Thursday's Shootaround

Maryland 75, College of Charleston 74: We've already touched on this terrific game twice (here and here) as we were lucky enough to be at the Comcast Center last night. Three more notes:

• Jordan Williams looked like a different players. The 20 pounds that he has lost have made him much more nimble, athletic, and explosive (he had about six dunks last night), and he's developed some impressive post moves.
• Andrew Goudelock is a helluva player. We already knew this, but he hit some tough shots and really took control of this game. If Maryland didn't have three bigger, longer, more athletic wings to rotate through on him defensively (Goudelock, for what it is worth, looked tired by the end of the game), he may have gone for 40.
• If Maryland had hit their free throws (they were 5-18), this game would not have been this close.
  

Pitt 97, Illinois-Chicago 54: The Panthers jumped out to a big lead, and while the Flames -- who were playing under the newly-hired Howard Moore for the first time -- were able to keep it respectable in the first half (they went into the break down 43-29), Pitt was too much in the second half. The Panthers shot 70% from the floor in the final twenty minutes. Minnesota transfer Paul Carter's homecoming was less than heroic; he finished with just 6 points on 1-10 shooting. But his younger sister is now cancer-free, so I think we'll chalk this one up as a win for him.

Texas 89, Louisiana Tech 58: The Longhorns once again started slowly, limping out of the gate before extending their lead to 15 late in the first half. As they did on Monday, the 'Horns took over in the second stanza, as their defense got tougher and shots started falling. Tristan Thompson has 17 points and, for a stretch in the second half, reminded some people why he was once the No. 1 recruit in the class of 2010. The biggest issue for Texas? Offense. They still need a point guard -- a leader -- to step up.

Illinois 84, Toledo 45: Once again, the Illini jumped out to a big first half lead, going into the break up 47-18. This time, however, Illinois kept up the defensive pressure in the second half, not allowing Toledo to make the score respectable. To be fair, however, Toledo only had five scholarship players, and the Illini sat their starters for much of the second half.


Thursday's Best:

• Olu Ashaolu, Louisiana Tech: He only had 13 points and 11 boards, but check out this dunk:
  

• Ashton Gibbs and Brad Wanamaker, Pitt: The Panther's back court duo once again dominated. Gibbs finished with 24 points, 7 assists, and 0 turnovers, while Wanamaker had another terrific all around game with 17 points, 9 assists, and 6 boards.
  
• Tristan Thompson, Texas: The Longhorn's big freshman finished the day with 17 points, 7 boards, 3 steals, and 3 blocks.
• Jordan Williams, Maryland: How good has this kid been? After going for 26 points and 15 boards, he is now averaging 21.5 ppg and 15.0 rpg.
• Andrew Goudelock, Charleston: He put on another show on ESPN, going for 27 points and 10 rebounds.