Vermont

Wednesday Recap: Lineup Changes Spark Nothing As UConn Falls

Raphielle Johnson — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 09:55:56 -0500

Connecticut head coach Jim Calhoun knew heading into Wednesday's game that his struggling team, losers of three straight, needed some kind of spark to get things going. That meant shuffling the lineup, with Shabazz Napier and Alex Oriakhi being replaced as starters by Ryan Boatright and Roscoe Smith, and for a short time on Wednesday night the move paid off. UConn got out to a 13-7 lead at the first media timeout and generally played better basketball on the offensive end, which was likely the desired effect of the move.

But Georgetown went to their 2-3 zone defense, and against zones UConn has shown neither the confidence nor the basketball IQ needed to solve such a riddle. It didn't help matters that Boatright, who did a good job of facilitating the offense, picked up his second foul with just over ten minutes left in the half and the Huskies leading 15-14. It was essentially all downhill from there as the Hoyas woud outscore the Huskies 17-6 the remainder of the half, going on to beat UConn 58-44 and lead many to ask whether or not the defending national champs had what it took to turn things around.

"We come back from six [down] and somebody went for a steal, next thing you know we took a bad shot and now were down ten," remarked Calhoun of his team's struggles. "And you can't keep running up the hill for only so long and so that's where we picked up our fourth straight loss and should have lost all four games."

So how did the four players involved in the lineup changes respond? Not well, with Boatright having his performance short-circuited by foul trouble (zero points, four assists) being the biggest blow given how the flow of the contest changed when he had to sit. Napier, who earlier in the season lamented the lack of a response to his attempts to be a leader, shot 0-for-9 from the field and scored just one point while Oriakhi went scoreless. And Smith opened the scoring 33 seconds into the game...only to not score again.

Last year's team struggled in conference play, but the difference is that (in addition to having Kemba Walker) they were a lot tougher mentally than this group. Who steps up to change the path that this season is currently travelling? Jeremy Lamb's not the vocal type and while he scored 14 points it took 18 shots to do so (making four), and while Andre Drummond (18 points, seven rebounds) was UConn's best player on the floor it's tough to ask a freshman to become the team leader.

The truth of the matter is that Napier and Oriakhi should be the leaders for this team, and yet neither has shown the ability to do so. The teams that leave a mark in March will fight for everything in the face of adversity, pulling together to accomplish the common goal. That hasn't been a trait of this current edition of Huskies, as they either fail to respond or the "fight back" dissolves into guys trying to close the gap all by themselves.

Georgetown, a team picked to finish tenth in the Big East in the preseason, should be the story here given the play of Hollis Thompson (18 points, nine rebounds) and Jason Clark (11 points, five rebounds), and they're likely to improve even more as the season approaches it's defining month. Can the same be said for UConn? That's a tough question to answer at this point, but with a game against a Seton Hall team that's also struggling a lot will be learned about the toughness of both teams on Saturday.

Other Notable Happenings

1. Michigan jumps out to a big lead and holds off Indiana's second half rally to remain undefeated at home.
There's no doubt that Tom Crean's Hoosiers can win big games at home, with the energy provided by the Assembly Hall crowd providing a needed boost to a program that's definitely improved. But what about on the road, where teams have to manufacture their own energy in the face of a hostile crowd? That question remains unanswered thanks to Indiana's slow start in Ann Arbor, as they trailed Michigan by as many as 20 points in the first half on the way to a 68-56 defeat. Indiana was able to get as close as two points (52-50) with less than four minutes remaining but they couldn't overtake the Wolverines, who were led offensively by Trey Burke (18 points, four assists), Zack Novak (13 points) and Tim Hardaway Jr. (13 points).

Indiana shot a respectable 42.9% from the field in the first half but they turned the ball over eight times to just one for Michigan, and the Wolverines converted those miscues into eleven points (led 33-22 at the half). Michigan's now 13-0 at home this season while Indiana remains with just one conference road victory (Penn State) this season. While the Hoosiers are in a dogfight to remain in the top half of the league standings Michigan's bounce back from the loss at Ohio State shows that they remain a serious contender for the Big Ten crown.

2. UT-Arlington opens their new arena with a win over UTSA, increasing their lead in the Southland.
Wednesday night was a special night in the history of UT-Arlington, with the Mavericks playing in the new College Park Center for the first time. And they picked a good matchup for the debut, as defending Southland tournament champ UTSA was in town looking to move into a tie for first place with the Mavericks. But despite turning the ball over 23 times on the night UT-Arlington found a way to win, beating the Roadrunners 67-66 to expand their lead to two games. A pair of Kevin Butler free throws with 13.7 seconds remaining proved to be the points the Mavs needed to remain on track for the regular season crown in their final campaign before they head to the WAC in July.

LaMarcus Reed III scored 24 points and grabbed seven rebounds to lead the way while Butler added 21 and eight, and these two are a big reason why the Mavs were able to make up for their turnovers by out-rebounding the Roadrunners 46-33 and score 16 second-chance points to just seven for UTSA. Kannon Burrage led the Roadrunners with 21 points off the bench and Melvin Johnson III added 14, but with Michael Hale III and Stephen Franklin combining to shoot 2-for-18 UTSA wasn't able to take full advantage of their turnover margin edge. With these two meeting in the regular season finale UTSA essentially has to win out while hoping for some help, and with UT-Arlington having won 12 straight that strategy may not bear fruit.

3. Pierre Jackson and Quincy Acy make big plays late to lead Baylor past Texas A&M.
Scott Drew's Bears seemed to try their best to give Texas A&M the game in the second half as they shot 31% from the field while the Aggies made half their field goals. But thanks to big plays down the stretch from Pierre Jackson (14 points, five assists) and Quincy Acy (11 points, four rebounds) Baylor escaped College Station with a 63-60 win in what could be the last regular season meeting in the "Battle of the Brazos" for a long time. A Jackson three with 17 seconds remaining proved to be the push Baylor needed to get to the finish line, and his two free throws with just over a second remaining sealed it.

Those two free throws came as a result of a hustle play by Acy, whose quick move to tip Jackson's missed free throw out (which Jackson was able to chase down), gave the junior college transfer a second chance at increasing the Bears' lead and he cashed in. After a Ray Turner basket gave A&M a 49-44 lead it was Acy who scored six of Baylor's nine points in a 9-0 run that put them up 53-49 with 6:13 to go. While the lottery picks (Perry Jones III and Quincy Miller) will enjoy the majority of the attention the contributions of a player like Acy cannot be ignored. In fact, that may be what allows Baylor to go deep into the NCAA tournament.

Quick Hitters

1. While the Atlantic 10 has enough quality teams to warrant four bids to the NCAA tournament, the chances of that happening become slimmer when teams at the top of the conference don't take care of business as they should. Wednesday's results of note were UMass losing 81-78 in overtime at Rhode Island and Dayton losing 83-73 at home to Duquesne. Xavier nearly joined those two teams but Tu Holloway's layup with 30 seconds remaining capped a good night for him (21 points, seven assists, six rebounds) and pushed the Musketeers past George Washington 59-58.

2. In a battle for sole possession of first place in Conference USA, Southern Miss finally got over the hump as they beat Memphis 75-72 to snap an 18-game losing streak in the series. Darnell Dodson and Neil Watson combined to score 40 points off the bench for the Golden Eagles, who are now 7-1 in conference play.

3. Center Garrett Stutz has been outstanding in road games for Wichita State this season and that trend continued in the Shockers' 74-67 win at Missouri State as he scored 25 points and grabbed 11 rebounds on the night. Ben Smith added 21 for Wichita State, who remains a game behind first-place Creighton (102-74 win over Illinois State) as a result of the victory.

4. With seven freshmen and three sophomores on the roster many expected the first year of Mountain West play to be a tough one for Boise State and it has been. But they've also shown signs of growth, and if not for a missed Thomas Bropleh three as time expired the Broncos would have left San Diego State with a win. Leon Rice's team has the ability to scare some teams in the MWC, and with the likes of Bropleh and Anthony Drmic the future looks to be bright for Boise State.

5. There's now a three-way tie for first place in the CAA as Delaware beat George Mason 65-60 in Newark. Kyle Anderson shot 8-for-11 from the field and scored 21 points to lead the way for the Blue Hens, and as a team Delaware shot 7-for-14 from deep (Mason finished 3-for-16). Drexel and VCU both picked up victories on Wednesday, and with the league's profile being poorer than in seasons past the fight for the CAA crown should be even fiercer than it's been of late.

6. Huge news in the recruiting world was broken by ESPN's Dave Telep, who reported that Tilton School big man Nerlens Noel move back to the 2012 class. Noel, who counts Kentucky and Syracuse among his most vigorous suitors, returns to his original class and is now right there with Shabazz Muhammad for the honor of being the best player in the class.

7. Vermont held off a Boston University rally to beat the Terriers 68-67 in Boston to take over sole possession of second place in America East. Luke Apfeld scored 16 points and grabbed six rebounds for the Catamounts, who swept the season series as a result of the win.

Three Notable Performances

1. F Julian Mavunga (Miami (OH))
19 points, 19 rebounds and eight assists in the RedHawks' 62-57 overtime win over Eastern Michigan.

2. F Thomas Robinson (Kansas)
20 points, 17 rebounds and four assists in the Jayhawks' 84-62 win over Oklahoma.

3. F Orion Outerbridge (Rhode Island)
29 points and 11 rebounds in the Rams' 81-78 overtime win over Massachusetts.

College Hoops Wednesday Recap: Blue Devils Win Thriller in Maui

Raphielle Johnson — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 09:43:58 -0500

The game between Duke and Kansas more than lived up to the pregame expectations on Wednesday night, but it was an unsung hero who stepped to the forefront late. Tyler Thornton, essentially a defensive substitute when Austin Rivers picked up his fourth foul, knocked down a pair of critical three pointers late to catapult the Blue Devils to the 68-61 win. Duke earned their fifth Maui Invitational title and moved to 15-0 all-time in the prestigious early season event.

Tournament MVP Ryan Kelly and forward Mason Plumlee scored 17 points apiece with Plumlee also grabbing 12 rebounds, and the big difference between the two teams was the three-point line. Duke made 11 of their 25 attempts from beyond the arc while Kansas finished 2-for-8, and that 27-point difference made up for a combined 4-for-13 night for guards Seth Curry and Andre Dawkins.

Tyshawn Taylor led the Jayhawks with 17 points but also had an unfortunate double-double with 11 turnovers, with things getting away from him in the second half. Thomas Robinson was a warrior for Kansas all week, and he added 16 points and 15 rebounds while Jeff Withey added 14 and 10 to cap a solid three days in Maui. But turnovers played a major role in the outcome, with one of Taylor's miscues setting the stage for Thornton's game-sealing three pointer.

Kansas held a 61-60 lead with 1:31 to go following a Travis Releford three, only to have Thornton answer with a trifecta of his own 21 seconds later. Coming out of a timeout Taylor turned the ball over five seconds later, and Duke's ensuing possession looked to be headed nowhere. But Thornton let fly from in front of the Duke bench at the end of the shot clock with the primary goal being to avoid the violation. The shot fell, making the score 66-61 with 20 seconds to go and essentially putting the game away.

"When Seth kicked me the ball, I looked at the shot clock, it was [at] three seconds, and I just tried to get up a good shot," said Thornton. "Once it left my hands, I kind of thought it was going to be good and luckily it was."

Duke capped a stretch of seven games in 13 days, so the rest that comes will be welcomed for a group that's had the quest for the all-time wins record for their coach to deal with as well. Rivers, who made the All-Tournament team, will continue to figure out how to mesh his superlative talents with what the teams wants to get done offensively and he'll grow defensively as well.

But most importantly Duke learned more about veterans such as Kelly, who averaged 17.0 points per game in Maui and emerged as an offensive option they'll be able to count on. And Mason Plumlee showed the ability to handle the workload on the glass, which in turn allows Duke to start the more offensively-inclined Kelly and bring Miles Plumlee off the bench. As for Kansas, he Jayhawks showed themselves to be a more talented team than many anticipated before the season began, meaning an eighth straight Big 12 title is more than possible.

Other Notable Happenings

1. Iowa fails to bounce back from their loss to Creighton, falling to Campbell at home.
Sunday was a flat-out bad day from Fran McCaffery's team as they were blown out in Des Moines by the Creighton Bluejays, but it wasn't unrealistic to expect the Hawkeyes to bounce back against Campbell on Wednesday night. That did not happen, as Eric Griffin led the Camels to a 77-61 win with 23 points and 13 rebound. Four Campbell starters reached double figures and as a team the Camels shot 62.2% from the field. In many games like this the expectation is that the winner concentrated heavily on the three-point line. Not so much with Campbell, who only attempted eight (making four) while shooting 68% from inside of the arc.

One tie in both losses for Iowa: Melsahn Basabe. He didn't play well against Creighton and that was the case on Wednesday as well, scoring two points and grabbing three rebounds in 19 minutes of action. Is Basabe solely to blame? Of course not, but when a player with the talent to become an All-Big Ten caliber player says things like this he'd better step up. Matt Gatens scored 17 points and Devyn Marble 14 to lead Iowa, who's going to need guys such as Basabe and Eric May to step up if they're to make a move in the Big Ten standings.

2. The evolution of Dion Waiters sparks Syracuse's win over Virginia Tech in New York City.
It's been reported many times in the preseason as well as early in the year about Dion Waiters, that the frustrated freshman was ready to transfer at the end of the season. But he stuck it out, and both he and the Orange look to be better off as a result. Waiters scored 11 points to go along with four assists and three steals in 25 minutes off the bench to help lead Syracuse to a 69-58 win over Virginia Tech in the second semifinal of the NIT Season Tipoff. Kris Joseph led the Orange with 20 points and 10 rebounds and Brandon Triche added 17 and six assists, but the big development (or continuation of it, rather) was the play of Waiters.

He's improved his physical conditioning, is playing with more confidence and isn't worried about what he does so long as the team wins. He and C.J. Fair (12 points, 10 rebounds) look to be the two "locks" to be in the rotation should Jim Boeheim look to cut the number down from ten players, and performances like last night's make sure that remains the case in the future.

3. San Diego State ends Arizona's 22-game home win streak, but they better not suffer a "hangover".
For the second consecutive game Sean Miller's Wildcats failed to lead at any point in the game, but unlike their their loss to Mississippi State in the title game of the 2K Sports Classic Arizona was jumped early. San Diego State opened the game with a 21-4 run, and despite their attempts to rally the Wildcats were unable to fully recover as the Aztecs won 61-57. A deep two at the top of the key from Chase Tapley (17 points) sealed the game with just over a minute remaining, and removing Utah (once a fellow Mountain West member) SDSU is 4-1 against the Pac-12 since 2009.

Nick Johnson and Josiah Turner scored ten points apiece off the bench for Arizona, but guards Kyle Fogg (five points) and Jordin Mayes (two points) struggled all night. SDSU limited the Wildcats to 33.3% shooting in their best defensive performance of the season, but they better be ready to go with a trip to UCSB on Saturday. SDSU lost an awful lot from last year's Sweet 16 team, but they've shown in this 6-1 start that they're still a threat in the Mountain West.

Quick Hitters

1. On the injury front Alabama saw forward Tony Mitchell go down in their win over Alabama A&M but luckily for the Crimson Tide it was a sprained ankle and nothing worse. To not meet the same fate as Arkansas, who lost Marshawn Powell for the season with a knee injury in practice last week, is a piece of good luck for Alabama.

2. Josh Pastner's Memphis Tigers can score with just about anyone, and they're going to win their fair share of shootouts. But if the Tigers want to be a factor in March they have to get better defensively. Georgetown beat the Tigers 91-88 in overtime, and in Maui the Tigers allowed an average of 1.13 points per possession over three games. That's not going to get it done in big games.

3. Stanford was highly impressive in their 82-67 win over Oklahoma State in New York City, and it can be argued that the game wasn't as close as the final margin would indicate. Josh Owens (21 points) led the way while guards Chasson Randle and Aaron Bright proved to be a handful for the Cowboys. We'll see just how good this team is on Friday when they take on Syracuse.

4. A pair of Brian Voelkel steals late in overtime sealed Vermont's 65-63 win at Old Dominion, and while the CAA takes another early season hit this is a good win for the Catamounts. Luke Apfeld led three players in double figures with 15 points, and while Voelkel scored just six points he chipped in with 14 rebounds and five assists.

5. Keep an eye on Denver in the Sun Belt, who put together an impressive 70-58 win over Saint Mary's to move to 4-0. Seven players scored at least six points for the Pioneers, led by Rob Lewis' 17 points. Joe Scott's team has been solid defensively as well, allowing an average of just 0.92 points per possession thus far.

Three Notable Performances

1. G Scott Machado and F Mike Glover (Iona)
Machado scored 33 points and dished out ten assists while Glover led the Gaels with 34 points and 15 rebounds in their 104-99 double overtime win over Saint Joseph's.

2. G Michael Lyons (Air Force)
31 points, seven rebounds, three steals and two assists in the Falcons' 76-73 overtime loss to Colorado.

3. F Quincy Acy and F Quincy Miller (Baylor)
Miller finished with 17 points, 11 rebounds and six assists while Acy put up ten points, 11 rebounds and six blocks in the Bears' 75-65 win over UT-Arlington.

Who Will Win the 2011-12 America East Title?

Shawn Siegel — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 11:39:16 -0500

Sears BracketBusters Saturday Preview

Raphielle Johnson — Sat, 19 Feb 2011 02:55:10 -0500

Score two wins for the Colonial Athletic Association, with VCU winning at Wichita State and Drexel defending their home floor with a win over Kent State in Friday's Sears BracketBusters contests. VCU needed a pair of Joey Rodriguez free throws with eight tenths of a second remaining to win a game they nearly handed over after leading by nine at the half. Rodriguez racked up 11 assists to go along with 15 points. Bradford Burgess scored 17 to lead the Rams, and Joe Ragland scored 15 to lead the Shockers. Gregg Marshall's team shot just 39% for the game, and if not for VCU getting just eight free throws (18 for Wichita State) the margin is likely larger. As for Drexel Samme Given led five Dragons in double figures with 17 points and 15 rebounds, and defensively they limited Kent State to 35.9% shooting on the night. Two victories that give the CAA a slight bump in the computers could become more valuable as the season approaches Selection Sunday.

The crown jewel of this year's Sears BracketBusters event comes from the West Coast, where Utah State visits Saint Mary's in a game both need for their respective resumes. One could argue that the visiting Aggies (24-3, 12-1 WAC) need a win more, given their 0-2 record in games against teams in the RPI Top 50 and the high probability that this will be their last chance to erase that bagel before Selection Sunday. Saint Mary's (22-5, 10-2 WCC) can at least claim one Top 50 win (St. John's) and they also host Gonzaga in their next contest. While Gonzaga isn't as good as previous editions their presence on Saint Mary's slate outweighs any remaining games on Utah State's schedule.

Randy Bennett's Gaels have yet to lose at home this season, and in addition to the crowd their guard play has been a key reason as to why. Mickey McConnell (16.9 ppg, 6.2 apg) and Matthew Dellavedova (12.7 ppg, 5.4 apg) were crucial factors in the run to the Sweet 16 a season ago and they've had their fingerprints on a number of Saint Mary's victories this season as well. McConnell is likely the favorite at this point to win Player of the Year in the WCC, boasting an assist-to-turnover ratio near 3-to-1 while shooting 52% from the field and 47% from three. How junior Brockeith Pane (10.7 ppg, 3.3 apg) performs in this matchup will have a lot to do with the outcome, and Pane needs to play under control for forty minutes.

Inside Stew Morrill's team will have the size advantage, although Saint Mary's has some solid interior players. But in Tai Wesley (14.3 ppg, 7.9 rpg) the Aggies have one of the premier forwards in the Western United States, and his partners in crime aren't too shabby either. Brady Jardine and Nate Bendall also contribute to a team that has a rebounding margin of plus-8.9 on the season. Saint Mary's with Rob Jones and Mitchell Young won't be as physical up front and they hold a rebounding edge of just plus-3.4, but they'll compete and make things tough on Utah State. If Wesley gets into early foul trouble the edge that the Aggies hold could be neutralized.

Two players to keep an eye on for the Aggies who haven't been mentioned yet: veterans Pooh Williams and Brian Green. Williams averages just under nine points per game but he's a solid defender who does many of the little things on the floor for the Aggies. Green averages 11 points per game off the bench and knocks down 46% of his shots from beyond the arc. Adding in Brady Jardine's contributions off the bench and Coach Morrill has a pair of reserves who can outperform most starters on any given night. And with the Aggies needing a solid resume win to add to their resume both will need to step up in Moraga.

Other televised games to keep an eye on include Vermont at Charleston and George Mason at Northern Iowa, with the road teams being among the hotter clubs in America. Jim Larranaga's Patriots have shown off the value of preseason trips to Europe, as their trek to Italy fostered a level of unity that was nowhere to be found last season. They've won 12 straight games with 11 of the wins by 14 points or more, and while it's tough to knock off UNI in their building Ben Jacobson's group has struggled of late in the Missouri Valley.

As for Vermont, the move by head coach Mike Lonergan to put freshman point guard into the starting lineup for defensive reasons has led to 10 straight wins. But he's in for a challenge with Andrew Goudelock being one of the best scorers in the nation. That being said, Antwaine Wiggins and the other Charleston forwards will need to contend with the tandem of Evan Fjeld and Brian Voelkel, with both likely to clean up come awards time in America East.

Iona visits Liberty with the home team possibly feeling better about their NCAA Tournament chances due to the roster turnover at Coastal Carolina, and two of the better guards around meet in Dayton with Charles Jenkins (Hofstra) and Vaughn Duggins (Wright State) on the same floor. It's always difficult to define the true value of the BracketBusters event but at the least it's one more shot at beating a solid opponent late in the season, and the games tend to provide good entertainment for that reason.

Televised Games
11 a.m. Hofstra at Wright State (ESPNU)
1 p.m. Austin Peay at Fairfield (ESPNU)
3 p.m. Iona at Liberty (ESPNU)
5 p.m. Missouri State at Valparaiso (ESPN2)
5 p.m. Vermont at College of Charleston (ESPNU)
7 p.m. George Mason at Northern Iowa (ESPN2)
9 p.m. No. 21 Utah State at Saint Mary's (ESPN2)
11 p.m. Montana at Long Beach State (ESPN2)
1 p.m. (Sunday) Cleveland State at Old Dominion (ESPN2)

Non-Televised Games
Noon Miami (Ohio) at James Madison
1:05 p.m. Morehead State at Indiana State
2 p.m. Eastern Kentucky at Western Carolina
2 p.m. Canisius at Boston University
2 p.m. Manhattan at Stony Brook
2 p.m. Central Michigan at Niagara
2 p.m. Illinois State at Western Michigan
2 p.m. Northeastern at UNC Asheville
3 p.m. Bradley at Tennessee-Martin
3 p.m. Saint Peter's at Loyola-Chicago
3:05 p.m. Green Bay at Southern Illinois
4 p.m. Delaware at Rider
4 p.m. Delaware State at Tennessee State
4 p.m. Georgia State at Louisiana Tech
4 p.m. Seattle at Northern Illinois
4 p.m. VMI at Morgan State
4:30 p.m. Jacksonville State at Eastern Michigan
5 p.m. Hawaii at UC Davis
5 p.m. UC Irvine at Nevada
6 p.m. Cal State Fullerton at Idaho State
7 p.m. Eastern Illinois at Toledo
7 p.m. Appalachian State at High Point
7 p.m. Ball State at Wofford
7 p.m. Charleston Southern at UNC Wilmington
7 p.m. Creighton at Akron
7 p.m. Hartford at UMBC
7 p.m. Loyola at Towson
7 p.m. Maine at Siena
7 p.m. Milwaukee at Buffalo
7 p.m. Ohio at Winthrop
7 p.m. Radford at William & Mary
7:05 p.m. Bowling Green at Youngstown State
7:30 p.m. Davidson at Presbyterian
7:30 p.m. New Hampshire at Marist
8 p.m. Evansville at Murray State
8 p.m. Pacific at Oral Roberts
8:05 p.m. Detroit at Drake
8:30 p.m. Northern Colorado at New Mexico State
8:30 p.m. Sacramento State at Southeast Missouri State
8:30 p.m. Gardner-Webb at Tennessee Tech
9 p.m. Idaho at Montana State
10 p.m. Cal State Northridge at Eastern Washington
10 p.m. UC Riverside at Fresno State
10 p.m. Boise State at UC Santa Barbara
10 p.m. Northern Arizona at Cal Poly
10 p.m. Weber State at San Jose State

HOOPS TALK LIVE SATURDAY 11am-NOON

College Hoops Wednesday Recap: Boilermakers Outlast Wisconsin

Raphielle Johnson — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 03:15:54 -0500

The game between Purdue and Wisconsin was a big one as the two teams were tied for second place in the Big Ten with matching 9-3 league records. Add in Wisconsin's 66-59 win over the Boilermakers just 15 days prior and the rematch in West Lafayette was even more important for Matt Painter's team. And they rose to the occasion, turning the ball over just four times and limiting the Badgers to 3-for-19 from beyond the arc in winning 70-62.

JaJuan Johnson (20 points, 10 rebounds) and E'Twaun Moore (19 points) did what they normally do for Purdue, but the difference on Wednesday night was point guard Lewis Jackson.

Jackson, who scored just one point in the first meeting, scored 18 points to go along with five rebounds, four assists and no turnovers and was at the very least even with Wisconsin's Jordan Taylor.

"Offensively I thought he made good decisions the whole night," Coach Painter said of Jackson. "His ability to make good decisions and make that pull-up puts [opponents] in a bind." (quote courtesy of Purdue Athletics)

Taylor finished with 15 points while Jon Leuer led the Badgers with 23 points, but the struggles of fellow starters Keaton Nankivil (2-9 FG, five points) and Josh Gasser (1-7, three points) from the field conspired to keep the Badgers from winning their fifth straight game. Wisconsin was also a little to lax defensively, especially when it came to guarding Jackson. He was able to get into the lane on multiple occasions, either to knock down that short jumper of pass it off to an open teammate.

The junior's reached double figures in each of the three games following that loss in Madison, and if he can keep this current trend going the Boilermakers have an even better chance to do some special things. Next up is Ohio State at home in a perfect opportunity for Purdue to get back into the championship race in the Big Ten. Wisconsin closes out the regular season in Columbus, providing one more opportunity for the Badgers but they need more help as a result of Wednesday's defeat.

Other Notable Happenings

1. The November version of Kemba Walker was on display as UConn beat Georgetown.
Simply put Walker was sensational for the Huskies, accounting for 31 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds in a 78-70 win over Georgetown. After shooting above 50% from the field in just one conference game the junior from the Bronx has done so in consecutive game, displaying the vast array of skills that captivated the nation earlier in the season. But an even more important development may be the recent play of Jamal Coombs-McDaniel, who finished with 23 points. The sophomore's scored 48 points in the last two games following 16 straight games in single digits (10 games of scoring five points or less).

It's tough to predict what freshmen will provide, and that's been evident with Jeremy Lamb, Shabazz Napier and Roscoe Smith this season. So the two sophomores, Coombs-McDaniel and Alex Oriakhi, will need to step up down the stretch if the Huskies are to improve upon their seeding. Wednesday night was also the first game of a rough stretch to end the regular season for Jim Calhoun's team, with a trip to Louisville for a game on Friday night next up. If Walker can continue to play as he has of late and the supporting cast gets it done, UConn's got a chance to not only survive the schedule but thrive.

2. Not so fast on Georgia being a lock to make the NCAA Tournament.
Mark Fox's team is still in decent shape with regards to an at-large bid, with the easiest reason being that somehow the selection committee needs to pick 37 teams to complete the field. But how successful can the Bulldogs be? Well, if they execute offensively like they did the final seven minutes of Wednesday's loss to Vanderbilt at home then the other tournament run by the NCAA (that would be the NIT) could come into play. Vanderbilt closed the game on a 24-3 run over the final 9:47 to win 64-56 in Athens, but more worrisome for Georgia could be their decision-making on the offensive end of the floor.

Guards Gerald Robinson and Dustin Ware did combine to score 27 points, but with Travis Leslie and Trey Thompkins being capable scorers it's just as important (if not more so) for those two to make sound decisions and set guys up. Georgia turned the ball over just nine times on the night, but too many challenged looks can be as costly as turnovers in close games. Next up on the schedule are games at Tennessee and Florida, followed by two games they can ill-afford to drop (South Carolina and LSU) and a game at Alabama to end the season. There shouldn't be serious concern unless Georgia drops one of those two home games, but they aren't in as good a position as they were a couple weeks ago.

3. Fairfield and Vermont become the first two teams to clinch postseason bids.
College basketball has its first two guaranteed postseason participants as Fairfield (MAAC) and Vermont (America East) clinched their respective league titles. Yorel Hawkins led three Stags in double figures with 14 points as Fairfield beat Marist 61-54 to wrap up their first outright MAAC title since the 1985-86 season. Derek Needham was the headliner coming into the season and while he hasn't disappointed the true star for Ed Cooley's team is their defense. Marist turned the ball over 17 times on the night, and Fairfield leads the MAAC in most of the major statistical categories defensively.

Defense has also been a key for Vermont, who won at Maine 73-57 behind 19 points from Evan Fjeld and 17 from Brendan Bald. Bald's also been the best individual defender for Mike Lonergan, and the Catamounts have won ten straight since moving freshman Sandro Carissimo into the starting lineup to shore up the defense. At the very least these two will take part in the NIT, but with Fairfield hosting the MAAC Tournament and the highest-seeded team hosting the America East final both teams could hear their names called on Selection Sunday.

Top Three Games

1. (11) Purdue 70, (10) Wisconsin 62

2. (12) Connecticut 78, (9) Georgetown 70

3. Loyola (IL) 67, UIC 66 A Courtney Stanley three-pointer as time expired gave the Ramblers a one-point win over their city rivals at UIC Pavilion. Geoff McCammon led Loyola with 23 points while Paul Carter's 19 led the Flames.

Three Notable Performances

1. G Kemba Walker (Connecticut) 31 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds in the Huskies' 78-70 win over Georgetown.

2. F/C Kenneth Faried (Morehead State) 23 points and 15 rebounds in the Eagles' 76-68 overtime win at Eastern Kentucky.

3. F Nick Winbush (Miami-Ohio) 26 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks in the RedHawks' 86-80 overtime win over Kent State. Teammate Julian Mavunga also posted a double-double with 17 points and 17 rebounds.

HOOPS TALK LIVE THURSDAY 6-7PM EST

Despite Losing Four Starters Vermont Leads America East

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 18:07:00 -0500

Before the season began it was tough to find anyone who picked the Vermont Catamounts to repeat as America East champions. Having to replace four starters, most notably the conference's best player in Marqus Blakely, would make nearly any team a tough sell. But Mike Lonergan's Catamounts have found a way to not only survive but thrive, and a win over Maine tomorrow night would clinch the regular season title and at the very least a berth in the NIT. Seven of Vermont's 14 players may be in their first year in the program but that hasn't stopped the Catamounts from winning 21 games (21-5, 12-2) to date. In fact, some of the newcomers have been key contributors in their run.

"Our goal was 17 wins and to sneak into the top three in the league," remarked Coach Lonergan. "We thought we'd be better in February than in November, and we were not really afraid of the other teams [in the preseason]."

The key to Vermont's current nine-game win streak has been defense, as opponents have scored an average of 51.8 points per game and none have lost by fewer than eight points. The move of freshman Sandro Carissimo into the starting lineup at point guard has been the catalyst for the run according to Lonergan, allowing Joey Accaoui (11.9 ppg) to do some damage off the bench.

"We decided to give Sandro a shot at point guard, and he's been really good defensively," said Coach Lonergan, who has won 124 games in five-plus seasons in Burlington. "Joey's taken a more active role in scoring [this season]."

Also key in Vermont's defensive play has been sophomore guard Brendan Bald. After playing just 9.9 minutes per game in 2009-10, Bald is up to 27.7 minutes per contest and has raised his scoring nearly nine points from a season ago and Coach Lonergan cited him as their best defender. As a team Vermont leads America East in both effective and field goal percentage defense while ranking second in three-point percentage defense.

"We're solid defensively," said Lonergan. "Bald is a great defender and [Evan] Fjeld is very good, but we try to play position defense."

Vermont won't be the kind of team that pressures opponents into making mistakes but they do a good job of challenging shots and forcing opponents to make tough looks.

The play of forwards Fjeld and freshman Brian Voelkel has also set the Catamounts apart from the competition. Fjeld is the one returning starter so it was expected that he rise to the occasion, and he has, averaging 15.1 points and 6.3 rebounds per game.

"He's more of a focal point offensively [this year]," said Lonergan of Fjeld's improvement. "He was great in the non-conference portion of our schedule, and he's gotten better at passing out of double teams [in conference play]."

That last statement is key because while Fjeld isn't the passer that Blakely was, his improvement in that area stands to make those around him that much better.

As for Voelkel, who played his scholastic basketball at Iona Prep in New Rochelle, NY, he's been the best freshman in America East. Voelkel leads Vermont in rebounds (9.9), assists (4.7) and steals (1.7) per game, and while averaging a shade less than seven points per game he goes into tomorrow's game at Maine having scored 31 in the last two outings.

"I don't think so," said Lonergan when asked if there's been a better rookie in the conference than Voelkel. "He should be a candidate for Player of the Year as well as 1st or 2nd team all-conference."

There's also the case of Fjeld's mustache, a facial accessory that gained enough publicity to almost take on a life of its own. Fjeld grew the mustache to promote prostate cancer awareness for Movember, and having lost his mother just days before the Catamounts' win in last year's America East championship game the sentiment behind the mustache makes it even better. He was supposed to shave it at the end of November due to team rules on facial hair but the mustache remains. Why? Superstition, of course.

The coaches in the preseason picked Vermont to finish fifth in America East, behind the likes of Boston University and Maine. So maybe it's fitting that the Catamounts' final regular season conference games are matchups with these two teams, providing one more opportunity to show off their growth to the league's best. And with the higher seed hosting the championship game of the conference tournament, college basketball fans may once again get to observe what happens when Burlington is overtaken by March Madness.

Jon Teitel's Coach Interview Series: Vermont Great Tom Brennan

Jon Teitel — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 12:29:52 -0400

In his latest coaches interview, CHN writer Jon Teitel spent some time with former Vermont head coach Tom Brennan, one of the more personable figures in college basketball. Brennan led the Catamounts to three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances (2003-05), including the first Tournament win in school history when Vermont knocked off Syracuse in 2005.

Jon Teitel: You graduated as the all-time leading scorer at Phillipsburg Catholic High School. How far did you think you could make it as a player?

Tom Brennan: After graduation I went to Georgia with the idea of being a coach. I thought playing in the SEC at the Division I level was quite an honor; I never had any false aspirations of playing in the NBA.

JT: During your college career at Georgia you played against the great Pete Maravich. Was he the best opponent you ever played against, and what made him so great?

TB: Without a doubt; he was so athletic. His dad Press was one of the greatest coaches ever; he created the amoeba defense that Jerry Tarkanian later used to win a title in 1990. He completely sold out for Pete, and let him do whatever he wanted.

JT: In 1971 you graduated from Georgia after receiving the team leadership award. What made you such a great leader on the court, and how did those skills transition into being a great leader on the sideline?

TB: Not bitching about playing time (as a senior who did not play a lot) helped. I learned about what expectations to have for guys like myself who sat on the bench. I never felt like I was a great coach, but I always thought that I was a good leader. I got my guys ready to play, taught them how to believe in themselves, etc.

JT: After completing your college career you started as a graduate assistant at Georgia. What was it like to coach some guys who had previously been your teammates?

TB: Back then they still had a separate freshman team, so I got to coach a bunch of new guys who I never played with before.

JT: You later served as head basketball and baseball coach at Division III Fairleigh Dickinson. What was the biggest difference between Division I and Division III, and how did you do as a baseball coach?

TB: Bill Raftery got me that job and I had to take the baseball job as well. It was an entirely different world: driving in vans, no scholarships, etc. On Senior Day, I introduced each of my 4 seniors as hailing from wherever they wanted to be from!

JT: After that you became an assistant under such great coaches as Rollie Massimino, Bill Raftery, and Bruce Parkhill. Which of them taught you the most about how to be a great coach, and could you tell at the time that Massimino was capable of winning a title?

TB: I remember when Rollie hired me that we were sitting around when he said, "We are going to win a national championship here", and damn if he did not do it. It was one of the greatest "I told you so" moments I have ever seen. Raftery is one of the greatest guys you would ever want to meet; he takes care of everyone and treats everyone the same. He told me one day about the importance of coaching. "It's all BS, Tommy: if they make the shot, you are a hero; if they miss it, you get fired."

JT: In 1982 you were named head coach at Yale where you ended up coaching future Republican nominee for governor of Oregon Chris Dudley. What was the biggest difference between the Ivy League and other conferences, and how did Dudley rank among the smartest players you ever coached?

TB: Chris was one of the smartest and toughest players I ever coached, and was a terrific rebounder. His grandfather was a diplomat. The only problem is that he could not shoot free throws.

JT: Your claim to fame as a recruiter is that you never lost a Vermont native via scholarship to another Division I school during your Vermont career. How were you able to be such an effective in-state recruiter and how crucial was that to your success?

TB: It was crucial because Taylor Coppenrath came out of Vermont, but it is a bit of an overstatement because Vermont was not a hotbed of basketball talent. It is a small state, and it is a hockey state. It was all about relationships; I always wanted to play five local guys if I could.

JT: After a one-points win over BU in Boston for the 2003 America East tourney title, you brought the Denis Lambert Trophy (named in honor of the former Vermont athletic director) to Lambert's home in Stowe, VT. Why did you do that, and what was his reaction?

TB: It was one of my greatest thrills ever. I lost both of my parents in automobile accidents before we got "pretty", so they never got to see our success. Denis was a mentor to me, and a salt-of-the-earth guy. Even when we were 3-24, he hung with me and told me "you're my guy".

JT: What is your biggest memory of the 2003 NCAA Tournament, the first-ever NCAA trip in school history (the loss to Arizona, getting stranded overnight in Denver en route to Salt Lake City, etc.)?

TB: My brother in Seattle said that if we got to the conference title game, he would buy me an Armani suit, so when we did, he did. We got to Utah around 1:30AM and were pretty tapped out. At the press conference they asked us about missing all the hoopla, and one of my players said that the only one who cared about the hoopla was the guy in the Armani suit! The plane they brought us back home in was one used by Mick Jagger and the Yankees. Arizona kicked our ass, and the altitude got to us.

JT: What is your biggest memory of the 2004 NCAA Tournament (the loss to eventual national champion Connecticut, Coppenrath shooting 3-for-17, etc.)?

TB: We were up 7-0 with the ball and then we missed a lay-up. I said after the game that if we went up 9-0, they would never have caught us, but Coach Jim Calhoun did not think that was funny. I was proud that we hung with the team that ended up winning it all.

2005 NCAA Tournament

JT: You upset Syracuse in a three-point overtime win for your school's first-ever tournament win. How were you able to pull off the upset, and how did that game change your life?

TB: As Neil Everett said on ESPN, "Sorrentine made a shot, and Brennan got a job." Sorrentine said that he took the shot because I believed in him and he believed in me. There were three big reasons we won: Gerry McNamara was 3-of-18 from the field, Hakim Warrick had 10 turnovers, and Carmelo Anthony was already with the Nuggets. We knew we could win if they just let us hang around, and we did.

JT: You lost to Michigan State after shooting a season-low 31.4 FG%. Did your team just run out of gas or was the defense just overwhelming?

TB: One of the biggest mistakes I ever made was talking all year about just winning a game in the tourney, so once we accomplished our goal, that was it. It meant so much to the school and to the state, but we just did not have anything left. Michigan State was so long and athletic; they just wore us down.

JT: After the biggest win in school history you decided to retire. Why did you make that decision, and what was it like to go out on top?

TB: Actually I told them the previous November that I was leaving, so I got to play the whole year with house money and without any pressure. You do not get the time any more to go from 3-24 to 25-9 over two decades. There was nothing more I could do there, and I did not want to go elsewhere for a big-time job; I just wanted to go out in style.

JT: You coached a lot of great players (TJ Sorrentine, Taylor Coppenrath, Eddie Benton, etc.). Who was the best you ever coached, and who was your favorite?

TB: I it is hard to pick out one favorite, but Coppenrath probably gets the nod for willing us to three conference titles.

JT: After retiring from coaching in 2005 you went into the TV and radio business as a commentator. How did you enjoy those gigs, and what do you hope to do in the future?

TB: Right now I am up in the air. If the right situation comes along, I might coach again: I have been out of coaching for five years, and I feel re-charged. I liked ESPN, but I was just a talking head. I am enjoying retirement, but will try to get out a little more.

JT: Your nineteen year career is the longest of any coach in the history of the America East. What is the secret for staying with one program for such a long time?

TB: I think it is about relationships and building up some emotional equity. You have to convince people to root for you to be successful. In the early years when we were not good, I just kept working hard, and Ben and Jerry eventually named an ice cream flavor after me!

JT: Who is the best coach you ever went up against, and which young coach do you think has the best career ahead of him?

TB: I am a big Jay Wright fan, but he is not that "young" of a coach. I coached against all the great guys like Bill Self, Rick Pitino, etc. Later in my career I would schedule games against great schools where I wish I could have coached. Brad Stevens jumps out as the best young coach I can think of.

JT: Your son Brian was a standout guard at Indiana (Pa.) University, which reached the Division II Elite Eight in 2000. How proud are you of him, and what has he done since graduating?

TB: I am very proud of him. He is now an assistant coach down in Maryland.

JT: Your sister Noreen Pecsok also went into college basketball coaching. Who is the better coach?

TB: She is clearly a better coach; she is a hero of mine because she never gets upset. She is fifteen years younger than me, and believe it or not, we have never had a single conversation about basketball.

JT: When people look back on your career, how do you want to be remembered the most?

TB: Just as a guy who loved his school and loved his state, who was proud to be a part of something special.

Brennan is also on Jon's list of best coaches in America East history

Albany: Richard "Doc" Sauers (1955-1997) 702-330, 11 NCAA Tournament appearances, two conference titles, one-time national Coach of the Year

Binghamton: NO COACH HAS BEEN THERE FOR 5 YEARS

Boston University: Dennis Wolff (1994-2009) 247-197, two NCAA Tournament appearances, five conference titles, three-time conference Coach of the Year

Hartford: Paul Brazeau (1992-2000) 100-122

Maine: John Giannini (1996-2004) 125-111

UMBC: Randy Monroe (2004-present) 72-82, one NCAA Tournament appearance, one conference title, one-time conference Coach of the Year

New Hampshire: Gerry Friel (1969-1989) 188-335, one conference title, one-time conference Coach of the Year

Stony Brook: Steve Pikiell (2005-present) 58-91, one conference title, one-time conference Coach of the Year

Vermont: Tom Brennan (1986-2005) 264-276, three NCAA Tournament appearances, two conference titles, three-time conference Coach of the Year

Forgotten Legends: College Basketball Q&A Series

Jon Teitel — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 11:59:26 -0400

College basketball is a game of history, exemplified by the stars of yesterday who set the bar for today's student athletes. Jon Teitel looks back at some of the forgotten (and not so forgotten) college basketball legends who made our game what it is today. Some of these names might bring back great memories, while others will mean nothing to you, but each of the player's below made an important mark on college basketball history.

Enjoy Jon Teitel's interviews with the following college basketball legends:

Taylor Coppenrath

Vermont - Led UVA to 3 NCAA Tournaments (including win over Syracuse). Averaged 25.1 ppg in 2005.

Ron Cox

Eastern Washington - EWU's All-time leading scorer & rebounder. First-team All-American '77. Third-team All-American '76

Fennis Dembo

Wyoming - Averaged NCAA-Tournament best 27.8 ppg in 1987. Featured on Sports Illustrated cover.

Les Hunter

Loyola-Chicago - Member of 1963 NCAA Champions. 2-time ABA All-Star.

Keith Jennings

ETSU - 2 time Conference Player of the Year. Conference leader in assists & steals. 4-year NBA career.

Cliff Meely

Colorado - 2 time Big 8 Player of the Year. Top 10 NBA pick in 1971. Top 5 in Colorado's point, rebounds, blocks list.

Ricky Pierce

Rice - Owls all-time leading scorer. 1st Round pick in 1981. 15-year NBA career. Won Sixth Man of the Year twice.

Dan Roundfield

Central Michigan - 3-time NBA All-Star. 5-time NBA All-Defensive team. 1975 MAC Player of the Year.

Billy Shepherd

Butler - Bulldogs all-time leading scorer. Averaged 24.1 ppg for career. Played in ABA.

Charles Smith

Pittsburgh - Big East Player of the Year. 2-time All-American. Lengthy NBA career.

Mychal Thompson

Minnesota - #1 Pick in 1978 NBA Draft. Won back to back NBA titles. Gophers all-time leading scorer.

Willie Wise

Drake - Led Bulldogs to lone Final Four trip. Averaged almost ppg in ABA career. Nicknamed "Wonderous"

Also:

Marc "Showbiz" Brown - Siena

Lanard Copeland - Georgia State

Ben Hinson - Charleston Southern

Richard "Doc" Sauers - Albany

Talvin Skinner - UMES

Frank Viera - Quinnipiac

Isaac Fontaine - Washington State

Darren Queenan - Lehigh

Troy Bell - Boston College

Joe Behling - Belmont

Dave Hoppen - Nebraska

Kelly Golob - Northern Arizona

Doug Day - Radford

Steve Barker - Samford

Evan Eschmeyer - Northwestern

Carrick DeHart - UC Santa Barbara

Michael Watson - UMKC

Mike Pegues - Delaware

Jamar Wilson - Albany

Lester Lyons - East Carolina

Charles "Bubba" Wells - Austin Peay

Jaycee Carroll - Utah State

Ernie Calverley - Rhode Island

Wayne Molis - Chicago State/Lewis University

Joe Carrabino - Harvard

Dickie Hemric - Wake Forest

Rick Raivio - Portland

Dwight "Bo" Lamar - UL Lafayette

Ron Cornelius - Pacific

Andy O'Donnell - Loyola (MD)

Wille Jackson - Centenary

Jerry Sloan - Evansville

Donell Taylor - UAB

Butch Lee - Marquette

Syracuse vs Vermont: Preview & Prediction

Raphielle Johnson — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 15:40:01 -0400

Start: Mar 19 2010 - 9:40pm

Team Previews: #1 Syracuse-- #16 Vermont

Vegas Odds: Syracuse -18 Bet at bodog

Why Vermont will win: Marqus Blakely goes off and Maurice Joseph masters little brother Kris. And a little of that Brennan/Coppenrath/Sorrentine magic from 2005 rubs off on Mike Lonergan’s team.

Catamount to Watch:

Marqus Blakely, F - 17 ppg, 9 rpg, 4 apg

Blakely is one of the most skilled players in America, given his athleticism, offensive capabilities and he’s also a very good defender (three-time America East Defensive Player of the Year). If Vermont can get him going against the Syracuse zone things could get interesting.

Why Syracuse will win: The loss of Arinze Onuaku doesn’t affect them as much as people anticipate; new starter Kris Joseph actually played in upwards of thirty minutes per game this season. And the last time Jim Boeheim was adamant that his team would be OK: he was talking about Wes Johnson in the offseason. Think that turned out well.

Orange to Watch: Rick Jackson, G - 10 ppg, 7 rpg, 2 apg

With Onuaku out more of the load falls upon the shoulders of the underrated post player from Philadelphia. He’s go the muscle to give the Catamounts trouble but his most important jobs will come on defense and on the glass.

How it will go down: Vermont will hang around, likely until halftime. But in front of a largely pro-Syracuse crowd Joseph, Johnson and Andy Rautins will be the difference-makers for Coach Boeheim.

Betting Pick: Syracuse -18

Real Pick: Syracuse

Q&As w/ Vermont's Marqus Blakely & Maurice Joseph

Jon Teitel — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 23:15:09 -0400

As part of his 2010 NCAA Tournament Q&A series, Jon Teitel is joined by Marqus Blakely & Maurice Joseph, the Vermont Catamounts two leading scorers. They talk about their chances against #1 seed Syracuse amongst other things:

Marqus Blakely, SF - 17 ppg, 9 rpg, 4 apg

JT: You are a 2-time America East Player of the Year & also Defensive POY. How are you able to play so well at both ends of the court?

MB: I try to focus on the little things. I try to help my team out defensively by taking charges and blocking shots. On the offensive end, I just try to recognize the double-team and what defense the other teams are playing, and then I try to find open teammates.

JT: Despite being only 6’5”, yo're one of the best rebounders in the AE, what's your secret?

MB: They key is to beat your opponent by being the 1st one off the floor. It is also important to jump and position yourself in the right place at the right time.

JT: You had a big game in the conference championship, 24 pts and had 18 rebounds. What was the feeling like in your locker room afterwards?

MB: With everything that happened last week with Evan Fjeld’s family [His mother passed away due to cancer], it felt like the least I could do was go out there and play as hard as I could, and it just so happened that I had the stats that I had. Everyone was going crazy in the locker room: it was kind of like a dream come true. I do not know when it had set in for everyone else, but it did not set in for me until a couple of days later.

JT: You are the only player in the country to lead your team in points, rebounds, assists, blocks, and steals. Do you consider yourself to be 1 of the best all-around players in the country?

MB: There are a lot of things that I need to work on, like ball-handling and making my jump shot. I do not know if I would label myself as 1 of the best all-around players: I just try to play hard and leave it up to everyone else to decide.

JT: What part of your game are you proudest of?

MB: I am proudest of my passing ability because it makes it that much harder to defend me, and it helps get my teammates open looks.

JT: How do you like your chances against Syracuse, the last team Vermont beat in the tourney back in '05?

MB: They are a tough team, but anything can happen on any given night: that was shown by Taylor Coppenrath and TJ Sorrentine the last time Vermont played Syracuse and they pulled off the upset. My goal is for us to play as hard as we can, keep the game close, and hopefully come out of it with a win.

Maurice Joseph, SG - 14 ppg, 3 rpg

JT: What is the basketball culture like up north in Montreal where you were born? When did you first realize that basketball was going to be your path to a college scholarship?

MJ: The culture is different: the number of people who actually play basketball is much smaller, so the level of talent and athleticism is not as great. It has gotten better over the years, but the level of popularity of the game across various levels is not as high as in the US. I knew that I wanted to be a scholarship player by the time I was 14.

JT: You transferred to Vermont from Michigan St. What is the biggest difference between the basketball programs at the 2 schools?

MJ: I always thought the biggest difference was the size and athleticism, but there are some very talented players in this league.

JT: And why did you decide to transfer?

MJ: I transferred because I wanted to be closer to home, and be a major part of a team making a run in the tourney and winning a championship.

JT: In the 2006 tourney your Michigan St team was George Mason’s 1st victim during their magical run to the Final 4. What are your memories of that game, and could you tell that GMU was not just a 1-game fluke?

MJ: GMU was an example of what a team can do if they come out and play with energy and passion. They came in with an attitude that they were going to be loose and play hard. They had a lot of talent but not nearly as much as we did: it just goes to show that anything can happen on any given night in the tourney.

JT: Your brother Kris plays for your 1st round opponent Syracuse, and you just happened to raise the possibility of playing against him on Twitter before the brackets were announced: what the heck is your family going to do, and are you and your brother even talking to each other this week?

MJ: My brother and I speak every day, as we are very close. My family understands that one of us has to lose, but they are excited to watch us play against each other, and it will be a great experience.

JT: Evan Fjeld lost his mother to cancer earlier this month. How is he holding up, and what impact has that had on your team?

MJ: Evan dealt with her passing with a lot of toughness. I respect and admire him for the way he tried to keep his spirits up for the sake of the team. He is a special guy, and I am happy that we were able to win a championship for him.

Other 2010 NCAA Tournament Interviews:

Montana G Anthony Johnson

Notre Dame F Tim Abromaitis

Siena G Ronald Moore

Lehigh Coach Brett Reed

UCSB Coach Bob Williams

.. All Interviews