Jerry Wainwright was fired by DePaul two weeks ago after four and a half disappointing seasons, with Tracy Webster taking over as the interim head coach.
Wainwright had a lot of success at UNC-Wilmington and Richmond, reaching the NCAA Tournament in three out of five seasons. But he never found that success at DePaul. While some questioned whether or not anyone can win at DePaul, the biggest issue for Wainwright, an Illinois native, was his inability tap into the talent available coming out of Chicago.
And yes, there is quite a bit of talent coming out of Chicago: Derrick Rose, Evan Turner, E'Twaun Moore, Demetri McCamey, Michael Dunigan, Iman Shumpert, DJ Richardson, and Brandon Paul are just some of the names Wainwright missed out on.
It isn't hard to figure out that DePaul, if they want to compete in the Big East, is going to need to keep some of those Chicagoans at home.
How do they do that?
Jeff Goodman has a suggestion: hire Southern Illinois's Chris Lowery.Not only is Lowery a proven coach – he led the Salukis to the NCAA tournament each of his first three seasons – but he is tied in as well as anyone to the top two summer programs in the area.
And let's not forget that the last two hires from Southern Illinois were Matt Painter and Bruce Weber, who are two of the best coaches in the country.
1. Lowery's associate head coach is Lance Irvin, who is the son of Mac Irvin of the Mac Irvin Fire – which churns out more talent than any other program in the state. My guess is he'd get a few players out of a program that constantly has high-major players.
2. Lowery coached Bryan Mullins for four years at Southern Illinois. Mullins is the son of Mike Mullins, who runs the Illinois Wolves program – the same one that has produced guys like Evan Turner, John Shurna and Bobby Frasor.
In theory, that would be a great hire for the Blue Demons.
But there is a catch.
Some of the talent currently in the Chicago high schools ranks is already committed to a school. As Rick Bozich points out, this means that there are a couple fan bases that may want to keep a very close eye on what happens with the DePaul opening.
Who are they?
Now, there is no guarantee that any, or even one, of those players will renege on their commitment. I mean, Crandall Head is the younger brother of Luther Head, who starred for the Illini when they reached the title game of the 2005 NCAA Tournament before heading to the league. I doubt that anyone would be able to convince Crandall to go anywhere else.
But that's not it. Weber has also landed a commitment from Nnanna Edwu, a 6'10" junior rated in the top 50 in the class of 2011, who happens to play for the Illinois Wolves.
That said, there are still a number of high major prospects in the class of 2011, the first class that Lowery would be able to really recruit for at DePaul, that are uncommitted, and more than a few are associated with the aformentioned AAU teams: Chasson Randle, Jacob Williams, and Bobo Drummond with the Illinois Wolves; Dre Henley, Sam Thompson, and Mike Shaw with the Mac Irvin Fire.
And that's just scratching the surface of the wealth of players in Chicago.
The talent is there in Chicago. The challenge for Lowery, or any other coach that gets the DePaul job, is keeping it there.
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Wednesday, January 27, 2010
The key to winning at DePaul? Keeping Chicagoans in Chicago |
Wednesday's Shootaround: South Carolina beating Kentucky highlights a fantastic night of hoops action |
South Carolina 68, Kentucky 62: No one gave the Gamecocks a chance in this one. Not once, during the chatter surrounding Kentucky's rise to No. 1 as the only undefeated team in the country, did you hear about South Carolina being the team to end their streak. South Carolina noticed too, and they came out with a chip on their shoulder.
Playing in front of one of the best atmospheres we've seen in college hoops this season, South Carolina kept it close during the first half, ending the first 20 minutes with an impressive drive and reverse finish by (who else?) Devan Downey to cut the UK lead to three. After Kentucky scored the first bucket of the second half, USC immediately went on a 13-2 run to open up a 39-33 lead. Kentucky would respond, however, with John Wall, who had 6 points and 2 assists in a 14-3 run that gave Kentucky the lead back. It looked like the Wildcats were ready to run away with this thing, but Devan Downey had other ideas.
He kept attacking the bucket, scoring five straight points to spark a 14-4 to give USC a 56-51 lead. DeMarcus Cousins would answer with a three-point play, but Downey made a name for himself as he scored seven straight points on insanely difficult shots - he hit a 15 footer, and the foul, while having his legs taken out from under him; he drove left and hit a tough floater over three Kentucky defenders; then, he spun away from John Wall before splitting two UK defenders and banking in a runner in traffic. UK would make a run and cut the lead to 62-61 on a tough drive, and-one, by John Wall, but South Carolina would hit their free throws down the stretch.
Downey was fantastic last night. There's no question about it. But there was much more to this win than just his heroics late:
The three other key games of the night all ended in exciting fashion:
Other notable scores
Tuesday's Best
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Wednesday Morning Dump |
- Kenpom on Kenpom. Ironic that this was posted yesterday
- Yet Another Basketball Blog with a comprehensive, three-part coaching breakdown: here, here, and here
- Some people think Tom Crean's seat should be hotter. I for one do not agree.
- Frank Martin thinks people have him all wrong
- The importance of bracketbusters week, by Andy Katz
- Jeff Goodman on Chandler Parson's hot streak
- Pat Forde thinks ten teams can win it all
- A must-read from Gary Parrish on the aura of the undefeated
- Fran Frascilla explains the value of 'win stats"
- William & Mary's logo still has feathers on the ESPN website
- Mike DeCourcy was a busy man. A quick look at the ACC, Big Ten, SEC, Big-12 Big East, Pac-10; "the best of the rest"
- Wanna know what a rel court storming looks like? Boom
- A great read on the lack of dynasties
- West Virginia will get their Turkish big man back in one week
- Although we all know that UNC is struggling, can anyone actually explain why?
- Indiana womens and mens teams are helping each other out
- Wow, even more Hoosier news: Matt Roth's injury status
- An interesting comparison made to Rutgers' Mike Rosario
- Big Monday should have been called Blowout Monday. There was a lot of press regarding the outcomes of both contests.
- Gerald McClemore of Maine dropped 27 points on Hartford and picked up the honor of Mid-Majority Baller of the Week
- Did you ever think you would see this?
- The Big-12 is good, scary good.
- The selection committee might not be too kind to the Missouri Valley Conference
- Josh Selby recruiting update
- A day in the life of a college band member
Jim Boeheim is a funny guy
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President Obama gives UK a call, gets challenged to a game of horse by John Wall |
10 days ago, on the first Sunday after the earthquake that hit Haiti, Kentucky held a fundraiser called Hoops for Haiti that raised $1.3 million to help aid Haitian recovery efforts.
We lauded them for it after it happened.
On Tuesday afternoon, President Obama did as well. Have a look:
First reaction?
I think that's the first time I've ever seen Calipari look in anyway nervous.
Second reaction?
(Insert corny, played out Obama-jinx joke here).
Third reaction?
LOVED DeMarcus Cousins telling Obama that he was looking forward to meeting him at the White House (although, I wonder how Kentuckians will take that).
In all seriousness, it was great what the Wildcats were able to accomplish, and even better that they are being rewarded for it. $1.3 million is a lot of money.
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POSTERIZED: Hoops fans, meet Corey Raji |
Sure, Devan Downey hit a couple big shots. Yes, Kalin Lucas hit another game-winner. I know, I know, Marquis Jones beat Dayton and Jacob Pullen beat Baylor.
I don't care.
This was the highlight of the night.
Yikes!
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Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Tuesday's Pregame Beat |
8:00 pm: Kansas State @ Baylor: I'm fairly confident we can all agree that Kansas and Texas are the two favorites in the Big XII. But after that, it gets a little dicey as there are five teams with two losses in the league. Two of those teams tango tonight, with the Wildcats heading to Waco to take on Baylor.
Kansas State looked as if they were starting to isolate themselves from the pack, and possibly putting themselves in the conversation for the Big XII title. But after a home loss to Oklahoma State, their second league loss, few still are of that opinion. Baylor has a gaudy record at 15-3, but unless they beat one of the three ranked teams in the Big XII, they will enter the tournament without a marquee victory and a loss to Colorado. As good as Baylor looked in their loss to Kansas, the Bears really need to pick up this win at home.
As far as the matchup goes, this should be a very entertaining game as these are two similar teams. Both have very talented back courts - Jacob Pullen and Denis Clemente for K-State, Tweety Carter and LaceDarius Dunn for Baylor - and both have big, long, athletic front lines. Baylor likes to play a 2-3 zone, and as long as they can get a hand up when Pullen and Clemente shoot, on paper it looks like a good defensive matchup. That said, K-State is the second-best offensive rebounding team in the country (by mere hundreths of a percent), and we all know the difficulty of rebounding when you play zone.
Kansas State, on the other hand, likes to pressure and create turnovers, and Baylor has had some turnovers problems this season. As much as Baylor needs this win, and as much as I like the Bears this season, I think K-State picks up the road win.
7:00 pm: Rhode Island @ Dayton: All kinds of bubble implications here. Let's face it - as good as the A-10 is this season, a team in the middle of this conference isn't going to earn a bid like a team in the middle of, say, the Big East. Both URI and Dayton are sitting at 3-2 in the league, and both have a chance to earn an at-large bid this year. If it comes down to a choice between these two schools, could the result of this game be a tie-breaker?
9:00 pm: Kentucky @ South Carolina: The Wildcats had a chat with the President this afternoon, thanking them for their work in helping out Haiti. What is the over/under on the number of times that is mentioned on ESPN's broadcast tonight? Devan Downey may be the best scorer in the country, but it will be a tall task to knock off Kentucky in their first game as with a No. 1 ranking.
Other notable games
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Don't underestimate the value of Cole Aldrich |
Cole Aldrich has drawn some criticism this season as his numbers have fallen from last year, when he was an all-american and thought to be a lock for the lottery.
His scoring is down (14.9 ppg to 11.2 ppg); his shot attempts are down (almost 10 per game to barely 7); his minutes are down (just under 30 mpg to 25 mpg); and if you want to get all Kenpom on me, his usage rate is down (21.5% to 20.5%). Hell, this season he has more games with five or fewer shots attempts (six) than he does with 10 or more (four).
It doesn't take a genius to figure out that Aldrich is not as much of a factor in the Jayhawks offense as he was last season.
But that doesn't necessarily mean that he is having a worse season.
Kansas is loaded this season. We know this. They have about 10-12 kids that, if playing in a different system with a thinner roster, would likely start and could average double figures. With that kind of offensive firepower on a team, shots and touches are going fewer and further between.
Aldrich has never been known for his offensive ability, either. Yes, he did average 14.9 ppg as a sophomore, but the majority of those points came on catch-and-dunks, off of offensive rebounds, on 15-17 foot jumpers, and from the foul line.
In other words, Aldrich is not a player that can create his own shot. He doesn't have a great back-to-the-basket game. When he is on the floor with a line-up consisting of Sherron Collins, Marcus Morris, Tyshawn Taylor, and Xavier Henry, Aldrich is the fourth, maybe even the fifth, option offensively. While Aldrich can clearly finish with authority, using him as a go-to player on the offensive end is not Self's most efficient option on this team.
That's not to diminish his value or ability. In fact, Aldrich may be the most valuable Jayhawk.
Aldrich is a force in the paint on the defensive end. He's an excellent shot blocker and great rebounder. As he showed last night, he has the ability to completely dominate the paint on that end of the floor. But anyone that had watched his triple-double performance against Dayton in the second round of last year's tournament already knew that.
What you may not have known about Aldrich is his ability as a passer.
Kansas got a lot of easy buckets in transition last night, and the biggest reason why was their biggest player. Aldrich is exceptional at spotting an open teammate up the floor and hitting him in stride. And while Kansas may not have the transition game of a Kentucky, or a UConn, or a Syracuse, they sure are talented enough to take advantage of numbers on a fast break.
He has also shown a decent ability to pass out of the post. On three occasions (that I can remember, there may have been more), Aldrich had the ball in the post and found an open teammate on the perimeter. Twice, it led to open threes. The third time it opened up a driving lane, leading to free throws.
So while Aldrich may not be the offensive force he was last season, it is not the most valuable attribute he brings to the table for the Jayhawks. As long as he is patroling the paint on the defensive end, blocking shots and sparking the Jayhawk break, he is doing what Kansas needs him to.
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Who is the Midseason Dunker of the Year? |
Prior to the season's first tip-off, we provided you with our projections as to who we thought were the top high-flyers in college hoops. After nearly three months of action, it seem like a fitting time to make midseason picks as dunker of the year.
In November we believed that Dayton's Chris "top Flight" Wright would be the most electrifying dunker of the 2009-2010 season. Well, as of now, Wright has yet to really get off the tarmac, but with another two months of hoops left, anything can happen. At this point in the season, it is looking like a two-horse race between UConn's Stanley Robinson and Georgia's Travis Leslie. There is one sleeper that we should keep a watch out for in the last two months: Cal State Fullerton's Gerard Anderson.
Stanley "Sticks" Robinson - UConn
Best dunker of the year, and it's not even close. Seriously, it is hard for me to put in words right now just how ridiculous Robinson is at dunking. I have not seen a player with this type of leaping ability since Deron Washington of Virginia Tech. Yes, we knew this prior to the season, but watching him dunk this season still boggles my mind. The majority of Robinson's highlight reel dunks have come off of tip-ins and alley-oops. He might not be the most technical dunker, but he sure is the flashiest and the most acrobatic.
Travis Leslie - Georgia
I would like to apologize to Mr. Leslie for failing to recognize him in the preseason for his dunking abilities. The argument could be made that Leslie is the top dunker of the season. After all, through nearly three months of play, he is in sole possession of Dunk of the Year. Robinson might be the most acrobatic dunker in the country, but it could be contested that Leslie is the best technical rim-rocker. Barring a miracle which sends Georgia to the Final Four, it's nearly a guarantee that Leslie will be showcased in the NCAA slam dunk competition in Indianapolis.
The rest of his stuff ain't bad either. Here is Leslie's stellar resume:
Gerard Anderson - Cal State Fullerton
Anderson was one of our sleeper picks in our Dunker of the Year projections back in November. He has more than earned a spot as contender for Dunker of the Year. This kid can throw down from anywhere. He has an unusually long reach and uses it, along with his freakish hops to soar high above the rim.
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The Hoyas need Chris Wright to be a scorer |
Anyone who has watched any Big East basketball over the last five years should know about Georgetown's offensive system.
Running a Princeton system that relies more on team execution than on individual talent, JTIII has brought the Hoyas back to the national prominence they experienced under his father's tutelage.
But is that really the best way for Georgetown to win right now?
Georgetown is at their best when Chris Wright is a scorer.(photo credit: AP)
Take a peek at Chris Wright's stats.
In Georgetown's four losses, Wright is averaging just 6.5 ppg, while he is posting 16.8 ppg in their 15 wins. The contrast is even more stark over the last ten games. The Hoyas have lost three of those games, and Wright is averaging just 7.3 ppg while shooting jut 28% from the floor. In the seven wins, he's averaging 21.6 ppg and shooting 57% from the field.
Its gets weirder.
In the four losses, Wright is averaging 6.5 apg and just 1.3 t/o's, a better than 5:1 assists:turnover ratio. In their 15 wins, he's posting just 3.5 apg and 2.9 t/o's.
While the numbers look funny, they make sense when you think about it.
Wright isn't a prototypical point guard because Georgetown doesn't run a prototypical system. Greg Monroe is their playmaker. They run their offense through Monroe at the high post, allowing him to find cutters and create points. They don't necessarily need Wright to be a playmaker as much as they need him to be a scorer.
Like it or not, Georgetown is at their best when Wright is attacking the basket and looking to be a scorer.
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Monday's Shootaround: Kansas and Syracuse prove why they're Final Four favorites |
Syracuse 73, Georgetown 56: Three minutes into the game, Georgetown was up 14-0. They were 5-5 from the floor and 4-4 from three. Austin Freeman alone had hit three threes. My how things changed, as Georgetown managed just 42 points over the next 37 minutes as the Orange ran roughshod over the Hoyas, outscoring them by 31 points. The root of the problem for Georgetown was their inability to get any kind of penetration against the Syracuse zone. The Orange didn't allow dribble drives, and the Hoyas struggled to get the ball into the high post, which anyone can tell you is the key to beating a 2-3 zone.
Austin Freeman played great once again, finishing with 23 points, but Chris Wright and Greg Monroe both struggled. Monroe, who battled foul trouble in the second half, finished with just 8 points and 4 boards to go along with his 6 turnovers. Wright scored just seven points on 3-10 shooting. For the Orange, Andy Rautins had 15 points, 6 assists, and 6 steals, Kris Joseph added 15 points off the bench, and Wes Johnson had 14 points and 9 boards.
Kansas 84, Missouri 65: The Jayhawks were just too much for the Tigers, as this was barely a contest after the first five minutes. And Kansas didn't do it the way you think they would have. Sherron Collins had just 6 points and 2 assists while turning the ball over 5 times. In fact, Kansas lost the turnover battle by 20 (24 turnovers committed versus 4 turnovers forced) and still won by 19. The biggest reason was their defense, anchored by Cole Aldrich, who is fast becoming one of the most dominating post presence in the Big XII. He had 16 boards (14 defensive), 7 blocked shots, and started countless fast breaks with his exceptional ability to throw an outlet pass. Missouri shot just 27.8% from the floor for the game, a number that was below 25% before the Tigers scored a couple of buckets late.
Other notable scores
Monday's Best:
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Will Lewis Jackson return? |
Purdue's Lewis Jackson has a tough decision to make.
You see, Jackson, who started for the Boilermakers are the point last season, has been out all year after undergoing surgery to repair a broken bone in his foot. But Jackson is close to being back. While he still isn't cleared to play 5-on-5 yet, he has been participating in non-contact drills in practice.
Which makes it very likely that Jackson will be able to return this season.
The questions is will he want to.
Is a year of eligibility worth 1/3 of a season?(photo credit: AP)
Jackson hasn't played this season, and in an absolute best-case scenario, Jackson would only be able to play in 11 regular season games (and even that is assuming he would be ready to play against Wisconsin on Thursday, which is highly unlikely). Is Jackson willing to use up a year of eligibility on a third of a season in which he is coming off of foot surgery?
This isn't the first time that we've run into a situation like this.
In his second game as a freshman for the Tar Heels, Tyler Zeller took a hard fall after being fouled by Kentucky's Ramon Harris and fractured his wrist. Many thought he would be out for the season, but Zeller recovered quickly from the injury and made the decision to return for UNC's final seven regular season games. While his minutes after he returned were limited in comparison to the first two games, he played those limited minutes as a contributor for a team that won a national title.
You think that year of eligibility was worth playing in a Final Four and contributing to a national title?
Jackson will face a similar dilemma. Purdue, despite their three straight losses, is a contender to make a Final Four run even without Jackson. But they are sorely lacking a point guard, and with Jackson filling that void, they are a much more complete team.
To his credit, Painter is leaving the decision up to Jackson. There is no sense in rushing Jackson back and risking further injury simply to get him on the floor.
That said, once he is cleared, the decision of whether or not to risk the medical redshirt will be all on Jackson. Do you think there is any way he passes up playing with a team that has a shot at making a deep run in March?
I don't.
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Tuesday Morning Dump |
- Seth Davis takes a look at the year Josh Pastner is having
- Gary Parrish is sick of people voting for Louisiana Tech. He also explains why he voted for Northwestern but not UConn
- Great read on Wes Johnson
- Kentucky bloggers react to the team's first #1 ranking in over five years
- WHAAAT?!?!? I never saw this coming....
- Anyone else think this is a funny picture?
- San Diego State signs recruit LaBradford Franklin
- Michigan's Manny Harris will be reinstated in time for MSU
- Some Hoosier injury updates
- Would Seattle's Charles Garcia have made a difference for Washington?
- More bad news for Creighton, as P'Allen Stinnet has been indefinitely suspended.
- Former Jayhawk walk-on is involved in high school basketball prank. I've never been a fan of pranks. The same goes for hijinks, shenanigins and monkeyshines. Thank you high school etymology classes.
- LaSalle, once a trendy sleeper pick, is now all-but-done. Kimmani Garrett is done for the year with a stress fracture
- Great read from Kyle Whelliston
- Nice to see former UConn transfer Curtis Kelly playing well
- Well will you look at that. Iowa actually won a road game.
This is funny:
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Monday, January 25, 2010
POSTERIZED: Keion Bell can dunk in a game too |
We all remember what Keion Bell did during Pepperdine's March Madness. If you don't, well, here it is.
The funny thing about having hops like that?
Sometimes you'll catch a help side defender flat-footed, putting said defender on a proverbial poster.
Exhibit A (start at the 2:10 mark):
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John Calipari calls John Buccigross a "jagoff" live on Sportscenter |
He's pretty clearly kidding, but it is still quite funny.
As you might have suspected, the term "jagoff" is essentially "jackoff", only in Pittsburghese.
UPDATE: Cal confirmed our suspicions via Twitter:
John Buccigross & I go back 10 yrs. We're both from Pitt. It's a term of endearment & we went back n forth using that term b4 we went on-air
John's great @ what he does. I stunned him w/ my Pittsburghese. Come on, John. You're better than that. Watch the haters blow this up (DP)
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Monday's Pregame Beat |
7:00 pm: Georgetown @ Syracuse: Arguably the Big East's fiercest rivalry, this game comes as both teams are playing arguably their best basketball of the season. After losing to Pitt, Syracuse has reeled off six straight wins, including three roadies in the span of six days, as they have asserted themselves as a favorite to earn a #1 seed come Selection Sunday. Georgetown, on the other hand, struggled a bit earlier in the season, including a loss to Old Dominion at home, but the Hoyas have bounced back nicely, winning six of their first eight in the league. This game comes in the middle of a very tough stretch for Georgetown, as they play four top 15 teams in five games.
If the Hoyas want to spring the upset on the road, they are going to have to pound the ball into Monroe at the high post. There may not be a better passing big man than Monroe, and his height should allow him to find guys like Chris Wright and Austin Freeman, who have been arguably the best back court in the country the last month, for open looks. Syracuse, on the other hand, should look to try and force turnovers. The Hoyas back court, especially Chris Wright, have a tendency to be turnover prone and force quick shots when they are faced with some tough defense (see the UConn game), and the Orange have proven to be a very good team in transition.
9:00 pm: Missouri @ Kansas: Everyone knows about Kansas and how talented this team is. Everyone should know about Missouri and their 40-minutes-of-hell defense. The Tigers are the best team in the country when it comes to forcing turnovers. But Kansas, led by senior Sherron Collins, has a very good back court. If Mizzou wants to win this game, the are going to have to do three things: get Kansas to rush, whether it results in a turnover or a forced shot; control the defensive glass by keeping the Jayhawk's big front line from getting second chance opportunities; and hit their threes.
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1/25 - College Hoops Week in Review: |
What we learned this week: Its hard not to consider Michigan State damn near a lock to win the Big Ten. After a comeback from 13 points down against Minnesota, the Spartans are now 7-0 in the conference, sitting two games ahead of Wisconsin, a team they already own a win against. Perhaps most impressive is the way Tom Izzo has developed Kalin Lucas into a leader. Against Minnesota, Lucas made a number of big plays down the stretch, but none was bigger than the three he hit to give MSU a 65-62 lead.
I think we may have figured out how to slow down Evan Turner. West Virginia's comeback against Ohio State was fantastic, as they were down by 12 at the break before making a stand defensively over the last nine minutes. Da'Sean Butler, who hit a number of big jumpers down the stretch, was quite impressive, but perhaps more impressive was the job that Devin Ebanks did on Evan Turner in the second half. Turner didn't make a field goal, missed five free throws, and committed five turnovers.
Vandebilt is quietly having a great season. After a bit of a rough start to the year, where they lose to Cincinnati, Illinois, and Western Kentucky in their first nine games, the Commodores have reeled off nine straight wins and started 4-0 in the SEC. They are getting continued consistent play from AJ Ogilvy and Jermaine Beal, but Jeff Taylor is turning into a star while John Jenkins looks to be the best shooter in the SEC not named Rotnei. This past week, they came from 16 down at the break to beat Auburn at home. With non-conference wins over Missouri and at St. Mary's looking better and better, Vandy is a team you are going to want to keep your eye on for the rest of the year.
Maybe you shouldn't have counted out Northeastern. The Huskies started out the season a dreadful 2-7, but currently are on an 11 game winning streak. At 8-1 in the CAA, they are tied atop the league standings with Old Dominion and George Mason, having swept VCU and handed Mason their only league loss. Northeastern hosts Old Dominion on Saturday, and still has to go to William & Mary and George Mason. But the Huskies were one of the favorites to win the conference in the preseason, and have proved those predicitons correct. With William & Mary and VCU both fading, it looks like the CAA may be just a one-bid league this season.
Temple knocked off Xavier in Philly, and looks like they are the favorite in an A-10 race that will be one of the most exciting in the country. Preseason favorite Dayton is in the middle of the pack at 3-2 in the league, tied with Rhode Island, a team who has one of the best non-conference resumes in the league. Richmond and Charlotte, two teams that were expected to compete after impressive wins earlier in the season, are still in contention at 4-2 and 4-1, respecitively. Xavier, who was expected to be down this season, is sitting at 5-1 and is all alone in second place.
We've heard a lot about teams losing every close game, but not that many about teams winning every close game. How about UAB? More specifically, how about Aaron Johnson, who hit a jumper with six seconds left to beat Southern Miss on Wednesday, and they scored on a layup to beat Marshall on Saturday with seven seconds left. And this is on the heels on beating Arkansas on a last second dunk and coming from 24 down to beat SMU on a layup with 1:11 left in the game.
GAME OF THE WEEK: Florida 58, South Carolina 56
Florida won their third straight game in SEC play by outlasting a South Carolina team missing two starters in the front court. Devan Downey showed why he is regarded as one of the best scorers in the country, routinely going 1-on-2 or 1-on-3 to finish with 36 points, one shy of his career high. Tied at 52 with under 30 seconds left, Downey took the ball from half court, drove left, and hit a tough pull-up over three Florida defenders, setting up what is one of the best finishes I've ever seen (start at the 6:00 mark):
Two things to note about this finish. First, pretty impressive display by freshman Kenny Boynton, who knocked down three straight free throws to give the Gators the lead with 11 seconds left. Second, Parsons three saved up from quite a bit of controversy, and it is pretty clear that Devan Downey double dribbled as he spun through the trap on the sideline.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Jerome Dyson, UConn
The Huskies were coming off of three straight losses, the last being to Big Ten underachiever Michigan, before learning on Tuesday that their hall of fame head coach would be taking an indefinite leave of absence. But UConn, who had fallen from a top ten ranking to the wrong side of the bubble, rallied, winning both of their games last week as they beat St. John's before knocking off then-No. 1 Texas in Gampel Pavilion. Their biggest reason why was the play of Jerome Dyson, who averaged 26.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg, and 4.0 apg, including a career-high 32 point outburst against the Longhorns.
Jerome Dyson scored 32 points in UConn's win over Texas.
(photo credit: Boston.com)
The win was huge for the Huskie's tourney hopes. UConn has been on the short end of a number of close games against their best competition, but finally broke through and earned a marquee win against Texas.
They were good too
TEAM OF THE WEEK: Seton Hall Pirates
Seton Hall has the talent to be a tournament team, but they have struggled since an 8-0 start to the season as they lacked the defensive intensity and good decision-making ability from their best players. Coming into this week, the Hall was just 1-4 in the league and dangerously close to sliding back into the bottom quarter of the conference. But the Pirates responded this week, beating both Pitt and Louisville to give themselves a fighting chance at earning an at-large berth.
Jordan Theodore only had five points against the Panthers, but he played like a true point guard and was a pest of the defensive end of the Pirates.
(photo credit: MSNBC)
While those wins aren't quite as impressive this season as they would have been last year, it is nonetheless a big step for the Hall. And it wasn't just Jeremy Hazell showing better shot selection. It was Jordan Theodore turning into a true point guard. It was Herb Pope showing promise as a go-to scoring option in the post. It was Jeff Robinson proving that he was more than just a dunker. It was the fact that the Hall, a team not known for their defense or toughness, beating Pitt in a slugfest with their leading scorer in foul trouble for most of the game. Seton Hall has three road games coming up - against South Florida, Villanova, and Pitt. But if they can get through that stretch with a win, or better two wins, the end of their Big East schedule is pretty easy - two against Rutgers, a home date versus DePaul, a trip to Providence and St. John's, home games versus Notre Dame and Marquette, and just one game versus the class of the conference, at West Virginia.
They were good too
MATCHUPS OF THE WEEK
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A couple of Pac-10 thoughts. Did you know this league isn't very good? |
If you've been watching or reading anything about college basketball over the last two months, than you've probably heard someone, somewhere, mention something about the fact that the Pac-10 is down this season.
That is not breaking news.
What is a bit of a shock is how terrible the league truly is.
After the league's fourth week of conference games, Cal is the only team that can hold out for any kind of hope of earning an at-large bid, and even that is a stretch at this point. They are 13-6 overall and 5-2 and in first place in the league. But their best non-conference win is against Murray State (78th in the RPI). They are 0-4 against the top 50, and have lost to UCLA (136th) and Washington (75th). The only reason their RPI is in the top 25 range (currently 25th) is because they have played the 3rd toughest schedule in the country.
It will be tough for the selection committee to give an at-large bid to the Bears, especially when you consider that their "signature" win right now is at home against USC after the Trojans learned of their postseason ban, especially when you consider the Bears are bound to take a few more losses with seven of their remaining 11 games on the road.
If you haven't done it already, say goodbye to Washington's potential postseason.
The Huskies were swept by the LA schools, dropping a buzzer beater to the Bruins and getting waxed by USC. U-Dub has a number of issues. They don't play defense. They struggle with consistently giving effort. They don't have a true point guard. No one has been able to replace Jon Brockman.
But their biggest issue is simply that they cannot win away from home. Washington is 0-5 in true road games this year, and also lost to Georgetown in Anaheim. They are, literally, winless in every game away from Hec Edmundson Pavilion. That's not going to get it done.
Think about this for a second.
UCLA has be abysmal this season. Stanford has nothing on their roster beyond Landry Fields. Arizona is far from the Arizona we knew under Lute Olson. All three teams are sitting within a game of .500 on the season.
And all three teams are currently sitting one game out of first place in the Pac-10.
I mean, a UCLA team that lost to Cal St. Fullerton (RPI 236th), Portland (98th), Stanford (121st), and Long Beach State (125th), and is 136th in the RPI themselves, has an actual chance to win the Pac-10 even after they lost starting forward Drew Gordon.
I guess crazier things have happened.
I just can't think of many.
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Fordham needs to remove Grasso's interim tag |
Ray Floriani had a chance to see Fordham play last week. Needless to say, he was impressed with interim coach Jared Grasso.
This has been said and written in a few other locales.
Very simply and to the point.
Hey Fordham: HIRE JARED GRASSO!!!
When I was 12, Grasso was my coach at the Quinnipiac basketball camp.In mid-December Grasso was appointed interim head coach after Dereck Whittenburg was shown the door. The first time I saw the former Ram assistant running the team and making the decisions was on December 19th at the Izod Center in East Rutherford. Then and there I was convinced he was the man for the job.
You may be thinking this writer has officiated one too many poorly played lower level basketball games and has taken leave of his senses. Fordham is 1-11 under Grasso, 0-6 in Atlantic Ten play and on an eleven game losing streak. Not so.
There are a number things in Grasso’s corner. First, his ability to recruit. Some coaches are good recruiters only but Grasso is comfortable with the X’s and O’s. He can manage a game and make adjustments. But the thing that stood out that December afternoon as Villanova opened the game the second half en route to a 96-58 rout of Fordham is how his players react. They respond to his coaching, play hard and are enthusiastic right to the final buzzer.
Those same qualities were evident over a month later on Saturday in a 62-45 loss to Temple at Rose Hill. The Owls pulled away the second half but here was Grasso working each possession and his players carrying out assignments, though some were forgotten (it happens with young teams). To the end they competed regardless of the score.
A former guard at Quinnipiac, Grasso has his college coach Joe DeSantis as an assistant and a voice of experience and guidance. He is learning on the job but has something you cannot learn.
It’s inside. Something called passion.
Grasso is energetic to hit the road recruiting after a loss and/or watch tape of the next opponent. Overall, he is genuinely passionate about the program and his players, a point expressed by Dayton’s Brian Gregory after their mid January meeting at the Garden.
Awarding Grasso with the job now would help recruiting as prospective players would know who is running the program the next few seasons or more. Turning Fordham around will not be easy. Jared Grasso relishes the challenge. He is actively immersed in it at present time. Hopefully the administration will realize it, give him a contract and scrap that interim tag. Soon!
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Kevin Coble has range |
Kevin Coble is sitting out the 2009-2010 season with a broken bone in his left foot, which means he has a lot of time on his hands.
And he is apparently putting that time to good use.
While I'm sure he is taking this opportunity to bulk up a bit in the weight room and to get a better feel for Northwestern's offense, Coble is also working on his trick shots. Proof, you ask? Video, I reply.
According to Lindsay Willhite of the Daily Herald, this shot was Coble's fifth attempt at an over-the-head 60 footer. His next move was to go to the scorer's table and bounce in a shot from half court.
Impressive stuff.
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Monday Morning Dump |
They talked about this kid on the telecast. What's wrong with him?
More talk of Rutgers coach Fred Hill getting the axe
BP takes a look at UConn
Jim Calhoun saw UConn's game against Texas on tv. I'm sure the first half did a lot to help his blood pressure
Is Bruce Weber getting fed up with his Illini team?
Luke Winn talked to Sylvan Landesberg
The new charging rule hasn't been much of a factor this season
That's a great sign. Hilarious.
Scott Martin could return to Notre Dame this season?
People can't stop talking about Mark Titus
Dane Miller had 26, 8 boards, and 6 assists versus Villanova, which sparked transfer rumors
And you thought the 2-7 start meant you could write off Northeastern.
I didn't even know there were reports...
Agreed. This kid will be a stud by the time he leaves Villanova
A writer at the ProJo really goes after Keno Davis for postgame comments after South Florida's come-from-behind win over Providence
This always disturbs me:
Best ending to a game this season:
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