Butler Likely to see increase in FG% with addition of Arkansas transfer

The Butler Bulldogs shot a combined 34-122 (27%) from the field in the past two National Championship games. If the Bulldogs happen to make it back to the title game in 2013, it's safe to say that they wouldn't be able to shoot that poorly if they tried.

Why?

Because they will have the services of Rotnei Clarke, one of the deadliest assassins in the college hoops game.

Clarke spent the past three seasons as the starting shooting guard at Arkansas,but decided to transfer after the school fired coach John Pelphrey in March and hired former Missouri coach Mike Anderson.

Initially, Clarke was not granted a release of his scholarship by the new head coach, but after a week of posturing, he was allowed to chose a new program.

Clarke was thought to be headed to Oklahoma, the state in which he set the all-time scoring record in while in high school. But with a NCAA investigation looming over the school, Clarke decided the better fit was with a program not typically known for high-octane scoring.

Clarke led the Razorbacks in scoring with 15.2-ppg and made a team-high 43.8 percent of his 3-pointers this past season. He has a career-high of 51-points, which he scored on 13-17 shooting from beyond the arc against Alcorn State in 2009. Clarke is known as being somewhat of a high-volume shooter, which is likely to give Brad Stevens a migraine or two.

But shooting 17% from the field in the National Championship game is likely to give a head coach a migraine too.


Continue reading...

Rotnei Clarke gets his release, but was there more to it?

So it turns out that Rotnei Clarke has, in fact, received his release from Arkansas.

All it took was a column from Jeff Goodman and a corresponding blog post from Matt Norlander to convince Arkansas that what they were doing was wrong, right? Mike Anderson was evil for making Clarke have to twist in the wind while watching two of his former teammates receive their releases to transfer out of Fayetteville. All that needed to happen was for CBSSports to publish a couple of articles to get the word out and all would be right with the world.

But maybe things weren't as clean cut as we all thought.


Now don't get me wrong, I hate the fact that coaches can wield this kind of control over their players. Allowing a coach to control whether or not a player is allowed to receive his release to transfer from the school is one of the most atrocious rules in college athletics when you consider that a) the player is going to have to sit out a year if they are allowed to transfer by the coach and b) that very same coach is able to leave for a better situation without penalty if he is so inclined. Nothing that Norlander or Goodman wrote I disagree with.

There is no loyalty in college basketball, which is part of the reason I love seeing a player bend the rules to his advantage.

That said, there seems to be more to this situation than the evil Mike Anderson refusing to grant one of his players a release.

You see, this isn't the first time that Rotnei Clarke has threatened to transfer. He did so after his sophomore season as well. It also appears as if Clarke has himself quite an entourage, dubbed "Team Clarke" by one local columnist:

Usually speaking as a "source" not to be named, Team Clarke let us know that Rotnei Clarke was being misused. Certain selfish teammates were not getting him the ball. Pelphrey's offense was void of the picks and screens that would free Clarke up to take maximum advantage of his shooting skills.

Team Clarke informed the media on more than one occasion that poor Rotnei was so frustrated with poor coaching and self centered teammates that he was going to have no choice but to ask for his release.

So Clarke wasn't exactly the easiest player to deal with. He decided to return to Arkansas for his junior year after burning a local reporter that went public with the fact that Rotnei's decision to transfer was final. But after the season, Clarke once again asked for his release, this time going to AD Jeff Long after John Pelphrey was fired. Long forced Clarke to wait until he had a chance to meet with the new head coach, Anderson, and it seemed that things were going fine up until last week, when the CBSSports.com reports were published:

Rotnei wanted out of his scholarship but Mike Anderson was refusing to allow it. This time Team Clarke went public arranging for Rotnei to speak to CBS.com reporter Jeff Goodman. Clarke complained that he was being denied his release even though two teammates were allowed to leave. Goodman also revealed that two of Arkansas incoming freshman had been turned down when they wanted to be released. It wasn’t hard to figure out where that bit of information came from.

To date Anderson has not commented on any of this.

So what set Team Clarke off this time?

I’m told that Rotnei recently got caught in a miscommunication between Anderson and a support staff member. The kid got chewed out for something that wasn't his fault.

That paints a bit of a different picture, doesn't it?

Could it be that Clarke wasn't granted his release at first because the higher-ups at Arkansas had heard this song and dance before? Quite possibly. We've all heard about the boy who cries wolf, and Arkansas may have simply felt that Clarke was just a frustrated player that was paying too much attention to the people around him. Transferring as a junior, even one that averaged 15 ppg, is not necessarily the brightest decision. If Clarke doesn't get his undergraduate degree this summer, he will be forced to sit out a season at a different school before using his final year of eligibility at a different program where minutes aren't guaranteed.

Maybe Long and Anderson thought they were doing what was in the best interest of Clarke. Maybe they were willing to deal with "Team Clarke" until "Team Clarke" went public with their problems.

And maybe Long and Anderson simply did not want to lose their leading scorer, opting to play the role of evil dictator in denying Clarke's transfer request.

Who knows. I don't think anyone can claim with much certainty what, exactly, went on behind the scenes between Clarke and Arkansas. Even with this new bit of information, Long and Anderson come off looking bad.

But keep in mind that things may not necessarily be exactly as they seem.
Continue reading...

90% of basketball is the flow: An inside look at the best hairdos in college hoops

No sport allows the viewing public to focus on the face and head of players as much as basketball does.

Think about it: Hockey, football, baseball and lacrosse all require helmets. Even water polo and wrestling requires some sort of head-gear. Soccer is played on a field that's damn-near a quarter-mile long. Nobody watches tennis or bowling. But in basketball, viewers can see every part of a players face.

Why do I bring this up?

Well, only because the college basketball landscape features some of the most interesting hairdos in the entire sports world.

Is this list completely unnecessary? Absolutely. Is it a waste of time? Probably. But does it make you a better, more knowledgeable college basketball fan? Hell-yes it does.

If you are interested to see who made last year's list. Here ya go: Part 1, Part 2.

Mike Bruesewitz - Wisconsin

I know what you're thinking: "When the hell did Wisconsin offer Carrot Top a scholarship?" Mike "Ravishing Red" Breueswitz is setting the Midwest ablaze with his heart, hustle and hair. There's the "Bruesewitz hair-cam" and even red wigs for sale at the Badgers team store.


Bruesewitz hasn't always donned the flaming mop-top. Up until this season he has sported a more conservative crew-cut, but was inspired by his older brother to let his hair down.


The Bruiser's head of hair is about as unique, and red, as any head of hair in the country.


Dwight Buycks - Marquette

I love Dwight Buycks. I'll admit it, and I have no shame in doing so. Just look at this dude, and try to tell me you don't at least admire his swagger.


What I like the most about Buyck's hairdo, which I have coined "the buyck tread", is that he mixes it up. After all, versatility is key in any sport. You have to keep people on their toes, and that's exactly what Buycks is doing.


Rotnei Clarke - Arkansas

I'll forgive him for the egregious misspelling of his first name for now, because my man Rotnei is repping the "brohawk" to the max. Clarke is arguably one of the best pure-shooters in the country. But he also seems to follows the golden rule of all sports "You have to look good in order to play good".


I'm not exactly sure how the "brohawk" stays intact during games, but I'll save that for another post. Maybe we should ask Gary Parrish, he probably knows the answer:



Honorable Mention: Cade Davis, Oklahoma


Andre Coimbra - Central Michigan

How in-the-world do you play with something like this?


I just don't understand how somebody can play a close-quarters-game like basketball with such spacious hair. If I had to play against him, I'd get rather frustrated. Plus you have to wonder whether all that hair gets in the way of his brain processing information. I mean, why would somebody from Rio de Janeiro want to spend four years in Central Michigan?


Jae Crowder - Marquette

He's got locks similar to Morehead State's Kenny Faried. There is something ferocious about Crowder's look. Maybe it's his size, after all, he's just 6'6, but his upper body is stacked, and when he gets fired up, he looks like some sort of wild animal.


I would not want to fight for a rebound against hair like this.

Honorable Mention: Kenny Faried, Morehead State, Nick Mason, Arkansas


Marcus Denmon - Missouri


This is the cornrow'd version of "lettuce". Demon's cornrows are well manicured and well maintained. His hairdo is similar to what teammate Michael Dixon rocked last season. There is no denying that Denmon has been on fire this season, and there's no denying that his hairdo is pretty fresh.

Honorable Mention: Marvell Waithe, Arkansas, Aaron Brown, Temple


Tyrone Garland - Virginia Tech

You may be surprised to know that Garland is the 3rd leading scorer in Philadelphia Public School history, only one spot behind Wilt Chamberlain. But that's about all that garland and "The Big Dipper" have in common. The freshman guard may have the most unique set of hair follicles in the ACC. What really makes his hairdo interesting is the headband. We've seen many players with dreads as long as Garland's but that headband keeps it under control.


What I also love about Garland is that he's versatile. He's gone with dreads, straight cornrows, designed cornrows and even a Katt-Williams-esque flat-iron approach.

Honorable Mention: Steve Tchiengang, Vanderbilt


Aloysius Henry - UNC-Greensboro

Henry is in a hair-class of his own. I mean, what exactly is that? Is it a mini-fro? Is a gheri-curl? Are they tiny dreads?


Whatever it is, I am certain that it is pretty cool. The six-ten native of the Windward Islands definitely has that Caribbean-style of flow going on. I really can't emphasize how much I like this 'do.


Scotty Hopson - Tennessee

Nobody rocks the high-top fade harder then Hopson. He's been repping the "Fresh Prince" all-season-long and it doesn't look like it's going anywhere.


I've always been a big fan of this hairdo, and I love to see somebody represent it this thoroughly. I only wish he would continue to grow it out until Kid'n'Play have to sue for stealing their likeness.

Honorable Mention: Norris Cole, Cleveland State, Anthony Jones, Baylor, Ryan Evans, Wisconsin


Jordair Jett - Saint Louis

Awesome name? Yup. Awesome head of hair? Yup yup.


But seriously, I think this might be too much hair for one head. It looks like he doesn't even know what to do with all those dreads. It's like a messy ball of extension-cords. Your mom will tell you to unravel them and put them away, but you just can't get them untangled. So what do you do? You bunch them up as tightly as possible and wedge them into a cupboard hoping they will stay put. At least for the sake of opposing players, Jett seems to have his follicles under control.


Skylar McBee - Tennessee

The loveable Volunteer walk-on captured the hearts of hoops fans everywhere last season with his game-clinching 3-pointer against top-ranked Kansas. But now McBee captures the hearts of pre-teen girls everywhere with his homage to Justin Beiber.


I call it "the McBeeiber".

Honorable Mention: John Shurna, Northwestern


Jesse Perry - Arizona

And the winner for "Biggest head of hair in College Basketball" goes to..... Seriously, look at that. It's some amalgamation of dreadlocks and cornrows. Whatever it is, it's way too much. Imagine going for a rebound against him? It looks like that thing could drop you like a bad habit. Its one thing to have to box out a guy with long dreads that might whip you in the eye or neck, but it's another thing to get knocked out by somebody's dreadlocks.


Imagine how strong his neck muscles must be for having to hold up that much weight all the time?


Cory Remekun - St. Louis

That is no ordinary afro.


It's a mullet-inspired pseudo-hi-top=fade-meets-afro-slash-frohawk. Sure it looks like kind of normal from afar but at the proper angle, you can tell this hairdo is one of a kind. It's almost like a rhombus-shaped afro. I'm not sure if that's what Remekun was going for, but that's what he got, and it's pretty cool. (A big H/T to @MattSebek for the twitpic)


Stephen Roundtree - Oral Roberts

If I could grow hair like this, I totally would. Its kind-of like the gheri-curl of our generation, and I love it.


It also kind-of looks like one of those goofy snowboarding hats you see people wearing because they think it's hip and cool but everybody else knows that it's totally lame.


Donald Sims - Appalachian State

In Sims' four years at Appalachian State he has amassed a plethora of awards, achievements, records, and career-bests. But as for his hair, I'm not really sure what to say.


The only "best-of" or "all-hair" team Sims' qualifies for is the "All-over-the-place" squad. Sims' hair is even more confusing in person. It's not exactly an afro, but it's not exactly a gheri-curl or curly-locks either. So in conclusion, I'm not sure what exactly is going on upstairs with Sims, but at least it deserves recognition.


Sai'Quon Stone - Southern Mississippi

Here we have another Double-gold-winning head of hair (All-Name-Teamer/All-Hair-Teamer). Stone subscribes to the Stanley Robinson School of hair-care: If you got it, flaunt it.


Sai'Quon will rock cornrows one game, dreads the next, a different type of cornrows after that, followed-up by a combination of dreads and cornrows. Like I stated earlier, versatility is key. You gotta keep the people alls wanting more, and I think Sai'Quon knows this. I mean, why else would he subject head scalp to such bizarre designs?


Jeron Trotman - Centenary

Centenary has not one a single game this season and will probably finish the season without one. I can't imagine they have too many fans at their home games. But if you want to sell a bad product, you have to spruce it up a bit, and that's exactly what Trotman has done with his head.


I mean, this is probably the only time this year you've seen a picture of a Centenary player, so Trotman's work is already paying off.

Honorable Mention: Moussa Camara, Binghamton


Mike Wilder - UC-Irvine

Last, but certainly not least, is last season's winner of the "Donald Trump Award for Most Outstanding Head of Hair", Mike Wilder. I'm rarely at a loss for words, but it's easy to forget what I'm talking about when I gaze at his super-mega-afro-crag.



If UC-Irvine hasn't started selling "Mike Wilder afro wigs" at home games, somebody in the marketing department needs to be fired.

So there you have it. An in-depth look at some of the best hairdos in college hoops this season. But my work isn't done. I know there are dome-pieces out there I haven't seen yet. If you have noticed a bizarre hairdo, or if something catches your eye during a game, hit up @BIAHtheTrizzle or email us at contactBIAH@gmail.com
Continue reading...

11/16 - College Hoops Week in Review

What we learned this week: There really isn't all that much to take from the games during the first week of the season. Team's are still trying to figure out their identity, players are trying to learn their new roles and how to play alongside their new teammates, and coaches are trying to figure out their rotation.

All told, the first week usually consists of major conference teams smacking around some low-majors, with the occasional upset and intriguing match-up sprinkled in.

We did learn a couple things, however. UNC, UConn, and Cal may not be as good as advertised. UNC and UConn are still trying to find an identity for their team (and some outside shooting), while Cal is dealing with the burden of playing with expectations. Syracuse, Ohio State, and Kansas State, on the other hand, look like they will be better than expected. Evan Turner of Ohio State is the real deal and a legit player of the year candidate. The Syracuse Orange proved that they are going to be a terror to deal with on the offensive end, while Kansas State showed that their front line is going to be long and athletic this season.

As the preseason tournaments really start to kick off this week, we will begin to learn much more about the best teams in the country.


GAME OF THE WEEK: Harvard 87, William & Mary 85 3OT

With just 14 seconds left in the third overtime, Harvard missed a pair of free throws that would have given them a three point lead. Instead, the Tribe's Sean McCurdy went the length of the floor and finished a lay-up to give William & Mary an 85-84 lead with four seconds left. Harvard's Jeremy Lin responded by, well, the video here explains it all.

Jeremy Lin reacts after hitting a game winner against William & Mary.
(photo credit: harvard.edu)

William & Mary was down by as much as 13 in the second half, but an off-balance three by Danny Sumner sent the game into the first overtime. Both the first and the second overtimes were tied in the last minutes after a player was fouled shooting a three and hit all three free throws. Lin, who hit the game winner, finished with 19 points, 9 assists, and 5 boards to lead the Crimson

Also good this week:

• Seton Hall 53, St. Peter's 51: A 35 footer by Eugene Harvey at the buzzer saved Seton Hall from an upset at the hands of the Peacocks.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Evan Turner, Ohio State

This was a tougher choice than I expected midway through the week, but Turner's two games this week were too much to pass up. Turner, a 6'7" point forward, notched just the second triple double in Ohio State history as he posted 14 points, 17 boards, and 10 assists in a 100-60 win over Alcorn State (remember those guys). Against James Madison on Thursday, Turner was equally impressive, posting 24 points, 17 boards, and 4 assists in another blowout win for the Buckeyes. All told, Turner finished the week with ridiculous averages of 19.0 ppg, 17.0 rpg, 7.0 apg, and 2.0 spg while committing just four turnovers and shooting 55% from the floor.

Evan Turner looked like the best player in the country this week.
(photo credit: examiner)

I've beaten the point to death by now, but what makes Turner so valuable this season is that he can grab a defensive rebound and lead the break without needing an outlet pass. Turner has also shown an excellent ability to make long lead passes, finding streaking teammates for easy buckets. Turner is far and away the early season MVP in college hoops.

Also good this week:

• Rotnei Clarke, Arkansas: Arkansas beat Alcorn State (did you remember?) 130-68, and Clarke was clearly their best player on the floor. He went for 51 points, knocking down 13 of 17 triples along the way.
• Manny Harris, Michigan: Turner wasn't the only Big Ten member to record a triple-double, as Harris went for 18 points, 13 boards, and 10 assists against DII Northern Michigan.
• Quincy Pondexter, Washington: With all the talk about Isaiah Thomas and Abdul Gaddy running the show for the Huskies, Pondexter quietly was their best player this weekend. In three games, he averaged 22.0 ppg, 11.0 rpg, shot 64% from the floor, missed just one of 19 free throws, and had eight assists to just three turnovers.
  

TEAM OF THE WEEK: Rider Broncs, Cornell Big Red

Both Rider and Cornell went down south this week to play a road game against an SEC team, and both came back a winner. Rider played an efficient, fundamental basketball game, especially in the second half. The Broncs were 10-16 from three during the game, and did not commit a turnover in the second half. It may have been their defense that won the game, however. The scored 18 points off of 10 MSU turnovers, and held the Bulldogs to just 10 second half field goals. Mike Ringold and Novar Gadson both went for 21 in the win, while Ryan Thompson and Justin Robinson added 16 and 15, respectively. The Broncs will face Lehigh at home before traveling to UVA and Kentucky before Thanksgiving.

Cornell used a 9-0 run to start the second half to open up a 35-20 lead over the Crimson Tide. Bama used their pressure to get the lead down to 53-52, but a Louis Dale three pushed it back to four, and the Tide never got that close again. Ryan Wittman had 23 to lead Cornell, while Dale finished with 13 points, 4 boards, and 5 assists.


Also good this week:

• Syracuse Orange: The Orange's defense looked absolutely suffocating as they forced 60 turnovers in two blowout wins.
  
• Oregon Ducks: Ernie Kent always seems to pull out a good season when he is on the hot seat, and his seat may have never been hotter than it was coming into this year. But with Tajuan Porter hot (he's averaged 24.5 ppg over his last two), the Ducks have started 3-0 and could make noise in a weak Pac 10.
  

MATCH-UPS OF THE WEEK:

• 11/16 - 5:30 pm: Milwaukee @ Western Kentucky
• 11/17 - 7:30 pm: Arkansas @ Louisville
  
• 11/17 - 8 pm: Gonzaga @ Michigan State
• 11/17 - 10 pm: Memphis @ Kansas
• 11/18 - 7:30 pm: Cornell @ UMass
• 11/18 - 8 pm: Butler @ Northwestern
• 11/18 - 8 pm: Utah State @ Utah
• 11/18 - 10:30 pm: Nevada @ UNLV
  
• 11/19 - 11:30 am: Georgia Tech vs. Dayton
• 11/19 - 7:00 pm: Syracuse vs. Cal
• 11/19 - 9:00 pm: UNC vs. Syracuse
• 11/19 - 9:30 pm: La Salle vs. South Carolina

Continue reading...