Hampton

Thirty-Two Impact Freshmen, Part Two

Raphielle Johnson — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 21:59:30 -0700

After going over the teams expected to win their regular season titles, we move on to talking about the top freshmen in each conference. Will all automatically take over and become the stars of their respective teams and leagues? It's tough to say at this point in the season, but that doesn't mean that we can't discuss it. Below are the picks for final 16 conferences, and Part One can be found here.

MAC: Kris Brewer (Kent State)
The Memphis native spent last season at Brehm Prep in Illinois, and his presence will add to the options that Rob Senderoff can call upon. The Golden Flashes are expected to contend in the MAC this season due to their returnees, but the ability of a player like Brewer will help as well.

MEAC: Dwight Meikle (Hampton)
Meikle was originally expected to attend St. John's but the school released him from his Letter of Intent in April, clearing the way for Hampton to land a player who could be among the best in the MEAC. Meikle's a versatile wing who can both score and attack the glass, something the Pirates will need if they're to win the MEAC.

Missouri Valley: Christian Kirk (Missouri State)
Kirk had to sit out his senior season due to Missouri transfer rules, but there's no doubt that Missouri State gets a player who is a serious candidate for Newcomer of the Year honors. As a junior at St. Charles (MO) High, Kirk averaged 17.9 points and 8.8 rebounds per game.

Mountain West: Hugh Greenwood (New Mexico)
Big things are expected from the Australian, who many expect to slide right into the starting role left open by the departed Dairese Gary. Greenwood averaged 17.1 points per game for the Australian U-19 team at the U-19 World Championships this summer in Latvia, and at 6'3", 209 he's got the size needed to play the point with a physicality not seen in many freshmen.

Northeast: Andrew Nicholas (Monmouth)
Nicholas has the ability to step in and play right away in the first season of the King Rice era at Monmouth. Nicholas can play both forward positions and is a versatile offensive player, something the Hawks need given their offensive issues last season (averaged just 60.5 points per game).

Ohio Valley: Nino Johnson (Southeast Missouri State)
Getting the Memphis native to commit during the early signing period last season was quite the coup for the Redhawks, who get a 6'8" forward more than capable of contributing immediately. Johnson's physical tools have made him the trendy pick to be the best freshman in the OVC, and it would come as no surprise if he were to make good on the preseason praise.

Pac-12: Josiah Turner (Arizona)
The case could be made that the Sacramento native is the best point guard in the Pac-12 before playing a game in college. He's that skilled, possessing the ability to make plays for himself as well as setting up teammates for quality shots. If Turner performs at the level many expect him to, don't be surprised if the Wildcats win the league.

Patriot: Justin Burrell (Holy Cross)
The Crusaders lost their leading assist man in Andrew Beinert, which could open the door for the 5'8" Burrell. The Virginia native averaged 20.0 points, 8.0 assists and 4.0 steals per game as a high school senior and spent last year at Fishburne Military School in Virginia.

SEC: Anthony Davis (Kentucky)
Davis' upside (not going to go into the overused story of his growth spurt during high school) makes him a candidate to be one of the best players in America and not just one of the nation's best freshmen. The power forward can do a variety of things on both ends of the floor, and his play as a senior earned him a McDonald's All-America Game selection.

Southern: Adjehi Baru (College of Charleston)
With returning starter Willis Hall being lost for the season due to a torn ACL it was critical that the Cougars received some good news from the NCAA on Baru. Thursday brought that news, bolstering the frontcourt of a team expected to once again contend for the SoCon title. Baru averaged 19.0 points, 10.4 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game at The Steward School in Richmond, Virginia last year.

Southland: Luke Mergerson (Texas State)
With just two starters returning the Bobcats will likely need to call on some of their nine newcomers to contribute this year. One of those players is Mergerson, who played at Duncanville (TX) High School. At 6'8", 240, Mergerson has the size needed to be an impact freshman in the Southland Conference.

SWAC: LeAntwan Luckett (Alcorn State)
Luther Riley takes over as head coach at Alcorn State with the hope being that he can turn around a program that won just six game over the last two seasons. Luckett will be a key component for the Braves, as he is a slasher who averaged just under 20 points per game as a high school senior. Luckett received offers from BCS programs but chose Alcorn, and the Braves could benefit greatly from his decision.

Summit: Matt Poches (Oakland)
Given the loss of big man Keith Benson, some may not think that Greg Kampe's Golden Grizzlies can win the Summit League again. But they will be right back in the mix thanks in large part to the number of contributors returning on the perimeter. There lies the problem for a talented player like Poches: when and how often can he get on the floor? But the freshman is athletic enough to help Oakland out if he can earn playing time.

Sun Belt: Mychal Ammons (South Alabama)
Ammons led his Vicksburg (MS) High team to a 6A state title last season, averaging 21.8 points, 8.9 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game as a senior. And as Ronnie Arrow looks to rebound from a disappointing 2010-11 without four starters from that team, players such as the versatile Ammons will need to step up.

WCC: Gary Bell, Jr. (Gonzaga)
Mark Few put together a very good recruiting class and the Kent, Washington native is the centerpiece of it. Bell was the state's Mr. Basketball last year, and he also played on the same Seattle Rotary Select team as Washington freshman Tony Wroten Jr. Bell's versatility on the wing will help account for the loss of Steven Gray and allow the Zags to once again contend for a WCC title.

WAC: Shaquille Stokes (Hawaii)
It's probably a safe assumption that Stokes doesn't have issues with homesickness given the fact that the New York City native picked the furthest possible location to attend college. Stokes averaged 18.4 points and four assists per game as a senior at Lincoln (NY) High, helping lead the Railsplitters to a 29-3 record last season.

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

Raphielle Johnson — Sat, 09 Apr 2011 15:13:10 -0700

The final region is the West, which is where Connecticut began their run to the national title. While some of the departures in this region will steal the majority of the ink there are a number of teams who should feel good about their prospects in 2011-12. Below is a quick breakdown of each of the 16 teams.

(1) Duke: lost to Arizona in the Sweet 16
The Blue Devils were able to win 32 games in a season that saw their most talented player (Kyrie Irving) play in just 11 games, and they had senior guard Nolan Smith to thank for that. Smith took his game to another level in Irving's absence and the Blue Devils were good enough to earn a one seed without the freshman phenom. But after two wins in Charlotte they ran into a buzz saw in the second half of the Sweet 16, getting blown out by an Arizona team that many may have underestimated going into the tournament. The good news for Mike Krzyzewski and his staff is that they've got one of the best recruiting classes coming in with Quinn Cook and Austin Rivers the heir apparent in the backcourt for Irving and Smith. As for replacing Kyle Singler keep an eye on freshman small forward Mike Gbinije, the lone member of the four-player class to not be named a McDonald's All-American. 2011-12 is a big year for Mason Plumlee, arguably the one member of the frontcourt with the ability to become a lottery pick at the next level.

(2) San Diego State: lost to Connecticut in the Sweet 16
Steve Fisher's Aztecs put together the best season in school history, winning 34 games and losing to no team other than BYU before the Sweet 16 loss to UConn. But 2011-12 is setting up to be a serious rebuilding year for SDSU, with key seniors Brian Carlwell, D.J. Gay, Malcolm Thomas and Billy White all moving on. There's also the matter of what Kawhi Leonard may decide to do, and he's got quite the dilemma with a number of draft websites projecting him to be a first round pick (if not lottery). Should Leonard not return to school the keys to the Aztecs go to the likes of James Rahon and Chase Tapley not to mention Jamaal Franklin, who saw his playing time increase late in the season. Incoming recruits Deshawn Stephens and Kevin Young will likely be expected to contribute right away, but all signs point towards SDSU having a tough road back to the Big Dance in front of them.

(3) Connecticut: National Champions
Jim Calhoun's Huskies pulled off what many thought impossible, winning five games in five days to win the Big East Championship then moving on to claim the national title three weeks later. Guard Kemba Walker was the player of the month in all of college basketball, and with his number already added to the school's Ring of Honor and graduation on May 8th it's extremely difficult to expect the projected lottery pick to return. Seniors Donnell Beverly and Charles Okwandu move on as well, but there's a lot of talent remaining in Storrs for another run next season. Jeremy Lamb, Shabazz Napier, Alex Oriakhi and Roscoe Smith should all be back, and other contributors (Jamal Coombs-McDaniel, Niels Giffey and Tyler Olander being three) will have the chance to increase their production as well. Add in the electric guard Ryan Boatright and the Huskies will be pretty good in 2011-12.

(4) Texas: lost to Arizona in the third round
At one point this season Rick Barnes' team looked like a serious threat to win a national title, only to falter down the stretch and end up with a four-seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Longhorns managed to beat Oakland in the second round but late-game issues (and a quick 5-second count) did them in against Arizona. Jordan Hamilton and Tristan Thompson, two likely lottery picks, both announced that they're returning to the 40 Acres next season and the move makes Texas an early favorite in the Big 12 as well as nationally. Dogus Balbay and Gary Johnson are the major personnel losses for Texas, and the addition of one of the nation's best recruiting classes led by point guard Myck Kabongo and shooting guard Shedon McClellan should more than make up for the losses. Texas' talent won't be questioned, but that doesn't make up for late-game and strategic issues. Solve those and Texas could wind up in New Orleans.

(5) Arizona: lost to Connecticut in the Elite Eight
Year two under Sean Miller paid major dividends for Arizona, as they won 30 games, a Pac-10 regular season title and finished one shot away from the Final Four. Arizona had just one senior (Jamelle Horne) this season but how highly they're ranked next season hinges on the decision of power forward Derrick Williams. Williams was one of the best players in America all season but may have been done in by the national reputation of the Pac-10 when it came to the All-America teams. But even if the California native chooses to go pro the Wildcats will be one of the contenders in the Pac-12 (Colorado and Utah join in July), with guards Kyle Fogg and MoMo Jones in addition to wings Solomon Hill and Kevin Parrom all due back. Add in a recruiting class led by a pair of Oakland Soldiers (Nick Johnson and Josiah Turner) and it could be a very good year in Tucson. The most important newcomers, if Williams were to leave, become forwards Angelo Chol and Sidiki Johnson.

(6) Cincinnati: lost to Connecticut in the third round
After an undefeated run through their non-conference schedule and a solid beginning to Big East play Mick Cronin's Bearcats hit a rough patch heading into the month of February. But they turned things around, ultimately beating Missouri before falling to fellow Big East member and eventual national champ Connecticut in the third round. Cronin eventually received a six-year extension and while the Bearcats do have to replace six seniors (including Rashad Bishop, Larry Davis, Dion Dixon and Ibrahima Thomas) this is a team whose best play may come in 2011-12. Yancy Gates finished the season very well, and guards Sean Kilpatrick and Cashmere Wright had solid campaigns as well. The returning group in addition to a recruiting class led by Jermaine Sanders and Shaquille Thomas should mean another NCAA Tournament for Cincinnati.

(7) Temple: lost to San Diego State in the third round
Fran Dunphy's Owls finally picked up that elusive NCAA Tournament victory, beating Penn State before giving San Diego State all they wanted in the third round. And considering the injuries in the frontcourt 26 wins was a very good output for this group, but Temple will have to figure out a way to account for the graduation of Lavoy Allen next season. The perimeter could end up being the best in the Atlantic 10 next season with Juan Fernandez, Ramone Moore and Khalif Wyatt all returning and a solid freshman in Will Cummings joining the program. Up front Micheal Eric will need to build upon the progress he showed before getting hurt, and wings Rahlir Jefferson and Ramone Moore will both be called upon as well. Look for Temple to be one of the favorites in the A-10 and make a return trip to the Big Dance.

(8) Michigan: lost to Duke in the third round
John Beilein's Wolverines were a bit nervous on Selection Sunday but given their seed there wasn't much to worry about in Ann Arbor. Michigan blew out Tennessee in the second half of their matchup and if not for some issues down the stretch could have knocked off Duke for a trip to the Sweet 16. The good news for Michigan going into 2011-12: there wasn't one senior on the roster, meaning that everyone expected back will return. The hope is that Darius Morris returns as well, a possible the becomes more likely should he not hear what he wants from NBA executives. Morris, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Jordan Morgan are three solid pieces to build around and with seven players playing at least 14 minutes per game the Wolverines will have a number of players with experience returning. Add in two very good perimeter recruits in Carlton Brundidge and Trey Burke, and tournament appearances may go back to being routine in Ann Arbor.

(9) Tennessee: lost on Michigan in the second round
There were questions about the direction of the Tennessee program leading up to their NCAA Tournament game, with AD Mike Hamilton being a little too forward in his comments about the future of head coach Bruce Pearl days before the contest. That all led to the Volunteers getting blown out, and while Michigan played well in the second half it didn't take a rocket science to see that the Vols did not bring it from an effort standpoint. Pearl was fired and in comes Cuonzo Martin, who led Missouri State to their first-ever MVC regular season title this season. Martin has heavy roster turnover to deal with as well, most notably the decisions of Tobias Harris (likely first round) and Scotty Hopson (projected second round) to turn pro. The most important job for Martin will be to shore up the roster, with Cameron Tatum being the returning leading scorer should Harris and Hopson remain in the draft. There's a strong possibility that the Volunteers are nowhere near the bubble come Selection Sunday in 2012.

(10) Penn State: lost to Temple in the second round
Ed DeChellis' Nittany Lions made things happen at just the right time, getting all the way to the Big Ten Tournament title game before falling to Ohio State. That earned them their first NCAA Tournament appearance in a decade, where they lost to Temple in the final seconds. Now comes a major rebuilding job with Talor Battle, Jeff Brooks, David Jackson and Andrew Jones all graduating. Guard Tim Frazier will be the leading returning scorer, and the heavy losses underline the bigger impact of the Taran Buie suspension (he likely won't be back next year). Jermaine Marshall, Billy Oliver and Cammeron Woodyard will have the opportunity to earn minutes next season, as will four incoming recruits (led by wing Ross Travis, point guard Trey Lewis and center Pat Ackerman). Look for 2011-12 to be a tough season in Happy Valley.

(11) Missouri: lost to Cincinnati in the second round
The Tigers ended up with an 11-seed due to their Big 12 road woes, and things may become even tougher next season with Colorado and Nebraska leaving the league (Missouri didn't beat either of those teams on the road either). Add in Mike Anderson moving on to take the job at Arkansas and it could be a tough season for new head coach Frank Haith. The good news for Haith, whose hiring has been panned by many, is that the majority of this year's team will be back. Marcus Denmon, Michael Dixon Jr. and Phil Pressey return while Laurence Bowers and Kim English have declared for the NBA Draft. Neither of those two have hired an agent and there's a strong likelihood they'll be back in Columbia as well. Add in forward Ricardo Ratliffe and Mizzou should be an NCAA Tournament team in 2011-12. How far they go will ultimately depend on the improvement shown in the rebounding department.

(12) Memphis: lost to Arizona in the second round
Josh Pastner's squad went through its fair share of growing pains, something that wasn't a total shock given the overall inexperience on the floor. The Tigers were able to get going at the right time and if not for the heroics of Derrick Williams Memphis could have won an NCAA Tournament game. Joe Jackson emerged as a leader at the point while Antonio Barton turned out to be a far better talent than many expected him to be. Add in an offseason for Will Barton and the rest of the freshmen to mature both physically and mentally, and Memphis should be the clear favorite to win Conference USA. The question mark: will Wesley Witherspoon step up and be the leader this group needs? If so Memphis can do an awful lot from a national aspect, with freshman Adonis Thomas bringing an awful lot to the table skill-wise. Keep an eye on the Tigers in 2011-12.

(13) Oakland: lost to Texas in the second round
Greg Kampe's experienced Golden Grizzlies won their second straight Summit League automatic bid but despite their talent could not slow down Texas in their matchup. While Oakland loses just three seniors what that trio brought to the table leaves a large hole in the roster. Keith Benson, Will Hudson and Larry Wright all move on with Benson being a likely first round draft pick, and Ledrick Eackles has decided to transfer. But there's still talent on campus with prolific guard Reggie Hamilton due back along with Travis Bader and Drew Valentine. Incoming freshman forward Dante Williams will have the opportunity to earn minutes on the wing as well shooting guard Matt Poches. Oakland may not be the favorite to win the Summit League in October, but the Golden Grizzlies will likely be a contender.

(14) Bucknell: lost to Connecticut in the second round
The Bison, winners of the Patriot League regular season and tournament titles, went into their matchup with Connecticut confident in their ability to slow down Kemba Walker and possibly pull off the upset. But they, as well as those who went far enough to pick the upset, received a heavy dose of reality in the 81-52 loss. But that shouldn't take away from what head coach Dave Paulsen and his team accomplished, as they won 25 games (13-1 league record) and had just three seniors on the roster. Replacing G.W. Boon and Darryl Shazier will be tough however, especially the leadership provided by Shazier at the point, but it can be done. Patriot League POY Mike Muscala returns as does guard Bryson Johnson, and overall five of Bucknell's top seven scores will be back. And if guards Steven Kasper and Joshea Singleton can contribute in their first year on campus Bucknell may repeat as Patriot League champ.

(15) Northern Colorado: lost to San Diego State in the second round
B.J. Hill's Bears made their first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance this season, winning the Big Sky regular season and tournament titles thanks in large part to conference Player of the Year Devon Beitzel. But their top three scorers were all seniors (Neal Kingman and Chris Kaba the others), and along with starter Taylor Montgomery Northern Colorado has four starter to replace going into 2011-12. The lone returning starter is Elliott Lloyd, who averaged 7.5 points per game this season. He, Emmanuel Addo and Mike Proctor will need to step up, as will a five-player recruiting class headlined by center Brendan Keane and JUCO wing Aaron Hawk-Harris. Don't look for Northern Colorado to go 13-3 in conference play again next season, but they should at the very least take part in the six-team conference tournament.

(16) Hampton: lost to Duke in the second round
Edward Joyner Jr.'s Pirates did not win the MEAC regular season title but they were able to win the conference tournament, and they didn't exactly roll over for Duke either. Two starters move on in Charles Funches and Brandon Tunnell but they were the lone seniors on a team dominated by the junior class. Kwame Morgan II and Darrion Pellum led the team in scoring and will be back, as will Christopher Tolson whose contributions came in the sixth man role this season. Danny Agbelese is the leading returning rebounder with an average of six boards per game, and if they can get him some help in dealing with the departure of Funches the Pirates likely become the preseason favorites in the MEAC. Hampton's got just one player signed right now but given the overall depth that's OK.

"Big Dance" Interviews: Hampton head coach Ed Joyner

Jon Teitel — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 13:29:11 -0700

Earlier today CHN writer Jon Teitel spent a few minutes with Hampton head coach Ed Joyner, whose Pirates won the MEAC conference tournament to earn an automatic bid. The 16-seed in the West Region, Hampton will take on top-seed Duke in a second round matchup on Friday in Charlotte.

Jon Teitel: Your father and uncle are both Division II coaches. Who is the best coach in the family?

Ed Joyner: Right now I think my little cousin Steven is the best. He is the woman's coach Winston Salem State, and he just gets to sit around and talk to all of us!

JT: They grew up living next door to Hall of Fame coach Clarence "Big House" Gaines. Did you ever get to meet him yourself, and what is the most important thing you ever learned from him?

EJ: I got to have several conversations with him. The biggest thing he told me is that you always have to pass the first test in order to get in the door to do anything: the eye test. This applies to any aspect of your life, whether it is basketball or something else. Our team tries to look a certain way, play a certain way, and carry ourselves a certain way.

JT: You were a two-time conference Defensive Player of the Year at Johnson C. Smith. What is your secret to playing great defense?

EJ: Playing defense is both a pride thing and a team thing. You have to do whatever you can do to limit your man from scoring, but you also need to have faith in the guys behind you to back you up.

JT: Darrion Pellum was named 2011 MEAC Tournament MVP after originally transferring from Virginia Tech. How has he been able to come in and be such a great player for you?

EJ: Having an ACC pedigree, he came in with a chip on his shoulder and wanted to prove himself to everyone. He has matured tremendously on the court for us, and I am glad he got some of the accolades he has received. This week he will have a chance to see how he does against a great ACC team.

JT: You will be facing top-seed Duke on Friday in Charlotte. How are you going to prepare for the defending champs?

EJ: I am not sure if you can fully prepare for the Blue Devils, but I want my guys to be mentally ready for our first tournament together. Duke will make sure we are 100% physically prepared...otherwise they will run us off the court.

West Region Overview: Duke Faces Many Obstacles

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 02:47:39 -0700

Charlotte (March 18)
(1) Duke vs. Hampton
(8) Michigan vs. (9) Tennessee

Last year's run to the national title for Duke sparked complaining that they had their road to Indianapolis "paved" by the selection committee. There should be no such complaints this time around as Nolan Smith and company will face a number of challenges should they arrive in Houston. MEAC champion Hampton ended the run of Morgan State, who grabbed the last two automatic bids in the conference, but it's extremely difficult to see them challenging the Blue Devils. Round two is where Duke could run into trouble, because there may wait a team that has a great deal of talent but also possesses the maddening trait of playing to the level of its competition. That would be Tennessee, who has dealt with the Bruce Pearl recruiting violations with mixed results.

The Volunteers beat Villanova when the Wildcats were playing well in the title game of the NIT Season Tip-Off, and they also beat Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh (albeit not at The Pete) in the SEC/Big East Invitational. But the Vols also own losses to Charleston, Charlotte and Oakland, a clear indicator of their inconsistent nature. Tobias Harris and Scotty Hopson both have the talent to take over a subregional however, and if center Brian Williams is healthy they have a big who can hit the offensive boards. They get Michigan in the first round, and John Beilein's system can embarrass opponents who do not defend with focus. Darius Morris has been outstanding all season long for the Wolverines, and if their perimeter shots are falling look out.

Tulsa (March 18)
(5) Arizona vs. (12) Memphis
(4) Texas vs. (13) Oakland

One has to wonder if the selection committee is willing to have fun with some of these matchups. How else can the matchup between a Memphis team coached by Josh Pastner and his alma mater be explained? The Tigers, who have fought the inconsistency that comes with trying to mold a collection of talented youngsters into a cohesive unit, won the Conference USA Tournament with the final coming at the expense of host UTEP. Talented on the perimeter, the Tigers have to be concerned up front with All-America Derrick Williams controlling things for Arizona. The question for the Wildcats: how well will their guards, especially MoMo Jones, perform on the big stage? Wings Solomon Hill and Kevin Parrom have played well, and Parrom is arguably their most versatile player and he comes off the bench.

As for Texas, the Longhorns may have been the victim of the worst crime with regards to this bracket. For a team that at one point in the season was on its way to grabbing the top ranking nationally to get a four seed shows that a lot of weight was placed on their finish. No way can their overall profile warrant this low of a seed, not to mention the difficult matchup that comes in the form of Summit League champ Oakland. The matchup between Tristan Thompson (Texas) and Keith Benson (Oakland) will have the full attention of NBA scouts, but the Longhorns have another outstanding forward in Jordan Hamilton. The Golden Grizzlies have weapons in addition to their big man as well, especially Reggie Hamilton. Texas can get to Houston but they can also head back to Austin after one game if they aren't focused.

All-Top Half Team
G Nolan Smith (Duke)
G Scotty Hopson (Tennessee)
F Jordan Hamilton (Texas)
F Derrick Williams (Arizona)
C Keith Benson (Oakland)

Top Half All-Rookie Team
G Cory Joseph (Texas)
G Joe Jackson (Memphis)
G Will Barton (Memphis)
F Tobias Harris (Tennessee)
F Tristan Thompson (Texas)

Top Half All-Lower Seed Team
G Reggie Hamilton (Oakland)
G Hopson
G Darrion Pellum (Hampton)
F Harris
C Benson

Washington, D.C. (March 17)
(6) Cincinnati vs. (11) Missouri
(3) Connecticut vs. (14) Bucknell

Connecticut may be the most intriguing team in the West Region for the simple fact that no team had ever won five games in five days to win a conference tournament as they did last week. Will their legs and minds be fresh enough to navigate this weekend? Star guard Kemba Walker proved to be near indefatigable in New York, and youngsters such as Jeremy Lamb, Shabazz Napier and Alex Oriakhi (to name three) stepped up as well. But don't underestimate Bucknell, led by experienced point guard Darryl Shazier and Patriot League Player of the Year Mike Muscala inside. The Bison have the ability to pull off an upset if allowed to control the flow of the game.

UConn could be headed towards a rematch of the 2009 West Region final when they beat Missouri, and a few of the Tigers on this current team went through that run. Missouri likes to play fast and opponents who aren't used to such a tempo can turn the ball over at a high rate if they aren't careful. But the Tigers aren't the best rebounding team, something Yancy Gates and the Cincinnati Bearcats need to find a way to take advantage of. The Bearcats actually have a worse rebounding margin that Missouri and they don't have the elite size of a Kansas or Texas, two teams that whipped the Tigers in Austin and Lawrence respectively (Mizzou was closer to Kansas when they met in Columbia) as a result.

Tucson (March 17)
(7) Temple vs. (10) Penn State
(2) San Diego State vs. (15) Northern Colorado

San Diego State won't have to travel far if they're to get to their first-ever Final Four, with the path being Tucson to Anaheim to Houston. But the Aztecs have never won an NCAA Tournament game in their history, carrying an 0-6 record into the matchup with Big Sky champ Northern Colorado. The Bears, making their first-ever NCAA appearance, have an outstanding guard in senior Devon Beitzel but SDSU's experience in guarding Jimmer Fredette should help them out here. Kawhi Leonard is just one of the key players Steve Fisher relies on in the frontcourt and if they need a big shot guard D.J. Gay is the guy who gets the call more times than not. Look for SDSU to run into a zone defense or two and how well they execute against it will determine how far they go.

The other matchup is between two teams from the Keystone State, with Temple winning their last NCAA Tournament meeting in 2001 (Lynn Greer was outstanding for the Owls in that one). Fran Dunphy doesn't have the greatest track record in the Big Dance but he does have an experienced nucleus led by Lavoy Allen, Juan Fernandez and Ramone Moore. Ed DeChellis has an experienced team as well led by guard Talor Battle, but it's been a decade since the Nittany Lions made an NCAA Tournament appearance. Penn State took care of business when they needed to last week, winning three games before falling to Ohio State in the Big Ten Tournament final.

All-Bottom Half Team
G Kemba Walker (Connecticut)
G Talor Battle (Penn State)
F Kawhi Leonard (San Diego State)
F Lavoy Allen (Temple)
F Mike Muscala (Bucknell)

Bottom Half All-Rookie Team
G Phil Pressey (Missouri)
G Shabazz Napier (Connecticut)
G Sean Kilpatrick (Cincinnati)
G/F Jeremy Lamb (Connecticut)
F Roscoe Smith (Connecticut)

Bottom Half All-Lower Seed Team
G Devon Beitzel (Northern Colorado)
G Marcus Denmon (Missouri)
G Battle
F Muscala
F Jeff Brooks (Penn State)

Region Winner: Texas

Hampton: 2011 NCAA Tournament

Shawn Siegel — Sun, 13 Mar 2011 00:15:37 -0800

Hampton Pirates: 2011 NCAA Capsule

Conference: MEAC
Conference RPI: 30th (of 31)

RPI: #153
Record: 24-8
Conference Record: 11-5 (2nd - Tie)

Key Games

Top 100 Results: 1-0
Best Non-Conference Win: vs #51 Colorado St

Worst Loss: #328 Florida A&M 55-58
Promising Loss: vs #140 Delaware 53-55

Players

Leading Scorer: Darrion Pellum 17.7
Leading Rebounder: Charles Funches 7.8
Leading Passer: Brandon Tunnell 4.4
X-Factor: Jeron Belin

Team Stats

Tempo: Above Average - 94th
Offensive Efficiency: 291st
Quality Offensive Stat: Limiting Steals - 9th

Defensive Efficiency: 94th
Quality Defensive Stat: FG% Against - 4th

Tournament History

Record: 1-2
Last: 2002
Last Win: 2001
Final Fours: 0

Links

ESPN Clubhouse
KenPom Stats & Analysis
RealTime RPI Schedule Breakdown

College Hoops Monday Recap: Kansas State Whips Kansas

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 10:17:45 -0800

"I'm not going to the NIT. I won't play basketball in the NIT. I'm saying that now. If we lose, and we have to go to the NIT, I will not play."

Those were the words of Kansas State senior guard Jacob Pullen to Kellis Robinett of the Kansas City Star on January 12th, but from that point forward neither Pullen nor the rest of his teammates had done much to avoid such a decision. That was until last night, when Pullen scored a career-high 38 points in Kansas State's 84-68 home win over top-ranked Kansas. Pullen made nine of seventeen shots from the field (5-6 3PT) and made a regular trek to the foul line as well, where he knocked down 15 of 19.

But in addition to Pullen there was another important performer, center Jordan Henriquez-Roberts. On a night that saw Curtis Kelly largely invisible (six points, four assists, five turnovers), Henriquez-Roberts scored eight of his 10 points in the first half while also finishing with five rebounds. For the game Kansas State shot 56% from the field, and with Thomas Robinson out and some of their most important players making bad decisions Kansas had little chance to escape with a victory.

"I thought they did a very good job of being physical," remarked Kansas head coach Bill Self. "They cut off all our angles on both ends of the floor. We did not have anyone play well. Our three juniors did not come to play tonight."

Kansas State scored 22 points off of 18 Kansas turnovers, also out-rebounding the Jayhawks 29-23 on a night that saw both Morrises struggle (Marcus- 13 points, three rebounds; Markieff- 3 points, no rebounds). Kansas shot just 37% in the second half, and considering the fact that they made 52% of their shots in the first half and still trailed by nine at the break it wasn't difficult to figure out that they were in for a long night. The loss likely drops Kansas from their perch atop the polls next Monday but of far more importance is that they're now two games behind first-place Texas in the Big 12 standings. And when the head-to-head result is factored in it's more like three games, meaning that their chances of winning the regular season crown may have dissolved in Manhattan.

The bigger question on the night is what the win means for Kansas State. While more than a few have put the Wildcats into the field of 68 thanks to the win, keep in mind that Monday's conquest is also their first win over a team in the RPI Top 50 this season. There's still plenty of work to be done, with two more opportunities for good wins (home vs. Missouri and at Texas) mixed in with games against Oklahoma, Nebraska (road) and Iowa State they need to avoid dropping. But when your fate is up in the air there's nothing a coach would rather see than his expected leader rising to the challenge, and Jacob Pullen did that last night.

"Jake has been playing good for a while now," said head coach Frank Martin. "He has been real good and is playing as a big-time point guard right now. I am happy that he had that type of night tonight." (quotes courtesy of Kansas State Athletics)

Other Notable Happenings

1. Brandon Triche puts forth one of his best performances in Syracuse's win over West Virginia.
Coming off of a loss at Louisville the Syracuse Orange needed a win to get back on track and retain hopes of possibly getting back into the race for a double-bye in the upcoming Big East Tournament. And they got just that on Monday night, beating West Virginia 63-52 behind 20 points from Brandon Triche and 16 from Kris Joseph. Casey Mitchell led the Mountaineers with a career-high 23 but the Orange proved to be too much on a night that saw both Truck Bryant and Kevin Jones (combined 3-for-14 FG) struggle from the field. But the problem for West Virginia is that nearly everyone struggled from two, as they made just six of 25 shots from inside the arc. And even when a team manages to knock down half of their three-point attempts (11-for-22), a loss is more than likely when putting forth a performance like that. As for Syracuse, the win means that 10 league wins is a good possibility with road games against Villanova and Georgetown sandwiched in between home games against Rutgers and DePaul. And if Triche can build on Monday's performance the Orange can get some things done in March as well.

2. There's now a three-way tie in the loss column atop the MEAC standings.
One of the tighter races in the mid-major ranks hasn't received much press, something that may be caused by the league's relative lack of national TV appearances outside of their weekly game on ESPNU. But the MEAC race will be an entertaining one to watch the remainder of the season, with three teams tied atop the standings with three losses apiece and another just one game behind with four. Hampton, who went into Monday night leading the conference, lost at North Carolina A&T to drop into a tie with Bethune-Cookman and Morgan State (the Bears have eight wins to Hampton and BCC's nine). And the changes are just in time as the Pirates host Bethune-Cookman on Saturday evening. Kwame Morgan II scored 27 points in Hampton's loss at A&T, and with more playing time the junior's raised his scoring some eight points per game this season. Meanwhile Bethune-Cookman made short work of UMES as C.J. Reed led five Wildcats in double figures with 21 points (Kevin Dukes and Dion Holloman combined for 30 off the bench). Hampton won the first meeting (in Daytona Beach) 68-56 on January 22nd, making Saturday all the more important to the Wildcats.

3. Texas Southern hangs on at Grambling to move to 11-1 in SWAC play.
The formula for many teams in the two HBCU conferences at the Division I level (MEAC and SWAC) is a simple one: hit the road for a number of guarantee games in November and December, with the hope being to not just line the athletic department's coffers but to set yourself up for a run at a conference championship. That's seemed to have worked well to this point for Texas Southern, who moved to 11-1 in the SWAC with a 51-49 win over Grambling State. Harrison Smith's layup with three seconds remaining won the game for the Tigers (Houston version), who nearly allowed a five-point lead with less than five minutes remaining slip away. Texas Southern won just two of eleven non-conference games, going 0-8 against teams ranked in the RPI Top 150. While that record may have "first round in Dayton" written all over it the overall benefits of such a schedule have Texas Southern atop the SWAC by two games in the loss column with six to go. And they already own a season sweep of Jackson State, meaning that taking care of business in the remainder of their games in addition to beating Mississippi Valley State (their lone league loss) on February 21st should be good enough to clinch at the very least an NIT bid.

Top Three Games

1. North Carolina Central 77, Coppin State 75 Nick Chasten's layup with less than a second remaining was the difference as North Carolina Central won the battle of the Eagles in Durham. C.J. Wilkerson led the home team with 21 points while Michael Harper scored the same to lead Coppin State.

2. Savannah State 65, Citadel 61 (OT) Jovonni Shuler knocked down a three-pointer to kick off a 7-0 run to start the extra session in the Tigers' win at The Citadel. Shuler finished with a game-high 24 points, and Zach Urbanus led the Bulldogs with 17.

3. Hawaii 69, Nevada 67 (OT) Vander Joaquim led the way with 24 points and nine rebounds as the Warriors knocked off the Wolf Pack. Jeremiah Ostrowski's shot with 21 seconds to go proved to be the difference in Honolulu. Deonte Burton led Nevada, who had two chances to either tie or win the game, with 21.

Three Notable Performances

1. G Jacob Pullen (Kansas State) 38 points in the Wildcats' 84-68 win over top-ranked Kansas.

2. F Kyle O'Quinn (Norfolk State) 20 points and 15 rebounds in the Spartans' 76-68 win over Howard.

3. C Vander Joaquim (Hawaii) 24 points and nine rebounds in the Warriors' 69-67 overtime win over Nevada.

Poll: Who Will Win the MEAC?

Shawn Siegel — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 09:19:16 -0700

MEAC Basketball Preview: 08-09

CHN — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 17:54:55 -0800

Conference Rank: 30th

Conference Page

All-MEAC Team
Pos.	Player	Team	Yr.

G	Tywain McKee	Coppin St	Sr
G	Reggie Holmes	Morgan St	Jr
G/F	Corey Lyons	Norfolk St	Sr
F	Marquise Kately	Morgan St	Sr
F	Jason Johnson	So. Carolina St	Sr
CHN Award Winners		Returning Leaders
none		Points: Tywain McKee 16.6 Rebounds: Jason Johnson 7.5 Assists: Joe Ballard (FAMU) 3.8

MEAC Standings
Nat'l	Team	League	Tourney

126	Morgan State*	MEAC	1	NCAA
167	Hampton	MEAC	2
197	Delaware State	MEAC	3
240	Norfolk State	MEAC	4
254	South Carolina St	MEAC	5
283	Florida A&M	MEAC	6
301	Coppin State**	MEAC	7
310	NC A&T	MEAC	8
317	Howard	MEAC	9
319	Bethune-Cookman	MEAC	10
339	UMES	MEAC	11

*Click on links for full Top 144 team preview

** returning conference champion

Poll: Who Do You Think Will Win the MEAC?

Other MEAC Content

Conference Media Poll

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Rise & Fall: MEAC

Daily Conference Poll: Who Will Win the MEAC?

Shawn Siegel — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 08:07:48 -0700

State of '08: Virginia

Shawn Siegel — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 15:11:33 -0700

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

For more info, check out the State of '08 introduction.

VIRGINIA

VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH - VCU is in the middle of a great run that started in 2002. Besides making the 2004 & 2007 tourneys, the Rams also made the NIT in 2005 & 2008. More impressively, 6 of the last 7 teams have finished in the RPI Top 90 as the program has had a lot of success in non-conference play.

GEORGE MASON - Everyone remembers GMU's shocking 2006 Final Four run, but that was not an isolated case of success under Jim Larranaga. In the last decade, the Patriots have made 4 NCAA Tournaments, 2 NITs, and finished at or above .500 in CAA play every season

VIRGINIA - In the last 10 years Virginia has made 2 NCAA Tournaments (winning just 1 game) and a bunch of NITs, but haven't really had a breakout season (at least by BCS standards). Similarly, they've never really been very bad.. expect for now. Last year's team finished below the RPI Top 100 (127th) for the 1st time since the 90's, and this year's team will most likely not even crack the Top 150 or so.

OLD DOMINION - Except for a bad spell in the early part of the 2000s, ODU has been consistently solid over the last 20 years. The '05 & '07 teams made the Big Dance, while the '04 & '06 squads finished in the RPI Top 100. After some slippage last year, ODU is once again considered one of the league favorites (behind VCU).

VIRGINIA TECH - The Hokies have come a long way under Seth Greenberg, making the move to the ACC and making the Big Dance in 2007 (their first in a dozen years). The last 2 teams were also the first in that long gap to finish in the RPI Top 100 or to finish above .500 in conference play. This year's team should once again be competitive in league play.

6. RICHMOND - Richmond has some good history, but the last four years have been rather blah. 2007 was the program's worst year in a decade, and this year's team might have to settle once again for the CBI at best.

7. HAMPTON - The Pirates have been the MEAC's best team over the last decade. In 2001, 2002, and 2006, they won the league tournament and made other close runs in 2003 & 2005 (& were good once again last year before being shocked by Coppin in the league quarters). No surprise that most experts project them to win the league once again in 2009.

8. LIBERTY - Beginning in 2003, Liberty has been consistently solid in the Big South, never finishing below .500. In 2004, they reached the NCAA Tournament after blowing through the conference tournament.

9. WILLIAM & MARY - The Tribe are still looking for that elusive first NCAA trip, but have been making strides the last few seasons. Last year's team made a surprising CAA title game run, after finishing over .500 in league play for the first time in over a decade. They've also dominated the recent series against JMU.

10. JAMES MADISON - A once decent program, JMU has endured a brutal slump that began around '01 or '02. Last year's team won 10 games for the first time since 2003, and also set a high in that period with a whopping 5 wins in the CAA. New coach Matt Brady was hired in the off-season to turn things around.

11. RADFORD - Outside of a mediocre 2006 campaign, the last handful of seasons have been very uneventful for Radford fans. 5 out of 6 seasons seasons below .500 in Big South play, and a pair of consecutive 300+ RPI seasons won't cut it.

12. VMI - VMI is known for high-scoring offenses, but unfortunately they're not known for wins. From 2004-2006, this was one of the country's worst teams. Although the last two years have been better (thanks in part to Reggie Williams), there's been little to write home about outside of a decent run in the 07 conference tourney.

13. NORFOLK STATE - The Spartans have been very consistent over the last decade, hovering around 10 or wins in the MEAC. In that time they never finished below .500 in conference play, but also haven't really come close to making the Big Dance. Last year's win over Richmond was probably their best non-conference win since 2002 (when they beat ODU on the road).

14. LONGWOOD - The Lancers are still trying to find their groove in D1. They've never finished above 300th in the RPI or won more than 8 D1 games. At least they knocked off in-state rivals Liberty & Norfolk State last year.

Last: Utah - Next: Washington

State of '08: The Introduction (& State list/links)