UALR

Southeast Region Final Thoughts: What's in Store for 2011-12?

Raphielle Johnson — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 00:26:20 -0700

Next up is the Southeast region, which contributed to the craziness of the NCAA Tournament beginning with Butler knocking off top-seed Pittsburgh in the third round. The question now is what's next for the entire region beginning with the Panthers, who welcome a solid recruiting class while also waiting to see what Ashton Gibbs' decision in regards to staying in the NBA Draft will be.

(1) Pittsburgh: lost to Butler in the third round
The Big East regular season champs had their season end in painful fashion, falling to eventual national runner-up Butler by a point in the third round. The Panthers will have some key figures to replace in Gilbert Brown, Gary McGhee and Brad Wanamaker, but there's enough talent at Jamie Dixon's disposal to make another run at a Big East title even if Ashton Gibbs remains in the NBA Draft. Travon Woodall was due to take over at the point regardless, and incoming freshmen Durand Johnson and John Johnson (no relation) have the ability to earn spots in the rotation. Lamar Patterson, Nasir Robinson (one of the most improved players in the Big East), Dante Taylor and Talib Zanna all return, and the addition of two of the best centers in the 2011 class (Khem Birch and Malcolm Gilbert) means that Pitt should once again be a major player in the Big East.

(2) Florida: lost to Butler in the regional final
Billy Donovan's team lived up to the preseason expectations, winning the SEC regular season title before losing in the conference tournament title game to Tennessee. Then came the NCAA Tournament, where they were knocked off in overtime by Butler, marking the end for three important frontcourt players. Vernon Macklin, Chandler Parsons and Alex Tyus all graduate, meaning that Erik Murphy, Will Yeguete and Patric Young will all need to be ready to go (Walter Pitchford could figure into the rotation too). The backcourt will be loaded with Kenny Boynton, Erving Walker and Scottie Wilbekin back, not to mention Mike Rosario (Rutgers transfer) and McDonald's All-America Bradley Beal joining the rotation. The Gators will be smaller, but if all parties involved manage to share the ball look out.

(3) BYU: lost to Florida in the Sweet 16
One of the greatest careers in the history of BYU comes to an end as All-America (and winner of multiple national Player of the Year awards) Jimmer Fredette departs. But the Cougars also have to replace Jackson Emery, whose career has come to an end as well. There's also the move to the West Coast Conference, where top contenders include Gonzaga, Saint Mary's and Santa Clara (the Broncos have nearly everyone back on a team that won the CollegeInsider.com Tournament). That simply means that more will be expected of forwards Charles Abouo and Noah Hartsock, especially with freshman Kyle Collinsworth going on his LDS mission. DeMarcus Harrison and UCLA transfer Matt Carlino will have a lot on their plates to start in the backcourt (can either play the point?) and Nate Austin leads three frontcourt players in their first season in Provo.

(4) Wisconsin: lost to Butler in the Sweet 16
The Badgers were a trendy pick by some to be a second round upset victim, which likely had more to do with who they were playing (Belmont) than anything else. But Bo Ryan's team took care of business, beating both the Bruins and Kansas State before falling to Butler in the Sweet 16. Going into next season there are two big frontcourt losses to address with Jon Leuer and Keaton Nankivil graduating, but Jordan Taylor and Josh Gasser return in the backcourt in addition to Mike Bruesewitz and Ryan Evans on the wing. Of their incoming recruits look for big men Jarrod Uthoff and Frank Kaminsky to be the most likely to crack the rotation, although guards Traevon Jackson and George Marshall aren't exactly chopped liver themselves (just may be tougher to crack the rotation on the perimeter). Every year people write off Coach Ryan's team when it comes to contending in the Big Ten, yet the find a way to do so regardless.

(5) Kansas State: lost to Wisconsin in the third round
2010-11 was a somewhat tumultuous year for Frank Martin's program, with the Wildcats dealing with a disappointing start, suspensions and defections by the time late January rolled around. But led by guard Jacob Pullen, K-State turned things around and won an NCAA Tournament game before falling to Wisconsin. Now they have to move on without Pullen, along with Curtis Kelly, and the biggest question is who steps up in a leadership role for next year's team. Jamar Samuels could be a logical choice in that area, and on the perimeter Rodney McGruder, Shane Southwell and Will Spradling will all need to step up as well. Jordan Henriquez-Roberts became an important part of the rotation as forwards left the team, and two solid frontcourt players arrive in Manhattan this summer as well (Thomas Gipson and Adrian Diaz). Point guard Angel Rodriguez should also compete for minutes, as will St. John's transfer Omari Lawrence.

(6) St. John's: lost to Gonzaga in the third round
Steve Lavin and his staff rejuvenated the city from a college basketball standpoint, giving ten seniors motivated to leave Queens with at least one notable accomplishment the direction needed to get back to the Big Dance. Their chances of winning in the NCAA Tournament went downhill when D.J. Kennedy tore his ACL in the first half of their Big East quarterfinal loss to Syracuse, and the absence of his versatility was painfully obvious in the loss to Gonzaga. Now he, Dwight Hardy and the rest of that class moves on, and replacing them is one of the nation's best recruiting classes. Nine players deep, this group is led by four very good small forwards (Amir Garrett, Maurice Harkless, Sir'Dominic Pointer and Jakarr Sampson) in addition to quality players at nearly every position on the floor. Add this group to Dwayne Polee Jr. and there will be growing pains, but at the very least the Red Storm are a significant conversation piece in the Big East again, and they'll be talented too.

(7) UCLA: lost to Florida in the third round
Despite questions at the point Ben Howland's team won 23 games and finished second in the Pac-10, and without a senior on this year's roster the future looks good for UCLA. However, Tyler Honeycutt will not be back as he'll hire an agent and remain in the NBA Draft, and Malcolm Lee also entered his name although he won't retain an agent. Once again the question for the Bruins will be at the point, where Lazeric Jones had moments where he looked more than capable of handling the job but struggled while dealing with injuries. Another year for he and Jerime Anderson should pay off, while up front Reeves Nelson and Joshua Smith have the ability to be the best frontcourt tandem in the conference. There are other contributors returning, and incoming freshman Norman Powell can be one of the best freshmen in the Pac-10. And don't forget about the Wear twins, who are eligible after transferring in from North Carolina. Look for UCLA to be the preseason favorite in the Pac-10 (defending champ Arizona will also have a case).

(8) Butler: lost to Connecticut in the national title game
Once again Brad Stevens' Bulldogs went on a run few envisioned before the NCAA Tournament began, beating three of the top four seeds in their region before ultimately putting forth their worst offensive performance of the season (and the worst in NCAA title game history) at the worst possible time. Three key seniors graduate, most notably forward Matt Howard (Zach Hahn and Shwan Vanzant are the others), and junior guard Shelvin Mack could have a decision to make in regards to the NBA Draft. Butler returns solid contributors such as guard Ronald Nored and forwards Khyle Marshall and Andrew Smith, and players such as Chrishawn Hopkins and Chase Stigall will also have opportunities to increase their contributions. And the incoming class is solid as well, led by Australian point guard Jackson Aldridge and wing Roosevelt Jones. Butler will once again be a favorite in the Horizon League.

(9) Old Dominion: lost to Butler in the second round
The CAA Tournament champions were led by a deep frontcourt and one of the best perimeter defenders few speak of in Kent Bazemore, but they fell at the buzzer to Butler in their first game. Luckily for Blaine Taylor, Bazemore will be back, but he's got to replace three of those key frontcourt players as Keyon Carter, Ben Finney and Frank Hassell all depart. Four of their top five scorers in total move on, meaning that Chris Cooper, Marquel De Lancey and Trian Iliadis all need to step up and help out Bazemore. Is a player such as Nick Wright capable of stepping up with more minutes? To say the least this will be a critical offseason for the returning forwards, who didn't see much time this season. Freshman Jason Pimentel from out of Montverde Academy stands to earn minutes next season, and the same likely goes for point guard Breon Key. Don't look for the Monarchs to be picked too high in the CAA but they'll likely be a factor in some form.

(10) Michigan State: lost to UCLA in the second round
It's safe to say that fans aren't too used to seeing a Tom Izzo-coached team finish its season with a 19-15 record, but that's exactly what happened in a disappointing campaign for the Spartans. Kalin Lucas played well late in the season but he moves on along with Durrell Summers and Mike Kebler, and sophomore center Garrick Sherman has decided to transfer. But there's still talent in East Lansing, led by do-it-all forward Draymond Green and guard Keith Appling. Derrick Nix, Adreian Payne and Delvon Roe are three of the bodies Izzo will look to inside next season, and things should be rejuvenated by a good recruiting class. Branden Dawson is the active player on the wing that seemed missing at times this season, and guards Dwaun Anderson and Brandan Kearney are two Michigan natives who can earn minutes as well. Don't expect this group to lose 15 games in 2011-12; they'll be pretty good.

(11) Gonzaga: lost to BYU in the third round
There were questions throughout the course of the season as to whether or not Mark Few's team would be good enough to earn an at-large bid, but the Bulldogs rendered that question moot as they won the WCC's automatic bid. And with just one senior departing, albeit an important senior (Steven Gray), there's a strong likelihood that Gonzaga is a better team next year. Sam Dower, Elias Harris, Kelly Olynyk and Robert Sacre all return in the frontcourt and the backcourt won't be bad either with Marquise Carter, Demetri Goodson and David Stockton returning as well. Add in a recruiting class that's strong in the backcourt (Gary Bell Jr. and Kevin Pangos lead the way) and look for the Bulldogs to be the preseason favorite in the WCC despite the arrival of BYU. The Cougars lose enough that it's easy to see Santa Clara being Gonzaga's biggest competition, but the Zags could be the unanimous choice in October.

(12) Utah State: lost to Kansas State in the second round
Just like Gonzaga the Aggies made sure to take care of business in their conference tournament, but a 30-win campaign ended in their first NCAA Tournament game. The key now for Stew Morrill is to replace six seniors who accomplished quite a bit in Logan, led by forward Tai Wesley and guard Pooh Williams. But the Aggies will still have some talented players to turn to next season, led by guard Brockeith Pane and forwards Morgan Grim and Brady Jardine. Utah State also addressed the frontcourt losses on the recruiting trail, adding centers Igor Premasunac and Jordan Stone in addition to power forward Kyisean Reed. Premasunac and Reed are both junior college transfers, and like Pane coming into this season they'll be expected to contribute early and often. Look for the Aggies to remain one of the favorites in the WAC.

(13) Belmont: lost to Wisconsin in the second round
Rick Byrd's Bruins were a trendy pick by many to pull off an upset in the NCAA Tournament, but much to their detriment Belmont drew the wrong matchup for them in the second round. The good news for the Bruins is that they return nearly everyone and were thought to be "one year away" at the start of 2010-11 anyway. Jordan Campbell and Jon House are the two seniors moving on but with so many players getting playing time this season (11 played at least 10 minutes/game) the Bruins should be able to account for those losses. Forwards Mick Hedgepeth and Scott Saunders form a very good tandem inside and guards Ian Clark and Kerron Johnson are two of the key cogs on the perimeter. With a better matchup in the NCAA tournament Belmont could very well win a game if not more next season.

(14) Wofford: lost to BYU in the second round
Despite the scoring of Charleston's Andrew Goudelock throughout the season it was Wofford who grabbed the Southern Conference's automatic bid, earning their second straight trip to the NCAA Tournament. Noah Dahlmann led the way but he was one of five seniors that head coach Mike Young relied on, meaning that there's some rebuilding to be done as the Terriers approach 2011-12. Five of Wofford's top seven scorers were seniors, including Cameron Rundles and Jamar Diggs. Kevin Giltner and Brad Loesing will be the leading returning scorers, and there will be plenty of minutes up for grabs come October. Much will be expected of forward Drew Crowell, in addition to an incoming class that has two guards in Lucas Brown and Karl Cochran. A lot of work will need to be done if the Terriers are to return to the Big Dance.

(15) UC Santa Barbara: lost to Florida in the second round
Bob Williams' team had its issues in the regular season but the Gauchos got hot at just the right time, knocking off Big West regular season champion Long Beach State in the conference tournament final to earn an NCAA bid. Orlando Johnson (declared for NBA Draft but did not hire an agent) and James Nunnally led the way offensively as one of the most productive backcourt tandems in the nation, and both are due to return as seniors next season. Also expected back is the team's third-leading scorer in forward Jaime Serna, and the three seniors being lost combined for just over 13 points per game. The frontcourt will likely be bolstered by the addition of forwards Taran Brown and John Green, and point guard T.J. Taylor may be the best member of the incoming class. UCSB will once again be a favorite in the Big West.

(16) Arkansas-Little Rock: lost to UNC Asheville in the First Four
The Trojans found a way to survive the wild Sun Belt Tournament, with guard Solomon Bozeman knocking down the game-winning three pointer in the final seconds of the title game against North Texas. But now comes the hard part for Steve Shields and his staff, as he has to go about replacing the top three scorers from this team. Bozeman, Alex Garcia-Mendoza and Matt Mouzy all graduate, meaning that guards Daylon Guy and D'Andre Williams need to be ready to shoulder the offensive load. Courtney Jackson and Eric Kibi will be the leading returning rebounders for UALR, but it needs to be remembered that the Trojans were 7-9 in league play. A return trip could be a tall task for this team in 2011-12, and they're going to need contributions from incoming freshmen Michael Javes and James White.

(16) UNC Asheville: lost to Pittsburgh in the second round
Eddie Biedenbach's club was able to pick up a win in the First Four, coming back to force overtime before beating UALR in double overtime. The perimeter tandem of Matt Dickey and J.P. Primm led the way in that contest along with their run through the Big South Tournament, and those two will likely make the Bulldogs a favorite in the conference next year. John Williams, one of college basketball's best dunkers, is the lone major loss for UNC Asheville and the roster sets up to the point where the Bulldogs could go on a run over the next couple of seasons. Add in a recruiting class led by guards Keith Hornsby and Corey Littlejohn in addition to center Jaleel Roberts and the freshmen have the ability to make a difference as well. Not only can UNC Asheville get back to the tournament but they can also avoid the First Four.

First Four Tuesday Recap: Bulldogs Come Back to Beat UALR

Raphielle Johnson — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 11:28:18 -0700

Tuesday marked the beginning of the NCAA Tournament, although it's tough for most people to consider anything earlier than Thursday being the starting point. The first game of the "First Four" matched Big South champion UNC Asheville and Sun Belt winner Arkansas-Little Rock and the game did not disappoint, requiring an extra five minutes to determine the winner. A Matt Dickey three pointer from the left corner with 11 seconds remaining pushed the game into overtime, where the Bulldogs took the lead for good on a pair of J.P. Primm free throws with 1:11 remaining. Primm made three of his next four from the line to provide the 81-77 final, and UNC Asheville moves on to play Southeast top seed Pittsburgh on Thursday afternoon.

Dickey and Primm scored 22 points apiece to lead the Bulldogs, who struggled defensively in the first half to keep the Trojans out of the paint. UALR shot 53.6% overall in the first 20 minutes, making 10 of 15 two-point shots. But the percentages fell as UNCA did a better job of limiting UALR's access to the lane, and the Trojans attempted 14 of their 22 shots in the second half from beyond the arc (28.6% 3PT in the second half). Alex Garcia-Mendoza did the best job for UALR in regards to getting to the basket, scoring a team-high 21 points on 5-for-7 shooting from the field (9-11 FT). But Steve Shields' team couldn't shoot consistently from deep, making 31% for the game and sharpshooter Matt Mouzy made just one of his ten attempts from deep.

"They played more zone in the second half," remarked Coach Shields on what UNC Asheville changed defensively. "We weren't able to get the ball to the paint as much as we wanted versus their zone. [UNCA's D.J.] Cunningham has four fouls I think with 11 minutes to go, and we were trying to go back inside toward him and go at him, and we never could get real good looks in there."

But with the quick turnaround how does UNC Asheville go about preparing for the Panthers? The game is a 3:10 PM tip (Clemson was actually jobbed even worse in this matter) and with the requirements they have to fill it could be tough for the Bulldogs to properly rest up and prepare for the Big East regular season champions. But that's an issue the Bulldogs will happily take on at this stage, because just a month ago it would have been tough to project an NCAA Tournament appearance for them.

"I couldn't be prouder of our team, how they handled themselves all season long. We were up and down," remarked Coach Biedenbach. "We had a bit of a rocky road sometime during the season but we started to put it together late."

Other Notable Happenings

1. Clemson beats UAB, advancing to face West Virginia on Thursday afternoon.
Speaking of getting job from a logistical standpoint, how about Clemson's reward for beating UAB 70-52 in the second game of Tuesday's doubleheader? The game didn't start until about 10 PM local time due to the first game going to overtime and a lighting issue that the officials decided to go ahead and play through. Add in postgame interviews and the like, and Brad Brownell's Tigers had a rough itinerary ahead of them with West Virginia on Thursday at 12:15 PM awaiting them. Jerai Grant scored 22 points and grabbed seven rebounds to lead Clemson, who found their way into the lane far too easily against the Blazers.

Clemson shot 52% fro the field, making 22 of 37 two-pointers on the night. UAB used the three to get back into the game but their poor shooting inside of the arc (6-for-24) did them in. Jamarr Sanders led the Blazers, who provided may critics with ammunition for the "they shouldn't be in the field" argument, with 19 points. And sadly the collegiate career of senior Aaron Johnson ended with a broken tibia in the second half; get well soon Aaron. But Clemson got the NCAA Tournament monkey off their backs with the win, and if they can manage the fatigue the Tigers have a good chance against the Mountaineers in Tampa.

2. Kyrie Irving could make his return this weekend for Duke.
There are few NCAA Tournament pools that changed their deadline to Tuesday evening to account for the "First Four", but those who are in such pools may wish the deadline remained Thursday with the news out of Durham. Freshman point guard Kyrie Irving, who went through some individual on-court workouts at the ACC Tournament last weekend, practiced with the team some on Tuesday and could play when the Blue Devils open Friday in Charlotte. The key word is "could" as head coach Mike Krzyzewski said that there's a chance. There's no denying what the McDonald's All-American adds to their rotation when on the floor, but how far along is he in his recovery? In the eyes of many Duke becomes a safe bet to get to Houston due to this development but there's a big difference between practice and game speed. How big of an impact can Irving have on Duke's quest to win another national title? We'll have to wait and see.

3. Purdue suspends guard Kelsey Barlow for the remainder of the season.
It's unknown what exactly happened to cause this personnel move by Purdue head coach Matt Painter, but the move itself certainly does not help out the Boilermakers. In 19.5 minutes per game Barlow averaged 5.1 points and 2.9 rebounds per game, but it's one more body gone for a team that isn't all that deep to begin with. The development likely means an increase in minutes for both Lewis Jackson, who starts and plays nearly 26 minutes per game, and Ryne Smith (23 starts, 23.5 mpg). But Barlow's loss should not be a major blow offensively for the Boilermakers as he hasn't reached double figures since January 9th against Iowa. Purdue has the ability to withstand his loss, but this also makes it all the more imperative that they avoid foul trouble.

Top Three Games

1. UNC Asheville 81, Arkansas-Little Rock 77 (OT)

2. Boise State 83, Austin Peay 80 (CBI)
Daequon Montreal led four players in double figures with 14 points as the Broncos held off Austin Peay in the first round of the CBI. Caleb Brown (24 points) and Josh Terry (23) led the way for the Governors but it wasn't enough as Boise State had eight players score seven points or more.

3. Cleveland State 63, Vermont 60 (NIT)
Norris Cole scored 27 points, including the go-ahead basket with just over a minute left in the game to give the Vikings the win. Pat Bergmann led the Catamounts with 16 points and eight rebounds as they played without injured senior forward Evan Fjeld. The win sets up a showdown between Cole and College of Charleston's Andrew Goudelock in the second round.

Three Notable Performances

1. G Andrew Goudelock (Charleston)
Scored 39 points and grabbed eight rebounds in the Cougars' 94-84 win over Dayton in the first round of the Postseason NIT.

2. G Norris Cole (Cleveland State)
27 points, five assists, four rebounds and two steals in the Vikings' 63-60 win over Vermont in the first round of the Postseason NIT.

3. G Reggie Jackson (Boston College)
22 points, eight rebounds and four assists in the Eagles' 82-64 win over McNeese State in the first round of the Postseason NIT.

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Pittsburgh vs UNCA/UALR: Preview & Prediction

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 19:05:16 -0700

(1) Pittsburgh vs. (16) UNC Asheville/Arkansas-Little Rock

Southeast Region - Washington, D.C.

March 17 - 3:10 truTV

The last time Pittsburgh made the Final Four was all the way back in 1941, and this group has the ability to end the drought. Guards Ashton Gibbs and Brad Wanamaker have led the way, with Gibbs leading the team in scoring and Wanamaker doing a variety of things on both ends of the floor. Their five losses have been by a combined 17 points, and defensively the Panthers are a very tough group to crack. And despite the questions about them offensively, Pitt is among the most efficient teams in the nation. They'll get the winner of Tuesday's game between UNC Asheville, who win the Big South title on regular season champ Coastal Carolina's home floor, and Sun Belt tournament champ UALR. The Panthers should be somewhat familiar with UALR guard Solomon Bozeman, who began his collegiate career at USF before transferring.

CHN Team Capsules (w/ stats, records, and rankings):

Pittsburgh

UNC-Asheville

UALR

Stars to Watch:

G Ashton Gibbs (Pittsburgh)

G Solomon Bozeman (UALR)

G Matt Dickey (UNCA)

Vegas Odds:

UNCA -4 (vs UALR. No line for subsequent game vs Pittsburgh yet.)

Predictions:

RealTimeRPI: UNCA 69 - UALR 66

KenPom: UNCA 69 - UALR 64

CollegeHoops.net Betting Pick: UALR

Subsequent Game: Pitt by 17

Faces Winner Of: Butler vs Old Dominion

First Round Tuesday: Your Commentary

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 14:48:43 -0700

6:40 PM UNC-Asheville vs. Arkansas-Little Rock (TruTV)
The postseason champions of the Big South and Sun Belt open the 2011 NCAA Tournament with the winner moving on to play top-seed Pittsburgh in the Southeast Region. Eddie Biedenbach's Bulldogs were the pick of more than a few pundits to win the conference tournament given the heave personnel losses incurred by regular season champ Coastal Carolina and two-seed Liberty having lost four straight games to end the regular season. UNC Asheville beat the Chanticleers at Coastal Carolina to win the automatic bid, and their run began in that same gym on a Matt Dickey runner at the buzzer on February 22nd. The Bulldogs have won seven straight games with Dickey (15.4 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 3.3 apg) and J.P. Primm (14.4 ppg, 4.6 apg, 3.8 rpg) leading the way.

UNC Asheville starts three guards with junior Chris Stephenson averaging 9.4 points per game, and forward John Williams (5.3 rpg) and center D.J. Cunningham (7.5 rpg) are expected to get the job done on the boards. The Bulldogs essentially break even on the glass, possessing a rebounding margin of minus-0.3 but that number is better than what Arkansas-Little Rock brings to the table (minus-1.5). Coach Biedenbach's team turns the ball over 15 times per game but they're very good at forcing turnovers, averaging nine steals and forcing 17.6 turnovers per game. Averaging 74 points and nearly 72 possessions per game, the Bulldogs will look to play at a higher pace than the Trojans (65.7 possessions/game) and get to the basket (57% of their points are scored on two-point shots).

Arkansas-Little Rock arrived at this point by winning four games in four days at the wild Sun Belt Tournament. The Trojans finished fifth in the West Division and their ticket wasn't punched until Solomon Bozeman knocked down a three-pointer in the final seconds against North Texas. Bozeman, who began his college career at USF, is the lone double-digit scorer for Scott Shields and rarely leaves the floor. Bozeman has played 30+ minutes in every game against Sun Belt competition except for four, either meeting or exceeding that mark in six of the Trojans' last seven games. But whether or not UALR goes on to the nation's capital will depend on what the other expected contributors bring to the table. Gus Leeper scored 10 in the win over North Texas but averages just 1.6 points per game on the season. Seniors Alex Garcia-Mendoza (8.6 ppg) and Matt Mouzy (8.0 ppg) are next in line behind Bozeman and they'll both be needed.

Courtney Jackson and Eric Kibi are the leading rebounders for the Trojans, who have to get the job done on the boards by committee due to their lack of size. UNC Asheville isn't a lights-out rebounding team themselves but they are better than the Trojans, grabbing 34% of their missed shots on the season. If UALR can take care of the basketball, something they've done well with an average of just 11.8 turnovers per game, and hold their own on the boards they can win. The Trojans outscore their opponents by just one point per game on the average so look for some late-game suspense in the first game of the night in Dayton.

9:00 PM UAB vs. Clemson (TruTV)
The Blazers and TIgers were done no favors by the schedule planners, getting the late game tonight with the winner off to Tampa to play East five-seed West Virginia...at 12:15 pm EST (huh?). The beefs in regards to whether or not a team should be in the field are done but there will be a lot of eyes on UAB, the outright Conference USA regular season champion. Senior point guard Aaron Johnson ranks among the nation's best in assists per game with 7.7 in addition to scoring 12 points per contest. His primary responsibility on offense is to set up Jamarr Sanders (17.7 ppg) and Cameron Moore (14.3 ppg, 9.4 rpg), two players with the ability to drop 20-plus on an opponent on any given night.

Mike Davis' team plays just 65 possessions and turn the ball over 12.3 times per game, and they also enter tonight's game as the better rebounding team. Clemson doesn't play as fast as they did under Oliver Purnell in the first season of the brad Brownell era but old habits die hard, with the Tigers averaging eight steals per game. Guards Demontez Stitt (14.7 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 3.4 apg) and Andre Young (10.8 ppg, 3.0 apg) are also the team leaders in steals per game, with their quickness making up for the change in game tempo. Jerai Grant, Milton Jennings and Devin Booker are the key contributors in the frontcourt, and Tanner Smith is a solid player on the wing.

Clemson has played well defensively for much of the season, allowing 60 points and forcing more than 15 turnovers per game. Opponents shoot just 40% from the field, and the Tigers do a good job of grabbing offensive rebounds (34.6% offensive rebound percentage). But UAB is better at keeping their opponents off of the offensive glass, hence the earlier statement that the Blazers are the better rebounding team. Tonight's matchup may be just as much about motivation as execution. Clemson really hasn't been criticized for their inclusion, as they took North Carolina to overtime in the ACC semifinals (in all honesty the Tigers let that one slip away) and enjoy the pedigree of playing in a BCS conference.

But the Blazers aren't exactly chopped liver; despite having just one RPI Top 50 win (the same number of victories as Clemson) Mike Davis' team did go 9-3 against teams from 51-100 and did not suffer any horrific losses (teams ranked 200 or worse in the RPI). All they've heard is that they don't belong but UAB is a talented team that can not only win tonight but also on Thursday afternoon. Clemson can win a couple games as well, but it's that disrespect that may push UAB on to Tampa.

Postseason NIT Games
7:00 PM (3) Dayton at (6) Charleston (ESPN2)
7:00 PM (7) Vermont at (2) Cleveland State (ESPN3)
7:00 PM (8) Coastal Carolina at (1) Alabama (ESPNU)
7:30 PM (6) Harvard at (3) Oklahoma State (ESPN)
8:00 PM (6) Murray State at (3) Missouri State (ESPN3)
9:00 PM (6) Fairfield at (3) Colorado State (ESPN3)
9:00 PM (5) UTEP at (4) New Mexico (ESPN2)
9:00 PM (1) Boston College at (8) McNeese State (ESPNU)
11:00 PM (7) Kent State at (2) Saint Mary's (ESPN2)

College Basketball Invitational Games
7:00 PM James Madison at Davidson
8:05 PM San Jose State at Creighton
8:05 PM Hofstra at Evansville
9:00 PM Austin Peay at Boise State

College Insider Tournament Games
7:00 PM Ohio at Marshall
7:00 PM Furman at East Tennessee State
8:00 PM Jacksonville at East Carolina
8:00 PM Rider at Northern Iowa
9:00 PM North Dakota at Air Force
10:00 PM Northern Arizona at Santa Clara
1:00 AM Portland at Hawaii

Capital One March Madness Promotion

Southeast Region Overview: Can Pitt Reach the Final Four?

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 03:08:07 -0700

Washington, D.C. (March 17)
(1) Pittsburgh vs. (16) UNC Asheville/Arkansas-Little Rock
(8) Butler vs. (9) Old Dominion

The 8/9 game will be intriguing, especially if you're a fan of defense. Butler made their run all the way to the national title game a season ago, and even though it took some time to figure out how to get on without Gordon Hayward (Avery Jukes and Willie Veasley as well) Brad Stevens' Bulldogs figured it out and win the Horizon League tournament title. Old Dominion is back as well, winning the CAA Tournament behind guard Kent Bazemore and forward Frank Hassell. The matchups of Bazemore/ Shelvin Mack and Hassell/ Matt Howard will be entertaining, with an important contribution from one of the other players in either rotation being the difference.

Tucson (March 17)
(5) Kansas St. vs. (12) Utah State
(4) Wisconsin vs. (13) Belmont

Remember when there were questions as to whether or not Kansas State, who went to the Elite 8 last year, would even make the tournament? That seems like a long time ago for Frank Martin's team, who got tougher and with Jacob Pullen leading the way have the ability to make some noise in the next couple of weeks. How far the Wildcats go will depend on the frontcourt, and they've got a tough test on their hands in Utah State. Tai Wesley leads a deep frontcourt and on the perimeter there's point guard Brockeith Pane and senior Pooh Williams. The Aggies are a tough team to scout given the number of sets that head coach Stew Morrill will run, and their offensive execution can burn opponents who don't remain disciplined defensively. Get through this one and Kansas State can make a run, but beating Utah State is by no means a sure thing.

Belmont has been the trendy upset pick by many and that began even before the brackets were announced. Rick Byrd's Bruins go 11 deep and seven average at least five points per game. Forwards Mick Hedgepeth and Scott Saunders play well off of each other and when Belmont succeeds at speeding teams up turnovers tend to follow. But Wisconsin is a tough matchup for Belmont: the Badgers have an experienced point guard in Jordan Taylor who ranks among the nation's best, they don't turn the ball over and they've played more than 60 possessions in a game just eight times this season (65+ just once). Good luck speeding up Wisconsin, who also has forwards Jon Leuer and Keaton Nankivil to count on for scoring. The meeting between the Bruins and Badgers is a great contrast in styles, but Belmont will have to execute in the half-court if they're to pull off the upset.

All-Top Half Team
G Jordan Taylor (Wisconsin)
G Jacob Pullen (Kansas State)
G Brad Wanamaker (Pittsburgh)
F Jon Leuer (Wisconsin)
F Matt Howard (Butler)

Top Half All-Rookie Team
G Will Spradling (Kansas State)
G Josh Gasser (Wisconsin)
G Daylon Guy (Arkansas-Little Rock)
G/F J/.J. Mann (Belmont)
F Khyle Marshall (Butler)

Top Half All-Lower Seed Team
G Solomon Bozeman (Arkansas-Little Rock)
G Kent Bazemore (Old Dominion)
G Ian Clark (Belmont)
F Tai Wesley (Utah State)
F Frank Hassell (Old Dominion)

Denver (March 17)
(6) St. John's vs. (11) Gonzaga
(3) BYU vs. (14) Wofford

It's been a little too long between NCAA Tournament appearances for St. John's but the Red Storm are back in the first year of the Steve Lavin era. Dwight Hardy took off beginning in mid-January, and the move to point guard has paid off for the senior. But they'll be without their most versatile player in wing D.J. Kennedy, who tore his ACL in the Big East Championship last week. But it won't be one guy who replaces his contributions; instead it will have to be a number of players simply doing a little bit more as it's near impossible to simply replace a player of Kennedy's caliber. And if that isn't enough of a challenge how about traveling all the way out to Denver to take on Gonzaga? The Bulldogs improved in the latter stages of the season and with weapons such as Steven Gray, Elias Harris and Robert Sacre, head coach Mark Few won't lack for scoring options. They may be an 11-seed but Gonzaga getting to the Sweet 16 should not be considered a surprise if it were to happen.

As for BYU, they've been exposed some inside due to the loss of leading rebounder Brandon Davies. A simple redistribution of his six-plus rebounds per game is much easier said than done when factoring in the loss of size as well. The Cougars had problems with New Mexico in Provo and against San Diego State in Saturday's Mountain West title game, and such an issue could limit their potential in the Big Dance. Wofford has an outstanding frontcourt player in senior Noah Dahlman and Tim Johnson leads the team with more than eight rebounds per game. Wofford's been the better rebounding team of the two this season but do they have the ability to slow down Jimmer Fredette? Fredette can shoot the Cougars past Wofford but it will be tougher down the line to make up for the rebounding issue as the level of competition increases.

Tampa (March 17)
(7) UCLA vs. (10) Michigan State
(2) Florida vs. (15) UC Santa Barbara

Now that Michigan State is safely in the field, something that was in doubt down the stretch, the focus can be on how successful Tom Izzo-coached teams have been in the Big Dance. Six Final Four appearances and a national title for the Spartans during his tenure, but this is a different team than the ones that accomplished those feats. Kalin Lucas has increased his scoring but his teammates have struggled, especially Durrell Summers. With the talent that UCLA has, especially sophomore Tyler Honeycutt on the wing, Michigan State needs Summers to break out this week. Draymond Green is a versatile forward but he's got a tough matchup of his own with Reeves Nelson. Pac-10 teams tend to struggle when going from west all the way to the east coast so maybe the Spartans have that working for them.

Florida may have been over-seeded as a two but it doesn't matter now, and Billy Donovan's team took on a variety of challenges during non-conference play in addition to winning the SEC outright. SEC Player of the Year Chandler Parsons may not be a lights-out scorer but he's extremely versatile, giving the Gators whatever they need every night out. The frontcourt is deep but it will be guards Kenny Boynton and Erving Walker who determine their fate. They can be a bit erratic and that gets Florida in trouble, so if Boynton and Walker are under control they stand a much better chance of at the very least performing to their seed. Bob Williams' Gauchos won the Big West Tournament after finishing 5th during the regular season, and the backcourt of Orlando Johnson and James Nunnally can be a handful for opponents. But UCSB struggles on the boards, an issue that likely has them headed back home after Thursday.

All-Bottom Half Team
G Jimmer Fredette (BYU)
G Dwight Hardy (St. John's)
F Chandler Parsons (Florida)
F Tyler Honeycutt (UCLA)
F Noah Dahlman (Wofford)

Bottom Half All-Rookie Team
G Keith Appling (Michigan State)
G David Stockton (Gonzaga)
F Dwayne Polee Jr. (St. John's)
F Sam Dower (Gonzaga)
C Joshua Smith (UCLA)

Bottom Half All-Lower Seed Team
G Kalin Lucas (Michigan State)
G Gray
G Orlando Johnson (UCSB)
F Dahlman
F Draymond Green (Michigan State)

Region Winner: Pittsburgh

UALR: 2011 NCAA Tournament

Shawn Siegel — Sun, 13 Mar 2011 01:00:32 -0800

UALR Trojans: 2011 NCAA Capsule

Conference: Sun Belt
Conference RPI: 23rd (of 31)

RPI: #188
Record: 19-16
Conference Record: 7-9 (8th)

Key Games

Top 100 Results: 1-2
Best Non-Conference Win: #81 Tulsa 69-67

Worst Loss: at #277 South Alabama 79-92
Promising Loss: #83 Ole Miss 70-84

Players

Leading Scorer: Solomon Bozeman 16.5
Leading Rebounder: Courtney Jackson 5.3
Leading Passer: D'Andre Williams 2.8
X-Factor: Daylon Guy

Team Stats

Tempo: Slow - 242nd
Offensive Efficiency: 207th
Quality Offensive Stat: Don't Give Up Steals - 2nd

Defensive Efficiency: 228th
Quality Defensive Stat: Force Turnovers - 120th

Tournament History

Record: 1-3
Last: 1990
Last Win: 1989
Final Fours: 0

Links

ESPN Clubhouse
KenPom Stats & Analysis
RealTime RPI Schedule Breakdown

Jon Teitel's "Big Dance" Interviews: Arkansas-Little Rock's Steve Shields

Jon Teitel — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 10:34:28 -0800

Recently CHN writer spent some time with Arkansas-Little Rock head coach Steve Shields, whose team won four games in four days to win the Sun Belt conference tournament. Where the Trojans get seeded remains to be seen, but the shot-making ability of senior guard Solomon Bozeman and their five seniors are things opponents will need to account for next week.

Jon Teitel: How do you go from being an all-conference golfer for your dad Gene at Baylor 25 years ago to winning a conference tournament title as a basketball coach?

Steven Shields: I actually started out playing basketball at Oklahoma City University before transferring to a community college to play basketball. My dad tried to get me to come to Baylor right out of high school, but I was a little hard-headed and not fanatical about golf. I always knew that I wanted to coach a team sport.

JT: You had to win four games in four days to get into the NCAA Tournament after losing four of five to close the regular season. How was your team able to turn it around and maintain its focus over the past week?

SS: Despite us losing three games to finish the regular season, we played well in the last two of those losses. We knew that our league was wide open due to a lot of parity, and we had a lot of close games this year.

JT: Solomon Bozeman made the game-winning three pointer on Tuesday night with 1.5 seconds left to get your team to the tournament. Did you think the shot was going in, and where does that rank among the most clutch shots you have ever seen?

SS: I think it ranks pretty high. Solomon has shot the ball extremely well in our conference games, including over 50% from the three-point line. We wanted the 1st good shot that we could get, and he made it despite his defender contesting the shot.

JT: What is it like to have an assistant coach (Joe Kleine) who was an Olympic gold medalist and NBA champion?

SS: It is outstanding. Joe is one of my best friends who I have known for a long time, and he is passionate about helping our guys grow as players on the floor and young men off the floor. He brings an incredible work ethic every day. I had some friends question my decision back in the day to hire him, as they thought a 15-year NBA veteran would not put up with the day-to-day grind but I knew he would do just fine.

JT: You obviously got your birthday gift a day early on Tuesday night, but how did you celebrate the big day on Wednesday?

SS: I took a deep breath and enjoyed the whirlwind! I am not a big birthday guy. I was just happy for our five seniors who have worked so hard and for all of our fans.

Jon Teitel's "Big Dance" Interviews: UALR's Solomon Bozeman & Joe Kleine

Jon Teitel — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 16:07:23 -0800

In the latest installment in his "Big Dance" interview series CHN writer spent some time with the hero of Arkansas-Little Rock's comeback win over North Texas in yesterday's Sun Belt title game (guard Solomon Bozeman) along with assistant coach Joe Kleine. Both names are quite familiar to basketball fans, even before last night, due to Bozeman beginning his career at USF before transferring and Coach Kleine's playing career in both college and the NBA.

Jon Teitel: You transferred from USF in 2008. Why did you decide to leave USF, and why did you decide to go to Arkansas-Little Rock?

Solomon Bozeman: I decided to transfer mostly due to a coaching change, as the coach my freshman year (Robert McCullum) got fired. I have a lot of family down here in Arkansas, and Coach Shields is a great guy who I believe in.

JT: You were named Sun Belt Player of the Year earlier this month despite not having a single teammate make any of the all-conference teams. Do you feel like you need to play your best in order for your team to have any chance of winning a game next week?

SB: I feel like I have to play well, but my teammates can step up and hit big shots so I do not need to have a monster game.

JT: You made over half of your three-pointers in conference play this year (32-of-61). What is your secret for three-point shooting?

SB: I just get in the gym as much as possible (morning, evening, whenever), as I have been a hard worker all my life. You have to take a lot of shots, but they also have to be high quality shots.

JT: You made your only three-pointer on Tuesday night with 1.5 seconds left to win the game and get your team into the tournament. Did you think the shot was going in, and where does that rank among the most clutch shots of your life?

SB: It definitely ranks #1 in my life. When it left my hand it felt good, so I knew it was going in!

JT: Your dad Eric is currently the head coach at South Arkansas, but previously was an assistant to Rod Barnes at Ole Miss when they went to the Sweet 16 in 2001 before losing to eventual national runner-up Arizona. Has he given you any tips about what it takes to win a game in the tournament?

SB: He just told me to play hard because you never know what will happen. He also said that we just have to keep fighting and stay together.

Assistant coach Joe Kleine

JT: Your own tourney experience at Arkansas in 1985 involved a first round win over Iowa before a three-point loss to St. John's. What is your favorite memory from that March 25 years ago?

JK: My favorite part was just the excitement of the tourney. Iowa had beaten us pretty bad earlier that year in Hawaii (71-52 in the Rainbow Classic in December), so it was nice to get them back. The St. John's loss was hard to take, as it went all the way down to the wire. There were plays that both I and my teammates did not make that kept us from advancing. I still remember it like it was yesterday.

JT: How do you go from being an Olympic gold medalist in the 1980s and an NBA champion in the 1990s to an assistant coach who made the NCAA tourney in 2011?

JK: I have been involved in basketball all my life, and after retiring from the NBA we chose to move to Little Rock. I got to know Coach Shields, and after volunteering at the start I was offered a job to join his staff.

JT: This is your 4th year on Coach Shields' staff. What makes him such a great coach?

JK: He is very detail-oriented in all aspects of the program: recruiting players, watching film, scheduling games, etc. He is involved in our players' lives both on and off the court, and is very fair with them whether they did something good or bad.

JT: Solomon Bozeman made the game-winning three-pointer on Tuesday night with 1.5 seconds left to get your team into the tournament. Did you think the shot was going in, and where does that rank among the most clutch shots you have ever seen?

JK: I thought we would get a good shot off since we had seven seconds left at the end of the game. I would love to lie to you and tell you I thought it was going in, but only Solomon knew it was going in because he has so much confidence. The rest of us were just hoping. It ranks way up there because of what was at stake for Solomon as a senior. Either make that shot and keep playing or your college career is done.

JT: I know you are not a fortune-teller, but what seed do you think your team will end up getting and what kind of team do you think you would match up well against?

JK: I think we will be a very low seed (14-16) and might even be in the play-in game. Being a small team that plays small, the teams that give us trouble are the ones that can really rebound and have big guards and long wings. If our opponents can also make threes, then that will really take away our advantage on the offensive end.

College Hoops Tuesday Recap: Three More Tickets Punched

Raphielle Johnson — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 07:42:25 -0800

Three more tickets were punched on Tuesday night with one being snagged by Greg Kampe's Oakland Golden Grizzlies in a 90-76 win over Oral Roberts in the Summit League title game. Regular season and tournament MVP Keith Benson went off for 28 points, 14 rebounds and four assists and Reggie Hamilton added 26 points and six assists as Oakland completed an impressive run through the conference that included just one loss (IUPUI). Dominique Morrison led Oral Roberts with 22 points but they fell behind in the second half as the Golden Grizzlies continued to find quality looks inside of the arc (shooting 60% from two for the game). ORU fought hard to get back into the game but they ran out of gas, something that became apparent on the defensive end.

Oakland's league record over the last two seasons: 34-2, and in the tournament they enjoyed a lead of at least 20 points in each of the three contests. "It is a team of runs and this team can score," said Kampe when asked of the difference between this year's team and last year's. "We averaged 92 points a game in three games and 86 a game this season which is second in the nation. When you think about our schedule and who we played and we finish second in the nation in scoring, that is quite an accomplishment." To say the least the Golden Grizzlies will be a team few will be excited to face given their talent and versatility, and there's another familiar face who is guaranteed a spot in the field of 68.

Brad Stevens' Butler Bulldogs used a stifling brand of defense to grab their seat, limiting Milwaukee to 30% shooting from the field and forcing 16 turnovers in the 59-44 win in the Horizon League title game. Matt Howard led the way offensively and Shelvin Mack chipped in with 14 but it was their determination on the defensive end that put the game away. Rob Jeter's Panthers went into the game averaging an offensive efficiency of 102.4 on the season. Their number on Tuesday night: 78.6. And when your opponent finishes with a far higher efficiency (105.4) and an effective field goal percentage of 50% (to your 35%) more than likely the end result is a loss.

The Bulldogs are a different team than last, with the absences of Gordon Hayward, Avery Jukes and Willie Veasley being tough to adjust to early in the season. But now that Butler is defending well and fully understands their strengths, look out. While it would be unfair to assume another Final Four run is in the card, it isn't unreasonable to think that Butler could win at least one game next week.

Other Notable Happenings

1. Arkansas-Little Rock completes a wild run with a game-winning three to knock off North Texas in the Sun Belt final.
For anyone who wondered how a player whose team finished fifth in the West Division could be chosen as Sun Belt Player of the Year, UALR guard Solomon Bozeman provided one more dramatic piece of evidence in his favor on Tuesday night. His three with 1.5 seconds remaining completed a dramatic comeback for the Trojans, who trailed by seven points with 1:42 remaining only to win 64-63. And while there's still at least one game to be played the shot was a fitting finish for a team that won just nine games a season ago and was expected by few to make this four-game run. The last time UALR heard their name called was all the way back in 1990, a streak that will come to an end on Sunday evening. And they've got Solomon Bozeman to thank for it.

2. Villanova heading into the NCAA Tournament in the wrong condition while Marquette advances in New York.
There are some, well many actually, who believe that Jay Wright's Villanova Wildcats are in danger of missing the NCAA Tournament. They're not missing the Big Dance, not with the terrible softness of the bottom of the bubble and their six Top 50 wins that outweigh what a lot of teams have to date. But they aren't Marquette, who took care of Providence 87-66, who has a far better grasp of what's at stake this time of the year. The Golden Eagles will fight you every single possession, something that starts with head coach Buzz Williams and senior wing JImmy Butler. Butler finished two assists short of a triple-double as the Golden Eagles jumped the Friars early (17-0 to start the game) and even though Providence would work their way back into the game Marquette's refusal to settle for perimeter shots (paint touches are a big deal in their program) eventually put the game out of reach for good.

Who steps up for Villanova? They've got capable scorers but they're banged up physically (Corey Stokes' turf toe and Mouphtaou Yarou took a nasty fall in the first half that sidelined him for the game), and one would have to hope that they aren't irreparable mentally. Anthony Crater's driving layup to give USF the 70-69 win featured little in the way of help defense (a two was just as bad as a three there) but the game was lost in their attempt to get the game to the end and win on the "scorecards" with an ineffective replica of Notre Dame's "burn" offense. As Oscar De La Hoya found out in his loss to Felix Trinidad in 1999 there's little benefit to going down without swinging. Villanova kept the Bulls alive with an offense that was little more than drain the clock and hope that either Wayns or Corey Fisher could make a tough shot at the end of the shot clock. And keeping them alive left them open to a staggering blow. Whether or not this loss puts them down for the count remains to be seen but it doesn't look good right now.

3. Princeton wins at Penn to force a playoff with Harvard on Saturday.
Harvard was 40 minutes away from making their first trip to the NCAA Tournament since 1946. The problem for the Crimson? Their season was over, meaning that they needed a Princeton loss to Penn on Tuesday to punch their ticket. But Sydney Johnson's Tigers refused to oblige, beating the Quakers 70-58 to force a playoff between Princeton and Harvard on Saturday at Yale. Kareem Maddox scored 23 points while also accounting for five rebounds and five assists off the bench and the Tigers out-rebounded Penn 32-22 on the night. The rebounding edge will be tough to duplicate against the likes of Kyle Casey and Keith Wright on Saturday but at least Princeton get another shot at the Crimson, who beat them in Cambridge last weekend. Both teams won at home during the regular season, so it's only right that there's a tiebreaker.

Venoy Overton suspended for the Pac-10 Tournament

Top Three Games

1. Arkansas-Little Rock 64, North Texas 63

2. La Salle 75, St. Bonaventure 73 (2OT)
Steve Weingarten's three-pointer with 32 seconds remaining gave the Explorers the lead for good to advance to the Atlantic 10 quarterfinals on Friday. Jerrell Williams scored 19 points to lead La Salle while St. Bonaventure's Andrew Nicholson dropped 30 points, 13 rebounds and four blocks in a losing effort.

3. Maryland-Eastern Shore 87, Florida A&M 85 (2OT)
Kevin White may have led the Hawks with 22 points but it was Hillary Haley who made the big shots in overtime. Haley sent the game into a second overtime with a three with 17 seconds left in the first overtime, and his layup with 1:06 left in double OT gave UMES the lead for good. Avery Moore led FAMU with 21 points but it's the Hawks who go on to face two-seed Hampton in the MEAC quarters.

Three Notable Performances

1. C Keith Benson (Oakland)
28 points, 14 rebounds and four assists in the Golden Grizzlies' 90-76 win over Oral Roberts to win the Summit League Tournament title.

2. F Jimmy Butler (Marquette)
19 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists in the Golden Eagles' 88-67 win over Marquette in the first round of the Big East Championship.

3. G Kemba Walker (Connecticut)
26 points, seven rebounds and five assists in the Huskies' 97-71 win over DePaul in the first round of the Big East Championship.

HOOPS TALK LIVE WEDNESDAY 6-7PM EST

Jon Teitel's Coaching Greats Series: Former UALR Head Coach Mike Newell

Jon Teitel — Sun, 26 Dec 2010 20:16:23 -0800

In the latest installment in his "Coaching Greats" interview series CHN writer spent some time with former Arkansas-Little Rock head coach Mike Newell. Coach Newell won 113 games in the first five years of his tenure at UALR and led the Trojans to three NCAA Tournament appearances. Also a head coach at Lamar from 1990-93, Coach Newell finished up a nine-year run at Arkansas-Monticello in 2010 and hopes to catch on with a Division I program as either an assistant or head coach in 2011.

Jon Teitel: You went to North Vermillion HS where you scored 54 points in a single game, set the school's all-time scoring record, and were named a Sunkist All-American. Was that game just one of those scenarios where every shot you put up seemed to go in because you were "in the zone"?

Mike Newell: I averaged over 30 points per game that year, and was one of the top scorers in the state. That 54-point game was in the state tourney at Purdue Arena and I just took (and made) a lot of shots and free throws.

JT: You signed to play for Press Maravich at LSU but after one year you transferred to Sam Houston State. Why did you want to go to LSU, and why did you decide to transfer?

MN: Freshmen were not allowed to play on the varsity back then, and I think that was the first year that African-American basketball players competed in the SEC (Perry Wallace at Vanderbilt). I thought about going to Purdue, but the Dean of Sciences at Sam Houston State knew my family and was like an uncle to me. I still follow LSU and love them, and the man who recruited me (Joe Dean) is like a second dad to me. I started for three years at Sam Houston State and enjoyed my time there.

JT: What are your memories of the 1973 season when you were captain of the Bearkats (you went 27-0 in the regular season, then beat Wartburg in the first round of the NAIA tourney before a seven-point loss to Xavier)?

MN: We were declared AP and UPI champs and were the #1-seed headed into the tourney in KC, but lost to Slick Watts' team.

JT: You were hired by Billy Tubbs to be one of his assistant coaches at Oklahoma. Why did you take the job, and what made Tubbs such a great coach?

MN: I had always wanted to be a coach at the Division I level as quickly as possible. I met Billy briefly when I was at San Jacinto JC, and at the Final Four I asked him if he would consider hiring me if he got the head job at OK. When he did, he did. I think Billy was ahead of his time on the offensive end. He did not put anyone on the floor who could not shoot the ball, and was a great motivator so that his players had a lot of confidence.

JT: What are your memories of the 1983 NCAA Tournament in Evansville when you served as interim head coach at Oklahoma (you had an eight-point win over UAB, then lost to Indiana)?

MN: I was made interim head coach after Billy got hit by a car in January. A lot of people did not realize how serious it was; he almost passed away. Wayman Tisdale was a freshman on that team. I could not believe that we were going to play in my home state, as I grew up watching Evansville basketball. UAB was ranked and led by Coach Gene Bartow. I grew up as an Indiana fan...and of all things we got to play Indiana! We had a good shooter (Bo Overton) who got hurt before the tourney, but I put him in with one minute left as he hobbled around the court so that he could break the record for most games played in school history. Indiana put 7'2" Uwe Blab on Tisdale and dropped a guard to double-team him, so Bobby Knight had us well-figured out. I had a lot of family and friends come down, all of whom were IU fans. I knew the place would go nuts when Knight walked onto the floor, so I told my assistant Mike Anderson to tell me when the Hoosiers were coming out so that we could come out right behind them. We kept waiting and waiting but Knight never let them come out, so we decided to just walk out. The Hoosiers came out a minute later with a police escort and the crowd screaming, and my team just looked at them in awe.

JT: What are your memories of the 1984 NCAA Tournament (Roosevelt Chapman scored a career-high 41 points in a four-point win by Dayton)?

MN: Back then we got a bye for winning the Big 8, and as the #2-seed behind Georgetown, we were set up for an Elite 8 game of Patrick Ewing vs. Tisdale to get to the Final Four. I flew out early to scout SEC champ Louisville, and after Dayton upset them I told Billy that their only player we had to worry about was Chapman. Wayman sprained his ankle in the 1st half, and Chapman just went off on us. Give Dayton a lot of credit, as they beat Pac-10 champ Washington before losing to Georgetown. They were not a fluke.

JT: In 1984 you became head coach at Arkansas-Little Rock, where you won 113 games in your first 5 seasons. How were you able to come in and have so much success right from the start?

MN: I was contacted by UALR about the job shortly after the 1984 NCAA Tournament. I love to recruit, and when you are a young coach you are really hungry to win. We got future NBA player Pete Myers in our first recruiting class. At the end of my tenure we were one of the top-5 winningest programs during that stretch. My 113 wins in five years was pretty amazing, as it ranked me ahead of such legends as John Wooden!

1986 NCAA Tournament

JT: Myers scored 29 points in 29 minutes as your team made 15-19 FG in the second half of a seven-point upset of #3-seed Notre Dame. How was your team able to shoot so well, and do you agree with others who consider it one of the biggest upsets in tourney history?

MN: I am a little biased, but if you check around a lot of people claim that it is still one of the top 3-4 upsets ever, if not #1. We started two freshmen on that team. What I remember is that the Irish did not bring their band up, as they were expecting to beat us and waiting to bring the band up for the following round. The game was in Minnesota with a crowd of about 30,000. By the second half with a chance to pull off the upset, we had a majority of the crowd cheering for us.

JT: You had a double overtime loss to North Carolina State. Do you think you should have won that game, and what was the reaction like when you got back to campus?

MN: To be honest, if we played Notre Dame 10 times they would have beaten us nine...but if we played NC State 10 times, we probably would have beaten them nine times! We missed a free throw at the end of regulation that might have won the game. We jumped out to a five-point lead in the first overtime. They had just put in the shot clock that year, otherwise we would have been able to hold the ball and win the game. NC State had some talented players: Chris Washburn, Charles Shackleford, etc. I went out to dinner with Jim Valvano later that spring, and he said that if we had made that free throw in regulation, not only would we have beaten his team, we might have beaten Iowa State (who upset #2-seed Michigan), and then would have played Kansas to get to the Final Four. When he broke it down like that, he got me fired up!

1987 Postseason NIT

JT: You had a one-point win over Baylor. How were you able to pull out the win?

MN: We were down one with one second left and got fouled, but were not in the bonus yet so we took the ball out of bounds. I told my guys to just go towards the basket and shoot the ball, so we did and got fouled. James Dawn made 2 free throws to win it with no time on the clock.

JT: Curtis Kidd made a layup with 35 seconds left to seal a six-point win over Stephen F. Austin. How good a player was Kidd, and did you think you had it wrapped up when he made that shot?

MN: Stephen F. Austin had the two best three-point shooters in the country. We were huge, as we started several guys who were 6'8" and 6'9". We put some our big guys out on the wing, and their shooters had a hard time getting open looks.

JT: You had a seven-point win over Cal. Were you getting nervous about all the close games, or did you think you finally had the momentum to go all the way?

MN: California had Kevin Johnson, but I felt like we had a good team. I remember that Eddie Powell made several three-point shots.

JT: Tim Legler scored 26 points (4-8 3PT) in a win by La Salle. How did the implementation of the three-point shot in the college game that year affect your coaching style, and was La Salle just on fire from behind the arc that night?

MN: I think they made their first seven shots, all of which were threes. However, they did more than just shoot from behind the arc, as they also had Lionel Simmons.

JT: Brian Carr had 18 points, nine assists and six steals in a nine-point overtime win for Nebraska in the third place game. Was it hard to get your team motivated for the consolation game, and was Carr just a one-man wrecking crew?

MN: Dawn had been the hero against Baylor, but missed some free throws in regulation before we lost in OT.

JT: What are your memories of the 1989 NCAA Tournament (Jeff Cummings held Pervis Ellison to only eight points before fouling out in a five-point Louisville win)?

MN: That was our best team. We could score, we could guard, and we had depth. We went to the Hoosier Dome and there were about 20,000 Louisville fans wearing red. We took the lead with about five minutes left but just could not hang on. Cummings was MVP of our conference tourney, but he ballooned to over 300 pounds the following year because his girlfriend's dad owned the best BBQ restaurant in town!

JT: What are your memories of the 1990 NCAA Tournament (Larry Johnson had 13 points and 12 rebounds in a 30-point win by #1-seed/eventual champion UNLV)?

MN: We just got a bad draw there, but they beat Duke in the final by 30 points so it was not just us! We had some good guards, but did not have enough size to guard their big men.

JT: In 1990 you left to become coach at Lamar but resigned 3 years later amid allegations that you verbally abused some players. What is your side of the story?

MN: It was basically a contract that they could not afford, and I accepted a buyout. This is the 1st time I have talked about it in 17 years, and it soured me on college athletics to get caught up in a political nightmare. There were allegations, but they would not have bought me out if the allegations were true. I thought that I could win quickly, but I probably overscheduled a bit.

JT: After leaving Lamar you became a scout for the Miami Heat, then coach of the Shreveport Storm of the CBA, then a scout for the Detroit Pistons. How did you like being a scout, and what is the biggest difference between coaching college players and coaching CBA players?

MN: I am very good friends with Alvin Gentry, but the scouting thing was not a full-time gig. The CBA thing was a joke. It was my worst year in basketball, but I enjoyed working with the young, underpaid men. When your players make $400/week and your opponents make $2000/week, it is hard to compete.

JT: In 2001 you became coach at Arkansas-Monticello, where you ended up coaching your son Nate. Why did you decide to get back into college coaching, and what was it like to coach your son?

MN: Pete Maravich was a senior when I was a freshman at LSU, and that was where I first got to see the interaction between a father and son. I saw Tommy Tubbs try to play for his dad Billy at Oklahoma, which I do not think was a good experience for him. I called my friend Homer Drew and told him that I was thinking of getting back into college coaching and wanted to get his take on coaching your own son. He told me that if my son could play and was the best player on the team it would be pure joy...and if not then it would be pure misery! I was runner-up for a Division I job, and ended up taking a Division II job. Nate could have played Division I, as he scored over 15 points per game against the Division I opponents we faced. He was the best player on the team (along with Billy McDaniel), so it was a joy. He scored over 2,000 PTS and anytime you can do that it is pretty impressive.

JT: In 2010 you resigned as coach at Arkansas-Monticello. Why did you resign and what do you hope to do in the future?

MN: I had been at UAM for nine years, and even though I had the winningest decade in the program's history, I had no full-time assistants and a horrendous budget. Down there they care about deer hunting first and football second, while basketball is even farther down the line. You just get tired of beating your head against the wall. I did not get the support I needed. We were ranked as high as 5th in the country at one point. I have not told anyone this before, but I turned down an offer from Marquette because I loved Little Rock. I told Bartow that we could make UAM into another UAB, so I kept turning down job offers. I recently finished up my summer camps and am giving some private lessons, but in 2011 I will see if I can get an assistant or head job at a Division I program.

Coach Newell is also on Jon's list of best coaches in Sun Belt history.

Arkansas State: Dickey Nutt (1995-2008) 189-187, 1 NCAA Tournament, 2 conference titles, 1-time conference COY

Arkansas-Little Rock: Mike Newell (1984-1990) 133-60, 3 NCAA Tournaments, 3 conference titles, 2-time conference COY

Denver: Terry Carroll (2001-2007) 79-99, 1 conference title, 1-time conference COY

Florida Atlantic: Sidney Green (1999-2005) 54-121, 1 NCAA Tournament, 1-time conference COY

Florida International: Shakey Rodriguez (1995-2000) 79-66

LA Lafayette: Jessie Evans (1997-2004) 118-80, 2 NCAA Tournaments, 4 conference titles

LA Monroe: Mike Vining (1981-2005) 401-303, 7 NCAA Tournaments, 7 conference titles

Middle Tennessee State: Bruce Stewart (1984-1991) 141-76, 3 NCAA Tournaments, 3 conference titles, 1-time conference COY

New Orleans: Tim Floyd (1988-1994) 126-59, 2 NCAA Tournaments, 4 conference titles, 1-time conference COY

North Texas: Johnny Jones (2001-present) 150-121, 2 NCAA Tournaments, 2 conference titles

South Alabama: Ronnie Arrow (1987-1995, 2007-present) 177-128, 3 NCAA Tournaments, 3 conference titles, 3-time conference COY

Troy: Don Maestri (1982-present) 463-334, 1 NCAA Tournament, 6 conference titles, 5-time conference COY

Western Kentucky: Edgar Diddle (1922-1964) 759-302, 3 NCAA Tournaments, 10 conference titles, 1-time conference COY