Given Pittsburgh's recent success, you'd be shocked to know that the Panthers haven't won a Big East Tournament game in three years. Ashton Gibbs, the face of the Pittsburgh program, never won a Big East tournament game. The Panthers were 84-17 coming into this season, yet won zero Big East Tournament games in that stretch.
But the Panthers have lost more conference games this season than in the three previous seasons combined.
Kinda weird right?
Then it probably makes sense that their first Big East Tournament win in Ashton Gibbs' career would come after finishing their worst regular season in recent memory.
(Photo Credit: AP)
"The past three years we had a lot more success during the regular season," said head coach Jamie Dixon. "But it was a good win for us today". Senior leader Ashton Gibbs shared similar sentiments, "Yeah, it's definitely a little weird, especially the past three years we had a lot more success during the regular season. But it was a good win for us today."
The Panthers entered the 2012 Big East Tournament as the No.13-seed. Since 2006, the two times they've entered the tournament ranked outside one of the top three seeds, they've advanced to the Championship game, and won it all in 2008 as the No.7-seed.
Wouldn't that be a fitting way for Gibbs to end his Big East career?
After all, if there was one place in the world that embraced something like that, it would be Madison Square Garden.
Syracuse had no business winning the 2006 Big East Tournament, yet there they were, resting squarely on the shoulders of senior Gerry McNamara, cutting down the nets. If you need further evidence, look no further than Kemba Walker's tour of destruction last season.
This Pittsburgh team more than fits the role of the tournament darling. Like Syracuse and UConn, the Panthers were ranked in the preseason Top-25. Like Syracuse and UConn, the Panthers entered the tournament without a winning record in conference play, and failed to meet the lofty expectations set for the team. And like Syracuse and UConn, the Panthers have a savvy, no-nonsense guard who is more than capable of putting the entire team on his back.
The point is, if there's going to be a team to make a run this year, it's going to be Pittsburgh. If there's a player that's going to lead a memorable run, it's going to be Ashton Gibbs. "Yeah, I think it's definitely possible. We're just going to take one game at a time and worry about our next game and keep going."
Kentucky: Kentucky lost two of their three early entrants, but would you have expected Terrence Jones to be the lone returnee? Brandon Knight announced last week, while on Sunday night DeAndre Liggins made his decision official as well. Jones, however, will return, meaning that John Calipari will likely be bringing Kyle Wiltjer, a top 25 recruit, off the bench next season. Jones will provide Kentucky with a legitimate front court scoring threat to go along with Michael Gilchrist's perimeter versatility and Anthony Davis' length and athleticism.
Pitt: The Panthers got a whole lot better when Ashton Gibbs made the decision to return to school. Not only was he Pitt's leading scorer a year ago, but he is a potential all-american next season. Gibbs is the only player on the Panthers with the ability to create a shot in a half court setting. And with Brad Wanamaker graduating, Gibbs will have more of a chance to show NBA people that he can create with the dribble.
Xavier: The Musketeers caught a break when Tu Holloway, who could very well end up being the bet point guard in the country next season, opted to return to Xavier for his senior season, making Xavier one of the early favorites to win the Atlantic 10. Holloway was up there with Jimmer Fredette and Kemba Walker as one of the most valuable players in the country last year, and much of the same should be expected next season.
New Head Coaches:
Jim Larrananga caught a huge break with Reggie Johnson's decision to pull his name out of the NBA Draft. The new Hurricanes head coach is walking into a good situation at Miami. Everyone in the Miami rotation a year ago is returning, including the talented back court of Durand Scott and Malcolm Grant while Garrius Adams and DeQuan Jones provide versatility on the wings. Johnson's return means that Larrananga will now have one of the best big men in the ACC at his disposal as well. The 'Canes won't be winning the ACC, but don't be shocked if they are in the mix for the third spot, behind UNC and Duke.
Missouri has a chance to be one of the best teams in the Big 12 next season as both Laurence Bowers and Kim English opted to return to school for their senior seasons. That means that Frank Haith, in his first season in Columbia, will have a fully stocked cupboard at his disposal. Marcus Denmon, Phil Pressey, Ricardo Ratliffe, and Michael Dixon are all back as well. With Kansas and Texas losing a ton of talent, Missouri has a chance to compete for the conference title.
Hollis Thompson: Thompson has the tools and the skill set to potentially be a first round pick one day. But after spending two seasons playing out of position and in the role of glue guy, Thompson wasn't much more than a Big East afterthought his first two seasons at Georgetown. With Austin Freeman and Chris Wright graduating, and an influx of front court talent, Thompson will be a featured player for the Hoyas next season.
West Virginia: The Mountaineers lost a lot this past season. Casey Mitchell, John Flowers, and Joe Mazzulla graduated. Danny Jennings is no longer with the team. The entire 2010 freshmen class seemingly evaporated. Dalton Pepper, Deniz Kilicli, and Truck Bryant are all back, but without Kevin Jones in the fold, the Mountaineers would have had a long season. It will be interesting to see how Jones develops; he had a bit of a disappointing season as a junior.
Texas A&M: The Aggies are going to be a team to keep an eye on next season in the Big 12. With Khris Middleton opting not to put his name in the draft and David Loubeau withdrawing from consideration on Sunday, Mark Turgeon's team once again has the make up of one that can compete at the top of their league.
Austin Peay: The Governors finished third in the Sun Belt a season a go, behind Murray State and Morehead State. With both MSU's losing a number of key players, Austin Peay jumped up to preseason favorite to win the league with TyShawn Edmundson's decision to return for his senior season. Edmundson averaged 17.3 ppg a season ago.
Olu Ashaolu and Brandon Wood: Ashaolu opted to return to school, but he will transfer from Louisiana Tech for his senior season. Since he has already graduated, he will be eligible to play immediately, which means that the winner will be who ever is able to land him as a transfer. The same can be said for Wood, who withdrew from the draft and instead opted to transfer to Michigan State. The former Valpo guard will be eligible to play immediately after graduating. He averaged 15.1 ppg last season.
Northwestern: John Shurna pulled his name out of the NBA Draft, which means that the Wildcats will have their most talented scorer for his senior season. Will this once again spark the preseason debate of whether or not the Wildcats can make their first NCAA Tournament?
Other Notable returnees: Orlando Johnson (UCSB), Greg Mangano (Yale), Cameron Moore (UAB), Tony Taylor (George Washington) Continue reading...
The trend that has become prevalent this spring has been star underclassmen returning to school.
Harrison Barnes, John Henson, and Tyler Zeller all came back to campus and created a monster in Chapel Hill. Jared Sullinger's return to Columbus and Perry Jones' return to Waco have immediately vaulted next year's outlook Ohio State and Baylor, respectively. With kids like Will Barton, John Jenkins, Renardo Sidney, William Buford, and Thomas Robinson all coming back to campus as well, it has created a talent level in college basketball that we have not seen in quite some time.
Ashton Gibbs is planning on bucking that trend. Pitt's junior guard is deadset on turning pro, telling CBSSports.com's Jeff Borzello that he is 100% staying in the draft.
"When I entered the draft, I entered to get drafted," Gibbs told Borzello.
He reiterated that fact to SNY's Adam Zagoria, texting "I feel I can play at the NBA level. I'm looking forward to the challenge". On Tuesday morning, Dan Wolken of The Daily wrote that Gibbs was telling agents that he was interviewing that he was committed to turning pro. Gibbs did, however, leave himself an out, telling Borzello that he would return if he got bad news from the NBA "as far as not going first or second round".
Unfortunately, it seems likely that Gibbs will get bad news from the NBA. Most mock drafts don't have him being selected with one of the 60 picks despite how weak this year's draft. Draft Express ranks Gibbs as the 27th best junior, right behind Northwestern's John Shurna and Missouri's Laurence Bowers.
Ashton Gibbs is a very, very good basketball player. He'll be an all-american next season should he decide to return to Pitt.
But the problem is that he just does not have the physical tools to warrant a first round pick. He's generously listed at 6'2", but he's not a point guard. He's not all that quick or explosive. He can't create his own shot off the dribble. But he is a lights-out shooter and quite possibly the best player in the country at coming off of screens. In fact, he was so good at creating an open jumper for himself by using off-the-ball screens that Pitt would call his number at the end of a clock.
I do not believe that Gibbs is an NBA player. Most agree with me.
Which is why most people are criticizing Gibbs' statements that he will be remaining in the draft.
Me?
I want Gibbs to stay at Pitt. I want to see him become an all-american and 20 ppg scorer for the Panthers. I want to see him try and lead this team to that elusive Final Four. With Brad Wanamaker, Gilbert Brown, and Gary McGhee all graduating, Gibbs will be an even more vital piece to Jamie Dixon's puzzle.
But my opinion is irrelevant. What I want doesn't matter.
If Gibbs and his family feel that it is in their best interests for Ashton to leave the college ranks, then who am I too judge? Who am I to tell a kid not to pursue his dreams? If he ends up regretting this decision, he's the one that will have to live with it. Not us. We'll slowly but surely start to forget about him if his name is still in the draft on May 9th.
If anything, Gibbs is the poster boy for why the NCAA should extend, not eliminate, the testing-the-waters process. What the NCAA wants to do is move the deadline to declare for the NBA Draft to a week after the national title game and make the decision final. If that was the case this year, Gibbs would already be gone. He wouldn't have the chance to talk to NBA scouts and front office types. He wouldn't have a chance to evaluate his NBA Draft standing and determine whether or not he actually is prepared for the next level.
And he wouldn't have a chance to hear the NBA folks recommend that he return to school, which is precisely what Gibbs is on record as saying would change his mind about the NBA Draft. Even this year, Gibbs will have all of 10 days -- from April 29th-May 8th -- to get feedback on a life-changing decision.
Keeping players like Gibbs informed of their draft standing and in school instead of the D-League or Europe is good for the NCAA.
Its too bad the head coaches in the ACC don't see it that way. Continue reading...
Ashton Gibbs: There was originally speculation that Pitt's leading scorer would be able to return for tonight's game against South Florida, but according to Adam Zagoria, Gibbs said he will "be back Saturday" pending a doctor's clearance to take on St. John's in Madison Square Garden. (Gibbs is an NYC native. No chance he was missing that game.)
"He never came out when he was hurt in the game anyway, so he's never felt he's been hurt anyway," Pitt coach Jamie Dixon said Sunday at the PrimeTime Shootout at Kean University. "He's been ready to go since the injury."
Wesley Witherspoon: The 6'8" Memphis small forward has been in and out of the lineup this season due to injuries and disciplinary matters, but according to Jason Smith of the Memphis Commercial-Appeal, Witherspoon will dress and be available to play tonight against UAB.
"The biggest issue is he's just not in condition. He gets winded very quickly, which is very normal obviously," Pastner said. "He doesn't have his full athleticism back just yet."
'Spoon hasn't played since January 12th against SMU. He was suspended after the game due to inappropriate behavior on the bus ride home then sat out while his surgically repaired knee continued to heal.
Tennessee's point guards: According to Tennessee beat writer Wes Rucker, Bruce Pearl will be shaking up his back court rotation tonight against South Carolina. Pearl has yet to say who will start, but he did announce that Skylar McBee will be taking over Trae Golden's minutes at the point. He did say that it will probably be Goins starting, and that the changes have nothing to do with his senior's attitude or energy.
"It's factual," Pearl said. "Where are we in points? Where are we in assist-turnover ratio? Where are we in steals? Where are we in shooting percentage? Where are we in 3-point percentages? We're not where we want to be.
"Defense can't be measured, and your heart can't be measured. And certainly, Melvin has played terrific defense, and he's to be complimented on that. But we've got to get better offensive play. So it looks like tomorrow we'll be going with Skylar and Melvin."
Corey Stokes: Villanova's senior guard missed his second straight game after sitting out the second half of the Wildcat's loss to Rutgers with turf toe. He's not expected to play on Saturday against DePaul, either, as the team tries to get him prepared for a Big Monday matchup with Syracuse on the 21st of the month.
It may end up being a blessing in disguise. Last night, freshman James Bell went for a career-high 21 points against Seton Hall playing some of Stokes' minutes. He had 31 points on the season coming into the game. It can't hurt to have a player like Bell with his confidence at a high level this team of the year. Continue reading...
The three teams currently tied for second place in the conference standings -- Notre Dame, Louisville, and Villanova -- own a two game lead over Cincinnati, Marquette, and St. John's, who currently sit tied for ninth. In other words, there are 10 teams within two games of second place in the league.
That's a lot of teams and will make for an exciting finish to the season -- all ten of those teams still have NCAA Tournament aspirations.
While the middle of the Big East is a mess, Pitt has begun to pull away at the top of the league.
The Panthers have opened up a two game lead over the rest of the Big East, and barring something crazy happening, it seemed like the Panthers simply had to slip it into cruise control to win the Big East regular season.
Well, something crazy happened. Namely, Ashton Gibbs strained his mcl. He's out for tonight's rivalry matchup at West Virginia and is very questionable for Saturday's trip to Philly to take on Nova. Pitt hasn't released a statement on his timetable, but the general consensus is that Gibbs could miss 10-14 days.
Which makes the coming week incredibly important for Pitt. And for West Virginia and Villanova.
If Pitt's lead is going to be cut into, now is the chance. Gibbs is the Panther's leading scorer. He's also one of the best three-point shooters in the country. Pitt may be the second most efficient offensive team in the country, but its not because they have a roster full of future NBA all-stars. Quite the opposite, actually. Pitt is so efficient because they are so good at getting to the offensive glass. Extra shots and second chance points only helps efficiency numbers.
Gibbs is a valuable piece for the Panthers because of his ability to score and the fact that he can have an offense run for him. He is one of the few players on the Pitt roster capable of creating his own shot. Gibbs doesn't do it in one-on-one situations, but there may not be a better player in the country at running off of a screen than Gibbs.
Therein lies the issue for Pitt.
Will they be able to go on the road and knock off two good teams and conference rivals when they are missing their best offensive weapon? Pitt is one of the best programs in the country. They are as deep as anyone this season, and may be the one team that is capable of withstanding the loss of a star player. Travon Woodall, who will likely slide into the starting role in the back court alongside Brad Wanamaker, is probably good enough to start at the point for a number of Big East teams, although he's not quite as good offensively as Gibbs. He will also be the only true point guard available for Jamie Dixon. Brad Wanamaker is a playmaker, but he's not a natural point guard. (Ashton Gibbs isn't either, but that is another post for another day.) Also expect JJ Moore and Lamar Patterson to see increased minutes on the perimeter.
If they can win two games this week, we might as well crown the Panthers Big East regular seasons champs on Sunday.
But if the Mountaineers and the Wildcats can both manage to knock off the Panthers, that means that there could feasibly be 11 teams within two games of first place in the Big East.
Pitt 73, Providence 71: In a night devoid of much college hoops excitement, the Panthers and the Friars provided more than their share. Pitt used a 15-1 run midway through the first half to open up a 32-23 lead, but the Friars would fight back to build a 61-56 lead. Eventually, the two teams ended up tied at 70 with about 40 seconds left. Pitt had the ball and ran the clock down, but a missed floater by Wanamaker followed by a foul on the ensuing rebound sent Brian McKenzie to the line:
Two thoughts on the wild ending. First of all, that is terrible defense by Providence. Its almost as if they resigned themselves to the fact Pitt was going to be getting a shot off and they were just going to hope that the Panthers missed. You HAVE to turn the ball handler, he cannot run a straight line down the court and get an open 25 footer.
Secondly, how clutch of a shooter is Ashton Gibbs? He hit a couple different buzzer beaters against West Virginia in that three overtime classic and hit the difference-making free throws against Cincinnati.
Richmond 60, Dayton 56: Richmond held off Dayton in a game that was fairly devastating to Dayton's tournament hopes. The Flyers were up for much of the second half before allowing the Spiders to work their way back into the game. David Gonzalvez took over late for Richmond, hitting three huge buckets down the stretch, and Dayton just didn't have an answer. That seems to be the biggest issue with this Flyers team. They just don't have enough shot-makers, enough basketball players. Dayton is going to need a pretty solid run through the tournament if they want to earn a bid.
Michigan State 67, Penn State 65: I tweeted this last night after the Michigan State game, but I hate the Spartans this season. Not because I have any rooting interest either way, but because they are Michigan State, they have Tom Izzo, and they keep winning despite looking downright bad at times. They outrebounded Purdue by 26, but kept the Boilermakers minus Robbie Hummel in the game with 22 turnovers. Last night, it was shoddy defense that allowed an overmatched Penn State team to hand with the Spartans on the road. The Spartans are going to be a very hard team to predict in the NCAA's.
Other notable scores
Ole Miss 72, LSU 59: Chris Warren had 22 points to lead five Rebels in double figures as Ole Miss used a late 14-4 run to pull away.
Arizona State 59, USC 54: ASU caught a break with some bone-headed play from the Trojans, the least of which was Leonard Washington committing an offensive goaltend with under 30 seconds to play.
Washington 86, Oregon 72: Quincy Pondexter had 34 points, 10 boards, and six assists in the win.
Pitt is loaded. They have the Big East player in the post, an all-conference 20 ppg scorer on the wing, and a senior leader at the point running the show. They have depth, balance, quality role players, and one of the most unappreciated coaches in the game.
That was last season.
This season its a different story.
DeJuan Blair is gone. Sam Young is gone. Levance Fields is gone. Before the season started, the consensus seemed to be that with those three went Pitt's hopes of an NCAA Tournament trip. Nothing the Panthers did before the start of Big East play changed that assumption. Not coming back from a 13 point second half deficit against Wofford. Not an ugly, two overtime win over Duquesne. Not the 47 points they scored against New Hampshire. Not the loss to Indiana in Madison Square Garden.
But there's something we didn't take into consideration.
Jamie Dixon isn't like most coaches.
Jamie Dixon has done a great job with Pitt this season. (photo credit: ESPN)
Jamie Dixon doesn't rely on talent to win. He doesn't need a roster full of McDonald's all-americans. In fact, when Dixon brought freshman Dante Taylor into the program, he was Pitt's first McDonald's all-american since Bobby Martin and Brian Shorter joined the Panthers in 1987.
What we ignored was the fact that Dixon develops players. He grooms the kids that are overlooked by other programs to fit his system. Like Keith Benjamin and Ronald Ramon and Tyrell Biggs and even Levance Fields and Sam Young before them, guys like Ashton Gibbs, Brad Wanamaker, and Gary McGhee bided their time last year. They played their limited minutes while practicing every day against some of the best players in the country, while learning how to defend, execute, and carry themselves like Big East champions.
Now that Jermaine Dixon and Gilbert Brown are back in the rotation, now that this Pitt team is finally complete, we are finally seeing just how good the Panthers are; just how good of a program and system that Jamie Dixon runs.
Pitt's team is built on toughness, defense, and execution on both sides of the ball. While we pointed out in the preseason that the Panthers had flaws this year - they don't have any sure-fire lottery picks, they don't have a dynamic playmaker at the point, they don't have anyone that can go out and get you 25 points on a given night - what we didn't point out was that they have a group of kids that bought into what Dixon was selling.
Like every team in Dixon's tenure, this year's Panthers defend. They rebound. They get seemingly every loose ball. They run their offense until they get an open look or a lane to the rim. They hit big shots. They demonstrate the physical toughness and the mental make-up required to compete with more talented teams, and to beat them on the road.
And they have just enough natural talent to get by.
Proof?
How about a 4-0 start in the Big East.
Three of those wins came on the road - in Syracuse, in Cincinnati, and in Hartford. All three are difficult places to play, and all three were NCAA tournament caliber teams.
When playing the cream of the Big East crop, there will be few games where the Panthers will be considered the more talented team on the floor even with their run the last two weeks. But rest assured, the Panthers will come away with more than their share of wins.
If the Big East was a car show, Jamie Dixon would be me and Pitt would be my 1995 Honda Accord. While the Jags breakdown, and the Lambo's get speeding tickets, and the Corvette's are traded in for newer models, and the Hummers guzzle gas, my Accord keeps getting the job done. The paint may be chipped on the side, the AC may be broken, there may be four blown out speakers that are useless because I don't have a cd player and the radio antenna was ripped off, but you better believe that Accord gets me where I need to go and gets me there on time, all on 30 miles-a-gallon.
And while Pitt may not be the most aesthetically pleasing basketball team to watch, Dixon keeps steering this team right where it wants to be.
What we learned this week: There are just four unbeaten teams left in the country. Purdue, Kentucky, Texas, and Kansas have separated themselves as the hands-down favorites to earn the four #1 seeds come March after this week's games, but of the four, who is the best team in the country (all RPI numbers via):
Kansas: 13-0
RPI: 8
Kenpom: 1
Best Wins: Memphis, Cal, Michigan, @ Temple
After Texas beat both Michigan State and UNC in the span of four days, there was a lot of talk that the Longhorns - and not the Jayhawks - were the best team in the country. Anyone that saw Kansas absolutely dismantle a good Temple team in Philly may disagree with that sentiment. The thing that impressed me the most about Kansas on Saturday was how good they looked defensively (Kenpom rates them as the third best defensive team in the country). They pressure the ball well, and have one of the best erasers in the country cleaning up any mess. You should already know how good they are on the offensive end; neither of their two all-americans lead the team in scoring.
Texas: 13-0
RPI: 12
Kenpom: 3
Best Wins: UNC, Michigan State
Texas may very well be the deepest team in the country, as Rick Barnes in comfortable using a 12 man rotation. The combination of Damion James and Dexter Pittman, when he can play extended minutes, is devastating inside, and doesn't get any easier when the Longhorns go to the bench (Gary Johnson, Alexis Wangmene, Clint Chapman). The issue for the Longhorns is their perimeter scoring. They rely heavily on their trio of freshman (J'Covan Brown, Avery Bradley, and Jordan Hamilton) who have all proven to be inconsistent scoring the ball. The key offensively for this team is Dogus Balbay, who is averaging 4.8 apg and just 1.6 t/o's. He is really the only guy capable of creating shots for others, and is also the best of a very good group of perimeter defenders. With the Longhorns struggling to beat Texas A&M-CC on Saturday, it is tough to put this team ahead of the Jayhawks.
Kentucky: 15-0
RPI: 14
Kenpom: 13
Best Wins: UConn, UNC, Louisville
By now you know about the Wildcats. John Wall is the most talented player in the country, and has proven he is willing, and more than capable, and making the important play for the Wildcats. Patrick Patterson is a stud, capable of scoring on the block and fast becoming the key to UK's ability to beat a zone with his ability to pass and shoot from the high post. DeMarcus Cousins is the most productive big man in the country, as he was the nation's leader in points and rebounds per 40 minutes heading into Saturday's tilt with Louisville. The Wildcats have far and away the highest ceiling of any team in the country. The question is whether or not they are mature enough to reach that ceiling. One thing that did impress in the Louisville game was Kentucky's effort on the defensive end. Louisville started the game just 1-19 from the field, and never got comfortable offensively. Kentucky has the athletes and the size to be great on this end of the floor when they want to be.
Purdue: 13-0
RPI: 5
Kenpom: 7
Best Wins: Tennessee, Wake Forest, West Virginia
The Boilermakers are arguably the most fundamental defensive team in the country. Rarely out of position, they put great pressure on the ball, understand help side and positional defense, and contest seemingly every perimeter jumper. They have also gotten exceptional play out of their big three of Robbie Hummel, JaJuan Johnson, and E'Twaun Moore. While they have yet to quell concerns over their ability to handle big, strong presences in the post (they have by far the smallest front line of any of the four undefeateds), they did prove their mettle on the defensive glass. West Virginia hangs their hat on their ability to get to the offensive glass, and Purdue allowed the stronger, more athletic Mountaineers to get just seven offensive boards. I also still have concerns about Purdue's ability to handle pressure from smaller, quicker teams (like Alabama, who built a 16 point lead on Purdue), but Kelsey Barlow has been solid filling in for the injured Lewis Jackson.
Northwestern's bid for an NCAA Tournament berth could be in big trouble. The Wildcats have no wins over teams that look destined for the NCAA Tournament (three best are Notre Dame, NC State, and Iowa State) and have started the Big Ten 0-2 after losing to Illinois and Michigan State this week. It doesn't get any easier, either. Their next eight games - @ Michigan, Wisconsin, Purdue, @ Ohio State, Illinois, @ Minnesota, @ Michigan State, Michigan. After Purdue and Michigan State, the Big Ten is wide open, but Northwestern could easily find themselves in too big of a hole to climb out.
Illinois, a top 25 team in the preseason, is now 9-5 with losses to Georgia and Utah (with all five losses coming on a neutral court). The Illini's biggest problem right now is inside. Neither Mike Davis or Mike Tisdale is all that physical, especially on the offensive end where both seem to be more comfortable taking 15 footers. Dominique Keller, who had 22 huge points off the bench, is stronger and may be the answer, but he is only 6'7" and gets most of his points off of hustle plays and (surprise!) jump shots. The Illini have a talented back court, but DJ Richardson and Brandon Paul are both freshman and Demetri McCamey is not a true point guard. There is talent on this roster, but Bruce Pearl has yet to figure out how to get the most out of it.
Marquette is the best 9-5 team in the country. All five of their losses are to power conference team by a combined 17 points, with three of the losses by one possession and four of them coming to teams that have been and around the top 25 all season. The Golden Eagles started Big East play in heart-breaking fashion, losing to West Virginia on a Da'Sean Butler buzzer-beater and to Villanova on a late and-one jumper from Scottie Reynolds. Many expected Marquette to be down this season after losing their backcourt to graduation, but Marquette is once again utilizing the mismatches created by playing small ball. Lazar Hayward and Jimmy Butler can both defend in the paint, but have the skills to play on the perimeter, creating mismatches against opposing big men when Marquette spreads the floor. Their biggest issue right now is depth. A couple of players have gone down with season ending injuries, and with Jeronne Maymon leaving school, Buzz Williams is left with essentially a six-man rotation.
The Big XII has a number of excellent teams this season, but the group no one is talking about is Baylor. After winning at Arkansas and South Carolina (to go along with a win over Xavier and a win at Arizona State), the Bears are now 11-1. Tweety Carter, who is playing great ball this season (16.6 ppg, 6.3 apg, 45% from three), and LaceDarius Dunn form one of the most underrated back courts in the country, and Ekpe Udoh (13.8 ppg, 11.1 rpg, 2.8 apg, 4.1 bpg) anchors a frontline that is as long and athletic as any in the country.
GAMES OF THE WEEK: Gonzaga 85, Illinois 83 OT; Wake Forest 96, Xavier 92 2OT
Its rare to find games this sloppy that are this exciting. Gonzaga used a hot shooting start to jump out to a early 21 point lead on the Illini. But the Zags started turning the ball over, and Illinois capitalized, turning 21 Bulldog turnovers into 33 points as they came back and eventually took an eight point lead during the second half. The Zags weren't ready to quit, they pulled back ahead, taking the lead in the final minutes on the strength of Matt Bouldin's playmaking and a couple nice post moves from Elias Harris.
Illinois's Dominique Keller, who hadn't played more than 20 minutes on the season and made six threes all year out of the power forward spot, drilled two clutch jumpers, including a game-tying three in the final seconds, as the Illini forced overtime.
In the OT (OT can be seen here), Gonzaga's defense took over. The Illini didn't score in the final 3:07, and after Bouldin tied the game with a three at the 1:44 mark, Harris scored on a short jump hook with 12 seconds left for the win. Illinois would miss a tough three at the buzzer, sealing the game.
Sunday night in Winston-Salem was even crazier. In a game honoring Skip Prosser between the two teams he coached, Xavier and Wake Forest played an instant classic. Xavier rallied from an eight point deficit midway through the second half to take a 76-72 lead. Wake would score six straight points before Terrell Holloway scored with 58 seconds left to tie the game at 78. Neither team scored in the final minute, forcing an OT.
X pulled ahead in the first overtime for the first time as Jamal Mclean scored three straight points, but Ish Smith, who finished with 28 points and 9 assists tied the game with a three pointer. Chas McFarland saved the game with a great block as time expired. In the second overtime, Wake took control on a jumper from Smith, who followed that by finding CJ Harris for a lay-up. Jordan Crawford had 30 to lead Xavier, while Al-Farouq Aminu had 26 points and 18 boards for Wake.
Iowa State 82, Houston 75 2OT: Until the second overtime, neither team led this game by more than six. Down 61-59 with just 12 seconds left in regulation, Houston's Zamal Nixon missed a free throw. Aubrey Coleman grabbed the offensive rebound, and after missing a jumper, Maurice McNeil was there for a putback to force overtime. At the end of the first overtime, Iowa State's Diante Garrett drove the lane and finished a lay-up with 9.1 seconds left to tie it. After Houston failed to score, Marqus Gilstrap scored eight of his 17 points in the second OT to hold on to the win.
Wake Forest 74, Richmond 68 OT: On New Year's Eve, the Demon Deacons outlasted 31 points from Richmond's Kevin Anderson before nearly winning on a Chas McFarland tip-in at the buzzer. Part of the reason that Richmond was able to hang with Wake was that they held Al-Farouq Aminu to just eight points in regulation. But Aminu matched that in OT as the Demon Deacons pulled away.
Oregon 91, Washington State 89 2OT: Controversial ending aside, this game had two game-winning buzzer-beaters.
Cincinnati 71, UConn 69: The Bearcats twice managed to build a double digit lead, but the Huskies, led by Jerome Dyson and Stanley Robinson, managed to come back and tie the game on a Kemba Walker three with 10 seconds left. Lance Stephenson took the ball the other way, and drew a foul on Gavin Edwards with 0.7 seconds left. He would hit both free throws for the win.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Ashton Gibbs, Pitt
I had all but written Pitt off. They lost to Indiana, struggled to beat teams like New Hampshire and Duquesne, and looked as inept offensively as any Pitt team I have seen (which is saying a lot considering Pitt has hardly been an offensive powerhouse). But after going 2-0 this past week to start the Big East season, which included an 82-72 win over then-undefeated Syracuse, Pitt all of a sudden looks like a team that can make some noise in the Big East.
Ashton Gibbs carried Pitt to a 2-0 start in the Big East. (photo credit: ESPN)
No one was an influential in the Panther's two wins as Ashton Gibbs. Gibbs averaged 23.5 ppg, 7.5 rpg, and 3.0 apg for the week, but, more importantly, he had just two turnovers in 73 minutes and shot 9-13 from deep. Pitt got a boost with Jermaine Dixon getting healthy and Gilbert Brown getting eligible, but if they are going to be a factor in a very balanced, very deep Big East, Gibbs ability to score and consistently hit jumpers from the perimeter is going to be vital.
They were good too:
Malcolm Armstead and Michael Dunigan, Oregon: Armstead scored the eventual game-winner against Washington State in double OT, then paced the Ducks with 21 in their upset over Washington. For the week, he averaged 18.5 ppg and 6.5 apg while Dunigan averaged 21.0 ppg, 13.0 rpg, and 2.5 bpg.
Stanley Robinson, UConn: The Huskies were just 1-1 this week, but Robinson proved why he is going to be a top 20 pick come June. He averaged 22.0 ppg, 11.5 rpg, and 2.5 spg while shooting 6-10 from three and committing just 3 turnovers. Jerome Dyson may be UConn's best scorer and playmaker, but Sticks is probably their most valuable player.
Ishmael Smith, Wake Forest: The Demon Deacons went 2-0 this week in overtime games against good non-conference competition, and Smith was a huge reason why. He had 28 points and 9 assists, hitting all three of his threes, as he made clutch play after clutch play against Xavier. He added 13 points and 7 assists against Richmond.
Jimmer Fredette, BYU: He had the best individual performance of the season thus far as he posted 49 points, 7 boards, and 9 assists in a blowout win at Arizona.
TEAM OF THE WEEK: Oregon Ducks
It is tough to give the Ducks the nod as they stole a game from Wazzu, but the results are the results, and Oregon came out of the first weekend of Pac-10 play with a 2-0 record, which includes a win at Washington, the best team in the conference.
When healthy, Michael Dunigan is as good as any big man in the Pac-10. (photo credit: OregonLive)
Oregon did not have a pretty start to the season. They came into conference play with an 8-4 record, and three of those losses were to mid-major programs. But keep in mind that the Ducks were dealing with injuries to some of their best players early in the season. Michael Dunigan, who received a lot of hype in the preseason but struggled early and missed two games, had a double-double against both Wazzu and UW, and has scored 20 in his last three games. TaJuan Porter has missed four games, but went for 31 in the win in Pullman and as formed a dynamic, if a bit small, back court with Michael Armstead. The Ducks have a long way to go before they are confused with a tourney contender, but with the struggles in the Pac-10, this team may be able to sneak their way to the top.
Rhode Island Rams: With Dayton and Xavier struggling early in the season and Temple coming off of a blowout loss to Kansas at home, it looks like the A-10 is wide open this season. After going 2-0 this week, Rhode Island is now 11-1, and have set themselves in great position to earn an at-large bid come March. The Rams knocked off Drexel on Tuesday night, but their big win this week came against Oklahoma State, a potential tourney team from the Big XII, at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Connecticut.
New Mexico Lobos: The Lobos scored two big wins last week against Texas Tech and Dayton. Granted, both were at home, but UNM is putting together a pretty impressive non-conference resume as they already have wins at Texas Tech and San Diego and over Cal at home. They kick off MWC play on the 5th.
Northern Iowa Panthers: The MVC is good this season, and while it may not be the multi-bid conference it was a few years ago, this is still a league that is as competitive and balanced as any in the country. After the first week of conference games, UNI is sitting in sole possession of first place, which includes a win over Missouri State. Granted, its early and there are five teams sitting at 2-1, but anytime you win three straight games in this league it should be considered a success.
Purdue Boilermakers: Purdue solidified their status as a favorite to recieve a #1 seed by convincingly beating then-undefeated WVU at Mackey Arena.
Cole Aldrich averaged just 8.3 mpg as a freshman, before becoming one of the best centers in the country this past season.
Jodie Meeks had two unimpressive, injury-plagued seasons before becoming one of college basketball's most electrifying scorers as a junior.
Every season, there are kids that come from college basketball obscurity and burst onto the national scene. Who will have a break out year in 2009-2010?
Ed Davis, North Carolina - 6'10" 225lb: Davis is in kind of the same boat Aldrich was last season. As a freshman, he was a promising prospect that was stuck behind a loaded front line. Davis is long, athletic, and plays with a great deal of energy. He has shown the ability to be one of the better defenders and rebounders in the country, and with the added scoring opportunities with the graduation of Tyler Hansbrough, Wayne Ellington, and Ty Lawson, it isn't a stretch to think Davis could average 15 and 10 as a sophomore.
Ed Davis could be the next great Tar Heel big man. (photo credit: Raleigh Durham About)
Kemba Walker, UConn - 6'1" 172lb: Walker was stuck playing behind AJ Price as a freshman. But with Price's graduation, this will be Kemba's UConn team to run. And run they will. The last two seasons, UConn has played a much more controlled pace than you expect from a Jim Calhoun team. Price, Hasheem Thabeet, and Jeff Adrien were all more suited to a slower paced, grind-it-out style. With those three gone, UConn will rely on Walker, Jerome Dyson, and Stanley Robinson to lead them, all of whom could be considered the most athletic player at their positions. UConn is going to press defensively and run offensively, and Walker is going to be the catalyst.
Kim English, Missouri - 6'6" 200lb: Anyone that watched the NCAA tournament (and if you read this blog, that means you) should know what English can do when he gets hot: during a four minute stretch against Marquette in the second round, English hit three threes and scored 15 points. A 6'6" two-guard, English is tall enough to get his shot off over most perimeter defenders, but he also has enough athleticism to survive in the 40-minutes-of-hell style the Tigers play. With guys like Leo Lyons, DeMarre Carroll, JT Tiller, and Matt Lawrence all graduating, expect English to get many more minutes and shots.
Chris Wright, Georgetown - 6'1", 208lb: Wright was a much-hyped recruit coming out of St. John's high school in Maryland, but an injury to his foot severely limited his court time as a freshman. Combine that with playing behind Jonathon Wallace, and last season was essentially Wright's first in the Big East. With that came the growing pains - at times he was brilliant, but overall he had an inconsistent season. He now has a year of experience under his belt, and knowing what to expect in a watered down Big East, Wright should be more comfortable and confident leading the Hoyas.
Wesley Johnson, Syracuse - 6'7", 198lb: Johnson was a player for two years with Iowa State, averaging 12 ppg both seasons. But during his sophomore year, he played on an ankle that required surgery after the season was done. Now that he has had 16 months to get healthy, Johnson will start over in a program looking for their own fresh start. The Orange lost a ton of talent on the perimeter, and Johnson will be expected to shoulder the scoring load from day one. Johnson is a tremendous athlete with a jumper that is very effective when he doesn't fall in love with it - which is what happened during his sophomore season (although, that was most likely a result of his injury). If he can become the player he was as a freshman - attacking the glass, going to the basket, defending - Johnson should put up impressive scoring numbers and thrive playing the back line of the Syracuse zone.
Iowa State transfer Wesley Johnson will be counted on to replace the scoring of Jonny Flynn and Eric Devendorf. (photo credit: Flagrant Fouls)
Matthew Bryan-Amaning, Washington - 6'9", 240lb: A lot of people are predicting the Huskies to be the best team on the West Coast, and that prediction could very well hold true as U-Dub will field one of the most dynamic back courts in the country. But back court play will only get you so far during the season. Washington will be heading into this year with a gaping hole in their frontline courtesy of Jon Brockman's graduation. Bryan-Amaning will be the guy called upon to fill a lot of those minutes. He has shown signs of being a star-in-the-making during his first two seasons, but both seasons faded down the stretch as his minutes and production tailed off during Pac-10 play. The Huskies, if possible, are going to play an even faster tempo than they did last season, and given Bryan-Amaning's length, athleticism, and face-up game, he should be able to thrive.
Malcolm Lee, UCLA - 6'5", 180lb: Lee has been getting a ton of attention during the off-season, and it isn't hard to see why - the kid looks like he could be the second coming off Russell Westbrook. If you remember, Westbrook flew under the radar as a freshman before exploding as a sophomore and becoming the fourth pick of the 2008 draft. Like Westbrook, Lee is a rangy combo guard with outstanding athleticism. He struggled to find minutes in a crowded back court last season, but that doesn't mean that he isn't blessed loads of talent. Lee is still a bit raw, especially on the offensive end, but he has already garnered a reputation for being a play maker defensively. If he is allowed to take some advantage of his outstanding ability to create in the open court, Lee could be a first team all-Pac 10 player.
Can Malcolm Lee follow in Russell Westbrook's footsteps?
Roburt Sallie, Memphis - 6'5", 196lb: Remember what I said about Kim English? If you watched the NCAA Tournament, you know what this guy is capable of. The exact same can be said about Sallie. Sallie spent most of the season on John Calipari's bench, but exploded for 35 points and 10 three's as he carried the Tiger's to a first round win against Cal State Northridge. One of the best shooters in the country, new coach Josh Pastner is going to need a big season out of Sallie, as the NBA Draft and a disappearing recruiting class has left the Tiger's cupboard pretty bare.
Ishmael Smith, Wake Forest - 6'0", 175lb: As a freshman, Ishmael Smith was one of the most promising point guards in the country, averaging 6.0 apg. But something happened over the past two seasons, and that something was named Jeff Teague. Teague dominated the ball during his time in Winston-Salem, forcing Smith into a much less significant role. But that doesn't mean Smith can't play. He is not a great scorer, but what he does well is break down a defense and lead a break. In other words, he can create scoring chances for others, which is going to be so important for a Wake team that doesn't have a lot of polished offensive weapons.
Ashton Gibbs, Pttsburgh - 6'2", 200lb: Pitt will be heading into this season with basically a whole new team. With four starters gone, and two of their top returners out to start the season (Jermaine Dixon's foot injury and Gilbert Brown's suspension), Gibbs and Brad Wanamaker will be basically the only two guys back. Gibbs played a limited role as a freshman for the Panthers, but in those limited minutes he produced. He also had an impressive summer playing for the U-19 World Champions (coached by Pitt head coach Jamie Dixon). Gibbs will be counted upon immediately to produce for the Panthers, and he should be up to the task. He proved his ability to shoot from the perimeter last season, but this year he will be asked to lead this team as a scorer and play maker.
William Buford, Ohio State - 6'5", 185lb: Buford took some time to find a rhythm as a freshman, but once he got comfortable he really started to show some promising signs at the end of the year. Buford is one of the most fluid scorers in the Big Ten. He is so good at reading a defense and coming off of a screen, and is deadly when shooting in the 15-18 foot range. If Buford can expand his ability to slash to the rim, he could prove to be a deadly complement to Evan Turner.
Honorable Mention:
Michael Dunigan, Oregon Paul George, Fresno State Demetri Goodson, Gonzaga Terrence Jennings, Louisville Larry Sanders, VCU Jeff Taylor, Vanderbilt Continue reading...
Got a article we need to read? Want to advertise with us? Have a youtube video we need to see? Think we're morons? Let us know! Send an email to ContactBIAH@gmail.com or hit us up on twitter @RobDauster, @TroyMachir or @BallinisaHabit
Posts
