Arizona St

Jon Teitel's "Duel in the Desert" Thoughts

Jon Teitel — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 11:55:47 -0800

This was the 221st meeting of the in-state rivals. Even though both schools were on winter break there was a sellout crowd of 14,499 at the McKale Center that was 99% red and blue and had only a few specks of maroon and gold.

ASU is one of nine teams in the country this year that does not have a single senior on its roster, but they have remained competitive with nine of their first 12 games decided by six points or less. The two head coaches are very familiar with each other, as Sean Miller spent several years as assistant to Herb Sendek at Miami (OH) and NC State.

Both teams came out cold by shooting a combined 6-25 FG in the first eight minutes, and only one of them was able to turn it around. ASU's leading rebounder Kyle Cain picked up two fouls in the first two minutes, fouling out with 11 minutes left in the second half with no points or rebounds in only 12 minutes of on-court action.

The Sun Devils committed 13 turnovers in the first 17 minutes, as two of their top three scorers (Carrick Felix and Trent Lockett) combined for six points and six turnovers in 33 first half minutes. The lone bright spot in the 1st half was Keala King, who shot 4-6 FG and was very athletic on both ends of the court, yet he did not attempt a single shot in the second half and finished with eight points.

The play of the game came in the first half on an alley-oop from the Wildcats' Josiah Turner to Nick Johnson that caused the crowd to go nuts about the two freshmen. Turner looked sensational at time with five steals in 21 minutes off the bench, but he made a couple of horrible passes in the second half that showed he is still in need of some on-court maturity.

Two of his older teammates led the way for UofA, as senior forward Jesse Perry had a game-high 16 points (7-7 FT) and junior forward Solomon Hill (at the time the reigning Pac-12 Player of the Week) had a double-double with 11 points and a game-high ten rebounds.

The three-point line was the deciding factor, as ASU made only one of its first nine attempts from behind the arc during the first 30 minutes of the game, while UofA's five starters shot 8-for-17 in a 68-51 win for the home team. The loss dropped the Devils to 4-9 on the season (their worst start in 25 years), while the Wildcats' 10-4 record put them in good shape to get back to the NCAA Tournament.

A few days later ASU suspended three players (including starters King and Cain; King has since been dismissed from the team), yet somehow eked out a nine-point road win at USC despite only having seven players get into the game. UofA took its momentum to Anaheim and promptly lost both it and the game after shooting 3-for-17 from long range in a seven-point loss to UCLA.

Thursday Recap: Can Pittsburgh or Villanova Turn Things Around?

Raphielle Johnson — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 22:35:10 -0800

To understand the funk that Pittsburgh and Villanova are currently mired in, it may take this fact about the two teams they lost to on Thursday night. This is the first time as members of the Big East (since 2005-06 for both) that DePaul and USF have won conference games on the same night. Yes, allowing that to sink in underlines the gravity of the situation for both the Panthers and Wildcats, as both teams are in need of some answers at this point in time.

Pittsburgh, once again playing without point guard Tray Woodall, had their biggest issues show up on the defensive end in their 84-81 loss to the Blue Demons. DePaul scored 53 points and shot 59.4% from the floor in the second half to make their comeback, and point guard Brandon Young was near unstoppable with 26 points, six assists, five steals and four rebounds with just one turnover. Pittsburgh held a 50-32 edge on the boards, but when a team makes 10 of 22 from beyond the arc as DePaul did, winning on the road becomes that much tougher.

Even with all five starters scoring in double figures (Talib Zanna led the way with 16), the Panthers were in trouble for much of the night due to the issues defensively to go along with some bad decisions late. Ashton Gibbs' decision to give the foul on Young as the sophomore was attempting what would be the game-winning layup with 17.2 seconds remaining may be the most glaring mistake, but there were issues in terms of shot selection and some costly turnovers as well.

As for Villanova the situation may be even worse, as Jay Wright's team is extremely young in key areas. And youth doesn't always have to be measured by years; lack of familiarity with a new role can be just as damning for a team and that could be the case for Maalik Wayns and Dominic Cheek.

Cheek now has to be a feature option for the Wildcats offensively, and while he had a key role last season Wayns is being entrusted with the task of running the show without a Corey Fisher alongside him. Other than these two and Mouphtaou Yarou, Villanova is relying a lot on their youngsters, and the 74-57 loss to USF further exposed the fact that they're not ready for the Big East yet.

While Villanova was expected to be a bubble team this season, the expectations were much higher for Pittsburgh. If anything the impact of the loss of players such as Fisher and Corey Stokes (Villanova), and Brad Wanamaker, Gary McGhee and Gilbert Brown (Pittsburgh) was underestimated by those outside of the respective programs.

While many are quick to point out the fact that leagues can eat their young in conference play, it can also expose older players as well. There's still time for both teams to turn things around, but Pittsburgh and Villanova both understand that they need to do so quickly.

Other Notable Happenings

1. Indiana hangs on to beat Michigan and remain undefeated at home.
The battle between the Hoosiers and Wolverines lived up to the pregame expectations, but at the end of the contest Indiana's starting frontcourt and Victor Oladipo's defense made the difference in the 73-71 win. Christian Watford was a matchup nightmare for Michigan, scoring 25 points to go along with seven rebounds and four assists, and Cody Zeller added 18, four rebounds and two blocks. By comparison, the Michigan starting frontcourt of Jordan Morgan (12 points, nine rebounds) and Evan Smotrycz (eight points) was solid but didn't have a similar impact.

As a team the Hoosiers shot 55.1% from the field and finished with an effective field goal percentage of 62.2%, well above what Michigan allowed entering the game (47.1%). Another area in which Indiana held their own was three-point shooting. Michigan did make ten, with Stu Douglass making three, but they needed twenty-four attempts to do so while Indiana made seven of their eleven attempts.

But back to Oladipo, who was given the responsibility of defending Tim Hardaway Jr. for much of the night. Hardaway Jr. led Michigan with 19 points, but he needed 19 shot attempts to do so (0-for-7 3PT). Oladipo didn't shoot well himself (2-for-10, five points) but that didn't stop him from taking care of business on the other end. There's also the matter of what Indiana's backcourt was able to do with Michigan freshman Trey Burke, who scored ten points on 4-for-15 shooting. Indiana's offense will get the headlines in many circles, but don't ignore their effort defensively.

2. Good luck making any sense of the Pac-12 this season.
Two happenings on Thursday sum up the conference: Utah won, and so did Arizona State with just six scholarship players after having to suspend three. Yeah, it's going to be a wacky year in the Pac-12, and that's not a good thing for a league that put together a 1-24 record against RPI Top 50 teams in non-conference play. My question on Twitter was a simple one, but one without a clear answer at this point in time. With so many meager non-conference resumes it may take at least 12 league wins to be a seriously discussed at-large candidate, but who can accomplish that in this conference?

The quick responses would likely yield Arizona, California and maybe Washington, but all three went on the road and lost on Thursday. Stanford? They fell at Oregon, who owns one of the two wins for road teams in the first week-plus of conference play (at Washington State last week). Oregon State, who went 0-2 against the Washington schools last week, could also be an option given their talent. But the fact that there are so many question marks is a bad thing for the Pac-12 in terms of their prospects come Selection Sunday.

Just one team remains undefeated in conference play: Colorado, who whipped the Huskies 87-69 in Boulder. But given the way things have played out thus far, the Buffaloes will likely fall against Washington State. One-bid league? Never thought it would be a serious possibility, but that could very well be the reality if a couple of teams don't rise above the rest of the conference.

3. Penn State hands Purdue a 20-point loss for their first Big Ten win of the season.
Patrick Chambers' Nittany Lions have taken their lumps, which was expected to happen given the major personnel losses from last season's NCAA Tournament team. But they gave a serious lump to Purdue on Thursday night, leading from start to finish in a 65-45 romp in Happy Valley. As a team the Boilermakers shot just 31.9% for the game, and outside of Robbie Hummel (14 points, five rebounds) Purdue starters shot 5-for-22 on the night. Tim Frazier played well for Penn State, finishing with 15 points, nine assists and five rebounds, but he wasn't the star as Billy Oliver knocked down seven of eleven three-pointers to score a game-high 21 points.

The 6'8" forward shoots 37% from beyond the arc, but this was quite the explosion for a player who had made three or more from deep in just three games this season. Purdue entered the contest with every opportunity to take care of business as a team hoping to contend for a conference title would, and they came out flat. Sometimes it takes getting drilled to remember that you can't get away with such starts.

Quick Hitters

1. No sequence summed up the night better than Louisiana-Lafayette playing the final seconds of overtime against Western Kentucky with six players on the floor. Yes, six. After nearly turning the ball over Elfrid Payton scored a layup that gave the Ragin' Cajuns a 72-70 win. According to the rules there was no way for the officials, who missed the error coming out of the timeout, to review the play and assess a technical foul (which should have been the call to begin with). There's also no way for the Sun Belt to go back and replay the final seconds, meaning that the Hilltoppers are out of luck.

2. Also in the Sun Belt, keep an eye on North Texas especially with Tony Mitchell now in the fold. Mitchell led the Mean Green to a 78-73 overtime win at South Alabama with 34 points and 16 rebounds, and if this is a harbinger of things to come this is a team that can contend to win the conference.

3. Manhattan was just seconds away from their third MAAC win, but a Dylon Cormier three from the corner gave Loyola (MD) the 61-60 win in Baltimore. Cormier was one of three Greyhounds to score 11 points while Erik Etherly added eight points, seven assists and six rebounds. George Beamon led the Jaspers with 18 points, six rebounds and four blocked shots.

4. Glen Braica's St. Francis (NY) Terriers moved to 2-1 in NEC play, beating Quinnipiac 73-72 in Brooklyn. The Terriers, who were led by Stefan Perunicic (21 points), likely won't be a contender for the league title but games like this make the difference between hosting and going on the road in the quarterfinals of the NEC Tournament. Good win for the Terriers.

5. Congratulations are in order for the Hartford Hawks, who picked up their first win of the season. Andres Torres scored 27 points and grabbed six rebounds as the Hawks beat New Hampshire 56-49 in West Hartford.

6. Wofford may not be one of the teams discussed as a contender in the SoCon, but the defending champs aren't in the business of conceding anything. Karl Cochran led four starters in double figures with 21 points as the Terriers beat College of Charleston 75-58 to move to 2-1 in league play. The Cougars made just 34.4% of their two-point shots on the night as Wofford did a good job of limiting their quality looks.

7. In the Big West, UCSB sent a message to Cal-State Fullerton in the form of a 77-64 win in their first home game since November 30th. Orlando Johnson scored 23 points and James Nunnally 18 as the Gauchos remained undefeated in league play while handing the Titans their first Big West loss. Fullerton will still be a factor in the race, but until further notice it's safe to say that UCSB and Long Beach State are the best bets to win the league.

Three Notable Performances

1. F Tony Mitchell (North Texas)
34 points and 16 rebounds in the Mean Green's 78-73 overtime win at South Alabama.

2. F Jamal Olasewere (Long Island)
29 points and 12 rebounds in the Blackbirds' 87-81 win at Sacred Heart.

3. F Rob Jones (Saint Mary's)
31 points, 12 rebounds and three steals in the Gaels' 78-72 win at San Diego.

Wednesday Recap: Tar Heels Too Potent for Texas

Raphielle Johnson — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 23:13:16 -0800

In each of North Carolina's last two games sophomore forward Harrison Barnes shot 4-for-12 from the field and scored nine points. Some may have been concerned given the fact that those performances came against Appalachian State and Nicholls State, ignoring the fact that the Tar Heels still managed to win both games by comfortable margins. Barnes is fine, as he showed in North Carolina's 82-63 win over Texas by scoring a season-high 26 points and grabbing ten rebounds in just 25 minutes of action. With an offensive rating for the night of 177.5 it's probably fair to say that this was his most efficient performance of the season to date, with the visiting Longhorns not having much of an answer for either Barnes of his teammates.

"Everyone only looks at the points, but I look at what we're doing defensively, and I really thought he was more active tonight," said North Carolina head coach Roy Williams of Barnes' performance. "If he's attacking the basket, I like that. I also like when he shoots the three-point shot. He's got a wide variety of options, and hopefully we moving forward where we can use all of them."

One of the big concerns for Rick Barnes' team was the play of their big men, as Texas doesn't have a talent the caliber of either Gary Johnson or Tristan Thompson on this year's roster. Sure enough they were handled on the glass, as North Carolina grabbed 22 offensive boards and out-rebounded texas 49-34. John Henson scored 14 points and grabbed eight rebounds while Tyler Zeller finished with eight points and 11 rebounds as UNC outscored Texas 42-26 in the paint. J'Covan Brown and Jonathan Holmes scored 16 apiece but when the other three starters combine to score just one point it doesn't matter much if they get 16 from someone off the bench like they did from Sheldon McClellan on Wednesday.

"We have got to get somebody that is going to run our team and run our offense," said Barnes. "We are starting three guards, so it's not like it should be a problem, but we are not playing with a purpose on the offensive end. We've got a long ways to go, but we've enough guys that want to do this thing and we'll get it fixed."

In the matchup of stellar point guards Kendall Marshall was far more effective than Myck Kabongo, racking up nine assist to just two turnovers while the freshman played just 15 minutes and turned the ball over four times (one assist). Texas, due to their lack of star power, has to have a group effort every night out especially when it comes to hitting the boards. They didn't get that, or North Carolina didn't allow them to do so, and the Longhorns paid for it dearly. With the number of weapons that North Carolina has, a fight that could be a bit more equitable in a couple of months didn't play out that way in Chapel Hill.

Other Notable Happenings

1. Seton Hall wins at Dayton to move to 10-1 thanks in part to Patrik Auda.
In previous seasons senior power forward Herb Pope picking up his fourth foul would be the beginning of the end for the Seton Hall Pirates. But in a sign of just how much things have changed in South Orange that was not to be, much to the detriment of the Dayton Flyers. The big reason why: Patrik Auda, who scored 16 of his 18 points in the second half to help lead the Pirates to the 69-64 victory in their first road game of the season. The sophomore from the Czech Republic also blocked three shots on the night, and the Flyers really didn't have an answer for him defensively.

Pope finished with 14 points, nine rebounds and five assists in 29 minutes before fouling out late while Jordan Theodore (14 points, eight assists) and Aaron Cosby (13 points) also reached double figures. Seton Hall shot 54% from the field and 50% from beyond the arc on the night as well as assisting on 19 of their 27 made baskets. Dayton hung tough due in part to their eight-point edge at the foul line but it wasn't enough to keep The Hall from moving to 10-1 on the season. With Big East play beginning next week there's reason for optimism with regards to Kevin Willard's program, and they're talented enough to make a run at an NCAA Tournament berth.

2. Ole Miss falls to Middle Tennessee but the bigger deal is Murphy Holloway's ankle.
Kermit Davis' Blue Raiders were expected by many to beat Ole Miss and move to 11-2 on the season, and that they did by the final score of 68-56. Middle Tennessee outscored Ole Miss 42-29 in the second half with Raymond Cintron knocking down some huge three-pointers in scoring a team-high 18 points. But the game turned for the Rebels with 10:09 remaining, when leading scorer Murphy Holloway went down with a left ankle injury.

At that point the game was tied at 42, but Ole Miss would not score another field goal until Terrance Henry's jumper with 3:36 remaining made the score 60-50 in favor of Middle Tennessee. Freshman Jelan Kendrick is still working his way into the flow of things, and despite his talents it's clear that the Rebels need Holloway on the floor in order to be effective offensively. Holloway will undergo x-rays on Thursday, and if he's out for an extended amount of time the Rebels will be in some trouble.

3. Alabama finally gets some shots to fall as they jumped Oklahoma State early.
As ESPN color commentator Fran Fraschilla pointed out early in the Crimson Tide's 69-52 win over Oklahoma State it's not that Alabama can't shoot that's the issue. The shots simply weren't falling for Anthony Grant's team, and that changed in a hurry as the Tide raced out to a 19-4 lead with 14:26 remaining in the first half. Alabama shot 57% from the field in the first half on their way to a 40-22 halftime lead, and Trevor Releford led three starters in double figures with 19 points as the Tide played well without the injured JaMychal Green (shoulder). Freshman Trevor Lacey started in Green's place and took full advantage, scoring 12 points and grabbing four rebounds in 32 minutes of action. Green's expected back in the near future, and with he and Tony Mitchell up front the Tide need their guards to shoot the ball well in order to reach their full potential. Safe to say that 7-for-15 from deep is a nice step in that direction.

Quick Hitters

1. If one were to make a list of schizophrenic college basketball teams this season Loyola Marymount would without a doubt be on that list. The Lions' achievement on Wednesday: a 69-45 loss at Morgan State with the Bears picking up their second victory of the season. LMU may pull an upset or two in WCC play, but their inconsistency may doom them to the bottom half of the standings.

2. Duquesne picked up a good win as they ended George Mason's 18-game home win streak by the final score of 75-64. Sean Johnson scored 15 points while T.J. McConnell and Eric Evans scored 12 apiece. McConnell's playmaking ability helped keep the Patriots at bay as they looked to come back in the second half.

3. Despite leading by 12 points at one point in the second half Arizona State dropped to 2-6 at home, losing 68-65 to Fresno State. Kevin Olekaibe's three-pointer with 29.9 seconds remaining gave the Bulldogs the lead for good, negating a 22-point outing from Keala King.

4. Freshman Amir Garrett made his debut for St. John's, scoring three points and grabbing two rebounds in 15 minutes of action. The Red Storm had a serious fight on their hands against UT-Pan American but they did enough late to escape with the 66-61 victory. D'Angelo Harrison and God'sgift Achiuwa combined to score 43 of their 66 points.

5. Something to take out of Penn State's 74-67 win over Cornell is the play of Jermaine Marshall, who scored 12 points to go along with four rebounds, three blocks, two assists and two steals. Patrick Chambers needs someone to be a consistent sidekick for Tim Frazier, and hopefully Marshall took a step in that direction.

6. Houston Baptist picked up a good win as they beat Santa Clara 72-71 in Houston. Tyler Russell scored 19 points and Art Bernardi added 16 for the Huskies, who watched Evan Roquemore miss a pair of free throws with 1.9 seconds remaining to remain ahead.

7. No undefeated teams lost on Wednesday but unfortunately for Hartford no winless teams got off the schneid either. The Hawks dropped an 89-86 double overtime result at Marist despite 23 points and eight rebounds from Nate Sikma. Isaiah Morton led the Red Foxes with 23 points while Chavaughn Lewis added 16, seven rebounds and three steals off the bench.

Three Notable Performances

1. F Mike Scott (Virginia)
33 points, 14 rebounds and two assists in Virginia's 83-77 win at Seattle.

2. F Wendell McKines (New Mexico State)
23 points and 17 rebounds in the Aggies' 82-62 win over McNeese State.

3. G Rayvonte Rice (Drake)
29 points (12-18 FG), five rebounds, four assists and two blocks in the Bulldogs' 87-64 win over Central Arkansas.

Saturday Recap: Balanced Louisville Too Much for Memphis

Raphielle Johnson — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 00:59:32 -0800

The first meeting between Memphis and Louisville since the 2005 Conference USA title game certainly did not disappoint from a drama standpoint, with both teams landing major blows throughout the contest. But despite a combined 74 first-half points the play was ragged for much of the contest, with the Cardinals taking a 42-32 lead into the break thanks to the Tigers shooting 29% from the field and turning the ball over ten times. But led by Will Barton (28 points, 16 rebounds) Josh Pastner's team refused to fold, fighting back to take a 57-55 lead with 11 minutes remaining.

But Memphis' many defensive breakdowns proved costly in the long run, as Louisville scored 53 second-half points on their way to the 95-87 win. Russ Smith made the most of his 25 minutes of action with 24 points and seven steals, and all seven Louisville players to see double-digit minutes reached double figures in the scoring column. Louisville didn't shoot well from the field (40%) or from three (30.4%) but they did attempt 40 free throws, making 32 of those. The Cardinals were also good at setting each other up, assisting on 60.7% of their made baskets while Memphis assisted on just 42.3% of theirs.

"I thought most of the time we were playing great defense," said Louisville head coach Rick Pitino. "They were trying to penetrate and we were forced to help, and then the guy who had to help then circled for a 3. They had a good strategy and they are a very tough team to play against."

Another player whose contributions cannot be ignored is center Gorgui Dieng, who was outstanding with 14 points, 14 rebounds and six blocked shots in 40 minutes of action. Dieng's game has grown a great deal since his arrival on campus, and at this rate he may end up being one of the top centers in the Big East if he isn't in that class already. To get this kind of play from guys such as Dieng and Smith right now is a huge boost for Louisville, which welcomed Kevin Ware (only six minutes due in large part to Memphis going to a zone defense) and will hopefully regain the services of the injured Wayne Blackshear at some point in Big East play.

"Memphis surprised me by going zone because they haven't shown it. He's going to be fine," said Pitino of Ware. "He is a terrific athlete, good off the bounce, and much more a point guard than I anticipated. We are very excited to have him. Next game, he will be able to play a little bit more."

Memphis drops to 5-4 on the season but with the schedule they've played to date the Tigers are likely the most-tested team in the country. Barton in recent games has looked like a player who has figured things out and with his talent the sky's the limit, and Joe Jackson added 22 points. But Memphis has to tighten things up on the defensive end of the floor, as there were far too many breakdowns that led to either baskets or fouls. And turning the ball over on 20% of their possessions didn't help matters either. Louisville is still figuring things out as well, and as they welcome back key contributors and fine-tune things the Cardinals will begin to look even more like a national title contender than they do now.

Other Notable Happenings

1.Baylor survives two scares in beating BYU in Provo.
There was no doubt among those who follow college basketball that Scott Drew's team would have a hard time at the Marriott Center, one of the toughest environments in America for visiting teams. #6 Baylor was playing their first true road game of the season, and despite their talent there was an adjustment to be made. But thanks in large part to sophomore forward Perry Jones III and guard Pierre Jackson the Bears hung on for the 86-83 win. Jones put together an impressive stat line, finishing with 28 points, eight rebounds, four assists and three steals while also scaring both himself and the team with a knee injury in the second half. Luckily for both "PJ3" and the Bears it was simply a matter of banging knees with a BYU player and he was able to return.

Where did Jackson come into play? The JUCO transfer scored 13 points and dished out seven assists (five turnovers), and his block of Brandon Davies' (18 points, 13 rebounds) attempt to tie the game preserved the victory. Brady Heslip's marksmanship from beyond the arc was another key factor for Baylor, allowing them to withstand a very good effort from the Cougars. Matt Carlino scored 18 points off the bench in his first action in a BYU uniform, and it's difficult to see the UCLA transfer not starting when the Cougars take the court again. Baylor's win on the road is one more step in the right direction for a team that's looking more and more like a national title contender by the game.

2. Ohio State wins despite losing Jared Sullinger to a foot injury.
Sophomore forward Jared Sullinger moved back into the starting lineup for Saturday's game at South Carolina after coming off the bench in their win over USC Upstate earlier in the week. But the All-American wasn't on the floor for long in the Buckeyes' 74-66 win over the Gamecocks as his left foot was stepped on after just six minutes of action. X-rays came up negative for Sullinger, with the diagnosis being a bone bruise. To say the least Ohio State dodged a bullet with his injury, but they also had some key figures step up just a week after their loss at Kansas without the big man.

Deshaun Thomas was outstanding, scoring 30 points to go along with six rebounds and three assists. Thomas has made his last 17 two-point field goal attempts, and his emergence as a consistent scoring option will benefit Ohio State with or without Sullinger on the floor. William Buford added 17 points and Aaron Craft was his usual self on the defensive end of the floor. Ohio State basically left Columbia with two blocks on which to build: Sullinger will be fine, and players stepping up in his absence displayed growth from last weekend's loss in Lawrence.

3. Philly guards lead Syracuse to a win at NC State.
With NC State jumping out to a 12-4 lead the usual opinion about #1 Syracuse's non-conference schedule was conveniently brought up by many. Their first true road game, never leaving the state of New York until Big East play...and so it went. But in the midst of some patting themselves on the back they may have forgotten about the amount of talent at Jim Boeheim's disposal. What ensued was a stunning 20-0 Syracuse run, with the Orange playing their best basketball of the season during that stretch. The Wolfpack, much to their credit, would fight back and tie the game in the second half but that would be short-lived.

Guards Dion Waiters (22 points) and Scoop Jardine (16 points, four assists) led the way as the Orange pulled away for an 88-72 victory, and Kris Joseph added 21 points and five rebounds. In addition to Waiters, C.J. Fair and James Southerland scored 11 points apiece as the Orange reserves outscored NC State's bench 46-4 on the night. Feel free to use the convenient reasons to question Syracuse if you wish, but do so at your own peril.

4. Speaking of Philadelphia, Saint Joseph's makes their first home game against Villanova a memorable one.
In the history of the Big 5 Saint Joseph's had never hosted Villanova at Hagan Arena before Saturday night, usually playing their home games at The Palestra. Thanks to the trio of Carl Jones, C.J. Aiken and Langston Galloway the Hawks made the first meeting a memorable one, outclassing the Wildcats 74-58 in a game they led by as many as 20 in the second half. Saint Joseph's shot 50.8% from the field while limiting the visitors to 33.3% shooting, and the second half turned into a dunk contest of sort at one point. Galloway finished with 20 points and six assists while Jones (15 points, four assists) and Aiken (11 points, seven rebounds and four blocks) also played well, and Ronald Roberts added 12 off the bench.

Outside of Maalik Wayns (19 points) Villanova received little of consequence offensively from anyone, and with Mouphtaou Yarou less than 100% they needed a Dominic Cheek (or anyone else) to step up. But the Wildcats looked startled by the environment, and instead of becoming more comfortable with the surroundings the opposite seemed to happen as the game wore on. There are some definite questions for Villanova to answer, especially their lack of three-point shooting, but there's no doubt that Saint Joseph's can be a factor in the Atlantic 10.

5. Florida jumps Texas A&M from the start in what turned out to be a comfortable win.
There were concerns about what Billy Kennedy's team would be able to do in the second game of the Orange Bowl Classic against Florida given their strength of schedule, especially in the backcourt. Well, things got out of hand quickly as Florida jumped out to a 20-5 lead on their way to 50 first-half points and an 84-64 win. Kenny Boynton led four starters in double figures with 22 points (Erik Murphy's validated his return to the starting lineup with 13 points) and the Gators made 23 of 30 free throws to outscore the Aggies by 16 from the charity stripe. This all happened with Florida big man Patric Young taking just two shots on the afternoon.

Foul trouble didn't help the big man but this was a prime opportunity for an opponent to punish Florida for this, but Texas A&M was incapable of doing so. Shooting guard Elston Turner finished with 20 points and forwards Ray Turner (20 points) and Khris Middleton (12 points) were solid as well, but A&M can't entertain realistic thoughts of contending in the Big 12 if they don't get more out the guards not named Turner. Dash Harris, Jamal Branch and Jordan Green combined to shoot just 3-for-9 from the field, and that simply will not get it done.

6. It may be too much to say that Butler saved their season, but that wouldn't be far off.
At the half of Butler's game against Purdue at Conseco Fieldhouse the Bulldogs trailed 46-35, but that margin didn't tell the whole story for Brad Stevens' team. Purdue shot 66.7% on two-point shots and turned the ball over just three times to Butler's nine, underlining the fact that the Bulldogs weren't defending at the level they need to in order to be successful. The choice was simple from an observer's standpoint: either Butler gets better defensively and has a shot at avoiding a seventh loss on the season, or they continue on that path and end up getting run out of the gym.

Butler chose the former, limiting Purdue to 19 points and 6-for-29 from the field in the second half to get back into the game. Andrew Smith's putback with a second remaining proved to be the difference in Butler's 67-65 win, an outcome the Bulldogs desperately needed. Smith and Kameron Woods scored 12 points apiece to lead the way offensively while Chase Stigall knocked down some big shots on his way to 11 points. Save their season? That may be a bit too dramatic but if Butler makes a run their win over Purdue will likely be seen as the catalyst.

Quick Hitters

1. The Elias Harris that many expect to see every game for Gonzaga showed up in Seattle, scoring 25 points (11-15 FG) and grabbing eight rebounds in the Bulldogs' 71-60 win over Arizona. Gonzaga scored the first 15 points of the game, establishing enough distance to hold off multiple Wildcat rallies.

2. If losing at Middle Tennessee earlier in the week wasn't hard enough, Belmont fell 66-61 at Miami (Ohio) on Saturday. The reason: Belmont shot 6-for-28 from beyond the arc, and Julian Mavunga led the home team with 17 points and ten rebounds.

3. Miami big man Reggie Johnson returned to the lineup in his first action of the season, and the difference in the Hurricanes was noticeable in their wild 93-90 double overtime win over FAU. Johnson accounted for 15 points, nine rebounds, five assists and five blocks in 36 minutes of action and Kenny Kadji led the way with 21 points. FAU may have one of the most entertaining backcourts that receives a limited amount of publicity, with Raymond Taylor (20 points, nine assists) and Omari Grier (27 points) giving the Canes fits all afternoon.

4. Vanderbilt was handed their fourth loss of the season, this time losing at home 61-55 to Indiana State. Jake Odum controlled the flow of the action for the Sycamores, who received a nice boost off the bench from R.J. Mahurin (14 points). John Jenkins scored 11 points, making just three of ten shots for the Commodores. While Vandy may be in some trouble right now, it's safe to say that the race Indiana State will be a part of in the Missouri Valley will be fun to watch unfold.

5. Kansas State moved to 7-1 thanks to a 71-58 win over #21 Alabama in Kansas City. One of the big reasons for the victory was the play of seven-footer Jordan Henriquez-Roberts, who put forth arguably the best game of his career with 17 points and eight rebounds. K-State out-rebounded the Crimson Tide 32-28 and took advantage of Alabama's inability to knock down perimeter shots (2-14 3PT) in the second half.

6. Remember when New Mexico had the look of an early season disappointment? Steve Alford's team won its sixth straight on Saturday night, beating Oklahoma State 66-56 in Oklahoma City. Drew Gordon grabbed 20 rebounds and scored 13 points while Kendall Williams led the Lobos with 16 points.

7. Stallon Saldivar's three-pointer with less than a second remaining gave Northern Arizona a much-needed 69-68 win over Arizona State in Tempe. The Lumberjacks are just one week removed from having Mike Adras step down as head coach due to their 2-7 start, and they've won two straight since. Saturday's win is also their second straight over Arizona State.

8. They didn't get to welcome Marquette transfer Reggie Smith to the rotation (that will come on Monday) but that made little difference for UNLV, who got it done defensively in their 64-48 win over Illinois at the United Center. The Fighting Illini shot a frigid 25.4% from the field and Mike Moser led the Runnin' Rebels with 17 points and 11 rebounds off the bench.

Six Notable Performances

1. G Reggie Hamilton (Oakland)
Hamilton was outstanding in the Golden Grizzlies' 82-80 win over Valparaiso, scoring 41 points to go along with four rebounds, four steals and three assists. Hamilton's jumper at the buzzer proved to be the difference.

2. G Steven Pledger (Oklahoma)
31 points (10-13 FG), 10 rebounds and two steals in the Sooners' 79-74 win over Houston.

3. F Tyler Zeller (North Carolina)
31 points (11-15 FG) and 10 rebounds in the Tar Heels' 97-82 win over Appalachian State.

4. G Mike Moore (Hofstra)
32 points (7-11 3PT), seven rebounds and two steals in the Pride's 82-62 win over Manhattan, tying a school record for three-pointers made in a game.

5. F Julian Boyd (Long Island) and F Will Barton (Memphis)
Boyd finished with 29 points and 17 rebounds in the Blackbirds' 82-80 win over Saint Peter's while Barton put up 28 and 16 in Memphis' 95-87 loss at Louisville.

6. F Anthony Davis (Kentucky) and F Drew Gordon (New Mexico)
Davis tallied 14 points, 18 rebounds and five blocks in Kentucky's 87-62 win over Chattanooga while Gordon led New Mexico to their 66-56 win over Oklahoma State with 13 points and 20 rebounds.

College Hoops Thursday Recap: Broncos Survive in Overtime

Raphielle Johnson — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 05:01:06 -0800

While people didn't necessarily give up on Santa Clara when it came to discussing who could win the West Coast Conference, there weren't a lot of outside believers in Kerry Keating's team once forward Marc Trasolini was lost for the season in the summer due to a knee injury. And there were even fewer folks left in the aftermath of their 89-56 loss at UCSB just over a week ago. But if their 79-76 overtime win over New Mexico in a 76 Classic quarterfinal showed anything it's that Santa Clara remains capable of being a factor in the WCC race.

"The media was saying that New Mexico was going to win this whole tournament," said Kevin Foster. "We have a chip on our shoulder and bring it every day. It was a full team effort and we hope we could keep that going."

Guards Foster and Evan Roquemore scored 26 points apiece for the Broncos, who led by as many as 12 points in the first half before the preseason Mountain West favorites made their charge. Tony Snell led UNM with 18 points and freshman Hugh Greenwood added 14, but Steve Alford needs his two bell cows to get rolling. Drew Gordon did score 11 points and grab ten rebounds but was only 2-for-8 from the field and Kendall Williams wend 0-for-4, scoring all six of his points from the charity stripe.

The biggest development for Santa Clara in this win may actually be the play of forward Niyi Harrison, who scored a career-high 19 points and grabbed seven rebounds in 44 minutes of action. He's one of the players who has been asked to step up with Trasolini done for the season, and his scoring average has jumped more than ten points from last season to this. It's a pretty safe bet that Foster and Roquemore will be productive offensively, but if Santa Clara is to challenge the likes of Gonzaga, BYU and Saint Mary's they'll need the big men to chip in as well.

"We are happy that we got a chance to compete against [New Mexico]," said Keating following the game. "We have a really young team, but we grew up a little bit, showing some resiliency tonight. We came out with a great win,"

Other Notable Happenings

1. The perception of the Pac-12 takes another hit with three in-season tournament losses.
It's no secret that much of the college basketball world doesn't think much of the Pac-12, but to be fair the conference hasn't done well in improving that perception. Thursday night certainly didn't help with three teams losing by double digits, but it should also be noted that the three losers (Arizona State, Utah and Washington State) were all picked to finish in the bottom half of the league in the preseason. Utah was overmatched from the opening tip against Harvard as they were whipped 75-47 in the Battle For Atlantis in the Bahamas. Arizona State couldn't make shots as they lost to Fairfield 55-44 at the Old Spice Classic, and Washington State couldn't match the energy level of Oklahoma in the Sooners' 74-59 win at the 76 Classic. Washington State scored just 19 points in the second half and turned the ball over 22 times for the game. So what's the culprit in regards to the conference's struggles? Talent, youth or a combination of both? That's a question the Pac-12 teams will collectively look to erase in the final month before conference play.

2. Indiana State uses defense to beat Texas Tech and remain undefeated.
It certainly wasn't pretty but Greg Lansing's Sycamores were able to hold off Texas Tech 60-49 due to their play on the defensive end. The Red Raiders shot a better percentage from the field than Indiana State (42.9% to 35.7%), but their 18 turnovers in a 62 possession game resulted in a horrific offensive efficiency of 79.0. That's not going to get it done against many teams, much less one that's expected to be a major player in the Missouri Valley race along with Creighton and Wichita State. Jake Odum led the Sycamores with 13 points and four assists, and in addition to their ability to turn Texas Tech over ISU attempted 31 free throws to the Red Raiders' nine (25-5 scoring edge from the charity stripe). They'll face a Minnesota team that's got some size inside, but there's no reason why Indiana State can't win the Old Spice Classic.

3. Connecticut needs to get more production from their frontcourt, namely Alex Oriakhi.
There's no doubt that the Huskies have one of the best backcourts in the nation in point guard Shabazz Napier and shooting guard Jeremy Lamb. But if Jim Calhoun's team is tobe mentioned in a similar class to the likes of North Carolina, Kentucky and Ohio State come March they're going to need more from the frontcourt. The defending national champs' fast start established enough breathing room to take care of UNC Asheville 73-63, but they may not be so lucky against teams with better (and bigger) big men. Andre Drummond got the start for Alex Oriakhi and scored nine points while Tyler Olander added four and Oriakhi scored four off the bench. That's not going to be enough from those three as the Huskies move into Big East play. Keith Clanton and company will provide a good challenge on Friday, and whichever team they play in their final game in the Bahamas (Harvard or Florida State) should do so as well. The pieces are there for a run at a repeat, but not if the UConn big men don't bring their collective A-game.

Quick Hitters

1. Florida State once again has one of the best defenses in the country, but if they don't take better care of the basketball it'll be tough for them to mount a significant challenge to North Carolina and Duke in the ACC. FSU turned the ball over 23 times against UMass on Thursday, with Luke Loucks leading the way with six and Okaro White had five.

2. Be patient with DePaul. This is a team that's essentially being taught how to win by Oliver Purnell and his staff, and they received a tough lesson in their 86-85 loss to Minnesota. But the signs of improvement are definitely there, and in Cleveland Melvin (20 points) and Brandon Young (23 points) they've got one of the better sophomore tandems in the Big East.

3. At this point it would be a surprise if New Mexico State didn't win the Great Alaska Shootout. Marvin Menzies' team dropped the hammer on Central Michigan, winning 78-49 thanks in large part to their defense (CMU turned the ball over 21 times and was out-rebounded 54-35) and a balanced scoring effort in which all ten players who played scored (team-high 15 points for Bandja Sy).

4. UCF outscored College of Charleston 18-5 over the final 7:50 to win 74-63 in the Battle for Atlantis, and their defense was a key factor. Also of importance: the Knights' offensive rebounding rate of 40%, which played a big factor in their 44-25 rebounding edge.

5. All five starters reached double figures for Dayton in their 80-76 win over Wake Forest, but the biggest line could be that of Matt Kavanaugh. The junior forward/cernter put up 15 points and 13 rebounds, and is averaging 9.5 points and 8.0 rebounds per game. Kavanaugh averaged just nine minutes and two points per game last season.

Three Notable Performances

1. F Keith Clanton (UCF)
28 points and 14 rebounds in the Knights' 74-63 win over College of Charleston.

2. G Kevin Foster and G Evan Roquemore (Santa Clara)
26 points apiece and nine assists combined in the Broncos' 79-76 win over New Mexico.

3. G Shabazz Napier (Connecticut)
23 points and seven assists in the Huskies' 73-63 win over UNC Asheville.

College Hoops Thursday: Your Commentary

Raphielle Johnson — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 09:25:34 -0800

Happy Thanksgiving! And while football tends to take center stage on this day there are also four in-season tournaments playing games, with action spreading from the Bahamas to Alaska. There really isn't a marquee matchup so to speak but there are games that could become important once March arrives, with New Mexico's game against Santa Clara in the 76 Classic being one. The Lobos were the preseason pick to win the Mountain West, and with players such as Drew Gordon and Kendall Williams there's no doubt that they can win this event. But in the Broncos of Santa Clara they'll take on a team that was a trendy sleeper pick in the WCC, and even with Marc Trasolini lost for the year with a knee injury they can still be a factor in the race.

Guard Kevin Foster is one of the top perimeter scorers on the west coast, as he scored 20 points or more in 16 games (30+ in three games) last season. The junior's shooting percentages are down through three games, but there's no doubt that Foster can turn it on in a hurry for Kerry Keating. Foster leads four Broncos in double figures, but just as important as Foster are forwards Niyi Harrison and John McArthur. Those two have had to step up in the aftermath of Trasolini's injury and they've done a solid job to start the year. But a lot more will be learned about both as they take on Gordon, who's scoring a shade under ten points per game while grabbing ten rebounds per contest.

Gordon may be the Lobo most likely choice to win Mountain West Player of the Year, Steve Alford's got a number of perimeter options from which to choose. Kendall Williams, Tony Snell and Demetrius Walker are three of New Mexico's top four scorers and freshman Hugh Greenwood may be ready to take over the starting point guard job as the Lobos look to make up for the graduation of Dairese Gary. UNM shoots 38% from beyond the arc and their effective field goal percentage of 53.2% is better than Santa Clara's by nearly five percentage points. The outcome will boil down to which team does a better job of generating quality looks, and that was a serious problem for Santa Clara in their blowout loss at UCSB.

Which game should you keep an eye on in the Battle of Atlantis in the Bahamas? Likely the first game of the day as College of Charleston takes on UCF, with the Knights needing to pick up a quality win in light of their 23-point loss to Florida State in their second game of the season. But that's easier said than done against Bobby Cremins' team, which is coming off of a good win at Clemson. Antwaine Wiggins and Andrew Lawrence have led the way for the Cougars, and their offensive execution looks to be the difference on paper (efficiency of 110.4 while UCF is down at 98.1).

In Orlando the Fairfield Stags have a game that, thanks to the current NCAA Clearinghouse issues for freshman guard Jahii Carson, has gone from "opportunity to pick up a decent win against a BCS AQ opponent" to "lose and essentially flush any at-large hopes down the drain". Sydney Johnson's team has already dropped games to Providence (home) and at Minnesota, and an early trip to the consolation bracket would be the worst possible outcome for the defending MAAC regular season champions.

And at the Great Alaska Shootout there's the chance to check out New Mexico State as either the food-induced coma wears off or die-hard shoppers fight off sleep in the quest to show up early for the "Black Friday" specials. The Aggies, who already have a win at New Mexico to their credit, are led by guards Christian Kabongo and Hernst LaRoche and forward Wendall McKines, with McKines averaging 18.0 points and 10.7 rebounds per game. Central Michigan has sophomore guards Trey Zeigler and Derek Jackson, but for the Chippewas to have a shot at the upset they'll need to exercise good shot selection.

Top 25 Games
7:00 PM UNC Asheville vs. (4) Connecticut* (HDNet)
4:30 PM Massachusetts vs. (20) Florida State* (Versus)

NCAA Division I Games
12:00 PM Texas Tech vs. Indiana State* (ESPN2)
2:00 PM Boston College vs. Saint Louis* (ESPNU)
2:00 PM Charleston vs. UCF* (Versus)
2:30 PM Minnesota vs. DePaul* (ESPN2)
4:30 PM Villanova vs. UC Riverside* (ESPNU)
7:00 PM Dayton vs. Wake Forest* (ESPN2)
9:00 PM New Mexico vs. Santa Clara* (ESPNU)
9:30 PM Harvard vs. Utah* (HDNet)
9:30 PM Arizona State vs. Fairfield* (ESPN2)
10:30 PM Central Michigan vs. New Mexico State* (FCS)
11:30 PM Oklahoma vs. Washington State* (ESPN2)
12:30 AM UC Irvine vs. Southern Miss* (FCS)

Pac-12 Basketball: 5-Year Ranking

Shawn Siegel — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 08:24:07 -0800

As part of our 5-Year Ranking series, here's how the Pac-12 teams stack up according to conference wins. With the exception of Oregon St, every team in the league has had at least two .500 seasons or better in the last five years. The league adds Utah, who was a mid-level MWC team, and Colorado, who was in the bottom rung of the Big 12.

First Tier

1 - UCLA - 65 wins - This is a lot of wins for a program that seems to be a mess right now

2 - Arizona - 52 - While much of the Pac-12 is struggling, Sean Miller seems to building for the future

3 - Washington - 51 - Huskies have the most wins in the league over the last 3 seasons

Second Tier

4 - USC - 49 - For better or worse, have settled into a .500 team for the last 3 years

5 - Washington St - 47 - Propped up by 07-08 success, WSU is on the downturn

6 - California - 46 - Mike Montgomery has the Bears climbing the Pac-12 ladder

Wannabees

7 - Stanford - 43 - Ho hum sums up the state of Stanford basketball

8 - Arizona St - 38 - Devils have been up and down under Sendek. This seems like a down year

9 - Oregon - 36 - It's been a miserable few seasons for Oregon, but I have faith in Altman

Also-Rans

10 - Oregon St - 23 - The league doormat has NIT potential this year, which would be a positive step

***The Pac-12 adds

Utah, who won 38 games in thw MWC

Colorado, who won 21 games in Big 12

All 5-Year Rankings.

College Hoops Thursday: Your Commentary

Raphielle Johnson — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 00:32:42 -0800

One of the most surprising teams in America has to be the Cincinnati (14-0) Bearcats, who remain undefeated after opening Big East play with wins over DePaul and Seton Hall. But that only gets you so far in the argument as to who the best team in the city is, a question that will get its answer on Thursday night when Xavier (8-4) comes calling in what's one of the more spirited rivalries in college basketball. Neither coach has to be particularly pleased with this game being played in early January as opposed to December but that won't diminish the focus for anyone involved. The primary task for Cincinnati will be to slow down junior guard Tu Holloway, who leads the Musketeers in scoring (21.3 ppg) and assists (5.6 apg) and has the ability to put the team on his back offensively when needed. Chris Mack's team boasts three other players averaging double figures this season: guard Mark Lyons (12.6 ppg) and forwards Kenny Frease (11.7, 7.5 rpg) and Jamel McLean (10.1, 9.5 rpg), meaning that while Holloway has a green light he doesn't have to shoulder the burden by himself.

Cincinnati on the other hand has six players averaging at least 7.8 points per game, led by juniors Dion Dixon (12.7 ppg) and Yancy Gates (11.5, 6.6 rpg). But they both came into the season as known commodities, with the simple need being that they up their production for Mick Cronin's team. The revelation, not because of talent but the fact that he redshirted last season, has been freshman guard Sean Kilpatrick. Lance Stephenson was the New York area newcomer most everyone focused on in 2009-10, and hopefully they've taken a peak at one of the better sixth men in the Big East to this point in the season as Cincinnati's exceeded early expectations. Kilpatrick's 46.5% of his shots from the field while also making a team-best 23 three pointers, offering quite the supplement offensively to the starting five. Cashmere Wright will likely be the player who garners the attention simply because of the matchup with Holloway, but it will be critical that he not get drawn into a scoring duel. His job in running Cincinnati is a bit different than that of Holloway's and the better job he does of keeping that in mind the better off the Bearcats will be.

Frease and McLean are the two to watch for the Musketeers given the fact that Cincinnati can match their size and toughness in the paint. Frease has reached double figures in seven of the last eight games with the lone exception being a scoreless outing in the Musketeers' loss at Gonzaga. To say the least Xavier can't afford many of those nights if they're to beat their city rival much less contend in the Atlantic 10. He was solid in their loss to Florida, scoring 16 points while grabbing seven rebounds against one of the more athletic frontcourts around. He and McLean will need to avoid silly fouls while hanging tough on the boards (Cincinnati is a plus-8.2 in rebounding margin) if the Musketeers are to beat Cincinnati for the fourth consecutive time. How close have these two been? In the last thirty meetings, with Xavier winning 17, the average score is Cincinnati 72, Xavier 71. Be sure to tune in.

Other games of note include California playing their first game without freshman guard Gary Franklin, who is transferring to another program. Outside of that, and the health of Arizona State's Trent Lockett, there really isn't a lot riding on that matchup from a national standpoint. And Thursday also marks the first game for Washington sans point guard Abdul Gaddy, who tore the ACL in his left knee in practice earlier this week. They should be fine against Oregon but how the Huskies play without Gaddy as the season wears on will be something to watch as the Pac-10 favorites look to win the conference. Robert Morris visits Wagner in NEC action, an intriguing matchup between the two-time defending champions and a young squad that has one of the better backcourt tandems in the conference in Tyler Murray and Latif Rivers, and Northwestern is at Illinois in a game they need to both stop the bleeding and bolster their currently meager resume.

Top 25
7:00 PM (7) Villanova at South Florida (ESPNU)
9:00 PM Northwestern at (20) Illinois (ESPN2)
7:00 PM Xavier at (25) Cincinnati (ESPN2)

NCAA Division I Games
7:00 PM St. Francis (PA) at Mount St. Mary's
7:00 PM Sacred Heart at Fairleigh Dickinson
7:00 PM Charleston at Furman
7:00 PM Albany at Vermont
7:00 PM St. Francis (NY) at Central Connecticut State
7:00 PM South Alabama at Florida Atlantic
7:00 PM Arkansas State at Florida International
7:00 PM Charleston Southern at Liberty (ESPN3)
7:00 PM South Dakota at Longwood
7:00 PM Quinnipiac at Monmouth
7:00 PM Samford at UNC Greensboro
7:00 PM Gardner-Webb at Presbyterian
7:00 PM Coastal Carolina at Virginia Military
7:00 PM Robert Morris at Wagner
7:00 PM UNC Asheville at Winthrop
7:00 PM Citadel at Wofford
7:00 PM Long Island at Bryant University
7:00 PM Western Illinois at IPFW
7:30 PM Jacksonville State at Eastern Kentucky
7:30 PM IUPUI at Oakland
7:45 PM Tennessee Tech at Morehead State
8:00 PM Wright State at Illinois-Chicago
8:00 PM Denver at Western Kentucky
8:00 PM Fresno State at Louisiana Tech
8:00 PM Detroit at Loyola (IL)
8:00 PM Oral Roberts at North Dakota State
8:00 PM Centenary at South Dakota State
8:05 PM Troy at Louisiana-Lafayette
8:30 PM Stanford at Arizona State
8:30 PM Tennessee State at Murray State
8:30 PM Oregon at Washington
8:30 PM Jackson State at Alabama A&M
8:30 PM Prairie View A&M at Southern University
8:35 PM Idaho State at Northern Arizona
9:00 PM Grambling State at Alabama State
9:00 PM Texas Southern at Alcorn State
9:00 PM Saint Mary's at Loyola Marymount (ESPNU)
9:05 PM Montana at Northern Colorado
10:00 PM Oregon State at Washington State
10:00 PM Cal Poly at Pacific
10:00 PM UC Santa Barbara at UC Davis
10:00 PM San Diego at Pepperdine
10:05 PM Montana State at Sacramento State
10:10 PM Eastern Washington at Seattle
10:30 PM California at Arizona
10:30 PM Boise State at San Jose State
12:30 AM Idaho at Hawaii

Hoops Talk Live Thursday 6-7 PM EST

Jon Teitel's Coaching Greats Series: Former Arizona State head coach Ned Wulk

Jon Teitel — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 21:35:00 -0800

In the latest installment in his Coaching Greats interview series CHN writer Jon Teitel spent some time with former Arizona State basketball players Tom Kuyper and Roger Detter. Both played for the late Ned Wulk, who is the winningest coach in school history and is a member of both the school's and the Pac-10 Hall of Fame in addition to having the floor at Well Fargo Arena named in his honor. Coach Wulk led Arizona State to eight conference titles and nine NCAA Tournament appearances during his time in Tempe.

Jon Teitel: Coach Wulk earned a Purple Heart and was an Army captain during WWII. Did you get a sense of his military background through his coaching?

Tom Kuyper: He was really organized and had a great sense of where the team was going; he was always in control.
Roger Detter: He was a very disciplined coach with meticulously-planned practices.

JT: Why did you want to play for him, and what made him such a great coach?

TK: His assistant Jim Newman was actually the one who recruited me. My first year at ASU was the first year that they moved from the WAC to the Pac-10, which was exciting.
RD: I looked at a lot of different schools. Part of the reason that I chose ASU was because it had a great baseball program, as I played both sports. Coach Wulk had been a baseball coach at Xavier in the past, and his up-tempo style on the basketball court was something that I liked.

JT: In 1957 he won a conference title in his first year at Arizona State. How was he able to be so successful so quickly?

TK: I know he was very intentional with what he wanted to do, so I am not surprised that he accomplished all of his goals.
RD: I have talked to guys who played for him back then, and I think that his up-tempo style of play caught a lot of teams off guard because it was so different than what they were used to.

JT: What are your memories of the 1963 NCAA Tournament (four-point overtime win over Utah State, Art Becker scored 23 points in a win over John Wooden's UCLA team [Wooden's last tourney loss before winning 38 straight tourney games], then Mel Counts had 26 points in a win by Oregon State)?

RD: It was the real heyday of ASU basketball featuring a great player in Joe Caldwell, and they beat a really outstanding UCLA team.

JT: In 1980 he was named Pac-10 Coach of the Year. What did it mean to him to win such an outstanding individual honor?

TK: He was really a humble man, although he was super-confident. You never wanted to defy him. You would not hear him talk much about his great accomplishments, as it was not in his nature to brag, but I know that the other Pac-10 coaches respected him more than anyone else. Getting that honor must have been a huge deal to him.
RD: He was very proud of that accomplishment, not only to be named COY in a great conference like the Pac-10, but to later be inducted into the Pac-10 Hall of Fame was a great tribute as well.

JT: In 1981 he beat #8 UCLA in triple overtime (Johnny Nash made an 8-footer with two seconds left in double overtime) and upset top-ranked Oregon State on the road in the regular season finale (Byron Scott scored 25 points). Where do those wins rank among the best in school history?

TK: Beating #1-ranked Oregon State in Corvallis when they were undefeated has to be the biggest upset in school history. I remember that Byron and Alton Lister both played well, and I made the last basket of the game to put the nail in the coffin of the double-digit victory! I will never forget the UCLA game. It was so exciting that a fan in the upper-deck actually had a heart attack, so they had to bring in the paramedics and take him out. It was so loud that it sounded like a bunch of bees buzzing.
RD: I remember that we played an outstanding game against Oregon State, and the team took great pride in that.

JT: What are your memories of the 1981 NCAA Tournament (Tony Guy scored a career-high 36 points by making 13-15 FG in a win by Kansas)?

TK: That was such a disappointment. We were ranked #3 in the country going into the tourney and then we got beat. Kansas also had Darnell Valentine who was very good. We were coming in on an incredible high and were focused, but it was a combination of them playing great and us playing poorly.
RD: Those ASU teams had an outstanding array of players (Byron Scott, Fat Lever, etc.) and were such a unified team, so they were a joy to watch. Their teamwork embodied the essence of Coach Wulk.

JT: In 1999 the court at Wells Fargo Arena was named after him. What did it mean to him when they announced they were doing that?

TK: He did not want that honor because he was so humble. It might have been Fat Lever who convinced him to let them do that. I remember the ceremony in honor of that event. It was huge.
RD: I think he would have taken inward pride, but like many top coaches he was not looking for such accolades. At the time ASU had several other coaches who all ended up in the school Hall of Fame (Frank Kush in football, Bobby Winkles in baseball, and Baldy Castillo in track), and you would see them hanging out together back in the day.

JT: He coached at ASU for 25 years. What was the key to his longevity, and did he ever consider going elsewhere?

TK: I do not think he ever wanted to go elsewhere. He was instrumental in constructing the then-Activity Center, as he traveled around the country researching arenas at other schools. He was happy to have a facility that at the time was state-of-the-art. I think he also liked the move to the Pac-10 due to the increased competition (against teams like UCLA and Oregon State).
RD: I do not know if he considered going elsewhere but I doubt it. If you take away a 6-year time period in the late 1960s and early 1970s when we had some weaker teams, he won about 80% of his games.

JT: When people look back on his career, how do you think he should be remembered the most?

TK: I love to remember him as a super-confident person who was very persistent and goal-oriented in the way he wanted us to work together on the court. At the same time, he was very humble and really cared about his athletes: his players were his priorities. I wish I could go back and play for him again because I honor and respect him so much.
RD: I think he should be remembered as the premier basketball coach in ASU history. As a strategist, he always knew what it would take to beat each opponent. He was great in the community and had great interaction with all the fans.

Coach Wulk is also on Jon's list of best coaches in Pac-10 history.

Arizona: Lute Olson (1983-2007) 589-187, 23 NCAA Tournaments, 11 conference titles, 1 NCAA title, 1-time national COY, 7-time conference COY

Arizona State: Ned Wulk (1957-1982) 406-272, 9 NCAA Tournaments, 8 conference titles, 1-time conference COY

California: Nibs Price (1924-1954) 449-294, 1 NCAA Tournament, 7 conference titles

Oregon: Ernie Kent (1997-2010) 235-173, 5 NCAA Tournaments, 1 conference title, 1-time conference COY

Oregon State: Amory "Slats" Gill (1928-1964) 599-393, 6 NCAA Tournaments, 5 conference titles

Stanford: Mike Montgomery (1986-2004) 393-167, 12 NCAA Tournaments, 4 conference titles, 1 NIT title, 2-time national COY, 4-time conference COY

UCLA: John Wooden (1948-1975) 620-147, 16 NCAA Tournaments, 16 conference titles, 10 NCAA titles, 6-time national COY

USC: Sam Barry (1929-1941, 1945-1950) 260-138, 1 NCAA Tournament, 5 conference titles, 1 Helms title

Washington: Hec Edmundson (1920-1947) 488-195, 1 NCAA Tournament, 4 conference titles

Washington State: Jack Friel (1928-1958) 495-377, 1 NCAA Tournaments, 1 conference title

College Hoops Thursday: Your Commentary

Raphielle Johnson — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 11:35:37 -0800

While much of the nation turns its attention to the soap opera that is the return of LeBron James to Cleveland, there are three more games in the Big 12/Pac 10 Hardwood series in addition to some key conference games as we approach that part of the season. Arizona State heading to Waco to take on Baylor may be the Pac 10's best chance of picking up a win tonight, although Mac Court should be in frenzy with Missouri visiting Eugene. Herb Sendek's team has had some good opportunities to pick up decent resume wins thus far, although win over Weber State in the semis of the Great Alaska Shootout is outweighed by losses to New Mexico and St. John's. That makes this week a big one for Arizona State, as they host Richmond on Sunday in addition to tonight's tilt. There's some experience and talent on hand for them with the likes of Ty Abbott, Rihards Kuksiks and Trent Lockett to help shepherd a talented freshman class led by Keala King.

But while there's definitely talent in Tempe, do they have enough perimeter shooting ability (and passing) to navigate one of the tougher zone defenses in America? Baylor head coach Scott Drew takes full advantage of the wingspan of his frontcourt, with Quincy Acy, Anthony Jones and Perry Jones being the players getting the most minutes. Both Acy and Perry Jones are averaging more than nine rebounds per game, a large part of their rebounding margin of over +11 rebounds per game. Baylor's best scoring threat is obviously senior shooting guard LaceDarius Dunn, who leads the team in scoring with an average of 22 points per game (he's only played in two games due to suspension). But Dunn, whose action has come against Lipscomb and Prairie View A&M, will be facing a tougher opponent tonight. Rust most certainly wasn't an issue for him in those two contests but maybe Arizona State can make things tougher for him. They'll need to if they're to pull off the road upset.

Arizona State has already played at The Pit this season so they should be fine in regards to dealing with the Bear Pit, but the more important question is how their youngsters go about dealing with the Baylor zone. The Sun Devils have a turnover rate of 20.1% but through five games Baylor opponents have a rate of 26.5% and the length of their zone defense has a lot to do with that. Something else to keep an eye on in regards to turnovers and their effect will be the number of possessions. The Bears currently average 19 turnovers per game, but due to the level of opposition as well as their 74 possessions per game they haven't paid the price for such transgressions as of yet. If Arizona State can not only force turnovers but turn the Baylor miscues into points they'll have a shot at leaving with a win few expect them to grab. But that's easier said that done against a team of Baylor's quality.

UCLA going to Kansas represents a major resume-building opportunity for Ben Howland's team, and it could be one they need a little more thanks to a solid win over Pacific looking worse by the game and VCU (a quality loss) falling at USF last night. And given the critique of his frontcourt following Saturday night's win over Arizona it will be interesting to see if Bill Self's statements got through to the Morris twins and Thomas Robinson. UCLA freshman Josh Smith will have his hands full tonight but at least he's got the tough Reeves Nelson there to help out. Solid matchups in the Southern (Davidson visits Charleston) and Northeast (Robert Morris visits LIU in a battle of expected contenders) conferences are also on tap, making for a decent night of college hoops.

Top 25
9:00 PM UCLA at (4) Kansas (ESPN)
11:00 PM (8) Missouri at Oregon (FSN)
7:00 PM Arizona State at (10) Baylor (ESPN)

NCAA Division I Games
7:00 PM Brown at Hartford
7:00 PM Centenary at IUPUI
7:00 PM Bryant University at Fairleigh Dickinson
7:00 PM Davidson at Charleston
7:00 PM Appalachian State at Chattanooga
7:00 PM Gardner-Webb at High Point
7:00 PM Louisiana-Monroe at Kent State
7:00 PM Robert Morris at Long Island
7:00 PM St. Peter's at Loyola (MD)
7:00 PM Rider at Manhattan
7:00 PM Southern Utah at Oakland
7:00 PM North Carolina-Asheville at Radford
7:00 PM Mount St. Mary's at Sacred Heart
7:00 PM Fairfield at Savannah State
7:00 PM St. Francis (PA) at St. Francis (NY)
7:00 PM Georgia Southern at Citadel
7:00 PM Winthrop at Virginia Military
7:00 PM UNC Greensboro at Wofford
7:00 PM UMKC at IPFW
7:15 PM Stetson at Jacksonville
7:45 PM Tennessee-Martin at Morehead State
7:45 PM Florida Gulf Coast at North Florida
8:00 PM Valparaiso at Illinois-Chicago
8:00 PM Stephen F. Austin at Texas A&M (ESPN3)
8:00 PM Grambling State at North Texas
8:00 PM Youngstown State at Milwaukee
8:00 PM Murray State at Eastern Kentucky (ESPN3)
8:00 PM Central Baptist Coll at Northwestern State
8:00 PM Western Carolina at Samford
8:00 PM Cleveland State at Green Bay
8:15 PM Mercer at Belmont
8:30 PM Northern Illinois at DePaul (ESPN3)
8:30 PM Tennessee State at Eastern Illinois
8:30 PM Austin Peay at Southeast Missouri State
9:00 PM Cal State Northridge at Air Force
9:00 PM Presbyterian at Liberty
9:00 PM Oral Roberts at Western Illinois
10:00 PM Texas-San Antonio at UC Riverside
10:05 PM BYU Hawaii at Long Beach State