Tennessee Tech

Friday Tournament Predictions: Horizon, OVC, MVC, WCC

Greg Mengelt — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 07:55:14 -0800

Our g ame prediction guru Greg Mengelt has been on fire this year. He'll be picking every conference tournament game over the next 2 weeks. Read more about Championship Week at CollegeHoops.net.

ATLANTIC SUN SEMIFINALS: AT MACON, GA.

Belmont (25-7, 16-2) vs. East Tennessee State (17-13, 10-8)

Tipoff: 6 p.m. TV: Comcast Sports. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 23 – Belmont 82-70; Feb. 18 – Belmont 80-58. RPI: Belmont 63, East Tennessee State 180. Analysis: Belmont beat the Buccaneers by a combined 34 points in two meetings this year. Can’t find a reason why the Bruins won’t blow them out again. Line: Belmont -12. Pick: Belmont 88, East Tennessee State 66.

Mercer (22-10, 13-5) vs. Florida Gulf Coast (14-16, 8-10)

Tipoff: Approx. 8:30 p.m. TV: Comcast Sports. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 2 – Mercer 76-54; Feb. 20 – Mercer 75-66. RPI: Mercer 126, Florida Gulf Coast 238. Analysis: Mercer looked better in its win over Lipscomb, but the Bears probably aren’t playing well enough yet to take them against the spread. Line: Mercer -9.5. Pick: Mercer 71, Florida Gulf Coast 67.

HORIZON LEAGUE QUARETRFINALS: AT VALPARAISO, IND.

(3) Detroit (19-13, 11-7) vs. (6) Youngstown State (16-14, 10-8)

Tipoff: 6 p.m. TV: Horizon League Network/ESPN3. Regular-season meetings: Dec. 1 – Youngstown 64-61*; Feb. 25 – Detroit 76-74*. RPI: Detroit 158, Youngstown State 166. Analysis: Detroit’s underachieving roller coaster season comes to an end. Line: Detroit -6. Pick: Youngstown State 68, Detroit 65.

(4) Milwaukee (20-12, 11-7) vs. (5) Butler (19-13, 11-7)

Tipoff: Approx. 8:30 p.m. TV: Horizon League Network/ESPN3. Regular-season meetings: Dec. 31 – Butler 54-50; Jan. 26 – Milwaukee 53-42. RPI: Milwaukee 124, Butler 112. Analysis: The Butler magic lives on – for one more day. Line: Butler -1. Pick: Butler 66, Milwaukee 61.

MISSOURI VALLEY QUARTERFINALS: AT ST. LOUIS

(1) Wichita State (26-4, 16-2) vs. (8) Indiana State (17-13, 8-10)

Tipoff: 1 p.m. TV: MVC TV. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 15 – Wichita State 75-65*; Feb. 4 – Wichita State 71-66. RPI: Wichita State 12, Indiana State 130. Analysis: This isn’t a typical 1/8 matchup with the Sycamores finishing a game behind third place. Indiana State is closer to the team that won last year’s tournament than to the one that struggled during the middle of this season. Line: Wichita St -10. Pick: Wichita State 70, Indiana State 62.

(4) Illinois State (18-12, 9-9) vs. (5) Northern Iowa (19-12, 9-9)

Tipoff: Approx. 3:30 p.m. TV: MVC TV. Regular-season meetings: Dec. 29 – Illinois State 65-61; Feb. 11 – Northern Iowa 78-63. RPI: Illinois State 125, Northern Iowa 62. Analysis: This game could go either way, so take the team with more post-season experience. Line: Northern Iowa -2. Line: Northern Iowa -2. Pick: Northern Iowa 70, Illinois State 67.

(2) Creighton (25-5, 14-4) vs. (7) Drake (16-14, 9-9)

Tipoff: 7 p.m. TV: MVC TV. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 3 – Creighton 76-59; Jan. 25 – Creighton 77-69. RPI: Creighton 25, Drake 127. Analysis: Except for a late push against Long Beach State, the Blue Jays just aren’t playing as well as they were earlier this season. It would be tough to take them by more than a handful of points. Line: Creighton -8. Pick: Creighton 69, Drake 65.

(3) Evansville (15-14, 9-9) vs. (6) Missouri State (16-15, 9-9)

Tipoff: Approx. 9:30 p.m. TV: MVC TV. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 15 – Evansville 87-82 (OT)*; Feb. 25 – Evansville 75-70 (OT). RPI: Evansville 138, Missouri State 108. Analysis: Missouri State senior Kyle Weems will find a way to shine in his final week, and the Bear defense will clamp down on Ace star Colt Ryan. Line: Missouri State -2. Pick: Missouri State 77, Evansville 70.

OHIO VALLEY SEMIFINALS: AT NASHVILLE

(1) Murray State (28-1, 15-1) vs. (4) Tennessee Tech (19-12, 9-7)

Tipoff: 6 p.m. TV: ESPNU. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 14 – Murray State 82-74; Feb. 25 – Murray State 69-64*. RPI: Murray State 31, Tennessee Tech 151. Analysis: Tennessee Tech found a way to keep both regular-season meetings close, and Kevin Murphy and the Eagles will push the Racers again. Line: Murray St -8. Pick: Murray State 70, Tennessee Tech 64.

(2) Tennessee State (19-11, 11-5) vs. (3) Morehead State (18-14, 10-6)

Tipoff: Approx. 8 p.m. TV: ESPN3. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 11 – Tennessee State 77-72. RPI: Tennessee State 131, Morehead State 173. Analysis: With an extra day of rest, Tennessee State will pull away from the Eagles early in the second half. Line: Tennessee St -4. Pick: Tennessee State 81, Morehead State 69.

WCC QUARTERFINALS: AT LAS VEGAS

(4) Loyola Marymount (19-11, 11-5) vs. (5) San Francisco (19-12, 8-8)

Tipoff: 9 p.m. TV: ESPNU. Regular-season meetings: Dec. 31 – Loyola Marymount 77-76 (OT)*; Feb. 4 – Loyola Marymount 90-88. RPI: Loyola Marymount 119, San Francisco 147. Analysis: Vegas is begging you to take LMU, don't fall for it. Line: San Francisco -1.5. Pick: Loyola Marymount 78, San Francisco 75.

(3) BYU (24-7, 12-4) vs. (6) San Diego (12-17, 9-7)

Tipoff: Approx. 11 p.m. TV: ESPNU. Regular-season meetings: Dec. 31 – BYU 88-52; Jan. 16 – BYU 82-63*. RPI: BYU 50, San Diego 193. Analysis: BYU will control the boards and its defensive end en route to an easy win. Line: BYU -13. Pick: BYU 78, San Diego 55.

*Road win

Greg Against the Spread This Season: 95-62-2

Ducks Get Hot in the Second Half: Thursday's Quick Hitters

Raphielle Johnson — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 07:32:39 -0800

Florida State's Ian Miller knocked down a three-pointer with eight tenths of a second remaining to give the Seminoles a 63-60 win at Virginia, who will finish the regular season without a win over any of the top three teams in the ACC.

1. Oregon scored 54 second-half points to erase a five-point halftime deficit and beat Colorado.
The battle in Eugene between the Ducks and Buffaloes was likely more of a "bubble eliminator" contest, with the loser most likely needing to win the Pac-12 tournament in order to go dancing. Unfortunately for Colorado, who has struggled on the road all season, their play on the defensive end let them down in the second half. Oregon shot 61.5% in the second half of their 90-81 win, which also moved the Ducks closer to a first-round bye in next week's conference tournament. Devoe Joseph scored 24 points and Garrett Sim added 19 for Oregon, who shot 8-for-14 from beyond the arc as well. Carlon Brown snapped out of his funk to lead four Colorado players in double figures with 20 points, and despite the loss that's an important development for the Buffs. If he's playing efficiently they can win the Pac-12 tournament, which they will likely have to do in order to reach the Field of 68.

2. Nevada clinches the WAC regular season title, and there won't be many highly ranked teams who will line up to face them in the Big Dance.
Regardless of what seed line David Carter's Wolf Pack end up on, they're not going to be a fun matchup for the team that draws them should they win the WAC's automatic bid. Olek Czyz led three Nevada players in double figures with 15 points and their defending of a ball screen in the final seconds eventually forced a New Mexico State turnover to seal the 65-61 win. NMSU's final sequence looked to be doomed from the start but head coach Marvin Menzies chose to play it out despite having a timeout remaining, ultimately leading to Hernst LaRoche throwing the ball away. Wendell McKines led the Aggies with 19 points and LaRoche added 12 in what could have been a preview of next weekend's title game. With the likes of Czyz, Deonte Burton, Dario Hunt and Malik Story the Wolf Pack have talented weapons that can give teams fits, and there won't be any highly-seeded teams lining up for their shot at Nevada.

3. Quinnipiac is the lone road team to win in the NEC quarterfinals.
Of course in a conference tournament in which the higher seeded teams host all the game the 4/5 matchup tends to be the one most likely to produce a win for the road team. That rang true for the Patriot League Wednesday night (Lafayette) and for the NEC on Thursday, as fifth-seed Quinnipiac beat St. Francis (NY) 80-72 to set up a semifinal matchup with regular season champion LIU Brooklyn. The Bobcats, who are the best rebounding team in the NEC, grabbed 20 offensive rebounds and out-rebounded the Terriers 48-36 on the night. James Johnson didn't shoot well from the field (4-for-14) but he did make 12 of 17 from the foul line and scored a game-high 22 points to go along with eight rebounds, and Ike Azotam scored 15 and grabbed 12 boards inside. Brent Jones led four SFNY players in double figures with 21 points but the rebounding issues were too much to overcome. And that aspect of Quinnipiac's game is what gives them more than a puncher's chance at LIU on Sunday.

Quick Hitters

1. D.J. Covington scored 16 points and blocked four shots in 20 minutes of action to help lead VMI past Winthrop 75-55 as the Keydets advanced to the Big South title game. The seven-seed will face regular season champ UNC Asheville, who whipped Charleston Southern 91-64, on Saturday afternoon.

2. Darius Miller scored 17 points on Senior Night to help lead #1 Kentucky to a 79-49 win over Georgia, moving the Wildcats' win streak to 21. UK shot 15-for-27 from three, and when the Wildcats are rolling like that it's near impossible to knock them off.

3. Meyers Leonard scored 18 points and grabbed nine rebounds but it wasn't enough to lead Illinois past #16 Michigan, who won 72-61. Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 25 points and grabbed 11 boards for the Wolverines, who remain alive in the Big Ten title race.

4. Five Mississippi Valley State players reached double figures in scoring but it wasn't enough to lock up an undefeated run through SWAC play as the Delta Devils lost 78-67 at UAPB. Daniel Broughton scored 26 points and grabbed 13 rebounds off the bench to lead the Golden Lions. But regardless of the result Sean Woods' club will enter the conference tournament as the clear favorite to grab the automatic bid.

5. UCLA didn't look too distracted by the Sports Illustrated article that came out earlier this week, as they whipped Washington State 78-46 at the Sports Arena. Lazeric Jones knocked down eight of his ten shots from the field and scored 18 points to lead the Bruins, who host a Washington team looking to wrap up the outright regular season crown on Saturday.

6. Doubleheaders in the Missouri Valley, Ohio Valley and WCC all went according to seed on Thursday night, and if one team were to be pegged as most likely to win on Friday it could be Tennessee Tech. The Golden Eagles held off a Southeast Missouri State rally to win 77-73, and with players such as Kevin Murphy (24 points) and Jud Dillard (18) they've got the horses needed to upset top-seed Murray State in the semis. Also keep an eye on Indiana State, who beat Southern Illinois 65-49 to set up a matchup with MVC champ Wichita State, especially if point guard Jake Odum's foot holds up.

7. Binghamton, who won just one game during the regular season, knocked off eight-seed UMBC 73-67 in overtime to advance to the quarterfinals in the America East tournament. Ben Dickinson led the Bearcats, who will take on regular season champion Stony Brook, with 21 points.

8. Derrick Rudolph led three players in double figures with 21 points in Savannah State's 73-54 win at Maryland-Eastern Shore, wrapping up the Tigers' first-ever MEAC regular season title. The coaches picked Horace Broadnax's team to finish 11th in the preseason.

Thursday Tournament Predictions: A-Sun, Big South, NEC, OVC

Greg Mengelt — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 13:26:26 -0800

Our g ame prediction guru Greg Mengelt has been on fire this year. He'll be picking almost conference tournament game over the next 2 weeks.

BIG SOUTH SEMIFINALS: AT ASHEVILLE

(7) VMI (16-15, 8-10) vs. (6) Winthrop (12-19, 8-10)

Tipoff: 6 p.m. TV: ESPNU. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 7 – Winthrop 91-84; Feb. 4 – VMI 86-79. RPI: VMI 275, Winthrop 264. Analysis: The Keydets have won 4 of 5 and don’t appear to be a fluke after Wednesday’s blowout win over 2-seed Coastal Carolina. Pick: VMI 85, Winthrop 80.

(1) UNC-Asheville (22-9, 16-2) vs. (4) Charleston Southern (19-11, 11-7)

Tipoff: 8 p.m. TV: ESPNU. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 19 – Charleston Southern 93-88*. RPI: Asheville 122, Charleston Southern 178. Analysis: This appears to be the Big South championship, for all intents and purposes. Hard to imagine either side wins by more than five or six. Pick: Asheville 83, Charleston Southern 79.

ATLANTIC SUN QUARTERFINALS: AT MACON, GA.

(4) East Tennessee State (16-13, 10-8) vs. (5) North Florida (16-15, 10-8)

Tipoff: 2:30 p.m. TV: ESPN3. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 16 – ETSU 64-63*; Feb. 11 – ETSU 65-50. RPI: East Tennessee 191, North Florida 168. Analysis: Both teams have won three straight and are playing as well as anyone in the league except Belmont. This one could go either way. Line: East Tennessee State -2. Pick: North Florida 69, East Tennessee State 66.

(3) USC-Upstate (20-11, 13-5) vs. (6) Florida Gulf Coast (13-16, 8-10)

Tipoff: 8:30 p.m. TV: ESPN3. Regular-season meetings: Dec.19 – Upstate 80-75*; Feb. 23 – Upstate 87-74. RPI: Upstate 134, Florida Gulf Coast 237. Analysis: It may be tough to beat a team three times in a season, but not when you’re the significantly better team. Line: Upstate -8. Pick: USC-Upstate 79, Florida Gulf Coast 62.

OHIO VALLEY QUARTERFINALS: AT NASHVILLE

(4) Tennessee Tech (18-12, 9-7) vs. (5) Southeast Missouri State (15-15, 9-7)

Tipoff: 6 p.m. TV: OVCSports.TV. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 21 – Tennessee Tech 77-62. RPI: Tennessee Tech 159, Southeast Missouri State 255. Analysis: Tech is the better team, but with a game under its belt in the tournament, the Redhawks will keep it competitive. Pick: Tennessee Tech 70, Southeast Missouri State 68.

(3) Morehead State (17-14, 10-6) vs. (7) Jacksonville State (14-17, 8-8)

Tipoff: 8 p.m. TV: OVCSports.TV. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 5 – Morehead State 63-55*; Feb. 8 – Jacksonville State 69-55*. RPI: Morehead State 175, 228. Analysis: The Gamecocks are playing very well. This would be a good time to take an underdog straight up. Pick: Jacksonville State 66, Morehead State 62.

NORTHEAST QUARTERFINALS: AT CAMPUS SITES

(8) Sacred Heart (14-17, 8-10) at (1) Long Island (22-8, 16-2)

Tipoff: 7 p.m. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 5 – Long Island 87-81*; Feb. 16 – Long Island 103-91 (OT). RPI: Sacred Heart 239, Long Island 100. Analysis: Long Island will run its way to a runaway. Line: Long Island -9. Pick: Long Island 91, Sacred Heart 72.

(7) Central Connecticut State (13-15, 10-8) at (2) Wagner (24-5, 15-3)

Tipoff: 7 p.m. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 14 – Wagner 67-58; Feb. 25 – Central Connecticut 78-61. RPI: Wagner 89, Central Connecticut 225. Analysis: Ignore the records. These teams have similar talent and this one will be close. Line: Wagner -10. Pick: Wagner 74, Central Connecticut 72.

(6) Monmouth (12-19, 10-8) at (3) Robert Morris (22-9, 13-5)

Tipoff: 7 p.m. Regular-season meetings: Dec. 3 – Robert Morris 69-51; Jan. 21 – Robert Morris 81-73 (OT). RPI: Robert Morris 121, Monmouth 235. Analysis: RMU is poised to make a deep run in this tourney. Line: Robert Morris -10. Pick: Robert Morris 76, Monmouth 59.

(5) Quinnipiac (17-12, 10-8) at (4) St. Francis (NY) (15-14, 12-6)

Tipoff: 7 p.m. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 5 – St. Francis 73-72; Feb. 16 – St. Francis 64-56*. RPI: St. Francis 203, Quinnipiac 169. Analysis: St. Francis got the better of the regular-season matchups, but the Bobcats should move on in the post-season. Line: Quinnipiac -2½. Pick: Quinnipiac 67, St. Francis 64.

*Road win

Greg Against the Spread This Season: 89-59

CHN Weekly Awards: Dixon, Murphy, Indiana, Miami

Greg Mengelt — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 08:32:39 -0800

A review of the week that was in college basketball focusing on the best (and worst) performances. Check in every Monday morning for CollegeHoops.net's weekly awards.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Michael Dixon, Missouri: Dixon – arguably the nation’s best sixth man – made crucial plays in the Tigers’ wins over Texas and Kansas last week.

In Monday’s 67-66 win over Texas, Dixon scored 21 points and had four assists and made the game-winning basket with 31 seconds left.

In the final minute of Missouri’s come-from-behind 74-71 win over the Jayhawks on Saturday, Dixon took a charge from Tyshawn Taylor then knocked down a pair of free throws with 9.8 seconds left to help the Tigers tie Kansas and Baylor atop the Big 12 standings at 8-2.

Dixon finished Saturday’s game with 15 points, hitting 4-of-5 shots, 5-of-7 free throw and two of his three 3-point shots. He also led MU with five assists in both of the week’s games.

Dixon is averaging 12.2 points, 2.8 assists, 2.1 rebounds and 1.4 steals on the season.

MID-MAJOR PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Kevin Murphy, Tennessee Tech Senior Guard: Murphy scored 106 points, including a 50-point effort in Monday’s 98-80 victory over SIU-Edwardsville.

Murphy added 33 points, seven rebounds and three assists in the Golden Eagles’ 94-88 win over Austin Peay on Thursday, then scored 23 points, grabbed seven boards and handed out three assists as Tech knocked off Jacksonville State, 76-68 on Saturday.

For the week, Murphy made 35 of his 57 field goal attempts, 24 of his 28 free throws and was 12 for 22 from the 3-point line. For the season, the senior guard is averaging 21.8 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game for the 16-9 Eagles.

TEAM OF THE WEEK

Miami (Fla.): The Hurricanes earned a pair of overtime wins last week, putting themselves back into the NCAA Tournament discussion.

First, Miami beat Maryland 90-86 in double-overtime behind a 24-point, 8-rebound, 7-assist performance from junior guard Durant Scott on Wednesday.

Then on Sunday, the Hurricanes knocked off No. 5 Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Junior center Reggie Johnson scored five of his career-high 27 points in overtime of Miami’s biggest victory of the season.

After playing most of the non-conference season without Johnson, who is averaging 10.4 points and 6.5 rebounds, and starting the season just 10-7, Miami has won four straight to improve to 5-3 in the ACC.

“To come in here and play with the kind of poise we did, play the kind of defense we did, was something that we can be very, very proud of,” said first-year Miami coach Jim Larranaga.

SINGLE-GAME PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK

Kwame Vaughn, Cal State-Fullerton: Vaughn hit 11-of-15 shots from the field, including five of his seven 3-point attempts, and all 10 of his free throws of the Titans upset UC-Santa Barbara, 99-86 on Saturday.

Vaughn added six rebounds, six assists and a steal as Fullerton nailed a school-record 17 3-pointers and overcame a 47-43 halftime deficit to improve to 15-7 overall and into a second-place tie in the Big West with Santa Barbara at 7-3.

WIN OF THE WEEK

Indiana 78, Purdue 61: It was Indiana’s first road win over any other team than Penn State in Big Ten play in the last four years. The victory vaulted the Hoosiers into fifth play in the conference, and virtually gives them a lock on their first NCAA Tournament bid since 2007.

But, more importantly for Indiana fans, it was the Hoosiers’ first win over rival Purdue in four years.

“Our guys did an excellent job of understanding that if you’re going to beat a really good team on the road, you’ve got to have great resolve,” Indiana coach Tom Crean said.

“They deserved to win the game,” Purdue coach Matt Painter said. “They were tougher than us. They were quicker to the basketball.”

Indiana, which out-rebounded the Boilermaker 53-35, was led by sophomore Victor Oladipoo’s 23 points.

“This win is huge,” Oladipo said. “We learned tonight to make better decisions and be poised when the game is on the line.”

UPSET OF THE WEEK

Idaho 72, Nevada 68: Nevada entered Saturday’s game with 11-11 Idaho on a 16-game winning streak, but left with a shocking 72-68 loss to the Vandals.

Kyle Barone converted a 3-point play with 40 seconds left and Stephen Madison scored 18 points to help Idaho give Nevada its first Western Athletic Conference loss.

The Wolf Pack are now 19-4 overall and have a game-and-a-half lead over New Mexico State in the WAC standings.

LOSS OF THE WEEK

Rhode Island 81, UMass 78: After beating Richmond and Saint Louis a week ago to ascend to the top of the Atlantic 10 standings, Massachusetts was stunned by then-4-18 Rhode Island in overtime Wednesday.

Orion Outerbridge had a career-high 29 points, including 18 in the first half, and he grabbed 11 boards as the Rams ended a 3-game losing streak in the series. After a win at George Washington on Saturday, the Minutemen are a game behind league-leading Temple in the A-10 standings.

PLAY OF THE WEEK

White gives Cyclone huge Big 12 victory: Royce White hit the game-winning jumper with 1.8 seconds left as Iowa State came from 14 points down to beat Kansas State 72-70 on Tuesday.

White finished with 22 points, eight rebounds, four assists, three blocks and two steals as the Cyclones improved to 6-3 in the Big East. Later in the week, Iowa State won at Oklahoma, 77-70, to stay within a game of league leaders Missouri, Baylor and Kansas.

College Basketball Awards: Dellavedova, Paul, FSU, More

Greg Mengelt — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 11:27:35 -0800

A review of the week that was in college basketball focusing on the best (and worst) performances. Check in every Monday morning for our weekly awards.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Matthew Dellavedova, Saint Mary’s: In three wins last week, the Gaels’ junior guard scored 62 points and handed out 19 assists.

He started the week with a 27-point, 6-rebound, 4-assist performance in an 87-72 win over San Francisco. In the Gaels’ big 83-62 victory over No. 23 Gonzaga, Dellavedova poured in 26 points on 10-of-16 shooting, including 5-of-10 from deep, and added six assists.

Sunday, he added nine points and a season-best nine assists in a 69-61 victory over Portland.

Dellavedova is averaging 15.4 points, 6.6 assists, 2.9 rebounds and 0.9 steals for the season. He’s shooting 45.3 percent from the field, 39.7 from the 3-point line and 85.1 at the foul line.

Last week's Player of the Week was Weber St's Damian Lillard.

MID-MAJOR PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Robert Covington, Tennessee State: Covington had big performances in two Tiger home victories this week, combining for 47 points and 16 boards.

The junior forward scored 30 points on 9-of-12 shooting, including 7-of-3 from the 3-point line, in Tennessee State’s 77-72 win over Morehead State on Wednesday. On Saturday, he made 7-of-15 shots and 2-of-5 3s for 17 points as the Tigers upended Southern Illinois-Edwardsville, 52-49.

Covington, who has 18 consecutive double-digit scoring games, had eight rebounds in each of the wins.

For the season, Covington is averaging 17.6 points while shooting 52.8 percent from the field and 46 percent from beyond the 3-point stripe. He’s also shooting 81.9 percent from the foul line and averaging 7.8 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.2 blocks per contest.

TEAM OF THE WEEK

Florida State: After a head-scratching 20-point loss to Clemson on Jan. 7, the Seminoles rebounded for a 63-59 road win at Virginia Tech on Wednesday.

Then on Saturday, FSU stunned No. 3 North Carolina with a 90-57 pounding in Tallahassee. The Seminoles shot 48.4 percent from the floor and made 12-of-27 3s and outscored the Tar Heels 54-29 in the second half to improve to 11-6 overall and 2-1 in the ACC.

Florida State’s defense, where it has made its name in recent years, held North Carolina to 37 percent shooting and allowed the Tar Heels to connect on just four of their 21 3-point attempts.

“Our offense comes from our defense,” Deividas Dulkys said. “We get steals, we push the ball to get easier baskets. Everybody played the way we are capable of playing. We defended, we boxed out. It was a defensive effort by everybody.”

And it was a career night for Dulkys, who finished with 32 points on 12-of-14 shooting.

“I think everybody dreams about it when you are a little kid,” Dulkys said. “It was my time to shine.”

“I thought that Dulkys youngster was sensational,” UNC coach Roy Williams said. “You have to congratulate him. He will cherish these moments for the rest of his life. It was a great performance today.”

SINGLE-GAME PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK

Brandon Paul, Illinois Junior Guard: Paul had a career outing as the Illini upset No. 5 Ohio State.

Paul scored a career-high 43 points – the third-highest total in school history – including the Illini’s final 15 points in the final 2:40. For the game, he went 11-of-15 from the floor, 13-of-15 from the free throw line and 8-of-10 from deep.

The 43 points tied Creighton’s Doug McDermott – the nation’s second-leading scorer – for the best performance in college basketball this season. He is the first player in 15 years to score 43 or more points on fewer than 16 field goal attempts.

He scored 28 points in the second half, more than any Illinois player had scored in a complete game this season.

“I was laughing a couple times,” Paul said. “After the first couple of 3s, I just said I was going to keep shooting. That’s the mindset I’ve got to have.”

Paul also had eight rebounds, four blocked shots, two assists and two steals in the win.

UPSET OF THE WEEK

Minnesota 77, Indiana 74: Indiana had already beaten No. 1 Kentucky and No. 2 Ohio State at Assembly Hall. Minnesota came in shorthanded and 0-4 in the Big Ten. It didn't seem like the Gophers had much of a chance.

Instead, Minnesota led most of the night and came away with a 77-74 win, handing the Hoosiers their first home defeat of the season.

Indiana hit just 4-of-18 from beyond the 3-point line and the Gophers hit 35 percent. Austin Hollins led Minnesota with 18 points, going 7-for-10 from the field.

“Tonight, we caught Indiana on a tough shooting night, but we did what we had to do to get a win,” Minnesota coach Tubby Smith said. “Hopefully, we can build on this and use this to continue to improve.”

WIN OF THE WEEK

Northwestern 81, Michigan State 74: The Wildcats snapped Michigan State’s 15-game winning streak. In doing so, they showed a hint of toughness that has been lacking.

Northwestern outscored the sixth-ranked Spartans 42-37 in the second half to pull away for its second Big Ten victory. The Wildcats shot 54 percent in the second half and finished at 50 percent for the game. Meanwhile, they held MSU to 37 percent from the floor.

“It was a good team effort,” Northwestern coach Bill Carmody said. “They hadn’t lost in two months, so it was a good win all around. I’m happy for our guys.”

John Sherna – the Big Ten’s leading scorer – led the Wildcats with 22 points. In his first start of the season, Davide Curletti had 17 points and six boards.

“Curletti was the difference in the game, if you ask me,” Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said.

LOSS OF THE WEEK

Providence 80, Louisville 59: On Tuesday, Louisville shot 38 percent from the field and made just 4-of-19 3-pointers – against arguably the Big East’s worst defense – and was nearly outscored by the Friar duo of Bryce Cotton and Kadeem Batts, who scored 27 points apiece.

“There’s always one game a year you can’t explain,” Cardinal coach Rick Pitino said. “Nothing goes right, everything goes wrong and they do everything right.”

It was the Friars’ first and, to date, only conference win. The loss was the fourth in five games for Louisville, which opened the season with 12 straight wins. The Cardinals did respond with a 76-59 win over DePaul on Saturday.

PLAY OF THE WEEK

Franklin returns to give San Diego State a big MWC win: Jamaal Franklin, who appeared to be out with an ankle injury Saturday against No. 12 UNLV, returned late and hit an off-balance layup with 0.3 left to give the Aztecs a 69-67 win.

“We’re a family,” Franklin said. “If my ankle’s broke, if they want me out there, I’m out there. It was a big tweak, but it didn’t really hurt.”

Franklin finished with 24 points and 10 boards as the No. 22 Aztecs improved to 15-2 with their eighth straight win.

THE COLLEGE BASKETBALL LIST

GOOD PLAYERS, BAD TEAMS

Great players who you likely will not get to see play in March:

1. Maalik Wayns, Villanova (Jr.): Although the Wildcats are only 8-10, Wayns has been spectacular. He’s averaging 17.8 points, 4.7 assists, 4.2 rebounds and a steal every game and is coming off a 39-point, 13-rebound, 6-assist performance in an 82-78 loss at Cincinnati on Saturday.

2. Justin Cunningham, Oregon State (Jr.): Despite Cunningham’s All-Pac 12-type season, the Beavers are just 11-7 overall and 1-5 in the conference. The junior guard is averaging 17.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3 assists and 2.9 steals this season, and he may be on his way to a Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year honor.

3. Tim Frazier, Penn State (Jr.): Frazier has been the surprise of the Big Ten, but it hasn’t helped the Nittany Lions to many wins. The junior guard’s scoring average is up nearly 12 points from a year ago to 18.1. He’s also averaging 6.7 assists, 5.4 rebounds and 2.4 steals per game for the 9-10 Lions.

4. Kevin Foster, Santa Clara (Sr.): Foster is averaging 17.5 points, 3.1 assists, 3 rebounds and 1.4 steals this season. Still, the Broncos are 8-9 and have yet to secure a West Coast Conference victory.

5. Jesse Sanders, Liberty (Sr.): Sanders has been great for four seasons, but it hasn’t led to a lot of wins. The Flames are 6-14 this year despite 12.6 points, 7.9 assists, 7.9 rebounds and 1.2 steals from Sanders every night.

CollegeHoops.net Player & Team of the Week

Greg Mengelt — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 07:22:40 -0800

A review of the week that was in college basketball focusing on the best (and worst) performances. Check in every Monday morning for our weekly awards.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Marcus Denmon, Missouri: If you’re looking for a surprise National Player of the Year candidate, look no further than Denmon.

In a nine-day stretch, the senior scored 81 points, grabbed 14 boards and handed out seven assists for 9-0 and 10^th-ranked Missouri.

Denmon followed a 31-point outing in a 90-56 victory over Northwestern State last Friday with 28 points in an 81-71 win over Villanova at Madison Square Garden Tuesday. In the win, Denmon made 10 of his 16 field goal attempts, including 6-of-10 from beyond the 3-point line, and both of his free throws.

In Saturday’s 84-59 triumph over Navy, Denmon scored another 22 points, along with three rebounds and a pair of assists.

For the season, Denmon is averaging 21.3 points per contest, while shooting 53 percent from the field, 49 percent from the 3-point line and 92 percent from the charity stripe.

MID-MAJOR PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Kevin Murphy, Tennessee Tech: With 52 combined points, the junior led the Golden Eagles to wins over East Tennessee State and Lipscomb last week.

Murphy made 10-of-13 shots from the field and scored 23 points in Wednesday’s 83-74 victory over East Tennessee State. Four days later, the Eagles improved to 5-4 behind his 29-point, 7-rebound, 3-assist, 3-steal performance in an 89-87 win over Lipscomb.

For the season, the 6-foot-6 guard is averaging 20.8 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.3 steals. He has also connected on 43 percent of his 3-point shots.

TEAM OF THE WEEK

Indiana: Even before Christian Watford’s 3-pointer at the buzzer gave the Hoosiers a 73-72 victory over the top-ranked Wildcats Saturday, it was apparent that Indiana basketball was back.

After Wildcat sophomore Doron Lamb made the second of two free throws, Indiana’s Verdell Jones III drove the length of the floor, kicked the ball out to Watford, whose shot hit nothing but net and induced a floor-rushing celebration at Assembly Hall that was three frustrating years in the making.

After wins over Butler and at North Carolina State the previous week, Indiana legitimized its best start in two decades with the stunner over the nation’s most talented team. The Hoosiers are 9-0 for the first time since 1989-90.

UPSET OF THE WEEK

Murray State 76, Memphis 72: The Racers remained unbeaten (10-0) by knocking off 20^th-ranked Memphis on Sunday. Donte Poole hit six 3-pionters and scored 20 points as Murray State shot 45 percent from beyond the arc. The Racers trailed 47-46 with 14:33 left, but they went on a 14-3 run and held off Will Barton and the Tigers.

SHOCK LOSS OF THE WEEK

Austin Peay 74, Tennessee 70: Led by Jordan McRae, Trae Golden and Jeronne Maymon, Tennessee has too much talent to be 3-4. The Volunteers certainly shouldn’t be losing home games to teams like Austin Peay, which entered Saturday’s contest with one victory after losing its first nine contests.

WEEKLY LIST: PLEASANT SURPRISES

Teams that have played above expectations early in the 2011-12 season:

1. Indiana (9-0): The Hoosiers were supposed to be better this year, but no one outside of Bloomington expected a 9-0 start that included wins over Butler, North Carolina State and Kentucky.

2. Stanford (8-1): The Cardinal have one of the best sophomore classes in the nation, so improvement was a given, but how quickly Johnny Dawkins has turned them around has been stunning. Stanford’s lone loss came to No. 3 Syracuse in New York in a game they led most of the way.

3. San Diego State (9-2): After losing four starters, the Aztecs were supposed to fade, but Steve Fisher has SDSU at 9-2 with hard-fought losses to Creighton and Baylor standing between it and a perfect start.

4. Kansas (7-2): With only one starter returning, 2011-12 was expected to be a rebuilding year in Lawrence. The emergence of Thomas Robinson has changed everything and the Jayhawks appear to be contenders to win its eighth straight Big 12 title.

5. Mississippi State (9-1): The Rebels have underachieved the past few years, but it appears Rick Stansbury finally has his squad playing as a team.

Thirty-Two Regular Season Champions, Part Three

Raphielle Johnson — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 10:58:05 -0700

With the college basketball season finally on the horizon, the game that's been overlooked by many in conference realignment will once again have the center stage. Perennial contenders will once again make a run at a national title while some new faces will pop up as well. The first four-part preview will focus on the conferences, and more specifically who will win each of the 32 leagues. After going through parts one and two, the Mid-American through Patriot leagues will be touched on today.

MAC: Kent State
The Golden Flashes will have a new head coach with Geno Ford taking the job at Bradley, but it's not as if introductions were needed. Rob Senderoff, who has been a part of the program since 2002, takes over and he'll have an experienced and talented squad on his hands. Three of the seniors back won individual honors last season: MAC Player of the Year Justin Greene (15.4 ppg, 8.3 rpg), MAC Defensive Player of the Year Michael Porrini (10.1 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 4.3 apg) and MAC Sixth Man of the Year Carlton Guyton (12.4 ppg, 3.8 rpg). Four starters return and newcomers Patrick Jackson (Rutgers transfer) and Chris Evans (JUCO All-America) will provide a boost inside. The MAC race can be unpredictable, especially in the conference tournament, but Kent State looks like a solid choice.

MEAC: Morgan State
Todd Bozeman's Bears finished fourth last season but advanced to the MEAC Tournament final, where they fell to Hampton, and with four starters back they can complete the mission in 2011-12. Interior presence Kevin Thompson (13.1 ppg, 9.1 rpg) has Player of the Year ability, and versatile forward DeWayne Jackson (14.5 ppg, 4.6 rpg) is a 6'8" junior who can do a variety of things on the floor. Jackson's versatility actually isn't rare for the Morgan State team as Aric Brooks, Justin Black and Ameer Ali can all play multiple positions. Senior point guard Larry Bastfield (5.1 ppg, 3.4 apg) will run the show, and his ability to do so will be critical if the Bears are to return to the top of the MEAC.

Missouri Valley: Creighton
Creighton's been the team that's received the bulk of the media attention in the offseason, and rightfully so given the number of talented players back in Omaha. Sophomore Doug McDermott (14.9 ppg, 7.2 rpg) looks to build on a busy summer and a freshman year that saw him become the first freshman to be named First Team All-Missouri Valley since Wichita State's Cleo Littleton in 1951-52. Gregory Echenique (10.5 ppg, 5.8 rpg) will have a full season to play after sitting out the first half of last season after transferring from Rutgers, and guards Antoine Young (13.1 ppg, 5.0 apg) and Jahenns Manigat (5.4 ppg, 2.0 rpg) will also be heard from. Gonzaga transfer Grant Gibbs will also factor into the backcourt rotation, and frontcourt players Ethan Wragge and Will Artino will get the chance to contribute as well. There will be plenty of challenges from the likes of Wichita State, Indiana State and Northern Iowa, but this could be a special season for the Bluejays.

Mountain West: New Mexico
Steve Alford had a young team at his disposal outside of senior point guard Dairese Gary, who is the lone starter not back for a team that won 22 games in 2010-11. But given his impact, why would the Lobos be the favorite in the Mountain West without Gary? Because the returnees, including four starters, are very talented with forward Drew Gordon (13.0 ppg, 10.5 rpg) leading the way. Guards Jamal Fenton (5.4 ppg, 1.9 apg), Kendall Williams (11.6 ppg, 4.0 apg) and Tony Snell (4.4 ppg, 1.9 rpg) all return, and the backcourt will also be bolstered by some highly-touted newcomers. Australian Hugh Greenwood has a wealth of international experience, Arizona State transfer Demetrius Walker is an exceptional athlete and Dominique Dunning can do a number of things on the floor. Alex Kirk and Cameron Barstow will need to help out Gordon in the paint, but the Lobos have all the tools needed to win the conference with UNLV in hot pursuit.

Northeast: Long Island
It took eight seasons at the helm in Brooklyn for Jim Ferry to get LIU back to the NCAA Tournament, but given the talent that returns he may not have to wait for a second trip. The NEC's best frontcourt returns intact with Julian Boyd (13.0 ppg, 8.9 rpg), Jamal Olasewere (12.9 ppg, 6.8 rpg) and Kenny Onyechi (7.4 ppg, 4.2 rpg) all back on campus. Arnold Mayorga, Booker Hucks and freshman Troy Joseph will supply the depth. The question comes in the backcourt, where the Blackbirds have to replace the 21.7 points per game that Kyle Johnson and David Hicks provided. Look for C.J. Garner (9.5 ppg, 3.4 apg) and Jason Brickman (6.2 ppg, 5.5 apg) to see more time together despite the fact that they're both 5'10", with Brickman being the distributor while Garner gets more time off the ball. Michael Culpo is a very good perimeter shooter, and newcomers Gerrell Martin and Brandon Thompson could also factor into the rotation.

Ohio Valley: Tennessee Tech
It's either Tennessee Tech or Austin Peay atop the OVC, with the pick here being the Golden Eagles and their four returning starters. Guard Zac Swansey (9.7 ppg, 6.4 apg), also known as "Big Shot Z" in some circles, will once again run the point with shooting guard Kevin Murphy (17.0 ppg, 4.5 rpg) being the scorer with a variety of offensive skills. First-year head coach Steve Payne has a deep backcourt at his disposal with Zach Bailey and Chase Dunn also at the ready.

The Golden Eagles did lose Alfred Jones in the frontcourt, meaning that there will be chances for reserves to earn more playing time. Terrell Barnes (4.9 rpg) returns after starting 28 games, and how much he can improve offensively (4.1 ppg) could determine where Tennessee Tech finishes. Jud Dillard (11.0 ppg, 5.8 rpg) was Tennessee Tech's leading rebounder last season, and look out for freshmen Javon McKay (redshirted last season) and Lanerryl Johnson on the perimeter.

Pac-12: Arizona
On the heels of winning the final Pac-10 regular season title and losing to eventual national champion Connecticut by two points in the Elite 8, Sean Miller's Wildcats look to build on that success with a highly-touted recruiting class descending upon the Old Pueblo. Guards Josiah Turner and Nick Johnson may get the bulk of the attention, but also keep in mind that they'll have some experienced help/competition as well. Senior Kyle Fogg (8.1 ppg), sophomore Jordin Mayes (4.9 ppg) and junior Brendon Lavender (3.6 ppg) all return and despite the loss of MoMo Jones the Wildcats are better on the perimeter.

Solomon Hill provides a "jack of all trades" option at small forward, and if they can get back Kevin Parrom at some point following a trying off-season Arizona will be even deeper on the wing. Inside returnees Jesse Perry and Kyryl Natyazhko will be joined by freshmen Angelo Chol and Sidiki Johnson, and the goal will need to be "step up what we do well" as opposed to stressing out about "replacing" lottery pick Derrick Williams. The Pac-12 is improving with the likes of Cal and UCLA looking strong, but the Wildcats remain at the head of the class.

Patriot: Bucknell
The Bison have one starter to replace from last year's NCAA Tournament squad, and how they account for the loss of point guard Darryl Shazier could determine whether or not they repeat. Shazier averaged 5.4 assists per game and was second nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio, and Cameron Ayers (7.4 ppg) looks to be the likely candidate to assume that role. The good news for Bucknell: reigning Patriot League Player of the Year Mike Muscala (14.9 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 2.0 bpg) is back for his junior campaign and fellow starters Bryan Cohen (7.0 ppg, 3.9 rpg), Bryson Johnson (11.7 ppg) and Joe Willman (7.6 ppg, 4.6 rpg) return as well. Dave Paulsen will also enjoy the benefit of just one of these players (Cohen) being a senior, which mean that Bucknell will have more than enough left in the stable to get comfortable atop the Patriot League standings.

Next: SEC through WAC

Part One: America East through Big Ten
Part Two: Big 12 through MAAC

College Hoops Saturday: Your Commentary

Raphielle Johnson — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 00:33:13 -0800

With three NCAA Tournament tickets assured of being punched (that number becomes four if Princeton wins at Harvard in a crucial Ivy League tilt), it makes sense to touch on each of those games as opposed to the usual daily preview. The title game in the Atlantic Sun provides a matchup of the prohibitive favorite taking on the underdog, a storyline that usually doesn't come into play for another two weeks.

Belmont, who wasn't picked to win the conference in the preseason, won 19 of its 20 league games by a margin of nearly 21 points per game and Rick Byrd's team has taken care of business in wins over Kennesaw State and host Mercer thus far. Standing in their way is six-seed North Florida, a program that before this season had never won a single A-Sun Tournament game (they just recently earned full Division I status) before this week. All the Ospreys have done is send home both the three (Jacksonville) and two (East Tennessee State) seeds. Can they do the same to the Bruins?

It will be tough to say the least, as the balanced regular season champions have just two players averaging double figures in scoring (Ian Clark- 12.5, Mick Hedgepeth- 10.3) but five others score at least six points per game. The Bruins have failed to score more than 65 points just twice all season long and both were losses (the second Tennessee loss and at Lipscomb), and UNF did lose by just two points in their meeting on February 5th. But if the Belmont that whipped North Florida 91-59 on January 8th shows up the test becomes that much tougher for the Ospreys. North Florida got the job done defensively in both of their tournament wins, limiting ETSU to 13% from beyond the arc and when Belmont struggles from deep they can be had.

In the Big South regular season champion Coastal Carolina has survived heavy personnel losses, most recently losing leading scorer and rebounder Desmond Holloway, to get back to the championship game. Last year the Chanticleers had their NCAA Tournament hopes ended on their court by Radford, and Saturday presents a challenge in the form of a UNC Asheville team more than a few people liked to win this tournament before it began. Eddie Biedenbach's Bulldogs have won five straight games, with the streak beginning with a 61-58 win at CCU on February 22nd, and they shut down High Point in the semifinals on Thursday night. Matt Dickey and J.P. Primm have led the way for Asheville, and having your stars could make the difference in Myrtle Beach. Chad Gray and Anthony Raffa have been the players Cliff Ellis has needed to step up for the Chanticleers, and they combined for 50 points in the win over VMI on Thursday. But whether or not they can do the same against UNC Asheville is up for debate and will likely determine which team goes dancing.

And in the Ohio Valley there's the contrast of a Morehead State team that's made a habit of contending for conference titles of late and Tennessee Tech, which makes its' first-ever appearance in the conference final. But if Tennessee Tech lacks title experience they've got the college basketball answer to "Mr. Big Shot" (Chauncey Billups) and that would be Zach Swansey, who has made five game-winning baskets this season and dropped an absolute dagger on regular season champ Murray State in the final minute of the Golden Eagles' win on Friday night. TTU has won seven straight games to date but they were swept in the regular season by Donnie Tyndall's Eagles, who have an outstanding tandem in Demonte Harper and Kenneth Faried. Faried grabbed 21 rebounds in their win over Austin Peay in the semifinals while Harper provided 25 points and a few thrilling drives to the rim. Those two will be a handful to say the least, but it was Terrance Hill and Drew Kelly who combined for 38 points in Morehead State's 76-60 win in the last meeting between these two.

Plenty of other conference tournaments will be in session on Saturday, with the Missouri Valley moving on to the semifinals after a quarterfinal Friday that provided three outstanding finishes. Missouri State takes on Creighton in the first semi, and if forwards Kenny Lawson Jr. and Doug McDermott can play as they did in the win over Northern Iowa the Blue Jays definitely have a chance to advance. And Wichita State, the lone team to avoid the craziness, takes on Indiana State in the second game. Jake Odum made the big shot in the final second for Greg Lansing's Sycamores, who have won six of their last seven games but were swept by the Shockers in the regular season. The issues for ISU: turnovers and offensive efficiency, which go hand in hand. If the Sycamores can perform well in those two areas they have a chance. The America East, Big Sky, CAA, MAAC, Southern and WCC all move into the quarters while the Sun Belt tips off its first day of action. And the semifinals in the Horizon League should also be interesting as Butler and Milwaukee take the floor for the first time.

In regular season action there's the matter of Princeton and Harvard, with the Tigers looking to complete the season sweep that would also net them a return to the NCAA Tournament. Missouri hosts Kansas in a big game for both, as the Jayhawks look to lock up the outright Big 12 title and the Tigers look to remain undefeated at home. Duke at North Carolina is always huge and Saturday night's matchup will also be for the outright ACC title. Xavier (Atlantic 10), Pittsburgh (Big East), Arizona (Pac-10) and Florida (SEC) will all look to join the party in locking up outright conference titles, with the Gators having the stiffest test as they visit Vanderbilt. Pitt hosts a reeling Villanova squad that's running out of time to find answers.

San Diego State and BYU will wrap up their seasons in hopes of clinching at least a share of the Mountain West title, but the Aztecs will have to contend with a Colorado State team that could most certainly use a big win for their NCAA Tournament resume. The same goes for Baylor, who's done more to hurt their chances of dancing this season but they have a shot to pick off Texas and the Longhorns haven't played as well as they're capable of the last two weeks. And Michigan State visiting Michigan and Virginia Tech at Clemson are both immensely important games when it comes to the field of 68. Saturday may still be the regular season for a number of teams, but it certainly doesn't feel like it.

Top 25
12:00 PM (2) Kansas at (24) Missouri (CBS)
3:30 PM Wyoming at (3) BYU (The Mtn.)
8:00 PM (4) Duke at (13) North Carolina (CBS)
4:00 PM (19) Villanova at (5) Pittsburgh (CBS)
4:00 PM (6) Purdue at Iowa (ESPN)
2:00 PM (7) Notre Dame at (16) Connecticut (ESPN)
9:00 PM (8) Texas at Baylor (ESPN)
10:00 PM Colorado State at (9) San Diego State (The Mtn.)
12:00 PM (11) Louisville at West Virginia (ESPN)
4:00 PM DePaul at (12) Syracuse (ESPN3)
6:00 PM (14) Florida at (20) Vanderbilt (ESPN)
8:00 PM South Florida at (15) St. John's (ESPN3)
2:00 PM (17) Georgetown at Cincinnati (ESPN3)
2:00 PM Oregon at (18) Arizona (CBS)
7:00 PM (21) Utah State at Louisiana Tech (ESPN3)
1:30 PM Texas Tech at (22) Texas A&M (ESPN3)

NCAA Division I Games
12:00 PM Virginia Tech at Clemson (ESPN2)
12:00 PM Duquesne at Richmond
12:00 PM Indiana at Illinois (BTN)
1:00 PM Buffalo at Bowling Green
1:00 PM Massachusetts at Fordham
1:00 PM Nicholls State at Southeastern Louisiana
1:30 PM Georgia at Alabama (ESPN3)
1:30 PM Iowa State at Kansas State (ESPN3)
2:00 PM Dayton at George Washington
2:00 PM Virginia at Maryland (ESPN3)
2:00 PM Michigan State at Michigan (CBS)
2:00 PM Xavier at Saint Louis (CBS College)
2:00 PM Rhode Island at St. Bonaventure
2:00 PM South Carolina at Mississippi State (ESPN2)
2:00 PM Northern Illinois at Ball State
2:00 PM Western Michigan at Central Michigan
2:00 PM Toledo at Eastern Michigan
2:00 PM Saint Joseph's at Charlotte
3:00 PM La Salle at Temple
3:00 PM Stephen F. Austin at Northwestern State
3:00 PM UTEP at SMU
4:00 PM Oregon State at Arizona State
4:00 PM Arkansas at Mississippi (ESPN3)
4:00 PM Oklahoma State at Oklahoma (ESPN3)
4:00 PM Tulane at Memphis
4:00 PM UNLV at Utah (The Mtn.)
4:00 PM Chicago State at N.J.I.T.
4:30 PM Lamar at McNeese State
5:00 PM Texas A&M-CC at Central Arkansas
5:30 PM UCLA at Washington State
5:30 PM Alcorn State at Texas Southern
6:00 PM Air Force at New Mexico (The Mtn.)
6:00 PM Rice at Houston
6:00 PM Marquette at Seton Hall (ESPN3)
6:30 PM Alabama A&M at Jackson State
7:00 PM Stanford at California
7:00 PM Auburn at LSU (ESPN3)
7:00 PM Princeton at Harvard (ESPN3)
7:00 PM Pennsylvania at Dartmouth
7:00 PM Brown at Columbia
7:00 PM Yale at Cornell
7:00 PM UCF at Marshall
7:00 PM Rutgers at Providence (ESPN3)
7:30 PM Alabama State at Grambling State
8:00 PM East Carolina at UAB
8:00 PM Southern Miss at Tulsa
8:00 PM Texas-San Antonio at Texas-Arlington
8:00 PM Texas State at Sam Houston State
8:45 PM South Dakota at Houston Baptist
9:00 PM Nebraska at Colorado
9:00 PM San Jose State at Boise State
9:00 PM Nevada at New Mexico State (ESPN3)
9:00 PM North Dakota at Texas-Pan American
9:00 PM Southern University at Prairie View A&M
10:00 PM UC Irvine at UC Riverside
10:00 PM Seattle at Idaho
10:00 PM Cal State Northridge at Pacific
10:00 PM Cal State Fullerton at UC Davis
10:05 PM Cal Poly at UC Santa Barbara
10:30 PM USC at Washington
11:30 PM Hawaii at Fresno State

Conference Tournaments

America East Quarterfinals (at Hartford)
12:05 PM Stony Brook vs. Albany (America East TV)
2:15 PM Binghamton vs. Vermont (America East TV)
6:05 PM New Hampshire vs. Boston University (America East TV)
8:15 PM Hartford vs. Maine (America East TV)

Atlantic Sun Final (at Mercer)
6:00 PM North Florida vs. Belmont (ESPN2)

Big Sky Quarterfinals (at higher seeded team)
8:35 PM Montana State at Northern Arizona (FCS)
9:30 PM Eastern Washington at Weber State

Big South Final (at Coastal Carolina)
4:00 PM UNC Asheville at Coastal Carolina (ESPN2)

CAA Quarterfinals
12:00 PM Georgia State vs. (25) George Mason (ESPN3)
2:30 PM Drexel vs. VCU (ESPN3)
6:00 PM Delaware vs. Old Dominion (ESPN Full Court)
8:30 PM William & Mary vs. Hofstra (ESPN Full Court)

Horizon Semifinals (at Milwaukee)
6:00 PM Cleveland State vs. Butler (HLN)
8:30 PM Valparaiso vs. Milwaukee (HLN)

MAAC Quarterfinals (at Fairfield)
2:30 PM Saint Peter's vs. Loyola (MD) (MSG/ESPN3)
4:30 PM Fairfield vs. Marist (MSG2/ESPN3)
7:30 PM Iona vs. Siena (MSG+/ESPN3)
10:00 PM Rider vs. Canisius (MSG/MASN/ESPN3)

Missouri Valley Semifinals (in St. Louis)
2:35 PM Missouri State vs. Creighton (FSN Midwest)
5:05 PM Wichita State vs. Indiana State (FSN MIdwest)

OVC Final (in Nashville)
8:00 PM Morehead State vs. Tennessee Tech (ESPN2)

SoCon Quarterfinals (at Chattanooga)
2:00 PM Western Carolina vs. UNC Greensboro (SoConTV)
4:30 PM Wofford vs. Appalachian State (SoConTV)
7:00 PM Chattanooga vs. Furman (SoConTV)
9:30 PM Elon vs. College of Charleston (SoConTV)

Summit Quarterfinals (in Sioux Falls, SD)
7:00 PM Oakland vs. Southern Utah (Midco Sports Net)
9:30 PM Oral Roberts vs. North Dakota State (Midco Sports Net)

Sun Belt First Round (in Hot Springs, AR)
7:30 PM North Texas vs. Troy (Summit Arena)
7:45 PM Western Kentucky vs. ULM (Conv. Center Court)
9:45 PM Denver vs. FIU (Summit Arena)
10:00 PM South Alabama vs. Arkansas-Little Rock (Conv. Center Court)

WCC Quarterfinals (in Las Vegas)
9:00 PM Santa Clara vs. Loyola Marymount (BYU TV)
11:30 PM San Francisco vs. Pepperdine (BYU TV)

HOOPS TALK LIVE SATURDAY 11am-NOON!

#138 Tennessee Tech: 2010-11 Basketball Preview

Joel Welser — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 19:32:16 -0700

Overall Rank: #138

Conference Rank: #2 Ohio Valley Conference

2009-10: 15-17, 8-10

2009-10 postseason: none

Coach: Mike Sutton (129-117 at Tennessee Tech, 129-117 overall)

Tennessee Tech surprised many last year by finishing with an 8-10 record in conference play. The Golden Eagles had some quality wins, but simply lacked consistency. Having to bring in a new point guard does not sound like it should fix that, but in general this team is a year older and a year wiser and while they may not be able to catch Murray State, Tennessee Tech should be aiming for a postseason berth of some sort.

Key Losses: G Frank Davis, G Elijah Muhammad

Key Newcomers:

Tennessee Tech has a trio of freshmen coming in who will likely need to at least play a few minutes off the bench. Mitchell Hill, a 6-1 guard, and Javon McKay, a 6-5 wing, are the two who will likely be forced into action. The other freshman is German forward Dennis Ogbe. He is an intriguing 6-7 prospect, but on this team he will be given the opportunity to progress under some more experienced frontcourt players. The more important newcomers are Zac Swansey and redshirt freshman Chase Dunn. The two point guards will battle it out for playing time, but it is Swansey who is expected to take over the point guard duties. Swansey spent two seasons at Georgia and averaged 4.3 points and 2.9 assists during the 2008-2009 campaign and should immediately step into a leadership role after spending last year on the sidelines. Liam McMorrow could answer some frontcourt questions if he is eligible to play this season. The transfer from Marquette did not play for the Golden Eagles due to health concerns last season, but the 7-0, 265 pounder may be eligible to play immediately for Tennessee Tech pending an NCAA appeal. If that is the case, the frontcourt will have the big bodied strong man under the basket that they need.

Backcourt:

The backcourt will have some problems replacing Frank Davis and Elijah Muhammad. Those two both shot over 40 percent from beyond the arc and averaged over 11 points per game. Muhammad also ran the point and did a lot of work on the glass for a guard. Swansey should help replace some of that production, but this team needs to find a shooter who can be a consistent player at the two guard spot. The most experienced option is Zach Bailey. As a sophomore last season Bailey only averaged 5.1 points per game, but he has the shooting ability to step into that role and see a drastic increase in production. Wing Jud Dillard could spend some time at the shooting guard position as well and is a good scorer around the basket, but he is better equipped to be a small forward and that will leave him on the bench behind Kevin Murphy.

Frontcourt:

Alfred Jones is one of the players who should step up his scoring output with Davis and Muhammad out of the picture. The 6-7, 205 pound power forward averaged 9.2 points and a team high 5.1 rebounds during his junior campaign and should be in store for a big senior season. Fellow senior Byron Pickens is not the scorer that Jones is, but he is a fine backup power forward who can play some defense and hit the glass. The bigger issue is at the five spot. Terrell Barnes and Bassey Inameti pretty much split time last year and one of them needs to become a more consistent interior scorer. Inameti is the more efficient scorer in the paint, but he only averaged 4.3 points per game last year. Barnes is not much of a scorer either at this point in his career, but he will use his 6-8, 245 pound to create space for himself and at least grab quite a few rebounds. Barnes is just a sophomore, so the hope for Tennessee Tech and Coach Mike Sutton is that Barnes can develop his offensive game as a sophomore.

Who to Watch:

The man who will do most of the scoring for this team is Murphy. The 6-6 wing averaged 15.3 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists as a sophomore and should be one of the top scorers in the Ohio Valley Conference again in 2010-2011. He is a capable outside shooter, but most of his scoring comes from attacking the basket. If Murphy can hit 40 percent of his three-point attempts instead of 30 percent, he will be nearly unstoppable.

Final Projection:

The problem is this team needs more scorers than just Murphy and all of them cannot be on the inside. Surely Jones and Dillard can help, but they will do their scoring in the paint. The opposition can simply clog the lane and stop all the talented slashers from getting to the basket. That means Bailey, Swansey and maybe even some of the freshmen better start hitting the three-point shot consistently. Most of the team did not have to think about shooting last year with Davis and Muhammad handling those duties, and now it is their time to step up and become the perimeter scorers that this team needs to reach the postseason.

Projected Post-season Tournament: none

Projected Starting Five:

Zac Swansey, Junior, Guard, DNP last season

Zach Bailey, Junior, Guard, 5.1 ppg

Kevin Murphy, Junior, Guard, 15.3 ppg

Alfred Jones, Senior, Forward, 9.2 ppg

Terrell Barnes, Sophomore, Forward, 4.2 ppg

Next Top 144 Teams
139		140		141		142		..All

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

OVC Tournament Preview & Predictions

Evan Dorey — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 19:44:02 -0800

This is one in a series of my conference tournament previews, in which I run down all the teams involved, giving a brief statistical review and picking out some of the key players, and presenting 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:

Ohio Valley

The OVC Tournament features the top 8 teams out of a 10 team league, with the quarterfinals being hosted at the home courts of the top 4 seeds, and the two later rounds hosted at the Sommet Center in Nashville.

OVC Tournament Odds

#	Team	SF	F	W
1	Tennessee Martin	90.91%	58.86%	30.81%
2	Austin Peay	80.67%	25.43%	10.06%
3	Murray St.	93.43%	69.19%	42.55%
4	Morehead St.	73.48%	30.09%	12.17%
5	Eastern Kentucky	26.52%	8.67%	2.81%
6	Tennessee St.	6.57%	1.87%	0.35%
7	Eastern Illinois	19.33%	3.50%	0.82%
8	Tennessee Tech	9.09%	2.37%	0.45%

It’s interesting to see that the #1 seeds and league champions aren’t the favorites, a title that belongs to #3 Murray St. The first four teams were separated by just two games in the standings, but the efficiency stats tell us that Martin and Murray St. are in a separate class.

#1 – Tennessee-Martin Skyhawks (21-8, 14-4) ; Efficiency Margin: +0.114

Last NCAA Tournament bid: None

Tennessee-Martin has had an excellent season, claiming its first OVC regular season title, powered by a ten-game winning streak early in the conference schedule. The Skyhawks aren’t spectacular in any area, but do a lot of things well, and don’t make a lot of mistakes. Their main weakness is long-distance shooting, where they sit last in the OVC, but they make up for it by shooting 74% at the free throw line and earning a lot of extra possessions on the glass and by avoiding turnovers. Martin also defends well, managing to dominate the turnover margin by forcing a lot.

Players to watch:

6-2 SR Lester Hudson, 26.6 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 2.4 SPG, 50.8 eFG% - The only player more important to his team than Hudson is some Curry guy that you might have heard about once or twice. Like Curry, Hudson’s shooting percentages aren’t that impressive on their own, but when you consider how many shots he takes, you really get a sense of how valuable he is. He also is a key player in lot of other areas, leading the Skyhawks in rebounding and steals, and putting up a very good assist rate.

6-1 JR Delrico Lane, 5.2 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 4.9 APG, 2.3 SPG, 51.5 eFG% - Lane doesn’t score much, but let’s face it, there’s not a lot of shots available once Hudson and second-best scorer Marquis Weddle get their share. Lane has done a good job getting the ball to Hudson, leading the OVC in assists, and like Hudson has an excellent steal rate.

#2 – Austin Peay Governors (17-12, 13-5) ; Efficiency Margin: +0.053

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

The Governors face the strange situation of being lucky, as their record is somewhat better than their efficiency margin would suggest, but also unlucky, as a couple of losses in overtime are the only thing separating them from a conference title. Still, it’s telling that this is the #4 favorite by the log5 method, and to see them suffer an ‘upset’ wouldn’t be a big surprise. Austin Peay is the best pure shooting team in the conference, well over 50% from inside and at 39% from behind the arc, and the second best OVC offense overall. For all their ability to make shots, though, stopping opponents from doing the same has been difficult, especially from long distance, where they put up the conference’s worst defensive mark. The Governors are the only team of the top 4 seeds to give up more than a point-per possession, and their defensive woes will probably be their downfall.

Players to watch:

6-5 SR Drake Reed, 22.4 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 59.0 eFG% - In a lot of other conferences in the nation, Reed’s numbers would be good enough to make him a clear top scorer and the favorite for player of the year, but with Hudson taking the spotlight, Reed has to settle for being the OVC’s #2 scorer. Reed doesn’t take as large a proportion of his team’s shots as Hudson does, but he’s much more efficient, nearly 60% from inside the arc and a 40% outside shooter. He’s also in the top 5 in the conference in rebounding and rarely turns the ball over.

6-3 JR Wes Channels, 16.8 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 3.2 APG, 1.2 SPG, 51.1 eFG% - Channels takes a similar proportion of the Governors’ shots as Reed, but is much more dependent on the three-pointer, and isn’t quite as good a percentage shooter. Still, he’s a good scoring guard who leads the team in assists, and combines with Reed to form a deadly inside-outside duo.

#3 – Murray St. Racers (17-12, 13-5) ; Efficiency Margin: +0.129

Last NCAA Tournament bid: 2006 (1^st Round)

Murray St. may be the third seed, but don’t be surprised to see it run off with a 14^th NCAA tourney appearance, the best of any OVC team. The worst of the Racers’ five losses came by 6 points, meaning that their efficiency margin is the highest in the league. This is mostly due to a defense that is clearly the best in the OVC; opponents make few threes and turn the ball over a lot, a clear sign of how good the Racers are on the perimeter. They aren’t great at making threes themselves, but tend to focus on scoring from two, where they are efficient enough to have a decent offense overall. The Racers’ style probably contributes to why they’ve had so many close losses; their defensive, slow-paced game makes it a lot more difficult to get a big margin against weaker teams.

Players to watch:

6-2 SO Isaac Miles, 10.3 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 3.8 APG, 48.2 eFG% - The team’s second leading scorer is entering the tournament on a roll, having scored in double digits in each of the last five games, and has done this despite taking a lot of bad shots from behind the arc, where he hits less than 30%. He’s a good scorer from two who gets a lot of chances at the line, and while he puts up a lot of assists, he also has occasional bouts of major turnover trouble.

6-4 JR Danero Thomas, 11.8 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 1.6 SPG, 0.6 BPG, 47.1 eFG% - Thomas isn’t a great offensive player, but leads the Racers in scoring, and is a decent shooter, though like Miles he struggles from behind the arc. His best performance comes on the defensive end, where he’s the team’s best shot-blocker and one of the conference leaders in steals.

#4 – Morehead St. Eagles (16-15, 12-6) ; Efficiency Margin: +0.066

Last NCAA Tournament bid: 1984 (1^st Round)

The last of the teams that open the season at home, Morehead seemed to be destined for a tough year when they started 0-6, but had turned it around by the time conference play began, though they should be concerned after closing the season on a four-game losing streak. The Eagles are similar to Murray St., depending on inside play on the offensive end, but doing their best work defensively, but they aren’t as effective at either end as the Racers. Morehead isn’t too strong from the field, but is a good offensive rebounding team that does a great job getting to the line, and making shots once there. Defensively, the Eagles best play also comes inside, as they hold opponents to a conference-best 44.5% from two, and are good rebounders and shot-blockers.

Players to watch:

6-8 SO Kenneth Faried, 13.5 PPG, 12.6 RPG, 2.1 SPG, 2.0 BPG, 56.4 eFG% - Faried is probably the conference’s best big man, fourth nationally in rebounding and the only Valley player averaging more than nine boards a game. He’s a 56% shooter from the field who also sits in the top 3 of the conference rankings in steals and blocks. The only real weakness in his game is his free throw shooting, where he’s worse than from the field, but he looks like he’ll be a great player in the conference in the years to come.

6-5 SR Leon Buchanan, 15.3 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 53.5 eFG% - Buchanan is a great interior partner for Faried, a decent rebounder who shoots a good percentage, and unlike the sophomore, does a really great job at the free throw line. He’s an 81% shooter who makes a lot of appearances, and the points he gets there are enough to make him the team’s leading scorer.

#5 – Eastern Kentucky Colonels (18-12, 10-8) ; Efficiency Margin: +0.036

Last NCAA Tournament bid: 2007 (1^st Round)

Eastern Kentucky are an ideal example of how a team’s tempo can confuse those who don’t take it into account. The Colonels are easily the slowest team in the OVC, and a look at their point-per-game numbers would lead you to suggest that they are merely average offensively. In reality, the Colonels tend to be involved in the conference’s most offensively efficient games, boasting the OVC’s best offense, and the worst defense of the teams qualifying for the tournament. The Colonels are an offensive dream, putting up a 55.7 eFG% in conference, and one of the nation’s best marks in the category of the whole season, and having the OVC’s lowest turnover rate. Their problems come inside, where they don’t get much of their offense (the second-most three-dependent team in the country), and are terrible on the glass. Opponents shred EKU’s defense seemingly at will, shooting 54%, and even the ability to force a lot of turnovers doesn’t help much.

Players to watch:

6-4 SR Mike Rose, 20.3 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 1.7 SPG, 59.2 eFG% - The third 20 PPG player in the conference, Rose is the deadliest three-point shooter on a team that thrives behind the arc. Shooting 49% from long-distance is the kind of percentage we expect from an occasional shooter, not someone who puts up more than 200 attempts a season. He’s one of the team’s better rebounders and a solid defender, but his value is all in that shot.

6-7 SO Justin Stommes, 10.2 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 59.4 eFG% - Behind Rose, there are a group of other strong shooters, though none with the frequency, or the success, of the Colonels’ leading scorer. Stommes is the best of the bunch, and he provides a great alternative option from outside.

#6 – Tennessee St. Tigers (12-17, 9-9) ; Efficiency Margin: -0.048

Last NCAA Tournament bid: 1994 (1^st Round)

The Tigers made a lot of headlines, and got a lot of criticism, for firing Cy Alexander mid-season, but it worked out pretty well, as they went 6-1, including six straight wins entering the tournament, to manage a .500 finish in the conference. Tennessee St.’s defense is almost as bad as EKU’s, one of the worst in the tournament, but unlike the Colonels, TSU’s offense isn’t good enough to bail it out. Tennessee St. is focused on attacking the inside, and does it decently, but struggles with turnovers and free throws. The Tigers should watch their opponents to find a better example of inside play, as they allow 52% of attempts from inside, and don’t do much on the defensive glass either. They actually have the poorest odds of any team in the tournament, and a #6 seed probably flatters them somewhat.

Players to watch:

6-7 SO Darius Cox, 10.8 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 3.0 APG, 1.9 BPG, 54.3 eFG% - Cox is just fourth on the team in scoring, but is the most efficient offensive option when Tennessee St. has the ball, shooting over 50% from the field. He’s also an excellent rebounder, and a good shot-blocker.

6-8 SR Jerrell Houston, 14.0 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 1.3 BPG, 51.4 eFG% - Houston is another good interior player, with similar numbers to Cox, but with a larger role in the offense, and a much bigger problem with turnovers.

#7 – Eastern Illinois Panthers (12-17, 8-10) ; Efficiency Margin: -0.019

Last NCAA Tournament bid: 2001 (1^st Round)

After talking about a couple of teams that struggle on the defensive end, Eastern Illinois are a bit of change of pace, decent defenders but the worst offensive team in the conference. A bright note for the Panthers’ offense is that they make a decent percentage of both threes and free throws; unfortunately, they don’t get to the line much, and take a large majority of their shots from inside the arc. Defensively, EIU is a solid team, especially inside, where it holds opponents to just 46% shooting. However, their offensive woes are too great to overcome, and they enter the tournament on a real low, losing their last six conference games.

Players to watch:

6-1 SO Tyler Laser, 11.6 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 3.1 APG, 1.0 SPG, 56.5 eFG% - Laser isn’t a go-to scorer, but is the kind of pure shooter who can be really effective as a secondary option. He hits over 40% from behind the arc, and is 6^th nationally in free throw percentage, 50-of-52 on the season. He’s a good distributor of the ball and can also score from inside the arc, the kind of player who could really break out if he can handle a bigger role in future seasons.

6-3 JR Romain Martin, 15.2 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 53.5 eFG% - Martin is the other guy on the Panthers who can make threes, and while his percentage isn’t as high as Laser’s, he takes a lot more shots, and is much more important in the offense. Most of his value depends on his shooting, he doesn’t really contribute much in the other statistical areas.

#8 – Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles (12-17, 6-12) ; Efficiency Margin: -0.034

Last NCAA Tournament bid: 1963 (1^st Round)

Tennessee Tech is the OVC’s fastest paced team, but its high speed hasn’t equalled highly effective offensive possessions, especially from two-point range, where you’d expect such a team to score in transition. Instead, the Golden Eagles are best when they put up threes, over 38% from behind the arc. This doesn’t happen nearly enough, though, with poor rebounding, turnovers, and a fairly two-point-heavy offense combining to limit the Eagles’ long distance-scoring. Defensively, Tennessee Tech force a lot of turnovers, but are terrible defensive rebounders and commit a lot of fouls.

Players to watch:

6-9 SR Daniel Northern, 12.4 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 2.5 BPG, 49.4 eFG% - Northern is an excellent big-man in almost every area except field goal percentage, and it’s only his 49% from the field that holds him back. He’s the second-best rebounder in the OVC, and leads the conference in shot-blocking. He gets to the line a lot, and while his 65% from the stripe isn’t great, it’s not too bad, and shows a clear improvement from previous seasons.

6-2 JR Frank Davis, 10.1 PPG, 1.9 RPG, 59.2 eFG% - If you’re looking for a great example of how a player who isn’t the offensive focus can really thrive, Davis may be a perfect. He doesn’t take a lot of shots, but his contribution on the stat sheet will be basically limited to whatever he manages to score. He’s a 43% three-point shooter, and has taken more attempts from behind the arc than the Eagles’ next two most prolific shooters combined. He doesn’t turn the ball over much, but he’s not the kind of player who will do much beside shoot when he does get it.

My statistical all-OVC team:

Tennessee Martin SR G Lester Hudson, 26.6 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 2.4 SPG, 50.8 eFG%

Eastern Kentucky SR G Mike Rose, 20.3 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 1.7 SPG, 59.2 eFG%

Austin Peay SR F Drake Reed, 22.4 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 59.0 eFG%

Morehead St. SR F Leon Buchanan, 15.3 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 53.5 eFG%6-8,

Morehead St. SO F/C Kenneth Faried, 13.5 PPG, 12.6 RPG, 2.1 SPG, 2.0 BPG, 56.4 eFG%