St Mary's CA

State of '08: California

Shawn Siegel — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 10:27:44 -0700

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Duke or Carolina? BC or UMASS? Gonzaga or Washington.. or Washington State? What is the best program in each state? 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 ranking of every program in every state.. 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: California. For more info, check out the State of '08 introduction.

CALIFORNIA

UCLA - Not much "research" required to rank the Bruins. Three Final Fours in a row for one of the game's all-time great programs.

Stanford - Quietly in the middle of an impressive run, Stanford has made the Big Dance in 13 of 14 seasons. The future is a bit unsettled though, with a new coach (Johnny Dawkins) and the Lopez twins off to the NBA.

USC - Tim Floyd's done a nice job getting USC back on track. From 2003 to 2006, the Trojans had a sub-100 RPI every year, but have since made back to back NCAA Tournaments. This year's freshman class is also considered to be one of the Top 5 in the country.

Saint Mary's - Coming off a big 25-win season, fans are expecting the Gaels to return to the NCAA Tournament for the 3rd time in five seasons. While Gonzaga owns the WCC, Saint Mary's has been 2nd in four of the last five tries.

San Diego State - Steve Fisher has done a nice job turning SDSU into a consistent MWC contender, making the postseason 5 times in the last 7 years, and winning 20 games each of the last 3. The Aztecs should once again make a push for 20 wins in 08-09.

6. California - After a surprisingly long 12-year run, Ben Braun is out.. replaced by the man who turned Stanford into a long-time winner (Mike Montgomery). Under Braun, Cal did make five NCAA Tournaments, but just one in the last five seasons.

7. Pacific - The Tigers have found a good groove in recent seasons, winning 20 games in 4 of the last 5 years, and making the Tournament three times. Despite a rough offseason, Pacific should once again be competitive in the Big West.

8. UCSB - Despite an impressive 23 win season, the Gauchos missed out on making the NCAA Tournament. The program has averaged 16 wins over Bob Williams 10-year stint.

9. San Diego - The Toreros surprised many by winning the WCC title last year, and making the Big Dance. This is all the more impressive considering the team won just 4 total games in 2004.

10. Santa Clara - The Broncos parted ways with long-time coach Dick Davey before last season, as he could never reproduce the team's great mid-nineties success. Kerry Keating led his new squad to a mediocre 186 RPI last year, which included just 13 D1 wins.

11. Fresno State - The Bulldogs are coming off a horrible season, with just 12 D1 wins and an RPI of 243. The prior season, they made the postseason for the first time since the Tarkanian era.

12.CS Fullerton - This program has come a long way since 01-02, when the Titans combined to win 7 D1 games. Bob Burton led Fullerton to the Big Dance for the first time in three decades, winning 20 games for the third time in four seasons as well.

13. Pepperdine - Up until the end of Paul Westphal's career in 2006, Pepperdine had been a consistent winner in the 90's and early 00's. Now they've brought back Tom Asbury to try and recreate that former success following three down years.

14. UC Irvine - The Anteaters are consistently solid under Pat Douglass, but have yet to reach the Tourney in his 12 year tenure. 15-16 wins seems to be the norm recently.

15. San Francisco - The Dons had decent results under Jessie Evans (peaking at 86 in the RPI in 2005), before things went sour last year. He was replaced by Eddie Sutton, who turned the program into a circus while trying to win 800 games.

16. CS Northridge - The Matadors have had limited success since joining the Big West in 2002. Last year was one of their best seasons since then, winning 19 D1 games and finishing with an RPI of 110. Some consider Northridge to be the conference favorites in 2009.

17. LBSU - Its amazing the 49ers made the NCAA Tournament in 2007, considering how awful they were last year. Former Minnesota coach Dan Monson took over a program devoid of any returning talent, so we'll give him some time to turn things around. From 2003 to 2005, LBSU was one of the worst teams in the country.

18. LMU - While the legendary Paul Westhead run seems like ancient history, at least the embarrassing winless 2000 season is also moving into the distant past. Bill Bayno has his hands full taking over a team that won 5 games last year.

19. San Jose State - Consistently one of the worst teams in high-major basketball, SJSU hasn't finished above 230 in the RPI since 2001. Last year there were actually signs of progress with wins over WAC foes Nevada and Utah State.

20. Cal Poly - Not the most well-known program, Cal Poly has consistently been competitive in the Big West under coach Kevin Bromley. In 2003 & 2007, the Mustangs were a win away from making the NCAA Tournament.

21. Sacramento State - The Jerome Jenkins era ended on a down note, as the Hornets are coming off one of the all-time bad seasons.. just 2-24 against D1 opponents. From '04 to '06, it looked like Jenkins was making progress, but things regressed quickly.

22. UC Riverside - Since joining college basketball's top flight in 2001, the Highlanders haven't reached impressive heights. But in Jim Wooldridge's first season, there was some hope as UCR won their 2nd ever Big West Tournament game (knocking off Cal Poly).

23. UC Davis - Yet to experience any real success since joining D1 in 2006, the Aggies at least one-up Bakersfield by being full-fledged members of the Big West.

24. CS Bakersfield - Making the move up from D2 without a conference, the Roadrunners 8-21 record isn't half bad. They knocked off Fresno, San Diego, Long Beach State twice, and finished ahead of Sacramento in the RPI. Still, they need another season or two before moving up on this list.

Yesterday: Arkansas

State of '08: The Introduction

Today's Poll: Will The WCC Get Three Bids?

Shawn Siegel — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 06:55:00 -0700

2008 NCAA Tournament Capsule: St. Mary's

Joel Welser — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 15:21:25 -0800

Saint Mary's

WCC

by Joel Welser

Last NCAA Appearance: 2005, First Round loss to Southern Illinois

Coach: Randy Bennett (0-1 in 1 NCAA appearance)

Probable Starters:

Patrick Mills, Freshman, Guard

Todd Golden, Senior, Guard

Ian O’Leary, Junior, Forward

Diamon Simpson, Junior, Forward

Omar Samhan, Sophomore, Center

Key Roleplayers:

Tron Smith, Senior, Guard

Carlin Hughes, Junior, Guard

Yusef Smith, Junior, Forward

Why They Can Surprise:

They might not be household names, but St. Mary’s has a trio of superstars who will be known to all college basketball fans soon enough. Last year it was Diamon Simpson who led the way, but now he has some help. Still Simpson is a very important piece of the puzzle. The 6-7 junior is a great slasher and will use his amazing vertical to be a dominating force on the glass.

Center Omar Samhan went from a mere roleplayer as a freshman to a quality post player. At 6-11 and 265 pounds, he has the body to battle in the paint with just about anybody. Samhan has a nice touch on his mid-range jumper and his ability to stretch the defense sets him apart from most traditional big men. Yet, it is the addition of Patrick Mills that has turned St. Mary’s into a top 25 team most of this season. The freshman point guard turns the ball over a little too much and could be a little better outside shooter, but his value to the team is immeasurable.

Why They Can Disappoint:

With a freshman handling the ball most of the time, it is not too surprising the turnovers are a little high. However, the Gaels do have a couple other options in Todd Golden and Carlin Hughes who can handle the ball as well. The turnovers are not that big of an issue, but St. Mary’s will need to keep them relatively low if they want to win a couple of games. The other thing they will need to do down the stretch of close games is hit some free-throws. Mills, Golden and Hughes are solid from the charity stripe, but some others tend to struggle. Nobody is that horrible, but overall the team shoots under 67 percent.

Who To Watch:

Outside the big three, St. Mary’s has a few other players who will be crucial to the Gaels success. Forward Ian O’Leary and sixth-man guard Tron Smith have the potential to be the fourth scoring threat on any given night. O’Leary spends most of his time on the perimeter, while Smith provides a spark off the bench by getting to the basket. Golden and Hughes can do a little scoring as well, but they are most valuable supplementing Mills handling the ball.

- More 2008 NCAA Tournament Coverage

- All 2008 Tournament Capsules

Beyond Beasley: Underrated Freshmen

Jason Brubaker — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 16:22:59 -0800

The success of the current freshmen class has been well documented. Between Michael Beasley, Kevin Love, Eric Gordon, Derrick Rose, Jerryd Bayless, Donte Green, and O.J. Mayo, the class boasts plenty of future lottery picks and likely NBA stars. Even the second-tier of players, guys like Jonny Flynn, Kyle Singler and Nick Calathes, have made major impacts, and will likely be suiting up for NBA squads sometime in the near future.

But there's another group of guys deserving of a little recognition also. Guys who maybe weren't considered "can't miss" prospects are making a huge impact on their teams as well. Here's a list of some players who might have been overlooked on the national stage, but who are making their fans plenty happy.

Robbie Hummel, F Purdue

A multi-talented forward, Hummel has been one of the keys to the Boilermakers surprising run this season. Although not a fantastic athlete, Hummel's combination of size and ball skills make him a tough match-up and his hard-nosed style of play has endeared him to fans. In a big home win over Michigan State, Hummel not only dropped 24 points, but he also provided the highlight of the game with his hustle. Chasing down a missed shot, Hummel managed to save it to a teammate as he was leaping out of bounds. Never once breaking stride, he came back-in bounds, spotted up at the three-point line, received the pass and drilled the shot, setting off the fans. With fellow freshmen E'Twaun Moore and Scott Martin also chipping in, these Boilers are going to be heard from for a long time.

Patrick Mills, G St, Mary

St. Mary's fans were plenty excited for "Patty" to join the team, and he hasn't left them disappointed. Mills, a slight point guard with excellent ball skills, was named Australia's Under-21 Player of the Year prior to this year, and he's quickly shown why. Mills leads the team in scoring at just over 15 points per game, including outbursts of 23 against Gonzaga and 37 against Oregon. Even more important, the Gaels are sitting at 23-3, and have found themselves in the Top 25 for most of the season. Mills may not possess Rose's athleticism, or Bayless' scoring ability, but there's little doubt the Gaels are pleased with their freshman point.

A.J. Ogilvy, C Vanderbilt

Like Mills, Vandy fans knew plenty about this recruit heading into the season, even if most of the basketball world didn’t. Ogilvy, a smooth center with a polished post game, has turned in a fantastic freshman campaign, averaging just over 17 points per game while helping Vandy to 23-4 record. Like fellow Aussie and former National Player of the Year Andrew Bogut, Ogilvy has tremendous body control under the basket, and his ball skills make him a tough match-up for most other bigs. Although not a fantastic athlete, he is a smart player who typically plays with the poise of an upperclassman…no surprise considering his performance at the Under-19 FIBA World Championships last summer, where he posted six double-doubles in nine games. Ogilvy’s size and talent have him fairly high on the NBA radar, but Vandy fans are hoping they can enjoy him a little longer.

Austin Daye, F Gonzaga

Gonzaga has always attracted elite talent who may have slipped just below the radar, and Daye is the perfect example of that. The son of former NBA player Darren Daye, Austin boasts a game similar to last year’s Player of the Year Kevin Durant, yet was lightly recruited compared to the Beasleys and Mayos. A lithe 6’10” forward, Daye has range that extends to the three-point line, and he also has the ability to put the ball on the floor and attack the basket. His averages of 11 points and just under five rebounds on a balanced squad don’t do justice to his overall talent. Like many freshman, Daye has had his ups and downs as he adjusts the speed of the college game, but there’s no doubt he’s a special player. His small frame may be a hindrance at the next level, but for now, he’s got the makings of a future college star.

Chris Warren, G Mississippi

Another point guard who took a backseat to Rose and Bayless, Warren has been the catalyst for a surprising Ole Miss squad that zoomed to 13 straight victories to open the season. Lightly recruited largely because of his size (5’10”), Warren has more than held his own against bigger guards all season, posting averages of 15 points and nearly five assists per game. Included among those averages are a 24-point effort against Tennessee, 26 points against Arkansas, and a 20-point showing in a big win over Vandy. With the secret out, Warren will no longer sneak up on anybody, but with his talent, he may not have to.

Left Coast Report: Year of the Fat Boy

Jacob White — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 19:57:14 -0800

The Chinese New Year, the year of the rat (perhaps a good omen for Coach K), is upon us. However, on the west coast it is the year of a plumper, more rotund, creature – the fat boy. Armed with his sweaty back, gut swinging low-post drop step and point-blank lay-ins, the fat boy is all the rage in the Pac-10 and WCC.

Bryant “Big Country” Reeves, Robert “Tractor” Traylor, and most recently Glen “Big Baby” Davis, college basketball has always loved its overweight stars. Yes, big guys are great for giving nicknames (always demonstrating the lameness of nicknaming a wing or guard), but a large part of the fascination with these glandular giants is tied to our ability to relate to them.

Like a fat kid looking at Levi’s in the husky section, the fat basketball player typically finds himself alone, contemplating his stature, as his teammates fast break down the court. To ignore the taunts of childhood and the ribbing of coaches and teammates, it takes a special type of athlete, with a special type of appetite, to be an overweight superstar.

America is full of fat people, but very few of them are able to compete as top tier athletes. It is in the familiar American stature of these players that fans more easily see themselves. While the lightening quick Derrick Rose may amaze us, we can’t relate to him. And while we have next to nothing in common with a 6’8” 300 pound giant, we are able to see humanity through his gut. Sitting on our couch, or squeezing into a seat at a game, we can look to the court and see a bit of ourselves out there competing.

In the WCC the two most dominate big men are “Big” John Bryant and Omar Samhan. Bryant looks like Thurman Murman in “Bad Santa” and Samhan not only looks like the jerk kid in “Mean Creek” but has the attitude to match. NBA scouts may gossip like teenage girls over the build, athleticism and length of big men like Josh Heytvelt and Diamon Simpson but college fans should cherish the four years they get to watch their obese brethren out-work, out-hustle, and out-produce these future NBA players.

At 6’10” and 305 pounds Bryant, a junior at Santa Clara, averages a double-double in league play. He leads the league in rebounds, field goal percentage, blocks and is second in points per game.

Meanwhile, Samhan, a sophomore at Saint Mary’s, is listed at 6’11” and 265 pounds and appears to wear about a C-cup. He averages almost 13 points and eight rebounds a game, while also providing attitude and swagger to a team attempting to trump Gonzaga as the top team in the WCC. Both Samhan and Bryant have lost weight this season. But like a fat kid at a public swimming pool, both still wear undershirts to hide their physique.

It is in their self-consciousness that I find myself relating to, feeling sorry for, and eventually rooting for these young men. Even as Samhan flipped off the crowd at Gonzaga last year, I found myself smiling. It was a victory for fat kids, for the American everyman. Samhan’s gesture was immature, crass, and bush-league, but I couldn’t blame him for it. I was jealous that my favorite team, the Zags, could not summon the same anger. But how could they? How could a group of well-recruited, chiseled athletes summon the aggression of a fat kid? They couldn’t.

In the Pac-10 Kevin Love, Aaron Baynes, and John Brockman, while less fat than their WCC counterparts, are nonetheless cut from a mold that makes them questionable at the next level. Baynes looks as if he appeared from Dwight Shrute’s beet farm; Brockman while not fat, is built more like a defensive lineman than a future NBA star; and Love may be a lottery pick, but his weight will likely be mentioned as often as his outlet passing ability come draft night.

Love and Brockman may be the two most valuable players in the Pac-10. Baynes, while much less productive than Love and Brockman, has nonetheless surprised many in the Pac-10 with his solid play for the Washington State Cougars. Baynes looks like the portly part of a comedic duo next to his awkwardly skinny four man, Robbie Cowgill.

The fat boy is not only thrashing its way through the West, crushing pretty skinny people like the monster in “Cloverfield,” but is emerging as a force in the NBA too. Glen “Big Baby” Davis slipped in the draft due to his weight “problem” but is quickly becoming a huge contributor for the first place Boston Celtics. Meanwhile, a bigger, older, fatter man has once again dominated headlines by being traded from the worst team in the East to the best team in the West. The sports world will be following Shaq as he attempts to silence his skinny loving critics one more time and win his fifth championship ring with a third team.

I implore college basketball fat boys to not succumb to the school yard taunts of fans, teammates, and coaches. Instead, feed your hungry guts, and continue to reign like well-fed kings over the west coast, swallowing up rebounds, taking high percentage shots, and strolling up the court as your teammates waste their energy on the fast break.

Daily Dribble: Tuesday Report Card

Shawn Siegel — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 07:35:16 -0800

The Report Card

A new series, the Daily Report Card tells you all you need to know about the day in college hoops. From good to bad and bad to worse, I'll be laying down the law.

A - Bob Knight

I'm usually pretty harsh towards Knight.. I came along when his greatest glory was behind him, and basically see him as a caricature of himself. Now that he's leaving, he gets an A though for winning 902 games, which is just a ridiculous number.

B - Todd Golden

The Saint Mary's senior made all six of the threes he attempted in a huge OT win over conference-rival Gonzaga. He finished with 19 points, almost 50% better than his previous high of 11. What I like most about Golden though is that his shot is pretty ugly.. basically a lefty heave from his hip. That gives me hope that I can improve my shooting as well.

C - Villanova

It's amazing how fast their season has collapsed. Once a potential tourney team at 13-3.. the Wildcats are now reeling after their latest debacle against streaking Saint Joseph's. They've lost 5 straight games, and each one was by 10 points or more. 13-8 is not going to get it done, especially with a poor 3-6 Big East record. Making things worse, with the exception of a late home game against South Florida, there are no gimmees left on the schedule. Even the NIT seems like wishful thinking at this point..

D - Lighting at Saint Mary's

Did anyone watching SMC vs Gonzaga notice how dark the court/screen looked? Did some of the lights not work?

F - Josh Heytvelt

You can make lots of excuses for Heytvelt's lack of contribution in recent weeks.. suspensions, injuries, etc.. but the simple fact of the matter is that he's playing his way down the NBA Draft board, and at times out of Gonzaga's rotation. Last night's line against SMC was a new low, as he finished with 2 points on 1-4 shooting in 19 minutes. Worse than the numbers was how Mark Few was basically trying his hardest not to play Heytvelt down the stretch, preferring both of Kuso and Pendergraft before they fouled out. Even worse than that, he guy just doesn't look right.. his face is gaunt, and his body lacks strength and bulk.

Previous Best / Worst

February 4th - New York Giants / Washington State

February 1st - Nevada / Penn

January 31st - Kansas State / St. John's

January 29th - Winthrop / Dyson & Wiggins

January 28th - Rutgers / Doris Burke

January 25th - Ron Hunter / Princeton Offense

January 23rd - Kentucky / Archbishop Burke

January 22nd - DJ Augustin / Scott Sutton

January 21st - New York Giants / Marquette

January 20th - Maryland / ESPN.com editors

January 18th - Cleveland State / Marquette

January 17th - Drake / HP Laptops

January 14th - Roy Hibbert / Michigan State

January 10th - Tony Bennett / Saint Louis

January 9th - DJ White / CSTV

January 8th - Robert Morris / Schedule Makers

January 7th - Wayne Ellington / Illinois

January 6th - Herb Sendek / Kentucky

Three Stars of the Day: Golden, Yates, Graham

Shawn Siegel — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 06:18:19 -0800

Three Stars of The Day

We handpick the best performances of the day, whether it be stat lines that make you drool, or clutch performances. Either way, its our way of showing the love:

Todd Golden - Saint Mary's

The senior sharpshooter was 6 for 6 for three, and the Gaels needed everyone of them to put away Gonzaga in OT

Desmond Yates - MTSU

Played all 45 minutes in an OT win over Arkansas State, and hit a pristine 12 of 14 from the floor for 28 points

Louis Graham - Georgia Southern

The Eagles leading scorer continued his great play of late with 25 points in a close win over SoCo rival UNCG

Other Top Performers

John Bryant - Santa Clara - Controlled the paint with 15 points, 13 boards and 5 blocks in a victory over Portland

Rob Ferguson - Saint Joseph's - Hit five threes, and finished with 20 points, in the Hawks blow out win over Villanova

Jeremy Pargo - Gonzaga - Had they won, Pargo would be #1 on the night, as he had an impressive 27 point, 9 assist effort

Previous Stars of the Day

February 3rd - Tyler Hansbrough, UNC

January 30th - Chase Budinger, Arizona

January 29th - Beasley/Walker, Kansas State

January 28th - Chris Godzinski, Wofford

January 27th - DeMarcus Nelson, Duke

January 26th - Hackett/Lewis/Mayo, USC

January 24th - Jerryd Bayless, Arizona

January 22nd - Patrick Patterson, Kentucky

January 21st - DJ Augustin, Texas

January 20th - Dezmon Harris, Weber State

January 19th - James Gist, Maryland

January 18th - Abbott/Harden, Arizona State

January 17th - Dionte Christmas, Temple

January 14th - Roy Hibbert, Georgetown

January 11th - Lester Hudson, Tennessee-Martin

January 9th - DJ White, Indiana

January 8th - Lester Hudson, Tennessee-Martin

January 7th - Wayne Ellington, UNC

January 6th - Shan Foster, Vanderbilt

January 5th - Damon Huffman, Brown

January 4th - Luke Harangody, Notre Dame

January 3rd - Damon Huffman, Brown

January 2nd - Martin Zeno, Texas Tech

November/December Star of the Day Archive

Games of the Night: Gonzaga at Saint Mary's

Shawn Siegel — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 07:20:56 -0800

Games of the Night

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

Gonzaga (17-5) at #18 Saint Mary's (18-3)

9:00 PM ESPN2

Gonzaga has obviously owned the WCC in recent years, so its nice to see some competition in the form of upstart Saint Mary's. Freshman PG Patrick Mills has put an already emerging team over the top. With that said, after SMC's loss at San Diego last week.. it is the Bulldogs who still sit atop the conference standings. Still, Gonzaga is coming off a bad effort against Santa Clara where they were pressured into 20 turnovers and barely managed to play any defense. You figure if they can barely beat Santa Clara on the road, then they have little shot at SMC.. but I'm going with the old stalwarts.

Prediction: Gonzaga

Villanova (13-7) at Saint Joseph's (14-5)

8:00 PM

A couple weeks ago, Villanova seemed like an NCAA Tournament lock and St. Joe's just an afterthought in the A10 race. But fortunes change quickly as Nova has lost 4 straight, while the Hawks have won 5 in a row to move into a first place tie in the A10. Nova's problem is that it's basically a two-man team on offense, and sometimes a one-man team if Corey Fisher is off. Scottie Reynolds is good.. but even D-Wade can't carry a team by himself. Not having Shane Clark at 100% doesn't help either. Almost all the computer rankings favor St. Joseph's, as do the bettors, so I'll also go with the home team who needs a win to improve their at-large chances.. but I like Nova against the spread.

Prediction: Saint Joseph's

Louisville (16-6) at #16 Marquette (16-4)

7:00 PM

Unlike the above game, which has major NCAA Tournament implications, this game (though good), means little. Both teams will make the NCAA Tournament, and I don't see either winning the Big East. Marquette got destroyed the last two times these teams met, as they shot 30% from the field, missed all 12 threes, and got outrebounded. This time though, they meet in Milwaukee where the Golden Eagles are a perfect 12-0. Dominic James tweeked his wrist in that game, and hasn't been the same player since.. barely able to get the ball in the hoop. Like the above game, I'll pick the home team here.. but the 4-point road underdog looks good.

Prediction: Marquette

Previous Game of the Night (Predictions)

January 30th - Indiana at Wisconsin (1-2)

January 29th - VCU at George Mason (2-1)

January 28th - Louisville at UCONN (1-2)

January 27th - Duke at Maryland (2-1)

January 26th - Georgetown at West Virginia (3-0)

January 24rd - Dayton at Xavier (2-1)

January 22nd - Akron at Kent State (2-1)

January 21st - Drake at Creighton (1-2)

January 20th - Texas at Oklahoma State (3-0)

January 19th - Marquette at UCONN (2-1)

January 18th - Illinois State at Drake (2-1)

January 17th - Vanderbilt at Tennessee (2-1)

January 14th - Georgetown at Pittsburgh (2-1)

January 12th - Stanford at Oregon (3-0)

January 9th - Rhode Island at Dayton (2-1)

January 8th - Florida at Alabama (2-1)

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)

Poll: Who Will Win the WCC, Gonzaga or Saint Mary's?

Shawn Siegel — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 06:42:05 -0800

Daily Dribble: Tuesday Report Card

Shawn Siegel — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 12:20:40 -0800

The Report Card

A new series, the Daily Report Card tells you all you need to know about the day in college hoops. From good to bad and bad to worse, I'll be laying down the law.

A - DJ Augustin

Texas hasn't been playing their best ball of late, and if it wasn't for Augustin, they'd be on a 3-game losing streak. AJ Abrams has been throwing up bricks recently, but Augustin continues to come up clutch on the offensive end. He scored 26 last night, getting to the hole with ease, and occasionally knocking down a long-range bomb.

B - Saint Mary's

The Gaels continue to win games and are hanging around the periphery of the Top 25. They don't face Gonzaga for another couple weeks, so there's a good chance the wins will keep on coming. With that said, their three WCC wins have come at home, and trips to San Francisco are no walkovers. Unfortunately for SMC, one loss in these games will knock them out of the polls.

C - Davidson

The Wildcats are quietly 9-0 in Southern Conference play. Stephen Curry's scoring in bunches, Jason Richards is doing his thing handling the ball.. and another tournament bid is in sight. However, they still failed to win a decent non-conference game this year, so they won't rise above a C grade unless they beat someone good in postseason play.

D - Me

I'll give myself a low grade for not having much time to write today, and getting a shortened report card up late in the afternoon.

F - Scott Sutton

I'm not giving this grade because of his coaching. The Cowboys gave a good effort against Texas last night, and the program has a decent future. I give Sutton an F because he scares the hell out of me.. and I find him hard to look at. Every time you look over on the sideline, Sutton looks like he's on the verge of either a) a nervous breakdown or b) death.