Adjehi Baru, a 6'9" native of the Ivory Coast, vaulted into the consensus top 50 after a terrific summer on the AAU circuit.
He has been drawing interest from schools like Kentucky, Maryland, and NC State, which is why everyone was left with an itchy head when reports started coming out on Saturday that Baru had committed to the College of Charleston. Dave Telep seemingly ended the speculation after speaking with Baru, who told him that he had not committed to a school and did not plan on doing so anytime soon.
Then on Monday, Baru sent out a press release via email saying that not only had he already committed to CofC, he had signed a letter of intent during the signing period, which ended a couple of weeks ago.
There's more.
Baru's legal guardian is Tim Branin. His son, Pat, is the same age as Baru. In fact, the way that Baru and Branin met was by playing on the same AAU team. Baru was living with the AAU coach when the Branin's offered to let Baru move in with them. He accepted and, apparently, became tight with Pat.
Here's the twist -- Pat was apparently only getting recruiting interest from a couple of D-III programs, but back in the fall he signed a Letter of Intent to Charleston. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that Bobby Cremins, the CofC head coach, brought in Pat to land Adjehi. In fact, he admitted it to the Dagger:"They're a very close-knit family," Cremins said. "I recognized right from the get-go that if I was going to have any shot at this young man, I'd be smart to bring along his teammate because they're a very close family.
This isn't illegal. This isn't even frowned upon. In fact, it probably happens much more than we think. USC was able to land Demar Derozan because they gave a scholarship to Lil' Romeo. Will Barton's recruitment was likely influenced by Josh Pastner's decision to bring in Will's brother Antonio. Hell, I'd be curious to know how many of the programs that were recruiting Deuce Bello were doing so simply because they wanted Quincy Miller.
"Pat can definitely help us in practice. Can he ever start here? Right now, no. But he can definitely help us in practice and who knows he might get better."
Kudos to Cremins for landing Baru. Its not often a player like Baru pops for the Cougars.
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Tuesday, December 7, 2010
The strange recruitment of Adjehi Baru |
Tuesday's Shootaround: Not much too talk about |
No. 22 Washington 94, Portland 72: Quick -- who is the only Washington Husky to have scored in double figures in every game this season? Answer -- Justin Holiday. The lanky, 6'6" role player has become quite a weapon for Lorenzo Romar, and he was again on Monday night, finishing with 20 points to lead the way for the Huskies. Isaiah Thomas also had 20 points, and it was back-to-back threes from Scott Suggs after Portland cut a lead from 16 to 6 that helped U-Dub pull away.
No. 5 Kansas State 89, Alcorn State 55: Free throws issues once again are rearing their ugly head for K-State. The Wildcats shot 23-40 from the charity stripe in the win, and believe it or not that improved their shooting on the season -- K-State is the second worse free throw shooting team in the country at 54%.
Providence 91, Brown 64: Don't look now, but the Friars are 9-1 on the season and off to their best start since 1988. In last night's win against Brown, Vincent Council tied the PC record for assists (16) and Marshon Brooks added 33 points.
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The injury bug always seems to come at the same time as christmas cheer |
Baylor freshman Stargell Love, who started the first game of the season for Baylor when AJ Walton was suspended, will miss the next 6-8 weeks after it was discovered that he has a stress fracture in his left foot.
Love has only played limited minutes (16.0 per game) with even more limited production (2.0 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 2.7 apg, 2.3 turnovers), but he is important because he is really the only other point guard on the Baylor roster behind Walton. Walton has averaged 10.4 ppg and 5.4 apg in give games, but he's been turnover prone, hasn't shown the best shot selection, and has a tendency to force tough shots.
Love isn't the only player that was injured over the weekend:
- Purdue has gotten even thinner. Already dealing with a torn acl to Robbie Hummel, on Monday the Boilermakers found out that Jon Hart, who averages 8.4 ppg and has given Purdue a much-needed scoring punch off the bench, will be out for at least a month after undergoing surgery for a stress fracture in his right foot. Purdue will look for Terone Johnson, Kelsey Barlow, and Lewis Jackson to up their scoring.
It gets worse. DJ Byrd, who took a shot to the shoulder on Wednesday in Purdue's win over Virginia Tech, only played two minutes against Alabama. He looked like he was in serious pain after initially injuring the shoulder on Wednesday.
- Anyone that watched Duke's win over Butler saw Kyrie Irving limp off the court in the second half after his right foot turned awkwardly when he planted. Apparently, the injury is to his toe. Irving returned to the game, but according to Jeff Goodman he is currently in a walking boot and doubtful for Duke's game against Bradley tomorrow.
- Syracuse freshman Fab Melo was expected to not only be an impact player in the Big East, but many believed he would be one-and-done. And, well, he's not exactly been a dominating presence, averaging just 2.6 ppg and 2.6 rpg through eight games. Why? On a conference call for the Jimmy V Classic, Boeheim said that Melo has been dealing with an injury to his achilles that is giving his soreness in his heel. He's also dislocated a finger this season.
- Sunday's loss to Montana is still giving UCLA issues. Word out of Westwood is that Malcolm Lee, the Bruin's talented off-guard, strained a ligament in his right knee and will be listed as day-to-day.
- You have to feel for Charlie Dewhurst of Charlotte. He nearly gave up basketball this offseason due to a number of injuries that plagued him in his first three years with the 49ers. He just found out that he would be cleared to play tonight after injuring his knee in October. And what happens? Dewhurst broke his finger on Monday in practice. Ugh.
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Tuesday Morning Dump |
- No better way to start your week than with Gary Parrish's Poll Attacks
- This isn't hoops related but it's a must-read. Michael Wilbon bids farewell to the Washington Post. I grew up reading Wilbon every morning while I ate my cereal. We will still see and hear him and even read his thoughts, only now it will come under the banner of the World Wide Leader.
- Yup, Kenpom's player stats are up. Enjoy wasting three hours of your day. I already did. PS -- 10,000 bonus points if you can name the country's leader in Offensive Rating (Hint: its not Kemba Walker)
- One sure-fire way to keep games close, regardless of conference affiliation, is to limit the number of turnovers. Butler did so and nearly walked away with the National Championship. Kyle Whelliston takes a look at some schools trying to follow Butler's blueprint
- Seth Davis sat down with John Adams, the NCAA supivosr of Officials in order to get to the bottom of the issues involving suspect refereeing this year.
- Jeff Goodman notes that USC may be better than we expected. After beating Texas on Sunday, the Trojans seem to be progressing quicker than we thought
- The must-watch game of the night features Michigan State and Syracuse facing-off against Michigan State at Madison Square Garden in the Jimmy V Classic. How will the Spartans do against the 2-3 zone of Syracuse?. Syracuse freshman center Fab Melo has a sore achilles
- Kentucky and Indiana go head-to-head this Saturday in an interesting match-up. Clearly Kentucky is the more talented squad, but Tom Crean believes that his team can beat the wildcats. If they do so, it would be the first win for Indiana at Rupp Arena since 1988
- Minnesota is in their easiest stretch of schedule this year, with games against St. Joseph's, Eastern Kentucky, Akron, and South Dakota State in front of them. That's a good thing considering they are playing without Al Nolen
- After a tough trip to Maui, the Spartans are starting to play more consistant basketball. But still, travel and lingering injuries are slowing them, down
- Kentucky already has two losses on their record, something they didn't have until the final day of February last season. But nonetheless, March Madness is a long ways away and there are four reasons why the Wildcats can still win it all
- Three of the most distinguished coaches in college basketball sit down and discuss the differences and similarities in title contenders and give their predictions for the season
- Former Marquette head coach Hank Raymonds lost his battle with cancer this week. He passed away on Monday at the age of 86
- UNC might not be playing at the level they hoped for, but they are playing better than they were at this point last year, and they are coming off a big home win against a ranked opponent. That is enough to make Roy Williams smile (or atleast it should be enough)
- There are so many numbers to digest in college basketball. Luckily the ESPN college basketball nation blog gives us a list of the numbers we need to know
- In order to fill an arena, you need to win games. If you play in the Big East, this is very hard to do, especially if you are Rutgers. But students stay optimistic about the future
- Why does Oregon State have to continually remind us that they suck? Seriously, a lot of bad teams coast through non-con schedules before revealing during conference play that they actually suck. But Oregon State can't make it to Christmas without losing to middling mid-majors
- Finally, the perfect explanation as to why Purdue is struggling (and it has nothing to do with Robbie Hummel being injured. OK, maybe it does.)
- College Chalk Talk provides a glimpse into the life of the coaching staff at Florida Gulf Coast
- Florida's Kenny Boynton is not shooting particularly well from behind the arc. In fact, his 3-pt percentage is the lowest it's ever been at Florida. Despite this, Billy Donovan is sure that Boynton will shoot out of his slump
- Man, it looks like somebody doesn't like Brady Morningstar. Personally I never really understood why he played that much either. But I'm not about to write 500 words about it
- Up to this point in the season, Kyrie Irving has to be the front-runner for Freshman of the Year, right? But how would his skills translate to the pros? Ed Isaacson from the NBA draft blog scouts Irving's talents
- Miss any Big East action from the weekend? The NBE has you covered
- I don't get it, I was a college athlete AND I needed special assistance, yet I received none of this free money or free benefits
- Would Kentucky be any better if Perry Stevenson had been redshirted and able to play this season?
- Speaking of Kentucky, what exactly went wrong in Chapel Hill? A Sea of Blue gives four detail explanations
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Monday, December 6, 2010
Jimmer Fredette will dominate the Glens Falls news |
There is a lot of interesting basketball to be played this week.
The Jimmy V Classic, which will feature two games between top 15 teams, happens on Tuesday. Wisconsin heads to Marquette in one of the must underrated rivalries in the country on Saturday. Notre Dame gets their two biggest tests of the season with games against Kentucky and Gonzaga. Notre Dame-Kentucky isn't the only interesting tip between a Big East and an SEC team, as Pitt and Tennessee also do battle. Arizona tries to get revenge on BYU for Jimmer Fredette's 49 point outburst, Xavier gets another shot against Butler after their controversial finish last season, and UNLV heads to Louisville as the two teams get a good gauge of how far along they are this season.
Like I said, there are a number of quality story lines to the basketball games played this week.
Perhaps the most interesting, the most unique, is Jimmer Fredette's homecoming.
Fredette is a mormon, but he didn't grow up in Utah. He's a native of Glens Falls, NY, a blue collar town an hour up I-87 from Albany. Part of pulling Fredette out of Upstate New York was BYU's promise to play a game close to Fredette's hometown.
That game happens on Wednesday at the Glens Falls Civic Center where BYU will take on Vermont. How excited are the locals? Back in September when tickets went on sale, fans camped out in order to be the first in line for tickets.
It wasn't easy to put together, either. For starters, Jimmer declared for the draft after an all-american junior season. BYU couldn't cement any plans until after Fredette withdrew his name a day before the May 8th deadline. Originally, the plan was for BYU to play Penn State in Albany, allowing the Nittany Lions to give Fredette's AAU teammate Talor Battle a homecoming as well.
But that fell through. Too many scheduling conflicts.
BYU tried to put together a game against Syracuse or St. John's or one of the other teams in the area, but it was a push from the mayor of Glens Falls that landed this game. 6,200 tickets, including some 700 standing room only, have been sold for the game. Glens Falls has a population of just over 14,000.
Think they are excited for the chance to get to see Jimmer play?
There will be plenty of talk in the media, especially in Upstate New York and Utah, about this game. There has been already. Some of the best anecdotes I've come across?
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Monday's Pregame Beat: Yuck |
There may not be one watchable game tonight:
- 8:00 pm: Alcorn State @ No. 5 Kansas State
- 10:00 pm: Portland @ No. 22 Washington
- 7:00 pm: Brown @ Providence
- 7:30 pm: Concordia @ Michigan
- 8:00 pm: Southeast Missouri State @ Iowa State
- 8:00 pm: Nevada @ Houston
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The Emery Board: Week 4 |
College basketball has not seen a team go undefeated since Bobby Knight's Indiana Hoosiers went 32-0 in 1975-1976. The closest we have seen since then was a Jameer Nelson-led St. Joseph's team that went 27-0 in the 2003-2004 season before losing to Xavier in the Atlantic-10 tournament. Every season a team flirts with the notion of an undefeated season, but every season that notion slowly fades as January turns to February and February turns to March. BYU's senior guard Jackson Emery, has made the bold prediction that his team, a Cougar squad that finished with a 27-4 record last season, will in fact go undefeated this season.
We have decided that, in honor of Emery's swagger, we will keep a watch on the BYU Cougar's schedule, see if they can walk-the-walk. We will also keep tabs on any other undefeated teams who try to make a run at the perfect season.
Week 4:
BYU had a relatively easy week. The traveled to Omaha to take on Creighton on Wednesday. The Bluejays were able to rein in Jimmer Fredette and Emery (13 points apiece), but Brandon Davies went off for 24 points, including 16 in the final ten minutes of the game. Creighton made a run in the second half of the game to tie it up at 51, but BYU immediately responded with a 10-0 run to put the game back out of reach.
On Saturday, it was on to Hawaii. The Cougars jumped out to a big lead in the first half, and despite another average night from Fredette, BYU cruised to a 21 point win. Stephen Rogers and Logan Magnusson combined for 24 points off the bench.
Next Game: 12/8 vs. Vermont
Next Potential Loss: 12/11 vs. Arizona
Other Undefeated Teams
I'd like to point out that "next potential loss" means the opponent on the schedule closest in date to now with the most realistic chance of defeating the unbeaten team. There may be games in between "next game" and "next potential loss" and while it is quite possible a loss would occur during this time, I wouldn't bet on it. Or maybe I would.....
No. 1 Duke: 8-0
Next Game: 12/8 vs. Bradley
Next Potential Loss: 1/2 vs. Miami
No. 2 Ohio State: 6-0
Next Game: 12/9 vs. IUPUI
Next Potential Loss: 12/23 vs. Oakland
No. 3 Pittsburgh: 9-0
Next Game: 12/8 vs. Delawere State
Next Potential Loss: 12/11 vs. Tennessee
No. 4 Kansas: 7-0
Next Game: 12/7 vs. Memphis
Next Potential Loss: 12/7 at Memphis
No. 6 Connecticut: 7-0
Next Game: 12/8 vs. Farleigh Dickinson
Next Potential Loss: 12/27 at Pittsburgh
No. 7 Syracuse: 8-0
Next Game: 12/7 vs. Michigan State
Next Potential Loss: 12/7 vs. Michigan State
No. 9 Baylor: 6-0
Next Game: 12/15 vs. Bethune-Cookman
Next Potential Loss: 12/18 vs. Gonzaga
No. 10 Georgetown: 8-0
Next Game: 12/9 at Temple
Next Potential Loss: 12/9 at Temple
No. 13 Tennessee: 6-0
Next Game: 12/11 vs. Pittsburgh
Next Potential Loss: 12/11 vs. Pittsburgh
No. 14 Memphis: 7-0
Next Game: 12/7 at Kansas
Next Potential Loss: 12/7 at Kansas
No. 15 San Diego State: 8-0
Next Game: 12/8 at California
Next Potential Loss: 12/8 at California
No. 19 UNLV: 8-0
Next Game: 12/8 vs. Boise State
Next Potential Loss: 12/11 at Louisville
No. 23 Notre Dame: 8-0
Next Game: 12/8 at Kentucky
Next Potential Loss: 12/8 at Kentucky
Central Florida: 7-0
Next Game: 12/11 vs. Bethune-Cookman
Next Potential Loss: 12/18 vs. Miami
Cincinnati: 7-0
Next Game: 12/11 vs. Utah Valley
Next Potential Loss: 12/31 vs. Seton Hall
Cleveland State: 10-0
Next Game: 12/29 vs. West Virginia Tech
Next Potential Loss: 12/18 at West Virginia
Louisville: 6-0
Next Game: 12/8 vs. San Francisco
Next Potential Loss: 12/11 vs. UNLV
Northwestern: 5-0
Next Game: 12/13 vs. Long Island
Next Potential Loss: 12/16 vs. American
The Bottom of the Barrel:
It would be rude of us to include the "have's" and but not the "have-not's". After all, planetary balance is very essential. For every team that hasn't lost a game, there has to be a team still fighting for their first win.
Alcorn State: 0-6
Next Game: 12/6 @ Kansas State (6-2)
First Potential Win: 1/4 vs. Prarie View A&M (2-8)
Arkansas-Pine Bluff: 0-6
Next Game: 12/12 @ UTEP (5-2)
First Potential Win: 12/21 @ Denver (2-6)
Centenary: 0-9
Next Game: 12/7 @ Arkansas-Monticello (Not D-I)
First Potential Win: 12/7 @ Arkansas-Monticello (Not D-I)
Colgate: 0-6
Next Game: 12/7 at St. Francis (NY) (3-3)
First Potential Win: 1/2 at Longwood
Holy Cross: 0-6
Next Game: 12/7 vs. Stony Brook (3-4)
First Potential Win: 12/19 @ Marist (2-6)
Maryland-Baltimore County: 0-7
Next Game: 12/8 at Rider (5-2)
First Potential Win: 12/11 vs. Towson (2-5)
Southeast Missouri State: 0-8
Next Game: 12/6 at Iowa State (6-2)
First Potential Win: 12/11 vs. Hannibal-Lagrange (Not D-1)
Toledo: 0-8
Next Game: 12/8 vs. IPFW (5-2)
First Potential Win: 12/18 vs. Florida Gulf Coast (2-5)
UNC Greensboro: 0-6
Next Game: 12/6 vs. Furman (4-2)
First Potential Win: 1/10 vs. Elon (2-5)
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JayVaughn Pinkston suspended for the season |
The ruling has come down in the JayVaughn Pinkston case, and it is not good for the freshman.
Pinkston has been suspended from Villanova for the spring semester, meaning that he will not be allowed to play this season. To be clear, this suspension is being issued by the school, not the basketball team or the NCAA. Since Pinkston has not played in a game this season, he will be allowed to take a redshirt.
Pinkston will have to reapply to the school next summer to attain student in good standing status, which he needs to be a member of the basketball team.
Before I get into my reaction, here is the statement issued by Jay Wright: I am in support of the University’s decision. JayVaughn understands that there are consequences to his actions, and I believe he will continue to handle this in a mature manner. We look forward to his return in June.
And JayVaughn Pinkston:I am sorry. This situation is my responsibility and I have learned from it. I am going to work extremely hard so that I can return to the Villanova family in June.
If you don't remember, JayVaughn Pinkston was involved in an altercation, the rumor being that he got in a fight with a couple of Villanova students, which resulted in one of the students being taken to the hospital.
Obviously, this is a tough time for Pinkston, but its refreshing to see a school make a player pay a serious punishment for a serious offense. During the offseason, there were a number of assaults allegedly committed by college hoopers. Tre'Von Willis, LaceDarius Dunn, and Tony Woods were all involved in domestic disturbances that resulted in injuries, some of them serious, to women.
Woods was dismissed from Wake Forest, but Dunn and Willis missed a grand total of five games.
Pinkston will miss an entire season.
I may be in the minority here, but I feel for Pinkston. I really do. I'm sure I'm not the only one that got into a fight in college. It happens, especially when alcohol is involved and the pride of an 18 year old kid is on the line. I'm not excusing what he did, but we would all be hypocritical if we didn't admit to knowing where he came from.
That said, Pinkston has a responsibility here. He's getting his education paid for by Villanova to play basketball. He's also a 6'6", 250 lb man child. Simply put, you cannot go around punching fellow students when you are an athlete, especially an athlete that is bigger than just about everyone in the city of Philadelphia.
I've been in his shoes.
I missed my senior season in college because of a mistake I made.
And while it was a miserable experience, I grew from it. Here's to hoping JayVaughn does the same.
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12/6 - College Hoops Week in Review: A New Contender in the Big East? |
Game of the Week: Kansas 77, UCLA 76
In all reality, the game of the week was Georgetown's thrilling overtime win against Missouri. But we are going to be talking plenty about the Hoyas in this recap, so I went to Lawrence, KS, for the game of the week. UCLA, a team that struggled against Tennessee and VCU at the Preseason NIT finals in NYC, actually hung around with Kansas for 40 minutes. Tyler Honeycutt was unguardable, finishing with 33 points on 11-15 shooting, while the Jayhawks relatively small front line could not handle the 6'10", 305 lb Joshua Smith in the paint, as the freshman finished with 17 points and 13 boards, 8 on the offensive end.
The two blue bloods threw haymakers throughout the second half, both making runs to seemingly grab control of the game. With three minutes left, Kansas took a 75-70 lead, but could not close out the Bruins as turnovers and missed free throws kept the Bruins alive. After Tyshawn Taylor missed one of two and Marcus Morris missed the front end of a 1-and-1, Lazeric Jones missed a free throw of his own and Kansas ended up with the ball out of bounds with 18 seconds left. Tyrell Reed was trapped on the inbounds pass and threw the ball away, and Honeycutt made the Jayhawks pay with a 25 foot three to tie the game. That's when it got interesting.
We can argue with the NCAA about whether the foul that was called was the correct call, but it was called. Mario Little it one of the two free throws as UCLA was out of timeouts, and Honeycutt missed a prayer at the buzzer.
The other good games:
Buzzer Beaters: Who doesn't love a good buzzer beater. We had plenty this week:
Player of the Week: Kyrie Irving, Duke
It hasn't been difficult to select the players of the week this season, and Irving's selection was no different. The Blue Devil's freshman point guard showed why people were predicting he would be the best point guard in the country this season by averaging 26.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg, and 3.0 apg while collecting three steals and two blocks in Duke's wins over Michigan State and Butler. Should I mention that he shot 14-22 from the field on the week (including 5-9 from three) and 19-22 from the line? Against Michigan State, Irving had as dominant of a performance as we have seen this year, going for 31 points and dissecting the Spartan defense. In Saturday's win over Butler, Irving started off the game slowly before exploding for 17 of his 21 points in the second half. He also hit arguably the two biggest shots of the game, as his back-to-back three pointers finally put Butler away for good.
The All-they-were-good-too team
Team of the Week: Georgetown Hoyas
Its about time that we start to consider Georgetown as one of the favorites to win the Big East and to reach the Final Four. That's what happens when you start the season 8-0 with wins against teams like Old Dominion, Missouri, NC State, and Utah State. Only the Utah State game was at home. This week, the Hoyas beat two completely different teams. On Tuesday, they went into Kansas City to take on the Tigers in what was the single most entertaining game of the young season. The Hoyas opened up a 35-17 lead in the first half, but Mizzou slowly chipped away at the lead. Midway through the second half, a Marcus Denmon three put the Tigers ahead, and they would eventually get up 85-80, but the poise of Austin Freeman helped lead Georgetown back, as the Big East's preseason player of the year scored back-to-back buckets, one of which was an and-one, to tie the game. Mizzou took the lead back, but a Chris Wright three with 0.3 seconds left forced OT. In OT, Jason Clark buried three straight threes to seal the deal for Georgetown, as they won 111-102.
On Saturday, the Aggies came to town. After playing a methodical first half which saw USU's offense execute to precision, John Thompson III threw on a press in the second half which the Aggies could not handle. Turnovers and easy baskets led to a 68-51 win over the WAC favorites despite Wright being the only player that reached double figures for the Hoyas.
Georgetown beat two very good teams this week. Those two teams played styles that are at opposite ends of the basketball spectrum. Both teams were able to execute their game plans to a degree -- Missouri get the game into an uptempo shootout, forcing turnovers and scoring in transition while Utah State was able to keep Georgetown from shooting threes (the Hoyas were 2-9 from deep) and kept the pace methodical. Georgetown won both games.
Teams deserving of a shout out:
Other notes from the week that was: So when does the "MWC is a top five conference" talk start to happen? Because it should be going on right now. Let's start with the MWC-MVC Challenge, which the MWC on 8-1. The only win for the Valley? Northern Iowa knocking off TCU, the same TCU that knocked off USC this week. San Diego State, BYU, and UNLV are all undefeated and all three look like Sweet 16 teams. New Mexico is 6-1 (with a loss to Cal but wins over Arizona State and at New Mexico State) and still waiting on Drew Gordon to become eligible after transferring from UCLA. And the bottom of the league isn't as bad as we expected. Air Force bounced back from a loss to D-III Colorado College to beat Wofford and Evansville (who knocked off Butler). Utah beat Weber State. TCU has that win over USC. Its a shame this league is breaking up.
So, uhh, what's going on with UCLA? The Bruins nearly knocked off Kansas in Lawrence on Wednesday, then proceeded to get smacked by Montana on Sunday night? In Pauley Pavilion? That kind of loss in unacceptable. I know Ben Howland took the Bruins to three straight Final Fours, but how long is that program going to put up with this level of ineptitude?
That wasn't the only strange thing to happen in the Pac-10 this week. USC, who had lost to Rider, Nebraska, TCU, and Bradley, beat Texas by 17? Should I mention that Oregon State lost to Colorado by 26 points?
As we always have said, anything can happen in conference play. Take, for example, Old Dominion. The Monarchs were 5-1 on the season. They had beaten Xavier, Clemson, and Richmond. They were on the verge of being ranked in the top 25. Then they hosted Delaware, a team that was expected to finish somewhere near the bottom of the CAA. What happened? Jawan Carter exploded for 29 points and the Blue Hens led for almost all of the second half in an upset win. Regardless of the league you play in, you cannot overlook a single conference opponent, not when everyone knows what your game plan. There are no secrets in conference play. ODU learned that the hard way.
We've hit on this point a number of times already this season, but outside of Duke, the ACC favorites have really struggled. Virginia Tech appears to be a bust after losing an ugly game to Purdue and then dropping their ACC opener to UVa. Maryland's loss to Temple means that the Terps have dropped every meaningful game they've played this season. Ditto for Florida State after the 'Noles lost to Ohio State this week. That said, there was some success. In addition to what was mentioned above, UNC's win over Kentucky gives the Tar Heels some much needed breathing room and confidence. This is a team loaded with talent. They just needed the pieces to come together. And while there are still some underlying issues for UNC, the fact that they were able to get a dominating performance from their big men is a positive.
Matchups of the Week
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Monday Morning Dump |
- Dan Hanner tells us who the most important players are for each team in the Big Ten and the SEC. He explains that without players like Terrence Jones, Demetri McCamey and Cameron Tatum on the floor, their teams fail to produce as much.. I guess that's pretty much how you decide who is the most important player on a team.
- Late last week, we noted that Baylor was contacting Adrian Moore, a 6-foot-3 8th-grader from Arkansas. Adam Zagoria is reporting that Baylor claims they did not offer Moore anything, but instead gave him a recruiting questionnaire.
- I was sure that UCLA would be better this season. I have been adamant about the fact that there is no possible way that they can be as bad as they were last season. They showed signs of life in a loss against VCU, and should have won the game against Kansas. But then, after nearly shocking the number-four team in the country, they lay an absolute egg against Montana at home. This was UCLA's fourth straight loss. What happens if UCLA had beaten Kansas? Do they still lose this game?
- Boise State is off to one the best starts in program history, currently sitting at 6-1. The Broncos, who were picked to finish sixth in the WAC, are playing well despite a slow start from their star player, Daequon Montreal. Nick Jezirny of the Idaho Statesman gives six reasons why the Broncos are 6-1
- Mike DeCourcy details the action that will take place this week at "The World's Most Famous Arena"
- Jeff Goodman releases his AP top-25 poll
- Some housecleaning from over the weekend: Kentucky asks the NCAA to take Cam Newton's case in as evidence in the Enes Kanter case; Tommy Amaker scheduled the Michigan-Harvard game when he was at Michigan, and now he is at Harvard; Colorado walk-on played pick-up with Obama; Gonzo's case got tossed; Arizona couple weds in Nic Wise jerseys.
- The Big Ten Conference announced that they will not pursue conference expansion any further. The conference added Nebraska as the 12th team this past year, marking the leauge's first expanison in two decades
- Michigan got a big-win over the weekend, as the wolverines defeated Harvard and former-head coach Tommy Amaker, 65-62. Michigan trailed for most of the first half, but fought back in the second and stayed in front of the Crimson down the stretch. There were five key plays that helped the Wolverines edge-out Harvard.
- The Washington Huskies had a dissappointing trip to Maui, but as Steve Kelley notes, there was nothing dissapointing about their 29-point rout of Texas Tech
- The Miami Hurricanes may not be the worst team in the ACC (we're looking at you Wake Forest), but most pundits predicted them to be near the bottom of the pack. Well, the Hurricanes now sit at 6-2 and boast wins over Ole Miss and West Virginia. The 'Canes also went the distance with the undefeated Memphis Tigers during Marathon Madness, and if it wasn't for an ugly, 16-point loss at Rutgers, Miami might be sitting right on the cusp of the top-25. Regardless, the Hurricanes are much better than we expected.
- Minnesota bounced back from their shocking loss at home to Virginia by beating Cornell over the weekend. But it wasn;t the type of "bounce-back" the gophers were hoping for. They defeated a middling Ivy League team with a new coach by only five, and missed 18 free throws
- We all know that the refs made an error during the waining moments of Kansas' two-point victory over UCLA. Bruin's head coach Ben Howland contacted the NCAA about the gaff that cost his team the game
- Any hopes for a new basketball arena for the Kentucky Wildcats now lie squarely in the hands of the city of Lexington. Initially, a deal was in place with IMG to develope the new arena as part of a package that would renovate Commonwealth Stadium and the baseball facillities. But that deal fell through
- A great piece on San Jose State star Adrian Oliver.
- The battle between UNC and UK wasn't pretty, but it was exciting. Both teams learned a lot about their rosters and what they can improve on. But according to Gary Parrish, the best part about this win for UNC is that it's not a loss.
- Providence is now 8-1, thanks to a 13-point win against Rhode Island. Marshon Brooks led all scorers with 26 points. But, as the Rams found out, Brooks is not the only big time player for Providence
- The injury bug hits Purdue again as reserve guard John Hart will be out a month with a stress fracture in his right foot
- Some solid post-game reactions from Kentucky players and staff regarding their upsetting loss at Chapel Hill.
- Adam Zagoria reports that Seton Hall recruit Aaron Crosby had a big weekend. The 6-foot-3 guard for Northfield Mount Hermon (Mass.) dropped 48 points in two games this weekend, including ten 3-pointers
- A great statistical analysis of the Kansas/Mizzou trifecta of top-10 teams
- Don't look now, but the Valparasio Crusaders are 2-0 in the Horizon League for the first time since 2007
- Unlike LeBron James, The Cleveland State Vikings will always be there for Cleveland
A great highlight video of Washington's 29-point destruction of Texas Tech in the Pac-10/Big-12 Hardwood Classic
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Sunday, December 5, 2010
Tyler Zeller and John Henson were great against Kentucky, but UNC is still UNC |
North Carolina's 75-73 win over Kentucky on Saturday afternoon was a relief as much as anything.
Its only the first week of December. Rare in college basketball is a must-win game before the calender turns. But this was about as close as it gets, and not solely because of the Tar Heel's record.
UNC needed this one for their confidence. They needed this win to prove to themselves that they were capable of playing with the best teams in the country. Because coming into this one, the Heels had not. They lost to Minnesota and Vanderbilt in Puerto Rico. They were embarrassed by Illinois in Champaign in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. And against Lipscomb and Charleston, UNC looked far from dominant.
There is a reason that the internet had been buzzing with talk of another Tar Heel meltdown.
Which is why this win was so important.
Its why the atmosphere in the Dean Dome was as electric as when Duke comes to town.
Terrence Jones, who had been Kentucky's best player early in the season, went 3-17 from the floor and finished with just 9 points and 6 boards. Brandon Knight had 15 points, but he committed six turnovers and played far from his best game. The Wildcats got a combined 30 minutes from Josh Harrellson and Eloy Vargas.
Simply put, losing to Kentucky at home when the Wildcats played far from their best game would have been a demoralizing loss.
Now, I urge North Carolina fans to keep perspective with this win. Tyler Zeller had 27 points, 11 boards, and 5 blocks while John Henson added 13 points, 12 boards, and 3 blocks. It was as well as either of these two have played since they have been in Chapel Hill. It was also against a Kentucky that has as many, if not more, front court questions as the Heels.
Harrison Barnes looked better, but he still finished just 4-10 from the floor with 12 points. Larry Drew and Kendall Marshall had 7 assists and 5 turnovers between them. Its refreshing to know that Zeller is capable of carrying this team if he has to, but the underlying issues that have plagued this team the past two seasons are still there.
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A couple thoughts on Kentucky from Saturday afternoon:
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POSTERIZED: High Point's Shay Shine puts the "Big" in "Big South" |
It's entirely possible that a college basketball fan could go a full season without hearing or seeing a single mention about High Point University. The Big South school has only been a D-I member for 11 years. But Shay Shine is doing his best to make sure people take notice. (h/t The Dagger)
Not only is Mr. Shine's dunk easily the top candidate at this point for Dunk of the Year, it may also be the leader for Poster of the Year. Shine is listed at 6-foot-2 and yet he soared high above the 6-foot-10 victim, sophomore D.J. Cunningham.
There were two things that caught my attention:
1) this PbP call of this dunk was pretty, umm..., amateur (then again, we can't have Gus Johnson call every dunk, can we?)
2) The Big South Network does not provide a game-clock graphic (The dunk was a first-half buzzer-beater, but you can only tell because Shine and his teammates exit the court immediately following the dunk.)
Nonetheless, this was a serious dunk.
Was this as good as the rest of the dunks for 2010-2011?
POSTERIZED - Harrison Barnes, North Carolina
POSTERIZED - Kent Bazemore, Old Dominion
POSTERIZED - CJ Fair, Syracuse
POSTERIZED - LeBryan Nash
POSTERIZED - Rodney Williams, Minnesota
POSTERIZED - Travis Leslie, Georgia
POSTERIZED - Terrence Jones, Kentucky
POSTERIZED - Marcus Jordan, Central Florida
POSTERIZED - Lorenzo Brown, NC State
POSTERIZED - Tai Wesley, Utah State
POSTERIZED - Trent Lockett, Arizona State, and Derrick Williams, Arizona
POSTERIZED - Brandon Paul, Illinois
POSTERIZED - Jordan Hamilton, Texas
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POSTERIZED: Joe Jackson, say hello to Juan Patillo |
Memphis turned the ball over 21 times and allowed 25 offensive rebounds, but the Tigers were able to hang on to beat the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers 77-61.
Considering the kind of performances that Memphis has had so far this season, this is a good win for the Tigers. I say that because Memphis, despite being ranked No. 15 in the country, has underwhelmed a lot of people this year. Whether its going to overtime with Arkansas State or close wins over Miami and LSU, Memphis hasn't looked like a top 25 team this season.
So why is Memphis still in the top 25?
Because they have freshmen like Joe Jackson that can do things like this:
Was this as good as the rest of the dunks for 2010-2011?
POSTERIZED - Shay Shine, High Point
POSTERIZED - Harrison Barnes, North Carolina
POSTERIZED - Kent Bazemore, Old Dominion
POSTERIZED - CJ Fair, Syracuse
POSTERIZED - LeBryan Nash
POSTERIZED - Rodney Williams, Minnesota
POSTERIZED - Travis Leslie, Georgia
POSTERIZED - Terrence Jones, Kentucky
POSTERIZED - Marcus Jordan, Central Florida
POSTERIZED - Lorenzo Brown, NC State
POSTERIZED - Tai Wesley, Utah State
POSTERIZED - Trent Lockett, Arizona State, and Derrick Williams, Arizona
POSTERIZED - Brandon Paul, Illinois
POSTERIZED - Jordan Hamilton, Texas
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Saturday, December 4, 2010
Georgetown's versatility shines through in a win over Utah State |
Georgetown has developed a rep for consistently putting together one of the toughest non-conference schedules in the country.
This season was no different. They opened the year by heading down to Norfolk, VA, to take on CAA favorite Old Dominion. Then after heading to the Charleston Classic, which also featured NC State, the Hoyas went to Kansas City to take on Missouri in what was essentially a road game. Today, they hosted Utah State and still have trips to Temple and Memphis left on their schedule.
Considering the kind of competition that the Hoyas have played, has any team had a more impressive start to the season? 
How long before they get put into the conversation with the Ohio State's and the Pitt's and the Michigan State's of the world as the second best team in the country?
After today's 68-51 win over the Utah State Aggies, Georgetown is 8-0 on the season and will likely see their ranking jump up into the top ten come Monday. This start isn't necessarily a surprise for the Hoyas, who were ranked in the preseason and predicted to be a top four or five team in the Big East.
Everyone knew about their back court, which is headlined by Big East preseason player of the year Austin Freeman, Chris Wright, and Jason Clark.
Chris Wright had 21 points to lead all scorers Saturday afternoon. He only needed nine shots to get those 21 points. His aggressiveness midway through the first half is what allowed Georgetown to build their first half lead. His defense in the second half (four steals) sparked a 17-2 run to start the second half that put away the Aggies.
But Wright was the only player to reach double figures this afternoon. (Actually, he was the only player in the game. Utah State's leading scorer had just nine points.) Freeman had nine points on 4-11 shooting and Clark finished with seven points on just six shots from the floor.
And Georgetown still beat the WAC favorite by 17.
To be fair, this wasn't the real Utah State. Nate Bendall is clearly not 100% as he battles a foot injury. Tai Wesley, Utah State's star big man, played just 20 minutes and fouled out with 10 minutes left. Starting point guard Brockeith Pane played just 19 minutes as he battled foul trouble as well, and the back up point guard is arguably the biggest question mark on Utah State's roster.
But regardless of the circumstances and the competition, the Hoyas proved tonight that they are more than just a talented back court. They won this game because they forced 15 Aggie turnovers, many of which resulted in a layup or free throws at the other end. They won this game because the 2-2-1 press that John Thompson II threw on late in the first half and early in the second half completely took Utah State out of what they wanted to do.
The Aggies are a very good defensive basketball team. They are an experienced group that buys into and understands what Stew Morrill wants them to do. This afternoon, their focus was clearly to take away the three for Georgetown. That's why the Hoyas, who are generally considered a perimeter oriented three point shooting team, only were able to get off nine threes, a few of which were forced as the end of the shot clock.
"They did a terrific job of taking away the three," Thompson said. "We didn't get that many open looks."
So what did Georgetown do?
They attacked the basket. Whether in transition or in their half court sets, Georgetown was going at the rim. Part of the risk of closing out long on three point shooters and trying to prevent open looks from deep is that it creates driving lanes and puts the offensive player at an advantage should he decide to put the ball on the floor.
"We've been shooting the ball well, but we have guys that can attack the basket and be aggressive," senior point guard Chris Wright said after the game. "Today was different. Their plan was to cover the three point line, so we had to penetrate and get in gaps."
It worked. Utah State's best big man and starting point guard were in foul trouble throughout the game. Georgetown got into the bonus relatively early and dominated the Aggies from the line, going 20-27 from the charity stripe as opposed to 4-8 for USU.
Keep in mind, all of this is coming just four days after the Hoyas scored 111 points and hit 15 threes against a Missouri team that wanted to play at a faster pace.
If Georgetown proved anything this week, its that they can adapt. This isn't just a three point shooting team, this is a group that can win games playing any style.
"What our team has done, is doing, and did a good job of today is taking what the defense gives you," Thompson said. "We don't have to make threes to win games."
"Our goal as a team is to get a good shot," he continued. "Whether it comes in three seconds or 33 seconds, I don't care. I just want a good shot."
The Hoyas just beat their second consecutive tournament team. For the second consecutive game, the team they beat was able to execute their game plan. Making it all the more impressive is that Missouri and Utah State are polar opposites in terms of the style of basketball they play.
"There's multiple ways we can be effective on the offensive end," Wright said. "As long as our defense is solid, we'll be alright."
Georgetown proved that even when they aren't playing their best basketball and they aren't playing the style that they prefer, they are still going to be a tough team to beat.
There aren't many teams in the country that can say that.
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POSTERIZED: Harrison Barnes with an impressive tip-dunk |
I'm not currently watching the UK-UNC game. In fact, I am actually sitting on press row at the Georgetown-Utah State game. Georgetown is smacking the Aggies here in the second half, so I got to tweeting.
This video came across my feed. Its Harrison Barnes with an impressive tip-dunk (if you couldn't tell from the title), so I figured I would post it.
Was this as good as the rest of the dunks for 2010-2011?
POSTERIZED - Kent Bazemore, Old Dominion
POSTERIZED - CJ Fair, Syracuse
POSTERIZED - LeBryan Nash
POSTERIZED - Rodney Williams, Minnesota
POSTERIZED - Travis Leslie, Georgia
POSTERIZED - Terrence Jones, Kentucky
POSTERIZED - Marcus Jordan, Central Florida
POSTERIZED - Lorenzo Brown, NC State
POSTERIZED - Tai Wesley, Utah State
POSTERIZED - Trent Lockett, Arizona State, and Derrick Williams, Arizona
POSTERIZED - Brandon Paul, Illinois
POSTERIZED - Jordan Hamilton, Texas
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Friday, December 3, 2010
Friday's Pregame Beat: Previewing your College Hoops Weekend |
UPSET SPECIAL
Sat. 12:00 pm: Utah State @ No. 14 Georgetown: While Kenpom may be telling you that Washington State over Kansas State is the upset to watch out for, I'm going with the Utah State. Stew Morrill runs one of the most consistently overrated underrated (yes, I know I'm an idiot) programs in the country. Generally, he avoids playing road games against power conference teams without a return game, but after living on the bubble for much of his tenure, Morrill made the decision to schedule the Hoyas. They are an experienced group with some good perimeter defenders. Tai Wesley is a better post player than Ricardo Ratliffe of Missouri, who had 22 points against the Hoyas. And Nate Bendall is back in the lineup, although he is still battling the foot injury that has plagued him this year. Throw in a potential hangover from Georgetown's thrilling win over Mizzou, and the Aggies seemed primed for an upset.
UPSET ALERT
Fri. 11:00 pm: No. 5 Kansas State @ Washington State: If Kenpom says so, then it must be. Wazzu hasn't played anyone, but they have rolled over their first five opponents. A big reason for that has been the emergence of freshman Faisal Aden as a secondary scorer. He's averaging 20.8 ppg. Oh, and Reggie Moore, who missed the first five games of the year, will be back in the lineup.
Sat. 12:30 pm: No. 11 Kentucky @ North Carolina: You have to figure that Harrison Barnes and North Carolina turn things around at some point, right? Kentucky is a young team, they don't really have a low post presence, and Brandon Knight has had some struggles at the point. Throw in the fact that this is the first true road game for this Kentucky team, and the Wildcats could be in trouble if Terrence Jones is the only one that shows up.
Sat. 8:00 pm: Western Kentucky @ No. 15 Memphis: The Tigers haven't shown up a few times this season. Miami FL took them to the final possession, LSU stayed way too close for comfort, and Arkansas State took the Tigers to overtime after being down 18 points. Memphis better be ready against the Hilltoppers, because this is a team with some talent.
BEST MATCHUPS:
Sat. 4:00 pm: West Virginia @ Miami FL: This is a sneakily good game. The Mountaineers look like they are once again headed to the NCAA Tournament. While the size and toughness is still there, its the emergence of Casey Mitchell as a scorer that has made this team appear dangerous. The 'Canes look to be much improved, as they have a couple of very good guards and a bruiser in the paint in Reggie Johnson.
Sat. 5:15 pm: No. 21 Illinois @ No. 24 Gonzaga: Last year when these two got together, it was a dandy, as Gonzaga blew a 21 point lead, but then rallied in overtime to win it. The game was Elias Harris' coming out party, and hopefully it will be again. Harris was cleared yesterday to play, as he is still dealing with an injury to his achilles. Steven Gray and Demetri McCamey going head to head is alone worth the price of admission.
Sat. 6:30 pm: Boston College @ UMass: Another sneaky good game. The Minutemen are still undefeated on the season, while BC is playing much better after an early season loss to Yale. Reggie Jackson is playing as well as anyone in the ACC that doesn't live in Durham.
Sat. 8:00 pm: Murray State @ Morehead State: The two best teams in the OVC square off. They are also two of the best mid-major teams in the country. One of these two will be playing in March. Morehead has the star in Kenneth Faried, a 6'9" center that is a rebounding machine and will be drafted. Murray State is more balanced and defensive-minded. Seriously, this is required watching for the weekend. Consider it your homework.
Sat. 10:05 pm: Wichita State @ No. 19 San Diego State: The headliner of the MWC-MVC Challenge is shaping up to be a dandy. SDSU has already knocked off St. Mary's and Gonzaga this season using their big, athletic front line. The Shockers, however, have some talented big men of their own. They also desperately need this win if they want to have any chance of being an at-large team. Keep an eye on WSU junior David Kyles, who has come out of nowhere to be the team's leading scorer and an absolute sniper from three.
Sun. 2:00 pm: Richmond @ Arizona State: The Sun Devils could really use a win over a relevant team after losing to New Mexico, St. John's, and Baylor. But the Spiders need to shore up their resume as well. The Purdue win doesn't look like it will be a marquee victory come March, and the loss to Iona is a serious blemish. Both of these teams run a Princeton-style (well, Richmond's isn't exactly the Princeton, but similar principles) offense and like to shoot threes.
Sun. 8:00 pm: Temple vs. Maryland at the Verizon Center: In the nightcap of the BB&T Classic, the Owls take on the Terps in what could turn into an intriguing matchup and an important result in March. Neither team has done much with their schedule thus far. Lavoy Allen and Jordan Williams will be a fun matchup to watch, but the key is going to be whether or not Maryland's turnover prone point guards can handle the Owl defensive pressure.
BEST STORYLINES:
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
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B.I.A.H. Quotables |
Everybody's favorite weekly B.I.A.H column is back for round-number-two.
Throughout the week, we are going to post some notable quotes or excerpts that show up in our google reader. Stupid people say stupid things 24 hours a day, and being somehow associated with the college hoops landscape does not preclude that fact. That said, we will not limit our quotables to the simple and idiotic, as the insightful and intelligent will also be highlighted.
Feel free to pass along any quotables you stumble across to contactbiah@gmail.com or hit us up on twitter.
The big news of the week is that TCU, located in Forth Worth, Texas, will be joining the Big East conference. We all know this doesn't make a lick of sense outside of the football realm. Former TCU hoops coach Billy Tubbs had a comical quote about the conference-hopping that TCU has done:
"The only league I don't think they can get in is the NFL or the NBA. They've been in every other league imaginable."The Horned Frogs have been members of the Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association, the Southwestern Conference, the Western Athletic Conference, the Mountain West Conference, and Conference-USA.
But the best quote involving TCU's geographical change to the East Coast comes from Louisville coach Rick Pitino:
"I have made the suggestion to him in terms of the 18th team not going for Villanova in football but going with MIT because that's what it's going out to take to figure out the other sports in the Big East. We do need MIT drastically because John is not figuring this one out."
After the jump, more quotes from a busy week of college hoops.
NBA scouts were out to watch Colorado’s backcourt of Cory Higgins and Alec Burks on Sunday as they faced Harvard in a non-conference match-up. Colorado had been picked by many to be the sexy pick to make some noise in the Big-12 this season, despite losing their head coach Jeff Bzdelik. But it was Harvard's Keith Wright who had the impressive performance, tallying 19 points, 9 boards, six assists and three blocks as the Crimson defeated the Buffaloes, 82-66. Wright put on a clinic on how to finish near the basket, dunking anything and everything he could:
“I just caught the ball and I turned around and I was like, ‘Oh, the rim’s here, let me dunk it.’ It’s what my teammates keep telling me, ‘You need to dunk a lot more,’ so I took it to heart.’’
Illinois beat North Carolina on Tuesday night as part of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. For Illini senior Bill Cole, this would be his chance to get some revenge for UNC's 2005 victory over the Illini, in the National Championship game:
"We have to stick up for the guys that came before us and try to steal one back for us. Because we feel like they stole one from the program in 2005, so we're going to go try and hit them right back."
Mark Few is one of my favorite coaches in the entire country. He's a lifer - no intention to ever leave Gonzaga for a loftier BCS-conference job. He recruits well, he always builds a tough schedule, and he gets the most out of his players. Plus he is brutally honest. He realizes that his job takes a big chunk of his life away, and to him, that's kinda scary:
"It has nothing to do with basketball.It has to do with waking up one day, because we’re so involved in coaching, and my kid’s grown a beard and he’s smoking a cigarette on the couch, wearing a wife-beater. And I’m like, ‘Who are you? You’re not A.J., my 10-year-old.’ And he’s like, ‘Yes, I am — when you were out recruiting, coaching, running all over the place, I grew up.’"
This will be the first of many B.I.A.H Quotables appearances for Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim. Even with a 20pt-victory over Cornell on Tuesday night, Jim Boeheim was not happy with his team's performance. He got on Scoop Jardine pretty hard:
"He was horrible," Boeheim said. "He couldn't be any worse than he played tonight."
During the four games since his breakout performance against Detroit, Jardine has shot just 9-for-42 (21.4 percent) from the field. And that's why Boeheim doesn't want to hear about his assist total. Standing behind the podium with a taped-up left ring finger, Boeheim said he could have done the same.
"I could get seven assists in a game with a bad finger," he said. "He was nowhere in the game tonight."
It must feel like deja vu all over again for Roy Williams and the Tar Heels. His team, chalk-full of McDonald's All-Americans, is struggling early on for the second year in a row. Even UNC's best player, and star of the freshman class, Harrison Barnes, has had his struggles, and ESPN has been quick to point this out to viewers. As expected, Coach Williams is none to pleased with the World Wide Leader:
"Harrison’s a freshman. And I don’t mean to jump on anybody, but after the first game we play, and he had [several] turnovers, and ESPN does a special on how great he is. And then ESPN did something to me that was very embarrassing to me today – put up that that a kid’s 1175 in field goal percentage in the country; that’s just ridiculous. And then somebody says, ‘Well, if he hadn’t have gone 0-for 12 against Minnesota, I’m sure he’d be in the top 1,000.’ That’s sick.
"If you’ve got enough [gumption] to make somebody a big hero like that, admit that you were wrong, and stop picking on the kid. … It’s silly, if you’re going to anoint the guy and three weeks later crucify him, that’s ridiculous. He didn’t ask to be voted first-team pre-season All-America.”
Billy Donovan's Florida Gators, ranked 16th in the country, were upset by Central Florida on Wednesday night, 57-54. The head coach was upset with the way the seniors carried themselves:
“Those older guys are, to me, less concerned about trying to do something great collectively as a group and are more wrapped up in what’s going to happen to me. All of our older guys are way, way too wrapped up in their offense.”
“I said, let’s get Vernon the ball. But we’re too wrapped up in I didn’t get a shot now or I missed my last one.”
They’re not playing together and they’re not utilizing each others’ individual talents. The disappointing part is these guys all played together last year. We have a bunch of guys on the floor that make nobody better.”
Our final quotable of the weeks comes from B.I.A.H's founding father, Rob Dauster. While discussing his disdain for middle school recruiting services (in reference to Baylor pursuing a 6-foot-3 11-year-old), Dauster dropped this gem:
I've railed on the recruitment and the ranking of prepubescent boys many times, and as recently as September. I don't have the desire to do it again. Thinking about it makes me feel like I belong on an episode of Law and Order SVU.
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Kenneth Faried the next Dennis Rodman? |
Mark Adams of ESPN.com wrote a terrific piece on the underrated Kenneth Faried of Morehead State.
Faried is a 6'8" 230 lb post player that is putting up some fantastic numbers this season -- 18.5 ppg, 14.0 rpg, 2.3 bpg, and 2.8 bpg, including 20 points and 18 boards against Florida and 15 points and 12 boards against Ohio State. His last two times out, he's finished with 20 rebounds. He's been on the radar for college hoops fans since the Eagles put a scare into Louisville in the 2009 NCAA Tournament.
He's also been drawing the attention of NBA scouts, who no doubt love his hustle, his length, and the fact that he won't need to have plays called for him at the next level. Finding a player that is willing to go out, defend, and attack the glass is rare in the league these days.
He's always reminded me a bit of Louis Admunson, formerly of the UNLV Rebels. Billy Donovan made another in the Adams article that stood out to me:
"That's Dennis Rodman all over again," Donovan said. "If I was an NBA general manager I'd be taking him with my pick. That's what a next-level guy looks like. He just totally destroyed our frontcourt. ... That was definitely an incredible performance by a terrific player."Its an interesting comparison. The Worm didn't care about his point. He was willing to defend and hit the glass with the best of them. He was also a bit undersized, like Faried, and came out of a small school. Let's just hope that Faried never colors his hair like Rodman did.
Faried will be one of the more intriguing prospects at this June's draft.
For those that haven't had a chance to see Faried play lately, his Morehead State squad will be taking on fellow Ohio Valley powerhouse Murray State tonight at 8:00 pm on ESPN3.com.
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