1/24 - College Hoops Week in Review: Buzzer Beaters galore

Game of the Week: UConn 61, Villanova 59

This week was rife with buzzer beaters, but perhaps the most significant one came from UConn's all-everything point guard Kemba Walker. Villanova's Corey Fisher had tied the game at 59 with 22 seconds left on the clock, and after a UConn timeout, Walker sent the Wildcats back to Philly with a loss thanks to this shot:



Villanova looked like they were pulling away when an Antonio Pena jumper pushed the Wildcat lead to 45-48 at the nine minute mark, but UConn came back. It was a 14-3 run, sparked on the defensive end and capped by a Jeremy Lamb layup with just over three minutes left, that got the Huskies back in the lead. They were up 59-54 with 48 seconds left after two Walker free throws, but Corey Fisher scored five straight points to tie the game and set up the final possession.

Memphis and Indiana State's exciting weeks: Like I said, there were numerous significant buzzer beaters this week -- JaJuan Johnson and Brian Williams can attest to that -- but the games that Indiana State and Memphis played probably resulted in the most chewed finger nails per fan of any program in the country this week.

Indiana State: For the Sycamores, it started with a Tuesday night visit from conference-leading Missouri State. It was a back and forth contest for 40 minutes, but with 4.9 seconds left on the clock, Indiana State had the ball down 69-67. It was inbounded to Jake Kelly, who has battled injuries the past two seasons, and he drove and scored with 0.6 seconds left. Kelly also drew a foul and calmly knocked down the free throw for the 70-69 win:



And that might not have been their wildest game of the week. On Saturday, the Sycamores went into Charles Koch Arena to take on Wichita State, who was a game behind both Missouri State and Indiana State for first in the MVC standings. ISU over came a 10 point second half deficit to take a two point left, but JT Durley tied the game with seven seconds left to force OT. In the first OT, ISU was down eight points, but managed to force a second overtime on a Kelly layup with 24.5 seconds left. Toure' Murry forced the third overtime with a free throw with 8.8 seconds left. In the final OT, a Ben Smith three game WSU a 84-83 lead, and the Shockers would score the next nine points to win 93-83 in triple OT.



Memphis: The Tigers had their own wild week. Still playing without Wesley Witherspoon (one game he was suspended, the other he was injured), the Tigers went 2-0 this week with a couple of fantastic finishes. On Wednesday night, Memphis dug themselves an 18 point hole against Southern Miss. The Tigers fought their way back into the game, and even took a 71-66 lead at one point. The Golden Eagles responded with an 8-2 run, setting up this ending:



Against UAB on Saturday, the Tigers pulled out an exciting overtime game that had a wild last two minutes of regulation. UAB took a 64-62 lead with 1:55 left, but a Tarik Black three point play gave Memphis the lead back. Jamarr Sanders answered with a strong drive and finish, but Will Barton buried a three with 55 seconds left as the Tigers went ahead 68-66. After UAB tied the game up, Barton banked in an off-balance thirty-footer, but he was called for a travel before he got the shot off. In the OT, Memphis didn't allow UAB to score until there were 37 seconds left, but some horrific free throw shooting down the stretch allowed the Blazers two shots to tie on their final possession:



Four OT Madness -- Utah Valley outlasts North Dakota: This one was wild.


Players of the Week: Isaiah Thomas and Matthew Bryan-Amaning, Washington

The Huskies have long been considered the favorite to win the Pac-10, but this week they erased any doubt that their slip-up at Stanford created. U-Dub took care of Arizona and Arizona State at home this week, largely due to the play of these two young men. Thomas has been the best point guard in the country in the month of January. He's averaging 20.2 ppg, 9.2 apg, and 4.2 rpg while gathering 11 steals and posting an assist-to-turnovers ratio of 3:1. That time frame also happens to coincide with the loss of Abdul Gaddy to an acl injury. Thomas has always been a streaky player, but his talent has never really been questioned. Maybe the move to the point and more time with the ball in his hands is what he needed to jump start his season. For the week, he averaged 20.5 ppg, 9.0 apg, and 6.0 rpg.


MBA has developed into a monster in the paint, and showed why this week. Against Arizona and Derrick Williams, he had 18 points, seven boards, and three blocks, and while Williams outplayed him on the stat sheet -- 22 points, 11 boards -- the fact that MBA was able to get Arizona's all-american into foul trouble down the stretch was a big reason Washington pulled away late. On Saturday against Arizona State, MBA had a career-high 30 points and was, again, instrumental in the Huskie's late surge to hold on for the win.

Both MBA and Thomas are not only both playing as well as they have all season, but they seem to have developed a nice connection on the court. Thomas is looking for MBA when he drives, and MBA is getting open and finishing the passes he receives. The more I watch Washington, the more I believe this is a team capable of making a deep tournament run. With Thomas, MBA, and the bevy of wing players on this Washington roster, Lorenzo Romar has plenty of weapons on this team.

The All-they-were-good-too team:

• G: Kevin Foster, Santa Clara: The Broncs had a terrific week, beating both Gonzaga and Portland, but Foster was the star. He had 36 points and six assists against the Zags, following that up with 19 points in the win over Portland.
  
• G: Jordan Hamilton/J'Covan Brown, Texas: The two Longhorn guards combined to averaged 37.5 ppg as Texas knocked off two top ten teams this week. Brown sparked the comeback against Kansas, while Hamilton's second half put away Texas A&M.
  
• G: Cam Long, George Mason: Long led Mason to a important 2-0 week as the Patriots knocked off both Drexel and James Madison to create some space at the top of the CAA standings. Long had 14 points and seven rebounds in the win against Drexel, but it was the 30 points, five assists, and four boards he had against JMU that got him on this team. He did it on 8-9 shooting from the floor, including 4-4 from three.
  
• F: Justin Harper, Richmond: Its about time you start paying attention to this kid. An athletic, 6'10" power forward that shoots 50% from three? He's averaging 18.2 ppg and 6.7 rpg on the season, 25.5 ppg and 7.4 rpg with 11 blocks over the last five, and went had 51 points and 18 boards in two wins this week against George Washington and UMass, who entered the week a combined 6-1 in the A-10.
  
• C: Jared Sullinger, Ohio State: Sullinger was an absolute monster against Illinois on Saturday. He had 27 points, 16 boards, and three blocks, and almost single-handedly got the Illini's entire front line in foul trouble.
  
• Bench: Jimmer Fredette, BYU (42 points at Colorado State); Josh Gasser, Wisconsin (1o points, 12 boards, 10 assists vs. Northwestern); Ben Hansbrough (averaged 20.5 ppg and 5.5 apg in wins over Cincy and Marquette); Kore White, Florida Atlantic (22 points and 11 boards as FAU moved to 7-0 in the Sun Belt); Lazeric Jones, UCLA (205 ppg in 2-0 week); Tu Holloway, Xavier (21.5 ppg, 5.0 apg, four steals in wins over St. Bonaventure and Temple)
  

Team of the Week: Texas Longhorns

The Longhorns firmly entrenched themselves in the debate for the best team in the Big XII, and as a Final Four favorite, with their two wins over top ten opponents this week. On Wednesday, the 'Horns hosted Texas A&M and blew them out of the water, opening up an early 20-5 lead and never seriously getting challenged after that. Then on Saturday, Texas went into Phog Allen Fieldhouse, a place that Kansas had not lost in 69 games, and came back from 15 down in the first half to beat the Jayhawks.


What makes Texas so good this season is their defense. Jordan Hamilton and J'Covan Brown are not exactly elite defenders just yet, but they are much improved over last season. Cory Joseph is long for a point guard and not afraid to get out and pressure on the perimeter, while Dogus Balbay is one of the best on the ball defenders in the country. Combine that with big guys like Tristan Thomspon and Alexis Wangmene to protect the rim and Gary Johnson to clean up the misses, and Rick Barnes crew has settled into a nice defensive rhythm. More important, however, is that this season, in stark contrast to last year, everyone on this Texas team has a clearly defined role. The fact that their best offensive lineup is able to lock up defensively is another big change from last season. Believe it. These 'Horns are for real.

Who had a good week:

• UConn Huskies: The Huskies beat both Villanova and Tennessee this week at home in close games. The wins were nice, but more importantly the Huskies role players are playing great basketball right now. Alex Oriakhi seems to have worked through his midseason slump. Jeremy Lamb sparked the comeback against Villanova and had a career high 16 points against Tennessee. Roscoe Smith and Shabazz Napier can make plays on both ends of the floor. Kemba Walker did not play great this week, but with defenses focusing on slowing him down, UConn's role players have been what is keeping the Huskies in the top 10.

• Washington: I've already talked plenty about these Huskies in this post, so I'll only add this -- the past few seasons Washington has struggled on the road. Six of their next eight games are roadies, including trips to Pullman for Wazzu and Tucson for Arizona. Win those, and maybe the pollsters will start agreeing with Kenpom.
• George Mason, Hofstra, and VCU: There doesn't appear to be one great team in the CAA this season, but the top of this league is tough and balanced. These three teams look like they are starting to separate themselves from the pack. Hofstra, who rode Charles Jenkins to wins over UNC-Wilmington and William & Mary, and VCU, who knocked off Georgia State before going into Richmond to beat Old Dominion, are tied atop the league at 7-1 while GMU picked up wins against Drexel and James Madison to find themselves alone just one game back.
• Xavier Musketeers: Once again, Xavier seems like they are primed to prove the doubters wrong. After a ho-hum non-conference schedule, the Muskies have won their first five games in A-10 play, capped by an 88-77 victory over Temple on Saturday. Don't write off their win at St. Bonaventure, either. The Bonnies are improved this season, and Xavier fought back from an early double digit deficit.
• Memphis Tigers: As we mentioned earlier, the Tigers picked up two huge wins this week, beating C-USA contenders Southern Miss and UAB in exciting fashion on the road without Wesley Witherspoon. Memphis has now won three games in a row, and they are finally starting to look like the team we all expected in the preseason. Memphis is young, but they now appear to be playing not only with effort and intensity, but with more smarts. There have been fewer bad shots and much more defense the last three games.
  

Who struggled this week:

• Seton Hall Pirates: It would have been one of the great storylines of the season if Seton Hall was able to turn things around with Jeremy Hazell's return, but an 0-2 week -- including a loss to Rutgers -- means SHU has now lost eight of ten overall and six of seven in Big East play.
• Colorado Buffaloes: So much for this team being a sleeper in the Big XII. After impressive wins over Kansas State and Missouri, Colorado proceeded to lose to Nebraska and Oklahoma this week.
• Gonzaga Bulldogs: The Zags lost to both Santa Clara and San Francisco this week, dropping them to 3-2 in the conference and setting up an enormous game against St. Mary's on Thursday. If they lose that one, the Zag's stranglehold on the WCC may officially be over.
• Northwestern Wildcats: Northwestern desperately needed to pick up a win against Wisconsin at home on Sunday if they truly wanted to be considered a threat for an at-large bid. Instead, they lost by 32 points.
  
• The MWC: The talk of the MWC in the preseason was that the league had the potential to earn four -- maybe even five -- bids to the NCAA Tournament this season. They may be lucky to get three this year. UNLV got blitzed by Colorado State. The Rams proceeded to lose to BYU at home -- a win they needed if they wanted a real shot at an at-large bid -- while UNLV picked up an ugly win against New Mexico. The Lobos are in real trouble, as they are now just 1-4 in conference play and have lost six of nine. Is Drew Gordon a chemistry killer? The Lobos are just 5-6 since he got eligible.
• St. John's Red Storm: Like Seton Hall, the Johnnies had a chance at being one of the great stories of college hoops this season, but after starting off 3-0 in Big East play, they have now lost four of five. Getting smacked by 25 at Louisville was bad, but losing at home to fellow bubble-dweller Cincinnati at home might have been worse.
• Morehead State: With Austin Peay and Murray State losing a couple of games this week, Morehead had a chance to swoop in an climb their way up the OVC's standings. Instead, they lost their second straight game, this time to Eartern Kentucky, to fall to 5-4 in league play.
  

Matchups of the Week:

• 1/24 - 7:00 pm: Notre Dame @ Pitt
• 1/25 - 9:00 pm: Purdue @ Ohio State
• 1/26 - 10:00 pm: SDSU @ BYU
• 1/27 - 7:00 pm: Hofstra @ VCU
  
• 1/27 - 11:00 pm: St. Mary's @ Gonzaga
• 1/29 - 12:00 pm: Georgetown @ Villanova
• 1/29 - 12:00 pm: Louisville @ UConn
• 1/29 - 12:00 pm: Xavier @ Richmond
  
• 1/29 - 1:00 pm: Minnesota @ Purdue
• 1/29 - 7:00 pm: Kansas State @ Kansas
• 1/29 - 9:00 pm: Missouri @ Texas
  

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No. 10: 2009-2010 Team Preview: Washington Huskies

2008-2009 Record: 26-9, 14-4 Pac-10 (1st)

Key Losses: Jon Brockman (14.9 ppg, 11.5 rpg), Justin Dentmon (14.4 ppg, 2.7 apg)

Key Returners: Isaiah Thomas (15.5 ppg, 3.0 rpg), Quincy Pondexter (12.1 pg, 5.9 rpg), Matthew Bryan-Amaning (6.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg)

Newcomers: Abdul Gaddy, Clarence Trent, CJ Wilcox, Tyreese Breshers

Isaiah Thomas will team with Abdul Gaddy to form one of the most exciting back courts in the country.
(photo credit: Tucson Citizen)

Washington won the Pac-10 last season, and despite losing two of their top three scorers, many are predicting a second title in as many years for the Huskies.

The biggest reason for that is their back court. Sophomore Isaiah Thomas and freshman Abdul Gaddy will be as exciting as any duo in the country this season. We know what to expect out of Thomas this season. He is an excellent scorer, especially when he is putting the ball on the deck and getting to the paint. Despite being just 5'8", he is able to finish amongst the trees thanks to an array floaters and scoop shots. Thomas is at his best when he is playing in the open court, thanks to his shiftyness and his ability to handle the ball. Where he could still use some improvement is in his jump shot. He was inconsistent as a freshman, especially from beyond the three point line.

The biggest key for Thomas this season may actually be the addition of Abdul Gaddy. Thomas is better when he plays off the ball, looking to score first. Gaddy is more of a natural point guard that has drawn some comparisons to Mike Bibby. Gaddy's strength lies in his ability to handle and pass the ball. He isn't overly quick or bouncy, but his crossover is deadly and he can throw any pass with either hand on the money. His stroke has been much improved of late, and may end up being a strength for him at this point.

Joining those two in the back court will be Venoy Overton. Overton may be the best perimeter defender in the country. He is a ball hawk that will provide Lorenzo Romar with a defender for 94 feet. Offensively, he will get some points in transition, and knock down a three here and there. Sophomore Elston Turner and freshman CJ Wilcox will also see time in the back court. With the graduation of Justin Dentmon, the Huskies are going to need another scoring punch from the wing. Lorenzo Romar will be counting on one of these two to step up.

The front court is where the question marks are going to be. Gone is Jon Brockman, one of the best big man in the history of the Pac-10 conference. Brockman controlled the glass for the Huskies, and had a motor that couldn't quit. The issue was that, despite the fact he ran the floor hard, Brockman was far from what you would call a great athlete. So while his loss will no doubt hurt, given the Huskies increased emphasis on an uptempo style of play, getting more minutes from Matthew Bryan-Amaning and Darnell Gant may not be a terrible things.

Junior Bryan-Amaning is more talented than Gant, and will be counted on more for production. At 6'9", he can run the floor and finish, but his rebounding and defense will need to be improved. Gant is more of a hustle guy. As a redshirt freshman last season, he struggled a bit offensively and with his consistency. Redshirt freshman Tyreese Breshers should also see some minutes in the post.

Perhaps the key for Washington this year will be Quincy Pondexter. Pondexter was a highly regarded recruit coming out of high school, but until last season he really struggled with his ability and consistency. As a junior, Pondexter really began to develop an offensive game. He averaged 12.1 ppg and 5.9 rpg, scoring a lot of points as a result of his hustle and athleticism. Justin Holiday is another guy in similar shoes. Also 6'6", Holiday is a rangy athlete that is still coming into his own talent wise. Both Holiday and Pondexter should be able to thrive playing the forward spot in an uptempo system like Washington will play.

Outlook: The Huskies do have a ton of talent. Their back court is loaded with Thomas and Gaddy, and Bryan-Amaning and Pondexter both look primed for excellent seasons. The issue is going to be with how the Huskies can handle this change of style. Will their big guys be able to play against teams with bigger and stronger front lines? Will the athleticism on this roster be taken advantage of when they are in the open court? Will someone outside of Thomas develop into a shooter? Those are a lot of questions to be answered, but the Huskies will have time as they play in a watered down Pac-10. The league title will come down to U-Dub and Cal.

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2009-2010 College Basketball Season Preview: Breakout Players

Cole Aldrich averaged just 8.3 mpg as a freshman, before becoming one of the best centers in the country this past season.

Jodie Meeks had two unimpressive, injury-plagued seasons before becoming one of college basketball's most electrifying scorers as a junior.

Every season, there are kids that come from college basketball obscurity and burst onto the national scene. Who will have a break out year in 2009-2010?

Ed Davis, North Carolina - 6'10" 225lb: Davis is in kind of the same boat Aldrich was last season. As a freshman, he was a promising prospect that was stuck behind a loaded front line. Davis is long, athletic, and plays with a great deal of energy. He has shown the ability to be one of the better defenders and rebounders in the country, and with the added scoring opportunities with the graduation of Tyler Hansbrough, Wayne Ellington, and Ty Lawson, it isn't a stretch to think Davis could average 15 and 10 as a sophomore.

Ed Davis could be the next great Tar Heel big man.
(photo credit: Raleigh Durham About)

Kemba Walker, UConn - 6'1" 172lb: Walker was stuck playing behind AJ Price as a freshman. But with Price's graduation, this will be Kemba's UConn team to run. And run they will. The last two seasons, UConn has played a much more controlled pace than you expect from a Jim Calhoun team. Price, Hasheem Thabeet, and Jeff Adrien were all more suited to a slower paced, grind-it-out style. With those three gone, UConn will rely on Walker, Jerome Dyson, and Stanley Robinson to lead them, all of whom could be considered the most athletic player at their positions. UConn is going to press defensively and run offensively, and Walker is going to be the catalyst.

Kim English, Missouri - 6'6" 200lb: Anyone that watched the NCAA tournament (and if you read this blog, that means you) should know what English can do when he gets hot: during a four minute stretch against Marquette in the second round, English hit three threes and scored 15 points. A 6'6" two-guard, English is tall enough to get his shot off over most perimeter defenders, but he also has enough athleticism to survive in the 40-minutes-of-hell style the Tigers play. With guys like Leo Lyons, DeMarre Carroll, JT Tiller, and Matt Lawrence all graduating, expect English to get many more minutes and shots.

Chris Wright, Georgetown - 6'1", 208lb: Wright was a much-hyped recruit coming out of St. John's high school in Maryland, but an injury to his foot severely limited his court time as a freshman. Combine that with playing behind Jonathon Wallace, and last season was essentially Wright's first in the Big East. With that came the growing pains - at times he was brilliant, but overall he had an inconsistent season. He now has a year of experience under his belt, and knowing what to expect in a watered down Big East, Wright should be more comfortable and confident leading the Hoyas.

Wesley Johnson, Syracuse - 6'7", 198lb: Johnson was a player for two years with Iowa State, averaging 12 ppg both seasons. But during his sophomore year, he played on an ankle that required surgery after the season was done. Now that he has had 16 months to get healthy, Johnson will start over in a program looking for their own fresh start. The Orange lost a ton of talent on the perimeter, and Johnson will be expected to shoulder the scoring load from day one. Johnson is a tremendous athlete with a jumper that is very effective when he doesn't fall in love with it - which is what happened during his sophomore season (although, that was most likely a result of his injury). If he can become the player he was as a freshman - attacking the glass, going to the basket, defending - Johnson should put up impressive scoring numbers and thrive playing the back line of the Syracuse zone.

Iowa State transfer Wesley Johnson will be counted on to replace the scoring of Jonny Flynn and Eric Devendorf.
(photo credit: Flagrant Fouls)

Matthew Bryan-Amaning, Washington - 6'9", 240lb: A lot of people are predicting the Huskies to be the best team on the West Coast, and that prediction could very well hold true as U-Dub will field one of the most dynamic back courts in the country. But back court play will only get you so far during the season. Washington will be heading into this year with a gaping hole in their frontline courtesy of Jon Brockman's graduation. Bryan-Amaning will be the guy called upon to fill a lot of those minutes. He has shown signs of being a star-in-the-making during his first two seasons, but both seasons faded down the stretch as his minutes and production tailed off during Pac-10 play. The Huskies, if possible, are going to play an even faster tempo than they did last season, and given Bryan-Amaning's length, athleticism, and face-up game, he should be able to thrive.

Malcolm Lee, UCLA - 6'5", 180lb: Lee has been getting a ton of attention during the off-season, and it isn't hard to see why - the kid looks like he could be the second coming off Russell Westbrook. If you remember, Westbrook flew under the radar as a freshman before exploding as a sophomore and becoming the fourth pick of the 2008 draft. Like Westbrook, Lee is a rangy combo guard with outstanding athleticism. He struggled to find minutes in a crowded back court last season, but that doesn't mean that he isn't blessed loads of talent. Lee is still a bit raw, especially on the offensive end, but he has already garnered a reputation for being a play maker defensively. If he is allowed to take some advantage of his outstanding ability to create in the open court, Lee could be a first team all-Pac 10 player.

Can Malcolm Lee follow in Russell Westbrook's footsteps?

Roburt Sallie, Memphis - 6'5", 196lb: Remember what I said about Kim English? If you watched the NCAA Tournament, you know what this guy is capable of. The exact same can be said about Sallie. Sallie spent most of the season on John Calipari's bench, but exploded for 35 points and 10 three's as he carried the Tiger's to a first round win against Cal State Northridge. One of the best shooters in the country, new coach Josh Pastner is going to need a big season out of Sallie, as the NBA Draft and a disappearing recruiting class has left the Tiger's cupboard pretty bare.

Ishmael Smith, Wake Forest - 6'0", 175lb: As a freshman, Ishmael Smith was one of the most promising point guards in the country, averaging 6.0 apg. But something happened over the past two seasons, and that something was named Jeff Teague. Teague dominated the ball during his time in Winston-Salem, forcing Smith into a much less significant role. But that doesn't mean Smith can't play. He is not a great scorer, but what he does well is break down a defense and lead a break. In other words, he can create scoring chances for others, which is going to be so important for a Wake team that doesn't have a lot of polished offensive weapons.

Ashton Gibbs, Pttsburgh - 6'2", 200lb: Pitt will be heading into this season with basically a whole new team. With four starters gone, and two of their top returners out to start the season (Jermaine Dixon's foot injury and Gilbert Brown's suspension), Gibbs and Brad Wanamaker will be basically the only two guys back. Gibbs played a limited role as a freshman for the Panthers, but in those limited minutes he produced. He also had an impressive summer playing for the U-19 World Champions (coached by Pitt head coach Jamie Dixon). Gibbs will be counted upon immediately to produce for the Panthers, and he should be up to the task. He proved his ability to shoot from the perimeter last season, but this year he will be asked to lead this team as a scorer and play maker.

William Buford, Ohio State - 6'5", 185lb: Buford took some time to find a rhythm as a freshman, but once he got comfortable he really started to show some promising signs at the end of the year. Buford is one of the most fluid scorers in the Big Ten. He is so good at reading a defense and coming off of a screen, and is deadly when shooting in the 15-18 foot range. If Buford can expand his ability to slash to the rim, he could prove to be a deadly complement to Evan Turner.

Honorable Mention:

Michael Dunigan, Oregon
Paul George, Fresno State
Demetri Goodson, Gonzaga
Terrence Jennings, Louisville
Larry Sanders, VCU
Jeff Taylor, Vanderbilt
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