Isaiah Canaan

NCAA Tournament Preview: Backcourts to Watch

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 08:28:55 -0700

It's stated all the time this season. Guard play makes all the difference in the NCAA tournament, and to be honest it's hard to argue with that statement. So who are some of the top guard groups in this year's field? Here are 12 below along with a few superlatives. Not all of the usual suspects make the list, but try not to automatically dismiss the less heralded names either.

South Region

1. Duke
While this group does struggle at times on the defensive end of the floor there's no doubt that the Blue Devils' guards can fill it up. Austin Rivers is their best playmaker, and as long as the ACC Rookie of the Year can properly balance scoring with creating for his teammates he's very tough to stop. Seth Curry and Andre Dawkins are both dead-eye shooters, and Tyler Thornton is the best defender. But as noted above, if the defense isn't there Duke could find themselves in trouble.

2. Xavier
The Musketeers have to get past a tough Notre Dame team before a possible matchup with Duke (don't sleep on Lehigh's C.J. McCollum), but despite their struggles throughout the season Tu Holloway and Mark Lyons aren't to be ignored. Holloway runs the show and Lyons mans the two, and they can also call on Brad Redford for perimeter shooting.

3. UNLV
Most are likely going to wonder why the Runnin' Rebels are on this list and not, say, UConn but the fact of the matter is that Dave Rice's group has been more consistent throughout the season. Anthony Marshall is one of the best athletes in the country and Oscar Bellfield's impact tends to be overlooked by many. Add in a very good defender in Justin Hawkins and shooter Kendall Wallace and Dave Rice has a corps of guards capable of winning multiple games in the tournament.

Guards you'll love: C.J. McCollum (Lehigh) and Nate Wolters (South Dakota State)
Both are among the nation's best scorers, and Wolters leads the Jackrabbits in points, rebounds and assists. Each one has a matchup in which they could become household names, with McCollum taking on Duke and Wolters matching up with Baylor.

Best defender: Victor Oladipo (Indiana)
Good luck getting past the athletic Oladipo, whose offensive game has gotten closer to his defensive skills as the season's progressed. At the least the sophomore could be a first team All-Big Ten player next year.

The difference-maker: Marquis Teague (Kentucky)
If Kentucky's to reach their full potential (win a national title) the play of Teague will be key. He had an inconsistent SEC tournament but played his best basketball as the regular season came to a close.

The enigmatic group: Connecticut
Talent-wise there may not be a better group in the region. But despite the talent of Ryan Boatright, Jeremy Lamb and Shabazz Napier there are questions, most importantly will they be "there" for the entire 40 minutes. Drifting in and out of a game will get you beat this time of the year.

East Region

1. Syracuse
The Orange at the least can go three deep with starters Scoop Jardine and Brandon Triche with one of the nation's best reserves in Dion Waiters coming off the bench. The key to a national title will be Jardine, because while the Orange can easily plug someone into his role skill-wise if the fifth-year senior's struggling they can't replace the experience. And with Fab Melo out the guards become even more important.

2. Ohio State
This region has two elite defenders with the Buckeyes' Aaron Craft being one (more on the other later), and William Buford could become the program's all-time leading scorer with a deep run in the tournament. The Buckeyes aren't particularly deep on the perimeter (Jordan Sibert backs up Craft) but they are talented.

3. Florida State
If Luke Loucks takes care of the basketball this group has the ability to be even better than third best in the region. Michael Snaer has beenvery good all season long and the midseason addition of Ian Miller definitely helped on the offensive end. Deividas Dulkys can get hot from deep, as he did in their regular season win over North Carolina, and all can defend.

Guards you'll love: Will Cherry (Montana) and Kevin Pangos (Gonzaga)
Cherry's the other defensive star in this region, as he was named Defensive Player of the Year in the Big Sky and is among the best in the country in steals. Pangos is just a freshman, and his first introduction to college basketball came in the form of his impressive shooting performance in Gonzaga's tip-off marathon appearance.

Best defender: Craft

The difference-maker: Jordan Taylor (Wisconsin)
Wisconsin's been a team some have pegged as a possible upset victim, and if the Badgers are to not only avoid that but win multiple games their senior point guard will have to be at his best.

The enigmatic group: Cincinnati
The Bearcats were able to make a shift to a smaller lineup comfortably with the emergence (and return to health) of Jaquon Parker, and they've been a better team as a result. But given the number of threes that Dion Dixon, Sean Kilpatrick and Cashmere Wright get to take, the Bearcats need them to be on if they're to make a run.

Midwest Region

1. Temple
North Carolina has Kendall Marshall and Kansas can point to Tyshawn Taylor and Elijah Johnson. But the three-headed attack that Fran Dunphy has could be the best backcourt in the region. Juan Fernandez, Ramone Moore and Khalif Wyatt can all do a variety of things, making them interchangable in a sense. If they're on the Owls have the ability to not only reach the Sweet 16 but possibly go even further.

2. Kansas
Tyshawn Taylor shouldn't be questioned at this point, as the senior's matured and made better decisions with the basketball at this point in the season. The guy the Jayhawks need to be a factor over the next couple of weeks is Elijah Johnson, as he can relieve some of the pressure on the shoulders of Taylor and Thomas Robinson. Travis Releford has also been a key cog this season, and that will need to continue if Kansas is to reach New Orleans.

3. San Diego State
The Aztecs go four deep on the perimeter and all four can hurt you in different ways. Xavier Thames runs the show at the point and Chase Tapley is a solid scorer at the two, and all Jamaal Franklin did was win Mountain West Player of the Year. Last but not least is James Rahon, a key reserve in their Elite 8 run last season who can not only knock down perimeter shots but also do the little things.

Guys you'll love: D.J. Cooper (Ohio) and Kerron Johnson (Belmont)
Cooper was a key figure in the Bobcats' whipping of Georgetown in the 2010 tournament, and he's improved as a scorer while remaining a very good distributor. Johnson leads the way for Belmont, a team that's been a popular selection when it comes to teams that can pull off an upset (or two).

Best defender: Jorge Gutierrez (California)
Gutierrez won Pac-12 Player and Defensive Player of the Year for his efforts and with good reason. The senior is one guard few will be looking forward to seeing on the other side of the floor, beginning with USF on Wednesday night.

The difference-maker: Kendall Marshall (North Carolina)
The best passer in the region will be the guy who determines the winner of the Midwest. Marshall has also been more willing to punish sagging defenders by way of the jump shot, an aspect of his game that's improved over the course of the season.

Emerging star: Lorenzo Brown (NC State)
For a short time some asked if Brown was in fact the best point guard in the ACC. He's that talented, and with his size the sophomore has the potential to be a matchup problem for teams this week. And he's only going to get better with more experience.

West Region

1. Missouri
The Tigers navigated Laurence Bowers' torn ACL quite well thanks to their guards, going 30-4 and winning the Big 12 tournament title. Phil Pressey runs the show while Marcus Denmon and Kim English are the leading scorers. There's also Phil's older brother Matt and off the bench Michael Dixon Jr. is one of the best sixth men in the country. English's ability to produce at the four is tough to match, and unless a team has Jamar Samuels-like presence (Kansas State beat the Tigers twice for this reason) Mizzou could be headed to New Orleans.

2. Florida
The Gators are also deep on the perimeter but the key for them will be the decision making of Kenny Boynton and Erving Walker. If those two are unselfish and get the ball to Bradley Beal and Patric Young then Florida has the look of a team that can get to a Final Four. When they don't things tend to go wrong. Virginia's pack line defense will force Florida to make perimeter jumpers, but that's one of the things they do best.

3. Murray State
We all know about Isaiah Canaan by this point and rightfully so as the OVC Player of the Year is also an All-American. But Donte Poole can play as well, averaging 14.2 points per game. Add in senior Jewuan Long and you've got a nice group of guard capable of leading the Racers to the second weekend of the tournament.

Guys you'll love: Jason Brickman (LIU Brooklyn) and Casper Ware (Long Beach State)
Tried to go a bit off the radar with one of these selections, and with the high tempo that the Blackbirds prefer the sophomore from Texas will be fun to watch against Michigan State. Ware's been outstanding for four years and finally gets his shot at the game's biggest stage after two straight losses in the Big West tournament final.

Best defender: Darius Johnson-Odom (Marquette)
If Long Beach State's Larry Anderson were 100% he could qualify as would teammate James Ennis. But DJO, who is also one of the best scorers in the field, is also a good defender who can get out in passing lanes. With the Golden Eagles lacking a defensive presence in the paint the defensive effort of Johnson-Odom on the perimeter becomes even more important.

The difference-maker: Joe Jackson (Memphis)
One of the reasons why Josh Pastner's team has played so well down the stretch is that they've allowed Chris Crawford to take on more of the distribution duties. That in turn has relieved some of the pressure on Jackson, but he's still going to have to play well if the Tigers are to go out and prove that they were underseeded.

Another difference-maker: Peyton Siva (Louisville)
The question of which Siva will we see in Portland is similar to which Louisville team will we see: the one that was inconsistent during Big East play and struggled to score, or the one that won four games in New York City last week. If Siva's on and making good decisions the Cardinals are capable of beating anyone. If not then they're also capable of losing to anyone.

NCAA Tournament 2012: Top 68 Players

Shawn Siegel — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 22:08:10 -0800

When it comes time to pick your NCAA Bracket, its a good strategy to focus on teams with superstar players. Just look at UCONN last year: Kemba Walker put the Huskies on his back and led them to a surprise National Championship.

Which individual stars will lead their teams to success in the 2012 Tournament? It might be household stars like Anthony Davis, or lesser known stars like Casper Ware and Nate Wolters. Here are the 68 best players in the Dance:

LET THE DEBATES BEGIN...

Rank	Player	School	League	Yr	Pos
1	Anthony Davis	Kentucky	SEC	Fr	F
2	Thomas Robinson	Kansas	B12	Jr	F
3	Jared Sullinger	Ohio St	B10	So	F
4	Doug McDermott	Creighton	MVC	So	F
5	Draymond Green	Michigan St	B10	Sr	F
6	John Henson	North Carolina	ACC	Jr	F
7	Harrison Barnes	North Carolina	ACC	So	F
8	Michael Kidd-Gilchrist	Kentucky	SEC	Fr	F
9	Isaiah Canaan	Murray St	OVC	Jr	G
10	Marcus Denmon	Missouri	B12	Sr	G
11	Perry Jones	Baylor	B12	So	F
12	Kevin Jones	West Virginia	BE	Sr	F
13	Will Barton	Memphis	USA	So	G
14	Jeremy Lamb	UCONN	BE	So	G
15	Cody Zeller	Indiana	B10	Fr	C
16	Tyler Zeller	North Carolina	ACC	Jr	C
17	Mike Scott	Virginia	ACC	Sr	F
18	John Jenkins	Vanderbilt	SEC	Jr	G
19	Kenny Boynton	Florida	SEC	Jr	G
20	Tyshawn Taylor	Kansas	B12	Sr	G
21	Scott Machado	Iona	MAAC	Sr	G
22	Jae Crowder	Marquette	BE	Sr	F
23	Kendall Marshall	North Carolina	ACC	So	G
24	J'Covan Brown	Texas	B12	Jr	G
25	Trey Burke	Michigan	B10	Fr	G
26	Tu Holloway	Xavier	A10	Sr	G
27	Austin Rivers	Duke	ACC	Fr	G
28	Robbie Hummel	Purdue	B10	Sr	F
29	Matthew Dellavedova	St. Mary's	WCC	Jr	G
30	Darius Johnson-Odom	Marquette	BE	Sr	G
31	Jordan Taylor	Wisconsin	B10	Sr	G
32	Casper Ware	Long Beach St	BW	Sr	G
33	Dion Waiters	Syracuse	BE	So	G
34	Kris Joseph	Syracuse	BE	Sr	F
35	Drew Gordon	New Mexico	MWC	Sr	F
36	Nate Wolters	South Dakota St	SUM	Jr	G
37	Wendell McKines	New Mexico St	WAC	Sr	F
38	CJ McCollum	Lehigh	PAT	Jr	G
39	JaMychal Green	Alabama	SEC	Sr	F
40	William Buford	Ohio St	B10	Sr	G
41	Henry Sims	Georgetown	BE	Sr	C
42	Bradley Beal	Florida	SEC	Fr	G
43	Mike Moser	UNLV	MWC	So	F
44	Jamaal Franklin	San Diego St	MWC	So	G
45	Jason Clark	Georgetown	BE	Sr	G
46	Aaron Craft	Ohio St	B10	So	G
47	Ramon Moore	Temple	A10	Sr	G
48	Mike Glover	Iona	MAAC	Sr	F
49	Royce White	Iowa St	B12	So	F
50	Jeff Taylor	Vanderbilt	SEC	Sr	G
51	Andrew Nicholson	St Bonaventure	A10	Sr	F
52	Doron Lamb	Kentucky	SEC	So	G
53	Shabazz Napier	UCONN	BE	So	G
54	Terrence Jones	Kentucky	SEC	So	F
55	Lorenzo Brown	NC State	ACC	So	G
56	Kerron Johnson	Belmont	AS	Jr	G
57	Chance Stanback	UNLV	MWC	Sr	F
58	Rob Jones	St. Mary's	SEC	Sr	F
59	DJ Cooper	Ohio	MAC	Jr	G
60	Garrett Stutz	Wichita St	MVC	Sr	C
61	Mark Lyons	Xavier	A10	Jr	G
62	Kim English	Missouri	B12	Sr	G
63	Jake Cohen	Davidson	SoCo	Jr	F
64	Ray McCallum	Detroit	HL	So	G
65	Bernard James	Florida St	ACC	Sr	C
66	Elias Harris	Gonzaga	WCC	Sr	F
67	Sean Kilpatrick	Cincinncati	BE	So	G
68	Khalif Wyatt	Temple	A10	Jr	G

Top 10 One-Bid League Stars

1 Isaiah Canaan - Murray St

2 Casper Ware - Long Beach St

3 Nate Wolters - South Dakota St

4 CJ McCollum - Lehigh

5 Kerron Johnson - Belmont

5 DJ Cooper - Ohio

6 Jake Cohen - Davidson

7 Ray McCallum - Detroit

8 Will Cherry - Montana

9 Matt Dickey - UNC-Asheville

10 TJ Robinson - Long Beach St

2012 All-America Team: CollegeHoops.net

CHN — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 22:44:56 -0800

Player of the Year Anthony Davis, only a freshman, highlights CollegeHoops.net's 2012 All-America Team. Davis, the nation's leading shot-blocker, led Kentucky to a 30-1 regular season record. Davis is joined on the First Team by Thomas Robinson of Kansas, Draymond Green of Michigan State, Doug McDermott of Creighton, and Isaiah Canaan of Murray State.

Davis is one of only two freshmen on the list, as teammate Michael Kidd-Gilchrist made the Third Team.

CollegeHoops.net All-America Teams were voted on by staffers Shawn Siegel, Raphielle Johnson, Greg Mengelt, and Jon Teitel.

Last year's winner was BYU's Jimmer Fredette.

Player of the Year: F Anthony Davis, Kentucky, Fr

First Team All-American

G Isaiah Canaan, Murray St, Jr
F Doug McDermott, Creighton, So
F Draymond Green, Michigan St, Sr
F Thomas Robinson, Kansas, Jr
F Anthony Davis, Kentucky, Fr

Second Team All-American

G Scott Machado, Iona, Sr
G Tyshawn Taylor, Kansas, Sr
G Damian Lillard, Weber St, Jr
F Jared Sullinger, Ohio St, So
F Tyler Zeller, North Carolina, Jr

Third Team All-American

G Marcus Denmon, Missouri, Sr
G John Jenkins, Vanderbilt, Jr
F John Henson, North Carolina, Jr
F Mike Scott, Virginia, Sr
F Kevin Jones, West Virginia, Sr

Fourth Team All-American

G Kendall Marshall, North Carolina, So
G Darius Johnson-Odom, Marquette, Sr
F Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Kentucky, Fr
F Will Barton, Memphis, So
F Jae Crowder, Marquette, Sr

Honorable Mention

G Harrison Barnes, North Carolina, So
G Kenny Boynton, Florida, Jr
G J'Covan Brown, Texas, Jr
F Perry Jones III, Baylor, So
F Kris Joseph, Syracuse, Sr
G Jeremy Lamb, UCONN, So
F Mike Moser, UNLV, So
F Arnett Moultrie, Mississippi St, Jr
F John Shurna, Northwestern, Sr
F Royce White, Iowa St, So

2012 All Mid-Major Team: CollegeHoops.net

CHN — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 22:34:23 -0800

Player of the Year Isaiah Canaan of Murray State highlights CollegeHoops.net's 2012 All Mid-Major Team. Canaan, a junior guard, led Murray State to an impressive 30-1 season.

Canaan is joined on the First Team by fellow guards Scott Machado of Iona and Damian Lillard of Weber St. A pair of senior forwards round out the squad in Dominique Morrison of Oral Roberts and Ryan Pearson of George Mason.

CollegeHoops.net All High-Major Teams were voted on by staffers Shawn Siegel, Raphielle Johnson, Greg Mengelt, and Jon Teitel.

Last year's winner was Morehead St's Kenneth Faried.

Mid-Major Player of the Year: G Isaiah Canaan, Murray St, Jr

First Team Mid-Major

G Isaiah Canaan, Murray St, Jr
G Scott Machado, Iona, Sr
G Damian Lillard, Weber St, Jr
F Dominique Morrison, Oral Roberts, Sr
F Ryan Pearson, George Mason, Sr

Second Team Mid-Major

G Casper Ware, Long Beach St, Sr
G Zack Rosen, Penn, Sr
G Nate Wolters, South Dakota St, Jr
F Ryan Broekhoff, Valparaiso, Jr
F Mike Glover, Iona, Sr

Third Team Mid-Major

G CJ McCollum, Lehigh, Jr
G Kerron Johnson, Belmont, Jr
G Reggie Hamilton, Oakland, Sr
F Orlando Johnson, UCSB, Sr
F Mike Muscala, Bucknell, Jr

Fourth Team Mid-Major

G Matt Dickey, UNC-Asheville, Sr
G Lamarcus Reed, Texas-Arlington, Sr
F TJ Robinson, Long Beach St, Sr
F Jake Cohen, Davidson, Jr
F Mitchell Watt, Buffalo, Sr

Honorable Mention

G Nick Barbour, High Point, Sr
F Julian Boyd, LIU Brooklyn, Jr
F De'Mon Brook Davidson, So
G Will Cherry, Montana, Jr
G DJ Cooper, Ohio, Jr
F LaRon Dendy, Midd Tennessee, Sr
G Shane Gibson, Sacred Heart, Jr
F Ken Horton, Central Connecticut St, Sr
F Greg Mangano, Yale, Sr
G Ray McCallum, Detroit, So
G Charles Odum, Portland St, Sr
F Kyle O'Quinn, Norfolk St, Sr
G Jesse Sanders, Liberty, G
F Keith Wright, Harvard, Sr
G Alex Young, IUPUI, Sr

Saturday's Conference Tournament Primer

Raphielle Johnson — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 07:37:16 -0800

Three tickets to the NCAA tournament will be punched on Saturday, beginning with the Big South title game matching seven-seed VMI and regular season champion UNC Asheville. Eddie Biedenbach's Bulldogs have avoided the turmoil on the opposite side of the bracket, which saw both Coastal Carolina and Campbell fall in the quarterfinals. Duggar Baucom's Keydets were the ones who knocked off CCU, as they shot an impressive 14-for-28 from three in their 85-68 win over the Chanticleers. VMI would follow that up with a 75-55 win over Winthrop on Thursday, limiting the Eagles to 32.8% shooting and forcing 15 turnovers.

A repeat of either of those performances will be tougher to come by against UNC Asheville, who relies on the Big South's best perimeter tandem on the offensive end of the floor. Matt Dickey and J.P. Primm average a combined 31.8 points and 7.6 assists per game on the season, and if one struggles the other is more than capable of picking up the slack. The Bulldogs aren't just a two-man attack however, as senior guard Chris Stephenson is scoring just over 13 points a game and forward Jeremy Atkinson adds 11.5 and 6.7 boards. VMI has Stan Okoye and Kenny Gabriel to rely on while Jordan Weethee has shot the ball well this week.

Both teams can clearly score, with UNC Asheville averaging 81 points per game and VMI 80, but the Bulldogs have been the more efficient team with their average of 1.1 4 points per possession. The two regular season meetings were both close, high-scoring affairs with the Bulldogs winning both by a combined 12 points.

VMI can force turnovers with the best of them and they pestered the Bulldogs into 18 of them in the second meeting. But the Keydets can't afford to turn the ball over themselves, something they did in both meetings (17 apiece). Take care of the basketball and VMI's got a shot to go dancing, but if they can't they'll be headed back to Lexington without the crown.

The OVC title game is the one most bubble teams will be tuned into (so long as they're not playing themselves), as Murray State is going to the Big Dance with or without an automatic bid. A Tennessee State win would make the OVC a two-bid league, and given the fact that the Tigers beat Murray State in their gym that's not exactly far-fetched.

Robert Covington is one of the toughest matchups in the OVC, and he put up 24 and 15 in the Tigers' 80-62 loss to Murray State on February 23rd. John Cooper's Tigers have been balanced offensively so it's not just a one-man show, and the same goes for the Isaiah Canaan-led Racers. Donte Poole accounted for 25 and seven rebounds in their win over Tennessee Tech, and Ivan Aska and Ed Daniel are two guys who thrive in physical games inside.

Last but not least there's the Atlantic Sun final which matches top-seed Belmont and six-seed Florida Gulf Goast, who are in their first season of full Division I membership. North Florida entered last season's title game in the same spot as the Eagles, but Belmont was having no part of a "storybook" finish for their opponent. Rick Byrd's Bruins haven't been as dominant as they were last season but they're still the class of the A-Sun with Kerron Johnson and big men Mick Hedgepeth and Scott Saunders leading the way.

FGCU has withstood two off performances from Brett Comer but they need him to be at his best if they're to dethrone the reigning champs. The good news for the Eagles is that big men Chase Fieler and Eddie Murray have played well this week, and another solid outing from them will give FGCU a chance.

Atlantic Sun - Title Game
#1 Belmont vs. #6 FGCU, 7:00 p.m. (ESPN2)

Big South - Title game
#7 VMI at #1 UNC Asheville, 12:00 p.m. (ESPN2)

Ohio Valley - Title Game
#1 Murray State vs. #2 Tennessee State, 2:00 p.m. (ESPN2)

America East - Quarterfinals (at University of Hartford)
#1 Stony Brook vs. #9 Binghamton, 12:05 p.m. (AE All-Access Live Video)
#4 Albany vs. #5 New Hampshire, *2:15 p.m. (AE All-Access Live Video)
#2 Vermont vs. #7 Maine, 6:05 p.m. (AE All-Access Live Video)
#3 Boston U. vs. #6 Hartford, *8:15 p.m. (AE All-Access Live Video)

Binghamton kicked things off in America East on Thursday night with a win over UMBC but the climb gets much steeper for Mark Macon's Bearcats as they take on regular season champ Stony Brook. The Seawolves scored just 67.4 points per game but they're one of the league's better defensive teams, limiting opponents to 59.1 points and 0.93 points per possession. If Robert Mansell and Ben Dickinson can shake free from the likes of league Defensive Player of the Year Tommy Brenton maybe Binghamton can hang around, but it doesn't look promising.

The 4/5 game should be interesting to watch due to the presence of Albany's Gerardo Suero, a junior guard who is one of the nation's best scorers and a guy some feel was robbed in the America East Player of the Year voting. UNH can counter with a solid guard of their own in Alvin Abreu, but slowing down Suero is a task that won't be done with ease. Also keep an eye on Albany's Logan Aronholt, who's been dealing with a knee injury that's forced him to sit for two games and play just nine minutes apiece in two others over the last four games.

Big Sky - Quarterfinals
#5 Idaho State at #4 Eastern Washington, 5:00 p.m.
#6 Montana State at #3 Portland State, 10:00 p.m.

The winners in the Big Sky will move on to play Montana and Weber State next week, and given how tight the race for those final tournament spots was these two contests shouldn't lack in the entertainment department. idaho State features one of the league's hottest scorers in Kenny McGowen, but the EWU trio of Cliff Colimon, Cliff Ederaine and Colin Chiverton will be tough to stop. Add in the fact that ISU is 4-12 on the road this season and it could be a tough day for the Bengals in Cheney.

As for Montana State, the Bobcats lost leading scorer Xavier Blount for the season due to injuries suffered in an altercation and it's been a struggle offensively ever since. They visit a Portland State team that hasn't had such issues thanks to Chehales Tapscott and Charles Odum, which means it could be a tough day on the road for Montana State.

Colonial - Quarterfinals
#1 Drexel vs. #9 UNCW, Noon (CAA-TV)
#4 Old Dominion vs. #5 Delaware, 2:30 p.m. (CAA-TV)
#2 VCU vs. #7 Northeastern, 6 p.m. (CAA-TV)
#3 George Mason vs. #6 Georgia State, 8:30 p.m. (CAA-TV)

The "big guns" in the CAA make their debut in this season's tournament, beginning with regular season champion Drexel taking on UNC Wilmington. The question surrounding the league this weekend is whether or not they can find a second NCAA tournament bid, with the Dragons, VCU and George Mason all owning impressive overall records (Drexel and VCU have won 25 games while George Mason has 23 wins). But the computer profiles are a bit lacking in the eyes of some, which could limit the CAA to just one bid come Selection Sunday.

CAA Player of the Year Ryan Pearson has the ability to put George Mason on his back and lead them to the title, but the same can be said for VCU's Bradford Burgess and Drexel's Frantz Massenat. Also keep an eye on four-seed ODU, led by senior Kent Bazemore. The Monarchs have a tough matchup to deal with in Delaware's Jamelle Hagins, but Blaine Taylor's squad has been solid defensively for much of the season.

Horizon League - Semifinals (at Valparaiso)
#3 Detroit vs. #2 Cleveland State, 6 p.m. (ESPN3)
#5 Butler at #1 Valparaiso, 8:30 p.m. (ESPNU)

The talk following Friday's quarterfinals was whether or not this was the beginning of another March run for Butler, but it would be wise to remember that Valparaiso is the regular season champion. The Crusaders won both regular season meetings: by six at Hinkle Fieldhouse on December 3rd and by 12 (71-59) in the regular season finale for both last Friday. The time off has also given forward Kevin Van Wijk more time to rest his knee, and that should help Bryce Drew's team along with playing at home. Horizon League Player of the Year Ryan Broekhoff was quiet in the second meeting but Van Wijk led the way with 18 and Will Bogan is a solid offensive piece as well.

Butler will need another solid night from Roosevelt Jones and Khyle Marshall along with Andrew Smith if they're to win at Valpo. The first semifinal matches Detroit, who looked very good offensively in their win over Youngstown State, and a Cleveland State team that's struggled since D'Aundray Brown went down. If Brown can go and be effective the Vikings can definitely win, but if he's limited or can't go they likely won't have enough weapons to keep up with the Titans.

Metro Atlantic - Quarterfinals
#4 Fairfield vs. #5 Rider, 2:00 p.m. (ESPN3)
#1 Iona vs. #8 Marist, 4:30 p.m. (ESPN3)
#2 Loyola (MD) vs. #7 Niagara, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN3)
#3 Manhattan vs. #6 Siena, 9:30 p.m. (ESPN3)

The first game of the day in the MAAC tournament is the most intriguing, as not only is the battle between Fairfield and Rider a contrast in styles but both teams have the ability to make a run this weekend. The Stags lost guard Derek Needham for the season due to a broken foot but they've got enough depth to navigate his loss, and in forward Rakim Sanders the Stags have one of the league's toughest covers. Tommy Dempsey's Broncs didn't play as well as expected during the regular season but with weapons such as Novar Gadson, Jeff Jones and Jonathon Thompson, Rider is more than capable of winning a shootout. But can they guard well enough to stick around Springfield for a few days? That's the big question.

Loyola has to be wary of Niagara given the scoring ability of freshmen Juan'ya Green and Antoine Mason, but the Greyhounds' depth and versatility could prove to be too much for the Purple Eagles. In the final game of the night Siena's chances hinge on the health of guard Evan Hymes due to their lack of depth, and Iona needs to take the floor with a killer instinct in their quarterfinal matchup with Marist.

Missouri Valley - Semifinals
#1 Wichita State vs. #4 Illinois State, 2:30 p.m. (MVC TV)
#2 Creighton vs. #3 Evansville, 5:00 p.m. (MVC TV)

The top four seeds meet in St. Louis and while many will expect the Shockers and Bluejays to advance don't sell the redbirds or Purple Aces short. Evansville took Creighton to overtime at home before some costly mistakes in the extra session cost them a win, lost by just three at Wichita State. But given the way Gregg Marshall's Shockers are playing of late it's going to be tough to slow them down given their many offensive options to go along with a solid defense. If Jackie Carmichael can control the paint in his battle with Garrett Stutz then ISU has a chance.

The second game could be a shootout given the offensive ability of both teams. Doug McDermott is a household name and he's got teammates more than capable of scoring as well, but Evansville has a combo in Colt Ryan and Denver Holmes who can get going offensively as well. If Marty Simmons' club can take care of the basketball and limit McDermott's paint touches they can win, but that's a big "if" at this point.

Southern - Quarterfinals
#1N UNCG vs. #5N Appalachian State, 12:00 p.m.
#2S Wofford vs. #3N Western Carolina, 2:30 p.m.
#1S Davidson vs. #5S Furman, 6:00 p.m.
#2N Elon vs. #3S Georgia Southern, 8:30 p.m.

The question is a simple one: which of the other seven teams left in the SoCon tournament can knock off Davidson, the overall regular season champion and prohibitive favorite to win the automatic bid? Jake Cohen and De'Mon Brooks have been outstanding all season long in the frontcourt and five Wildcats are averaging at least ten points per game. The best story may be UNCG, whose interim head coach (Wes Miller) was named league Coach of the Year due to his leading the Spartans to the North Division crown, and they've got a high-flying scorer in Trevis Simpson as well. Wofford's been to two NCAA tournaments under head coach Mike Young and they navigated the loss of a group of seniors led by Noah Dahlman to finish second in the South Division.

Summit - Quarterfinals
#1 Oral Roberts vs. #8 IPFW, 7:00 p.m. (FCS)
#2 South Dakota State vs. #7 IUPUI, 9:30 p.m. (FCS)

Summit League play opens tonight with the top two seeds tipping things off, and two of the country's best players whose names aren't tossed around on ESPN every night will be on display. ORU's Dominique Morrison has been an outstanding scorer this season, and South Dakota State point guard Nate Wolters is one of the country's most efficient players. Those two are expected to end up meeting in the title game, and even though the Jackrabbits did beat IUPUI by 11 in the regular season finale there was also the 97-93 thriller played between the two earlier this season. Alex Young is averaging 20.7 points per game to lead the Jaguars, who can salvage what's been a disappointing season with a run in Sioux Falls.

Sun Belt - First Round
#6 South Alabama vs. #11 Troy, 7:00 p.m. (Summit Arena)
#8 Florida Atlantic vs. #9 Arkansas State, 7:15 p.m. (Convention Center Court)
#7 Western Kentucky vs. #10 FIU, 9:30 p.m. (Summit Arena)

Seeds six through eleven open up play in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and it will be interesting to see if any of these teams can cause some chaos within the bracket. South Alabama may be the best choice due to the Jaguars being the lone team without a losing conference record (8-8), and after that it's anyone's guess. WKU is a very young team but they're talented as well with freshman Derrick Gordon leading the way. Three teams will keep their seasons alive but it's difficult to see any of them getting to the semifinals much less the title game.

WCC - Semifinals
#1 Saint Mary's vs. #5 San Francisco, 9:00 p.m. (ESPNU)
#2 Gonzaga vs. #3 BYU, 11:00 p.m. (ESPNU)

The three teams many expect to get to the NCAA tournament out of the WCC will be on display, but San Francisco has the ability to surprise Saint Mary's and reach the final. The Dons lost a close one to the Gaels in the regular season finale, and the celebration of their first outight WCC title in more than 20 years did go over too well with U.S.F. wing Rashad Green (he reportedly banged on the SMC locker room door and "asked" them to keep the noise down). Cody Doolin and Michael Williams are playing well and Angelo Caloiaro is one of the WCC's most versatile players, so don't be surprised if San Francisco can push Matthew Dellavedova, Rob Jones and company to the brink.

In the nightcap one would think that a BYU win over Gonzaga, which would give them two this season, would truly punch the Cougars' ticket to the Big Dance if it hasn't been already. Noah Hartsock looked good despite being bugged by a knee injury at the end of the regular season on Friday night, scoring 19 points in the Cougars' win over San Diego. But Matt Carlino can't turn the ball over nine times as he did against the Toreros if they're to knock off Gonzaga, who needs consistent play from Elias Harris and Robert Sacre inside.

BYU Avoids a Crippling Defeat: Friday's Quick Hitters

Raphielle Johnson — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 05:30:13 -0800

1. BYU survived a pesky San Diego squad to advance to the WCC semifinals.
A win over San Diego wasn't going to do a whole lot for BYU from a resume standpoint. Sure the Cougars would pick up a 25th win on the season, but a loss would have had a much larger impact on their NCAA tournament hopes than a win. That's what made the return of Noah Hartsock so important, given how much the Cougars struggled with the pesky Toreros.

Hartsock, who played just seven minutes at Gonzaga and sat out the Portland game with a knee injury, returned to give BYU 19 points and five rebounds in 27 minutes of action as the Cougars beat San Diego 73-68 in a WCC quarterfinal. The win moves BYU to 25-7 and sets up a third meeting with Gonzaga, but most importantly the Cougars avoid a damaging loss and likely avoid any of the selection committee hijinks that could have sprung up with a loss.

"I knew my knee wouldn't be 100 percent, but the trainers did a great job of helping me rehab and get stronger," said Hartsock. "I was able to come out tonight and really produce. It started to feel, as the game went on, that the adrenaline and blood started pumping."

San Diego's small, quick guards gave the Cougars fits for much of the night, especially point guard Matt Carlino. Carlino, who knocked down two important three-pointers in the second half, had his hands full with Christopher Anderson all night long. Carlino finished with eight points and seven assist but he also turned the ball over nine times. Anderson finished with 14 points and six assists while Dennis Kramer led the Toreros with 17 points and nine rebounds, but unfortunately for them Johnny Dee made just three of his eleven shots after scoring 30 on Thursday night.

BYU gets another shot at Gonzaga, who beat the Cougars by eleven last Thursday, and having a relatively healthy Hartsock is a dimension they were missing in Spokane. The senior went off for 24 points and 14 rebounds in BYU's 83-73 win over Gonzaga in Provo, and there's no doubt that his presence alongside Brandon Davies (16 points, five rebounds against USD) is a key factor in BYU's success. BYU isn't a "bubble" team but a loss to the Toreros could have added some doubt to the situation. Thanks to Hartsock that won't be an issue.

2. The top two seeds advance in the OVC while FGCU upsets host Mercer in the A-Sun semis.
The semifinals of the OVC tournament went according to form on Friday night as the top two seeds, Murray State and Tennessee State, advanced to Saturday's title game. Kevin Murphy scored 31 points to lead Tennessee Tech but with Jud Dillard (3-9 FG, eight points) struggling offensively the Golden Eagles were unable to keep up with the Racers, who went on to win

78-58. Donte Poole scored 25 points and grabbed seven boards and Isaiah Canaan added 18 to set up a rubber match with Tennessee State, who beat Morehead State 59-52. Robert Covington scored 14 points for the Tigers, who also received 13 points apiece from Patrick Miller and reserve Jordan Cyphers. The road team won both regular season meetings between the Racers and Tigers, which should make for an interesting tiebreaker in Nashville.

As for the Atlantic Sun semifinals, for the second straight season a team in its first year of eligibility for an NCAA bid advanced to the title game. Sherwood Brown scored 14 points and Christophe Varidel added 13 off the bench to help lead Florida Gulf Coast past two-seed (and host) Mercer 62-58 in the second semifinal of the night. Jakob Gollon scored 17 points and grabbed eight rebounds and Langston Hall added 16 to lead the Bears but they went cold at the wrong time, failing to score a field goal over the final 6:18 of the game.

The opponent for the Eagles in Saturday's title game will be top-seed Belmont, who blew out upstart North Florida in last season's title game. The Bruins beat ETSU 69-61 thanks in part to 19 points, four rebounds and four assists from Ian Clark, who made five of their twelve three-pointers. The 24-point disparity in points from beyond the arc made up for Belmont's poor free throw shooting, as they finished the night 13-for-25 from the charity stripe.

3. Butler dominates the second half to advance to the Horizon League semifinals.
Regardless of what happens in the regular season games that lead into March, Brad Stevens' Bulldogs have been a very tough team to beat in the month of March. Khyle Marshall and Roosevelt Jones scored 17 points apiece (Marshall also grabbed ten rebounds) to help lead Butler past Milwaukee 71-49 to set up a semifinal meeting with top-seed Valparaiso on Saturday.

Beginning with a Marshall dunk with 48 seconds remaining in the first half Butler went on an 11-0 run to push their lead out to 31-18, and another Marshall bucket (with 7:15 remaining) started a 25-5 run that put the Panthers away. Butler was efficient offensively as they shot 50% from the field but they were even better on the other end of the floor. Milwaukee shot just 31% from the field, which included a cold 6-for-23 night from three, and Butler out-rebounded the Panthers 42-23.

Also advancing to the semifinals was Detroit, who shot 60% from the field and had five players score 11 points or more in their 93-76 win over Youngstown State. Ray McCallum Jr. scored 22 points to lead the Titans, who will take on two-seed Cleveland State in the other semifinal on Saturday. Youngstown State did manage to shoot 55% from the field but there were just 6-for-20 from three, and for a team that relies so much on the shot that didn't bode well for the Penguins.

Quick Hitters

1. The higher seeded teams held serve for the second straight day at Arch Madness, which featured Wichita State's dominant performance against Indiana State. The Sycamores weren't helped by the fact that point guard Jake Odum was dealing with plantar fasciitis and a stress fracture in his foot, but to be honest that didn't have much of an impact in the Shockers' 72-48 win. Toure' Murry and Joe Ragland led a balanced attack with 14 points apiece, and the Shockers will take on four-seed Illinois State on Saturday.

2. In the night session Creighton made the plays they needed to make late in order to survive Drake, beating the Bulldogs 68-61. Doug McDermott, who won the Larry Bird Trophy as MVC Player of the Year, scored 26 points and grabbed ten rebounds to lead the Bluejays, who also received valuable contributions from Antoine Young (16 points) and Gregory Echenique (ten points, five rebounds). Next up for Creighton is three-seed Evansville, who received 20 points and eight rebounds from Kenneth Harris to go along with 19 from Colt Ryan.

3. BYU may have avoided a loss to a lower seeded team in Las Vegas but the same can't be said for Loyola Marymount, who dropped a 67-60 decision to San Francisco. The game changed for LMU when point guard Anthony Ireland injured his groin on a collision with the basket support in the second half, but to be fair the Lions were having trouble guarding the Dons for much of the night. Michael Williams scored 19 points and Cody Doolin 16 to lead San Francisco, who gets another shot at regular season champ Saint Mary's in Saturday's semifinals.

4. It was a good day for the five seeds in the Southern Conference tournament as both Appalachian State and Furman advanced to the quarterfinals. The Mountaineers shot 53% from both the field and from three in their 93-81 win over College of Charleston, with Mike Neal leading five starters in double figures with 21 points. As for the Paladins, Bobby Austin and Charlie Reddick scored 15 points apiece to lead them to a 75-66 win over Samford.

5. Three of the four games at the CAA tournament in Richmond went according to form, with the lone exception being UNC Wilmington's 70-59 win over James Madison in the 8/9 game. The Seahawks, who were led by Cedrick Williams' 22 points and eight rebounds, shot just 39.6% from the field but unlike the Dukes (13-23 FT) Buzz Peterson's team took advantage of the foul line (26-32).

6. #19 Notre Dame attempted just ten three-pointers in their 75-69 win over Providence to lock up a double-bye in next week's Big East Championship, and Jack Cooley's play was a big reason why. Cooley scored 27 points and grabbed 17 boards for the Irish, who attempted fifteen more free throws (26-11) than the Friars while also having five players reach double figures.

7. Kyle Casey scored 19 points to lead Harvard past Columbia 77-70 in overtime on Friday night, keeping the Crimson a half-game ahead of Penn in the Ivy League race. Harvard closes their regular season with a game at Cornell on Saturday night while the Quakers, who beat Brown 54-43 on Friday, closes out with games against Yale and rival Princeton. Should the two teams finish tied atop the standings there will be a one-game playoff.

8. One day after their season ended with a loss to Indiana State in the first round of the MVC tournament Southern Illinois decided to fire head coach Chris Lowery. Lowery, who led the Salukis to three NCAA appearances in his eight seasons in Carbondale, struggled the last couple of years culminating in an 8-23 mark this season. Some have already suggested that SIU may be interested in talking to Bruce Weber, who was the head coach at SIU before moving on to Illinois.

9. No surprises in the first round of the MAAC tournament on Friday night as Marist and Niagara advanced to the quarterfinals with two of the conference's best freshmen playing well. Chavaughn Lewis led the Red Foxes to a 64-57 win over Saint Peter's with 17 points and seven rebounds, and MAAC Rookie of the Year Juan'ya Green scored a team-high 20 in the Purple Eagles' 80-70 win over rival Canisius.

Three Notable Performances

1. F Jack Cooley (Notre Dame)
27 points and 17 rebounds in the Fighting Irish's 75-69 win over Providence.

2. G Eric Ferguson (Georgia Southern)
26 points, eight rebounds and three steals in the Eagles' 76-70 win over Chattanooga.

3. G Donte Poole (Murray State)
25 points, seven rebounds and four assists in the Racers' 78-58 win over Tennessee Tech.