Old Dominion

Rivers' Shot Caps Duke Rally: Wednesday Recap

Raphielle Johnson — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 09:36:16 -0500

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 13:43:04 -0500

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 — 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.

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

Raphielle Johnson — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 12:41:40 -0500

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 12:40:44 -0500

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 22:39:24 -0500

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 — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 01:58:07 -0500

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.

Southeast Region Final Thoughts: What's in Store for 2011-12?

Raphielle Johnson — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 03:25:56 -0400

Next up is the Southeast region, which contributed to the craziness of the NCAA Tournament beginning with Butler knocking off top-seed Pittsburgh in the third round. The question now is what's next for the entire region beginning with the Panthers, who welcome a solid recruiting class while also waiting to see what Ashton Gibbs' decision in regards to staying in the NBA Draft will be.

(1) Pittsburgh: lost to Butler in the third round
The Big East regular season champs had their season end in painful fashion, falling to eventual national runner-up Butler by a point in the third round. The Panthers will have some key figures to replace in Gilbert Brown, Gary McGhee and Brad Wanamaker, but there's enough talent at Jamie Dixon's disposal to make another run at a Big East title even if Ashton Gibbs remains in the NBA Draft. Travon Woodall was due to take over at the point regardless, and incoming freshmen Durand Johnson and John Johnson (no relation) have the ability to earn spots in the rotation. Lamar Patterson, Nasir Robinson (one of the most improved players in the Big East), Dante Taylor and Talib Zanna all return, and the addition of two of the best centers in the 2011 class (Khem Birch and Malcolm Gilbert) means that Pitt should once again be a major player in the Big East.

(2) Florida: lost to Butler in the regional final
Billy Donovan's team lived up to the preseason expectations, winning the SEC regular season title before losing in the conference tournament title game to Tennessee. Then came the NCAA Tournament, where they were knocked off in overtime by Butler, marking the end for three important frontcourt players. Vernon Macklin, Chandler Parsons and Alex Tyus all graduate, meaning that Erik Murphy, Will Yeguete and Patric Young will all need to be ready to go (Walter Pitchford could figure into the rotation too). The backcourt will be loaded with Kenny Boynton, Erving Walker and Scottie Wilbekin back, not to mention Mike Rosario (Rutgers transfer) and McDonald's All-America Bradley Beal joining the rotation. The Gators will be smaller, but if all parties involved manage to share the ball look out.

(3) BYU: lost to Florida in the Sweet 16
One of the greatest careers in the history of BYU comes to an end as All-America (and winner of multiple national Player of the Year awards) Jimmer Fredette departs. But the Cougars also have to replace Jackson Emery, whose career has come to an end as well. There's also the move to the West Coast Conference, where top contenders include Gonzaga, Saint Mary's and Santa Clara (the Broncos have nearly everyone back on a team that won the CollegeInsider.com Tournament). That simply means that more will be expected of forwards Charles Abouo and Noah Hartsock, especially with freshman Kyle Collinsworth going on his LDS mission. DeMarcus Harrison and UCLA transfer Matt Carlino will have a lot on their plates to start in the backcourt (can either play the point?) and Nate Austin leads three frontcourt players in their first season in Provo.

(4) Wisconsin: lost to Butler in the Sweet 16
The Badgers were a trendy pick by some to be a second round upset victim, which likely had more to do with who they were playing (Belmont) than anything else. But Bo Ryan's team took care of business, beating both the Bruins and Kansas State before falling to Butler in the Sweet 16. Going into next season there are two big frontcourt losses to address with Jon Leuer and Keaton Nankivil graduating, but Jordan Taylor and Josh Gasser return in the backcourt in addition to Mike Bruesewitz and Ryan Evans on the wing. Of their incoming recruits look for big men Jarrod Uthoff and Frank Kaminsky to be the most likely to crack the rotation, although guards Traevon Jackson and George Marshall aren't exactly chopped liver themselves (just may be tougher to crack the rotation on the perimeter). Every year people write off Coach Ryan's team when it comes to contending in the Big Ten, yet the find a way to do so regardless.

(5) Kansas State: lost to Wisconsin in the third round
2010-11 was a somewhat tumultuous year for Frank Martin's program, with the Wildcats dealing with a disappointing start, suspensions and defections by the time late January rolled around. But led by guard Jacob Pullen, K-State turned things around and won an NCAA Tournament game before falling to Wisconsin. Now they have to move on without Pullen, along with Curtis Kelly, and the biggest question is who steps up in a leadership role for next year's team. Jamar Samuels could be a logical choice in that area, and on the perimeter Rodney McGruder, Shane Southwell and Will Spradling will all need to step up as well. Jordan Henriquez-Roberts became an important part of the rotation as forwards left the team, and two solid frontcourt players arrive in Manhattan this summer as well (Thomas Gipson and Adrian Diaz). Point guard Angel Rodriguez should also compete for minutes, as will St. John's transfer Omari Lawrence.

(6) St. John's: lost to Gonzaga in the third round
Steve Lavin and his staff rejuvenated the city from a college basketball standpoint, giving ten seniors motivated to leave Queens with at least one notable accomplishment the direction needed to get back to the Big Dance. Their chances of winning in the NCAA Tournament went downhill when D.J. Kennedy tore his ACL in the first half of their Big East quarterfinal loss to Syracuse, and the absence of his versatility was painfully obvious in the loss to Gonzaga. Now he, Dwight Hardy and the rest of that class moves on, and replacing them is one of the nation's best recruiting classes. Nine players deep, this group is led by four very good small forwards (Amir Garrett, Maurice Harkless, Sir'Dominic Pointer and Jakarr Sampson) in addition to quality players at nearly every position on the floor. Add this group to Dwayne Polee Jr. and there will be growing pains, but at the very least the Red Storm are a significant conversation piece in the Big East again, and they'll be talented too.

(7) UCLA: lost to Florida in the third round
Despite questions at the point Ben Howland's team won 23 games and finished second in the Pac-10, and without a senior on this year's roster the future looks good for UCLA. However, Tyler Honeycutt will not be back as he'll hire an agent and remain in the NBA Draft, and Malcolm Lee also entered his name although he won't retain an agent. Once again the question for the Bruins will be at the point, where Lazeric Jones had moments where he looked more than capable of handling the job but struggled while dealing with injuries. Another year for he and Jerime Anderson should pay off, while up front Reeves Nelson and Joshua Smith have the ability to be the best frontcourt tandem in the conference. There are other contributors returning, and incoming freshman Norman Powell can be one of the best freshmen in the Pac-10. And don't forget about the Wear twins, who are eligible after transferring in from North Carolina. Look for UCLA to be the preseason favorite in the Pac-10 (defending champ Arizona will also have a case).

(8) Butler: lost to Connecticut in the national title game
Once again Brad Stevens' Bulldogs went on a run few envisioned before the NCAA Tournament began, beating three of the top four seeds in their region before ultimately putting forth their worst offensive performance of the season (and the worst in NCAA title game history) at the worst possible time. Three key seniors graduate, most notably forward Matt Howard (Zach Hahn and Shwan Vanzant are the others), and junior guard Shelvin Mack could have a decision to make in regards to the NBA Draft. Butler returns solid contributors such as guard Ronald Nored and forwards Khyle Marshall and Andrew Smith, and players such as Chrishawn Hopkins and Chase Stigall will also have opportunities to increase their contributions. And the incoming class is solid as well, led by Australian point guard Jackson Aldridge and wing Roosevelt Jones. Butler will once again be a favorite in the Horizon League.

(9) Old Dominion: lost to Butler in the second round
The CAA Tournament champions were led by a deep frontcourt and one of the best perimeter defenders few speak of in Kent Bazemore, but they fell at the buzzer to Butler in their first game. Luckily for Blaine Taylor, Bazemore will be back, but he's got to replace three of those key frontcourt players as Keyon Carter, Ben Finney and Frank Hassell all depart. Four of their top five scorers in total move on, meaning that Chris Cooper, Marquel De Lancey and Trian Iliadis all need to step up and help out Bazemore. Is a player such as Nick Wright capable of stepping up with more minutes? To say the least this will be a critical offseason for the returning forwards, who didn't see much time this season. Freshman Jason Pimentel from out of Montverde Academy stands to earn minutes next season, and the same likely goes for point guard Breon Key. Don't look for the Monarchs to be picked too high in the CAA but they'll likely be a factor in some form.

(10) Michigan State: lost to UCLA in the second round
It's safe to say that fans aren't too used to seeing a Tom Izzo-coached team finish its season with a 19-15 record, but that's exactly what happened in a disappointing campaign for the Spartans. Kalin Lucas played well late in the season but he moves on along with Durrell Summers and Mike Kebler, and sophomore center Garrick Sherman has decided to transfer. But there's still talent in East Lansing, led by do-it-all forward Draymond Green and guard Keith Appling. Derrick Nix, Adreian Payne and Delvon Roe are three of the bodies Izzo will look to inside next season, and things should be rejuvenated by a good recruiting class. Branden Dawson is the active player on the wing that seemed missing at times this season, and guards Dwaun Anderson and Brandan Kearney are two Michigan natives who can earn minutes as well. Don't expect this group to lose 15 games in 2011-12; they'll be pretty good.

(11) Gonzaga: lost to BYU in the third round
There were questions throughout the course of the season as to whether or not Mark Few's team would be good enough to earn an at-large bid, but the Bulldogs rendered that question moot as they won the WCC's automatic bid. And with just one senior departing, albeit an important senior (Steven Gray), there's a strong likelihood that Gonzaga is a better team next year. Sam Dower, Elias Harris, Kelly Olynyk and Robert Sacre all return in the frontcourt and the backcourt won't be bad either with Marquise Carter, Demetri Goodson and David Stockton returning as well. Add in a recruiting class that's strong in the backcourt (Gary Bell Jr. and Kevin Pangos lead the way) and look for the Bulldogs to be the preseason favorite in the WCC despite the arrival of BYU. The Cougars lose enough that it's easy to see Santa Clara being Gonzaga's biggest competition, but the Zags could be the unanimous choice in October.

(12) Utah State: lost to Kansas State in the second round
Just like Gonzaga the Aggies made sure to take care of business in their conference tournament, but a 30-win campaign ended in their first NCAA Tournament game. The key now for Stew Morrill is to replace six seniors who accomplished quite a bit in Logan, led by forward Tai Wesley and guard Pooh Williams. But the Aggies will still have some talented players to turn to next season, led by guard Brockeith Pane and forwards Morgan Grim and Brady Jardine. Utah State also addressed the frontcourt losses on the recruiting trail, adding centers Igor Premasunac and Jordan Stone in addition to power forward Kyisean Reed. Premasunac and Reed are both junior college transfers, and like Pane coming into this season they'll be expected to contribute early and often. Look for the Aggies to remain one of the favorites in the WAC.

(13) Belmont: lost to Wisconsin in the second round
Rick Byrd's Bruins were a trendy pick by many to pull off an upset in the NCAA Tournament, but much to their detriment Belmont drew the wrong matchup for them in the second round. The good news for the Bruins is that they return nearly everyone and were thought to be "one year away" at the start of 2010-11 anyway. Jordan Campbell and Jon House are the two seniors moving on but with so many players getting playing time this season (11 played at least 10 minutes/game) the Bruins should be able to account for those losses. Forwards Mick Hedgepeth and Scott Saunders form a very good tandem inside and guards Ian Clark and Kerron Johnson are two of the key cogs on the perimeter. With a better matchup in the NCAA tournament Belmont could very well win a game if not more next season.

(14) Wofford: lost to BYU in the second round
Despite the scoring of Charleston's Andrew Goudelock throughout the season it was Wofford who grabbed the Southern Conference's automatic bid, earning their second straight trip to the NCAA Tournament. Noah Dahlmann led the way but he was one of five seniors that head coach Mike Young relied on, meaning that there's some rebuilding to be done as the Terriers approach 2011-12. Five of Wofford's top seven scorers were seniors, including Cameron Rundles and Jamar Diggs. Kevin Giltner and Brad Loesing will be the leading returning scorers, and there will be plenty of minutes up for grabs come October. Much will be expected of forward Drew Crowell, in addition to an incoming class that has two guards in Lucas Brown and Karl Cochran. A lot of work will need to be done if the Terriers are to return to the Big Dance.

(15) UC Santa Barbara: lost to Florida in the second round
Bob Williams' team had its issues in the regular season but the Gauchos got hot at just the right time, knocking off Big West regular season champion Long Beach State in the conference tournament final to earn an NCAA bid. Orlando Johnson (declared for NBA Draft but did not hire an agent) and James Nunnally led the way offensively as one of the most productive backcourt tandems in the nation, and both are due to return as seniors next season. Also expected back is the team's third-leading scorer in forward Jaime Serna, and the three seniors being lost combined for just over 13 points per game. The frontcourt will likely be bolstered by the addition of forwards Taran Brown and John Green, and point guard T.J. Taylor may be the best member of the incoming class. UCSB will once again be a favorite in the Big West.

(16) Arkansas-Little Rock: lost to UNC Asheville in the First Four
The Trojans found a way to survive the wild Sun Belt Tournament, with guard Solomon Bozeman knocking down the game-winning three pointer in the final seconds of the title game against North Texas. But now comes the hard part for Steve Shields and his staff, as he has to go about replacing the top three scorers from this team. Bozeman, Alex Garcia-Mendoza and Matt Mouzy all graduate, meaning that guards Daylon Guy and D'Andre Williams need to be ready to shoulder the offensive load. Courtney Jackson and Eric Kibi will be the leading returning rebounders for UALR, but it needs to be remembered that the Trojans were 7-9 in league play. A return trip could be a tall task for this team in 2011-12, and they're going to need contributions from incoming freshmen Michael Javes and James White.

(16) UNC Asheville: lost to Pittsburgh in the second round
Eddie Biedenbach's club was able to pick up a win in the First Four, coming back to force overtime before beating UALR in double overtime. The perimeter tandem of Matt Dickey and J.P. Primm led the way in that contest along with their run through the Big South Tournament, and those two will likely make the Bulldogs a favorite in the conference next year. John Williams, one of college basketball's best dunkers, is the lone major loss for UNC Asheville and the roster sets up to the point where the Bulldogs could go on a run over the next couple of seasons. Add in a recruiting class led by guards Keith Hornsby and Corey Littlejohn in addition to center Jaleel Roberts and the freshmen have the ability to make a difference as well. Not only can UNC Asheville get back to the tournament but they can also avoid the First Four.

Second Round Thursday: Your Commentary

Raphielle Johnson — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 02:43:59 -0400

The true fun that is the NCAA Tournament tips off on Thursday, beginning with Clemson taking on West Virginia in Tampa (no disrespect to the "First Four"). Sixteen games across the nation will captivate the country with thrilling finishes and routine blowouts being the order of the day. Below is the schedule breakdown by region by tip time, with one game from each quadrant being featured.

By the time Thursday's schedule is finished millions of brackets will be ruined, which should come as no surprise given the regular season. This year also marks the first time that four networks will televise the games, which could take away from the tradition of "live look-ins" but at the least fans of a particular team know they can watch their squad from start to finish.

East Region
Tampa, FL
12:15 PM (12) Clemson vs. (5) West Virginia (CBS)
2:45 PM (13) Princeton vs. (4) Kentucky (CBS)
While Clemson will serve as the first example of how a "First Four" winner deals with the quick turnaround, the second game of the afternoon should be intriguing as well. Ivy League champion Princeton takes on SEC tournament champ Kentucky, and both teams should enter Thursday's game brimming with confidence. The Wildcats have been bolstered by their upperclassmen, led by SEC Tournament MVP Darius Miller and DeAndre Liggins. When Miller, who is fourth on the team in scoring, plays aggressively on offense Kentucky is an even tougher team to slow down. And in Liggins they've got one of the premier defenders in the nation.

The Tigers are an experienced group led in scoring by forwards Ian Hummer and Kareem Maddox, and guards Douglas Davis and Dan Mavraides get the job done on the perimeter. The key for Princeton: keep the Wildcats, especially Josh Harrellson and Terrence Jones, off of the offensive boards. Kentucky grabs 35% of their misses, a good number for a team that gets nearly 29% of its points from three (long rebound opportunities). The two teams are separated by just two possessions per game and the Wildcats have been the more efficient of the two offensively. Look for this contest to be an entertaining affair.

Southeast Region
Washington, DC
12:40 PM (9) Old Dominion vs. (8) Butler (TruTV)
The matchup between the Monarchs and Bulldogs will be among the best of the day, especially if viewers like defense. Butler was centimeters to the left away from an improbable national title last season, and as the season's worn on Brad Stevens' club has adjusted to the personnel losses from that team. Guard Shelvin Mack and forward Matt Howard are the top offensive threats for Butler, but they both will run into tough matchups. Guard Kent Bazemore is the best defensive player in the CAA, winning the league's Defensive Player of the Year award, and ODU has a big man in Frank Hassell who was named MVP of the conference tournament.

Blaine Taylor's Monarchs allow opponents to shoot just 40.4% from the field and 28% from three, one of the best marks in the country. Butler can ill-afford to resort to simply firing away from deep, but they do get 30.8% of their points from beyond the arc. If Old Dominion can take this aspect of Butler's offense away look out. The Bulldogs will need to keep Old Dominion off the offensive glass. The Monarchs have an effective field goal percentage of 48.7%, but their offensive efficiency (108.4) ranks among the best in the CAA due to the fact that they grab 45.3% of their misses. First team to sixty wins? More than possible in the nation's capital.

3:10 PM (16) UNC Asheville vs. Pittsburgh (TruTV)

Tampa, FL
6:50 PM (15) UC Santa Barbara vs. (2) Florida (TBS)
9:20 PM (10) Michigan State vs. (7) UCLA (TBS)
Tom Izzo is widely regarded as one of the best tournament coaches in the game, and six Final Four appearances in addition to the Spartans' overall success during his tenure more than backs it up. But this current team isn't on the same level of those outstanding teams that racked up the hardware and NCAA Tournament success, casting doubt on the idea that the Spartans can get hot come tournament time. Their opponents don't enter the Big Dance playing their best either, with UCLA suffering a bad loss in the Pac-10 quarterfinals against Oregon. But the Bruins do have weapons, led by wing Tyler Honeycutt and forward Reeves Nelson. The matchup between Nelson and Draymond Green should be fun to watch, and Michigan State needs Green back on his game after a quiet Big Ten Tournament.

Outside of Kalin Lucas it's tough to peg who exactly had a standout three games in Indianapolis last weekend, and Michigan State needs Durrell Summers to find his game if they're to hang around Tampa for the entire weekend. Summers shot 50% or better just once in Big Ten play, and that was in their quarterfinal win over Purdue with him taking just four shots. That can't happen against UCLA, and the Spartans will also need to hope that the tradition of Pac-10 teams struggling the first weekend when having to travel three time zones continues. UCLA will go as far as point guard Lazeric Jones can take them from a distribution aspect, as he's their most effective player at the point. Malcolm Lee and Joshua Smith will also be needed offensively, and they should have opportunities to make things happen.

Denver, CO
7:15 PM (14) Wofford vs. (3) BYU (CBS)
9:45 PM (11) Gonzaga vs. (6) St. John's (CBS)
Steve Lavin has St. John's back where their fans expect them to be at the least: playing in the NCAA Tournament. And for all the criticism Coach Lavin took during his tenure at UCLA, it needs to be noted that of the seven teams he took to the NCAA Tournament five went to the Sweet 16. The Red Storm will be without senior wing D.J. Kennedy but this is a group that's had to call on contributions from a number of players throughout the course of the season. It won't be one player that shoulders the full load left by their most versatile player but rather a number of guys who do a little bit more than usual. Guard Dwight Hardy has been outstanding for St. John's and with his role as the initiator of the offense in addition to his own scoring, Gonzaga will need to control him if they're to win.

The Bulldogs have three very good offensive weapons in Steven Gray, Elias Harris and Robert Sacre, but there have been other contributors for Mark Few's team. Sam Dower and David Stockton are two freshmen who have stepped up for Gonzaga, and Dower will be important in dealing with an experienced St. John's front line that has some muscle as well. Gonzaga has a rebounding margin of plus-4.9 and they will enjoy an advantage on the boards against St. John's. But the Red Storm use a variety of defenses, turning over their opponents 24% of the time, meaning that the rebounding disparity could be nullified if the Bulldogs are too reckless with the basketball.

Tucson, AZ
7:27 PM (13) Belmont vs. (4) Wisconsin (TruTV)
9:57 PM (12) Utah State vs. (5) Kansas State (TruTV)
There wouldn't be much surprise if both of these games in the Old Pueblo were won by the lower seeded team, with both Belmont and Utah State having won 30 games this season. But the focus here is on the nightcap, with Kansas State improving their play over the last month of the season (they don't match up well with Colorado) and Utah State far and away the class of the WAC. Jacob Pullen missed practice on Wednesday due to some food he ate, but he's tough and will be on the floor for the game. The question for the Wildcats is who steps up offensively to help him out, and two candidates there are Curtis Kelly and Jamar Samuels. And they will be tested by an experienced frontcourt led by WAC Player of the Year Tai Wesley.

Wesley averages 14.7 points and 8.0 rebounds per game for the Aggies, who have won eight straight games. On the perimeter junior Brockeith Pane has more freedom to make plays and senior Pooh Williams is a solid defender who will challenge Pullen for much of the night. Kansas State turns the ball over 15 times per game, and while they force nearly 16 per contest their opponents have been good at taking care of the basketball for much of the season. K-State also needs to hit the offensive boards as they rebound 41.3% of their misses on the season. If the Aggies can limit the Wildcats' good looks while also keeping them off the offensive glass they'll beat Kansas State, and it shouldn't be considered an upset either.

Southwest Region
Denver, CO
1:40 PM (13) Morehead State vs. (4) Louisville (TBS)
4:10 PM (12) Richmond vs. (5) Vanderbilt (TBS)
Here's another "12 over 5" scenario that would surprise few were it to happen. The Spiders start four seniors led by point guard Kevin Anderson and forward Justin Harper, two of the best players in the Atlantic 10. Vanderbilt is tougher than previous editions that made the NCAA Tournament but Kevin Stallings' team can still struggle in big road/neutral games. The Commodores are very good offensively however, with John Jenkins leading the way on the perimeter and big man Festus Ezeli in some areas being an upgrade when compared to the departed A.J. Ogilvy. Vandy averages 76 points per game, but they're going to have a hard time reaching that number against the Spiders.

Richmond has held each of their last six opponents to below 40% shooting from the field, and none of those teams shot higher than 28% from three either. The Spiders are very good in their defensive scheme when it comes to forcing challenged shots, an important characteristic given the fact that they don't force many turnovers (the high in turnovers for their last six opponents: 11). Offensively the Spiders can punish opponents that fall asleep with backdoor cuts, and if teams sag off an Anderson or Harper can go to work. This game will more than likely be one of the games that go right down to the very end.

West Region
Tucson, AZ
2:10 PM (10) Penn State vs. (7) Temple (TNT)
The Nittany Lions and Owls get to fly across the country to meet, with Temple winning their most recent NCAA Tournament meeting (2001 Sweet 16). Temple won that game and has won 25 of the last 31 meetings, most recently beating Penn State 45-42 last season. The Owls have won six straight in the series but head coach Fran Dunphy has struggled in the Big Dance with a 1-12 career record in the event. Guards Juan Fernandez and Ramone Moore will have their hands full with senior Talor Battle, but Temple is good enough defensively to keep tabs on arguably the greatest player in Penn State history. Temple allows opponents to shoot just 41% from the field and they enjoy a turnover margin of plus-2.5.

Temple has also been the better rebounding team of the two, and Lavoy Allen has stepped up since the loss of center Micheal Eric due to injury. But with the Owls' diminished depth up front comes increased opportunities for Nittany Lions such as Jeff Brooks and Andrew Jones to hit the boards on both ends of the floor. Temple makes things difficult on their opponents, allowing an offensive efficiency of just 93.7, meaning that Penn State will need to get their offense from a variety of sources if they're to live to play another day.

4:40 PM (15) Northern Colorado vs. (2) San Diego State (TNT)

Washington, DC
7:20 PM (14) Bucknell vs. (3) Connecticut (TNT)
9:50 PM (11) Missouri vs. (6) Cincinnati (TNT)
The final game of the day in Washington should be an entertaining contest, with a Missouri team that won just one conference road game taking on a Cincinnati club that's played better basketball over the last month or so. Yancy Gates has been more active for the Bearcats, and when he's ready to go the effort boosts the entire team. Five players average at least eight points per game for Cincinnati, and sixth man Sean Kilpatrick will be one of the key offensive options for them against a team that likes to ramp up the tempo. Missouri forces an average of 18 turnovers per game, but the Bearcats hand it over just 11.6 times so something has to give. A key for Cincinnati in their quest to keep Missouri from turning the game into a track meet will be their rebounding.

Missouri is not a very good rebounding team, allowing opponents to grab 36% of their misses on the season. Laurence Bowers and Ricardo Ratliffe are the key cogs up front for the Tigers, but they're not particularly big and the team has a rebounding margin of minus-2.0. Cincinnati's been better and if they're able to control the rebounding the flow of the game likely follows. Marcus Denmon, Michael Dixon Jr. and Kim English are the three leaders on the perimeter, but Mike Anderson will play a number of bodies throughout the course of the game. Eight players play 17 minutes or more per game for Missouri while nine play 13 or more for the Bearcats. Both teams have bodies to look to for contributions, but there's a big difference in how quickly these two want to play. He who controls tempo ultimately controls the outcome.

Butler vs Old Dominion: NCAA Preview & Predictions

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 22:09:24 -0400

(8) Butler vs. (9) Old Dominion

Southeast Region - Washington, D.C.

March 17 - 12:40 truTV

The 8/9 game will be intriguing, especially if you're a fan of defense. Butler made their run all the way to the national title game a season ago, and even though it took some time to figure out how to get on without Gordon Hayward (Avery Jukes and Willie Veasley as well) Brad Stevens' Bulldogs figured it out and won the Horizon League tournament title. Old Dominion is back as well, winning the CAA Tournament behind guard Kent Bazemore and forward Frank Hassell. The matchups of Bazemore/Shelvin Mack and Hassell/Matt Howard will be entertaining, with an important contribution from one of the other players in either rotation being the difference.

CHN Team Capsules (w/ stats, records, and rankings):

Butler

Old Dominion

Stars to Watch:

F Matt Howard (Butler)

F Frank Hassell (Old Dominion)

Vegas Odds:

ODU -1

Predictions:

RealTimeRPI: ODU 63 - Butler 62

KenPom: ODU 62 - Butler 61

CollegeHoops.net Betting Pick: ODU

Faces Winner Of: Pittsburgh vs UNCA/UALR