The leadership of Brad Burgess will determine how far VCU goes this year

WASHINGTON DC - VCU is no longer a secret.

Like it or not, this team is going to have a target on their back all season long. Every stop they make on the road this season, the Rams are going to attract a larger media horde. And after every game, they are going to be asked questions about last season's run to the Final Four and how it affected some random aspect of that evening's game.

"Everyone wants to talk about last year," VCU head coach Shaka Smart said after the Rams beat George Washington 75-60 in the opener of the BB&T Classic at the Verizon Center. "We get lots of questions from the media, even now on Dec. 4th, about last year. We're going to be polite, we're going to answer questions, but at the same time in our mind, last year's over. And its not going to win us any games this year."

VCU learned that the hard way early in the season, as they last to both Seton Hall and Georgia Tech by double figures while struggling to beat Western Kentucky and St. Francis (PA).


But the last four games have been a different story. VCU smacked WKU -- in one of the stranger scheduling quirks of the year, VCU played WKU in the 7th place game at the Charleston Classic three days before they played them in Bowling Green -- and gave Alabama everything they could handle before winning the last two games by an average of 19 points.

The difference is easy to spot.

In the Ram's first four games, senior forward Brad Burgess averaged 10.0 ppg while shooting 25.6% (10-39) from the field and 29.4% (5-17) from beyond the arc. In the last four, he's looked like the guy that many, including myself, thought had the ability to be the CAA's Player of the Year. Burgess has averaged 18.3 ppg over that stretch, hitting 45.1% (23-51) from the floor and 43.3% (13-30) from deep.

And against GW, Burgess had easily his best game of the season. He finished with 24 points and five boards, knocking down 8-15 from the floor and 4-8 from three while also tallying two steals, a block and not a single turnover. Burgess was hot early, helping VCU build a lead that grew to 13 in the first half, and hit a number of big jumpers down the stretch when GW made their run.

"The difference was Brad. He played like a senior, he played like a leader. He allowed us to keep the lead at the end," Smart said. "It was great to see Brad start to hit shots. We want him shooting the ball a lot. I think our guys are learning more and more to look for him."

What makes Burgess so dangerous in the VCU offense is that he has the skills of a guard, but the size, strength and toughness to hold his own in the paint. That allows Smart to use Burgess at the power forward spot, where his perimeter skills and shooting ability creates mismatches on the offensive end of the floor. The Rams are an uptempo team that love to press defensively and spread the court offensively, looking to create space to penetrate and open looks from beyond the arc, a system that fits Burgess' skill-set perfectly.

"Honestly, I consider him a guard, but he is 6'6" and he's big and strong so it allows us to play him at the four spot and it allows us to create mismatches for the other team," Smart said. "Hopefully, its not too big of a mismatch for us at the other end. It allows us to have another ball-handler out there, a really good shooter. On some of our ball-screen stuff, it allows us to throw it back to him and he gets wide open shots."

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VCU's struggles in their first four games caused some people to write this group off. That's what happens when you lose four starters -- including stars Joey Rodriguez and Jamie Skeen -- from a team that finished fourth in the Colonial during the regular season. Instead of playing a role this season, Burgess is being asked to be the star, to be the face of the program. The Rams need him to be the guy that is not only going to be counted on to hit the big shot but to be the guy that picks up one of his young teammates when they are having an off-night.

Smart is counting on Burgess to not only be the leading scorer and the star, but to be this team's inspirational leader.

"Brad has always been someone that leads by example," Smart said, "but he's learned this year that he's someone we need to step up and talk more. And he's done that. Games like today, he's really been our vocal leader. We wouldn't have won the game without him."

VCU is a very young team. Burgess is the only senior on the roster. Only two juniors -- Troy Daniels and Darius Theus -- are in the rotation. Everyone else is either a freshmen or a sophomore. There's certainly quite a bit of talent on the rest of the roster -- sophomores Rob Brandenburg, Juvonte Reddic and DJ Haley all look like they have a chance to become all-CAA players down the road, while freshmen Reco McCarter and Teddy Okereafor were good enough to earn a handful of high-major offers -- but its raw talent.

That group of youngsters has been forced to learn on the fly, and they've done a pretty good job. The Rams handled South Florida and GW easily and nearly beat Alabama in Tuscaloosa. That counts for something, but these kids still have plenty of room to grow, and its not just developing their basketball skills.

"Just confidence, every body playing with confidence," Burgess said when asked about where his team needs to grow. "We're a young team, sometimes if things don't go well, we drop our games and get down on ourselves. We're a good team, so when things don't go well, you have to battle through and move on to the next play. You have to make sure that at the next opportunity, you make the play."

Smart, on the other hand, is looking for more consistent effort, saying "When we are the aggressor, we're pretty good. We have to be the tougher, scrappier team."

The CAA is wide open this season, as league favorites -- Drexel and George Mason -- struggle and CAA stalwarts -- Old Dominion, Hofstra and even VCU -- are all in rebuilding years. There's no reason that the Rams can't grow into a team capable of winning the Colonial come February and March.

But they will only go as far as Burgess leads them.
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There's a reason that college basketball players are in such good condition

Every team at every level of college basketball has some form of 'Hell Week'.

When I was in college, Hell Week was the first week of official practices in mid-October. That week always ended up being the same week as our Fall Break, meaning that our coaches had free reign at us without having to worry about class schedules. Obviously, that meant double sessions. The mornings consisted of conditioning -- sprints, two-mile runs, weights, plyos -- all before lunch. The afternoons were reserved for our actual practices, which were just as intense and physically demanding. Six days of this was brutal.

That, however, seems like a cakewalk compared to the 6 am Navy SEAL training Shaka Smart has his players going through. From CBSSports.com's Matt Norlander:

The workouts go from 6:30 to 8 a.m., though can feel three times as long. Burgess said at some points it was absolutely brutal, as you’d imagine. I spoke to him early Wednesday morning, and he sounded tired as hell.

“We carried each other, did a lot of push-ups,” Burgess said. There was also ab work, tug-of-war and sled-tugging. Wednesday morning was more individual workouts. “We had to run, do bear crawls, crab walking. It was a lot of long-distance running. ... He’s trying to get our mental aspects of the game right. He teaches us to battle fatigue just like our coaches have all along."

Frankly, any conditioning workouts you go through early in the season are going to be brutal, whether they are based on Navy SEAL training or not. That Navy SEAL factor only adds to the level of anxiousness the players have when they crawl into bed early in order to be able to wake up for pre-dawn bear crawls. (If you have never done a bear crawl, try doing a lengthy sprint crawling on your hands and feet, not your hands and knees. Not fun.) . But the cool part about VCU's workout are that everyone on the staff -- including head coach Shaka Smart all the way down to the Director of Basketball Operations -- is taking part. Its a team building exercise, learning to overcome adversity and legs made of gelatin as a team.

"The great, great thing instructor McGuire preached was, when you get done, you don’t stand and rest. You go back to last. You go back to the last guy in line and help him finish," Smart told Norlander.

There may only be one team in the country that would trade their conditioning sessions with VCU: the Memphis Tigers.

Why?

Because they are spending their fall working out with the terrifyingly mysterious Frank Mastriciano. How intense are his workouts? Freshman Adonis Thomas has already put on 25 pounds of muscle, going from a 6'7", 205 lb kid to a chiseled, 230 lb beast.

How intimidating is he? The Memphis players won't even talk about him.

"Is that Frank yelling?" Memphis beat writer Jason Smith asked Preston Laird at a late-August workout he was allowed to attend.

"I'm not saying anything," Laird answered, smiling.

Later, after Smith thought he caught a glimpse of Mastriciano, he asked Ferrakhon Hall for confirmation. Hall simply "smiled and shrugged his shoulders".

And you think cross-fit is tough.
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NBA Draft Profiles: Jamie Skeen, VCU

Bjorn Zetterberg of SwishScout.com will be helping us out with all of our NBA Draft Profiles this year. You can follow him on twitter @swishscout.

To browse through the latest prospect profiles, click here. To see a complete list of the players we have profiled, click here.

Stats: 15.7 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 1.0 bpg, 41.9 3PT%

Age: 23, senior

Size:

• Listed: 6'9", 240 lb
• Official: 6'6.5" (no shoes), 6'8" (with shoes), 7'1.25" (wingspan), 8'10.5" (reach), 242 lb

Strengths: Skeen has developed into a fairly dangerous inside-outside threat. His reputation throughout his career has been as a face-up forward, and that rep is well-deserved; Skeen shot 41.9% from three this season and became a dangerous pick-and-pop threat for VCU in their run to the Final Four. He's also added a solid interior game. He's got some bulk and a soft touch inside, which allows him to finish around the rim. He doesn't have a huge variety of moves on the block, but he is effective with what he does have -- spins, drop-steps, jump hooks over his left shoulder.

Weaknesses: Skeen is a bit small for an ideal NBA power forward, checking in at just 6'8" in shoes. And while he does have a nice wingspan, he's not overwhelmingly athletic or explosive. Its possible for undersized power forwards to thrive in the NBA (Brandon Bass, Paul Millsap, etc.), but one of the areas where concerns have been raised is Skeen's rebounding. He did average 7.3 rpg and had some impressive games against quality competition (14 boards against Tennessee, 10 against Kansas in the Elite 8), but NBA scouts are the kings of the nitpickers, and Skeen's lack of dominance on the glass will be a concern. Skeen's post-game, while effective in college, does not have an abundance of advanced moves. He's effective with what he does, but simply going over his left shoulder is not going to work as an undersized four in the league.

Comparisons:

• Best Case Scenario: A mix between Robert Horry and Rodney Rogers. Both Horry and Rogers carved out long NBA careers by playing the role of a big man that was able to step out and knock down a three ball. Rogers was probably a better scorer than Skeen and Horry was more athletic (and more clutch?), but the same kind of career arc is what Skeen will be hoping for.


• Worst Case Scenario: If Skeen is able to hang around on the back end of NBA rosters, Brian Cook isn't a bad comparison. But I think the worst case scenario for Skeen is a career in Europe. He's got the skillset -- physical forward, can knock down a jumper -- that European teams love. It isn't the NBA, but there is certainly money to be made in Europe.

Outlook: Skeen's collegiate career was a winding road. The 2006 player of the year in North Carolina, Skeen injured his knee before enrolling at Wake Forest, but still managed to make the ACC all-freshmen team. After seeing his minutes get cut as a sophomore, Skeen transferred out of Wake early in his junior year after being suspended by the school amidst academic troubles. He ended up at VCU, where he didn't really burst onto the scene until this season. Despite all of those issues, Skeen has drawn rave reviews for his work ethic and his coachability from everywhere he has been associated. Skeen has been through a lot in his career, and it has helped him mature as a person and a player. He doesn't have the skill set to be a star in the NBA, but if he continues to work hard, carry himself professionally, and accept the role he is assigned at the next level, he's got a chance to carve himself out a nice NBA career.

Draft Range: Mid-to-Late 2nd Round

And the experts say...

• Chad Ford: "Skeen was special in the tournament and saved his best for last : a 26-point, 10-rebound outburst against Kansas' NBA-sized front line and 27 points against Butler in the Final Four. Skeen's a true inside-outside player. He battles for position in the paint and he can let it fly from 3-point range. He's not going to be a lottery pick, but he's moved from certain free agent to a legit shot at getting drafted -- either in the late-first round or the second round."


• Draft Express: "Though he continues to show flashes of a face-up game, he is most effective in the post, where he has evolved into a gritty finisher. While his footwork and touch around the basket are much improved, his post arsenal remains limited and predictable as he lacks much in the way of countermoves. He is best when executing a simple spin move into a jump hook over his left shoulder, where he can create space using his bulk and finish with his soft touch. He must work on improving his off hand, as his effectiveness as a post-scorer finisher is limited at the next level."


• Swish Scout: "Fundamental forward who can be utilized in the high pick and roll because of his ability to pop out and knock down the perimeter jumper or open three. Skeen has great strength, length, basketball IQ, and motor, but he lacks great athleticism and refinement on his offensive post game that could force him into being a back up."

Highlights:




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Should the burden of a pay raise fall on the students?

College basketball programs are often criticized when they don't open up their bank accounts to keep a dynamic, up-and-coming young head coach around.

They are lauded when they do.

The most recent example of this is Wichita State's Gregg Marshall. After leading the Shockers to the NIT title and a second place finish in the Missouri Valley during the regular season, Marshall received a three-year extension and a $100,000 raise, meaning that he will be cashing $900,000 worth of checks annually until 2018.

Much of the reason behind Marshall landing this extension was due to his success on the basketball court -- when he first took over the program, the Shockers were buried at the bottom of the conference. But what cannot be ignored is that some bigger programs came poking around this offseason. Marshall's name was throw in the mix during both the NC State and Texas A&M coaching searches.

That's the same reason that Richmond's Chris Mooney, Butler's Brad Stevens, and VCU's Shaka Smart all got raises and extensions in the past two years. The lack of a raise played a role in Jim Larrananga's decision to leave George Mason for Miami.

It makes sense. Coaches are like people in any other profession. They want job and financial security while working at a place they enjoy in a city they can raise their family. Contract extensions are a great way to provide the first half of those requirements.

The issue is that someone has to pay for those contract extensions, which is a difficult thing to do considering that most athletic departments are already operating in the red. Many times, the money comes from private donors and boosters, like in Wichita State's case.

In VCU's case, however, is it possible that the burden has fallen onto the student's?


VCU has announced a student fee increase of $50 in part because they are increasing the athletics budget by $875,000, of which $733,000 is going to the basketball program. There was no increase in student fees prior to last season, but prior to the 2009-2010 school year, VCU increased student fees by $137, the fourth consecutive year that they did so. VCU also increased tuition for in-state students by $700.

Now, Smart's contract went from $325,000 a year to $1.2 million a year, which, when combined with the pay bumps for his coaching staff and the money that will be used to upgrade the basketball facilities, clearly means that the $733,000 earmarked for the hoops program will not cover the entirety of Smart's big payday. But its impossible to ignore the fact that this much more of the money that the university will be receiving from its students will be funneled to the hoops program mere months after the head coach signs a monster (for the CAA) new contract.

Is it fair to make the student's foot the bill to keep around a head coach?

For some -- the VCU hoops fans -- that answer is obviously yes. But there are over 32,000 full-time students at VCU (they were actually the largest school at the Final Four this year in terms of enrollment), and I'm willing to bet that there are quite a few of those 32,000 folks couldn't tell you the difference between Shaka Smart and Chaka Khan.

Should those students that don't care about the basketball program have to supplement the coach's income?
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Shaka Smart follows Brad Stevens lead, stays at VCU

The joke had been made thousands upon thousands of times -- Shaka Smart earned himself some money with VCU's improbable run to the Final Four.

On Monday afternoon, he did. Just not quite the way many of us expected.

Gregg Doyel of CBSSports.com broke the news -- tweeting during a radio interview, no less -- that not only had Shaka Smart turned down NC State's advances, he was re-signing with VCU. And, yes, he got the significant pay bump that he was due, seeing his salary more than triple as he inked an eight-year deal worth $1.2 million per.


The decision by Smart to stay at VCU may confuse some. There were reports that NC State was offering him as much as $2 million a year, and if Smart wanted more than that, he probably just need to give them a number. The same thing happened with Brad Stevens last season, when he opted to remain at Butler by signing a 12 year contract extension following the first of two Final Four runs.

Some people are going to ask why.

Why would a coach turn down an offer that could double his salary? Neither Smart nor Stevens will be hurting financially, but turning down an extra seven figures is significant regardless of you pay grade.

The answer is simple -- the right job wasn't available.

Smart is the latest hot, young coach riding a wave of postseason success. But that "heat" doesn't last forever. If his team struggles next season, the opportunity to move up to a bigger conference may no longer be there. That's why you see coaches use mid-majors as a stepping stone so often. You have to strike while the iron is hot, so to speak.

Smart didn't maximize his potential earnings, he still capitalized on his team's success.

Stevens is now in a different position than Smart. The fact that he has taken Butler to back-to-back national title games firmly entrenches him among the "greats". Whenever he decides to leave Butler, he can get just about any job that he wants. The "heat" is not going to subside on Stevens.

These two aren't the first coaches to make the decision to remain at a school sitting outside the power six conferences. Mark Few has remained at Gonzaga for over a decade now. Chris Mooney just signed a 10 year contract to stay at Richmond. Jim Larrananga didn't go anywhere after taking George Mason to the Final Four.

As they say, money makes the world go 'round. But there is no price that you can put on the happiness of you and your family. There is no price that you can put on enjoying the school you coach at and the town that you live in. I'm sure everyone reading this has had both good and bad experiences with a boss at some point in your life.

The coaches that opt to stay at the mid-major programs have job security. They already have financial security. They are already in a good working and living environment.

Is that really worth leaving for a coaching gig that is anything less than ideal?
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Final Four Crowd Control

You would be hard pressed to find a more diverse pairing of Final Four teams this season. From talent level, to head coaches, to team profile, to school size, athletic funding, program prestige, and tournament experience. Everything about these four teams is completely different.

The uniqueness of the teams and their fan bases was on full display at Reliant Stadium on Saturday afternoon. For VCU alumni and fans, there is no telling if or when the Rams will make a return trip to the Final Four. For members of Big Blue Nation, this was just another chance to remind the country that they are the most powerful fan base in college basketball. For people like myself, with no dog in the fight, mingling amongst the masses, it was a chance to take in the varying fan support from the four remaining teams in the country.

There was no denying fans of Virginia Commonwealth the opportunity to wear their school's colors on their sleeves in Houston. Of the four schools being represented at Reliant Stadium, VCU was the only one not wearing blue.

There was no ignoring the large section of bright yellow Ram supporters, not even if you had tried. On the concourse, small hoards of VCU fans walked with a slight bounce in their step.

They were smiling, they were cheering, they were goading other fans into shouting matches, basically anything they could do to acknowledge that their team had made it, and at least for the moment, there was nothing we could do about it.

During the contest, the VCU faithful cheered with an unadulterated ferocity. You could hear every word of every cheer they recited. It was almost like the fans knew this might be their only chance to support a Final Four team. If any of the supporters were to have bled, I am more than certain that their blood would have been yellow.

But it wasn't just the alumni and fans. The Ram's pep band hit their strokes with a combination of passion and soul. They weren't just playing music, they were setting the tone. The conductor did more than just conduct, he flailed his arms, thrust his hips, and perspired enough to necessitate multiple wardrobe changes. The student section was more mosh pit than anything else. They were provided with more than enough space to fit their faithful followers, but the co-eds clearly are not fans of "personal space".

Overall, watching the VCU fans express themselves was refreshing. There wasn't the feeling of a routine, like they had been there before. It was off-the-cuff, make-it-up-as-you-go, and displayed with a sense of reckless abandon.

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Of the four fan bases being represented, the Butler support group provided arguably the most realistic view of their program and school. Their entourage was not overwhelmingly large, but it was prominent. They were loud and proud, but never with the slight tinge of hysteria that the VCU fans provided.

It seemed like, after having been here once before, the Bulldog fans knew the routine. It wasn't cut-and-dry, but it wasn't over-the-top. Their support was very well, blue-collar. Every Butler fan could be identified, but none made themselves an eyesore. Their band was loud, and energetic, but their musical selection seemed to draw inspiration from the classic standard-issue band numbers. This is not to say that they were boring, just that their creativity was limited. But their passion was most certainly not.

On a somewhat-unrelated note, I had made it a personal goal of mine before this adventure began that I would seek out Butler's Blue II for a photo-op. I circled the lower level of the stadium numerous times in hopes that he would be out greeting the fans on the concourse level, but came up empty. Monday night will be different.

Back to the topic at hand, Butler's crowd support was a perfect representation of what school's public opinion: bigger and better than you would expect for a school of that size, but with a traditional style lacking the feathers, ruffles, bells and whistles.

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Only 847 miles separate Lexington Kentucky and Houston Texas. But based on the number of royal blue shirts roaming the grounds and the percentage of seats filled by "Big Blue" it would be understandable if you believed this game was being played in Kentucky.

Big Blue Nation's presence is and was overbearing. They were everywhere. T-shirts, hats, signs, pom-poms, costumes, face paint, and body paint. There were blue-and-white versions of Darth Vader and Ironman’s headgear. I saw an elderly lady donning a personalized #33 blue Kentucky jersey with the name "Shea Butta". As long as you were in blue, anything was allowed. The t-shirt selections we all over the place: "Free Enes", "UK2K", "Got Jorts?", "Calipari is my Homeboy", and even an "I Hate Louisville".

(Credit: Kentucky Sports Radio)

Prior to Saturday, I tried to prepare myself for BBN and what we would be in store for. I envisioned entire families decked out in "jorts", knee-high socks, fanny-packs and mullets. By the end of Saturday night, I saw no mullets, maybe one or two fanny-packs and only seven pairs of "jorts". Well, let me change that. I saw a lot of extremely attractive females wearing jean-skirts and jean-shorts, but I saw little-to-no homemade "jorts".

The announced attendance for Kentucky/UConn semifinal was said to have been a record of 75,421. OF these 75-thousand people, 25-thousand of them must have been Kentucky fans. They were loud, really really loud. But if there would have been the same number of VCU or Butler fans, Big Blue Nation would have been drowned out.

Yes, BBN had power in numbers, but nothing about their crowd presence was overwhelming, other than the sheer size and well, the noise level. It's interesting, because that is the perception of the Big Blue fan base. Yes it's the largest fan base in college basketball, but nothing about their presence during the game was unique, or original.

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No team or fan base had to travel further this week than UConn. 1530 miles separate the small New England town and the massive southwestern metropolis.

Less than a month ago, UConn fans took over Madison Square Garden for the Big East Tournament. Chants of "UCONN...HUSKIES" echoed through the arena and drowned out other cheering sections. Even against Syracuse, who travels as well as UConn on the East Coast, was no match for the UConn support group.

But in Houston, Husky fans were few and far between. By the end of Saturday, there were as many lingering VCU fans in the student section as there were UConn fans.

(Credit: Luke Winn, Sports Illustrated)

It seemed somewhat pathetic. This is UConn after all. They've won two national Championships since 1999 and have to be another Final Four.

So, with the seemingly non-existent student section, and only one un-color coordinated section of the stadium, you would not expect them to have been drowned out by Big Blue Nation. And this could have not been further from the truth.

Led by "Big Red", UConn's cult-icon, Husky fans were as loud and as supportive as Big Blue Nation was. The student section could not have had more than 60 members in attendance, but based on noise level, you would have never noticed.

Visually, everything about UConn was unassuming. They lacked size and had little-to-no color coordination. But what they lacked in size they made up for in school spirit.



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Final Four Preview: No. 8 Butler vs. No. 11 VCU

This is the matchup that fans of mid-major basketball have been dreaming of.

The fourth place team from the Colonial and a 13-5 tri-champion from the Horizon square off for the right to head to the title game. The only problem? Who do you root for? Butler, who almost seems like the bad guy, coming off of last year's title game? Or do you root for plucky upstart VCU, the team with the coach with a funny name and a bunch of guys that bomb away from three?

In all reality, it really doesn't matter who you side with. The bottom line is that for a second straight season we will be having a true mid-major playing for the national title. And that is amazing.


The Details: VCU taking on Butler is the most unlikely matchup in the history of the Final Four.

I don't think that can be denied. A No. 11 seed and a No. 8 seed meeting up for the right to play for a national title? That is unprecedented.

But unprecedented and undeserving are two completely different things. You may have qualms with the fact that VCU or Butler got into the NCAA Tournament, but you cannot argue the fact that both teams absolutely earned their way to the Final Four. Butler beat three of the top four teams in their region. VCU only took out two of the top three seeds, but they also had to win a play-in game for the right to make it this far.

Both of these are quality basketball teams. Both of them are playing their best basketball of the season right now. That is a dangerous combination.

What will be interesting here is Butler and VCU play very different styles. The Bulldogs are almost a station to station team. They don't get out in transition all that much. They don't try to push the pace. They would much rather play one possession at a time, getting a stop at one and patiently executing their offense at the other.

VCU? They play at a much more kinetic pace. The Rams aren't exactly an up-and-down team like, say, a North Carolina, but they do like do pressure in the back court. The goal is to either force a turnover or force their opponent to rush on the offensive end of the floor. If Butler's veteran back court can avoid getting flustered by VCU's press, the Rams are not a very good half court defensive team. Offensively, VCU spreads the floor and likes to shoot the first open three that they get.


Key matchup: Bradford Burgess

For much of this tournament, I've said that Jamie Skeen was the guy that created the matchup problems for VCU. And while that was true for much of the tournament, the same could be same for Matt Howard. Both are big, strong senior forwards that can score in the post, defend, rebound, and knock down a three. That matchup will be one of the things I look forward to watching the most in the first game on Saturday night.

But the key matchup is going to be Bradford Burgess, VCU's 6'6" small forward. Burgess is not a post player. He doesn't have the size or the strength for it. He doesn't have a back to the basket game, either. The majority of his scoring comes as a result of his perimeter jumper -- either he's knocking down a three or using the threat of the three to put the ball on the floor and get by his defender. Burgess is almost like a shooting guard in that regard, but since he stands 6'6", Shaka Smart slides him over to the four quite a bit. In fact, playing Burgess at the four is VCU's best lineup. He makes their offense that much more dangerous, especially when paired with Skeen, and he plays the top of their 1-2-1-1 press.

Who on Butler guards him? If the Bulldogs go big, its going to have to be Howard, who would get toasted defensively on the perimeter. If that's the case, Howard (or Andrew Smith) would also have an advantage of their own in the paint. Khyle Marshall, an athletic 6'7" freshman, might be a better option, but it eliminates the mismatch Butler would receive.


Key stat: Butler's turnovers

While VCU has played some terrific basketball on the defensive end of the floor over the last two weeks, they are not a great defensive team. They struggle in the half court, in large part because they are not a very good defensive rebounding team.


Where VCU is effective, however, is in their press. They run a 1-2-1-1 press, which is very aggressive. They try and trap the first pass in bounds, looking to force turnovers and to get their opponent to play out of control. It worked against Kansas, as the Rams were able to build their lead by forcing the Jayhawks out of their rhythm. VCU doesn't force a ton of turnovers, but they are very good at creating steals, live ball turnovers that lead to easy basket.

Butler, however, has an experienced back court. They are one of the best teams in the country at not turning the ball over. If VCU;s pressure is effective, they have a great chance at winning this game.


X-factor: The wings

The stars for these two teams are at the point and in the post. Joey Rodriguez and Shelvin Mack are the two guys that makes their teams hum. Matt Howard and Jamie Skeen are the bread winners of the club. You pretty much know what you are going to get out of those guys.

What you don't know is which Brandon Rozzell is going to show up. He's one of the streakiest shooters in the country, which means that I would not be surprised to see him go for 25 points or fro three points on 1-9 shooting. Rozzell's Butler counterpart? Zack Hahn and Chase Stigall. Both of those kids have the ability to knock down a couple of threes in a row. Darius Theus and Rob Brandenburg of VCU are two youngsters that have made some big plays and had some big games for VCU as well this year.

Perhaps the x-factor, then, will be Ronald Nored and Shawn Vanzant of Butler. Nored is known as one of the best defenders in the country, and Vanzant is not that far behind. How well the fair against Rozzell and company will be an important factor.


And the winner is?: Butler

I'm taking Butler's experience. This is a team that just knows how to win. And with all due respect to VCU, the Rams have played out of their minds for the past five games. At some point, that run has to come to an end.
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Jamie Skeen's winding road to the Final Four

This post can also be found at Beyond the Arc.

It changed all the way back in November.

Prior to VCU's Preseason NIT consolation game against UCLA, VCU center Jamie Skeen said at a team dinner that he wasn't getting the ball enough.

"We were at dinner. I just made a joke about it at first," Skeen said with a laugh after that game in November. "My coach took it seriously. He said 'Okay, we're going to get you the ball for real.' I said that would nice."

The 6'8" Skeen would score 10 points in the first five minutes of that game, finishing with 23 points and nine boards as VCU knocked off the Bruins. He's barely slowed down since, leading the Rams in both scoring and rebounding. Most recently, he had 26 points, 10 boards, and hit four threes as VCU knocked off Kansas in the Elite 8.


It hasn't always been this easy. Skeen's college career has been a long and winding road, one that has required as much patience as anything.

Back in 2006, Skeen was the reigning high school player of the year in North Carolina. A top 100 recruit, he was headed to Wake Forest. He started 24 games as a freshman in 2006-2007, averaging 7.6 ppg and 4.6 rpg playing along side Kyle Visser. As a sophomre, Skeen saw his minutes cut, but much of that was due to the addition of James Johnson, an eventual first round pick. With Jeff Teague also on the roster, Skeen started just six games and averaged only 5.6 ppg and 4.1 rpg, but he was a key piece of the front court rotation.

In 2008-2009, Wake Forest was loaded. Teague and Johnson carried the Demon Deacons, at one point being ranked as the No. 1 team in the country.

Skeen was supposed to be on that team, but he wasn't. He had to sit out the first semester at Wake Forest due to some academic problems he had at the school, and instead of appealing he decided to transfer to VCU. He wouldn't get eligible until the end of the fall semester in 2009-2010, which means that Skeen was forced to sit and watch both his old team and his new team take part in the NCAA Tournament.

When he finally was allowed back on the court in December of 2009, Skeen didn't immediately see the court. He was stuck behind yet another future first round pick in Larry Sanders.

It wasn't until this season that Skeen finally got his chance.

And he has shined. Skeen averaged 15.4 ppg and 7.4 rpg, leading VCU in both categories. Not just on the court, but in the classroom as well, where Skeen is scheduled to graduate this spring.

"He's come a long way, a long way," VCU head coach Shaka Smart said earlier this week. "He's matured. He's developed as a person. He's done a really good job of putting himself in a position where he's on track to graduate this spring. His attitude is one of humility and wanting to be coached and to get better."

On the court, Skeen has been arguably the most important piece for this Rams team. While VCU has a couple of other options in the post, Skeen is the only one that is any kind of scoring threat. In fact, VCU is at their best when they surround Skeen with four guards that can shoot. It creates space for him to operate inside, and with his ability to shoot the three, he makes VCU a very difficult team to defend.

"He became our go-to guy," Smart said. "He was going to get as many touches as he could handle. Now we've been able to go to him over and over and over again, and he's responded. He's led us in scoring, rebounding. He's been at times a point forward for us. We can play through him."

"I'm just so happy for him because he did go through some adversity earlier in his career. Really happy that it's finishing the right way."

The most ironic part in all of this?

Skeen left a Wake Forest team that had Final Four potential. He went to VCU and has led a team that barely got into the NCAA Tournament to the Final Four. He's put himself on the radar of NBA teams.

Who would have thought that transferring to a team in the CAA would have ended up being the best move that Jamie Skeen could have made?
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Four teams, four cinderella stories

I don't think it would be fair to call the 2011 NCAA Tournament the greatest tournament of all-time. At least not yet.

The first half of the first day was outstanding. There were a couple of classics during the tournament's round of 32. The Sweet 16 featured plenty of intrigue, and the Elite 8 was as good as any Elite 8 since 2005.

But does that make the best NCAA Tournament of all-time?

Who knows. That answer is far too subjective -- and far too reliant on where you happened to attend undergrad -- to ever have a definitive answer. It also depends on your definition of great. There are plenty of fans out there that probably think that the 2008 Final Four, in which all four No. 1 seeds advanced for the first time, was the greatest Final Four of all time. There is an equally large faction that considers this year's Final Four, in which we don't have a No. 1 or No. 2 seed for the first time ever and have the highest total seeds in tournament history, to be the greatest ever.

Arguing greatness is, in the end, pointless. Everyone has a different definition and a precious few will be convinced to change their opinion.

But I think the one thing that we can all agree on is that this NCAA Tournament may be the most unexpected and unconventional. In fact, I'd go as far as to say that each of the four teams in this NCAA Tournament can be considered a cinderella of sorts.

None of the four teams headed to Houston were supposed to here.


East region champ: No. 4 Kentucky

This wasn't supposed to be the year that Kentucky made the Final Four.

The was supposed to be their in between season, with a loaded recruiting class coming to campus next year.

Kentucky sent five players to the first round of the NBA Draft in 2010. Everyone knew that John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins were going to be gone after one season. Big Blue Nation probably got two extra years out of Patrick Patterson, who could have been a lottery pick as a freshman. But two of those first rounders, Eric Bledsoe and Daniel Orton, were surprise departures. Combine those losses with the decision by the NCAA to render Enes Kanter permanently ineligible, and this Kentucky team was left with just a six man rotation.

Three of those players were highly touted freshmen. The other three? DeAndre Liggins, Darius Miller, and Josh Harrellson. Liggins and Miller were top 50 recruits that had underperformed in their two seasons in Lexington. Harrellson was a JuCo transfer that was known more for being a fan favorite and the team's resident jokester than an interior force.


And while Big Blue Nation would probably disagree with me, the fact of the matter is that the Wildcats probably deserved their four seed. This is a group that underperformed throughout the regular season, struggling away from Rupp Arena and finishing at 10-6 in a weak SEC.

But something happened in March.

Something clicked.

Josh Harrellson has become a monster in the paint, using every bit of skill in his 6'11", 250 lb frame to become a blue collar workhorse. DeAndre Liggins has developed into a defensive stopper that, at 6'6", is to the Wildcats what Chris Kramer was to Purdue and David Lighty was to Ohio State. Darius Miller has become a knock down shooter with a knack for making a big play.

It feels weird touting Kentucky as an underdog, but that is what they were just three weeks ago. The NCAA Tournament is all about matchups and who gels at the right time.

And this Kentucky team has gelled. They are playing their best basketball of the season, they are getting significant contributions from everyone on the floor, and they are in the Final Four after beating both Ohio State and North Carolina despite not having gotten anything close to their best player's (Terrence Jones) best basketball.


West region champ: No. 3 UConn

Back in May, when UConn received their Notice of Allegations from the NCAA, I questioned whether it would be the death penalty for UConn basketball.

And while it looks quite silly now, based on what has happened in the last 10 months -- well, the last month -- knowing what I know now, my opinion would not have changed.

That should tell you just how impressive this run has been for the Huskies.

UConn was picked 10th in the Big East in the preseason, and rightfully so. They were a team with NCAA sanctions hanging over their head, with a head coach that appeared to be one step away from a convalescent home, and with a young and unproven roster surrounding a 6-foot-nothing point guard that still had a ways to go before his skill set caught up with his tools.


After a terrific non-conference portion of the schedule, which included a Maui Invitational title and a win at Texas, the Huskies came back to earth in Big East play. They went 4-9 against the 11 Big East teams that made the NCAA Tournament, lost four of their last five games in the regular season, and finished ninth in the Big East and playing on the Big East Tournament's first day.

That's when this magical run started.

UConn won five games in five days in New York City, winning the tournament title and earning that three seed. And after winning four games over the past two weekends, the Huskies are now headed to Houston for their second Final Four in three seasons.


Southeast region champ: No. 8 Butler

It may be unfair to call a team making their second straight Final Four a cinderella, but everything about this Butler team screams cinderella.

They finished in a three-way tie for first place in the Horizon League at 13-5. To do so, they had to bounce back for a stretch of four losses in five games, which was capped with the Bulldogs fell at the hands of Youngstown State, a Horizon bottom-feeder.

Butler came into the NCAA Tournament on a roll, winning their last nine games (two of which came in the Horizon Tournament), earning an eight seed and a date with Old Dominion in the first round of the dance. That roll didn't slow down in the dance, as the Bulldogs won four more games to get to the Final Four.

Those wins, mind you, weren't blow outs.


Like any cinderella, Butler has had to scrap and claw to get where they are, taking advantage of some lucky bounces along the way. In their first round game, Matt Howard happened to have a loose ball land in his hands before scoring the buzzer-beating layup in the first round win over Old Dominion. The Bulldogs nearly blew a second round game against Pitt on a silly foul by Shelvin Mack, but thanks to a missed free throw from Gilbert Brown and an even sillier foul by Nasir Robinson, Butler once again advanced.

The Bulldogs managed to avoid blowing a 20 point lead to Wisconsin before taking on Florida in the Elite 8. More magic was in store against the Gators. Seldom-used freshman Chrishawn Hopkins made two plays in the second half to help erase an 11 point deficit and swing the tide of momentum in the Bulldogs' favor before some questionable late-game shot selection from Florida put Butler in another Final Four.

In some ways, Butler's run to the Final Four this season is much more of a cinderella story than last year's. The Bulldogs had some expectation last year. They were a preseason pick to make the Final Four. They struggled through non-conference play, which put a damper on their seeding and their status nationally, but that was still a team with a lottery pick that defended as well as anyone in the country.

This year? They have no such lottery pick, and probably don't have an NBA player on the roster. They don't play an elite level of defense. Yet, here they are.

Back in the Final Four.


Southwest region champ: No. 11 VCU

The Rams may very well be the biggest cinderella of all time.

Very few people thought that the Rams had a shot at making the NCAA Tournament on Selection Sunday. Not after they lost their last four games in Colonial play. Shaka Smart was so convinced that his team wasn't going to get a bid that he didn't even get them together for the selection show. Brad Burgess went to Five Guys. Ed Nixon watched cartoons. Brandon Rozell did his homework. Joey Rodriguez was the only player that actually watched.

And he was rewarded.


VCU got in, but just barely. They were going to have to take part in the first ever at-large play-in game. The Rams locked up USC defensively, advancing to face Georgetown in the round of 64. They ran the Hoyas and then Purdue off the court with a barrage of three pointers, following that up with a nail-biting, overtime win against Florida State.

Up next was powerhouse Kansas, who was staggered by a series of haymakers thrown by the suddenly-confident rams early in the game. VCU answered a 6-0 start by the Jayhawks with a 19-4 run that was pushed to a 39-15 surge. Kansas was never able to take the lead back, and VCU was headed to the Final Four.

What makes VCU's run so incredible is that they are playing, without a doubt, their best basketball of the season.

The Rams are undersized, but they are loaded with shooters and difficult matchups for teams with more traditional lineups. They also like to press and get their opponents out of an offensive rhythm. And that is precisely what they have done in their first five games of this tournament. For a team that barely cracked the top third in defensive efficiency in the regular season, they have been one of the best defensive teams in this tournament. Even their shooting from beyond the arc is at a level that the Rams have not experienced this season. VCU never hit more than 11 threes in a game in the regular season. They have made 12 in a game three times in five NCAA Tournament games.

VCU has already set a record of sorts.

After Saturday's national semifinal against Butler, VCU will become the first team to ever play in six NCAA Tournament games without having played in the national championship game.

It doesn't get more cinderella than that.

Even this year.
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VCU Shaka'd the world!!!

This post can also be found at Beyond the Arc.

And we all thought that Butler's run was incredible.

VCU has now done something that no other team has done before. The Rams, who took part in the first ever at-large play-in game just 16 short days ago, is now headed to the Final Four after capping off their astonishing run through the bracket with a 71-61 win over No. 1 seed Kansas. It was their fifth straight win in the NCAA Tournament, becoming the first team to ever do so before reaching the Final Four.

The Rams knocked off teams from five of the six BCS conferences. They were the underdog in each of the five games. Their star point guard nearly transferred in the offseason after former head coach Anthony Grant took the job at Alabama. Their star center is a cast-off from Wake Forest. Hell, head coach Shaka Smart, who played basketball at D-III Kenyon College, didn't even gather his team to watch the NCAA Tournament selection show because he did not believe they were getting in.

Like George Mason in 2006, the Rams have gone from a questionable addition to the tournament to two wins from a national title.


But unlike George Mason, VCU has a real, honest-to-god shot at winning this thing.

VCU didn't luck into the Final Four. They aren't headed to Houston because they were given the benefit of a friendly whistle or took advantage of a soft bracket. VCU smothered USC on the defensive end of the floor. They ran both Purdue and Georgetown off of it. After squeaking by Florida State in the Sweet 16, the Rams overcame a hot start by Kansas to take down the tournament's most talented remaining team.

And this is where VCU's story starts to differ from George Mason.

When the Patriots made the Final Four in 2006, they knocked off some impressive opponents, but they did so in dramatic fashion. Against a talented-but-enigmatic UConn team that had been struggling throughout the tournament -- if you remember, that team nearly lost to Albany in the first round -- George Mason overcame a 12 point halftime deficit to win in overtime when Denham Brown's last second three bounced off the rim.

VCU needed no such luck. And VCU didn't need to make a comeback.

After the Jayhawks scored the first six points of the game, VCU responded with a 19-4 run that they stretched out to a 39-15 surge. They were up by 14 at the half. Kansas made couple runs at the Rams in the second half, at one point getting as close as two, but VCU had an answer every time.

And while Jamie Skeen will look like the hero, finishing with 26 points and 10 boards, VCU's real savior was the diminutive Joey Rodriguez. His stat line was, frankly, pretty ugly. He finished with nine points, five boards, five assists, four turnovers, and shot 2-8 from the field.

But it was Rodriguez who sparked VCU's final push.

After airballing a three the previous possession and seeing Kansas get within 57-52 with less than five minutes left, Rodriguez stepped up and buried a three early in the shot clock. (In hind sight, it was a pretty dumb shot, one that surely had Smart doing the old "No, no, no, YES!!") A minute later, Rodriguez dribbled his way under the rim, somehow finding Brad Burgess at the top of the key for a wide open three that pushed the lead to nine points. Two minutes later, Rodriguez again found Burgess, this time on a nifty pass that led to a layup, to put VCU up 65-57 with less than two minutes left.

You see, the thing about VCU in this game -- in this tournament -- is that they played like the favorite. They were the ones that jumped all over Kansas. They were the team that made the Jayhawks fall back on their heels. The Rams were playing confident, physical basketball. They were jawing after baskets and diving on loose balls.

Kansas?

They spent the first half looking hesitant and unconfident. They took quick, ill-advised shots early in the possession. They turned the ball over and missed free throws (15-28 on the game). The Jayhawks were flustered. They looked ill-prepared for playing on this kind of stage.

VCU may not have been the more talented team, but they were the better team on Sunday afternoon.

And the beauty of the NCAA Tournament is that being the better team on one afternoon is all you need to advance.

That's why a team that didn't even think they would get a shot to dance will now be performing on the sport's biggest stage.
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Elite 8 Preview: No. 1 Kansas vs. No. 11 VCU

When: Sunday, 2:20 pm EST, CBS

The Details: The comparisons between the George Mason run to the Final Four and VCU run to the Elite 8 are, frankly, astonishing.

Mason and VCU are both CAA schools. They both struggled at the end of the regular season. They both got questionable at-large bids and had quite a few folks criticizing the committee for including them into the tournament. And in the Elite 8, both played the last No. 1 seed left in the tournament, who also just so happened to be the most talented team in the country.


George Mason shocked the world. They beat UConn and made the Final Four. As an 11 seed. Can VCU do the same?


Key Matchups: The Morrii vs. Bradford Burgess

Marcus and Markieff Morris make up one of the most versatile, talented, and efficient front line duos in the country, and that doesn't even include Thomas Robinson, who may end up being the best NBA prospect of the three. They can score on the perimeter or in the post. They can pass and they can rebound. The Morrii are the reason that Kansas is able to run the offense that they run.


VCU, on the other hand, does not have a ton of size. Jamie Skeen is a borderline NBA prospect and has been one of the most important pieces for the Rams all season long. And while Shaka Smart does have a couple of other big men available in his rotation, VCU is at their best when they play Brad Burgess at the four. Burgess is more of a perimeter player than a post player, and part of what makes VCU's offense so dangerous is the fact that their four man can do things like score 49 points and hit 9-11 from three against Purdue and Florida State.

Will Shaka Smart be able to stay with the small lineup, or will the Jayhawks be too big?


Key Stats: Kansas' turnover percentage

Kansas is a better basketball team than VCU. That much cannot be debated. They are going to make things very difficult for the Rams defensively, and as we mentioned earlier, their front court strength will be difficult for the Rams to matchup with.

That said, VCU likes to press, and they are pretty good at forcing turnovers in that press. The Jayhawks, specifically the three members of their point guard rotation (Tyshawn Taylor, Josh Selby, Elijah Johnson), have a penchant for turning the ball over. VCU is going to need to force some turnovers and get some easy baskets if they want to pull off this upset.


X-factors: Brandon Rozzell

Rozzell is an instant offense kind of player for Shaka Smart. He's got the ability to knock down six or seven threes in a game. He can go for 25 points on a given night. He's perfectly capable of reeling off 10 points on his own in a three minute span. But he's also capable of having an 0-9 night. The Rams will need Rozzell to be shooting well on Sunday.

Rozzell's shooting underlies a bigger point -- VCU has to make their threes. Kansas is far and away the best team that the Rams will have played in this tournament. I hate to use the cliche, but the three pointer in the great equalizer in college hoops. The Rams will have to be making them to have a shot.


And the winner is?: Kansas Jayhawks

The thing that I liked the most about Kansas on Friday night was the attitude that they had coming in. On Thursday, the local media in Lawrence reported an incident where one of the Morris twins said "you boys better be ready" to the Richmond players when they crossed paths at a practice session. Prior to the game on Friday, the two teams had a bit of a skirmish in the tunnel leading to the arena floor. Kansas is playing with an attitude and a swagger. They are now the heavy favorite to win this tournament, and if they are playing with that attitude, with a chip on their shoulder, they are going to be very tough to knock off.
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VCU celebrates after beating Florida State

I'm not going to lie, I love this video of the Rams celebrating their trip to the Elite 8. Watch to the end. The part in the locker is awesome.



The best part?

As Shaka Flocka Flame Smart is counting down the leagues that VCU has beaten, the team replies to each league with "swag".

That's pretty swaggy.
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VCU wins thanks to Shaka Smart and Derwin Kitchen

Shaka Smart has earned himself quite a bit of money in this NCAA Tournament. Tonight's 72-71 overtime win over Florida State only solidified that fact.

VCU and Florida State are two teams with very differing and fairly unique styles of play.

VCU is loaded with talented perimeter players, and they take advantage of it by spreading the floor, attacking gaps, and trying to create open looks from three. Florida State, on the other hand, has a ton of size up front, relies on their ability to defend, and goes after the offensive glass.

And, frankly, both teams were able to play their style.


VCU made half of their field goals from beyond the arc, going 12-26 from deep, while dishing out 18 assists. Their streaky shooting from beyond the arc allowed them to consistently put pressure on the Seminoles, threatening to pull away a number of times. But Florida State's size advantage inside and dominance on the glass kept VCU from extending that lead. FSU finished the game with 18 more field goal attempts than the Rams. They grabbed 21 offensive rebounds, notching a 45.7% OR and allowing VCU just a 21.2% OR, and finished with 20 second chance points.

It was a battle of wills and a battle of styles, and in the end, it was a draw?

Essentially.

Not only did the game go to overtime, but in the overtime the game was decided by two possessions with just 7.9 seconds left on the clock. It was decided by late-game execution and coaching.

And Derwin Kitchen.

At the end of regulation, after Chris Singleton drilled a long three to tie the game, Shaka Smart drew up a terrific out of bounds play that got Brad Burgess the ball at the top of the key. He beat Singleton off the dribble, but was met by Bernard James at the rim. James blocked the shot, and Kitchen brought the ball up. Leonard Hamilton didn't call a timeout -- it hindsight, that decision looks very costly -- and Kitchen dribbled out the final 15 seconds, not getting a shot off.

Overtime.

In the extra frame, after Joey Rodriguez missed two free throws with the score 70-69 VCU, Chris Singleton made a fantastic move along the baseline to put FSU ahead. After Joey Rodriguez had his shot get blocked out of bounds with 7.9 seconds left, it set up this finish:



Not only did Kitchen once again dribble out too much clock and waste a chance to win the game at the buzzer, he blew the defensive assignment that allowed Burgess to get the game-winning layup.

Tough way for the senior point guard to end his career.

But it was a great for Shaka Flocka Flame Smart. Thanks to his team's execution late in the game, he may have just added another year or two to the contract he's going to get.
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Is there a hotter team in the country right now than VCU?

There are four double digit seeds in the Sweet 16. A fifth -- the eighth-seeded Butler Bulldogs -- is a team that was completely written off from tournament contention as recently as early February. Ohio State is rolling over opponents. BYU is winning without Brandon Davies. Florida and UConn and San Diego State are proving their doubters wrong.

Despite all of that, there may not have been a more impressive team in the NCAA Tournament's first week than VCU.

The Rams didn't just win three games in five days, although that alone is as impressive as anything that happened this week. The Rams dominated their three opponents.


It started with a relatively ugly win over USC where the Rams rode the broad shoulders of Jamie Skeen to a 59-46 win. Next up was Georgetown, a team battling an injury to point guard and leader Chris Wright. The Rams got a 26 points from Brandon Rozzell and hit 12 threes as a team en route to a 74-56 win.

Then came Sunday.

VCU was playing their best opponent of the season, a defensive-minded Purdue squad that was considered a serious contender for the Final Four. And what VCU did to the Boilermakers was borderline criminal.

The Rams scored 94 points on an average of 1.32 PPP. They shot 56.5% from the floor, hitting eight long balls. Of their 37 field goals, 26 came via an assist while the Rams committed just four turnovers. Brad Burgess led six scorers in double figures with 23 points, and VCU cruised to a 94-76 win.

Add it all up, and VCU, a team that very few believed should have been dancing, beat USC, Georgetown, and Purdue in the span of five day by a total of 49 points.

Next up? Florida State.

Its a terrific matchup of styles. The Seminoles have a bevy of big bodies to throw at a VCU team whose weakness is inside. They are as tough defensively as anyone in the country and just held Notre Dame, a team with similar offensive principles and just as many quality three point shooters, to 57 points and 7-30 shooting from deep.

That said, VCU just eviscerated another very good defensive team in Purdue. And they run a press that should be able to five Florida State's questionable back court problems.

Undoubtedly, this VCU team is going to get compared to the 2006 George Mason team this week. They are both from the CAA. They were both an 11 seed that got a controversial at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. They both beat two national names en route to a Sweet 16 game with another underdog in the same bracket as the most talented No. 1 seed.

The safe bet is against VCU. They are, without a doubt, the underdog against every team they will face from here on out, with the possible exception of Butler.

But if the Rams continue to play this way, do you really want to bet against them?
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VCU and St. Mary's are right back on the bubble

Bubble teams can breathe a (slight) sigh of relief after last night.

Down in Richmond, Old Dominion was able to fend off a scrappy VCU team and earn the CAA's autobid with a 70-65 win. The Monarchs were up by as much as 18 points in the second half, but VCU's defense came to life, using a 26-9 surge to get within one point with about five minutes left. But VCU couldn't get a defensive rebound down the stretch, and it cost them late.

Out in Vegas, Gonzaga won the rubber match with St. Mary's, 75-63, to come full circle after a slow start to the season, making their 13th straight NCAA Tournament. 13 straight NCAA Tournaments for a school from a conference like the WCC is absolutely unbelievable. The Zags and Mark Few don't get enough credit for what they have done, because that is a dynasty if I have ever seen one.

Like I said, bubble teams can probably breathe a sigh of relief as those were probably the best possible outcomes.


ODU was in. They weren't on the bubble, they weren't going to be sweating out Selection Sunday. The Monarchs were a lock, and with this win may be able to climb as high as a six or seven seed. VCU, however, wasn't. Heading into last night, they were one of the teams sitting squarely on the cut line, and with the loss they are probably in the exact same spot. Andy Glockner, who runs SI's bubble watch, currently has VCU as the last team in, but with bid-stealers and major conference teams that have a chance to improve their resumes, that won't hold.

In other words, VCU isn't an at-large team. If they had beaten ODU, that would have been one less at-large bid available.

St. Mary's is in the same position. They are sitting squarely on the cut line (Glocker has them as the second team out, but Joe Lunardi had them in as a ten seed), but the Gaels are in the midst of a collapse. They lost to San Diego (who has a sub-300 RPI), they blew a big lead to Utah State at home, and they couldn't close out against Gonzaga twice in the last week.

If St. Mary's had won, Gonzaga would have been in the same position, so the outcome of the WCC final didn't have nearly the effect that an ODU loss would have.
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March Madness is officially here: VCU wins on a ... BUZZER BEATER!

And we have our first buzzer-beater of March Madness 2011!

Down 60-57 with 18 seconds left, Drexel's Chris Fouch came off of a flare screen and drilled a deep three to tie up their CAA Tournament quarterfinal game against VCU. But after a timeout from head coach Shaka Smart, the Rams got the ball into Jamie Skeen on the block, and the Wake Forest transfer his a gorgeous, spinning layup off the glass for the 62-60 win.

That was a lot of explanation for a play which I have video of:



Skeen finished with 24 points. We've said since back in November that Skeen was the key to this VCU team. For one possession, at least, he made us look smart.

Now, to be fair, Kyle Weems hit a game-winner last night for Missouri State as the Bears overcame a late, nine point deficit to beat Southern Illinois in Arch Madness:



But look at the clock. There were 1.4 seconds left on the clock. In the BIAH Official Lexicon Handbook of March Madness, a buzzer-beater has to be a shot that is in the air when the buzzer goes off. If there is still time on the clock, it is a game-winner. You can't hit a walk-off homerun in the top of the ninth, can you?
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George Mason's win over VCU puts them into the NCAA Tournament discussion

George Mason went into the Siegel Center in Richmond, VA, on Tuesday night and ran VCU off their own home court, winning 71-51.

With the win, Mason opened up a two game lead on VCU, Hofstra, and Old Dominion in the CAA standings, ensuring themselves, at minimum, a share of the league's regular season title with just two games left on their schedule.

More importantly, however, the Patriots have thrown themselves smack into the middle of the at-large conversation, and maybe even onto the right side of the bubble.


There may not be a hotter team in the country than George Mason. They have now won 12 straight games after losing back to back road games to Hofstra and Old Dominion in early January. Four of their last five wins have come against the four teams directly behind the Patriots in the CAA standings. Each of those games were decided by at least 14 points.

Coming into tonight, the Patriots sat at 23rd in the RPI, a number that will almost assuredly rise with a 20 point win on the road against a top 75 team. But that number may be a bit inflated; Mason hasn't exactly played the most rigorous schedule. Their two best wins coming into the night came against Harvard and Old Dominion, neither of whom are a lock to make the NCAA Tournament and they have non-conference losses to NC State, Wofford, and Dayton.

That said, the CAA is pretty strong at the top. There are six teams that have cracked the RPI's top 100, meaning that Mason can boast a solid 8-4 record against the top 100, with two of those wins (Harvard and ODU) coming against the top 50. Saturday's bracket buster game at Northern Iowa is another potential top 100 road win.

Not that it matters, but the Patriots look like a tournament team.

They have a balanced scoring attack -- four players average double figures and two more averages more than six points. There is some size and scoring inside with Ryan Pearson and Mike Morrison. Cam Long, who is finally playing up to his potential, and Luke Hancock are both athletic playmakers on the wings. And Isaiah Tate and Andre Cornelius can keep the floor spread with their ability to shoot the rock.

George Mason still has some work to do. With three regular season games left (they also have Georgia State and Northeastern in addition to Northern Iowa) and a conference tournament, which takes place in Richmond, to play.

In other words, the Patriots are no means a lock to make the tournament. And if they get there, they are by no means going to be expected to repeat their 2006 Final Four run.

But as of today, this should be an NCAA Tournament team.
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VCU will be around in March

NEW YORK - The team that showed up in Madison Square Garden tonight to take on Tennessee was not VCU.

Sure, it was the VCU players wearing the VCU jerseys running the VCU plays, but the product on the court was not the Ram team that many predicted to beat Tennessee. Part of that is a direct result of the Volunteers. This is a big, athletic group that can really get out defend when they put their mind to it.

"They switched everything so they made it hard for us to catch it," VCU big man Jamie Skeen said after the game. "When we would run our plays, we had places we wanted to be. They took us out of where we wanted to be. They made it a little bit hard on us."

But there was more to it than just the Tennessee defense, however.

VCU, despite the defensive pressure, was still able to get open looks. They were able to push the ball and get some open looks in transition. Their guards were able to penetrate, creating opportunities around the rim or spot opportunities on the perimeter. They just couldn't hit anything.

In the first half, the Rams shot 23.7% from the floor. They were 3-18 from three. For the game, VCU only shot 30.9%, and that is including the flurry of threes they hit in the final ten minutes of the game.

All this coming from a team that was shooting 49.5% from the floor and 38.8% from three on the season.

"We're a good shooting team," VCU head coach Shaka Smart said after the game. "And I know it was going to turn. It took a while. At the end it turned, we made some shots late."

"Obviously we didn't get enough stops to get it done."

Its not like early struggles were unexpected. This is VCU's first time playing in Madison Square Garden. Ever. They were playing on national television, something that CAA teams don't do too often. Can you blame them if they came in anxious or nervous?

"I did think that we didn't play as smart as we typically do," Smart said. "I don't know if that had to do with some nerves or being the first time in Madison Square Garden, playing on national TV."

The stats are even uglier if you take away Brandon Rozzell. Rozzell was really the only Ram that found a rhythm on Wednesday night, and he didn't get it going until VCU had dug a double digit hole. He finished with 23 points, hitting 6-8 from the field and 5-7 from three in the second half.

VCU's leading scorers looked like anything but stars.

Jamie Skeen, VCU's 6'8" center that came in averaging 16.0 ppg and 6.6 rpg, finished just 2-10 from the floor for just 12 points. Star point guard Joey Rodriguez was even worse, as he was just 1-10 on the night. A number of those misses came of shots that Rodriguez forced. He finished the game with five points, two assists, and three turnovers after coming into the game averaging 18.0 ppg and 10.3 apg.

Rodriguez wasn't at 100%, however, as he rolled his ankle in the first half.

"He reinjured an ankle that he had turned a couple of weeks ago," Smart said. "It certainly hampered him. It rook away from his explosiveness. He did such a great jon all year getting by his man and creating shots for his teammates."

"I think the injury affected him, but Tennessee did a good job guarding him."

Playing with a banged up star point guard, shooting in the 20's from the field for most of the game, and playing against a team that bigger, more athletic, and more talented, VCU fought and scrapped the entire game. They got 15 offensive rebounds, 13 in the first half. Their press turned Tennessee over 15 times. They held the Vols to 40% shooting on the night.

And while there's no doubt that this loss will hurt -- VCU is going to have a tough time earning an at-large bid, as they simply don't have a lot of firepower in their non-conference schedule.

But I can promise you this: if VCU does go dancing, no one will want to play them.
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2010-2011 Season Preview Top 50 Countdown: Nos. 45-41

Over the coming weeks, we will be counting down our Top 50 teams in the country. Teams 26-50 will be posted in groups of five, while we will count backwards from No. 25 to the No. 1 team in the country.

For a complete listing of our season previews, click here.

To browse through the rest of our Top 50 Countdown, click here.


45. Virginia Commonwealth

• Last Season: 27-9, 11-7 (CAA)


• Head Coach: Shaka Smart


• Key Losses: Larry Sanders, Jay Gavin, TJ Gwynn


• New Additions: Juvonte Reddic, Rob Brandenburg, Heath Houston, DJ Haley, Reco McCarter


• Projected Lineup:


• G: Joey Rodriguez, Sr.
• G: Ed Nixon, Sr.
• G: Bradford Burgess, Jr.
  
• F: Juvonte Reddic, Fr.
  
• C: Jamie Skeen, Sr.
• Bench: Brandon Rozzell, Sr.; Darius Theus, So.; Toby Veal, Jr.; Heath Houston, Fr.
  

• Outlook: How long until VCU starts getting mentioned in the same breath as the Xavier's and the Gonzaga's of the world? The past two seasons, they have sent a player to the first round of the NBA Draft. Their last two coaches have ended up at Oklahoma and Alabama. Last season, they won 27 games despite losing seven conference games by five points or fewer, two of which came in over time. Despite all of that, the Rams will once again be a favorite to win the CAA. It will start with point guard Joey Rodriguez, who is one of the most underrated players in the country. Last year, he averaged 12.9 ppg and 5.8 apg, admirably replacing Eric Maynor. Joining him in the back court will be 6'2" senior Brandon Rozzell and 6'6" junior Bradford Burgess. Senior Ed Nixon is one of the toughest defenders in the CAA, giving VCU arguably the best back court in the conference. Darius Theus and a couple of freshmen -- Rob Brandenburg and Reco McCarter -- should also see time in the back court. Up front, its going to be tough to replace a talent like Larry Sanders, but there are some pieces there. Senior Jamie Skeen is a tough, experienced senior, and junior Toby Veal -- who originally enrolled at Colorado -- should also step in and contribute significant minutes. After that, there is a lot of inexperience -- three freshmen and a redshirt sophomore that played in just nine games -- up front, but plenty of potential. Juvonte Reddic is probably Smart's best recruit, an explosive athlete that should be an impact freshman. 7'0" DJ Haley was a late, under-the-radar signee that could develop like Sanders. Heath Houston originally signed with Auburn before Jeff Lebo resigned. VCU will, once again, be a very tough out.

44. Dayton

• Last Season: 25-12, 8-8 (A-10)


• Head Coach: Brian Gregory
  


• Key Losses: Marcus Johnson, London Warren, Rob Lowery, Mickey Perry, Kurt Huelsman
  


• New Additions: Juwan Staten, Brandon Spearman, Devin Oliver, Ralph Hill, Mitch Asmus
  


• Projected Lineup:


• G: Juwan Staten, Fr.
• G: Paul Williams, Jr.
• F: Chris Johnson, Jr.
  
• F: Chris Wright, Sr.
  
• C: Devin Searcy, Sr.
• Bench: Luke Fabrizius, Jr.; Brandon Spearman, Fr.; Josh Benson, So.
  

• Outlook: The Flyers had a disappointing finish to what seemed to be such a promising season. With all five starters returning and seven seniors on a roster with quite a bit of talent, most analysts predicted Dayton to win the Atlantic 10. But the Flyers, who ended up finishing seventh in the A-10, could never quite figure out how to execute down the stretch of games, as all 12 of their losses were by less than eight points. This year, Dayton essentially loses their entire back court as Mickey Perry, London Warren, Rob Lowery, and Marcus Johnson all graduate. Brian Gregory does have some talented perimeter players coming in -- headlined by four-star point guard Juwan Staten and two-guard Brandon Spearman -- but, as is the norm with freshmen, it may take time before they are ready to contribute significantly. Dayton did catch a break when Chris Wright made the decision to withdraw from the NBA Draft. A super athletic combo-forward, Wright was the Flyers leading scorer and rebounder last season, but he didn't quite develop into the star that many believed he would. Chris Johnson, Dayton's second leading scorer and another big wing, also returns, as does Paul Williams, who may sneak into the starting line-up this year. Inside, Kurt Huelsman, who started every game in his Dayton career, graduates, but the rest of the front court is back. Sharpshooting Luke Fabrizius, Devin Searcy, and sophomores Matt Kavanaugh and Josh Benson will likely all see minutes. I expect Searcy and Benson, in particular, to have good years. This Dayton squad lost quite a bit of talent, but they were a deep team the last few years. There are still good players on this roster, and while they may not be the favorite in the league, they will compete for an NCAA Tournament spot.

43. Notre Dame

• Last Season: 23-12, 10-8 (Big East)


• Head Coach: Mike Brey
  


• Key Losses: Luke Harangody, Tory Jackson, Jonathon Peoples
  


• New Additions: Eric Atkins, Jerian Grant, Alex Dragicevich
  


• Projected Lineup:


• G: Eric Atkins, Fr.
• G: Ben Hansbrough, Sr.
• F: Tim Abromaitis, Jr.
  
• F: Scott Martin, Jr.
  
• F: Carleton Scott, Sr.
• Bench: Tyrone Nash, Sr.; Jerian Grant, Fr.; Jack Cooley, So.
  

• Outlook: The Fighting Irish have their work cut out for them this season, as they will be losing Luke Harangody and Tory Jackson. Mike Brey's club will count heavily on their front line, which is headlined by last season's second-leading scorer Tim Abromaitis. Abromaitis is a 6'8" sharpshooting forward, but he'll need to continue to develop the ability to create his own shot. Scott Martin, a Purdue transfer who tore his acl before the season started, will be back after sitting out the past two years. One guy I expect to have a big season is Carleton Scott, a senior that nearly left the program before finding a groove as he moved into the starting lineup when Gody got injured. Ty Nash, a scrappy, 6'7" power forward, and Jack Cooley, a 6'10" Gody lookalike, complete the front line rotation. In the back court, its going to be Ben Hansbrough and a lot of inexperience. Tyler's younger brother is a good player, a combo guard that can score, create, and defend, but he's not a true point guard. After Hansbrough, the Irish return just 30 games games with Joey Brooks and Tom Kopko combined, but add three freshman -- including Eric Atkins, a four-star point guard that could slide right into the starter's role, and Jerian Grant -- to the mix. Notre Dame made a run to the NCAA Tournament last season by changing their style, slowing the pace, and becoming a defensively oriented group. With a line-up that is bigger at most positions than the Irish are used to, don't be surprised if the Irish do more of the same next season.

42. Seton Hall

• Last Season: 19-13, 9-9 (Big East)


• Head Coach: Kevin Willard


• Key Losses: Eugene Harvey, Robert Mitchell, John Garcia


• New Additions: Fuquan Edwin, Anali Okoloji, Patrik Auda, Aaron Geramipoor, Reco McCarter


• Projected Lineup:


• G: Jordan Theodore, Jr.
• G: Jeremy Hazell, Sr.
• F: Eniel Polynice, Sr.
  
• F: Jeff Robinson, Sr.
  
• C: Herb Pope, Jr.
• Bench: Keon Lawrence, Sr.; Ferrakhon Hall, So.; Jamel Jackson, Sr.; Fuquan Edwin, Fr.
  

• Outlook: Seton Hall is the x-factor in the Big East this season. For starters, they got rid of Bobby Gonzalez, replacing him with Kevin Willard from Iona, while returning most of their roster. Jeremy Hazell, one of the best scorers in the country when he is making good decision with the bal, returns for his senior season. He'll play along side Jordan Theodore, an underrated point guard who will get a chance to be the lead guard with Eugene Harvey's graduation. Keon Lawrence (a talented but enigmatic Missouri transfer), Jamel Jackson (a streaky shooter who hit 12 threes in a game last season), and freshman Fuquan Edwin should all see minutes. Eniel Polynice, an Ole Miss transfer, will be eligible immediately and could sneak into the Pirate starting line up. At 6'5", Polynice is more of a defender, a slasher, and a creator and should really complement Hazell well. Up front, Seton Hall has quite a bit of talent as well. Herb Pope is a double-double machine when healthy (if you remember, he had that scary incident when he collapsed back in April). Jeff Robinson also returns after pulling his name out of the draft. Those two can matchup with most front lines in the Big East, but Willard will need to develop some kind of bench between sophomore Ferrakhon Hall and four freshmen. If Pope returns to himself, Seton Hall has all the pieces they need to make a run at a spot in the top four of the league. The question is whether new head coach Kevin Willard can fit all those pieces together. Hazell doesn't understand the concept of team basketball or what a good shot is. Pope was ejected from the NIT last year for punching a Texas Tech player below the belt. Four players have transferred in from different colleges. This is a talented group, but if there is no chemistry, it could be another disappointing season.

41. Wichita State

• Last Season: 25-10, 12-6 (MVC)


• Head Coach: Gregg Marshall


• Key Losses: Clevin Hannah


• New Additions: Trey Jones, Randall Vautravers


• Projected Lineup:


• G: Joe Ragland, Jr.
• G: Toure' Murry, Jr.
• G: Graham Hatch, Sr.
  
• F: JT Durley, Sr.
  
• C: Garrett Stutz, Jr.
• Bench: Gabe Blair, Sr.; David Kyles, Jr.; Demetric Williams, So.; Aaron Ellis, Sr.
  

• Outlook: The Shockers look like they will be the early favorite to win the Missouri Valley. They only lose one senior and bring back a roster loaded with talent, size, and experience. In the Missouri Valley, it tends to be the front court that determines who wins the league, and Wichita State has one of, if not the best. Senior JT Durley is probably the Shockers most dangerous scorer in the front court, and if seven-foot junior Garrett Stutz can regain the form he had late in the season, he'll be force inside as well. Aaron Ellis and Gabe Blair are athletic live-bodies that will provide defense and rebounding, while redshirt freshman Jerome Hamilton and seven-foot sophomore Ehimen Orukpe could also see minutes. The biggest question for the Shockers is going to be how they replace point guard Clevin Hannah, their best scorer and the leader of this club the past two seasons. Sophomore Demetric Williams got better as the season progressed, and JuCo transfer Joe Ragland should also fight for minutes at the point. The guy that Gregg Marshall will be looking for more consistency out of will be two-guard Toure' Murry. A tough defender, Murry is a bit streaky on the offensive end, although he is capable of going for 20. Senior Graham Hatch is a glue guy through and through that can also knock down a three, while junior David Kyles will see a bigger role this year as well. The Shockers will, once again, be a tough defensive team with a lot of size on the inside. The Valley is always tough and full of close, competitive, physical basketball games. If Wichita State can figure out how to win some of those on the road -- which they didn't do last season -- this looks like a team that could win the league.

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