Utah St

Non-BCS Top 25: MTSU, Illinois St, Utah St Enter

Shawn Siegel — Sun, 23 Dec 2012 20:04:38 -0500

The Non-BCS Top 25 is a CollegeHoops.net original, copied by multiple major outlets. As a weekly companion to our popular CHN Top 50 ranking, it takes an in-depth look into the underrated universe of teams outside of the big six. The original Non-BCS ranking.

Non-BCS Top 25: December 23rd

by Shawn Siegel: Collegehoops.net Editor

	Team	Record	Last
1	Gonzaga	11-1	2
2	Creighton	11-1	3
3	San Diego St	11-1	4
4	New Mexico	12-1*	1
5	Butler	9-2	5
6	UNLV	11-1	6
7	Wichita St	11-1	7
8	Wyoming	12-0	9
9	Temple	9-2*	11
10	VCU	9-3	12
11	Murray St	9-2*	8
12	Memphis	7-3	13
13	Colorado St	9-2	15
14	Boise St	9-2	18
15	Belmont	8-3	17
16	Bucknell	11-2* ?	10
17	St. Mary's	8-3*	16

Not in CHN Top 50 Ranking

	Team	Record	Last
18	MTSU	9-3	NA(+5)
19	Santa Clara	11-2	21
20	Saint Louis	8-3	22
21	Illinois St	9-3	NA(+5)
22	Xavier	7-4**	14
23	Dayton	9-3*	23
24	Charlotte	11-2*	24
25	Utah St	9-1	NA(+5)

last = last week's ranking

* = Losses this week

Next 5: La Salle (8-2), BYU (8-4*), Ohio (8-4*), Saint Joseph's (5-4*), George Mason (7-4)

Further 5: Southern Miss (8-4*), CS Northridge (9-3), Stony Brook (8-3), Stephen F Austin (9-1), Canisius (9-3)

Out: Saint Joseph's (5-4*), UIC (9-3**), Ohio (8-4*)

Agree/Disagree? Post your thoughts below or join us @collegehoopsnet

Check out last week's Non-BCS Top 25 Ranking

BYU vs. Gonzaga: Thursday's Preview

Raphielle Johnson — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 23:13:21 -0500

While they're likely a long shot to get back into contention for the WCC regular season title, Dave Rose's BYU (18-6, 6-3) need to make sure they at the very least finish no worse than fourth in the conference. With the setup for the WCC Tournament being what it is the top two seeds receive byes to the semifinals while the third and fourth seeds get a bye to the quarterfinals.

Thursday night presents the challenge of dealing with the program that's set the standard in the WCC for more than a decade. Gonzaga (17-3, 7-1) needs a win to make sure they at least remain a game behind Saint Mary's in the loss column to ensure that their meeting with the Gaels on February 9th truly means something in the standings.

Mark Few has led the Gonzaga program to eleven straight WCC regular season titles, and despite their current place in the standings this is the matchup that many looked forward two when it was announced that BYU would be joining the league. BYU will need solid guard play if they're to defend the Marriott Center, and that's been an issue of late.

UCLA transfer Matt Carlino (12.4 ppg, 4.4 apg) is third on the team in scoring but shot selection has been an issue at times, and he shooting just 25.0% from the field over the last four games. Craig Cusick and Anson Winder will also see time on the perimeter as both have the ability to run the show, but they aren't the offensive threats that Carlino can be when on.

Gonzaga counters with a first-year player of their own in Canadian Kevin Pangos (13.3 ppg, 3.6 apg), who leads the Bulldogs in minutes and assists while also ranking second in scoring. But while he shoots 42.5% from the field on the season Pangos has made 33.3% of his shots over the last four games, and even more importantly he's turned the ball over four times in three of those contests. The Bulldogs have won four straight anyway, and their depth on the perimeter has been a reason why.

In addition to Pangos Gonzaga can call on classmate Gary Bell Jr., sophomore David Stockton and senior Marquise Carter, who all bring something different to the table. Bell, who is averaging 9.9 points per game, has been one of Gonzaga's best perimeter defenders for much of the season. Stockton, whose father was a pretty good point guard for the Utah Jazz, averages just 4.7 points per game but is second on the team in assist-to-turnover margin while Carter is third on the team in assists.

The matchups inside are the ones that will garner the most attention and rightfully so, as both teams call on interior tandems for scoring. BYU brings Brandon Davies (14.3 ppg, 7.9 rpg) and Noah Hartsock (17.5 ppg, 5.4 rpg) to the table, and Gonzaga will counter with Elias Harris (13.7 ppg, 8.0 rpg) and Robert Sacre (11.6 ppg, 6.7 rpg). BYU also has a wing in senior Charles Abouo who has a pro build and can score either inside or on the perimeter. Michael Hart and Guy Landry Edi aren't called on to score much but they'll need to perform well defensively and keep Abouo in check.

Gonzaga also has a reserve in Sam Dower who is averaging nearly nine points per game off the bench. Gonzaga's big men are a big reason why the Bulldogs rebound 35.9% of their missed shots, but with BYU limiting opponents to an offensive rebound percentage of 25.5% this is one area to keep an eye on. BYU averages five more possessions per game and has the better efficiency margin, and if they can do this against Gonzaga the Cougars will have a good shot of handing the Bulldogs their second league loss of the season.

In the ACC, Seth Greenberg's Virginia Tech squad looks to breathe some life into NCAA tournament hopes that are practically gone at this point with a win over #5 Duke. Erick Green's been banged up in recent weeks and Dorenzo Hudson hasn't been the most consistent player for the Hokies, but playing Duke in Blacksburg tends to fire up both the players and fans at Cassell Coliseum.

Duke didn't play particularly well in the second half of their win over St. John's, so expect a spirited effort from the Blue Devils. Mason Plumlee has played very well inside, and that could continue on Thursday night. Duke needs consistent play from their guards to both win the ACC and possibly win a national title, objectives that are still on the table at this point.

Undefeated #9 Murray State hosts Southeast Missouri State in a matchup of the top two teams in the OVC, with the Redhawks two games up on the pack for second place. Isaiah Canaan and Donte Poole have been one of the country's best perimeter tandems and the return of Ivan Aska was an important development for the Racers. Also of note are matchups in the NEC (Robert Morris visits Wagner), Pac-12 (Arizona looks to rebound from losing Kevin Parrom for the season in Berkeley against California) and WAC (Utah State visits Nevada with the hope of avenging their loss in Logan last month).

Top 25 Games
7:00 PM (5) Duke at Virginia Tech (ESPN)
8:00 PM Southeast Missouri State at (9) Murray State (ESPNU)
9:00 PM South Carolina at (11) Florida (ESPN2)
10:00 PM San Diego at (16) Saint Mary's

NCAA Division I Games
7:00 PM Nebraska at Northwestern (ESPN2)
7:00 PM St. Francis (PA) at Mount St. Mary's
7:00 PM Quinnipiac at Fairleigh Dickinson
7:00 PM James Madison at Old Dominion
7:00 PM Canisius at Iona (ESPN3)
7:00 PM Samford at Appalachian State
7:00 PM Wright State at Butler
7:00 PM Charleston Southern at Campbell
7:00 PM Charleston at Elon
7:00 PM Presbyterian at High Point (MASN)
7:00 PM Gardner-Webb at Liberty
7:00 PM Bryant at LIU Brooklyn
7:00 PM Southern Virginia at Longwood
7:00 PM Sacred Heart at Monmouth
7:00 PM Citadel at UNC Greensboro
7:00 PM Winthrop at Radford
7:00 PM Central Connecticut State at St. Francis (NY)
7:00 PM UNC-Asheville at VMI
7:00 PM Robert Morris at Wagner (MSG)
7:00 PM Chattanooga at Western Carolina (ESPN3)
7:30 PM Detroit at Valparaiso (ESPN3)
8:00 PM Youngstown State at Illinois-Chicago
8:00 PM Middle Tennessee at North Texas
8:00 PM Utah Valley at Texas-Pan American
8:00 PM Tennessee Tech at Austin Peay
8:00 PM Eastern Kentucky at Eastern Illinois
8:00 PM Marist at Manhattan
8:00 PM Southern Utah at North Dakota State (ESPN3)
8:00 PM Morehead State at SIU-Edwardsville
8:00 PM Oral Roberts at South Dakota State
8:00 PM Jacksonville State at Tennessee-Martin
8:00 PM IPFW at Western Illinois
8:05 PM Florida Atlantic at South Alabama
8:05 PM Denver at Louisiana-Lafayette
8:05 PM North Dakota at Houston Baptist
8:30 PM Florida International at Troy
8:35 PM Eastern Washington at Northern Arizona (FCS)
9:00 PM Oregon State at Colorado
9:00 PM Idaho State at Montana State
9:00 PM Oregon at Utah
9:00 PM UCLA at Washington (ESPN)
9:00 PM Louisiana-Monroe at Arkansas State (ESPN3)
9:00 PM Portland State at Weber State
9:05 PM Sacramento State at Northern Colorado
10:00 PM Arizona State at Stanford
10:00 PM Idaho at Fresno State
10:00 PM Portland at Santa Clara (ESPNU)
10:05 PM USC at Washington State
10:05 PM Cal Poly at Cal State Fullerton
10:05 PM Utah State at Nevada
10:05 PM UC Santa Barbara at Cal State Northridge
10:30 PM UC Davis at UC Irvine
10:30 PM Pepperdine at Loyola Marymount (FSN PT)
11:00 PM Arizona at California (FSN)
11:00 PM Pacific at UC Riverside
11:00 PM Gonzaga at BYU (ESPN2)

Saturday Recap: Five Ranked Teams Fall to Unranked Opponents

Raphielle Johnson — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 04:27:34 -0500

The first Saturday of the new year proved to be far more exciting than anticipated, much to the detriment of ranked teams who took their show on the road. Removing #7 Missouri and #20 Marquette, who both lost on the road to ranked opponents (more on both of those games below), five ranked teams lost to unranked opponents with four of the losses coming on the road. The Big East provided the most intrigue, with #8 Connecticut and #9 Georgetown falling on the road while #10 Louisville lost in double overtime at home. So which of the three defeats is most concerning? That's likely a toss-up between the Huskies and Cardinals.

Connecticut lost at Rutgers, who already owned a win at The RAC over then-#10 Florida, 67-60 with Eli Carter leading the Scarlet Knights with 19 points. It was a Saturday night to forget for Jeremy Lamb, who scored just eight points before fouling out. With the preseason All-America dealing with foul trouble for much of the night, Rutgers head coach Mike Rice was able to go with a zone defense to take advantage of the Huskies' issues in dealing with zones.

While UConn's 36.5% shooting from deep on the season isn't a great number it's definitely better than the 4-for-19 performance they put up against Rutgers. But of more concern than the lack of perimeter shooting is the lack of leadership and toughness for this group, something that was lost with the departure of Kemba Walker. And it's a sore subject for head coach Jim Calhoun, who returned to the bench after missing the last three games due to an NCAA suspension.

"There's not a lack of leadership, there's none," said Calhoun. Short, and to the point.

As for Louisville, their issues of running a half-court offense with cohesion has been well documented, and for that reason it's reasonable to say that Rick Pitino's team was given too much credit earlier in the season. Eric Atkins' shot with 17 seconds remaining gave the Fighting Irish a 65-63 lead and his two free throws in the final seconds of the second overtime sealed the 67-65 victory, giving Notre Dame their first win in the Commonwealth of Kentucky until 1980.

Louisville shot much better from the field, making 42.3% of their shots compared to 31.7% for Notre Dame. But when you hand the ball over 18 times, allowing Notre Dame to score 16 points off of turnovers, there's a good chance that the outcome won't be a positive one. The Cardinals now already have two home conference losses, and that's definitely not a good spot to be in if they're to contend for a Big East title.

"Hard fought game, but if you break it down, they made their free throws and we didn't," said Pitino. "To lose two home games in the Big East with the type of schedule we have is very destructive to say the least."

The other two losses to unranked opponents came in the SEC, with Florida kicking off the crazy day with a 67-56 loss to Tennessee (more on that below) and #15 Mississippi State getting lit up at Arkansas 98-88. The Bulldogs weren't much more than a sieve defensively, allowing the Razorbacks to shoot 56.5% from the field for the game. Rick Stansbury's team seemed to be in solid shape at the half, trailing by just six (43-37) despite turning the ball over eleven times to just two for Arkansas.

But that optimism was misguided as the Bulldogs allowed 55 points in the final 20 minutes with the Hogs making 67.9% of their shots. Julysses Nobles and B.J. Young scored 24 points apiece to lead Arkansas, who finished with five players in double figures, and they were also aided by the fact that three players scored 63 of Mississippi State's 88 points. Arnett Moultrie scored just nine but did grab ten rebounds before fouling out with over six minutes remaining, but his fifth foul essentially signaled the end of the game for Mississippi State. The lesson the Bulldogs learned was similar to that learned by the other ranked teams to fall: anyone can fall on any given day.

Other Notable Happenings

1. Kansas State takes advantage of #7 Missouri's lack of interior depth and hands the Tigers their first loss.
There were certainly concerns about how Frank Haith's team would deal with bigger teams as the season wore on, as Missouri has just seven scholarship players and two true frontcourt players. And at the "Octagon of Doom" the Tigers got their first glimpse of how difficult things could be, especially if their perimeter scorers aren't as productive as expected. Missouri shot just 32.7% from the field and were out-rebounded 39-25 by #23 Kansas State in the Wildcats' 75-59 victory, suffering their first loss of the season.

It didn't help matters that starting forward Ricardo Ratliffe played just 14 foul-riddled minutes, scoring two points and grabbing one rebounds. The Tigers can't afford that level of production when their guards are on, much less when Phil Pressey misses all six of his shots from the field and the team shoots 7-for-24 from three. Rodney McGruder led K-State with 20 points and as a team the Wildcats assisted on 18 of their 28 field goals, resulting in an efficiency (111.9) 21 points higher than what Missouri opponents averaged on the season.

2. Syracuse runs out to a big lead and hangs on to beat Marquette in the Carrier Dome.
Thanks to a 23-1 run in the first half to turn a 12-11 lead into a seemingly insurmountable 35-12 edge, top-ranked Syracuse seemed to be well on their way to an emphatic victory over #20 Marquette. But Jim Boeheim's team apparently left their intensity in the locker room, as they came out of halftime flat while Buzz Williams' team displayed the fight expected of his program. Marquette would eventually pull to within two points (59-57) but could get no closer as the Orange would eventually win 73-66, moving to 17-0 and by the end of the night sitting alone atop the Big East standings.

Marquette could hit nothing in the first half, shooting 30% from the field and going 1-for-7 from beyond the arc. But led by Darius Johnson-Odom (19 points), Jae Crowder (15 points, seven rebounds) and Junior Cadougan (10 points, five assists) the Golden Eagles attacked the inside of the Syracuse zone, resulting in quality looks that were few and far between in the first half. But with Kris Joseph scoring 17 points and reserves C.J. Fair and Dion Waiters combining to score 25 points Syracuse was able to sew things up late, and while they weren't as efficient as usual the Orange did assists on 19 of 24 made baskets. While the landscape beneath them is too muddled to make sense of, it's pretty clear that the Orange are the class of the Big East.

3. Florida has some things to work on defensively if they're to be a factor come March.
The first thing that will stick out in#13 Florida's 67-56 loss at Tennessee is likely the fact that they scored just 56 points, shooting 35.7% from the field in doing so. But what should really be taken out of the defeat is their play on the defensive end of the floor, because despite the struggles offensively Billy Donovan's team won't lack for scoring options. Simply put, can Florida get the stops needed when the possessions become even bigger in March? If they're going to do so some things will need to change, with one being the lack of ball pressure on the perimeter. The issue against Tennessee wasn't about what the Volunteers could do off the dribble but rather the lack of pressure on entry passes.

On multiple occasions the lack of pressure on passers allowed a Jeronne Maymon (12 points, seven rebounds) or Kenny Hall (13 points, five rebounds) the time to walk their man up the lane and out of prime defensive position. If Florida couldn't get away with this against Tennessee, what are they going to do in their two meetings with Kentucky? And it's not out of the realm of possibility that a team like Alabama (or even Mississippi State) that has multiple big men could give them a hard time inside. The Vols entered Saturday's game scoring 33% of their points from three, but they didn't have to do that as the paint was open for business. Florida can't allow that to happen if they're to reach their full potential, prolific offense or not.

4. George Mason beats Georgia State to take over sole possession of first place in the CAA.
In prior seasons the three-game stretch for Georgia State of Drexel/VCU/George Mason would elicit bets of what the Panthers' combined margin of defeat would be. To say the least things have changed under Ron Hunter, as they'd won the first two games of that stretch going into Saturday's showdown with the Patriots for sole possession of first place in the CAA. But despite Ryan Pearson failing to make a single field goal it was George Mason who was able to make the key baskets late on their way to the 61-56 win. Neither team shot well from the field and George Mason turned the ball over 19 times, but the deciding factor was the charity stripe.

George Mason, who shot 67.3% from the line on the season, made 18 of 21 on Saturday night and outscored the Panthers by eight in that department. Vertail Vaughns (17 points) and Mike Morrison (14 points, 15 rebounds and four blocks) more than made up for Pearson's 0-for-4 night, while the Georgia State combo of Josh Micheaux and Devonta White shot a combined 3-for-15 (they entered the game averaging a combined 20.2 points/game). Jihad Ali led Georgia State with 19 points, and while they didn't win the Panthers have the look of a team that could hang around the race throughout the season. But they didn't have enough down the stretch, allowing the Patriots to take control of the driver's seat a quarter of the way through CAA play.

5. Oral Roberts blows out South Dakota State and moves to 6-0 in the Summit League.
The matchup between the Golden Eagles and Jackrabbits was anticipated by some due to not only the matchup of early Summit League POY frontrunners Dominique Morrison (ORU) and Nate Wolters (SDSU) (Oakland's Reggie Hamilton will also figure in the discussion). But they game didn't live up to that, much to the detriment of the Jackrabbits, who fell 97-75 in Tulsa. Morrison was outstanding as he finished with 38 points and seven rebounds, but he had plenty of help as Steven Roundtree scored 17 off the bench and Michael Craion and Warren Niles scored 15 apiece.

Wolters led five SDSU players in double figures with 22 points to go along with six assists, but the Jackrabbits' biggest problem was they they couldn't stop the Golden Eagles. ORU shot 60.7% from the field on the night and 67.5% from two while also making ten of twenty-one from beyond the arc, and when ORU's got it rolling like that they're extremely difficult to beat at the Mabee Center. Oral Roberts finished the game with an offensive efficiency of 154.0, scoring 1.5 points/possession on the night. To say the least South Dakota State will do their best to make sure that doesn't happen in the rematch on February 2nd.

Quick Hitters

1. Saturday marked the first step towards another March in which Virginia Tech is once again discussed as a bubble team, with the Hokies losing at Wake Forest 58-55. Erick Green was solid for the Hokies, finishing with 19 points, seven rebounds and six assists, but more is needed from Dorenzo Hudson (4-13, eight points) if they're to be a tournament team.

2. Entering the week with an 0-2 league record, UCLA couldn't afford anything less than a split with the Arizona schools if they wanted to be a contender in the Pac-12 race. Ben Howland's squad did better than that, wrapping up a sweep with a 75-58 win over Arizona State. Travis Wear scored 16 points and grabbed seven rebounds and Joshua Smith added 18 off the bench.

3. Few people gave Colorado a shot at being in first place in the Pac-12 at this point in the season, but there they sit after sweeping the Washington schools this weekend. A big reason why: defense. In their 71-60 win over Washington State, Colorado limited the Cougars to 36.5% shooting and none of their three league opponents have shot over 40% from the field. Also in forward Andre Roberson, Tad Boyle's got one of the most underrated players in the country.

4. Of the four teams tied for first place in the MVC the most surprising has to be Illinois State, who beat Evansville 75-73 on a miraculous shot by Jackie Carmichael. Carmichael, who finished with 17 points, seven rebounds and four blocks, banked in his first career three-pointer as time expired to win the game. We'll find out how much staying power the Redbirds have immediately too, as they visit Wichita State and host Creighton in their next two games.

5. In a matchup of teams undefeated in SoCon play Davidson shot 60% from the field and made 11 three-pointers in their 96-74 win over Georgia Southern. Jake Cohen (29 points) and De'Mon Brooks (24 points) combined to score 53 points with Cohen also grabbing 12 rebounds in the victory.

6. There was also a matchup of undefeated teams in the NEC, and that game wasn't particularly close either. Ken Horton scored 21 points and grabbed ten rebounds while Robbie Ptacek scored 24 points and Kyle Vinales 18 in Central Connecticut State's 68-53 win over Robert Morris. Robert Morris shot just 30.3% from the field and turned the ball over 15 times in defeat.

7. Back in the ACC, Florida State laid a serious egg in their ACC opener as they fell 79-59 at Clemson. Not only did the Seminoles struggle offensively, shooting 35.5% and turning the ball over 15 times, but they also allowed the Tigers to shoot 60% from two and 49% overall. Leonard Hamilton's team can ill-afford the defensive breakdowns they had on Saturday if they're going to be a tournament team.

8. Both Temple and Saint Joseph's dropped conference games at home on Saturday, with Dayton pulling away late to be at the Owls 87-77 and Charlotte shocking the Hawks 57-52. Archie Miller's Flyers picked up a key resume-building win, and Charlotte's victory was a good step for Alan Major as he looks to rebuild that program.

9. Bowling Green also provided a surprise in their MAC opener as they beat Ohio 67-57. Jordon Crawford led the way, scoring 16 points to go along with five assists, four rebounds and two steals. BGSU turned the ball over 20 times (Crawford: six turnovers) but the Bobcats shot 4-for-20 from three, alliowing the home team to lock up the victory.

10. And in terms of a possible changing of the guard Nevada may have struck the biggest blow, handing Utah State their first conference home loss since 2007 by the final score of 78-71. Deonte Burton, who finished with 25 points and five assists, provided the dagger in the form of a four-point play with 37 seconds remaining while Dario Hunt scored 14 points and grabbed 12 rebounds.

Five (plus one) Notable Performances

1. F Doug McDermott (Creighton)
44 points (18-23 FG), eight rebounds and two assists in the Bluejays' 92-83 win at Bradley.

2. F Dominique Morrison (Oral Roberts)
38 points (11-15 FG), seven rebounds and two assists in the Golden Eagles' 97-75 win over South Dakota State.

3. G Damian Lillard (Weber State)
38 points (8-14 3PT), five rebounds and five assists in the Wildcats' 88-81 win at Portland State.

4. G Isaiah Canaan (Murray State)
35 points (7-8 3PT), five assists and two rebounds in the Racers' 87-75 win at Austin Peay.

5. F Kevin Jones (West Virginia)
22 points (8-12 FG) and 16 rebounds in the Mountaineers' 74-62 win over #9 Georgetown.

Plus One: F Royce White (Iowa State)
18 rebounds, ten points and ten assists in the Cyclones' 74-50 demolition of Texas A&M in College Station.

Game of the Day: Stanford 103, Oregon State 101 (4 OT)
If you missed this one late that's too bad, because the Cardinal and Beavers combined to play an instant classic. The game didn't truly take off until the final moments of regulation, as Stanford's game-winning basket was ruled to have come after time expired. Stanford would eventually win as Roberto Nelson's three-point attempt as time expired missed the mark. Chasson Randle led six Stanford players in double figures with 24 points off the bench while Nelson and Jared Cunningham led six Oregon State players in double figures with 19 apiece.

Utah St vs Nevada: Preview & Prediction

Greg Mengelt — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 15:45:43 -0500

NEVADA (11-3, 1-0 WAC) AT UTAH STATE (9-6, 1-0 WAC)

Time/TV: 6 p.m./WSN, ESPN3

Location: Dee Glen Smith Spectrum

RPI Rankings: Nevada 99; Utah State 135

Line: Utah State -4.5

Nevada Players to Watch: PG Deonte Burton, 6-1 So. (14.9 ppg, 4.7 apg, 1.2 spg); F Olek Czyz, 6-7 Sr. (10.2 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 49.5% FG); F Dario Hunt, 6-8 Sr. (9.9 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 2.1 bpg). Burton, Czyz and Hunt could also have NBA careers.

Utah State Players to Watch: G Preston Medlin, 6-4 So. (14.7 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 3.3 apg); F Kyisean Reed, 6-6 Jr. (10.4 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 62.9% FG); G Brockeith Pane, 6-1 Sr. (10.8 ppg, 3.7 apg, 2.7 rpg). Pane still hasn’t broken out as has was expected to coming into this season, and that may be a scary thought for upcoming opponents.

Storyline: Nevada and Utah State, who both opened WAC play with victories, are expected to be two of the league’s frontrunners. Nevada, which features four of the WAC’s best players, has won 11 of its last 12 games. The defending WAC champion Aggies have won 5 of 6 after starting slow.

Keys to Victory: Utah State is always tough on defense, and the Wolfpack has the league’s most explosive offense. The point guard matchup between Pane and Burton will be fun to watch and critical in the outcome. Pane scored 35 points against Burton and the Aggies a year ago and has beaten the Wolfpack five straight seasons. Hunt could dominate on the inside against the smaller Aggies.

The Bottom Line: This is one game not to be missed on Saturday. It will almost certainly go down to the final handful of possessions. There’s no question Nevada has the most talented team in the WAC. There are still question marks about its toughness. Stealing a win at the hostile Spectrum takes a lot of toughness.

The Pick: Utah State 73, Nevada 70.

College Hoops Wednesday Recap: Barnes, Strickland Lead Heels

Raphielle Johnson — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 09:52:15 -0500

There was one big question for North Carolina going into their game with Wisconsin in the final night of the Big Ten/ACC Challenge: would they be able to play effectively in a tempo nowhere near what they look to establish on a nightly basis? Thanks to a second half run from Harrison Barnes and the excellent defense of Dexter Strickland, the Tar Heels passed said test with a 60-57 win over the Badgers in Chapel Hill. While the game didn't have any bearing on the result of the entire Challenge, which the Big Ten had comfortably wrapped up by the time the late games began, it could have long-term effects for a team that annually ranks among the nation's leaders in possessions per game.

A Barnes three pointer with 11:40 left in the game began an 18-5 North Carolina run, and the Heels wouldn't trail again despite a late Badger rally. Barnes scored ten of those points and finished with 20 while fellow frontcourt players Tyler Zeller (12 points, seven rebounds) and John Henson (eight points, 17 rebounds and five blocks) also played well for the 6-1 Tar Heels. But the biggest contribution outside of the scoring came from Dexter Strickland, who was given the task of guarding All-America point guard Jordan Taylor for good in the second half. Taylor, who was also guarded by Kendall Marshall at times, led Wisconsin with 18 points but he needed 20 shots to reach that total, making six.

"It was a difficult game for us," said head coach Roy Williams. "Jordan Taylor just dominates the ball so effectively, and yet you have to congratulate Kendall and Dexter because its hard to guard that guy. I was very pleased with what we did defensively."

One statistical category to take note of was Wisconsin's assist numbers, which underlines the effectiveness of North Carolina's defense. The Badgers assisted on just six of their twenty-three field goals, with Taylor having four, a far cry from their season averages in assists per game (15.6) and assist percentage (average of 57.4%; Wednesday's number was 26.1%). The Badgers also had two starters, Josh Gasser and Mike Bruesewitz, go scoreless as they put up matching 0-for-3 (0-for-2 3PT) stat lines. In a game as close as this one, Bo Ryan's team could ill-afford an off night from one starter much less two. UNC's length limited the number of good looks for Wisconsin, who made just eight of their 28 three-point attempts on the night.

"They're long and quick and getting good looks isn't the easiest thing in the world," said Ryan. "It was hard to get good looks. That was as hard fought a game as I have ever been in as a coach."

Next up for North Carolina is a matchup in Lexington with Kentucky on Saturday in a much-anticipated game that will be far different than Wednesday's battle. But if anything the need to shift from fast (UNLV) to slow (Wisconsin) and back to fast could be a benefit for the Heels as the season rolls on. After being outworked on Saturday night, North Carolina showed that they're capable of winning a game that gets them out of their comfort zone.

Other Notable Happenings

1. What a night for basketball in southern California. Creighton comes back to beat San Diego State and UNLV holds off UCSB in a double-overtime thriller.
Two games on the West coast proved to be the gems of the night, and while the competitive nature of the contests was to be expected few had any idea they'd end up being as good as they turned out to be. Creigton trailed by as many as 17 points in the first half at San Diego State, but Greg McDermott's team steadily worked its way back into the contest in front of a frenzied crowd at Viejas Arena. And thanks to Doug McDermott (25 points, 12 rebounds), Ethan Wragge (19 points in 19 minutes off th bench) and a crucial loose ball recovered by Jahenns Manigat in chasing down his own missed free throw, the Bluejays escaped with an 85-83 victory. In the second half Creighton scored 50 points and turned the ball over just once, and they needed that kind of play to beat a tough Aztec team led by Xavier Thames' 21 points.

As for UNLV they and the Gauchos of UCSB put on a show for the ages at the Thunderdome, with Mike Moser (34 points, 10 rebounds) and UCSB's Orlando Johnson (36 points, 10 rebounds) standing out. There were three key plays late in regulation and the first overtime session that would move this contest from the "good game" category to "classic". Anthony Marshall's missed layup with 34 seconds remaining kept the door open for the Gauchos, who would cut the lead to one on the ensuing possession as Johnson score three the old-fashioned way. In the final seconds Johnson missed a free throw on purpose, which big man Greg Somogyi would rebound and score to send the game into overtime tied at 71. UCSB had Vegas on the ropes but a Chace Stanback three with 1.7 seconds left in OT tied the score at 84. Moser and Johnson would foul out in the second overtime, and UNLV was able to survive thanks in part to Stanback (all 19 of his points in the second half or overtime). What a night on the West coast.

2. Indiana's improved play in the second half keeps them undefeated.
Tom Crean's Hoosiers are an improved basketball team, something they've shown throughout their 7-0 start. But there have still been naysayers, who chose to point out who the Hoosiers have played instead of focusing more on how they've played. No room for that in the aftermath of Wednesday's 86-75 win at NC State, as the Hoosiers displayed improved levels of both skill and toughness in picking up a critical road victory. Jordan Hulls led the way with 20 points and five assists but the big star arguably was freshman Cody Zeller, who scored 19 points, grabbed seven rebounds and blocked two shots in his fifth straight double-digit scoring game. Lorenzo Brown led four NC State players in double figures with 19 points, but the Wolfpack were done in late as Indiana scored the final ten points of the game. Baby steps should be taken in discussing Indiana, but there's no mistaking the fact that this is an improved basketball team that's trending up.

3. Denver hands Utah State their first home loss in 34 games.
The four-game stretch that began with a trip to California and ends with a home contest against high-scoring Iona on December 7th was seen by some as a defining one for Joe Scott's Denver Pioneers. And if their 67-54 win at Utah State doesn't qualify as a defining win for the Pioneers you'll be hard-pressed to find one that will, as they wouldn't trail again after a Brian Stafford three gave Denver a 5-4 lead with 18:14 remaining in the first half. Rob Lewis and Chris Udofia led four starter in double figures with 15 points apiece, and a 12-2 run to start the second half established a margin that Utah State could not recover from. The win ended Utah State's 33-game home win streak, and given their experience and system there's no reason why Denver can't be a factor in the Sun Belt once conference play begins.

Quick Hitters

1. Jim Baron attempted to send a message to his Rhode Island team by going with an entirely new starting lineup at Brown. It didn't seem to get through as URI lost 65-56 to the Bears, dropping to 1-6 on the season. Billy Baron and Andre Malone should help once they become eligible in December, but will it be too late by then?

2. Staying in the Atlantic 10, Dayton sure didn't handle their first game since winning the Old Spice Classic in good fashion as they were blown out by Buffalo 84-55. At home. Two things to take from the result: Javon McCrea and company are pretty good, and there's still plenty for Archie Miller and his staff to do with the Flyers.

3. Keith Appling played his best game of the season in Michigan State's 65-49 win over Florida State, scoring 24 points and grabbing seven rebounds. A key for the Spartans' improved play of late has been the progression of freshman point guard Travis Trice, whose emergence has allowed Appling to play at his more natural shooting guard spot.

4. Virginia Tech may have picked up a loss that could weigh them down come March as they fell 58-55 at Minnesota. The Golden Gophers were without Trevor Mbakwe, but the Hokies were unable to take advantage as Dorenzo Hudson (zero points) and Dorian Finney-Smith (three points) were slient offensively.

5. Don't overlook Ohio's 70-68 win at previously undefeated Marshall, with Reggie Keely leading four Bobcats in double figures with 16 points. Ohio's reserves outscored Marshall's bench 28-11 on the night. To say the least it was a good night for the MAC.

6. Northern Iowa knocked off Iowa State 69-62 in Ames with Anthony James scoring 17 points to lead the way. Ben Jacobson's Panthers got it done on the defensive end, holding Iowa State 19 points below their offensive efficiency average for the season.

7. In their first game without the services of center Dwayne Dedmon, who will miss the next 6-8 weeks with a stress fracture in his foot, USC beat UC Riverside 56-37. Dedmon's injury makes it even tougher for Kevin O'Neill in regards to dealing with a team that already lacked depth.

Three Notable Performances

1. F Mike Moser (UNLV) and G Orlando Johnson (UCSB)
These were two of the stars in the game of the night, which UNLV won 94-88 in double overtime. Moser finished with 34 points, 10 rebounds and three assists while Johnson paced the Gauchos with 36 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, three steals and two blocks.

2. F Doug McDermott (Creighton)
25 points and 12 rebounds in the Bluejays' 85-83 win at San Diego State.

3. G James Kinney (San Jose State)
30 points (7-12 3PT) in the Spartans' 72-66 win over UTSA.

Non-BCS Top 25: Utah St Back After Topping BYU

Shawn Siegel — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 17:24:33 -0500

The Non-BCS Top 25 is a weekly companion to the popular CHN Top 50 ranking, taking an in-depth look into the underrated universe of teams outside of the big six.

Non-BCS Top 25: November 14th

by Shawn Siegel: Collegehoops.net Editor

	Team	Record	Last	Pre.
1	Memphis	0-0	1	1
2	Xavier	1-0	2	2
3	Gonzaga	1-0	3	3
4	Temple	0-0	4	4
5	New Mexico	1-0	5	5
6	UNLV	1-0	7	7
7	Butler	0-1	6	6
8	Creighton	2-0	8	8
9	George Mason	1-0	9	9
10	Marshall	2-0	10	10
11	Drexel	0-0	11	11
12	Wichita St	1-0	13	13
13	Saint Mary's	1-0	14	14
14	Belmont	0-1*	12	12
15	Cleveland St	1-0	NA	NA
16	VCU	1-0	16	16

Not in CHN Top 50 Ranking

	Team	Record	Last	Pre.
17	Kent St	0-0	15	15
18	San Diego St	3-0	18	18
19	Indiana St	1-0	19	19
20	Weber St	1-0	20	20
21	Harvard	1-0	21	21
22	Utah St	1-0	NA	NA
23	UAB	0-0	22	22
24	Long Beach St	1-0	23	23
25	UCF	1-0	25	25

pre. = preseason ranking

last = last ranking (end of 2010-11 season)

* = Losses in the last week

Next 5: Northern Iowa (1-0), Akron (2-0), Dayton (1-0), Tulsa (2-0), Fairfield (1-0)

Further 5: BYU (0-1*), MTSU (2-0), Old Dominion (0-1*), Portland (2-0), George Washington (1-1*)

Dropped Out of Top 25:

#17 BYU

#24 GW

Agree/Disagree? Post Your Thoughts Below! Check the archives for older Non-BCS Top 25 Rankings

College Hoops Friday: Your Commentary

Raphielle Johnson — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 10:43:56 -0500

Friday marks the first big day of the college basketball season with more than 100 games on the schedule. Sure most of the games look to be of the "opening sacrifice" variety, but a closer look reveals some intriguing matchups. It only makes sense to begin with the game that needs little introduction, the Carrier Classic game matching preseason national title favorite North Carolina and Michigan State. The game will be played on the USS Carl Vinson in San Diego, which will likely cue a few "I'm on a boat" jokes.

As for the teams themselves, the Tar Heels and Spartans arrive in different situations. Roy Williams' team is absolutely loaded, a product of players such as Harrison Barnes, John Henson and Tyler Zeller all deciding to return after last seaon's Elite 8 run. Point guard Kendall Marshall runs the show for UNC, and the team that scored 77.5 points per game in 2010-11. Given this group, when adding in the likes of Dexter Strickland, Reggie, Leslie McDonald Bullock and freshmen James Michael McAdoo and P.J. Hairston, it's expected that this group will be even better offensively.

Michigan State on the other hand has to account for the loss of Kalin Lucas and Durrell Summers, but in senior Draymond Green the Spartans return a versatile forward who is essentially an extension of Izzo on the floor. The Spartans could never seem to get things rolling last season, and with their nucleus being even younger one would think that things could be the same in 2011-12. But that could be a mistake, with guard Keith Appling ready to take over at the point. Appling was more valuable defensively last season, which was largely a product of Lucas' presence. With more on his plate the sophomore will have every opportunity to take over.

Add in freshman forward Branden Dawson and while Michigan State will be a young team they won't lack for talent. Dawson, Adriean Payne and Derrick Nix will be interesting to watch as they'll need to hold their own with UNC's highly touted front line, which became tougher when Delvon Roe had to end his playing career due to chronic knee issues. The Carrier Classic will have much of the nation's attention, but it's certainly not the only quality game (or attractive storyline) on the schedule.

Many have looked at this weekend as a coronation of sorts for Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski, who is just a couple wins away from overtaking his college coach (Bob Knight) for the lead in all-time wins. And while that could happen for the Blue Devils this weekend, people had better not overlook the Belmont Bruins. Rick Byrd's team, which went 30-5 last season, returns nearly all of their key contributors from last season's Atlantic Sun championship team and big men Scott Saunders and Mick Hedgepeth will be a challenge for the Duke frontcourt. Don't be surprised if this game is tight throughout, especially when considering Duke losing Nolan Smith and Kyle Singler.

Vanderbilt also opens play, and they'll host an intriguing Oregon squad without the services of center Festus Ezeli. Ezeli, who was suspended for the first six games due to an NCAA violation, also injured his knee in preseason camp and that pushes his return back even more. But the Commodores have bodies up front, with Lance Goulbourne and Steve Tchiengang back along with other contributors. And in John Jenkins and Jeffery Taylor Vandy has two of the better perimeter players in the country.

As for Oregon, a lot of people believe that Dana Altman's team is ready to make a jump in the Pac-12. Freshman Jabari Brown has the ability to be one of the best freshmen in the country, and the Ducks also return key players from last year's CBI championship squad. But how do they account for the loss of big man Joevan Catron? Tyrone Nared is one key frontcourt player for Oregon, and wing E.J. Singler is a versatile veteran who will be asked to do a number of things on the floor. But the bulk is gone, meaning that Oregon will need to get it done by committee.

There's also a big rivalry game with BYU visiting Utah State, with both teams looking to make up for major personnel losses. BYU lost Jimmer Fredette and Jackson Emery from that Sweet 16 squad while the Aggies begin life without Tai Wesley, but both teams have solid returnees who can get their teams back to the NCAA Tournament. Noah Hartsock and Charles Abouo return for the Cougars, who also regain the services of Brandon Davies, and Utah State returns Brockeith Pane and Brady Jardine. If you can find this one on TV be sure to tune in, as it could end up being the most intense game all night (keep in mind the controversial technical foul called on Wesley late in last year's game in Provo).

There are also a pair of enticing games on the schedule taking place about two hours apart, with Rider visiting Robert Morris and Oral Roberts in Morgantown to play West Virginia. The Broncs are down to just eight scholarship players right now but Tommy Dempsey's got some talented players still at his disposal, and they'll be needed against a team expected to once again contend in the NEC. And Oral Roberts has almost everyone back from last year's team, led by Dominique Morrison, and it shouldn't be much of a surprise if they were to find a way to knock off the young Mountaineers.

College basketball is back so grab your favorite snacks and make sure the batteries in the remote (and laptop) are ready to go. We'll have some fun between now and early April.

Top 25 Games
7:00 PM (1) North Carolina vs. Michigan State* (ESPN)
7:00 PM Marist at (2) Kentucky (Sun Sports)
9:00 PM Wright State at (3) Ohio State (BTN)
7:00 PM Columbia at (4) Connecticut (ESPNU)
9:00 PM Belmont at (6) Duke (ESPNU)
10:00 PM Oregon at (7) Vanderbilt (FSN)
7:00 PM Tennessee-Martin at (8) Louisville (MASN)
7:00 PM Jackson State at (10) Florida (FS Florida)
7:00 PM Albany at (11) Pittsburgh (SNY)
10:00 PM Texas Southern at (12) Baylor
8:00 PM Towson at (13) Kansas (ESPN3)
7:00 PM Morgan State at (15) Xavier (FS Cincinnati)
8:00 PM North Florida at (17) Alabama
7:00 PM Ferris State at (18) Michigan
10:30 PM Loyola Marymount at (20) UCLA (FS West)
9:00 PM Mount St. Mary's at (21) Marquette (SNY)
11:05 PM Eastern Washington at (23) Gonzaga
10:30 PM UC Irvine at (24) California
8:00 PM Southeast Missouri State at (25) Missouri

NCAA Division I Games
2:00 PM NW Missouri State at UMKC
3:00 PM Hartford vs. Sacred Heart*
4:30 PM Montana State at Arizona State
5:00 PM Northeastern at Boston University
5:00 PM Johnson and Wales (Den) at Brown
5:00 PM Eastern Illinois at Indiana State
5:30 PM Fairfield vs. Quinnipiac*
6:00 PM Montreat College at Presbyterian
6:30 PM Simpson University at Utah Valley
7:00 PM Maryland-Eastern Shore at George Washington
7:00 PM Jacksonville at Florida State (ESPN3)
7:00 PM Stony Brook at Indiana (BTN)
7:00 PM Anderson IND at IUPUI
7:00 PM MIT at Harvard
7:00 PM Milligan at East Carolina
7:00 PM UNC Asheville at North Carolina State
7:00 PM Loyola (MD) at Wake Forest (ESPN3)
7:00 PM Suffolk University at New Hampshire
7:00 PM Cornell at St. Bonaventure
7:00 PM Howard at Bowling Green
7:00 PM Monmouth at Villanova
7:00 PM Covenant at Coastal Carolina
7:00 PM Lees McRae at Appalachian State
7:00 PM St. Peter's at Buffalo
7:00 PM Lake Erie College at Detroit
7:00 PM Illinois-Chicago at Eastern Michigan
7:00 PM Long Island at Hofstra
7:00 PM Lafayette at La Salle
7:00 PM Randolph College at Liberty
7:00 PM Navy at Longwood
7:00 PM Tennessee Tech at Miami (FL)
7:00 PM Northern Illinois at Purdue (ESPN3)
7:00 PM Delaware at Radford
7:00 PM Rider at Robert Morris
7:00 PM Western Carolina at South Carolina (Sports South/ESPN3)
7:00 PM UNC Greensboro at Tennessee (FSN/ESPN3)
7:15 PM Bethune-Cookman at Stetson
7:30 PM Louisiana-Monroe at Ole Miss
7:30 PM Dartmouth at Rutgers
7:30 PM Roanoke at Furman
7:30 PM Holy Cross at Charleston
7:30 PM American University at Richmond
7:30 PM Alabama State at Marshall
7:30 PM Valparaiso at Georgia Southern
7:30 PM Southern Utah vs. UC Davis*
7:30 PM Houston Baptist at Campbell
7:30 PM Cheyney at Coppin State
7:30 PM Rhode Island at George Mason
7:30 PM Pennsylvania at UMBC
7:30 PM North Carolina Central at Charlotte
7:30 PM St. Francis (PA) at Virginia Commonwealth (ESPN3)
8:00 PM McNeese State at Auburn
8:00 PM USC Upstate at Arkansas
8:00 PM Florida A&M at Georgia Tech (ESPN3)
8:00 PM Wofford at Georgia (ESPN3)
8:00 PM Saint Joseph's at Western Kentucky (FCS)
8:00 PM Bucknell at Minnesota
8:00 PM South Dakota at Nebraska
8:00 PM Texas A&M-CC at Oklahoma State
8:00 PM Idaho State at Oklahoma (ESPN3)
8:00 PM Arkansas-Little Rock at Tulsa
8:00 PM Gardner-Webb at Clemson (ESPN3)
8:00 PM St Gregory's at North Texas
8:00 PM Yale vs. Central Connecticut State*
8:00 PM Guilford at Davidson
8:00 PM Chicago State at Iowa
8:00 PM Charleston Southern at Kansas State (ESPN3)
8:00 PM Austin Peay at Middle Tennessee
8:00 PM Le Tourneau at Northwestern State
8:00 PM McMurry at Southern Methodist
8:00 PM Centenary at Stephen F. Austin
8:00 PM Florida Gulf Coast at TCU
8:00 PM University of Mary at Green Bay
8:05 PM North Carolina A&T at Creighton
8:15 PM Fort Valley State at Lipscomb
8:30 PM Harris Stowe at Murray State
8:30 PM Tennessee State at Saint Louis
8:30 PM Texas Lutheran at Texas State
8:30 PM Arkansas State at Lamar
8:30 PM Dillard at Southern University
9:00 PM Montana at Colorado State
9:00 PM Miles at Jacksonville State
9:00 PM Elon at Massachusetts
9:00 PM New Orleans at New Mexico
9:00 PM Oral Roberts at West Virginia (ESPN3)
9:00 PM Texas-Pan American at DePaul
9:00 PM Loyola (IL) at Illinois
9:00 PM North Dakota State at San Francisco
9:00 PM Alabama A&M at Tulane
9:05 PM Brigham Young at Utah State
9:05 PM UT-San Antonio at UTEP
9:30 PM CO Christian at Boise State
9:30 PM Army at Air Force (CBSN)
9:30 PM Portland State at Denver (Root RM)
9:30 PM Claflin at South Carolina State
9:30 PM Troy at Texas Tech (FS Southwest)
10:00 PM Central Arkansas at Stanford
10:00 PM Cal Lutheran at UC Riverside
10:00 PM Ft. Lewis at Colorado
10:00 PM Illinois State at Fresno State
10:00 PM Grand Canyon at UNLV
10:00 PM Missouri State at Nevada
10:00 PM Chapman at UC Santa Barbara
10:00 PM Fresno Pacific at Saint Mary's
10:00 PM Northern New Mexico at Weber State
10:05 PM Redlands at Cal State Fullerton
10:30 PM Bryant University at San Diego State
10:30 PM California Merced at Santa Clara
10:35 PM Menlo College at Sacramento State
11:00 PM Cal State Northridge at USC
11:30 PM Northern Arizona vs. Louisiana-Lafayette*
11:59 PM Citadel vs. Virginia Military* (CBSN)

Southeast Region Final Thoughts: What's in Store for 2011-12?

Raphielle Johnson — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 03:25:56 -0400

Next up is the Southeast region, which contributed to the craziness of the NCAA Tournament beginning with Butler knocking off top-seed Pittsburgh in the third round. The question now is what's next for the entire region beginning with the Panthers, who welcome a solid recruiting class while also waiting to see what Ashton Gibbs' decision in regards to staying in the NBA Draft will be.

(1) Pittsburgh: lost to Butler in the third round
The Big East regular season champs had their season end in painful fashion, falling to eventual national runner-up Butler by a point in the third round. The Panthers will have some key figures to replace in Gilbert Brown, Gary McGhee and Brad Wanamaker, but there's enough talent at Jamie Dixon's disposal to make another run at a Big East title even if Ashton Gibbs remains in the NBA Draft. Travon Woodall was due to take over at the point regardless, and incoming freshmen Durand Johnson and John Johnson (no relation) have the ability to earn spots in the rotation. Lamar Patterson, Nasir Robinson (one of the most improved players in the Big East), Dante Taylor and Talib Zanna all return, and the addition of two of the best centers in the 2011 class (Khem Birch and Malcolm Gilbert) means that Pitt should once again be a major player in the Big East.

(2) Florida: lost to Butler in the regional final
Billy Donovan's team lived up to the preseason expectations, winning the SEC regular season title before losing in the conference tournament title game to Tennessee. Then came the NCAA Tournament, where they were knocked off in overtime by Butler, marking the end for three important frontcourt players. Vernon Macklin, Chandler Parsons and Alex Tyus all graduate, meaning that Erik Murphy, Will Yeguete and Patric Young will all need to be ready to go (Walter Pitchford could figure into the rotation too). The backcourt will be loaded with Kenny Boynton, Erving Walker and Scottie Wilbekin back, not to mention Mike Rosario (Rutgers transfer) and McDonald's All-America Bradley Beal joining the rotation. The Gators will be smaller, but if all parties involved manage to share the ball look out.

(3) BYU: lost to Florida in the Sweet 16
One of the greatest careers in the history of BYU comes to an end as All-America (and winner of multiple national Player of the Year awards) Jimmer Fredette departs. But the Cougars also have to replace Jackson Emery, whose career has come to an end as well. There's also the move to the West Coast Conference, where top contenders include Gonzaga, Saint Mary's and Santa Clara (the Broncos have nearly everyone back on a team that won the CollegeInsider.com Tournament). That simply means that more will be expected of forwards Charles Abouo and Noah Hartsock, especially with freshman Kyle Collinsworth going on his LDS mission. DeMarcus Harrison and UCLA transfer Matt Carlino will have a lot on their plates to start in the backcourt (can either play the point?) and Nate Austin leads three frontcourt players in their first season in Provo.

(4) Wisconsin: lost to Butler in the Sweet 16
The Badgers were a trendy pick by some to be a second round upset victim, which likely had more to do with who they were playing (Belmont) than anything else. But Bo Ryan's team took care of business, beating both the Bruins and Kansas State before falling to Butler in the Sweet 16. Going into next season there are two big frontcourt losses to address with Jon Leuer and Keaton Nankivil graduating, but Jordan Taylor and Josh Gasser return in the backcourt in addition to Mike Bruesewitz and Ryan Evans on the wing. Of their incoming recruits look for big men Jarrod Uthoff and Frank Kaminsky to be the most likely to crack the rotation, although guards Traevon Jackson and George Marshall aren't exactly chopped liver themselves (just may be tougher to crack the rotation on the perimeter). Every year people write off Coach Ryan's team when it comes to contending in the Big Ten, yet the find a way to do so regardless.

(5) Kansas State: lost to Wisconsin in the third round
2010-11 was a somewhat tumultuous year for Frank Martin's program, with the Wildcats dealing with a disappointing start, suspensions and defections by the time late January rolled around. But led by guard Jacob Pullen, K-State turned things around and won an NCAA Tournament game before falling to Wisconsin. Now they have to move on without Pullen, along with Curtis Kelly, and the biggest question is who steps up in a leadership role for next year's team. Jamar Samuels could be a logical choice in that area, and on the perimeter Rodney McGruder, Shane Southwell and Will Spradling will all need to step up as well. Jordan Henriquez-Roberts became an important part of the rotation as forwards left the team, and two solid frontcourt players arrive in Manhattan this summer as well (Thomas Gipson and Adrian Diaz). Point guard Angel Rodriguez should also compete for minutes, as will St. John's transfer Omari Lawrence.

(6) St. John's: lost to Gonzaga in the third round
Steve Lavin and his staff rejuvenated the city from a college basketball standpoint, giving ten seniors motivated to leave Queens with at least one notable accomplishment the direction needed to get back to the Big Dance. Their chances of winning in the NCAA Tournament went downhill when D.J. Kennedy tore his ACL in the first half of their Big East quarterfinal loss to Syracuse, and the absence of his versatility was painfully obvious in the loss to Gonzaga. Now he, Dwight Hardy and the rest of that class moves on, and replacing them is one of the nation's best recruiting classes. Nine players deep, this group is led by four very good small forwards (Amir Garrett, Maurice Harkless, Sir'Dominic Pointer and Jakarr Sampson) in addition to quality players at nearly every position on the floor. Add this group to Dwayne Polee Jr. and there will be growing pains, but at the very least the Red Storm are a significant conversation piece in the Big East again, and they'll be talented too.

(7) UCLA: lost to Florida in the third round
Despite questions at the point Ben Howland's team won 23 games and finished second in the Pac-10, and without a senior on this year's roster the future looks good for UCLA. However, Tyler Honeycutt will not be back as he'll hire an agent and remain in the NBA Draft, and Malcolm Lee also entered his name although he won't retain an agent. Once again the question for the Bruins will be at the point, where Lazeric Jones had moments where he looked more than capable of handling the job but struggled while dealing with injuries. Another year for he and Jerime Anderson should pay off, while up front Reeves Nelson and Joshua Smith have the ability to be the best frontcourt tandem in the conference. There are other contributors returning, and incoming freshman Norman Powell can be one of the best freshmen in the Pac-10. And don't forget about the Wear twins, who are eligible after transferring in from North Carolina. Look for UCLA to be the preseason favorite in the Pac-10 (defending champ Arizona will also have a case).

(8) Butler: lost to Connecticut in the national title game
Once again Brad Stevens' Bulldogs went on a run few envisioned before the NCAA Tournament began, beating three of the top four seeds in their region before ultimately putting forth their worst offensive performance of the season (and the worst in NCAA title game history) at the worst possible time. Three key seniors graduate, most notably forward Matt Howard (Zach Hahn and Shwan Vanzant are the others), and junior guard Shelvin Mack could have a decision to make in regards to the NBA Draft. Butler returns solid contributors such as guard Ronald Nored and forwards Khyle Marshall and Andrew Smith, and players such as Chrishawn Hopkins and Chase Stigall will also have opportunities to increase their contributions. And the incoming class is solid as well, led by Australian point guard Jackson Aldridge and wing Roosevelt Jones. Butler will once again be a favorite in the Horizon League.

(9) Old Dominion: lost to Butler in the second round
The CAA Tournament champions were led by a deep frontcourt and one of the best perimeter defenders few speak of in Kent Bazemore, but they fell at the buzzer to Butler in their first game. Luckily for Blaine Taylor, Bazemore will be back, but he's got to replace three of those key frontcourt players as Keyon Carter, Ben Finney and Frank Hassell all depart. Four of their top five scorers in total move on, meaning that Chris Cooper, Marquel De Lancey and Trian Iliadis all need to step up and help out Bazemore. Is a player such as Nick Wright capable of stepping up with more minutes? To say the least this will be a critical offseason for the returning forwards, who didn't see much time this season. Freshman Jason Pimentel from out of Montverde Academy stands to earn minutes next season, and the same likely goes for point guard Breon Key. Don't look for the Monarchs to be picked too high in the CAA but they'll likely be a factor in some form.

(10) Michigan State: lost to UCLA in the second round
It's safe to say that fans aren't too used to seeing a Tom Izzo-coached team finish its season with a 19-15 record, but that's exactly what happened in a disappointing campaign for the Spartans. Kalin Lucas played well late in the season but he moves on along with Durrell Summers and Mike Kebler, and sophomore center Garrick Sherman has decided to transfer. But there's still talent in East Lansing, led by do-it-all forward Draymond Green and guard Keith Appling. Derrick Nix, Adreian Payne and Delvon Roe are three of the bodies Izzo will look to inside next season, and things should be rejuvenated by a good recruiting class. Branden Dawson is the active player on the wing that seemed missing at times this season, and guards Dwaun Anderson and Brandan Kearney are two Michigan natives who can earn minutes as well. Don't expect this group to lose 15 games in 2011-12; they'll be pretty good.

(11) Gonzaga: lost to BYU in the third round
There were questions throughout the course of the season as to whether or not Mark Few's team would be good enough to earn an at-large bid, but the Bulldogs rendered that question moot as they won the WCC's automatic bid. And with just one senior departing, albeit an important senior (Steven Gray), there's a strong likelihood that Gonzaga is a better team next year. Sam Dower, Elias Harris, Kelly Olynyk and Robert Sacre all return in the frontcourt and the backcourt won't be bad either with Marquise Carter, Demetri Goodson and David Stockton returning as well. Add in a recruiting class that's strong in the backcourt (Gary Bell Jr. and Kevin Pangos lead the way) and look for the Bulldogs to be the preseason favorite in the WCC despite the arrival of BYU. The Cougars lose enough that it's easy to see Santa Clara being Gonzaga's biggest competition, but the Zags could be the unanimous choice in October.

(12) Utah State: lost to Kansas State in the second round
Just like Gonzaga the Aggies made sure to take care of business in their conference tournament, but a 30-win campaign ended in their first NCAA Tournament game. The key now for Stew Morrill is to replace six seniors who accomplished quite a bit in Logan, led by forward Tai Wesley and guard Pooh Williams. But the Aggies will still have some talented players to turn to next season, led by guard Brockeith Pane and forwards Morgan Grim and Brady Jardine. Utah State also addressed the frontcourt losses on the recruiting trail, adding centers Igor Premasunac and Jordan Stone in addition to power forward Kyisean Reed. Premasunac and Reed are both junior college transfers, and like Pane coming into this season they'll be expected to contribute early and often. Look for the Aggies to remain one of the favorites in the WAC.

(13) Belmont: lost to Wisconsin in the second round
Rick Byrd's Bruins were a trendy pick by many to pull off an upset in the NCAA Tournament, but much to their detriment Belmont drew the wrong matchup for them in the second round. The good news for the Bruins is that they return nearly everyone and were thought to be "one year away" at the start of 2010-11 anyway. Jordan Campbell and Jon House are the two seniors moving on but with so many players getting playing time this season (11 played at least 10 minutes/game) the Bruins should be able to account for those losses. Forwards Mick Hedgepeth and Scott Saunders form a very good tandem inside and guards Ian Clark and Kerron Johnson are two of the key cogs on the perimeter. With a better matchup in the NCAA tournament Belmont could very well win a game if not more next season.

(14) Wofford: lost to BYU in the second round
Despite the scoring of Charleston's Andrew Goudelock throughout the season it was Wofford who grabbed the Southern Conference's automatic bid, earning their second straight trip to the NCAA Tournament. Noah Dahlmann led the way but he was one of five seniors that head coach Mike Young relied on, meaning that there's some rebuilding to be done as the Terriers approach 2011-12. Five of Wofford's top seven scorers were seniors, including Cameron Rundles and Jamar Diggs. Kevin Giltner and Brad Loesing will be the leading returning scorers, and there will be plenty of minutes up for grabs come October. Much will be expected of forward Drew Crowell, in addition to an incoming class that has two guards in Lucas Brown and Karl Cochran. A lot of work will need to be done if the Terriers are to return to the Big Dance.

(15) UC Santa Barbara: lost to Florida in the second round
Bob Williams' team had its issues in the regular season but the Gauchos got hot at just the right time, knocking off Big West regular season champion Long Beach State in the conference tournament final to earn an NCAA bid. Orlando Johnson (declared for NBA Draft but did not hire an agent) and James Nunnally led the way offensively as one of the most productive backcourt tandems in the nation, and both are due to return as seniors next season. Also expected back is the team's third-leading scorer in forward Jaime Serna, and the three seniors being lost combined for just over 13 points per game. The frontcourt will likely be bolstered by the addition of forwards Taran Brown and John Green, and point guard T.J. Taylor may be the best member of the incoming class. UCSB will once again be a favorite in the Big West.

(16) Arkansas-Little Rock: lost to UNC Asheville in the First Four
The Trojans found a way to survive the wild Sun Belt Tournament, with guard Solomon Bozeman knocking down the game-winning three pointer in the final seconds of the title game against North Texas. But now comes the hard part for Steve Shields and his staff, as he has to go about replacing the top three scorers from this team. Bozeman, Alex Garcia-Mendoza and Matt Mouzy all graduate, meaning that guards Daylon Guy and D'Andre Williams need to be ready to shoulder the offensive load. Courtney Jackson and Eric Kibi will be the leading returning rebounders for UALR, but it needs to be remembered that the Trojans were 7-9 in league play. A return trip could be a tall task for this team in 2011-12, and they're going to need contributions from incoming freshmen Michael Javes and James White.

(16) UNC Asheville: lost to Pittsburgh in the second round
Eddie Biedenbach's club was able to pick up a win in the First Four, coming back to force overtime before beating UALR in double overtime. The perimeter tandem of Matt Dickey and J.P. Primm led the way in that contest along with their run through the Big South Tournament, and those two will likely make the Bulldogs a favorite in the conference next year. John Williams, one of college basketball's best dunkers, is the lone major loss for UNC Asheville and the roster sets up to the point where the Bulldogs could go on a run over the next couple of seasons. Add in a recruiting class led by guards Keith Hornsby and Corey Littlejohn in addition to center Jaleel Roberts and the freshmen have the ability to make a difference as well. Not only can UNC Asheville get back to the tournament but they can also avoid the First Four.

Second Round Thursday: Your Commentary

Raphielle Johnson — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 02:43:59 -0400

The true fun that is the NCAA Tournament tips off on Thursday, beginning with Clemson taking on West Virginia in Tampa (no disrespect to the "First Four"). Sixteen games across the nation will captivate the country with thrilling finishes and routine blowouts being the order of the day. Below is the schedule breakdown by region by tip time, with one game from each quadrant being featured.

By the time Thursday's schedule is finished millions of brackets will be ruined, which should come as no surprise given the regular season. This year also marks the first time that four networks will televise the games, which could take away from the tradition of "live look-ins" but at the least fans of a particular team know they can watch their squad from start to finish.

East Region
Tampa, FL
12:15 PM (12) Clemson vs. (5) West Virginia (CBS)
2:45 PM (13) Princeton vs. (4) Kentucky (CBS)
While Clemson will serve as the first example of how a "First Four" winner deals with the quick turnaround, the second game of the afternoon should be intriguing as well. Ivy League champion Princeton takes on SEC tournament champ Kentucky, and both teams should enter Thursday's game brimming with confidence. The Wildcats have been bolstered by their upperclassmen, led by SEC Tournament MVP Darius Miller and DeAndre Liggins. When Miller, who is fourth on the team in scoring, plays aggressively on offense Kentucky is an even tougher team to slow down. And in Liggins they've got one of the premier defenders in the nation.

The Tigers are an experienced group led in scoring by forwards Ian Hummer and Kareem Maddox, and guards Douglas Davis and Dan Mavraides get the job done on the perimeter. The key for Princeton: keep the Wildcats, especially Josh Harrellson and Terrence Jones, off of the offensive boards. Kentucky grabs 35% of their misses, a good number for a team that gets nearly 29% of its points from three (long rebound opportunities). The two teams are separated by just two possessions per game and the Wildcats have been the more efficient of the two offensively. Look for this contest to be an entertaining affair.

Southeast Region
Washington, DC
12:40 PM (9) Old Dominion vs. (8) Butler (TruTV)
The matchup between the Monarchs and Bulldogs will be among the best of the day, especially if viewers like defense. Butler was centimeters to the left away from an improbable national title last season, and as the season's worn on Brad Stevens' club has adjusted to the personnel losses from that team. Guard Shelvin Mack and forward Matt Howard are the top offensive threats for Butler, but they both will run into tough matchups. Guard Kent Bazemore is the best defensive player in the CAA, winning the league's Defensive Player of the Year award, and ODU has a big man in Frank Hassell who was named MVP of the conference tournament.

Blaine Taylor's Monarchs allow opponents to shoot just 40.4% from the field and 28% from three, one of the best marks in the country. Butler can ill-afford to resort to simply firing away from deep, but they do get 30.8% of their points from beyond the arc. If Old Dominion can take this aspect of Butler's offense away look out. The Bulldogs will need to keep Old Dominion off the offensive glass. The Monarchs have an effective field goal percentage of 48.7%, but their offensive efficiency (108.4) ranks among the best in the CAA due to the fact that they grab 45.3% of their misses. First team to sixty wins? More than possible in the nation's capital.

3:10 PM (16) UNC Asheville vs. Pittsburgh (TruTV)

Tampa, FL
6:50 PM (15) UC Santa Barbara vs. (2) Florida (TBS)
9:20 PM (10) Michigan State vs. (7) UCLA (TBS)
Tom Izzo is widely regarded as one of the best tournament coaches in the game, and six Final Four appearances in addition to the Spartans' overall success during his tenure more than backs it up. But this current team isn't on the same level of those outstanding teams that racked up the hardware and NCAA Tournament success, casting doubt on the idea that the Spartans can get hot come tournament time. Their opponents don't enter the Big Dance playing their best either, with UCLA suffering a bad loss in the Pac-10 quarterfinals against Oregon. But the Bruins do have weapons, led by wing Tyler Honeycutt and forward Reeves Nelson. The matchup between Nelson and Draymond Green should be fun to watch, and Michigan State needs Green back on his game after a quiet Big Ten Tournament.

Outside of Kalin Lucas it's tough to peg who exactly had a standout three games in Indianapolis last weekend, and Michigan State needs Durrell Summers to find his game if they're to hang around Tampa for the entire weekend. Summers shot 50% or better just once in Big Ten play, and that was in their quarterfinal win over Purdue with him taking just four shots. That can't happen against UCLA, and the Spartans will also need to hope that the tradition of Pac-10 teams struggling the first weekend when having to travel three time zones continues. UCLA will go as far as point guard Lazeric Jones can take them from a distribution aspect, as he's their most effective player at the point. Malcolm Lee and Joshua Smith will also be needed offensively, and they should have opportunities to make things happen.

Denver, CO
7:15 PM (14) Wofford vs. (3) BYU (CBS)
9:45 PM (11) Gonzaga vs. (6) St. John's (CBS)
Steve Lavin has St. John's back where their fans expect them to be at the least: playing in the NCAA Tournament. And for all the criticism Coach Lavin took during his tenure at UCLA, it needs to be noted that of the seven teams he took to the NCAA Tournament five went to the Sweet 16. The Red Storm will be without senior wing D.J. Kennedy but this is a group that's had to call on contributions from a number of players throughout the course of the season. It won't be one player that shoulders the full load left by their most versatile player but rather a number of guys who do a little bit more than usual. Guard Dwight Hardy has been outstanding for St. John's and with his role as the initiator of the offense in addition to his own scoring, Gonzaga will need to control him if they're to win.

The Bulldogs have three very good offensive weapons in Steven Gray, Elias Harris and Robert Sacre, but there have been other contributors for Mark Few's team. Sam Dower and David Stockton are two freshmen who have stepped up for Gonzaga, and Dower will be important in dealing with an experienced St. John's front line that has some muscle as well. Gonzaga has a rebounding margin of plus-4.9 and they will enjoy an advantage on the boards against St. John's. But the Red Storm use a variety of defenses, turning over their opponents 24% of the time, meaning that the rebounding disparity could be nullified if the Bulldogs are too reckless with the basketball.

Tucson, AZ
7:27 PM (13) Belmont vs. (4) Wisconsin (TruTV)
9:57 PM (12) Utah State vs. (5) Kansas State (TruTV)
There wouldn't be much surprise if both of these games in the Old Pueblo were won by the lower seeded team, with both Belmont and Utah State having won 30 games this season. But the focus here is on the nightcap, with Kansas State improving their play over the last month of the season (they don't match up well with Colorado) and Utah State far and away the class of the WAC. Jacob Pullen missed practice on Wednesday due to some food he ate, but he's tough and will be on the floor for the game. The question for the Wildcats is who steps up offensively to help him out, and two candidates there are Curtis Kelly and Jamar Samuels. And they will be tested by an experienced frontcourt led by WAC Player of the Year Tai Wesley.

Wesley averages 14.7 points and 8.0 rebounds per game for the Aggies, who have won eight straight games. On the perimeter junior Brockeith Pane has more freedom to make plays and senior Pooh Williams is a solid defender who will challenge Pullen for much of the night. Kansas State turns the ball over 15 times per game, and while they force nearly 16 per contest their opponents have been good at taking care of the basketball for much of the season. K-State also needs to hit the offensive boards as they rebound 41.3% of their misses on the season. If the Aggies can limit the Wildcats' good looks while also keeping them off the offensive glass they'll beat Kansas State, and it shouldn't be considered an upset either.

Southwest Region
Denver, CO
1:40 PM (13) Morehead State vs. (4) Louisville (TBS)
4:10 PM (12) Richmond vs. (5) Vanderbilt (TBS)
Here's another "12 over 5" scenario that would surprise few were it to happen. The Spiders start four seniors led by point guard Kevin Anderson and forward Justin Harper, two of the best players in the Atlantic 10. Vanderbilt is tougher than previous editions that made the NCAA Tournament but Kevin Stallings' team can still struggle in big road/neutral games. The Commodores are very good offensively however, with John Jenkins leading the way on the perimeter and big man Festus Ezeli in some areas being an upgrade when compared to the departed A.J. Ogilvy. Vandy averages 76 points per game, but they're going to have a hard time reaching that number against the Spiders.

Richmond has held each of their last six opponents to below 40% shooting from the field, and none of those teams shot higher than 28% from three either. The Spiders are very good in their defensive scheme when it comes to forcing challenged shots, an important characteristic given the fact that they don't force many turnovers (the high in turnovers for their last six opponents: 11). Offensively the Spiders can punish opponents that fall asleep with backdoor cuts, and if teams sag off an Anderson or Harper can go to work. This game will more than likely be one of the games that go right down to the very end.

West Region
Tucson, AZ
2:10 PM (10) Penn State vs. (7) Temple (TNT)
The Nittany Lions and Owls get to fly across the country to meet, with Temple winning their most recent NCAA Tournament meeting (2001 Sweet 16). Temple won that game and has won 25 of the last 31 meetings, most recently beating Penn State 45-42 last season. The Owls have won six straight in the series but head coach Fran Dunphy has struggled in the Big Dance with a 1-12 career record in the event. Guards Juan Fernandez and Ramone Moore will have their hands full with senior Talor Battle, but Temple is good enough defensively to keep tabs on arguably the greatest player in Penn State history. Temple allows opponents to shoot just 41% from the field and they enjoy a turnover margin of plus-2.5.

Temple has also been the better rebounding team of the two, and Lavoy Allen has stepped up since the loss of center Micheal Eric due to injury. But with the Owls' diminished depth up front comes increased opportunities for Nittany Lions such as Jeff Brooks and Andrew Jones to hit the boards on both ends of the floor. Temple makes things difficult on their opponents, allowing an offensive efficiency of just 93.7, meaning that Penn State will need to get their offense from a variety of sources if they're to live to play another day.

4:40 PM (15) Northern Colorado vs. (2) San Diego State (TNT)

Washington, DC
7:20 PM (14) Bucknell vs. (3) Connecticut (TNT)
9:50 PM (11) Missouri vs. (6) Cincinnati (TNT)
The final game of the day in Washington should be an entertaining contest, with a Missouri team that won just one conference road game taking on a Cincinnati club that's played better basketball over the last month or so. Yancy Gates has been more active for the Bearcats, and when he's ready to go the effort boosts the entire team. Five players average at least eight points per game for Cincinnati, and sixth man Sean Kilpatrick will be one of the key offensive options for them against a team that likes to ramp up the tempo. Missouri forces an average of 18 turnovers per game, but the Bearcats hand it over just 11.6 times so something has to give. A key for Cincinnati in their quest to keep Missouri from turning the game into a track meet will be their rebounding.

Missouri is not a very good rebounding team, allowing opponents to grab 36% of their misses on the season. Laurence Bowers and Ricardo Ratliffe are the key cogs up front for the Tigers, but they're not particularly big and the team has a rebounding margin of minus-2.0. Cincinnati's been better and if they're able to control the rebounding the flow of the game likely follows. Marcus Denmon, Michael Dixon Jr. and Kim English are the three leaders on the perimeter, but Mike Anderson will play a number of bodies throughout the course of the game. Eight players play 17 minutes or more per game for Missouri while nine play 13 or more for the Bearcats. Both teams have bodies to look to for contributions, but there's a big difference in how quickly these two want to play. He who controls tempo ultimately controls the outcome.

Kansas St vs Utah St: Preview & Prediction

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 22:17:07 -0400

(5) Kansas St. vs. (12) Utah State

Southeast Region - Tucson

March 17 - 9:57 truTV

Remember when there were questions as to whether or not Kansas State, who went to the Elite 8 last year, would even make the tournament? That seems like a long time ago for Frank Martin's team, who got tougher and with Jacob Pullen leading the way have the ability to make some noise. How far the Wildcats go will depend on the frontcourt, and they've got a tough test on their hands in Utah State. Tai Wesley leads a deep frontcourt and on the perimeter there's point guard Brockeith Pane and senior Pooh Williams. The Aggies are a tough team to scout given the number of sets that head coach Stew Morrill will run, and their offensive execution can burn opponents who don't remain disciplined defensively. Get through this one and Kansas State can make a run, but beating Utah State is by no means a sure thing.

CHN Team Capsules (w/ stats, records, and rankings):

Kansas St

Utah St

Stars to Watch:

G Jacob Pullen (Kansas State)

F Tai Wesley (Utah State)

Vegas Odds:

Kansas St -2

Predictions:

RealTimeRPI: Utah St 69 - Kansas St 67

KenPom: Utah St 65 - Kansas St 62

CollegeHoops.net Betting Pick: Utah St

Faces Winner Of: Wisconsin vs Belmont