Western Kentucky

College Basketball Coaching Changes: 2012

Shawn Siegel — Wed, 16 May 2012 15:43:20 -0700

As usual, the 2012 college basketball off-season features a never-ending parade of coaching changes. Some moves make sense, others are questionable, while others are simply head-scratchers. Thanks to collegesportsinfo.com, where a lot of this info was gleaned from. Also, apologies if all the colors give you a headache!

College Basketball Coaching Changes 2012: Power Conferences

Illinois

In - Jim Groce (ohio hc)

Out - Bruce Weber (fired >> kansas st))

Kansas St

In - Bruce Weber (illinois hc)

Out - Frank Martin (resigned >> so carolina)

LSU

In - Johnny Jones (north texas hc)

Out - Trent Johnson (resigned)

Mississippi St

In - Rick Ray (clemson asst)

Out - Rick Stansbury (retired)

Nebraska

In - Tim Miles (colorado st hc)

Out - Doc Sadler (fired)

South Carolina

In - Frank Martin (kansas st hc)

Out - Darrin Horn (fired)

Virginia Teach

Out - Seth Greenberg (fired)

College Basketball Coaching Changes 2012: High-Majors

Air Force

In - Dave Philopovich (asst)

Out - Jeff Reynolds (fired)

Colorado St

In - Larry Eustachy (so miss hc)

Out - Tim Miles (resigned >> nebraska)

Duquesne

In - Jim Ferry (liu hc)

Out - Ron Everhart (fired)

Rhode Island

In - Danny Hurley (wagner hc)

Out - Jim Baron (fired >> canisius)

Southern Illinois

In - Barry Hinson (kansas asst)

Out - Chris Lowery (fired)

SMU

In - Larry Brown

Out - Matt Doherty (fired)

Southern Miss

Out - Larry Eustachy (resigned)

TCU

In - Trent Johnson (lsu hc)

Out - Jim Christian (resigned)

Tulsa

In - Danny Manning (kansas asst)

Out - Doug Wojcik (fired >> charleston)

UAB

In - Jerrod Hasse (unc asst)

Out - Mike Davis (fired)

College Basketball Coaching Changes 2012: Mid-Majors

Central Michigan

In - Keno Davis

Out - Ernie Ziegler (fired)

Charleston

In - Doug Wojcik (tulsa hc)

Out - Bobby Cremins (retired)

FIU

In - Richard Pitino (louisville asst)

Out - Isiah Thomas (fired)

Miami (OH)

In - John Cooper (tennessee st hc)

Out - Charlie Coles (retired)

North Texas

In - Tony Benford (marquette asst)

Out - Johnny Jones (resigned >> lsu)

Ohio

In - Jim Christian (tcu hc)

Out - John Groce (resigned >> illinois)

Western Kentucky

In - Ray Harper (asst)

Out - Ken McDonald (fired)

College Basketball Coaching Changes 2012: Low-Majors

Brown

Out - Jessie Angel (fired)

Canisius

In - Jim Baron (rhode island hc)

Out - Tom Parrotta (fired)

Eastern Illinois

In - Jay Spoonhour

Out - Mike Miller (fired)

Grambling

Out - Bobby Washington (fired)

Idaho St

In - Bill Evans (montana asst)

Out - Joe O'Brien (resigned)

LIU

In - Jack Perri (asst)

Out - Jim Perry (reisgned)

Mt St. Mary's

In - Jamion Christian (vcu asst)

Out - Robert Burke (reisgned)

NC A&T

In - Cy Alexander

Out - Jerry Evans (fired(

Northern Arizona

In - Jack Murphy (memphis asst)

Out - Mike Adras (resigned)

Samford

In - Bennie Seltzer

Out - Jimmy Tillette (fired)

Southern Utah

In - Nick Robinson (lsu asst)

Out - Roger Reid (retired)

SFPA

In - Rob Krimmel

Out - Don Friday (fired)

Tennessee St

In - Travis Williams (asst)

Out - John Cooper (resigned >> Miami OH)

UNCG

In - Wes Miller (asst)

Out - Mike Dement (fired)

Wagner

In - Bashir Mason (asst)

Out - Danny Hurley (resigned >> rhode island)

Winthrop

In - Pat Kelsey

Out - Randy Peele (fired)

Please email shawn@collegehoops.net if we're missing any transactions

Wild Comebacks Kick Off the NCAA Tournament

Raphielle Johnson — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 01:56:49 -0700

For all the talk about how unwatchable the First Four games in Dayton would be, how it's not "part of the tournament', Tuesday turned out to be an exciting and historical day. Both games featured thrilling comebacks, with Western Kentucky and BYU now headed to Louisville for games against Kentucky and Marquette respectively. In attendance for some of the action were President Barack Obama and David Cameron, who as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom was the president's guest in Dayton.

They didn't leave Blackburn Arena disappointed either, as the first game was capped by the largest comeback in the firal five minutes of a game in NCAA tournament history. Mississippi Valley State led the Hilltoppers 53-37 with 5:06 remaining following a Cor-J Cox layup, and at that point it seemed as if the Delta Devils would advance to face the alma mater of head coach Sean Woods. But as they've done under head coach Ray Harper, who took over for the fired Ken McDonald in January, the young Hilltoppers refused to quit.

What ensued was one of the most frenzied five-minute stretches college basketball fans have ever seen, with WKU's pressure forcing five turnovers and holding MVSU to just two field goals over the final 5:06. Both of those field goals came in the final 12 seconds as WKU won 59-58 in front of a stunned crowd.

Derrick Gordon and T.J. Price led WKU offensively with 11 points apiece and the other three starters scored nine points each. But it was their defense that got WKU not only back into the game but on to the next round.

"We were too much one?on?one," said Harper of his team's play before the comeback. "We weren't making extra passes. Panicked against some of their pressure. But the one thing we never did was quit. And we just kept playing. And I'm just happy that we're going to move on, play another basketball game."

Kevin Burwell led the Delta Devils with 20 points and Cox combined with William Pugh to score 21 off the bench. As a team MVSU, who makes eight 3-pointers per game (attempting 23), shot 4-of-22 from beyond the arc to go along with 17 turnovers.

But that turnover count was nowhere near WKU's, who found a way to win despite turning the ball over a staggering 27 times. Yes, 27. However just three of those turnovers came in the final 5:06, and that allowed them to come back.

The second game produced the team more likely to win its next contest, and for a little more than 15 minutes it looked as if Iona was going to be able to call the final score. But Dave Rice made a couple of strategic moves that, in addition to the Cougars playing better on both ends of the floor, won the game for BYU.

The first move was to go to an active 2-3 zone, and with Iona lacking both the height and the player necessary to take advantage of the high post area they struggled.

The Gaels would go scoreless the final four and a half minutes of the first half, taking a 55-40 lead into the half that was nowhere near as safe as it appeared. The other move of Rose's that paid off was to go with Craig Cusick and Damarcus Harrison for much of the second half in the backcourt.

Matt Carlino seemed convinced that he had to match Scott Machado play for play in the first half and the end result was a 25-point deficit. With Cusick and Harrison in the game both Brandon Davies and Noah Hartsock got better looks (combining for 41 points and 20 rebounds; 15 by Davies) and Harrison finished with 12 points.

"I told you all along he's a really good player and I think his confidence really grew tonight," said Rose of Harrison, who according to the coach had a good week of preparation as well. "But he stepped up in a really big?time atmosphere and had a great game, and a lot of that has to do with preparation."

Iona managed to score just 17 points in the second half, with the looks from three that came so easy in the first half non-existent (1-of-18 in the second half). The 25-point comeback is the largest in NCAA tournament history, and the key now will be for the Cougars to get as much rest as they can in advance of Thursday afternoon's game against Marquette.

With the Golden Eagles lacking size in the paint both Davies and Hartsock can make some things happen. But even with the play of guys such as Cusick, Harrison and Brock Zylstra, BYU needs a better Matt Carlino in order to advance. And after tonight, they're well aware of the fact that anything can happen.

Player of the Night: BYU forward Brandon Davies (18 points, 15 rebounds)

Shocking Stat: Western Kentucky turned the ball over 27 times and still won.

Coaching Move of the Night: Dave Rose switching to a zone defense to slow down Iona's offensive attack.

Kentucky vs WKU: Prediction

Greg Mengelt — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 22:36:04 -0700

(1) Kentucky vs. (16) Western Kentucky: South Region

Records

Kentucky 32-2, 16-0 SEC (Regular-season Conference Champions; At large)

Western Kentucky 16-18, 7-9 Sun Belt (Conference Tournament Champions)

Time: 6:50 p.m. Thursday

TV: TBS

Location: KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Ky.

Winner will face: (8) Iowa State or (9) Connecticut, Saturday

Rankings

Kentucky No. 1 AP; No. 1 ESPN/USA Today

RPI Ratings

Kentucky 2

Western Kentucky 192

Players to Watch

Kentucky: C Anthony Davis, 6-11 Fr. (14.3 ppg, 10 rpg, 4.6 bpg); F Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, 6-7 Fr. (11.8 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 1.1 spg); F Terrence Jones, 6-9 So. (12.5 ppg, 7 rpg, 1.3 spg). Davis is known for his rebounding and defense, but his offense has continued to improve throughout the season. In his last four games – all double-doubles – Davis has scored 71 points on 23-of-43 from the floor.

Western Kentucky: G Derrick Gordon, 6-2 Fr. (11.8 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 2.1 apg); F George Fant, 6-5 Fr. (10.3 ppg, 6 rpg, 47.9% FG); G Jamal Crook, 6-3 Jr. (8.6 ppg, 2.7 apg, 1.1 spg). Gordon came up big in the Hilltoppers’ crazy comeback win on Tuesday. He made big plays down the stretch, scored 11 points, had 12 rebounds (five offensive), three assists and two steals as WKU came back from 16 down with less than five minutes to play.

Why Each Team is Dangerous

Kentucky: What doesn’t? The Wildcats do a lot well, but do two things well in particular. The run the floor with efficiency and they protect the rim. UK is 23^rd in the country in scoring and everyone on their team can run and score. They shoot 48.3 percent from the field, 37.1 from the 3-point line and they got to the foul line as often as all but 22 teams in the country. Davis leads the nation in blocked shots and Jones and Kidd-Gilchrist are also outstanding at protecting the paint. The Cats lead the nation with 8.8 blocks per contest.

Western Kentucky: The Toppers obviously don’t quit. They could have thrown in the towel while down double-digits in the final minutes against Mississippi Valley State and they could have done the same when they entered the Sun Belt Tournament at 10-18. WKU has won seven straight and is obviously feeling confident. The Hilltoppers are young but quite talented. They’ll be a team to watch in the future.

Why Each Team is Vulnerable

Kentucky: The Wildcats are only above average in their half-court offense and they don’t have a lot of perimeter scoring options. It won’t be an issue in this game, but it could be down the stretch.

Western Kentucky: They’re playing the most talented team in the country.

The Bottom Line: There isn’t a bigger mismatch in the entire first round of the tournament.

The Pick: Kentucky 78, Western Kentucky 46

Greg Against the Spread This Season: 198-150-6

Western Kentucky vs MVSU: First Four Prediction

Greg Mengelt — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 23:35:12 -0700

(16) Western Kentucky vs. (16) Mississippi Valley State: South Region

Records

Western Kentucky 15-18, 7-9 Sun Belt (Conference Tourney Champs)

Mississippi Valley State 21-12, 17-1 SWAC (Regular-season and Conference Tourney Champs)

Time: 6:30 p.m.

TV: TruTV

Location: University of Dayton Arena in Dayton, Ohio

RPI Ratings

Western Kentucky 192

MVSU 147

Line: Western Kentucky -4

Players to Watch

Western Kentucky: G Derrick Gordon, 6-2 Fr. (11.8 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 2.1 apg); F George Fant, 6-5 Fr. (10.3 ppg, 6 rpg, 47.9% FG); C Teeng Akol, 6-11 Jr. (6.3 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 47.1% FG). Akol was brilliant in the ‘Toppers’ 74-70 Sun Belt championship win over North Texas. He made 9-of-11 field goals for a game-high 23 points. He also had five rebounds and four blocks.

Mississippi Valley State C Paul Crosby, 6-8 Sr. (13.6 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 1.5 spg); G Kevin Burwell, 5-10 Sr. (9.3 ppg, 4.5 apg, 3.4 rpg); G Cor-J Cox, 6-5 Sr. (11.4 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 50.8% FG). Crosby was named the SWAC Player of the Year. He’s the fifth Delta Devil to earn the award. Crosby was held to six points on 2-of-4 shooting in MVSU’s 71-69 SWAC championship game victory over Texas Southern.

Why Each Team is Dangerous

Western Kentucky: WKU is young but it had the most talent in the Sun Belt. The Hilltoppers struggled with offensive continuity while going through a coaching change early, but they were explosive late in the season, including at least 67 points in their last six games. Western’s players have a knack for getting to the foul line, where they shoot 69.3 percent, and they’re strong on the offensive boards, averaging 12.5 per game.

MVSU: The Devils are experienced. Five of the first six in their rotation are seniors. They’ve won 20 of their last 21, so they’re a confident group. Valley gets up-and-down the floor and get a lot of shots up. Like WKU, the Devils crash the offensive boards, averaging 13.2 per game. They also average 8.8 steals per game. Against the turnover-prone Hilltoppers, that could be a big factor. MVSU played a tough non-conference schedule, including games against Notre Dame, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee State, Arkansas, Northwestern, Florida, Wisconsin and Iowa State.

Why Each Team is Vulnerable

Western Kentucky: Everyone assumed this year would be rebuilding year for the Hilltoppers with three freshmen in the starting lineup and five in the rotation. As could be expected with a team that features freshmen in the backcourt, the Hilltoppers turn the ball over a lot. They average 15 per game and on 21 percent of their offensive possessions. Again, a lot of that was early.

MSVU: The Devils play in the worst conference in the country. They were 1-11 entering conference play. The Devils shoot just 40 percent from the floor and they take a lot of forced shots. The Delta Devils shoot just 65 percent from the foul line, which could be a big factor in what should be a close game. Opponents shot 38.8 percent from the 3-point line against MVSU and they surrendered a hefty 69.3 points per game. While they have been good on the offensive glass, the Devils also give up a ton of offensive boards to their opponents.

The Bottom Line: Mississippi Valley is probably the best SWAC team in a few years, but Western Kentucky is a different team than early in the season. Should be a close game. The line is just about right.

The Pick: Western Kentucky 80, Mississippi Valley State 74 (Winner would face #1 Kentucky)

Hilltoppers Cap Improbable Run With a Sun Belt Title

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 22:07:40 -0800

Sometimes in conference tournaments, especially for one-bid conferences, the winner is the team that's playing the best basketball at that time as opposed to the team that showed itself to be the best throughout the season. But how often does the winning team not only play their best basketball at the right time but also successfully navigates an in-season coaching change? That's exactly what happened for Western Kentucky, who will make their first NCAA tournament appearance since 2009 as a result of their 74-70 win over North Texas.

Ray Harper took over for the fired Ken McDonald on January 6th in a move many criticized nationally. But he was able to develop the young Hilltoppers enough to not only earn the job full-time but also lead the team to the Big Dance, something few people expected to happen. Tuesday's star was forward/center Teeng Akol, who more than held his own inside against the Mean Green's Tony Mitchell. Akol finished with 23 points on 9-for-11 shooting, also grabbing five rebounds and blocking four shots, and George Fant added 17 points and six boards.

"I'm just happy for these young men," said Harper. "Give them credit, they bought in to what we were telling them. And I knew when we left Bowling Green, Kentucky...that we had a chance."

Drawing a player like Mitchell isn't easy for any big man, but Akol showed himself to be more than capable of taking on the challenge. Mitchell finished with 18 points and five rebounds, but despite four starters reaching double figures the Mean Green fell short. But the decisive blow was struck by WKU's lone senior, as guard Kahlil McDonald knocked down a three-pointer with 1:12 remaiing to give the Hilltoppers a lead they wouldn't relinquish. Freshman guard Derrick Gordon was quiet offensively as he scored just eight points, but the New Jersey native has been a key component all season long.

Under Harper maybe next season would have been the year in which people expected WKU to get things headed in the right direction, but thanks to a staff and a group of players who continued to work that time is now. WKU could end up with a trip to Dayton, but at this point you'll be hard-pressed to find a Hilltopper upset with that possible development. Only two months ago many left this team for dead, never thinking that an NCAA tournament appearance was possible.

Three Notable Performances

1. G/F Javorn Farrell (Massachusetts)
20 points, nine assists and seven rebounds in the Minutemen's 92-83 win over Duquesne in the first round of the Atlantic 10 tournament.

2. F/C Teeng Akol (Western Kentucky)
23 points (9-11 FG), five rebounds and four blocked shots in the Hilltoppers' 74-70 win over Nroth Texas to win the Sun Belt tournament.

3. F Ian Hummer (Princeton)
18 points, ten rebounds, four assists, four blocked shots and three steals in the Tigers' 62-52 win over Penn.

Tuesday Conferene Tournament Predictions:

Greg Mengelt — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 08:11:41 -0800

Our g ame prediction guru Greg Mengelt has been on fire this year. He'll be picking every conference tournament game over the next week, including tonight's four key championship games. Games listed in order with later rounds on top and earlier rounds at the bottom. Read more about Championship Week at CollegeHoops.net.

HORIZON LEAGUE FINALS: AT VALPARAISO

(1) Valparaiso (22-10, 14-4) vs. (3) Detroit (21-13, 11-7)

Tipoff: 9 p.m. TV: ESPN. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 6 – Valparaiso 73-71*; Feb. 2 – Valparaiso 78-73. RPI: Valparaiso 89, Detroit 135. Analysis: Detroit is playing like it was expected to all season, but the Crusaders may be playing even better. Line: Valparaiso -2. Pick: Valparaiso 69, Detroit 64.

SUMMIT LEAGUE FINALS: AT SIOUX FALLS, S.D.

(2) South Dakota State (26-7, 15-3) vs. (4) Western Illinois (18-13, 9-9)

Tipoff: 9 p.m. TV: ESPN2. Regular-season meetings: Dec. 3 – South Dakota State 67-66*; Feb. 23 – South Dakota State 74-57. RPI: South Dakota State 59, Western Illinois 159. Analysis: Nate Wolters will lead the Jackrabbits to their first NCAA Tournament. Pick: South Dakota State 83, Western Illinois 74.

SUN BELT FINALS: AT HOT SPRINGS, ARK.

(5) North Texas (18-13, 9-7) vs. (7) Western Kentucky (14-18, 7-9)

Tipoff: 7 p.m. TV: ESPN2. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 12 – North Texas 84-67. RPI: North Texas 193, Western Kentucky 214. Analysis: North Texas should win. Of course, in the Sun Belt Tournament, that means Western Kentucky probably will. Pick: North Texas 77, Western Kentucky 69.

BIG SKY SEMINFINALS: AT CAMPUS SITES

(3) Portland State (17-13, 10-6) at (2) Weber State (23-5, 14-2)

Tipoff: 7:30 p.m. TV: Altitude. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 7 – Weber State 88-81*; Feb. 2 – Weber State 92-79. RPI: Weber State 73, Portland State 170. Analysis: Despite being the 2 and 3 seeds, there’s a wide gap between the Wildcats and the Vikings. Line: Weber State -5½. Pick: Weber State 87, Portland State 73.

(4) Eastern Washington (15-16, 8-8) at (1) Montana (23-6, 15-1)

Tipoff: 10 p.m. TV: Altitude. Regular-season meetings: Dec. 30 – Montana 79-71; Jan. 26 – Montana 74-60*. RPI: Montana 88, Eastern Washington 210. Analysis: Montana is the class of the Big Sky. Line: Montana -10½. Pick: Montana 80, Eastern Washington 67.

ATLANTIC 10 FIRST ROUND: AT ATLANTIC CITY, N.J.

(12) Charlotte (13-16, 5-11) at (5) Saint Joseph’s (19-12, 9-7)

Tipoff: 7 p.m. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 7 – Charlotte 57-52*. RPI: Saint Joseph’s 50, Charlotte 164. Analysis: The Hawks avenge their worst loss of the season in a big way. Line: Saint Joseph’s -9. Pick: Saint Joseph’s 79, Charlotte 51.

(11) George Washington (10-20, 5-11) at (6) Dayton (19-11, 9-7)

Tipoff: 7 p.m. Regular-season meetings: March 3 – Dayton 75-59. RPI: Dayton 71, George Washington 172. Analysis: The Flyers beat GW by 16 points at home on Saturday. So why’s the line only 9? Line: Dayton -9. Pick: Dayton 73, George Washington 61.

(10) Richmond (16-15, 7-9) at (7) LaSalle (20-11, 9-7)

Tipoff: 7 p.m. Regular-season meetings: Feb. 8 – Richmond 78-76. RPI: LaSalle 77, Richmond 119. Analysis: Richmond played really well down the stretch and could be a factor in the A-10 tourney. Line: LaSalle -6½. Pick: Richmond 75, LaSalle 70.

(9) Duquesne (16-14, 7-9) at (8) Massachusetts (20-10, 9-7)

Tipoff: 7 p.m. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 18 – Duquesne 80-69. RPI: UMass 82, Duquesne 98. Analysis: B.J. Monteiro’s work in the paint will keep the Dukes in the game. Line: UMass -6½. Pick: Massachusetts 73, Duquesne 70.

BIG EAST FIRST ROUND: AT NEW YORK CITY

(9) Connecticut (18-12, 8-10) vs. (16) DePaul (12-18, 3-15)

Tipoff: Noon. TV: ESPN2. Regular-season meetings: Feb. 15 – UConn 80-54. RPI: UConn 32, DePaul 196. Analysis: A double-digit spread is way too much for a team that comes to play as little as UConn does. Line: Connecticut -10½. Pick: Connecticut 67, DePaul 59.

(12) St. John’s (13-18, 6-12) vs. (13) Pittsburgh (16-15, 5-13)

Tipoff: 2 p.m. TV: ESPN2. Regular-season meetings: Feb. 29 – Pitt 89, St. John’s 69. RPI: St. John’s 134, Pitt 95. Analysis: Pitt has enough talent to be the surprise of this tournament. Line: Pitt -4. Pick: Pittsburgh 76, St. John’s 67.

(10) Seton Hall (19-11, 8-10) vs. (15) Providence (15-16, 4-14)

Tipoff: 7 p.m. TV: ESPNU. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 7 – Seton Hall 67-56*. RPI: Seton Hall 60, Providence 146. Analysis: There are a lot of different ways this one could go. Leaning Seton Hall in a high-scoring game. Line: Seton Hall -4. Pick: Seton Hall 86, Providence 78.

(11) Rutgers (14-17, 6-12) vs. (14) Villanova (12-18, 5-13)

Tipoff: 9 p.m. TV: ESPNU. Regular-season meetings: March 1 – Villanova 77-71*. RPI: Rutgers 150, Villanova 115. Analysis: Malik Wayns can carry the Wildcats to at least one Big East win. Line: Villanova -1. Pick: Villanova 69, Rutgers 65.

Greg Against the Spread This Season: 128-94-3

Saint Mary's Makes History: Monday's Quick Hitters

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 00:52:35 -0800

VCU jumped out to a big lead in the first half, holding on to beat Drexel for the CAA title.

1. Saint Mary's rebounds from a Gonzaga rally to force overtime, beating the Zags to win the WCC crown.
Both late title games featured wild comebacks to force overtime, but ultimately the team that could have been too crushed to rebound ended up winning. Elias Harris scored the final five points of regulation for Gonzaga, including a three-pointer in the final seconds to send the WCC title game into overtime, but his efforts wouldn't be enough as Saint Mary's won 78-74. Randy Bennett's team made history with the win, as it marks the first time in school history that the Gaels have won the regular season title outright and won the conference tournament in the same season.

Matthew Dellavedova scored 22 points and dished out four assists to lead the Gaels and Rob Jones added 18 and nine boards, but Jorden Page was just as important. Page scored 16 points on a night that saw Gonzaga's guards, most notably Kevin Pangos (3-for-18 FG), struggle while their big men played well. Harris finished with 22 points and 13 rebounds, and both Robert Sacre' (17 points) and Sam Dower (14 points) reached double figures. Saint Mary's out-rebounded the Bulldogs by four and outscored them by five at the foul line, but ultimately it was Gonzaga's three-point shooting (5-for-22) that caught up with them. Both teams will dance, and Saint Mary's likely improved their seeding with the result as they can now claim two wins over the Bulldogs this season.

2. Davidson finds away to survive Western Carolina despite some poor late-game execution.
Saint Mary's issues late in regulation had nothing on Davidson's, as the Wildcats looked nothing like the team that ran through the SoCon during the regular season. There were turnovers as well as silly fouls of jump shooters, but thanks to the efforts of De'Mon Brooks, Jake Cohen and JP Kulhman the Wildcats survived 93-91 in double overtime. Brooks and Kuhlman scored 19 points apiece while Cohen and Nik Cochran added 17 and 16 respectively, and Clint Mann added ten points off the bench. WCU, who entered the game having won seven straight games, had three players score 20 points or more but it wouldn't be enough to get them into the NCAA tournament.

Keaton Cole led the Catamounts with 21 points, and Tawaski King (ten rebounds) and Harouna Mutombo (seven rebounds, four assists and three steals) scored 20 apiece. Davidson shot 52.9% from the field but got themselves in trouble with the turnovers (15 total) and 5-for-21 night from beyond the arc. But it would be wise to not write off the Wildcats due to this performance, as Bob McKillop's team plays under control in most instances. Just so happened that they ran into a team that could speed up their thought process and force things to happen, and it very nearly got Davidson beat.

3. Loyola (MD) completes a long journey, going from 1-27 to an NCAA tournament berth.
In Scott Hicks' final season in charge the Loyola Greyhounds went an embarrassing 1-27, a clear indication that change is needed. Jimmy Patsos was hired and from there he began to rebuild the program, and the goal of getting to the NCAA tournament was final achieved on Monday night. Loyola ramped things up defensively in the second half, pressuring full-court on made basket, which negated the Stags' advantage inside. The Greyhounds went on to win 48-44 due to both their defense and the versatility of tournament MVP Erik Etherly, who finished with ten points, seven rebounds, three blocked shots and two steals.

Ryan Olander and Rakim Sanders both reached double figures but they combined to shoot just 6-for-25 from the field, and point guard Desmond Wade wasn't a whole lot better as he shot 1-for-5. Loyola limited the Stags to just 28.8% shooting for the game and 14 second-half points. While Patsos tends to be the center of attention from a media standpoint when the Greyhounds are playing, it's also important to recognize that there's a good team at Patsos' disposal as well. If Loyola can get the right matchup with a 14 or 15-seed, they've got the ability to throw a scare into someone.

Quick Hitters

1. The top four seeds in the Sun Belt are all gone before the final, with three-seed Denver being the last to go. Western Kentucky knocked off the Pioneers 67-63 in the second semifinal in Hot Springs, setting up a date with North Texas for the title. The Mean Green beat Arkansas State in the first semifinal.

2. There was also an upset in the Summit League semis as top-seed Oral Roberts lost to Western Illinois 54-53. Dominique Morrison led the Golden Eagles with 23 points, but his teammates shot just 11-for-36 from the field. Terell Parks led the Leathernecks with 14 points and eight rebounds, and Ceola Clark III added 11 points. WIU will take on two-seed South Dakota State in Tuesday's title game, as the Jackrabbits beat Southern Utah 63-47.

3. Two of the four road teams in the first round of the MAC tournament found a way to win, with Northern Illinois knocking off Eastern Michigan and Central Michigan upsetting Bowling Green. The first half between NIU and EMU featured just 29 points (18-11 NIU) and 17 combined turnovers. As for CMU, a Derek Jackson three with 1:40 remaining put the Chippewas up for good and Austin McBroom scored a team-high 20 points.

4. It was a busy day on the coaching carousel as Winthrop decided not the bring back Randy Peele, and Miami (OH) head coach Charlie Coles retired following the Redhawks' 60-53 loss at Toledo in a MAC tournament first round game. One name that has already been mentioned in regards to the Miami (OH) job is Arizona associate head coach James Whitford, as he spent 11 years on Coles' staff with eight of those being as the top assistant.

5. Two other coaching moves that didn't surprise many were Brown deciding not to renew Jesse Agel's contract, and UNCG removed Wes Miller's interim tag. Miller's the youngest head coach in college basketball, but his promotion sparked the Spartans run to the North Division title in the SoCon.

Cinderella Madness: '08 Western Kentucky vs '10 Saint Mary's

Raphielle Johnson — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 08:54:26 -0800

WhatIfSports.com and CollegeHoops.net have partnered up to bring you Cinderella Madness 2012. This college basketball simulation tournament features 16 of the most memorable Cinderella stories from the past eight seasons. We invited teams outside the BCS conferences, seeded 7th or lower that advanced to the Sweet 16 or beyond in their bracket to participate. Teams were seeded 1 through 16 and then simulated using WhatIfSports.com's award-winning college basketball simulation engine. Each match was "played" 501 times.

2009-10 Saint Mary's vs 2007-08 Western Kentucky

2009-10 Saint Mary's: Randy Bennett's Gaels boasted a heavy Australian influence but they didn't have to travel far to recruit their most recognizable star. Big man Omar Samhan led the way to the Sweet 16 for Saint Mary's, whose run truly began at the WCC tournament in Las Vegas. The Gaels won the automatic bid, which was needed in light of an SOS of 116, by beating rival Gonzaga 81-62. The confidence gained in that win played a role in victories over Richmond and Villanova. Matthew Dellavedova and Mickey McConnell ran the show on the perimeter while Ben Allen proved to be a capable sidekick alongside Samhan. Unfortunately for Saint Mary's they ran into the worst possible matchup in the Sweet 16, and their season ended at the hands of the Baylor Bears.

2007-08 Western Kentucky: The Hilltoppers may have been a 12-seed in the Big Dance but there's no mistaking the fact that they had players that could give teams fits. Courtney Lee averaged 20.4 points per game for the Hilltoppers, who entered the NCAA tournament having won six straight and 17 of their last 18 games. But it took a Ty Rogers three as time expired to beat Drake in the first round, and WKU followed that up with a win over San Diego to make its first trip to the Sweet 16 since 1993. In addition to Lee and Rogers, there was Tyrone Brazelton, a good point guard who also averaged more than 14 points per game. WKU's run was ended by top-seeded UCLA in Phoenix.

Game Recap: Saint Mary's 76 - Western Kentucky 75 (Boxscore)

In three 2010 NCAA tournament contests, the 6'11", 265-pound Samhan averaged 25.3 points and 9.3 rebounds per game. Fittingly, he helped Saint Mary's narrowly escape Western Kentucky with, you guessed it, 25 points and nine boards.

The Hilltoppers countered with a two-headed offensive attack featuring Lee and Brazelton. The duo combined to average 47.0 points per game during their 2008 Sweet 16 run. In the first half against the Gaels, their 18 collective points helped the Hilltoppers to a 36-30 advantage at intermission.

Western Kentucky maintained their lead until a jump shot by Ben Allen put Saint Mary's ahead 62-61 with less than six minutes remaining in the game. The margin grew to 74-71 on a pair of Beau Levesque free throws with 20 seconds left. Though the Hilltoppers were able to manage three attempts to tie the game, none connected.

Saint Mary's lost the rebounding battle 32-27, but connected on 19 of 21 free throws and turned the ball over four fewer times. Lee and Brazelton each scored 21 points for Western Kentucky.

Player of the game: Omar Samhan (25 points, 9 rebounds)

Winning Percentage of 501 Simulations: '10 Saint Mary's 53.1% - '08 Western Kentucky 46.9%

More Cinderalla Madness with the complete bracket.

Thursday Recap: Can Pittsburgh or Villanova Turn Things Around?

Raphielle Johnson — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 22:35:10 -0800

To understand the funk that Pittsburgh and Villanova are currently mired in, it may take this fact about the two teams they lost to on Thursday night. This is the first time as members of the Big East (since 2005-06 for both) that DePaul and USF have won conference games on the same night. Yes, allowing that to sink in underlines the gravity of the situation for both the Panthers and Wildcats, as both teams are in need of some answers at this point in time.

Pittsburgh, once again playing without point guard Tray Woodall, had their biggest issues show up on the defensive end in their 84-81 loss to the Blue Demons. DePaul scored 53 points and shot 59.4% from the floor in the second half to make their comeback, and point guard Brandon Young was near unstoppable with 26 points, six assists, five steals and four rebounds with just one turnover. Pittsburgh held a 50-32 edge on the boards, but when a team makes 10 of 22 from beyond the arc as DePaul did, winning on the road becomes that much tougher.

Even with all five starters scoring in double figures (Talib Zanna led the way with 16), the Panthers were in trouble for much of the night due to the issues defensively to go along with some bad decisions late. Ashton Gibbs' decision to give the foul on Young as the sophomore was attempting what would be the game-winning layup with 17.2 seconds remaining may be the most glaring mistake, but there were issues in terms of shot selection and some costly turnovers as well.

As for Villanova the situation may be even worse, as Jay Wright's team is extremely young in key areas. And youth doesn't always have to be measured by years; lack of familiarity with a new role can be just as damning for a team and that could be the case for Maalik Wayns and Dominic Cheek.

Cheek now has to be a feature option for the Wildcats offensively, and while he had a key role last season Wayns is being entrusted with the task of running the show without a Corey Fisher alongside him. Other than these two and Mouphtaou Yarou, Villanova is relying a lot on their youngsters, and the 74-57 loss to USF further exposed the fact that they're not ready for the Big East yet.

While Villanova was expected to be a bubble team this season, the expectations were much higher for Pittsburgh. If anything the impact of the loss of players such as Fisher and Corey Stokes (Villanova), and Brad Wanamaker, Gary McGhee and Gilbert Brown (Pittsburgh) was underestimated by those outside of the respective programs.

While many are quick to point out the fact that leagues can eat their young in conference play, it can also expose older players as well. There's still time for both teams to turn things around, but Pittsburgh and Villanova both understand that they need to do so quickly.

Other Notable Happenings

1. Indiana hangs on to beat Michigan and remain undefeated at home.
The battle between the Hoosiers and Wolverines lived up to the pregame expectations, but at the end of the contest Indiana's starting frontcourt and Victor Oladipo's defense made the difference in the 73-71 win. Christian Watford was a matchup nightmare for Michigan, scoring 25 points to go along with seven rebounds and four assists, and Cody Zeller added 18, four rebounds and two blocks. By comparison, the Michigan starting frontcourt of Jordan Morgan (12 points, nine rebounds) and Evan Smotrycz (eight points) was solid but didn't have a similar impact.

As a team the Hoosiers shot 55.1% from the field and finished with an effective field goal percentage of 62.2%, well above what Michigan allowed entering the game (47.1%). Another area in which Indiana held their own was three-point shooting. Michigan did make ten, with Stu Douglass making three, but they needed twenty-four attempts to do so while Indiana made seven of their eleven attempts.

But back to Oladipo, who was given the responsibility of defending Tim Hardaway Jr. for much of the night. Hardaway Jr. led Michigan with 19 points, but he needed 19 shot attempts to do so (0-for-7 3PT). Oladipo didn't shoot well himself (2-for-10, five points) but that didn't stop him from taking care of business on the other end. There's also the matter of what Indiana's backcourt was able to do with Michigan freshman Trey Burke, who scored ten points on 4-for-15 shooting. Indiana's offense will get the headlines in many circles, but don't ignore their effort defensively.

2. Good luck making any sense of the Pac-12 this season.
Two happenings on Thursday sum up the conference: Utah won, and so did Arizona State with just six scholarship players after having to suspend three. Yeah, it's going to be a wacky year in the Pac-12, and that's not a good thing for a league that put together a 1-24 record against RPI Top 50 teams in non-conference play. My question on Twitter was a simple one, but one without a clear answer at this point in time. With so many meager non-conference resumes it may take at least 12 league wins to be a seriously discussed at-large candidate, but who can accomplish that in this conference?

The quick responses would likely yield Arizona, California and maybe Washington, but all three went on the road and lost on Thursday. Stanford? They fell at Oregon, who owns one of the two wins for road teams in the first week-plus of conference play (at Washington State last week). Oregon State, who went 0-2 against the Washington schools last week, could also be an option given their talent. But the fact that there are so many question marks is a bad thing for the Pac-12 in terms of their prospects come Selection Sunday.

Just one team remains undefeated in conference play: Colorado, who whipped the Huskies 87-69 in Boulder. But given the way things have played out thus far, the Buffaloes will likely fall against Washington State. One-bid league? Never thought it would be a serious possibility, but that could very well be the reality if a couple of teams don't rise above the rest of the conference.

3. Penn State hands Purdue a 20-point loss for their first Big Ten win of the season.
Patrick Chambers' Nittany Lions have taken their lumps, which was expected to happen given the major personnel losses from last season's NCAA Tournament team. But they gave a serious lump to Purdue on Thursday night, leading from start to finish in a 65-45 romp in Happy Valley. As a team the Boilermakers shot just 31.9% for the game, and outside of Robbie Hummel (14 points, five rebounds) Purdue starters shot 5-for-22 on the night. Tim Frazier played well for Penn State, finishing with 15 points, nine assists and five rebounds, but he wasn't the star as Billy Oliver knocked down seven of eleven three-pointers to score a game-high 21 points.

The 6'8" forward shoots 37% from beyond the arc, but this was quite the explosion for a player who had made three or more from deep in just three games this season. Purdue entered the contest with every opportunity to take care of business as a team hoping to contend for a conference title would, and they came out flat. Sometimes it takes getting drilled to remember that you can't get away with such starts.

Quick Hitters

1. No sequence summed up the night better than Louisiana-Lafayette playing the final seconds of overtime against Western Kentucky with six players on the floor. Yes, six. After nearly turning the ball over Elfrid Payton scored a layup that gave the Ragin' Cajuns a 72-70 win. According to the rules there was no way for the officials, who missed the error coming out of the timeout, to review the play and assess a technical foul (which should have been the call to begin with). There's also no way for the Sun Belt to go back and replay the final seconds, meaning that the Hilltoppers are out of luck.

2. Also in the Sun Belt, keep an eye on North Texas especially with Tony Mitchell now in the fold. Mitchell led the Mean Green to a 78-73 overtime win at South Alabama with 34 points and 16 rebounds, and if this is a harbinger of things to come this is a team that can contend to win the conference.

3. Manhattan was just seconds away from their third MAAC win, but a Dylon Cormier three from the corner gave Loyola (MD) the 61-60 win in Baltimore. Cormier was one of three Greyhounds to score 11 points while Erik Etherly added eight points, seven assists and six rebounds. George Beamon led the Jaspers with 18 points, six rebounds and four blocked shots.

4. Glen Braica's St. Francis (NY) Terriers moved to 2-1 in NEC play, beating Quinnipiac 73-72 in Brooklyn. The Terriers, who were led by Stefan Perunicic (21 points), likely won't be a contender for the league title but games like this make the difference between hosting and going on the road in the quarterfinals of the NEC Tournament. Good win for the Terriers.

5. Congratulations are in order for the Hartford Hawks, who picked up their first win of the season. Andres Torres scored 27 points and grabbed six rebounds as the Hawks beat New Hampshire 56-49 in West Hartford.

6. Wofford may not be one of the teams discussed as a contender in the SoCon, but the defending champs aren't in the business of conceding anything. Karl Cochran led four starters in double figures with 21 points as the Terriers beat College of Charleston 75-58 to move to 2-1 in league play. The Cougars made just 34.4% of their two-point shots on the night as Wofford did a good job of limiting their quality looks.

7. In the Big West, UCSB sent a message to Cal-State Fullerton in the form of a 77-64 win in their first home game since November 30th. Orlando Johnson scored 23 points and James Nunnally 18 as the Gauchos remained undefeated in league play while handing the Titans their first Big West loss. Fullerton will still be a factor in the race, but until further notice it's safe to say that UCSB and Long Beach State are the best bets to win the league.

Three Notable Performances

1. F Tony Mitchell (North Texas)
34 points and 16 rebounds in the Mean Green's 78-73 overtime win at South Alabama.

2. F Jamal Olasewere (Long Island)
29 points and 12 rebounds in the Blackbirds' 87-81 win at Sacred Heart.

3. F Rob Jones (Saint Mary's)
31 points, 12 rebounds and three steals in the Gaels' 78-72 win at San Diego.

#90 Western Kentucky: 2010-11 Basketball Preview

Joel Welser — Sun, 03 Oct 2010 18:17:00 -0700

Overall Rank: #90

Conference Rank: #1 Sun Belt Conference

2009-10: 21-13, 12-6

2009-10 postseason: none

Coach: Ken McDonald (46-21 at Western Kentucky, 46-21 overall)

Western Kentucky may lose two starters from a team that failed to reach the postseason last year, but it is hard to argue that this is not the most talented team in the Sun Belt Conference. Other teams did better last season and return more players, but the Hilltoppers have been in this situation before and another stellar group of newcomers and a nice core of returning players will make WKU very tough to beat come March.

Key Losses: F Jeremy Evans, G Anthony Sally, G A.J. Slaughter

Key Newcomers:

Teeng Akol, a transfer from Oklahoma State, and Juan Pattillo, a transfer from Oklahoma, may be the big names, but the key need for this team is at point guard. Pattillo will find his way into the regular rotation, if not a starting job, and Akol gives the team some much needed frontcourt size once he is eligible in December, but Ken Brown is the most important newcomer to this class. The 6-1 junior college transfer has to replace the distribution of A.J. Slaughter. Brown is best known for his ability to drive the lane and create shots for his teammates and this is a group that has plenty of shooters. Brandon Peters is the most hyped recruit of the bunch and the 6-2 shooting guard will battle for major minutes right away; as will junior college transfer Kahlil McDonald and freshman Stephon Drane on the wings. Kene Ayigbo, an undersized power forward, rounds out an impressive group of newcomers.

Backcourt:

Caden Dickerson and Jamal Crook were both forced into action as freshmen. Dickerson proved to be a fine outside shooter and connected on 42.7 percent of his long range attempts. A majority of his shots were from long range, so sooner or later Dickerson may be relegated to the bench to provide a quick spark of offense, but that will depend on how quickly the newcomers come into their own. Crook may play a more important role since he will likely be the backup point guard to Brown. But if Brown falters, Crook will be forced to play more than the 13.8 minutes per game he tallied last year. Dickerson could run the point as well, but he has to get to the basket more often than he did last season. He did not need to do such things a year ago with Slaughter creating and scoring so much but, at 6-4, he has the size to attack the basket and he needs to use it.

Frontcourt:

The return of Sergio Kerusch and Steffphon Pettigrew makes this a legitimate NCAA Tournament team. Ideally, both are 6-5 wings, but Kerusch has the skills to play the power forward position. Last season he averaged 14.2 points and a team high 7.2 rebounds and it is that ability to hit the glass that allows Western Kentucky to play a little small and put the multi-dimensional Kerusch at the four spot. Kerusch is a good outside shooter and made nearly two long balls per game last year. Pettigrew is no slouch from beyond the arc either, but he scored most of his 14.9 points per game last year by attacking the basket.

Who to Watch:

The loss of Jeremy Evans could turn out to be a big one. Until the 6-11 Akol is eligible, 6-10 senior Cliff Dixon is really the only big man on the roster. The next tallest player on the team is 6-8 freshman Drane and he is more of a small forward and lacks the strength to battle in the paint. That will put a lot of pressure on Dixon to develop into an interior scoring threat. Dixon is a good rebounder, but Kerusch and Pettigrew will help him out in that regard. Pattillo will handle most of the shot blocking that Evans provided last season. That means Dixon, who averaged less than 15 minutes per game last year, really just needs to play solid defense and develop his interior scoring skills. Dixon did average 4.8 points per game in his limited minutes last year, so he has the potential to turn into a player who can average eight points and eight rebounds per contest.

Final Projection:

Led by Pettigrew and Kerusch, the five returning players would make a pretty good team and fill all the necessary roles. Add a super freshman like Peters, a couple solid transfers in Akol and Pattillo and a couple junior college transfers to fill in some holes and Western Kentucky has a great shot at regaining their NCAA glory of the recent past.

Projected Post-season Tournament: NCAA

Projected Starting Five:

Ken Brown, Junior, Guard, DNP last season

Caden Dickerson, Sophomore, Guard, 5.9 ppg

Steffphon Pettigrew, Senior, Forward, 14.9 ppg

Sergio Kerusch, Senior, Forward, 14.2 ppg

Cliff Dixon, Senior, Center, 4.8 ppg

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