Savannah St

Montana Wins Big Sky Title: Wednesday's Quick Hitters

Raphielle Johnson — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 02:50:07 -0500

UConn and USF were the big winners on Wednesday at Madison Square Garden, while West Virginia and Seton Hall now await their NCAA tournament fate.

1. Montana pulls away in the second half to beat Weber State and win the Big Sky's automatic bid.
The Big Sky title game was one of two championship game rubber matches on Wednesday night, and even though the home team won each meeting by double digits the expectation was that the Wildcats and Grizzlies would be close throughout. That was true for about 33 minutes, as from the 6:41 mark on Montana outscored Weber State 27-14 on their way to the 85-66 victory. Damian Lillard played very well for Weber State, finishing with 29 points, ten rebounds and seven assists, but on this night he likely would have needed to score in upwards of 40 points to give Randy Rahe's team a shot at winning.

Why? Because while Montana didn't receive one point from their bench all five starters reached double figures, with Kareem Jamar and Mathias Ward scored 23 points apiece to lead the way. In addition to those two the Grizzlies can also call on guard Will Cherry and Derek Selvig, which could make them a tough matchup for someone next week. Both teams will return some key pieces next season, meaning that Weber State and Montana could very well meet with another NCAA berth on the line in 2013.

2. C.J. McCollum and Gabe Knutson prove to be too much for Bucknell in the Patriot League final.
Patriot League Player of the Year McCollum did what he's done all season long in scoring 29 points to lead Lehigh offensively, but the fact that the Mountain Hawks had a second scorer while the Bison did not proved to be the difference. Gabe Knutson added 23 points and seven rebounds, five of them being offensive, in the Mountain Hawks' 82-77 win at Bucknell to take the automatic bid. Mike Muscala was outstanding for the Bison as he finished with 30 points and 14 rebounds, but the next scorer for Bucknell finished with just 11 points (Bryson Johnson, who made two of his three field goals in the final minute).

Lehigh did a better job of executing offensively as they found quality looks and shot 50% from the field, finishing with an efficiency of 113.9. According to statsheet.com a Bucknell opponent hadn't approached that number since Loyola (MD) posted a 116.1 back in December. Lehigh proved to be too much for Bucknell offensively, especially when factoring in the fact that Muscala didn't receive consistent scoring help on the other end.

3. LIU Brooklyn takes care of Robert Morris to win their second consecutive NEC tournament crown.
For the second straight season the Colonials and Blackbirds met with a trip to the NCAA tournament on the line, and just like last season it was the home team that emerged victorious. All five starters reached double figures for the Blackbirds, who pulled away in the second half to win 90-73. C.J. Garner led the way with 21 points and backcourt partner Jason Brickman added 18 and 11 assists, while forward Julian Boyd finished with 18 and ten rebounds.

Andy Toole's Colonials suffered a pair of unfortunate blows during the game as both Velton Jones and Mike McFadden suffered injuries, but the game was more about what Brickman was able to do at the point in running the LIU attack. The Blackbirds also outscored the Colonials 31-14 from the foul line, and their sheer ability to score helped make up for Robert Morris grabbing 21 offensive rebounds. Rebounding's been an issue for much of the season for LIU, and if they want to improve their chances of winning a game Boyd, Jamal Olasewere and Kenny Onyechi will need to lead the way towards improvement.

Quick Hitters

1. After winning the MEAC regular season crown in their first year as a full member of the league, Savannah State fell 59-46 to Hampton in a MEAC tournament quarterfinal. Horace Broadnax's team shot 27.1% from the field and 5-for-22 from beyond the arc, and their 20 turnovers didn't help matters either. The regular season title does guarantee the Tigers an NIT berth, but obviously they would rather not have to use that automatic bid.

2. Two disciplinary actions taken on Wednesday did a better job of summing up what this season has been like for the Pac-12 than any stat that's been thrown out there. Arizona suspended starting point guard Josiah Turner indefinitely due to a violation of team rules, and he won't be playing at all this weekend. And UCLA head coach Ben Howland sat big man Joshua Smith for the first half of their 55-40 win over USC due to his being late for the team bus to the arena.

3. Compared to how they were playing in for most of conference play, these last couple of weeks have been a bit of a struggle for Sean Woods' Mississippi Valley State team. The Delta Devils survived their SWAC quarterfinal on Wednesday, beating Jackson State 63-60 to advance to the semis. Cor-J Cox provided a spark off the bench with 12 points, six rebounds and five steals, but if MVSU is to back up their regular season title with a tournament crown they can't afford to shoot 3-for-17 from three as they did against Jackson State.

4. The top four seeds in the Southland all advanced to the semifinals, with the top seeds making short work of their respective opponents. Regular season champ UT Arlington beat Nicholls State 96-48 as Bo Ingram led four Mavericks in double figures with 21 points to go along with seven rebounds. Two-seed Stephen F. Austin beat Sam Houston State 68-46, shooting 55.6% from the field and 24-for-30 from the foul line. Also advancing were Lamar and McNeese State.

5. On a day that saw three of the four higher-seeded teams advance at the Conference USA tournament the one winner that should stand out is Marshall, who beat SMU 74-56. DeAndre Kane led the way with 18 points and Dennis Tinnon grabbed 15 rebounds for the Thundering Heard, who have the talent necessary to make a run through the tournament.

6. Chalk ruled the two matchups in the MAC on Wednesday as Western Michigan and Toledo advanced to the quarterfinals. The Rockets led Northern Illinois by 11 with just over four minutes remaining, only to see the Huskies nearly come back and grab the win. Rian Pearson led Toledo with 20 points and 15 rebounds.

7. While the CBI has taken teams with losing records in the past, Oklahoma's season may be finished thanks to their 62-53 loss to Texas A&M in the first round of the Big 12 tournament. David Lobeau and Khris Middleton led the Aggies with 15 points apiece, combing for 30 points and 16 rebounds on the night. Also advancing was Oklahoma State, who beat Texas Tech 76-60.

Ducks Get Hot in the Second Half: Thursday's Quick Hitters

Raphielle Johnson — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 10:32:15 -0500

Florida State's Ian Miller knocked down a three-pointer with eight tenths of a second remaining to give the Seminoles a 63-60 win at Virginia, who will finish the regular season without a win over any of the top three teams in the ACC.

1. Oregon scored 54 second-half points to erase a five-point halftime deficit and beat Colorado.
The battle in Eugene between the Ducks and Buffaloes was likely more of a "bubble eliminator" contest, with the loser most likely needing to win the Pac-12 tournament in order to go dancing. Unfortunately for Colorado, who has struggled on the road all season, their play on the defensive end let them down in the second half. Oregon shot 61.5% in the second half of their 90-81 win, which also moved the Ducks closer to a first-round bye in next week's conference tournament. Devoe Joseph scored 24 points and Garrett Sim added 19 for Oregon, who shot 8-for-14 from beyond the arc as well. Carlon Brown snapped out of his funk to lead four Colorado players in double figures with 20 points, and despite the loss that's an important development for the Buffs. If he's playing efficiently they can win the Pac-12 tournament, which they will likely have to do in order to reach the Field of 68.

2. Nevada clinches the WAC regular season title, and there won't be many highly ranked teams who will line up to face them in the Big Dance.
Regardless of what seed line David Carter's Wolf Pack end up on, they're not going to be a fun matchup for the team that draws them should they win the WAC's automatic bid. Olek Czyz led three Nevada players in double figures with 15 points and their defending of a ball screen in the final seconds eventually forced a New Mexico State turnover to seal the 65-61 win. NMSU's final sequence looked to be doomed from the start but head coach Marvin Menzies chose to play it out despite having a timeout remaining, ultimately leading to Hernst LaRoche throwing the ball away. Wendell McKines led the Aggies with 19 points and LaRoche added 12 in what could have been a preview of next weekend's title game. With the likes of Czyz, Deonte Burton, Dario Hunt and Malik Story the Wolf Pack have talented weapons that can give teams fits, and there won't be any highly-seeded teams lining up for their shot at Nevada.

3. Quinnipiac is the lone road team to win in the NEC quarterfinals.
Of course in a conference tournament in which the higher seeded teams host all the game the 4/5 matchup tends to be the one most likely to produce a win for the road team. That rang true for the Patriot League Wednesday night (Lafayette) and for the NEC on Thursday, as fifth-seed Quinnipiac beat St. Francis (NY) 80-72 to set up a semifinal matchup with regular season champion LIU Brooklyn. The Bobcats, who are the best rebounding team in the NEC, grabbed 20 offensive rebounds and out-rebounded the Terriers 48-36 on the night. James Johnson didn't shoot well from the field (4-for-14) but he did make 12 of 17 from the foul line and scored a game-high 22 points to go along with eight rebounds, and Ike Azotam scored 15 and grabbed 12 boards inside. Brent Jones led four SFNY players in double figures with 21 points but the rebounding issues were too much to overcome. And that aspect of Quinnipiac's game is what gives them more than a puncher's chance at LIU on Sunday.

Quick Hitters

1. D.J. Covington scored 16 points and blocked four shots in 20 minutes of action to help lead VMI past Winthrop 75-55 as the Keydets advanced to the Big South title game. The seven-seed will face regular season champ UNC Asheville, who whipped Charleston Southern 91-64, on Saturday afternoon.

2. Darius Miller scored 17 points on Senior Night to help lead #1 Kentucky to a 79-49 win over Georgia, moving the Wildcats' win streak to 21. UK shot 15-for-27 from three, and when the Wildcats are rolling like that it's near impossible to knock them off.

3. Meyers Leonard scored 18 points and grabbed nine rebounds but it wasn't enough to lead Illinois past #16 Michigan, who won 72-61. Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 25 points and grabbed 11 boards for the Wolverines, who remain alive in the Big Ten title race.

4. Five Mississippi Valley State players reached double figures in scoring but it wasn't enough to lock up an undefeated run through SWAC play as the Delta Devils lost 78-67 at UAPB. Daniel Broughton scored 26 points and grabbed 13 rebounds off the bench to lead the Golden Lions. But regardless of the result Sean Woods' club will enter the conference tournament as the clear favorite to grab the automatic bid.

5. UCLA didn't look too distracted by the Sports Illustrated article that came out earlier this week, as they whipped Washington State 78-46 at the Sports Arena. Lazeric Jones knocked down eight of his ten shots from the field and scored 18 points to lead the Bruins, who host a Washington team looking to wrap up the outright regular season crown on Saturday.

6. Doubleheaders in the Missouri Valley, Ohio Valley and WCC all went according to seed on Thursday night, and if one team were to be pegged as most likely to win on Friday it could be Tennessee Tech. The Golden Eagles held off a Southeast Missouri State rally to win 77-73, and with players such as Kevin Murphy (24 points) and Jud Dillard (18) they've got the horses needed to upset top-seed Murray State in the semis. Also keep an eye on Indiana State, who beat Southern Illinois 65-49 to set up a matchup with MVC champ Wichita State, especially if point guard Jake Odum's foot holds up.

7. Binghamton, who won just one game during the regular season, knocked off eight-seed UMBC 73-67 in overtime to advance to the quarterfinals in the America East tournament. Ben Dickinson led the Bearcats, who will take on regular season champion Stony Brook, with 21 points.

8. Derrick Rudolph led three players in double figures with 21 points in Savannah State's 73-54 win at Maryland-Eastern Shore, wrapping up the Tigers' first-ever MEAC regular season title. The coaches picked Horace Broadnax's team to finish 11th in the preseason.

Radford, Gardner-Webb the First Casualties: Monday's Quick Hitters

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 01:21:08 -0500

#12 Georgetown had three players finish in double figures while also frustrating #19 Notre Dame on the other end of the floor in a 59-41 win at the Verizon Center.

1. Conference tournament play is underway with High Point and VMI moving on in the Big South.
The Big South got things going with the bottom four teams facing off for the right to take on top seeds UNC Asheville and Coastal Carolina on Wednesday. It was all chalk on Monday night but not without suspense as #7 VMI and #8 High Point both won at home to advance to the quarterfinals. Stan Okoye's steal with 19 seconds remaining led to the senior making a pair of free throws to push VMI's lead over #10 Radford to 54-51, and after Javonte Green missed the front end of a 1-and-1 the Keydets sealed the 55-53 win with a Ron Burks free throw. Okoye led the Keydets with 16 points and nine rebounds and Keith Gabriel added 11, but it's going to take a lot more to knock off two-seed Coastal Carolina on Wednesday afternoon. CCU swept the regular season series, winning 87-78 on December 1st and 81-64 on Saturday at VMI, limiting the Keydets to 26.5% shooting in the second half.

High Point took advantage of the foul line in their 68-58 win over Gardner-Webb, outscoring the Bulldogs 18-7 from the charity stripe with 15 of those points coming in the second half. Neither team shot well from the field in a game that featured 39 offensive and 82 total rebounds, and the Panthers were helped by 17 second-half bench points. Tashan Newsome paced GWU with 21 points but no other Bulldogs reached double figures, compared to Nick Barbour leading three Panthers in double figures with 22. Corey Law was huge off the bench for High Point as he finished with 16 points and 11 rebounds in 25 minutes of play. HPU gets the regular season champ UNC Asheville, who swept the season series (86-79 at HPU, 90-70 at UNCA), on Wednesday night.

2. Not sure which All-America team Tyshawn Taylor ends up on but the senior deserves a mention.
Remember when the Kansas point guard was struggling mightily with turnovers earlier this season? Well Taylor's play of late has the New Jersey native looking like an All-America candidate, and his 27 points were a big reason why Bill Self's Jayhawks left Oklahoma State with a 70-58 win. The result locked up the outright regular season crown for Kansas, who won despite nine points combined from Travis Releford and Elijah Johnson. Keiton Page did his best to deliver the win on Senior Night by scoring 29 points but outside of Brian Williams (20 points) the Cowboys didn't have enough firepower with Le'Bryan Nash injured. Taylor shot 10-for-15 from the field, including 4-for-7 from beyond the arc, in his third 20-plus point performance in the last five games. Over the last two games Taylor's shot 60.7% from the field, and while the point totals may not be as high in future games an efficient Taylor means a better Kansas.

3. Savannah State is now just one win away from completing a remarkable season in the MEAC.
With this being the first season for Savannah State as a member of the MEAC there wasn't much expected of Horace Broadnax's Tigers as they were picked to finish 11th. But thanks to a 62-50 win over North Carolina A&T the Tigers are now 13-2 in MEAC play and a win in their regular season finale away from winning the regular season crown. Savannah State took a 42-28 lead into the half thanks to their effort on the defensive end, limiting A&T to 34.5% shooting from the field and 7-for-19 from two. Deric Rudolph scored 15 points and Preston Blackmon added 14 to lead the way for the Tigers, who rode their defense in the second half to survive shooting 27.6% from the field. A win over UMES on Saturday would give Savannah State the most unlikely conference title in the nation this season, and while their goal isn't to go to the NIT this season a postseason berth for a program that was 0-28 seven years ago is a noteworthy achievement.

Quick Hitters

1. With Southern ineligible for the SWAC tournament it's become apparent that Texas Southern is the biggest threat to Mississippi Valley State grabbing the automatic bid. Omar Strong scored 17 points and Madarious Gibbs 14 to go along with five steals in the Tigers' 69-59 win over Alabama A&M to move to 11-5 in league play. How much of a threat Texas Southern (or anyone else for that matter) is remains to be seen however, as the Delta Devils have run through the SWAC (17-0 record).

2. #10 Baylor went on a 25-4 run to close the first half in their 77-48 pasting of an overmatched Texas Tech squad. The win was also the 95th for seniors Quincy Acy, Fred Ellis and Anthony Jones, and they're the winningest class in school history.

3. The most exciting team to watch in the upcoming MEAC tournament may in fact be Delaware State, who fell 73-72 to Morgan State on Monday night (to say the finish was controversial would be accurate). Over the last seven games for the Hornets four have been decided by three points or less and two others have gone to overtime.

4. One reserve to keep an eye on in the WCC tournament this weekend is Gonzaga's Gary Bell Jr. Of course the caliber of the opposition (Longwood) needs to be considered, but Bell Jr. scored 20 points in just 15 minutes of action in the Bulldogs' 92-60 win. If Gonzaga can get solid play from Bell Jr. in Las Vegas a tournament crown is definitely possible.

5. Eastern Illinois announced on Monday that it will not renew the contract of head coach Mike Miller after the season, marking the end of his tenure. Miller is 75-130 in seven seasons at the OVC school, and the Panthers finished the season with a 12-17 record (5-11 OVC).

6. Connecticut head coach Jim Calhoun underwent a successful procedure in New York on Monday to treat the spinal stenosis that has kept him away from the team for the Huskies' last seven games. According to the Associated Press, Calhoun hopes to rejoin the team in time for their regular season finale against Pittsburgh on Saturday.

#8 Georgetown vs. #18 Notre Dame: Monday's Preview

Raphielle Johnson — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 00:00:39 -0500

The current era of college sports means that fans have become used to conference foes meeting for the first time in a season in late February, as is the case with #18 Notre Dame (20-9, 12-4) visiting #8 Georgetown (21-6, 11-5) on Monday night. Both teams lost games in the tri-state area over the last five days with the Hoyas getting blown out at Seton Hall and Notre Dame losing at St. John's on Saturday, but these are still teams that can make noise in New York next week. On the line at the Verizon Center is (at the very least) the inside track for one of the two remaining double-byes in the Big East Championship, a perk Mike Brey's team would clinch with a win.

Neither team was expected to be in this position early in the season, with the prognosticators selecting the Hoyas to finish tenth in the Big East and Notre Dame expected by many to be an NIT team (or worse) when Tim Abromaitis went down with a torn ACL. That's why both head coaches, Brey and John Thompson III, have to be considered Big East Coach of the Year candidates and while the teams have different styles the tempo's about the same. Georgetown will use their big man, senior center Henry Sims, as a distributor within their system and he's done well in the role.

Sims leads the team with an average of 3.4 assists per game while also scoring 11.3 points and grabbing 5.5 rebounds, a far cry from the numbers he put up in his first three seasons as a Hoya. Sims' emergence has relieved some of the pressure on Jason Clark and Hollis Thompson offensively while also giving Georgetown an added dimension at the five that was missing with Julian Vaughn there last season. Both Clark and Thompson, who lead the team in scoring, shoot better than 48% from the field and no Hoya who averages 19 minutes or more per game shoots worse than 45.5%.

Notre Dame has become well-known for their "burn" offense, a system first instituted when Luke Harangody went down with a knee injury two seasons ago. The move got the Irish to the NCAA tournament that season, but at this point it's difficult to figure out if Notre Dame is running the special offense of if this is just how they play at this stage. Young guards Eric Atkins and Jerian Grant have been major factors for the Irish, and their maturation has resulted in Notre Dame being a better team than many anticipated. The primary frontcourt scorer is Jack Cooley, a 6'9" forward who has no problem with physical play and shoots 62.8% from the field.

One area the Hoyas have to keep an eye on defensively is the three-point line, as Notre Dame has some players who can get hot from deep. Their percentage of 33.2% may not be the best (Georgetown shoots 35.1%) but Notre Dame isn't shy about putting shots up, with Atkins, Pat Connaughton and Alex Dragicevich being three of the most likely options. The Irish have done a good job of taking care of the basketball (10.0 turnovers per game) and they'll need to continue that against a Georgetown team that forces turnovers on 20.8% of their opponents' possessions as well as keep the Hoyas off the offensive glass (Hoyas have an OR% of 36.4%) in order to win.

#5 Kansas will look to keep on the right track towards a one-seed in the NCAA tournament with a win at Oklahoma State, and #14 Baylor shouldn't have a problem with Texas Tech in Waco. Mississippi Valley State looks to move to 17-0 in SWAC play as they visit Jackson State, with last week's hero (Paul Crosby) having the versatility to have an impact in multiple facets of the area.

In the MEAC there are two games remaining in the regular season with three teams separated by a game atop the standings. Savannah State (12-2) hosts North Carolina A&T while Delaware State (11-3) hosts Morgan State and Norfolk State (11-3) visits Florida A&M. NSU's Kyle O'Quinn is the likely Player of the Year but he and his teammates have a little work to do if they're to win the regular season crown.

The most important games on Monday take place in the Big South as seeds seven through ten meet in the first round of the Big South tournament. Radford, who has had a tough season due to the lack of success on the court along with NCAA sanctions being handed down, visits a VMI team that swept the regular season series but by a total of just nine points. The second meeting, a 65-60 VMI win at Radford, featured 42 combined turnovers with the Highlanders squandering a 52.6% first half with 16 turnovers. If Radford can slow down Stan Okoye they'll have a shot, and RU's Javonte Green put up 23 and 11 in that meeting.

The other first round game matches Gardner-Webb and High Point, who split their season series with the home team winning each meeting by four points. Scott Cherry's Panthers won 81-77 in overtime on February 4th, shooting an impressive 15-for-28 from beyond the arc to make up from their 32% shooting from inside of it. Nick Barbour was on fire in that contest as he scored 34 points, making seven of ten shots from three-point range. It's pretty clear who the Bulldogs are going to focus on slowing down Monday night. Tashan Newsome is the lone Bulldog averaging double figures (12.0 ppg) but four Gardner-Webb players finished in double figures in the February meeting.

Top 25 Games
9:00 PM (5) Kansas at Oklahoma State (ESPN)
7:00 PM (18) Notre Dame at (8) Georgetown (ESPN)
9:00 PM Texas Tech at (14) Baylor (ESPNU)

NCAA Division I Games
7:00 PM Mississippi Valley State at Jackson State (ESPNU)
7:00 PM Radford at VMI
7:30 PM Norfolk State at Florida A&M
7:30 PM Hampton at Bethune-Cookman
7:30 PM Morgan State at Delaware State
7:30 PM Gardner-Webb at High Point
7:30 PM Coppin State at Maryland-Eastern Shore
7:30 PM North Carolina Central at South Carolina State
8:00 PM Texas-Pan American at North Dakota (FCS)
8:00 PM North Carolina A&T at Savannah State
8:30 PM Alabama State at Prairie View A&M
9:00 PM Northern Arizona at Montana State
9:00 PM Longwood at Gonzaga (ROOT)
9:00 PM Alabama A&M at Texas Southern
9:00 PM Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Grambling State

Lobos Take Win and Driver's Seat: Wednesday's Recap

Raphielle Johnson — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 09:49:15 -0500

Wednesday night's game between New Mexico and San Diego State was a big one for the visitors, as Steve Alford's team didn't own a single win over a Top 25 team. But also on the line was sole possession of first place in the Mountain West after UNLV fell at TCU on Tuesday night.

And the team many expected to win the conference before the season began, New Mexico, took control of the wheel ahead of their matchup with the Runnin' Rebels with a 77-67 win at Viejas Arena. Kendall Williams posted his highest point total since January 7th against North Dakota, scoring a game-high 21 points, and Drew Gordon was a handful inside as he finished with 17 points and 17 rebounds.

"I think Kendall Williams was probably the most important guy, but Drew Gordon was very good with the way he played," remarked SDSU head coach Steve Fisher in his postgame radio interview. "They have guys that stepped up. Whether it was guys that started or coming off the bench, they made it difficult for us."

Speaking of those reserves, the New Mexico bench outscored San Diego State's reserves 33-12 with guard Jamal Fenton providing 15 of those points. The decision-making of both he and Hugh Greenwood was going to be an important aspect of the game to keep track of, and they were solid in combining for just two turnovers (both by Greenwood).

Fenton's scoring was also welcome due to the fact that leading scorer Tony Snell was held scoreless, as he missed all four of his shots from the field. But the Lobos were able to make up for that due to their reserves, which also included Chase Adams scoring eight points in seven minutes of action.

Jamaal Franklin led the Aztecs with 16 points and ten rebounds and Tim Shelton (13 points) and James Rahon (11) also reached double figures, but Chase Tapley couldn't get going as he shot 3-for-11 from the field. As a team SDSU made just three off their fourteen three-point attempts, and when compared to the Lobos' 10-for-19 night that's a tough mountain to climb.

Next up for New Mexico is a home game against UNLV on Saturday, and a win at The Pit would make all three teams 2-2 against each other. That would in turn place more emphasis on how each of the three does against the non-contenders, and New Mexico has yet to drop one of those games. To say the least Saturday offers UNM a golden opportunity to take full control of the Mountain West race.

Other Notable Happenings

1. Illinois drops a close one at home to Purdue, and it may be approacing "that time" in Champaign.
From the orange blazer donned by head coach Bruce Weber to the fact that Illinois had lost five of their last six games, Wednesday's game against Purdue dripped of desperation for the Fighting Illini. But that still wouldn't be enough for Illinois, who fell at home 67-62, dropping their sixth game out of the last seven. While the season still has games left to be played Illinois doesn't have the look of a team poised to turn things around, meaning that the chances of returning to the Big Dance are dwindling away. And in the postgame press conference the words coming from the head coach didn't sound like those of a man confident that his guys could turn things around.

"Instead of creating toughness and developing a team, I coached not to lose this year. That's really sad." To be fair Weber did also say that "it's never too late" to turn things around, and while that is the case one has to wonder if this group has the ability not just physically but mentally to do so. Illinois shot 3-for-21 from beyond the arc against Purdue, and while that didn't reach the depths of SMU's shooting (3-for-29 in a 28-point outing for their entire team) with a 7-footer like Meyers Leonard (4-7 FG, nine points, 12 rebounds) inside that's inexcusable. Until this group executes better offensively they'll continue to struggle, and the longer that happens the louder the "job security" talk gets.

2. Max Good's road warriors tighten up the WCC race with a win at #16 Saint Mary's.
Loyola Marymount may have some mystifying losses to their credit this season, there's little doubt that the Lions are the best road team in the WCC. LMU spoiled "Senior Night" for Saint Mary's as they beat the Gaels 75-60, moving to 7-1 in league road games this season. Drew Viney (17 points) and Anthony Ireland (16 points, seven assists) led the way and Jarred DuBois added 15 off the bench for LMU, who won despite allowing the Gaels to grab 16 offensive rebounds. Rob Jones led the way for SMC with 25 points and 15 rebounds but Matthew Dellavedova was quiet (ten points, six assists) and Stephen Holt was lost for the game early in the second half with a knee injury.

What this result does is drop Saint Mary's into a tie for first place with Gonzaga in the loss column, which more than opens up the possibility of the Bulldogs winning at least a share of their 12th consecutive WCC regular season title. And of course Mark Few's team is the only one to have beaten Loyola Marymount at home, as they beat the Lions 78-59 in Spokane last week. So even with the discussion of NCAA bids stopping at three (adding BYU into the discussion), LMU has the look of a team that can get hot in Las Vegas and leave with the automatic bid.

3. Miami lets a great opportunity slip away as North Carolina grabs 24 offensive rebounds in the win.
North Carolina shot just 5-for-18 from beyond the arc, and while Miami wasn't a great deal better at 8-for-23 the Hurricanes had every opportunity to take advantage of that lack of accuracy. But they couldn't, and UNC's work on the offensive glass was the big reason why. The Tar Heels grabbed 24 offensive rebounds, which resulted in 23 second chance points in their 73-64 victory. North Carolina was also a plus-10 in points from the foul line, as they shot 16-for-23 from the charity stripe (Miami: 6-for-9). Harrison Barnes scored 23 points and grabbed six rebounds and John Henson added a double-double with 14 and 11 (with three blocks) to keep the Heels tied atop the ACC in the loss column (9-2; Duke and Florida State are both 8-2). Durand Scott led four Hurricanes in double figures with 15 points but they were unable to add another big win to their resume, and rebounding was the big reason why.

Quick Hitters

1. While beating Villanova isn't a "marquee" win by any stretch of the imagination, the fact that USF was able to take care of business is a good sign for the Bulls as they head into the stretch run. In the 65-51 win over the Wildcats, Victor Rudd Jr. scored 14 points and Anthony Collins added ten points and seven assists as USF moved to 9-4 in Big East play. The Bulls need to find a resume-building victory at some point, but to say the least this season is progress for a program that taken more than its fair share of lumps during their time in the conference.

2. In a stunning result in the MAAC, Marist beat Loyola (MD) 72-54 in Poughkeepsie as Adam Kemp finished two blocks short of a triple-double (17 points, 11 rebounds and eight blocks) and three other starters scored in double figures. The Red Foxes' win also gives Iona, who won 75-62 at Rider, sole possession of first place with two games remaining on the league slate.

3. Warren Niles scored 24 points and Michael Craion 18 to help lead Oral Roberts past IPFW 75-71 in Fort Wayne, clinching the Summit League regular season crown for the Golden Eagles. ORU has won 17 of their last 18 games and will host Akron as part of the Sears BracketBusters event, and they're going to be a tough out in the conference tournament in a couple of weeks.

4. While New Mexico may have locked up a third bid for the Mountain West, thanks to both Wyoming and Colorado State that may be all the league gets come Selection Sunday. Michael Lyons knocked down six three-pointers and scored 24 points to lead Air Force past the Cowboys 58-53 in Laramie. And in Boise it was Derrick Marks who went the length of the court to score the game-winning bucket with under a second remaining to push Boise State past CSU 70-69. Given their tenuous statuses going into Wednesday, Wyoming and Colorado State may have seen their bubbles burst with these defeats.

5. Back in 2004-05 Savannah State went 0-28, and there were few who thought it possible that the Tigers would one day sit in first place in the MEAC. That day has come thanks to Delaware State's 73-63 overtime win at Norfolk State, with Tahj Tate's 25 points leading the victors. Brandon Wheeless scored 17 points to lead Norfolk State (10-3), who just like DSU (9-3) is a game behind Savannah State (9-2) in the loss column but the Tigers have two games in hand on the Spartans.

6. Neil Watson's game-tying three with less than a second remaining got Southern Miss to overtime in a key Conference USA battle with Tulsa, a game the Golden Eagles went on to win 77-69 to remain tied with Memphis atop the conference standings. Jonathan Mills scored a career-high 25 points and grabbed ten rebounds to lead Southern Miss, whose win also establishes two games of separation between themselves and Memphis and the rest of C-USA.

7. LaMarcus Reed III scored 18 points to help lead UT-Arlington back from a 15-point deficit in beating Stephen F. Austin 51-47 to remain undefeated in Southland play at 12-0. The Mavericks will take a 16-game win streak into Saturday's Sears BracketBusters matchup at Weber State, and with their three-game lead in the loss column UTA is well on their way to the Southland regular season crown.

8. Garrett Stutz knocked down all four of his three-point attempts and finished with 21 points and ten rebounds to lead #24 Wichita State past Missouri State 73-58 to clinch at least a share of the Missouri Valley crown. The Shockers have now won 13 of their last 14 games, and the defeat was of the triple-overtime variety at Drake. Gregg Marshall's team seems to be clicking just as the games become magnified in importance, which is a good thing.

9. Northwestern let a resume-building opportunity slip away as they fell 71-66 at #20 Indiana. While the win gives the Hoosiers their first 20-win season of the Tom Crean era, the visiting Wildcats dropped to 15-10 overall and 5-8 in Big Ten play. John Shurna led Northwestern with 29 points and Frew Crawford added 18, but no other Wildcat was able to reach double figures. Cody Zeller led three Indiana starters in double figures with 23 points and seven rebounds.

Three Notable Performances

1. G Darrion Pellum (Hampton)
33 points, six steals and five rebounds in the Pirates' 82-62 win over Maryland-Eastern Shore.

2. G Nate Wolters (South Dakota State)
30 points (14-18 FG), five assists and three steals in the Jackrabbits' 80-57 win over North Dakota State.

3. G Kendall Williams and F Drew Gordon (New Mexico)
Williams scored 21 points (7-10 FG) and grabbed four rebounds while Gordon finished with 17 points and 17 rebounds in the Lobos' 77-67 win at #15 San Diego State.

Jon Teitel's "Forgotten Legends": Savannah State's Johnny Mathis

Jon Teitel — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 17:11:39 -0500

In the most recent installment in his "Forgotten Legends" interview series CHN writer Jon Teitel spent some time with Savannah State great Johnny Mathis, who was a two-time all-conference selection during his time at the school. Mathis would go on to play professionally in the ABA, Eastern League and in Spain, and is currently a highly successful high school coach at John F. Kennedy High in the Bronx.

Jon Teitel: You share a same name with the famous singer. Have you found that to be a good thing or a bad thing during your life?

Johnny Mathis: It has not been bad at all.

JT: One of your mentors was the legendary NYC playground director Holcombe Rucker. How did you end up meeting him, and what impact has he had on your life?

JM: I met him when I played in the Rucker League back in the summer of 1959. His greatest impact was teaching me how to dribble despite the fact that I was a big guy back then. He told me that one day guards would be 6'5" like me, and he turned out to be right!

JT: You were a two-time All-SEAC performer at Savannah St. How good was the competition in the SEAC back in the day, and did you feel like you were the best player in the conference?

JM: It was a very tough conference at the time, as there were not a lot of African-American players going to Division I programs. I was not the best, but I thought I was one of the best.

JT: After graduating in 1965 you played professionally in Spain. Why did you decide to go abroad, and what did you learn from the experience?

JM: It was a great experience because it gave me the opportunity to continue to play. I got to travel and even learned how to speak Spanish. I also got to develop physically. I went from 190 pounds when I arrive to 210 pounds by the time I left.

JT: In 1967 you returned to the US to play for Coach Max Zaslofsky (who led the BAA in scoring in 1948) of the New Jersey Americans in the brand-new ABA. What was it like to play for Zaslofsky, and what is your fondest memory of the ABA?

JM: It was tough to create good chemistry at first but it got better after we settled down. I had a reputation of being able to defend the best guys on the other team (starting from my days in the Rucker), and I guarded Connie Hawkins as well as anyone did.

JT: After one season in the ABA you left to play in various pro leagues in Pennsylvania. Why did you leave the ABA, and how good was the competition in Pennsylvania?

JM: I actually went back to Savannah that summer to graduate. The Eastern League was tough back then. There were only 10-12 teams in the ABA and only eight in the Eastern League, so it was hard to find a job back then. We had so much depth that even a great player like All-American Tom Riker had to come off the bench.

JT: You have spent over two decades as coach at John F. Kennedy Hight in New York City, where you have won 500+ games and had the gym named after you. What is the key to being a great coach, and how much longer do you plan on doing it?

JM: I would like to stick around as long as I enjoy it. The key is being able to relate to the younger generation and bring the best out of them. I enjoy coaching and teaching, both on and off the court.

JT: You run a camp in the Bronx every summer for boys and girls entering high school. What makes your camp different from other camps, and what is the biggest thing that players should know before starting high school?

JM: Naturally it is important to learn fundamentals, but we teach them what is expected in high school. For example, how to run the weave, things like cutting and moving without the ball, etc. A lot of players do not understand organized basketball and how to run specific plays.

JT: Your son JC played for you in high school before moving on to college at Virginia. How did you like coaching him, and how proud are you of his success?

JM: I am very proud of him. I think coaching him was one of the best things that ever happened to me and was one of my most rewarding experiences in basketball. He has accomplished so much as a young man. He went on to get his master's degree and later played in the NBDL and overseas. He even ended up meeting one of my old coaches in Europe! My other son Jarrett also played for me before going to Dartmouth.

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

JM: I would like to be remembered as someone who was able to help a lot of young men and women. Each day I got up and tried to be the best human being I could be.

Mathis is on Jon's list of best pro players in MEAC history.

Bethune-Cookman: Carl Fuller (1971)
Coppin State: Larry Stewart (1992)
Delaware State: Emanual Davis (1997)
Florida A&M: Clemon Johnson (1979)
Hampton: Rick Mahorn (1981)
Howard: Larry Spriggs (1982)
Maryland-Eastern Shore: Talvin Skinner (1975)
Morgan State: Marvin Webster (1976)
Norfolk State: Bob Dandridge (1970)
North Carolina A&T: Warren Davis (1968)
North Carolina Central: Sam Jones (1958)
Savannah State: Johnny Mathis (1968)
South Carolina State: Frank Card (1969)

Orange End Seven-Game Series Skid: Monday's Recap

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 10:33:28 -0500

After a 15-2 run gave Louisville a 51-46 lead with 3:38 remaining it seemed as if the Cardinals were well on their way to an eighth straight win over #2 Syracuse. In a contest that featured some ugly offense, a five-point margin seemed to be near insurmountable despite the Orange's many talented players. However a Brandon Triche jumper just 18 seconds later would start a 6-0 run, which ended with a C.J. Fair bucket with 2:11 to go to give Syracuse the 52-51 win. While these are two of the best teams in the country when it comes to field goal percentage defense, Monday's effort was just as much about two teams that couldn't make shots as it was about two teams that could defend.

Syracuse put together one of the most amazing performances ever seen on shots outside of the paint yet still found a way to win late. The Orange made just one of their twenty-nine shots, a Dion Waiters three with 16:32 remaining in the first half, from outside of the paint on the night. The 38-24 edge the Orange enjoyed in the points in the paint category played a major role in the outcome, as did the Cardinals' 12-for-21 night at the foul line (SU shot 9-for-11).

Fair led the Orange with 13 points and Fab Melo scored 11 (also pushing his made free throw streak to ten straight), propelling Syracuse to the win on a night that saw Kris Joseph and Scoop Jardine combine to make just two of their thirteen shots. Also pivotal to the win was the late-game play of Triche, whose first basket in the final 6:08 gave Syracuse a 46-41 lead. He accounted for six points and two assists in the second half, and while those are astronomical numbers they were needed on Monday night.

"I told Scoop he was 50% the last two games, 100% last game and zero percent tonight," said Boeheim of his fifth-year senior guard. "We're fortunate enough to have three high quality guards; Brandon Triche had two big buckets. I thought we showed great perseverance to get the lead, they came back and took the lead right back, and Brandon made two plays we had to have to get back."

Chane Behanan was the best player on the floor for Louisville, making seven of his eight shots from the field and grabbing six offensive rebounds in a 16-point, nine-rebound performance. But the decision-making of point guard Peyton Siva (eight points, four assists and five turnovers) was an issue, as was Rick Pitino not making the move to go small and place either Kyle Kuric (despite the fact that he was having a bad shooting night) or Wayne Blackshear in the high post (moving Kuric there against Charleston earlier this season saved the game for the Cardinals).

Far too often it was Gorgui Dieng in that position to make a play and he simply could not get it done. One thing about Syracuse's zone is that they traditionally do a good job of recognizing who they want to make decisions and where, so once Dieng got the ball at the foul line they let him try to make something happen. Dieng did score nine point and grab ten rebounds, but he also finished with five turnovers and shot just 2-for-9 from the field. The next time Louisville encounters a zone defense they're going to have to seriously consider placing Kuric or Blackshear at the foul line area.

But back to the Orange and what this game does for them in regards to next month. Was this the most impressive performance Syracuse could have put together? Of course not, but from a rebounding standpoint maybe they've discovered a "recipe" for success. Syracuse did allow 16 offensive rebounds but they grabbed 16 themselves, and within the 40-37 rebounding disadvantage it's important to note that seven players grabbed at least four rebounds (Joseph and Melo led the way with six apiece). To get to New Orleans the Orange will need to rebound by committee as they don't have that one dominant defender, so in that regard this was a good start.

Other Notable Happenings

1. Jeff Withey puts together another outstanding performance as #6 Kansas wins at Kansas State.
The discussion of the most improved player in the country is definitely an intriguing one, as in most cases big men tend to be the focus. One such big is Kansas' Jeff Withey, who has been on a tear of late and hasn't shown any signs of a letdown. In the Jayhawks' 59-53 win at Kansas State the San Diego native finished one blocked shot short of a triple-double, racking up 18 points, 11 rebounds and nine blocks. With teams doing whatever they can to limit the impact of Thomas Robinson (ten points, nine rebounds) it's critical that Withey perform and he's definitely done that for Bill Self. Tyshawn Taylor scored 20 points to lead the way for Kansas and Jamar Samuels countered with 20 of his own to go along with 12 rebounds.

Kansas didn't get a whole lot of production outside of their big three but they could afford that. The same couldn't be said for the Wildcats, who shot 22.6% from the field and scored 18 points in the first half. Angel Rodriguez had a bad night for lack of a better way to put it, going scoreless (0-8 FG) and turning the ball over seven times. If Frank Martin's team is to have any shot at reaching the NCAA tournament he simply has to get better. Samuels, Will Spradling and Rodney McGruder won't be enough for K-State at this point, and with games at both Baylor and Missouri next on the schedule the time is now.

2. Baylor bounces back from a rough week to beat Iowa State in Waco.
After losses to both Kansas and Missouri it was apparent that Scott Drew's team was the third-best in the Big 12, and while there's no shame in that the way in which the losses occurred has to be of concern. Monday night saw the Bears score 15 of their 33 field goals at the rim (layups or dunks), and their 81.8% shooting from two in the second half was a major factor in Baylor's 79-64 win over iowa State. Perry Jones III scored 18 points and grabbed seven boards and Quincy Miller led three other Bears in double figures with 16 (and six assists). What also helped Baylor was their work on the defensive end, where they neutralized the versatile Royce White.

White did score 14 points but he also turned the ball over seven times, a season high for the Minnesota transfer. Iowa State shot 44.1% from the field but just 8-for-26 from three, and against a defense like Baylor's the over-reliance on the perimeter shot can get a team in trouble if they aren't knocking them down at a good clip. Despite the win Baylor still has a lot of work to do on the boards as Iowa State grabbed 14 offensive rebounds and held a 30-26 rebounding edge. Shooting 60% from the field is fine but that's not going to happen every night. Until Baylor steps up their performance on the defensive glass people will continue to have questions.

3. Mississippi Valley State takes another step towards their first SWAC crown since 2008.
The game didn't receive much attention but the top two teams in the SWAC faced off in Baton Rouge as Southern hosted first-place Mississippi Valley State. Despite shooting 31.5% from the field and turning the ball over 21 times Sean Woods' Delta Devils found a way to win, outscoring the Jaguars 21-6 from beyond the arc in the 58-53 win. Paul Crosby was the best player on the floor as he finished with 23 points and 15 rebounds, and both he and Cor-J Cox knocked down three shots from beyond the arc. Cameron Monroe scored 15 points to lead Rob Spivery's Jaguars but the fact that they couldn't take advantage of MVSU's 21 turnovers or knock down shots (29.8% FG; 2-for-16 3PT) proved to be their downfall. With the win the Delta Devils (13-0 SWAC) have a four-game lead with five games to go, it's difficult to see anyone being able to catch them.

Quick Hitters

1. Joe Harris will be a game-time decision on Tuesday night as Virginia takes on Clemson due to a broken bone in his left (non-shooting) hand suffered in the Cavaliers' loss at North Carolina on Saturday. Harris, who has played in 55 straight games for the Hoos, is averaging 12.5 points and 4.1 rebounds per game and is a solid sidekick for Mike Scott.

2. Valparaiso begins an important stretch on Tuesday night with a game against UIC, and it remains to be seen if forward Kevin Van Wijk is able to play. Van Wijk, who bruised his knee in Valpo's win at Cleveland State on Thursday, did not play on Saturday and the Crusaders struggled badly in their decisive loss at Youngstown State. Bryce Drew needs Van Wijk back not only if they're to win the regular season title but also if they're to have a shot at the automatic NCAA tournament bid.

3. It took a shootout but Belmont did what they had to do to move into a tie for first in the Atlantic Sun, beating Stetson 106-93. Ian Clark scored 23 points and grabbed six rebounds to lead five Bruins in double figures, and Belmont shot 12-for-20 from beyond the arc. Stetson fired away from deep with reckless abandon (15-for-35) and nearly pulled off the upset as a result. Belmont is tied with Mercer at 12-2, and these two teams will likely determine the regular season champ in the finale as they're slated to meet at Mercer.

4. Head coach Anthony Grant decided to end the suspensions for guards Trevor Releford and Andrew Steele on Monday, a day before Alabama hosts #12 Florida. But he did not end the suspensions of Tony Mitchell and JaMychal Green, meaning that a Nick Jacobs has to come up big if Bama is to win. Florida will be without Mike Rosario but they've got more than enough weapons to win on the road, so this will be tough sledding for Alabama.

5. It's going to be tough for anyone to catch red-hot UT-Arlington in the Southland, but McNeese State has the look of a team that can challenge for the conference's automatic bid. Patrick Richard scored 20 points, Dontae Cannon 17 and Rudy Turner added ten points and 12 rebounds off the bench as the Cowboys won 70-61 at Northwestern State. The win puts McNeese State two games ahead of both the Demons and Lamar in the loss column in the East Division, and with two of their next three against two of the best in the West (UTSA and UT-Arlington) this cushion could come in handy.

6. Remember when Savannah State was widely regarded as one of the worst programs at the Division I level? The program has come a long way since then, and with their 66-59 win at North Carolina A&T the Tigers remain tied in the loss column with Norfolk State atop the MEAC standings. Preston Blackmon scored 14 points and dished out six assists to lead the way, and Rashad Hassan added 11 points and seven boards.

Three Notable Performances

1. C Jeff Withey (Kansas)
18 points, 11 rebounds and nine blocks in the Jayhawks' 59-53 win at Kansas State.

2. F Paul Crosby (Mississippi Valley State)
23 points and 15 rebounds in the Delta Devils' 58-53 win at Southern.

3. F/C Adam Pegg (Stetson)
31 points (13-18 FG), five rebounds and three assists in the Hatters' 106-93 loss to Belmont.

Monday Preview: Cincinnati at #11 Georgetown

Raphielle Johnson — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 00:49:00 -0500

While most of the country will be captivated by the BCS Championship Game, there are suitable alternatives on the college basketball schedule for those not interested in watching the rematch. The game that stands out has to be Cincinnati (12-4, 2-1) visiting #11 Georgetown (13-2, 3-1) with both teams looking to bounce back from losses suffered on Saturday afternoon. The situation may be even more important for the Bearcats, who despite their seven-game win streak ahead of their last-second loss to St. John's, still has to account for losses to Presbyterian and Marshall on their resume.

The problem for Cincinnati on Saturday was that for the first time in their stretch of games post-Xavier the four guard lineup couldn't shoot, making just 20 of 76 shots from the field and seven of thirty-two from beyond the arc. That allowed St. John's to get away with 19 turnovers, and the outcome could be even worse against a Georgetown team that does a better job of taking care of the basketball than the Red Storm. The Hoyas average 12.3 turnovers per game on the season, but they've turned the ball over 15 times or more in three of their four Big East games.

Mick Cronin's team is forcing 15 turnovers per game, and their four-guard attack has done a solid job of ramping up the tempo and forcing bad decisions. Leading the way is point guard Cashmere Wright (10.8 ppg, 4.9 apg, 1.7 spg), whose game has taken off with Cronin handing him the keys offense. Wright was the chief decision-maker before the suspensions, but in the aftermath he's been given more freedom to look to score. Add in sophomore shooting guard Sean Kilpatrick (15.7 ppg, 5.1 rpg) and senior Dion Dixon (13.1 ppg, 4.0 rpg) and the Bearcats have a solid three-headed attack that can score points at a solid clip.

Georgetown counters on the perimeter with a good mixture of experience and youth, and their system can be tough to guard if defenders aren't alert with regards to backdoor cuts and the like. Senior Jason Clark (15.5 ppg, 4.1 rpg) and junior Hollis Thompson (14.3 ppg, 5.5 rpg) provide the experience and the consistent scoring while sophomore Markel Starks (9.1 ppg, 50.0% FG) has moved into the point guard job left open by the graduation of Chris Wright. The Hoyas are averaging 1.11 points/possession this season, and a big reason for their efficiency is the play of one of the most improved players in the Big East.

Senior center Henry Sims (11.9 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 3.9 apg) leads the Hoyas in assists, and his ability to initiate the offense from the high post allows the perimeter players to work off the ball to get their shots. Nate Lubick can serve in a similar role on occasion while freshman Otto Porter has become more comfortable in the system by the game. His versatility will be something to keep an eye on for the Bearcats, who could be at a disadvantage in matching up with Porter due to his ability to go either inside or out. Jaquon Parker (10.6 ppg, 5.9 rpg), who has played the four in Cincinnati's new setup, will need to be at his best if the Bearcats are to win.

That also goes for senior forward Yancy Gates (12.4 ppg, 9.1 rpg), who has come off the bench since returning to the lineup. Justin Jackson starts but he's far more valuable on the defensive end of the floor, allowing Gates to provide an offensive spark when he enters the game. Gates has done his best to fit into things on the floor, at times maybe even being a bit too deferential in attempt to not step on any toes. How Gates performs in the matchup with Sims on both ends of the floor could ultimately decide the outcome. If he's scoring and rebounding in addition to limiting Sims' role as a distributor Cincinnati can win.

Also in the Big East a Connecticut team that went 0-for-New Jersey last week looks to rebound, but it's going to be difficult against West Virginia despite the fact that the Huskies are back home. One big reason why is WVU's Kevin Jones, who as of right now would have to be considered the frontrunner for Big East Player of the Year. Jones went for 22 points and 16 rebounds in the Mountaineers' win over Georgetown, and overall the effort of Bob Huggins' team on the offensive glass could be a problem if UConn isn't ready to meet that challenge from a toughness standpoint. With the likes of Jones and Deniz Kilicli, this is a game where the Huskies need Alex Oriakhi to step up and be accounted for.

There's also the first of two installments of "Bedlam" as Oklahoma visits Stillwater to take on the Cowboys. Oklahoma State has incurred some big losses on the perimeter, most recently losing J.P. Olukemi for the season with a torn ACL. The Sooners have one of the best scorers in the Big 12 in Steven Pledger, and under first-year head coach Lon Kruger they've definitely stepped up their play. Neither would be considered a contender for the Big 12 title, but the winner would take an important step towards being a part of the bubble conversation in the middle of the league.

Other games to keep an eye on include Saint Mary's hosting San Francisco, with this being the kind of game that can trip up an expected title contender like the Gaels. Rex Walters' Dons don't lack for talent but they've been a bit inconsistent, which could be a problem when dealing with SMC's Matthew Dellavedova and Rob Jones. The A-Sun, which looks to be more wide-open than anyone anticipated before the season began, has a pair of key matchups on the docket as North Florida visits and Stetson and Mercer visits USC Upstate. Belmont may very well win the conference again, but the race to the title will be a lot tougher this season than last.

And in the MEAC, Morgan State takes on Savannah State without head coach Todd Bozeman, who was suspended with pay by the school following an incident in the Bears' last game. Along with Hampton the Bears are expected to contend for the league's automatic bid, and a loss in a game like this one could come back to haunt Morgan State in regards to seeding for the conference tournament. Don't worry about not having anything to do if you don't want to watch Alabama and LSU, there's some good basketball to watch as well.

Top 25 Games
9:00 PM Cincinnati at (11) Georgetown (ESPNU)
7:00 PM West Virginia at (16) Connecticut (ESPN2)

NCAA Division I Games
4:15 PM North Florida at Stetson
5:00 PM Jackson State at Southern
6:00 PM Mississippi Valley State at Alabama A&M
6:00 PM Kennesaw State at East Tennessee State
7:00 PM Oklahoma at Oklahoma State (ESPNU)
7:00 PM Hampton at James Madison
7:00 PM Bethune-Cookman at North Carolina Central
7:30 PM Jacksonville at Florida Gulf Coast
7:30 PM Coppin State at South Carolina State
7:30 PM Mercer at USC Upstate
8:00 PM Grambling State at Alcorn State
8:00 PM Florida A&M at North Carolina A&T
8:00 PM Howard at Norfolk State
8:00 PM Morgan State at Savannah State
8:05 PM Florida Atlantic at Arkansas State
8:30 PM Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Alabama State
9:00 PM Texas-Pan American at Air Force
9:00 PM Idaho State at Wyoming
10:00 PM San Francisco at Saint Mary's

Thursday Preview: Oral Roberts at Gonzaga

Raphielle Johnson — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 14:37:52 -0500

Finals week for many schools is approaching its end, meaning that the matchups will get a little better with the best coming on Saturday. Thursday's game of import is Oral Roberts (7-3) visiting Gonzaga (5-2) in hopes of winning in front of one of the best student sections in the country. Thursday marks the 100th game that Gonzaga has played in the McCarthey Athletic Center and they've gone 92-7 in the 99 games prior, so winning will be a tough task for Dominique Morrison (16.2 ppg, 4.2 rpg) and company. Mark Few's team will be looking to get back on the right track at home following their loss to Michigan State on Saturday, and in order to do so Elias Harris needs to be at his best.

Harris (12.0 ppg, 8.1 rpg) was held in check by the Spartans, shooting just 2-for-11 from the field and scoring six points in the 74-67 defeat. Harris also grabbed just five rebounds and despite playing 32 minutes his impact on the game was minimal at best. With the size advantage that both he and Robert Sacre (16.4 ppg, 7.1 rpg) will have against the Golden Eagles this should be a bounce-back game for Harris. The good news for ORU is the recent return of forward/center Damen Bell-Holter, who missed five games with back spasms, and he made news Monday night with a half-court heave to beat Arkansas-Little Rock. Bell-Holter's posted a double-double in two of the last three games, and that's quite the boost to receive from a top reserve if you're head coach Scott Sutton.

ORU has six players averaging at least 7.8 points per game, with Summit League Player of the Year candidate Dominique Morrison leading the way. In the frontcourt Michael Craion (11.8 ppg, 7.5 rpg) and Steven Roundtree (11.2 ppg, 6.8 rpg) are the team's top two rebounders, and as a team ORU out-rebounds opponents by 5.2 rebounds per game. That margin is better than what Gonzaga's put forth this season (plus-3.9), and ORU's offensive rebounding percentage (41.0%) could be a concern for the Bulldogs despite their size advantage. Gonzaga will need their guards to be effective in making plays in order to avoid the upset, beginning with point guard Marquise Carter.

Carter (7.0 ppg, 2.3 apg) is tied with David Stockton (8.4 ppg, 2.3 apg) for second on the team in assists but averages more turnovers (2.7) per game than anyone on the team. Freshmen Kevin Pangos (13.3 ppg, 2.6 apg) and Gary Bell Jr. (9.1 ppg, 47.8% 3PT) also have prominent roles in the Bulldog attack, with Pangos being the kind of shooter who can get hot at any time as Washington State found out earlier this season. The three-point line could ultimately be the difference, as ORU shoots just 30% from deep while the Zags are ten percentage points better. At the least ORU has done a good job of defending the shot as opponents shoot 33% from distance, but that's much easier said than done against a team of Gonzaga's caliber.

Also of note on Thursday's schedule are a pair of games involving ranked teams, with Missouri hosting Kennesaw State and Savannah State visiting Wisconsin. Lewis Preston, who is in his first season at the Atlantic Sun school, will look to recreate what last year's KSU team was able to do in knocking off Georgia Tech at home but this is a major test for them. As for Savannah State the goal should be to remain competent offensively, as the Badgers have flat-out embarrassed the overmatched teams they've run into this season. And if Wisconsin can get Jordan Taylor back on the right track in terms of his field goal percentage, things could get ugly at the Kohl Center in a hurry.

Top 25 Games
8:00 PM Kennesaw State at (8) Missouri (ESPN3)
8:00 PM Savannah State at (15) Wisconsin (BTN)

NCAA Division I Games
7:00 PM Bradley at George Washington
7:00 PM Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Akron
7:00 PM Montreat College at UNC Asheville
7:00 PM Wesley at William & Mary
7:30 PM Winthrop at Jacksonville
8:00 PM Texas Southern at Northwestern
8:00 PM Lipscomb at Murray State
8:00 PM UC Irvine at LSU (CST)
8:00 PM South Dakota State at North Dakota
8:00 PM Wentworth at Texas-Pan American
8:00 PM South Alabama at Texas A&M-CC
8:00 PM Troy at Belmont
8:00 PM Northwestern State at Louisiana-Monroe
8:00 PM Saint Mary at Nebraska-Omaha
8:30 PM Jackson State vs. SMU*
9:00 PM Oral Roberts at Gonzaga (Root NW)
10:00 PM Howard at Oregon State
10:00 PM North Carolina A&T at Saint Mary's
10:05 PM Cal State Bakersfield at Portland State

State of '08: Georgia

Shawn Siegel — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 11:51:49 -0400

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Duke or Carolina? BC or UMASS? Gonzaga or Washington.. or Washington State? What is the best program in each state? While there's not much competition in Hawaii.. there are great debates to be had in loaded regions like California, North Carolina, and Texas. The State of '08 is a ranking of every program in every state.. based mostly on recent success (the last five years) mixed in with subjective factors such as conference prestige, historical success, and overall program direction.

Up today: Georgia. For more info, check out the State of '08 introduction.

GEORGIA

GEORGIA TECH - After making the National title game in 2004, and being good again in 2005, Paul Hewitt was on the verge of entering the coaching stratosphere. But the past few seasons have been disappointing, and Tech should once again finish in the bottom half of the ACC. In Hewitt's eight seasons, the Jackets have never finished below 7-9 in ACC play.. and going 7-9 in the ACC is more impressive than winning most conference titles.

GEORGIA - The Bulldogs are coming off one of the more shocking seasons in NCAA history. After a completely sub-par season, which included a 4-12 SEC record, the team somehow managed to run through the SEC Tournament, knocking off 4 other postseason teams along the way. But don't be fooled by that March magic, Georgia still hasn't really recovered from the mess that Jim Harrick created, and 2008-09 should be similar to last year (at least in terms of the 4-12 SEC record..)

GEORGIA SOUTHERN - Although Georgia Southern hasn't made the NCAA Tournament since 1992, the program has been consistently solid in Jeff Price's 9-year tenure. In 2006, he guided the Eagles to the NIT, where they lost to Charlotte in the opening round. Last year was another solid campaign, which included 13 wins in the Southern Conference, and upset victories over highly touted UAB and Cleveland State.

GEORGIA STATE - The Panthers haven't had much success since making the move from the Atlantic Sun to the CAA. In three years in the more competitive league, GSU has hovered around the bottom of the standings and rarely been competitive against the better teams. But there was serious improvement last year, a win over George Mason, and a ton of close losses (including a one-point loss in the CAA tourney). 2008-09 could be Georgia State's best season since Lefty Driesell's imprint was still on the program.

MERCER - After an impressive 2003 campaign in which the Bears went 14-2 in the A-Sun, the program's fortunes have steadily gone down hill. Since that time, Mercer hasn't even won a game in the A-Sun tournament. Even worse, Mercer has finished behind D1 newcomer Kennesaw State each year since the Owls joined the A-Sun in 2006.

6. KENNESAW STATE - Considering the Owls are only entering their 4th full season of D1 basketball, the results haven't been half bad. They've finished 7-9 in the Atlantic Sun the past two seasons, and knocked off conference leader Belmont (a Top 100 team) in January. The next step for the program is to find a way to win some games away from home.

7. SAVANNAH STATE - From 2003 to 2006, this was simply the worst program in the country. I'm sure many fans remember the embarrassing 0-28 season of 2005. But there's been major improvement in the last two years including 10 D1 wins in 2008. Last year's RPI of 254 trumped in-state rivals Georgia State, Kennesaw State, and Mercer. I give Kennesaw the nod though due to their conference alignment, and because the Savannah State's horrible run isn't far enough in the past.

Last: Florida - Next: Illinois

State of '08: The Introduction