Why Missouri Can Win: Their press and the Memphis point guard. Tyreke Evans has been phenomenal this season as Coach Cal has slid him into the point guard's role, something Evans had never done before. It was his play in the half court that allowed the Memphis offense to be good enough to left their defense win games. Setting up plays and driving and dishing in the half court is one thing. Trying to break what is probably the best full court press in the country as an inexperienced point guard and a freshman to boot is a much different story. Missouri forces 19 turnovers a game, and if they can fluster Evans, Mizzou has a very real shot at winning the battle of the Tiger.
Why Memphis Can Win: Defense. They are, according to KenPom, the best defensive team in the country, allowing just 0.81 points per defensive possession (which is an outstanding number by the way). Their offense has been slow to come around this year, what with their point guard issues and their inability to knock down threes before this tournament began. But even last season, it was defense that the Tigers hung their hat on. They are just as good, if not better this season.
Key To The Game: Offensive rebounding. Despite all the athletes, when it comes down to it Mizzou is a finesse team. Their two best player, Leo Lyons and DeMarre Carroll, are both face-up, perimeter oriented forwards that excel in their motion offense (FYI - that motion offense has allowed them to average 18.2 apg as a team, tops in college hoops). Guys like Robert Dozier, Pierre Henderson-Niles, and Shawn Taggart are much stronger in the paint, especially on the glass. For Mizzou to win, they need to win the rebounding battle.
BIAH Pick: Missouri. I think Mizzou comes out playing well, and that their press really gets to Evans.
Continue reading...
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Missouri vs. Memphis Sweet 16 Preview |
Villanova vs. Duke Sweet 16 Preview |
Why Villanova Can Win: Balance and versatility. The Wildcats don't have a star. Scottie Reynolds and Corey Fisher are both McDonald's All-American's, but Fisher comes off the bench and Reynolds has developed into much more of a point guard that a flashy scoring guard (most thought he would be the latter after a stellar freshman campaign. Dwayne Anderson, Reggie Redding, Shane Clarke, and Corey Stokes are all outstanding defenders that can guard multiple positions (with the exception of Stokes, the other three can defend 1-5, especially on a team like Duke). But they also can do different things on the offensive end. Dante Cunningham has turned into a force in the paint. The thing that makes this Villanova team so dangerous is that they have about six or seven guys that can go for 20 on any given night, and it doesn't matter to them who it is.
Why Duke Can Win: Gerald Henderson. No one on Nova can come near matching Henderson's athleticism (maybe Shane Clark, but Clark cannot guard Henderson on the perimeter). Putting a guy like Redding or Stokes on Henderson might be able to slow him down for a while, simply because he would get out-physicaled, but G has proven he is too good of a slasher to be slowed down like that. Henderson has not reached double figures just once in the last 28 games. I also like the match-up Jon Scheyer will be getting. He will more than likely be guarded by Scottie Reynolds for much of the game, and Reynolds is exactly the kind of defender that Scheyer can beat - not all that big, not all that quick.
Key To The Game: Duke's perimeter defense and boxing out. The Devils have had problems this year handling penetration (do I need to remind you what Ty Lawson did in the two games they played UNC). They are also going to have problems keeping a Villanova team that goes to the boards very hard from the perimeter. That is going to be the difference right there. Case in point - American was up by 14 early in the second half on Nova because they forced them into jump shots and kept the Wildcats at one shot a possession. They lost by 13 because Villanova started getting to the paint and to the glass.
BIAH Pick: Villanova. Can a team with no true point guard beat a team with two Mickey D's all-american point guards?
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Xavier vs. Pitt Sweet 16 Preview |
Why Xavier Can Win: The Musketeers match-up very well with the Panthers up front. Jason Love, Kenny Frease, and Derrick Brown provide enough muscle to, in theory, bang with DeJuan Blair and company. Pitt, and Blair specifically, dominates teams on the glass. But Xavier is also one of the best in the country, out rebounding their opponent's by an average of 8.5 rpg. The Musketeers will also have an experience edge over the Panthers. X has reached the Elite 8 twice in the previous five NCAA Tournaments, including last season. Pitt was bounced in the second round last year, and hasn't reached an Elite 8 since 1974.
Why Pitt Can Win: Pitt has built a national reputation on their tough defense and tenacious work on the glass, and as such have beaten teams this year that play the same way (ask UConn). Xavier is also a team that relies on tough defense and board work in order to win games. Pitt has trouble with teams that can spread them out and force DeJuan Blair to defend on the perimeter. Frease and Love are not going to be playing all that much on the perimeter. Terrell Holloway and Dante Jackson are not exactly stars at the offensive end, and defending them in the pick-and-roll is probably not costing Jamie Dixon any sleep. The other reason Pitt can win is that they have a great point guard, a great scorer on the wing, a dominant big man on the interior, a number of excellent role players and a great coach. They truly are a complete team, and will be scary if they can put it all together.
Key To The Game: DeJuan Blair's fouls. It has been said so many times, but Pitt loses when Blair is in foul trouble because that they are simply not the same team without him on the floor. As I said, Xavier does not have many players that are going to force Blair to defend on the perimeter, so X is going to have to get the ball into the paint (either via penetration or a post touch) and go aggressively to the rim if they want to get the big guy out of the game.
BIAH Pick: Pitt. I just don't think X has enough this year.
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Purdue vs. UConn Sweet 16 Preview |
Why Purdue Can Win: Defense. The Boilermakers are one of the best defensive teams in the country. I don't say that because of stats, and I don't say that because hype, I say that from watching them play. There may not be a more fundamentally sound defensive team in the country than Purdue. There also may not be a coach better at putting together a game-plan defensively than Matt Painter. Every one on this team, especially the guys on the perimeter, can play lockdown defense. The best of the bunch is Chris Kramer, who was the Big Ten's defensive player of the year in '08 (and may have repeated this year had he not been injured). Among other impressive performances, he held Steph Curry to 5-26 shooting and 13 points in December. The only guy on UConn that can penetrate and create a shot is AJ Price. If Kramer can keep him in check, the Huskies may struggle to put points on the board.
Why UConn Can Win: Size and athleticism. Purdue is not all that big and not all that athletic, especially along their front line. The opposite is true for the Huskies. Stanley Robinson, Jeff Adrien, Hasheem Thabeet - these guys are big, they're strong, and they're aggressive going to the glass. Purdue gave up 14 offensive rebounds in both of their games with Michigan State, and the Huskies are bigger and more athletic than MSU. Purdue struggled down the stretch against an athletic Washington team, so JaJuan Johnson, Robbie Hummell, and Keaton Grant are going to need to play very big if they want to have a shot at springing the upset.
Key To The Game: You mean besides avoiding the distractions of yesterday's Yahoo! report? This game is going to be close. Yes, UConn has been blowing out opponent's so far in this tourney, but Purdue is just too good defensively to get run off the court like that. Anyone that watched the Cuse-UConn 6 OT thriller can attest to the fact that the Huskies struggle to get big baskets, especially against good defensive teams (the Orange didn't lead until the sixth OT, but UConn could not put them away). If this game is close down the stretch, UConn is going to have to find some way to score, especially if Kramer is hounding Price.
BIAH Pick: UConn. Their size is just going to be too much.
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Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Thursday N.I.T. Turmoil |
Major Recruiting Violations at UConn |
Sportscenter is reporting major violations by UConn in their recruitment of Nate Miles. There are multiple issues here. The first is that UConn made 1,565 phone calls and texts between 2006-2008 to Miles and those close to him Nochimson while recruiting Miles, which well exceeds the one call a month you are allowed.
Nochimson, who can be considered a representative of UConn's "athletic interests", also reportedly provided Miles with lodging, meals, transportation, and representation from an agent. The agent was former UConn manager Josh Nochimson.
Apparently, this was discovered because Nochimson, who was Rip Hamilton's agent and business manager, alledgedly stole over $1 million from the former Husky star. Through that investigation, the UConn violations were discovered.
It is still early, and we will have more on this later in the day as the facts keep coming in.
UPDATE: Miles wasn't the only UConn recruit shepherded by Nochimson. According to reports, he also led Sudanese refugee Ater Majok, who is currently enrolled at UConn and cleared to practice with the team, to a high school all-star game in Louisville.
The biggest issue for UConn is what this means for the program. From an Andy Katz report:Katz reported that, according to a source with direct knowledge of NCAA procedures, based on the level of detail in the Yahoo! Sports report, the NCAA is expected to look into the allegations. According to the source, the decision on how to proceed should come quickly, possibly within the next 24 hours. But the ensuing investigation could take months.
Now, the question turns to Jim Calhoun. Given his deteriorating health (three time cancer survivor, missed the first round game this year with dehydration, the third time he has missed all or part of a tournament game) and this impending investigation, if the Huskies make a run to the Final Four or even the title, would this not be a good time for Calhoun top ride off into the sunset?
The NCAA likely will focus on the amount of telephone calls made, whether the coaches knew that Miles had a relationship with a registered agent who also was a UConn alumnus, and if they did know, to what degree, the source said. Kelvin Sampson's case of impermissible phone calls at Indiana brought about a tweaking in an NCAA bylaw that may apply, according to the source. The NCAA now has a possible violation description that details a lack of "coach control." The coach, according to the source, is obligated to create an atmosphere of compliance.
Going forward, UConn is expected to take the approach that it will defend itself to the NCAA, rather than sound off publicly, despite public opinion that would likely work against it as an investigation unfolds. UConn is also expected to defend the nature of the calls to Nochimson, in particular claiming that at least one of the lengthy calls made by Calhoun -- a 58-minute call in 2007, while Miles was attending Calhoun's summer basketball camp -- was about Hamilton, not Miles.
It would be a shame for all the kids currently on the roster (or would it? If UConn so blatantly violated NCAA regulations recruiting Majok and Miles, would it surprise anyone if the rest of the roster was "bought" as well?) if this distraction cost them a chance at the title and they lost to Purdue on Friday.
Interesting read - Billy Packer and Bobby Knight tell us that this is not the biggest distraction a team has had to face during the tournament.
Continue reading...
Wednesday N.I.T. Turmoil |
The first night of N.I.T. Quarterfinals are in the books, and for the second straight night, we had some legit action on the hardwood. Both #1 seeds fell, leaving Kentucky as the lone SEC team in post-season play. Two of the Trizzle's favorite non-Georgetown teams got wins tonight to send them into the semis of the N.I.T. (Contrary to popular belief, it is not called the Not Invited Tournament.)
- #2 Penn St. 71, #1 Florida 62 - If you know anything about the Trizzle, you know that I have been high on Penn St. all year. Jamelle Cornley, PSU's go-to big man had a superb game scoring a game-high 23 points and grabbing 12 boards as well. Oh yeah, he hurt his shoulder late in the first half, and played almost the entire second half to secure the Nittany Lions victory. Talor Battle had 13 points, but shot a dismal 8-21 from the field. Gator's senior Walter Hodge had only 7 points in his last collegiate game ever. May I remind you that Walter Hodge was the only Florida player to stay after the back-to-back Championships. The end of the game was a surreal moment. Florida was down by 9, but the student section in Gainsville was still cheering "WALTER HODGE.....WALTER HODGE" That right there is why I love college basketball.
- #3 Baylor 74, #1 Auburn 72 - I have been a big fan of Baylor for the past two years. The improvement their program has made in the past 36 months is second to none in the entire country.. Their roster has been way to good this year to fall to a streaking SEC team in Auburn. LaceDarius Dunn led the Bears with 19 points and was just one rebound shy of the double-double. Curtis Jerrels had a spectacular game, hitting the go-ahead basket as well as posting 16 points and 8 assists. To round out the night for Baylor was big man Kevin Rogers, who got the double-double of 15 points and 12 rebounds. For Auburn, senior Quantez Robinson ended his college career on a down note, being shut down for the majority of the game, as he ended with just 4 points.
Tonight's Games
- 7:00PM: #4 Kentucky @ #2 Notre Dame
- 9:00PM: #2 St. Mary's @ #1 San Diego St.
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Bradley Beats Oakland on a 70 Ft Buzzer Beater |
The NCAA Tournament had no buzzer beaters in its first weekend.
Sure, the end of the Siena-Ohio State game was great. Demetri Goodson made a fantastic play to end the Gonzaga-Western Kentucky game.
But no buzzer beaters.
Maybe you're watching the wrong tournament.
From the Collegeinsider.com Tournament:
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Tuesday, March 24, 2009
North Carolina State Loses Two Players |
And it begins.
NC State junior Brandon Costner has declared for the NBA Draft. From an NC State release:
"I really want to thank the coaches, the fans and everybody at NC State for the time I have spent here,” said Costner. “So many people have helped me while I was a member of the Wolfpack, I just feel like it is time to move on and pursue my dreams of playing professionally."Costner is a junior, and given the "testing the waters rule", which allows a player to go through the draft process once and still return to school with their eligibility intact, this seems like a pretty standard decision.
But Costner will graduate in May with a degree in communications, which would make it very difficult to convince him to come back to school should he have a chance at getting picked.
That's the issue. Costner is not a great prospect. He was a highly touted recruit (by Herb Sendek, not Sidney Lowe), and after dominating the ACC tournament and leading NC State to the title game as a redshirt freshman, a lot of people had high hopes for him. But Costner is not an overwhelming athlete, he doesn't rebound particularly well, and he plays no defense. So while he does have a versatile offensive game (he averaged 13.6 ppg as a junior), the question becomes is anyone going to use a draft pick on a homeless man's Derrick Coleman?
NC State also lost another redshirt junior in Trevor Ferguson, but not to the draft. Ferguson will graduate this summer with a degree in Science, Technology, and Society, and will be ending his basketball career. Continue reading...
Seth Curry to transfer from Liberty |
On Monday night, Libery lost to James Madison in the quarterfinals of the Collegeinsider.com tournament (yes, there is a Collegeinsider.com tournament) 88-65, ending the Flames' season.
It would be the last game that Seth Curry, the younger brother of Stephen Curry, would play for Liberty. Word came out tonight that the younger Curry is transferring out of Liberty in order to finish his collegiate career playing against better competition.
From a press release: This is a difficult decision that I have reached after close consultation with my family and others close to me. [The decision] is based on my desire to develop as an athlete to the fullest of my potential and take advantage of new opportunities that may be available to me in a higher rated conference.
Seth Curry has played his last game as a Flame.
(photo credit: LibertyFlames.com)
The 6'3", 180 lb Curry averaged 20.2 ppg this season, tops among freshman. Given his ability and his bloodlines, it would make sense that a number of big time schools would come calling (although, wouldn't that have been true coming out of high school?).
So where will Curry end up?
The Curry's hail from Charlotte. One ended up in North Carolina, the other in Virginia. They are also, by all accounts, a very close family, so it is a reasonable assumption that Seth will want to stay in the mid-atlantic region.
They both also ended up at quality academic institutions. Davidson and Libery are both good schools, which would lead one to believe that schooling is as important to the family as athletics.
Two schools immediately come to mind - Virginia and Wake Forest. UVa's coaching situation makes Charlottesville a less than ideal destination. But what about Winston-Salem? It has a history of putting out quality guards (Randolph Childress anyone?), it is in North Carolina, and they will be having a ton of shots coming off the books by the time Curry would be eligible (if you think that Jeff Teague, James Johnson, and Al-Farouq Aminu will all still be around in the '10-'11 season, you are crazy).
So will Dino Gaudio have a Curry on his roster? Who knows. Nothing in the release indicated a school that Curry was interested in, and coaches are not allowed to discuss potential transfers. For all I know, he could end up playing for Craig Robinson at Oregon State because he likes Obama's stimulus package.
But speculating is fun, isn't it?
Continue reading...
Monday, March 23, 2009
Eric Devendorf: Public Enemy #1 |
Outside of Blake Griffin and Ty Lawson's toe, the most talked about subject in college basketball over the past few days has been the vilification of Eric Devendorf. The Big Lead named Devo the most hated player in all of college hoops, over the likes of Greg Paulus and Tyler Hansbrough.
I'll be completely honest. I hate Eric Devendorf too.
If you read this blog, then I'm sure you know. I'm a UConn fan. I'm not shy about admitting that. Devo is the most vocal player for Syracuse, so it only makes sense that I would hate him.
The difference is that I hate him for different reasons than you do.
Jameson Fleming wrote an excellent article defending Devo. I agree with most of what Fleming has to say. I do, however, disagree with one thing that Fleming wrote: that Devo is not a "punk".
When it comes down to it, Devo is a punk ... on the court. Saying nothing about him as a student and nothing about him as a father (because, by all accounts, he seems to be a good student and a fantastic father), on the court, he is a punk. The trash talking, the excessive showboating after a made three, the "potty mouth" (it has been reported that after hitting what would have been the game-winning three against UConn, Devo screamed an F-bomb at the crowd when he jumped up onto the scorer's table). Those are the kind of things that make you a "punk".
But that isn't why I hate Devo.
In fact, that passion is one of the things I love about him.
I don't know Eric Devendorf, and odds are good that I will never meet him. But one thing I can tell you from watching him on the court is that this kid loves playing. He loves competing. He thrives on being on the court in crucial situations. And nothing makes him happier than when he makes a critical play or hits a big shot in the face of a defender.
Rightfully so. If he wants to let that defender know about it after the fact, I have no problem with it. Trash talk has become a part of the game. Someone that will hit a big shot and quietly jog back on D is the exception these days. Not the rule.
I also have no problem at all with Devo jumping onto the scorer's table after burying the would-be game winner against UConn in the Big East Tournament. Remember, we are talking about a 21 year old kid that we already know is a fiery and emotional competitor who had just hit what would have been the biggest shot of his life.
To beat the #1 team in the country.
In the Big East Tournament.
At the basketball mecca, Madison Square Garden.
On national TV.
If you could hit that shot and not be fired up, then there is something wrong with you. Yes, his choice of words to yell into the crowd probably wasn't the best, but can you really blame a 21 year old for letting a moment like that sway his judgement?
In an article written by Pat Forde, Gerry McNamara calls Devendorf "The best teammate I have ever played with. He would do anything for this team". And I believe it. Anyone that saw the Syracuse-Seton Hall game the night before the six-OT marathon would agree.
After a little dust-up between Arinze Onuaku and John Garcia at one end, which resulted in some jawing between the two teams and double technicals, Kristoff Ongenaet was fouled very hard by a Seton Hall player as he went in for a lay-up on the next possession.
Who was the first guy into the fray to defend his teammate?
You guessed it.
Devendorf.
You may criticize him for it, but I applaud him for it. As corny and cliche as it may sound, a sports team, especially one that plays at a level as high as Big East basketball, is a family. If you were playing a pick-up game, and someone fouled your brother the way that Ongenaet was fouled, how would you react?
The hate he receives for his actions on the court pale in comparison to what he gets for his actions off the court. For starters, his appearance has caused many to label him "a douchebag" or "white trash". I'm not even going to touch on the issues with labeling and stereotyping this kid because of his appearance, but if you hate people with manicured facial hair and tattoos covering their body, shouldn't you hate this guy too?
Devo's on-court arrogance and outward appearance made him disliked. An incident that occurred late in 2008 made him despised.
Details were unclear at first, but initial reports stated that Devo had hit a woman in the face at 3 am after some sort of verbal altercation, which resulted in the school handing down a suspension for the rest of the school year. As the stories were untangled and the women's credibility torn to shreds (apparently, her lawyer has even admitted that Devo did not hit her), Devo was reinstated after missing just two games. While I doubt we will ever fully know what happened that night, it seems as if it was a drunken incident between two emotional people that was blown completely out of proportion.
That is why the majority of people out there hate Eric Devendorf.
So why do I hate him?
It is simple.
He plays for Syracuse, UConn's rival. And more than just wearing Orange, he is also, in my opinion, one of the most underrated players in the country, and probably the most valuable player on this team not named Flynn. Devo is fast earning a reputation as one of the best clutch shooters in the country. If I'm a coach down three with ten seconds left, I don't know if there are five players I would rather have taking the game-tying shot than this kid.
That is it. Nothing more. Nothing less.
I don't hate Devo because of his tattoos. I don't hate him because he never shuts his mouth on the court. I don't hate him because of an incident where everyone (including myself) jumped to a conclusion well before all the facts were on the table.
I hate him because I respect him as a player. I hate him because I know the shot he hit against UConn at the end of regulation on March 12th was no fluke. I hate him for the same reason I hate media darlings Jonny Flynn and Terrence Williams and hated guys like Roy Hibbert and the entire 2006 George Mason team.
I hate him because he stands between my UConn Huskies and success.
Nothing more.
Nothing less.
Continue reading...
Tuesday N.I.T. Turmoil |
We have hit our first dry stretch of the NCAA tournament. It's a good thing the N.I.T. provides a descent helping of interesting matchups to get us thru the week. Creighton, the NCAA's odd man out, hosted the Billie Gillespie Farewell Tour in front of a packed house, and two of the elite scoring guards in the country went toe-to-toe in the nightcap.
- #4 Kentucky 65, #1 Creighton 63 - The Qwest Center in Omaha was entirely sold out, and I would guess that a majority of the tickets were sold to students, because it was loud, very very very loud. With every shot that Creighton made, the place erupted like it was a buzzer-beater. Second Team A.A. Jodie Meeks was shut down the majority of the game, but hit the game winner on a nice dribble drive to the basket, and converted on the 3-point play. Perry Stevenson had a 13 points and grabbed 10 boards and Patrick Patterson chipped in with 12. Booker Woodfox led the Blue Jays with 18 points but shot a dismal 9-23 from the field. This game had all the makings of a NCAA tournament game; neither team led by more than 5, and there were 11 lead changes. I think the wildcats need two more post season wins to salvage their season, and Gillespie's coaching status.
- #2 St. Marys 80, #6 Davidson 68 - Steph Curry vs. Patty Mills, not much else needs to be said. Oh ya, this was the fastest sell-out in the history of St. Mary's College. At the half, Mills had 17 and Curry had 12. The pace of this game was set by the two speedy guards. St. Mary's had a better team performance, getting excelent play from Diamond Simpson (12,15) and Omar Samhan. There were stretches of this game that looked like a consistant fast break drill with both guards running the floor, leading to some beautiful finishes (still trying to find a good clip). Curry finished with 26, but Mills had the more complete game, logging the double double of 23 points and 11 assists.
QUARTERFINALS
Tonight's Games
- 9:00PM: #2 Penn St. @ #1 Florida - ESPN
- 7:00PM: #3 Baylor @ #1 Auburn - ESPN
Wednesday's Games
- 7:00PM: #4 Kentucky @ #2 Notre Dame - ESPN2
- 9:00PM: #2 St. Mary's @ #1 San Diego St. - ESPN2
Continue reading...
Way Too Early NBA Draft Post - Who Helped and Who Hurt Their Stock This Weekend |
For the sake of this post, we are going to assume that everyone is declaring for the draft. Since we are discussing draft stock, we can assume that everyone is eligible because, well, they are. I'm a firm believer that a player's hype can influence their draft position because I feel like a lot of GM's will draft someone "hot" because it will appease their fan base. Right or wrong, a good NCAA Tournament, where a player excels in front of a national audience, can give people a false impression of how good that player will be. Think Joe Alexander.
Who Hurt Themselves:
Who Helped Themselves:
The other issue is that he is not aggressive enough. Harden has a tendency to "let the game come to him", meaning he does not utilize his tremendous talent by attacking defenders from the tip. He did not look aggressive in either game this weekend. It was less of an issue against Temple, because both Derek Glasser and Jeff Pendergraph were really clicking offensively. But against Syracuse he looked downright passive. Yes, a lot of that had to do with amount of focus he was being given by the Syracuse defense (Rihard Kuksiks and Ty Abbott both were left open all game by Syracuse, as the Orange decided to let the Sun Devils try and shoot themselves back into the game). He did not score a point in the first half against Syracuse, and although he did start to make things happen in the second half, it was too little too late. He is being projected by most places as a top-5 pick, which is a range where teams will try to find a franchise player, or at least a go-to scorer. Will a team be willing to use a pick that high on a guy that has not shown the ability (or desire) to take over a game when the team needs him to?
Yes, Daye has looked a bit less athletic than he did last year, but he did deal with some knee injuries in the off-season. And the lack of strength on his frame is always going to be a question mark, but he is just 19 years old (looks like he is 15) and that should improve as he continues to fill out (toughness is an issue as well. Watch the video of the end of the WKU game, and see who Pettigrew out hustles for the tip-in that tied the game). But the biggest issue has been his attitude. Daye has a tendency to to sulk when things aren't going his way, be it because he is missing shots or not getting calls. That is what was most prevalent about his two performances this weekend. Daye seemingly whined about every call that didn't go his way. If he can't handle it at this level, what is going to happen in the NBA, where unproven young players get even fewer calls?
Teague has probably dropped the most of the three. He was on fire for the early part of the season, but his threes did not fall down the stretch. He also was exposed as a shaky ball-handler, play maker, and decision maker down the stretch. Case in point - he committed seven turnovers and was able to take just seven shots against Cleveland State in the biggest game of his Wake career.
Continue reading...
All-First Weekend Team |
MVP of the First Weekend: Cole Aldrich, Kansas
Aldrich was a force this weekend, showing off both his offensive and defensive ability in the paint. Against North Dakota State, he was unguardable, finishing the game with 23 points and 11 boards on 9-12 shooting. But is was his performance against Dayton that earned him the MVP honors. Aldrich became just the sixth player in 23 years (steals and blocks were not a stat until 1986) to record a triple-double in the NCAA tournament as he tallied 13 points, 20 boards, and 10 blocks. It was a dominating performance on the defensive end against a very aggressive, very athletic Dayton team. It is sure to get him noticed by some NBA scouts.
All-First Weekend Team:
Sallie's performance against Cal State Northridge is the main reason why the Tigers are still alive and dancing. The sophomore guard, who has been through the ringer trying to enroll at a school, was 10-15 from three, finishing with 35 points (his previous high was 13). In the two games, Sallie averaged 24.0 ppg and shot 13-18 from deep.
Typical Blake Griffin. he went for 28 points, 13 boards, and 2 assists against Morgan State, and then 33 points, 17 boards (8 off), and 3 assists against Michigan. He also threw down a number of big dunks. The most impressive stat was his field goal shooting - 25-32 in the two games. That is over 75%.
Collins was fantastic in the two games this weekend. He outdueled Ben Woodside in the Jayhawk's opener, going for 32 points and 8 assists and hitting seemingly every big bucket. In the second round match-up with Dayton, Collins might have been more impressive. It was a game where no one could get into a rhythm offensively, but Collins still managed to put up 25 points. All told, Collins ended the week with averages of 27.5 ppg, 5.5 rpg, and 5.0 apg.
The Wildcats aren't supposed to be playing right now. If the committee got it "right", Arizona would be in the NIT right now. But Wise and company are in the dance, and they are making the most out of it. Wise is one of the guys leading the way. The point guard turned himself into another in the line of great lead guards at Point Guard U, and this weekend was no exception. Wise averaged 25 ppg and 5 apg as Zona reached the Sweethttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif 16. He also shot 15-26 from the floor in the two games.
Prior to this season, UConn had not won a single postseason game with this team. But the Huskies have now advanced to the Sweet 16 in dominating fashion, beating Texas A&M and Chattanooga by a combined 82 points (tying a record set by Duke). Price was the catalyst, averaging 23.5 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 5.5 apg, and shooting 9-18 from three.
Continue reading...
The Top Plays From The First Weekend |
We love us a good highlight here at BIAH, and the first weekend of the dance was chock full of them. Here are just a few of the great and memorable plays.
If I missed one, it may just be because I could not find a video of it, but leave a link in the comments section regardless.
We'll start you off with one of the best dunks we saw all season long. You can literally see Pargo lining this one up from the minute he gets the ball at the three point line.
Sticking with Gonzaga, Demetri Goodson leads Gonzaga to the Sweet 16 by banking in a runner. This clip doubles as the best call of the weekend, courtesy of Kevin Harlan.
Cedric Jackson catches a ridiculous alley-oop against Wake Forest. Remember, this pass was thrown as a sidelines out of bound play.
"Top Flyght" Wright and Devin Ebanks had a number of big time dunks. Gus Johnson's best call of the tournament comes at the :58 mark.
Gerald Henderon takes a big hit from a Texas defender, but still finishes with a dunk. Not sure about the song selection, however. Soulja Boy and Bow Wow? Really?
This didn't count, but good lord Jonny Flynn can get up in a hurry. That looked effortless.
Hasheem Thabeet blocks a UTC player. I love his reaction after the block, staring at the guy like "Are you kidding?"
Byron Eaton sends Tennessee home after the first round with a strong drive to the rim.
There were so many big plays made in the Ohio State-Siena game, we are just going to give you the full highlight clip from CBS.
Trevon Hughes drives and scores in OT to send the Badgers to the second round.
"Ladies and Gentleman, welcome to the Stanley Robinson show"
Crazy ending to this one if you haven't seen it. Mizzou player gets fouled, but is "hurt", so he has a substitute free throw shooter. After hitting both, Lazar Hayward steps over the end line while inbounding the ball.
And finally, we give you Blake Griffin, who high-flying aerial routine would be almost comical if it wasn't so vicious.
UPDATE: We found a video of the Siena cheerleader going nuts!! I rewound this about four times when I saw it happen live.
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The NCAA Tournament's First Weekend: In a word, boring? Actually, no. A look back at 48 games in four days. |
The NCAA Tournament looks awfully chalky this year. For the first time ever, all of the top three seeds have reached the Sweet 16. Two four seeds also made it through the tournament's first weekend.
The only two teams that are not a top four seed still alive?
Purdue, the 5 seed out west, is a team that many had as a Final Four dark horse early in the season, and were it not for a series of injuries during the season, would probably not be seeded this low; and Arizona, a 12 seed in the midwest, who has reached 25 straight NCAA Tournaments, although this is the first time they have been seeded this low.
Not exactly full of cinderellas.
If I had to think of a word to describe the first weekend of the tournament this year, it would be "anti-climactic". Every buzzer-beater missed. (Almost) Every upset attempt was foiled.
Every time you thought the incredible was about to happen, it ... didn't.
That's not to say there weren't some fantastic finishes. The cajones Ronald Moore showed at the end of each overtime against Ohio State will be immortalized in "One Shining Moment". Demetri Goodson became a household name for all of 24 hours when he went coast-to-coast to help Gonzaga stave off David-wannabe Western Kentucky (think about how far the Gonzaga program has come that they are now considered a "Goliath" in the tourney). The back-to-back and-one's by Tyler Smith and Byron Eaton were two of the best individual plays of the 48 games.
But there was nothing like this. Or this. This either.
Perhaps the weekend can best be summarized by Lazar Hayward. Hayward is a forward for Marquette, and a damn good one at that. He had a good first weekend, averaging 19.5 ppg and 9.5 rpg as the Eagles advanced to the second round despite having half of Dominic James. In fact, it was Hayward's heroics against Utah State that was the reason Marquette was even playing Missouri in the second round.
In the first half, Marquette had found themselves down 16 points to Mizzou, unable to solve the Tiger's press and transition game. The Eagles had no quit in them, however, as they fought all the way back, even taking the lead for a stretch at the end of the second half. With the score tied at the end of the game, Mizzou guard JT Tiller drove to the hoops, drawing a foul. After two Missouri foul shots, Marquette had the ball under the basket with 5.5 seconds left. With the likes of Jerel McNeal and Wesley Matthews to take the ball the length of the court, a two point lead was not safe.
It should have been a classic ending. Everyone was expecting a moment that you would always remember. The entire viewing audience wanted a play that would go down in tournament history, a play that would certify the career of one lucky Marquette Golden Eagle.
None of that happened.
Instead, as Hayward was about to inbound to ball, a Missouri player darted into the passing lane. Hayward held on to the ball, not wanting to throw it away and commit a turnover. But his momentum carried his right foot across the end line.
Marquette's season - gone in six inches.
(photo credit: The Dagger)
Violation.
Turnover.
Missouri ball.
After two Leo Lyons free throws, the game was over.
Letdown city.
It was a common theme in 2009's version of the first weekend. East Tennessee State gave Pitt everything they could handle, pressing the Panthers and crashing the offensive glass, but in the end Pitt was just too much as the Buccaneers faded back into college hoops obscurity. Cleveland State missed 20 of their 23 three point attempts as their quest for the Sweet 16 and tournament immortality was ended by Nic Wise and Arizona. The trendy pick for the 2009 version of Steph Curry, a young man by the name of Ben Woodside who dropped 60 on Stephen F. Austin earlier this year, shined but was outdueled by Sherron Collins as the North Dakota State Bison just did not have the horses to run with Kansas.
That isn't a bad thing, it just means that you have to dig a little bit deeper for the interesting story lines.
Instead of focusing on how Woodside could not carry his team to an upset of the defending national champion, how about you focus on the fact that he and his classmates came to NDSU when it was a D1 transitional school, and spent their freshman year sitting on the bench as red shirts just so they had the opportunity to take a run at the tournament as fifth-year seniors (worked out pretty well, didn't it).
Don't knock Arizona if you believe that they did not deserve to get into the tournament. Celebrate the fact that the guys that gutted out an extremely tough time for one of the marquee college basketball programs are now getting a chance to play the #1 overall seed in the Sweet 16.
Instead of knocking Jim Calhoun for playing guys with spotty records like AJ Price and Stanley Robinson, praise Calhoun and the players for remaining dedicated and turning their lives around while bringing a team that two years ago came in 11th in the Big East and missed the dance back into national prominence, all while becoming upstanding young men in the process.
Don't call Blake Griffin soft for not retaliating when he gets beat up by opponents. Appreciate the fact that someone whose ability thrives on his raw athleticism and aggression is able to contain his emotions when he is repeatedly on the receiving end of cheap shots. Then get on youtube and spend the next hour in awe over what the kid can do at the rim.
While you can complain about how much Ty Lawson's toe has been in the news, you have to be able to give the kid credit for taking over the game against LSU, scoring 21 points in the second half, with the amount of pain he was in.
(photo credit: The Dagger)
There were no buzzer beaters in the first 48 games.
There is no bandwagon to jump on this year.
The slipper doesn't fit. Anyone.
While it may hurt the appeal of the dance for the casual fan, if you are a college hoops aficionado, then the outcome of this weekend should have you foaming at the mouth as we get some fantastic match-ups. Xavier coach Sean Miller starred at Pitt from 1987-92, is one of the hottest coaching prospects in the country, and has long been rumored to be the heir to the throne of the Panthers. Duke and Villanova are so similar and match-up so well that the game can't be anything short of sensational. Michigan State-Kansas. Missouri-Memphis. UConn-Purdue. Everywhere you look, there are great games that are going to be played. So what a chalky tournament lacks in early round cinderellas, it makes up for with blockbuster match-ups all throughout the second weekend.
Most importantly, when thinking about this first weekend of play, remember this: the best is yet to come.
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Sunday Recap |
In each of the eight games that took place Sunday afternoon, the higher seed won. It is a good thing and a bad thing. The bad is that unless Arizona is wearing a glass slipper, there will be no cinderella in this year's dance.
The good news? We have some phenomenal Sweet 16 match-ups on deck.
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Sunday, March 22, 2009
Monday Morning Shootaround: Louisville and Pitt Survive Scares As Every Higher Seed Won |
Continuing the theme of the entire tournament, Sunday was a day devoid of upsets, as the higher seed won in each and every game. That isn't to say there wasn't some excitement, as #1 seeds Pitt and Louisville survived scares, as did Michigan State and Missouri.
Before we get into today's shootaround, I'd like to take this time to point out that BIAH got 14 of the Sweet 16 teams correct (missing on Arizona - thanks Wake - and Xavier, we took Wisconsin) and still have our entire Elite 8 intact. Between that and predicting the 34 at-large teams correctly, ESPN has to come calling fairly soon, no?
GAME OF THE DAY: Missouri 83, Marquette 79
In the triumphant return of Dominic James from a broken foot, the diminutive point guard had little to no effect on the game, but that didn't change the fact that Marquette had a little extra hop in their step as they jumped out to a 17-11 lead. A 31-9 Tiger run seemingly erased any hope of a Marquette upset, as Mizzou opened a 42-26 lead. Freshman Kim English was the catalyst, as he scored 15 points and hit four threes during the four and a half minute stretch.
Marquette was not about to go away, however. Jerel McNeal and Wesley Matthews (who had 30 and 24 points, respectively) led the Eagles on a 14-4 run that cut the lead to two. The Eagles took the lead a couple of times down the stretch, but the score was tied at 79 with under a minute left. JT Tiller drove and was fouled, setting up what was a strange series of events. Tiller hurt his wrist on the play, and taking advantage of a rule in the college game where you can substitute for an injured player on a free throw, coach Mike Anderson brought English in off the bench, and the freshman knocked down two free throws to give Missouri the lead.
This caused Buzz Williams to lose his mind, as Tiller was back at the scorer's table ready to check in after English hit the second free throw. I'm not exactly sure why he would be mad. Tiller (75.8%) is a better free throw shooter than English (68%), so it isn't exactly like Steve Nash was being brought in to shoot for Ben Wallace. And Tiller is a fantastic defender. So while a wrist injury may hurt your chances from the foul line, it will have little to no effect on your ability to play defense for 5.5 seconds.
(Ed. Note: This happened to my team in college once. We had a center who was a pretty bad free throw shooter, and with about ten seconds left in regulation, he got fouled on a play at the rim. He had broken his nose earlier in the game, and after the play came up holding his face like he had gotten popped again. I still remember seeing him say to the trainer "I'm faking it" and watching her smile while she pretended to check his nose. Anyway, we put in our senior captain that shot about 85% from the line, he hit both free throws to tie the game, and we eventually won in overtime. Our center was right back in the game after the foul shots.)Marquette's season - gone in six inches.
(photo credit: The Dagger)
So the stage was set for another fantastic finish in Boise for the Tigers (the last time they played here was 1995, when Mizzou was up 74-73 with 4.8 seconds left before Tyus Edney went coast-to-coast). Lazar Hayward takes the ball out of bounds and ... steps over the end line? Yep. Turnover. Missouri ball. Leo Lyons knocked down two free throws to ice the game.
The play kind of embodied the entire first weekend - no real buzzer beaters (unless you count Demetri Goodson), no huge upsets, no cinderellas. No shot to tie for Marquette.
PLAYER OF THE DAY: Cole Aldrich, Kansas
Kansas struggled offensively against the athletic, aggressive defense of the Flyers. They finished the game with just 60 points, but that was more than enough as Dayton shot a woeful 22.2% from the floor, scoring just 43 points. Why did the Flyers struggle so much from the field? The presence of Aldrich at the rim. The big fella, who was playing in front of a hometown crowd in Minneapolis, finished the game with 20 boards and 10 blocks, to go along with 13 points, as he delivered one of the most dominating defensive performances of the season. Dayton is not a team loaded with shooters, and the Flyers, as their nickname would indicate, are a team that survives on penetrating and finishing at the rim. Aldrich made quick work of that.
Aldrich's triple-double was the first in Kansas team history, and just the sixth in the history of the NCAA tournament (keep in mind, steals and blocks were not official stats until 1986, and assists were not until 1984). The last player with a triple-double was D-Wade, back when he was still Dwayne, who had 29 points, 11 boards, and 11 assists in the 2003 regional finals. Shaq was the last player with a triple-double in blocks, as he went for 26 points, 13 boards, and 11 blocks in the 1992 first round.
They were good too:
TEAM OF THE DAY: Arizona Wildcats
I know what you are thinking. I'm picking the Wildcats because they advanced to the Sweet 16, validating their inclusion into the dance.
Wrong.
Your performance, good or bad, does not have any effect on whether or not you should have been admitted into the tournament. At-large bids are based on performance during the regular season. Performance, or lack there of, in the tournament is a completely separate entity. Think about it like this - Wake Forest lost to Cleveland State in the first round. Does that mean that they shouldn't have been a four-seed, or should not have been an at-large bid at all?
No.
So why should Arizona winning two games have any affect on how the Wildcats are viewed? If anything, it should make their regular season performance seem disappointing.
So why is Arizona the team of the day? Because of what that program has been through the last year and change. Between Lute Olsen's health (both mental and physical), the Kevin O'Neill-Russ Pennell soap opera, the loss of recruits, NBAers, and transfers, and the pending NCAA infractions investigation, fans in Tucson have not had a lot to cheer about recently. Which is a shame, because this team is fun one to watch. Chase Budinger is as talented as any player at his position in the country, and is good for a youtube clip every once in a while. Nic Wise lost a bunch of weight, and has turned himself into the next star at Point Guard U. Jordan Hill has transformed himself from a no name recruit to a potential top three pick (according to Draft Express), and one of only three players (along with Terrence Williams and DeJuan Blair) who permanently have a smile on their face for every second that they are on the court.
That is why the Wildcats are the team of the day. Because this is the payoff that guys like Hill, and Budinger, and Wise, and Pennell get for sticking through the tough times.
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BIAH NCAA Tournament Live-Blog Day 4 |
After a pretty unexciting afternoon, last night's games were, once again, the best of the day. Gonzaga was able to advance on the strength of a coast-to-coast lay-up by a freshman, while Duke was aided by a couple close calls in their win over Texas.
The biggest news of the day was that Dominic James, the Marquette point guard that broke his foot earlier in the season, was cleared to play and would be suiting up today against Missouri. What I'm hearing is that he will be playing very limited minutes (he has no wind, and was only cleared to practice yesterday), but there will be a boost simply getting James in uniform on the bench. Maybe he needs to shave his head now...
Here is today's schedule:
- South - 12:10: #6 Arizona State vs. #3 Syracuse
- East - 2:20: #12 Wisconsin vs. #4 Xavier
- Midwest - 2:30 PM: #11 Dayton vs. #3 Kansas
- Midwest - 2:40 PM: #13 Cleveland State vs. #12 Arizona
- East - 2:50 PM: #8 Oklahoma State vs. #1 Pitt
- West - 4:50 PM: #6 Marquette vs. #3 Missouri
- Midwest - 5:00 PM: #10 USC vs. #2 Michigan State
- Midwest - 5:20 PM: #9 Siena vs. #1 Louisville
Follow along after the jump.
- Lyons ices the game. Louisville is up five with just over a minute left. A bit of an anti-climactic end to what seemed like it would be an exciting end of the day.
- And Lazar Hayward steps over the in-line on the ensuing inbounds! Lyons can ice it with these two free throws.
- Michigan State hung on against USC, and Louisville has regained control against Siena, but how about the stones on Mizzou freshman Kim English, stepping to the line off the bench and knocking down both free throws.
- The difference right now has been that Siena has been forcing turnovers and scoring off of them, while they have not turned the ball over. The Saints have 19 points on 15 Louisville turnovers, while they have turned it over just 5 times.
- Marquette and Siena have both taken the lead. Jerel McNeal has been sensational.
- It looks like we are headed for some phenomenal finishes. Marquette has cut Mizzou's lead to 1, USC and MSU are tied up, and Siena has cut the Louisville lead to 8.
- In case you haven't noticed, my posts are going to really slow down a lot for the second half of these games, but if you need something to read, check out this article about a sixth grade phenom from Seattle.
- USC and MSU are really battling. The Trojans head into the under 16 timeout with a 47-44 lead.
- Missouri can really put up points in a hurry. They just scored eight points in about a minute and a half.
- Michigan State is down 46-42 against the Trojans. But the Spartans have assisted on each of their 13 FG's. Pretty impressive.
- McNeal now has 19 points as Marquette has cut the Tiger lead to 46-38. The Eagles are not out of this thing yet.
- Siena heads into the break down 42-35. Louisville is a second half team, so the Saints better be ready for the Cardinals to come out of the locker rooms strong.
- Siena is hanging around with Louisville, down six near the end of the first half. Ubiles has ten points and five boards to lead the Saints. The key right now is that the Saints are getting to the offensive glass, and their athletes are able to hang with Louisville's athletes.
- We have reached the half in two games. USC trails MSU 40-37, while Mizzou has taken complete control against the Eagles, taking a 46-35 lead into the break (it would be worse, but McNeal hit a 30 footer at the buzzer).
James does not look like Dom James. There is nothing wrong with that, this is really the first he has played since suffering the injury about a month ago. His first step isn't there, and he looks out of rhythm. But again, it is to be expected.
- Travis Walton is one of the most underrated players in the country. He is maybe the best on the ball defender in the country, but he also has developed an excellent 15-17 footer, can penetrate and find people, and he doesn't make mistakes. Exactly the kind of senior you want on your roster. He has hit jumper surrounding an assist for a dunk in the last two minutes.
- Mizzou has opened up an 11 point lead on Marquette. The Tigers defense stopped allowing as much penetration, and they have also been able to get out in transition more. Marquette better be careful, because they are about to get run out of the gym.
- CBS did a great feature on Hasbrouck's father earlier today. He has MS and is confined to a wheel chair, but he still manages to get to just about every Siena game.
- Michigan State has 6 turnovers already against USC. The Trojans are mixing up defenses and it is really throwing off the Spartans.
- English has 15 points now. He averages six points for the season. 16 is his season high.
- Over in Dayton, Louisville has taken a 7-5 lead, but Smith has picked up two early fouls. Siena is trying to pressure Louisville, which might not be the greatest decision. True, Louisville's guards are a bit suspect, but the Cards thrive in games that are helter-skelter. To beat them, you want run good offensive sets and control the pace of the game defensively. You don't want to get into a track meet with them.
- Mizzou has gone on a 13-2 run, and English has ten of them. As I wrote that, Lazar Hayward picked up his second foul on a charge.
- Dom James did, in fact, shave his head. I like it.
- This has nothing to do with basketball, but I am convinced that if you go to McDonalds and just stand in the line, you can eventually get someone's food handed to you because the guys behind the desk never check the number on your ticket. If you don't care what you are eating, it is a good way to get a free meal.
I'm just saying...
- So I'm back, and Marquette has taken an early 17-11 lead on Mizzou. The Eagles look like they have gotten a real spark from James coming back. McNeal has five early, and Marquette is killing the Tigers with their penetration.
MSU is up 11-10 early on USC. I'm pretty excited for both of these games as the two teams match-up very well.
- I'll be back in 15, going to make a food run. I would order delivery, but the one (and only) down side to doing this is that I am forced to stay inside all day when it is beautiful outside. That, and my couch is well on its way to having my ass permanently imprinted on it.
- Pitt pulls out the victory, but it was a great effort by OK State. I cannot imagine how good this team would have been had Ibrahima Thomas, their lone big man, not left the team.
- Pitt's big three have taken over down the stretch as Young, Blair and Fields have scored the last nine points.
- Fields and Eaton have both been great today. Eaton has 13 and 10 dimes, while Fields has made a number of huge plays.
Young has 31 after that three.
- Arizona looks like they have taken control of this CSU game, so we are turning are full attention to the battle in Dayton. After an Anderson three and a Fields turnover, OK State will be shooting free throws to take the lead.
- OK State just hit their first three of the half to cut the lead to five. But Blair responds by grabbing an offensive rebound and finishing an and-1 in the middle of, I kid you not, all five Cowboy defender. He is strong.
- Jordan Hill just picked up his fourth foul. Nic Wise has three. Fouls could be a problem for the Wildcats down the stretch. They are up 56-49 with 7 minutes left.
- Cleveland State has gotten the lead down to 50-46 in Miami. The Vikings are just 1-16 from three.
- Kansas has taken control of the game against Dayton, taking a 19 point lead, while it looks like Xavier has finally locked up the win against Wisconsin.
- Pitt has opened up an 11 point lead now. OK State better start hitting some jumpers.
- Cedric Jackson is back in the game, and the Vikings have trimmed Arizona's lead to 46-40.
- The Pokes can't buy a basket right now. After scoring 49 points and shooting 10-16 from three in the first half, the Cowboys have scored just four points and shot 0-6 from three in the first 8 minutes of the second half.
- Keiton Page = Luke Harangody's mini-me.
- Xavier has opened up an eight point lead on Wisconsin. The Badgers have mustered just eight points in the last 13 minutes as X has outscored them 23-8 in that stretch. Bohannon has been held to 2-10 shooting and just 5 points by Jackson.
- What a pass by Fields for a lay-up by Blair.
- Neither Pitt or OK State has come out shooting anywhere near as well in the second half. The biggest issue right now is that Pitt is killing the Pokes on the offensive glass. That last play saw Young grab two offensive rebounds and pick up an and-1 lay-up. Pitt has opened up a seven point lead.
- I don't understand why DeJuan Blair is not touching the ball everytime down the floor. On the last Pitt possession, Blair had a great seal and great position on Moses, but Dixon did not give him the ball.
- Xavier has held Wisconsin scoreless for over five minutes while scoring nine straight points to take a 35-33 lead. Wisconsin looks terrible offensively right now. Dante Jackson hit the three that gave them the lead.
- Dayton is 10-43 from the floor, but they have gotten 10 offensive rebounds.
Cole Aldrich is going to be a heck of an NBA center. He is long, he is athletic, he has great hands and timing, and he is nimble under the basket. Did anyone see that little reverse lay-up he just hit?
- Cole Aldrich is too much for Dayton inside as he has 13 boards and 4 blocks. But Dayton is hanging tough, down just 29-23. If Kansas gets their offense clicking, Dayton could be in trouble.
- Fitting end to a wild first half in Dayton. Levance Fields went to the line for a 1-and-1 with 18 seconds left in the half and missed the first, but no one knew that it was one shot, and Fields was able to run down the rebound. With the extra possession, Fields knocked down a three to send the game to the break tied at 49 (yes, 49). OK State was 10-16 from deep.
- Wisconsin has opened up a 33-26 lead on Xavier. The Badgers are not a team that you want to fall behind, as their tough defense and slow pace makes them so hard to come back on.
- I have not been watching the AZ-CSU game, did anyone see what happened to Cedric Jackson? I'm assuming he got poked in the eye, because he is sitting on the bench and he cannot open his left eye. Zona is up 31-22 after a swooping Bullock lay-up, and Jordan Hill has picked up his third foul.
- This Pitt-OK State game is awesome right now. The score is 42-41, and the two teams are going back and forth right now. After a gorgeous pass by Eaton (who is fast becoming one of my favorite players in the country), the Pokes take a 44-41 lead with 2 minutes left in the half. You have to wonder how long they can keep up this shooting - they are 9-15 from three (but Pitt is 6-15).
- Cleveland State has not been able to figure out Arizona's zone. They are 5-21 from the floor right now, and have managed just 16 points in 16 minutes.
- And Eaton is back on the court, and maybe just the presence gave the Pokes a boost - his first possession, Anderson banged a three and got fouled.
- Pitt has scored nine straight, but after a nasty collision between Eaton's shoulder and Blair's knee, it looks like the Pokes could be in trouble. Eaton has a towel over his face, and looks to be in a great deal of pain. Blair walked off the court. It looked like it was more of a scare for him than anything. He has a big scar on each of his knees, and when Eaton fell, he went straight into Blair's knee. That could have been much worse than it ended up being.
- Wisconsin has taken a 25-23 lead over Xavier. Terrell Holloway just banged a three that ended a big Wisco run. Fouls are going to be an issue for X. Holloway has two and Love three.
- Pitt really looks out of sorts right now. They are not able to get out onto the shooters of OK State, and on the offensive end, they are turning the ball over and are not getting good looks. Sam Young is the only guy that looks to have it going today.
- The Pokes are on fire right now. They have hit 4-5 from deep early as they have opened up an 18-13 lead.
- "Top Flyght" just took off from outside the block to throw one down on a break. The Kansas-Dayton is really starting to pick up in action as Dayton is starting to play their scrappy style.
- Oklahoma State has gotten on the board against Pitt. I like this match-up for the Pokes. Pitt struggles against teams that spread the floor and penetrate, which is exactly what the Cowboys do. If they can hit their threes, and force Blair to have to come out and defend on the perimeter, they can win this thing.
- Arizona has gotten out to a quick start against Cleveland State, taking a 7-0 lead in the first two minutes. If they get out and run the floor, I don't know if the Vikinds can hang with them.
- Kansas's defense is not allowing Dayton to get anything going offensively. The Flyers have started the game 1-13, and are down 11-2 six minutes into the game. Collins and Aldrich have combined for nine points. One thing Kansas does need to do is start rebounding on the defensive end. The Flyers have 5 offensive rebounds.
- Cole Aldrich just grabbed an offensive rebound and got a put-back basket. I don't know if Dayton is going to be able to handle Aldrich down low. I have a feeling that the key to this game is going to be who wins that battle.
- We've tipped in the Wisconsin-Xavier and Kansas-Dayton games. Wisconsin-Xavier is going to be a defensive battle. Six minutes in, the score is 5-3.
- The Orange have held on to beat the Sun Devils. Devo finished with 21 points, including two huge threes to help the Orange on a 9-2 run when ASU cut the lead to four. Rautins had 17 off the bench. James Harden did not have a good tournament, and may have hurt his draft stock as he was just 3-18 from the floor for 19 points in the two games.
- And Devo bangs a couple threes, and the lead is back up to 11 with 3:39 left. He's cocky, he talks a lot of trash, but I don't think there are ten guys left in the tournament I would want taking a big shot over him.
- Ty Abbott bangs another three, and ASU has this game down to four. James Harden has also decided to start playing. One thing I don't really under stand - why is James Harden playing the high post? He is really the only guy that can penetrate and create on the perimeter.
- Harden had his first field goal with four minutes left on Friday. Today, he just hit his first shot with 10 minutes left.
- Pendergraph just fouled out. Huge loss for the Sun Devils. You gotta feel for that kid. It is his last game (and most important game) for ASU, and he will be spending the last 10 minutes on the bench. Eric Boateng is going to need to play big on the inside if Sun Devils want to advance.
- Kuksiks has been the only source of points for ASU, as he has been hitting jumpers from all over the court. He has 20 today. Of note, Pendergraph is on the floor with four fouls.
- Harden is starting to assert himself here in the second half as he is really attacking the basket hard. He picked up the third foul on Jackson, and Onuaku also has three.
- Seth Davis just said ba-ba-booey for the third time (that I have heard) in NCAA tournament coverage. Really?
- James Harden is without a field goal today, and has made just one shot in 60 minutes in the first two games. ASU needs him to step up if they want to reach the Sweet 16.
- Everytime ASU scores, Syracuse has an answer. This time is was a three by Devendorf to answer a three from Kuksiks. The Orange are really controlling this game. They have now opened up a 40-24 lead.
- Jonny Flynn has a pretty ridiculous handle.
- Syracuse is trying to pull away, but Arizona State is hitting threes at an impressive clip. They are 8-20 from the floor, but they are 6-15 from deep.
- Harden has not been very aggressive in the two tournament games. He just took his first two shots of the game, and we are almost 10 minutes in. On Friday, Harden finished with just one field goal and nine points. The Sun Devils were buoyed on Friday by 22 points from both Pendergraph and Glasser, but you can't rely on those numbers. Harden needs to wake up.
- Neither team is playing much defense right now, as both teams are shooting well over 50%.
- And we have tipped in Miami with Syracuse and Arizona State. I have no idea why the NCAA thought it would be a good idea to hold tournament games in Miami. Not only are none of the teams playing there from anywhere near Florida, but the arena is empty. Don't they realize that people in Miami don't care about sports?
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