Rhode Island

College Basketball Coaching Changes: 2012

Shawn Siegel — Wed, 16 May 2012 15:43:20 -0700

As usual, the 2012 college basketball off-season features a never-ending parade of coaching changes. Some moves make sense, others are questionable, while others are simply head-scratchers. Thanks to collegesportsinfo.com, where a lot of this info was gleaned from. Also, apologies if all the colors give you a headache!

College Basketball Coaching Changes 2012: Power Conferences

Illinois

In - Jim Groce (ohio hc)

Out - Bruce Weber (fired >> kansas st))

Kansas St

In - Bruce Weber (illinois hc)

Out - Frank Martin (resigned >> so carolina)

LSU

In - Johnny Jones (north texas hc)

Out - Trent Johnson (resigned)

Mississippi St

In - Rick Ray (clemson asst)

Out - Rick Stansbury (retired)

Nebraska

In - Tim Miles (colorado st hc)

Out - Doc Sadler (fired)

South Carolina

In - Frank Martin (kansas st hc)

Out - Darrin Horn (fired)

Virginia Teach

Out - Seth Greenberg (fired)

College Basketball Coaching Changes 2012: High-Majors

Air Force

In - Dave Philopovich (asst)

Out - Jeff Reynolds (fired)

Colorado St

In - Larry Eustachy (so miss hc)

Out - Tim Miles (resigned >> nebraska)

Duquesne

In - Jim Ferry (liu hc)

Out - Ron Everhart (fired)

Rhode Island

In - Danny Hurley (wagner hc)

Out - Jim Baron (fired >> canisius)

Southern Illinois

In - Barry Hinson (kansas asst)

Out - Chris Lowery (fired)

SMU

In - Larry Brown

Out - Matt Doherty (fired)

Southern Miss

Out - Larry Eustachy (resigned)

TCU

In - Trent Johnson (lsu hc)

Out - Jim Christian (resigned)

Tulsa

In - Danny Manning (kansas asst)

Out - Doug Wojcik (fired >> charleston)

UAB

In - Jerrod Hasse (unc asst)

Out - Mike Davis (fired)

College Basketball Coaching Changes 2012: Mid-Majors

Central Michigan

In - Keno Davis

Out - Ernie Ziegler (fired)

Charleston

In - Doug Wojcik (tulsa hc)

Out - Bobby Cremins (retired)

FIU

In - Richard Pitino (louisville asst)

Out - Isiah Thomas (fired)

Miami (OH)

In - John Cooper (tennessee st hc)

Out - Charlie Coles (retired)

North Texas

In - Tony Benford (marquette asst)

Out - Johnny Jones (resigned >> lsu)

Ohio

In - Jim Christian (tcu hc)

Out - John Groce (resigned >> illinois)

Western Kentucky

In - Ray Harper (asst)

Out - Ken McDonald (fired)

College Basketball Coaching Changes 2012: Low-Majors

Brown

Out - Jessie Angel (fired)

Canisius

In - Jim Baron (rhode island hc)

Out - Tom Parrotta (fired)

Eastern Illinois

In - Jay Spoonhour

Out - Mike Miller (fired)

Grambling

Out - Bobby Washington (fired)

Idaho St

In - Bill Evans (montana asst)

Out - Joe O'Brien (resigned)

LIU

In - Jack Perri (asst)

Out - Jim Perry (reisgned)

Mt St. Mary's

In - Jamion Christian (vcu asst)

Out - Robert Burke (reisgned)

NC A&T

In - Cy Alexander

Out - Jerry Evans (fired(

Northern Arizona

In - Jack Murphy (memphis asst)

Out - Mike Adras (resigned)

Samford

In - Bennie Seltzer

Out - Jimmy Tillette (fired)

Southern Utah

In - Nick Robinson (lsu asst)

Out - Roger Reid (retired)

SFPA

In - Rob Krimmel

Out - Don Friday (fired)

Tennessee St

In - Travis Williams (asst)

Out - John Cooper (resigned >> Miami OH)

UNCG

In - Wes Miller (asst)

Out - Mike Dement (fired)

Wagner

In - Bashir Mason (asst)

Out - Danny Hurley (resigned >> rhode island)

Winthrop

In - Pat Kelsey

Out - Randy Peele (fired)

Please email shawn@collegehoops.net if we're missing any transactions

CHN Weekly Awards: Dixon, Murphy, Indiana, Miami

Greg Mengelt — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 08:32:39 -0800

A review of the week that was in college basketball focusing on the best (and worst) performances. Check in every Monday morning for CollegeHoops.net's weekly awards.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Michael Dixon, Missouri: Dixon – arguably the nation’s best sixth man – made crucial plays in the Tigers’ wins over Texas and Kansas last week.

In Monday’s 67-66 win over Texas, Dixon scored 21 points and had four assists and made the game-winning basket with 31 seconds left.

In the final minute of Missouri’s come-from-behind 74-71 win over the Jayhawks on Saturday, Dixon took a charge from Tyshawn Taylor then knocked down a pair of free throws with 9.8 seconds left to help the Tigers tie Kansas and Baylor atop the Big 12 standings at 8-2.

Dixon finished Saturday’s game with 15 points, hitting 4-of-5 shots, 5-of-7 free throw and two of his three 3-point shots. He also led MU with five assists in both of the week’s games.

Dixon is averaging 12.2 points, 2.8 assists, 2.1 rebounds and 1.4 steals on the season.

MID-MAJOR PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Kevin Murphy, Tennessee Tech Senior Guard: Murphy scored 106 points, including a 50-point effort in Monday’s 98-80 victory over SIU-Edwardsville.

Murphy added 33 points, seven rebounds and three assists in the Golden Eagles’ 94-88 win over Austin Peay on Thursday, then scored 23 points, grabbed seven boards and handed out three assists as Tech knocked off Jacksonville State, 76-68 on Saturday.

For the week, Murphy made 35 of his 57 field goal attempts, 24 of his 28 free throws and was 12 for 22 from the 3-point line. For the season, the senior guard is averaging 21.8 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game for the 16-9 Eagles.

TEAM OF THE WEEK

Miami (Fla.): The Hurricanes earned a pair of overtime wins last week, putting themselves back into the NCAA Tournament discussion.

First, Miami beat Maryland 90-86 in double-overtime behind a 24-point, 8-rebound, 7-assist performance from junior guard Durant Scott on Wednesday.

Then on Sunday, the Hurricanes knocked off No. 5 Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Junior center Reggie Johnson scored five of his career-high 27 points in overtime of Miami’s biggest victory of the season.

After playing most of the non-conference season without Johnson, who is averaging 10.4 points and 6.5 rebounds, and starting the season just 10-7, Miami has won four straight to improve to 5-3 in the ACC.

“To come in here and play with the kind of poise we did, play the kind of defense we did, was something that we can be very, very proud of,” said first-year Miami coach Jim Larranaga.

SINGLE-GAME PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK

Kwame Vaughn, Cal State-Fullerton: Vaughn hit 11-of-15 shots from the field, including five of his seven 3-point attempts, and all 10 of his free throws of the Titans upset UC-Santa Barbara, 99-86 on Saturday.

Vaughn added six rebounds, six assists and a steal as Fullerton nailed a school-record 17 3-pointers and overcame a 47-43 halftime deficit to improve to 15-7 overall and into a second-place tie in the Big West with Santa Barbara at 7-3.

WIN OF THE WEEK

Indiana 78, Purdue 61: It was Indiana’s first road win over any other team than Penn State in Big Ten play in the last four years. The victory vaulted the Hoosiers into fifth play in the conference, and virtually gives them a lock on their first NCAA Tournament bid since 2007.

But, more importantly for Indiana fans, it was the Hoosiers’ first win over rival Purdue in four years.

“Our guys did an excellent job of understanding that if you’re going to beat a really good team on the road, you’ve got to have great resolve,” Indiana coach Tom Crean said.

“They deserved to win the game,” Purdue coach Matt Painter said. “They were tougher than us. They were quicker to the basketball.”

Indiana, which out-rebounded the Boilermaker 53-35, was led by sophomore Victor Oladipoo’s 23 points.

“This win is huge,” Oladipo said. “We learned tonight to make better decisions and be poised when the game is on the line.”

UPSET OF THE WEEK

Idaho 72, Nevada 68: Nevada entered Saturday’s game with 11-11 Idaho on a 16-game winning streak, but left with a shocking 72-68 loss to the Vandals.

Kyle Barone converted a 3-point play with 40 seconds left and Stephen Madison scored 18 points to help Idaho give Nevada its first Western Athletic Conference loss.

The Wolf Pack are now 19-4 overall and have a game-and-a-half lead over New Mexico State in the WAC standings.

LOSS OF THE WEEK

Rhode Island 81, UMass 78: After beating Richmond and Saint Louis a week ago to ascend to the top of the Atlantic 10 standings, Massachusetts was stunned by then-4-18 Rhode Island in overtime Wednesday.

Orion Outerbridge had a career-high 29 points, including 18 in the first half, and he grabbed 11 boards as the Rams ended a 3-game losing streak in the series. After a win at George Washington on Saturday, the Minutemen are a game behind league-leading Temple in the A-10 standings.

PLAY OF THE WEEK

White gives Cyclone huge Big 12 victory: Royce White hit the game-winning jumper with 1.8 seconds left as Iowa State came from 14 points down to beat Kansas State 72-70 on Tuesday.

White finished with 22 points, eight rebounds, four assists, three blocks and two steals as the Cyclones improved to 6-3 in the Big East. Later in the week, Iowa State won at Oklahoma, 77-70, to stay within a game of league leaders Missouri, Baylor and Kansas.

Tuesday Recap: Pittsburgh Has Some Issues to Address

Raphielle Johnson — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 06:31:36 -0800

Outside of Xavier it's difficult to think of many two-game losing streaks this season that have sparked as much concern nationally as the one Pittsburgh is currently going through. A team that looked preoccupied with their Christmas break plans on Friday in a 59-54 home loss to Wagner dropped another game on Tuesday, 72-59 at Notre Dame. The second half was a serious departure from what the Panthers do on both ends of the court, with Notre Dame being able to accomplish just about whatever they wanted to offensively. Mike Brey's team shot a staggering 72% in the second half and scored 42 points, and Alex Dragicevic scored a career-high 22 points to lead the way.

"He was 2-for-6 in the first half. Then in the second half the three-pointers and the some lay-ups got him going," said Pitt head coach Jamie Dixon of Dragicevic. "That's where it really got started and then their three-pointers broke it open. Give them credit they were patient we had some breakdowns that were pretty hard to recover from."

Point guard Tray Woodall returned to the rotation for Pittsburgh after being out since the Duquesne game with groin and abdominal injuries, and it's safe to say that the redshirt junior wasn't 100% on Tuesday. Woodall played 18 minutes and did not score, tallying two assists and two turnovers off the bench. Talib Zanna led the way for the Panthers with 13 points and 12 rebounds off the bench, but that wasn't enough to make up for Pitt making just one of fourteen shots from beyond the arc and being outscored 21-3 on three-pointers. But the biggest concern for Pittsburgh going forward has to be the defensive breakdows, as the Fighting Irish were able to find a number of open looks in the second half as they ran away with the game.

"Second half the defense just let down for us," said Dixon. "They executed - converted lay-ups that they turned into open jump shots and they started making those. We need to play better, we will play better and that's what we have to work on."

In addition to Dragicevich, Eric Atkins and Jerian Grant scored 15 points apiece for Notre Dame, who has now beaten the Panthers in each of their last four meetings. The Irish scored 1.24 points per possession and finished with an efficiency of 124.1, the highest number Pitt has allowed since their loss to Long Beach State in the third game of the season. Challenging cutters and playing tough defense has been one of the trademarks of the Pitt program going back to the Ben Howland years, but that wasn't on display Tuesday night. With talented players such as Woodall, Ashton Gibbs and Nasir Robinson the potential to turn things around is defintely there. Whether or not the Panthers act on that potential is entirely up to them.

Other Notable Happenings

1. After a quick start, Nebraska gets a rude introduction to Big Ten basketball from Wisconsin.
While there's no doubt that Nebraska was coming from a very tough basketball conference in the Big 12, their first taste of Big Ten basketball was going to be an interesting experience for Doc Sadler's program. Things were going very well for the Huskers to begin their game against Wisconsin as they jumped out to a 7-0 lead. But the Badgers stayed the course and did what they do: execute on both ends of the floor at their tempo. What resulted was a thorough beating of Nebraska in Lincoln, with Wisconsin holding the home team to 14 second-half points in the 64-40 win.

Ryan Evans scored a game-high 22 points and grabbed six rebounds and Wisconsin made 11 of 21 shots from beyond the arc on the night. Jordan Taylor finished with 15 points, five assists, three rebounds and three steals with just one turnover, and the Badgers picked apart the Nebraska defense to shoot 51% from the field while holding the Huskers to 31% shooting. Nebraska will encounter different styles of play in their first run through the Big Ten, but they found out that playing Bo Ryan's team is an experience unlike any other.

2. Moe Harkless puts up a performance for the ages in a St. John's blowout of Providence.
The question for St. John's was a simple one entering Big East play: even with the arrival of Amir Garrett would the Red Storm have enough depth to navigate the conference slate? Hard to glean a concrete conclusion from one game, but to say the least the Big East opener for the Johnnies. Moe Harkless put up a performance for the ages with 32 points and 13 rebounds while D'Angelo Harrison added 25 points and seven rebounds in the 91-67 win over Providence. This was a stunning outcome considering the Friars' 11-2 start under first-year head coach Ed Cooley, not to mention the struggles of the home team. And that "performance for the ages" line isn't hyperbole, it's fact.

Harkless' point total replaced the 30 points scored by Troy Murphy and Allen Iverson in their Big East debuts as the highest point total in conference history. Think about all the great freshmen who have played in the Big East through the years, and that makes Harkless' achievement all the more noteworthy. St. John's shot 56.5% from the field and forced 20 Providence turnovers, converting those miscues into 34 points. For the talk of Providence feeling a bit disrespected due to the game being played at Carnesecca Arena instead of MSG they sure didn't look like a team that deserved that stage on Tuesday, and that's a credit to how well St. John's played.

3. Illinois needs double overtime to beat Minnesota in Champaign.
The end of game execution for both teams left much to be desired with Illinois becoming stagnant offensively and Minnesota not fouling when down six with less than a minute in double overtime, but that shouldn't take away from how entertaining the Big Ten opener was. Brandon Paul led the Fighting Illini to the 81-72 win with 21 points, seven rebounds and six assists while Meyers Leonard added 20 points, 11 rebounds and five blocked shots. Illinois turned the ball over 21 times but ended up winning by limiting the Golden Gophers to 37.7% shooting, and Minnesota could only manage 16 points off of those turnovers.

By comparison Illinois scored 19 points off of 14 Minnesota turnovers, as a result helping to minimize the impact of their mistakes. Ralph Sampson III led Minnesota with 22 points and nine rebound but the Gophers had just two players score in double figures while Illinois finished with five, and that's not going to get it done for Tubby Smith's team down the line if they want to be an NCAA Tournament team. Illinois will need to cut down on their turnovers but it should be seen as an encouraging sign that Bruce Weber's team was able to make up for the discrepancy in other areas to pull out the win.

Quick Hitters

1. Georgia needed overtime to beat Winthrop at home 82-76, but the question is whether or not the game should have gone to overtime to begin with. With the Eagles leading 76-74 in the final seconds, Georgia's Gerald Robinson junior got away with a blatant travel and scored the game-tying basket.

2. Rhode Island head coach Jim Baron made the decision on Tuesday to dismiss leading scorer Jamal Wilson (16.4 ppg) for a violation of team rules. To say the least this is the last thing the Rams, who are 1-11 on the season. Mid-year transfers Andre Malone and Billy Baron should have every opportunity to take over as the primary scoring options as a result of this move.

3. Also on Tuesday, Illinois guard Crandall Head announced his decision to leave the school. Head, whose older brother is Illinois great Luther Head, averaged just 6.4 minutes per game this season.

Three Notable Performances

1. F Moe Harkless and G D'Angelo Harrison (St. John's)
Harkless finished with 32 points, 13 rebounds and four assists while Harrison added 25, seven assists and three steals in the Red Storm's 91-67 win over Providence.

2. G Andre Jones (Winthrop)
33 points (10-15 FG) and three rebounds in the Eagles' 82-76 overtime loss at Georgia.

3. F Ryan Evans (Wisconsin)
22 points (9-11 FG), six rebounds and two assists in the Badgers' 64-40 win over Nebraska.

Friday's Preview: West Virginia vs. #7 Baylor

Raphielle Johnson — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 21:38:56 -0800

Friday marks the final day of games before Christmas Day, and while the schedule is light there are some good games to keep an eye on. Atop the list is a game at the Las Vegas Classic matching West Virginia (8-2) and #7 Baylor (10-0), with the Bears boasting one of the deepest frontcourt rotations in the country. But to be fair this is their most strenuous back-to-back stretch of the season as they beat Saint Mary's on Thursday night. West Virginia's got one of the top forwards in the country in senior Kevin Jones (20.8 ppg, 11.3 rpg), but he's going to need help from the Mountaineers' other frontcourt players if they're to keep the Bears at bay.

One player who's capable of helping out Jones physically is Deniz Kilicli (12.2 ppg, 6.6 rpg), a physical interior presence who will need to avoid foul trouble in order for WVU to be at their best. Perry Jones III (16.2 ppg, 5.8 rpg) is the best NBA Draft prospect of the Baylor big men but freshman Quincy Miller (10.8 ppg, 5.3 ppg, 2.7 apg) isn't far behind, and his versatility and unselfish play have been great boosts to the Bears' attack. Veterans Quincy Acy and Anthony Jones are also key figures on the back line of Scott Drew's matchup zone, and the wingspan of these players makes it very difficult for opponents to find open areas.

Baylor blocks eight shots per game but their rebounding numbers don't exactly fit the profile of what one would expect from a dominant frontcourt, as their rebounding margin stands at a plus-6.7. West Virginia hasn't been great in that regard either but they do grab nearly 14 offensive rebounds per game and Baylor allows 14.1. With the zone it can be difficult at times to box out, but the Bears cannot allow this to be the case on Friday night. Jones leads the way with 4.6 offensive boards per game and players such as Kilicli and Kevin Noreen can also be of assistance on the glass.

The play on the perimeter should also pique the interest of viewers as guard play has been pointed to as the determining factor in how far Baylor goes this season. Pierre Jackson (11.5 ppg, 4.6 apg) hasn't started a game this season but he's the leading assist man for the Bears with A.J. Walton (4.2 apg) ranking second. Both can still stand to improve on their turnover numbers as Jackson averages three per game and Walton 2.4. Cal transfer Gary Franklin played his first game as a Bear at BYU last weekend and did his best work on the defensive end of the floor, but he's another option at the point if needed.

West Virginia returns a veteran in senior Truck Bryant (16.5 ppg, 3.2 apg) but he's had to do more work off the ball with the scorers they lost from last season's team. That's meant that two newcomers, Jabarie Hinds (7.9 ppg, 3.7 apg) and Gary Browne (5.8 ppg, 3.6 apg) have shared the duties at the point for much of the game. The two are averaging a combined 4.8 turnovers per game, a number that should (and has to) improve as the Mountaineers approach Big East play. Both teams turn the ball over an average of 15 times per game while forcing 17 turnovers, with Baylor's defensive turnover percentage slightly better due to playing one less possession per game.

The key for West Virginia will be to find quality looks inside of the arc; they shoot 31.4% from deep while Baylor allows opponents to shoot 31.9%. Where Baylor's been really good is their overall field goal percentage defense, as opponents have made just 34.6% of their shots. Could the schedule have something to do with this? Yes, but the bigger reason is the length of the frontcourt discussed above. It's difficult to make those shots when having to deal with multiple players possessing wingspans beyond seven feet, but WVU will have to find a way to do so if they're to win.

In other games on Friday there's a huge game in Las Vegas, especially for the resume of the Pac-12. California, one of the teams expected to contend for the conference title, takes on Mountain West contender UNLV and the Rebels rank among the most tested teams in the country. The Golden Bears may once again be without forward Richard Solomon, and that could be an issue when it comes to dealing with UNLV's Mike Moser. The guard play should be fun to watch with Cal having Allen Crabbe, Jorge Gutierrez and Justin Cobbs while UNLV will counter with Oscar Bellfield, Anthony Marshall and Chace Stanback just to name three of their weapons. UNLV would be in good shape either way, but with that Missouri whipping on their resume Cal could use another good non-conference win.

Rhode Island gains the services of Billy Baron and Andre Malone, a pair of mid-season transfers the 1-10 Rams desperately need to go along with Jamal Wilson. They'll host in-state rival Providence, with Ed Cooley doing a very good job thus far in turning around the proud program. Vincent Council ranks among the top point guards in the Big East, Bryce Cotton has made significant strides in his sophomore campaign and LaDontae Henton has been one of the best freshmen in America.

Pittsburgh hosts NEC contender Wagner, and the Seahawks will look to their solid backcourt led by Tyler Murray to lead the way in their quest for the upset. And also on the west coast is Richmond taking on UCLA in a game that the Spiders can definitely win. Darien Brothers scored 38 against ODU, and while the Bruins have won four straight since the dismissal of Reeves Nelson they're schedule has done them a favor (outside of the Penn matchup).

Top 25 Games
7:00 PM Western Kentucky at (4) Louisville (ESPN2)
9:00 PM (7) Baylor vs. West Virginia* (ESPN)
8:00 PM Wagner at (13) Pittsburgh (ESPNU)
5:30 PM Mississippi Valley State at (14) Wisconsin (BTN)
1:30 AM (15) Xavier at Hawaii (ESPNU)
5:00 PM California at (23) UNLV (CBSSN)

NCAA Division I Games
1:00 PM Valparaiso at IUPUI
2:00 PM Maine at Brown
2:00 PM Dartmouth at Albany
2:00 PM Norfolk State at St. Francis (NY)
3:00 PM Clemson vs. Southern Illinois* (ESPNU)
3:00 PM Kennesaw State vs. Texas A&M-CC*
5:00 PM UTEP vs. Kansas State* (ESPNU)
6:00 PM Ball State at Morehead State
7:00 PM Furman at Georgia (ESPN3)
7:00 PM Vermont at Towson
7:00 PM St. Francis (PA) at St. Bonaventure
7:00 PM North Carolina A&T at Ohio
7:00 PM Marist at Pennsylvania
7:00 PM Providence at Rhode Island (Cox HD)
7:00 PM Chicago State at Cincinnati (ESPN3)
7:00 PM UIC at Dayton
7:00 PM Manhattan at George Mason
7:00 PM Seton Hall at Longwood (FCS)
7:00 PM Western Michigan at Oakland (FSN Detroit)
7:00 PM East Tennessee State at Tennessee
8:00 PM Radford at Maryland (ESPN3)
10:30 PM Richmond at UCLA (FSN PT)
11:00 PM Long Beach State vs. Auburn (ESPN2)
11:30 PM Missouri State vs. Saint Mary's* (ESPN3)

College Hoops Sunday Recap: Shockers Put On a Show

Raphielle Johnson — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 19:32:49 -0800

Going into Sunday's game at Wichita State, the UNLV Runnin' Rebels were on the tail end of an eight-day stretch that began with a win over then-#1 North Carolina followed by a double-overtime win at UCSB. To say the least this wasn't the easiest way to end that stretch, and Joe Ragland and the Shockers made sure that was the case. Ragland made eight of nine from beyond the arc in scoring a game-high 31 points, and as a team Wichita State shot 12-for-23 from distance in the 89-70 win. Ragland had issues early on the defensive end of the floor, but that changed and as a result the visitors found themselves having a hard time slowing the senior guard down.

"I didn't expect that type of game from Joe Ragland but honestly, I've expected some game similar to that," said Wichita State head coach Gregg Marshall. "He's just a dynamite performer...he took it upon himself to bounce back from those missed defensive assignments that cost us a couple baskets early, and when he got back in there he was on a mission."

UNLV didn't play terribly in the first half but they still trailed 47-32 at the break due to a 24-3 Wichita State advantage in points scored from beyond the arc. Ragland made all five of his shots while David Kyles added two and Garrett Stutz, while UNLV made just one of nine shots from deep. The Shockers also did a good job of sharing the basketball as they assisted on ten of seventeen field goals. That was another difference between the two teams as UNLV assisted on just four of ten first-half field goals.

UNLV played better in the second half offensively, making 50% of their shots and assisting on more than half of their baskets (season assist percentage: 67.6%), but they simply could not stop Ragland or the rest of the Shockers. For the game Wichita State finished with an efficiency of 150.8. To put that number in perspective UNLV's opponents average an efficiency of 90.1 with a high of 106.0 (UCSB) according to the website statsheet.com.

Wichita State didn't have the best trip to Puerto Rico as they lost two of three games to finish fourth in the Puerto Rico Tip-Off, but the Shockers have improved in the three games since. There should be no doubt that they're going to be right there fighting for the Missouri Valley crown.

Other Notable Happenings

1. San Diego State hangs on to beat California at home by a point.
California was without the services of forward Richard Solomon on Sunday afternoon as he'd been suspended by head coach Mike Montgomery, meaning that they went small with a three-guard lineup. The insertion of Justin Cobbs was a good one as the Minnesota transfer scored 17 points, but with Jorge Gutierrez struggling (3-12 FG, six points) the Golden Bears had their issues on the offensive end against San Diego State. Chase Tapley was SDSU's lone double-figure scorer (25 points) but a key 14-3 run to end the first half gave Steve Fisher's team the breathing room they needed in what would end up being a 64-63 victory. Cal would pull even in the second half but could only gain the lead once (51-50 with 6:33 remaining) despite the play of Cobbs and Allen Crabbe (23 points, nine rebounds). With their loss to Creighton on Wednesday night, San Diego State needed this win to avoid an 0-2 week and thanks in large part to Tapley they got it.

2. Keep an eye on American, who has now won seven straight, in the Patriot League.
Bucknell is the defending league champion and Lehigh has one of the nation's most prolific guards in C.J. McCollum, but don't expect the Patriot League to simply be a two-team race. Jeff Jones' American Eagles won their seventh straight game on Sunday as Charles Hinkle scored a game-high 32 points in a 66-60 win over Saint Joseph's. The Eagles led 38-28 at the half thanks to both Hinkle (17 points) and the defensive effort against SJU guards Langston Galloway and Carl Jones, who combined to score just two points. Jones scored 11 points in the second half but it wasn't enough to overcome a 3-for-17 night from beyond the arc at Bender Arena. If there's a concern for American in the aftermath of Sunday's win it would have to be their play in the paint, with C.J. Aiken and Halil Kanacevic leading the way in a 34-16 SJU scoring edge. if the Eagles can improve in that area leading into league play next month, they'll be better equipped to take on the likes of Bucknell's Mike Muscala in league play.

3. Baylor's zone defense proves to be too much for Northwestern.
For all the press sent Kentucky's way the Wildcats may not have the most distracting front line in the country. Baylor could make a very good case for that distinction however, and their qualifications were on full display in a 69-41 win at Northwestern. Anthony Jones, Perry Jones III, Quincy Acy and Quincy Miller are four big reasons why, as their wingspan and activity within Scott Drew's matchup zone can eliminate both good looks and lanes to the basket. Northwestern could get little going offensively, shooting 24.1% from the field and shooting 4-for-26 from beyond the arc.

Even worse for the Wildcats was that once they got inside of the zone they made just 31% of their two-point shots, a difference of 19 percent from their season average. Also of note for Baylor was the play of point guard Pierre Jackson, who finished with 16 points and three assists. As he goes so will the Bears come March because even with the mid-season addition of Cal transfer Gary Franklin, Jackson could still be their best option at the point. At the very least, few teams will be looking forward to playing Baylor because of the defensive prowess of their big men.

Quick Hitters

1. While debating the merits of 9-0 Tulane it needs to be pointed out that Murray State is also undefeated, and they handled Dayton 75-58 on Sunday afternoon. Isaiah Canaan scored 21 points and dished out five assists to lead the way, and the Racers forced 17 Dayton turnovers while also limiting them to 3-for-14 from three.

2. Alasdair Frasier scored 23 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to lead three starters in double figures as Maine beat Rhode Island 76-74 in overtime in Kingston. The effort was better for the Rams but that doesn't change the fact that Jim Baron's team has lost seven of their first eight.

3. The process of rebuilding Manhattan is nowhere near complete for first-year head coach Steve Masiello, but the Jaspers are 2-0 in MAAC play following their 68-42 win over Saint Peter's. George Beamon led the way with 22 points (7-9 FG), four rebounds and four steals, but the defense stood out as Saint Peter's shot just 32.6% and turned the ball over 17 times.

4. Alex Abreu returned from a two-game suspension but it wasn't enough to prevent Akron from getting whipped 77-53 at Middle Tennessee. The Zips, who have lost four of their last five after a 2-0 start, shot 28.6% from both the field and from three on Sunday.

5. Stanford made the plays needed late to move to 8-1, beating NC State 76-72 in Palo Alto. Josh Owens led the way with 19 points and seven rebounds and Anthony Brown added 12 off the bench. Johnny Dawkins' team could be one to watch in the Pac-12.

6. Kansas State passed their first test of the season as they won at Virginia Tech 69-61. Jamar Samuels impressed with 17 points and 14 rebounds and Shane Southwell added 11 off the bench.

7. Oregon State posted an impressive win to close the day, beating expected Big Sky contender Montana 71-46. Ahmad Starks led four Beavers in double figures with 17 points, and Craig Robinson's team looked very good in a game that prior Oregon State teams would either struggle with or lose.

Three Notable Performances

1. G Joe Ragland (Wichita State)
31 points (8-9 3PT), five rebounds and three assists in the Shockers' 89-70 win over UNLV.

2. G Terrell Stoglin (Maryland)
31 points (11-20 FG), five rebounds and two assists in the Terrapins' 78-71 win over Notre Dame.

3. F Jamar Samuels (Kansas State)
17 points (7-8 FG) and 14 rebounds in the Wildcats' 69-61 win at Virginia Tech.

College Hoops Wednesday Recap: Barnes, Strickland Lead Heels

Raphielle Johnson — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 06:52:39 -0800

There was one big question for North Carolina going into their game with Wisconsin in the final night of the Big Ten/ACC Challenge: would they be able to play effectively in a tempo nowhere near what they look to establish on a nightly basis? Thanks to a second half run from Harrison Barnes and the excellent defense of Dexter Strickland, the Tar Heels passed said test with a 60-57 win over the Badgers in Chapel Hill. While the game didn't have any bearing on the result of the entire Challenge, which the Big Ten had comfortably wrapped up by the time the late games began, it could have long-term effects for a team that annually ranks among the nation's leaders in possessions per game.

A Barnes three pointer with 11:40 left in the game began an 18-5 North Carolina run, and the Heels wouldn't trail again despite a late Badger rally. Barnes scored ten of those points and finished with 20 while fellow frontcourt players Tyler Zeller (12 points, seven rebounds) and John Henson (eight points, 17 rebounds and five blocks) also played well for the 6-1 Tar Heels. But the biggest contribution outside of the scoring came from Dexter Strickland, who was given the task of guarding All-America point guard Jordan Taylor for good in the second half. Taylor, who was also guarded by Kendall Marshall at times, led Wisconsin with 18 points but he needed 20 shots to reach that total, making six.

"It was a difficult game for us," said head coach Roy Williams. "Jordan Taylor just dominates the ball so effectively, and yet you have to congratulate Kendall and Dexter because its hard to guard that guy. I was very pleased with what we did defensively."

One statistical category to take note of was Wisconsin's assist numbers, which underlines the effectiveness of North Carolina's defense. The Badgers assisted on just six of their twenty-three field goals, with Taylor having four, a far cry from their season averages in assists per game (15.6) and assist percentage (average of 57.4%; Wednesday's number was 26.1%). The Badgers also had two starters, Josh Gasser and Mike Bruesewitz, go scoreless as they put up matching 0-for-3 (0-for-2 3PT) stat lines. In a game as close as this one, Bo Ryan's team could ill-afford an off night from one starter much less two. UNC's length limited the number of good looks for Wisconsin, who made just eight of their 28 three-point attempts on the night.

"They're long and quick and getting good looks isn't the easiest thing in the world," said Ryan. "It was hard to get good looks. That was as hard fought a game as I have ever been in as a coach."

Next up for North Carolina is a matchup in Lexington with Kentucky on Saturday in a much-anticipated game that will be far different than Wednesday's battle. But if anything the need to shift from fast (UNLV) to slow (Wisconsin) and back to fast could be a benefit for the Heels as the season rolls on. After being outworked on Saturday night, North Carolina showed that they're capable of winning a game that gets them out of their comfort zone.

Other Notable Happenings

1. What a night for basketball in southern California. Creighton comes back to beat San Diego State and UNLV holds off UCSB in a double-overtime thriller.
Two games on the West coast proved to be the gems of the night, and while the competitive nature of the contests was to be expected few had any idea they'd end up being as good as they turned out to be. Creigton trailed by as many as 17 points in the first half at San Diego State, but Greg McDermott's team steadily worked its way back into the contest in front of a frenzied crowd at Viejas Arena. And thanks to Doug McDermott (25 points, 12 rebounds), Ethan Wragge (19 points in 19 minutes off th bench) and a crucial loose ball recovered by Jahenns Manigat in chasing down his own missed free throw, the Bluejays escaped with an 85-83 victory. In the second half Creighton scored 50 points and turned the ball over just once, and they needed that kind of play to beat a tough Aztec team led by Xavier Thames' 21 points.

As for UNLV they and the Gauchos of UCSB put on a show for the ages at the Thunderdome, with Mike Moser (34 points, 10 rebounds) and UCSB's Orlando Johnson (36 points, 10 rebounds) standing out. There were three key plays late in regulation and the first overtime session that would move this contest from the "good game" category to "classic". Anthony Marshall's missed layup with 34 seconds remaining kept the door open for the Gauchos, who would cut the lead to one on the ensuing possession as Johnson score three the old-fashioned way. In the final seconds Johnson missed a free throw on purpose, which big man Greg Somogyi would rebound and score to send the game into overtime tied at 71. UCSB had Vegas on the ropes but a Chace Stanback three with 1.7 seconds left in OT tied the score at 84. Moser and Johnson would foul out in the second overtime, and UNLV was able to survive thanks in part to Stanback (all 19 of his points in the second half or overtime). What a night on the West coast.

2. Indiana's improved play in the second half keeps them undefeated.
Tom Crean's Hoosiers are an improved basketball team, something they've shown throughout their 7-0 start. But there have still been naysayers, who chose to point out who the Hoosiers have played instead of focusing more on how they've played. No room for that in the aftermath of Wednesday's 86-75 win at NC State, as the Hoosiers displayed improved levels of both skill and toughness in picking up a critical road victory. Jordan Hulls led the way with 20 points and five assists but the big star arguably was freshman Cody Zeller, who scored 19 points, grabbed seven rebounds and blocked two shots in his fifth straight double-digit scoring game. Lorenzo Brown led four NC State players in double figures with 19 points, but the Wolfpack were done in late as Indiana scored the final ten points of the game. Baby steps should be taken in discussing Indiana, but there's no mistaking the fact that this is an improved basketball team that's trending up.

3. Denver hands Utah State their first home loss in 34 games.
The four-game stretch that began with a trip to California and ends with a home contest against high-scoring Iona on December 7th was seen by some as a defining one for Joe Scott's Denver Pioneers. And if their 67-54 win at Utah State doesn't qualify as a defining win for the Pioneers you'll be hard-pressed to find one that will, as they wouldn't trail again after a Brian Stafford three gave Denver a 5-4 lead with 18:14 remaining in the first half. Rob Lewis and Chris Udofia led four starter in double figures with 15 points apiece, and a 12-2 run to start the second half established a margin that Utah State could not recover from. The win ended Utah State's 33-game home win streak, and given their experience and system there's no reason why Denver can't be a factor in the Sun Belt once conference play begins.

Quick Hitters

1. Jim Baron attempted to send a message to his Rhode Island team by going with an entirely new starting lineup at Brown. It didn't seem to get through as URI lost 65-56 to the Bears, dropping to 1-6 on the season. Billy Baron and Andre Malone should help once they become eligible in December, but will it be too late by then?

2. Staying in the Atlantic 10, Dayton sure didn't handle their first game since winning the Old Spice Classic in good fashion as they were blown out by Buffalo 84-55. At home. Two things to take from the result: Javon McCrea and company are pretty good, and there's still plenty for Archie Miller and his staff to do with the Flyers.

3. Keith Appling played his best game of the season in Michigan State's 65-49 win over Florida State, scoring 24 points and grabbing seven rebounds. A key for the Spartans' improved play of late has been the progression of freshman point guard Travis Trice, whose emergence has allowed Appling to play at his more natural shooting guard spot.

4. Virginia Tech may have picked up a loss that could weigh them down come March as they fell 58-55 at Minnesota. The Golden Gophers were without Trevor Mbakwe, but the Hokies were unable to take advantage as Dorenzo Hudson (zero points) and Dorian Finney-Smith (three points) were slient offensively.

5. Don't overlook Ohio's 70-68 win at previously undefeated Marshall, with Reggie Keely leading four Bobcats in double figures with 16 points. Ohio's reserves outscored Marshall's bench 28-11 on the night. To say the least it was a good night for the MAC.

6. Northern Iowa knocked off Iowa State 69-62 in Ames with Anthony James scoring 17 points to lead the way. Ben Jacobson's Panthers got it done on the defensive end, holding Iowa State 19 points below their offensive efficiency average for the season.

7. In their first game without the services of center Dwayne Dedmon, who will miss the next 6-8 weeks with a stress fracture in his foot, USC beat UC Riverside 56-37. Dedmon's injury makes it even tougher for Kevin O'Neill in regards to dealing with a team that already lacked depth.

Three Notable Performances

1. F Mike Moser (UNLV) and G Orlando Johnson (UCSB)
These were two of the stars in the game of the night, which UNLV won 94-88 in double overtime. Moser finished with 34 points, 10 rebounds and three assists while Johnson paced the Gauchos with 36 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, three steals and two blocks.

2. F Doug McDermott (Creighton)
25 points and 12 rebounds in the Bluejays' 85-83 win at San Diego State.

3. G James Kinney (San Jose State)
30 points (7-12 3PT) in the Spartans' 72-66 win over UTSA.

College Hoops Sunday Recap: Atlantic 10 Earns Two Titles

Raphielle Johnson — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 21:06:47 -0800

Sunday set up to be a big day for the Atlantic 10 with Dayton (Old Spice Classic) and Saint Louis (76 Classic) playing in the title game of their respective in-season tournaments. And even better for the conference is that both picked up wins, displaying the depth of a league thought by many to be Xavier, Temple and 12 other teams before the season began.

Saint Louis used an 18-2 run halfway through the second half to pull away from Oklahoma, winning 83-63 in Anaheim. Tournament MVP Brian Conklin made nine of his eleven shots from the field and scored 25 points, and as a team the Billikens shot 60.4% from the field and 52.9% from beyond the arc. Rick Majerus' team scored 1.32 points/possession, and their offensive efficiency of 131.7 was their best performance of the season, surpassing the 125.0 posted in their win over Villanova on Friday (numbers courtesy of statsheet.com).

"I thought the guys played with good poise and composure," said Majerus. "We were good with shot selection. A big goal of ours was to restrict the three. I thought [Conklin] deserved the tournament MVP, if nothing else for his defense and rebounding, and he was a beneficiary of his hard work in the summer."

The key for Saint Louis (as is the case with UNLV, who beat top-ranked North Carolina on Saturday night) will be how they deal with prosperity. A lot is made of how teams deal with adversity, but some things about Conklin and his teammates will be learned in their game at Loyola Marymount on Tuesday night. As for Dayton, their three wins in Orlando were a big deal in the first season of the Archie Miller era. Kevin Dillard was outstanding for the Flyers, posting a line of 19 points, 10 assists, seven steals and three blocks in winning the tournament MVP award.

Chris Johnson (18 points), Josh Benson (16), Josh Parker (12) and Luke Fabrizius (11) also reached double figures in Dayton's best offensive performance of the season since their opening win over Western Illinois. In Dayton's three best offensive games of the season they've assisted on at least 63% of their baskets, providing a blueprint for what the Flyers will need to do in order to continue on this path. And just like Saint Louis, Dayton will need to show that they can deal with prosperity. Following a home game against Buffalo the Flyers visit Great Alaska Shootout champ Murray State and host Alabama, meaning that a lot more will be learned about this team's potential.

While there were disappointments for the Atlantic 10 on Sunday (more on those below), the tournament wins for Dayton and Saint Louis show that the conference has something that it hasn't always had in recent seasons: depth. St. Bonaventure (who lost at Virginia Tech on Sunday), Duquesne and George Washington are three other teams that could be a factor in the A-10 race come January, and the race is setting up to be a very entertaining one at that.

Other Notable Happenings

1. A foul-counting mishap aids in Villanova's late collapse against Santa Clara.
With just over seven seconds remaining Villanova asked for their team foul count during a timeout while leading Santa Clara 64-61. Jay Wright and his staff were told that they only had five team fouls, and that was also displayed in Anaheim Arena. But when Darrun Hilliard gave the foul the Wildcats were found to have actually committed their seventh team foul, sending Evan Roquemore to the line for a 1-and-1. Roquemore made both, and after JayVaughn Pinkston missed the front end of his 1-and-1 he fouled Roquemore in his pursuit of the loose ball. The Bronco guard came through once again, making both free throws to give Santa Clara the stunning 65-64 win.

While the administrative error didn't help Villanova at all, they really have no one to blame but themselves for ending up in that situation. Leading 64-57 with 2:56 left in the game, Villanova failed to score again and turned the ball over four times in the final 2:56. Raymond Cowels III led Santa Clara with 20 points, and he combined with Roquemore to score 24 second-half points on a night that saw Kevin Foster (5-17 FG, 13 points) struggle. As for Villanova, Mouphtaou Yarou led the way with 19 points, and for them to be successful as the season wears on they'll need more than a combined 4-for-15 outing from Dominic Cheek (10 points) and James Bell (seven). Can this group that's adjusting to life without Corey Stokes, Corey Fisher and Antonio Pena produce enough offensively to account for those losses? We shall see.

2. Indiana has an impressive second half in pulling away from Butler.
While some have pointed out the improved play of Tom Crean's Hoosiers to start the season, skeptics pointed at their schedule and wanted to see more evidence against credible competition. Indiana got their chance on Sunday night with two-time defending national runners-up Butler visiting Assembly Hall, and after a 30-minute slugfest the Hoosiers separated with an 11-2 run. Indiana went on to win 75-59 with Will Sheehey (Hoosier Invitational MVP) scoring a career-high 21 points and Cody Zeller leading three other Hoosiers in double figures with 16, but the bigger story was their defense.

Butler finished the game with seven assists and 21 turnovers, which means an assist-to-turnover ratio of 0.33. Crean praised his team for their defensive effort, pointing out that Indiana had 74 deflections on the night. Indiana shot 50% in the second half as they outscored Butler 44-31, and outside of Chrishawn Hopkins (19 points) and Khyle Marshall (16) the Bulldogs couldn't establish much of anything offensively. With NC State and Kentucky in two of their next three games, Indiana will definitely be challenged. But for the first time in Crean's tenure at IU, it can be said that the Hoosiers look capable of attacking those challenges head-on.

3. Syracuse makes the move to fire associate head coach Bernie Fine after new information "surfaces".
Unfortunately there was more off-court news involving the sexual assault accusations levied against now-former Syracuse associate head coach Bernie Fine. Not only did a third accuser surface but a recorded phone call between Fine accuser Bobby Davis and Fine's wife Laurie from 2002 was released by ESPN's Outside the Lines. Both chancellor Nancy Cantor and head coach Jim Boeheim released statements on Sunday night in support of the action taken against Fine by the school, with this being a sharp departure from the defiant stance taken by Boeheim in support of his long-time assistant and friend when these allegations were first made. The question now is just how far this investigation goes, and what effect it may have on the Orange on the floor. Given the way they dealt with the distractions on their way to the NIT Season Tip-Off crown last week and the team's experience, Syracuse will likely be fine on the floor. But given both the sensitive nature of the charges and the statement issued by Boeheim in the beginning, this situation likely won't be solved for a while.

Quick Hitters

1. With Trevor Mbakwe scheduled for an MRI on his right knee, injured in their loss to Dayton, Minnesota has a lot on the line with regards to their season. Hopefully he checks out OK, but that would be a major loss for the Golden Gophers if he were to be ruled out for a significant amount of time.

2. The most disappointing in-season performance of the weekend: Washington State, who capped an 0-3 weekend in Anaheim with a 64-63 loss to UC Riverside. Yes the Cougars lost Klay Thompson and DeAngelo Casto, but there's talent back in Pullman. Not a good weekend for the Cougars or the Pac-12.

3. Team that should feel good about their weekend: DePaul. The Blue Demons made things tougher on themselves than they should have late but they did enough to hold off Arizona State 68-64 in the fifth place game at the Old Spice Classic (2-1 for the weekend). Cleveland Melvin led the way with 18 points and seven rebounds.

4. Cleveland State whipped Rhode Island 67-45 in Kingston in the final day of that particular three-game Legends Classic round-robin. Jim Baron's team turned the ball over an astonishing 17 times in the first half and as a result trailed 40-23 at the break. Rhody finished the game with 21 turnovers (27-23 CSU in the second half).

5. Bowling Green scored a nice win for both themselves and the MAC with a 67-64 win over Temple. BGSU shot 58% from the field in the second half and 56% for the game, and A'uston Calhoun led the way with 16 points and seven rebounds.

6. What's going on with UAB? Mike Davis' Blazers dropped to 1-4 on the season with a 59-54 loss to UT-Martin despite 15 points apiece from Cameron Moore and Jordan Swing. Mike Liabo scored 22 points off the bench to lead the Skyhawks, who entered the game having lost five of their first six games.

7. Indiana State hung on to beat Fairfield 72-66 in the third place game of the Old Spice Classic. Jake Odum posted ISU's first triple-double in 32 years and Dwayne Lathan and Myles Walker scored 16 apiece, with the Sycamores controlling the play in the paint throughout (34-20 points in the paint advantage).

Three Notable Performances

1. F Kyle O'Quinn (Norfolk State)
23 points, 11 rebounds and five assists in the Spartans' 70-63 win over Eastern Kentucky.

2. G Jake Odum (Indiana State)
10 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists in the Sycamores' 72-66 win over Fairfield. The triple-double is the first in ISU history since the great Larry Bird posted one in 1979.

3. G Kevin Dillard (Dayton)
19 points, 10 assists, seven steals and three blocks in the Flyers' 86-70 win over Minnesota.

Who Will Win the 2011-12 Atlantic 10 Title?

Shawn Siegel — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 22:38:24 -0800

College Hoops Tuesday: Your Commentary

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 03:02:05 -0800

While there's the opportunity to watch history at Madison Square Garden as Mike Krzyzewski could win his 903rd game as a head coach, there's also a matchup of Top 10 teams that should have the attention of many. Florida visits Ohio State in a matchup of teams who met in the 24 Hour Tip-Off Marathon last season, with Buckeye big man Jared Sullinger proving to be a man among boys in the paint. The rematch will be played in Columbus, with the Gators looking to return the favor. Sullinger's in better shape than last season, which will allow him to do more all over the court. Will Patric Young and the Gators be ready? That's one of the key issues that Billy Donovan and his staff will need to account for.

Sullinger scored 26 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in Ohio State's 93-75 win, and the Buckeyes shot a staggering 64% from the field. Can Florida prevent that from happening defensively? While it will help matters that David Lighty and Jon Diebler have moved on, the Buckeyes have plenty of weapons outside of Sullinger. William Buford is on his way to becoming the school's all-time leading scorer, and point guard Aaron Craft is a very good floor general. Add in players such as Deshaun Thomas and Sam Thompson to this deep rotation and you've got a team that should definitely entertain national championship thoughts.

As for Florida, they've got an embarrassment of riches on the perimeter. Starters Kenny Boynton and Erving Walker return along with Scottie Wilbekin, and newcomers Bradley Beal and Mike Rosario (Rutgers transfer) make this arguably the deepest backcourt in the country. Boynton and Rosario scored 19 points apiece in the Gators' season-opening pasting of Jackson State, and Beal added 14, but the key players for Florida from a national standpoint will be Young and Erik Murphy. Will Yeguete grabbed seven rebounds off the bench in the opener but Florida's going to need more than just four rebounds from Murphy if they're to beat Ohio State.

The Champions Classic should be interesting as well, with Duke taking on Michigan State and Kansas battling Kentucky. The Blue Devils will look to give their coach the all-time wins record but that's going to be easier said than done against a Spartan team that grabbed 24 offensive rebounds against North Carolina on Friday in the Carrier Classic. The problem for Michigan State was their poor shooting against the Tar Heels, but the fact that the game was played outside may have had something to do with it. Draymond Green, Adriean Payne, Derrick Nix and Branden Dawson will be a challenge for the Plumlee brothers, just as Duke's deep backcourt could pose an issue for Keith Appling.

As for Kansas, the question is just how good they are right now. The Jayhawks don't have the same depth that Kentucky brings into the matchup, and that could definitely be an issue. Forward Thomas Robinson will need help from his teammates to keep the likes of Terrence Jones, Anthony Davis and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist off the boards, and John Calipari's got more than enough weapons at his disposal on the offensive end of the floor. To say the least this will be a test for a team that some have picked to win the Big 12.

Other games of note include Belmont visiting Memphis in a game that featured a contradiction of styles, San Diego State hoping for a road win at Baylor despite heaving personnel losses and Rhode Island taking on a Texas squard that looked impressive in their win over Boston University. Rutgers takes on Miami in a game that both can definitely use at this stage in the tenure of both head coaches, with Mike Rice trying to build a winner at Rutgers and Jim Larranaga hoping to get Miami back to the Big Dance. There's a little something for everyone on the slate for Tuesday, so grab the snacks and energy drinks and get in front of the TV.

Top 25
9:00 PM (2) Kentucky vs. (11) Kansas* (ESPN)
8:00 PM (8) Florida at (3) Ohio State (ESPN2)
7:00 PM (6) Duke vs. Michigan State* (ESPN)
12:00 PM Belmont at (10) Memphis (ESPN)
2:00 PM San Diego State at (12) Baylor (ESPN)
7:00 PM IPFW at (14) Xavier
7:00 PM Jacksonville State at (20) Cincinnati
8:00 PM Bucknell at (20) Vanderbilt
10:00 PM Austin Peay at (22) California (ESPN2)

NCAA Division I Games
6:00 AM Drexel at Rider (ESPN)
8:00 AM Morehead State at Charleston (ESPN)
10:00 AM Kent State at West Virginia (ESPN)
4:00 PM Manhattan vs. Brown*
4:00 PM Rhode Island at Texas (ESPN)
6:00 PM FIU at Virginia Tech
7:00 PM Harvard at Holy Cross
7:00 PM Lehigh at Fairleigh Dickinson
7:00 PM Albany at (5) Syracuse (ESPN3)
7:00 PM Dayton at Miami (OH)
7:00 PM Lamar at Ohio
7:00 PM La Salle at Villanova (ESPN3)
7:00 PM Winthrop at Virginia
7:00 PM LSU at Coastal Carolina
7:00 PM Rio Grande at Cleveland State
7:00 PM IUPUI at Arkansas-Little Rock
7:00 PM Chattanooga at Butler
7:00 PM Charlotte at Central Michigan
7:00 PM Appalachian State at East Tennessee State
7:00 PM South Carolina at Elon
7:00 PM Canisius at Longwood
7:00 PM Rutgers at Miami (FL) (ESPN3)
7:00 PM Yale at Quinnipiac
7:00 PM Stony Brook at Sacred Heart
7:00 PM Robert Morris at Saint Peter's
7:00 PM Reinhardt at Tennessee Tech
7:00 PM Eastern Michigan at Texas Southern
7:00 PM Montreat College at Western Carolina
7:05 PM Notre Dame College at Youngstown State
7:30 PM Bluefield College at Charleston Southern
8:00 PM Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Oklahoma State (ESPN3)
8:00 PM Howard Payne at Texas State
8:00 PM Louisiana College at McNeese State
8:00 PM Arlington Baptist at Prairie View A&M
8:00 PM Spring Hill at Southeastern Louisiana
8:00 PM Nicholls State at Tulane
8:05 PM Saint Louis at Southern Illinois
8:05 PM Missouri State at Arkansas State
8:30 PM Pepperdine at Arizona State
8:30 PM Monmouth vs. George Mason*
9:00 PM Iowa State at Drake
9:00 PM Northern Colorado at Wyoming
9:05 PM South Dakota at Eastern Washington
9:05 PM Utah State at Weber State
10:00 PM UC Santa Cruz at UC Davis
10:00 PM Santa Clara at UC Santa Barbara
10:05 PM Seattle at Portland State
10:30 PM UT-San Antonio vs. Oral Roberts*
11:00 PM Middle Tennessee at UCLA

College Hoops Saturday: Your Commentary

Raphielle Johnson — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 22:32:49 -0800

There's just one game on Saturday matching ranked teams and surprisingly it comes in the SEC, where #11 Kentucky (16-5, 4-3) heads south to take on #23 Florida (17-5, 6-2). And while the SEC East has shown itself to be somewhat wide-open, John Calipari's young Wildcats would be well-served to win this one and avoid falling behind the Gators by two games in the loss column. But Kentucky also has just one road win in conference play (South Carolina) and they'll have their hands full with a talented group of Gators. Florida's fortunes tend to rise and fall with the play of guards Kenny Boynton (13.0 ppg, 2.5 apg) and Erving Walker (14.5 ppg, 3.3 apt), a pair of jet-quick guards who can both amaze and mystify head coach Billy Donovan on alternating possessions.

When these two make sound decisions, understanding the balance between hunting for their own shots and setting up the likes of Chandler Parsons and Vernon Macklin, the Gators are a tough team to beat. In four of Florida's five losses Walker has had either as many or more turnovers than assists while that's been the case for Boynton in each of the five defeats. Parsons leads the team in rebounding with an average of 7.5 per game, and with Macklin, Alex Tyus and Patric Young also available the Gators (rebounding margin of plus-7.1) could prove to be a handful on the glass for a Kentucky frontcourt that isn't as deep.

That means that Josh Harrellson (5.9 ppg, 9.0 rpg) and Terrence Jones (17.9 ppg, 8.9 rpg) will need to play consistently on both ends of the floor as they've proven to be the Wildcats' two most consistent players inside. Harrellson doesn't have the hype or the scoring ability of Jones but he gets the job done for this group, and in five of Kentucky's seven conference games he's grabbed at least seven rebounds. Jones, the McDonald's All-American, can alternate between being unstoppable and being disinterested and such inconsistency will get Kentucky in trouble at the O'Connell Center. Guard Darius Miller will also contribute on the boards with an average of nearly five rebounds per game and he'll need to do so if the Wildcats are to leave Gainesville with a win.

And on the perimeter Kentucky has more than enough talent to keep up with Florida, as players such as Brandon Knight (17.2 ppg, 3.8 apt) and Doron Lamb (14.2 ppg) have matured as the season's worn on. Junior DeAndre Liggins has proven to be one of the best defenders in the nation, and as his confidence has grown throughout his career so has his offensive production. Kentucky's been the more efficient offensive team this season and they've also been the better team in regards to defensive efficiency, and they'll need to bring more of the same to the table Saturday night.

The SEC East race has provided its fair share of surprises due in large part to issues such as youth (Kentucky), inconsistency (Florida) and off-court issues (Tennessee), but the winner in Gainesville takes an important first step towards a division title or at the very least one of the two first-round byes afforded each division in the SEC Tournament. Florida plays an averages of three fewer possessions per game but they've got the athletes needed to run with Kentucky. The reason why the Gators may be better served in a slower game: that inconsistency issue noted above.

If Boynton and Walker can make sound decisions with the basketball this becomes a tough game for the young Wildcats to win. But if they don't the door opens, and Jones, Knight and Lamb are three of the players who can get it done offensively. If Kentucky can do this in addition to keep the Gator big men off the offensive boards (offensive rebound rate 39.4%) look out. Look for the prime time contest to be a hotly contested battle that isn't decided until late.

In other action on Saturday UNLV visits BYU in a game the Rebels can use in regards to their resume, because even with a solid non-conference schedule and a close victory over New Mexico Lon Kruger's team needs a marquee victory soon. Jimmer Fredette, who traditionally had a problem with UNLV's defense in Provo, went off in the first meeting and Jackson Emery added 22 in the Cougars' victory in Las Vegas last month. The key for UNLV will be their offensive efficiency; when Tre'Von Willis, Chace Stanback, Oscar Bellfield and Anthony Marshall are all clicking the Rebels are a tough team to beat. But far too often this season guys have struggled offensively and that's gotten UNLV in trouble. West Virginia visits Villanova in a matchup of 6-3 Big East teams, and it remains to be seen if the suspended Casey Mitchell plays any for the Mountaineers (he did make the trip). WVU has played better since his removal from the lineup but they'll have their hands full with Villanova's perimeter attack. And if Antonio Pena and Mouphtaou Yarou perform well inside things become that much tougher for West Virginia in Philadelphia.

Connecticut needs to be on upset alert at Seton Hall because even though the Pirates were horrific in their loss at West Virginia on Wednesday they have the offensive weapons needed to go off on any given night, and Pac-10 leaders Arizona (at California) and Washington (at Oregon) need to be ready to play as well. Important games from a bubble standpoint include Baylor visiting Texas A&M, Temple hosting Rhode Island, Memphis playing Gonzaga at Spokane Arena and Old Dominion visiting a hot George Mason club in a game that also holds importance in regards to the CAA title race. Northwestern hosts Illinois in a game the Illini need in order to keep moving towards a return to the NCAA Tournament after missing out last season, and Quinnipiac visits Long Island in a matchup of two of the hotter teams in the NEC.

Top 25
4:00 PM (2) Kansas at Nebraska (ESPN3)
9:00 PM Texas Tech at (3) Texas (ESPNU)
6:00 PM Cincinnati at (4) Pittsburgh (ESPN3)
6:00 PM North Carolina State at (5) Duke (ESPN)
10:30 PM TCU at (6) San Diego State (The Mtn.)
7:00 PM (7) Connecticut at Seton Hall (ESPNU)
4:00 PM UNLV at (9) Brigham Young
9:00 PM (11) Kentucky at (23) Florida (ESPN)
12:00 PM West Virginia at (12) Villanova (ESPN)
8:00 PM DePaul at (13) Louisville (ESPN3)
12:00 PM Providence at (14) Georgetown (ESPN3)
7:30 PM Colorado at (15) Missouri (ESPN3)
2:00 PM Baylor at (16) Texas A&M (ESPN)
2:00 PM (17) Syracuse at South Florida (ESPN3)
4:00 PM (19) Washington at Oregon (FSN)
9:00 PM Boise State at (21) Utah State
8:00 PM (22) Arizona at California
1:00 PM (24) Illinois at Northwestern (CBS)
1:30 PM South Carolina at (24) Vanderbilt (ESPN3)

NCAA Division I Games
11:00 AM Saint Louis at Xavier (ESPNU)
12:00 PM VCU at James Madison
12:00 PM Butler at Cleveland State (ESPN2)
1:00 PM St. John's at UCLA (CBS)
1:00 PM Clemson at Georgia Tech
1:00 PM Virginia Tech at Boston College
1:00 PM Wake Forest at Maryland (ESPN3)
1:00 PM Samford at Georgia Southern
1:00 PM Holy Cross at Lafayette
1:00 PM Northern Iowa at Drake (ESPNU)
1:00 PM Richmond at Fordham
1:30 PM Auburn at Georgia (ESPN3)
1:30 PM Oklahoma at Oklahoma State (ESPN3)
1:45 PM Kansas State at Iowa State (ESPN3)
2:00 PM Rhode Island at Temple (ESPN2)
2:00 PM Buffalo at Ball State
2:00 PM Loyola (IL) at Detroit
2:00 PM Old Dominion at George Mason
2:00 PM Virginia at Miami (FL)
2:00 PM Winthrop at North Carolina-Asheville
2:00 PM George Washington at Charlotte
2:00 PM UNC Greensboro at Western Carolina
2:00 PM Longwood at N.J.I.T.
3:00 PM Northern Illinois at Ohio
3:00 PM UTEP at Rice
3:00 PM Green Bay at Milwaukee (ESPNU)
3:00 PM Bryant University at Saint Francis (PA)
3:00 PM UAB at Tulane
3:05 PM Bradley at Southern Illinois
3:05 PM Evansville at Creighton (ESPN3)
3:05 PM Indiana State at Missouri State
3:15 PM Lipscomb at Jacksonville
4:00 PM Iowa at Indiana (ESPN2)
4:00 PM Mississippi State at LSU (ESPN3)
4:00 PM Georgia State at Towson
4:00 PM Furman at Charleston
4:00 PM Colgate at Army
4:00 PM Memphis vs. Gonzaga* (ESPN)
4:00 PM Northeastern at Hofstra
4:00 PM South Alabama at Middle Tennessee
4:30 PM North Carolina Central at Howard
4:30 PM Louisiana-Monroe at Western Kentucky
4:30 PM Virginia Military at Coastal Carolina
4:30 PM Coppin State at Bethune-Cookman
4:30 PM Liberty at Charleston Southern
4:30 PM Miami (OH) at Eastern Michigan
4:30 PM Quinnipiac at Long Island
4:30 PM Norfolk State at Maryland-Eastern Shore
4:30 PM Campbell at Mercer
4:30 PM Sacred Heart at St. Francis (NY)
5:00 PM UCF at East Carolina
5:00 PM Western Michigan at Bowling Green
5:00 PM Nicholls State at Texas State
5:00 PM Central Michigan at Kent State
5:00 PM Grambling State at Southern University
5:00 PM Alabama at Tennessee (ESPN3)
5:30 PM Eastern Kentucky at Jacksonville State
5:30 PM South Dakota State at Centenary
6:00 PM Mississippi at Arkansas (ESPN2)
6:00 PM Arizona State at Stanford (FSN)
6:00 PM Columbia at Yale
6:00 PM Dartmouth at Princeton
6:00 PM Cornell at Brown
6:00 PM South Carolina State at Hampton
6:00 PM Dayton at La Salle (CBS College)
6:00 PM Marshall at Southern Miss
6:05 PM Montana State at Weber State
6:30 PM Morgan State at Florida A&M
6:30 PM Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Alabama State
6:30 PM Jackson State at Alcorn State
7:00 PM Oakland at IUPUI
7:00 PM Fairleigh Dickinson at Mount St. Mary's
7:00 PM Duquesne at St. Bonaventure
7:00 PM Harvard at Pennsylvania
7:00 PM William & Mary at UNC Wilmington
7:00 PM Hartford at Albany
7:00 PM Navy at Bucknell
7:00 PM Chattanooga at Davidson
7:00 PM Appalachian State at Elon
7:00 PM Presbyterian at Gardner-Webb
7:00 PM Radford at High Point
7:00 PM Belmont at North Florida
7:00 PM Central Connecticut State at Robert Morris
7:00 PM Massachusetts at Saint Joseph's
7:00 PM McNeese State at Stephen F. Austin
7:00 PM Wofford at Citadel
7:00 PM Akron at Toledo
7:00 PM Monmouth at Wagner
7:00 PM Illinois-Chicago at Wright State
7:00 PM New Hampshire at Binghamton
7:05 PM Valparaiso at Youngstown State
7:30 PM Mississippi Valley State at Alabama A&M
7:30 PM North Carolina A&T at Delaware State
7:30 PM Southeast Missouri State at Eastern Illinois
7:30 PM Prairie View A&M at Texas Southern
8:00 PM Drexel at Delaware
8:00 PM Houston at Tulsa
8:00 PM Washington State at Oregon State
8:00 PM Air Force at Utah (The Mtn.)
8:00 PM Northwestern State at Texas A&M-CC
8:00 PM Denver at Arkansas State
8:00 PM Florida International at Florida Atlantic
8:00 PM Southeastern Louisiana at Sam Houston State
8:00 PM Loyola Marymount at Saint Mary's (ESPN2)
8:00 PM Lamar at Texas-San Antonio
8:00 PM IPFW at Western Illinois
8:00 PM Colorado State at Wyoming (CBS College)
8:05 PM North Dakota State at Oral Roberts (ESPN3)
8:05 PM Arkansas-Little Rock at Louisiana-Lafayette
8:05 PM Illinois State at Wichita State
8:30 PM Montana at Northern Arizona
8:45 PM Murray State at Austin Peay (ESPN3)
8:45 PM Utah Valley at Houston Baptist
9:00 PM Chicago State at Texas-Pan American
9:00 PM Pepperdine at San Diego
9:00 PM Tennessee-Martin at Tennessee State
9:00 PM Morehead State at Tennessee Tech
9:05 PM Eastern Washington at Idaho State
9:05 PM UC Riverside at Cal State Fullerton
9:05 PM Portland State at Northern Colorado
9:30 PM North Dakota at South Dakota
9:30 PM UMKC at Southern Utah
10:00 PM Pacific at Cal Poly
10:00 PM Hawaii at Idaho
10:00 PM Santa Clara at San Francisco
10:05 PM UC Irvine at Cal State Northridge
10:10 PM Portland at Seattle
10:30 PM San Jose State at Nevada
10:30 PM UC Davis at UC Santa Barbara
11:00 PM Louisiana Tech at Fresno State (ESPNU)