Alabama

State of '08: Alabama

Shawn Siegel — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 11:26:28 -0700

What is the top D1 basketball program in each state.. and which program is the worst? While there's not much competition in Hawaii.. there are great debates to be had in loaded regions like California, North Carolina, and Texas. The State of '08 is a state by state ranking based mostly on recent success (the last five years) mixed in with subjective factors such as conference prestige, historical success, and overall program direction.

Up today: Alabama.. the first of the individual state articles. For more info, check out the State of '08 introduction.

Reader Poll: What is the Best Program in Alabama?

ALABAMA

Alabama - The Crimson are coming off a down season with an RPI of 114. But that still topped SEC rival Auburn, and for most of the past decade Alabama has been a Top 50 team.. even breaking into the Top 20 at times. From 2002 to 2006, Bama made the NCAA Tournament five-straight times and could very well be back there again in 2009.

UAB - During the same period that Bama was consistently making the Tourney, UAB was also in the midst of a nice run.. dancing for three straight seasons from 2003 to 2006. Mike Davis is finally getting things back on track following the departure of Mike Anderson. After an NIT bid last year, another NCAA Tournament trip is definitely possible now that Robert Vaden returns for another go-around.

South Alabama - Ronnie Arrow picked up where John Pelphrey left off, and the Jaguars made the postseason for the third straight season. While this year's group won't be able to match last year's 24 wins or Top 40 RPI, they should once again be in the running for a Sun Belt Conference title.

Auburn - The last five seasons have been pretty brutal for Auburn fans, as the Tigers have basically been a mediocre .500 team in that time. There's no reason to expect they'll break out of that trend, and another sub-100 RPI should be expected.

Samford - While not a powerhouse by any means, Samford has had decent success under veteran coach Jimmy Tillette. In '99 & '00, Samford made back to back NCAA Tournaments.. though the wins have slowed down of late. 2006 was Samford's last quality run with 18 wins and an RPI of 107.

6. Alabama State - The Hornets actually won the SWAC regular season title with a 15-3 record last season, but MVSU won the Tournament bid. The Hornets made the Big Dance in 2001 & 2004, but hadn't had much to cheer about in the meantime.

7. Troy - While the Trojans occasionally make some noise on the football field, there's nothing to get excited about on the hardwood. The usual season recently is basically 11-12 wins and an RPI of 240.

8. Alabama A&M - While not quite as bad as Jacksonville State, A&M has run into some lean years since making the Big Dance in 2005. Even that season, they started 1-8 against D1 teams and didn't beat anyone ranked better than 240th all season.

9. Jacksonville State - With the exception of a decent 15 win season in 2006, JSU has been awful recently. Last year, they were 3rd worst in the country in RPI, with provisionals North Florida and NJIT finishing at the bottom.

State of '08: The 7 Two-Program States

State of '08: The Introduction

State of '08 Poll: What is the Best Program in Alabama?

Shawn Siegel — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 08:58:36 -0700

2008 Maui Invitation Bracket Announced

Press Release — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 15:43:20 -0700

MAUI, Hawaii, Aug. 5, 2008 – The EA SPORTS Maui Invitational today announced the official bracket for the 2008 edition of the nation’s premier early-season college basketball tournament. Marking its milestone 25^th year, the eight-team competition will return to Maui’s ocean-front Lahaina Civic Center Nov.24-26.

Battling this year for the coveted Wayne Duke Championship Trophy, will be North Carolina, Notre Dame, Texas, Indiana, Oregon, Saint Joseph’s, Alabama and host Chaminade. Six of the seven Division I teams in the 2008 lineup participated in the 2008 NCAA Tournament, highlighted by North Carolina’s Final Four appearance and Texas’ run to the Elite Eight. The field also includes three former national champions – North Carolina, Indiana and Oregon – with 10 NCAA titles between them.

The ESPN networks will combine once again to offer live television coverage of all 12 tournament games. In addition, ESPN360.com will provide live simulcasts of the games televised on ESPN and ESPN2.

“Throughout its history the EA SPORTS Maui Invitational has become synonymous with the kickoff of the college basketball season,” said Tournament Chairman Dave Gavitt. “We look forward to commemorating the tournament’s 25^th year with another impressive field vying for Maui glory. Fans from across the nation can look forward to a memorable experience, on and off the court.”

First-round action tips off Thanksgiving week on Monday, Nov. 24, with Game One featuring Atlantic 10 team and Maui newcomer, Saint Joseph’s, led by coach Phil Martelli, against 2008 Elite Eight participant and three-time Maui team, Texas, under head coach Rick Barnes. The winner of this game will take on the winner of Game Two, pitting in-state rivals for battle as five-time national champion and 2002 Maui champ, Indiana, guided by new coach Tom Crean, will face head coach Mike Brey and Notre Dame, a growing BIG EAST force returning for a second appearance at the Lahaina Civic Center. Four-time national champion and two-time Maui titleholder, North Carolina, will hit the hardwood in Game Three, as Hall of Famer Roy Williams pilots his highly touted Tar Heels in a contest with 2008 PacWest Conference champion and tournament host Chaminade, which pulled off an upset over Princeton in Maui last year. The winner of that game will square off with the winner of Game Four, which pairs two teams making their Maui debut: head coach Ernie Kent will call the shots when former national champion and 2007 Pac-10 Conference titleholder, Oregon, plays against the Crimson Tide of Alabama, a Mark Gottfried-led team looking to make its mark in paradise.

The semifinals will take place Tuesday, Nov. 25 at 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Eastern time on ESPN, with the winners advancing to the championship game Wednesday, Nov. 26 at 10 p.m. Eastern (also on ESPN).

Poll: Who is the SEC's Top Incoming Freshman?

Shawn Siegel — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 08:29:47 -0700

NBA Finals: Monday is Underclassmen Deadline

Jeff Borzello — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 09:18:46 -0700

Despite the fact today at 5:00 p.m. EST is the deadline for underclassmen to withdraw their names from the NBA Draft, there were still 20 players who had yet to make a final decision heading into yesterday afternoon. While some players are expected to withdraw and others are almost guaranteed to stay in, there are also several prospects who are completely up in the air. What is the latest word on each of the 20 remaining underclassmen without an agent? Let's take a look.

A.J. Abrams, Texas: Has not decided yet, but will make his final choice today. (Austin American-Statesman)

Josh Akognon, Cal State Fullerton: No word from him, but signs point to him staying in the Draft.

Joe Alexander, West Virginia: Has signed with agent Doug Neustadt; will not return to school. (FOXSports.com)

Ryan Anderson, California: Entirely up in the air; said last Tuesday he was nowhere near a decision. (ESPN.com)

Chase Budinger, Arizona: Said he has received "good enough" feedback to justify staying in Draft. (Arizona Daily Star)

Mario Chalmers, Kansas: Informed coaching staff he was staying in the draft. (Kansas City Star)

Lee Cummard, BYU: Coach Dave Rose said Cummard has decided to return to school. (ESPN.com)

Robert Dozier, Memphis: Coach John Calipari expects Dozier to come back to school. (Memphis Commercial Appeal)

Wayne Ellington, North Carolina: Will make decision today; no indication of where he is currently leaning. (Raleigh News & Observer)

Jamont Gordon, Mississippi State: As good as gone. For weeks, he and his people have been saying that he is likely staying in the Draft.

Danny Green, North Carolina: Was supposed to talk to coach Roy Williams Sunday, but meeting has been postponed until today. Said he will make his decision after talking to Williams. His father announced that he would be staying in school, and Danny also said he was likely returning.(Raleigh News & Observer, Fayetteville Observer, FOXSports.com).

Richard Hendrix, Alabama: Has not announced his decision, and was still working out with teams this weekend. (The Huntsville Times)

J.J. Hickson, North Carolina State: Officially announced on Sunday that he was staying in the Draft. (Scout.com)

Lester Hudson, Tennessee-Martin: Met with his coaches this weekend to make a final decision; said if he was projected to be drafted in the first 35 picks, he would leave. (Jackson Sun)

Ty Lawson, North Carolina: Has not made a decision yet, and will announce final choice today. Originally looked like he would stay in the Draft, but developments over the last couple of weeks have clouded the picture. (Winston-Salem Journal)

Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, UCLA: Has not reached a decision yet. It seems like he wants to stay in the Draft, but might not get feedback he needs to justify that decision.

Jeremy Pargo, Gonzaga: No indication as to which way he is leaning; coach Mark Few does not know what Pargo will do.

Ronald Steele, Alabama: After the back-and-forth announcements that occurred a couple of weeks ago, there has not been much talk about him. He was still working out for teams this weekend, and will announce his decision today. (The Huntsville Times)

Robert Vaden, UAB: Coach Mike Davis said Vaden is 50/50 on staying in the Draft. He has a final workout today with Detroit, and will likely make a decision after that. (ESPN.com)

Bill Walker, Kansas State: Might be the most interesting case of them all. It looked like he was going to stay in the Draft; coach Frank Martin said he was not expecting Walker to return to school. However, Walker injured his right knee this weekend and will need an MRI. Will not make a decision until just before the deadline today. (FOXSports.com, ESPN.com)

- By Jeff Borzello, March Madness All Season

Waiting Game: Team Futures Hinge on Key Decisions

Jason Brubaker — Fri, 30 May 2008 09:51:59 -0700

To stay or go: Futures Hinge on Player Decisions

Even with the draft order now set, and player workouts getting underway, it’s still tough to predict which players will ultimately stay in the draft this year. According to ESPN’s Chad Ford, 69 underclassmen declared for the draft this year, including surprises like Oregon State’s CJ Giles, who has now been kicked off two college teams, and Alabama’s Ronald Steele, who didn’t even play last season due to injury.

But while it was a no-brainer for guys like Michael Beasley, Derrick Rose and OJ Mayo to declare and sign with an agent, other players are on the dreaded bubble about staying in. While they struggle with their decision and try to improve their stock through workouts, their college teammates and coaches are sitting at home, wondering if they’ll be back. Here’s a look at some teams who are anxiously awaiting decisions from key players.*

*Players have not signed with an agent as of May 29

North Carolina

Waiting on: Wayne Ellington, Danny Green, Ty Lawson

Perhaps no team stands to gain as much should all of their players decide to return. With National POY Tyler Hansbrough already coming back, the return of starters Deon Thompson and Marcus Ginyard, and a terrific three-man recruiting class on the way, the Heels will be good no matter what. But the return of these three puts the Heels on the short list of national title contenders next year. Looking through various mock drafts, none of the three are first-round locks, and all could stand to improve through another year in college. Lawson is rumored to be the most likely to stay in the draft, meaning UNC better hope Bobby Frasor’s is ready to play next year. Green and Ellington are both likely to return, as both could climb into the first round next year in what is thought to be a weaker draft class. Should any or all of these guys come back, look for Carolina to begin the year atop the polls.

Alabama

Waiting on: Richard Hendrix, Ronald Steele

The Tide already received one break when ultra-athletic forward Alonzo Gee pulled his name out of the draft. Now, they’re just hoping for the same thing from Hendrix and Steele, both of whom would be better suited to return to school. As previously noted, Steele didn’t even play last season because of a knee injury, so declaring for the draft seemed like a bit of a stretch. When healthy, he’s one of the better point guards in the country, but he needs to show he is fully recovered. Hendrix is a beast down low, but he’s a bit small for the power forward position in the NBA. It’s conceivable that he could climb into the mid-late first round with solid workouts, but another year of college ball would help him expand his offensive game. However, he has nothing to lose by declaring and getting some feedback from NBA scouts, so it was a wise decision on his part. If both players return, the Tide will challenge for the SEC West title next year.

UCLA

Waiting on: Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, Josh Shipp, Russell Westbrook

Bruins’ fans know that Westbrook is likely as good as gone, as he’s projected as lottery pick after his breakout sophomore season. It would be a shock to see him back in Westwood next year. However, Shipp and Mbah a Moute both could return, giving the Bruins some veteran experience to go with a stellar recruiting class. Mbah a Moute can still play himself into the first round with a strong draft camp. He’s got the versatility that scouts like, but his game could still use more polish, especially on the offensive end. Shipp is a long shot to be drafted, and he almost certainly will return for his senior year. A solid shooter with good athleticism, he’s battled injuries and inconsistency his entire career, and a big senior season could go a long way toward erasing that. With Darren Collison coming back, the return of these two would make the Bruins a safe bet for another Final Four trip.

Kansas

Waiting on: Mario Chalmers

The Jayhawks knew they’d be looking at a different team next year after winning the title this year. But should Chalmers decide to keep his name in the draft, the only returning players of any significance would be Sherron Collins and Cole Aldrich. Seniors Russell Robinson, Sasha Kaun and Darnell Jackson are all gone, and underclassmen Brandon Rush and Darrell Arthur will stay in the draft. Chalmers, the hero of the national title game, is on the first round bubble, and likely would be a second round pick. He’s not a pure point guard, and could use his senior year to show off his playmaking skills. He’s a terrific on-the-ball defender and has a high basketball IQ, so it’s not inconceivable that a team drafting late in the first round could take a chance. But KU fans would love to see him back in Lawrence to help the growing pains of a young team.

Kansas State

Waiting on: Bill Walker

The Wildcats knew they’d only have Beasley for one season, but losing Walker at the same time would hurt just as much. Walker didn’t have quite the same impact as Beasley, but he’s a still a fantastic athlete who is capable of putting up 20 points when he wanted. Unfortunately for K-State, Walker has looked great in workouts, and he’s likely going to stay in the draft. He reportedly has lost the extra weight that plagued him after his surgery, and his jaw-dropping explosiveness is back. He likely will be a mid-late first round pick, and could end up being a steal going that late. If he does return, he would be a big asset for Frank Martin’s team, who will be looking for a consistent scoring threat. But without Walker or Beasley, K-State will once again be looking up at the Big 12’s elite teams.

Others

Arizona: Chase Budinger

He’s considered a late lottery pick, so it’ll be a surprise if he returns. Although he rarely dominated games the way his talent allowed him to, he still was a great player and his return, along with the addition of PG Brandon Jennings, would help the Wildcats climb back to the top of the Pac 10 after a rocky season.

West Virginia: Joe Alexander

Like Budinger, Alexander is unlikely to return to school, after finishing a strong season by leading WVU to the Sweet 16. A terrific athlete with good size for the small forward position, he’s on the lottery bubble, and could even climb near the top 10 with good workouts. Without him, the Mountaineers will find last year’s run hard to duplicate.

Cal: Ryan Anderson

New coach Mike Montgomery would love the chance to coach the versatile Anderson, who is considered a late first rounder right now. A power forward with a sweet shooting stroke would certainly help the Bears next season as they try to forget a disappointing 2007-08 season. Anderson could climb the boards with good workouts, but look for him to return.

Florida: Marreese Speights

Speights is considered a mid-late first rounder right now, and word is that he’s likely to stay in the draft. Speights has great talent, but his conditioning and work ethic are questionable, and he often found himself in Coach Billy Donovan’s doghouse last year. With big men Kenny Kadji and Eloy Vargas coming in next year as part of a five-man recruiting class, the Gators should be able to move on without a ton of adjustment.

Richard Hendrix: NBA Draft Profile

Jeff Fox — Mon, 19 May 2008 07:01:16 -0700

Richard Hendrix

College: Alabama

Class: Junior

Position: PF

Height: 6’9”

Weight: 255lbs

Accolades: Honorable Mention AP All-American (08), First Team All-SEC (08), Second Team All-SEC (07), Freshman All-SEC (06), Mr. Basketball – Alabama – high school (05), McDonald’s All-American – high school (05), Parade All-American – high school (05), Third Team Parade All-American – high school (04).

Scouting Report: A bull-in-a-china-shop power forward.

Strengths: Strong build. Huge wingspan (over 7-feet). Very effective in the post. Fantastic rebounder – is a double-double machine. Great shot blocker. Shoots for a very high percentage. Good experience – played three seasons of heavy minutes in the SEC. Very consistent – scored in double-figures in every game he appeared in but one this past year.

Weaknesses: Will be short for the NBA (probably is only 6’8”). Has had conditioning issues in the past. Is he quick enough to guard athletic NBA power forwards. Needs to develop range on his jumper. Horrible free throw shooter. Not an explosive athlete.

Projected 2008 Draft Range: Late first round to early second round pick.

Consensus: With the recent success of short, stocky forwards in the NBA (Paul Millsap, Craig Smith, Leon Powe), Richard Hendrix hopes to continue the trend. If he could develop a consistent outside shot and prove he can guard quick power forwards, he has a shot of sticking around the NBA for a while.

Stats: Richard Hendrix Stats

CHN's Six-Star Ranking System

= Superstar/All-NBA Potential

= Potential NBA All-Star

= Consistent NBA Starter

= 6th Man/Fringe Starter

= Career Reserve

= Fringe NBA Player/12th Man

0 stars = Life in the Minor Leagues

More 2008 NBA Draft Profiles

Current NBA Mock Draft Position

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Fantasy Heroes: Big Men

Jon Teitel — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 09:20:37 -0800

Today's Fantasy Heroes: Big Men

BIG MEN WHO BLOCK

50+ FG%, 9+ RPG, 2+ BPG	TEAM	FG%	RPG	BPG	PPG
Richard Hendrix	Alabama	62.2	10.2	2.2	18.6
Jason Thompson	Rider	55.6	11.7	2.9	20.3
Marqus Blakely	Vermont	55.3	10.8	2.6	19.8
Kyle Hines	UNCG	56.4	9.5	2.9	19.5
John Bryant	Santa Clara	61.3	9.8	2.3	18.8
Michael Beasley	Kansas St.	54.5	12.5	1.6	25.4


BIG MEN WHO STEAL

50+ FG%, 9+ RPG, 1+ SPG	TEAM	FG%	RPG	SPG	PPG
Tyler Hansbrough	UNC	55.3	10.7	1.5	23.1
Jonathan Rodriguez	Campbell	50.0	9.8	1.5	21.4
Carlos Monroe	FAU	52.4	9.0	1.0	15.6
Arizona 'AZ' Reid	High Point	53.4	11.1	1.8	23.2
Reggie Larry	Boise St.	54.8	9.1	1.5	19.2
Reggie Williams	VMI	53.4	9.5	2.1	27.1

*Stats are full season averages as of today.

Check back tomorrow for impressive fantasy shooters.

SEC: All-January

Jeff Fox — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 06:53:40 -0800

The SEC Freshman of the Year race looks like it will be a three player battle. Two of the three (A.J. Ogilvy didn’t make the cut) make a return appearance on the monthly All-SEC list.

Guard – Devan Downey – South Carolina – SO
19.4ppg, 5.3apg, 3.3spg
Best game – Jan 2nd – Radford – 23 points, seven steals, five assists, three rebounds

The little man certainly has a nose for the ball – he averaged four steals a game for January. Add to that his 22 points and five assists a game and you have one of the best Januarys by a player in the SEC.

Guard – Marcus Thornton – LSU – JR
19.5ppg, 5.9rpg, 1.4spg
Best game – Jan 30th – Auburn – 38 points, seven boards, 8-15 3pts

Unfortunately Marcus Thornton’s play wasn’t good enough to save Coach John Brady his job, but it was good enough for the All-January SEC list. Thornton finished the month off with five-straight games with 20 or more points.

Guard/Forward – Nick Calathes – Florida – FR
15.4ppg, 6.2apg, 5.0rpg
Best game – Jan 19th – Kentucky – 24 points, eight rebounds, eight assists

The rookie Calathes seems to be getting better as the season goes on. In January he averaged 18 points, five boards, seven assists and only two turnovers per game. He has to be considered the front runner for SEC Freshman of the Year.

Forward – Patrick Patterson – Kentucky – FR
16.9ppg, 7.9rpg, 1.4bpg
Best game – Jan 12th – Vanderbilt – 23 points, 12 boards, two blocks

Another impressive freshman is the Wildcats’ Patterson. He put up 16 points, eight boards and two blocks per game in January as Kentucky makes a late push for the NCAA tournament.

Forward – Richard Hendrix - Alabama – JR
19.0ppg, 10.3rpg, 2.2bpg
Best game – Jan 8th – Florida – 24 points, 16 boards, four assists, three blocks, two steals

This has been a disastrous season for the Crimson Tide, yet very successful for Richard Hendrix on a personal note. He notched five more double-doubles in January, including the monstrous game versus Florida listed above.

Games of the Night: Florida at Alabama

Shawn Siegel — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 21:14:07 -0800

Games of the Night

A companion to our daily Three Stars of the Day, we present the top three Games of the Night.

Florida (13-2) at Alabama (11-4)

9:00 PM

The defending-defending national champions have a gaudy record, but it lacks substance. The Gators best wins are neutral (but really semi-home) games against Temple and Georgia Southern, and they got killed in their lone road game against Ohio State. Its not like Alabama's been lights out by any means, but I'll give them an edge against a mostly inexperienced roster playing their first SEC gamr.

Prediction: Alabama

Brigham Young (11-3) at Wake Forest (10-3)

8:00 PM

A rather odd non-conference game this late in the season, featuring one team that has been ranked in the Top 25 (BYU) vs another that's 10-3 record may surprise some (WF). The problem with BYU is that if you take away the decent record and the AP votes, you're left with a team that only has one Top 100 RPI win (Louisville on a neutral court by 2 points). Making things worse, they lost at Boise State, the only half-decent road team they faced.

Prediction: Wake Forest

Army (7-6) at Presbyterian (1-19)

8:00 PM

You might be surprised to see a 1-19 squad on this list. But this is a big game for the D1 newcomers who play only their second and final home game against a D1 team this season. They won their previous game in Clinton, SC against a bad Radford squad and now face the 241st ranked Knights. The Hose will be pumped for this one.

Prediction: Presbyterian

Previous Game of the Night (Predictions)

January 7th - Robert Morris at Boston College (1-2)

January 6th - North Carolina at Clemson (2-1)

January 5th - Western Kentucky at South Alabama (3-0)

January 4th - American at Brown (0-3)

January 3rd - UCLA at Stanford (3-0)

January 2nd - Houston at UMASS (2-1)