UCONN

Early 2012-13 Ranking: Teams 46 to 60

Shawn Siegel — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 08:05:33 -0700

Continuing with the Early 2012-13 Ranking, here are teams 46 to 60.

Its worth repeating that I had to make many assumptions about the NBA Draft in compiling the following list, and I've noted which assumptions I've made. This ranking will be updated later in the summer once players have made their official draft decisions. Also uncertain is where some remaining unsigned recruits will end up, and how the coaching carousel will take form. I purposely made no assumptions about where unsigned prospects will end up. (All prospect rankings are according to the Rivals 150 ranking.)

Early 2012-13 Ranking: Teams 45-60

46 Miami Another year under Jim Larranaga should find the Hurricanes on the inside of the NCAA Tournament bubble. Malcolm Grant departs but he did not have a terribly good season anyways.

47 Butler After a down year, Butler should once again be the class of the Horizon League. Transfer Rotnei Clarke gives them a scoring-punch that was severely lacking this year. Three solid guards enter as freshmen, who should help with depth.

48 Colorado Carlon Brown and Austin Dufault are not small loses, but the hope is that Andre Roberson blossoms into a Pac-12 Player of the Year candidate. The Buffs recruiting haul is easily their best of the last decade.

49 BYU The Cougars lose veterans Hartsock and Abouo but should still settle into their usual bubble-bound slot. Another year of improvement from Matt Carlino should help.

50 Pittsburgh Coming off of a disastrous season, Pittsburgh has no where to go but up. Although Gibbs and Robinson depart, the Panthers welcome 4th ranked recruit Steven Adams, one of their best-ever recruits. A healthy Tray Woodall would certainly help as well.

51 UCF After being a fringe-bubble team that last two years, UCF will once again be hoping to make the tourney. Although PG AJ Rompza graduates, the team returns solid All-CUSA caliber players in Keith Clanton, Marcus Jordan, and Isaiah Sykes.

52 Temple The Owls should take a step back with key senior losses, including leader Ramone Moore, but expect them to still be competitive in the A10. Khalif Wyatt could score 20 ppg now that the team is fully in his hands. The recruiting haul might be Temple's best since 2007.

53 Xavier Besides leader Tu Holloway, they also loses Kenny Frease and Andre Walker. Role players like Travis Taylor and Jeff Robinson will really need to step it up if Xavier wants to makes its 8th tourney in a row. 4-star recruit Semaj Christon is capable of contributing at PG from day one.

54 UCONN Jeremy Lamb and Andre Drummond will presumably go pro, and the roster looks pretty thin without them. Last year's shock tourney run covers up what has been 3 years in a row of .500 or worse basketball in Big East play. Add in the potential sanctions and Calhoun's health, and you have yourself a lot of questions.

55 Belmont Seniors Drew Hanlen, Mick Hedgepeth, and Scott Saunders depart, but Kerron Johnson and Ian Clark are still two of the A-Sun's top players. Incoming PG Craig Bradshaw is one of Belmont's better pickups and should fit right into the program.

56 South Florida Three seniors that played over 25 minutes per game depart, but South Florida shouldn't expect too much of a drop-off. USF's 4-person recruiting class is solid for their standards, but still mediocre as far as the Big East goes.

57 Mississippi St With Dee Bost a senior and Arnett Moultrie presumably going pro, Mississippi St loses its leading scorer, passer, rebounder, and defender. Although an underrated 5-person recruiting class was set to come in, Rick Stanbury's retirement does open some questions.

58 West Virginia For a team that often struggled to score the ball, it will be interesting to see how they'll manage without Kevin Jones and Darryl Bryant. Those two scored almost 50% of the Mountaineers points. Aaric Murray and Juwan Staten are solid transfers who will help.

59 Southern Miss USM was never as good as their gaudy RPI suggested.. Graduations will put a major dent into their major strength, which was depth, but their top two scorers do return.

60 Iowa St The key for Iowa St is whether Royce White decides to go pro. I'm assuming here that he does, which would mean the Cyclones lose their 3 leading scorers. A pair of solid transfers enter the mix, as well as their best recruiting class in a few years.

Also Under Consideration (alphabetical order)

Akron

California

Harvard

Illinois St

Minnesota

Nevada

Ole Miss

Oregon

Providence

Vanderbilt

Virginia

<< Return to 2012-13 Ranking: Teams 1 to 45

Thursday's Action Underwhelms But Colorado & VCU Win

Raphielle Johnson — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 23:24:37 -0700

The first full day of action in the NCAA tournament didn't produce the number of surprises that many fans both expected and wanted, with just two lower-seeded teams advancing to Saturday's action. While one should come as no surprise to the country the other finds itself carrying the banner for an entire conference...in its first season in the league. Here are the key happenings by location, highlighted by wins for Colorado (Albuquerque) and VCU (Portland).

Albuquerque: Colorado builds a large lead and holds on to beat 6-seed UNLV, winning thier sixth straight game.
Tad Boyle's Buffaloes put together a performance similar to their win over Arizona in the Pac-12 tournament final on Saturday. Colorado got out to a big lead and controlled play for much of the game, ultimately running out of gas down the stretch but finding a way to hold on. Austin Dufault scored 14 points and Andre Roberson added 12 and 16 rebounds to lead Colorado to the 68-64 win, giving the Buffaloes their first NCAA tournament win since 1997. UNLV shot just 32.4% from the field but was able to close the margin to two points due to their pressure, which forced 23 Colorado turnovers on the night.

But Chace Stanback and Mike Moser combined to shoot 7-of-27 from the field, and the Runnin' Rebels could get no closer. Next up for Colorado is old Big 12 foe Baylor, who held off a tough South Dakota State team by the final score of 68-60. Few expected the Buffs to compete for a spot in the top half of the Pac-12 when the season began, but here they are carrying the banner for a struggling conference with 40 minutes between them and the Sweet 16.

Louisville: Iowa State drops the hammer on UConn early, advancing to face top seed Kentucky on Saturday.
The immediate reaction of many on Selection Sunday was excitement in regards to a possible matchup between the defending national champs and top over all seed Kentucky on Saturday. There were so many speaking as if a UConn/Kentucky match-up was a lock that two important factors were ignored. One, the Huskies really hadn't played well despite picking up two wins in New York City. Two, and most importantly, was the fact that UConn had to deal with a good Iowa State team to reach Saturday.

And they couldn't. Royce White was solid with 15 points and 13 rebounds, setting the tone of a game UConn didn't look too prepared to play with a dunk on the opening possession. Iowa State led by as many as 20 in the first half, and whenever the Huskies looked to be making a run they'd make a bad decision. Iowa State advanced with the 77-64 win, and one has to wonder about the direction of the Connecticut program. There's a strong chance that the Huskies won't be eligible for next year's tournament, and if the ban is upheld following the school's final appeal in April that may trigger a mass exodus for their best players. Troubling times in Storrs, that's for sure.

Pittsburgh: Syracuse rallies late to beat UNC Asheville in a game that left many upset with the officiating.
The battle between the Orange and Bulldogs was a wild one, and even with Syracuse not having Fab Melo the game was much closer than anyone anticipated. Eddie Biedenbach's team hung around throughout despite Matt Dickey shooting 1-of-13 from the field, but they couldn't get that one play they needed down the stretch to complete what would have been the first-ever win for a 16-seed over a one. Syracuse hung on for the 72-65 win, advancing to take on 8-seed Kansas State for the right to go to the Sweet 16.

James Southerland came up big off the bench, just as he did in the Big East Championship win over UConn in the quarters, scoring 15 points and grabbing eight boards. Outside of Dickey the Bulldogs had other issues, most notably a few whistles that did not go their way late. But to be fair the game was horrendously officiated throughout out, with both teams ending up on the short end of the stick. Did UNC Asheville outplay Syracuse? For much of the afternoon they did, but the final score is what ultimately determines which team advances and which one sees its season end. Syracuse found a way to survive and advance, and regardless of the aesthetic beauty (or lack thereof) of the win that's all that matters in March.

Portland: VCU makes the big plays late to beat 5-seed Wichita State; gets Indiana next.
In the matchup practically no one wanted to see at this point in the tournament given the potential of both teams it was VCU who found a way to win. Bradford Burgess' three with 1:33 remaining gave the Rams the lead for good as they beat the Shockers 62-59. VCU will look to unleash their "havoc" style of play on Indiana, who beat New Mexico State in the final game of the night. Burgess scored 16 points and Darius Theus and Troy Daniels added ten apiece. VCU did its best work on the defensive end as they were able to harass Wichita State into shooting just 38.7% from the field.

Garrett Stutz, whose three just before time expired went long, struggled to deal with the pace within each possession and VCU's D.J. Haley defended the First Team All-MVC player well throughout. Neither team shot well from three but it was VCU's superior percentage inside of the arc that proved to be the difference. It's unfair to attempt to compare this year's group to last year's, but rest assured that the current group of Rams are just as capable of doing even more damage in the tournament.

Three Notable Performers

1. F Jae Crowder (Marquette)
25 points, 16 rebounds and four assists in the Golden Eagles' 88-68 win over BYU.

2. F Deshaun Thomas (Ohio State)
31 points and 12 rebounds in the Buckeyes' 78-59 win over Loyola (MD).

3. G Rodney McGruder (Kansas State)
30 points (11-16 FG) four rebounds and four steals in the Wildcats' 70-64 win over Southern Miss.

Thursday's NCAA Tournament Games to Watch

Raphielle Johnson — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 01:47:35 -0700

With CHN's Greg Mengelt handling previews and predictions for every game the daily preview will look a little different for the NCAA tournament, with the focus being the game of the day in each region. Below are the games on Thursday's slate that you should make time for, and with four networks (CBS, TBS, TNT and truTV) showing every game in its entirety, there's no excuse (besides a lack of TVs or laptops) for you to not have a multiple TV/computer setup in your home. Enjoy the games.

Albuquerque: (4) Wisconsin vs. (13) Montana
2:10 PM EST; TNT

Many have gone with the Grizzlies in this one, citing the Badgers' reliance on the 3-pointer and the quality of Montana guards Will Cherry and Kareem Jamar. Those are indeed good reasons to go with Wayne Tinkle's team to win, not to metion Derek Selvig insde. However keep in mind that Bo Ryan is 9-1 at Wisconsin in opening games in the NCAA tournament, having won five straight.

They'll be prepared for what Montana looks to throw at them, and with an experienced leader in point guard Jordan Taylor Wisconsin will be tough to knock off. Cherry will draw that defensive assignment, and the Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year is capable of getting the job done. The winner gets the winner of the Vanderbilt/Harvard matchup on Saturday, with the winner of this four-team pod off to Boston for next week's East Regional.

Rest of the day in Albuquerque
(5) Vanderbilt vs. (12) Harvard; 4:40 PM EST (TNT)
(3) Baylor vs. (14) South Dakota State; 7:27 PM EST (truTV)
(6) UNLV vs. (11) Colorado; 9:57 PM EST (truTV)

Louisville: (8) Iowa State vs. (9) Connecticut
9:20 PM EST; TBS

Many have jumped to the conclusion that the Huskies will take on Kentucky on Saturday, and that's a very dangerous position to take especially if the UConn players take the same approach. At 6-9, 270 Iowa State's Royce White is the kind of player that UConn hasn't seen this season, as he runs the point and is just as good at distributing as he is at scoring himself. Roscoe Smith will iikely get the call defensively but he doesn't have the physical strength of White.

Just as important for the Huskies will be the play of their big men, led by Andre Drummond and Alex Oriakhi. Outside of White the Huskies have a clear edge in the paint, but that's only as effective as they make it. How well UConn defends the three will also be important as the Cyclones are a very good perimeter shooting team. Scott Christopherson and Chris Allen can both knock down shots, and Chris Babb will have the task of guarding Jeremy Lamb. This one's going to go down to the wire.

Rest of the day in Louisville
(6) Murray State vs. (11) Colorado State, 12:15 PM EST (CBS)
(3) Marquette vs. (14) BYU, 2:45 PM EST (CBS)
(1) Kentucky vs. (16) Western Kentucky (TBS)

Pittsburgh: (7) Gonzaga vs. (10) West Virginia
7:20 PM EST; TNT

Arguably the most overrated aspect of this game is the fact that Pittsburgh is 90 minutes away from Morgantown. Sure the Mountaineers will likely enjoy an advantage when considering the crowd but it isn't as if natives of the Steel City are lining up to cheer on WVU. Gonzaga should (and likely will) be more concerned with senior foward Kevin Jones, who led the Big East in both scoring and rebounding this season. Elias Harris and Robert Sacre' need to bring it from an effort standpoint if they're to slow Jones down.

The other key aspect of this matchup is the decision-making of West Virginia's guards, most notably Truck Bryant. If the senior's struggling in this regard then the freshmen are likely to follow suit. Kevin Pangos has been one of the best freshman guards in the country for Gonzaga, and classmate Gary Bell Jr. is also capable of breaking out. Keeping WVU off the boards is the one thing Gonzaga has to do in order to win, but that's definitely possible.

Rest of the day in Pittsburgh
(8) Kansas State vs. (9) Southern Miss, 12:40 PM EST (truTV)
(1) Syracuse vs. (16) UNC Asheville, 3:10 PM EST (truTV)
(2) Ohio State vs. (15) Loyola (MD), 9:50 PM EST (TNT)

Portland: (5) Wichita State vs. (12) VCU
7:15 PM EST; CBS

There weren't too many people thrilled with this matchup, especially if you're a fan of the mid-major. Both the Shockers and Rams have the potential to reach New Orleans, but after this battle only one of them will remain in the field. VCU is going to throw their "havoc" system at Wichita State throughout, and if the Shockers are unable to handle that pressure it could be a long night in Portland. Joe Ragland was very good this season for WSU and they've got other solid options on the perimeter as well.

There are two keys for VCU: Bradford Burgess plays well, and D.J. Haley and Juvonte Reddic can combine to perform well against All-MVC center Garrett Stutz. Gregg Marshall's Shockers have enough talent and depth to handle the VCU pressure with a minimal number of turnovers, and if they can the dynamic of the game will change. Both head coaches will be hot names on the open job market during the offseason but that's of little concern to either team at this point in the season.

Rest of the day in Portland
(4) Louisville vs. (13) Davidson, 1:40 PM EST (TBS)
(5) New Mexico vs. (12) Long Beach State, 3:10 PM EST (TBS)
(4) Indiana vs. (13) New Mexico State, 9:45 PM EST (CBS)

NCAA Tournament Preview: Frontcourts to Watch

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 20:27:34 -0700

While you definitely need guards to win a national title big men are very important in their own right. Whether a team has projected lottery picks or guys who have been solid throughout their careers, a team has to be able to hold their own in the paint. If not a tournament experience that can last two or three weeks gets derailed far sooner. Here are some front courts you'll need to know this week.

South Region

1. Kentucky
This one's pretty simple. The Wildcats have the nation's best freshman in Anthony Davis (who may also be the best player in the country regardless of class) and a wing in Michael Kidd-Gilchrist who is one of the best leaders as well as a very talented player. Terrence Jones has played well of late, and while the effort may still wane on occasion he's extremely talented. This group is a big reason why the Wildcats are the overwhelming favorite to win it all.

2. Baylor
The Bears aren't that far behind Kentucky as they can go five deep with a few lottery-caliber talents mixed in. The two lottery guys are Perry Jones III and Quincy Miller, with the former needing to remain engaged in the action consistently if the Bears are to make a deep run. Quincy Acy is the toughest of the bunch, a guy likely to enjoy a long pro career based on his effort and rebounding ability alone, with Cory Jefferson and Anthony Jones rounding out the group.

3. Connecticut
The Huskies may not win the vote in the South for best front court but it's a safe bet that they'd win for most frustrating. Andre Drummond and Alex Oriakhi get the most minutes while Tyler Olander and Roscoe Smith will also rotate in. If they all play consistently the Huskies can do some damage this week. If not, Iowa State's Royce White will put on a show in Louisville.

Biggest question mark: Ryan Kelly's foot (Duke)
Kelly missed the ACC tournament due to his foot injury, and the Blue Devils have been preparing for Lehigh as if they won't have him. Kelly's absence changes things offensively, as he's able to play on the perimeter. That opens things up for their guards, and without him Duke has two guys inside (Mason and Miles Plumlee) instead of one.

Guys you'll love: UNLV's Mike Moser and Wichita State's Garrett Stutz
Moser can play both inside and out for the Runnin' Rebels, and the UCLA transfer was instantly one of the best players in the Mountain West. As for Stutz, he played well enough to earn first team All-MVC honors, and the seven-footer is a tough matchup in the paint for most teams.

The difference-maker: Cody Zeller (Indiana)
Other than the improvement of their returning players a big reason for Indiana's return to the national stage was the play of Zeller, who with Michigan's Trey Burke was the best freshman in the Big Ten. He opens things up for the Hoosiers' capable shooters, and he'll need to be at his best against a New Mexico State team that can hit the boards.

West Region

1. Michigan State
Two words, one man: Draymond Green. The Big Ten player of the year is the biggest reason why the Spartans won a share of the Big Ten regular season crown and followed that up with the Big Ten tournament title. But with Branden Dawson done for the year with a torn ACL the play of Derrick Nix and Adriean Payne has become even more important. They've done well to to this point, and if they can do so four more times a trip to New Orleans is more than possible.

2. Davidson
Surprised, huh? Don't be. De'Mon Brooks is one of the best players in the country who isn't a staple on "SportsCenter", winning SoCon Player of the Year as well as MVP of the conference tournament. Alongside him is Jake Cohen, whose game has progressed a great deal due in part to a stint with the Israeli national team over the summer. If the Wildcats beat Louisville it's a safe bet that these two are a big reason why.

3. BYU
Whether or not the Cougars reach the main field remains to be seen, but in all honesty their two big men are far better than what you'd generally find on a 14-seed. Noah Hartsock is effective either inside or out, and Brandon Davies is a handful in the paint. The key for BYU is to make sure they get the ball consistently, which can be an issue on occasion.

The X-factor: Tarik Black and foul trouble (Memphis)
This was a serious problem for the Tigers earlier this season, and there's no coincidence that as he's remained on the floor the Tigers have played their best basketball. Ferrakhon Hall helps but when Black gets the ball around the rim he's tough to stop. Keep him on the floor and Memphis can win multiple games in the tournament.

Guys you'll love: Drew Gordon (New Mexico) and Mike Scott (Virginia)
Both guys are familiar names by this point, which means that the choices could have been Julian Boyd (LIU Brooklyn) and T.J. Robinson (Long Beach State). But both Gordon and Scott had very good cases to win Player of the Year honors in their respective conferences but neither did. Virginia needs Scott to be the best player on the floor against Florida as they're low on numbers, and Gordon't the kind of interior presence that can lead a team to the Sweet 16 and beyond.

The difference-maker: Patric Young (Florida)
Young is a player talented enough to merit comparisons to Dwight Howard as a McDonald's All-American, and with his physical strength it's easy to see why. The key for Young: getting enough touches. That means no wild shot attempts from the Florida guards.

East Region

1. Ohio State
With Syracuse losing their most important piece Ohio State is now the favorite to win the East Region in the eyes of most people. Jared Sullinger and Deshaun Thomas are both tough to slow down, but Thomas will need to exercise good shot selection on a consistent basis. On the wing there's Lenzelle Smith Jr., a player most tend to underestimate offensively, and Evan Ravenel gives them solid defense off the bench.

2. Florida State
The Seminoles may not have an All-America candidate along the lines of Sullinger but they do have athleticism and depth, two factors that helped them win the ACC tournament. Bernard James and Xavier Gibson are the starters while Jon Kreft and Okaro White provide depth off the bench. FSU is one of the biggest teams in the country and all of these guys can move as well.

3. Kansas State
The Wildcat front court is the big reason why many are picking them to go to the Sweet 16, as they hit the offensive boards with the best of them and top-seed Syracuse is a subpar defensive rebounding team. Jamar Samuels was a big reason why they swept the season series with Missouri, and both Thomas Gipson and Jordan Henriquez-Roberts have improved as the season's worn on.

Biggest question mark: Syracuse without Fab Melo
The Orange have plenty of front court talent without the sophomore from Brazil (and would have a very good argument to be on the above list), but on a team blessed with so much depth Melo was the closest to being indispensable. Without him both Rakeem Christmas and Baye Keita will have to pick up the torch in the middle of their 2-3 zone.

Guys you'll love: Andrew Nicholson (St. Bonaventure) and Keith Wright (Harvard)
Vanderbilt's Jeffery Taylor deserves some mention here as well, but we'll go with the A-10 Player of the Year and one of the big reasons why Harvard's back in the Dance for the first time since 1946 instead. Nicholson finished two blocks short of a triple-double in the A-10 tournament final and his name will be called in June. Wright is the man the Crimson run their offense through and he's been extremely productive as a result.

The workhorse: Kevin Jones (West Virginia)
There are few players in America more valuable than Jones. Without him the Mountaineers most likely aren't playing in any tournament much less the Big Dance. The senior from Mount Vernon, NY led the Big East in both scoring and rebounding this season. "Money earnin'" indeed (that's the nickname for Mount Vernon).

Midwest Region

1. North Carolina
The expectation is that John Henson's left wrist is ready to go this week, and his presence on the court beside ACC Player of the Year Tyler Zeller makes UNC a much better defensive team. Henson's averaging more than three blocked shots per game, and when that's missing the Carolina perimeter defenders can get exposed some. James Michael McAdoo and Justin Watts will also see some time, with the undersized Watts more than willing to fill in wherever needed.

2. Kansas
If Anthony Davis doesn't win a particular National Player of the Year award it should go to Robinson. That's how much those two have separated themselves from the rest of the country. Robinson is essentially an automatic double-double for the Jayhawks, who also need Jeff Withey to show on the big stage that his improved play throughout the conference slate wasn't a mirage. It's highly likely that he will, although their battle with Detroit will provide a good test.

3. Creighton
The Bluejays have one of the best players in the country in sophomore Doug McDermott, who can score both inside and out for the Missouri Valley tournament champs. But there's also banger Gregory Echenique to account for, and those two have the ability to lead Creighton on a special run. The key for them will be defense, especially with a matchup with North Carolina awaiting them should the Bluejays take care of Alabama.

Most Improved: Henry Sims (Georgetown)
For three seasons Sims was essentially an afterthought for the Hoyas. Now he's an essential figure, leading the team in assists while also proving to be a capable scorer out to about 15 feet or so. If he's playing well the Hoyas offensively will prosper as a whole.

Guys you'll love: Rob Jones (Saint Mary's) and C.J. Leslie (NC State)
Jones has been a double-double machine this season for the Gaels, and while he's undersized at the four the senior can put opposing teams at a disadvantage regardless of his height. As for Leslie it would have been difficult to imagine him being in this spot a season ago, but that only displays how much he's improved. And he can finish well above the rim as well.

One last hurrah: Robbie Hummel (Purdue)
Hummel's absence last season due to a torn ACL was a major reason why the Boilermakers were bounced by VCU (but by no means should that take away from how well the Rams played). No JaJuan Johnson or E'Twaun Moore but the fifth-year senior can still get it done, and he'll have to if the Boilers are to get past Saint Mary's.

Iowa St vs UCONN: Prediction

Greg Mengelt — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 20:52:56 -0700

(8) Iowa St vs. (9) Connecticut: South Region

Records

Iowa State 22-10, 12-6 Big 12 (At large)

UConn 20-13, 8-10 Big East (At large)

Time: 9:20 p.m. Thursday

TV: TBS

Location: KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Ky.

Winner will face: (1) Kentucky or (16) Mississippi Valley State/Western Kentucky

Rankings

Iowa State No. 31 AP; No. 36 ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll

RPI Ratings

Iowa State 33

UConn 32

Line: Connecticut -2 (O/U 135½)

Players to Watch

Iowa State: F Royce White, 6-8 So. (13.1 ppg, 9.2 rpg, 5.1 apg); F Melvin Ejim, 6-6 So. (9.4 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 49.5% FG); G Scott Christopherson, 6-3 Sr. (12.5 ppg, 2.3 apg, 45% 3s). White – the Newcomer of the Year and 1^st–team All-Big 12 – achieved his 10^th double-double of the season with 17 points and 10 rebounds in the Cyclones’ Big 12 Tourney loss to Texas.

UConn: F Jeremy Lamb, 6-5 So. (17.7 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 1.2 spg); G Shabazz Napier, 6-1 So. (12.7 ppg, 5.8 apg, 34.8% 3s); G Ryan Boatright, 6-0 Fr. (10.5 ppg, 4.1 apg, 3.3 rpg). Lamb – a 1^st-team All-Big East selection – played 37.2 minutes per game, which is second-highest in school history behind Kemba Walker’s 37.6 a year ago.

Why Each Team is Dangerous

Iowa State: White is as good as any player in the country. He can drive, is effective from mid-range, can rebound and he makes plays for his teammates. The Cyclones are incredibly balanced with six players averaging at least 8.1 points. That makes them very difficult to guard at times. ISU has proven it can beat more athletic teams with wins over Kansas, Kansas State (twice) and an impressive 8-point win over gifted Baylor just over a week ago. They made more 3-point shots (284) than all but five NCAA teams, led by Chris Allen (72), Chris Babb (64) and Christopherson (63). Over 36 percent of the Cyclones’ points came from the 3-point line.

UConn: The Huskies are as skilled as almost any team in the country. Five or six different players can beat opponents. Lamb is an effective scorer, who had 57 points, 19 rebounds and seven assists in three Big East Tourney games. Napier and Boatright are both effective at penetrating and either scoring or dishing. Andrew Drummond is a projected top-5 lottery pick in this spring’s NBA draft for a reason. Teams who shot a lot of 3s – like Iowa State – have struggled to do so against UConn. Opponents made just 83-of-286 against them this season.

Why Each Team is Vulnerable

Iowa State: This is the Cyclones’ first NCAA bid since 2005, so they have no NCAA experience as a unit. Although it finished third in the Big 12, Iowa State was knocked out of the Big 12 Tournament in its first game – a 71-65 defeat at the hands of Texas. The Cyclones were outscored 46-36 in the second half and turned the ball over 13 times and shot just 43 percent from the field. The Cyclones had more turnovers than they forced and that could be a problem against young playmakers like Napier and Boatright. Teams shot 38.5 percent from the 3-point line against ISU, the worst in the Big 12.

UConn: Effort and consistency have plagued UConn all season. The Huskies had stretches of six in seven games and five in seven games this season and seemed disinterested during much of that stretch. The defending national champions are a brutal free throw shooting team (66.1 percent) and they don’t get there a lot. Despite its size, UConn is an average rebounding team. It averages just 5.8 steals per game and turns it over 12.5 times per outing.

The Bottom Line: Which UConn team shows up – the one from late January and early February or the one from the Big East Tournament – will be the difference. If they’re playing well, the Huskies’ talent will overwhelm ISU. If not, the tough Cyclones will end UConn’s title defense in a hurry.

The Pick: Iowa State 69, Connecticut 64

Greg Against the Spread This Season: 198-148-6 (Through Sunday, March 11)

Four Factors to NCAA Tournament Success

Shawn Siegel — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 14:52:36 -0700

As every basketball junkie knows, KenPom.com is a treasure trove of college basketball information. I pored through the data to find four key factors that propelled recent Final Four teams to success, and teams that excel at those factors this year:

Interior Defense

Lst year's winner, UCONN, was very strong on defense, particularly in the paint. UCONN was 7th in the country in opponents 2-point fg%. This year, the following teams excel at interior defense:

#1 Kentucky

#2 Kansas

#3 UCONN

#4 Louisville

#5 Wisconsin

#8 Memphis

#12 Florida St

#13 Michigan St

These 8 teams are extremely hard to score against on the inside. With Anthony Davis and Thomas Robinson manning the paint, Kentucky and Kansas in particular will be tough to score against. Teams that play good interior defense have what it takes to go all the way, as they'll only lose when opponents have fluke success on the outside.

Non-Conference Strength of Schedule

Last year's runner up Butler played an extremely tough schedule, the 7th hardest in the country. Overall records can be skewed by soft schedules and an inordinate amount of home games. The following teams are well prepped after playing brutal schedules:

#2 Mississippi Valley St

#3 Long Beach St

#14 Duke

#18 UNC Asheville

#20 Temple

#25 Memphis

Long Beach St, a 12 seed, played an extremely challenging schedule and came close to knocking off top 10 teams. They know what its like to play on the road and could be a team to watch.

Offensive Rebounding

In 2010, Duke went on to win it all thanks to an extremely efficient offense, #1 in the country. Duke wasn't even an amazing shooting team that year, but they were efficient because they limited turnovers and attacked the offensive glass. Here are some teams that will consistently get extra points off the boards this year:

#4 New Mexico St

#7 West Virginia

#8 Kansas St

#9 North Carolina

#14 Loyola (MD)

#16 Texas

#18 Kentucky

Led by Wendell McKines, New Mexico St is tough in the paint, which makes them dangerous against 4-seed Indiana. The only two teams on this list that combine offensive rebounding prowess with an ability to take care of the ball are North Carolina and Kentucky. They have to be considered serious National Champion contenders.

Defensive Pressure

VCU made a surprise run to the Final Four last year as an 11 seed. They were not particularly amazing at offense, but they did play great defense that forced a ton of turnovers. Here are teams that force the highest % of steals:

#1 VCU

#3 Syracuse

#4 Ohio

#6 Louisville

#14 Cincinnati

#15 Marquette

#16 Mississippi Valley St

#18 Missouri

VCU is even better at forcing steals this year than they were last year. Ohio is another low seed (a 13) that plays pressure defense. They could cause all kinds of trouble for opponent Michigan. You'll notice a lot of Big East teams on this list, perhaps why many of the league's games were low scoring this year.

Huskies, Bulls Winners on Big East "Bubble Day"

Raphielle Johnson — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 21:39:12 -0800

Wednesday shaped up as a big day at Madison Square Garden, as four of the eight teams in action were looking to boost their respective NCAA tournament resumes. Two of the four teams, Connecticut and West Virginia, kicked things off in a tight contest that neither team led by more than eleven points (WVU). And while there were plenty of head-scratching decisions made down the stretch by both teams, Jim Calhoun's Huskies were the ones best able to navigate those issues, winning 71-67 in overtime to advance to Thursday's quarterfinals.

UConn gets the ultimate "signature win" opportunity as they take on a Syracuse games that's lost just one game this season and beaten the Huskies twice. Shabazz Napier led the way for the Huskies with 26 points, six assists and four rebounds, eventually fouling out early in overtime after waiting too long and ending up having to force a challenged three at the end of regulation. But his decision-making issues were trumped by West Virginia guard Truck Bryant, who forced some really bad shots down the stretch as the Mountaineers sputtered offensively.

"When coach asked us to run a play, we have to execute it as well as possible, and I don't think we do a good job of that," said Kevin Jones, who finished with 25 points and ten rebounds. "Also, we don't do a good job of staying strong with the ball. We let people take the ball from us, and it's kind of a matter of getting out?toughed the last five minutes."

Turnovers were one issue, but the biggest was the fact that WVU failed to get the ball to Jones down the stretch. The senior from nearby Mount Vernon, NY, who many claimed should have been Big East Player of the Year, attempted a shot with 7:16 remaining in regulation and didn't take another until he missed a three with 1:30 to go...in overtime. Some of the credit can be given to Andre Drummond, whose performance on the defensive end improved greatly in the second half, but the overwhelming feeling is that WVU didn't execute well enough to get Jones the ball.

The Mountaineers squandered a dominant effort on the glass, as they grabbed 26 offensive boards and out-rebounded UConn 47-31 on the afternoon. But those issues executing, with the guards as a whole struggling to get the ball where it needed to go, along with Jeremy Lamb waking up with Napier finished to knock down a key three-pointer with 1:05 remaining in overtime, proved costly. WVU played a good non-conference schedule and that's something the selection committee tends to reward, so the Mountaineers will likely end up in the Big Dance.

It's not so cut and dry at this point for Seton Hall, with the Pirates now turning into spectators following their 61-55 loss to Louisville. Kevin Willard's Pirates approach Selection Sunday having lost four of their last six games, and was a struggle offensively against the Cardinals. Point guard Jordan Theodore finished with a team-high 17 points but just two assists, with the first not coming until nine minutes remaining in the game. Have the Pirates done enough to be a part of the field? It's going to be a stressful couple of days for Seton Hall, who hope that their high strength of schedule can push them through.

USF completed the night with a 56-47 win over Villanova, and the key at this point for Stan Heath's Bulls is to simply keep winning. Freshman point guard Anthony Collins led the way with 17 points and four assists in what was an ugly game offensively, and a third win over the Wildcats won't do a whole lot for their resume. But to get a matchup with Notre Dame is a great opportunity for the Bulls, who with a win on Thursday night would make their first-ever semifinal appearance. The simplest thing for a bubble team to do at this time of the season is to make sure they live to fight another day. Connecticut and USF did just that on Wednesday.

Three Notable Performances

1. C Mike Muscala (Bucknell) and G C.J. McCollum (Lehigh)
Muscala accounted for 30 points, 14 rebounds, four assists and three blocked shots in the Bison's 82-77 loss to Lehigh in the Patriot League final. McCollum led the Mountain Hawks with 29 points, five assists, three rebounds and three steals.

2. G Damian Lillard (Weber State) and F Mathias Ward (Montana)
Lillard finished with 29 points, ten rebounds and seven assists in the Wildcats' 85-66 loss to Montana in the Big Sky final. Ward led the Grizzlies with 23 points, knocking down ten of his sixteen shots from the field to go along with eight rebounds.

3. F Rian Pearson (Toledo)
20 points and 15 rebounds in the Rockets' 75-72 win over Northern Illinois.

Wednesday Predictions: Big Sky, NEC, Patriot Finals & More

Greg Mengelt — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 08:16:51 -0800

Our g ame prediction guru Greg Mengelt has been on fire this year. He'll be picking (just about) every conference tournament game over the next week, including tonight's three key championship games. Games listed in order with later rounds on top and earlier rounds at the bottom. Read more about Championship Week at CollegeHoops.net.

BIG SKY CHAMPIONSHIP: AT MONTANA

(2) Weber State (24-5, 14-2) at (1) Montana (24-6, 15-1)

Tipoff: 9 p.m. TV: ESPN2. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 14 – Weber State 80-64; Feb. 28 – Montana 66-51. RPI: Montana 82, Weber State 69. Analysis: The Grizzlies are simply the better team. With the homecourt advantage, it should be a comfortable win for Montana. Pick: Montana 71, Weber State 61.

NORTHEAST CHAMPIONSHIP: AT LIU

(3) Robert Morris (24-9, 13-5) at (1) Long Island (24-8, 16-2)

Tipoff: 7 p.m. TV: ESPN2. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 26 – Robert Morris 75-66. RPI: Long Island 91, Robert Morris 109. Analysis: Velton Jones is one of the hottest players in the country and should help the Colonials punch their ticket. Line: Long Island -1. Pick: Robert Morris 69, Long Island 65.

PATRIOT LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP: AT BUCKNELL

(2) Lehigh (25-7) at (1) Bucknell (11-3)

Tipoff: 7 p.m. TV: CBS Sports Network. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 18 – Bucknell 68-61*; Feb. 16 – Lehigh 56-53*. RPI: Bucknell 89, Lehigh 113. Analysis: Lehigh’s C.J. McCollum is a superstar, but beating the Bison on the road twice may be too much to ask. Line: Bucknell -5. Pick: Bucknell 66, Lehigh 59.

BIG EAST SECOND ROUND: AT NEW YORK CITY

(8) West Virginia (19-12, 9-9) vs. (9) Connecticut (19-12, 8-10)

Tipoff: Noon. TV: ESPN. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 9 – Connecticut 64-57. RPI: Connecticut 33, West Virginia 42. Analysis: Two good performances in a row may be too much to ask of this UConn team. Line: UConn -2. Pick: West Virginia 68, Connecticut 62.

(5) Georgetown (22-7, 12-6) vs. (13) Pittsburgh (17-15, 5-13)

Tipoff: 2 p.m. TV: ESPN. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 28 – Pitt 72-60. RPI: Georgetown 9, Pittsburgh 90. Analysis: Pitt may not win the game, but the Panthers should cover in a low-scoring game. Line: Georgetown -6. Pick: Georgetown 57, Pittsburgh 53.

(7) Louisville (22-9, 10-8) vs. (10) Seton Hall (20-11, 8-10)

Tipoff: 7 p.m. TV: ESPN. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 28 – Louisville 60-51*. RPI: Louisville 28, Seton Hall 60. Analysis: Great matchup for Louisville. The Cardinals defense will lead them to a big win. Pick: Louisville 59, Seton Hall 47.

(6) South Florida (19-12, 12-6) vs. (14) Villanova (13-18, 5-13)

Tipoff: 9 p.m. TV: ESPN. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 5 – South Florida 74-57*; Feb. 15 – South Florida 65-51. RPI: South Florida 43, Villanova 105. Analysis: Love the Wildcats for the upset. Pick: Villanova 55, South Florida 52.

PAC-12 FIRST ROUND: AT LOS ANGELES

(8) Washington State (15-15, 7-11) vs. (9) Oregon State (17-13, 7-11)

Tipoff: 3:10 p.m. TV: FSN. Regular-season meetings: Dec. 31 – Washington State 81-76; Feb. 9 – Washington State 83-73. RPI: Washington State 170, Oregon State 151. Analysis: Close game. The Beavers will at least cover. Line: Oregon State -3½. Pick: Oregon State 78, Washington State 76.

(5) UCLA (18-13, 11-7) vs. (12) USC (6-25, 1-17)

Tipoff: 5:40 p.m. TV: FSN. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 15 – UCLA 66-47*; Feb. 15 – UCLA 64-54. RPI: UCLA 103, USC 259. Analysis: UCLA is playing its best basketball, rallying around Coach Ben Howland. The Bruins may make a run in this tourney. Line: UCLA -12½. Pick: UCLA 73, USC 51.

(7) Stanford (20-10, 10-8) vs. (10) Arizona State (10-20, 6-12)

Tipoff: 9:10 p.m. TV: FSN. Regular-season meetings: Feb. 2 – Stanford 68-44. RPI: Stanford 96, Arizona State 248. Analysis: The Cardinal will blow out Arizona State for the second time this season. Line: Stanford -10. Pick: Stanford 71, Arizona State 54.

(6) Colorado (19-11, 11-7) vs. (11) Utah (6-24, 3-15)

Tipoff: 11:40 p.m. TV: FSN. Regular-season meetings: Dec. 31 – Colorado 73-33; Feb. 18 – Colorado 55-48. RPI: Colorado 81, Utah 265. Analysis: The Buffaloes are really pretty good, and Utah … isn’t. Line: Colorado -11½. Pick: Colorado 66, Utah 51.

*Road win

Greg Against the Spread This Season: 137-103-3

Wednesday's Conference Tournament Primer

Raphielle Johnson — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 07:13:22 -0800

Day two of the Big East Championship features four teams looking to improve their chances of reaching the NCAA tournament, with the biggest game of the day being the first. Nine-seed Connecticut, who opener their tournament with an 81-67 win over DePaul on Tuesday, takes on eight-seed West Virginia with the winner likely locking up a tournament berth. These two teams met once during the regular season, a 64-57 UConn victory at the XL Center on January 9th, and with so much change over the nearly two months since that game there may not be a whole lot to take from it.

But there is rebounding, something the Mountaineers did extremely well in defeat and had they not gone cold in the second half Bob Huggins' team likely wins the game. WVU grabbed 20 offensive rebounds in the Januar meeting...twenty. The Mountaineers have been a very good team at hitting the offensive glass for most of Huggins' tenure at his alma mater, with the big men expected to give maximum effort in that department. This season West Virginia averages 14.7 offensive rebounds per game, which works out to the Mountaineers grabbing 40.7% of their misses per statsheet.com.

Kevin Jones, who led the Big East in both scoring and rebounding this season, has led the way and maybe he uses the slight of not being a unanimous All-Big East selection as motivation (this is the injustice Mountaineer fans should be upset about as opposed to the Player of the Year award). UConn clearly will try to account for Jones with their stable of big men, but if Deniz Kilicli brings the effort as well it will be tough for the Husky big men from a toughness standpoint. Roscoe Smith has played well of late and at this point is a key figure in the rotation, while getting the likes of Andre Drummond and Alex Oriakhi to play well on a consistent basis has remained an issue.

Guard play will be critical as well, especially with the Mountaineers calling on freshman guards Gary Browne and Jabarie Hinds in addition to senior Truck Bryant. Bryant needs to consistently make sound decisions if WVU is to be successful, and the same can be said for UConn's Jeremy Lamb and Shabazz Napier. The guards who play smarter will lead the winning team in this one.

Also on the bubble "stage" are Seton Hall and USF, with both teams likely needing wins albeit for different reasons. The Pirates looked to be a safe bet for the Field of 68 before dropping games to Rutgers and DePaul, so a win over Louisville would do a great deal for their hopes. USF simply needs to keep playing, as their unbalanced league slate has devalued their 12 league wins in the eyes of many.

Big East - Second Round
#8 West Virginia vs. #9 Connecticut, Noon (ESPN)
#5 Georgetown vs. #13 Pittsburgh, 2:00 p.m. (ESPN)
#7 Louisville vs. #10 Seton Hall, 7:00 p.m. (ESPN)
#6 USF vs. #14 Villanova, 9:00 p.m. (ESPN)

Big 12 - First Round
#8 Oklahoma vs. #9 Texas A&M, 7:00 p.m. (Big 12 Network)
#7 Oklahoma State vs. #10 Texas Tech, 9:30 p.m. (Big 12 Network)

Not a whole lot to see here, other than the fact that the two winners will move on to face Kansas and Missouri on Thursday. Oklahoma likely has the most to gain from today's action, as a win would guarantee a .500 (or better) finish and put them in line for a postseason berth in Lon Kruger's first season. The extra game and practice action can do a great deal for the Sooners, almost akin to what bowl practices can do for college football teams. The other three will need to win the conference tournament to either guarantee a .500 finish (Oklahoma State) or go to the postseason.

Big Sky - Title Game
#2 Weber State at #1 Montana, 9:00 p.m. (ESPN2)

The two best teams in the Big Sky all season long meet in Missoula with the winner getting the NCAA berth and the loser headed to the NIT. Weber State and Montana split the regular season series, with the home team winning both by double digits. The backcourt battle could be the best in the country on today's schedule, with Weber State's Damian Lillard and Scott Bamforth battling Montana's Will Cherry and Kareem Jamar. One area to watch tonight will be offensive rebounding, something the Wildcats have done well in both meetings. If Darin Mahoney and Kyle Tresnak can control the boards once again they can win in Missoula, and with the Grizzlies not being the best rebounding team that's definitely possible. Unlike the first two meetings, look for the rubber match to go right down to the wire.

Conference USA - First Round
#7 Rice vs. #10 East Carolina, 1:00 p.m. (CSS)
#6 Marshall vs. #11 SMU, 3:30 p.m. (CSS)
#8 UTEP vs. #9 Houston, 7:30 p.m. (CSS)
#5 UAB vs. #12 Tulane, 10:00 p.m. (CSS)

Similar to the Big 12's first round there's not much to see in Memphis in regards to who will make the NCAA tournament out of Conference USA (Memphis, who will reach the Sweet 16, is a lock. Who joins them?). UAB, Marshall, Rice and Houston are all playing for postseason berths, with the Thundering Herd having the best shot at finding somewhere to play next week. The other three all need multiple wins to ensure finishing .500 or better, and outside of the Herd (led by DeAndre Kane and Damier Pitts) and UAB (Cameron Moore is a player) it's tough to find any team capable of making a run to either Friday or Saturday.

MAC - Second Round
#12 Northern Illinois vs. #8 Western Michigan, 7:00 p.m. (STO)
#7 Toledo vs. #11 Central Michigan, 9:30 p.m. (STO)

The winners of tonight's action in Cleveland move on to battle Ohio and Kent State on Thursday night in the newly recorfigured MAC tournament, and for the Huskies and Chippewas to reach this point is a surprise in itself. NIU takes on a Western Michigan team that swept the regular season series, with the game in Kalamazoo being the closer of the two. CMU looks to be in better shape from a competitive standpoint in their matchup with Toledo, as the Chips lost to the Rockets by just five in their second meeting. Rian Pearson leads the way for the Rockets, and if CMU finds away to neutralize him they've got a shot at the win.

MEAC - Opening Round/Quarterfinals
# 1 Savannah State vs. #8 Hampton, 6:00 p.m.
# 2 Norfolk State vs. #10 Howard, 8:00 p.m.

The top two seeds begin their march towards the MEAC's automatic bid, and both Savannah State and Norfolk State will be favored to get to the semifinals. Horace Broadnax's Tigers won the regular season title outright, quite the achievement for a team not only picked to finish 11th in the preseason poll but also in its first season as a full Division I (and MEAC) member. NSU, who many expected to win the league, finished a game out of first and has the MEAC's best player in forward Kyle O'Quinn. Hampton may be able to give Savannah State some trouble and the same goes for Howard, but both favorites should move on.

NEC - Title Game
#3 Robert Morris at #1 LIU Brooklyn, 7:00 p.m. (ESPN2)

The NEC delivers a rematch of last season's title game, a battle that went right down to the wire with the home team (LIU Brooklyn) winning by a basket. The rematch should be just as close, with Velton Jones leading the Colonials and forwards Julian Boyd and Jamal Olasewere pacing the Blackbirds. LIU has to rebound, something they haven't always done consistently this season, if they're to defend their home floor and make a return trip to the Big Dance. RMU has done a solid job defensively of late, and that will be the ticket for them if they're to win an NEC title on the road for the second time in three seasons.

Pac-12 - First Round
#8 Washington State vs. # 9 Oregon State, 3:10 p.m. (FSN)
# 5 UCLA vs. # 12 USC, 5:40 p.m. (FSN)
# 7 Stanford vs. # 10 Arizona State, 9:10 p.m. (FSN)
# 6 Colorado vs. # 11 Utah, 11:40 p.m. (FSN)

The Pac-12 is essentially a tournament where one could toss two NCAA bids in the middle of the Staples Center and let all 12 teams fight to the death for them. The resumes are that bad, and without any true separation there isn't a clear favorite either. Colorado and Utah kick off their first Pac-12 tournament experiences and the Buffs will be favored to beat the Utes in the final game of the day. But a sleeper to grab the automatic berth may lie in the second game, as UCLA is coming off of a home sweep of the Washington schools as they brushed off the Sports Illustrated article that painted the program in a negative light. If Joshua Smith can stay on the floor and be a factor, there's no reason why the Bruins can't win the tournament. Oregon State and Stanford could also make a run, with the Cardinal likely being the better choice despite the presence of OSU's Jared Cunningham.

Patriot - Title Game
#2 Lehigh at #1 Bucknell, 7:00 p.m. (CBS SN)

The road team won both meetings during the regular season, with a C.J. McCollum dagger giving the Mountain Hawks the win in the second meeting. McCollum and Bucknell's Mike Muscala were the two best players in the Patriot League this season, with McCollum winning Player of the Year. But the key for the Mountain Hawks may be to make sure that Joe Willman doesn't have a big night alongside Muscala. Willman averaged 10.8 points per game and was a Second Team All-Patriot League selection, as was guard Cameron Ayers. Inside for Lehigh Gabe Knutson and Holden Grenier have both played well this season, providing good frontcourt scoring to balance out what McCollum brings to the table.

Southland - Quarterfinals
# 2 Stephen F. Austin vs. # 7 Sam Houston St, 1:00 p.m.
# 3 Lamar vs. # 6 Northwestern St., 3:30 p.m.
# 1 UT Arlington vs. # 8 Nicholls St., 6:00 p.m.
# 4 McNeese St. vs. # 5 UTSA, 8:30 p.m.

The Southland tournament gets going today (there's an off day between the semifinals and title game), and regular season champ UT-Arlington enters as the favorite. LaMarcus Reed III was one of the leaders for a team that lost just one game in conference play, but they won't go unchallenged in Katy either. Reigning tournament champion UTSA returned a number of key players from last season's team, most notable Melvin Johnson III and reserve Kannor Burrage leading the way. Pat Knight's Lamar Cardinals are another possible winner, provided seniors like Mike James take the reins from a leadership standpoint. Look for there to be an upset or two on our way to the championship.

SWAC -Quarterfinals
#2 Texas Southern vs. #7 Alabama A&M, 1:30 p.m. (SWAC TV)
#1 Mississippi Valley State vs. #8 Jackson State, 9:00 p.m. (SWAC TV)

MIssissippi Valley State begins tournament play with Jackson State, and while they ran through the SWAC without much fuss, the Delta Devils' overall record will make them a 16-seed should they get the automatic bid. Paul Crosby, Terrence Joyner and company have taken nearly a third of their shots from beyond the arc this season, and if those shots are falling MVSU is a tough team to beat. Jackson State played them close in both meetings, so the question for tonight is whether or not they have enough to get over the hump. Texas Southern gets the two-seed due to Southern's ineligibility, and they swept Alabama A&M during the regular season with both wins by double digits.

Detroit Grabs First Bid Since 1999: Tuesday's Quick Hitters

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 23:09:23 -0800

When Western Kentucky fired Ken McDonald on January 6th few envisioned the young Hilltoppers earning a bid to the NCAA tournament. But they did just that, beating North Texas 74-70 in the Sun Belt title game.

1. Another team playing their best basketball at the right time is Detroit, who pulled away to beat top-seed Valparaiso on the Horizon League title game.
Ray McCallum Sr.'s Titans struggled offensively in the first half of thir contest with top seed Valparaiso, shooting just 29% from the field. But they trailed by just three points thanks to their effort on the defensive end, forcing the Crusaders into 11 first half turnovers. Things would change for Detroit in the second half, as Ray McCallum Jr. took control of the contest and as a team the Titans shot 57.7% while limiting Valpo to 31.8% from the field. The end result was a 70-50 win for Detroit, who has now won ten of their last eleven games heading into the Big Dance.

McCallum Jr. finished with a team-high 21 points to go along with six rebounds, four steals and three assists. Jason Calliste added 17 points and LaMarcus Lowe 14 and ten rebounds, and three of Valparaiso's four best players were kept in check. Will Bogan, Ben Boggs and Erik Buggs combined to score just five points, shooting a poor 1-for-12 on the night. Depending on their seed Detroit is more than capable of throwing a scare into a high seed, and with the amount of talent at McCallum Sr.'s disposal it likely wouldn't be a stunner if they were to pick up a win next week.

2. South Dakota State caps the five-year trek with an NCAA bid, beating Western Illinois in overtime to win the Summit League.
To become a full-fledged Division I member schools have to go through a five-year provisional period, meaning that while they can compete in conferences and win regular season titles they're ineligible to compete in NCAA championship events. That five-year wait for the South Dakota State Jackrabbits was likely a rough one in that regard, but they were able to make up for Nate Wolters' off night to beat Western Illinois 54-52 in overtime.

Wolters shot 5-for-22 from the field, 4-for-17 from beyond the arc due in part to WIU's play defensively. But others stepped up, most notably Griffin Callahan, as he scored ten points and grabbed six rebounds to help lead the charge. If the Jackrabbits are to have any shot at a tournament win next week Wolters will need to have one of his best games of the season, but it will help matters if his teammates take advantage of their opportunities as well.

3. Princeton knocks off rival Penn, which gives Harvard their first NCAA tournament bid since 1946.
Rivalry games with a title on the line can be tricky affairs, especially if one team no longer has a shot at the title. That's exactly what Penn had to deal with on Tuesday night, as they visited rival Princeton looking for the win that would result in sharing the regular season title with Harvard and setting up a one-game playoff. Penn came out of the gatest slow, scoring just 17 points in the first half of what would become a 62-52 Princeton win. Zack Rosen scored 19 points to lead the Quakers, but he also had seven turnovers. Shooting would be the bigger issue for Jerome Allen's team as they shot 38.6% from inside of the arc, squandering an opportunity to take advantage of 20 Princeton turnovers. Add in a nearly unstoppable Ian Hummer and it becomes rather simple to figure out why the Crimson were able to wrap up an outright Ivy League title despite not playing. .

Quick Hitters

1. Day one at the Big East Championship didn't provide much in the way of drama as all four games were decided by at least 14 points. But most importantly both Connecticut and Seton Hall advanced, and they'll both have good opportunities for quality wins on Wednesday. UConn, who beat DePaul 81-64, takes on eight seed West Virginia in the first game of the day. Seton Hall will look to follow their 79-47 win over Providence with a win over seven-seed Louisville, and it's safe to say that both the Huskies and Pirates need to do the bare minimum and keep winning.

2. The home teams held serve in the first round of the Atlantic 10 tournament, with all four winning to advance to Atlantic City. This development also set up what will be a huge quarterfinal between four-seed Xavier and five-seed Dayton, as both teams are in serious need of wins at this point. The Flyers beat 12-seed George Washington 67-50, limiting the Colonials to 17 first-half points.

3. The fans will get what they wanted to see in the Big Sky: round three between regular season champion Montana and runner-up Weber State, as both won their semifinal matchups on Tuesday night. Mathias Ward scored 19 points and grabbed seven rebounds in the Grizzlies' 74-66 win over Eastern Washington but it was Kareem Jamar who left his fingerprints all over the game, accounting for 18 points, 13 rebounds and two steals. Damian Lillard put up 22 points, four assists and four steals to lead Weber State to a 69-63 win over Portland State. The home team won both meetings during the regular season, but that tends to go out of the window in tournament finals.

4. Back to the Big East for a second, as it is important to point out how critical the offseason will be for Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights ended their season with a 70-49 loss to Villanova on Tuesday, and while the addition of Kansas State transfer Wally Judge will help those youngers who were thrown into the fire this season need to improve if Mike Rice's team is to make a move in the Big East.

5. A lack of familiarity can spark some interesting (and unexpected) happenings, which was the case in Florida A&M's 74-72 win over Coppin State in the first round of the MEAC tournament. FAMU trailed 43-28 at the half and by six with 4:38 to go, but an 11-3 run put the Rattlers in the driver's seat. The only other lower-seeded team to win in Winston-Salem was Howard, who beat North Carolina A&T 51-50 on a Calvin Thompson layup with 46 seconds remaining