Temple

College Football: #14 Ball State @ Miami (Ohio) Preview

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 13:35:49 -0500

Another week another set of midweek games from the MAC, with the first featuring an undefeated Ball State team looking to work its way into the BCS. But with games remaining against Central Michigan and Western Michigan the Cardinals will have a hard enough time winning the MAC West let alone going undefeated. But tonight brings a trip to Oxford to take on the Redhawks of Miami (OH), who find themselves in the middle of a heated battle for the MAC East. Every team in the division has at least two conference losses, which could make for a serious mismatch (on paper) when the two divisional champs meet on December 5th. The game matching two of the preseason favorites can be seen at 7 PM EST on ESPN2, and look for QB Nate Davis to lead Ball State to a routine road victory.

Wednesday's Games

-Temple @ Kent State 8 PM EST on ESPN360

The Owls find themselves one game out of first place in the MAC East despite having the conference's worst offense. Kent State hasn't been much better, but with four league losses the Golden Flashes still can entertain thoughts of winning the division. Unless Akron, Buffalo or Bowling Green wins the division, there's a strong chance that the East representative could be either playing for bowl eligibility or looking to win the conference even though they wouldn't be bowl eligible. As for this game, look for the Golden Flashes to win at home and further muddle the divisional race.

- Central Michigan @ Northern Illinois 8 PM EST on ESPN2

A showdown in the west that is essentially an elimination game for Jerry Kill's Huskies. Thanks to their loss to Ball State NIU would need a lot of help to win the division, but given the status of the East they could very well be playing for a bowl game in this one. Central Michigan, on the other hand, hasn't missed a beat with Brian Brunner playing quarterback for the injured Dan LeFevour. LeFevour could be back for this one, but there shouldn't be much concern if he isn't. Northern Illinois has the best defense in the MAC, but this two-game stretch (Ball State and then CMU) can kill those numbers in a hurry. NIU will be competitive, but look for the Chippewas to take care of business and set up a showdown next week with Ball State.

FWAA Awards for this week:

- Iowa was named FWAA/Tostitos Fiesta Bowl National Team of the Week thanks to their 24-23 home win over then-#3 Penn State. Other nominees were #2 Texas Tech (56-20 win over Oklahoma State) and #8 Utah (13-10 win over TCU).

- Alabama safety Rashad Johnson was named FWAA/Bronko Nagurski Defensive Player of the Week due to his performance at LSU on Saturday. Johnson had three interceptions (one for a TD) along with four tackles and one-half sack in the Crimson Tide's 27-21 overtime win in Baton Rouge.

College Basketball: Top Shooting Guards

Joey Whelan — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 11:56:23 -0400

It can be tough to draw a distinction sometimes between the shooting guard and small forward positions at the collegiate level. So often these two spots are interchangeable, labeled simply as the two perimeter players not running the point position. With that in mind, some of the players listed here may be considered as small forwards by some, while the small forward list may contain players that are often used as shooting guards. One thing isn’t in question about this list though; all of these players are or will be big time scorers and playmakers.

Pick Six: Top SG's

Throughout the week, check back for articles highlighting the Top 6 players at each position. Tomorrow we’ll be rolling out the Top 6 at shooting guard.

1. Stephen Curry – Davidson

Curry isn’t the best pro prospect on this list; heck he might not crack the top three depending on team needs. There is no question though; the pint sized scoring assassin from the SoCon is one of the best returning players in the country, and certainly the most electrifying. Curry is a lights out shooter and a threat to fire seemingly as soon as he crosses half court. He shot a ridiculous 43.9% from beyond the arc on 10.3 three-point attempts per game last season, the third highest percentage of anyone who attempted at least 7 shots per game from this range. He is equally dangerous inside the arc, able to knock down tough shots off the dribble regardless of how tight defenders play him. Curry reminds a lot of Reggie Miller and Richard Hamilton in that he is constantly moving on the offensive end making him a nightmare for whichever defender draws him as an assignment. In a weak Southern Conference expect Curry to have big scoring numbers again this season, especially with little offensive support.

Stats: 25.9 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 2.9 apg

2. James Harden – Arizona State

Fans in Tempe have plenty of reason to be excited this season; they return the best player from last year’s loaded freshman class not named Blake Griffin. Harden is an old school guard in an up-tempo conference. Not blessed with tremendous athleticism (though he has improved his conditioning coming into this year) the sophomore relies on his craftiness and excellent instincts. He does very well when attacking the basket, able to read the defense and take what it gives him. His numbers don’t drop off as he moves further out either, connecting on 41% of his three-point attempts last season. The biggest area that Harden needs to improve in is shooting off the dribble; he has yet to make this a fluid part of his game. In addition, Harden shows flashes of being an above average passer for a player relied on so heavily to score points.

Stats: 17.8 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 3.2 apg

3. Demar DeRozan – USC

It may seem somewhat audacious to rank an unproven freshman as the third best shooting guard in the country, but it isn’t often a player of DeRozan’s physical ability comes along to the college game. Possessing a 6’6” frame that is capable of flying through the air, DeRozan has a plethora of highlight videos on YouTube that fully display the aerial assaults he mounted against high school defenders. Chances are this scoring machine will continue to torture defenders in the Pac-10 with his combination of freakish athleticism and excellent perimeter shooting. Still not sold on DeRozan as a big time college player? Ask his teammates about the 29 points he dropped on them just a few days ago in USC’s first open scrimmage.

Stats: DNP Freshman

4. Wayne Ellington – North Carolina

Ellington may be a surprise pick to some people because he doesn’t immediately come to mind when thinking of the elite shooting guards in the country. When you look at the numbers and the tape though, the junior becomes a no-brainer for this list. Ellington made great strides in his development last season, adding all kinds of wrinkles to his offensive arsenal. He improved in every single statistical category last year as he took on a greater role for the Tar Heels, getting touches on nearly 20% of Carolina’s possessions last year. While he doesn’t do anything extraordinarily well, Ellington does a lot of things very solidly. He is a good perimeter shooter, slashes to the basket well and has continued to improve his mid-range game, adding a pretty pull up jumper as last season progressed. In all, he has one of the most well developed offensive games in the ACC regardless of position.

Stats: 16.6 rpg, 4.5 rpg, 2.0 apg

5. Lester Hudson – Tennessee-Martin

Hudson was one of the most interesting stories in college basketball last season; his game was one of the most impressive. This is a guy who absolutely fills up every square inch of a box score; the quintessential stat sheet stuffer. In addition to finishing 5^th in the country with 25.7 points per night, Hudson chipped in 7.8 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 2.8 steals. While he isn’t very tall for an off-guard at 6’3” (although some reports have him a couple of inches shorter) Hudson has a huge wingspan which allows him to play much bigger than he actually is. Offensively he has all kinds of weapons at his disposal. Showing a fantastic ability to create for himself off the dribble, Hudson is equally dangerous from the perimeter and mid-range. While he can attack the rim as well, he is more of a perimeter player at this point. He may not project well as a pro prospect, but he has the physical capabilities to dominate at the college level as he has shown.

Stats: 25.7 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 4.5 apg

6. Dionte Christmas – Temple

Often overshadowed by other Atlantic-10 stars like Pat Calathes and Gary Forbes, Christmas put together a fantastic junior season. The 6’5” guard has a very perimeter oriented game, with eight of his fourteen shot attempts coming from beyond the arc last season. Christmas shows a quick release and the ability to get his shot off from essentially anywhere on the floor, although his shot selection isn’t always the greatest. His great length allowed him to pull down nearly six rebounds per game, a great number for a player who spends so much time away from the hoop. While his statistics may not show it, Christmas is also a solid passer, possessing good court vision and instincts. With teammate Mark Tyndale having graduated, expect to see even more looks this year for Christmas, and likely some additional attention from defenders.

Stats: 19.7 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 2.5 apg

Next in line: Tyreke Evans, Memphis; Gerald Henderson, Duke; Robert Vaden, UAB; Patrick Christopher, California.

Tomorrow: Small Forwards

Archive: Pick Six (including Top 6 per league/position) -- The Big List: CHN's Preview Index

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Top Six Non-BCS Players

Jeff Fox — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 11:40:51 -0400

It’s not just the under-the-radar high school prospects that end up playing their college ball at non-BCS schools nowadays. 15 out of Rivals.com’s top 150 prospects for 2008 committed to non-BCS schools. Add to that the 18 players from the year before and you’ve got a serious influx of talent for the Davids to help fight off the Goliaths.

Pick Six: Non-BCS

Throughout the week, check back for articles highlighting the Top 6 players in each BCS league. Tomorrow we’ll be rolling out the Top 6 at each position.

1. Stephen Curry – Davidson – Junior

The biggest no-brainer of all-time was putting Stephen Curry atop this list. Not only is he heads-and-shoulders above the rest of the non-BCS talent, he will give Tyler Hansbrough a strong run for national player of the year honors.

Stats: 25.9 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 2.9 apg

2. Jeremy Pargo – Gonzaga – Senior

After flirting with following his brother into the NBA, Jeremy Pargo wisely decided to return to Spokane. Extremely quick but also very big for a point guard (6’2” 219lbs) he’ll be looking to lead perhaps the best team ever at Gonzaga deep into the NCAA tournament.

Stats: 12.1 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 6.0 apg

3. Eric Maynor – Virginia Commonwealth – Senior

Eric Maynor isn’t quite as hot a commodity as he was after his sophomore season, when he led the Rams over Duke in the NCAA tournament. While he might not be the trendy player to talk about like he was then, he is still a dangerous player. A terrific scorer, rebounder and assist man, he’ll have plenty of NBA scouts venturing down to Richmond this season.

Stats: 17.9 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 5.5 apg

4. Dionte Christmas – Temple – Senior

Temple’s Dionte Christmas fills up the hoop like Santa fills stockings. After leading the Atlantic 10 in scoring the past two seasons, he’ll try to go for an unprecedented third scoring title this year. Even if he doesn’t accomplish the feat, he will no doubt still be lighting up the league’s scoreboards like a Christmas tree.

Stats: 19.7 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 2.5 apg

5. Robert Vaden – Alabama-Birmingham - Senior

What Tom Crean would give to have Robert Vaden still in Bloomington. After two seasons with the Hoosiers, Vaden followed coach Mike Davis to UAB where he exploded last year for 21.1ppg and 142 three-pointers made. His total points scored and threes made were both school records.

Stats: 21.1 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 2.6 apg

6. Tyreke Evans – Memphis – Freshman

Tyreke Evans had a similar high school career as O.J. Mayo. Both hyped since they were youngsters, Evans spent a good portion of his life considered the top player in his class before falling out of favor and dropping in the rankings his senior year. Still, he is a dangerous player and brings an explosive scorer to the Tigers backcourt.

Stats: DNP Freshman

Next in line: Lester Hudson – Tennessee-Martin; Lee Cummard, BYU; Patrick Mills, Saint Mary’s; Marqus Blakely, Vermont.

Tomorrow: Top 6 PG's

More: Pick Six Archive -- The Big List: CHN's Preview Index

Atlantic 10 Media Poll: Xavier The Favorite

Press Release — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 09:17:20 -0400

After winning a program-record 30 contests and advancing to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament, Xavier has been tabbed as the team to beat in the Atlantic 10 men's basketball race, according to a poll of Atlantic 10's head coaches and media released Tuesday during Basketball Media Day.

The Musketeers received 44 of the 61 first-place votes cast by the panel of coaches and media members. Xavier (30-7/14-2) returns a pair of starters from last year's team which captured its second consecutive A-10 regular season title. Leading XU will be junior forward Derrick Brown (10.9 ppg., 6.5 rpg.) and senior guard/forward C.J. Anderson (10.7 ppg., 5.9 rpg.), who garnered preseason All-Conference first- and third-team honors, respectively. Xavier has won 20 or more games in 11 of the last 12 seasons and advanced to the NCAA Tournament in seven of the past eight years, including Elite Eight appearances in 2004 and 2008.

Temple received 12 first-place votes and placed second in the preseason poll. The Owls (21-13/11-5) captured the 2008 Atlantic 10 Championship for the first time since 2001 - their league-leading seventh time overall. TU welcomes back senior guard Dionte Christmas (19.7 ppg., 5.9 rpg.), a preseason first-team All-Conference selection who is vying to become the first player to lead the A-10 in scoring three times.

Dayton (23-11/8-8) was picked third and will be led by preseason second-team selection Chris Wright (10.4 ppg., 5.7 rpg.), a 6-8 forward who garnered All-Rookie team distinction a year ago. The Flyers earned three first-place votes. 2008 NCAA participant Saint Joseph's (21-13/9-7) was tabbed fourth and will be anchored by preseason first-team choice Ahmad Nivins (14.4 ppg., 5.8 rpg.), the A-10 field goal percentage leader the past two seasons.

One of a league-record eight teams to win at least 20 games a year ago, Charlotte (20-14/9-7) earned a pair of first-place votes and was selected fifth in the poll, while NIT runner-up Massachusetts (25-11/10-6) was picked sixth. Saint Louis (16-15/7-9) was tabbed seventh, followed by Richmond (16-15/9-7), Rhode Island (21-121/7-9), La Salle (15-17/8-8), George Washington (9-17/5-11), Duquesne (17-13/7-9), Fordham (12-17/6-10) and St. Bonaventure (8-22/2-14).

In that same poll, the coaches and media selected the preseason All-Conference teams. The first-team is comprised of Brown, Christmas, Nivins, Kevin Lisch of Saint Louis and Massachusetts' Chris Lowe. The second-team consists of Wright, George Washington's Rob Diggs, Ricky Harris of Massachusetts, the 2008 recipient of the Chris Daniels Most Improved Player Award and the league's second-highest returning scorer (18.2 ppg.), Tommie Liddell of Saint Louis and Charlotte's Lamont Mack. On the third-team are C.J. Anderson of Xavier, Richmond's Kevin Anderson, Jimmy Baron of Rhode Island, La Salle's Rodney Green and David Gonzalvez of Richmond.

The preseason All-Defensive team consists of Brown, Lisch, Lowe, Lavoy Allen of Temple and Saint Joseph's Garrett Williamson. The All-Rookie team is comprised of Melquan Bolding of Duquesne, Dayton's Paul Williams and Xavier teammates Kenny Frease, Terrell Holloway and Mark Lyons.

The 2008-09 season tips off on Nov. 11 when Massachusetts faces Arkansas-Monticello in the 2K Sports Classic in Carbondale, Ill. The top 12 teams will advance to the 33rd Annual Atlantic 10 Championship, to be held Mar. 11-14 at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, N.J.

Last season marked the 14th time in Conference history and fifth since 2000 that multiple A-10 teams earned at-large berths to the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. In addition, Charlotte, Dayton, Massachusetts and Rhode Island advanced to the NIT and Richmond earned a berth in the inaugural College Basketball Invitational.

PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH

1. Xavier (44)

2. Temple (12)

3. Dayton (3)

4. Saint Joseph's

5. Charlotte (2)

6. Massachusetts

7. Saint Louis

8. Richmond

9. Rhode Island

10. La Salle

11. George Washington

12. Duquesne

13. Fordham

14. St. Bonaventure

- First-place votes in parentheses

Temple Basketball Preview: #27

Joel Welser — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 11:19:11 -0400

Temple Owls

Overall Rank: #27

Conference Rank: #1 Atlantic 10

2007-08: 21-13, 11-5, 2^nd

2007-08 postseason: NCAA

The years of suffering for the once proud Temple program came to an end last year. Picked to finish, at best, in the middle of the pack, the Owls came out of nowhere to post an 11-5 conference record and win the A-10 tournament to earn an automatic bid in the NCAA Tournament. Once there, they did not hang around very long, losing to Michigan State in the first round, but make no mistake, Temple is back and ready to build off last year’s success.

Who’s Out:

But Coach Fran Dunphy’s squad will have to do it without Mark Tyndale. The 6-5 wing led the team with 7.2 rebounds and 4.3 assists per contest. He also added 15.9 points per game. The Owls will have to find a scorer who can consistently reach double figures to help replace Tyndale’s scoring prowess. Chris Clark, one of two shooters off the bench, has also run out of eligibility. The diminutive guard was a great shooter and averaged 7.5 points during his senior campaign. The only other departure is little used forward Orlando Miller.

Who’s In:

Coach Dunphy does need not much production out of his newcomers, but Ramone Moore and T.J. DiLeo will give the backcourt a couple more options. DiLeo has the outside shooting ability to be a quality three-point marksman right away and Moore could emerge as a solid contributor sooner or later. In the frontcourt, Andrew Randall and Michael Eric will provide depth. Randall is a talented 6-5 forward who can do a little bit of everything and Eric, a Lagos, Nigeria native, is surprisingly quick for a 6-9 forward and should at least be able to block some shots as a freshman.

Who to Watch:

Dionte Christmas has led the A-10 in scoring each of the last two seasons. As a junior he put up 19.7 points per game. Christmas spends a lot of time beyond the three-point line, but he can use his 6-5, 205 pound frame to get to the basket. Without Tyndale, this is Christmas’ team and his ability to hit the glass from the wing will be very important for this team. Ryan Brooks is the likely candidate to step into the starting role vacated by Tyndale. Brooks was third on the team in scoring last year despite never starting a game. Occasionally Brooks was more than just a three-pointer shooter, but he will need to show that he can score in other ways more consistently if he wants to be the other scorer on the team. Semaj Inge will not be that scorer either, but he does give the team a versatile and experienced option off the bench and will battle with Luis Guzman for minutes at the point. It will be Guzman’s job, again, to get Christmas the ball. The 6-3 junior made too many mistakes, but with a year of significant playing time under his belt, Guzman should emerge as a better floor general.

Final Projection:

The player who could improve the most heading into the 2008-2009 season is Lavoy Allen. The 6-9 sophomore had a tremendous freshman campaign, averaging 8.1 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.5 blocks. His solid defense in the paint was not a surprise, but he turned into a pretty good scorer as well. If Allen can give the team a scoring threat under the basket, the opposition will not be able to key in on Christmas. And if they do try and stop Christmas, Allen and Brooks will make them pay. Sergio Olmos is also back in the frontcourt after starting last season. Olmos, a seven-footer, will never put up great numbers, but he has gotten better every season. The key for this Owls squad is finding more scorers. If the opposition can just concentrate on stopping Christmas it will be a disappointing season in Philadelphia. If Brooks, Allen or others can step up and score 12 to 15 points per game, the Owls will be back in the NCAA Tournament.

Projected Post-season Tournament: NCAA

Projected Starting Five:

Luis Guzman, Junior, Guard, 3.9 points per game

Ryan Brooks, Junior, Guard, 8.6 points per game

Dionte Christmas, Senior, Guard, 19.7 points per game

Lavoy Allen, Sophomore, Forward, 8.1 points per game

Sergio Olmos, Senior, Center, 5.8 points per game

CHN Preview: CHN Top 144 Ranking | 2008-09 Preview & Awards | Coach Interviews | Discuss the Preview

Preseason High-Major All-Americans: 08-09

CHN — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 12:53:48 -0400

CollegeHoops.net's Preseason High-Major All-America Team is dominated by an impressive set of senior guards who are hoping to lead their teams deep into the NCAA Tournament. VCU leader Eric Maynor, a returning 2nd Team High-Major All-American, edged out Pargo and Vaden for Player of the Year honors. Besides Maynor, other returning CHN High-Major All-Americans include Robert Vaden (1st team last year), Jeremy Pargo (3rd team), Lee Cummard (4th team), Dionte Christmas (3rd team), Stefon Jackson (4th team), and Josh Young (4th team).

The CollegeHoops.net All-American teams are voted on by staff writers. Coming up later this week is CHN's Mid-Major All-America team.

CollegeHoops.net Preseason High-Major Player of the Year: Eric Maynor (VCU)

CollegeHoops.net First Team High-Major All-America

Jeremy Pargo	Gonzaga	SR	G
Robert Vaden	UAB	SR	G
Eric Maynor	VCU	SR	G
Lee Cummard	BYU	SR	G/F
Luke Nevill	Utah	SR	C

CollegeHoops.net Second Team High-Major All-America

Dionte Christmas	Temple	SR	G
Stefon Jackson	UTEP	SR	G
Austin Daye	Gonzaga	SO	F
Derrick Brown	Xavier	JR	F
Ahmad Nivins	St. Joseph's	SR	F

CollegeHoops.net Third Team High-Major All-America

P'Allen Stinnett	Creighton	SO	G
Wink Adams	UNLV	SR	G
Josh Young	Drake	JR	G
Chris Wright	Dayton	SO	F
Jerome Jordan	Tulsa	JR	C

CollegeHoops.net Honorable Mention High-Major All-American

Lavoy Allen	Temple	SO	F
Matt Bouldin	Gonzaga	JR	G
Jonathan Cox	Drake	SR	F
Osiris Eldridge	Illinois St	JR	G
Brandon Ewing	Wyoming	SR	G
Steven Gray	Gonzaga	SO	G
Ricky Harris	UMASS	JR	G
Josh Heytvelt	Gonzaga	SR	F
Matt Janning	Northeastern	JR	G
Charles Jenkins	Hofstra	SO	G
Armon Johnson	Nevada	SO	G
Bryan Mullins	Southern Illinois	SR	G
Jonathan Tavernari	BYU	JR	F
Jermaine Taylor	UCF	SR	G
Ben Uzoh	Tulsa	JR	G
Lorenzo Wade	San Diego St	SR	F
Gary Wilkinson	Utah State	SR	F
Jeremy Wise	Southern Miss	JR	G

College Football: Ohio @ Temple Preview

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 13:27:45 -0400

Ohio @ Temple 8PM EST on ESPN2

Another Tuesday night college football game, this one involving two MAC East teams in desperate need of a win. The interesting thing about the East Division is that both Ohio (2-5, 1-2) and Temple (2-5, 1-3) remain in the division race since first-place Akron has two losses in conference play. Bobcats QB Boo Jackson had his best performance of the season in their last contest, a 26-19 win over Kent State. However, Jackson and the Ohio offense will have its hands full with a Temple defense led by LB Amara Kamara that ranks fifth in the MAC in total defense.

On the other side of the ball, it's a gametime decision as to who will start under center for the Owls. Senior Adam DiMichele missed the loss at Central Michigan due to a shoulder injury suffered in their loss to Penn State, opening a spot for redshirt freshman Chester Stewart. Stewart was 15-32 in the 24-14 loss with one touchdown pass and three interceptions. But whoever takes the snaps will need some help from freshmen running backs Kee-ayre Griffin and Joe Jones if Temple is to win this game.

Al Golden's Owls are dead last in the MAC in all three major offensive yardage categories (total, rush and pass), and will need to accomplish something if they are to win this game. But because of this deficiency, look for Frank Solich's team to win this one on the road and deal the Owls' MAC East hopes a devastating blow.

- Kentucky RB Derek Locke lost for the season.

Locke, who tore knee ligaments in the Wildcats' 21-20 win over Arkansas last week, is out for the remainder of the season. Kentucky, who visits Florida on Saturday, is now without two of its key offensive weapons (WR Dicky Lyons Jr. was lost for the year a week prior) as they enter the most challenging portion of their schedule.

- #14/15 TCU named FWAA/Tostitos Fiesta Bowl National Team of the Week.

Thanks to their 32-7 blowout of then-#9/8 BYU on Thursday, the Horned Frogs were named National Team of the Week by the FWAA and Tostitos Fiesta Bowl. Also nominated for the weekly honor was Texas (a 56-31 win over then-#11/12 Missouri) and Maryland (26-0 home shutout of then-#21/19 Wake Forest).

- TCU DE Jerry Hughes named FWAA/Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week.

The junior from Sugar Land, TX was given the honor due to his outstanding play in the Horned Frogs' 32-7 win over BYU last Thursday. Hughes racked up five tackles (four sacks) on the night, falling one-half sack short of the school record. His four sacks, however, did tie the Mountain West's single-game record. For receiving this honor Hughes has been added to the Nagurski Award watch list. Hughes is the first defensive lineman to be named National Defensive Player of the Week this season.

Daily Conference Poll: Who Will Win the Atlantic 10?

Shawn Siegel — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 04:24:28 -0400