Northwestern

Northwestern and USF Stumble Late: Thursday's Quick Hitters

Raphielle Johnson — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 09:15:55 -0500

It was a tough day for bubble teams in the Pac-12 as both Washington and Oregon fell in the quarterfinals.

1. Also stumbling on Thursday were Northwestern and USF, with the former being in far greater trouble at this point.
Northwestern University has never made the NCAA tournament, and with their 75-68 overtime loss to Minnesota in the first round of the Big Ten tournament that could very well remain the case after Sunday. In each of the last two seasons there seems to be a moment where Bill Carmody's team needs to make one play, be it a score or a defensive stop, to get the job done but the Wildcats simply can't. The problem against Minnesota: they couldn't shoot inside of the arc.

Both teams finished the game 11-for-26 from beyond the arc, but the Wildcats squandered a 17-6 edge from the foul line (points) by making just nine of their thirty-one shots from two (29%). John Shurna scored 21 points on the afternoon but made just two of eight two-point shots, and Drew Crawford did the same while scoring just eight. If not for JerShon Cobb putting up 24 points and eight rebounds, there likely would not have been an overtime period to play.

As for USF, while many can argue with the aesthetics you really can't argue with the results, as Stan Heath's Bulls have won 13 conference games when adding their second round win over Villanova. But against a team that also plays a deliberate brand of basketball USF was unable to pick up the signature win they needed, falling to Notre Dame 57-53 in overtime in the final game of the night in the Big East Championship. Stan Heath's team looked to be in good shape late in regulation, but stunning decisions lef the door for the Irish, and USF's execution on their final possessions of overtime provided a fitting ending for a frustrating night. But unlike Northwestern the Bulls were able to win a game in their conference tournament, so they have that going for them at least.

2. Texas was one team that took advantage of their opportunity as they beat Iowa State.
It seemed to take a while on Thursday to find a team that truly took advantage of its opportunity to make a statement to the selection committee, but Rick Barnes' Longhorns didn't disappoint in the final game of the night at the Big 12 tournament. After shooting 26.3% from the field in the first half Texas shot 50% in the second, scoring 46 points to beat three-seed Iowa State 71-65 to advance to the Big 12 semis. Texas shot 54% from two and got to the foul line at a higher rate, knocking down 14 of their 17 attempts while the Cyclones could manage just four attempts.

J'Covan Brown led the way with 23 points and five rebounds while Myck Kabongo added 11 and five assists with no turnovers, and Clint Chapman was solid on both ends of the floor with ten points and eight rebounds while also helping defend Royce White. Texas should feel good about their NCAA hopes but there is the matchup with Missouri on Friday night, and a win there would provide a nice boost to their seeding as well.

3. Indiana beats Penn State but they may have lost Verdell Jones III for the remainder of the season.
Tom Crean's Hoosiers knocked off Penn State 75-58 in a Big Ten tournament game, out-rebounding the Nittany Lions 45-29 to make up for shooting just 36.5% from the field. But it may have been a Phyrric victory, as senior guard Verdell Jones III went down with that was reported to be a sprained knee during the first half. More tests will be done on Friday, but when an injury occurs like Jones' (non-contact) there isn't a very positive outlook.

Head coach Tom Crean was near tears when discussing the injury in postgame interviews, and it's easy to see why. Jones III was one of the guys who was there with Crean from the start, going through the horrible 6-25 campaign and the tough process of bringing Indiana basketball back to this point. Do the Hoosiers have the depth needed to make up for Jones' loss if he can't go in the NCAA tournament? They do, and this likely means more minutes for a Will Sheehy, but it's deeper than that. For all the work Verdell Jones III put into the program it would be fitting that he's on the floor in the Big Dance. Sadly, that may not happen.

Quick Hitters

1. One more team was added to the NIT field on Thursday night as the regular season champ in the Southland, UT Arlington, fell 92-72 to McNeese State. The defense let the Mavs down as McNeese State shot 54.2% from the field and knocked down 11 of 24 three-point shots to ensure the win.

2. Also of note in New York was Syracuse's 58-55 win over Connecticut, and for a team that's had so many answers this season the Orange found another on Thursday. James Southerland scored ten points off the bench and Scoop Jardine 18 as Syracuse advanced to Friday's quarterfinal.

3. Two players their respective teams will need to step up in the Big Dance did just that in the Big 12 quarterfinals, as Perry Jones III put up a double-double (31 points, 11 rebounds) in Baylor's 82-74 win over Kansas State. As for the other player that would be none other than Kansas' Elijah Johnson, as he scored 26 points in the Jayhawks' 83-66 win over Texas A&M.

4. Iowa may have brought an end to the Bruce Weber era in Champaign, beating Illinois 64-61 in the first game of the day at the Big Ten tournament. Matt Gatens paced the Hawkeyes with so 20 points and Aaron White added 13 and nine rebounds off the bench. In fact it was announced that Weber will not be retained as head coach on Friday morning.

5. The game of the day may not have been artistic by any means, but that's of little concern for a Marshall team that outlasted Tulsa 105-100 in triple overtime. DeAndre Kane led all scorers with 40 points, and it would come as no surprise if the Herd were to reach Saturday's title game.

6. Cal State Fullerton picked arguably the worst time of the season to have their three-point shot to betray them. In the Titans' 65-59 loss to UC Irvine the Titans shot 5-for-20 from three while the Mustangs shot 10-for-22 from beyong the arc. Chris McNealy led the way with 24 points.

7. ACC bubble teams NC State and Miami took care of business on Thursday night, beating Boston College and Georgia Tech respectively to advance to the quarterfinals. Next up for the Wolfpack is four-seed Virginia, while the Hurricanes take on Florida State in the day's final quarterfinal.

8. It wasn't the prettiest shot but all that matters is the end result, as Jamaal Franklin's three as time expired gave San Diego State a 65-62 win over Boise State in a Mountain West quarterfinal. The top four seeds all advanced and that includes Colorado State, who beat TCU 81-60 and should be safely in the NCAA tournament field at this point.

Thursday First Round Predictions: ACC, Big Ten, SEC

Greg Mengelt — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 11:02:27 -0500

Our g ame prediction guru Greg Mengelt has been on fire this year. He'll be picking (just about) every conference tournament game over the next week, including tonight's three key championship games. Games listed in order with later rounds on top and earlier rounds at the bottom. Read more about Championship Week at CollegeHoops.net.

ACC FIRST ROUND: AT ATLANTA

(8) Maryland (16-14, 6-10) vs. (9) Wake Forest (13-17, 4-12)

Tipoff: Noon. TV: ESPNU. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 11 – Maryland 70-64. RPI: Maryland 111, Wake Forest 169. Analysis: The ACC Tourney starts with an upset. Line: Maryland -3½. Pick: Wake Forest 60, Maryland 55.

(5) North Carolina State (20-11, 9-7) vs. (12) Boston College (9-21, 4-12)

Tipoff: 2 p.m. TV: ESPNU. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 19 – N.C. State 76-62; Feb. 1 – N.C. State 56-51. RPI: N.C. State 52, BC 236. Analysis: The Wolfpack will pull away early for an easy win. Line: N.C. State -12. Pick: North Carolina State 73, Boston College 52.

(7) Clemson (16-14, 8-8) vs. (10) Virginia Tech (15-16, 4-12)

Tipoff: 7 p.m. TV: ESPNU. Regular-season meetings: Feb. 4 – Virginia Tech 67-65; March 1 – Clemson 58-56. RPI: Clemson 138, Virginia Tech 119. Analysis: Remember when being .500 in the ACC meant a lock for the NCAA Tourney? Line: Clemson -2½. Pick: Clemson 64, Virginia Tech 62.

(6) Miami (18-11, 9-7) vs. (11) Georgia Tech (11-19, 4-12)

Tipoff: 9 p.m. TV: ESPNU. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 24 – Miami 64-49*. RPI: Miami 50, Georgia Tech 183. Analysis: Strange line. Makes me think Vegas knows something the rest of us don’t. Oh, well. The Hurricanes are significantly better. Line: Miami -4. Pick: Miami 67, Georgia Tech 57.

BIG TEN FIRST ROUND: AT INDIANAPOLIS

(8) Iowa (16-15, 8-10) vs. (9) Illinois (17-14, 6-12)

Tipoff: 11:30 a.m. TV: Big Ten Network. Regular-season meetings: Feb. 26 – Illinois 65-54. RPI: Iowa 131, Illinois 77. Analysis: Not sure the Illinois players are interested in playing another game. Line: Illinois -2½. Pick: Iowa 60, Illinois 55.

(5) Indiana (24-7, 11-7) vs. (12) Penn State (12-19, 4-14)

Tipoff: 2 p.m. TV: Big Ten Network. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 8 – Indiana 88-82*; Jan. 22 – Indiana 73-54. RPI: Indiana 11, Penn State 156. Analysis: The Hoosiers are playing as well as anyone in the Big Ten – if not the nation. Line: Indiana -11½. Pick: Indiana 81, Penn State 67.

(7) Northwestern (18-12, 8-10) vs. (10) Minnesota (18-13, 6-12)

Tipoff: 5:30 p.m. TV: ESPN2. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 22 – Minnesota 75-52; Feb. 18 – Northwestern 64-53. RPI: Northwestern 41, Minnesota 89. Analysis: John Shurna and Drew Crawford will not let the Wildcats lose this game. Line: Northwestern -2½. Pick: Northwestern 68, Minnesota 62.

(6) Purdue (20-11, 10-8) vs. (11) Nebraska (12-17, 4-14)

Tipoff: 8 p.m. TV: ESPN2. Regular-season meetings: Feb. 22 – Purdue 83-65. RPI: Purdue 41, Nebraska 140. Analysis: Purdue has won 3-of-4 and even in the loss at Indiana, the Boilermakers played pretty well for most of the game. Line: Purdue -8. Pick: Purdue 79, Nebraska 64.

SEC FIRST ROUND: AT NEW ORLEANS

(8) LSU (17-13, 7-9) vs. (9) Arkansas (18-13, 6-10)

Tipoff: 1 p.m. TV: SEC Network. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 14 – Arkansas 69-60; Feb. 4 – LSU 71-65. RPI: LSU 84, Arkansas 92. Analysis: A strange season comes to an Arkansas. Things should start to improve next season under Mike Anderson. Line: LSU -1. Pick: LSU 73, Arkansas 68.

(5) Alabama (20-10, 9-7) vs. (12) South Carolina (10-20, 2-14)

Tipoff: 3:30 p.m. TV: SEC Network. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 25 – South Carolina 56-54. RPI: Alabama 32, USC 185. Analysis: This game could just go a lot of different ways, depending on how interested the Tide are, but eight points is too big of a line for what should be a low-scoring game. Line: Alabama -8. Pick: Alabama 58, South Carolina 52.

(7) Mississippi (18-12, 8-8) vs. (10) Auburn (15-15, 5-11)

Tipoff: 7:30 p.m. TV: SEC Network. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 14 – Auburn 69-68 (2OT); Feb. 11 – Ole Miss 61-54. RPI: Ole Miss 51, Auburn 136. Analysis: The Rebels are back on the bubble after three straight wins, but Auburn will end the dream. Line: Ole Miss -2½. Pick: Auburn 66, Mississippi 63.

(6) Mississippi State (21-10, 8-8) vs. (11) Georgia (14-16, 5-11)

Tipoff: 10 p.m. TV: SEC Network. Regular-season meetings: Feb. 11 – Georgia 70-68 (OT)*. RPI: MSU 64, Georgia 107. Analysis: Both teams are so unpredictable that it’s hard to tell how this one’s going to go. The Bulldogs are physically superior, though. Line: MSU -5. Pick: Mississippi State 71, Georgia 65.

*Road win

Greg Against the Spread This Season: 143-108-3

North Carolina Wins ACC Title: Saturday's Quick Hitters

Raphielle Johnson — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 09:09:51 -0500

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.

Bracketology: Saturday Afternoon Bubble Update

Shawn Siegel — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 16:51:11 -0500

At this point in the season, a few hours can make or destroy a team's season. Besides conference titles on the line, at-large bids, NIT invites, and seeding remain up in the air. Since yesterday's Bracketology projection, here are the results that matter and how the impact postseason hopes:

Saturday Afternoon

Cincinnati 72 - Villanova 68
Having beaten Marquette last time out, Cincinnati seemed safely in the tournament for the first time in weeks. However, a loss to Villanova followed by a loss in the Big East Tournament could have pushed them right back to the edge. Instead, Cincy picked up a road win and a probable NCAA bid.

Cincinnati's projected seed: 10-11

Marquette 83 - Georgetown 69
Both of these teams were 3 seeds in my latest projection. Georgetown could certainly drop into the 4 seed range depending on how the likes of Wisconsin and Indiana fare over the weekend.

Marquette's projected seed: 2-3
Georgetown's projected seed: 3-4

Memphis 78 - Tulsa 66
With a win, the Tigers locked up the CUSA regular season title. With the tournament being held in Memphis, they have a great shot to win the postseason tournament as well. With a Top 25 RPI and a string of wins, Memphis is approaching a 6 seed.

Memphis' projected seed: 6-7

Murray St 54 - Tennessee St
It wasn't easy, but Murray St escaped with a 2-point win in the OVC Finals to lock up a bid. As a neutral bracketologist, a win by Tennessee St would have been much more interesting. Murray has a wider range of seeds compared to most teams considering their unique situation.

Murray St's projected seed: 4-6

Northwestern 70 - Iowa 66

Nothing comes easy for Northwestern. Wildcats trailed by a bunch, then led by a bunch, then escaped with a nail-biting win. As it is, Northwestern is still in the field, but a lot can change over the next week. A first-round exit in the Big Ten tournament could be enough to knock them right back out. (Iowa could have finished an impressive 9-9 with a win, but their best case postseason scenario is hosting an NIT first round game.)

Northwestern's projected seed: 11-13

Marshall 79 - Southern Miss 75
Southern Miss showed a lot of toughness fighting back from multiple deficits, but the Eagles could never pull away. A win would have no doubt locked up a bid for Southern Miss, but instead they drop closer to the bubble. I think they're still in, but there are a lot of analysts who question how good this team really is. (Marshall is fighting for an NIT bid, and this win certainly helped.)

Southern Miss projected seed: 11-12

UCONN 74 - Pittsburgh 65
The Huskies looked dominant in the first half, almost blew the lead, and then ended up pulling out a 9 point win. A loss would have 100% eliminated UCONN from NCAA Tournament contention. As it is, they exemplify what it means to be a bubble team. South Florida's loss to West Virginia definitely helped UCONN's cause.

UCONN's projected seed: 13 or NIT.

UNC-Asheville 80 - VMI 64
After a tight first half, VMI ran out of gas and UNC-Asheville cruised to the Big South title. Despite a solid 24-9 season and dominant Big South record, UNCA will most likely be looking at a 16 seed.

UNCA's projected seed: 16 (potentially in First Four game.)

UCLA 75 - Washington 69
While I question why the Pac-12 deserves more than one bid, you can rest assured the league will at least get 2 bids. This loss not only prevented the Huskies from locking up the regular season title, it also pushes them down out of a single-digit seed.

Washington's projected seed: 10-11

West Virginia 50 - South Florida 44
In an offensively inept game between bubble squads, West Virginia pulled out a huge road win. The Mountaineers once looked like a tourney lock, but needed two wins to close the season to remain in the field. As it is, they're in for now but can't be considered a 100% lock. After South Florida finally worked their way into my projected field of 68, they're back on the outside now. They certainly still have a chance to work their way back in, but if USF loses their first game at the Big East Tournament, they'd officially be toast.

West Virginia's projected seed: 11-12
South Florida's projected seed: NIT

Illinois St 65 - Wichita St 64

The Shockers have certainly locked up a bid, but this loss may have knocked them back from the lofty 4 seed I had them pegged at. More importantly, it opens the possibility that Illinois St could win the MVC title tomorrow over Creighton/Evansville and steal a bubble bid. Should be fun to watch tomorrow.

Wichita St's projected seed: 4-5

Xavier 72 - Charlotte 63
With 8 minutes to go, Charlotte led by 4 and Xavier's NCAA hopes were on the verge of collapsing. Tu Holloway scored 10 points in the final 8 minutes to spearhead a Xavier run that might have saved their season.

Xavier's projected seed: 12-13

Friday Night

BYU 73 - San Diego 68
The Cougars were pushed from the opening tip by San Diego, but escaped with a much-needed win. BYU's spot in the tournament is far from certain. Only if they go on to beat Gonzaga tonight would I say they're safe.

BYU's projected seed: 10-11

Creighton 68 - Drake 61
Doug McDermott's 26 points helped Creighton escape with a win over a pesky Drake squad. While Creighton is a tourney lock, a loss last night could have potentially dropped them as far as an 8 or 9 seed.

Creighton's projected seed: 6-7

Harvard 77 - Columbia 70 (OT)
While most have assumed for months that Harvard would win the Ivy League, they're only a half-game up on Penn. Not only would a lost last night have put Harvard's Ivy hopes in danger, it would have been crippling for their at-large hopes as well. There's no way the committee puts a 3-loss Ivy team into the tournament.

Harvard's projected seed: 11

Afternoon Upsets in the Big South: Wednesday's Quick Hitters

Raphielle Johnson — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 02:14:03 -0500

The biggest development on Wednesday night were the wins picked up by Cincinnati, Colorado State and USF, as all three strengthened their arguments for an NCAA tournament bid.

1. Two of the top three seeds in the Big South saw their seasons come to an end in the quarterfinals.
The beginning of an almost nonstop afternoon basketball got underway on Wednesday, and from an upset standpoint the Big South certainly didn't disappoint. But if you're a fan of either Coastal Carolina or Campbell it wasn't a good day, as both saw their seasons come to an end (unless selected for a postseason tournament) despite entering the conference tournament as the two and three seeds. CCU ran into a VMI team that got hot from three, knocking down 14 of their 28 attempts from beyond the arc on the way to an 85-68 victory. Starters Keith Gabriel (20 points) and Stan Okoye (15) played well, but the 17-point outing from Jordan Weethee (5-6 3PT) off the bench was just as important. CCU didn't help themselves by turning the ball over 16 times either.

As for Campbell turnovers were a problem for them as well in their 71-55 loss to six-seeded Winthrop. The Camels turned the ball over 16 times to just eight for the Eagles, who are looking to rid themselves of the bad taste left in their mouths following a disappointing regular season. Campbell also couldn't slow down Reggie Middleton, who scored a game-high 25 points (5-10 3PT) and dished out four assists to lead the way for Winthrop. Darren White led Campbell with 15 points but no other Campbell player reached double figures, and when combined with the turnovers that proved to be too much to overcome. On the other side of the bracket top seed UNC Asheville and four-seed Charleston Southern advanced, and the key for UNCA at this point is to remain focused on the task at hand instead of worrying about how the bottom half of the bracket opened up. Do that and Eddie Biedenbach's team could make a return trip to the Big Dance.

2. Miami follows up their big win over Florida State with...a loss at NC State.
What the Hurricanes have done over the last four days is exactly why concrete verdicts shouldn't be rendered in regards to the tournament prospects of teams based on one game. On Sunday Jim Larranaga's team looked very good as they beat Florida State with Reggie Johnson out of the lineup. But with Johnson back the Hurricanes were unable to build on the positive momentum as they fell to the Wolfpack 77-73. And if not for their 22 offensive rebounds the margin of defeat could have been even larger for Miami, who shot just 35.6% from the field while NC State made half of their field goal attempts.

C.J. Leslie led four NC State players in double figures with 21 points while also grabbing 11 boards as the Pack snapped their four-game losing streak. Rion Brown led the Hurricanes with 15 points off the bench but with Kenny Kadji and Durand Scott shooting a combined 6-for-24 from the field Miami couldn't counter NC State scoring 43 second-half points. With a home game against Boston College being the regular season finale, it's likely that Miami will need to make some noise in the ACC tournament to further state their case.

3. It was also a bad night for bubble teams in the Atlantic 10 as both Dayton and Saint Joseph's fell.
One day after Xavier fell hard at Saint Louis two more teams suffered defeats that could have the A-10 sliding toward being a two-bid league. Phil Martelli's Hawks were unable to build on their win over Temple in Olean as they fell to St. Bonaventure 98-93 in double overtime. Andrew Nicholson, who is a candidate for A-10 Player of the Year, scored 32 points and grabbed 14 rebounds to lead the Bonnies to a win that locked up a first-round bye in next week's conference tournament. The Hawks got themselves in trouble by getting out-rebounded 49-30, with the Bonnies grabbing 20 offensive rebounds.

As for the Flyers, their loss was even more damaging as they fell 82-71 at Richmond. Darien Brothers led the Spiders with 30 points and Kendall Anthony added 20 off the bench as Richmond dropped Dayton into a three-way tie for sixth. Chris Johnson scored 22 points and grabbed seven rebounds to lead Dayton, who was outscored 19-9 at the charity stripe. Richmond held the edge in bench points (29-15) thanks in large part to Anthony, and they were also able to score 21 second-chance points to just 13 for the Flyers. A win over George Washington won't do much for Dayton's profile and Saint Joseph's regular season is done, meaning that both are looking at the prospect of likely needing the automatic bid to go dancing.

Quick Hitters

1. The top two seeds took the floor in the Atlantic Sun quarters, and while Mercer had to work a bit harder than anticipated both the Bears and Belmont advanced. Jake Gollon led Mercer to their 61-53 win over Lipscomb with 19 points and eight rebounds, and as a team the Bears made up for committing twice as many turnovers (16) as Lipscomb by making nine three-pointers. Belmont beat Jacksonville 76-62 behind Kerron Johnson's 19 points, five rebounds and five assists.

2. Three of the four quarterfinals in the Patriot League went according to seed on Wednesday. The lone exception: Lafayette's 84-76 win at Holy Cross in the 4/5 game. Rob Delaney (25 points) and Jim Mower (18) combined to score 43 points for the Leopards, who will visit top-seed Bucknell in the semifinals on Saturday.

3. Mitchell Watt scored 22 points and grabbed six rebounds to Buffalo to a 74-70 win at Akron in a key MAC battle. The win moves the Bulls to within a game of the Zips for first place in the MAC East with one game remaining, and just as importantly they're a game up on Ohio in the race for second place.

4. Sheldon McClellan scored 24 points and J'Covan Brown 22 as Texas avoided what would have been a rough loss to have on their resume, as they beat Oklahoma 72-64 in Austin. The Longhorns end the regular season with a trip to Kansas, and an upset in Lawrence would undoubtedly punch their ticket.

5. Brian Williams scored all 18 of his points in the second half, and his three-pointer with 33 seconds remaining gave Jacksonville State the lead for good in their 75-70 win over Austin Peay in an OVC first round matchup. In the other OVC tournament game Southeast Missouri State beat Eastern Kentucky 75-65.

6. A rough run through WCC play mercifully came to an end for Santa Clara in Las Vegas as they fell 74-70 to Portland in the first round of the WCC tournament. Losing Marc Trasolini on the preseason trip to Canada with a torn ACL was hard enough to deal with, but once Kerry Keating had to suspend Kevin Foster the Broncos seemed destined for a winless league campaign.

7. Northwestern had a golden opportunity to pick up a signature win, but Jared Sullinger's bucket in the final seconds gave Ohio State the 75-73 win in Evanston. Drew Crawford and John Shurna combined to lead the Wildcats with 45 points but that wasn't enough as the Buckeyes had four players put up double figures. The Northwestern storyline is going to be one of the interesting stories to keep an eye on in Indianapolis next week.

Northwestern vs Ohio St: Prediction & Fan Poll

Greg Mengelt — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 00:02:58 -0500

NO. 11 OHIO STATE (23-6, 11-5 Big Ten) AT NORTHWESTERN (17-11, 7-9 Big Ten)

Time: 8:30 p.m.

TV: Big Ten Network

Location: Welsh-Ryan Arena in Evanston, Ill.

RPI Ratings

Ohio State 8 (No. 2 Big Ten)

Northwestern 43 (No. 7 Big Ten)

Line: Ohio State -5½ (O/U 132)

Ohio State Players to Watch: F Jared Sullinger, 6-9 So. (16.8 ppg, 8.9 rpg, 54.9% FG); G William Buford, 6-6 Sr. (15.1 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 2.9 apg); F Deshaun Thomas, 6-7 So. (15.1 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 53% FG). With 312 points this season, Buford has become Value City Arena’s all-time leading scorer, passing Terrence Dials (2002-06). Buford, who has made 47 of his last 50 free throws, is sixth on the Buckeyes’ all-time scoring list with 1,861 points.

Northwestern Players to Watch: F John Shurna, 6-9 Sr. (20.1 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 2.7 apg); F Drew Crawford, 6-5 Jr. (16.1 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 48.4% FG); G Dave Sobolewski, 6-1 Fr. (9.2 ppg, 3.6 apg, 2.7 rpg). With 1,201 points, including 451 this season, Crawford ranks 17^th on Northwestern’s all-time scoring list with 1,201 points – and he still has a year to go. By the end of next season, it’s likely Shurna and Crawford will be the Wildcats’ top-2 leading all-time scorers.

Storylines: It’s hard to quantify just how big this game is for both teams. Indiana gave Ohio State hope in its quest for its third consecutive Big Ten regular-season title. The Buckeyes are a game-and-a-half behind Michigan State, which has already clinched a share of the title, but they go to East Lansing Sunday for the regular-season finale. Northwestern is currently tied for seventh in the Big Ten (with Iowa) and is considered on the NCAA Tournament bubble. A win over the No. 11 Buckeyes would significantly add to the Wildcats’ resume. Northwestern has never played in the NCAA Tournament.

Keys: Buford scored 28 points – then a career-high – with five 3-pointers as the Buckeyes defeated Northwestern 87-53 in both team’s Big Ten opener on Dec. 28. OSU shot 48 percent of its field goal and 10 of 20 from the 3-point line, while holding the Wildcats to 32.1 percent overall in the victory. The Buckeyes lead the Big Ten in scoring margin at plus-17.1, and they rank second in scoring (74.7), scoring defense (57.6) and shooting percentage (48.3). Northwestern rank second to Indiana in the league by hitting 38.3 percent of its 3-point shots. Ohio State is ninth at 33.3. However, the Buckeyes play strong 3-point defense, allowing opponents to shoot just 31 percent. The Buckeyes are second in the conference (behind only Michigan State) in rebounding margin at plus-6.9. Northwestern has been out-rebounded by its opponents by 5.1 per game. Northwestern is second to Purdue in assist-to-turnover ratio at 1.5-to-1, while Ohio State ranks fourth in the league at 1.3-to-1. Ohio State leads the all-time series 110-45 and 44-31 in Evanston. Northwestern is 11-4 at Welsh-Ryan Arena this season, including a 5-3 mark in Big Ten play. OSU 5-4 away from home, including 4-3 in the Big Ten.

The Bottom Line: Despite the way it has played of late, it’s hard to imagine Ohio State not taking advantage of its second chance.

The Pick: Ohio State 70, Northwestern 63

Greg Against the Spread This Season: 84-53

Bracketology: Top 10 Games to Watch This Week

Shawn Siegel — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 14:23:08 -0500

We're getting down to the nitty gritty. Some leagues have already wrapped up their schedules, while others have a couple of games left. Here's a breakdown of this week's Top 10 games as it relates to NCAA Tournament Bracketology and the Bubble:

1) Wednesday: Northwestern (17-11, 7-9) vs Ohio St (23-5, 11-4)

Even average sports fans know that Northwestern has never made the NCAA Tournament. If the Wildcats could somehow knock off the top 10 Buckeyes, their tourney dreams could finally come true. But that's a big if. When Northwestern went to Columbus back in December, the Buckeyes won by 33 points. But Northwestern has been solid at home, and its fun to keep dreams alive.

2) Wednesday: NC State (18-11, 7-7) vs Miami (16-10, 7-6)

NC state has lost 4 straight at the worst possible time. But if they were to beat Miami and then finish 9-7 in the ACC, they'd certainly have a shot at the bubble. Miami is in a very similar situation, stringing along near .500 in conference, trying to take advantage of the ACC's weakness. Miami has the better RPI and the better marquee win (at Duke), but no non-conference wins of note. The loser should be relegated to the NIT.

3) Tuesday: UCONN (17-11, 7-9) at Providence (14-15, 3-13)

UCONN came oh so close to topping Syracuse on Saturday, and perhaps booking their ticket to the Dance. Instead, they have a road game at Providence and a home tilt with Pittsburgh to prove they deserve a bid. Despite PC's weak overall record, they've been competitive at home and should give UCONN a stiff test. If UCONN can't win this game they don't deserve to go anywhere near the NCAA Tournament.

4) Saturday: South Florida (17-11, 10-5) vs West Virginia (17-12, 7-9)

A month ago, West Virginia seemed like a tourney lock, and South Florida didn't even seem like an NIT team. But in college basketball, a few weeks can change everything. WVU has lost 7 of 9 games, including 4 in a row at home. After hosting DePaul on Tuesday (they can't conceivably lose that game, can they?), West Virginia heads to Tampa to face a Bulls team with an outside shot at a bid as well. This could very well be an elimination game, the loser's dreams busted.

5) Tuesday: Saint Louis (22-6, 10-4) vs Xavier (18-10, 9-5)

Xavier is a perfect example of a bubble team. A team that top teams would be afraid to face, yet a team that can't seem to put it all together. They've been playing .500 ball for a month, and haven't beaten a top 100 team on the road since late November (Vanderbilt.) SLU blew a golden chance to lock up a tourney bid by losing to URI on Saturday. It was their first bad loss of the season, and came at the worst possible time. If they were to bounce back and beat Xavier, they'd 100% be assured of a spot in the field of 68. If SLU were to lose.. well, Bills fans don't want to even consider that possibility.

6) Wednesday: Tennessee (16-13, 8-6) at LSU (17-11, 7-7)

LSU simply didn't show up at Ole Miss on Saturday, losing by 24. That game probably ruined their at-large hopes, but they can still play spoiler against a Tennessee team riding the bubble. Tennessee has two wins over Florida and a win over UCONN, not to mention an over .500 SEC record. Their biggest problem has been winning on the road. If they were to top LSU, adding both a road win and another Top 100 RPI win to their resume, the Vols might be Dancing. Who would have guessed that after a 2-6 start?

7) Tuesday: UCF (20-8, 9-5) at Memphis (21-8, 11-3)

After a shock loss to UTEP last week, Memphis bounced back with 2 straight wins, including a 20 point blowout over Marshall. This probably assures them of a tourney bid. UCF still has slim bubble chances, but a win over Memphis is a must. The Knights already topped Memphis at home, and also have a win against UCONN under their belt. A second win over Memphis and a strong 11-5 CUSA record would certainly look good to the committee. But their dreams are 100% dashed if they don't win.

8) Saturday: Southern Miss (23-16, 10-4) at Marshall (17-11, 8-6)

Despite a top 20 RPI, Southern Miss has not locked up a bid. Two straight road losses to Houston and UTEP last week came at the worst possible time. Marshall is a solid team, but their blowout loss to Memphis on Saturday shows how vulnerable they are. Southern Miss not only need a win, but they need an equally emphatic win to show they're for real. If Southern Miss beats SMU on Wednesday and then rolls against Marshall, I don't see how the committee couldn't give them a bid.

9) Wednesday: Saint Joseph's (19-11, 9-6) vs Saint Bonaventure (16-10, 9-5)

The Hawks don't get much attention nationally, but I think they have the committee's attention. After all, they're ranked 51st in the RPI, and hold wins over Creighton and Temple, not to mention 6 other top 100 w's. If not for a 3-point hiccup loss to Richmond last week, they might very well be featured in every Bracketology projection. As it is, they're on the outside looking in, needing a strong finish to their season. This is by no means an easy game, but the Hawks can't afford to lose.

10) Saturday: Washington (20-8, 13-3) at UCLA (16-13, 9-7)

The way things have played out, it does look like the Pac-12 will get a 2nd bid. Whether the league actually deserves a 2nd bid is an open question. Washington finishes their schedule with road games in Los Angeles, at USC and then at UCLA. Assuming they beat lowly USC, this sets up an intriguing nationally televised CBS game in which UCLA can play the roll of spoiler. I wouldn't say UW 100% needs this win, but a loss would not help the cause..

Poll: Who Will Be the Best RPI Team Not to Make the Tourney?

Shawn Siegel — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 13:26:02 -0500

Davis Leads #1 Kentucky Past Vanderbilt: Saturday's Quick Hitters

Raphielle Johnson — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 23:30:18 -0500

#4 Kansas clinched their eighth consecutive Big 12 title with a wild 87-86 overtime win over #3 Missouri, placing head coach Bill Self in some esteemed company. Here are today's "Quick Hitters":

1. #1 Kentucky wraps up another SEC title with a win over Vanderbilt.
In what has been a superlative season for freshman Anthony Davis, the Chicago native may have saved his best performance (thus far) for Saturday. Davis made ten of his eleven shots from the field and scored 28 points while also grabbing 11 boards and blocking six shots to lead Kentucky to an 83-74 win over Vanderbilt. The victory also locked up the 45th SEC title in program history, and it's been clear that there's a lot more this group can achieve before this season ends. Jeffery Taylor scored 19 points and grabbed nine rebounds to lead Vanderbilt, who may have enough to hang around longer than they have in recent NCAA appearances when that time comes.

But on this day it was about the impact of Davis on an afternoon that saw Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (eight points, eight rebounds) and Terrence Jones (12 points, six rebounds) play 29 and 23 minutes respectively. Vandy may have out scored Kentucky 21-6 from beyond the arc but they also made just 42.2% of their shots inside of the arc, and going 15-for-23 from the foul line doesn't help on the road either.

Marquis Teague got off to a slow start but he got going as the game wore on, finishing with 15 points and six assists, and Darius Miller scored nine points off the bench. Kentucky won with two starters in foul trouble and a third (Doron Lamb) scoring just seven points. That lack of production is not going to happen very often between now and the end of the season, so good luck to all future opponents.

2. With #21 New Mexico completing an 0-2 week the Mountain West title is once again up for grabs.
After wins over San Diego State and UNLV last week Steve Alford's Lobos were undoubtedly the class of the Mountain West. But after losses to Colorado State and TCU, New Mexico is back in a three-way tie for first with the Aztecs and Runnin' Rebels going into the last week of regular season play. After going to the half tied (38-all) New Mexico was outscored 45-26 by the Horned Frogs in the 83-64 beating, moving TCU to a surprising 7-5 in conference play and 6-0 in league home games. J.R. Cadot led six TCU players in double figures with 15 points while also grabbing ten rebounds and point guard Hank Thorns dished out nine assists to go along with his 14 points, and a team few expected to contend remains alive in the Mountain West title race.

UNLV was able to hold off a pesky Air Force squad in Las Vegas, winning 68-58 with Chace Stanback's 21 points and eight rebounds leading the way, and San Diego State held off Colorado State 74-66. Jamaal Franklin, who's been banged up of late, went off for 31 points and 16 rebounds to lead the way. With all three teams at 8-4 having played each other twice the Mountain West race will be decided by how they all do against the rest of the conference (the three-way tie at this point would be broken by record vs. the fourth place team).

Before this week the Lobos were the ones who hadn't slipped up, but obviously that's changed. Drew Gordon and Kendall Williams need to be consistent if New Mexico is to win the MWC but at this point anything can happen, and given how dangerous the likes of TCU, Colorado State and Wyoming have played it probably will.

3. Gonzaga's 11-year reign atop the WCC ends as Saint Mary's clinches the WCC title.
While Kansas' current streak of eight straight Big 12 titles is nothing to scoff at, Gonzaga had won 11 straight West Coast Conference titles heading into this season. But that streak came to an end on Saturday night as Saint Mary's beat San Francisco 67-60, wrapping up the regular season title for the Gaels. It wasn't a pretty effort for Randy Bennett's team as they shot just 6-for-28 from beyond the arc, but Saint Mary's made the plays they needed to make down the stretch.

Clint Steindl, who entered the starting lineup with Stephen Holt out with a knee inury, scored a team-high 16 points while Matthew Dellavedova and Rob Jones (14 rebounds) scored 14 points apiece. Jones wasn't the only Gael to post a double-double either as Brad Waldow, who has emerged as the Gaels' second-best interior player in WCC play, scored ten points and grabbed 12 rebounds.

Saint Mary's and Gonzaga wrapped up byes to the semifinals of next weekend's WCC tournament with the results while BYU and Loyola Marymount receive byes to the quarters as the third and fourth seeds. One would think that the top three teams are all safely into the Field of 68 at this point, and Max Good's Lions have the ability to run through the conference tournament and get the WCC a fourth NCAA bid.

Gonzaga's run atop the WCC may have ended but by no means is this "the end", in regards to both this season as well as the future. Players such as Kevin Pangos, Gary Bell and Guy Landry Edi will all have an impact for the Zags (and Kelly Olynyk will be back in the fold next season), and they'll need to if Mark Few's team is to make some noise next month.

4. #2 Syracuse wraps up the tenth Big East regular season title in school history with a win at UConn.
Jim Boeheim's team was walking into what was sure to be a charged environment, given the "ESPN College Gameday" presence and Connecticut's need for a marquee win. And even though things got tight down the stretch Syracuse was able to pick up their first-ever win at Gampel Pavilion, winning 71-69 with C.J. Fair blocking a Roscoe Smith shot in the final seconds to preserve the lead.

The concerns about rebounding going into the game given the Huskies' size inside? No issue for the Orange, who out-rebounded the Huskies 39-35 and grabbed 14 offensive rebounds (UConn finished with 15 but was outscored 16-14 in second-chance points) on the night.Fab Melo's follow-up dunk with 31 seconds remaining gave Syracuse, who led by as many as 17 points, the victory but it was Kris Joseph and their reserves who stood out.

Joseph scored 21 points and grabbed seven rebounds as he bounced back from a 5-for-17 night in Syracuse's win over USF on Wednesday night. As for the reserves once again Syracuse showed that they're the deepest team in America. Dion Waiters led the way with ten points while Fair (six points, seven rebounds) and James Southerland (seven points) also made an impact. The Orange reserves outscored the UConn bench 26-0 on the night, allowing Syracuse to successfully navigate a quiet night from Brandon Triche (18 minutes played) and Scoop Jardine shooting 3-for-10 from the field (seven points, six assists).

With something of consequence from Shabazz Napier or Tyler Olander off the bench UConn would have had an even better shot of winning, and that's going to be the key in their games against Providence and Pittsburgh. Gain some consistency and the Huskies have the ability to be a tough out in the Big Dance, and while their close loss showed UConn's potential it also showed the difference between a team that can win games and one that can win a championship.

5. Northwestern and Texas avoid what would have been bad losses while Seton Hall and NC State aren't as fortunate.
The focus for bubble teams this time of the year tends to be on the search for that "signature win", but just as important is the ability to avoid shooting oneself in the foot. Northwestern and Texas looked to be headed towards bad (or in the case of Texas, catastrophic) losses but both the Wildcats and Longhorns were able to pull out victories on the road.

John Shurna made a pair of free throws with 2.6 seconds remaining to give Northwestern a 67-66 win at Penn State (the foul should have been called on the catch before Shurna was ever fouled on his shot attempt). And in Lubbock it took seven points from J'Covan Brown in the final 2:16 of overtime for the Longhorns to beat Texas Tech 71-67, with Rick Barnes' team closing the game on a 10-0 run.

Seton Hall and NC State weren't as fortunate, with the Pirates' slide commencing with Pope being called for an offensive foul (that many SHU fans vigorously disputed) with 44.1 seconds remaining in overtime and the score tied at 72. From there in-state rival Rutgers would score the final five points, exacting a measure of revenge on a team that beat them at the RAC in the first meeting this season. Jordan Theodore led the Pirates with 17 points and nine assists but it was Rutgers' Dane Miller (21 points, ten rebounds, four assists and three blocks) who stood out.

At least the Pirates are likely on the right side of the fence (or at least close to it) in spite of the loss. The same cannot be said for Mark Gottfried's Wolfpack, who seem to be freefall mode as they dropped their fourth straight game (72-69 at Clemson). Lorenzo Brown and C.J. Leslie scored 18 points apiece to lead the Wolfpack but it wasn't enough as Scott Wood (1-6 FG) struggled and Milton Jennings led three Tigers in double figures with 17 points. The difference was the foul line, as NC State made five of thirteen and Clemson finished 16-for-21. While there are still games to be played there doesn't seem to be much sand left in the hourglass for NC State.

Quick Hitters

1. From Friday night the Big East Player of the Year race may have received some clarity. With three starters (Vander Blue, Junior Cadougan and Darius Johnson-Odom) suspended for the first half of #10 Marquette's game at West Virginia and Todd Mayo suspended for the second, Jae Crowder did everything in his power to lead the Golden Eagles to the 61-60 win. Crowder finished with 26 points and four rebounds while outplaying WVU's Kevin Jones, who didn't receive a who lot of help down the stretch from his teammates. And while Buzz Williams' dancing received the bulk of the postgame attention, Bob Huggins' visible frustration with his team shouldn't be ignored either.

2. There's now a tie atop the Ivy League in the loss column as Penn snapped Harvard's 28-game home win streak by the final score of 55-54. Zack Rosen's two free throws with 23 seconds remaining proved to be the difference for the Quakers, who are now 9-2 in league play (Harvard's 10-2). But don't start planning for a possible playoff just yet, as Jerome Allen's team still has games against Yale (home) and Princeton (road) to deal with. And if you haven't seen Rosen play by now...shame.

3. Following Purdue's blowout loss to Michigan State forward Ryne Smith made the comment that the dismissal of Kelsey Barlow was "addition by subtraction." Smith may have been proven right on Saturday as the Boilermakers handed #13 Michigan their first home loss of the season by the final score of 75-61. Terone Johnson led the way with 22 points and Purdue enjoyed a stretch in the second half in which they scored on 11 of 13 possessions. That's how you cement your status as a tournament team.

4. Arizona and Washington both did what they needed to do on Saturday, escaping with wins against UCLA and Washington State respectively. Kyle Fogg led the Wildcats to the 65-63 win on Senior Day in Tucson with 20 points and nine rebounds, giving Arizona their 21st win of the season. Tony Wroten accounted for 21 points, six rebounds and five assists in Washington's 59-55 win at Washington State, a game the Huskies trailed 45-32 with 11 minutes remaining. It remains to be seen how many teams the Pac-12 can get into the tournament, but at this point the best strategy for both is to simply keep winning.

5. Another interesting day in the Atlantic 10 as Saint Louis suffered a brutal loss for their resume while Dayton and Saint Joseph's picked up needed victories. Billy Baron's shot in the final seconds gave Rhode Island a 64-62 win over the Billikens in Kingston, but regardless of the venue that's a game Rick Majerus' team did not need on their resume as a loss. Langston Galloway led four Saint Joseph's players in double figures with 22 points as the Hawks beat #22 Temple 82-72 to earn a share of the Big 5 title, and Dayton blew out UMass 76-43 at home. Three seems to be the number of bids most expect the A-10 to receive, which makes games like these even more important down the stretch.

6. Cleveland State finally looked like a cohesive group with D'Aundray Brown out of the lineup as they beat Wright State 77-55. Trevon Harmon scored 20 points and Jeremy Montgomery 17 for the Vikings, who locked up the two-seed in next week's Horizon League tournament. That earns them (along with regular season champ Valparaiso) a bye to the semifinals, a perk that was much-needed by the Vikings.

7. Behind 31 points from Bradford Burgess, VCU was able to jump on George Mason early in what ended up being an 89-77 win in Richmond to grab the two-seed in the CAA tournament. VCU scored 12 points within a stretch of less than two minutes in the first half to establish a margin the Patriots were unable to overcome despite 24 points and nine rebounds from Ryan Pearson. These two could very well meet in the CAA semis next weekend, and a rubber match would have huge implications in regards to the NCAA tournament.

8. The pace wasn't in their favor but #7 North Carolina found a way to win as they beat Virginia 54-51 in Charlottesville. Tyler Zeller scored 20 points and grabbed seven rebounds on the afternoon and John Henson added 15 and 11 with two blocked shots. Defensively the Tar Heels were able to keep Mike Scott in check, something they were unable to do in Chapel Hill. Scott shot just 3-for-13 from the field and scored six points for the Cavaliers, who shot 6-for-23 from beyond the arc.

9. Fred Hoiberg's Iowa State Cyclones did themselves a favor from an NCAA tournament seeding standpoint with their 65-61 win at Kansas State, who was coming off of consecutive road wins at Baylor and Missouri. Scott Christopherson scored 29 points and Royce White added nine points, 12 rebounds, seven assists and three steals. The win also keeps the Cyclones tied with Baylor for third place, and they'll host the Bears in the regular season finale for both next weekend.

10. The Northeast Conference tournament, which begins on Thursday night, has the potential to be a wild event of Saturday's results are a harbinger of things to come. The top four seeds (who will host games on Thursday) all lost, including regular season champ LIU-Brooklyn getting pasted 106-78 at Monmouth, while seeds five through eight all won. King Rice's Hawks may be the hottest team entering the tournament as they've won seven of their last nine games, and Quinnipiac hasn't been bad either as they've won eight of their last eleven. LIU's the favorite with Wagner right behind them but don't be surprised if there's an upset along the way.

11. Things got a bit wild in Huntington but that didn't deter Memphis, who whipped Marshall 87-67 to remain in first place in Conference USA. Will Barton scored 24 points, Joe Jackson 21 and Chris Crawford added 16 and eight assists to lead the Tigers, who have enough talent to give an opponent headaches in the Big Dance. Josh Pastner's team has been maddeningly inconsistent at times this season, but don't sleep on them.

Seton Hall Whips Georgetown: Tuesday's Quick Hitters

Raphielle Johnson — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 00:13:43 -0500

In the recap of Tuesday's big game, Pierce Hornung led Colorado State to a key win over New Mexico. The rest of Tuesday's key happenings include:

1. Jordan Theodore leads Seton Hall to a statement victory over #8 Georgetown.
To say the least this was a huge game for Kevin Willard's Pirates, as they were looking to bounce back from a 62-57 loss to fellow bubbler Cincinnati on Saturday afternoon. Enter senior point guard Jordan Theodore, who took control of the game as seniors are expected to this time of the year. Theodore led Seton Hall to the 73-55 win over the Hoyas with 29 pointsfive assists and four rebounds, and he had a role (scoring four points and assisting on two Herb Pope buckets) in Seton Hall's first eight points of the game. Herb Pope added 12 points and Fuquan Edwin and reserve Brandon Mobley scored ten apiece, for the Pirates, who have won four of their last five after losing six straight.

Offensively the Pirates were outstanding as they shot 61% from the field and posted eighteen assists to just eight turnovers. Georgetown on the other hand finished the night with a field goal percentage of 40.4%, and John Thompson III's team uncharacteristically finished with more turnovers (11) than assists (nine). For the second time in the last three games Seton Hall has shot better than 61% (62.3% against St. John's), and according to statsheet.com's numbers Tuesday marked their most efficient offensive performance of the season. SHU's final two regular season games (Rutgers, at DePaul) are ones that will have a bigger impact if lost than one, but with Theodore leading the way it's difficult to think that they'll fail to take care of business.

2. Kansas State sweeps the season series with #3 Missouri.
Last season Frank Martin's Wildcats inexplicably lost to Colorado (now in the Pac-12, of course) three times. It was all a matter of matchups, just as Kansas State sweeping their season series with Missouri this season is. Kansas State beat the Tigers 78-68 in Columbia on Tuesday night, limiting the Tigers to 38.8% shooting from the field and Rodney McGruder led the way offensively with 24 points. With consecutive road wins at Baylor and Missouri the Wildcats have added two big wins to their resume, likely punching their ticket barrin a collapse. One key in both wins over Missouri for K-State has been the play of Jamar Samuels in his matchup with Missouri's Kim English.

Against most teams the matchup between English, a guard who plays the four for Frank Haith's team, and the opposing team's four is a mismatch in favor of the Tigers. That hasn't been the case against K-State, who can count on the athletic Samuels to limit the senior's quality looks from the perimeter. In the two games English has scored 17 points (8.5 ppg) on 6-for-12 shooting, a far cry from his season average of 14.0 points per game. Also of note is that in both games the Wildcats have set the tone, leading by 19 at the half in Manhattan and leading by ten at the break on Tuesday night.

3. #13 Michigan takes Northwestern to overtime and controls the extra session to win going away.
Never been a big fan of placing "Northwestern" and "bubble" in the same sentence due to the fact that the Wildcats have never reached the NCAA tournament. But to be fair Bill Carmody's team had reached that point going into their game against Michigan, which represented a golden opportunity for the Wildcats to pick up a big win. Michigan would refuse to go down without a fight, as Tim Hardaway Jr. tied the game at 49 on a three-pointer with 1:41 remaining and the Wolverines would outscore Northwestern 18-6 in overtime to win 67-55. Hardaway Jr. finished with 14 points while Trey Burke led the way with 19, and crucial threes from Zack Novak and Stu Douglass in overtime established a nine-point margin the Wildcats couldn't overcome.

John Shurna led the Wildcats with 14 points but he shot just 6-for-16 from the field, and sidekick Drew Crawford had a quiet night with just six points in 27 minutes of action. Michigan (37.5%) shot a lower percentage from the field than Northwestern (41.2%), which isn't a surprise given the similarities found in their offensive systems, but they took better care of the basketball (seven turnovers to NU's 14). Northwestern scored .937 points per possession while Michigan was at 1.164, and that turned out to be the difference. The key for Northwestern now is to make sure that Michigan doesn't "beat them twice" with a trip to Penn State up next.

Quick Hitters

1. Three things in the second half in Starkville pushed #1 Kentucky to a 73-64 win over Mississippi State. One was the shifting of Michael Kidd-Gilchrist to Dee Bost on the defensive end, a move made possible in part by Rodney Hood going down with an injury in the first half. After scoring 16 points in the first half Bost managed just five in the second, and as a team the Bulldogs shot just 32% from the field. Secondly there was the effort of senior guard Darius Miller, who scored all 12 of his points in the second half and knocked down some huge shots. And Terrence Jones played far better in the second half as the Wildcats clinched at least a share of the SEC title with the win.

2. The upset of the year in college basketball took place in Vestal, New York as Binghamton, who entered the game 0-26, knocked off Vermont 57-53 for their first win of the season. After a Matt Glass jumper 41 seconds into the game opened the scoring the Catamounts wouldn't lead again, and Binghamton led by as many as 12 points. Robert Mansell led the Bearcats with 18 points and Ben Dickinson added 16 and 11 boards, and the result also gave Stony Brook sole possession of first place in America East.

3. As if it wasn't time to get concerned about Xavier before their game at UMass, the Musketeers didn't show up on the defensive end in their 80-73 loss. Chaz Williams went off for 29 points, nine assists and rebounds to lead the Minutemen, who have road games at Dayton and Temple next. As for Xavier, Tu Holloway and Mark Lyons combined to shoot 8-for-29 from the field, and if not for Dezmine Wells' 19 the final score would have been a more accurate representation of what happened in the Mullins Center.

4. It wasn't a good night for ACC bubble teams as both Miami and NC State fell. NC State can point to the fact that their loss came at the hands of North Carolina, who frankly is not a good matchup for the Wolfpack. Kendall Marshall scored 22 points and handed out 13 assists...without one turnover. Few teams will beat UNC when their sophomore point guard is dealing like that. As for the Hurricanes, they lost 75-70 at Maryland, a defeat that dropped Miami to 7-6 in league play. The win at Duke certainly helps their cause, but it would be wise for Jim Larranaga's team to pick up another resume-building victory.

5. Anton Grady scored 23 points and grabbed eight rebounds to lead Cleveland State, but it wasn't enough as the Vikings lost 71-67 at Green Bay. All of a sudden Gary Waters' team sits a game behind Butler in the loss column for second place, and that seed receives the other bye straight to the semis in the Horizon League tournament. The other bye goes to Valparaiso, who clinced the regular season title by beating Loyola (IL) in overtime. It hasn't helped CSU that D'Aundray Brown's been out due to injury, and they've dropped five straight with him on the sidelines.

6. Creighton nearly took the momentum gained from their comeback win over Long Beach State and flushed it down the drain but a Josh Jones shot with 23 seconds remaining in overtime gave the Bluejays a 93-92 win over Evansville. Creighton survived a 43-point night from Evansville's Colt Ryan, and it took a Gregory Echenique putback as time expried to send the game into overtime. Creighton picked up the win but there's no doubt that they have to get better defensively (UE shot 58.9%) if they're to make some noise in March.

7. Two key personnel notes in the SEC on Tuesday involving Alabama and Florida. Alabama head coach Anthony Grant stated that the recently reinstated JaMychal Green is unlikely to play on Thursday at Arkansas, and Green's return (whenever that happens) will have an impact on the Crimson Tide's at-large hopes. As for the Gators, forward Will Yeguete is out indefinitely due to a broken foot suffered in their 63-47 win over Auburn. His absence puts even more pressure on Patric Young and Erik Murphy inside, but it helps to have guards can hit the glass like Bradley Beal and Erving Walker (seven boards on Tuesday).