Xavier: "I guess I got my swagger back". Truth?

You can find the rest of the features from the #BIAHRoadTrip here.

This post is sponsored by the Hampton Inn & Suites Cincinnati Uptown/University.

CINCINNATI, OH - No team in the country has faced more scrutiny over the last month than Xavier has, and its all due to 9.4 seconds that everyone in Cincinnati wishes they could take back.

The Crosstown Punchout.

While the Bearcats used the fallout from the Brawl Seen 'Round the World to discover that they were able to effectively play small-ball, Xavier struggled. Despite having their full roster available after just four games -- and their talented back court back in the fold after just two -- the Musketeers entered Atlantic 10 play having lost four of five and promptly dropped their league opener to La Salle in ugly fashion, needing a late rally to make the final score look closer than the game was.
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College Hoops Week in Review: Tu Holloway, Baylor shine

Player of the Week: Tu Holloway, Xavier

Tu Holloway's final numbers from the week were impressive: 22.5 ppg, 4.0 apg, 4.5 rpg, 2.0 spg, six threes and 17-19 from the line. The wins that Xavier notched were equally good, as the Musketeers went into Nashville to knock off Vanderbilt in overtime on Monday and followed that up with a three-point win against Purdue on Saturday. What's more is that Xavier came from behind in both games, trailing Vanderbilt by 10 midway through the second half and finding themselves down 19 to Purdue with less than 10 minutes left.

Those numbers are more interesting, however, when you break up the game. For example, with 3:30 left in overtime against Vanderbilt, Holloway had just 14 points on 4-17 shooting. That stat line looks much more impressive after he hit back-to-back threes on the next two possessions and four straight free throws down the stretch to seal the win. Likewise, against Purdue, Holloway had just 10 points and six turnovers in the first 38 minutes of the game, but in the final two minutes he hit a three on three consecutive possessions and followed that up with two free throws, completing the most impressive comeback of the young season.


All told, Holloway had just 24 points on 6-23 shooting with seven turnovers in the two games prior to crunch time. But in the final three minutes against Vanderbilt and the last two minutes against Purdue, Holloway had 21 points, went 5-6 from beyond the arc and knocked down all six of his free throws attempts. And it was those 21 points that have kept Xavier among the ranks of the undefeated.

The All-They-Were-Good-Too Team

- G: Joe Ragland, Wichita State: Ragland had 15 points and three assists in a win over Cal St. Fullerton, but the reason he made this list is the 31 points -- on 8-9 shooting from three -- he had in an 89-70 win over UNLV. For the week, averaged 23.0 ppg, shooting 77.8% (14-18) from the floor and 84.6% (11-13) from three. He also added six assists and seven boards in the two games.

- G: Damian Lillard, Weber State: The Wildcats were just 1-1 on the week, losing to St. Mary's on the road, but that wasn't the result of anything that Lillard did. The dynamic scoring guard had 36 points in the loss to the Gaels and followed that up with 41 points in a double overtime win over San Jose State. Lillard hit a three to force the first overtime and won the game with an and-one in the second overtime.

- F: Hollis Thompson, Georgetown: Thompson led the Hoyas to a 3-0 week by averaging 17.7 ppg and 6.3 rpg. But it was the one game of the week where Thompson didn't score 20 points that he had the biggest impact. The junior forward buried a three from the wing with 1.8 seconds left to give Georgetown a two point win over Alabama in Tuscaloosa.

- F: Doug McDermott, Creighton: Doug McDermott had 25 points and 12 boards as the Bluejays knocked off Nebraska. That performance came just four days after McDermott went for 24 points and 12 boards as Creighton notched a win to put themselves on the map by coming from 17 down in the first half to beat San Diego State on the road.

- C: Mike Scott, Virginia: Scott averaged 19.0 ppg, 10.0 rpg and 3.5 apg as Virginia moved to 2-0 on the season with wins over Longwood and Michigan. In the win over Michigan, Scott had 18 points and 11 boards on 6-11 shooting, taking over for a four minute stretch in the second half that sparked the Cav's game-changing run.

- Bench: Ryan Boatright, UConn (23 pts, 6 asts, 5 rbs vs. Arkansas); Zach Filzen, Buffalo (25.0 ppg, 12-19 3's); Reggie Hamilton, Oakland (35 pts vs. Tennessee; 23.0 ppg, 6.0 apg in 3-0 week); Ken Horton, CCSU (31.0 ppg, 9.5 rpg); Anthony James, Northern Iowa (22.5 ppg, 6.5 rpg); Rob Jones, St. Mary's (21.0 ppg, 12.0 rpg, 3.0 apg, 2.5 bpg); James Kinney, SJSU (27.3 ppg, 18-31 3's); Arnett Moultrie, Mississippi State (21 pts, 13 rbs vs. West Virginia); Darryl Partin, Boston U (27.0 ppg, 5.5 rpg); Terrell Stoglin, Maryland (28.0 ppg)


Team of the Week: Baylor Bears

Let's start with the return of Perry Jones III. In his first game back from a five-game suspension stemming from illegal benefits that he received while in high school, Jones exploded for 27 points on 10-14 shooting, showcasing the kind of athleticism and versatility that makes NBA GM's salivate. Jones is a perfect fit for what Baylor wants to do on both ends of the floor, and while he had just 12 points and six boards in Baylor's win over Northwestern on Sunday, its obvious that his return has a chance to make Baylor a Final Four contender.


Speaking of that Northwestern game, Baylor recorded one of the most impressive defensive performances of the young season. Northwestern came in with one of the most high-powered offenses in the country, but after 40 minutes of dealing with the Bear's length and athleticism, the Wildcats managed just 41 points, shooting 24.1% from the floor and 4-26 from three. According to statsheet, the Wildcat's average offensive efficiency coming in was 110.5, but against Baylor, they posted an offensive efficiency of 66.2.

But as always, the issue with Baylor is at the point. Can AJ Walton and Pierre Jackson really be the kind of playmakers that Scott Drew's team needs? The 18 points, 8-10 shooting and eight assists the two combined for say yes. The seven turnovers they had say no.

Teams deserving a shout out

American: After knocking off St. Joe's at home on Sunday evening, the Eagles improved to 7-2 on the season and pushed their winning streak to seven games. With senior guard Charles Hinkle continuing his terrific play -- he had 32 points against St. Joe's after coming in averaging 22.3 ppg -- can the Eagles challenge Bucknell and Lehigh at the top of the Patriot League?

Boise State: The Broncos improved to 7-1 on the year with a sweep of MVC opponents this week, beating Drake by 44 points and following that up with a 74-65 win over Valley sleeper Indiana State. Could Boise State actually finish in the top half of the MWC?

Indiana: The Hoosiers knocked off Stetson by 34 on Saturday, but the win that everyone is going to take notice of was when they went into Raleigh and knocked off NC State in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. With players like Jordy Hulls, Cody Zeller and Christian Watford, there's no question that Tom Crean's club can score. The question is whether they are going to be able to defend.

Kansas State: The Wildcats put together a couple of nice wins this week. They used a second half run to put away both George Washington and Virginia Tech to remain undefeated. Most impressive, however, was Frank Martin taking his team across the country to play a fellow potential bubble dweller and winning.

Louisville: The Cardinals put together a couple of nice wins this week, knocking off Long Beach State on Monday before making a comeback in the second half to beat Vanderbilt. The Cards did it short-handed with what feels like half their roster continues to recover from injuries. Peyton Siva slowly-but-surely seems to be taking over the roll of the star for Louisville.

Marquette: The Golden Eagles continue to string together impressive wins. On Saturday, they went into the Kohl Center and knocked off Wisconsin while Jae Crowder managed just two points on four shots.

Minnesota: Did we count Minnesota out too early? The Gophers won two games this week after Trevor Mbakwe injured his knee, beating both Virginia Tech and USC to improve to 8-1 on the season. More impressive, still, is that Minnesota was also missing Ralph Sampson.

Northern Iowa: The Panthers continue to impress, winning games against both Colorado State and Iowa State this past week. The star of the week was Anthony James, who averaged 22.5 ppg and 6.5 rpg in the two wins.

Oakland: The highlight of a 3-0 week for the Grizzles was that, for the second straight season, Oakland knocked off Tennessee. And, also for the second straight season, the Grizzlies did it on national television. With Reggie Hamilton playing like an all-american, this is a team you don't want to face in March.

Ohio: The Bobcats are now 5-1 on the season after another 2-0 week. After proving themselves feisty by hanging with Louisville at the Yum! Center, Ohio went into Huntington, WV, and knocked off Marshall on Wednesday.

Ohio State: Ohio State smacked Duke. But Jared Sullinger has back spasms. Anything else?

Syracuse: A 2-0 week with a win over Florida despite all the negative attention the program has received surrounding Bernie Fine is promising.

Tulane: For the first time in more than two decades, the Green Wave are now 9-0. And for the first time since 2003, Tulane knocked off a team from the ACC when they beat Georgia Tech on Saturday afternoon. Its tough to really get a feel for how good this team is -- Georgia Tech isn't exactly going to be a Final Four team this season, and that's Tulane's best win -- but 9-0 is 9-0. Can Tulane make it into the top half of C-USA?

Wichita State: You want to talk about an impressive win? The Shockers absolutely beat down a UNLV team that handed then-No. 1 UNC their first loss of the season. The final was 89-70, but the Runnin' Rebels were never really in this game after the first few minutes. With the way that the Valley has started off this season, I think multiple NCAA Tournament bids -- maybe as many as three -- are likely.


Five thoughts:

- Missouri Valley: Last week, I said that the WCC was the best mid-major conference in the country. I'm not yet ready to back track on that statement, but the Missouri Valley is making a push to be involved in the conversation. We all know about the success that Creighton has had early in the season, firmly entrenching themselves in the top 25 with a come-from-behind road win over San Diego State. After beating UNLV, Wichita State moved to 6-2 on the season with their only losses coming to Alabama and a Temple team that still had Michael Eric, both in Puerto Rico. Northern Iowa is 7-1 on the season, with their lone loss coming at St. Mary's. The Panthers have six won six in a row, including games against Providence, Iowa State and Colorado State. Indiana State has lost two of their last three, but they get a shot on Dec. 17th to prove themselves at Vanderbilt.

The Valley doesn't quite have the same depth as the WCC does at this point, but those four teams I just listed all have a real shot at bringing home a league title. As always, the Valley race should be fun, and as long as the top teams take care of the teams at the bottom of the league, we should be getting more than one Valley member dancing.

- There are three "What in the hell is going on with them" teams in the country right now: Dayton, Loyola Marymount and Tulsa. The Flyers earned themselves some attention by winning the Old Spice Classic in Orlando, beating the likes of Minnesota and Fairfield. But apparently Dayton never left Florida, at least mentally, as they've lost their last two games by a combined 46 points to Buffalo and Murray State.

LMU looked like they had finally decided to play up to their potential this year when they knocked off UCLA early in the season. The Lions followed that up, however, with Middle Tennessee State and Harvard. Then, after beating another ranked opponent in St. Louis, LMU followed that up with home losses to Columbia and North Texas. And, lastly, Tulsa has as much talent on their roster as anyone in Conference USA. But their chances of winning the league look slim as the Golden Hurricane have lost five of their last six games, including Sunday's home loss to Arizona State, quite possibly the worst high-major team in the country.

- Middle Tennessee State: This team just keeps posting win after win after win. Nothing is overwhelmingly impressive -- at LMU, at UCLA by 20, at home vs. Akron by 24, only loss at Belmont in double-overtime -- but when they are all put together, that's a pretty intriguing resume. The problem is that it will be another week before we really get a gauge on whether we need to watch the game: that's when MTSU hosts Belmont and travels to Ole Miss.

- Atlantic 10: Sunday was a bad day for the A-10, as four teams expected to finish in the top half of the league -- Dayton, George Washington, Rhode Island and St. Joe's -- lost to Murray State, VCU, Maine and American, respectively. This came in the same week that St. Bonaventure lost to Arkansas State, St. Louis was upset by LMU and Temple got beaten by Bowling Green as Michael Eric was injured for six week. Xavier is terrific, but its looking more and more like the exciting race in the Atlantic 10 is going to be for second-place.

- Big 12: The Big 12 may not have an Elite 8 team in their midst, but that doesn't mean that this league won't be fun. Baylor and Missouri are playing as well as they are going to all season long. Kansas has enough talent to compete even in a down year. Texas A&M is finally getting healthy. Throw in Kansas State -- who just won at Virginia Tech to improve to 5-0 -- and Texas -- who came from 13 down to beat UCLA by double figures in Westwood.


Games of the Week:

Kentucky 73, UNC 72: We all remember what happened here. The two most talented teams in the country traded haymakers for 40 minutes before UNC inexplicably forgot to foul when they were down one with six seconds left:



While the ending was a bit anti-climactic, that shouldn't take away from how good this game was on the whole. You ready for that rematch in New Orleans?

Nevada 76, Washington 73 OT: Deonte Burton finally looked like the Deonte Burton that we all expected to see from the start of the season. The dynamic point guard had 31 points, including a three that forced overtime and eight of the Wolfpack's 10 points in the extra frame.

UNLV 94, UCSB 88 2OT: The ending to this game was out of this world. At the end of regulation, UNLV opted to foul UCSB when the Rebels were up three with just a couple of seconds left. UCSB hit the first and missed the second, but 7'3" Greg Somogyi got the loose ball and scored on the putback as the buzzer sounded. Then at the end of the first overtime, UCSB opted not to foul when they were up three, and Chace Stanback he a tough, falling down three to force five more minutes where UNLV would prevail.


Matchups of the Week:

- Tue. 12/6, 7 p.m. No. 13 Missouri vs. Villanova
- Tue. 12/6, 9 p.m. No. 16 Marquette vs. Washington
- Tue. 12/6, 9 p.m. Long Beach State @ No. 14 Kansas
- Wed. 12/7, 7 p.m. Arizona @ No. 9 Florida
- Wed. 12/7, 9 p.m. No. 11 Xavier @ Butler
- Thu. 12/8, 9 p.m. Harvard @ No. 10 UConn
- Sat. 12/10, 12 p.m. Washington vs. No. 4 Duke
- Sat. 12/10, 12:30 p.m. Cincinnati @ No. 11 Xavier
- Sat. 12/10, 2 p.m. No. 20 UNLV @ No. 7 Wisconsin
- Sat. 12/10, 3:15 p.m. No. 2 Ohio State @ No. 14 Kansas
- Sat. 12/10, 5:15 p.m. No. 1 Kentucky @ Indiana
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Stop me if you've heard this before: Tu comes thru in the clutch

There isn't a player in the country that I want taking a big shot over Tu Holloway.

Not a single one. And if you disagree with me, than you haven't been paying attention.

On Saturday afternoon, Holloway hit three straight three pointers and two free throws in the final two minutes as Xavier stormed back from a 19 point deficit with less than ten minutes left to knock off Purdue 66-63 at the Cintas Center on Saturday afternoon. Holloway finished with 21 points, meaning that he did more damage in the final two minutes than he did in the first 38 against the Boilermakers.



Purdue was in complete control of this game. They held Xavier to 22 first half points, forcing 18 turnovers in the process and putting forth the kind of defensive effort that we have come to expect from a Matt Painter-coached team. That surge continued early in the second half, culminating in a Ryne Smith three that put Purdue up 55-36 at the ten minute mark.

But that is when things started to change. Xavier used a 13-4 run to cut the lead to ten with six minutes left when the Musketeers got their biggest spark -- a cramping Robbie Hummel.

With Hummel rendered ineffective -- the images of him lying prone on the sideline with tears in his eyes from the amount of pain that he was in from "full-body cramps" were gut-wrenching -- Xavier took over. Holloway hit two free throws, Andre Walker hit a layup and Kenny Frease knocked down two free throws as Xavier got within five.

And then it was time for Holloway to shine.

He hit threes on three straight possessions, the second giving Xavier their first lead since 2-0 and the third breaking a 61-all tie with 45 seconds left. After the two teams traded free throws, Purdue missed two pretty good looks at a three to tie as time expired.

This game comes of the heels of Holloway knocking down back-to-back threes -- in a game that he was shooting 4-18 from the floor before the final minutes -- in overtime after Xavier came back from 10 down to beat Vanderbilt on the road.

Like I said, if this is a surprise to you, than you haven't been paying attention. He's been doing this since his name was still Terrell. In the first game of his college career, Holloway hit ten straight free throws down the stretch to knock off Missouri. And what about the big shots that he hit against Kansas State in the best game of the 2010 NCAA Tournament?

With the game on the line, no one in the country is better than Tu.


What We Learned

Purdue:

- The Boilermakers are still capable of playing the kind of defense that made them one of the best teams in the country the last three years. The way the end played out was disappointing -- and partly caused by the body of Robbie Hummel failing him yet again -- but for thirty minutes, the Boilermakers beat down Xavier on their own floor. That's worth something.

- The defense may be there, but Purdue is still missing something on the offensive end of the floor. Right now, Lewis Jackson is their secondary offensive option, and while I've been a fan of Jackson throughout his career, if he is your No. 2 option offensively, your team is in trouble. He can penetrate and he can create, but his poor jump shooting ability limits his offensive prowess. Someone needs to step up and become a bigger offensive threat. Kelsey Barlow, Terone Johnson, Anthony Johnson, anyone really.

Xavier:

- Xavier is more than just Tu Holloway. Mark Lyons finished with 14 points on eight shots. Kenny Frease and Andre Walker both added 10 points. Dezmine Wells, Brad Redford, Travis Taylor. Chris Mack has a number of weapons at his disposal.

- When they don't turn the ball over, Xavier has the ability to be a dangerous offensive team. The shot 53.7% from the floor. They hit six threes. They got to the line 27 times and grabbed 12 offensive rebounds. And while their 1.08 PPP number isn't all that impressive, the 1.69 PPP that they posted on possessions in which they didn't actually turn the ball over gives you an idea of what they can do.

- There really isn't a huge difference between Xavier and Vanderbilt or Xavier and Purdue in terms of talent. The difference is in how they execute in crunch time. Vanderbilt doesn't have a closer, Xavier does. Purdue usually has Robbie Hummel, but they didn't on Saturday. A player that can hit tough shots in big moments is the difference-maker when it comes to teams that have essentially equal levels of talent.
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Deadline Decisions: Who were the winners?

Yesterday was the (ridiculously early) end to the testing the waters period for players with college eligibility remaining. Here is the full list of players that have decided to keep their names in or pull their names out of draft contention.

Who were this year's deadline winners?

Kentucky: Kentucky lost two of their three early entrants, but would you have expected Terrence Jones to be the lone returnee? Brandon Knight announced last week, while on Sunday night DeAndre Liggins made his decision official as well. Jones, however, will return, meaning that John Calipari will likely be bringing Kyle Wiltjer, a top 25 recruit, off the bench next season. Jones will provide Kentucky with a legitimate front court scoring threat to go along with Michael Gilchrist's perimeter versatility and Anthony Davis' length and athleticism.


Pitt: The Panthers got a whole lot better when Ashton Gibbs made the decision to return to school. Not only was he Pitt's leading scorer a year ago, but he is a potential all-american next season. Gibbs is the only player on the Panthers with the ability to create a shot in a half court setting. And with Brad Wanamaker graduating, Gibbs will have more of a chance to show NBA people that he can create with the dribble.

Xavier: The Musketeers caught a break when Tu Holloway, who could very well end up being the bet point guard in the country next season, opted to return to Xavier for his senior season, making Xavier one of the early favorites to win the Atlantic 10. Holloway was up there with Jimmer Fredette and Kemba Walker as one of the most valuable players in the country last year, and much of the same should be expected next season.

New Head Coaches:

• Jim Larrananga caught a huge break with Reggie Johnson's decision to pull his name out of the NBA Draft. The new Hurricanes head coach is walking into a good situation at Miami. Everyone in the Miami rotation a year ago is returning, including the talented back court of Durand Scott and Malcolm Grant while Garrius Adams and DeQuan Jones provide versatility on the wings. Johnson's return means that Larrananga will now have one of the best big men in the ACC at his disposal as well. The 'Canes won't be winning the ACC, but don't be shocked if they are in the mix for the third spot, behind UNC and Duke.
  

• Missouri has a chance to be one of the best teams in the Big 12 next season as both Laurence Bowers and Kim English opted to return to school for their senior seasons. That means that Frank Haith, in his first season in Columbia, will have a fully stocked cupboard at his disposal. Marcus Denmon, Phil Pressey, Ricardo Ratliffe, and Michael Dixon are all back as well. With Kansas and Texas losing a ton of talent, Missouri has a chance to compete for the conference title.
  

Hollis Thompson: Thompson has the tools and the skill set to potentially be a first round pick one day. But after spending two seasons playing out of position and in the role of glue guy, Thompson wasn't much more than a Big East afterthought his first two seasons at Georgetown. With Austin Freeman and Chris Wright graduating, and an influx of front court talent, Thompson will be a featured player for the Hoyas next season.

West Virginia: The Mountaineers lost a lot this past season. Casey Mitchell, John Flowers, and Joe Mazzulla graduated. Danny Jennings is no longer with the team. The entire 2010 freshmen class seemingly evaporated. Dalton Pepper, Deniz Kilicli, and Truck Bryant are all back, but without Kevin Jones in the fold, the Mountaineers would have had a long season. It will be interesting to see how Jones develops; he had a bit of a disappointing season as a junior.

Texas A&M: The Aggies are going to be a team to keep an eye on next season in the Big 12. With Khris Middleton opting not to put his name in the draft and David Loubeau withdrawing from consideration on Sunday, Mark Turgeon's team once again has the make up of one that can compete at the top of their league.

Austin Peay: The Governors finished third in the Sun Belt a season a go, behind Murray State and Morehead State. With both MSU's losing a number of key players, Austin Peay jumped up to preseason favorite to win the league with TyShawn Edmundson's decision to return for his senior season. Edmundson averaged 17.3 ppg a season ago.

Olu Ashaolu and Brandon Wood: Ashaolu opted to return to school, but he will transfer from Louisiana Tech for his senior season. Since he has already graduated, he will be eligible to play immediately, which means that the winner will be who ever is able to land him as a transfer. The same can be said for Wood, who withdrew from the draft and instead opted to transfer to Michigan State. The former Valpo guard will be eligible to play immediately after graduating. He averaged 15.1 ppg last season.

Northwestern: John Shurna pulled his name out of the NBA Draft, which means that the Wildcats will have their most talented scorer for his senior season. Will this once again spark the preseason debate of whether or not the Wildcats can make their first NCAA Tournament?

Other Notable returnees: Orlando Johnson (UCSB), Greg Mangano (Yale), Cameron Moore (UAB), Tony Taylor (George Washington)
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Where are Tu Holloway and Jordan Taylor?

This post can also be found at Beyond the Arc.

The 10 finalists for the Bob Cousy award were released this afternoon. They are, in alphabetical order:

• Norris Cole, Cleveland State
• Corey Fisher, Villanova
• Jimmer Fredette, BYU
• D.J. Gay, San Diego State
• Brandon Knight, Kentucky
• Demetri McCamey, Illinois
• Mickey McConnell, St. Mary’s
• Nolan Smith, Duke
• Isaiah Thomas, Washington
• Kemba Walker, UConn

They are all good players, there's no question about that. In fact, three of the four favorites for national player of the year are on this list -- Jimmer Fredette, Kemba Walker, and Nolan Smith.

That said, there are two notable names missing: Jordan Taylor of Wisconsin and Tu Holloway of Xavier.

With all due respect to everyone on that list, there really is no excuse for Taylor and Holloway to be left out. In fact, after Fredette, Walker, and Smith, I'd say that Holloway and Taylor have been the two best point guards in the country this season.

There are currently four players averaging 20.0 ppg and 5.0 apg -- Norris Cole, Smith, Charles Jenkins of Hofstra (who has a legitimate argument to be included on this list as well), and Holloway. His play this season has been the biggest reason that Xavier is currently tied for first place in the Atlantic 10. He's filled the scoring void left by Jordan Crawford and put an injury-depleted Musketeer team on his back.

As good as Holloway has been this season, Taylor has been better. He's the model of efficiency when it comes to playing the point. His averages of 17.8 ppg, 4.6 apg, and 4.4 rpg are all the more impressive when you consider that Wisconsin averages the fewest possessions of any team in the country. Wisconsin isn't just the slowest team in the country, they are the most efficient in large part dude to the fact that they turn the ball over less than eight times per game. Taylor leads the way in that department as well, turning the ball over just 25 times despite playing 35.5 mpg as the team's primary ball handler.

I'm not saying that either of these two points guards are the best in the country. That argument isn't possible, not with Fredette, Walker, and Smith eligible.

But there is no way that they are not among the top ten point guards in the country.

And its a shame they aren't being given the credit they deserve.
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1/31 - College Hoops Week in Review: Louisville, Georgetown, and New Mexico make moves

Game of the Week: Louisville 79, UConn 78 2OT

Louisville doesn't have any one star, but Peyton Siva sure looked like he is primed to be one down the stretch against the Huskies. Louisville trailed for much of the second half, getting down by as much as nine points midway through the half. But Siva sparked a 14-3 run with an and-one bucket in the paint and capped it with two free throws that gave the Cardinals a 57-55 lead. UConn would score four straight points, but Siva broke down UConn's defense -- something that would become a common theme -- and score another tough bucket in the paint with 30 seconds left to tie the game. Kemba Walker got a decent look at a jumper on the baseline, but he missed and the game headed to overtime.


In that first OT, Preston Knowles scored Louisville's first five points, but a Shabazz Napier three and four UConn free throws gave the Huskies a 68-64 lead. After Mike Marra hit a three and Napier went 1-2 from the line, Siva again broke down the UConn defense, tying the game with a dunk in traffic. Walker had two defenders run at him and gave the ball up to Jeremy Lamb, who missed a three point floater that would have won the game.

In the second overtime, back to back threes gave the Cardinals a six point lead, and while UConn made a push, it was two driving hoops from Siva that ended being the difference. Why? Because Louisville missed three straight free throws down the stretch that nearly cost them the game. But with the score 79-78 and eight seconds left, UConn took six seconds to get the ball in Kemba's hands. He was forced to take a 35 foot three for the win that bounced off the rim. With the win, the Cardinals moved into sole possession of second place in the Big East.



Florida 104, Georgia 91 2OT: In a back and forth game down in Athens, the Gators rallied from a nine point first half deficit to take a lead late in the second half. But Georgia made a run, and thanks to two missed free throws by Erving Walker, Georgia was able to force overtime on a tip-in by Trey Thompkins at the buzzer:



After an exciting overtime period, Florida was able to force a second overtime period thanks to this 30 footer from Erving Walker:



In the second overtime, Chandler Parsons got hot and the Gators eventually won by 13 points, but the best moment of the game had nothing to with basketballs.

Utah State 89, Hawaii 84 2OT: The Aggies won their 15th straight game and moved to 9-0 in the WAC, but it wasn't easy. Hawaii was down by as much as 10 points in the second half, but Zane Johnson and Jeremiah Ostrowski sparked a come back. Bill Amis eventually gave the Rainbows the lead at 61-60. The two teams would trade baskets before Brian Green, who had a team-high 22 points, hit a tough pull up jumper to force the first overtime. Hawaii again had a late lead in the first OT, but Green once again tied the game with a 28 foot three. In the second OT, USU jumped out to an early lead, but after Johnson hit a three to cut the lead to 80-79, the Aggies hit their free throws down the stretch to win the game.

Half-court buzzer beaters: Is it just me, or does it seem like there are more buzzer beaters than usual this season. Weber State handed Northern Colorado their first loss of the Big Sky season on this 45 footer from Scott Bamforth:



Not to be outdone, freshman Michael Alvarado of Manhattan banked in a 55 footer to beat Marist:




Player of the Week: Peyton Siva, Louisville

Siva didn't put up the greatest numbers this week -- in two Louisville wins, he averaged 17.5 ppg and 5.0 apg -- but when his points came were much more important than the total number that he scored. Against West Virginia, he helped spark a comeback from an 11 point second half deficit, sealing the win with a tough, up-and-under layup off the glass.



As we already mentioned, Siva was unstoppable in the final minutes against UConn, dissecting the Huskie's defense for four huge buckets late in the game. The knock of Louisville all season long has been that they don't have a star, that they don't have a go-to player that they can give the ball to down the stretch. After this performance from Siva, it appears the Cardinals now have two.

Preston Knowles has hit a number of big shots in his career. He also sparked Louisville's comeback from 18 points down against Marquette. Combine his shot making with Siva's play making ability, and the Cardinals back starts to look much more dangerous.

The All-the-were-good-too team (This was hard to do. There were a lot of terrific performances by back court players):

• G: Darius Morris, Michigan: Morris was terrific in the Wolverine's win over Michigan State, scoring 17 points and dishing out eight assists. He was even better in a win over Iowa, finishing with 12 points, 10 boards, and 11 assists to notch the second triple double in Michigan history.
  
• G: Tu Holloway, Xavier: Xavier certified their dominance in the Atlantic 10 with a 23 point win at Richmond. Holloway was incredible, scoring 33 points to go along with seven boards, five assists, and a 17-17 performance from the line while helping to hold Kevin Anderson to 10 points. Oh, and he had 22 in a win over George Washington as well.
• G: Brian Green, Utah State: Green had 28 points in the Aggies win against San Jose State early in the week, but it was his 22 point performance against Hawaii that drew my attention. Not only did he score 22 points, but he forced overtime and double overtime with clutch jumpers down the stretch, the second of which was a 28 footer.
  
• F: Mike Singletary, Texas Tech: Singletary had 33 points, 10 boards, and five assists (the first ever 30-10-5 game in Big XII history) against Iowa State while adding 25 points and seven boards in an overtime win over Oklahoma State.
  
• C: Kenneth Faried, Morehead State: Faried's best performance this week was a 23 point, 23 rebound performance he had in a win over Tennessee State. He also went for 17 points and 16 boards in a win over Austin Peay and notched 13 points and 15 boards as the Eagles won at Ball State. Should I mention he also had seven blocks, five steals, and 19 offensive boards?
  
• Bench: Jimmer Fredette, BYU (37.5 ppg, including 43 vs. SDSU); Talor Battle, Penn State (22.5 ppg, had 20 2nd half points in a win over Wisconsin); Austin Freeman, Georgetown (30 points in a win at Villanova); Rotnei Clarke, Arkansas (26.0 ppg, including 36 in a win at Vanderbilt); Steven Pledger, Oklahoma (38 points, including 12 in overtime, in win over Iowa State)
  

Team of the Week: Georgetown Hoyas

Three weeks ago, I said I was almost ready to write off the Hoyas. Its a good thing I put an "almost" in that sentence, because the Hoyas have proved that their season is anything but finished. Georgetown had two impressive wins this week. On Wednesday, they smacked a St. John's team by 25 that would go on to do the same thing to Duke on Sunday. Then on Saturday, the Hoyas went into Philly and knocked off Villanova 69-66. Chris Wright is still struggling (he didn't score a single point against Villanova) but thanks to Austin Freeman's resurgence (he had 30 at Villanova), Jason Clark's excellent all-around play, and Hollis Thompson's move to sixth man, the Hoyas are playing some of their best basketball of the season.


Its perfect timing. Georgetown is now 5-4 in the Big East, but with Villanova and Syracuse both coming back to earth and the question marks surrounding Louisville, Notre Dame, and UConn, there really only seems to be one dominant team in the Big East. Georgetown is still very much in the thick of the race for a top four seed in the Big East and a double bye in the conference tournament next month.

Teams deserving a shout out: This week was one of the crazier weeks I've ever experienced as a college hoops fan. Teams ranked in the top 25 went a preposterous 22-20 this week. Included in that record was this weekend, where 13 of the top 25 teams in the country picked up a loss. That doesn't mean that the past week was forgettable for everyone, however:

New Mexico: The Lobos picked up two huge wins this week, knocking off both TCU and BYU at the Pit. The BYU win was incredibly important, as it gives Steve Alford's club a win to hang their tournament resume on. New Mexico has plenty of talent on their roster, but seeing as this is a relatively new team -- they lost Darington Hobson and Roman Martinez last season and added three freshmen this season and Drew Gordon in December -- it looks as if it has taken a while for this team to gel. New Mexico has the pieces to be capable of a run down the stretch of the season. Hopefully, knocking off the Cougars is the spark they needed.

Louisville: As we mentioned, Peyton Siva's performance in the clutch this week was impressive. The Cardinals picked up two huge wins over teams in the upper half of the Big East and now sit alone in second place in the conference. Keep in mind, the Cardinals are doing all of this without Raheem Buckles. Or Jared Swopshire, for that matter.

Texas: All of a sudden, the Longhorns look like one of the four or five best teams in the country. This week, they picked up a tough win at Oklahoma State on the night the Cowboys honored the ten year anniversary of the plane crash that killed ten members of their team before they demolished Missouri at home. The final of that 71-58 win against Missouri doesn't do the Longhorn's dominance justice, either. If they hadn't shot 16-34 from the free throw line, it would have been a 25 point win.

Xavier: This wasn't supposed to be Xavier's year. With the injuries and eligibility issues they have had this season, it was supposed to be Temple and Richmond that rose to the top of the Atlantic 10. But after a 23 point beatdown of the Spiders in Richmond on Saturday, the Muskies are now sitting at 7-0 in league play and well on their way to another conference championship and NCAA Tournament bid. Chris Mack better have his name near the top of every Coach of the Year list.


Penn State: Believe it or not, the Nittany Lions are now officially on the bubble, which is impressive considering this is a team that few thought was capable of competing in the Big Ten this season. Well, compete they have, as the Bryce Jordan Center has become the conference's best home court advantage. With wins over Illinois and Michigan State at home already, Talor Battle scored 20 of his 22 points in the second half as Penn State rallied from a nine point halftime deficit to knock off Wisconsin. Penn State has a brutal finish to the season -- @ Illinois, Michigan, @ Michigan State, Northwestern, Minnesota, @ Wisconsin, @ Northwestern, Ohio State, @ Minnesota -- but if they can piece together a .500 record in that stretch, the bubble is weak enough that this group could very well sneak into the Big Dance.

Kansas: Kansas won at Colorado and at home against Kansas State this week, which wouldn't be all that impressive if they didn't have a midweek trip to Washington DC for the funeral of Thomas Robinson's mother. Kansas has as much talent in the world, and with this added motivation and support, the Jayhawks are a scary team this season. It should be noted that in the win over Kansas State, Robinson had 17 points and nine boards.

Washington State: The Cougars have fallen down to fourth in the Pac-10 standings, but that doesn't mean this is a team that you can write off just yet. They proved that fact with an 87-80 win over Washington on Sunday night. When Klay Thompson, Faisal Aden, and Reggie Moore are all playing well, Wazzu is not a team that you want to be playing.

VCU: The Commodores moved into sole possession of first place in the CAA with a 3-0 week, which included a statement win over Hofstra. I saw this team play at the Preseason NIT in November, and I said then that they looked like a group capable of winning a game or two in the NCAA Tournament. They are balanced, they have a ton of shooters, and they have a high-major post presence in Jamie Skeen.

Northern Iowa: The Panthers have now won seven straight games in the Valley, capping off that streak with a hard fought, 61-60 win over Missouri State on the road. The Panthers are the hottest team in the conference, sit just a game back of both the Bears and Wichita State, and own road wins over both the teams they trail in league play.

Morehead State: The Ohio Valley may not be the two team race we all expected it to be as five teams are within a game of first place. But thanks to a 2-0 week against two of those five teams, the Eagles find themselves just a game behind Austin Peay and Murray State in the loss column.

Seton Hall: I want the Pirates to be successful this season. We all talk about how devastating this season has been for Thomas Robinson, but no one mentions that the Pirates are a misplaced defibrillator and a poorly aimed bullet away from losing their two best players, Herb Pope and Jeremy Hazell. This past week, the Pirates started their season in the right direction, beating Syracuse by 22 points in the Dome and knocking off Providence.

Texas Tech and Oklahoma: Neither Texas Tech nor Oklahoma will be fighting for an at-large bid this season, but it appears both teams are fighting to keep their coaches employed. Both the Red Raiders and the Sooners are on three game winning streaks right now.


Matchups of the Week:

• 1/31 - 7:00 pm: Louisville @ Georgetown
• 1/31 - 9:00 pm: Texas @ Texas A&M
• 2/1 - 7:00 pm: Purdue @ Wisconsin
• 2/1 - 9:00 pm: Vanderbilt @ Florida
• 2/1 - 9:00 pm: Boston College @ North Carolina
• 2/2 - 7:00 pm: Syracuse @ UConn
• 2/2 - 7:00 pm: Marquette @ Villanova
• 2/2 - 7:00 pm: George Mason @ Hofstra
  
• 2/2 - 9:00 pm: Duke @ Maryland
• 2/5 - 12:00 pm: Butler @ Cleveland State
  
• 2/5 - 12:00 pm: West Virginia @ Villanova
• 2/5 - 2:00 pm: Old Dominion @ George Mason
  
• 2/5 - 4:00 pm: UNLV @ BYU
• 2/5 - 4:00 pm: Memphis vs. Gonzaga
  
• 2/5 - 9:00 pm: Kentucky @ Florida
• 2/6 - 1:00 pm: Wisconsin @ Michigan State
• 2/6 - 2:00 pm: Ohio State @ Minnesota
  

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Xavier loses another player

Xavier caught a couple of breaks during the Christmas holiday.

Specifically, Mark Lyons and Tu Holloway, who were both stranded in their native New York by a massive blizzard that blanketed the region and made travel near impossible, were able to make it back to Cincinnati in time for their Tuesday night game against Albany.

But Xavier also caught a bad break this week.

Freshman Jay Canty, a 6'6" wing that was playing 9.5 mpg, will be out at least a month with a broken right foot. He joins Brad Redford (torn acl) and Justin Martin (ineligible) as Musketeers that are unable to play.

The leaves X with just nine healthy scholarship players. Essentially, their back court only goes three deep, with Lyons, Holloway, and Dante Jackson being the only guards in what is now a seven-man Xavier rotation. To make matters worse, those three are generally on the court at the same time, meaning Xavier will not have a scholarship player to back up anyone on the perimeter.

That's scary.
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