Vermont

College Basketball: Preseason Mid-Major All-Americans

CHN — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:58:34 -0500

CollegeHoops.net's Preseason Mid-Major All-America Team is led by one of the few underclassmen on the list, Butler's Gordon Hayward. Hayward is joined on the First Team by teammate Matt Howard. Boston U, Butler, Cornell, Gonzaga are the only teams with multiple players.

CollegeHoops.net Preseason Mid-Major Player of the Year: Gordon Hayward (Butler)

CollegeHoops.net First Team Mid-Major All-America

Matt Bouldin	Gonzaga	SR	G
Gordon Hayward	Butler	SO	G
Ryan Wittman	Cornell	SR	F
Matt Howard	Butler	JR	F
Marqus Blakely	Vermont	SR	F

CollegeHoops.net Second Team Mid-Major All-America

AJ Slaughter	Western Kentucky	SR	G
Charles Jenkins	Hofstra	JR	G
Larry Sanders	VCU	SR	F
Kenneth Faried	Morehead State	JR	F/C
Art Parakhouski	Radford	SR	C

CollegeHoops.net Third Team Mid-Major All-America

Ben Smith	Jacksonville	SR	G
Edwin Ubiles	Siena	SR	G/F
Ryan Thompson	Rider	SR	F
Kyle Austin	UC-Riverside	JR	F
Omar Samhan	Saint Mary's	SR	C

CollegeHoops.net Honorable Mention Mid-Major All-American

Darion Anderson	Northern Illinois	JR	G
Keith Benson	Oakland	JR	C
Zahir Carrington	Lehigh	SR	F/C
Louis Dale	Cornell	SR	G
Devin Gibson	Texas-San Antonio	JR	G
Jeremy Goode	Mount Saint Mary's	SR	G
Andrew Goudelock	Charleston	JR	G
Steven Gray	Gonzaga	JR	G
Brandon Hazzard	Troy	SR	G
John Holland	Boston U	JR	G/F
Brandon Johnson	San Diego	SR	G
Corey Lowe	Boston U	SR	G
Dior Lowhorn	San Francisco	SR	F
Matt Janning	Northeastern	SR	G
Anthony Johnson	Montana	SR	G
Gerald Lee	Old Dominion	SR	F
Tyrone Lewis	Niagara	SR	G
Grant Maxey	Jackson State	SR	F
Harouna Mutombo	Western Carolina	SO	G
Kevin Palmer	TAMU-Corpus Christi	SR	G/F
Rodney Pierce	Buffalo	SR	G
Jonathan Rodriguez	Campbell	SR	F
Desmond Yates	Middle Tennessee St	SR	F

Other CollegeHoops.net Preseason Awards

- National All-Americans

- High-Major All-Americans (A10, CUSA, MVC, MWC, WAC)

- Preseason All-Freshman Team

America East Preseason Poll: BU #1

Press Release — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:29:28 -0400

HARTFORD, Conn.-- In search of its first league title since 2002, Boston University is the unanimous preseason choice of the coaches to win its sixth America East Men’s Basketball title in 2009-10. The selections were announced today as part of the America East Basketball Tip-Off Luncheon held at the Connecticut State Capitol in Hartford, host city for the 2010 America East Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championship Presented by Newman’s Own on March 4-7.

The Terriers received all eight possible first-place votes (coaches were not allowed to vote for their team) and 64 points, followed by University of Vermont, which received the remaining first-place vote and 56 points. University at Albany barely edged Stony Brook University for third place with 43 points, while the Seawolves came in one point behind with 42, just ahead of University of New Hampshire’s 39. University of Hartford and UMBC tied for sixth with 28 points apiece, while University of Maine (14 points) and Binghamton University (12) rounded out the poll.

The 2010 America East Championship first, quarter and semifinal rounds will take place March 4-7 at Hartford’s Chase Arena in the Reich Family Pavilion. The title game will be hosted a week later by the highest remaining seed with the winner earning an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament.

Boston University (17-11 overall, 11-5 America East in 2008-09) begins its first season under head coach Patrick Chambers, who helped lead Villanova to the Final Four last season as Jay Wright’s associate head coach. Chambers will inherit a wealth of talent as the Terriers return their top six scorers and 91.5 percent of their scoring from a year ago. Leading the charge will be first-team All-America East performers John Holland (18.1 ppg) and Corey Lowe (17.2 ppg), who ranked third and fourth, respectively, among league leaders in scoring. Reigning Rookie of the Year Jake O’Brien also returns for his sophomore season after averaging 12.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per contest as a freshman.

Vermont (24-9, 13-3) captured a share of the America East regular-season crown and earned a postseason bid for the fifth time in seven years last season, reaching the second round of the College Basketball Invitational. The Catamounts lost four-time all-conference selection Mike Trimboli, who finished his career 12th on the conference’s all-time scoring list, but welcome back the premier player in the league in senior forward Marqus Blakely. The two-time America East Player and Defensive Player of the Year, Blakely ranked among league leaders in nearly every category, leading in rebounding (9.0 rpg), blocked shots (2.7 bpg) and steals (2.0 spg) and finishing fifth in scoring (16.1 ppg).

Albany (15-16, 6-10) reached the semifinals of the America East tournament for the third time in four years last March despite suffering its first sub-.500 conference mark since the 2003-04 season. The Great Danes are one of two teams (Boston U.) to welcome back multiple all-conference players in junior guard Tim Ambrose and junior forward Will Harris, both third-team honorees a year ago. Ambrose ranked ninth among league leaders in scoring (14.3 ppg) and 13th in rebounding (5.1 rpg), while Harris was 10th in scoring (12.9 ppg) and seventh in rebounding (6.5 rpg).

Stony Brook (16-14, 8-8) is coming off one of its best season as Division I program, winning its most games since 2000-01 and setting a program record for America East victories. The Seawolves return four starters, including second-team all-league choice Muhammad El-Amin, a preseason all-conference pick this year. El-Amin, who finished seventh with 15.7 points per game last year, is joined by a pair of All-Rookie selections in sophomores Tommy Brenton and Bryan Dougher. Brenton was the second-best rebounder in the league as a freshman with 8.9 rebounds per game, while Dougher was Seawolves’ second-leading scorer and among the league’s best in free throw (.772) and 3-point percentage (.363).

New Hampshire (14-16, 8-8) reached the semifinals of the America East Championship for the second time in four seasons under head coach Bill Herrion after not reaching the league’s Final Four since 1995. Junior guard Alvin Abreu will shoulder the load on the offensive end with the graduation of All-America East performer Tyrece Gibbs. Abreu, an all-rookie choice two years ago, ranked second on UNH with 12.8 points and 2.2 assists per game. Fellow juniors Tyrone Conley (8.9 ppg, 3.4 rpg) and Dane DiLiegro (5.7 ppg, 6.9 rpg) will be important if the Wildcats are to capture their first conference title.

Hartford (7-26, 2-14) took a step back from its record-setting season of 2007-08 but was without leading scorer Joe Zeglinski, a first-team all-conference choice two years ago and a preseason selection each of the past two years, who missed all but 10 games with an ankle injury. Zeglinski, who has averaged 16.0 points per game over the last two seasons and is one of three players that have eclipsed the 1,000-point mark (1,099), should drastically help Hartford improve on its league-worst 60.5 points per game output.

UMBC (15-17, 7-9) reached the title game of the America East Championship for the second straight year in 2009, becoming just the second No. 6 seed to reach the league final. Gone are all-conference performers Jay Greene, who finished his career third on America East’s all-time assist list, and Darryl Proctor, who racked up 1,138 points and 558 rebounds in just two seasons at UMBC, but back is senior forward Matt Spadafora, who has started 44 straight games for the Retrievers and averaged 8.2 points and 3.5 rebounds per contest last year.

Maine (9-21, 4-12) returns four starters from a year ago, including All-Rookie honoree Gerald McLemore, who ranked second among first-year players with 12.1 points per game. Junior forwards Troy Barnies (7.7 ppg, 5.0 rpg) and Sean McNally (9.6 ppg, 7.4 rpg) ranked fourth and 15th, respectively, in rebounding last year. Junior college transfers Jerrell Boswell and Terrance Mitchell, who combined to average 39 points per game last season, should make the Black Bear offense, which was fourth in the league (66.0 ppg) last year get ever better.

Binghamton (23-9, 13-3) return three players from a squad that set a school record with 23 wins, won its first-ever America East title and made its first NCAA appearance. Junior guard Chretian Lukusa started 11 games for the Bearcats down the stretch last season in which they went 9-2. Sophomore center Kyrie Sutton started 15 games and ranked fifth among league leaders in blocked shots (1.2 bpg).

Poll: Who Wil Win the America East?

Shawn Siegel — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 12:04:54 -0400

Vermont Catamounts Basketball Preview: #133

Joel Welser — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 11:24:20 -0400

Vermont Catamounts

Overall Rank: #133

Conference Rank: #2 America East

2008-09: 24-9, 13-3

2008-09 postseason: CBI

Coach: Mike Longergan (78-49 at Vermont, 329-137 overall)

Vermont only lost nine games last year. Five of those were in overtime and two others were by two points or less in regulation. That is how close this group was to dominating the conference. Instead, the Catamounts did not even win the America East regular season crown or the conference tournament. That relegated the team down to the CBI. And without Mike Trimboli leading the way, the CBI would not be a bad place to end up this year.

Key Losses: F Colin McIntosh, G Mike Trimboli

Key Newcomers:

Coach Mike Longergan needs some more size on this team, especially since forward Colin McIntosh exhausted his eligibility. That is where Luke Apfeld and Ben Crenca step in. Neither is likely to step up immediately and become starters, but both are capable players who could make a much needed impact off of the bench. The backcourt has more talent returning, but Simeon Marsalis and Brendan Bald could work their way into the regular rotation as freshmen.

Backcourt:

It seems like Mike Trimboli has been the heart and soul of this team for four years. During his senior campaign he averaged 16.0 points and 4.8 assists per game. He was even a solid defender. Nick Vier will likely do most of the ball handling this year after dishing out 2.9 assists per game last year. The wings are in good hands with former Michigan State transfer Maurice Joseph and Garvey Young. Joseph was a slight disappointment last year, averaging 8.1 points per game, but his best games were late in the year. Young had a superb freshman campaign and should be even better as a sophomore.

Frontcourt:

The frontcourt does have a superstar in Marqus Blakely, but who is going to replace McIntosh under the basket? McIntosh really stepped up during his senior campaign and ended up averaging 12.6 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.2 blocks. His presence made it so the opposition had to occasionally avert their focus away from Blakely. Junior Evan Fjeld is the most experienced option, but he only averaged 14.3 minutes per game last year. During those minutes, Fjeld proved that he could be a capable scorer and a decent shot blocker, but he has to stay out of foul trouble. If Fjeld is not up for the job, it will fall to one of the newcomers and that is not good news for Blakely or Vermont.

Who to Watch:

Blakely might only be 6-5, but he plays like he is a seven-footer. As a junior last year he led the team with 16.1 points, 9.0 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game. Few players in the nation are as tough and persistent as Blakely under the basket. And due to his size he has to be tough to compete against bigger forwards in the league. However, it remains to be seen if Blakely will be as effective without McIntosh by his side. The Catamounts really need to find a larger presence under the basket to do the dirty work and free up space for Blakely.

Final Projection:

Vermont was kept out of the NCAA and NIT at the hands of Binghamton, although the team lost in their first game of the conference tournament before even getting the opportunity to take revenge on the Bearcats. There are quite a few issues that need to be addressed, but this is a group that has enough talent to knock Binghamton off the top of the conference and reclaim their usual spot atop the America East standings.

Projected Post-season Tournament: none

Projected Starting Five:

Nick Vier, Senior, Guard, 6.6 points per game

Maurice Joseph, Senior, Guard, 8.1 points per game

Garvey Young, Sophomore, Guard, 6.0 points per game

Marqus Blakely, Senior, Forward, 16.1 points per game

Evan Fjeld, Junior, Forward, 4.6 points per game

College Basketball Preview - 144 Teams in 144 Days - Preview Interviews

America East Tournament: Preview & Predictions

Evan Dorey — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 16:04:16 -0500

This is one in a series of conference tournament previews, in which I run down all the teams involved, give a brief statistical review and present the log5 projections, using in-conference offensive and defensive efficiency. The basic log5 methodology comes from Bill James, and this is an area Ken Pomeroy has looked at in the past as well. I claim nothing new in the application, but obviously with slightly different methodologies, these numbers may differ from others you find. I don’t claim to be an expert on any particular conference, and I’m sure there are some mis-characterizations on some players I’ve seen sparingly at best, so please add your thoughts in the comments. Anyway, with no further ado, the preview follows below:

America East

The first three rounds will be played in Albany’s home court, SECFU Arena, with the final happening on Saturday morning at the higher remaining seed.

#	Team	QF	SF	F	W
1	Binghamton	100.00%	85.45%	53.64%	26.52%
2	Vermont	100.00%	87.92%	62.85%	45.92%
3	Boston University	100.00%	86.45%	32.33%	18.97%
4	New Hampshire	100.00%	28.09%	7.94%	0.82%
5	Stony Brook	100.00%	71.91%	34.71%	6.86%
6	UMBC	100.00%	13.55%	1.39%	0.19%
7	Albany	100.00%	12.08%	3.43%	0.47%
8	Maine	75.37%	12.98%	3.54%	0.24%
9	Hartford	24.63%	1.57%	0.18%	0.00%

Hometown team Albany got the worst possible opening draw, as the favorite, #2 Vermont will be a tough task. Binghamton and BU should be the main challengers, with Stony Brook a team from outside the top 4 that could cause a big surprise.

#1 – Binghamton Bearcats (20-8, 13-3) ; Efficiency Margin: +0.072

Last NCAA Tournament bid: None

Binghamton is the hottest team in the conference, having won each of its last eight games, but it’s only been the third best team in the league by efficiency margin standards. The Bearcats have been good defenders, holding opponents to a low percentage and forcing a lot of turnovers, but they have had problems with rebounding and commit a lot of fouls. Offensively, they’ve been an average team, not making a lot of mistakes, but not excelling in any area either.

Players to watch:

6-4 JR D.J. Rivera, 20.2 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 52.5 eFG% - Rivera is the conference’s leading scorer, and the St. Joe’s transfer is the only America East player to average more than 20 points a game. His long-distance shooting leaves something to be desired, but he’s an efficient player because of his ability to score inside and his remarkable turnover rate, giving the ball up just 46 times on the year.

6-6 SR Reggie Fuller, 10.0 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 1.6 BPG, 55.6 eFG% - Fuller is only the 5^th ranked scorer on the team, but he’s a good inside shooter who puts up solid rebounding and shot-blocking numbers. He’s also improved his play of late, averaging more than 15 points in his last six games.

#2 – Vermont Catamounts (23-7, 13-3) ; Efficiency Margin: +0.1637

Last NCAA Tournament bid: 2005 (2^nd Round)

Vermont has easily been the best team in the conference, except when it came to games against Binghamton, as it was swept in the season series with the Bearcats. The Catamounts have the America East’s best offense, shooting 48% from the floor and getting to the free-throw line very often. They also defend well, dominating the inside while forcing a lot of turnovers. Opponents have successfully shot over them, and they’ll need to be careful against teams with good long-range shooters.

Players to watch:

6-5 JR Marqus Blakely, 15.7 PPG, 9.0 RPG, 1.9 SPG, 2.8 BPG, 60.3 eFG% - Blakely is the conference’s best forward, leading the league in rebounds, steals and blocks. He’s a 60% shooter who does a lot of good work inside, with his only real weakness being his 56% free-throw shooting.

6-1 SR Mike Trimboli, 16.3 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 4.9 APG, 1.9 SPG, 53.8 eFG% - There are some questions about Trimboli’s health heading into the tournament, and as the team’s best guard, his return will be criticaly important for the Catamounts’ chances. He’s a good three-point shooter who also distributes the ball efficiently.

#3 – Boston University Terriers (17-12, 11-5) ; Efficiency Margin: +0.095

Last NCAA Tournament bid: 2002 (1^st Round)

Boston University is the 2^nd ranked team by EM, but faces a tough path to the title game with a potential semifinal against Vermont. The Terriers are a heavily perimeter-oriented team, taking a lot of their shots from behind the arc, and doing a pretty job of making them. They’ve also been good at defending threes, but poor interior defense and weak offensive rebounding have held them back in overall defensive efficiency.

Players to watch:

6-5 SO John Holland, 18.0 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 1.8 SPG, 56.2 eFG% - Holland leads the team in points and rebounds, and has split his shooting almost evenly between twos and threes, putting up a good percentage in both areas.

6-2 JR Corey Lowe, 16.6 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 4.1 APG, 53.3 eFG% - Lowe is the other player on the Terriers who puts up a lot of shots, and is another good three-point shooter who also manages to distribute the ball to teammates.

#4 – New Hampshire Wildcats (13-15, 8-8) ; Efficiency Margin: -0.033

Last NCAA Tournament bid: None

With the top three teams separating themselves from the pack, New Hampshire will have a tough time making any progress in Albany, and are actually the only top 4 team not favored to advance to the semis. The problem has been the Wildcat offense, which has been one of the conference’s worst. It uses a slow style, but doesn’t do it very well, putting up one of the country’s worst field goal percentages and giving the ball up often. This has left it to the defense to bail out UNH, something it has occasionally managed to do with excellent rebounding. New Hampshire needs to watch out for fouls, which were a problem in the non-conference, but have improved in America East play.

Players to watch:

6-3 SR Tyrece Gibbs, 14.4 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 51.7 eFG% - Gibbs is an excellent three-point shooter, and while his shots from inside the arc aren’t as effective, he takes enough threes to make him a decently efficient player.

6-8 SO Dane Diliegro, 5.8 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 54.3 eFG% - Diliegro isn’t much of an offensive threat, but he’s an excellent rebounder who takes his chances well when he gets them.

#5 – Stony Brook Seawolves (16-13, 8-8) ; Efficiency Margin: +0.045

Last NCAA Tournament bid: None

Four of Stony Brook’s eight conference losses have come in overtime (one in quadruple OT), so it’s not really a surprise that they are under-seeded, relative to their EM performance. They should be slight favorites against New Hampshire, mostly because of the conference’s best defense. The Seawolves get opponents to attempt a lot of threes, and manage to hold them to a pretty poor percentage, while also getting their hands on the ball a lot, either through turnovers or rebounds. Offensively, they tend to focus on getting the ball inside, a strategy that has been fairly unsuccessful, when you consider their conference-worst 44% shooting from two.

Players to watch:

6-5JR Muhammad El-Amin, 15.4 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 50.4 eFG% - El-Amin is one of the rare three-point threats on the Seawolves, and the Ju-Co transfer has not been afraid to shoot with impunity. He takes nearly a third of the team’s shots when he’s on the floor, and makes just enough to justify it.

6-6 SR Demetrius Young, 9.4 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 67.5 eFG% - His season-long numbers haven’t been that impressive, but Young is a guy who has really stepped up his play in recent days, and as the conference’s leader in FG%, will cause a lot of problems for opponents inside. He’s started just 4 games all year, but averaged 14 points a game in the month of February.

#6 –Maryland Baltimore County (13-16, 7-9) ; Efficiency Margin: -0.069

Last NCAA Tournament bid: 2008 (1^st Round)

The defending champions lost a lot from their 2008 team, and have really felt it on the defensive end of the floor, where they’ve had the worst record in the conference. They force few turnovers, and while they’ve defended the inside shot decently, teams have lit them up from three. One interesting thing about UMBC is its ability to avoid turnovers, as it’s put up one of the country’s lowest rates in that area. It hasn’t been too much of a help to the offense, though, as too many of its possessions have ended with missed shots. The wide majority of these shots have come from inside the arc, as UMBC has taken a lower percentage of threes than all but two other teams in the country.

Players to watch:

5-8 SR Jay Greene, 12.7 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 6.0 APG, 52.1 eFG% - Greene is the only Retriever who is a threat from behind the arc, taking the majority of his shots from three. He also leads the conference in assists, and is an excellent outside complement to his team’s inside-oriented attack.

6-4 SR Darryl Proctor, 20.0 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 1.8 APG, 1.4 SPG, 47.6 eFG% - No player in the nation has played more minutes than Proctor, who averages 39.6 per game, and had his biggest night off when he played 33 against Pitt. He’s not just a guy who plays a lot, though, as he takes a huge role in the offense, and is a very good rebounder. He’s also committed just 64 turnovers all season, which is a very impressive number when you consider how much he plays.

#7 – Albany Great Danes (14-15, 6-10) ; Efficiency Margin: -0.069

Last NCAA Tournament bid: 2007 (1^st Round)

Albany isn’t the kind of team you’d look at for an upset run, seventh in the league in offense and defense, but the fact that the tournament will be on its home floor at SEFCU Arena means that they will have a shot at causing some trouble. The Great Danes got the worst possible draw in Vermont, however, and could easily find themselves drummed out fast. They are spectacular rebounders, putting up one of the best rates in the entire country. They get a lot of chances to practice, as they are pretty bad shooters, especially from behind the arc. They also find themselves on the wrong side of turnover margin more often than not, and don’t force a lot of misses from opponents.

Players to watch:

6-0 SO Tim Ambrose, 14.0 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 2.6 APG, 1.1 SPG, 49.1 eFG% - Ambrose leads the team in scoring, despite playing just 24 minutes a game, mostly because he has really struggled with foul trouble. He’s a solid shooter and has a very good assist rate, but just can’t stay on the court enough to really put up big averages.

6-6 JR Will Harris, 12.7 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 47.7 eFG% - Harris had a strong run at the start of the conference season, but has really cooled off towards the end of the year. He’s a decent percentage player, but not overly notable.

#8 – Maine Black Bears (9-20, 4-12) ; Efficiency Margin: -0.065

Last NCAA Tournament bid: None

A 4-12 record in conference play is a little harsh for a team that has been about the same as the two teams ahead of them, and the Black Bears will be a little unfortunate to have to play an opening round game against Hartford. Defensively, they struggle inside, but manage to get opponents to shoot mostly three-pointers, where they are pretty effective. However, they’re also terrible defensive rebounders, so forcing a stop isn’t necessarily good enough to help them out.

Players to watch:

6-7 SO Sean McNally, 9.5 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 44.5 eFG% - McNally doesn’t play a big role in the offense, but is the Bears’ most effective offensive player, due to his ability to pick up offensive rebounds. He’s a decent shooter, but takes a few too many fruitless threes.

6-5 JR Mark Socoby, 12.5 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 1.5 SPG, 45.7 eFG% - Socoby leads the team in scoring, but he’s a bit of a liability for Maine, as most of his shots come from behind the arc, where he barely cracks 30%.

#9 – Hartford Hawks (6-25, 2-14) ; Efficiency Margin: -0.154

Last NCAA Tournament bid: None

Hartford’s last win came on January 14^th, and it looks likely that it’ll finish the season on a 15-game losing streak. The Hawks’ offense has been simply terrible, one of the worst in the nation in getting to the free throw line and rebounding, and putting up a lot of threes, while hitting just 29% as a team from behind the arc. The Hartford defense has actually been decent, forcing teams to the outside and getting a lot of turnovers, but only having half a decent team isn’t good enough.

Players to watch:

6-2 SR Jaret Von Rosenberg, 12.5 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 3.7 APG, 45.7 eFG% - Von Rosenberg averages more than 38 minutes a game, and while he does a good job getting the ball to teammates, and is a good scorer inside the arc, his 27% three-point shooting really limits his effectiveness.

6-5 SR Michael Turner, 11.1 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 50.4 eFG% - Turner is a key player to any potential Hartford success, the only player who hits a solid percentage of long-distance shots and the team’s best rebounder.

My statistical all-America East team:

UMBC SR G Jay Greene, 12.7 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 6.0 APG, 52.1 eFG%

Vermont SR G Mike Trimboli, 16.3 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 4.9 APG, 1.9 SPG, 53.8 eFG%

Boston University SO G/F John Holland, 18.0 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 1.8 SPG, 56.2 eFG%

Binghamton JR F D.J. Rivera, 20.2 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 52.5 eFG%

Vermont JR F Marqus Blakely, 15.7 PPG, 9.0 RPG,1.9 SPG, 2.8 BPG, 60.3 eFG%

5 things: Texas Troubles, Injuries, Curry FT's Overrated?

Kevin McNeill — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 17:48:21 -0500

Kevin McNeill's weekly 5 Things column breaks down what's important in the world of college basketball.

This week, we learned that...

1) Maybe foul shooting isn’t as important as we thought

The very best teams in the country, at least in terms of the latest Coaches’ poll, all have several things in common. They have certified superstars that will be high NBA draft picks in June, they have multiple offensive weapons, and they usually out-rebound their opponents by a solid margin.

They also stink at free throws.

The #1 team in the nation, Pittsburgh, is currently ranked 251^st in the nation in free throw percentage (out of 330 teams). UConn is 157^th. Oklahoma comes in at 194^th and Memphis is right there at 165^th.

Only until you reach the North Carolina section of the polls, specifically the Tar Heels (10^th) and Duke (61^st), do you find teams that really take advantage of the charity stripe.

But they are more the exception than the rule. Other teams widely seen as top contenders for a Final Four run are just as abysmal. Michigan State is ranked 170^th in free throw percentage, but they are automatic at the line compared to Louisville (256^th) and Missouri (255^th).

This is not to suggest these schools will not make it to Detroit. Memphis last season was the 318^th worst free throw shooting team in the country (out of 328 schools), yet still posted the nation’s best record, and made the national title game. They were actually only two minutes away from winning the championship, but couldn’t hold on to a nine point lead because of, well, free throws.

In fact, it wouldn’t be so bad if many of these teams did make it to the Final Four. Poor foul shooting has contributed to some of the most memorable national title games in history. Who could forget (dating myself here) Derrick Coleman missing a one-and-one at the end of the 1987 title game, setting up Keith Smart’s game winning shot? There was the terrible free throw shooting by Kansas in 2003 which allowed Syracuse to jump out to a big lead, only to have the Orange’s own poor shooting from the stripe down the stretch allow Kansas back within one final shot to tie it, which was swatted away by Hakim Warrick. And of course, there was the unforgettable final from a year ago.

There may be another memorable game in a few weeks.

2) There have been some Texas-sized disappointments this season

Returning four starters from last season’s Elite Eight team, including top rebounder Damion James and second-leading scorer AJ Abrams, Texas was a fashionable pick to win the national title this year. They were projected to (barely) finish second to Oklahoma in the Big 12 in the preseason, and began the year ranked in the top 10.

They remained there as recently as Jan 12^th, before losing to Oklahoma in Norman. After seemingly righting the ship with three straight wins, they lost at home to Kansas State and Missouri. The next game they were stunned at Nebraska.

The Longhorns did earn a hard-fought victory over Oklahoma Saturday, but the first half concussion to Blake Griffin that knocked him out of the game seemed to taint the effort. Previously, they lost to Texas A&M on the road, and needed overtime to put away 9-17 Colorado.

Texas, at 18-8 and 7-5 in the Big 12, is in good shape for an at-large berth. They have quality wins over UCLA, Villanova and now Oklahoma. But even this late in the season they are not a lock yet - especially with road dates with Kansas and Oklahoma State still on the schedule – something that was unimaginable two months ago.

Baylor was another trendy pick to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament, returning an experienced team with most of their starters from last year’s surprise Tourney team, including preseason Wooden Award candidate Curtis Jerrells. They began the season ranked in the Top 20.

Now they have dropped seven of their last eight, are completely out of the NCAA bubble picture, and – at 16-10 – in danger of missing out on the NIT.

Texas A&M was sitting pretty at 14-1 at the beginning of conference play, with resume-boosting victories over Arizona and LSU. Twelve games later, they are sitting at 5-7 in the Big 12, in sole possession of eighth place. They need to win their final four games – which includes a home matchup against Missouri - to ensure a winning conference record. Even that will probably not be enough to earn an at-large berth should they fail to advance deep into the Big 12 Tournament.

Texas Tech is just a train wreck. Coach Pat Knight was suspended one game by the Big 12 Conference for ripping the refs in his post game news conference after losing to Texas A&M at home Saturday. This comes a month after Knight was reprimanded by the Conference for making a fool of himself and charging the referees after being ejected from a losing effort against Nebraska.

The Red Raiders are currently 2-10 in the Big 12 with games remaining against Oklahoma and Kansas. They have won two games in their last 13 tries. At least the school re-signed Mike Leach.

3) The Citadel now has a shot at the Southern Conference’s automatic bid

Stephen Curry clearly has not recovered from a severely turned ankle, and may not be for the rest of the season, which means a tiny senior military college in Charleston, South Carolina may be on the verge of one of the most improbable NCAA Tournament berths in history.

The Citadel crushed a Curry-less Davidson on the road last week, the Bulldogs’ 10^th straight victory – the second longest in the nation behind Memphis. Once 7-9, they now sit at 18-10 and in sole possession of second place in the conference behind the Wildcats, and having already swept the third place team, the College of Charleston.

Davidson shot a miserable 25% from the field in that game without their leader. In their previous meeting back in January, the Wildcats shot 47% in a 15 point drubbing, helped in no small part by Curry’s 32 points.

On Saturday, Curry returned to the lineup against Butler, but clearly was favoring his ankle, and simply did not have the quick first step that has made him the nation’s leading scorer. He shot just 6 for 23 from the field, and committed seven turnovers.

Now it is highly unlikely, even with Curry not at 100%, that the Wildcats do not win the Southern Conference regular season title. They are in first place by two games, and their remaining three games are against UNC-Greensboro, Georgia Southern, and Elon – three of the worst teams in the conference. However, the Southern Conference Tournament could be ripe for a shocking upset.

The Citadel has never once been to the postseason. They haven’t won more than one game in the Southern Conference Tournament in 50 years. They have had four winning regular season records in the last 20 years. They have posted just a single 20 win season which came 30 years ago.

Suffice it to say, the Bulldogs playing in the first round of the NCAA Tournament would be the single biggest underdog in the history of organized athletics. But somehow, I don’t think they would mind.

3) The America East regular season title will be decided this week

Vermont and Binghamton are currently tied for first place in the America East Conference with just a single game to go. Binghamton has swept the Catamounts, both games in nail-biting fashion, so either a win or Vermont loss gives them the regular season title. That title, and # 1 seed in the America East Tournament, is crucial because the highest seed gets home court advantage in the title game. The # 1 seed has gone on to win the conference’s automatic berth in three of the last four years.

Vermont plays on the road against a Maine team that has won just four conference games on Sunday, while Binghamton is at home Thursday against UMBC (Maryland-Baltimore County).

5) Injuries are playing a major factor in other conference races as well

With the best player in the country, the Sooners were legitimate national title contenders, and had the best record in college basketball. Since Blake Griffin suffered a concussion in the first half of a crucial game against Texas, however, Oklahoma has lost two in a row, the latest at home to Kansas, who now own sole possession of first place in the Big 12.

Griffin should be back in the lineup for the matchup against Texas Tech on Saturday, but it may now be too late to salvage a Big 12 regular season title. The Jayhawks final three games are against underachieving Texas Tech and Texas (at home) and a revenge game against arch-rival Missouri (also at home).

St. Mary’s was on track to overtake Gonzaga for first place in the WCC, but star guard Patty Mills broke two bones in his hand during the game against the Zags that would have accomplished it . After that crushing defeat, the Gaels went on to lose three of their next four, and were soon out of contention in the conference. Even after a huge win over a ranked Utah State team recently – their third win in a row - ESPN’s Andy Katz reported that St. Mary’s would have a very tough time earning an at-large berth to the NCAA Tournament should Patty Mills not return in time for the WCC Tournament, simply because they “probably won't be able to convince the (NCAA selection) committee that they can be the same team without him.”

Finally, the season-ending knee injury to Jerome Dyson, who was averaging 13 points and 4 boards a game, is a potentially huge blow to UConn’s chances in the Big East Conference. The Huskies currently have a half game lead in the Big East over Marquette, Louisville and Pittsburgh with three games to play. Two of those games are on the road against the Panthers and Golden Eagles.

Mike Trimboli: America East Player of the Week

Press Release — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 18:19:30 -0500

BURLINGTON, Vt. - University of Vermont men's basketball senior Mike Trimboli (Norwalk, Conn.) was named the America East Player of the Week on Monday, earning the honor for the third time this season.

Trimboli, a 6-foot-1 senior guard, averaged 19.5 points, 6.0 assists, 4.0 rebounds and shot 52 percent from the field to help his team extend its win streak to six straight. He had 15 points to go with five assists in a 77-65 road win at UMBC on Tuesday and followed up with a game-high 24 points in the win over Buffalo in an ESPNU BracketBusters contest that was televised on ESPN2. Trimboli, who also earned weekly accolades December 15 and 22, also added seven assists and six rebounds Saturday.

The America East's active leading scorer with 1,968 points, Trimboli is fifth among scoring leaders (16.3 ppg), second in assists (4.9 apg) and second in steals (1.9 spg).

Vermont (22-7, 12-3 America East) returns to action on Sunday, March 1 when it travels to face Maine in the regular season finale starting at 1 p.m.

BracketBusters Saturday: The Big Preview

Blake Hofstad — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 01:36:35 -0500

In the seventh annual ESPNU BracketBusters, the strongest mid-major teams in the country do battle in thirteen televised games. This preview features the premier Saturday games that are televised on ESPN or ESPN2.

Northeastern @ Wright State, ESPN2

The first Saturday game of the event showcases a CAA team, Northeastern (11-5, 16-10) against a preseason Horizon League favorite, Wright State (10-6, 16-11). The Huskies of Northeastern are on a three game skid, and a road win out of conference will help build confidence to remain in contention for the CAA title. They are very inconsistent on the road, and which team shows up will be crucial in this game. Wright State dropped the first six games of the season, and in the process lost best player Vaughn Duggins for the remainder of the year. The Raiders have salvaged their year with an impressive league performance, considering the circumstances and their early struggles.

The visiting squad is led by Matt Janning, a versatile wingman who contributes in numerous ways. He stuffs the stat sheet in every major statistical category, disregarding blocks. The Northeastern frontcourt includes Manny Adako, Eugene Spates and Nkem Ojougboh. Chris Alvarez also gets some playing time due to his aggressive rebounding. None of these guys are particularly adept on the boards, and it shows. They are one of the worst rebounding teams in the country. Their leading rebounder is actually a guard, Chaisson Allen, who is also their third leading scorer.

Fortunately for Northeastern, the Raiders are atrocious on the boards as well. Slightly better than the Huskies, Wright State’s rebounding is spread out more evenly. Leading scorer Todd Brown is a tall guard who makes up for some of Wright State’s rebounding woes. Brown is a great shooter, but can score from close as well. Cory Cooperwood is the team’s only starting forward, and he only stands 6-7. N’Gai Evans, John David Gardner and Will Graham round out the starting five.

Winner: Wright State Margin 2-5 points

Butler @ Davidson, ESPN

In the marquee BracketBuster matchup, Horizon giant #15 Butler (13-3, 22-4) heads to North Carolina to grapple with Davidson (15-2, 22-5). Both teams aren’t playing well right now, Butler has dropped two straight conference games while Davidson has lost not one, but two home conference games this year, something they haven’t done in six years. The winner is nearly a lock for an at-large bid, while the loser has work left to do to feel safe on Selection Sunday.

The visiting Bulldogs have been one of the most consistent mid-majors over the last decade. This year, they were expected to suffer a rare down season. However, the young lineup, featuring zero seniors, has had Butler in the Top 25 for nearly the entire year. Matt Howard and Gordon Hayward lead the attack. Howard does damage inside, while Hayward is one of the most accurate shooters in the conference. At 6-8, he is a short teams worst nightmare, as their biggest player will be left with the shorter but more inside-oriented Howard, which gives Hayward a 3 inch height advantage over most of his defenders. Shelvin Mack, Willie Veasley and Ronald Nored are all good rebounding guards. Zach Hahn is a great shooter coming off the bench. Shawn Vanzant, a guard, and Avery Jukes, a forward, are also capable second stringers, which makes Butler one of the deepest and most dimensional mid-majors out there.

By now, everyone who goes on the internet or turns on their TV knows who Stephen Curry is. He is going to get his points. The question though is: will he even play? Odds are that he will, but he won’t be 100%. Assuming he at least laces them up, the key to beating Davidson is to contain him and play the perimeter tight. In the four losses he has been a part of, his best 3PT performance was 40% against Oklahoma. Two games he has been held under 20%. Andrew Lovedale is an athletic rebounder and scorer, but is prone to missing easy shots. Will Archambault has looked great at times, and he will need to have a big game against Butler. Bryant Barr and Brendan McKillop are on the court for one reason: to shoot the ball. Max Paulhus Gosselin and Steve Rossiter play for an entirely different reason, and that’s defense. Davidson needs to work Lovedale early on Howard, and see if he has luck there. That, coupled with a big game from Curry, should win it.

Winner: Butler Margin 5-9 points

Buffalo @ Vermont, ESPN2

The last time Buffalo (9-3, 17-7) was on national TV, they were a last second panic away from knocking off UConn. Now they get another shot against America East leading Vermont (12-3, 21-7). Buffalo had tore off nine straight before dropping two in a row to Ball State and Bowling Green. The Catamounts have won 12 of their last 13, and despite being swept by Binghamton, lead the America East by 0.5 games.

The MAC leading Bills are led by Rodney Pierce, the guy who will be forever plagued for freezing against UConn. However, Pierce has had a great year. He can score from all over the floor. Calvin Betts is the team’s primary rebounding force, even though he only stands 6-3. Greg Gamble is a do-it-all guard; even though he is the team’s second tallest starter, he is the primary ball handler, leading the Bills in assists. Andy Robinson is another guard in the starting lineup, who, along with the aforementioned, do not rely solely on the long J for their points. Vadim Fedotov is a very pedestrian rebounder for a 6-9 power forward. After the starting lineup, the Bills don’t drop off much, as they have six bench players averaging 9.7 minutes a game and above.

Vermont is led by a dynamic duo of two of America East’s best. Marqus Blakely is second on the team in scoring and leads the conference in rebounding. He is the only player in the country averaging at least 15 PPG, 8 RPG, 3 APG, 2.5 BPG and 2 SPG, which just showcases his tremendous value to the team. Mike Trimboli leads the team in scoring and assists and is also a dangerous 3 point shooter. Colin McIntosh adds some height to the lineup, as Blakely is only 6-5. McIntosh stands 6-8 and dumps in 12.6 a game. Nick Vier and Garvey Young provide some solid guard play as well. Vermont goes 8 deep, bringing Maurice Joseph, Evan Fjeld and Joey Accaoui off the bench. Joseph in particular is a potent scorer.

Winner: Vermont Margin 8-12 points

Northern Iowa @ Siena, ESPN2

This matchup features the high-flying Siena (15-1, 21-6) offense against the balanced Northern Iowa (12-4, 18-9) attack. The Saints of Siena started off slow, but are back on track and have not lost on their home floor yet this year. UNI has lost two in a row, and are looking to regain their footing heading into two games that could dictate the MVC regular season title.

The visiting Panthers are a balanced squad. They have five players averaging between 9 and 12 points a game. The four starters in that group are Adam Koch, Kwadzo Ahelegbe, Ali Farokmanesh and Jonny Moran. Koch and Moran account for a lot of rebounds, but Moran does a lot of his scoring from the outside. Ahelegbe and Farokmanesh, along with being a mouthful for the unlucky announcer of this game, are two guards with completely different styles. Ahelegbe is a passing guard who can score. Farokmanesh is a shooting guard who scores the bulk of his points from deep. Lucas O’Rear is a good rebounding fifth starter. Northern Iowa brings monster Jordan Eglseder off the bench. At 7-1, he is the tallest player featured in BracketBusters. Travis Brown and Kerwin Durham are viable options on the bench as well.

Siena is led by Kenny Hasbrouck, Edwin Ubiles and Alex Franklin. All three are capable of leading the team in scoring on any given night. Hasbrouck is a perimeter player who scores off penetration and jump shots. Ubiles is a hybrid; at 6-6 he’s taller than most of his teammates, but has a nice inside-outside game. Franklin scores exclusively inside the arc. Point guard Ronald Moore leads the MAAC in assists and A/TO. He is the catalyst of the team despite ranking sixth in scoring. Ryan Rossiter is one of the MAAC’s leading rebounders, and averages 1.3 steals and 1.9 blocks to complement his rebounding prowess. Sophomore guard Clarence Jackson is the most efficient scorer on the team, dumping in 8.4 points a game in just 14.6 minutes.

Winner: Siena Margin: 12-16 points

Utah State @ St. Mary’s, ESPN2

The final BracketBusters matchup puts two West Coast teams on display. Utah State (12-1, 25-2) travels to Moraga to face off with WCC foe St. Mary’s (8-4, 21-5), who is 3-4 without star guard Patrick Mills. That means the Gaels will continue to rely heavily on Omar Samhan and Diamon Simpson to carry the load. Utah State leans on big man Gary Wilkinson for the bulk of their scoring. The winner of this battle will receive a huge boost in their case for an at-large bid.

The Aggies of Utah State won 19 in a row before dropping one to Boise State. St. Mary’s will be the stoutest road test they have faced all year, Mills or no Mills. Wilkinson drops around 17 and 8 a game, making him one of the best double-double threats in the WAC. Jared Quayle and Tai Wesley are great accompaniments to the low post monster Wilkinson. Quayle is a great shooting guard, but he can pound inside and grab rebounds as well. He leads the time in dimes as well. Wesley is another reliable scorer down low that makes it impossible for teams to concentrate too many players on Wilkinson. He dumps in 12.2 a game, and leads the Aggies in blocks and steals. Tyler Newbold is more or less another Quayle; a good rebounder, good passer and good shooter, however he doesn’t score as much and banks more on his long ball. Pooh Williams is the final starter. Coming off the bench, Stavon Williams is utilized primarily for his three point prowess. Jaxon Myaer and Matt Formisano provide further depth off the bench.

St. Mary’s will counter Wilkinson and Wesley with Simpson and Samhan, a duo of double-double guys. Both swat shots regularly, and Simpson also tallies 1.6 steals per contest. While Samhan scores more, it’s Simpson who is the team’s best player with Mills out. He can be counted on to give his all every time he steps on the court. Carlin Hughes fills in at the point while Mills is out. Hughes isn’t a bad player, but the Gaels suffer a significant dropoff without the WCC’s best at the helm. Hughes can still pass and has handles, but is not the versatile scorer Mills was. Wayne Hunter and Mickey O’Connell accentuate the backcourt for Saint Mary’s. Ian O’Leary is a solid rebounder off the bench as well. In order for the Gaels to win, they need Samhan to play better. In the losses tallied since Mills’ injury, Samhan has scored under his average three of the four times. They need a consistent performance from him to win.

Winner: St. Mary’s Margin: 5-7 points

5 Players to Watch

F Marqus Blakely, Vermont- Blakely is one of the most versatile players in the country. At 6-5, he is a monster on the boards, and his tremendous athleticism gives him the ability to block a lot of shots and rack up steals. If Vermont makes the Tournament, Blakely is going to give hell to a big name team. He should have a big game.

G Rodney Pierce, Buffalo- Against UConn, Pierce poured in 28, his best scoring performance of the year. If he can duplicate those numbers again in primetime, the Vermont-Buffalo game may be closer than projected. Pierce is certainly a guy who will have a target on his back if Buffalo makes the Big Dance as a giant killer. His team wasn’t able to pull it out against UConn, but don’t expect Pierce to miss out on a chance like that again.

G-F Matt Janning, Northeastern- This versatile forward scores, steals, rebounds and dishes. The junior has had some big performances this year, including 24 at Providence. His team will look for him to lead by example, and if the Huskies want to stop the skid, they will need to best Wright State. For them to accomplish that, Janning will have to take over.

F Omar Samhan, St. Mary’s- Samhan is almost as well known for his comments before the first Gonzaga game than he is for his play on the court. With Mills out, Samhan has to emerge as a guy who can win the game for this team. Diamon Simpson is a great player, and for Samhan to ascend to that plateau, he has to find some consistency and prove he can be the team’s top scorer while Mills is out.

G Stephen Curry, Davidson- Curry has gotten more media attention than perhaps every other player playing in BracketBusters combined. That being said, he is the nation’s leading scorer, and even on a down night, or if he’s only 75%, he has that killer instinct that makes Davidson a tough win even if you’re up 7 with 50 seconds left. When he gets hot, watch out. Davidson can hang with just about anyone when that happens.

College Basketball: Seven Day Stretch

Rob Carpentier — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 12:07:45 -0500

Rob Carpentier's "Seven Day Stretch" is a whirlwind tour around every corner of college basketball nation:

Seven Day Savior (Team): Arizona Wildcats

Four weeks ago this team and its record 24 straight years with an NCA invite were left for dead. Since then the Wildcats have rattled off seven straight victories, to not only put themselves back in the running for an NCAA Tourney bid, but for a run at the Pac-10 title. The Wildcats have played progressively better over the past month with the climactic event being this past weekend’s demolition of UCLA, a team that Arizona hasn’t defeated since 2005. Arizona is playing as well as any team in the country because interim Coach Russ Pennell has gotten the Wildcats to play defense like their playing lives depend on it. It is also because Chase Budinger, the perennially underachieving small forward has finally begun to play up to his reputation. The Cats have a potential lottery pick in the post in Jordan Hill and a young man playing way over his head in point guard Nic Wise. The other players know their roles and play them to a tee. The one drawback for the Cats is that they have no depth, but that didn’t seem to matter as they swept the L.A. schools at home for the first time in a while. The post-Lute Olson era in Tucson may eventually be a very rough one, probably starting next year, but for now, talk of the demise of the Arizona program is premature.

Seven Day Savior (Player): Mike Trimboli, Vermont Catamounts

Vermont continues to be the power in the America East Conference and should be many people’s choice to be a first round Cinderella if they make the NCAA Tournament. The Catamounts find a new “go-to” player every year and this year it’s Trimboli, a 6’1 senior. He leads Vermont in scoring at 16 PPG and has scored 17, 17 and 25 points in his last three games, all Vermont wins. He shoots a respectable 46% from the floor, good for a player who is primarily an outside shooter, hits 38% from beyond the arc and is over 80% from the charity stripe. He is also one of the conference leaders in assists. Vermont is tied for first in the A-East with Binghamton, (although Vermont has lost both games to Binghamton), and the Catamounts are poised to get the top seed in the conference tournament, which is important in a conference where the top seed hosts the title game. If Trimboli plays as he did in the three games last week, then the rest of the A-East are going to be watching as Vermont goes to the Big Dance yet again.

Game of the Week (The one you already heard about): Wake Forest at Duke

In the first match-up of these ACC heavyweights Wake won on a last second shot in Winston-Salem. Since that game, in which both teams were ranked in the top 5 in both polls, both the Deacons and the Blue Devils have fallen on hard times. Duke has suffered two blowout losses and teams are beginning to understand how to defend them while Wake has lost a couple of close contests that, quite frankly, they shouldn’t have lost. The key here is whether the young Deacons can handle the Cameron Crazies and Duke’s high pressure man-to-man defense and whether Duke can finally see off an athletic opponent with a better than average inside game. Duke would be a real favorite here if they ran some zone defense, but Coach K is loath to run anything but man. Wake is very young and Duke should be angry after having lost both games last week. This should be fun to watch as both teams are a real threat to North Carolina come ACC Tourney time. As it is, the game is a real toss-up.

Game of the Week (The one you DON'T know about): Butler at Davidson

Okay, so a lot of people probably know about this one because it is the marquee Bracket Buster game. When this first hit the schedule a couple of weeks ago this looked like a fun game between two NCAA-bound squads, but it has since turned into close to a must-win game for both teams. Isn’t that what the Bracket Busters are supposed to be about? Both Davidson and Butler have suffered a tough loss in the last two weeks, (Butler has two), and now aren’t looking quite the sure thing for March. In fact, Butler has taken a real hit in the last 10 days as they lost to a very good Wisconsin-Green Bay squad on the road, but then suffered an embarrassing home loss to Horizon league bottom feeder Loyola (Chicago). Butler has the benefit of playing in a much stronger conference and they have some nice non-conference wins on their resume, but that Loyola loss may prove to be their undoing if they don’t win this game or the Horizon Tournament. Davidson on the other hand has some close losses on their non-conference schedule, including to Oklahoma, but they have beaten no one of note. They could use this game as a buffer in case they don’t win the Southern Conference automatic bid. Davidson has been a bit suspect at home and Butler is very good on the road making this a delicious match-up.

Seven Days Under the Radar: Siena Saints

There are a couple of BCS schools that could be at the top of this list this week, like Missouri and LSU. Both of them are having tremendous seasons and yet few people are talking about them. However I like to reserve this spot for a mid-major squad and the Saints are the second team from the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference I have put in this spot this season, (the other being Niagara). The Saints were on national television at the beginning of the season against some big name competition and came up flat. However, Siena had some key injuries in November and December, but they have a complete squad now and they are playing like it. Once they got healthy after the Christmas holiday they started playing like a team on a mission. They’ve only lost twice since January 6; at Kansas, (no shame there), and by 2 at conference foe Rider, (and trust me, Rider is a very difficult place to play). The Kansas laws in doubt in the last minute. The thing about the Saints is that they are blowing opponents out, whether at home or on the road. The Saints are led by four players, each one who might be the best player on the team if not for the other three. Kenny Hasbrouck, Edwin Ubiles and Alex Franklin all average in double figures and Franklin averages 7.2 RPG. Ryan Rossiter averages just a shade under 10 PPG but pulls down almost 8 boards per game. If the Saints run the table, they may not need to win the MAAC Tournament in order to go dancing. The point is that if thy do make the Big Dance, they will be and should be a popular pick to pull a first round upset.

Seven Days on the Hot Seat: NONE…

I’ve seen two coaches who’ve been on this list already shown the door in Alabama’s Mike Gottfried and Georgia’s Dennis Felton. Two more are almost sure to go in Notre Dame’s Mike Brey and Oregon’s Ernie Kent, (in fact, if Kent is retained I’ll eat baby food for a week and sell my house). Even GW’s Karl Hobbs is probably a goner, (I wrote about him two weeks ago), so I thought that this week I’d point out a couple of coaches who are doing a very good job at their respective school. At the top of the list is Arizona’s Russ Pennell. I mentioned what the Cats are doing earlier and it may just be that the interim tag will in fact be removed from his title. How about Trent Johnson at LSU? Here was a team that was almost a unanimous pick to finish at the bottom of the SEC West and yet the Tigers are the only team in the SEC that have probably locked up an NCAA bid. Do you think that Kentucky fans are rethinking their negative stance on Tubby Smith? Minnesota is not a talented team and he has them set up for a berth in the NCAAs, (trust me, I live in Minnesota and when you look at the Gophers’ roster you’d agree with me that Minnesota has no business being in the same area code as an NCAA bid). Cal’s Mike Montgomery has again left a positive mark on the Bay Area with his turn around of a static Golden Bear program that lost its two best players. Finally I’d like to give a shout out to Valparaiso’s Homer Drew who just won his 600^th game. Sure the Crusaders are bad this year, but Drew has been a model of class and consistency over his 20 plus years in northwest Indiana.

Seven Days of Head Scratching: Pac-10 Officiating

I brought up Pac-10 officials last season, (remember how ASU was “jobbed” in the Pac-10 Tournament last season), but after this week I feel compelled to bring up the officiating in the West Coast’s biggest conference. Arizona State should feel pretty good about its sweep of the L.A. schools last week, but the only thing coming out of those two wins was the talk of two of the most horrendous calls I’ve seen in the last decade considering what the calls were and when in the respective games they took place. Both calls went ASU’s way and both, especially the phantom charge call on UCLA’s Darren Collison, had a great deal to do with the outcome of each game. I don’t want to get caught up in one or two calls because that happens all over the country. My problem is with the massive inconsistency that Pac-10 officiating crews show within the same crew. A well-officiated game isn’t one where all the correct calls are made, but rather where calls on one end of the floor will be called on the other end of the floor. All coaches want is some consistency. Pac-10 officials apparently haven’t heard of that…for a long time. Part of the problem is that the pac-10 doesn’t in any way critique its officials. The conference considers officials to be independent contractors and as such they don’t penalize officials when they are clearly below par. Don’t believe me? When is the last time you saw a Pac-10 official, let alone a Pac-10 crew anywhere near the Final Four? The NCAA knows how bad these officials are and hopefully its only a matter of time before the Pac-10 realizes it, too.

Listen to me and my college hoops opinions, whether you agree with me or not, on the Papa Joe Chevalier show at 5:30 PM CST Tuesdays each week.

Top Lists: Unknown Gems, Comeback Players, Shot Blockers

Jason Brubaker — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 20:32:45 -0500

We’ve covered the preseason All-Americans, Final Four picks and individual team previews. Now it’s time for the fun stuff – the guys who make college basketball so fun to watch. Let the debates begin.

Best players you haven’t seen: These guys aren’t in the spotlight much, but they sure have the game to be

1) Marquis Blakely G/F, Vermont: Fills up the stat sheet as good as anyone in the country (19 ppg, 11 rpg)

2) Lester Hudson G, UT Martin: Big time scorer will eventually be in the NBA (25.7 ppg)

3) Josh Akognon G, Cal-State Fullerton: Lights out shooter introduced himself during the NCAA Tournament (111 3's, 20 ppg)

4) Ben Uzoh G, Tulsa: Does a little of everything, now must help lead Golden Hurricanes to the tourney (15.6 ppg, 5.4 rpg)

5) Osiris Eldridge G, Illinois State: Great leader, good shooter, good defender, dangerous scorer. Enough said (15.8 ppg, 5.7 rpg)

Hospital breakouts: These guys will provide big boosts as they return from injury

1) Ronald Steele G, Alabama: When healthy, as good a point guard as anywhere in the country

2) Eric Devendorf G, Syracuse: Dangerous scorer will return Orange to the tournament

3) Jodie Meeks G, Kentucky: Meeks has all-SEC talent if he can stay on the floor

4) Korvotney Barber F, Auburn: One reason to get excited about Auburn basketball is his return to the floor

5) Solomon Alabi F, Florida State: Should provide a much-needed post presence for Seminoles

Shot blockers: Think twice before challenging these guys at the rim

1) Hasheem Thabeet C, UConn: Good luck getting your shot over his outstretched arms (4.5 bpg)

2) Jarvis Varnado C, Mississippi State: Remnicent of a young Kenyon Martin with the way he sends shots away from the basket (4.6 bpg)

3) Kleon Penn C, McNeese State: Owns the paint and the basket when he wants to (4 bpg)

4) Jerome Jordan C, Tulsa: Scary thing? He hasn’t even come close to his potential yet (3.7 bpg)

5) Hamady N'Diaye F, Rutgers: Great athlete has good timing, aggressive nature (3 bpg)

Yesterday: Top Dunkers, Shooters, Rebounders. Disagree with Jason's picks? Let us know your top lists below!