Richmond

Company/Product Review: Retro College Cuts

Raphielle Johnson — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:23:57 -0500

Just a few years ago the demand for throwback jerseys was impossible to ignore, with many flocking to stores in search of that item that would allow them to relive their "glory days" as a fan. But the wearing of tops has faded away somewhat, and the words of one Sean Carter in his song "What More Can I Say" may sum up why for many people.

"And I don't wear jerseys I'm 30-plus..."

So what's a college basketball fan to do if they want to travel back in time without the throwback jersey? The founders of the company Retro College Cuts have just the answer: throwback shorts. Founded in 2011 by a pair of former college basketball players, Retro College Cuts specializes in the selling of replicas of game shorts worn by some of the more famous teams in college basketball history.

According to one of the founders the NCAA merchandising market grosses anywhere from $4-$4.5 billion, but the shorts market only makes up about $50 million of that amount. But while there's certainly a market for replica game shorts, this business isn't solely about making money.

"It started with my own crazy interest and passion for college basketball," he noted in a phone conversation earlier this week when asked about the reason for beginning the company. "I'm a former college basketball player and my dad was a Division III coach."

That devotion and knowledge of college basketball is noticeable from the moment you visit the site, as a highlight montage featuring some of the top players and teams of yesteryear plays. Each of the fourteen shorts in the first "class" has a story, with a paragraph of information on that specific team accompanying the page where customers can buy the shorts of their choice. There's also a link to a YouTube video for each team, which helps bring back memories of the "glory days" that each short is made to represent.

One may ask why there are only fourteen teams represented at this point, and this was a question posed to the founder during our chat. There are three different governing bodies when it comes to applying for the rights to sell officially licensed collegiate apparel, and they need to be negotiated with separately. Retro College Cuts was able to procure those rights with two of them and are currently negotiating with the third, which will open up the possibility of additions being made to the "catalog" later this year.

Retro College Cuts isn't just about shorts either as they also sell select retro T-shirts. They also offer a "combo" deal where customers can purchase a shirt and a pair of shorts for $99, a price that includes membership in their VIP program (which gives a 10% off discount for life) and free shipping (a perk that normally isn't given unless $75 or more is spent in a transaction). And $1 of every purchase is donated to The V Foundation for Cancer Research, which is another positive.

But what about the quality of the short? Made in the USA, the shorts are made of a fabric blend that replicates the weight and quality of an actual game short. The shorts are comfortable and with a 22" outseam there's no concern of replicating the size of those old-school shorts (which is good from a personal pride standpoint). The graphics are digitally printed and as an officially licensed product there's isn't a concern of being duped into buying something that isn't legit. From personal experience I can tell you that the shorts, which run large, fit well and look good.

Retro College Cuts also has a few promotions running that you should take advantage of in addition to checking out the gear. Twitter is utilized on both Tuesdays and Thursdays, with the "TIXonTUESDAY" promotion giving Twitter followers the chance to win a pair of college basketball tickets. The possible reward for "ThrowbackThursday" is either a retro t-shirt or a pair of replica game shorts. The "cost" of entry: just a simple follow of their Twitter account and a retweet of the message that they send out.

Lastly there's the contest that the founders are running, which closes on February 24th with a prize that the college hoops fan would definitely appreciate: an all-expenses paid trip for two (the winner and a guest of their choice) to Las Vegas for the first weekend of the NCAA tournament. The prize includes a three-day stay at The Hotel boutique and round-trip airfare, and with Vegas being what it is on that weekend the experience would be a phenomenal one.

Retro College Cuts is a new company that should meet the demand of college basketball fans hoping for a way to relive some of their favorite moments from back in the day in a fashion beyond searching the web for grainy video footage. The shorts certainly won't turn you into a Mark Jackson, Larry Johnson or Xavier McDaniel (our phone chat included the founder saying that the Wichita State design was his favorite) once you put them on, but they'll allow you to think back on their exploits and smile.

Richmond vs Temple: Prediction & Fan Poll

Greg Mengelt — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 13:46:31 -0500

TEMPLE (11-4, 1-1 A-10) AT RICHMOND (10-7, 1-1 A-10)

Time/TV: 7 p.m./CBS Sports Network

Location: Robins Center

RPI Ratings: Temple 16 (No. 1 Atlantic 10); Richmond 112 (No. 11 Atlantic 10).

Line: Temple +1

Temple Players to Watch: G Ramone Moore, 6-4 Sr. (17 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 3.4 apg); G Khalif Wyatt, 6-4 Jr. (16.3 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 43.5% 3s); F Rahlir Hollis-Jefferson, 6-6 Jr. (9.7 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 62.6% FG). Wyatt was incredible in the Owls’ big 72-67 A-10 road win over Saint Louis with 22 points on 9-of-13 shooting. He made all three of his 3-point attempts, had three steals, two rebounds, two assists and two blocked shots.

Richmond Players to Watch: G Darien Brothers, 6-3 Jr. (14.6 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 48.9% 3s); G Kendall Anthony, 5-8 Fr. (13.5 ppg, 1.8 apg, 40.9% 3s); F/C Darrius Garrett, 6-9 Sr. (5.6 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 3.8 bpg). Anthony came off the bench for 13 points – on 5-of-8 shooting, including 3-for-4 from the 3-point line – and six assists (to one turnover) in the Spiders’ A-10 win over Rhode Island a week ago.

Storylines: After a home loss to Dayton to open A-10 play, Temple went on the road and upset Saint Louis to improve to 1-1 in the league. Richmond also lost its opener at Charlotte before responding with a 70-53 road win at Rhode Island a week ago.

What You Should Know: Temple really has one significant weakness. That’s interior defense and rebounding, but the Spiders don’t have the tools to take advantage of those weaknesses. Anthony Lee and Hollis-Jefferson have a rare opportunity to dominate a game. If they do so, Temple should bury Richmond early. Moore’s and Wyatt’s size and strength will give the Spiders some difficulty, but Brothers’ and Anthony’s athleticism could give Richmond an edge. If the game comes down to free throw shooting, the Spiders have a big advantage. They’re one of the nation’s top free throw shooting team at 75.5 percent.

The Bottom Line: Despite its experience, Temple struggled on the road in early-season losses to Bowling Green and Texas, but the Owls showed toughness at Saint Louis. The Owls should get it done in back-to-back road games.

The Pick: Temple 70, Richmond 63.

Friday's Preview: West Virginia vs. #7 Baylor

Raphielle Johnson — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 00:38:32 -0500

Friday marks the final day of games before Christmas Day, and while the schedule is light there are some good games to keep an eye on. Atop the list is a game at the Las Vegas Classic matching West Virginia (8-2) and #7 Baylor (10-0), with the Bears boasting one of the deepest frontcourt rotations in the country. But to be fair this is their most strenuous back-to-back stretch of the season as they beat Saint Mary's on Thursday night. West Virginia's got one of the top forwards in the country in senior Kevin Jones (20.8 ppg, 11.3 rpg), but he's going to need help from the Mountaineers' other frontcourt players if they're to keep the Bears at bay.

One player who's capable of helping out Jones physically is Deniz Kilicli (12.2 ppg, 6.6 rpg), a physical interior presence who will need to avoid foul trouble in order for WVU to be at their best. Perry Jones III (16.2 ppg, 5.8 rpg) is the best NBA Draft prospect of the Baylor big men but freshman Quincy Miller (10.8 ppg, 5.3 ppg, 2.7 apg) isn't far behind, and his versatility and unselfish play have been great boosts to the Bears' attack. Veterans Quincy Acy and Anthony Jones are also key figures on the back line of Scott Drew's matchup zone, and the wingspan of these players makes it very difficult for opponents to find open areas.

Baylor blocks eight shots per game but their rebounding numbers don't exactly fit the profile of what one would expect from a dominant frontcourt, as their rebounding margin stands at a plus-6.7. West Virginia hasn't been great in that regard either but they do grab nearly 14 offensive rebounds per game and Baylor allows 14.1. With the zone it can be difficult at times to box out, but the Bears cannot allow this to be the case on Friday night. Jones leads the way with 4.6 offensive boards per game and players such as Kilicli and Kevin Noreen can also be of assistance on the glass.

The play on the perimeter should also pique the interest of viewers as guard play has been pointed to as the determining factor in how far Baylor goes this season. Pierre Jackson (11.5 ppg, 4.6 apg) hasn't started a game this season but he's the leading assist man for the Bears with A.J. Walton (4.2 apg) ranking second. Both can still stand to improve on their turnover numbers as Jackson averages three per game and Walton 2.4. Cal transfer Gary Franklin played his first game as a Bear at BYU last weekend and did his best work on the defensive end of the floor, but he's another option at the point if needed.

West Virginia returns a veteran in senior Truck Bryant (16.5 ppg, 3.2 apg) but he's had to do more work off the ball with the scorers they lost from last season's team. That's meant that two newcomers, Jabarie Hinds (7.9 ppg, 3.7 apg) and Gary Browne (5.8 ppg, 3.6 apg) have shared the duties at the point for much of the game. The two are averaging a combined 4.8 turnovers per game, a number that should (and has to) improve as the Mountaineers approach Big East play. Both teams turn the ball over an average of 15 times per game while forcing 17 turnovers, with Baylor's defensive turnover percentage slightly better due to playing one less possession per game.

The key for West Virginia will be to find quality looks inside of the arc; they shoot 31.4% from deep while Baylor allows opponents to shoot 31.9%. Where Baylor's been really good is their overall field goal percentage defense, as opponents have made just 34.6% of their shots. Could the schedule have something to do with this? Yes, but the bigger reason is the length of the frontcourt discussed above. It's difficult to make those shots when having to deal with multiple players possessing wingspans beyond seven feet, but WVU will have to find a way to do so if they're to win.

In other games on Friday there's a huge game in Las Vegas, especially for the resume of the Pac-12. California, one of the teams expected to contend for the conference title, takes on Mountain West contender UNLV and the Rebels rank among the most tested teams in the country. The Golden Bears may once again be without forward Richard Solomon, and that could be an issue when it comes to dealing with UNLV's Mike Moser. The guard play should be fun to watch with Cal having Allen Crabbe, Jorge Gutierrez and Justin Cobbs while UNLV will counter with Oscar Bellfield, Anthony Marshall and Chace Stanback just to name three of their weapons. UNLV would be in good shape either way, but with that Missouri whipping on their resume Cal could use another good non-conference win.

Rhode Island gains the services of Billy Baron and Andre Malone, a pair of mid-season transfers the 1-10 Rams desperately need to go along with Jamal Wilson. They'll host in-state rival Providence, with Ed Cooley doing a very good job thus far in turning around the proud program. Vincent Council ranks among the top point guards in the Big East, Bryce Cotton has made significant strides in his sophomore campaign and LaDontae Henton has been one of the best freshmen in America.

Pittsburgh hosts NEC contender Wagner, and the Seahawks will look to their solid backcourt led by Tyler Murray to lead the way in their quest for the upset. And also on the west coast is Richmond taking on UCLA in a game that the Spiders can definitely win. Darien Brothers scored 38 against ODU, and while the Bruins have won four straight since the dismissal of Reeves Nelson they're schedule has done them a favor (outside of the Penn matchup).

Top 25 Games
7:00 PM Western Kentucky at (4) Louisville (ESPN2)
9:00 PM (7) Baylor vs. West Virginia* (ESPN)
8:00 PM Wagner at (13) Pittsburgh (ESPNU)
5:30 PM Mississippi Valley State at (14) Wisconsin (BTN)
1:30 AM (15) Xavier at Hawaii (ESPNU)
5:00 PM California at (23) UNLV (CBSSN)

NCAA Division I Games
1:00 PM Valparaiso at IUPUI
2:00 PM Maine at Brown
2:00 PM Dartmouth at Albany
2:00 PM Norfolk State at St. Francis (NY)
3:00 PM Clemson vs. Southern Illinois* (ESPNU)
3:00 PM Kennesaw State vs. Texas A&M-CC*
5:00 PM UTEP vs. Kansas State* (ESPNU)
6:00 PM Ball State at Morehead State
7:00 PM Furman at Georgia (ESPN3)
7:00 PM Vermont at Towson
7:00 PM St. Francis (PA) at St. Bonaventure
7:00 PM North Carolina A&T at Ohio
7:00 PM Marist at Pennsylvania
7:00 PM Providence at Rhode Island (Cox HD)
7:00 PM Chicago State at Cincinnati (ESPN3)
7:00 PM UIC at Dayton
7:00 PM Manhattan at George Mason
7:00 PM Seton Hall at Longwood (FCS)
7:00 PM Western Michigan at Oakland (FSN Detroit)
7:00 PM East Tennessee State at Tennessee
8:00 PM Radford at Maryland (ESPN3)
10:30 PM Richmond at UCLA (FSN PT)
11:00 PM Long Beach State vs. Auburn (ESPN2)
11:30 PM Missouri State vs. Saint Mary's* (ESPN3)

Tuesday Recap: Louisville Rallies to Remain Undefeated

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

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

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

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

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

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

Other Notable Happenings

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

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

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

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

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

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

Quick Hitters

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Four Notable Performances

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

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

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

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

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)

Wednesday Preview: Cincinnati at Wright State

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 23:39:19 -0500

Thanks to the events of Saturday afternoon and their aftermath a dangerous road trip is now even tougher for Cincinnati (5-3), who will be shorthanded on their trip to Wright State (4-6). Yancy Gates, Cheikh Mbodj and Octavius Ellis are all suspended six games for their roles in Saturday's brawl at Xavier while Ge'Lawn Guyn sits one game, meaning that even with the Raiders having lost five of their last seven they've got every chance to defend their home floor successfully. So who steps up for the Bearcats? It will likely have to be three guards who have started all eight games thus far.

Cashmere Wright (8.6 ppg, 4.4 apg) runs the show while Dion Dixon (13.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg) and Sean Kilpatrick (14.5 ppg, 4.6 rpg) will be the likely primary options with the Bearcats lacking an interior game offensively. There is Justin Jackson, and athletic big man who can run the floor and block shots, but to expect him to pick up where Gates left off scoring-wise would be unrealistic. One would have to think that freshmen Jermaine Sanders and Kelvin Gaines, both of whom haven't played much to date, would get a chance early to prove that they can contribute and the return of JaQuon Parker means one more weapon on the perimeter.

As for the Raiders they've struggled mightily on the offensive end of the floor, shooting 36.9% from the field on the season. Billy Donlon's team averages the same number of possessions per game as Cincinnati (66) but they're averaging only 55.5 points per game, a number that ranks 333rd nationally. So with a leading scorer (guard Julius Mays) who averages just 10.2 points per game, how has Wright State found a way to win four games? Defense.

Wright State's allowing just 59.6 points per game and they make opponents battle for everything they get offensively, which could be an issue for Cincinnati given the personnel losses. Opponents turn the ball over on 25.4% of their possessions, and they're third in the Horizon League in points allowed per possession. The field goal percentage defense (42.5%) doesn't jump off the stat sheet as much as the number of turnovers they force per game (16.2), and with both teams averaging more turnovers than assists per game things could get sloppy in Dayton.

How will Cincinnati deal with the possible adversity that comes with being shorthanded on the road? We'll find out, but given losses to Presbyterian and Marshall already on the resume, Mick Cronin's team can't afford to drop this one. Losses in games like this one tend to come back to haunt teams in March. Also on the schedule Wednesday is a rare afternoon game with Iona visiting Richmond, and it will be interesting to see how much energy remains in the legs of Tim Cluess' Gaels. Iona hasn't played a home game all month, and even with the Spiders getting used to life without Kevin Anderson and Justin Harper there's still talent at Chris Mooney's disposal.

Tim Floyd's young UTEP squad heads west to take on a UNLV team that's dropped two of their last three games, and sophomore guard Mike Perez has emerged in recent games as a good scoring option for the Miners. Perez is averaging 18.5 points over the last two games, and with a squad that has five players averaging between seven and ten points per game UTEP needs someone to step up. Also of note is Tennessee visiting Charleston days after losing at home to Austin Peay, and Bobby Cremins' team will be a very tough test for Trae Golden and company. In fact Antwaine Wiggins and company should be expected to defend their home floor, so the Volunteers had better be ready from the moment they walk into the gym.

Top 25 Games
7:30 PM USC Upstate at (2) Ohio State (BTN)
8:00 PM Bethune-Cookman at (7) Baylor (ESPN3)

NCAA Division I Games
3:00 PM Iona at Richmond
7:00 PM Louisiana-Lafayette at Ole Miss (ESPN3)
7:00 PM Marietta at Ohio
7:00 PM Morgan State at UMBC
7:00 PM Long Island at Norfolk State
7:00 PM Princeton at Rider (Comcast)
7:00 PM Cincinnati at Wright State (ESPN2)
7:05 PM Charleston Southern at Citadel
7:30 PM FIU at Maryland (ESPN)
7:30 PM Towson at Coppin State
8:00 PM Louisiana College at Rice
8:00 PM Huston-Tillotson at Lamar
8:00 PM McNeese State at Louisiana Tech
8:05 PM Seattle at Arkansas State
8:05 PM Campbell at Houston Baptist
8:05 PM Chicago State at Wichita State
9:00 PM West New Mexico at New Mexico State (ESPN3)
9:00 PM Tennessee at Charleston (ESPN2)
9:00 PM DePaul at Northern Illinois
9:05 PM Denver at Northern Colorado (Altitude)
9:30 PM USF at Auburn (ESPN3)
10:00 PM Menlo College at Cal Poly
10:00 PM UC Santa Cruz at UC Riverside
10:00 PM UTEP at UNLV (The Mtn.)
10:30 PM Eastern Washington at UCLA

Who Will Win the 2011-12 Atlantic 10 Title?

Shawn Siegel — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 01:38:00 -0500

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

Raphielle Johnson — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 19:01:01 -0400

Next up in the short series of looking ahead to next season is the Southwest region, where things essentially went haywire the first weekend. Advancing to San Antonio was the top seed Kansas and seeds 10 through 12, and when the dust settled VCU won the region. A number of teams have some important personnel issues to address, but the Jayhawks won't be the lone team expected to contend for their league title out of this region in 2011-12. (1) Kansas: lost to VCU in the Elite 8
While most programs would happily accept a trip the regional final, that's not exactly the case for a Kansas squad that arrived in San Antonio with their road to Houston looking like a two-game cakewalk. They took care of Richmond, only to fall victim to VCU in the Elite 8. Now comes the roster turnovers, with the Morris twins and Josh Selby entering the NBA Draft, and seniors Mario Little, Brady Morningstar and Tyrel Reed graduating. That puts more on the shoulders of guards Tyshawn Taylor and Elijah Johnson in addition to forward Thomas Robinson, and the latter should be ready for the leading role. The recruiting class lacks in quantity but not in quality, with wing Ben McLemore and point guard Naadir Tharpe both expected to have an impact next season. Kansas will still be a player in the Big 12 race despite the heavy losses.

(2) Notre Dame: lost to Florida State in the third round
An outstanding season that featured their best finish as a Big East member (2nd) came to a screeching halt in their loss to the Seminoles, which surprised people more by the way in which it happened than the mere result. There will be two important losses to account for next season as Big East Player of the Year Ben Hansbrough and forward Tyrone Nash are out of eligibility, but there's a lot of experience returning as well. Tim Abromaitis, Eric Atkins, Jack Cooley, Scott Martin, and Carleton Scott will be expected to lead while redshirt Jerian Grant and incoming freshman Pat Connaughton will both have to help fill the large hole left in the lineup by Hansbrough. There may be other teams picked to win the Big East but don't sleep on Mike Brey's group as they should be pretty good next year.

(3) Purdue: lost to VCU in the third round
The Boilermakers first went through the process of being whipped by the Rams in Chicago, then had to deal with the drama that was the pursuit of head coach Matt Painter by Missouri. Painter decided to remain at his alma mater in a move most saw as angling for a new deal (which he received), but at least Purdue avoided a third critical loss heading into the offseason. Seniors JaJuan Johnson and E'Twaun Moore move on, leaving the team to Robbie Hummel (who missed this season with a torn ACL) and point guard Lewis Jackson. Patrick Bade, D.J. Byrd, Terone Johnson and Ryne Smith are four of the players who will be needed to step up next season, and the Boilers welcome two solid frontcourt players in Donnie Hale and Jacob Lawson. If Hummel can remain healthy the Boilers may not be a favorite in the Big Ten, but they'll likely slide in just behind Ohio State.

(4) Louisville: lost to Morehead State in the second round
Rick Pitino did one of the best coaching jobs in the nation this season, a campaign that began in rather embarrassing fashion for him. But he had a team that was far more unselfish than last year's group, and senior Preston Knowles emerged as the perfect leader for this group. But once he went down with just over nine minutes remaining the Cardinals lost their best offensive threat, ultimately falling to Morehead State in the second round. Knowles will leave big shoes to fill from a leadership standpoint but everyone else returns, including Terrence Jennings, Kyle Kuric and Peyton Siva. Add in an outstanding recruiting class led by Wayne Blackshear and Chane Behanan, and Rakeem Buckles and Josh Swopshire should be healthy, and it's not hard to see this team competing for a Big East title.

(5) Vanderbilt: lost to Richmond in the second round
The move from a four to a five-seed did little to help out the Commodores, who once again lost their first NCAA Tournament game (they were a four in losses to Siena and Murray State). Point guard play was an issue, with Kevin Stallings having to rely on Brad Tinsley as the primary option. That changes with Kedren Johnson's arrival, and along with Dai-John Parker Vandy brings in a very good freshman backcourt (Shelby Moats will likely figure in the frontcourt rotation). If John Jenkins and Jeffery Taylor decide to return this is a group that could be in the conversation with Kentucky atop the SEC East. Festus Ezeli, Lance Goulbourne, Rod Odom and Steve Tchiengang all return up front as well. If this group gets good play at the point and some added toughness they should hang around the NCAA Tournament substantially longer in 2012.

(6) Georgetown: lost to VCU in the second round
Georgetown's season went downhill the moment point guard Chris Wright broke his left hand in a loss to Cincinnati in February. Even though he was on the floor in the loss to VCU the Hoyas were ripe for the picking in that one. Now Wright and Austin Freeman move on as does big man Julian Vaughn, meaning that more responsibility falls on the shoulders of players such as Jason Clark, ante Lubick, Markel Starks and Hollis Thompson. Lubick, Jerrelle Benimon and Henry Sims will all need to step up inside, and they'll be helped out by the addition of Tyler Adams, Mikael Hopkins and Greg Whittington. Shooting guard Jabril Trawick will also figure into the plans for John Thompson III, and while they won't be picked in the upper echelon of the Big East the Hoyas should return to the Big Dance.

(7) Texas A&M: lost to Florida State in the second round
Mark Turgeon's Aggies had a good season, winning 24 games before being knocked out of the tournament by Florida State in the second round. And that was without consistent scoring from the backcourt. B.J. Holmes and Nathan Walkup are the two biggest losses for A&M next year, with David Lobeau and Khris Middleton being two of the key players expected to return. But who helps out Dash Harris in the backcourt will have a lot to do with how well the Aggies do in the reconfigured Big 12. The good news is that A&M did well on the recruiting trail, signing point guard Jamal Branch and shooting guard Jordan Green and both should be able to help out. A&M will be back in the Big Dance, the only question is how long they'll stick around.

(8) UNLV: lost to Illinois in the second round
Once again a promising season was derailed in the first NCAA Tournament game for UNLV, this time falling in surprising fashion to an Illinois squad that limped into the tournament. Now a program that has to make up for the loss of Derrick Jasper and Tre'Von Willis will also need to find a new head coach as Lon Kruger moved on to take the Oklahoma job. UNLV released a list of four finalists: Dave Rice (BYU assistant, played on the 1990 national title team), Reggie Theus (former head coach at New Mexico State, played under Jerry Tarkanian in the late-70s), St. John's assistant Mike Dunlap and former Oregon head coach Ernie Kent. Whoever gets the job should have some good pieces to work with (provided they stay) in Oscar Bellfield, Anthony Marshall, Chace Stanback and Quintrell Thomas. The Rebels are a likely tournament team as it stands right now, but it's tough to make that leap without knowing who AD Jim Livengood will hire.

(9) Illinois: lost to Kansas in the third round
The Fighting Illini, who disappointed for much of the year, popped up and surprised some people in their 73-62 win over UNLV in the second round. The veterans put forth a good fight to continue their college careers but Kansas proved to be too much, meaning that head coach Bruce Weber needs to go about replacing Mike Davis, Demetri McCamey and Mike Tisdale in addition to freshman Jereme Richmond (going pro and hiring an agent). But there's talent due back in Champaign, as Brandon Paul and D.J. Richardson will need to step up as leaders. Crandall Head and Meyers Leonard should get more chances to make things happen as well, and a strong recruiting class (especially in the frontcourt) should help matters. Tracy Abrams, Mycheal Henry and Mike Shaw are three of the five incoming players, and after some early growing pains this could be a tournament team.

(10) Florida State: lost to VCU in the Sweet 16
Despite their offensive woes the Seminoles won two tournament games thanks in large part to the nation's best defense, and that was without Chris Singleton for most of February. Singleton has a decision to make in regards to the NBA Draft but with many expecting him to be a first round pick, it may be best for Leonard Hamilton to plan for 2011-12 without the junior coming back. Derwin Kitchen is the only actual (as of right now) departure of note, and if this team can improve it's offensive efficiency look out. Michael Snaer is due for a breakout campaign and Ian Miller should be better as a sophomore. The frontcourt will not lack for bodies and they've got a very good recruiting class as well (Antwan Space, Aaron Thomas and Terry Whisnant all highly-touted recruits). North Carolina will be the preseason favorite in the ACC, but on paper Florida State may merit consideration.

(11) USC: lost to VCU in the First Four
The Trojans somehow found themselves in the NCAA Tournament when few gave them a chance of earning an at-large bid in February, but their offensive woes were exposed by VCU in the First Four. Now comes the rebuilding job for Kevin O'Neill, and boy will he have his work cut out for him. Nikola Vucevic (leaving school early) and Alex Stepheson both move on, as do Donte Smith and Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Simmons. That means more work for Jio Fontan and Maurice Jones in the backcourt, and that pales in comparison to what the Trojans will need up front. Byron Wesley and Alexis Moore lead a four-member recruiting class that also has a seven-footer (James Blasczyk). It may be a long year in the Galen Center due in large part to the losses up front.

(11) VCU: lost to Butler in the Final Four
VCU didn't even have a team get-together on Selection Sunday but once selected Shaka Smart's team did not allow the opportunity to go to waste, getting all the way to the Final Four before falling to Butler. Coach Smart ignored the offers from other programs, signing an eight-year extension to remain in Richmond .That's good for both the Rams and the CAA, but there are also some important departures to account for this offseason as well. Four seniors (Ed Nixon, Joey Rodriguez, Brandon Rozzell and Jamie Skeen) were key contributors in the run to Houston, but there are some returning players who picked up valuable experience due back. The frontcourt looks to be in better shape with DJ Haley, Juvonte Reddic and Toby Veal returning, but guard Darius Theus should be a solid compliment to Bradford Burgess on the wing. Briante Weber and Treveon Graham should help on the perimeter as well, so look for VCU to once again be a factor in the CAA.

(12) Richmond: lost to Kansas in the Sweet 16
Chris Mooney found himself in a similar situation to Shaka Smart after his team's run to the second weekend, and like Smart he decided to remain in Richmond with a new deal. The Spiders also have some senior departures to account for, with Kevin Anderson, Dan Geriot, Justin Harper and Kevin Smith (all starters) moving on. Darien Brothers, Darius Garrett and Francis Martel will all be important figures next season for Richmond, who also welcome a pair of power forwards (Alonzo Nelson-Ododa and Luke Piotrowski) who have the ability to enhance the Spiders' interior play. Richmond likely misses the NCAA Tournament without that Atlantic 10 Tournament title, and they could find themselves in a similar position given the heavy senior losses.

(13) Morehead State: lost to Richmond in the third round
Led by seniors Kenneth Faried and Demonte Harper, Donnie Tyndall's Eagles won the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament and knocked off Louisville in the second round. Richmond ultimately had too much for them but that defeat shouldn't take away from their season. Add in Sam Goodman's 8.3 points per game and Morehead has to replace three of their top four scorers. The good news is that Terrance Hill and Ty Proffitt return and should make up one of the better backcourt tandems in the OVC, but if Drew Kelly and others are incapable of stepping up inside the Eagles may have issues. Coach Tyndall and his staff signed an eight-player class for this season, and there will be a need for some of those frontcourt guys (especially Jeff Drew) to step up in 2011-12.

(14) Saint Peter's: lost to Purdue in the second round
John Dunne's rebuilding plan delivered this March as the Peacocks rode their stifling defense to the MAAC Tournament title. Seniors Ryan Bacon, Jeron Belin, Wesley Jenkins and Nick Leon led the MAAC's best defensive team, and their departure leaves a huge hole in the Peacock rotation. So who steps up for SPC next season? One would have to start with guard Steven Samuels, who will be the team's leading returning scorer with an average of 7.1 points per game. Darius Conley started 25 games (moving Belin into the 6th man role sparked SPC's revival) and if Blaise Ffrench can remain healthy they'll have an answer at the point. Saint Peter's has just one commit thus far so there's work to be done with the unsigned guys who may remain, but either way it's tough to see this group being a favorite in the MAAC come October.

(15) Akron: lost to Notre Dame in the second round
The Zips once again reached the MAC Tournament title game, this time beating bitter rival Kent State in a close contest. Keith Dambrot's team ultimately fell to Notre Dame in the second round but that won't put a damper on things, and there should be enough talent returning for the Zips to make another run in 2011-12. Three of their top six scorers do move on in Brett McKnight, Steve McNees and Darryl Roberts, but Nikola Cvetinovic and Brett McClanahan will be back. And there's also seven-footer Zeke Marshall due back to patrol the inside. Marshall's shot blocking ability is well-known, and an offseason working on his offensive game and strength will make him even better as a junior. The MAC rarely has a runaway team during the regular season, so look for Akron to figure prominently in the discussions for conference champion come October.

(16) Boston University: lost to Kansas in the second round
John Holland helped lead the Terriers back to the NCAA Tournament, and while the senior was a First Team All-America East selection he wasn't the lone reason for BU's rise. Darryl Partin proved to be a capable sidekick with Jake O'Brien being lost for the year in January due to injury, and those two should make a formidable pairing next season. Holland is the lone personnel loss for Patrick Chambers' team, and with Patrick Hazel and Dom Morris joining O'Brien in the frontcourt the Terriers will likely be the preseason favorite in America East. Power forward James Kennedy will have the opportunity to earn minutes as a freshman but there shouldn't be much pressure on either he or guard Zach Chionuma to be "the answer" given BU's depth.

2011 CollegeHoops.net High-Major All-Americans

CHN — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 00:40:11 -0400

No suprise that Jimmer Fredette, CollegeHoops.net's National Player of the Year, also leads our High-Major All-America teams. Fredette averaged 28.9 ppg to lead the country while his BYU Cougars made the Sweet Sixteen. He's joined on the First-Team by fellow MWC competitor Kawhi Leonard of San Diego St, Tu Holloway and Justin Harper of the A10, and Saint Mary's senior Mickey McConnell.

Underclassmen are hard to find on this year's list, as Leonard is one of only 3 of 38 on the list. The other underclassmen include Kevin Foster of Santa Clara and the lone freshman, Dough McDermott of Creighton.

CollegeHoops.net High-Major Player of the Year:

G Jimmer Fredette, BYU, Sr - 29 ppg, 4 apg, 3 rpg

CollegeHoops.net First-Team High-Major All-America
G Jimmer Fredette, BYU, Sr
G Tu Holloway, Xavier, Jr

G Mickey McConnell, Saint Mary's, Sr
F Justin Harper, Richmond, Sr
F Kawhi Leonard, San Diego St, So

Second-Team High-Major All-America
G Randy Culpepper, UTEP, Sr
G Kevin Anderson, Richmond, Sr

F Kyle Weems, Missouri St, Jr
F Tai Wesley, Utah St, Sr

F Andrew Nicholson, St. Bonaventure, Jr

Third-Team High-Major All-America
G Justin Hurtt, Tulsa, Sr
G Kevin Foster, Santa Clara, So

G Adrian Oliver, San Jose St, Sr
F Andy Ogide, Colorado St, Sr
F Lavoy Allen, Temple, Sr

Fourth-Team High-Major All-America
G Steven Gray, Gonzaga, Sr
G Tre'von Willis, UNLV, Sr
F Troy Gillenwater, New Mexico St, Jr
F Papa Dia, SMU, Sr

F Malcolm Thomas, San Diego St, Sr

Honorable Mention

G Kwadzo Ahelegbe, Northern Iowa, Sr

G Bill Clark, Duquesne, Sr

F JT Durley, Wichita St, Sr

F Gary Flowers, Southern Miss, Sr

G Dairese Gary, New Mexico, Sr

G DJ Gay, San Diego St, Sr

F Drew Gooden, New Mexico, Jr

F Delroy James, Rhode Island, Sr

G Aaron Johnson, UAB, Sr

F Rob Jones, Saint Mary's, Jr

F Doug McDermott, Creighton, Fr

G Brockeith Pane, Utah St, Jr

C Robert Sacre, Gonzaga, Jr

F Jamarr Sanders, UAB, Sr

G Tony Taylor, George Washington, Jr

G Andrew Warren, Bradley, Sr

F Chris Wright, Dayton, Sr

The annual High-Major All-America team is selected from the 6 historically best top non-BCS conferences, including the: A10, CUSA, MVC, MWC, WAC, WCC
.

Also: 2011 CollegeHoops.net All-Americans

Sweet 16 Friday Recap: Veterans Set Up Young Wildcat's Heroics

Raphielle Johnson — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 05:22:06 -0400

Countless times over the past few weeks Kentucky head coach John Calipari has noted that his upperclassmen deserve some of the credit for the Wildcats' improved play as many rush to credit the highly-touted freshman class. Friday night was just the latest example of what the veterans mean to the team but when the game is on the line the basketball will end up in the hands of a freshman. Just as he did in the second round against Princeton Brandon Knight struggled offensively, shooting 2-for-9 over the first 39 minutes of the game. And just as he did against the Tigers Knight came up big when it mattered the most, this time knocking down a jumper from the right elbow with five seconds remaining to give Kentucky a 62-60 win over top-seed Ohio State in an East Region semifinal.

"With the last shot Coach put me in a pick-and-roll a couple of seconds left," said Knight of the game-winning sequence. "Instead of going off I felt he gave me a lane to go right, so I just went right. And he jumped in front of me, so I pulled up, and thank God it went in."

But without the contributions of Josh Harrellson and DeAndre Liggins the game doesn't get to that point for Kentucky. Harrellson held his own with freshman phenom Jared Sullinger, posting a line of 17 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks. The lone senior in the rotation for the Wildcats, "Jorts" has contributed more than many expected him to back in October. Liggins was the usual dynamo on the defensive end in 34 minutes off the bench but also scored 15 points and grabbed six rebounds on the night. With the freshmen and Darius Miller quiet for the most part offensively Kentucky needed their veterans and they came through. The reward: a matchup on Sunday afternoon with North Carolina, a team they lost to 75-73 way back on December 4th.

As for Ohio State, Friday night's loss is a tough finish to an outstanding season. Sullinger rose to the challenge in the second half after not being a major part of the proceedings in the first half, finishing with 21 points and 16 rebounds on the night. But as a team the Buckeyes shot just 32.8% from the field, well under their season average of 49.4%. William Buford had a horrific night from the field in his final collegiate game, making just two of sixteen shots and missing the final chance to win the game just before the buzzer. Should the Buckeyes have used a timeout? In hindsight the answer would be 'yes' given the fact that Jon Diebler had already been successful once, knocking down a three from the top of the key to tie things up at 60. But with a team as experienced as Ohio State one can't hold it against Coach Matta if he was willing to go with what the players on the floor decided.

"It was like 5.4 when it went in and it was in Aaron's hands and I saw those eyes," said Matta of the final sequence. "He was reading it. And I thought he made a great choice. We'll get a great look off and we had enough time to make a play on it if it didn't go in. I don't know who it was that tipped it away from us. But I loved the shot that he got."

Kentucky won because of their defense (Ohio State's eFG% of 37.9% was well below their season average of 56.3%) and two veterans who had no problem stepping up when the moment required them to. Saying that the Wildcats are "too young" to advance at this stage would be a serious mistake.

East: North Carolina jumps all over Marquette in the first half and coasts to the Elite Eight.
Marquette and North Carolina went toe-to-toe for the first eight minutes of the game as many expected them to the entire game, with the Golden Eagles taking a 10-8 lead with 12:53 to go in the half. But from that point forward the first half looked like the basketball equivalent to a Mike Tyson highlight package featuring his bouts from the 1985-88 period. North Carolina outscored Marquette 32-5 the remainder the half and led by as many as 31 points before winning 81-63, with the Golden Eagles making the margin closer as they refused to give up. The UNC frontcourt, and Marquette's inability to take care of the basketball, combined to turn the first game of the night in Newark into a laugher.

Tyler Zeller finished with 27 points and 12 rebounds, Harrison Barnes posted 20 points and nine rebounds and John Henson chipped in with 14 points, 12 rebounds and five blocks. The Golden Eagles finished the game with eight assists and 18 turnovers, which signaled a major improvement over their zero assist/ twelve turnover first half. Friday marked the second time in the tournament that the Tar Heels have kept a team below one point per possession, and if they can do that again on Sunday Roy Williams and his team could be headed to Houston.

Southwest: No overlooking Richmond for Kansas, who relives past glory in San Antonio.
The same happened for Kansas in San Antonio as they ran away from Richmond early following a pregame "discussion" between the two teams in the tunnel leading to the floor. Kansas limited the Spiders to just 33.8% shooting from the field and led by as many as 23 points in the first half on their way to a 77-57 romp. Brady Morningstar was the leading scorer with 18 points while Marcus Morris added 13 and seven rebounds and Thomas Robinson grabbed a career-high 14 boards to go along with 12 points. Kevin Anderson didn't shoot well from the field for Richmond in scoring 13 points to aide Justin Harper (22 and nine rebounds), but no other Spider scored more than six points and you can't beat the Jayhawks that way. Kansas went into the weekend a prohibitive favorite to win the Southwest and they did little to dispel that notion on Friday, displaying a focus (outside of the silly extracurriculars) that was absent in last season's short tournament stay.

Southwest: Thanks to good execution of a baseline out of bounds play VCU advances.
Down 71-70 with 7.9 seconds remaining in overtime VCU head coach Shaka Smart called timeout to draw up a play that would result in a good look at the basket. But just as everything turned out fine for VCU last week as they won three games in five days, there was little doubt that the Rams would score. Bradford Burgess came free and ended up scoring the game-winning layup as VCU beat Florida State 72-71 to advance to Sunday's regional final against Kansas. The Rams should have sewn things up in regulation but they missed six of eight free throws down the stretch to leave the door open for the Seminoles. But at the end of regulation Derwin Kitchen lost track of the clock, failing to get up a shot before time expired.

Kitchen finished with 23 points, 12 rebounds and three assists so it's tough to blame him alone for the loss however. Florida State shot just 36.6% from the field, and when the best field goal percentage defense in the country watches VCU shoot 45.3% they're in trouble. The big question that will hang over San Antonio leading up to Sunday's game: can VCU win? They've gotten this far thanks to excellent coaching an solid contributions from a number of players, so there's no reason why they should decide not to show up at the Alamodome.

Notable Performances

F Harrison Barnes and F Tyler Zeller (North Carolina)
Barnes finished with 20 points, nine rebounds and two blocks while Zeller led the Tar Heels with 27 points and 12 rebounds to go along with four assists. These two also combined to grab 14 offensive rebounds in the 81-63 win over Marquette.

G Brady Morningstar (Kansas)
18 points (7-11 FG, 4-7 3PT) , four assists and two steals in the Jayhawks' 77-57 win over Richmond in a Southwest regional semifinal.

F Josh Harrellson (Kentucky)
17 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks in the Wildcats' 62-60 win over Ohio State in an East region semifinal. Ohio State's Jared Sullinger deserves mention as well due to 21 points and 16 rebounds.

G Bradford Burgess (VCU)
26 points (6-7 3PT), three steals, two rebounds and two assists in the Rams' 72-71 overtime win over Florida State. Burgess' layup with 7.1 seconds remaining in OT proved to be the difference.