San Francisco

Monday Preview: Cincinnati at #11 Georgetown

Raphielle Johnson — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 00:49:00 -0500

While most of the country will be captivated by the BCS Championship Game, there are suitable alternatives on the college basketball schedule for those not interested in watching the rematch. The game that stands out has to be Cincinnati (12-4, 2-1) visiting #11 Georgetown (13-2, 3-1) with both teams looking to bounce back from losses suffered on Saturday afternoon. The situation may be even more important for the Bearcats, who despite their seven-game win streak ahead of their last-second loss to St. John's, still has to account for losses to Presbyterian and Marshall on their resume.

The problem for Cincinnati on Saturday was that for the first time in their stretch of games post-Xavier the four guard lineup couldn't shoot, making just 20 of 76 shots from the field and seven of thirty-two from beyond the arc. That allowed St. John's to get away with 19 turnovers, and the outcome could be even worse against a Georgetown team that does a better job of taking care of the basketball than the Red Storm. The Hoyas average 12.3 turnovers per game on the season, but they've turned the ball over 15 times or more in three of their four Big East games.

Mick Cronin's team is forcing 15 turnovers per game, and their four-guard attack has done a solid job of ramping up the tempo and forcing bad decisions. Leading the way is point guard Cashmere Wright (10.8 ppg, 4.9 apg, 1.7 spg), whose game has taken off with Cronin handing him the keys offense. Wright was the chief decision-maker before the suspensions, but in the aftermath he's been given more freedom to look to score. Add in sophomore shooting guard Sean Kilpatrick (15.7 ppg, 5.1 rpg) and senior Dion Dixon (13.1 ppg, 4.0 rpg) and the Bearcats have a solid three-headed attack that can score points at a solid clip.

Georgetown counters on the perimeter with a good mixture of experience and youth, and their system can be tough to guard if defenders aren't alert with regards to backdoor cuts and the like. Senior Jason Clark (15.5 ppg, 4.1 rpg) and junior Hollis Thompson (14.3 ppg, 5.5 rpg) provide the experience and the consistent scoring while sophomore Markel Starks (9.1 ppg, 50.0% FG) has moved into the point guard job left open by the graduation of Chris Wright. The Hoyas are averaging 1.11 points/possession this season, and a big reason for their efficiency is the play of one of the most improved players in the Big East.

Senior center Henry Sims (11.9 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 3.9 apg) leads the Hoyas in assists, and his ability to initiate the offense from the high post allows the perimeter players to work off the ball to get their shots. Nate Lubick can serve in a similar role on occasion while freshman Otto Porter has become more comfortable in the system by the game. His versatility will be something to keep an eye on for the Bearcats, who could be at a disadvantage in matching up with Porter due to his ability to go either inside or out. Jaquon Parker (10.6 ppg, 5.9 rpg), who has played the four in Cincinnati's new setup, will need to be at his best if the Bearcats are to win.

That also goes for senior forward Yancy Gates (12.4 ppg, 9.1 rpg), who has come off the bench since returning to the lineup. Justin Jackson starts but he's far more valuable on the defensive end of the floor, allowing Gates to provide an offensive spark when he enters the game. Gates has done his best to fit into things on the floor, at times maybe even being a bit too deferential in attempt to not step on any toes. How Gates performs in the matchup with Sims on both ends of the floor could ultimately decide the outcome. If he's scoring and rebounding in addition to limiting Sims' role as a distributor Cincinnati can win.

Also in the Big East a Connecticut team that went 0-for-New Jersey last week looks to rebound, but it's going to be difficult against West Virginia despite the fact that the Huskies are back home. One big reason why is WVU's Kevin Jones, who as of right now would have to be considered the frontrunner for Big East Player of the Year. Jones went for 22 points and 16 rebounds in the Mountaineers' win over Georgetown, and overall the effort of Bob Huggins' team on the offensive glass could be a problem if UConn isn't ready to meet that challenge from a toughness standpoint. With the likes of Jones and Deniz Kilicli, this is a game where the Huskies need Alex Oriakhi to step up and be accounted for.

There's also the first of two installments of "Bedlam" as Oklahoma visits Stillwater to take on the Cowboys. Oklahoma State has incurred some big losses on the perimeter, most recently losing J.P. Olukemi for the season with a torn ACL. The Sooners have one of the best scorers in the Big 12 in Steven Pledger, and under first-year head coach Lon Kruger they've definitely stepped up their play. Neither would be considered a contender for the Big 12 title, but the winner would take an important step towards being a part of the bubble conversation in the middle of the league.

Other games to keep an eye on include Saint Mary's hosting San Francisco, with this being the kind of game that can trip up an expected title contender like the Gaels. Rex Walters' Dons don't lack for talent but they've been a bit inconsistent, which could be a problem when dealing with SMC's Matthew Dellavedova and Rob Jones. The A-Sun, which looks to be more wide-open than anyone anticipated before the season began, has a pair of key matchups on the docket as North Florida visits and Stetson and Mercer visits USC Upstate. Belmont may very well win the conference again, but the race to the title will be a lot tougher this season than last.

And in the MEAC, Morgan State takes on Savannah State without head coach Todd Bozeman, who was suspended with pay by the school following an incident in the Bears' last game. Along with Hampton the Bears are expected to contend for the league's automatic bid, and a loss in a game like this one could come back to haunt Morgan State in regards to seeding for the conference tournament. Don't worry about not having anything to do if you don't want to watch Alabama and LSU, there's some good basketball to watch as well.

Top 25 Games
9:00 PM Cincinnati at (11) Georgetown (ESPNU)
7:00 PM West Virginia at (16) Connecticut (ESPN2)

NCAA Division I Games
4:15 PM North Florida at Stetson
5:00 PM Jackson State at Southern
6:00 PM Mississippi Valley State at Alabama A&M
6:00 PM Kennesaw State at East Tennessee State
7:00 PM Oklahoma at Oklahoma State (ESPNU)
7:00 PM Hampton at James Madison
7:00 PM Bethune-Cookman at North Carolina Central
7:30 PM Jacksonville at Florida Gulf Coast
7:30 PM Coppin State at South Carolina State
7:30 PM Mercer at USC Upstate
8:00 PM Grambling State at Alcorn State
8:00 PM Florida A&M at North Carolina A&T
8:00 PM Howard at Norfolk State
8:00 PM Morgan State at Savannah State
8:05 PM Florida Atlantic at Arkansas State
8:30 PM Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Alabama State
9:00 PM Texas-Pan American at Air Force
9:00 PM Idaho State at Wyoming
10:00 PM San Francisco at Saint Mary's

WCC Basketball Preview: 2009-10

CHN — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:10:06 -0500

Gonzaga lacks the star power of recent seasons, so perhaps this is the year they get knocked out of 1st place. Portland looks to have the best chance, but Santa Clara, San Diego, and Saint Mary's are no slouches either.

Conference Rank: 16th

10 year average: 12th

Conference Page

All-WCC Team
Pos.	Player	Team	Yr.

G	Matt Bouldin	Gonzaga	Sr
G	Nik Raivio	Portland	Sr
G	Brandon Johnson	San Diego	Sr
F	Dior Lowhorn	San Francisco	Sr
C	Omar Samhan	Saint Mary's	Sr

Player of the Year - Matt Bouldin Freshman of the Year - Matthew Dellavedova (SMC)
CHN Award Winners		Leaders
Mid-Major All-Americans Matt Bouldin (1st Team) Omar Samhan (3rd) Steven Gray Brandon Johnson Dior Lowhorn		Best Scorer: Dior Lowhorn Best Rebounder: Omar Samhan Best Playmaker: Brandon Johnson

WCC Standings
Nat'l	Team	League	Tourney

31	Gonzaga	WCC	1	NCAA
88	Portland	WCC	2	CBI/CIT
121	Santa Clara	WCC	3	CBI/CIT
173	St. Mary's	WCC	4
196	San Diego	WCC	5
254	Pepperdine	WCC	6
300	San Francisco	WCC	7
339	Loy Marymount	WCC	8

*Click on links for full Top 144 team preview

Poll: Who Do You Think Will Win the WCC?

College Basketball Preview - 348 Team Ranking - Alphabetical Ranks/Previews

Poll: Who Will Win the WCC?

Shawn Siegel — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 09:51:30 -0400

WCC Tournament: Preview & Odds

Evan Dorey — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 21:00:54 -0500

This is one in a series of conference tournament previews, in which I run down all the teams involved, give a brief statistical review and present the log5 projections, using in-conference offensive and defensive efficiency. The basic log5 methodology comes from Bill James, and this is an area Ken Pomeroy has looked at in the past as well. I claim nothing new in the application, but obviously with slightly different methodologies, these numbers may differ from others you find. I don’t claim to be an expert on any particular conference, and I’m sure there are some mis-characterizations on some players I’ve seen sparingly at best, so please add your thoughts in the comments. Anyway, with no further ado, the preview follows below:

West Coast Conference

The WCC the tournament are playing at a neutral site in Las Vegas for the first time, but the format, with a double bye for the top 2 seeds and a bye for seeds 3 and 4, is the same as it has been.

#	Team	SF	F	W
1	Gonzaga	100.00%	95.87%	82.74%
2	St. Mary's	100.00%	68.55%	12.68%
3	Portland	85.03%	30.13%	3.57%
4	Santa Clara	64.98%	3.18%	0.82%
5	San Diego	35.02%	0.95%	0.15%
6	Pepperdine	14.97%	1.32%	0.04%

Gonzaga is of course the huge favorite, but Patty Mills’ return will give St. Mary’s a somewhat better shot than these odds indicate.

#1 – Gonzaga Bulldogs (24-5, 14-0) ; Efficiency Margin: +0.286

Last NCAA Tournament bid: 2008 (1^st Round)

A perfect conference season earned the Bulldogs yet another conference title, and they richly deserve it, having dominated the league, outscoring opponents by an average of 20 points, and finishing atop the conference in all but a couple of offensive categories. The conference’s top offense is among the nation’s best in making shots, both from two and three, and in avoiding turnovers, and is very difficult to stop. The defense has also been excellent, but does have a weakness, as Gonzaga hasn’t been great at stopping three-pointers. It’s made up for it by being the country’s best defenders inside the arc, but teams that take a lot of outside shots can catch the Bulldogs by surprise.

Players to watch:

6-11 SR Josh Heytvelt, 15.2 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 58.4 eFG% - Heytvelt leads the team in scoring, and is the Bulldogs’ most efficient offensive player. He rarely turns the ball over, and shoots 55% from the field, with the ability to step out and hit the three point shot.

6-5 JR Matt Bouldin, 13.8 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 1.6 SPG, 59.2 eFG% - Bouldin is another very efficient forward, about equal to Heytvelt in shooting percentages from the floor and at the stripe, and a good player at forcing steals and holding onto the ball.

#2 – St. Mary’s Gaels (23-5, 10-4) ; Efficiency Margin: +0.135

Last NCAA Tournament bid: 2008 (1^st Round)

The Patty Mills injury seemed to have totally derailed the Gaels when they lost four of five games, though this stretch did include the toughest three road games in the league schedule. A recovery in the second half of February saw them secure second place, and put themselves back in the conversation for an NCAA at-large bid. While they finished just one game ahead of Portland, they are the clear #2 team in the league. It’s interesting that despite Mills being the headline player, St. Mary’s plays best inside, an excellent offensive rebounding team that hits more than 50% of shots inside the arc. St. Mary’s opponents tend to take most of their shots inside the arc, where the Gaels take advantage of good rebounding and strong defense.

Players to watch:

6-11 JR Omar Samhan, 13.9 PPG, 9.3 RPG, 2.1 BPG, 55.8 eFG% - Mills may get most of the credit, but Samhan is a real force for the Gaels inside, along with Diamon Simpson. Samhan shoots 56% from the field, and manages to nearly average a double-double without leading his team in points or rebounds. He’s also a very good free throw shooter, and his shot-blocking adds an important defensive element.

6-0 SO Patrick Mills, 18.8 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 3.9 APG, 2.4 SPG, 49.8 eFG% - Mills’ status will be a critical question for the Gaels in their quest for the conference title; he’s easily the most important player on offense, 2^nd in the conference in scoring and 3^rd in assists. He’s not a great percentage shooter, but does a good job on a high volume of attempts, and his quickness helps him to lead the league in steals.

#3 – Portland Pilots (18-11, 9-5) ; Efficiency Margin: +0.082

Last NCAA Tournament bid: 1996 (1^st Round)

The Pilots were right in the battle for the conference’s second spot, but lost twice on their season-ending road trip to lose their hold on the second round bye. Their offense is all about ball movement and getting opportunities from three; they’re well over 40% from behind the arc. Portland hasn’t been as good defensively, able to shut down opponents on the outside, but not very strong on the inside and quite foul-prone.

Players to watch:

5-9 JR T.J. Campbell, 11.3 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 5.0 APG, 65.4 eFG% - Campbell doesn’t take a lot of shots, but maybe he should take more, he’s a spectacular long-distance specialist, hitting 54% from behind the arc. Besides his shooting, he’s also a great distributor of the ball, a deadly combination of skills.

6-4 JR Nik Raivio, 15.7 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 1.3 SPG, 48.9 eFG% - Raivio leads the Pilots in both scoring and rebounding, he’s an average shooter, but takes a lot of shots and helps to give the team’s better shooters chances.

#4 – Santa Clara Broncos (15-16, 7-7) ; Efficiency Margin: +0.021

Last NCAA Tournament bid: None

Santa Clara had an up and down season, starting poorly, then running off a six-game winning streak that including beating St. Mary’s pretty handily, but then losing a pair of road games against weak opposition to finish the season. It’s been just about average on both ends of the floor, so a .500 record is appropriate. The Broncos are good inside scorers, but have really struggled with turnovers, giving up the ball nearly once out of every four possessions. They’ve also forced very few turnovers, which has somewhat undermined a stalwart interior defense.

Players to watch:

6-10 SR John Bryant, 18.0 PPG, 13.9 RPG, 2.5 BPG, 60.7 eFG% - The WCC’s player of the year is a spectacular big man, a game-changing force who has been key to the Broncos’ inside success this season. He’s second nationally in rebounding, and has put up the nation’s best rate on the defensive glass. He’s also an excellent shot-blocker, and hits 61% from the floor and78% from the free-throw line. Few teams in the country have a single player as important to them as Bryant is to the Broncos.

6-2 FR Kevin Foster, 14.4 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 52.0 eFG% - The freshman guard has improved his play markedly over the second half of the season, and is averaging almost 20 points in his last four games. He’s an very good three-point shooter, and can rack up a lot of points from behind the arc, including 31 in a memorable duel with St. Mary’s Patty Mills.

#5 – San Diego Toreros (16-15, 6-8) ; Efficiency Margin: -0.030

Last NCAA Tournament bid: 2008 (2^nd Round)

San Diego has been one of the biggest disappointments of the season, as a team that returned a lot from last year’s group that beat UConn in the NCAA tournament has floundered in the WCC. The Toreros opened the tournament with a solid win over Loyola, but face a much tougher challenge in Santa Clara. They’re the fifth of five teams that have held WCC opponents beneath a point-per-possession, thanks to getting opponents to give the ball up a lot, and defending shots effectively. San Diego’s problem has been on the offensive end, where its been one of the worst teams in the conference, terrible on the offensive glass and struggling to make free throws.

Players to watch:

6-8 SR Gyno Pomare, 14.1 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 1.2 BPG, 53.5 eFG% - Pomare has regressed a little from his strong junior season, but still leads the Toreros in both points and rebounds, and is the team’s most efficient offensive option. He’s a good inside scorer who rarely turns the ball over and can chip in with some key blocks.

6-6 SO Rob Jones, 9.1 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 46.8 eFG% - Jones doesn’t really play all that well, but is the second most important player to the USD offense. His shooting has been below average, and he rarely gets to the free throw line, but he’s a good rebounder and inside defender.

#6 – Pepperdine Waves (9-22, 5-9) ; Efficiency Margin: -0.168

Last NCAA Tournament bid: 2002 (1^st Round)

Pepperdine actually pulled a bit of an upset in making the second round, despite finishing as the #6 seed, as it has been easily the second-worst team in the conference, and is extremely unlikely to advance past Portland. The Waves have been terrible offensively, making just 37% of shots, including barely 40% of twos and under 30% of threes. Their defense has been a little better, but has struggled to defend the inside, allowing a high percentage of two-point shots and poor on the glass.

Players to watch:

6-3 FR Keion Bell, 12.8 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 2.3 APG, 1.5 SPG, 49.7 eFG% - The freshman has improved over the course of the season, and has been very good of late, averaging nearly 20 over his last two games. He needs a lot of work in a couple of typical freshman weak areas, shot selection and turnovers, but he has shown the ability to score inside and a good ability for assists and steals.

6-7 FR Taylor Darby, 6.1 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 37.0 eFG% - An interesting freshman prospect, Darby has a long way to go with his offensive game, but is an excellent rebounder, and has improved his percentages over the last month.

My statistical all-West Coast team (a very inside-heavy one):

St. Mary’s SO G Patrick Mills, 18.8 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 3.9 APG, 2.4 SPG, 49.8 eFG%

San Francisco JR F Dior Lowhorn, 20.1 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 52.3 eFG%

Gonzaga SR F Josh Heytvelt, 15.2 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 58.4 eFG%

St. Mary’s JR C Omar Samhan, 13.9 PPG, 9.3 RPG, 2.1 BPG, 55.8 eFG%

Santa Clara SR C John Bryant, 18.0 PPG, 13.9 RPG, 2.5 BPG, 60.7 eFG%

WCC All-Conference Team: Bryant is POY

Press Release — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 08:52:43 -0500

SAN BRUNO, Calif. -- Santa Clara senior center John Bryant turned in one of the most dominating seasons in the last 30 years in WCC history and was rewarded on Monday by being named the Conference Player of the Year in a vote by the league's head coaches. Saint Mary's senior forward Diamon Simpson joined Bryant among the yearly conference award recipients, taking home his second consecutive Defensive Player of the Year honor. Santa Clara's Kevin Foster and Portland's T.J. Campbell shared the Newcomer of the Year award, while Portland Head Coach Eric Reveno was named the Coach of the Year.

Bryant, who is the eighth different Santa Clara player to earn WCC's top honor, was an immovable force during conference play, ranking second in the league in scoring with 18.0 points per game to go along with a staggering 15.1 rebounds per game. Bryant's 15.1 rpg average is the highest clip in the WCC since former San Francisco standout Bill Cartwright averaged 16.1 rpg during the 1978-79 season. In addition, the San Pablo, CA native also paced the conference in field goal percentage (.621) and blocked shots (34). Bryant currently leads the nation in overall rebounds (430), double-doubles (24), and 20-point/20-rebound games (5).

Saint Mary's senior forward Diamon Simpson becomes the first player in WCC history to win multiple Defensive Player of the Year awards. Simpson, last season's WCC Defensive Player of the Year, ranked in the top 10 in rebounding (2nd-9.6rpg), steals (7th-1.43 spg), blocks (5th-1.36 bpg), and defensive rebounds (2nd-6.36). Simpson enters the WCC Tournament needing just three more steals to become the first player in conference history to lead his respective school's career blocks, rebounds and steals charts.

Campbell and Foster made significant impacts on their respective teams this season. Campbell paced the WCC in assists (4.86 apg) during conference play, while scoring 12.6 ppg and shooting an amazing 60 percent (39-for-65) from the three-point line. Foster enjoyed a standout first season, ranking third in the WCC in scoring (16.5 ppg) during conference play. In addition, Foster ranked sixth in assists (3.14 apg) and third in three-point field goals (38). Foster enters the WCC Tournament with 448 points, shattering Kurt Rambis' school freshman scoring record (414).

Reveno, in his third season at the helm of the Portland program, led the Pilots to the program's highest season win total since posting a 19-11 record and going to the 1996 NCAA Tournament. The Pilots, picked sixth in the WCC preseason poll, finished third in the final regular season standings with a 9-5 conference mark. The nine league victories are tied for the second most in program history, trailing only the 1995 season (10-4).

2009 WCC CONFERENCE HONORS

Player of the Year
John Bryant, SCU

Defensive Player of the Year
Diamon Simpson, SMC

Co-Newcomer of the Year
T.J. Campbell, POR
Kevin Foster, SCU

Coach of the Year
Eric Reveno, POR

All-WCC First Team
Matt Bouldin, GON - JR - G
John Bryant, SCU - SR - C
T.J. Campbell, POR - JR - G
Josh Heytvelt, GON - SR - C
Dior Lowhorn, USF - JR - F
Patrick Mills, SMC - SO - G
Gyno Pomare, USD - SR - F/C
Nik Raivio, POR - JR - G
Omar Samhan, SMC - JR - C
Diamon Simpson, SMC - SR - F

All-WCC Freshman Team
Keion Bell, PEP - G
Jarred DuBois, LMU - G
Kevin Foster, SCU - G
James Rahon, SCU - G
Marc Trasolini, SCU - F

All-WCC Honorable Mention
Austin Daye, GON - SO - F
Kevin Foster, SCU - FR - G
Steven Gray, GON - SO - G
Jeremy Pargo, GON - SR - G
Robin Smeulders, POR - JR - F
Jared Stohl, POR - SO - G

2009 WCC Tournament: Schedule/Pairings

Press Release — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 11:16:34 -0500

SAN BRUNO, Calif. - With the conclusion of the West Coast Conference men's basketball regular season, conference squads now turn their attention to the WCC Tournament, which begins on Friday, March 6 at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Gonzaga secured the top seed, posting a perfect 14-0 record in conference play to win its ninth consecutive WCC regular season title and the Bulldogs' 11th in the last 12 seasons. It marks an unprecedented third undefeated conference season for the Zags. Saint Mary's owns the No. 2 seed and like Gonzaga will earn a bye until the semifinals on March 9.

Portland earned the No. 3 seed, while Santa Clara finished fourth in the conference standings to earn the No. 4 seed. The Pilots and the Broncos earn first round byes and will play in the quarterfinal round on March 7. San Diego, last season's tournament champion, is the No. 5 seed, while Pepperdine is the No. 6 seed. San Francisco is the No. 7 seed, while the Loyola Marymount Lions are the No. 8 seed.

A limited number of single session tickets for the Friday, March 6 game will go on sale Wednesday, March 4 at 10:30 a.m. Single session tickets for all remaining dates will not be available until the day of the game at 10:30 a.m.

Single session tickets will be available at the Orleans Arena Box Office on 4500 West Tropicana Avenue in Las Vegas. Phone and Internet orders will be also taken before 2:00 p.m. on the day of the game by calling 888-834-2234 or visiting www.orleansarena.com. The number of single session tickets available will depend on the quantity of unused student tickets returned by the participating institutions.

Men's single session ticket prices are $65/$50 for preliminary sessions on March 6 and 7, $75/$55 for the semifinals on March 8, and $85/$65 for the championship game on March 9. Women's single session ticket prices are $15 for the preliminary sessions on March 6-8 and $20 for the championship game on March 9. A limited number of packages including all four women's sessions are still available for $35.

For more information on the 2009 West Coast Conference Basketball Championships, please visit www.wccsports.com.

The 2009 WCC Tournament marks the first year that the conference's premier event will be held at a neutral site. The capacity for the Orleans Arena at the four-day event is 7,845, making it the largest venue to ever house the WCC Tournament. The 2009 basketball championships will be the 23rd annual event on the men's side and the 17th annual women's tournament. The WCC advanced three teams to last year's NCAA Tournament, the most in conference history and the fifth highest percentage of teams from one conference last season.

2009 WCC Men's Basketball Tournament Seeds
1. Gonzaga
2. Saint Mary's
3. Portland
4. Santa Clara
5. San Diego
6. Pepperdine
7. San Francisco
8. Loyola Marymount

WCC Tournament Schedule

March 6th
#5 San Diego vs #8 Loyola Marymount - 6 PM
#6 Pepperdine vs #7 San Francisco

March 7th
#5/8 vs #4 Santa Clara - 6 PM
#6/7 vs #3 Portland

March 8th
#4/5/8 vs #1 Gonzaga - 6:30 PM, ESPN2
#3/6/7 vs #2 Saint Mary's - 8:30 PM, ESPN2

March 9th
Championship - 6 PM, ESPN

Mid-Major Player of the Week: Eric Maynor

Joey Whelan — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 00:01:37 -0500

As a companion to CHN's National Player of the Week, we will be presenting a Mid-Major Player of the Week as well this season. All non-BCS players are eligible for this award. In the case that the National POY is a non-BCS player, they will be repeated here as well.

Player of the Week

Eric Maynor – VCU

3 Games: 25 ppg, 3 rpg, 5.7 apg, 2.3 spg, 55.8% FG, 47.3% 3P FG

The CAA’s top player put together a banner week in garnering this week’s award. Not only did Maynor have great looking numbers, but he was a devastatingly efficient scorer, something you don’t often see from mid-major scoring machines. After torching Vanderbilt and Western Michigan early in the week, the senior saw his numbers take a bit of a dip, but not enough to prevent him from leading the Rams to a win in their conference opener.

Just Missed Out

Lester Hudson – Tennessee-Martin

2 Games: 23 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 2 apg, 2 spg, 41.4% FG

One of last season’s more intriguing character stories, Hudson is having another fine season. He is still quite trigger happy from the perimeter, but he is a versatile scorer as he proved with a pair of twenty point games against Morehead State and Eastern Kentucky. As was the case last year, Hudson is one of the best rebounders for his size in the country, posting his first double-double of the season this week.

Ryan Wittman – Cornell

3 Games: 27.3 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 2.7 apg, 1 spg, 37.6% FG, 40% 3P FG

Ivy League teams consider this your warning for the season: Ryan Wittman is a gunner. The junior dropped 28, 33 and 21 points on Indiana, Syracuse and Minnesota respectively attempting a ridiculous 45 three-pointers and hitting 40% of them. At 6’6” and with that kind of range he will be an absolute match up nightmare in a conference where most players at that size are banging under the boards.

Diow Lowhorn – San Francisco

3 Games: 23.3 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 53.3% FG, 63.6% 3P FG

The bruising Lowhorn has picked up right where he left off after his sophomore season, scoring in bunches and hauling down any rebound within in his reach. What the forward has done this year though is add the ability to score from the perimeter. Lowhorn connect on 7 of his 11 attempts from deep this week and is shooting a stellar 50% from that range on the season.

Worth Noting

Alex Barnett – Dartmouth

Vs. Vermont: 32 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 12-19 FG, 6-7 3P FG

Sure Dartmouth lost by 17 points to Vermont, but how much fun was it watching Alex Barnett hit everything he threw up at the basket? The senior, though never having been afraid to shoot from outside, has never been a major weapon from this spot on the floor. What a difference a year makes as Barnett has gotten off to a torrid start, hitting 15 of his first 29 three-point attempts. He’ll be another player Ivy League teams need to watch out for in conference play.

GameNight: USC vs San Francisco

Evan Dorey — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 15:24:44 -0500

Start: Dec 1 2008 - 10:29pm

Preview & Prediction: By Evan Dorey

-- Evan Dorey's game previews & rankings are based on Elo Ratings. Elo Ratings are fairly simple, all teams are assigned an initial number of points, which is the same for all teams, eliminating preseason bias. Then, as the season progresses, when a team wins it gains points, and when it loses it drops points. The amount of points that are gained or lost depend on the level of the opponent (beating a cupcake gets you little, beating #1 will be a big increase), the scoring margin of the game (which is capped), and the game’s location. To take a look at Evan's College Basketball Elo Ratings, visit his website or blog where he discusses the rankings along with other statistical observations about big games and interesting teams.

With the preseason holiday tournament giving way to a less crowded schedule this week, the games put up for our post-Turkey day consumption aren’t quite as compelling as they have been. One worth keeping an eye on tonight is #86 San Francisco (5-1) traveling to LA to face #74 Southern California (4-2).

The Trojans have had an up-and-down start to the season, losing two games against power conference opposition in Puerto Rico, but winning their four home games fairly comfortably. The Dons’ only loss came at Cal, but it was fairly tough, and none of their five wins to date have really impressed. They are a team that probably look a lot better by my rankings than they will in a game situation, but they are still among the better opposition to travel to USC’s building so far.

A typical Tim Floyd team builds strength from the defense first, and this year’s edition looks to be no exception. As was the case last year, the Trojans’ defense depends on their ability to prevent shots from going in, especially inside, while controlling the number of fouls they commit in the process. One of the more interesting facets of the Trojans so far this season has been their showing on the boards, both offensively and defensively, as they have recovered a much larger portion of misses than they did in the 07-08 campaign. Tim Floyd’s teams tend to play slow, and don’t press for steals much. San Francisco’s offense is their strong point, with, as is the mid-major stereotype, three-point shooting being critical. The real problem for San Fran in this game will be the glass, as they just lack the size to compete on either end with USC’s rebounding. They will need to be very efficient and limit turnovers, which have been a problem, to score enough to stay close.

Defensively, USF have been a bit of a mess so far. They are among the worst in the nation at defending threes, and tend to give up a lot of chances on the offensive glass. The one piece of good news for the Dons is that Southern Cal give up plenty of possessions themselves through turnovers, and shoot very few three-balls, and are very bad shooters when they do. However, USC should be able to press the issue inside, where they are average, if not particularly strong scorers

USC have only a single senior who has been on the floor this season, and even then only as a sixth or seventh man. This is a young but very talented team. At least on ESPN, USC seems to be attached to the name DeMar DeRozan, but the freshman has struggled so far, shooting poorly and coughing up the ball a little too often. The real guy that should be mentioned with USC is forward Taj Gibson, whose foul trouble against Missouri was a significant factor in that loss. Gibson is efficient, about a 55% shooter who knows not to take threes (not a single one in three years), and is part of the domination of the glass that the Trojans have had this year. He has hit double digits in every game, and if they can get him somewhere in the range of 15 shots or more, they can be a very effective offensive team. A couple of junior guards are also important in Dwight Lewis and Daniel Hackett. Lewis is a decent scoring option as a shooting guard, while Hackett should try and shoot less and distribute more, and also needs to control turnovers in a way he failed to in the Missouri loss.

The good news so far for the Dons is that a couple of their newer players seem to have integrated quite well, as juco transfer Blake Wallace has come in and been a good inside and outside shooter who is capable of chipping in on the glass as well, while freshman guard Kwame Vaughn has displayed a strong shooting touch from inside the arc, considering he’s only 6-3. They add these pieces to two solid returnees, guard Manny Quezada, who put up 27 against Cal and has been a decent 3-point shooter throughout his career, along with being a good ball control and passing point guard, and forward Dior Lowhorn, an honorable mention CHN Mid-Major All-American. Lowhorn is an offensive force, averaging 20 points per game last season, and doing it with some decent efficiency. He also crashes the boards well, and while he will be outmatched against USC’s interior players, any hopes the Dons’ have will surely include a big night from their main star.

Alright, I feel I’m on pretty safe ground with picking an easy USC win in this one, but the Trojans are a team I’ll be watching closely given their poor showing in Puerto Rico. USC’s four wins have been over teams with a combined 3-15 record against Division I opposition, and with a red-hot Oklahoma team being the Trojans’ next opponents, they will need to find some form, especially on offense to have a good shot in that game. It will also be another good test for the Dons, who look to face one of the toughest conference seasons they’ve ever had with three very good teams in the WCC. I wouldn’t be too surprised to see the game stay close even as far as halftime, but USC will be able to pull away to a double digit win in the end.

Winner: Southern California Margin: +10

WCC Basketball Preview: 08-09

CHN — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 21:31:00 -0500

Conference Rank: 10th

Conference Page

All-WCC Team
Pos.	Player	Team	Yr.

G	Jeremy Pargo	Gonzaga	Sr
G	Patrick Mills	St. Mary's	So
G	Brandon Johnson	San Diego	Sr
F	Diamon Simpson	St. Mary's	Sr
C	John Bryant	Santa Clara	Sr
CHN Award Winners		Returning Leaders
High-Major All-Americans Austin Daye Matt Bouldin Josh Hetyvelt Jeremy Pargo Mid-Major All-Americans John Bryant Brandon Johnson Dior Lowhorn Patrick Mills Gyno Pomare Diamon Simpson		Points: Dior Lowhorn 20.5 Rebounds: John Bryant 9.6 Assists: Jeremy Pargo 6.0

WCC Standings
Nat'l	Team	League	Tourney

13	Gonzaga	WCC	1	NCAA
35	St. Mary's	WCC	2	NCAA
61	San Diego	WCC	3	NIT
151	Santa Clara	WCC	4
179	San Francisco	WCC	5
222	Portland	WCC	6
251	Pepperdine	WCC	7
274	Loy Marymount	WCC	8

*Click on links for full Top 144 team preview

Poll: Who Do You Think Will Win the WCC?

Other WCC Content

Conference Media Poll

WCC Poll & All-Conference Team

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Rise & Fall: The WCC

WCC Media Poll & All-Conference Team

Press Release — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 01:24:48 -0400

LAS VEGAS, Nev. - If you remember how the top three finished in the West Coast Conference men's basketball regular-season chase a year ago then you won't see anything out of the ordinary to start the 2008-09 campaign.

Gonzaga University edged Saint Mary's College and the University of San Diego in the 2008-09 WCC men's basketball pre-season poll as selected by the league coaches. The announcement was made at the 2008 WCC Basketball Media Day at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, site of the 2009 WCC Basketball Tournament.

The Bulldogs received five of the eight first-place votes - coaches couldn't vote for their teams - and garnered 46 points. The Gaels had a pair of first-place votes and 44 points and USD received the other first-place nod and 39 points.

Gonzaga, SMC and USD all advanced to the NCAA Tournament a year ago.

Rounding out this year's poll is Santa Clara University (30) in fourth, the University of San Francisco (23) picked fifth, followed by the University of Portland (22) in sixth, Loyola Marymount University (12) in seventh and Pepperdine University (11) in eighth.

The WCC Pre-season All-Conference team was also unveiled at the media day, highlighted by eight returning 2008 All-WCC first team members, the most returning all league players in conference history. Headlining the preseason all-conference list was Gonzaga's Jeremy Pargo, the reigning WCC Player of the Year, as well as Saint Mary's Patrick Mills and Diamon Simpson, last season's WCC Newcomer of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year.

The Zags return 10 letterwinners, including three starters, from last season's squad that posted a 25-8 overall record, captured its eighth consecutive WCC regular season title and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the 10th consecutive season. Headlining the list of returners for the Bulldogs is Pargo, the 2008 WCC Player of the Year. Pargo leads a talented backcourt that includes junior guard Matt Bouldin, a 2008 All-WCC first team member, and sophomore Steven Gray, a 2008 All-WCC freshman team selection. Austin Daye, another WCC All-Freshman selection and a WCC honorable mention pick a year ago, also returns to bolster the Gonzaga attack.

Saint Mary's, looking for a return trip to the NCAA Tournament, returns four starters and eight letterwinners overall from last season's squad that tied the school record for most wins in a season with a 25-7 overall mark. Mills, a sophomore guard, returns to the Gaels after starring for the Australian National Team at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Mills will team with Simpson, a senior forward, to give the Gaels one of the top inside-outside tandems in the league.

Head coach Bill Grier had a successful debut season at San Diego, leading the Toreros to the 2008 WCC Tournament title and their fourth NCAA Tournament bid in program history. Once there, the Toreros pulled off one of the most memorable upsets of the tournament, knocking off No. 4 seeded University of Connecticut 70-69 in overtime in the first round. The Toreros return all five starters and 10 letterwinners overall from last season's squad. Leading the way for the Toreros is the senior duo of guard Brandon Johnson and forward Gyno Pomare, both of whom earned 2008 All-WCC first team honors.

This season, the WCC welcomes three new head coaches to the fold. Bill Bayno takes over at Loyola Marymount, while Pepperdine welcomes back Tom Asbury, who guided the Waves for six successful seasons (1988-94). Rounding out the list of new head coaches is Rex Walters, who is guiding USF.

2008-09 WCC Men's Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll
(First-Place Votes In Parentheses)

1. Gonzaga (5) 46
2. Saint Mary's (2) 44
3. San Diego (1) 39
4. Santa Clara 30
5. San Francisco 23
6. Portland 19
7. Loyola Marymount 12
8. Pepperdine 11

2008-09 WCC Men's Pre-season All-Conference Team

Matt Bouldin, GON
John Bryant, SCU
Austin Daye, GON
Brandon Johnson, USD
Dior Lowhorn, USF
Patrick Mills, SMC
Jeremy Pargo, GON
Gyno Pomare, USD
Omar Samhan, SMC
Diamon Simpson, SMC