Player of the Week: Tray Woodall, Pitt
Pitt lost eight straight games this season. They started off Big East play with seven consecutive losses. They lost to Wagner. They lost to DePaul. They lost to Rutgers by 23 points at home. And despite all of that, the Panthers are all of a sudden a team that not only looks destined to be headed to the NCAA Tournament, they look like they actually deserve an at-large bid.
Why? Its simple: Tray Woodall. The talented Panther point guard missed an extended period of time in the middle of the season due to groin and abdominal injuries, but he returned to the lineup on January 21st. Pitt lost that game as Woodall was, quite evidently, working to get his bearings back. But since then, the Panthers have won four straight, including going into West Virginia and taking home the title in this year's Backyard Brawl. Woodall had 24 points and three assists. Then on Saturday, Woodall went for 29 points, six assists and five boards in a nine point win over Villanova.
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Monday, February 6, 2012
College Hoops Week in Review: Tray Woodall and Miami make noise |
Monday, January 30, 2012
Week in Review: Mike Moser shines, Notre Dame appears |
Player of the Week: Mike Moser, UNLV
The UNLV transfer has been one of the nation's most surprising stars this season, and this week he once again showed why he is such a dangerous and versatile threat. In two games this week, Moser averaged 22.5 ppg, 16.5 rpg and 2.5 spg while shooting 15-29 from the floor and 5-13 from three. I think its safe to say that UNLV wouldn't currently be sitting in a tie for first place in the Mountain West Conference had Moser done any less; the Rebels were 2-0 this week with both wins coming in overtime. Moser played 72 of the available 90 minutes.
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Monday, January 23, 2012
College Hoops Week in Review: Kansas and Missouri headline, but the MWC, Maalik Wayns and Florida State show up |
Player of the Week: TyShawn Taylor and Thomas Robinson, Kansas
We all already know about what TyShawn Taylor and Thomas Robinson did against Baylor. Taylor had 28 points, six boards and five assists while T-Rob demoralized the Baylor interior for 27 points and 14 boards as the Jayhawks steamrolled Baylor 92-74. Coming into the game, Baylor was undefeated and the third ranked team in the country. They were the squad that everyone was picking to end the Jayhawk's streak of Big 12 regular season titles. I think Taylor and Robinson put an end to that.
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Monday, January 16, 2012
College Hoops Week in Review: Florida State and Brandon Paul were the obvious picks |
The #BIAHRoadTrip will be cutting into our national coverage a bit, so the Week in Review's will be limited over these three weeks.
Player of the Week: Brandon Paul, Illinois
This was a relatively easy choice. Paul played a single game this week, and in that game, he had arguably the single most dominant individual performance of the season. He scored 43 points, grabbed eight rebounds and blocked four shots. He shot 11-15 from the floor -- the first time in 16 years that someone scored as many as 43 points while taking as few as 15 shots -- and 8-10 from three. He scored 15 points in the last three minutes of the game, including a pair of ridiculously tough threes to keep Illinois in the lead. The latter came from about 22 feet with Aaron Craft's hand literally in his face.
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Monday, January 9, 2012
College Hoops Week in Review: Kevin Jones and Seton Hall get some love |
This post is sponsored by the Hampton Inn & Suites Cincinnati Uptown/University.
The #BIAHRoadTrip will be cutting into our national coverage a bit, so the Week in Review's will be limited over the next three weeks.
Player of the Week: Kevin Jones, West Virginia
All of a sudden, the Mountaineers look like a team that has to be considered a contender in a wide-open Big East. After winning at Rutgers (a place when both Florida and UConn have fallen in the past two weeks) by 21 and knocking off Georgetown by 12 in Morgantown, the 'Eers are sitting at 12-4 overall and 3-1 in the Big East, just a game off the pace set by Syracuse. And Jones, as much as anyone, is the reason for that.
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Tuesday, January 3, 2012
College Hoops Week in Review: Drew Gordon and Vanderbilt over anything Kentucky |
Player of the Week: Drew Gordon, New Mexico
The Lobos have made a push back into relevancy after struggling through the early part of the season. After starting out the year 2-2, New Mexico has now won 10 in a row, including victories against St. Louis, Oklahoma State and Missouri State. This past week, Steve Alford's club went 2-0, but it was the play of big man Drew Gordon that stood out.
On Wednesday, the UCLA transfer helped the Lobos get revenge against New Mexico State. UNM lost to the Aggies back in November at home, but those memories were quickly erased in an 89-69 win in Las Cruces that probably wasn't even as close as the final score would indicate. Gordon has arguably his most impressive performance of the season, going for 23 points and 19 boards against NMSU's Wendell McKines. On Saturday, New Mexico had an even more noteworthy win, knocking off Atlantic 10 contender St. Louis 64-60. Gordon was terrific in that game as well, finishing with 18 points and nine boards.
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Tuesday, December 27, 2011
College Hoops Week in Review: Doug McDermott and Kansas State |
Player of the Week: Doug McDermott, Creighton
Doug McDermott shouldn't have been a secret coming into the season, but if you didn't know about him back in October you certainly should by now. If the season ended today, he'd be a first-team all-american. Arguing that he should be the National Player of the Year would actually have some merit. In fact, he's been so good as a sophomore that its fair to say that Harrison Barnes played on McDermott's high school team. Not the other way around.
Considering how well McDermott has played this season, its a difficult task taking him into consideration for Player of the Week simply because it takes so much for him to do something that is more than just par for the course. But that is exactly what he did this week. In an overpowering win at Tulsa, McDermott showcased his back-to-the-basket game, scoring 35 points while shooting 16-23 from the floor. The majority of those shots came on post-ups, and McDermott only went to the line once. That should tell you something about how fundamentally sound he is inside.
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Monday, December 19, 2011
College Hoops Week in Review: Reggie Hamilton, Florida and a thriller in Indianapolis |
Player of the Week: Reggie Hamilton, Oakland
You should know who Reggie Hamilton is by now. He's one of the most dynamic guards in the country and the star of a team that could legitimately win a game in the NCAA Tournament if they are able to get there. He went for 35 points in a nationally televised win over Tennessee and followed that up with 28 points in a tough loss to Michigan. The 5'11" Hamilton averages 22.0 ppg and 4.2 apg on the season, but he had the best game of his career on Saturday afternoon.
Hamilton went for 41 points in a win over Valparaiso. He made 14-24 shots from the floor, hitting five threes and added four assists, four steals and three rebounds. More impressive, however, was the fact that the Grizzlies were down by as much as 17 points in the second half, but Hamilton lead the charge back. He scored the first 12 points during an 17-1 run that trimmed the lead to 61-60 and kept Oakland in the game. It was Hamilton's final shot of the game that truly made the difference, as he went the length of the court in the final five seconds and banked in a runner as time expired:
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Monday, December 12, 2011
College Hoops Week in Review: Jae Crowder and Indiana get nominated |
Player of the Week: Jae Crowder, Marquette
The Golden Eagles are coming off of a 2-0 week that saw them knock off both Washington in New York City and UW-Green Bay. In those two wins, Crowder was terrific, averaging 19.5 ppg an 6.5 rpg while collecting three blocks and three steals and shooting 60% from the field and 50% from beyond the arc. But with Crowder, its about more than just the numbers. You want an example? He's all of 6'6" and probably would be listed as a small forward in a normal lineup, but when Chris Otule injured his knee on Tuesday at the Jimmy V Classic, Crowder was the guy that slid into the center spot for the Golden Eagles. Another example? Crowder also hit the game-winning jumper against the Huskies.
Marquette isn't a secret anymore. This is a tough, physical team that is as talented this season as they have been under Buzz Williams. They have a stable of big, athletic wings that can shoot and penetrate, they have a pair of capable big men and they have an underrated, playmaking point guard.
But Crowder is the piece that brings it all together. His ability to play on the perimeter and in the post is a major reason for the versatility that Williams has in the lineups that he is able to put on the floor. He defends, he rebounds and he is one of the most efficient offensive players in the country. He's a leader for this group, and it shows. As Williams said of Crowder after the close win over Washington, "that's my guy. I'll roll with that cat no matter where he goes."
The All-They-Were-Good-Too Team:
- G: Phil Pressey and Marcus Denmon, Missouri: Denmon scored 50 points in two games this week, including 28 in the Tiger's win over Villanova. But we went over him earlier this week. Pressey deserves just as much credit for his team's success. He only shot 5-18 from the field, but he had 17 assists in the two games, including 12 in just 24 minutes against Nova.
- G: Truck Bryant and Kevin Jones, West Virginia: The 'Eers went 2-0 this week with wins over Kansas State and Miami, two other teams that will be on or around the bubble come March. Bryant had 51 points in the two games. Jones went for 30 points and 12 boards against the Wildcats, including a three at the end of regulation to force overtime.
- F: Christian Watford, Indiana: Watford had 20 points, including 17 in the second half, as Indiana knocked off then-No. 1 Kentucky. He also hit a pretty big shot.
- F: Draymond Green, Michigan State: Green was sensational as the Spartans knocked off Gonzaga in Spokane, finishing with 34 points on 11-13 shooting from the floor and adding three assists and three steals. Green added 14 points and nine boards as Michigan State knocked off CCSU at home on Wednesday.
- C: Patric Young, Florida: Young was completely dominant as the Gators knocked off Arizona in overtime, going for 25 points and 10 boards while blocking two shots and shooting 12-15 from the floor. He added another double-double on Friday night, finishing with 12 points and ten boards in a win over Rider. For the week, Young shot 17-22 from the field.
- Bench: Will Barton, Memphis (27.0 ppg, 9.5 rpg, 3.5 spg, 22-33 FG); Ben Brust, Wisconsin (25 points, 7-7 3's vs. UNLV); Deonte Burton, Nevada (24.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 4.0 apg); Jack Cooley, Notre Dame (22.0 ppg, 11.5 rpg, 3.0 bpg) DJ Cooper, Ohio (14 pts, 10 rbs, 10 asts, 5 stls vs. Portland); Vincent Council, Providence (21 pts, 11 asts, 9 rbs vs. Brown); Gorgui Deing, Louisville (16.0 ppg, 12.0 rpg, 13-15 FG); Thomas Gibson, Kansas State (19.0 ppg, 11.0 rpg); John Henson, North Carolina (18.5 ppg, 11.0 rpg, 3.5 bpg); Tay Jones, St. Joseph's (29 pts, 5 asts, 5 rbs vs. Creighton); Kevin Murphy, Tennessee Tech (26.0 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 2.5 apg, 2.5 spg); Mason Plumlee, Duke (13.0 ppg, 9.5 rpg, 3.5 spg, 3.5 rpg, 11-15 FG); Herb Pope, Seton Hall (25.5 ppg, 10.0 rpg, 18-24 FG); Thomas Robinson, Kansas (23.5 ppg, 9.0 rpg); Josh Terry, Austin Peay (21.0 ppg, 5.5 rpg); Alex Young, IUPUI (43 pts, 9 rbs vs Western Kentucky)
Team of the Week: Indiana Hoosiers
Indiana played just one game last week, but it was a big one. The Hoosiers hosted heated rival and then-No. 1 Kentucky and won a thriller, using a three-pointer from Christian Watford as time expired to upset the Wildcats. The shot set off a wild scene, as the fans stormed the floor, setting off a wave of emotion that had built up for four years.
But this win was about more than just a party. I think that its safe to say Indiana is for real this season; knocking off the no. 1 team in the country will make a lot of people think the same. The question I have, however, is just how fluky this game was. Kentucky did not play well. Terrence Jones was no where to be found, Anthony Davis was in foul trouble and Doron Lamb didn't have his best game. Combine that with the energy in the building that was fueling the Hoosiers, and its not difficult to see why it would be easy to assume that this game was more about the circumstances surrounding the teams than it was about the game. Styles make the fight, so to speak.
This is the best Indiana team to take the court in the Tom Crean era, and there is no question that the Hoosiers are probably better than we thought heading into the season. But, at best, I still think this is, at best, a borderline top 25 team.
Teams deserving a shout out:
Austin Peay: The Governors won their first two games of the season this week, beating Arkansas State in overtime before going into Knoxville and taking down Tennessee. Josh Terry led the way, averaging 21.0 ppg and 5.5 rpg for the week. He had 20 points, six boards, five assists and four steals in the win over Tennessee.
Dayton: The Flyers are still the most confounding team in the country. After solidly handling No. 15 Alabama on Tuesday, the Flyers struggled to hold off USC-Upstate over the weekend. The Flyers have some talented scorers and a couple of big guys on their roster, but with Dayton, the issue seems to be whether or not they are going to decide to show up.
Duke: The Blue Devils won two games this week, including a six point win against Washington in Madison Square Garden in a game that wasn't as close as the final score indicated. Austin Rivers played well in both games, but the performance of the week belongs to Mason Plumlee. He averaged 13.0 ppg and 9.5 rpg while totaling seven blocks and seven steals in the two games. But while he shot 11-15 from the field, Plumlee was 4-17 from the free throw line.
Marquette: The Golden Eagles picked up two wins on the week, knocking off UW-Green Bay on Saturday after their thrilling win over Washington in the Jimmy V Classic. Its tough not to like Marquette this season. Size, balance, athleticism, experience and toughness. Can't ask for much more than that.
Missouri: Like Marquette, Missouri put together a strong performance at the Garden on national television, one that swayed the national consciousness in their favor. The Tigers are fun to watch simply because everyone of the players on their roster plays a vital role. While its the ability of Kim English to spread the floor at the four spot, its the play of Phil Pressey and Michael Dixon that gets the Tigers all of those open looks.
Murray State: Its time for us to starting talking about the Racers more seriously. Murray State is now 10-0 on the season after Sunday night, when they went into Memphis and knocked off the Tigers. Isaiah Canaan -- who seems like he has been in college for a decade -- is the player to watch, averaging 19.8 ppg and 4.0 apg.
Northern Iowa: The Panthers improved to 9-1 on the season by going 2-0 this week with a pair of impressive wins. First, they knocked Iowa off 80-60 despite finding themselves down 10-0 in the first couple of minutes. UNI followed that up by putting a whooping on Milwaukee, beating them 67-51. Milwaukee was coming off of a double-digit win over DePaul.
Oklahoma: Lon Kruger has done an impressive job turning this program around. The Sooners, who are now 7-1 on the season, went 2-0 last week, knocking off in-state rival Oral Roberts before earning a win over Arkansas. The Sooners also have wins over Washington State and Santa Clara, but we may not know how good they are until Big 12 play starts considering that their last non-conference test, Cincinnati, will be dealing with suspensions when they play.
St. Joseph's: Langston Galloway had 30 points in a win over Boston University on Wednesday while Tay Jones had 29 points -- including 20 in the second half -- on Saturday as the Hawks knocked off Creighton.
Temple: The Owls may be playing without Michael Eric right now, but they still have Ramone Moore. The talented small forward had 32 points as the Owls handled Villanova fairly easily at home. Temple also picked up a win against Toledo on the road.
West Virginia: Playing two teams that they appear destined to share the bubble with this season, West Virginia went into Wichita and knocked off Kansas State in double overtime, following that up with an impressive and fairly dominating win over Miami. Kevin Jones and Truck Bryant combined to scored 93 points in the two games.
Wichita State: Coming off of a 19 point win over UNLV, Wichita State went into Tulsa and knocked off the Golden Hurricane, following that up with a win over Utah State. Combine that with the loss that Creighton had at St. Joseph's, and the Shockers might be the favorite in the Missouri Valley.
Five Thoughts:
- Is it time to call Washington just mediocre?: After losing to both Marquette and Duke at the Garden last week, the Huskies are now just 4-4 on the season and losers of three straight. That's not exactly ideal from the team that many believe is the most talented team in the Pac-12. Why are they struggling? Washington doesn't play enough defense, for starters. They also are a poor decision-making team. Their shot-selection leaves much to be desired and they average 15 turnovers per game. Washington is extremely talented, but they consistently under-perform every season. Why should we expect any different this year?
- Struggles for the WCC?: Two weeks ago, I said that the WCC was the best mid-major conference in the country. My sentiment hasn't exactly changed, but the league doesn't appear to be quite as strong as I had originally thought. Over the weekend, Gonzaga lost at home to Michigan State while Santa Clara got dropped by 38 against Washington State. Portland got worked over by both Boise State and Ohio while Loyola Marymount is only a week removed from losing to both Columbia and North Texas. Throw in St Mary's loss to Denver, and the strength and depth of the league isn't what it appeared to be.
So who is the best mid-major league? If you are asking me today, I'm taking the Missouri Valley. Creighton is ranked and, in my opinion, should still be ranked even after losing at St. Joseph's this weekend. Wichita State has won three straight against UNLV, Utah State and Tulsa. Northern Iowa is 9-1 with wins against Iowa and Milwaukee this past week. Not a bad top three.
- Murray State should be ranked: The Racers are now 10-0 on the season, but that record is only 7-0 against Division I teams. The thing is, all of those wins are solid. Four of them came on the road against the likes of UAB, Morgan State and Western Kentucky. The other three were against Dayton, Southern Mississippi and San Francisco. And then on Sunday, the Racers went into Memphis and knocked off the Tigers. You think there are really 25 teams in the country that a) have a better resume than that and b) are actually better than the Racers?
- Reeves Nelson had to go: There was no other choice for Ben Howland. You cannot suspend a player three times during a single season and keep him on the team. As a head coach, you lose credibility, and Howland is already struggling with that. The next step, however, would be to kick Josh Smith off of the team. The big fella is, simply put, too big to be an effective basketball player. His conditioning is a bigger issue and more of a detriment to the Bruin's success Nelson ever was. Nelson may have been a clubhouse cancer, but Smith can be Jared Sullinger if he wanted to be.
- The Crosstown Punchout: Before I say what I am about to say, remember this: I think that the suspensions given to the players on the Cincinnati and Xavier teams were too short. Six games and one Big East game for the sucker punch that was landed on Kenny Frease's chin or the stomp that was placed on his head is too short. Four games for being the spark that ignited the entire brawl is not enough.
That said, I am sick of hearing people say that basketball has to be taken away from these kids to teach them a lesson. Isn't the point here that this is bigger than basketball? That we are trying to get these kids educated not just in sports and the classroom, but in how to be able to be a functioning member of society? If Yancy Gates thinks its ok to throw a sucker punch like that, doesn't that show you he is a long way away from that lesson? And if you kicked him out of school, would he even get that point?
Games of the Week:
Indiana 73, No. 1 Kentucky 72: We all know what happened by now:
West Virginia 85, Kansas State 80 2OT:
Marquette 79, Washington 77:
Matchups of the Week:
- Tue. 9:00 pm: No. 16 Wisconsin @ Milwaukee
- Wed. 8:00 pm: Belmont @ Middle Tennessee State
- Thu. 8:00 pm: Oral Roberts @ No. 22 Gonzaga
- Fri. 10:30 pm: Weber State @ Cal
- Sat. 2:30 pm: No. 25 Texas A&M @ No. 12 Florida
- Sat. 4:00 pm: No. 20 Memphis @ No. 4 Louisville
- Sat. 4:00 pm: Arizona @ No. 22 Gonzaga
- Sat. 5:00 pm: UNLV @ No. 22 Illinois
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Monday, December 5, 2011
College Hoops Week in Review: Tu Holloway, Baylor shine |
Player of the Week: Tu Holloway, Xavier
Tu Holloway's final numbers from the week were impressive: 22.5 ppg, 4.0 apg, 4.5 rpg, 2.0 spg, six threes and 17-19 from the line. The wins that Xavier notched were equally good, as the Musketeers went into Nashville to knock off Vanderbilt in overtime on Monday and followed that up with a three-point win against Purdue on Saturday. What's more is that Xavier came from behind in both games, trailing Vanderbilt by 10 midway through the second half and finding themselves down 19 to Purdue with less than 10 minutes left.
Those numbers are more interesting, however, when you break up the game. For example, with 3:30 left in overtime against Vanderbilt, Holloway had just 14 points on 4-17 shooting. That stat line looks much more impressive after he hit back-to-back threes on the next two possessions and four straight free throws down the stretch to seal the win. Likewise, against Purdue, Holloway had just 10 points and six turnovers in the first 38 minutes of the game, but in the final two minutes he hit a three on three consecutive possessions and followed that up with two free throws, completing the most impressive comeback of the young season.
All told, Holloway had just 24 points on 6-23 shooting with seven turnovers in the two games prior to crunch time. But in the final three minutes against Vanderbilt and the last two minutes against Purdue, Holloway had 21 points, went 5-6 from beyond the arc and knocked down all six of his free throws attempts. And it was those 21 points that have kept Xavier among the ranks of the undefeated.
The All-They-Were-Good-Too Team
- G: Joe Ragland, Wichita State: Ragland had 15 points and three assists in a win over Cal St. Fullerton, but the reason he made this list is the 31 points -- on 8-9 shooting from three -- he had in an 89-70 win over UNLV. For the week, averaged 23.0 ppg, shooting 77.8% (14-18) from the floor and 84.6% (11-13) from three. He also added six assists and seven boards in the two games.
- G: Damian Lillard, Weber State: The Wildcats were just 1-1 on the week, losing to St. Mary's on the road, but that wasn't the result of anything that Lillard did. The dynamic scoring guard had 36 points in the loss to the Gaels and followed that up with 41 points in a double overtime win over San Jose State. Lillard hit a three to force the first overtime and won the game with an and-one in the second overtime.
- F: Hollis Thompson, Georgetown: Thompson led the Hoyas to a 3-0 week by averaging 17.7 ppg and 6.3 rpg. But it was the one game of the week where Thompson didn't score 20 points that he had the biggest impact. The junior forward buried a three from the wing with 1.8 seconds left to give Georgetown a two point win over Alabama in Tuscaloosa.
- F: Doug McDermott, Creighton: Doug McDermott had 25 points and 12 boards as the Bluejays knocked off Nebraska. That performance came just four days after McDermott went for 24 points and 12 boards as Creighton notched a win to put themselves on the map by coming from 17 down in the first half to beat San Diego State on the road.
- C: Mike Scott, Virginia: Scott averaged 19.0 ppg, 10.0 rpg and 3.5 apg as Virginia moved to 2-0 on the season with wins over Longwood and Michigan. In the win over Michigan, Scott had 18 points and 11 boards on 6-11 shooting, taking over for a four minute stretch in the second half that sparked the Cav's game-changing run.
- Bench: Ryan Boatright, UConn (23 pts, 6 asts, 5 rbs vs. Arkansas); Zach Filzen, Buffalo (25.0 ppg, 12-19 3's); Reggie Hamilton, Oakland (35 pts vs. Tennessee; 23.0 ppg, 6.0 apg in 3-0 week); Ken Horton, CCSU (31.0 ppg, 9.5 rpg); Anthony James, Northern Iowa (22.5 ppg, 6.5 rpg); Rob Jones, St. Mary's (21.0 ppg, 12.0 rpg, 3.0 apg, 2.5 bpg); James Kinney, SJSU (27.3 ppg, 18-31 3's); Arnett Moultrie, Mississippi State (21 pts, 13 rbs vs. West Virginia); Darryl Partin, Boston U (27.0 ppg, 5.5 rpg); Terrell Stoglin, Maryland (28.0 ppg)
Team of the Week: Baylor Bears
Let's start with the return of Perry Jones III. In his first game back from a five-game suspension stemming from illegal benefits that he received while in high school, Jones exploded for 27 points on 10-14 shooting, showcasing the kind of athleticism and versatility that makes NBA GM's salivate. Jones is a perfect fit for what Baylor wants to do on both ends of the floor, and while he had just 12 points and six boards in Baylor's win over Northwestern on Sunday, its obvious that his return has a chance to make Baylor a Final Four contender.
Speaking of that Northwestern game, Baylor recorded one of the most impressive defensive performances of the young season. Northwestern came in with one of the most high-powered offenses in the country, but after 40 minutes of dealing with the Bear's length and athleticism, the Wildcats managed just 41 points, shooting 24.1% from the floor and 4-26 from three. According to statsheet, the Wildcat's average offensive efficiency coming in was 110.5, but against Baylor, they posted an offensive efficiency of 66.2.
But as always, the issue with Baylor is at the point. Can AJ Walton and Pierre Jackson really be the kind of playmakers that Scott Drew's team needs? The 18 points, 8-10 shooting and eight assists the two combined for say yes. The seven turnovers they had say no.
Teams deserving a shout out
American: After knocking off St. Joe's at home on Sunday evening, the Eagles improved to 7-2 on the season and pushed their winning streak to seven games. With senior guard Charles Hinkle continuing his terrific play -- he had 32 points against St. Joe's after coming in averaging 22.3 ppg -- can the Eagles challenge Bucknell and Lehigh at the top of the Patriot League?
Boise State: The Broncos improved to 7-1 on the year with a sweep of MVC opponents this week, beating Drake by 44 points and following that up with a 74-65 win over Valley sleeper Indiana State. Could Boise State actually finish in the top half of the MWC?
Indiana: The Hoosiers knocked off Stetson by 34 on Saturday, but the win that everyone is going to take notice of was when they went into Raleigh and knocked off NC State in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. With players like Jordy Hulls, Cody Zeller and Christian Watford, there's no question that Tom Crean's club can score. The question is whether they are going to be able to defend.
Kansas State: The Wildcats put together a couple of nice wins this week. They used a second half run to put away both George Washington and Virginia Tech to remain undefeated. Most impressive, however, was Frank Martin taking his team across the country to play a fellow potential bubble dweller and winning.
Louisville: The Cardinals put together a couple of nice wins this week, knocking off Long Beach State on Monday before making a comeback in the second half to beat Vanderbilt. The Cards did it short-handed with what feels like half their roster continues to recover from injuries. Peyton Siva slowly-but-surely seems to be taking over the roll of the star for Louisville.
Marquette: The Golden Eagles continue to string together impressive wins. On Saturday, they went into the Kohl Center and knocked off Wisconsin while Jae Crowder managed just two points on four shots.
Minnesota: Did we count Minnesota out too early? The Gophers won two games this week after Trevor Mbakwe injured his knee, beating both Virginia Tech and USC to improve to 8-1 on the season. More impressive, still, is that Minnesota was also missing Ralph Sampson.
Northern Iowa: The Panthers continue to impress, winning games against both Colorado State and Iowa State this past week. The star of the week was Anthony James, who averaged 22.5 ppg and 6.5 rpg in the two wins.
Oakland: The highlight of a 3-0 week for the Grizzles was that, for the second straight season, Oakland knocked off Tennessee. And, also for the second straight season, the Grizzlies did it on national television. With Reggie Hamilton playing like an all-american, this is a team you don't want to face in March.
Ohio: The Bobcats are now 5-1 on the season after another 2-0 week. After proving themselves feisty by hanging with Louisville at the Yum! Center, Ohio went into Huntington, WV, and knocked off Marshall on Wednesday.
Ohio State: Ohio State smacked Duke. But Jared Sullinger has back spasms. Anything else?
Syracuse: A 2-0 week with a win over Florida despite all the negative attention the program has received surrounding Bernie Fine is promising.
Tulane: For the first time in more than two decades, the Green Wave are now 9-0. And for the first time since 2003, Tulane knocked off a team from the ACC when they beat Georgia Tech on Saturday afternoon. Its tough to really get a feel for how good this team is -- Georgia Tech isn't exactly going to be a Final Four team this season, and that's Tulane's best win -- but 9-0 is 9-0. Can Tulane make it into the top half of C-USA?
Wichita State: You want to talk about an impressive win? The Shockers absolutely beat down a UNLV team that handed then-No. 1 UNC their first loss of the season. The final was 89-70, but the Runnin' Rebels were never really in this game after the first few minutes. With the way that the Valley has started off this season, I think multiple NCAA Tournament bids -- maybe as many as three -- are likely.
Five thoughts:
- Missouri Valley: Last week, I said that the WCC was the best mid-major conference in the country. I'm not yet ready to back track on that statement, but the Missouri Valley is making a push to be involved in the conversation. We all know about the success that Creighton has had early in the season, firmly entrenching themselves in the top 25 with a come-from-behind road win over San Diego State. After beating UNLV, Wichita State moved to 6-2 on the season with their only losses coming to Alabama and a Temple team that still had Michael Eric, both in Puerto Rico. Northern Iowa is 7-1 on the season, with their lone loss coming at St. Mary's. The Panthers have six won six in a row, including games against Providence, Iowa State and Colorado State. Indiana State has lost two of their last three, but they get a shot on Dec. 17th to prove themselves at Vanderbilt.
The Valley doesn't quite have the same depth as the WCC does at this point, but those four teams I just listed all have a real shot at bringing home a league title. As always, the Valley race should be fun, and as long as the top teams take care of the teams at the bottom of the league, we should be getting more than one Valley member dancing.
- There are three "What in the hell is going on with them" teams in the country right now: Dayton, Loyola Marymount and Tulsa. The Flyers earned themselves some attention by winning the Old Spice Classic in Orlando, beating the likes of Minnesota and Fairfield. But apparently Dayton never left Florida, at least mentally, as they've lost their last two games by a combined 46 points to Buffalo and Murray State.
LMU looked like they had finally decided to play up to their potential this year when they knocked off UCLA early in the season. The Lions followed that up, however, with Middle Tennessee State and Harvard. Then, after beating another ranked opponent in St. Louis, LMU followed that up with home losses to Columbia and North Texas. And, lastly, Tulsa has as much talent on their roster as anyone in Conference USA. But their chances of winning the league look slim as the Golden Hurricane have lost five of their last six games, including Sunday's home loss to Arizona State, quite possibly the worst high-major team in the country.
- Middle Tennessee State: This team just keeps posting win after win after win. Nothing is overwhelmingly impressive -- at LMU, at UCLA by 20, at home vs. Akron by 24, only loss at Belmont in double-overtime -- but when they are all put together, that's a pretty intriguing resume. The problem is that it will be another week before we really get a gauge on whether we need to watch the game: that's when MTSU hosts Belmont and travels to Ole Miss.
- Atlantic 10: Sunday was a bad day for the A-10, as four teams expected to finish in the top half of the league -- Dayton, George Washington, Rhode Island and St. Joe's -- lost to Murray State, VCU, Maine and American, respectively. This came in the same week that St. Bonaventure lost to Arkansas State, St. Louis was upset by LMU and Temple got beaten by Bowling Green as Michael Eric was injured for six week. Xavier is terrific, but its looking more and more like the exciting race in the Atlantic 10 is going to be for second-place.
- Big 12: The Big 12 may not have an Elite 8 team in their midst, but that doesn't mean that this league won't be fun. Baylor and Missouri are playing as well as they are going to all season long. Kansas has enough talent to compete even in a down year. Texas A&M is finally getting healthy. Throw in Kansas State -- who just won at Virginia Tech to improve to 5-0 -- and Texas -- who came from 13 down to beat UCLA by double figures in Westwood.
Games of the Week:
Kentucky 73, UNC 72: We all remember what happened here. The two most talented teams in the country traded haymakers for 40 minutes before UNC inexplicably forgot to foul when they were down one with six seconds left:
While the ending was a bit anti-climactic, that shouldn't take away from how good this game was on the whole. You ready for that rematch in New Orleans?
Nevada 76, Washington 73 OT: Deonte Burton finally looked like the Deonte Burton that we all expected to see from the start of the season. The dynamic point guard had 31 points, including a three that forced overtime and eight of the Wolfpack's 10 points in the extra frame.
UNLV 94, UCSB 88 2OT: The ending to this game was out of this world. At the end of regulation, UNLV opted to foul UCSB when the Rebels were up three with just a couple of seconds left. UCSB hit the first and missed the second, but 7'3" Greg Somogyi got the loose ball and scored on the putback as the buzzer sounded. Then at the end of the first overtime, UCSB opted not to foul when they were up three, and Chace Stanback he a tough, falling down three to force five more minutes where UNLV would prevail.
Matchups of the Week:
- Tue. 12/6, 7 p.m. No. 13 Missouri vs. Villanova
- Tue. 12/6, 9 p.m. No. 16 Marquette vs. Washington
- Tue. 12/6, 9 p.m. Long Beach State @ No. 14 Kansas
- Wed. 12/7, 7 p.m. Arizona @ No. 9 Florida
- Wed. 12/7, 9 p.m. No. 11 Xavier @ Butler
- Thu. 12/8, 9 p.m. Harvard @ No. 10 UConn
- Sat. 12/10, 12 p.m. Washington vs. No. 4 Duke
- Sat. 12/10, 12:30 p.m. Cincinnati @ No. 11 Xavier
- Sat. 12/10, 2 p.m. No. 20 UNLV @ No. 7 Wisconsin
- Sat. 12/10, 3:15 p.m. No. 2 Ohio State @ No. 14 Kansas
- Sat. 12/10, 5:15 p.m. No. 1 Kentucky @ Indiana
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Monday, November 21, 2011
11/21 College Hoops Week in Review: Jared Cunningham and St. Louis honored |
Player of the Week: Jared Cunningham, Oregon State
There are quite a few impressive performances from the past week, but its impossible to look past what Cunningham did this past week. After a ho-hum, 17 point performance in 17 minutes against West Alabama, a non-Division I school, Cunningham exploded. He finished with 35 points against Hofstra and had 37 points in the Beaver's overtime win over Texas, arguably the biggest win in the Craig Robinson era. Cunningham shot 55.9% from the floor and got to the foul line a ridiculous 40 times, hitting 80% from the charity stripe. He also added 14 rebounds, five assists and three steals.
More importantly, however, is the fact that Cunningham seems to be embracing the role of closer for Oregon State. Against Texas, he was able to get to the paint on draw a foul at will, using his ridiculous quickness and athleticism to get by his defender. He also made an huge steal with 30 seconds left that allowed Oregon State a chance to tie the game in regulation. With Cunningham playing close to this level -- expecting him to score in the mid-30's every night is ludicrous -- Oregon State has enough talent on their roster to be considered a sleeper in a wide open Pac-12.
The All-They-Were-Good-Too Team
- G: Scott Machado, Iona: Machado was sensational in the Gaels' three games this week, averaging 15.5 ppg and 13.0 apg while committing just six turnovers. That's a 6.5:1 assist-to-turnover ratio. He also added 5.0 rpg. Momo Jones and Mike Glover will get the headlines, but Machado is that team's MVP.
- G: J'Covan Brown, Texas: There haven't been many players more impressive than Brown this season. In two games this week, he averaged 30.0 ppg, 7.5 apg, 6.0 rpg and shot 50% from the floor and 10-18 from three. The Longhorns were just 1-1 on the week, losing in OT to Oregon State.
- F: Tony Mitchell, Alabama: Mitchell was the best player for arguably the most impressive team of the week. He averaged 17.3 ppg and 9.5 rpg while adding 10 assists, five blocks, four steals, shot 50% from three and threw down too many thunderous dunks to count in a 4-0 week for the Crimson Tide.
- F: Doug McDermott, Creighton: The Bluejays have certainly lived up to expectations early in the season, and McDermott is the biggest reason why. He had 27 points and seven boards in a win at UAB and followed that up with 25 points and nine boards in a 23 point win against Iowa. He shot 63.6% from the floor and 5-7 from deep.
- F: Travis McKie, Wake Forest: Wake Forest is going to struggle this year, but McKie is without a doubt a bright spot. In two games this week, he averaged 24.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg and shot 68% from the floor and 5-7 from three.
- Bench: Tyreek Duren, La Salle (23.5 ppg, 4.0 apg); Robbie Hummel, Purdue (20.3 ppg, 6.0 rpg); Kevin Jones, West Virginia (22.0 ppg, 16.5 rpg); Ramone Moore, Temple (19.0 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 3.0 apg); Mike Moser, UNLV (16.7 ppg, 12.3 rpg, 4.0 apg, 4.3 spg); Shabazz Napier, UConn (22 points. 12 assists, 13 boards vs. Coppin State); Kevin Pangos, Gonzaga (33 points, 9-13 threes, six assists vs. Washington State); Gerardo Suero, Albany (30.0 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 3.5 apg); Casper Ware, Long Beach State (28 points, six assists in win over Pitt)
Team of the Week: St. Louis Billikens
The Billikens had the single most impressive performance of the week on Sunday. With Washington visiting, St. Louis looked like the high-major program, getting up by 20 midway through the first half and pushing that lead as high as 30 in the second half. The Huskies battled back to make the final respectable -- 77-64 -- but the damage had already been done. Brian Conklin had 25 points and Kwamain Mitchell added 18 points in a dominating victory.
The win pushed St. Louis to 3-0 on the season, but it did more than simply put a win in the record books. Don't, for a second, think that teams like Xavier and Temple didn't take notice of that score. The Musketeers and the Owls were considered by almost everyone to have a firm stranglehold on the top two spots in the Atlantic 10, but if St. Louis continues to play at this level, they are going to force their way into that conversation. This is a balanced team with more experience on their roster than you think; most of the young guys on the roster have already had significant big game experience. They defend well, they knock down their open shots and they have a legitimate star in Mitchell. I think its safe to say we've identified the sleeper in the league.
Teams Deserving a Shoutout:
Alabama: The Crimson Tide won the Puerto Rico Tip-Off in convincing fashion, pulling away from both Wichita State and Purdue late to take home the title. Alabama also beat Oakland and Maryland, and they did it with a stout defense. They press, make it difficult to get the ball over half court and force tough shots if you do break their press. Tony Mitchell and JaMychal Green form a mammoth front line, while Trevor Releford anchors a young but talented back court.
Creighton: The Bluejays improved to 4-0 this week thanks to a 10 point road with against UAB and a 23 point home win over Iowa. Doug McDermott has been playing like an all-american, but its truly been a team effort for the Bluejays; ten players averaged double figure minutes and seven are scoring between 6.0 and 10.3 ppg.
Iona: There is little doubt that, after their performance this weekend, the Gaels are going to immediately become the favorite to win the MAAC. Scott Machado looked like the second coming John Stockton at the point while five other Gaels averaged double figures. The Gaels lost by one to Purdue, but they responded by beating Western Michigan and drilling Maryland by 26.
Kent State: The Golden Flashes burst onto the national scene by going into Morgantown and knocking off West Virginia in their season opener, which just so happened to come on national television during the Tip-Off Marathon. There was no letdown from that win, either, as KSU beat Alcorn State their next time out.
Long Beach State: The 49ers went into the Peterson Events Center and beat down Pitt, keeping the Panthers from ever getting closer than six points during the second half. But they followed that up with an overtime loss to a decent (but probably better than you think) San Diego State team. An overtime road loss at a very, very difficult place to play shouldn't put a damper on the impressive performance LBSU had on Tuesday.
Marquette: The Golden Eagles have put together some impressive wins early in the season, but on Sunday they provided a bit of legitimacy to their play by pasting Ole Miss by 30. Their point totals so far this season? 91, 99, 95 and 96. Darius Johnson-Odom is averaging 20.0 ppg, Jae Crowder 18.3 ppg and Vander Blue 15.8 ppg.
Memphis: The Tigers have played one game this season, but it was a resounding win over a tough Belmont team. Memphis beat them 97-81, but it never seemed like Belmont was going to have a chance to get back into the game. The Tigers are impressively athletic, but we knew that. But will they be able to turn that athleticism into success on the basketball court. A one word over-reaction to a small sample size's worth of data: yes.
Mississippi State: Renardo Sidney is never going to be the star that we all want him to be and know he can be, but the Bulldogs don't need Sidney on the roster to be a tournament team this season. Arnett Moultrie is capable of being a scorer and rebounder in the paint, Dee Bost is a star at the point and Mississippi State's supporting cast is better than anyone gave them credit for. They knocked off two top 20 teams this week en route to the Coaches vs. Cancer title.
Nebraska: Don't look now, but the Cornhuskers are actually 3-0 on the season. They have a double overtime win over USC (which looks worse now that the Trojans have lost to Cal Poly 42-36) and knocked off Rhode Island by 20. Its not much, I'll admit it, but with the way Nebraska plays defense and the fact that they finally have a scorer at the point in Bo Spencer, who knows. Maybe this team puts it together enough to win some games in the Big 12 this year.
New Mexico State: The Aggies picked up a big win early in the season as they knocked off New Mexico at the Pit and followed that up with a 16 point win over rebuilding UTEP. Wendell McKines looks like he is healthy. He had 14 points and nine boards and held Drew Gordon without a field goal before going for 23 points and 13 boards against UTEP.
Northwestern: We need to keep the Wildcat's win in the Charleston Classic in perspective; they didn't beat a tournament team en route to the title. But there is something to be said for winning three straight games in that manner. John Shurna averaged 23.7 ppg for the week, including a 37 point performance in a comeback win over LSU, and Drew Crawford chipped in with an average of 24.0 ppg.
Oregon State: Are the Beavers all of a sudden a contender in the Pac-12? Its too early to say right now, but if they knock off Vanderbilt in the title game of the Legend's Classic, its a fair question to ask. Its not just Jared Cunningham, either. Devon Collier, Joe Burton and Eric Morehouse provide some size and athleticism inside while Ahmad Starks, Angus Brandt and Roberto Nelson give Craig Robinson some perimeter pop. This group plays hard and plays together. It will be fun to see what they can piece together.
Presbyterian: Presbyterian has one of the more uplifting stories to follow this year: after having their hearts broken when their class of redshirt seniors found out they wouldn't be allowed to participate in the postseason this season, they all remained at the school for their last year of eligibility. It paid off in a small way on Saturday, as the Blue Hose knocked off Cincinnati.
Providence: Might Ed Cooley have this Friar team competitive this season? They are now 3-0 on the year, including an 80-72 win at Fairfield this week. It will be interesting to watch, as Cooley is a defensive-minded head coach, but he has a team that is better suited to getting out and running the floor.
St. Joseph's: Next year was supposed to be the year for the Hawks, but St. Joseph's has been pretty impressive a few weeks into the season. They are 3-1 on the year, and while they did lost to Seton Hall, they've also knocked off Georgia Tech by 13 and beat a good Tulsa team on Sunday. Carl Jones and Langston Galloway may end up forming one of the most potent back courts in the Atlantic 10 this season.
Weber State: We said it in the preseason, but it looks like it may be coming true: Weber State is the best team in the state of Utah. They knocked off Utah State on Tuesday, getting 28 points from Scott Bamforth. But Bamforth isn't even the Wildcat's best perimeter player; Damian Lillard is. He showed it on Saturday, dropping 27 at UC Irvine.
Wisconsin: The Badgers are outscoring their opponents 222-105 this season. Granted, they haven't played anyone yet, but 105 points in three games? Is Wisconsin going to be a lockdown defensive team this year? More impressive? They are doing it while Jordan Taylor is doing nothing but facilitating and allowing his teammates to get comfortable in scoring roles.
Five Thoughts:
- The CAA is way down this year: There is no doubt that this is going to be a one-bid league this season. George Mason is playing without Andre Cornelius and has a couple of injuries, but that's not an excuse for a team that was supposed to be in the top 40 losing to both Florida International and Florida Atlantic. Drexel's start may be even more disappointing. After starting out the year with an 18 point win over Rider, the Dragons lost to Norfolk State before mustering just 35 points in a loss to Virginia. VCU struggled with both St. Francis (PA) and Western Kentucky while losing to Seton Hall and Georgia Tech. Delaware lost at Radford and James Madison lost at La Salle. The best moment of the season was without a doubt a 10 point loss that Old Dominion suffered against a worn-down Kentucky team. That's the same Old Dominion that was dropped by 17 against Northern Iowa.
The good news? There is clearly no favorite to win this conference, meaning that the CAA is going to be a lot of fun to follow this year.
- The Pac-12 is just as disappointing: Does anyone want to win this conference? We'll start at the top. Arizona is struggling to live up to the hype they had coming into the season as they battle youth at the two most important positions -- the post and the point. This group will be better if Josiah Turner gets his head on straight, but who knows when, if ever, that happens. Washington had some defensive issues in a few of their early non-conference games, and those issues were exposed by St. Louis on Sunday. The Huskies were absolutely drubbed by the Billikens, getting down by as much as 30 on the road. Oregon had their star freshman Jabari Brown leave the team, while Ben Howland struggles to deal with a team that has a) a WAC-level back court, b) a center that can't get in shape and c) a star that doesn't feel the need to show up to anything on time.
Cal has become the favorite in the league, and for good reason. Their top three -- Jorge Gutierrez, Allen Crabbe and Harper Kamp -- have been as good as anyone, and the Bears have been drilling team this year. The sleeper? Oregon State. The Beavers have a potential Pac-12 Player of the Year in Jared Cunningham and enough talent around him to make a run in a league that apparently no one has any desire to win.
- A battle in the Atlantic 10: Might the Atlantic 10 be better than the Pac-12? Let's think about this. Xavier and Cal are a wash, as its difficult to say that either is more than a top 20 team right now. While Temple lost to Purdue, they managed to knock off Wichita State is overtime and have one of the best perimeter attacks in the country. I'll give them the nod over Oregon State as of today. St. Louis just beat Washington, meaning that they can probably be considered better than any team that claims the No. 3 spot out west.
But its more than the success that the top of the league is having. La Salle knocked off a decent James Madison team a few days after taking Villanova to overtime. St. Joe's, as we mentioned, has gotten off to a very good start to the season. Duquesne nearly knocked off Arizona and followed that up with a win over Akron. UMass is 3-0 on the season. None of those teams had the preseason hype that St. Bonaventure, George Washington or Richmond did.
- Cincinnati got what they deserved?: The Bearcats dug themselves a bit of a hole with their non-conference schedule. Its one of the worst in the country, and it came to bite them on Saturday. Cincinnati blew a 15 point second half lead, allowing a Presbyterian that is so new to Division I that they aren't allowed into the postseason yet. The Bearcats are -- well, should be -- good enough that they won't have to be on the bubble this year, but if they lose to Xavier, their only real non-conference opponent (unless you count Georgia or Oklahoma as real), this group is going to see their tournament seed take a big hit.
- How long does Ben Howland have at UCLA?: Let's forget the fact that, for the fourth straight season, the Bruins look like they are a long, long way from the kind of program that is expected in Westwood. Let's forget that he's lost control of this team. Let's ignore the empty home games. Think about this: who would you rather have, any five that UCLA can put on the floor right now, or a starting five of Matt Carlino, Kendell Williams, Chace Stanback, Mike Moser and Drew Gordon. The latter group are all players that have either played for and transferred out of UCLA, or -- in Williams' case -- committed too UCLA and had his scholarship offer pulled. I'll take the second group in a heartbeat.
Games of the Week: Oklahoma State 90, UT-San Antonio 85 OT
This was an insane finish to regulation. UTSA, who advanced to the second round of the Preseason NIT on a 40 foot running prayer last night, used a 21-8 run last in the second half to open up a 71-60 lead with just 2:12 left. But Oklahoma State was able to crawl their way back into it as they forced some turnovers and got to the foul line. With 15 seconds left and down by six, freshman reserve Cesar Guerrero went the length of the court and scored on an and-one. After hitting the free throw, Guerrero stole the inbounds pass and buried a three to force OT:
Guerrero would scored eight points in the extra period, including back-to-back threes in the final two minutes to erase a four point deficit. On the game, he had 29 points while coming off the bench. Making the finish even crazier is that UTSA was only able to advance to this game when Sei Paye hit a running 25-footer at the buzzer to knock off Oral Roberts, a shot that has miraculously never had video make it online.
Purdue 91, Iona 90: Defense may win championships, but offense puts fans in the seats and eyeballs on the TV screens. And in this game, there was no defense played whatsoever. Iona threw every last punch that they had at the Boilermakers, taking a 90-88 lead with 33 seconds left when Momo Jones hit a 12 foot pull-up in transition. But at the other end, Robbie Hummel buried a three to give Purdue the lead back. After Jones turned the ball over on the ensuing possession, Purdue missed two free throws, but an Iona prayer from half court at the buzzer bounced off the back board.
Belmont 87, Middle Tennessee State 84 2OT: The Bruins nearly blew a game that they twice had taken complete control of. They were up 15 midway through the first half and eight with just 3:50 left in the game, but MTSU had a run in them. After taking a one point lead with just under a minute left, Ian Clark answered with a three for Belmont. But two free throws from Marcos Knight and a missed jumper at the buzzer from JJ Mann sent this game into overtime. MTSU took a five point lead in the first OT, but Kerron Johnson answered with seven points in the span of 1:30 to take the lead back. Laron Dendy forced OT with two more free throws, but Mann scored six unanswered midway through the second overtime to take firm control of the game.
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Monday, November 14, 2011
11/14 College Hoops Week in Review: And we're off! |
Games of the Week: George Mason 92, Rhode Island 90 OT
It was a wild one in at the Patroit Center on Friday night. With both Jamil Wilson of Rhode Island (38 points) and Ryan Pearson from George Mason (28 points, 12 boards) were in a groove offensively, the two teams saw the lead change hands 22 times -- with 17 ties thrown in for good measure -- in an exciting, back-and-forth game. Mason erased a 10 point first half deficit to tie the game at the half. After opening up a five point lead early in the second half, GMU saw Rhode Island go on a 12-2 run to go ahead by five. The Patriot responded with a 9-1 spurt of their own.
George Mason eventually took an 80-77 lead with 39 seconds left when sophomore Sherrod Wright cleaned up a miss by Vertrail Vaughns. But at the other end, Jonathon Holton -- who was 0-5 from long range at that point in the game -- buried a three to force the extra period. In overtime, GMU scored six of the first seven points, taking an 86-81 lead, but Wilson responded with a 7-1 run of his own. Pearson game GMU the lead back and after trading baskets, he hit a free throw with 11 seconds left to take a 92-90 lead. URI used their hot hand Wilson as a decoy, but Orion Outerbridge missed a would-be buzzer-beating three.
Evansville 80, Butler 77 OT: Butler somehow always seems to be involved in games with weird endings. Everyone will remember the strange finish to Butler's upset of Pitt in last year's NCAA Tournament, but do you remember when Butler beat Xavier when the clock stopped for 1.2 seconds? Believe it or not, Butler may have topped that with the way they lost to Evansville on Saturday evening. After blowing a 12 point second half lead, Butler fouled Colt Ryan with 0.9 seconds left and a one point lead. But Ryan missed the first before making the second shot, tying the game.
On the ensuing inbounds, Butler threw the ball the length of the court to Andrew Smith who made the catch and laid the ball in at the buzzer. The only problem? The refs said the lay-in came after the buzzer, but that he was fouled with 0.2 seconds left on the clock. Smith would proceed to miss both free throws and Evansville won the game in overtime when Chrishawn Hopkins failed to get a shot off to try and tie the game. For a more in-depth look at the controversy involved in the finish, we wrote about it here.
Player of the Week: Nurideen Lindsey, St. John's
St. John's may not have played a murder's row schedule in the first week of the season, but the youthful Johnnies were tested. They dug themselves a big hole against William & Mary and a bigger hole against Lehigh before coming back and winning both of those games. Lindsey played a huge role in both of those comebacks, getting 15 of his 19 points in the second half against W&M and finishing with 15 points against Lehigh. Lindsey's best game of the week came against UMBC. He finished one assist shy of a triple-double with 15 points, 10 boards and nine assists.
For the week, Lindsey finished with averages of 16.3 ppg, 4.7 apg and 4.7 rpg. He also added 3.3 spg while shooting a crisp 50% from the field. Lindsey is a slippery penetrator. He's got a crafty handle and while he doesn't have blazing speed, he's quick and understands how to change speeds. He's a good finisher when he gets into the paint and, at least against some mid-major competition, was able to avoid getting his shot blocked while drawing fouls. He still has plenty of room to improve -- Lindsey turned the ball over 10 times in the three games while shooting 0-7 from three and just 15-27 (55.6%) from the line -- but what makes him so important to the Steve Lavin's team is he is one of the only guys that is capable of getting his own shot.
The All-They-Were-Good-Too Team
- G: Tray Woodall, Pitt: The talk of the Panthers coming into the season was their front line and Ashton Gibbs, but Woodall was the star of the first two games. He averaged 21.0 ppg, 10.0 apg and 6.5 rpg while committing just six turnovers and hitting 9-17 from beyond the arc.
- G: Nate Wolters, South Dakota State: Wolters may have had the single best game of the week, putting up 32 points and 11 assists -- without a turnover -- in a win over Western Michigan.
- F: Dominic Cheek, Villanova: Cheek is an important piece for the Wildcats if he can become a consistent scorer on the wing. We know about his defensive acumen (he had three steals), but his 27 points and 5-8 shooting from beyond the arc was a pleasant surprise for Nova fans.
- F: Ryan Pearson, George Mason: The Patriots big man went for 28 points and 12 boards in an overtime win over Rhode Island on Friday night.
- C: John Henson, North Carolina: In a 2-0 week for the Heels, Henson finished with averages of 16.0 ppg, 9.5 rpg and 5.5 bpg while shooting 66.7% from the floor. He even showed off a turnaround jumper in the win over UNC-Asheville.
- Bench: Nathaniel Lester, Hofstra (33 points in a win over Long Island; Jamil Wilson, Rhode Island (38 points in a loss to George Mason); Trae Golden, Tennessee (29 points, 9 assists in a win over UNC Greensboro); Robbie Hummel, Purdue (21 points in his return to the court); Eric Atkins, Notre Dame (27 points, 6 assists, 6-7 FGs, 12-12 FTs in a win over MVSU); Dorian Finney-Smith, Virginia Tech (10 points, 16 boards, 5 assists, 5 blocks in Tech debut); CJ Wilcox, Washington (20.5 ppg in a 2-0 start); Arnett Moultrie, Mississippi State (16.3 ppg, 12.7 rpg in three games this week); J'Covan Brown, Texas (28 points, 8 assists, 1 turnover in a win over Boston U.); Kendall Marshall, North Carolina (15 assists, 1 turnover against UNC-Asheville); Allen Crabbe, Cal (22.5 ppg in a 2-0 week)
Team of the Week: Cleveland State
The Vikings were a bit of an afterthought heading into this season. That's generally what happens when you are a mid-major program and you lose a player as talented and important to your team as Norris Cole. But Gary Waters' team did a fine job introducing themselves to the country on Sunday afternoon, as they went into Memorial Coliseum and bullied Vanderbilt into a 71-58 victory. D'Aundray Brown led the way for the Vikings, finishing with 18 points and 8 boards, but he got plenty of help, as five of his teammates scored between seven and 11 points.
But the offensive end of the floor isn't what won this game for Cleveland State. It was their defensive pressure. Vanderbilt, a top 10 team known for having a powerful offensive attack, had more possessions end in a turnover (20) than in a made field goal (18). John Jenkins, the Commodores all-american, was hounded the entire game, shooting 5-14 from the floor (2-8 from three). Jeff Taylor had just nine points, shooting 3-8 from the field and turning the ball over six times. All in all, it was an impressive performance from the Vikings, one that will likely get them into the conversation -- along with Butler and Detroit -- for the favorite in the Horizon.
Teams deserving a shoutout:
Akron: Akron made a statement on Wednesday night, as they went into Starkville and handled Mississippi State fairly easily. Quincy Diggs led the way with 19 points, but it was an all-around team effort that got the job done. Much like Cleveland State's win over Vanderbilt, it was work on the defensive end that got the job done.
Cal: The Bears looked quite impressive in their two games this week. After running through UC-Irvine with a dominating first-half performance, Cal used a 21-0 run to close out the first half against George Washington on Sunday night. Jorge Gutierrez and Allen Crabbe have been as good as advertised, but it was the play of Justin Cobbs (16 points, five assists on Sunday) and Brandon Smith (seven points, six assists on Friday) that was promising.
St. John's: The Johnnies went 3-0 this week, and while all three games were against overmatched opponents, there is reason to be excited about this team. They are young and, obviously, will go through some growing pains, but the fact that they were able to come back from halftime deficits twice was promising. God'sgift Achiuwa and Moe Harkless have been promising up front and when the Johnnies press is clicking, they are a dangerous team.
Five Thoughts:
- The SEC stinks again?: Vanderbilt was supposed to be a Final Four contender this year, but they were manhandled by Cleveland State at home on Sunday. Mississippi State was a team that everyone thought could finally turn the corner this year, but with Renardo Sidney still out of shape -- and now injured, apparently -- that looks like wishful thinking. The loss to Akron on Wednesday confirms that. Now to be fair, those are the only two league teams that lost this week and Cleveland State and Akron are both legitimate contenders to make a run at an NCAA Tournament bid this year. But to get an idea of the significance of two of the league's top five teams having a mark in the loss column right now, only three other high-major teams do as well -- Michigan State (who lost to North Carolina), Oregon (who lost to Vanderbilt) and UCLA (who lost to Loyola Marymount).
- Good start for the MVC: Missouri State is in full-on rebuilding mode this year. That's what happens when you lose six of your seven rotation players and overhaul the coaching staff. But that doesn't mean the Bears won't be competitive in the Missouri Valley this year. On the one hand, they bring back Kyle Weems, the reigning MVC player of the year. On the other hand, they opened the season with a 22 point win at Nevada. Making the win even more impressive? Weems had four points on 2-12 shooting. Northern Iowa was impressive as well. Old Dominion is in a bit of a rebuilding year as well, but the Panthers went into Richmond and beat the Monarchs by 17 despite the semi-surprising return of Kent Bazemore. Now if we could only forget about the loss Southern Illinois suffered against (wait for it) Ohio Dominican. Yeah, they're D-II.
- UConn's strength is their back court?: That's at least the way that it looks after UConn's first game against Columbia. Jeremy Lamb lived up to the all-american hype, putting up 30 points on 11-17 shooting, while Shabazz Napier was just as good, finishing with 21 points, eight assists and six boards. The two combined for six steals. Alex Oriakhi and Andre Drummond, on the other hand, combined for just two points and nine rebounds. Drummond attempted a single shot in 12 minutes. As good as Napier and Lamb looked, they played a 36 and 38 minutes, respectively, against Columbia. The Huskies are going to need more balance -- and depth -- this season.
- Duke and Belmont: Duke has some major issues they need to address this season. Austin Rivers is ridiculously talented but will make plenty of freshman mistakes this year. Seth Curry is a knockdown shooter, as if Andre Dawkins, but the best point guard -- and perimeter defender -- on the roster is Tyler Thornton. How does Coach K get him into the lineup? Duke's big men have put up some solid numbers early, but are we ready to assume that the Plumlees are more than just the Plumlees and Ryan Kelly is better than a sixth or seventh man? But more than anything, what you should have taken out of Belmont's one-point loss to Duke at Cameron Indoor is that the Bruins are going to be a team to reckon with in March. In other words, Belmont is legit. Memphis, you have been warned.
- Who is the best team in the Pac-12?: It certainly doesn't look like UCLA at this point. The Bruins looked awful in a loss to Loyola Marymount, as Josh Smith is clearly not in shape and their guards look better suited to playing at Cal. State Northridge. Arizona is dealing with their fair share of issues as well. They struggled against Valparaiso and Duquense before having to come back from a double digit deficit against Ball State. The Wildcats lack an interior presence and are trying to identify their go-to scorer and starting point guard; Josiah Turner lost his starting job after missing a shootaround and didn't play on Sunday against Ball State. Oregon's loss at Vanderbilt looks worse after Vandy lost to Cleveland State, and Washington has struggled against two inferior opponents. That leaves Cal. So are the Bears really the favorite in the Pac-12?
Matchups of the Week (all times eastern):
- 11/14 7:00 pm: UCF @ Florida State
- 11/14 8:00 pm: Oakland @ Alabama
- 11/14 9:00 pm: Detroit @ Notre Dame
- 11/14 10:00 pm: Nevada @ UNLV
- 11/15 12:00 am: Washington State @ Gonzaga
- 11/15 12:00 pm: Belmont @ Memphis
- 11/15 2:00 pm: SDSU @ Baylor
- 11/15 7:00 pm: Champions Classic -- Duke vs. Michigan State and Kansas vs. Kentucky
- 11/15 8:00 pm: Florida @ Ohio State
- 11/15 8:00 pm: Bucknell @ Vanderbilt
- 11/16 9:00 pm: Long Beach State @ Pitt
- 11/17 1:00 pm: Purdue vs. Iona
- 11/17 7:00 pm: Texas A&M vs. Mississippi State
- 11/19 2:00 pm: Louisville @ Butler
- 11/19 6:30 pm: Vanderbilt vs. NC State
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Monday, March 7, 2011
3/7 - College Hoops Week in Review: March Madness cometh |
Game of the Week: West Virginia 72, Louisville 70
This is the kind of loss where you feel terrible for Preston Knowles. The senior point guard for the Cardinals shook off a poor shooting afternoon to score seven straight points and give the 'Ville a 67-61 lead with two minutes left. But after one Casey Mitchell three and a missed free throw by Peyton Siva, Knowles got hung up on a screen and allowed Mitchell to get open for a deep, game-tying three with eight seconds left. Knowles pushed the ball in transition, but he missed a pull-up three and then proceeded to do about the dumbest thing he could in that situation:
March Madness Game Winners!!!
- Lafayette 73, American 71 2OT: Jim Mower hit a 3-pointer with less than a second remaining to lead Lafayette over American 73-71 in double-OT in the Patriot League semifinals. Trailing by two with seven seconds remaining, Tony Johnson drove the length of the floor before kicking it to Mower for the game-winning basket. Ryan Willen hit a 3-pointer with ten seconds remaining in regulation to tie the game, and Mower hit 1 of 2 free throws under ten seconds left in the first OT to force a second over time. Vlad Moldoveanu led all scorers with 26 points, but it was not enough, as Lafayette upset the No. 2-seed Eagles on their home floor. The No. 6-seed Leopards will face top-seeded Bucknell in the Patriot League finals.
- Missouri State 58, Southern Illinois 56: The Bears almost didn't make it out of their first round matchup in the MVC Tournament. Down by nine with two minutes left, Missouri State hit three straight three to tie the game up at 56 before Kyle Weems bailed them out with this shot:
- Robert Morris 64, Quinnipiac 62: Junior guard Velton Jones dribbled off of a ball screen and drove down the lane, hitting a tough floater over two defenders to knock off the Bobcats. Its the second straight season that Quinnipiac has had their season ended by Bobby Mo:
VCU 62, Drexel 60: Chris Fouch buried a three to tie the game with 10 seconds left in the CAA quarterfinals, but Jamie Skeen answered with a gorgeous, baby hook at the buzzer:
Player of the Week: Jon Diebler, Ohio State
You want to talk about a player being on fire? On Wednesday, Diebler drilled 10/12 threes against Penn State, finishing with 30 points, three boards, and five assists while setting the school record and tying the Big Ten record for threes in a game. He wans't done, either, as Diebler had 27 points in Sunday's 28 point win over Wisconsin. Diebler was 7-8 from deep, putting him at 17-20 for the week.
In the two games this week, Diebler averaged 28.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg, and 4.5 apg. Not only was he 17-20 from three, he shot 18-22 from the floor. He raised his three point percentage -- in the last week of the regular season -- from 47.7% to 51.1%. I think its safe to say Diebler was feeling it this week.
The All-they-were-good-too team:
Team of the Week: North Carolina Tar Heels
Believe it or not, but the UNC Tar Heels are now your outright ACC champions after knocking off Duke it what amounted to the ACC regular season title game. The game wasn't all that close, either, as Kendall Marshall and Harrison Barnes and company jumped out to a big lead early and held on down the stretch.
Plenty of words have already been written on how much better this Tar Heel team is without Larry Drew and with Marshall running the show. The same can be said about Harrison Barnes' recent play, as he is living up to those all-american expectations. But not much has been said about the play of John Henson and Tyler Zeller. They were the knock on Carolina early in the season, but both have developed into a big-time presence on the glass and in the paint.
If this team wins the ACC Tournament, there is still an outside chance that they can earn themselves a No. 1 seed on Sunday.
Teams deserving a shout out:
Kentucky: The Wildcats finally notched a key victory on the road, going into Tennessee and knocking off the Volunteers. It was a come-from-behind win, as the Wildcats played awful in the first half. But Brandon Knight made the plays late in the game, giving UK their first close, road victory of the season. That came just days after Kentucky knocked off Vanderbilt at home. UK earned themselves the second seed in the SEC Tournament and a first round bye.
West Virginia: The Mountaineers had a big week this week, as they beat both UConn and Louisville in Morgantown to take the sixth seed in the Big East Tournament. That means they will be playing the winner of Marquette-Providence on Wednesday.
Notre Dame: The Irish are making a serious case for themselves as a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. They finished in sole possession of second place in the Big East standings. Perhaps most important this week was that the Irish were able to stave off a UConn run and comeback on the road despite having their star and potential Big East player of the year Ben Hansbrough out of the game with five fouls.
Florida: Florida won the outright SEC regular season title by crushing Alabama at home and following that up with a solid win at Vanderbilt on Saturday. There is a lot not too like about Florida this season, but they just keep on winning basketball games. They are getting post production, their guard play has been more consistent, and Chandler Parsons is turning into a star.
Michigan: If the Wolverines end up missing the NCAA Tournament, you can't say it wasn't for a lack of effort. After starting league play 1-6, Michigan rallied to end the year tied for fourth at 9-9, including wins at Minnesota and over Michigan State this week. The Wolverines still have some work to do, but the fact that they are in this conversation is impressive.
Cincinnati: The Bearcats aren't just going to back into the NCAA Tournament. They deserve to be their. After losing at home to UConn, Mick Cronin's club bounced back with wins against Marquette and Georgetown, the latter coming by 22 points.
Fordham: Congratulations to Fordham as they avoided a winless regular season by knocking off UMass on Saturday.
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Monday, February 28, 2011
2/28 - College Hoops Week in Review: The Pac-10 race just got crazy |
Games of the Week: Wisconsin 53, Michigan 52
The Wolverines were so close to finally picking up a marquee win. With 30 seconds left and the score 52-50, Michigan's Darius Morris headed to the free throw line. He missed the front end of a one-and-one (one of six straight free throws Michigan missed down the stretch), but the Wolverines still had four fouls to give. So they worked the clock down to 5.4 seconds left, setting up this final play:
The loss was all the more crushing for Michigan as they continue to chase an NCAA Tournament bid. They are currently sitting right on the cut line with, at best, a shot at a .500 league record. You don't think a win over the No. 12 team in the country could help?
UNC Asheville 61, Coastal Carolina 58: At first, I felt bad for Coastal Carolina. Their season has gone up in flames. Two of their best players have been suspended. Their starting point guard is done for the season with a knee injury. What seemed like a year with the potential to win a game in the NCAA Tournament has become a disaster. But then I read this. Maybe Matt Dickey was just playing the role of karma:
Player of the Week: Nikola Vucevic, USC
Vucevic is one of the best big men in the country, but I'm willing to bet you've never seen him play. Its not necessarily your fault. The Pac-10 has a garbage TV deal that makes it extremely difficult to see any Pac-10 game, let alone ones with a team that was expected to be one of the worst high-majors in the country.
But USC has had a bit of a resurgence of late. They've now won four straight games, including a sweep of the Arizona schools this past weekend, and Vucevic has been the best player on the floor. He has six straight double-doubles, including the 25 points and 12 boards he had in the Trojan's upset of Arizona on Thursday. Making that performance all the more impressive was the eight points that Derrick Williams finished with. All told, Vucevic averaged 22.5 ppg and 11.0 rpg.
All of a sudden, USC looks like a team that could end up stealing a bid. They've got wins over Texas, Tennessee, UCLA, and Arizona. Their bad losses came early in the season, before Jio Fontan was on the roster. If they sweep Washington and Washington State on the road to close out the season, they will be tied from third in the Pac-10. That's stronger than some of the profiles currently on the bubble.
The All-they-were-good-too team:
Team of the Week: Virginia Tech Hokies
It was really difficult this week to pick a team of the week given the number of quality options there were. I had to go with the Hokies, though. With their win over Duke on Saturday night, Virginia Tech has all but clinched an NCAA Tournament bid barring a collapse down the stretch.
The Hokies had a nice record coming into the game, but they didn't have the power at the top that you need to make the NCAA Tournament. With how weak the bubble is this year, snagging a win over the No. 1 team in the country is almost enough to carry you from the wrong side of the bubble to the right side. Tech still has some work to do -- they play both Boston College and Clemson, two other ACC bubble teams, down the stretch -- but as long as they can avoid being swept, Seth Greenberg should finally be taking his team to the NCAA Tournament.
Teams deserving a shout out:
Marquette: Have the Golden Eagles finally made their patented late season run? Needing a win on Thursday to keep their tournament hopes alive, Marquette went into Hartford and knocked off the UConn Huskies in overtime. They followed it up with a win over Providence. With two games (Cincinnati, at Seton Hall) left, Marquette should feel like they are in solid position to earn a bid.
Louisville: The Cardinals also picked up two big wins this week, winning at Rutgers before taking care of Pitt at home. With the win over Pitt, Louisville moved into a third place tie with St. John's in the Big East standings. If they win out, the Cardinals will receive one of the double byes in the conference tournament.
UCLA: UCLA wiped the floor with both Arizona State and Arizona in Pauley Pavilion this weekend, the latter thanks to Reeves Nelson's 27 points and 16 boards. The Bruins have now moved into a first place tie in the Pac-10 with the Wildcats. They'll have their work cut out for them this weekend, having to travel to the Washington schools, but a sweep would give the Bruins a share of the Pac-10 title. Who saw that coming?
Kansas State: Is there a team in the country playing better basketball than the Wildcats right now? Jacob Pullen has been on fire, his supporting cast has been playing with purpose and passion, and K-State earned their fourth straight win against Missouri on Saturday, which should be enough to get the Wildcats into the NCAA Tournament so long as they avoid a late season collapse.
Colorado: All of a sudden, the Buffaloes look like they may actually be capable of earning themselves an NCAA Tournament bid after they won at Texas Tech and then came from 22 points down to knock off Texas. They'll have their work cut out for them -- winning out in league play may not be enough -- but its possible.
Syracuse: The Orange continued to prove that they are a better team away from home this season, going into Philly and Washington DC and coming away with hard-fought wins over Villanova and Georgetown. There is a silver lining, however. Villanova has struggled mightily down the stretch in Big East play, while the Hoyas were playing without Chris Wright.
USC: As we detailed earlier, the Trojans are now in a position that they can make a claim for deserving an at-large bid. They knocked off Arizona and Arizona State this week, they have four quality wins, and their bad losses all came before Jio Fontan was eligible to play. If they win out at the Washington schools this week, USC will be an interesting case on Selection Sunday.
Gonzaga: The Zags knocked off St. Mary's on the road in overtime on Thursday, meaning that their win over San Diego on Saturday night gave them a share of the WCC regular season title. They also managed to get themselves back into the thick of the bubble conversation, although they've lost enough games that anything short of an automatic bid will leave them sweating when the brackets are announced.
MATCHUPS OF THE WEEK
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