Great West

Thursday's Conference Tournament Primer

Raphielle Johnson — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 06:29:32 -0800

Big 12 - Quarterfinals
#4 Baylor vs. #5 Kansas State, 12:30 p.m. (ESPN2)
#1 Kansas vs. #9 Texas A&M, 3:00 p.m. (ESPN2)
#2 Missouri vs. #7 Oklahoma State, 7:00 p.m. (Big 12 Network)
#3 Iowa State vs. #6 Texas, 9:30 p.m. (Big 12 Network)

The most important game in the Big 12 has to be the final game of the day in Kansas City, as Texas could really use a win over Iowa State on their resume. Rick Barnes' Longhorns are either just in or just out based on which projections you follow, but a win over the Cyclones would get them to the semifinals and that may end up being enough to punch their ticket. What remains to be seen is how Texas will defend 6'8" Royce White, who has a forward's build but point guard skills...and responsibilities. The Minnesota transfer is called on by Fred Hoiberg to get things going for the likes of Scott Christopherson and Chris Allen, and Melvin Ejim is another dangerous option Texas will need to account for.

As for Texas there's no secret that J'Covan Brown is their most important player, because when he plays well their young perimeter players can gradually work their way into the flow of the game. Point guard Myck Kabongo has matured throughout the course of the season, and while he's still got a way to go before reaching the status of former UT point guards such as T.J. Ford and D.J. Augustin the talent is definitely there. The key for Texas will be what they can get out of big men Clint Chapman and Alexis Wangmene, because if those two are productive in the paint the Longhorns are an entirely different team. That could prove to be difficult however given White's unique skill set, and Texas could have to go small to deal with him on the perimeter.

Kansas and Missouri are both still part of the battle for a top seed in the NCAA tournament, and while that may be a longshot for the Tigers a Big 12 tournament title would go a long way in changing that. Marcus Denmon and Phil Pressey have been two of the best guards in the country this season, but they'll need Ricardo Ratliffe to stay out of foul trouble if they're to have success this weekend. The matchup with Oklahoma State may play right into Missouri's hands with Le'Bryan Nash injured and the Cowboys not always displaying the best decision-making.

Thomas Robinson and Tyshawn Taylor will look to lead the Jayhawks to the tournament crown after winning the regular season title outright, but keep an eye on players such as Elijah Johnson and Jeff Withey this weekend. The play of those two will be very important in the NCAA tournament, and if they can go in with some positive momentum that would be even better for Bill Self and his team. The 4/5 matchup kicks things off, and big men other than Quincy Acy are going to have to bring it physically if the Bears are to beat Kansas State. K-State on the other hand needs sound decisions from Angel Rodriguez, and he's been a work in progress in that area all season long.

ACC - First Round
#8 Maryland vs. #9 Wake Forest, Noon (ESPNU/ACC Network)
#5 NC State vs. #12 Boston College, 2:00 p.m. (ESPNU/ACC Network
#7 Clemson vs. #10 Virginia Tech, 7:00 p.m. (ESPNU/ACC Network)
#6 Miami vs. #11 Georgia Tech, 9:00 p.m. (ESPNU/ACC Network)

Just like in the Big 12 the bubble teams will be the ones to watch in Atlanta, with NC State and Miami both needing to do some work in order to have their names called on Selection Sunday. That four-game skid that NC State hit, beginning with their tough loss at Duke, could be what ultimately sends Mark Gottfried's team to the NIT, but with talented players such as Lorenzo Brown, C.J. Leslie and Scott Wood the Wolfpack are more than capable of winning a couple games (a depleted Virginia awaits the winner of their game in the quarterfinals).

As for Miami they likely have less work to do than NC State despite finishing beneath them in the standings, and while they play Georgia Tech don't expect much of a home-court advantage for the Yellow Jackets. Reggie Johnson and Kenny Kadji make up a solid interior tandem, and with thei talented guards the Canes don't lack for pieces. A win over the Jackets would mean a third meeting with Florida State, and their half of the bracket looks more conducive to a run to the finals due to State's matchup issues with North Carolina.

Big East - Quarterfinals
#1 Syracuse vs. #9 Connecticut, Noon (ESPN)
#4 Cincinnati vs. #5 Georgetown, 2:00 p.m. (ESPN)
#2 Marquette vs. #7 Louisville, 7:00 p.m. (ESPN)
#3 Notre Dame vs. #6 USF, 9:00 p.m. (ESPN)

Seven of the top eight seeds will take part in the Big East quarters, with nine-seed UConn being the "party-crasher" in that regard. The Huskies, according to many, punched their ticket with a win over West Virginia on Wednesday, but until their name is actually called on Sunday the best strategy would be to simply keep winning. Syracuse swept the regular season series, winning by two in Storrs, and with their many weapons Jim Boeheim's team is also one of the two clear favorites to make a run all the way to New Orleans. Shabazz Napier has to make sound decisions with the basketball if UConn is to win; they're not going to get away with the same number of mistakes that they did against DePaul and WVU.

The only teams on the slate who may still have work to do: Cincinnati and USF. Mick Cronin's Bearcats should be an NCAA tournament team but it's difficult to tell just how much emphasis the selection committee will place on a team's computer numbers, so the best move for Cincinnati would be to go out and beat Georgetown. As for USF, a win over Notre Dame would give them the win over a top-level Big East team that their resume is missing, and with Notre Dame also preferring to slow things down the final game of the night may not surpass 60 possessions. Anthony Collins is going to be key on both ends of the floor, as in addition to running the offense he'll have to slow down Eric Atkins.

Big Ten - First Round
#8 Iowa vs. #9 Illinois, 11:30 a.m. (BTN)
#5 Indiana vs. #12 Penn State, 1:55 p.m. (BTN)
#7 Northwestern vs. #10 Minnesota, 5:30 p.m. (ESPN2)
#6 Purdue vs. #11 Nebraska 7:55 p.m. (ESPN2)

With Purdue most likely in the Field of 68 and Illinois not looking like a tournament team at this point, most of the attention on day one in Indianapols will focus on Northwestern. Bill Carmody's Wildcats are still in search of the first NCAA berth in school history, and wings Drew Crawford and John Shurna are more than capable of getting hot and leading the Wildcats on a run. But they first have to get past Minnesota, who is wrapping up a season that really hasn't lived up to what many were hoping for even with Trevor Mbakwe going down with a torn ACL. Ralph Sampson III is banged up and if he can't go that limits the Golden Gophers even more when it comes to frontcourt depth. Iowa/Illinois looks to be a toss-up, and that fact is why Bruce Weber's seat is scalding at this point. Matt Gatens is a tough matchup, and if the Hawkeyes can get Melsahn Basabe going inside it could be them who faces top-seed Michigan State on Friday.

Big West - Quarterfinals
#3 UC Santa Barbara vs. #6 Pacific, 3:00 p.m. (BigWest.TV)
#2 Cal State Fullerton vs. #7 UC Irvine, 5:30 p.m. (BigWest.TV)
#1 Long Beach State vs. #8 UC Davis, 9:00 p.m. (BigWest.TV)
#4 Cal Poly vs. #5 UC Riverside, 11:30 p.m. (BigWest.TV)

The concern for top-seed Long Beach State isn't so much what will happen against UC Davis today but rather the remainder of the weekend as wing Larry Anderson will miss the conference tournament with a sprained knee suffered in their loss at Cal State Fullerton on Saturday. To lose a player of Anderson's caliber is a huge issue, especially when considering the fact that he's the Big West Defensive Player of the Year. Dan Monson's 49ers don't lack for talent with Casper Ware and T.J. Robinson leading the way, but it will be a tough adjustment throughout the weekend from a defensive standpoint.

UCSB has won the last two Big West tournament crowns, and with Orlando Johnson and James Nunnally the Gauchos are definitely capable of making it three straight, and Fullerton has done a very good job all season with their transfers being more than ready to take over. Johnson and Fullerton's Kwame Vaughn are the two players not at LBSU with the best chance of taking over in Anaheim, but keep an eye on UC Riverside's Phil Martin as well.

Conference USA - Quarterfinals
#2 Southern Miss vs. #10 East Carolina, 1:00 p.m. (CBS SN)
#3 Tulsa vs. #6 Marshall, 3:30 p.m. (CBS SN)
#1 Memphis vs. #8 UTEP, 7:30 p.m. (CBS SN)
#4 UCF vs. #5 UAB, 10:00 p.m. (CBS SN)

The day in Memphis appropriately tips off with Southern Miss, who despite their gaudy record still needs a strong conference tournament to feel comfortable with their NCAA tournament hopes. Larry Eustachy's team has very good computer numbers (17 RPI, 60 SOS) but there have been questions about the validity of those numbers. Whether or not that's fair is a conversation for another day, but the least that Neil Watson and company can do is simply keep winning. UCF likely needs to win the automatic bid, or at the very least reach Saturday's title game, to get to the Big Dance and the individual battle between Keith Clanton and UAB's Cameron Moore will go a long way in determining the outcome. Memphis takes on UTEP, and given the Miners' struggles on the offensive end of the floor the Tigers should advance provided Joe Jackson stays under control.

Great West - First Round
#5 Houston Baptist vs. #4 NJIT, 3:30 p.m.
The winner of the Great West Tournament gets an automatic bid to the CIT, and top seed Utah Valley is the favorite to get that done. The Wolverines take on the winner of HBU/NJIT, and the tandem of Chris Flores and Isaiah Wilkerson will need to play well if the Highlanders are to advance. Marcus Davis leads the way for Houston Baptist, and with the two teams splitting the regular season series it's anyone's guess as to who wins.

MAC - Quarterfinals
#8 Western Michigan vs. # 4 Kent State, 7:00 p.m. (STO)
#7 Toledo vs. # 3 Ohio, 9:30 p.m. (STO)

Ohio and Kent State make their debuts at the 2012 edition MAC tournament tonight, as they take on Toledo and Western Michigan respectively. The top four seeds all hail from the East Division, which underlines how much better it was than the West throughout the course of the season. D.J. Cooper has led the way at the point for John Groce's Bobcats, and his presence along with that of other key scoring options means that Ohio winning the tournament wouldn't be a shock. The same can be said for Rob Senderoff's Golden Flashes, who have four players averaging at least 9.8 points per game with Justin Greene leading the way. Akron and Buffalo await the winners in Friday's semifinals.

MEAC - Quarterfinals
#3 Delaware State vs. #11 Florida A&M, 6:00 p.m.
#5 North Carolina Central vs. #4 Bethune-Cookman, 8:00 p.m.

With top-seed Savannah State going down on Wednesday things have opened up at the top of the bracket, something that both Bethune-Cookman and North Carolina Central hope to take advantage of. NCCU is led by the tandem of Dominique Sutton and Ray Willis, as they're averaging 31.4 points per game. Guards Adrien Coleman and Kevin Dukes pace the Wildcats, who are also capable of not just winning tonight but getting to the NCAA tournament. On the other side of the bracket Delaware State and Florida A&M meet with the winner taking on Norfolk State tomorrow night, and the Hornets haven't disappointed in the suspense department this season. Don't be surprised if tonight's game goes down to the wire as well.

Mountain West - Quarterfinals
#1 San Diego State vs. #8 Boise State, 3:00 p.m. (The Mtn.)
#4 Colorado State vs. #5 TCU, 5:30 p.m. (The Mtn./CBS SN)
#2 New Mexico vs. #7 Air Force 9:00 p.m. (The Mtn.)
#3 UNLV vs. #6 Wyoming 11:30 p.m. (The Mtn./CBS SN)

The Mountain West has the look of a four-bid league at this point, but could there be a fifth team with the ability to pop up and grab the automatic bid? If so, TCU may be that team provided they take some of their mojo from Daniel Meyer Arena with them to Las Vegas. The Horned Frogs lost just one home conference game this season (SDSU), and with point guard Hank Thorns they have the best distributor in the conference. Their 4/5 battle with Colorado State should be highly entertaining given the caliber of CSU's guards, and while the Frogs have a little more size inside a lack of it hasn't prevented Pierce Hornung from out-toughing the opposition many times this season. SDSU, New Mexico and host UNLV are all playing to improve their NCAA tournament seeding, which should make for great semifinal action on Friday provided they all advance.

Pac-12 - Quarterfinals
#9 Oregon State vs. #1 Washington, 3:10 p.m. (FSN)
#5 UCLA vs. #4 Arizona, 5:40 p.m. (FSN)
#7 Stanford vs. #2 California, 9:10 p.m. (FSN)
#6 Colorado vs. #3 Oregon, 11:40 p.m. (FSN)

Thanks to Wednesday's action there's a new record for the teams to avoid: 94 points, as in the lowest combined point total in a Pac-12 tournament game (Colorado/Utah did that just hours after UCLA/USC established a "new" mark of 95 points). That's the way this season has gone for the conference, which will need some excellent basketball for its NCAA prospects. Washington won the regular season title and Cal has the best resume, but the Huskies would be well-served to not get bounced by Oregon State. Arizona suspended Josiah Turner for the tournament and UCLA had to bench Joshua Smith for the first half on Wednesday due to his tardiness in getting to the team bus. Colorado may have been poor offensively but both of their games with Oregon have been exciting contests that didn't lack for scoring. Any one of these teams can grab the automatic bid at this point, and that parity's been a bit of a curse for the Pac-12 this season.

SEC - First Round
#8 LSU vs. #9 Arkansas, 1:00 p.m. (SEC Network)
#5 Alabama vs. #12 South Carolina, 3:30 p.m. (SEC Network)
#7 Ole Miss vs. #10 Auburn, 7:30 p.m. (SEC Network)
#6 Mississippi State vs. #11 Georgia, 10:00 p.m. (SEC Network)

Seeds five through seven have the most on the line today in New Orleans, with the Crimson Tide looking to be the safest bet to go dancing. Mississippi State has faltered down the stretch and despite their individual talent it remains to be seen if they've got the mental toughness (and focus) required to turn things around. And while Ole Miss hasn't been discussed a great deal nationally in regards to the NCAA tournament bubble, Andy Kennedy's Rebels are still alive and a good showing this weekend could punch their ticket. Ole Miss also suspended Jelan Kendrick for the weekend due to his, shall we say interesting, actions before the Rebels' regular season finale. The key players today: Alabama's Trevor Releford and Mississippi State's Dee Bost. Those two play well and their teams will win; don't and both the Tide and Bulldogs will be headed home.

SWAC - Quarterfinals
#3 Prairie View A&M vs. #6 Alcorn State, 1:30 p.m. (SWAC TV)
#4 Alabama State vs. #5 UAPB, 9:00 p.m. (SWAC TV)

Top-seed Mississippi Valley State avoided disaster last night, advancing to the semis with a three-point win over Jackson State. Both they and texas Southern await the winners of today's quarterfinals, which begins with Prairie View A&M battling Alcorn State. Prairie View won by three in their last meeting...five days ago, with Jordan Demuynck going off for 27 points to lead the Panthers. Alabama State and UAPB both finished 9-9 in conference play, which makes it anyone's guess as to who wins tonight.

WAC - Quarterfinals
#3 Idaho vs. #6 Hawai'i, 3:00 p.m.
#2 New Mexico State vs. #7 Fresno State, 5:30 p.m.
#1 Nevada vs. #8 San Jose State, 9:00 p.m.
#4 Utah State vs. #5 Louisiana Tech, 11:30 p.m.

There are two conference tournaments in Las Vegas this weekend with the WAC taking over Orleans Arena this weekend. Nevada has been the best team all season long in the WAC but that would all be for naught if they were to get upset. New Mexico State is the team best equipped to grab the automatic bid if the Wolf Pack don't thanks to Wendell McKines, and Idaho handed Nevada their lone conference loss this season. As for the disappointing team that may be capable of making a run look no furthern than Hawai'i, who can call on Vander Joaquim and Joston Thomas inside.

Conference Tournament Schedules, Week 2

Raphielle Johnson — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 05:37:50 -0800

Week One Conference Tournament Schedules

ACC (March 8-11 in Atlanta)
Regular season champion: North Carolina
.pdf bracket

Thursday, March 8 - First Round
#8 Maryland 82, #9 Wake Forest 60
#5 NC State 78, #12 Boston College 57
#10 Virginia Tech 68, #7 Clemson 63
#6 Miami 54, #11 Georgia Tech 36

Friday, March 9 - Quarterfinals
#1 North Carolina 85, #8 Maryland 69
#5 NC State 67, #4 Virginia 64
#2 Duke 60, #10 Virginia Tech 56
#3 Florida State 82, #6 Miami 71

Saturday, March 10 - Semifinals
#1 North Carolina vs. #5 NC State, 1:00 p.m. (ESPN/ACC Network/ESPN3
#2 Duke vs. #3 Florida State, 3:00 p.m. (ESPN/ACC Network/ESPN3)

Sunday, March 11 - Title Game
Semifinal winners, 1:00 p.m. (ESPN/ACC Network/ESPN3)

Atlantic 10 (March 6 (at higher seeded teams), 9-11 in Atlantic City)
Regular season champion: Temple
.pdf bracket

Tuesday, March 6 - First Round
#8 Massachusetts 92, #9 Duquesne 83
#5 Saint Joseph's 80, #12 Charlotte 64
#7 La Salle 80, #10 Richmond 72
#6 Dayton 67, #11 George Washington 50

Friday, March 9 - Quarterfinals
#8 Massachusetts 77, #1 Temple 71
#4 St. Bonaventure 71, #5 Saint Joseph's 68
#2 Saint Louis 78, #7 La Salle 71
#3 Xavier 70, #6 Dayton 69

Saturday, March 10 - Semifinals
#8 Massachusetts vs. #4 St. Bonaventure, 1:00pm (CBS SN)
#2 Saint Louis vs. #3 Xavier, 3:30pm (CBS SN)

Sunday, March 11 - Title Game
Semifinal winners, 1:00pm (CBS)

Big 12 (March 7-10 in Kansas City)
Regular season champion: Kansas
.pdf bracket

Wednesday, March 7 - First Round
#9 Texas A&M 62, #8 Oklahoma 53
#7 Oklahoma State 76, #10 Texas Tech 60

Thursday, March 8 - Quarterfinals
#4 Baylor 82, #5 Kansas State 74
#1 Kansas 83, #9 Texas A&M 66
#2 Missouri 88, #7 Oklahoma State 70
#6 Texas 71, #3 Iowa State 65

Friday, March 9 - Semifinals
#4 Baylor 81, #1 Kansas 72
#2 Missouri 81, #6 Texas 67

Saturday, March 10 - Title Game
#4 Baylor vs. #2 Missouri, 6:00 p.m. (ESPN)

Big East (March 6-10 in New York City)
Regular season champion: Syracuse
.pdf bracket

Tuesday, March 6 - First Round
#9 Connecticut 81, # 16 DePaul 67
# 13 Pittsburgh 73, # 12 St. John's 59
# 10 Seton Hall 79, #15 Providence 47
# 14 Villanova 70, 11 Rutgers49

Wednesday, March 7 - Second Round
#9 Connecticut 71, #8 West Virginia (OT)
#5 Georgetown 64, #13 Pittsburgh 52
#7 Louisville 61 #10 Seton Hall 55
#6 USF 56, #14 Villanova 47

Thursday, March 8 - Quarterfinals
#1 Syracuse 58, #9 Connecticut 55
#4 Cincinnati 72, #5 Georgetown 70 (2OT)
#7 Louisville 84, #2 Marquette 71
#3 Notre Dame 57, #6 USF 53

Friday, March 9 - Semifinals
#4 Cincinnati 71, #4 Syracuse 68
#7 Louisville 64, #3 Notre Dame 50

Saturday, March 10 - Title Game
#4 Cincinnati vs. #7 Louisville, 9:00 p.m. (ESPN)

Big Ten (March 8-11 in Indianapolis)
Regular season champions: Michigan, Michigan State and Ohio State
.pdf bracket

Thursday, March 8 - First Round
#8 Iowa 64, #9 Illinois 61
#5 Indiana 75, #12 Penn State 58
#10 Minnesota 75, #7 Northwestern 68
#6 Purdue 79, #11 Nebraska 61

Friday, March 9 - Quarterfinals
#1 Michigan State 92, #8 Iowa 75
#4 Wisconsin 79, #5 Indiana 71
#2 Michigan 73, #10 Minnesota 69 (OT)
#3 Ohio State 88, #6 Purdue 71

Saturday, March 10 - Semifinals
#1 Michigan State vs. #4 Wisconsin, 1:40 p.m. (CBS)
#3 Michigan vs. #2 Ohio State, 4:05 p.m. (CBS)

Sunday, March 11, 2012 - Title Game
Semifinal winners, 3:30 p.m. (CBS)

Big West (March 8-10 in Anaheim, CA)
Regular season champion: Long Beach State
.pdf bracket

Thursday, March 8 - Quarterfinals
#3 UC Santa Barbara 72, # 6 Pacific 52
#7 UC Irvine 65, #2 Cal State Fullerton 59
#1 Long Beach State 80, #8 UC Davis 46
#4 Cal Poly 66, #5 UC Riverside 54

Friday, March 9 - Semifinals
#1 Long Beach State 68, #7 UC Irvine 57
#3 UCSB 64, #4 Cal Poly 52

Saturday, March 10 - Title Game
#1 Long Beach State, #3 UCSB, 10:00 pm (ESPN2)

Conference USA (March 7-10 in Memphis, TN)
Regular season champion: Memphis
.pdf bracket

Wednesday, March 7 - First Round
#10 East Carolina 68, #7 Rice 66
#6 Marshall 74, #11 SMU 56
#8 UTEP 67, #9 Houston 62 (OT)
#5 UAB 72, #12 Tulane 64

Thursday, March 8 - Quarterfinals
#2 Southern Miss 81, #10 East Carolina 78 (OT)
#6 Marshall 105, #3 Tulsa 100 (3OT)
#1 Memphis 65, #8 UTEP 47
#4 UCF 64, #5 UAB 54

Friday, March 9 - Semifinals
#6 Marshall 73, #2 Southern Miss 62
#1 Memphis 83, #4 UCF 52

Saturday, March 10 - Title Game
#6 Marshall vs. #1 Memphis, 11:35 a.m. (CBS)

Great West (March 8-10 in Chicago, IL)
Regular season champion: Utah Valley
.pdf bracket

Thursday, March 8 - First Round
#4 NJIT 65, #5 Houston Baptist 64

Friday, March 9 - Semifinals
#4 NJIT 88, #1 Utah Valley 78 (OT)
#2 North Dakota 63, #3 UT-Pan American

Saturday, Mar 10 - Title Game
#4 NJIT vs. #2 North Dakota, 5:00 p.m.

Mid-American (March 5 (campus sites), 7-10 in Cleveland, OH)
Regular season champion: Akron
.pdf bracket

Monday, March 5 - First Round
#12 Northern Illinois 55, # 5 Eastern Michigan 52
#8 Western Michigan 69, #9 Ball State 63
#7 Toledo 60, Miami (OH) 53
#11 Central Michigan 54, # 6 Bowling Green 53

Wednesday, March 7 - Second Round
#8 Western Michigan 71, #12 Northern Illinois 54
#7 Toledo 75, #11 Central Michigan 72

Thursday, March 8 - Quarterfinals
#4 Kent State 76, #8 Western Michigan 72
#3 Ohio 65, #7 Toledo 57

Friday, March 9 - Semifinals
# 1 Akron 78, #4 Kent State 74
#3 Ohio 77, # 2 Buffalo 74

Saturday, March 10 - Title Game
#1 Akron vs. #3 Ohio, 8:00 p.m. (ESPN2)

MEAC (March 6-10 in Winston-Salem, NC)
Regular season champion: Savannah State
.pdf bracket

Tuesday, March 6 - Opening Round
#8 Hampton 69, # 9 Morgan State 65
#10 Howard 51, # 7 North Carolina A&T 50
#5 North Carolina Central 60, # 12 UMES 43
#4 Bethune-Cookman 62, # 13 South Carolina State 53
#11 Florida A&M 74, # 6 Coppin State 72

Wednesday, March 7 - Opening Round/Quarterfinals
#8 Hampton 59, #1 Savannah State 46
#2 Norfolk State 71, #10 Howard 61

Thursday, March 8 - Quarterfinals
#11 Florida A&M 65, #3 Delaware State 55 (OT)
#4 Bethune-Cookman 60, #5 North Carolina Central 59

Friday, March 9 - Semifinals
#4 Bethune-Cookman 81, #8 Hampton 72
#2 Norfolk State 58, #11 Florida A&M 46

Saturday, March 10 - Title Game
#4 Bethune-Cookman vs. #2 Norfolk State, 1:00 PM (ESPN2)

Mountain West (March 8-10 in Las Vegas)
Regular season champions: New Mexico and San Diego State
.pdf bracket

Thursday, March 8 - Quarterfinals
#1 San Diego State 65, #8 Boise State 62
#4 Colorado State 81, #5 TCU 60
#2 New Mexico 79, #7 Air Force 64
#3 UNLV 56, #6 Wyoming 48

Friday, March 9 - Semifinals
#1 San Diego State 79, #4 Colorado State 69
#2 New Mexico 72, #3 UNLV 67

Saturday, March 10 - Title Game
#1 San Diego State vs. #2 New Mexico, 7:00 p.m.(NBC SN)

Pac-12 (March 7-10 in Los Angeles)
Regular season champion: Washington
.pdf bracket

Wednesday, March 7 - First Round
#9 Oregon State 69, #8 Washington 64
#5 UCLA 55, #12 USC 40
#7 Stanford 85, #10 Arizona State 65
#6 Colorado 53, #11 Utah 41

Thursday, March 8 - Quarterfinals
#9 Oregon State 86, #1 Washington 84
#4 Arizona 66, #5 UCLA 58
#2 California 77, #7 Stanford 71
#6 Colorado 63, #3 Oregon 62

Friday, March 9 - Semifinals
#4 Arizona 72, #9 Oregon State 61
#6 Colorado 70, #2 California 59

Saturday, March 10 - Title Game
#4 Arizona vs. #6 Colorado, 6:10 p.m. (CBS)

SEC (March 8-11 in New Orleans)
Regular season champion: Kentucky
.pdf bracket

Thursday, March 8 - First Round
#8 LSU 70, #9 Arkansas 54
#5 Alabama 63, #12 South Carolina 57
#7 Ole Miss 68, #10 Auburn 54
#11 Georgia 71, #6 Mississippi State 61

Friday, March 9 - Quarterfinals
#1 Kentucky 60, #8 LSU 51
#4 Florida 66, #5 Alabama 63
#7 Ole Miss 77, #2 Tennessee 72 (OT)
#3 Vanderbilt 63, #11 Georgia 41

Saturday, March 10 - Semifinals
#1 Kentucky vs. #4 Florida, 1:00 p.m. (ABC)
#7 Ole Miss vs. #3 Vanderbilt, 3:30 p.m. (ABC)

Sunday, March 11 - Title Game
Semifinal winners, 1:00 p.m. (ABC)

Southland (March 7-8, 10 in Katy, TX)
Regular season champion: UT Arlington
.pdf bracket

Wednesday, March 7 - Quarterfinals
#2 Stephen F. Austin 68, #7 Sam Houston St 46
#3 Lamar 76, #6 Northwestern St. 69
#1 UT Arlington 96, #8 Nicholls St. 48
#4 McNeese St. 78, #5 UTSA 78 (OT)

Thursday, March 8 -Semifinals
#3 Lamar 55, #2 Stephen F. Austin 44
#4 McNeese St. 92, #1 UT Arlington 72

Saturday March 10 - Title Game
#3 Lamar vs. #4 McNeese St., 3:00 p.m. (ESPN2)

SWAC (March 7-10 in Garland, TX)
Regular season champion: Mississippi Valley State
.pdf bracket

Wednesday, March 7 -Quarterfinals
#2 Texas Southern 75, #7 Alabama A&M 62
#1 Mississippi Valley State 63, #8 Jackson State 60

Thursday, March 8 - Quarterfinals
#6 Alcorn State 103, #3 Prairie View A&M 79
#5 UAPB 60, #4 Alabama St. 56

Friday, March 9 - Semifinals
#2 Texas Southern 60, #6 Alcorn State 55
#1 Mississippi Valley State 71, #5 UAPB 64

Saturday, March 10 - Title Game
#2 Texas Southern vs. #1 Mississippi Valley State, 8:00 p.m. (ESPNU)

WAC (March 8-10 in Las Vegas)
Regular season champion: Nevada
.pdf bracket

Thursday, March 8 - Quarterfinals
#6 Hawai'i 72, #3 Idaho 70
#2 New Mexico State 65, #7 Fresno State 49
#1 Nevada 54, #8 San Jose State 44
#5 Louisiana Tech 72, #4 Utah State 72

Friday, March 9 - Semifinals
#2 New Mexico State 92, #6 Hawai'i 81
#5 Louisiana Tech 78, #1 Nevada 73

Saturday, March 10 - Title Game
#2 New Mexico State vs. #5 Louisiana Tech, Midnight (ESPN2)

Thirty-Two Impact Freshmen, Part One

Raphielle Johnson — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 15:26:54 -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 each of the 32 conferences.

America East: James Kennedy (Boston University)
With Jake O'Brien lost for another season due to injury first-year head coach Joe Jones may need to call on the 6'6" forward for important minutes. The Boston native helped lead Cushing Academy to a 21-7 record last year.

Atlantic 10: Dezmine Wells (Xavier)
While many expect Kenny Frease to be back with the team at some point in the near future, Xavier can make up for the height they lack in the frontcourt with sheer talent. Wells is one reason why, as the 6'5" small forward can flat-out make things happen on the floor.

ACC: Austin Rivers (Duke)
Not sure if there's much that hasn't been said about the Winter Park, Florida native. Duke needs to account for the loss of Nolan Smith in the backcourt, and while there are some experienced options returning to Durham they aren's as explosive as Austin. He should also benefit from the team's summer trip to China and Dubai, as Duke gained 10 practices to prepare for the journey.

Atlantic Sun: Rashawn Rembert (East Tennessee State)
ETSU lost three starters, and not only were they all guards but they were also the top three leading scorers. That means plenty will be needed from a shooting guard like Rembert, who averaged more than 20 points and seven rebounds per game at Sickles High in Tampa.

Big East: Andre Drummond (Connecticut)
Remember when Drummond was slated to spend a year at Wilbraham & Monson with friend and Connecticut Basketball Club teammate Kris Dunn (Providence commit)? That all changed in August as the 6'11", 275-pound Drummond decided this was the right time to join the UConn program. Joining forces with Alex Oriakhi and Tyler Olander will give the Huskies one of the country's best frontcourts.

Big Sky: Gelaun Wheelwright (Weber State)
The team that most people expect to win the Big Sky does have seven players returning from last year's team, not to mention a healthy Damian Lillard. But there's always room for someone else to step up, and that player could be the Centennial (CA) High product. Wheelwright averaged 18.7 points and 4.3 rebounds per game as a senior.

Big South: John Brown (High Point)
Scott Cherry landed a good on in Brown, who was named 1A Player of the Yeah in the State of Florida. Brown averaged 17.9 points, 12.1 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game as a senior, and the Jacksonville native has the ability to be the conference's best freshman.

Big Ten: Cody Zeller (Indiana)
The 2011 class is the first of two recruiting classes that many expect Indiana head coach Tom Crean to use as a springboard back to where many expect IU to be on the college landscape. One key cog is forward Cody Zeller, who averaged 24.6 ppg, 13.0 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game for a Washington (IN) High team that won the 3A state title.

Big 12: Le'Bryan Nash (Oklahoma State)
When's the last time a recruit of this caliber has shown up in Stillwater? It's safe to say that a player the quality of Le'Bryan Nash doesn't come around every day, and his arrival could make the Pokes a factor in the Big 12 race. Nash was a McDonald's All-American last year and to say the least has an NBA-ready build (and skill set) right now.

Big West: Reese Morgan (Cal Poly)
The Mustangs ranked 338th nationally in scoring with an average of 59.3 points per game, so to say the least they could use a boost in the scoring column. Enter Reese Morgan, who scored more than 2,400 hundred points in his high school career at Peninsula High in San Pedro, California. Morgan averaged 27.3 points per game as a senior.

CAA: Erik Copes (George Mason)
The freshman forward/center from Philadelphia pairs up with senior Ryan Pearson, and it isn't far-fetched to think that this duo could rank among the best frontcourts in the CAA. Copes was a player Paul Hewitt was able to get in the summer, a near steal for a senior of his caliber.

Conference USA: Adonis Thomas (Memphis)
In addition to their roster full of returnees Memphis should have a good feeling about this season due to the arrival of Memphis native Adonis Thomas. The Melrose High product ranked among the top players in the country in the 2011 class, and his ability to run the floor and finish above the rim will make Memphis even better.

Great West: Shane Benton (North Dakota)
The Fighting Sioux welcome back a host of contributors from a team that won the first Great West conference tournament as well as a game in the CollegeInsider.com Tournament, but Benton has the ability to crack the rotation. The 6'3" guard is a product of Linn-Mar High school in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where he was a teammate of North Carolina commit (2012) Marcus Paige.

Horizon: Roosevelt Jones (Butler)
With Matt Howard and Shelvin Mack both moving on the Bulldogs need players to step up as offensive options. One of those possibilities could be Jones, a small forward from O'Fallon, Illinois who can do a variety of things on the floor. As a senior Jones averaged 17.2 points, 10.4 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game.

Ivy: Wesley Saunders (Harvard)
Tommy Amaker and his staff have brought in a very good recruiting class for this season, but the question is just how much the preseason Ivy League favorites will need to call on them. One option to play may be the 6'5" Saunders, who averaged a double-double as a senior at Windward High in Los Angeles. He's a very good athlete who also played volleyball in high school.

MAAC: Juan'ya Green (Niagara)
The MAAC will have some good freshmen entering the league (a crop that would have been bolstered by Siena's Imoh Silas and Lionel Gomis if cleared by the NCAA), but one who will have to step up from the start is Philadelphia native Juan'ya Green. The Purple Eagles like to attack teams with their guards, and as a scorer who can also handle the ball Green fits the system.

Next: MAC through WAC

Thirty-Two Regular Season Champions, Part Two

Raphielle Johnson — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 14:12:20 -0700

With the college basketball season finally on the horizon, the game that's been overlooked by many in conference realignment will once again have the center stage. Perennial contenders will once again make a run at a national title while some new faces will pop up as well. The first four-part preview will focus on the conferences, and more specifically who will win each of the 32 leagues. Picking up from where we left off on Friday with Part One, here's the second of the four parts.

Big 12: Baylor
The Big 12 is down to 10 teams (Nebraska to the Big Ten, Colorado to the Pac-12) but if anything that's done the league a favor from a basketball standpoint. A full round robin combined with some evenly matched teams should make for one of the most exciting races in college basketball. But while Kansas has won at least a share of the last seven regular season titles, their lack of depth due to a recruiting class hit hard by eligibility issues (Braeden Anderson not cleared and Ben McLemore and Jamari Traylor are both partial qualifiers) is a major blow. Therefore the pick is a deep Baylor squad, which has a serious question to answer at the point. A.J. Walton and JUCO transfer Pierre Jackson will attempt to answer that question, and if they can a team led by Perry Jones III, Quincy Acy and a recruiting class featuring Quincy Miller and Deuce Bello should flourish.

Big West: Long Beach State
Dan Monson's 49ers went through a hellacious non-conference schedule last season with wing Larry Anderson missing much of the slate due to injury, but his return combined with that tough road led them to a regular season title. But they fell to UCSB in the Big West title game, leaving the feeling of unfinished business for this experienced group. Guard Casper Ware (17.2 ppg, 4.4 apg) is back along with Anderson (14.3 ppg, 3.3 apg), forward T.J. Robinson (13.6 ppg, 10.1 rpg) and the 49ers return four starters from a team that won 22 games. UCSB will be right there thanks to the James Nunnally/Orlando Johnson duo, but The Beach are positioned to once again take advantage of a brutal non-conference slate once Big West play rolls around.

Colonial: Drexel
The last time a team not from the Commonwealth of Virginia won at least a share of the CAA regular season title was 2006 (UNC Wilmington), and the Seahawks were also the last non-Virginia school to win the league outright (2003). So this will be quite the undertaking for Bruiser Flint and his team, but the Dragons have enough horses to get the job done. Guards Chris Fouch (14.9 ppg, 3.4 rpg) and Frantz Massenat (5.5 ppg, 3.3 apg) are back along with forward Samme Givens (12.2 ppg, 10.1 rpg), and the Dragons will return four starters (Fouch was their 6th man last season). And for the depth that Drexel has this season there's one more point to make: Givens is their lone senior. Could be the start of a nice run in a very tough league.

Conference USA: Memphis
Josh Pastner's young Tigers did not win the regular season title last season, finishing two games out of first place, but they did win the conference tournament by beating UTEP in the title game in El Paso. This could be the year in which the sophomore class led by Joe Jackson (9.9 ppg, 3.1 apg) and Will Barton (12.3 ppg, 4.9 rpg) takes off and reaches new heights, with Jackson being the key figure in it all. The Memphis native played for USA Basketball this summer in an experience that should add more to his game from a maturity standpoint (Jackson finished last season with more turnovers than assists). Also there's freshman Adonis Thomas and JUCO transfer Stan Simpson, two newcomers who will also chip in. All the names haven't been mentioned for Memphis, but 11 letter-winners return. The cupboard is full.

Great West: North Dakota
The Sioux, who finished third in regular season play but won the conference tournament, return all five starters with junior forward Patrick Mitchell (13.3 ppg, 5.7 rpg) being the reigning Great West Tournament MVP. Guard Troy Huff (13.3 ppg) was a Second Team All-GWC selection as a freshman, and classmates Jamal Webb (9.1 ppg) and Josh Schuler (8.8 ppg) are also back. Mitchell is one of two seniors (center Mike Mathison), meaning that Brian Jones' program is well-positioned to hang around at the top of the Great West standings for a couple years.

Horizon: Detroit
The Horizon League will once again have a fun race for the conference title. Butler returns just two starters but they have experience and Brad Stevens one of the best coaches in the country, and while Cleveland State did lose Norris Cole the other four starters return. But the pick is Detroit (even with Eli Holman taking a leave of absence from the team) because the Titans return everyone else. Sophomore point guard Ray McCallum Jr. (13.5 ppg, 4.7 rpg) and senior guard Chase Simon (13.5 ppg, 4.2 rpg) are the leading returning scorers in the Horizon League, and seniors Chris Blake (10.9 ppg) and Nick Minnerath (11.2 ppg) have the experience needed to help make up for Holman's absence (LaMarcus Lowe averaged 2.4 blocks per game). It won't be easy, but Ray McCallum has the horses needed to reach the top of the conference.

Ivy League: Harvard
The regular season came to a crushing conclusion for the Harvard Crimson, as Douglas Davis' last-second shot propelled Princeton to the NCAA Tournament in the Ivy League Playoff. But while the Tigers return a good amount of talent from that group, Harvard has all the answers heading into 2011-12. Forwards Kyle Casey (10.7 ppg, 6.0 rpg) and Keith Wright (14.8 ppg, 8.3 rpg) return up front, and the backcourt is in very good shape as well with the likes of Christian Webster (13.0 ppg), Laurent Rivard (11.0 ppg) and Brandyn Curry (9.3 ppg, 5.9 apg) back as well. All five starters and thirteen letter-winners return to a team that won 23 games last season (can't forget senior captain Oliver McNally), meaning that Tommy Amaker and his staff likely won't lack for answers.

MAAC: Fairfield
There may have been change at the top for the Fairfield Stags, with Sydney Johnson coming over from Princeton to replace Ed Cooley as head coach. But the rotation largely remains the same, with a few important additions, for the defending MAAC regular season champs and that's why many expect them to repeat. Guard Derek Needham (14.1 ppg, 4.5 apg) and center Ryan Olander (10.4 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 2.1 bpg) return as do key contributors Maurice Barrow and Colin Nickerson. As for the newcomers, three have been a part of the program but had to sit out last season: Rakim Sanders and Desmond Wade are transfers while Sean Crawford was a medical redshirt. Add in freshman Adam Jones and the Stags have the tools in place to repeat, but not without challenges from Iona and dark horse Rider.

Next (Monday): Mid-American through Patriot

Part One: America East through Big Ten

Jon Teitel's "Coaching Greats" Series: Former North Dakota coach Rich Glas

Jon Teitel — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 09:43:14 -0700

In the latest installment in his "Coaching Greats" interview series CHN writer Jon Teitel spent some time with former North Dakota head coach Rich Glas. Now the head coach at Concordia College in Minnesota, Coach Glas won 335 games and three conference titles at North Dakota.

Jon Teitel: You first became a head coach in 1974 at Minnesota-Morris. What made you get into coaching, and how have you been able to stick with it for so long?

Rich Glas: It was always what I wanted to do. I grew up on a campus due to my dad's job, and I was always around sports.

JT: In the early 1980s you were both coach and AD at Willamette. Which gig did you like more, and was it hard to do both at the same time?

RG: I learned that I did not want to be an AD, as there were a lot of tasks that you have to do all by yourself when you are at a small school. The key thing is that I could take a leave of absence after spending a set amount of time there, which allowed me to take a job at Arizona.

JT: In 1984 you spent one year as a volunteer assistant coach for Lute Olson at Arizona. What was it like to work under Olson, and what was the most important thing he taught you?

RG: He taught me to keep it simple and not let the players get away with anything. He gave me confidence that my own coaching style would work. His system was about executing the little things on the court so that we would not lose a game because of that in the future.

JT: In 2000 you told Sports Illustrated that you motivated your team to play #4 Kansas by telling them, "They put their pants on the same way we do: they just pull them up two feet higher". How did you come up with the quote, and how did you feel after the Jayhawks won by 31 points?

RG: I do not know how I came up with that quote. We had a relatively young team that year and I was proud that we were able to hang with Kansas for the first half, but our subs were not nearly as good as their subs. They played us at our place the following year because Kansas G Jeff Boschee was from North Dakota and Coach Roy Williams likes to play a road game in a player's home state at least once during their career.

JT: You later served as assistant coach and director of basketball operations for UNI coach Ben Jacobson, who played PG for you in the early 1990s. What was Jacobson like as a player, and what has made him such a great coach?

RG: Ben was also my graduate assistant and assistant coach at North Dakota, so we were together for over a decade. He wanted to go into banking at first, but later joined me on the sideline. I enjoyed working for Ben but I missed being a head coach both on and off the court, so I decided to become a head coach elsewhere.

JT: One of the things you taught Coach Jacobson about was "OER" (offensive efficiency rating), which he in turn has passed along to his own players. Why are the number of points/possession so important, and do you think it is an accurate indicator of how good a team is?

RG: The stat that is most important is actually our defensive OER. When we hold teams to under one point/possession, our record is something like 200-7, as we could usually score over one point/possession with our offense.

JT: In 2008 you left UNI to become head coach at Concordia. Why did you decide to make the switch, and what is the biggest difference between Division I and Division III?

RG: I was not planning on leaving UNI, but Concordia was closer to my home and my relatives so it was a good fit. The athleticism and size increases every level that you go up. You have to do a lot more coaching to create opportunities for your players to be successful at the Division III level. They are great guys who go to class, and their passion to play is just the same as that of the Division I guys. One of the nice things is that you do not have to babysit the players as much in Division III.

JT: Your dad John was VP of administration of Bemidji State, where they named a hockey arena after him. What did he teach you about college athletics, and why did you go into basketball instead of hockey?

RG: My dad was a sports nut who helped raise money for a lot of the buildings on campus. Since he was in northern Minnesota, he figured it was important to have a hockey arena. They did not have a lot of hockey back in my high school days. Since I was a little guy I probably should have tried hockey, but I did not want to play outside in the winter! I loved basketball. My dad taught me to play hard and never give up. If you play with a lot of heart and a lot of mind, you will have a lot of success. I always tell my players that attitude will dictate performance. If you have a lousy attitude then you are not going to win a lot of games.

JT: Your son Jeff graduated from North Dakota as the Division II career leader with 82 field goals, and he currently is a kicker for the Iowa Barnstormers of the Arena Football League. Why did he go into football instead of basketball, and how proud are you of all his success?

RG: I am very proud of what he has done. He was a soccer player growing up, as was his older sister who played soccer at Washington State. One day I suggested that he try kicking the football around instead of the soccer ball, and he kicked well enough to impress the school coach. In high school he made his first attempt from 50 yards, and ended up having a great career at North Dakota.

JT: When people look back on your career, how do you want to be remembered the most?

RG: I hope they say that I cared about my players and that my players enjoyed playing for me and learned a lot.

Coach Glas is also on Jon's list of best coaches in Great West history.

Chicago State: Bob Hallberg (1977-1987): 223-84
Houston Baptist: Gene Iba (1977-1985): 128-96, 1 NCAA tourney, 2 conference titles, 1-time conference COY
N.J.I.T.: NO COACH HAS BEEN THERE FOR 5 YEARS
North Dakota: Rich Glas (1988-2006): 335-194, 3 conference titles
South Dakota: Dave Boots (1988-present): 483-197, 6-time conference COY
Texas Pan American: Sam Williams (1958-1973): 244-164, 1 NAIA title, 1-time national COY
Utah Valley: Dick Hunsaker (2004-present): 140-91