UWM

Thursday Recap: Badgers Hold Off Indiana

Raphielle Johnson — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 00:28:21 -0500

The game between #17 Indiana and #25 Wisconsin proved to be every bit as competitive as expected with the largest margin either team held being seven points with two seconds remaining. In the end it was the little things that made the difference in the Badgers' 57-50 victory, as Bo Ryan's team shot 12-for-12 from the foul line in the second half and grabbed the final seven rebounds of the game. That rebound stretch was over the final 3:38 of the contest, with their offensive rebounds leading to four of their nine second-chance points. Wisconsin's offensive rebounding percentage in the second half was 33.3% after finishing the first half with a percentage of 22.2%, and that allowed them to shut the door late.

"It's our first game holding a team under 30 percent on the field, but they got a couple of really big rebounds at the end of the game at crucial times," remarked Indiana head coach Tom Crean. "We put ourselves in position to win, we just didn't finish it off."

Jordan Taylor didn't shoot particularly well, missing all five of his three-point attempts while scoring 12 points but there were other contributors to the win for Wisconsin. Ben Brust made three of his six shots from deep and scored 13 points off the bench while Mike Bruesewitz (ten points) and Ryan Evans (12 points, nine rebounds) reached double figures as well. The foul line was also critical on a night in which Wisconsin, who scores 35.4% of their points on threes, made just four or seventeen shots from distance. Wisconsin made 15 of 19 from the charity stripe, outscoring the Hoosiers by ten as Indiana made just half of their ten free throws.

"I've never tried to over-analyze free throws other than guys get their routine, they get comfortable, they get their elbow lift, they get their rotation, they get their target sights- some guys look to the front, some guys look to the back," said Wisconsin head coach Bo Ryan. "And in every drill we do, you've got to be 80 percent or better. So, I think that's helped us over the years. We were close tonight."

Christian Watford and Verdell Jones III led the way for Indiana with 12 points apiece but Cody Zeller and a quiet night and Wisconsin's Jared Berggren was a big reason why. Zeller shot 2-for-7 from the field and scored seven points while grabbing just three rebounds in 19 minutes of action, and while the foul trouble was problematic having to deal with Berggren while he was on the floor didn't help matters. Berggren may not have done much offensively with just four points but he blocked five shots, helping limit the number of quality looks Indiana was able to get near the basket.

"I think he was in a help position and maybe got there a little late and tried to make sure that he didn't foul and waited until Zeller made his move, noted Ryan. "He was fairly effective with it, but Zeller's a good player- he got his offensive opportunities, he's the real deal inside and fortunately we got some fouls on him and that helped us."

With the win Wisconsin remains a game in the loss column behind the three teams atop the Big Ten, and despite their struggles earlier in league play the Badgers gave another reminder that it isn't wise to count Bo Ryan's team out of the title race.

Other Notable Happenings

1. North Carolina whips NC State in impressive fashion to move into a tie for first in the ACC.
Thursday night provided a good test for NC State in regards to how much staying power the Wolfpack could possibly have in the ACC race. Unfortunately for them North Carolina was ready to make a statement of their own, leading by as many as 29 points on their way to a 74-55 victory. Tyler Zeller (21 points, 17 rebounds) and John Henson (nine points, ten rebounds and five blocks) proved to be too much for the Wolfpack inside, and on the perimeter the Tar Heels performed well in their first game without starter Dexter Strickland.

Kendall Marshall dished out 11 assists to just three turnovers while both Harrison Barnes (15 points) and Reggie Bullock (11 points, five rebounds) reached double figures. Scott Wood led the Wolfpack with 11 points but they lost by 19 despite making nine three-pointers due to their struggles inside. NC State shot 32.4% from two as the Tar Heels outscored them 52-24 in that department, and the 46-28 rebounding discrepancy (UNC: 15 offensive rebounds) didn't help matters either. NC State is a bright future under Mark Gottfried with a talented recruiting class on the way and the current bunch is definitely capable of reaching the NCAA Tournament. But Thursday night showed that they may not be ready to think ACC title right now.

2. Robert Morris wins the guard battle and beats LIU Brooklyn to close the gap in the NEC.
LIU Brooklyn had a great opportunity to put even more distance between themselves and the pack in the Northeast Conference race, but winning at Robert Morris is a very difficult task. And in a rematch of last year's NEC Tournament title game, the Colonials went on two runs in the first half to establish a 34-26 halftime lead and led by as many as 15 in the second half of a 75-66 win. Julian Boyd and Jamal Olasewere did their part for the visitors as they combined for 43 points and Boyd grabbed 12 rebounds to go along with his 25 points. But their guards had a tough night and Robert Morris took advantage as Velton Jones scored 23 points, Coron Williams 13 and Lucky Jones ten.

Velton also dished out seven assists on the night, while LIU's perimeter trio of Jason Brickman, Michael Culpo and C.J. Garner combined to score 16 points on 5-for-24 shooting (Culpo shot 0-for-10). LIU shot 3-for-16 from three on the night and without the balance they normally enjoy offensively (24% of their points come from deep on the average) the Blackbirds were unable to beat the Colonials. RMU and surprising St. Francis (NY) are now a game back (and they play each other on Saturday) in the standings, and a race that could have been out of reach is now back on.

3. Milwaukee slows Butler to a crawl and moves to 7-3 in the Horizon League.
The matchup between the Panthers and Bulldogs was the defensive-minded slugfest that many expected going into the contest, with Butler taking a 25-24 lead into the half. But the Bulldogs went cold in the second half, shooting 5-for-25 from the field and scoring just 17 points in what would become a 53-42 loss. Milwaukee shot 48% in the second half and did a much better job of setting up good looks than they did in the first, assisting on ten of their 12 made baskets. Neither team finished with great efficiency numbers but Butler's were startling, as their offensive efficiency (67.7) and effective field goal percentage (28.9%) were season lows.

James Haarmsma (12 points) and Ryan Allen (11 points) led the way scoring-wise while Kaylon Williams made up for a rough shooting night by dishing out 11 assists and grabbing seven rebounds. Milwaukee remains a game behind Cleveland State in the loss column while Butler falls two games back, and they're also tied with Valparaiso in second place (the Crusaders lost to Green Bay). By no means is anything decided in the Horizon League, but Milwaukee took an important step with their win.

Quick Hitters

1. It's been a rough season for USC to say the least, but their injury issues reached a new low in their 74-50 loss to Colorado. Center Dwayne Dedmon was lost early in the game with a sprained knee (MRI scheduled for Friday) and late in the second half his replacement, James Blasczyk, went down with a lower leg injury. That left USC with just five healthy scholarship players, and at 0-8 in the Pac-12 things don't look good for the Trojans.

2. One player the nation needs to become more familiar with is UC Riverside guard Phil Martin. Martin nearly led the Highlanders past first-place Long Beach State with 31 points and seven rebounds but it wasn't enough as the 49ers strengthened their grip on first place with a 77-70 overtime win. All five starters for The Beach reached double figures with Casper Ware's 18 leading the way.

3. On Saturday, Arizona made just three of twenty shots from beyond the arc in a one-point loss at Colorado. Against Washington State on Thursday night the Wildcats made 15 of 26 in their 85-61 win over the Cougars, who also lost reigning Pac-12 Player of the Week Faisal Aden late in the first half with a left knee injury. Losing their most explosive scorer for an extended period time would be a terrible blow to take for the Cougars.

4. Interim head coach Wes Miller has done a good job of turning things around at UNC Greensboro, and the Spartans won their fifth straight 77-73 over Appalachian State in overtime. Derrell Armstrong scored 27 points and grabbed eight rebounds off the bench and Trevis Simpson added 24 for UNCG, who is now 5-4 in Southern Conference play (half-game behind Elon for first in the North Division).

5. Nevada was able to separate themselves from the pack in the WAC with a 68-60 win at New Mexico State, moving two games ahead of the Aggies in the standings. Deonte Burton scored 17 points and Dario Hunt added 15 and eight rebounds for the Wolf Pack, who also received some help in the form of Utah State's 77-72 win over Hawai'i.

6. Idaho State won a thriller at home, beating Northern Colorado 99-94 in double overtime. But even more important for the Bengals is that they're now a game ahead of both UNC and Eastern Washington in the standings at 4-4, and in the Big Sky only the top six teams qualify for the conference tournament. Chase Grabau led the way with 30 points on 11-for-15 shooting and Melvin Morgan added 22 and five assists for the Bengals.

7. Saint Mary's remained undefeated in WCC play with a 71-64 win at Loyola Marymount, remaining a game ahead of Gonzaga and two ahead of BYU with a trip to Provo next on the schedule (Saturday). Stephen Holt scored 19 points, Matthew Dellavedova 13 and Rob Jones 11 and 15 rebounds. But Brad Waldow's been a key contributor of late as well, scoring ten points following a 14-point, 16-rebound performance at Santa Clara.

Three Notable Performers

1. G Travis Bader (Oakland) and G Nate Wolters (South Dakota State)
Wolters posted a very good line of 21 points, 12 assists and eight rebounds, but it wasn't enough as Bader led the Golden Grizzlies to the 92-87 win with a record-setting night. Bader shot 10-for-14 from three on his way to 37 points off the bench.

2. G J.P. Primm (UNC Asheville)
30 points, five assists, five steals and four rebounds in the Bulldogs' 90-70 win over High Point.

3. G Kevin Murphy (Tennessee Tech)
34 points, six rebounds and three assists in the Golden Eagles' 82-65 win at Eastern Kentucky.

#25 Wisconsin vs. #17 Indiana: Thursday's Preview

Raphielle Johnson — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 11:53:04 -0500

After dropping three straight Big Ten games #25 Wisconsin (16-5, 5-3) has won four straight games, but they face quite the challenge at the Kohl Center as #17 Indiana (16-4, 4-4) visits in a pivotal Big Ten battle. The leaders in the conference (Michigan, Michigan State and Ohio State) are all 6-2, meaning that the Hoosiers can ill-afford to fall three games back in the loss column if they're to remain a factor in the title race. Tom Crean's squad ended a three-game losing streak with a win over Penn State, but the Badgers have won eight straight in this series and Indiana has never won in the Kohl Center.

Clearly the focus for Indiana defensively will be senior point guard Jordan Taylor (14.1 ppg, 4.4 apg), who has turned the ball over just one time in the last three games. Taylor's shooting numbers have dropped some when compared to last season but it's also important to point out that there's no Jon Leuer or Keaton Nankivil, and this played a part in both his and the Badgers's struggles earlier in conference play. Jared Berggren (11.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg) and Ryan Evans (9.7 ppg, 6.6 rpg) are two players Bo Ryan needs to play well on a consistent basis, and hopefully Berggren's 18 points in the win at Illinois is a step in the right direction (he'd gone five straight games without reaching double figures before that performance).

Indiana will need to defend the three if they're to have a shot at leaving Kohl with a win, because even though the Hoosiers are the superior shooting team percentage-wise the Badgers get 35.9% of their offense from the shot. In addition to the aformentioned forwards and Taylor, Wisconsin calls on guards Josh Gasser and Ben Brust from production from deep, and the number of players who can shoot from deep can be an issue for opponents. But Indiana is versatile as well, and their most important defensive player will likely draw the task of guarding Taylor.

Victor Oladipo (10.5 ppg, 5.2 rpg) has improved skill-wise from last season and he's also one of the Big Ten's best on-ball defenders. Indiana can call on multiple options to guard perimeter players but Oladipo is their best options. Jordan Hulls and Verdell Jones III are the other starters and the return of wing Will Sheehey has added another perimeter player capable of scoring in double figures. As a team the Hoosiers shoot 44.9% from three and assist on 53% of their made baskets, and they've been the more efficient team of the two on the offensive end of the floor. But they need to remember to throw the ball inside to freshman Cody Zeller, who has changed the dynamic of this team in his first season on campus.

Zeller (15.1 ppg, 6.4 rpg) gives Indiana a reliable interior scorer, something they didn't have last season, and his presence allows Christian Watford to play more on the perimeter. Watford (12.6 ppg, 5.8 rpg), who hit the game-winner against Kentucky back in December, is more comfortable outside of the paint but he has to avoid the tendency to sometimes drift out of the action. Rebounding numbers are similar except for the fact that Indiana opponents have grabbed an average of 11.9 offensive boards per game, and with the long rebounds that result from perimeter shots this is an area that could be of concern against Wisconsin. Indiana will need to make sure they aren't hurt in this area and also find a way to force turnovers if they're to win in Madison. But that's a task far easier said than done.

Also of note tonight is NC State visiting #7 North Carolina, with the Tar Heels playing without the injured Dexter Strickland (torn ACL) for the first time this season. Reggie Bullock moves into the starting lineup and P.J. Hairston will also see more minutes as a result, but the question for Carolina is how much of a drop will there be on the defensive end? Strickland was their best perimeter defender, and his absence could mean that Tyler Zeller and John Henson are called on more from a shot-blocking standpoint if the guards can't keep opponents out of the lane. And with the much-improved Wolfpack featuring a guard in Lorenzo Brown who is capable of doing just that, this should be an interesting matchup. If Mark Gottfried's team is to win they have to hold their own in the paint.

The NEC features a rematch of last year's tournament title game as LIU Brooklyn visits Robert Morris, and with the Blackbirds holding a two-game lead on the rest of the conference this could be the Colonials' last stand. RMU guard Velton Jones has been one of the best guards in the NEC but in order to win it will be the play of their frontcourt that is just as important. Julian Boyd and Jamal Olasewere have been the best frontcourt tandem in the NEC for Jim Ferry's Blackbirds, and it can be argued that this duo is underrated nationally as well. Also keep an eye on Saint Mary's visiting Loyola Marymount in the WCC, as the Lions have been playing well and with a 5-2 league record a win over the Gaels would vault them right into the discussion for the regular season title (they've already won at BYU).

Florida's trip to Ole Miss has the potential to be a dangerous one as the Rebels are a tough out in Oxford, and the Horizon League battle between Butler and Milwaukee is huge in regard to that race. Cleveland State and Valparaiso are tied for first place but the Bulldogs and Panthers are part of the three-team group just a game out, and the recent play of Roosevelt Jones is one reason why Butler remains in contention. Guard Kaylon Williams leads the way for Rob Jeter's team in scoring and assists (also third on the team in rebounding), and his matchup with Ronald Nored should be fun to watch given Nored's defensive ability.

Top 25 Games
7:00 PM North Carolina State at (8) North Carolina (ESPN)
7:00 PM (13) Florida at Ole Miss (ESPN2)
9:00 PM (17) Indiana at (25) Wisconsin (ESPN2)
10:00 PM (20) Saint Mary's at Loyola Marymount
9:00 PM Boston College at (21) Virginia (ESPNU)

NCAA Division I Games
7:00 PM Davidson at Chattanooga
7:00 PM Monmouth at Central Connecticut State (CPTV)
7:00 PM Tennessee Tech at Eastern Kentucky
7:00 PM Western Kentucky at Florida Atlantic (FCS)
7:00 PM Campbell at Gardner-Webb
7:00 PM Nebraska at Iowa (ESPNU)
7:00 PM Navy at Lehigh
7:00 PM Fresno State at Louisiana Tech (ESPN3)
7:00 PM High Point at UNC-Asheville
7:00 PM Appalachian State at UNC Greensboro
7:00 PM South Dakota State at Oakland
7:00 PM Coastal Carolina at Presbyterian
7:00 PM Mount St. Mary's at Quinnipiac
7:00 PM VMI at Radford
7:00 PM St. Peter's at Rider (ESPN3)
7:00 PM LIU Brooklyn at Robert Morris
7:00 PM Wagner at Sacred Heart
7:00 PM St. Francis (NY) at Saint Francis (PA)
7:00 PM Wofford at Citadel
7:00 PM Elon at Western Carolina
7:00 PM Liberty at Winthrop
7:00 PM Fairleigh Dickinson at Bryant
7:00 PM North Dakota State at IPFW
8:00 PM Eastern Illinois at Jacksonville State
8:00 PM N.J.I.T. at North Dakota (FCS)
8:00 PM Furman at Charleston (ESPN3)
8:00 PM William & Mary at James Madison
8:00 PM Butler at Milwaukee (ESPN3)
8:00 PM South Alabama at Arkansas-Little Rock
8:00 PM Troy at Middle Tennessee (ESPN3)
8:00 PM Georgia Southern at Samford (ESPN3)
8:00 PM Austin Peay at Southeast Missouri State
8:00 PM Tennessee State at Tennessee-Martin
8:00 PM Valparaiso at Green Bay (ESPN3)
8:05 PM South Dakota at Oral Roberts (FCS)
8:30 PM Washington at Arizona State (ROOT)
8:30 PM Arkansas State at Denver
9:00 PM Nevada at New Mexico State (ESPN3)
9:00 PM UMKC at Southern Utah
9:05 PM Northern Colorado at Idaho State
9:05 PM Hawaii at Utah State (ESPN3)
9:05 PM Montana at Eastern Washington
9:05 PM Chicago State at Utah Valley
10:00 PM Long Beach State at UC Riverside
10:00 PM Cal Poly at Pacific
10:00 PM Pepperdine at San Diego
10:00 PM UC Santa Barbara at UC Davis
10:00 PM San Francisco at Santa Clara (CSN CA)
10:05 PM Weber State at Sacramento State
10:05 PM San Jose State at Idaho
10:05 PM Cal State Fullerton at Cal State Northridge
10:05 PM Montana State at Portland State
10:30 PM Washington State at Arizona (FSN)
10:30 PM Utah at UCLA (FCS)
10:30 PM Colorado at USC
11:00 PM Gonzaga at Portland (ESPN2)

Cleveland St vs Milwaukee: Prediction & Fan Poll

Greg Mengelt — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 21:27:12 -0500

WISCONSIN-MILWAUKEE (13-7, 6-2 Horizon) AT CLEVELAND STATE (16-4, 6-2 Horizon)

Time: 7:05 p.m.

Location: Wolstein Center

RPI Ratings:

Milwaukee 102 (No. 2 Horizon)

Cleveland State 68 (No. 1 Horizon)

Line: Cleveland St -6 (o/u 110)

Milwaukee Players to Watch: G Kaylon Williams, 6-3 Sr. (11.3 ppg); F James Haarsma, 6-7 Jr. (10.2 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 52.2% FG); G Ryan Allen, 6-3 Sr. (9.2 ppg, 6 rpg, 51.3% FG). Williams, who had 18 points, eight rebounds and five assists in Friday’s 68-66 heartbreaking loss at Youngstown State, is one of the nation’s most complete players. He’s 10^th in the nation at 6.6 assists per game and has a 2.21 assist-to-turnover ratio.

Cleveland State Players to Watch: G D’Aundray Brown, 6-4 Sr. (11.8 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 2.6 spg); G Jeremy Montgomery, 6-2 Sr. (10.6 ppg, 3.2 apg, 36.1% 3s); F Tim Kamczyc, 6-7 Jr. (9.1 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 57.8% FG). Brown had a great all-around performance in Friday’s 78-68 win over Green Bay with nine points, seven assists, five rebounds, two steals and two blocks. He ranks seventh in the nation at 2.63 steals per contest.

Storylines: The Vikings’ win over Green Bay coupled with Milwaukee’s loss to Youngstown State on Friday put them and Valparaiso in a deadlock atop the Horizon League at 6-2. Cleveland State has won four of its last five, including a 76-69 win over defending Horizon League champion Butler on Jan. 13. Friday’s loss, in which they had two shots in the final 30 seconds to win or tie the game, ended the Panthers’ 3-game winning streak.

Keys: These are the two most balanced teams in the Horizon. Milwaukee has four players who average in double figures and eight who average at least 7.1 per game. The Vikings have four who averaging at least 9.1 points and nine who score more than two per game. Expect a low scoring game between two of the league’s best defensive teams. Milwaukee holds opponents to 39.5 percent from the field. It’s perimeter defense is outstanding. Opponents shoot a mere 25 percent from the 3-point line. Cleveland State, which thrives on full-court pressure defense, isn’t much worse. Opponents shoot just 43 percent from the floor and 30.5 from 3. Brown vs. Williams should be a great 1-on-1 matchup to watch. Each is his team’s leading scorer and the offenses go through the two seniors. One key to watch is turnovers. Both teams have been turnover prone at times and both teams force a lot of errors. Milwaukee averages 13.1 turnovers and forces 13.1. Cleveland State turns it over 14.2 times per game and forces a whopping 17.9. The Vikings turned it over 21 times in the win over Green Bay. The Panthers should have a slight advantage on the boards with Williams, Haarsma and Tony Meier off the bench. Milwaukee is 9-1 at home with its only loss coming against then-No. 15 Wisconsin, 60-54 on Dec. 13. The Vikings have been tremendous on the road. They are 8-2 in true road games, including victories over Vanderbilt, Kent State, Robert Morris and Butler.

The Bottom Line: Cleveland State is probably a slightly better team and is capable of pulling off the win, but in a college basketball game between teams this even, it’s always wise to go with the home team.

The Pick: Milwaukee 58, Cleveland State 54

Iona vs. Rider: Friday Thoughts

Raphielle Johnson — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 18:15:59 -0500

Light schedule tonight with Ivy League Fridays not really getting going on a consistent basis until next weekend, but there are some entertaining matchups to keep fans occupied. Both MAAC matchups consist of top-half (of the standings) teams taking on squads hoping to avoid "First Round Friday" in March's conference tournament. One such game is Iona hosting Rider on ESPNU, and while Tommy Dempsey's Broncs have been a major disappointment this year they have the firepower necessary to keep up with the Gaels.

But can Danny Stewart and company defend well enough to keep talents such as Scott Machado (the national leader in assists) and Mike Glover (AKA Optimus Prime) in check? Novar Gadson, who has found the going tough in recovering from offseason microfracture surgery, has shot 5-for-17 in his last three games and one has to wonder if there's some fatigue at play. The chemistry was off during non-conference play, especially with the addition of Virginia transfer Jeff Jones, but that seemed to be improving some before dropping games at Siena and Fairfield.

Also in the MAAC surprising Manhattan visits a Marist team that seems to be young every season, and it could become a situation where Chuck Martin's club needs a run in the MAAC Tournament to avoid a regime change. Freshman Chavaughn Lewis has been one of the better rookies in the MAAC and he's second on the team in scoring to Devin Price, but the Red Foxes average 15.7 turnovers per game. That could be an issue against Steve Masiello's Jaspers, who will look to ramp up the tempo with their full-court pressure.

George Beamon has led the way offensively for Manhattan, and after last season some seemed to forget how explosive a scorer he was in high school. Manhattan is a young team as well but they've all bought in to Masiello's vision for the program, and the team's experienced more success than expected as a result. Last year's meeting in Poughkeepsie looked to be a win for the home team...until Michael Alvarado did this. Hopefully we get similar fireworks tonight.

The best game of the night is in the Horizon League as first-place Milwaukee visits a Youngstown State team that's turned some heads this season. Seniors Kaylon Williams and Tony Meier lead the way for Rob Jeter's club, but they're going to have to be at their best defensively especially on the perimeter as the Penguins have multiple scoring options there. But what Youngstown State doesn't have is muscle in the paint, and Milwaukee may be able to take advantage of that. Butler was able to do so last weekend in their home win over YSU, and that could be what keeps Youngstown State from being a title contender this season.

Cleveland State is another Horizon contender and they host Green Bay, a team that has the ability to upset an unsuspecting title contender if not work their way back into the race. Center Alec Brown leads the way for the Phoenix, and his height (7'1") could be an issue for the Vikings in the paint. But can Green Bay slow down Jeremy Montgomery? That's easier said than done. And in the Atlantic Sun, Florida Gulf Coast visits Stetson in a battle of teams that are hoping to eventually separate from a middle of the pack that features five teams with either three or four league losses.

NCAA Division I Games
7:00 PM Florida Gulf Coast at Stetson (ESPN3)
7:05 PM Milwaukee at Youngstown State (ESPN3)
8:00 PM Green Bay at Cleveland State (ESPNU)
9:00 PM Manhattan at Marist (ESPN3)
10:00 PM Rider at Iona (ESPNU)

Tuesday Recap: Seton Hall Blasts #8 Connecticut

Raphielle Johnson — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 01:02:39 -0500

Seton Hall's struggles with Connecticut in their series have been well-doucmented, as the Pirates went into Tuesday's meeting having lost eleve straight dating back to March 3, 2001. That matchup between eventual NIT teams went down to the wire as the Pirates won 65-63. There would be no such suspense in Seton Hall's first win over the Huskies since 2001, as they stormed back from an early 11-2 deficit to win 75-63 in a game that wasn't as close as the margin would lead one to believe.

Jordan Theodore led Seton Hall with 19 points and 11 assists, scoring all of his points in the second half and knocking down some key shots to put the game away. The Pirates finished with four players in double figures, and Fuquan Edwin posted a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds. After leading 11-2 with 16:19 remaining in the first half, UConn was outscored 33-11 the rest of the half as they trailed 35-22 at the break. The Huskies turned the ball over 13 times, with Seton Hall scoring 12 points off of turnovers.

Also of note in that first half was the fact that Seton Hall outscored UConn 18-6 in the paint and 9-0 in second-chance points, as their effort was far superior to that of the Huskies. Effort is one thing that can't be disguised on the floor, and that was the biggest issue for UConn on the night. Whenever a play needed to be made there was a Seton Hall player willing to make it, eventually leading by as many as 21 points late in the second half.

Herb Pope was the best interior player on the floor for either team, thoroughly outplaying the UConn frontcourt. Jeremy Lamb scored 19 points to lead the visitors but he didn't have much assistance outside of the 11 points scored by Niels Giffey. With the Pirates sitting at 13-2 and 2-1 in Big East play, fans of Kevin Willard's program may allow their minds to wander in the direction of an NCAA Tournament appearance in March and rightfully so.

Some may bring up Seton Hall's win at Syracuse last season as a win that was supposed to be a similar catalyst, but this current team is light years ahead of a squad that would go on to finish the season with a losing record. Pope and Theodore have been excellent leaders for Coach Willard, as Pope's return to full health combined with a better understanding of what the coach wants done has allowed the Pirates to take off. Simply put Seton Hall's got staying power, and while there's still plenty of basketball to be played an NCAA Tournament berth is a realistic possibility.

Other Notable Happenings

1. Michigan State hangs on to beat Wisconsin in overtime, and the clock is a reason why.
When Ryan Evans rebounded Jordan Taylor's missed three-pointer in the final seconds of overtime and dribbled out to knock down a three of his own as time expired, it looked as if Bo Ryan's team would avoid dropping their second straight Big Ten home game. But thanks to the clock on top of the basket being faster than the one in the arena, the shot didn't count and Michigan State won by the final score of 63-60. Taylor led all scorers with 28 points but once again three-point shooting was the culprit for the Badgers, as they made five of twenty-two shots from distance and they've made just eight of their last forty-nine attempts.

For a team that's so reliant on the bonus shot it could be tough sledding for Wisconsin if they don't snap out of that funk soon. As for the Spartans Draymond Green led the way with 18 points and 14 rebounds and Keith Appling added 16, making Michigan State the lone 3-0 team in the Big Ten. The Spartans out-rebounded Wisconsin 41-33 on the night, and their 36-18 advantage in points in the paint played a major role in the outcome. Michigan State will be a major player in the Big Ten race, and if Wisconsin wants to get back into things they need to get better offensively.

2. Fordham picks up a big win, knocking off #22 Harvard at Rose Hill Gym.
It may not have been the biggest win of the night, but Fordham beating Harvard 60-54 may have been the most stunning outcome. Tommy Amaker's Crimson have a solid resume as they approach the start of Ivy League play, but a loss like this doesn't do them any favors. Bryan Smith led the Rams with 22 points while Chris Gaston added 18 and ten rebounds, but the biggest issue for Harvard was their offense. In a 60-possession game the Crimson attempted 30 of their 55 shots from beyond the arc, making just eight. By comparison Fordham made half of their twelve three-point attempts and they were more effective in getting to the foul line as well. Tom Pecora certainly had his work cut out for him when he took the job, and while the process is nowhere near complete he can point to a win like this as a sign of progress. As for Harvard, a loss like this could make it even more important that they run away with the Ivy crown.

3. Oral Roberts wins at Oakland to move to 4-0 in Summit League play.
Having lost games at North Dakota State and South Dakota State last week, Greg Kampe's Oakland squad needed to knock off Oral Roberts to remain in contack with the top of the Summit League. But while Reggie Hamilton scored a game-high 28 points it wasn't enough to hold off the Golden Eagles, who shot 66.7% from the field on their way to the 89-80 victory. ORU turned the ball over 18 times but had five players score in double figures, and it certainly didn't hurt to make 11 of 16 shots from beyond the arc as well. Dominique Morrison, the preseason Summit League Player of the Year, scored 20 points (6-8 3PT) to lead the way and Steven Roundtree added 16 off the bench for ORU, who is now 4-0 in league play and is tied with South Dakota State in first place. With the two Dakota schools visiting Tulsa on Thursday and Saturday, Scott Sutton's team could take a big step towards a regular season title.

Quick Hitters

1. Louisville got back on the right track, beating St. John's 73-58 to end their two-game losing streak. Russ Smith accounted for 17 points, seven assists and four steals off the bench while Kyle Kuric and Gorgui Dieng also put together solid stat lines. But the true star was the Louisville defense as the Red Storm shot just 28.1% from the field.

2. Sean Mosley led the way with 19 points as Maryland held on to beat Cornell 70-62 in their final tune-up for ACC play. The addition of Pe'Shon Howard and Alex Len have made Mark Turgeon's team a much better unit, and it isn't out of the realm of possibility that the Terrapins surprise people in conference play.

3. Siena didn't have much of a chance in the second half of the doubleheader at Madsion Square Garden as they were blitzed by Iona 95-59. Sean Armand set a MAAC record with ten three-pointers, scoring a career-high 32 points, and Jermel Jenkins added 16 off the bench. It's going to be extremely difficult for MAAC opponents to score with the Gaels, meaning that they'll need to do what Saint Peter's was able to do in the conference tournament title game last season. Make them grind it out and see what happens.

4. Rob Jeter's Milwaukee Panthers took a tough loss as they fell 72-61 at Western Michigan. The Broncos are 5-0 at home this season, so the outcome isn't as much of a surprise as the margin. Milwaukee couldn't get to the foul line, attempting just nine free throws (making three) to WMU's 37 (making 30), and that was the difference.

5. Creighton moved to 2-1 in MVC play with a 76-59 win over Drake in Omaha. Doug McDermott led three starters in double figures with 24 points to go along with seven rebounds as the Bluejays won comfortably despite turning the ball over 19 times.

6. Condolences go out to the Bartow family as Gene Bartow passed away on Tuesday at the age of 81. Bartow led Memphis to the 1973 national title game and was also the head coach at UCLA after John Wooden's retirement. His son Murry is the head coach at East Tennessee State.

Five Notable Performances

1. G Sean Armand (Iona)
32 points (10-19 3PT) and six rebounds in the Gaels' 95-59 win over Siena. Armand set a MAAC record for the most three-pointers made in a single game.

2. F Greg Magnano (Yale)
27 points, 13 rebounds and four blocks in the Bulldogs' 82-67 win over Holy Cross.

3. F Draymond Green (Michigan State)
18 points and 14 rebounds in the Spartans' 63-60 overtime win at Wisconsin.

4. G Jordan Theodore (Seton Hall)
19 points, 11 assists and three steals in the Pirates' 75-63 win over #8 Connecticut.

5. F Anthony Davis (Kentucky)
22 points, 16 rebounds and three blocks in the Wildcats' 73-51 win over Arkansas-Little Rock.

Saturday Preview: #4 Louisville at #3 Kentucky

Raphielle Johnson — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 23:48:58 -0500

The final day of 2011 features one of the most anticipated games of the college basketball season, a rivalry game that captivates an entire state and is one of the best games in college basketball. #4 Louisville (12-1), fresh off of a lost to Georgetown in their Big East opener, visits #3 Kentucky (12-1) in what should be a spirited battle at Rupp Arena. The Cardinals have played just one road game this season but it was also one of their best efforts as they won at Butler without the then-injured Peyton Siva. Kentucky's lone defeat also came at the hands of a ranked team, as the Wildcats fell at the buzzer at Indiana.

One player who will definitely be a focus on Saturday is Kentucky sophomore forward Terrence Jones (12.1 ppg, 6.2 rpg), whose scoring and rebounding averages are down from a season ago. But that isn't as big a deal as the last five games for Jones, as he missed two of them with a dislocated finger. In the other three games he scored a combined 13 points, and Jones also turned the ball over six times in the loss at Indiana. John Calipari has other players to call on up front, but that doesn't mean that the Wildcats want to find out (again) if they can win a big game without Jones being productive.

Also inside for Kentucky is big man Anthony Davis (11.6 ppg, 10.2 rpg, 4.3 bpg), who is one of the toughest matchup in America due to his versatility. Davis is 6'10" but he can defend on the perimeter, as evidenced by his many blocks of three-point attempts. A virtual lock to be a lottery pick whenever he leaves Lexington, Davis runs the floor extremely well and has a good motor to go along with his many skills. Also of importance for Kentucky is Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (13.5 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 2.2 apg), a wing who simply does whatever it takes to win. He's been the leader for this group, organizing the now-famous early morning workouts many team members now take part in.

Louisville will counter with one of the most improved big men in the country in Gorgui Dieng (10.5 ppg, 10.0 rpg, 2.8 bpg), who has gone from a player Rick Pitino could only call on for spot duty to one of the coach's most important players. Dieng's most effective around the basket, so it's going to be interesting to see how he deals with Kentucky's mobile big men. Freshman Chane Behanan (8.7 ppg, 8.0 rpg) and veteran Rakeem Buckles complete the rotation for minutes inside with Jared Swopshire's minutes dropping in recent games. Kentucky's a slightly better rebounding team but Louisville does a better job of getting after the offensive boards with an average of 14.5 caroms per game.

The guard play will likely determine the outcome especially for the visitors, as Louisville has struggled offensively in the half court. When they're forcing turnovers the Cardinals are a tough team to stop, as much of their offense comes as a result of the turnovers. But they weren't able to get enough fast-break chances against Georgetown, and they ultimately lost as a result. Siva (9.5 ppg, 6.4 apg) has dealt with injury issues, limiting his effectiveness for much of the season. Chris Smith and Kyle Kuric are the other starters on the perimeter, with Kuric being the Cardinals' most versatile player as he can play a variety of positions. And then there's redshirt freshman Russ Smith, who is second on the team in scoring and has the potential to be a handful for either team.

Sophomore guard Doron Lamb (15.8 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 2.1 apg) is Kentucky's leading scorer, and the New York native is a smooth player who rarely gets out of control. He and senior Darius Miller won't be of concern for Calipari as both have a good idea of what needs to be done on the floor. As for freshman Marquis Teague, who at one time was committed to attend Louisville, he can get out of control on occasion. Look for the Louisville pressure to attack Teague for this reason as he averages 3.1 turnovers to go along with 4.4 assists per game. As a team the Wildcats average 12.6 turnovers per game while Louisville forces an average of 17.4. Look for this statistical category to determine the outcome of the game.

In other games Saturday there's a nice mix of conference and important non-conference games to take in. The Big Ten's got an important battle in Bloomington as Indiana hosts Ohio State with the home team looking to avoid an 0-2 start to conference play. The Buckeyes blew out Northwestern in their Big Ten opener while the Hoosiers fell at Michigan State in a game that featured big runs by both teams. The key for Indiana is to limit Jared Sullinger's impact on the game while also keeping Cody Zeller out of foul trouble. Two other conference games to watch are UConn hosting St. John's (Moe Harkless was originally a UConn commit) in the Big East and Milwaukee visiting Butler in the Horizon League.

As for another big non-conference game there's Xavier hosting Gonzaga, with the Musketeers looking to capitalize on being a full team with the return of Dezmine Wells to the lineup. And given their 1-2 record at the Diamond Head Classic this game could be key for Xavier from an NCAA Tournament seeding standpoint. Gonzaga's going to need consistent play from Elias Harris on the road, and he may be the key to a long run in March for Mark Few's squad. Harvard taking on Saint Joseph's is another good non-conference game for the Atlantic 10, and the battle between C.J. Aiken and Harvard's Keith Wright will be fun to watch.

Virginia Tech visits Oklahoma State in a game that would likely have a bigger effect on the Hokies should they lose given the Cowboys' play this season and the struggles of many ACC teams in the non-conference portion of the schedule. And there's also a critical game in the MVC as Creighton visits Wichita State, needing a win to avoid an 0-2 start to league play. The Pac-12 will cap 2011 with all 12 teams playing conference games, with UCLA visiting Cal in a game that the Bruins needs to avoid an 0-2 start to league play. And just as the ball is dropping in Times Square, Oregon and Washington should be wrapping up the final game of 2011. Happy New Year.

Top 25 Games
6:00 PM (2) Ohio State at (15) Indiana (ESPN2)
12:00 PM (4) Louisville at (3) Kentucky (CBS)
12:00 PM St. John's at (9) Connecticut (ESPN3)
2:00 PM Yale at (10) Florida (ESPNU)
1:00 PM Iowa at (11) Wisconsin (BTN)
2:00 PM Providence at (12) Georgetown (ESPN2)
3:00 PM Utah State at (14) Mississippi State
3:00 PM (17) Michigan State at Nebraska (BTN)
4:00 PM North Dakota at (18) Kansas (ESPNU)
6:00 PM (19) Creighton at Wichita State (ESPNU)
8:00 PM (20) UNLV at Hawaii
4:00 PM Saint Joseph's at (23) Harvard
2:00 PM Howard at (25) Kansas State (ESPN3)

NCAA Division I Games
12:00 PM Virginia Tech at Oklahoma State (ESPN3)
12:00 PM Saint Francis (PA) at Drexel
12:00 PM Austin Peay at Morehead State (ESPNU)
12:00 PM Boston University at Quinnipiac
12:00 PM USC Upstate at South Carolina (ESPN3)
1:00 PM Mississippi Valley State at Iowa State (ESPN3)
1:00 PM Virginia-Wise at East Carolina
1:00 PM Colgate at New Hampshire
1:00 PM Presbyterian at VMI
1:00 PM Lehigh at Bryant
1:05 PM Bradley at Indiana State
2:00 PM Idaho at Boise State
2:00 PM Wright State at UIC (HLN)
2:00 PM FIU at Western Kentucky (FCS)
2:00 PM Samford at Maryland (ESPN3)
2:00 PM Western Carolina at North Carolina State (ESPN3)
2:00 PM Holy Cross at Dartmouth
2:00 PM Arkansas-Pine Bluff at New Mexico State
2:00 PM Rice at Texas (LHN)
2:00 PM Tulane at UT-Pan American
2:00 PM Youngstown State at Cleveland State (HLN)
2:00 PM St. Francis (NY) at Army
2:00 PM Chicago State at Ball State
2:00 PM Cornell at Bucknell
2:00 PM Milwaukee at Butler (ESPN3)
2:00 PM Tennessee State at Eastern Kentucky
2:00 PM Lyon College at Lamar
2:00 PM Hartford at La Salle
2:00 PM Charleston Southern at Liberty
2:00 PM Detroit at Loyola (IL) (HLN)
2:00 PM Southern Miss at McNeese State
2:00 PM Gardner-Webb at Radford
2:00 PM Louisiana Tech at SMU
3:00 PM Alabama A&M at UAB
3:00 PM Delaware State at George Washington
3:00 PM Northwestern State at Oklahoma
3:05 PM Drake at Missouri State
3:30 PM Albany at Mount St. Mary's
3:30 PM South Alabama at Middle Tennessee (ESPN3)
4:00 PM UCLA at California (FSN)
4:00 PM Troy at North Texas
4:00 PM Houston Baptist at Duquesne
4:00 PM Illinois at Purdue (ESPN2)
4:00 PM Sacramento State at Weber State
4:00 PM UNC Asheville at Winthrop (MASN)
4:30 PM Jacksonville State at SIU-Edwardsville
5:00 PM Arkansas State at Louisiana-Monroe
5:00 PM Tennessee Tech at Tennessee-Martin
5:05 PM Green Bay at Valparaiso Tickets
5:15 PM Florida Atlantic at Louisiana-Lafayette
5:30 PM Arizona State at Arizona (FSN AZ)
6:00 PM Utah at Colorado (ROOT)
6:00 PM Saint Louis at New Mexico (The Mtn)
6:00 PM San Diego at Brigham Young (BYU TV)
6:00 PM Oregon State vs. Washington State* (ROOT)
6:00 PM Arkansas-Little Rock at Denver
6:00 PM Saint Mary's at Pepperdine
6:30 PM USC at Stanford (FSN W)
7:00 PM Coastal Carolina at High Point
7:00 PM Tulsa at TCU (CBSSN)
8:00 PM Loyola Marymount at San Francisco
8:00 PM Gonzaga at Xavier (ESPN2)
9:00 PM Charlotte at Memphis (CSS)
9:35 PM Northern Arizona at Northern Colorado
10:00 PM Oregon at Washington (ESPN2)

Jon Teitel's "Coaching Greats" Series: Milwaukee's Rob Jeter

Jon Teitel — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 12:59:02 -0500

In the latest installment in his "Coaching Greats" interview series CHN writer Jon Teitel spent some time with current Milwaukee head coach Rob Jeter. In his seventh season at the school, Jeter has led the Panthers to a pair of Horizon League titles and an NCAA Tournament in 2005. The Panthers are currently 9-4 on the season with a 2-0 record in conference play.

Jon Teitel: Your father Bob is a member of the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame, your uncle Tony played for the Pittsburgh Steelers, and your brother Carlton was your basketball teammate at Wisconsin-Platteville. Who is the best athlete in the family, and do you credit at least some of your success to genetics?

Rob Jeter: I am very proud of my family and the success that so many of them have had in sports and life. Family is very important in shaping who you are and pushing you to become successful in life, and I am no different. I give every member of my family credit for making me who I am today.

JT: At Wisconsin-Platteville you went 102-16 in your four seasons playing for Coach Bo Ryan. What was it like to play for Coach Ryan, and what makes him such a great coach?

RJ: There are so many different things that make Coach Ryan successful. You could say it is his work ethic, his preparation, his knowledge of the game, his attention to detail, his relationship with his players, or many other things. He put us in a position to be successful and he demanded excellence and accountability from us. From the first day of practice we worked on the things that we needed to do to become better basketball players and to win games. We continued to do that every day and it paid off in the end.

JT: You were captain of the 1991 team that averaged almost 100 points per game and won the Division III title. What did it mean to you to be named captain, and what did it mean to you to win the title?

RJ: It was an honor to be the team captain. I certainly did my best to be a leader for our team and to help push us to be successful. Winning a national championship is very special and to share it with all of my teammates and coaches made it even better, plus we had such great support from the campus and community. Platteville is a very special place and to win the national title with all of those people behind us was tremendous.

JT: After graduation you played professionally overseas, where you led the Portuguese national league in scoring. What did you learn from the experience, and how did it compare to college basketball?

RJ: Anytime you get to go out on your own into another country you learn a lot of lessons. It was a great experience to see some of the culture, to get to meet new people, and to experience what basketball is like somewhere else. I enjoyed it tremendously.

JT: After retiring you spent four years as an assistant to Coach Ryan at Wisconsin-Platteville, where you won two more Division II titles. How did winning a title as an assistant coach compare to winning a title as a player?

RJ: Every championship is different. As a player you are out there on the court making plays but as a coach you can look back at how players developed and learned lessons over time. I was fortunate enough to be a part of a great tradition of winning at Platteville as both a player and a coach, and all of those memories are extremely special.

JT: What are your memories of your trips to the NCAA Tournament as an assistant coach under Ryan at Wisconsin?

RJ: As a coach you probably do tend to remember every game you are a part of in some way but it is hard to go back and break down every moment of all of those games. I have a lot of tremendous memories of my time at Wisconsin and of the players and fans that really supported the team. We were fortunate enough to enjoy a lot of success and get the chance to play deep into the tournament, but we also worked very hard to be great during the regular season and compete for Big Ten championships. We are all especially proud of finding a way to win the Big Ten title in our first year at Wisconsin. You do think back to some of the great moments: the great road wins at places like Michigan State and all the great home wins in front of the great Badger fans at the Kohl Center. We had a lot of great players come through and they all played a very important role in building what has become an incredible tradition of winning at Wisconsin.

JT: You were hired as head coach at Milwaukee in 2005 and your team won the conference tournament in your very first year. How were you able to come in and have so much success so quickly?

RJ: I was fortunate enough to have a great group of players and coaches to work with in my first year. It was exciting because it wound up being a chance for me to finally coach a lot of guys that I had recruited to Milwaukee when I was an assistant coach. To see players like Adrian Tigert and Chris Hill (players who signed with us the first time around) playing at such a high level on the national stage was very exciting and rewarding. It was a tremendous group of people and players and a great season to be a part of.

JT: In 2009 you won a bronze medal as an assistant under Coach Ryan for Team USA at the World University Games in Serbia. How devastating was the one-point loss to Russia, and which player impressed you the most (Talor Battle, Robbie Hummel, other)?

RJ: The World University Games was a great experience. The talent around the world is very, very good. Probably a lot better than we realize many times. You can learn a lot from watching how those players play the game and the skills they put to good use. Of course we went there to win the gold medal so it was disappointing to get knocked off. However, at the same time I think all of the players and coaches learned a lot and have become better basketball players and people because of the experience, and that is important too.

JT: In 2011 you swept Butler in the regular season, lost to Northwestern in the first round of the NIT, and were named Horizon League Coach of the Year. What do you think your team learned from last season that can help you this season?

RJ: When you look back on things and how we did it, it was a very special season. It was not that we started off badly, but we certainly did not start off great either. Our inability to play consistent basketball early was a big concern. Once we really started to play at a higher level we were able to really put it together and string together some wins. To start that late run by winning at Butler and then finish it off by sweeping a league weekend in OH (something that no one else in the league did) showed that we really solidified some things late in the year and got results.

Jeter is also on Jon's list of best coaches in Horizon League history.

Butler: Tony Hinkle (1926-1970) 558-394, 1 NCAA tourney, 3 conference titles
Cleveland State: Kevin Mackey (1983-1990) 142-69, 1 NCAA tourney, 2 conference titles, 2-time conference COY
Detroit: Bob Calihan (1948-1969) 306-237, 1 NCAA tourney
Green Bay: Dick Bennett (1985-1995) 187-109, 3 NCAA tourneys, 2 conference titles, 2-time conference COY
Illinois-Chicago: Jimmy Collins (1996-2010) 218-208, 3 NCAA tourneys, 1 conference title, 1-time conference COY
Loyola (Chicago): George Ireland (1951-1975) 318-255, 4 NCAA tourneys, 2 conference titles, 1 NCAA title
Milwaukee: Rob Jeter (2005-present) 110-93, 1 NCAA tourney, 2 conference titles, 1-time conference COY
Valparaiso: Homer Drew (1988-2002, 2003-2011) 356-288, 7 NCAA tourneys, 8 conference titles, 4-time conference COY
Wright State: Ralph Underhill (1978-1996) 356-162, 1 NCAA tourney, 1 conference title, 1 D-2 title, 1-time national COY
Youngstown State: Mike Rice, Sr. (1982-1987) 75-67

Thursday's Preview: #24 Illinois vs. #8 Missouri

Raphielle Johnson — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 00:19:23 -0500

Thursday is the final "busy day" on the college basketball schedule before Christmas and there's important business to address in St. Louis: Braggin' Rights. Undefeated and eighth-ranked Missouri (11-0) looks for its third straight win over #24 Illinois (11-1) in the series, and despite the change in head coach the Tigers remain one of the most balanced teams in the country. Four players average double figures and two more average at least eight points per game, and with the team averaging 17.3 assists per game it's obvious that Missouri has no problem sharing the wealth.

Marcus Denmon (19.6 ppg, 5.3 rpg) leads the way offensively for Frank Haith's squad while senior Kim English is second on the team in both minutes and scoring (16.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg). English plays the four at times for the Tigers due to their lack of depth inside with the loss of Laurence Bowers and he's done a good job in the role. A player with his versatility can cause fits for opposing players at the four, and that's something that the Illini may be concerned with on Thursday. Illinois will also need to contend with the physical Ricardo Ratliffe (14.3 ppg, 7.2 rpg) inside, which should be a good measuring stick for seven-footer Meyers Leonard.

Leonard (13.3 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 2.4 bpg) got off to a good start but according the head coach Bruce Weber the sound of folks around him talking "NBA" may have gotten to the sophomore. Baby steps, folks. Leonard has shown himself to be a much-improved product this season but he's still got plenty of work to do. Ratliffe and Steve Moore will both be stronger than Leonard, who will need to counter with his ability to step away from the basket without falling in love with the the mid-range game and neglecting the post. Tyler Griffey is averaging a shade under five rebounds per game and has filled a role similar to that of the departed Bill Cole in that he'll be called on to do many of the little things that teams require in order to be successful.

On the perimeter is where Illinois could have trouble despite the presence of Brandon Paul (10.7 ppg, 3.2 apg) and D.J. Richardson (14.4 ppg, 3.0 rpg), with the latter being one of the better defenders in the Big Ten. Sam Maniscalco (10.9 ppg, 3.0 apg) runs the show at the point and has been good for Illinois thus far, but his defensive ability will definitely be tested by the Tiger guards. In addiiton to Denmon there's Phil Pressey (8.6 ppg, 6.0 apg), who has done an outstanding job of running the show for Missouri. Matt Pressey and Michael Dixon Jr. are two other options that Missouri can call upon with Dixon averaging 12.6 points per game off the bench.

The one thing that Illinois cannot do is turn the ball over, as Missouri still takes the ball away at a decent clip despite scrapping the full-court pressure employed by Mike Anderson. Missouri's opponents have turned the ball over on 24% of their possessions, and with the Tigers turning the ball over just nine times per game they aren't exactly going to give the ball back either. Illinois turns the ball over on one-fifth of their possessions, a reason why their offensive efficiency is 22.4 points below that of Missouri. With the two teams having nearly the same rebounding margin, turnovers (and the points scored off of them) will likely tell the tale in St. Louis.

Also of note are in-season tournaments in both Las Vegas and Honolulu, with many likely to be trained in on Long Beach State playing Xavier at the Diamond Head Classic. Tu Holloway returns from his one-game suspension but Mark Lyons and Dezmine Wells are both out for the Musketeers, which presents a great opportunity to Dan Monson's 49ers despite the matchup between Holloway and Casper Ware. A key for the Musketeers will be the play of Kenny Frease, as in T.J. Robinson the 49ers bring a very active interior player who brings the effort every night.

In Las Vegas, Saint Mary's could use a marquee win for their resume and Baylor would be a great team to do that against. But do the Gaels have enough help for Rob Jones inside to deal with the Bears' frontcourt? Saint Mary's will lean heavily on Jones and point guard Matthew Dellavedova, with the latter being a good test for Scott Drew's backcourt. Memphis, who has played one of the toughest non-conference schedules in the country, will look to apply the lessons learned from their loss to Georgetown in Maui as they visit the Hoyas in the nation's capital. But in order to do so the Tigers must eliminate the defensive lapses that have const them in other big games this season if they're to win.

Connecticut (hosting Fairfield) and Marquette (hosting Milwaukee) should be on notice in their game, with the Golden Eagles looking to rebound from their loss at LSU and the Huskies taking on a Fairfield team that will contend in the MAAC. There's also going to be a pair of Olanders on the floor in that one, as older brother Ryan (Fairfield) looks to hand Tyler's Huskies a very rare non-conference loss to an in-state opponent. Butler visits Stanford in a game the Bulldogs really need for their profile before heading into Horizon League play, Kansas visits a USC team that looked like an offensive juggernaut on Monday night, and Tulane gets a chance to show that they're as good as their record in the Carrier Dome.

Top 25 Games
7:00 PM Tulane at (1) Syracuse (SNY)
8:30 PM Miami (OH) at (2) Ohio State (BTN)
1:00 PM Loyola (MD) at (3) Kentucky (ESPN3)
10:30 PM Saint Mary's vs. (7) Baylor (ESPN3)
9:00 PM (24) Illinois at (8) Missouri (ESPN2)
7:00 PM Fairfield at (9) Connecticut (ESPN3)
9:00 PM Milwaukee at (10) Marquette (ESPN3)
11:00 PM (11) Kansas at USC (FSN)
7:00 PM Florida State at (12) Florida (ESPNU)
11:00 PM Long Beach State vs. (15) Xavier* (ESPNU)
7:00 PM Memphis at (16) Georgetown (ESPN2)
8:00 PM Northwestern State at (17) Mississippi State
6:00 PM UMBC at (18) Indiana (ESPN3)
6:30 PM Bradley at (19) Michigan (BTN)
9:00 PM Lehigh at (20) Michigan State (ESPNU)
8:05 PM Northwestern at (21) Creighton (ESPN3)
7:00 PM Florida Atlantic at (25) Harvard

NCAA Division I Games
2:30 PM UTEP vs. Clemson* (ESPNU)
3:00 PM Texas A&M-CC vs. Bethune-Cookman*
4:30 PM Kansas State vs. Southern Illinois* (ESPNU)
5:00 PM South Alabama vs. San Diego*
5:30 PM Tennessee Tech vs. Kennesaw State*
6:00 PM Mount St. Mary's at Savannah State
7:00 PM Bryant at Arizona (FSN AZ)
7:00 PM James Madison at George Washington
7:00 PM Delaware at Howard
7:00 PM Mercer at Georgia Tech
7:00 PM Bucknell at Boston University
7:00 PM San Francisco at Holy Cross
7:00 PM Davidson at Massachusetts
7:00 PM Gardner-Webb at East Carolina
7:00 PM Northeastern at NC State (ESPN3)
7:00 PM American at Villanova
7:00 PM Eastern Michigan at Virginia Tech (ESPN3)
7:00 PM VMI at Old Dominion
7:00 PM Charleston at Coastal Carolina
7:00 PM Sam Houston State at Cleveland State
7:00 PM Campbell at Appalachian State
7:00 PM Drexel at Binghamton
7:00 PM La Salle at Central Connecticut State
7:00 PM Alabama State at Detroit
7:00 PM Texas State at Fordham
7:00 PM Georgia Southern at Georgia State
7:00 PM Colgate at Hofstra
7:00 PM Rider at Monmouth
7:00 PM VCU at UNC Greensboro (ESPN3)
7:00 PM Navy at Presbyterian
7:00 PM Niagara at Quinnipiac
7:00 PM Princeton at Siena (ESPN3)
7:00 PM Central Michigan at Wright State
7:05 PM Toledo at Florida Gulf Coast
7:05 PM Robert Morris at Youngstown State
7:30 PM Elon at San Diego State
7:30 PM NJIT at Rutgers (RVision)
7:30 PM Loyola (IL) at Canisius (ESPN3)
7:30 PM Bowling Green at Florida International
7:30 PM Miami (FL) at Charlotte
7:30 PM North Carolina Central vs. Prairie View A&M*
7:30 PM Texas-Arlington vs. Saint Peter's*
8:00 PM Jacksonville at UAB
8:00 PM Louisiana Tech at Arkansas
8:00 PM North Dakota State at Minnesota
8:00 PM Arkansas State at Saint Louis
8:00 PM Rice at Texas A&M
8:00 PM LSU at North Texas
8:00 PM Missouri State vs. West Virginia* (ESPN3)
8:00 PM Dallas Christian at SMU
8:00 PM USF at Southern Miss
8:00 PM Grambling State at TCU
8:00 PM UTSA at Troy
8:00 PM North Dakota at Western Illinois
8:00 PM Idaho at Green Bay
8:05 PM Texas Tech at Oral Roberts
8:30 PM Boise State at Iowa (BTN.com)
9:00 PM Butler at Stanford (FSN)
9:00 PM Texas Southern at Colorado
9:00 PM Utah Valley at Montana
9:00 PM UMKC at New Mexico
9:00 PM UCSB at BYU (BYU TV)
9:00 PM UC Davis at Southern Utah
9:00 PM Wyoming at Idaho State
9:00 PM Citadel at Denver
9:00 PM Air Force at Gonzaga (Root NW)
9:00 PM Colorado State at Northern Colorado
9:00 PM Utah at Weber State
10:00 PM San Jose State at UC Riverside
10:00 PM Cal State Northridge at Washington
10:00 PM Hope International at UC Irvine
10:00 PM Portland at Nevada
10:00 PM Stephen F. Austin at Oregon
10:00 PM Washington State at Pepperdine
10:00 PM Pacific at Cal State Bakersfield
10:05 PM Southeast Missouri State at Sacramento State
10:05 PM Kent State at Utah State
10:05 PM Portland State at Cal State Fullerton
1:00 AM Auburn at Hawaii (ESPNU)

Tuesday Recap: Middle Tennessee Evens the Score

Raphielle Johnson — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 09:24:56 -0500

With the first matchup between Belmont and Middle Tennessee going to double overtime the rematch on Tuesday was expected to be just as tight. Sure enough the game didn't disappoint, with the Blue Raiders locking up the 65-62 win with a pair of blocked shots in the final 22 seconds. LaRon Dendy led the way for Middle Tennessee with 20 points, and the Blue Raiders haven't reached the ten-win mark in a season this fast since 1990-91. Belmont outscored Middle Tennessee 33-9 in points from beyond the arc but they couldn't get that 12th three-pointer they needed to take the lead or tie late, which is a testament to Kermit Davis' team.

"We are an athletic team, we're long around the rim," said Davis. "But the last two plays, to block perimeter shots, those were unbelievable competitive athletic plays because the way Belmont shot it tonight you just felt if they got a good clean look they were going to make it."

The Bruins really couldn't get much of anything going in the first half, shooting just 33.3% and turning the ball over eight times to go into the locker room down 34-25. On the other side Middle Tennessee executed efficiently on offense, assisting on 11 of their 13 made baskets and shooting 52.0% from the field. But as expected, Rick Byrd's team made a run thanks to their ability to knock down perimeter shots. Belmont made seven of twelve three-pointers and took their first lead since 2-0 with 10:01 remaining on a Kerron Johnson layup. But despite the Belmont run and poor foul shooting Middle Tennessee didn't fold, earning them the win to even the season at one victory apiece.

"We are 32-60 against them at the line," said Davis. "Marcos Knight, one of the toughest players I have ever coached, he missed three even though he felt good about them. LaRon had his struggles, but he steps up and makes some timely free throws."

While the focus of many has been Belmont's chances of earning an at-large bid should they not win the Atlantic Sun, there could be something special brewing in Murfreesboro. Middle Tennessee's now 10-2 on the season, and next Wednesday's game at Ole Miss is more than winnable for the Blue Raiders. But the free throw shooting has to improve if they're to be a championship team in the Sun Belt. But they rank second nationally in field goal percentage (53.2%) and the Blue Raiders have been solid defensively as well. With a three-pronged scoring attack leading the way, Middle Tennessee can have a special 2011-12.

"We understand what's ahead of us," remarked Davis. "Ten wins in the non-conference is a great feat, we are off to a great start, and gives us a chance to have a terrific year."

Other Notable Happenings

1. Florida Atlantic only has themselves to blame for their loss at Mississippi State.
Speaking of Sun Belt teams struggling to make free throws, there's the case of Mike Jarvis' FAU Owls, who made just seven of eighteen from the charity stripe in their 75-68 loss at Mississippi State. Raymond Taylor scored 20 points off the bench for the Owls but the fact that FAU made just two of eight from the foul line in the second half proved costly. By comparison Mississippi State made 17 of 22 from the line, taking advantage of the points many expect to be "free" the way winning teams should. Rodney Hood, who has to be considered one of the top freshmen in the SEC, scored 19 points and grabbed ten rebounds for the Bulldogs and Dee Bost led all scorers with 22 points, but the shot that can't be defended was the difference.

2. Could a dagger be the catalyst Jordan Taylor needs to get back on track?
After a Milwaukee basked with 1:10 remaining cut the Wisconsin lead to 55-52 there was little doubt who would take the big shot for the Badgers. Senior point guard Jordan Taylor, who was coming off of an 0-for-10 outing against UNLV and made just three of eleven two-pointers on Tuesday night, was going to be the guy no matter what. And as All-Americans do, Taylor came up big by knocking down a three from the top of the key to make the score 58-52 with 41 seconds to go. Jared Berggren led the way in the 60-54 win with 17 points and nine rebounds, but that shot may be just what the doctor ordered for Taylor with regards to getting back on track. He's shooting just 36% on the season, more than seven points below last season's mark (43.3%), but the road back begins with that first step.

3. A strong second half propels Villanova to a win over Boston University.
The first half of Villanova's game against Boston University and former VU assistant Joe Jones wasn't a pretty one, with the Wildcats shooting just 18.2% and trailing 26-23 at the half. The Wildcats missed their final 16 shots of the half, and frankly guys didn't look confident in what they were doing on that end of the floor. But whatever Jay Wright, or even the players themselves, said in the locker room at the break had a major effect as the Wildcats rolled to a 68-43 win. Villanova made 14 of 19 two-points shots in the second half and Dominic Cheek got things rolling with 11 points while the Terriers could never get going offensively (17 second-half points). Cheek may ultimately be the key for the Wildcats if they're to reach the NCAA Tournament, meaning that his percentages (38.8% FG, 28.8% 3PT) have to improve. Villanova's relying on a number of young players, be it in terms of games played or the importance of roles, so it's going to take some time. But the second half was a good sign of what Jay Wright's team could be capable of.

Quick Hitters

1. Washington will be without the services of center Aziz N'Diaye for the next 2-3 weeks due to a sprained knee. N'Diaye isn't much of an offensive presence but the Huskies will need to account for his team-best 8.8 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game. Desmond Simmons figures to be the player most likely to see a jump in minutes, but Martin Bruenig and Shawn Kemp Jr. will likely be called upon as well.

2. Marquette has been hit hard by the injury bug of late, with Chris Otule (knee), Juan Anderson (shoulder) and Jamil Wilson (ankle) all suffering injuries over the last week or so. Wilson will be the first to return but Anderson will be down for a while and the severity of Otule's injury (suffered against Washington last week) still isn't known. That means more opportunties for Davante Gardner, who scored 14 points in Saturday's win over Green Bay.

3. After struggling in his first two games back from injury, the Chris Fouch many expected to see for Drexel may be back. Fouch followed up a 23-point performance against Princeton with 24 in the Dragons' 71-58 win over Niagara on Tuesday night.

4. After winning ten games all of last season, Wyoming's already reached that mark in their first season under Larry Shyatt. While a SOS that currently ranks 301st in the country has to be noted, it's also fair to point out that the Cowboys have improved their field goal percentage defense by nine percentage points from a season ago. Wyoming beat UC Irvine 58-48 Tuesday night.

5. Despite out-rebounding Point University 48-29 Alcorn State needed two overtimes to beat the new NAIA member 106-101, which had been competing at the NCCAA level prior to this season. Alcorn State is 2-7 on the season but have yet to defeat a Division I opponent. It could be a long year in Lorman.

Three Notable Performances

1. F Jaylen Bond (Texas)
The freshman put up 18 points (9-12 FG), 12 rebounds and two assists in the Longhorns' 93-40 pasting of Nicholls State.

2. G Rodney Hood (Mississippi State)
One of the top freshmen in the SEC thus far, Hood scored 19 points and grabbed ten rebounds in the Bulldogs' 75-68 win over Florida Atlantic.

3. G Marcus Jordan (UCF)
28 points and three assists in the Knights' 77-65 win over North Carolina A&T.

Tuesday Preview: Belmont at Middle Tennessee

Raphielle Johnson — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 21:57:49 -0500

It's finals week for many of the nation's colleges, which means a lighter schedule with regards to both quantity and quality. But there is a good matchup to keep an eye on Tuesday night as Belmont (6-2), winners of six straight, visits Middle Tennessee (9-2) in their second meeting of the season. Rick Byrd's Bruins haven't lost since opening the season with games at Duke and Memphis, and with a rotation that goes ten deep they're a tough team to defend.

Belmont averages 71.2 possessions per game and they're quite efficient offensively with an efficiency rating of 117.9 while turning the ball over on just 16.1% of their possessions. Guards Kerron Johnson (15.3 ppg, 5.9 apg), Ian Clark (11.6 ppg, 2.4 rpg) and Drew Hanlen (9.3 ppg, 3.8 apg) start on the perimeter for the Bruins, with Johnson being their most-used player according to kenpom.com.

Johnson's not going to be called upon to knock down a large number of his shots from beyond the arc, but his 54.9% field goal percentage speaks to his ability to find quality shots inside the arc. Clark and Hanlen are two of Belmont's best three-point shooters with sophomore J.J. Mann providing 12.9 points per game off the bench. He'll also get to take shots from deep, and the better Belmont is from deep the better they are inside with Mick Hedgepeth and Scott Saunders.

Hedgepeth and Saunders combing to average 18.6 points per game with Hedgepeth leading the team in rebounding with an average of 7.9 caroms per contest. As a team the Bruins out-rebound the opposition by 3.3 rebounds per game, and Middle Tennessee is right there with a margin of plus-3.4. But Belmont's been the better of the two at hitting the offensive boards, and with the Blue Raiders allowing opponents to grab 13.7 offensive rebounds per game this is an area to keep track of.

Kermit Davis' team may average three fewer possessions per game but that doesn't mean that they can't score. Middle Tennessee is averaging 77.8 points per game (Belmont averages 84.0) and shoots 53.5% from the field, a number that is tied for tops in the nation (Campbell). Forward LaRon Dendy (14.2 ppg, 6.5 rpg) leads the way offensively while guard Marcos Knight (13.6 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 2.9 apg) and forward J.T. Sulton (12.0 ppg, 6.4 rpg) are also averaging double figures.

But if there's any one area that the Blue Raiders really need to be concerned with it's turnovers, because Belmont does a good job of forcing the tempo. Belmont's opponents are averaging 15.5 turnovers per game and Middle Tennessee turns the ball over an average of 15.3 times per contest. Either way that works out to a turnover on 22% of their possessions, and if Middle Tennessee can't push the Bruins closer to that number than their season average (16%) they could be in trouble at home.

Middle Tennessee has also done a good job of getting to the foul line, boasting a free throw rate of 52.0 while Belmont enters the game with a rate of 37.7. The Blue Raiders need to attack the basket offensively and not settle for jumpers, but they'll also need to shoot better than their 64% mark for the season. The first game between the two (also in Murfreesboro) went two overtimes before the Bruins won 87-84. The same could happen Tuesday night, and the Blue Raiders will hope to avoid going 16-for-30 from the foul line again.

Also of note is Wisconsin's trip to Milwaukee to take on Rob Jeter's Panthers in a game that will offer a nice test for the Badgers. Jordan Taylor failed to make a field goal against UNLV but that was alright as Ben Brust was hot off the bench with 25 points. Guard Kaylon Williams leads a balanced attack for Milwaukee, but while they're averaging four more possessions per game they aren't scoring as effectively as the Badgers. That could be an issue in what will be a half-court slugfest.

Top 25 Games
8:00 PM (16) Wisconsin at Milwaukee (BTN)
9:00 PM Florida Atlantic at (18) Mississippi State (ESPN3)
7:00 PM Arkansas-Pine Bluff at (19) Michigan (ESPN3)

NCAA Division I Games
7:00 PM Boston University at Villanova (ESPN3)
7:00 PM Spalding at Chattanooga
7:00 PM Drexel at Niagara
7:00 PM North Carolina A&T at UCF
7:00 PM Rochester College at Oakland
7:00 PM Presbyterian at South Carolina (ESPN3)
7:00 PM Dartmouth at IPFW
8:00 PM Nicholls State at Texas (LHN)
8:00 PM Point University at Alcorn State
8:00 PM Belmont at Middle Tennessee
8:00 PM Bethel (TN) at Tennessee-Martin
8:00 PM Michigan Tech at Green Bay
9:00 PM Central Michigan at Minnesota (ESPN)
9:00 PM UCSB at San Diego
9:00 PM UC Irvine at Wyoming (The Mtn.)
10:00 PM UIC at Oregon State (Root NW)
10:00 PM Pacifica College at Santa Clara
10:00 PM Jackson State at Saint Mary's