Pics/Vids: Game 10 - Oklahoma State vs. Kansas State

Saturday, January 21st
Gallagher-Iba Arena, Oklahoma State University
Kansas State 66, Oklahoma State 58

Game 9 - Missouri State vs. Creighton
Game 8 - Missouri vs. Texas A&M
Game 7 - Wisconsin vs. Nebraska
Game 6 - Marquette vs. Pittsburgh
Game 5 - Butler vs. Cleveland State
Game 4 - Indiana vs. Minnesota
Game 3 - Xavier vs. Duquesne
Game 2 - Kentucky vs. South Carolina
Game 1 - Belmont vs. Lipscomb

I apologize for the lack of content in this post. We ran into a technical difficulty upon our arrival in Stillwater. But nonetheless, we got some good shots of the game and environment.
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College Hoops Week in Review: Doug McDermott and Kansas State

Player of the Week: Doug McDermott, Creighton

Doug McDermott shouldn't have been a secret coming into the season, but if you didn't know about him back in October you certainly should by now. If the season ended today, he'd be a first-team all-american. Arguing that he should be the National Player of the Year would actually have some merit. In fact, he's been so good as a sophomore that its fair to say that Harrison Barnes played on McDermott's high school team. Not the other way around.

Considering how well McDermott has played this season, its a difficult task taking him into consideration for Player of the Week simply because it takes so much for him to do something that is more than just par for the course. But that is exactly what he did this week. In an overpowering win at Tulsa, McDermott showcased his back-to-the-basket game, scoring 35 points while shooting 16-23 from the floor. The majority of those shots came on post-ups, and McDermott only went to the line once. That should tell you something about how fundamentally sound he is inside.
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2011-2012 Top 50 Countdown: Nos. 45-41

Over the coming weeks, we will be counting down our Top 50 teams in the country. Teams 26-50 will be posted in groups of five, while we will count backwards from No. 25 to the No. 1 team in the country. You can find a complete schedule of our 2011-2012 Season Preview coverage here. To browse through the rest of the Top 50, click here.


45. Kansas State Wildcats:

Last Season: 23-11, 10-6 (Big 12)

Head Coach: Frank Martin

Key Losses: Jacob Pullen, Curtis Kelly, Juevol Miles, Nick Russell

New Additions: Adrian Diaz, Thomas Gibson, Angel Rodriguez, Nino Williams, Jeremy Jones, James Watson, Omari Lawrence

Projected Lineup:

- G: Will Spradling, So.
- G: Rodney MacGruder, Jr.
- F: Nino Williams, Fr.
- F: Jamar Samuels, Sr.
- C: Jordan Henriquez-Roberts, Jr.
- Bench: Omari Lawrence, So.; Shane Southwell, So.; Martavious Irving, Jr.; Adrian Diaz, Fr.; Thomas Gibson, Fr.


Outlook: Jacob Pullen was, without a doubt, one of my favorite players to watch while he was a member of the Kansas State Wildcats. He was also one of the most valuable, as he almost single-handedly turned around K-State's season and led them to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. That kind of player is nearly impossible to replace. Also gone is Curtis Kelly, however, and with the Wildcats being a year removed from the midseason departures of Freddy Asprilla and Wally Judge, Frank Martin's club may actually be better off with fewer distractions. There is still some talent on the roster. Sophomore Will Spradling and junior Rodney McGruder form a solid back court, and both should have big years with the added chances that Pullen's graduation frees up. St. John's transfer Omari Lawrence, Shane Southwell and Martavious Irving will give K-State some depth on the perimeter. The x-factor may end up being Nino Williams, a top 100 recruit that enrolled at Kansas State early but redshirted last season after getting two concussions. Jamar Samuels is an experienced and athletic power forward who, when combined with Jordan Henriquez-Roberts, give the Wildcats a front line with some potential. The front court depth is lacking, as two freshmen and a couple of JuCo transfers are their back ups.


44. Georgetown Hoyas:

Last Season: 21-11, 10-8 (Big East)

Head Coach: John Thompson III

Key Losses: Austin Freeman, Chris Wright, Julian Vaughn

New Additions: Tyler Adams, Otto Porter, Mikael Hopkins, Jabril Trawick, Greg Whittington

Projected Lineup:

- G: Markel Starks, So.
- G: Jason Clark, Sr.
- F: Hollis Thompson, Jr.
- F: Nate Lubick, So.
- C: Henry Sims, Sr.
- Bench: Tyler Adams, Fr.; Otto Porter, Fr.; Mikael Hopkins, Fr.; Jabril Trawick, Fr.; Greg Whittington, Fr.


Outlook: It will be a changing of the guard in DC this year as Chris Wright and Austin Freeman have finally graduated after what felt like a decade as Hoyas. With a talented recruiting class coming in, and eight underclassmen in the rotation, this may be a rebuilding season JT III's club, but that doesn't mean they won't be able to compete with some of the Big East's big boys. The two guys that Georgetown is going to rely on the most will end up being Jason Clark and Hollis Thompson. Clark has been the third option the past two seasons, while Thompson could end up being a breakout star. He's got some talent, and this season he will be able to play the three, his more natural position. Henry Sims showed some improvements as a junior, especially with his ability to pass from the high post, while Nate Lubick is a solid rebounder and defender at the four. It will be interesting to see what the freshmen group will provide, especially considering how much potential there is on the front court. Otto Porter, 6'9" combo-forward and a Missouri native, is the rookie you want to pay attention to. The x-factor for the Hoyas will be point guard Markel Starks. Georgetown's offense stagnated late in the season with Chris Wright broke his wrist because the Hoyas lost that guy that can create a shot. If Starks can fill that void, Georgetown has a shot to be a tournament team. One thing to note -- will Georgetown's brawl out in China bring this team together?


43. Northwestern Wildcats:

Last Season: 20-14, 7-11

Head Coach: Bill Carmody

Key Losses: Michael Thompson, Mike Capocci

New Additions: Tre Demps, Mike Turner, David Sobolewski

Projected Lineup:

- G: Tre Demps, Fr.
- G: JerShon Cobb, So.
- F: Drew Crawford, Jr.
- F: John Shurna, Sr.
- C: Luka Mirkovic, Sr.
- Bench: Alex Marcotullio, Jr.; Davide Curletti, Sr.; Mike Turner, Fr.; David Sobolewski, Fr.


Outlook: There is an argument to be made that Juice Thompson, a four-year starter at the point for the Wildcats, will be the most difficult player to replace in the Big Ten next season. Everything revolved around Thompson, especially while Shurna was battling his ankle injury, and he was the unquestioned leader. Two freshmen -- Tre Demps and David Sobolewski -- were brought in to fill the void, but if they are unable to play that role, junior Alex Marcotullio will likely have to slide over and handle the point. The good news is that Bill Carmody's offensive system doesn't necessarily need a point guard; all they need is someone to get them into their continuity sets. If Northwestern is ever going to make an NCAA Tournament, this is the year. John Shurna was having a sensational season before he hurt his ankle. Drew Crawford has the potential to be an all-Big Ten player. So does JerShon Cobb, who averaged 7.4 ppg as a freshman despite being beat up most of the season. Luka Mirkovic is a solid and experienced big man, while Marcotullio and Davide Curletti will provide some depth. Northwestern has so many three point weapons that when they get hot, they will be able to play with anyone in the country.


42. Butler Bulldogs:

Last Season: 28-10, 13-5 (Horizon)

Head Coach: Brad Stevens

Key Losses: Shelvin Mack, Matt Howard, Shawn Vanzant, Zach Hahn,

New Additions: Roosevelt Jones, Jackson Aldridge, Kameron Woods, Andy Smeathers

Projected Lineup:

- G: Ronald Nored, Sr.
- G: Chase Stigall, Jr.
- G: Chrishawn Hopkins, So.
- F: Khyle Marshall, So.
- F: Andrew Smith, Jr.
- Bench: Garrett Butcher, Sr.; Emerson Kampen, Jr.; Erik Fromm, So.; Roosevelt Jones, Fr.; Jackson Aldridge, Fr.


Outlook: Butler will be an interesting team to keep an eye on this season. After making back-to-back national title games, the Bulldogs lost their two stars -- Matt Howard and Shelvin Mack -- and two other key back court players. With a young team this season and Arkansas transfer Rotnei Clarke ineligible until next year, this will be a rebuilding year. But there is still a chance this club competes for their league title and an NCAA Tournament trip. It starts up front, where Andrew Smith has developed into a rock on the block and Khyle Marshall has the potential to be Butler's next star. Ronald Nored, the team's unquestioned leader, is back to anchor a back court that includes a couple of young guys -- Chase Stigall and Chrishawn Hopkins -- that had promising moments last season. Garrett Butcher, Emerson Kampen and Erik Fromm provide Brad Stevens with some depth up front while freshmen Roosevelt Jones and Jackson Aldridge -- who led Australia to a U-18 title -- give the Bulldogs even more young perimeter talent. The future is bright for Butler, but how far away that bright future is is unclear.


41. Clemson Tigers:

Last Season: 22-12, 9-7 (ACC)

Head Coach: Brad Brownell

Key Losses: Demontez Stitt, Jerai Grant

New Additions: Devan Coleman, TJ Sapp, KJ McDaniels, Bernard Sullivan, Rod Hall

Projected Lineup:

- G: Andre Young, Sr.
- G: Tanner Smith, Sr.
- F: KJ McDaniels, Fr.
- F: Milton Jennings, Jr.
- C: Devin Booker, Jr.
- Bench: Bryan Narcisse, Sr.; Bernard Sullivan, Fr.; Devin Coleman, Fr.; TJ Sapp, Fr.


Outlook: Given the loss of Trevor Booker to the NBA and the change in coaching staff, its more than reasonable to say that Clemson's 22 win season and trip to the second round of the NCAA Tournament can qualify as a resounding success for Brad Brownell in his first season. What's more impressive is that his team seemingly got better as the season progressed, meaning that his players really started buying into his system, which is focuses on half-court defense as opposed to Oliver Purnell's up-and-down style. This year, however, the Tigers will be quite young. The team will be anchored by their senior back court of Andre Young and Tanner Smith, two solid, well-rounded and experienced ACC guards. The rest of the perimeter rotation will be made up by freshmen -- TJ Sapp, Devin Coleman, KJ McDaniels, Rod Hall. The front court will be more experienced, with juniors Milton Jennings and Devin Booker likely starting. Those two both had hype as recruits, but have yet to live up to that potential. Senior Bryan Narcisse -- an athletic, 6'6" ball of energy -- and freshman Bernard Sullivan will provide Brownell with depth up front.
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Why you should care about Dalonte Hill

Mark Turgeon is slowly but surely starting to build his staff at Maryland.

It started with Mark Turgeon's decision to keep Bino Ranson around. Ranson, who helped get Nick Faust's initial commitment to Maryland, has ties all over Baltimore, a city that is producing as much basketball talent as anywhere in the country. The next step appears to be Scott Spinelli. Spinelli was the associate head coach at Texas A&M under Turgeon, and with Sunday's announcement that Billy Kennedy would be taking over for Turgeon, most believe Spinelli will take over the same role at Maryland.

And now, it appears that Turgeon is going after Dalonte Hill, an assistant coach on Frank Martin's staff at Kansas State.

The universal reaction over the weekend was that Turgeon getting Hill to join his staff would be huge.

But why?

What makes an assistant coach at a school that hasn't finished better than 11-5 in the Big 12 during his five year tenure such an important piece for a program located just outside DC?


Hill is a DC native. After his playing career at Charlotte and Bowie State fizzled out, Hill became a head coach for the DC Assault AAU program, one of the best teams in the country. He worked for DC Assault for two seasons before becoming an assistant coach at Charlotte. There, Hill had secured a commitment from Michael Beasley, a DC Assault product, until Bob Huggins swooped in and hired Hill at Kansas State.

Beasley followed Hill to Manhattan, KS, a move that quite obviously turned around the Kansas State basketball program. Huggins and Beasley left after one season, but Hill remained at Kansas State, becoming the nation's highest paid assistant coach at over $420,000 a year to remain on Frank Martin's staff.

Beasley wasn't the only player that Hill was able to lure to Kansas State. Dominique Sutton and Rodney McGruder were both highly sought after DC Assault alums. The biggest coup, however, was Wally Judge, a McDonald's all-american that wound up at Kansas State.

DC Assault is not the only AAU program that Hill has close connections with. Team Takeover, which is the DC area's second biggest AAU program, is run by Keith Stevens. According to Josh Barr of the Washington Post, Stevens was an assistant on Hill's high school team. Hill also managed to land Jordan Henriquez-Roberts and Shane Southwell from the NY Gauchos AAU program and played a role in bringing Bill Walker and Jacob Pullen to Kansas State.

Hill was able to do all of that while recruiting these players to the middle of nowhere to play for a head coach that is, frankly, a lunatic. He drove three other players (Sutton, Judge, Freddy Asprilla) to transfer in the past two years and screams enough that it scared the University of Miami away from hiring a hometown legend.

Imagine what Hill can do recruiting these kids to a place that is close enough for them to drive to their parents house for dinner after practice?

Throw in the decision to keep Ranson on the staff, and if Turgeon can lure Hill away from Kansas State, the opportunity is there for Maryland to develop a pipeline for the talent that is coming out of the DC/Baltimore region.

If there is a hangup, it will be money. Hill is making over $420,000 a year (and upwards of $500,000 based on bonuses) at Kansas State and will have to take a pay cut -- and pay a $50,000 buy out -- if he is to leave before he finishes the final four years on his contract.

Hill is so important because of the talent that he can bring into a program.

Turgeon has the reputation of being a guy that can coach up his players. Imagine what he can accomplish by tapping into talent on the DC/Baltimore corridor?
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10 Things I won't miss about the 2010-2011 Season

The 2010-2011 is long gone, and there is no getting it back. We now have to wait roughly 175 days until sanctioned college basketball begins again. Some of us will fill the void it by projecting next season's field of 68 or the top recruits in the class of 2013. But for us, at least at the current moment, it's high time we start reflecting on what made the past season both special and frustrating.

First up, the top-ten things that we won't miss about the 2010-20112 season. We laud college basketball as the greatest sport on the planet, which it most certainly is. But that doesn't mean it doesn't come with baggage. In order to get the good, you have to deal with some of the bad that goes along with it.

Now, some of these things may return next season, but the next few months will provide some sanctity for our tortured ears and eyes.

The Top 10 Things I Won't Miss About the 2010-2011 Season:

10. The Kansas State Catastrophe

With every day that passed, a new issue arose in "The Little Apple".

Let's see, where to begin.

Well, before the season even began, Dominique Sutton decided to transfer.

But things really went south once the season actually started. (Try to follow along, there's about to be a lot of news thrown at you)

Curtis Kelly was benched early in the season for not living up to the program's standards, then was suspended for receiving illegal benefits, a.k.a he got free swag from a clothing store. Even after those two incidents, he reportedly violated the school's student-athlete honor code. You really have to make an effort to get in trouble that much.

Wally Judge sat out due to personal problems for a few games then sparked controversy for his in-game salute to the Pinstripe Bowl controversy. FIU-transfer Freddy Asprilla left the program, reportedly because he couldn't "handle it". First it was reported that he was going to play pro ball in Europe in order to raise money for his ill mother. Then it was reported that he would be transferring to Canisius.

Jacob Pullen lashed out at fans on twitter, said he wouldn't play in the N.I.T. and was also suspended for receiving illegal benefits. When you add in Frank Martin's ever-colorful demeanor both on and off the court, the Wildcats were almost always in the news. It was good to see K-State turn things around at the end of the season, because we respect Jacob Pullen far too much to wish any of that upon him.

But seriously, that's just way too much news on one team for us to cover.


9. Wiz Khalifa/YouTube Remixes

Who doesn't love hip-hop? If you love hip-hop, like us, then you probably love remixes. I mean, who doesn't?

Wiz Khalifa absolutely blew up in late 2010/early 2011, in large part to his single "Black and Yellow". Listen, I really liked the song, and I still think it's good, even after the unnecessary radio overkill.

But what really tested my limits was the endless, countless college remixes in which some "budding" artist (and I use that term loosely) replaced "Black and Yellow" with the colors of his school. A few of the remixes weren't THAT bad, but some of them were flat-out dreadful.

Listen, if your school colors don't rhyme with "Black and Yellow", you shouldn't make a remix of the song.

End of Story.

Here are some of the examples of people who didn't get the memo.

(The following list is just a small sample size. There are plenty of more out there. But I couldn't bring myself to listening to one remix an infinite number of times)
Alabama - White and Crimson
Central Florida - Black and Gold
Georgetown - Blue and Gray
Kansas - Red and Blue KU
Oklahoma - Boomer Sooner
South Carolina - Black and Garnet
Syracuse - Orange and White
Tennessee - Orange White
UConn - Kemba Walker
VCU - Black and Gold, Black and Yellow

There were a few exceptions to this rule. But it just so happens that these exceptions didn't use Wiz Khalifa's song. Indiana student's put together a solid one, made all the better by featuring some rather attractive co-eds. The Gaels of St. Mary's were repp'd well by "Gaels Gone Wild" which featured a pretty solid beat and a well-produced music video.

Again, these were more "exception" than they were "rules".

This Duke rap however, was no exception. It's awful, and it's not even a Wiz Khalifa remix.

Listen, I'm all for fan-creativity. But a line needs to be drawn. You need to know when enough is enough.

If "Black and Yellow" is still catchy in 2012, or if crappy remixes are still being made, I may have to double-Van Gogh myself.


8. RCN not getting the Big-Ten Network

The B.I.A.H HQ is fully equipped with what-we-were-made-to-believe is the most comprehensive sport-package available from RCN, our trusty television service providers.

It's true, we don't get The Mountain, and we only get a limited number of FSN-West games, but with the innovations in pirated Internet streaming, adjustments for the most part could be made. That is, of course, with the exception of the Big-Ten Network.

All the Google searching in the world couldn't help us find a good stream of the Big-Ten Network, and RCN was not able to help us with explaining why we didn't get The BTN and how we could get it. Now with 374 teams in D-1 hoops, there were almost always a game or two on TV, and with ESPN3 and online streaming, we could almost always watch the games we wanted to see.

At this point, you are probably wondering, "Why do you care if you don't get The BTN?"

I have but one simple answer: GUS JOHNSON.

Sure, Gus-Jeezy is on CBS every week or so after the NFL season concludes. But you have to understand our frustration if the man is providing the public with the sounds of his golden pipes on a weekly basis and we aren't able to listen to him do so. I mean, we did fine with limited coverage of the Big-Ten Network, but everybody could use more Gus Johnson in their daily lives. I know I could.

Do you know how many times I had to listen to Steve Lappas and Sean Farnham? More than I ever cared too. You know how many times I listened to Gus-Jeezy? Not nearly enough. So, RCN, it's your move. Time to step your game up for next season.


7. Bruce Pearl's lack of decision-making skills

Have you ever watched somebody from afar try to pick their nose and eat what they find?

They look around to see if anybody is watching, dig in, pause, look around again, double check, and sneak in the nasal treat, all while you are watching, going "Ahh man, no, don't do it" and "Oh man, he's totally going to do it.....ewwww".

That's kinda like how I will remember Bruce Pearl's final 14 months at Tennessee. He broke a rule, which is fine I guess, everybody isn't perfect. You can't look at me with a straight face and say you have never picked your nose. You'd be lying if you did. But instead of just admitting he was wrong, or flicking the booger away, he decided to see if he could get away with it. But once you do something for the first time, and like it, you are bound to do it again, and that's what Pearl did.

He didn't just break one rule, he broke numerous rules. You know the NCAA was sitting there knowing what he was doing, and just waiting for him to either come clean or continue to dig at his nose. And that's just what he did.

Even in as late as March, Pearl committed an NCAA violation, and it eventually cost him his job.

I know this analogy has been pretty bizarre but hopefully you get the idea.

I will miss Pearl's bravado, but I won't miss his lack of judgement.


6. Twitter Misuse

If it was not for my involvement in sports media, I would never EVER use twitter.

I believe it is a valuable resource for people in marketing, promotions, and public relations. But unfortunately, twitter is over-run by classless fans, athletes who can't spell, people who try to communicate with celebrities and college students who are unaware of twitter's functionality.

Sure, I guess twitter can be used to express your opinions, feelings and frustrations. But it seems like a majority of the D-I college basketball players are unaware that when they tweet something, it's likely to be re-tweeted by thousands of people. Every tweet they send out is eventually seen by TV analysts, national writers, head coaches, and athletic directors.

I'm aware that twitter only provides 140 characters for each thought. But would it kill you to use correct spelling? Oh and by the way, don't try to pull this "my account got hacked" stunt. That doesn't happen. Even if it does, how come people's accounts only get hacked when they say something controversial?

But the athletes are not the only ones to blame. Have you ever seen some of the things people have tweeted at Kyrie Irving, Isaiah Thomas or Terrence Jones? I understand that fans get frustrated. Hell, I do. But I also realize that these athletes are kids working their asses off to represent their school.

Twitter isn't going anywhere, and we will likely see the same type of shenanigans next season. But hopefully fans and players decide to ease up during the off-season.

Do it for the sake of my sanity.


5. JimmerMania

Don't get me wrong, I love watching Fredette play. Every time he brought the ball over half court, I would urge him through my TV to "make it rain" from 40 feet. The kid is polite, full of swagger and has a nice, attractive Mormon girlfriend.

But I liked Jimmer when he was our little secret. I liked it when only the basketball media would drool over his circus shots and his Mormon-moxie. I liked it when "You Got Jimmer'd" was in it's infancy, before he became a regular on every "talking heads" sports show across the country.

I guess I'm taking the indy-hipster-emo-jam band music approach. You know, like when an unknown band that you love suddenly blows up and becomes famous. Once the band becomes mainstream, the longtime supporters decide the music isn't good anymore.

Well, I don't think Jimmer "sold out", but I certainly could have done without the music videos, parodies, and letters to the editor.

For us uncoordinated, unathletic white kids, Jimmer was our hero, our cult-icon. But then the media had to go all ga-ga over him and ruin the special bond we had.

While I will miss watching Fredette launch shots from the souvenir booth, I won't miss the mass hysteria that he produced.


4. Renardo Sidney

There aren't many things more compelling than watching two guys try to punch each other unconscious.

I love fights: schoolyard fights, locker room brawls, donnybrooks, melees, bench-clearing brawls, cages fights, slobber-knockers, street fights, cat fights, pretty much all fights with the exception of boxing matches.

But despite all of this, I found the Renardo Sidney vs. Elgin Bailey bleacher brawl to be somewhat un-nerving.

This wasn't Sidney's first mistake, and while he wasn't the instigator of the fight, he should have known better. Up until December 24th, 2010, Sidney had played in a grand total of two college games. Yet I was forced to read and hear about his attitude problems, weight issues and NCAA violations.

Once he actually started to play, he showed actually showed some signs of promise. He even proved some doubters wrong by deciding to return to Starkville for his junior year.

But for all the buzz around this kid, nothing he accomplished last season made up for the fact that he was the biggest headache in college basketball for a good 12 months.

Seriously, I've never met the guy, and I already hate him.



3. Rule 9, Article 13, Sections 1-3

The elbow rule. Hands-down the most stupid thing done to college basketball since, well, ever.

Coaches and camp counsellors have been teaching rebounding fundamentals since the beginning of time. You can't just decide to implement a rule that would change the way basketball is played right before the season starts. Rules like this need implementation, regulation and most importantly, education. All we got was a graphic during Marathon-Madness and some re-hashing during in-studio halftime reports.

I understand that it was a safety concern, but again, swinging your elbows to clear out space has been part of the game for so long, it's hard to tell gifted athletes to just stop doing what they are doing.

Even if they had decided to make it a rule, which they did, why make it a "flagrant two with possession"? The rebounder is only doing what he has been taught over and over and over again. If anything, the NCAA should just fine players for flagrant contact (Oh wait, I forgot, players don't get paid).

I hope to God the NCAA does some serious thinking during the off-season. This rule needs to go back to whatever dark crevice it came from and should stay there for all eternity.


2. UPS Logistics Commercial

Companies use many advertising tactics in order to make their commercials and marketing campaigns stick. Fresh slogans, celebrity endorsements, even catchy jingles. Some work, others don't.

UPS clearly forgot to schedule any focus groups and must have ignored all feedback and viewer response, because the "logistics commercial" they marched out for the 2010-2011 season had the most annoying, brain-numbing jingle I havee ever listened too.

I never liked the song "That's Amore". So why on Earth would I enjoy that same tune describing the benefits of logistics?



I don't know a god-damn thing about logistics. I've been made to believe that it has something to do with making sure small businesses save money on shipping and handling fees.

Even the overly-repetitive "NAPA know-how" commercial seemed pleasant compared to the "logistics commercial". I know we weren't the only ones who frequently used ESPN3.com and their wonderful replay streams of college basketball games. But did ESPN3 really have to choose the "logistics commercial" as the only advertisement to use over-and-over again?

It got so bad that @ballinisahabit quickly muted his computer or television every time this disaster-of-a-jingle would come on. If you every wanted to add just a bit of misery into his day, tweeting a link of the commercial to @ballinisahabit would do the trick.


1. Jimmy's Jet

Not every production idea or programming segment is a hit, I get that. For every "Pardon the Interruption" there is a "Steve A. Smith Show".

But the "Jimmy's Jet" segment during ESPN-televised games was by far the worst in-game segment I have ever seen, bar-none.

Did not a single programming director realize how corny it was? Did nobody ever wonder to ask if people enjoyed it? How many executives OK'd this idea? I really feel like somebody should have been fired for allowing this to run week after week after week.

True, it was only a 30-60sec segment, but man, those seconds were rather brutal. Just give me a standard-issue Bubble Watch. I don't need aww-shucks-Jimmy Dykes using airplane analogies and foolish graphics to tell me who is on the bubble and who isn't.

I would have paid to see a camera-shot of Brad Nessler's reaction during those segments.

Jimmy Dykes is OK at his job (although if you check any SEC message board, you will realize many fans don't share my sentiments). His southern accent gets on my nerves sometimes, and sure, he has an over-abundance of unnecessary catch-phrases, but ussually he does adequate work.

But this "Jimmy's Jet" thing has to go.

Take it from me, the broadcast production major still toiling in the Internet ranks, "Jimmy's Jet" doesn't work. It never worked, and if I see it again, I may have to do something drastic.

Somebody call Amilia Earhardt, we have another mission for her.


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Why isn't Miami interested in Frank Martin's services?

The Miami coaching search is a curious one to follow.

Frank Martin seems to be the obvious fit. He's a native South Floridian and the son of a Cuban immigrant. He cut his teeth coaching at the high school level in Miami. And, if you read between the line of this AP report, he appears to want the job.

"I'm never going to say I'm not listening to anybody. Someone might call and it might be an opportunity, a new challenge, something that intrigues me," Martin said. "It might be an (athletic director) that I've known my whole life and he says, 'Frank, I need you.' I'm never going to come out and say I'm not going to listen."

The question, however, is whether or not Miami wants him.


Greg Cote at The Miami Herald wrote earlier today that "supposedly, UM is enamored with Harvard’s Tommy Amaker", and Michelle Kaufmann of the same paper reiterated that sentiment, saying Amaker "appears to be UM's top target".

What Amaker has done at Harvard is impressive. He turned a school that was 8-22 when he arrived four years ago into one that finished 23-7 this season and was legitimately involved in the discussion for an at-large bid the past two seasons. One of his players, Jeremy Lin, graduated and played in the NBA this season. But this is the same Tommy Amaker that didn't reach the NCAA Tournament in six seasons at Michigan, something that John Beilein has been able to do two of the past three years.

Amaker isn't the only coach that the Hurricanes are apparently interested in. Mike Davis (UAB), Rob Jeter (Wisconsin-Milwaukee), Donnie Jones (UCF), Tony Barbee (Auburn) and Billy Kennedy (Murray State) have also been mentioned in the search.

But no Frank Martin.

Could it be as simple as Miami being scared away by Martin's reputation?

If you don't know the back story, Martin was the head coach of the powerhouse Miami High program in the mid-to-late 90's. But he was forced to resign and had a state title taken away after it was discovered he broke high school regulations by recruiting players, including Steve Blake and Udonis Haslem, and lying about whether they were living in order to get them eligible to play at Miami High.

And then there is this from Curtis Kitchen, who was on the Kansas State beat last season:

Last November, K-State played Florida in the 2010 Orange Bowl Basketball Classic in Miami. The game turned out to be the worst of the season for the Wildcats, who scored their lowest point total of the season in a 57-44 loss.

During the game, sources say, several important people associated with Miami took in the contest a few rows behind the K-State bench, sitting within earshot of Martin, who has demonstrated, at times, the vocal ability to make an entire naval battalion blush.

Martin did his normal thing that night, and it left a lasting impression with those in attendance - enough that when coupled with Martin's gray high school coaching past in Miami, they feel now he isn't worth pursuing despite the larger fanbase's desire for them to do so.

Forget all the talk about coaching salary and basketball budget issues. Forget the fact that Miami currently doesn't even have an athletic director. Is it possible that Miami simply doesn't want Frank Martin, his baggage or his coaching style?

If it is, that would be a tremendous shame.

The Hurricanes have a better-than-you-think roster returning, headlined by the dynamic back court of Durand Johnson and Malcolm Grant. Even if big man Reggie Johnson decides to keep his name in the draft, the next head coach isn't walking into an empty cupboard. Martin has, by far, a better track record than any of the coaches Miami is currently looking at. If he went to Miami and got that team in the mix for an NCAA Tournament bid next season, wouldn't it stand to reason that, with his recruiting connections, he would be able to own South Florida? And if he brought assistant coach Dalonte Hill, who has strong recruiting ties in the Washington DC area, Martin might be able to build Miami into a powerhouse program.

That's at least what the fans and the media are thinking.

Miami, apparently, is more worried with their bottom line and their reputation.
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Jacob Pullen, you will be missed

I may only be a blogger, but I take this blogging gig seriously. I like to consider myself a journalist, even though I spend the vast majority of my time writing in the small corner of the internet I've carved out for myself.

And as a journalist, I am supposed to remain impartial. I'm not supposed to have a rooting interest. I am not supposed to root for teams or players. As difficult as it is for a person that is, first and foremost, a fan of the sport, I am not supposed to be a fan of a specific player or team.

I'll admit it -- I am a fan of Jacob Pullen. I rooted for Jacob Pullen. And it kills me to see a competitor of his ilk go out the way he did.

Pullen had 38 points against Wisconsin, but his Wildcats still lost to the Badgers 70-65 in the third round of the NCAA Tournament. But despite his 38 points, Pullen came one shot -- one free throw -- short of getting this win. Down three with less that 20 seconds left, Pullen drew a foul on Jordan Taylor while shooting a three. He hit the first free throw, but missed the second, meaning that Kansas State was still losing to the Badgers after he hit the third.

Following two free throws from Wisconsin at the other end, Pullen had a potentially game-tying three get blocked by Taylor.

Obviously, Pullen was crushed. (Jump to the 2:30 mark.)



My heart goes out to him.

Here's a kid who came in with the reputation of being a gunner, of being a bit wild, that grew and matured into one of the best guards in the country. Pullen developed the reputation of being a big-time scorer that thrived in the clutch. He was the biggest reason that Kansas State came into this season as a favorite to reach the Final Four.

Pullen didn't have the ideal senior season. With all the suspensions and the early season struggles, it took a miracle finish -- and an offensive explosion from Pullen late in the season -- for the Wildcats to even make the tournament.

He threw his team on his back and carried them all the way to a five seed.

Unfortunately, he came up one shot short of carrying them to the Sweet 16.

Pullen probably doesn't have the NBA in his future. For the casual fan, Pullen will in all likelihood slide into the depths of the memory bank, next to the likes of Mateen Cleaves and Trajan Langdon and Chris Lofton. Guy that were a tremendous pleasure to watch play in college.

So Jake, thanks for the memories, bro. Your effort competitiveness did not go unappreciated or unnoticed.

I think all of Manhattan, KS, will agree with me when I say that you will not be easily forgotten.
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Previewing the Madness: The Big 12

The Big 12 was wild this season.

It was considered by many to be the best conference in the country in the preseason, but with the way that teams like Kansas State, Baylor, Missouri, and Texas played early in the season, that notion went out the window pretty quickly.

We may have been too quick to judge, however. Kansas has been the favorite just about the entire season, with the exception of the start of Big 12 play, when the Longhorns made their surge. Bolstered by a punishing defense, the Longhorns at one point held a two game lead on the Jayhawks late in February before a stretch of three losses in four games.

Kansas State was the next team to surge, rebounding from a 4-6 start in the league to win their last six games and finish the season tied for third in the conference. Will Baylor or Missouri be the team to make their run this week?

Another interesting storyline of this tournament is the bubble. Both Baylor and Colorado are sitting squarely where you don't want to be -- the cut line. Both will probably want to win two games to feel comfortable, but their first round matchups -- Colorado against Iowa State and Baylor against Oklahoma -- come against teams that knocked them off this season.

Where: Kansas City, MO

When: March 9th-12th

Final: March 12th, ESPN, 5:00 pm


Favorite: Kansas Jayhawks

The Jayhawks have to be considered the favorite to win this tournament, as they, along with Ohio State, are the two favorites to win the national title. Kansas is as efficient and balanced as anyone in the country. It starts with the Morris twins inside, who are both versatile scorers. They also rebound the ball and defend, combining with Thomas Robinson off the bench to provide one of the best front lines in the country. The Jayhawk back court is deep and talented, as well. Tyshawn Taylor is their best point guard, but they also have Josh Selby, who is capable of going for 20 on a given night despite his struggles down the stretch, and Elijah Johnson, who proved he is a starting point guard in the Big 12 when Taylor was suspended late in the season. Tyrel Reed and Brady Morningstar are the leaders and the knock down jumper shooters that keep the floor spread.

• Other Contenders: There are two that fit into this category. Texas has slipped up the past couple of week, but the Longhorns are terrific defensively. Tristan Thompson has become a force on the block and arguably the best low-post player in the conference. The question mark is going to be Jordan Hamilton, and to a lesser extent J'Covan Brown. Will those two rediscover the selectiveness that made them dangerous scorers this season, and if they don't, will they continue to struggle defensively?
  
  Kansas State is the other contender. Their resurgence has been sparked by Jacob Pullen (more on him in a bit), but the Wildcats have also started to play like the team we expected them to be early in the season. They are playing aggressive, physical, and intense basketball once again, as their front court is overwhelming opponents while their back court are ball hawking defensively.
  

Sleeper: Missouri Tigers

The Tigers, for my money, have the best chance at stealing this title. For starters, they will be playing in an arena that is actually in Missouri, a place they have played twice already this season. They also play the most unique system, one that is difficult to plan for on short notice. They are deep and they press for 40 minutes. When tired legs start to become a factor, the Tigers may be the best equipped to not only deal with it, but to take advantage of it in their opponents.

• Deeper Sleepers: Baylor is arguably the most talented team in the conference, with an all-american caliber scorer in LaceDarius Dunn and a long and athletic front line. Texas A&M is a team I am not sold on, but they defend and they rebound consistently, and Mark Turgeon always fields teams that don't make mistakes. Colorado is another option, as the Buffaloes have proven to be a tough out and can claim two of the best scorers in the league in Cory Higgins and Alec Burks.
  

Players to Watch:

• Jacob Pullen, Kansas State: He's been awesome during Big 12 play and taken his game to another level down the stretch. He's hitting his jumpers now, he's getting to the basket and to the foul line, and he's executing when he has the ball in his hands at the end of a clock. There is a legitimate argument to be made that he was the Big 12 player of the year -- he averaged 21.4 ppg, he led all guards in field goal percentage, and he was top ten in steals and assists.
• Marcus Denmon, Missouri: The Tigers high scoring guard has really come on as a junior. He's perfect for Missouri's system -- he is a lights out shooter, a quality defender, and capable of making plays in the open floor.
• Alec Burks, Colorado: Burks is a terrific slasher that doesn't get the publicity he deserves because he plays for Colorado. Its not a mistake that he averaged 19.5 ppg and 6.4 rpg.
  

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Kansas State deserves all the credit they are going to be getting

Two weeks ago, if you would have predicted that, as the calender turns to March, Kansas State would be a lock to make the tournament and Texas would have played their way into second place in the Big 12, a lot of people would have called you nuts.

But after the Wildcats knocked off the Longhorns 75-70 on Monday night, that is precisely where we stand.

Kansas State's five game winning streak has been as impressive as it is surprising. They've beaten Kansas and Missouri at home and now Texas on the road. They've moved all the way into sole possession of fourth place in the Big 12. And now, not only are they a lock for the NCAA Tournament, they have a chance to play their way into a pretty good seed, like Notre Dame did last season.


Pullen was the catalyst, going for a career-high 38 points against Kansas and averaging a robust 29.0 ppg, hitting 15-23 from three, and getting to the free throw line 47 times in the four games coming in. And while he finished with 20 points tonight, Pullen did not dominate.

Curtis Kelly was terrific early in the game, keeping the Wildcats close despite 18 first half points from Tristan Thompson, while Rodney McGruder scored a team-high 22 points while playing excellent defense. Pullen was the closer, scoring 16 of his 20 in the second half -- including a couple of dagger-esque jumpers down the stretch -- despite falling on his right hand and wrist late in the half.

Its been a remarkable turnaround for the Wildcats.

They've been through a lot this season, with the suspensions and the defections, but the talent in that locker room has never been the issue. Frank Martin's kids are finally playing focused, passionate basketball, and he deserves all the credit in the world for getting that locker room concerned about what happens on the court.

Now can you see why this team was a trendy pick to make a Final Four in the preseason?

For Texas, the issues seem to run deep.

After not allowing an opponent to score more than 63 points throughout their first 11 games of conference play and going 11-0 in that stretch, Texas have given up 70 points in three of their last four, losing each of those three games. That includes Saturday, when they blew a 22 point lead to Colorado in a 91-89 loss.

There's more. Against Kansas State, Jordan Hamilton, J'Covan Brown, and Cory Joseph combined to go 9-40 from the floor and 4-17 from three while Tristan Thompson was spending his 37 minutes on the court dominating the Kansas State front line.

Hamilton has been cold for a while. He's just 15-58 from the floor in those three losses and, at times, appears to have reverted back to the old Jordan Hamilton. Its a catch-22 for Rick Barnes, as he needs Hamilton to be an aggressive scorer for the Longhorns to succeed. But there is a big difference between aggressive and wild, and Hamilton has been more wild than aggressive of late.

Its time to start asking the question -- are we going to be seeing another late season collapse from a Rick Barnes coached team.
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Monday's Pregame Beat: Can Kansas State remain hot?

9:00 pm: Kansas State @ No. 8 Texas: These are two teams currently headed in opposite directions. That vaunted Texas defense we were all talking about? Yeah, that went out the window in the past two weekends as the Longhorns were beaten by Nebraska and then torched while blowing a 22 point lead at Colorado.

Kansas State is currently on a four game winning streak that has, for all intents and purposes, gotten them into the NCAA Tournament field. Jacob Pullen is averaging 29.0 ppg during that stretch, but its been the passionate and inspired play by the other four players on the floor that has really made the difference for Kansas State.

Tonight will be interesting, as well as a gauge for where both teams currently stand. Kansas State has struggled on the road this season, and Texas is always tough at home. The key to this game may end up being none other than Dogus Balbay. The Texas point guard is arguably the best on-ball defender in the country. Can he slow down the red-hot Pullen?

7:00 pm: No. 19 Villanova @ No. 7 Notre Dame: Villanova is essentially in a free fall right now. The Wildcats have lost at home to Syracuse and St. John's in the past week, and looked far from impressive in both games. There is plenty of talent on the Villanova roster, but they just don't seem to be able to figure out how to get all of the pieces to fit together. Notre Dame, on the other hand, is terrific when playing at home. They are experienced and play very well together.

7:00 pm: Morgan State @ North Carolina A&T
8:30 pm: Coppin State @ Norfolk State
9:00 pm: Jackson State @ Arkansas-Pine Bluff
9:00 pm: Cal St. Bakersfield @ Gonzaga
9:05 pm: Northern Colorado @ Idaho State

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Friday's Pregame Beat: Previewing your college hoops weekend

UPSET ALERT

Sat. 12:00 pm: No. 21 Missouri @ Kansas State: This is it. This is the game where Kansas State, the preseason top five team that was, at one point, 4-6 in the Big 12, can officially punch their ticket to the NCAA Tournament.

On paper, this doesn't look like the best matchup for the Wildcats. They don't have a ton of ball handlers, and Missouri thrives on forcing turnovers and scoring quickly. The place where K-State would, presumably, have the biggest advantage -- on the glass -- does not appear to be that great of an advantage anymore. The Wildcat front court has been disappointing, as Curtis Kelly and Jamar Samuels continue to underachieve and Wally Judge and Freddy Asprilla have left the program, while Missouri's bigs, namely Laurence Bowers and Ricardo Ratliffe, are coming off of an impressive performance against Baylor's big front line.


But, as Luke Winn showed us in his Power Rankings on Thursday, both Missouri and Kansas State are much better teams at home. Throw in Jacob Pullen's return to his all-american form the past three games (he's averaging 30.5 ppg in K-State's recent three game winning streak) and the desperation of a team playing for the NCAA Tournament lives, and I think the Wildcats pull this one out.


UPSET SPECIAL

Sat. 4:00 pm: No. 10 Arizona @ UCLA: There's a large faction of those in the know that believe Arizona, based on the national polls, is one of the most overrated teams in the country. I can buy that, especially after seeing the Wildcats get beaten on Thursday by a very ho-hum USC team. The loss drops the Wildcats to just one game in front of the Bruins atop the Pac-10 standings. this will definitely be one of the most intriguing games on Saturday's slate.

Sat. 9:00 pm: No. 1 Duke @ Virginia Tech: The Hokies are playing for their NCAA Tournament lives on Saturday. Without a marquee win to their name or another chance to get one before the ACC Tournament begins, this may be Seth Greenberg's final chance at avoiding the wrong side of the bubble for the fourth straight season. It would be a shame if Malcolm Delaney never got to play in the NCAA Tournament. What will be interesting is to see how he plays knowing that may be on the line.

Sat. 9:00 pm: No. 17 Texas A&M @ Baylor: I've never been high on Texas A&M this season, and while Baylor looked like they were throwing in the towel against Missouri on Wednesday, the Bears are still one of the most talented teams -- on paper -- in the country. When LaceDarius Dunn and Perry Jones are both playing well, they are a team that can overcome subpar point guard play. The question is whether or not those two show up on a nightly bases.

Sun. 12:00 pm: No. 15 UConn @ Cincinnati: These are two teams headed in opposite directions. UConn started out the year as hot as anyone in the country, but as Kemba Walker dominates possession of the ball, the Huskies continue to lose in Big East play. Cincy had their season turned around by the benching of Yancy Gates. The past three games, he's been a different player, and the Bearcats have been a different team.


Sun. 12:00 pm: West Virginia @ Rutgers: Rutgers is a scrappy, physical team that has found themselves down the stretch of the season under new head coach Mike Rice. They just knocked off Villanova at home and took Syracuse to overtime in the Carrier Dome. West Virginia is not as talented as those two teams, but they can be as physical as Rutgers. With UConn and Louisville to close out the season next week, the 'Eers better not look past this game.

Sun. 12:00 pm: Xavier @ Dayton: Dayton has been the biggest disappoint in the Atlantic 10 this year. They are clearly missing the leadership they lost in the back court last season while Chris Wright still has not developed into the player everyone wants him to be. That said, the Flyers are talented and they are physical and they will be playing in front of their terrific home crowd. If the Flyers are to pull off this upset, they'll need to stop Tu Holloway, who was one rebound away from back-to-back triple doubles.

Sun. 1:00 pm: No. 8 Purdue @ Michigan State: The Spartans picked up a big road win against Minnesota on Wednesday, getting them yet another step closer to overcoming their horrific start the the season. This game, however, may be the most important game Sparty has played all season. With their other two remaining games, the Spartans should have no problem getting to 10 wins in the Big Ten, but 11-7 with an extra win over Purdue can help make the committee forget about losses to Iowa and Michigan.


BEST MATCHUPS

Sat. 12:00 pm: No. 20 Syracuse @ No. 11 Georgetown: This game changed on Wednesday night. Chris Wright, the Georgetown point guard, fell awkwardly and broke a bone in his left hand. Wright is the Hoya's best penetrator and their best passer. They are a different team against a zone when he isn't on the court. Regardless, this is Syracuse-Georgetown. Its the rivalry that the Big East was built on, and always a must-watch game.

Sat. 2:00 pm: No. 7 BYU @ No. 4 SDSU: The rematch doesn't have the same amount of hype as the first meeting in Provo back in January, but that doesn't diminish the importance of this game. With both teams sitting with one loss in Mountain West play, this could easily turn into the conference's regular season title game. Jimmer has been struggling lately, but his reputation is that of a big game player. He also has posted better numbers on the road than at home, meaning you can expect a big game out of him. But the Aztecs have been getting rowdy home crowds thanks to their success this season, and with BYU coming to town you should expect no different. As it was the first time, the key to this game is going to be how BYU's front line handles SDSU's big men.


Sat. 2:00 pm: No. 25 St. John's @ No. 14 Villanova: St. John's is the new darling of the Big East, but they've done the majority of their heavy lifting at home. The Johnnies only have two road wins on the season, but both of those wins have come in recent weeks, at Marquette and at Cincy. Villanova, on the other hand, has been struggling of late, losing five of their last nine games to fall off of the pace for one of the Big East's top four seeds. If St. John's wins, they put themselves into the driver's seat for one of the double-byes, as their last two games come against Seton Hall and South Florida.

Sat. 4:00 pm: No. 13 Florida @ No. 22 Kentucky: Florida has continued to win games, earning an 11-2 mark in the SEC and a three game lead in the SEC East. One win in their last three games, and the Gators will clinch the top seed in the East. That said, Florida has a tough schedule down the stretch, as they also host Alabama and travel to Vanderbilt. Kentucky is one of the most talented teams in the country, but they only play like it when they are at home, where John Calipari's team is undefeated this season. If the Gators pull out this win, its time to start discussing them as a potential No. 2 seed.

Sun. 2:00 pm: No. 6 Pitt @ No. 16 Louisville: I like this matchup for Louisville. Pitt is susceptible to being pressed. As good as Brad Wanamaker, Ashton Gibbs, and Travon Woodall are, none of them are really known as terrific ball handlers. Forcing tempo and forcing turnovers are Louisville's bread and butter. It will be key for the Cardinal's big men Gorgui Dieng and Terrence Jennings to box out on the defensive end of the floor, but if Louisville's press is working and they are hitting their threes, they are a tough team to beat.


BEST STORYLINES

Saturday

• 12:00 pm: Boston College @ Virginia: The Eagles absolutely cannot afford another loss if they want to make a trip to the NCAA Tournament.
• 12:00 pm: James Madison @ VCU: The Rams lost on Wednesday, meaning they no longer have any wiggle room if they want to get themselves an at-large bid.
• Sat. 1:00 pm: Wichita State @ Missouri State: Saturday is the last day of the Missouri Valley's regular season, and the Shockers and the Bears are tied for first place. We'll get an outright conference champ out of this game.
  
• 1:05 pm: Milwaukee @ Youngstown State; 2:00 pm: Green Bay @ Cleveland State; 2:00 pm: Loyola @ Butler: Milwaukee, Cleveland State, and Butler are all tied for the Horizon League lead heading into the regular season's final weekend.
  
• 1:45 pm: No. 18 Vanderbilt @ LSU: LSU scored 84 points against Mississippi State. That's 22 points more than their previous high in SEC play.
• 2:00 pm: Miami FL @ Florida State: After losing to Maryland by 18 on Wednesday night, the Seminoles have a lot to prove to the committee if they aren't getting Chris Singleton back before the tournament.
• 2:00 pm: Delaware @ Hofstra: Charles Jenkins will play his final home game and get his jersey retired while he is still active.
  
• 2:00 pm: South Florida @ DePaul: The battle for the cellar of the Big East.
• 3:00 pm: Memphis @ UTEP: The Conference USA regular season title is up for grabs. Both the Tigers and the Miners are in contention for it.
  
• 4:00 pm: No. 2 Kansas @ Oklahoma: Will Tyshawn Taylor be back in uniform for the Jayhawks?
• 4:00 pm: No. 5 Texas @ Colorado: The Longhorns lost their last game on the road and may be playing this game without their first big man off the bench. Colorado has been a tough team at home, as well.
• 4:00 pm: Alabama @ Ole Miss: The Crimson Tide, after nearly losing to Auburn at home, are looking to hold on to their lead in the SEC and play their way into the NCAA Tournament.

• 4:00 pm: William & Mary @ Old Dominion: The Monarchs still have a shot at earning an at-large bid to the tournament.
  
• 4:30 pm: Michigan @ Minnesota: This would have been a huge bubble game early this week, but after losing to Wisconsin and Michigan State, respectively, both the Gophers and the Wolverines look like they are just about done.
• 4:30 pm: Coastal Carolina @ CSU: Can the Chanticleers win with this hanging over their head?
• 6:00 pm: Mississippi State @ Tennessee: Can we just call this game the scandal bowl? This is a win that Tennessee has to have.
  
• 7:00 pm: Seton Hall @ No. 9 Notre Dame: Ben Hansbrough has a real shot at playing his way into the Big East player of the year award.
• 7:00 pm: South Carolina @ Georgia: The Bulldogs cannot afford to lose this game if they want to earn an NCAA Tournament bid.
• 7:00 pm: Iowa @ Illinois: Like Georgia, the Illini cannot afford to lose this game.
• 8:05 pm: Montana @ Eastern Washington: A win for the Grizzlies would clinch a share of the Big Sky title and force Northern Colorado to win three straight down the stretch to tie.
• 8:05 pm: Illinois-Chicago @ Valpo: Thanks to an unfortunate loss on Thursday night, Valpo is now on the outside looking in of the top of the Horizon.
• 8:45 pm: Eastern Kentucky @ Murray State: The Racers will win the Ohio Valle if they can knock off EKU on Saturday.
  
• 9:00 pm: Idaho @ No. 23 Utah State: New Mexico State's loss on Wednesday night gave Utah State the WAC regular season title. So the Aggies are playing to keep their names on the right side of the bubble.
• 9:00 pm: Gonzaga @ San Diego; 11:00 pm: Portland @ St. Mary's: Thanks to Gonzaga's overtime win against St. Mary's on Thursday night, the Zags and the Gaels are now tied for first in the WCC. Will they share the title?
• 10:00 pm: Wyoming @ UNLV: The Runnin' Rebels all-but punched their ticket with Wednesday's win over New Mexico. That ticket could get voided if they lose to Wyoming.
  

Sunday

• 4:00 pm: Fairfield @ Iona: There may not be anything on the line, but this should be quite an entertaining game.
• 4:00 pm: Providence @ Marquette: The Marshon and Marquette? There is guaranteed to be some excitement in this one.
• 10:00 pm: Washington State @ Washington: The Huskies will be looking to get some revenge for a loss they took at Wazzu last month.
  

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2/27 - College Hoops Week in Review: Derrick Williams, E'Twaun Moore, and Jacob Pullen shine

Game of the Week: Arizona 87, Washington 86

This was about as entertaining as basketball can get. Washington was down by as much as 12 points in the second half, but Isaiah Thomas and Matthew-Bryan Amaning took over in the second half. Thomas finished with 12 points and nine assists with just two turnovers, absolutely shredding the Wildcat's half court defense with a series of gorgeous passes off of a pick and roll. Bryan-Amaning, for the most part, was the guy on the receiving end of those pick and roll passes, as he finished with 18 of his 24 points in the second half while adding nine boards, six blocks, four assists, and three steals.


The ending was just as exciting. Derrick Williams hit a contested three to give Arizona the lead, and after the two teams traded buckets, Washington had the ball on the final possession with a chance to win. Bryan-Amaning was called for a travel, but Arizona turned the ball right back over with 2.2 seconds left. It set up this finish:



Williams finished with 26 points and 11 boards and the game-saving block, but more on him later in this post.

St. John's 60, Pitt 59: The Panthers looked as if they had taken firm control of this game, opening up a 56-51 lead late on St. John's in the Garden. But the Red Storm was not ready to give up. After five free throws tied the game up, Paris Horne grabbed the offensive rebound when Dwight Hardy missed a free throws. He got the ball back to Hardy, who was fouled and knocked down two free throws to give the Johnnies the 58-56 lead. Travon Woodall answered with a three pointer, setting up this final possession:



Now, based on screen caps from the ESPN broadcast using the camera above the back board, it appears as if Dwight Hardy's heels are out of bounds on that last move:


Look at the referee's head in the video. Look at it in the picture. He is staring right at Hardy's feet, standing three feet away. He would have seen if Hardy's heels had touched the baseline. Hardy didn't step out. But he did finish with 19 points and the Johnnies knocked off their fifth top 15 team at home.

Cal 76, UCLA 72 OT: Cal provided another piece of evidence to the folks that believe you should automatically foul when you are up three with under five seconds left. After blowing a 12 point lead in the second half, Cal allowed Malcolm Lee to take a tough, fadeaway three from the top of the key that hit the front of the rim, bounced two feet into the air, and fell through the hoop for the game-tying basket. In overtime it was the Jorge Gutierrez show, however, as he finished with 34 points, six assists, and three steals, including finding Brandon Smith for a three with 14 seconds left that clinched the game.


Players of the Week: Just like last week, there is more than one player deserving of getting credit in this space:

Jacob Pullen, Kansas State: For the first time all season, Jacob Pullen looked like the all-american we expected to see this season. He went for a career-high 38 points in the Wildcat's win over Kansas, a win that thrust Frank Martin's club right back into the NCAA Tournament. Then on Saturday, Pullen had 27 points as K-State knocked off Oklahoma.


Derrick Williams, Arizona: We already talked about the 26 points, 11 boards, and two blocks that Williams had in Zona's win over Washington, but that wasn't his only impressive performance this week. He also went for 26 points and eight boards in a win over Washington State. Throw in UCLA's loss to Cal on Sunday, and Arizona now owns a commanding two game lead in the Pac-10 standings. Williams, to his credit, threw himself into the conversation for the No. 1 overall pick come June.

E'Twaun Moore, Purdue: Moore was good in Purdue's win over Wisconsin, going for 19 points. He was great in their win over Ohio State, however, finishing with 38 points and five assists and 13-18 shooting and 7-10 from deep. More on Purdue and Moore in a bit.

The all they-were-good-too team:

• G: Tu Holloway, Xavier: Holloway had 14 points, seven assists, five boards, and three steals in a win over St. Joe's, but that wasn't his most impressive stat line of the week. Against Fordham, the Xavier junior had his second triple double of the season, finishing with 26 points, 11 boards, and 10 assists.
  
• G: Dwight Hardy, St. John's: Hardy, who is making a late-season run at Big East player of the year, had 28 points, six boards, and five steals in a win at Marquette and followed that up with 19 points and the game-winning layup against Pitt.
  
• F: Kenny Faried, Morehead State: The Eagles notched two road wins this week, and Faried -- as usual -- was a huge reason why, averaging 20.0 ppg and 13.5 rpg. He also passed Tim Duncan as college basketball's all-time leading rebounder in the process.
  
• F: Tony Mitchell, Alabama: Alabama keeps churning out wins in the SEC West and moving closer to an at-large bid. Mitchell had just 13 points and four boards against LSU, but he went for 27 points, nine boards, and about three vicious dunks in 'Bama's comeback win over Arkansas.
  
• C: Nikola Vucevic, USC: Vucevic may be the best big man that no one ever talks about. In two road wins this week, he averaged 20.0 ppg and 12.0 rpg.
  
• Bench: Ramone Moore, Temple (24 points in 73-53 win over Richmond); Norris Cole, Cleveland State (16 points, 10 assists, six boards vs. Wright State, 35 points at Old Dominion); Corey Fisher, Villanova (34 points in OT win vs. DePaul); Jorge Gutierrez, Cal (34 points, six assists in OT win vs. UCLA); Scotty Hopson (averaged 27.5 ppg in a 1-1 week); John Jenkins, Vanderbilt (21 points in final 13 minutes in win over Georgia);
  

Team of the Week: Purdue Boilermakers

Purdue avenged losses to both Wisconsin and Ohio State when they visited Mackey Arena this week. Against the Badgers, Purdue got 20 points and 10 boards out of JaJuan Johnson, but the star was Lewis Jackson, who outplayed Jordan Taylor with 18 points, five assists, and no turnovers in the win. Against Ohio State, it was the E'Twaun Moore show, as he went for a career-high 38 points.


Purdue did two things this week. They threw themselves right back into the mix for a Big Ten regular season title. They are now just a game behind the Buckeyes. Ohio State has a much easier road down the stretch -- they get three games at home while Purdue has to go on the road three times -- but being one game back with four games left is a much easier task than sitting three games back with four games left.

Purdue also legitimized this argument I made back in the preseason. This is still a team that can make the Final four. They have two all-americans on their roster, Lewis Jackson and Kevan Barlow are both developing into quality role players, and guys like Ryne Smith, DJ Byrd, and Travis Carroll are playing more and more valuable minutes. The Boilermakers aren't going to be able to power through opponents to make a Final Four like the top four or five teams in the country, but with some favorable matchups, this is absolutely a team with the horses to make the Final Four. (Do I even need to make the mention of how nasty this team would be with Robbie Hummel? I dont? Good.)

Teams deserving of a shoutout:

• Kansas State: The Wildcats are now right back into the thick of the NCAA Tournament race, as they blew out both Kansas and Oklahoma at home this week. Not only is Jacob Pullen finally playing like the Jacob Pullen we all expected to see this season, the rest of the Wildcats are doing the same. They are playing with energy, they are defending, they are diving on the floor, and they are finally getting some production from their front court. The question will be whether or not this holds up the rest of the season. If you are a college basketball fan, then you hope that it does.
  


• Utah State: The Aggies picked up an enormous win against St. Mary's on Saturday in Bracket Busters. The Gaels, believe it or not, are the first top 90 win that Utah State has earned this season. They are certainly not a lock for the NCAA Tournament yet, but if they win out in the regular season and avoid being upset early in the WAC Tournament, Utah State should be able to feel pretty comfortable about getting an at-large bid.

• CAA: Obviously, the headline of this group is George Mason, who extended their nation's-best win streak to 13 games with a 20 point win at VCU and then going into Northern Iowa and knocking off the Panthers. They have all but locked up an at-large bid as well. A big part of that is that during Bracket Busters, the Colonial separated themselves from the rest of the mid-major leagues. Old Dominion put themselves into a good position to get an at-large bid by knocking off Cleveland State despite a 35 point outburst from Norris Cole, while VCU got a bit lucky in their win over Wichita State on the road. Its possible that the CAA can get three bids into the NCAA Tournament.


• Nebraska: The Cornhuskers may have gotten lucky twice this week, but in the end a win is a win, and Nebraska notched two of them. Against Oklahoma, a game-tying three by Cade Davis turned out to only be a two when his toe was on the line. In a win over Texas, the Huskers were able to hold on despite doing their damnedest to give away a late 11 point lead with turnovers, missed free throws, and fouled three-point shooters. Regardless, the Huskers are now officially in the bubble picture, which is more than anyone expected this season.


• Temple: After knocking off Richmond by 20 points and getting a bit of help from Dayton when the Flyers beat Duquesne, a 2-0 week from the Owls put them all alone in second place in the Atlantic-10.
  

Matchups of the Week:

• 2/21 - 7:00 pm: Syracuse @ Villanova
• 2/22 - 7:00 pm: Illinois @ Ohio State
• 2/22 - 9:00 pm: Tennessee @ Vanderbilt
• 2/22 - 9:00 pm: Michigan State @ Minnesota
• 2/23 - 7:00 pm: Temple @ Duke
• 2/23 - 8:00 pm: Colorado State @ BYU
• 2/24 - 9:00 pm: West Virginia @ Pitt
• 2/24 - 7:00 pm: Marquette @ UConn
• 2/24 - 7:00 pm: Georgia @ Florida
• 2/26 - 12:00 pm: Syracuse @ Georgetown
• 2/26 - 12:00 pm: Missouri @ Kansas State
• 2/26 - 1:00 pm: Wichita State @ Missouri State
  
• 2/26 - 2:00 pm: BYU @ SDSU
• 2/26 - 2:30 pm: St. John's @ Villanova
  
• 2/26 - 4:00 pm: Florida @ Kentucky
• 2/27 - 2:00 pm: Pitt @ Louisville
• 2/27 - 7:45 pm: Maryland @ UNC
  

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Curtis Kelly in trouble again; under scrunity for violation of K-State handbook

Just when you thought things couldn't get any worse for Kansas State, they did. Then they did again. And again. And before you knew what had happened, the 2010-2011 season had turned into a dumpster fire.

Having already lost Dominique Sutton (in the offseason), Freddy Asprilla, and Wally Judge to transfer, Kansas State's painfully thin front line appears as if it may get even thinner -- Curtis Kelly, the same Curtis Kelly who was suspended on two different occasions this year, is the subject of an investigation by the Kansas Athletic Department regarding a violation of the student-athlete code as defined by their handbook.

No one will go one record with what exactly Kelly did, but reading this excerpt from Kellis Robbinet's piece for the Wichita Eagle, it isn't difficult to figure out:

K-State officials refused to specify the nature of Kelly's violation, citing student privacy issues. But a source indicated Kelly is a repeat offender of the condition in question and that it has cost him playing time already this season.

According to K-State's student-athlete handbook, only one violation would fit those parameters — a violation of the student-athlete drug and alcohol policy.

[...]

After the first violation, a student-athlete must inform his or her family of the transgression in the presence of a coach and undergo counseling. A second violation results in a suspension for 10 percent of a team's games in the regular season (three for men’s basketball).

Kelly, who’s averaging 9.9 points, missed the first three games of the season for unspecified reasons that coach Frank Martin said at the time revolved around poor practice habits.

A third violation results in a permanent suspension from the team and the loss of all financial aid.

Kelly is appealing the ruling, and as of now it is unclear what, exactly, his status will be during that process. K-State director of media relations Kenny Lannou said "Curtis is still a member of our program," but for how long?

If Kelly is, in fact, done, it leaves just Jamar Samuels and Jordan Henriquez-Roberts along the Wildcat front line.

Could anyone have seen this mess coming?
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