Rutgers

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.

Saturday Recap: Five Ranked Teams Fall to Unranked Opponents

Raphielle Johnson — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 04:27:34 -0500

The first Saturday of the new year proved to be far more exciting than anticipated, much to the detriment of ranked teams who took their show on the road. Removing #7 Missouri and #20 Marquette, who both lost on the road to ranked opponents (more on both of those games below), five ranked teams lost to unranked opponents with four of the losses coming on the road. The Big East provided the most intrigue, with #8 Connecticut and #9 Georgetown falling on the road while #10 Louisville lost in double overtime at home. So which of the three defeats is most concerning? That's likely a toss-up between the Huskies and Cardinals.

Connecticut lost at Rutgers, who already owned a win at The RAC over then-#10 Florida, 67-60 with Eli Carter leading the Scarlet Knights with 19 points. It was a Saturday night to forget for Jeremy Lamb, who scored just eight points before fouling out. With the preseason All-America dealing with foul trouble for much of the night, Rutgers head coach Mike Rice was able to go with a zone defense to take advantage of the Huskies' issues in dealing with zones.

While UConn's 36.5% shooting from deep on the season isn't a great number it's definitely better than the 4-for-19 performance they put up against Rutgers. But of more concern than the lack of perimeter shooting is the lack of leadership and toughness for this group, something that was lost with the departure of Kemba Walker. And it's a sore subject for head coach Jim Calhoun, who returned to the bench after missing the last three games due to an NCAA suspension.

"There's not a lack of leadership, there's none," said Calhoun. Short, and to the point.

As for Louisville, their issues of running a half-court offense with cohesion has been well documented, and for that reason it's reasonable to say that Rick Pitino's team was given too much credit earlier in the season. Eric Atkins' shot with 17 seconds remaining gave the Fighting Irish a 65-63 lead and his two free throws in the final seconds of the second overtime sealed the 67-65 victory, giving Notre Dame their first win in the Commonwealth of Kentucky until 1980.

Louisville shot much better from the field, making 42.3% of their shots compared to 31.7% for Notre Dame. But when you hand the ball over 18 times, allowing Notre Dame to score 16 points off of turnovers, there's a good chance that the outcome won't be a positive one. The Cardinals now already have two home conference losses, and that's definitely not a good spot to be in if they're to contend for a Big East title.

"Hard fought game, but if you break it down, they made their free throws and we didn't," said Pitino. "To lose two home games in the Big East with the type of schedule we have is very destructive to say the least."

The other two losses to unranked opponents came in the SEC, with Florida kicking off the crazy day with a 67-56 loss to Tennessee (more on that below) and #15 Mississippi State getting lit up at Arkansas 98-88. The Bulldogs weren't much more than a sieve defensively, allowing the Razorbacks to shoot 56.5% from the field for the game. Rick Stansbury's team seemed to be in solid shape at the half, trailing by just six (43-37) despite turning the ball over eleven times to just two for Arkansas.

But that optimism was misguided as the Bulldogs allowed 55 points in the final 20 minutes with the Hogs making 67.9% of their shots. Julysses Nobles and B.J. Young scored 24 points apiece to lead Arkansas, who finished with five players in double figures, and they were also aided by the fact that three players scored 63 of Mississippi State's 88 points. Arnett Moultrie scored just nine but did grab ten rebounds before fouling out with over six minutes remaining, but his fifth foul essentially signaled the end of the game for Mississippi State. The lesson the Bulldogs learned was similar to that learned by the other ranked teams to fall: anyone can fall on any given day.

Other Notable Happenings

1. Kansas State takes advantage of #7 Missouri's lack of interior depth and hands the Tigers their first loss.
There were certainly concerns about how Frank Haith's team would deal with bigger teams as the season wore on, as Missouri has just seven scholarship players and two true frontcourt players. And at the "Octagon of Doom" the Tigers got their first glimpse of how difficult things could be, especially if their perimeter scorers aren't as productive as expected. Missouri shot just 32.7% from the field and were out-rebounded 39-25 by #23 Kansas State in the Wildcats' 75-59 victory, suffering their first loss of the season.

It didn't help matters that starting forward Ricardo Ratliffe played just 14 foul-riddled minutes, scoring two points and grabbing one rebounds. The Tigers can't afford that level of production when their guards are on, much less when Phil Pressey misses all six of his shots from the field and the team shoots 7-for-24 from three. Rodney McGruder led K-State with 20 points and as a team the Wildcats assisted on 18 of their 28 field goals, resulting in an efficiency (111.9) 21 points higher than what Missouri opponents averaged on the season.

2. Syracuse runs out to a big lead and hangs on to beat Marquette in the Carrier Dome.
Thanks to a 23-1 run in the first half to turn a 12-11 lead into a seemingly insurmountable 35-12 edge, top-ranked Syracuse seemed to be well on their way to an emphatic victory over #20 Marquette. But Jim Boeheim's team apparently left their intensity in the locker room, as they came out of halftime flat while Buzz Williams' team displayed the fight expected of his program. Marquette would eventually pull to within two points (59-57) but could get no closer as the Orange would eventually win 73-66, moving to 17-0 and by the end of the night sitting alone atop the Big East standings.

Marquette could hit nothing in the first half, shooting 30% from the field and going 1-for-7 from beyond the arc. But led by Darius Johnson-Odom (19 points), Jae Crowder (15 points, seven rebounds) and Junior Cadougan (10 points, five assists) the Golden Eagles attacked the inside of the Syracuse zone, resulting in quality looks that were few and far between in the first half. But with Kris Joseph scoring 17 points and reserves C.J. Fair and Dion Waiters combining to score 25 points Syracuse was able to sew things up late, and while they weren't as efficient as usual the Orange did assists on 19 of 24 made baskets. While the landscape beneath them is too muddled to make sense of, it's pretty clear that the Orange are the class of the Big East.

3. Florida has some things to work on defensively if they're to be a factor come March.
The first thing that will stick out in#13 Florida's 67-56 loss at Tennessee is likely the fact that they scored just 56 points, shooting 35.7% from the field in doing so. But what should really be taken out of the defeat is their play on the defensive end of the floor, because despite the struggles offensively Billy Donovan's team won't lack for scoring options. Simply put, can Florida get the stops needed when the possessions become even bigger in March? If they're going to do so some things will need to change, with one being the lack of ball pressure on the perimeter. The issue against Tennessee wasn't about what the Volunteers could do off the dribble but rather the lack of pressure on entry passes.

On multiple occasions the lack of pressure on passers allowed a Jeronne Maymon (12 points, seven rebounds) or Kenny Hall (13 points, five rebounds) the time to walk their man up the lane and out of prime defensive position. If Florida couldn't get away with this against Tennessee, what are they going to do in their two meetings with Kentucky? And it's not out of the realm of possibility that a team like Alabama (or even Mississippi State) that has multiple big men could give them a hard time inside. The Vols entered Saturday's game scoring 33% of their points from three, but they didn't have to do that as the paint was open for business. Florida can't allow that to happen if they're to reach their full potential, prolific offense or not.

4. George Mason beats Georgia State to take over sole possession of first place in the CAA.
In prior seasons the three-game stretch for Georgia State of Drexel/VCU/George Mason would elicit bets of what the Panthers' combined margin of defeat would be. To say the least things have changed under Ron Hunter, as they'd won the first two games of that stretch going into Saturday's showdown with the Patriots for sole possession of first place in the CAA. But despite Ryan Pearson failing to make a single field goal it was George Mason who was able to make the key baskets late on their way to the 61-56 win. Neither team shot well from the field and George Mason turned the ball over 19 times, but the deciding factor was the charity stripe.

George Mason, who shot 67.3% from the line on the season, made 18 of 21 on Saturday night and outscored the Panthers by eight in that department. Vertail Vaughns (17 points) and Mike Morrison (14 points, 15 rebounds and four blocks) more than made up for Pearson's 0-for-4 night, while the Georgia State combo of Josh Micheaux and Devonta White shot a combined 3-for-15 (they entered the game averaging a combined 20.2 points/game). Jihad Ali led Georgia State with 19 points, and while they didn't win the Panthers have the look of a team that could hang around the race throughout the season. But they didn't have enough down the stretch, allowing the Patriots to take control of the driver's seat a quarter of the way through CAA play.

5. Oral Roberts blows out South Dakota State and moves to 6-0 in the Summit League.
The matchup between the Golden Eagles and Jackrabbits was anticipated by some due to not only the matchup of early Summit League POY frontrunners Dominique Morrison (ORU) and Nate Wolters (SDSU) (Oakland's Reggie Hamilton will also figure in the discussion). But they game didn't live up to that, much to the detriment of the Jackrabbits, who fell 97-75 in Tulsa. Morrison was outstanding as he finished with 38 points and seven rebounds, but he had plenty of help as Steven Roundtree scored 17 off the bench and Michael Craion and Warren Niles scored 15 apiece.

Wolters led five SDSU players in double figures with 22 points to go along with six assists, but the Jackrabbits' biggest problem was they they couldn't stop the Golden Eagles. ORU shot 60.7% from the field on the night and 67.5% from two while also making ten of twenty-one from beyond the arc, and when ORU's got it rolling like that they're extremely difficult to beat at the Mabee Center. Oral Roberts finished the game with an offensive efficiency of 154.0, scoring 1.5 points/possession on the night. To say the least South Dakota State will do their best to make sure that doesn't happen in the rematch on February 2nd.

Quick Hitters

1. Saturday marked the first step towards another March in which Virginia Tech is once again discussed as a bubble team, with the Hokies losing at Wake Forest 58-55. Erick Green was solid for the Hokies, finishing with 19 points, seven rebounds and six assists, but more is needed from Dorenzo Hudson (4-13, eight points) if they're to be a tournament team.

2. Entering the week with an 0-2 league record, UCLA couldn't afford anything less than a split with the Arizona schools if they wanted to be a contender in the Pac-12 race. Ben Howland's squad did better than that, wrapping up a sweep with a 75-58 win over Arizona State. Travis Wear scored 16 points and grabbed seven rebounds and Joshua Smith added 18 off the bench.

3. Few people gave Colorado a shot at being in first place in the Pac-12 at this point in the season, but there they sit after sweeping the Washington schools this weekend. A big reason why: defense. In their 71-60 win over Washington State, Colorado limited the Cougars to 36.5% shooting and none of their three league opponents have shot over 40% from the field. Also in forward Andre Roberson, Tad Boyle's got one of the most underrated players in the country.

4. Of the four teams tied for first place in the MVC the most surprising has to be Illinois State, who beat Evansville 75-73 on a miraculous shot by Jackie Carmichael. Carmichael, who finished with 17 points, seven rebounds and four blocks, banked in his first career three-pointer as time expired to win the game. We'll find out how much staying power the Redbirds have immediately too, as they visit Wichita State and host Creighton in their next two games.

5. In a matchup of teams undefeated in SoCon play Davidson shot 60% from the field and made 11 three-pointers in their 96-74 win over Georgia Southern. Jake Cohen (29 points) and De'Mon Brooks (24 points) combined to score 53 points with Cohen also grabbing 12 rebounds in the victory.

6. There was also a matchup of undefeated teams in the NEC, and that game wasn't particularly close either. Ken Horton scored 21 points and grabbed ten rebounds while Robbie Ptacek scored 24 points and Kyle Vinales 18 in Central Connecticut State's 68-53 win over Robert Morris. Robert Morris shot just 30.3% from the field and turned the ball over 15 times in defeat.

7. Back in the ACC, Florida State laid a serious egg in their ACC opener as they fell 79-59 at Clemson. Not only did the Seminoles struggle offensively, shooting 35.5% and turning the ball over 15 times, but they also allowed the Tigers to shoot 60% from two and 49% overall. Leonard Hamilton's team can ill-afford the defensive breakdowns they had on Saturday if they're going to be a tournament team.

8. Both Temple and Saint Joseph's dropped conference games at home on Saturday, with Dayton pulling away late to be at the Owls 87-77 and Charlotte shocking the Hawks 57-52. Archie Miller's Flyers picked up a key resume-building win, and Charlotte's victory was a good step for Alan Major as he looks to rebuild that program.

9. Bowling Green also provided a surprise in their MAC opener as they beat Ohio 67-57. Jordon Crawford led the way, scoring 16 points to go along with five assists, four rebounds and two steals. BGSU turned the ball over 20 times (Crawford: six turnovers) but the Bobcats shot 4-for-20 from three, alliowing the home team to lock up the victory.

10. And in terms of a possible changing of the guard Nevada may have struck the biggest blow, handing Utah State their first conference home loss since 2007 by the final score of 78-71. Deonte Burton, who finished with 25 points and five assists, provided the dagger in the form of a four-point play with 37 seconds remaining while Dario Hunt scored 14 points and grabbed 12 rebounds.

Five (plus one) Notable Performances

1. F Doug McDermott (Creighton)
44 points (18-23 FG), eight rebounds and two assists in the Bluejays' 92-83 win at Bradley.

2. F Dominique Morrison (Oral Roberts)
38 points (11-15 FG), seven rebounds and two assists in the Golden Eagles' 97-75 win over South Dakota State.

3. G Damian Lillard (Weber State)
38 points (8-14 3PT), five rebounds and five assists in the Wildcats' 88-81 win at Portland State.

4. G Isaiah Canaan (Murray State)
35 points (7-8 3PT), five assists and two rebounds in the Racers' 87-75 win at Austin Peay.

5. F Kevin Jones (West Virginia)
22 points (8-12 FG) and 16 rebounds in the Mountaineers' 74-62 win over #9 Georgetown.

Plus One: F Royce White (Iowa State)
18 rebounds, ten points and ten assists in the Cyclones' 74-50 demolition of Texas A&M in College Station.

Game of the Day: Stanford 103, Oregon State 101 (4 OT)
If you missed this one late that's too bad, because the Cardinal and Beavers combined to play an instant classic. The game didn't truly take off until the final moments of regulation, as Stanford's game-winning basket was ruled to have come after time expired. Stanford would eventually win as Roberto Nelson's three-point attempt as time expired missed the mark. Chasson Randle led six Stanford players in double figures with 24 points off the bench while Nelson and Jared Cunningham led six Oregon State players in double figures with 19 apiece.

Thursday Recap: Rutgers Beats #10 Florida

Raphielle Johnson — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 11:50:22 -0500

The matchup between #10 Florida and Rutgers on Thursday night was hyped up due to the return of Mike Rosario, who transferred from the New Jersey school following two seasons in New Brunswick. But his return was a subplot in what turned out to be one of the best games of the calendar year, with the focus by the end being Mike Rice's young guards. Eli Carter led the way with 31 points, seven rebounds and seven assists while Myles Mack knocked down some big shots late in regulation and during the overtime periods to lead Rutgers to the 85-83 double overtime victory.

Jerome Seagears added 13 points and junior forward Dane Miller was his usual versatile self with 16 points, seven rebounds, five assists and two steals. Kenny Boynton led four Florida players in double figures with 26 points, but the Gators seemed to bog down offensively down the stretch, once again not getting the ball inside enough to Patric Young. Young finished with 11 points but took just eight shots in 41 minutes of play, and there was even a possession where Florida failed to get him the ball despite being guarded by the 6'3" Carter. Florida's guards had the experience advantage, but it was Rutgers that made that one extra big play to win the game.

"Would I have liked them to get into our sets a little quicker? Sure," said Rice after the game. "But there was such a poise, such a confidence. They responded at the end. I always take it back because they practice like that ...hopefully this is [what's] to come."

For all their youth Rutgers turned the ball over just 11 times compared to 18 Florida turnovers, and their assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.64 was nearly double their season average (0.86). Also critical for the Scarlet Knights was their play on the boards, as they were out-rebounded by just one (37-36) on the night with Derrick Randall supplying eight rebounds in 17 minutes of play. The Rutgers reserves, led by Mack (14 points), outscored Florida's bench 22-8 with Rosario scoring five points for the Gators. The Scarlet Knights are young and there will be bumps in the road in Big East play, but as Coach Rice said after the game the future is bright.

"This is what happens when you don't think impossible is impossible," said Rice. "This is what happens when young men are determined to follow the formula and play for one another."

Other Notable Happenings

1. Vanderbilt jumps Marquette from the start and picks up a much-needed resume builder.
Much of the country didn't get to see the beginning of Vanderbilt/Marquette due to the length of Rutgers' win over Florida, and by the time ESPN2 switched over the game was essentially finished. Kevin Stallings' Commodores jumped out to a 19-4 lead and didn't look back, leading by as many as 25 points in the first half (31-6) on their way to a 74-57 victory. Marquette couldn't hit the broad side of a barn in the first half as they shot 21.2% from the field and finished the game making 32.2% of their shots.

Jeffery Taylor led four Commodores in double figures with 19 points while Lance Goulbourne added 13 to go along with 16 rebounds, and Marquette's inability to make shots allowed the visitors to get away with 17 turnovers. Jae Crowder (16 points) and Darius Johnson-Odom (12 points) reached double figures but with fellow starters Junior Cadougan and Vander Blue combining to make two of ten shots from the field the Golden Eagles weren't able to get back into the game. Vanderbilt needed a win like this to re-establish some national credibility after an 8-4 start, and this will help as they go into SEC play.

2. Saint Mary's welcomes BYU to the WCC with 98 points in Moraga.
BYU and Saint Mary's went into Thursday's game familiar with each other since they met last season, even with some of the key figures in that meeting no longer in school. But confernce play can be an entirely different animal, as the Cougars found out in the second half of the Gaels' 98-82 victory. Randy Bennett's team made 55.4% of their shots and assisted on 23 of 31 made baskets, and individually both Matthew Dellavedova and Rob Jones posted double-doubles. Dellavedova ran the show for Saint Mary's, finishing with 18 points and 12 assists, while Jones was a matchup nightmare for BYU with 24 points and 15 rebounds.

Brandon Davies was outstanding for BYU in scoring 28 points and grabbing seven rebounds, but there wasn't enough offensive help for Davies when considering the fact that four SMC starters finished in double figures. Stephen Holt made eight of his ten shots in scoring 21 points and Jorden Page added 13 and five assists. On a night filled with offense, BYU simply could not get stops when they needed them the most. Of the three contenders for the WCC title (Gonzaga) the Gaels have the weakest non-conference resume, so that regular season crown may be most important for them when it comes to the NCAA Tournament. Thursday night was a good first step in that direction.

3. Cashmere Wright takes matters into his own hands late to lead Cincinnati past Oklahoma.
One question regarding Cincinnati's smaller lineup in light of the suspensions of Yancy Gates and Cheikh Mbodj was how the Bearcats would deal with bigger teams, something that wasn't an issue in wins over lesser competition. Oklahoma provided that challenge, and while it wasn't pretty Cincinnati found a way to win 56-55. That way: give Cashmere Wright the chance to make plays late. The junior point guard scored just eight points on the night (3-14 FG), but he made two huge baskets in the final minute including the game-winner with 8.8 seconds to go. Cincinnati turned the ball over just eight times on the night compared to 17 for the Sooners (UC: 16 points off turnovers), and while they were a minus-9 in rebounding margin the Bearcats grabbed 13 offensive boards and scored ten second-chance points (OU finished with 11). Cincinnati's taken full advantage of what could have been a crippling turn of events, becoming a better basketball team as a result.

Quick Hitters

1. It was a bad night for ACC bottom-feeders on Thursday, with Boston College losing to #24 Harvard for the fourth consecutive time (67-46) and Georgia Tech losing at Fordham (72-66). To say the least these results don't do much to maintain the league's computer numbers, and it could be a long conference season for both the Eagles and Yellow Jackets. And it should also be noted that Wake Forest nearly lost to Yale after leading by 19, ultimately hanging on to beat the Bulldogs 72-71.

2. Freshman guard Jamal Branch has left the Texas A&M program and will transfer according to multiple media outlets. Branch averaged just 4.2 points and 2.5 assists per game, but his departure leaves the Aggies one option short on a perimeter that hasn't played at a championship level this season.

3. Two teams that took hits to their chances of an at-large bid on Thursday are Marshall and Iona, with both falling on the road. Iona couldn't recover from 19 first half turnovers in an 83-75 loss at Hofstra while the Thundering Herd lost 79-74 to a Belmont team they beat just ten days ago. The Herd may have a better shot at earning an at-large given their conference affiliation (Conference USA), but the climb for both teams became a lot tougher.

4. Shaka Smart's VCU Rams won their seventh straight game on Thursday, winning 76-75 in overtime at Akron. Bradford Burgess led four Rams in double figures with 19 points (and seven rebounds) and VCU forced 20 Akron turnovers on the night.

5. Getting to conference play wasn't the catalyst for Austin Peay that some thought it would be as the Governors lost 67-65 at Eastern Kentucky. Dave Loos' team dropped to 3-11 on the season (0-1 OVC) while the Colonels are now 2-0 in league play.

6. In the "inexplicable loss" category are the defeats suffered by American and James Madison, who in losing to Mount St. Mary's and Rhode Island respectively lost to teams that entered Thursday with a combined 2-21 record.

7. Even though they were the home team it's likely that few people expected Illinois State to beat Northern Illinois in the MVC opener for both teams. But that's exactly what happened as the Redbirds, led by Jackie Carmichael (19 points, 10 rebounds, four blocks), beat the Panthers 65-61.

8. The opening night of Pac-12 play didn't lack excitement either, with Stanford hanging on to beat UCLA 60-59. UCLA took 13 shots in the second half that would have given them the lead if converted...and missed them all. And in Seattle, Tony Wroten led Washington to a 95-80 win over Oregon State with 26 points, nine rebounds and four assists. If the freshman continues to learn how to use his talents to make his teammates better, look out.

Three Notable Performances

1. G Eli Carter (Rutgers)
31 points, seven rebounds and seven assists in the Scarlet Knights' 85-83 double overtime win over #10 Florida.

2. F Will Barton (Memphis)
27 points, 13 rebounds and three assists in the Tigers' 64-47 win over Robert Morris.

3. F Chris Gaston (Fordham)
23 points and 17 rebounds in the Rams' 72-66 win over Georgia Tech.

Wednesday Recap: Florida Holds Off Arizona in OT

Raphielle Johnson — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 12:24:35 -0500

Much has been discussed about Florida's deep backcourt, a group that can score in a variety of ways but has some issues with decision-making when it comes to shots. But if anything was learend about what the Gators will need to do in order to achieve their goals it's that those talented guard better be sure to keep the big fella inside happy. Patric Young scored 25 points and grabbed 10 rebounds as he was essentially the one player Arizona could not match up with in Florida's 78-72 overtime win.

Young made 12 of 15 shots (all two-pointers) from the field while the other Gators combined to make just nine of twenty-seven, and given their affection for the jump shot that split isn't a huge surprise. Arizona was able to limit Florida's guards for much of the night, with Kenny Boynton and Erving Walker combining to shoot just 5-for-27 from the field. The Wildcats were without the services of point guard Josiah Turner, who missed practice on Tuesday and therefore was suspended.

Sean Miller played all five of his starters at least 32 minutes with senior guard Kyle Fogg playing all 40 minutes, and forward Jesse Perry led the way with 23 points. Arizona clearly won't be looking for any kind of moral victory, but some felt that without Turner the Wildcats were walking into a buzz saw. That clearly wasn't the case, and the hope now is that watching his teammates perform admirably without him will serve as the wake-up call Turner needs.

But back to Florida, who in Young has one of the tougher matchups in the SEC from a physical standpoint. Only twice this season has the sophomore taking ten or more shots, with the first occurrence coming in the Gators' second game of the season. That cannot happen consistently if Florida is to be an SEC title and Final Four contender. The tools in the backcourt can match those of any team in America, but sometimes overuse of the weapons can do more harm than good. Neglecting to get Young consistent touches would be a good example of that.

Other Notable Happenings

1. Festus Ezeli returns in Vanderbilt's win at Davidson with noticeable impact.
Some have said in the weeks prior to Vanderbilt center Festus Ezeli's return that the big man would be a clear difference-maker for the Commodores as quality big men aren't exactly a dime a dozen at the college level. Others have taken the more cautious approach, stating that Ezeli's return won't solve the team's problems in regards to perimeter defense and their play in tight games down the stretch. But there's no debating the fact that Ezeli is a factor, and his 15 points, six rebounds and two blocks were evidence of that in their 87-83 win at Davidson.

The senior has some work to do in shaking off the rust acquired thanks to a knee injury, and Wednesday's game also displayed how much work Kevin Stallings' team has to do in order to contend in the SEC. Vandy led by as many as 18 points in the second half, and Davidson forwards Jake Cohen and De'Mon Brooks combined to score 42 points and grab 16 rebounds. Jeffery Taylor led Vandy with 22 points, but if not for Davidson's 5-for-22 shooting from deep the Commodores could have been headed back to Nashville with a loss. So while the return of Ezeli is definitely a positive, don't expect Vanderbilt to think that suddenly things are OK.

2. Illinois holds off St. Bonaventure, but there's still plenty of room for improvement.
Bruce Weber's Fighting Illini are an improved basketball team to this point in the season despite the loss of Demetri McCamey, Mike Davis and Mike Tisdale, and sophomore center Meyers Leonard has been one of the Big Ten's most improved players. But there's still some distance to travel for both the Illini and Leonard, and that was apparent in their 48-43 win over St. Bonaventure. Brandon Paul led the way with 17 points and D.J. Richardson added 11, but Leonard took just three shots and scored nine points.

Leonard went up against St. Bonaventure senior Andrew Nicholson, one of the most polished interior players in the country. While Nicholson made just seven of eighteen shots, where he is from a development standpoint is where Illinois likely wants Leonard to be by the time he leaves Champaign. And therein lies the benefit of challenging non-conference games, as it's better to expose the flaws that need to be rectified early as opposed to having league opponents figure them out.

3. Iona comes back from 13 points down to win at Denver in overtime.
One of the big questions ahead of Iona's trip to Denver was how they would handle the altitude and it's possible effects on their desire to run. But by the end of their 80-78 win over the Pioneers it was Tim Cluess' team that looked the fresher thanks to their depth. Randy Dezouvre's jumper with less than two seconds in overtime proved to be the difference as Iona came back from a 13-point second half deficit to hand Denver their first home loss of the season. Momo Jones (21 points), who ran the show at Arizona, looked comfortable in his role which has been more off the ball due to the presence of point guard Scott Machado.

Machado turned the ball over seven times but ran the show well down the stretch and in the extra session, scoring 19 points to go along with seven rebounds and six assists. Iona also grabbed 41% of their misses on the night, outscoring Denver 15-9 on second-chance points. Brett Olson (20 points) and Chris Udofia (18 points) led the way for the Pioneers, who looked every bit the likely Sun Belt contender for much of the night. But Iona refused to be put away, and their determination was rewared with a win.

Quick Hitters

1. Utah may not win a game against a Division I opponent this season. Far-fetched? Possibly, but the Utes made unfortunate history in their 81-50 loss to Cal-State Fullerton. The Titans handed Utah their worst loss in the history of the Huntsman Center, which opened in 1969. On a more positive note, congratulations to Fullerton head coach Bob Burton on tying a school record with his 139th win at the school.

2. While there's been unfortunate freshman turmoil in the Pac-12 for some teams, Tad Boyle's got himself a good one in Spencer Dinwiddie. Dinwiddie scored 15 points in Colorado's 71-64 win over Fresno State and is averaging 8.0 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. And Andre Roberson is turning heads as well for CU as he posted his third double-double in the last four games (21 points, 10 rebounds).

3. There's few lines that concern a coach more than the "I have not connected with this team" line that Rutgers head coach Mike Rice said after the Scarlet Knights' 59-57 loss to Princeton. This is a young group but the hard lessons have come a bit more frequently than expected in New Brunswick.

4. The first game without Kyle Bullinger was a rough one for Weber State as they fell 94-66 at BYU. Damian Lillard scored 15 points and grabbed 10 rebounds but the loss in the frontcourt proved to be too much to overcome against Noah Hartsock (19 points, 12 rebounds) and the rest of the BYU deep front line.

5. Nevada picked up their second win over a Pac-12 team in less than a week, winning 69-61 at Arizona State. Deonte Burton scored 28 points for the Wolf Pack, who have won six of their last seven on the heels of an 0-2 start.

Three Notable Performances

1. F Patric Young (Florida)
25 points, ten rebounds and two assists in the Gators' 78-72 overtime win over Arizona.

2. F/C Corey Petros (Oakland)
23 points, 16 rebounds and two assists in the Golden Grizzlies' 84-82 loss to Ohio.

3. G Nick Barbour (High Point)
35 points (7-11 3PT), five points and two assists in the Panthers' 87-83 loss to Wake Forest.

College Hoops Saturday Recap: "Game of the Year" Lives Up to Hype

Raphielle Johnson — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 02:18:12 -0500

One of the most anticipated regular season college basketball games in recent memory came down to wingspan. That was the difference between Kentucky and North Carolina as freshman Anthony Davis got a hand on John Henson's jumper in the final seconds to preserve a 73-72 win at Rupp Arena. UNC would enjoy the largest lead for either team with just under seven minutes left in the first half as they led 34-25, and the two titans would play close throughout. But in spite of the close nature of the score there were areas in which John Calipari's team separated itself and ultimately won the game.

The biggest discrepancy could be found in the paint, where the Wildcats outscored the Tar Heels 36-14 on the afternoon. Unlike North Carolina, who scored 45.8% of their points from beyond the arc, the Wildcats were able to consistently attack the basket and scored 65.8% of their points on two-point baskets. Terrence Jones (14 points, seven rebounds) and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (17 points, 11 rebounds) were two of the key factors in this department, with Kidd-Gilchrist successfully attacking Harrison Barnes off the dribble on multiple occasions.

"At the 12-minute timeout I told them who was doing the scoring for them and it was Teague and [Kidd-] Gilcrhist and the guys taking the ball to the basket so our defense had to get stronger," said UNC head coach Roy Williams. "You look at the stat sheet and (Kentucky) shot 56 percent in the second half but they were a little more patient with it than we were."

North Carolina's biggest weapon on the offensive end was the three-point shot as they made 11 of their 18 attempts. Four players made those 11 shots with Harrison Barnes (14 points) and P.J. Hairston (11) leading the way with four and three made bonus shots respectively. But the Tar Heels didn't attack the rim nearly as much as Kentucky throughout the course of the game, and that posed some issues as the game wore on. Doron Lamb woke up from his slow offensive start to score 12 of his 14 points in the second half to help lead the Wildcats, and he simply began to make better decisions after a slow start was amplified by four turnovers.

"I thought in the second half, I put the ball in his hands saying, 'Let's go down'," said Kentucky head coach John Calipari. "He [had] a couple layups. He had a couple 3s. They were big shots. That one in the corner was a huge shot. He knocked it down."

The question now is what the two teams need to do in order to position themselves for a possible rematch down the line. North Carolina displayed a level of toughness some wanted to see in the aftermath of their loss to UNLV, and the young Wildcats turned the ball over just nine times with Marcus Teague having just one. While there are definitely issues for both to work out, and there will be a large number of challengers for the national title, it isn't unrealistic to think that these two could meet again this season with a lot more on the line.

Other Notable Happenings

1. Marquette picks up a good win at Wisconsin despite personnel "limitations".
Before the game it was learned that head coach Buzz Williams suspended junior point guard Junior Cadougan for a violation of team rules. Add to that the foul trouble that Jae Crowder had to deal with and there would be little chance of Marquette leaving Madison with a win, right? Wrong. Darius Johnson-Odom scored 17 points and Todd Mayo added 14 off the bench as the Golden Eagles beat in-state rival Wisconsin 61-54.

How did Marquette get it done? Defense and toughness, as they limited the Badgers to 32% shooting from the field (35.4% on twos and 26.3% on threes) and controlled the boards to the tune of a 44-32 advantage. The numbers weren't pretty but Marquette won by attacking Wisconsin on both ends of the floor, and there were a number of players who contributed to the effort. Buzz Williams' teams will make opponents fight for every inch of space, and that's a big reason why this group is capable of being a player in the Big East race.

2. Down 19 at one points in the second half, Xavier storms back to beat Purdue.
It was absolutely ugly for Chris Mack's Musketeers in the first half as they turned the ball over 18 times and trailed Purdue 33-22 at the break. Things would get worse before they got better in the second half as the Boilermakers led 55-36 with 10:44 remaining, but Xavier's "never say die" attitude resulted in a comeback for the ages. Tu Holloway made up for a rough 30 minutes with some impressive pressure shot-making and Xavier limited Purdue to 37.9% shooting in the second half on their way to the 66-63 win.

Matt Painter's team wasn't helped by the fact that Robbie Hummel had to deal with leg cramps down the stretch, and his absence in the final seconds was apparent as the team struggled to fine a good look for Ryne Smith. Holloway would lead four Xavier starters in double figures with 21 points, and there may not be another player in the country who can not only take the big shots but embrace the pressure that comes with them. He and Mark Lyons form the kind of backcourt that can lead a team deep into the NCAA Tournament, and their aggressive nature makes them a handful for whoever the Musketeers face.

3. A power outage seemingly robs UCLA of their energy as they fall to Texas at home.
Late in the first half the LA Sports Arena lost power, and with UCLA leading by double figures this was the worst possible time for a team of shaky temperment to have to leave the court. Of course after the break Texas would outscore UCLA 9-4 to end the half, and Rick Barnes' team kept the ball rolling in the second half on their way to a 69-59 win. J'Covan Brown scored 22 points and Myck Kabongo added 13 points and eight assists in leading the comeback, but the soap opera that is UCLA Basketball added another unfortunate chapter on Saturday afternoon.

Reeves Nelson was benched the entire second half due to a missed defensive assignment, and outside of Lazeric Jones (21 points) and Travis Wear (13 points) the Bruins didn't get much done offensively. While Texas shot 54.7% from the field UCLA limped to the finish shooting at a 38.6% clip, and they struggled to keep the Longhorns off of the offensive glass as well (Texas' offensive rebounding percentage: 48.0%). With just one win over a Division I opponent it's extremely difficult to see UCLA contending for a conference championship with the current level of play, regardless of how weak the Pac-12 has been.

4. Charleston's late-game execution ultimately results in a double-overtime victory.
With 21 seconds remaining Bobby Cremins' team trailed visiting Chattanooga 65-61, and the Mocs looked to be a decent bet to pick up their first SoCon win of the season after dropping their league opener. But College of Charleston refused to lie down, and in coming back the Cougars played smart basketball in eventually forcing overtime. Andrew Lawrence scored five of his career-high 25 points in the final ten seconds of regulation to send the game into overtime, and the Cougars would ultimately take advantage of the second chance in winning 87-85 in double overtime.

Anthony Stitt came off the bench to score 20 points, and Trent Wiedeman (15 points, 12 rebounds) and Antwaine Wiggins (14 and 12) both posted double-doubles to back up Lawrence. The result dropped Chattanooga to 0-2 in SoCon play, and that's exactly the start that the Mocs were hoping to avoid given their status as the preseason favorite in the North Division. But execution is critical in games such as this one, and Charleston's ability to play smart basketball without panicking is why they were able to come back.

5. Tulane moves to 9-0 with a win over Georgia Tech, but how good are they?
You never want to discount a team's 9-0 start to a season, especially when that team has struggled as much in recent years as the Tulane Green Wave. But even with Ed Conroy's team off to a 9-0 start with their most recent outing being a 57-52 win over Georgia Tech, there remain questions about Tulane due to a strength of schedule that ranks 342nd nationally. Ricky Tarrant picked up the slack for leading scorers Kendall Timmons and Josh Davis with 24 points on Saturday, and on the season four players are averaging double figures in scoring.

Tulane shot just 31% from the field against the Yellow Jackets but won because of a +12 differential in points from the foul line along with 8-for-16 shooting from beyond the arc. Tulane likely won't overwhelm teams offensively once they get into Conference USA play but this is an improved basketball team. Just beware reading too much into the record, as the Green Wave likely won't be tested again until they visit Syracuse on the 22nd. So the answer to the question of how good Tulane is: we don't have enough information right now.

Quick Hitters

1. The development of big man Meyers Leonard has been a sight to behold in Champaign, and despite foul trouble he put up 21 points and six rebounds in Illinois' 82-75 win over Gonzaga. Leonard has added a physical dimension inside that Bruce Weber hasn't had for a couple years, and this could end up being one of his best teams as a result.

2. At some point in his career B.J. Young will be an All-SEC player at Arkansas. The freshman scored 28 points in 27 minutes off the bench, but it wasn't enough to lead the Razorbacks to a win at Connecticut as they fell 75-62. Another encouraging development for the Hogs: 27 offensive rebounds despite losing Marshawn Powell for the season with a knee injury last week.

3. Valparaiso won a thriller in their Horizon League opener as they beat Butler 77-71 in overtime at Hinkle Fieldhouse. Richie Edwards led five players in double figures with 18 points off the bench, and the Crusaders were solid enough defensively to limit the Bulldogs to 34.3% shooting from the field.

4. Mississippi State outscored West Virginia 23-10 over the final 8:02 in beating the Mountaineers 75-62 in Starkville. Arnett Moultrie led the way with 21 points and 13 rebounds and Dee Bost chipped in with 17 points, seven assists, five rebounds and five steals.

5. It was quite obvious how much Rutgers needed big man Gilvydas Biruta on the floor, as his foul trouble in the second half coincided with the Scarlet Knights' struggles in a 55-50 loss to LSU. Mike Rice's team scored just two points after Biruta fouled out with 4:49 remaining, and they had a hard time controlling LSU defensively when he wasn't in as well.

Five Notable Performances

1. F Greg Magnano (Yale)
22 points, 15 rebounds and three blocks in the Bulldogs' 68-52 win over Vermont.

2. G Kevin Giltner (Wofford)
28 points, 10 rebounds and three assists in the Terriers' 83-63 win over The Citadel.

3. G Taylor Braun (North Dakota State)
30 points (9-11 FG), eight rebounds and three assists in the Bison's 84-79 win at IUPUI.

4. G C.J. McCollum (Lehigh)
31 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals in the Mountain Hawks' 81-79 overtime loss at Cornell.

5. F Noah Hartsock (BYU)
23 points, 12 rebounds, four blocks and two assists in the Cougars' 79-65 win over Oregon.

College Hoops Tuesday: Your Commentary

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 11:07:19 -0500

After both teams won their semifinal games at the CBE Classic in blowout fashion, Missouri (4-0) and California (4-0) should have a stiffer challenge on their hands as they play for the championship in Kansas City. Neither team has much of an issue with playing fast. but given their roots in the "40 Minutes of Hell" system used by former coach Mike Anderson the Tigers could be at an advantage if the pace becomes frenetic. The tricky thing for Missouri is to find a way to speed up the Golden Bears, whose experienced backcourt made the difference as their game against Georgia progressed.

Senior Jorge Gutierrez (13.5 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 4.3 apg) is the leader for Mike Montgomery, and while noted for his defense and toughness the Chihuahua, Mexico native has improved each year on the offensive end as well. Point guards Brandon Smith and Justin Cobbs bring slightly different games to the table, with the Minnesota transfer Cobbs being the more attack-minded of the two when it comes to scoring. And in sophomore Allen Crabbe the Golden Bears have one of the better scorers around, but he hasn't been too big on forcing opponents to foul (no foul shots attempted this season).

Cal only averages 2.5 fewer possessions per game than Missouri, but the one concern is that they're also averaging nearly five more turnovers per game than the Tigers. Under Frank Haith Missouri hasn't employed the 94 feet of pressure that was a trademark of the Anderson era, but they remain a difficult team to deal with defensively due to their speed. Missouri averages eleven steals per game and they had ten against Notre Dame, and Tiger opponents average a shade under 16 turnovers per game.

When jet-quick guards like Marcus Denmon, Phil Pressey and Michael Dixon Jr. are allowed to attack in odd-man situations it's a safe bet that Missouri will get points out of the exchange. The lack of interior depth is a concern as senior Ricardo Ratliffe is essentially their lone big man due to the season-ending injury suffered by Laurence Bowers, but Denmon (6.0 rpg) and Kim English (5.3 rpg) have been two of the Tigers helping out on the glass. Cal will have a size advantage with Harper Kamp, Richard Solomon and freshman David Kravish, but will they be physical enough to pound Missouri into submission? That's unlikely, unless they get Ratliffe into foul trouble early.

Keep an eye on the efficiency numbers especially for Cal defensively tonight. Missouri's got an offensive efficiency rating of 121.0 on the season, but Golden Bear opponents have posted an average of just 79.3 through four games. That number can be a little difficult to read into at this stage in the season, but the Bears have the ability to make things difficult on the Tigers. Turnover margin will also be key, because as noted above too many opportunities for Missouri to get out and run would prove fatal for California.

In other action the semifinals of the Maui Invitational will also receive a great deal of attention, with Michigan taking on Duke and UCLA playing Kansas. The Wolverines were very impressive on both ends of the floor against Memphis after a slow start, and their style gave Duke fits in the third round of last year's NCAA Tournament. Tim Hardaway Jr. and freshman guard trey Burke played well on Monday for Michigan while Ryan Kelly and Seth Curry were two of the standouts for the Blue Devils in their win over Tennessee. As for the nightcap, the outcome will likely depend on which UCLA team shows up. Sure they were motivated in beating Chaminade, but to be fair it's easier to look motivated when things are going your way. The big men will have their hands full with Kansas' Thomas Robinson.

The two games in Cancun should also be interesting, with Rutgers taking on Illinois State and Illinois playing Richmond. There have been good reports on the progress of Illini big man Meyers Leonard, and if he can emerge as an option to go along with D.J. Richardson and Brandon Paul this will be an NCAA Tournament-caliber team. The two games will also serve as a solid measurement of the early growth of Mike Rice's Scarlet Knights, with sophomores Gil Biruta and Mike Poole being key players also with junior Dane Miller and their many freshmen. And Cal Poly will be looking for the upset at UNLV, but the Rebels' Mike Moser has been outstanding thus far.

Tuesday's Schedule
SIUE vs. Lipscomb 1:30 pm
Memphis vs. Tennessee 2:00 pm (ESPN2)
Sacred Heart vs. Hampton 4:00 pm
South Dakota St. vs. Sam Houston 4:30 pm
Georgetown at Chaminade 4:30 pm
Monmouth vs. Brown 5:00 pm
George Washington vs. Austin Peay 5:00 pm
UAPB vs. SMU 6:00 pm
Ecclesia at Central Arkansas 6:00 pm
Canisius at Buffalo 7:00 pm
Florida Gulf Coast at Miami (Fla.) 7:00 pm (ESPN3)
Southern at Providence 7:00 pm
Fairleigh Dickinson at Lafayette 7:00 pm
UMBC at Central Connecticut St. 7:00 pm
Illinois St. vs. Rutgers 7:00 pm (CBSN)
Robert Morris at James Madison 7:00 pm
Morehead St. at West Virginia 7:00 pm
Columbia at Stony Brook 7:00 pm
Mississippi Val. at South Carolina 7:00 pm (ESPN3)
East Carolina vs. Appalachian St. 7:00 pm
Bryant at Army 7:00 pm
Cornell at Delaware 7:00 pm
La Salle at Pittsburgh 7:00 pm
Tennessee Tech at High Point 7:00 pm
FAU at Hofstra 7:00 pm
Elon at Princeton 7:00 pm
Michigan vs. Duke 7:00 pm (ESPN)
Yale at Seton Hall 7:00 pm
Wagner at Penn 7:00 pm
Marshall at UNC Wilmington 7:00 pm
Fresno St. vs. UT-San Antonio 7:00 pm
Tulane at Navy 7:00 pm
Niagara at Mercer 7:00 pm
Arkansas St. at Louisville 7:00 pm (ESPN3)
Bucknell at Marist 7:00 pm
Quinnipiac at American 7:30 pm
Cleveland St. at Kent State 7:30 pm
Tennessee St. at North Carolina 7:30 pm
Detroit at Bowling Green 7:30 pm
East Tennessee St. at Charlotte 7:30 pm
Albany at George Mason 7:30 pm
Notre Dame vs. Georgia 7:45 pm (ESPNU)
UMKC at Wisconsin 8:00 pm (BTN)
Victory at UT-Pan American 8:00 pm
North Texas at UT-Arlington 8:00 pm
Lamar at UT-Martin 8:00 pm
Utah Valley at Arkansas 8:00 pm
Cumberland University at Middle Tennessee 8:00 pm
Wofford at Bradley 8:00 pm
Florida A&M at Rice 8:00 pm
Northern Colorado at Iowa State 8:00 pm (ESPN3)
Tulsa at Jackson State 8:00 pm
Troy at UAB 8:00 pm
Georgia St. at Samford 8:00 pm
Greenville at Western Illinois 8:00 pm
Dillard at McNeese St. 8:00 pm
Western Caro. at Northern Iowa 8:00 pm
UMES at Kansas St. 8:00 pm (ESPN3)
Oakland at Houston 8:15 pm
FIU at Oral Roberts 8:30 pm
Utah St. at Texas A&M-CC 8:30 pm
Northern New Mexico at Northern Arizona 8:35 pm
St. Francis (NY) at St. John's 9:00 pm (ESPN3)
Nebraska Omaha at North Dakota St. 9:00 pm
Prairie View at BYU 9:00 pm (BYUTV)
Seattle at Montana St. 9:00 pm
South Dakota at Wyoming 9:00 pm
Coastal Carolina at Clemson 9:00 pm (ESPN3)
UCLA vs. Kansas 9:30 pm (ESPN)
Manhattan at Colorado St. 9:30 pm
Richmond vs. Illinois 9:30 pm (CBSN)
Portland at UCSB 10:00 pm
Holy Names at San Jose St. 10:00 pm
Longwood at Nevada 10:00 pm
Morgan St. at USC 10:00 pm
Sacramento St. at UC Davis 10:00 pm
South Carolina State State at Baylor 10:00 pm
Boise St. at Long Beach St. 10:05 pm
San Diego Christian at CSU Northridge 10:05 pm
Missouri vs. California 10:15 pm (ESPN2)
Cal Poly at UNLV 10:30 pm

Who Will Win the 2011-12 Big East Title?

Shawn Siegel — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 12:05:30 -0500

Big East Basketball: 5-Year Ranking

Shawn Siegel — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 15:59:25 -0500

As part of our 5-Year Ranking series, here's how the Big East teams stack up according to conference wins. There's a huge gap between the upper half of the Big East and the bottom 7 teams, but both Cincinnati and St. John's seem like they'll be closing ground over the next few years.

First Tier

1t - Pittsburgh - 65 - Eventually the committee will tire of giving Pitt a #1 seed

1t - Louisville - 65 - Lack of tournament success overshadows solid regular-season play

3t - Notre Dame - 57 - Mike Brey's teams tend to overachieve in conference play

3t - Syracuse - 57 - After a rough spell in 07-08, Orange basketball is relevant again

Second Tier

5 - Georgetown - 55 - No tourney wins since 2008, and little hope of one this year

6 - West Virginia - 54 - A lot of new faces, but hard not to have faith in a Huggins team

7 - Marquette - 53 - Six tourney trips in a row for steady, but unspectacular program

8 - Villanova - 51 - Did Jay Wright's program peak in 2009?
9 - UCONN - 50 - Last year's National Title came out of nowhere (16-20 in Big East games last two years)

Wannabees

10t - Cincinnati - 36 - Coming off of first NCAA trip since 2005

10t - St. John's - 36 - After last season's success, Johnnies starting anew

12 - Seton Hall - 34 - It will take more than quality recruiting to change program's negative vibes
13 - Providence - 32 - Once proud program trying to find some semblance of direction

Also-Rans

14 - South Florida - 22 - Many might be surprised that South Florida is not farther down the list

15 - Rutgers - 18 - Mike Rice has a lot of work to do, but there seems to be a glimmer of hope
16 - DePaul - 17 wins - Nowhere to go but up for putrid Blue Demons

Check back for the Big Ten ranking later today.

All 5-Year Rankings.

Jon Teitel's "Forgotten Legends" Series: Rutgers' Roy Hinson

Jon Teitel — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 18:53:37 -0400

In the most recent installment in his "Forgotten Legends" interview series, CHN writer Jon Teitel spent some time with Rutgers great Roy Hinson. During his time at Rutgers Hinson eventually became one of the school's best scorers and shot blockers before moving on to play eight seasons in the NBA.

1982 Postseason NIT

Jon Teitel: You had a four-point win over Iona thanks to a 19-2 run to start the second half. What did Coach Tom Young tell you at halftime, and was the game pretty much over after that great run?

Roy Hinson: I do not remember that game too well, but Iona had a guy named Gary Springer who was a high school legend in the tri-state area so we focused on trying to stop him. Coach Young was great at making halftime adjustments and we had a pretty strong team even through we did not always play up to our potential.

JT: You lost to eventual runner-up Purdue. Were they just a more talented team than you?

RH: I think that both Clarence Tillman and I had good games, but Purdue was just on a different level that night.

JT: In 1982 you had a school-record 11 blocks in a game against Stanford, and your 355 career blocks were also a school record until Hamady N'Diaye broke it a couple of years ago. How on earth did you block 11 shots in a game, and what is your secret for blocking shots?

RH: When I started playing as a sophomore in high school that was just about the only thing I could do, and I just perfected it in high school and carried it on to college. In terms of the Stanford game they were just foolish enough to keep shooting! Stanford coach Tom Davis coached me to a gold medal at the World University Games in Romania in 1981, so that was all the motivation I needed to play well that night.

JT: In 1983 you and Greg Jones were named conference co-players of the year. What did it mean to you to win such an outstanding individual honor?

RH: It was a great honor and I was very humbled because I did not anticipate winning. Jones also had a great year so I was happy for him. I know it is a cliché but I owe a lot to my teammates.

1983 NCAA Tournament

JT: You scored six points in a seven-point win over Southwest Louisiana. What did you learn from the 1982 NIT that helped you in the 1983 NCAA Tournament?

RH: We just learned that we had to step it up to another level. When you are a mid-major and have to play against the big boys you have to bring your "A" game. I was in foul trouble that night but my teammate John Battle stepped up.

JT: You had 10 points and eight rebounds in a loss to St. John's (Chris Mullin had 24 on 10-13 FG). Could you tell at the time that Mullin was going to become a star, and what was the feeling like in your locker room afterwards?

RH: We played them well for a half before Mullin took over. I knew Mullin was a great shooter but did not know if he would become a star. He was not fast but he was quick like Larry Bird. Sometimes lefties are harder to play against.

JT: In the summer of 1983 you were drafted 20th overall by Cleveland (six spots behind Clyde Drexler). Did you see that as a validation of your college career or the realization of a lifelong dream of reaching the NBA?

RH: I cannot even say it was a dream come true because I never totally focused on that. I knew that I had the potential after my teammate Kelvin Troy told me, "Big fella, you have some of the tools to get to the next level." It finally sunk in after some of the All-American games and became real once I got drafted.

JT: You participated in the 1986 NBA Slam Dunk Contest, which was won by Spud Webb. What was the best dunk you ever made, and how did a 5'6" point guard win a slam dunk contest?

RH: Spud was from Dallas, which is where the dunk contest was held. He was a freak of nature, as nobody believed that he could dunk. His dunks were not exceptional but he still got way up there. I was picked for the contest because I could dunk over people even though I was not as athletic as some of the other guys. I wanted to win but I was not fancy enough: I was just happy to participate. My best dunk was definitely not in that contest. I was playing in Houston one night and came down on a fast break and dunked over Hakeem Olajuwon and Ralph Sampson. I knew it was pretty exciting because when we played Atlanta the next game Battle invited me into the Hawks' locker room and they kept replaying my dunk over and over on the TV!

JT: You played eight years from 1983-1991 (career 14.2 PPG and 6.8 RPG), and your 882 career blocks are still in the top 100 in NBA history. How satisfied are you with your career, and do you consider yourself to be one of the best shot-blockers of your era?

RH: I am not really satisfied because my career did not end the way I wanted it to. I spent about two years on the injured list.

JT: You eventually had to retire due to several knee surgeries. How frustrating was it to not be able to go out on your own terms?

RH: I wish my knees would have held up better so that I could have played more years. It was very frustrating. My skills had not diminished but my body failed me. The players today lift weights and have trainers, which I was not dedicated to back then. I remember World B Free once said, "Young fella, you have to save your legs." I would run and dunk all through practice, but as I got older I finally understood what he meant.

JT: In 2004 you established Hinson Financial Services (a company specializing in securing private/commercial financing), and you also help administer the Financial Education Program of the NBA Players Association as a Regional Representative. Why did you decide to start your own financial services company, and why do some NBA players who sign multi-million-dollar contracts end up losing so much of their money?

RH: My father owned his own business so I always wanted to own my own company. I currently do commercial mortgages. I have been a regional representative ever since I stopped playing, and it is the next best thing to playing because it keeps me involved me in the game. Your question is a bit loaded! I gave my parents gifts and helped them remodel their house but never had to buy them a new one. Some members of the "new generation" come from very tough backgrounds and neighborhoods, and a lot of them want to get their family out of that situation as their top priority. You always hear about the 5% of players who get in trouble, but you never hear about the 95% who do well and perform charity work because it is not sexy enough for the media. You hear about the guys who struggle but not about the guys who have gone into business or become successful coaches.

JT: Your son Roy III also played college basketball, and your cousin Ben Hinson is the all-time leading scorer in Charleston Southern history. How good a player is your son, and does he credit at least some of his success to genetics?

RH: My oldest son Calvin Chitwood went to CSUN and is now playing professionally in Holland. Roy III went to a few different schools and like a lot of other people he is now trying to figure out his next step.

Hinson is also on Jon's list of best pro players in Big East history.

Cincinnati: Oscar Robertson (1961)
Connecticut: Ray Allen (1996)
DePaul: George Mikan (1949)
Georgetown: Allen Iverson (1996)
Louisville: Wes Unseld (1969)
Marquette: Dwyane Wade (2003)
Notre Dame: Adrian Dantley (1977)
Pittsburgh: Billy Knight (1975)
Providence: Lenny Wilkens (1961)
Rutgers: Roy Hinson (1984)
Seton Hall: Bob Davies (1949)
USF: Chucky Atkins (2000)
St. John's: Chris Mullin (1986)
Syracuse: Carmelo Anthony (2003)
Villanova: Paul Arizin (1951)
West Virginia: Jerry West (1961)

College Hoops Wednesday Recap: Officials Steal Spotlight at MSG

Raphielle Johnson — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 04:19:18 -0500

While the regular season battle between Rutgers and St. John's was a tight affair that wasn't decided until the final seconds, it paled in comparison to what happened at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday afternoon. Rutgers came out on the short end of the stick in numerous situations late in the game with regards to the officiating. From Mike Coburn not getting a foul call despite having to deal with contact on a shot attempt to Jonathan Mitchell having a player go over his back on a missed free throw the breaks all seemed to go to the Red Storm. But it was the final sequence that garnered the most attention, with St. John's breaking up a pass intended for Gil Biruta and Justin Brownlee grabbing the ball.

From there the senior committed two violations, neither of which were called by any of the three officials calling the game. First he stepped out of bounds, then traveled before tossing the ball into the air thinking that the game was over. And much to the chagrin of Rutgers head coach Mike Rice and anyone associated with the program Brownlee was correct, with St. John's winning 65-63 to advance to Thursday's quarterfinals. In a statement released shortly after the controversial finish the Big East noted not just the errors but also the fact that neither of the calls could be reviewed. That's correct because when no call is made there's nothing to fix. But much to his credit Coach Rice took it all in stride, refusing to criticize the officials publicly.

"It's something three great officials, I've had 'em all throughout the year, impeccable reputation, it's unfortunate, my heart -- believe me, there is going to be blood coming through my tongue right now but it's what it is, we're going to control how we respond," said Rice.

Regardless of what people want to happen to the officials (who probably shouldn't work the rest of the week in New York) the question that needs to be answered is what's next for St. John's and that is Syracuse. The Orange controlled the game when the two met in the regular season as their zone forced the Red Storm to settle for challenged perimeter shots. Dwight Hardy made just five of seventeen shots on the afternoon against Rutgers, and he'll have to be much better against the Orange if St. John's is to win. Steve Lavin's team is going to see more zone defenses in the NCAA Tournament given the difficulty in handling the defense throughout the season, making Thursday a good reference point for the team.

And they also need to keep the Orange off the glass, with a performance like Wednesday's (18 of Rutgers' 36 rebounds were offensive) more than likely to result in a blowout. But back to the Scarlet Knights, who saw their season end in tough fashion. Sadly Coburn, James Beatty and Jonathan Mitchell don't get another shot at the Big East, but a number of the young players who saw time this season have a chance to improve their skills in the offseason. Add in a highly touted recruiting class and there's no doubt that Coach Rice has the program headed in the right direction.

Other Notable Happenings

1. Northern Colorado earns their first-ever NCAA Tournament berth by winning the Big Sky.
Conference tournaments provide some of the memorable images for many programs, especially those that punch their ticket for the first time ever. That's the case for the Northern Colorado Bears, who won their 14th home game of the season (no losses) by the final score of 65-60 win over Montana. Big Sky MVP Devon Beitzel was also named tournament MVP due to his 27-point performance, and he's the kind of player who will give opponents fits next week. But the Bears needed others to step up, something that didn't happen in their loss at Montana earlier in the season. Neal Kingman, who was scoreless in that loss, scored 10 points on Wednesday and all eight players to see time scored. A program that became an official Division I member in 2007 is now headed to the tournament, and they've got Beitzel to thank for that.

2. Once and for all it's time to stop including Baylor and Nebraska in the bubble chatter.
Baylor's day didn't get off to a good start, with the NCAA ruling freshman forward Perry Jones III ineligible due to his mother accepting three small loans while Jones was still in high school. But unlike Auburn quarterback Cam Newton, who didn't know about his father asking for money and thus far allowed to play without missing a game, Jones had to sit. But it wasn't just his absence that did in the Bears, who did not show up ready to play against Oklahoma. The Sooners led by as many as 23 points before winning by 84-67, and despite turning the ball over just nine times Baylor watched LaceDarius Dunn shoot 3-for-14 from the field and as a team the Bears made 4 of 19 from deep.

Nebraska got off to a slow start as well, trailing by as many as 14 in the first half before fighting back to eventually take the lead in the second half. But after an Oklahoma State missed free throw the Huskers had a chance to win, only to see point guard Lance Jeter fall in the lane in the final seconds to seal a 53-52 loss. Jeter scored 17 points to lead Nebraska in their final Big 12 Tournament game but they couldn't make that one final play. And as a result Doc Sadler's team likely slips down the pecking order, with Baylor suffering the same fate. But outside of a couple solid wins neither team had done enough to warrant such attention in most seasons. The fact that Baylor and Nebraska could remain on such lists underlines just how bad the bubble is this year. But enough's enough. Neither should be on the bubble after Wednesday.

3. Long Island dethrones Robert Morris in overtime to win the NEC title.
With First Team All-NEC forward Julian Boyd on the bench due to foul trouble head coach Jim Ferry needed one of his other big men to step up. Enter Jamal Olasewere, who scored 31 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in the Blackbirds' 85-82 overtime victory. Kenny Onyechi and Jason Brickman combined to score 28 points off the bench, and C.J. Garner scored 15 himself in the 85-82 overtime win over Robert Morris. LIU has depth in both the backcourt and front court, and they do a very good job of getting to the foul line (their percentage does need to improve), meaning that whoever draws the Blackbirds had better be careful with thought that they can coast through such a contest. It's been a long time since Charles Jones and company clinched the Blackbirds' spot in the field in 1998.

Top Three Games

1. Texas-San Antonio 97, Northwestern State 96
Jeromie Hill's dunk with two seconds left in the game proved to be the difference as the Roadrunners knocked the Demons out of the Southland Conference Tournament. Devin Gibson posted a triple-double for UTSA with 28 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists (three steals as well) and Hill added 25. Will Pratt led Northwestern State with 26 points.

2. St. John's 65, Rutgers 63

3. Long Island 85, Robert Morris 82 (OT)

Three Notable Performances

1. G Devin Gibson (Texas-San Antonio)
28 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists and three steals in the Roadrunners' 97-96 win over Northwestern State.

2. G Alec Burks (Colorado) 29 points, 15 rebounds and six assists in the Buffaloes' 77-75 win over Iowa State.

3. F Jamal Olasewere (Long Island) 31 points, 11 rebounds and four steals in the Blackbirds' 85-82 overtime win over Robert Morris.

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