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.
Continue reading...
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
2011-2012 Top 50 Countdown: Nos. 45-41 |
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Dirk to Northwestern? |
By now, we all know the ending of the story.
Dirk Nowitzki, the NBA's newest hero after he led the Dallas Mavericks to the 2011 NBA title over the villainous Miami Heat, has forever changed the image of the European superstar. Instead of simply being thought of as soft jumpshooters with a knack for flopping when they get touched, Dirk -- yes, he has reached single name status -- is leading the push for change. You don't have to be a product of the American basketball system to be an NBA champion. Dirk is officially a superstar, a top 20 player of all-time and arguably the most indefensible player currently in the NBA. 
But before he was a champion, Dirk was just some seven foot German kid that happened to be able to shoot when he was spotted at a tournament in San Antonio prior to the Final Four. Shooting around early one morning, he happened to catch the eye of David Kaplan, a broadcaster for WGN-AM 720 in Chicago. Kaplan was so impressed with the display that Nowitzki put on -- in a simple shooting session, mind you -- that he called up then-Northwestern head coach Kevin O'Neill and asked him if he could offer Nowitzki a scholarship on the spot. From the Chicago Tribune:"Kap called me saying there's this 7-footer making all these 3s and wanting permission to offer him a scholarship for Northwestern on the spot,'' O'Neill recalled Monday. "I said, you gotta be kidding me … but OK.''
We all know what happened next.
Empowered, Kaplan did just that after finding out from Nowitzki that he wasn't a member of the Spurs — as some assumed — but in Texas with his German basketball club playing in a Final Four-related event. Nowitzki mentioned he was looking for an American college to showcase his skills for the NBA. Kaplan's quick recruiting pitch on behalf of Northwestern sold the idea of Nowitzki feeling comfortable amid Chicago's heavy German population.
"He told me, 'Sounds great, I'd love to set up a visit,' '' Kaplan said. "Then everybody saw him play, and there was no doubt he was going pro.''
Dirk was picked 9th in the 1998 Draft by the Bucks, promptly traded to Dallas for the rights to 'Tractor' Traylor, and after 13 short years of tearing up the NBA, he became an NBA champion.
Imagine what would have happened if Dirk had, say, suffered a high-ankle sprain during that tournament. What if the largely unknown-at-that-point Nowitzki hadn't had the opportunity to showcase his talent in front of NBA scouts and GMs? Could he have actually ended up a Northwestern Wildcat? And if he had, would we no longer be able to talk about the fact that Northwestern has never made an NCAA Tournament?
As much fun as it is to speculate about what Dirk could have done in college, that isn't the strange part about this story. Kaplan was a professional journalist that, conceivably, since he worked for a Chicago radio station, covered Northwestern. And he not only tipped off O'Neil to the fact that there was this seven-foot German with ridiculous range on his jumper, but he offered Nowitzki a scholarship on the program's behalf.
Journalistic integrity, huh?
Continue reading...
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Tuesday's Shootaround: Georgetown, Florida State, and Butler all go down |
St. John's 61, No. 13 Georgetown 58: See here and here.
Auburn 65, Florida State 60: See here.
No. 19 Michigan State 65, Northwestern 62: This is a good Northwestern team. They proved that tonight, competing with -- and nearly completing a 13 point comeback in the final 3:51 -- a far more athletic and talented Michigan State team despite shooting just 31.6% from the floor and getting 11 points (and just one field goal) from Big Ten leading scorer John Shurna, who is battling an ankle injury.
The Wildcats had a furious rally sparked by Juice Thompson late in the game, but a missed box out (Draymond Green put back a missed free throw with 12 seconds left) and a poorly designed in bounds play (the Wildcats ended up shooting a two at the buzzer down three) cost them late. It was a moral victory for the Wildcats, but for a program trying to erase a history of moral victories with their first ever trip to the NCAA Tournament, nothing less than a win on the scoreboard will do. Northwestern, who is now 0-2 in the league, has to turn around and head to Illinois on Thursday.
Milwaukee 76, Butler 52: So much for Butler being back. Kaylon Williams had 10 points, 10 boards, and 10 assists as the Panthers lit up the Bulldogs. Shelvin Mack had three points and shot just 1-7 from the floor as the Bulldogs allowed Milwaukee to hit 11 threes and shoot 55.3% from the floor.
No. 11 Kentucky 86, Penn 62: Tyler Bernardini was hot early, scoring 16 points in the first 16 minutes as the Quakers opened up a 31-19 lead in the first half. For the final 24 minutes, Kentucky, well, played like Kentucky is supposed against an Ivy League team. Brandon Knight had 22 points while Josh Harrellson added 12 points and 11 boards.
No. 16 Texas A&M 66, Nicholls State 55: The win wasn't as impressive as the defensive job the Aggies did on Anatoly Bose, who had just six points on 1-12 shooting.
No. 17 Kansas State 92, Savannah State 61: Jacob Pullen had 24 points and 5 assists, including a 7-8 shooting performance in the first half (three threes), as the Wildcats rolled. Wally Judge continued his hot play, finishing with 13 points and 14 boards.
Florida 84, Rhode Island 59: For the second straight game, the Gators put together an impressive performance as they rolled over the Rams just four days after they went into Xavier and knocked off the Musketeers. Can I get any consistency out of the SEC this season? Please?
Iowa State 72, Northern Illinois 63: The Cyclones won again, this time doing so with a six man rotation as Scott Christopherson and Jordan Railey were both out of action.
CAA play starts: Old Dominion picked up their first league win of the season with a 51-47 win over Towson and George Mason improved to 2-0 with a win over Delaware, but favorites Drexel (a 75-69 loss to Hofstra) and VCU (a 76-66 loss at Georgia State) had disappointing nights.
Other Notable Games:
Continue reading...
Monday, January 3, 2011
Monday's Pregame Beat: Michigan State and Georgetown head to Chicago and New York, respectively |
7:00 pm: No. 13 Georgetown @ St. John's: The Johnnies have been a nice surprise here at the start of Big East play after winning at West Virginia and Providence. Georgetown, on the other hand, is coming off of a loss to Notre Dame at the Joyce Center last week that opened up their Big East schedule. The Johnnies are going to have a tough time matching up with Georgetown's back court -- this season, who isn't -- but the way that Steve Lavin's front court has been playing for the last couple of games has been impressive. Think about this -- St. John's shot 25-41 from the floor in their win against West Virginia. They also got to the foul line 39 times. This was just one game after they went 16-20 in the second half against Northwestern. Maybe we will get a real sense of how good the Red Storm is tonight.
7:30 pm: No. 19 Michigan State @ Northwestern: This is the second of three really difficult games to start off Big Ten play for the Wildcats. It didn't go well in their opener, as they were beaten pretty solidly by Purdue on the road. They still have to travel to Illinois later in the week, meaning that tonight's game is crucial if NU really wants to be taken seriously as a threat to make the NCAA Tournament.
7:00 pm: Hofstra @ Drexel: There is a full slate of CAA games tonight, but this one might be the most intriguing as Chris Fouch and Charles Jenkins, arguably the two best scorers in the conference, go head to head.
Other Notable Games:
Continue reading...
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Conference Play Primer: The Big Ten |
Favorite: Ohio State
The favorite in the Big Ten is pretty easy to identify right now. Ohio State is playing as well as anyone in the country -- in fact, they overtook Duke as the No. 1 team in Kenpom's rankings. Offensively, this group is terrific. Their offense is based around the play of Jared Sullinger, the freshman big man that is on the short list for first team all-american. He's a bully on the block that plays with the strength and the savvy of a veteran. Its not just Sullinger, however. David Lighty, William Buford, and Jon Diebler are all capable of going off for 25 points if the situation calls for it. Dallas Lauderdale blocks shots, Aaron Craft has proven to be a solid point guard as a freshman, and DeShaun Thomas is instant offense coming off of the bench. The thing that is so impressive about this team, however, is that every player understands and has bought into their role. The Buckeyes are going to be a tough team to beat.
Player of the Year: Jared Sullinger, Ohio State
The a Player of the Year thus far is probably Sullinger, but seeing as I just talked about the Buckeyes, let's mix it up a bit, eh? Northwestern's John Shurna has been terrific this season. He's averaging 23.3 ppg, 5.3 rpg, and 3.4 apg. (Those numbers would be better if he didn't miss half of Northwestern's last game against Mt. St. Mary's with an ankle injury.) He's shooting 61.1% from the field and an absurd 62.3% from three, taking more than five per game. He's a huge reason that the Wildcats have gotten off to this 9-1 start. The problem? Northwestern still hasn't beaten anybody. This is a program that has never made the NCAA Tournament, and with guys like Michael Thompson and Drew Crawford around Shurna, this may be the year. We will get a real feel for the legitness (I know that's not a word, but it should be) of Northwestern after their first three Big Ten games -- at Purdue, home for Michigan State, at Illinois.
All-Conference Team:
Biggest Surprise: Minnesota Golden Gophers
Minnesota had a bit of hype coming into the season, but not enough to warrant much consideration nationally for the top 25. Boy, did we miss on that. The Gophers blew through the Puerto Rico Tip-Off and, at one point in the season, climbed all the way into the top ten. The biggest reason has been the addition of Trevor Mbakwe, a strong, athletic power forward that is a perfect complement to Ralph Sampson and Colton Iverson, as he is averaging 13.3 ppg and 9.8 rpg on the season. Minnesota hit a rough patch in December, dropping a home game to Virginia, as they dealt with their starting point guard Al Nolen, their best perimeter defender and distributor, sitting out. With Nolen in the lineup, and guys like Blake Hoffarber and Rodney Williams having good seasons on the wing, this team can compete with anyone in the conference.
Biggest Disappointment: Michigan State Spartans
The Spartans are currently 8-4 on the season. Not a great start, especially by a team that was considered Duke's biggest challenger in the preseason. MSU has a bad habit of starting a season out slowly, and all of their four losses have come to teams currently ranked in the top 13 nationally. The bigger issue, however, is how the Spartans have looked in those losses. They are not playing like typical Tom Izzo clubs. Their defense is not where it needs to be and they aren't competing on the glass like we've come to expect out of Sparty. I have complete faith that Izzo will turn this thing around. There is just too much talent on that roster not too.
Teams to keep an eye on:
Teams to forget about:
Continue reading...
Monday, December 27, 2010
The Emery Board: Week 7 |
College basketball has not seen a team go undefeated since Bobby Knight's Indiana Hoosiers went 32-0 in 1975-1976. The closest we have seen since then was a Jameer Nelson-led St. Joseph's team that went 27-0 in the 2003-2004 season before losing to Xavier in the Atlantic-10 tournament. Every season a team flirts with the notion of an undefeated season, but every season that notion slowly fades as January turns to February and February turns to March. BYU's senior guard Jackson Emery, has made the bold prediction that his team, a Cougar squad that finished with a 27-4 record last season, will in fact go undefeated this season.
We have decided that, in honor of Emery's swagger, we will keep a watch on the BYU Cougar's schedule, see if they can walk-the-walk. We will also keep tabs on any other undefeated teams who try to make a run at the perfect season.
Week 7:
BYU may not be competing for an undefeated year anymore, but they still have a full season of basketball to play.
The Cougars moved to 12-1 on the season with a couple of solid wins this week. They opened it up with a 72-66 win over Weber State on Tuesday. The close score is unimpressive, especially considering that the Wildcats are without their star guard Damian Lillard, who broke a bone in his foot.
BYU was up by double figures for much of the game, led by 28 points from Jimmer Fredette. But Weber State's aggressive defense eventually wore down the Cougars. They shot just 37.3% from the floor and 26.9% from three, numbers that drop to 32.6% and 15.4%, respectively, once Fredette's numbers are factored out. The Wildcats made a comeback, but never got within one possession.
On Thursday, it seemed as if BYU was going to get a tougher test, but the UTEP Miners learned the hard way the dangers of ... The Emery Board. Jackson had 23 points and hit six threes, despite the fact that he has been coming off the bench as he deals with a shin injury, as BYU cruised to an 89-68 win despite falling behind 9-0 early on.
Next Game: 12/30 @ Buffalo
Next Potential Loss: 1/5 @ UNLV
BYU might have ruined my plans for an epic "Ankiel Watch" level of prediction, but there are still nine teams left that have a shot at the undefeated season. So we might as well use this space to document their chances.
Other Undefeated Teams
No. 1 Duke: 11-0
Next Game: 12/29 @ UNC-Greensboro
Next Potential Loss: 1/2 vs. Miami
Duke won't go undefeated this year. Sorry it just won't happen. That was a sexy statement to make following the Michigan State game, but without Kyrie Irving, you can forget about 32-0. But I give Duke the best chance to be the last team in the country to get a tally in the loss column. The ACC isn't great, but teams come ready to play every night when they have Duke sitting in the visiting locker room. Circle the Dukie's first conference road game (1/12 @ Florida State) as a possible end-date for that unblemished record. If they can get past that game, it could be February before Duke loses a game. This week, they head to winless UNC-Greensboro before hosting Miami.
No. 2 Ohio State: 12-0
Next Game: 12/27 vs. UT-Martin
Next Potential Loss: 1/9 vs. Minnesota
The Buckeyes very well be the best team in America. Jared Sullinger isn't only playing like the best freshman in the country, he's playing like the best big man in the country and a potential national player of the year candidate. Their perimeter players are all capable of going off for 25 points on a given night. They have a solid freshman point guard and a big shot blocker in the paint. The thing that is so impressive about this Ohio State team is that everyone understands their role on the team and completely buys into it. It might be until February, when the Buckeyes take trips to Wisconsin and Purdue in the span of a week, before they actually lose a game.
No. 3 Kansas: 9-0
Next Game: 12/29 vs. UT-Arlington
Next Potential Loss: 1/22 vs. Texas
Kansas looks better and better as the season goes on, and with the Big XII looking weaker, especially at the top (Baylor and Kansas State have both struggled, and they were picked to be top three in the league), the Jayhawks's chances of running the table get better. Will it happen? Well, not likely, but with only one game each against Baylor, Texas, and Texas A&M, Kansas has the schedule to make it a possibility.
No. 4 Connecticut: 10-0
Next Game: 12/27 at Pittsburgh
Next Potential Loss: 12/27 at Pittsburgh
Well, we find out who the Huskies are tonight. They head to the Peterson Events Center to take on the Panthers, who many believe to be the best team in the Big East despite what rankings and records may say. To get an idea how overrated UConn appears to be, Pitt started the day as 7.5 point favorites in Vegas. I'm going to hold off comment on the Huskies until after tonight's game.
No. 5 Syracuse: 10-0
Next Game: 12/28 vs. Providence
Next Potential Loss: 12/28 vs. Providence
Like UConn, Syracuse is kicking off Big East play this week. It starts with the Friars, and continues with a New Year's Day matchup with Notre Dame. I'm not sure this team has the chops -- or the perimeter shooting -- to make it past Pitt and Villanova later in the month, but with Kris Joseph starting to round into form and Fab Melo looking healthier, the Orange defense and interior play may be good enough that perimeter shooting is rendered mute.
No. 7 San Diego State: 14-0
Next Game: 12/31 vs. Occidental
Next Potential Loss: 1/12 vs. UNLV
I love this San Diego State team, but if I'm being totally honest, I'm shocked they are still undefeated at this point in the season. Its not because I don't think they are good enough -- this is the best team on the West Coast without question -- its because they continually play down to their opponents. A six point win over Cal Poly. A six point win against San Francisco. A two point win over IUPUI. Granted, there were extenuating circumstances -- the flu has swept through the team, while the latter two games were played in a rodeo arena under less than ideal circumstances. Regardless, SDSU needs to start playing up to their potential, or eventually they are going to slip up.
Central Florida: 11-0
Next Game: 12/29 vs. Furman
Next Potential Loss: 1/15 @ Southern Miss
UCF just keeps getting better and better. This week, it was a five point win at UMass, which doesn't appear all that impressive on the surface. But consider this -- they played the first 25 minutes without Marcus Jordan, who had two bad ankles, but who convinced the coaching staff to allow him to play the last 15 minutes of the game. Impressive stuff. UCF will battle with Memphis and Southern Miss for the C-USA title this season.
Cincinnati: 8-0
Next Game: 12/28 vs. DePaul
Next Potential Loss: 1/6 vs. Xavier
Still waiting for Cincinnati to come up with an impressive win. The 68-34 shellacking of Dayton needs to be taken in context -- the Flyers were in the midst of a terrible string of basketball -- and my team in college might have beaten this year's Oklahoma team. That said, there is much to like about this team. Dion Dixon, Cashmere Wright, and Sean Kilpatrick are all playing above expectations, while Yancy Gates anchors a big, athletic front line. I'm still going to withhold judgement on this team until they actually play someone, but consider me in the process of being swayed.
Drop-Outs
Northwestern: 5-0
First Loss: 85-69 @ St. John's
Northwestern ran into a buzz saw in Madison Square Garden last week. The Johnnies shot 80% in the second half and ran away with the win. The loss was very costly for Northwestern's tournament hopes, as the Wildcats are now hanging their non-conference schedule on a win over Georgia Tech in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. To make matters worse, they start of the Big Ten season at Purdue, at home for Michigan State, and at Illinois. We could find out really soon whether or not this Northwestern team is for real.
The Bottom of the Barrel:
It would be rude of us to include the "have's" and but not the "have-not's". After all, planetary balance is very essential. For every team that hasn't lost a game, there has to be a team still fighting for their first win.
Alcorn State: 0-9
Next Game: 12/28 at Ole Miss (9-3)
First Potential Win: 1/4 vs. Prairie View A&M (2-10)
Arkansas-Pine Bluff: 0-11
Next Game: 12/29 at Akron (7-5)
First Potential Win: 12/29 at Akron (7-5)
Centenary: 0-13
Next Game: 12/28 vs. Oakland (7-8)
First Potential Win: 1/15 vs. Southern Utah (3-8)
Colgate: 0-10
Next Game: 12/29 at Stony Brook (4-6)
First Potential Win: 1/2 at Longwood (4-11)
Maryland-Baltimore County: 0-12
Next Game: 12/30 vs. Niagara (3-9)
First Potential Win: 12/30 vs. Niagara (3-9)
UNC Greensboro: 0-11
Next Game: 12/29 vs. Duke (11-0)
First Potential Win: 1/10 vs. Elon (5-7)
Continue reading...
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Does Northwestern have a National Player of the Year candidate? |
This post can also be found at Beyond the Arc.
I know that Northwestern lost to St. John's last night, their first loss of the season.
I also know that the loss to St. John's is especially brutal for a Northwestern team that hasn't played anyone worth a damn this season unless you consider Georgia Tech and Creighton (without Gregory Echenique) worth a damn.
And I'm fully aware that the Wildcats could find themselves at the bottom of the Big Ten by January 6th as they open conference play at Purdue, at home for Michigan State, and then at Illinois.
With all of that in mind, I'm still willing to throw this out there: John Shurna has to be in the discussion for first team all-american and (Gasp!) National Player of the Year.
He has to be.
When you put up the numbers he has put up, it is a requirement.
Through nine games this season, Shurna is averaging 24.4 ppg, which leads the Big Ten by a wide margin. He's shooting 62.9% from the floor, which is impressive in and of itself until you consider he is also shooting 62.5% from three, hitting 30 of his 48 attempts on the season. His effective FG% is 78%, tops in the country. His offensive rating is 135.5, good for third among players that have at least a 24% usage rate.
Whether you are using regular statistics or advanced statistics, its pretty easy to see that Shurna is having an incredible season.
Do I expect this to keep up?
Not at all.
Its ludicrous to expect a kid to perform the same way against Ohio State and Arkansas-Pine Bluff or Wisconsin and Texas Pan-American. Its just not going to happen. The schools in the Big Ten will be bigger, they will be more athletic, they will be better defensively, and they will know more about what Northwestern wants to do offensively than any team the Wildcats have played.
That said, St. John's has some athletes. They have some size. They are a pretty good defensive team. And Shurna still torched them to the tune of 28 points on 10-17 shooting and 4-6 from three. Granted, Northwestern lost, but that was more a result of the Wildcat's inability to stop the Johnnies in the paint than Shurna's ability on the offensive end of the floor.
Do I think Shurna will win the National Player of the Year award?
Its doubtful, especially when guys like Kemba Walker, Kyrie Irving, and Derrick Williams have played just as well, in not better. Hell, Shurna will have his work cut out for him winning the Big Ten Player of the Year award. Apparently Ohio State has some freshman named Jared Sullinger who is pretty good.
But when we talk about early favorites for the award, Shurna has played well enough that he at least deserves a mention.
Continue reading...
Friday, November 19, 2010
Kevin Coble speaks out |
Sports Illustrated's Luke Winn caught up with former Northwestern forward Kevin Coble yesterday. If you remember, Coble left the Northwestern team back in July. He was dealing with a serious foot injury at the time, and the consensus seemed to be that Coble wanted to focus on his academics and his life beyond basketball.
That wasn't entirely accurate, as Coble made clear in an email to Winn:
"One of the reasons for me leaving the team," Coble wrote in an e-mail, "was in response to repeated ultimatums by [Wildcats coach Bill] Carmody stating, 'You either go on the Italy trip, or you can't be a part of this program.' ... "The fact was my surgeon was not releasing me to begin playing with the team until September 15th," Coble wrote. "With that, I was not comfortable being in Europe during my last stages of rehabilitation. The medical treatment plan had me working with my physical therapists until that September 15th release date. Coach Carmody and I met multiple times in July in order to reach a resolution that wouldn't be so drastic, but unfortunately we were unable to come to an agreement. I had to choose what was in the long term best interest of my foot."The rest of this post can be found at Beyond the Arc.
Continue reading...
Friday, October 15, 2010
2010-2011 Season Preview Top 50 Countdown: Nos. 50-46 |
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.
For a complete listing of our season previews, click here.
To browse through the rest of our Top 50 Countdown, click here.
50. Northwestern
- Last Season: 20-14, 7-11 (Big Ten)
- Head Coach: Bill Carmody
- Key Losses: Kevin Coble, Jeremy Nash
- New Additions: JerShon Cobb
- Projected Lineup:
- G: Michael Thompson, Sr.
- G: Alex Marcotullio, So.
- F: Drew Crawford, So.
- F: John Shurna, Jr.
- C: Luka Mirkovic, Jr.
- Bench: JerShon Cobb, Fr.; David Curletti, Jr.
- Outlook: The Wildcats caught a bad break when Kevin Coble decided he wasn't going to return for his final season with Northwestern. But that doesn't mean that the Wildcats are dead in the water. Northwestern brings back five of their top six scorers from a team that won 20 games and was in bubble consideration until the end of February. One of those five is John Shurna, a combo-forward that averaged 18 and 6 in Coble's stead. They also bring back Michael Thompson, one of the most underrated guards in the conference. Drew Crawford was selected as the Big Ten freshman of the year. Luka Mirkovic and Alex Marcotullio also return, while freshman JerShon Cobb, a top 100 recruit, should be able to fill in Jeremy Nash's shoes. This is the same Northwestern team, just a year older. Why can't they compete this year? Northwestern has never made an NCAA Tournament. Could that change this season?
49. Loyola Marymount
- Last Season: 18-16, 7-7 (WCC)
- Head Coach: Max Good
- Key Losses: Kevin Young, Given Kalipende
- New Additions: Anthony Ireland, Godwin Okonji, Ayodeji Egbeyemi
- Projected Lineup:
- G: Vernon Teel, Sr.
- G: Jarred DuBois, Jr.
- F: Drew Viney, Jr.
- F: Ashley Hamilton, So.
- C: Edgar Garibay, So.
- Bench: Anthony Ireland, Fr.; Larry Davis, Jr.; Tim Diederichs, Jr.; LaRon Armstead, Jr.
- Outlook: Just two years ago, this Loyola Marymount program was in shambles. Prior to the 2009-2010 season, they had won just eight games the previous two seasons. But thanks to the addition of some talented transfers and the development of a couple of their own players, the Lions won 18 games and went 7-7 in the league. Those two records could have been much better had Loyola not been battling injuries all season. The best news? Essentially everyone is back (the notable exception is 6'8" Kevin Young, who transferred). Loyola may be one of the few teams in the WCC that can actually match up with Gonzaga inside. 6'8" Oregon transfer Drew Viney, who averaged 16.7 ppg and 7.1 rpg, is back. His perimeter ability makes Viney a tough matchup in the WCC, and he also is a solid defender. Edgar Garibay, who was granted a medical redshirt due to a torn acl he suffered, is a 6'10" center that started four games before his injury. All-freshman team member Ashley Hamilton, an athletic 6'7" forward that averaged 8.6 ppg and 4.5 rpg, will also return and could turn into a real threat inside. On the perimeter, the Lions are led by all-conference performer Vernon Teel, a stat-sheet stuffing combo-guard (he averaged 15 points, 5 boards, 5 assists, 2 steals, and shot 40% from three) that could blossom into one of the best players on the west coast this season. Jared DuBois, who is a solid spot-up shooter, will be a nice complement to Teel on the perimeter, while Larry Davis, a Seton Hall transfer that has been plagued by injuries (he didn't travel with the team to Europe this summer), will provide a shot of athleticism on the perimeter when healthy. Also expect point guard Anthony Ireland to see some time in the back court as well. This is a very good basketball team, the question will be whether or not they can handle being marked this season. The Lions won't be sneaking up on anybody.
48. Murray State
- Last Season: 31-5, 17-1 (OVC)
- Head Coach: Bill Kennedy
- Key Losses: Danero Thomas, Tony Easely
- New Additions: Chris Griffin, Shawn Jackson
- Projected Lineup:
- G: Isaiah Canaan, So.
- G: BJ Jenkins, Sr.
- G: Isacc Miles, Sr.
- F: Jeffery McClain, Sr.
- F: Ivan Aska, Jr.
- Bench: Jewaun Long, Jr.; Donte Poole, Jr.; Shawn Jackson, Fr.; Edward Daniel, So.
- Outlook: Everything about this Murray State team screams balance. They had ten players average at least ten minutes last season. They had six guys averaging between 9.7 ppg and 10.6 ppg. They not only were the best offensive team in the OVC last year, they were hands down the best defensive team as well. This is a unit that works very well together, and while they are losing two key pieces in Danero Thomas and Tony Easley, there is more than enough on this roster to make up for it. The back court of Isaiah Canaan, BJ Jenkins, and Isacc Miles is as good as anyone. They put tremendous pressure on the ball defensively and can all knock down a jumper or create off the dribble. Donte Poole, a 6'3" junior, is other guy that will see time on the perimeter. Up front, it will be tough to replace a guy like Easley, but there are pieces here. Ivan Aska is a solid front court presence, while guys like Jeffery McClain, Edward Daniel, and the three newcomers will be looking to make a name for themselves and earn some playing time. Is wasn't a fluke that Murray State won 31 games last season or that they came a few possessions from knocking off Butler in the second round. This is a well-coached, balanced, and talented basketball team that will throw a scare into any of the big boys they face this season.
47. Texas A&M
- Last Season: 24-10, 11-5 (Big XII)
- Head Coach: Mark Turgeon
- Key Losses: Brian Davis, Derrick Roland, Donald Sloan
- New Additions: Kourtney Roberson, Daniel Alexander, Keith Davis
- Projected Lineup:
- G: BJ Holmes, Sr.
- G: Dash Harris, Jr.
- F: Naji Hibbert, So.
- F: Nathan Walkup, Sr.
- C: David Loubeau, Jr.
- Bench: Daniel Alexander, Fr.; Keith Davis, Fr.; Khris Middleton, So.; Ray Turner, So.
- Outlook: It was a rough year to be an Aggie, between Derrick Roland's leg, Tobi Oyedeji's unfortunate passing, and the graduation of Brian Davis and Donald Sloan. The cupboard is far from bare, however. BJ Holmes and Dash Harris both looked like they could develop into above-average players in the Big XII, especially with the amount of minutes opening up in the Aggie back court. Expect sophomore Naji Hibbert to see an increased role on the perimeter as well. Up front, A&M has a fairly solid rotation. David Loubeau may be primed for a break out season, as he looked very impressive last year at time. With Khris Middleton, Ray Turner, and Nathan Walkup returning and three freshman coming into the program at 6'8" or taller, the Aggies once again look like they are going to be a physical defensive team. Mark Turgeon's clubs have never been flashy. They grind you out and win games through execution and defense. This team is not loaded with offensive firepower, but if a couple of guys develop and this group continues to play the way Turgeon wants them to, this group should be, at the least, in the bubble conversation come February.
46. Richmond
- Last Season: 26-9, 13-3 (A-10)
- Head Coach: Chris Mooney
- Key Losses: David Gonzalvez, Ryan Butler
- New Additions: Cedrick Lindsay, Derrick Williams, Wayne Sparrow
- Projected Lineup:
- G: Kevin Anderson, Sr.
- G: Kevin Smith, Sr.
- F: Frances Cedric-Martel, Jr.
- F: Justin Harper, Sr.
- C: Dan Geriot, Sr.
- Bench: Cedrick Lindsay, Fr.; Darrius Garrett, Jr.; Josh Duinker, Jr; Darien Brothers, So.
- Outlook: While the Spiders lose David Gonzalvez to graduation, the good news is that reigning A-10 player of the year Kevin Anderson returns. A 17.8 ppg scorer last season, Anderson is a lightening quick 6' guard that can get into the paint against just about anyone. Shouldering more of the load this season without Gonzalvez, he could very well become a 20 ppg scorer. The question is going to be who steps up in the back court to replace Gonzalvez. The best answer may one of Chris Mooney's two freshmen guards, Cedrick Lindsay and Wayne Sparrow. Junior Frances-Cedric Martel and senior Kevin Smith may end up starting as a result of their experience, while Darien Brothers should see some minutes as well. Richmond's achilles heel last season was in the paint, as evidenced by the pounding they took from Omar Samhan in the NCAA Tournament. And, by and large, this will be the same group as last season. Much will be expected of Justin Harper, a 6'10" forward with a nice perimeter touch. He averaged 10.6 ppg last season, but with his excellent play down the stretch, he will be counted on to pick up some of the scoring slack. Also returning is Dan Geriot, who is already a 1,000 point scorer, but struggled to regain the form of his sophomore year (when he averaged 14 and 7) after tearing his acl and missing the 2008-2009 season. Darius Garrett also returns, a slender 6'9" forward. You know what you are going to get out of Anderson, and if some of his teammates can pick up the slack and make up for the loss of Gonzalvez's production, this is a team that will compete for a tournament berth.
Continue reading...
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Kevin Coble will not return to the Northwestern basketball program |
Northwestern head coach Bill Carmody cannot catch a break.
Just one season after finding out that star forward Kevin Coble would miss an entire year with a foot injury, Carmody will once again be forced to play without the 6former second team all-Big Ten selection. Earlier this evening, Coble announced that he will not be rejoining the Wildcats this season.
"The recovery of my foot is most important and extends far beyond my basketball career," Coble said in a press release. "I will continue to follow my surgeon's rehabilitation schedule and have been told by my surgeon that I will have a full recovery. I will not be transferring to another school and with that, will be finishing the last of my classes at Northwestern this fall."
Coble will finish up his classes at Northwestern, graduating in December with a Political Science degree.
Kevin Coble will not finish up his final year of eligibility at Northwestern.(photo credit: Daylife)
By all accounts, this was really a punch in the gut for Carmody, who had no idea Coble was considering leaving the team. (Ed. Note: My twitter feed lied; Carmody was expecting it.)
"We wish Kevin nothing but the best in his future endeavors," Carmody said. "We want to thank him for his contributions to the program over the past four years."
The Wildcats are the only team from one of the Big Six conferences that has never played in the NCAA Tournament. Last season was going to be the year they finally broke through. They were bringing back quite a bit of talent from a 2009 team that won 17 games, including eight of their last 14 in Big Ten play, and knocked off the likes of Minnesota, Michigan State, Wisconsin, and Purdue. But before the season even started, second team all-Big Ten selection Coble went down with a foot injury that would sideline him for the year.
Even without Coble, last season was about as close as Northwestern has ever gotten, winning 20 games and staying in bubble consideration until the final weeks of the regular season. This led many, including us, to believe that next season would finally be their year to go dancing.
Not only do the Wildcats return five of their top six scorers -- including rising junior John Shurna, who averaged 18.4 ppg and 6.2 rpg last seasons, and rising senior Michael Thompson, one of the more underrated point guards in the Big Ten -- but Coble was supposed to finally be healthy and ready to join Shurna in what was going to become one of the most versatile front courts in the conference.
Instead, Northwestern will once again be without Coble, but that does not mean that the Wildcats season is over. Shurna and Coble are essentially the same player -- 6'8" forwards that can shoot, get to the basket, and pass, a perfect skill set for a forward in Carmody's Princeton-style offense. Shurna is a bit thinner and rangier, more athletic, and probably more perimeter oriented than Coble, but there are no promises these two would have complemented each other on the court.
Shurna is also well on his way to being one of the best players in the Big Ten, and he should continue to develop given he spent last week in Vegas with the national teams. Thompson is an underrated player at the point. Drew Crawford was selected as the Big Ten freshman of the year. Luka Mirkovic and Alex Marcotullio also return, while freshman JerShon Cobb, a top 100 recruit, should be able to fill in Jeremy Nash's shoes.
This is essentially the same Northwestern team, just a year older. They weren't that far away last season. The Big Ten is loaded this year, with three or four top ten teams, so the Wildcats will have their work cut out for them if they do want to go dancing.
But don't consider it a lost cause.
This is the part where we speculate as to why Coble decided to leave.
Its possible that he was concerned about how he would project as a pro playing alongside Shurna, and I don't think it is out of the question that Coble has an eye on Europe after he graduates in December. Another thing to notice is that Coble thanked the university, the administration, the fans, and his teammates in his statement, but made no mention of the coaching staff. I'm sure there are those who will question his decision to make this announcement at such a late date as well.
But isn't it possible that Coble simply didn't like basketball all that much? I mean, this is a kid that has a PoliSci degree from Northwestern, so he clearly has enough brains for a career outside of hoops. He also spent the first nine games of his sophomore season in 2007 with his mother back in Arizona while she battled breast cancer.
This kid is more than just a basketball player. Maybe he felt that it was time to move on, that he wasn't willing to risk further injury to his foot.
Maybe it took him until the end of July to finally make that decision.
And if that is the case, is it really all that bad?
Kevin, we wish you the best wherever life takes you. Hopefully, you'll be supporting your former Wildcat teammates along the way.
Continue reading...
Monday, January 25, 2010
Kevin Coble has range |
Kevin Coble is sitting out the 2009-2010 season with a broken bone in his left foot, which means he has a lot of time on his hands.
And he is apparently putting that time to good use.
While I'm sure he is taking this opportunity to bulk up a bit in the weight room and to get a better feel for Northwestern's offense, Coble is also working on his trick shots. Proof, you ask? Video, I reply.
According to Lindsay Willhite of the Daily Herald, this shot was Coble's fifth attempt at an over-the-head 60 footer. His next move was to go to the scorer's table and bounce in a shot from half court.
Impressive stuff.
Continue reading...
Monday, January 4, 2010
1/4 - College Hoops Week in Review: And then there were four... |
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):
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
They were good too:
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:
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.
MATCH-UPS OF THE WEEK
Continue reading...
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Thursday's Shootaround: Lance Stephenson proves he's ready for the Big East, N'Western and UAB lose |
Cincinnati 71, UConn 69: Cincinnati was in the lead for most of this game, twice taking double digit leads. But Jerome Dyson and Stanley Robinson wouldn't quit, both times leading the Huskies back. With just under eight minutes to play, Cinci took a 12 point lead, but the Huskies slowly chipped away, eventually cutting it to one on a Stanley Robinson lay-up with 29 seconds left. But UConn didn't foul on the ensuing possession, giving up a dunk to Ibrahima Thomas instead. The Huskies got the ball out quickly, as Dyson sprinted the other direction. He got into the paint and found a wide-open Kemba Walker, who buried a three to tie the game.
After the three, Lance Stephenson took the ball and went the other direction. He drove past Dyson and into Gavin Edwards and Alex Oriakhi. Referee John Cahill blew his whistle, giving Lance Stephenson two free throws to win the game with just 0.7 seconds left on the clock. Take a look. Was it a foul?
Jerome Dyson was clearly the best player on the floor, as he routinely knifed his way through traffic, finishing tough lay-ups in the lane. He had 24 points, 7 boards, and 5 assists, while Robinson added 22 points, 7 boards, and 3 steals. Stephenson led Cinci with 21 in his first Big East game, and I think he more than proved himself capable of handling the pressure. Deonta Vaughn, who has been struggling this season, got into a bit of a rhythm, scoring eight early points as Cinci pulled ahead, and finishing with 17.
Virginia 72, UAB 63: UAB was one of the hottest teams in the country coming into Charlottesville, and looked to be on their way to beating another power conference team as they took a 50-43 lead midway through the second half. But the Cavs responded with a 16-3 run and made the plays down the stretch to win. Sylvan Landesberg had 19 points, 6 boards, and 4 assists and was charged with being the playmaker down the stretch for UVA. Elijah Millsaps had a career high 27 points and 11 boards, but the Blazers missed 10 of their last 15 free throws. Tough to win doing that.
Illinois 89, Northwestern 83 OT: Northwestern started this game on fire, hitting their first four threes and 11-23 overall in the first half. But the Illini's defense tightened up in the second half, and they began to pick apart the Wildcat's 1-3-1 zone. In the first 16:27 of the second half, Illinois outscored Northwestern 35-20, taking a 69-63 lead with 3:33 remaining. The Wildcats would fight back, as John Shurna capped a 9-3 run with a lay-up with 45 seconds left. After two Mike Tisdales free throws, Luka Mirkovic forced overtime as he tipped in his second attempt with 17 seconds on the clock.
But in the extra frame, Mike Tisdale and Mike Davis, who went for a combined 51 points and 28 boards, scored all eight points in an 8-2 spurt, and the Illini never looked back.
William & Mary 83, Maryland 77: The Tribe may end up having more ACC road wins that the Terps when the season done. After beating Wake Forest in Winston-Salem earlier this year, W&M went into College Park and knocked off Maryland despite 26 points and 6 assists from Greivis Vasquez. Quinn McDowell had 28, Danny Sumner had 17, and the Tribe spread the floor against the Terps, opening up driving lanes and open threes.
Vanderbilt 86, Manhattan 48: The Commodores blew out Manhattan in a game that was never really in doubt. Why should you care? Because Kevin Laue, the 6'11" Jasper center who has just one arm, scored his first career point with three minutes left on a free throw. He also grabbed eight boads in 17 minutes.
Baylor 70, Arkansas 47: After Kansas and Texas, the rest of the Big XII is fairly open, and Baylor looks like they may be staking claim to that third spot. LaceDarius Dunn scored 19 points and Ekpe Udoh added 8 points, 15 boards, and 8 blocks as the Bears pulled away in the second half.
Boston College 85, South Carolina 76: BC opened up a 48-27 lead at halftime as the Gamecocks were unable to slow down the Eagles at the offensive end. But in the second half, Darrin Horn turned up the defensive pressure, and South Carolina used a 26-8 run to get that lead down to 56-53. USC would never go away, but without Mike Holmes and Dominique Archie, they clearly ran out of gas as BC was able to gain some separation late. Devan Downey had 29 points and 7 assists for the Gamecocks, but he did it on 28 shots, many of which were tough, quick three pointers or ill-advised forays into the lane. He did spark the comeback, but a comeback may not have been needed if he didn't start the game 5-17. Rakim Sanders had 22 to lead BC.
Other notable games:
Wednesday's Best:
Continue reading...
Posts
