Wednesday's Shootaround: 1st day of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge

Loyola Marymount 75, No. 25 St. Louis 68: Fresh off of getting climbing their way into the top 25, the Billikens blew a 12 point first half lead as the Lions used a 20-6 run that spanned both halves to take a 36-34 lead early in the second half. LMU slowly gained control of the game down the stretch as they earned their second win over a ranked opponent on the season. LaRon Armstead led the way with 22 points off the bench while Anthony Ireland and Jarrod DuBois went for 17 and 16, respectively. Most impressive? The Lions were without second-leading scorer Ashley Hamilton and have yet to get a minute of playing time for their best player, Drew Viney.

Its easy to write this game off as the Billikens being over-rated after a hot start to the season, but consider this: St. Louis, who is 6-1 on the season, are now on their sixth day on the west coast after playing in the 76 Classic. They've played five of their first seven games away from home -- with one of those home games being a whooping of Washington -- and dropped a competitive game on the road to a team with talent that is better than people think. No loss is a good loss, but losing this game is far from terrible for St. Louis.


Arizona 83, New Mexico State 76: This is a good win for Arizona. New Mexico State is a talented team that will compete for the WAC title and tough to beat at home. More impressive? The Wildcats got this victory despite NMSU's two best players -- forwards Wendell McKines (28 points, 10 boards) and Hamidu Rahman (13 points, eight boards) -- going off against Arizona's young front line. Nick Johnson was terrific, scoring 19 points and making a number of big plays down the stretch, while Jesse Perry had 15 points and 12 boards. Solomon Hill went for 12 points, seven assists and six boards while Josiah Turner had 12 points and three assists, but three turnovers as well.

No. 8 Baylor 90, Prairie View A&M 54: I think its safe to say that Perry Jones has made his entrance into the 2011-2012 season. Prairie View opened up a 11-2 lead in the first four minutes, but that's when Jones woke up. He finished the evening with 27 points on 10-14 shooting, a performance that included a couple of high-flying dunks. Of note: Pierre Jackson had 17 points and six assists.

No. 3 Syracuse 84, Eastern Michigan 48: There were all kinds of story lines heading into this game. It was the first game that the Orange had played since the latest news cycle on Bernie Fine went public and the longtime Syracuse assistant coach was fired. It was also the first time that former assistant Rob Murphy, now the head coach at Eastern Michigan, had returned to his old Carrier Dome stomping grounds. What happened in this game didn't matter to, well, anyone, but the postgame press conference had some fireworks.


ACC/Big Ten Challenge: Yeah, I went 6-0 on Day 1. And yeah, I'm going to brag about it.

Ohio State 85, Duke 63: See here.

Virginia 70, No. 15 Michigan 58: Well, it looks like Mike Scott has healed from his ankle injury. Virginia's star forward had 18 points and 11 boards, taking over for a stretch in the second half that spurred a 19-2 run from Virginia to gain control of this game. Michigan was stifled by Virginia's pack line defense, their offense that was so beautifully run in Maui stifled. Joe Harris added 18 for the 'Hoos.

Illinois 71, Maryland 62: Terrell Stoglin scored 25 points while James Padgett added 16 as the Terps put up an impressive fight against the Illini, but in the end Sam Maniscalco was too much. The Bradley transfer hit three big threes in the second half and knocked down the game-clinching free throws. He finished with 24 points and Brandon Paul added 17.

Purdue 76, Miami FL 65: Robbie Hummel had 17 points and five boards while Lewis Jackson added 15 points as the Boilermakers countered Miami's small lineup by pounding the ball inside. They went 22-31 from two-point range. Of note: the Johnsons -- Anthony and Terone -- combined for 21 points and a number of key plays late in the game.

Clemson 71, Iowa 55: Andre Young had 19 points, TJ Sapp added 13 off the bench and Tanner Smith had seven points, eight assists and 14 boards as Clemson rolled their hosts.

Northwestern 76, Georgia Tech 60: The Wildcats got 25 points and eight boards from John Shurna as they jumped on Georgia Tech at the start of both halves.


Other notable games:

- Texas 73, North Texas 57
- LSU 59, Houston 58
- Providence 82, Holy Cross 77
- Cincinnati 56, Miami OH 47
- Oregon 64, UTEP 59


Top performers

Gerard Coleman and Vincent Council, Providence: Council had 19 points, 11 assists and seven boards and Coleman added 18 points, eight boards, six assists and three steals as Providence knocked off Holy Cross 82-77.

Chris Gaston, Fordham: Gaston has 15 points and 11 boards as Fordham knocked off Colgate. Gaston scored the 1,000th point of his college career.

Emil Jones, Troy: Jones was a fantasy all-star as they knocked off ETSU, finishing with 14 points, eight boards, five assists and five steals.

Perry Jones, Baylor: In his first game back from suspension, Jones went for 27 points on 10-14 shooting as the Bears knocked off Prairie View A&M.

Jonathon Loyd, Oregon: Loyd had 24 points and hit 6-7 from three as the Ducks outlasted UTEP 64-59.

John Shurna, Northwestern: Shurna went for 25 points, eight boards, three steals and three blocks to lead the Wildcats past Georgia Tech for the second straight year in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.
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11/21 College Hoops Week in Review: Jared Cunningham and St. Louis honored

Player of the Week: Jared Cunningham, Oregon State

There are quite a few impressive performances from the past week, but its impossible to look past what Cunningham did this past week. After a ho-hum, 17 point performance in 17 minutes against West Alabama, a non-Division I school, Cunningham exploded. He finished with 35 points against Hofstra and had 37 points in the Beaver's overtime win over Texas, arguably the biggest win in the Craig Robinson era. Cunningham shot 55.9% from the floor and got to the foul line a ridiculous 40 times, hitting 80% from the charity stripe. He also added 14 rebounds, five assists and three steals.

More importantly, however, is the fact that Cunningham seems to be embracing the role of closer for Oregon State. Against Texas, he was able to get to the paint on draw a foul at will, using his ridiculous quickness and athleticism to get by his defender. He also made an huge steal with 30 seconds left that allowed Oregon State a chance to tie the game in regulation. With Cunningham playing close to this level -- expecting him to score in the mid-30's every night is ludicrous -- Oregon State has enough talent on their roster to be considered a sleeper in a wide open Pac-12.



The All-They-Were-Good-Too Team

- G: Scott Machado, Iona: Machado was sensational in the Gaels' three games this week, averaging 15.5 ppg and 13.0 apg while committing just six turnovers. That's a 6.5:1 assist-to-turnover ratio. He also added 5.0 rpg. Momo Jones and Mike Glover will get the headlines, but Machado is that team's MVP.

- G: J'Covan Brown, Texas: There haven't been many players more impressive than Brown this season. In two games this week, he averaged 30.0 ppg, 7.5 apg, 6.0 rpg and shot 50% from the floor and 10-18 from three. The Longhorns were just 1-1 on the week, losing in OT to Oregon State.

- F: Tony Mitchell, Alabama: Mitchell was the best player for arguably the most impressive team of the week. He averaged 17.3 ppg and 9.5 rpg while adding 10 assists, five blocks, four steals, shot 50% from three and threw down too many thunderous dunks to count in a 4-0 week for the Crimson Tide.

- F: Doug McDermott, Creighton: The Bluejays have certainly lived up to expectations early in the season, and McDermott is the biggest reason why. He had 27 points and seven boards in a win at UAB and followed that up with 25 points and nine boards in a 23 point win against Iowa. He shot 63.6% from the floor and 5-7 from deep.

- F: Travis McKie, Wake Forest: Wake Forest is going to struggle this year, but McKie is without a doubt a bright spot. In two games this week, he averaged 24.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg and shot 68% from the floor and 5-7 from three.

- Bench: Tyreek Duren, La Salle (23.5 ppg, 4.0 apg); Robbie Hummel, Purdue (20.3 ppg, 6.0 rpg); Kevin Jones, West Virginia (22.0 ppg, 16.5 rpg); Ramone Moore, Temple (19.0 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 3.0 apg); Mike Moser, UNLV (16.7 ppg, 12.3 rpg, 4.0 apg, 4.3 spg); Shabazz Napier, UConn (22 points. 12 assists, 13 boards vs. Coppin State); Kevin Pangos, Gonzaga (33 points, 9-13 threes, six assists vs. Washington State); Gerardo Suero, Albany (30.0 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 3.5 apg); Casper Ware, Long Beach State (28 points, six assists in win over Pitt)


Team of the Week: St. Louis Billikens

The Billikens had the single most impressive performance of the week on Sunday. With Washington visiting, St. Louis looked like the high-major program, getting up by 20 midway through the first half and pushing that lead as high as 30 in the second half. The Huskies battled back to make the final respectable -- 77-64 -- but the damage had already been done. Brian Conklin had 25 points and Kwamain Mitchell added 18 points in a dominating victory.

The win pushed St. Louis to 3-0 on the season, but it did more than simply put a win in the record books. Don't, for a second, think that teams like Xavier and Temple didn't take notice of that score. The Musketeers and the Owls were considered by almost everyone to have a firm stranglehold on the top two spots in the Atlantic 10, but if St. Louis continues to play at this level, they are going to force their way into that conversation. This is a balanced team with more experience on their roster than you think; most of the young guys on the roster have already had significant big game experience. They defend well, they knock down their open shots and they have a legitimate star in Mitchell. I think its safe to say we've identified the sleeper in the league.



Teams Deserving a Shoutout:

Alabama: The Crimson Tide won the Puerto Rico Tip-Off in convincing fashion, pulling away from both Wichita State and Purdue late to take home the title. Alabama also beat Oakland and Maryland, and they did it with a stout defense. They press, make it difficult to get the ball over half court and force tough shots if you do break their press. Tony Mitchell and JaMychal Green form a mammoth front line, while Trevor Releford anchors a young but talented back court.

Creighton: The Bluejays improved to 4-0 this week thanks to a 10 point road with against UAB and a 23 point home win over Iowa. Doug McDermott has been playing like an all-american, but its truly been a team effort for the Bluejays; ten players averaged double figure minutes and seven are scoring between 6.0 and 10.3 ppg.

Iona: There is little doubt that, after their performance this weekend, the Gaels are going to immediately become the favorite to win the MAAC. Scott Machado looked like the second coming John Stockton at the point while five other Gaels averaged double figures. The Gaels lost by one to Purdue, but they responded by beating Western Michigan and drilling Maryland by 26.

Kent State: The Golden Flashes burst onto the national scene by going into Morgantown and knocking off West Virginia in their season opener, which just so happened to come on national television during the Tip-Off Marathon. There was no letdown from that win, either, as KSU beat Alcorn State their next time out.

Long Beach State: The 49ers went into the Peterson Events Center and beat down Pitt, keeping the Panthers from ever getting closer than six points during the second half. But they followed that up with an overtime loss to a decent (but probably better than you think) San Diego State team. An overtime road loss at a very, very difficult place to play shouldn't put a damper on the impressive performance LBSU had on Tuesday.

Marquette: The Golden Eagles have put together some impressive wins early in the season, but on Sunday they provided a bit of legitimacy to their play by pasting Ole Miss by 30. Their point totals so far this season? 91, 99, 95 and 96. Darius Johnson-Odom is averaging 20.0 ppg, Jae Crowder 18.3 ppg and Vander Blue 15.8 ppg.

Memphis: The Tigers have played one game this season, but it was a resounding win over a tough Belmont team. Memphis beat them 97-81, but it never seemed like Belmont was going to have a chance to get back into the game. The Tigers are impressively athletic, but we knew that. But will they be able to turn that athleticism into success on the basketball court. A one word over-reaction to a small sample size's worth of data: yes.

Mississippi State: Renardo Sidney is never going to be the star that we all want him to be and know he can be, but the Bulldogs don't need Sidney on the roster to be a tournament team this season. Arnett Moultrie is capable of being a scorer and rebounder in the paint, Dee Bost is a star at the point and Mississippi State's supporting cast is better than anyone gave them credit for. They knocked off two top 20 teams this week en route to the Coaches vs. Cancer title.

Nebraska: Don't look now, but the Cornhuskers are actually 3-0 on the season. They have a double overtime win over USC (which looks worse now that the Trojans have lost to Cal Poly 42-36) and knocked off Rhode Island by 20. Its not much, I'll admit it, but with the way Nebraska plays defense and the fact that they finally have a scorer at the point in Bo Spencer, who knows. Maybe this team puts it together enough to win some games in the Big 12 this year.

New Mexico State: The Aggies picked up a big win early in the season as they knocked off New Mexico at the Pit and followed that up with a 16 point win over rebuilding UTEP. Wendell McKines looks like he is healthy. He had 14 points and nine boards and held Drew Gordon without a field goal before going for 23 points and 13 boards against UTEP.

Northwestern: We need to keep the Wildcat's win in the Charleston Classic in perspective; they didn't beat a tournament team en route to the title. But there is something to be said for winning three straight games in that manner. John Shurna averaged 23.7 ppg for the week, including a 37 point performance in a comeback win over LSU, and Drew Crawford chipped in with an average of 24.0 ppg.

Oregon State: Are the Beavers all of a sudden a contender in the Pac-12? Its too early to say right now, but if they knock off Vanderbilt in the title game of the Legend's Classic, its a fair question to ask. Its not just Jared Cunningham, either. Devon Collier, Joe Burton and Eric Morehouse provide some size and athleticism inside while Ahmad Starks, Angus Brandt and Roberto Nelson give Craig Robinson some perimeter pop. This group plays hard and plays together. It will be fun to see what they can piece together.

Presbyterian: Presbyterian has one of the more uplifting stories to follow this year: after having their hearts broken when their class of redshirt seniors found out they wouldn't be allowed to participate in the postseason this season, they all remained at the school for their last year of eligibility. It paid off in a small way on Saturday, as the Blue Hose knocked off Cincinnati.

Providence: Might Ed Cooley have this Friar team competitive this season? They are now 3-0 on the year, including an 80-72 win at Fairfield this week. It will be interesting to watch, as Cooley is a defensive-minded head coach, but he has a team that is better suited to getting out and running the floor.

St. Joseph's: Next year was supposed to be the year for the Hawks, but St. Joseph's has been pretty impressive a few weeks into the season. They are 3-1 on the year, and while they did lost to Seton Hall, they've also knocked off Georgia Tech by 13 and beat a good Tulsa team on Sunday. Carl Jones and Langston Galloway may end up forming one of the most potent back courts in the Atlantic 10 this season.

Weber State: We said it in the preseason, but it looks like it may be coming true: Weber State is the best team in the state of Utah. They knocked off Utah State on Tuesday, getting 28 points from Scott Bamforth. But Bamforth isn't even the Wildcat's best perimeter player; Damian Lillard is. He showed it on Saturday, dropping 27 at UC Irvine.

Wisconsin: The Badgers are outscoring their opponents 222-105 this season. Granted, they haven't played anyone yet, but 105 points in three games? Is Wisconsin going to be a lockdown defensive team this year? More impressive? They are doing it while Jordan Taylor is doing nothing but facilitating and allowing his teammates to get comfortable in scoring roles.


Five Thoughts:

- The CAA is way down this year: There is no doubt that this is going to be a one-bid league this season. George Mason is playing without Andre Cornelius and has a couple of injuries, but that's not an excuse for a team that was supposed to be in the top 40 losing to both Florida International and Florida Atlantic. Drexel's start may be even more disappointing. After starting out the year with an 18 point win over Rider, the Dragons lost to Norfolk State before mustering just 35 points in a loss to Virginia. VCU struggled with both St. Francis (PA) and Western Kentucky while losing to Seton Hall and Georgia Tech. Delaware lost at Radford and James Madison lost at La Salle. The best moment of the season was without a doubt a 10 point loss that Old Dominion suffered against a worn-down Kentucky team. That's the same Old Dominion that was dropped by 17 against Northern Iowa.

The good news? There is clearly no favorite to win this conference, meaning that the CAA is going to be a lot of fun to follow this year.

- The Pac-12 is just as disappointing: Does anyone want to win this conference? We'll start at the top. Arizona is struggling to live up to the hype they had coming into the season as they battle youth at the two most important positions -- the post and the point. This group will be better if Josiah Turner gets his head on straight, but who knows when, if ever, that happens. Washington had some defensive issues in a few of their early non-conference games, and those issues were exposed by St. Louis on Sunday. The Huskies were absolutely drubbed by the Billikens, getting down by as much as 30 on the road. Oregon had their star freshman Jabari Brown leave the team, while Ben Howland struggles to deal with a team that has a) a WAC-level back court, b) a center that can't get in shape and c) a star that doesn't feel the need to show up to anything on time.

Cal has become the favorite in the league, and for good reason. Their top three -- Jorge Gutierrez, Allen Crabbe and Harper Kamp -- have been as good as anyone, and the Bears have been drilling team this year. The sleeper? Oregon State. The Beavers have a potential Pac-12 Player of the Year in Jared Cunningham and enough talent around him to make a run in a league that apparently no one has any desire to win.

- A battle in the Atlantic 10: Might the Atlantic 10 be better than the Pac-12? Let's think about this. Xavier and Cal are a wash, as its difficult to say that either is more than a top 20 team right now. While Temple lost to Purdue, they managed to knock off Wichita State is overtime and have one of the best perimeter attacks in the country. I'll give them the nod over Oregon State as of today. St. Louis just beat Washington, meaning that they can probably be considered better than any team that claims the No. 3 spot out west.

But its more than the success that the top of the league is having. La Salle knocked off a decent James Madison team a few days after taking Villanova to overtime. St. Joe's, as we mentioned, has gotten off to a very good start to the season. Duquesne nearly knocked off Arizona and followed that up with a win over Akron. UMass is 3-0 on the season. None of those teams had the preseason hype that St. Bonaventure, George Washington or Richmond did.

- Cincinnati got what they deserved?: The Bearcats dug themselves a bit of a hole with their non-conference schedule. Its one of the worst in the country, and it came to bite them on Saturday. Cincinnati blew a 15 point second half lead, allowing a Presbyterian that is so new to Division I that they aren't allowed into the postseason yet. The Bearcats are -- well, should be -- good enough that they won't have to be on the bubble this year, but if they lose to Xavier, their only real non-conference opponent (unless you count Georgia or Oklahoma as real), this group is going to see their tournament seed take a big hit.

- How long does Ben Howland have at UCLA?: Let's forget the fact that, for the fourth straight season, the Bruins look like they are a long, long way from the kind of program that is expected in Westwood. Let's forget that he's lost control of this team. Let's ignore the empty home games. Think about this: who would you rather have, any five that UCLA can put on the floor right now, or a starting five of Matt Carlino, Kendell Williams, Chace Stanback, Mike Moser and Drew Gordon. The latter group are all players that have either played for and transferred out of UCLA, or -- in Williams' case -- committed too UCLA and had his scholarship offer pulled. I'll take the second group in a heartbeat.


Games of the Week: Oklahoma State 90, UT-San Antonio 85 OT

This was an insane finish to regulation. UTSA, who advanced to the second round of the Preseason NIT on a 40 foot running prayer last night, used a 21-8 run last in the second half to open up a 71-60 lead with just 2:12 left. But Oklahoma State was able to crawl their way back into it as they forced some turnovers and got to the foul line. With 15 seconds left and down by six, freshman reserve Cesar Guerrero went the length of the court and scored on an and-one. After hitting the free throw, Guerrero stole the inbounds pass and buried a three to force OT:



Guerrero would scored eight points in the extra period, including back-to-back threes in the final two minutes to erase a four point deficit. On the game, he had 29 points while coming off the bench. Making the finish even crazier is that UTSA was only able to advance to this game when Sei Paye hit a running 25-footer at the buzzer to knock off Oral Roberts, a shot that has miraculously never had video make it online.

Purdue 91, Iona 90: Defense may win championships, but offense puts fans in the seats and eyeballs on the TV screens. And in this game, there was no defense played whatsoever. Iona threw every last punch that they had at the Boilermakers, taking a 90-88 lead with 33 seconds left when Momo Jones hit a 12 foot pull-up in transition. But at the other end, Robbie Hummel buried a three to give Purdue the lead back. After Jones turned the ball over on the ensuing possession, Purdue missed two free throws, but an Iona prayer from half court at the buzzer bounced off the back board.

Belmont 87, Middle Tennessee State 84 2OT: The Bruins nearly blew a game that they twice had taken complete control of. They were up 15 midway through the first half and eight with just 3:50 left in the game, but MTSU had a run in them. After taking a one point lead with just under a minute left, Ian Clark answered with a three for Belmont. But two free throws from Marcos Knight and a missed jumper at the buzzer from JJ Mann sent this game into overtime. MTSU took a five point lead in the first OT, but Kerron Johnson answered with seven points in the span of 1:30 to take the lead back. Laron Dendy forced OT with two more free throws, but Mann scored six unanswered midway through the second overtime to take firm control of the game.
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The B.I.A.H Not-Top-10 Rankings

Every week, writers, publications, media outlets and bloggers issue their Top-25 rankings for the week. A majority of the time, everybody has virtually same opinion of all the teams.

If you want to find this week's top-25 rankings, you've come to the wrong place. Here you will find our rankings for the 10 worst team performances in the NCAA. This list isn't just home to the winless mid-major bottom-feeders. No, here you will find the biggest underachievers, slumpers and teams in a funk, the worst weekly performers, and the teams that just plain suck. Now there will be teams on this list that are better than teams not on this list. But come on people, we are trying to be creative, just work with us.

The B.I.A.H Not-Top-10 Rankings

1. Georgetown Hoyas
Record: 12-5 (1-4)

They've lost four out of five, and the one win was an underwhelming 11-point win at home against DePaul. The Hoyas aren't rebounding, aren't playing aggressive defense, and aren't making good decisions. They are forcing turnovers, missing foul shots, not executing on offense and seem to lack desire and leadership. They still have 13 more Big East games left, so they have time to correct the problems, or they could continue to implode.


Our very-own Rob Dauster made an excellent point about the leadership on this team. When the current seniors were freshman, they won the Big East before getting bounced in the second round of the NCAA tournament. During their sophomore seasons, they started 10-1 before staging an epic implosion which included Chris Wright punching Jessie Sapp in the face in a locker room confrontation after a loss at Duke. Last season, their junior year, they rallied to make the Big East tournament finals before losing to the Ohio Bearcats in the first round. How are the seniors supposed to lead if they have never been exposed to leadership before?


2. Memphis Tigers
Record: 12-4 (1-1)

Losers of three out of their last six, the Tigers seem to be falling apart at the seams. They suffered their first "bad loss" to SMU on Wednesday, but they haven't had a "good win" since early December. Young Josh Pastner has his hands full trying to coach up a young team and keep his kids in line. He has already dismissed Jelan Kendrick, had Angel Garcia leave to pursue a pro career, and just recently suspended Welsey Witherspoon indefinitely.


3. Kansas State Wildcats
Record: 12-5 (0-2)

The preseason favorites to win the Big-12 are currently 0-2 in conference play. Has Frank Martin lost his team? It certainly looks that way.


Jacob Pullen, the lovable scamp who took the country by storm last season with his inspired play and manly beard, has turned into a stubborn zealot. He's committed NCAA violations, called out fake K-State fans, and even said that if they make the N.I.T., he won't be playing. He may be having the most disappointing season of anybody in the country.


4. St. Louis
Record: 5-11 (0-3)

You really hate to see a team like St. Louis struggle this much, especially given the circumstances. Their head coach is out for three games with a leg infection due to a cut he sustained during a sideline collision last week. On top of that, the Billikens are on a six-game losing streak and haven't seen a W since before Christmas. From a statistics standpoint, they are just as bad. they rank 337th in rebounding and 317th in total points, plus their leading scorer averages less than 10-ppg.


5. The SEC West

I can't figure out the SEC at all. The East is anybodies to win, and nobody should be allowed to win the West. Think about it, Alabama and LSU are both tied for the lead in the West with 2-0 records. The same Alabama team that has lost to Providence, Seton Hall, Iowa and St. Peter's. LSU might even be worse. They have losses to Nicholls State, Coastal Carolina, Rice, Virginia, Memphis, and a 20-point blunder against North Texas. Yet somehow both these teams are 2-0. Arkansas and Mississippi State sit at 1-1, and we all are aware of MSU's problems. Ole Miss is 0-2, along with Auburn, arguably one of the worst BCS-conference teams in the country. It really is the Wild wild SEC West.


6. Indiana
Record: 9-8 (0-4)

They started off on a six-game winning streak. Then came a 3-2 stretch of play. But that was followed up by a current seven-game losing streak, including losses to a underwhelming Northern Iowa squad and Penn State. Indiana's last win against a remotely-credible opponent was way back in November, and that was against 8-8 Evansville. There's no doubt that Tom Crean can recruit, but he's certainly having some trouble coaching up his guys. Oh yeah, plus there was this little doozy:




7. Oregon
Record: 8-9 (1-4)

I am writing off their win against USC last night because it was the first game in their new arena, so the atmosphere was in their favor. but I mean, did you look at their new arena? It's ugly. It's hideous. it's down-right awful. It's so bad that even Oregon's uniforms for the National Championship were easier on the eyes than the new Matt Court.


The six-point win over USC was their first victory in seven games, and their first win since before Christmas. Oregon is bad, and so are their new digs. I mean, do you see a midcourt line? Neither do I.


8. Providence
Record: 11-7 (0-5)

There was so much promise for this Friars team heading into Big East play. They were 11-2, determined who their key players and role players were, and even looked not-that-bad in their two suspect losses. They even played well in their first conference game against Syracuse (a 81-74 road loss). But since then, they've lost four more, including a 13-nlowout at the hands of Rutgers and a 30-point drubbing by West Virginia. The Friars know how to score the basketball, but their defense is down-right awful. They are giving up an average of roughly 71-ppg.


9. Seton Hall
Record: 8-9 (2-3)

They've lost five of their last seven, and despite getting Jeremy Hazell back and beating DePaul by 11, Seton Hall is not the team some predicted to earn an at-large bid to the Big Dance. Get this, against Syracuse the Pirates shot 11% from behind the arc. Jordan Theodore and Fuquan Edwin combined for 1-15 from long distance. That's an ugly stat.


10. Centenary
Record: 0-17 (0-5)

Poor Centenary. With Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Alcorn State and UNC-Greensboro all tallying their first W's of the season this week, the Gentlemen remain the only winless team in D-I hoops. The team is transitioning back to D-III so any scholarship players they had probably transferred. It is entirely possible that Centenary doesn't win a single game this season, becoming the first team to do so since New Jersey Tech did it in 2008.


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Kwamain Mitchell and Willie Reed are not on St. Louis roster right now

St. Louis dropped a bombshell yesterday at the team's Photo Day.

"Saint Louis University men's basketball players Kwamain Mitchell and Willie Reed are currently not enrolled at the University. Federal law — the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) — does not allow the University to release any additional information without the consent of the students involved."

Its hard not to imagine this decision doesn't have anything to do with the alleged sexual assault that occurred back in May. According to Reed's father, the suspension for a full year from school, later reduced to two month's, was handed down by the student court this fall.

None of the details have been released, but if you read this, it sounds a bit like the player's got railroaded. I've always hated the student court process.

I don't know if Mitchell and Reed will be allowed to return to the team this season. If they are suspended from school for two months, I find it unlikely that they would be able to get themselves in a position to be academically eligible in the spring. In any case, they are not currently listed on the St. Louis roster, which is a massive blow to the Billikens. Mitchell was the team's leading scorer and best player, the guy they relied on to get them a bucket when the clock was winding down. Willie Reed was their best big man, averaging 12.4 ppg and 7.9 rpg.

St. Louis had a chance to be good this season. Many were picking them to make a run at an NCAA Tournament berth. Without Reed and Mitchell, the tournament is nothing more than a pipe dream.

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Two St. Louis Billikens facing a potential suspension over an alleged sexual assault

The alleged sexual assault coming out of East Lansing is the one dominating the headlines, but for hoops fans, another story to keep an eye on is developing in St. Louis.

In an eerily similar situation, two unnamed Billiken basketball players were accused of sexual assault last spring. But like the Michigan State situation, there was not enough evidence for the Circuit Attorney's office to pursue charges.

The school itself, however, has a different burden of proof. This report states that the university's committee on student conduct (which includes faculty, staff, and students) has already handed down a punishment to the players, which may be a year's suspension from St. Louis. The players have appealed the ruling.

If the two players were to get suspended, it would be a tough break for the Billikens. Depending on who it is, this could be a huge blow to a team that is expected to make a run at an NCAA Tournament bid this season.

There's no indication of which players are involved. But regardless of who they are, if they did, in fact, sexually assault this girl they probably deserve to be suspended for more than one year. That said, with the publicity this case is sure to garner if the suspension is handed down, the school better be absolutely certain that these two young men committed this crime.

If the allegations are true, what happened to that young woman is horrific; something I wouldn't wish upon my worst enemy. But if the school has it wrong and suspends these tow young men for a crime the didn't commit, then they are ruining lives that don't deserve to be ruined. Their free education would be out the window, and any potential employer that googled their name would immediately see the accusations and the suspension.

That's why the burden of proof is so high for our court system.

Let's hope St. Louis gets it right.
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Conference Tournament Preview: Six teams that can steal a bid

Everyone loves the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament. Four straight days jam-packed with 12 hours of do-or-die college hoops is more than most people can handle.

But for junkies like us, the next 13 days are just as good, for it is when the true Madness takes place. Over the course of these two weeks, we whittle some 347 teams down to 30 conference champions (the Ivy doesn't have a tournament). Auto-bids will be won. Bubbles will be burst. Buzzers will be beaten. And most importantly, a 65 team bracket will be made.

In any tournament setting, one of the things that people enjoy watching the most is an upset. Some of the most memorable NCAA tournament moments are a direct result of David beating a Goliath. It is what makes the NCAA tournament so special and why so many people tune in.

Upsets in the conference tournaments are just as much fun to root for, unless you're a bubble team. If you are one of the schools on the cut line of the at-large pool, an upset in a conference tournament could be the difference between an NCAA trip and a bubble bursting. Ask St. Mary's, who lost out on a bid when Mississippi State made a run to the SEC tournament title last year.

Here are six teams that could steal a bid this season:


Loyola Marymount Lions: 16-14, 7-7 WCC

All season long, the talk in the WCC has been about 1) Gonzaga, 2) St. Mary's, and 3) Portland, especially in the early season. These days, the only time you expect to people bring up Loyola Marymount basketball is when they are talking about the late Hank Gathers. And while the Lions did post a marked improvement from last season, when they finished the year with just three wins, but a 7-7 team in the WCC shouldn't strike fear into the hearts of anyone.


That said, this is a team that has dealt with injuries all season long. Edgar Garibay has been out since early in the season with an ACL tear. Starters Ashley Hamilton and Jared Dubois have missed significant time, as have reserves Larry Davis and Given Kalipinde. Hell, even leading scorer Drew Viney missed back-to-back games earlier in the season. The good news is that when they are healthy, the Lions can play with anyone. They beat USC on the road, Notre Dame in South Bend, and most recently knocked off WCC champion Gonzaga in mid-February. The other good news? LMU is healthy now. They'll have their work cut out for them, as the five seed needs to win four straight games in the WCC.


St. Louis Billikens: 19-10, 10-5 A-10

There are six teams still on the bubble in the A-10, but despite being in fourth place in the league standings, the Billikens are not one of those teams. But if there is anything that St. Louis has taught us this season, its that they can play with any of the other teams in the conference. They've beaten physical teams like Dayton and Duquesne. They've beaten teams that want to spread the floor a bit more like URI and Xavier. Before losing two of three to Temple and Xavier (both were dogfights, no shame in either of those losses), the Billikens had won six in a row. They have a talented lead guard, a couple capable bodies inside, and a coach that knows what it take to advance in a tournament.


Missouri Valley

Thanks to the poor play of a number of bubble teams, Northern Iowa is all but a lock to make the tournament despite struggling down the stretch. But this is Arch Madness, where anything can happen, which means that the Panthers are by no means a lock to win the MVC tournament. There are three teams I can see with the potential to make a run through St. Louis. Wichita State all season long has been the second best team in the conference. They've struggled a bit of late, but this is a team with a legitimate scoring threat in the post and a couple quality back court players. Illinois State is dangerous because they have the best player in the league. Osiris Eldridge is good enough to take over a game (does anyone remember when he scored 21 after halftime in last year's final?), and Dinma Odiakosa and Lloyd Philips are both talented role players. The Redbirds are also playing their best basketball of the season, having won six in a row before dropping their season finale to Northern Iowa. Also keep an eye on Missouri State. They are the best offensive team in the conference, beat Tulsa and Nevada at home, won at St. Louis, and of their 11 losses, only one came by more than 11 points (18 points at Bradley).


VCU Rams: 20-8, 11-7

Like the MVC, the CAA is a quality conference with just one team that is deserving of an at-large bid (Old Dominion). So who can make a run to the CAA title? Northeastern finished second in the league, is a good defensive team, and has as good of a back court as you will find at this level. William & Mary has already knocked off Maryland, Richmond, and Wake Forest. They run a modified Princeton offense, spreading the floor and attacking gaps, which creates a lot of three point opportunities. If they get hot, they can make a run. But I like VCU.


The Rams may have lost Eric Maynor, but it doesn't mean this is a team devoid of talent. Larry Sanders is as long and athletic as anyone you will find in the country, and has been slowly developing into a star inside. Joey Rodriguez is a talented point guard, and Shaka Smart has a wealth of quality role players. The Rams will have their work cut out for them, as they have to win two games before getting a shot at ODU in the semi's. But keep this in mind while watching the CAA Tournament. VCU is 15-1 at home this season, with wins over Oklahoma, Nevada, URI, Richmond, and Old Dominion. VCU is in Richmond. The CAA Tournament is played in Richmond. Advantage Rams?


Arizona State Sun Devils: 20-9, 10-6 Pac-10

It feels weird saying this about a team that plays in a power conference, but lets remember that this year's Pac-10 is not a normal power conference. And let's face it - Cal is going to the tournament so long as they take care of business against Stanford and whoever they get in the first round of the Pac-10 tournament. But Arizona State can play. They are running less of a Princeton offense and more of a motion style system that allows Herb Sendek to better utilize his talented perimeter players. They have a big bodied center and an underrated point guard. They have won six of their last eight overall and five of the last seven games they have played on the road. While the balance in the Pac-10 makes it obvious that any team can get hot and make a run through the tournament, I think Arizona State has the best chance.


New Mexico State Aggies: 19-9, 11-3 19-10, 11-4 WAC

New Mexico State likes to score. They push the ball, they spread the floor, and they allow their two talented scoring guards, Jahmar Young and Jonathon Gibson that average a combined 39.3 ppg, the freedom to score and create. The problem for the Aggies is that they don't have much depth and they don't play much defense, which makes them susceptible. New Mexico State has shown flashes, however. They have beaten both UTEP and Utah State this season, and they have won seven of their last eight games nine games (while writing this post, the Aggies lost to Nevada).
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Dayton loses to a jet-lagged St. Louis team

On Friday, we wrote about the St. Louis Billikens.

Specifically, we gave fair warning to all A-10 tourney hopefuls that Chaifetz Arena is a tough place to play. Unfortunately, Dayton fans forgot to pass on the message as St. Louis upset the Flyers at home in a 2OT thriller.

The theme of the night for Dayton was blown chances. The Flyers were up 15 points in the first half and blew that lead. They were up eight points with two minutes left in regulation. They missed two front ends in the final 45 seconds. Up three in the final seconds of regulation, Dayton chose not to foul St. Louis, instead allowing Kwamain Mitchell to bank in a 28 footer. The Flyers had the ball with the game tied at the end of the first overtime, and turned it over by throwing the ball out of bounds.

After Cody Ellis hit a three with 37 seconds left in the second overtime to break a 63-all tie, St. Louis all but had this thing won.

While the loss is far from season-ending for the Flyers -- they still will have a shot to beat Temple, Richmond, and St. Louis again -- it definitely makes the tournament road that much more difficult for the Flyers. Dayton is just 4-5 against the RPI top 50, and now has two bad losses on the road in league play.

That said, the Flyers don't have much of a complaint about a difficult road after the trip that St. Louis just returned from.

You see, the Billikens had the Philly leg of their road season last week, playing La Salle on the 6th and St. Joe's on the 9th. The problem? That just so happened to coincide with the back-to-back blizzards that obliterated the east coast.

In order to ensure that they made it to Philly in time, the Billikens arrived early on February 5th, a Friday. They didn't get back to St. Louis until the morning of the 12th.

That's a week of class time that St. Louis' kids missed.

"I would rather have lost both games," said Majerus, who earlier this season said the Missouri Valley Conference would be a better fit for SLU. "Nothing means more to me than the academic success of our players. We have compromised our players' academic success and we have put them behind a big 8-ball. Even if it was the best of weather, we're missing an entire week of school."

You want to know how long they were in Philly?

"At the end, I didn't even want to see a hoagie," coach Rick Majerus said.

Yeah, that was a long time.
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The team to watch in the A-10 isn't necessarily on the bubble

There has been a lot of talk over the last few weeks about the Atlantic 10 conference and the possibility of six teams from the league making the NCAA Tournament.

Xavier, Richmond, Charlotte, Dayton, Rhode Island, and Temple all could be dancing come Selection Sunday. That said, they each have some work left to do (some more than others) to lock up a bid. While it is much more likely that four or five teams end up making the dance, its not out of the realm of possibility that things break right and all six get a bid. (By things breaking right, I mean teams like Louisville getting smoked by teams like St. John's.)

That list does not include one of the most important teams in the A-10 race.

There are seven teams within one game of first place in the loss column in the A-10. The six listed above, and St. Louis.

St. Louis is 16-8 overall and 6-3 in the A-10. But their most important record is their 12-1 mark at home, which includes wins over Richmond and Nebraska.

You see, the Billikens could end up being the team that decides the league championship, and maybe even determines some tournament destinies, almost by default. They play seven more games this season. Five of them come against the six teams sitting above them in the standings, with four of those games coming at home - Dayton, Rhode Island, Xavier, and Temple while traveling to play Dayton to close the season.

Could a win over URI or Dayton keep the Rams or the Flyers out of the tournament?


Another note on the A-10 - I know that Charlotte was blown out by Dayton last night. I also know that Richmond won at Rhode Island last night. But it is still way, way too early to claim that Richmond is a lock, or that Charlotte may have cost themselves a bid.

Richmond closes the season at Xavier, at home for Dayton, and at Charlotte over the span of seven days. Charlotte still has to play Xavier, at Rhode Island, and at home for Charlotte.

That's a lot of basketball to be played against some good competition.

You don't think Richmond could lose all three of those games, fall into sixth in the A-10, and lose in the first round of the conference tournament?

You don't think Charlotte could win five or six games down the stretch and win the A-10 regular season outright?

If the tournament were to start today, Richmond would be in, and Charlotte would be one of the last few teams to be decided upon.

Beyond that, there's not much you can say.

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Rick Majerus must have really liked Public Enemies

Do you remember the name Anthony DiLoreto?

He is a 7'0" recruit from Minnesota that had committed to Cal Poly San Luis Obisbo. But he never enrolled.

Why?

Because he was arrested ... for robbing a bank!

This is what happened. DiLoreto and a friend drove 125 miles to Wisconsin, and while DiLoreto sat outside in the getaway car, his friend went into the bank to rob it. But DiLoreto got scared, left the bank, and began driving home. His friend was caught 45 minutes later walking along the side of the road. He spilled the beans, and the seven-footer was arrested back in his Minnesota hometown.

Anthony DiLoreto has been offered by Rick Majerus
despite the fact he hasn't settled the charges against him.
(photo credit: BIAH)

Yes, this is a serious crime, but that doesn't mean this kid doesn't deserve a second chance. We all make poor decisions growing up, and whether it is smoking a little reefer, getting in a fight, or cheating on a test, high school debauchery does not an evil person make.

DiLoreto, who reneged on his commitment to Cal Poly, has been receiving some interest from A-10, Big Ten, and WCC schools, and when he gets all these legal issues figured out (assuming he keeps his nose clean), I see no reason why he shouldn't get a shot at turning his life around. Hey, Zack Randolph and Allen Iverson both did time in high school, and while they are far from model citizens, both have ùsomewhat managed to stay out of trouble.

Here's the issue: DiLoreto's next court date is August 7th, and the case could be settled by then. But according to Gary Parrish, he has already been offered a scholarship by Rick Majerus at St. Louis. I mean, the kid is still facing serious jail time - he tried to rob a freakin' BANK - and you've already offered?

That's the coaching world we live in these days. The "what have you won for me lately" mentality has made it a necessity for coaches to toss their scruples out the window. And we all know what a stand-up guy Majerus is.

Parrish got a great quote from one coach:

I'll take him right now, or in three-to-five years.

Sounds about right.
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