UNLV

Early 2012-13 Ranking: Teams 31 to 45

Shawn Siegel — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 13:30:12 -0700

Continuing with the Early 2012-13 Ranking, here are teams 31 to 45.

Its worth repeating that I had to make many assumptions about the NBA Draft in compiling the following list, and I've noted which assumptions I've made. This ranking will be updated later in the summer once players have made their official draft decisions. Also uncertain is where some remaining unsigned recruits will end up, and how the coaching carousel will take form. I purposely made no assumptions about where unsigned prospects will end up. (All prospect rankings are according to the Rivals 150 ranking.)

Early 2012-13 Ranking: Teams 31-45

31 UNLV UNLV loses two starters, though returnees Mike Moser and Anthony Marshall are two of the MWC's top talents. The hope is that incoming freshman Katin Reinhardt (7th best shooting guard by Rivals) helps offset the loss of sharp-shooter Chace Stanback.

32 Arizona While Solomon Hill and Nick Johnson are solid returning players, its really all about the newcomers. In Brandon Ashley, Kaleb Tarczewski, Gabe York, and Grant Jerrett, Arizona welcomes 4 Top 50 recruits with pro potential. The team's lack of star point guard could hold them back however.

33 Davidson Already the Southern Conference's elite team, Davidson should be even better next year with everyone of note returning. De'Mon Brooks and Jake Cohen form a solid inside-outside tandem, and with a little bit of luck in non-conference play, Davidson could be a Top 25 team. This is the year Davidson reaps the rewards of the Steph Curry recruiting bounce.

34 Tennessee Once Jarnell Stokes joined the team, Tennessee played like an NCAA Tournament team down the stretch. With the likes of Golden and Maymom returning, the Vols could even surpass this projection.

35 Ohio Everyone returns from a team that was just a few possessions away from the Elite Eight. Despite that, Ohio will not be a lock for the MAC title with solid squads returning across the league. Perhaps the league can potentially return to multiple-bid territory?

36 Washington It all comes down to the Draft for Washington. Freshman Tony Wroten and sophomore Terrence Ross are potential 1st Round Draft picks. I'm assuming for this prediction, that one of the two returns. If both return, UW could certainly make a push for the Pac-12 title.

37 Georgetown While Georgetown had a Top 15 season, they lose their best guard in Jason Clark and best big in Henry Sims. Hollis Thompson should return along with emerging talent Otto Porter to form a solid frontcourt. 5-star recruit D'Vauntes Smith Rivera (ranked 22nd by Rivals) is the key however. He replaces Clark as the team's main cog in the backcourt.

38 Cincinnati Cincinnati heads into next season without seniors Yancy Gates and Dion Dixon. Besides losing their 2nd and 3rd leading scorers, Gates was also their leading rebounder and main interior presence. With little recruiting help on the way, it will be key that Sean Kilpatrick continues to emerge as a bona fine star.

39 Colorado St The Rams were probably never as good as their RPI suggested, but they still had a damn good season. Will Bell is a minor loss, but the key cogs return for another shot at an MWC title. A pair of 3-star recruits join the fray as well, a better recruiting haul than usual.

40 St. Joseph's With the entire roster returning, St. Joseph's should be a contender for the Atlantic 10 crown. Anything less than a tourney bid would be extremely disappointing.

41 Murray St Although Isaiah Canaan is a star, others will need to step up now that Donte Poole, Ivan Aska, and Jewaun Long depart. In those three seniors, Murray loses almost 45% of its scoring. The program does potentially welcome the OVC's best recruiting class however.

42 UMASS Although leading rebounder Sean Carter graduates, UMASS should be in the A10's upper echelon. Do-everything sophomore guard Chaz Williams has been lighting up the NIT, and will be a contender for next season's A10 Player of the Year.

43 South Dakota St With no seniors on the roster, South Dakota St will be hoping to improve on their 1st round NCAA Tournament loss. Although Nate Wolters improved his all-around game this year, he needs to recapture the long-range shot that propelled him to 40% from three his sophomore year.

44 Purdue In Robbie Hummel, Lewis Jackson, and Ryne Smith, Purdue loses almost 50% of its scoring production, as well as their leaders in rebounds, assists, blocks, and steals. Although there is young talent waiting to breakout and a top-25 recruiting class on the way, Purdue will need another year before they're a major contender.

45 Missouri Frank Haith will somehow try and rebound from this year's shock 1st round exit without Denmon, English, Ratliffe, or Pressey. Although Missouri is loading up on solid (though not amazing) freshmen, it will take another year or two before the new squad finds its identity.

>> Continue to Teams 46 to 60.

Return to 2012-13 Ranking: Teams 1 to 30

Thursday's Action Underwhelms But Colorado & VCU Win

Raphielle Johnson — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 23:24:37 -0700

The first full day of action in the NCAA tournament didn't produce the number of surprises that many fans both expected and wanted, with just two lower-seeded teams advancing to Saturday's action. While one should come as no surprise to the country the other finds itself carrying the banner for an entire conference...in its first season in the league. Here are the key happenings by location, highlighted by wins for Colorado (Albuquerque) and VCU (Portland).

Albuquerque: Colorado builds a large lead and holds on to beat 6-seed UNLV, winning thier sixth straight game.
Tad Boyle's Buffaloes put together a performance similar to their win over Arizona in the Pac-12 tournament final on Saturday. Colorado got out to a big lead and controlled play for much of the game, ultimately running out of gas down the stretch but finding a way to hold on. Austin Dufault scored 14 points and Andre Roberson added 12 and 16 rebounds to lead Colorado to the 68-64 win, giving the Buffaloes their first NCAA tournament win since 1997. UNLV shot just 32.4% from the field but was able to close the margin to two points due to their pressure, which forced 23 Colorado turnovers on the night.

But Chace Stanback and Mike Moser combined to shoot 7-of-27 from the field, and the Runnin' Rebels could get no closer. Next up for Colorado is old Big 12 foe Baylor, who held off a tough South Dakota State team by the final score of 68-60. Few expected the Buffs to compete for a spot in the top half of the Pac-12 when the season began, but here they are carrying the banner for a struggling conference with 40 minutes between them and the Sweet 16.

Louisville: Iowa State drops the hammer on UConn early, advancing to face top seed Kentucky on Saturday.
The immediate reaction of many on Selection Sunday was excitement in regards to a possible matchup between the defending national champs and top over all seed Kentucky on Saturday. There were so many speaking as if a UConn/Kentucky match-up was a lock that two important factors were ignored. One, the Huskies really hadn't played well despite picking up two wins in New York City. Two, and most importantly, was the fact that UConn had to deal with a good Iowa State team to reach Saturday.

And they couldn't. Royce White was solid with 15 points and 13 rebounds, setting the tone of a game UConn didn't look too prepared to play with a dunk on the opening possession. Iowa State led by as many as 20 in the first half, and whenever the Huskies looked to be making a run they'd make a bad decision. Iowa State advanced with the 77-64 win, and one has to wonder about the direction of the Connecticut program. There's a strong chance that the Huskies won't be eligible for next year's tournament, and if the ban is upheld following the school's final appeal in April that may trigger a mass exodus for their best players. Troubling times in Storrs, that's for sure.

Pittsburgh: Syracuse rallies late to beat UNC Asheville in a game that left many upset with the officiating.
The battle between the Orange and Bulldogs was a wild one, and even with Syracuse not having Fab Melo the game was much closer than anyone anticipated. Eddie Biedenbach's team hung around throughout despite Matt Dickey shooting 1-of-13 from the field, but they couldn't get that one play they needed down the stretch to complete what would have been the first-ever win for a 16-seed over a one. Syracuse hung on for the 72-65 win, advancing to take on 8-seed Kansas State for the right to go to the Sweet 16.

James Southerland came up big off the bench, just as he did in the Big East Championship win over UConn in the quarters, scoring 15 points and grabbing eight boards. Outside of Dickey the Bulldogs had other issues, most notably a few whistles that did not go their way late. But to be fair the game was horrendously officiated throughout out, with both teams ending up on the short end of the stick. Did UNC Asheville outplay Syracuse? For much of the afternoon they did, but the final score is what ultimately determines which team advances and which one sees its season end. Syracuse found a way to survive and advance, and regardless of the aesthetic beauty (or lack thereof) of the win that's all that matters in March.

Portland: VCU makes the big plays late to beat 5-seed Wichita State; gets Indiana next.
In the matchup practically no one wanted to see at this point in the tournament given the potential of both teams it was VCU who found a way to win. Bradford Burgess' three with 1:33 remaining gave the Rams the lead for good as they beat the Shockers 62-59. VCU will look to unleash their "havoc" style of play on Indiana, who beat New Mexico State in the final game of the night. Burgess scored 16 points and Darius Theus and Troy Daniels added ten apiece. VCU did its best work on the defensive end as they were able to harass Wichita State into shooting just 38.7% from the field.

Garrett Stutz, whose three just before time expired went long, struggled to deal with the pace within each possession and VCU's D.J. Haley defended the First Team All-MVC player well throughout. Neither team shot well from three but it was VCU's superior percentage inside of the arc that proved to be the difference. It's unfair to attempt to compare this year's group to last year's, but rest assured that the current group of Rams are just as capable of doing even more damage in the tournament.

Three Notable Performers

1. F Jae Crowder (Marquette)
25 points, 16 rebounds and four assists in the Golden Eagles' 88-68 win over BYU.

2. F Deshaun Thomas (Ohio State)
31 points and 12 rebounds in the Buckeyes' 78-59 win over Loyola (MD).

3. G Rodney McGruder (Kansas State)
30 points (11-16 FG) four rebounds and four steals in the Wildcats' 70-64 win over Southern Miss.

NCAA Tournament Preview: Backcourts to Watch

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 08:28:55 -0700

It's stated all the time this season. Guard play makes all the difference in the NCAA tournament, and to be honest it's hard to argue with that statement. So who are some of the top guard groups in this year's field? Here are 12 below along with a few superlatives. Not all of the usual suspects make the list, but try not to automatically dismiss the less heralded names either.

South Region

1. Duke
While this group does struggle at times on the defensive end of the floor there's no doubt that the Blue Devils' guards can fill it up. Austin Rivers is their best playmaker, and as long as the ACC Rookie of the Year can properly balance scoring with creating for his teammates he's very tough to stop. Seth Curry and Andre Dawkins are both dead-eye shooters, and Tyler Thornton is the best defender. But as noted above, if the defense isn't there Duke could find themselves in trouble.

2. Xavier
The Musketeers have to get past a tough Notre Dame team before a possible matchup with Duke (don't sleep on Lehigh's C.J. McCollum), but despite their struggles throughout the season Tu Holloway and Mark Lyons aren't to be ignored. Holloway runs the show and Lyons mans the two, and they can also call on Brad Redford for perimeter shooting.

3. UNLV
Most are likely going to wonder why the Runnin' Rebels are on this list and not, say, UConn but the fact of the matter is that Dave Rice's group has been more consistent throughout the season. Anthony Marshall is one of the best athletes in the country and Oscar Bellfield's impact tends to be overlooked by many. Add in a very good defender in Justin Hawkins and shooter Kendall Wallace and Dave Rice has a corps of guards capable of winning multiple games in the tournament.

Guards you'll love: C.J. McCollum (Lehigh) and Nate Wolters (South Dakota State)
Both are among the nation's best scorers, and Wolters leads the Jackrabbits in points, rebounds and assists. Each one has a matchup in which they could become household names, with McCollum taking on Duke and Wolters matching up with Baylor.

Best defender: Victor Oladipo (Indiana)
Good luck getting past the athletic Oladipo, whose offensive game has gotten closer to his defensive skills as the season's progressed. At the least the sophomore could be a first team All-Big Ten player next year.

The difference-maker: Marquis Teague (Kentucky)
If Kentucky's to reach their full potential (win a national title) the play of Teague will be key. He had an inconsistent SEC tournament but played his best basketball as the regular season came to a close.

The enigmatic group: Connecticut
Talent-wise there may not be a better group in the region. But despite the talent of Ryan Boatright, Jeremy Lamb and Shabazz Napier there are questions, most importantly will they be "there" for the entire 40 minutes. Drifting in and out of a game will get you beat this time of the year.

East Region

1. Syracuse
The Orange at the least can go three deep with starters Scoop Jardine and Brandon Triche with one of the nation's best reserves in Dion Waiters coming off the bench. The key to a national title will be Jardine, because while the Orange can easily plug someone into his role skill-wise if the fifth-year senior's struggling they can't replace the experience. And with Fab Melo out the guards become even more important.

2. Ohio State
This region has two elite defenders with the Buckeyes' Aaron Craft being one (more on the other later), and William Buford could become the program's all-time leading scorer with a deep run in the tournament. The Buckeyes aren't particularly deep on the perimeter (Jordan Sibert backs up Craft) but they are talented.

3. Florida State
If Luke Loucks takes care of the basketball this group has the ability to be even better than third best in the region. Michael Snaer has beenvery good all season long and the midseason addition of Ian Miller definitely helped on the offensive end. Deividas Dulkys can get hot from deep, as he did in their regular season win over North Carolina, and all can defend.

Guards you'll love: Will Cherry (Montana) and Kevin Pangos (Gonzaga)
Cherry's the other defensive star in this region, as he was named Defensive Player of the Year in the Big Sky and is among the best in the country in steals. Pangos is just a freshman, and his first introduction to college basketball came in the form of his impressive shooting performance in Gonzaga's tip-off marathon appearance.

Best defender: Craft

The difference-maker: Jordan Taylor (Wisconsin)
Wisconsin's been a team some have pegged as a possible upset victim, and if the Badgers are to not only avoid that but win multiple games their senior point guard will have to be at his best.

The enigmatic group: Cincinnati
The Bearcats were able to make a shift to a smaller lineup comfortably with the emergence (and return to health) of Jaquon Parker, and they've been a better team as a result. But given the number of threes that Dion Dixon, Sean Kilpatrick and Cashmere Wright get to take, the Bearcats need them to be on if they're to make a run.

Midwest Region

1. Temple
North Carolina has Kendall Marshall and Kansas can point to Tyshawn Taylor and Elijah Johnson. But the three-headed attack that Fran Dunphy has could be the best backcourt in the region. Juan Fernandez, Ramone Moore and Khalif Wyatt can all do a variety of things, making them interchangable in a sense. If they're on the Owls have the ability to not only reach the Sweet 16 but possibly go even further.

2. Kansas
Tyshawn Taylor shouldn't be questioned at this point, as the senior's matured and made better decisions with the basketball at this point in the season. The guy the Jayhawks need to be a factor over the next couple of weeks is Elijah Johnson, as he can relieve some of the pressure on the shoulders of Taylor and Thomas Robinson. Travis Releford has also been a key cog this season, and that will need to continue if Kansas is to reach New Orleans.

3. San Diego State
The Aztecs go four deep on the perimeter and all four can hurt you in different ways. Xavier Thames runs the show at the point and Chase Tapley is a solid scorer at the two, and all Jamaal Franklin did was win Mountain West Player of the Year. Last but not least is James Rahon, a key reserve in their Elite 8 run last season who can not only knock down perimeter shots but also do the little things.

Guys you'll love: D.J. Cooper (Ohio) and Kerron Johnson (Belmont)
Cooper was a key figure in the Bobcats' whipping of Georgetown in the 2010 tournament, and he's improved as a scorer while remaining a very good distributor. Johnson leads the way for Belmont, a team that's been a popular selection when it comes to teams that can pull off an upset (or two).

Best defender: Jorge Gutierrez (California)
Gutierrez won Pac-12 Player and Defensive Player of the Year for his efforts and with good reason. The senior is one guard few will be looking forward to seeing on the other side of the floor, beginning with USF on Wednesday night.

The difference-maker: Kendall Marshall (North Carolina)
The best passer in the region will be the guy who determines the winner of the Midwest. Marshall has also been more willing to punish sagging defenders by way of the jump shot, an aspect of his game that's improved over the course of the season.

Emerging star: Lorenzo Brown (NC State)
For a short time some asked if Brown was in fact the best point guard in the ACC. He's that talented, and with his size the sophomore has the potential to be a matchup problem for teams this week. And he's only going to get better with more experience.

West Region

1. Missouri
The Tigers navigated Laurence Bowers' torn ACL quite well thanks to their guards, going 30-4 and winning the Big 12 tournament title. Phil Pressey runs the show while Marcus Denmon and Kim English are the leading scorers. There's also Phil's older brother Matt and off the bench Michael Dixon Jr. is one of the best sixth men in the country. English's ability to produce at the four is tough to match, and unless a team has Jamar Samuels-like presence (Kansas State beat the Tigers twice for this reason) Mizzou could be headed to New Orleans.

2. Florida
The Gators are also deep on the perimeter but the key for them will be the decision making of Kenny Boynton and Erving Walker. If those two are unselfish and get the ball to Bradley Beal and Patric Young then Florida has the look of a team that can get to a Final Four. When they don't things tend to go wrong. Virginia's pack line defense will force Florida to make perimeter jumpers, but that's one of the things they do best.

3. Murray State
We all know about Isaiah Canaan by this point and rightfully so as the OVC Player of the Year is also an All-American. But Donte Poole can play as well, averaging 14.2 points per game. Add in senior Jewuan Long and you've got a nice group of guard capable of leading the Racers to the second weekend of the tournament.

Guys you'll love: Jason Brickman (LIU Brooklyn) and Casper Ware (Long Beach State)
Tried to go a bit off the radar with one of these selections, and with the high tempo that the Blackbirds prefer the sophomore from Texas will be fun to watch against Michigan State. Ware's been outstanding for four years and finally gets his shot at the game's biggest stage after two straight losses in the Big West tournament final.

Best defender: Darius Johnson-Odom (Marquette)
If Long Beach State's Larry Anderson were 100% he could qualify as would teammate James Ennis. But DJO, who is also one of the best scorers in the field, is also a good defender who can get out in passing lanes. With the Golden Eagles lacking a defensive presence in the paint the defensive effort of Johnson-Odom on the perimeter becomes even more important.

The difference-maker: Joe Jackson (Memphis)
One of the reasons why Josh Pastner's team has played so well down the stretch is that they've allowed Chris Crawford to take on more of the distribution duties. That in turn has relieved some of the pressure on Jackson, but he's still going to have to play well if the Tigers are to go out and prove that they were underseeded.

Another difference-maker: Peyton Siva (Louisville)
The question of which Siva will we see in Portland is similar to which Louisville team will we see: the one that was inconsistent during Big East play and struggled to score, or the one that won four games in New York City last week. If Siva's on and making good decisions the Cardinals are capable of beating anyone. If not then they're also capable of losing to anyone.

UNLV vs Colorado: Prediction

Greg Mengelt — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 00:02:49 -0700

(6) UNLV vs. (11) Colorado: South Region

Records

UNLV 26-8, 9-5 MWC (At large)

Colorado 23-11, 11-7 Pac-12 (Pac-12 Conference Tourney Champions)

Time: 9:57 p.m. Thursday

TV: TruTV

Location: The Pit in Albuquerque, N.M.

Winner will face: (3) Baylor or (14) South Dakota State, Saturday

Rankings: UNLV (No. 23 AP; No. 25 ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll

RPI Ratings

UNLV 19

Colorado 62

Line: UNLV -4½ (O/U 134)

Players to Watch

UNLV: F Mike Moser, 6-8 So. (14.1 ppg, 10.6 rpg, 2.3 apg); G Anthony Marshall, 6-3 Jr. (12.1 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 4.6 apg); G Oscar Bellfield, 6-2 Sr. (9.8 ppg, 5.3 apg, 1.1 spg). Bellfield became the Mountain West Conference’s all-time leader in assists during the MWC Tournament. He has 574 for his career.

Colorado: F Andre Roberson, 6-7 So. (11.6 ppg, 11.1 rpg, 50.9% FG); G Carlon Brown, 6-5 Sr. (12.6 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 1.9 apg); F Austin Dufault, 6-9 Sr. (10.9 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 48.6% FG). Brown struggled down the stretch run of the regular season, but he came on with 63 points, 19 rebounds and nine steals during Colorado’s 4-game Pac-12 Tournament championship run.

Why Each Team is Dangerous

UNLV: The Runnin’ Rebels are at their best when they’re running. Bellfield and Marshall have both proven they can run the break, and Moser and Chace Stanback both run the floor deftly. UNLV shoots 46.2 percent from the field, and led by Stanback, who led the MWC in 3-point shooting, the Rebels shot 37 percent from deep. The UNLV defense has held opponents to 40.9 percent from the floor and created 15.2 turnovers per game. Their 8.4 steals per contest is 18^th in the country.

Colorado: The Buffaloes won four games in four days to capture the Pac-12 Tournament title and the league’s automatic bid. Brown and Roberson are a nice, talented 1-2 punch. Colorado won the title with strong defense, including 33 steals in the 4-game stretch. The Buffs held their four tournament opponent to 35.9 percent from the field and just 18-of-73 from the 3-point line.

Why Each Team is Vulnerable

UNLV: Despite Moser and Stanback on the glass, the Rebels allowed over 11 offensive rebounds per game. They only out-rebounded their opponents by 1.5 boards per contest in conference play. In their last outing, they were out-rebounded 38-24 by New Mexico in the Mountain West semis. After a fast start, UNLV lost five of its last 10 games and seems a bit hobbled heading into the NCAA.

Colorado: The 2012 Buffs are less talented than last year’s group that failed to make the tournament. Colorado lost 75 percent of its scoring last year, which says a lot about this year’s team, but it also means they’re not deep with talent and experience. UNLV has been successful at pushing pace this year. In order for the Buffaloes to have a chance, they’ll have to keep the pace as slow as possible.

The Bottom Line: I don’t like the way the Rebels are playing, but they are so much more talented than Colorado (sans Brown and Roberson). I’m taking the Rebels to win, but one win will be the end of the road for either winner.

The Pick: UNLV 68, Colorado 65

Greg Against the Spread This Season: 198-148-6 (Through Sunday, March 11)

2012 All High-Major Team: CollegeHoops.net

CHN — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 22:39:54 -0800

Player of the Year Doug McDermott, only a sophomore, highlights CollegeHoops.net's 2012 All High-Major Team. McDermott averaged 23 ppg while shooting over 60% from the floor in leading Creighton to an MVC Tournament title.

McDermott is joined on the First Team by fellow sophomores Mike Moser of UNLV and Will Barton of Memphis. Matthew Dellavedova of Saint Mary's and Ramone Moore of Temple round out the squad.

CollegeHoops.net All High-Major Teams were voted on by staffers Shawn Siegel, Raphielle Johnson, Greg Mengelt, and Jon Teitel. The High-Major Team is comprised of players in the Atlantic 10, Conference USA, Missouri Valley, Mountain West, and West Coast Conference.

Last year's winner was BYU's Jimmer Fredette.

High-Major Player of the Year: F Doug McDermott, Creighton, So

First Team High-Major

G Matthew Dellavedova, Saint Mary's, Jr
G Ramone Moore, Temple, Sr
F Doug McDermott, Creighton, So
F Will Barton, Memphis, So
F Mike Moser, UNLV, So

Second Team High-Major

G Deonte Burton, Nevada, So
G Jamaal Franklin, San Diego St, So
F Wendell McKines, New Mexico St, Sr
F Andrew Nicholson, Saint Bonaventure, Sr
F Drew Gordon, New Mexico, Sr

Third Team High-Major

G Tu Holloway, Xavier, Sr
G Khalif Wyatt, Temple, Jr
F Noah Hartsock, BYU, Sr
F Garrett Stutz, Wichita St, Sr
F Rob Jones, Saint Mary's, Sr

Fourth Team High-Major

G Kevin Dillard, Dayton, Jr
G Joe Ragland, Wichita St, Sr
F Chris Gaston, Fordham, Jr
F Cameron Moore, UAB, Sr
F Kyle Weems, Missouri St, Sr

Poll: Which West Coast Team is Most Dangerous in March?

Shawn Siegel — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 08:31:32 -0800

Cinderella Madness Finals: '07 UNLV vs '08 Davidson

Raphielle Johnson — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 14:40:45 -0800

WhatIfSports.com and CollegeHoops.net have partnered up to bring you Cinderella Madness 2012. This college basketball simulation tournament features 16 of the most memorable Cinderella stories from the past eight seasons. We invited teams outside the BCS conferences, seeded 7th or lower that advanced to the Sweet 16 or beyond. Teams were seeded 1 through 16 and then games were simulated using WhatIfSports.com's award-winning college basketball simulation engine.

Finals: 2006-07 UNLV vs 2007-08 Davidson

UNLV and Davidson survived the first three rounds of Cinderella Madness to vie for the ultimate prize, the title of Cinderella Madness champion.

Eighth-seeded UNLV's path to the championship game included two wins over lower seeds before upending the fourth-seeded VCU Rams in the Final Four. Four UNLV players averaged double-figure scoring through the first three games, led by Wendell White (17.3 points per game).

Davidson earned its way largely on the play of sophomore sensation Stephen Curry. In wins over Richmond, Saint Mary's and George Mason, he tallied 29, 25 and 25 points in the scoring column. Jason Richards proved to be Curry's most reliable sidekick, averaging 13.7 points and seven assists in the three wins.

UNLV and Davidson were evenly matched opponents through 20 minutes, with Davidson holding a narrow 31-30 lead at the break.

After intermission, the Wildcats began to exert their dominance, leading by as much as 16 points when two free throws by Williams Archambault stretched their advantage to 52-36 with 12:49 to play. UNLV closed the gap to three points with just over five minutes remaining, but never got any closer. The Wildcats pulled out the 76-70 victory and staked their claim to the Cinderella Madness championship.

Curry led all scorers with 26 points and was the easy vote for Most Outstanding Player of the Cinderella Madness tournament.

Player of the game: Stephen Curry (26 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 4 steals)

Winning Percentage of 501 Simulations: '08 Davidson 70.7% - '07 UNLV 29.3

Game Recap: Davidson 76 - UNLV 70 (Boxscore)

For how the team's reached the final, check out the Cinderella Madness archive with the complete bracket.

Cinderella Semifinals: '07 UNLV vs '11 VCU

Raphielle Johnson — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 08:27:06 -0800

Semifnals: 2006-07 UNLV vs 2010-11 VCU

UNLV beat '06 Wichita St and then '06 Bradley to reach the semis. VCU beat '10 UNI and '04 Xavier in the quarterfinals.

The mere mention of Georgetown's Ruben Boumtje-Boumtje excites college basketball fanatics as he does possess one of the catchiest names of all-time. The seven-foot, 260 pound post player paved the way for two other big men of Cameroonian descent to leave their mark during the 2007 NCAA Tournament.

UCLA's Luc Richard Mbah a Moute may have led his Bruins to the Final Four that season, but on this day and in this game, UNLV's Gaston Essengue experienced his one shining moment.

Held to only two points the entire second half, Essengue connected on a jumper in the game's final seconds to hand his Rebels a 72-70 win and punch their ticket to the Cinderella Madness title game.

Wendell White led the Rebels with 16 points, while Joey Rodriguez finished with 16 for the Rams in the loss.

Player of the game: Kevin Kruger (15 points, 8 assists, 3 steals)

Winning Percentage of 501 Simulations: '07 UNLV 51.9% - '11 VCU 48.1%

Game Recap: UNLV 71 - VCU 70 (Boxscore)

Check back tomorrow for the Finals. More Cinderella Madness with the complete bracket.

#18 Louisville vs. USF: Wednesday's Preview

Raphielle Johnson — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 01:33:47 -0800

Wednesday's Conference Tournament Primer

It took a while but on Sunday, USF (18-11, 11-5) finally picked up their second Big East win over a team ranked in the Top 100 of the RPI, beating Cincinnati 46-45. Wednesday night offers the opportunity to not just pick up a Top 25 win but to also do it on the road, as the Bulls visit #18 Louisville (22-7, 10-6) with the Cardinals still entertaining hopes of a double-bye in next week's Big East Championship. One key reason for the Bulls' success this season has been freshman point guard Anthony Collins, who has been the steadying influence that was missing from last year's squad that won a paltry ten games.

Collins isn't a big scorer but he's done a solid job of distributing the basketball and he already ranks among the best defensive point guards in the Big East. How he matches up with Louisville's Peyton Siva will be something to watch, because even though Siva is one of the best athletes in the country his decision-making can be downright mystifying at times.

The same can be said for redshirt freshman Russ Smith, who comes off the bench and scores an average of 12.2 points per game and that number ranks second on the team. Smith, like Siva, is a fearless guard and his confidence can sometimes get him into trouble. If these two can play fast while avoiding the poor decisions that can haunt both them and their team, Louisville is a tough squad to beat. USF has just one player averaging double figures (big man Augustus Gilchrist - 10.0) but six average between 7.7 and 10.0 points per game.

Balance and defense are what's gotten the Bulls to this point and if they're to go dancing that's what they'll have to rely on. Toarlyn Fitzpatrick has proven to be a good option as a three/four, shooting 45.6% from the field and 42.1% from beyond the arc. In addition to him there's Ron Anderson Jr., a forward more adept at banging inside, and Arizona State transfer Victor Rudd Jr. is a versatile wing who can score despite low shooting percentages this season.

Kyle Kuric may be the player to watch for Louisville both Wednesday night and in tournament play, as his effectiveness has a major impact on the Cardinals' success. Kuric's averaging 13.1 points per game but over the last five games he's alternated good performances with ones that have left a lot to be desired. With Kuric scoring 17 in the 57-54 win over Pittsburgh does the trend continue? If so it could be a long night for both Kuric and the Cardinals. Chris Smith is another perimeter option averaging double figures while also ranking fourth on the team in rebounding.

Inside, freshman Chane Behanan has steadily become the Cardinals' best interior presence and that's with the improvement of Gorgui Dieng. Behanan may be undersized from a height standpoint as he plays the four at 6'6", but his physicality makes him a tough matchup for most opponents. He and Dieng will need help on the glass however, as USF is a slightly better rebounding team when looking at the margin as well as offensive rebounding numbers (Louisville grabs 13.3 per game but gives up that same amount).

Turnovers will be critical at the KFC Yum! Center, as USF has been the slightly worse team in regards to turnover rate and the Cardinals force their opponents into turnovers on 22.4% of their possessions according to statsheet.com's numbers. Simply put, live-ball turnovers will get the Bulls beat and it could get ugly if they happen too often.

The Bulls have won five of their last six and the nine-turnover outing against Cincinnati was a nice change when compared to the 18 they handed over in the loss at Syracuse. In the last six games USF has turned the ball over 15 times or more four times, so that should be the number to watch. Fifteen or lower they've got a shot at beating Louisville. Anything above that and the uphill climb becomes that much steeper.

Outside of the conference tournament action it's another good day to check out some bubble teams in need of wins, chief among them Cincinnati and Colorado State. The Bearcats, who are being weighed down by a non-conference strength of schedule that's embarrassing to be frank, has a great opportunity to impress as #7 Marquette rolls into town.

The Golden Eagles found a way to win at West Virginia on Friday night despite three starters (Vander Blue, Junior Cadougan and Darius Johnson-Odom) sitting for the first half and their best reserve (Todd Mayo) sitting for the second due to disciplinary issues. What that did was further bolster the resume of Jae Crowder, who is looking more and more like the best option for Big East Player of the Year.

As for the Rams they host #17 UNLV, and if they can get through this three-game stretch against the best in the Mountain West with a 2-1 record (beat UNM, lost at SDSU) that would do wonders to validate their already solid computer numbers. Pierce Hornung was outstanding in the win over New Mexico and he'll need to do more of the same for CSU to knock off the Runnin' Rebels.

Massachusetts is hanging on for dear life at this point but a win at #25 Temple would be quite the boost for Derek Kellogg's team, and in order to do so Chaz Williams will have to be the best guard on the floor. Miami visits NC State and the Hurricanes need to take care of business, especially with Reggie Johnson being reinstated after missing Sunday's game due to eligibility issues in regards to a relative possibly receiving improper benefits.

Shane Larkin and company played well in beating Florida State on Sunday, but a loss in Raleigh to a team that's gone downhill since their loss at Duke would hurt the Canes' chances of dancing. There aren't many chances left for teams to impress the selection committee, which means that those squads need to step up and take advantage of the opportunity.

Top 25 Games
7:00 PM Maryland at (6) North Carolina (ESPN)
7:00 PM (7) Marquette at Cincinnati (ESPN2)
8:00 PM Iowa State at (8) Missouri (ESPN3)
8:30 PM (11) Ohio State at Northwestern (BTN)
10:00 PM (17) UNLV at Colorado State (CBS SN)
7:00 PM South Florida at (18) Louisville (ESPN3)
10:00 PM (23) San Diego State at Boise State (The Mtn.)
7:00 PM Massachusetts at (25) Temple

NCAA Division I Games
12:00 PM VMI vs Coastal Carolina*
2:00 PM Winthrop vs Campbell*
2:30 PM Jacksonville vs Belmont* (ESPN3)
6:00 PM High Point at UNC-Asheville
6:30 PM Penn State at Purdue (BTN)
7:00 PM La Salle at George Washington
7:00 PM Georgia Tech at Boston College (ESPN3)
7:00 PM Lafayette at Holy Cross
7:00 PM Marshall at East Carolina
7:00 PM Saint Joseph's at St. Bonaventure
7:00 PM Miami (OH) at Bowling Green
7:00 PM St. John's at Pittsburgh (ESPNU)
7:00 PM Fordham at Rhode Island
7:00 PM Dayton at Richmond
7:00 PM Buffalo at Akron
7:00 PM Central Michigan at Ball State
7:00 PM Navy at Bucknell
7:00 PM Ohio at Kent State (ESPN3)
7:00 PM Colgate at Lehigh
7:00 PM Eastern Kentucky vs Southeast Missouri State*
7:00 PM Eastern Michigan at Western Michigan
7:30 PM Army at American
7:30 PM Duquesne at Charlotte
8:00 PM Tulsa at UAB
8:00 PM Air Force at New Mexico (The Mtn.)
8:00 PM Tulane at Houston
8:00 PM Texas A&M-CC at Texas-Arlington
8:00 PM Lamar at Texas State
8:00 PM Auburn at Alabama (ESPN3)
8:00 PM UTSA at Central Arkansas
8:00 PM Liberty vs Charleston Southern*
8:00 PM Toledo at Northern Illinois
8:00 PM Nicholls State at Northwestern State
8:00 PM Stephen F. Austin at Sam Houston State
8:00 PM McNeese State at Southeastern Louisiana
8:00 PM SMU at Southern Miss
8:00 PM Mississippi State at South Carolina (ESPN3)
8:00 PM Nebraska Omaha at Western Illinois
8:05 PM SIU-Edwardsville at Chicago State
8:30 PM Lipscomb at Mercer (ESPN3)
9:00 PM Tennessee at LSU (ESPN3)
9:00 PM Miami (FL) at NC State (ESPN3)
9:00 PM Iowa at Nebraska (ESPNU)
9:00 PM Oklahoma at Texas (ESPN2)
9:00 PM Jacksonville State vs Austin Peay*
9:00 PM Santa Clara vs Portland*
9:00 PM Rice at UTEP
10:00 PM UC Irvine at Long Beach State
10:05 PM Cal State Northridge at Cal State Fullerton
10:10 PM Longwood at Seattle

Cinderella Quarterfinals: '06 Bradley vs '07 UNLV

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 08:35:54 -0800

In the First Round, Bradley upset #1 seed '11 Butler while '07 UNLV topped '06 Wichita St.

Quarterfinals: 2005-06 Bradley vs 2006-07 UNLV

The darling of Cinderella Madness after upsetting top-seeded Butler in the first round, Bradley earned a date with the UNLV Runnin' Rebels. Unfortunately for Bradley supporters, the Cinderella story came to an end for the school out of Peoria, Illinois.

UNLV overcame a diminutive starting five that included just one player over 6'6" – the 6'8" Gaston Essengue – to force Bradley seven-footer Patrick O'Bryant into just two points on 1-for-5 shooting. Credit reserve Joel Anthony for slowing down O'Bryant, as Anthony managed four blocks and seven rebounds in 19 minutes off the bench.

The hot shooting of UNLV guard Michael Umeh helped the Rebels erase a five-point halftime deficit. His efforts included a go-ahead three-pointer with 33 seconds remaining in the game to give UNLV a 70-68 advantage as they went on to record the 72-68 victory. Umeh finished with 18 points, including 3-for-4 from downtown. As a team, the Runnin' Rebels shot 45 percent (9-for-20) from three-point range.

Bradley was paced by Marcellus Sommerville's 18 points, six rebounds and three steals.

Player of the game: Michael Umeh (18 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists)

Winning Percentage of 501 Simulations: '07 UNLV 53.1% - '06 Bradley 46.9%

Game Recap: UNLV 70 - Bradley 68 (Boxscore)

More Cinderella Madness with the complete bracket.