Old Dominion

Quarterfinals Predictions: AE, Big Sky, CAA, MAAC, SoCo, Summit

Greg Mengelt — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 10:12:45 -0800

Our g ame prediction guru Greg Mengelt has been on fire this year. He'll be picking every conference tournament game over the next 2 weeks. Read more about Championship Week at CollegeHoops.net.

AMERICA EAST QUARTERFINALS: AT WEST HARTFORD, CONN.

(1) Stony Brook (20-8, 14-2) vs. (8) Maryland-Baltimore County (4-26, 3-13)

Tipoff: 12:05 p.m. TV: AE All-Access Live Video. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 11 – Stony Brook 89-49*, Feb. 9 – Stony Brook 80-68. RPI: Stony Brook 151, Maryland-Baltimore County 334. Analysis: It will be hard for Stony Brook to cover because its starters could be resting by halftime. Line: Stony Brook -3. Pick: Stony Brook 73, Maryland-Baltimore County 56.

(4) Albany (18-13, 9-7) vs. (5) New Hampshire (13-15, 7-9)

Tipoff: 2:15 p.m. TV: AE All-Access Live Video. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 11 – Albany 86-63; Feb. 9 – New Hampshire 69-64. RPI: Albany 232, New Hampshire 303. Analysis: New Hampshire has nice balance, but Albany has a solid go-to scorer in Gerardo Suero for the stretch run. Line: Albany -3. Pick: Albany 71, New Hampshire 64.

(2) Vermont (20-11, 13-3) vs. (7) Maine (12-16, 6-10)

Tipoff: 6:05 p.m. TV: AE All-Access Live Video. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 16 – Vermont 79-65; Feb. 6 – Vermont 73-63. RPI: Vermont 161, Maine 281. Analysis: Vermont is a serious contender to win this tournament and secure an NCAA bid. Line: Vermont -9. Pick: Vermont 75, Maine 63.

(3) Boston U. (16-15, 12-4) vs. (6) Hartford (8-21, 7-9)

Tipoff: 8:15 p.m. TV: AE All-Access Live Video. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 22 – Boston U. 65-46*; Feb. 25 – Boston U. 64-55. RPI: Boston U. 188, Hartford 308. Analysis: Curious line after the Terriers whipped Hartford twice. It’s concerning, but you still have to go with BU. Line: Boston U. -3. Pick: Boston U. 66, Hartford 55.

BIG SKY QUARTERFINALS: AT CAMPUS SITES

(5) Idaho State (9-20, 7-9) at (4) Eastern Washington (14-16, 8-8)

Tipoff: 5 p.m. Regular-season meetings: Feb. 23 – Eastern Washington 85-78*; Feb. 28 – Eastern Washington 77-64. RPI: Idaho State 280, Eastern Washington 211. Analysis: If familiarity breeds contempt, this one should be contention. It’s the third time the two sides have played in two weeks. Line: Eastern Washington -7½. Pick: Eastern Washington 72, Idaho State 65.

(6) Montana State (12-16, 7-9) at (3) Portland State (16-13, 10-6)

Tipoff: 10 p.m. Regular-season meetings: Dec. 30 – Montana State 86-73; Jan. 26 – Montana State 70-65*. RPI: Montana State 277, Portland State 176. Analysis: The Bobcats gave Portland State two of its six losses, but the Vikings will find a way to get it done in a close one in Portland. Line: Portland State -7½. Pick: Portland State 76, Montana State 70.

COLONIAL ATHLETIC QUARTERFINALS: AT RICHMOND, VA.

(1) Drexel (25-5, 16-2) vs. (9) UNC-Wilmington (10-20, 5-13)

Tipoff: Noon. TV: CSN. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 14 – Drexel 79-57*. RPI: Drexel 63, Wilmington 213. Analysis: Wilmington took advantage of a beat up James Madison squad on Friday. No such luck today. Line: Drexel -12½. Pick: Drexel 73, Wilmington 53.

(4) Old Dominion (19-12, 13-5) vs. (5) Delaware (18-12, 12-6)

Tipoff: Approx. 2:30 p.m. TV: CSN. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 11 – Old Dominion 68-66 (OT)*. RPI: Old Dominion 115, Delaware 143. Analysis: ODU is the better team – but not by a whole lot. Line: Old Dominion -6. Pick: Old Dominion 60, Delaware 56.

(2) Virginia Commonwealth (25-6, 15-3) vs. (9) Northeastern (13-16, 9-9)

Tipoff: 6 p.m. TV: CSN. Regular-season meetings: Feb. 4 – VCU 59-56. RPI: VCU 61, Northeastern 179. Analysis: The Rams defense will give Delaware fits and force double-digit turnovers and convert them into points. Line: VCU -12. Pick: VCU 69, Northeastern 56.

(3) George Mason (23-8, 14-4) vs. (6) Georgia State/Hofstra (20-10, 11-7)

Tipoff: Approx. 8:30 p.m. TV: CSN. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 7 – George Mason 61-58. RPI: George Mason 84, Georgia State 147. Analysis: This is one of the strangest lines I’ve ever seen, but GMU is the better team – and the Patriots are desperate for a win. Line: Georgia State -1. Pick: George Mason 71, Georgia State 58.

METRO ATLANTIC QUARTERFINALS: AT SPRINGFIELD, MASS.

(4) Fairfield (17-13, 12-6) vs. (5) Rider (13-18, 10-8)

Tipoff: 2 p.m. TV: ESPN3. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 16 – Fairfield 61-52; Feb. 26 – Rider 65-62. RPI: Fairfield 128, Rider 198. Analysis: The Stags have lost 3 of 4, but they have enough talent to win the MAAC’s NCAA bid. Line: Fairfield -8. Pick: Fairfield 61, Rider 51.

(1) Iona (24-6, 15-3) vs. (8) Marist (14-17, 7-11)

Tipoff: 4:30 p.m. TV: ESPN3. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 8 – Iona 100-76*; Feb. 12 – Iona 83-74. RPI: Iona 44, Marist 225. Analysis: The Red Foxes were a different team in the second half of the season, but do they have enough to stay close against Iona’s high-powered offense? Probably not. Line: Iona -15½. Pick: Iona 90, Marist 74.

(2) Loyola (Md.) (21-8, 13-5) vs. (7) Niagara (14-18, 8-10)

Tipoff: 7:30 p.m. TV: ESPN3. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 2 – Niagara 66-61*; Jan. 27 – Loyola 69-57*. RPI: Loyola 86, Niagara 206. Analysis: With the advantage of already having played a tourney game, Niagara can keep it fairly close. Line: Loyola -7. Pick: Loyola 67, Niagara 62.

(3) Manhattan (20-11, 12-6) vs. (6) Siena (13-16, 8-10)

Tipoff: 9:30 p.m. TV: ESPN3. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 14 – Manhattan 72-53; Feb. 14 – Siena 70-64. RPI: Manhattan 142, Siena 239. Analysis: Expect the Jaspers to be a serious player in this tournament. Line: Manhattan -7. Pick: Manhattan 67, Siena 54.

SOUTHERN CONFERENCE QUARTERFINALS: AT ASHEVILLE, N.C.

(1N) UNC-Greensboro (12-18, 10-8) vs. (5N) Appalachian State (13-17, 7-11)

Tipoff: Noon. TV: ESPN3. Regular-season meetings: Dec. 1 – Appalachian State 78-64; Jan. 26 – Greensboro 77-73 (OT). RPI: Greensboro 227, Appalachian State 252. Analysis: If the Mountaineers are good enough to beat Charleston by 12 points, they’re good enough to beat Greensboro. Line: Greensboro -7. Pick: Appalachian State 77, UNC-Greensboro 66.

(2S) Wofford (19-12, 12-6) vs. (3N) Western Carolina (15-17, 8-10)

Tipoff: 2:30 p.m. TV: ESPN3. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 7 – Western Carolina 67-57; Jan. 30 – Wofford 82-56. RPI: Wofford 170, Western Carolina 241. Analysis: Wofford has won 4-of-5 since a 3-game losing streak in early February and the Terriers should do it again. Line: Wofford -5. Pick: Wofford 73, Western Carolina 66.

(1S) Davidson (16-2, 22-7) vs. (5S) Furman (15-15, 8-10)

Tipoff: 6 p.m. TV: ESPN3. Regular-season meetings: Dec. 3 – Davidson 86-65; Feb. 1 – Davidson 71-53*. RPI: Davidson 67, Furman 245. Analysis: The Wildcats are ready to roll through this tournament. Line: Davidson -11½. Pick: Davidson 84, Furman 65.

(2N) Elon (14-15, 9-9) vs. (3S) Georgia Southern (15-14, 12-6)

Tipoff: 8:30 p.m. TV: ESPN3. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 5 – Georgia Southern 69-63*. RPI: Elon 243, Georgia Southern 194. Analysis: Tough one to call, but Southern may have found itself in the second half of Friday’s win over Chattanooga. Line: Georgia Southern -1. Pick: Georgia Southern 67, Elon 58.

SUMMIT LEAGUE QUARTERFINALS: AT SIOUX FALLS, S.D.

(1) Oral Roberts (26-5, 17-1) vs. (8) IPFW (11-18, 5-13)

Tipoff: 7 p.m. TV: Midco Sports Net/Fox College Sports. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 19 – Oral Roberts 65-54; Feb. 15 – Oral Roberts 75-71*. RPI: Oral Roberts 43, IPFW 279. Analysis: ORU played a lot of tough games down the stretch and this one will be no different. Line: Oral Roberts -13½. Pick: Oral Roberts 66, IPFW 57.

(2) South Dakota State (24-7, 15-3) vs. (7) IUPUI (14-17, 7-11)

Tipoff: 9:30 p.m. TV: Midco Sports Net/Fox College Sports. Regular-season meetings: Dec. 1 – South Dakota State 97-93 (OT)*; Feb. 25 – South Dakota State 75-64. RPI: South Dakota State 57, IUPUI 202. Analysis: The Jackrabbits should have a bit of a home crowd advantage in Sioux Falls, but talented Jaguar star Alex Young won’t let it get out of hand. Line: South Dakota State -8½. Pick: South Dakota State 79, IUPUI 68.

Greg Against the Spread This Season: 100-69-2

CAA Quarterfinal Preview

CHN — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 07:34:14 -0800

Robert Canady is covering the CAA Tournament for CollegeHoops.net. His quarterfinals preview:

#2 VCU 25-6 vs. #7 Northeastern 14-16

This has the potential to be one of the more lopsided games of the day.

How They Got Here:

VCU earned 1^st round bye as the No. 2 seed.

Northeastern beat William & Mary 57-49 in the first round.

Key Players:

VCU - Senior guard Bradford Burgess 13.5 ppg and 5.2 rebounds, Juvonte Reddic 10.8 ppg and 7.0 rebonds, Troy Daniels 10.0 ppg

Northeastern - orward Quincy Ford 18 points in 1^st round win. Reggie Specer 10 rebounds in 1^st round win.

What They Do Best:

VCU - Rank 1^st in the country with 10.6 with 10.6 steals per game. 2^nd in the country with a +6.1 turnover margin.

Northeastern - Held William & Mary to .273 on 3-Pt shot and outrebounded them 42-27.

Previous Game: VCU won at home 59-56 in February.

Prediction: VCU 73 Northeastern 65

#3 George Mason 23-8 vs. #6 Georgia State 21-10

A matchup of teams that are strong on the inside and play very physical. Based on GSU’s route of Hofstra in the first round, it could be quite a battle to the end.

How They Got Here:

George Mason earned 1^st round bye as the No. 3 seed.

Georgia State beat Hofstra by a CAA Tournament record 35 points 85-50.

Key Players:

Mason - 2011-12 CAA Player of the Year Ryan Pearson 17.8 ppg and 8.5 rebounds, Sherrod Wright .521 from the field and .401 from 3-pt range.

Georgia St. - Eric Buckner 21 points 11 rebounds in 21 minutes in 1^st round victory over Hofstra, senior Jihad Ali 13.0 ppg.

What They Do Best:

George Mason-.463 shooting from the field.

Georgia St.-hold opponents to .382 FG% 1^st in the CAA and 8^th best in the country. 5.4 blocked shots per game, 1^st in conference and 15^th in the country.

Previous Game: George Mason won 61-58 in Fairfax in January.

Prediction: George Mason 61 Georgia St. 59

#4 Old Dominion 19-12 vs. #5 Delaware18-12

This could be the most anticipated matchup of the day. Delaware has won 9 games in a row and Old Dominion spent most of the season tied for first or second before a couple late season losses.

How They Got Here:

ODU earned a first round bye as a result of being the No. 4 seed.

Delaware beat Towson for the 3^rd time this season 72-65 in the first round.

Key Players:

Delaware - Devon Saddler averaging 18.7 ppg, Jamelle Hagins 12.7 ppg, Kyle Anderson 64 3-pointers on the season.

ODU Sr. Kent Bazemore 15.3 ppg and League Defensive Player of the Year, Chris Cooper averaging 10 points and 10 rebounds per game.

What They Do Best:

ODU - Leads the conference in 40 rebounds per game. Chris Cooper is second in the league in offensive rebounds with 4.2 per game.

Delaware - Scoring, Delaware is second in the league with 69 ppg. FT% .725 is second in the league.

Previous Game: ODU won 68-66 in overtime at the buzzer on an offensive put back.

Prediction: Delaware 71 ODU 66

#4 Missouri vs. #6 Baylor: Saturday's Preview

Raphielle Johnson — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 20:26:26 -0800

Saturday is the day that many college basketball fans have been waiting for, with a number of important matchups on the slate. One of those games is #4 Missouri (22-2, 9-2) hosting #6 Baylor (21-3, 8-3) with the Bears looking to keep alive their fleeting hopes of winning the league title. Scott Drew's team is 0-3 in games against the two teams now ahead of them in the standings, most recently being whipped by Kansas in Waco. The Tigers are looking to complete a season sweep of Baylor and with a win over Kansas to their credit, Frank Haith's team would take control of the driver's seat should they get that done.

Missouri won the first meeting 89-88 but that margin is a bit deceptive, and if there's one thing that Baylor should have taken out of that loss it's that they need to do a better job of keeping the Tigers off of the offensive glass. The Tigers, who average just 9.5 offensive rebounds per game, grabbed 14 in Waco with six of those coming from senior forward Ricardo Ratliffe. Ratliffe (14.3 ppg, 6.8 rpg) has done a very good job in the middle for the Tigers, who have gone small with Laurence Bowers being lost for the season before it even began. Baylor's got the edge in size and depth inside but they didn't take advantage of this in the first meeting.

Quincy Acy (12.4 ppg, 7.1 rpg) is the "enforcer" of this group, but if Baylor's to play to the level that they can it's going to take more toughness from the other players in the rotation. Perry Jones III and Quincy Miller are the leading NBA prospects in this group while Anthony Jones and Cory Jefferson both hit the glass well and provide the starters with opportunities to rest. The Bears enjoy the better rebounding margin but the fact that they don't take care of business on the defensive glass has gotten them in trouble against both Kansas and Missouri. If Baylor can't remedy this issue not only will they lose in Columbia, but their NCAA tournament run could be a short one.

Missouri's got one of the nation's best backcourts in the county, and the fact that Marcus Denmon has snapped out of the slump that hampered him early in Big 12 play should be a concern for Baylor. Denmon made just one of seven shots from beyond the arc in the first meeting and as a team Missouri shot 7-for-21 from distance, but those offensive boards proved to be the difference. Kim English plays the four for the Tigers while point guard Phil Pressey has been one of the nation's best point guards and Michael Dixon Jr. provides scoring punch off the bench. Baylor has relied heavily on junior Pierre Jackson (12.9 ppg, 5.8 apg) and he's responded well for much of the season.

Jackson doesn't start but he does finish games, with the veteran A.J. Walton getting the start. Brady Heslip and Gary Franklin also factor into the perimeter rotation, but if the offense isn't finding Heslip shots he can struggle. Missouri's opponents have shot nearly 44% from the field this season and Baylor shot 57% from the field in the first meeting, but they didn't get to the foul line. Missouri outscored the Bears 22-9 from the charity stripe and if that happens again Baylor's going to be in trouble. Having already been swept by Kansas this is a big game for Baylor's resume, as their NCAA seeding likely depends on getting at least one win against one of the two leaders in the Big 12. And as tough as it is for visitors to win at Mizzou Arena, a Baylor victory would be quite the accomplishment.

There are three other games matching ranked opponents, two of which being a battle for first place in their respective conferences. Michigan State heads south to take on Ohio State in the first of their two meetings this season, and this will be quite the test for guards Keith Appling and Brandon Wood. Appling will see a lot of Aaron Craft, the Big Ten's best perimeter defender and a very good floor general to boot. Draymond Green and Jared Sullinger will be the headliners and rightfully so as both should be under consideration for National Player of the Year. Green can't have a repeat of his frustratiing outing at Illinois, but that shouldn't be a concern.

In the Mountain West, UNLV hosts San Diego State and is looking for revenge as they lost the first meeting by two in San Diego last month. Jamaal Franklin scored the game-winner at Viejas Arena, and his matchup with UNLV's Anthony Marshall will be fun to watch. But if the Runnin' Rebels are to defend Thomas & Mack they need production from Chace Stanback as he can go quiet from time to time. Mike Moser has made a good case for Mountain West Player of the Year to this point in the season but there's no mistaking the fact that a conference title would help boost his chances.

The ACC has a nice slate with Virginia visiting North Carolina and a suddenly hot Miami team taking on Florida State, who should be ready to go after losing at Boston College. Mike Scott has been outstanding for the Cavaliers but they need consistent play from Sammy Zeglinski to have a shot at winning in Chapel Hill. Tempo will be critical as Virginia relies on their pack-line defense to keep opponents out of the lane, but that's going to be tough given the ability of Kendall Marshall to find open teammates. Tyler Zeller and John Henson enjoy the advantage in size in the paint, and if Scott doesn't get help inside things could get bad. A win in Tallahassee would provide another boost to the Hurricanes' profile, and they'll need smart guard play to do so.

Kentucky visits Vanderbilt looking for a win in a gym that's been a house of horrors for the Wildcats in recent years. John Jenkins and Jeffery Taylor have led the way all season for the Commodores, who will have their hands full with Anthony Davis, Terrence Jones and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. Can Marquis Teague build on his ten-assist outing against Florida? It would help the Wildcats if he could do so, and to be fair the freshman should be able to take care of business against Brad Tinsley.

The Missouri Valley will have a good idea of the direction in which their race is headed down the stretch at the end of Saturday's action as Wichita State visits Creighton. The Bluejays surprisingly lost at Evansville earlier this week, dropping them a game behind the Shockers heading into the second meeting of the season. Creighton won the first contest on the road, but big man Garrett Stutz has been outstanding in road games this season for WSU. Both he and Doug McDermott will be players to watch, and with the depth that both teams enjoy the game won't disappoint.

The top two teams in the A-10 also meet as Temple hosts Xavier, with the Musketeers hopeful that they can pick up the road win and take over first place. Tu Holloway and Mark Lyons really haven't been the same since their return, and that's a bad position to be in with the Owls boasting Ramone Moore, Juan Fernandez and Khalif Wyatt on the perimeter. And Syracuse hosts Connecticut in a game the Huskies desperately need not just for their resume but for confidence reasons. The news from the NCAA that their appeal regarding APR penalties that could keep them out of the 2013 NCAA tournament doesn't help matters for George Blaney, but a lot will be learned about UConn in terms of whether or not they've got the leaders needed to make a run.

Lastly another edition of the rivalry between VCU and Old Dominion is on the docket with the Monarchs looking to avenge their loss in the first meeting this season. VCU is one of three teams tied at 12-2 in the CAA, and with ODU at 11-3 the achievement of further separation could improve the league's chances of grabbing a second NCAA bid. Kent Bazemore leads Blaine Taylor's squad that's known more for its defense, which will be tested by Bradford Burgess and company. Fans won't lack for entertainment on Saturday, so make sure the batteries in the remote work.

Top 25 Games
9:00 PM (1) Kentucky at Vanderbilt (ESPN)
1:00 PM Connecticut at (2) Syracuse (CBS)
6:00 PM (12) Michigan State at (3) Ohio State (ESPN)
1:30 PM (6) Baylor at (4) Missouri (ESPN3)
1:00 PM (20) Virginia at (5) North Carolina (ESPN3)
4:00 PM Tennessee at (7) Florida (ESPN3)
8:30 PM Austin Peay at (7) Murray State (ESPN3)
4:00 PM Maryland at (9) Duke (ESPN)
4:00 PM Oklahoma State at (10) Kansas (ESPN3)
11:00 PM Santa Clara at (13) Saint Mary's
4:00 PM (14) San Diego State at (16) UNLV (NBC SN)
5:00 PM Wichita State at (15) Creighton (ESPN2)
1:00 PM Miami (FL) at (17) Florida State (ESPN3)
1:30 PM Georgia at (18) Mississippi State (ESPN3)
3:00 PM Cincinnati at (19) Marquette (ESPNU)
7:00 PM (21) Harvard at Princeton (ESPNU)
12:00 PM (23) Louisville at West Virginia (ESPN)

NCAA Division I Games
11:00 AM Butler at Cleveland State (ESPN2)
11:00 AM Ball State at Kent State (ESPNU)
12:00 PM DePaul at Notre Dame (ESPN3)
12:00 PM James Madison at Towson (CSN MA)
1:00 PM Nebraska at Penn State (BTN)
1:00 PM Dayton at Fordham
1:00 PM Arkansas-Little Rock at Middle Tennessee (ESPN2)
1:00 PM Sacred Heart at Bryant
1:05 PM Southern Illinois at Indiana State
1:30 PM South Carolina at Arkansas (ESPN3)
2:00 PM Utah at Arizona (FSN AZ)
2:00 PM American at Holy Cross
2:00 PM Kansas State at Texas (ESPN)
2:00 PM VCU at Old Dominion (Comcast)
2:00 PM Albany at Maine
2:00 PM Rider at Niagara
2:00 PM Sam Houston State at Texas A&M-CC
2:00 PM Wofford at Appalachian State
2:00 PM Siena at Canisius (TWC)
2:00 PM Delaware at Georgia State
2:00 PM Saint Louis at La Salle
2:00 PM Seattle at Longwood
2:00 PM Illinois-Chicago at Loyola (IL)(ESPN3)
2:00 PM Rhode Island at Charlotte
2:00 PM Manhattan at Saint Peter's
2:00 PM Western Kentucky at Troy (FCS)
2:00 PM North Dakota at NJIT
2:00 PM Jacksonville at USC Upstate
2:30 PM Navy at Army (CBS SN)
3:00 PM Florida A&M at Howard
3:00 PM Davidson at Charleston
3:00 PM South Alabama at Louisiana-Monroe
3:05 PM New Mexico State at Utah State (ESPN2)
3:05 PM Utah Valley at Chicago State
3:15 PM Lipscomb at Stetson
3:30 PM Wyoming at New Mexico (The Mtn.)
3:30 PM Central Michigan at Miami (OH)
4:00 PM California at UCLA (FSN)
4:00 PM Texas A&M at Iowa State (ESPN3)
4:00 PM Clemson at Wake Forest (ESPN3)
4:00 PM Duquesne at St. Bonaventure (CBS SN)
4:00 PM Toledo at Bowling Green
4:00 PM Western Carolina at Furman
4:00 PM Delaware State at Coppin State
4:00 PM Hofstra at Drexel
4:00 PM North Florida at East Tennessee State
4:00 PM Maryland-Eastern Shore at Morgan State
4:00 PM South Carolina State at North Carolina A&T
4:00 PM South Florida at Providence (ESPN3)
4:00 PM Coastal Carolina at Winthrop
4:30 PM Ohio at Eastern Michigan
4:30 PM Radford at UNC-Asheville
4:30 PM Lamar at Nicholls State
5:00 PM George Washington at Richmond (ESPNU)
5:00 PM Mississippi Valley State at Alcorn State
5:00 PM McNeese State at Central Arkansas
5:00 PM Elon at Samford
5:00 PM UCF at Southern Miss (BHSN)
5:00 PM Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Southern
5:00 PM Stephen F. Austin at UTSA
5:00 PM Grambling State at Texas Southern
5:15 PM Belmont at Florida Gulf Coast
5:30 PM High Point at Charleston Southern
6:00 PM Pepperdine at BYU (BYU TV)
6:00 PM Alabama State at Alabama A&M
6:00 PM Western Michigan at Buffalo (ESPN3)
6:00 PM Hampton at Norfolk State
6:00 PM IPFW at Oakland (FCS)
6:00 PM Washington State at Oregon (CSN NW)
6:30 PM Colorado at Arizona State (FSN AZ/ROOT RM)
6:30 PM Jackson State at Prairie View A&M
7:00 PM Alabama at LSU (ESPN2)
7:00 PM Auburn at Ole Miss (ESPN3)
7:00 PM Yale at Columbia
7:00 PM Brown at Cornell
7:00 PM Dartmouth at Pennsylvania
7:00 PM East Carolina at Marshall
7:00 PM Long Beach State at UC Davis
7:00 PM George Mason at UNC Wilmington (MASN)
7:00 PM Lafayette at Bucknell (ESPN3)
7:00 PM Morehead State at Eastern Kentucky
7:00 PM North Texas at Florida Atlantic
7:00 PM VMI at Gardner-Webb
7:00 PM Colgate at Lehigh
7:00 PM Fairleigh Dickinson at Monmouth
7:00 PM Liberty at Presbyterian
7:00 PM Saint Francis (PA) at Robert Morris
7:00 PM Northwestern State at Southeastern Louisiana
7:00 PM Massachusetts at Saint Joseph's
7:00 PM Eastern Illinois at Tennessee-Martin
7:00 PM Mount St. Mary's at Wagner
7:00 PM Northeastern at William & Mary (ESPN3)
7:00 PM Valparaiso at Youngstown State
7:05 PM Georgia Southern at Citadel
7:30 PM UNC Greensboro at Chattanooga
7:30 PM Northern Illinois at Akron
7:30 PM Denver at Florida International
8:00 PM South Dakota State at UMKC
8:00 PM Houston at Tulsa
8:00 PM UAB at Memphis (CSS)
8:00 PM SMU at Rice
8:00 PM Texas State at Texas-Arlington
8:00 PM Loyola Marymount at Gonzaga (ROOT NW)
8:00 PM Illinois State at Northern Iowa (ESPN3)
8:00 PM Southeast Missouri State at SIU-Edwardsville
8:00 PM Oklahoma at Texas Tech (ESPN3)
8:05 PM Western Illinois at Oral Roberts (FCS)
8:05 PM Ecclesia at Houston Baptist
8:15 PM Arkansas State at Louisiana-Lafayette
8:30 PM North Dakota State at South Dakota
8:30 PM Colorado State at TCU (The Mtn.)
8:30 PM Tennessee Tech at Tennessee State
8:35 PM Idaho State at Northern Arizona
9:00 PM Xavier at Temple (ESPN2)
9:00 PM San Francisco at San Diego (CSN CA)
9:00 PM Boise State at Air Force (CBS SN)
9:05 PM Tulane at UTEP
9:30 PM IUPUI at Southern Utah
9:30 PM Eastern Washington at Weber State
10:00 PM UC Irvine at Cal Poly
10:05 PM Montana at Sacramento State
10:30 PM Cal State Northridge at Pacific
10:30 PM UC Riverside at UC Santa Barbara (CSN CA)
11:00 PM Nevada at San Jose State
11:05 PM Louisiana Tech at Idaho
11:59 PM Fresno State at Hawaii

Rivers' Shot Caps Duke Rally: Wednesday Recap

Raphielle Johnson — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 06:36:40 -0800

There have been some thrilling comebacks in the history of the Duke/North Carolina rivalry, but surprisingly there haven't been many games that have been decided at the buzzer. Wednesday night's game in Chapel Hill wasn't a case of "down eight with 17 seconds to go" as it was in meetings in 1974 (UNC with the comeback and win) and 1995 (Duke with the comeback but UNC ended up winning), but with the Tar Heels up ten (80-70) with 3:35 remaining one would expect them to win.

But missed free throws and botched possessions late left the door slightly ajar, and the Blue Devils would take advantage as Austin Rivers' three from the right wing as time expired gave Duke the 85-84 win. Rivers was Duke's best offensive player as he scored 29 points, but even with his numbers the many critics were sharpening their knives with the expectation being that North Carolina would close the game out. Rivers and company would prevent that by outscoring UNC 15-4 over the final 3:35, resulting in a three-way tie atop the ACC.

"They made the right plays and we didn't. I mean, it's just that simple," said UNC wing Harrison Barnes, who scored 19 of his 25 points in the second half. "You've got to give credit where credit is due, and they played a great game."

Rivers is the focus on any night for the Blue Devils for the simple fact that he is Duke's most talented perimeter player, and the key for the Blue Devils down the road is that the freshman uses his talent to not only get his points but also get others involved. Ryan Kelly and Seth Curry scored 15 points apiece and Tyler Thornton knocked down a critical three during the final run, displaying a confidence one wouldn't expect from a player who'd gone 0-for-5 from deep to that point in the contest.

Barnes had a bit of a roller coaster game, as he was quiet in the first half only to get rolling in the first ten minutes of the second and then fade into the background down the stretch. Tyler Zeller (23 points, 11 rebounds) played well throughout but will be remembered more for the missed free throws and the fateful switch that resulted in him guarding Rivers on the final sequence, and John Henson (12 points, 17 rebounds) posted a double-double as well. If anything the contest was a mixture of North Carolina not taking care of business and Duke refusing to quit. And with a player like Austin Rivers at your disposal anything is possible.

"Austin was magnificent. We had a play set for a three, a different three, if they hit both free throws," said Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski. "But when they missed the second, we wanted to go to a quick angle and he could either take it to the basket or he shot it, and he shot it and it was all net."

Other Notable Happenings

1. Kansas goes on a 34-6 run spanning both halves to soundly defeat Baylor in Waco.
Jeff Withey proved to be a problem for Baylor in the first meeting between the two teams as he finished two blocked shots short of a triple double, and that was also the case on Wednesday night in Waco. Withey scored 17 of his 25 points in the first half to help Kansas navigate the half despite Thomas Robinson being in foul trouble. The Jayhawks' run reached the point to where they led by 20 points, and they never relinquished control in the 68-54 victory.

Tyshawn Taylor added 19 points and Robinson scored 15 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for Kansas, who is tied with Missouri atop the Big 12 standings. The Jayhawks hit Baylor in the mouth and the Bears didn't respond well at all, with the game getting to the point where it's fair to wonder whether or not Scott Drew's team has the mettle required to make a run in March. The Bears have a great deal of talent but when Perry Jones III accounts for just five points and a player who burned them the first time does so again, it's difficult to expect the Bears to be a national title hopeful at this point.

2. Kris Joseph scores 29 points to lead Syracuse past Georgetown in overtime.
There were people who truly wondered how Georgetown would be able to hang with #2 Syracuse at the Carrier Dome, seeming to forget the fact that the Hoyas had the system and the personnel to give the Orange some trouble. That's exactly what happened as Georgetown grabbed 23 offensive rebounds and out-rebounded to Orange 52-35, making up for their poor shooting. But it wasn't enough to leave with a win at Kris Joseph scored 29 points ot lead Syracuse to the 64-61 win.

Joseph and Fab Melo (11 points, seven rebounds and six blocks) were the only Syracuse players to score in double figures on a night that saw their guards struggle and the other frontcourt players used weren't much better. But that was countered by the struggles of Georgetown's Henry Sims, who shot 1-for-12 from the field in scoring six points, somewhat negating the impact he had as a distributor from the high post. Syracuse had the one player on the floor who didn't seem to have any issues finding good looks in crunch time in Joseph, and that ultimately was the difference on a night that saw them get whipped on the glass.

3. Arkansas leaves the Fayetteville and promptly gets blown out by Georgia.
There's a reason why so many were hesitant to give the Razorbacks that NCAA tournament "stamp of approval" after their win over Vanderbilt. The Hogs entered Wednesday's game at Georgia 0-6 in true road games and it was easy to see why by halftime with the Bulldogs taking a 43-24 lead into the break. Arkansas shot 26.1% from the field in the first half and where soundly whipped on the glass by a count of 25-10 (eight offensive rebounds for the Bulldogs), ending up in a hole that was too big to climb out of in an 81-59 defeat.

Gerald Robinson Jr. went just about wherever he wanted to, finishing with 27 points, six rebounds and five assists, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope chipped in with 18 and five rebounds. Arkansas has shot better than 40% from the field just once in seven road games this season, and that's a big reason why they haven't won on the road. Not sure what the missing spark is for the Razorbacks but they'd better figure out how to get things going away from Bud Walton Arena before it lands them in the NIT.

Quick Hitters

1. David Kyles scored 16 points off the bench and Toure' Murry led four players in double figures with 21 points as Wichita State took sole possession of first place in the MVC with an 82-57 win over Northern Iowa. Gregg Marshall's Shockers have the look of a team that can do some serious damage come March, and a win at Creighton on Saturday would give them a two-game lead.

2. Florida State's offensive execution down the stretch reverted to its pre-seven game win streak form in Chestnut Hill, and the end result was a 64-60 loss to Boston College. Jordan Daniels scored 21 points and dished out five assists to lead the Eagles, who snapped a six-game losing streak. Florida State is now part of a three-way tie for first in the ACC.

3. Cody Ellis scored 20 points and grabbed four rebounds off the bench to lead Saint Louis to a 72-60 win at Saint Joseph's, keeping them tied with Xavier in second place in the Atlantic 10 a game behind Temple (who came back from 15 down to beat George Washington) in the loss column. Rick Majerus has a solid eight-man rotation on which to rely, and he's one of the best in America at putting together a game plan.

4. Two possible conference champions to keep an eye on come March remained undefeated in league play with road wins on Wednesday night. UT Arlington moved to 10-0 in the Southland with a 75-63 win at Sam Houston State and Bucknell took care of Colgate 66-50 to move to 9-0 in the Patriot League. In LaMarcus Reed III (UT Arlington) and Mike Muscala (Bucknell) these two teams feature players currently on the short list for Player of the Year in their respective leagues.

5. Southern Miss did themselves no favors on the road as they fell 71-61 at UAB. The Golden Eagles simply did not have an answer for Cameron Moore, who accounted for 27 points, 12 rebounds and three blocked shots. Southern Miss is now tied with Memphis (7-2) atop the Conference USA standings and UCF (7-3) is just a game back in the loss column due to their win over Marshall.

6. In a matchup of the top two teams in the NEC it was LIU Brooklyn who came out victorious as they beat borough rival St. Francis (NY) 81-71 at Madsion Square Garden. Jamal Olasewere (21 points, 11 rebounds) and Julian Boyd (17 points, 11 rebounds) both posted double-doubles and C.J. Garner scored 19 points to lead the Blackbirds. They play again on Saturday, and a Terrier win could be the only thing that keeps Jim Ferry's squad from winning the regular season title as LIU has already swept second-place Wagner.

7. Form held in the CAA as the top four teams all won, widening the gap between themselves and the rest of the league. In most season that would essentially guarantee the conference cashing in to the tune of multiple NCAA tournament berths, but due to the league's profile and team's non-conference resumes that may not be the case this season. George Mason, VCU and Drezel are all 12-2 in league play while Old Dominion is a game out at 11-3.

8. In two other Big East results worth mentioning, Pittsburgh saw their run of success ended in Tampa as they shot just 34.6% from the field in a 63-51 loss at USF. Hugh Robertson led three Bulls in double figures with 18 points and Ashton Gibbs shot just 2-for-9 from the field and scored four points. And Jordan Theodore scored 24 points to lead Seton Hall past Rutgers 59-54, meaning that the senior will finish his career with a 4-0 mark on the floor of the Pirates' in-state rival.

Three Notable Performances

1. F Cameron Moore (UAB)
27 points, 12 rebounds and three blocked shots in the Blazers' 71-61 win over Southern Miss.

2. F Kris Joseph (Syracuse)
29 points, five rebounds and three steals in the Orange's 64-61 overtime win over Georgetown.

3. G Austin Rivers (Duke)
29 points, five rebounds and two steals and the game-winning three as time expired in the Blue Devils' 85-84 win at North Carolina.

Saturday Recap: Missouri's Finishing Kick Proves to Be the Difference

Raphielle Johnson — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 10:43:28 -0800

Rivalry games bring more to the table when it comes to intensity, and that was definitely the case in the battle between #4 Missouri and #8 Kansas in Columbia on Saturday night. In a game that featured many momentum swings and neither team leading by more than eight points, it was Frank Haith's Tigers who landed the final blow. Kansas led 71-63 with 3:25 remaining but they would not score again, as Missouri finished the game on an 11-0 run to win 74-71. Marcus Denmon, who entered the game having made just 34.9% of his shots in Big 12 play, shot 10-for-16 from the field and scored a game-high 29 points to lead the way.

"He made some tough shots," said Haith. "He got into a rhythm and when Marcus gets into a rhythm he can rattle off a few shots in a row. And I think at that point in time he just got in a rhythm."

But Denmon wasn't the only star for the Tigers, with Kim English scoring 18 points and Michael Dixon Jr. adding 15 off the bench. English received a lot of attention from the Kansas defense due to his three-point shooting ability but the senior from Baltimore made things happen in other ways. The foul line was huge for the Tigers, as their shot 14-for-20 from the charity stripe with Kansas making five of nine and being called for ten more fouls (20-10). Thomas Robinson led the Jayhawks with 25 points and 13 rebounds, and Tyshawn Taylor added 21, but the Missouri comeback was aided by player control fouls called on both down the stretch.

Robinson's fourth foul with 1:45 remaining ultimately led to a Denmon three to make the score 71-69, and Taylor's foul with ten seconds remaining led to a pair of Dixon Jr. free throws to give Missouri a 74-71 lead. Elijah Johnson ended up with the ball in his hands in the final seconds but he hesitated, eventually having to put up a highly-contested shot as time expired. Kansas played with a great deal of poise for just over 36 minutes, but when the Jayhawks needed sound execution to close out the contest the Tigers proved to be too much.

"We definitely did it to ourselves," remarked Jeff Withey when asked about the decisive stretch. "We had the lead and if we would have just held onto the ball, I think it would have been a way different outcome."

The end result: a three-way tie atop the Big 12 with Missouri boasting a 2-0 record vs. Kansas and Baylor. Ricardo Ratliffe was quiet due to his being in foul trouble for much of the night but others stepped up to help the Tigers hold their own on the glass. Denmon grabbed nine rebounds and five other players grabbed at least two as Missouri was out-rebounded by just three (29-26) on the night. Continue to point out Missouri's lack of size if you wish, but it should be pretty clear by now that they've got more than enough to compete for a national title.

Other Notable Happenings

1. Memphis comes back from ten down in the second half to beat Xavier, picking up a needed non-conference victory.
There was no mistaking how important the contest between Xavier and Memphis was for both teams with regards to their NCAA resumes, and the Musketeers looked to be well on their way to the key win. A Dezmine Wells three-point play with 6:16 remaining gave Xavier a 62-51 lead, but Josh Pastner's team refused to lie down. A Wesley Witherspoon three started a 17-1 run over the next six minutes, and Memphis would put away the 72-68 win from the foul line (Joe Jackson hit all four of his free throws to seal the deal). The question is which team needed the win more, and while it was vital for both teams a look at their remaining schedules will reveal the answer. Memphis won't have another shot at an RPI Top 50 win the remainder of the regular season while Xavier still has matchups with Temple and Saint Louis (both on the road) to deal with.

2. Florida State holds off Virginia at home to remain tied atop the ACC.
Low-scoring games tend to amp up those who feel that basketball has to be high-scoring in order to entertain, and those who took this route missed a very good battle in Tallahassee. Okaro White scored 13 points off the bench and Xavier Gibson added ten as Florida State won their seventh straight game to move to 7-1 in the ACC as they beat Virginia 58-55. Joe Harris and Mike Scott scored 16 apiece to lead the Cavaliers and Malcolm Brogdon added ten off the bench, but the struggles of Sammy Zeglinski (2-for-7, five points) down the stretch were just one reason why the Hoos were unable to pick up what would have been a very good road victory. In a game that finished with 63 possessions it was Florida State's work on the offensive glass (OR% of 34.3%) that made the difference (12-7 edge in second-chance points). Work of art? No, especially with the two teams combining for 39 turnovers. But it definitely was an entertaining show that the ACC's two best defensive teams put forth in Tallahassee.

3. Notre Dame puts it to Marquette in the second half to move to 7-3 in the Big East.
Once again Mike Brey is one of the favorites in the race for Big East Coach of the Year, as a team that looked to be well on its way to the NIT (or worse) in December finds itself in the thick of the race for second place. The Irish shot 57.7% from the field in the second half as they ran away from #15 Marquette to win 76-59, moving to within a half-game of second place as a result. Freshman Pat Connaughton led four Notre Dame players in double figures with 23 points, and the growth of he, Eric Atkins and Jerian Grant has played a huge role in Notre Dame not only surviving but thriving in dealing with life without the injured Tim Abromaitis. Grant's versatility was on display against Marquette, as he not only scored 11 points but dished out a team-high eight assists while Atkins scored 18. The play of Syracuse has turned the Big East into a league that will offer more suspense in the race for second, and at this point Notre Dame is just as capable as anyone else to grab that spot.

4. Iona's second half execution on both ends of the floor too much for Manhattan.
At the under-8 media timeout in the first meeting between the rivals separated by just nine miles, Iona held a 67-49 lead in a game that would eventually end on an Emmy Andujar three as time expired (75-72 Manhattan win). No such heroics this time around as the Gaels made sure to not allow the Jaspers to storm back, winning 85-73 thanks to improved play on the defensive end of the floor in the second half. Iona limited the quality looks for George Beamon, who finished with 26 points after scoring 19 in the first half, and as a team Manhattan shot just 38.2% from the field. Mike Glover led a balanced attack with 19 points and seven rebounds while Scott Machado (nine assists) and Momo Jones scored 18 apiece for the Gaels, who remain in first place with the win. Next up for Iona is a trip to Loyola (MD) on Friday night, which could also be a battle for first is the Greyhounds take care of business against Saint Peter's.

5. George Mason hangs on at home to beat ODU, resulting in a three-way tie atop the CAA.
Paul Hewitt's Patriots have now won seven of their last eight games, rebounding from a loss to Delaware to beat ODU 54-50 in a matchup of two of the four teams that entered Saturday tied for first in the CAA. George Mason got the job done by doing something simple in the second half: they made shots. GMU shot just 20% from the field in the first half, trailing 26-20 at the break and their 12 turnovers didn't help matters either. The second half was a different story as the Patriots shot 41.2% from the field while also refusing to settle for threes as they did in the first. George Mason's parade to the foul line (19-for-23 in the second half, 27-for-35 for the game) would prove to be the difference as the Patriots outscored the Monarchs by 17 from the charity stripe. VCU and Drexel are a part of the tie at this point, and while Mason doesn't play Drexel again (the Dragos won the first meeting) they do get two shots at VCU. Can someone in this group earn an at-large berth? The possibility is definitely there at this point.

Quick Hitters

1. No Kevin Parrom to start the trip and no Jordin Mayes on Saturday as well, but that didn't stop Arizona from beating Stanford 56-43 in Palo Alto. That completes the Wildcats' road sweep of the Bay Area schools and keeps them two games back the Pac-12 behind Washington. Kyle Fogg led four players in double figures with 14 points and the Wildcats limited Stanford to 25.4% shooting from the field.

2. Victor Oladipo scored 23 points and grabbed eight rebounds to lead Indiana past Purdue 78-61, snapping their five-game losing streak to the Boilermakers and moving the Hoosiers to 6-6 in the Big Ten. Robbie Hummel led the Boilers with 16 points and ten rebounds, but Purdue shot just 29.6% from the field in the loss.

3. One team that picked up a much-needed win for their resume was Wyoming, who knocked off #13 UNLV 68-66 in Laramie. Leonard Washington and Paco Cruz scored 16 points apiece and Luke Martinez 15 as the Cowboys made up for a disappointing loss to TCU earlier in the week. Larry Shyatt deserves a little more pub nationally than he's received for the Pokes' 18-5 start.

4. How the Atlantic 10 will shake out from an NCAA tournament bid standpoint has been one of the major points of conversation recently, but there may not be much doubt as to who the best team is. Temple sits alone in first place due to their 73-56 win over Rhode Island and La Salle's 70-66 loss to Saint Joseph's. The Owls' perimeter trio of Juan Fernandez, Ramone Moore and Khalif Wyatt may be the best in the A-10, something that seemed preposterous to suggest before the season started due to the presence of Tu Holloway and Mark Lyons at Xavier.

5. There's now a tie for first in the Missouri Valley as Northern Iowa knocked off #12 Creighton 65-62 on an Anthony James three as time expired. Wichita State took advantage of this, beating Indiana State 71-66 behind Garrett Stutz' 24 points, 15 rebounds and five blocks. The February 11th rematch in Omaha (Creighton won the first meeting) will likely determine the top seed in Arch Madness.

6. Nevada took their first loss in WAC play as they fell 72-68 to Idaho in Reno. Kyle Barone scored 16 points and grabbed seven rebounds for the Vandals, who were able to take advantage of Dario Hunt and Malik Story combining to shoot 3-for-12 from the field. While the Wolf Pack are 19-4 overall (8-1 WAC) this is a tough loss to take in regards to a possible at-large bid should they need it (entered the week with an RPI of 59 and an SOS of 182 per the NCAA's numbers). That Sears BracketBusters game at Iona became a lot more important for the visitors.

7. While much of the country focused on the Kansas/Missouri battle there was a big matchup in the Big West, with the winner likely emerging as the biggest threat to Long Beach State in the conference tournament. Bob Burton's Cal State Fullerton squad made quite the statement, beating UCSB 99-86 thanks in large part to 37 points from Kwame Vaughn and 25 from Isiah Umipig. Fullerton shot 52.6% from the field and a ridiculous 17-for-26 from three to move into a tie for second with UCSB.

8. The majority of the talk surrounding the Conference USA race has centered around the four teams that looked to have the best shot at earning an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament. But don't forget about Tulsa, who beat Marshall 79-70 at home to move to 7-2 in league play. Doug Wojcik's Golden Hurricane have won seven straight and while they do have to visit Southern Miss, Tulsa gets Memphis at home in the regular season finale.

9. Yes Fab Melo returned to the lineup for #2 Syracuse, but while the big man is definitely a major part of their plans to say his return was the only reason for the Orange's 95-70 win over St. John's would be short-sighted. Dion Waiters and C.J. Fair each scored 14 points and Michael Carter-Williams 13 off the bench and five Syracuse players finished in double figures.

10. Jared Sullinger scored 24 points and corralled ten rebounds as #3 Ohio State avenged last season's loss in Madison with a 58-52 win over Wisconsin. Deshaun Thomas added 16 for the Buckeyes while Wisconsin was done in by their 5-for-27 shooting from beyond the arc.

11. There have, and will be, matchups in which it looks unfair to have teams play #1 Kentucky. That's what happened to South Carolina, who was in over their heads in the 86-52 pasting that wasn't that close. Anthony Davis missed out on that elusive triple-double but 22 points, eight rebounds and eight blocks is nothing to scoff at. It will be fun to see how #11 Florida matches up with the Wildcats on Tuesday night, as the Gators may be the "last stand" for the rest of the SEC.

12. Florida took care of business at home with a 73-65 win over Vanderbilt in Gainesville with Kenny Boynton (18 points) and Bradley Beal (16 points, seven rebounds) leading four players in double figures. Jeffery Taylor led the Commodores with 25 points and John Jenkins added 15 but it's tough to win anywhere much less in the O-Dome when you shoot 8-for-25 from beyond the arc.

13. Without Jim Calhoun on the sidelines it was time for the Connecticut Huskies to step up both their play and their leadership. That happened, as UConn beat a Seton Hall team without the services of Herb Pope 69-46 in what would turn out to be a bad afternoon for Big East coaches from the Garden State. Kevin Willard would get ejected in the loss (Rutgers' Mike Rice was run at Louisville), the sixth in a row for the Pirates. Ryan Boatright led the Huskies with 19 points and Jeremy Lamb added 17 for UConn.

Five Notable Performances

1. G Kwame Vaughn and G Isiah Umipig (Cal State Fullerton)
Vaughn put up 37 points, six rebounds and six assists in the Titans' 99-86 win over UCSB while Umipig added 25 points, five assists and four rebounds.

2. F Josten Thomas (Hawai'i)
29 points, 12 rebounds and four assists in the Warriors' 83-81 overtime win at San Jose State.

3. G Reggie Hamilton (Oakland)
40 points (9-14 3PT), four rebounds and four assists in the Golden Grizzlies' 74-70 double overtime win at Western Illinois.

4. G Damian Lillard (Weber State)
34 points (12-18 FG), five assists, three rebounds and two steals in the Wildcats' 93-81 win over Northern Colorado. It's beyond time that Lillard receive some National Player of the Year pub.

5. G Marcus Denmon (Missouri)
29 points (10-16 FG), nine rebounds and two assists in the Tigers' 74-71 win over #8 Kansas.

Wednesday Recap: Pittsburgh May Have Hit Rock Bottom

Raphielle Johnson — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 21:04:45 -0800

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.

Thursday's Preview: #13 Michigan at #12 Indiana

Raphielle Johnson — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 09:42:04 -0800

There's just one game between Top 25 teams on the schedule tonight, and it should be a good matchup of teams looking to further cement themselves as Big Ten title contenders. #12 Indiana (13-1) is 10-0 at Assembly Hall this season, and their wins over Kentucky and Ohio State are the most impressive pair of victories that any team in America can claim.

But #13 Michigan (12-2) offers up a challenge unlike either of those contests for Tom Crean's team due to the system that John Beilein runs. Indiana is familiar with what the Wolverines like to do but that doesn't make the task any easier, as the Wolverines have adjusted well to life without Darius Morris.

A big reason why: freshman point guard Trey Burke. Burke (14.0 ppg, 5.0 apg) has done a good job of balancing his ability to score with the need to get others involved. Of course in Michigan's system up to four players on the court can handle the basketball at any given time, so this helps out some. But Burke could easily get overly aggressive and try to force things, but he hasn't done that and the Wolverines have benefitted greatily.

Tim Hardaway Jr. (15.6 ppg, 2.8 apg) is the go-to offensive option when considering pure scoring ability, but Michigan has six players averaging at least seven points per game. That will be the challenge that Indiana will have to deal with, and it's a task they haven't been faced with on many occasions this season. The Hoosiers will need to remain honest defensively not just because of that balance but also the fact that Michigan is so reliant on the three-point shot, scoring 36.5% of their points from deep (2nd in the Big Ten behind Northwestern).

Indiana's opponents have scored just 22.5% of their points from beyond the arc, and Indiana has limited teams to 31.1% shooting from three. One guard who will have a big impact on the perimeter defense for Indiana is sophomore Victor Oladipo (12.2 ppg, 5.4 rpg), who ranks among the best defenders in the Big Ten. One would think that he would match up with Hardaway Jr. tonight, but with guards such as Stu Douglass and Zack Novak also at Beilein's disposal all of the Indiana guards will need to be at their best defensively.

The Hoosiers have a slight edge in the frontcourt, with freshman Cody Zeller (14.2 ppg, 6.7 rpg) and senior Christian Watford (12.9 ppg, 5.5 rpg) leading the way. Zeller has been a steady offensive force inside for the Hoosiers, which has allowed Watford to play more on the perimeter in what is a more comfortable spot for him. Watford knocked down the game-winning three against Kentucky and he's been playing more confidently all season long.

Michigan counters with Evan Smotrycz (10.9 ppg, 7.1 rpg) and Jordan Morgan (7.3 ppg, 5.1 rpg), but they need more consistent play from Morgan if they're to be a contender for a Big Ten title. Morgan's scored in double figures in just two of Michigan's last nine games but to be fair he did grab 12 rebounds in the win over Minnesota. Smotrycz has the ablity to step out and knock down perimeter shots, as he's hit 54.5% of his three-point attempts.

On the glass these two teams are about even but Indiana's been the more efficient offensive team, likely a byproduct of Michigan's reliance on the perimeter shot. Jordan Hulls and Verdell Jones III will be players that Michigan will need to account for defensively, and the fact that Indiana forces an average of 17 turnovers per game should also be a concern. The winner will have to be considered a Big Ten title contender after tonight.

Two teams that need wins in a big way will also be on display tonight, as Pittsburgh visits DePaul and UCLA hosts Arizona. Tray Woodall likely will not play for the Panthers due to injury, which place more responsibility on the shoulders of Ashton Gibbs not to mention freshman guard John Johnson. But if Nasir Robinson, Lamar Patterson and Dante Taylor can step up the Panthers should be in decent shape. The key against the Blue Demons: be smart with the basketball. Oliver Purnell's team will want to speed things up to an uncomfortable tempo, and in Cleveland Melvin they've got one of the better players in the Big East.

As for UCLA, it's tough to figure out if the Bruins have the pieces required to be a factor in the Pac-12 despite the poor nature of that conference. Joshua Smith can be a factor when he wants to be, but against Arizona's quick frontcourt the sophomore could get exposed in a big way if he isn't thoroughly invested in the action. Also of note will be the maturation of Arizona's young guards especially Nick Johnson, who would likely be the early favorite for Pac-12 Rookie if the Year honors if not for Washington's Tony Wroten.

In the CAA, George Mason visits ODU in a key matchup for both teams if they're going to contend for the regular season crown. Paul Hewitt's team is definitely talented with the likes of Mike Morrison and Ryan Pearson, but for whatever reason the Patriots tend to make games far more difficult that they should be. That could be a recipe for disaster against the Monarchs, given how tough Blaine Taylor's teams can be defensively.

BYU's trip to LA to take on Loyola Marymount can be a tricky game for the Cougars simply for the fact that you never know which LMU team will show up. But it's tough to see the Lions being able to matchup up with Brandon Davies and company in the frontcourt, which could mean a long night for the home team.

There's also a big game in the Big Sky with Weber State visiting Eastern Washington. The Eagles have been one of the best teams in the country at taking care of the basketball, and Colin Chiverton and company will need to continue that if they're to beat Damian Lillard and company.

And in the MAAC two teams who hope to fit in right behind Iona and Fairfield match up in Baltimore, as Manhattan visits Loyola (MD). Steve Masiello's done a very good job with the Jaspers in his first season at the helm, but keep in mind that Marist won their two December league games last season and still finished in the bottom half of the league.

Top 25 Games
9:00 PM (13) Michigan at (12) Indiana (ESPN2)
10:00 PM (17) UNLV at Cal State Bakersfield
10:00 PM San Diego Christian at (25) San Diego State

NCAA Division I Games
7:00 PM George Mason at Old Dominion (CSN)
7:00 PM New Hampshire at Hartford
7:00 PM Fordham at Massachusetts
7:00 PM Wagner at Fairleigh Dickinson
7:00 PM Citadel at Furman
7:00 PM Western Carolina at Chattanooga
7:00 PM Boston University at Vermont
7:00 PM Pittsburgh at DePaul (ESPN2)
7:00 PM UIC at Cleveland State
7:00 PM Stony Brook at Binghamton
7:00 PM Saint Francis (PA) at Central Connecticut State
7:00 PM Georgia Southern at Elon
7:00 PM Louisiana-Monroe at Florida Atlantic
7:00 PM Albany at UMBC
7:00 PM Mount St. Mary's at Monmouth
7:00 PM VMI at UNC Asheville
7:00 PM Davidson at UNC Greensboro
7:00 PM Western Illinois at Oakland
7:00 PM High Point at Presbyterian
7:00 PM Long Island at Sacred Heart
7:00 PM Quinnipiac at St. Francis (NY)
7:00 PM Canisius at Saint Peter's (ESPN3)
7:00 PM Radford at Winthrop
7:00 PM Robert Morris at Bryant
7:00 PM IUPUI at IPFW
7:05 PM Loyola (IL) at Youngstown State
7:30 PM Campbell at Charleston Southern
7:30 PM Manhattan at Loyola (MD)
8:00 PM North Texas at South Alabama
8:00 PM Morehead State at Jacksonville State
8:00 PM Louisiana-Lafayette at Western Kentucky
8:00 PM Purdue at Penn State (BTN)
8:00 PM USF at Villanova (ESPN3)
8:00 PM Appalachian State at Samford
8:00 PM Southeast Missouri State at Tennessee-Martin
8:00 PM Tennessee State at Tennessee Tech
8:00 PM Charleston at Wofford (ESPN3)
8:05 PM North Dakota State at Oral Roberts
8:05 PM Denver at Arkansas State
8:30 PM Alabama State at Jackson State
8:30 PM Alcorn State at Prairie View A&M
8:30 PM Middle Tennessee at Troy
9:00 PM Washington at Colorado (ROOT RM)
9:00 PM South Dakota State at Southern Utah
9:00 PM Washington State at Utah
9:00 PM Saint Mary's at San Diego (ESPNU)
9:00 PM Weber State at Eastern Washington
9:00 PM Pepperdine at Gonzaga (ROOT NW)
9:00 PM BYU at Loyola Marymount (BYU TV)
9:00 PM Stanford at Oregon (CSN NW)
9:00 PM Southern University at Texas Southern
9:00 PM Alabama A&M at Grambling State
9:05 PM Montana State at Idaho State
9:05 PM Fresno State at Utah State (ESPN3)
10:00 PM California at Oregon State
10:00 PM UC Irvine at Pacific
10:00 PM UC Riverside at UC Davis
10:00 PM Cal State Fullerton at UC Santa Barbara
10:05 PM Cal Poly at Long Beach State
10:05 PM Northern Arizona at Portland State
10:30 PM Arizona State at USC
11:00 PM Arizona at UCLA (FSN)
11:00 PM Santa Clara at Portland (CSN NW)
11:05 PM Nevada at Idaho

Old Dominion vs George Mason: Prediction and Fan Poll

Greg Mengelt — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 09:41:08 -0800

GEORGE MASON (10-4, 2-0 CAA) AT OLD DOMINION (7-7, 2-0 CAA)

Time/TV: 7 p.m./CSN

Location: Constant Convocation Center

Line: Old Dominion -3.5

George Mason Players to Watch: F Ryan Pearson, Sr. (18.9 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 56% FG); F Mike Morrison, Sr. (9.5 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 1.8 bpg); G Andre Cornelius, Sr. (11 ppg, 1.5 apg, 1.5 spg). Cornelius has been solid since returning from his 10-game suspension, including a 20-point outing in the Patriots’ 70-56 CAA win over William & Mary Monday.

Old Dominion Players to Watch: G Kent Bazemore, Sr. (13.4 ppg, 5 rpg, 2.9 apg, 2.3 spg); F Chris Cooper, Sr. (10.8 ppg, 10.3 rpg); F Nick Wright, Jr. (9.2 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 1.0 bpg). Bazemore – a legit CAA Player of the Year candidate – is one of the league’s most complete players.

Storylines: The Patriots and Monarchs are two of the three remaining unbeatens in the Colonial and appear to be in a four-way race with Virginia Commonwealth and surprising Georgia State.

Keys to Victory: George Mason has played well since the return of Cornelius, winning three straight, including a big 84-76 win at College of Charleston in its last game of 2011. However, the Patriots are still struggling with turnovers (11 tpg) and must curtail that in this big conference road game. On the other side, Old Dominion has struggled to slow down opponent’s go-to players. That could mean a big night for Pearson, who has scored in double-figures in every game but one this year when he scored nine in a 20-point loss at Virginia.

The Bottom Line: The Monarchs have struggled against good teams and George Mason is certainly a good team. GMU should win this game – even on the road – and challenge VCU for the league title.

The Pick: George Mason 66, Old Dominion 58.

Tuesday's Preview: Butler at Gonzaga

Raphielle Johnson — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 19:39:48 -0800

Tuesday night's action features a few critical match ups when considering at-large possibilities in March, with one such game being Butler (5-6) taking on Gonzaga (7-2) in Spokane. Brad Stevens' Bulldogs looked to be in serious trouble on Saturday but a furious rally to beat Purdue may have been the win that sparks a turnaround. But they didn't do themselves many favors in that regard from a scheduling standpoint, with Gonzaga boasting a 93-7 record in the McCarthey Athletic Center.

Gonzaga jumped Arizona early on Saturday with Elias Harris playing arguably his best game of the season in the 71-60 victory, and they're one of the favorites in the WCC with BYU and Saint Mary's also in the discussion. Both have played tough schedules to date but with an 0-3 road record, Butler needs this one with a return to Horizon League play right around the corner.

Job one for Butler will be to limit the effectiveness of Harris (13.4 ppg, 8.3 rpg) and Robert Sacre (14.9 ppg, 7.2 rpg), because when these two have it rolling offensively Gonzaga is a very difficult team to stop. Both have good field goal percentages while Harris is also shooting at a 42% clip from beyond the arc, and his versatility could be an issue for the Butler front court. Andrew Smith (10.1 ppg, 6.3 rpg), who scored the game-winner on Saturday, and Khyle Marshall (10.4 ppg, 5.0 rpg) are Butler's best front court players thus far. They'll need to be once again, with some help from Roosevelt Jones (5.9 ppg, 5.3 rpg), in order to have a shot at pulling off the win.

Gonzaga can also call upon Sam Dower (6.2 ppg, 3.0 rpg), who is capable of having a noticeable impact on the game despite averaging just 16 minutes per contest. Gonzaga's been the better rebounding team of the two with a margin of plus-6.2 (Butler has a margin of plus-3.0), and with GU grabbing nearly 39% of their misses Butler has to keep those second-chance opportunities to a minimum. Butler's done a good job of that to date, allowing the opposition to corral 28.5% of their missed shots.

The play on the perimeter offers up a nice contrast, with Gonzaga's guards being the more aggressive of the two groups when it comes to scoring. Freshman Kevin Pangos (13.1 ppg, 3.7 apg) has been very good for Gonzaga in his inaugural campaign, as he can take full advantage of the opportunities that come his way while also taking care of the basketball. Classmate Gary Bell (8.4 ppg) is fourth on the team in minutes while veterans David Stockton and Marquise Carter also playing key roles in the Gonzaga attack.

As for Butler senior Ronald Nored (5.4 ppg, 4.9 apg) is shooting just 32% from the field and 20% from three, but his true value comes on the defensive end of the floor. Nored is averaging 2.5 steals per game and is a handful for opposing point guards on that end of the floor. The key scorers for Butler on the perimeter are Chase Stigall (9.3 ppg, 2.7 rpg) and Chrishawn Hopkins (9.5 ppg, 2.0 rpg), and both will need to shoot better than their current 35% clips on Tuesday night.

As a team Butler makes just 39.1% of their shots from the field and 28.9% from beyond the arc, but those numbers could see an increase on Tuesday with Gonzaga allowing teams to shoot 43.5% and 37.2% in those areas. Gonzaga's points allowed per possession number is equal to what Butler averages on offense (0.97), so the key will be how well Butler defends a team that averages 1.1 points per possession. There's no doubt that Butler is tough enough to hang around, but are they efficient enough? That's the key.

The best game involving a ranked team is #4 Louisville hosting a 9-1 College of Charleston team that's got a pair of nice weapons in point guard Andrew Lawrence and forward Antwaine Wiggins. Inside the Cougars look to senior Trent Wiedeman to lead the way, but he'll have his hands full with a deep Cardinals front court. Gorgui Dieng was outstanding in Louisville's win over Memphis, and the next step in his progression is to be a consistent force in the paint. The same goes for Russ Smith on the perimeter, as the Big East Player of the Week can both amaze and infuriate within the same possession.

Old Dominion visiting Richmond has the look of being an entertaining game to watch, but how pretty it will be likely depends on the Monarchs. Blaine Taylor's team can be as fun to deal with from a defensive standpoint as a root canal, as they make teams earn every foot of space on the floor. UNC Asheville has a realistic shot at beating Tennessee in Knoxville as does Mercer in their game at Georgia, and the same goes for St. Bonaventure as they take on NC State in Rochester. Out west, college hoops fans need to keep an eye on Oakland's game at Arizona.

Reggie Hamilton is one of the most prolific guards in the country, most recently shown in his 41-point outing (and game-winning shot) at Valparaiso on Saturday. Arizona's Kyle Fogg is a good defender as is freshman Nick Johnson, but the Wildcats still have plenty to figure out as they approach Pac-12 play. And it goes without saying that the much-maligned league that lacks a marquee non-conference win at this stage can ill-afford many more losses in games the masses believe they "should" win.

Top 25 Games
7:00 PM Bucknell at (1) Syracuse (ESPNU)
8:30 PM Lamar at (2) Ohio State (BTN)
7:00 PM Samford at (3) Kentucky (ESPN2)
9:00 PM Charleston at (4) Louisville (ESPNU)
7:00 PM St. Francis (PA) at (14) Pittsburgh (ESPN3)

NCAA Division I Games
TBA Rust College at Alcorn State
6:30 PM IPFW at Purdue (BTN)
7:00 PM Mercer at Georgia (ESPN3)
7:00 PM Manhattan at Towson
7:00 PM NC State vs. St. Bonaventure*
7:00 PM Evansville at Miami (OH)
7:00 PM Old Dominion at Richmond
7:00 PM Montreat College at Liberty
7:00 PM Texas State at Long Island
7:00 PM Furman at Presbyterian
7:00 PM New Hampshire at Providence (ESPN3)
7:00 PM Eastern Michigan at Radford
7:00 PM Hampton at Robert Morris
7:00 PM UNC Asheville at Tennessee (ESPN3)
7:00 PM Norfolk State at Toledo
7:00 PM Winthrop at Western Michigan
7:00 PM Idaho at Wright State
7:05 PM Arkansas-Little Rock at Illinois State
7:30 PM St. Peter's vs. Kent State*
7:30 PM Prairie View A&M vs. Stephen F. Austin*
7:30 PM UAB at VCU
8:00 PM Eastern Kentucky at Arkansas
8:00 PM Oakland at Arizona (FSN AZ+)
8:00 PM Western Carolina at Bradley
8:00 PM Central Michigan at Nebraska (BTN.com)
8:00 PM UTSA at Houston (CSS)
8:00 PM Grambling State at North Texas
8:00 PM Northeastern at Louisiana Tech
8:00 PM Valparaiso at Northern Illinois
8:00 PM Ohio at Northern Iowa
8:00 PM Northern Arizona at Sam Houston State
8:00 PM Southern Utah at Troy
9:00 PM Montana State at New Mexico
9:00 PM Buffalo at BYU (BYU TV)
9:00 PM Butler at Gonzaga (ESPN2)
10:00 PM UC Davis at San Jose State
10:00 PM North Carolina Central at Oregon
10:05 PM Texas-Arlington at Utah State
10:30 PM UC Irvine at UCLA (FS PT)

College Hoops Weekend Recap: Vanderbilt Falls at Home

Raphielle Johnson — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 22:58:31 -0800

One big reason why so many were hesitant to peg Vanderbilt for a trip to the Final Four has been their toughness, of both the mental and physical variety. After being able to run freely around the floor for much of their 78-64 win over Oregon on Friday night, those spaces closed up a great deal against Cleveland State on Sunday. And to be frank the Commodores didn't handle it well, shooting just 29.4% from the field in the first half and trailing 37-24 at the break. Vandy was unable to close the gap in the second half, falling 71-58 and becoming the first Top 10 team to lose this season.

"They got us out of our ability to get into our offense," said Vanderbilt head coach Kevin Stallings. "Our point guard play was less than stellar. We just didn't play well. We didn't guard well with toughness. We got what we deserved."

There's that word: toughness. It's not all about being able to stick one's chest out during a game, but rather the little things. The ability to run sharp cuts and not allowing the defender to change one's path, hitting the glass on both ends, taking care of the ball and not settling for poor shots. The Commodores turned the ball over 21 times on Sunday, with guards John Jenkins and Lee Tinsley turning the ball over three times apiece and wing Jeffery Taylor six. And Cleveland State's D'Aundray Brown was the chief instigator for the Vikings as he led the team with 18 points, eight rebounds and seven steals.

"I thought he guarded your best player and shut him down, and that's D'Aundray Brown," said Cleveland State head coach Gary Waters. "D'Aundray Brown was defensive player of the year two years ago with our league. I feel if we had him last year, we won 27 games, I thought we'd been really good last year, but he didn't play. Now he's hungry, he's excited about coming back. But he is a defensive star."

Jenkins scored 17 points but made just five of fourteen shots from the field, and after boasting an offensive rating of 133.8 against Oregon the junior was limited to a rating of 91.9 by Cleveland State. The Commodores were able to get to the foul line, making 18 of 26 from the charity stripe, but they didn't deal with the Vikings' physical defense very well and it showed in the numbers.

Vanderbilt's effective field goal percentage dropped from 47.7% (Oregon) to 39.2%, and their efficiency dropped some thirty points. Just goes to show the value of a good defense, as Cleveland State bore a closer resemblance to what's expected of Vanderbilt on a nightly basis. The good news for Vanderbilt is that they've learned this lesson on November 13th. The key now is to build to the point where they aren't getting that final jolt far too soon in March.

Other Notable Happenings

1.Evansville beats Butler for the second straight season in an overtime thriller.
Marty Simmons' Purple Aces got off to a horrific start offensively against the two-time defending national runners-up, making just six of sixteen shots and turning the ball over ten times to trail 37-28 at the half. But Evansville turned things around, turning the ball over six times and out-rebounding the Bulldogs 19-12, scoring 41 points and using an 11-0 run to tie things up at 54 with 8:24 left in regulation.

A wild finish to regulation resulted in the game going to overtime after Butler's Andrew Smith missed a pair of free throws, and behind Colt Ryan's 23 points the Purple Aces beat Butler for the second straight season. Evansville was picked in the preseason to finish 5th in the Missouri Valley, and this is a good result for a program that before last season hadn't finished the season with a non-losing league record since 2000-01.

2. Tray Woodall posts his second straight double-double for Pittsburgh.
With Brad Wanamaker moving on to the professional ranks it was clear that Jamie Dixon would call on redshirt junior Tray Woodall to take over at the point. And if the first two games of the season are any indication of his preparedness Pittsburgh could have their seventh winner of the Big East's Most Improved Player award since its inception for the 1996-97 season. After accounting for 25 points, 10 assists and six rebounds in Pitt's blowout win over Albany on Friday, Woodall posted a line of 17 points, 10 assists and seven rebound in an 86-78 win over Rider.

Ashton Gibbs added a game-high 24 points and Nasir Robinson 22 and the Panthers held a dominant 40-16 edge on the boards as they moved to 81-0 in non-conference games at Petersen Events Center in the months of November and December. But at this rate, Woodall could be a big reason why Pittsburgh enjoys a more profitable March.

3. Kevin Parrom returns to the court for Arizona while Josiah Turner sits.
Arizona received a good boost to their rotation with the return of wing Kevin Parrom, who was out due to a gunshot wound suffered in late-September. And while it wasn't apparent early as the Wildcats struggled to deal with a Ball State team that led by as many as 11 points early in the second half, Parrom's spark was most noticeable on the defensive end as the Cats came back to win 73-63. Parrom finished with six points, four rebounds and two assists in 18 minutes of action, far more than anyone expected him to see on Sunday.

Kyle Fogg led the way offensively with 21 points and Solomon Hill added 16, and Arizona clamped down to hold Ball State scoreless for nearly six minutes late in the second half. The other storyline on Sunday was the benching of freshman point guard Josiah Turner, whom head coach Sean Miller sat out in what would best be described as a "teaching moment". No suspension, just a chance to help the freshman mature some and it's a move that should pay off. Arizona added a player to the rotation, and as Parrom gets back into game condition look for this team to improve.

4. Ray Turner scores 20 for the second straight game as Texas A&M adjusts to not having Khris Middleton.
Khris Middleton is out for the next 3-4 weeks after undergoing surgery for a partially torn meniscus, so the question for the Aggies is who will step up to account for his scoring. Enter forward Ray Turner, who scored 20 points and grabbed eight rebounds in the Aggies' 83-58 win over Southern. This was Turner's second straight 20-point outing for the Aggies, who also received the boost of head coach Billy Kennedy returning to the sidelines. Kennedy had left the team for a few weeks after being diagnosed with the beginning stages of Parkinson's Disease, so it's good to see him back on the sidelines. But back to the Texas A&M offense, which could likely end up with more weapons than last year's outfit had, meaning that the Aggies could very well win the Big 12. And if they're getting consistent production from Turner once Middleton returns, Big 12 contention likely becomes a definite.

5. Northern Iowa impressive defensively in a 17-point win at Old Dominion.
You never sell a Ben Jacobson-coached team short regardless of the personnel changes, and Northern Iowa provided a nice piece of evidence as to why on Saturday night. Northern Iowa limited Old Dominion to 27.3% shooting and forced 19 Monarch turnovers in their 63-46 win in Norfolk, posting what could be the most impressive result of the weekend. It was a rough experience for ODU, who made just seven of twenty-seven shots from inside of the arc while shooting a frigid 29.4% (5-for-17) from beyond it. Starters Jake Koch and Anthony James combined to score 31 points for the Panthers and Mark Sonnen added 12 off the bench, but this was a powerful statement as to what UNI can do on the other end of the floor. ODU has some key personnel losses to account for as well, but this defensive show was outstanding.

Quick Hitters

1. Southern Illinois displayed how not to begin a season when some believe your head coach to be on the proverbial "hot seat", falling 64-63 to Division II Ohio Dominican. Mamadou Seck was productive for the Salukis with 18 points, 14 rebounds and two blocks but a pair of Jake Mochoskay free throws with 30 seconds remaining gave Ohio Dominican their first-ever win over a Division I opponent.

2. Louisville has absolutely no luck when it comes to the injury bug. Wayne Blackshear is out until at least February with a torn labrum in his shoulder, and Mike Marra went down with a season-ending knee injury in their 68-48 win over Lamar on Sunday.

3. Loyola Marymount did a poor job of building on their win over UCLA on Friday night as they lost to Middle Tennessee State 58-51 on Sunday. After scoring 21 points on Friday night Anthony Ireland made just two of eleven shots, scoring five points.

4. Wagner opened their season with an impressive 73-57 win at Princeton on Saturday. Josh Thompson led the way with 14 points and nine rebounds off the bench for the Seahawks, who are expected to be a contender in the NEC.

5. One stat line that may not jump out from a numbers standpoint but is important to note: James Padgett's 12 points and seven rebounds in Maryland's 71-62 win over UNC Wilmington. Even when Alex Len returns (serving a 10-game NCAA suspension) Mark Turgeon's going to need Padgett due to the Terps lack of frontcourt depth.

Notable Performances

1. G Damon Heuir (Southern Utah)
In the first two games of the season Heuir made just one of seven shots and scored six points. Against Bryant on Sunday: 13-16 FG, 33 points.

2. G Nate Wolters (South Dakota State)
32 points and 11 assists in the Jackrabbits' 82-76 win over Western Michigan on Saturday.

3. F Arnett Moultrie (Mississippi State)
28 points and 13 rebounds in the Bulldogs' 80-65 win over South Alabama.

4. G J'Covan Brown (Texas)
28 points, eight assists and four rebounds in the Longhorns' 82-46 win over Boston University.

5. G Jamar Franklin (San Diego State)
31 points, six rebounds and three steals off the bench in the Aztecs' 89-74 win over UC Davis.