Ohio

Saturday Recap: Northwestern, Florida State Pick Up Important Wins

Raphielle Johnson — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 00:06:41 -0500

There weren't many opportunities to watch ranked teams play each other (there was just one, which is discussed below), but Saturday's slate provided many teams the chance to improve their resumes. Florida State and Northwestern took full advantage of their opportunities as they both knocked off Top 10 opponents at home, albeit in different ways.

While #6 Michigan State put up a fight in losing to Northwestern 81-74 in Evanston, #3 North Carolina offered no such challenge for Florida State in Tallahassee. Deividas Dulkys, who entered the game averaging 6.2 points per game, went off to the tune of 32 points (8-10 3PT) in the 90-57 beating.

Roy Williams' team went into the locker room at the half down just eight points at 36-28, but the Tar Heels didn't look like a team that wanted to fight back in the second half. Entering the game Florida State was the worst team in the ACC when it came to taking care of the basketball, but it was North Carolina that turned the ball over 22 times on Saturday with Kendall Marshall tallying seven.

FSU did turn the ball over 17 times but six of those belonged to Luke Loucks, and all six came in the first half. Leonard Hamilton's team didn't shoot better in the second half (47.1% to 50.0% in the first), but they took better care of the basketball (six turnovers). And combining that with their defense (33.3% FG allowed) meant bad things for the visitors from Chapel Hill.

"I think it was a team effort just defending their system," said Hamilton when asked of how they limited Tyler Zeller (14 points, 14 rebounds) and John Henson (ten points, three rebounds). "You just try to limit the clean looks they get and make them work for whatever they get."

As for Northwestern, they received help from the supporting cast and that was a big reason why the Wildcats were able to beat Michigan State. John Shurna (22 points) and Drew Crawford (20 points) did what they normally do, but Davide Curletti and Reggie Hearn (10 points) also reached double figures. As a team the Wildcats shot 50.0% from the field and assisted on 20 of 26 made field goals with just seven turnovers.

Bill Carmody's team also played well defensively in the second half, limiting Michigan State to 34.4% shooting overall and 7-for-21 on two-point shots. Michigan State scored 37 points in both halves, but the drop in their accuracy on two-point shots (61.5%) and efficiency helped Northwestern take control of the game and eventually push their lead out to 12 (69-57) with 6:45 remaining.

Keith Appling scored 17 points and Draymond Green 14, but they were the only two Spartans to reach double figures. Both Northwestern and Florida State were "out of character" in their victories on Saturday, with the Seminoles taking better care of the basketball and the Wildcats getting scoring from guys other than their two primary options. But the wins aren't going to mean much if they can't build on the outcomes and continue to improve.

"In order for this game to be meaningful we need to continue to stacking on these types of games," remarked Hamilton. Can't say it any better than that.

Other Notable Happenings

1. Jamaal Franklin's runner in the final seconds pushes #22 San Diego State past #12 UNLV.
The lone contest on the schedule matching ranked teams was also the Mountain West opener for both the Aztecs and Runnin' Rebels, and they gave the fans either at Viejas Arena or watching on TV a treat. Jamaal Franklin, who had to leave the game with 1:01 remaining after injuring his ankle, returned to the floor 30 seconds later and provided the winning points for San Diego State.

Franklin's driving bucket with three-tenths of a second remaining was the difference in the Aztecs' 69-67 win over UNLV, who remained within striking distance thanks in large part to their work on the offensive glass. UNLV grabbed 19 offensive rebounds, leading to ten second-chance points.

Franklin was outstanding despite some early issues with rushed shots, finishing with 24 points and ten rebounds. But he wasn't the only key contributor for Steve Fisher's team, as James Rahon scored 22 points and Chase Tapley 11. Anthony Marshall led UNLV with 26 points, but he was the Runnin' Rebels' lone double figure scorer as SDSU did a solid job of defending the likes of Chace Stanback (3-9 FG, seven points) and Mike Moser (3-11 FG, nine points, 11 rebounds).

UNLV entered the game averaging more than 18 assists per game but they finished with just nine, and the foul line didn't help matters either. UNLV made 11 of 21 from the charity stripe while SDSU knocked down 16 of 20, and leaving points at the foul line is one of the easiest ways to lose a close contest. With New Mexico getting their shot at both teams next week (SDSU in Albuquerque on Wednesday, at UNLV on Saturday) there isn't much time to rest on this outcome, but at the very least San Diego State held serve at home.

2. Oregon hangs on the beat Arizona, pulling off the road sweep of the Arizona schools for the first time in 34 years.
Dana Altman's team entered Saturday's game in Tucson needing a win to remain a game out of first place in the loss column, but to say the least history was not on their side as they hadn't beaten both Arizona and Arizona State on the road in the same season in 34 years. But thanks to a balanced offensive effort (four players scored either 12 or 13 points) the Ducks made program history in winning 59-57 despite blowing a 17-point lead. The Wildcats had two chances in the waning moments to either tie or win the game but couldn't make either shot, and quiet afternoons from Jesse Perry (2-4 FG, eight points) and Kyle Fogg (1-9 FG, five points) didn't help matters either.

Arizona's had trouble with bigger teams this season, and that was no different with the Ducks having Tony Woods and Olu Ashaolu to pester Perry inside. Does Oregon have enough to contend for the Pac-12 crown? The addition of guard Devoe Joseph is one reason why, and E.J. Singler has played well for much of the season. In a wide-open league the teams that can pull off road sweeps will likely have the best chance of winning the title. This is a big weekend for Oregon from a historical standpoint, but how big it is this season depends on whether or not they can build on the positive momentum.

3. Kentucky makes the plays they needed to make late to win at Tennessee.
Cuonzo Martin welcomed freshman Jarnell Stokes (nine points, four rebounds) into the fold on Saturday, and while he still has a way to go with regards to both conditioning and understanding the system there's no denying Stokes' talent. In spite of a fired up crowd at Thompson-Boling Arena and a team that refused to lie down, Kentucky found a way to leave Knoxville with a win thanks in large part to Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. It's become obvious that the freshman is Kentucky's leader and he once again made the "winning plays" needed to close teams out, finishing with 17 points, 12 rebounds and three steals in the 65-62 win.

Anthony Davis added 18 points, eight rebounds and four blocked shots and Terrence Jones ten points as Kentucky won their second conference road game of the season. That matches their total from all of last season, which should be a good sign for John Calipari's young team. Cameron Tatum led Tennessee with 16 points and Jeronne Maymon added 15 and ten rebounds, but the Volunteers couldn't overcome Kentucky's seven-point edge (21-14) at the foul line. Tennessee gave Kentucky everything they wanted and will get better as the season wears on, but a team with a glue guy the caliber of Kidd-Gilchrist is tough to beat.

4. Weber State makes quite the statement in whipping Montana to take sole possession of first place in the Big Sky.
The second-biggest game of the day out west took place in the Big Sky, with Montana and Weber State being the lone remaining undefeated teams in the conference. But with the return of two key cogs in the attack, Randy Rahe's Wildcats made a statement in their 80-64 win over the Grizzlies in Ogden. Damian Lillard (21 points) and Scott Bamforth (15 points) are names known by most college basketball fans, but what about Frank Otis and Gelaun Wheelwright? Otis, who like Kyle Bullinger missed multiple games due to injury, sparked a Weber State run from the eight-minute mark of the first half that resulted in a 49-36 halftime lead.

Both he and Wheelwright finished with seven points and Kyle Tresnak scored 12 as the Wildcats proved to be too much for Montana on both ends of the floor. Montana shot just 35.7% in the first half and 38.5% for the game as their six-game win streak came to an end. There's a lot of basketball to be played before Wayne Tinkle's team gets another shot at Weber State (the regular season finale for both on February 28th), but Weber State's performance on Saturday night clearly makes them the team to beat.

5. Oklahoma picks up a much-needed win, knocking off #18 Kansas State in Norman.
There aren't many teams that are going to beat Missouri and Kansas period, much less in back-to-back games, so there wasn't much shame in falling to those teams as Lon Kruger's Sooners did to start Big 12 play. But to lose at Oklahoma State on Monday night to fall to 0-3 made Saturday's game against #18 Kansas State even more important, and the Sooners rose to the challenge as they won 82-73 in Norman. Andrew Fitzgerald scored 21 points and Steven Pledger and Romero Osby scored 18 apiece for Oklahoma, who shot 70.0% from the field in the second half to maintain the nine-point spread they built in the first half.

Kansas State shot just 33.3% from the field in the first half and trailed 38-29 at the break, and a big problem for them was the lack of productivity from their starters other than Rodney McGruder (19 points, ten rebounds) and Will Spradling (11 points). The other three starters combined to score just ten points with nine coming from Jamar Samuels, and while Nino Williams and Jeremy Jones scored 12 apiece off the bench it wasn't enough as the Wildcats were unable to get stops in the second half. Whether or not the Sooners can make a run at a tournament bid remains to be seen and it will be tough since the Big 12 is now a true round-robin, but at the least they needed a win Saturday and they got one.

Quick Hitters

1. While neither team won on Saturday, both Pittsburgh and Villanova played far better than they did on Wednesday in losses to Rutgers and Syracuse respectively. The Panthers fell at #24 Marquette 62-57, but the move to put Isaiah Epps in the starting lineup at the point served as a boost for Ashton Gibbs (29 points). As for Villanova, Maalik Wayns (39 points, 13 rebounds, six assists) was outstanding but it wasn't enough in an 82-78 loss at Cincinnati. Whether or not these two can play their way into NCAA Tournament consideration remains to be seen, but at the least they've shown signs of life. That wasn't the case on Wednesday.

2. There may not have been a more impressive bounce-back from a bad outing earlier in the week than what Iowa was able to do, as they beat #13 Michigan 75-59 in Iowa City following a 95-61 loss at Michigan State on Wednesday. Matt Gatens led four Hawkeyes in double figures with 19 points and Fran McCaffery's team assisted on 18 of their 25 made baskets. It also didn't hurt to have Michigan shoot 8-for-31 from beyond the arc.

3. Good luck attempting to handicap the Atlantic 10 race, but unlike the Pac-12 that action would be to sift through quality options as opposed to detritus. Xavier looks to be back to their normal selves as they beat St. Bonaventure 77-64 at home, and Saint Louis was finally able to win a close game as they won 68-67 at Charlotte. But Temple and Saint Joseph's weren't as fortunate, falling to Richmond (76-65) and a surprising UMass (71-62) respectively. This is going to be a fun race to watch unfold.

4. Another non-BCS race to keep an eye on is the NEC, which currently has one undefeated team (LIU Brooklyn at 6-0), three teams at 5-1 (CCSU, St. Francis (NY) and Wagner) and Robert Morris sits a game behind those teams at 4-2. Dan Hurley's Seahawks beat CCSU 67-58 at home despite 21 turnovers, moving their win streak to seven games (Wagner hadn't done that since the 1979-80 season) thanks in large part to their defense (19 TOs forced, 38.8% FG allowed). Jonathon Williams led Wagner with 18 points while CCSU was paced by Robby Ptacek, who finished with 26.

5. The three remaining undefeated teams (Baylor, Murray State and Syracuse) all won on Saturday afternoon, with the Bears and Orange both blowing out overmatched opponents (Baylor beat Oklahoma State 106-65 while Syracuse beat Providence (without the suspended Vincent Council) 78-55). Murray State dealt with a stiffer challenge, beating Tennessee Tech 82-74 thanks in large part to a combined 52 points from guards Donte Poole (28) and Isaiah Canaan (24). With Ivan Aska out for the next month or so while his broken hand heals, the Racers are going to need more from their frontcourt to remain atop the OVC.

6. Zeke Marshall (17 points, six rebounds) became the 8th player in MAC history to block at least 200 shots in a career, but the biggest reason for Akron's 68-63 win over Ohio was the production of their bench. Nick Harney and Brett McClanahan scored 10 points apiece and the Zips' reserves outscored Ohio's 31-18. Keith Dambrot's team moved to 3-0 in league play and there's little doubt that Akron has the tools needed to return to the NCAA Tournament.

7. Arnett Moultrie won the individual matchup between he and JaMychal Green, scoring 25 points and grabbing 13 rebounds, and as a result #20 Mississippi State beat Alabama 53-50 in Starkville. Dee Bost added 17, and it should be seen as a good sign for Rick Stansbury's team that they found a way to win with starters Rodney Hood and Jalen Steele combining to shoot 0-for-11 from the field.

8. Despite Shabazz Napier's foot still bothering him and guard Ryan Boatright being held out due to eligibility concerns, #16 Connecticut ended Notre Dame's 29-game home win streak with a 67-53 win. Napier scored a team-high 16 points, Alex Oriakhi had arguably his best game of the season (12 points, seven rebounds) and Andre Drummond posted another double-double (10 points, 13 rebounds) to make up for Jeremy Lamb scoring just six points. Eric Atkins scored 20 but Notre Dame made just 32.3% of their shots on the day.

9. Early pick for Ivy League Player of the Year? Has to be Penn guard Zack Rosen, who scored 18 points and dished out five assists (five steals as well) in the Quakers' 64-52 win at Cornell. Penn's off to a 2-0 start in conference play, and while there's quite the gulf between Harvard and the rest of the league Rosen and Tyler Bernardini (18 points, eight rebounds) are two reasons why Jerome Allen's team may be their biggest threat.

10. Bob McKillop's Davidson squad took control of the South Division of the SoCon with their 83-79 win at Appalachian State, moving to 6-0 in league play. Jake Cohen scored 21 points and grabbed seven rebounds and De'Mon Brooks scored seven straight during a 10-0 run to move the Wildcats to 12-4 overall. And with Georgia Southern losing at Wofford, Davidson is two games up on the second place Eagles.

Five Notable Performances

1. G Maalik Wayns (Villanova)
39 points, 13 rebounds and six assists in the Wildcats' 82-78 loss at Cincinnati.

2. G Deividas Dulkys (Florida State)
32 points (8-10 3PT) and four assists in the Seminoles' 90-57 pasting of #3 North Carolina.

3. C Kyle O'Quinn (Norfolk State) and F Dewayne Jackson (Morgan State)
In Norfolk State's 90-89 double overtime win O'Quinn posted a line of 25 points, 12 rebounds and seven blocks while Jackson led the Bears with 33 points, four rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks.

4. G J'Covan Brown (Texas)
34 points (10-16 FG), four rebounds and two assists in the Longhorns' 84-73 loss at #9 Missouri.

5. F T.J. Robinson (Long Beach State)
14 points and 19 rebounds in the 49ers' 76-66 win over Pacific, Long Beach State's 17th straight win at home.

#22 San Diego State vs. #12 UNLV: Saturday's Preview

Raphielle Johnson — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 23:25:01 -0500

The Mountain West, similar to the Ivy League and Great West, had to start conference play later than other conferences due to the fact that they've got just eight members. Saturday marks the beginning of conference play and there are two key games to keep an eye on, most notably #22 San Diego State (14-2) hosting #12 UNLV (16-2) in the day's lone matchup of ranked teams.

Both teams have some quality wins on their schedules but the extra week to schedule non-conference games hurt the strength of schedule numbers for both teams, so getting into league play should give the Runnin' Rebels and Aztecs the boost they need to ensure good seeds in the NCAA Tournament provided they take care of business.

Steve Fisher's team was thought to be a clear third option to win the Mountain West behind UNLV and New Mexico due to the four starters lost from last year's Sweet 16 team. But thanks in large part to their backcourt the Aztecs have exceeded expectations thus far. Chase Tapley (17.3 ppg, 4.2 rpg), San Diego State's lone returning starter, has adjusted well to being the primary scoring option as he's shooting 52.6% from the field and 50.0% from three.

In addition to Tapley there's Jamaal Franklin (15.1 ppg, 6.3 rpg), Xavier Thames (11.4 ppg, 5.5 apg, 3.7 rpg) and James Rahon (10.1 ppg, 2.8 rpg) to contend with, and these guards for the most part are good at creating their own offense (SDSU assists on just 49.4% of their made baskets).

UNLV's got some very good perimeter players as well, with Anthony Marshall (10.6 ppg, 4.9 apg, 4.3 rpg) and Oscar Bellfield (9.6 ppg, 5.3 apg) being the players most likely to initiate the offense for Dave Rice. In addition to their offensive skills both are good defenders and Marshall is also a prolific athlete who can finish above the rim.

And sixth man Justin Hawkins (9.8 ppg, 2.7 rpg) doesn't receive the pub that the majority of the other Rebels do but he's a good basketball player who would start for many teams. And on the wing the Rebels have senior Chace Stanback (14.8 ppg, 4.8 rpg), who has raised his scoring average and shooting percentages in his final campaign.

Both teams boast a great deal of talent on the perimeter, but the outcome may depend on what the interior players provide. UNLV's got the advantage with regards to size but San Diego State's big men have done a good job of simply doing what's needed instead of trying to do what Kawhi Leonard, Billy White and Malcolm Thomas did last year.

Tim Shelton (4.1 rpg) has been around for quite some time and his savvy makes him a valuable defender despite knees that have been an issue throughout his collegiate career. LSU transfer Garrett Green (7.3 ppg, 6.4 rpg) leads the team in rebounding while Deshawn Stephens (6.3 rpg, 5.9 rpg) isn't far behind.

UNLV also works as a committee inside, with Brice Massamba (5.5 ppg, 3.0 rpg) being the starter while Quintrell Thomas (5.5 ppg, 3.9 rpg) and Carlos Lopez (7.8 ppg, 3.6 rpg) come off the bench. Those three are called on for rebounding and defense, while at the "4" the Rebels have one of the nation's most productive transfers in Mike Moser.

Moser (14.2 ppg, 11.1 rpg) was outstanding early in the season as teams failed to come up with an answer for the versatile UCLA transfer, and he's remained a solid bet for a double-double as the year's worn on. With both teams having rebounding margins around a plus-3, Moser may be the difference on the glass in spite of SDSU's ability to hit the offensive boards.

With rebounding about even, the way in which UNLV scores their points will be something to watch on Saturday afternoon. UNLV averages 18.8 assists per game, assisting on 65% of their made baskets. The Rebels have players who can create on their own, but the offense runs better when they're able to create for each other. If SDSU can limit the drive and kick situations that result in UNLV scoring 31% of their points from beyond the arc, "The Show" and the other fans at Viejas Arena have a good chance of going home happy.

Also in the Mountain West on Saturday is New Mexico's trip to Laramie to take on a Wyoming squad that's surprised folks in Larry Shyatt's first season (second stint) at the helm. Drew Gordon and Kendall Williams have played much better over the last month than they did at the beginning of the year, and sophomore Tony Snell hasn't received as much credit as he should for his play throughout the year. Senior Adam Waddell has been a good frontcourt option for the Cowboys, who have improved a great deal on the defensive end since last season.

Florida State has a great opportunity to boost their profile on the heels of a win over Virginia Tech as they host #3 North Carolina. The Seminoles aren't a terrible shooting team as many would lead you to believe. The problem for Leonard Hamilton's team is that they don't take care of the basketball, boasting a turnover rate of around 26%. Giving up too many opportunities to Kendall Marshall and company could result in a blowout if FSU isn't smart with the ball.

Northwestern finds themselves in a similar position as they host red-hot #7 Michigan State and Iowa State visits #10 Kansas with forwards Royce White (ISU) and Thomas Robinson (Kansas) being the marquee attractions. In the Big East, Pittsburgh needs a win at #24 Marquette to avoid their first 0-5 start in conference play since the 1999-2000 season. Tray Woodall's still out due to injury, meaning that players such as John Johnson and Lamar Patterson need to step up and help out Ashton Gibbs.

#16 Connecticut will be without the services of freshman guard Ryan Boatright, who is being held out due to the NCAA looking into possible extra benefits received in high school, as they look to beat Notre Dame in South Bend. The Fighting Irish, led by sophomore point guard Eric Atkins, has won the last three games in the series and have the ability to make it four if the Huskies aren't ready to go from the start.

And even with the great number of games on television a contest that will only be available online will rank among the best games out west. Montana visits Weber State in the first meeting of the two favorites to win the Big Sky this season, and the Grizzlies have the talent to make things tough on the Wildcats despite the presence of Damian Lillard. Kareem Jamar is one of Montana's key players on the perimeter while Derek Selvig is an important piece inside. And there's also a meeting of contenders in the MAC as Ohio visits Akron, with two POY candidates (Ohio guard D.J. Cooper and Akron center Zeke Marshall) on display.

Top 25 Games
6:00 PM Providence at (1) Syracuse (ESPN3)
12:00 PM (2) Kentucky at Tennessee (ESPN)
2:00 PM (3) North Carolina at Florida State (ESPN)
3:00 PM Oklahoma State at (4) Baylor (ESPN2)
3:00 PM (7) Michigan State at Northwestern (BTN)
1:00 PM Texas at (9) Missouri (ESPN2)
4:00 PM Iowa State at (10) Kansas (ESPN3)
4:00 PM (12) UNLV at (22) San Diego State (NBC SN)
1:00 PM (13) Michigan at Iowa (BTN)
6:00 PM Tennessee Tech at (14) Murray State (ESPNU)
4:00 PM DePaul at (15) Louisville (ESPN3)
11:00 AM (16) Connecticut at Notre Dame (ESPN2)
1:30 PM (18) Kansas State at Oklahoma (ESPN3)
7:00 PM (19) Florida at South Carolina (ESPN3)
4:00 PM Alabama at (20) Mississippi State (ESPN3)
8:00 PM (23) Gonzaga at Loyola Marymount (ROOT NW)
2:00 PM Pittsburgh at (24) Marquette (ESPNU)
2:00 PM George Washington at (25) Harvard

NCAA Division I Games
12:00 PM Stony Brook at Boston University (ESPN3)
12:00 PM Hofstra at Old Dominion (MSG)
12:00 PM Villanova at Cincinnati (ESPN3)
12:00 PM St. Bonaventure at Xavier (ESPNU)
1:00 PM William & Mary at Northeastern
1:00 PM Bryant University at Mount St. Mary's
1:00 PM Tulsa at East Carolina
1:00 PM NC State at Wake Forest (ESPN3)
1:00 PM Bucknell at Lafayette
1:00 PM Gardner-Webb at Campbell
1:30 PM Ole Miss at Auburn (ESPN3)
1:45 PM Texas Tech at Texas A&M (ESPN3)
2:00 PM Brown at Yale
2:00 PM Holy Cross at American
2:00 PM Longwood at Dartmouth
2:00 PM Duquesne at Rhode Island
2:00 PM Rutgers at West Virginia (ESPN3)
2:00 PM Davidson at Appalachian State
2:00 PM Eastern Michigan at Ball State
2:00 PM Lehigh at Colgate
2:00 PM Towson at Georgia State
2:00 PM Saint Louis at Charlotte (CBS SN)
2:00 PM Sam Houston State at Nicholls State
2:00 PM Central Arkansas at Northwestern State
2:00 PM UAB at Southern Miss (FSN)
2:00 PM Toledo at Western Michigan
2:00 PM Furman at Western Carolina
2:00 PM Wright State at Green Bay (ESPN3)
2:00 PM SUNY-Cobleskill at NJIT
2:30 PM Army at Navy (CBS SN)
3:00 PM Virginia Tech at Boston College (ESPN3)
3:00 PM Vermont at New Hampshire
3:00 PM Texas-Arlington at Lamar
3:00 PM Howard at North Carolina A&T
3:00 PM Chattanooga at Samford
3:30 PM Oregon at Arizona (CBS)
3:30 PM East Tennessee State at Jacksonville
3:30 PM New Mexico at Wyoming (The Mtn.)
4:00 PM Colorado at Stanford (FSN)
4:00 PM VCU at Delaware (TCN)
4:00 PM Loyola (IL) at Illinois-Chicago (ESPN3)
4:00 PM Saint Joseph's at Massachusetts
4:00 PM Elon at Charleston (ESPN3)
4:00 PM Georgia at Vanderbilt (ESPN3)
4:00 PM Ohio at Akron (ESPNU)
4:00 PM Southern University at Arkansas-Pine Bluff
4:00 PM South Carolina State at Bethune-Cookman
4:00 PM Hampton at Coppin State
4:00 PM Norfolk State at Morgan State
4:00 PM Quinnipiac at Saint Francis (PA)
4:30 PM Presbyterian at Coastal Carolina
4:30 PM Monmouth at LIU Brooklyn
4:30 PM Central Michigan at Northern Illinois
4:30 PM Pepperdine at San Francisco (CSN CA)
4:30 PM Fairleigh Dickinson at St. Francis (NY)
5:00 PM McNeese State at Texas State
5:00 PM North Texas at Louisiana-Monroe
6:00 PM Air Force at Boise State (The Mtn.)
6:00 PM Buffalo at Miami (OH) (ESPN3)
6:00 PM Alcorn State at Mississippi Valley State
6:05 PM Eastern Washington at Northern Colorado (Altitude)
6:30 PM Savannah State at Florida A&M
6:30 PM Alabama A&M at Alabama State
6:30 PM Prairie View A&M at Jackson State
6:30 PM Texas Southern at Grambling State
7:00 PM Oral Roberts at IUPUI
7:00 PM Princeton at Columbia
7:00 PM Pennsylvania at Cornell
7:00 PM George Mason at James Madison (CSN)
7:00 PM Temple at Richmond (CBS SN)
7:00 PM UCF at Marshall
7:00 PM Drexel at UNC Wilmington
7:00 PM Maine at Albany
7:00 PM La Salle at Dayton
7:00 PM Middle Tennessee at Florida Atlantic
7:00 PM UNC-Asheville at High Point
7:00 PM Bowling Green at Kent State
7:00 PM Winthrop at Liberty (ESPN3)
7:00 PM Siena at Manhattan (ESPN3)
7:00 PM USC Upstate at North Florida
7:00 PM Sacred Heart at Robert Morris
7:00 PM Texas A&M-CC at Southeastern Louisiana
7:00 PM UTSA at Stephen F. Austin
7:00 PM Central Connecticut State at Wagner
7:00 PM Georgia Southern at Wofford
7:00 PM Oakland at IPFW
7:05 PM Pacific at Long Beach State (FSN PT)
7:05 PM UNC Greensboro at Citadel
7:30 PM Florida Gulf Coast at Lipscomb
7:30 PM Maryland-Eastern Shore at Delaware State
7:45 PM Eastern Kentucky at Morehead State
8:00 PM Oregon State at Arizona State (FSN AZ)
8:00 PM Santa Clara at BYU (ESPNU)
8:00 PM Detroit at Milwaukee (ESPN3)
8:00 PM Rice at Tulane (LHN)
8:00 PM Radford at VMI (MASN)
8:00 PM Southern Utah at Western Illinois
8:05 PM Arkansas-Little Rock at Arkansas State
8:15 PM Stetson at Belmont
8:30 PM Florida International at Louisiana-Lafayette
8:30 PM South Dakota at North Dakota State (ESPN3)
8:30 PM UMKC at South Dakota State
8:35 PM Montana State at Northern Arizona (NAU TV)
8:45 PM Jacksonville State at Austin Peay
9:00 PM LSU at Arkansas (ESPN3)
9:00 PM TCU at Colorado State (The Mtn.)
9:00 PM Idaho at New Mexico State (ESPN3)
9:00 PM Memphis at Houston (CBS SN)
9:00 PM Eastern Illinois at Southeast Missouri State
9:00 PM SIU-Edwardsville at Tennessee State
9:00 PM SMU at UTEP
9:00 PM South Alabama at Troy (ESPN3)
9:00 PM Montana at Weber State
9:30 PM Utah State at Louisiana Tech
10:00 PM Cal Poly at UC Riverside
10:00 PM San Jose State at Fresno State
10:00 PM Hawaii at Nevada
10:00 PM UC Irvine at UC Santa Barbara
10:00 PM Cal State Fullerton at Cal State Bakersfield
10:05 PM Idaho State at Sacramento State
10:05 PM UC Davis at Cal State Northridge
10:30 PM Utah at California (CSN CA)
11:00 PM Portland at Saint Mary's (CSN BAY)

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.

Bubble Watch: Mid-Majors Clinging to At-Large Bids

Shawn Siegel — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 13:33:00 -0500

Based on CollegeHoops.net's most recent Bracketology projection, here is how the NCAA Tournament Bubble currently stands. CHN will publish Bubble Watch on Tuesday's following the Bracketology update.

As always, the field below is a prediction of what the committee would do as things stand today, not what they should do. Teams are listed in order of likelihood of making the tournament.

Change	Seed	Team	Conf.	Record	RPI	KenPom	Sagarin	AP
	10	Vanderbilt	SEC	10-4	39	48	58	29
	11	Temple	A10	9-3	27	44	52
	11	Pittsburgh	BE	11-4	79	53	70	31
	11	Virginia Tech	ACC	11-3	38	35	33
	12	Arizona	P12	10-4	53	41	56
	12	Minnesota	B10	12-3	20	46	47
	13	Cincinnati	BE	11-3	117	47	63	34
	13	Northwestern		11-3	29	68	49
	13	Florida St	ACC	8-5	78	40	62
	13	Marshall	CUSA	9-4	68	60	54
Bubble
		Memphis	CUSA	8-5	33	31	26
		BYU	WCC	12-4	69	20	32
		Oklahoma	B12	10-3	42	69	55
		St. Joseph's	A10	10-4	41	54	51
		Dayton	A10	10-4	35	70	60
		Northern Iowa	MVC	10-4	30	65	64
		Ole Miss	SEC	10-4	49	112	86
		Washington	P12	8-5	77	51	68
		Texas A&M	B12	9-4	226	85	134	35
		NC State	ACC	8-4	73	62	59

Dropped Out of Bubble Watch: Oregon St

Projected Conference Champs that would be on the Bubble if they lost title:

Change	Seed	Team	Conf.	Record	RPI	KenPom	Sagarin	AP
	11	Southern Miss	CUSA	13-2	18	72	37
	12	Ohio	MAC	12-2	62	66	43	27
	12	Iona	MAAC	11-3	32	42	45
	13	Middle Tennessee	SB	13-2	80	57	41
Bubble
		Belmont	ASUN	10-5	64	28	34
		Cleveland St	HOR	12-3	58	101	74	38
		Long Beach St	BW	8-6	16	37	38

Projected Conference Leaders Out of Bubble Watch: Charleston

We'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments section or on twitter @collegehoopsnet :

Monday Recap: Baylor Workmanlike in Win over Texas A&M

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 01:18:25 -0500

With the Baylor Bears achievig the highest ranking in school history on Monday it would have been easy for Scott Drew's team to suffer a letdown against Texas A&M. But the fourth-ranked Bears were ready from the start, scoring the first eight points of the game on their way to a 61-52 win that wasn't as close as the margin would indicate. The Bears shot just 35.7% from the field in the first half but still went into the break with a 30-17 lead thanks to their defense, which limited the Aggies to 21.4% shooting. Perry Jones III led four starters in double figures with 14 points to go along with 12 rebounds and the Bears led by as many as 19 points early in the second half.

"We came in prepared, but we played very timidly and a little bit overwhelmed," said Texas A&M guard Elston Turner, who led the Aggies with 21 points. "The fact that we weren't making shots didn't help either. Like coach said, the foul trouble kind of got our offense out of sync."

Khris Middleton, who entered the game as Texas A&M's leading scorer, finished with 14 points but played just ten minutes in the first half due to foul trouble (scoring three points). It also didn't help that David Lobeau picked up three first-half fouls and didn't attempt a shot, and he was unable to get into the flow of things at all for that reason. Texas A&M needed guys to step up to assist Turner and that simply did not happen, with the other three starters scoring 15 points combined and the bench getting outscored 13-2 by Baylor. That didn't get it done in Waco and similar production will land the Aggies in serious trouble down the line as well, but they won't encounter many defenses like Baylor's either.

"The back line of that zone is very big and takes time to adjust to," said Texas A&M head coach Billy Kennedy. "I thought we got some pretty good looks early. We just didn't make them and got in foul trouble. We didn't get a whole lot of help from the bench either."

Baylor won comfortably despite 16 turnovers (Pierre Jackson had seven) and A&M limiting Jackson and Brady Heslip to four points combined, as A.J. Walton picked up the slack with 10 points and two assists. That's the scary thing about the Bears: while they've had some good wins the potential is there to be a much better team. And with the players Baylor has on the back line of that zone, from Jones III to Quincy Acy to Quincy Miller, Anthony Jones and even Cory Jefferson they're an extremely difficult matchup. The turnovers and rebounding need to be cleaned up, but this could be a special season in Waco.

"One game it might be the guards, one game it might be the wings and one game it is the inside players," said Drew of his team's versatility. "It all depends on what the defense gives you and that is what makes us good - our depth. We're unselfish and we work for each other."

Other Notable Happenings

1. Another rough day for the bottom of the ACC as Boston College and Wake Forest both fall.
The ACC hasn't had the best start to the season from a non-conference standpoint when you remove Duke, North Carolina, Virginia and Virginia Tech. Florida State is 0-2 against the Ivy League and other teams have also had their issues. So what Boston College and Wake Forest did on Monday didn't help matters despite the fact that neither has the look of a team headed for postseason play come March. The Eagles fell 78-72 in double overtime to a Rhode Island team that's won just three games on the season, with the combination of 16 turnovers, URI making 27 free throws to BC's 11 and a 46-35 URI rebounding edge dooming Steve Donahue's team.

As for the Demon Deacons, with C.J. Harris (groin) out they fell to Wofford 56-52 in Winston-Salem. Wake shot 34.8% from the field in the first half as they trailed 32-22 at the break, and they couldn't do enough in the second half to make it up. Results like these won't do the ACC any favors in the computers, and that could be the difference for a league bubble team. So for the sake of the middle of the pack, the teams at the bottom needed to do more to carry their weight outside of the league. Safe to say that hasn't been the case.

2. Robert Morris finds a way to win at Ohio despite turning the ball over 31 times.
Very rarely will a team that turns the ball over 31 times and shoots 21 fewer shots than their opponent ends up winning, but that's exactly what happened for Andy Toole's Colonials as they beat Ohio 70-67. Why was Robert Morris able to end the Bobcats' nine-game win streak? Because of their defense, which didn't allow Ohio to take advantage of those extra opportunities. Ohio shot just 35.3% from the field and Walter Offutt and D.J. Cooper combined to make six of their thirty-two shots from the field, and as a team the Bobcats also shot 3-for-26 from beyond the arc.

Velton Jones led three RMU starters in double figures with 17 points, and it's difficult to see the Colonials turning the ball over 31 times in a game again. With Wagner's excellent holiday run and this win the Northeast Conference has received a welcome boost, which should make the race for the regular season title all the more entertaining. Robert Morris will definitely be a player, and an NCAA Tournament bid is definitely possible for a team that was one win away last season.

3. Orlando Johnson makes up for a quiet night with a big shot to lead UCSB past Cal Poly.
Monday marked the first game in over a week for UCSB and it wasn't an easy contest either, as the Gauchos were on the road to take on a Cal Poly team that's surprised folks this season. Orlando Johnson, UCSB's leading scorer, made just three of his first thirteen shots from the field in what was one of his worst outings of the season. But he saved his best for last, getting a shooter's roll on a three-pointer with 5.1 seconds remaining being the difference in UCSB's 58-57 win. Alan Williams was the unsung hero for UCSB with 13 points and ten rebounds off the bench as the Gauchos picked up a key Big West victory, while Will Taylor led the Mustangs with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Even with the time off not playing a home game in 35 days took its toll on UCSB, who is expected to be right there with Long Beach State in the run for the regular season title. And with Johnson and James Nunnally leading the way, Bob Williams team should be able to do just that.

Quick Hitters

1. Staying in the Big West for a moment, keep an eye on Cal-State Fullerton. Bob Burton's Titans moved to 10-3 overall and 2-0 in league play with a 78-73 win over Pacific, and their surplus of Division I transfers could make them the dark horse in that title race. Cal transfer D.J. Seeley scored 20 points and San Francisco transfer Kwame Vaughn scored a team-best 21, while another former Golden Bear (Amondi Omoke) scored 11 and grabbed 11 rebounds.

2. It wasn't pretty as the two teams combined to turn the ball over 31 times but Virginia did what they had to do in beating LSU 57-52 in Baton Rouge. Sammy Zeglinski led three starters in double figures with 17 points as the Cavailers had the offensive balance that LSU failed to create (outside of Justin Hamilton (21 points, 9-14 FG) the Tigers shot 12-for-34 from the field.

3. Can Rider (4-11) find a way to snap out of their funk and be a factor in the MAAC race? That remains to be seen, but the Broncs took the first step in their 88-77 win at Manhattan. Novar Gadson led five players in double figures with 21 points and Brandon Penn posted a double-double (12 points, 11 rebounds) as Rider avenged their loss to Manhattan last month. The talent's there to make a run but the productivity needs to be there as well.

4. Staying in the MAAC, Niagara picked up a big victory as they won 66-61 at Loyola (MD). Juan'Ya Green and Antoine Mason combined to score 35 points while Ameen Tanksley added 15 (averaging 8.2 per game) as the Purple Eagles handed the Greyhounds their first conference loss.

5. Campbell moved to 3-0 in Big South play as they beat Coastal Carolina 70-65 in overtime. CCU turned the ball over 20 times as they fell to 3-1 in league play and Trey Freeman led the Camels to the win with 20 points and five assists. Look for these two teams to be right there with UNC Asheville in the run for the Big South crown.

6. Big news from early Monday in Stillwater as Oklahoma State announced that guard J.P. Olukemi would miss the remainder of the season with a torn ACL. With the Cowboys losing two guards at the end of the semester (transferring) this was one loss they didn't need. Even more will be asked of Keiton Page and Cezar Guerrero now, and going into Big 12 play shorthanded could be too much for Travis Ford's team.

7. It's early but VCU is looking to be the class of the CAA right now. The Rams have won 10 of their last 11 games, beating Hofstra 80-63 in Hempstead. Also preseason favorite Drexel fell at Georgia State 58-44, and even with players such as Chris Fouch at his disposal scoring could once again be a concern for Bruiser Flint.

Three Notable Performances

1. F Kenny Gabriel (Auburn)
24 points (11-13 FG), 13 rebounds, ten blocked shots, four steals and three assists in the Tigers' 67-41 win over Bethune-Cookman.

2. F Kenny Kadji (Miami) and G Trevis Simpson (UNC Greensboro)
Both players put up career-best performances in the Hurricanes' 99-89 victory. Kadji finished with 30 points and 12 rebounds while Simpson paced the Spartans with 36 points and some emphatic above-the-rim finishes.

3. F Stan Okoye (VMI)
25 points, seven rebounds, seven assists, four steals and three blocks in the Keydets' 76-72 win over Gardner-Webb.

Monday Preview: Texas A&M at #6 Baylor

Raphielle Johnson — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 00:42:59 -0500

While bowl games will garner most of the attention on Monday college basketball won't be taking the day off with leagues transitioning into conference play. One such matchup is the first game of Big 12 play as Texas A&M (9-3) visits Waco to take on #6 Baylor (13-0), and Billy Kennedy's Aggies can definitely use a win for resume reasons.

According to realtimerpi.com Texas A&M has an RPI of 242 and a strength of schedule of 341, and while those numbers will jump considerably in Big 12 play their non-conference resume lacks quality wins. That puts even more pressure on the Aggies to finish high in the Big 12, and they'll need to steal a few on the road in order to do so. But this isn't a very good matchup for Texas A&M, even with Baylor's question marks on the perimeter.

Scott Drew's Bears have been more effective on the perimeter than many expected when the season began, and that will need to continue if Baylor is to make noise in March. Junior Pierre Jackson (12.2 ppg, 4.4 apg) has improved by the game coming off the bench but the turnovers are still an issue, with Jackson averaging 3.4 per game.

The same goes for starter A.J. Walton, who is second on the team with 3.9 assists per game. While Walton has the better assist-to-turnover ratio (1.8) of the two he's also got the highest turnover percentage (32.9%). Cal transfer Gary Franklin will also see time and in Boston College transfer Brady Heslip (10.8 ppg, 49.4% 3PT) have one of the best shooters in the Big 12.

Texas A&M also has concerns in the backcourt, and the decision of Jamal Branch to transfer didn't help matters despite his playing just 18.6 minutes per game. Washington transfer Elston Turner (12.8 ppg, 3.6 rpg) has been the Aggies' most effect guard from a scoring standpoint, but A&M will need other guards to step up.

Senior point guard Dash Harris (5.0 ppg, 4.4 apg) has more value as a distributor but he's attempted the second-most three-pointers despite making just 34.8% of those shots. Many thought that Branch could at one point take over the starting point guard job but that's out of the window now, meaning that Harris and others need to step up their play.

Baylor's frontcourt ranks among the best in the country when considering both talent and depth, and while Texas A&M has done a good job of rebounding (margin of plus-8.2) the Bears are an entirely different challenge. Perry Jones III (13.4 ppg, 6.8 rpg) is considered to be Baylor's best NBA prospect, and when he can play with a level of aggression equal to his skill set consistently look out.

Freshman Quincy Miller (10.9 ppg, 5.1 rpg) may be Baylor's most versatile frontcourt player as he's also third on the team in assists (2.1 per game), and seniors Quincy Acy (12.4 ppg, 7.5 rpg) and Anthony Jones (6.8 ppg, 4.2 rpg) are also tough customers. Baylor's wingspan is what makes their matchup zone so tough to deal with, and with A&M shooting 31.9% from three on the season look for the Aggies to face that zone for much of the night.

Beating Baylor's zone will depend largely on how effective the Aggies are at finding the gaps, and in wing Khris Middleton (13.6 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 3.4 apg) Texas A&M has one of the best players in the Big 12. Middleton missed time earlier in the season with a knee injury but he's reached double figures in each of the four games played since his return. He's Texas A&M's most versatile player, and he'll likely have to be the best player on the floor if the Aggies are to win.

David Lobeau (11.6 ppg, 4.9 rpg) and Ray Turner (12.0 ppg, 6.4 rpg) are also important factors for A&M on both ends of the floor, especially when considering the lack of scoring from the guards outside of Turner. There isn't a big difference between the teams from a tempo standpoint, which makes the disparity in offensive efficiency (Baylor 112.2, A&M 99.6) all the more glaring. A&M will need some unheralded guys to put forth excellent performances in order to leave Waco 1-0 in league play, and that may not be a realistic expectation right now.

Also of note on Monday is Virginia's trip to Baton Rouge, and with Trent Johnson's team having won seven straight games (including a win over Marquette) this is a treacherous trip for the Cavaliers. Mike Scott and Joe Harris will have to lead the way while Jontel Evans and Sammy Zeglinski play with poise on the perimeter for the Cavaliers to leave town with a win.

And Vanderbilt hosts Miami (Ohio), who has one of the best frontcourt players in the MAC in Julian Mavunga. Taking on Charlie Coles' team is a tough task so don't be surprised if the Commodores have some issues early in that one. Another non-conference battle involving the MAC is Ohio hosting Robert Morris, with point guard D.J. Cooper being the catalyst for a team that's won nine straight.

In conference games there's VCU's trip north to take on Hofstra in a CAA battle of teams that have been playing good ball of late. Shaka Smart's young team seems to be figuring things out as they've won seven straight, and Mo Cassara's Pride have won three in a row.

Bradford Burgess (VCU) and Mike Moore (Hofstra) are two of the better players in the CAA, but with the Rams forcing turnovers on 28.2% of their opponents' possessions Hofstra has to be sound with the basketball in order to win. ODU visiting James Madison is another game in the CAA to keep an eye on, and the same goes for the Big West battle between UCSB and surprising Cal Poly.

Top 25 Games
7:00 PM Texas A&M at (7) Baylor (ESPNU)
7:00 PM (24) Virginia at LSU (ESPN3)

NCAA Division I Games
12:00 PM William & Mary at George Mason
1:00 PM Rhode Island at Boston College (ESPN3)
1:00 PM American at Brown
2:00 PM Delaware at UNC Wilmington
3:00 PM Old Dominion at James Madison (ESPN3)
7:00 PM Northeastern at Towson
7:00 PM Wofford at Wake Forest (ESPN3)
7:00 PM UMBC at New Hampshire
7:00 PM Fairleigh Dickinson at Columbia
7:00 PM Robert Morris at Ohio
7:00 PM Stetson at Kennesaw State
7:00 PM Hartford at Albany
7:00 PM Maine at Binghamton
7:00 PM Drexel at Georgia State
7:00 PM Charleston Southern at High Point
7:00 PM VCU at Hofstra (FiOS 1)
7:00 PM Shawnee State at Kent State
7:00 PM Presbyterian at Liberty
7:00 PM Rider at Manhattan
7:00 PM Saint Peter's at Marist
7:00 PM UNC Asheville at Radford
7:00 PM Vermont at Stony Brook
7:00 PM Chattanooga at Tennessee (ESPN3)
7:00 PM Gardner-Webb at Virginia Military
7:00 PM Lafayette at NJIT
7:05 PM Virginia-Wise at Citadel
7:15 PM Lipscomb at Jacksonville
7:30 PM Brewton Parker at Georgia Southern
7:30 PM Niagara at Loyola (MD)
7:30 PM FGCU at Mercer
7:45 PM Coastal Carolina at Campbell
7:45 PM Belmont at North Florida
8:00 PM Bethune-Cookman at Auburn
8:00 PM Miami (OH) at Vanderbilt
8:00 PM Roosevelt at Northern Illinois
8:00 PM Jarvis Christian at Sam Houston State
8:30 PM Jacksonville State at Southeast Missouri State
9:00 PM UNC Greensboro at Miami (FL) (ESPN3)
9:05 PM Idaho State at Northern Colorado
10:00 PM UC Santa Barbara at Cal Poly
10:00 PM Cal State Northridge at UC Riverside
10:00 PM Boise State at Fresno State
10:00 PM Long Beach State at UC Irvine
10:00 PM New Mexico State at Cal State Bakersfield
10:05 PM Pacific at Cal State Fullerton

College Basketball Top 50: Ohio, Seton Hall, Iona Enter

Shawn Siegel — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 23:34:02 -0500

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

December 25th Top 50 Ranking

by Shawn Siegel: Collegehoops.net Editor

*Doesn't include late Kansas St-Long Beach St game

	Team	Record	Last	Pre.
1	Syracuse	13-0	1	4
2	Ohio State	12-1	2	3
3	North Carolina	11-2	3	1
4	Kentucky	11-1	4	2
5	Baylor	12-0	7	25
6	Duke	10-1	5	5
7	Louisville	12-0	6	6
8	UCONN	9-1	8	8
9	Missouri	12-0	10	30
10	Florida	10-2	13	7
11	Wisconsin	10-2	15	16
12	Indiana	12-0	16	NA
13	Marquette	11-1*	9	23
14	Mississippi St	12-1	17	35
15	Michigan	10-2	18	19
16	Michigan State	11-2	19	28
17	Georgetown	10-1	21	NA
18	Creighton	10-1	20	39
19	UNLV	13-2	23	34
20	St Louis	11-1	24	NA
21	Harvard	10-1	25	NA
22	Kansas	8-3*	11	13
23	Xavier	9-3**	12	12
24	San Diego St	11-2	28	NA
25	Murray St	13-0	30	NA
26	Gonzaga	9-2	29	21
27	Wichita St	9-2	35	45
28	Kansas St	9-1	41	49
29	Illinois	11-2*	26	46
30	Virginia	10-1	42	NA
31	Pittsburgh	11-2*	14	9
32	Cleveland St	11-2*	22	NA
33	Alabama	9-3	34	24
34	West Virginia	9-3*	38	41
35	Purdue	10-3	36	32
36	Ohio	11-1	NA	NA
37	New Mexico	10-2	39	27
38	Texas	9-3*	32	33
39	California	10-3*	33	29
40	Marshall	9-2	46	42
41	Florida State	8-4*	37	18
42	Arizona	9-4	45	20
43	Minnesota	12-1	49	NA
44	Seton Hall	11-1	52	NA
45	Temple	7-3	47	22
46	Iona	10-2	54	NA
47	Northwestern	10-2*	44	NA
48	Charleston	10-2*	48	NA
49	Texas A&M	8-3*	27	14
50	Stanford	10-2*	31	NA

* = losses this week

last = last week's ranking

pre. = preseason ranking

Next Five: St. Mary's (11-2*), BYU (10-3), Virginia Tech (10-3), Southern Miss (10-2), Denver (10-2)

Top 50 Drop Outs

		Week	Pre
Memphis	6-5*	7	11
Kent St	8-3**	7	48
Northern Iowa	10-2*	7	NA
Vanderbilt	8-4	6	10
Belmont	8-5*	6	44
Washington	6-5	5	26
Miami	7-4	5	36
Villanova	7-5	5	37
Notre Dame	8-5	4	38
Weber St	6-3	4	NA
Virginia Tech	8-3	4	NA
Cincinnati	9-3	3	17
Butler	6-7*	3	31
Saint Mary's	11-2*	3	47
UCLA	7-5	2	15
George Mason	8-4*	2	40
Drexel	6-4	2	43
VCU	9-3	2	50

week = week dropped out of Top 50

During the season, don't forget to check out the CHN Top 50 Power Ranking every Sunday night! Check out past week's rankings and this week's AP Top 25.

Friday Recap: Wagner Knocks off #15 Pittsburgh

Raphielle Johnson — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 04:52:10 -0500

Plenty of teams have pre-Christmas letdowns, when they allow their minds to wander a bit against teams they're expected to beat. But in a lot of those cases the favored team is able to bounce back and do enough to eventually win the game. But that wasn't the case for #15 Pittsburgh, who turned the ball over 18 times against a team in Wagner that was talented enough to make them pay for those errors. Dan Hurley's Seahawks scored 14 points off of those turnovers and limited Pitt to 2-for-15 shooting in winning 59-54, the program's first win over a ranked opponent since 1978 (Alabama).

Latif Rivers led Wagner with 18 points but the player with just as big of an impact was guard Kenny Ortiz, who scored 12 points and dished out seven assists while also being the main man responsible for defending Ashton Gibbs. Gibbs, the preseason Big East Player of the Year, shot1-for-7 from beyond the arc and 5-for-16 overall in scoring 14 points while turning the ball over four times (one assist). Pittsburgh's turnover count was their highest since losing point guard Tray Woodall to groin and abdominal injuries following a win over Duquesne at the end of November, and when combining that with a clear lack of energy and focus it wasn't hard to see why Pitt lost (in addition to what Wagner did to make it happen).

"They pressured us and we didn't have a turnover in the backcourt, but in the second half we had a lot of turnovers that hard to understand," said Pitt head coach Jamie Dixon after the game. "We didn't play well and we got what we deserved."

While the offense will be the primary focus of the critiques on the Panthers' play against Wagner, the long-term concern has to be their perimeter defense as Woodall will improve their execution on the other end of the floor. With Ortiz, Rivers and Tyler Murray (12 points), Wagner was able to spread out the Pitt defense and take advantage of the gaps that resulted, leading by as many as 12 in the second half before the Panthers would look to rally for the win. But for every charge that Pittsburgh made the Seahawks, expected to be one of the contenders in the NEC, had an answer. As a result they've given themselves and the Staten Island school an early Christmas present no one expected beforehand.

"This is big for us as individuals and as a team," said Rivers. "When you play a top ranked team and can come into their home court and come out with the win, that's big."

Other Notable Happenings

1. Pierre Jackson makes the big plays late to lead Baylor past West Virginia.
We all know what the big question regarding the Baylor Bears is, and it will likely hover over Scott Drew's squad throughout the season. But the question about whether or not they had the guard play required to be a national title contender received quite the answer from junior Pierre Jackson. Jackson scored a team-high 23 points, including the game-tying three late in regulation, to go along with five rebounds, four assists and three steals to lead Baylor to an 83-81 overtime win over West Virginia in the title game of the Las Vegas Classic. Also big for the Bears was Boston College transfer Brady Heslip, who knocked down five of seven from beyond the arc and scored 19 points.

With Gary Franklin adding eight points in 22 minutes and A.J. Walton finishing with four assists the backcourt played pretty well in the victory. West Virginia had a chance to tie the game at the end of overtime but Jabarie Hinds' shot fell short as time expired. Kevin Jones was outstanding for the Mountaineers as he scored 28 points and grabbed 17 rebounds against one of the best frontcourts in America. Hinds added 18 points and seven assists while Truck Bryant scored 16, and the Mountaineers out-rebounded Baylor 39-36 with 15 offensive rebounds. But with guard play being key late, it was Baylor whose guards stepped up. That's a good sign for the Bears moving forward.

2. Josten Thomas' bucket results in the first three-game skid of the Chris Mack era at Xavier.
Chris Mack's team, which had its starting backcourt of Tu Holloway and Mark Lyons on the floor together for the first time since their win over Cincinnati, led by as many as 12 points early in the second half and looked to be a good bet to beat host Hawaii at the Diamond Head Classic. But the offense bogged down in the second half as the Musketeers shot just 40.6% from the field in the final 20 minutes of regulation. Gib Arnold's Warriors took advantage of this to force overtime, and Josten Thomas' basket with eight tenths of a second remaining proved to be the difference in Hawaii's 84-82 win.

The loss makes three straight for Xavier, the first such streak in Mack's tenure at his alma mater. They'll get Dezmine Wells back after the final game of this event but even with the suspensions no one envisioned Xavier dropping their first two games of the event. What's become apparent in the aftermath of the brawl with rival Cincinnati is that the Musketeers lost all momentum gained from such an emphatic victory that moved them to 8-0 at the time. This is a talented team for sure, but they've got some work to do when it comes to regaining their confidence, and there's no better way to start that process than to end their trip to Hawaii with a good showing against Southern Illinois on Sunday.

3. UNLV controls the game from start to finish in whipping California.
Everyone knew how big of a game this was for both California and the Pac-12, with both entities being short on marquee victories. But the best thing that may have come out of their 85-68 loss to #21 UNLV is the fact that this could be their final game of the regular season against a ranked opponent. Cal has played two games against ranked teams and lost by a combined 56 points, and they haven't really been in either game (Missouri in Kansas City being the other). Anthony Marshall was too much for the Golden Bears as he led four Runnin' Rebels in double figures with 22 points and nine rebounds, and UNLV assisted on 22 of their 34 baskets while also out-rebounding a Cal team without the injured Richard Solomon 46-37.

But to be fair even if Solomon were out on the court it likely would not have mattered, as UNLV would take a 46-26 lead into the half. Cal shot just 32% in the first half while UNLV made 54% of their shots and assisted on 14 of their 19 field goals. To their credit Cal fought back to within 13 in the second half, but it was essentially "name your score" time at Thomas & Mack. UNLV had the look of a contender in the Mountain West alongside the likes of New Mexico and San Diego State, handing Cal and the Pac-12 another blemish neither the team nor the conference could afford at this point.

Quick Hitters

1. Angel Rodriguez scored 11 of his 16 points in the second half to help lead Kansas State past UTEP 78-70 in the semis of the Diamond Head Classic. Will Spradling added 11 and Jamar Samuels posted a double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds.

2. Larry Anderson scored 16 points to lead three players in double figures as Long Beach State beat Auburn 64-43 to advance to Sunday's title game against Kansas State. Dan Monson's team was the better squad throughout and pulled away in the second half with a 16-0 run.

3. Is UCLA starting to figure things out? They capped a five-game stretch leading into Pac-12 play with a 71-63 win over Richmond, moving to 7-5 on the season. Jeremy Anderson accounted for 13 points, seven rebounds and six assists as five Bruins finished in double figures. As guys begin to step up offensively Ben Howland may be able to find more minutes for Anthony Stover, his best frontcourt defender. Stover played just seven minutes on Friday.

4. Pe'Shon Howard made his highly-anticipated season debut for Maryland, playing 32 minutes (seven points, three rebounds) in Maryland's 65-60 win over Radford. With Howard back and big man Alex Len slated to make his debut in Maryland's next game, Mark Turgeon will receive a much-needed boost in the depth department.

5. Bryce Cotton scored 16 second-half points and hit two three-pointers in an 8-0 run that set in motion Providence pulling away to beat in-state rival Rhode Island 80-61. The debut of transfers Andre Malons and Billy Baron provided a spark early for the Rams, but they were unable to sustain the momentum and fell to 1-11. The Friars finish non-conference play 11-2, and snapped an eight-game losing streak for the road team in this series.

6. Russ Smith scored 23 points while also tallying three rebounds, three assists and two steals at Louisville rallied to beat Western Kentucky 70-60 to remain undefeated. One of the best decisions of the off-season in college basketball may have been Rick Pitino's decision to no longer attempt to shoehorn Smith into the point guard position. He's far more effective at the two despite his height, and has had a major impact in the last two wins.

7. John Groce's Ohio Bobcats moved to 11-1 on the season with an 82-66 win over North Carolina A&T. Nick Kellogg and Walter Offutt scored 14 points apiece while Ivo Baltic added 12 for the Bobcats, who have won eight straight games.

8. Keep an eye on Penn in the Ivy League, as they've got one of the best point guards around in senior Zack Rosen. Rosen scored 13 points and dished out 12 assists while Tyler Bernardini knocked down eight three-pointers and scored 30 points for the Quakers, who had all five starters score in double figures as they beat Marist 84-71. Harvard is the clear favorite but look for Jerome Allen's team to put up a good fight.

Three Notable Performances

1. F Kevin Jones (West Virginia)
28 points, 17 rebounds and two assists in the Mountaineers' 83-81 overtime loss to #7 Baylor in Las Vegas.

2. G/F Alex Young (IUPUI)
27 points, six assists, five rebounds, three steals and two blocks in the Jaguars' 97-88 win over Valparaiso.

3. G Jordan Theodore (Seton Hall)
26 points, six assists, four rebounds and two steals in the Pirates' 80-61 win at Longwood.

Tuesday Recap: Louisville Rallies to Remain Undefeated

Raphielle Johnson — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 01:01:55 -0500

For a while on Tuesday night it looked as if a Southern Conference team would hand another undefeated team its first defeat of the season. But an important suggestion by Louisville assistant coach Richard Pitino set things in motion for the fourth-ranked Cardinals, sparking a rally that resulted in a 69-62 victory. The idea: instead of relying on the frontcourt tandem of Gorgui Dieng and Chane Behanan to occupy the foul line area against the Charleston zone, use the versatile Kyle Kuric at the four. The move paid off, with Kuric scoring a team-high 17 points and grabbing eight rebounds.

"He made the move of the game," said head coach Rick Pitino of his son. "He told me to play Kyle in the four slot because the middle was wide open and they weren't playing it. He said, 'Put Kyle in there; he'll make the shot or something good will happen.' And he got in there and really bothered them."

Kuric may not have registered an assist but his presence in the high post made the Cougars respect the area, something they didn't have to do with either Behanan or Rakeem Buckles occupying the area. But he wasn't the only issue for Charleston, as redshirt freshman Russ Smith was also a handful. Smith has the ability to be both electrifying and mystifying within the same possession, and he was able to harness his energy enough to contribute 12 points, five steals and four rebounds in 27 minutes of action. He helped ramp up the pace to a level that made Charleston uncomfortable in the second half, and while both teams were reckless with the basketball such a change worked in Louisville's favor.

"I haven't coached any guys who are great steal guys on the ball like Russ Smith," said Pitino. "He is the best I have seen at that. You have a lot of guys who anticipate well and shoot the gaps well but he is awesome on the ball. He basically won the game for us."

Antwaine Wiggins led the Cougars with 23 points but was their only player in double figures, and the guards had their issues taking care of the basketball as well. Andrew Lawrence finished the night with eight turnovers and Anthony Stitt tallied five off the bench, and as a team Charleston turned the ball over 22 times. Both of Charleston's starting guards (Lawrence and Jordan Scott) finished with more turnovers than assists, while for Louisville both Peyton Siva (six assists, four turnovers) and Chris Smith (four assists, one turnover) finished with more assists than turnovers. Add in some key missed opportunites around the rim for the visitors and the end result is Louisville moving to 11-0 on the season.

Other Notable Happenings

1. C.J. Leslie's shot (which St. Bonaventure fans would argue shouldn't have counted) gives NC State the win.
It would be safe to say that the Wolfpack's 67-65 win over the Bonnies in Rochester, NY was the most controversial result on the night, with many wondering whether or not Leslie stepped out of bounds before taking the shot. Since it wasn't called whether or not Leslie stepped on the baseline is of little consolation for St. Bonaventure, who missed out on at the very least overtime as a result. If anything the Bonnies have their offensive showing in the second half to blame, as they shot just 29.2% from the field in the second half and turned the ball over eight times (four assists).

Andrew Nicholson and Demetrius Conger scored 16 points apiece to lead the way for St. Bonaventure while Scott Wood paced the Pack with 20 points despite making just two of eight from beyond the arc. Mark Gottfried's team was impressive in how unselfish they were, assisting on 21 of their 25 made field goals. Regardless of how the game was won this is a good result for NC State to build on, and they deserve credit for bouncing back from their loss to top-ranked Syracuse on Saturday.

2. Ohio picks up the most impressive win of the night at Northern Iowa.
John Groce's Bobcats have flown under the radar nationally for much of the season despite having one of the nation's better point guards in D.J. Cooper. That may all change on the heels of their performance on Tuesday, as they beat Northern Iowa 76-59 in Cedar Falls. Ivo Baltic made 10 of 14 from the field in leading four Ohio players in double figures with 22 points and the Bobcats shot 51.7% from the field on the night against one of the stingier defenses in the country. Ohio had it going from deep as well, knocking down 11 of 21 while UNI made just six of their twenty attempts from beyond the arc.

And it was Ohio, who allows opponents to shoot 39% from the field, who put forth the superior defensive effort. UNI shot just 35.2% and while both reached double figures, leading scorers Anthony James (11 points) and Jake Koch (15 points) combined to make just eight of their twenty-three shots from the field. Ohio's lone defeat was a 59-54 loss at Louisville, and with wins over Marshall, Oakland and now Northern Iowa the Bobcats are building a nice profile as they head into MAC play. Cooper and company sent Georgetown home in the first round a couple of years ago as a 14-seed; they can do the same (with a better seed) this season.

3. Arizona puts together their best offensive outing of the year to beat Oakland.
No one would have blamed any Arizona fans if they were nervous about the Wildcats' game against Oakland. With the Golden Grizzlies having one of the nation's best scorers in Reggie Hamilton and Arizona having their issues offensively, the visitors leaving with a win was a definite possibility. But Solomon Hill and company would have none of that, shooting 55.6% from the field on their way to the 85-73 win. Hill was outstanding with 23 points, 11 rebounds and three assists while Kyle Fogg (17 points) and Jesse Perry (13 points) also reached double figures and Nick Johnson dished out six assists.

Arizona went into the game making just 50.1% of their two-point shots but they made 61.1% of their attempts against Oakland. As for Hamilton, he proved to be as advertised with 31 points and six assists but as a team the Golden Grizzlies made just nine of thirty-two from beyond the arc (Arizona finished 8-for-18). With their next two games being against Bryant and in-state rival Arizona State (Pac-12 opener), Sean Miller's team has a chance to get rolling ahead of their visit to the LA schools the first weekend of January.

Quick Hitters

1. Not only did Jared Sullinger return to the lineup for Ohio State but he played 30 minutes, scoring 18 points and grabbing 11 rebounds in the Buckeyes' 70-50 win over Lamar. With Pat Knight coaching the Cardinals, Ohio State took the opportunity to honor the 1960 national champions. One member of that team: none other than Bob Knight.

2. Darien Brothers had a good night for Richmond, shooting 7-for-11 from three on his way to 38 points in the Spiders' 90-82 overtime win over Old Dominion. Darius Garrett had an impact inside, grabbing 13 boards and blocking eight shots to go along with nine points. Next up for Richmond: a game at UCLA on Friday and they can definitely win there.

3. Two player transactions within the Big East to take note of: Providence's Kadeem Batts saw his suspension end, and St. John's freshman Amir Garrett has made it through the NCAA Clearinghouse. Batts scored nine points and grabbed six rebounds in the Friairs' 67-52 win over New Hampshire, and Garrett could be in unform for the Red Storm's game against UTPA on Wednesday.

4. Butler will struggle to score this season due to a lack of premier offensive weapons, but what three of their key cogs managed in a 71-55 loss at Gonzaga isn't going to get it done in the Horizon League if it happens on a consistent basis. Chase Stigall, Chrishawn Hopkins and Andrew Smith combined to score just seven points on 3-for-21 shooting. Those guys have to be consistent factors for Brad Stevens' team.

5. Congrats to Prairie View A&M, who picked up their first win over a Division I opponent this season in beating Stephen F. Austin 53-50 in Eugene, Oregon. As for the Lumberjacks, that's not a good result for a team expected to be a contender in the Southland and it will definitely hurt the team's (and league's) computer numbers.

6. Unlike Marist last season, who began MAAC play 2-0 then plummeted to the bottom of the standings once play resumed in January, Manhattan may have some staying power. Not saying that Steve Masiello's team will be on the level of Iona, Fairfield or Loyola (MD), but the Jaspers have played some good basketball. Manhattan moved to 8-4 with an 81-62 win over winless Towson, with George Beamon scoring 21 points and Kidani Brutus adding 18 off the bench.

7. Terrence Jones didn't play due to a dislocated finger suffered in Kentucky's win over Chattanooga, but that wasn't an issue as the Wildcats blew out Samford. Doron Lamb scored 26 points and three other starters reached double figures in the 82-50 romp.

8. Shaka Smart's VCU Rams have the look of a team beginning to figure things out after struggling early due to the many personnel losses from last year's Final Four team. The Rams won their fifth straight on Tuesday, shutting down UAB 68-49 in Richmond. VCU forced 23 Blazer turnovers and Treveon Graham scored 18 points off the bench to lead the way offensively.

Four Notable Performances

1. F Nneka Ogwumike (Stanford)
A special mention for Ogwumike, who went off in #4 Stanford's 97-80 win over #6 Tennessee. Ogwumike finished with 42 points, 17 rebounds, three assists and two steals, making 11 straight shots from the field at one point.

2. G Darien Brothers (Richmond)
38 points (7-11 3PT) in the Spiders' 90-82 overtime win over Old Dominion.

3. G Preston Medlin (Utah State)
27 points (8-12 FG), eight assists and four rebounds in the Aggies' 73-69 win over UT Arlington.

4. G Vincent Council (Providence)
17 points (7-12 FG), 12 assists and seven rebounds in the Friars' 67-52 win over New Hampshire.

College Hoops Monday Preview: Your Commentary

Raphielle Johnson — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 01:11:41 -0500

Despite the amount of attention being given to ESPN's 24-hour college basketball marathon that tips off at midnight (Miami at Memphis) there are some good games on the docket Monday night. In the early window there are a two under the radar games that lack television coverage but won't lack for quality. Oakland (0-1), the preseason favorite in the Summit League, makes the trek south to take on one of the favorites in the Mid-American in Ohio (1-0). Two of the better players not in BCS conferences will be on display in Athens: Oakland center Keith Benson and Ohio guard D.J. Cooper. Benson, who averaged 17.3 points and 10.5 rebounds per game last season, is the reigning Summit League Player of the Year and a 6-11 post who's been on the radar of NBA scouts for some time now. He and Larry Wright make up a very good one-two punch for head coach Greg Kampe.

As for John Groce's Bobcats, who return three starters and eight letter-winners from a team that won 22 games and finished with five players averaging at least 10.5 points per game, they'll be led by the sophomore who burst onto the national scene with his play in the NCAA Tournament win over Georgetown. Cooper was named MAC Freshman of the Year and was also a member of the CollegeInsider.com Freshman All-America Team, averaging 13.5 points, 5.9 assists and 5.7 rebounds per game in 2009-10. Cooper accounted for 25 points, seven assists, five rebounds and three steals in the Bobcats' 88-69 win over Delaware on Saturday, and Reggie Keely added 19 and 11 rebounds as Ohio lit up the Blue Hens to the tune of 53 second half points.

The key for Ohio, who had a rebounding margin of -0.7 last season (212th nationally), will be to keep Benson and company off of the boards. Oakland outrebounded opponents by 4.9 rebounds per game last season (32nd nationally) and has the interior talent needed to do so again. While neither team is expected to be in the at-large conversation at the very least a win in a game like this helps on the resume when it comes to seeding.

The other game would qualify as a "red line upset" if the visitors were to win, but rest assured it would not be a shock of Wofford (0-1) were to leave Clemson with a win. The Terriers, reigning champions of the Southern Conference, are expected by many to repeat thanks in large part to the return of SoCon Player of the Year Noah Dahlman, who averaged 16.6 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. He and classmate Tim Johnson form one of the better frontcourt tandems in the SoCon, and with four starters returning head coach Mike Young has enough talent at his disposal to give Brad Brownell and company fits. But the Tigers have some talent up front as well, with Devin Booker coming off of a career-high 16 points in their season opening win over Western Carolina and four players reached double digits despite an off night from senior guard Demontez Stitt. Those who assume that Clemson will simply drop off due to Oliver Purnell's (and Trevor Booker's) departure may be in for a surprise this season.

And if you're looking to stay up late to take in the first few games of the marathon keep a close eye on Josh Pastner's Memphis Tigers. While young this is likely man for man one of the most talented teams in the nation, led by returnee Wesley Witherspoon and a host of newcomers that ranked among the top three recruiting classes by most services. Eleven players played at least 13 minutes in their pasting of Centenary on Friday night, and that was with Chris Crawford and Witherspoon both being disciplined by Coach Pastner. The one face you won't see is Jelan Kendrick, who's no longer a Tiger after yet another disciplinary issue. If anything the maturity of the Tigers is the major question mark, but Pastner asking Kendrick to leave is a sign that such behavior will not be tolerated.

Miami doesn't lack for talent either, especially on the perimeter where Durand Scott, Malcolm Grant and DeQuan Jones can do a variety of things for head coach Frank Haith. And there would be little opposition if there were a halftime dunk competition between Jones and Memphis' Will Barton; look for this to be a very entertaining contest. Following this matchup is the first game of the Steve Lavin era at St. John's as they visit Saint Mary's. Randy Bennett's Gaels are coming off of a Sweet 16 appearance but will have to replace the departed Omar Samhan. Luckily for SMC Matthew Dellavedova is back, as is Mickey McConnell, and they also enjoy one of the better home court advantages in the nation. And while there's been much excitement about the recruiting haul that Lavin's brought to Queens fact is he's got 10 seniors who've yet to make their mark. D.J. Kennedy and company have the experience to hit the ground running, and in a new era the hope of St. John's fans is that these familiar faces have learned some new tricks.

Top 25
8:00 PM Valparaiso at (7) Kansas
12:00 AM Miami (FL) at (19) Memphis (ESPN)
7:00 PM Tulane at (21) Georgetown

NCAA Division I Games
7:00 PM Southeastern University at Florida A&M
7:00 PM St. Francis (NY) at South Florida
7:00 PM Campbell at East Carolina
7:00 PM Hampton at Wake Forest
7:00 PM Maryland-Eastern Shore at Columbia
7:00 PM Oakland at Ohio
7:00 PM Wofford at Clemson
7:00 PM Austin Peay at Chattanooga
7:00 PM William & Mary at Richmond
7:00 PM USC Upstate at Virginia
7:00 PM Glenville State at Marshall
7:00 PM Carver Bible College at Georgia Southern
7:00 PM High Point at Old Dominion
7:00 PM Urbana at Cleveland State
7:00 PM Central Connecticut State at Army
7:00 PM American University at Albany
7:00 PM Jackson State at UCF
7:00 PM Wright State at Central Michigan
7:00 PM Mount St. Mary's at Cincinnati
7:00 PM New Jersey at Elon
7:00 PM Barry at Florida International
7:00 PM Sacred Heart at Fordham
7:00 PM Wagner at Lehigh
7:00 PM Yale at Providence
7:00 PM Colgate at St. Francis (PA)
7:00 PM Polytechnic at N.J.I.T.
7:30 PM Fairfield at Rutgers
7:30 PM Georgia Tech at Kennesaw State
8:00 PM Roosevelt at Illinois-Chicago
8:00 PM Alabama A&M at Western Kentucky
8:00 PM Rockhurst at Saint Louis
8:00 PM Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Nebraska
8:00 PM Ohio Dominican at Bowling Green
8:00 PM North Carolina Central at Oklahoma
8:00 PM Stillman at Lipscomb
8:00 PM Troy at Alabama
8:00 PM Texas A&M at Texas A&M-CC
8:00 PM Houston Baptist at Northwestern State
8:00 PM NW Oklahoma St at Sam Houston State
8:00 PM Tennessee Wesleyan at Samford
8:00 PM Longwood at Stephen F. Austin
8:00 PM Centenary at Tennessee-Martin
8:00 PM Fisk at Tennessee State
8:15 PM Louisiana College at Louisiana-Lafayette
8:30 PM East Tennessee State at Murray State
8:30 PM Pacific vs. Nevada*
9:00 PM Siena at Minnesota
9:00 PM West New Mexico at New Mexico State
9:30 PM Winthrop vs. Virginia Commonwealth*
10:00 PM San Diego at Stanford
10:00 PM Pomona Pitzer at UC Riverside
10:00 PM Cal Baptist at Southern Utah
10:00 PM Cal State Fullerton vs. Montana State*
10:05 PM San Francisco St. at Long Beach State
10:30 PM Santa Clara at USC
11:00 PM Pepperdine at UCLA
2:00 AM St. John's at Saint Mary's (ESPN)
4:00 AM Central Michigan at Hawaii (ESPN)