Stony Brook

Conference Finals Predictions: Big 12, Big East, Pac-12 & More

Greg Mengelt — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 02:52:10 -0500

Our g ame prediction guru Greg Mengelt has been on fire this year. Here are is predictions for Saturday's conference championship game. Read more about Championship Week at CollegeHoops.net.

AMERICA EAST FINAL: AT STONY BROOK

(2) Vermont (22-11, 13-3) at (1) Stony Brook (22-8, 14-2)

Tipoff: 11:02 a.m. TV: ESPN2. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 2 – Stony Brook 65-59; Feb. 12 – Vermont 68-49. RPI: Stony Brook 141, Vermont 156. Analysis: Vermont has been great for the last month-and-a-half and will break the hearts of the Seawolves home faithful. Line: Stony Brook -3½. Pick: Vermont 63, Stony Brook 58.

BIG 12 FINAL: AT KANSAS CITY

(2) Missouri (28-4, 14-4) vs. (4) Baylor (27-6, 12-6)

Tipoff: 6 p.m. TV: ESPN. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 21 – Missouri 89-88*; Feb. 11 – Missouri 72-57. RPI: Baylor 8, Missouri 17. Analysis: I picked Baylor the first two times. Sticking with the Bears. Pick: Baylor 79, Missouri 74.

BIG EAST FINAL: AT NEW YORK CITY

(4) Cincinnati (24-9, 12-6) vs. (7) Louisville (25-9, 10-8)

Tipoff: 9 p.m. TV: ESPN. Regular-season meetings: Feb. 23 – Cincinnati 60-56. RPI: Louisville 18, Cincinnati 40. Analysis: Louisville’s stifling defense has carried the Cardinals this far. A Big East title is next. Pick: Louisville 59, Cincinnati 53.

BIG WEST FINAL: AT ANAHEIM

(1) Long Beach State (24-8, 15-1) vs. (2) UC-Santa Barbara (20-9, 12-4)

Tipoff: 10 p.m. TV: ESPN2. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 21 – Long Beach 71-48*; Feb. 22 – Long Beach 70-58. RPI: Long Beach 38, UCSB 126. Analysis: Do you think the 49ers have been looking forward to this game for a full year? They want blood – and they’ll get blood. Pick: Long Beach State 75, UC-Santa Barbara 54.

CONFERENCE USA FINAL: AT MEMPHIS

(1) Memphis (25-8, 13-3) vs. (6) Marshall (21-12, 9-7)

Tipoff: 11:35 a.m. TV: CBS. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 28 – Memphis 83-76; Feb. 25 – Memphis 87-67*. RPI: Memphis 16, Marshall 39. Analysis: The Memphis we’ve seen since the beginning of February is the Memphis we expected to see all season. Line: Memphis -9½. Pick: Memphis 90, Marshall 69.

MAC FINAL: AT CLEVELAND

(1) Akron (22-10, 13-3) vs. (3) Ohio (25-7, 11-5)

Tipoff: 8 p.m. TV: ESPN2. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 14 – Akron 68-63; Feb. 26 – Ohio 85-61. RPI: Akron 50, Ohio 68. Analysis: Ohio had a disappointing regular season. It will be a memory because the Bobcats are going dancing. Pick: Ohio 75, Akron 68.

MEAC FINAL: AT WINSTON-SALEM, N.C.

(2) Norfolk State (24-9, 13-3) vs. (4) Bethune-Cookman (18-16, 11-5)

Tipoff: 1 p.m. TV: ESPN2. Regular-season meetings: Feb. 25 – Norfolk State 75-72*. RPI: Norfolk State 134, B-C 243. Analysis: Norfolk is the class of the MEAC. Pick: Norfolk State 78, Bethune-Cookman 66.

MOUNTAIN WEST FINAL: AT LAS VEGAS

(1) San Diego State (26-6, 10-4) vs. (2) New Mexico (25-6, 10-4)

Tipoff: 7 p.m. TV: NBC Sports Network. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 18 – San Diego State 75-70*; Feb. 15 – New Mexico 77-67*. RPI: San Diego State 22, New Mexico 34. Analysis: How good did the Pack look in a virtual road game on Friday? Whoa! Pick: New Mexico 79, San Diego State 73.

PAC-12 FINAL: AT LOS ANGELES

(4) Arizona (23-10, 12-6) vs. (6) Colorado (22-11, 11-7)

Tipoff: 6:10 p.m. TV: CBS. Regular-season meetings: Jan 21 – Colorado 64-63; Feb. 9 – Arizona 71-57. RPI: Colorado 77, Arizona 84. Analysis: How does the Pac-12 deserve more than one team? Anyway, this one is a toss-up. Pick: Arizona 63, Colorado 58.

SOUTHLAND FINAL: AT KATY, TEXAS

(3) Lamar (22-11, 11-5) vs. (4) McNeese State (17-14, 10-6)

Tipoff: 3 p.m. TV: ESPN2. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 11 – McNeese 57-54; March 3 – Lamar 78-68. RPI: Lamar 118, McNeese 177. Analysis: Did you see what the Cowboys did to the UTA, which dominated the league all season? Take the points. Line: Lamar -5½. Pick: McNeese State 71, Lamar 69.

SWAC FINAL: AT GARLAND, TEXAS

(1) Mississippi Valley State (20-12, 17-1) vs. (2) Texas Southern (17-14, 13-5)

Tipoff: 8 p.m. TV: ESPNU. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 23 – MVSU 77-69 (OT)*; Feb. 20 – MVSU 56-53. RPI: MVSU 153, Texas Southern 231. Analysis: Valley wins, but the Tigers cover. Pick: Mississippi Valley State 60, Texas Southern 59.

WAC FINAL: AT LAS VEGAS

(2) New Mexico State (25-9, 10-4) vs. (5) Louisiana Tech (18-15, 6-8)

Tipoff: Midnight. TV: ESPN2. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 7 – NMSU 83-73*; Feb. 4 – NMSU 83-72. RPI: New Mexico State 69, Louisiana Tech 170. Analysis: Been saying all year that the Aggies would win this tournament. Nevada’s elimination only solidifies that. Pick: New Mexico State 84, Louisiana Tech 72.

Iona, Middle Tennessee Now Play the Waiting Game: Sunday's Recap

Raphielle Johnson — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 11:09:08 -0500

One of the dangers of conference tournaments at the mid-major level is that the top seed, regardless of the margin by which they won the regular season title, are just 40 minutes away from seeing their dream of going to the NCAA tournament vanish. While there's still a chance as the Field of 68 won't be announced for another six days Iona and Middle Tennessee no longer have control of their own fate, and that has to be a concern for both fan bases along with the players and coaches. Both teams fell in conference tournament action on Sunday, and with so much to be decided in regards to other teams on the bubble it's likely a long shot that one (or both) of these teams hears their name called on Selection Sunday.

The Blue Raiders can look no further than the foul line as the place to blame in their 64-61 loss to nine-seed Arkansas State in a Sun Belt quarterfinal in Hot Springs. Middle Tennessee shot just 11-for-22 from the charity stripe, and while poor shooting from the free throw line has been an issue all season long for Kermit Davis Jr's team (last in the Sun Belt in all games at 63%, 10th in conference games) they still shot 13 percentage points lower than their season average. If the Blue Raiders make three more free throws, not only do they match their season average but they likely push the game into overtime.

"For the first time all year I had to urge guys to practice at a higher level," said Davis after the game. "We got beat on some 50/50 balls, got out-rebounded, and the bottom line we weren't tough enough to step up and make free throws. [Arkansas State] did and that was the game."

Middle Tennessee, who won the Sun Belt by two games and led the conference in both scoring and points allowed per game, fell because of the "little things" that many tend to take for granted. Free throw shooting and rebounding (39-28 ASU) can come back to haunt a team if they aren't taken care of, regardless of skill level.

As for Iona, the level of play on the defensive end that's been a problem all season long reared its ugly head in their MAAC semifinal against Fairfield. The difference on Sunday compared to many other days for the Gaels: they weren't able to do enough offensively to make up for it.

Fairfield outscored Iona 45-33 in the second half of their 85-75 win, setting up a title game with two-seed Loyola (MD) on Monday night. Rakim Sanders scored 26 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to lead the way for Sydney Johnson's Stags, who shot 59.6% for the game and their level of defense in the second half (Iona shot 40.9% compared to 58.6% in the first half) proved to be the difference.

Scott Machado led Iona with 24 points and seven assists, but 16 of the points and five of the assists came in the first half, and the Gaels would lead by just two at the break (42-40). In addition to three starters reaching double figures for the Stags, reserve forward Keith Matthews scored 14 points off the bench.

The question now for the Blue Raiders and Stags is whether or not they have enough on their respective resumes to warrant an at-large bid. According to cbssports.com, Middle Tennessee has an RPI of 59 and an SOS of 184, with both numbers dropping due to their loss to Arkansas State. The Blue Raiders' "best" wins: Belmont and Ole Miss, and that regular season finale loss to Western Kentucky didn't help matters either.

Iona has an RPI of 34 and an SOS of 144, and while those numbers are better than Middle Tennessee's the Gaels are fighting an uphill battle as well. Tim Cluess' team does have wins over Saint Joseph's and Nevada to their credit, but they also have two losses in games they led by 18 points (Manhattan and Siena). The door to the NCAA tournament may remain open for both Middle Tennessee and Iona at this point in time, but as the Power 6 leagues begin their tournaments both could end up in trouble.

Other Notable Happenings

1. #24 Creighton wins an overtime thriller to grab the Valley's automatic bid.
Many bubble teams throughout the country were rooting hard for the Creighton Bluejays, whose trip to the NCAA tournament was essentially guaranteed going into Sunday's MVC tournament final. The same couldn't be said for Illinois State, who was looking to grab their first NCAA berth since 1998 and that would have made the Valley a three-bid league. Despite 20 points and five assists from Nic Moore the Redbirds fell short, dropping an 83-79 overtime thriller as the Bluejays grabbed the automatic bid. Doug McDemott was unstoppable for Creighton, scoring 33 points in a variety of ways, and Grant Gibbs made winning play after winning play to score 20, grab seven boards and dish out five assists.

The question for Creighton is what the title does for them seeding-wise. Clearly they can't play in Omaha since those games are on their home floor, but maybe Greg McDermott's team can fight their way into a "protected" seed, thus limiting the distance they and their fans have to travel. Wichita State won the regular season crown but it was Creighton who ends up with the tournament title, and there won't be a long line of teams waiting to play either team in the Big Dance.

2. William Buford's shot gives Ohio State (and Michigan) a share of the Big Ten title.
A Brandon Wood three with 12:03 remaining in the first half gave Michigan State a 22-9 lead, and frankly there weren't too many people who didn't think that Ohio State was in trouble at that point. But the Buckeyes were able to stop the bleeding, eventually pulling to within nine (38-29) at the half. The Buckeyes limited Michigan State, who also lost wing Branden Dawson for the season with a torn ACL in his left knee, to 38.5% shooting in the second half and William Buford completed the comeback with a tough, contested jumper with a second remaining to give the Buckeyes the 72-70 win.

Buford finished with 25 points and Jared Sullinger added 14 and ten boards, but there was an unsung hero as well. Evan Ravenel came off the bench to give Thad Matta seven points in eight minutes of action, and while he didn't play much the Boston College transfer did play an important role in the comeback with Sullinger on the bench. The win also gave Michigan a share of the Big Ten crown, something that hasn't happened in Ann Arbor since 1986. The Spartans remain the top seed in the Big Ten tournament due to tiebreakers, but it will be interesting to see how Draymond Green and company account for the loss of Dawson.

3. VCU jumps George Mason early, holding on to advance to the CAA title game.
By the time Jonathan Arledge scored George Mason's first field goal of the game at the 11:48 mark, the Patriots trailed rival VCU 27-4. it was that kind of start for Paul Hewitt's team, which could not overcome VCU's 22-0 run to start the game, falling 74-64 in the second CAA semifinal of the day. Bradford Burgess led the Rams with 20 points and Troy Daniels added 17 and six rebounds, and VCU's defense combined with foul trouble limited CAA Player of the Year Ryan Pearson to six points and five rebounds in 23 minutes of action.

Pearson wouldn't be the only George Mason player to struggle however, as guards Bryon Allen and Vertail Vaughns combined to shoot just 2-for-13 from the field. VCU also knocked down 11 of 25 shots from beyond the arc, making seven of them before the game hit the under-8 media timeout. The game was also critical in regards to possible at-large hopes should neither win the CAA's automatic bid, and to fall in this fashion doesn't bode well for George Mason. VCU at the very least picked up their 27th win and lives to fight another day, and that's the least a team can ask for in March.

Quick Hitters

1. The top two teams will meet in the America East title game as well, as a Dallis Joyner tip-in as time expired pushed Stony Brook past Albany 57-55. The Seawolves will host two-seed Vermont on Saturday morning, as the Catamounts beat host Hartford 77-73 in double overtime.

2. Monday's SoCon final will match the league's best team with its hottest team, as top-seed (South) Davidson and three seed (North) Western Carolina will meet in Asheville. The Catamounts won their seventh straight game on Sunday night as they beat North Division champ UNCG 82-77. Forwards Jake Cohen and De'Mon Brooks combined for 44 points and 11 rebounds to lead Davidson to an 83-67 win over Elon in the nightcap.

3. The NEC title game will be a rematch of last year's final (and in the same gym as well) as three-seed Robert Morris won 71-64 at two-seed Wagner. Velton Jones led all scorers with 25 points and the Colonials went 30-for-40 from the foul line to make up for their 32.1% shooting from the field. Top-seed LIU Brooklyn advanced with a tough 78-75 win over Quinnipiac as Julian Boyd scored 21 points and grabbed nine rebounds, and point guard Jason Brickman added 18 points and five assists.

4. Apparently Sunday was "Damaging Loss Day" in the Pac-12 as both Arizona and California dropped their regular season finales. The Golden Bears, who resume-wise are in better shape at this point, dropped a 75-70 decision at Stanford and that gives Washington the outright regular season crown. Arizona fell 87-80 at Arizona State, and that loss could mean that Sean Miller's team needs at least two wins in L.A. to merit an at-large bid. The good news for both is that the automatic bid is still on the table, and it would be in their best interest to leave no doubt and win that.

5. Middle Tennessee wasn't the only upset victim in Hot Springs as two-seed UALR fell to seven-seed Western Kentucky 68-63. Ray Harper's young Hilltoppers have played some solid basketball since his interim tag was removed, winning four straight and five of their last six going into Monday's semifinal against Denver. Freshman guard Derrick Gordon was outstanding for WKU, finishing with 25 points and 15 rebounds.

6. #1 Kentucky capped an undefeated run through the SEC with a 74-59 win at #13 Florida, dropping the Gators all the way down to the four-seed in this week's SEC tournament. Simply put John Calipari's got the best team in the country, and while it looks effortless there haven't been moments when the young Wildcats have decided to mail it in effort-wise. Good luck trying to beat them.

7. One would think that the victor would receive the spoils in the form of a conference player of the year award and while most likely that would be North Carolina's Tyler Zeller, Virginia's Mike Scott has a very good case. Scott scored a career-high 35 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to push Virginia past Maryland 75-72 to lock up a first-round bye in next week's ACC tournament.

8. A senior class that was a part of a 25-loss season as freshmen experienced their 24th win of the season as #20 Indiana beat rival Purdue 85-74 in Bloomington. Christian Watford led four Hoosiers in double figures with 19 points, clinching the five-seed in this week's Big Ten tournament. Robbie Hummel led the Boilermakers with 16 and eight rebounds, and Purdue will be the six-seed.

Three Notable Performances

1. F Mike Scott (Virginia)
35 points and 11 rebounds in the Cavaliers' 75-72 overtime win at Maryland.

2. G Grant Gibbs and F Doug McDermott (Creighton)
McDermott scored 33 points and grabbed six boards while Gibbs added 20, seven and five assists in the Bluejays' 83-79 overtime win over Illinois State.

3. G Derrick Gordon (Western Kentucky)
25 points and 15 rebounds in the Hilltoppers' 68-63 win over UALR.

Sunday Predictions: MVC Finals, AE Semis, MAAC Semis, More

Greg Mengelt — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 10:37:14 -0500

Our g ame prediction guru Greg Mengelt has been on fire this year. He'll be picking every conference tournament game over the next 2 weeks. Read more about Championship Week at CollegeHoops.net.

MISSOURI VALLEY CHAMPIONSHIP: AT ST. LOUIS

(2) Creighton (27-5, 14-4) vs. (4) Illinois State (20-12, 9-9)

Tipoff: 2 p.m. TV: CBS. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 13 – Creighton 87-78*; Feb. 1 – Creighton 102-74. RPI: Creighton 28, Illinois State 100. Analysis: After a bit of a late-season swoon, Creighton is back. The Redbirds can’t get enough points to justify taking them. Line: Creighton -5. Pick: Creighton 89, Illinois State 67.

COLONIAL SEMIFINALS: AT RICHMOND, VA.

(1) Drexel (26-5, 16-2) vs. (4) Old Dominion (20-12, 13-5)

Tipoff: 2 p.m. TV: Comcast Sports Net/CAA TV. Regular-season meetings: Feb. 25 – Drexel 73-72*. RPI: Drexel 67, Old Dominion 106. Analysis: Drexel’s defense is among the best in the country. If the Dragons can slow Kent Bazemore, who scored 37 against them last week, they should roll. Line: Drexel -3. Pick: Drexel 67, Old Dominion 58.

(2) Virginia Commonwealth (26-6, 15-3) vs. (3) George Mason (24-8, 14-4)

Tipoff: Approx. 4:30 p.m. TV: Comcast Sports Net/CAA TV. Regular-season meetings: Feb. 14 – George Mason 62-61; Feb. 25 – VCU 89-77. RPI: VCU 65, George Mason 79. Analysis: This may be an NCAA Tournament elimination game. VCU appears to have the slightly better team. Line: VCU -6. Pick: Virginia Commonwealth 83, George Mason 76.

AMERICA EAST SEMIFINALS: AT WEST HARTFORD, CONN.

(1) Stony Brook (21-8, 14-2) vs. (4) Albany (19-13, 9-7)

Tipoff: 5:02 p.m. TV: ESPN3. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 8 – Stony Brook 81-68; Feb. 4 – Stony Brook 76-69*. RPI: Stony Brook 158, Albany 219. Analysis: The top seed isn’t playing as well as it was in early February, and the Great Danes are playing their best basketball. Line: Stony Brook -3. Pick: Stony Brook 73, Albany 71.

(2) Vermont (21-11, 13-3) vs. (6) Hartford (9-21, 7-9)

Tipoff: Approx. 7:15 p.m. TV: ESPN3. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 8 – Vermont 72-59*; Feb. 4 – Vermont 82-56. RPI: Vermont 156, Hartford 310. Analysis: Vermont has won 12 of 13 and may be poised for an America East title. Line: Vermont -8. Pick: Vermont 77, Hartford 55.

METRO ATLANTIC SEMIFINALS AT SPRINGFIELD, MASS.

(1) Iona (25-6, 15-3) vs. (4) Fairfield (18-13, 12-6)

Tipoff: 2 p.m. TV: ESPN3. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 27 – Iona 71-62*; Feb. 24 – Iona 77-72. RPI: Iona 42, Fairfield 123. Analysis: Iona has scored at least 75 points in nine straight games, and the Stags simply can’t keep up. Line: Iona -5½. Pick: Iona 81, Fairfield 68.

(2) Loyola (Md.) (22-8, 13-5) vs. (6) Siena (14-16, 8-10)

Tipoff: Approx. 4:30 p.m. TV: ESPN3. Regular-season meetings: Dec. 3 – Loyola 66-59*; Jan. 19 – Loyola 66-55. RPI: Loyola 83, Siena 245. Analysis: Siena has shown the ability to rise to the occasion – and the Saints may just do it again. They’ll at least cover. Line: Loyola -6½. Pick: Loyola 80, Siena 76.

NORTHEAST CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS: AT CAMPUS SITES

(3) Robert Morris (23-9, 13-5) at (2) Wagner (25-5, 15-3)

Tipoff: Noon. TV: MSG or FCS. Regular-season meeting: Feb. 2 – Wagner 80-69. RPI: Wagner 88, Robert Morris 118. Analysis: Both teams are capable of winning this game, plus a possible NCAA tourney game. Tough call – so take the home team (and the Hurley brothers). Line: Wagner -6½. Pick: Wagner 84, Robert Morris 77.

(5) Quinnipiac (18-12, 10-8) at (1) Long Island (23-8, 16-2)

Tipoff: 6 p.m. TV: MSG or FCS. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 7 – Long Island 79-75*, Feb. 18 – Long Island 99-89. RPI: Long Island 99, Quinnipiac 162. Analysis: The Bobcats are playing very, very well and may just pull off this upset. Line: Long Island -3. Pick: Quinnipiac 80, Long Island 77.

SOUTHERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS: AT ASHEVILLE, N.C.

(1N) UNC-Greensboro (12-18, 10-8) vs. (3N) Western Carolina (15-17, 8-10)

Tipoff: 6 p.m. Regular-season meetings: Dec. 3 – Western Carolina 73-69; Jan. 28 – Greensboro 89-86 (OT). RPI: Greensboro 215, Western Carolina 231. Analysis: The Catamounts have won six straight and should upset UNCG. Line: Greensboro -7. Pick: Western Carolina 76, UNC-Greensboro 69.

(1S) Davidson (22-7, 16-2) vs. (2N) Elon (14-15, 9-9)

Tipoff: 8:30 p.m. Regular-season meetings: Feb. 23 – Davidson 66-45. RPI: Davidson 68, Elon 233. Analysis: It will be tough for the Wildcats to cover the spread because their starters will be resting early. Line: Davidson -13½. Pick: Davidson 73, Elon 59.

SUMMIT LEAGUE SEMIFINALS: AT SIOUX FALLS, S.D.

(4) Western Illinois (16-13, 9-9) vs. (5) North Dakota State (17-12, 9-9)

Tipoff: 7 p.m. Regular-season meetings: Dec. 1 – Western Illinois 55-51; Feb. 25 – Western Illinois 77-64. RPI: Western Illinois 191, North Dakota State 174. Analysis: NDSU really struggled from the field against the Bulldogs this season, especially from the 3-point line. And Terrell Parks has had his way with the Bison. Line: North Dakota State -1. Pick: Western Illinois 60, North Dakota State 55.

(3) Oakland (17-14, 11-7) vs. (6) Southern Utah (13-16, 8-10)

Tipoff: Approx. 9:30 p.m. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 19 – Oakland 72-63*; Feb. 15 – Oakland 76-68 (OT). RPI: Oakland 133, Southern Utah 244. Analysis: It’s been a strangely inconsistent season for Oakland, but Reggie Hamilton won’t let the Grizzlies go out early. Line: Oakland -7½. Pick: Oakland 80, Southern Utah 63.

SUN BELT QUARTERS: AT HOT SPRINGS, ARK.

(1) Middle Tennessee (25-5, 14-2) vs. (9) Arkansas State (13-19, 6-10)

Tipoff: 7 p.m. TV: Sun Belt Network. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 19 – Middle Tennessee 59-46. RPI: Middle Tennessee 48, Arkansas State 243. Analysis: Arkansas State is playing well. The Red Wolves are seven points from a 5-game winning streak. They should make Middle Tennessee uncomfortable. Line: Middle Tennessee -8½. Pick: Middle Tennessee 66, Arkansas State 62.

(4) Louisiana-Lafayette (16-14, 10-6) vs. (5) North Texas (16-13, 9-7)

Tipoff: 7:15 p.m. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 25 – Louisiana-Lafayette 64-62; Feb. 18 – Louisiana-Lafayette 57-53*. RPI: North Texas 204, Louisiana-Lafayette 183. Analysis: North Texas probably has more talent. Tony Mitchell is the difference in a tight game. Line: North Texas -2. Pick: North Texas 69, Louisiana-Lafayette 66.

(2) Arkansas-Little Rock (15-15, 12-4) vs. (7) Western Kentucky (12-18, 7-9)

Tipoff: 9:30 p.m. TV: Sun Belt Network. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 21 – Western Kentucky 65-53. RPI: Little Rock 166, Western Kentucky 220. Analysis: The Hilltoppers are playing their best basketball of the season. They probably won’t upset UALR, but they’ll stick with them. Line: Little Rock -2. Pick: Arkansas-Little Rock 61, Western Kentucky 60.

(3) Denver (21-8, 11-5) vs. (6) South Alabama (17-11, 8-8)

Tipoff: 9:45 p.m. Regular-season meetings: Jan. 7 – Denver 67-50*. RPI: Denver 94, South Alabama 172. Analysis: Denver will pull away late for a double-digit win. Line: Denver -8½. Pick: Denver 72, South Alabama 61.

Greg Against the Spread This Season: 117-87-2

USF Picks Up a Big Win: Sunday Thoughts

Raphielle Johnson — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 14:10:01 -0500

It wasn't pretty but USF found a way to get the job done, beating Cincinnati 46-45 to move to 11-5 in the Big East and 18-11 overall. Freshman point guard Anthony Collins made a pair of free throws with 3.4 seconds remaining to give the Bulls the win, and while it isn't a resume-building win the Bulls did the simplest thing a bubble team can do this time of the year: they won. Collins, who is going to be an outstanding point guard in the Big East as he gains experience, led USF with 14 points and five assists and Toarlyn Fitzpatrick added eight and ten rebounds.

The burning question is what this win does for USF's tournament chances, and the response is a simple one: they're still alive. The same goes for Cincinnati in spite of their non-conference strength of schedule (321 going into today's action). While teams can't control what their opponents do there is the simple aspect of taking care of your own business, and if that's done the door will remain open.

Stan Heath's Bulls are 14-1 at home this season, a record that may not impress when considering the opposition but they've played in three different arenas due to renovations to the Sun Dome. For this group to be in position to earn their first NCAA berth in 20 years (1992) is an impressive achievement when all things are considered. USF has games remaining at Louisville and against West Virginia at home before the Big East Championship in New York, and Cincinnati closes with #10 Marquette at home and at Villanova.

Stony Brook wins America East: Dallis Joyner scored 12 points and four other players scored between seven and nine points as Stony Brook beat Maine 55-48, wrapping up the outright America East title and grabbing the one-seed in next week's conference tournament. Steve Pikiell's Seawolves shot just 37% from the field but they were better on the defensive end of the floor, holding New Hampshire to 32.1% from the field and 4-for-21 from three.

Big Games Later Today

#15 Wisconsin at #9 Ohio State (4 PM, CBS)
This is a big one for the Buckeyes in regards to both the Big Ten title and the opportunity to grab a one-seed in the NCAA tournament, while the Badgers would do wonders for their NCAA seeding possibilities with a win. Ohio State is 17-1 at home this season, and a big part of their win in Madison on February 4th was their defending of the three. Wisconsin, who scores 35.2% of their points from three (per statsheet.com), shot 5-for-27 from beyond the arc in that contest.

That was also during a period when Jordan Taylor was struggling from the field, and clearly he'll be the focal point of what the Badgers look to do offensively. Aaron Craft is an outstanding defensive point guard, which will make for a fun battle within the game. If William Buford is scoring at an efficient rate it will be tough for Wisconsin to leave Columbus with a win.

Loyola (MD) at Manhattan (4 PM)
Iona already has the top seed wrapped up for next weekend's MAAC tournament but seeds two through four are all up for grabs. Fairfield (at Rider; 3:30 PM) also has a shot but the focus will be on Loyola's trip north to take on the Jaspers. Loyola won the first meeting 61-60 in Baltimore on January 5th and a lot has changed with both teams since then.

Rhamel Brown is one of the country's best shot blockers when taking height into consideration (he's only 6'6" but averages 2.5 rejections per game), but he'll have a tough matchup with Loyola calling on the likes of Erik Etherly. The first meeting was bizarre in that the Greyhounds won despite shooting 30.5% from two, and a Dylon Cormier three in the final seconds was the difference. Expect another tight affair at Draddy this afternoon.

California at Colorado (5:30 PM, FSN)
The visit from the Bay Area schools could not have gone worse for Colorado to this point, as they were blown out on Thursday night by Stanford...and then watched the Cardinal lose at Utah on Saturday. To say the least this is a huge game for Tad Boyle's team as the Golden Bears are the only team in the Pac-12 with a Top 50 RPI. A win over Cal will by no means punch Colorado's ticket (they aren't close at present time) but it will keep them alive, and in order to do so Carlon Brown needs to snap out of his funk.

Good luck doing that against Jorge Gutierrez, who is one of the best defenders in the country. Add in Justin Cobbs playing outstanding basketball of late and this will be a tough task for Colorado, but it can be done. Spencer Dinwiddie is one of the best freshmen in the conference and Andre Roberson has been good all season long, so they'll have a shot to knock off the Bears if they can keep Cobbs, Gutierrez and Allen Crabbe under wraps.

#16 Florida State at Miami (6 PM, ESPNU)
How's this for a bubble twist: Miami center Reggie Johnson has been declared ineligible by the NCAA and will not play tonight against Florida State, according to Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press. That means the Hurricanes will need even more from Kenny Kadji, who has played well this season, if they're to beat the Seminoles at home. FSU is deep inside with Bernard James, Xavier Gibson, Okaro White and John Kreft, meaning that they're better equipped to navigate foul trouble and that was before the Johnson news hit.

Malcolm Grant, Shane Larkin and Durand Scott will need to control the tempo if Miami is to take care of business at home, and if they can turn over the Florida State guards that would be even better. Maybe this is another game Michael Snaer wins at the end as he owns a pair of buzzer-beaters this season, but FSU may have caught a break with the Johnson news.

Monday Recap: The More Things Change...

Raphielle Johnson — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 00:05:15 -0500

Monday's showdown between #3 Baylor and #7 Kansas gave the visiting Bears a great chance to make the statement that they were ready to dethrone a program that's won at least a share of the last seven Big 12 titles. Well while there's still plenty of basketball to be played before the regular season champion is determined, it's safe to say that Bill Self's team has no plans to simply hand over the top spot. Thomas Robinson outplayed the highly-touted Baylor frontcourt, scoring 27 points and grabbing 14 rebounds, and Tyshawn Taylor scored a game-high 28 points and dished out six assists as the Jayhawks rolled to the 92-74 victory.

"We played terrific. That's the best game we've played all year," remarked Self. "The energy level was great and we got off to a great start."

Baylor looked to be every bit Kansas' equal after the Jayhawks jumped out to a 17-9 lead, putting together an 18-5 run over a nearly seven-minute stretch to take a 27-22 lead with 6:01 remaining. But to sustain such play at Allen Fieldhouse is difficult to say the least, and Kansas would close the half on a 17-2 run to take a 39-29 lead into the break. Taylor, who capped the half with a three-pointer from the top of the key, led the way with 14 points while Robinson added 12 and five boards. Rebounding was an issue all night for Baylor, who ignored the need to box out and it cost them.

Kansas grabbed 15 offensive rebounds on the night, scoring 17 second-chance points, and out-rebounded the Bears 39-24. And if that wasn't enough the Jayhawks outscored Baylor 48-34 in the paint and all five starters reached double figures in scoring. Jeff Withey, the player who had to show up lest Robinson be left to deal with the Baylor frontcourt by himself, posted a double-double with ten points and ten rebounds in addition to three blocked shots. With Baylor's starting frontcourt scoring 49 of their 74 points Withey had to be a factor and he was.

"When we get Jeff going, it really gets a lot of us going, and a lot of people don't know that," said Elijah Johnson, who finished with 11 points and five rebounds. "Jeff is a key player to our team, especially with getting us started. When he is on track, it can be a long night for some teams."

Perry Jones III led Scott Drew's club with 18 points and Quincy Miller scored 17 but it wasn't enough to avoid their first defeat of the year. Pierre Jackson scored 11 points off the bench in his sixth-man role to go along with 11 assists, but his solid performance was eclipsed by what Taylor was able to do. Provided they improve their rebounding, which is surprisingly mediocre given their size, Baylor will be a factor in both the Big 12 and national title races. But the biggest lesson to come out of Monday night is that to win the Big 12 the road once again goes through Lawrence.

Other Notable Happenings

1. Marquette climbs out of an 18-2 hole to beat Louisville at home.
Down 18-2, Marquette head coach Buzz Williams took what many would judge to be an unconventional approach to dealing with his team. He didn't flip out or panic, and as a result his lack of an overreaction proved to be the best move. The Golden Eagles would outscore Louisville 32-12 from that point forward to take a 34-30 halftime lead on their way to the 74-63 win at the Bradley Center. Darius Johnson-Odom led four Marquette players in double figures with 19 points, Davante Gardner scored 17 and grabbed six rebounds and Jae Crowder posted a double-double (14 points, 11 rebounds), but the foul line proved to be the difference on Monday afternoon.

Marquette made 16 of their 18 free throws while Louisville failed to take advantage of their opportunities, making four of ten from the charity stripe. Russ Smith scored 20 points to lead the Cardinals, who were once again without the injured Kyle Kuric, and their half-court offense remains an issue. Louisville finished with 17 assists but also turned the ball over 17 times, and the absence of Kuric severely hampers the bench production as Smith moves into the starting lineup. Marquette's reserves, led by Todd Mayo (11 points), outscored the Louisville reserves 15-3. Marquette could have lost their composure and allowed the Cardinals to run away with the game at 18-2 but they stayed the course and ultimately won.

2. Syracuse continues the best start in school history with a win over Pittsburgh.
Despite their recent track record of futility against Pittsburgh heading into Monday's game at the Carrier Dome (no current player had ever beaten the Panthers), few expected the top-ranked Orange to struggle with Jamie Dixon's club. And after 20 minutes of play it looked as if Syracuse was going to roll to their 20th consecutive win as they led 35-26. Pitt couldn't take care of the basketball, and their 11 first-half turnovers led to 12 Syracuse points. But the Panthers were able to remain within striking distance by hitting the glass,out-rebounding the Orange 22-14. That would continue in the second half, and while the Orange went on to win 71-63 the 40-28 disadvantage on the glass is something that sticks out for Jim Boeheim's 20-0 squad.

Dion Waiters led five players in double figures with 16 points and Fab Melo posted a double-double with ten points and ten assists while Pitt was led by three players who scored ten points apiece. But just like Louisville, the Panthers' woes at the foul line prevented them from making the game uncomfortably close for Syracuse. Syracuse made 20 of their 23 free throws while the Panthers shot 12-for-23 with Nasir Robinson missing six of his eight attempts.

Be it free throws or layups Pittsburgh is not completing the "simple" plays right now, and that's a big reason why they're off to their worst start in Big East play since the 1995-96 season. As for Syracuse, while they were the unanimous choice for the top spot in the coaches' poll this week there's still plenty to improve upon. For a team that can achieve special things this season, this is just one step on the road they hope leads them to New Orleans.

3. So much for the SWAC showdown, as Mississippi Valley State rolls Southern.
With Southern entering their road game in Itta Bena just a game out of first place in the loss column there was reason to believe that Rob Spivery's Jaguars would challenge the Delta Devils. Twenty-one turnovers later however Southern found themselves on the wrong end of a 77-56 result, as they also shot 38.8% from the field and gave up 19 offensive rebounds. Five MVSU players reached double figures with Cor-J Cox scoring a game-high 23 off the bench and Paul Crosby grabbed 14 rebounds in addition to scoring 18 points.

To say the least it's a lot easier to win when scoring 27 points off of 21 turnovers and 23 second-chance points, and as a result Sean Woods' Delta Devils find themselves in sole possession of first place with a 5-0 league mark. With five teams within two games of each other in the loss column it's anyone's guess as to how the race will shake out, but the Delta Devils' win keeps them above the rest for the time being.

Quick Hitters

1. From Sunday, there were two huge differences between Ohio State's 80-63 win over Indiana and their loss to the Hoosiers in the first meeting. One, Aaron Craft was much better running the show (seven assists and no turnovers; had six turnovers in Bloomington). And two, Lenzelle Smith Jr. went off to the tune of 28 points and seven rebounds on 10-for-12 shooting. If Smith Jr. can be a consistent supplement to William Buford, Jared Sullinger and Deshaun Thomas, look out.

2. Missouri took care of business ahead of their meeting with Baylor in Waco on Saturday, beating Texas A&M 70-51. The point guard play wasn't close with Phil Pressey outplaying Dash Harris and that's one reason as to why Billy Kennedy's team has struggled this season. The Aggies need more from their guards if they're to have a shot at climbing into the middle of the Big 12 pack.

3. Logan Aronhalt scored 20 points and Mike Black 13 to lead Albany, but when two starters manage to go scoreless it's tough to win on the road. Guards D.J. Irving and Darryl Partin combined to score 32 points as Boston University beat the Great Danes 70-57 to move to 4-1 in America East play. The Terriers are a half-game behind Stony Brook for first place, as the Seawolves moved to 5-1 with a 71-62 win over New Hampshire.

4. In a matchup of undefeated (in league play) teams Norfolk State won 74-66 at Coppin State. Kyle O'Quinn, who has to be the frontrunner for MEAC Player of the Year right now, scored 24 points and grabbed 19 rebounds and Pendarvis Williams scored a game-high 25 points. The Spartans sit atop the MEAC standings with a 4-0 record.

5. Christian Williams made just three of twelve shots from the field but his three-pointer with 22 seconds remaining gave Jackson State a 52-51 lead on their way to the 54-51 win over previously undefeated Texas Southern. Jenirro Bush led the Tigers with 23 points and eight rebounds.

6. Memphis freshman Adonis Thomas could be done for the season due to an injury suffered in practice on Friday, according to Gary Parrish of CBSSports.com. A surgery that would repair a tendon between Thomas' ankle and foot would necessitate a recovery period of two to three months.

Three Notable Performances

1. F/C Kyle O'Quinn (Norfolk State)
24 points and 19 rebounds in the Spartans' 74-66 win over Coppin State.

2. F Thomas Robinson and G Tyshawn Taylor (Kansas)
Robinson scored 27 points and grabbed 14 rebounds and Taylor put up 28 points and six assists in the Jayhawks' 92-74 whipping of #3 Baylor.

3. G Melquan Bolding (Fairleigh Dickinson)
38 points, five rebounds and three steals in the Knights' 87-83 loss to Longwood.

Who Will Win the 2011-12 America East Title?

Shawn Siegel — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 11:39:16 -0500

Akron Takes First Step Towards Repeat

Raphielle Johnson — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 17:21:49 -0400

Note: To make sure there is no confusion here is the link to the piece written by Matt Norlander of CBSSports.com on Thursday.

While many teams across the country look to begin the process of building towards an NCAA Tournament berth with trips outside of the country in the summer, not everyone has the same set of circumstances to deal with once the season begins. Such is life for schools in smaller conferences, who may have their NCAA Tournament hopes boil down to one weekend in March. One school on the road who could fall into that category is Akron, and Keith Dambrot's team was a prime example of the importance of the conference tournament.

Just 9-7 in MAC play heading into the tournament, the Zips won four games (two in overtime) to earn the league's automatic bid. Notre Dame ended Akron's season in the second round, but the final month of the season displayed the promise of what Akron could be in 2011-12. Conference tournament MVP Zeke Marshall was one of the players who stepped up in March, and Akron's trip to Canada was the next step in the maturation process for the Zips.

Coach Dambrot's team won all five of their games north of the border, ending the trip with an 80-76 win over Carleton University and outscored their opponents by an average margin of 24.2 points per game. But as it's been noted many times before, trips out of the country are just as much about player and team development as they are win/loss records.

Marshall (8.5 ppg, 4.9 rpg in '10-'11) is a key figure in that growth, and in talking with Coach Dambrot on Friday the junior 7-footer still has work to do. "He didn't play his best basketball, but the biggest thing for him will be to be more consistent offensively and as a whole," said Dambrot. While the Zips won't lack for depth in the frontcourt, it's safe to say that this is a big season for Marshall.

In addition to Marshall in the frontcourt is senior Nikola Cvetinovic, who missed out on the trip to play in the World University Games for his native Serbia. Cvetinovic was a Second Team All-MAC selection last season, and while he may not end up being a MAC Player of the Year possibility he's going to be a key factor for Akron.

"He's going to win a lot of games for us this season," remarked Dambrot on Cvetinovic. "He's a very versatile player who can pass, shoot and defend." Coach Dambrot also mentioned the senior's toughness as a plus.

The other returning starter is senior guard Brett McClanahan, who established career-bests in both points (10.0) and rebounds (3.6) per game last season. One of the better three-point shooters in the MAC, McClanahan will need to continue building towards being a more versatile player in his final campaign. The same goes for Quincy Diggs, who should benefit from having a year at Akron under his belt after transferring in from New Orleans.

"Everyone who's been here a long time has gotten better," said Dambrot about the player development at Akron. "Brett has become a better defender and can play either the two or three, while Quincy can be tough for opposing teams to keep from getting to the rim."

But if there's one returning player to watch for Akron this season, and who needed to assert himself in Canada, that would be sophomore point guard Alex Abreu. While Abreu did start 15 games last season, a lot more will be on his plate with Steve McNees and Darryl Roberts having graduated.

"It was a really important trip for Alex," said Dambrot. "He played a lot of minutes last year but had to lean on McNees at times. Leadership is where he needs to flex his muscles [this year]."

According to Coach Dambrot, Abreu performed well on the trip, finishing up with 15 points and eight assists in the win over Carleton. That's good news for the Zips heading into preseason workouts because in terms of primary ball-handlers Abreu may be the sole option right now.

Newcomers such as Nick Harney, Demetrius Treadwell, Brian Walsh (Xavier transfer) and Chauncey Gilliam (UMBC transfer) also performed well and should get better with more time in the Akron system.

"They lack a little system knowledge but they're all very gifted," noted Dambrot. All four will have ample opportunities to contribute this season, and they'll need to step forward if the Zips are to make another run at the NCAA Tournament.

For Akron, and the rest of the MAC for that matter, there's also the shift in conference tournament seeding. Instead of being seeded by divisions the conference will go to a 1 through 12 format similar to what the SEC decided to do. And in speaking with Coach Dambrot he seems to be in favor of the move.

"We [the MAC] have to do something to change us being a one-bid league," said Dambrot. He also noted that the league needs to make sure that 16 is the optimal number of conference games and not 18 in order to ensure accurate seeding.

What will the move do for Akron's hopes of repeating as conference tournament champion? That remains to be seen, but given the wild nature of the MAC Tournament (annually one of the most entertaining conference tournaments around) the seeding switch places even more emphasis on the regular season. And if their play in Canada were any kind of sign, Akron should be more than ready for all challengers.

Some Other Teams from BCS Non-AQ leagues on the road

- BYU: On-court life without Jimmer Fredette and Jackson Emery began in Greece for the Cougars, where they're currently 2-0 on their trip. The frontcourt, led by Charles Abouo, Noah Hartsock and wing Brock Zylstra, looks to be the strength of this team. UCLA transfer Matt Carlino, who did not make the trip, is eligible come December.

- Creighton: The Blue Jays are expected to be right there with defending MVC regular season champ Wichita State atop the preseason polls, and they're tuning up with games in the Bahamas. Sophomore forward Doug McDermott also played for Team USA, and the busy summer for him could pay off in the form of an MVC Player of the Year award.

- Fairfield: The Stags are currently in Italy playing, and they won their first game in impressive fashion. First-year head coach Sydney Johnson (from Princeton) has a team led by guard Derek Needham that will be one of the two favorites (along with Iona) to win the MAAC. They also welcome transfers Rakim Sanders (Boston College) and Desmond Wade (Houston).

- Hawaii: Year two of the Gib Arnold era at UH began with a 15-day trip to China and Japan, where they've played five games (with a 6th today). Guard Zane Johnson and big man Vander Joaquim are two of the key players heading into 2011-12, and the Warriors are talented enough to make a move up the WAC standings (they finished 5th last year).

- Murray State: New head coach Steve Prohm got some early work in with his team, and the Racers went 3-0 on their trip to Canada. Ivan Aska and Isaiah Canaan are two of the experienced players who will need to lead the way, and they're still going to be a factor in the OVC.

- Saint Louis: The Billikens have five games in Canada beginning on the 22nd, and the key for them will be that guard Kwamain Mitchell displays improved leadership qualities. If he can, SLU could make a move up the Atlantic 10 standings.

- Stony Brook: Steve Pikiell's Seawolves, who are in Paris after having gone through Dublin and London, were one win away from getting to the NCAA Tournament. And that was without Tommy Brenton, who missed all of last season with a knee injury. He and point guard Bryan Dougher make up one of the better tandems in America East.

- Wichita State: Just like Creighton the Shockers made a trip, heading down to Brazil where they went 3-2 in five games. While they do have to replace J.T. Durley in the frontcourt the Shockers are still a deep team led by senior Toure' Murry.

College Hoops Saturday: Your Commentary

Raphielle Johnson — Sat, 12 Mar 2011 12:11:36 -0500

The day before Selection Sunday is finally here, which means that a number of conferences will determine their winners throughout the course of the day. Thirteen automatic bids are up for grabs and a 14th, the battle between South Dakota and North Dakota in the Great West, will be for an automatic bid in the College Insider Tournament. The Big 12 and Big East title games may receive a great deal of attention (and rightfully so), but the first meeting between teams with 30 victories will take place in the Mountain West final.

Jimmer Fredette went off on Friday night, scoring 52 points in BYU's win over New Mexico. Things were tougher for San Diego State, who needed a shot from D.J. Gay in the final seconds to knock off UNLV in the night cap. This will likely be a revealing third meeting between the two teams as it's the first time that SDSU gets a shot at BYU without leading rebounder Brandon Davies. With Kawhi Leonard, Malcolm Thomas and Billy White the Aztecs can rebound with anyone, and with Davies out there's the opportunity to control the glass on both ends.

BYU's rebounding margin in the four games post-Davies: minus-16 (New Mexico), plus-11 (Wyoming), plus-8 (TCU) and minus-3 (New Mexico). It would be fair to say that San Diego State is much closer to New Mexico than either TCU or Wyoming when it comes to both rebounding the basket ball and basic skill, and they rank 10th nationally in rebounding margin. Charles Abouo and Noah Hartsock have to hold their own on the boards if the Cougars are to win on Saturday night, and given BYU's tendency to rebound by committee all will need to crash the defensive boards.

In the Big 12 title game rebounding will be key as well, with two of the best teams in the nation meeting for the second time this year. Texas went on a serious run after falling behind by 15 points early, ending Kansas' 69-game home win streak. But the Jayhawks should be in better spirits (the regular season meeting happened the same weekend as the death of Thomas Robinson's mother), and when the Morris twins get going Kansas becomes an extremely difficult team to deal with. But Texas also doesn't lack for depth up front with the likes of Gary Johnson and Tristan Thompson providing points and rebounds inside.

Which Jordan Hamilton shows up will also be important to figure out, for when he's playing hard and efficient the sophomore from Los Angeles become a difficult matchup. Hamilton played well in the win over Kansas but has also had moments of immaturity on both ends of the floor. Kansas will look to make Hamilton work for everything he gets, with the hope being that he's get frustrated and put up some hurried shots. Can Texas works its way back into the conversation for a one-seed? Why not, especially with two other candidates done for the season (Notre Dame and Pittsburgh).

In New York, Jim Calhoun's Huskies will look to do what no Big East team has never done: win five games in five day to take home the conference title. UConn will have their hands full with Lousiville, whose style and personnel have meant a UConn loss in recent meetings. UConn needs all who go into the game ready to contribute because as much as everyone likes to watch Kemba Walker go to town the Huskies won't enjoy a great deal of success if guys such as Jeremy Lamb, Shabazz Napier and Alex Oriakhi continue their solid play of late. Preston Knowles has been the leader for the Cardinals, and his ability to do whatever it takes on both ends rubs off on his teammates. How hard Kemba has to work for his shots will most likely determine the outcome of the game.

The ACC and Big Ten tournaments are in the semifinal round, with Michigan State and Penn State meeting in the second game of the day from Indianapolis. Also in the fold is Michigan, who will have the task of beating Ohio State if they want to make their way into the Big Dance. Virginia Tech and Clemson both have the opportunity to eliminate a chance of Duke/North Carolina part three, and with Nolan Smith jamming a toe last night maybe the Hokies can find a way to get to their first ACC title game. The Pac-10 final shouldn't lack for entertainment either, with regular season champ Arizona taking on preseason favorite Washington. The Huskies are in a similar position to last season, when they had their issues during the year only to get hot in the conference tournament.

Out in the WAC, a Utah State win makes that conference a one-bid league and who really knows what to make of Conference USA at this stage. The America East, MEAC and SWAC games should all be interesting as well, with Morgan State making their third consecutive title game appearance in the MEAC. The SWAC will feature two teams who know they're headed to Dayton with a win: 12-20 Grambling State and 16-17 Alabama State, and Boston University has the talent to throw a scare into an unsuspecting team next week. But they have to get past Stony Brook in order to get the chance to, and with the Seawolves finding a way to get to the title game despite all their injuries is a tribute to Steve Pikiell and his staff.

Harvard and Princeton meet in the Ivy League playoff in New Haven, with the Crimson one win away from their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1946. Meanwhile Princeton hopes to return the Ivy to its traditional "form" in making a return to the NCAA Tournament as Cornell won the last three conference titles. Alabama has a chance to add to their case with a win over Kentucky in the SEC semis, and Florida/Vanderbilt shouldn't disappoint either. The schedule doesn't have quantity but it definitely has quality, making for an exciting Saturday.

11:00 AM Savannah State vs. North Carolina Central

America East Final (Boston, MA)
12:02 PM Stony Brook at Boston Univ. (ESPN2)

Atlantic 10 Semifinals (Atlantic City)
1:00 PM Saint Joseph's vs. Dayton (CBS College)
3:30 PM Richmond vs. Temple (CBS College)

ACC Semifinals (Greensboro)
1:00 PM Clemson vs. North Carolina (ESPN)
3:00 PM Virginia Tech vs. Duke (ESPN)

Big 12 Final (Kansas City)
6:00 PM Texas vs. Kansas (ESPN)

Big East Final (New York City)
9:00 PM Connecticut vs. Louisville (ESPN)

Big Ten Semifinals (Indianapolis)
1:40 PM Michigan vs. Ohio State (CBS)
4:05 PM Michigan State vs. Penn State (CBS)

Big West Final (Anaheim, CA)
8:00 PM UCSB vs. Long Beach State (ESPN2)

Conference USA Final (El Paso)
11:30 AM Memphis at UTEP (CBS)

Great West Final (Sioux Falls, SD)
9:00 PM South Dakota vs. North Dakota (Fox College Sports)

Ivy Playoff (New Haven, CT)
4:00 PM Harvard vs. Princeton (ESPN3)

MAC Final (Cleveland)
6:00 PM Akron vs. Kent State (ESPN2)

MEAC Final (Winston-Salem, NC)
2:00 PM Morgan State vs. Hampton (ESPN2)

Mountain West Final (Las Vegas)
7:00 PM San Diego State vs. BYU (Versus)

Pac-10 Final (Los Angeles)
6:00 PM Washington vs. Arizona (CBS)

SEC Semifinals (Atlanta)
1:00 PM Kentucky vs. Alabama (ABC)
3:30 PM Vanderbilt vs. Florida (ABC)

Southland Final (Katy, TX)
4:00 PM Texas State vs. McNeese State (ESPN2)

SWAC Final (Garland, TX)
8:30 PM Grambling State vs. Alabama State (ESPNU)

WAC Final (Las Vegas)
10:00 PM Boise State vs. Utah State (ESPN2)

#111 Stony Brook: 2010-11 Basketball Preview

Joel Welser — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 21:10:08 -0400

Overall Rank: #111

Conference Rank: #1 America East Conference

2009-10: 22-10, 13-3

2009-10 postseason: NIT

Coach: Steve Pikiell (58-91 at Stony Brook, 58-91 overall)

After finally surpassing the ten win mark during the 2008-2009 campaign, Coach Steve Pikiell led Stony Brook to much bigger things the following season. The Seawolves finished on top of the America East standings and reached the NIT. The loss of leading scorer Muhammad El-Amin is a big one, but this team returns more than enough talent to win the league title again and shoot for the NCAA Tournament.

Key Losses: C Desmond Adedeji, G Eddie Castellanos, G Muhammad El-Amin

Key Newcomers:

The Seawolves will not need to ask too much from their newcomers, but finding some depth in the frontcourt was a main priority and Coach Pikiell hopes Al Rapier is the answer. The junior college transfer brings experience and size to the frontcourt and should be contributing right away. Point guard Dave Coley and shooting guard Anthony Jackson should have the benefit of spending their freshmen campaigns learning the ropes from the bench, although both could be needed to play a few minutes here and there.

Backcourt:

There is a slight logjam of smaller guards with Bryan Dougher, Chris Martin and Marcus Rouse. If those three all start, this will be a small group on the perimeter compared to last season when the 6-5 El-Amin was roaming the floor. Dougher will not be left out of the starting lineup after knocking down three three-pointers per game last season. Even more impressive than hitting that many long balls is the fact he connected on 42.4 percent of his attempts. Martin is the senior leader of the team and a pretty good rebounder for a 6-1 guard. That skill will allow the Seawolves to play smaller without giving up too much in the rebounding department. On top of the rebounding, Martin is a great scorer around the basket. He has never been much of a shooter, but he will use his quickness and strength to finish in the paint. Marcus Rouse may be the wildcard of the backcourt. After a decent freshman campaign, Rouse could step into the starting point guard role. That would allow Dougher to move off the ball and shoot and Martin to help out more on the glass.

Frontcourt:

Stony Brook plays small up front too with wing Tommy Brenton at the power forward position and 6-7 forward Dallis Joyner manning the five spot. Joyner is the true post player on the team and has done a great job developing into a scoring threat in the paint. Last season he averaged 8.1 points and 6.5 rebounds. Having a scorer in the paint like Joyner forces the opposition to collapse the defense and leave the shooters like Dougher open on occasion. Danny Carter is an interesting option when the team needs to play bigger. The 6-9, 210 pound junior has not played too much during his collegiate career, but he is improving and at least is a big body that can clog some room in the paint. Preye Preboye is more of a wing than a forward, but he is a capable backup power forward or small forward. During his limited playing time as a freshman, Preboye proved to be a decent scorer and a fine rebounder. If size is needed, do not be surprised to see Preboye playing quite a few minutes at the small forward position.

Who to Watch:

Tommy Brenton will handle most of the minutes at the four spot. While he is really a wing, Brenton does everything one could ask from a power forward. He may only be 6-5, but he led the conference in rebounding with 9.7 per contest. Brenton is not a great scorer, but he is a threat to hit the outside shot and can cruise past bigger defenders and attack the basket. However, it is his rebounding that makes him such a vital part of this team.

Final Projection:

Stony Brook fell short of their NCAA Tournament hopes a year ago, but this group has more depth and experience in the frontcourt and plenty of weapons on the perimeter to help replace the loss of El-Amin. It will come down to a few games in West Hartford, Connecticut for an NCAA bid, but Stony Brook should be the top seed heading into the conference tournament.

Projected Post-season Tournament: NCAA

Projected Starting Five:

Marcus Rouse, Sophomore, Guard, 4.4 ppg

Bryan Dougher, Junior, Guard, 13.8 ppg

Chris Martin, Junior, Guard, 10.8 ppg

Tommy Brenton, Junior, Guard, 7.6 ppg

Dallis Joyner, Junior, Forward, 8.1 ppg

Next Top 144 Teams
112		113		114		115		..All

College Basketball Preview - 144 Teams in 144 Days - Alphabetical Ranks/Previews

Stony Brook 2010 NIT Capsule

Joel Welser — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 02:09:21 -0500

Stony Brook Seawolves

America East Conference (22-9, 13-3)

Big Wins: 11/30 at Lehigh (71-52), 1/2 at Boston U (84-75), 1/21 at Vermont (65-60)

Bad Losses: 12/8 at Fordham (77-93), 12/20 at Sacred Heart (70-78), 2/28 at New Hampshire (55-77)

Coach: Steve Pikiell

Why They Can Surprise:

A year ago Stony Brook was a really young team that had a great year. That led to high expectations heading into the 2009-2010 campaign and Coach Steve Pikiell and company have not disappointed. The Seawolves are still a relatively young team, but they do not lack in experience. Stony Brook wins games with their defense and by creating extra possessions for themselves. One way they do this is by minimizing turnovers. The credit for that can go to point guard Bryan Dougher. Dougher is only a sophomore, but he has two years of starting experience under his belt and is making smart decisions. Dougher is also a great shooter and guarding the 6-1 New Jersey product is never easy.

The Seawolves also need to create some turnovers and Tommy Brenton does plenty of that. Brenton is certainly undersized for a power forward at 6-5 and 215 pounds, but he does a great job getting into the passing lanes. Brenton is also the catalyst behind the team’s other way to get extra possessions…rebounding. Despite his size, Brenton grabs 9.8 rebounds per game. Dallis Joyner, yet another sophomore, is the starter under the basket. He too is a fine rebounder and has developed into a relatively consistent scorer under the basket.

Why They Can Disappoint:

What this team lacks is a complimentary player to superstar scorer Muhammad El-Amin. Dougher is mostly a pure shooter and when his shot is not falling, somebody else better be scoring. Junior Chris Martin is the best option. He is not much of an outside shooter, yet he does a superb job attacking the basket and at least getting to the charity stripe. When the offense is stagnant because the opposition is successfully stopping El-Amin, somebody needs to be able to create shots for themselves and Martin is usually the answer. Freshmen Marcus Rouse and Preye Preboye can play that role too, but both have been inconsistent during their opening campaign.

Who To Watch:

El-Amin is the unquestioned star of this team on so many levels. He is the team’s leading scorer, will take all the big shots and is one of only two seniors who play significant minutes. The 6-5 Lansing, Michigan product came in from the junior college ranks last year and dominated the scoring for the Seawolves. He has not stopped this year. While his outside shooting can be a little inconsistent, El-Amin can finish above the rim and will do plenty of scoring one way or another.

Probable Starters:

Bryan Dougher, Sophomore, Guard, 13.6 ppg, 1.9 apg

Chris Martin, Junior, Guard, 10.7 ppg, 1.5 apg

Muhammad El-Amin, Senior, Guard, 16.7 ppg, 1.9 apg

Tommy Brenton, Sophomore, Guard, 7.8 ppg, 9.8 rpg, 2.7 apg

Dallis Joyner, Sophomore, Forward, 8.1 ppg, 6.5 rpg

Key Roleplayers:

Danny Carter, Sophomore, Forward, 2.5 ppg, 1.6 rpg

Eddie Castellanos, Senior, Guard, 1.1 ppg, 1.4 apg

Preye Preboye, Freshman, Forward, 2.2 ppg, 2.2 rpg

Marcus Rouse, Freshman, Guard, 4.5 ppg, 1.1 apg

By the Numbers:

Scoring Offense: 69.0 (174^th in nation, 3^rd in conference)

Scoring Defense: 63.6 (55, 3)

Field-Goal Percentage: 43.1 (191, 2)

Field-Goal Defense: 41.4 (89, 4)

Three-Point Field Goals Per Game: 5.9 (191, 6)

Three-Point Field-Goal Percentage: 35.5 (102, 2)

Free-Throw Percentage: 69.3 (158, 3)

Rebound Margin: 3.2 (76, 1)

Assists Per Game: 11.6 (266, 4)

Turnovers Per Game: 12.7 (84, 3)

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