South Florida

Tuesday Recap: Travel Issues, Cowboys Can't Derail San Diego State

Raphielle Johnson — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 10:35:27 -0500

It's been an interesting couple of days in college basketball when it comes to travel issues, with Purdue having to bus to Michigan State in the early hours of Saturday for a noon tip. While the Boilermakers hung tough in the first half they lost their legs in the second as the Spartans rolled. So what was going to happen to San Diego State, whose trek to Laramie for an important Mountain West game against Wyoming took 20 hours, not to mention the fact that they'd be playing more than 7,000 feet above sea level? The Aztecs seemed to find their second wind in the second half, opening the stanza on a 16-4 run on their way to the 52-42 win.

SDSU shot 57.1% from the field in the second half while limiting the Cowboys to 7-for-27, and their defense helped make up for 19 turnovers that Wyoming was able to convert into 18 points. Chase Tapley and Jamaal Franklin scored 12 points apiece for San Diego State, who remains a game ahead of UNLV with a 4-0 league mark, and Franklin also grabbed eleven rebounds (unfortunately he was three turnovers away from a triple-double).

Leonard Washington (12 points, eight rebounds) and Luke Martinez (11 points) led the way for the Pokes, who have dropped two conference home games (New Mexico before this) and are still in search of a marquee win to add to their resume. Foul trouble short-circuited Wyoming in the first half but they were able to hang close, trailing 25-22 at the break. But their offensive struggles coming out of the gates in the second half proved to be the difference.

"They played very good position defense, but they didn't pressure us other than for a few possessions when JayDee [Luster] was out," remarked Wyoming head coach Larry Shyatt. "They are a tough, competitive group of kids, and they have an arrogance where they expect to win. All good teams have that."

Given the fact that there were just 58 possessions in the game neither team was all that great at taking care of the basketball, combining for 34 turnovers on the night. San Diego State made the most of the possessions they were able to get through without turning the ball over, shooting 51.2% from the field and 45.5% from three. Both teams made five three-pointers on the night, but SDSU only attempted 11 to Wyoming's 22. The Cowboys attempted eight more field goals and six more free throws but it was they who looked to be the team that spent 20 hours on the road, and that's a credit to Steve Fisher, his staff and most importantly the players.

"It had no impact on the game at all, in my opinion," said Fisher of the travel issues. "We've had problems in Laramie my thirteen trips in here. It's a hard place to play and win. To come in here and get a win, I'm very appreciative, and do believe we earned it."

Other Notable Happenings

1. Michigan hangs on to beat Purdue in West Lafayette.
It's safe to say that Michigan didn't get off to a good start at Arkansas on Saturday afternoon, but to their credit the Wolverines fought back before falling short 66-64. No such beginning on Tuesday night for Michigan, but they needed a missed Robbie Hummel three in the final seconds to beat Purdue 66-64 in West Lafayette. Tim Hardaway Jr. led four Michigan players in double figures with 19 points and forwards Jordan Morgan and Evan Smotrycz combined for 22 points in the win.

Michigan wasn't as reliant on the three-point shot as they normally are in their system, attempting 14 (making six). But that's fine when they're able to find enough good shots from two to shoot 58.3% inside of the arc. Purdue on the other hand shot 9-for-26 from deep, and Hummel and Lewis Jackson combined to score 33 of their 64 points. With the win Michigan remains atop the Big Ten standings with a 6-2 mark, and if they can get play like this from Morgan and Smotrycz on a consistent basis they'll remain a contender for the Big Ten title.

2. Baylor bounces back from an 0-2 week by winning at Oklahoma.
It was a tough week for Scott Drew's Bears but that was understandable given the fact that they were playing a Top 10 team on the road (Kansas) and a Top 5 team at home (Missouri). The issue came in how they lost especially when considering rebounding, and while Oklahoma still managed to grab 12 offensive rebounds they weren't able to fully take advantage. Perry Jones III scored 21 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to lead Baylor to the 77-65 win, with Oklahoma's poor three-point shooting (3-for-12) also playing a role in the outcome.

Baylor on the other hand made nine of their eighteen shots from beyond the arc, and when combined with a 14-for-17 night from the charity stripe it isn't too difficult to figure out why the 12 offensive boards allowed wasn't a killer. Pierre Jackson scored 16 points and dished out seven assists but also had six of Baylor's 12 turnovers, but the Sooners only scored 12 points off of those turnovers. Romero Osby scored 16 points and grabbed 11 rebounds and Steven Pledger scored 17 to lead Oklahoma, who dropped to 2-5 in league play with the defeat.

3. Texas picks up a key win over Iowa State to split the season series.
Fred Hoiberg's Cyclones have made their way into the NCAA Tournament discussion with their play throughout the season but they let a good opportunity slip through their fingers with a 72-65 loss at Texas. A win would have given the Cyclones a sweep of the season series, and if both teams were to end up on the bubble that would be a nice line to have on their resume. What makes the defeat even more painful is that Texas won despite J'Covan Brown shooting 3-for-16 from the field.

Myck Kabongo led the Longhorns with 13 points and Julien Lewis chipped in with 12 and seven rebounds, giving Texas a much-needed home win as their next two games are at Baylor and home against Missouri. Iowa State shot just 33.3% from the field and 5-for-21 from three, and starters Scott Christopherson and Chris Allen combined to make just two of their fourteen shots from the field. Iowa State will have plenty of good opportunities for resume-building wins between now and March, but this defeat may put a little more pressure on them to split their next two games (home against Kansas and Kansas State).

Quick Hitters

1. Despite 25 points and nine rebounds from Ball State's Jarrod Jones, Akron won 70-58 in Muncie to remain in sole possession of first place in the MAC East. Quincy Diggs and Brian Walsh scored 16 points apiece to lead the Zips and Alex Abreu added 12 on four three-pointers.

2. Kentucky forward Anthony Davis moved to third on the list of most blocked shots in a single season in SEC history, blocking five shots to move his total to 98 in the Wildcats' 57-44 win at Georgia. Darius Miller scored 19 points off the bench and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist added 14 and 11 rebounds as Kentucky moved to 6-0 in conference play.

3. In Nashville, Vanderbilt blitzed Tennessee early on their way to a 65-47 win as Jeffery Taylor led the way with 23 points, nine rebounds and four steals. John Jenkins added 16 as the Commodores were able to win in comfortable fashion in spite of Festus Ezeli's ejection for a flagrant 2 foul in the first half.

4. With two of their next three games being road contests against ranked teams, there was some thought that we'd find out how good USF is. The first game didn't go well for the Bulls as they fell 67-47 at #18 Marquette. Toarlyn Fitzpatrick led the Bulls with 19 points and ten rebounds but as a team USF shot 35.6% from the field and turned the ball over 20 times, leading to 20 Marquette points.

5. If Jim Larranaga's Miami team is to make a run at a spot on the NCAA Tournament bubble they need to avoid stubbing their toe against teams they're expected to beat in the ACC. That was the case on Tuesday as the Hurricanes beat Georgia Tech 64-49 thanks in large part to 21 points and eight rebounds from Kenny Kadji. Miami needs to take care of business against Boston College and Maryland ahead of their trip to Duke on February 5th.

6. While Buffalo does have one of the country's most underrated players in Javon McCrea, they've also got another solid forward by the name of Mitchell Watt. Watt scored 14 points and grabbed nine rebounds to compliment McCrea's 17 points as the Bulls beat Eastern Michigan 67-47 to remain a game behind Akron in the MAC East.

Three Notable Performances

1. F/C Will Davis II (UC Irvine)
21 points (9-10 FG), ten rebounds and five blocks in the Anteaters' 78-67 win over Seattle.

2. F Perry Jones III (Baylor)
21 points and 12 rebounds in the Bears' 77-65 win at Oklahoma.

3. F Jeffery Taylor (Vanderbilt)
23 points, nine rebounds and four steals in the Commodores' 65-47 win over Tennessee.

Wyoming vs. #12 San Diego State: Tuesday's Preview

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 11:41:42 -0500

It's been a while since there's been the ability to say "Wyoming" and "NCAA Tournament" in the same sentence, but in the first season of Larry Shyatt's second run in Laramie the Cowboys (16-3, 2-1) have turned some heads. With first-place #12 San Diego State (17-2, 3-0) visiting, not only can the Pokes pull into a tie atop the Mountain West with a win but they can also lend the NCAA talk a little credibility with a win. Despite their gaudy record Wyoming has that albatross of a strength of schedule (268 overall, 328 non-conference per the most recent NCAA "nitty gritty" sheet) to deal with, a number that could prove costly without some marquee wins within league play.

Wyoming has four players averaging at least 9.7 points per game but their most important player could very well be Jaydee Luster, a point guard averaging just 5.8 points but leading the team with 3.6 assists per contest. Luster's improved as a floor general for the Cowboys, which has led to good things for his teammates, one of which being forward Leonard Washington (12.9 ppg, 6.7 rpg). The USC transfer was too much for Colorado State on Saturday as we punished the Rams with 32 points and 14 rebounds. Joining him in the front court is senior Adam Waddell (9.7 ppg, 2.9 rpg) and reserve Larry Nance Jr. (3.8 rpg, 3.5 ppg), but the Cowboys essentially break even on the glass.

That's not going to get it done against San Diego State, who still causes problems on the offensive glass despite losing their three best rebounders from a season ago. As a team the Aztecs corral 32.9% of their missed shots and out-rebound opponents by five rebounds per game, and big men Deshawn Stephens, Garrett Green and Tum Shelton lead the way on the offensive glass. The SDSU guards are also good rebounders, with Jamaal Franklin (15.4 ppg, 6.6 rpg) leading the team in rebounding while Xavier Thames (11.3 ppg, 5.1 apg, 3.3 rpg) and Chase Tapley (16.6. ppg, 4.4 rpg, 2.5 apg) do their part as well.

The challenge for the Wyoming guards, which in addition to Luster features Paco Cruz (12.3 ppg, 2.9 rpg) and Luke Martinez (13.3 ppg, 3.6 rpg), will be to keep the SDSU guards out of the lane. Percentage-wise the Aztecs are a better three-point shooting team than Wyoming but they're also less reliant on the shot for points, scoring 56% of their points on two-point shots. If this one is close late free throw shooting could come into play and the Cowboys are one of the best in the country there, making 76.7% of their foul shots, so keep an eye on that area in addition to the rebounding numbers. Wyoming's schedule may lead some to underestimate the program's growth, but they've got a great opportunity to show just how far they've come tonight.

Tuesday's action also features a few teams looking to bounce back from disappointing weekend results, most notably Baylor (who visits Oklahoma) and both teams in the Michigan/Purdue matchup. The Bears were outworked on the glass by both Kansas and Missouri last week, and while the Sooners may not be as strong as either of those teams they've got some guys who can hurt you (Steven Pledger being one). Baylor simply has to rebound, and that doesn't mean just jump for the ball. Proper fundamentals, zone defense or not, such as boxing out need to be utilized if the Bears are to take full advantage of their height.

Michigan and Purdue fell on the road on Saturday, with the Wolverines losing at Arkansas while the Boilermakers were whipped by Michigan State. Michigan's issue was that they were cold early while the Razorbacks were red-hot, while Purdue's travel issues weren't as big a deal as the Spartans shooting 62% in the second half. USF, off to a surprising 5-2 start in the Big East, will see the schedule get tougher beginning with a trip to Milwaukee to take on #18 Marquette.

Freshman point guard Anthony Collins has been solid for the Bulls, who have had multiple guys step up and make plays, but they'll have their hands full with Darius Johnson-Odom and Jae Crowder. Also keep an eye on Tennessee's trip to Nashville to play Vanderbilt and Iowa State taking on Texas in Austin, as those both are games that will have an impact on the midsection of the SEC and Big 12 standings respectively.

Top 25 Games
9:00 PM (1) Kentucky at Georgia (ESPN)
8:00 PM (7) Baylor at Oklahoma (ESPN3)
8:30 PM (12) San Diego State at Wyoming (The Mtn.)
8:00 PM South Florida at (18) Marquette (ESPN3)
7:00 PM (22) Michigan at Purdue (ESPN)

NCAA Division I Games
7:00 PM UMBC at Boston University
7:00 PM Tennessee at Vanderbilt (ESPNU)
7:00 PM Akron at Ball State (ESPN3)
7:00 PM Eastern Michigan at Buffalo
7:00 PM South Carolina State at Hampton
7:00 PM Morehead State at Norfolk State
7:05 PM Longwood at Florida Gulf Coast
8:00 PM Western Illinois at Nebraska Omaha
8:05 PM Bradley at Southern Illinois
8:05 PM Texas-Arlington at Houston Baptist
9:00 PM Miami (FL) at Georgia Tech (ESPNU)
9:00 PM Iowa State at Texas (LHN)
10:00 PM Seattle at UC Irvine

Thursday Recap: Can Pittsburgh or Villanova Turn Things Around?

Raphielle Johnson — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 01:34:46 -0500

To understand the funk that Pittsburgh and Villanova are currently mired in, it may take this fact about the two teams they lost to on Thursday night. This is the first time as members of the Big East (since 2005-06 for both) that DePaul and USF have won conference games on the same night. Yes, allowing that to sink in underlines the gravity of the situation for both the Panthers and Wildcats, as both teams are in need of some answers at this point in time.

Pittsburgh, once again playing without point guard Tray Woodall, had their biggest issues show up on the defensive end in their 84-81 loss to the Blue Demons. DePaul scored 53 points and shot 59.4% from the floor in the second half to make their comeback, and point guard Brandon Young was near unstoppable with 26 points, six assists, five steals and four rebounds with just one turnover. Pittsburgh held a 50-32 edge on the boards, but when a team makes 10 of 22 from beyond the arc as DePaul did, winning on the road becomes that much tougher.

Even with all five starters scoring in double figures (Talib Zanna led the way with 16), the Panthers were in trouble for much of the night due to the issues defensively to go along with some bad decisions late. Ashton Gibbs' decision to give the foul on Young as the sophomore was attempting what would be the game-winning layup with 17.2 seconds remaining may be the most glaring mistake, but there were issues in terms of shot selection and some costly turnovers as well.

As for Villanova the situation may be even worse, as Jay Wright's team is extremely young in key areas. And youth doesn't always have to be measured by years; lack of familiarity with a new role can be just as damning for a team and that could be the case for Maalik Wayns and Dominic Cheek.

Cheek now has to be a feature option for the Wildcats offensively, and while he had a key role last season Wayns is being entrusted with the task of running the show without a Corey Fisher alongside him. Other than these two and Mouphtaou Yarou, Villanova is relying a lot on their youngsters, and the 74-57 loss to USF further exposed the fact that they're not ready for the Big East yet.

While Villanova was expected to be a bubble team this season, the expectations were much higher for Pittsburgh. If anything the impact of the loss of players such as Fisher and Corey Stokes (Villanova), and Brad Wanamaker, Gary McGhee and Gilbert Brown (Pittsburgh) was underestimated by those outside of the respective programs.

While many are quick to point out the fact that leagues can eat their young in conference play, it can also expose older players as well. There's still time for both teams to turn things around, but Pittsburgh and Villanova both understand that they need to do so quickly.

Other Notable Happenings

1. Indiana hangs on to beat Michigan and remain undefeated at home.
The battle between the Hoosiers and Wolverines lived up to the pregame expectations, but at the end of the contest Indiana's starting frontcourt and Victor Oladipo's defense made the difference in the 73-71 win. Christian Watford was a matchup nightmare for Michigan, scoring 25 points to go along with seven rebounds and four assists, and Cody Zeller added 18, four rebounds and two blocks. By comparison, the Michigan starting frontcourt of Jordan Morgan (12 points, nine rebounds) and Evan Smotrycz (eight points) was solid but didn't have a similar impact.

As a team the Hoosiers shot 55.1% from the field and finished with an effective field goal percentage of 62.2%, well above what Michigan allowed entering the game (47.1%). Another area in which Indiana held their own was three-point shooting. Michigan did make ten, with Stu Douglass making three, but they needed twenty-four attempts to do so while Indiana made seven of their eleven attempts.

But back to Oladipo, who was given the responsibility of defending Tim Hardaway Jr. for much of the night. Hardaway Jr. led Michigan with 19 points, but he needed 19 shot attempts to do so (0-for-7 3PT). Oladipo didn't shoot well himself (2-for-10, five points) but that didn't stop him from taking care of business on the other end. There's also the matter of what Indiana's backcourt was able to do with Michigan freshman Trey Burke, who scored ten points on 4-for-15 shooting. Indiana's offense will get the headlines in many circles, but don't ignore their effort defensively.

2. Good luck making any sense of the Pac-12 this season.
Two happenings on Thursday sum up the conference: Utah won, and so did Arizona State with just six scholarship players after having to suspend three. Yeah, it's going to be a wacky year in the Pac-12, and that's not a good thing for a league that put together a 1-24 record against RPI Top 50 teams in non-conference play. My question on Twitter was a simple one, but one without a clear answer at this point in time. With so many meager non-conference resumes it may take at least 12 league wins to be a seriously discussed at-large candidate, but who can accomplish that in this conference?

The quick responses would likely yield Arizona, California and maybe Washington, but all three went on the road and lost on Thursday. Stanford? They fell at Oregon, who owns one of the two wins for road teams in the first week-plus of conference play (at Washington State last week). Oregon State, who went 0-2 against the Washington schools last week, could also be an option given their talent. But the fact that there are so many question marks is a bad thing for the Pac-12 in terms of their prospects come Selection Sunday.

Just one team remains undefeated in conference play: Colorado, who whipped the Huskies 87-69 in Boulder. But given the way things have played out thus far, the Buffaloes will likely fall against Washington State. One-bid league? Never thought it would be a serious possibility, but that could very well be the reality if a couple of teams don't rise above the rest of the conference.

3. Penn State hands Purdue a 20-point loss for their first Big Ten win of the season.
Patrick Chambers' Nittany Lions have taken their lumps, which was expected to happen given the major personnel losses from last season's NCAA Tournament team. But they gave a serious lump to Purdue on Thursday night, leading from start to finish in a 65-45 romp in Happy Valley. As a team the Boilermakers shot just 31.9% for the game, and outside of Robbie Hummel (14 points, five rebounds) Purdue starters shot 5-for-22 on the night. Tim Frazier played well for Penn State, finishing with 15 points, nine assists and five rebounds, but he wasn't the star as Billy Oliver knocked down seven of eleven three-pointers to score a game-high 21 points.

The 6'8" forward shoots 37% from beyond the arc, but this was quite the explosion for a player who had made three or more from deep in just three games this season. Purdue entered the contest with every opportunity to take care of business as a team hoping to contend for a conference title would, and they came out flat. Sometimes it takes getting drilled to remember that you can't get away with such starts.

Quick Hitters

1. No sequence summed up the night better than Louisiana-Lafayette playing the final seconds of overtime against Western Kentucky with six players on the floor. Yes, six. After nearly turning the ball over Elfrid Payton scored a layup that gave the Ragin' Cajuns a 72-70 win. According to the rules there was no way for the officials, who missed the error coming out of the timeout, to review the play and assess a technical foul (which should have been the call to begin with). There's also no way for the Sun Belt to go back and replay the final seconds, meaning that the Hilltoppers are out of luck.

2. Also in the Sun Belt, keep an eye on North Texas especially with Tony Mitchell now in the fold. Mitchell led the Mean Green to a 78-73 overtime win at South Alabama with 34 points and 16 rebounds, and if this is a harbinger of things to come this is a team that can contend to win the conference.

3. Manhattan was just seconds away from their third MAAC win, but a Dylon Cormier three from the corner gave Loyola (MD) the 61-60 win in Baltimore. Cormier was one of three Greyhounds to score 11 points while Erik Etherly added eight points, seven assists and six rebounds. George Beamon led the Jaspers with 18 points, six rebounds and four blocked shots.

4. Glen Braica's St. Francis (NY) Terriers moved to 2-1 in NEC play, beating Quinnipiac 73-72 in Brooklyn. The Terriers, who were led by Stefan Perunicic (21 points), likely won't be a contender for the league title but games like this make the difference between hosting and going on the road in the quarterfinals of the NEC Tournament. Good win for the Terriers.

5. Congratulations are in order for the Hartford Hawks, who picked up their first win of the season. Andres Torres scored 27 points and grabbed six rebounds as the Hawks beat New Hampshire 56-49 in West Hartford.

6. Wofford may not be one of the teams discussed as a contender in the SoCon, but the defending champs aren't in the business of conceding anything. Karl Cochran led four starters in double figures with 21 points as the Terriers beat College of Charleston 75-58 to move to 2-1 in league play. The Cougars made just 34.4% of their two-point shots on the night as Wofford did a good job of limiting their quality looks.

7. In the Big West, UCSB sent a message to Cal-State Fullerton in the form of a 77-64 win in their first home game since November 30th. Orlando Johnson scored 23 points and James Nunnally 18 as the Gauchos remained undefeated in league play while handing the Titans their first Big West loss. Fullerton will still be a factor in the race, but until further notice it's safe to say that UCSB and Long Beach State are the best bets to win the league.

Three Notable Performances

1. F Tony Mitchell (North Texas)
34 points and 16 rebounds in the Mean Green's 78-73 overtime win at South Alabama.

2. F Jamal Olasewere (Long Island)
29 points and 12 rebounds in the Blackbirds' 87-81 win at Sacred Heart.

3. F Rob Jones (Saint Mary's)
31 points, 12 rebounds and three steals in the Gaels' 78-72 win at San Diego.

Monday Recap: #10 Marquette, #12 Kansas Both Upset

Raphielle Johnson — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 23:17:46 -0500

What looked to be a routine post-finals Monday in college basketball turned out to be anything but as two ranked teams fell. #10 Marquette went on the road to take on an LSU team that much isn't expected of this season and found themselves in a dog fight. Averaging 81 points per game the Golden Eagles finished the game 22 points below their average in the 67-59 loss to the Tigers, with LSU making the required plays on both ends of the floor late.

Ralston Turner led the way with 22 points while Justin Hamilton (13 points, seven rebounds) and Storm Warren (10 points, six rebounds) also reached double figures and point guard Anthony Hickey added eight points, six assists and four steals. LSU very well could have allowed things to get out of hand from the start as Marquette rushed out to a 13-0 lead, but Trent Johnson's team didn't panic and they used defense to get back into the contest. Marquette shot 36.3% from the field and turned the ball over 15 times, and their bench was outscored 24-4 as well.

"We got hit in the face a little bit with that 13-0 run," said Johnson. "I thought those guys (senior reserves Malcolm White, Storm Warren and Chris Bass) came in and gave us a lot of energy. They competed their tails off and then we got back in the thing and found out that we can compete a little bit."

How often will Buzz Williams' team have to account for quiet nights from Vander Blue (four points, 1-4 FG), Junior Cadougan (six points, 3-10 FG) and Todd Mayo (two points, 0-5 FG)? Probably won't happen all that much, and when adding to that LSU's offensive efficiency of 103.1 despite turning the ball over on 28% of their possessions the makings for an upset are there. Jae Crowder (22 points) and Darius Johnson-Odom (16 points but six turnovers) led the way offensively for Marquette, and a positive they can take out of the game was the seven points and eight rebounds supplied by Davante Gardner.

Not as much luck for #12 Kansas, who trailed for much of the night in their 80-74 loss to Davidson in Kansas City. The big question for Bill Self's team in the aftermath of the defeat: outside of Thomas Robinson (21 points, 18 rebounds) where did the Jayhawks have a clear edge on the Wiildcats? Davidson turned the ball over 12 times in the first half yet still went into the break with a 33-32 lead as the Jayhawks shot just 39.8% from the field.

Bob McKillop's team would be even better in the second half taking care of the basketball, not turning it over once. Nik Cochran led four starters in double figures with 21 points and while Davidson didn't shoot well from the field (41.0%) they shot well from the foul line (19-25) while Kansas left points on the board in shooting 18-for-31. It's one thing to shoot poorly from the field, but leaving points at the charity stripe will more times than not come back to haunt you.

The Wildcats also outscored Kansas 33-18 from beyond the arc, with Cochran being the main marksman by knocking down four of five attempts. Kansas made a few threes late to stay in the game but it was too little too late, as Davidson put more effort as the game wore on in doubling Robinson inside. The Jayhawks simply couldn't get over the hump in front of a partisan crowd, and in the final minutes Davidson landed the critical blows needed to bounce back with a win following their blowout loss at Charlotte.

"I thought we came out in the second half and scored two baskets, which at least put us in the center ring for the rest of the half," remarked McKillop. "I thought our resiliency was a great statement about our team maturing and showing poise and taking a week of practice after a tough loss and really capitalizing on it."

Other Notable Happenings

1. Marshall beats Belmont by one in a thriller in Huntington.
The game of the night did not disappoint, with Marshall needing a missed Kerron Johnson layup as time expired to hang on for the 87-86 win. Damier Pitts (19 points, 11 assists) and Dennis Tinnon (24 points, ten rebounds) each posted double-doubles while DeAndre Kane led the way with 29 points for the Thundering Herd, who are now 8-2 and have the talent to challenge Memphis in Conference USA. Johnson led six Belmont players in double figures with 18 points, but despite the margin of defeat Rick Byrd's team will be able to point at second-chance points as the difference.

Marshall grabbed 14 offensive boards and outscored Belmont 23-7 in second-chance points, a margin that did more damage to the visitors than the 16-4 spread in fast-break points. The good news for the Bruins is that they'll get another shot at the Herd in ten days in Nashville, but if they can't rectify the issues on the boards between now and then the rematch will likely net the same result. As for Marshall this is another solid win for their resume, and if they can to C-USA play with an 11-2 record Bill Herrion's team would be a a nice spot in terms of a possible at-large berth.

2. No Gutierrez or Solomon? No problem for Cal, who blew out UCSB.
With forward Richard Solomon out for at least the next two games with a stress fracture in his left foot and guard Jorge Gutierrez falling ill, the Golden Bears were without two key cogs for their game against UCSB. With the Gauchos having one of the more potent perimeter attacks in James Nunnally and Orlando Johnson a loss at home was a distinct possiblity. But Justin Cobbs would have none of that talk, scoring a career-high 25 points (10-12 FG) and Allen Crabbe adding 19 in the Golden Bears' 70-50 victory.

Nunnally and Johnson combined to score just 19 points, making nine of twenty-five shots from the field and as a team UCSB made two of thirteen from beyond the arc (Cal finished 11-for-20). Freshman David Kravish replaced Solomon in the starting lineup, finishing with seven points, nine rebounds, three steals and two blocks. Kravish isn't needed to be a scorer as the Bears have enough weapons to take care of that department, but his ability to hit the glass and do the little things has been a factor in their 10-2 start. Next up for Cal is a tough non-conference game at UNLV this weekend before they begin Pac-12 play next week.

3. Denver does the job defensively in handing Wyoming their second loss.
There was the question of just how legit Larry Shyatt's Cowboys were as they boasted an 11-1 record going into Monday's game at Denver. But in the aftermath of the Pioneers' 57-46 win at Magness Arena the better conclusion to draw may be that Joe Scott's got a Sun Belt title contender on his hands. Denver attempted just 39 shots for the game but they outscored the Cowboys 27-3 from beyond the arc, and Chase Hallam scored 21 points in his third double-digit effort of the season.

Wyoming shot 37.2% from the field while making just one of thirteen from beyond the arc, and that difference proved costly as the Pioneers made six of nine from three in the second half. Hallam's a key figure for Denver if they're going to be right there with Middle Tennessee in the Sun Belt race. After averaging 12.5 points per game and shooting 46.2% from the field in 2010-11 Hallam's numbers have dropped significantly this season (7.8 ppg, 40.3% FG), and that will need to change in order to supplement the efforts of Brian Stafford and Chris Udofia. The hope for Denver is that Hallam's 21-point outing is a step in the right direction.

Quick Hitters

1. A third head coach stepped down on Monday, with Idaho State and Joe O'Brien parting ways. The Bengals are 2-8 on the season and O'Brien concludes his tenure at ISU with a record of 56-105. Assistant coach Deane Martin was named interim head coach.

2. North Carolina grabbed a staggering 72 rebounds in their 99-49 win over Nicholls State. The Colonels have to adjust to life without the graduated Anatoly Bose, and it's been a rough go as they dropped to 4-8 on the season. Three UNC players grabbed at least ten rebounds with two more grabbing at least seven, and as a team the Tar Heels finished with 31 offensive rebounds.

3. It might be time to speak of Creighton forward Doug McDermott the same way Bum Phillips used to speak of Earl Campbell when he coached the Houston Oilers. He might not be the best forward in the country but it doesn't take long to call roll, and McDermott put up 35 points (career-high) and seven rebounds in the Bluejays' 83-64 win at Tulsa.

4. Another forward moving in that direction is West Virginia forward Kevin Jones. Jones put up 25 points, 14 rebounds and two assists in the Mountaineers' 72-53 win over Tennessee Tech, and he's got six double-doubles in ten games.

5. Kudos to USF for proving this writer wrong with their 70-55 win over Cleveland State. Jawanza Poland made his return and scored 13 points off the bench while Cleveland State made just seven of twenty-six shots from beyond the arc in their second loss of the season. Good win for Stan Heath's club.

6. Two teams tied for first place in the Big South dropped non-conference road games on Monday night, as Campbell lost to UNC Wilmington 67-65 and Coastal Carolina was whipped 76-51 by East Carolina. The Chanticleers made just three of twenty-one shots from three in their loss at ECU while Matt Wilson's tip-in with 1.4 seconds remaining spelled doom for the Camels.

7. Welcome back, Darnell Dodson. His three-pointer as time expired gave Southern Miss a 64-61 win at Arizona State in what turned out to be a wild affair. Well before the Golden Eagles blew a nine-point lead in the final minute USM's Torye Pelham and ASU's Ruslan Pateev were ejected for fighting, and LaShay Page scored all 14 of his points in the second half.

8. What's more surprising about USC's 83-59 beating of TCU: that they scored 83 points or that they got college basketball's "iron man" Maurice Jones four minutes of rest? Jones, who leads the nation in minutes per game, led four Trojans in double figures with 25 points and USC shot 50.9% from the field. That "extra" rest could come into play on Thursday night as USC hosts Kansas.

9. The Basketball Hall of Fame released its first list of candidates for the Cousy Award on Monday, and two names are missing from the list: Saint Mary's Matthew Dellavedova and Missouri's Phil Pressey.

Four Notable Performances

1. F Kevin Jones (West Virginia)
25 points, 14 rebounds and two assists in the Mountaineers' 72-53 win over Tennessee Tech.

2. F Doug McDermott (Creighton)
Career-high 35 points and seven rebounds in the Bluejays' 83-64 win over Tulsa.

3. F Thomas Robinson (Kansas)
21 points and 18 rebounds in the Jayhawks' 80-74 loss to Davidson.

4. C Meyers Leonard (Illinois)
19 points, 16 rebounds and two assists in the Fighting Illini's 64-60 win over Cornell.

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.

College Hoops Tuesday: Your Commentary

Raphielle Johnson — Mon, 27 Dec 2010 23:42:54 -0500

The Kohl Center should be rocking for the Big Ten opener between Wisconsin (10-2) and border rival Minnesota (11-1), a game that could hold even more importance come March for resume reasons. Tubby Smith's Golden Gophers have an in-season tournament title (Puerto Rico Tipoff) to their credit already, a run that includes likely valuable wins over North Carolina and West Virginia. Wisconsin, on the other hand, may not have a better win than their wins over Boston College (Old Spice Classic) and at Marquette although their most impressive showing thus far was a 39-point whipping of NC State (that game loses its luster as the Wolfpack stumble their way through the remainder of non-conference play). But computer numbers aren't as good of an indicator as head-to-head play, meaning that Tuesday's matchup will tell us quite a bit about both teams.

The Golden Gophers have also had to manage their rotation for much of the season, from Devoe Joseph's suspension to Al Nolen's injury, and they've done a good job of winning games despite the issues. A major factor in Minnesota's success is their deep frontcourt, boasting returnees Colton Iverson and Ralph Sampson III along with newcomers Trevor Mbakwe and Rodney Williams. While their rebounding margin of +5.7 is solid, Minnesota has a quartet of players who are a physical equal to just about any team they take on (and that's to be conservative). Mbakwe, who very nearly ended up at Memphis this summer when there was fear that he'd never suit up for Minnesota, is averaging 13.3 points and 9.8 rebounds per game to lead the way and has a pro-ready physique right now. As a team the Golden Gophers rebound 39% of their misses, and those extra opportunities can result in Blake Hoffarber (13.9 ppg, 39.1% 3PT) threes is opponents aren't careful.

In looking at the Badgers offensively it should come as no surprise that they're averaging more than ten possessions per game less than Minnesota (70.4-59.5) on the season, but that doesn't mean that Bo Ryan's team lacks offensive firepower. Forward Jon Leuer (19.8 ppg, 7.3 rpg) is one of the Big Ten's best frontcourt players, possessing the ability to go to work with either his back to the basket of via the face-up game. Leuer shoots a shade under 51% from the field and makes half of his three-point attempts, and his cashes in when sent to the foul line as well (79.2%). While Minnesota may have seen more "household" names when taking on North Carolina (thanks to high school All America teams) they haven't seen a player better than Leuer this season. The "yin" to Jon's "yang" offensively would have to be point guard Jordan Taylor, who averages 15.4 points per game while handing out 4.8 assists per game (turning it over just 1.8 times per game). Add in players like Keaton Nankivil, Josh Gasser and Mike Bruesewitz (just to name three) and you've got a group that's more than capable of winning a Big Ten title.

Comparing the offensive efficiency of both teams Wisconsin is the more efficient team (120.2-109.5) while also doing the better job defensively (90.9 opposition efficiency to 96.8 for Minnesota opponents). But judging by the percentages of their opponents (Wisconsin's opponents shoot 38.8% from the field to Minnesota's 39.0%) one could argue that the efficiency discrepancy is just as much about tempo as it is performance. So keep an eye on tempo as well as offensive rebounding as this game wears on. There's nothing more disheartening than defending a team for 30 seconds and force a missed shot, only to have them grab the ball and run another 30 seconds off the clock. Both teams are in the 39% range when it comes to offensive rebounding but the Badgers do a better job of keeping their opponents off of the offensive boards (72% defensive rebounding percentage). And with Wisconsin being close to unbeatable at home Minnesota will need every extra possession they can get.

In other action Tuesday try to fit in an afternoon nap in order to stay up for the nightcap in the Big West. In a rematch of last year's Big West Tournament final Long Beach State visits defending league champion (and preseason favorite) UCSB. The Gauchos, who have a win at UNLV to their credit this season, are led by the nation's top-scoring tandem in James Nunnally and Orlando Johnson. Long Beach State has played one of the nation's toughest schedules and has five players scoring in double figures with Casper Ware (14.6 ppg) and T.J. Robinson (14.5) leading the way. Three more Big East games are on the schedule, including Providence visiting Syracuse in a game that will test their defensive improvement and Seton Hall hosting a USF team that may be weary from having to bus from Washington, D.C. to Newark thanks to the snowstorm. Same goes for North Carolina, who will fly up to New York City Tuesday morning in hopes of getting in town with enough time to spare before taking on Rutgers at Madison Square Garden.

Top 25
9:00 PM Providence at (5) Syracuse (ESPNU)
2:00 PM (11) Purdue at Michigan (BTN)
7:00 PM Coppin State at (12) Kentucky (ESPN3)
7:00 PM (13) Minnesota at (24) Wisconsin (ESPN2)

NCAA Division I Games
4:00 PM Alabama A&M at North Carolina State
7:00 PM Rider at Howard
7:00 PM Fairfield at Florida (ESPNU)
7:00 PM Charleston Southern at Georgia (ESPN3)
7:00 PM Siena at St. Bonaventure
7:00 PM Binghamton at Marshall
7:00 PM DePaul at Cincinnati (ESPN3)
7:00 PM Niagara at Drexel
7:00 PM Union (KY) College at Liberty
7:00 PM Bucknell at Loyola (MD)
7:00 PM Kent State at Morehead State
7:00 PM Western Carolina at UNC Asheville
7:00 PM South Florida at Seton Hall (ESPN3)
7:00 PM Albany at Xavier
7:00 PM Long Island at NJIT
7:05 PM Saint Joseph's at Holy Cross
8:00 PM Midland Lutheran at South Dakota
8:00 PM Panhandle State at North Texas
8:00 PM Brescia at Austin Peay
8:00 PM Oakland at Centenary
8:00 PM Chicago State at TCU
8:05 PM North Dakota State at UMKC
8:05 PM IPFW at Oral Roberts
8:05 PM Central Baptist College at Arkansas State
8:05 PM Ball State at Valparaiso
9:00 PM North Carolina vs. Rutgers* (ESPN2)
9:00 PM Pepperdine at Alabama (ESPN3)
9:00 PM West New Mexico at UTEP
9:00 PM Kennesaw State at Wyoming
9:00 PM Florida International at Utah Valley
10:00 PM Yale at Stanford
10:00 PM UC Riverside at UC Irvine
10:00 PM Colorado State at San Francisco
10:05 PM UC Davis at Cal State Fullerton
10:05 PM Pacific at Cal State Northridge
10:30 PM Hartford at California
11:00 PM Sam Houston State vs. Air Force*
11:00 PM Long Beach State at UC Santa Barbara (ESPNU)

#128 South Florida: 2010-11 Basketball Preview

Joel Welser — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 22:10:59 -0400

Overall Rank: #128

Conference Rank: #14 Big East Conference

2009-10: 20-13, 9-9

2009-10 postseason: NIT

Coach: Stan Heath (41-54 at South Florida, 153-121 overall)

Coach Stan Heath took a big step up with South Florida during his third year at the helm. After struggling through a couple ugly seasons, the 2009-2010 Bulls went 20-13 and reached the NIT. The program is still on the rise in what is always a difficult conference to play in, but this season will likely be a small step backwards due to the absence of the entire starting backcourt trio.

Key Losses: G Chris Howard, G Dominique Jones, G Mike Mercer

Key Newcomers:

For the most part the newcomers are going to have to take on a really big role on the perimeter or USF will have to play really big. Either way, the pressure is on Shedrick Haynes, Hugh Robertson, LaVonte Dority and Jordan Heath to immediately make an impact. Haynes, a 6-0 point guard, and Robertson, a 6-5 wing, are the likely candidates to play right away since they both spent two years at the junior college level. Dority is a talented point guard as well and will be given the opportunity to compete for a starting job or at least play some quality minutes off the bench. The lone newcomer in the frontcourt is Ron Anderson, a transfer from Kansas State. Anderson did not earn any starts for the Wildcats during the 2008-2009 campaign, but he was an important player off the bench and will add some quality, and experienced, depth to the frontcourt.

Backcourt:

Anthony Crater is the only returning guard who played any significant minutes during the 2009-2010 campaign, and Crater was only eligible to play for half the season after transferring in from Ohio State. However, in that time he earned a couple starts and averaged 3.1 points and 1.7 assists. His role will drastically increase this year and even though he has only been at USF a short time he will have to develop into a leader. Crater has the qualities to turn into a great player. He will not likely score too much, but he is a speedster who can create opportunities for his teammates.

Frontcourt:

Most of the scoring will come the dynamic frontcourt duo of Jarrid Famous and Augustus Gilchrist. Famous averaged 10.4 points and a team high 7.5 rebounds a year ago and is poised for a big senior season. Gilchrist was well on his way to having an all-conference sophomore season. He was averaging 18.8 points per game before spraining his ankle. He missed the next 15 games and returned in mid-February, but was nowhere near as consistent in the scoring column as he was before the injury. Now fully healthy, Gilchrist could become the star of this team, but Famous will have something to say about that. In Gilchrist’s absence, Toarlyn Fitzpatrick was forced into action as a freshman and did an admirable job. Fitzpatrick is not a great scorer at this point in his career, but he is a fine rebounder and the most dangerous shot blocker on the team.

Who to Watch:

Both Haynes and Robertson will likely have to start from day one. That is asking a lot from a couple of junior college transfers who are not proven players at this level. Despite being a point guard, Haynes is also a great scorer and will be comfortable off the ball with Crater running the point. Robertson is the more important piece to the puzzle. The Bulls desperately need help and size on the wing and Robertson will provide just that. The 6-5 wing can do a little bit of everything and he will be asked to do everything right away.

Final Projection:

It would be ideal if Fitzpatrick could spend some time at the small forward position, but that would cause some problems on the defensive end of the floor against most opponents. That gives the Bulls some very good depth in the frontcourt, but it also puts a ton of pressure on the newcomers on the perimeter. This is a talented team, but it will take some time before everything comes together and by then they will be in the middle of a tough Big East conference slate.

Projected Post-season Tournament: CBI/CIT

Projected Starting Five:

Anthony Crater, Junior, Guard, 3.1 ppg

Shedrick Haynes, Junior, Guard, DNP last season

Hugh Robertson, Junior, Guard, DNP last season

Augustus Gilchrist, Junior, Forward, 13.4 ppg

Jarrid Famous, Senior, Center, 10.4 ppg

Next Top 144 Teams
129		130		131		132		..All

College Basketball Preview - 144 Teams in 144 Days - Alphabetical Ranks/Previews

South Florida 2010 NIT Capsule

Joel Welser — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 02:12:05 -0500

South Florida Bulls

Big East Conference (20-12, 9-9)

Big Wins: 1/31 Pittsburgh (70-61), 2/3 at Georgetown (72-64), 3/6 Connecticut (75-68)

Bad Losses: 11/20 vs South Carolina (66-69), 12/13 Central Michigan (56-59), 2/20 St. John’s (58-74)

Coach: Stan Heath

Why They Can Surprise:

South Florida does not do one particular thing extremely well and there are lots of reasons that Coach Stan Heath has turned this group picked by most to finish at the bottom of the Big East into a very, very dangerous team. It all starts in the backcourt with Dominique Jones. Jones is the superstar scorer on this team and averages 21.3 points. He is the team’s most prolific outside shooter, which is not really saying much, but he does plenty of damage by attacking the basket. The 6-4 junior is even a superb rebounder and leads the Bulls in assists and steals.

Yet, it will not be Jones who brings the ball up the floor. Chris Howard has turned into the steady floor leader and has done a great job sharing the ball and keeping the turnovers down. But the 6-3 Howard is also a fine scorer. In many cases when USF was undermanned due to the absence of Augustus Gilchrist, Anthony Crater would run the point quite a bit. That allowed Howard to work off the ball and he proved that he can be a very effective scorer.

Why They Can Disappoint:

It was in the frontcourt where Coach Stan Heath was worried. Gilchrist was the only returning player with much experience and he needed to go from an inconsistent freshman to a sophomore leader. And that was the case until he was sidelined with a leg injury in early December. Gilchrist did not make his return until Mid-February and that left the door open for a lot of young players to grow up. Gilchrist is a great scorer who can stretch out the defense with his amazingly consistent three-point shooting. Junior college transfer Jarrid Famous has done an admirable job up front. He is not much of a shot blocking threat, but Famous has come along very nicely in the scoring department and is always a tenacious rebounder. Freshman Toarlyn Fitzpatrick was forced into the starting lineup while Gilchrist was out. While he is not much of a scorer at this point in his career, he is a solid rebounder and another big body. The frontcourt has played surprisingly well, but they are a very young group and that could be a problem when the Bulls need all the help they can get.

Who To Watch:

Mike Mercer is often overlooked on this team. He will not score like Jones or Howard, he cannot shoot like Gilchrist or score in the paint like Famous, but the 6-5 senior is turning into a leader on the floor. His outside shot is simply not falling very much this year, but Mercer is still out there grabbing rebounds and playing great defense and any time he can score 19 points like he did in wins against San Diego and Providence is just a bonus.

Probable Starters:

Chris Howard, Senior, Guard, 10.4 ppg, 3.9 apg

Mike Mercer, Senior, Guard, 9.4 ppg, 1.5 apg, 4.6 rpg

Dominique Jones, Junior, Guard, 21.3 ppg, 3.7 apg, 6.2 rpg,

Toarlyn Fitzpatrick, Freshman, Forward, 4.3 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 1.0 bpg

Jarrid Famous, Junior, Center, 10.5 ppg, 7.5 rpg

Key Roleplayers:

Anthony Crater, Sophomore, Guard, 3.3 ppg, 1.7 apg

Augustus Gilchrist, Sophomore, Forward, 13.8 ppg, 6.1 rpg

By the Numbers:

Scoring Offense: 68.7 (182^nd in nation, 13^th in conference)

Scoring Defense: 66.7 (141, 8)

Field-Goal Percentage: 44.7 (110, 10)

Field-Goal Defense: 43.2 (175, 12)

Three-Point Field Goals Per Game: 4.3 (316, 15)

Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage: na

Free-Throw Percentage: 68.9 (169, 9)

Rebound Margin: 1.2 (150, 12)

Assists Per Game: 12.1 (231, 15)

Turnovers Per Game: 12.8 (86, 9)

Follow Joel Welser's Postseason Capsules & College Basketball Previews on Twitter @Joel_Welser and on his Facebook page. Joel will be back in June for his annual Top 144 Teams in 144 Days preview on CollegeHoops.net

+ NCAA Basketball Tournament

• 2010 NCAA Tournament Coverage

• NCAA Tournament Capsules

• NIT Capsules

• NCAA Tournament Schedule

• Venue Info & Tickets

• Bracketology

Big East Wednesday Recap: Welcome Back, Mr. Harangody

Raphielle Johnson — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 00:57:00 -0500

Luke Harangody was a First Team All-Big East selection and it was an honor that many questioned this week due primarily to his knee injury. The senior played just eleven minutes in Saturday's regular season finale at Marquette and the question of many was whether or not his return would hamper the surging Irish in their quest for an NCAA Tournament bid. Well, you got your answer. Harangody came off the bench to score 20 points and grab 10 rebounds, essentially being the difference-maker in Notre Dame's 68-54 win over Seton Hall. Next up is two-seed Pittsburgh, a team they beat in their lone regular season meeting (68-53 in South Bend on February 24th.

"Luke coming off the bench- the most important three days of practice for us was Sunday, Monday and Tuesday because we could get Luke back in [an even better] rhythm," said head coach Mike Brey. Thanks in large part to Harangody the Irish were a plus-21 in bench points (24-3) and a plus-10 on the boards (40-30). Seton Hall also shot just 2-for-16 from beyond the arc and 34.5% overall for the game; Jeremy Hazell led the way with 15 points but he needed sixteen shots (making just five) to do so. A turning point for the Pirates was when Herb Pope picked up his third foul with 2:30 left in the first half. Over the ensuing 9:59 the Irish increased their lead from five (24-19) to sixteen (44-28) points and the game was essentially over.

As for why Pope was in the game head coach Bobby Gonzalez felt he had to with Notre Dame beginning to assert their will on the game. "Well, basically the game was getting away from us," said Gonzalez. "We had to. I felt that if I hadn't put him in, we might be down 15 at the half and we may not be in the game. We couldn't get a rebound." And as a result Seton Hall has to play the waiting game, paying close attention to the scores of games involving other teams perceived to be on the bubble while also making their case to anyone who will listen. And Coach Brey gave the masses a little advice in regards to the science of bracketology as well.

"You know what; right now nobody is going to talk about Seton Hall. Just give it a few days. Keep Seton Hall on the board...I know everybody kneejerks. Give it two days and come back as look at the big picture."

Georgetown 69, USF 49
No other way to describe this as a routine victory for Georgetown, outclassing a team that if not for a Shawn Noriega three in the game's final minute would have gone two games without a bonus shot. Greg Monroe and Jason Clark scored sixteen points apiece while Chris Wright added fifteen, advancing the Hoyas to their third meeting of the year (and 12th in the Big East Tournament) with top-seeded Syracuse. Dominique Jones led all scorers with 21 points but made just six of eighteen shots from the field. The Hoyas were able to make him work offensively and as a team USF shot just 29.1% from the floor. For the two games USF managed to score just seven points that didn't involve either the paint or the foul line. And when you combine that with Georgetown making seven of fourteen from beyond the arc it's easy to figure out why the Hoyas won.

Marquette 59, St. John's 57
Another close game and another close win for the Golden Eagles, who will now face Villanova in the quarterfinal round for the second consecutive season. Marquette held on for dear life against a tough St. John's squad that played the better basketball of the two teams in the final twenty minutes. Lazar Hayward led all scorers with 20 points while David Cubillan and Maurice Acker added eleven and ten, respectively. The Red Storm dominated points off turnovers (18-8), points in the paint (40-20) and second-chance points (15-2) but because of the ten-point hole they dug themselves in the first half they couldn't pull off the comeback. D.J. Kennedy and Sean Evans scored 12 points apiece and Paris Horne ten for St. John's.

"Not that I'm old, but I always trust our players to tell me the truth about other players," said Marquette head coach Buzz Williams. "And if you were to ask out players who is the hardest-playing team in the league, they would tell you St. John's." Marquette now gets to play for a measure of revenge against the Wildcats, who not only won both meetings by two points but also knocked them out of the Big East Tournament at the buzzer last season. Reggie Redding hit a cutting Dwayne Anderson with the pass that led to Anderson's game-winning layup as time expired. Another classic? That's definitely a possibility.

Cincinnati 69, Louisville 66
It didn't look good for the Cincinnati Bearcats at the half, shooting 28% from the field while also giving up 41 points. But the one stat that happened to be a byproduct of their poor shooting- rebounding- ended up being one of the areas that brought them back from said deficit to win in the final game of the night. The difference between halves: Mick Cronin's team went back to attacking the basket and they were able to take full advantage of the paint points as a result. "Guys did a great job in the second half," said Cronin. "We ended up with 40 points in the paint. We get the ball in the paint, we get it on the rim, [and] we can rebound the ball."

Yancy Gates led the way with 16 points but the most impressive stat is that five Bearcats had at least five rebounds apiece (Jaquon Parker had a team-high nine) and another two had four. The Bearcats finished the night with a 54-33 edge on the glass and 17-6 in second-chance points. Edgar Sosa led all scorers with 28 points (also led Louisville with six rebounds) but Deonta Vaughn stripped the senior of the basketball as he attempted the game-tying shot just before time expired to preserve the comeback victory. Cincy also received the reward of foul shots in their attacking the basket; they were a plus-7 in points from the foul line (15-8). As a result of the win Mick Cronin will take on another mentor, Bob Huggins, in Thursday's final quarterfinal of the day.

Thursday's Schedule

Noon #8 Georgetown vs. #1 Syracuse
This is the rivalry that helped shape the Big East, and with this being a noon tip this will likely be a truly packed house at the start. They've played twice with the Orange winning both: a blowout at the Carrier Dome after the Hoyas jumped out to a 14-0 lead, and a close finish at the Verizon Center in which the Orange jumped out to a sizeable edge before holding on in the end. For John Thompson III what the Hoyas have to do is rather simple. "We just have to come out and execute at both ends of the floor," commented Thompson after their win over USF. But with players such as Wes Johnson and Andy Rautins (among others) to deal with that's easier said than done. Will Georgetown have their legs with this being their second game in as many days? It's vital that they come out and establish themselves early against the Big East's best team.

2 PM #5 Marquette vs. #4 Villanova
These two have quite the recent history; the Wildcats won two-point games in both meetings and they also knocked the Golden Eagles out of last season's Big East Tournament with a layup as time expired. Jay Wright's squad is among the deepest in the nation and with Marquette not having the luxury of such numbers staying out of foul trouble will be a key for them. Taylor King (personal reasons) has been cleared to play by Coach Wright, and as a team Villanova has to avoid giving away points via the foul line. They're among worst in the nation in regards to fouls committed per game; their aggressive style of play can get them into trouble at times and lead to an imbalance in foul shots. If Scottie Reynolds and the rest of the backcourt can control the game Villanova can use their depth, but don't be surprised if this one goes down to the wire. 12 of Marquette's 19 Big East games have been decided by three points or less.

7 PM #7 Notre Dame vs. #2 Pittsburgh
Given how well Notre Dame played in the lone regular season meeting without Harangody, it wouldn't be a surprise if the Irish took out the Panthers for a second time. Pittsburgh didn't attack the basket enough in that game, netting just seven foul shots to eighteen for Notre Dame. While guys such as Ashton Gibbs can shoot the bonus shot Jamie Dixon's team needs to attack the rim and keep the foul shot numbers close to even if they're to advance. Gilbert Brown was 0-for-5 from behind the arc; he's better served using his athleticism to attack the rim. Tim Abromaitis scored seventeen in that victory for Notre Dame and Tory Jackson also had a good game at the point. This one likely boils down to how well the Panthers execute offensively.

9 PM #11 Cincinnati vs. #3 West Virginia
Teacher versus pupil, part two for Mick Cronin as he takes on Bob Huggins and the Mountaineers in the final game of the night. Rebounding will determine the outcome as both are good offensive rebounding teams. WVU had the advantage on the boards in the second half of their regular season meeting and as a result they were able to take care of the Bearcats in Morgantown. Da'Sean Butler and Devin Ebanks provide their own set of challenges for any defense not counting the offensive rebounds, and WVU's length on both ends could be an issue for Cincinnati.

Picks
Syracuse over Georgetown
Marquette over Villanova
Pittsburgh over Notre Dame
West Virginia over Cincinnati

NYC Metro Hoops