Florida, Louisville, and Illinois went into tonight's games under similar circumstances.
All three were sitting (precariously) on the right side of the bubble, but all three kicked off brutal finishes to their conference schedule.
The Gators and the Illini helped themselves. Florida, who was sitting tied with Tennessee for third in the tough SEC East, overcame a sluggish start as they used a big second half surge to knock off the Vols at the O-Dome. It is the first RPI top 25 win for Florida (they were previously 0-6), who should get a bump into the RPI top 50 tomorrow (ESPN has them at 54 right now). Florida finishes up with games at Georgia, against Vanderbilt, and at Kentucky before heading to the SEC Tournament. The odds of the Gators earning a bye in the SEC Tournament are slim, which means that Florida would likely play their first round game against the fifth or sixth place team from the SEC West. Two more wins (read: avoid losses to Georgia and the bottom of the SEC West), and Florida is in.
Illinois is in a bit of a tougher situation than Florida. After knocking off Michigan on the road last night, the Illini are tied with Wisconsin for fifth in the Big Ten, a good two and a half games in front of sixth place Minnesota. They have some nice wins -- at Clemson, Vanderbilt, Michigan State, at Wisconsin -- but also some head-scratching losses -- Bradley, Utah, Georgia. As a result, the Illini have a brutal RPI of 71, smack-dab in the middle of St. John's and Weber State. Illinois' will play three very difficult games to finish the regular season as they host Minnesota and travel to Ohio State before finishing the season with Wisconsin in Assembly Hall. Getting one win may be enough, but the Illini will probably want to win two to feel safe; it looks fairly likely that Illinois will finish in the fifth spot in the conference, meaning their first Big Ten Tournament game will be against one of the top four teams. The Orange Crush won't be sitting comfortably on Selection Sunday with a 1-3 finish.
And then there is Louisville.
Heading into tonight, the Cardinals had won three straight games, including a road win against Syracuse, which had vaulted them into the bottom half of most mock brackets. Tonight's home loss to Georgetown shouldn't change that standing too much - Georgetown is, in fact, a top 15 team nationally.
Before the loss, Louisville was 30th in the RPI, having played the 8th best schedule in the country with arguably the nation's best win this season, knocking off Syracuse on the road (the Orange are currently ranked 4th in the RPI, and none of the three teams above them as lost a home game this year).
But that is really it for Louisville.
They did nothing in their non-conference slate. They have losses to Western Carolina and Charlotte (by 22) at home. They've lost to Seton Hall and St. John's on the road. Hell, its not crazy to think that their only win against a tournament team is that Syracuse win (UConn and Cinci may earn bids, while Morgan State, Western Kentucky, and possibly even Oral Roberts have a shot of winning their tournaments).
Back to my point, that resume is enough to earn a bid today, but the season doesn't end today.
It ends after Louisville heads on the road for two bubble battles against UConn and Marquette in the span of three days. It ends after Louisville closes the season at home against a Syracuse that could very well be playing for a Big East regular season title. It ends after the Big East Tournament, where there is a chance that Louisville will be playing on the first day.
There are not many teams in the country with a tougher finish to the season than Louisville.
And if they don't win at least a game or two, last year's #1 overall seed could be headed to the NIT.
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Wednesday, February 24, 2010
How did last night's games effect Florida, Louisville, and Illinois |
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Tuesday's Pregame Beat |
7:00 pm: Georgetown @ Louisville: The Hoyas are a tough team to figure out right now. They have lost two in a row and four of seven, but in that stretch have also beaten Villanova and Duke, two teams competing for the fourth No. 1 seed, handily. They were just as inconsistent their last time out, as the Hoyas managed to dig themselves a 23 point hole against Syracuse before rallying to cut the lead to one.
Louisville hasn't been much better. In their last three games, they lost by 20 to St. John's, beat Syracuse on the road, and struggled to hold of DePaul. Louisville is currently in fifth in the conference, but they still have some work to get done before they are considered a tournament lock. Beating the Hoyas at home would be a nice start. Georgetown is playing for nothing but seeding right now, in both the NCAA Tournament and the Big East tournament. The top four in the Big East get a double bye, and Georgetown is a game behind both Louisville and West Virginia, two teams they play down the stretch.
9:00 pm: Tennessee @ Florida: If the NCAA Tournament started today, Florida would probably be in. But it doesn't start today. It starts in about three weeks. In those three weeks, the Gators still have to play Tennessee, Vanderbilt, and Kentucky. As they are currently 8-4 in the league, losing all three games would mean Florida was swept by the three best teams in the league and would finish 9-7 in the SEC. Does a 9-7 SEC team get in the dance when it hasn't beaten anyone of note in league play?
Tennessee, on the other hand, is playing to get into the second spot in the SEC East. Since the conference has two divisions and 12 teams, the top two teams in each division get a bye in the tournament. Right now, Tennessee and Florida would both be playing first round games.
Bubble Watch
Other notable games
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Tuesday's Shootaround: UConn wins again, Kansas rolls |
UConn 73, West Virginia 62: 47 seconds into the game last night, West Virginia jumped out to a 5-0 lead against a listless Husky team. Jim Calhoun immediately called a timeout to rip into his team - and the refs. He picked up a technical foul, but it was an effective tech as it sparked the Huskies. They would respond by jumping out to leads of 14-6 and 26-13.
West Virginia would battle back. Early on in the second half, they were able to trim the lead down to one possession on multiple occasions as the Mountaineers dominated the offensive back boards. It seemed as if WVU was slowly going to take over. But UConn continued to hit big shots, and more importantly make big free throws. Every time West Virginia would get within striking distance, the Huskies would respond with a couple buckets or back-to-back trips to the free throw line to push the lead back out to six or seven.
With the win, UConn moves that much closer to an NCAA Tournament bid. The way I see it, UConn needs to win three more games to make the dance. They have three more in the regular season - at home against Louisville, at Notre Dame, and at South Florida, none of which are cupcakes - and the Big East Tournament.
Walker had 21 and 4 assists to lead the Huskies, while Jerome Dyson added 17 points and Stanley Robinson 15 and 13 boards.
Kansas 81, Oklahoma 68: I think it is safe to say Xavier Henry has broken out of his shooting slump. Over the first eight Big XII games, Henry was averaging just 9.1 ppg and was unable to find any sort of rhythm or consistency with his jumper.
But prior to last night, Henry had gotten hot, averaging 16.7 ppg over the last four while shooting just under 50% from the field. Then last night, the freshman caught fire. He scored 18 of his 23 points in the first half as the Jayhawks took a 44-29 lead at the break. It was more of the same in the second half, as Kansas went up by as much as 23 before a late rally from the Sooners made the score more respectable.
Sherron Collins addd 17 points and six assists as the Jayhawks earned at least a share of the Big XII title.
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The key for UConn: free throws |
UConn fans should be celebrating.
Last night, the Huskies knocked off West Virginia 73-62, their second straight win over a top ten team on a Big Monday. They've now won three straight games and seem to be peaking down the stretch as they try to play their way into the tournament.
With the talent UConn has on their roster, they are going to be a tough first round matchup for whatever five or six seed they draw.
Kemba Walker has been impossible to defend lately.(photo credit: AP)
A couple things stuck out last night during the game. Kemba Walker seems to finally be embracing the role of the leader for this team. Over the last three games, he is averaging 22.0 ppg and is the one with the ball in his hands in crucial moments. This Husky team that has shown much more life than in their left-for-dead loss against Cincinnati 10 days ago. They are playing with an emotion and intensity I'm sure Jim Calhoun has been begging for all season long.
But last night also revealed a trend that could end up being a problem for the Huskies.
Foul shots.
And for the first time in what feels like a decade, it isn't because they aren't hitting them.
In UConn's three biggest wins of the season, they have recorded three of their four highest free throw rates. (Free throw rate is simply free throws attempted divided by field goals attempted.) In fact, UConn is undefeated when they record a free throw rate of 50% or higher. Granted, some of that has come as a result of team's fouling down the stretch to put the Huskies on the line.
When UConn has struggled is when they have been unable to get to the line.
Why?
Because UConn still struggles to score in a half court setting. As good as guys like Jerome Dyson, Stanley Robinson, and Walker are, they still are a much more effective team playing in the open floor. They excel when they can use their athleticism to run by and finish over a back-pedaling defense. What UConn has done against Villanova, West Virginia, and Texas is to penetrate and attack even in the half court. Dyson and Walker are as difficult to stay in front of as any back court tandem in the country. As a result, they pick up quite a few fouls in the process.
The more fouls UConn draws, the more UConn gets to the foul line. Knocking down free throws is the easiest way to score in basketball, a fact that is magnified when looking at UConn's half court offense.
But what happens come tournament time? What happens when games get more physical? What happens when referees are not as quick to blow the whistle?
Will the Huskies still be able to score in a half court setting?
Its something for Husky fans to think about.
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Tuesday Morning Dump |
- Can someone please explain to me why they would use this picture? I don't know if I've ever laughed so hard
- Northern State coach leaving while on top. Well atleast for now.
- Kemba Walker is a big reason why UConn is suddenly playing like a post season threat
- I will take Seth Davis' two-cents any day of the week. Hoya fans would too.
- Jameson Fleming had a chance to interview Philly U. coach Herb Magee about reaching 902. His report: Magee is more of a man than any of us could hope to be.
After the jump, Boom Goes Another Dynamite:
- Mike DeCourcy swishes a 3-pointer: Tyshawn Taylor has earned his minutes
- YES! A Gary Parrish weekend-in-review
- Harvard might not make this year's tournament, but they will be there soon. At least that's what Jeff Goodman thinks, and I am not one to argue with the man.
- Thanks to Joey Brackets, now everybody thinks they can be bracketologists
- key games to watch this week
- This would be the ideal time for St. Mary's to play an extra game. You know, kinda like what they did last year? Could something like this become a problem for future tournament selection committees?
- Huggy Bear has resolved our tournament expansion qualms
- Could Seattle's Charles Garcia make it in the pros? He thinks he can, and if he thinks he can, then, hell, I think he can too.
- Hokies are making moves. Or as I always say: Virginia Tech, The Premier Bubble Specialists on the East Coast since 2003
- The seat of Nebraska coach Doc Sadler will not be getting hot
- Why Seattle isn't getting any tournament games. Interesting read
- Providence's Vincent Council is questionable for Tuesday's game against Syracuse
- Syracuse's Mookie Jones fractured his ring finger
- Should it have been called Busted Basketball Week? (Side Note: If that name ever catches on, you all saw me call dibs on it. DIBS.)
- Of course Philly fans aren't concerned about Villanova
- First sentence: I was thinking it, and they said it
- You're damn right we forget about the not-so-good teams in a twelve team conference from time-to-time. There's 12 teams! That's nearly an entire regional bracket.
- As tourney time approaches you need to brush up on your knowledge of mid-majors so you can successfully pick the right 12-seed/5-seed upset. Get to know William & Mary (Yes I am well aware there is a better-than-good chance they won't make March Madness.)
- Location information for NCAA tournament regional sites: Houston, Salt Lake City, Syracuse, and St. Louis
- Gonzaga fans breakdown the week that was
- A tad late, but I have to dap up a family member whenever I get the chance, especially if it actually relates to college hoops, sorta.
This is one of the most painful videos I've ever had to watch. You gotta feel for that kid.
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Monday, February 22, 2010
BracketBusters actually worked, the teams that needed wins just didn't win |
BracketBusters weekend did not exactly have the outcome that many believed it would this year.
Instead of mid-major teams playing their way into the tournament, the consensus seems to be that the bubble teams that did participate in the event only hurt their chances of earning an at-large bid. With the outcome of so many games going against the teams on the bubble, the big winners of the weekend were teams like St. Mary's, UConn, and Mississippi State; teams that vaulted up a few spots on the bubble thanks to the losses of the BracketBusting mid-majors.
All this has led to some talk of the BracketBusters system being imperfect.
Its not.
Think about it. For a mid-major playing in BracketBusters, it is really no different than playing one of the best teams from your conference. Is there all that big of a difference between Old Dominion losing at Northern Iowa and losing at a William & Mary or Northeastern? Is Wichita State losing at Utah State any worse than if they lost at Northern Iowa or Illinois State?
If there is not BracketBusters, then where do these mid-majors go to fill that game? Do they schedule a middle-of-the-pack power conference team to play on the road? If you are looking to solidify a resume, would you rather play Butler or Alabama? Northern Iowa or Seton Hall?
More than anything, the bottom line is that the BracketBuster game is just one game. And one game is not going to make or break a team's resume.
Butler beat Siena in a brunch-time tipoff on Saturday.
(photo credit: SBRSports)
There were four teams on the bubble that lost their BracketBusters game - Old Dominion, William & Mary, Siena, and Wichita State. How much of an effect did the loss really have on their at-large chances?
The bottom line? No matter who you play, you must win games to make the tournament.
Old Dominion, Siena, and Wichita State lost games that would have helped their tournament resume. William & Mary lost a game it should have won. If ODU and Siena had both won, and that win helped the two teams to earn an at-large bid, people would be singing a much different tune about BracketBusters.
So until a situation arises in which a team winning their BracketBusters game has a negative effect on their tournament resume, I think BracketBusters is working just fine.
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The other side: maybe Dogus Balbay's injury isn't actually a blessing in disguise |
By now, you've surely heard that the injury that Texas point guard Dogus Balbay suffered of Saturday afternoon was a torn acl and will miss the rest of the season.
The general consensus seems to be that this injury could actually be a blessing in disguise for the Longhorns. Balbay is an excellent defender, the Longhorn's leader in assists, and a vocal leader. But where Texas has struggled of late hasn't been on the defensive end; its been creating offense. Balbay, who is shooting a robust 10% from three this season, is a liability at that end of the floor. So much so that teams don't even bother guarding him outside of 15 feet.
You knew the injury was bad when Balbay went down on Saturday.(photo credit: RTC)
With Balbay out of the lineup, it will provide more minutes for more offensive-minded players like J'Covan Brown and Jai Lucas, while also allowing Justin Mason more minutes at the point.
But could the general consensus be wrong here?
Could the loss of Balbay actually add injury to insult as the Longhorns look to get back on track after losing six of their last ten games?
Its true that J'Covan Brown is the most talented offensive player the Longhorns have at the point. But even after Balbay went down with the injury five minutes into the game against Texas Tech on Saturday, Brown played just five minutes as Justin Mason logged a season high 38. Could there be a reason for Brown being in Rick Barnes' doghouse? Take a look at this quote from the Austin Statesmen where Barnes was asked how Brown improve his standing in the eyes of his coach:
One word: consistency. In all areas of the game. That's what we've looked for all year. People wonder why we go back and forth. It's consistency. It's every day. It's preparation. It's the details. It's accountability. He knows what we need from him. He needs to prepare every day, not just when it's convenient. It's not just him. People need to understand what their roles are.Not exactly glowing praise for a guy that most expect to take over the starting point guard role.
The issue with Brown isn't the ability to score. Anyone that watched him go for 28 points, the majority of which came in the last eight minutes, against Kansas would agree. With Brown, the issue is decison making. Will he improve his shot selection? Can he improve on an assist to turnover ratio that is almost 1:1 (to be fair, he has been better in Big XII play)? Does he understand how to facilitate an offense?
You see, part of the reason that Texas needs another scorer on the perimeter is that it will open up space for the Longhorn's big front line to operate in the paint. But Brown is a scoring point guard and a freshman who sat out the two years prior to this season. He isn't exactly programmed to run an offense just yet.
What about Jai Lucas? He has great pedigree - the son of John Lucas and the brother of former Oklahoma State standout John Lucas III. But Jai has scored all of 11 points in Big XII play, and neither he nor Brown are as good on the defensive end as Balbay.
The third option is Justin Mason. He's an excellent defender and a senior. But he also had the opportunity to run the point last season alongside AJ Abrams, and was not as effective as Barnes would have liked.
The bottom line is that increased, consistent minutes for Brown and Lucas at the point may result in increased production from the two. But it also should be safe to assume that Rick Barnes knew his team's weakness was on the offensive end, and he still used Balbay as the starter, playing him the most consistent minutes.
Either way, the only thing I really hope for in the situation is a quick and speedy recovery for Balbay. He's a tough kid that plays with a lot of heart.
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Monday's Pregame Beat |
7:00 pm: West Virginia @ UConn: For the second straight Big Monday, UConn will be playing for their bubble lives. Last Monday, the Huskies knocked off Villanova to keep their tournament hopes alive. Tonight, they get West Virginia at home. I don't like this matchup for UConn as much as I liked the matchup with Villanova. West Virginia is better defensively in the half court and they rebound the ball very well on the offensive end of the floor. UConn has struggled to score against a good half court defense, and they have been inconsistent rebounding the ball.
If UConn is going to win this game, they need to utilize their speed and quickness advantage in the back court. As tough as West Virginia is on the defensive end, penetrating guards can give them problems since they don't have a ton of quickness in their back court. Don't be surprised in West Virginia throws the 1-3-1 zone look they've been using lately at the Huskies.
West Virginia likes to send a lot of people at the offense glass. This means that when UConn gets a defensive rebound, they are going to have numbers if they push the ball; and you better believe Jerome Dyson and Kemba Walker will be pushing the ball.
Oklahoma @ Kansas: Oklahoma has been a huge disappointment this season, and Willie Warren may have been the most disappointing player in the country. In the preseason, the Sooners were a Big XII contender and Willie Warren was an all-american candidate. Today, Oklahoma is hoping to earn a bid from the NIT, while Willie Warren is missing his fifth game in the last nine thanks to a combination of an ankle injury and mono.
Kansas, on the other hand, has looked absolutely dominant over their last three or four games. With Xavier Henry starting to shoot the ball well again, the Jayhawks look like the favorite to win a national title. If they can slow down Tommy Mason-Griffin, the Jayhawks should roll.
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If Maryland wins anything this year, it will be about more than just Greivis Vasquez |
Think about all the great players that have come through the ACC. The Jordan's, the Laettner's, the Sampson's, the Bias's. The list goes on.
But none of those players, and no player in the history of the ACC, had ever scored 2,000 points, grabbed 700 rebounds, and dished out 600 assists.
Until Saturday, when Greivis Vasquez scored his 2,000th point, making him the first player in the history of the conference to surpass all three milestones.
"I think [the numbers] speak for themselves," Maryland coach told reporters after the Saturday's game. "Greivis had his critics but the numbers are there and when you look at what he has done for the team this year he has always done everything he could."
"Anybody who thinks that he doesn't belong in the top 5 to 7 players that have ever been [at Maryland], they don't know the game very well."
Greivis Vasquez has had a phenomenal career in College Park.
(photo credit: Hometown Annapolis)
Safe to say, Vasquez at the very least will go down as one of the most productive, if not one of the best, players to play in the ACC. You won't find any argument here. There aren't many players in the country more entertaining to watch than Vasquez. Whether it is a pinpoint no-look pass, a smooth floater in the lane, or a little shimmy after a made three, Vasquez certainly has no shortage of showmanship.
Or talent.
You don't put up the numbers he's put up without a wealth of it.
But the difference between this season, where Maryland is contending for an ACC regular season title, and last season, where the Terps had to sneak into the tournament with a late season surge, is that its not all about Greivis this year.
The game on Saturday is a perfect example.
Maryland was playing for the fourth time in eight days thanks to a snow storm that postponed Monday's game against Virginia. In those four games, Vasquez played a team-high 141 of a possible 160 minutes, including 39 on Saturday.
"Vasquez was very tired and he played like a warrior out there," Williams said. "The effort he gave today was probably as good as any game he scores 30 points in. The legs after a while, no matter how good of shape you are in, will get tired. He wasn't able to explode out there against very good, physical guards."
As a result, Vasquez played far from his best game, finishing with 18 points and 8 assists on 5-16 shooting, including a 1-7 performance from deep.
Georgia Tech, on the other hand, played about as well as they could.
Derrick Favors had NBA GM's salivating as he went for 21 points and 18 boards, 9 coming on the offensive end. Iman Shumpert finally found his jump shot, going for 17 points and hitting 3-4 from deep while playing an excellent floor game - 5 boards, 3 assists, 0 turnovers. As a team, they executed down the stretch, got a couple big baskets out of senior leader DeAndre Bell, and made every play they could to pick up a come-from-behind win on the road.
"We probably played our best game of the season," Georgia Tech head coach Paul Hewiit said after the game. "I told the guys, the only thing that would be disappointing out of this game is if we don't come out and have a good practice in preparation for Boston College on Saturday. We're playing our best basketball at the right time of the year, but we were just a little unlucky today."
"We did everything you're supposed to do against a team that's better than anybody in our league with the exception of Duke."
The reason Maryland is at the top of the ACC, the reason they are "better than anybody in [the ACC] with the exception of Duke", is not Greivis Vasquez. Yes, he is their best player, but he was the last two season as well.
The reason Maryland has been as good as they are is the rest of the team. The Terps have an excellent group of role players, and more than anything that was on display on Saturday.
Eric Hayes had 15 point and 5 assists, hitting a key three and a huge driving layup down the stretch in the second half.
Landon Milbourne and Sean Mosley struggled scoring the ball - they combined for just 11 points on 5-19 shooting - but they both played excellent defense and rebounded the ball. Milbourne was especially impressive, as he was matched up with Gani Lawal, who finished with 12 points and 5 boards, both below his season averages.
Jordan Williams finished with 9 points and 12 rebounds, getting a number of big offensive boards and diving on the floor to come up with a loose ball and earn a key possession for the Terps. Fellow big man Dino Gregory was just as good, especially in the first half, as he finished with 9 points.
Cliff Tucker hit a buzzer beater for the Terps Saturday.
(photo credit: DC Sports Box)
But it was Cliff Tucker that won the game for the Terps. With four minutes left in the game, he stopped a 12-2 Tech run with a three from the corner that cut the Yellow Jacket lead to 65-63.
That wasn't his biggest shot of the game.
With just 1.5 seconds left on the clock, and after a game-winning 40 footer from Vasquez was waived off because of a timeout by Williams, Tucker hit a three at the buzzer to win the game and keep Maryland a game back (in the loss column) of Duke.
Think about that.
With the game on the line, Gary Williams drew up a play for a junior that averages less than 6.0 ppg when he had guys like Hayes, Vasquez, and Milbourne on the floor.
You think he has confidence in everyone on the roster?
He should.
If Maryland is going to win the ACC, it is going to be a result of their role players getting their jobs done.
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Mott Doherty loves controversy |
Throughout his career, Matt Doherty as often been thought of as less of a head coach than a head ache.
From bringing in his own staff when he was hired to UNC to calling Duke's cheeleaders ugly to his epic FAIL as a coach with the Heels. It has long been rumored that Doherty has some pretty serious anger management issues.
And he apparently hasn't been working on them.
You see, during Saturday's game between SMU, the school Doherty currently coaches, and Memphis, Doherty got into it a little bit with some fans.
Matt Doherty was jawing with some fans.
(photo credit: SMU)
He called the school Memphis Tech (even though it is known as Tiger High, apparently). He yelled to the crowd that he went to a real school, and that Memphis should take their banners down, to which a Memphis booster named Bobby Byrd responded "Yea, and they fired you". He yelled to the crowd that "at least my guys take their SATs", a reference to Derrick Rose, Doneal Mack, and Robert Dozier. This all resulted in some heated words between Derrick Williams and Roburt Sallie after the game, and a brief altercation with Josh Pastner.
"Memphis' fans are really good. Memphis is a basketball town, and anytime I land in Memphis, people know basketball," Doherty told reporters after the game. "People talk basketball whether you are in a cab or getting your bags at the airport. This is a basketball town and the fans here are good. It's give-and-take, and they give me a hard time, so I gave them a hard time."
I may be one of the few that doesn't really have a problem with this.
Fans in every sport are brutal to the players and the coaches on the opposing team. But in basketball, with the proximity of the fans to the court, the players and the coaches can hear the majority of what is said from the stands.
And if Memphis fans were living up to their reputation, I'm sure they were ripping into Doherty.
So he responded, and what we got was a pretty funny little back-and-forth between a coach and a prominent booster.
Sure, there were some words exchanged after the game, but there were no punches thrown. In a sport that thrives on the emotion of the players, the coaches, and the fans, sometimes it will bubble over and words will be exchanged. Like I said, no punches were thrown, so what's the big deal?
Yes, Doherty probably could have used a little better judgment. But if the worst thing a college basketball coach is doing is yelling at some fans on the road, than you are running a pretty good program.
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Monday Morning Dump |
- Sad story out of North Carolina: another player dies on the court.
- Pete Thamel's story on the USC hearing
- Binghamton loses another member of their coaching staff
- Gary Parrish on Kentucky, after the beat Vanderbilt; Dana O'Neil on Pitt-Nova; Matt Jones on Evan Turner; Mike DeCourcy on Butler
- Not gonna lie, I spent most of Thursday night doing the same thing
- Crikey! He lost his mojo
- We followed along with this on Twitter on Saturday
- Zona-ASU don't like each other
- Big Ten hires firm to research expansion
- Max Zhang hits his head on things
Video of DeMarcus Cousins dunking on Jarvis Varnado, then telling the crowd "call me"
Murray State player on ESPN talking about his ridiculous half court shot:
The first dunk is Tobias Harris. The second dude is apparently 5'8"
Wait until the 40 second mark
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2/22 - College Hoops Week in Review: Not all bubbles are bursting |
What we learned this week: While most of the talk this week is going to be about teams playing themselves off of the bubble, it is worth noting that not everyone is doing so. Here are just a few of the teams playing themselves into the tournament:
- Oklahoma State Cowboys: As of today, the Pokes are probably going to be considered a tournament team as they went 2-0 this week and have three straight wins overall. The Pokes have three wins over RPI top 25 teams (at K-State, Texas A&M, Baylor) and nothing too disastrous in the loss column. The issue for OK-State is their remaining schedule - at Texas, Kansas, at Texas A&M, Nebraska. If they beat Nebraska and split against the Texas school, they should be in.
- Florida Gators: Prior to this week, the Gators had lost two straight games, falling at South Carolina before getting beat by Xavier at home. They rebounded this week with wins against Auburn and at Ole Miss, putting themselves in good position for the stretch run. Like the Pokes, Florida as a loaded schedule down the stretch - Tennessee, at Georgia, Vandy, at Kentucky. They probably need to win two of those games to feel comfortable heading into the SEC Tournament.
- Maryland Terrapins: The Terps probably should feel very good about their chances to earn a bid right now. They are 19-7 overall and 9-3 in the ACC, good for second place. With four games left on their schedule, Maryland should be ok so long as they don't lose out. Two wins, whether they come during the regular season or the ACC Tournament, will be enough for a bid. Maryland's biggest negative right now is a lack of great wins - none of their three top 50 wins are top 25.
- Louisville Cardinals: Louisville should have felt good about their chances to make the dance after beating Syracuse last Sunday. But with a lack of depth in their resume, the 'Ville needed to keep winning. While neither of them were pretty - they needed two OT's to beat Notre Dame without Harangody and only beat DePaul by nine - Louisville needed those wins as the last four games on their schedule are rough. If they can win two against Georgetown, at UConn, at Marquette, and Syracuse, they will get in. One win, and they are going to need to do some damage in the Big East tournament.
- UTEP Miners: UTEP is still a ways from an at-large bid, simply because they just don't have quality wins. They have just one top 50 win and have only played three top 50 games, which is part of the reason their RPI is so low. But the Miners have been on a tear lately, winning 10 straight games, including Saturday's W over Tulsa. UTEP can afford, at the most, just one more loss this season, although that could mean trouble if they also lose early in the C-USA tournament.
- UConn Huskies: UConn's win over Villanova put them in a good spot for getting a bid - win out, and you'll be in. Granted, that's easier said than done, but its necessary. There are five teams tied for eighth in the Big East at 6-8. After getting WVU and Louisville at home, UConn has to travel to Notre Dame and South Florida, two other 6-8 teams with the same winning-out-hopes that UConn has. If the Huskies win out and pick up a game in the Big East, they should be dancing.
- Marquette Golden Eagles: Marquette lost at Pitt on Thursday, which was costly but as you know there is no shame in losing at the Peterson Events Center. The Golden Eagles did pick up a huge bubble win over Cincinnati on the road on Sunday, however.
- Virginia Tech Hokies: Like Marquette, Virginia Tech lost a game on the road this week - to Duke - but it didn't hurt them. The game that mattered was Tech's win over Wake Forest, a win that put the Hokies into the tournament, at least for now.
- Minnesota Golden Gophers: With wins over Wisconsin and Indiana this week, Minnesota put themselves back into the conversation for a bid. They need to win out, as the Gophers overall resume lacks enough oomph up top with the losses the Gopher's have. That's not impossible, even with the roster issues Minnesota has had. A bit of team bonding - everyone shaving their head to support a teammate's sister that has cancer - could be the spark to a great finish to the season.
- San Diego State Aztecs: After beating TCU and Utah this week, the Aztecs are officially back in the thick of the bubble. But with just three games left - two bottom feeders in the MWC and at BYU - it is unlikely that SDSU will significantly improve their profile. A trip to the MWC finals will be needed if BYU wins.
- Utah State Aggies: The Aggies picked up two big wins this week, beating Louisiana Tech and Wichita State at home. USU has a very good RPI, and after dropping roadies to NMSU and La Tech to open WAC play, the Aggies have won 12 straight. If they don't win the WAC Tournament, it will be interesting to see where the Aggies end up. Their win over BYU will probably be very important.
GAME OF THE WEEK: Maryland 76, Georgia Tech 74
What a finish out in College Park on Saturday afternoon. After a sluggish start, especially on the defensive glass, Maryland seemingly took control against Tech towards the end of the first half and early in the second half. But as Greivis Vasquez struggled with his shot, the Yellow Jackets made a run, outscoring Maryland 12-2 over a four minutes stretch as the Terps simply couldn't get a stop to go up 65-60 with 4:59 left.
The Terps wouldn't go away, as Eric Hayes would score five straight points to give them a 71-68 leadwith 1:24 on the clock. Derrick Favors would answer with a tip-in 30 seconds later, setting up a furious final minute. After Dino Gregory missed a lay-up, Georgia Tech called a time out, isolating DeAndre Bell, who drove to the rim and scored. But at the other end, Vasquez drove down the middle and hit a floater to take the lead back at 73-72. The rest, well, I'll let youtube explain it:
Vasquez struggled a bit in this one, finished with 18 points, 8 assists, and 5 boards, but hitting just 5-16 from the floor. Derrick Favors made NBA scouts drool as he went for 21 points and 18 boards, nine offensive.
Maryland is now in second place in the ACC, but they have a fatal flaw - a lack of an interior presence. A week after Brian Zoubek torched them inside, Favors overmatched Jordan Williams and Gregory (who, to their credit, put up an admirable fight).
PLAYER OF THE WEEK: James Anderson, Oklahoma State
Anderson may end up winning Big XII player of the year this year, and performances like the one he had against Baylor on Saturday is why. Anderson went for 31 points and 12 boards, his third double-double of the season, as the Pokes knocked off Baylor at home to solidify, for now, an at-large berth.
James Anderson had 31 and 12 in a win over Baylor.(photo credit: Austin American-Statesmen)
Anderson also had 20 points and 8 boards on Wednesday against Iowa State. For the week, he averaged 26.5 ppg, 10.0 rpg, and shot 50% from the floor and 9-15 from three. If OK State is to make the tournament, they are going to need more of those performances from Anderson. Their next three games are at Texas, home against Kansas, and at Texas A&M.
They were good too
- Greivis Vasquez, Maryland: Vasquez was fantastic in three games this week as the Terps went undefeated and remained just a game back in the loss column from Duke. In wins over Georgia Tech, Virginia, and NC State, Vasquez averaged 24.7 ppg, 5.7 rpg, and 6.3 apg. He may have had his best game of the season against UVa on Monday, going for 30 points, 8 boards, and 5 assists with no turnovers and 12-19 shooting.
- Randy Culpepper, UTEP: Fresh off of a 45 point game last Saturday, Culpepper went for 29 points as the Miners extended their winning streak to 10 games with a win at Tulsa. UTEP has an easy finish to the C-USA season, and are firmly in the driver's seat as we hit the stretch run in C-USA.
- Ali Faroukmanesh, Northern Iowa: With Jordan Eglseder suspended, someone was going to have to step up for UNI if they were to beat Creighton and Old Dominion, and Faroukmanesh was that guy. He had 17 in the win over Creighton, then dropped 23 on Friday night as the Panthers knocked off Old Dominion.
- Kemba Walker, UConn: Kemba averaged 22.5 ppg and 6.5 rpg as the Huskies went 2-0 this week, keeping their tourney hopes alive. The big win came Monday night, as UConn went into Philly and knocked off Villanova. Walker had 29 points and 9 boards in that game, outplaying everyone in Nova's vaunted backcourt.
TEAM OF THE WEEK: Purdue Boilermakers
The Boilermakers extended their winning streak to nine games this week by knocking off both Illinois and Ohio State. They were both big wins, as the Illini and the Buckeyes are two of the five teams battling for the Big Ten title. Purdue has now swept Illinois and split with Ohio State.
But that was far from the only good news Purdue got this week. On Sunday, that same Ohio State team went into East Lansing and knocked off Michigan State, which put Purdue in the driver's seat for the Big Ten title. They are all alone in first place with four games left, sitting a game in front of both Michigan State and Ohio State in the loss column.
Will Purdue be a #1 seed?(photo credit: NBC Sports)
That wasn't all. Villanova also lost on Sunday, which means that Purdue is probably sitting as the fourth No. 1 seed if they season were to end today. Not a bad way to finish the week.
They were good too
- Kentucky Wildcats: Its too bad that Purdue had the week they did, because Kentucky was as deserving as anyone to win team of the week this past week. On Tuesday, Kentucky went into Starkville and knocked off Mississippi State in overtime despite being down 67-60 with three minutes left. Then on Saturday, Kentucky picked up their best win of the season, as they went into Nashville and took down a scrappy Vanderbilt team despite, once again, trailing late in the game. For those scoring at home, that's two comeback wins against tough teams on the road in conference play. For some, that was enough to officially make them a believer.
- Pitt Panthers: Pitt had a bit of a swoon midway through the season as they lost four of five games, but the Panthers have responded, as they have now won five straight, including two this week. Pitt picked up a win at Marquette on Thursday before knocking off Villanova at home on Sunday. The Panthers are currently tied with West Virginia for third in the league, but with their relatively easy schedule down the stretch combined with the difficult schedules of Villanova and WVU, don't be surprised if Pitt finishes second in the Big East.
- Maryland Terrapins: Once you get past the holiday tournaments, it is very rare to see a team play three games in a week, let alone four in eight days. But that's exactly when Maryland did, and they won all three this week, culminating in a thriller with two buzzer beaters to beat Georgia Tech. Maryland is once again all alone in second place in the ACC.
- Oklahoma State Cowboys: The Cowboys picked up two big wins this week, beating Iowa State on the road and knocking off Baylor at home, as they now seem to be in good position to earn the Big XII's seventh bid.
- Florida Gators: Florida, like OK State, picked up two big wins this week, including a nailbiter at Ole Miss, as they shored up their tourney hopes.
- Cornell Big Red: Cornell went 2-0 this week, picking up a big win at Harvard, which combined with Princeton's loss to Penn but Cornell in a commanding spot in the Ivy. If they beat Princeton on Friday, the race for the Ivy League's auto bid is all but over.
MATCHUPS OF THE WEEK
- 2/23 - 9:00 pm: Tennessee @ Florida
- 2/24 - 6:30 pm: Dayton @ Temple
- 2/24 - 9:00 pm: San Diego State @ BYU
- 2/24 - 9:00 pm: Texas A&M @ Baylor
- 2/24 - 9:00 pm: Oklahoma State @ Texas
- 2/26 - 12:00 pm: Kentucky @ Tennessee
- 2/26 - 2:00 pm: Texas @ Texas A&M
- 2/26 - 4:00 pm: Kansas @ Oklahoma State
- 2/26 - 4:00 pm: New Mexico @ BYU
- 2/26 - 4:00 pm: Maryland @ Virginia Tech
- 2/26 - 8:00 pm: Missouri @ Kansas State
- 2/26 - 9:00 pm: Villanova @ Syracuse
- 2/27 - 1:00 pm: Richmond @ Xavier
- 2/27 - 4:00 pm: Michigan State @ Purdue
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Saturday, February 20, 2010
Saturday Schedule |
We are headed out to College Park, Maryland, to watch Georgia Tech and Maryland. We'll be back with our thoughts on the day's action later, but here is a quick schedule of games you should pay attention to today.
11:00 AM: Siena @ #13 Butler
12:00 PM: Florida @ Ole Miss
12:00 PM: Seton Hall @ #8 West Virginia
12:00 PM: Morgan State @ Murray State
1:00 PM: Louisiana Tech @ Northeastern
1:30 PM: #22 Baylor @ Oklahoma State
2:00 PM: #17 Texas @ Texas Tech
2:00 PM: Georgia Tech @ Maryland
2:00 PM: Xavier @ Charlotte
4:00 PM: Illinois @ #4 Purdue
4:00 PM: UTEP @ Tulsa
4:00 PM: Colorado @ #1 Kansas
6:00 PM: #2 Kentucky @ #19 Vanderbilt
6:00 PM: #7 Kansas State @ Oklahoma
8:00 PM: Charleston @ George Mason
9:00 PM: UCLA @ Washington
12:00 AM: Wichita State @ Utah State
Continue reading...
Weekend Dump |
Before you get into the mouse-clicking, listen up.
- In the most recent edition of ESPN the Mag, there is a fantastic article on everybody's least-favorite 7-footer, Chas McFarland of Wake Forest.
Think of this as your 1990's-style linkage. It's called word-of-mouth. It's how information got relayed from person to person before the internet was discovered invented.
You're Welcome.
- Indiana offers scholarship to Nigerian power forward
- An Ohio State player is going to leave early for the NBA, and it's not Evan Turner??? Tell me more
- Tyler Zeller is set to return to the Tar Heels
- Adam Zagoria has your UConn recruiting update: It is "go time" for Calhoun
- Andy Katz chit-chatted with a couple of different head coaches: Cinncinati's Mic Cronin, Virginia Tech's Seth Greenberg, and Northern Iowa's Ben Jacobson
- The funniest sentence you will ever read concerning Big-10 expansion
- An update on the chase for 2,000 wins
- Yesterday we breifly touched on the fact that the Bryant Bulldogs finally won their first game, becomming the last D-1 team to do so. Here is the inside scoop on how it went down. Something like that could and would only to a 0-25 team.
- Clemson hit with 17 NCAA secondary violations
- Malcolm Delaney wants you to know who he is
- Gary Parrish believes Purdue will be a #1-seed. I ussually agree with Mr. Parrish, and he does make a convincing argument. But hell, dont take my word for it. Just read it and decide for yourself.
- There are ten teams to watch make moves this weekend
- Mike DeCourcy thinks a couple of coference titles could go to unlikely teams
- Syracuse/Georgetown won/lost the game at the foul line
- I know it's been said before, but Saturday's game against Butler is a must-win for Siena
- And if you've made it ths far and have complete forgotten about BracketBusters week, here is your last-minute primer
- A former Michigan benchwarmer stole from two women, then swam across a lake, naked. You cant make up this type of stuff.
- We end the weekend dump with a fantastically-amazing list: Worst Defending National Champions
Continue reading...
Friday, February 19, 2010
The BIAH Quotables |
This a new feature we are trying out here at BIAH this season. 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.
Is there any surprise that we start this edition of the quotables with Jim Boeheim?
Well, following the instant classic that his team put on against Georgetown, he was asked if Wes Johnson's injuries were bothering his mentality. Here is his colorful response: that's the most ridiculous question of the year. Its in his head.... ITS IN HIS HAND. ITS IN HIS BACK. ITS IN HIS LEG! Wow, that felt good, I haven't said that in a long time. ... You're from Syracuse aren't you? I thought so.
At this point Boeheim waved his hand in the air, then walked off the podium.
Gotta love that Jimmy B.
Virginia Tech's Malcolm Delaney is slowing creeping up the list for ACC Player of the Year. His coach, Seth Greenberg responded to a question concerning Delaney's on-court theatrics: Is he a little dramatic? Yeah, he might be a little dramatic. He's still 175 pounds running into a 240 pound guy. He's still a guy that every single team in the league grabs and holds and bumps and every single time he comes off a curl takes a shot at him.
Speaking of Greenberg, he has been quite active on twitter. Most recently, he has been defending the quality of the ACC: The ACC top to bottom is as tough as any conference in the country! You need to play hard and well to have a chance to win!
Just because scoring is down does not mean the league is down! It just means teams defend and compete every play!
In this week's Dear Gary column, Mr. Parrish answers this great question: What was the best game he has seen in-person this year? I was at the Kentucky-Connecticut game at Madison Square Garden when John Wall made that ridiculous play in the final minutes. It wasn't a well-played game, exactly, but it was fun and memorable because of the atmosphere and intensity. The Kansas-Kansas State game in Manhattan was also terrific. The Jayhawks won in overtime, and I wrote about Sherron Collins' testicles. Seemed like a reasonable thing to do at the time. Now, I'm not so sure. Either way, fun night. But I think I'd have to go with Tennessee's improbable win over No. 1 Kansas as the best game I've attended this season, the one where walk-on Skylar McBee hit the clinching shot, just nine days after four Vols were arrested and suspended.
Terrific atmosphere.
Terrific ending.
Continue reading...
Don't get confused, Syracuse is still a contender |
Syracuse nearly blew a 23 point lead with 12 minutes left against Georgetown, allowing the Hoyas to get within a point before squeaking out a 79-75 win.
Regardless of the manner in which it happened, Syracuse is leaving DC with a win. In the end, that is all that matters.
But close wins are becoming a disturbing trend for the Orange. They had to dig themselves out of an 18 point hole at DePaul three weeks ago. They needed a late run to knock off Cincinnati in early February. UConn was able to overcome a 14 point second half deficit and nearly knock off the Orange. It culminated on Sunday, as Louisville was able to survive an early surge by the Orange to hand them just their second loss of the year.
Syracuse pulled out a tough win against Georgetown on the road.(photo credit: MSNBC)
And now tonight.
Simply put, of late, Syracuse has had a tough time putting together a 40 minute game.
Its not the kind of thing you want to see from a championship caliber team this late in the season. This is the time of year you are supposed to be playing your best basketball, not trying to figure out how to put together a complete game.
Don't be surprised if you read a few columns tomorrow claiming this as evidence that Syracuse is overrated or a team that cannot make a Final Four run.
Please.
If you are one of those writers, then I should probably have your job.
Why?
Well, for starters, Syracuse -- namely Wes Johnson -- is not 100% healthy right now. Johnson hasn't been since he took a nasty spill trying to catch a lob against Providence, injuring his back and his leg. He's also dealing with a sprained thumb that he suffered against UConn last week.
"[Wes] has missed so much practice just trying to get healthy," Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim said after the game. "I thought he just died in the second half. He just ran out of gas."
"This is the first game I've felt he's been himself. We're a different team when he's playing like [he did in the first half]."
Its true, they are. Anyone that saw the first 28 minutes of this game would agree.
Those first 28 minutes were Syracuse basketball to a T. Defensively, their zone moved about as well as it has all season. Georgetown struggled to get open looks, had fits trying to get the ball into the paint, and spent much of the half passing and dribbling the ball around the perimeter.
"I think that's the best I've seen that zone this year," Georgetown coach John Thompson said. "Their team is playing that defense as well and I've seen it played."
Offensively, the Orange were as unselfish as always, knocking down the open looks that they were able to get. A major reason they shot 13-24 in the first half was that they picked up nine assists on those 13 field goals. The Orange, to a man, make the extra pass when a teammate is open.
Perhaps most important, however, was that Syracuse got great performances out of their two best players. In the first half, Wes Johnson proved why he is not only a player of the year candidate, but a lock to be a lottery pick whenever decides to leave school. In the first 28 minutes, he had 16 points, 8 boards, 3 assists, 5 blocks, a steal, and one youtube.
Believe it or not, Rautins might have been better. He scored 18 of his game-high 26 points as the Orange built their 60-37 lead, while adding 5 boards, 3 assists, and 2 steals.
"[Rautins] is the key to the whole team defensively and offensively," Boeheim said.
But what everyone that turned this game off at the 12:37 mark of the second half forgot is that Georgetown is pretty good too, especially in this building. This is, in fact, still the same team that put a beating on Villanova and Duke.
As the Orange relaxed, the Hoyas started attacking. They began to force turnovers and get some easy baskets off of them. They started attacking the basket and pounding the ball inside to Greg Monroe, who single-handedly fouled out the entire Syracuse front line.
All told, it was a 33-11 run for the Hoyas, who trimmed that 23 point Syracuse lead to 71-70 in the final minute.
Think about that.
The Hoyas had all the momentum. They were playing at home in front of a crowd that was as rowdy as any I've seen at the Verizon Center. Syracuse had their starting front line on the bench after fouling out. Their star play was banged up and exhausted after playing 40 minutes.
And the Orange still won.
Why?
Because they were able to go to a bench player when they really needed a bucket.
Kris Joseph is Syracuse's second leading scorer at 11.3 ppg, but the sophomore sixth man was struggling. He was just 1-9 from the floor with more turnovers (three) than rebounds (two).
"Kris had just a horrendous night. He kept missing layups," Boeheim said.
But with Rick Jackson and Arinze Onuaku on the bench, Joseph had the mismatch as he found himself being guarded by Greg Monroe.
"We knew he had Monroe [guarding him]," Boeheim said. "We thought he could get by and make a play and he was able to get all the way to the basket."
"I went to him at the end because I knew he was due."
How many teams have that luxury?
How many teams have a sixth man talented enough to be used as a go-to player in crunch time, gutty enough to score all three times his number is called?
How many teams can win a close game down the stretch, on the road against a top ten team with an ailing superstar and the front line on the bench?
Not many.
Continue reading...
Ed Davis didn't sign with an agent, apparently |
A "mistake" by PTA Sports Management had the state of North Carolina in an uproar yesterday. You see, PTA Sports (who has since taken their website down) had UNC's Ed Davis listed as a client yesterday.
Raise your hand if you see the problem here.
As any reader of this site should know, Davis is still a sophomore at UNC. He is still on scholarship there. He hasn't declared for the draft (which many expect him to eventually do). And while Davis' season is likely done due to a broken wrist, UNC still has a month of basketball left to play.
Regardless on where you looked yesterday, all sides are calling this a mistake, which is pretty much what they have to do. The agency has admitted to having contact with Davis, but both sides strongly denied any written or verbal agreement.
So what happened?
Well, either a competitor found out about this oral agreement and hacked the website to sabotage the deal, or PTA Sports was simply dumb enough to post Davis as a client while he is still officially in season.
Either way, I doubt we will ever know the truth. Davis would be a fool to sign with this agency. Do you really want to have a firm that is that dumb or that insecure representing your professional interests?
Didn't think so.
But I do think that it is now safe to assume that Davis is gone.
At least some real news came out of all this.
Continue reading...
One of the best stories you will hear this season: Minnesota honors a teammates sister |
You know, college basketball is funny sometimes. When all you hear about are the controversies and the agents and the money being funneled to recruits, you sometimes forget that the majority of the kids playing basketball at this level aren't on the take. The majority of them are going to class and are doing to work.
And sometimes, it takes a story like this to make you remember.
Minnesota has been struggling this season. With two highly touted power forwards never suiting up and a starting point guard that was booted from the team for academic reasons, the Gophers, thought to be a Big Ten contender in the preseason, have struggled through a 15-10 season. It seems that all hope for an NCAA tournament at-large bid has gone out the window.
Ralph Sampson and his freshly shaved dome.
(photo credit: Scout)
Paul Carter is a 6'8" forward for Minnesota. As teammate Damian Johnson described him, Carter is "great leader, a very spiritual guy, and a very emotional guy", so you had to imagine that it was weighing on him when he found out his 13 year old sister had cancer.
But Minnesota, showing the team unity you rarely see above the collegiate level, showed their support for the Cater family:The Gophers looked a lot like the close-cropped Badgers, literally, with freshly shaved heads to honor Carter's younger sister, Bria, who was recently diagnosed with cancer.
And what happened?
Minnesota went out and beat Wisconsin 68-52.
Could this be a turning point in the season? Can the Gophers rally and make an NCAA Tournament run?
Its unlikely, but not impossible. Prior to this win, Minnesota had lost six of eight games and at times had looked like they bailed on this season. But hey, if they can win out and maybe pick up a game or two in the Big Ten tournament, you never know.
The bubble is weak this season and begging people to play their way in.
Hey, at least luck has to be on their side by now, right?
Continue reading...
Friday's Shootaround: Syracuse hangs on, Gonzaga, Cal, and Wisconsin don't |
Syracuse 75, Georgetown 71: Syracuse looked like a Final Four contender for the first 28 minutes last night. Their zone was impenetrable, their offense efficient and unselfish. Behind big first halves from Andy Rautins and Wes Johnson, the Cuse were able to build a 44-31 halftime lead, a lead they pushed to 23 points midway through the second half. But the Hoyas weren't about to go away. As the Orange got complacent, the Hoyas started forcing turnovers and getting to the rim. Greg Monroe really began to assert himself in the paint, almost singe handedly fouling out both Rick Jackson and Arinze Onuaku. All told, the Hoyas put a 33-11 run on Syracuse, cutting that 23 point lead all the way down to 71-70 with possession of the ball.
But on the one and only possession that Georgetown had with a chance to take the lead, the Hoyas settled for a deep, albeit open, three from Jason Clark, which he clanged off the front of the rim. At the other end, Kris Joseph took advantage of a mismatch, taking Greg Monroe to the hole to score with just nine seconds left for a three point lead. The Orange fouled, Georgetown missed a free throw, and Andy Rautins sealed it.
Rautins was the high scorer for the game, finishing with 26 points on 6-11 shooting while knocking down five triples. Wes Johnson had 14 ofhis 16 points in the first half. But perhaps the most important offensive performance came from Joseph. Joseph had been struggling all game long, but in the final two minutes, he got to the rim three times, twice scoring and the third time drawing a foul. It was his ability to take advantage of his mismatch that kept the Orange ahead late.
Chris Wright, Austin Freeman, and Greg Monroe all went for at least 20, but there was no balance to the Hoya attack. Those three and Jason Clark scored all but two of Georgetown's 71 points.
We've already talked about what this game means for the Orange, but what about the Hoyas. A few weeks ago, this team seemingly had their destiny in their own hands, as they were all but a lock for a top four seed and the all-important double-bye in the Big East Tournament. But after losing two straight and four of seven, Georgetown has slid into sixth in the conference at 8-6 in league play. With a tough schedule to close out the year (@ Lou, ND, @ WVU, Cinci), the Hoyas aren't guaranteed anything.
Loyola Marymount 74, Gonzaga 66: LMU picked up their first win over a ranked opponent two weeks from the 20th anniversary of Hank Gathers' death. The last time LMU beat a ranked team? That same 1990 NCAA Tournament, when they beat Alabama to get to the Elite 8. The Zags jumped out to an early lead in this one, taking a 22-12 lead. But the second half was all Lions. They used a 14-4 run early to open up a 50-45 lead. After Gonzaga cut that to two points, LMU went on another 14-6 run to take a 66-56 lead with six minutes left in the game. Gonzaga would make a rally, but it would be too little too late as the Zags lost for the second time in league play. They still hold a one game lead over St. Mary's in the WCC thanks to the Gaels loss to Portland on Saturday.
Minnesota 68, Wisconsin 52: The Badgers may have just cost themselves a shot at the Big Ten title. Locked in a typical Big Ten battle, Wisconsin found themselves down 45-42 with 9:40 left after a Jason Bohannon three-ball. But the Badgers would miss a number of opportunities to score, allowing Minnesota to push the lead to 54-42 before they finally scored again with just two minutes left. Blake Hoffarber led the way with 16 points and 9 boards, while Trevon Hughes had 19 for the Badgers.
Bubble Watch
Other notable scores
Thursday's Best
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Friday Morning Dump |
- If you read anything today, check out this SI article on Seattle hoops
- Jay Bilas busts out a phenomenal list: Unknown All-Americans
- Georgetown is going to need more than just heart to become contenders, says Dana O'Neil, who was also in attendance for the 75-71 'Cuse victory.
- I am hating Syracuse right about now, but regardless, these these are dope t-shirts
- It's taken us 102 days, but we did it: Every D-1 team has won a game. We owe it all to the Bryant Bulldogs, and well I guess the Wagner Seahawks too.
- Player has a highlight tape used against him in court.
- Gary Parrish details the fourth-best March Madness game of the past decade (Ed. Note: Of course, Troy doesn't put one of these into the dump until it is UConn losing)
- USC to face infractions committee
- Does anybody have a clue who win the Big-10?
- This week's power rankings, courtesy of SI
- Jon Leuer is back for the Badgers
- Tyshawn's back in the starting line-up
- UCLA senior James Keefe to have season ending surgery
- The Cornell basketblog had some good news and notes
- Your daily bubble talk
- Andy Glockner details top BracketBusters games
- Andy Katz's ESPNU Thursday podcast
- Oh hooray!! Somebody has the reason for Texas' freefall
- Tom Crean sounds like he's getting a bit fed up with impatient fans
- With tourny time roughly 30 days away, you are going to want to brush up on your info about mid-majors. It's high time you know more about the Oakland Grizzlies. It wouldn't be bad to brush up on the MAAC either.
- Mike DeCourcy sat down with Virginia Tech's Malcolm Delaney. They discussed his growing self-confidence. But is Tech's light schedule the reason they are still in this?
- Mad at everyone, Kentucky fans are.
Continue reading...
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