season champ in Coastal Carolina. J.P. Primm and Matt Dickey are arguably the best backcourt in the conference and Eddie Biedenbach's club currently leads the conference with a 7-0 record, but Cliff Ellis' Chnaticleers are just a game back at 6-1. With the regular season champion hosting the conference tournament semis and title game the outcome will go a long way in determining who gets that honor come March.

Top 25 Games
9:00 PM Arkansas at (2) Kentucky (ESPN)
7:00 PM (9) Michigan State at (19) Michigan (ESPN)
7:00 PM (12) Georgetown at DePaul (ESPN2)

NCAA Division I Games
7:00 PM UMBC at Hartford
7:00 PM Auburn at LSU (ESPNU)
7:00 PM Coastal Carolina at UNC-Asheville (ESPN3)
7:00 PM High Point at Radford
7:00 PM Toccoa Falls at Western Carolina
7:00 PM Campbell at Winthrop
8:00 PM North Dakota State at North Dakota
8:00 PM Texas Tech at Oklahoma (ESPN3)
8:00 PM Iowa at Purdue (BTN)
9:00 PM Maryland at Florida State (ESPNU)
10:00 PM Boise State at Colorado State (The Mtn)
10:00 PM Nebraska Omaha at Nevada
10:30 PM Cal State Bakersfield at Pacific

Wednesday Recap: Pittsburgh May Have Hit Rock Bottom

Raphielle Johnson — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 00:04:21 -0500

It was thought that Pittsburgh's loss at DePaul last week was the epitome of "rock bottom" for Jamie Dixon's program, which is still without injured point guard Tray Woodall. But in hindsight that high-scoring defeat at the hands of the Blue Demons was nothing compared to what happened at the Petersen Events Center on Wednesday night. Pitt scored the fewest points in their history as a Big East member, falling 62-39 at Rutgers in front of a stunned crowd.

The Panthers shot 21.1% from both the field and from three in the loss, which moved their overall losing streak to five games. Also Pittsburgh is off to their first 0-4 Big East start since the 1999-2000 campaign, when they dropped their first five conference games. J.J. Moore scored ten points off the bench to lead Pittsburgh in scoring, and with Ashton Gibbs making just two of eleven shots and Lamar Patterson faring even worse (1-for-7) Moore's points went for naught.

"Honestly it seemed like they knew our plays," said Gibbs of the Scarlet Knights' defensive effort. "Coach Rice did a good job of scouting us and it led to them making great switches off of screens. We have to do a better job executing our offense."

Eli Carter led the Scarlet Knights, who were coming off of a 67-60 win over Connecticut, with 14 points while Dane Miller showed off the skills that can make him one of the more versatile producers in the Big East when he's fully engaged with 11 points and 12 rebounds. Rutgers out-rebounded Pittsburgh 51-35 on the night and while the shooting woes definitely played a role in that discrepancy, Rutgers did grab 19 offensive rebounds (22 second-chance points).

"It was the most disappointing thing about the game because that is our main focus," said Nasir Robinson, who finished with four rebounds and no points. "We have to do a better job boxing out and we can't let [teams] out-hustle us."

Execution is a without a doubt a huge part of winning games, but sometimes what happens on the floor boils down to toughness and how a team responds when hit in the mouth. Pittsburgh didn't respond well when that happened on Wednesday night, and that's the most concerning aspect of the loss going forward. Pitt has long be one of the toughest teams in the Big East, and they need to get that confidence back in order to turn things around.

Other Notable Happenings

1. Michigan outlasts Northwestern in overtime, moving to 4-1 in Big Ten play.
Facing a team that plays a similar style of basketball, Northwestern was presented with a great opportunity to bolster their resume with a win at #13 Michigan. But unfortunately for the Wildcats they fell just short, losing 66-64 in overtime. Drew Crawford and John Shurna did what they could, combining for 41 points and 13 rebounds while Crawford added seven assists, but they didn't get much help from their teammates. Dave Sobolewski (nine points) and Reggie Hearn (seven points) both managed to exceed their scoring averages on Wednesday night.

But with Alex Marcotulio scoring just one point and Luka Mirkovic scoring two it was going to be tough for the Wildcats to make that play offensively to get over the hump. Michigan, despite shooting 7-for-30 from three, had better scoring distribution with Tim Hardaway Jr. and Trey Burke scoring 19 apiece and Stu Douglass adding ten off the bench. Turnovers were ultimately the biggest killer however, as Northwestern turned the ball over a season-high 16 times. To say the least the Wildcats, who have lost their last two games by a combined three points, could have used a few of those lost possessions in the end.

2. Missouri survives a quiet night from Marcus Denmon to win at Iowa State.
Entering the Tigers' game at Iowa State Denmon averaged 18.7 points per game to lead Frank Haith's team, meaning that anyone told that he made just one field goal would likely expect Missouri to leave Ames with a loss. But despite his off night, and 5-for-21 shooting from three, Missouri won 76-69 thanks in large part to their offensive balance. The other six players to see the floor for Missouri all scored in double figures, with Matt Pressey scoring a team-high 14 and three others scoring 12 points apiece.

And Missouri, generally accepted to be the smallest team in the Big 12, out-rebounded the Cyclones 36-25 and outscored them 40-20 in the paint. Missouri also did a better job defensively in the second half, challenging more looks as ISU shot 4-for-11 from three after making eight of twelve in the first half. Iowa State doesn't have the size that teams such as Kansas State and Baylor possess, but they were a good challenge for the Tigers on the heels of their first loss of the season. And with their leading scorer having an off night, Denmon's teammates stepped up their play and earned an important victory as a result.

3. Temple rebounds from their loss to Dayton, winning at Saint Louis.
One important aspect of league play when looking to contend for a conference title is to make sure losses don't turn into losing streaks. Temple was able to do that as they went to Saint Louis and won 72-67. Khalif Wyatt led the way with 22 points and Ramone Moore added 18 as the Owls moved to 1-1 in Atlantic 10 play. Kwamain Mitchell knocked down some big shots late in hopes of pulling the Billikens ahead, but Temple did a good job of limiting his quality looks (6-for-16 FG) for much of the night.

The three-point shot, or SLU's inability to knock the shots down, proved to be the difference as Saint Louis shot 6-for-16 while Temple made five of their seven. Fran Dunphy's team did a good job of not settling for deep shots, shooting 56.6% from the field. With Xavier looking like a team that's starting to return to form, this was a critical game for both Temple and Saint Louis in regards to winning the A-10 crown. Thanks in large part to their solid shot selection, Temple picked up a nice result on the road.

Quick Hitters

1. The top two teams both won games by margins that would fool the casual observer. Syracuse was far more dominant in their 79-66 win over Villanova than that score would indicate, and Kentucky closed their 68-53 win at Auburn with a 23-6 run.

2. With all the consternation surrounding the ACC's lack of depth, NC State losing 82-71 to Georgia Tech at home won't help matters. Four Yellow Jacket starters reached double figures and Glen Rice Jr. scored 22 off the bench, and the visitors also made nine of fifteen deep. The Wolfpack shot 5-for-19 from deep, and that's essentially where the game was lost.

3. No matter how talented they are, Southern Miss just can't seem to get over the hump in their series with Memphis. The Tigers won their 18th straight in the series, 60-58, with Chris Crawford's two free throws being the difference. Cedric Jenkins, who committed the foul that sent Crawford to the line with 31.6 seconds left in a tie game, missed a three as time expired.

4. While Temple did a good job of bouncing back from their loss to Dayton, the Flyers didn't do a great job of dealing with prosperity as they lost 81-73 at St. Bonaventure. Andrew Nicholson led the Bonnies with 30 points and 13 rebounds and the home team made 24 of 28 free throws as well, while Dayton shot 11-for-30 from three.

5. Old Dominion didn't shoot well as they made just 36.4% of their shots, but the Monarchs made up for it by grabbing 20 offensive rebounds in a 68-66 overtime win at Delaware. Kent Bazemore scored 27 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to lead the way for ODU, who moved to 4-1 in CAA play.

6. After dropping their MAC opener at Bowling Green on Saturday, Ohio rebounded with a 60-52 win over Buffalo in Athens. D.J. Cooper led the way with 15 points, seven rebounds and five assists while Buffalo's Javon McCrea made just four of thirteen shots from the field.

7. They were picked in the preseason poll to finish 4th in the Patriot League by the coaches but Lafayette is off to a good start, moving to 2-0 in conference play with a 75-63 win over Army. Rob Delaney scored a career-high 19 points and grabbed six rebounds for the Leopards while Levi Giese scored ten off the bench. Does Fran O'Hanlon's team have enough firepower to hang with preseason favorite Bucknell? We'll find out on Saturday when they host the Bison.

8. Out west, Colorado State picked up a nice win as they beat Denver 79-75 in Fort Collins. Wes Eikmeier scored 22 points while Greg Smith (17 points, seven rebounds) and Dorian Green (15 points) also played well. CSU now moves into conference play, where they have the ability to be a factor in the league race.

Three Notable Performances

1. F/C Andrew Nicholson (St. Bonaventure)
30 points and 13 rebounds in the Bonnies' 81-73 win over Dayton.

2. G Kent Bazemore (Old Dominion)
27 points and 12 rebounds in the Monarchs' 68-66 overtime win at Delaware.

3. F Davante Gardner (Marquette)
22 points, 15 rebounds and two blocked shots in the Golden Eagles' 81-63 win over St. John's.